• Welcome to Smashboards, the world's largest Super Smash Brothers community! Over 250,000 Smash Bros. fans from around the world have come to discuss these great games in over 19 million posts!

    You are currently viewing our boards as a visitor. Click here to sign up right now and start on your path in the Smash community!

quitting

Status
Not open for further replies.

Dekar289

Smash Hero
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
6,306
unlike many 'top' smashers before me, i will try to explain exactly why I will not be coming (at least as frequently or competitively) to smash tournaments in the future:

for a long time I did not know why I played the way I did, why my style seemed so different to many other players. then later on i failed to understand why i wasn't interested in learning new techniques and hitting the lab.

well recently I have discovered why this is, and the result is quite depressing. there are really only 2 options, to mount a comeback which involves going back to the lab and learning the current metagame (and then progressing with it) OR simply exiting now before I embarrass myself. i honestly feel that to continue competing under a tournament setting while falling further behind great new talent like sa nick and macky is disrespectful to the sport of melee.

it's a bit of a cop-out sure, but now it's what I believe in.

i still love the sport that is melee, and the smash scene. thanks.

p.s. plan is still to help run and compete in BAM
p.p.s. yes atticus i'm aware of the irony if making an "i'm retiring" post having laughed at the idea before and recognizing that usually people who announce they are quitting are back the next week, and usually people who actually quit just fade away
 
Last edited:

Hobs_

Smash Journeyman
Joined
May 5, 2014
Messages
233
Location
Australia
Did you hear harry ponting is coming back or something?

edit: if this is real then I am sad.
 
Last edited:

Shaya

   「chase you」 
BRoomer
Joined
Jun 8, 2007
Messages
27,654
Location
/人◕‿‿◕人\ FABULOUS Max!
NNID
ShayaJP
This is... something. Always sad to hear a great competitor wanting to step down.
In terms of perspective, what brought me back to Smash several years ago was "I care about improving" over "winning". Maybe not now, but perhaps a similar feeling will pull through and rekindle something in the future.

Good luck with hobbies or other activities David, I hope some of the best parts of the Smash community won't be something you decide to forgo.

On a meta level from a semi-outsider perspective, Melee as a game has gotten to the stage where the base level is a lot higher and people improve significantly faster. Keeping up with spacies seems to be extremely daunting for a majority, hopefully the counters start to develop and become consistent to counteract the wave.
 
Last edited:

Redact

Professional Nice Guy
Joined
Apr 21, 2007
Messages
3,811
Location
Amazing Land
I'm in the same position in a way.

I've tried to push myself to learn new meta or new tech, but I've lost the drive to improve myself or be the best at this stage as well. Maybe this will come back maybe it won't. It's hurt my will to play the game because I'm so competitive. The idea that I could be the best if I put in the time and effort, and losing since I don't is not very motivating.

I'm pretty damn burnt out running anything because of BAM, but that's to be expected really. I've never been the most consistent TO so I always flounder after a short stay in that seat. I'll stick to my yearly big tournament rather than running things every month, I'll leave that to more consistent people.

But one think I know is im not tired of seeing new and old friends through smash, and that's what keeps me coming and will keep me around for a long time to come.

I hope this will also apply to you too, as you're one of the few people that has really changed me in many ways for the better. One of the people that keep me coming back to smash not because you beat me every time, because it's fun every time we're together.

If you do really move on, hopefully you can still have time for us again in the future on ocassion as it will really hurt to see you go.
I hope you don't move on, I hope you have the same feeling as me that it's not really about the game anymore, it's about the people. The game is still amazing and it's what has bonded us but the end product that is "us" is what keeps me going.

I have to stick one of my analogies in there. We all love our kfc, but none of us want to just go to KFC alone every couple of weeks and eat, its about us smashers going together.

Hopefully us will remain a thing for years to come, if not the rest of our lives. I may get over smash too completely at some point, but friends like this shouldn't die when your passion for the game dies.

I never plan to lose my friends, no matter how little or long smash has left. I just want you to have the same plan.
 

