ApolloSC2

I want to write up a few words on why I believe in the new WCS system and why I think its something very positive and important for the future of StarCraft 2.

Opening

Right now, Legacy of the Void is now 1 month old, our new beautiful game, is by far the best version of StarCraft 2 that we have seen over the years (Dreamhack and Nationwars have been completely epic). I feel Legacy is the perfect platform for such a change to our ecosystem. This game is what we will stay on as StarCraft fans for many years to come and is the perfect time to shape our future. We have reshaped our game, now lets reshape how the eSports world around it works.

Over the last few years, WCS has taken steps in the right direction to try to be what it was intended to be when first released. It was meant to have been an ecosystem that can operate successfully outside of the well established Korean scene, an emulation of GSL.

Lets be honest, it didn’t pan out as intended, it initially hurt our scene, as many people thought the 2012 WCS style was great which allowed Koreans to continue to operate alone in Korea, while the rest of the world took each other on (2012 WCS EU Finals, so epic). 

When 2013 WCS was released, we hurt the Korean scene in multiple ways, one was by taking star players to play in WCS (MMA/MC/Nestea/Mvp), we then also took opportunity away from players outside of Korea, (look at what we did to the NA scene….). On top of that, we indirectly hurt a lot of streamers/community run tournaments (conflicts/viewers prioritising regular WCS streams) even premier tournaments suffered in viewership because of how important WCS Premier League had begun. It was the only thing that mattered.

The new WCS system takes the best things from the last 5years of StarCraft 2, combining them together to create the ideal system. 

A few things which the new WCS gives us back again:

1. Multiple opportunities for players, 11 events with travel support to players from all around the world.

2. StarCraft is going back to having multiple hyped up large events like we had in 2011/2012.

3. Opportunities to create magic moments (WCS 2012 EU Finals, WCS 2015 Krakow Finals - two of the closely memories to my heart.

4. Blizzard will support multiple organisations now, they can join WCS events, gaining $$$ and player support to their events.

5. A real reason for lesser skilled/known players to play. A reason for good players to keep playing. Ladder incentive, regional reasons, regional qualifiers for all events.

Think Golf/Tennis, when you think about the new WCS. (google their systems if you don’t know them)

My biggest and most favourite change is the opportunity that the new system provides. Over the last few years, there has only ever been 3 Seasons of WCS and if you did not qualify, why continue to play StarCraft, might as well stop playing and then start up again before the next season. With the new changes, there is almost 4x the opportunity, with events looking to rise up to 11 before Blizzcon. Last year, we saw Showtime rise up to the top of the scene in Season 1 only to lose to Elazer (Season 3 star of WCS) and that terribly hurt his career because he had to wait for so long for another chance. Same happened with Bunny in Season 3, we lost him early. Happened to a lot of players, these are just two examples. The new changes will keep everybody playing actively throughout the year and will push the competition and growth of the scene harder than ever before.

I think these changes are huge for the StarCraft scene outside of Korea and pushes it in the right direction, for growth. This will give it a long lasting life for many years to come because Blizzard are supporting the players, its scene, organizations. Also, without regular WCS studio shows, (that joined the regular Korean shows), this gives and allows room for regular content again, streamers, community tournaments.

Korea, however is not neglected in this system which makes this so perfect. They still hold Blizzards full support with increased prize pool all over, there will still be daily Proleague/GSL/Starleague/Kespa Cups/Hotsix cups and whatever else is run out there, so there will be no drought of high level SC2 action for us all, pretty much on demand. As well as the newly created GSL vs SSL champion battle.

Already in LotV, I personally, have had a fucking blast watching Dreamhack Winter and Nationwars. Working/commentating the awesome runs of Bly/Nerchio/Showtime at Dreamhack, watching Serral play at such a good level carrying Finland, was so amazing. Laughing at everything Huk did lol. It was a lot of fun.

I believe the new system, gives us the best of both Worlds, where we can still enjoy the highest level of StarCraft and reference our play/games to it on the planet through regular daily/weekly shows in Korea and the opportunity to find the new Serrals/Lilbows of the our World, that have been given very little chance to shine in the last few years.

I believe that the new system is going to be a great success and we need to trust and support Blizzard and their partners with this change. We were all very sceptical with how LotV would turn out undergoing so many drastic changes and look where we are now! I believe these changes to WCS will have a similar effect, I wish I could time travel to mid 2016 and see how well this system will be running and to read all your comments, thanking Blizzard undergoing big changes to change the look of WCS.

