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[hey_it's_that_dog]

Might sound like a weird question, but life is short and it takes time to really invest in a skill intensive hobby whether it's a sport, instrument, language or an "esport" like fighting games.

I do practice martial arts (BJJ) and so fighting games have a strong appeal to me even though I have very minimal experience of them. I bought SFV hoping to get stuck in but the crappy launch with very little for beginners and the continued lack of a PS4 Pro mode really put me off.

I'm still waiting in the wings though, if the rumours of Super Street Fighter 5 are true then that will probably be the time I jump in with a proper stick and really make an effort to get into fighting games - and ofc there are lots of other good fighters around atm like Tekken and Injustice.

But one thing I want to know is.. You guys that are heavily invested in the fighting game scene, do you feel like it has been a good use of your spare time? By that I mean, does it feel rewarding, and that's not just the act of learning and playing but also the atmosphere and culture of the community? Do you feel enriched by being a part of that scene?

Because when I take a look at a lot of other esports, the communities appear extremely toxic and the only other competitive game I've really spent a lot of time and money in is Hearthstone which I seriously regret - the level of satisfaction is minimal and I would describe my drive to play that game more like an addiction than a hobby - I am hoping fighting games aren't quite the same.

A true champion would not let the lack of a PS4 pro mode stand in their way.

Also you don't need a stick.

You have the game already. Just start spending time playing it. Don't make a commitment to study frame data and spend hours in training mode. Just play, get a feeling for the possibility space of the game, then once controlling your character is second nature, you can start formal study if you want to. I think jumping straight into the textbook aspect of the game could diminish your enjoyment and motivation, but that's my personal take. Different approaches work better for different people. You'll have to make that decision for yourself.

 

[Neoxon]

Honestly, yeah. Sure, you're gonna have to put in a ton of hours to practice match-ups & learning your character, but the experience of getting better at locals & making friends along the way is something I personally wouldn't trade for anything. Then again, I speak as someone who was brought into my arcade's fighting game scene when I was 3, so I guess I was kinda raised by fighting games.

All the same, I'd recommend looking for a local scene you can get better with. Based on my recent experience, it'll probably be easier to find a SFV &/or Tekken 7 scene, but every city will vary.

 

[TacosNSalsa]

I guess I imagine myself regularly attending local FGC events, maybe winning a small local tournament once in a while at the most, and doing ok online.

If this is what you want then I'd say yes..FUCK yes even. Going to locals is a great experience . When I went to Next Level I met and played a bunch of people .I joked around with a lot of them instantly and we were cracking up and some of them were very quite and just played the game so I shut up.. but every one of them was nice . I asked questions and they were like" Yea this is what you're doing wrong ...this is what you gotta work on..." so on and so forth.

As far as toxicity goes, you're not going to run into much of it at all. Real life isn't like twitch chat or youtube comments..most people will not start talking shit to you or get up in your face no matter how much twitch chat wants you to believe that . I'm guessing most people like their teeth inside their mouth.

In my opinion there is no purer form of competition than one on one . Be it basketball , martial arts, chess ..there is only you , the game and your opponent and with that comes an emotional aspect that is ignored and swept under the rug by a lot of players cause no one wants to deal with it . Every decision you make , from moment to moment while playing to what character you choose is solely on you . You'd be surprised by how many people don't want to hold that , they rather blame everything and everyone else and point fingers for their loss rather than just saying they got outplayed.

Anyway I'm rambling , I hope you go to your local , I hope you meet a bunch of people, I hope you have a bunch of fun and I hope you want to keep doing it!

 

[mnz]

I guess I imagine myself regularly attending local FGC events, maybe winning a small local tournament once in a while at the most, and doing ok online.

If you actually have local tournaments in your area then I will absolutely recommend getting into it. One of the best ways to play games if you are interested in the genre.

But if you're a true beginner, you really shouldn't expect to win anything for a long time. Fighting games are hard man.

