StarCraft is a sport that shows no mercy to both its participants and fans. No sooner did the Dual League end than the drawings for the new OSL took place. Therefore I thought, what better to sit back around midnight and watch some Korean TV. Besides the group drawings, I also watched the Korean Game Awards that Sharp covered in the forums, but they simply got too boring and too ridiculous for me to write them up. It is comfotaing to know that award shows are all equal around the world. Anyways, around 2:30 in the morning the OSL draws got underway, and this is the way it works: each player gets up and is peppered by questions by the OSL commentators about who they are choosing and why, and then the chosen player responds to his selection.
Round 1:
First up to pick was the number one seed: Iloveoov. He had just been awarded the best gamer award earlier in the evening, which had been presented by Nada. Looking sheepish with his SKT T1 uniform, oov told the crowds that the past years success was in the past, and he was looking forward to the upcoming year. What about the OGN curse? Well he did say that the last season was very tiring with so many game 5s, but that after losing to Chojja the other day he was so mad that he practiced until dawn. No one can question his motivation anyways. Oov then stepped up to select Clon, because he was a first timer. After an uncomfortable pause, the announcers laughed and ripped into oov, telling him that Clon actually participated in an OSL in 2001. Looking very abashed, oov mumbled something while Clon glared at him. In rebuttal, Clon simply stated that although oov didnt know much about him now, he sure would by the end of the groups.
Second up is the poster boy for progaming, Boxer. He must be determined, because he had instructed oov not to pick a certain player. After appoligizing (for like the 100th time) about the OSL fnials, he was asked about game 4 vs oov. Could he have won if oov had lifted and floated to an island? According to the Emperor, he had starved himself and had some money in the bank for an extra scv or two. So who would he choose? Why was there a particular player that Boxer had reserved? Pfshh, the answer should be obvious. Looking for a towel boy in his group, Boxer selected Doggi and unconsciously rubbed his hands in preparation for the slaughter to come. Doggi tried to recover from the humiliation of being Boxers hand-picked victim, but his actions would speak louder than words momentarily
Third was the sexiest Korean around, Reach. He dazzled the cheering masses with an embarrassed smile while stepping to the dias. He said briefly that he did not want to pick a teammate, and then quickly picked Jju, who was very manner in saying that he would not pick another KTF member with his selection.
The fourth seed, he resurgent Chojja stepped up next, and declared he would choose a terran because he is happier when he beats a terran. Spoken like a true zerg player, loving the screams and torn up bodies. He said he chose GoodFriend because of his good bionic control, but the announcers pointed out that Chojja has stomped all over GF in the past, and that was the more likely reason.
After the big dogs had picked, the rest went pretty smoothly:
Group A 1 oov > 8 Clon > 9 July > NaDa Group B 2 Boxer > 7 Doggi > 10 Yellow > Max Group C 3 Reach > 6 Jju > 11 Midas > SaferZerg Group D 4 Chojja > 5 GF > 12 Sync > GoRush
Some notes
The highlight of the night came when Doggi, after being humiliated by Boxer, selected Yellow during his round. This created a huge buzz in the theatre, but one would have to think that Doggi sealed his fate with this selection. The good news is that if both Yellow and Boxer make it out of the group stages, they have an opportunity to meet in the finals. Also, Nada was never actually selected, because July was forced into taking him to make the groups even with races (2T and 2Z). NaDa is maybe the ONLY player that is universally feared, and that 3-0 pounding of Reach only cemented that reputation.
The group of death this season is a little harder to pick out. I would like to say Group B because of Boxer and Yellow, but one has to think they are going to roll right through Doggi and Max. The group that shows the biggest likelihood of a titan going down would be A. Clon is old-school, but has seen limited success, and is going against three former champions. July is the one with something to prove, as he barely limped out of the groups last season only to fall listlessly to Yellow.
The sponsor for this StarLeague is IOPS, a Korean based Mp3 Company. I dont know a lot about them, but it seems to follow the trend of Korean e-sponsors.
Maps:
The maps for this season will be : - Requiem - Guillotine - Alchemist - and a new one I havent seen called Parhaes Dream
Schedule
Here is the upcoming schedule for the group stages:
Group A is by far the hardest group in there. I mean you have oov, july, and nada. none of the other gruops can say three names that are as feared as those three right now.
Thanks for the pic, Emlary. Wow, Alchemist looks VERY original. It's a 3-player map, which alone makes it stand out. The circular path design is also something that I have never seen in a promap before. Finally, it is very unsymmetrical in terms of the paths leading between the bases. All in all, it should lead to some relatively unique and creative gameplay .
On December 10 2004 21:36 Bill307 wrote: Thanks for the pic, Emlary. Wow, Alchemist looks VERY original. It's a 3-player map, which alone makes it stand out. The circular path design is also something that I have never seen in a promap before. Finally, it is very unsymmetrical in terms of the paths leading between the bases. All in all, it should lead to some relatively unique and creative gameplay .
