[9 May 2014] Battle Arena Melbourne 6 (Melbourne)

Sounds like another awesome BAM, I didn't get to watch the footage yet, but I'll check it out soon.
Congrats everyone who placed, and to Berzerk for what sounds like a great event.

 

WARNING: Contains soppy, heart-felt messages from an ol' bastard that may offend some readers.​

SYDNEY HEADS!

Chill:
Firstly, congratulations on topping your pool, which was no easy feat considering you had to do it against Melbourne's best (AlexMD), not to mention having to come back from a deficit, and against the momentum. This is something you should be proud of. Similar to last year's exhibition event, you seem to have this ability to tap into a mystical drunken zone with your Shun, rendering him into an unstoppable mix-up machine. I think I was lucky in keeping that in check during our match, but it was great to see you turn it on during that pool match vs. AlexMD.

Secondly, Pretentious Melbourne! Seriously, it was cool to have a fellow Sydney head to hang with, and exploring the (hate to admit it) really cool eateries Melbourne has tucked away in seemingly every nook and cranny of the CBD.

Finally, I also want to take this opportunity to thank you for keeping the Sydney scene ticking along as well. If it wasn't for your, and to some extent Megadeath's enthusiasm (but more so his comedy! CHEEZUS!), I can't definitively say that I would still be around. So for that, a massive thanks.

Genxa:
I know you hardly play at all these days, but it still pleases me that you take the time to compete, but even more when you insist on puffing smoke from your e-cig in my face for that "Japanese arcade" feel But I want you to know that the Sydney VF guys are always ready and waiting for your return into the fold!

MELBOURNE HEADS!

Berzerk:
Congratulations to you and the team on the successful completion of BAM 6. It's always a pleasure to come down and hang with you guys, play some awesome sets, share meals, take the piss out of other FGs, and generally just catch up. To echo everyone's words, the scheduling felt like a huge improvement over last year (i.e. no long waits between pools and finals). Your effort is always hugely appreciated, not just for these big events, but ongoing for your local community which inevitably rubs off nationally, and that's a *great* thing. We're lucky to have people like you doing the "dirty jobs" in the Australian FGC.

Incidentally, I want to say that your pool match victory over CM, sending him to the lower bracket, was probably the best performance I'd seen from you in a tournament. Very efficient, and calculated aggression against a tricky Lei Fei, so well done for that! Also, it's always fun commentating with you!

AlexMD:
When Dan was recalling our respective BAM résumé's over the microphone, as impressive as it is that we've had a back-and-forth culminating at BAM each year, it made me realise that many people probably don't know just how far back our rivalry goes. So it made me reflect on our history, and feel appreciative that we've been able to maintain it across several generations of VF versions and releases. Dare I say, the longest Australian FGC rivarly still going today?! Long may it continue but let's not kid ourselves... the others are catching up!

On your tournament performance, I want to say congratulations on fighting your way back up to the grand final. There were certainly some moments where I thought you might have let it slip, or that the momentum reversal was going to overwhelm you, but you figured yourself back into the equation in ways that only you can. The two cases that come to mind is your successful run-back against Chill, and, perhaps more spectacularly, the CM "multi-dash" situation.

The latter was particularly memorable not for the jolting punctuation of a wall splat, which lead onto a sequence of events that diminished your full health to about 1 point in a blink of an eye, but in how you responded. I would daresay that most people in receipt of a similarly explosive mind f*ck would be shocked into submission, so much so that their exit from the tournament would seem highly probably, if not inevitable, and I'm speaking from personal experience. But your refusal to bow out, to make up the enormous deficit, and eventually clutch out the win is a testament to both your skill and steel. Once again, well done.

Gab:
I think this BAM was the first time we actually got a good session in, no? And after how many years? Great to see you continue to make good strides in VF, and your Akira has much improved! I can still feel the sting of having my rising kicks crushed by your 214P! Your system and general character knowledge in VF always impresses me, and I like that you have a pretty solid grounding in fundamentals across a wide range of Fighting Games, and can always find a good way to relate it to VF.

I also want to say a huge thanks for helping with the running of BAM, and not just for VF either. I recall the trials you described on the Saturday (and the less said about that, the better), and how exhausted you must have felt when the day was finally done, but you still had the energy and time to hang with Chill and I for a late dinner. Believe me when I say that I fully understand, empathise and appreciate the effort you put in. I've "been there and done that" so I know how physically and mentally draining it is when you're both running and competing in an event (same goes to Berzerk). But rest assured that while it may seem like a thankless task, it has not gone unnoticed, nor unappreciated. So massive respect, and hat off, to you.

