That's right you happy holiday gamers! Just in time for Christmas, PGTour is announcing the rebirth of its server with $700 in prize money.
Pat is the wise man, and for the release of the new season PGTour is offering gold, frankincense, and myrrh! Well, not exactly, but a prize fund of $700!! I interviewed
Pat from PGTour.net to get the scoop.
First of all, congratulations on the relaunch of the PGTour.net server. Can you briefly tell us what happened to the last server?
Well, we had to move to a dedicated server. The website and BNet-X all together was too much even though we had a huge VPS server. We have now a very good host but the move gave us few (unexpected) headhaches. That's why it was closed for a month.
I see, so with a new dedicated server, what are the chances of you crashing again?
Well, the crashes were not due to the host itself but a few bugs (in the 2v2 Ladder)that has been fixed. There was also something on our last host that was closing BNet-X every 4 days. Thats why it was crashing but both problems have been fixed. I don't think that there is no reason to fear crashes anymore since BNet-X is fixed and since we have our own machine.
Lastly, nothing is perfect but what mattters more, in my opinion, is not a perfect system (even if we want it to be perfect and work hard to do so) but the dedication the Admins are putting in the system.
Good to hear. With concerns for stability resolved, what maps can users look forward to?
For Season One, we will keep the same 8 maps as in the BETA Season. Our goal is to help and encourage users to practice, improve and understand a few maps instead of playing too many. There are 8 maps and each map, excluding Lost Temple, will get MOTW status for 2 different weeks with 2 MOTWs to choose from each week. During the last week all non-temple maps will be MOTW. For those who forgot, the maps are: PGT - Bifrost lll, PGT - JR Memory Jungle, PGT - Sin Gaema Gowon, PGT - Namja Iyagi, PGT - Enter the D. 2004, PGT - Nostalgia, PGT - Plains to Hill, PGT - Lost Temple 2.35. It is VERY important to us to select only balanced maps so that wins are dependent on skill more than map matchup advantages.
Can you speak about the prize fund? Who is the kind StarCraft philanthropist who made this possible?
It's kinda private, but lets say that a few people kindly offered it. And since these people were ready to do something so nice, I participated too to boost it up a bit ;)
That is awesome, people coming together to give a great gift to the community for the holidays. So when can we start gaming?
If I had a quarter for everytime I've been asked that already, I could retire. ;)
I can sense our readers 'chomping at the bit' in anticipation, do you intend to launch the new season with the start of the new year?
If everything goes well, we will launch beta this weekend(the weekend after at the latest). If the beta runs well, yes, we hope to have the season started by the first of the year.
I think you just decided a few peoples' new years resolutions. ^_^ Can you give a brief explanation of the ISL structure and how the tentative schedule will go?
It cannot be explained briefly. Although it's pretty simple once you know how it works. It's the same system of OGN: StarLeague.
After the Ladder Season one (8 weeks), The first ISL will take place and will be played on weekends only. There will be 4 weeks of qualifications determining 16 players. Then those who make it will play for 3 weeks to determine first, second and third.
Sweet. Is there anything you would like to say to the community on behalf of PGTour.net?
I have a few last remarks to make;
We need the users to work with us to improve everything. We need their patience with us and their help to find out anything wrong. We do our best to make it the best it can be but it cannot improve without users patience and help.
My wish would be that users consider all this theirs and feel at home on this server. I do not play anymore so I am not making this for myself but for the BW community. Lastly, a big thanks to those great guys I am working with and that they are more behind the scene: Gybs who made BNet-X (using PvPGN) and the Anti-Hack Launcher, Chr1s who is behind all this, and tiLaser who is such a great help coming up with new ideas, improving everything, and fixing bugs...
Those guys are great, believe me ;)
Well, I do not think I am alone when I say thank you "Santa" for bringing us this wonderful present. We'll make sure to leave milk and cookies. ;)
Links
PGTour.net - Join the tour!
