First a beloved GOMTV commentator and now an acclaimed—and even award winning—YouTube caster, Artosis chats with GosuGamers' ronstopAbL on his newfound channel success, his relationship with IdrA, and his plans for the future.
Recently, within the last few months, we've noticed that you've been dedicating a lot more time to uploading more SC2 videos onto your YouTube channel since the time you created it. What came about that compelled you to do this?
It was a couple of things. Firstly, I finally figured out how to make really high quality VODs. I didn't want to release inferior VODs that people wouldn't be happy with, so I waited until I could do this. Also, I got a little tiny bit more free time.
Before this big boom of ArtosisTV activity ignited, it seemed more like, to those of us who followed you on YouTube, your channel would be more concerned with the behind the scenes coverage of the Starcraft scene in Korea—the over the shoulder videos of foreigners trying to qualify in the GSL Opens, meet and greets with the ones who had just landed, footage of IdrA and Haypro outside of their natural habitats—things of that nature. Now you'd casted some commentated VODs before, but it wasn't until after—I believe it was the first IdrA vs Boxer VOD you'd uploaded, where Boxer was playing under the alias ManOfOneWay, that I really began to take notice that you were going more into the direction of English language YouTube VOD caster than what I'd initially thought you'd have been interested in doing. From the start, when you opened your channel, did you know you'd be casting as many VODs as you are now? Did you plan on becoming one of the many SC2 VOD casters, like so many on YouTube have reaped success from, when you first registered your ArtosisTV account?
I still enjoy to make real life videos, probably more so than any other type. As for actual VODs, I do like to make those too. I enjoy to commentate—especially in a very analytical way—and have always wanted to do some more. I won't focus entirely on it, but I do hope to release a decent number of actual VODs each week as I gain more time.
For your YouTube fans and viewers specifically, maybe the more seasoned followers of your casts like myself, or perhaps the ones you'd maybe like a chance to win back, who sort of just glanced a video or two of yours a while back and then said to themselves, “Nah, I'm going to go back to that other guy, he's a lot funnier than Artosis and has better original songs,” or even the ones who had no idea you were casting VODs on YouTube on top of your GSL duties to begin with, and wanted to check it out for the first time and see if it was worth a subscribe: Which of your game casts would you most recommend them to see if they haven't, or if they have, see again because you are proud of it the most?
Hmm, that's a good question! It seems that IMMVP vs EGIdrA has been my biggest hit—aside from the BoxeR vs IdrA VOD from quite some time ago. It was a stellar game between two of the absolute best players in the world, and I felt pretty satisfied overall with my commentary on it. PCGamer even named it the #1 commentated SC2 game on YouTube!
There are a lot of casters who have in the past done guides on the game, from openings to analysis of their own replays of certain situations with noted commentary on what to improve upon, or highlights of the specific strategy that they wanted to come across to their viewers watching. Now some critics may feel that this takes the spotlight away from the pros they are known for casting and puts the spotlight unto the casters instead, many of which may not be experienced or skilled enough at the game on a level that legitimately qualifies them to provide in depth guides to begin with. But you on the other hand have shown us, what with a progaming Broodwar record under your belt and your accomplishments in Starcraft 2, particularly during Beta and pre GSL periods, that you of all casters would be best qualified to release certain guides on improving your viewers' game. Have you thought about making any guides on your channel? Is that some of the VOD content we have to look forward to in the future?
Yes, actually. I've just put my toes in the water so far, making a couple expert tutorials, but I plan to do a LOT more! The feedback has been great, and I think its really helpful to the community overall to have these videos. One of the problems though is waiting for the right game, which properly shows a common problem, and the exact—or close to [the] exact—correct response. Now that I'm playing more, I expect to have more and more of these games to make tutorials and guides on.
You've interviewed quite a lot of people on your channel. When will we get to see a SlayerSBoxeR exclusive?
[Laughs] I actually did do one of those on SCForALL.com a year or two ago. There will be another one, don't you worry! I don't have a time yet, but I'm sure it will happen!
I'd heard that you had drawn a little bit of bad blood in the past with Spades for calling him out as a hacker in Broodwar long ago, prior to when he was actually caught hacking in some prize tournaments. Now if what I heard was true, just from watching your video of interviewing VTSpades after landing in Korea, you handled it quite well. Was it awkward interviewing him? Did you take the initiative yourself to go out and greet him to bring the story to us, or was his interview suggested to you by someone else?
Well, there are a lot of people who used to hack in SC1 whom I called out, and then were caught. They were losers, jerks, whatever. People grow and change though. Spades obviously doesn't do any of that selfish, childish stuff anymore. I decided when I heard he was coming to Korea to give GSL a shot, that he was good to go in my book. I just went right over and asked him for an interview, and it wasn't awkward at all. In fact, he's a really nice and funny guy, I'm really glad I got to meet him, and hope to see him at more tournaments in the future.
As most of us are familiar with, there are quite a few successful English language YouTube VOD casters in the Starcraft 2 realm, many of which have drawn more success than even the players they are casting. A criticism of some of these casters is that maybe they aren't as skilled or experienced enough at their own game to really be bringing us the Starcraft 2 experience like a caster with your background would. Where do you stand on your peer analysis of English language casters? Do you sit on the side of the fence that maybe says “You know, I appreciate what they've done. But they do pocket a larger audience than some of the other casters who are at the pro level of the game do, and with that said they have a responsibility to bring their own game up so that they have a better understanding of the dynamics of the game, and ultimately not mislead the general mainstream of viewers into thinking SC2 dynamics are about this when really they are about that...” or are you more on the side of, “You know, these guys may not know the finer points of the game like someone like DAy[9] would, but by laying the commentary down in a less in depth, more mainstream approach they are bringing our game to a larger audience, and ultimately that brings us closer towards reaching e-sports out into the mainstream...?”
