#ncfgc

Name: Daniel Cortes

Handle(s): El_Mexicutioner or Mexicutioner86

Current City and State: Charlotte, NC

Games You Play: Tekken, Street Fighter V

Match Highlight (besides the 100$ Money Match in TTT2 vs TurtleBS): TI|TN El_Mexicutioner (Laura) vs xDSC|TITO_G (Bison) - HYPE MATCH!

(Shoutouts to LeonHartEX for capturing this moment)

Tell us about yourself. How did you get your start into fighting games?

Just a chill dude trying to play and become a successful streamer. I first started playing fighting games when I immigrated to the United States. SNES was in and Street Fighter II had just released. It wasn't until when Tekken 3 came out in arcades that I decided I wanted to play in tournaments. My uncle planted the seed mentioning there are tournaments for fighting games, although I had no idea there was a community for that (this was in my teens).

When Tekken 6 was released, I Googled and found the SRK forums. I found a tournament in Greensboro, NC at Lucky's Card Shop, a classic spot from what I heard in the fighting game community ( 3 hours away from where I lived). I placed 5th at my first tournament ever in Tekken.

That’s where the fire to compete was ignited and I’ve been at it ever since.

In your game of choice, which character(s) do you play and why specifically those characters?

In Tekken, I played a lot of the cast. At first, it was Eddy Gordo (Tekken 3). Then I came across King, the character I'm most known for. I was attracted to his throw game and combinations, I practiced them all out and mastered them (well, sort of).

In Street Fighter I've always played shoto characters but in SFV I play Laura. Her mixup game and command throw game is what attracted me to her. Command throws seem to be the characters I’m most attracted to in this new generation of fighting games.

What are some of the things that you like about being a part of your fighting game scene? What are some things you wish could change?

What I like about the Charlotte scene is the comradery and tremendous support we have for each other and their endeavors whether it’s wanting to open up an arcade, organizing tournaments, etc.

One thing I would change is how egocentric it can be at times. As a scene, we’re strong, we just have to change our training habits. Like instead of playing to count W’s we should play to learn from each other and to teach each other. This is the exact thing that separates the Tekken scene from the Street Fighter scene.

In the Tekken scene, two players can play for hours while we spectate to give advice on how to deal with certain things depending on the matchup. In SFV it’s more about cliques and only playing those you can win against.

These are just some things I noticed between the two scenes.

What is your approach to the way you play your game? What do you tend to go for and what do you tend to look for in your opponents?

To be honest, I like to play nutty until my opponent makes me respect them. Then I play equal parts solid and nutty. Finding a good balance between the two has helped me succeed, although most tournament players definitely force me to play more solid than nutty.

What is the match you remember the most and what made it so memorable?

The most classic match for me was when I went to KIT 2018 (Kumite in Tennessee) and I played against my boy, TitoG. It was like four or five of us from North Carolina that went to support each other (Interviewer note: It was also my birthday that weekend, so naturally I was there). 

He’s a Tennessee native, so a crowd was following him around and hyping him up, pretty cool if you ask me. I find out I have to play him next and there is definitely a crowd hyping him up while my boys were hyping me up. It was cool to see a rivalry between the two communities brewing. At the end of the day, we all have love for each other outside of the game. Those kinds of matches are what I live for.

Finally, any advice for any of the newer players looking to join their local scene?

If you build it they will come. Surprise yourself like I did. I had no idea I was gonna do as well as I did at my first tournament but I did. So keep playing, keep practicing, and learn to take advice from those better than you by putting your ego aside. You will grow tremendously with a willing-to-learn attitude.

You can follow Mexicutioner86:

Twitter: @mexicutioner86

Twitch: twitch.tv/mexicutioner86

Instagram: @mexicutioner86

(Pictured with AI|LolitaBot as Sakura Kasugano)

Name: Togaa Lavien

Handle(s): ReSe | IAmSimba

Current City and State: Charlotte, NC

Games You Play: Under Night In Birth: Late EXE.st, Dragonball FighterZ, Tekken 7, Street Fighter V

Match Highlight:

Tell us about yourself. How did you get your start into fighting games?

