[Winners Interview] OSL Ro16 - Day 2

Flash - http://esports.dailygame.co.kr/news/read.php?id=60460
Fantasy - http://esports.dailygame.co.kr/news/read.php?id=60462
Shine - http://esports.dailygame.co.kr/news/read.php?id=60464
Soo - http://esports.dailygame.co.kr/news/read.php?id=60466

No matter the disadvantage, you can’t be relaxed if Flash is still mining. After being hit hard with stop lurkers and his dropship play being denied, Flash played with perseverance in the late game and defeated his teammate Kim Sung Dae (Action) and received his 1st win. Since it was a team kill he didn’t have a happy expression but he strongly promises that he will achieve 3 wins to create a favorable situation for Action.

Q. You won against your teammate. How do you feel?
Flash – I feel so sorry. I feel like I have to get 3 wins now. To be the biggest help for Action, I have to beat the rest of the players.

Q. It seems both of you did not practice enough.
Flash – Since it was a team kill we couldn’t practice a lot. Still I think my gameplay wasn’t bad. Originally in practice my gameplay could not come out and was worried, still I believe I showed a good performance in the broadcasted game so I’m relieved.

Q. You got hit with stop lurkers.
Flash – I knew lurkers were there but not that far outside. Honestly I was surprised. The game became really disadvantageous for me, and since Action’s late game is so strong I thought ‘this game will be a tough one’, but afterwards I think I did good management play.

Q. You continuously attempted to attack with tanks.
Flash – For this map, if you let Zerg take bases easily it is an unwinnable map. So to make Zerg as poor as possible I constantly attacked.

Q. Before today’s game, what did you talk about with Action?
Flash – We didn’t really talk. Because we were both so busy, we didn’t have many chances to talk. Truthfully playing SC2 a lot plus being a team kill match we could barely practice, we both were worried for each other’s performance.

Q. What did you think about Action’s GG timing?
Flash – Since I thought I won, I was waiting for the GG. Because we play each other often, if it gets to that situation Action knows that Zerg could not win, so that’s why he called the GG. Since this map is rich with minerals, the game would not have carried on much longer with the lack of gas.

Q. This week Proleague is opening.
Flash – The pressure is huge. It’s far away still. I hope they take the time and wait for me. I will only concentrate on my play. Still I think I’m improving faster than I expected, and it’s enjoyable so I think it’s okay for fans to have good expectations.

Q. I think it’s practically the first time Flash was affected by stop lurkers.
Flash – Originally Action is my sparring partner. Even though we agreed to both practice 3 hours, and within that time it was a response matching build against mine. To prepare like that in such a short time, really Action is a crafty player (laugh)

Q. If you could say a word to JangBi who created this team kill? (He randomly picked both of them out in the OSL Group ceremonies, with only 2 KT players in Ro16)
Flash – It’s the same for me and Action, we both have to beat JangBi-hyung to move on, so I think it’s time that JangBi-hyung pays his dues for picking us out. (laugh)

Q. Any last words?
Flash – I am sorry to Action and his parents. Starting next week I will do my best to practice SC1 to show perfect game play.
[T/N - It was noted in the broadcast that both families are close]

Can you play any better than this? This was like a textbook example on how to play Terran versus Protoss. Fantasy against Byun Hyun Jae (mini), showed zero openings showing perfect gameplay and earning his win. Winning his first game efficiently, Fantasy says “For the players dreaming to become a ‘Royal Roader’, I will destroy their dreams” showing his confidence.

Q. You got your first Ro16 win. Thoughts?
Fantasy – Before arriving in the game studio I was worried. While practicing I had many losses and I felt my gameplay wasn’t good. But playing in the game studio for real, it turned out better than my practices. I think I am meant for the stage.

Q. You picked out mini personally.
Fantasy – After picking him suddenly I felt worried. Because he was such a strategic player, I had many thoughts on preparing. Because my opponent played within my expectations, I was able to win easily.

Q. It seems like you showed him the difficulty of playing in Starleague.
Fantasy – I think I showed it to him properly. I am satisfied with how the game turned out, and I will break the dreams of the remaining two Royal Roaders.

Q. Your gameplay was good today. Did you practice a lot?
Fantasy – Until two days ago I practiced SC:BW but it seems like my past skill level is not coming out. Truthfully I’m getting a lot of stress right now. It’s tough but you have to pull through. The only way is to put your all into it.

Q. Since there’s 3 other Royal Roaders, this group is being called the ‘Honey Group’.
Fantasy – Rather that was more burdensome. Honestly a lot of veteran players can show signs of weakness, but Royal Roader players would try their absolute best with this opportunity so it made me more nervous. I saw yesterday’s game, Yoo Byung Joon (Grape) and Yoo Young Jin (Rush) played well so that made me more worried. Before today’s game I felt uneasy but after winning I regained my confidence (laugh).

Q. Which player are you most alert of.
Fantasy – Among the three players, I think Grape plays the best. He still has an MSL Ro8 experience, so I’m watching him very carefully.

Q. How is your practicing SC2 going?
Fantasy – For some time I did only SC1, now it’s time to practice SC2. But my bonus pool has lots of points stacked in it, so when I will get more points so I feel good (laugh).

