Name: Adrian Kryeziu
Alias: Era
Date of birth:
September 3
Hometown:
Östersund, JämtlandCountry of Origin:
SwedenPosition: #1 Previous Teams: Dirty Minds, MtfU
Major Achievements:
Thor Open (2012)
StarLadder Season 4/5 (2012-13)
H4nn1Kai Hanbueckers
NoTailJohan Sundstei
FlyTal Aizik
Trixi
The Early Years
INTERVIEW:
Fnatic.Era DATE: 16th April 2013 BY: Dexter "kurtcos" F
Hi Era! How are you doing?
Hello Dexter! I'm all good, ready for some business.
The last time we saw you stream was almost two months ago. What gives?
We've been playing officials almost every day for 2-3 months now, so it somehow managed to kill the "public time" I had, and there was a lot of things going on in real life as well. BUT, I promise to get going really soon!
"Really soon" is not good enough - be more specific!
I'll be streaming today, and after that, I'll be streaming as much as time allows me to.
So I found out that you're nineteen this year. Compared to many Dota 2 veterans, you still have a long way ahead of you. How long have you been into computer games?
I'm actually turning eighteen on the third of September. *winks* I've been playing computer games for six years, where I started playing Warcraft 3, Halo, CS 1.6 as well as Half-Life. Then when the Beta to Heroes of Newerth got released, I started transitioning into that.
I also hear that you're an 'avid fan of pop music', when you tried to explain the origin of your handle. What are some bands that you're into?
Right now I'm listening a lot to Stone Sour, Bring Me The Horizon and A Day To Remember. But of course, it switches up rapidly.
Okay.. I've never actually heard of them. Any songs you'd recommend people to check out?
Get ready for some odd song names, but here we go: Shadow Moses, I'm Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?, Massachusetts and my personal favourite - I'll Make A Man Out Of You.
"I'll Make A Man Out Of You" sounds really familiar, but I doubt we're referring to the same song. Anyway Adrian, where did you grow up?
If we're both referring to Mulan... *grins* It's hard to point my finger at one place right now, as I've moved a lot in my life, but, I was born in Östersund where I spent my first year, and then we moved down to a little town called Nitta.
Ah, yes I was, and I love that song too. Östersund - is it a small town or a large city?
Well, It's not as big as Malmö, Stockholm nor Gothenburg, but it's a decently big city!
In Sweden, you should definitely try going to Liseberg, the North's biggest amusement park, or travel up to Norrland and take a look at the aurora borealis!
I've been to Sweden once for DreamHack and the first thing I had there was a plate of meatballs and some mash at a small fast food joint. It came with a serving of small pink-red berries (I can't remember what it was called but I absolutely loved that). What is something that everyone should try when they come to Sweden?
Everyone should of course try the standard meatballs with mash and lingonberries(?). If you come here in the summer, you should definetly try going to Liseberg, the North's biggest amusement park! But then if you come here during the winter and got some time to kill, you should definetly travel up to Norrland and take a look at the aurora borealis!
I would kill to see the northern lights in person. While I was there, I was also told that the right way to pronounce Jönköping was 'yawn-co-pin'. Am I right? Hahaha, I'm sorry, but this usually is hilarious. The Letter "Ö" in the Swedish language makes it hard for foreigners to pronounce it. But I suppose 'yawn-co-ping' or 'yun-co-ping' would be the closest.
Yeah.. you just reminded me why I gave up trying. Back to you - as a kid, did your parents try to push you into any sport or musical instrument?
My dad succeeded in getting me into football when I was younger as he also was my coach. But after I turned fifteen, it became way too serious for me, rather than a "Relax and have fun" type of thing, so I quit. I never really got pushed into instruments but, if you love music as much as I do, it's a must to be able to play the guitar, which I slacked with in the beginning, but then when I started getting a hold of it, I just kept playing more and more.
When you say football, you're referring to soccer, yes? (as opposed to American football) Soccer is a word we don't really understand here in Scandinavia, as it always has been football to us.
Fair enough. who's your favorite team then?
In Football? I honestly am not following the scene there at all.
I assume that in your family, you must have been closest to your dad growing up.
You can sorta put it that way, yeah. Dad was also the one who started supporting my gaming. Like the most typical mothers, Mom thought I should go outside more rather than sit inside playing computer games. But they suddenly developed into a crazy supportding duo, that knew that I had games before even I did.
I guess they have no other option but to be supportive when you show them the money you are making now. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Swedes go through primary school for nine years and that’s pretty much everything - elementary and middle school and some high school combined.
The cash surely bring all the boys to the yard. And you're pretty much correct, as we start off doing six years in elementary school, then onwards to high school where we go three years (Seven to Nine). Afterwards we go to the Gymnasium where we also go for three years.
And you played football in school too?
Yes Sir! Elementary school gave me a pretty positive vision of football, as it usually was what we played during the breaks we had.
