SoCal 2008 - my 10 cents

There and back again. Fresh in my mind is the fact that the trip was well worth it and I had a great time. It was a return to a habit of traveling for VF that was both nostalgic and new at the same time - same feeling, same great game, new people, new place. My sincered thanks to both Plague and HowBoutSum for being such great hosts and making sure everyone was accomodated and pulling it all off.

It's always been a tradition for me to write up my thoughts upon returning from a VF gathering and this time will be no different - player by player, to the best of my memory. Here goes, in no particular order other than how it comes to mind.

Sillywilly - The first person I met as I walked through the door at Plague's. Although we never took the opportunity to play one on one, you were an absolutely critical component of what makes a gathering great. Your sense of humour and
contagious attitude made being there more fun. Thanks for the laughs and keeping everyone grounded that this game is a blast. Hopefully, we can meet up on XBL sometime.

TonyFamilia - It was great to have some games on XBL on the Wednesday night before I left. Definitely the connection from even Toronto to SoCal is more than playable if the conditions are right. I enjoyed your Brad and it was clear that as the weekend progressed, you got into a better groove. I hope to catch you online soon.

Incident, Ladon, Scamp - For the most part, we were always in the opposite room during the casual play, and we never
met up in the tourneys. But I did get some games in with Incident on Saturday and only a handful with Ladon on Sunday. It's good to see that Florida (Tony, you too!) still has a contingent of VFers willing to travel and get their game more exposed. Overall, I really enjoyed my games with you guys and hope to have more soon.

KoD - I think for me the key memory is that KoD and I could at virtually any time over the weekend and exchange a glance that would mean 'same page' /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif I'm glad I got to put a face to the online persona and although we didn't have any casual matches, I'm hoping we can live through some internet lag to have a few in the future. I was really happy to have KoD's insight in the many VF conversations that happen while waiting and watching - many thanks! Good man, good VFer. I hope to have the chance to meet up again sometime.

Sanjuro and BigBoy - So good to see you two again. There's really something to people who have stuck with it and keep showing up and contributing; they're what makes this community what it is, really. Sanjuro's gumbo on the Thursday was a welcoming warmup to the weekend. I had a chance for some casuals with BigBoy's Lau early on and they were great fun trading wins. Sanjuro, I agree it feels dumb we didn't get a chance - no issue, there will be more VF to come and I'll make a point of sparring with your fast paced Akira.

Plague and HowBoutSum - I sparred a little bit with Plague and trading wins with his Akira was a lot of work. Having HowBoutSum as a Pai player really gives me no element of surprise and it certainly limited my tricks. And those damn walls! HowBouSum's Pai gave me a lot of new insight into Pai's various play styles. Her ability to mix up the levels and keep the opponent guessing gives her an edge over many players and I was impressed with her game. We had some great casual matches on the Thursday and I wish we could have had a few more later on - here's to hoping we can meet up online. Don't let Plague hog the XBL matches! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

Enchantin_Chloe - The third Pai! Again, not unlike HowBoutSum, you were able to show me some very neat tricks in Pai's playstyles and the mental notes I made in both our casual matches and watching you against others will be a lot of fun in trying to broaden my own style of play. Thanks for the matches, they were great.

001, CaliJared, Pinetree, KungfuSmurf - I don't think I played any of you, which is a shame. 001, I do that having the technical guy around really helps smooth out any hiccups during a gathering and I'm sure many of us are very much appreciative of that. To all of you, here's to hoping we can fill that gap of matches in some XBL games as I'd love to get to know your games and styles better. Oh, last thing on Smurf. Not only was it great to see you again, but I must commend you on the transition from Pad to Stick and on your execution and style in game. Honestly, I was blown away by the amount of hup-hup-HAH's coming from your games. Slick. Your dedication shows 100%.

Haunts - I wish we could have played some casuals. You took me to task in the team tourney and I was hoping we'd get a chance to get to know each other's styles a bit more. Your Goh was straight up on fundamentals and did very well - a solid example of what the simple game can achieve! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

Brisal73 - More than once it came up that the two of us look very similar! Finally put a face to the VFDC tag. It was good to get some matches, albeit brief, during the weekend and your Wolf is excellent and nice to fight against with some good thinking during the rounds. I hope we can get more games in, perhaps on XBL.

