UFGL: Underrated Fighting Game League

TarkanX · September 13, 2007, 5:55am

NOTE: THE UFGL IS NO MORE, DUE TO VARIOUS FACTORS. IGNORE EVERYTHING BELOW THIS POST

I’ve been planning this for about 2 years now, but I didn’t have the resources (money) to be able to tackle this on. What this thread is about is trying to form a tournament league for fighting games that could stand toe to toe with some of the tournament games that are being played presently, but just weren’t popular enough. I have consistently talked with various players on trying to get an ideal list; the criteria was that the game couldn’t be broken, the game play level didn’t stall or get boring when reached at a certain point, and that there is a variety of characters to be chosen in the cast of the game (not necessarily balanced, but not a one-character show.) Now, I plan on hosting these tournaments as side tournaments for most of the major tournaments, I don’t expect these games to get that many entrants (some of these games are almost 10 years old, if they weren’t popular then, they won’t be popular now,) but I would like for them to at least get a decent turn out where competition is strong, and not just about a person who practiced a lot and destroyed everyone else who never touched the game; all I’m doing is just trying to give these games the missing credit that they deserve, as well as spawn some diamond in the rough players (players that might not be heard of, but are waiting to burst out of their bubble.)

**MAJOR EDIT: I can only host so many games. There were 22 games on the list before, but I won’t be able to hold all of them at a tournament. We have to choose from the best of the best ones. Keep in mind that the people that are going to be playing these games are coming from different communities that are already playing fighting games with so much depth, that they won’t have a lot of time to be able to play these games, so that is another big reason why I have to cut the list of games short (to 8 games at the most).

Some games will automatically be on the list, here are the games:

Akatsuki BLITZKAMPF
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (SNES)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Vampire Savior

There a few ways to decide which games get the last 3 spots to team up with Akatsuki BLITZKampf, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, TMNT: TF, UMK3, and Vampire Savior. One way is see if there is any sort of international scene; as I said in my previous posts, I would like this to expand where not only are we competing amongst ourselves, but the world. Another way is do determine the availability of each game; how hard is it to get it? The 5 games in line don’t really have that problem, although DCs are getting more and more harder to find, do to them wearing down easily.

The best way to see who gets in is to let people view (and play/test the game); obviously, opinions will fly about a game sucking due to something that is either meaningless, or not as broke as they think it is… but that is one of the reasons why games like Arcana Heart, Melty Blood, SSBM, and others have succeeded. People tried the games out, they liked them, and now there are scenes with consistent tournaments of people using their hard trained skill against many other opponents. This was probably one of the reasons why games like Budokai 3 didn’t really succeed… people can like a game, but is it likable enough to be taken seriously, or how about in the long run? If you ask these questions to games that are still being played all around the world, they will fit that criteria.

I’m going to post some clips of the 5 games that have a chance of getting in 3 will make it (although it might be reduced to 1 or 2 later):

Project Justice: http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=kanewarhead123

Psychic Force 2012: http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=fjt32

Street Fighter EX3: http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=IHX

Touhou IaMP: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5AC6E0251EA539EF

WeaponLord: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=WeaponLord&search=Search

From the the order of 1 to 5 (1 being the best, 5 being the least), rank what you think of the videos. This won’t be the only factor, there are other factors I will tkae into account… I’m just trying to gauge the interest.**

Specialty Games (Games to be ran after these games are done)

Some SNK games (5 at the most, depends on what Dark Geese hosts)

Some games I didn’t include, like HF, A3, TTT, the reason why I didn’t include them on the list, even though they are some of the best fighting games ever made, is because some of the best players for those games don’t even play the game anymore. It is hard (In my opinion) to play a game where it is obvious that the best players don’t even play anymore, and because of the lack of competition in the said game isn’t there, it is likely that you won’t ever reach that level. I do hope that these games get some sort of revival, especially A3, which finally has an arcade perfect port.

