Utah Street Fighters

2011-09-02T09:54:00.001-06:00

Tournament Announcement

Super Battle Utah

Come compete with the best in the area, including great players like 801 Strider, IPeru, and Konqrr

When: September 10th.

Games being played: Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade Edition Xbox 360, Mortal Kombat 9 PS3, and Marvel vs Capcom 3 Xbox 360, Street Fighter 3 Third Strike Xbox 360, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 PS3

Time: Casuals 1:15. Tournament starts at 2:00 with AE, MK9, MVC3. When MK9 and MVC3 end, that is when the 3S and UMK3 will start on those machines.

Where:: Semitry's house. Pm for address or text 8oh1-230-377four

Cost: Venue fee is 3 dollars. Each tournament played is 5 dollars. Please have exact bills. UMK3 will be one dollar entry fee.

Prizes: 100% of the entry fees goes back to the winners, 70/30 for AE, MK9, MVC3. For Mortal Kombat, I have a vinyl MK dragon for third place. UMK3 and 3S is winner take all.

Other info: It is double elimination tournament 2/3. Grand Finals 3/5. Any pause forfeits the round. Bring your own controller/stick. Be sure to shower and wear clean socks when you come. Shoes off at the door. Don't park in front of the neighbors house. This is a very nice venue. We have a 65" plasma on the wall for our main stage. Will have 6 setups all with gaming monitors. Will be recording the main stage matches in HD and uploading to YouTube.

SSF4AE Team Tournament: In addition to the classic singles player tournament, we will be having a single elimination SBO style tournament. Must use the same character the whole time. From the start of the tournament you will designate a player A and player B that we will keep the same the whole time. When you play the other team, player A vs player A, B vs B, if you split a match with the other team, it is then A vs B. It is one match only, not 2/3. Entry fee is 2 dollars per person, winner takes all. If you don't have a partner don't worry about it, can find you one there.

801Strider and IPeru will be at SBO Quals at Arcade UFO

2011-08-11T15:57:00.002-06:00

Arcade UFO is proud to be hosting the final U.S. qualifier for Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition. The tournament to determine the 2-man SBO team to represent the USA in Japan will take place Saturday, August 13th at Arcade UFO. This is a team event, so you will need a teammate to register and enter.

Please visit http://tournament.arcadeufo.com/ for more details! If you can’t make it, tune into the stream at 2:00PM Central Time on Saturday, August 13th at http://www.twitchtv.com/arcadeufo

2011-07-10T13:32:00.008-06:00

Summerslam Results

SSF4: AE

1. Gus- Grand finals video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-m1N5OniRU&feature=feedu
2. Renzo
3. Lil Mario
4. Colin
5. Josh
5. Erlanter
7. Juptile
7. Scottbot
9. Ricky
9. Andy
9. Uy
9. Caam
13. Big D Mario
13. Rudy
13. Thanh
13. T5k
17. Tony
17. Saiko
17. Trevor
17. Himfan
17. Bowser
17. Pancho

MK9

1. Konqrr- Grand finals video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzvobcg8UdE
2. Tooth
3. Josh
4. Gil
5. T5k
5. Ricky
7. Lil Mario
7. Saiko
9. Bowser
9. Cabibi
13. Tony

MVC3

1. Juptile
2. Gus
3. Bowser
5. Lil Mario
5. Uy
7. T5K

2011-06-27T21:50:00.001-06:00

Tournament Announcement

Summerslam July 9th

brought to you by ermac2 and Hadouken Md

This your chance to get rid of last second nerves before Evo. Play against the best in Utah in the most popular fighting games. Featuring players who have placed in majors such as IIPeru and 801 Strider in SSF4 AE, Konqrr in MK9, and also local champ Juptile in MVC3.

Time: Warmups 1:15
Tournament begins 2:00

Games played: Super Street Fighter 4 AE, Mortal Kombat 9, and Marvel vs Capcom 3.

Cost: 5 dollars per game played. Payouts are 70/30 for MK9 and MVC 3. SSF4 AE is 70/20/10

System: Xbox 360. Bring your own controller/stick. If you don't have one, will loan you one for your matches.

Format: 2/3, double elimination. Grand Finals 3/5

Rules: Any pause will cause you to forfeit the round. Winners keeps same characters in all games but can change ultra if applicable.

Location: Thanhs aka Semitry's house. It is in West Jordan by Jordan Landing. PM for address. This is the best venue we have. Plenty of room, tons of setups. There is a 65" Plasma on the wall used for main stage. Tons of hype. Some house rules, don't park in front of the neighbors house. Shoes come off at entrance. Please shower, clean clothes/socks. Have your ride to take you home when tournament ends. No hanging out at the venue when tournament ends. We are doing this venue to maximize our play time with maximum setups. We may still do events in the future at Gamegrid.

Schedule: All games will start at 2pm. Will be splitting setups between games depending on amount of entrants. We should be done before 7pm.

Game Grid Ranbat Results

2011-06-06T07:21:00.001-06:00

Full tournament results
MK9
1st Josh
2nd T5K
3rd Scott Bot
4th Cabibi
5th Batman Jose
5th Bowser
7th Bigboss

MVC3
1st Juptile
2nd Gus
3rd Bowser
4th BPC Renofresh
5th T5k
5th Scott Bot
7th Sagehog
7th Renzo
9th Eddie

SSF4 AE
1st Gus
2nd Andy
3rd Renzo
4th Lil Mario
5th Bowser
7th Scott Bot
7th Uy
9th Juptile
9th Thanh
9th Hey Johnny Park
9th Josh
13th Collin
13th BPC
13th Caam
13th Estevan
17th Ben
17th Sagehog
17th T5K
17th Reckagge

Shoryuken killed our Utah Thread

2011-05-23T14:39:00.001-06:00

Shoryuken.com did some updating this past weekend and after coming back this morning our beloved Utah Thread has gone missing. Not sure if we will get it back or if we should create a new one but we do have a temporary thread to visit.

http://shoryuken.com/forum/threads/utah-thread-wtf-happened-to-our-other-thread.137145/

2011-05-18T18:33:00.001-06:00

UTSF 801 presents Game Grid Battles

When: June 4th starts at 12:30pm

Where: Game Grid in the Valley Fair Mall

Games: Super Street Fighter 4 AE, Marvel vs Capcom 3, and Mortal Kombat 9

Systems: SSF4 AE on Arcade, MVC3 and MK9 on Xbox 360

Cost: 5 dollars for each tournament you play in. For the SSF4 AE you must put 2 tokens in for each match.

Prize: First place 70% of entry fees. Second place gets 30% Venue fee will be taken from total pot before payout.

Rules: All games are double elimination 2/3. No infinites in MK9. Bring your own controller for MK9 and MVC3. If you pause a match you lose that round.

2011-05-10T13:01:00.002-06:00

*Saturday* May 14. Game Grid. Tournament. This is not a ranbat, since only AE will be played, it is a small farewell tourney.

*Farewell to Eddy/Andrew*

Where: Game Grid at Valley Fair Mall
When: 12:30 pm, 10 am it opens for casuals
Entry free: 5 dollars per person. Must still feed the machine.
2 casual setups on the side, Gustavo will be going over Ryu to teach basics such as plinking, option select, spacing.
Break down of prize: 1: 70% 2: 30% 3: Pat on the back
BONUS EVENT: Salty MM. 1. Wade vs Paul 2. Lil Mario vs Uy 3. Scott vs Matty (You must tell me if you are able and willing to compete in these money matches, if not, I will find suitable replacements)
Please do not ask me to have you in a MM.

