It's been a while since I last wrote a blog (my novel was shot down at what is essentially the final stage before getting published and it made me sad), and I thought it was about time to get some standard babbling done.
The Chimera
As some of you may be aware of, Waxangel recently stepped down from the position of editor-in-chief for TL's SC2 coverage after running the show, sometimes single-handedly, for a long time.* Because the volume of worked performed by a 12-year esports veteran, native Korean speaker and full-time employee cannot be realistically matched by any one individual, TL filled the gap Wax left behind by creating a chimera of editors: me, DarkLordOlli and lichter. That's right, we're Men in Red (with a bunch of fancy powers, much to KadaverBB's irritation) now, which I suppose makes us important.
I won't bore you with all the details behind getting the articles you see on the front page out, but I will say that I never quite realized how much work Wax was doing until it took three of us (even then occasionally aided by Plexa, Heyoka and Wax's grumpy advice) to pull roughly the same workload. Editing and publishing articles, writing and brainstorming for future projects on top of watching Starcraft and having a life (well, Olli does.** I mostly swim. lichter sells weapons or something) is difficult to manage, but incredibly rewarding.
About TL Writers
To offset Wax's seemingly magical ability to make recaps and previews appear out of thin air, we've hired what feels like a million new writers. Right now, there are more active staff (counting trials) than I think any other section of the site. Currently, there are 17 (seventeen) writers that write articles, with varying frequency . When I first became a writer (late 2012-early 2013), there were something like 5 active writers that would write things on a weekly basis.*** Expanding TL Writers has really paid off, however, as I do feel that we are currently putting out some of the best and most comprehensive tournament coverage ever on TeamLiquid. This has resulted in the revival of the Power Rank, a greater amount of editorials and greatercoverage of events we had trouble covering due to lacking manpower in the past.
As an added bonus, we have one of the most entertaining and informative Skype chats of all time. Given that there can be 10 of us online at one time it gets a little crowded and completely impossible to sift through for important things after the fact, but I find it hard to believe that there is any one place where every SC reference, every subtle joke and every prediction can be understood, argued and reworked so quickly. Originally meant to be a useful place for coordinating our efforts, the Writers chat has instead become a bazaar of infinite SC trivia, semi-polite balance/design discussions and bad puns.
Recharging passion
Given that the three of us operate solely on passion (and a minimal need for sleep, in my case), the last few months in Starcraft have done wonders for me in particular. My interest in Starcraft was somewhat fading earlier this year as the tournaments seemed endless, occasionally uninteresting and sometimes lacking wholly lacking identity. The frequent ups and downs that haunt both CJ Entus and Life did nothing to help this. However, my interest has come back with a bang. Why? Consider:
JD dropped off (no offense, but you're not better than Life and you need to come back to Proleague)
Even though CJ lost out in the semis to SKT, they put up the best fight anyone could have hoped for. The fact that the finals ended up being a Telecom derby of epic proportions (ourcoveragearticles) which ended in a KT win and Flash rising to the occasion in front of as huge a crowd as any SC2 tournament has seen in a long time made the playoffs perfect.
Life returned to significance at IEM Toronto after lacking interest and passion for the game. His dropping out of Code A and the subsequent losses were worrisome, but Life assured me**** that he was coming back to form, and his 14-4 record against some of the best players in the world was a pleasant turn in the right direction. Watch out, Korea, Life will wreck Blizzcon.
Foreigners have proven themselves competitive over the last few weeks, which will make their inevitable demise as the Koreans once more rise to hammer them much more enjoyable.
The online scene seems to be regrowing. Slowly, slowly, but it's happening. With the OlimoLeague finally appearing to fill the spot left behind by the Korean Weekly a while back, there is finally a place for Korean players***** to compete at reasonable times without the latency that hurts them overseas. Further, it's a place - if properly utilized - for previously unrecognized talent to grow and make some lunch money (let's not fool ourselves, they'll likely be about 16). Not only this, but there has been an abundance of invitationals and online cups lately, not even counting the IEM/Red Bull qualifiers that provide players with real chances to go overseas.
