The article kept me hooked until I read it through to the end.
I was one of the many players present at the EVO 2011 event, so I caught occasional whiffs of comments about Mileena's d4 being broken after the Grand Finals had been concluded. I thought that was bullshit.
Then there came the trend of patches coming into effect after some characters either won tournies or placed high in them. To me, it looked as if our only reward for rising above all others is getting our tools taken away from us...a gesture of disrespect towards the players who worked their asses off to obtain their goals, all because of a growing number of scrubs whining about this being "broken," nerfs and buffs, hotfixes, etc. If NRS is going to fix something in the game, let it be something that actually needs balancing, don't just change something because of how well a character performs in a major event. You're basically slapping the champions in the face when you do that.
Public opinion is a powerful thing, but only if you let it control you. Corporations, social groups, gaming groups, the military, etc. - the opinion of the crowds as a whole can often affect those involved in their surroundings, be it for good reasons or bad.
When I first came to the scene through Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, my only option of playing rested solely on online. I started out as a player who played only as Scorpion, and I had the goal to become the best Scorpion. I met great people along the way, all of whom helped to make this possible for me and encouraged me to keep reaching for that goal...but there were also the haters who made comments such as, "He can only win with that character, he sucks with everyone else," "He only plays online where the lag protects him, he'd get blown up offline," and even "Oh God, this guy uses Rage Mode and throws, he plays so damn cheap."
I think you get the point.
It bothered me so much, because I never talked shit to anybody and gave respect whether I won or lost. I had never come across an environment such as this one. I started to think I was going wrong somewhere, but I could not figure out what exactly that was, and Mortal Kombat actually started to feel like a miserable part of my life. I had never exhibited a talent for many other skills, and after finally being able to evolve from a mediocre player to a well-known player, it felt like I was getting fucked in the ass for my accomplishments. I have considered quitting many times so I would not have to deal with this.
But as I gained more exposure to this environment...I began to change. As both a player and a person.
I began to branch out among the roster and understand the engine of fighting games better. Before I knew it, I was shrugging off the negativity that came with being what others would label as a good player. I stopped trying to change myself for others and relied solely on my own methods to get what I wanted. If people cannot accept me for who I am and how I do things, that's their own fucking problem. I never let anything about a game control my views on other people (except if they display irrational behavior such as rage-quitting, venomous shit-talking, all that disrespectful shit), nor will I ever.
Ever since coming to the forums, I was introduced to the concept of offline events held for major gaming competitions. Such a revelation astonished me. To learn of so many other players putting themselves out there and supporting our awesome game with all their efforts...I felt envious. I yearned to join that community. I wanted to go beyond the boundaries of online play and establish my mark at a scene where it all mattered.
And when the Mortal Kombat 9 era began in April 2011, my dreams began to become reality. I've won two locals, took a huge risk and made it all the way to Vegas for EVO 2011, and my position in the community reached higher levels. I have yet to win a major, but my first chance to do so will be coming up next month, in an event called Texas Showdown. It will be a great step towards me putting what I've learned to use in my time among this community.
My biggest goal yet? To win EVO 2012.
However - and this will sound similar to REO's situation with Kabal - I've been recently introduced to people who feel that Sonya is a broken character who needs some alterations to her playstyle, usually because of her safe cartwheel (which ends her pressure so you can counter-poke and take control), her stance mix-ups (they will backfire in her face if she guesses correctly and you time a solid Wake-Up attack, plus her pressure ends if she guesses right), her uppercut, her projectile, her instant-air divekick...you get the idea.
Being a player who mains Sonya, this tended to irritate me. I don't get why people refuse to take their time to learn how to exploit the weaknesses of a character so that they can beat that character. Even with the powerful tools Kabal has, he is still beatable. Any character is beatable, but that will only become possible if you start looking at two things:
1) What makes the character so good?
2) What are the setbacks and consequences to that character's assets?
If I were to win a major of any kind, I'm more than sure that there will be people complaining about me having to use a cheap character to win.
But you wanna know what I now say to those haters?
"SHUT THE GODDAMN FUCK UP AND LEVEL UP SO THAT YOU CAN GET SOMEWHERE!"
You would
never have seen me say the above if I hadn't made the decision to stop letting the negativity get to me and instead use it to motivate myself. It astonishes me to look back and see how I used to let myself feel bad because of something I couldn't control, and now today I just shrug off the drama and go about my business. Success in the MK scene is the biggest dream in my life, and if I achieve it, it will be something to be proud of.
This community is awesome. I would have it no other way. But in all walks of life, there will always be their fair share of bad apples you have to step across...and as you and a lot of us have learned, it's our choice to let them get us down or make us stronger.
No amount of shit-talking would ever make me regret being who I am today and being a part of this badass Mortal Kombat community. Experiences are necessary for us to improve. You take them as they come.
/rant over
REO, I've cheered myself hoarse for you ever since EVO 2011 and I never stopped supporting you. There will be the kids who hate, but you've also got a ton of supporters at your back, myself included. Turn your eyes only towards those who know what the deal is and appreciate you for what you've done. I eagerly anticipate the chance to meet you in person again so I can see firsthand how awesome your Kabal truly is.
LONG LIVE THE MK COMMUNITY!
