Hi TLO! How are you doing? Hope you're feeling better!

Hey, oh I am much better today, except that the medicine is making me feel sleepy and that I am not as attractive as TL is used to!


Hahaha, OK. But you're well on your way to recovery and should be fine by Monday? How has practice been this week?

I couldn't practice so much, not more than 2 hours a day, anyway. I spent most of my time sleeping... But the next few days should be much better and get me into shape again.


Yes, well good luck with that. We hope you're back in top form for next week. Let's talk a little about your GSL Ro64 experience though. You mentioned previously that you'd tell us more about how you felt about it, after you played. So, do tell!

It was a big relief, winning against a former SC1 progamer meant a lot to me. I could not stop smiling all day long. But I knew that it was only the first step on the long ahead. So I tried to focus on my next match asap... but then the Pox denied me.


You looked really calm and collected in the booth, even managing to give the camera a few smiles. Were you nervous and hiding it or were you just more or less relaxed?

I was a lot less nervous than on IEM. I like booths they give you some security and privacy. It's a lot better than sitting on an open stage. It was a very pleasant experience overall. Some nervousness is always involved though.


It's great that you are adapting so quickly. How is the GSL on the whole in terms of organisation? From the event itself to how players and matches are handled, how does the tournament stack up against others you have attended?

It's very professional and also player friendly. Everyone gets his hair done and some makeup, that's something I need to get used to a little bit... But I think it's great how they treat the players, the fact that they postponed my match to the latest possible date due to my illness shows a good spirit and the willingness to make this the best possible event for players and viewers alike.


Let's talk about Monday's games a little. You're playing oGsHyperdub, a guy you sit with everyday in practice. What is the atmosphere in the house like as you both prepare for the same game?

We got moved away from each other so we can't take peeks. But the atmosphere is pretty normal, we just don't ask each other for practice games, but nothing else changed. I play with oGs members and he could play with Jinro if he wanted to. It's really not as awkward as I expected it to be.


That's good to hear. You've been saying how your TvT has improved by leaps and bounds after you arrived in Korea. How confident are you about facing a fellow Terran now?

Very confident. I have some strong builds, which are quite hard to execute though. I hope I can work some more on them in the coming days. But overall TvT and TvZ is fine now, and the next thing on my list TvP. ^^


Nice to see you so confident! Given that you can't play with Hyperdub these days, who are the Terrans you've been practicing with, and who do you hope to play against during the next few days?

I'm gonna play a lot with Jinro and all the oGs Terrans except Hyperdub. Maybe I will try to catch some Americans too. My US account got locked because I moved to Korea, but I hope I can fix that soon. Or I'll just borrow somebody’s account. Either way there are plenty people I can train with it.


The settling down period of your Korea stay is now over, and with Nazgul gone, you and Jinro are no doubt getting into a routine. Looking at the past few weeks, how well would you say you have adapted to the progaming lifestyle?

I felt quite miserable in the first 2 weeks. I was very stressed things didn't work out the way we wanted. But now that that I am healthy again and wake at more normal and regular times I feel great. I don't think it will be very hard to maintain the practice and lifestyle. I hope to do more sports in the near future though. Now I only need to find some place I can go swimming each day and things will be almost perfect.


That's awesome. What about food? Now that you guys are eating out less and being cooked for in house more, what's the diet like and how are you and Jinro doing with it?

It feels very healthy. Of course, it's always rice and then mostly some spicey soups, some meat and vegetables. We both like it very much and now that our requested fruits are here, we can have a truly healthy diet!


When you guys are not practicing, what goes in the Liquid-oGs house? We know ping-pong was popular in the old place, but what's the in thing these days?

We still need to find a good replacement. Wish we had a ping-pong table here. But we'll find something new soon I guess.^^


Something that people often forget is that for perhaps the first time ever, you guys are playing according to a fixed schedule - in what ways has this benefited you? Does having set practice hours ever get tiring?

It's very nice to have guaranteed practice partners everyday. I feel like I am becoming a more solid player each day because of that. Its not getting tiring yet, but we've only been here such a short time that I can't speak for the future. However at home I had periods where I played more or less as much as I do currently, so I don't think it will be a big problem at all.

We're glad you're adapting so well to your new lifestyle. On that note, we'll let you go, but remember that TL is rooting for you all the way as you go into the Ro32, Dario. GLGL and bring the pwnage, man!

How could I ever forget! Big thanks to you guys as always

Unless you've been afk playing a MMO for a while, you know skAnarky from his extensive coverage of the GSL. In this column, he goes into his experience of being an E-Sports photographer in Seoul after which he takes you straight in to a stunning photo essay that puts you right in the heart of the GSL. Enjoy!

Being an English teacher in Korea, I have a fair amount of spare time to explore the country. More importantly, I live in the land of competitive Starcraft, and have the pleasure of being able to attend live matches. While I had attended matches for all the different leagues in the past, including two finals, I had never attempted to be a regular spectator. With the GSL I saw an opportunity to more throughly immerse myself in Korean E-sports, all the while documenting as much as I could on my SLR.

