Great Vid of two Carmac and White-Ra tricking people at Blizzcon that the ESL's games manager is the legendary Ukranian Zerg Dimaga. They kind of look similar, from the forehead up.
![[image loading]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uXew2ES_-uKhVdsMhkH_vBVjKbPEr9qxp11q8Smdx1kDHbd0K2eyZ7yPWuMEq_Hgu3Cw3O4ojxUygIHqZ1F023rD2Yjh5I8BJqWEo5HR3jotqFiqo5XKqUwY9ekqINOoTWrGwoXSWrTBus_Lb36yKRGAZwA2LipsbBU1HP0mVKp62_2yBLTKiPjPwXG8Y=s0-d)
Showing posts with label Interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interview. Show all posts
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The Infamous No Monitor Joke
One of my favorite lines from Starcraft history ever. When they make the next updated version of The Starcraft Bible, the infamous no monitor joke needs to be the epitaph.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
FXO Winning
They didn't do too well in their first few games, taking a few games, but never winning a match.
That was of course until last week, when they were matched up against Incredible Miracle, a team which has two double GSL winners, both of whom are considered to be the best in the world for Protoss and Terran. They had already lost against teams with lesser reputations and accomplishments and so there was not much hope for them winning against the powerhouse of IM.
Four games later, FXOpen was literally living and playing in a different world. qxc had been sent out as their first player and he went on to all-kill IM. Granted the first three players were not the best IM had to offer, but the fourth game was taken off of Mvp.
Here's an interview with qxc after his all-kill from TL.
*********************
Hello "Bandana Man," what do you think of your new Korean nickname?
I think it's quite touching. I've also grown rather fond of John Lennon Toto Destroyer as well as the Bandana Terran. Although if I am to continue my reign as Bandana Man I will require a new bandana sometime soon.
Interviewer's note: If someone got Qxc a fitting bandana for Anaheim, Fionn's wish for a pirate Qxc may be in the near future
What was behind the decision to put yourself out first?
With Sheth gone our options were more limited. Sending out a protoss on Bel'Shir was basically out of the question and of the three remaining players (Me/Tgun/Moonan) I felt the most comfortable on the map.
Did you expect the results that you achieved?
I don't know if expect is the right word. I had been hoping for an all kill and I had done some preparation beforehand (researching IM's likely roster and preparing ceremonies of course).
What was did it feel like when IM put out MVP for the final match? Were you nervous at all?
I went into the match aiming for an all kill. I knew that meant eventually I would be playing world class players and whatever nervousness I might have had about that I had already dealt with beforehand. At the time I felt ready to take on anyone IM had.
In all four games, you showed some extremely solid play, what would you contribute your increase in skill to?
Practicing against Koreans has helped tremendously. In order to be competitive here I needed to improve significantly. Additionally my practice regiment has become much more focused (and actually exists) which has helped me systematically iron out my problems and increase my skill.
In our very first interview, I asked how many Korean's have heard of you, and you responded "if all goes as planned, many more than before," do you feel more recognized in Korea now than before?
If the attention I've been getting online is any indication I would say that yes. Many many more Koreans have heard of Bandana Terran.
What future goals do you have for Korea?
I'd like to play in the next Code A. After that I have to return to the USA for one year of university. After that... who knows?
How did you guys celebrate your victory?
We went out and got BBQ. After that I went and worked out. Played some Diablo 2 and just generally relaxed. Our schedule has been pretty grueling and more than anything else I just wanted to take a break. Oh and I also read about 20 issues of Deadpool. That character is hilarious.
You'll be fighting your way through the open bracket of MLG Anaheim, how do you anticipate yourself doing there?
I hope to do well but there's a lot of factors that I don't have a good handle on yet. I'm not sure the best way to deal with jet lag as well as the endurance required to play for hours on end. Unlike the GSTL which I was able to test my progress in almost weekly it's been a while since I've played in a LAN tournament. With a bit of luck and my new found power level I expect I can make it quite far.
Scan the island?
Yes sir!
I think it's quite touching. I've also grown rather fond of John Lennon Toto Destroyer as well as the Bandana Terran. Although if I am to continue my reign as Bandana Man I will require a new bandana sometime soon.
Interviewer's note: If someone got Qxc a fitting bandana for Anaheim, Fionn's wish for a pirate Qxc may be in the near future
What was behind the decision to put yourself out first?
With Sheth gone our options were more limited. Sending out a protoss on Bel'Shir was basically out of the question and of the three remaining players (Me/Tgun/Moonan) I felt the most comfortable on the map.
Did you expect the results that you achieved?
I don't know if expect is the right word. I had been hoping for an all kill and I had done some preparation beforehand (researching IM's likely roster and preparing ceremonies of course).
What was did it feel like when IM put out MVP for the final match? Were you nervous at all?
I went into the match aiming for an all kill. I knew that meant eventually I would be playing world class players and whatever nervousness I might have had about that I had already dealt with beforehand. At the time I felt ready to take on anyone IM had.
In all four games, you showed some extremely solid play, what would you contribute your increase in skill to?
Practicing against Koreans has helped tremendously. In order to be competitive here I needed to improve significantly. Additionally my practice regiment has become much more focused (and actually exists) which has helped me systematically iron out my problems and increase my skill.
In our very first interview, I asked how many Korean's have heard of you, and you responded "if all goes as planned, many more than before," do you feel more recognized in Korea now than before?
If the attention I've been getting online is any indication I would say that yes. Many many more Koreans have heard of Bandana Terran.
What future goals do you have for Korea?
I'd like to play in the next Code A. After that I have to return to the USA for one year of university. After that... who knows?
How did you guys celebrate your victory?
We went out and got BBQ. After that I went and worked out. Played some Diablo 2 and just generally relaxed. Our schedule has been pretty grueling and more than anything else I just wanted to take a break. Oh and I also read about 20 issues of Deadpool. That character is hilarious.
You'll be fighting your way through the open bracket of MLG Anaheim, how do you anticipate yourself doing there?
