MCZ|Daigo did an interview while over at TechTudo in Portuguese and a translated version of that was posted over on Capcom-Unity.- How is your mental preparation for a tournament? Do you have any personal ritual or “lucky charm” ?
Mental strength plays a major part in a fighting game, and how to control my emotion not only at big tournaments but even on regular practice matches, I think, is one of the most important elements in playing fighting game. In order to do so, I practice really hard to my satisfaction and to feel confident about my condition. Then, I have no doubt about whatever move I decide to make. No risky situation or danger fears me. That is pretty much where my mental strength comes from.
I think what means to be mentally strong is actually to be mentally stable and healthy. Second guessing your guts and being greedy leads to a mistake, and I believe those mistakes are avoidable as long as you’re mentally balanced. And in order to stay mentally balanced, you do need healthy body. So I also exercise on a regular basis.
I don’t really believe in luck. I believe in dedication and hard work. If I can meet my own standard and satisfy myself in preparing for a tournament, I can deliver good gameplay. Anything that happens during a game, including “lucky” incidents is reflection of my hard work. That’s how I try to see (lol). It’s because being strong doesn’t mean you can always win. There are a whole lot of factors that determine a victory in fighting games.
- In Brazil, electronic sports aren't taken seriously yet - there aren't many videogame conventions, we lack tournaments and players have a hard time looking for sponsors to participate in international events. Even so, there are many talented players (mostly in first person shooters and football games) in Brazil. What should we do to improve this scenario in our country?
You know, we experienced the same situation for a long time in Japan. We struggled with the notion of “a video game is just a game, nothing serious”. People never took it seriously. So I do understand the struggles the Brazilians are going through. But the situation in Japan has changed slowly over the years. I truly believe that it can change in Brazil, too. So please don’t despair. Regardless of the difficult situation, we just never forgot our love for the game, and that eventually led us to a change.
Don’t give up on your passion!
Tip sent in by shika.db and Rafael2487.
'I don't really believe in luck'
Is that why he doesn't really play MvC3?
Now that,ladies and gentlemen,is how a true champ speaks.
@11 I'm sure his passion probably has a hand in him being so good.
@12 the SRK interview was a good read thanks for tip. Alot of ppl think he is a teir whore, but imo he makes the tier list what it is based on who he plays lol.
@20
Maximilian should've gotten Rafael2487 to play Frank West on Ultimate Assist me, at this rate I wouldn't be shocked if Rafael has covered wars (or at least submitted news tips on them). XD
Daigo may be amazing, but i seriously dislike his overly serious attitude. players like Mike Ross, while they may not be quite as good, are much more inspiring to me, because they seem to have much more fun... and that's what it's all about.
don't want to be the best in the world at something if I could be having more fun doing something else. this life is far too short and seemingly meaningless to spend it all working my ass off.
Its funny that Daigo thinks eating healthy and exercising is gonna actually improve his game considering the guy that embarrassed him on the world stage is a fat slob who eats nothing but junk (Poongko).
lol... actually... scientific studies show that exercise has a positive correlation with memory and cognition. not only does it affect angiogenesis in the brain, but it may also have a positive effect on growth factors that maintain the neurons such as VEGF, IGF1, BDNF and possibly more so exercise is pretty good for you all around
From what I've experienced, yes a healthy body makes you think faster and concentrate deeper, which leads towards good predictions and faster reaction. It also helps when you want to handle your nerves. That's what every success people does, some of them may not do it on purpose, but they all eat healthy and exercise on regular basis.
Of course exercise is good for you all around but do you actually think it will improve your videogame skills dramatically? Poonkgo doesn't move from his couch and plays for 24 hours straight and he made Daigo look like a scrub.
they are sorta different people using different characters and different amounts of matchup knowledge/experience... i wouldnt say that if gootecks worked out a lot he would suddenly be able to beat everyone and their mother at SF.
but i would definitely make the argument that daigo on exercise > daigo without exercise
and poongko with exercise > poonko without exercise
otherwise you're pretty much comparing apples to oranges
That mentality is one of the reasons he's been called the god of fighting games(in japan) for well over a decade.
And to all the "b-but Poongko owned him free :'<" criers:
Topanga FT10: Daigo 10 - 6 Poongko
Gachi: Daigo 22 - 9 Poongko
Now hate more.
@ 22
He is the best because he takes it seriously. He was the first sponsor of Madcatz because he is the best and since then he has to become more serious about winning etc.
Maybe you don't take your job or passion seriously but Daigo does and that's nothing to be criticized for. You compare him to Mike Ross but Ross isn't doing it for a job, yeah he may be sponsored but I'm pretty sure he doesn't get enough to make it his job. Also how do you know you would choose to not be the best in the world over having fun? You've never been the best in the world so how would you know? Just saying it doesn't mean anything.