8 quotes from the depths of Skype that'll ruin your faith in TL staff
Disclaimer: these may only be partly serious. TeamLiquid does not endorse the illegal killing of wookies, insomniacs or rabid SKT fans
1)
[19:20:38] m: grudgematch [19:20:39] m: now [19:21:56] Michael Byers: is everyone around? [19:22:01] m: yes [19:22:08] Michael Byers: even olli? skype says offline [19:22:13] m: he's online [19:22:22] Michael Byers: ok let me poop first [19:22:30] m: wtf [19:22:39] Michael Byers: i dont want to be holding in poop while playing a grudgematch [19:22:43] Michael Byers: that would be uncomfortable
2)
[00:31:45] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: hey pPingu [00:31:56] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: should we make posting in a thread after you've said you won't anymore bannable? [00:32:00] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: I think it'd be good policy! [00:32:22] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: or maybe ban introducing yourself in every other post [00:32:27] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: that would also help me sleep bettere [00:53:55] p Pingu: sure [00:53:58] p Pingu: lies are bad [00:53:59] p Pingu: mkay
3)
[16:32:02] Jesse Hart: would you enjoy being on the titanic lichter? [16:32:03] Jesse Hart: if so, sure! [16:32:10] Matthias Rademacher: lol [16:32:21] Matthias Rademacher: well, the first 2 days he can have a steaming romance with a hot girl [16:32:23] Matthias Rademacher: then freeze to death [16:32:25] m: too bad i hate watching dota2
4)
[2014-08-30 19:55:25] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: I think he's building bridges [2014-08-30 19:55:33] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: he talked to me for a while yesterday as well [2014-08-30 19:55:42] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: about Taeja and gaming mice and whatnot [2014-08-30 19:57:08] m: yes probably [2014-08-30 19:57:27] m: i bet if he talks to olli it'll be about girls and booze [2014-08-30 19:58:27] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: That's all Olli talks about these days [2014-08-30 19:58:50] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: too much partying [2014-08-30 19:58:59] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: I think he's drowning his Hero-related sorrows in booze [2014-08-30 19:59:01] m: i wouldnt be surprised if he suddenly reveals he has an std [2014-08-30 20:00:25] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: contracting several seems like a very Olli thing to do [2014-08-30 20:02:39] m: more likely he wont realize
5)
[2014-08-28 18:52:26] Luke Wan: didn't you start this chat group kadaver [2014-08-28 18:52:36] Luke Wan: you can always kick him for a bit and then add him back [2014-08-28 18:54:18] Matthias Rademacher: nah thats dumb [2014-08-28 18:55:34] Luke Wan: as dumb as anything else america does? [2014-08-28 18:55:42] Michael Byers: dumber [2014-08-28 18:55:57] Luke Wan: wow harsh
6)
[2014-09-02 23:41:27] Soularion: its pretty funny [2014-09-02 23:41:36] Soularion: we have a 'Personal Orientation Project' class [2014-09-02 23:41:47] Soularion: and for our starting class it was basically like [2014-09-02 23:41:52] Soularion: hey what do you wanna be as your dream job [2014-09-02 23:41:55] Soularion: and nobody answered [2014-09-02 23:42:01] Soularion: actually no one girl said divorce lawyer [2014-09-02 23:42:10] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: But would you divorce her [2014-09-02 23:42:10] Soularion: divorce her face maybe
7)
[2014-09-02 23:32:02] CosmicSpiral: random humping and sex
8)
[2014-08-29 04:03:25] Annie [Meru]: hahaha [2014-08-29 04:03:25] Annie [Meru]: omg [2014-08-29 04:03:42] Annie [Meru]: imagine if TL made girls undies... :O pics of bums everywhere on twitter for ekarma
On arguing with people
Confession time! I enjoy arguing. I sometimes join arguments that would best be left alone to die out on their own because I have an almost compulsory desire to let people know when they are wrong or being silly. Kadaver thinks it's entertaining, but I would imagine some people find me irritating. If you do, I'm glad! Seriously though, if you go through the hassle of creating an account on TL and posting something stupid or controversial in an LR thread (or anywhere), be prepared to be called out for it. Alternatively, say that you're a fan of Life. That's a real get-out-of-jail-free card, and it might even save you from a ban or three (until pPingu wiggles in to hammer you. pPingu's cool like that)
Like writing?
