This blog is currently dedicated to the coverage of eSports titles such as "Call of Duty: Ghosts" and also fighting games. If you are interested in contributing to this blog, you can contact me @TPC_CRUM on Twitter.
Episode 1 of a brand new podcast features Claude VonStroke, Big D, SwiftTomHanks and Pig of the Hut discussing all things Mortal Kombat. They will be doing this weekly podcast up until Injustice: Gods Among Us releases in April of next year. In this particular episode, the crew discusses the fallout from MLG Dallas, tier lists in Mortal Kombat, they play the K7 word game, talk about Kenshi and Kabal, they do a 90 second hot seat on a variety of topics, and they also preview who each of them will use as their main character in Injustice. Check InjustCast and support a new podcast in the Mortal Kombat Community!
I hope that you all enjoyed MLG Dallas as much as I did. I also hope that you enjoyed my Pre-MLG Dallas Interviews. The feedback that I received was borderline overwhelming. Not one of the interviews failed to exceed 400 views, which comes as a delightful surprise to me. I'm writing this post to bring some exciting news to all who read this blog. NetherRealm Coverage will be back in a week or so with new interviews to build hype for NEC this year. The usual suspects will be back and I've got a lot that I want to ask them. Look for these interviews to start releasing within the next couple of weeks while I collect my thoughts from MLG Dallas.
I am also coming to you to see if anyone would be interested in representing NRC at NEC. If you are interested, please contact me through Twitter or testyourmight.com. Representing NRC would mean a lot to me personally and it would further spread the word of these interviews that most everyone in the Mortal Kombat community have taken a liking to. My Twitter handle is @NRC_CRUM, feel free to contact me anyway that you can. It would be great to see people represent NRC at what is looking to be one of the strongest turnouts for Mortal Kombat this year.
Character(s) of Choice - Sonya Blade, Raiden, Noob Saibot
Major Accomplishments - 1st at Uppercut Circuit 2012
I am here with the host of the D4Cast, GamerBlake90,
how are you doing sir?
I am doing quite well. Permit me to thank you for gracing me with
the chance to do this interview, as I love to be very open about myself to the
community, and not for reasons of fame but rather the chance to get to know the
ones I have played Mortal Kombat with, online or offline.
How is your training for MLG Dallas coming along?
It is sketchy at best. I have trained against a few players online
throughout these past few weeks, but I refuse to develop horrible habits I’ll
have to shake off for when I compete in the first MLG event of my gaming
career. This tournament is far too important for me to just go in there so
unprepared. So I will have to grind out casuals like no other player has ever
done when I arrive in Dallas.
Do you expect to use Sonya for the majority of the
tournament?
Indeed, I do. There is no other character I would rather win a
tournament with…well, except maybe Raiden, haha.
I understand that you use Raiden in addition to
Sonya, what situation will cause you to switch to Raiden?
As powerful a character as Sonya is, she is very susceptible to
zoning. Her damage can only be achieved if she is up in your face. I mean, her
projectile is admirable, but by itself it won’t give her the zoning game she
would need. Really I am only saving Raiden for the few match-ups she cannot
find an answer to, such as Kenshi and Freddy Krueger.
How confident are you that your Raiden will be an
effective secondary character for you?
My confidence is high up in the clouds. Raiden has always been my
second-best character towards whom I’ve devoted much of my time to. Come this
weekend, he will get his share of the glory. People underrate Raiden so much
and I never understood why. The character is capable of space control and I
intend to demonstrate this when the chance arises. Players have given up on
some characters far too quickly after they received nerfs, instead of sticking
it out and leveling up. For example, some have said that Kung Lao could no
longer be viable for tournaments after he was nerfed, and yet…what did Perfect
Legend accomplish with him? Oh, that’s right, he won EVO 2012 with Lao, marking
two consecutive years of MK9 victories for him. There is no doubt in my mind
that Raiden can achieve just as much success.
Where do you think your Sonya ranks among the other
Sonya players in the community?
Ah, now that’s not a question I can answer with words. My skills do
the talking for me. While my goal is to become the best Sonya player on the
globe, I understand that I have a long way to go.