LA Akira - I really enjoyed the conversations immnensely and the brief matches we had were great and put me to the test. I think that your enthusiasm for the game is already a massive influence on the players not only in SoCal but also across the continent. You're dedicated and the JP exposure you've had really helps normalize the scene we have here and provides that important sense of reality. A huge thanks for allowing us to visit your home, and really enjoy some great VF over your efforts in the garage with that cabinet. I think there will be more conversations in IRC to be had and you're welcome in Toronto anytime. A pleasure.

GoatCheeseBlues, Renzo - Two of the stronger players that I didn't get casual matches in with. I was extremely impressed with Goat's Sarah. Solid game, both in execution and in knowledge of the system. It's clear that you've set a standard in my mind of great Sarah play. Renzo's Brad was also very strong - I wish I knew more about Brad to be able to separate the gameplay strengths of Renzo's game from the edge one gets from opponent's lack of exposure, but Renzo clearly exploited his opponent's weaknesses as good as you can and was a force over the weekend. Great job in the tourneys! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

Ken_I - I had a good session with Ken_I earlier in the weekend and was clear from the get go that his Lei was very strong. Nothing flashy, solid fundamentals, and probably the best I've seen in terms of never assuming and never giving your opponent more credit than he/she deserves. If it works, don't fix it. That mindset was enough to propel him to 2nd place in both tourneys - very impressive indeed. Thanks for the game, Ken - you definitely helped me identify where my game needs to improve.

Shag - It's been years online with VFDC, yet this is the first time I had the pleasure of meeting up with Shag. Great to finally bridge that gap. I had some great matches with his Goh, a powerhouse, and I really enjoyed his style of play. The first match we had, I think we exchanged tech roll trips 3 times each - hilarious. I need to play you more, Shag, as I thought the matches were intelligent and fun. I hope we can connect up online and further down the road IRL in NYC. Another salt of the earth VFer that is a major component of the reasons I keep coming to events like this.

Oioron - Can you believe we barely had a casual match? onetheless, to connect up again from so long ago in Boston was great and I'm really glad we have that same mindset (Me and Mats, baby! Me and Mats!). Music, VF, etc - our discussions were a big part of the good times I had in SoCal. I watched your Kage a lot (kick ass, imo. The flow, the style, the whole package) and I'm dedicated to ensuring we get games online soon. I need to have Adam send me the new ringtone, too.

Flash - Honestly, it felt like we had known each other from past gatherings of years gone by. I've said this before to others, and I'll say it again: there are a ton of players who come and go, and myself and some others have seen this time and time again. Flash, you are not going anywhere and it's apparent in your dedication and approach to both the game and the VF community. Your game is, well, nothing short of stellar and beyond some silly joystick troubles, you were a huge contender in every game you played in the tourneys. I know this, you know this, we all do. I could watch your Wolf all day. I have no doubt that we will meet up again soon and you've etched yourself into my mind's rolodex of VFers who not only are great players, but are the reason I still want to play and travel.

DubC - We had a ton of matches together, both in tourney and casual. Your Akira is fierce and you have the talent to kick it up a notch like few others. Each match was close and trading wins was a lot of fun. So, how bout that connection to NorCal? We've got to redeem our only XBL game and see if we really can connect and make it fun. I think that we'll see each other again, and I have that feeling that you intend to be around for the longer haul, I hope.

Dennis0201 - Son, you have hands. Like no other at the event, and like few I've ever encountered in VF, you have hands. I had a blast in our matches, trying to simply keep up with your pace. I don't think I know who your main is, as you moved around the character screen quite a bit over the weekend. I hope you find the time to continue with VF even as your school picks up over the next year and a bit. I certainly hope we get a chance to meet up again sometime - surely everyone needs a trip to the East Coast, right? Thanks very much for the games, Dennis. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

DRE - Another long time no meet VFer for me. DRE, your Akira was light years ahead of many, in both execution and creativity. It was a lot fun to have some casuals with you and to watch you produce some of the highlight moments in the rounds of both tourneys. Such style! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif Anyways, we've caught up online before and I hope that continues - you make me want to switch back to my roots in Akira! Must resist! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

