Tag Archives: NaVi

VG.fy post-holiday interview

SGamer caught VG’s fy and asked some questions…

Q: Thanks for doing this interview with us; as usual, so hi to everyone~
VG.fy: Hi everyone, I am VG’s fy

Q: You’re back to the team house now right? How was your holiday? Did you partake in the New Year event and fight the Year Beast with friends?
VG.fy: I’m back at the team base, but our internet broke… The holiday went by very quietly, just sleep and internet every day. The Year Beast was too hard, doesn’t suit me…

Q: Let’s take a look back at last year, your team experienced some highs and lows. For you, what was the biggest thing in the past year? The EMS One title?
VG.fy: Indeed, my first time going abroad and we win an international title, that was for sure a very valuable experience.

Q: However, it seemed that after coming back from EMS One, your team’s form saw a drop, and you missed out on some other titles. Was this because you guys got complacent? Or were there issues with your team’s style and drafts?
VG.fy: Our style got figured out after we won a lot, and we also were slow to adapt, this caused our following results to be sub-par.

Q: Returning after the holiday, there are big events right on the horizon, the first of which being the Supernova Cup Season 3. As the defending champions, is the team’s goal to retain this title?
VG.fy: Of course, but we’re currently unfamiliar with the other teams participating, so the competition is sure to be exciting.

Q: As of now, most teams have undergone roster changes, with top ladder player Maybe joining LGD. You also had similar roots as a player, what are your thoughts on Maybe’s journey?
VG.fy: Maybe is very good, his choice to play professionally is definitely the right choice. I hope he can continue to improve.

Q: For newcomers on the scene, their first days will be met with lots of pressure, can you speak a bit regarding the gradual change in mentality from being brand new to becoming established as a player?
VG.fy: My mentality hasn’t seen big change, because if you have confidence in yourself, then you won’t really be worried about what others say.

Q: Our scene currently is in need of new talent, so what would you say to those hopeful of breaking into the scene?
VG.fy: Your parents must give you their support, and if you feel that your own skill is similar or even better than pros, then you’re ok.

Q: We all know of your signature hero, Rubick. NaVi’s Kuroky also has a very skilful Rubick, who do you think has the better Rubick then?
VG.fy: His Rubick is very strong, there are lots of things that are worthy for me to learn. I am striving to become the best.

Q: He’s even got a cosmetic set for his Rubick, have you considered doing the same for Rubick or another hero?
VG.fy: The club’s currently having it done, look forward to it.

Q: Alright, thank you again to Fy for this interview. Last word for everyone?
VG.fy: Thank you to everyone for your support. I hope you all can continue to support me and VG. I wish you all success in 2014. And thank you to our sponsors Tenwow Group, Dare-u, and Sina.

Source: http://dota2.sgamer.com/news/201402/154925.html

 

Chinese pros respond to LGD ‘tactical pause’ against NaVi

A selection of responses from some iG, LGD, and TongFu people regarding the Alienware Cup ‘tactical pause’ incident between LGD.cn and NaVi…

Ferrari_430 responds to DD:

DD: We were at an internet cafe. When I dropped, sydm (TongFu coach), along with Hao, were both behind me. This fight was very much in our favor; when the pause happened, Magnus had already gotten 4 with his second ult. Those who get it, get it.

Ferrari_430’s reply: Got it got it got it :thumbs up:

Yao’s explanation:

Yao: Today we weren’t at our team base, we were in Shanghai for a photoshoot, and so we played the match from an internet cafe. The computers had some issues, there had already been problems earlier, and then at the team fight DD completely crashed. We couldn’t possibly play the game out for 80 minutes, and then give it up by playing 4v5.

Sylar explains:

Sylar: At that moment, Magnus had gotten Shadow Fiend in an ult and had Skewered him in; our communications at the time involved Rubick saying that he had Dragon Knight’s stun. As he went to use the stun, his computer stopped responding, otherwise Shadow Fiend would’ve been instantly picked off at that time. Instead, Rubick sat there for nearly three seconds doing nothing before we actually hit pause.

Ruru is sad:

Ruru: It’s been five years now and I’ve always said to myself to be strong to the end. But this world does not see my hard work. The only thing I get is insults and a lack of understanding.

Hao and Mu to the rescue:

Hao: DD’s computer indeed had problems, LGD had that fight in the bag easily

Mu: Nothing to do with any pause; NaVi had no chance in that last fight!

xiao8 is just happy they won:

xiao8: Fuck yeah, finally got revenge for TI2!

iG CEO Efeng recaps 2012

Original: http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4a69021b0101cmo3.html

Dotaland note: Really cool reflections on 2012 written by Efeng, CEO of Invictus Gaming, and before that, manager of PanDa. Looks into behind the scenes stuff, his reflections, happenings, events and more. Just an overall excellent read for anyone interested in going through the past year in Chinese esports.

“2012, a transitional year”

January, PanDa set out to Beijing for the WGT, a very important competition at the time. At the time, this competition would directly influence PanDa’s sponsorship situation in the upcoming year, so every player was going all out — it was such a heart-warming scene to see, because the atmosphere was one where you could feel every member of the club was in it together, with a willingness to fight for the club, and exceptional teamwork and togetherness. Sadly a miscue in the form of accidentally denying the Aegis meant that their goals were ultimately not achieved, yet in the end we all felt fulfilled in one way or another, Lyn took the SC2 title, Toodming took third place for the same, and in Dota it was a second place finish, leaving us as the best overall results as a team at WGT.