In the words of Aris

 

[dawgparty]

Do you have a buddy who might fuck around with them with you? I've had some of my best video game nights just me and a buddy with some booze and Street Fighter IV/Arcana Heart 3/etc.

 

[tanooki27]

just take up the bass

go on a musical soul journey. burble burble

sounds nicer than clutching sweaty plastic in some dark room

 

[lucebuce12]

just take up the bass

go on a musical soul journey. burble burble

sounds nicer than clutching sweaty plastic in some dark room

Or play Big Band in Skullgirls then you have both.

 

[Skilletor]

just take up the bass

go on a musical soul journey. burble burble

sounds nicer than clutching sweaty plastic in some dark room

The fighting game events you go to sound weird.

Don't invite me.

 

[patchday]

Response to OP: Nice you have real martial arts experience! You should really, really checkout Tekken 7 bar none which was built with martial arts in mind and excels at it

I think T7 is honestly best fit for you.

This coming from someone that mostly plays Injustice 2 because I love superheroes. It's a great fit for Casuals and ironically, hardcore PvE'ers too. I'm a mix myself with more of a focus on online play ofc.

Lastly, I dig Guilty Gear Xrd REV. I got it in the Steam summer sale. But GG Xrd seems very high skill cap.

Again, I'd recommend T7 for ya and unlike the rest I mention it's a true 3D Fighting game.

And YES- fighting games are worth it!!! Even for a Casual dude like me (I'm around probably 125 matches in IJ2 online). Its very satisfying even for those of us that only put in enough time to learn just 1 nice long combo string lol

 

[Rabid Dwarf 76]

It depends on a couple of things really:

- Do you enjoy competition? Do you strive to win?
- Are you prepared to lose a lot to begin with?
Can you take the lessons of losing and turn them into improving yourself?
- Are you a self-starter? Would you be able to sit down and practice execution, combos, situational training, etc for prolonged periods of time until you have them down to muscle memory?
- Do you have friends who can/want to play fighting games with you? Or do you have a vibrant offline/online scene for your chosen game?

If the answer is yes to all of the above then you'll like fighting games. I've gone off the boil slightly meself (due to real life commitments) but I certainly don't regret getting into fighting games and meeting my local FGC (some of whom I'm good friends with nowadays). Just have to set your expectations realistically and prepare to put in some work.

Great post! I myself don't go to any local events and only play online once in a blue moon but I a close friend that I play with regularly. And for me, that's all I need to justify playing fighting games. You don't need to worry about getting deep into the fgc to have fun. All it takes is having a few good people to play with to make it worth it. If you ever try Guilty Gear or BlazBlue and want someone to practice with hit me up.

 

[StrongBlackVine]

Not for me. I don't have the time and/or patience to invest into getting good in fighting games any more.

 

[lucebuce12]

Not for me. I don't have the time and/or patience to invest into getting good in fighting games any more.

Tekken sounds like the perfect fit for you.

 

[BrunOz]

if you have locals to play with, yes it is.

for online only? don't waste your time.

 

[Ivellios]

I just cannot fuck at all with memorizing arbitrary and complex strings of button inputs so for me, nah.

Me too, that is why i prefer more simple games like Smash Bros, that way at the very least i can try to improve without knowing complicated inputs.

 

[yyr]

Tekken sounds like the perfect fit for you.

Tekken is very deep and challenging, but many characters' moves/combos are pretty easy & intuitive to figure out.

Quite honestly, I'd say look for a fighting game in the $20 range that you like the visual style of and try that. If you want to try stick, either get a $40 Hori mini or borrow someone else's before investing a whole bunch of money into something you may not even like.

Fighting games are like programming languages, in the way that they all have a lot in common. Once you learn some concepts, it is much easier to jump from one game to another. If you get to this point, then you will surely already know whether you enjoy them or not. Just remember that nothing is for everyone and it's okay to not like something.

