Sirlin, HDR, and some reflection

Classic Fighting Games SSF2T: HD Remix
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I spoke to Sirlin a great deal on Friday night at the BYOC at EVO. We had a good and very honest exchange about HDR and ST. To get to the point, we listened to perspectives and conceded to some of each others points, and had a very fun and genuine exchange. Not as a creator and a critic, but as two enthusisits sharing the same subject matter. Without getting into the exact details of every thing discussed, we did joke a little bit about my vocalism in the forums about ST vs. HDR. It was something like: (Heavy Paraphrasing)

Fatboy: Well you know, I am not a huge fan of HDR.
Sirlin: Yeah I know, your the BIGGEST hater on the forums.
Fatboy: We’ll can deny that.

(Both laugh)

Fatboy: But, for the record. It is not aimed to you. I just really love ST and its community. But I commend you for your efforts. You’ve done more than anybody else to try to bring new players to the community.

If your goal was to bring new players to the “classic” type of street fighter game, albeit a remixed version of a classic game. I think you succeeded. Its appealing to general public and that is awesome.

Sirlin: Thanks, I really appreciated that. But, would you mind posting something nice about it then in stead of all the hate?

(Both laugh)

Fatboy: Yes, I will. I promise (laughing)

So, I just wanted to keep my word. I really have a special place for ST. However, I have to be honest with myself. I can seeing that the scene is changing.

I was speaking with Dog-Face this weekend, and we talked about how perfect the ‘Evolution’ name was for the Evolution. Wizard, inkblot, and ponder really encompassed the meaning of the event and what it stood for perfectly in choosing that name. We are all getting older, and everything is our life is always changing/evolving. Why can’t SF be allowed to change/evolve as well?

The point of my post is not to debate which version of the game is better or the methods in which the game play adjustments were made. Most forum dwellers know my points of view and that I am an ST loyalist, and due to my own personal preference would prefer classic mode. But the point of this post is to take note that HDR had a lot of support this weekend, the HDR community is bigger right now than the ST community has been in the recent past, and people are still ultimately having fun (myself included).

With HDR being the second biggest event at EVO. Sirlin injected some new life into the scene.

For 99% of us, we can’t take much of game specific knowledge and skills sets we learn from Street Fighter games down the road of life. When I am 50 the changes made to HDR are not going to matter. The only thing that is going to matter is that I had fun in the last bits of my youth, enjoying my time with good people.

Its obvious that HDR has divided the community in several ways which is disappointing. However, if the introduction of HDR keeps the classic type of SF game alive at EVO for several more years, then it ultimately means that I get to spend more time playing a version of classic SF at a very cool event, with a peer group that I really enjoy. Which when I think about it, is pretty awesome. And for that, I do owe a bit of thanks to Sirlin.

~fatboy :china:

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Very nice post. Well said sir.

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That is a very nice sentiment, one that sums up perfectly how quite a few people feel. Good on you!

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Well said, and good job at Evo fatboy.

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If I had enough posts, I’d +1 rep ya bro, but I’m not yet there :frowning: But it was nice meeting you at EVO Fatboy. I’m a quite guy so I appreciate you coming up to me and saying wassup :slight_smile: Great Dhalsim matches too. Wow!

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LOL. thats all i gotta say to YOU

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Great post, man. I had a debate in a new thread recently discussing this topic - great to see you do it more justice than myself.

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Fatboy: good post, it’s nice to see this kind of “bury the hatchet” sentiment starting to come out from both sides of the argument given that there’s been nothing but division on the topic since HDR came out last November.

It was inevitable that HDR would split the ST community, (i think it was one of your posts last year pre HDR release that predicted that before anyone else) but regardless of anybody’s feelings pro/con the remixing, i think we can all agree that an SF2 game still being alive and kicking and having one of the biggest followings of the year at evo is a good thing.

Long may it continue.

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You da man fatboy! I totally agree. The ST community is awesome and I’d play both versions of the game.

Also, without HDR, I wouldn’t have been able to incorporate HHS/Throw combos into my Honda game. :wgrin:

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My head still shakes in disbelief about that. To think that I wouldn’t have even thought to try that if HDR didn’t come out. Here’s to new life to the scene. SF por vida, bay bee!!!

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It sucks that all there hard work into HDR and all it did was divide the community.

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^^^ I think after this last Evo. Overall public sentiment is better. Many of us love the old ST/classic mode HDR. (I love my ST!!) Many others do not. (Pete… yeah I am talking to you! :wink:) So, it comes down to personal preference and therefor is very subjective. However, it was pretty cool to see so much support for the game. That alone was enough for me to attempt to see things from a different point of view.

There is this saying, I can’t remember where I read it. But, it was to something like, if you trying to win an argument, try to argue the other sides point of view. You may gain insight to the weakness for their argument and help you prove your own. I tried that for myself, and found that the other sides argument proved to very very appealing.

I was not comparing which version of the game is more Superior. I was looking at what version of the game would expand the average, above garage, and advanced player base. It is very hard to say that HDR is not helping to reignite the scene. There was a huge turn out at EVO. To put it bluntly, overall it was really really fun.

True the new scene may integrate less with the Japanese player base, and that does bother me. It wish it didn’t, but what can I do about it? I am just going to stop playing? I enjoy the SF to much to just to give it up over a fact like that. So I am left with the only option, play a game that is still overall fun and enjoyable, or not play at all. The choice is pretty simple to me.

~fatboy :china:

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Push capcom japan to give it an arcade release.

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http://www.sirlin.net/blog/2009/7/21...tion-2009.html

Sirlin is the fucking man. I vote that he rapes everyone with T.Hawk next year :party:

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Ah yes, the annual “Why I didn’t win Evo this year” article :lol:

Seriously though, good read!

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Edit: I’m stupid. : (

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Try here
or just
http://www.sirlin.net

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I still think he played fei long half the time to prove me wrong, as one of the haters on fei long who “has no idea what he’s talking about.” It was a good effort, sirlin. I’ll give ya that. Still cringed every time he landed a chicken wing kick to no benefit. Sometimes he’d flame kick after, it’d get blocked, and he’d get punished. Yeah, go fei long!

I’d just like to say even as one of the bigger haters on remix fei, that I did play him for quite a while after the game’s release. I loved the new rekkas, new super is pretty cool. Somehow people get that I’m trying to say he’s not playable; you can’t win with him. No, no, no. That’s really not what I’m trying to say. I commend sirlin for sticking to him most the time, though I really hope it was because you have faith in your fei and not some egotistical way to ‘prove’ a point. My opinion on the character changes will never change, but it’s cool that you made it that far. Although semis against orochizoolander makes me wonder who your opponents before that were. Sad to say I didn’t see a single ‘practical air juggle’ with the chicken wing kick.

Was ST really going to vanish off the face of the scene without HDR though? This was my first evo - was there some announcement like ST will never be played again?

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Thats jiggly’s and I job

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I wouldn’t speak too son on that. I need to fight Sirlin’s Hawk first.