I am a very passionate fan of the genre, and I am someone that can get emotional overall. I love fighting games because I can put my heart and emotions into something I enjoy in a good way. I started as a casual player growing up. I played a lot of Soul Calibur 2 and a little bit of SF II Champion Edition on the Sega Genesis. I later found a fighting game group here in Charlotte and started playing a lot of SFIV. I then decided to start playing competitively and acquired my own arcade stick, and the rest was history.

In your game of choice, which character(s) do you play and why specifically those characters?

Everyone that knows me in the community pretty much knows that Sakura is my all-time favorite character in all of fighting games. Along with Sakura, I played D’vorah in MK X, and I currently play Yuzuriha in Under Night as well. The big reason why I play those characters is space control. I enjoy watching high level neutral and the ability to limit a character’s options in neutral. Sakura in SF IV was a very frame trap heavy character, and she was very potent. In SF V, she is more footsie orientated and neutral heavy. On top of that, I always go for the aesthetics of a character, in terms of their appearance and design, and these characters instantly caught my eye, and that’s why I enjoy them the most.

 What is your approach to the way you play your game? What do you tend to go for and what do you tend to look for in your opponents?

I always try to make the opponents make decisions that they didn’t want to make, and I want to punish them heavily for doing so. It’s like the hit and not get hit mentality, where you make them play your game, and when they step out of line, you bring down the hammer. For example, whiff punishing is something I take great pride in practicing because it forces the opponent to be more careful when sticking out buttons. Once you establish that, you slowly limit their options and they become more cautious. What are some things that you like the most about being a part of your fighting game scene? What are some things you wish could change?

I believe that the multiple personalities and how they all interact is probably the thing I love the most about the scene. Of course, there is always some good and bad that can come with it, but for the most part, it's what I love the most. The energy is also something I enjoy seeing as well.

If there’s one thing I wish we could change, that would be getting players to open their eyes to other games. Variety is never a bad thing, and with all the fighting games currently out, why not test the waters and learn other games as well? I believe learning other games can also improve your overall fundamentals in other aspects as well.

 What is the match you remember the most and what made it so memorable?

I believe the money match I had with That_Masher is probably the most memorable for a couple of reasons. It was my first money match, and it was also the first time I was directly called for it. At the time, we were both learning the game online, and I was doing rather well against him. He then wanted to do a money match offline at the next possible tournament, and as we were about to start, He started talking trash. I simply stated that I would let my abilities talk for me, and the rest was history. It was a dominant performance, and it was also the 1st time I have ever taunted someone in a match.

 Finally, any advice for any of the newer players looking to join their local scene?

The most important thing I can honestly tell you is to go into the scene playing the game/character that you love and have fun with it. I also believe that asking for advice and questions is also a great way to gain traction within the scene. It shows that you are serious about making strides and people are more than willing to do so.

You can follow IAmSimba:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReSe_IAmSimba

Name: Zach Kruchkow

Handle(s): ReSe | SumOptimus (Formerly HOLD DAT L)

Current City and State: Salisbury, NC (Charlotte area)

Games You Play: Street Fighter V (SF5)

Memorable Match:

Tell us about yourself. How did you get your start into fighting games?

I am 25, and I started playing fighting games early on, but not seriously. However, because of my love for the Street Fighter series (SFII), specifically Street Fighter II on SNES, I always had some sort of passion for them. 

Before I started competing a lot in SFV, I started playing Super Street Fighter 4 (SSF4) because of a friend of mine who had played the Street Fighter series since Third Strike. I was off and on during the duration of SF4, until Ultra Street Fighter 4 came out. My brother and I both were getting a lot better, so naturally we pushed each other to get better. 

