heyoka and I are here in Seattle to cover the Dota2 International 2012 tournament. Since we're press, we were able to get a short tour of the setup. Took some random photos; forgive the quality since I'm using a cheap camera.
Venue is pretty sick. They're using Seattle's Benaroya opera hall as the site. Place can seat roughly 2500. Valve is setting up shop outside of the main auditorium; teams have really well-made banners and there'll be a Secret Shop selling all sorts of items. There are shirts, inflatable toys (not as weird as it seems), and plushie couriers.
In the actual auditorium, teams have boxes to sit in. Being an opera hall, the whole thing looks majestic. Valve is backstage with a million computers. There are people photoshopping things, tinkering with multiple streams at once, and watching dubstep cats on Youtube. And as if that weren't enough, there's a gigantic trailer outside with a million screens.
Tomorrow the games will begin, and the venue will be filled up. Spectators will be happy, as Valve is giving everybody with a pass a cool grab bag; inside are trading cards, a code for a courier skin, a Nalgene bottle, and a (surprisingly) well-made Dota2 quilt.
Grabbed a few interviews with Luminous/LD, Ayesee, Draskyl, and SingSing/1437. Will nab people tomorrow. Need to work on Chinese DotA terms.
Not much else to say on this. Looking forward to tomorrow.
@TL_flamewheel
Fionn United States. August 31 2012 14:49. Posts 17232
Those banners are so freaking sexy. This is the sort of thing more event organizers should look into, it's comparatively not that expensive, and adds an awesome touch to the event, especially if they move them when a team wins, or have some way to signify the reigning champion with them.
Also flamewheel, I heard a shitton about your mafia playing at raleigh.
GMarshal United States. August 31 2012 15:08. Posts 20904
There are cards and quilts! Everyone likes cards and quilts!
"life of lively to live to life of full life thx to shield battery" The measure of a terrible day is when you go to bed thinking "man, I wish the zombie apocalypse would start already"
mizU United States. August 31 2012 15:09. Posts 10052
Heard China (ZHONG GUOARRRRR?) has been dominating recently haha. gogogo. The venue does indeed look pretty dang slick.
"It has always been in my observation of human nature, that a man who has any good reason to believe in himself never flourishes himself before the faces of other people in order that they may believe in him."
konadora Singapore. August 31 2012 15:46. Posts 44864
On August 31 2012 15:12 Torte de Lini wrote: Is Heyoka there too?
On August 31 2012 14:48 flamewheel wrote: heyoka and I are here in Seattle to cover the Dota2 International 2012 tournament. Since we're press, we were able to get a short tour of the setup.
I guess yes he is
Quoting a famous person doesn't make you famous.
Mr. Wiggles Canada. August 31 2012 16:43. Posts 4694
I think I need to drive down to the next International.
Seattle is actually the closest city out of all the ones major eSports tournaments are held. Hell, it's even closer than Toronto for me. It would be fun to do a TL meet-up at the next one, haha.
Are you filming the interviews you're taking, or is it just going to be transcribed later? It would actually be really cool to get an interview with the Chinese teams.
"Dulce et decorum est pro Aiur mori" -Zealot | TL Mafia is the best sub-forum around, no lie!
fishbowl United States. August 31 2012 17:47. Posts 813
Sweet pics. I've been following TI2 coverage for a while now and it just seems like the perfect tournament for the viewers and especially the teams/players. Valve is setting a ridiculous standard on how tournaments should be run and how players should be accommodated. I think it was Puppey who said that the International ruined every other tournament for him.
That said, I'm definitely considering going next year. Maybe make a road trip out of it from San Diego.
Last edit: 2012-08-31 17:47:40
Solinren United States. August 31 2012 17:49. Posts 2640
On August 31 2012 16:43 Mr. Wiggles wrote: I think I need to drive down to the next International.
Seattle is actually the closest city out of all the ones major eSports tournaments are held. Hell, it's even closer than Toronto for me. It would be fun to do a TL meet-up at the next one, haha.
Are you filming the interviews you're taking, or is it just going to be transcribed later? It would actually be really cool to get an interview with the Chinese teams.
We're filming these. We only grabbed a few on day 0 (yesterday) but we need to find a good internet source to upload. As for the Chinese people, I'll try to make things as live as possible.
@TL_flamewheel
Bloodash Netherlands. August 31 2012 18:14. Posts 1120
Theres still no Euro Valve store announced is there? Bummed out that every time I want to order something from Valve I have to pay 30 euro just to ship it to Europe (excluding additional Import/Duty Fees)
With all those goodies coming, you'd hope they could announce something like that soon no?
fingers crossed... :x
Last edit: 2012-08-31 18:27:50
Kipsate Netherlands. August 31 2012 18:19. Posts 19039
Store
WCS
konadora 
Singapore. August 31 2012 15:46. Posts 44864
Carnivorous Sheep August 31 2012 17:58. Posts 8847
(excluding additional Import/Duty Fees)