El_Twelve:
I'm not even sure we got to play over the weekend, but I did manage to watch your El Blaze both in and out of the tournament, and can say there's been a noticeable improvement. It's even more pleasing to have read that you've set yourself some personal goals, which can be a great motivator for personal improvement.

Also, you're dead right about the drugs! In fact, I think should contact Voltaren about future sponsorship opportunities, because without them I think the constant buzzing of pain and discomfort during the long days of play would have ultimately taken it's toll on me. Oh, and before I forget, glad to hear that your friend enjoyed watching me play VF, but did he enjoy it enough to want to play too?

CM:
Simplistically, VF can be described as a game around forced choices. But when I play your Lei, it becomes a game of forced respect! Respect for the 1P+K, that is! I'm pretty sure that I lost count of the number of setups you have "on tap" for the 1P+K whiff punish, all of which I sheepishly ate at least one or probably more times than I wish to admit. But make no mistake, forcing respect from the opponent is a necessary developmental step. If the opponent never adapts, then you're never pushed to improved.

I was left with a sense that you felt you lacked a certain something from your game. "Fundamentals" or, as you sort of put it, a level of "legitness" that unique characters such as Lei can seemingly get by without. But whether you take a detour with your character choice, or are just forced to take a new look at your play style, I think the very fact that you're asking questions of yourself, and feel there's a gap you need to fill, is encouraging to hear and a sign that you're on the "right" path. Provided you stay on this path, I have no doubt you'll find what you're looking for.

Maximum_Abare:
After missing out last year, I wanted to make a point to get some games in with you this time around, and I'm glad we finally did. Having a small scene up in Sydney, we're starved for certain match-ups, and it's been a long time since I've played against a solid Jean, so thanks for the set! You also appear to be a steady path of improvement much like the rest of Melbourne, so I hopefully it's onwards and upwards for you! p.s. Nice to finally know the story behind the name!

Burnout:
While I'm not exactly sure how recently you picked up the game, for a first timer I have to say I was really impressed by your showing in the tournament. It was encouraging to see you demonstrate your knowledge of fundamentals of spacing, movement, advantage and disadvantage -- under the pressure of a tournament -- and still managed to give Gab a good run for his money! Kudos for stepping up, and hope that you enjoyed VF enough to continue the journey.

THK, Borgie, Kisou:
While we didn't get to play, it's good to see you guys still taking an active interest in the scene and the wider FGC. Keep at it guys, and hopefully there'll be a chance to get some games in next time around.

RANDOM HEADS!
I had some general musings to share, but I've drafted this way too long that it no longer makes any sense when I re-read it. So for now, I'll leave some brief bullet points about some other random stuff that I may, or may not, elaborate on later.

• Originally I had missed my flight from Sydney to Melbourne. Turns out it was an international leg, so I needed to be checking in like hours earlier, and not turn up 15 minutes before boarding like you can on a domestic flight. The moral of this story? It pays to read your itinerary carefully, but more importantly, I can't fucking believe there's no free transfer service between the domestic and international terminals of SYDNEY AIRPORT!!!
• Checking in through airport security, my two favourite things which always seem to happen when I travel for a tournament, happened again: (1) needing to explain what a "joystick" is, and (2) getting "randomly" selected for a pat-down.
• How massive the portion sizes were in the Chinese restaurant Gab, Chill and I ate at on Saturday night. Words can't describe...
• Weird crazy Italian looking man in the Chinese restaurant loudly expressing his desire to purchase a random pair of chopsticks. Words can't...
• Seeing Josh Thomas, and Hannah Gadsby (Australian Comedians) in said Chinese restaurant.
• Leaving Melbourne on the last flight back to Sydney, this time with heaps of time to spare, because I learnt my lesson the first time, right? So there I am, feeling content with my coffee, muffin and posting trophy pics to Facebook, when suddenly everyone in the terminal is asked to evacuate immediately due to a security breach. We waited a good hour or so while a complete sweep was conducted before they re-introduced passengers flight-by-flight. Some flights were cancelled, and thankfully mine wasn't, but getting home a little before midnight meant that the entire "trip home" lasted around 4 hours, instead of the usual 2-ish.
• So this cool thing happened: Udon comics artist, Jeffrey "CHAMBA" Cruz was in attendance at BAM6, and was taking art commissions. Guess who I requested he draw?

BAM!

 

Finally got around to watching the stream, and this made me LOL! @Berzerk you have to watch the very end of our commentary here:

http://www.twitch.tv/newgameplustv/b/527745729

 

Hey Throwback, not sure about Canberra but there's a few of us in Sydney and Melbourne who try to play regularly online.

If you're not already, you should also hit up the Facebook group Australia VF Virtua Fighter. Depending on your system of choice, you can usually arrange adhoc sessions by posting in there.