Well, for the record, I’m not saying Slash is better than AC, nor am I saying that AC is “garbage” (similar to what Chaotic Blue is preaching). In fact, I really find no reason to play Slash at the moment, as I’ve already played AC and I find it WAY more fun than Slash.
But for professionality, credibilty, and integrity’s sakes, the correct decision for EVO would be to run Slash instead of Accent Core.
And, for the last time, I’m not saying “AC takes time to get used to or practice for” (this comment goes to Kasou).
Finally, I am only still in this discussion because I am playing online poker, and I do stuff (like surf the web, or lurking in forums) whenever I’m not in a hand.
My quick response to the whole credibility argument:
Credibility with who, exactly? For whom is Evo more credible in the event that they run Slash? And for whom is Evo more credible in the event that they run AC?
Credibility and professionality’s sake, in terms of FUTURE, potential sponsors.
EVO has progressed to a point that we actually have Toyota as a sponsor now (which means, there’s more money to be won). Compared to modern day EVO, the previous EVO’s prize structure seems like chump change.
In terms of the bigger picture, you can’t be erratic about tournament organization and make radical changes 3 months before the main event. Especially since people from overseas are flying in. Now, it can be argued that sponsors are probably less aware of what’s happening with tournament organization at the moment (and perhaps they don’t care, at all)… but what if they do care? True, we cannot make accurate assumptions as to how they feel about the matter, but there’s always a possibility that a situation like this can present itself as a negative.
Toyota is a nice first step, but we want to attract MORE sponsors (especially companies involved in [fighting] games). And of course, sponsors deserve to KNOW where their money is going, and how the money is used and distributed. It is only towards EVO’s better interest if we kept its credibility and professionality in check.
This is basically what me and Juicy George are concerned about.
722 is right though, we are basically fighting the losing battle, so to the pro “AC camp”, there doesn’t seem to be anything worth worrying about.
Is it more professional to “stick to your guns” and host an old game (given that there is a newer, playable game in the same series), or to roll with the punches and take the initiative by offering up the latest (playable) installment in the series? (To either answer, why?)
Why do you think it’s “erratic” and “radical” to change Slash to AC 3 months before the tournament?
To give an idea as to why I ask, here’s a counterexample to what you seem to be implying about sponsors suddenly realizing Evo made a schedule change: For the attentive sponsor, wouldn’t it seem more “credible” to the Evo organizers that they make a timely scheduling change to host a game that the community is clamouring for, rather than ignoring them?
Firstly, I don’t think the changes between GGSlash and AC is wildly different than the changes between XX and #R. The game to me is still quite similar. Sure, people have new stuff and maybe lost a technique or two, but that’s similar to changing from XX to #R. Not to mention, I may add, that AC didn’t introduce a new character.
But besides arguing over how much of a change there is in the system/characters, is the precedent from before. Evo had an XX tourney when #Reload was out in, I believe, 2003. MIU compared it to playing CvS1 instead of CvS2. People generally left unhappy and the finals were pretty boring. (Though that had more to do with there being 4 Sols in the top 8, and 3 in the top 3.)
I personally think changing something three months before a tourney starts is not wild.
As for the NBA, they switched balls in the middle of the season. Seriously.
Finally, I think a better argument would be when the tourney was going to be #R instead of Slash because Slash didn’t have a US release while #R did. The community got together and made Slash happen. In this case, anyone who can play Slash will be able to play AC.
I understand, however, the problems with integrity in running a tourney and all that. The only problem I see is that people have already qualified with Slash instead of AC. (And will qualify at the end of May.) Changing at that point gives the IL people as much time to prepare for a tourney as the people in TX were given, so I don’t see a problem there.
If the people qualifying with Slash are the only (or biggest) reason why AC won’t be played, I say there should be some sort of compromise with those people if they don’t want to play AC at main for whatever reason.
Reason: The people interested in this series will, as it was last year, not be interested in the previous version once the newest version becomes available on console.
I’m voting for Guilty Gear Slash.
My reason? As Ukyo mentioned before me… Guilty Gear Slash is the announced title. There are already people who have purchased their plane tickets, taken time off from work, and/or made other travel arrangements. Changing the game that will be run isn’t any different from canceling an event. Just because it’s in the same series doesn’t mean it’s the same game. Imagine how 3S players would feel if it was announced that 3S is being canceled in favor of “Street Fighter: 4th Iteration” or some other new edition to the SF3 series. I don’t think you would hear any mass of people arguing “It’s the new game, we should play that instead”, especially if the game was coming out 3 months before Evolution.
Also, I want to point out… Guilty Gear is team format… the longer any person waits the harder it will be to find a teammate, many of the better players have already made a commitment to someone. If the event is going to be a separate game which most GG players haven’t been able to play yet, how can anyone decide who to pick as their teammates? Sure some people pick their teams solely based on who they like, or look for others who are in general very skilled at fighting games… but there are other things to consider such as character combinations. No matter how good the players are, it’s very bad to pick a team where each person’s character is countered by the same one single character.
In the end, I think the real answer is for the Guilty Gear scene to continue to grow/expand. If we had a more sizable player base, this issue wouldn’t occur… if a new game was coming out 3 months before Evolution, then it’s quite possible both would be run. Unfortunately we haven’t reached that size yet, but hopefully in the next couple years that will change (Assuming there are new Guilty Gear games released).
I attend Evolution every year, this year will be no exception.
I’m considering attending Evo North as well (partially dependent on whether or not I am teaming up with someone from that region).
The Guilty Gear community at Evo will shrink if it is not Accent Core. What’s the point in keeping up with the game if we can’t even play the newest version in the tournament?
If a new Street Fighter game came out you can bet both would be played at EVO, both 3S and the newest one. The following year 3S would probably be put on as a side tournament if SF3: 4th ____ proved to be a tournament worthy game. Actually, that’s iffy but…
They’re nowhere near the same situation. It’s not like GGXX/ has been out for 5-6 years and people have anywhere near the loyalty to it. It’s been out for 1 year and 1 month on console. Now, if say no other Guilty Gear games had come out between XX and AC, I could understand that argument.
However, it’s apples and oranges. If SF: 4th whatever was released a year and a half after Third Strike, you don’t think people would be yammering to have it at EVO? They would. Difference being I don’t think the GG community is as favored and I doubt they will run 2 versions of the game at EVO.
Some of you people act as if making the jump from Slash to AC is just gonna be a matter of learning a couple new BnBs or something, but truth of the matter is that you’re basically telling people to throw away the match-up experience they’ve gotten over the last year and a half. Granted, that might not be an issue for those who live in areas with a big scene or those that already have the game, but you should at least be able to see why that might be an issue for some.
And I’m not trying to imply that every match-up in the game is gonna be totally different (haven’t even tried the damn game yet), but even the small shit counts when you’re playing in the biggest tourney in the US and hundreds of dollars are on the line. I’d rather play an older game I actually know some shit about than just jump head first into some new shit and hope I can out-bullshit the other guy’s character, even if my main is getting beefed up. If that makes me a “scrub” or whatever the fuck, then so be it.