When SFV came out, I played it intensely for a few months, but eventually gave it up due to other games out at the time. I started really grinding a couple months before SFV: Arcade Edition, and I have played the game almost every day since then.

In your game of choice, which character(s) do you play and why specifically those characters?

In SFV, I play Urien, and I only started playing him because I was so fed up with the changes that happened to Nash from Season 1 to Season 2, that I felt my only option was to switch, and to switch to top tier at that. Urien was top 3 at the time, and my brother just happened to mention that I should play him, and so I did. Now, my love for Urien comes from the feeling of him fitting my playstyle better than any other character, which is one of aggressiveness. 

What is your approach to the way you play your game? What do you tend to go for and what do you tend to look for in your opponents? My approach is simply that of watching my opponent and waiting for his style and patterns to develop as the matches continue. Once I feel I have a decent read of his patterns and style, and once I have it down I can implement more of my crazy sort of rush down style to throw them off and scare them. Conditioning plays a huge part in this, which is what I do from the moment I get one knockdown.

What is one thing you like the most about your fighting game scene? What is one thing you wish you could change?

The thing I like most about my local scene (Charlotte), is the people. There are so many unique personalities that it keeps me coming back, and wanting to build an even bigger comradery with them.

The number one thing I wish I could change is people’s will to put the time in to play and get better at the game. Playing only with the same ten friends will only get you better to a certain point, and at said point, you have to seek out more competition.

What is the match you remember the most and what made it so memorable?

The match I remember the most is probably one where I was in loser’s side of Grand Finals against NC’s Prototype (now known as Zonk). My Urien vs his Mika. I think what made it so memorable was the fact it was the farthest I have gone at a local, and the sheer fact that I wasn’t nervous at all. In fact, I lost the match, but I had fun, and it reassured the practice I was putting in was leading to results.

Finally, any advice for any of the newer players looking to join their local scene? Well, as Nike says, “just do it”. Just go out to an event, but that isn’t what will keep you coming back. Go out to the event, sit down and play games with people, talk to them, ask them about their favorite characters, the game, question them. Ultimately, make friends. Friendship is what makes people go to their locals.

You can follow SumOptimus at:

Name: Christopher Colon

Handle(s): Zonk (used to be known as Prototype [Not the Alex Player])

Current City and State: Charlotte, North Carolina

Game(s) You Play: Street Fighter V

Match Highlight:

Tell us about yourself. How did you get your start into fighting games?

I’m 26 years old and while I lived most of my life in the Carolinas, I was actually born in New York. I’m a member of Team Rock Em’ Sock Em’, a group that originates out of Charlotte. I got my start with fighting games with Street Fighter 4, where I messed around with different characters while trying to learn how to play Street Fighter in general. It wasn’t until Super Street Fighter 4 where I decided to make this a competitive hobby for me.

In your game of choice, which character(s) do you play and why specifically those characters?

In Street Fighter V, I play both Rainbow Mika and Cody.

For Mika, I was a huge wrestling fan growing up and Mika was the epitome of what I watched on WWE. Irish whips, Stone Cold Stunners, dropkicks, powerbombs, you name it! I was excited to play her for that reason and the fact that she has a hard-working personality too.

As for Cody, that’s my day one main and the character that got me into competitive Street Fighter. As a fan of the beat-em-ups, such as “Final Fight”, Cody was a no-brainer for me. He actually is a street fighter, using rocks, dust, knives, and pipes to fight. Which to me, was pretty cool and badass! I also like his story and development where he went from hero, to a convict, and finally became the mayor of the city he wants to protect. As you can see, if a character looks cool to me, I’m dedicating my time to them.

What is your approach to the way you play your game? What do you tend to go for and what do you tend to look for in your opponents?

