You're Outta Here!

Ever know a new cop that went on a power trip? Too often that happens to authoritative figures. They become power hungry. They are suddenly gods in their own mind. To others they are idiots, who do not know how to handle power.

This happens all too often with nothing people, who become moderators on forums. All of a sudden they have POWA! I've belonged to lots of forums, but never noticed this behaviour more than after I registered at TeamLiquid.

When I first joined, I'd read posts where a moderator had "warned," temporarily banned" or "banned for life" someone. I'd sit back and think, "huh?" I'd reread the post trying to figure out wtf the person said that warranted action by the mod. As far as I could tell most of the posts were innocuous, yet the poster was banned.

Then I realized, after avilo had been temporarily banned several times (which by the way meant that he couldn't register for competitions) that the mods banning him did so just because they didn't like him. POWA! "I don't like you dude so no matter what you say you're outta here."

I also noticed, after writing several posts myself, that if you're a "noob" you're not too well received by the community. Lotsa hate goes on at TL lots of BM (bad manners). I made one post, which offered some very good advice and was told "You suck as a poster. GTFO." (One acronym used that I won't spell out) What precipitated that outburst was that I prefaced my post by apologizing for not reading the 30 pages of posts that preceded mine. I ignored the comment, but as far as I was concerned - if I had been a mod - that "troll" would have been at the very least warned. He never was, so I can only guess that he was a forum favorite.

(As an aside: I'm a mod as well. *smiles from ear to ear feeling the POWA!* I moderate avilo's stream.@ http://www.twitch.tv/avilo Thus far I've only banned one idiot. *evil grin* I mean, good grief, don't come into someone's stream and hit them with insults just because you don't like them).

Avilo isn't a forum favorite, even though he offers good advice regarding strategies, builds, etc. It doesn't bother him that so many of the forum members dislike him. He laughs at it mostly. "Haters gonna hate." I, on the other hand, become livid. So, for the most part I keep away from TL forums.

For some reason, unknown to me at the moment, I joined GameReplay @ http://www.gamereplays.org/community/-discussions-Section.html  and whilst avilo has been banned from there several times (yeah, he's a bit outspoken) I felt a sense of community. Sure there's trolls, there's haters, there's idiots who post, but it seemed to me a much friendlier atmosphere. So, for now, I'll call it forum home, although reading posts deters me from doing things I should be doing. Shush!

So, have I learned anything from all this? A). People gonna hate you for no reason and as long as you don't have to depend on them to put food on the table or clothes on your back or a roof over your head - don't let it bother you. 2).Mods who hate, gonna ban you simply because for once in their miserable little lives they have some control. Finally). Don't admit you haven't read preceding posts. lol

I've never cared too much about what others think of me. I'm the kind of person you either love or hate - much like avilo I guess. There is no gray area - only black or white. If ya hate me, ask me if I care! On the other hand, I've learned that if you hate someone I care about - watch out! *puts on my wicked witch hat and stirs up a brew in my cauldron*

I have many mottoes and one of my all-time favorites is "Don't take life too seriously; you'll never get out of it alive anyway."And if you mess with someone I care about - OMG! you just shortened your life by five years. lol

Peace :)

P.S. I was thrilled to death to see that I have two followers so far. Thanks guys! Hope you keep coming back.

Farewell Fair Weather Friends

WARNING: This in no way relates to StarCraftII :) 

Sometimes you just have to say good-bye. 

I've never been a great believer in "friendship." As a matter of fact my motto has always been "Friends are enemies turned inside out." An "ex-friend" once told me that I expect too much from friends, "You hold them to your high standard of friendship." Well, duh! Of course. Friends are dispensable. They're after all just people and people can easily be replaced if they can't meet your needs.

I do believe that people come and go from our lives as needed. Sometimes they're forever - in my case, however, that was never true. I've never had a lasting friendship, but people have been there for me at the time they were needed and vice versa. There's one problem with this - with each new person I meet, I think..."maybe this is my 'lifetime' friend." HA! Obviously, when the acquaintance turns out to be that inside out friend, it's painful, but not unexpected. 

The great law of the universe is that we subconsciously attract that which we need. Guess I don't need a bff. 

Recently, I went through my email contacts. There were some people I haven't received an email from in ages - nor have they acknowledged the emails I sent to them. I wrote a form letter to approximately seven informing them that my intention was to delete them. "If I am mistaken and you've just been too busy, kindly let me know by returning this email." 

One person no longer had that email address. Guess he had already deleted me. lol  Only one of the remaining six responded. She was by far my favorite anyway. So hasta la bye-bye to the rest. 