“How come I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”

February, PanDa moved their team base to Nanjing. Upon arriving in Nanjing, I commented, “How come I’ve got a bad feeling about this…” The weather there in February was very cold, PanDa’s new base was located next to the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, everyone arrived on time. But because it was so cold in the dorms, our entire Dota team chose to sleep on the floor in the training room. Thinking back a bit now, the scene was quite moving… despite the conditions, there were few complaints at all. At the time, all Hao had to say was “I only want results this year, nothing else”; no one could predict what might happen afterwards. This month, I was very disorganized, and the club’s direction ended up creating a gap between the boss’s wishes. Mr Yu, the boss, was constantly un-contactable, our monitors at our new base did not support Dota2, our players couldn’t practice, Lyn’s salary went unpaid. Plus I had family issues back at home, my relationship wasn’t going well, so my emotions were frayed and all over the place, and all of a sudden I wanted to just get away and take a break… and then I managed to talk with Mr Yu, who said he would deal with the club’s problems as soon as possible, and I went to Hangzhou to clear my head and heart, and ultimately decided to resign from that position.

Compared with WE’s ups and downs in no less than the past 10 years, where regardless of financial, sponsors, or any other problems, they always stuck closely with one another and ultimately were rewarded with glory, just one month of missed salaries and everything fell apart, it was something that made me think quite hard.

March, I had resigned from the position of manager for PanDa. PanDa was the club that I had put the most blood and sweat into at the time, and so the decision was extremely hard to make. But the situation at the time led me to no other choice, and afterwards I began a life in Beijing of playing poker. At that time, when chatting with Old Liu we came to the topic of iG. In 2011, iG had actually approached me, but at the time I was putting everything into PanDa and so I had laughed it off. Yet now, I had no job, and had not given up on esports management, so I was immediately interested. The conflict at the time was between going on to play poker professionally, or to come back to this industry that I was familiar with. I chatted with many people, asked their opinions, and decided to go to iG and give it a try. I still felt I could contribute something, and additionally there was another big reason, that at the time I could only keep to myself. At the end of the month, Yaobai (of PanDa) suddenly messaged me on QQ, said he was done with his work with the team, he hadn’t been paid, Mr Yu was out of reach… I tried to talk with him about it, but he said he was really upset, and wanted to just leave, at least until people were paid again. At the time no one thought too much of it, and it just happened. Who would have expected this all to lead to the earthquake that was PanDa disbanding. And so it was a series of events, and fortunately in the end nothing terrible happened, everyone managed to find a stable new place to call home. Thinking back, PanDa at the time was solidly in the ranks of top4 Dota teams, and its SC2 team ahd Lyn, Toodming, Ash, and its sponsor situation was stable. Compared with WE’s ups and downs in no less than the past 10 years, where regardless of financial, sponsors, or any other problems, they always stuck closely with one another and ultimately were rewarded with glory, just one month of missed salaries and everything fell apart, it was something that made me think quite hard.

April, I officially joined iG, and began my professional manager career with them. IG’s Dota team, ever since SMM hadn’t achieved much in any way, and were undergoing a fierce practice regime. The NGF competition at the end of the month everyone felt must-win, yet in the end iG lost to LGD, who had barely trained. ChuaN cried tears of real sorrow below the stage, yet it was just that type of atmosphere that let me know that this was a team that was destined to achieve results, because of that hunger for victory, one that exceeded anyone else’s.

One loss after another drew them each closer to one another, and the arguments and disagreements of wayward days lessened, in its place there appeared more trust and understanding.

May, the ACE League began. A glorious new page in the history of esports, ACE League is to-date the most ambitious and large-scale project and competition, and was also the hope and dream of every team that joined hands in the alliance. That month, iG started training on Dota2, starting at a worldwide Dota2 team ranking of 447. So it was under these conditions that YYF began his 30 games per day training regime. One loss after another drew them each closer to one another, and the arguments and disagreements of wayward days lessened, in its place there appeared more trust and understanding.

June, iG’s management had stabilized, and a formerly messy situation gradually calmed down. This month, because of internet issues, the decision was made to move the LoL team to Shanghai, and after that iG’s YY channel (a live audio streaming platform, popular in China) went online, marking an effort to build up our Fan Club project.

July, was CCG, and iG’s SC2 team getting crushed to wrap it up. But perhaps because of just this devastating loss, iG’s SC2 team became more motivated. On the 15th, at CCG’s evening reception, I met a girl.

On the 29th, we arrived in Seattle, and five days later, iG were up on the stage of the finals. When NaVi typed out GG, we all broke into tears.

