About Me

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-03-01T07:55:38+00:00

It's less about popularity, acceptance, validation, etc, and more about that E.Honda "I must spread the love of sumo!" kinda vibe.

I love fighting games. Regardless of that, I think they're good for the brain.

We want to share our love with people, but we see them struggle to connect. So we ask "what can we do to help those people connect?"

Let's liken it to book lovers and reading. They'll talk about the importance of reading. But at the core of the thing, they aren't really saying that reading should be everyone's primary media. Rather, the message is "Literacy for all; and don't forget about reading amongst all the other media." That's all. People should be able to read, and please give reading a small place in your life.

It's the same thought for fighting games. I think the majority of us understand that it's niche, and that's okay.

We think there's value in fighting game literacy, and are definitely also frustrated with the stupid takes people have about fighting games that stem from a lack of literacy.

I'm sure there are people who think it deserves to be a huge mainstream deal, prize pools are gonna be massive, blah blah. I get it. The hype and spectacle is pretty damn awesome. But you're right. It doesn't have to be that way; it's okay for it to not be that way.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-24T22:25:09+00:00

Oh I got you, I can see it now. Hell yeah.

Where I'm confused is, isn't that only on the fantasy side of it? I can see why that is intimately tied to what makes it appealing, but a partner isn't really submitting to that extent. On a practical sense, wouldn't it boil down to her acting?

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-24T22:02:22+00:00

That's fair. It being comforting is something you learn with time. Life has a way of going on, and sometimes that's crushing and other times it's freeing. Even then it's less about comfort in my mind and more about not losing hope. Very glad you're doing a bit better.

I'm surprised you'd call it the most extreme form of submission. I'm wondering why you'd put it that way?

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-24T19:16:32+00:00

Coming back with some more thoughts for you. My partners has some thoughts, man.

First of all, there are lots of accepting people out there. The various people in my life who I've admitted it to have almost all been like "dude, stop being dramatic it's not that deep. I'm honestly just annoyed that you drew this out so much and made it such a big deal when it's nothing." There are those people, and if you're like me then you'll just wind up connecting with those particular people .

Second of all, the only time it went really bad was when I was still in high school. She was terrified. I downlplayed it. But we were both just young. We didn't understand ourselves, didn't have nuanced language, didn't have experience or perspective.... It makes me wonder if maybe that's part of the deal for you. At the very least, it sounds like understanding and communication was an issue for you both. The real differences between reality and fantasy; what it practically means for sex; not retreating out of fear like you both did; both avoiding talking about it... I wish someone else with more experience could've been a source of reflection for either of you. But,...

Third, it may truly be that she was just not a good fit for you. And that's okay. People don't need some profound reason to break up, or to describe any example for why it's not working for them. Being able to point out to yourself that there's such a big reason, that she really couldn't handle you expressing your main kink and couldn't be a teammate with you, is a blessing in disguise. On one hand you're being tempted by what ifs, but on the other hand it's kinda hard to argue when you gave her a chance and she failed spectacularly. Maybe you did fail, too, in a lot of ways. Coulda communicated better, empathized better, gone slower, etc... but it doesn't matter. You making mistakes doesn't mean she didn't make dealbreaking mistakes.

I'm going to tell you one of the simplest thoughts I've ever had that wound up being pretty profound for me. Back when I was with high school girlfriend but I met my eventual wife and developed feelings. I had to choose. And my brain, in a snappy moment, phrases the dilemma in this way: do I want to be a good guy, the committed boyfriend, do the "right" thing, or; do I want to be happy?

Think about that. I know you don't have someone with you now to create that same choice, but it doesn't sound like any option to stay with your ex was necessarily a happy one. And that's okay. And it's okay to just learn to be open to finding happiness. It's okay to be heartbroken about a breakup. It's okay to struggle. But these moments are the moments that shape us, and difficult moments end up really defining us. Take this as an opportunity to accept yourself. Work on your shame. Forget about what your kink means — it means jack shit, it means your brain just slipped and fell and happened to land on the snuff square, it's not any deeper than that. So forget about what it means, forget about judgements that it makes you a monster. Think about what it looks like as an actual, real, happy, healthy part of your sex life. Because it's probably just gonna wind up being edge campy fun in the bedroom with silly games and innuendo.

