Say hello to Ty2, a longtime NA Zerg player and co-organizer of the NA Summer Starleague. Get a rousing inside look on Ty2's plans for the future, his penchant for cheesiness, and what he likes to do outside of StarCraft. Make sure to watch him and others play in the Ro8 this Saturday@7:45 PM EDT and Sunday@6:45 PM EDT
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Age?
21
Where are you from?
Massachusetts, USA
What were your favorite games growing up other than Starcraft?
I played a lot of Nintendo on the Gamecube, Wii, and DS. I really liked Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Pikmin, Animal Crossing, Pokemon and Mario spinoff RPG and sports games. I stopped playing other games altogether when I picked up StarCraft with some minor exceptions with StarCraft 2 and Rome Total War.
Favorite female streamer?
Tough to say... There are a lot of good streamers and I don't actually watch streams that much these days. She hasn't streamed in a while, but I'm gonna say Eloise, the hearthstone streamer.
How is your sister these days?
She's okay I guess. Kind of pouty as usual. We have such a loving relationship though. Not to mention she looks exactly like me, so what's not to love?
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When did you start playing?
I started playing in 2010 when I first learned about the game through Sc2 ads and the battle reports with David Kim. I remember it was just very new, fresh, and invigorating. RTS and a game with that level of depth and strategy was something that truly spoke to me.
Favorite matchup? why?
I can't say I really have a strong favorite, but I guess I'll pick ZvP because that's when I can get my inner Julyzerg on and feel like the swarm.
You've played Terran vs Zerg at a high level before. Would you consider racepicking if it were added to the ladder?
A part of me would be tempted, but I've had this problem of being on the fence and switching back and forth so many times. I even switched between Terran and Zerg mid Bo7 in the BSL6 Gosuleague Finals. I think I would just stick to ZvZ ultimately.
You've been organizing a lot of events but haven't participated in many since bsl 6. How's your motivation these days? Still active?
My motivation hasn't been all too high. I find organizing to be fulfilling work, so I'm pretty content with not playing a lot, but I do plan on taking a lengthy break. On top of that there haven't been many opportunities for competiton outside of the EGMFN and the really early BW Jeez Weeklies. I'm pretty much just waiting for BSL7's Ro24 to start.
You also coached 3 teams in CPL this past season. What do you think CPL needs going forward?
Ah, that was tough. For the most part, I ended up being the main, and sometimes only coach stretched across three teams, so avoiding such a situation in the future is for the best. There was definitely a ton of talk about the shortage of coaches and an uneven experience for some CPL students. In addition, there were a few organizational ideas that turned out bad and cumbersome. Ultimately, for more CPL teams to succeed, people will have to have the initiative to take responsibility and facillitate team practices, manage teams, and encourage interaction amongst each other. That's not limited to just high level players/coaches.
As it is though it's a mixed bag in terms of getting a randomly drafted team that works well together or is invested enough for a strong team dynamic. It's even less likely someone is willing to lead or take much responsibility. For a game and teamleague that's this time consuming and difficult, there's bound to be people who sign up that can't or aren't interested in putting that much work into the CPL. Also, in general, for a long-term event people will just lose interest as the weeks progress. So, ideally people step up to the plate, but right now I think CPL is fundamentally at its best for a grassroots league.
You're known as a cheesy player. What draws you towards all-in/aggressive play?
I get nervous and just go wild and do what I think i can execute in the short-term. Also, there are just a surprising number of players who will die to head-on plays like that. It's funny because usually on ladder I almost never cheese, except for 5 pooling v Protoss, but in tournaments it's so easy to press the trigger which is what I almost always do. It's really a mentality problem, but when I have a smart aggressive play or smooth economic transition, it works the best and can trip up a cookie cutter opponent.
Anything new learned from the Koreans w/ this wealth of VODs and guides?
I've learned a few things. I mostly just pay attention to how drones mine minerals now. I've learned how ex-pros send their drones to certain mineral patches, about the mineral boosting technique, and more. I try to look at smaller optimization details like that these days. My favorite ex-pro, Hero, said that he practiced for a match by first mining minerals efficiently on the maps. But as for actually learning much I haven't really sat down and studied anything.
Who are your practice partners?
I don't really have any. In fact, I haven't really played much these past few months. I guess the closest thing to practice partners would be the constant cycle of matching up versus Yaj, MrPlow, asdjkasd, and some other NA Zerg. Lots of plow.
Who do you think is the best player in the starleague? in NA?
Nyoken is pretty good. Dragon is pretty good too. Aegyo I think is actually the best in terms of experience and knowledge. He doesn't really compete, so no one knows him, but he's a solid, talented player.
BSL7-10 just got announced. Any BW-related goals for 2019? and beyond?
I'm gonna try to do okay in BSL. Atm I'm thinking of taking a lengthy break, but knowing myself I will somehow perpetually keep roping myself into BW related stuff. My mind's not really on competing at the moment. It's strange because I had this phase of participating in every tournament in 2017, or maybe it was 2018. Or both. I had like the fifth most played tournament games ever within those years? Enough with the bragging though, I feel like I've had my fill of the progamer life.
What do you do when you aren't playing SC?
I've been playing a lot of Crusader Kings 2. I've become quite interested in history because of it. Also I watch TV and movies sometimes. I like to read stuff online, cook, think of new, usually StarCraft related projects to do; like organizing the NASSL, writing some new guide, or some other endeavor.
Interviewer: Seriosity