My approach tends to change based on who I’m playing. I look for habits and I try to figure out how I can exploit them and put it in my favor. Although, since I play two characters with different styles, my style of play also changes. With Mika, once I find a spot where I can get in, I make sure to make it count since she is a mix-up machine. As for Cody, I lay back a bit since I have better buttons and I feel my opponents out a bit before making my move.

What is something you like the most about being a part of your fighting game scene? What are some things you wish could change?

I like that I’ve made a lot of friends in the FGC and most, if not all of them, have just as much as a passion and competitive drive to get better as I do. I like the times where I travel to different parts of the country to play against others in a competitive setting. I also like the fact that it’s a never-ending journey since you have to keep practicing and fighting better opponents to better yourself.

The thing I wish to change about the FGC is the player drama although I understand that it’s hard to do. With all of the stuff I see on facebook and twitter, I just want to see it settled on the sticks (or pads) and let it be done with. When drama lingers, it doesn’t look good for anybody, not even for the players involved.

What is the match you remember the most and what made it so memorable?

The match I remember the most was when I had a Winner's Finals match in Street Fighter 4 against a player named West who was really really good. The reason why this was so memorable was not just because of the outcome of the match but the fact that I had the majority of people behind me lift their hands in the air like they were giving me energy for a Spirit Bomb. I ended up winning that match and went into grand finals. I’ll never forget that moment due to the fact that there were others that watch me and want me to succeed just as much as I want to succeed myself.

Finally, any advice for any of the newer players looking to join their local scene?

1. Don’t be scared: I know it’s hard with a new environment and the doubts of skill level but trust me, we’re here to help you and thrive with you. That’s what the C in FGC stands for. Community.

2. Keep going: It’ll be tough going against more experienced players and you’ll have some days where you’ll feel like you’re not getting anywhere (I had this in the past too). You just gotta keep playing and learn from your losses. No one improves at the same pace so it’s best that you go at your own speed and keep working at it until the results you want shine through.

3. Have fun: Yeah, there’s a competitive mindset but at the end of it all, even if it’s a fighting game, video games are meant to be played for fun so don’t take things too hard on yourself (again, a problem that I have worked on) and just have a good time with the friends you make in your local scene.

You can follow Zonk at:

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/zonknc

On August 18th, I managed to go to Clash at the Carolinas II – a tournament that is organized by the fine folks over at FlySociety. Now, FlySociety primarily focuses on Smash and Rivals of Aether, but they also featured fighting games as well. The fighting game tournaments were run by prominent Charlotte and Carrboro tournament organizers: SetPlay, CommanderCool, PAR, Mastermind6000, and TheNojoDojo. And thus, I'm going to be focusing my review on the FGC portion of the tournament. Let's get right to it. Venue/Location: The tournament venue was at the centerstage@NoDa in Charlotte's North Davidson district, a neighborhood known for both its industrial and artistic/eclectic shops and restaurants. It was also next door to the NoDa Brewery. Getting to the venue was convenient enough. Parking was a bit of an issue, though considering I arrived to the venue later than most, I was expecting that I would have an issue on finding a parking spot. However, the main issue was figuring out which parking lot belonged to the venue. The venue shared a parking lot with other businesses on the same lot, and there was some concern about having our cars towed. Perhaps a much clearer indication as to where we can park would have been nice. 

As for food, the venue was about a stone's throw away from Amelie's Bakery, a 24-hour French bakery and coffee shop. Plus, Bleu Barn Bistro was serving up farm-to-food truck deliciousness (the patty melt that I had was ridiculous), so food was never an issue.

Inside, the venue was spacious and near-immaculate. Bathrooms were super clean and accessible. The lighting was very dim and dark, though I preferred a low-light setting for gaming situations. The A/C was either on blast and working overtime or completely off. Either way, it was a bit humid and steamy, though it was expected for a tournament that drew in over 100 people (I do not know the actual headcount). Though, as people were leaving, it did get cooler and better as it went on.

Considering we were in one of the more popular neighborhoods in Charlotte, there was zero issue with mobile coverage.

