Cant find a local scene/tournament? Just ask TYM, and we will help you!

[Krayzie]

This thread will serve for those who want to be part of a local fighting game scene, or at least experience one tournament in their lifetime.

Basic Q&A's

Q.How do I become part of a local scene?
A.Look for matchmaking forums. Dedicated tournament sites like SRK, TYM, 8WR, TZ, have them. Look around for any thread with a local title, post in it, and ask if and when the next meet up is. Go to it, don't be shy, you don't meet new people by shying away. Casual meet-ups are usually filled with friendly people who share the same interests as you.

Q.How do I start my own casual game meetups?
A.Once again, post in your respective reigonal matchmaking section, and wait for people to answer you. If it becomes a bit difficult, but you don't know any players in your local area, then go to tournaments or other casual meetups and get to know people. Then it will be easier to host, I promise.

Q.How do I get people to play my game?
A.If you host casuals, don't just have one game. Have a variety of games people enjoy playing. Super Street Fighter 4 is a popular game, have the game there even if you don't play it yourself, and then draw people in to whatever game you want to make popular. In our case, UMK3/MK9. If you're not hosting, but attending someone elses event or casuals meetups. Just ask them if you can have your game there.

If any of you have great Q&A's worthy of the first post, please post in here and I will update it. Make sure you are an experienced player who actually goes to these events. If you don't attend any, then you're on the "Q" side of things. Ask and we shall answer!

We are here to help you guys. I know a lot of you wish, or don't truly believe that its possible to attend any local tournaments or casual meetups, but believe it or not, its very possible. The Evolution tournament gets packed with players from around the world, and on top of that, streams get filled quickly. These players cannot possibly be from the same town. Trust me, they exist!

 

[Check]

Infusion and I host casuals every once in a while, but since noone is really interested in joining us, we hardly meet up for them anymore.

If you live in the NY/NJ area and are interested in MKDC/MK9 casuals (and whatever else) then please post up. I'd like to get this going for MK9 as i dont plan on playing online a whole lot.

 

[SZSR]

How do you get the word out to those who aren't in the loop per se?

 

[Dark_Rob]

How do you get the word out to those who aren't in the loop per se?

Exactly as Bone suggested above. If your wanting to start up your own casual/event night, and having trouble finding people that want to come. The best thing to do is go to someone else's already established night. Of course they may focus on a different game then the one you want to play. But keep in mind when trying to start up a scene for a game that you are more than just a player. You must be the games ambassador as well. And one of the things an ambassador must be good at is compromise.
Go to someone else's casual and play they're game as well. The most important thing is that your meeting other members of your local fighting game community. As you get to know these people you can start to hype up your game and ask if you can bring it down. If youve done your job as ambassador for your game well youve likely already made a few friends who will be willing to give your game a try. The rest is up to the game. It must be a good game capable of delivering.
In the NY/NJ area it is 9.95, Shock and Summoning who are most responsible for UMK3 being on the tournament map. They didnt do this just by banging down venue doors and setting up there PC's and sticks and saying "Were here, Hi." Though persistance is a part of it, these guys also help out the tournament scene as a whole. They run brackets for other games, supply equipment such as TV's, speakers, projectors, controllers, converters, cables etc etc. Im not saying you need to go to this much effort, Im showing you how being a good ambassador for your game will help attract people to it. UMK3 has done well in the northeast because 9.95, Shock and Summoning have been great representatives for the game and as a result also become well respected members of the tournament community.
So remember, compromise at first. The most important thing is meeting new people in your local fighting game community. Because these are the people you will be trying to turn onto your game. Befriend them, play they're game as well to and represent your games interest as best you can. If the game is good you will eventually attract some players.

 

[Krayzie]

Well said, Rob.

Infusion and I host casuals every once in a while, but since noone is really interested in joining us, we hardly meet up for them anymore.

If you live in the NY/NJ area and are interested in MKDC/MK9 casuals (and whatever else) then please post up. I'd like to get this going for MK9 as i dont plan on playing online a whole lot.

Where do you guys play?

 

[Evil_Riu48]

Infusion and I host casuals every once in a while, but since noone is really interested in joining us, we hardly meet up for them anymore.