Read this thread and send an application to plexa@teamliquid.net. If you think Plexa is terrifying after reading Seeker's recent blogs (you probably read them wrong if you are) and would rather talk to me, send me a PM. Telling me that Life sucks is the quickest way to get my attention.
*No passion? **In order to break the lonely nerd stereotype, Olli charms a minimum of 17 ladies - one for each writer - per week. True story. The act of charming may or may not frequently result in NSFW ***If I remember correctly, they were Waxangel, Fionn (who still randomly pops up once in a blue moon), stuchiu and kollin. Pokebunny occasionally pitched in, as did monk. ****
[2014-08-24 19:10:13] Victor "Zealously" Lloyd: you win IEM Toronto? [2014-08-24 19:13:53] startale_life: no problem [2014-08-24 19:16:02] startale_life: now playing again
*****Fucking learn to sign up already
Addendum
[23:21:25] Soularion: if you dont take a map off of a korean at DH France [23:21:29] Soularion: I will come to romania [23:21:33] Soularion: and pay gypsies to break your shit
[23:21:54] Soularion: I will get gypsies to carry me to romania [23:21:57] Soularion: through the ocean [23:22:00] Soularion: probably cheaper than a boat
[23:53:09] Soularion: I was born on the same day the fucking holocaust happened
That is sad about the novel's status So if it was in the final stages, it was the publisher that turned it down, not the agent? Because in June, you were still at the stage of getting an agents interest?
On September 04 2014 07:02 Falling wrote: That is sad about the novel's status So if it was in the final stages, it was the publisher that turned it down, not the agent? Because in June, you had an agent maybe interested? Are they still on board?
Publisher (Tor Books) turned it down. The agent is still interested, but we're waiting until we decide how to proceed and if any revisions should be made.
Oh so really did get it quite far, that's cool. Although it seems a lot of publishing houses have consolidated in the last decade or so, then it seems like there are less options, or is that not true?
That's true. A lot of the smaller houses have been absorbed by the bigger ones, and the smaller houses that remain are cautious to the point where it almost certainly hurts them. Meanwhile, many of the long-standing houses are sticking with what they know works, which might be stifling their growth as well. It's a difficult situation, especially for a non-native with no prior published works. The agent has been immensely helpful and is relatively optimistic, however, so I'm not too worried about this yet.
When I first became a writer (late 2012-early 2013), there were something like 5 active writers that would write things on a weekly basis.*** Expanding TL Writers has really paid off, however, as I do feel that we are currently putting out some of the best and most comprehensive tournament coverage ever on TeamLiquid.
First of all, it's the players that make it compelling. It guys might have every angle covered but guys like Wax, Mensrea are irreplaceable.
I would apply but frankly no one wants to see snarky, unrealted gifs interrupt a write up on IEM Toronto. Lorning, what kind of dental are you offering?
On September 04 2014 08:11 ThomasjServo wrote: I would apply but frankly no one wants to see snarky, unrealted gifs interrupt a write up on IEM Toronto. Lorning, what kind of dental are you offering?
On September 04 2014 08:11 ThomasjServo wrote: I would apply but frankly no one wants to see snarky, unrealted gifs interrupt a write up on IEM Toronto. Lorning, what kind of dental are you offering?
I disagree about the gifs
Well if TL is hiring for sardonic write up about series interrupted by relevant gifs from series that I've glimpsed, give me the fuckin' pen.
On September 04 2014 08:11 ThomasjServo wrote: I would apply but frankly no one wants to see snarky, unrealted gifs interrupt a write up on IEM Toronto. Lorning, what kind of dental are you offering?
I disagree about the gifs
Well if TL is hiring for sardonic write up about series interrupted by relevant gifs from series that I've glimpsed, give me the fuckin' pen.
