Carrier and tournaments

Jotm.reaper: For how long are you going to stay in the cybersport? What are you going to do besides Warcraft?

For as long as im successful with it I guess, didn't decide yet what I will switch to after I'm done with gaming but I'm sure I'll decide in time.

Arhus: Now, when you are one of the best players in the world, what can you say about your past? Would you like to change something, to live the years you were playing Warcraft in the other way?

Nothing special, a better question would be what matches would i like to time-travel to and try to do better in, and the answer would be: WCG 05 06 matches vs Sky.

Extremal: Yan, what do you feel about your popularity in the progaming community? Was there a moment when you put yourself on airs? Do you feel the moral support of your fans and what do you feel about that people who turned their backs towards you after a lost game?

I think I'm popular but I'm also disliked a lot in the community, everyone has their opinion, I don't pay too much attention to this kind of things but of course it's nice to get the community support when playing a game.
The real fans always stand beside me and support me, if some people don't support me because I lost some games then they are not fans and it doesn't matter what they think.
I think I have a variety of fans who like my playing style especially in China where many people call me the 80man, because I like to go for expo and I'm really good at making an army of 80/80 then having a big fight to end the game, those people are the real fans who truly like to watch my games and for who I also enjoy to play.

pCe.Fallen: What kind of person one should be to reach the success you've had? How old were you when you started to earn money playing games?

A very motivated and dedicated one I guess. I was around 18 when I started earning some money playing games.

-HeatoN-: Great tournaments are always connected with emotions, good and bad ones. Have you ever had dreams about your games or enemies? Tell about one of the most impressive dreams.

I don't have such a great memory for dreams but I remember having some really realistic ones where things didn't go well in tournaments and I lost important games, then when I woke up I tried to figure out if it was real or not.

Hallu: What do you think about the single elimination system on the WCG?

Shame that such a tour uses so game rules.

Rodina-Chief: I've seen a photo with your devices and a mousepad with your face printed on it? Do you sell them? Where can I buy it?

It was made by WEG in Season I, I don't think they sell them anymore, I'm not sure they ever sold it to be honest, so I don't think so.

Extremal: How do you think which clan is worth to win the 12th season of the WC3L?

Worth? you must mean who has the potential, well I guess they all do with SK&MYM as big favorites in my opinion.

About the game

Gravitapok: Do you listen to the music when playing? What kind of?

I just make a playlist with all my favorite songs consisting of some hip-hop some trance and Chinese songs.

RP.Asmodeus: Hi Yan! What is the best motivation for you to play - wins or defeats? Or maybe just the fact that you are doing a serious thing can motivate you? Where there the moments in your career when wanted to give up the cybersport and never come back? How did you manage to overcome yourself?

I like to win of course, but beyond that I like to play the game and do good in tournaments just because I know I'm able to do it. I'm doing a serious thing but lately e-sport seems to be such an unprofessional environment, I've been constantly disappointed with many things so its hard to keep the motivation up. Yeah there were moments where I wanted to quit especially after losing important matches to Elf when I had tried so hard but still lost badly, or lost to a guy who practices 10 times less than me, I reconsidered and figured that I still was a pretty successful player with a good winning rate in tournaments so no reason I couldn't do better in the next tournament.

extremal: Do you have a talisman or maybe a way of tuning yourself on the good mood?

Not really, usually I just listen to some music a while before my matches while I focus on it.

Qwerty: Could you say which human insists you most, while your formation as a player?

I inspired my style a lot from Insomnia's, not only my game-style wise but also his strong mindset inspired me.

Jotm.reaper: How much time do you spend on Warcaft each day?

From 0 to 20 games.

Sterny: Is it possible to break into the Warcraft elite without playing 24x7?

In the start to gain a lot of skill i think you do have to play alot, but once your on the top you just have to watch some replays, think about some timings/creeproutes/strats and you won't need to play that much unless you think it's necessary.

-HeatoN-: Which hand (the left one - the keypad actions - or the right one - the mouse actions) is more important for the Warcraft player?