If you live in the NY/NJ area and are interested in MKDC/MK9 casuals (and whatever else) then please post up. I'd like to get this going for MK9 as i dont plan on playing online a whole lot.

where are you guys meeting and when you guys meet in what they of the week you guys do it ?

 

[MKF30]

Well as most know, I'm currently seeking some local gigs to see A. Places that would help support a tournament(example, there are actual game places in S.I. one closed down but I do believe there's at least one open still, the other owned by the guy who ran the one (now closed) had another one on the other side of the borough but I'm not sure atm. I'm trying to find out via my own research what the deal is with it.

Also, I'm NYC area, Staten Island so when I say local I do NOT mean NJ, Philly or L.I.(since LI or NJ is not apart of NYC) I mean NYC as in Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Bronx...

Now, other day I bumped into Stretch Shrimp(for those who know him one of the guys I met up with back in 2006 during MKT and MK D casuals....) he and I both live on S.I., I know nodoubt lives in Manhattan, I think I can get a little something going here...but again in NYC since we live here, if anyone else wants to play us well then you know where NYC is. I still find it tough to believe that in tournaments in general, these obscure places have them like Philly, Vegas, down South, Chicago but nothing in NYC? I mean it's NYC...lol but perhaps I can help change that.


Check, curious man what part of NJ are you from? I'm only familiar with Jersey City, Woodbridge lol also, do you drive? I don't know everyones transportation situation so that's why I'm asking man Depending if you're close to NYC/or better Staten Island which is closest to NJ of the 5 boroughs I MAY be able to get a friend to drive me unless you live like 1 hour+ out, but if you lived like literally 20 minutes or something different story or if possible would/could you come to S.I. at all? I know Nodoubt said he wants to visit sometime when he has off of college, and stretch shrimp and I already live out here so that's 4 people right there, I know a place we could all crash for as long as people can hang. My friends place, I hang with him all the time. Nice basement, TONs of room and a nice 46 inch LCD TV We order pizza, have beer whatever man lol

Anywho, I'm going to continue seeking out places near me that may host tournaments. That one place did where gerchap, pig, stretch and myself met few years ago called video game arena(but that's the one that closed) they had tournies for money, appointments, scenes all the time for fps mainly but I'll see what's up of late

 

[Dark_Rob]

I still find it tough to believe that in tournaments in general, these obscure places have them like Philly, Vegas, down South, Chicago but nothing in NYC? I mean it's NYC...lol but perhaps I can help change that.

In terms of tournaments NYC just isnt an ideal location man. The parking is either non-existant or ridiculously expensive. Just navigating around a few city blocks can be nightmare, and the prices of everything is just oout of control. A prospective tournament organizer can get much more bang for his buck holding it somewhere else. Road to EVO was held in Queens near Laguardia airport last year. But thats about as close as your gonna get. NYC is just to expensive, to conjested and to much of a pain in the ass.

 

[MKF30]

In terms of tournaments NYC just isnt an ideal location man. The parking is either non-existant or ridiculously expensive. Just navigating around a few city blocks can be nightmare, and the prices of everything is just oout of control. A prospective tournament organizer can get much more bang for his buck holding it somewhere else. Road to EVO was held in Queens near Laguardia airport last year. But thats about as close as your gonna get. NYC is just to expensive, to conjested and to much of a pain in the ass.

You see although I can understand the parking situation totally as oppose to the commute, unless it's Manhattan especially I so agree with you there...bitch to get to for everyone(even other New Yorkers that don't live there) and the parking and driving there is a bitch, however...the other boroughs aren't NEARLY as annoying. BK, Si especially are easy as pie to get to and you guys even stated a few times while going to philly that you have to drive thru both BK and SI, so I definitely think one of those two would be more appropriate(not saying every casual or time) but definitely for future tournaments, I mean you have to admit it would be a much less drive then going back home from Philly...and you'd save money as you wouldn't need a hotel.

Now in terms of NYC, it's NYC we have most of the worlds popular events held here as you know so I don't think that would be a problem...I just can't see why some NJ and LI guys wouldn't want to come to BK or SI when you guys drive thru both to go to places out of state(I assure you, the parking and driving to BK and SI are FARRRRRR easier to get to then Manhattan say...)and ironically so far the tournament places so far I've been seeing joints in BK and SI(go figure lol) There is one place in Manhattan china town but that's a bitch to get to and it's mainly for free style play, not really tournaments and I don't even think they have MK there anymore just MVC, Tekken and SF4 listed....

