N.o.M.a.D Let me congratulate you one more time on your victory. How serious were you about this tournament? It's summer and most top duellers are absent on the one hand, but then we have still seen some very strong players.

DooM Thanks! I was seriously enough motivated for this tournament. Considering my (and many Russian players) little experience versus Europeans, this was an excellent chance to obtain something new for me and boost my playing skills.

N.o.M.a.D How did you like this tight schedule? Should we spread it to the other tournaments? Some spectators are bored of waiting RQWL finals for months .

DooM Supereminent idea. Tight deadlines contribute to keeping players in tone. Single Elimination system fits perfectly also. Surely we should adopt this experience to the Russian reality. There could be lots of aguing and bitching, like it's possible to go bust in the first round by an accident, etc. But the idea itself is, I repeat, HOT.

N.o.M.a.D Nevertheless there were some delays. Do you take player's side in these situations, or should admins follow the rules and give WO's?

DooM Ideally admis should look after the rules of gaming. Still, a flexible approach is welcomed. The trick is to stop short at admin's arbitrary decision of giving a WO and such... I mean the situations where one of relatively active players has problems with his ISP or real life etc. In that case it is possible to meet half-way, making a forehand evaluation on the possible results of this deadline shift. Casting a look at the passed SummerJam, we can firmly say that Soma have coped with this task. Tournament ending has only been shifted a bit from the planned deadline.

N.o.M.a.D Some players showed their regrets about ztndm3, and some about dm2 absence. How did you like tournament's map pool? And, if the final is best-of-five, wouldn't it be reasonable to have 5 maps in pool to avoid situations when someone's map is played twice, etc.? Or was there some blunder in the rules?

DooM Map pool was all right to me. And i reckon the rules are adequate. Even if the match is played best of five, I find no sense in expanding given map list. Yes, in this situation we receive an opportunity to play 'own' map twice. But don't forget that your opponent is in equal situation. I didn't dig deep to the truth, but on a superficial glance the rules are even. And all the disputes should be resolved before the tournament beginning, so that noone would be hurt.

N.o.M.a.D By the way, about The Big 5. Many think that dm2 isn't suitable for duels, where you 'bet the farm' - most games are too cautious and not entertaining. What do you think about it? And what would be a substitute for it (if you find this substitution necessary)?

DooM Dm2 is 11 years so far not suitable for betting the farm, and is still played. There are some unders about it, but there's hardly something for replacement. Many will argue about its entertainment value also. This map simply shows a situation when one man runs away and the other one attacks aggresively. And this is its fascination.

N.o.M.a.D What match (except the finals) turned out to be hardest? Did someone of your opponents surprise you with a unexpectedly strong play?

DooM Speaking about difficulty to win it was a match with Bulat. But taking a look at the situation in general, the hardest match was versus Billy. I have never played with him before, those rare demos at challenge-tv give only the slightest idea about his play. I've seen he had a tight match with Avenger at dm4 and that have drawn my attention.
DooM I was more like surprised with surprisingly weak play by exile. I'm no judge of how did it come, but he obviously could perform better.

N.o.M.a.D Did you track Russians perfomance in general? Could it be played better?

DooM I did. I think xpr (Jarul) could finish higher. Unfortunately i didn't watch Zepp vs ParadokS game and can't say anything about it. B1aze certainly could be higher if he wasn't shafted down by Valla at megahealth some milliseconds before time break. But in this game B1aze himself made a pesky mistake, and his opponent took an advantage of it. Things do happen.

N.o.M.a.D About the finals. Did you expect namely Valla to meet there?

DooM Yes, namely him as a finalist in the upper part of the table. No doubt that key game after Zepp vs ParadokS was Valla vs ParadokS. We all know the result. So no questions should rise about their strength at that moment. And, ratiocinating, Valla is strong at dm4, ParadokS is at dm6 (even if they won each their opponent's map) and Valla is stronger at aero.
DooM You will ask me: 'what about B1aze, xpr?' I'm sorry to say, but Russian QW-scene is not considered as 'pretenders' in Europe. XN in due season was hot, but he came short. We all had the attitude for 'owning', we had to win one day - and we owned as the result. I had more luck then other guys.

