Closing Up Shop.

Due to time considerations, I find myself with little to no time or inclination to continue posting for this blog. It didn't run for very long but I enjoyed my time spent here immensely.

I'm keeping this post short, but I wanted to thank everyone who read and those of whom I met through this endeavor. I plan to continue reading those blogs on my list and will be on Battle.net as often as I can, so feel free to look me up if you haven't already.

Cheers,

Apollo

GSL Season 2 - First Impressions

Another season of the GSL Starcraft II Open is upon us and with it comes another $90,000 USD(approx) grand prize for the winner. Oh, did I mention the tournament was even better this time around? It is.

GOMtv has gone to great lengths to improve the production value of this tournament is quite a number of ways, paying special attention to areas that viewers had been whining concerned about during the first season. Did they smooth out all the wrinkles? I'll give my view beyond the break.

Poll: Would You Continue Reading?

I've been struggling with a question for a while now and after watching my buddy Rahlekk make the switch from Zerg to Terran, I decided maybe it wouldn't be all that bad. I've played 200+ games as Zerg and I think that's enough to get a decent grasp of what they're like and how they play. I'm no expert, but I think I can say that I have a basic grasp of the playstyle.

Now, during these 200+ games, I've watched Terrans and Protoss doing all sorts of things I could never do as a Zerg. I'm not saying this as some sort of QQ-- more like a contrast of options than an imbalance. The other races are simply different ways of getting to the same goal, in my mind. But one thing always creeps in with these thoughts and Fungal Growth's(Yeah, I made a Zerg analogy. I make no apologies.) my urge to change races: what would happen to the blog?

I enjoy writing this blog and I hope you all enjoy reading it, but would the enjoyment still be there on both sides if suddenly I was learning Terran strategies or practicing Protoss tactics? I figured I'd put it to a vote and see what sort of response I get. Please vote if you enjoy reading this blog.

Would you keep reading this blog if I didn't play Zerg?

GOMtv Starcraft II Team Invitational

When you're having people over to your house for a fancy dinner, you want to make sure everything's in order before they get there. And if you happen to be having say.. thousands of people over to watch 64 of the best players in the world square off in Blizzard's Starcraft II, then that need for preparation is all the more urgent. This is exactly why GOMtv is holding a short(4 day) tournament for the biggest Starcraft II teams in Korea from October 13-16, 2010.

That's right, as a dry run to test the limits of their improved streaming service, GOMtv is hosting a full-blown tournament that anyone can watch... FOR FREE. Details follow the break.

GSL Starcraft II Open: Season 2 is coming!

If it wasn't apparent before, I am a huge fan of watching pro-level Starcraft II matches. I'm also a big supporter of what GOMtv and Blizzard are trying to do with the GSL and the TG-Intel Open. So it will come as no big surprise to you then that I'm stoked for Season 2 that will be coming to a live stream near you October 18th, 2010! You can see the GOMtv news post here.

Straight From Team Liquid: Fruit Dealer GSL Highlights and Music Video

In case you don't check the Blizzard page regularly.

If you saw the GSL or even if you didn't, check out this awesome video created by Teamliquid.net. Everyone loves a good montage!

Patch 1.2: Upcoming Zerg Changes

So it seems Blizzard has not forgotten about the ravenous horde of Zerg players entirely. Dustin Browder(lead designer of Starcraft II) posted some changes he intends to make next patch, along with some interesting numbers that go a long way to show how deep Blizzard is looking into balance issues.

New Look

I was finding the old black/purple design a bit.. much and it was starting to look cluttered. Hopefully, no one finds the new look objectionable(if you do, speak up and let me know). I'll be trying a few designs over the next little while, just to see how they look. If any catch your eye, let me know.

Experiment in Tier 1 Play: Zerglings, Roaches, & Banelings! Oh My!