Hughie

Smash Lad
Joined
May 19, 2013
Messages
513
Location
Melbourne
Dekar just wanted to say that I think I wouldn't nearly enjoy being around in this scene if you weren't around.
Honestly you've really helped a lot of us out to the point where nearly thanks isn't enough.
But still, thanks Dekar, we'll miss you. Thanks for carrying me to first at my first doubles tournament.
Thanks for being around.
Thanks for being someone I could support in finals matches and in other big matches.
Thanks for everything. Please don't leave completely.
 
Last edited:

Darkwing SykeDuk

Smash Dankist
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
4,996
Location
Purple Monkey Dishwasher
Sad days, bam was going to be my last national as well. Just dont have the drive/time to play anymore. You guys should just move to qld, dont have to practice at all and still place top 3 lmaaaoooo
 

luke_atyeo

Smash Hero
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
7,215
dekar announces retirement plan
then armarda announces he wont be coming to bam...
HHMMMMM
 

Dekar289

Smash Hero
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
6,306
that is the insight i needed redact, thanks
it suddenly makes sense to me why many people who grew up say, playing in a footy team and making friends then in their later years still go to watch AFL matches together, or even local footy games
it's not about the sport anymore, it's about them
it's a little annoying that it took me this long to understand that
 
Last edited:

NanoHologuise

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Feb 19, 2014
Messages
99
Location
Melbourne
3DS FC
3110-6094-3408
Dammit :(
Still, I hope you come to tournaments man. Thanks for giving me a taste of glory, even if you carried my ass at freezefest.
 

TakFR

Smash Lord
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
1,803
Location
Flipping Out Someplace
NNID
TakAE86
I've been in limbo for a pretty long time in melee now as well and like many other older smashers, I can definitely see why you are leaving, many other smashers are having to make the same decision of picking up the new meta and training for it or to just give up and let the newer age of players take over. Just don't leave the scene completely man, you're too fun of a person and boost the scene's commitment and hype to just up and leave :(

EMO now stands for Elderly Melbourne Original feat Billy "Young Gun" Splice
 

Star ☆

No Problem!
Joined
Sep 18, 2013
Messages
816
Location
Sydney, Australia
NNID
Autumnflow
Whilst I can't empathise with your reasons for lessening your attendance to tournaments as I'm a newer player and still have a burning passion to be the best, I wish you the greatest luck in your future dude, you're a great guy and I can't wait to see you at BAM! :)
 
Last edited:

dreadtech

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Apr 19, 2014
Messages
321
Location
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Bam7 will mark my 1 year with competitive smash. It's just a sad point when I see your retirement post and think "I needed to have joined earlier" just so I could have built a better friendship with you, because in all honesty we only started getting friendly really recently (which I hope will continue regardless of where you go from here).

Dave you were an inspiration when I watched you play, I saw myself getting good enough and playing doubles with you and not sd'ing and us laughing our way to 1st. Maybe I can pick up the slack now in the future and bring you out of retirement ;) for a doubles run. But until then stay for the people, because I think the smash scene still needs you for a fair bit, regardless of whether you are gunning for number 1 or not.

Being number 1 for such a long time. I can only imagine how bad it feels to have 1st place slipping from you and if you don't like to sit down and improve the way you need to I understand. But I don't think anyone here will think any less of you no matter how you perform from here on out. Sometimes we just wanna see dekar doing the walk up fsmash, or the randall hacks, or the dreamland platform cheats.
 

Dekar289

Smash Hero
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
6,306
tak i think there's an important distinction to be made here
many older melee players become frustrated, not because they have to learn the game over again (they don't. you don't have to learn to wavedash again. you don't have to learn all the situational stuff again. it's in you. you know it.)
it's the frustration of realizing that you've become satisfied with your knowledge to the point where you stop seeking new experiences and instead exploiting what you already know. and this can leak into your life outside of smash too.
it's a big step from here to learn to broaden your experiences and understanding of smash, as well as once again continuing to broaden your experiences in and understanding of life.
 