Don't you wish all jobs were fun? and magical unicorns flew the skies and we could ride on them and save money on air fares and money fell from the sky like rain but somehow it did not screw up the economy and cause inflation while wars can be won with love and cookies? Keep dreaming mate.
You sir sound like the typical American fat ass who just leeches off the government, shame on you.
It's obvious that for being the best, you have to embrace a serious mentality, like the one Daigo's displayin in here. He's the best ever, even for the japanese, so why to trash talk about his serious attitude? jeeez. I mean, comparin Daigo with Mike Ross is like comparing Ryu with Ken. Maybe Ken has all the fun bangin fine chcks swimmin in money but who's the best fighter at the end? who stand still while everyones at the floor bleedin and smilin (watch the anime xD)
If you dont like Daigo's words, I suppose you felt nothing the first time you saw EVO moment #37 right?
Nothing is more enjoyable than being a winner, a flashy, serious, stylish winner, and that's what Daigo has been since more than 10 years. If you want to have fun, ok! mash however you like to and trash talk the pros, but if you are on the gettin better boat, respect the beast and his words.
"but i would definitely make the argument that daigo on exercise > daigo without exercise
and poongko with exercise > poonko without exercise"
This may be the case but since Poongko is so much more naturally talented than Daigo that the small boost you can get from exercise is insignificant by comparison. He doesn't need it because he is on another level that Daigo can never attain no matter what he does. This is evidenced by the fact that Poongko destroyed Daigo with little effort using a low tier character against Daigo's broken overpowered top tier Yun.
I wonder what kind of exercise he does. Hmm...I'd like to know...Anyone know?
Anyways I think Daigo's mentality in fighting games is nice. I've watched most of Daigo's videos both new and old (Vampire times), and you could tell he really has "something" for fighting games. He did stop playing at one point in his life, but he came back to it. And I don't think anyone can dedicate so much time for something AND keep winning at it with a "just want to have fun" mindset. If someone like that exists...I wouldn't know what to say...I'd be amazed but definitely wouldn't have as much respect as I do for Umehara.
@39
I think that by exercise, Daigo means going out for a walk, playin some team based sport or biking out there. Does not have to be something extremely serious, the thing must be doin it regularly to clean out your mind.
I also noticed how much people enjoy trolling. Is Poongko a better player than Daigo? I think Daigo didn't have enough knowledge about the matchup and about Poongko (badass Seth), but we all know what happened after that...
You cant fool that Beast twice
This is how Daigo's usual day looks like according to his interview:
Sleeps for 8 hours everyday
Wake up, jogging or weight training for one hour in the gym
Ride his bike to the arcade (1 hour ride including return)
Practice for 9 hours
Spend the rest 5 hours on something else like eating/shower
He's Ryu in rl.
Hmm I may not care much for Daigo; however, his words were very inspirational. I can see them not only being suitable for gaming but also other things as well.
@30 This post made me so proud of you and Eventhubs until "You sir sound like the typical American fat ass who just leeches off the government, shame on you.". It breaks my heart that someone with such seeming resolve can go ahead and assume the majority of 307,006,550 people are fat asses that mooch off the government.
@#30
and you sound like your typical overworking, greedy old republican who gets upset when they realized they wasted their entire life working for someone else. see how ridiculous that sounds? way to assume you know all about a person from a couple paragraphs on the internet, dickwad.
maybe if people would stop taking stuff so seriously, we wouldn't have to fight wars in the first place.
@52 He's only boring to you because he's not up on the streams chucking down energy drinks and waving his national flag to get hype, or tossing Fightsticks, tipping tables, and saying seemingly cool but obnoxious slurs at the game and the players.
I think he presents himself in a professiona matter, some of our American pros could learn a thing or two from him and im not talking about his skills.
@#53 Very well said. I completely agree, thou i do like poongko's style lol
as far as consistency I don't really think anyone can compete with Daigo. He does consistently well at tournaments, he's always the one to look out for when it comes to qualifying or finals time, and he's always a front runner when it comes to placing at tournys. Whether he wins the overall tourny or not doesn't matter so much as the fact that he's almost expected to win the tourny or place well consistently. That to me says more than any other player creating an upset that knocks him out due to a dramatically different play style or mannerism that confuses the beast. The fact that he can play a large variety of different high level players and handle himself with the same finesse and skill level that he does all the rest to me still places him as the best overall player in my book, and that's cause I'm a bigger tokido fan than I am a daigo fanboy. I just think that he is, overall, the best player in the game currently. Even if he got 2nd place consistently, it's still better than someone who wins god's garden one tourny and gets eliminated first round at the next one.
"And in order to stay mentally balanced, you do need healthy body. So I also exercise on a regular basis."
Neat.