Both of them are.

MemphisUa: Tell us about your training system. Do you watch another players' replays?

Yeah lately, Warcraft has reached a point where we have figured most of the available strategies or unit combos that are most effective, so a lot of players use anti-strat a lot to counter their opponent which is what I sometimes do too.

RedruM: What had happened in that game vs Myst on the WCG?

He used a nice strat to counter mine and I didn't adapt which costed me the series.

RomanticOrc: What is the maximum number of towers and tanks that you've built during one game?

Don't know but it was probably a lot and probably on Lost Temple : D

Vivi_Latvia: Dear Yan, we, here in Latvia, are interested in the question who was first to use Militia Creeping and Militia fighting?

Not sure, I remember using it long time ago on Plunder Isle a lot or Two rivers, but Humans were already using it in Roc to expand and defend their expo aswell, I think SuRviVoR and Insomnia are the two guys who probably popularized it in Europe.

No-Manner[up]: Which strategies have you made by yourself?

The first one that comes to my mind would be the mass air one on Temple vs Orc with armor upgrades and Paladin aura.

Ieron: I remember you'd said that the game is boring because of the elven imba. Have you changed your position?

No.

Ingibitor-X: Why have you changed your strategies with Sky on mirror in the hum-vs-hum fighting? Sky playes now through the expand and you with breakers and Panda.

Im having a hard time figuring how to counter the sky strat so I used it a lot myself and figured that it was it really strong.

Ingibitor-X: What kind of match up do you think is the easiest/most difficult for Humans?

Depends on players, A lot of people claims that Human is really strong against Orc but I myself struggle a lot against this race, so it's hard to tell.

cPro.Shock: Hi ToD! What kind of game for you is more comfortable vs. Elfs: to make an expand in the beginning, build a lot of towers, then tanks, griffons and so on or to do everything in default, to take the second Naga and push with the Rifles? What worries you most: the Demon Hunter or Warden, Dark Ranger or Panda?

The rifle push has been proved to not be effective anymore lately, so certainly not this. All those heroes worry me , sadly: )

extremal: Were there any situations in the game when the enemy puzzled you and you didn't know how to overcome the deadlock?

Moon's strat on TwistedMeadows with mass expansions with quite unbeatable at the time I tried so really hard to find a counter but couldn't  and when I finally played him on TM I lost really badly.

extremal: Maybe there is a character in the WC3 with whom you can compare you or another progamers? For example in my point of view Moon-Illydan, when he keeps his shape, is unstoppable.

Probably the Mountain King then as I'm short tempered like him and I can sometimes be really strong but sometimes really weak aswell.

extremal: A lot of people speaks about the SK.HoT's problem connected with you. It is actually cold so - the ToD's syndrome, meaning that Hot cannot defeat you on the major events. What do you think about it and the Ukrainian elf?

I think he can defeat me which he sometimes did, in Eurocup, for example, then in WCG Europe, and also in the KOTH match online.

Exiv: Do you save the replays of the lost games?

I have an autosaver which saves every replay of the games I play.

Hallu: Do you find your game style aggressive? The fast expand is the shortest way to the victory or a forced measure?

It is kind of a forced measure. It's not the shortest but the safest way to gain a victory.

-HeatoN-: Tell us about your most "for fun" game/unbelievable strategy =)? Did you manage to win that games?

There was a time where I used a lot of neutral heroes with straight rifle opening, I managed to win many ladder games with it and even won a map ( TR ) vs Insomnia in the Kingofthehill match we played using DarkRanger riflemen & Panda.

MemphisUa: What do you think about the WC3 future? Should we wait for the new patch or the SC2 will influence the game?

I hope a patch will come soon because the game is getting a bit boring, always same strats nothing much new it needs some change to become more fun in my opinion.

DreamsTowN: If you were told that this is the last game of your life, what map and strategy would you choose?

