[Interview] Loner, XiGua, LoveTT & NSL impressions

ID: Loner
Name: Dai Yi
Age: 21
From: Jiangsu province
Race: Terran
Team: World Elite (WE)

ID: XiGua
Name: Wang Lei
Age: 25
From: Chengdu
Race: Zerg
Team: Invictus Gaming (iG)

ID: LoveTT
Name: Liu Yin
Age: 26
From: Shanghai
Race: Protoss
Team: Dream

你什么时候开始玩电脑游戏？玩过什么游戏？

Loner: 98年，99年。我玩过星际I和魔兽III，但只是为了好玩儿。

XiGua: 我十二岁的时候开始玩电脑游戏。我最喜欢的是CS1.0、魔兽II和魔兽III。我玩魔兽III的时候开始做职业选手。

LoveTT: 可能我十五岁左右，最喜欢是那个Red Alert，应该是the first RTS game。星际1是我第一个职业的游戏，打得十年多。


你的小名有什么意思？

Loner: 因为我比较孤僻的，话比较少。

XiGua: 我的头发看起来像一个西瓜。

LoveTT: 我喜欢一个女孩儿了，她叫甜甜，然后两个T就是TT。


在你看来，为什么有的职业魔兽III选手会选择DotA或者LoL，而不选择星际2？

Loner: 我不太清楚。可能这些游戏比较轻松一点。个人爱好，有的人喜欢打篮球有的人喜欢踢足球。

XiGua: 魔兽III和星际II的特点不同。星际II太困难，而我喜欢困难的感觉。

LoveTT: DotA和LoL它们还是团队集体游戏。主要是喜欢玩这种游戏的玩家比较多。因为玩家多玩起来就比较开心的。


你自己为什么决定当职业星际II选手？

Loner: 因为这个游戏比较侍候经济，对矿井比较强，游戏节奏比较快。【你为什么选择Terran？】我忘了。（laughs）

XiGua: 因为是我的梦想，拿到所有国际冠军。

LoveTT: Um，这个怎么说呢？一方面肯定是为了一个收入吧。另一方面肯定是自己也喜欢这个游戏。


你在自己的家练习还是和你的队友住在一个队家在一起？

Loner: 我和队友在一起的，在上海。我们有四个人（领队的话是五个）、四个房间，然后两个比较少，两个比较大。我的室友是LoveCD。

XiGua: 我们在一起练习。我们的队家在北京，在传媒大学的旁边。中国所有的比赛建立在北京或者上海，上海要多一点。这个比赛结束以后我们就回北京。

LoveTT: 我是一般在自己的家练习。因为我就住在上海，我们的俱乐部也是建立在上海。【在你的队家有几个人？】算我的话有六个。


你每天练习多长时间？

Loner: 现在是八个小时，没有休息的天。

XiGua: 每天十个小时，有的时候更多。如果输的话，就不要休息，但如果赢的话可能会要休息一下。

LoveTT: 就是不确定，一般可以，大概是我觉得二到八小时吧。有的时候人比较累，有的时候想调节一下自己，玩玩其他的游戏。


中国服务器的竞争是不是激烈的？你有没有机会在韩国服务器练习？

Loner: 我不在中国服务器练习，我在韩国服务器练习。我有两个账户。【什么分数？】那就是秘密的。

XiGua: 不是特别激烈的，所以我总是在韩国服务器练习。一般ping是100ms左右。

LoveTT: 不激烈，就是一个影响力。就是可能我们的玩家太少了。我们一直都在韩国服务器练习。【你有几个账户？】有很多，三四个。我最高的分数应该是三十到五十左右，Grandmaster。


在你看来，在中国谁是最好的Terran、Protoss和Zerg？

Loner: Terran：我、Protoss：LoveTT、Zerg：XiGua

XiGua: Terran：Loner、Protoss：LoveTT、Zerg：我 【昨天Dream.F91赢Tyloo.Infi的时候他看起来很厉害。】对其他的Zerg来说，我觉得他们差不多。我可能要好一点。

