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fri22mar7:00 pmFighting Game Fridays: "Synchronicity"7:00 pm

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San Diego’s Longest Running FGC Weeklies: Keeping the Scene Strong Since 2018!

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march, 2024

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

Check out our FAQ below for some common questions and answers:

Entry & Payments, Prizes

How much does it cost and can I pre-pay online?

– People who are entering a single event of the tournament pay $15 ($10 venue fee + $5 into the pot). Add $5 for each additional event you wish to join. Unlimited casuals are included with the venue fee. $2 off venue fee if you bring a PS4/PS5 with power cable, and game(s) that we’re running for the current tournament, with all DLC on the latest patch. A monitor is not required but is appreciated.
– People who don’t want to enter the tournament but would like to play friendlies must pay the venue fee, but they don’t have to pay $5 into the pot.
– Spectators (people who have no intention of playing at all, not even friendlies before or after the tournament) can come watch and enjoy the atmosphere for free.
– We strongly encourage you to pre-pay on start.gg

Casuals are available before and after for those who want to congregate and get some games in.

How do I pay in-person and do you accept cash? You can pay at the venue front desk with all major credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and other NFC’s, and Afterpay. No cash, please. Once you pay, you will be added to the bracket. We accept:

Does the entry fee and prize pot fee have to be in cash? Actually, we prefer credit/debit cards. Payouts are via Venmo/PayPal.

How can I donate to the prize pool? Use this link, contact an administrator on our Discord server, or scan the QR code below:

Is there a prize pool for the tournament I’m joining? Yes, every tournament has a prize pool. Scroll down to the rules section to see the payout information. It’s dependent on the number of entrants.

If I can’t make it, can I get a refund? If you’re not sure you’re going to be able to attend, we strongly suggest you register online and pay at the venue. There are no refunds once you’ve paid.

Controllers & Adapters, Setups

Do I need to bring anything besides a controller? Nope! That’s all you need! But if you also bring a setup you’ll get a discount and help the tourney run a lot faster! Note: We hope that you can stay at least 2-3 hours, so we can use your setup for a good chunk of the tourney.

What does bringing a set up mean? We have about a dozen available monitors but only a few PlayStations to accompany them, so we ask people to lend their PS4/PS5 setup for the night in exchange for a discount. A setup includes: PS4/PS5 with power cable and a latest patch copy of the game we are running a tournament for, along with all the character DLC.

Can my PS4/PS5 controller be off-brand? What if I don’t use one? We allow DS4 controllers as well as any fightsticks, button only setups such as hitboxes and snackboxes, and keyboards for applicable games. Generally any controller is allowed so long as it doesn’t have any macros and you don’t utilize a turbo function. Get creative! If you use a DS4 controller we recommend bringing an active Micro USB cable to make syncing and desyncing faster and simpler. REMEMBER if your controller isn’t desynced and causes an interruption to an ongoing tournament match you may be disqualified! Double check!

Can I use my custom box controller? We allow custom and modded box controllers; however, for significantly modified controllers and especially custom built controllers we recommend that their internals be easy to access and well labeled to make it easier to discern whether they have illicit functionalities. Using macros/turbo functions are grounds for disqualification.

You lookin’ like you need more setups? Yes, we always need setups!

Is there a limited number of setup discounts? We currently have space for around a dozen setups, with more on the way!

Check-In, Start/End Times, Casuals

What time is the tournament open for people to come in? You can come as early as you want once we’re open, there’s a few PlayStations at GameSync for you to practice or get some casuals in with other early people. Our official casuals time starts at 5pm, with most people arriving at 6pm. See hours & location.

I pre-registered on start.gg, do I have to show up early? No, you can come any time up to the tournament start time.

What time do the the tourneys typically end? It’s entirely dependent on how many people are in the tournament and how many setups people bring, but they’ve been “ending” (grand finals finishing) typically around 11pm. Keep in mind that only the top four people in the tournament or so are still in the tourney by around 10pm. Most stations are friendlies by then, and friendlies go on until the last person leaves (typically around midnight, but can be as late as 1am). The tourney technically ends when the final match is played.

