Project II: The Fall Classic in Raleigh, North Carolina: major fighting game tournament

The Fall Classic is a huge fighting game tournament hosted as a collaboration between major East Coast organizers Big E Gaming (based in Philadelphia) and Final Round (based in Atlanta.) The Fall Classic is designed to attract national and international competition as the East Coast's largest major tournament. This is the event's second year running. It is held at the Hilton on Wake Forest Road.

The international presence this year was strong, as Pepeday (ぺぺダイ), a Japanese Street Fighter player using a rare character, was crowdfunded to go to the event and performed very well, earning fifth place in Ultra Street Fighter 4 and third place in Street Fighter 4 Edition select. Xian, a Singaporean player, placed second in Ultra Street Fighter 4 and winning The King of Fighters 13.

Pepeday (left) playing against Mad, a Raleigh local originally from Mexico.

Pepeday was a relatively unknown player until he had recent tournament success in Japan. The tournament he played in was broadcast live through the internet (somewhat rare for Japanese tournaments.) Players from around the world saw him doing well with this particular character, and wanted to see more. They set up a donation drive to pay for Pepeday's plane and hotel fees, and managed to get him to The Fall Classic within weeks of learning about him.

Xian had come to Raleigh for a business trip in the past, and kept in touch with local players (including and especially Mad, pictured above) through Facebook. He considers Raleigh a home away from home due to our community's hospitality, and spent more time with North Carolinians during the Fall Classic than with players of his level, who tend to group together.

A friend and I were able to commentate one game!

The Fall Classic was streamed through various twitch.tv channels, a popular way to broadcast video gaming events.

IS Project 1

Unfortunately, I was unable to make it to any larger event, and must settle for a review of an experience of a Mexican Restaurant in the Raleigh area. I will discuss Fiesta Mexicana, a Mexican restaurant here in NC, with six different branches in and around the Triangle. The location I visited was near the intersection of Tryon and Jones Franklin road, considered their Cary branch. The first things noticed when walking through the door are the traditional Norteño music and the huge mural depicting a small town in what appears to be north-western Mexico. They sell imported Mexican drinks such as Jarritos and glass liters of Coca-cola, made with real sugar, right by the entrance. Art displayed on the walls ranges from a huge painting of Loony Tunes' Speedy Gonzales to seemingly traditional Aztec carvings. I ordered two steak quesadillas, which were grilled and covered in Oaxaca cheese. They were great, a bit salty and tough. All and all, the restaurant was great and looking at it from an IS perspective was especially interesting, seeing the regional differences of Mexico blended together as one recognizable and distinct Mexico.