RENZO WILL NOT BE ATTENDING. So someone else can break top 3.

All matches will be recorded and uploaded within the week.

Game Grid Ranbat: SSF4: AE, MK9, MVC3

2011-05-02T21:54:00.002-06:00

The results for the Game Gride Ranbat we had on April 23rd.

SSF4:AE

1: gus
2: renzo
3: eddie
4: andy
5: lil mario
5: uy
7: matty
7: thanh
9: wade
9: scott
9: josh
9: pancho
13: konqr
13: ricky
13: reno fresh
13: chase
17: full metal
17: rudy
17: walrog
17: bowsa
17: chubby
17: juptile
17: tony
17: thomas5k
25: johnny park
25: eric
25: esteban

Thanks to Game Grid for having us. I only have SSF4 results, if I get MK9 and MVC3 I will definitely post.

2011-04-22T15:36:00.005-06:00

801 Throwdown: Debut of AE at the GG!

brought to you by ermac2, hadouken MD, and GameGrid Arcade

April 23rd

Games: Super Street Fighter 4, Marvel vs Capcom 3, Mortal Kombat 9 all played on Xbox 360

Time: These times may be adjusted depending on outcome, none will be started earlier than stated time

10am-Noon AE Casuals
Noon-1:30pm Mortal Kombat 9
Noon-6pm SSF4:AE
1:30pm-3pm MvC3

Location: GameGrid Arcade, Valley Fair Mall 2700W 3500 S (hit up google maps for other help)

Cost:$5/tournament entered, plus 2 tokens/game in AE

Prize Structure: For MK9 and MVC3 it will be 70/30. For SSF4 it will be 60/30/10. After venue is covered 100% of the money is paid to winners. Hadouken MD has a special prize for SSF4 winner.

Rules: Double elimination for all games. All matches are 2/3. Finals is 3/5. Winner must keep same character, ultra can be changed. Any pauses forfeits that round. MK9 will be single, not tag.

Please bring your own controller or pad. If you are new to the scene and don't play on 360 Please still come and we will help you with a stick. Regulars, no excuses, bring your stick. No casuals once tournament starts. Even if there is open setups no casuals. One AE arcade setup, bring money for tokens. 4 setups for MK9 and MvC3.

I anticipate the tournament to be over by 6pm. After the tournament, anyone who wants to, we will go to a restaurant to socialize after.

For other details, consult this SRK post.

801 Throwdown

2011-03-15T20:31:00.010-06:00

Date: March 19th
Games: Super Street Fighter 4, Marvel vs Capcom 3, (and MK9 demo)
Cost: 10 dollars. This pays for SSF4 and MvC3. If you only play one, it is the same cost.
Time: Casuals @ 2pm, Tournament @ 3pm
Location: Thanh's House, in West Jordan. PM or text ermac2 in the Utah thread at shoryuken.com for address. A huge basement. Asian house so shoes come off.
Structure: Double elim. for all tournaments, 2/3, Marvel starts first. Standard tournaments for MVC3 & SSF4 plus a SSF4 tier tournament. Everyone watches Finals (no casuals).
Prizes: This will be pot distribution after venue fee. Marvel 1st 10% of those that play, both SSF4 tournaments will divide the remaining 90%.
Equipment: Bring your own stick/controller

Notes: Possible side tournament for MK9.
UFC event is that night, could show up on the basement plasma TV.
I have thought about it more and we will not finish last tier tournament for A and S. That money will be added to general pot for this one.
We will be testing out Andy's new capture device and upload a bunch of matches to YouTube.
Please clean up after yourself.

Pizza Battles Sat. Feb. 12 2011

2011-01-31T21:53:00.012-07:00

Location: Godfathers Pizza in Carriage Square. 4100 S and Redwood rd in Taylorsville
Games: SSF4 and UMK3 if Konqrr comes. Bring your own equipment.
Cost: $10/tournament. Pizza buffet is 6.99/person. No sharing buffet's.
Details: Casuals 1130am, Tournament starts at 1pm. We will have the standard double elimination tournament. Plus a skills tournament.
Prizes: For the standard double elimination tournament, 50% of pool money for first place. For tier tournaments, winner of tier B gets 10% of pool money. Winner of tier A gets 20% and Tier S gets 20% of pool money. We also have a 35 dollar donation by The Ultimate that will pay out 2nd place for the standard tournament. Thanks for that, Ultimate. For tier S, I will be buy them dinner or make ribeyes every 2-3 months. First tier S dinner in March.

"Tier" tournament:We will also be doing a separate, skill based tournament. We will have 3 tiers of skill. S, A, and B grades. S grade is our top level players, pro's. We have 3 players currently for this tier. Gus, Eddie and Renzo.

Tier A will be those who play regularly but still lose to tier S consistently. This would be someone who practices online, goes to casuals and typical wins the majority of your matches against scrubs.

Tier B is for beginners or those don't practice much. You decide what tier you are in either A or B.

To get to tier S, you must win 2 Tier A tournaments and be accepted by Gustavo. So we will run single elimination tournaments for each skill level. The winners of A and B will play in the S tournament. This new tier system will let everyone have a chance to be a winner against players of your own skill.

Extras: If we have time for double elimination for the tier tournament, we will do that, but if not it will be single.

Everyone bring your own stick/controller. If MVC 3 is available before release, will try to have a copy there. UMK3 side tournament will be free if we have it. Also there will be one screen used for MM, 5 dollars first to 3. No high game sets please.

Also, if you would rather play at 430 please let me know. Guys, thanks for your support of the scene.

(adapted from Utah Thread on shoryuken.com)

Season Opener: Ranbat 3.1

2010-05-02T22:13:00.016-06:00

Date: May 8, 2010
Time: TBD
Place: Secret Location (email for address)
Game: Super SF4

System: XBOX ONLY!!!
Tournaments: Singles, 4v4 teams
Entrance Fee(s): $5 total for both
Singles Prizes: 1st = secret!!!, 2nd = 30%, 3rd = 10%
4v4 prizes: 1st = 60% + $20/person

Extras

-BYOC=Bring Your Own Controller

-Free UFC fight courtesy of Andy on HD projector.

-Recorded matches in HD, to be uploaded within 3-4 days.

-Either help clean up at the end, or help setup before the tournament.

-4v4..."Everyone will choose one partner ahead of time. Then we will pair 2 up with 2 others randomly from a hat. Also, you must choose your character ahead of time. . .only new characters including Gouken, Fei Long, Sakura, and Dan for this tournament (I would've added Cammy, Gen, and Rose but for some reason we have retards who uses these characters. . .one of them uses 2 of these rejects). It's okay if your team has more than 1 character represented, however no more than 2 representations. If so, we'll repick your team.

thanks to Andy for the info, and to Thanh for hosting.

Think of the Savings!

2009-11-08T23:52:00.055-07:00

Saturday, November 7th, saw over 40 gamers come from across the jelloed plains of Utah for the deal of the year: $10 for 3 tournaments: SF4 teams, SF4 singles, and Tekken 6 singles. That translated into around 7 hours of fighting game action, or just under $1.42 an hour. That's good value for the money. And who doesn't like free ice cream cake? Who needs Evo when you have UTSF.