August, on the 5th, the whole team arrived in Shanghai, for what could be said to be the most important competition of the year for iG — G-League. Fate finally smiled upon us, and iG successfully took the first big title of the year, thus writing the first chapter in our Dota team’s glorious journey. Teams under me had taken Warcraft 3, SC2, and FIFA championships, and watching them accepting their winnings up on stage was truly an emotional event for me; it could be said that we finally achieved a goal of ours. On the 29th, we arrived in Seattle, and five days later, iG were up on the stage of the finals. When NaVi typed out GG, we all broke into tears. As they waved Chinese flags on stage, and as they hoisted the Aegis of Champions up high, we all knew that that 447th-ranked team from three months ago were the ones now standing on top of the world. Additionally, we would continue the glory, TI2 undoubtedly became iG’s most meaningful competition of the year, yet the reason I labelled G-League the most important was because winning G-League was what gave the players the confidence and desire to win more, ultimately serving as the door to triumph for the team.

September, iG’s management changed, with Old Liu leaving. Looking back on the year, he has absolutely been an amazing mentor and friend to me. I’ve truly been lucky, every time I enter a tough period, I always meet someone who can give me a hand up, so here I truly thank Old Liu for his unwavering faith and trust in me and his help. On the 14th, iG took the ACE League’s first season championship, taking home the year’s third major trophy. On the 19th, the team headed back to Xi’an for WCG qualifiers, and were very lucky in that the FIFA team took the Xi’an regional title without training at all beforehand. At the end of the month we learned that Leiyu Esports had met problems with finances, and after contacting them we were able to give a whole new face to our CF team by signing their former members, and the new team repaid us all by winning the CFPL.

October, all of iG’s teams officially made the move to Shanghai, settling in the Xujiahui district. The various teams thus began another phase of dominance, achieving 3 golds, 1 silver, and 1 bronze at the China region WCG finals, to place as the best team present. And, in the beginning of the month, that girl I had met at CCG became my girlfriend, and apart from that I devoted all of myself to the business side of things.

November, a month of business development!

December, iG took the Dota and CF titles at the WCG World Championships, putting a perfect end to the year. The LoL team began to undergo planned changes.

This past year, a year of joy and sorrow intertwined, endless challenges, changes and rebirth, ends with a gladness that I went on with my original dreams and didn’t go down the path of poker. There are too many memories, I’ve learned more than ever, and it’s ultimately been a very lucky year of the dragon for me. Thank you to all the friends who came to celebrate my birthday at the end of the year, I’ve never had one with so many people. Hopes are that next year will go smoothly for all, that the team and the ACE League can achieve all goals and ambitions, and that everyone does well!

 

 

17173 interview with iG.Faith: “LGD was better in the past, G-1 offline matches will be even more intense, Dendi is very funny”

Original: http://dota2.17173.com/news/10262012/113800655.shtml

Dotaland note: 17173, organizers of the G-1 League currently ongoing, has this interview with iG.Faith. Good insight into iG and perspectives of things from a top tier pro.

In the G-1 League group stages, team iG has shown an enormous display of skill and ability in consecutive wins over MUFC and LGD. On this, we interviewed iG.Faith, and learned more about iG’s latest developments.

G-1: Hello Faith, thank you for doing this interview with G-1 Champions League. In yesterday’s key match against LGD, your team was able to take the win 2-0, which surprised some people. Can you comment on the match a bit?

iG.Faith: Both games revolved around a high pressure in-your-face team ganking strategy led by Bounty Hunter and Night Stalker. Yet in both games, the opponent lacked any kind of crowd control team fight ability, so they ended up losing fights over and over as they tried to defend their towers.

G-1: This match received extreme amounts of attention, so with iG being able to take the win so easily, what were your first reactions, and does this give you more confidence for your upcoming matches?

iG.Faith: Both games revolved around teamfighting so to pull it off successfully left us feeling very satisfied. Of course we will gain confidence from this, but we also will not underestimate any opponent.

G-1: Can you tell us why iG is so strong right now? Has the TI2 title really triggered a chemical reaction within the team? If you had lost in the Finals against NaVi, would your current mentality, confidence, and form be any different?

iG.Faith: I think we’re close-knit as a team, trust each other, and we are quite all-around. The TI2 title gives us motivation, as well as pressure to perform. If we had truly lost back then, we would still need to rely on our own ability to adjust ourselves and the team as a whole, because in the end we still believe that we are a talented team.

G-1: Can you evaluate the current LGD? It seems like xiao8’s position is shifting towards a support role. In your match with them yesterday, what do you think was different about them compared to in Seattle?

iG.Faith: I felt they weren’t as good as they used to be, perhaps because they’re changing roles. In comparison, it’s still LGD of the past that’s a bit stronger, in Seattle every match with them left us feeling drained.

G-1: Talk a bit about your thoughts on the new DK and TongFu rosters, or how do you view 357, Dai, longDD, Veronica (new TongFu member)?

iG.Faith: DK should need less time to learn to play with each other, after all 357 and Dai are veterans and will have a comparatively easier time blending into a new team. As for Veronica and longDD, what they’ll need to do first is find and confirm their role with their new team.

G-1: You guys will soon be participating in the WCG Dota competition, and afterwards there is the SMM Dota competition, so you continue to be busy on two fronts. What are your thoughts on future ACE and G-league competitions then?

iG.Faith: If we compete in Dota1 then we will practice Dota1, if we compete in Dota2 then we will practice in Dota2. I think in the future Dota2 will become the mainstream.