Krsjin - My driving partner, and imo one of the best upcoming players we've had in VF for a while. I think everything we said over the weekend needs not repeating here, but I do hope that you're able to continue to put time aside for VF. You are talented and a thinker, two qualities that will allow you to be one of the stronger players in the US. Over the weekend, no one improved at a rate like you and your ability to implement changes on the fly to your gameplay, to recognize the holes, and then to ask the right questions to find the answers and fill the gaps was astounding. We will meet up again, I hope /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif Thanks again, Krsjin, for all the chats - made my weekend all the better.

adamYUKI and Konjou_Akira - Ok, ok, so I saved you both for last. I would never had come to SoCal had I not seen the two of you confirm. It's importatnt to me that there are constants in how I view and play and enjoy VF, and you both are a big part of that. We have a lot of memories and I'm glad I was able to connect with you both again. No doubt more to come for as long as we can envision, I'm sure. Konjou - you are a marvel of VF. Your Akira is as strong as I can remember and you will continue to be successful at it simply because you truly love this game and have dedicated the time required in order to be as good as you are. I hope others take your example and develop an understanding of what it means and what it takes to be that good - because I do think there are many who are delusioned in this. Adam - what can I say? Wow /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif You were as good as it gets this weekend. Defense like no other. Yomi beyond yomi. You have the gift, there is no doubt.


Lastly, to adam, Flash, and Konjou, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the games we all had and the support for helping me improve on my own game. I have pages in my head of where I need apply many many insights you all took the time to provide. I certainly hope that I can put the appropriate time into the game and improve as much as I can. This game continues to be a big part of my life and it's only appropriate I think that I try and ensure I don't lose it. You 3 are a big part of that for me moving forward. Thank you!


So, that's it. My 10 cents. Til next time! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

Thanks to Plague and HowBoutSum for hosting and making things possible. You two are great ambassadors of VF and are beyond cool. It was awesome to hang out with old friends and meet new ones from all over North America.

Instead of posting shoutouts, I'll post pictures that I took and some of which we're taken by Kungfusmurf (thanks man for taking those.)


Queen of VF /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif














This is how our bodies feel after the gathering.




Dural vs. Dural final at Random Tournament


Dural's giant swing is only /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/g.gif?




The Champion, NYC FTW!

 

good photo's. ONe of these days I'll get in one of these shots. Def for evo!

 

SWEET CHRIST FELLAS!

Beautiful photographs guys. Thanks alot!

 

That Black and White picture makes Konjou look a like a professor, CHURCH! Great pictures fam.
-ShinobiFist

 

Man those are so well done. You got a flicker account or another site with other stuff you've shot Monty?

 

Yeah i got a flickr account. Just search me there under oioron.

 

thanks for taking these pics Monty~

these are my best memory~~

 

Konjou is a professor to me~~~

 

I'll finish up my shoutouts here if that's ok Owen. Seems like a fitting place. Like I've mentioned before, I'm sometimes hesitant to do shoutouts cause I don't want to leave anyone out or make some think I like others more than others. Also don't want to come off as kissing ass or being a fanboy (even if I am ^_-).

SillyWilly - I really second what Llanfair said about you man. Within an hour I felt like I've known you for awhile and you really helped me relax and feel at home. Really gota thank you for that lift to the airport to man. Hope to see you at the NY event.

Shag - Mentioned you a bit in my first shoutout but, you were as cool as I imagined you'd be. Really helped me out, explained a lot, and really fun to watch your Goh.

Konjou - I was kind of intimidated by you to be honest. Probably just out of respect for your skill and knowledge because you're a really cool, down to earth guy. The shit you told me after having that session with me when you guys got there has really sunk in. I wrote it all down and am trying to implement more effective fuzzying and 'standing my ground' more. Also the line about 'don't just watch what your opponent is doing, but understand why it is they're doing it' has really helped me adapt quicker I feel.

Flash - Fresh to death Flash. As cool as I imagined from the forums too. Your Wolf is not only fierce, but really fun to watch. You're still my idol after this trip haha.

