TLT2: Interview with Testie

[s]event_tlt2[/s]

As late as two days ago, the Canadian Random player Testie started TLT2 for real. He is now ranked 4th and has played 40 games with 85% win ratio. In the interview we talk about details around TLT2, his opponents and worst enemies and so on. We also talk about his wanted PGT streak on Forbidden Zone. Keep on reading!

Nick: ToT)Testie(rSName: Nick PerentesisCountry: CanadaRace: Random Stats:34-6Member of Team Canada, ToT, rS and WCG attender for Canada '04.

What were your impressions of the last TLTour? Did you take part last season?
- Yeah. But there was construction around my house so I didn't get to partake in the final tournament as my internet went down for 2 months. So I only know the ladder aspect of it.. and we all know what playing a ladder is like. ;p

Did you place high enough on the ladder to take part in the playoff?
- Yeah, I was 44-4 and played just enough games to get in. But I couldn't partake. Cause it just kinda went out one day and never came on til 2 months later. ;p

How irritating. So this is some kind of revenge for last time?
- lol never. It's just a lot of people offering up $ for only a select few players who have a chance at winning this thing. Though personally I think the final tournament should be played on PGT. ;p But they probably have their reasons so shrug. ;p

Well, the reason is pretty obvious why they don't do that. How did you pay your entry fee, or did you get sponsored in any way?
- $10 isn't worth getting sponsored by anyone. If I couldn't afford to pay $10 for myself i'd be pretty lame. ;) (Ignore previous tournaments where i've asked people to pay for me due to laziness)

So you did pay the original PayPal way?
- I don't have a paypal account, told my brother to pay f or me. He did. ;p

Is your brother interested in Brood War? I've never heard anything of Testie's brother or something like that.
- He's a very skilled gamer. There's lots to say about him. But no, bw isn't his game. =)

What games are he in?
- Well, ex-gamer actually. He was #1 in a some older games, like Descent / Descent 2.. (I was #2 until some joysticks / video cards came out that gave advantage over keyboard users!) And he was in one of the best clans on Q3. But I don't remember it. ;P He was also one of the best ladder players on War2. ;p

“ Unless Mondragon plays, there is no one that will compete with me on a % level.”

So, moving on to you. You have quite the impressive win/loss ratio, currently 33 wins and 5 losses. Is it easy to play TLT? Your losses were against iG.Escape, nB)Floe, HellGhost[pG] and SW)AnaLyzer. Are there any other player you believe have the chance to take you out?
- None of them have a chance to take me out, that I know for sure. This is due to past results. They can win the odd game here and there, but unless Mondragon plays, there is no one that will compete with me on a % level. ;P
So yes, currently TLT is easy. The tournament is basically between 8 -16 players though who have a chance. Some have a larger change than others, the rest are just filler.

But surely this tournament is very good for the non-elite who get to play with their favourite players and maybe even idols.
- Well, it's a great thing for the BW community. Those guys at tl.net are pretty awesome for doing this. Shrug, TLT is a good thing. ;p Hope there are more in the future. = )

Do you think this tournament makes other players who stopped playing for a while to come back?
- Yeah, but those aren't even people who are passionate about BW anymore. They are just like the poker players who view it as an opportunity to make a buck doing something they semi-like / semi-find boring.
Most of those players will leave 2 weeks / 1 month later unless more $ tournaments pop up. They aren't true gamers who play for the sheer enjoyment of the game. ;p PGT might keep them around, who knows. =)

How about you? Are you actively playing poker online yourself or are you strictly a BW guy?
- Well, unfortunately, people are trying to pull me into poker. And i'm going to have to eventually due to circumstance. But i'm BW 1st. Poker 1059th. ;)

TLT seems to be THE place to play at currently, at least for the Europeans/Americans at least. Do you play anywhere else as well? What about PGT?
- I am intending to go back to PGT and play it. I'm not sure how much time is left in the season, but I intend to mass play it sometime starting tomorrow / the day after. Someone's gotta represent. And the other people just don't do a good enough job. So i'm gonna send the big guns in. :)

“ That was my ego talking. Cause I had never lost a pvt on Forbidden zone to that day. [...] I am still gonna play Forbidden Zone PvT until my first loss. ”

You promised that you were to go 100-0 on PGTour on a specific match-up and map. Tell us more about that.
- That was my ego talking. Cause I had never lost a pvt on Forbidden zone to that day. (Except a random P vs a random T vs Daaman where he smacked me for going templars / cannons / carriers vs terran..) not the smartest of choices but I had randomed and was already goin through with it. But yeah, I am still gonna play Forbidden Zone PvT until my first loss. Then I'll just play random right til I get A+.
I already got a loss at 37-1 last season. But that's not good enough for me in my eyes. So I reset. Kinda angered me cause the game would have been easily won had I used my head. Just wasn't thinkin. ;p

Are there any special strategies or tactics you are intending to use in TLT?
- Nah, not really sure if i'm even going to 'practice' for it. I'm just gonna do what I want to do right now, which is play lots of BW. If I develop any tactics or strategies it'll only be for the tournament maps. And I haven't started that yet.