As for cyber friends - I've had several for years now. It's strange the connection one can make with someone via the internet. You actually form a bond that at times feels more real to me than real life connections. For some reason it runs deeper. I'm not saying that these people will be forever friends, but I guess when you're not too involved in each others everyday lives it's less complicated. *shrugs* 


Anyway, my fair weather fickle friends I wish you all the best - NOT! No seriously, you should enjoy the pleasures of life; peace, love, laughter. (... hope your readers didn't detect the sarcasm in that statement?) lol 

Yep, life is a fantasy and each one of us create our own scenarios. 

The North American Starcraft League - Fact or Fiction

Obviously by now, you can tell I'm a SC2 fan. The game is exciting. Did I ever wish it would grow as big in North America as it is in Korea? Hell, yeah. It not only means that aspiring pro-gamers can earn money, but they can make the money doing what they enjoy doing. 

For weeks now a gamer by the name of Incontrol has been teasing players with an announcement so spectacular that SC2 gamers were abuzz. Finally, after much hype, the news was revealed. The NASL (North American Star League). What is it?  By most posts in the forums, I don't think anyone knows. What are its intentions? That too is unclear. When the people that run the show compare SC2 to basketball, they obviously don't know what the game is.  But it doesn't matter, because most hopeful pro-gamers won't even get the chance to shoot a hoop.

Can I just say (well I guess I can because it's my blog lol) I think it's a get rich quick scheme. Unfortunately, the only ones who are gonna make any money are the folks promoting this. They're going to sell their "live" games (which, according to the information I'm getting aren't live) to a bunch of idiots, who will purchase the games? 

Whoa! Excuse me, but when I buy a pay-per-view for let's say a championship boxing match (even that sport might relate to SC2 better than basketball) I'm watching it live. *shrugs* Okay, I don't get the meaning "live" as defined by the NASL.

What was really fun was when they posted a "Who's your favorite player" roster. Yeah people like you and me were able to vote for their favorite player. Wait a minute! Is the NASL going to have a league of "skilled" players or "popular" players? Or was this just a gimmick to acquire your email address? And if it is the latter, for what reason? 

I, for one, smell a rat. As a matter of fact, they claim that the roster they  posted was hacked. Unknown players were beating out well-known ones in popularity. How exciting to see your name on page one with thousands of votes. How disheartening to see your name disappear from the roster. "No way you could have that many votes."

Well, if you were out politicking - which unfortunately a person was forced to do by these standards - then, yes, it's possible. 

Avilo, whom I'll use as an example, because I know him personally, put himself out there. He hoped, like many others that he'd be chosen by the NASL. HA! It's all a sick joke. You vote for your favorite, but NASL already knows who they're going to choose for the league. The most "popular" gamers, not exactly the most skilled. Why else would Idra come back to America from Korea? Well, according to one poster, because he couldn't win a game in Korea and they don't want him anymore. Okay, I just laughed out loud.

Back on topic - The competition for the NASL isn't working your way in by winning games, it's if you're popular and on a team or have a sponsor. For the tens of thousands out there, who are excellent players, but aren't on a team and don't have a sponsor is their dream dead? Well, they've lost this round. 

Even though many people supported avilo - who is a skilled player and has won tournaments and even beaten a lot of the "popular" players - he was deleted from the roster. When he contacted the powers that be to find out why, he was told "it was an accident." They returned him to the roster with his plus 13,000 votes. Why? Because it doesn't matter. NASL knows who the chosen few are and as hopeful as he is that the NASL is on the level, he's not on their list of the elitist.  

And that, my friends, is life and other fantasies. :(

Parents – Insane or Frustrated?

If you’re in your 40s or 50s and a parent you’re probably pulling your hair out, frustrated because you just don’t get it. “It” being video games. Listen up! You’re acting crazy. Your ignorance is making you insane. What’s worse is that some parents are total control freaks. We know that control freaks can’t be cured – they are what they are. The only thing a kid can do is weather the storm until he’s old enough to “get the hell away.” 

The times they are a changing and parents have to grow with the times and with their kids. If you continue to stay stuck in the past, you’re going to not only become insane, but drive your kids nuts as well. When they start to slip from your grip you’ll definitely go bonkers. 

In Korea, where video games like Starcraft are considered an “e-sport” and are broadcast on a station comparable to ESPN, parents are confused as to the term “sport.”  But in the U.S. I think parents’ ignorance grows much deeper. 

I read today, jobs that were once “the” positions to hold are near obsolete. I mean, whoda thunk it! Take the U.S. Postal Service, for example. Technology is rapidly putting them out of business. College degrees are a necessity in most cases. But should one be forced to get a degree? Should parents, who controlled their kids lives, control too what their majors should be? Should a kid, who has a dream of becoming a pro-gamer, be discouraged just because the parent has a mind-set that if you don’t work 9 to 5, you’re not working?

