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Hello, please introduce yourself for those who might no know you yet.
Hi, my name is Dan Stemkoski, but I am certainly better known as Artosis. I am an old USA progamer turned professional commentator in South Korea.
How is it to live comentating a game?
Commentating a game live is great, especially when you know lots of people are watching the game. It feels great to just express all my thoughts to people who are really passionate about StarCraft. I really get into it.
Did you ever face any difficult because your are a “non-korean” guy?
Living in Korea was hard at first. It took a while to get really used to it, meet all the esports people, learn the language, learn how to get around, etc. Now, events are quite easy because people all know me, living is easy as well, its really become my home and I’m quite comfortable here despite being a foreigner.
How you carrer started?
My career started as a player in StarCraft. I was really sick of no good tournaments in the English speaking scene, so I made a tournament (which I commentated), called Ascension. People really loved my commentary, because of my really in-depth knowledge of the game. Ascension was such a hit, I became the lead commentator for the Razer Team Liquid Starleague. After gaining more experience there, and getting lots of really good criticism, I knew I could do it as a job. That job came around a bit later, when SCForALL.com hired me to commentate//make content in Korea.
Which moments at your carrer marked you as a person?
In 2004, I literally put my entire life on the line to qualify for the WCG world finals. The regional qualifier I went to was the biggest LAN ever held (to my knowledge) in USA, and I won it without losing a game. When everyone cheered for me at the end, I think that is when I knew that my future lay in eSports.
The feeling when I qualified for the world finals without losing a single game through the whole run, was such relief, and I think that marks the most important part of my career. In commentating, it was certainly the Razer TSL. I wasn’t planned to be the head commentator, but everyone liked me so much that it just happened, and I commentated every match (except the 3rd place match which I had to miss for a tournament). With great reviews, I gained the confidence needed to become a professional commentator.
How do you think Starcraft 2 will be affecting WC3 and SC:BW scene in South Korea?
Its really hard to say exactly what will happen. Right now there are all sorts of drama between KeSPA and Blizzard, so I’d rather not guess until that is all sorted out. I can’t see StarCraft 1 living for more than 1 year after StarCraft 2 comes out, though. I also wouldn’t be surprised if SC2 takes over much faster.
How do you define South Korean´s passion for SC:BW comparing it with something of American culture?
A recent poll in Korea showed that only soccer was more watched than eSports here. Its really quite amazing. I don’t know if there is really anything to compare it to. It doesn’t feel as mainstream as any sports in USA, but at the same time, 98% of Koreans I’ve spoken to knew what StarCraft was.
At any given moment you regret of being so involved with eletronic sports?
No, I love StarCraft and I love eSports. I will be involved for a very long time to come, and without any regrets. StarCraft has changed my life as well as me in a person in so many ways over the years, I couldn’t even begin to describe it. 11 years so far, and not a moment wasted.
There is something that you think it´s wrong with eSports and would like to fix if you could?
Yeah. Most of the people in charge of eSports right now don’t have any idea what they are doing. There are so many ignorant idiots in places of power, I can’t wait until they all get washed out.
In today´s, a tourney on CPL World Tour structure would be sucessful if the main game were Starcraft 2?
I think that StarCraft 2 can really be successful anywhere. The game is beginning to look absolutely amazing. With the numbers of people who will play it, and the amount of coverage it is sure to receive, I think there definitely should be some huge world-tour style tournaemnts for it.
What do you like most in eletronic sports?
I think what I might love most is that anyone can play. I used to be a basketball player, but I broke all the bones in my ankle in a trampolining accident, and could no longer play sports competitively. eSports gave me an outlet for my competitive side, and the fact that I could play against people from EVERYWHERE, made it the hardest and most fulfilling sport I’ve ever played.
If you got fired from all your casting jobs next month, what are your plans for your life?
If I stopped commentating next month, I would become a professional SC2 player.
EG|Grubby said at LiveOnThree #24 that he´ll play SC2 professionally only if there are many events going on. You think that WC3 players will have a hard time adapting to a new game? You bet on any new rivalities when SC2 start its competitions?
I think some of the War3 pros will become really great at SC2, but the SC1 pros (both non-korean and korean) will be better. SC1 just requires….”more”. Great SC1 players (the ones who use their brains instead of just copy stuff) are amazingly talented at multi tasking, mechanics, strategy, quick thinking, micro, etc, they are the most talented gamers in the world.
Want to say a “hi” for someone? TeamPlay crew thanks for you time and wishes you good luck on your life!
Thanks to everyone who has supported me! Make sure you add me to twitter, my id is Artosis. Also, check out www.TheHandsomeNerd.com.