Last season Smuft played Zerg all the way and then won the playoffs with Protoss. It now seems like Fisheye is doing the same thing. You're a random player, how does this affect you?
- It doesn't. It only effects them. Fisheye may just be having fun more than anything else, and in the process perhaps it doesn't let some potential people study his play and see his tendencies / favourite strategies. I doubt any players would do that, but who knows. Some people are just replay nuts. =D

Which are your worst opponents? You stated earlier that you are intending to win this unless Mondragon shows up. But are there any players you don't want to face?
- No, not really. Unless there is a Bo1 part of the tournament. The only player that really goes 50/50 with me is Mondragon. The rest it's always stacked in my favour. If I had to say I wouldn't want to play anyone for this tournament.. I realy couldn't name one. Maybe one of the other people I consider a good contender though I would not want in the early rounds, like Breakdown, Fisheye, or Sen. Possibly Eri or Trek too, due to RvR.
Maybe froz too, he becomes a different person when tournament time comes.. hmm ;p

In the top sits currently 3wD.LameR, what do you think about him as a player?
- I know very little about him as a player so I cannot comment on his play. I don't think I've watched any replays of him. I've noticed he has played many good players though like Breakdown, and done well. So I may have to watch out for his lagging Bulgarian self. I am just assuming he lags, Bulgaria you know? ;)

What do you think of not letting any Koreans in to the final tournament? Right or wrong?
- Personally I'd like them in. Just because it would make it much more fun. However, it is understandable that they do get all the $ tournaments cause that's where 99.99999% of all things BW go on. So I can understand why they feel it is fair for the non-korean community to get a tournament of its own. But it is right and wrong, if that makes sense. ;)

“ There are a lot of factors that could change the outcomes. I am confident I can make it. But I know it's possible that I won't.”

What result do you expect to see? How will the Top 5 look like?
- I have no clue, the names are interchangeable and there are a lot of factors that could change the outcomes. I am confident I can make it. But I know it's possible that I won't. I'd expect atleast one of these 5 names in it though. Testie, Sen, Fisheye, Breakdown, Legionnaire. But there are many good players. And often times better players have a bad day, or someone doesn't show etc... So it's tough to say with the number of good players.

How are things working with your ToT membership? You are still a member of rS. Why is that?
- rS has done a lot for me financially and have been very kind to me. I would never abandon guys who paid for my trips to WCG, etc... they have stopped paying (understandably so) but they have been a great bunch of guys who I wouldn't abandon. ToT) is ToT). Awesome guys too. But i'm too much man for one clan!

How needed is TLTour as an international money tournament for the non-korean community?
- Needed? Not needed, but wanted. PGT was needed. TLT is the icing on the already frosty cake. 4000+ people aren't playing TLT after all. Though I do hope they have another one. Icing, if made right can be very tastey.

You are known to master all three races. Do you feel that any of the three races are the most played in TLT?
- I really can't say. I just feel like i've played a LOT of terrans. It's like a terran fiesta. :) Maybe it's just in my head. ;p

What do you think of the maps? Do they favour any race in special?
- Hmm, they are pretty balanced. Sin Gaema is kind of bland though, they should add something with more to it.
Though Isle of Siren is P > Z badly. And Namja is kinda disadvantaged for toss in TvP... They picked maps in a way that there are some small imbalances on each, and just one major one - The PvZ on Isle of Siren

How do you think the organization has been in this?
- Hmm, the payment / site works. The admins have been fast and accurate so far in my dealings. So far so great. Everyone should give themselves a hearty pat on the back if they were a part of making this work. =)

Which scandal is most likely to happen in TLT2?
- lol! You mean like WDT?

Or some hack incident, since it's not mandatory to use BWScanner in the ladder.
I'd say the most likely thing is someone gets a korean to play on their name for the final tournament, much like in WDT.

Links
WGTour.com - Testie's game list