I think GSL type tournaments in NA and EU are both great things. I look forward to it but I can't get the notion out of my head that his will harm small tournaments and hurt e-sports in the long run.

dNa

Germany591 Posts

April 04 2013 23:40 GMT

#42

Overall this system made a very positive first impression in my opinion.

The only thing that straight up bugs me, (maybe because I didn't understand it completely yet) is that there might be a problem regarding getting 'new' (read: unknown) players into this tournament. This new system seems to be more of a overall global point system for existing players, which means Blizzard seems to go away from their original goal of WCS which was to give players the opportunity to have regional champions, as well as a platform for rising stars.

In some ways I'll have to see how it will pan out (in regards to how the point system works, or how different tournaments play into it).
Also I'm not sure if I personally had chosen IEM over Dreamhack, simply because Dreamhack made a REALLY great tournament last year, and choosing a new partner over one I already had a great experience with seems counterintuitive to me.
Then again, I'm sure there are reasons behind the scenes that I don't know of, and I don't think anyone can argue that IEM will do a great job as well.

Other than those 'doubts' I'm positively surprised by this new system, It's really much better than the one of last year, and I'm convinced that Blizzard will continue to improve upon it, when or if problems should come up.

trada

Germany347 Posts

April 05 2013 01:32 GMT

#43

it looks good on paper, but we shall see.

Darpa

Canada4413 Posts

April 05 2013 04:28 GMT

#44

Id rather they region lock the competition by residence. You must live in said area to compete, and those outside of those areas can compete in the best ping region to their area if they dont have their own competition (china, sea, SA).

Other than that, seems good.

Zerg.Zilla

Hungary5029 Posts

April 05 2013 05:28 GMT

#45

Free HD stream, Koreans to boost the european and NA scene.Bigger prize pool.So what's not to like?

GelberSack

Germany8 Posts

April 05 2013 08:24 GMT

#46

I voted neutral b/c a lot is still in the dark. How will MLG and ESL run their tournaments? If Koreans have to chose on which continent to play, does that mean they cant play the 3rd GSL when they want to play on other continents (as they can change region after this GSL)? Are we screwed out a GSL b/c of the OGN tournament? Is that an OSL? The list goes on.

I like the aspect WCS had last year, and WCG still has. Foreigners vs some Koreans with an actual chance of winning something that matters. It's fun to see some European win a Dreamhack, where the strongest Korean has no chance of playing Code S. But to see e.g. Socke, Stephano or Naniwa make Koreans fight for their victory is where it's at for me. I hope we don't lose that with the new format.

Nonetheless: Loving how Blizz seems to make Gom, KeSPA, eSF and OGN work together!

Just saw: Socke to EG ^^

Damnight

Germany222 Posts

April 05 2013 08:30 GMT

#47

I have to disagree here. It (from my perspective) looks BAD on paper. I haven't seen any residency restrictions (PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong). Which means that Koreans can play from Korea on EU and NA qualifiers, but EU and NA have a hard time playing on KR because in Korea it's lan, EU/NA is online.
I don't think there needs to be a nationality restriction, but I am of the opinion that we need a residency restriction which means, that violet can play on NA qualifier but not on EU/KR; vise versa Symbol can't stomp NA/EU but only crush KR.
I don't think we have to have only Koreans in the final event, and I'm sorry to all foreign pro's but there are very little of you being able to compete with a ton of koreans. If you look at it, even B-Teamers are SO strong.
This system would benefit all people who live outside Korea, and everybody who lives there would have a disadvantage, but as Sase said: He isn't there for the money, he wants to be as good as possible.

I think the System ESL uses would be great as a structure (EPS is residency restricted). As a format I am more than happy with the GSL one

J1.au

Australia3596 Posts

April 05 2013 08:41 GMT

#48

"I don't know". I read the announcement and I still don't understand it.