The Street Fighter 4 action kicked off the Saturday fight night with a first in the UTSF community: a five-on-five team tournament. Gathering 40 Street-fighter-playing Utahns strained the pool of human resources, but last-minute showings made it all possible. Using all eight 360 stations, at 2 per team battle, the field quickly narrowed until only two teams remained: Brian (GU), Thomas (GE), Lil Mario (BA), Carlos (HO), and Josh (RO) versus Eddie (BA), Renzo (ELF), Andrew (SA), Gustavo (AB), and Sergio (BI). Even with some amazing, last-second comebacks to come out of the losers bracket, there was nothing left to counter Renzo's Fuerte and the other merry men. Team Broken n Two took the 5-on-5, hoarding the team ranbat points and 1st place yet again.

Gustavo just couldn't stop after the first victory, playing through the entire one-on-one SF4 tournament and bringing home the gold with Abel for the first time. And what a commanding first victory it was, downing Renzo's Rainman Fuerte two sets to none. Money and ranbat points weren't the only things on the line for winning first: a free trip to NorCal regionals in December was promised to the winner by tournament-organizer Andy. Regarding the win, Gustavo wrote via PM that:

"It feels pretty good to finally win a Ranbat, and i can't really say it was for the free trip to NorCal, because i'm really not sure if i can actually go. The win just came to me, i was playing my game and not putting any attention to anything outside of that screen. My practice finally pays off...Renzo is a really solid player, I really didn't want to face him in the finals cause he could easily beat me 4 times in a row. I actually know that matchup really well, but never applied it in previous ranbats. I was just really calm and knew that if i just played the matchup how its supposed to be played I would come out on top."

And that he did. Congratulations go to Gustavo for being the ranbat points champion for UTSF Season 2, holding on to a narrow one-point lead over Thanh from the 2.3 tournament. He joins Andrew on the list of overall points champions in UTSF.

However, second place is no reason to hang your head. Renzo had this to say about the finals match:

"First off againts [sic] gustavo take nothing away from him he played a great match, but I basically just got mind fucked during the match. I guess as a whole I approach the whole abel match up wrong I shouldn't be trying to get in and should just play keep away...."

These two have played plenty of times over the past year and future head-to-head encounters should provide us with more great matches to watch.

Phil gave the audience a jolt with three -- count 'em -- three crouching shorts into overhead dash punches with Rog against Andy's Chun in an exciting match. Even Andy was impressed: "It looked sick as hell." Rog's dash overheads are notoriously unsafe on block, but that still didn't stop Phil from dispensing three doses of pain to the doctor. From Phil:

"i like to surprise ppl and its all about risk vs reward to me. sometimes it pays off sometimes it doesnt. thats how i like to play. playing safe is too boring for me... even if it means i lose which happens a lot. and besides... what better way to get the crowd hype as hell?"

Amen.

Lastly, 2.4 was the magic ranbat for long-time contributor and UTSF video-uploader Matty who placed a respectable and hard-fought 3rd place with his Karagat. His strategy focused on more kara shots and zoning, for which Sagat is well-known.

"I really wish I could have used the kara tiger shot more effectively, but I am so used to the timing online. Was missing a ton of them. They look hella fucking cool though! I think just having better overall zoning, and making sure I hit my TU's on the last possible frame (for trade into ultra lol) helped me do better this time more than anything."

Thanks to everyone for making the 1v1 successful and competitive.

Namco's newest shiny and coveted toy, Tekken 6, was out for only a few weeks before UTSF had a tournament hosted by wisened Tekken-head, Kelly. Attracting 22 participants using 14 different characters both new and old, it was considered a big success for a debut event.

What better way to win a tournament than to host it yourself? Kelly and "Steelers Fan" TL punched, kicked, and threw their way to the first UTSF Tekken finals, with Kelly's Alisa defeating TL's King with a counter hit for the win. Kelly had this to say about his "W":

"Playing in the Winners Finals and Grand Finals against TL (he and I go way back with MK and Tekken), I was breaking throws and blocking stuff that I didn't think I had in me anymore. It really felt like the old times at the arcade."

Does Tekken 6 have a future with UTSF?

Not this season. Andy has said that 2.4 effectively bookended season 2. Shorter than last season but with better variety in champions and more ways to win points per event, Andy ended up pulling the plug on the festivities as "...it became too much of a headache...I think this will be it for a while as far as Ranbats."

With a devoted Utah fanbase that hovers at around 40 active players, quality fighting games like SF4 and Tekken 6, and a Super Street Fighter 4 to be unleased in early 2010, we can only hope that the competition is just stalled for a time and not on it's way to the scrapheap.

Use this time wisely, players. Build local fanbases with flyers, events, and casuals. Explore the games, experiment with different characters, see what else you can learn and just enjoy playing the game. Ranbat Season 3 will come sooner than you think, and the only thing standing between you and the winners podium is how badly you want it.

5v5 and 1v1 Tournies on Saturday, 11/7!

2009-11-03T17:10:00.001-07:00

Ranbat 2.4: Nov. 7, 2009.
Start time: 5V5 FIRST, THEN 1V1 SECOND. 5V5 STARTS AT 4:30 PM SHARP BITCHES.
Prize: 5v5: Donated by Andy (50 bucks for first place), and Ranbat points. 1v1: 60/30/10 pot
Entry Fee: $10, gets you into Both TOURNEYS
Setup: 360
Rules: 5v5 (every character must be different on your team). No recording until finals.

Ranbat 2.3 Jewels in the Crown

2009-10-22T22:52:00.067-06:00

Over a week has passed since Andy won Ranbat 2.3. After nearly seven months, the doctor won it all, and he did so in convincing fashion, bullying the competition much like Adrian Peterson freight-trained William Gay en route to score six on the Steelers this past Sunday. Out of a field of 33 players, no one could bring him down. Just how, exactly, did Andy win?

Well, he beat everyone in front of him -- too obvious. But what did he do that the rest of those gathered did not? To what do the champions pay attention that others miss? And, more generally speaking, what separates the ranbat point haves from the have-nots? I became curious and sent private messages to many of the top UTSF ranbat point earners from seasons one and two to see if I could gain any insight and share the wealth with the rest of the class. Gustavo, Thanh, Renzo, Andy, Phil, Eddie, and Andrew responded, so here's the sum total of their collective SF4 wisdom.

Everyone shared something different about what makes them successful. For Andy, "I don't xbox live at all, or participate in casuals a bunch...If I really need to get in the mood to play, then I'll play Phil, Gustavo, or Thanh for an hour and practice my Chun setups every few weeks." Renzo added that, "...reflexes are huge[...]if u have slow reflexes then people will just jump in on u all day" while Eddie says to "...always look for the easiest and most damaging punish...." Andrew opined that "My experience from growing up in So Cal and being in and around the scene before moving to Utah is my biggest help....also picking Sagat, the God-tier doesn't hurt." And that for Andrew, like Eddie, "The ability to predict correctly and punish effectively and consistently is key." Phil wrote that "top tier or low tier... rankings dont matter...."

So if we were to follow those ideas without equivocation, no one should play SF4 on LIVE or play local comp often, they should have great reflexes, grow up in SoCal, punish effectively with God-tier Sagat but to not worry too much about tiers.

Please pass the Tylenol so that I can head off the headache. It's too much.

Except that it isn't. These players know something about their game and themselves that gives them an edge. They know what helps them win, and the path to winning starts in as many ways as can be imagined. And that's as it should be; it personalizes the game, internalizes it. Phil won't win like Andy, and Gustavo won't get first like Thanh; SF4 would become stale and boring otherwise. Follow Plato and "Know thyself." Always good advice, but only one of many jewels in the crown. And it isn't even the brightest one.