I think 3 player maps are far more "balanced" because of the fact that the walking distance is the same to all bases, however in this map they are definitely not
"He (Chojja) said he chose GoodFriend because of his good bionic control, but the announcers pointed out that Chojja has stomped all over GF in the past, and that was the more likely reason."
where do I download new progaming maps whenever they're released btw? can they be found on the ogn page (maybe i should look before posting but whatever) or where get 'em?^^
UPDATE: huk i see now that there's a perfectly good thread for this in the Broodwar forum, but if there wasn't, like in the general case, my question still pretty much remains!
Big WHINE btw, Sync and Gorush (being my favos!) in the same group T_____T
i REALLY !!!!!!!!!!! hate requiem...it is so boring map, im falling asleep when i realize that some 70mb vod is on that stupid requiem....u guyz like it ?
On December 11 2004 00:03 haduken wrote: boxer sounds very bm
Boxer has always picked the player whom he felt he could beat most easily.
He picked nada in Olympus? The last league where bifrost was used~ He wanted revenge for his loss in the previous league I believe, nada didn't advance but he did beat boxer ^^
On December 11 2004 02:02 Liquid`Daaman wrote: where do I download new progaming maps whenever they're released btw? can they be found on the ogn page (maybe i should look before posting but whatever) or where get 'em?^^
UPDATE: huk i see now that there's a perfectly good thread for this in the Broodwar forum, but if there wasn't, like in the general case, my question still pretty much remains!
Big WHINE btw, Sync and Gorush (being my favos!) in the same group T_____T
On December 11 2004 00:03 haduken wrote: boxer sounds very bm
Boxer has always picked the player whom he felt he could beat most easily.
He picked nada in Olympus? The last league where bifrost was used~ He wanted revenge for his loss in the previous league I believe, nada didn't advance but he did beat boxer ^^
Forgot about that particular league ^^;; I was more thinking of Panasonic when he picked Lee ^^
On December 11 2004 00:03 haduken wrote: boxer sounds very bm
Boxer has always picked the player whom he felt he could beat most easily.
He picked nada in Olympus? The last league where bifrost was used~ He wanted revenge for his loss in the previous league I believe, nada didn't advance but he did beat boxer ^^
Nada picked Boxer in the Olympus Starleague, not the other way around.
Bah, I'm disappointed in Oov and Boxer. Rather than making a sexy "fuck you all" pick like Ra picking Oov a little while back, they pick the peons of the groups. What a couple of pussies.
I'm glad to see it come back and bite Oov in the ass though...Clon, JULY, NADA!!!!! HAHAHAhahhaHAHAHAhaH Fuck you Oov!
That's what you get for picking like a pussy. Now he has his tail tucked between his legs AND he has to play the 2 players most likely to kick his ass. Absolutely poetic!
On December 12 2004 07:56 ManaBlue wrote: Bah, I'm disappointed in Oov and Boxer. Rather than making a sexy "fuck you all" pick like Ra picking Oov a little while back, they pick the peons of the groups. What a couple of pussies.
I'm glad to see it come back and bite Oov in the ass though...Clon, JULY, NADA!!!!! HAHAHAhahhaHAHAHAhaH Fuck you Oov!
That's what you get for picking like a pussy. Now he has his tail tucked between his legs AND he has to play the 2 players most likely to kick his ass. Absolutely poetic!
i dunno i have the feeling in that group that it will go like this: Oov > Nada Nada > July July > Oov
and everyone > Clon
which would make them go into unpredictable tiebreakers :o.
On December 10 2004 20:33 Enorasis wrote: That is such a weird map.
First looking at it, I didn't see the ramp at the blue base so I was wondering 'Is that balanced?!" but yeah I see it. Has that map been used before??
Oops: I forgot to say LMAO @ ooV haha.
yea its strange. the thing about this is that there are 2 openings to your base. one side has a platform to stand from and an expo under it leading to a bridge BUT the other is totally open into your base and the expo is on the side so it is harder to defend from inside your main like lost temple tanks.
On December 11 2004 00:03 haduken wrote: boxer sounds very bm
Boxer has always picked the player whom he felt he could beat most easily.
He picked nada in Olympus? The last league where bifrost was used~ He wanted revenge for his loss in the previous league I believe, nada didn't advance but he did beat boxer ^^
Forgot about that particular league ^^;; I was more thinking of Panasonic when he picked Lee ^^
On December 11 2004 00:03 haduken wrote: boxer sounds very bm
Boxer has always picked the player whom he felt he could beat most easily.
He picked nada in Olympus? The last league where bifrost was used~ He wanted revenge for his loss in the previous league I believe, nada didn't advance but he did beat boxer ^^
Nada picked Boxer in the Olympus Starleague, not the other way around.
EPT
![[image loading]](http://www.ongamenet.com/files/map/Alchemist1.0_l.jpg)
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