Colorado Fighting Game Community
Colorado (as one may be surprised to figure out we're actually a state in the USA... even surprising those who live in the USA) is a pretty under-the-radar community when it comes to competitive fighting games. While there have been good showings from Colorado people in out-of-state (OOS) tournaments including, but not limited to: EVO (four people making it out of pools), Devastation (2nd in BlazBlue), and taking home other smaller non-major tournaments (NM, WY), there may be a possible lacking drive in Colorado right now.The biggest thing with Colorado is the split the state has. Due to many previous run-ins and clashes between Extra Fresh League (EFL) and Colorado Cutthroat Console Tournament (C3T), it has created a rift in how the Colorado community is perceived, how new players come on-board, and how the community plays. Especially considering Colorado is already a pretty small community.
The following information is coming partially unbiased, but my opinion and bias is still based in experience.
EFL is a group of players that are a lot more serious about playing competitively. They're, ironically, more cutthroat when they play, as they should be. They're trying to win, and it shows. They have a FUBU mindset: For Us, By Us. Competition is a lot tougher, and some aren't nice about people who come in and don't come to play well.
C3T is a group of players that are far more casual when it comes to fighters. They also host LAN PC and FPS/TPS tournaments. If you checked the website, you may have also noticed the "L.L.C." at the end of their name at the bottom of the page. That's right, they're a business, and they make it as such. Tournament pages will be lined with various advertisements from various companies. It's a full fledged business. They have less emphasis on competition and more emphasis in bringing in numbers.
So while EFL is great for people who love gaming and competition, you will seldom a new face in the scene unless they came directly from another FGC. And while C3T is great for always bringing new people in, their best players don't get top 3, and even get double-peaced, at EFL tournaments. An EFL player at a C3T tournament nearly always wins and is attended by non-C3T boycotting players for free prizes and money.
...Even if it's in the form of a check that you will have to wait until Tuesday to cash that may or may not be the full winnings for the tournament.
Recent EFL Fighting Game Community
I personally spend most of my FGC-based social and tournament time, and they're the ones with the better drive to play and win. I enjoy that competitive aspect greatly as it drives for me to do better in tournament, so long as I enjoy the game.Over the last 6+ months, there have been ranbats, think small tournaments, to earn ranking points to win a flight ticket to EVO, the biggest fighting game tournament in the world hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada. Two seasons of Marvel vs Capcom 3 (one vanila, one Ultimate) and Street Fighter 4 (one AE, one 2012) were played and scores were tallied and added from placing top 4 at each ranbat. The winner of each season played against each other for the EVO tickets at the previous tournament: Judgement Day 2.
At this same tournament, there was also another EVO ticket up for grabs in a raffle for anyone who placed top three in UMvC3 at Judgement Day 2, AND a raffle for an EVO ticket for everyone attending.
WOW, that's fucking incredible! FOUR EVO tickets given out at one tournament!? Colorado, you are some hard ass dudes. You guys go hard in the paint. That oughta be the most HYPE tournament of the year!
18.
Around 18 people showed total. Barely legal.
Earlier, I said we had a smaller pool of players. Still, that's from a total of 50+ players who just didn't show.
Even at the ranbat the weekend before, 8 people showed. That's less rhymes than Snoop Dogg could make out of real words. Think about that.
Even the guy who was in the running to get first place for season 2 in UMvC3 and get a chance to win that EVO ticket didn't show. Instead: he won the UMvC3 tournament and bought the ticket from the guy who won the EVO ticket from placing in Marvel. After beating any and all competition that was in the running for the EVO ticket.
With these depressing numbers, and the biggest prizes by far, it gives a lot for the EFL to think about. What people want from tournaments? What will drive them to play if EVO tickets will not? Is it a lull period or are people legitimately not coming because they don't feel they can win? Is it more simple in being distance, costs, or just everyone was busy? These are just a few of the questions being brought up.
One player is saying the tournament organizers need to think up something, while one of the tournament organizers is disappointed in the community for not showing. Obviously, this is something we need to talk about as a whole community, but there's a secret "Tournament Organizing" thread that only select members of the community have access to. I don't believe that's the right direction, because it doesn't give the chance for the whole community to speak. Even the tournament organizers are a part of the community by the end of the day, they should speak as part of the community.
I wonder also: What can we do to keep the community drive consistent? Not me, not they, not the organizers; WE.
One thing that has made me happy is the consistency of the King of Fighters XIII players. Sure, there was only 8, but that has not been fluctuating much either. If we had everyone for KoF13, it would have been around 12 anyway. I think that's a good show of drive and there isn't a reason the popular games shouldn't have that drive.
Still, it's something that I hope is talked about as a community, and not in a private sector. I'll see what I can do to push for that.
Personal tournament results:
King of Fighters XIII: 2nd Place
Skullgirls: 1st Place
Got that first blood on Skullgirls and have received the crown. Now people are coming to take it. While there shouldn't be any pressure, I feel a lot of pressure to stay on/near top. "Fear of losing": That'll also be talked about in a blog somewhere.
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