Vogel von Formosa wins Nicht Cup 11th Final, izuko Fei-Yen wins Nicht Cup Final Masters Division

[Porcupine]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bux5XsR3Do

1st bracket https://challonge.com/ja/5etk91c (Vogel Temjin 1st place)
2nd bracket https://challonge.com/ja/t704144r (izuko Fei-Yen 1st place)

Gaijins swept the intermediate bracket at the final Nicht Cup, so 2 foreigners officially became Shura master class, at the very last tournament. The criteria for promotion is to come in 1st or 2nd place in a Nicht Cup. vicsicle Fei-Yen who doesn't play very often also won a match. Fei-Yens did well in this tournament overall. One of the shura Fei-Yen did not play, but this doesn't matter outside of exhibition purposes, as the gap between the #1 and #2 Fei-Yen mains to the rest is currently large. There are players like ifield and dan (the commentator) who are strong with all VR but they don't use Fei in tournaments.

Vogel trained hard this past year and deserves this recognition. His strengths are "invisible walking" forward-sliding dash cancels (the first thing I successfully taught him) and this past year he became better at using CW cancel dashes (I've been teaching him for the past few years but never pressured him into using them and let him develop at his own pace). CapsuleBoy should also be considered shura class but he's never entered these. It's been argued that I should have been shura class from the start, yet I've always lost so I'm fine with being a beginner.

This tournament result was groundbreaking in multiple ways.

• It's the first time a foreigner has won a Japanese-hosted tournament in any Virtual-On game (even though it was an intermediate division, and the strength of field lower than in the past).
• In the Shura division which matters more, it's the first time a Fei-Yen has won any Virtual-On OMG tournament with normal rules (I think Izuko won tournaments with unconventional rules before).

Izuko did use Apharmd twice to defeat two other ultra top master Apharmds, so it wasn't a pure victory for Fei-Yen all the way. Izuko believes that Apharmd versus Fei-Yen is an unwinnable matchup. I am surprised that izuko could play Apharmd that well. Izuko must be stronger than I thought.

Amazingly, izuko Fei-Yen defeated the strongest Temjin player KGT, who had took 2nd place at the last (and every) Tanita Cup by eliminating 3rd place izuko Fei-Yen. This is also an extremely unfavorable matchup for Fei-Yen. I assumed that the absolute top Japanese masters were already maxed out, and izuko is definitely in the ultra class with unlimited playing experience, but I wonder if izuko is still improving.

[HerrCarl]

My mind is not ready to be a Shura, because my appearance was purely for having my last chance in this tournament. Never thought of winning out, because I usually got washed out at 1st or 2nd match.

But in the definition of the Nicht Cup, yes, I am officially one of them now. Despite I still have tons of things needed to be addressed and improved, and the gap between me and you, as well as other master class players, is likely hundreds or thousands miles across. My biggest advantage over other intermediate players, is probably the unnecessarily excessive numbers of big 4, the notorious 1-frame technique for Temjin and Apharmd, even though my CW cancel isn't proficient still.

Big thanks to Porcupine's detailed explanation on numerous technical details of inputs and glitches, the applying of invisible walk does increase initial walking/dashing speed tremendously. Though I haven't fully get use of it, because my inputs are still very unstable and inaccurate.

Porcupine's impressive super eyes know my problems and actions much more than myself.

Glad to have him on board instructing other players, who can't read Japanese well enough, and sustaining the VOOM community more or less.

===== About Nicht Cup and its Final Result

And it's Porcupine's post that reminded me this is authentically 2 foreigner players' names are listed in Japanese VOOM tournament records (or at least to my knowing), and marks down an in-depth communication between international VOOM players. I really look forward to having more interactions between countries like this, but the number of non-Japanese players are so small that it is not easy to form a vigorously and self-sustained community, like in Japan.

Even in Taiwan, I'm the only known one who regularly goes up PSN. Others who have Masterpiece collection are basically not engaging at all, unless there is a local gathering or event.

Nicht Cup was the first VOOM tournament that divided players into master class and intermediate/beginner since Masterpiece, to let average players have more chance in winning out and more fun. It's an excellent tournament, best among all non-commercial supported ones in every aspects. Too bad it comes to an end.

If we are going to have a new tournament by us Gaijins (to Japanese), perhaps borrow some of its rulesets or main concept, is a quick and feasible way to gather as much interests from a wider spectrum of players as possible.

In the other hand, such kind of tournament seemly will take longer time than usual, like the 6-hour in this one, 19 + 38 contestants, almost 60, so that's a thing we must take into considering (unlikely it would have such a huge number from start).