G-1: Apparently iG’s team headquarters has moved to Shanghai, can you reveal the specific reasoning for this? Compared to Beijing, how is the new environment, what is your favorite aspect, or what do you miss from Beijing?

iG.Faith: The main thing is that Shanghai’s internet service is better, so we decided to move to Shanghai. In terms of environment it’s also quite a bit better than Beijing. It’s still got to be the improved internet in Shanghai that satisfies me most though, this way we can practice better, and perform better in online competitions.

G-1: LGD has built an international team. If iG were to really create an iG.int, which international players would you recommend to your manager?

iG.Faith: This is something I’ve never thought about, we players are only responsible for playing Dota well, win championships; other issues are up to the club’s management to handle. Although in Seattle I gained a strong impression of Dendi, he is very lively and funny.

G-1: Apart from this iteration of the G-1 League maintaining its easygoing, fun, style, the actual competition has made big breakthroughs in terms of participants, format, and prize money. Which of these has given you the biggest impression?

iG.Faith: This time G-1 will have an offline portion, so in comparison to the past the matches will be even more intense.

G-1: There was an interesting sidenote from yesterday’s match with LGD, you guys failed to join the room 10 minutes early and as a result lost 20 seconds from your ban/pick timer, what is your opinion on this relatively strict ruling? If you have any other suggestions for the G-1 League, we will strive to improve.

iG.Faith: Don’t really have anything, I feel it’s all pretty good. At the time YYF was watching replays to analyze, and ended up forgetting the time for a while, the resulting punishment I feel isn’t inappropriate.

G-1: Thank you Faith for doing this interview with us, is there anything else you’d like to say to everyone?

iG.Faith: Thank you to the club for the nurturing you’ve given us, thank you to everyone for your support, in the future we will continue to do our best to bring exciting matches for all.

Sgamer’s interview with Tobi post TI2

Dotaland note: I did not do this translation, this is a repost of English version text direct from Sgamer’s interview with Tobi —  so readers who are interested but can’t navigate Sgamer effectively can check it out now! Their English text isn’t the absolute best, but it saves me a little bit of work, which helps because I got my wisdom teeth out a few days ago and have been recovering. 🙂

Original English interview here: http://dota2.sgamer.com/news/201210/147347_4.html

Original Chinese interview here: http://dota2.sgamer.com/news/201210/147347.html

Q：Hi, Tobi Wan. Thanks for accepting the SGamer-DOTA2’s exclusive interview. First, please say hello to our fans.
Tobi：Greetings to all from Berlin

Q：We planed to make an interview with you in TI2. But on the last day, you had made commentaries for all matches before finals. So we decide to make a text interview with you.You must have seen the “Long live the international”,can you share your TI2 experience with us?
Tobi：My International experience was as always enjoyable. Had a very different feel to last years TI2, was alot more professional, the quality of play was higher and overal it was just a better event. For me I always love LAN events because I get to meet up with all the people I talk so much to online and meeting them in person for the first time.

Q：Although Chinese teams start DOTA2 later than EU, But the first six are all Chinese except Na’Vi, how do you thlnk of it?
Tobi：I have a large respect for the chinese scene and focus that comes from the players in it, it is alot more intense and professional that europe and america and alot of parts of south east asia. If I was expecting China to be that strong, in a way I was and in a way I hoped that europe and the US would perform alot better than they did as my hope at all events and in all casts is for close games that are entertaining to cast.

Q：The great finals between Na’Vi and iG is very impressive,can you comment the great finals and the two teams’ preformance and stratagy for us?
Tobi：I would like to say the strategy did not revolve around Naga and Morphling but it is sad to say that it did as both heroes cause a very passive game style that brings a level of secruity (which is obviously why the strategy was so popular during such a big event) that does really let alot of players skills shine in the heat of combat.
iG for me was always a favourite going into this competition and luckily there were some places the recording my prediction for the Grand Final teams, where I said iG would get into the finals as they are such a dynamic team that can adapt when pushed, and their opponent would be Na’Vi as alot of teams couldn’t adapt to their ‘randomness’, the only question around Na’Vi was if their random style would work and if they would synergise enough as a team to pull off the strat. Which they did against iG and LGD, but the power of iG and their ability to read Na’Vi (also with the help of the safe draft) made it their Grand Final to loose, which they did not obviously.

Q：Puppey picked NA in the last tournment, do yo know the reasons for his choice?
Tobi：We talked to puppey after TI2 about it and his reasoning was to use the ‘Spiked Carapace’  to counter the harrassment of KOTL in the lane.

Q：If you can build a allstar ream, which players(five) would you choose?
Tobi：There are just so many amazing players out there it is impossible for me to assemble a team that I would be happy with as there would be so many people I just could not choose between. Hence I never really have an answer when I am asked this question.

Q：Many EU teams changed the list or rebuilded their team after TI2,such as M5, AL, Darer, Mouz.Which one do you think is more promising？
Tobi：It is difficult to say who is the strongest team atm in EU and well as the US mainly because alot of the top teams as you said have rebuilt so they are having issues finding what works as a squad and the squads which have stayed together are on holidays or just burnt out after the Interntional.
The teams which have got back on their feet fast are Empire and Moscow 5 for Europe, there are only a few teams that are coming close to them atm and that would be the newly designed Quantic and Evil Geniuses. We will see over the next few weeks alot more teams reveal themselves and then all of this will change.