How can I let the TO (tournament organizer) know I’m running late? As soon as you realize you’re going to be late, immediately post a message in #late-check-in on our Discord server and a host will confirm. Kindly provide:

    1. Estimated time of arrival
    2. Your in-game name as seen on start.gg
    3. If you pre-registered on start.gg or not

It’s much better to pre-register in advance, especially if you’re running late. You can pay at the center when you arrive, but we can’t seed the bracket if you’re not on the attendees list!

When you arrive, please let a host know you’re there. Hosts are typically near the front of the venue when you come in. Side note: unless he’s busy running the tourney, host Chris is always down for friendlies, so if you want some games, let him know!

When do people typically show up? I wanna get in some casuals. Any time after 5pm is typically when most people start to show up. 

Do you play casuals afterwards? Yes, until the venue closes at 1am.

Could I just pay for casuals and play for a number of hours before and after the tournament? Yes!

If I come in early for casuals but I don’t have a PS4/PS5 with me, can I still practice? We have a few PlayStations at the center that can be used for casuals.

What is the cutoff time? Please arrive by 7PM and don’t be late as it delays the tournament for everyone. There’s also a chance you’ll be disqualified, even if you pre-register. We can’t wait for you forever. That being said, there is a grace period if you’re running a few minutes late. Please pre-register and use #late-check-in on our Discord server to inform us when you’re arriving.

My work ends at 6:30pm, I can get to your venue by 7:20pm, is that too late? Ehhhhh, that’s cutting it pretty close. There’s a good chance we’ll just start without you at that point, but message the TO in #late-check-in on our Discord server and you might be fine.

I had registered for today’s tournament but I won’t be able to show up, is there a way I could be unregistered from the event? Please post in #fgc on our Discord server.

Pre-registration, Start.gg

Do I register on start.gg or at the center? You can do either, but pre-registering is extremely helpful towards running a smooth event! Links are here: Synchronicity or Critical Sync.

Do people tend to register in-person for the tournaments instead of pre-registering? A lot of people do but many sign up online too (even last minute). If people pre-register it helps everything run smoother, but you’re still welcome to do it in person when you arrive.

I’m trying to register but the registration website isn’t working. Can I register/pay on-site? If you have any issues registering on start.gg, they have free live chat support available. To date, we’ve had no problems with their platform. If you’re still having issues after troubleshooting, you’re welcome to register and pay in-person.

I signed up for the event online. I also paid online. When I get to the venue how will they know I paid online? We’re admins, we know 🙂

The credit card I want to use to pay for your event isn’t registered on my PayPal account, can I still use it to pre-pay online? You will need to add the card to your PayPal account first, or you are welcome to use your credit card in person (choose the “pay at venue” option on start.gg). You can also pay online with a current PayPal funds balance, if you have one.

I went to pre-register on start.gg but it shows no attendees. Don’t wait until the last minute like so many others, just go ahead and pre-reg now. It helps on all levels.

Brackets, Seeding, Rules, Procedures

At what point do you start seeding the tournament? Literally minutes before it starts because not everyone pre-registers (unfortunately). The TO can’t seed people if they’re not in the bracket!

What is “seeding”? Seeding is the process of entering or “planting” contestants on a bracket prior to the start of a tournament. This is done primarily so that the best players do not meet until later in the competition. If the two most likely to win players had to fight each other in round 1, then one of them is getting sent to the loser’s bracket right away, and players which isn’t exactly fair. Having top players eliminate each other early in a bracket also reduces the accuracy of lower placements by allowing less known players to make it far in the tournament by running into easier matches more frequently.

