SoulCast Episode #2: Esom

[xiang]

@scamp: It's all going to boil down to what your opinion is on the subject. Personally, I could care less who picks what, but I come from a background where you're expected to win no matter what the circumstance; no excuses.

That being said, you have to understand the perspective of those who don't like the rule: How much of a handicap should one gain for losing? I agree that picking a stage isn't game-breaking, but it is a significant advantage. But, a stage has to be picked somehow, and random is unbiased towards either competitor, so it's considered fair. Ultimately, fighting games are games and some bit of luck is going to be involved; it's just going to boil down to preference.

As it pertains to Esom's case, though, I think you're a little confused on what happened. They had picked random all the way up to the final match (i.e., they were sitting at 2-2) when his opponent suddenly decided he wanted a specific stage. At that point, it's very important what the rule distinction is. Because of the circumstances, I have to completely agree with you when you say "Just use the system to your greatest advantage." That's exactly what Esom was trying to do, and exactly what his opponent was trying to do, yet only one of them can be right. But, as many people have already said, it was an unfortunate circumstance where there was a great deal of confusion. Although he doesn't like the rule, I guarantee Esom would've gone ahead and played the match if he knew that loser being able to pick the stage was OK.

 

[b4k4]

What did happen to Esom, exactly? He got DQ'd because he wouldn't let his just defeated opponent pick a stage?

Sorry, but I don't have 90 minutes to listen to that podcast. I did read the thread, but only xiang's post immediately above alluded to Esom's issues.

 

[xiang]

What did happen to Esom, exactly? He got DQ'd because he wouldn't let his just defeated opponent pick a stage?

Sorry, but I don't have 90 minutes to listen to that podcast. I did read the thread, but only xiang's post immediately above alluded to Esom's issues.

Summed up: One of his first matches, he played a Siegfried player. It eventually got to the fifth match, Esom having won match 4. His opponent tried to manually select a stage, which he could not do because of a rule change just before the tournament. The judge they asked said it was fine, but Esom (being Esom) went to find a main judge. While he was doing this, they DQd him for that last match and moved on without him.

 

[DrDogg]

Not much research into MLG, But I guess that's expected from a biased podcast. MLG hires from the community to run their games. That's what they have always done with the games they've picked up. MLG themselves expected this event to be a disaster even though they hired ppl from team spooky and other ppl from each of the scenes within the FGC.

Give em feedback

Just listened to the podcast, and I like how you say RyuJin is a good guy, then proceed to say that he sucks at the game. RyuJin lost to Keev and RTD, and ran through some solid players (SwordLord, Wing Zero and Hawkeye to name a few), yet because he hasn't learned the Voldo match-up, he sucks at the game? The game is two months old, I think it's okay for him not to have every match-up down to a science yet.

This is another fine example of the elitism that runs rampant in the Soul Calibur community. If you weren't around back in the SC2 days, you obviously must suck. Clearly placing top 16 at Final Round, knocking out Link, and placing 3rd at MLG, knocking out a slew of respected players means nothing.

You called out Keev, but didn't say he sucked. What happened to the days when winning in casual play didn't mean shit? I guess a few wins in casuals (not even a money match) suddenly means more than a top 3 placing at a major? You wouldn't call out your Seig friend, but you call out people you didn't even play in the tournament.

You need to make a formal apology Esom, that's really messed up man. I expected much better from you.

 

[Scamp]

That being said, you have to understand the perspective of those who don't like the rule: How much of a handicap should one gain for losing? I agree that picking a stage isn't game-breaking, but it is a significant advantage. But, a stage has to be picked somehow, and random is unbiased towards either competitor, so it's considered fair. Ultimately, fighting games are games and some bit of luck is going to be involved; it's just going to boil down to preference.

I've already pointed out that I understand (or I think I do, anyway) the side that prefers the random stage select rule, and I don't think that version is unfair either. In general, however, for a competitive game it makes sense to take out as much randomness as possible.


Malice that just looks like bad PR comparing the Soul Calibur rules to SC5 rules. I'm curious as to who you brought your concerns to. Anyway, I disagree with what you said about testing the rule out. It's honestly not that big a deal, and it's certainly not unfair. Also where exactly could they test it out? Also aren't all the MLG tournies going to have similar payouts?


I personally like how MLG sticks to their guns and use the rules that they want despite their relative unpopularity, such as the extended sets. However, I really have to condemn their decision to change the rule so close to the tournament starting. If I were practicing for the tournament I would have been very upset about the change because you know I would have prepared specific stages for my counterpicks. The change led to the whole Esom situation, and while I imagine most of the players there were fine with the change it's still unprofessional IMO to change it, especially considering that people pre-registered online expecting that ruleset.

Likewise I also think it was bad form for people to be complaining about it so close to the tourney as well. Are you guys really so unable to adapt to a rule that isn't unfair that you'll consistently complain about it over three weeks, right up to when the tourney starts? I seriously have to question people like Jaxel who claimed that his influence helped get the rule changed at MLG. I understand that the majority of the community probably wants the stage to be randomly selected but again, changing the rule that close to the tournament shows a clear lack of understanding of how a tournament should be run. And again I think both sides made a mistake here. (Moreso on MLG's side, though.)