Adam YUKI - You might be the most humble person I've met in all of the gaming scene. To me, based off of what I saw at this gathering and what I have been told, would regard you as the US' top player right now. And yet, you dish out compliments, help scrubs (i.e. me lol) with advice. Even outside of the game, you remain humble and really cool.

Tony - I knew you'd crack me up before I went, but you had me rolling sometimes man lol. Like at the freaking BBQ place, "Ehy yo K-R-S", wait for me to stand and look to you, then you just sit down like you never called me lmao. The trip back from Gerald's seemed short too with the conversations we kept going in the van haha. Felt bad for Catherine but I was cracking up the whole way back. I really dig some of your flow charts with Brad man, and you're a soldier for trying out stick even though you're so use to pad.

Richard - Lau Pow. We didn't talk all that much but you were as cool as it gets. Your Lau has some nasty shit too man. Hopefully you can make it out to the NY gathering.

Renzo/Stephanie(Stephany, Steffani me no know how to spell :\) - Met you two right out the gates as Plague picked me up and was really glad I did. The small talk we had helped me ease my way into the event. Both of you are great people. And you are extremely solid at this game Renzo. Both your Brad and Jacky are scary. For someone who hasn't been playing, you did great this weekend.

Ladon - Man, you got off to a rough start getting to SoCal. You had to use stick when use to pad, and you still impressed me. Really appreciated your advice on some of my frame options and information on what Blaze can do. Can't wait to see how good you are once you get use to stick and make it to the next event.

Incident - Glad you were able to come clear out from Florida too man. Watching your Jacky I was able to learn some things I never thought of and your Jacky has really improved since I last saw it. Glad I got to see you again since EVO last year and even more glad you're still playing.

Smurf - They don't come much cooler than you man. Our sessions we had were real fun. And I have no doubt that you can't beat Willy in a drinking contest (No offense Willy, but Smurf seems to have this drinking thing on lock lol). Great pictures too man, thanks for taking those along with Oioron.

Dennis - My teammate! Really glad I got to meet you. I had heard you were good at the game but you're REALLY good man. With many different characters too. Really glad you were on my team and you bailed us out a few times haha. Hope to see you in NY too.

001 - Yeah man I really appreciated the beers, but more so, I appreciated your dedication to work on everyone's sticks during this event. Don't worry about Haunts, we'll be sure to take care of em while he's here. Hope to see you at NY.

Oioron - Fresh MC Oioron. Great pictures as already mentioned. To be honest, I was confident about facing you in the team tourney... until we began lol. Your Kage is really calculated and well executed, and you seemed to really be playing well towards the end of that tourney. Really glad I got to meet you.

Haunts - Don't think we actually played but I did watch your team tourney matches and a few others. I think your Goh has a ton of potential, especially with your level of execution. We talked a bit and it sounded like you knew some stuff you needed to work on so I expect to see a crazy Goh in June man.

KoD - You bailed me out on that random character tourney with the last min Jeff tips and the Jeff tips from Friday lol. Really great to meet you after reading all your posts here. I always tend to view mods as being real stern and maybe a little scary lol, but you were really cool and enjoyed talking with you. See you in NY?

Scamp - Wish I spoke with you more than just the last day. Glad I got to meet you though. Seemed like you decided to go with Van that last day there, hope that goes well for you, but you seem really familiar with many characters so you've got options.

PineTree - First off, thanks so much for that random ride from the hotel on Sunday haha. That was crazy to just walk by and see you guys. But yeah, for someone who hasn't played others offline and hasn't played much, you were really picking stuff up with your Brad. Bet next time I see you it's gona be day and light with your level of skill.

Jared - My teammate! Some asked that I tell you Jacky tips but really, I learned a lot from watching your Jacky. Especially the P strings and elbow pressure, which I feel you excel at. Pretty cool guy... for a DoA player... lol jk/jk. See you again man.

Ken I - Duno what to say really, we didn't really talk but from observation, you really leveled up from last year. Your Lei Fei is on another level from when I saw it at EVO last year. I really hope you stick with the game cause you're already beasting as it is.

DRE - Glad you were able to make it on Sat. Not glad you put me into losers first round!!! >< !!!! lol just playing. You're as good as I heard you are man. Definitely a veteran I respect even in the short time I got to talk to you.