Do you plan on using any other characters beside
Sonya and Raiden?
…there is a slight chance
that I may consider busting out Noob Saibot for an element of surprise or in
desperation, but I cannot say for sure if this will hold true. I do not wish to
stray too far from my best characters. I can assure you, though; I know my
stuff with this character. I did my fair share of exploration on Noob and his
options fascinate me a great deal. You’d best pray I do not catch you in the
corner, or it is game over.
Do you see online practice as a positive way to
level up your game? Or do you think it opens up the possibility of not being
fully accustomed to the offline setting?
I am a bit mixed on this topic. If you have a well-built offline
scene, then online practice may not be needed; if you don’t, then you will need
some way to keep yourself active in the game lest you slack and become
unfamiliar with your options, regardless of how imbalanced the netcode is. I
don’t recommend playing online too much since you won’t achieve a complete understanding
of the match-ups there and you’ll find yourself developing habits that are
altered by frame delays. Mortal Kombat 9 is the kind of game where even the
smallest change in frame data can mean everything. Now if you intend to just be
casual about the game, then by all means, play your online hearts out. Just be
sure you have a solid connection and are prepared for irritations, heh heh.
Is this your first major? If so, what do you expect
to accomplish when MLG Dallas is all said and done?
No, this is not my first major. For those who are unfamiliar with my
exploits, EVO 2011 was the first huge tournament I ever got to attend. Much to
my dismay, I did not even make it out of pools, and it left a hole in me that
still has not healed. Given that it was my first foray into the big world of
competitive gaming, the event held great importance to me and it carved out
memories that I still cherish to this year. I vowed to attend EVO 2012 in an
effort to absolve for the failure, but was unable to make it. Up until three
months ago, I got to attend a few locals, but no majors. Finally my chance came
during the Uppercut Circuit tournament in Texas, where I came out on top. Now,
MLG Dallas is right around the corner, and it will be a test to see how far I
have come ever since EVO.
Which of Sonya’s matchups are the worst in your
opinion? What are your plans in the event that you come up against one of her
bad matchups?
We Sonya players get asked this question often, since a lot of
players say she has an answer to everything the game has to offer. Her worst
match-ups are Kabal, Freddy Krueger, and Kenshi, and that is pure fact. There
are potentially a few other characters who can annoy her as well, but not as
much. I intend to use the casuals to grind out these uphill match-ups so that I
may prepare for them, and if they prove to be simply unwinnable, I will have to
put my trust in Raiden or Noob Saibot when the tourney begins.
What is your favorite part about running the D4Cast?
Bringing on these guests I meet with so that the community can get
to know its own warriors. I feel that the more the community knows about its
players, the tighter it will become. An even greater part of this show is the
team I work with. They share a lot of common goals and interests and I am
honored to have them there when I need them.
Will you continue to run your stream when Injustice
releases?
Of course I will! After MLG Dallas wraps up, I have a massive
overhaul in my streaming schedule coming soon. You can expect to see numerous
fighting games streamed each week, as well as DownFourCast episodes including
Tekken Tag 2 tutorials and discussions from my fellow co-hosts and Tom Brady.
We are very excited for this new phase in our program. Just note one thing…the
show is getting a name change. What exactly its new name is, you will find out
in due course.
How long have you been making YouTube videos for
Mortal Kombat?
If you mean for the MK franchise as a whole, I started my video
career as of October 2010, when I was an online player for Mortal Kombat vs. DC
Universe. If you’re referring solely to MK9, then I am happy to say that I have
released videos consistently ever since the day it was released. I’ve touched
upon arcade ladder runs, run-throughs of Challenge Tower Mission 300, combo
videos, online/offline gameplay videos, and even special tributes for the
holidays and birthdays. I also plan to feature footage for other games in the
future.
When will we see a TylerLantern/GamerBlake90 combo
collaboration video?
Hopefully by the end of the year. I’ve completed a few combos for
it, but still need to undergo some stress and hard work to get the rest of the
project done. I admit that I put off its completion due to other matters, but I
swear it will be done. Tyler and I intend to make this project a huge success
What are some of your favorite moments since
becoming an important part of the Mortal Kombat Community?