I hope to do well but there's a lot of factors that I don't have a good handle on yet. I'm not sure the best way to deal with jet lag as well as the endurance required to play for hours on end. Unlike the GSTL which I was able to test my progress in almost weekly it's been a while since I've played in a LAN tournament. With a bit of luck and my new found power level I expect I can make it quite far.
Scan the island?
Yes sir!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Polt and MMA Interview
Below is the GOMTV interview with the players from yesterday:
***************
Q. What are your thoughts on the final of GSL Super Tournament?
MMA: Semifinals was really tough for me and I know a lot of people considered the semifinals to be the actual final. I personally think the final will be easier because MKP is better than Polt.
Polt: Starting from Ro64 ,I faced stronger opponents as I advanced. And I think MMA is stronger than oGsTOP. But since I have been getting better progressively I am confident.
Gerrard: MKP is the most hardworking and most talented player in the team. But I believe Polt facing MMA is better than having to play against MKP. We will work on building good strategies to defeat MMA.
Cella: MMA is considered as the king of TvT. And Polt is well known for his TvP sklils. I personally thought Alicia was gonna win and meet MMA in the final but was surprised to see Polt win. But he is not gonna be good enough to defeat MMA.
Note: MMA has 73% win ratio against Terrans. Polt has 35% win ratio against Terrans.
Polt: Alicia has better win ratio against Terran but I beat him so I think I will do good against MMA.
Q. MMA. You already exposed a lot of strategies against Terran. Do you think this will work against your favor?
MMA: We (SlayerS) still have an infinite number of strategies and we are ready display them in games.
Q. Polt. You have MKP, a great teammate, on your team. Are you working with MKP to come up good strategies to beat MMA?
Polt: MKP creates many good builds. Most of the builds players are using now are modified versions of what MKP has introduced first. MKP showed me a new build recently that is really great. I am ready to show it off at the final.
Q. Polt beat Alicia and MMA beat MKP. Were you asked to carry out the revenge for your teammate?
Polt: MKP said that if MMA wins the final then he will not be able to sleep comfortably. To help him sleep peacefully I will do my best to win the final.
MMA: Alicia didn’t really say anything. Alicia actually went to the reserve forces training so I will see him once he gets back.
Q. MMA. You have been showing similar patterns in your games such as secret expos or Medivac harassment. How are you going to develop this strategy?
Polt. How are you going to prepare against MMA's play style?
MMA: My strength lies in multitasking and double-way Medivac harassment. But even though people know that I am going to use that strategy in advance they don’t know how to defend against it.
Polt: I am kinda weak against Medivac harassment but all out war is also important. I am going to push through with strength.
Q. Since it’s TvT, maps are not going to affect the gameplay that much. However, which map do you think will be the deciding factor and what’s your prediction for the score?
Polt: I believe it will be the maps for 3rd or 4th set. The player who wins both sets will win the final. If the wins are split over the 3rd and 4th set, then it will go to the 7th set. I am expecting 4-1.
MMA: I believe that first set is most important because how you play your first game will affect the result of 2nd and 3rd set. I believe the score is going to be either 4-0 or 4-1.
Q. MMA. BoxeR also plays Terran and he can help out MMA with good strategies. How has BoxeR helped you make it all the way to the final?
MMA: Boxer is a great motivator and whenever he watches my game he helps me out a lot. He told me to stay calm at the semifinals after I was down 2 games. He helped me get back into the game and that’s how I was able to come back and win the game. I believe he will be of a great help to me at the final.
Q. Polt. Prime team does not have BoxeR helping out the team. How are you going to overcome that gap?
Polt: It is true that MMA has BoxeR supporting him but I have my teammates that I care about and have to lead. I have to get a revenge on MMA for MKP and I will do my best to win the team its first champion’s trophy. I will work hard to fill the gap to the best of my abilities.
Q. Prize money for the champion of GSL Super Tournament is 100 million won. Is claiming that money one of your goals in the upcoming final.
MMA: Even though the prize money is big I just want to win the championship as a pro-gamer. I have someone from SK Telecom (team) who have motivated me to win this final no matter what but I am not going to disclose more information on this until I actually hold the trophy in my hands.
Polt: Every time you play a match you have to win to take the prize money home. And it is true that money does concern me sometimes. However, once I make it to the studio and sit in that booth, the money disappears from my sight completely. And I just feel like I want to destroy the opponent in front of me. Right now defeating MMA is my only goal.
Q. Polt. This is your first time to advance to a final and your biggest enemy could be your nervousness. How are you going to overcome that obstacle?
Polt: I have not lost games in which I was able to display my full skills. I believe that if I can draw out my full SC2 skills at the final then I will have no problem overcoming the nervousness.
Gerrard: Polt is a good player but he has been having camera frights and was only able to show only 50% of what he is capable of. I just want him to stay calm and maybe I will have make him take some sedatives to do his best at the final (hahaha).
Q. MMA. After winning MLG Columbus, you said that your next goal is winning the Super Tournament. Are you nervous about the upcoming final?
MMA: The pressure from the final of an individual league is nothing compared to the pressure I faced from the GSTL final. I was the team captain and had to lead the team to the victory when they needed me the most. I think I will be able to cope with the nervousness pretty well.
Q. Polt. You are quite of a celebrity at your school. What are your thoughts on that? And is it hard to study and play at the same time?
Polt: I am grateful that people recognize me and cheer me on when the see me on campus. It is a bit tough doing both at the same time but college is college and game is game.
Note: At an interview Polt said that studying is easier than playing the game.
Q. Cella. What is MMA's biggest strength?
Cella: Other players sometimes take a break to take their mind off the game for a bit but MMA always pratices hard. When he is not playing he watches the game VODs and analyzes his opponent thoroughly. He doesn’t have any interest in other things and only takes his time off to work out. His strength is also his weakness because thanks to his characteristics, pleasing the community is a little hard.
