Interview Dimaga:<br>'I don't think the Viper is that good'
GosuGamers: So I saw an interview with you (at DreamHack) where you said that foreigners have a real chance to become champions and how about that! You were right! DH had two foreigners in the finals. Do you see this becoming a long-lasting tradition?
Dimaga: I hope so!!! And not only it was a foreign champion, it was an all-foreign top 4. And I’m really proud and happy about that!
GosuGamers: We've talked to you on a number of occasions and you've always expressed great respect for the Koreans and their skill. Are you happy that you did not have to play one in the playoffs? Or do you think the foreigners at DH were actually more scary?
Dimaga: Yes, Koreans are always scary to play against, at least for me. And true, I did not play any of them but I met Naniwa who’s living in Korea right now so he’s almost one of them. I’m really happy that I beat him!
GosuGamers: Do you think Nani is the only foreigner that can measure up to the Koreans?
Dimaga: Not really, a lot of foreigners can compete with Koreans nowadays, especially those that are in Korea. *laughs*
GosuGamers: In the DreamHack playoffs you demonstrated a baneling/over drop style that has been out of fashion for a while. Why go for this and not for a more standard build?
Dimaga: I practiced it a lot, so I just decided to play it. I felt that is fit my playstyle way better and I had a good win ratio with it.
GosuGamers: You stuck to it in every PvZ. Weren’t you afraid that it could be your undoing once your opponents figure it out? In the finals, for example, it looked like a change of strategy could benefit you…
Dimaga: Yea, maybe it could’ve benefited me, but this style is pretty solid overall in my opinion.
GosuGamers: Speaking of out-of-fashion playstyles, do you think there are some more strategies that zergs have forgotten but are viable in today’s metagame? Or is Stephano’s/DRG’s styles pretty much the best out there?
Dimaga: I honestly don’t know. I think, as zerg players, we still need to learn a lot both about our own race and the other two alike.
GosuGamers: This is not the first time you played Mana in a grand final, you also met him at Assembly Summer 2011. You won that 3-2 but there were a lot of similarities in both finals, especially with him taking a 2-0 lead and putting you one game away from elimination. How did you feel when you were down 2 games at DreamHack? What was your plan to come back?
Dimaga: I just thought “Wow, if I push this to a 3-2, it will be just unbelievable. But probably my mind was not set in the right direction. If you want to win, you need to only think about the game.
GosuGamers: Since this year, DH are using this new format with three group stages into playoffs, which is probably not something that you are very used to. How would you describe the experience?
Dimaga: Well, there are a lot of tournaments that are using this system so I was OK with it. The only little difference was that it was 128 players into three group stages into playoffs. *laughs* And I prefer it that way to having an open bracket or something similar, because I am normally used to playing through group stages.
GosuGamers: Three group phases also means that there will be a ton of players who aren’t that well known. Did someone surprise you along the way in terms of skill or with some strange strat?
Dimaga: Yes, I met a few new really good players that impressed me. Mini and Protosser are two zerg players that are very young yet very good. There were also a handful of other upsets which are easily spotted by anyone who watched DreamHack.
GosuGamers: Your most difficult win in the tournament? And why?
Dimaga: I think that was Naniwa in the quarter finals because I thought I had lost the third game when my natural and third base died but somehow I managed to win. The series against Fraer in the semi-finals was also a real close one.
GosuGamers: We're interviewing you literally hours before your flight to HSC V. As you know, Mana will be there too! Will you be seeking revenge?
Dimaga: Of course!!! And I hope that once again I can deliver a real good show for everybody.
GosuGamers: Are you cooking another surprise meal for the guys there? Drone drops, brood lord rushes, weird stuff like that?
Dimaga: *laughs uncontrollably* No, not really. But I hope I can do my best and show good games.
GosuGamers: You don’t really travel overseas that much, you mostly stick to European tournaments. Are we going to see you dominate some American / Korean soil soon? “Dimaga, MLG champion” sounds pretty awesome to me
Dimaga: I don’t think so. I was in America a few times already and I did well in some tournaments like Blizzcon 2010 and 2011 and I played bad in others like NASL 2 and IPL 4. Overall, it’s pretty hard to travel so much so I try to pick and choose what is best for me.
GosuGamers: I don’t know how many people remember, but you were actually the inventor of the baneling bust around the time of the SC2 beta. Now, a new expansion is coming out and I am curious if you see anything that can be the tool for Dimaga’s new zerg revolution?
Dimaga: Yes, I hope that I do at least that much *laughs* Of course, I will be playing a lot as always and we’ll see how it works out!
GosuGamers: Any comment on the “Viper f***ing imba” threads that were all around the place a few weeks ago?
Dimaga: Really? I don’t think the viper is that good. Only the swarm host and the charge ultras are kind of ok and that’s all.
GosuGamers: Well, people saw videos of Vipers dragging and one-hitting colossi, so naturally they thought this solves all of zerg’s problems.
Dimaga: I think in a real game it’ll be much harder to do it. But maybe I am wrong, I need to try it myself.
GosuGamers: Recently, mTw released all their SC2 players but you. Do you feel lonely? Do you miss your teammates?
Dimaga: Not really, I’m OK with it. I wish the best to all the players.
GosuGamers: Then I guess we can wrap this up! Any shoutouts to fans, sponsors? Any promises for year 2012?
Dimaga: Thanks for this interview <3. Best wishes to all the fans who are cheering for eSports, I will try to do my best in this year and in the future! And thanks to my team mTw and our sponsors EIZO, XMG, Kaspersky, Sennheiser and the others.
