Let's address this post one section at a time. I get what you're saying, but you need to look at things from the perspective of the offline, competitive, top player. It's a very different perspective compared to what you have, and it's not about being an elitist.
The first thing you're not understanding is that offline players aren't complaining about the lag or even losses. The ONLY problem is when people take online wins to indicate they are better than someone. Now, it's VERY possible that the online player is better. It's just that in the unstable environment of online play, it's not a good proving ground for this.
NBA games are not played outside in windy areas. Professional golf and baseball aren't played when it's pouring rain. What counts is when you play in the best possible conditions. That is not online.
I can understand where you're coming from with this. However, keep in mind that our "elitist" attitudes don't crop up until an online player starts boasting about his online wins. To the offline player, this is where they are being disrespectful. It's something that does not happen offline and an argument that would not occur if the online players were a bit more humble about their online wins.
However, you saying that online players are friendlier tells me you haven't been to many offline events. I've had WAY more fun at offline tournaments than I've had dealing with rage quitters, pullers, people who pick EotE every single time, and people who win by the skin of their teeth, spamming lows that are virtually unblockable, then saying they're the best of the best.
It's about respect. After an online match, there's little respect from the opposing player in many, many cases (not all though). After an offline match, everyone goes out to eat on the winner of the tournament. So many laughs have been had during the after-tournament meal that you completely miss out on online.
To you, "minor framerate" is completely playable. To a seasoned offline veteran who relies heavily on their reaction time, that's unplayable. I rely on my reactions as much as possible because I cannot stand guessing, especially in situations when I don't have to guess (blocking a low for example).
Online, in the very best possible connection for DOA5, you cannot block most lows on reaction. To me, that is unplayable. To a seasoned tournament veteran, that is unplayable. To you, that's fine and people just need to adapt. But I implore you to look at it from our point of view. Offline you can block that low on reaction, online you have to guess it's coming. When you react properly, you are never wrong. When you guess, you can and will be wrong. That's a huge difference.
Again, I look toward Helena. Even in the best possible online connection, she can mount a nonstop offense. There's nothing you can do about other than guess the proper hold and HOPE it comes out in time. Offline, I don't have to guess at all and I can play against her MUCH better.
1) Appreciate you being civil, I'm aware my post you responded to was more than a little aggressive, and I apologize for that (like, 4 in the morning when I did it.)
2) Unless I'm misunderstanding you, the issue that comes up with online, for most people is "can't do what they are used to doing". I'm seeing that as them simply being poor players because they can't adapt. And I in no way mean that to insult anyway. Like you said, you (and other offline players) rely on reaction, and that is difficult online due to variables present. For someone like me, this isn't much of an issue, NOT because of me even being used to online, but because I use a different playstyle, that doesn't rely on reaction as heavily. What I'm getting at is...if one thing doesn't work (say...holding on reaction), then you need to switch tactics to something that DOES work. Every character can be played in multiple styles. For example, I occasionally play Christie, but I don't use her as rushdown, as that's not my playstyle. Her long reach, and evasive maneuvers make her good for say, hit and run, as well. That's just as an example.
3) On the topic of Helena (And also Brad Wong for the same reasons), I agree that its hard to fight her on reaction online. So I don't. Instead, you can focus on the fact that she relies on being low to the ground a lot, and cut her off, using overheads. Now doing so doesn't mean I'm worse than someone who does it on reaction, and so my fight means less than theirs. It just means I can adapt better than they can. And if the helena adapts to that, i switch to something else.
4) I've been to a few offline events, not a lot, but from what I've seen, its mostly like people on this site, where they claim its "my way or the highway" in terms of how the game is to be played. Which to you, may mean nothing as you've been to more tournaments, but for someone to me, it turned me off of caring about going to tournaments, which is a big issue for the community, as I'm sure i'm not the only one who feels that way.