Q. MMA do you know of Rainbow (Korean Girl Group) who will be performing at the upcoming final?
MMA: I have heard of them but I don’t know how many members they have. I just know it’s a girl group.
Q. Gerrard. What is Polt's biggest strength?
Gerrard: I believe most gamers are very focused on the game. Polt also practices a lot. Cella said concentration and constant practice is the strengths of MMA but Polt also has those strengths. On top of that, Polt also uses his practice time very efficently and effectively.
Q. Polt do you know of Rainbow (Korean Girl Group)?
Polt: Yeah I know of Rainbow and am familiar with their main song.
Note: Fans asked him to sing a line from the song but Polt kindly declined.
Q. Famous players have nicknames. Are there any nicknames you have been thinking of and would like the community to call you that nickname? And what would you do with the prize money?
Polt: I like the nickname I already have. I don’t really have anywhere to spend the prize money so I will save it and pay my tuition with it.
MMA: I have heard people call me Military Terran and that one is my least favorite. (MMA is short for Military Manpower Administration in Korea.)
I want the fans to give me a good nickname and if I win the prize money I want to help my parents get a new home.
Q. Is there a SC2 unit that you think you can use/control better than everyone else?
Polt: I am good with Marauders. Marauders are usually used against Protoss and that’s why I think my TvP is good.
MMA: I am good with Mules. Just kidding. I use Marines pretty well.
Q. MMA. Not Medivacs?
MMA: Wel I can control Medivacs well but Marines are the ones that get in the Medivac.
Q. What are the differences between MKP’s Marines and your Marines?
MMA: Don’t really wanna face his Marines really and I don't want to talk about the differences. I will need my Medivacs.
Q. Are there times when during break you feel like you want to use cheese rush or strategies other than the ones you have prepared?
MMA: I try to stick to my original plan but when I feel like a certain strategy would work better then I use that strategy.
Polt: I always stick to the strategy I have prepared. There is a saying that whenever you take a test the first answer is always the right one. I don't want to be wrong.
Q. Polt. Do you actually guess on some of your answers during the test?
Polt: Sometimes…
Q. What do you think of the balance?
Polt: I believe it changes depending on the map. Overall, GSL maps are comfortable for me as a Terran player but I am not sure about how it is for Protoss or Zerg because I don’t play those races.
MMA: I also believe that it changes depending on the map. There were certain maps that were good for Terran but I believe when the new maps come out people will complain less about the balance. I think Protoss is a strong race but some players don’t use its strengths well.
Q. MMA. You were recently eliminated from another tournament. What happened? Also what do you think about the comments about your looks?
MMA: I lost yesterday because I lack skill. And I know my face is little shady due to my facial hair. I shave often but it just keeps growing back. I am planning on doing something about this in the near future.
Q. Polt. What do you think about the comments about your looks?
Polt: People get mad when others say that I am good looking. I haven’t personally thought about it and don’t really care about it.
Q. Coaches. What are you doing to prepare your players for the final?
Gerrard: We have MKP who is helping out a lot. Polt had to do his school work while playing the game and that’s why he had trouble making up new builds but MKP has been of a great help. MKP is good at building new builds and strategies but Polt is good at adapting to those strategies, analyzing his opponents and making that strategy one of his own. We will do our best to help Polt get ready for the final.
Cella: There aren’t many things I can advise MMA on regarding TvT strategies since MMA is already on a high level. However, SlayserS is known as the top notch Terran team. We have BoxeR and are able to make good strategies. Ganzi, BoxeR, and Ryung will be a good support for MMA.
Q. Many people didn’t want TvT for the final. But there are various types of Terrans. When you have to play against a Terran player which type is worse? A classic textbook Terran that is predictable but strong or unorthodox Terran that is using risky but powerful strategies?
Polt: Speedy Terran is pretty tough to play against but you end up winning when you defend their attacks. However, players like NaDa are hard to fight against even though you know what they are trying to do.
MMA: Strategies like double Barracks, Mech and Gas first are being used these days.However, classic textbook Terran is strong. And sticking to the basics will win you the game.
Q. What are some of the hard things you have been facing preparing for the final?
Polt: I had a busy schedule and I am exhausted but I believe MMA had to go through the same schedule so maintaining a good condition for the final is important and is definitely necessary.
MMA: I don’t agree with Polt. I went to MLG and was so tired after the event. I was in zombie mode for a while so I don't think Polt and I had to go through the same schedule. I agree that maintaining a good condition is important, however.
Q. Coaches. You will have a champion from your team soon. What are your thoughts on this?
Cella: I want MMA to do his best since the opportunity doesn't come often. SC2 is still in its beginning stage and I want the fans to help us make this game something bigger than what it is now.
Gerrard: MKP advanced to the final 3 times but couldn’t take home the trophy. And now Polt is at the final. Many players share the dream of becoming the champion but I am going to help Polt win the Optimus ID and this will be passed on to the next player who wins the championship. Hopefully this will motivate MKP to work harder as well. It’s going to be some form of title at the Prime house.
Q. Players have to face slump at some point. How do you overcome your slump or stress when you practice?
MMA: Whenever I experience slump I tell myself that it’s okay as long as my skill level doesn’t drop. Whenever games don’t work out well I exercise. I play soccer or go hiking with my teammates.
Polt: The game changed rapidly recently and when I couldn’t adapt to the change I experience slump. Thinking about my current situation and adapting to the change helped me overcome the slump.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
I haven't been following Code A as much on the GSL this league. Not sure why. I guess, I've already picked my crew of Starcraft 2 heroes and so I don't really need anymore crowded their way into my heart.
One of the things which kept me away from Code A this season is the lack of Kelly from Singapore. I enjoyed her nerdy commentary and was sad to see her go. I still tune in sometimes when she lives streams. The new casters for Code A weren't as interesting at first. DOA was kind of a straight man, but needed a less serious partner to be a foil to the fact that he always looks uptight even when he's gleeful. When Kelly left and they introduced Moletrap, it was really confusing. Artosis and Tasteless work well because both are huge nerds, but one is a straight nerd, the other is a joker. With Moletrap and DOA, it seemed at first as if both were straight nerds. But after a couple of casts, Moletrap has started to grow on me. There is an almost geek earnestness to his discomfort and awkward casting. Hearing him explode when a nuke is queued up is hysterical.
