EPTThis year's different. I almost don't want to go. A few reasons:
1) There's no Halo. The reason I found MLG was for Halo, the reason I supported them and have supported them is because of Halo. Even last year, at the peak of my SC2 fandom I spent equal amounts of time watching Halo, and #1 ins go undefeated. There's no Halo.
2) My SC2 fandom has gone down a lot. My sleep schedule isn't based on GSL anymore, I don't watch every single game. Ironically I've been LRing more, but that's because I try to only watch GSL and top 4 of most tournaments now. Part of it is that I'm finding myself with less time, different priorities, and just shifted interests. Which brings me to part 3...
3) Broodwar. I don't like this hybrid league shit, I don't like that BW is not dying the death it deserves. Even though BW legends are gonna be here, they're not playing BW. :[. Over the past year or so my interest from BW has gone up just as much as my interest for SC2 has gone down. Actually probably more, as I find myself watching more BW sets in SPL than SC2.
4) Overload. There's so many SC2 tournaments, so many progamers I want to meet, and no one person (that's not Mvp) to cheer for. The idea that so many progamers are so CLOSE to me is overwhelming and without the same interest I had a year ago, I'm overwhelmed. In addition, Friday I won't even be able to go because of family stuff, that I'm hosting, and Saturday I have a club party for half the day that I'd really rather go to because I've devoted too much time to video games and people online that I'd like to spend what time I can with my classmates before I move for college. But that's a problem for another day.
5) Inability to do things. I'd just like to hang out with pros and other nice people and show them around my city/area, but I can't drive... And hanging out with pros is pretty much not possible as I don't want to be just some fanboy, and there's so many people that are talking to these pros that it's hard to establish a personal connection.
I should mention I live in Santa Ana, aka a 10 minute side street drive to the Anaheim Convention Center, Disneyland, and a 15 minute drive from the Honda Center and Angel Stadium. Also, my team, Flow Gaming, has some (I think) people playing in the tournament so I'd like to support them. Actually I think its just FG Sonata, so please support him! In addition, though they've left, please support Siphonn and Future. ^^
I've opted to go for the day and a half that I can because, well, why not.
I'll try to take pictures of what I can, I'll of course enjoy, but I just feel like it won't be the same. I know I shouldn't complain, being lucky to live so close, but its all just a feeling.
Thanks.