Last edited:

PrettyCoolGuy

Smash Ace
Joined
May 25, 2010
Messages
595
Location
Melbourne, Aus
tak i think there's an important distinction to be made here
many older melee players become frustrated, not because they have to learn the game over again (they don't. you don't have to learn to wavedash again. you don't have to learn all the situational stuff again. it's in you. you know it.)
it's the frustration of realizing that you've become satisfied with your knowledge to the point where you stop seeking new experiences and instead exploiting what you already know. and this can leak into your life outside of smash too.
it's a big step from here to learn to broaden your experiences and understanding of smash, as well as once again continuing to broaden your experiences in and understanding of life.
This is ****ing beautiful holy ****
 

Sloth

Smash Ace
Joined
Jan 1, 2005
Messages
913
Location
Brisbane
tak i think there's an important distinction to be made here
many older melee players become frustrated, not because they have to learn the game over again (they don't. you don't have to learn to wavedash again. you don't have to learn all the situational stuff again. it's in you. you know it.)
it's the frustration of realizing that you've become satisfied with your knowledge to the point where you stop seeking new experiences and instead exploiting what you already know. and this can leak into your life outside of smash too.
it's a big step from here to learn to broaden your experiences and understanding of smash, as well as once again continuing to broaden your experiences in and understanding of life..
I'm an old player. And this makes no sense. Just saying. It's pretty simple.

We grow up, have different responsibilities, smash can't be a main focus. This isn't life changing. We don't get frustrated, we don't have some internal epiphany. We just don't have time to dedicate to one game.

People always quit for two reasons:
Life happens and we show up less and less. It gets pretty clear for other players you have other stuff going on.

After playing so long you get bored. That happens to most of us. I don't want to tech multishines because it's boring, or get my JC grabs 100%. I'd rather load up Diablo3 and drink some good stout or a nice single malt scotch while chatting to friends on mumble.

No need for this quit post tbh.
 

Dekar289

Smash Hero
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
6,306
apologies sloth
perhaps this only applies to people who were crazy enough to focus on smash to the point where they reach the top and want to stay there
and/or perhaps as i made this thread before i also failed to understand the difference between quitting smash, and quitting competing in smash with the priority being to win
 
Last edited:

Jei Jei

Smash Champion
Joined
Aug 10, 2007
Messages
2,271
Location
Kings Park, Melbourne
NNID
Jei_Soul
3DS FC
1564-4103-8935
Bryce is being mean.
I have wanted to quit for a long time now, can't seem to.

If you choose to leave Deks, at least stay in touch.
If you aren't coming to DI Another Day then **** you, we aren't friends. <3
 

Splice

Smash Hero
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
5,125
Location
AUS
No need for this quit post tbh.
It's a different mindset. Some people don't like to feel like noobs and there is a legacy here.

I don't really know what this post means to me though.
It's put some things into perspective, and I don't like it.
 

CubT

Smash Cadet
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Messages
28
Location
Auckland, NZ
Wow, Dekar - this post is deep and it's really enlightening to see the perspective of someone who has played as long as you have. Coming into the scene so late, it gives me something to be aware of: the challenges that do lie ahead.

I have huge respect for you (even though my "online persona" may not show it sometimes) as a gatekeeper of the Melbourne scene.

Thank you for everything you have done for Smash in Australia and giving us all an example of something to work towards. I really hope you continue to have input into the scene, even if it isn't in a competitive context.

All the best with whatever is next for you.
 

Kaiza

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Messages
227
Location
South Australia, Australia
Damn, I'm late to get into another competitive title before I could really get to know you or even work my way up to have a shot at beating you. This makes me a little sad for my own personal reasons, but to the community at large, it seems like we're losing a pivotal person in Australian smash culture. I know that you'll still be "around" thats for sure, and I wish you the best with whatever you decide to do post-smash.

