Javits Arias interview
Here are some videos of Javits:
1. How many hours a week do you play Street Fighter 4?
About 15, sometimes 20, so 15-20. I work full and go to school full time.
2. Would you consider this to be the best 2d fighter out there right now and why?
I think SF4 is the best 2d fighter out there right now because of the community, it’s also a very good, well balanced game, I don’t feel like any match up is really horrible and with the new mechanics there’s a lot of ways to make comebacks. Also because of the graphics, at first I didn’t like them but all the characters and their animations just look so cool in 3D I don’t think it should ever go back
3. Why Street Fighter 4 and not another 2d fighter?
The other 2d fighters don’t have that big of a community. With a larger community you have more players, more competition, more tournaments, more traveling, more learning, overall more fun
4. What are your hopes for Super Street Fighter 4?
More characters, better online features/netcode, more winposes, more stages, pretty much what everyone wants. Just slightly lower damage on Sagat, like 5% less.
5. How long have you been a competitive video game player?
A year.
6. How many places have you traveled to play video games?
Hmm let’s see, Virginia for Sinsation, Philadelphia for Summer Jam, Connecticut for Digital Mayhem, Atlanta for Final Round, New Jersey for East Coast Throw down, Las Vegas for evo, next week Ohio for seasons beatings
7. How much money have you won from Tournaments/Money matches?
I never did a total but if I had to estimate, all together about $1500
8. What character do you use in this game and why?
I use balrog because he fits my play style, I like to play footsies the most, and balrog doesn’t have projectiles so he’s not like full screen zoning, he has to get in and do damage, I feel like I’m in total control of my character. He big and mean too haha. I like his moves like his head butt throw; I bang the buttons if I’m hyped
9. What are your predictions for Evo2k10?
I predict more international players from Japan and Korea will come, because SSF4 will be even bigger. I also predict there will be a new young star, the next Justin Wong
Evo2k9: Javits in the middle with Daigo, John Choi, Sanford, LI Joe, Sabin, I don't know the others XD
10. What made you want to take the game to another level?
It was a new game, I started playing since the game first came out, I had no excuse to not be one of the best, so I made it my goal, still aiming for that goal, it’s never ending, but definitely fun process
11. Who do you think is the most underrated character in SF4? And also who is the most underrated SF4 player?
I feel in America, Blanka is very underrated, he’s so good but no one dominates with him because they get frustrated at bad matches like balrog while in Japan they learn ways to deal with the bad matchups. In America most people just switch to another character. I think Long Island Joe is very underrated. People like to say he only wins because of Sagat, but u don’t see many other Sagats use him as well as Joe does. Joe has very good instincts and reaction time also. His reaction and instincts combined is so good that people think it has to be random. I have played him consistently though and his “random uppercuts” and ultras aren’t really that random
12. What are your feelings on the East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry?
It’s good to have a rivalry, keeps the games exciting
13. What do the people around you think about you playing video games at a competitive level and playing for money?
Friends are cool with it; parents don’t like it, because it takes time to be a good player, so they see me playing a lot, then when they hear of tournaments, its just “more playing”
14. At times, when people lose, they make excuses. What is the most RIDICULOUS excuse you have ever heard anyone say after losing in any game?
That’s a hard one, hold on, hehe. You beat me because you’re hitting all your combos, and I’m not. That’s so obvious that I thought it was funny because that’s what your supposed to do you know? HIT ALL YOUR COMBOS
15. What would you personally say was the highlight of your gaming career?
The highlight of my gaming career was going to evo 2009 because I met all the west coast players, I made it out of my pool, met and hung out with daigo, I setup the famous daigo money matches in Room 1676 (my hotel room thanks to Hold Dat)
16. What is the most important asset for getting better at street fighter 4?
Dedication, let me elaborate. You have to be willing to lose, in order to learn how to win. Hopping around from character to character wont make u better as a player, it will just make u learn how to counter pick, but u can never be at 100% with a counter pick
17. What is the craziest comeback or beating or clutch move you have ever done in SF4?
Well my biggest match in SF4 was at Summer Jam, the final of the team tournament, it was my team (Me, Chris Hu, Issei Suzuki the 3s evo champ) -vs. – Eric Kim, RyRy and Moose. It ended up in a Balrog mirror match. Me -vs. – moose. Moose is considered to have one of the best balrogs on the east coast, if not the best, but I never got a chance to play him, so I wanted to see how I did against him. I beat him in winner’s bracket but his team made it back to grand finals. I had to beat him again and it wasn’t easy but I was confident I was going to win. I pulled it off and it was a big confidence boost for me. Since that day I only use Balrog color 6 (red shirt and shorts, blue gloves) because it reminds of that day. Moose is a phenomenal player though; I respect his balrog a lot
18. Usually when people know they are playing top players like Justin Wong, Ed Ma, Gootecks etc., why is it do you think they play against them differently than they would usually play anyone else?
They give them too much respect/credit
Javits(left) Justin Wong(right) FlashG(middle)
19. What do you do in preparation for an upcoming tournament, and do you have any “rituals” before you play someone?
No rituals, just tell myself to be confident and play my hardest, a little self reassurance is always good.
20. Basically for this last question just do some shoutouts, upcoming events.
Shoutouts to my team issei, Chris hu, and cuz were winning SB4 teams. Seasons Beatings 4 next week. That’s it.
Here is the shoryuken thread for SB4: http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=193466