I am looking forward to 2016, see you on the other side and lets have a great year, cheers!

Hey everyone, I am doing my personal analysis of games from the Korean scene and I decided I would write this one up for you, its my first time doing something like this so let me know if you find this helpful :)!

What we are looking at today is KTStats game from the GSL. He is playing against Samsung.Roro (one of the finest Zergs in Korea) and he is currently losing 0-1.

Map: Alterzim Stronghold

Strategy: 4 Phoenix into a +1 attack immortal push leaving at 10minutes.

Idea behind it: With a safe opening (remember he is playing from 0-1) - The plan is to get your stargate running which is very standard in the current meta game but add in a deadly twist and timing to surprise your opponent, who on a map this big, would not be expecting an attack approaching at 10 minutes mark.

Things to consider:

        1.        Phoenix must clear out the 2overlords which should be around your main/natural area, the time and location will be unknown depending on when he spawns.

        2.        Try and get as much damage with your Phoenix as possible, drones/queens/overlords and just generally slow him down

        3.        You do not need to scout with this build, phoenix will do that for you and remember you have a safe opening.

        4.        Advanced:Try move down natural ramp with a few zealots/sentries to complete your image that you would be looking to clear out lings in search to establishing your 3rd base.

Build Order:

9 Pylon (On ramp for future wall)
**As pylon completes you want the standard 2x Chrono into Nexus
16 Nexus
17 Forge (In wall from original pylon)

18 Pylon (Around nexus)
18 Gateway/18Cannon

**As pylon finishes - Chrono Nexus

20 Double gas 
**Chrono into Nexus
**Chrono into 2nd Nexus (and stop chrono into main nexus now as you will have 16 on minerals, all chrono from now on is into 2nd nexus)

25 Cyber core + start zealot for wall off
**31 supply Chrono Nexus
32 Pylon

As soon as Cyber core completes - Add Stargate and warpgate research 

**35/36 Chrono Nexus (Last chrono for nexus)

Add sentry with next 100gas (gas resets to 0 now)

40 Double gas on natural (Before stargate completes)
40 Pylon
42 Phoenix **Chrono and continue to chrono all 4 Phoenix out
42 Pylon

46 / 6min40sec Robo (Its your next 100gas after that Phoenix + now you are mining 4gases btw)

52 supply / 7min5sec~ Squeeze +1 attack in while keeping pheonix production constant 

With your Phoenix at this point, you want to start killing overlords around your base, there should always be 2 close, make sure to kill to deny scouting information of your followup.

52 supply / 7min15sec - STOP probe production, you are at 44 probes, 16x2=32 minerals and 6x2=12 gas = 44.

52 supply / 7min 15sec - 2 pylons

At this point as you stop building probes your minerals will start to rise fast, this is normal, prepare to add your gateways and to start immortal production

54 supply / 7min 45secs - Add 3gateways and start your first immortal

As you start your first immortal, all your chrono now goes into the Robo and you stop on your phoenixs as you should almost be at 4.

64 supply / 8min 25sec - Add 4 more gateways (total is now 8)

Here you are almost ready to go, make sure to chrono out your 3immortals and then of course the warp prism to follow them. With your gateways starting to finish up, empty all of your gas into sentries and left over minerals into zealots. (Make sure to add on pylons while building up)

10minute mark / 90 supply - TIME TO GO 

You should have hopefully - 4phoenix left over

3immortals
8sentries
5zealots
**Warp prism in production but waypointed to your army

Now, close your main base up with a pylon. Stats didn’t bring a probe to fight with, he only used his warp prism so BE CAREFUL not to lose it. He warps in 2final sentries to follow just behind for total of 10 and then waits until just off creep for next warpin.

Next warpin is 8stalkers and from this point, add what ever you feel best to help in the fight.

Group D

Last Terran standing … again! MMA is the only Terran to remain inside the World Championship Series Europe with ForGG getting eliminated last night by Nerchio. This is the last group of the Ro16 before we have our players set for the Quarter Finals which get played out next weekend.

Starbuck is the youngest player that we have in the World Championship Series coming in at only 16 has really started to make a name for himself over the last few months with his 2-0 over Grubby and 2-1 over Lucifron in the ro32, how can he perform tonight? He enters a group with the regining champion of the WCS EU, MothertruckingMMA and a scary Russian, Titan. This is going to be good a one.