My goodness, there are far too many for me to describe here. Perhaps
I will just share two such memories. One would be the time where I found my
instincts of a commentator…that part of me came to life at EVO 2011. As I stood
by and watched great fights in Room 985, I simply could not contain my passion
for the game, and it seemed to sweep through everyone else’s spirits. I never
realized how much I enjoyed the game until it happened.
Another moment was when I was riding away from Las Vegas in the bus
with my friend DetroitBalln313. At the time we were both in the same clan
(Crazy 88’s), and I felt very depressed having to leave behind EVO, but riding
with Detroit helped to make it bearable. I hadn’t seen him since we parted ways
at a bus station, but we kept in contact via the forums. Now, after over a year
I’ll be meeting with him again at MLG Dallas. I cannot wait!
Why exactly did you decide to step away from the MK
Community after the whole REO/Marvaz debacle? What led you to the decision of
coming back?
I feel I must apologize for this. In addition to accumulating stress
from personal situations outside the community, having to deal with nonsense
from within the community itself made it feel even worse. When the
aforementioned REO/Marvaz debacle went down after the first PSN tournament for
MLG Dallas, I was saddened to see that instead of people feeling hype over the
outcome as well as the possibilities of Madzin’s attendance for Dallas, there
was extreme anger and a tense air of speculation regarding fraud and deceit.
The XBL tournament had a similar outcome when Shujinkydink denied WoundCowboy
his chance to reschedule their matches, and a heated feud arose between them.
After watching and experiencing all kinds of bad situations, these served to be
the last straw for me, so once I kept my word to Pig of the Hut and streamed
the redo for his tournament, I stepped away to collect myself and concentrate
on other matters.
It seems I focused too much on the negativity that would infect us
at times. I understand that in life, you cannot always avoid such situations
and you have to make the best of them. But alas, I have my limits and I had
reached them…or so I thought. When I considered not going to MLG Dallas, I was
persuaded by MaceWind to reverse that decision, and I am glad for that. There
is also the fact that I am now an assistant operations manager for the Hardcore
LAN Center stationed in Oklahoma City, where I manage online tournaments for
the fighting game division and help to organize their offline events. I’ve had
to pass through the forums to spread the word on our organization. Then you
have me streaming DownFourCast episodes, and keeping in touch with my closest
friends.
Through doing these things, I remembered what it was about the
community that made me dedicate so much of my time to it. I never wanted to let
go of that. So I suspended my “hiatus” and…here I am. To those who reminded me
of the values I work for, thank you guys so much. The recent acts of generosity
you all have pulled off reminded me of what we stand for. I’ll never lose faith
in you guys again.
How anxious are you to get a runback with
WoundCowboy after he defeated you in the PS3 MLG Dallas Online Tournament
Re-Do?
The best way to describe my feelings on this would be a mixture of
excitement and anxiety. WoundCowboy is a fearsome opponent. For our fights to
have become as close as they did during the PSN tournament…I hated it that I
was the one to make the mistake that cost me the whole thing. When we do fight,
I’m going to give him every ounce of my attention and push myself like no other
so that the outcome will be different. If DetroitBalln313 didn’t convince you
guys that Shang Tsung is a viable character, Cowboy will give you all a wake-up
call!
Do you foresee any tournament nerves considering you
will be playing under the MLG spotlight?
Yes and no. I’ve become used to playing in tournaments no matter the
stakes, but because this is my first MLG event, I am taking it very seriously. I
may have fallen flat on my face in my first major, but I promise you all that I
have no intention of going home early. I will fight tooth and nail to earn my
credentials and come out on top!
Who are you most looking forward to playing during
MLG Dallas weekend either in casuals or tournament play?
TylerLantern. We had known each other for three long years since
meeting in the MKDC online lobby, and now we will meet offline for the first
time. He is someone whom I have learned much from, and I am forever grateful to
him for the role he played in my development as a player. I don’t think I’ll
ever stop saying “thank you” to him when I see him, haha!