Were you one of those kids who enjoyed going to school and did your homework, or were you more of the 'lazy kid' who would doze off in class and fool around after school? It was a totally different thing in the Elementary school, where I actually thought it was enjoyable going to school, as it was more fun than work. Buuut, then I started in highschool: First year was pretty chill - I met new friends, and life was good. But then the next year came and I, for some reason, went full retard. I can't say that I was a good role model that year, but a pretty good clown for sure. Luckily I got the last year to repair the damages I caused, so to say.
Dirty Minds started off with me playing a regular public game, and I didn't know Sing at that time, but he was on the enemy team in that game. We started queuing together [later].I hope it had nothing to do with your introduction to computer games.. You mentioned you started out playing games like Warcraft 3 and Counter Strike 1.6, but do you remember the first thing you ever did on the computer? (I played Pinball and fooled around with MS Paint..)
I wasn't a fan of the PC at all when Dad brought the first one home. I was fine with playing the Nintendo 64 as well as my Playstation 2 at that time. But my little brother kept playing Wacraft 3 all day long, so one day I just walked in and sat next to him and watched him play. Guess what happened the next day? I made sure to wake up before my little brother and use the PC first. *grins* So yeah, Warcraft 3 was pretty much the first thing I did at the PC.
Wow, I'd actually expect things to be the other way around. How did you form your first HoN team, Dirty Minds, with Sing?
It started off with me playing a regular public game, and I didn't know Sing at that time, but he was on the enemy team in that game. He made the game a little harder than it usually was, so we started queuing together instead. Then in one of the many games we played, we faced [DM]SMaK and [DM]LoLQoP in one of them. Right after the game I got contacted by SMaK, and that's pretty much how it all started. It went from nothing to everything in a matter of weeks.
Is Sing still the same guy he was back then?
He is pretty much the same guy as he was back then, just that he has gotten way more fame and a new image
New image? What do you mean?
His plays are one thing, but his reactions to things has become priceless.
I cannot agree more. What's one achievement from HoN that you're proudest of?
I think being praised as one of the better players in the scene is the thing I am most proud of in HoN, to be honest."
1. Your biggest turn-on about Dota 2
The sound of gold.
2. Your biggest turn-off about Dota 2
When you don't get gold.
3. Your go-to swear word/insult in pubs
How can people be this bad...?! Come the F*** on...”
4. A hero you hate playing against in pubs
Wisp. IFLWP
5. Top 3 Fnatic picks
Wisp, Syllabear and Lifestealer.
6. Top 1 Fnatic throw
Every game.
7. One thing you would like God to say to you when you meet him in Heaven
JUST KIDDING ))
8. A question everyone seems to ask you
Why are you so damn handsome?
9. A profession you would have liked to attempt besides professional gaming
Playing the guitar in a band.
10. The corniest pickup line you have ever used on a girl
I'm a lvl 80 Death Knight, wanna ride my Charger?(Just curious - did it work?) “I'll reveal that if we qualify to G-1 League.”
11. The best day of your life (so far)
HARD QUESTION MAN :( Ehrrr” (You can say this interview.) “Hahaha, nooo. When mom said I could be anything I wanted, so I became Batman.
12. One person you would take to the grand finals of The International 3
My mom :$
13. Would you rather only be able to whisper or only be able to shout?
Whisper.
14. Would you rather make out with NoTail's body and Fly's mind or Fly's body with NoTail's mind?
HAHAHAHA, unfair... Let's say NoTail's body and Fly's mind.
15.Would you rather have done something really bad (like murder) and have no one know about it, or not do it at all, but have everyone think you did it?
I would rather have everyone else believing I had done it.”
16. Would you rather go ten years into the future or ten years into the past?
Ten years backwards.
Fnatic.Era and Dota 2
Fair enough. It has been just over a year since your switch to Dota 2. Look at where Fnatic is today - only a week ago, you placed second (up from a third in the previous season) at StarLadder, arguably one of the most prestigious European Dota 2 tournaments. How was returning to Ukraine for you?
It always feels good going in to a LAN tournament. The crowd, the fans... just the overall surroundings is awesome! We always feel confident as well, as we know what we are capable of when it really matters. I think we would have been able to snatch the first place if we didn't slack off on the first day, but shit happens, and Alliance definetely deserved the win.
...Check out: REDDIT
I think we would have been able to snatch the first place [at StarLadder] if we didn't slack off on the first day, but shit happens, and Alliance definetely deserved the win.I also hear that Ukraine is a pretty cold country over there and Ukrainians, much like the Irish, are drunk 24/7 but on vodka instead. (But what do I know? I live halfway across the world..) Did you get to hang out with v1lat in person? How much of the russian stereotype was he in your head?
Haha, I guess the internet has created most of those stereotypes for us. *grins* I haven't actually been able to hang out with v1lat, but whenever I meet him he tends to flame us, so it might be the vodka... *coughs*.
Flame you? Hmm, if you didn't pick up Russian the first time, you definitely should have at StarLadder Season 5. What's one phrase of russian that you learned?