How does seeding work? Despite what some people think, seeding is not an exact science and there are a lot of subjective/case by case considerations to be made when seeding, at least at the weekly local level. The basic idea is that players are seeded in order, with the most likely to win on the top and the least likely to win on the bottom. This seems simple, but it is a lot more complicated than it appears. First of all, it is impossible to see the future, as “most likely to win” doesn’t mean “will win.” Seeding is based on previous results or experience, but not every player has already played every other player, and even if they had, there would be an exponentially large number of matchups to consider to make a “perfectly” seeded bracket. Also, many people register last minute and they must be seeded manually, which further compounds the difficulty of seeding “perfectly.” Additionally, nobody wants to fight their carpool/training buddy in round 1, that’s no fun! As such, the tournament organizer (TO) does his best to consider that while seeding as well. Lastly, players who show up for the first time have no results to speak of, so knowing where to seed them is arbitrary or speculative at best! As you can see, seeding is a delicate and complicated process, but we always do our absolute best to execute this task at the most fair and balanced level possible.

Do you ever run side events like doubles? Occasionally the TO will feel like running a side event when the main bracket is winding down. Depending on what attendees want the TO may run redemption matches for players eliminated early in the tournament, older/niche games such as Arcana Heart or Melty Blood, or less serious events such as Melty Blood: Type Lumina only playing Neco-Arc. Check our Discord server for updates!

Do you offer arcadian style tournaments to give more people opportunities to win? Yes, we occasionally do this. Check our Discord server for updates.

Is there an age requirement to join the tournaments? There’s no minimum age limit.

Are there any rules about what you do after your set? After a set, win or lose, you might feel like throwing your controller or “popping off” in your opponent’s face, but we are here to have fun, not make other people uncomfortable. A salty no eye contact fist bump or a quick stand up “let’s goooooo!” is fine, but anything that disturbs other people’s matches (like slamming the table or screaming) will result in either a warning or a ban, depending on the severity of the incident.

Is there a rule against IRL stalling? Like someone taking forever between sets? You cannot stall excessively between your sets. If your opponent is taking more than a couple minutes between sets, let the TO know.

How can I make rule change requests? We value individual opinions but for any changes, we want to get as much of the community’s input as we can, so we can make sure that changing the rules is something that will please the majority. That said, feel free to Discord DM us your opinions on what rules you think should be changed, if the stage list should be changed, or anything else you think would be relevant to bring up in relation to potential rule changes, and your TO will consider it.

Discord, Twitch

How can I join your Discord server to get more info? Join here and check the posts in #🔔announcements and #fgc. These channels have the information most people are looking for.

What channel on your Discord server should I use to organize friendlies at GameSync? #fgc

Is there a Twitch stream for the tournament? Every event is broadcast live at https://twitch.tv/gamesync

How can I access VOD’s of the tournaments? Watch at https://youtube.com/@GameSyncGaming

What time does the livestream start? Synchronicity (Fridays) typically streams around 7:30PM PST. A schedule is also posted on our Twitch channel.

Venue, Casuals

Can people go in to play fighting games casually any day of the week or only on Friday nights? I would love to go in and practice or play with friends on non-tournament days. You can come in to play any time, we have PlayStations available. We also have open play/casuals before and after every tournament (included with the venue fee).

Where can I park? There are numerous parking spots available, both in the parking lot for the venue and on the street nearby. Parking is free. Please refer to the map for reference.

Are your locals on during holidays such as Thanksgiving, Veteran’s Day and Christmas? Yes, they’re on! Unless otherwise noted on our Discord server, assume that it’s going down!

Where can I find the calendar of all the upcoming events? Scroll up on this page or visit our full calendar.

What kinds of concessions do you offer? We carry a host of sodas, energy drinks, candy bars and other snacks. Our most popular are Mexican Coke in a glass bottle, Mountain Dew and Monster Energy. And who doesn’t love a good refrigerated Snicker’s Bar?

What other services and amenities does GameSync offer?

– Twice-weekly Smash Ultimate tournaments (the biggest, longest running in San Diego!)
– BenQ pro console gaming monitors
– 1 Gbps DIA symmetrical business fiber with CAT6 solid networking cable throughout the facility
– Extensive BYOD (bring your own device) section with physical network cable connections
– Snacks and drinks available for purchase
– PC gaming stations with HyperX peripherals and gaming chairs
– Centrally located in Kearny Mesa (805/15/52/163 access)
– Open late 365 days a year

Is the venue indoors? Yes.