I, for one, do not think so! 

The complaint of a lot of parents nowadays is that their kids spend too much time on computer games. But if they’re seriously contemplating pro-gaming, (which is becoming ever more popular as a career choice) isn’t that where they should be spending time? Shouldn’t a parent ask himself, “Does the kid have enough talent to become a pro-gamer?” Instead, parents just view it as “wasting your time playing” and don’t even take enough interest in gaming to make an educated decision. 

Most pro-gamers in Korea spend anywhere from 6 to 12 hours a day practicing. SlayersBoxer, a pro-gamer now in his 30s – old by pro-gamers standards – was fortunate to have parents that supported his ambition - even though they thought he was crazy at the time. Today he is known world-wide in Starcraft as “The best ever.”

Unfortunately, not all parents are as understanding – especially if they’re control freaks who demand their kids do as THEY say, because “I’m right, you’re wrong.” 

I know a man, who IS insane and no matter how logically one argues with him, he’s so stuck in his way of thinking that he cannot see reason. He’s a control freak in the very essence of the word. He doesn’t want his kids to think for themselves; to grow up. He NEEDS to control them. Otherwise, he has nothing. “This is the sport you’re going to play, this is the college you’re going to, this is what you will major in, and this is how to eat a hamburger and what to put on it. Now grow up!” HA! When it is time for them to “grow up” they won’t know how to make life’s decisions. And the parent created the monster. 

He can’t figure out why his son is having so much difficulty in college. Duh! Of course he blames video games. So, after forcing his son (I should say convincing) to major in Computer Science (something his son isn’t really interested in) he basically takes computer privileges away. Double Duh! Isn’t a computer a necessity for CompSci homework? Now that, my friends, is not only insanity, but utter stupidity and it’s caused by the frustration of losing control. 

It’s only my opinion, but if this control freak of a parent would have taken an interest in what his son wanted rather than what HE wanted the son to do, I’d venture to say that this young man would have been well on his way to making a lucrative living as a pro-gamer. Yes, one can make a living at the game. My jaw dropped when one pro-gamer was handed the equivalent of $300,000 U.S. dollars for his win. I’m guessing he didn’t have a parent who sabotaged him every step of the way. 

Advice to parents – be a guide, not a dictator! Be supportive, not controlling! Grow with your kids, don’t stop your kids from growing! Not every kid that enjoys video games is going to grow up to be a major pro-gamer. Of course when you were a kid you wanted to grow up to be a rock star or a star quarter back, that didn’t happen either. It doesn’t happen for everyone, but is that a reason to trample on your kids’ dreams? 

Technology is evolving and it’s possible that with AI (Artificial Intelligence) you just could be replaced as a parent. (okay, I’m joking – or am I?) *hums the Twilight Zone theme song.

StarCraft2 and the Craftcup Tournament Fiasco

There’s been much ado since the avilo v beasty Starcraft2  game that took place on Wednesday, February 9, 2011, and for good reason. I, along with many others – even avilo haters (yeah, when you’re good, people who don’t even know you, hate you) were outraged at admins decision to disqualify avilo in game two, after he had already won v beasty in game one. 

Their first game Terran v Terran lasted 50 minutes. The commentators at ImbaTv, where I watched the stream, made it exciting. Then suddenly, the stream died. By the time it went back up they were broadcasting another game; however, the avilo v beasty game was still in progress. Yeah, it was a long 50 minutes. What I found humorous about avilo’s win, is that a commentator mentioned that when he talked to beasty, he was told “I never lose on Steppes of War.”  I guess the saying “Never say never” holds true. Lol

Gomas won his game and now the start of game two between avilo v beasty was about to begin, while Gomas waited in the wings. 

After a grueling long 50 minute first game, I have no doubt that both players were exhausted, as were the commentators and everyone else involved in the production. Several “immature” chat people thought it was funny to make insulting remarks about the game – especially avilo’s game style. (I’ll interject that this was the European Craftcup tournament and avilo being American was fair game.) Fortunately, he didn’t have to endure the slurs. For me, it was hard to take, and seeing as the moderators didn’t take exception to the slurs, I stopped reading chat and focused on the game. 