MMA

Finally, I am super excited for MMAs games tonight, after so long down in the dumps we have a player who has reached two semi finals over the last couple of months! I managed to catch him briefly last night and the first question I asked is how is he feeling and his how is his condition, he smiled at me and said great, hes feeling really good. 

Remember that not only is this important for MMA in his search for a win but he is VERY close to being in the top 16 seeding for Blizzcon, a win tonight helps his cause, if he finds another Season Finals here… then he could be going back to a beautiful place, an arena full of happy memories of his glorious 4-1 victory over Mvp.

His first game of the night is against Starbuck, who has displayed his ability to use weird aggressive strategies for some fast wins and as we remember the ro32, the last game from the Lucifron vs Starbuck series, he showed us he can play the game long, fighting up until he gets 3/3 upgrades and Ultralisks. The big problem with Starbuck is his experience, basically, he has none. MMA will clearly know Starbuck is going to be aiming for a cheap win somewhere in their series, Team Acer have a good setup with Cella helping out the players with giving information on their opponents and I am sure MMA will be playing very defensively tonight to start things off.

If MMA doesn’t advance tonight ?!?!?! ………………………. ???

Titan

An interesting story for Titan, if you didn’t watch the ro32, in the winners interview we had with him he said something along these lines:

“If I didn’t qualify for the the ro16 I was going to take a step back from playing StarCraft, play it as a hobby rather than my job”

This is MASSIVE!! I 100% understand the reasoning behind it for Titan as well. For a long time, before WCS even went live with Season 1, Titan was practicing 10hours a day, going to the gym, eating good and working his ASS off to be one of the best. In Season 1 he failed to advance from the Ro32 and this is obviously very demoralizing when you are working very hard. In Season 2, when he advanced from the ro32, in the winners interview then, he was so happy, that his hard work had paid off and he got the chance to play in Cologne for the ro16. He almost advanced into the ro8 if it wasn’t for just one mistake against MC losing him the final map of the series going 1-2 and being eliminated. So coming into Season 3 and failing in the ro32… Makes sense now?

He enters this group with a very difficult task to advance, playing against Duckdeok in his first game of the evening, a player who won his championship in WCS on PvP games pretty much. Though Duckdeok has since became a little bit predictable in his play style, Naniwa was able to finally understand how to beat him and showed that in the Season 2 finals. Has Titan prepared in a similar manner? Has Duckdeok changed up since the last time we saw him?

Titan vs MMA is going to be very difficult of course, I am not sure about his game against Starbuck if they were to meet, Starbuck is a terror against Protoss but I question his performance due to lack of experience playing offline. Good luck Comrade.

Duckdeok

If history was to repeat itself, the reigning champion is meant to lose tonight, as our first champion Mvp was eliminated by my co-caster this evening, Grubby, in the ro16.

We haven’t seen any activity from Duckdeok outside of the WCS, his last offline games were in the Season 2 Finals over a month ago. He did however beat up on TLO in the ro32, once again only just advancing out of his group to make it to where he shined last season.

His first game tonight will be against Titan, I feel this game can go anyway, even though Duckdeok probably is the stronger player, he has been more exposed than Titan, lots of information on how duckdeok likes to play PvP will give Titan help and even up the series. Lets say Duckdeok loses vs Titan and has to play MMA or Starbuck and if Starbuck can perform and deliver with his very strong ZvP… there is a chance that we do lose our reigning champion, what a scary thought.

As a champion there is no room to bath in ones glory as you are the one wearing the target.

Starbuck

Well well well, congratulations Starbuck on making it into the Premier league. Fantastic performances in the ro32 beating Grubby and winning the rematch vs Lucifron, he gained a lot of fans over the last few weeks and is in a position to win even more tonight if the Slovenian dream comes true.

I have to mention it again, coming into this tournament at only 16 years old, he will go FACE TO FACE with a StarCraft legend, MMA. I hope he approaches this group like StarTale Life would, not give a $£%!. Most of us reading this have all been 16 years old, at this point in your life you simply don’t need to worry about things an older person would, making a living, finding a girlfriend, work etc.etc. Hopefully all that is going through Starbucks head is pink unicorns, rainbows and how to play SC2.

He will face up first tonight against MMA, a player who will try to make Starbuck dizzy with drops, move him out of position and simply out play him. I think we are all expecting something crazy coming out from Starbuck, but what is it? Roach baneling allin? Speed roach, speed baneling? Normal games? What is it?? That’s the big question coming in tonight’s game against MMA.