Some interviews with the two Code Caster can be found below courtesy of Sixjax.
From Sixjax:
Sixjaxgaming was recently able to round up the two members of the Code-A casting team for a few words. Artosis sat down with Moletrap for an on camera chat and I had the privilege to interview Doa via email.
The Code-A casting duo is living what many would consider a dream, and it seems as if they’re well aware of how good they have it. Both Moletrap and Doa had a lot to say about their experiences abroad, with GOMTV, and their personal histories as casters. They were nice enough to give us a peek into their lives despite their busy schedules, and for that I’d like to thank them up front.
Without further adieu, the Code-A casting team:
Artosis with Moletrap:
INTERVIEW WITH DOA
evoli: Doa, I apologize for being so blunt, but it really seems like you came out of fucking nowhere. You went from being a relatively low-key caster who’s bread and butter was youtube to being the community’s Code-A casting savior. Would you mind giving a brief summary of your Starcraft casting career prior to your start with GOMTV for those, like me, who are unfamiliar with the entire story?
Doa: Ha. Well I don’t know if I’d say Code A savior. I’m just glad to get this chance and I’m trying to do my best. I began casting because I had a background in speaking and I wanted to contribute to the community, but I knew I didn’t have time to play at the top level. It started out with some youtube casts and the response was pretty positive, which prompted me to start doing more with it. I ended up working with an organization called the Rush Network and started casting live events for them. I ended up meeting a lot of great players and other casters during that time and was having a ton of fun. I pretty much cast with someone different almost every week, which was great because it really trained me on how to just be able to jump in and cast with anyone and have fun doing it. Probably the biggest event I did pre-GSL was a LAN in St Louis that was put on by Eleven Gaming. I cast it with Catspajamas from the lobby of a Best Western hotel. We had about 30-50 people watching plus the random confused person who was checking in/out of their rooms and had to see what these nerds were yelling about behind their computers. (the players were upstairs. cats and I were casting from a table in front of a big screen that displayed the game) One week after that LAN I flew to Korea.
evoli: Now you’re big time; you’re living in South Korea, which many still consider the Starcraft Mecca, casting Starcraft professionally for the GSL. What’s it feel like to be casting one the most prestigious Starcraft 2 leagues on the planet? Furthermore how did you react when you found out that you were one of the casters that GOM had hired? I can only imagine what it must have been like when you read the email and found out you had been selected.
Doa: Honestly it feels like an alternate reality or something. It still feels too amazing to be true. When I started getting really into casting I’d joke with my friends that I’d be casting the GSL someday and now here I am. There’s a certain amount of pressure involved as well since people have such high expectations (and they should), but it doesn’t really affect me. I can only be myself and cast with my style and hope people like it.Getting that email from John is actually kind of an embarrassing story. lol. I keep my smartphone by my bed and use it as an alarm clock as well. So picture this: I’ve just been woken up by my alarm. I grab my phone to turn it off and… oh. I’ve got an email. Oh.. It’s from John the Translator and he wants me to come and cast GSL. That’s nice. (At this point I’m still 75% asleep.) Wait… WHAT? THIS CAN’T BE REAL ASKDJLSADJljdaklas!!! I jump out of bed and re-read it on my computer. I’m thinking “No way. I’m nobody. This must be a scam. (still mostly asleep) But it might be real… but I need to be sure! (and here’s where it gets really embarrassing) I kid you not. I actually sent an email to the Handsome Nerd contact email to ask if it was legit or not. About an hour later when I woke up and realized that the likelihood of someone impersonating John the Translator to scam GSL applicants is pretty low. I felt like a moron, but everything worked out ok. Artosis even kindly replied and confirmed it. Just goes to show you shouldn’t check your email until you’re fully awake! You’ll do stupid things otherwise. So yeah. There was a good amount of disbelief when I got the email.
evoli: If I’m not mistaken you have a wife back in the states. I’m sure it must be difficult for both of you to be apart from one another. How does your wife feel about your pursuing such an unconventional career and traveling half way around the world to work?
Doa: It’s tough, but she knows how important it is to me. We still talk nearly every day over Skype or Bnet, but I still can’t wait to see her again in a few weeks. I’m just really lucky I’m married to someone who’s brave enough to go after an awesome fun life with me instead of a normal, safe, boring life. She’s actually a very talented (award winning even) producer, editor, director so she and I have already begun brainstorming about some pretty awesome content we’ll be working on once I get home. We’ve both got some history in sports broadcasting so we’re hoping to be able to apply that to a career in eSports.
evoli: Besides the separation between you and your wife, what has been hardest part about living in Korea? I know moving is never the easiest thing to do, and you were thrown into a completely different culture on the other side of the planet and you were expected to get down to work right away. Are there any particular things you miss or anything that was remarkably hard to get accustomed to?
Doa: I miss Root Beer, lol. I know there must be some here somewhere, but I haven’t found it yet. The language has been a challenge to learn, but I can get around most places on my own now at least. The hardest part has really been learning the business side of eSports. I’m certainly not much of a businessman so I’m struggling a bit there. All I want to do is keep casting!
evoli: On a more positive note, what have you really enjoyed about Korea?
Doa: Pretty much everything. It’s a great country! The culture is extremely polite and friendly. It actually reminds me a lot of my home in Minnesota. I’ll definitely miss the food quite a bit when I leave, as well. I’m actually trying to learn to cook some myself so I can keep making it back home. I actually love cooking.
evoli: I get conflicting stories all the time about how popular Starcraft 2 is in Korea; sometimes I hear that Starcraft 2 is really picking up traction and other times I hear that Broodwar is still miles ahead in terms of support. Is the Korean Starcraft 2 scene everything that you imagined it would be? To follow up, how do you think the Korean Starcraft 2 scene compares to the American Starcraft 2 scene in terms of fan base?