DubC - Keep up the progression on Akira man. Your execution is there, and I'm no Akira pro or anything, but once you add a little variety to your arsenal, your Akira should become pretty scary.

GoatCheeseBlues - Your level of adaptation is damn scary man. I'm trying to convince a friend of mine to watch your Sarah matches to help encourage him to play her again, and I think they'll really help. Hopefully we'll get to play more in the future.

Again this wasn't for a popularity contest or anything like that, and while I feel like this was an end of the year signing of yearbooks type of writeup, I just wanted to let you guys know what I felt after the trip.

 

Ah, the good old days of post hummus (heh) write-ups... I've always looked forward to those, especially back in the day: rec.games.video.arcade FTW!!

I can't say enough how cool it is to see this community thriving.

Even though I wasn't there... Thanks to Plague and crew for organizing this and keeping the dream alive.

 

Hello. This is this guy, BTW....



I was glad to be able to show up to this event and meet all of you. While I met some of you from EVO last year, this was a whole different story. I really enjoyed it.

Time for shoutouts.....

KrsJin, Scamp, we met briefly last year at EVO and it was great seeing you two again and exchanging thoughts about VF and fighters in general. I always enjoy talking with people that have the same kind of enthusiasm for what we as fighting gamers do.

SiLLyWiLLy, you are one of the coolest guys I've met and you made me feel right at home throughout the weekend. Glad we finally got to have matches near the end. And on top of all that, you're having my children, simple as that. DON'T TASE ME, BRO!

Ladon, I would like to.....Hey, wait a sec. Why the hell am I give you a shoutout for? I see/talk/play you practically everyday. Is it you encouraging me and Tony to make the trip and represent Miami? Our adventure to actually get to Riverside? I DON'T KNOW! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Jared, The first time we went at it in our Jacky series, I was tipsy. We still had some sick matches and we were having those same competition the entire time there, whether it was a clean sweep or it came down to the wire. I reveled in every bit of it and I know you did too. Keep it up, man.

Smurf, Great matches with your Akira and thanks for the biscuits. I can never say it enough. Your contribution will forever be remembered.

LA Akira, thanks for having us over to marvel at your craftsmanship put it to great use. But just listening to your insight on VF (and other topics), not just from a technical gameplay aspect, but the on the deeper metagame was enough for me to see where to improve. We never got to play, but I'm sure we will next time.

Renzo and Stephanie, It was great hanging you two again. Whether it was just chilling over YouTube madness, VF matches or sending me off, it was all great. And it's always good to know someone knows the "awesomeness" of Violence Fight.

BigBoy, I could swear you and SiLLyWiLLy are like brothers or something. I was glad to face off your Lau and I definitely look forward to doing it again. I gave you loud humor and you gave me Coke with Jack Daniels. Even trade. Both were happy.

Talis and Catherine, our hosts and my transportation throughout. Thank you very much opening your home to the great big ruckus we always look forward to. Thank you once again for allowing me the chance to see Arcade Infinity.

So many more people, Adam Yuki for "black-on-black crime on BET" (And coming next season, The Whiteboy Challenge), Monty, Goatcheese, Flash, DubC, KoD, Dennis, Ken I, 001, haunts, Pinetree, Shag, Sanjuro (Gumbo = WIN), Llanfair, Konjou, Brisal, DRE, and everyone else there, nothing but love to you all and I look forward to seeing you all again wherever, whenever. Keep the scene alive!

And last and certainly not least.....



Meatloaf Tower, you kept me fed for 2 days. The moment I made eye contact, I knew there was something special. Your texture, your taste, your very aura was just nothing short of enthralling. From the first bite to very end the next morning, I treasured it all. Even when I knew I couldn't finish you from the outset, I never saw you as leftovers or even a second helping, but one glorious moment where we were in unison: Eater and meal dancing as one.



I'm soooo money matching you next year.

BET IT!

I really ought to take more pictures next time.

 

Since this seems to have become the defacto shout out thread . . .