Overall, it was one of the more nicer venues I've been to in North Carolina. 4/5 Layout/Floor Plan: Now, the layout from the FGC side was one of the more glaring flaws of the tournament. There was, by my count, three stations dedicated for all of the fighting games that were showcased and one stream station. There were four setups per station and were arranged at the corner. Meaning, there were twelve console setups available for 5 games. Unfortunately, the stations were not as spaced out as possible, which meant a lot of cramped spaces, especially in the inner sections of each station. Now, if it was as a result of where the outlets were located, I'm not 100% sure. But, an extended power strip would have resolved any tight quarter issues. Aside from that, the stations were a bit varied and seemingly unorganized. There was a station for Street Fighter V, BBTag and Dragonball Fighters Z. But Street Fighter was on Stations 1 and half of Station 2 with BBTag and Dragonball having to share a station. Then Third Strike was mixed somewhere in between and Tekken was not available until much later. Considering the original tournament schedule, I have a hunch they were trying to get the earlier games done first but because the schedule got pushed back by about 30 – 45 minutes, it ended up throwing this plan off.

As far as a spectator area, there really wasn't an area save for crowding behind the players as they play on the stream station setup. I can appreciate the old-school grassroots feel to it, but at the same time, there could have been a section where the spectators can watch it on a more comfortable setting. 2.5/5

Equipment Setup and Availability: As I mentioned before, there were twelve console setups for all five games. Under the presumed initial plan, there may have been enough setups for tournament play. But, other than before tournaments were starting, there was not a station where one could warm up or play casuals with other players. After all, some people may come to tournaments for the experience, whether it is during competitive play or afterward. And even during this, there was not a spare area where someone could set up a station for play. And sure, we could just use the setups we have. But, remember, there was a whole different tournament that needed to happen. Which meant that the majority of the consoles needed to be switched to ensure the next set of players get ample time to warm-up and play. So even if the tournament was done and I wanted to play others that I didn't get to play during the tournament, it was not possible. I understand that tournament games take precedence over all, so I'm not faulting at the situation either. Perhaps, in the future, there could be a space available for casual stations. Or, show up earlier and get casuals in then. 3/5

Tournament Efficiency: The tournament started about 30-45 minutes from the scheduled start time. And only one game that was supposed to start early actually started hours earlier. But, that is understandable and somewhat expected. Bracket runners were calling matches as efficient as possible. There were some no-shows, but they were able to maneuver around it until matches were called. And the wait times were pretty reasonable, considering the size of the brackets and the setup situation on hand. As for me, I actually played my games with only a slight, but appreciative pause when I got knocked into the loser's bracket. Overall, I didn't see much delays for other players either across other games. And if there was, there was a logical reason, such as a player currently in another game. Overall, no issues aside from the delay. 4.5/5

Fun Factor: This tournament was my return to the North Carolina Fighting Game Community, so it was a bit special for me. Seeing a lot of long-time friends in one sitting is always a great thing and it's a feeling that's hard to replace. Whether is playing them during tournament, chatting up with them before, during and after the tournament was over, or just getting back into that competitive setting, it was amazing being able to experience that again. And that's what it boils down to for me. People that have the same passion as I do for fighting games playing and enjoying fighting games. Whether they were playing for the first time, or if they are seasoned players in the North Carolina scene, all of us have the same thing in common. We decided to make a choice, pick up the sticks, and play some games. That alone makes any tournament worth it. And Clash at the Carolinas was no exception to that rule. 5/5

Overall Score: 3.8

Tournament Brackets and Results:  

https://smash.gg/tournament/clash-of-the-carolinas-ii/events

Tournament Staff Twitter *PLEASE FOLLOW THEM*: https://twitter.com/FlySocietyGG

https://twitter.com/AlterElement

https://twitter.com/mastermind6000

https://twitter.com/AlonzoRamon

https://twitter.com/parconnect