Depends against who it'll be :D

ngp3.Kaldorey: Hello ToD. I'd like to know what do you think about the possibility of building the way the other races do? To hide the slave inside the buildings, so he couldn't be killed. One will have less risk to loose the expand and to use some other tactics as building two or three expands, despite the time spending.

I think all races must have strong points and weaknesses, Human's weakness is their peasants who can die easily when they are building something if not walled-in or protected by a tower, if this is changed Human could become way too strong, so it's good as it is.

MinimalLove: What changes would you like to see in the next patch?

A major nerf for Elf is the first thing that comes to my mind. And perhaps change some units like the Undead casters to diversify the game more, make all the weak units of every race stronger so they could be used finally in official games.

Lonely: How do you think what is the difference between the training systems in China and Europe, Korea?

In Europe people play mostly ladder, in Korea there is a balance between custom games & ladder while in China it's mostly only Custom games on a different server.

Lonely: It was repeatedly noted that the Chinese orcs can fight equally with the top humans, when we can see the human advantage versus the other world. What is the Chinese secret? Dedication?

Orc is a strong race just like all the others, if used rightfully Orc can defeat Human constantly, the Chinese Orcs practice a lot and think of good timings and ways of beating Human which they work on every day while many European Orcs have this "Human Imba" idea inside their head already and therefore they can't try as hard as someone else.

Lonely: How do you solve the problem of the Chinese internet? Are there any clubs where you can play with an acceptable ping?

I don't solve it, I just play at home, with Chinese players there is nearly no lag as well as with Korea, but against US or Europeans it's sometimes very laggy but nothing I can do about it I just try my hardest.

About the 4Kings

MyLifeStyle: What was your first life-meeting with Grubby like?

At ESWC 2003 he seemed to be all by himself when we found him and i was already hangin out with some other players like TaKe so we started to hang out with him aswell.

fa.light: You used to play with Grubby 2x2. But today you are the rear pair. What has happened?

I live in China so it's not easy to play 2on2 with someone who's half across the globe especially with the internet issues.

Arhus: Are you satisfied with the team's line-up right now? Maybe there will be some changes in the nearest future? How do you think would the substitution of Creo on Lilld be equal?

I'm satisfied with the lineup but not with the results of the team, don't know if there will be any changes. Adding LiiL instead of Creo is just the same move as we made before, investing into a player with potential and motivation so yeah it is equal.

Hallu: 4K is playing worse each day on the clan-tournaments such as NGL and WC3L. What is the problem?

We didn't play too well in WC3L, but I think we got a bit unlucky with many things, sometimes you play good and sometimes bad that's how it is, don't think there is any problem.

Lonely: You played a lot with your mates when you lived in France. Right now you pay your attention to the LAN training with the Chinese gamers. Do you play with your mates now?

No, almost never, but I talk to them a lot and share replays with them.

About Russia

Nwrs.Zloy-: Which Russian players can you mark out?

Soul, Ranger, Caravaggio,Deadman, Xyligan are/were the big boys in Russia

pCe.Fallen: Who is the best player in Russia in your opinion?

Right now it would be Deadman or Xyligan probably, but Russia has a lot more strong players though.

C0m1cs: What do you think about Deadman? What is your opinion on his leaving the cybersport?

He's a good player but perhaps a little young to be launched in this profession so easly which led him to many bad events happening to him lately, I don't think he deserved all of it. I don't know if he retired either but I hope he will keep on playing and come back stronger as he was and still is a very interesting player.

Nek1t: Would you like to live in Russia, not in China?

Maybe I could give it a try someday hehe, I never came to Russia so it's hard to tell.

pCe.Fallen: Is that true that you don't like the Russians?

There are a lot of Russian players playing on Northrend and many of them happen to be bad mannered, so if I sometimes generalize and make a bad manner comment about Russians it doesn't necessarily means that I don't like Russians. I'm good friend with XyLigan, Neytpoh and many more Russian players so in fact I like Russian people =)

Ieron: Do you know any words in Russian?

Preved, ya gavaru po rusky, eto da, niet ^^