Q：Well, our community fans have some questions to ask you, some of then are very funny, are you ready to answer?
Tobi：Always ready for the community 🙂

Q：You commentary is full of passion, could you tell us how do you protect your throat?
Tobi：Since I was a young boy I have been singing, on stage and off and through that I learnt a thing or two about how my voice functions and have found ways to express my excitement without destroying my voice. There is of course the times when the excitement is too much and you push yourself too far, but I am happy when that happens because it means I am casting amazing games.

Q：You always make commentary stay up late. Do you drink sports drinks? If so, which one?
Tobi：I used to live on redbull for a while and realised it was actually harder to get through the night if I drank it early so I found the best thing you can drink is NesTea and Powerade and when you start to drop too far then you crack open the redbull.

Q：You always have dark circles, is it your girlfriend’s masterpiece?:D
I am catching up on sleep for the 4yrs I wasn’t paid to cast, and even now I don’t get alot of sleep mainly because my brain is so wired after I cast that it is impossible to just lay down in bed and fall asleep. As for the girlfriend, no I don’t have one and if I did maybe I would have a reason to go to sleep earlier.

12.The music you played before matchs are all very awosome, can you tell us these music’s names?

Alot of people ask me for my playlists and all of my music comes from youtube, I normally just type in ‘dance mix’ or ‘epic music’ and find alot of my stuff. The other pieces of music are just favourite songs from my teenage years like ‘blink182’, ‘Infected Mushroom’ and ‘Regurgitator’ to name just a few. Oh, and there is always space for some Kpop.

13.Who do you like most to make commentary together??

syndereN is always going to be one of my favourite choices but I have enjoyed casting recently with Wagamama and Draskyl. I like casting with anyone that is capable of adding more depth to my broadcast but can also have fun while doing so.

14.Do you like Chinese girls? If you have chance, do you want to make commentaries in China?

I actually got to travel around China last year and really China is next to Singapore for the most beautiful girls in the world is just a shame they don’t live here in Berlin with myself. I would love to travel to china to commentate but I fear my english would be lost on the crowd.

15.How many wins do you have on DOTA2 so far? Which hero are you most good at?

I am on my way to 400 wins in DOTA2, but really I haven’t played that many games as I cast most of the time. I actually have clocked 2100 hours in the game and when I wasn’t casting I was spending most of that time playing my well known ‘Crit natures prophet’.

16.Thanks for your time. Any shoutouts you would like to make before we conclude the interview?

Would like to say hello to everyone who watches my stream in China, for all those people who come up to me at LAN events and say hello, to all the boys who work behind the scenes at http://www.joinDOTA.com and to everyone who loves the game we play.

Replays.net interviews MIK, PLU commentator

Original: http://dota2.replays.net/news/page/20120926/1730999.html

Chinese caster, vod maker, MIK answers some questions. She talks a bit about Dendi, a life of Dota, Dota2 vs Dota1, and more.

Replays.net (RN): Hello MIK, very glad that you could do this interview with us. Why don’t you introduce yourself a bit, surely you have many fans who want to get to know more about you.

MIK: Hello everyone, I am that lively and cheery Mik, I am also just a normal Dota player, and in the future I will certainly see everyone plenty, so I hope that you all can support me.

RN: Cheerful gals are just what everyone likes! Okay, let’s talk about your Dota and Dota2 experiences. A girl this cute must have lots to talk about in Dota experiences. (Dota, Dota2 happenings, interesting bits, etc)

MIK: I feel that, to me, Dota is very important. I remember there once was a saying, “Lonely women wear stockings, lonely men play Dota”… well what am I if I both wear stockings and play Dota?! Haha, playing Dota has let me meet a lot of friends, such as Xiaojian (caster, vod maker), such as Dendi. I’m sure many people have similar experiences, playing full pre-made games with friends having a lot of fun. In the past playing on VS, I didn’t really care about levels, didn’t really level up to get into higher ranked rooms. Instead we made countless smurf accounts to continuously beat on newbs (speaking of this, suddenly I realize how evil I was). So all along, there have been too many precious memories, and this is why I am so dedicated to Dota.

RN: “Let’s be lifelong friends, and play a life of Dota!” – this is MIK’s motto. The girl who says this phrase, by my view, must be someone who has made a lot of friends through Dota, and must have considerable love for the game. So how about MIK you give your own understanding of this phrase for us?

MIK: I’m sure this phrase reflects the hearts of many Dota players as well. Dota brings to us not only fun and excitement, or the joy of playing with a full pre-made team of friends; moreso, as a team game, it brings a type of emotion, no matter win or lose many people will have their own little teams that they go through everything with, and this is a process that is irreplaceable. So when I found that more and more players are leaving Dota, it was quite a bitter feeling. This phrase, then, is also a call to all players past and present, hopefully we all stand together with MIK, and continue our Dota beliefs.

RN: Yeah, we definitely will continue on. This is our generation’s great mission! I think, then, that MIK’s choice to do casting and vods for Dota2, Dota1’s official successor, reflects your desire for Dota to reach more people. Talk a bit about your thoughts on Dota2, what are some differences from Dota1?

MIK: Dota2 is still closed to the public here in China. So my work in doing vods is targeted towards exposing more players to Dota2, and of course the hope is that more people see it and as a result gain more interest in Dota2. At the same time, I also hope to gain some recognition and support from everyone, and this way I can create even more value.

