This discussion was sparked in This Thread about using top tier versus using low tier and/or being a character loyalist. It was mainly me arguing with Astrocytic about it. Anyway, let us get into this.
So before a fighting game comes out, everyone, usually arbitrarily, decides on who they think they're going to main. This may be whose story they like, who they think looks cool, whose gameplay they like, who they've used in the past, etc. There's many reasons why you choose certain characters before actually playing. For me, if I'm a die hard fan of the character, I will use them in one way or another no matter what. However, if that character turns out to be ass, that character will no longer be my "main". Some people see this as tier whoring. Which I absolutely do not deny. But the problem is the negative connotation associated with tier whoring. It is, for some reason, regarded as a bad thing and only people "desperate" for wins would pick characters only because they are good or top tier.
I do have some type of character loyalty. If MMH is in Injustice, I will use him no matter what and try to make him viable if he isn't already. But, that doesn't mean I'll use him for the sake of proving I can win with low tier. I'll use him just because he's my favorite DC character. The problem seems to be, for some of these supposed character loyalists and low tier advocates, that them winning with low tier automatically means they're better in every facet and them losing with low tier means little since, you know, they're using low tier.
What it really comes down to is your goal. If your goal is not to win, and to just have fun, go nuts using shitty characters all you want. If you don't want to win, who am I to say that is wrong? But, if you do want to win, and you STILL pick the bad characters, I absolutely do not want to hear any complaining that your character can't compete or that my character is broken. You can pick low tier and be a character loyalist all day, but once you start complaining about a choice that YOU and only YOU made, that's when it becomes a problem. No one is forcing you to use fish characters, no one but you have created this imaginary ideal that even USING low tier means you should be more respected. No sir, using low tier is not admirable. Winning is admirable. Sure, winning with low tier is harder and it takes more, but that is a personal handicap that YOU place on yourself, not me.
I have the playing to win mentality. Anyone who knows me knows I will play to win at all costs, at least when it matters. I will abuse the most broken tactic, and play super annoying. I couldn't care any less about doing fancy shit, appeasing a crowd, being respected for using low tier, or having a vast roster. There is only one thing that I care about. There's only one goal I am trying to achieve when I play fighting games. That goal is to win, and to win at any and all costs. As long as what I am doing is tournament legal, I will do it until the tactic is no longer viable. I will whore the top tier every single day and twice on Sunday if it gives me a better shot at winning. I'm a try hard, a fighting game nerd, no life, or whatever insult you can fling at me. As long as I'm winning, you can call me whatever the hell you want, I don't care. I play to win, it IS my satisfaction. It's the only thing that matters to me in fighting games. Fun is for scrubs and crybabies, I'm out for blood. I want you to get so mad at my gameplay that you throw your controller at your TV, break them both, and are unable to continue playing. My goal is to piss you off so you're on the verge of suicide. This is my goal. I'm here to exert my dominance. And I simply cannot do that by using fish characters just for some pointless respect or worthless honor.
When it all comes down to it, in the end, I'd rather win without honor, than lose for the sake of it.
So before a fighting game comes out, everyone, usually arbitrarily, decides on who they think they're going to main. This may be whose story they like, who they think looks cool, whose gameplay they like, who they've used in the past, etc. There's many reasons why you choose certain characters before actually playing. For me, if I'm a die hard fan of the character, I will use them in one way or another no matter what. However, if that character turns out to be ass, that character will no longer be my "main". Some people see this as tier whoring. Which I absolutely do not deny. But the problem is the negative connotation associated with tier whoring. It is, for some reason, regarded as a bad thing and only people "desperate" for wins would pick characters only because they are good or top tier.
I do have some type of character loyalty. If MMH is in Injustice, I will use him no matter what and try to make him viable if he isn't already. But, that doesn't mean I'll use him for the sake of proving I can win with low tier. I'll use him just because he's my favorite DC character. The problem seems to be, for some of these supposed character loyalists and low tier advocates, that them winning with low tier automatically means they're better in every facet and them losing with low tier means little since, you know, they're using low tier.
What it really comes down to is your goal. If your goal is not to win, and to just have fun, go nuts using shitty characters all you want. If you don't want to win, who am I to say that is wrong? But, if you do want to win, and you STILL pick the bad characters, I absolutely do not want to hear any complaining that your character can't compete or that my character is broken. You can pick low tier and be a character loyalist all day, but once you start complaining about a choice that YOU and only YOU made, that's when it becomes a problem. No one is forcing you to use fish characters, no one but you have created this imaginary ideal that even USING low tier means you should be more respected. No sir, using low tier is not admirable. Winning is admirable. Sure, winning with low tier is harder and it takes more, but that is a personal handicap that YOU place on yourself, not me.
I have the playing to win mentality. Anyone who knows me knows I will play to win at all costs, at least when it matters. I will abuse the most broken tactic, and play super annoying. I couldn't care any less about doing fancy shit, appeasing a crowd, being respected for using low tier, or having a vast roster. There is only one thing that I care about. There's only one goal I am trying to achieve when I play fighting games. That goal is to win, and to win at any and all costs. As long as what I am doing is tournament legal, I will do it until the tactic is no longer viable. I will whore the top tier every single day and twice on Sunday if it gives me a better shot at winning. I'm a try hard, a fighting game nerd, no life, or whatever insult you can fling at me. As long as I'm winning, you can call me whatever the hell you want, I don't care. I play to win, it IS my satisfaction. It's the only thing that matters to me in fighting games. Fun is for scrubs and crybabies, I'm out for blood. I want you to get so mad at my gameplay that you throw your controller at your TV, break them both, and are unable to continue playing. My goal is to piss you off so you're on the verge of suicide. This is my goal. I'm here to exert my dominance. And I simply cannot do that by using fish characters just for some pointless respect or worthless honor.
When it all comes down to it, in the end, I'd rather win without honor, than lose for the sake of it.