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What constitutes a “top player”?

Juggs

Lose without excuses
Lead Moderator
This topic was spawned in another thread. The argument was whether or not certain people were “top players”. So we don’t derail that thread further, I wanted to make an actual thread for the discussion.

This reminds me a lot of “what constitutes a major” and also is related somewhat. People actually have different definitions for what a top player is, and consequently different criteria that a player must meet in order to achieve the “top player” status.

- The first thing I feel makes a top player is that it’s a player who can perform well consistently against any player in the world. This doesn’t mean someone who can beat everyone always, not at all. But someone who can realistically hold their own no matter who they’re facing.

- Another aspect of a top player to me is a player who can do well under pressure. Namely in tournaments where a lot is on the line. This isn’t a huge factor, because there’s a lot of players that I know who are some of the best players in the world, but they just choke when it comes to competing in tournaments. That said though, the best out there can adapt and overcome the nerves and pressure.

- At first I thought a top player was someone who consistently placed in major tournaments. But I think the quality of competition is far greater of a measuring tool than the prestige of a tournament and the quantity of opponents. What I mean by this is, if your local for instance has 30 top players including players like Dragon, SonicFox, Theo, Whiteboi, REO, etc etc, and you’re winning a lot of these or doing very well consistently, that’s just as valuable as getting top 8 at majors. Just as valuable as far as being considered a top player.

I propose this question. Which is more impressive as a player. Winning 5 locals with 20 out of 32 players being top players? Or getting top 8 at 2 majors that had only 3 top players out of 100? Both are great accomplishments, but again to me, quality of competition means much more than the prestige of the tournament or the overall number of entrants.

I think some people reserve the term “top player” only for players like Dragon, SonicFox, Theo, Slayer, Tekken Master, Forever King, etc who can travel to most majors and consistently make top 8. To me, I don’t think being a “top player” is that exclusive. While those players are definitely top players, they are among the absolute best in the world. Which again, some people feel that’s the only people worthy of being called top players. For me, I always just saw it as a player who can beat the absolute best on any given day, or any given match, because they’re simply good enough to do so.

Anyway, I’d love to hear everyone’s opinion on this. Y’all can blow me up if you think I’m dead wrong, I just think this is an interesting topic.
 

xKhaoTik

The Ignore Button Is Free
You need to be a consistent top 8 placer to be considered a top player IMO.

I feel like people don’t understand the difference between “best player with character” vs “top player”.


For Instance. Bdon. Amazing Fate player. This is facts. But to my knowledge, he has 1 offline placing. I don’t count WoTG at all since it’s not a major, especially last season.

Vs

Tekken Master. Another Amazing Fate player. This is facts. Has multiple top 8s, and has won top 8 matches using this character.

See my point?
 

HellblazerHawkman

Confused Thanagarian
I can agree that people played is more valid than tourney placings. Not calling Dragon a fraud by any means, but was his EVO win that impressive when you consider that he got Honeybee and Hayatei, 2 MUs that were in his favor, in Top 8? I would say his E-league win was WAY more impressive because he had to beat Foxy, Tekken Master, Gross and King to take it.

I'll respect the dude who knocks Sonic into losers but doesn't make it out of pools WAY more than a guy who can coast his way to a tourney win
 
Number of placings + number of players ÷ number of players per tournament × number of total tournaments × (number of total players - number of tournaments placed) × number of placings of players = x

X= top player
 

EntropicByDesign

It's all so very confusing.
I'm not sure what other terminology is needed if you can't be a top player without top 8s. I don't look at it that way exactly but it's down to semantics really.

To me, a top player is someone who can sit down against anyone in the world and provide a legitimate threat. A player that can't be totally outclassed.

But a top PROFESSIONAL player, is a consistent tournament placer, though I consider more than top 8s relevant. Top 16s and such are still enormously strong accomplishments if you consistently get them imo.
 

God Confirm

We're all from Earthrealm. If not, cool pic brah.
But what if you're someone like @TopTierBarry where the toughest competition is is 6 Aussies with an underground copy of mk9 before it was banned and 3 kangaroos?
change that to THREE aussies, and add some beer an a barbeque and you have an accurate description of my locals

and to answer your question - results are results. I win my locals, so, top player. Period.
 
change that to THREE aussies, and add some beer an a barbeque and you have an accurate description of my locals

and to answer your question - results are results. I win my locals, so, top player. Period.
Wow I'd love to be a top player in Australia, not gonna lie.