Dimaga is currently competing in the Ro16 of HomeStory Cup. If you want to track his progress through the tournament, visit our COVERAGE HUB and bathe in all the content collected there!
Dimaga: I hope so!!! And not only it was a foreign champion, it was an all-foreign top 4. And I’m really proud and happy about that!
GosuGamers: We've talked to you on a number of occasions and you've always expressed great respect for the Koreans and their skill. Are you happy that you did not have to play one in the playoffs? Or do you think the foreigners at DH were actually more scary?
Dimaga: Yes, Koreans are always scary to play against, at least for me. And true, I did not play any of them but I met Naniwa who’s living in Korea right now so he’s almost one of them. I’m really happy that I beat him!
GosuGamers: Do you think Nani is the only foreigner that can measure up to the Koreans?
Dimaga: Not really, a lot of foreigners can compete with Koreans nowadays, especially those that are in Korea. *laughs*
GosuGamers: In the DreamHack playoffs you demonstrated a baneling/over drop style that has been out of fashion for a while. Why go for this and not for a more standard build?
Dimaga: I practiced it a lot, so I just decided to play it. I felt that is fit my playstyle way better and I had a good win ratio with it.
GosuGamers: You stuck to it in every PvZ. Weren’t you afraid that it could be your undoing once your opponents figure it out? In the finals, for example, it looked like a change of strategy could benefit you…
Dimaga: Yea, maybe it could’ve benefited me, but this style is pretty solid overall in my opinion.
GosuGamers: Speaking of out-of-fashion playstyles, do you think there are some more strategies that zergs have forgotten but are viable in today’s metagame? Or is Stephano’s/DRG’s styles pretty much the best out there?
Dimaga: I honestly don’t know. I think, as zerg players, we still need to learn a lot both about our own race and the other two alike.
GosuGamers: This is not the first time you played Mana in a grand final, you also met him at Assembly Summer 2011. You won that 3-2 but there were a lot of similarities in both finals, especially with him taking a 2-0 lead and putting you one game away from elimination. How did you feel when you were down 2 games at DreamHack? What was your plan to come back?
Dimaga: I just thought “Wow, if I push this to a 3-2, it will be just unbelievable. But probably my mind was not set in the right direction. If you want to win, you need to only think about the game.
GosuGamers: Since this year, DH are using this new format with three group stages into playoffs, which is probably not something that you are very used to. How would you describe the experience?
Dimaga: Well, there are a lot of tournaments that are using this system so I was OK with it. The only little difference was that it was 128 players into three group stages into playoffs. *laughs* And I prefer it that way to having an open bracket or something similar, because I am normally used to playing through group stages.
GosuGamers: Three group phases also means that there will be a ton of players who aren’t that well known. Did someone surprise you along the way in terms of skill or with some strange strat?
Dimaga: Yes, I met a few new really good players that impressed me. Mini and Protosser are two zerg players that are very young yet very good. There were also a handful of other upsets which are easily spotted by anyone who watched DreamHack.
GosuGamers: Your most difficult win in the tournament? And why?
Dimaga: I think that was Naniwa in the quarter finals because I thought I had lost the third game when my natural and third base died but somehow I managed to win. The series against Fraer in the semi-finals was also a real close one.
GosuGamers: We're interviewing you literally hours before your flight to HSC V. As you know, Mana will be there too! Will you be seeking revenge?
Dimaga: Of course!!! And I hope that once again I can deliver a real good show for everybody.
GosuGamers: Are you cooking another surprise meal for the guys there? Drone drops, brood lord rushes, weird stuff like that?
Dimaga: *laughs uncontrollably* No, not really. But I hope I can do my best and show good games.
GosuGamers: You don’t really travel overseas that much, you mostly stick to European tournaments. Are we going to see you dominate some American / Korean soil soon? “Dimaga, MLG champion” sounds pretty awesome to me
Dimaga: I don’t think so. I was in America a few times already and I did well in some tournaments like Blizzcon 2010 and 2011 and I played bad in others like NASL 2 and IPL 4. Overall, it’s pretty hard to travel so much so I try to pick and choose what is best for me.
GosuGamers: I don’t know how many people remember, but you were actually the inventor of the baneling bust around the time of the SC2 beta. Now, a new expansion is coming out and I am curious if you see anything that can be the tool for Dimaga’s new zerg revolution?
Dimaga: Yes, I hope that I do at least that much *laughs* Of course, I will be playing a lot as always and we’ll see how it works out!
GosuGamers: Any comment on the “Viper f***ing imba” threads that were all around the place a few weeks ago?
Dimaga: Really? I don’t think the viper is that good. Only the swarm host and the charge ultras are kind of ok and that’s all.
GosuGamers: Well, people saw videos of Vipers dragging and one-hitting colossi, so naturally they thought this solves all of zerg’s problems.
Dimaga: I think in a real game it’ll be much harder to do it. But maybe I am wrong, I need to try it myself.
GosuGamers: Recently, mTw released all their SC2 players but you. Do you feel lonely? Do you miss your teammates?
Dimaga: Not really, I’m OK with it. I wish the best to all the players.
GosuGamers: Then I guess we can wrap this up! Any shoutouts to fans, sponsors? Any promises for year 2012?
Dimaga: Thanks for this interview <3. Best wishes to all the fans who are cheering for eSports, I will try to do my best in this year and in the future! And thanks to my team mTw and our sponsors EIZO, XMG, Kaspersky, Sennheiser and the others.
Dimaga is currently competing in the Ro16 of HomeStory Cup. If you want to track his progress through the tournament, visit our COVERAGE HUB and bathe in all the content collected there!