LoveTT: Terran的话：Loner。Zerg是XiGua。Protoss的话我觉得。。。谁是最好的？Tyloo.Jim


在中国追求职业游戏选手的梦想有什么障碍或者困难？你的父母持什么态度？

Loner: 父母不理解，其他的方面还好。

XiGua: 最困难的应该是政府不支持了。（Edison: They say games are like a monster for the child）还有只是去国外费用和成本太高了，就是签证很难拿到。

LoveTT: 我觉得主要还是money上的障碍。我们赚不到足够的钱。但是不会做其他的工作，我们没有时间。
我的父母很支持我，他们会在电脑上看我的比赛。


对NSL和星际II，你有什么目标？

Loner: 走一步，看一步。

XiGua: 先拿到一个自己的世界冠吧。

LoveTT: 我觉得我现在没有什么太大的目标。我尽力而为。


如果你有机会出国参加国际的星际II比赛，你是想去的吗？

Loner: 对。我最想去MLG。

XiGua: 都想参加吧，欧美的所有比赛都想参加。但GSL的赛制我不是特别喜欢，太长了。

LoveTT: 我不想去韩国。我很想去欧美。我不知道有一些什么大比赛，但是像MLG这种我都愿意去。


你认为虫群之心怎么样？你最喜欢新种军人是什么？

Loner: 我不知道最终版是什么样。

XiGua: Zerg应该会强一点吧，我觉得因为我又看过预告片。Viper可以拿出来东西，因为它可以打破别人的阵型。

LoveTT: 我没有做太多的了解，我没有测试过。我觉得最终版应该让它变得平衡的。【那就是说你觉得现在Protoss是比较强的吗？】我不觉得。我觉得Terran比较强。怎么说自己的种族强？（laughs）


除了星际II以外，你有什么爱好？将来你想求学吗？

Loner: 看书、功夫。我自学三年，然后跟师傅练了半年。至于看书，我最喜欢看中国古典的书。

XiGua: 唱歌吧、去KTV，但是现在因为比赛太多了就没有机会经常去。我会想学，不过因为我的年龄可能不会。

LoveTT: 我喜欢玩那个网络游戏。I love MMORPG，现在一个是欧美出的一个游戏：Rift，do you know？I love it。
我大学毕业了。我是学动漫设计。


你想告诉你海外的粉丝什么？

Loner: 这可以过吗？（laughing）【不可以！！】我享受有一些乐趣。因为我听说一句话就说：热水铺雪，不但雪化了，热水也不是热水了。所以我的目标不是只要冠军，而是享受一些乐趣。

XiGua: 如果有机会我会去打更多的经常的比赛。希望大家能继续支持我。

LoveTT: 我觉得我很荣幸我在海外会有粉丝。如果我有机会能去国外参加比赛我也会感到很荣幸。

When did you start playing computer games? What games did you play before StarCraft 2?

Loner: '98, '99. I played Broodwar and WarCraft 3, but just for fun.

XiGua: I started playing computer games when I was twelve. My favorites were CS1.0, WarCraft 2, and WarCraft 3, which is when I turned pro.

LoveTT: Maybe around when I was fifteen. The game I liked best was Red Alert, the first RTS game. After that, I played Broodwar for over ten years. It was the first game I played professionally.


What does your ID mean? How did you pick it?

Loner: It's just I'm less social and don't talk much.

XiGua: I picked this name because the shape of my hair looks like a watermelon. [The Chinese for watermelon is xigua.]

LoveTT: I used to like a girl called Tiantian. So there are two t's, and then you get TT.


Why do you think some pro WarCraft 3 players would pick DotA or LoL instead of StarCraft 2?

Loner: I'm not too sure. Maybe these games are a little more relaxed or easy. Some people like to play basketball, some like to play soccer. It's just personal tastes.

XiGua: WarCraft 3 and StarCraft 2 are different games. StarCraft 2 is too difficult, but I like that kind of hardship.

LoveTT: DotA and LoL still are teamwork games. Mainly there are more players who like this kind of game, and because there are more players, playing together is more enjoyable.


Why did you personally decide to be a StarCraft 2 pro?

