EPThttp://www.flickr.com/photos/44765864@N07/sets/72157622706945831
Now that I've got a little time I'm writing more about the trip. Other than the brutally long trips - about a day and a half overall each way all things considered - and the awful food - it was an awesome trip, and by far the most fun I've ever had at a Starcraft related event. I got to spend a lot of time with Artosis - who I've known longer than anyone else on Starcraft - as well as Tasteless, PuertoRican and Idra. Yayba and Draco were also with us a lot. I'd never met Tasteless, Rican, Yayba or Draco before - all 4 are awesome guys and a lot of fun. I got to meet lots of other players, some I was already friends with, some I didn't really know - such as Dimaga, White-Ra, Hanzo, Fenix, Paranoid, Cloud and Gosi[Terran]. Watching Draco point at women then make a humping motion to them while saying "I'm Fucking DRACO" in a club was probably one of the high points :D
The event itself was way better than I expected. With the exception of inevitable schedule delays and some network issues, the stage matches ran really well, and the crowd was fantastic. Draco and I both had stage matches vs Jaedong (and got raped) and were constantly approached by Chinese fans for the rest of the event to take pictures with them. The Chinese Starcraft fans were totally unexpected - I had no idea how many there would be, nor how into the game they would be. It was impressive. During the final match there were at least 15,000 people watching the games, and the crowd was LOUD. Having only attended events in the US in the past, this just blew all of my past events away. A good crowd for a Starcraft match at WCG USA is about 30 people standing behind the barriers watching. During the group stages, the Chinese fans were packed 2-3 deep all around the players area for much of the event.
My matches were very disappointing. The cold definitely affected me more than it seemed to affect some other players, but I know it affected everyone to an extent. I had my games vs both Cloud and Fenix 99% won and just blew the games due to bad decision making + the progressive slowing of my play that always happens when my hands get cold. As the game goes on, and my hands get colder, my APM and response times drop lower and lower. Definitely something I need to learn to deal with better. I feel I should have finished 4-3 in my group. I played very poorly vs both Koll and Toodming all around and didn't deserve to win those games, and felt bad about PvZ going into the event.
My impressions of China outside the event weren't all good, but it's mostly cultural stuff. Chinese have very different ideas of personal space and politeness than Americans. For example, we don't just grab people when we want their attention. We also form lines and wait, rather than just mobbing places. The driving there is hysterically bad - it's like the lines on the roads are just suggestions. But overall the people were at worst just indifferent - and at best really, really friendly - but feeling like your personal space is being constantly invaded wears on you.
Overall, a really great week, and I'm looking forward to the Grand Final being in LA next year. Should be even more fun.
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