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

if you have locals to play with, yes it is.

for online only? don't waste your time.

I have a great time with fighting games by myself just playing arcade modes. It's just fun to play for me but I've been playing them since Karate Champ so my brain is sort've wired for them.

 

[BrunOz]

I have a great time with fighting games by myself just playing arcade modes. It's just fun to play for me but I've been playing them since Karate Champ so my brain is sort've wired for them.

Some fighting games can offer fun and challenge playing against AI, specially the old ones, I love doing Arcade runs on Garou and 3rd Strike, and World Tour mode for Alpha 3 is awesome. I can go for hours with Tekken 5 DR Ghost Battle too.

I play fighting games since I was 6 (I'm 26 now) and I would rank my enjoyment with them like this:
Local play / Watching Tournaments >>> Going through good single player experience >>> Playing Online

 

[notworksafe]

Depends on a few factors:

1. Where do you live? Depending on the city you're in you may be in for some work in regards to finding or making a local scene.

2. How do you feel about losing? A lot of losing. Not like, "that was close good job" but just getting your shit pushed in regularly for a decent amount of time. Can you learn from losses or are you the type to get salty about it? If you aren't a fan of losing many, many matches in a row until you start to get a sense of the game don't bother.

3. In regards to the above, do you enjoy practicing game skills? Learning combos, studying video of others and your own match footage, practicing movement, etc.

If you don't mind practice, can lose without getting upset, and either live in a good area or feel like putting in the effort to make a scene then yes then it is worth it. Some of my best friends I have met through the local FGC, I consider them to be as close as family.So there is a lot of good to be gained from the FGC and the people associated with it. Easily one of the strongest and most open and accepting gaming scenes out there.

 

[Raw64life]

Sure, just wait a couple years after a game is released so you can actually get all the content the game has to offer.

Except for SFV, gonna be more like a 3-4 year wait.

 

[Baleoce]

I have 2MB down and 0.3MB up internet with a general ping of 45ms. I also have no local scene, or any local friends that are also interested in fighting games. So as much as I want to get into the scene, I can't really. Unless I travel a lot. I feel bad inflicting that connection to anyone else online. By the same token, I at least want to lose in a manner that I can learn from. And that's why going online with this current connection does nothing for me.

 

[mnz]

Sure, just wait a couple years after a game is released so you can actually get all the content the game has to offer.

Except for SFV, gonna be more like a 3-4 year wait.

This is a bad idea if you want to actually play fighting games. You will have way more match-ups to learn, maybe even more mechanics to work with. Stuff you find on wikis and youtube will be outdated and everyone, even bad players, are way ahead of you. Oh and online activity will be down, too.
Just play what you like and is popular.

 

[Skilletor]

Sure, just wait a couple years after a game is released so you can actually get all the content the game has to offer.

Except for SFV, gonna be more like a 3-4 year wait.

People that want to actually play a game shouldn't wait to buy it.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

Fighting games were my most played genre last gen. Mostly playing against just one person. Good times.

Edit: SFV is great, sure the arcade single player stuff is boring, but when has it not been boring or simple? Though in SFV it is super fast and easy, survival can go somewhere and rot though. Survival had workings of being a good thing but the AI is crazy, it could have even been like World Tour from Street Fighter Alpha 3.

 

[Crayon]

The most rewarding and creative type of game for me. And I don't put in much time these days. I just jump online and play casually but it's so fun and stimulating. No other mp genre compares.

Edit actually I get a sort of similar rise out of 1 on 1 brood War.

 

[isamu]

While I agree that if you're a gamer with a competitive itch, fighting games do offer quite a bit of reward and fun. However, I'd argue that racing games are just as fun and rewarding. There's nothing like being on the track driving a super fast racing machine, jockying for position and trying to beat several other cars driven by human players from around the world to the finish line. It is LITERALLY digital crack.

