How do you build a scene in a relatively dead area?

[OneWing_Angel]

I live in Northeastern Georgia, and until I went to college in the Greater Atlanta area, I had no one to play with for about a year. UGA is the nearest scene to me, and it's pitifully small according to everyone I've talked to. How can one build a scene? I've tried in my small town, but there's just so few people around with even a casual interest in Smash Bros. I want to try to assist in the growth of the community at UGA, so tips anyone?

 

[t3h Icy]

If you don't already, learn how to play Falcon and combo like a beast.

Then combo people and show them all fast and crazy Melee is.

But also don't be a ****.

 

[Lovage]

college campuses, weekly fests, facebook group, eventual low buy-in tournaments

that's how u start it

 

[Get Low]

Do you have any friends at all?
If so, show them what Melee's all about.

 

[OneWing_Angel]

I can do all of that. A Georgia Melee group exists and it's big, but just this area of Georgia has no one. I'm working on getting some stuff started at UGA, but there's just so few players there from what I've heard. Maybe put up flyers about two-weeks prior about Smash Bros? And as far as friends, none of my friends that I went to school with had any interest in the game, despite me trying. : /

 

[Massive]

Offer free candy bars to anyone who can beat you at smash brothers.
Buy a lot of candy bars and share them with everyone anyway.

Actually, regardless of what you do, just eat some candy bars.

 

[Sacredtwin11]

http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=321491
Do what Mahone did. Except actually do it.

 

[OneWing_Angel]

I like the money match idea. I can probably **** everyone at UGA from what I've been told, so maybe put some flyers up about accepting all money matches?

 

[tarheeljks]

don't see the point in challenging all comers like that. just put up some flyers/talk to people and see shows, go from there. may need to throw some $ down and get food or something like that to generate interest

 

[Bones0]

I like the challenging all newcomers approach because:

1. Most people think they're a hotshot because they are/were the best on their block.
2. It attracts the more competitive players, which are the only ones that are going to stick with the game anyway.

 

[OneWing_Angel]

I like the challenging all newcomers approach because:

1. Most people think they're a hotshot because they are/were the best on their block.
2. It attracts the more competitive players, which are the only ones that are going to stick with the game anyway.

Exactly. I had pretty much quit smash until I played the first time with good player. Needless to say, they got in my butt and thrusted vigorously. That's when I started trying to get good.

 

[tarheeljks]

but if they want to compete they'll come anyway

 

[Bones0]

Maybe they figured no one played it competitively?

I know I had no idea there was an active tournament scene for the game. Most people only find it out by looking for stuff on YouTube and they see people that look like they're playing Lightning Melee.

 

[SSBMLahti]

Put up flyers around your University/College, revolving around the general idea that if someone manages to beat you in Smash, you'll give them $20 or something.

 

[GhllieShdeKnife]

i think a poster bragging abut being the best in your city, campus ect. would be enough to bring
block-warriors out. i dont think money means nearly as much as the title of the best to most of them

 

[onionchowder]

I started a smash scene at my college by finding all the smash players I could had hosting regular smashfests in my dorm. However, I definitely wouldn't have been able to do this if I didn't already know 4-5 smashers.

 

[DavieBoy]

Hard to build a scene for a dying game/community but best of luck

 

[DerfMidWest]

My friend got me into competitive smash by showing me a bunch of old videos of like SS and stuff and showing me super hype matches that waffles commentated and things like that.

 

[Vinylic.]

Don't just do a smash tourney/smashfest, I believe? Add something else to it, umvc3, skullgirls, etc. with melee as the main thing.

They'll not only be interested in those, but could potentially be interested in playing melee.
Tell them how they can get better in playing melee or something and tell them to check out this site.
Tell them to bring their video game consoles. Hell, tell them to bring modern warfare 3 for the hell of it.

Pretty much what I think at this point.

 

[robyextreme]

Exactly. I had pretty much quit smash until I played the first time with good player. Needless to say, they got in my butt and thrusted vigorously. That's when I started trying to get good.

The only thing more satisfying then watching the melee community grow, is watching someone expression as they realize they are not a fraction compared to other people. the more ego and arrogance the better.

It's like a little kid having so much fun running in the park then falls down and cries.

 

[The Star King]

So you find little kids falling down and crying satisfying?

 

[robyextreme]

So you find little kids falling down and crying satisfying?

Would you rather them be spoiled little ****s, if a kid ain't crying you smack them till they do.

leave the parenting to the adults, kid.

 

[robyextremez]

So you find little kids falling down and crying satisfying?

in other words, yes since i'm such a good parent

 

[KrIsP!]

Offer free candy bars to anyone who can beat you at smash brothers.
Buy a lot of candy bars and share them with everyone anyway.

Actually, regardless of what you do, just eat some candy bars.

I like this idea.

 

[Kink-Link5]

The only honest answer I can give is "slowly." Start small, with round-robin tournaments, and combine multiple game tournaments to get a bigger target audience. LAN parties are a great way to meet people interested in various games.

 

[DerfMidWest]

oh right i just remembered how the cleveland scene was two people, me and my friend, then somebody hosted a big *** smashfest with like 40 people and I went to it and then a bunch of people got interested in the game.

so basically, host a bigass smashfest and invite a lot of nerdy/geeky people who might get interested in the game.

 

[Construct]

oh right i just remembered how the cleveland scene was two people, me and my friend, then somebody hosted a big *** smashfest with like 40 people and I went to it and then a bunch of people got interested in the game.

so basically, host a bigass smashfest and invite a lot of nerdy/geeky people who might get interested in the game.

Cleveland has a scene? ****I gotta get in on that
I just started playing at school with some friends. Someone brought in a gamecube one day, some of us wanted to get really good after seeing higher players, and then we found smashboards. Now we just play together and all suck, but I always heard how did MW was so I figured cleveland wouldn't have a scene haha.

edit: damn we got a facebook group and everything
sorry, this post was rather pointless.
So.. to build a community, just bring a gamecube+smash in to somewhere where you and your friends hang out and start playing one day!

 

[DerfMidWest]

oh you're from cleveland?
yea we have a relatively new scene... I think me and rails have been playing the longest (which is still only like a little over 2 years now) then everybody else has been playing for about a year.
The NEOH scene in general is growing quite a bit now since cleveland and ashtabula started becoming active.

also which Facebook group are you talking about? If its the "the smash bros." group, that one is kinda lame... the "NEOH/PA active smashers" is the good group.
but "the smash bros." is ok I guess, there are a lot of people in it... the admin is just a ****.

 

[Rockenos]

Yeah, sorry bro but most of GA Melee is in the Marrietta area at Southern Polytechnic.
I'm going to GSU though (long story, I think I'd prefer SPSU tho :/)
Anyways, there's also small community in downtown Atlanta, but I think I'm in the top 3 players within like 30 minutes of here which is really sad. I guess I'll find out if there are any GSU players when Fall rolls around.


Here though, one of my good friends is going to UGA currently, he'll be a sophomore this fall. PM me if you want his contact info, I'll have to call him an stuff to make sure it's cool I give out his number, but he's been deprived of Smash so long that I'm sure he's be down.