You might be wondering why I have a picture of an Ultralisk here at the top of a post about Tier 1 play as Zerg. I would agree that your question is a valid one and the reason I have chosen to taunt you with this image is because if you make the crazy decision to only play Tier 1 in Starcraft II, you will never see this unit. You will never hear the majestic flapping of a Mutalisk's bat-like wings or the musical "Screeeeeeeee" of a Nydus Worm bursting forth into an opponents undefended base. If you limit yourself to Tier 1, you will experience the game in a whole new way.

GSL Final: Set 5

Map: Scrap Station

Wow.

Just wow.

GSL Final: Set 4

Map: Desert Oasis

Well, I suppose a straight 4-0 win just wouldn't have been good TV. Despite a great start from Fruit Dealer who managed to counter HopeTorture's marine-only starting force with speed banelings and infestors, the game quickly became unstable with both players losing their main bases.

Fruit Dealer expanded to both islands while HopeTorture grabbed the gold, giving both time to recover some of their production ability. Unfortunately, Fruit Dealer just couldn't recover in time to defeat HopeTorture's mix of marines/thors/tanks.

The score is now 3-1 and the match continues.

GSL Final: Set 3

Map: Kulas Ravine

Bahahahahaha. Bahahaha. Bahaha. Ha.

Sorry, had to finish laughing at the insanity of Set #3 before I could start writing this. Kulas Ravine is by far the worst map for Zerg, exposing them to so many attacks and being incredibly difficult to defend your expansions. At least, this is what is normally true. In the mystical world of Fruit Dealer, maps apparently don't matter.

GSL Final: Set 2

Map: Lost Temple

After the first set, my confidence in Fruit Dealer has gone even higher than it was before if that were possible. Hopefully, his domination continues all the way to the $90,000 prize.

The second set begins with the players spawning as close to each other as possible which is never good for a Zerg player. Fruit Dealer went for Zergling speed again, expanding and slapping down a spine crawler in anticipation of a tank drop which is a common Terran tactic on this map and HopeTorture did not disappoint.
Luckily, Fruit Dealer managed to counter this drop with a pair of Spine Crawlers and three queens, protecting his expansion from the Siege Tank Death Rain and transitioning into Mutalisks.

HopeTorture continued to attempt different drops as he tried to put a dent in Fruit Dealer's tempo, but Fruit Dealer's mutalisks seemed to be everywhere at once and knocked medivacs out of the sky all day long.

This combined with Overlord drops into HopeTorture's main and Baneling drops coupled with infestors/lings/roaches against the Terran army ended the game once again in Fruit Dealer's favour.

GSL Final: Set 1

Map: Delta Quadrant

This set was an example of what a master Zerg player can do and how even the most experienced of Terrans can make mistakes that cost the game.

Fruit Dealer opened with Zergling speed, expanded at 21, and set about building to counter HopeTorture's typical build of tank/marine/thor. You might think that this would set up the map for those large, high food count battles that Terrans seem to do so well in, but you would be wrong.

From sniping medivac drops with his Mutalisks to killing harassing Hellions before they even manage a single kill, Fruit Dealer was on HopeTorture's every move with a counter and expanding at every opportunity. Even when his expos were scouted and HopeTorture pushed in to take one out, Fruit Dealer was there to respond.

With heavy use of Fungal Growth and flawless flanking of HopeTorture's forces with banelings, zerglings, or ultralisks, Fruit Dealer dominated this set from beginning to end. He even built a Greater Spire, simply to bait HopeTorture into making Vikings, without building a single Broodlord.

Masterful.

GSL Final: Intro

I'm going to be trying to blog and watch the matches at the same time, so bear with me. I'll be providing details on each set as they finish and then I will go to sleep. It's 5:55am right now and I probably should have had a nap before this. Anyways, here we go!

GSL Final: Zerg vs Terran for $90,000!

I have no bias. Really.

When I first started watching the GSL over at GOMtv, I was excited to see what professional Zerg players had to offer as far as gameplay and things I could pick up from their games to help mine. I didn't really consider I'd get hooked on watching pro matches like I have. Watching these matches has been more exciting and more interesting than any regular sport, at least in my opinion.