I actually really love what the YouTube casters are doing. They are grabbing a huge audience, and getting them interested in StarCraft. Commentary from myself or DAy[9] is oftentimes far too in depth for a complete newcomer, and the YouTube casters do a great job of filling in those gaps. Anyone who starts out on the other casters, always has the option to get more into the game, learn more, and find myself and DAy[9] for a deeper look into SC2.
Tell us a little bit about your new show IMBALANCED!, with IdrA. How did the idea of putting the show together transpire? Do you plan on new episodes being as frequent a segment on your channel as casted VODs and interviews are right now, or maybe more of a once in a while sort of thing? Have you thought about whether or not you would feature some different co-hosts to fill in for IdrA from time to time?
IMBALANCED! was just an idea I came up with one day while on the subway. IdrA and I are great friends in real life, and love to discuss the inner workings of SC2. It just hit me that we are two of the most vocal people in the community, and were willing to talk about this "pro taboo" subject, which no one else of similar caliber was willing to do. IdrA loved the idea, so we went ahead and started it. The plan is to do one show a week when permitting—i.e, not during a LAN or something similar. Obviously, with IdrA moving, myself being very sick lately, and our hectic schedules otherwise, we haven't had one in a few weeks, but they should start again relatively soon! We really love the show, and do not want to give it up.
How often do you try to get a new video uploaded onto your channel?
My goal is to upload 2-3 videos a day, but right now it rotates around my very busy schedule. If I'm sick, or my voice is sore from GOM—[which] happens more often than you'd think—I have to skip it. Otherwise, that's the goal! With more time off now from having some new Code A casters, I think its doable in the near future, and will do my best to keep providing great content.
What do your YouTube followers have to look forward to on your channel?
I have a ton of awesome ideas just sitting in my brain waiting for a bit more free time. Here are just a few of them: more IMBALANCED!, more Korean Progamer House Tours, more Foreigner pro interviews, more LAN coverage, more tutorials, and a lot of other ideas that I don't want to tease with yet!
What is the littlest thing a fan can do to support you and how does that contribution directly affect you and your efforts?
Subscribing to my YouTube channel is the biggest thing someone can do to help me out. The more subscribers I get, the more time I can spend making content on my YouTube channel. Please subscribe!
Alright Artosis, I thought I'd end our segment with questions some fans of yours have written to us. I'm sure you're familiar with the way fan mail goes, so you already know this is where the real heavy lifting comes into play. So if you're ready, if you want to take a breath. Stretch. Now is the time to do so. You excited?
YES!
This one is from MoreDents of the GosuGamers.net community: Do you know if IdrA dislikes being called the Gracken? I'm sure he knows about the meme by now. Is he just trying to shrug it off and hope it disappears?
He seemed just a tad annoyed at first, but its actually a really cool nickname with a cool story behind it, so I think he's fine with it now.
This next one is from SeleCT of Dignitas Gaming: Why do you laugh at Tasteless so much when you are casting the GSL? I always wanted to know why and it is so funny I actually laugh out loud because of your laughing.
[Laughs] Well, Tasteless and I are truly great friends. We spend a lot of time together and just know how to make each other laugh. I think he's hilarious, so I laugh at him a lot.
Froadac of the TeamLiquid.net community wants to know: What should I name my guinea pig?
Name him after a shape. My first guinea's name was Rhombus. What an AWESOME name!
This one is from MoMaN of CyberNation and Team France: I hear you changed Zerg for Protoss! Why? Imba? Why change now? [Do you not] trust Blizzard for the balance? What [do you really think] about the balance? What changes [would you make] if you could?
I changed for a couple of reasons. Firstly, my play time has been drastically reduced because of casting the GSL, and Zerg requires perfect execution—which comes from loads of practice. Without that extra time, I thought switching races might help me to keep a decent level. Secondly, I wanted to learn the game even deeper. Playing two races at the top level would certainly help with that. I think that right now, there are some small balance problems, as I'm sure most people know. ZvP has been improving lately, but I suspect there needs to be a small change to make it perfect. If I had to make some changes, I'd make the corrupter slightly better against voidrays—or maybe nerf voidrays slightly, remove khadarin amulet, and remove the marauder—[Laughs] Just kidding. Or maybe not...
Arctauras from the Team Liquid community wants to know: Have you thought about whether you will continue casting or focus more on playing later?
I will continue casting, without any doubt. That being said, I will now be playing a LOT more, due to having Code A casters finally!
This one is from Klystron of the GosuGamers.net community: Infestors. Could they be useful in ZvP? I love them in ZvT, but not sure if they would be useful in ZvP. What are your thoughts?
Right now, Infestors aren't too worthwhile in ZvP. There are small uses they can be good in, but colossus and templar tech are both quite fine against them. Blizzard is obviously trying to make them more useful in the next patch, but I hope they don't overdo it!
This one is from Zergman of the GosuGamers.net casting crew: Would you consider a move to the USA if MLG gets bigger since USA Starcraft seems to be growing, what with IdrA coming back and whatever the something big is that Incontrol says he has coming for us?
I don't know if or when I will move back to America. Korea is really my home after living here for over 2.5 years, and I'd be quite sad to leave. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how things go.
And finally, our last question is from State of tQ Gaming. He wants to know: During your next GSL pregame cast, would you smile real big to Tasteless for me and say “You're funny Tasteless,” and then wink at the camera, for $5 through paypal?
[Laughs] Pm me, maybe we can work something out.
Links
ArtosisTV - Artosis' YouTube channel.
IMMVP vs EGIdrA - The PCGamer Award Winning VOD mentioned in this article.
