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Valhalla18444 Posts
Thanks to a keen TL citizen named Eduardo!!, I conducted a quick interview with Sparkyz_Draco, the Great White Hope of the new year. We touched on things like IEST and his life in Korea, so here you go. Enjoy!
FakeSteve[TPR]: Recently you've been in China for the IEST. It was your first time in China, correct? How did you like it?
Draco: Yes I have never been in China before. At the beginning everything was going all right and I enjoyed my time during the first two days. The one very painful thing was practice. Probably most of you know that in China internet is just horrible, it's almost impossible to play with anyone on hamachi, not to mention a battle.net. Chinese players (Super, F91 and Pheonix) had of course a lot of chinese connections so they could always find opponents to practice. I even believe that Super lives in Beijing so he didn't have to move anywhere, just stay at his house and practice.
What about me? Well... We arrived five days before the tournament began. The only practice I had before the tournament was playing against computer and some mirror matches against Legionnaire (tvt, zvz). I don't think that's a good preperation for the tournament at all, expecially if we mention a fact that both Koreans were staying in Korea during this time and they were practicing everyday as much as possible.
FakeSteve[TPR]: I can see how that would affect your play. You lost to Reach, Legionnaire, and F91, was it mostly due to lack of preparation, or were there other factors?
Draco: There were many things which made the conditions look really bad. The tables were really bad, I think I couldn't imagine worse. During the game versus Reach I turned on some chinese language settings and I couldn't use my keyboard for around 5 seconds when I was trying to pause a game (It was the first game against Reach, the moment when I lost a dragoon and when my zealots got hurt a lot). After that I decided to play a hardcore rush since he trapped me inside my main for a really long time and it gave him a big advantage.
The other thing was the horrible noise during the stage games (music, commentating, screaming fans). In the second game against Legionnaire, the observer unpaused the game without any question and both me and Peter were not ready for that at all. The stage was like 10 meters from the game area and it was all very open, so all of the noise carried to the game area. Anyway some people may say that the conditions were same for everyone in the tournament. And yes I agree with your statement but I think it wasn't the main thing which made my performance bad that day.
I'm the kind of person who always puts a lot of emotion into a game and it might be my weakness. Those few things really pissed me off so after that I just couldn't concentrate at all during the games. I think that was the main reason of my low condition that day.
FakeSteve[TPR]: That's understandable, everyone has a bad day now and again. Let's talk about your life in korea, how do you like living in the OGN Sparkyz house?
Draco: Well... Personally I think that my life is probably the hardest life of a progamer that any progamer ever had before. In my team no one speaks english well so you can imagine how many misundurstandings the language barrier can bring. The difference beetwen me and other previous foreign progamers is that I'm here alone. I have no one to talk with about more complicated things. I also don't know Seoul city enough well to go anywhere I want alone. Whenever I wish to go somewhere I always have to ask some of my teammates to go with me. Even if I would like to go alone and learn about the city by myself almost no one in Korea speaks english.
But the good point of those things is that I can focus only on SC and improve my skill as fast as possible. And in conclusion even though I heard a lot about how hard it is to be a progamer I think that I didn't realise before how really hard it is. Anyway whenever I think a little more about that I never regret my choice and even without friends and family, I would still choose the same path of being a progamer.
FakeSteve[TPR]: In what ways have you improved your game? Is there anything you're focusing on improving right now?
Draco: After you become a progamer the practice is not so much focused of micro and macro. Those things come with a time, you just have to keep practise. Since I have became a progamer I mostly learn how to undurstand the map, builds, timings and how to make a good decisions during a game. During last few months I have seen hundreds of new aspects of the game. The main difference beetwen progamers and amateurs is not so much in micro and macro but mostly in understanding and controlling the game.
The funny thing is, I used to like to watch my replays when I was a amateur, but since I have become a progamer I see really a lot of things that might be changed and played better. Nowadays I still watch a lot of my replays but only to find a weak points in my game.
FakeSteve[TPR]: What are your current goals? Do you see yourself having a long career in Progaming?
Draco: I think that my biggest opponent during my SC career was always myself. I've always had a very changable form during tournament games, some really small things may infect my mind. So my next goal is to learn how to fully concentrate in important games to avoid situations like at the IEST or last starleague qualifications.
Also none of progamers are able to join a Starleague in their first 1 or 2 years of practicing as a progamer. Of course sometimes (but really not often) it happens that someone does it faster, but it's really hard to do so with Protoss.
I have found that many foreign fans are very impatient about my and the chinese progamers' performance in starleague qualifications. So, I would like to ask all the people who cheer for me to be a little more patient. If you ask me about my plans of staying in Korea I answer that I will try to play as long as StarCraft pro-gaming will exist.
FakeSteve[TPR]: Are there any foreign players that you think would do well in Korea? Testie has been thinking of giving it a try, what about him?
Draco: It's very hard to answer that kind of question, no one can be sure about the real potential of any player. I'm pretty sure that pro-team coaches put a lot of effort in looking for new players and analyzing their style of game to answer the question, "Is this guy really able to succed as a progamer?".
