Emlary's Arcadia

It's a bit odd that we met in Paris eventually. We've known each other for 7 years (back when TL.net started) but never met before in person.

Waxy is adorable. It's nice to see and talk to him in person, though most we talk about is oldschool memories. How do old progamers do recently? Is Boxer going to kick everyone's ass again? Sorta things.

We had lunch in Montmartre, which the chef was surprised to hear he's from Korea and I'm from China.




Plus, a sunset picture taken from Basilique du Sacré Coeur.

I didn't really get into it when Waxy told me a while ago "hey dude it's Boxer Day he's back from the military" until I've seen some pictures of him. He's aged, signing a SlayerS_BoxeR autography for fans, which is identical to what he did years ago. How can I forget the days of being a crazy fan of him and getting involved so much into the progaming scene? Hot_Bid asked me a similar question once. I didn't know how to reply, truly.

It remainds me a lot. Some stupid and happy old days.

Once I was a high school kid, skipping school, playing SC and watching crappy vods of Coca Cola 2001 final (sorry oldschool days had no HD). Once I wept, because Boxer was defeated by Garimto after his first WCG gold medal. Once my English was horrible, I registered at TL.net soon after it's born. Once I bought my first CD-ROM recorder, because I downloaded too many vods. Once I had a wall of Boxer's photos, which people laught at. Once I bought my first camera by writing progaming reports for magazines. Once I learned a few Korean and thought of being a progaming reporter after college. Once I made hundreds of SC friends. Once I had a bf who also liked Boxer. Once I made a money-saving plan to watch a live game in Seoul. All's gone.

I did watch the latest battle report of SC2, shouting out "how come the Terran beat the Protoss even without a tank?" But I'm feeling old, losing passions. I haven't played SC for years. Instead, I play casual games such as Castle Crashers or SingStar after work.

JCA caught me on MSN few weeks ago, which we hadn't talked for few years before. I told him I'm going to Paris but he said he moved out from Paris. We just realized how many years has passed since he first released BWChart. We all changed.

Please do something, Emperor. Let us know you will take your throne again. No matter SC or SC2.

I did not know I made top 50 until one of my friends sent the link to me this morning. I do receive a creepy T-shirt with the "I <3 SC" logo few weeks ago but I thought every participants got one.

http://www.blizzard.com/us/inblizz/contests/ilovesc/

Since I submitted a photo on mnm's TL Gallary, I think you can tell which picture was mine. Actually I took that with Blizzard Greater China managing director in their Shanghai office.

PS,
I think most top 50 pictures are better than mine, I love the real firebat one!

Went to two districts of "old Shanghai" today, not surprisingly seeing lots of foreign tourists. So I guess I'm not alone because many people do love "old Shanghai".

The north, Tian'ai Rd and Duolun Rd with colonial buildings.












The south, Taikang Rd with many art galleris and cafes.

Taking random pictures of the city before I leave. There would be more about the "old Shanghai". I don't really like the modern part of the city.















and a modern one

After three months of waiting, I gave up Blizzard (Shanghai) and signed UbiSoft (Chengdu) today, as an online game industry analyst. This was one the toughest decision I made in my entire life. My hands were even shaking when I signed the offer letter.

I tried all approaches I could figure out. I'm so grateful to two friends who helped me make contact with Blizzard (Shanghai) and sent over my resume. However, it didn't work out. I know I'm too young to qualify. Blizzard expands faster than ever before in China this year due to the upcoming SC2. They are mainly looking for marketing people as well as geniuses with at least 8 years industry experiences. Geeez, I've only worked 20 months since graduated from college.

Blizzard has been a dream since I bought my Broodwar CDs eight years ago. I was in high school, skipping classes to play the game with classmates in PC bangs and logging-on B.net after my parents sleeping late at night. Time flees, and I happened to work close to the gaming industry. I felt like I could do something when this game is approaching its 10th anniversary. I wanted to join Blizzard. I might be not a huge Blizzard fan since I don't play Warcraft or WoW, but SC and Diablo 2 are two games I played most during high school and college.