I’m not feeling well, should I still come? DO NOT show up to the event if you’re showing flu like symptoms.

More Juicy Questions!

What if I’m not that good at the game or I’ve never played in a tournament? People of all skill levels come to our tournaments, so don’t worry about that. If you have never played fighting games with others before, this is a great opportunity to improve your skills and make some friends!

Do you offer watch parties for FGC content? We are trying to get this going, please ask for details in #fgc-chat on our Discord server.

Are PS4/PS5 consoles with modded music allowed? I don’t have any music mods. I’m just curious if I were to alter the in-game music, would that disqualify me from entering with my PlayStation. As long as the game logic and visuals are unaffected, and the audio isn’t adjusted to a distracting degree, we don’t see anything wrong with it.

What mu’s would I be facing most often at your tournaments? It really varies! You can stop by our Discord server and ask in #fgc

I heard you have a special Halloween cosplay event every year, is that happening and what costumes do people wear? It might be – check our Discord server for updates.

Does your community ever play online? Most of us prefer IRL (in real life) events and don’t play online much, if ever. We believe that local is the way to go and we’re sure you will too once you try it. Online is almost like playing a different game due to the lag, input delay, lack of atmosphere, etc. Although many fighting games now include a much improved version of network connectivity known as Rollback Netcode which significantly smooths the online experience. If you want online games or practice partners reach out in #fgc-chat!

I think I left my controller there? Please message us on our Discord server in #fgc or DM an administrator directly.

Who is the best player who comes to your locals? It varies, you can check results in #winners on our Discord server.

Is it as fun as it sounds? Yes!

How do you suggest I improve if I didn’t win? Try our free esports performance training services! Get 1-on-1 help from a coach (learn more at https://gamesync.training). There are also lots of tips if you scroll down this page.

Are patches legal? Yes, so make sure to update your PS4/PS5 before bringing it in. You can also ask on our Discord server in #fgc to confirm.

Do you get a high concentration of players? Yes.

Where can I find the winners? The best place is our Discord Server. We also use the following social media:  Twitter. Facebook. Instagram.

How do you become a commentator? Talk to us at the tournament or message us on Discord.

Is there a carpool to and from my area?  I’m willing to throw in money for gas. We have a number of players that drive in from all over San Diego. Try posting on our Discord server (try asking on #fgc) or talk to us or some attendees at the venue for some rideshare ideas.

Do you offer tournaments for other titles? We’re looking for tournament organizers to start up new scenes! Contact us if you’re interested.

San Diego’s Hub for Fighting Games

Join weekly events for the community with Synchronicity every Friday night! Sign-ups begin at 5pm: arrive early and challenge a friend to a practice match or two. Fists fly at 7pm and won’t stop until one person stands victorious among the rest! $10 gets you in the door and another $5 goes towards the prize pool. We feature Street Fighter 6, Guilty Gear: Strive, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Dragon Ball FighterZ, UNIST and more. We add popular games based on demand and attendance: let us know what you want to see! Join the longest running weekly fighter tournaments in San Diego!

Join our Discord (7,500+ Members)

We post SSBU tournament announcements, news, winners, VOD’s and casually chat on our Discord server. If you’re arriving late, notify us in #late-check-in (Tournaments section).

For esports performance services, message us in #free-consultation

We broadcast every tournament! Friday streams typically start with the official brackets around 7:30pm or earlier. Live commentary is offered by experienced local casters, and we’re capturing the game in 1080p 60hz for optimal clarity. We warmly invite you to watch and cheer on your favorite players!

Guilty Gear Strive Rules and Procedures:

Format:

  • All Tournaments will be “double elimination” brackets, meaning that a Player will not be eligible to move forward if they lose two (2) Matches in the bracket.
  • All Matches are Best-of-Five.
  • Winners Finals, Losers Finals, and Grand Finals (Matches involving Players that are guaranteed at least 3rd place) are Best-of-Five.