Avilo, known for “turtling” in some games, it appeared, was going to do it in this game. Although he was moving in on beasty, he wasn’t taking any chances. From what I could tell, beasty turned around and starting playing avilo’s game. In other words, he wasn’t making any moves that would progress the game. What he was doing was typing ingame outrageous insults toward avilo. Some of the viewers in chat and the commentators thought it was “funny.”  Beasty was, as it’s referred to in the StarCraft community as BM (being bad mannered) 

Guess the commentators had to jump on the bandwagon, as well. One in particular, made a joke along with a video of a person stumbling about like he was handicapped; however, the implication from the commentator was that the person was mentally challenged (except it wasn’t that nice) “like avilo.”  I didn’t hear that part; however, that’s what those who did hear stated. Other casters were expressing their boredom by commenting “I’m going to take a nap, wake me if this game ever ends.”  (I will say that, that caster at least had the balls to step up to the plate and admit an error in judgment by apologizing to avilo). Another apologized in the Craftcup forums for “yawning” during the game. 

After almost an hour the game was still going on, I left to get some water, returned, and learned that avilo had been DQd (disqualified).  There was rage in chat and when I logged into the TeamLiquid forum, there were posts galore at the unfairness. People, who hate avilo’s play style, were defending him. 

At this point all I knew was that avilo’s opponent dropped out of the game without saying anything to avilo. He just disappeared. Then I learned that avilo refused a regame. Slowly the information was coming in as to what actually transpired; much too slow for this girl’s impatience. My head was about to burst from rage. How did this happen? How could it happen? WTF HAPPENED??????

I don’t know beasty, but I do know avilo. He can be bad mannered and, yes, he turtles in some games. Players do whatever they can legally do to win the game. There are far worse bad mannered players than avilo and I’m sure that being bad mannered is them mostly kicking themselves in the butt for making a wrong decision, a bad build, a stupid move, for losing – period.  Good players get angry with themselves and tend to take it out on their opponents. At least that’s what I want to believe; otherwise it’s just vicious attacks and poor sportsmanship. That’s what I had to make myself believe about Idra, one of the top StarCraft players. He absolutely rages when he loses. 

Avilo isn’t a nobody in StarCraft. He’s not a noob. He’s been playing long and hard since its inception and has played other video games before that. His only goal, even going through college (a mistake, but that’s another story) was to be a pro gamer. He’s a hardcore StarCraft player, who is dedicated to the game. He ranks 30 or 50 in the United States and I think somewhere around 150 or 200 in the world. He’s around 3700 in the Master League. That’s not crap! 

So what happened? Why was  avilo DQd? In my opinion and the opinion of many others, because of bad judgment on the part of administration.  The game was going too long. It was getting late. Gomas was waiting to play the victor be it avilo or beasty. Admin made some ludicrous suggestion that they play the game again, but had to choose a different race. Avilo didn’t go for that, of course. Who would?  Mind you the game was already approaching the hour mark. 

There was nothing in the Craftcup rules and regulations to cover a “too long game” situation. There are rules regarding stalemates, which wasn’t the case here. Avilo led in some areas, beasty in others. As I see it, avilo could have taken that game. 

When the admins told avilo to “leave the game,” he responded, “I’m ready to wrap this game up.”

If admins were able to think under pressure they would have said, “You’ve got another 10/15 minutes to prove it.”  What they did, however, was DQ him for not leaving the game and refusing a rematch. Totally bad judgment on their part. Excruciatingly painful for a player, who had just put in an additional hour game time immediately following a 50 minute game. 

Since then, it’s my understanding,  the people at Craftcup have established a new rule that covers long games. They’re now giving the players a warning. Does that help avilo? No. Does it make him feel wonderful to learn afterwards how he was being bashed by not only his opponent but by some in the chat and by the casters as well? No. But avilo has and always will persevere. He’s a fighter, who has struggled through many an obstacle to get where he is now. Above all, he’s an honorable man, who believes in fairness, who has the balls to apologize when he’s made an error in judgment. 

Now several reasons I believe avilo – who has moved past this fiasco – deserves an apology:

1. There were no rules set in place to cover games running overtime.

2. He deserved the right to “wrap up” the game and was not afforded the time to prove he would.

3. Admin was being hard-nosed and made a bad decision in not allowing x amount of minutes to finish the game.

4. Commentators on ImbaTv were disrespectful and rude.

As an aside and my rant: For those of you who posted on TeamLiquid that  Craftcup isn’t exactly the MLG or GSL, guess what? To some players every game is important and has nothing to do with the monetary value. You’re idiots! You’re the same morons that play “Follow the leader,” because you don’t have the brains or the balls to stand up for yourself. “If (insert well known popular player here) hates avilo then it must be the thing to do.” You’re simply pathetic. And for the idiot who can’t admit he was wrong and only offers dumb excuses (won’t mention any names, but his initials are J.R.) grow some balls, dude.