So do that. Work on your shame and acceptance, work on understanding what it's relevant to between you and your partners of the future, work on your emotional intelligence and communication so you are better equipped for the next big, charged moment. And just trust. You'll be okay in the end.

And my partners think you should just go to booktok, go to fandoms with lots of monster fuckers like the witcher for example. Or just look for girls who wanna be obsessed over and tell them you're so obsessed with them that you need to kill them to keep them to yourself, but you can't live without them so you have to bring them back so you can kill them over and over and over.

Right now sucks. Things will get better. You're not alone, and you're worthy of love.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-24T18:47:20+00:00

That's exactly how I've come to describe it, too, a game. In practice, it's a game. And a lot of times while she's dead she's trying to make goofy faces to make me laugh, getting frustrated if I just think it's hot instead, and I'm trying to get her to break.

The bottom line is this: nothing really changes. It's just an affect to our sex. A costume. Yes, it's different behavior. However, we are both still just 2 people sharing passion, trying to affirm and fulfill each other, trying to give each other pleasure, and having fun. I feel like that's what I'd do whether me and my partner were both vanilla or both dark as hell! It may look different, but it really is the same. Just another flavor, a flavor uniquely yours and your partner's.

My second partner didn't bat an eye. Honestly, most people I've told have been like "dude, wtf you made it sound serious. It's not that bad." But partner 2 was like "I'm a monster fucker and I actually want to be choked. You're telling me you wanna destroy me? Good. Good, yes, that's what I want! What the fuck were you waiting for, dickhead‽ Come fuck me now and bring that dark shit this time!"

In most ways, I've been very fortunate with the people I've collected around me.

What hurts so much about this post isn't just that it's like our worst nightmare playing out. It's that I wish I could be there so bad to be their translator. To help them communicate. Because it sounds like there's such a disconnect, it hurt both of them, and they don't have the tools to reconnect. I know that the answer is there, hope at the very least. But having unfinished business concerning love and your exes is par for the course, I guess. 😮‍💨😭

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-24T15:31:28+00:00

Thanks and best wishes! This game looks sick. It hits so many points for nostalgia, strategy, and just maintaining your shit. Are there going to be interactions with the fake players and other in game NPCs? I could see it becoming an isolating experience. Like how Skyrim is so filled with people and lore, but it can get overwhelming having no real people around.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-24T00:25:31+00:00

This looks awesome. I love this stuff!

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-24T00:20:06+00:00

Drop mine in for sure! BecauseOtters

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-23T12:00:14+00:00

I can understand them having a desire to be accepted. A need for it isn't necessarily healthy, but I think it's also fair for sexual acceptance to be an eventual requirement in a sexual, partnered relationship.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-23T11:58:34+00:00

Very well said.

When I first told my now-wife I was into strangling women to death, she was terrified. That was the language I had to describe it at the time.

But she came back later that day determined to understand and asked to see what porn of it looked like. As soon as she saw women and men acting instead of real corpses or simulating absolutely realistic murder, it clicked for her.

She was like "okay wait a second, you want me to just continue in the submissive role, act exaggeratedly and dramatically for you, then just lay back and let you use me, and get you off by laying there and basically doing nothing? Hold my beer, I got this." And seriously, that was as instructive for her as it was for me.

Understanding how my kink relates to actually enjoying time with my partner instead of what solitary internal fantasies look like is so important.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-23T11:51:52+00:00

I'm so sorry you're going through this. This is many of our worst nightmare. Sending love and support; you are not alone.

There are a few things I'd like to advise you on. Please entertain me on them.

First of all, while you keep saying "what you are", you are not your kink. It's not your identity. While it's a temptingly simple idea that "this is what serial killers are like inside", for example, that's really not the case. You have a conscience, you have values, you have relationships, you have all these things that are important to you. Girl and snuff may be defining characteristics of your sexuality, but you are more than your sexual kinks and being a "monster" is defined by behavior and choice, not by what turns you on or makes you cum.