Q. Any last words?
Fantasy – Right now this situation we are practicing both SC1 and SC2, I expect Progamers are receiving lots of stress. As the situation goes on, instead of leaving negative comments I hope people can cheer for them. Also since my teammates are practicing SC2 at the moment, it was tough asking them for practice. Bisu-hyung, By.Sun, Paralyze, and also in the 2nd string Kang Ki Hoon helped me a lot. I’m really thankful.

Samsung KHAN’s Shine’s frightening aggression sometimes backfired within his games, but in ZvZ it turns out favorable for him many times. Also he showed within the TVing Starleague with Shin Dae Geun (hyvaa) as in opponent in a ZvZ how scary an attacking player could take over the game. In the Ro16 winning his first game, Shine with all Zergs in his group C, showed his confidence to reach the Round of 8.

Q. You got you first Ro16 win. How do you feel?
Shine – I had many expectations and practiced a lot, it turned out well so I feel good. After a long break playing in a Starleague, my heart was fluttering. I showed good performances in Starleague, so I couldn’t wait to play.

Q. After you couldn’t destroy the natural hatchery, you must have been surprised.
Shine – After winning the first zergling battle by a huge margin, I thought the game was over. But hyvaa showed good control to protect it, so that did surprise me. Still it wasn’t a situation here I could judge I was ahead or behind. I was making mutalisks normally, and since my opponent defended his natural hatchery with slower tech, I thought I had to play more to find out.

Q. After you made your mutalisks, were you determined to destroy the natural hatchery?
Shine – First when my zerglings were hitting the hatchery it was upgrading to Lair so I thought I couldn’t destroy it. After going again, the Lair upgrade was cancelled. That’s why I could snipe the Lair with my mutalisks, and because of that I won.

Q. Seems like Samsung KHAN players’ performance are not dropping immensely.
Shine – Our coach gives us plenty of leeway to prepare for individual leagues. In my case, I gave up my vacation days and practiced, it seems like it paid off so I’m relieved.

Q. You must feel good in a group with only Zergs.
Shine – This is a great situation for me. In ZvZ pace and confidence is important and since I won my first game, I believe I will show a better performance in my remaining games. Next week my opponent is Kim Min Chul (Neo.G_Soulkey), I think the winner of this match will go on to the Round of 8. Even if I’m playing Neo.G_Soulkey, with my strong ZvZ I won’t lose against him. Additionally I beat him to pass through the Dual Tournament, my mind is relaxed. I feel more comfortable playing against a strong Zerg, than a mid-tier Terran.

Q. Your grandma came to cheer for you.
Shine – It’s been a long time she came to watch, I did not want to show her any more losses. But whenever grandma comes my win rate are good, so I had a good feeling.

Q. Any last words?
Shine – Recently because of the SC2 problem, lots of people are worried about our game performance. However for me and Khan players, we will do our best to put all our extra time to practice SC:BW and keep the gameplay level from dropping, so you can expect good things. Also I want to thank grandma for coming to cheer me on.

In the OSL Group Selection Ceremony, with the humiliation dished out by Song Byung Goo (Stork), seemed like it cut right to the bone for Soo. Soo’s overwhelming macro denied Stork’s Ongamenet Individual League 100th win, and came out with a win. Even if he was called the weakest seed holder by Stork, Soo showed a very tidy gameplay and won his first Starleague match.

Q. You denied Stork’s 100th Ongamenet Starleague win. How do you feel?
n.Die_soO – Out of the three people in my group, he was the one I wanted to beat the most so I feel great. But it’s a little disappointing as well. Being the sacrifice for the 100th win wouldn’t have been so bad.

Q. You are leading in head to head vs Stork.
n.Die_soO – Since I’m leading in head to head, I could play comfortably. I only did a 5 drone strategy once, but I think people are only remembering that time so that made me frustrated.

Q. You probably felt bad after the Group Selection.
n.Die_soO – In the waiting room for the group ceremonies, Stork-hyung talked to me so nice. I didn’t even provoke him, and after the broadcast started he changed (laugh). Of course Stork probably wanted to make an entertaining broadcast, but other players joined so I felt not so great.

Q. Through Fantasy’s persuasion you picked Stork, and it backfired on you.
n.Die_soO – Honestly if I think about it now, it makes no sense (laugh). He was telling me to pick Stork for fun, and he only took the Royal Roaders. If I lost I probably would have resented him, but fortunately I won so I can leave him alone.

Q. You must have prepared a lot today.
n.Die_soO – My mindset today was, “I have to win”. I practiced hard, and I think that’s why the results were good.

Q. After the zergling run-by, you took the game into your pace.
n.Die_soO – After the zergling run-by, they got probe kills and showed my opponent’s strategy so I could show a nice game. I’m so relieved.

Q. How is your SC2 practice going?
n.Die_soO - It feels like I’m going to die. I really want to change my race right now. But can’t help it now. Still I think if you do your best, you can change the situation towards your favor. To the people reading these interviews, Blizzard Morhaime CEO, I want to highly recommend patching Zerg.
[Please no balance whining, and thank you]

Q. Any last words?
n.Die_soO – I want to thank the Protoss players that helped me practice. And of course, BeSt-hyung didn’t help me practice (laugh).