 

[Coda]

I think the Marvel vs Capcom series is a great game to just have fun in. The new one looks like it has a lot of creative options which makes a fighting game more fun to play IMO.

 

[galvenize]

I got into fighting games in 2015 because I felt completely bored of all other genres and I was looking for something newand refreshing to dwelve in. Top 8 Usf4 and GGXrd at Evo 2015 was like a revelation to me. Being a competitor at heart, it was everything I was looking for. It's now my most played genre in the last two years and the FGC turned out to be the most entertaining community to watch.

 

[petran79]

I have 2MB down and 0.3MB up internet with a general ping of 45ms. I also have no local scene, or any local friends that are also interested in fighting games. So as much as I want to get into the scene, I can't really. Unless I travel a lot. I feel bad inflicting that connection to anyone else online. By the same token, I at least want to lose in a manner that I can learn from. And that's why going online with this current connection does nothing for me.

Fightcade is the best solution with that type of connection. Preferably wired

 

[lucebuce12]

I got into fighting games in 2015 because I felt completely bored of all other genres and I was looking for something newand refreshing to dwelve in. Top 8 Usf4 and GGXrd at Evo 2015 was like a revelation to me. Being a competitor at heart, it was everything I was looking for. It's now my most played genre in the last two years and the FGC turned out to be the most entertaining community to watch.

EXACT same situation here, only it was just USF4 at EVO 2015.

 

[Baleoce]

Fightcade is the best solution with that type of connection. Preferably wired

Aah yes I do have that. And I play wired. I take it there's an option somewhere to compensate for lag? I think that's what GGPO does right?

 

[Smasher89]

Kinda depends on the different scenes, the ones Ive had the most fun in is where people have atleast been kinda focused on getting better (some just hang out which is ok too).
By getting better I mean players might actually travel to some events and aren't neccesary stuck in their local region. That usually leads to a more open/healthy mindset towards the game (meaning less complaining), and makes the people more enjoyable to spend the time with since you are going to play a lot together.

Also, pick a game where you get the easiest oppoturnity to practice that you still enjoy, if it has decent online that could be a good thing even though tournament level offline is quite different due to less lag and stuff like that.

 

[shadowstar]

For me, yes. I met some of my oldest friends through fighting games. Some of my fondest memories growing up are from fighting games in the arcade. The satisfaction of winning in Street Fighter by yourself, against another human, isn't replicated for me in any other pvp game especially not in team based ones like a MOBA or FPS (minus Quake).

 

[Professor Beef]

 

[Kwansu Dudes]

SF2 Promo Video

If this appeals to you, yes.

 

[Baron Von Beans]

If your city has a good local group, that helps dramatically. I spent many years of my life working hard to excel at FGs, and the group of guys I met were all outstanding gents. Sadly, life got too busy for FGs due to the time investment, and I had to drop them. I see some of the guys occasionally, and I would like to see them more often. But the feelings I got while playing marvel, or street fighter, or guilty gear with all of them is second to none. My adrenaline would be making my heart beat what felt like 400 Bpm. I was that main guy from the movie Wanted. I could see flea's high fiving each other after scoring a sweet bite on that dog they were on. Hummingbirds looked like snails. The intensity of our fights because a thing of beauty due to playing each other for hours, and hours, and hours. We would know each other strategies, backup plans, backup backup plans, and even the backups to those. Improvisation became king. And that is where I feel most improvement comes from.

The comraderie, the strive for excellent in the group, the pushing of each other to come back and beat the guy they just lost to, and so much more are experiences I wouldn't trade. Some of the guys traveled well over an hour to make it, so don't fret if there isn't anything in your immediate area.

If you have the time, if you have the determination- shit, if you have any desire to just play FGs, then do it! There are online communities which can be a start before you start mixing it up IRL. Because playing online is one thing, playing in front of 50+ people is another. 500+? HOO BOY that get the nerves functioning on overdrive.

All worth it tho.

Edit- what city you in OP?