RN: Indeed as MIK says, Dota2 is not very widespread right now, yet players have unmistakeable fervor for this legendary status sequel, and Seattle’s International has pushed this even higher. We’d like to know, how does MIK rate Dota2, and what are your thoughts on its future?

MIK: The International in Seattle, whenever it’s brought up I’m sure people will think immediately to the million-dollar prize. This time with five Chinese teams making the trip across the Pacific Ocean, it was a very heart-lifting sight to see. From the group stages to the loser and winner brackets, it let us fans thoroughly enjoy ourselves. This time in Seattle has also promoted Dota2 very well, I truly believe that Dota2 will create a huge market for itself in China. Dota2’s graphics and attention to detail are touching, and IceFrog’s has put a lot of dedication into it and has improved the game over and over for players. As a Dota player I’ve personally undergone the transition to Dota2, so my hope is that everyone also continues to patiently wait for Dota2 to go open, it will absolutely not let you all down. Today, we can only hope that all of us stay put and wait, those of you that have left we hope you sometimes come back home to visit. Here, this is real esports!

RN: Now you’re doing first person vods for Dota2, and as your contribution to Dota2 promotion, we’re sure that many players will come back home because of you! Tell us your favorite team, and your favorite player.

MIK: There isn’t a single favorite, because in my eyes, all players are really the same. Including professional players. I do have a liking for PCT (former EHOME) because he will always play with me, and not avoid me because I’m bad, and often gives me helpful tips, so I’m very thankful to him. Apart from that, NaVi’s Dendi and LightofHeaven, they’re both very friendly and warm, and in the future if there’s a chance I’d like to collaborate with them in putting out some vods.

RN: Wow! These are all big players! I’m envious and jealous! Surely with the help of these players, your vods will continue improving. We look forward to the collaboration!

MIK: Yeah, to have everyone’s recognition and support is my biggest motivation

RN: For sure! You will not lack for motivation! I remember your last Windrunner vod, MIK you said that this is your favorite hero, can you say why you like her so much?

MIK: Haha. When I first played Dota, my friends would all have me play heroes that wouldn’t die easily, such as Windrunner’s Windrun, Morphling’s Wave, Anti-mage’s Blink, and over time, I took a liking to Windrunner, and slowly gained my own understanding of her. When I first came to Dota2, to make the transition easier with a familiar model, I picked Windrunner and played her endlessly. -.- And then afterwards, playing other heroes became much easier, so Windrunner is truly my goddess.

RN: So that’s how it is. I really like Windrunner as well, when there’s time you must let me tag along and learn from you. Haha~~~ oh right, then does MIK have a boyfriend? I believe many male fans of yours will want to know the answer to this question, because you are their goddess. And also, can you reveal your ideal boyfriend… I thank you on behalf of all our fans!

MIK: This, yes. People that know me, all know that Dota is my boyfriend. Haha, so I feel that in the future if I really actually want to find a match for myself, they have to support my playing Dota, and play Dota with me. Otherwise, there’s no way, haha

RN: Alrighty! All you hungry fans, MIK’s requirements can’t be more suitable for you all! Add oil, I will wait for your wedding candy! At the last, MIK can you please say a few words to end our interview today?

MIK: Ok. “Let’s be lifelong friends, and play a life of Dota!” My heart is Dota. Add oil!

RN: Thank you to MIK for doing this interview. We wish MIK more beauty, more skill in Dota2, even better vods, and more and more fans. Everyone give your support to MIK…

UUU9 interviews big-time Chinese commentator DC, thoughts on TI2, ACE, Chinese esports, and more!

Very interesting and lively interview by Chinese site uuu9.com with big-name Chinese commentator and host, DC. Insight on TI2, Chinese esports, and more. Click on to read on!

Original: http://dota2.uuu9.com/201209/91550.shtml

UUU9 (U9): Hello Professor DC, thank you for doing this interview with UUU9.com. Can you outline a bit of what your life and work looks like right now?

DC (DC): Hi everyone, I am DC of the GTV Esports Channel. My current work is pretty much comprehensively moving towards becoming a host of a TV channel, not focusing on any single game anymore. In terms of everyday life, I’m still all over the place as is my old habit, gaming, anime, reading are all patterns in my life~~~

U9: Hm, then that means you’ll need to come into contact with many other types of games. What do you mainly play right now personally? Apart from Dota games with fans and Dota recordings for shows, do you still play Dota on your own?

DC: Right now I don’t play that much Dota outside of work, earlier I was really into OMG mode, and recently I’ve gotten better internet so I’ve been playing Dota2. Mainly I’ve been touching upon mainstream Dota-type games, and apart from that my personal interest is largely in single-player games.

U9: Then, if you don’t play that much Dota, is there any concern that you won’t be able to keep up with what’s going on in matches? If you really do have this concern then how do you address it and ensure you can maintain a good understanding of situations in matches?

DC: I think there will be some inadequacies. Mainly I maintain a level of familiarity through keeping up with the professional scene and tournament scenes, this is a process in gradually transforming from a Dota player to a television show environment, some growing pains are challenges for myself.