If you want to suggest a game that isn’t on the list, or you think a game on the list shouldn’t be there, then please respond with your reasoning. If you suggest a game that is obviously broken, then I’ll read past it, if you suggest a game without any reasoning, then I’ll read past it, but if you suggest a game that should be on the list and be detailed about it (stating the pluses and minuses of the game,) then I will take it into huge consideration.

Another thing that will be the main reason I am doing this, is to have a unified power ranking. If you check Dark Geeses thread (http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=134703), on the first post, youll see a ranking for different kinds of games, and this has so far been proven successful (its been one year.) The only place rankings are to be done is in where major tournaments are located at (wont count local tournaments, not sure about the regional level either.) After each major tournament, we will recalculate the rankings for whatever games were played, and then there will be a new list.

Here are the major tournaments so far (in North America,) if you think there are any majors that I am missing, or you want to add a major, but it is from other country, please suggest it.

Major Tournaments

East Coast Championship, Dundellen, NJ: October 6-7, 2007
Season’s Beatings, Columbus, OH: November 3-4, 2007
Northeast Championship, Philadelphia, PA: December 1-2, 2007
Pacific Northwest Regional, Portland, OR: December 15, 2007
Midwest Challenge, Chicago, IL: February? 2008
Final Round, Atlanta, GA: March 15-16, 2008
EVO South? Houston, TX: March? 2008
Montreal Annual Tournament, Montreal, Quebec, CA: Date Unknown
Texas Showdown, Houston, TX: April? 2008
EVO East, Stamford, CT: Memorial Day 2008
EVO North, Northbrook, IL: Late June 2008
Toronto 9, Toronto, ON, CAN: July 2008
Juarez Tournament, Juarez, MX: July 2008
EVO West, San Diego/Los Angeles, CA: July 2008
EVO World, Las Vegas, NV: August 2008

About SNK Games, I was going to include SNK games, but Dark Geese is handling that. If Dark Geese doesnt mind or needs extra hardware to share the load and make the tournaments run faster, I will help host some SNK tournaments (Especially a couple of the games that he hasnt hosted yet.)

I am going to evaluate how this was handled overall at the end of the season, and determine whether to continue this, and if I do continue, where I went wrong there is nothing really to lose doing this, and many to gain. I plan on posting this in selected websites to get the word out, if you have any website suggestions, then post them up. Also, when there is a tournament, it would be helpful (but not required) that you bring your own hardware (and label it as your own, so you can track it.) It would make things run faster.

NORTH AMERICA POWER RANKINGS

AKATSUKI BLITZKAMPF (NORAMRCA)

1. ZAELAR (1) - NEW JERSEY, USA (NORAMRCA CHAMPION 5/2007 - PRSNT)
2. Master Chibi - Hackensack, NJ, USA
3. Mike - East Coast, USA
4. XAQShinor - New York, USA

BIG BANG BEAT (NORAMRCA)

1. XAQSHINOR (1) - NEW YORK, USA (NORAMRCA CHAMPION 5/2007 - PRSNT)
2. D’Nyce - New York, NY/Miami, FL, USA
3. Master Chibi - Hackensack, NJ, USA
4. Zaelar - New Jersey, USA

DEAD OR ALIVE 3.1 (NORAMRCA)

1. MASTER (2) - USA (NORAMRCA CHAMPION, 9/2005 - PRSNT)
2. Perfect Legend (1) - Toledo, OH, USA (Frmr NorAmrca Champion, 5/2005 - 6/2005)
3. Tom Brady (1) - East Coast, USA (Frmr NorAmrca Champion, 6/2005 - 9/2005)
4. JustOwnin - Chicago, IL, USA
5. The Champ - USA

STREET FIGHTER EX2+ (NORAMRCA)

1. JUSTIN WONG (1) - NEW YORK, NY, USA (NORAMRCA CHAMPION, 6/2007 - PRSNT)
2. JeRon Grayson (1) - Bronx, NY, USA (Frmr NorAmrca Champion, 6/2006 - 6/2007)

TMNT: TOURNAMENT FIGHTERS (SNES) (NORAMRCA)

