EPTEveryone here on TL has been so great to me in this transition. I ask many questions and everyone is very cordial to the noob that is completely lost at times. Even simple questions I ask on stream, everyone pushes me into the right direction. The best part is that they show me how to find this information so that I learn even more on my own. Thank you TL.
But with this new passion comes the fact that I am very much alone. None of my friends understand what makes this game so magical and they see it as just a game. They think it is no different than the new games that they play every month....ARGHHH!! Objectively, it is just a game and it can be seen as a waste of time. However, I know that it goes beyond the game and stimulates the mind in ways that NO other hobby can! The competitive nature of this game is through the roof. The mind games, the tactics and the genius behind the strategies are all breathtaking.
TL is the best community for Brood War. But, we all know that it is MUCH different from having an actual real life friend that you can see and play together.
This is why it hurts that I like Brood War. I love it, but can Brood War kiss me goodnight and love me back? Can it whisper in my ear and give me satisfaction!? Nope. I can woo it like Romeo but it never give me sweet love.
Today that all changed. Today, I discovered that a friend within our circle speaks the language of Brood War.
We were all at a friend's house doing karaoke (they have a machine) and I got bored. So I meander my way into the computer room and I install ICCup and Brood War. I need my BW fix so I start playing a D- ZvT versus Terran. In the middle of the game I hear a voice, "You missed your spire timing and Terran has tanks. If that happens and you left him unharassed on two base, you are behind so you need to go straight to hive and defend until defilers". He says this JUST as tanks, vessel, and MM siege up my natural.
Me: Omg you are right, what do I do now?
Him: Delay with lurker and scourge and get hive.
Me: How do you know this?
Him: I used to play a lot back in Korea.
Meanwhile, the tanks just keep creeping closer and closer and my sunkens fall one by one. Then, by a stroke of genius (hehe) I say, "HEY YOU PLAY!"
We quickly switch spots (he didn't want to since he hasn't played in awhile but I make him) and he takes over. He rapidly changes all his ctrl groups and uses lurker and scourge to buy time for his defiler. It was amazing how he delayed and how he was calm and relaxed even though tanks pounded my hatch.
Him: Once I get defiler, zerg can win even with less than 130/200 supply against Terran.
He gets one defiler and consume. With that just one defiler he micros perfectly again and again pushing the terran back to his base. He maphacks with overlords, secures extra bases and constantly probes in and out. Defiler always has energy for swarm and so lurkers burrow and unburrow again and again until the T taps out.
Later, we talk about our history with BW. He tells me that he used to play a lot in Korea and high school. He followed the pro scene and even went to live matches. He loves Boxer and he was very very sad when majaeyoon (savior) was banned. He worships Jaedong of course.
I am bouncing up and down at this point.
The funny thing is that he was SHOCKED when I told him that private servers like ICCup existed. He was under the assumption that Brood War had largely died and that no one played it. He even laughed at me while I was playing saying, "Wow people still play BW?"
He stopped playing during the time when Flash was not “God” but was up and coming. Not sure what year this was, I just remember him mentioning this.
So we stood outside and went through a pack of cigs just jabbering about BW, the pro scene, ZvT, ZvZ and the art of ZvP. His best match up is ZvP because in Korea he was the best in his class and his rival was a protoss. So he says he got a lot of practice.
It was awesome because we immediately clicked and understood what the hell we were talking about. It was nice to see someone appreciate BW as much as I did. And, the more we talked the more we got into it and I could just tell he was reminiscing about the “good old days” when he played BW. We were both lighting up like xmas tree.
I got a new Brood War buddy today and tomorrow we are going to LAN!!! It is a happy day because I can share the game with another friend and I was able to renew his interest and passion for the timeless game called BW. I am definitely going to show him TeamLiquid. He will be sooo happy that such a strong and professional community exists for BW lovers. He might have a heart attack.
long live bw, sc2 and esports!
edit:
+ Show Spoiler +
thanks broskis
When he uttered the words, "3 Hatch Lair build", I swooned. Because him saying that implied so much and it felt as if he was saying, "It's okay golgotha, I now free you". You expect that your friends may "know" a little bit about Brood War, like what is a zergling and a marine. But here was a friend that was explaining the emergence of the 3 Hatch Lair build by savior. I wanted to kiss him right there and yell, "I know too! I know too!"
He was telling me what is was like in the average PC Bangs (Lan Cafe) of Korea, when toss was favored in ZvP...he said it was madness and him and his zerg friends would type, "I lost because I am zerg", at the end of every match. Then savior came and saved him. Then Bisu came along and my friend started to smoke a pack a day and drink. Then Jaedong finally showed him the path.
bw does crazy things to your life
When he uttered the words, "3 Hatch Lair build", I swooned. Because him saying that implied so much and it felt as if he was saying, "It's okay golgotha, I now free you". You expect that your friends may "know" a little bit about Brood War, like what is a zergling and a marine. But here was a friend that was explaining the emergence of the 3 Hatch Lair build by savior. I wanted to kiss him right there and yell, "I know too! I know too!"
He was telling me what is was like in the average PC Bangs (Lan Cafe) of Korea, when toss was favored in ZvP...he said it was madness and him and his zerg friends would type, "I lost because I am zerg", at the end of every match. Then savior came and saved him. Then Bisu came along and my friend started to smoke a pack a day and drink. Then Jaedong finally showed him the path.
bw does crazy things to your life