I have always thought that Androide might have potential but nowadays he is probably too old to succeed. In my opinion half of the talent is to have enough motivation to practice hard.
What about Testie? I think he has a good undurstanding of the game but as long as he plays 3 races and his apm is so low he can't be a progamer nowadays. And he has the same problem as Androide - age. Proteams are looking for very young players. My age is probably the latest possible age to start progaming.
FakeSteve[TPR]: Any last comments?
Draco: I want to say thank you to all of the fans who were already supporting me (especially from netwars.pl) and that I hope that as a representative of white players in Korea I will make the foreign community proud.
There you have it
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hahaha fakesteve is so good at being passive aggressive
btw thanks for the interview
edit: now that i've read the whole thing, it is pretty interesting. didn't think draco would be having it so tough.
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On December 14 2006 21:56 FakeSteve[TPR] wrote: Draco: I want to say thank you to all of the fans who were already supporting me (especially from netwars.pl) and that I hope that as a representative of white players in Korea I will make the foreign community proud.
in the end it's all about race -_-;;
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A good post from FakeSteve, it's a miracle.
Thank you nevertheless.
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United States20661 Posts
-.-;; that's even worse than YellOw's "I am thinking that Terran today has an advantage in StarCraft, and their units are too powerful..." after 0-3 bunker. I mean, Draco is like "they had sucky obs and a sucky table and lots of noise so I got pissed and played badly." -_-;; and then "my life is hardest out of any progamer ever!" Iono, I think Grrrr... had it pretty badly, as did most of the first generation of progamers.
He also seems to be like ahhhh it's so hard to make it into starleagues! Don't blame me if I don't get in, nobody does in their first year. Haven't people gotten in first year of progaming...? w/e, not that important.
I guess it does make sense that on progaming team they teach game sense. Micro/macro are expected to be good by then, and you just train to gain some sense of star.
Overall, nice interview, though... Draco doesn't give me as good an impression in this interview as in past ones. He's understandably bitter, I guess, going 0-3 in IEST. Thanks FakeSteve.
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u gotta skate8152 Posts
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On December 14 2006 22:07 Last Romantic wrote: -.-;; that's even worse than YellOw's "I am thinking that Terran today has an advantage in StarCraft, and their units are too powerful..." after 0-3 bunker. I mean, Draco is like "they had sucky obs and a sucky table and lots of noise so I got pissed and played badly." -_-;; and then "my life is hardest out of any progamer ever!" Iono, I think Grrrr... had it pretty badly, as did most of the first generation of progamers.
He also seems to be like ahhhh it's so hard to make it into starleagues! Don't blame me if I don't get in, nobody does in their first year. Haven't people gotten in first year of progaming...? w/e, not that important.
I guess it does make sense that on progaming team they teach game sense. Micro/macro are expected to be good by then, and you just train to gain some sense of star.
Overall, nice interview, though... Draco doesn't give me as good an impression in this interview as in past ones. He's understandably bitter, I guess, going 0-3 in IEST. Thanks FakeSteve.
I think you're being harsh.
Draco is essentially giving up his life to be a progamer.
Imagine progaming was as hot in your country as it was in Korea. You'd give it a shot, see if it worked out, if it didn't... well.. stiff shit.
Now reverse the situation.
YOU HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY. LEAVE YOUR FRIENDS. YOU HAVE NO ONE TO TALK TO. YOU HAVE NO MORAL SUPPORT. ALL PEOPLE DO IS JUDGE YOU.
I think.. for Draco... the next couple of years are going to be EXTREMELY CHALLENGING. They're either going to make him or break him. Good luck Draco. I'm on your side. I hope you succeed.
Oh and in closing. POLISH CHICKS R F*CKEN HOT!!!
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Valhalla18444 Posts
While conducting this interview, I got the impression that Draco is giving progaming an honest try, and is practicing as hard as he can. He is truly dedicated to his trade. Not to take away from Assem and Rekrul and the like, but Draco has a hunger for victory similar to that which Legionnaire showed at his best.
I'm sure as fuck cheering for him
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United States5262 Posts
Awesome. I would like to see this bumped to Articles after it chills in the Featured Threads for a while. Good stuff Steve hyeong!
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Draco fighting~~~~! Thanks for the interview
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United States20661 Posts
On December 14 2006 22:14 MaZza[KIS] wrote:Show nested quote +On December 14 2006 22:07 Last Romantic wrote: -.-;; that's even worse than YellOw's "I am thinking that Terran today has an advantage in StarCraft, and their units are too powerful..." after 0-3 bunker. I mean, Draco is like "they had sucky obs and a sucky table and lots of noise so I got pissed and played badly." -_-;; and then "my life is hardest out of any progamer ever!" Iono, I think Grrrr... had it pretty badly, as did most of the first generation of progamers.
He also seems to be like ahhhh it's so hard to make it into starleagues! Don't blame me if I don't get in, nobody does in their first year. Haven't people gotten in first year of progaming...? w/e, not that important.
I guess it does make sense that on progaming team they teach game sense. Micro/macro are expected to be good by then, and you just train to gain some sense of star.