Game Settings:

  • Game Version: PlayStation 4 – Latest Patch
  • Resolution: 1080p
  • Timer: 99 seconds
  • Stage Select: Random (Players may opt for a specific stage)
  • Music: Auto

Match Procedure:

  • Players select their sides
  • Players select their characters. Either Player may invoke Double Blind Character Selection
  • The Players play the first Game of the Match
  • The losing Player of the preceding Game may choose to change characters
  • Players go to Stage Select and select Random
  • The next Game is played
  • Repeat steps 4 and 5 for all subsequent Games until the Match is complete

Tie Games:

  • In the event of a tie Game, declared by a Double K.O. screen in the Game, the Game will not be scored and both players will replay the tied Game with the same characters and on the same stage.

Permitted Controllers:

  • All standard arcade sticks and controllers are permitted. Macro functions (e.g. turbo buttons) and wireless controllers other than DualShock 4 are not permitted. Players that use DualShock 4 but do not un-sync their controller after the Match are subject to disqualification at the discretion of Tournament Organizers

Match Disruptions:

  • Pauses – If a Player either intentionally or accidentally pauses the Game by either pressing the start button or unplugging his or his opponent’s controller, the Player who paused forfeits the current Game.
  • Restarts – Tournament Organizers may order a Game or Match restart due to exceptional circumstances, such as if a bug significantly affects a Player’s ability to play or a Game or Match is unable to finish.
  • Stalling – Stalling, or excessively delaying the Game or Match, may result in a Game or Match forfeit at the discretion of Tournament Organizers.

Coaching:

  • Players may designate one (1) individual to be their coach during each Tournament. Players may consult with the coach for a maximum of one (1) minute in between Games in a Match. Deliberately giving or receiving advice to/from any other person during a Game or Match is not allowed and may result in penalties for both parties.

Penalties:

  • Players who break the rules in this document are subject to penalties including (but not limited to) the following:

    • Match Restart
    • Loss of Game
    • Match Forfeiture
    • Removal from the Tournament
    • Temporary Player Bans
    • Permanent Player Bans

Tekken 7 Rules and Procedures:

Format:

  • All Tournaments will be “double elimination” brackets, meaning that a Player will not be eligible to move forward if they lose two (2) Matches in the bracket.
  • All Matches are Best-of-Three.
  • Winners Finals, Losers Finals, and Grand Finals (Matches involving Players that are guaranteed at least 3rd place) which are Best-of-Five.

Game Settings:

  • Game Version: PlayStation 4 – Latest Patch
  • Resolution: 1080p
  • Timer: 60 seconds
  • Rounds to a game: Best of 5
  • Stage Select: Random for Game 1
  • Music: Auto

Match Procedure:

  • Players select their sides
  • Players select their characters. Either Player may invoke Double Blind Character Selection
  • The Players play the first Game of the Match
  • The losing Player of the preceding Game may choose to change characters (random stage select) or select a new stage (with the same character)
  • Players go to Stage Select and select Random
  • The next Game is played
  • Repeat steps 4 and 5 for all subsequent Games until the Match is complete

Tie Games:

  • In the event of a tie Game, declared by a Double K.O. screen in the Game, the Game will not be scored and both players will replay the tied Game with the same characters and on the same stage.