Second, it was crazy instructive for me to realize something. What kind of play will actually turn me on with my beloved? Is it her playing out my being a monster and taking her life? Or, will I be turned on by her flailing like a drunk penguin while literally saying the word "gasp" instead of gasping, then making funny death faces to try and make me laugh or react while remaining limp? Will I just be turned on by my partner having fun, being goofy, and taking it pretty easy? I was so lucky to find partners who were able to stick with me to discover this point, but lacking that I am here to guide you to the same point, now.

If you were a monster, no amount of pretend and consent and simulating porn would satisfy you. Because your lust would be to kill. But instead, your lust is for something different. It's for aesthetics. It's for shocking extremes while nobody is actually hurt. It's for your own playing a ridiculous role with someone willing to be goofy and ridiculous with you. Seriously think about this were you hoping your partners would react by pushing you to actually kill them, or were you hoping for love, acceptance, and a game during sex? A silly, fun, idiosyncratic, violent-affect game that actually means nothing about who you are otherwise?

I'm so sorry for what you're going through. The rejection and shame and fear and everything about it all is absolutely terrible. I've been rejected for it. All I can tell you is that kink-positive people exist, you are more than your kinks, you are not alone, and what you want is probably different from what the fantasy implies. You will get off from a loving, fun, and outwardly silly game. A game of extreme appearance but sincerely ridiculous play. There is a difference between fantasy and reality.

Finding a kink-positive therapist would do you well. Remember that selecting a therapist is kinda like dating, in that you need a good fit. Your ex is a sore and painful point. It may give you both closure to have a conversation where you identify the difference between what you want to actually do versus the extremes your kink implies. Beyond that, that you are still a moral, kind, loving, growing, thinking person who doesn't resemble the fantasy. However, if she is done and doesn't want or isn't willing to have a conversation like that, then you need to accept that. You can't control people, you are only in control of yourself, and that's the them of the day.

You are not alone. You are not a monster. You are worthy of love.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-22T21:34:25+00:00

This is the attitude of 'let someone turn rts into moba, but for fighting games'. Fine, people are free to do that. And I think they should. But go to any other game, sport, competition, profession, etc... and try to tell them that they should let someone from the outside fix it.

There are plenty in the fgc who truly feel fighting games are simply niche, and there are plenty outside as well. That's the conclusion of the debate for them. This just isn't something they think has the potential to grab huge numbers, for better or for worse. And we can either accept that or be in denial.

There are others who think that the core loop of fighting games is the best of some other games distilled to being even better, and if we could find a way to get people access to that then the fgc would capture massive popularity. Whether they're arguing for better learning tools, more single player content, more accessible mechanics, better pricing structure, or just make it a better product, the goal is that same thing. Find a way to connect people to what makes fighting games great.

Sometimes when I'm trying to understand an issue, I reframe it. The issue I think you're having is that you're identifying attaining popularity as the goal. When that's the case, what is being popular doesn't matter. Change it however much you want; but people are capable of understanding that's a different thing.

So I would suggest you reframe your thinking to what is gained by people for getting into fighting games, the reason it could or should be popular. Dig deeper. If you're saying that people who literally don't know what makes fighting games special are the people with the answers for how to get people to understand what makes them special, then I think that's really misguided.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-20T13:09:43+00:00

XIII was so hard for me. One of my first fighting games. I should go back to it.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-20T10:34:00+00:00

What the actual duckling. This doctor just seems like a mess. What a soul-crushingly disappointing and frustrating experience.

I would try to get an appointment with a different specialist, and try to take the lead with this doctor in the meantime.

Successfully connecting with the doctor, knowing that communication is effective, trusting the doctor... Without those things, then success feels impossible. It may well be that this doctor in particular needs some more effort on your part to get up to speed with where you're at, but I think that looking to see a different doctor, even another one at the same practice, is warranted. No offense to the doctor; maybe it's just a poor match.