First off, I want to tell a sappy story: On my flight back, I gave up my seat to an unaccompanied minor. Another boy about his age was also travelling alone, and ended up sitting right behind him. Maybe 30 seconds went by before the kid up front turned around & said "Hey, do you like star wars?" "Yeah, look at this (pulls out toy starfighter)" "That one's cool!" so on & so forth. By the end of the flight, if you didnt know better, you'd think they had been friends for years.
Adults don't always get much of a chance to play like that, but during the gathering I saw a lot of grownups (or at least, oversized kids) making instant friendships around a common interest in VF. Props to everyone who kept that spirit alive.

Individual thanks to

Plague - for making it all happen. Glad we got your sticks working again, have to play more online if the connection stays good.

HowBoutSum - from the few matches we played, you've really stepped up your pai, keep it going. I know I said it in person, but you also deserve recognition for keeping the tourneys running smoothly (the random select tourney was especially fun).

L_A_Akira - you already know that cab is cool as hell, and that you and your wife are awesome for inviting the unwashed masses into your house . . . so I'll just say thanks for the most direct and useful gameplay advice I got all weekend ( oh, and for Roscoe's ).

KrsJin - Sounds like youve gotten a strong crew together in colorado. Keep playing like that & you're gonna be yosuke version 3.0 !

kungfusmurf - very glad we got a chance to play some casuals before I caught my plane. Like I said, one of the most fun akira to play against.

DRE - glad you made it to the singles tourney, your nail-biter of a victory was one of the most exciting matches all weekend.

Renzo - I know people were making noise about brad, but the little bit of games we got in in casuals made it clear you were winning with fundamentals, not exploiting lack of character knowledge. ( well, except maybe the clinch vs Shag /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cry.gif )

Enfantin_Chloe - Anyone who makes jacky bounce up and down like a rubber ball is ok with me. You should stick with the switch to jeff though /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

DubC - I was glad to hear you apologized to Tony for bogarting the station adam (edit - or was it ken_i ? ) was playing on. Good attitude goes a long way.

furashu - Great to get to meet you in person, thanks for the encouraging words, meant a lot coming from you.

Konjou_Akira - for takin' care of business, you know what I mean. The wolf vs your jeff match in random select was lots of fun, as were the couple other causal matches we got to play on the cabinet.

adamYUKI - "this is where . . . you FALL DOWN!" nuff said.

tonyfamilia - damn, man, you are one funny cat online and off. great conversations from the get go ( way to play it off confusing me with s_aki /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif ), hope we can have some decent games on live.

Shag - dont think we played any except in team tourney, but you're seriously powered up from last year. The pimp-walkin-goh, pillar-of-the-VF-community, right here.

s_aki - thanks for looking out for me on the food side of things, i appreciate it. i'll rematch my 3 move sarah vs your shrm-only eileen any day /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Ladon - fuckin hot dog muthaf . . . seriously man, we'll get you hooked up with a pad again so you can return to form.

Brisal73 - glad to play you finally, glad I was able to break at least some of your online specials /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Scamp - 1K+G muhahaha, I'll get you with it next time.

dennis0201 - looking forward to seeing more wakeup-hopping, corner-spodding, crazy-execution goodness from you. Creativity, hands, friendly attitude . . . you'll go as far as you want to.

INCIDENT - yeh bastud, why'd you have to save that "oh, i'll just throw him out of the catch" for the team tourney? None of that at all in casuals! seriously, great matches, lots of fun.

PINETREE - props for beating me fair and square, and for sharing the hotel room ( and no, the first thing had nothing to do with the second, I assure you )

Llanfair - great to see old-school vfers coming out of the woodwork. Next time i'll bring my saturn & we can have a vf kids tourney with programmed buttons . . .

001 - for modding peoples sticks so I don't have to!

willy - last but certainly not least: thanks for keeping things lighthearted, showing appreciation for the people doing work on sticks ( no homo, i've seen what you posted about Sebo ), the ride to the airport, and for not punching me out & stealing my modded high grade.

Sorry if i left anyone out, its probably cause my brain is still gonna be mush for a few days until I get sufficient sleep.
Y'all are all welcome to come visit my house & play VF if you ever find yourself in austin.

 

Wait... what? Someone expand. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif

LOL at Clinch.

