Interview with GGNaugrim on progaming house, team mates, future
GosuGamers team player Mattias "Naugrim" Ottosson moved in to a training facility or also called progaming house a couple of days ago. He lives together with the top players TheLittleOne, SjoW, HayprO, Bischu and MorroW in a house in Stockholm, Sweden. GosuGamers grabbed a hold of our Zerg player to see how he's been doing.
Photo by: Hampus Andersson/DREAMHACKHello Naugrim! How have you been doing? Are you enjoying the Swedish summer?
- Hello Patrik! I've been doing great, both gaming-wise and in life in general. And yes, I'm enjoying the swedish summer very much. :)
About a month ago you competed in DreamHack as one of the invited players. Things didn't really go as good as one could have hoped. Tell us about your experience from there!
- Actually, the competition was close to a disaster for me. I didn't play for 2 weeks before going to DreamHack. My first game in 2 weeks was the first series against TT1. I somehow managed to forget my bag with my keyboard and mice at the hotel, but Jimpo was kind enough to drive me back to the hotel in the last minute so I could get them. I won't go into details about the 2 weeks inactivity, I can only say that I wasn't planning it. I did however manage to win a long game against MC, so that was a bit of a mood lifter though. Besides from terrible results, I had a great time being at DH, as always.
Naugrim about GGZpuX
I've been to several event's with Tobias, and shared 3 or 4 teams with him, so I know him pretty well. Tobias is a great guy, and it's always fun spending time with him at events or just talk and play with him online. Tobias is like the opposite of me in one way, which is that he's always focused and keeps track of everything when we attend events. Me on the other hand, is quite absent minded, and I'm not very good at keeping track of times of buses, taxis, times of tournament matches and stuff like that.
Being a DreamHack veteran, how do you feel DreamHack has developed over the years? It's much more eSports friendly nowadays, is there any special story or highlight you can mention?
- Well, the first story that comes to mind brings us back to DreamHack Winter 2009. I was playing ZpuX in the quarter finals at the tournament area. My older brother printed a sign for me, which said "ToT)Naugrim(", and before the match, I think it was Aiello or Datoby, attached it to ZpuX back. He was playing the entire series with a sign that said my name on his back, which I think was hilarious. (laughs)
I also think DH has grown much more professional over the years. Nowadays the level of competition is much higher than it was back in the Brood War days. One thing that I think was better back then, is that the majority of players had to qualify and prove that they deserved a spot in the tournament. Nowadays DH invite players that are famous, and I don't like the idea of players not having to constantly prove themselves, but they get invites because what they have accomplished in the past. If players had to qualify, the level of competition would be even higher, which is better for viewing entertainment value.
Photo by: Hampus Andersson/DREAMHACK
Now, to go back in time a bit, before DreamHack, you played in the Swedish qualifiers for the World Cyber Games. You had a great run in the group stage, beating both SjoW, HayprO and Cytoplasm all by 2-0. You then went up against Lalush in the playoffs and narrowly lost 1-2. How was the WCG experience for you?
- It was great, and I finally showed people what I'm made of, despite not always being the most active player. The only bad thing that I can recall from that event, is that the monitors wasn't very good. My mouse, a Razer Diamondback 3G, had a pretty annoying delay, which I'm not used to. But I managed to get used to it after playing a series of warm up games. And as always, its great to meet all the players participating. (smiles)
Tell us about what you've been up to this weekend. You have taken the next step in your gaming career by doing what exactly?
I moved into the progaming house in Stockholm! It feels great living here, and I think it will bring my play to the next level practicing with the guys here. Also it helps me staying motivated seeing everyone playing so much here. (smiles)
Naugrim about GGLastShadow
Since we do not play on the same server, Nick is probably the player that I know the least. To be totally honest, I wasn't too sure about him joining the team at first, because I knew about his history back in BW, and he was always quite bad mannered when we played back then. But I gave him a new chance in TeamGG, and he's shown me and everyone else on the team that he has changed in a positive way, as well as matured and grown as a person. Unfortunately, I can not tell you guys too much about his playstyle, since we only played perhaps 10 games total. He likes to play mech, and he's good at it. I also know that he practice like a champ. I remember when he joined the team and he practiced so much that he had to go see the doctor for his wrists. That's dedication, folks.
Tell us how a typical day for you looks like in the house!
- Well from the three days living here, I usually wake up around 12:00. Then I eat breakfast, turn on my computer and browse my favourite SC2 communities GosuGamers and Teamliquid. Then I start playing for about 4 hours. After that I eat dinner, play about 4-5 more before I eat again. And then I continue playing for the rest of the day, or maybe take a walk or watch some episodes of a TV show before I go to sleep. Also I try to play a weekly cup at around 19:00.
Moving in with six other guys who share the same interest as you must feel very new but also very exciting and fun. How much does it help to have someone to be able to discuss strategies with even by the kitchen table? :)
- It helps a great deal actually! Me and HayprO used to talk to each other over Ventrilo back in the BW days, and now we can do the same, but the difference is that we can talk face to face, as well as watching each other play. I really understand the difference between us foreigners and Koreans now, in a way I didn't earlier. The Koreans are starting to get ahead of us in skill already, and that is because they already have had this kind of infrastructure for a long time. Being able to discuss strategies and share ideas in a progaming house helps you improve so much faster. I'm looking forward to the other players to come back here as well. As of now, only me, HayprO and SjoW live here since I moved in.