At first, I viewed TL writers as the personification of mediocrity at the service of eSports, but it appears it's actually just well-respected and commited fans on our forums, so I learned to deal with it. They even sometimes write something worthwhile.
On September 04 2014 08:11 ThomasjServo wrote: I would apply but frankly no one wants to see snarky, unrealted gifs interrupt a write up on IEM Toronto. Lorning, what kind of dental are you offering?
I disagree about the gifs
Well if TL is hiring for sardonic write up about series interrupted by relevant gifs from series that I've glimpsed, give me the fuckin' pen.
On September 04 2014 08:49 ZenithM wrote: At first, I viewed TL writers as the personification of mediocrity at the service of eSports, but it appears it's actually just well-respected and commited fans on our forums, so I learned to deal with it. They even sometimes write something worthwhile.
Sometimes we transcend mediocrity and reach 'acceptable' level. It's an issue we are working on.
On September 04 2014 08:11 ThomasjServo wrote: I would apply but frankly no one wants to see snarky, unrealted gifs interrupt a write up on IEM Toronto. Lorning, what kind of dental are you offering?
I disagree about the gifs
Well if TL is hiring for sardonic write up about series interrupted by relevant gifs from series that I've glimpsed, give me the fuckin' pen.
On September 04 2014 08:49 ZenithM wrote: At first, I viewed TL writers as the personification of mediocrity at the service of eSports, but it appears it's actually just well-respected and commited fans on our forums, so I learned to deal with it. They even sometimes write something worthwhile.
Sometimes we transcend mediocrity and reach 'acceptable' level. It's an issue we are working on.
On September 04 2014 08:11 ThomasjServo wrote: I would apply but frankly no one wants to see snarky, unrealted gifs interrupt a write up on IEM Toronto. Lorning, what kind of dental are you offering?
I disagree about the gifs
Well if TL is hiring for sardonic write up about series interrupted by relevant gifs from series that I've glimpsed, give me the fuckin' pen.
Nice blog Zealously. I love your work and I hope the book thing will end end in a nice way for you. And I agree about the "passion" part, StarCraft 2 has probably never been as enjoyable to watch as it is now.
Snute’s career is either the set-up to a fairy tale, or the makings of something like a folk legend. Few player boast his longevity and continued relevance, even fewer can claim to have remade themselves as many times as he has. The art of reconstruction is itself a thing that demands skill; not everyone has what it takes to deconstruct and evaluate one’s strengths, shed the weaknesses and leave behind what is growing obsolete in favour of what is new and unknown, but ultimately necessary. Snute is the antithesis of a time capsule, an object that seems to move forward in time where others stand almost perpetually still. He belongs to an exclusive cadre of foreigners that have not only stood on even footing with the global elite, but on multiple occasions bested them in both sets and championships. Snute has done it not once, not twice, not by fluke nor irregularly, and in multiple iterations of Starcraft II. He has maintained a level that has never fallen below the threshold of considerable, advancing with a meticulousness and attention to detail that almost makes him more worthy of the nickname Patience than Patience himself.