 

[Valkerionseven]

To answer the OP.

I would say it depends on your personality. If you like others mentioned, like compeition between two people (generally, sometimes more) and don't mind getting your teeth kicked in, maybe doing that one awesome thing, but still loosing, then realizing... hey that was fun.

Then yes.

If your like me, not 100% in for competition, but LOVE games that ask the player to understand what the buttons they press will do, reward them for doing it well and understanding how the game works.

Then yes.

I love games like Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, so its natural that fighting games have appeal for me too. These are all games that don't play themselves but are immensely satisfying and only beatable by a player who has a decent grasp of the mechanics presented to them.

Fighting games have the same appeal. Though they are all different I would say its worth it to try OP. I would not go specifically for an "esports" appeal though. Find a game you like, if you are interested enough then start looking for competition.

 

[JusDoIt]

But one thing I want to know is.. You guys that are heavily invested in the fighting game scene, do you feel like it has been a good use of your spare time? By that I mean, does it feel rewarding, and that's not just the act of learning and playing but also the atmosphere and culture of the community? Do you feel enriched by being a part of that scene?

Because when I take a look at a lot of other esports, the communities appear extremely toxic and the only other competitive game I've really spent a lot of time and money in is Hearthstone which I seriously regret - the level of satisfaction is minimal and I would describe my drive to play that game more like an addiction than a hobby - I am hoping fighting games aren't quite the same.

The FGC can be just as toxic. And not just toxic in the typical offensive asshole on the internet way. It's just as full of incessant whiners and corny meme pasters as any other esports community.

That said, learning Street Fighter V has definitely been worth it for me. Fighting games are fun and very difficult, and improving in tangible ways at something very difficult is a great reminder of one's capacity to learn. You may not need this as much since you practice BJJ.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Let the salt flow through you.

 

[TacosNSalsa]

Thank you for that I completely forgot . I remember losing my shit when I saw this ..

SF2 Promo Video

If this appeals to you, yes.

lololol....there is no way he's serious ..he's talking about lag offline while wearing a onesy of ..I don't even know what that was..that was fun as hell to watch ..To OP this is NOT what you will see...for the most part..

Let the salt flow through you.

 

[Trickster]

It was for me after I bought a fightstick to play with. Made it much easier to actually do stuff compared to a standard controller, at least for me. Pulling off combo's successfully is extremely satisfying for me

I also think it's a matter of finding the right game. I've bought a good number of fighting games, and always ended up playing Street Fighter 4 and 5 in the end.

 

[KiteGr]

Here is my Opinion.

I enjoy playing with friends.
I enjoy playing an Arcade or two once in a while to get familiar with each character.
I Don't enjoy however being to good at them. Aside from not being able to compete with friends anymore, IMO the game looses it's charm once you start thinking in Frames of animation, areal combos, roman cancels and other advance techniques. The games are at their best when you are an amateur, able to pull some special moves and a Super or two, and perhaps a small combo if you are lucky.

The best Fgames IMO are those where you can still compete with friends of various skill level without having one side destroy the other every single time. That's why Tekken is so popular. Even if one player is much more experienced, a beginner can always figure out a few good moves very easily and get a good number of hits by being unpredictable.

Another thing for a decent fighting game is to offer access to all the pieces of the puzzle to you before hand. Having characters locked behind extreme conditions or paywalls is a recent trend that needs to die.

Lastly, a Fighting game should have a decent single player portion. You wont always find other players online, when you do, they wont always be at your skill level and you can't get the hang of each character without playing some proper mode against the AI. If there is some half decent story to peep you company in the said mode, then that's a bonus.

Long Story short:
1. Yes! F Games are enjoyable.
2. You don't need to be good at Fighting games to have fun.
3. Find friends who play them.
4. Avoid that piece of shit Street Fighter 5 at all cost.

 

[Skilletor]

Here is my Opinion.