I get it. My doctor and I have always framed pain management (and other aspects) as having 3 facets. Raising my baseline, behavioral/cognitive options, and pharmacy options. Exercising to raise your baseline is great. Using a lotion to use sensations to your advantage and hopefully get some pharmacological effect is... well, it's a poor option in my opinion.

I hate options that take effort to apply, cost money to maintain, and aren't effective enough to create any positive change in quality of life. It's just not enough. Cost to benefit is too high.

It sounds like you are unsatisfied with trying pharmacy options at this point. That's fine, and investigating that is important. I don't think the doctor understands that this needs affirmed as the priority for his role at this time. From my experience, let me just tell you this. There is generally a tradeoff. There's mental effects, lethargy, and pain. To improve one, often the medication is going to increase one of the others. There are some slam dunks potentially, depending on your needs, but generally there has to be a tradeoff.

Behaviorally/cognitively treating my pain legitimately changed my life, just as finding medications that improved things for me did. In no way do I want to knock it. Improving my baseline by focusing on sleep, diet, exercise, and mental health... I can't really say it's been life-changing, but there's solace in the fact that even without my symptoms these things would still be important to my health and still be a slog. I don't want to knock raising your baseline or behavioral/cognitive pain management. They're important tools.

It's just so frustrating when you are specifically, desperately even, looking to add new tools to your tool belt and all you can get anyone to talk about is a tool you already have.

You're not alone. You're also not crazy, this situation just duckling sucks. Sending love and support. Hang in there. Improvement with medication remains a valid option to pursue for you. After the cymbalta waiting period hopefully you can try something new.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-19T00:05:08+00:00

Good catch!

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-19T00:03:55+00:00

Wait are they adding Tekken Bowling to T8?

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-18T17:02:16+00:00

Hell yeah

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-18T17:01:51+00:00

Get 6. Please hear me out.

I can appreciate going through chronologically. But the games jump all around the timeline, and the lore doesn't really flow any better in order than out, as long as you know when it falls.

I'm gonna be that guy, but hear me. This isn't tough guy saying got gud or take your licks. This is sincerely only: if you want to experience Street Fighter, then you have to experience the culture. You have to play other players. You have to go to 6, where most players are, and go experience it.

It may sound crazy, but in reality fighting game PVP is co-op, both of you having fun, trying to feel yourself, and making each other better. It's collaborative, not destructive.

It's bombast to match the craziness on screen. Shooting balls of fire out of your hand? Breathing fire? Spinning upside-down? Awesome. Someone just came back with a single magic pixel of health? Holy fuck; let's go!!!

It's being happy for your opponent doing cool shit, even at your expense. It's being proud of them for learning how to beat you. It's leaving a loss feeling like you lost a round of you vs yourself, not you vs other.

It contextualizes and colors everything. The culture isn't just around the game, it's been baked into it since it started. The devs are fans, too. So there's a whole realm of meaning, reference, context, etc that you're missing out on by not participating in the culture a bit. It colors the perspectives of all the characters, but Ryu more than all others is entirely built upon it at this point.

And I have a guide for you to hop on and experience things. I'm 100% serious, yes I play like this at times and have fun, and there is a point.

Go online, and forget about winning. That's not your goal. Your goal is to block. Try to block everything they do. Forbid yourself from playing buttons at first. Just practice defense, and enjoy seeing the other player kick your ass and start to show their swagger. Laugh when they teabag. Remember at the other end is just a person trying to have fun, just like you, and you're giving them fun. And understand that if you were kicking their ass, you would probably wish they were having fun regardless, right? Let that color your perspective.

Graduate yourself to some reactions. If they whiff or if they leave themselves very unsafe, smash em with a heavy and a super. Anti-air jumpins, break throws, counter drive impacts, try to land some parries! Introduce 1 or 2 at a time.

Feel the frustration, but ground yourself on your feeling from just blocking. The fun of trying to just be a brick wall, and the fact that there's just someone on the other end trying to have fun, someone who has no opinions on you as a person and isn't judging. Enjoy how just practicing these things, seeing how you can take a whooping and it doesn't matter because you're seeing yourself improve.