Doa: SC1 is definitely still huge here and that shouldn’t surprise nor worry anyone. They’ve been watching it for over a decade! I’ve heard there was also some untrue bad press about SC2 that was circulated before its launch that may be holding some people back as well, although I didn’t see it myself so don’t take my word as fact. I do know that a lot of players are seeing that there’s a lot more money to be made playing SC2 now and I’ve seen more fans coming to the studio almost every week. SC2 is the future and everyone, and I mean everyone, knows this. There’s kind of a misconception out there right now that you have to choose between the two. I’m still a BW fan and I also cast GSL. The transition will take a year or two and that’s perfectly fine. On the American side it really seems like right now we’ve got a bigger SC2 fan base than Korea does, which I think is great! I told my family that SC2 was going to explode around the globe this year and I’m glad to say that so far that’s been totally true. As far as the fans themselves go; they’re the same everywhere. A sports fan is a sports fan!
evoli: We’ve compared the fan base between regions, now I’d like to compare players between regions. I know you regularly laddered on the North American server before you left, and I know you’ve been laddering a bit on the Korean server since you showed up in Seoul. What do you think about the skill difference between the average Korean player and the average North American player? Is the Korean ladder any more difficult than the North American ladder?
Doa: The Korean ladder is much more difficult. Gold in Korea is Diamond on NA. I’ve been trying to figure out why that is. I honestly don’t know. I suspect that the main reasons are that a lot of these players in Korea grew up watching and playing SC1 and already have a solid background in their mechanics that a lot of players in NA lack because SC2 is their first RTS and don’t regularly watch pro-play. Another factor might be time. In Korean culture most kids live with their parents until they’re married. They don’t need as much income from jobs, etc and that gives them more time to play. All this is just speculation though. It’s a rather entertaining mystery actually. This isn’t a criticism of the NA ladder or anything either. It’s just an observation of differences.
evoli: If I remember correctly, GOMTV said they were cycling through their Code-A casters. What are you currently planning to do when your stint with the GSL is up or put on hold? There have been a ton of leagues launched since you left the states, so I’m sure finding more casting work shouldn’t be too difficult if you were interested in continuing to cast professionally.
Doa: I’d love to keep casting professionally after my stay here is over! Esports is my life now. Someone could look at what I’ve done here in Korea and say it was a nice break from “the real world”, but I see it as the first step in what I’ll be doing full time now. Even if I do end up needing a job to make ends meet, my focus will still be on casting. I’ve been looking for casting opportunities in NA already and I’ll continue to do so once I get back.
evoli: Speaking of all the tournaments popping up, what is your current spectating schedule like? We’ve been extremely lucky with all the boom in content lately, but it’s gotten to the point where most people, unfortunately, can no longer watch each and every event as they occur. Are there any tournaments or weekly shows that you do your best to watch in addition to the GSL games?
Doa: I always watch the TSL and I keep up to date on the NASL and IPL as well. Luckily, I’ve got enough time to watch everything at the moment. I haven’t watched as much Day9 as I used to though, which has been a bummer. I feel like the Day[9] Daily was the milk that sustained me in my esports infancy.
evoli: Alright Doa, we’re going to wrap this up with a little a bit of real talk. These are going to be shorter questions, but I still want you to pour your heart out. Alright, real talk: What’s your favorite Korean pro team?
Doa: Ha. Torch would be mad if I didn’t say Startale and I do like a lot of those guys, but right now I’m watching SlayerS. They’ve got a ton of new talent and I’m curious to see where their guys will end up.
evoli: Real talk: What’s the best game you’ve ever cast?
Doa: Boxer vs Avenge game 3. Moletrap. Nukes. End of story. There was a Bo3 at the St. Louis LAN between two payers named Hunger and Kencorp that were a ton of fun as well. Anyone who’s seen those knows what I’m talking about.
evoli: Real talk: What’s your favorite match up to cast?
Doa: TvP right now. Both races have a ton of different legit strats they can do.
evoli: You’ve been known to tell a silly joke or two during games. Real talk: Of all your cheesy jokes you’ve told while casting GSL, which one was your favorite?
Doa: lol. Oh man… I don’t even remember most of those jokes after I make them. I like referencing old cartoons and games I loved as a kid since it makes me feel all warm and happy inside. I heard the Facebook status one about the Stalker dying was popular? Honestly I just say whatever comes to mind.
evoli: Realest talk: Do you prefer Kelly or Moletrap more as a co-caster?
Doa: That’s like making me pick between Dinosaurs and Ninjas. Which is cooler? How can anyone make that choice?
evoli: And I always like to finish things up with a real gentleman’s question. Real talk: What is your favorite alcohol beverage?
Doa: Ah. I enjoy a nice Whiskey on the Rocks. Blackberry Brandy if I’m feeling saucy.
evoli: Alright, well that will do it. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us here at Sixjaxgaming.com, Doa. We appreciate it tons. Any last words or shout outs before I let you go?
Doa: Huge thanks to my lovely wife of course! Thank you as well to everyone that I cast with before now. It was a ton of fun. Thanks to Dan and Nick for being incredibly helpful and to everyone at GOMtv for the huge opportunity!
One of the things which kept me away from Code A this season is the lack of Kelly from Singapore. I enjoyed her nerdy commentary and was sad to see her go. I still tune in sometimes when she lives streams. The new casters for Code A weren't as interesting at first. DOA was kind of a straight man, but needed a less serious partner to be a foil to the fact that he always looks uptight even when he's gleeful. When Kelly left and they introduced Moletrap, it was really confusing. Artosis and Tasteless work well because both are huge nerds, but one is a straight nerd, the other is a joker. With Moletrap and DOA, it seemed at first as if both were straight nerds. But after a couple of casts, Moletrap has started to grow on me. There is an almost geek earnestness to his discomfort and awkward casting. Hearing him explode when a nuke is queued up is hysterical.