1. SAIYD ZAR (1) - NEW YORK, NY, USA (NORAMRCA CHAMPION, 12/2006 - PRSNT)
2. Jeron - Bronx, NY, USA
3. Kevin - East Coast, USA
4. Master Chibi - Hackensack, NJ, USA

ULTIMATE MORTAL KOMBAT 3 (NORAMRCA)

1. CRAZY DOMINICAN (2) - NEW YORK, NY, USA (NORAMRCA CHAMPION - 5/2007); LC 12/07
2. DJ Eric - New York, NY, USA; LC 12/07
3. Mach 1 - Florida, USA; LC 12/07
4. Shock (4) - New Jersey, USA (Frmr NorAmrca Champion - 5/2006); LC 10/07
T5. Joe C. - Long Island, NY, USA; LC 12/07
T5. Julian Robinson (1) - Philadelphia, PA, USA (Frmr NorAmrca Champion - 12/2001); LC 12/07

Honorary Mentions

Moe (2) - Chicago, IL, USA (Frmr NorAmrca Champion - 6/2004)
Lex - Chicago, IL, USA
Tom Brady - Virginia, USA
Darrick (1) - Virginia, USA (Frmr NorAmrca Champion - 5/2004)
Prophet (R.I.P.) - New Jersey, USA
Thrower - Chicago, IL, USA

VAMPIRE SAVIOR (NORAMRCA)

1. JUSTIN WONG (1) - NEW YORK, NY, USA (NORAMRCA CHAMPION, 5/2007 - PRSNT)
2. Sean (GBursine) - Toms River, NJ, USA
3. Jeron (2) - Bronx, NY, USA (Frmr NorAmrca Champion, 5/2006 - 6/2006)
4. Sabre (1) - Phoenix, AZ, USA (Frmr NorAmrca Champion, 6/2006 - 5/2007)
5. D’NYC3 - New York, NY/Miami, FL, USA
6. Master Chibi - Hackensack, NJ, USA

UNITED STATES POWER RANKINGS

AKATSUKI BLITZKAMPF (USA)

1. ZAELAR (1) - NEw JERSEY, USA (USA CHAMPION 5/2007 - PRSNT)
2. Master Chibi - Hackensack, NJ
3. Mike - East Coast, USA
4. XAQShinor - New York, USA

BIG BANG BEAT (USA)

1. XAQSHINOR (1) - NEw YORK, USA (USA CHAMPION 5/2007 - PRSNT)
2. D’Nyce - New York, NY/Miami, FL
3. Master Chibi - Hackensack, NJ
4. Zaelar - New Jersey, USA

DEAD OR ALIVE 3.1 (USA)

1. MASTER (2) - USA (USA CHAMPION, 9/2005 - PRSNT)
2. Perfect Legend (1) - Toledo, OH (Frmr USA Champion, 5/2005 - 6/2005)
3. Tom Brady (1) - East Coast, USA (Frmr USA Champion, 6/2005 - 9/2005)
4. JustOwnin - Chicago, IL
5. The Champ - USA

STREET FIGHTER EX2+ (USA)

1. JUSTIN WONG (1) - NEW YORK, NY (USA CHAMPION, 6/2007 - PRSNT)
2. JeRon Grayson (1) - Bronx, NY (Frmr USA Champion, 6/2006 - 6/2007)

TMNT: TOURNAMENT FIGHTERS (SNES) (USA)

1. SAIYD ZAR (1) - NEW YORK, NY (USA CHAMPION, 12/2006 - PRSNT)
2. Jeron - Bronx, NY
3. Kevin - East Coast
4. Master Chibi - Hackensack, NJ

ULTIMATE MORTAL KOMBAT 3 (USA)

1. CRAZY DOMINICAN (2) - NEW YORK, NY (USA CHAMPION - 5/2007); LC 12/07
2. DJ Eric - New York, NY; LC 12/07
3. Mach 1 - Florida; LC 12/07
4. Shock (4) - New Jersey (Frmr USA Champion - 5/2006); LC 10/07
T5. Joe C. - Long Island, NY; LC 12/07
T5. Julian Robinson (1) - Philadelphia, PA (Frmr USA Champion - 12/2001); LC 12/07