Loner: Because in this game you really have to attend to the economy. There's a higher emphasis on resources, and the pace of the game is a lot faster.
Q: Why did you pick Terran?
Loner: I forget. (laughs)

XiGua: Because it's my dream. I want to be world champion.

LoveTT: Um, how do I say this? One aspect has to be in order to earn a salary, and of course I personally like the game.


Do you practice at home or do you have a team house?

Loner: I'm with my teammates in Shanghai. We have four people (5 including our team leader) and four rooms. Two of the rooms are a little bigger, and two are a little smaller. I share one of the bigger rooms with LoveCD [Sky's little brother].

XiGua: We practice together. Our teamhouse is in Beijing nearby the Communication University of China. All of the competitions in China are in Beijing or Shanghai, a little more to the side of Shanghai. So after this season is over we'll move back to Beijing.

LoveTT: In general I practice at home because I live in Shanghai and our club is also located in Shanghai. Including me there are 6 people at the team house.


How much do you practice a day?

Loner: Right now it's 8 hours with no days off.

XiGua: Every day 10 hours, sometimes more. If I lose I don't want to rest, but if I win I might want to take a little break.

LoveTT: It's not certain. Normally it can be... it's probably I think 2 to 8 hours. Sometimes people are more tired, sometimes I want to moderate myself and play some other games for fun.


How competitive is the Chinese ladder? Do you have the chance to practice on the Korean server?

Loner: I don't practice on the Chinese server, I play on the Korean ladder with two accounts.
Q: What ranks are they?
Loner: That's secret.

XiGua: The competition isn't very intense so I always play on the Korean server. Normally the ping is around 100ms.

LoveTT: It's not competitive. It might be an influence from our players being too few. We always play on the Korean server--I have a lot of accounts, maybe three or four. The highest ranked one ought to be between rank 30 and 50 on Grandmaster.


Who do you think are the best Terran, Zerg, and Protoss in China?

Loner: Terran: me, Protoss: LoveTT, Zerg: XiGua

XiGua: Terran: Loner, Protoss: LoveTT, Zerg: me
Q: Dream.F91 looked pretty good yesterday when he beat Tyloo.Infi.
XiGua: I think the other Zergs are pretty even, I might be just a little better.

LoveTT: Terran would be Loner. Zerg is XiGua. Speaking of Protoss I think... who's the best? Tyloo.Jim.


In China, what are some challenges in pursuing the dream of being a progamer? What do you parents think about what you do?

Loner: My parents don't understand, but otherwise it's ok.

XiGua: The most difficult thing is the government doesn't support gaming.
Team coach iG.Edison: They say games are like a monster for the child.
XiGua: Another thing is just that the expenses and costs of going abroad are too high, it's just very hard to get a visa.

LoveTT: I think it's still mainly the money problem. We can't earn enough, but it's not like we can work a second job. We don't have enough time.
My parents are very supportive of me, they often watch my matches online.


Regarding NSL and StarCraft 2 in general, what goals do you have?

Loner: Take things one step at a time.

XiGua: I want to win a world championship.

LoveTT: Right now I don't think I have any goals that are too big. I will try my best.


If you had a chance to go overseas and compete in an international StarCraft 2 tournament, would you want to go?

Loner: If I could pick one I'd go to MLG.

XiGua: I want to go to them all--all of the tournaments in Europe and America. But I don't really like the GSL format, it's too long.

LoveTT: I don't want to go to Korea, I really want to go to Europe and America. I don't know what all the big tournaments are, but I'd be willing to go to any of the ones like MLG.


What do you think of Heart of the Swarm? What's your favorite new unit?

Loner: I don't know what the expansion is like yet.

XiGua: I saw a preview video and I think Zerg should be a bit stronger. The Viper is my favorite new unit because it can pull units over and break the enemy's formation.

LoveTT: I don't have too much of an understanding of the expansion. I haven't tested it, but I think it ought to make things balanced.
Q: Is that to say you think right now Protoss is a little strong?
LoveTT: I don't think so, I think Terran is a little strong. How can you say your own race is strong? (laughs)


Besides StarCraft 2, what are some of your hobbies? Do you want to go to school in the future?

