Creative

Interview :  CReatiVe

 
Name: Alex Brola
ESO2 Nickname/Famous nicknames: CReatiVe/CReatiVe & ArtOfGlory (BW only)
Age: 19
City: Sonora, CA

Hoy, can you shortly introduce yourself?

 

I'm a very bad mannered Starcraft player that's lost in the world of imbalanced 5 apm RTS games.

 

Can you tell us your history in the video games? Especially in the Age of series.

 

Won some ladders on WestWood for Red Alert (ToughBoys is an Allied rushing fool), Competed in Broodwar for 2 years, Dawn Of War for about 4 months, and I've never played any age games prior 3.

 

Let’s start from the beginning. Tell us more about the first time you played AOE 3.

 

Started playing the demo when it first came out and decided I would change to it.

 

After more than one month after his release, do you think that this game feels like a real Age of game? Are you satisfied with the game or  is it a bad surprise for you?

 

I've never played any other Age games. Age 3 is a well made and fun game, but ESO doesnt have what it takes to bring the Blizzard *shine* to the table. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and wait it out.

 

Favorite civilization and why?

 

No favorite. French is imbalanced so I started with them until they fixed the other races (and they havn't yet).

 

Favorite strategy and why?

 

I've always liked to attack as early as possible and make the game depend on the micro between the two, since I've always felt confident in that position (and the game ends quicker letting me make more attempts for better practice). This game makes me wait, it makes me wait wayyyyyy too long... so I'm forced to do things I don't like to (trading posts / age3 turtles). So to answer the question, I'de say quick skirms is my favorite, but its not balanced vs races other than Ottoman atm (this could be blamed on French peons, though).

 

Favorite map and why?

 

Great plains. Everyone is forced to indians, making it balanced for once.

 

Mercs were a big problem in AOM/TT…What do you think of the new mercenaries in AOE3? And what is your favorite merc unit?

 

They're good, bring another aspect to the game (though I'm not sure if it will work so great at any time to do with balance). Black riders. They're a little bit strong compared to other mercs.

 

In a general way, what do you think of the balance?

 

It's not so great, but I know this is a heavy task to take on. Like I said previously, ESO isnt equipped to do this correctly (atleast not for competitive play).

 

Your point of view of ESO2, the online servers?

 

Its crap. The heavy graphical interface is crap, the functionality is crap & it's very frustrating. I've said it twice, I'll say it again... ESO doesn't have what it takes. They don't understand simple things of design/functionality that I as an intermediate webdesigner do... its very unfortunate. Had they let me make the interface in 3 colors with 5 panels and put ALL their time into functionality, it could have out-done bnet, which would be a great accomplishment.

 

Are you optimist about AOE3’s future (Tournaments, cash, sponsors, online people…)?

 

AOE3 will do good if the community continues to grow and WCG/ESL take it on.

 

If you could add one feature into the game or change a thing, what would you do and why?

 

I would make a Starcraft player manage the ESO coding team instead of some campaign-playing, 60-year-old with a history major.

 

Opposite way, if you could remove a feature or something?

 

I'de remove the gamespy-copied ESO platform and make them create a new one.

 

What do you think about the international community? And the French one?

 

Supringsingly everyone is very mannered. I'm too used to the Broodwar scene, it doesn't make sense to these guys! A lot of the top players here know me from DoW and Broodwar though, so I'm in good company at most times.

 

How long do you play per day (or week)?

 

I've only played Age3 a little over 80 real games, so I don't have much of a time graph for you yet. I'm unmotivated to play until there is a real ladder and things going on.

 

What is your opinion about the recorded games feature?

 

It's junk. In fact I wish we could do away with replays all together, it takes the greatness out of talented players; everyone starts copying their creations! But, for regular play, I guess its nice for people to save their games and watch at later times.

 

Who’s your favorite international player? And French player?

 

If you mean for Age3 only, Artosis / Nicky. In general... I'de say [ReD]NaDa and Elky (even though he lost me 100 bucks).

 

Can you give the us some tips you use while you are playing?

 

Theres one very simple thing to remember, _ALWAYS_ play from the minimap. When you do this you never miss a thing. I could give a very in depth discussion on this, but I'll save it for a later time. Age3 isn't complex enough to incorporate it totally, but it still matters a good deal.

 

Hotkeys are a very important aspect of the game and the speed for a player. Can you tell us how you set upped your hotkeys?

 

Default. Using anything else causes more problems for me at live competitions. Wish they had hotkeys for EVERYTHING though, it slows me down having to click buildings and units.

 

W3 and Starcraft have professional players. What do you think about that progaming aspect of the game? What do you think about the future of that progaming in a general way?

 

I don't think this game has any future in progaming on a CS/BW scale. It's not complex enough, or there's not enough room for improvement. Like DoW, I could take someone who's barely ever played RTS, and teach them to be top 50 on earth in a matter of weeks. On the other hand, professional gaming in general definitely has a BIG future. New generations are going to take it as their football and baseball, and it's going to be a very interesting world of pale & skinny people like me!

 

Your personal purpose in the next weeks or months in AOE3?

 

Manage my team w/ Artosis (www.micromediateam.com) and see if ES gets off their ass.

 

Little game, word association. I give you a word; you have to tell me quickly another one, just what you think.

 

AOE 3? Indians and Cowboys
ES? Eating poopie
Ottomans? Imbalanced
French? Imbalanced
HC concept? A church?
Amazonia? She's an amazonia!
Skill? Starcraft
Pgm? [ReD]NaDa
Patch? Please come soon...
Iamgrunt? What's that?
Sanctuary? DoW replays --;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

Final step, do you have something special to say to the crowd?

 

Try to be bad mannered so I won't look as bad.
Visit: www.micromediateam.com
Any new PHP coders or Design gurus (adobe ps/illus) coming up in the world PM me and lets practice together!

Starcraft 2 - Release Date Set: 2008 (Blizzard recruiter said)
Lineage 3 - Release Date Set: Q4 2006 (See you soon elf)

 

Thx a lot, take care.