Though mostly forgotten now, in the wake of who Snute has become, the easy-going Norwegian was not always as hungry for glory. Once upon a time, the part-time player who would become Norway’s Starcraft superstar was content to travel where he could and settle for what placings seemed realistic. Albeit a mindset he would quickly grow out of, Snute’s early successes came in spite of what most elite competitors would consider an inferior mindset. Once he chose to devote his life to the cause, Snute – as in any flick where the hero inevitably rises to the challenge – grew out of the shoes he shared with Norwegian rivals. Kare is a speck of dust where Snute is a nimbus cloud, despite their tight clashes in the stages of Snute’s career that preceded his switch to full-time, and the only marks he made in their national scene were second places behind Snute in a world that seems to only accept the best. So Snute outgrew Norway, seemingly in the very second he decided that Starcraft needed his complete attention, and would make reality of his promises the very same year. He was quick to adopt the Korean-style training regimen, valuing quantity as a quality unto itself because he recognized the necessity for routines and mechanics. At some points, he allegedly practiced upwards 60 games a day, a number not even the most inveterate Proleague players could claim to easily match. In conjunction with his practice partners from CJ Entus, he built on the base that all players strive for, but far from everyone manages to achieve. For a time, he was such a mainstay in the international circuit that his name came to always be connected with at least the possibility of a tournament-winning streak. Unlike most of his peers, Snute has rarely been spoken of as a "foreigner" in derisive terms. Like Naniwa and HuK, undeniable results have elevated him to some honorary status that does not care for nationality, only dedication and prowess
In another time and place, Snute is CJ’herO’s nightmare. herO faces the Norwegian twice during the course of IEM Toronto, one of the best players in the world taking on a player he should by all means at least by equipped to beat, and falls short both times. He comes no closer the second time than he did the first, finding no answer to Snute’s Swarm Hosts, marching to his own death in much the same way lesser Protoss players have done against lesser opponents. But herO is no slouch, perhaps one of those few good enough to normally deal with this current Zerg scourge. But he cannot deal with Snute. There is a precision to Snute’s Swarm Host play that no other player really possesses, a complete mastery of the style that can only be attributed to long practice hours and a keen understanding of what makes his race – and more precisely the style of play – tick. The Protoss player falls, ultimately, dropping from the tournament. It is an expected result, somehow, because everyone knows Snute’s predisposition towards Swarm Hosts. Not only because it is well-rehearsed, but because it seems so effortless, so indomitable. Many Zerg players have, in some cases rightly so, been dismissed at their heights. Brood Lords this, Swarm Hosts that. When a unit or a style becomes so prominent that its very existence drastically alters the way players approach a match-up, it is difficult to properly measure what is skill, and what is unjust benefit. Many players were dismissed as opportunists exploiting the might of the Swarm Host, but this view never took hold of Snute. He had embraced it long before, and made it clear that he could go above and beyond -- to where it was so clear that what he did was calculation rather than some developer's providence.
We endeavor to pin every player down to their fundamentals. INnoVation is robotic, Marineking is nervous. But what kind of player is Snute? Anecdotes and histories cannot do justice to a player as mercurial as he, but they highlight a crucial fundament of Snute’s career. At no point (well, after the aforementioned awakening of his competitive Starcraft spirit) has he been content to be good, or content to remain where he is. The once-upon-a-time king of Swarm Hosts marches ever forward, either to new heights, or to the workshops where his ladders are built. When he won the WCS Copa International against ShoWTimE, the moderate surprise that met his renewed success was counterbalanced by a widespread notion that this was something to be expected. Not because of racial advantages or balance concerns – any Starcraft fan will know that unexpected results tend to be met with these suspicions foremost – but because Snute cannot be counted out, because he has never provided us with a compelling reason to believe he is completely down for the count. We often tend to stare at trophies until we go half-blind for their gleam, but the six top 4 placements he had procured in the span between December of 2015 and July of 2016 should have been more than enough to indicate that whatever the bracket and wherever the setting, work ethic and perseverance remain the smallest of Snute’s problems.
It, unfortunately, does not honor Snute as much as it does Elazer or Neeb to have made it to Blizzcon now. As part of the group of players that toed the line between qualification and heartbreaking almosts in the past, it seems almost insulting that this would be Snute’s opportunity. He both is and has been good enough on many occasions to compete for his place among the star-studded BlizzCon attendees. Now that glory must be shared, and perhaps it isn’t the glorious ascent that Snute had hoped for. The Global Finals is, despite Starleagues and WCS championships, the grandest and most coveted stage of the year, burning memories into the collective consciousness solely on their significance. Snute will be part of it, not as the lone arbiter of a secluded and underrepresented scene, but as the lead example of what that scene has produced in spite of its difficulties, despite fighting an uphill battle.