Miss_Foxy

Singapore109 Posts

April 05 2013 09:37 GMT

#49

Strongly approve, Blizzard made the right choice.

warmus

United Kingdom196 Posts

April 05 2013 10:39 GMT

#50

The free stream is sweet, though watching foreigners play foreigners is not. Watching games where a "pro" loses because he cannot react to two simultaneous drops is just not fun. I am not sure why everyone believes this will increase skill level of foreigners. You cannot make a logical connection between the format and player skill without falling into some serious fallacy territory. As long as some Koreans transfer to different regions it may become good, foreigner on foreigner will just be affirmative action without raising skill level. We have seen time and time again that best foreigners can at times compete with koreans, and players like Catz will never be able to compete, WCS or not. But i guess we truly have to wait and see what happens.

neptunusfisk

2286 Posts

April 05 2013 13:06 GMT

#51

On April 04 2013 09:56 kochanfe wrote:
if there ends up being free VODs

That would be the best part.

But now, it's rather bizarre with the "let's put a bunch of foreigners as cannon fodder in the grand finals"-attitude promoting B-teamers to go abroad and hindering Code A players from having a chance ever.

The concept is cool but the execution is inhumane.

markrevival

United States222 Posts

April 05 2013 14:49 GMT

#52

my biggest concern is that non-Koreans will no longer be able to participate or attempt to qualify for GSL/OSL because that will, in future seasons, automatically lock them into the Korean region. Watching foreigners try and have success in Korea while still representing their countries in WCS has been a huge part of the GSL/GSTL/Proleague experience. It will be really sad if Scarlett, MajOr, Huk, Naniwa, SortOf and others are restricted from participating in GSL because of this.

HeeroFX

United States2704 Posts

April 05 2013 15:45 GMT

#53

I think it's cool but it remains to be seen how it will play out. I am optimistic it will help define who is the best player. I think blizzard should buy ad time for it too.

zephiK

United States372 Posts

April 05 2013 17:37 GMT

#54

Would of voted for strongly agreed if DreamHack was apart of it. I felt like WCS Europe was definitely superior than the WCS finals =/ but overall, its pretty good.

Mallement

Denmark39 Posts

April 05 2013 19:04 GMT

#55

I like the idea that there will be a definitive world best player instead a champion of MLG, a champion of Dreamhack, a champion of Iron Squid, and the list goes on.

Winning WCS will prove ultimately that you are the best.

GSL Code S/A will always be something special with the element of preparation that goes into it for each player.

[]Phase[]

Belgium927 Posts

April 05 2013 21:03 GMT

#56

Im not behind it a 100%, but I still like that its all coming together, if you know what I mean.

TheDougler

Canada8309 Posts

April 06 2013 01:17 GMT

#57

I preferred several bits of the old system. I don't think that with this system we'll get something as amazing as WCS Europe was last year.

Somewhat disapprove.

Terrasmith

47 Posts

April 06 2013 05:46 GMT

#58

I'd like to see WCS become a larger tournament, with 32 or 64 players at the end of the year, instead of the top five from each region. Just because it would allow all of the top koreans and foreigners a shot, instead of pitting the top five code S players against NA and EU competition, plus any koreans who move regions. I don't want the "world championship" to be a bunch of one-sided games and then the final four.

This severely disadvantages the best players in the world while promoting second-rate players (read:most foreigners), but doesn't mean the foreign players will get any better. So "Koreans are too good; let's limit the number of them that compete to make it more fun." Except that I want to see the most skilled characters, not my country's flag. I also strongly agree with what MC said about what the new format does to code A players. Overall, I don't like it.

That said, I'm happy that Blizzard is trying to make SCII a more international event. They just need find a way to do it that forces foreigners to improve instead of crippling the korean players.

Havik_

United States5585 Posts

April 06 2013 06:56 GMT

#59

Most confusing tournament structure I've seen. A revised version of last year's system with more seeds going to Korea would be better.