See you later space cowboy
 

Meredy

The Busterina
Joined
Feb 6, 2014
Messages
311
I've been in this scene for almost a year now and I can honestly say it's been amazing to have you around. Dave, you're 100% one of the best people I've ever met, and I'll sure be sad to see you go, but I understand your reasoning. You better believe I am coming at you with the biggest hug at BAM.
 

Dekar289

Smash Hero
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
6,306
yeah so actually quitting and never seeing you guys again is the wuss route
i'll still come to stuff occasionally, just either won't enter singles (the cao route) or will mess around in bracket with low tiers, idk that sounds disrepectful
close thread, move on, get hyped for bam?
 
Last edited:

Redact

Professional Nice Guy
Joined
Apr 21, 2007
Messages
3,811
Location
Amazing Land
I'll post it anyway seeing as I want to, despite the end question now being redundant and it took me like two hours to write since at work:

and/or perhaps as i made this thread before i also failed to understand the difference between quitting smash, and quitting competing in smash with the priority being to win
It's hard to come up with the right words and feelings when it comes to some of these things you don't think about all the time. Don't regret that you posted anything like this because to me and im sure to many others it's shown you're human just like the rest of us. We all struggle with things at some point and this will just be another hurdle in your life with smashers.

Learning to play without dying for the win is something I struggle with very very hard, in fact I have such a "I must be the best" mentality that even the idea of being the most invested person at one point was something I wanted to win at, despite how bad that has been.

I've only had very breif grasps of being at the top, not a strong era of my own to claim, so I can't imagine what the transition from being the undisputed best person in your country to just an og smasher who plays for his friends. I hope you do make that transition and stay with us, so let us help you do this.

The only perception from the outside that should matter to you is your friends. If you're still around in years time and you're being beaten each time by young blood that won't diminish what me or jared or vincent or anyone else thinks of who is really your friend. I don't care if you can still crush me or crush anyone, I just care that we hang out.

You have a legacy, and it will stay there forever regardless of how soon you fall out of top spectrum. That's what we will remember, but in the end I don't think that matters personally. If you guys think I'm a total trash player has been and never was even good that's cool. If you guys just keep being a blast to hang out with then that's all I want.

It sounds like you've already made the realisation that you want to make a change rather than an exit which is what I've only recently come to terms with (see controller smash like 2 months ago, I did some serious self work after that) because I'd rather give up on winning then give up on my friends.

Since you're responding to some things I want to ask the question now that you might not want to answer now as it may be just a little embarassing (no judgement for go backs though)

After all this, are you planning to try and stay now instead?
 

Basty

Smash Ace
Joined
Jan 15, 2014
Messages
612
Location
Launceston,TAS
I've only ever got to meet you once Dekar, but damn, you're one of the nicest guys out there.
You're Marth play was one of the funnest to watch, in Australia.
You've proven time and time again that you are one of the best Australians to play the game.
As I begin my career, you start to retire. As I got better, you started to slip.
If in 5 years i'm winning nationals, or even competing in another country, I'll probably never be a better player than you.

I guess this is my only time to say goodbye, friend.
 

S.D

Smash Master
Joined
Feb 25, 2008
Messages
4,062
Location
Sleeping in a submarine
No need to justify 'why' you're 'quitting'.
Either you're motivated to play or you're not.
Everyone has their own reasons for playing and competing, and if the two no longer marry up then do what you've got to do.

I don't think it's a metagame issue, you make it sound like the 'new meta' is some unreachable super saiyan power when really it's just l2 shield drop and be more optimal. Marth hasn't really changed much even in 20xx lol and you've never conformed to the metagame anyway.

Whatever it boils down to you don't need to justify to anybody, just assess what role smash occupies in your life now vs before and hopefully you'll come up with some compromise that doesn't involve exiting the scene entirely.

If you're srs about quitsville I'll miss our battles, they were fun while they lasted (just know your ******** out on a loss though, unless you bring it at BAM).