The fury with which Snute has carved a path through the Starcraft scene is easily glanced over, hidden by pretty blond locks and a relaxed, joking demeanor. The same Norwegian kid that would chat across the Swedish-Norwegian language barrier with a taxi driver who accidentally drove him to the wrong hotel can dedicate 15 hours to single-minded practice, and devote years to a fine-line career that harshly punishes those that fall to the wayside. It takes takes both glacial patience and nerves of steel to do what Snute has done: remain relevant and move ever forward, often without the very support structure that has defined and steadied his toughest rivals, in a scene that preys upon those that simply remain. Almost as if out of spite, he has struggled endlessly to prove that no advantage needs to be insurmountable. As if offended by the notion that there are players whose heights he cannot reach, Snute has done precisely everything in his power to change that view. And if there is a trophy in the world that could cement his objection to this presupposition, it is the one he will now fight to hoist. It's not just a tournament. It is the final piece of a proof that he has spent years constructing.
I'm always amazed at how you staffers can do what you do when I can barely stay awake for one tournament (no daed gaem meme, just that sitting through a whole day is tiring).
Good luck on your book Zealously. I usually scourge reddit and Amazon bargain bins for ebooks so hopefully you'll find a way to get yours out there.
No mentions Sighs Must work on establishing legacy Seriously though, nice read man. I knew when you first contacted me about writing and were so helpful answering all my questions that you were a really good guy, and reading your reflections makes me just get all feelsy. I hope you find success with your book, but at the same time I hope you never leave TL because every organization needs the wise uncle
On September 05 2014 07:02 banjoetheredskin wrote: No mentions Sighs Must work on establishing legacy Seriously though, nice read man. I knew when you first contacted me about writing and were so helpful answering all my questions that you were a really good guy, and reading your reflections makes me just get all feelsy. I hope you find success with your book, but at the same time I hope you never leave TL because every organization needs the wise uncle
If Victor is a wise uncle, lichter must be the grizzled, alcoholic grandfather suffering from WWII nightmares.
On September 05 2014 07:02 banjoetheredskin wrote: No mentions Sighs Must work on establishing legacy Seriously though, nice read man. I knew when you first contacted me about writing and were so helpful answering all my questions that you were a really good guy, and reading your reflections makes me just get all feelsy. I hope you find success with your book, but at the same time I hope you never leave TL because every organization needs the wise uncle
If Victor is a wise uncle, lichter must be the grizzled, alcoholic grandfather suffering from WWII nightmares.
On September 05 2014 07:02 banjoetheredskin wrote: No mentions Sighs Must work on establishing legacy Seriously though, nice read man. I knew when you first contacted me about writing and were so helpful answering all my questions that you were a really good guy, and reading your reflections makes me just get all feelsy. I hope you find success with your book, but at the same time I hope you never leave TL because every organization needs the wise uncle
If Victor is a wise uncle, lichter must be the grizzled, alcoholic grandfather suffering from WWII nightmares.
On September 05 2014 07:02 banjoetheredskin wrote: No mentions Sighs Must work on establishing legacy Seriously though, nice read man. I knew when you first contacted me about writing and were so helpful answering all my questions that you were a really good guy, and reading your reflections makes me just get all feelsy. I hope you find success with your book, but at the same time I hope you never leave TL because every organization needs the wise uncle
If Victor is a wise uncle, lichter must be the grizzled, alcoholic grandfather suffering from WWII nightmares.
On September 05 2014 07:02 banjoetheredskin wrote: No mentions Sighs Must work on establishing legacy Seriously though, nice read man. I knew when you first contacted me about writing and were so helpful answering all my questions that you were a really good guy, and reading your reflections makes me just get all feelsy. I hope you find success with your book, but at the same time I hope you never leave TL because every organization needs the wise uncle
If Victor is a wise uncle, lichter must be the grizzled, alcoholic grandfather suffering from WWII nightmares.
I probably don't even wanna know who I am
The drunk uncle who was nice enough to plant little surprise cousins allover the world and would go on about the good old HerO time whenever he visits. "Back in my day, HerO used to be the best. Did you know he won Dreamhack several times?"
Only read this now Zealously, it's absolutely incredible the sheer amount of work and dedication you put into your writing, as well as other work on TL. Keep up the good fight
EPT
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