I enjoy playing with friends.
I enjoy playing an Arcade or two once in a while to get familiar with each character.
I Don't enjoy however being to good at them. Aside from not being able to compete with friends anymore, IMO the game looses it's charm once you start thinking in Frames of animation, areal combos, roman cancels and other advance techniques. The games are at their best when you are an amateur, able to pull some special moves and a Super or two, and perhaps a small combo if you are lucky.

The best Fgames IMO are those where you can still compete with friends of various skill level without having one side destroy the other every single time. That's why Tekken is so popular. Even if one player is much more experienced, a beginner can always figure out a few good moves very easily and get a good number of hits by being unpredictable.

Another thing for a decent fighting game is to offer access to all the pieces of the puzzle to you before hand. Having characters locked behind extreme conditions or paywalls is a recent trend that needs to die.

Lastly, a Fighting game should have a decent single player portion. You wont always find other players online, when you do, they wont always be at your skill level and you can't get the hang of each character without playing some proper mode against the AI. If there is some half decent story to peep you company in the said mode, then that's a bonus.

Long Story short:
1. Yes! F Games are enjoyable.
2. You don't need to be good at Fighting games to have fun.
3. Find friends who play them.
4. Avoid that piece of shit Street Fighter 5 at all cost.

You're welcome to your opinion, but none of this is remotely true. Tekken is popular because you can do what you say when all of your friends don't know much, but you can't do this against anybody that knows what they're doing.

This is basically "ignorance is bliss."

 

[JusDoIt]

The best Fgames IMO are those where you can still compete with friends of various skill level without having one side destroy the other every single time. That's why Tekken is so popular. Even if one player is much more experienced, a beginner can always figure out a few good moves very easily and get a good number of hits by being unpredictable.

This is what happens when you rely on anecdotal evidence.

 

[Randall365]

Pointless OP - no game will be harder to compete online at as fighting games are so popular - pick something easier.

 

[mnz]

Here is my Opinion.

I enjoy playing with friends.
I enjoy playing an Arcade or two once in a while to get familiar with each character.
I Don't enjoy however being to good at them. Aside from not being able to compete with friends anymore, IMO the game looses it's charm once you start thinking in Frames of animation, areal combos, roman cancels and other advance techniques. The games are at their best when you are an amateur, able to pull some special moves and a Super or two, and perhaps a small combo if you are lucky.

The best Fgames IMO are those where you can still compete with friends of various skill level without having one side destroy the other every single time. That's why Tekken is so popular. Even if one player is much more experienced, a beginner can always figure out a few good moves very easily and get a good number of hits by being unpredictable.

Another thing for a decent fighting game is to offer access to all the pieces of the puzzle to you before hand. Having characters locked behind extreme conditions or paywalls is a recent trend that needs to die.

Lastly, a Fighting game should have a decent single player portion. You wont always find other players online, when you do, they wont always be at your skill level and you can't get the hang of each character without playing some proper mode against the AI. If there is some half decent story to peep you company in the said mode, then that's a bonus.

Long Story short:
1. Yes! F Games are enjoyable.
2. You don't need to be good at Fighting games to have fun.
3. Find friends who play them.
4. Avoid that piece of shit Street Fighter 5 at all cost.

Sounds like op likes the competitive aspect. You sound like you just want to mash tbh.

 

[KiteGr]

Sounds like op likes the competitive aspect. You sound like you just want to mash tbh.

Nah... I'm playing quite tactically and defensively. However very few of my friends play Fighting games other than tekken, and even less are good at them. Most don't buy any 2D fighters, and I'm pretty much the only one with a library full of them.
At one point I tried to become good in Guilty Gear X2 after seeing some pro players. While I started using advanced stuff, I realized that I wasn't enjoying it as much as when I was an Amateur and my matches with my friends became one sided and not fun for anyone.
I have a policy of not playing games If don't have fun, so now I play the F-games just enough to unlock all characters for the time the next friend pays a visit.