Buuuut really we'll probably see you next monthly anyway and this post will be redundant :)
 

Dekar289

Smash Hero
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
6,306
unlike many 'top' smashers before me, i will try to explain exactly why I will not be coming (at least as frequently or competitively) to smash tournaments in the future:
it was in the op all along guys haha, i overlooked this too...

harsh post sam but mostly fair.
don't ever say i "never conformed to the metagame", though. I recall practicing stuff like short hop double fair when that stuff first his the boards. there's probs other stuff, not to mention earlier when i followed king's puff stuff like a bible. i can't remember. even started to jc grab LOL
yes it's not much, but it's there
 
Last edited:

richterwastaken

Smash Apprentice
Joined
May 1, 2014
Messages
82
my friend aiden & i used to come to tourneys like bam & couchwarriors with the knowledge/grinding that we'd done in our own houses. we would get beat, go home & think about why we lost & then try to counteract that with more practice. we even decided to have people over that knocked us out & tried to analyse them. needless to say, we never got any better & we never had as much fun as when we'd play against each other. i played smash with him this way for about a year before i decided that it's simply not the person that i am. when i made the ac thread i was trying to break the cycle of meaningless, egotistical, play-to-win melee by offering the scene who i am as a person rather than a player. it's always smart to play to your strengths rather than your weaknesses, & i am a better cave president than i am a melee player, so i shifted my focus towards providing people with good old flog-brand happy times. when i go to tournaments or host something, i barely even think about who i'm going to play or grinding tech or matchups or anything besides my new mates, & i can say with 100% confidence that this mindset has been far more rewarding to me not only as a player but as a head i mean human being.

i guess there are two ways to appreciate smash, then: playing to win & playing to enjoy yourself. playing for enjoyment will always be the best option in my head, because even if i lose i still take something far more valuable than tech skill or matchup knowledge away from the experience.

if i play attend some tourney, i'm doing it for no other reason than because i want to play melee. if i get better & take a few ***** out along the way, great, i love winning. if not, whatever, i'll go home to the cave & play eschatos instead or something.

who knows, maybe this specific thing i'm taking from my time in smash is the same getting-to-know-people that assists in getting all those dave/mango reads 8-)
 

FinXx

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
104
Location
Melbourne, Australia
dekar is the dude who gave me the friendliest greeting saying he loved my tag then proceeded to bop me 4 stocked 2-0 and a handshake at my first tournament ever. MW1 never 4get, but we'll miss u dooker
 

DD_

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Feb 10, 2008
Messages
371
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Thanks everyone for posting and sharing thoughts in this thread. I know Dekar has made a lot of people seriously think about what they are doing in the community today and it's nice to see a decent thread on the boards for once. I think now with a full time job and other things going on in my life I will also start to fade soon. While this makes me sad I think back to how far I've been pushing myself this last year and how determined I am and it's not a very dedicated position.

Just forever living that fraud life yo
 

Sieg

Smash Champion
Joined
Nov 3, 2005
Messages
2,991
Location
Dreadzone
Mate it's what made Shadowloo so fun for me last year, coming back into a scene that I hadn't had any contact with for quite some time and feeling like I never left. You'll be right, just do whatever you want to do and realise you still have friends in the scene.

brb buying flights to Melb again.
 

S.D

Smash Master
Joined
Feb 25, 2008
Messages
4,062
Location
Sleeping in a submarine
Wasn't trying to sound harsh or anything, just saying you don't have to explain yourself.
You'll be able to enjoy the scene even if you don't retain the drive to compete.

EDIT: Also I don't understand people saying they have to leave eventually due to life etc. Work/family/life balance guys, there's no reason you can't enjoy one of your favourite hobbies/pasttimes once a month. I've never lived closer than 2/3 hours from a smash scene but I've still found a way to enjoy it despite working full time the past 6 years.
 
Last edited:

TakFR

Smash Lord
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
1,803
Location
Flipping Out Someplace
NNID
TakAE86
I agree, the main reason i'm not going to stuff at the moment is due to financial troubles and job interviews/trial shifts being organised at the same time. Regardless of interest in improving or even playing the game, this scene has the coolest people to hang out with
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom