TeamLiquid StarLeague 5 is LIVE!
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by: TheOneAboveU
The Chinese scene has given us the closest thing we have to Proleague action in 2020, hosting team tournaments such as the Gold Series Team Championship and Netease Esports X. However, international fans could point out one major flaw: the Chinese player quota meant to develop local players often dilutes the competition.
Firefly is one of the players who is changing that, and also proving that the player development plan is working. The Chinese Protoss player had his breakout performance in the 2019 China Team Championship playoffs, when he promised to the live audience that he'd put up a good fight against Jin Air's Maru. He delivered on that vow by cheesing the daylights out of the four-time GSL champion. In 2020, he's become a valuable part a star-studded Dragon Phoenix Gaming roster, beating players like Impact, Solar, TIME, and Dear to help DPG win the NeXT Spring Championship. And he hasn't done it as a cheeser—he's become an increasingly strong all-around player as well.
TL.net talked to FireFly about how the team competitions have helped him improve, getting along with illustrious teammates such as Dark and PartinG, and coming through with clutch victories in the playoffs.
*A special thanks to digmouse for helping us contact Firefly and translating the interview! This interview has been edited and condensed.
TL.net: What is your status at the moment—are you a full-time player, or doing any studies on the side?
Firefly: I'm a full time pro player at the moment.
How did you land at Dragon Phoenix Gaming afterPixel 1 disbanded?
Firefly: It was very sad seeing P1 disband. I learned thatFanTaSy is retiring and didn't want the team to go our separate ways, but there was nothing I could do. Later PartinG and I decided that we needed to go to the same team, and the boss of DPG wished me to join them. I had dinner with him before and he left a great impression on me, so after consulting with PartinG we decided to join DPG.
TL.net: How is your relationship with your Korean team mates? Is PartinG mentoring you at all? Any funny anecdotes you can share with us?
Firefly: We have a great relationship, if I have any questions or need some practice I can just ask my Korean brothers. PartinG is always the optimistic guy and is always there when you are down, after losing in team leagues he is always there to tell us "it's ok, no problem". Once after I won in a match Dark complimented me as "Firegod", Cure and PartinG then followed suit, it was hilarious. I remember when BSG.Scarlett called me a literal "fly", so that's something sad.
TL.net: How does DPG prepare for matches, who decides on who plays which map?
Firefly: Our manager decides our line-up. We'll consider the strength of our opponents and react accordingly. Fortunately it has always come out in our favor so far.
TL.net: By winning over Alpha X, you have essentially secured your #1 rank in GTC. How do you feel about the rest of the season and the playoffs? Is KaiZi going to be your final opponent again, or will DPG face another team in the finals?
Firefly: I wish to grab some more points myself, and win it all with my team in the playoffs, since it's our common goal from management to players. And I think it's quite possible KZ will be our finals opponent.
TL.net: How come your performances in NeXT and GTC have been quite a bit different so far? Does the different format make a huge difference for you, or did you just have better days in NeXT?
Firefly: I think I just have improved a lot. Our boss has been encouraging me all along and my teammates have put their trust in me, which further helped my improvement. For NeXT I always think our folks can get the job done so I wasn't really under pressure. I also have to thank my boss for the new keyboard lol. For both leagues I prepared intensively and tried my best to be on my game, and I was especially on point during NeXT!
TL.net: You saved DPG by taking a game against KZ.Dear in the NeXT Grand Finals with no more second chances left—it was do or die. Do you feel that pressure influences your game a lot, or are you able to deal with that easily, despite not having that much stage experience?
Firefly: Actually my previous loss against KZ.TIME was crucial, in that game I wasn't behind strategically but I pretty much threw it, so I thought I need to be better next map. But yeah, I didn't expect to seize the opportunity to drag us to the Ace match. I'm pretty level headed after all, I guess!
TL.net: What surprised you most so far this year?
Firefly: Why isn't Protoss getting buffs? They are buffing Terrans? Zergs barely got any nerf at all?