 

Renzo doesn't do anything tricky with Brad. He just has solid spacing and good timing/punishment. Matter of fact most people were straight up evading his frame advantage kick altogether, and I wasn't seeing anyone attack after it either. That shows at least some knowledge. KoD pretty much hit it on the head... good defense and fundamentals on that kid (except when he does random OM >_<).

Hmm, I met some of the coolest people I've EVER met in my life at this thing, and I kept it no secret from them or any other people who were willing to listen. More so than being cool about the game or being good, what I was most impressed with were the attitudes of some of the people in this community off the game, in how they deal with people in every day life.

When I post, it tends to be pages worth, and I am actually scared to do a shout out post for that reason... I don't know, sometime soon I hope to be brave enough to try to tackle one (and to keep it short).

 

Sillywilly - Had a good time discussing about the top RPGs with you and all. Although we have our disagreements, it's all good. I didn't get to play your Aoi though which sucks. I still don't know her enough, so I probably won't fall for your fakes, lol.

TonyFamilia - You're totally a Cereal Killer, lol. Nice Tony the Tiger pants. It's too bad I didn't get to play your Brad! I always play against Renzo's Brad, but I wanted to see yours. For sure next time, I'll play you!

Incident - lol, had lots of fun playing against your Jacky and Jeffrey. Probably more of your Jacky though. I hope my Pai gave you some sort of run, heh. Next time I'll bring my DS so we can play games while we wait for our turn by a setup, lol. Good times!

Ladon - Shadow Hearts = The best! So good to finally meet someone else who loves the game. It's a shame that many people don't play it. But, anyways! I really like your El Blaze, you seemed so natural for him, I had trouble against him. Keep it up, so you can do more flashier moves on me, ha ha. Thank you again for talking with me that one time, it really helped!

Scamp - Arrrrgh, you and I didn't get to play together that much this time. Where's your Monkey Girl Eileen, lol. Well, next time someone should bring a Wii so we could like... Play Brawl too. You gotta show me some stuff, since I never got to play Smash competitively.

KoD - Played you on like the first day, heh. Your Jeffrey is pretty good and your play sure got to me sometimes. Hopefully, you'll be able to come next time so we can get more games in next time!

Sanjuro - Thank you so much for taking care of the kitchen and educating me about the process of various foods. Every time I come to the house, you're always making something fresh and delicious, it's exciting! Also, your Akira was strong, and I got to get better against Akira so I can play you again.

Big Boy - I remembered when we first played in the tournament; it was alot of fun. Thanks for being my first tournament opponent, 'cause now we can be rivals, lol. Even though my Pai isn't up to your Lau, I think I understand the game a bit better. Thanks for playing with me!

001 - You did great Jay in the team tournament! Even though Ken_I took up most of the matches as the 2nd person, you had your moments in the spotlight. Keep up with those Hotdogs and French Fries. lol.

CaliJared - Nice playing and talking with you. Even though you kept reminding me about Renzo's decision in the team tournament, it was funny. Once I get a 360, I'll definitely get used to the system in DOA4 and I'll do better. As rookies in VF, let's get better so we can compete with the top dogs, lol.

Pinetree - Had alot of good times talking and playing with you. That would be so cool to have a math teacher play VF. Make sure you get those scratch-n-sniff stickers and get that setup made. lol. Let's make sure to play and get better so we can both progress! When I get a 360, we should play!

KungfuSmurf - lol, we always ended up playing against each other in tournaments. Good games with your Akira; I kept running into some of your attacks... But, next time, I'll get around them!

Haunts - A ghost! Start hosting at your house so we meet up any play! I guess you turned out to be the Wild Card, huh?

Brisal73 -

LA Akira - Thank you so much Gerald for allowing Renzo and I stay at your home. I had alot of fun participating in the Random Character tournament, and hanging out with your wife. I'd love to try her food sometime. Next time, I hope to get better to be able to play you. I'm very excited for the next time we're going down.

GoatCheeseBlues - Ah! Oh! Ooh! Wow! Love your commentary when you're watching the matches. Why not root for team Norcal? lol. Your Sarah is strong as always, and I never got to play you. Next time, I'd love to try against her. Heh heh.

Shag - Nice seeing you again! Your Goh is something else... Just like last year too! I didn't know you liked Street Fighter; It'd be cool to see you play. Are you going to compete in EVO?