However, I beg to differ.
1. If the competition lacks mu knowledge, exp, ect, does that make you a top player? Regionally Yes, true. But of we're talking about top player of the game overall, the skill gap probably says other wise
2. Kangaroos don't have thumbs, your tournys are rigged mate
 

God Confirm

We're all from Earthrealm. If not, cool pic brah.
If you're asking me my serious opinion - no, locals don't mean shit. Most locals are going to be entirely small, and even on the off chance your locals has say Sonic and Dragon there, they aren't playing like they play when somethings on the line, they'll be practicing secondaries, hiding tech, playing for swag points etc. Majors are called that for a reason. Just my opinion.
 

Thingy

Retired account
"top player" to me is suggesting that said player is top 10 in the world. No idea why I have always taken it that way. Interested in reading other posts here.
 
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HellblazerHawkman

Confused Thanagarian
change that to THREE aussies, and add some beer an a barbeque and you have an accurate description of my locals

and to answer your question - results are results. I win my locals, so, top player. Period.
Wait, you are an Aussie? Any chance you happen to know Gabriel Morton (Yahtzee 2 as Zero Punctuation fans would know him as)? Least before Yahtzee moved stateside, he was in the Melbourne FGC
 

God Confirm

We're all from Earthrealm. If not, cool pic brah.
Wait, you are an Aussie? Any chance you happen to know Gabriel Morton (Yahtzee 2 as Zero Punctuation fans would know him as)? Least before Yahtzee moved stateside, he was in the Melbourne FGC
Oh yeah him he lives just across the street, I know him. You know anyone else from down under?
 

HellblazerHawkman

Confused Thanagarian
Oh yeah him he lives just across the street, I know him. You know anyone else from down under?
Yeah, I wasn't sure how to phrase that without doing the "Hey, you are XXXXX, do you know XXXXX" thing. Wasn't sure if the Australia FGC was THAT small to the point where it was a "everyone knows each other" kind of deal or not
 

Briggs8417

Salt Proprietor of TYM
Your PSN has to be Joker8417 and you only accept money matches in pokemon. Those are the requirements, everyone else is a fraud.
 

Juggs

Lose without excuses
Lead Moderator
The consensus so far seems to be “consistent top 8’s”.

So, let’s say player X wins EVO. EVO is the only major tournament he has been able to attend. He constantly wins sets against other top 8 placers. He consistently wins his local, or gets top 3, that has several “top 8 placers”. With EVO being his only major top 8 and win, does this mean player X isn’t a top player? If the only criteria is consistent top 8’s at majors, player X doesn’t fit that criteria.

Also, how many majors does he have to get top 8 in? Every major he attends? 10 majors? 5 majors?
 
I'm not sure what other terminology is needed if you can't be a top player without top 8s. I don't look at it that way exactly but it's down to semantics really.

To me, a top player is someone who can sit down against anyone in the world and provide a legitimate threat. A player that can't be totally outclassed.

But a top PROFESSIONAL player, is a consistent tournament placer, though I consider more than top 8s relevant. Top 16s and such are still enormously strong accomplishments if you consistently get them imo.
I like this.

There is definitely a difference between being a "top player" and a professional "top player". I'm sure there are people who are extremely good at playing this game but don't go to the tournaments for whatever reasons they have.

There are guys I've seen on YouTube like Akromaniac and SoulWarrior 71K (and others) who are absolutely phenomenal but don't participate in tournaments, yet I consider them top players.

Here's another point or two, to add to the conversation---

1) If you have to point yourself out that you're a top player, are you really a "top player"?? If you're really good at what you do (no matter what it is in life) people already know this. To me, this automatically questions one's legitimacy if that person has to point to themselves.

2) In the big scheme of things, if you're bragging about yourself, who honestly gives a FU#% if you're a top player or not? Nobody asked!!!

I've practiced with a few people from here like @Flamelurkr and @Wyntword and had a great time fighting against them and getting solid advice to further myself (trust me, playing with them has made me grown as a player in this game). When I first came here, @Juggs was nice enough to welcome me here and gave me solid advice on picking characters and lead me to a website about the FGC since I'm relatively new to this.

I've even PM'ed a few more people recently like @JDE and others to widen my "circle of friends" because I've enjoyed reading their past posts.

My point is I'd rather enjoy this game (hence why I bought it) and get advice from cool people who play the game well, as opposed to getting advice from a so-called self-described "top player". I'm here to learn from this website and hopefully make a few Injustice2 friends and have a good time (which I am).

Sorry for the rant; just my 2 cents on the matter.