NYG

Since I'm on a "high" with the cool debut of this board, I thought I'm going to do that report on NYG right here right now, even though I have this huge pile of homework I really should be getting to. /images/icons/crazy.gif


<u>THE NEW YORK GATHERING AWARDS</u>

I'm going highlight the Gathering by giving out "awards". I will probably write an alternative version that is set in "diary" form some time later.

Best Player Debut
Since many of us have already played each other, only a few VFers at NYG fall into this category. But the winner, I think we will all have to agree, would have to be HIRO. His amazing ability to predict crouch dashes and escapes makes his Wolf incredibly deadly. Hiro has no problems taking huge risks in order to pull of huge moves. His style makes him an interesting but difficult player to defeat. Also, Hiro is able to play with all the characters with incredible efficiency, which adds great variety whenever the environment became stale (i.e. when there are too many Kages, heh heh). The strategies, combos, and uramawari that he is familiar with for all the characters is mind boggling.

Best Character Debut
This is no contest. By far, the "new" character that made the most impact would have to be Harold's (aka Kageh) Sarah. Sarah had been a secondary character for Harold, but he had never really played her in much depth prior to NYG. In fact, I can remember him asking me what good combos/strategies he can use with Sarah at the beginning of the Gathering! Harold's primary character was Kage, but because there were so many Kages at the Gathering he decided to try Sarah instead. His Sarah turned out to be very strong indeed, and had the skills to hang with the big boys and rack up a few wins of his own, even against the likes of Hiro, Sumeragi, and Shota. There is little doubt that Harold's Sarah is more dangerous than his Kage. Harold has perhaps the deadliest Sarah in the U.S. that I have seen.

Most Oohs and Ahhs of the Show
The most stylistic player at NYG would have to be New York's own Nelson, who played a mean and dancing Shun. People may know how to play Shun, but Nelson is the only true master of the character that I have seen in this country. You can clearly see this with some of the stuff that Nelson does with Shun that is not applicable to other characters. His play at the Gathering reaffirmed my belief that his Shun is the most complete in this nation.

Disappointments of the Show
Would have to be the Boston Crew, for having to leave so early. Argh! I wanted to play with you guys some more...at least on a more private basis. The best matches, I will continue to maintain, take place among small groups. Saturday night was probably the busiest of the Gathering, and it was hard to really get to know how others played based on that. The most intense matches are usually the ones held into the wee hours of the morning...Hiro, Sumeragi, Harold, Shota and I will gravely attest to that. It was Hiro's Wolf, Sumeragi's Lau, Harold's Sarah, and my Kage facing off until dawn broke Sunday morning. Awesome!! /images/icons/cool.gif

Most Changed Character
As if Sumeragi's Lau wasn't scary enough, it got a whole lot deadlier during the Gathering. Sumeragi's Lau is awesome, but it because a lot more dangerous after some feedback from Hiro. Sumeragi had a few weaknesses/patterns in his game before, but they were largely eliminated after his Lau shifted emphasis from the elbow-palm to punching rushes. Dangerous, dangerous. I had to drastically change the way I played to even stand a chance. My Kage, also after some feedback from Hiro, became a lot "safer" and I tried not to Korean Step as much. The new style, which I debuted on Monday/Tuesday, was effective on some players and not so for some. Heh heh, but that's what being able to adapt means doesn't it?

Most Absent of the Show
This is tied between Shota and Adam. Although both attended the Gathering, neither played as much as most others did. Hmmm...could it be that both of them had girlfriends at the Gathering? OK OK, I'll say no more. /images/icons/wink.gif

Most Improved Player
This would definitely be Shitzumon. At the beginning of the Gathering, Shitzumon didn't seem to have as much control as he wanted in his gameplay, but by the end of the gathering, both Shota and I were amazed by his progress. His Jeffry was very respectable by the time the end of the Gathering drew near.

Most Feared Player
Ahh, this would probably be RSW with his kick flip Kage. /images/icons/smile.gif You know it's coming...but you just can't avoid it!! I would have loved to be able to play RSW's Kage some more, but unfortunately he had to leave early.

Surprise of the Show
I must tip my hat to Red Ken, aka Jenny from Boston. Girls that play games are already rare here in the U.S., but girls that are able to play VF just absolutely floor me. /images/icons/blush.gif Jenny played a pretty cool Pai, and just about destroyed Andy and me. /images/icons/mad.gif Always a pleasant person to be around with, it was too bad that she had to leave early with the Boston Crew. Jenny, here's to hoping that you can join us again at future gatherings. /images/icons/smile.gif

Well, that just about wraps it up. I really apologize things have been going so slow on my part. Again, I don't have a computer set up yet so it has been basically impossible to update the site and implement the redesign. Hopefully, things will begin moving soon. I really apologize for all the ranting and raving I've inflicted on all the poor individuals at the Gathering! /images/icons/tongue.gif Your feedback into this site has been really valuable, and I really look forward to incorporating them soon.

Lastly, but most importantly, a huge word of thanks must go out to Adam, Elise, Andy, and Shota for organizing this event and making it work. My stay at New York was nothing less than superb, and the New York Crew were the perfect hosts. So, once again, thanks NYC, thanks Shota.

 

Once again, I must reiterate how much better Nelson's gotten over the last year and a half.

The gathering was definately great. You guys managed to convince us to stay one more night at least, but yah we missed the bulk of the gathering. Who decided to push it back to Saturday-Tuesday? While I'm in school and I could have stayed, it would have been impossible to stay longer as both Rich and Jen had work the next day.

Sadly, we were so pressed for time, we didn't have an opportunity to go for midnight chinese food. Somehow I always associate late night chinese as being the highlight of any gathering. If we only could have stayed longer, I'm sure we would have gone. Adam's place, while rocking in terms of setting and facilities, unfortunately was a touch far from the late night Flushings chinese run I had wanted to do.

Regardless, it was nice to have played those few players whom I haven't played before. Now I can once again reassert my VF claim to fame as "the guy who's lost to everyone."

-Jason

 

Hey any chance you could reveal some of these extensive uramawari techniques that Hiro's knows with all the characters...PLEASE !!



Yomi is the key.

 

Yay...I've got an award!......do'h not exactly an honorable one, I realize.
Quite frankly, my mind was elsewhere throughout the gathering. I would do my favorite
guaranteed PPP with Jacky, but mind does not work to vary my attacks after that.
Thus Harold kept interrupting my elbow/throw attempt with Sarah's fast P. It took me
almost a day to realize that I should do low-K to get MC.

Stuff like that, my mind was just slow for some *unknown* reason. I may get a few
lucky wins, but my mind flies back to my girlfriend who must be reading the book in the
hotel room.

The gathering was great nonetheless, meeting a lot of nice people. I could not make
myself to enjoy playing the VF though, to my greatest annoyance (I know that I want
to enjoy playing, but *something* checks my motivation).

I've finally realized that my girlfriend AND videogame do not go well together. And it
took me 6 years to figure that out....