Honorary Mentions

Moe (2) - Chicago, IL, USA (Frmr USA Champion - 6/2004)
Lex - Chicago, IL, USA
Tom Brady - Virginia, USA
Darrick (1) - Virginia, USA (Frmr USA Champion - 5/2004)
Prophet (R.I.P.) - New Jersey, USA
Thrower - Chicago, IL, USA

VAMPIRE SAVIOR (USA)

1. JUSTIN WONG (1) - NEW YORK, NY (USA CHAMPION, 5/2007 - PRSNT)
2. Sean (GBursine) - Toms River, NJ
3. JeRon (2) - Bronx, NY (Frmr USA Champion, 5/2006 - 6/2006)
4. Sabre (1) - Phoenix, AZ (Frmr USA Champion, 6/2006 - 5/2007)
5. D’NYC3 - New York, NY/Miami, FL
6. Master Chibi - Hackensack, NJ

VENEZUELA POWER RANKINGS

TMNT: TOURNAMENT FIGHTERS (SNES) (VEN)

1. RZP (1) - VENEZUELA (VENEZUELA CHAMPION)
2. Hanzo_Hasashi - Venezuela
3. Humberto - Venezuela

ULTIMATE MORTAL KOMBAT 3 (VEN)

1. HANZO_HASASHI (2) - VENEZUELA (VENEZUELA CHAMPION)
2. Daniel - Venezuela
3. RZP (1) - Venezuela (Frmr Venezuela Champion)
4. Humberto (1) - Venezuela (Frmr Venezuela Champion)
5. Homero - Venezuela
6. Romell - Venezuela

UPDATE: I have made a thread about netplay for UFGL games in the online discussion board (the thread here: http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=144350 ). Although online isn’t a great indicator of whose better than who, I believe it is important to start here, so that the games on this list can become more popular and produce better talent and better players at major tournaments. Look at XvSF and Melty Blood, those games have got 40+ players in a tournament… so this is something that can be big for this league.

TarkanX · September 13, 2007, 5:58am

Tournament Plan: I’m going to get in contact with the tournament organizer well before the tournament starts, to assure that I will be able to host my tournaments. I plan on having the games near the major tournament games are, so people have an easier time to run back and forward to the major games and side games (unless there is a designated BYOC area, which I have no choice but to use that area.) What should be available is at least one TV, some converters, the respective systems to play each game on (as well as a Computer for the doujin games, as well as some of the games that can be emulated, to make resources easier.) There will be a decent-sized marker board near the games being played where I will constantly write down what games are going to be played, when the tournament for a specific game will start (people can have warm-ups to familiarize themselves with the system,) and when the games are being played, what stage the tournament is at (winners finals, rgand finals, etc…)

I will try to get some sort of contact info with the player (but this is going to be hard, so I might have to just run to them, and tell them they are up to play, or yell at them. By the way, I guarantee there will be people who just outright quit, so that will make the tournaments run faster. I will make sure all the hardware is labeled, so that people don’t lose their things and blame isn’t passed on.

http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=133831&highlight=Weaponlord

Videos

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=WeaponLord&search=Search

AlterGenesis · September 13, 2007, 6:11am

I actually think Big Bang Beat is a pretty big omission from this list.

BEWD · September 13, 2007, 6:15am

Thank god he has weaponlord on there though.

Kersey · September 13, 2007, 6:18am

I’d certainly love to play UMK3, Vampire, Melty Blood and Arcana at a competitive level.

Fuzzy_Snugs · September 13, 2007, 6:20am

Sonic the Fighters falls in this list I think. Ha here before Giza.

bellreisa · September 13, 2007, 7:36am

Uh oh, I see IaMP!

Clear_Sky · September 13, 2007, 7:41am

I don’t think MBAC should be on your list. The game actually has tournies and with decent turnouts, compared to everything on your list, which doesn’t.