I also look forward to playing WoundCowboy, for a chance to redeem
my loss to him in our PSN tournament and also for the fact that two Crazy 88’s
from distant lands will get to chill and be cool with one another.
And Pig of the Hut deserves special mention, too. I had always
helped him train online to prepare for some huge tournaments, and we worked
together to organize many tasks geared towards improving our community. Like
with Detroit, we hadn’t met since EVO 2011, but now our second meeting is at
hand.
Of course I do look forward to playing the rest of the roster in MLG
Dallas. Each of these fighters carries special qualities that define who they
are. This tournament is gonna be one Hell of a show!
What are your thoughts about ‘Injustice: Gods Among
Us’? Is this a game that you will invest the same amount of time in as you did
with Mortal Kombat?
To both questions, I really have no answer at this time. I’ll save
it for when Injustice hits the shelves next year. I do know this for a fact:
even if I should take a great interest in the game and play it competitively,
it will not surpass MK9 in terms of priority for me.
Do you think Mortal Kombat will make another run at
the EVO 2013 lineup?
That…is something that only our community can determine. As long as
we maintain consistent turnouts at the big tournaments, I have faith that we
can get our game a third year at EVO. And even if it does not make the line-up,
I’ll go to EVO anyway. It’s just not the kind of thing one can pass up! You
would need to live through that experience in order to understand. I’m still in
a daze from what I experienced there in 2011.
What are your thoughts about international players
like DR Gross and Madzin making the trip all the way to Dallas?
It fills me with glee and anticipation. Players from all over the
globe coming to battle it out in Mortal Kombat? This just screams hype. I’m
very happy to see our community reaching out to these players financially so
that they may be given this chance, for they deserve it. The more countries
that are represented in MLG, the better.
How do you think each of them will do in the actual
competition?
Whenever I am asked about how well I believe I will do, I always say
that I allow my skill to answer that question. This applies to Gross and Madzin
also. Only they can answer that question through their performances. I will say
that, given their accomplishments, it would be unwise to underestimate them.
I’ve seen a decent amount of people picking you to
place top 8? What do you think about this? Are you a kind of player who can
channel the hype that people are placing on you?
I simply must thank everyone who has expressed confidence in me.
While I do not believe myself to be a top Sonya, it nevertheless honors me to
be recognized as such, and I will fight my hardest so as not to disappoint you.
(and no, I am not downplaying myself, please don’t kill me for saying that!) As
for the hype…sir, if you’ve been following what I do in the community, you know
that hype is one of my strongest points at these tournaments. It is
intoxicating. It adds purpose to being a competitor. And I desire to experience
that hype over and over again, be it through gameplay or commentary!
What are your top 8 predictions for MLG Dallas?
With a gathering as big as what we’ve got for this tournament, it
would be foolish to assume anything. All of these players have immense talent
to bring to the table. I shall therefore allow fate to unfold as it is, and
hope that I can crack top 8 myself.
Lastly, is there anything that I didn’t add that you
would like to? Any final words of hype or shout-outs?
I would like to convey a message.
Everybody who plays our game supports something that is greater than
you realize. You are not just supporting a game, you are also paving the way
for something where mankind’s desire to surpass one another in competition can
shine at its brightest. That is one of the best things about being a
competitive gamer and supporting the entertainment industry. Everyone is a part
of something greater. Do not ever allow anyone to make you feel ashamed of what
you choose to be. Chase that drive and break your bounds!
Shout-outs to all the friends I’ve come to know through being a part
of the Mortal Kombat community! Shout-outs to the Hardcore LAN Center for
bringing me onto their team so that we may breathe life into the Oklahoma
scene. Shout-outs to the staff teams of Mortal Kombat United and Test Your
Might for making their forums into what they are today. Lastly, shout-outs to
all the clans, especially my beloved Crazy 88’s family. You all are awesome. I
look forward to meeting every one of you!
Major Accomplishments - Winner of two locals, MLG Dallas Online PS3 Tournament, Winner of MLG Side Tournament
I’m here with the winner of the MLG Dallas PS3
Online Tournament, WoundCowboy. How are
you doing?
