TeamLiquid Interviews IdrA

TeamLiquid.net:

Hi Idra, can we have your full name and age before we start?

IdrA:

Hi, im Greg Fields and im 19 years old.

TeamLiquid.net:

So WCG USA is coming up, how do you feel going into this, are you worried? After being in Korea for a while you have a good chance of taking it home and representing USA at the WCG Grand Finals.

IdrA:

Well nothings certain, but I'm not really worried. I have a significant leg up on the other players in terms of practice time and practice partners, plus a few of the players I was more worried about have withdrawn, skew and nyoken. And g5 claims hes inactive now. Overall the only thing not going for me is that I'm spending the majority of my practice time on the new proleague maps, but ya I'm pretty optimistic about my chances.

TeamLiquid.net:

Who are you most worried about at WCG?

IdrA:

Theres a few left who are still kinda scary. G5 and artosis like to play guessing games, and they both tend to be pretty solid offline (artosis especially), which can throw anyone off. Nonys the only one I can really see losing to in a straight up game, overall hes probably the biggest worry since his mechanics aren't far behind and he has a knack for coming up with really good, gay builds.

TeamLiquid.net:

So you recently transfered from eSTRO to CJ Entus. How has the transition been?

IdrA:

It's been excellent. The atmosphere at CJ is alot better and much more professional. I don't think I'm supposed to go into detail about our training methods and that kind of thing, but I'm very very happy with everything training-wise. It also helped having that team building workshop right as I joined, got to know and befriend everyone right off the bat. Made the transition very easy.

TeamLiquid.net:

Who do you practice the most with and how are you doing results wise so far?

IdrA:

Most of our practice since I got here has been in the form of full leagues, everyone plays everyone a set number of games. So I've been playing everyone quite a bit. Over the last couple of days I've probably played a new zerg player, Where, the most, hes our only B team member who has a ZvT in the first rounds of the GOM tournament, and I have a TvZ first round, so we've been playing quite a bit.

TeamLiquid.net:
Do you have a possible estimated time for you're first televised match?

IdrA:

Well I thought it was gonna be the first round of the GOM classic, I'd heard my match was gonna be broadcasted, but I'm not on the broadcast schedule so I guess not. It's pretty likely that if I win there my next matches would be broadcasted, as the white guy would be pretty good publicity. Beyond that I don't know, as for proleague I imagine it will take quite a while to break into a lineup like CJ's, but some of the last round of CJ draftees made it into survivor/dual league after like 6 months. So we can hope for that.

TeamLiquid.net:

Do you have any short term goals that you wish to accomplish right now in Korea besides getting a televised match?

IdrA:

Nothing spectacular, mostly just the obvious things. Moving up to CJ's A team is probably the most immediate, that and performing well in the GOM tournament.

TeamLiquid.net:

With the announcement of sc2 gradually approaching how do you feel about the game design so far?

IdrA:

Well I haven't really followed the news, and I haven't seen anything ground breaking, since I played at the WWI. In the build they had playable there, I thought it was a fun game. There were lots of cute little tricks you could do, especially with protoss, and it was very high quality in terms of the graphics, game engine, and everything else. We were discussing it there and most everyone agreed that if it were any other company but blizzard, the game would be released already. However, as always, the game is not well suited for esports. The fun little tricks will keep you occupied for the first few days. And then once everyone has mastered blink micro, we're gonna be left with C level protosses dominating because 6 keystrokes, without moving your screen, completely takes care
of your economy and production. This isn't really the place to go into a MBS/automining rant, but theres a reason starcraft succeeded where other games didn't. If you don't have a physical aspect to the game it severerly limits the longevity and competitiveness of the game.

TeamLiquid.net:

Do you think Blizzard will correct it or leave it as is?

IdrA:

I think theyre going to keep trying half assed 'fixes' like the gas mechanic until everyone gets tired of bitching and go with that, and it will be shorehorned into esports because theres going to be so much money in it that everyone will switch over anyway and the sheer motivation and the quality of the players will force it to be a competitive game. But it wont last as long or be as good as bw.

TeamLiquid.net:

How do you think the transition into SC2 will go in Korea?

IdrA:

No one really knows for sure but the general consensus of all the rumors floating around is that it'll probably be a total switch. Starcraft out, starcraft2 in. Obviously nothings for sure yet, but just because it is starcraft2 theres very little that can happen to turn off sponsors and whatnot, and its gonna be so big they cant possibly ignore it. I don't know about the possibility of simultaneous leagues, but I haven't heard anyone talking about it.

TeamLiquid.net:

Do you plan on playing sc2 competitively?

IdrA:

Of course. I'd imagine almost everyone in rts esports does. My only fear is that the game wont be suited for esports, like I was talking about earlier, and that the pro scene will crumble once its unable to ride solely on its name and predecessor.

TeamLiquid.net:

Now that you've been in Korea for a while have you had a chance to go out and party some? Maybe meet a cute korean girl?

IdrA:

Ya we've gone out a few times, but almost no B teamers have girlfriends. We don't really have any time or money so its not much of an option.

TeamLiquid.net:

So you've been going out and drinking some I hear, are you a light weight? How much can you hold?

IdrA:

I dunno, haven't really tested my limits. I have to stay concious so someone can make sure artosis gets home safe.

TeamLiquid.net:

So after being in Korea for a while how do your family and friends feel about this?

IdrA:

Not a whole lot has changed, my mom is still very supportive and my dad still hasn't talked to me. My friends think its kinda weird and probably a waste of time, but very cool none the less.

TeamLiquid.net:

Do you have any funny stories so far about your teammates?

IdrA:

Well, nothing along the lines of 'progamer gossip' but there have been a few little random funny things. The other day I joined our battle.net channel and ggplay says, quote, 'wazzup greg'. One of the CJ esports manager type people went to school in the USA and he teaches some of the player english slang, its pretty funny.

TeamLiquid.net:

After being in Korea for a while have you found a favorite food?

IdrA:

Its kinda hard to choose, but sam gyeop sal (chunks of pork that you can dip in this nasty good bean paste and wrap up in a lettuce leaf, with garlic or mushrooms or whatever you want) might be my favorite.

TeamLiquid.net:

Before we finish this up are there any shoutouts you'd like to give to anyone?

IdrA:

Ya, Media team and honorary media members, and a big thanks to CJ team.

TeamLiquid.net:

Thanks for your time Greg and good luck in Korea.

IdrA:

Thank you.