Windjammers community is like a big international family that welcomes anybody feeling the need to jam the wind, learn basics, all mechanics, and tricks to become a true champion.
Today we'd like to introduce you to Franke AKA MegaphoneFranke, the loudest Windjammers shoutcaster you'll ever meet!
Q: Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
F: My name is Franke (“MegaphoneFranke”) Sisto. I like to think of myself as the voice of the Windjammers community.
Q: When was the first time you played Windjammers and with who?
F: I went to college with a man named Jarret – he goes by the tag of “Jertimus_Warsage.” It was… 2012 I think when he told me that I should go to MAGFest, a big video gaming convention on the east coast of the USA. One of the reasons why I “had to go,” he said, was so that I could try this arcade game that he was introduced to the previous year at MAGFest 2011 (again, I think).
So at MAGFest 2011, some Canadians had brought an arcade cabinet down to the convention with them, and they hosted an impromptu tournament for this game… which was cleaned up by Jarret and his friends. And here’s the best part: Jarret and his boys had only played the game for a single day – yet they made short work of the guys who had been playing the game for years.
So needless to say, I went to MAGFest 2012 with some friends of mine and met Jarret at the convention as he advised. He takes me to the back of the arcade room (a giant American Football Field-sized room FILLED with arcade cabinets of every type) to a small, unlabeled cabinet nearly indistinguishable from any other that surrounded it. And I try the game. That game was Windjammers.
Q: What was your first reaction?
F: All it took was one game. ONE two-out-of-three series. And I was in. I was blown away. I had never seen anything like this game before. Just like Jarret the previous year, I kept on coming back to the cabinet throughout the entire weekend. MAGFest is four days long, so I definitely spent a couple of hours each day in that spot. After that first time, I was introducing everyone I could to the game. I was hooked, and most of the people I showed it to were as well. Cheesy as it sounds, it was… kind of a life-changing experience. The game was FUN. And it had so much heart compared to even other games of its time. When I went back to MAGFest the next year in 2013, the thing I was looking forward to most was playing some Windjammers again.
My origin story is one reason why I try to make tournaments held at MAGFest a big deal.
And then some years later (I want to say late 2015 or early 2016) there was Tony Majors, an arcade vendor who would bring a Windjammers cabinet to the regular Fighting Game Community (FGC) tournaments hosted by Big E in Philadelphia.
That’s where I met the guys from East Coast Jam (Santa with Muscles, Tanguy, Crypt Kiddie, Wiggly, etc. – or “The Delaware Elites” as I call them), and the rest, as they say, is history.
Q: How did you react when you heard that WJ2 was in development?
F: I was in disbelief. The port of the original game to the Playstation 4 in August 2017 was seen by most of us US players as a miracle in and of itself. When we drew a capped 256-player bracket at EVO 2018, we thought that that was going to be it; I was sure that that tournament would be our fifteen minutes of fame before the game would fade into memory once and for all.
But it turned out that lightning was going to strike twice. Our work was just beginning. We’ve always felt that Windjammers deserves a place in the conversation among other marquee eSports games – it brings something to the table, unlike any other experience many have seen. To that end, the community has been doing its best to both grow the scene and sustain that growth, so that we can have a wide player base whenever Windjammers 2 comes out. I want us to take the eSports world by storm, and the announcement of Windjammers 2 gives us a genuine chance to make a big splash and (as dramatic as it sounds) leave our mark on history. I firmly believe that.
Q: Why do you think Windjammers is a competitive game?
F: Windjammers is competitive for the simple fact that it possesses a lot of the qualities that are commonplace in fighting video games (one of the reasons why the game has found its home in the FGC): you have to carefully read your opponent to make sure that they can’t score on you, while at the same time lining up that perfect shot to try and score on them. There are mind games, mixups, footsies as you get into position, and then there’s the flash of the supers, and the precise timing of the super volleys that make the game so fun to watch.
Boiling it down, the game is a test of skill between two players. Who has the better technique? Who has the better reaction time? Who can better think ahead in this ultra-fast game of speed chess? Perhaps most importantly, however, is the fact that there are different “levels” on which the game is played; it is very simple to learn, yet VERY hard to master, which gives it a low skill floor and a seemingly-boundless skill ceiling. And when the original only has a stick and two buttons for its control scheme, it makes it very easy to get a grasp of the basics. So if one is drawn in by the aesthetics and the simplicity of it all, you just build from there!
Q: How's your relationship with the Windjammers community?
F: Despite the persona that I may outwardly project, I do not enjoy “tooting my own horn” – I think that my contemporaries in the American community would give you a more accurate picture. But… I’ll say that I fancy myself as the voice of the community: both in the commentary booth and as an ambassador to other areas of the FGC and eSports in general.
I had to step away for a bit of 2020 to work on myself for a while, and that was hard to do, as all I want is to welcome new players into the scene, teach them the game, and show them that they are welcome with us. I know almost every regular player by name, and I am fortunate to call most of them genuine friends. I want people to have fun with this game that I love, and to be there for people when they need help (even outside of the game). I’m certainly not perfect, but I’m just trying to be the change I want to see in the world. I want to lead this community to something greater than all of us… and I think that a lot of those that know me will say that I’ve tried to do that to the best of my ability.
Q: What type of WJ player are you? Mostly defensive-based, attacking-based, and/or all-round player?
F: Keikun once told me that I play the game like he does: I play based on my emotions. Long story short, if I think something is going to work, I’m going to try it. I’m more known for my antics in front of the camera than I am for my actual skill at the game, so in many ways I guess that makes me somewhat predictable. I use that to my advantage however: I will try and condition you by throwing the disc in the same direction before mixing it up to psych you out. Sometimes I’ll even get into my opponent’s head by talking as I play (though I often don’t realize that I’m doing it). When you hear me say “MONEY!” as I take a shot however (and that call-out is always intentional), it’s when I think I’ve got you where I want you.