Pretty good, Crum. I feel ready and I can’t wait for this upcoming
tournament.
How is your training for MLG Dallas coming along?
Well- I have mostly been working on a couple of matchups and on my
execution and punishment. I have also been playing online with my usual
partners.
Let’s go back to the original XBOX Live MLG Dallas
Online Tournament you took part in (sort of).
For those who are unsure, what exactly took place during that
tournament?
It went like this: I signed up for the tournament when it was slated
to happen in early September, before I went back to school. But it got pushed
back to after I returned to school, and I was forced to play on a restricted
connection that only allowed me to connect to a small margin of people online.
It became a problem against a few people, and I was forced to either forfeit or
let somebody place in my place against those that I could not connect to.
Eventually it was just me, J360 and Shujinkydink left in the tourney. Both J360
and I agreed to postpone the tournament for a few days until I could get back
home and connect to everyone. But Dink refused to agree because the online
tourney was scheduled for “today”. Eventually J360 forfeited due to Dink’s
ridiculousness and I was forced to let Anti-Static play for me. Dink beat him
and “won” the tourney without having to play me.
Do you have any bad blood with Shujinkydink due to
what happened?
Yes, I was truly disgusted by what he did. LBSH, this guy RARELY
beats me when we play and his excuses for not wanting to postpone kept
changing. First it was “cheating the viewers” (virtually all of them were cool
with the delay) and then it was because he didn’t have time for the ENTIRE week
(even though he ended up on XBL all weekend after the tourney). He was so full
of shit and it wasn’t at all difficult to see through it. It was totally
uncool.
How disheveled were you when you found out he
wouldn’t be attending MLG Dallas?
I am not surprised, honestly. He knows that he can’t compete with
top players that can’t be gimmicked out by his low tier characters. I did want
to play him just to solidify what I said and did in the PSN tourney and prove
that his “win” deserved an asterisk.
Do you think you will ever get the necessary rematch
that you deserve?
Probably not offline, but it really doesn’t matter much in my mind.
There is no hype or drama in my mind because Me, Dink and everyone who is
non-STB knows what would happen if we played.
How confident were you going into the PS3 Online
Tournament Re-Do?
I was pretty nervous tbh. I love my XBL brothers but the competition
on PSN is definitely more intense and I was a little shaken after the Xbox
debacle. I just decided that I was going to play and try not to worry about the
skill of my opponents.
Talk about some of the better and more entertaining
matches that you took part in.
My best matches are usually against my online training partners such
as Mygod and Dab. They are always close because we know each other well. My
best match in tourney (sadly enough) was against Chris G at NCR. All of our
matches were pretty close but I was able to beat his Reptile and take the set. My
matches against 16 bit at EVO were pretty close but I made some critical
mistakes and missed combos and punishes.
What is your opinion of the online for Mortal
Kombat? Do you think it is reliable in regards to leveling up your overall
game?
The online is pretty bad overall and even worse on PSN. It isn’t
totally reliable but it is all that a player has when they are lacking a big
scene. I have gotten to my current skill level by playing online (and cramming
sets offline), so take that for what it is worth. You definitely can’t learn to
reliably punish or move properly online.
What makes you a character loyalist with Shang
Tsung? How long have you mained him?
Shang is my favorite MK character period. He is pretty much THE
villain of the series and is totally evil and awesome. I have mained him since
the game came out and I will never drop him. His playstyle never really
mattered to me because I had zero competitive experience before MK9, so I built
it around him.
Where do you think your Shang Tsung ranks among the
other greats in the community like DetroitBalln?
I think that I have one of the best Shangs in the country, maybe
even the best. Detroit is really good and is still the only Shang player to win
a major (up to this point). However, I don’t think his Shang is built to fight
every matchup like mine is. It is difficult to win with him, so it is
understandable why Detroit hasn’t stuck with him and also why there aren’t many
ST players. Lethal Legend, EMP Dark, and Khaotic Shang also have really good
Shangs.
Do you have certain strategies set for Shang’s bad
matchups? Or does it depend on who you are playing?