In every response, each player responded that knowing your character is most important, and not just "OMG DDFFpuNCh=haXXxorz fiRE" type knowledge. Really understanding your character, their limits, capabilites, and especially matchups against other characters further pushes them to greatness.

In talking about character knowledge, Gustavo wrote that his success comes because, "...I just have a very deep understanding of the game and my character. Thats basically it... no secret behind it, just knowledge." Compare what Phil said here with what I quoted above: "top tier or low tier... if you know your character, rankings dont matter. Chun, Elf, Abel, all middle tier.. all top 3 at last ranbat. Execution, matchup knowledge, and keeping a cool head make for great tournament play." Renzo added that "...knowing your character and all his/her matchups is the single most important thing to winning." From the resident doctor, Andy wrote that "I know my character fairly well...been using her since March; what she can and can't do are pretty obvious to me. Matchups I think I know pretty decently...." Andrew informed me that "knowing matchups helps. Jwong recently said SFIV is like rock/paper/scissors, it's about countering often, knowing what can beat your opponent."

One last jewel and the victor's crown is complete: practice. Sure, you read about Ryu online, you want to use him, but how do you know you can get the srk fadc into ultra if you don't turn on the system and lay fingers and hand to buttons and joystick! You have to put in the time, there's no substitute for it.

Eddie shared that "I been building all my experience from playing at Andys, ranbats and practicing with Gustavo alot." Thanh practices, and so does Andy...on occasion. Gustavo didn't practice before this last ranbat (so he wrote) but I'd bet good money that, like Andy, he practiced and worked his chosen character to competitive form long before the ranbat. Oh, yeah, Renzo practices, too; the RSF doesn't happen all by itself. And does anyone want to guess how much time Phil and Andrew have spent practicing? Anyone? Neither do I.

Simple as that: Know your character, yourself, the matchups, and practice. And do it all before Ranbat 2.4 on Nov.7.

Do it and win.

3v3

2009-10-11T22:38:00.002-06:00

PRIOR to the 1v1 tournament on the 17th

There will be a FREE ENTRY 3v3 tourney, single elimination.
Rules:
-Declare characters first
-Teams can not use the same character (no 3 Sagat teams)
-Single elimination
-Team 1 player A vs Team 2 player A, winner goes to back of line, loser eliminated. Then B plays B, etc. THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE MATCH PLAYED NOT BEST OF 2/3

Prizes: I'll be donating it myself, 1st place: 75 bucks, 2nd place: 15 bucks.
Ranbat points for winning team.

Pick your partners, remember this is for fun. But if you want to make an ultimate team, go for it.

had

RANBAT 2.3 SINGLES

2009-10-06T01:28:00.007-06:00

When: Oct. 17, 2009
Time: 4:30 pm
Where: Protocol 42, directions
Entry Fee: $10, $5 for Idaho folks
Format: 2/3 Double Elimination, Can change character if you lose
Prize: 60/30/10

RanBat 2.2

2009-09-24T17:06:00.000-06:00

(taken from Andy's post on SRK)

RANBAT 2.2

When: Saturday Sept 26th
Time: 5:00 pm, this tourney will end at 9:30 pm. You guys will do everything in your power to push me to end it early. The Idaho guys are driving back right after the ranbat and I don't want them dying in a car accident. We will start on time. Unless my basement floods again, then it will start on time. We Will be RUNNING 6 SETUPS UP UNTIL LOSERS FINALS
Cost: $10/person. If you are travelling from Idaho, it will only be $5.
Setup: Xbox 360 of course.
Format: 1v1, Double Elim, 2/3 matches 2/3 rounds. Only change character if you lose a match.
Prize: Payout is 60/30/10
Casuals: STARTS AT 1 PM BABY. I encourage ppl to come early and practice their game. We all need to improve, get those Ranbat points.

PLEASE DO NOT TXT ME ON SATURDAY AND ASK ME WHEN CASUALS OR THE TOURNEY BEGINS.

2v2 Ranbat No.2 9/12

2009-09-18T17:35:00.022-06:00

17 teams.
34 competitors.
$270 in prize money.
2 new winners.
A pre-midnight finish.

And most importantly...
...air conditioning.

The second UTSF 2-on-2 ranbat didn't fail to deliver. Eddie and Gustavo, on the strength of Eddie's FedEx Air-and-Ground Guile--he'll throw you from anywhere--and Gus' split-second Abel, stuck it out and went undefeated as a team the whole night, with numerous OCV's. This win comes after numerous almost-had-it's, mid-tournament defeats, and quick exits from both players through past events. A much deserved victory for both hard-working competitors.

Andrew and Dana took 2nd, being sent to the losers bracket only by the vicious Guile-Abel combo from da West Side. This is Andrew's umpteenth top 3 finish and Dana's first 2nd place finish. The oft-imitated Sagat-Rose team held up pretty well against challengers and gave hope to low-tier aficionados everywhere. Well, hope through His Majesty King Sagat and his able handler, Andrew. Rose finally got her tiger uppercut, high stamina, quick-recovery fireball zoning game and comboable Ultra while Sagat got a glowing scarf and an IOU. An even trade, all things considered. Utah Valley came hard and did well.

Kelly and Thanh went with the Jake and the Fatman team (Akuma and Honda). Akuma marks another departure from the norm for Kelly, who had a previous fling with Sakura, and all this after earning high placement in the past for his solid Balrog. Thanh stuck with the rather large sumo that got him his first place finish in Ranbat 2.1 and continued to be a difficult contender. For their efforts? Third place. Well done.

With all the wins, losses, difficult seedings, Biblical house floods, new character experimentation, new teammates, remember this quote from famed early 20th century sportswriter Grantland Rice:

"Keep trying to win, keep playing the game, but keep room in your heart for a song."

See ya at the next event.

Andy's Pics from Arcade Infiity/WarZoneI

2009-09-05T10:59:00.004-06:00

Looks like they're having a great time without us! See more HERE. I'll try to update as Andy sends more pictures.

PS: Andy, buy a real camera instead of that gay-ass iPhone.

Team Tournament! SFIV 2v2

2009-09-04T11:07:00.000-06:00

TEAM 2V2 RANBAT PART DEUX

When: Sept. 12, 2009 @ 5:00 pm
Where: Protocol 42
Entry: $10 PER PERSON
Rules: Declare Character before Tourney. Can't have Same Character on team (i.e. no double Sagats). THAT'S IT.
Prize: Half of the money goes to p42. Half is for top 3. 60% 30% 10% format. I WILL BE DONATING 100 DOLLARS TO THE POOL.

I want to see a crazy ass competitive tourney. Also, top 3 teams will all earn 3 points/person for Ranbat points for the season.

Enjoy folks. Oh yeah, we will do a 3v3 tourney at end of Season 2.

WE WILL BE RUNNING 6 MONITORS NONSTOP FOR THIS TOURNEY.

Ranbat 2.1, 1V1

2009-08-24T22:51:00.004-06:00

WHEN: August 29TH, 5:00 PM.
WHERE: 4119 S 420 West SLC, UT - CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS
FORMAT: Best 2/3 Double Elimination, Grand Finals 3/5
ENTRY FEE: $10.00 -$5 goes to pot, $5 goes to the venue. If you are from out of state, you pay only $5.
POINT FORMAT: Top 8 gets points

First RanBat of the season. Shit will be fucking hype, bitches.