The GOM staff are very accommodating to photographers and eager fans, and by that I mean I am left to my own devices when taking pictures, as long as I don't ruin their shots. The staff is always very cheerful, and whenever possible, say hello in English, or smirk when I greet them in Korean. Nick and Daniel are always chatty, and really mean it when they mention that they want to see more foreigners in the studio - they always eagerly greet new spectators with a big grin and a handshake.

Meeting Team Liquid was of course a big treat, and the highlight of the events thus far. What struck me the most was how relaxed the team was, which manifested itself in a very positive outlook. Dario was confident he would succeed, and his team mates had little doubts as well. Furthermore, they were all very talkative, welcoming, and understanding (especially when it came to invasive photographers). They gave me the impression that they are ready to take the E-sports scene by storm, and in time they will no doubt do so.

The atmosphere in the studio changes match to match, as some players either draw more people, or play on more convenient days. The surroundings are quite intimate, with enough seating for about 75 people maximum, with additional standing space in the studio itself as well as an outside area with a large viewing monitor. While the small crowds may seem odd to some, I think it is merely a product of this being the first tournament of its kind, and I personally predict it getting bigger around season 3-5. I love the intimate, close nature of the studio, and will miss this closeness when popularity beings to mount, and I lose the freedoms I enjoy when I visit.

So, here is a selection of shots that encompass the live GSL experience in a photo essay titled

Hi Tyler! What's up with you these days?

Hey! Not too much. Just practicing a lot! I began a quest to get #1 on the US server but I got sidetracked. Since the first TL Open is going to be on EU, I need to acclimate myself to the higher latency, so I've been laddering away on EU!


Yes, higher latency acclimatization is an important pat of playing abroad, isn't it? So, how has the EU ladder been treating you?

Pretty good. I'm starting to play some of the higher ranked people and I've been winning. I guess the builds I'm doing are fairly solid.


Is there a particular matchup you've been focusing on, or have you just been fine tuning builds across the board?

Across the board. If I discover something bad about one of my core builds, I'll probably panic about the matchup it pertains to and patch it up asap. But at the moment I feel good about all three.


Speaking of builds, practice and laddering, has your experience at MLG Raleigh affected in any way your preparation for DC? If you learnt one thing from that tourney, what was it?

The main way it has affected me is just motivating me to practice more. I didn't have enough practice going into Raleigh and I hadn't been watching any games from top players. Now I know everything that everyone has been doing and I've gotten a ton more practice. I also learned how to prepare for the MLG weekend a little better: I stay up later now so when games go until 11:00pm EST on Friday night I won't be falling asleep. And I'm gonna get in on Thursday so I'm well rested going in on Friday. And I'm gonna bring some jeans and a hoodie because it's SO cold in there.


Makes sense! We saw some old faces and also plenty of new people at Raleigh. Based on the event, how do you think the American SC2 scene is shaping up, and who should we be watching in the months to come?

Hmm I don't know who to watch for haha. But I think the scene is great. There are a lot of good players so by the ro32 there are already a bunch of interesting matches.


What about the podium positions. Was it nice to see a ton of Protoss up there, especially after their absence at IEM Cologne?

That doesn't really matter to me. After a couple years I'll probably take more pride in my race as a SC2 player but it's too early for that now. I only see players, not races.


Let's look ahead to MLG DC a little. You're gonna meet your teammate Ret there, and you're also going to get another crack at a MLG Pro Circuit title. It's still a month or so away, but how excited are you?

It's pretty much in the back of my mind all the time. I must win! I am really excited to meet up with Ret who I haven't seen since the World Cyber Games in Cologne in 2008.


I think people would like to know a little more about how you train - what is your average day like, SC2 wise?

First I watch any major games that involve Protoss. Lately that's just been the GSL. If I see something new or something I want to learn more about, I'll mess around in single player to learn more about the build/strategy. Then I just play ladder games, half experimenting with new stuff and half working on builds that I think are solid. Usually when I lose, I know why without watching the replay. But if I'm ever confused about something, I'll peep at the replay immediately.


How have you been balancing family commitments and gaming? Do you have set practice hours, or does your playtime tend to vary?

It's all over the place but I'm trying to get down a regular routine as soon as possible. Since my wife is a third year medical student, she is working some crazy hours at a hospital. Pretty soon she's going to have more normal hours for a while and I'm gonna be living like a robot doing the same thing every day haha.


Sounds like a progamer's dream. Do your wife and other members of your family follow your career closely? How much do they know about SC2?

Mainly just my wife follows. She knows about all the competitions I enter. My brother and parents and in-laws will ask how I've been doing when I meet up with them but they don't keep up with tournaments as they happen. Nobody really knows much about SC2 itself though =[ They're just interested in my results.


Finally, back to the event at hand - how was MLG Raleigh as an event, and what are your expectations for MLG DC? Are you expecting a bigger crowd? Psyched for another TL meetup?