Loner: Reading books, kung fu. I practiced kung fu 3 years by myself, and now I've been practicing under my master for half a year. As for reading, my favorites are the Chinese classics.

XiGua: I like to go to KTV and sing, but now because there are so many matches I don't have time to go very often. I'd like to study more, however because of my age I'm not sure I'd be able to.

LoveTT: I like to play online games. I love MMORPGs, right now one is this western game, Rift. Do you know? I love it.
I already graduated from university, my major was comic design.


What do you want to tell your fans from overseas?

Loner: Can we skip this one? (laughing)
Me: No!!
Loner: I just want to enjoy myself, because I heard a saying that goes: Pour hot water onto snow and it not only melts the snow, the hot water also is no longer hot water. So my goal is not only to be champion, I also want to enjoy the game.

XiGua: If I get the chance I'll go to more tournaments more often. I hope everybody can continue to support me.

LoveTT: I think I'm very honored to have fans overseas. If I have the chance to go overseas and play in a tournament, I would also feel very honored.

      It was my first time in Shanghai and it took me an hour walking in the rain to find the NeoTV studio. I wasn't sure what to expect from China's first StarCraft 2 tournament on this scale, but when I finally got there it was all worth it.



      For a season 1 production, I was very impressed. The casters, Xiaose and Joy, are really funny, and from what I could tell from my middling Chinese level, it seemed like they really knew their stuff. NSL also has a host, Wawa, who reminds me of Take in his easy confidence and natural command of the stage.

      Unlike GSL, NSL only has two booths, but there is no wasted time between games. The variety and quality of the content is some of the best I've seen. There are pre-recorded interviews of the players who are about to take the stage. The players are interviewed in front of a backdrop of their teammates practicing, fingers blazing across the keyboard, or perhaps in front of one of Shanghai's city-scape vistas, which was reminiscent of some Broodwar productions.

      Much in the style of GSL, there are winner interviews right after a match, but NSL sometimes also does loser interviews. Legacy.Ezrc was particularly moving during his interview. You could almost feel his distress in dealing with his losing streak, his need to get a positive result and soon.

      My favorite of all is the fan interviews, when Wawa will surprise an unsuspecting member of the crowd with a quick moment of fame. Here NSL demonstrates quick thinking on their feet in their ability to create unique content from live situations. For example, on Friday there was a fangirl in the audience who was hoping to give Infi this great scrapbook of him she had made.





      On the production side, NSL was very sharp. From the ever-changing light show to the way the camera-man worked the crowd during fan interviews, it was clear these guys have a lot of experience. All the small things were there too, like player reactions and nice color-coded frames around the small in-game video feeds of the players from the booths.



      I was a big fan of the way NSL presents player introductions right before the start of a match. There is a small action montage that pits the players against each other in a fist fight, which is edited from the footage in the video I linked at the top of this post. The montage then fades to the live feed of the players standing side-by-side on stage. It's all very slick.



      Although the release of StarCraft 2 was delayed several months in China and the competitive community is still on the small side, the players appear to be improving very quickly. I got the opportunity to watch 4 matches on Friday, and 4 matches on Saturday, so I saw all 16 players compete. Below is a link to what I thought was the most exciting game of the weekend. Bear with the slow youku loading time, and enjoy!

Q: What is your history with gaming? Why did you decide to become a caster?

Joy: I used to play Broodwar and WarCraft 3, but because I'm not god enough to compete, I decided to be a caster.


Q: When did you start working for NeoTV? What is your average work day like?

Joy: Last year in May I started working for NeoTV. Mostly I cast for 4 hours, and when I go home I rebroadcast some foreign tournaments, but not officially. The problem is that in China, viewers can't actually access many websites for the official tournament broadcasts. I can use my VPN to access them then rebroadcast to the Chinese public.


Q: China is a country full of gamers, but the average computer here has trouble running StarCraft 2. What other problems does StarCraft 2 face in China in terms of gaining popularity?