N.o.M.a.D If we put aside first map (we, spectators, are in fault), even at dm4 there was a feeling that you were very nervous. Is it right?

DooM That's only me who is in fault of the lags, because i've totally forgot about the poor gear at msk servers, while there was an alternative to avoid msk-qizmo.
DooM Can't remember myself being nervous at dm4. I was trivially losing all positions. Starting with my aim and finishing with items timing. Although you maybe can call this 'nervous'. When you cannot forget previous map result and being owned in the next one.

N.o.M.a.D What was your plan for the game in general? What maps you considered to be 'yours'?

DooM The plan was to attempt to win 3:2. To take aero, and act on dm-maps
according on situation. Initially I thought I'll take dm6 and aero.

N.o.M.a.D Did Valla surprise you in something? Many spectators were amazed by his shaft.

DooM Yes, his shaft grilled me hard, but that was acceptable.
I wouldn't call that a big surprise. It's the finals, you've got to be ready for anything.
I saw him playing with Inter, maybe that affected my expectations.

N.o.M.a.D When there a fierce dispute grew hot about the fifth map it looked like you don't care about where to play: dm4 or dm6. Or did you? Or was that some psychological trick?

DooM Truly, there was no big difference where to play. Alsough I feel I'm smoother at dm4. But I was strained by the way Sassa behave. That would be half the calamity that players don't read the rules. But when admins don't either, it becomes very sad. Unfortunately Soma couldn't be present at the match. And forcebreak is no bloody good at all. I just can't imagine the situation where it would be reasonable. The players agreed to play, even started to play and then oh my! I didn't resist against dm6, more offending was the fact that Sassa wouldn't admit his wrong and became personal. That looked like apparent rudeness. But still nothing can cloud the joy of the games already played.
DooM Oh well, KTX could to, but that's a special case and a separate article which is beyound our today's scope.

N.o.M.a.D Was there a moment when you realized that you will win this match?

DooM Yes, 27 seconds to end, when I had a +2 lead. I spawned not nearby Valla, and he had a little chance to kill me fast. When I 'lied around' at stairs, I still calculated the possible case scenarios. But after my respawn I was saying ggs in spirit.

N.o.M.a.D How do you estimate your tournament perfomance? Did you have your satisfaction at result only or at the process itself too?

DooM For some time past (can't say exactly how much 'time past') I only have my satisfaction at the process. The result pales into insignificance.

N.o.M.a.D Umph... And, say, in Kharkov, do SuperHeroes plan to win back their first place at 2on2?

DooM We will perform as strong as it's possible. We plan to win surely, we just shouldn't lose contact with reality. But again - satisfation at the process holds first place for me.

N.o.M.a.D Who do you think is your main opponent at 1on1? Let's say, what are top 5 duel players at Kharkov?

DooM B1aze, disc, Star, xpr, Zepp. Cannot rate Unk - haven't seen him playing for long. Everyone is able to take the trophy. But I hope that will be xpr. His aggresive style is good. And Dimon has to win more first places.

N.o.M.a.D And the last thing - what's your QW plans for autumn? Will you take part in duelmania/ownage if any will happen? Should we expect New Wave/USSR in 4on4 leagues?

DooM So far I have no plans, preventing me from participation in tournaments. But things often go not in so good way as we wanted it to. I hope we will play both 4on4 and fight in duels.

N.o.M.a.D Good luck then in the upcoming games! Wish you have enough satisfaction at QW for two-three (five?) years .
Thanks for the interview.

DooM Thank you for great contribution to QW-scene progress. And satisfaction will be prolonged

Interview: N.o.M.a.D, 13/08/07
Translated to english by: Manslay, 14/08/07
Originally from: ?id=54" class="bb-url">QuakeWorld.ru