Almost every big Chinese online game company is fighting for SC2. Blizzard has to find a local partner since it is unable to run a B.net in China as a foreign company [governmental policy to control any publication including PC games/online games]. Further more, Chinese online game operators are expecting to license Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion pack of WoW, if they can build up a good relationship with Blizzard on SC2.

Blizzard might not extend the license contract with The9, the Chinese operator of WoW, after their current contract ends in June 2009. No one likes The9, a greedy and creepy company. Two questions I want the answers at most in 2008 is when Blizzard will release SC2 and which Chinese company will win SC2. And how will SC2 be operated in China, a subscription-based B.net? How will the online game industry be influenced by this game? This could be something huge, something that changes the industry just like WoW.

It's the chance, and I wanted to be involved in. But the moment I signed UbiSoft, I knew it's gone.

Now I'm leaving for Chengdu, a southwest city in China, in which UbiSoft opened its second studio of China last September. UbiSoft (Chengdu) is expected to have 1,000 staffs in five years. It's good but it's not Blizzard.

Some Blizzard (Shanghai) manager told me "Keep distance from your dream". He might be wrong, he might be right. Only time can tell.

After a very tough week of work, I was able to lie down on my bed, watching live StarCraft games without thinking about any other game. And my favorite protoss-gemini won! They do make me a day.

PvP final again, please!

If Bacchus OSL ends up with a TvZ final, I might kill myself. Mr.Pretty lost to a Terran last season, while Mr.Bird lost to a Zerg. How dramatic it was! Don't let the tragedy happens again. I really want to see this: meeting in a final after both of them break the particular match-ups. KeSPA rank could be sorta non-sense, but come on, bring me another PvP final between the No.1 and the No.2, between two of my beloved players.

Life is still involved with StarCraft, a little bit. I have been waiting for an offer from local Blizzard branch for several months and next week might be the answer.

Guide him how to crash Terrans

When I was watching the live broadcasting, I thought this Kang-Min-twin-brother must be a Protoss lover, showing "Bisu, fighting. Protoss rules." or something like that.

But it turned out to be totally wrong. (I didn't recognize Savior's given name in Korea until I checked TLPD. T_T I was able to distinguish lots of gamers' names in Korea.)




Anyway, the game was great, should be one the best PvZ of the year. And I won't mind if the real Mr.Kang cheers up for Savior.

Looking through the latest issue of esForce. The cover report with the title "FANTASTIC 4" seems quite interesting.





pix credit: FiFo

Bisu - Revolutionist
Savior - Maestro
Stork - Tiranosaurs (I failed to get this word 100% correct)
Jaedong - Legend Killer

It seems Koreans are also fond of making "XXXX 4" scenario as we Chinese are. We have 4 great inventions of ancient China, Flower 4 (used-to-be popular boy group), Empires 4 (used-to-be popular Hong Kong singers), and we call four leading accounting firms BIG 4 (PwC, KPMG, Ernst & Young and Deloitte). I've no idea how they choose this FANTASTIC 4, but it's so weird there is no TERRAN at all!

Bisu, Savior, Stork and Hwasin (even if I don't like this kid personally) seem like a more reasonable lineup.

IIRC, IntoTheRain, BoxeR, HOT and ChRh (for Random) were the first 4 KINGS of SC progaming. Damn! I should dig out my old progaming gallary folder for some nostalgia photos.

That would be very nice if someone offers translation of the titles of each FANTASTIC. =] I can only read Savior's "Disaster comes to Protoss".
+ Show Spoiler +

The sweetest Halloween candy ever, YouTube is back for us mainlanders! Since the national party congress was over, the Internet censorship in China eased a bit. Well, I really don't want to talk about politics on TL.net.

There are countless UGC (user-generated content) video sites like YouTube in China, which contain no porn or anti-government talks. Among which I interviewed, they all want to be "YouTube" in the near future. They are dreaming of being acquired by bigger company or generating money from embedded online advertising. They are waiting to learn YouTube's lesson on copyright and interest break-down with content owners. They are sucking fresh blood from venture capital firms and do not profit a penny yet.

UGC sites are hot potatoes worldwide. Free censorship seems impossible in Mainland. So such controversy.

At least YouTube makes me feel closer to TL.net community. Yes, I just watched the Savior hype revenge video. The maker should be a secret Bisu fan