Oioron - Monchee! You and your Kage... Yargh. Next time I'll try harder against him. I just need to break throws more often and change my game. It was still fun to play against you though, glad to hear your photography is going well.

Flash - Your Wolf has gotten so much better than I remembered! You handle him so well. Although I won't play Wolf, lol, I think I'm a bit scared to face him. He seems so strong!

DubC - Let's play at a NorCal meet!

Dennis0201 - Thank you so much for playing with me, and giving me encouragement to get better. I think that I'm doing okay with 4 months of play, but I think with time, I can do better. Hopefully whenever you get the chance, come up to SF and we'll all play together.

DRE - We didn't get to play, but it would have been fun to play. Hopefully next time we'll be able to get in some matches next time!

Krsjin - Such a tricky Jacky. We always came so close, but I guess I gotta work at it more. Had fun, especially when looking for you at the Airport with Renzo and Plague. Nothing more fun than yelling KrsJin at random people outside you know?

adamYUKI - Thank you so much for the tips on Jeffrey, it really helped! It's made me want to play with Jeffrey now, heh heh. You're definitely a strong player, and it was fun to of played as a team.

Konjou_Akira - I didn't get to play with you, but I think you're a great player. You looked pretty cool with that little rocket with Coke and Jack Daniels. I was so jealous.

Plague and Catherine - Thank you so much for letting Renzo and I stay at your home! It always feels like home, especially when VF is involved. I've been playing for 4 months now, and I feel like I can really get better and understand the game more. Thanks again!

 

That I know from playing him. I'm curious why so one (who exactly?) would cry "lame" if they didn't put the time to study a character that is somewhat popular? I mean the Brad's been in VF since Evo, and his slips, ducking, and swaying aren't that different (PT isn't that rough: just don't try to attack), and VF5 has been out for over a year. <span style='font-size: 8pt'><span style='font-size: 8pt'>(quasi-inflammatory portion below?) [/size]</span></span>

"I'ma gonna fly out to SoCal to have fun, but then get frustrated when I lose to a character that I obviously didn't put the time to learn, much less read the many good articles on the Brad forum (thanks Tony {and others})! Maybe that'll make me feel better because I didn't lose to a TOP TIER PLAYER, but a player who just abuses stuff. It's all logical. DURKA DURKA"[/size]
----
As long as I'm here:

WHAT HAPPENED TO SWEEPTHELEG? /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

 

u r better than Renzo!!!!!
he sucks.......

HAHA~~~ /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

=( =( =(

 

Haha at Incident's post. I was literally lol'ing at work, my eyes watered up and everything. Incident, you and Meatloaf Tower made a great duo XD

Real quick shoutout post-
Plague and Howboutsum: you guys are the best hosts and the nicest couple I know. Beautiful home, beautiful dogs, living in Cali... basically, fuck Mike, I wanna be like Plague when I grow up!
What can I say? There are no words to describe just how cool this event was. I've thanked you a bunch of times and I will always be grateful for your hospitality, what you guys do, have done and continue doing for this community. Here's another warm and heartfelt thank you.

L_A_Akira and wife: I gotta thank you not just for opening up your beautiful home with your kick-ass cabs but I also gotta thank you for the advice and the talks we had. Talking with you, Kody and Ladon on the way to the restaurant and then on the way to your house made time fly by so fast. I'll make sure to apply to some of that advice you gave me and you got me really hyped to watch those Itazan-Brad vids.

You guys are too cool, I seriously want to be in a similar situation sometime in the future where I got a kick-ass place to host VF gatherings too /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif

Everybody was awesome and I can't wait to VF it up with all of you again. I'm swamped with work so I'll do another longer shoutout post this weekend.

P.S.
Real quick special mention-

SillyWilly: You got to love, love, love your Negro man.

Chief Flash: Como esta ka? Great to finally meet you fam!

KRSJin: *gives head nod*
/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
Aight, gotta get back on my grind *chucks the deuce*

P.P.S.
Thanks to everybody that showed up. I had a great time talking/playing with everybody I met. Individual shoutouts coming soon. Hope to see you again at the next one.

P.M.S.
Oh and if everybody could bring at least two female friends next time, that would be great.