I found a place in BK that hosts SF4, Blaz Blue and SC4 tournies weekly they say...I'm going to call them up and bring up UMK3 and MK9 if they have SC4(I mean really? SC4?) tournies then I'm hopeful I can get UMK3 and MK9 in there...

 

[Check]

Bone - The Bronx @ Infusion's place

Riu - We play in new york city in the bronx. Its right over the bridge, not far at all.

MKF - I am FROM Monmouth County, which i believe Woodbridge is in, however, I LIVE in Bergen County, which is right next to NYC. I believe you are a Yankee fan, well, Infusion lives right next to Yankee Stadium, so you should know how to get there using the trains and whatnot. I live as close to new york as you can get; right next to the toll for the GW bridge.

 

[Krayzie]

Bone - The Bronx @ Infusion's place

Riu - We play in new york city in the bronx. Its right over the bridge, not far at all.

MKF - I am FROM Monmouth County, which i believe Woodbridge is in, however, I LIVE in Bergen County, which is right next to NYC. I believe you are a Yankee fan, well, Infusion lives right next to Yankee Stadium, so you should know how to get there using the trains and whatnot. I live as close to new york as you can get; right next to the toll for the GW bridge.

How come I hardly see infusion here? He should make a post in our matchmaking forum.

 

[9.95]

MKF, you're actually right in the middle of the NY/LI and NJ players. Unfortunately, that means you're gonna be doing the most commuting. Nobody is going to fight with BK/BX traffic or NYC's ridiculous parking regulations(I lived in Queens for 12 years!) with alternate side parking, M/W/F and time regulated parking or the parking meters. The best thing is for us is to work out a semi-consistent schedule where you are picked up by one of the traveling players on each trip through Staten Island.

Brooklyn and The Bronx are NOT easier to do tournaments in. If you'd like, I can have my brother, who has worked regular service routes in the Bronx and Brooklyn over the course of the last 9 years come and post about travel and traffic conditions in those areas as opposed to Long Island and New Jersey. Just easier to do the casual get togethers in one of those locations. Also, keep in mind that a "local" scene means anything within a considerably easy driving distance...like about an hour. I drive 1:15 when I go to Shock's or Summoning's. That's as local is it can get unless you have 50 players living near you. I have Rob near me and Reo is 45 mins away... so those are local too. The fact is you ARE local to all of us and we have an ESTABLISHED scene that we would like to see you become part of.

 

[MKF30]

MKF, you're actually right in the middle of the NY/LI and NJ players. Unfortunately, that means you're gonna be doing the most commuting. Nobody is going to fight with BK/BX traffic or NYC's ridiculous parking regulations(I lived in Queens for 12 years!) with alternate side parking, M/W/F and time regulated parking or the parking meters. The best thing is for us is to work out a semi-consistent schedule where you are picked up by one of the traveling players on each trip through Staten Island.

Brooklyn and The Bronx are NOT easier to do tournaments in. If you'd like, I can have my brother, who has worked regular service routes in the Bronx and Brooklyn over the course of the last 9 years come and post about travel and traffic conditions in those areas as opposed to Long Island and New Jersey. Just easier to do the casual get togethers in one of those locations. Also, keep in mind that a "local" scene means anything within a considerably easy driving distance...like about an hour. I drive 1:15 when I go to Shock's or Summoning's. That's as local is it can get unless you have 50 players living near you. I have Rob near me and Reo is 45 mins away... so those are local too. The fact is you ARE local to all of us and we have an ESTABLISHED scene that we would like to see you become part of.