Well, if I put it like this: he wishes for long entertaining games... It barely happened at all. *grins* Me and n0tail actually did a statement for Prodota.ru saying: Privet prodota! Harosh ueybekeeee. Hence the fact that I have no idea how to spell Russian.
Do you at least know what it means?
If I understood it correctly, it pretty much means: Hello prodota! Good asshole (?). I am not certain about the last part at all, but it's something like that.
Awesome. I don't assume you speak Mandarin too?
Ni hao~! [Interviewer: Hello] And that's pretty much all I know in Chinese. I know a little Japanese though!
Japanese? How did that come about? It's not for porn is it..
HAHAHA, let's not point fingers yet, shall we! I learned a little bit from watching mass Anime Series!
If you say so. Anyway, I asked about Mandarin because your team has a strong opportunity at representing Europe at the G-1 LAN finals in China. How did you fare against the Asians in the past?
We played against Orange eSports at the last Dreamhack for HoN we attended, where we ended up losing a 60 minute game. But, I can't really judge too much from that, so it's gonna be interesting if we would be to qualify, for sure.
What do you know about the SEA or Chinese Dota 2 teams? Do you think heroes like Wisp/Treant Protector/Puck (heroes that your team loves to pick up) will be successful against them?
The most interesting thing is definitely the differences in the draft as you have already stated a little bit there. But, as it is now, we have no idea if it's going to be effective or not. But that is going to be the good part about it.
Definitely! Hypothetical question here - would you go to China and play for a Chinese team (like LGD.int) if given the opportunity?
I have no intentions of leaving Fnatic as it is now. Of course, anything can happen, but I doubt it.
This weekend, you will be competing with Fnatic at the EMS One LAN finals in Poland. When will you be flying out?
I'll be heading out Friday evening. I hope for someone to meet up with me so I don't get lost, hehe.
I take it that it'll be your first time in Poland then?
I've actually been to Warszawa once, so it's gonna be interesting to see if there are any differences between the two cities. It was more of a shopping trip with Mom though... I can't say it was enjoyable... *grins*
I love shopping, so I'm not sure why you're complaining! Your first match will be against Na`Vi, a team you showed a lot of respect towards in an interview with StarLadder back in Season 4. Do you think Dendi is still their playmaker given their recent performances?
Well, the mid player usually has the hero to make the plays happen, so in that regard, yes. But it will depend on Na`vi as a whole, just like how it will depend on us, and not on just N0tail."
...Check out: IMAGE
We're pretty bad when it comes down to Roshan sometimes, so I guess that's one of the things [iG] would exploit against us. That as well as early rotation.If all goes well, you may well face Alliance in the next round. You revealed in an interview for Thor Open that you were confident playing against them because of a decent winrate and the fact that you guys shared similar playstyles. Is this still the case?
Yeah, it's still pretty much the same since then. Alliance has always had a stable draft and stable playstyle, so they are a team which we have to change up our draft a little bit against. But we don't really mind doing so. *winks*
'Stable' meaning? Alliance likes falling back on an offlane Syllabear for example, and then run a safelane trilane with Loda on a carry hero farming up. He'll be preparing for the later stages of the game, while s4 is the "play-maker" in mid, looking for the ganks, setting up easy kills and pretty much always being there for the fights.
Suppose you play iG in the grand finals of The International 3 tomorrow - what is one weakness of Fnatic that they would exploit and use against your team? We're pretty bad when it comes down to Roshan sometimes... So I guess that's one of the things they would exploit against us. That as well as early rotation. But it would be nice to see how we'd fare up against IG, though. *smiles*
Well, get to China for G-1 and you might have a shot at finding out. Europe doesn't yet have a clear superior team after Na`Vi lost their dominance following The International last year. Do you think this is a good thing?
It surely is. It helps the teams grow even better together, rather than only two teams playing each other 24/7 and reaching a point where they can't be contested by anyone else. So for sure, the more top teams the better.
Alright, I meant to end the interview here, but in light of recent events, I would like your opinion on the DDoS attacks that have plagued the Western scene. Were you ever a victim of these attacks in the past?
I've actually never been a victim of DDoS attacks, but I've seen it ruin the performance of several players as well as some tournaments, even in HoN. It's just stupid that some people like ruining games for others.
What kind of precautions have you taken, if any? I was about to follow and get the protection that G-1 league admins were talking about, but then things kept happening even if such things were used. So I am not sure of what to do about it
Well, if this spate of DDoS attacks go on, what do you think should be done and who should be responsible for carrying out these actions?
Everyone is always looking for someone to blame, cause it's easier that way, right? But when it really comes down to it, it's not as easy as that. I am not sure of what Valve can do about it, neither what we players can do about it. I suppose time will tell.
That's a really sensible answer. Anyway, we're done! Thank you very much. How can fans support you if they want to?
Fans can support me by following me @ facebook.com/eradota, as well as following my stream @ twitch.tv/era17. Thank you! *smiles*"
Make sure you start streaming then. And your last shoutouts?
Shoutout to n0tail's massage, ratdota and all my fans!