Team Tournament! SFIV 2v2

2009-08-03T10:34:00.002-06:00

Date: 8/8/09
Location: 4119 S 420 West SLC, UT (Very very difficult to find, if this is your first time then please locate this on a map first, my number is 801 556 5356)
Time: 4:00 pm
Entry fee: 10 dollars (5 dollars goes to the pot, 5 dollars go to p42)
Format: Very important. Please Read. This will be a 2v2 team contest. Double Elimination. Best of 3. Rules are this: Team Y (player A/B), Team X (player C/D). A plays C, if A wins. Then A plays D. If A wins, Team Y wins match 1. If A loses to D. Then B pays D. Winner of that wins first match.

Rules: 1. Must declare character before Ranbat. Team can't have the same characters (No teams with two Ryus or two Blankas). 2. A team can't be made up of two ppl who held Ranbat points in the previous season.

This is a one time Event and I think it will cause alot of HYPE.

Ranbat 1.7 Rumble in the Jungle

2009-07-15T22:46:00.007-06:00

Certain parallels exist between Ranbat 1.7 and one famous archaeologist, Dr. Indiana Jones. Indiana scoured the jungles of Peru searching for the hidden Temple of Warriors...we have to rack our brains to remember how to get to P42, tucked away deep in the concrete jungle of Salt Lake valley. Crushing jungle heat and smothering humidity relentlessly dogged Indiana during his quest, and we endured the unholy union of a blazing hot July summer day coupled with a humidity that foiled even the swamp coolers. Dr. Jones plowed through fist-sized tarantulas, bottomless pits, hidden arrow traps, one massive rolling boulder, and an army of indigenous Hovitos en route to his prize, the Golden Idol. On Saturday, July 11, at the final Ranbat of the season, each competitor had to withstand the different looks, traps, setups, lockdowns, rushdowns, and mindgames of 40 different people on the way to claiming the Golden Idol of victory for Ranbat 1.7. Only one came out of P42 with the Idol, and he didn't have to hand it over to any Belloq; it was all his.

Coming off of close finishes in the previous two Ranbats, Renzo dedicated this final performance to Michael Jackson, and it paid off. No longer an also-ran, Renzo "Smooth Criminal" never once ventured out of the winners bracket, finishing first by defeating a very plucky, very old, and very shifty Kelly in the first match to seal an undefeated run to victory. The first set was close, with DadRog (Kelly) going up two rounds to none on Renzo, who then tied it up at two all, but
Renzo would lose the first set 3-2 off of two uncontested throws and a short-short-dash upper combo. The second set would end better for Renzo, winning another two rounds, losing one, but winning the final round to take the set three rounds to one. The final set ended tensely with a winner-take-all 2-2 tie going into round five, with Renzo winning in the 95th second of the fifth round, finally catching Kelly with 3 Tortilla throws, a super, a Guacamole leg throw, and a few other pokes from everyones favorite Mexican Chef, El Fuerte. The Peruvian finally got the Golden Idol out of the temple and held it alone as champion.

With the end of the season, points were awarded in each ranbat to the players that took first through fifth place, in intervals of 10-7-5-3-1 respectively, with the points leader to be rewarded with the saved prize money from each tournament. That winner was Andrew "Dread Pirate Phelps" whose dominating Sagat stayed at or near the top for nearly every tournament except 1.7, winning Utah Ranbat season 1 with 57 points total, more than 20 ahead of the 2nd place finisher Brian "Drago" and his indefatigable Guile. Renzo came on strong towards the end of the season, taking home 24 points to finish third using El Fuerte, with Kelly, Jacob, Gustavo, Dana, Mike, and Andy finishing 4th through 8th respectively.

Ranbat 1.7 ran a total of 8 hours, from 6pm to 2:20am, but for many of the competitors, it was well worth it. This tournament was not just one but two separate competitions, with pool play dominating the majority of the early hours. The eight Utah SF4 Ranbat point winners were given byes and automatically qualified to compete in the upper tournament, where they would have to face the top 2 finishers from 4 pools of around 8 players each in a double elimination championship. Tournament organizer Andy asked that those with byes assist him in running pool play, by which they were able to see just what goes into running events of this magnitude every two weeks. Everything went smoothly; the top finishers from pools were seeded in the upper tournament while the remaining players battled it out in the lower single-elimination tournament. Wade met TL in the finals, with his Ryu "focused" enough to overpower TL's "OG" Vega for the win and prize money. With the win, Wade avenged an earlier heartbreaking loss to Eddie in the "Cammy Costume" money match, for which he'll have to wear a Cammy costume during pool play at the Evolution tournament which takes place in Las Vegas July 17-19.

And with that, Ranbat Season 1 closes up shop. Congrats to the winners, "step your game up's" to the losers, and lets have everyone back for another season.

RanBat 1.7, Season 'Finale' This Weekend!

2009-07-06T19:16:00.003-06:00

When: 7/11/09, Saturday
Time: Signup 5:00 pm, Tournament begins 6:00 pm.
Location: 4119 S 420 West SLC, UT (Very very difficult to find, if this is your first time then please locate this on a map first, my number is 801 556 5356)
Tournament style: It's gonna be pools first, certain ppl get automatic byes (yes Andrew will be one of them). Then certain amount of ppl in pools will move on to double elimination bracket with the byes. Ppl who didn't qualify out of pools, you are in luck we will make another double elimination bracket for you. Pools will not be random: I'm not gonna have Phil, Matty, Gustavo all in one pool. There will be cash prizes for both groups.
Entry fee: 5 dollars baby. Cash only.

*THINGS TO REMEMBER*
1. Bring Cash for your entry fees.
2. STFU and don't complain about the tourney setup if you don't like it.
3. Be on time.

*SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS*
1. Wade vs Eddy Round 2. MONEY MATCH BABY. Last time the Hispanic Panic KO'ed Wade flawlessly. I lost 50 bucks to Esteban. Wade was humiliated. Wade blames it on lack of practice. Eddy says, "AYAYAYAYAYA, I OWNED HIM." Word. This match will be the first match of the Ranbat.

2. 150 dollar offer stands for whoever takes and bunks up with Renzo to/at EVO. I will pay in Cash. Renzo can't leave until 3:30 pm on Thursday.

Review of USF Ranbat 1.6 by Etelmik

2009-06-21T16:36:00.002-06:00

Ranbat 1.6’s theme was uncertainty. First it seemed that Andy wouldn’t be there, then it seemed like it would be postponed. Neither of those things happened.

On the other hand, Dana, Kelly, Rudy, Phil, and Eddy couldn’t make it to the Ranbat. Dana’s wife was sick, Kelly had his anniversary, Phil was in Vegas, and Eddy couldn’t get off work in time (he did, however, show up later and interrupt the tournament pro-wrestling style to challenge Wade to a money match, which ended in the loss of Wade’s dignity and Andy’s money. “Can’t believe I bet on you, dude,” Andy told him afterward).

One question on everyone’s lips was “what will happen with no Kelly or Dana here? Is this a real Ranbat?”

Oh, it was real alright.

As many people as were missing were replaced. Thomas5000, Ryan, Alex, Chris Kao, and others were absolutely brand new faces, showing that Utah Street Fighters isn’t done gathering new talent. Joe and Elvis, usually absent, were also able to attend. Chris Kao said he was in California and while he was talking to Gootecks he was lamenting the lack of a Utah scene. “There is a Utah scene,” Gootecks told him. Ryan and Alex found the USF blog through Google alone and randomly showed up.

