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Netherlands6142 Posts
Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mould me man? Did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me? ---
--- Paradise Lost
I imagined a 19th century mansion in the dark of night. As clouds gathered above the small town, I zoomed in on the derelict, shady building. Inside, Dr. Kespastein paced back and forth across his laboratory, rummaging through papers on his desk, and checking several dials on the wall before returning to the big table in the centre of the room. The rain began to patter dismally against the panes by the flicker of an almost burnt-out candle.
In the shimmering light, I saw the pale organiser of unhallowed arts kneel beside the league he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of the hybrid proleague format, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half-bw half-sc2 motion.
One ought to think that Kespa has some kind of thought process behind introducing this new Proleague format. Rather than the mad scientist from the movies, what we're all hoping for is a careful deliberation with reasons forwarded in support of their decision. The more I think about it though, the more I'm beginning to suspect they must look something like this:
# 1 Professional sportsmen are perfectly able to pick up a new sport and be good at it. For example, Michael Jordan, having quit basketball, was instantly picked up by a professional baseball team, as evidenced by the movie Space Jam. Playing two games at the same time will only add to their prowess.
# 2 To further ESPORTS we need to ensure the highest level of competition. Splitting your focus onto as many things as possible will help this. For instance, players like Incontrol, Painuser, and Destiny who use their time to also appear on talk shows, act as casters, play LoL, flip tables, and lift heavy weights, are also extremely successful at StarCraft 2. Furthermore, it is likely that dividing your practise time between the two games will only improve your play, as both skills complement one another.
# 3 As this season of Proleague runs side-by-side with what could be the last, and therefore most emotionally loaded, OSL, we are pretty much doing them a favour by taking away practice time from its players. As illustrated by points #1 and #2 we are basically guaranteeing this to be the best OSL ever.
# 4 The fans will love this format; the core of the BW fanbase will be happy to hear that there is a sequel to their favorite game (it's still pretty new, I'm sure they just haven't received the memo yet). On the other hand, SC2 fans who have been looking forward to seeing Brood War's heroes in action, will be overjoyed that we are making sure their full SC2 potential will come out in this dual format where we're not allowing them to fully dedicate their time to the new game.
# 5 The community as a whole will benefit. It has been shown time and time again that people from the two scenes get along with one another perfectly fine. I imagine the Teamliquid moderation staff will be quite jubilant about the decrease in mod reports as the LR threads for this proleague will usher in a new era of peaceful, mutual tolerance.[/code]
I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel ---
--- Frankenstein
Back in the lab I looked at the tournament's format. Its complexion hideous and its stature gigantic. It breathed hard and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs. Its dull, yellow eyes filled with despair and questions - "What did this mean? Who was I? What was I? Whence did I come? What was my destination?" These questions continually recurred, but I was unable to solve them. In the end, it boils down to an unfortunate circumstance of money and politics. From a competitive point of view, the one aspect that motivates us all to look at this ESPORT in awe, this new proleague seems like the offspring of some depraved megalomania. Rather than giving Broodwar, if its demise is so painfully inevitable, the peace it deserves, Dr. Kespastein tries to wrench from it one last burst of life.
Perhaps I'm speaking too soon. I'm quite possibly incriminating Kespa way too much, not even hinting at the amounts of coercion that have gone into this from the directions of Blizzard, Activision, sponsors etc, with Kespa trying to salvage what it can. The matchfixing, lawsuits, and the ever increasing popularity of League of Legends have struck blow after blow at Brood War, leaving Kespa in a tough spot trying to find sponsors for proleague and Team 8. Conversely, a complete transition would force the players in the OSL to decide between Brood War and Starcraft 2 which would, consequently, result in the worst quality Starleague in many years. Kespa ends up being trapped in a situation in which there is no right move.
And who knows, maybe the new proleague does deserve the benefit of the doubt after all. In Mary Shelley's book, the Monster reprimands me: "I have good dispositions; my life has been hitherto harmless and in some degree beneficial; but a fatal prejudice clouds their eyes, and where they ought to see a feeling and kind friend, they behold only a detestable monster."
Big thanks to SirJolt and Plexa for editing and Shiro for the banner!
