Here's the gist of the idea.
• League matches will be 80% online, 20% offline, with the grand finals taking place at a major tournament event every year.
• The season will last for four months, and it starts in January.
• At the end of the season, there will be a playoff between the four top teams.
• This will be streamed live and Team Sp00ky is on board, it will be somewhat modeled after the GodsGarden online tournaments.
• Right now it's being called the Virtual Martial Arts League, and the company behind things is referred to as Dojo Sports.
Great idea! Can't wait to see how this turns out. With Spooky on board you'll have the best streamer around handling it. Can't wait to see whos on which team.
Team EG? Team BLG? Team DMG? Would be bad ass if the internet can handle it, although Team EG would be a powerhouse almost no one could hang with.
Will there be a draft or are the teams decided by who wants to group with who?
Anything that gives fighting games more of a presence sounds like a good idea to me. Personally, what I've always been asking is this: when does the point come when tournaments and streamers can charge (even a small amount) for streams? These major tournaments get 5k+ (or in the case of EVO much more) to watch for like 10-12 hours; it's basically the equivalent of a weekend's entertainment, and IS a weekend's entertainment for many people.
Even if it was only a dollar or two, that would be thousands of dollars that could go towards paying the streamers, the hosts and maybe chipping some money into the pots. From what I understand, though, most streamers prefer the donation model at this point. But if fighting games are gonna get big, isn't now the time? When we have a ton of people more or less all playing one game, a game with a ton of mainstream popularity? Next year, the scene is going to be fragmented again, and who knows what happens after that?
Also shout outs to Spooky, Jaxel, Project Failure, the guys in Framingham, at the Nerd Palace, and everywhere else that keeps the northeast stream monster scene thriving. We owe you guys more than we can ever repay (especially if we're broke).
They're not going to pull it off like GodsGarden. Have this person experience the lag in the U.S. region? Japan can do pull off online tourneys because their internet connections are far more superior than U.S. Doing this in the States is not going to go well. I don't care if you have "green bar" connection. It's still going to lag sometimes. That lag can screw up the player's concentration and potentially decide a match with lag occuring at the wrong time (i.e. in the middle of combo or fadc). Unless the tournaments are played through a T1 connection EVERYTIME, I don't see much people putting their money on the line to be in this tourney when one hicup in the internet could ultimately decide a match. They should flip the ratio 20% online and 80% offline. Maybe that'll attract more players to join.
On another note, I haven't even touched tournament or teams mode since it came out because I didn't want to play against someone who has a slow connection. It just ruins the fun. I only play ranked and endless matches because I get to to pick who I want to play.
5 vs 5 teams?.... it's a great idea, but with one flaw.
The fact that there will be 10 people in one room that are possibley all over the US will really cause things to lag, unless everyone decides to buy the legit internet then we just might be screwed on the idea.
Glad this is finally officially announced Cole.
Been preppin the 253 Dojo hard since you announced it a while back and we're gonna be hella buff.
Good stuff. can't wait.
@10
dont forget that japan is a smaller country. U can play someone across jap and still have good bars but try doin a ny to cali match, ur gonna need some scuba gear cause u WILL be underwater.
The most important thing he mentioned is being more professional. If stream language,focus commentary on the matches, and bias views of players by commentators is cleaned up this could go far.
Call it the Street Fighter Online Tournament League (SFOTL), lol.
Great idea though. However, as others have already stated, lag is the number issue for online matches. I wonder how they can ever pull off lag-free online matches? Here's hoping though!
I know this really has nothing to do with this topic but I just want to get it off my chest but FED EX... At least around here is a joke. I have ordered my fight sticks (the 2 for 1 deal) and they are suppose to deliver.. First off I get no notification telling me its on the way.. Secondly.. It shows up a few days ago without warning so I missed first attempt and now I missed attempt number 2 when I was clearly home... They did this before when I was getting my PS3 returned to me from repairs and now they are keeping me from using my fight sticks for SSFIV for the 360. Once again... Sorry for the outburst but it just upsets me how unreliable they have been and the fact that I am really wanting to be good at this game and learn and master the fight stick and I cannot do that due to some delivery guy(s) doing their jobs quarter-assed... I would really love to just be able to learn and get better but as for now... The 360 controller is just not cutting it for me.