Overall, nice interview, though... Draco doesn't give me as good an impression in this interview as in past ones. He's understandably bitter, I guess, going 0-3 in IEST. Thanks FakeSteve. I think you're being harsh. Draco is essentially giving up his life to be a progamer. Imagine progaming was as hot in your country as it was in Korea. You'd give it a shot, see if it worked out, if it didn't... well.. stiff shit. Now reverse the situation. YOU HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY. LEAVE YOUR FRIENDS. YOU HAVE NO ONE TO TALK TO. YOU HAVE NO MORAL SUPPORT. ALL PEOPLE DO IS JUDGE YOU. I think.. for Draco... the next couple of years are going to be EXTREMELY CHALLENGING. They're either going to make him or break him. Good luck Draco. I'm on your side. I hope you succeed. Oh and in closing. POLISH CHICKS R F*CKEN HOT!!!
Well certainly he is practicing every day 8+ hours and working very hard to succeed. What I don't like is that he finds it necessary to tell people how difficult it is, and how he's losing in the tournaments, and how progaming life is hard. Very few of us have experienced it first hand, true, but you'd have to be foolish to believe progaming is any less rigorous than a "real" mainstream job. All progamers discourage people from trying to join progaming, knowing it is very difficult.
I do wish Draco success, yes. It's been too long since foreign success. However, I do wish he'd man up a bit. I don't remember Leg complaining about Korean conditions and difficulties - granted, he had other english speakers to talk to, but it must have been excruciatingly difficult for him as well.
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rinizim
Korea (South)187 Posts
I will definitely translate this to PGR. Just Awesome!
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Draco man'd up the moment he got on a plane and went in to crush the OGN sparkyz. The moment he commited, I gave that man my full respect. I'm sure it's so hard on Draco. He is alone, SC'ing so hard. If only even one person understood english, it would make his world 10x better. Still the man gives it his all. RESPECT.
Still, Steve -_-;; I asked to you ask him how horribly he crushes Casy in practice games -____-;; You didn't. T.T You are weak.
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full respect for what he's doing and I'm glad he is there and giving it a shot. its so hard to get in vs koreans. good to hear from him and good interview. wish him the best of luck.
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On December 14 2006 22:25 Last Romantic wrote:Show nested quote +On December 14 2006 22:14 MaZza[KIS] wrote:On December 14 2006 22:07 Last Romantic wrote: -.-;; that's even worse than YellOw's "I am thinking that Terran today has an advantage in StarCraft, and their units are too powerful..." after 0-3 bunker. I mean, Draco is like "they had sucky obs and a sucky table and lots of noise so I got pissed and played badly." -_-;; and then "my life is hardest out of any progamer ever!" Iono, I think Grrrr... had it pretty badly, as did most of the first generation of progamers.
He also seems to be like ahhhh it's so hard to make it into starleagues! Don't blame me if I don't get in, nobody does in their first year. Haven't people gotten in first year of progaming...? w/e, not that important.
I guess it does make sense that on progaming team they teach game sense. Micro/macro are expected to be good by then, and you just train to gain some sense of star.
Overall, nice interview, though... Draco doesn't give me as good an impression in this interview as in past ones. He's understandably bitter, I guess, going 0-3 in IEST. Thanks FakeSteve. I think you're being harsh. Draco is essentially giving up his life to be a progamer. Imagine progaming was as hot in your country as it was in Korea. You'd give it a shot, see if it worked out, if it didn't... well.. stiff shit. Now reverse the situation. YOU HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY. LEAVE YOUR FRIENDS. YOU HAVE NO ONE TO TALK TO. YOU HAVE NO MORAL SUPPORT. ALL PEOPLE DO IS JUDGE YOU. I think.. for Draco... the next couple of years are going to be EXTREMELY CHALLENGING. They're either going to make him or break him. Good luck Draco. I'm on your side. I hope you succeed. Oh and in closing. POLISH CHICKS R F*CKEN HOT!!! Well certainly he is practicing every day 8+ hours and working very hard to succeed. What I don't like is that he finds it necessary to tell people how difficult it is, and how he's losing in the tournaments, and how progaming life is hard. Very few of us have experienced it first hand, true, but you'd have to be foolish to believe progaming is any less rigorous than a "real" mainstream job. All progamers discourage people from trying to join progaming, knowing it is very difficult. I do wish Draco success, yes. It's been too long since foreign success. However, I do wish he'd man up a bit. I don't remember Leg complaining about Korean conditions and difficulties - granted, he had other english speakers to talk to, but it must have been excruciatingly difficult for him as well.
He's just being honest. And current skill level > first generation. So I think it is much harder for him to succeed than previous foreigners.
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Steve thx for conducting the interview. I'm glad I told some1 else to do interview because I wouldnt of been able to ask good questions LOL , when i told draco to do interview for TL.net and he said Ok. i was like (ohhh,, uhmmm,, ahmmm what am i gonna ask him LOL ?)
I liked this interview He gave LONG, Honest answers... i love it when pro gamers are honest like that
Thx fakesteve
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