Even when I know I’m outclassed in-game, I’ll try to entertain the crowd there live and the people watching the stream at home by playing a character that will make them laugh. I am the joker and that’s a role that I HAPPILY play, but it’s generally agreed upon (last I checked at least) that getting past me in-bracket is the first step to proving yourself as a true force in the scene.
Q: What are the key requirements to win a match when you're playing on the competitive scene of Windjammers?
F: The best key I can give is advice that was given to me by Sandman (who I consider the #4 best player in North America): “Windjammers is a defensive game. Focus on catching the disc. Don’t focus so much on getting it past your opponent, because your opponent is going to screw up eventually.”
Beyond that, I would say to be mindful of your spacing. Always move with a purpose. Oh! And get your curved shots down too – those are going to be your bread and butter.
Q: Any advice for players who discover Windjammers for the first time?
F: Real talk? Just have fun with it. Get into the aesthetic, the feel, and the general wackiness of it all. Don’t focus so much on winning – there’re levels to this, and you’re not going to be an ace right away. You’re going to mess up your curved shots. You’re going to dash at the wrong times. All of that is fine – it happens to even the best of us every now and then. As you learn the game and get more comfortable with the mechanics, you’ll level up and learn things that you couldn’t see before.
Most importantly though? Don’t get discouraged. If you’re in your first bracket (or even if you’re playing online) and you get matched up against a killer for example: don’t give up. Yeah, you might not even be able to score on that particular opponent, but everyone’s got to start somewhere!
Like I said: there are levels to this. We’re all still learning stuff about the game – doubly so because there are so few other experiences like it out there even 27 years later. Join us on our weekly Windjammers Wednesdays meetup (on the Jam the Wind Discord) and we’ll help you practice and get better. Even if you don’t feel like playing the game at that moment, just come and hang out with us. We’re always happy to meet new people.
Q: Would you like to see Windjammers 2 on the biggest international competitive scene? If yes, why?
F: Absolutely! That’s a loaded question right there! The game is very spectator-friendly: even if you don’t know exactly what’s going on, you can appreciate the flashiness of the visual style. And then when you DO learn more about what’s going on, you can appreciate the dexterity and fortitude required of a top-level player, especially considering how fast everything moves and how you have to be ready to make a precise movement with split-second timing. Like I said before: there are levels to this. And seeing how players at the same levels match up with each other is just a joy to watch. I firmly believe that Windjammers 2 can be a force in the world of eSports. The world is going to love this game. The world just doesn’t know it yet.
Q: What are your favorite characters and courts?
F: Anyone who’s seen me play knows that Steve Miller is my go-to. Yeah, I might be a one-trick pony (which is why I’ve tried to work on my Klaus Wessel), but Miller just feels… right to me. He’s the perfect balance of Speed and Power for my playstyle. Mita moves too quickly and Costa moves just a tad too slow. And say what you will about his Custom Super, but I’m a fan of the 50/50 aspect of it. That’s also why I enjoy playing on the Tiled court, or as I like to call it: “MILLER COUNTRY.” If I fire the Custom Super or a Super Lob on Tiled and you guess wrong, you just brought me five points closer to winning! That stage in particular just tailors itself so well to my playstyle (and Miller mains in general).
Oh, and then there’s “The Sisto Psych-Out.” You’ll know it when you play against me.
I also enjoy the odd Concrete game as well. I always say that if you feel like your opponent is just slightly better than you, take them to a bumper stage. Concrete is just a bigger Tiled with bumpers, and I always get a kick out of some of those interactions.
Miss me with that Clay stuff though… that stage is going to give me a heart attack one day.
Q: Which former WJ character would you like to see in WJ2?
F: OK. I got Miller back, and YES, I want to know the story behind that eyepatch, but all I want is to see all of the OGs return. So where’s my G. Scott and J. Costa at?
Oh yeah, and we can’t forget Beeho Yoo either. That guy deserves his time in the spotlight too. Nobody should get left behind. Those are words I try to live by.
Q: Do you think that Windjammers 2 is easy to learn? If yes, why?
F: The short answer is “yes,” though it’s definitely more difficult to learn than the original Windjammers. The addition of the two (really three) new buttons adds so much mixup potential that the competitive implications are limitless. And THAT will be delightful to watch. But at its core, I would say that it’s still easier to learn than your conventional fighting game. So what I would say is to start with the basics (throw, lob, dash), then start working in the newer maneuvers (slapshot, dropshot, jump, meter techniques).
The primary appeal of Windjammers to me is its simplicity and accessibility. And the sequel most certainly keeps that intact. Each button has a specific use based on common situations, and once you learn the basics, you can start changing things up and adding new tactics to your playstyle. The additions to the system make things so much more interesting – I’m eager to see how the meta develops once the final game is released.
Q: Anything else to say to the Windjammer Community? (veterans and/or newcomers)
F: For newcomers: I want to tell them that they are welcome in this community. The motto of the Windjammers community is “All Are Welcome,” and that is something that I try to practice in whatever I do. I hope that people will give the game a chance and spread the word just like my friend Jarret did for me almost a decade ago. It’s never too late to play the game, and we’ll be here waiting for you whenever you come.
For veterans: our work is just beginning. It’s our job to welcome new players into the scene and show them the ropes. This game will live and die with our devotion to it: if we want this classic to break into the modern world of eSports, it’s going to be on us as a community to make this happen. We can do this. But we need to do it together.
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