And also, you should really mark off stuff that people don’t have a chance to play. You already have obscure shit, and now you alienate your small audience by trying to play a game on format that’s hard to get (arcade). It makes no sense. Word on Tobal 2 and VS though. :bgrin:

TarkanX · September 13, 2007, 8:07am

I’ve read reports that this game has too many problems

I’ve read this one has problems too. I’ve read Giza’s posts about Sonic the Fighters, and one of the main problems with the game is that is has a catch-up system (which is similar to NBA Jam, as in, when you are in a considerable lead, the game actually punishes you and rewards the other player.)

I took Melty Blood off the list, and I agree about some of the games there, it will be very hard to run them if there isn’t any boards available (which are expensive,) I will leave them on the list, but they most likely won’t get any tournaments going for them, which in this case, is Battle Fantasia, and SC3:AE, which will most likely be done when SC4 comes out.

4649 · September 13, 2007, 8:10am

i’ll be at NEC hopefully, i’d love to see tournies go down for all of these.
ESPECIALLY with Monster, I have a bone to pick with some people over that game.
you really should add Big Bang Beat though, the problems people have noted really aren’t of
huge significance seeing as how the game hasn’t been played at tournament level in the US.

Dark_Geese · September 13, 2007, 8:21am

Glad to see you doing this Tarkan…we need more leaders stepping up doing shit…it took me a while to gather my resources together too…so it takes time.

Let me know anyway or anything I can do to help! :tup:
This certainly gets my stamp of approval!!

System_1 · September 13, 2007, 8:53am

I suggest the original Marvel vs Capcom. The game had a pretty big tourney scene. Now the best
players still play it for fun from time to time and I think they would play it in tourneys. It is huge in online gaming and maybe some online players are hungry and willing to show up to tourneys (we cant judge everyone based on TKimura and Emil). It seems a pretty solid choice, and I think it has the potential to be the best played of all games on that list.

Xmen vs Street Fighter coould be there instead for similar reasons, but this one already have several tourneys going on, I think.

If those games are not underground enough, Marvel Super Heroes could be nice. At the time there were not huge tourney scenes and videos teaching us all over the Internet, so maybe the level of play today can get even bigger.

_KOH · September 13, 2007, 9:10am

Thanks for putting vampire savior on there, Vampire Savior is an Official game of NEC, IIRC.

Kyokuji · September 13, 2007, 9:15am

I think you underestimate the skill of unknowns. All the well known Japanese players abandoned A3 as well, but look at how guys like VER and Mustache and Krasher stepped up.
Ricky, Valle, Wong and them might’ve been top when the game was at its peak, but I can guarantee there’s people out there better than them now. The game’s changed a bit since they were at the top of the heap.

It is generally harder to get good at games with little available competition though. Still, that applies to pretty much every game on your list.

phae · September 13, 2007, 9:22am

You don’t have to cover Arcana Heart at the majors or anything, I am pretty sure myself and the rest of the Arcana Heart crew can cover it. We’ve already got things planned for NEC, which will be the first major where Arcana is covered.

Master_Chibi · September 13, 2007, 9:23am

That’s because noone plays the damn game / it sucks / it’s boring as hell / it only lasted two weeks / can you tell I like to hate the game?

:razz:

Sabin · September 13, 2007, 9:27am

yo tarkan, while youre thread is a great idea, and i support it 100% i had o remove the youtube links that had SBO content in it. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about when you see the edit. since it’s banned from srk. not trying to be a dick cause i support your thread…100%, and everyone who wants to get them can get them obviously, but cant link to them here. But yah, not trying to fuck up your thread. Can’t you use the youtube search links to point to a specific game instead of a specific account?

Sorry about that bro.

yungb254 · September 13, 2007, 9:28am

Vampire Savior, TMNT tournament fighter, and Senko No Ronde all grab my attention. Especially VS, what about Fighters History if thats possible or is that under SNK?

Mizuki · September 13, 2007, 9:33am

No Vampire Hunter love? ;.;

Stuart_Hayden · September 13, 2007, 9:35am

Bushido Blade!

Just kidding.

-SH