TL.net: We seldom get to hear what Chinese players think about the game balance, so what are your thoughts about the state of the game at the moment?
Firefly: Terran and Zerg are super strong, according to me. Protoss is trash, according to Stats and all the other Protoss players. Jokes aside, Protoss is really having a tough time at the moment.
TL.net: Do you have a big goal in mind for this year, besides winning GTC?
Firefly: I want to win a domestic title against TIME for once, but it’s so hard since KZ.TIME's PvT is even better than KZ.INnoVation’s at times, at least from my perspective.
TL.net: Do you think the Chinese players have gotten better since CTC/GTC was started by playing the Koreans more in competitive matches?
Firefly: Of course the leagues help a lot, the experience let me understand there is a whole new level out there.
TL.net: Is there any up and coming Chinese player we should really pay attention to, that we haven't really seen play in big tournaments yet?
Firefly: Myself, of course!
TL.net: Are you aware that you have a growing fan base outside of China due to your endearing behavior at the last CTC finals and your improving play? Anything you want to say to your Western fans?
Firefly: Join me in the XY fanclub! We'll be buddies forever!
TL.net: At last, the most important question, because it is a tradition in TL.net interviews: If he was kidnapped by a gang of pirates, which three progamers would he like to enlist to rescue him?
Firefly: TSG.Cloudy, KZ.TIME, and Silky, we are great friends and we'll raid the pirate ship together!
TL.net: Thank you for the interview, Firefly. If you want to make any shout outs, now is the time.
Firefly: Thank you very much for the interview! I want to thank my fans for the support, my team for their help, especially our boss who provides me with encouragement, a great team house, and all sorts of attention like reminding me to getting my physical shape up to speed. DPG is a great team and I wish we win it all in GTC. My biggest wish however is that the World Champion, former World Champion, and the best Terran player in the world would remember me, their Chinese little brother, in their lunch table talks. DPG fighting!
You can find more information on the Gold Series Team Championship on Liquipedia and on TL.net.
The Chinese scene has given us the closest thing we have to Proleague action in 2020, hosting team tournaments such as the Gold Series Team Championship and Netease Esports X. However, international fans could point out one major flaw: the Chinese player quota meant to develop local players often dilutes the competition.
Firefly is one of the players who is changing that, and also proving that the player development plan is working. The Chinese Protoss player had his breakout performance in the 2019 China Team Championship playoffs, when he promised to the live audience that he'd put up a good fight against Jin Air's Maru. He delivered on that vow by cheesing the daylights out of the four-time GSL champion. In 2020, he's become a valuable part a star-studded Dragon Phoenix Gaming roster, beating players like Impact, Solar, TIME, and Dear to help DPG win the NeXT Spring Championship. And he hasn't done it as a cheeser—he's become an increasingly strong all-around player as well.TL.net talked to FireFly about how the team competitions have helped him improve, getting along with illustrious teammates such as Dark and PartinG, and coming through with clutch victories in the playoffs.
*A special thanks to digmouse for helping us contact Firefly and translating the interview! This interview has been edited and condensed.
TL.net: What is your status at the moment—are you a full-time player, or doing any studies on the side?
Firefly: I'm a full time pro player at the moment.
How did you land at Dragon Phoenix Gaming after
Pixel 1 disbanded?Firefly: It was very sad seeing P1 disband. I learned that
FanTaSy is retiring and didn't want the team to go our separate ways, but there was nothing I could do. Later PartinG and I decided that we needed to go to the same team, and the boss of DPG wished me to join them. I had dinner with him before and he left a great impression on me, so after consulting with PartinG we decided to join DPG.TL.net: How is your relationship with your Korean team mates? Is PartinG mentoring you at all? Any funny anecdotes you can share with us?
