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Hey guys, this is going to be a short write-up of my experience last weekend in New York for the WCG USA Finals.
Saturday
Friday night I took a plane to New York at midnight which was about five hours. The flight was really awful to be honest; I had a window seat behind the exit row and my right leg was blocked for the most part by the exit door. There was space underneath it but it seemed to make my feet moist and really cold.
After arriving in New York I began my quest to find Pokebunny’s apartment, involving riding the skytrain/airtrain/whatever ?? and the subway.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/jhDCg.jpg)
Cool arch thing
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/WYMwd.jpg)
You can tell going out is rare for me if I took this picture
Back in Seattle public transportation is actually awful in comparison to New York. We have some Light Rail thing that I doubt will ever be completed and only runs to certain places, and then buses, so riding the subway is really odd to me. However, I made it to Pokebunny’s apartment with little trouble at about noon. I was greeted by Poke, his brother Jamie and mother. While Poke was out for most of the day he let me nap on his bed and use his computer to warmup. Also, there was a bunny in Poke/Jamie’s room.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/o0ouH.jpg)
#seemslegit
Later into the night Poke’s parents (his dad was asleep or something when I arrived earlier?) made us dinner (pasta with sauce, salad) and we talked a bit about SC2/HotS and random stuff. Cool to see his parents followed his career oo;
One highlight of the day was when Poke was watching me ladder on NA, I matched against keydCapoch. I told Poke that Capoch was the most accomplished 4gater in SC2, so he bet me $5 that Capcoh wouldn’t 4gate me.
+ Show Spoiler +
At Night’s EnD (hoho) I borrowed one of Poke’s Artemis Fowl books and finished all of it before sleeping at about 1 AM.
Sunday
I made my way to the Javits Center by 10 AM and got my exhibitor’s pass for the Comic Con where WCG was being held. The guy told me there was 200k people at the event or something? Maybe I heard wrong… Anyway, it was just three years ago that I’d come here for WCG 2009 in Starcraft 1. I was a bit familiar with the place.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ReUx0.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/HH1QX.jpg)
Crowds D:
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/eQFrI.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/2okcV.jpg)
Inside the venue a bit
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/3WXlQ.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/qk7UG.jpg)
WCG booth
After eating a terrible hot dog that was all squishy and awful, I warmed up while waiting for the matches, since Trimaster and I had round 1 byes. I would lose round 2 to Qxc 1-2, beat Mass and PLZLEAVEDUCK 2-0, then lose 1-2 to Trimaster in the loser bracket finals.
My games against qxc and Trimaster were pretty bad overall; I took a game off qxc with a thor rush and won a game against Trimaster going proxy marauder vs proxy marauder, winning in the end with a banshee but losing all the macro games.
There were really big delays in the tournament due to SC2 freezing on multiple laptops; Sasquatch got angry about that and several games were restarted several times due to the freezes.
I ended up placing third and now have a seed to go to the WCG Grand Finals, but I’d have to pay over $1k for flight and hotel ~~..
I decided to eat at a subway before going back to Poke’s place; jalapenos burning through my sorrow. After a bit of reflection on my games I had to play my MLG vs Proleague games where I obviously got destroyed (not really a spoiler lol), but I won one game since Poke jokingly told me he wouldn’t let me sleep on the couch if I lost it.
Monday
Not much to say here. I woke up at 6 AM, left an envelope with some money for Poke’s parents and left for my 9 AM flight.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/sy0gR.jpg)
Sun rising as I ride the airtran thing
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/l3zp4.jpg)
Sick shape thing I had to take a pic of at the airport
I have until Friday to decide whether or not I want to go to WCG Grand Finals in Kunshan, China in late November/early December, but it's a lot of money @_@...'
Thanks for reading.
 
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Go to china. Fulfill your destiny.
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Nice blog. That was definitely the most frustrated I've ever gotten in a tournament. I had 5 games freeze on me (out of the 6 times this issue happened) and the admins were really clueless about dealing with this, they didn't even offer to swap my computer until the fourth time it happened. Personally I think you shouldn't go to China unless you don't have to pay for yourself, it's not really a vacation/sight seeing trip and more of a gamble on if you'll make that money back from the tournament :[
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Good blog... lol I can't even picture Sasquatch being mad. Still sad I couldn't take off from work to go/get a ticket for Comic-con  Would have treated you to sushi or ramen haha
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So that's why yo uwanted to practice TvT the other day.
Sorry mate.
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i really want to c u in China. 
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Go to China. Ask reddit for the money they're good for it.
btw you're making me go eat a jalapeno now.
it was good.
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Was there a real stage for the finals during WCG ? Looks like everyone was absorbed by the expo.
Come to China, the flight is expensive, but everything else is cheap ! Too bad it's not WCS, I could have let you crash in my guest room.
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It was literally impossible finding a bracket and the stream mod was not helpful at all at telling bracket info/etc, it seems like they've been getting worse and worse as the years go on.
Congrats on the 3rd place finish, if you do go to WCG finals, good luck :D!!!
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United States4021 Posts
FYI that shape thing is JFK Terminal 5, designed by the same guy that built the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
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I know it's a lot of money to go to China, but I've lived there before and I have a good buddy who lives in Kunshan and you HAVE to go. If not only for the SCII tournament, go for the experience! The food, the people, the culture, the setting, it's all worth the money and it will really, really be an eye-opening experience, not to mention when you win the whole thing, you're travel will be covered  Keep fighting the good fight!