 
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I think the transition is going to be painful. I hope sponsor's and tournament organizers just turn off their emails for a few weeks. I think the internet is going to be painful...and I don't even have another word at this point. between the trolling and the complaining and the "i told you so" about one thing or another I think I'm just going to practice and avoid all form of sc2 media and interaction for a little while.
I think the live events are going to be fucking awesome.
I have several apprehensions about other things, but making it through the transition is going to be okay...if rough. that said i do feel genuinely sorry and terrible for the broodwar fans that don't want their scene to die.
My related quote!
“The lotus is the most beautiful flower, whose petals open one by one. But it will only grow in the mud. In order to grow and gain wisdom, first you must have the mud-" Goldie Hawn
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There's this weird human need to question the logic of a decision when you disagree with its goal. Kespa's decision is well-thought out. They want the maximum number of Korean BW fans to start watching SC2. That's their only goal. They're not dumb just want something very different than you do.
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United Kingdom14464 Posts
Agreed. This is worse for both scenes, no one benefits from a half and half league. The problem is, what alternative do they have? They're gonna transition eventually, and as you said, a strait SC2 league would kill OSL. On the otherhand, it doesn't sound like a BW league is at all viable.
It's a tough for hardcore BW fans, I feel really sorry for you guys.
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On May 20 2012 04:50 MCDayC wrote:
Agreed. This is worse for both scenes, no one benefits from a half and half league. The problem is, what alternative do they have? They're gonna transition eventually, and as you said, a strait SC2 league would kill OSL. On the otherhand, it doesn't sound like a BW league is at all viable.
It's a tough for hardcore BW fans, I feel really sorry for you guys.
I disagree. I have never stayed up to watch a Starleague, Proleague, or any other Brood War tournament before. I will, most assuredly, be watching Proleague this season. It's incredibly exciting to be able to see both games played side-by-side in almost equal measure. This Proleauge seems to be calling for a harmony between the two games-- rather than playing BW in spite of SC2 (or visa versa), it's being played along with SC2. Insofar as Proleague represents a 'last hurrah' for Brood War, what better way to do it than to draw in crowds of StarCraft II fans to watch it. I think seeing a slew of epic BW games will help SC2 fans who never bothered with the game before to appreciate everything that is StarCraft: Brood War; it will show how entertaining and tense the games can be, how much the community cares about it, and it will showcase the massive impact it has had on competitive gaming.
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I have my own concerns as well, but it's best to give it a chance. Wait and see, and maybe you will be pleasantly surprised.
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Canada8033 Posts
On May 20 2012 07:01 mbr2321 wrote:Show nested quote +On May 20 2012 04:50 MCDayC wrote:
Agreed. This is worse for both scenes, no one benefits from a half and half league. The problem is, what alternative do they have? They're gonna transition eventually, and as you said, a strait SC2 league would kill OSL. On the otherhand, it doesn't sound like a BW league is at all viable.
It's a tough for hardcore BW fans, I feel really sorry for you guys. I disagree. I have never stayed up to watch a Starleague, Proleague, or any other Brood War tournament before. I will, most assuredly, be watching Proleague this season. It's incredibly exciting to be able to see both games played side-by-side in almost equal measure. This Proleauge seems to be calling for a harmony between the two games-- rather than playing BW in spite of SC2 (or visa versa), it's being played along with SC2. Insofar as Proleague represents a 'last hurrah' for Brood War, what better way to do it than to draw in crowds of StarCraft II fans to watch it. I think seeing a slew of epic BW games will help SC2 fans who never bothered with the game before to appreciate everything that is StarCraft: Brood War; it will show how entertaining and tense the games can be, how much the community cares about it, and it will showcase the massive impact it has had on competitive gaming.
Rather than a last hurrah, it's more like we're bearing witness to the gruesome death throes of BW. Now that it's clear that the switch is imminent, what purpose is there for teams to practice BW any longer? Every minute spent playing BW is a minute they could have spent acclimatizing to SC2. Even the Proleague format has been altered such that a team's performance in SC2 matters more.
I hope the few remaining games of BW we get will be good, but I'm not terribly optimistic about that. I guess we'll see tonight.