Some interviews with the two Code Caster can be found below courtesy of Sixjax.
From Sixjax:
Sixjaxgaming was recently able to round up the two members of the Code-A casting team for a few words. Artosis sat down with Moletrap for an on camera chat and I had the privilege to interview Doa via email.
The Code-A casting duo is living what many would consider a dream, and it seems as if they’re well aware of how good they have it. Both Moletrap and Doa had a lot to say about their experiences abroad, with GOMTV, and their personal histories as casters. They were nice enough to give us a peek into their lives despite their busy schedules, and for that I’d like to thank them up front.
Without further adieu, the Code-A casting team:
Artosis with Moletrap:
INTERVIEW WITH DOA
evoli: Doa, I apologize for being so blunt, but it really seems like you came out of fucking nowhere. You went from being a relatively low-key caster who’s bread and butter was youtube to being the community’s Code-A casting savior. Would you mind giving a brief summary of your Starcraft casting career prior to your start with GOMTV for those, like me, who are unfamiliar with the entire story?
Doa: Ha. Well I don’t know if I’d say Code A savior. I’m just glad to get this chance and I’m trying to do my best. I began casting because I had a background in speaking and I wanted to contribute to the community, but I knew I didn’t have time to play at the top level. It started out with some youtube casts and the response was pretty positive, which prompted me to start doing more with it. I ended up working with an organization called the Rush Network and started casting live events for them. I ended up meeting a lot of great players and other casters during that time and was having a ton of fun. I pretty much cast with someone different almost every week, which was great because it really trained me on how to just be able to jump in and cast with anyone and have fun doing it. Probably the biggest event I did pre-GSL was a LAN in St Louis that was put on by Eleven Gaming. I cast it with Catspajamas from the lobby of a Best Western hotel. We had about 30-50 people watching plus the random confused person who was checking in/out of their rooms and had to see what these nerds were yelling about behind their computers. (the players were upstairs. cats and I were casting from a table in front of a big screen that displayed the game) One week after that LAN I flew to Korea.
evoli: Now you’re big time; you’re living in South Korea, which many still consider the Starcraft Mecca, casting Starcraft professionally for the GSL. What’s it feel like to be casting one the most prestigious Starcraft 2 leagues on the planet? Furthermore how did you react when you found out that you were one of the casters that GOM had hired? I can only imagine what it must have been like when you read the email and found out you had been selected.
Doa: Honestly it feels like an alternate reality or something. It still feels too amazing to be true. When I started getting really into casting I’d joke with my friends that I’d be casting the GSL someday and now here I am. There’s a certain amount of pressure involved as well since people have such high expectations (and they should), but it doesn’t really affect me. I can only be myself and cast with my style and hope people like it.
evoli: If I’m not mistaken you have a wife back in the states. I’m sure it must be difficult for both of you to be apart from one another. How does your wife feel about your pursuing such an unconventional career and traveling half way around the world to work?
Doa: It’s tough, but she knows how important it is to me. We still talk nearly every day over Skype or Bnet, but I still can’t wait to see her again in a few weeks. I’m just really lucky I’m married to someone who’s brave enough to go after an awesome fun life with me instead of a normal, safe, boring life. She’s actually a very talented (award winning even) producer, editor, director so she and I have already begun brainstorming about some pretty awesome content we’ll be working on once I get home. We’ve both got some history in sports broadcasting so we’re hoping to be able to apply that to a career in eSports.
evoli: Besides the separation between you and your wife, what has been hardest part about living in Korea? I know moving is never the easiest thing to do, and you were thrown into a completely different culture on the other side of the planet and you were expected to get down to work right away. Are there any particular things you miss or anything that was remarkably hard to get accustomed to?
Doa: I miss Root Beer, lol. I know there must be some here somewhere, but I haven’t found it yet. The language has been a challenge to learn, but I can get around most places on my own now at least. The hardest part has really been learning the business side of eSports. I’m certainly not much of a businessman so I’m struggling a bit there. All I want to do is keep casting!
evoli: On a more positive note, what have you really enjoyed about Korea?
Doa: Pretty much everything. It’s a great country! The culture is extremely polite and friendly. It actually reminds me a lot of my home in Minnesota. I’ll definitely miss the food quite a bit when I leave, as well. I’m actually trying to learn to cook some myself so I can keep making it back home. I actually love cooking.
evoli: I get conflicting stories all the time about how popular Starcraft 2 is in Korea; sometimes I hear that Starcraft 2 is really picking up traction and other times I hear that Broodwar is still miles ahead in terms of support. Is the Korean Starcraft 2 scene everything that you imagined it would be? To follow up, how do you think the Korean Starcraft 2 scene compares to the American Starcraft 2 scene in terms of fan base?
Doa: SC1 is definitely still huge here and that shouldn’t surprise nor worry anyone. They’ve been watching it for over a decade! I’ve heard there was also some untrue bad press about SC2 that was circulated before its launch that may be holding some people back as well, although I didn’t see it myself so don’t take my word as fact. I do know that a lot of players are seeing that there’s a lot more money to be made playing SC2 now and I’ve seen more fans coming to the studio almost every week. SC2 is the future and everyone, and I mean everyone, knows this. There’s kind of a misconception out there right now that you have to choose between the two. I’m still a BW fan and I also cast GSL. The transition will take a year or two and that’s perfectly fine. On the American side it really seems like right now we’ve got a bigger SC2 fan base than Korea does, which I think is great! I told my family that SC2 was going to explode around the globe this year and I’m glad to say that so far that’s been totally true. As far as the fans themselves go; they’re the same everywhere. A sports fan is a sports fan!
evoli: We’ve compared the fan base between regions, now I’d like to compare players between regions. I know you regularly laddered on the North American server before you left, and I know you’ve been laddering a bit on the Korean server since you showed up in Seoul. What do you think about the skill difference between the average Korean player and the average North American player? Is the Korean ladder any more difficult than the North American ladder?