Uncertainty showed up even in casuals and early on in the tournament.

One example is Nico. “Dude,” Andy called out over the microphone, “Katie wasn’t here for you to be nervous around, so now you were able to step it up and play like a man.” Nico’s game improved incredibly and it showed as he put the heat on Brian early on in the match. He threw few fireballs and plenty of stepkicks and scored plenty of throws, the way a good Ken should. He even got two ultras in, one by dashing into it and one by doing a crossup EX spinning kick, then doing an ultra immediately upon landing. He beat Brian in the first match! Brian is more experienced though, and he calmed down and played a more patient game in game two, losing one round but winning that game. During game three Brian got more aggressive and showed why he is ranked number two in the state, defeating Nico easily. Still, what an entertaining match!

The top 8 had plenty of uncertain matches with unpredictable outcomes; I beat Brian, Renzo beat Andrew, and Renzo beat Brian. The top four were me, Renzo, Andrew, and Andy. Renzo and Andrew had uncertainty of their own to deal with–me, actually. Renzo was convinced I could beat him. “You’re the only one I’m afraid of,” he told me. After going 2-2 with Andrew in casuals, he thought I had a shot at the title, though he wasn’t convinced I would take it.

But this was not to be, and I was disappointed to get fourth. Andy’s Chun is what I fear the most, and I was hoping I’d avoid him. He knocked me out of winner’s, and Renzo knocked out Brian. After upsetting Brian, I still had a shot! Unfortunately, Andrew beat Andy which made me had to play him again. I lost to Utah’s scene master twice. Andrew lost to Renzo, which made him play (and beat) Andy again so that Andy would know what it was like to be me.

This led to a first: Andrew came to the finals from losers’ bracket for a change. “With Fuerte’s splash, all you gotta do is block, or focus, or backdash,” he told me earlier.

I contradicted him: “He knows now, though, man. He knows how to do cross-up splashes and he knows that it leaves him open.” Andrew soon learned what I meant, but after losing one match and after some time into the first game of the second match, he got used to Renzo’s Fuerte. He lost more rounds and had to put on his try-hard hat, but he didn’t lose a single game. Andrew proved that he is the champ by losing a match to Renzo, then coming back and winning four games and two matches in a row to Renzo’s twitchy, lightning fast Fuerte. Like Andy, Andrew was the only one Renzo lost to.

At the end, Andy ended the night on the same not that it opened. “After EVO, other people can run this…I don’t know what I’m going to do afterward,” he says to everyone. No one seems to notice this. Worried about the future and wondering how the group would still get everything done when there’s no clear cut leader should Andy leave, I ask Joe “It sounds like he’s planning on not doing another season like this one. You get that vibe?” Joe shrugs. “I don’t know. Doesn’t seem like he’s going away entirely. Plus, BlazBlue is coming out.” Matty had said earlier, “After EVO, BlazBlue is going to be out. We gotta have a couple of displays for that.” Some people could be happier, and want change.

And some of these changes are good for everyone: P42 painted all their benches and the place looks a little nicer, Andy brought his new projector so that two games were being projected at all times, and tons of casuals were going for most of the time so people were able to get to know each other better.

People come and people go, and no one is guaranteed to win (not even Andrew—he lost once!) or lose. New games come out—BlazBlue and KoF12 are on everyone’s lips—there’s even a fourth game coming later this year, Tekken 6. No matter what happens, it looks like Utah Street Fighters need not worry about any changes in the weather, whether it be people, venue, equipment, or games. If someone is gone, USF will live on. If some people switch games or give up on games, USF will live on. If we lose access to all of Andy’s high-roller money and the awesome equipment and organization that brings, USF will live on. Right? Right? Right.

What I’m saying is that USF is here to stay, an oasis in the desert, and not some weak-sauce oasis like Vegas or Phoenix. Look out, EVO: the Utah Street Fighters are bringing it.

SFIV Ranbat 1.6

2009-06-15T12:52:00.006-06:00

When: June 20th
Location: 4119 S 420 West SLC, UT - HERE IS A MAP
Entry Fee: $5.00 - All money goes to Top 3 Placers
Casuals: Begin at 2:00pm
Registration Time: 5:30
Tournament Time: 6:00 pm
Tournament Style: Double elimination, random seeding,
Refreshments: Available for purchase at concession stand. Please show your support by purchasing refreshments from the p42 guys.

As we saw last time, the random seeding proved to be quite exciting in that ANYTHING can happen. Everyone bring your best game to the fight, or else you'll end up in Losers early like I did last time. :D

Everyone was very respectful of the venue at 1.5, so let's continue the trend on over. And make sure that the p42 guys know that we are appreciative. All it takes is a "thank you", along with showing a little common decency by cleaning up after yourself.

We'll have two projectors running in HD this time around, so spectating won't be a problem at all. Also, I plan to bring the good old Dreamcast again for some 3rd Strike, CvS2, MvC2, etc. on the side. Help me out by bringing a Dreamcast arcade stick!

Ranbat 1.5 Calling your Shot

2009-06-08T19:56:00.018-06:00

Early Friday...June 5...those that follow the goings-on at the Utah Thread at shoryuken.com read of players predicting the outcome of Ranbat 1.5, calling their shot as did players of old.
--II Peru (Renzo) you want some hype ill start with some controversie i guarantee top 3 tomorrow eff this 9th place bull im tired of choking ive been practicing im ready for tomorrow (Friday, p.83)
--Strider Hyriu (Gustavo) if you're making some predictions then i'll make one also, i'm guaranteeing a top 1 spot.... yeah thats right, i haven't practiced that much, but im going in confident, and this time i'm not gonna choke (Friday, p.83)
--Konqrr (Kelly) Whatever fools...Sakura is taking this Ranbat. (Friday, p. 83)
--infested 801 (Eddie) Im gonna make a prediction of top 10 this ranbat... Imma use GUILE this ranbat ^_^
(Sat., p.84)

As with many predictions, some get over the outfield wall and some do not. After all, 30 other players foresaw outcomes of their own, even if they weren't spelled out in ones and zeros on a forum thread. These four had to make their way through the rest to make good on their promises, had to rediscover The Secret Garden (aka Protocol 42), and bring their games to prove themselves against likeminded and fierce competition...that's what happened on Saturday night in Utah Ranbat 1.5.

No, Kelly did not really become the BronzeSak, instead calling up the Bronze Boxer, placing fourth out of 34, taking out Brian (Guile) before failing to escape from Renzo's RainMan Fuerte. Eddy brought a good game with Guile and Vega but ended up in 17th, clawing Dana's Rose to death with Vega before falling to Renzo's Rainman Fuerte (ELF) and Jacob's ShoryuLariat (Gief). No, the prescient ones turned out to be none other than Renzo and Gustavo, with Renzo making good on the top 3 finish -- the RainMan hit it deep into right field and got the triple-- while Gustavo's Abel popped it up deep into centerfield and bounced it off the back wall for three bases but missing the prophesied Grand Slam. Gustavo "SwitchHitter" finished 3rd, going with Barlog instead of his customary Abel, falling to the RainMan Fuerte, 2-1, 1-2, 0-2. Renzo had his "momento en el sol" in 1.5, facing off against tournament-winner and current Ranbat leader Andrew and his Dread Pirate Phelps (Sagat), who remained unmoved from the winners bracket for the second week in a row, crushing The RainMan in straight sets, 3-1, 3-1.