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Excellent. 5 stars. Can't wait to see how it ends up working out this afternoon o.O
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I see the BW/SC2 league as a positive for both games. It may even be what the BW scene needs to get a bit of a revive. Think about it, a rapid influx of SC2 viewers are now viewing BW games - sponsors will love the numbers and think BW is worth investing in more.
A positive for the SC2 scene is, of course, another tournament to watch. Also, it may - finally - unite the two communities. No more bickering about which game is superior. Although, there will always be the one guy who will always argue it.
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The anti pro-league hype thread I guess. 
I'm torn about how I feel about it. I'm excited to see how all our greats progress in SC2...but at the same time am even more saddened by the fact that BW as a professional Korean esports is almost certainly in it's final hours.
I don't particularly care for the format though. Something about 2 Bo3's is just...meh.
To be honest one of the worst parts about all of this is that SC2 fans tuning in to BW for the first time will likely be seeing games of far lower quality than in the past and may not get the chance to experience the true awesomeness that is BW, and those of us that are BW vets may be left with mediocre games as our most recent final memories of BW.
Inspite of that I'm still fairly excited for tonight...very curious to see where the SC2 skill seems to be at and how everyone is doing handling both games at once.
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At a guitar-playing competition the musicians are additionally forced to excel in Guitar Hero in order to have a chance at winning.
Seems to advance true art, doesn't it?
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Ah, the H.P. Lovecraft Proleague, surely nothing bad is gonna happen if we do things this way...
This is the first time I'm not excited at the start of a new season 
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They sure seem to have done a good job coming up with a format that nobody will be happy with. I'm not sure I blame them, they aren't entirely to fault for the position they are in... but it seems like this won't accomplish much but alienate more fans at a time when the fanbase is already dwindling.
I hope you guys like LoL.
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appear on talk shows, act as casters, play LoL, flip tables, and lift heavy weights,
AHAHAHAHAHA very subtle Pholon!
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While I wholeheartedly agree with every one of your arguments from the viewer POV (I was going to write a rant myself, but didn't have the time), it's easy to see Kespa's POV:
Okay, we need some of that SC2 sponsorship money...but we can't afford to lose all our BW fans right away.
Ta-da! This Hybrid Abomination!
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On May 20 2012 11:01 Ghardo wrote:
At a guitar-playing competition the musicians are additionally forced to excel in Guitar Hero in order to have a chance at winning.
Seems to advance true art, doesn't it?
All professional soccer players must alternate between matches of soccer and foosball. Ace mathes are naturally in foosball because the game is newer, more accessible, and less physically demanding with more flashy shit. OOOH DID YOU SEE THAT GUY SPIN THAT HANDLE KAPOW BAZONK 1440 HD INTEL CENTRINO DUO CORE N SHIT
-____-
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This is the best possible decision in the worst possible scenario. The transition was going to be painful no matter what happened. Staying with BW meant that there would be no transition. You said yourself that suddenly switching to SC2 would be equally terrible.
This is less of a monster and more of a rock+hard place scenario.
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Ultimately this might the best solution. They're coaxing BW fans to see some SC2 and making sure that the players are allowed to transition without suddenly dropping the thing that the BW fans are interested in.
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Netherlands6142 Posts
On May 20 2012 11:06 Kittan wrote:Ah, the H.P. Lovecraft Proleague, surely nothing bad is gonna happen if we do things this way... This is the first time I'm not excited at the start of a new season
wtf it's Milton and Shelley >_>
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Sigh this day left me feeling completely empty. I guess part of me is sad to see heroes I regarded to be untouchable appear so human in a different game.
I wish I could say I won't come back to watch more PL, but I know I'll come back crawling at the gates because there's so little BW content to go around these days. I might agree that this is the best solution for transitioning between the two games, but that doesn't necessarily make it enjoyable in its current format.
OSL will mend some of my hurt, I hope. The last OSL. This feels like being broken up with, yet having a few weeks of golden days left before the inevitable end. Boy am I going to be drunk the night after the end.
Sad nerd tears from me.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/shiroiusagi/misc/monster_banner.jpg)
