As a spectator what's an entertaining FG?

KingAce

KingAce

HERMITISM
With the heat going down about EVO, I was wondering what fighters you guys enjoyed to watch, and why? What makes some games more spectator worthy than others.
This is definitely something to think about on a grand scale as gaming gets more main stream, going to EVO once you're done with your game or waiting your turn, whatever other games at the place shouldn't be catering only to its fun-base. Gamers as a whole should be able to enjoy whatever game might be on the big screen.

Now a little about me; I spend a good amount of time watching Korean Professional Starcraft, that shit is addicting. Some games are even reuploaded on youtube with English commentary. It's an RTS so the build up is slow and progressive, but because of this the commentary seems almost like story telling as various events build up to a win or a loss.

Personally, the most entertaining fighting games on the market as a spectator are SC4 and SF4.
I think I might be a little bias for SC4, but in it's defense SC4 is easy to understand, unlike most 2d games the screen isn't congested with stuff and too many flashes, its borderline solid gameplay without too much fan service. And everyone understands ringouts and CFs...

SF4 Is the only 2dFG I enjoy watching. I mostly watch Japanese tournaments, I don't know if it's the ultras, the impressive guile players, the sagats winning and people whining or losing and people praising. The game for me is enjoyable to watch even though I couldn't play it worth a damn.

For the rest

BlazBlue was good only if Hakumen was involved, (because thats who I played) otherswise the Nu BS is just too bleh for me.

Tekken
I actually watch some tekken the Korean Crash tourney thing. Tekken has always been very bland for me, a game as unforgiving as tekken can't really be exciting unless there's a comeback, but good ravens are fun to watch, and Lars and eddy look flashy. Otherwise it's just to technical for it's own good.

VF
Don't really watch this, but would probably fall in the same category as tekken.

Most of all other 2D fighters.
Too much crap on the screen can't really follow whats going on, random Facial Close ups(Nothing happened), big Flash 123456..25..30 hit combo someone dies.

As a 3D game because SC doesn't go for the realism it's animations are the most fluid compared with other 3D fighters, that also leaves a lot of room for some awesome looking attacks. And unlike Tekken turtling isn't everyone's only option in style.

SF4 has that 3D look to it, and is probably the cleanest looking 2D fighter. Most 2dFGs are outdated with the same formula, the Ultras don't take up the entire screen and shit. I enjoy watching this game.

Now I would like to hear what everyone else thinks, obviously this has some relevance to it in terms of EVO, yes?
 
personally iv always been a fan of the DBZ and Naruto fighting game series especially Budokai 3 and STORM.
 
Besides watching SC... I would say GG,Tekken,and some 3rd Strike(but only from the shend).
 
i like to watch BB and sf4.imo i find games like tekken and sc4 boring to watch, unless somebody pulls of some amazing shit but that doesn't really happen often and i just see a lot of the same shit over and over.oh yeah and melee is pretty fun to watch to.
 
I know I'm biased but the God's honest truth is I really only find matches from the Soul Series really entertaining. I can't stand watching 2 D fighting games and I really don't find those non-weapons based 3D fighting games entertaining at all. They all look alike to me. SC is the only series that really looks unique to me. I haven't seen any other game that you can say looks like Soul Cal.
 
Watch Cedric, Ashley and Watson bullshit for Battle Fantasia..
Its fucking entertaining I guarantee you. :)
 
I love to watch VF5:R Matches and older VF4 Material mostly stuff from Ohsu or Homestay Akira. Mukki is great too.

At the moment I watch a lot SC4 Videos from Gnouz. It's very entertaining, especially Keev, DTN and Keysona are fun to watch. And of course our beloved doc ;)

3rd Strike stuff from the Shend is awesome, but there is sooo much on this account I just can't keep up.

And a good Chipp in GG is always fun to watch for me.

I like to watch Tekken too but mostly T3 Stuff(I'm a bit nostalic, yeah).

Ahh and I almost forgot: Watch Xiahou Mao play Dan in SF4. This guy is awesome "Yahoo!"
 
SFIV was really entertaining to watch at high level play. Got me pumped to try and learn it...still suck ass tho.

MvC2 is always entertaining with it's flashiness, even when BS infinites are going off the game is still the most fun thing to ever watch.

SC4 o course

Aaaaaand...I have no idea other than that. MB looks lame, GG was like watching a golf tournament last evo, I've never seen 2 high level BB players fight, Tekken has always deeply bored me, and smash yeah no.
 
I enjoy watchinf BB, cus i dont kno wats goin on, and it just looks flashy.

I hate watching tekken.
 
Pretty much anything is a-ok with me (Not a big fan of Vs. games, but w/e). Gotta go with Shen Yuan though, VF is definitely the best.
 
I'm generally not a fan of watching other people do things as I like to participate in actions myself. That being said, I'd much rather watch a combo video; yes, skill projects are full of artistic expression. On the other hand, a one-on-one match is very personal and therefore difficult to appreciate what's really going on. Basically it feels wrong to be entertained at someone else's fight since I'm not having their experience and don't know what they're thinking and feeling.
 
What will be entertaining to watch are games with actions that look like amazing feats at times. When I see someone dodge and start a huge combo in any fighting game, I think "Ohhh he just got read like a book." Basically stuff that makes you think "wow what he just did there was amazing." But things are only gonna look amazing if you understand what's going on. So if you've played the game or if the game is similar to what you've played, you understand better what's going on so those games will be more entertaining to watch. Even if you try, you're not going to understand and appreciate the mind game or even the feats of dexterity if you know nothing about what's happening.

For people that have tried a game before and know what it's like playing it, amazing technical feats unrelated to mindgames will stand out the most. This makes Starcraft and Smash Melee insanely popular to watch.

For games you've never played, however, less abstract games will be more entertaining to watch because it'll be easier to relate the gameplay to reality.

Good thread, it's important to think about why some things are more fun to watch than others because the vitality of the competitive scene of a game depends on how fun it is to watch. Starcraft match coverage and livestreamed Smash Melee has gotten new players hyped for getting better, replacing players that quit, allowing for their 10+ year longevity.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back