Permitted Controllers:

  • All standard arcade sticks and controllers are permitted. Macro functions (e.g. turbo buttons) and wireless controllers other than DualShock 4 are not permitted. Players that use DualShock 4 but do not un-sync their controller after the Match are subject to disqualification at the discretion of Tournament Organizers

Match Disruptions:

  • Pauses – If a Player either intentionally or accidentally pauses the Game by either pressing the start button or unplugging his or his opponent’s controller, the Player who paused forfeits the current round and must walk forward until their opponent claims the round.
  • Restarts – Tournament Organizers may order a Game or Match restart due to exceptional circumstances, such as if a bug significantly affects a Player’s ability to play or a Game or Match is unable to finish.
  • Stalling – Stalling, or excessively delaying the Game or Match, may result in a Game or Match forfeit at the discretion of Tournament Organizers.
  • Customization – There will be no customizing of colors, names, or items at any time before or during a tournament match. Any player that does so will be given a loss.
    • Jack-7 may not use preset 3 or 4
    • Gigas may not use preset 3
    • Both players may not use the same preset

Coaching:

  • Players may designate one (1) individual to be their coach during each Tournament. Players may consult with the coach for a maximum of one (1) minute in between Games in a Match. Deliberately giving or receiving advice to/from any other person during a Game or Match is not allowed and may result in penalties for both parties.

Penalties:

  • Players who break the rules in this document are subject to penalties including (but not limited to) the following:

    • Match Restart
    • Loss of Game
    • Match Forfeiture
    • Removal from the Tournament
    • Temporary Player Bans
    • Permanent Player Bans

Rules abridged from Tekken World Tour and Evo 2022 rulesets

Street Fighter 6

Tournament Format:

  • The Tournament Bracket will be held in a Double Elimination format. This means that players are allowed the loss of two (2) sets before they are eliminated from the tournament.
  • Each set will be best 2/3 games.
  • Sets that take place in Winners Finals, Losers Finals, and Grand Finals will be 3/5.

Game Settings:

  • Version – Street Fighter 5 Champion Edition – Playstation 4 – Latest Patch
  • Default Settings
  • 2/3 rounds per game
  • 99 Second Timer
  • Random Music (Players may opt out of this rule)
  • Random Stage (Player may opt out of this rule)

Controllers:

  • BYOC – Bring Your Own Controller.
  • Players may elect to use the controller of their choice provided it complies with all other rules.
  • Use of macros, turbos, or any peripheral which tampers with standard game functionality is prohibited.
  • Controller legality is ultimately subject to the sole discretion of the Tournament Organizer.

Set Procedures:

  • Tournament organizer will instruct two players to play their set at an open station.
  • Players select their sides.
  • If an agreement cannot be reached, a game of rock-paper-scissors will determine who gets to pick their side.
  • Players set up their buttons correctly.
  • Players select their characters.
  • Before a character is selected, either player may request a Double-Blind Selection.
  • Players play the first game of the set.
  • The loser of the game is allowed to change their character, V-Trigger, and V-Skill.
  • The winner of the game is not allowed to change characters, but is allowed to change V-Trigger, or V-Skill before their opponent selects their own V-Trigger and V-Skill.
  • Players repeat these steps until the set has concluded.
  • The winner of the set is required to report the final score of the set to the tournament organizer.

Draw Games:

  • In the event of a draw, determined by the game, the game is to be replayed unless the draw is awarded by the game to a player.
  • The replayed game is to be played with the exact same characters, V-Skills, and V-Triggers.

Match Disruptions:

  • If a game is paused at any point by either of the players in the set, whether intentionally or not, the player responsible for the pause will forfeit the current game.
  • In the event of a pause, the player who is not responsible for the pause is allowed to ignore the instance of a game or round loss.
  • Restarts – Tournament Organizers may order a Game or Match restart due to exceptional circumstances, such as if a bug significantly affects a Player’s ability to play or a Game or Match is unable to finish.
  • Stalling – Stalling, or excessively delaying the Game or Match, may result in a Game or Match forfeit at the discretion of Tournament Organizers.

Penalties:

  • Players who break the rules in this document are subject to penalties including (but not limited to) the following:
    • Match Restart
    • Loss of Game
    • Match Forfeiture
    • Removal from the Tournament
    • Temporary Player Bans
    • Permanent Player Bans

IGN Ultimate Tips Beginner to Intermediate

IGN Ultimate Tips Advanced

TGN Anime Individual Character Breakdowns

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fri22mar7:00 pmFighting Game Fridays: "Synchronicity"7:00 pm

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