Firefly: We have a great relationship, if I have any questions or need some practice I can just ask my Korean brothers. PartinG is always the optimistic guy and is always there when you are down, after losing in team leagues he is always there to tell us "it's ok, no problem". Once after I won in a match Dark complimented me as "Firegod", Cure and PartinG then followed suit, it was hilarious. I remember when BSG.Scarlett called me a literal "fly", so that's something sad.
TL.net: How does DPG prepare for matches, who decides on who plays which map?
Firefly: Our manager decides our line-up. We'll consider the strength of our opponents and react accordingly. Fortunately it has always come out in our favor so far.
TL.net: By winning over Alpha X, you have essentially secured your #1 rank in GTC. How do you feel about the rest of the season and the playoffs? Is KaiZi going to be your final opponent again, or will DPG face another team in the finals?
Firefly: I wish to grab some more points myself, and win it all with my team in the playoffs, since it's our common goal from management to players. And I think it's quite possible KZ will be our finals opponent.
TL.net: How come your performances in NeXT and GTC have been quite a bit different so far? Does the different format make a huge difference for you, or did you just have better days in NeXT?
Firefly: I think I just have improved a lot. Our boss has been encouraging me all along and my teammates have put their trust in me, which further helped my improvement. For NeXT I always think our folks can get the job done so I wasn't really under pressure. I also have to thank my boss for the new keyboard lol. For both leagues I prepared intensively and tried my best to be on my game, and I was especially on point during NeXT!
TL.net: You saved DPG by taking a game against KZ.Dear in the NeXT Grand Finals with no more second chances left—it was do or die. Do you feel that pressure influences your game a lot, or are you able to deal with that easily, despite not having that much stage experience?
Firefly: Actually my previous loss against KZ.TIME was crucial, in that game I wasn't behind strategically but I pretty much threw it, so I thought I need to be better next map. But yeah, I didn't expect to seize the opportunity to drag us to the Ace match. I'm pretty level headed after all, I guess!
TL.net: What surprised you most so far this year?
Firefly: Why isn't Protoss getting buffs? They are buffing Terrans? Zergs barely got any nerf at all?
TL.net: We seldom get to hear what Chinese players think about the game balance, so what are your thoughts about the state of the game at the moment?
Firefly: Terran and Zerg are super strong, according to me. Protoss is trash, according to Stats and all the other Protoss players. Jokes aside, Protoss is really having a tough time at the moment.
TL.net: Do you have a big goal in mind for this year, besides winning GTC?
Firefly: I want to win a domestic title against TIME for once, but it’s so hard since KZ.TIME's PvT is even better than KZ.INnoVation’s at times, at least from my perspective.
TL.net: Do you think the Chinese players have gotten better since CTC/GTC was started by playing the Koreans more in competitive matches?
Firefly: Of course the leagues help a lot, the experience let me understand there is a whole new level out there.
TL.net: Is there any up and coming Chinese player we should really pay attention to, that we haven't really seen play in big tournaments yet?
Firefly: Myself, of course!
TL.net: Are you aware that you have a growing fan base outside of China due to your endearing behavior at the last CTC finals and your improving play? Anything you want to say to your Western fans?
Firefly: Join me in the XY fanclub! We'll be buddies forever!
TL.net: At last, the most important question, because it is a tradition in TL.net interviews: If he was kidnapped by a gang of pirates, which three progamers would he like to enlist to rescue him?
Firefly: TSG.Cloudy, KZ.TIME, and Silky, we are great friends and we'll raid the pirate ship together!
TL.net: Thank you for the interview, Firefly. If you want to make any shout outs, now is the time.
Firefly: Thank you very much for the interview! I want to thank my fans for the support, my team for their help, especially our boss who provides me with encouragement, a great team house, and all sorts of attention like reminding me to getting my physical shape up to speed. DPG is a great team and I wish we win it all in GTC. My biggest wish however is that the World Champion, former World Champion, and the best Terran player in the world would remember me, their Chinese little brother, in their lunch table talks. DPG fighting!
You can find more information on the Gold Series Team Championship on Liquipedia and on TL.net.