Naugrim about GGOurk
I've had the opportunity to get to know Ourk a bit over the last several months in our time in GosuGamers. Ourk is hilarious and I like his sense of humor. As a player, he has a sharp analytic mind, which is great when you try to figure out different approaches to the game. Me and Liam also practise quite a lot, and he's actually very good with all races.
How is your training coming along? How's your shape? Is there any matchup you've been struggling with lately, or perhaps a matchup where you felt you've cracked the nut? (with the help of your new room-mates!)
Hm, I think I'm in good shape right now. I'm not really struggling with any match up right now, but if I had to pick one, it would be ZvP. Its easier now than before the infestor patch, when ZvP was ridiculously imbalanced, in my opinion. ZvT is the match up where I feel the most comfortable, because my understanding of that matchup is the greatest, and there is never a situation where I'm not 100% sure what I'm supposed to do, or how I should react.
Photo by: Hampus Andersson/DREAMHACK
I'm not sure if you remember, but back in 2009 we talked at DreamHack where you said that parts of StarCraft 2 was pretty slow, and that the multi-building selection and the automining destroyed the mechanical side of the game. After a bit more than one year in to the game - how do you feel about that now?
- The game turned out a lot better than I thought it would. Its' actually faster than BW, which I think is only a good thing. I still think that multi-building selection narrows the skill diversity between players too much. But I guess that something we have to live with. I just hope that the game will be deep enough that players can still improve and find out new strategies years from now. And I think it will, with 2 more expansions to go. (smiles) StarCraft 1 became, in my opinion, the best RTS ever made after the release of the Brood War expansion pack. I hope SC2 will be the same, and become even better than BW.
Naugrim about GGmarCoon
Marko is the man behind the team, and has been very helpful over the months. Keeping track on tournaments, giving pep talks when I needed it, and helping me with EVERYTHING at our trip to Assembly Winter 2010. He's a great team manager.
What can we expect to see next from Naugrim? You were streaming many of your practice games, will we be seeing more of that from you in the near future?
- Yes, I will for sure start streaming more as soon as I can afford upgrading my computer. The reason I stopped streaming is because, as soon as I went on air, SC2 started lagging like I had 10-15 frames per second, and that made me play worse. So eventually I got tired of it and decided that I won't stream anymore until I upgrade my computer. Apart from streaming, I will continue practicing harder than ever, and I will attend many more events in the future, for example MLG.
Alright Naugrim, best of luck in the future!
- Thanks, Patrik!
Photo by: Hampus Andersson/DREAMHACKHello Naugrim! How have you been doing? Are you enjoying the Swedish summer?
- Hello Patrik! I've been doing great, both gaming-wise and in life in general. And yes, I'm enjoying the swedish summer very much. :)
About a month ago you competed in DreamHack as one of the invited players. Things didn't really go as good as one could have hoped. Tell us about your experience from there!
- Actually, the competition was close to a disaster for me. I didn't play for 2 weeks before going to DreamHack. My first game in 2 weeks was the first series against TT1. I somehow managed to forget my bag with my keyboard and mice at the hotel, but Jimpo was kind enough to drive me back to the hotel in the last minute so I could get them. I won't go into details about the 2 weeks inactivity, I can only say that I wasn't planning it. I did however manage to win a long game against MC, so that was a bit of a mood lifter though. Besides from terrible results, I had a great time being at DH, as always.
Naugrim about GGZpuX
I've been to several event's with Tobias, and shared 3 or 4 teams with him, so I know him pretty well. Tobias is a great guy, and it's always fun spending time with him at events or just talk and play with him online. Tobias is like the opposite of me in one way, which is that he's always focused and keeps track of everything when we attend events. Me on the other hand, is quite absent minded, and I'm not very good at keeping track of times of buses, taxis, times of tournament matches and stuff like that.
Being a DreamHack veteran, how do you feel DreamHack has developed over the years? It's much more eSports friendly nowadays, is there any special story or highlight you can mention?
- Well, the first story that comes to mind brings us back to DreamHack Winter 2009. I was playing ZpuX in the quarter finals at the tournament area. My older brother printed a sign for me, which said "ToT)Naugrim(", and before the match, I think it was Aiello or Datoby, attached it to ZpuX back. He was playing the entire series with a sign that said my name on his back, which I think was hilarious. (laughs)
I also think DH has grown much more professional over the years. Nowadays the level of competition is much higher than it was back in the Brood War days. One thing that I think was better back then, is that the majority of players had to qualify and prove that they deserved a spot in the tournament. Nowadays DH invite players that are famous, and I don't like the idea of players not having to constantly prove themselves, but they get invites because what they have accomplished in the past. If players had to qualify, the level of competition would be even higher, which is better for viewing entertainment value.
