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What I should know about going to a Major

Icy Black Deep

Still training...
It sounds like you'r OK in this department, but generically:
If you're at a tournament for a day or two and all you do is play your tournament matches for maybe an hour you're going to have a bad time. The fun is in interacting with others and extracurriculars, so you have to get talking to people. (The community is generally pretty friendly but not many people are going to go out of their way to reach out to a guy sitting in the corner.)
If you go with a group of friends that's a good start. If you're very outgoing you can do your thing. But if you're more introverted and you go by yourself you'll really have to make an effort to put yourself out there.
 

imblackjames

Ive seen the leprechaun
Just relax and have fun. Theyre good times.

Just remember everyones there to play games so no need to be nervous
 
It sounds like you'r OK in this department, but generically:
If you're at a tournament for a day or two and all you do is play your tournament matches for maybe an hour you're going to have a bad time. The fun is in interacting with others and extracurriculars, so you have to get talking to people. (The community is generally pretty friendly but not many people are going to go out of their way to reach out to a guy sitting in the corner.)
If you go with a group of friends that's a good start. If you're very outgoing you can do your thing. But if you're more introverted and you go by yourself you'll really have to make an effort to put yourself out there.
Pretty much this. Unless you're a godlike player who's gonna go deep in the tournament, most of your fun is gonna be based around chilling with others.

It happens in every tournament. If you've gone to more than two tournaments (local or major), you'll notice that you'll have seen some people in the tourney that you've never seen or heard before. They kinda don't do much; maybe they're there with a girlfriend or sibling or some other friend. They either mind their own business or they do make some effort of a conversation. And then you never see them again.

Maybe they got tired of the game. Maybe they can't afford to go. Or maybe they thought the experience wasn't worth the effort to come out.

Tournaments for most people are where you go to hang out with people you share a hobby with. Don't waste the opportunity that only comes, at the very most, once a month.

Yeah i don't wanna assume you're some guy with no social skills. just wanted to put this out there. gotta make the effor tto have fun you know
 

RM Jonnitti

Hot Dog
Evo and Combo breaker have been mentioned, i have never been to either event, but i would like to recommend some other events to you

i would strongly recommend, CEO. Jebailey puts on an amazing show, lots of international competition for other games which is sweet if you are just a fan of competitive fighting games in general, awesome venue, they usually have a pool party every year which is a blast and you get your own entrance theme if you make top 8 which is sweet.

id also recommend NEC, probably my favorite tournament every year. Big E also often comes through with pot bonuses and free entry tournaments which is awesome. NRS games ALWAYS have a dedicated stream, so if you really want to be on stream, this is probably your best bet. Old school mk also gets run at every Big E event as a side tournament (i believe mk2 and umk3). also, this area has by far the highest concentration of players that go to tournaments but cannot travel, regardless of what game, so you probably will be able to meet/get games in with people you normally wouldn't be able to.

Final Round is my other favorite tournament every year. To my knowledge its the second longest running major series next to Midwest Championships (however, MWC is now ran by KiT and is now in TN instead of Chicago). By far the hypest event at I've been to. Atl gets loud and its a really cool environment for a tournament. They usually get a good amount of international competition like CEO so as a spectator its awesome as well. Keep in mind, that Atl gets loud, and locals WILL pop off for their boys during their matches (i think this is more of a thing in Tekken and Sf but i dont really know). If you think it will have any affect on your gameplay make sure you bring headphones lol. I remember my first final round I lost to some chick in tekken who was doing the same cheesy ass online setup and she had like 4 people behind her popping off, and it definitely got to my head, and usually does for people who aren't used to it. Also, make sure you watch Pokchop play, by far the most entertaining fighting game player to watch.
 

Jer

I'm a literal Sloth
@macro

Everyone is giving great advice, I havent read through the whole thread but just remember to have as much fun and play as much as you can. I travelled to NEC2012 alone from Canada to Philly knowing no one, and 3 years later I've made so many friends and it's the greatest. I hope I get to meet you sometime
 

Jeremy KO

*insert kotal kahn gibberish here*
First and foremost, consider any money that you put into getting to the event as gone. This isnt a means to get rich, especially not fighting games, if you wanted to make money playing video games, pick up league of legends and hope that youre better than like 50 bajillion people. These events are about getting out here, competing and having fun.

Take advantage that you want to get into the NRS community, which I find much more welcoming than the capcom community that just calls new comers "09ers" and shits on your for being bad without providing any advice about getting better. I'm NOT saying that you WONT find that in the NRS community, or that you will find NOITHING but that in capcom, but thats just from my experience.

Do you have a car? do you know anyone else in your area? before traveling out, try to go to some local events, or even try posting in your regions thread about getting together and having a session somewhere. Get to meet some people and make a connection before you go and trek to a far distance across state lines. Youll save on gas and driving all those hours with others in the car is alot safer than doing it alone (especially for such a young person)

I've never been to EVO so I can't speak about what it's like, but you def want to try to go to some events that are easy to get to. Def reconsider starting this when mkx comes out, and paying a visit to UFGT/combo breaker.

If you want to fly and not deal with going cross country in a car and paying for all that gas, make sure you go somewhere that has public transportation.

You're starting in july, look into flights that go to Philadelphia and keep an eye out for summer Jam, there isnt a date announced just yet, but its usually around the end of august, and should be announced any week now. As long as youre staying in the hotel, you can call them and have them arrange a shuttle to come get you from the airport after you land. If you were old enough to rent a car I would tell you to just pay the money to do that instead, less of a hassle. This shuttle service does exist for other events depending on how close they are to an airport, you wanna call the hotel front desk just to make sure.



Hope to see you somewhere this summer!
League of Legends, Eh?

http://www.esportsearnings.com/players
 

RM Jonnitti

Hot Dog
also @macro i just realized you posted this, definitely come say hi if were at the same event! i remember playing you in sc5, i think you were a raph player. we played injustice once but it was too laggy. would be cool to play offline for once
 

FinalBoss_FGC

Day -4MONTHS Dual Jin main
So i'm planning to start attending Majors for the first time after The month of July. Is there anything I should know about travel expenses, like should I go with a friend in a car, take a train, or get some plane tickets. I'm also not to sure how most go about getting a room at the event. So if any of you guys' could shed some light on the process, it would be greatly appreciated.
Be prepared to spend more money than you intended to because everything is badass.
 

macro

Eezeepeezee
I really do thank all you guys for the advice, but I recently, got put in a really bad position.
So bad, that it looks like I won't be able to go to any tournaments for a while.
I'm not even sure I'll be able to pick up Mortal Kombat (that's still a maybe though.)
In the end, it seems like I would have a great time hanging out, with some great people.
Thanks again guys.

Side note, if you reply back to this message, I probably won't reply back to it for a while; becuase, I won't be on TYM that much anymore.:(
 
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Montanx

Thats why they call this thing bloodsport, kid.
I really do thank all you guys for the advice, but I recently, got put in a really bad position.
So bad, that it looks like I won't be able to go to any tournaments for a while.
I'm not even sure I'll be able to pick up Mortal Kombat (that's still a maybe though.)
In the end, it seems like I would have a great time hanging out, with some great people.
Thanks again guys.

Side note, if you reply back to this message, I probably won't reply back to it for a while; becuase, I won't be on TYM that much anymore.:(
Well geez that took a dark turn and escalated quickly. Best of luck and hope you get stuff sorted out.
 

macro

Eezeepeezee
Holy crap that was a long week, but now I'm still in the game, and I even got an Iphone out of it.