Coming hot off the heels of their first big tournament win, GosuGamers took the time to sit down with TS-Gaming's star player PapaDrayich to hear his thoughts coming out of their first trip in the Heroes of Newerth spotlight. His comments are found below.
“
I really hate every single new hero that's introduced because I'm so conservative.”PapaDrayich: We decided to restart the old Fat Controllers, the DotA Clan that struggled years ago in DotA-League. We wanted to play together since we are all real life friends. How we got into the competitive scene? Really it just kind of happened because of who we are. We played some Honcast games before but since we were so new to the scene nothing really major happened. During the Dreamhack event though, we got our first big break.
Very cool. Which leads to my second question, how was it adjusting from Dota to HoN? Anything significantly different about the two that you'd like to highlight that made the process easier or more difficult than you originally imagined?
PapaDrayich: It's actually really easy, simply because the engine is so much better. But I really hate every single new hero that's introduced because I'm so conservative, learning new things is something I dislike doing if I can avoid it. *laughs*
That's always an interesting point. Learning new heroes is a challenge for even the best players. Still, how does it feel to know that you're going to China and that you beat one of the best teams in HoN right now to do it? Many were not expecting your crew to win over Druidz, but you did it anyway!
“
... I think we overachieved during Dreamhack, so we're not going to get too cocky about this win.”PapaDrayich: It feels special but at the same time not so special. There are a lot of other good teams around, and I think we overachieved during Dreamhack, so we're not going to get too cocky about this win. We still have some major things to practice and we will keep doing that until we perfect everything.
Still, going to china is just completely insane. I was so happy about it that I cried a little bit when I came home. The coolest thing about it was that everyone I know was watching that game when we won, even my wife. So it was so really nice to see the "normal world" connect with one of my "normal worlds", namely the gaming world.
Now that's the kind of stuff that makes good movies. I can see it now, a kind or "Remember the Titans" type film but for gamers.
PapaDrayich: *laughs*
Still, speaking of the normal world, how is it balancing your family with your gaming life? Being a professional gamer puts you into a unique situation that not many have had to deal with before.
PapaDrayich: Yeah I definitely agree with you there, luckily though gaming is a late night activity and my kids are an early morning thing. It's hard to combine, but with the support I get from my wife it's really simple. She's absolutely wonderful about everything I do and completely supportive.
That's great to hear. But back to the HoN world with the upcoming HoN World Cup. With this tournament in it's earliest rounds I figured it'd be great to ask you what input you'd have for the young upstart teams that are looking to make their first impressions with this tournament. What advice can you offer these young teams as they enter their first tournaments?
“
Teaming up and having a good spirit beats ANYTHING.”PapaDrayich: A team is a unit. Teaming up and having a good spirit beats ANYTHING. That's the most important part.
That's excellent advice for the young teams. But still, what tournaments can we expect to see the crew at TS-Gaming in the near future?
PapaDrayich: We will see what's going to happen in the near future. I can't really say much right now, but I know that whatever tournaments we play in, they should be great fun and great games!
All that being said I have one more question for you. This one's on a request from some of the GosuCrew that follow your music. They were wondering if there was anybody in HoN you'd write a song about right now? With the popularity of your DotA music there's always room on the main stage for some HoN exposure as well!
PapaDrayich: Hehe, I have considered it. And I did start to make a song a little while ago, but I kind of lost the will to finish it. Who knows, maybe a new song will come along soon, maybe not.
“
Who knows, maybe a new song will come along soon, maybe not.”Thanks for your time today Mr Drayich, we wish you the best as you continue with your HoN professional career.
PapaDrayich: Thanks to you as well. And also a shoutout to Meta at ts-gaming.se who has been supporting us a lot. And of course to every fan out there!