Almost from the first match where Jacob's Red Cyclone squeaked out a win against Nico's Ken, the tournament atmosphere had changed. Before long, many long-time players who expected to remain in the winners bracket found themselves knocked off their presumed perch, looking back with fond memories at those still playing from the safety and security afforded those in the winners bracket. The players had worked, checking their fear at the door by playing and practicing, and the results were self-evident. This Ranbat revealed that ANYONE can win, ANYONE does win, and ANYONE with enough confidence in themselves and skills with their character can step up to the plate, look the pitcher straight in the eye, and say, "Bring it on."

Street Fighter IV RanBat 1.5

2009-06-02T10:39:00.003-06:00

When: Saturday June 6th, 2009
Location: 4119 S 420 West SLC, UT - HERE IS A MAP
Entry fee: $5.00. All money goes to top 3 placers.
Casuals: Begin at 1:00 pm
Registration Time: 5:30 pm
Tournament Time: 6:00 pm
Tournament Style: Double Elimination, Best 2/3
Refreshments: Bring your own food or candy. Andy will provide pizza if there is demand for it. At the very least, be sure to thank him for his generosity.

Although this tournament is only relative to SFIV, we have talked a little bit about having some other games available to play as well (3rd Strike, Marvel vs Capcom 2, Capcom vs SNK 2, etc.). I have already offered to bring a small LCD along with a Dreamcast and a PS2 to accommodate King of The Hill-style battles. If you can help me out by bringing sticks for either system, please let me know. If I can't procure the sticks, then the side games will flop altogether, so help me out on this one.

DO NOT BRING your own soft drinks, sodas, etc. Outside drinks are NOT permitted (with the exception of water). Show a little support by purchasing drinks from the venue. Remember that Protocol42 is not even charging us to use their venue, so buying a soda is probably the least you can do to offer your support and gratitude.

And guys, please don't be fucking dickbags. You're all (supposedly) adults. Let's keep their place clean. Don't leave your trash lying around - Nobody wants to pick up after your lazy ass. And seriously - WHO DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FLUSH A FUCKING TOILET? C'mon, guys (and gals)... Help us out a little on this one.

Lastly, if you can stay a little late and help with the post clean-up, your efforts will be more than appreciated. We'll need a couple of people to help ensure that the place is organized and clean before we leave. Shouldn't be a big deal if we can get five or six people on the job.

Ranbat 1.4: Trouble in River City

2009-05-24T22:29:00.003-06:00

This was the scene of Utah Ranbat 1.4 in our new location at Protocol 42, which represented the first time a Utah Ranbat was held away from the comfort and privacy of Andy's Sugar-house. Being referred to as "The Secret Garden" due to it's discreet (okay, freaking-hard-to-find) location near I-15, Procotol 42 provided what we have come to expect from the ranbats plus more: players, games, TV's, space...you name it, they had it. Form one end of the warehouse to the other, long, sturdy two-tier wooden tables drowned in power and network cables, with enough office chairs to comfortable seat all the troubled teens in River City. The main attraction: an HD projector high on the wall, perfect for showing future finals matches. And while we gamed, the sound system provided a thumping beat to keep the action fresh. Billed as a LAN center for computer gaming, Protocol 42 easily converted to a competitive SF environment worthy of continued future gatherings.

On to the action...finals are what they have always been, the two best in Utah slugging it out to determine the champion for the next two weeks. For all intents and purposes, it should be renamed the Andrew and Brian Celebrity Invitational. Andrew came out on top again with some "Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!" by The Dread Pirate Phelps (Sagat), smoking Brian's Drago (Guile) like his now-familiar bong to claim the gold for a 2nd ranbat in a row. Both are now in a tie atop the Ranbat standings at 34 points. 3rd, 4th, and 5th place were held by Jacob's ShoryuLariat (Zangief), Dana's BlackRose (Rose), and finally Kelly's Bronze Boxer (Boxer). Jacob planted Dana's Rose into the ground in the losers bracket to hold 3rd place but was knocked aside for the 2nd time that night by Brian's Guile as Andrew was like his Lay's potato chip...he couldn't have just one game with the Muay Thai Master. The BlackRose set up the slip 'n slide for the Bronze Boxer, who tripped up and got knocked out, waking up in 5th place. I don't anticipate that happening again, as Tin Boxer doesn't have the same alliterative qualities as Bronze Boxer.

Starting off the night, the Girls Fight Night featured various female associates and players in the scene. Katie showed everyone who's boss by taking top honors in the event, showing her Cammy skills for all to see and emulate, especially as she almost took down two-time Ranbat winner Brian in the first round. Additionally, this ranbat showed off some sweet mike skills by various UTSF members, from TL, Andrew, Andy, Bobby, and Johnny. They provided some play-by-play commentary during the bigger matches of the night, and really helped provide a more exciting, competitive atmosphere. And for the OG in the group, hopefully you toured the facility and discovered the Virtual On arcade cabinet in the back. Yes, it works; I tested it out with my Apharmd, and didn't fare too badly. I'd go back just to play that!

As always, it's better to be live than LIVE. Work on it people--have a game, do not suck, and you won't get run. Turn it up at 1.5!

Tournament Announcement - RanBat 1.4

2009-05-18T17:41:00.009-06:00

When: 5/23/09 (Saturday)
Time: 6:30 registration, begins 7:00 sharp
Where: 4119 S 420 West SLC, UT - MAP
Cost: $5.00 per player, Visitors free
Format: Double elimination, Best of 3
Food: Pizza, Cola
System: Xbox 360 ONLY

I hope to have 4 monitors running for this tournament. I really encourage everyone to stay 'til the end b/c I think alot of ppl missed the hype as there were alot of great matches towards the end. I believe the two best parts of these ranbats are 1.) To see how good you really are and have gotten, 2.) Getting into the excitement of watching crazy comebacks, heated rivalries, and high level play.

EDIT: I will post more details if need be. Be sure to check out the Utah Thread @ SRK as well (see link in right column).

Ranbat 1.3...or Rocky 4.1?

2009-05-10T22:26:00.007-06:00

You could see a few more Hondas and Mazdas parallel-parked on the street. Nothing too out of the ordinary. A few more twenty-somethings in jeans and t-shirts milled around outside the house, talking about this and that. It's near a the U. Whatever. But if you had been passing by outside Andy's house on Saturday night, May 9, you would have heard just what the Utah Street Fighter scene is cookin'!

Ranbat 1.3 produced more cheers and celebrations than any other before. 27 people competed but well over 30 showed to watch old and new alike fight it out for first place and over $100 in winnings in Utah's third Ranking Battle, where in a surprising twist on Rocky IV, Drago (Brian) couldn't claw out of the to-him unfamiliar losers bracket to overtake Rocky (Andrew), who has now claimed his first gold medal finish. Andrew stayed undefeated up to the very end, using more aggressive Sagat play to overcome the solid and experienced zoning always exhibited by Brian's Guile.

Kelly and the Bronze Boxer nearly fought his way into the title match, exhibiting the in-your-face results of some serious time in the training room in keeping solid pressure on Brian, but fell just short of the Big Dance. Well, at least in this movie, Apollo doesn't really die; he just comes back in two weeks to try again. Rounding out the top 5 and back from hiatus was the return of Jacob "Bake a Pretty Cake" Bleyl and his monstrous Gief, and an oldie but a goodie, Andy "The Dokta" dispensed overdoses of Chun and Honda to his opponents, securing 5th place.