Against Protoss, he said he is confident to face anybody and is eager to play that matchup, so lets hope he delivers! 

A difficult night for the youngster but this is where heroes and legends begin, this could be your time.

Group C

Time for a Terran to move into the ro8? Every group this season has been close and difficult to be able to predict who will advance through easily, especially because the World Championship Series in Europe so far has been full of upsets and surprising results but ill give it a go!

I look at todays group with one clear favourite in mind, ForGG. I feel the 2nd place might go over to Nerchio who has really been putting results back out there again, which then leaves us with Showtime and Genius. I think Genius is a complete wildcard wildman, I have no idea what to expect from him tonight lol - I don’t think you can argue that Showtime is the underdog in this group, the 19year old from Germany has a some big shoes to fill - TLO from Season 1 and Hasuobs in Season 2.

ForGG

Its ForGGeddon time. He is back in the offline section of the WCS EU Premier league! Lets just remind our-selves how good he was in Season 1 finishing top 4 losing out to Stephano in the semi finals. On top of that he smashed his group in the Season 1 finals, wooo weeee! 2-0 Her0 and 2-1 sOs before losing in the quarter finals to Mvp (Who almost beat Innovation who won it all!!!).

Unfortunately he had delays on his visa arriving in time to make it back to France to play in Europe for Season 2 and he got latency busted and couldn’t make it into the round of 16. Anyway he is back playing tonight and I feel he is definitely the favourite to move on unless something is terribly wrong with his condition. Nobody is invulnerable in the WCS though, maybe Genius surprises us with something crazy? Maybe Showtime beats another top tier Korean Terran or does the rivalry and history between ForGG and Nerchio come to shine tonight and something wild happens?

No matter what, if ForGG doesn’t advance - I can’t help but feel something is wrong.

Genius

Genius…. Blizzcon champion 2010, one of the most consistent Protoss in the GSL during 2011, GSL finalist in 2012, a nobody in 2013.. 

We saw him briefly a couple of months back in GSTL where he just randomly came out and starting beating StarTale with his insane builds. Honestly though what has he done this year? Nothing yet. He worked his way though challenger league qualifier and challenger league itself and then found his way advancing through the Premier League ro32, he worked with the latency issue and finds himself in prime position to show us what he has to show. Remember duckdeok last season? Only just advanced through the ro32 and managed to win the entire thing??

His first game this evening will be against Nerchio, I don't know what to think, I have no expectations from Genius either and am eager to see what he is going to show us and how he will attempt to topple the Polish Zerg.

Nerchio

The guy that basically won everything a part from the title as #1 Zerg outside Korea. Nerchio has had a quiet year compared to his 2011/2012 but he is finally giving us performances that, well for me, push right back up top 3 Zerg EU again. With a strong performance this season, maybe he can finally take what was never his with Stephano retiring?

Even though he got stung by Titans confusing playstyle in the ro32 he made a swift turn around by beating Shuttle and Hasuobs 2-0 2-0. I think Nerchio is going to show some very good games tonight and I promise you we will see mutaliks ^^ His first game this evening is against Genius, I think this can be a little difficult simply because nobody knows what to expect from Genius and he can certainly confuse Nerchio like Titan seemed to do previously.

Even though I think Nerchio should advance from his group, crazy things can happen in this group, what happens if Nerchio messes up against Genius and somehow, Showtime beats ForGG? Nerchio would need to play against his rival in the lower bracket ahhhhh.

Showtime

Its no longer Sjowtime, its Showtime!!!!

Lets talk a little bit about Showtime first, he’s has basically been a top GM player for a long time, every single professional player knows this and respects his play. Its just that he has never been in the public spotlight which gives him such the unknown underdog image.

He enters the Ro16 as the only German representative left, as mentioned in the opening paragraph he has some rather large German shoes to fill. TLO made it to the Season 1 Finals and Hasuobs finished Top 8 last Season. With being handle to last longer than 15minutes against Mvp who was struggling with latency issues, he has already started his season strong!!

He needs to repeat that success tonight because his first game is going to be against ForGG and its not going to be easy at all. I feel this group is going to be very hard for him to advance from simply because if he doesn’t beat ForGG he would play for this tournament life against Nerchio which is going to be very hard, or Genius an unpredictable Korean in a Protoss mirror, THE GAME VS FORGG IS SO IMPORTANT!!!

Tonight really is the time to shine, if he advances from this group, then lets all go out and get drunk and celebrate Germanys success in the beautiful city of Cologne!