Lipton: Hey INcontrol how have things been going for you these days since the WCG?
iNcontrol: Great that was 7 months ago so a lot has happened since then =]
Lipton: What leagues or tournaments are you currently active in?
iNcontrol: USA has the US Open coming up in the end of May so I will be going to NY to compete with Artosis, Skew, Nyoken and hopefully do myself proud there. I'm also trying to qualify for USA WCG (if I don’t in NY) and I am already going to the Pan American championship since I won WCG 2007 for USA they decided to send me.
Lipton: Cool best of luck with all that no doubt we'll see you again on team USA 2008
Lipton: Going back in time a bit here, when did you first get into Starcraft and how was that experience for you?
iNcontrol: I got into SC after I became hooked on War2. I read that a new game was coming out called SC and I had a friend who's dad was able to get a beta of this fine game. Been hooked ever since.
Lipton: If you could just pick 3 things that helped make Starcraft the game is it and has been for the last 10 years, what would those 3 things be?
iNcontrol: The mechanical difficulty of this game has meant that players are still achieving new levels and evolving. The unique balance of this game sets it apart from other games like CC3 or War3 where strats/bo's are relatively low in viability.
Lipton: And probably the unique 3 race aspect. Most RTS had 2 races that were basically mirrors of each other. The diversity in SC was a trend started and has definitely paid off.
Lipton: I've read your past interview with Joneagle of sc2forums, since then we've seen more changes, updates and the release of the Zerg. What is your current take on Starcraft 2?
iNcontrol: It's a work in progress. I think they are constantly improving. They are definitely moving in the right direction with it. I can’t help but to love seeing the units that I have obsessed over for 10 years look crisper and more fascinating.
Lipton: How do you feel about the Zerg race? Which of the new Zerg units is currently your favorite?
iNcontrol: I'm always going to love the Ultralisk. Aside from that I don’t really know. I'm the kinda guy who knows where the Christmas presents are in September but doesn’t check cause he wants to be surprised. SC2 is relatively the same deal. I cant help but to see/know some things but other than that I take it very slowly.
Lipton: So you try to avoid SC2 news when you can?
iNcontrol: I don’t try and avoid it. I just don’t make special efforts to read up on it.
Lipton: What factors do you feel would influence eSports to grow in the US? And possibly go main-stream similar to what has happened in Korea.
iNcontrol: Unlike Korea the US is socially stigmatized (made that up I’m sure) to look down on eSports. That trend is changing with the younger generations being more and more wired so I think factors like gaming becoming more of a social pull and being a more lucrative market for news coverage or endorsements.
I think that is a natural progression that cannot help to be speed up unless someone became kind of.
Iconic like a fatal1ty only on a larger scale.
Lipton: Agreed eSports is only going to grow...
Lipton: If you were on the dev team for SC2 and had the power to change things, what would you immediately have done?
iNcontrol: Remove MBS*, auto-mine and I wouldn't give Templar a normal attack. I also wouldn't allow for the Zerg to infest almost everything. I think SC2 is falling into the trap that CC3 did: bunch of mega weapons that sound amazingly fun on paper but end up ruining the game. No surprise, a lot of the cc3 guys are working on sc2
Lipton: True I do hope they tame down the C&C stuff myself.
Ok last question... Any shout outs you would like to give out now? Friends, fellow progamers, Sponsors?
iNcontrol: Normally yes but as it is I'm entering WCG time so I have no friends only enemies of lesser degrees I still love Media but I'd love it if they all lost to me!
Lipton: lol, awesome and again good luck and thanks for the interview iNcontrol
iNcontrol: ok ty!
Original posted here:
http://www.gameriot.com/blogs/The-Starfeed/I-interview-INcontrol-WCG-2007-US-Starcraft-champion/
Related articles:
Interview with Joneagle of sc2forums