Doa: The Korean ladder is much more difficult. Gold in Korea is Diamond on NA. I’ve been trying to figure out why that is. I honestly don’t know. I suspect that the main reasons are that a lot of these players in Korea grew up watching and playing SC1 and already have a solid background in their mechanics that a lot of players in NA lack because SC2 is their first RTS and don’t regularly watch pro-play. Another factor might be time. In Korean culture most kids live with their parents until they’re married. They don’t need as much income from jobs, etc and that gives them more time to play. All this is just speculation though. It’s a rather entertaining mystery actually. This isn’t a criticism of the NA ladder or anything either. It’s just an observation of differences.
evoli: If I remember correctly, GOMTV said they were cycling through their Code-A casters. What are you currently planning to do when your stint with the GSL is up or put on hold? There have been a ton of leagues launched since you left the states, so I’m sure finding more casting work shouldn’t be too difficult if you were interested in continuing to cast professionally.
Doa: I’d love to keep casting professionally after my stay here is over! Esports is my life now. Someone could look at what I’ve done here in Korea and say it was a nice break from “the real world”, but I see it as the first step in what I’ll be doing full time now. Even if I do end up needing a job to make ends meet, my focus will still be on casting. I’ve been looking for casting opportunities in NA already and I’ll continue to do so once I get back.
evoli: Speaking of all the tournaments popping up, what is your current spectating schedule like? We’ve been extremely lucky with all the boom in content lately, but it’s gotten to the point where most people, unfortunately, can no longer watch each and every event as they occur. Are there any tournaments or weekly shows that you do your best to watch in addition to the GSL games?
Doa: I always watch the TSL and I keep up to date on the NASL and IPL as well. Luckily, I’ve got enough time to watch everything at the moment. I haven’t watched as much Day9 as I used to though, which has been a bummer. I feel like the Day[9] Daily was the milk that sustained me in my esports infancy.
evoli: Alright Doa, we’re going to wrap this up with a little a bit of real talk. These are going to be shorter questions, but I still want you to pour your heart out. Alright, real talk: What’s your favorite Korean pro team?
Doa: Ha. Torch would be mad if I didn’t say Startale and I do like a lot of those guys, but right now I’m watching SlayerS. They’ve got a ton of new talent and I’m curious to see where their guys will end up.
evoli: Real talk: What’s the best game you’ve ever cast?
Doa: Boxer vs Avenge game 3. Moletrap. Nukes. End of story. There was a Bo3 at the St. Louis LAN between two payers named Hunger and Kencorp that were a ton of fun as well. Anyone who’s seen those knows what I’m talking about.
evoli: Real talk: What’s your favorite match up to cast?
Doa: TvP right now. Both races have a ton of different legit strats they can do.
evoli: You’ve been known to tell a silly joke or two during games. Real talk: Of all your cheesy jokes you’ve told while casting GSL, which one was your favorite?
Doa: lol. Oh man… I don’t even remember most of those jokes after I make them. I like referencing old cartoons and games I loved as a kid since it makes me feel all warm and happy inside. I heard the Facebook status one about the Stalker dying was popular? Honestly I just say whatever comes to mind.
evoli: Realest talk: Do you prefer Kelly or Moletrap more as a co-caster?
Doa: That’s like making me pick between Dinosaurs and Ninjas. Which is cooler? How can anyone make that choice?
evoli: And I always like to finish things up with a real gentleman’s question. Real talk: What is your favorite alcohol beverage?
Doa: Ah. I enjoy a nice Whiskey on the Rocks. Blackberry Brandy if I’m feeling saucy.
evoli: Alright, well that will do it. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us here at Sixjaxgaming.com, Doa. We appreciate it tons. Any last words or shout outs before I let you go?
Doa: Huge thanks to my lovely wife of course! Thank you as well to everyone that I cast with before now. It was a ton of fun. Thanks to Dan and Nick for being incredibly helpful and to everyone at GOMtv for the huge opportunity!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
July Interview
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Q: Feelings for advancing to Ro4?
A: I have never felt this anxious/nervous for such a long time. I do not even know how long have I not felt such feelings. When I win I kept on thinking, did I really just win?
Q: 1st 2 matches you won easily.
A: I thought today I could perform a 3-0 victory. It will be 3-0 as long as I take down the 1st match, even if I lost the 1st match it will be 3-1 victory. However, during the 3rd match I actually did a low level mistake, not scouting.
Selected strategy and spawning locations are good, but I did not see opponent's hellion coming out of base. After I saw my spawn location which are all in the correct location, I feel ladyluck is blessing me.
Q: Today matches strategy are similar
A: I saw many comments from friends on the internet. They say my matches contain aggressive elements, extremely entertaining. Even if I lose I will still see good comments for my play. I love these comments. Without these comments I will never be able to take down today's matches.
Q: You have a match with Nada after 2 years, feelings?
A: Both of us should be pretty excited about this. We trained very hard after all, and result in panda eyes. In SC1, I lose alot, thus in SC2 I hope I can win him.
Q: In 4th matches, do u notice not the small passage between the 2 barracks?
A: I do not know about this. If I knew, I could have won alot easier. Main thing is, after losing the 3rd round I felt a little bit at loss. In addition, 4th match bunker rush I defended poorly. Key factor in winning the 5th match is due to having adjusted my mental condition.
Q: Not using late game units on purpose?
A: Ultralisk is really not good. Even if I max out 200 food count on ultralisk, it is hard to win. Analysing Nada I have realised he love doing a Timing All-In. So I have decided to specifically counter against his unit's mobility. Against other player I may choose other strategy.
Q: MC said between July and Nada, whoever wins will enter the Finals.
A: I totally agreed with MC! Now I cannot see other opponent, only MC. Although in Ro32 I lose to MC, but at the finals I WILL LAUGH TILL THE END.
Q: MC said to win the finals, a zerg opponent will be the best bet.
A: Indeed, due to ZvP matchup. I can only sigh.