U9: TI2 has just ended, and iG took the $1M prize. Currently professional players’ benefits, wages, and prizes are all much higher than before, are there any thoughts about making a comeback as a player, or just lament at being born at the wrong time?

DC: There’s certainly some envy over the profit potential of current players, I often wonder how great it would be if the scene was this comfortable back then. As for making a comeback as a player, that would purely be lying to myself, that is out of the question. Right now the big prizes should be greatly appreciated, and the only hope is that players don’t lose themselves. We can’t ignore the reality of needing money, but we also can’t focus only on the money.

U9: Do you have any interesting stories from your trip to Seattle? What impression did Valve give you?

DC: Valve seriously was too awesome, not only have they got strong financial backing, they also had great accommodations for players, and there is no doubt the competition itself was excellent as well. In summary, once Valve goes open with Dota, other competitions are going to have a big challenge~~~

U9: During the competition, while other commentator teams were at work we thought we could hear your cheering, and from your hoarse voice we could feel Professor DC’s love for esports. So, as a commentator, is it necessary to have a certain level of love and devotion? Does Professor DC support all Chinese teams unconditionally or does he have more love for certain teams?

DC: Of course, if a commentator is not a passionate participant in the game itself, how can he infect and lead viewers in enjoying the match? Supporting Chinese teams is a basic premise, but during the Chinese vs Chinese matches I have always been a fanboy of Burning, so I was a big supporter of DK. But too bad lately fate hasn’t listened to my wishes.

U9: If I recall correctly, Professor DC also commentated for last year’s Dota2 International, what are the differences between this year and last and what improvements have been made?

DC: Last year was in Cologne, Germany, so a lot of things were limited by the surrounding environment. This time was not only held in Valve’s own backyard, it was held in a carefully selected and prepared music hall in addition to an entire team’s excellent dedicated support and execution. TI2 can be said to be a perfect representation of Valve’s true strength and ability, as well as a reflection of true gaming competition excellence.

U9: In regards to Dota2’s Chinese partner, you should have heard something in Seattle right? Is it basically confirmed?

DC: The Chinese partner is pretty much confirmed, but because the actual parties have made no announcement, then I won’t be the gossiping relative either~

U9: Okay, then let’s talk some matches. NaVi struggled in the group stages to get into the winner’s bracket, yet in the elimination stages frustrated many Chinese teams, and ultimately took second place. Can you give an overall analysis of this team, what do you think was key to their result?

DC: Without question the first thing is that they have superhuman ability in their team. NaVi’s resilience exceeded predictions from before the competition, so they are deserving of their second place result. In truth it can be said that NaVi lost standing alone against all the Chinese teams, it was only after iG put down their own burdens in the Grand Finals and played to their own style that they finally countered NaVi.

NaVi’s strategic system is very distinctive, they accurately control rhythm, either it was Anti-mage mass farming for late game, or Leshrac Juggernaut pushing early game. These two seemingly simple go-to weapons sufficed to shred all challengers before them. Of course, NaVi’s nearly invincible on-stage mentality was also key. They always lost the first game, sometimes even being stomped in the first game, yet it almost never affected their performance in the following games, this point is something I think the Chinese teams can learn from.

U9: In the end, NaVi’ certainly had Chinese fans concerned. As last year’s overlords on the scene, this year’s DK hasn’t performed as well despite having made no roster changes at all. They didn’t make it into the ACE Pro-league playoffs, got 4th in TI2, what is their main issue right now?

DC: I think DK’s team mentality was at one point pretty unstable, and their competition results haven’t been ideal this year, so to a degree that has affected their once royal confidence and momentum. And DK’s strategy is relatively unchanging, so after a year of winning 9 different championships many big teams have analyzed their weaknesses. Their preference for forcing teamfights is something that, in this version, is pretty easy to counter once it’s been figured out.

U9: Rumors say that DK will have roster changes in the coming days. Nowadays the first consideration when results are subpar is to make roster changes, what are your thoughts on this?

DC: Making roster changes is definitely a risk, but when a team has been together for a long time and has a high level of familiarity, then unless it’s an impulsive move, I think there must be other reasons behind the change that we don’t know about. DK club’s management has gone through quite a bit in the past two years so I think they’re up to the task, they don’t really have a habit of making rash roster changes, and even though the rumors are flying around this time, I say we just wait for an official statement.

U9: As for the rest of this year’s Chinese competitions, what are your thoughts, will it be iG all the way? Why?

DC: We can’t really make a logical prediction of the remaining competitions. iG certainly has a huge amount of momentum and confidence over everyone else, but after big victories in big competitions, they enter into a long break period, and whether players who historically have lacked self control can maintain this momentum and competitive form, I have concerns. Esports clubs typically not allowing long breaks before the end of the year is generally because of this.

Also, whether LGD can regain their composure and find their form, this is another variable. In terms of both overall ability, as well as their own attitudes, I think if they really end up being the “forever 2nd” team, I don’t think they will accept that easily.

U9: The ACE Pro-league has come to a close, and from broadcast quality to the quality of matches, it’s pretty much one of the best competitions so far in the Chinese scene. However, ACE takes up a large chunk of time, and also requires teams to go to Beijing to compete, will this cause other Chinese competitions to have scheduling problems? How can this issue be addressed?