Joy: Popularizing and advertising for the game is very hard, and there are lots of other games for gamers to choose from. Chinese gamers prefer games with guilds, like World of Warcraft or some other MMORPGs. Also there isn't much funding invested in Chinese tournaments.


Q: There's a fever in the international StarCraft comunity, a shared feeling that in the near future, StarCraft 2 has the potential to lead ESPORTS to an explosion in popularity. The planets seem to be aligning, if you like. Broodwar legends like Flash and Jaedong will likely soon switch to StarCraft 2, the expansion, with its potential to make the game even better, is just around the corner, and the current competition in StarCraft 2 is getting more intense all the time.
Many think that China is another key component in achieving this ESPORTS dream. How can foreign fans and organizations help the Chinese StarCraft 2 scene integrate into the international community?

Joy: This is indeed a very complicated question. One very helpful development would be if more Chinese gamers were invited to MLG, IEM, IeSF, IPL and so on, because if Chinese players want to go overseas, getting a visa is a big problem. If foreign fans watched more Chinese competitions, maybe that would help a lot too.
Another thing is Chinese players treasure national honor, so they get very excited if they get to compete against players from other countries.


Q: How were the 16 NSL competitors selected?

Joy: There was a preliminary competition, a little like GSL's old Code A. Originally there were 64 players, but of the 48 eliminated there wasn't anybody famous. Some players like Sky still play WarCraft 3, which still hasn't quite died in China. However, that's only a matter of time.


Q: Where can foreign fans go to watch them play?

Joy: You can go to live.neotv.cn, and we have future plans to open a livestream or own3d channel. [In my experience, you can't get on Twitch.tv in China without a VPN.] You can watch VODs on our youku channel. At the very latest, matches are uploaded 2 days after they are played. Maybe in the future we will also have a youtube channel.


Q: This weekend many of the Chinese pros asked me if I'd been to MLG, GSL, IEM, or IPL, and it was clear that their level of interest in such overseas tournaments was high. How can Chinese progamers get an opportunity to compete overseas?

Joy: In general, Chinese players need invitations to go abroad, but right now most of the tournaments don't have a place for Chinese players to compete.


Q: In the past, foreigners like Grubby were extremely popular in China. So on the other hand, are there plans to have foreigners come to China and compete in NSL?

Joy: Of course. For example, we are looking forward to inviting DIMAGA and WhiteRa. These players are very kind and they have a positive influence on China. However, they would need to be willing to compete because our tournament is quite long. We're also interested in inviting some more Korean players from Code A.


Q: More specifically, what are the plans for NSL Season 2?

Joy: It is very likely that we will send more foreign invites for NSL Season 2, and we are interested in promoting player exchange with other leagues, such as the MLG and GSL partnership. We also might add LoL to Season 2.
In the future we might have a broadcast with English-speaking casters, however that completely depends on whether NSL can make a big enough impact overseas. Perhaps after we add more European and American competitors, that would increase our influence abroad. If there is enough value in it, we would add a live or VOD-only English broadcast.


Q: Which Chinese ex-WC3 or Broodwar pros would you most like to see switch to StarCraft 2?

Joy: Sky and Fly. They have great confidence at international competitions, and they are very pro on training. Fly is already practicing his Zerg on the side, but we still don't know if Sky will come to StarCraft 2 in the future.
The other commentator Xiaose: Th000 is still playing WarCraft 3, but without a team and salary. We don't know if he will switch to StarCraft 2 either.


Q: Yesterday you said Protoss is so imba.

Joy: Haha, I am a Protoss player. Protoss are so strong in the late game--it has too many aoe units, and warp gate can change a battle in such a short time.


Q: What do you think of the expansion?

Joy: The expansion might be better because the mothership is getting deleted, and in general defense is being strengthened.


Q: Who are the best Zerg, Terran, and Protoss in China?

Joy: Zerg: XiGua, Protoss: MacSed, Terran: Loner


Q: Who do you think will win NSL Season 1?

Joy: XiGua. He practices with many Korean players, mainly from Prime, such as Creator, Byun, MarineKing, and BBoongBBoong. He has the best macro, best attack, and best defense. He is the best in China.