Every tournament offers something different, and Ranbat 1.3 did not disappoint. 8 people new to the Ranbats competed on Saturday: Eddy, Elvis, Greg, Pancho, Nico, Cesar, Gustavo, and our first female competitor, Katie. Brian, Wade, Thomas, and the Triplets even had extra family and friends on hand to get in on the action. Talk about bang for the buck; the fights lasted longer and at a cheaper entrance fee than Hatton v Pacquiao! The big disappointment would have to be not recording Thomas' Gen-stravaganza, but that's why it's better to be live than LIVE. There's definitely more to post, but in the end, you just had to be there.

To everyone that made it, make it back. Bring more of everything: people, game, good times. To everyone that didn't, what the hell is wrong with you. STEP YO GAME UP.

Ranbat 1.3's a comin' up!

2009-05-05T00:02:00.004-06:00

(taken from Andy's post in the Utah thread at SRK)

When: 5/9/09, 6:45 pm signups, 3:00 pm casuals (maybe earlier call me)
Where: Andy's House. Ok dudes, shower before you come. Serious.
Entry Fee: $5 for partcipants, if you want to play and don't have cash pm me, we'll talk about it personally.
Format: Double elimin 2/3 except Winner's finals/Loser's final/Grand finals.
Food: Chips, Cookies, Drinks supplied by me. Alcohol is all you.
Setups: 3 xbox 360, please bring your sticks, all characters unlocked/legal
46" Sony, 40" Samsung, 26" Samsung
SPECTATORS WELCOME FOR FREE.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Respect my shit, I don't want ppl going into my bedroom or the basement at all. Please keep the bathroom somewhat clean. I do own a gun, no lie. So don't steal any of my shit. I've found evidence at the last ranbat that ppl were in my bedroom: I keep my checkbook, passport, cash there. So if you are in there or near there I assume you are up to no good. Please don't ruin this for yourself or the other cool guys here. Remember, I will have you arrested. That aside. I'm totally PSYCHED for this next ranbat. Ppl are getting better and more competitive.

Probably gonna be nearly 30 ppl. What to expect? Brian/Andrew dominance? Will the triplets step in and say fuck no? How about the new mexican Abel player that uses a pad? Inverse gonna show up? Will Renzo not choke? Will Andy finally say eat shit and win?

Only time will fucking tell. GET HYPE. Utah is on the MAP. We getting as many turnouts as Phoenix, Kansas City, St. Louis Ranbats.

EVO HERE WE COME. We talking about EVO this ranbat. If you serious, then stay a few minutes afterwards. If you're a bitch, then I'll call a cab for you.

Pics from Ranbat 1.2

2009-05-01T17:07:00.014-06:00

(L to R) Brian thinking "I make this shirt look good...", Travis playing Matty on the PS3 setup, Phil watches intently from the back, and Zack practices his GG handshake. Holy joystick mania...count 'em. Close to $1000 in hardware right there.

Mike and TL get into a staring contest with Ryu.

(L to R) Finals match. Brian ponders the strategic benefits of Overpass vs Little Airfield while Mike (brown) and Andrew (red) look to the Lakers, not the tanking Jazz, for some possible inspiration in upcoming matches.

Some of the Ranbat attendees. This is certainly not all, as we had over 20 people.
(Back, L to R) Kyle, Zack, Nate, Matty, Kelly, Mike, Chase
(Front, L to R) Brian, Wallace, Andrew, Dana

This pic is the same as above, except with 100% more Andy (2nd from right in back) and 2000000% less awesome because Dana wasn't in it. Andrew (middle front) demonstrates proper hadoken technique.

RanBat 1.2 Tournament Results

2009-04-28T08:36:00.002-06:00

1. Brian (Guile)
2. Andrew (Sagat)
3. Dana (Blanka/Rose)
4. Mike (Blanka/Rose/E.Honda)
5. Kelly (Boxer(
6. Travis (Ryu)
7. TL (Vega)
7. Matty (Sim)
9. Zach (Blanka)
9. Renzo (ElFuerte)
9. Phil (Boxer)
9. Andy (Chun)
13. Paul
13. Wallace (Boxer)
13. Chase (Ken)
13. Kyle (Sagat)
17. Nate (Dictator)
17. Junior
17. Rudy (ElFuerte)
17. Greg
17. Thomas

UTSF RanBat 1.2 THIS SATURDAY!

2009-04-19T20:34:00.010-06:00

UTSF Ranking Battle 1.2
Where: Andy's House (hadouken82 on SRK) in Salt Lake City
When: Saturday, April

Details:

-BYOC (Bring your own controllers). Sticks will be available for stickless scrubs (like myself). Pad players, you will be required to plug the stick back in when you're doing using your gay ass pad.
-$5.00 ENTRY FEE
-Eat before you come. Dinner will not be provided, but Andy is cool enough to hook up sodas and snacks (if you're courteous enough to keep your greasy grubs off of his sticks).
-Casuals start no sooner than 3pm. People who show up for casuals are expected to help set up for the tourney.

... If you plan to attend, please speak up so that your name will be added to the attendance list. There are people organizing this event that are actually putting forth quite a bit of effort, so the least you can do is say "I will be there". ;)

Lastly, GET FUCKING STOKED!

Currently in Attendance:
Andy, Kyle, Kelly, Andrew, Mike, Matty, Thomas, Aaron, Rudy, TL + Nephew, Zack, Wade, Brian, Dana, Chase, Wiggity Wallace

Ogden Area Meets

2009-04-19T14:05:00.003-06:00

Wiggity Wallace aka "THE_WALL" has opened up his house for casuals every Thursday between 5:00pm and 8:00pm. Wallace is as cool as a corpse, and is good at making you feel very welcome in his home. He also hooks up soda pop and Doritos so that his sticks get nice and greasy, yo.

We predominantly play SFIV, but are also willing to throw down on some 3rd Strike, Tekken 5DR, and of course, Virtua Fighter.

If you are interested in attending, just let us know. You can PM me (underrealm) @ the SRK forums for a phone number and directions.

-KM

Tournament, 4/23/09!

2009-04-18T22:18:00.003-06:00

Promoting the Scene

2009-04-14T20:47:00.000-06:00

SF4 has promoted itself. Many people, both casual and hardcore, are buying it, playing it, and loving it. The GameStop tournament brought players out of their dimly-lit caves and into the light of actual in-person competition (even with the jacked-up rules and conventions). SRK has rewarded the inquisitive mind with local people to play as well. Player-sponsored tournaments and gatherings have helped solidify our community and relationships. It's not as if we're plateauing here, but I would say that we still have a ways to go if people want a well-stocked pantry of players.

If that is what everyone wants, then how do we go about further promoting the UTSF scene?

I've heard some ideas tossed around, such as creating flyers to place around our communities, and reaching out more to local businesses (Play N Trade, local mom n pop's) to promote tournaments. Even recruiting more of our friends would work, if they can stick with it.

Anything else? Do nothing? Rent a movie theater? What've you got, people. Let's think about it.

Welcome to the Official UTSF site!

2009-04-13T20:24:00.000-06:00

Here, we will keep you updated on everything happening within the UTSF scene. This includes tournaments, get-togethers, player rankings, player rosters with contact information, videos, and more.

More will develop here as Dana, myself, and others are able to put more time into it. Contributions are more than welcome.

-Kyle aka underrealm