The races characteristic is wierd. A 200/200 maxed out engage basically Protoss could have won with just a net loss of 30 food count units. Then another push from Protoss Zerg would have KO. Zerg is too fragile. ZvP is indeed hard to fight.
Q: Next match could be Lyn or MarineKing
A: Lyn is famous @ War3, so I want to play a match against him. I have not fought him yet, I will win lyn to advance the semifinals, in the end everything will play out according to my script and I will win the finals.
Q: Alot of audience from SC1 wished today's victor would go to the Finals and win. Are you confident?
A: During group selection I have said that I have climbed from the lowest point. I will let everyone know how did I climbed to this place. I have the capabilities to advance from Code A to Code S Ro4, what is so difficult about going into the Finals? On the contary, I feel entering the Finals would make my mental condition even more stable.
Q: As of now, Zerg who advances to Ro8 take the finals.
A: There is alot differences between the past and now. Compared to last time, now racial balance is much better. But after hearing this I feel I must take the finals. Now I can only think being champion.
Q: Feel any 'Champion' Omen incoming?
A: Today, when I washed my hair, I think back of the past. Suddenly I thought of...should I dye my hair red again? Still, I feel now and the past there is some differences, now I am at the stage of climbing 1 step at a time.
Q: Last words?
A: Yesterday I discussed alot with my teammates, thank deeply for them. Many players accompanied me to train. Especially Clide whom I eliminated in Ro16, still he sincere helped me in training. Finally, I want to thank my coach.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Liquid Jinro Interview
I've been let down by the incredible dominance of Terran players in both the Code S and GSL Season 3. It has led to some incredibly exciting and mind-boggling T v T, but also to alot of Terran Cheese Rushes, which are probably the least interesting to watch. I'm not really looking forward to the finals for Code S later this week, even though I find MarineKing's style to be unorthodox and interesting to watch. I've already noticed that Zerg are finding ways to come back on the ladder, developing various cheesy rush tactics of their own to take our Terran and Protoss just in the way they've been taken out with SCV all ins and Four Gate rushes. I hope that at the highest levels of SC2 the best zergs in the world can find similar ways of coming back. I did see some fantastic play from IMNestea in Code S, although he did not make it to the finals.
When my brother made it to the Master's League and then broke back into the 3000 points level, I decided to buy him some Jinro to celebrate. I told him, hopefully someday he'll be able to drink Jinro with Jinro at the OGS house in South Korea. Returning to LiquidJinro, I came across this interview on TeamLiquid.net after his loss last week, and decided to paste it below.
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Tough loss. What's your take on what happened vs. MarineKing?Hm, well I was definitely outplayed in the last game, in the Jungle Basin game I just messed up really hard because I got overenthusiastic when my marines were killing his depot :D . In the Steppes game, I got a bit overeager to end it too, and then his good defense bit me in the ass. Game 1 went according to plan, except for him getting siege tanks - didn't expect that.
MarineKing plays a very unique style. How did you do against it in practice?
Decently, but I think to beat him I'd need more prep time, as he plays this style everyday whereas most other Terrans don't play in that style, so I don't know this specific matchup (his style vs a more normal terran style) as well as he does.
Looking back on your Code S run, what are you especially proud of? What do you regret?
Winning TvP with mech on TV was a very nice feeling. I regret losing games I should have won, such as vs Check and the first match against MarineKing, which led to team mates getting knocked out. I also regret not setting my goal as winning the tournament and nothing else (I had a goal of making it back to the semis), as during the semis I didn't feel nearly as nervous as during any other game, which isn't good - it indicates I didn't want the win enough.
In a previous interview, you said you felt you needed to prove last season's run wasn't a fluke. You made it back to the semifinals, where you finished before. Do you consider that progress?
I think I played a lot tougher opponents this time, and even in the games where I lost (ie vs MarineKing), I was at least for the most part playing pretty well. So yes, progress in that regard.
Do you feel player and fan opinion about you has changed in Korea?
The reception to me losing seem to have been a lot better than last time I lost, i.e. no "overrated" posts at all from what I've seen but I have no idea how I'm supposed to tell if people are see me differently apart from that. The oGs guys treat me like they've always done. Lots of people ask for autographs, but that's not new.
We've heard you've been feeling under the weather lately. Are you going to take a break or rest up before the next Code S tournament? How long do you have?
Well, as soon as the games vs MKP ended I noticed a pretty serious throat-pain, and everything just got worse from there - fever etc. I actually thought it was all caused by not getting any sleep, so I even went to the gym when I got back. Not such a good idea as it turns out, now I'm sick AND sore. I don't know when the next GSL starts, I didn't plan to take any real time off but since I'm sick there's no choice really.
What are your goals for the next GSL?
To win and only to win. Both this and the last GSL my goals weren't victory focused enough - for GSL 1, I wanted code S and when I played the semis I was kinda expecting to lose. For GSL 2, I wanted to prove my last run wasn't a fluke so once I got to the semis, I wasn't really expecting to lose but I was a bit too... satisfied I guess.
You felt different before these matches?
For every other GSL game, aside from last Semis, I've been nauseatingly nervous. Every time I'd have something to drink after the first game, my arm would shake - especially if I'd just won. But this semis, nothing. While its good in that I didn't make the kind of mistakes I sometimes do when nervous, like miss depots etc, I don't think its good from the standpoint of being mentally sharp, on edge. So my goal for next season is to get into the semis, feel terrible and win them then get into the finals and feel the same way and win those too.
How will you prepare differently next season?
I want to work on my overall game and mechanics for the next GSL. Both MarineKing and MVP are extremely active ladder players, and I think their ability to just beat opponents with standard, strong play saves them a lot of mental strength in the earlier rounds of GSLs, whereas I usually spend a lot of time and effort preparing new things from the first round to the last, energy that could be better saved for the later rounds I think.
Any last words for your fans?
Thanks for watching and supporting, hopefully I'll see you at the finals next GSL.
Thanks for the interview, feel better!
Thanks.
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