Photo by: Hampus Andersson/DREAMHACK
Now, to go back in time a bit, before DreamHack, you played in the Swedish qualifiers for the World Cyber Games. You had a great run in the group stage, beating both SjoW, HayprO and Cytoplasm all by 2-0. You then went up against Lalush in the playoffs and narrowly lost 1-2. How was the WCG experience for you?
- It was great, and I finally showed people what I'm made of, despite not always being the most active player. The only bad thing that I can recall from that event, is that the monitors wasn't very good. My mouse, a Razer Diamondback 3G, had a pretty annoying delay, which I'm not used to. But I managed to get used to it after playing a series of warm up games. And as always, its great to meet all the players participating. (smiles)
Tell us about what you've been up to this weekend. You have taken the next step in your gaming career by doing what exactly?
I moved into the progaming house in Stockholm! It feels great living here, and I think it will bring my play to the next level practicing with the guys here. Also it helps me staying motivated seeing everyone playing so much here. (smiles)
Naugrim about GGLastShadow
Since we do not play on the same server, Nick is probably the player that I know the least. To be totally honest, I wasn't too sure about him joining the team at first, because I knew about his history back in BW, and he was always quite bad mannered when we played back then. But I gave him a new chance in TeamGG, and he's shown me and everyone else on the team that he has changed in a positive way, as well as matured and grown as a person. Unfortunately, I can not tell you guys too much about his playstyle, since we only played perhaps 10 games total. He likes to play mech, and he's good at it. I also know that he practice like a champ. I remember when he joined the team and he practiced so much that he had to go see the doctor for his wrists. That's dedication, folks.
Tell us how a typical day for you looks like in the house!
- Well from the three days living here, I usually wake up around 12:00. Then I eat breakfast, turn on my computer and browse my favourite SC2 communities GosuGamers and Teamliquid. Then I start playing for about 4 hours. After that I eat dinner, play about 4-5 more before I eat again. And then I continue playing for the rest of the day, or maybe take a walk or watch some episodes of a TV show before I go to sleep. Also I try to play a weekly cup at around 19:00.
Moving in with six other guys who share the same interest as you must feel very new but also very exciting and fun. How much does it help to have someone to be able to discuss strategies with even by the kitchen table? :)
- It helps a great deal actually! Me and HayprO used to talk to each other over Ventrilo back in the BW days, and now we can do the same, but the difference is that we can talk face to face, as well as watching each other play. I really understand the difference between us foreigners and Koreans now, in a way I didn't earlier. The Koreans are starting to get ahead of us in skill already, and that is because they already have had this kind of infrastructure for a long time. Being able to discuss strategies and share ideas in a progaming house helps you improve so much faster. I'm looking forward to the other players to come back here as well. As of now, only me, HayprO and SjoW live here since I moved in.
Naugrim about GGOurk
I've had the opportunity to get to know Ourk a bit over the last several months in our time in GosuGamers. Ourk is hilarious and I like his sense of humor. As a player, he has a sharp analytic mind, which is great when you try to figure out different approaches to the game. Me and Liam also practise quite a lot, and he's actually very good with all races.
How is your training coming along? How's your shape? Is there any matchup you've been struggling with lately, or perhaps a matchup where you felt you've cracked the nut? (with the help of your new room-mates!)
Hm, I think I'm in good shape right now. I'm not really struggling with any match up right now, but if I had to pick one, it would be ZvP. Its easier now than before the infestor patch, when ZvP was ridiculously imbalanced, in my opinion. ZvT is the match up where I feel the most comfortable, because my understanding of that matchup is the greatest, and there is never a situation where I'm not 100% sure what I'm supposed to do, or how I should react.
Photo by: Hampus Andersson/DREAMHACK
I'm not sure if you remember, but back in 2009 we talked at DreamHack where you said that parts of StarCraft 2 was pretty slow, and that the multi-building selection and the automining destroyed the mechanical side of the game. After a bit more than one year in to the game - how do you feel about that now?
- The game turned out a lot better than I thought it would. Its' actually faster than BW, which I think is only a good thing. I still think that multi-building selection narrows the skill diversity between players too much. But I guess that something we have to live with. I just hope that the game will be deep enough that players can still improve and find out new strategies years from now. And I think it will, with 2 more expansions to go. (smiles) StarCraft 1 became, in my opinion, the best RTS ever made after the release of the Brood War expansion pack. I hope SC2 will be the same, and become even better than BW.
Naugrim about GGmarCoon
Marko is the man behind the team, and has been very helpful over the months. Keeping track on tournaments, giving pep talks when I needed it, and helping me with EVERYTHING at our trip to Assembly Winter 2010. He's a great team manager.
What can we expect to see next from Naugrim? You were streaming many of your practice games, will we be seeing more of that from you in the near future?
- Yes, I will for sure start streaming more as soon as I can afford upgrading my computer. The reason I stopped streaming is because, as soon as I went on air, SC2 started lagging like I had 10-15 frames per second, and that made me play worse. So eventually I got tired of it and decided that I won't stream anymore until I upgrade my computer. Apart from streaming, I will continue practicing harder than ever, and I will attend many more events in the future, for example MLG.
Alright Naugrim, best of luck in the future!
- Thanks, Patrik!