Thanks!
Hi, my name is Dan Stemkoski, but I am certainly better known as Artosis. I am an old USA progamer turned professional commentator in South Korea.
How is it to live comentating a game?
Commentating a game live is great, especially when you know lots of people are watching the game. It feels great to just express all my thoughts to people who are really passionate about StarCraft. I really get into it.
Did you ever face any difficult because your are a “non-korean” guy?
Living in Korea was hard at first. It took a while to get really used to it, meet all the esports people, learn the language, learn how to get around, etc. Now, events are quite easy because people all know me, living is easy as well, its really become my home and I’m quite comfortable here despite being a foreigner.
How you carrer started?
My career started as a player in StarCraft. I was really sick of no good tournaments in the English speaking scene, so I made a tournament (which I commentated), called Ascension. People really loved my commentary, because of my really in-depth knowledge of the game. Ascension was such a hit, I became the lead commentator for the Razer Team Liquid Starleague. After gaining more experience there, and getting lots of really good criticism, I knew I could do it as a job. That job came around a bit later, when SCForALL.com hired me to commentate//make content in Korea.
Which moments at your carrer marked you as a person?
In 2004, I literally put my entire life on the line to qualify for the WCG world finals. The regional qualifier I went to was the biggest LAN ever held (to my knowledge) in USA, and I won it without losing a game. When everyone cheered for me at the end, I think that is when I knew that my future lay in eSports.
The feeling when I qualified for the world finals without losing a single game through the whole run, was such relief, and I think that marks the most important part of my career. In commentating, it was certainly the Razer TSL. I wasn’t planned to be the head commentator, but everyone liked me so much that it just happened, and I commentated every match (except the 3rd place match which I had to miss for a tournament). With great reviews, I gained the confidence needed to become a professional commentator.
How do you think Starcraft 2 will be affecting WC3 and SC:BW scene in South Korea?
Its really hard to say exactly what will happen. Right now there are all sorts of drama between KeSPA and Blizzard, so I’d rather not guess until that is all sorted out. I can’t see StarCraft 1 living for more than 1 year after StarCraft 2 comes out, though. I also wouldn’t be surprised if SC2 takes over much faster.
How do you define South Korean´s passion for SC:BW comparing it with something of American culture?
A recent poll in Korea showed that only soccer was more watched than eSports here. Its really quite amazing. I don’t know if there is really anything to compare it to. It doesn’t feel as mainstream as any sports in USA, but at the same time, 98% of Koreans I’ve spoken to knew what StarCraft was.
At any given moment you regret of being so involved with eletronic sports?
No, I love StarCraft and I love eSports. I will be involved for a very long time to come, and without any regrets. StarCraft has changed my life as well as me in a person in so many ways over the years, I couldn’t even begin to describe it. 11 years so far, and not a moment wasted.
There is something that you think it´s wrong with eSports and would like to fix if you could?
Yeah. Most of the people in charge of eSports right now don’t have any idea what they are doing. There are so many ignorant idiots in places of power, I can’t wait until they all get washed out.
In today´s, a tourney on CPL World Tour structure would be sucessful if the main game were Starcraft 2?
I think that StarCraft 2 can really be successful anywhere. The game is beginning to look absolutely amazing. With the numbers of people who will play it, and the amount of coverage it is sure to receive, I think there definitely should be some huge world-tour style tournaemnts for it.
What do you like most in eletronic sports?
I think what I might love most is that anyone can play. I used to be a basketball player, but I broke all the bones in my ankle in a trampolining accident, and could no longer play sports competitively. eSports gave me an outlet for my competitive side, and the fact that I could play against people from EVERYWHERE, made it the hardest and most fulfilling sport I’ve ever played.
If you got fired from all your casting jobs next month, what are your plans for your life?
If I stopped commentating next month, I would become a professional SC2 player.
EG|Grubby said at LiveOnThree #24 that he´ll play SC2 professionally only if there are many events going on. You think that WC3 players will have a hard time adapting to a new game? You bet on any new rivalities when SC2 start its competitions?
I think some of the War3 pros will become really great at SC2, but the SC1 pros (both non-korean and korean) will be better. SC1 just requires….”more”. Great SC1 players (the ones who use their brains instead of just copy stuff) are amazingly talented at multi tasking, mechanics, strategy, quick thinking, micro, etc, they are the most talented gamers in the world.
Want to say a “hi” for someone? TeamPlay crew thanks for you time and wishes you good luck on your life!
Thanks to everyone who has supported me! Make sure you add me to twitter, my id is Artosis. Also, check out www.TheHandsomeNerd.com.
Thanks!
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