DC: During the peak of Warcraft 3, it could be said that there were big and small competitions all over the country, but under all that sunshine, there was the reality of a giant esports bubble created by the rush to get in. Our hope is that, through ACE’s model we can improve and even increase the longevity of certain other competitions, and we’re willing to work with high-quality competitions. In actuality, weren’t there quite a few competitions going on between ACE’s schedule? I also believe that blindly organizing and holding events is not going to fundamentally help this industry. For a slightly inappropriate metaphor, if we want to at least achieve the level of Korean Starcraft leagues, we can’t possibly also be making concessions for small competitions such as local internet cafe tournaments?

U9: Will ACE be making plans for the 2nd season this year, what is the ETA? Will there be changes from the 1st season?

DC: ACE does have plans for a 2nd season, but they can’t be announced yet. There will definitely be new things, and improvements to the details.

U9: As a former EHOME player and coach, it need not be mentioned your feelings for EHOME. But ever since EHOME re-formed, they’ve seemed to have faced a lot of problems, such as the dispute with the ACE Alliance, only getting 5/6th at TI2, what do you think EHOME desperately needs right now?

DC: On the topic of EHOME I have no words to speak, and from a personal perspective I have failed to meet certain promises made to players and club, for this I am very sorry.

U9: Professor DC what are you feelings towards Dota2? Talk a bit about some things you think it does well.

DC: Apart from the overall graphic style not really fitting my tastes, everything else is very good. After getting away from the Warcraft 3 engine’s limitations, Dota2 has given it a big upgrade, so I think there’s no point in nitpicking certain small things, because Dota 2 is inherently a big improvement. Especially the improvements in overall experience and interface, so I really look forward to it officially going live on the Chinese market.

U9: It seems that a lot of old Dota players are uncomfortable with Dota2’s graphics and mechanics, yet Dota2’s beautiful effects has also drawn in some new players. After Dota2 goes open, what percentage do you predict will remain with Dota1?

DC: This isn’t really easy to predict, Chinese gamers’ opinions really aren’t easy to analyze. But I believe that staying with Dota1 will be a truly strange thing, if in ten years I am still playing the same games as today, then I can only conclude that either society is not making enough progress, or I am not making enough progress.

U9: Every industry has limits, and now more and more retired players are going and doing first person vods, what do you think about this? Additionally, the market for new commentators is getting close to saturated, so do you have any advice for retired players?

DC: Make preparations a bit earlier in advance, widen your horizons a bit, focus a bit more on being a person of society as opposed to a player with professional skills. However, in reality most of the people I’ve worked with in eports have varying degrees of interconnectivity with the scene.

U9: Nowadays a lot of young esports fans have dreams of playing professionally, and I’m sure you’ve met quite a few of them as GTV’s host. Do you have any words or advice for them?

DC: Stay calm, and think about whether you truly love playing games, or you just want to go professional? Is it to escape your studies, escape society, or is it to chase your dreams? A lot of people focus only on those in the spotlight on stage, thinking and planning their own futures on the same stages, but what they fail to see is, in the corners beyond the spotlight, the shadows of those who failed. Everyone believes they can be the ones up there, but the truth is that the stage is very small.

U9: Let’s ask another personal question. Does Professor DC have a girlfriend currently, have you thought about starting a family?

DC: Still have not acquired a girl, this comrade must continue to strive. In this regard I am a bad example for everyone, you should all take me as a caution, and work hard to become a winner in many ways in life!

U9: What kind of girl do you like? Mature or girly?

DC: More mature for sure!

U9: Have any female fans expressed love to you before?

DC: As for this question, I can only say I have no success to report. Of course, on this issue, I personally encourage this~~~

U9: Between Miss and MuMu (Chinese female commentators) who do you think is prettier? Yuchen and Guangmo (Chinese male commentators), who is more handsome?

DC: Of course MuMu is prettier, as for our Miss that’s called classy, we share similar tastes! Yuchen with his little pale face is so careful in his looks, as for Guangmo what does he have to do with the term ‘handsome’?

U9: Is your body weight a burden on you?

DC: It’s frustrating, but I will carry its sorrow, because this is the fate of a born-fatty like me.

U9: Dota1 or Dota2?

DC: Dota2

U9: Is there anyone you want to beat up badly?

DC: Yes, many amongst the players! Those more handsome, those skinnier, those making more money, especially those that don’t know to appreciate what they have.

U9: Alright, thank you to Professor DC for this interview with UUU9.com. We wish you success in all life and work. Are there any last comments you’d like to make to everyone, or anyone you’d like to specially thank?

DC: Have to remember to thank Guo Jia (Chinese player of a game similar to Dota, called 3-kingdoms), that bitch~~~ And lastly I want to say: Taitai I like you!

DC’s Seattle Dota Diary #5: Analyzing TI2 Elimination Matches

As promised! This is the 5th on-site analysis ‘diary’ entry from big time Chinese commentator DC from during TI2. It covers the first half of TI2. Doesn’t seem that he wrote another one for the end of TI2, but entries 4 and 3 have both been translated in earlier entries here, and here, respectively. Some good insight on all the Chinese teams halfway through TI2, as well as a look at opinions on many EU and NA teams.

Original: http://dota2.sgamer.com/news/201209/147013.html

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