WTH are Fighting Game Events?

Now you know what a fighting game is and you are practicing this may just be your next step

If you have read my previous articles about fighting games and you are now thinking "what do I do next?" well you have a few options and we are going to cover one of them today, live fighting game tournament!.

Now this can be a fairly unnerving experience for some people since the common misconception is that fighting games have a hostile community, this is very untrue. At events everyone is there to do the exact same thing you are there to do, play fighting games, have fun, make new friends and I am going to give you the basics.

Where to Find The Tournaments?:

This is obviously the first step that you must take in order to attend your first event. The main place in the UK to find the details on events is the Neo Empire forums. Events are regularly posted up on there and they are spread across the country so no one is left out.

Go as a Group:

If you have got a group that you play with offline regularly get them to go with you. This is a great way to attend events. You have the enjoyment of the trip to and from the event and you will likely make new friends through the people in your group.

Things to Do Once You Arrive:

The first thing you should do when arriving at an event is "ARRIVE ON TIME!!!". I cannot stress this enough. Being punctual is key since fighting game tournaments have a high percentage of running late so don't increase that percentage.

Next thing is to sign in and pay. Once you arrive there is usually a sign in desk at the main entrance where someone will take your name down and charge you the venue entrance fee and the fee for entering the tournament. This can differ between each event but most of the time it's usually £5 per tournament and £5 venue fee.

Your next action is to get familiar with the venue. Find out where the setups are for your game, where the toilets are and where the main judges table is. These should all be fairly easy to locate but being comfortable with the venue layout can make life a little easier.

Food and Drink:

Most fighting game events are hosted in town halls or game centres, so finding a place to buy refreshments depends on the venues location. Some places have a licensed bar and kitchen on-site so if you're lucky enough to have that facility go for it.

Other places may require you to leave the venue in order to get food and drink, but there is one thing you must do in order not to hold up the event.

Before you leave make sure you check with an event judge what time you will be needed to play your tournament matches. There is nothing more annoying to an event organiser when players are not around for their matches and this will most likely get you disqualified from tournament, and you don't want that.

On a smaller note, some venues don't allow you to bring food in so please respect that rule and eat outside.

Event Etiquette:

There are a few things that people forget when at a fighting game event and I am going to cover the basics.

Everyone is there to have fun, remember that and respect the other players around you. If someone beats you shake their hand and say good game. Being friendly at a fighting game event is one of the best things you can do. You can meet some great people at these events and they can turn into lifelong friends.

Be punctual for your matches. When you here you name called by a judge and told to go to a tournament station go there straight away. Being on time and punctual is invaluable to a tournament organiser as it means they can focus on other issues. If they have to chase you around and babysit you it means that the event could run late and cause people to miss travel arrangements. SO BE AWARE!

Enjoy It:

This is the one thing that you must do at a fighting game event. If you go there and enjoy yourself nine times out of ten you will play better. Don't put pressure on yourself to win it really doesn't help. Just attend and enjoy the experience of the event, it is 100% more valuable to you as a new player. Plus you never know with practise and attending more events you could walk away with some goodies like these.

Hope you have enjoyed this article and if you want to see more check back on Scan Pro Gaming for more guides on fighting games.

Joshua 'Lumpy' Grimes