My Shang is built to fight every MU and I think I have a good sense
of a player’s tendencies after a round or two. I do have a couple of backup
characters if I need them, because some MU’s are REALLY difficult for him.
Give me a rundown of your time at EVO 2012
considering it was the last time you attended a major tournament.
EVO was great. I got to hang out with my Vegas friends (mostly Dab)
and meet a ton of community members. I was relatively satisfied with my
performance since I made it out of my pool, but I know that I could have made
it further. Pboard took me out with Lao. Watching PL win again was also
impressive.
Do you feel that you have leveled up since EVO?
Yes, I think I have gotten much better at the little things such as
proper counter poking and at controlling my movement. I have also grinded a few
MU’s and went in the lab with some new characters in order to gain a better
understanding of them.
Have tournament nerves ever been a factor in your
matches?
They were definitely a huge factor earlier in my tourney career, but
have dropped off recently. I still get nervous but not like before; now I can
focus. My biggest issue at tournaments is adjusting to the timing of the
console and the monitor. I will make a big effort to adjust once I get to
Dallas so that there is nothing stopping me from playing at my full potential.
There has been a trend of call-outs on my interviews
as of late. Care to add to the hype?
There are a couple of people that I need to fight against in Dallas,
but Showtime is high on that list. His arrogance is unbelievable, especially
when he tries to call a good player like mygod free. I respect KH and Showtime
but he is in for a rude awakening if he thinks good players are free. Also,
Pig: I’m coming for you!!
There have been a lot of people on Test Your Might
that are picking you to place top 8.
What do you think about all of this hype? How will it affect your game
play at MLG Dallas?
Since my nerves aren’t as high anymore I don’t think that I will
feel especially pressured. Really, I have high expectations for myself and
since I control my own tournament performance, everyone else’s opinion can’t
influence how I play. The hype is great and I love playing against the top guys
on a big stage; I will be ready and motivated.
For those who aren’t familiar with you, why should
people be convinced that you will place top 8 MLG Dallas?
I am a good player that can hold my own against other good players-
the results will speak for themselves. I am also dedicated to my character so
nobody will catch me in a MU that I don’t know.
Do you think EVO 2013 will have Mortal Kombat on the
lineup?
It would be really difficult for MK to make it again simply because
of the number of new games (including NRS’s Injustice) coming out. It might
appear as a side game though.
What is your take on Injustice? Is this a game you
will be picking up?
Injustice has amazing potential. I think NRS has really been doing
their HW and listening to the community, especially regarding balance and bug
issues. It should be even better than this game. The only problem is that I am
not particularly familiar with the DC universe beyond the big names.
Nonetheless, I will definitely pick it up because I love this community and I
have faith in NRS. I will definitely pick up a villain (probably Lex Luthor).
What are your thoughts about international players
like DR Gross and Madzin coming from across the sea to attend MLG Dallas?
It is definitely good to get international players involved because
they help add credibility to our scene and add to the competition.
How do you think their talent will stack up against
the competition?
Unfortunately, I don’t think there is any way that they can prepare
for the best that the US has to offer. Rarely in this game’s history has
anybody challenged the big boys and won. They are good players but they will
likely have an extremely difficult time and follow in the footsteps of their UK
counterparts.
Who do you see placing top 8 at MLG Dallas?
I will not make any specific predictions since I am in the
tournament, but I can say that there will be some surprises :)
Before we wrap this up, is there anything else that
you would like to add to this interview?
Any final words of hype or shout-outs?
I would like to thank my online training partners mygod, Blak Felow
(an underrated Reptile player), and my boy Dab. I would also like to thank Pig
of the Hut for giving me another shot in the online tourney and for giving me
the opportunity to take his money in Dallas ;) Shout outs to Blake and groups
like EGP that help keep this game alive. Thank-you for the chance to express
myself. See you all in Dallas!!
Thank you for the time WoundCowboy, best of luck at
MLG Dallas.
Follow me for LIVE updates during MLG Dallas and for the rest of my interview: @NRC_CRUM
Photo credit to MLG Video Credit to Test Your Might
