Month: January 2016

Long-time fighting game enthusiast Patrick Miller recently started streaming on Twitch, and it’s no surprise he’s spent plenty of time discussing digital punching. Fighting game talk shows are nothing new, but if you’ve had a chance to read his book–and you should make that chance if you haven’t already–or have seen any of his previous work for Shoryuken, you’ll know that Pat’s approach to these games we all love extends well beyond tournament results or in-game strategies, and the video we’ve chosen to showcase in this post highlights just that. While it’s not the first of Pat’s videos, nor his most recent, it feels like the most appropriate place for newcomers to begin.

With Street Fighter V on the horizon and a (hopefully) massive influx of players to the fighting game community following soon thereafter, spreading the word about what makes fighting games fun may be the best way to ensure many would-be 16ers stick around to don their rose-colored glasses and look back on V’s release when VI eventually comes down the pipes. While the scene will certainly see some attrition after the initial hype fades, we can mitigate those losses and hold the interest of new players if we can successfully communicate to them why these games are worth sticking with.

Being told what makes something fun may not seem like the best way to, you know, enjoy whatever it is you’re being told how to enjoy. It’s sort of like having someone explain a joke you didn’t get. It’s either fun (or funny) or it’s not, right? Maybe not. When it comes to competitive gaming in particular, having the wrong approach–for instance, focusing entirely on taking home match victories without any emphasis on personal improvement along the way–can quickly become disheartening and land your copy of Street Fighter V, or any other fighting game, in the closet behind all those kites, model airplanes, and other hobby-related tidbits that never quite got off the ground.

In the video below, Pat discusses why fighting games appeal to so many people, and why he has largely stopped playing single player titles in favor of multiplayer titles with a emphasis on competition. He ties much of his enjoyment of such games back to personal improvement. Through discussing this, Pat touches on how new players can use this chance for personal growth to find fun in fighting games, presenting a four-step plan that will ensure they not only improve at the games, but (hopefully) keep playing them for many years.

If you liked this video, you can find loads more content on Pat’s YouTube channel. If you’d prefer to catch the action live, he streams two times per week, with interviews happening Mondays at 7 PM PST and lectures/gameplay streams taking place on Tuesdays or Wednesdays at the same time. Do note that the Tuesday/Wednesday stream will not be happening this week, but be sure to check it out in the future.

Source: Patrick Miller