@f1ip
I did that... That is why I expected to know a more precise day when it would show up because I ordered something from them before and it told me by the day when it would show up and it did. Now this situation there was no notification whatsoever... and I virtually burned a whole day waiting for the delivery guy to show up. Its posted that he showed up at 5:30pm, knocked on the door, no one was home and just took off with the package... When in actuality.. I was home from 11 am til now.. In the living room which I can easily hear if anyone knocks on the door.. My dogs were up front too so if anyone knocks and for some reason I do not hear it... They bark to notify me that someone is at the door... They did not move a muscle... And finally... I had a huge sign posted by my door saying that there is a chance that I may not hear you so knock on the door loudly three times and if I do not get to the door.. Just leave it at apartment office (btw I live in an apartment atm). I even checked the bottom of the door tag given permission leaving the package elsewhere and thats what the note was for... to direct him where the package should go if I am not at the door to respond.
So even if I myself was not able to get the package.. The apartment office would. But since they did not... I know for a fact he/she did not even try to approach my door.
Oh and did I mention when I walked my dog out front of my apartment.. I saw the FED EX truck pass right by me and funny thing is the driver looked dead at me lol... But yeah.. Thats the whole story I guess.
Team battles are the most interesting parts of the stream. Me and my friends would be so game to enter this. We live in Maui, FAR AWAY from any real tournaments outside the annual evo trip. This is right up our alley.
Chickenwings:
Regardless of why Japan's connection is better, bottom line is U.S. can't pull off what Japanese are doing for online tourneys. People will get frustrated just for the internet issues. Add that frustration to the the frustration of missing combos and / or being mixed up by their opponent equals a rage quit tournament. There's no need to add an obstacle where player has no control of. It won't be a fair to both sides, the player with the lag and the player benefited from it. Gamerbee quit b/c of lag issues. That tells you something right there.
I'm glad these guys know a good idea when they see one.
Good interview Cole. I will damn sure peep out the team thing and see how that goes sounds like a great idea. @RandomJohn people need to demand a better netcode for the US and the rest of the world instead of asking for more characters and nerfs and buff for some. Not saying you do that.
I'm all on board with Cole and his great idea. The community really needs to come together so the Big Companies can really take notice of the potential for marketing on a grander scale.
It's the little guys like us that will take this far in the end.
Also if you' haven't been sponsored like some of the top pros then Join the Fighters Union by putting FU in front of your name on Any stream channels you may be competing in.
FU is coming out of Orlando, FL strong and already has 19 members with FU in their gamer tags for streaming purposes.
Join the Revolution and together we can do to Fighting Games/Streams what the NWO did to WCW.
Hello Everyone, this is Jason "Afro" Cole. I want to humbly thank everyone for such amazing positive feed back on what we are trying to accomplish. I truly feel our scene deserves our community leaders,organizers and media to bring this to a professional sports atmosphere for the next generation or players (as well as Spectators now). Accompanying this League, I will also be starting an ESPN Style 30 min, week day show all about our community (not just the league...everything, especially the Players).
Your responses have shown that our scene is ready and in need of this movement.
So lets here it for taking Fighting Games to the NEXT LEVEL!! The Professional Sports Level!
Jason Cole
The idea of the league is pretty interesting but just the sheer fact that it's mainly online and the remainder will be offline at a major event is just kinda iffy.
Online really isn't stable enough here in America. Will there be restrictions on who can join the league based on connection level. I just hate to see people who don't deserve to go because of a giant lag spike.
I like the idea. Just thought it sould be 20% online. 80% offline. Just my opinion. Im from mia FL. GoggleMyName. How can i join or take part in your community shindig. Its a ghost town with no tournaments or sponsors in Florida. Or maybe im not looking?
That sounds pretty awesome. I'll keep an eye out for it.