5) I understand your point of view, but the issue is that most here do NOT understand mine (aka, online player). Online is still the exact same game, you just have to be able to adapt better, and to more. Again, playing at offline major tournaments is the way to be officially recognized as a "top" player. There's no arguing that. The issue is when offline players attack and criticize online players, saying that unless they GO to an offline tournament, then they all suck and nothing they say or do means anything. When in reality, this is not true, its still the same people playing the same game, only that its not officially sanctioned. If anything, online has the potential to generate better players than offline, due to even more factors acting as obstacle for the online player to adjust to.
6) I'm aware that a lot of my views stem from my own playstyle, which is more fundamental than most, which lets me adapt a little better, as simple is versatile. My playstyle revolves around single strikes, defense, and generally guiding the flow of my opponent's actions, rather than trying to pull off combos or do things on reaction. (to clarify, the difference would be that while you are trying to counter a low kick by seeing them start to do it, then doing the correct counter, I already know they are going to do a low kick because I set things up so that a low kick is their best bet/only method of attack in that instance, so I have a counter already at the ready. Granted, i'm not perfect at the playstyle, and I slip up, but it generally works great, and allows me a lot of leeway, so long as I keep planning ahead) As for adapting, if my usual tactics don't work, i'll shift gears to rushdown, or guaranteed, or full defense with no mindgames, etc, etc. When one thing doesn't work, switch to another. Those who rely on extensive guaranteed combos, numbers-reliant reaction strategies, etc, its all very impressive, but from what I've seen, its fairly useless unless theres both fundamentals to back it up, and the ability to adapt when its not working. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that a lot of people would be having a much easier time if they weren't trying to be overly technical, and just focused on the fight itself instead of stats, priorities, numbers, etc. Now, i'm not talking about experiences players like you, i'm talking about EVERYONE. A LOT of people spend so much time trying to memorize stats, combos, juggles, priorities, crits, etc, etc, under the assumption that this guarantees them a win so long as they know the mechanics inside and out. But in PRACTICE, a lot of that goes out the window both offline and online, as, a) DOA has that constant x-factor, and b) Just trying to rely on those makes you (speaking generally) wind up overspecialized. If it lands, then yes you can do the 100% guaranteed damage combo you've perfected. (Exaggerating, don't waste breath trying to pick that apart on a technical level). However, say, you go online. Where certain that may or may not work for a much wider variety of reasons than with offline. I've seen a lot of people ragequit, call online stupid, all because they can't pull off their combo. Which is something I don't understand. If its not working...switch to something else that does.
I dunno, i'm looking at why people think online is inferior for gameplay reasons, not just ranking, and, at least in my head, it just seems to come back to the same old thing. "It sucks unless I can do my memorized patterns". And again, not saying that to attack you, or anyone else specifically.
And i rambled too much, so let me try to sum this up with a few key points.
1) People need to stop trying to claim online means nothing/is meaningless. It means the exact same things as offline, only that its not officially recognized. So basically same thing, minus a label. Now what I mean by that, is that people boasting online is just as valid as people boasting offline. Its the same game, and like you said, neither of which is a valid claim unless it was an official tournament anyway. If somebody wants to claim they are better than the person they beat in a match, fine, whatever. Wins don't really say anything about player skill anyways, but let em have their moment. Its only when people, offline or online, claim to be better than EVERYONE, that it should become an issue.
2) People need to learn to adapt better so they can compensate for the changes that come with online gameplay.
3) Unless the offline community learns to clean up its act and stop acting like try-hards, elitists, and snobs, the offline scene isn't going to grow much, as nobody wants to deal with people like that.
4) Online is the main way fighters are played nowadays. People need to accept that, this isn't the 90s anymore.
5) As for people online boasting about wins....who cares? They won some matches, let em enjoy it. Just because the matches were online, doesn't make them null and void. The matches would've likely gone the same exact way if they were offline. I mean...you said the "offline elitist" only comes out when people start boasting about online wins...why?
Blah. Sorry for the redundant rambling, i'm watching a movie as I made this post lol. Bottom line...No difference in player skill from offline to online, only actual difference is that the officially sanctioned tournaments are offline.