Compared to Philly or way out LI, yes they are for me...lol. Like you said, I technically would have the biggest commute if I go to L.I. or westchester whatever(and definitely Philly which isn't happening lol) but once in a while, I wouldn't see the problem. I have some relatives coming over to visit my family on thursday from LI, it'll take them 40 minutes no traffic and they live way out in the sticks out there like wayy out lol. I also think they're coming in the morning or later at night(not in during rush hour) which I would definitely not make that time since that's just nuts(anywhere in the tristate area will have heavy traffic, NJ, NYC whatever. My father used to work upstate NYC, Pearl River for over 20 years til few years ago when they moved to Jersey City and took the turnpike every day, said the traffic was worse then anything he saw in NYC, where he used to work. And that company started out in Manhattan(Twin Towers) then upstate, then Jersey City...my friends in sanitation I've known for years all tell me commuting to any other borough is easier then Manhattan or LI....you will get traffic regardless if you travel during "crazy" hours...that's unavoidable. But it still beats commuting out of state lol.

But anyway, I was referring to BK and SI mainly as oppose to certain parts of Queens or Manhattan especially which are easier to get to generally speaking.

I'm not saying going to from LI to SI or Bronx whatever or to NJ is easy, just easier then say...another state in Philly and definitely easier commute, less time. That's just obvious fact dude...My folks went to Penn recently for day vacation, took them nearly 3 hours with the traffic and best routes....we go to BK, Bronx or LI, takes us anywhere from 25 minutes to hour max....

Also, you have to consider where people live too....obviously if someone lives on the outskirts of LI as oppose to where some of my family lives way out in the woods in LI, that makes a difference as well.

See, now you guys happen to have more players because out of luck you have 4-5 UMK3 players that happen to live in LI and a few in NJ. Since neither are apart of NYC per-se, there's less here but obviously since this thread is local, I'm posting local not really "whole tri-state area" local, but NYC local(that's where I live)

Now I like I said earlier, there are at least 3 players from here or MK sites who I know play UMK3, one guy in manhattan, one guy out here where I am. Maybe there's more in BK or rest of NYC.

I hear what you're saying but everyone here knows I don't drive and although I know some people offered in the past, I can't and won't depend on that nor my own personal friends all the time....which is why I'm talking actual local to me, since I live in NYC, not NJ or LI...you're talking more tri-state area local, I'm talking more NYC 5 boroughs local.

@Check, so you're in Bergen County? I'm not even sure where that is lol, if you're in woodbridge area that's really close to me. As for Yankee stadium, I've never been there ever by PT...ever lol every time I've went to a game it's been a ride, so if I do that I'll get a friend to give me a lift or you could come to BK or SI sometime. All good though.

 

[Evil_Riu48]

Bone - The Bronx @ Infusion's place

Riu - We play in new york city in the bronx. Its right over the bridge, not far at all.

.

you guys can count with me next time your meeting i am down to get back and play mkdc if it is offline at anytime. wednesday and monday are my best days to do it.

 

[JagoMIH]

ive been wanting to play offline local players in games like mkd mka or mkdc but really dont know where to look. :/

i know tom was gonna try to come play me sometime but i think something came up or he had to work or something, i dont know if hes still in nc. i really dont know anyone else from here in nc except maybe like doohoo.

id just love to play some kind of competitive offline fighting game, it doesnt even have to be mk. id be willing to learn sf4 or tekken or whatever if someone is able to come by and play.

 

[Pistol]

Why don't the NY people try to get MK9 at Battlefield Arcadia or Guard Crush?

 

[Krayzie]

ive been wanting to play offline local players in games like mkd mka or mkdc but really dont know where to look. :/

i know tom was gonna try to come play me sometime but i think something came up or he had to work or something, i dont know if hes still in nc. i really dont know anyone else from here in nc except maybe like doohoo.

id just love to play some kind of competitive offline fighting game, it doesnt even have to be mk. id be willing to learn sf4 or tekken or whatever if someone is able to come by and play.

http://shoryuken.com/f20/atlantic-south-arcade-game-center-locations-nc-sc-ga-fl-al-ms-tn-google-page-ranking-96392/

This is a great start. Just go, check it out, chill out and have fun.

Nice to see you interested in the fighting game scene, Jago. Let me know if this helps. If you have any problems, let us know here and we will help you out.