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Bisutopia19239 Posts
Do itttt! Go!
However, I'm concerned by this:
While Poke was out for most of the day he let me nap on his bed and use his computer to warmup
Poke is a brave man haha.
But seriously KRice, I'm a big fan and hope you can go
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Sounded like fun! Wish I was there to see you. And hug you again.
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This is a good blog just for human interest with travelling stories but it also gives a players perspective on a real live tournament! Thanks a lot Kawaii for giving outsiders a chance inside. WIll be tuning into the stream
KawaiiRice fighting~
Wish you beat qxc... I wonder if he is bad manner or good manner at tournaments.
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The sad bit is I was unaware there was a WCG event. Granted I haven't been following it closely but still..
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United States15275 Posts
Glad you have such a high opinion of our transportation system. 
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On October 17 2012 20:15 endy wrote:
Was there a real stage for the finals during WCG ? Looks like everyone was absorbed by the expo.
Come to China, the flight is expensive, but everything else is cheap ! Too bad it's not WCS, I could have let you crash in my guest room.
Nope.
On October 18 2012 02:14 CosmicSpiral wrote:Glad you have such a high opinion of our transportation system.
It's godly compared to our... nothing in Seattle. ~~
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i was in comiccon but didnt see the sc2 games, was tha ton sunday?
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kawaii doo some fundraising!
i want to see you in china owning it up :D
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On October 18 2012 03:30 KawaiiRice wrote:Show nested quote +On October 17 2012 20:15 endy wrote:
Was there a real stage for the finals during WCG ? Looks like everyone was absorbed by the expo.
Come to China, the flight is expensive, but everything else is cheap ! Too bad it's not WCS, I could have let you crash in my guest room. Nope. Show nested quote +On October 18 2012 02:14 CosmicSpiral wrote:Glad you have such a high opinion of our transportation system. It's godly compared to our... nothing in Seattle. ~~
Ahahaha when I visited NYC, I was so blown away compared to Seattle LOL
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gooo to finallls!! us fans will give you free money!!!
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$1k is really cheap for flight and hotel to china, I'm not sure of your money situation but that's a great opportunity to do some nice traveling. In the end $1k isn't a lot compared to the experience. I think you should go for it if you can afford it at all! GL!
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On October 18 2012 01:59 Froadac wrote:
The sad bit is I was unaware there was a WCG event. Granted I haven't been following it closely but still..
Yea right, a friend said he had a free ticket but i was like nah (I didn't know SC2 even was being held) im not much into comic books.
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Hmm, maybe you could stay in China for 2-3 weeks for WCS + WCG?
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Decided not to go, it's too close to my finals date ~~ gg..
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Thanks for the update! Haven't been following you (or rather, sc2 at all) lately.
aww finals always at the wrong time. same reason I didn't go to Live Castle last year
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go to china, or you're a vagina
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Poland3748 Posts
Interesting. Have two questions:
1. Is that customary to leave money if someone will let you stay in his/her house for few days? Seems strange from my point of view.
2. Are the WCG USA Final Brackets anywhere to see?
Gratz for 3rd place. Go to China now
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On October 18 2012 23:24 nimdil wrote:Interesting. Have two questions: 1. Is that customary to leave money if someone will let you stay in his/her house for few days? Seems strange from my point of view. 2. Are the WCG USA Final Brackets anywhere to see? Gratz for 3rd place. Go to China now
1. Dunno, but I had no idea what to bring as a gift and I didn't want to be a freeloader lol
2. No idearrrr I never saw a bracket online, they printed off a paper
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Poland3748 Posts
On October 18 2012 23:35 KawaiiRice wrote:Show nested quote +On October 18 2012 23:24 nimdil wrote:Interesting. Have two questions: 1. Is that customary to leave money if someone will let you stay in his/her house for few days? Seems strange from my point of view. 2. Are the WCG USA Final Brackets anywhere to see? Gratz for 3rd place. Go to China now 1. Dunno, but I had no idea what to bring as a gift and I didn't want to be a freeloader lol 2. No idearrrr I never saw a bracket online, they printed off a paper
1. Ah. I just imagined my mom if she found an envelope with cash after a friend of mine stayed for few days. I think she will felt offended :O
GL!
EDIT: I'm not trying to say you offended anyone if that's not obvious; I wanted to point out that in our respective countries this things are viewed quite differently.
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WCG USA 2009 was the first foreign BW tourney I stumbled upon before I found TL. It saddens me that they didn't boom and grow like they easily could have with the arrival of the SC2 scene. I mean it is even at Comic Con... What a terrible representation of eSports to such a large audience.
-> WCG finals >>> UW finals
And leaving money in an envelope when you leave is a very manner thing that's a common asian practice
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Nice blog sorry I missed you
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Poland3748 Posts
On October 19 2012 02:38 Ursadon-n-Pals wrote:WCG USA 2009 was the first foreign BW tourney I stumbled upon before I found TL. It saddens me that they didn't boom and grow like they easily could have with the arrival of the SC2 scene. I mean it is even at Comic Con... What a terrible representation of eSports to such a large audience. -> WCG finals >>> UW finals And leaving money in an envelope when you leave is a very manner thing that's a common asian practice
Good to know
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It's worth it to go Kawaii!
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Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
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wtf is up with that sheepdogpillow o_O did anyone else stare at that picture?
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EPT