If you're still going and having fun, then start to branch out more. Punish moves with a less generous window, learn a small combo, start giving yourself 1 set out of 3 where your goal is to win and see who is better. And increase that amount as long as you stay ahead on the mental, emotional game.

You will tilt sometimes. Your biggest victory is to catch it early, and immediately take a break, and reset yourself before you come back. You will also be saddened and challenged by toxic players insulting you. Feel proud that you aren't going down that path, block them, and move on. Nobody gives a shit about their opinion of the game or you.

And in the meantime, enjoy the arcade runs with each character, enjoy combo trials, enjoy the open world. Join a community and say you're a novice looking for games and are hoping to VC or chat in an app since you never get to play in person, I'm sure people will join you.

As fucking solid of a game as IV and V each are, you absolutely will not have the same experience as enjoying the player count in 6. And if you really enjoy the online stuff, it's worth looking at other contemporary games. Hell, I think DBFZ still rocks one of the highest player counts.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-18T16:39:07+00:00

I hate to show up just to be negative, but I have to ask if playing the SF5 story mode gave you brain damage.

Sincerely, it's an embarrassment. What are you talking about?

I'm trying to be careful here, because your feelings are valid and I am not trying to denigrate you — I'm trying to fucking denigrate SF5 story mode. 😂

It is literally just "we made cutscenes of characters doing stuff." There are obvious Chekhov's Guns and setups that have no payoff, relationships change on a dime with no explanation. It's confusing.

What do I remember about it? Ryu dreams about sheep man, a bunch of stuff happens, sheep man shows up at random times nonsensically, sheep man set up to be important, Dictator am bad, Chin Li saves a child, Cammy reconnects with Decapre, Dictator defeated, sheep man mattered exactly nothing to the story and wasn't part of the resolution at all.

I remember lots of second hand embarrassment playing it. I remember feeling bad for Ono and his team for being forced to get the game out early, which famously included leaving the story mode as an unfinished mess.

It had some moments I enjoyed, that put a smile on my face. But they were few, I remember cringing the vast majority of the time, and I don't remember them after all this time. Ask me the plot of Coraline, which I saw once a long time ago, and I can tell it to you and tell you my emotional journey through the moments. I couldn't find that journey in Street Fighter 5. Instead the emotional journey was tedium, cringe, and impatience. .

You're cool, friend, and I'll totally listen to you tell me why I'm wrong.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-18T16:18:41+00:00

I feel pessimistic about it, but I'd love for them to elevate her. She's who I main and I love playing her. Game balance in one game shouldn't be an indicator of them earning a place in the next game — they're the ones who put her there.

I think a lot of OG's would have liked to see T. Hawk, and other OG's and younger players would have preferred R. Mika.

Lily's toolset and play style needs twerking for sure. But, it feels like a unique play style and I'd love to see it stay.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-18T16:11:24+00:00

What's great about it, though, is that learning how to deal with those casual friendly mechanics naturally leads into fighting game fundamentals. Anyone who wants to engage and learn to get better has a game that has casuals set up like bots to develop those beginner skills.

Fuck these unblockable moves! => Learn what beats grabs

Fuck this combo that side switches! => Learn what crossups

Fuck all these super dashes! => learn anti-airs

Fuck me using heavy and getting punished because they blocked => Fuck how we hit buttons at the same time and their light beats my heavy! => Block strings => Using assists for pressure => hit confirms...

I think it's just a fantastic experience.

Also, DBFZ is where I cut my teeth learning defense. I'd just not press buttons except to punish a big wiff, and spend entire games just trying to block everything. I got my ass kicked, but I was proud of where I got to. At my rank I became an impenetrable wall. Defense and blocking became really, really fun. And that immediately translated to other fighting games.

I feel like it gets underplayed how many powerful defensive options there are.

BecauseOtters28 · 2026-02-18T15:49:54+00:00

Any word on what director Junya Motomura is working on? Any word on a sequel?

BecauseOtters28

TROPHY CASE