820 made headlines when he announced his retirement from competitive DotA. He made headlines again when he accepted WE's invitation to join the organisation as coach. Today, he enters the spotlight as he takes on questions from the Chinese public on SGamer's Celebrity Couch.
What are your thoughts on the new EHOME roster?
-"The new EHOME still needs some time, so I hope you guys will be more encouraging and inclusive."
Will you start producing your own videos (replay analysis, first person, etc)?
-"I will, but it will have to wait until I am comfortable with doing commentary. It's definitely something I will consider, but for the time being, I do not want to release something that will disappoint everyone!"
What do you have to say about WE's current declining form?
-"I already had a discussion with the team - what they have to focus on now is to abandon what they've been doing in the past and the lack of trust between team members. If you give them some time, they will be back for sure!"
How do you feel about Chuan as a solo middle player? Is there anyone capable of taking him down?
-"Chuan-god's form at the moment is excellent and I really admire him. However, asking who can take him down 1v1 is an insignificant question."
In your opinion, how has the transfer frenzy in the Chinese scene this year affected Chinese DotA, especially with regards to our performance internationally (Gamescom)?
-"I think Chinese eSports has definitely matured as a result and players are receiving better treatment from the organisations. But there's still room - or rather imperative - for development within the scene, or sooner or later it will witness its own demise. If there hadn't been any transfers, I would say that China would have stood at better odds of winning when it faced the international teams."
How do you feel after retiring from competitive DotA?
-"It feels like a tremendous load has been lifted... I can finally pursue the things I have always wanted to do."
What are your thoughts on DK now?
-"The chemistry between the current roster is definitely better than the old. At the very least, the players have a clear idea of their roles within the team, and furthermore, it's ideal as it corresponds to what they are best at."
How do you feel about the first-person videos Pis have released?
-"There are definitely many areas he has to work on - for one, there should not be too much background noise. I switched the video off the minute I heard it."
My top 3 players are yourself, SanSheng and Zhou. What are your thoughts on the other two players?
-"SanSheng is friends with a lot of people within the Chinese scene, and furthermore he's already a veteran of the scene. I think they are many people who really admire and like him, so all the best to him!
Zhou is definitely the best captain this year - his ability to play at such a high level through all the years he has been involved with DotA is something I respect him for. Good luck to him too!"
Do you have any regrets from your career as a professional DotA player?
-"I regret not taking the championship at Gamescom and WDC... The other regrets can be said to pale in comparison to these two competitions."
What is your evaluation of the current iG.Y roster?
-"The core of iG.Y is the four players from LGD - they have been playing together for a long time already. Now, with the addition of Benz - a player they have been with for a period of time in the past, they are able to maintain their form and so we have iG.Y dominating the scene at this moment. I do hope they can keep this going, since staying at the top of the DotA scene is not an easy feat."
What is the most significant tournament you have won in your career?
-"Definitely ESWC 2010. From the bloodbath that was the national qualifiers to the battle overseas in Paris, it was not easy for us."
Having been in the DotA scene for so long, do you feel immensely excited or interested about the arrival of Dota 2?
-"I can only say that I am anticipating its arrival, but interest is a another matter by itself. After all, I am already ahead in my years, haha."
Do you think there is a gap between Chinese DotA and the rest of the world? Do you feel that China is still ahead?
-"I think it has always been the case that Chinese DotA leads the rest of the world, but the gap now is not as huge as it used to be."
Which championship were you most happy to have won?
-"SMM 2010, because our form was relatively far from ideal to get the title, but our hard work eventually paid off!"
Would EHOME 2010 have been able to defeat NaVi and take home the one million dollars?
-"I can only say we would have been very hopeful, since last year's EHOME chemistry has a long history by itself. *laughs*"
Are you still in touch with Burning and KingJ?
-"Since KingJ is in Shanghai, I contact him regularly, but it's not the case with Burning."
Care to share your thoughts about the Gamescom match EHOME played against M5? I especially loved the late game strategy that resulted in the comeback. How was the team feeling during the match and who was making the decisions?
-"With that match, everyone was communicating more than usual, and decisions were made with everyone's input. That's how we were able to turn the game around."
Will Dota 2 spell the death of DotA?
-"It all depends on whether IceFrog continues to provide new material for DotA. If he does, it shouldn't be an issue for DotA to survive."
*The original article was selectively translated to reflect only questions of interest.
Links
SGamer - Original Article