MLG Raleigh was really excellent. The only problem was that MLG didn't commit even more resources to its PC gaming! I think DC will draw a bigger crowd, yeah. And hopefully in MLG's next pro circuit, they'll have a huge PC gaming section to accomodate the massive interest for SC2. TL meetup will be amazingly fun as always, especially since I'll be celebrating a tournament win this time =]


Haha, awesome! On that note, we're gonna let you go, Tyler. Hope you have a great two weeks of practice and dispatch some serious pwnage in DC. See you on stream as Liquid goes to Capitol Hill!

Ok thanks! I hope everyone has fun watching! =]




Hi Jos! What's going on?

Hey, not too much! I just killed myself playing hockey today. So I'm just relaxing and giving my body a chance to recover. Just slept for a few hours in the middle of the day, hehe.


Hockey? Ice, street or field?

Field Hockey! It might sound stupid to a lot of you, but it's a pretty cool sport and popular in the netherlands! Also tons of hot chicks play it. : D


We spoke last week about Zerg gameplay, but we didn't get a chance to ask you about the tourneys you've placed so far. How did Go4SC2, the Homestory Cup and the TL Open go, in general? Do you feel you've been making strides in your play overall?

They haven't gone very well to be honest, I lost to very respectable players in all of them, but I'm still not happy about it. Ladder has been going pretty well and I have been beating some of the 'top players', but yeah, in those tournaments I wasn't so lucky.


Apart from playing though, have you been watching SC2 as well? What about the GSL?

I watched IdrA and Cool's games recently. As zergs die out in that tournament I lose interest, but I'm looking forward to TLO's match though and I will be watching Check, Cool, and the other Zergs gamers left in the tournament as well. I also watched the games from the TL Open after I was eliminated. Too much TvT, but that matchup isnt as bad as it was in SC1, so it's still pretty fun too watch.


Speaking of TLO, we're just hours away from his games - give us a prediction will you?

I don't know anything about HyperDub, and I know TLO's been sick so... It's really hard to say, but my gut says that TLO will pull it out 2-1! Hopefully he'll make some of his trademark creative plays to win the hearts of the Korean fans like he did in Europe.

Alright, let's talk about your October. Rumour has it you'll be crossing the Atlantic!

I am going to play in MLG DC to play in their event. Should be a good time. I used to be close with the American players in broodwar. With the server split I kinda lost contact, but it will be great to see em all again there hopefully.


Is there anyone in particular you're looking forward to meeting?

Machine! My favourite Zerg apprentince, we've been fighting the good fight alongside each other for years now, starting in Media. The other EG guys as well such as incontrol, lzgamer. I met most of them before at blizzcon and in Korea and we had some good times. And of course Tyler! He was chill during WCG 08 and we've shared some similar experiences in Korea so I'm sure we'll have stuff to talk about.


Sounds like your social calendar will be full. Will you be there at the TL meetup?

I suppose so, TL meetups are usually the place to be!


This will be your first LAN event for SC2. Excited? A little nervous maybe?

I'm really excited. I hope I can give a good performance there. We'll have to see how it goes with the patch coming up and stuff like that, but I'm going to practice hard for it. I'm confident I'll give a good showing and do TL proud.


It's been a while since you've played live in front of a large audience. Will it take some readjustment for you or will it just be same old, same old?

Same old I think. I used to get nervous during live tournaments at the start of my 'BW Carreer', but it hasn't bothered me in a really long time and I don't expect nerves to magically reappear for SC2 events, at least I hope not. I guess it also depends on just how big the crowd is going to be at MLG


How much do you think your exposure at this MLG will help prepare you for Korea and televised tournaments like the GSL?

Well, playing tournaments is always good, no matter what place you end up on the scoresheet at the end of the tournament, you always learn a few things, at least about your game. So it's going to help in that regard to make me a better player. As far as playing under pressure goes, it's always good to have extra experience, but since I've already done so many offline events in the past, I don't think it was going to be a major issue for me anyways. Like I said though, playing more events never hurts.


You've been playing SC2 for a few weeks now. What are your thoughts on the competitive scene so far? In what ways is it similar and dissimilar to Broodwar's foreign E-Sports atmosphere?

It's just more of the same - more of the same faces, same people, same organisations, just more tournaments, more people, more teams. But the atmosphere is the same, and I think that's a good thing. I feel like it's a very family like atmosphere. We're all playing the same game and everyone's friendly. I really like that about our community. The WC3 players are great too. I've met a bunch of them over the last few weeks, and they are all great guys.


Looking a bit beyond MLG and October though - do you think that Korea will significantly improve your SC2 performance? As someone who has been there before, you can be a pretty good judge of how much a set practice regimen and high quality sparring partners will help develop your play.

Yeah, it’s going to be a huge help. I can't wait to go - sadly it'll take a while longer, but playing on set hours everyday and with the same high skill guys over and over helps you improve your game a ton.


So at the moment, do you have set hours you play usually or is it just mostly touch and go, based on who is around to play with?

Actually it's just been ladder, and no set hours. I don't really do custom games at the moment. I'm a lot busier than I wish I was right now, but that should change very soon. If I want to give a good showing at MLG, I'll have to put in some serious hours.


And we're gonna let you go now to do just that. Good luck with your training, and hope to see you swarm it up in DC! Ret fighting!

Thanks man, hope to bring the pain, see you guys in DC!