Community Effort Orlando 2015 (CEO 2015) is this weekend, and everyone is getting ready for the intensity of this fighting game tournament. It is the second biggest tournament in the FGC, with EVO being the first. Many players from all over the world are making their destination towards Orlando, Florida as we speak. Some of them are getting there by taking road trips, while others are taking a plane.
For most, it’s all about making Top 8 in games such as Ultra Street Fighter IV, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Mortal Kombat X. But for others, it’s all about food, fun, friends, and good times. I like to call that the tournament after-party, or the after-tournament experience.
What is the After-Tournament Experience, you ask? It’s simple: after the end of Day 1, Day 2, or Day 3 of any tournament, a couple of players hang out together and do a lot of things such as going out to eat at a restaurant, hanging out in the hotel rooms practicing for Top 8, playing other games that aren’t fighting game related, etc.
The OGs knows what's up.
I could recall my first time competing at a major at The Fall Classic, which was 2 years ago. One week after Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate came out for consoles, I could recall the events after the 2nd day of the tournament ending. Team Ninja hosted the Event Party for Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate, where DOA players and other members of the FGC could stop by and celebrate the release of the update to DOA5. I remember me and a couple of guys combined two tables together because the bigger the table, the more people. On one corner, there were people playing DOA5 Ultimate, and near the entrance, we took several photos. The DJ was playing a lot of hip hop music (I know there are people who don’t like that kind of music, but I didn’t mind it. I hate mainstream rap, though except for a few). Gamester Gear was there in attendance, along with several other top players such as SherryJenix (who was passing out Gamester Gear and tickets), Chris G, and Justin Wong. There was one guy who had the concept art book for DOA5 Vanilla (which you can find on the Collector’s Edition), and he wanted everyone to sign his book based on the characters they mained. I signed the Leifang page since I use that character in tournaments. Of course, I thanked Tom Lee for hosting this event, as well as introducing myself to Justin Wong for the very first time. He’s a chill, down-to-earth guy.
Can't forget about this.
Next came the 6-on-6 DOA5 Ultimate Old School vs. New School exhibition. Based on the poll votes on Free Step Dodge, we had to vote for players to represent the old school and new school. For the old school players, we have Rikuto (Erik), Sorwah (Matt), Sweet Revenge (Matt-2), MASTER (Manny), Lopedo (Leonid), and Perfect Legend (Carl). As for the new school, we have MC Kwiggle (Kristian), Blackburry Chaos (Eric), XCalibur BladeZ (Ryane), CrazySteady (Steady), Electrified-Mann (Reginald), and Requiem(forgot his name). If anyone remember the fill-ins, let me know because I had to dig through the names at each post on FSD. I’m not sure if anyone got replaced. Anyway, the New School DOA players defeated the Old School DOA Players thanks to the likes of XCalibur BladeZ. Hype modes were engaged that night, and we kept partying.
The next day before Top 8 for DOA5 Ultimate began at TFC, I went to lunch with Jeff (CyberEvil), Ronald (Desjah Rei), and Katsu (I finally mentioned you on my blog. I don’t wanna hear it from you after that lol). We went to this restaurant called Bahamas Breeze (on which it fucked my stomach up the next morning before leaving the hotel to go back home. Seriously, avoid that restaurant.), and then made back in time for casuals and to watch Lopedo win DOA5 Ultimate Top 8.
Made it back in time for Top 8.
Next tournament I attended was Summer Jam 8. After Day 1 was over, me, Matt (Mr. Wah), Alan (XZero264), Katsu, Kristian (MC Kwiggle), Greg (Gill Hustle), BboyDragon (never knew his real name…), Steve (Sly Bass), Erik (Rikuto), Dan (Jaegar), Travis (Shade Swifteye), and Team Ninja’s Creative Director Tom Lee walked all night in Philly to this restaurant called laFusion. After walking for 20 minutes, we found out that the restaurant was closed until September 23rd. We walked another 20 minutes to another restaurant called Chickie & Pete’s, and we sat at a big booth. Of course, Allan Paris, Perfect Legend, and Chris (NinjaCW) joined our table. We ate, talked about we got involved in the community, the games, and the difference with the Japanese DOA community.
By the time our food came (I had the South Philly Cheesesteak), the first thing I did was take a bite into the Ghost Pepper. IT WAS THE WORST MISTAKE I’VE EVER MADE! My mouth burned like the thousand flames of Hell, and I was screaming my lungs out for a glass of water. I feared the outcome of what will happen in the next morning.
After that, we walked back to the hotel. On our way there, someone (not naming names) decided to piss on the neighbor’s trash can. When I got to the hotel, I was tired as shit and I went to bed. Meanwhile, the rest of the guys played Pac-Man Championship Edition DX on the PS3 at Gill’s room. If I wasn’t so tired, I could have joined.
The next day after Top 8 finished for DOA5 Ultimate, we had dinner at a sports bar inside the hotel. We talked a lot about what changes were needed for the upcoming final update of the DOA5 series, Dead or Alive 5 Last Round. While we as a community talked to Tom Lee about what we needed in the final update, he told us to write down a list of changes for characters and mechanics on a napkin so that we can let the development team can know what changes are needed. By the way, I was there when the teaser for DOA5 Last Round was announced.
The most recent after-tournament experience was East Coast Throwdown. Now I wasn’t there when a couple of the guys played Nintendoland on the Wii U after Day 1 finished. On the final day of the event, Matt and I both arrived at New Jersey for ECT, where I finally got a chance to meet Destruction Bomb in person for the first time along with TeeKay and Hold Junkie. After Top 8, we went to the Famished Frog, where they served nothing but good food and flat drinks. Seriously, the Root Beer and Dr. Pepper were flat as all kinds of hell. Then, we went back to the hotel and took a group picture.
Before you leave, ALWAYS take a group picture.
Back at the hotel’s ballroom, we played DOA3.1 (released in Japan only with that bullshit Hayate Cartwheel), and Dead or Alive 3++ (modded by a few members of the community) on the original Xbox. Thankfully, some of the members brought in the Hori-Themed DOA3 Arcade Sticks for the Original Xbox. That’s good because I could never adjust to using a pad to play fighters again. After it was getting late, we headed back home to Maryland in the pouring rain.
Going to tournaments isn’t just about being #1 in the world. It’s also about food, fun, friends, and a great time. When you go to your first major, make sure you stay for the tournament after-party. You will meet a lot of awesome people. Oh, and make sure you take a group community photo before you depart. Let the world know that this is what you guys represent in the FGC.
Throwback: B5 (Battle of the Bay) Interviews in 2001. Although it's outdated, it's still worth a watch.
To the online Fighting Game Community (and stream monsters): I will give you this one homework assignment. Make a plan to save money and go to one offline tournament. While you are over there, try to compete, make new friends, talk to people, etc. If you don’t want to compete, then just meet new friends and talk to people. And after each day ends, hang out with them, go to dinner, play some games in their hotel room, etc. Be friendly, but don’t be TOO friendly. Make some contacts to keep in touch.
Don't worry: you won't be graded... Actually, yea you will be graded.
Now I’m not saying that you have to go to EVERY SINGLE TOURNAMENT… Just try one. If you can’t make it, then save up money for the next one. No pressure needed.
(Before I end this blog… If anyone with the community is interested, I am thinking about bringing the Sega Saturn, and a couple games with it at Summer Jam 9. If you guys are interested, let me know.)
To anyone who is going to CEO or EVO this year, I bid you all good luck. GET HYPE!