North Carolina:

Cary
GameFrog Cafe
Cary Towne Center
1105 Walnut Street
Suite N2212
Cary, NC 27511
Hours:
Mon-Sat ~ 10am-9pm
Sun ~ 12pm-6pm
919-460-6002
Game List, Etc: http://www.gamefrogcafe.com/

Charlotte
GameFrog Cafe
Carolina Place
11025 Carolina Place Parkway
Suite D-21
Pineville, NC 28134
Hours:
M-Sat ~ 10am-9pm
Sun ~ 12:30-6pm
704-541-5055
Game List, Etc: http://www.gamefrogcafe.com/

Mt. Olympus!!! (aka Jose's house)
5637 Timbertop Lane
Charlotte, North Carolina 28215
Only 2 minutes from I-485 after you get off of Exit 39
PM Evil Morrigan for Directions and Phone #
Hours of Operation: Friday after 7:00 Until Sunday at 12:00 Basically every weeknd because i work full time during the week
Arcade: MVC2, XVSF, Vampire Savior, Super Turbo, Project Justice
Consoles: Dreamcast Plus all Fighters, PS2, PS3, 360 and Wii
Poker on Saturday nights Usually $10-$20 buy in.
If you plan on crashing please let me know at least 2 weeks in advance via PM

Durham
AMF Bowling/Durham Lanes
4508 Durhm-Chapel Hill Boulevard
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 489-9154
Last Update: Added 3/27/07

GameFrog Cafe
Northgate Mall
1058 W. Club Blvd.
Space 111
Durham, NC 27701
Hours:
M-Sat ~10am-9pm
Sun ~ 12-6pm
919-286-0200
Game List, Etc: http://www.gamefrogcafe.com

Fayetteville
Fun Fun Fun Arcade
3729 Sycamore Dairy Rd
Fayetteville, NC 28303
Tel: (910) 864-1307
Last Update: 4/1/07 - has 3S, CvS2, MvC2 (all one token), VF4 Evo, Tekken 5.0, food, early bird daily token specials (80/$10 or 200/$20)

Winston-Salem
GameFrog Cafe
Hanes Mall
3320 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston Salem, NC 27103
Hours:
M-Sat ~ 10am-9pm
Sun ~ 12:30-6pm
336-768-0705
Game List, Etc: http://www.gamefrogcafe.com/

 

[MKF30]

Why don't the NY people try to get MK9 at Battlefield Arcadia or Guard Crush?

Nice suggestion, I was just reading on srk a thread about this...some people think it's dead apparently? I found another place in BK, called King's Games that has tournies as well but also looking into this Battlefield Arcadia. Where is Guard Crush located?

 

[Pistol]

Nice suggestion, I was just reading on srk a thread about this...some people think it's dead apparently? I found another place in BK, called King's Games that has tournies as well but also looking into this Battlefield Arcadia. Where is Guard Crush located?

http://shoryuken.com/f7/guard-crush-12-brooklyn-ny-11-10-10-a-255553/

Where: Game PAD Inc on google maps
6727 Bay Parkway
Between 67th and 68th Street
Brooklyn, NY
Directions by Train/Bus: Take the N train to Bay PKWY in Brooklyn. Walk 2 blocks up the streets. You can also go to MTA Trip Planner to get the fastest route over here

 

[Tim Static]

ive been wanting to play offline local players in games like mkd mka or mkdc but really dont know where to look. :/

i know tom was gonna try to come play me sometime but i think something came up or he had to work or something, i dont know if hes still in nc. i really dont know anyone else from here in nc except maybe like doohoo.

id just love to play some kind of competitive offline fighting game, it doesnt even have to be mk. id be willing to learn sf4 or tekken or whatever if someone is able to come by and play.

http://shoryuken.com/f20/atlantic-south-arcade-game-center-locations-nc-sc-ga-fl-al-ms-tn-google-page-ranking-96392/

This is a great start. Just go, check it out, chill out and have fun.

Nice to see you interested in the fighting game scene, Jago. Let me know if this helps. If you have any problems, let us know here and we will help you out.

Yea, no reason to be afraid of SRK anymore. I've tried for a while to get MK @ SRK and its finally there, but as far as matchmaking goes, SRK is the holy grail!!

 

[Krayzie]

Yea, no reason to be afraid of SRK anymore. I've tried for a while to get MK @ SRK and its finally there, but as far as matchmaking goes, SRK is the holy grail!!

Even in Cali.

With one of the greatest locations to play at my school so far here in SoCal, I plan to make MK flourish and grow.

Pretty soon you will see some east coast/west coast competition!