KingJ takes you down memory lane: 2010 in retrospect

Known for his pioneering use of Visage and introducing Venomancer into the competitive scene, KingJ has been the stable utility player of EHOME since he entered the team at the start of 2010. Written by the man himself before his transfer, this article summarizes his feelings about his team's achievement and performance for the previous year, and perhaps sheds some light on the reason behind his move to DK.

The first of January is a big day for me - it's the birthday of my ex-girlfriend, it's the day I joined EHOME, and it's also new year's day. When you put these three together, the latter pales in comparison, haha.

It's now 2011, and I cannot help but think about the year before. I stood at the peak of competitive DotA, yet I also descended to the troughs of my life. 'Life is always full of ups and downs, of gains and of losses.' I was slowly convinced of the veracity of this wisdom. Out of the nine championships we took, five were incredibly difficult for me - the National ESports Open, ESWC Chinese qualifiers, Intel Extreme Masters, TopGamer and SMM.

Perhaps it's a sign that DotA's evolving, or it could be a hint that we are falling behind. Whatever the case, one thing remains true - if we had not constantly sought to renew and improve ourselves, we would have gotten eliminated in no time. Every climb we made was filled with challenges, but our hearts have remained as one. To reevaluate oneself after failure, to improve, to change - that was what the other teams lacked.

You might have seen us arguing over clearing the trash, then breaking out into laughter. You might have seen us busy discussing strategies in the middle of an important tournament. You might have also seen us being incredibly calculative over a few dollars. Those days were sweet, happy, and fulfilling. Our contributions and hard work were not as minute and effortless as it seems to you, the spectator. Please understand this, and not judge us based on what you see. Every step we took was arduous but hard work always has a payoff. Keep fighting guys!



The most challenging tournament, the National ESports Open, took place when we even haven't cemented our roles yet. Furthermore, this competition affected our chances of attending ESWC, so had we lost this, last year would have been dramatically rewritten. Well, I don't particularly remember any challenging games per se, but that tournament meant the world to us.

ESWC Chinese qualifers - China's waters may run deep, but the rivalry and competition between top Chinese teams run deeper! During our match against CH, we witnessed our own lack of preparation. We didn't start off on a good foot due to some unexpected events. Our first game had a big impact on me. We were raxed two lanes, only securing one. In most circumstances, people would deem the game as 80% lost. But due to our opponent's recklessness and our patience, we took the game. What?! Well, life is full of accidents and surprises. We often take momentum for granted, as an unstoppable force, and as something beyond our control. But, its importance is certainly felt!



IEM and WCG went by, and in the latter we were wiped. It was a tragedy. In my memory, I don't think I have ever won a single G-League match. Well, for that matter, G-League, WCG, ACG, WGT, etc. So, I can only able to brush it off with a laugh. We didn't have enough time to train, since we had other activities planned. We did not actually plan to give up; you have to believe us on this. That time, we couldn't unleash our full potential. That bitter feeling we got.. the six of us could only shake off by faking a smile. It was a turning point because IEM followed five days after WCG, and time was stretched on a tightrope.

We crashed at 357's old house, because we couldn't find accommodation in Shanghai - rents were high, almost always reaching 600 - 700 RMB. It was too expensive, and we didn't live in luxury, so we decided that was our best course of action. I can't remember the name of the internet cafe there, but the hospitality, grace, and warmth that they greeted us during our stay left me ashamed. 357 remarked that it was 'okay', because the boss of that cafe was like family, and we should treat his haven like our home. Well, the more he bent over, the less I felt we could accept his help. Haha.

Our training at that cafe was intense. And it was there we found out by chance that our strategies were lagging behind and we need something innovative. We tried new things for three games or so, and when I stumbled upon Venomancer, the results were not half-bad. Here I would like to extend my gratitude to LGD, who agreed to train with us for IEM even though they had demolished us in WCG. Since they were runner-ups, I guess they wanted to win this as well.

Actually I'm not done with IEM. During the group stages, it was hell. Because of a fault in the competition rules, we were almost eliminated. Our opponents had forfeited the match in 10 minutes, which meant that if they won the next one, we were out of the competition (by time based elimination). The five of us gathered at the back anxiously watching LGD on-stage, and in the end ChuaN did not disappoint - he was indeed the Malaysian Fatso, haha, that's what we call him. Because of his chubbiness, we were awarded the championship, and we were satisfied.



TopGamer - we had a go at it. It was and remains the only competition I participated in that lasted until it was pitch black outside. The shopping mall had closed, and we had to leave via the basement car park exit. Outside, it was dark beyond words. The whole competition could be said to have been a test, a difficult one. Every time we faced Nirvana.cn, the result was always unpredictable. This was because their playstyle contrasted heavily with ours. I guess this difference is what makes every team so special.

It was just like our match-up with LGD - the first game we were victorious, the second wasn't as successful. The third game we took Roshan, pushed heavily, controlled the forest and staged a successful team fight with buybacks. After this competition concluded, I could finally take a deep breath. Taking the championship after playing for more than an hour was refreshing. The era of 6.68 had ended, and ended successfully.



SMM, or more correctly 'DotA heaven', was the closing act of the year, and had a huge prize pool! Being part of last year's (2009) championship team, the greed of making it a second haunted me: 'I have to win this, I just have to ah...' Before we left for the competition, we had just left WDC behind. 6.69 had been a relatively new version for us; we hadn't practiced it with other teams. Training was 'a bluff', and only competition meant business.

We didn't know what would work for us; we had lot of a strategic avenues, but because we didn't get the chance to try them in a competitive setting, we did not dare use them. So this tournament was a headache for us, and it was during this tournament, where we matured and got better.

Had we won against Nirvana.cn during the group stages, we would have entered the brackets with the international teams. We would not necessarily have won then; so I suppose the goddess of victory was looking out for us.

Let's go at this step by step: we faced DK, then LGD, then Nirvana.cn. Every step we climbed I grew more confident, and every step we climbed we grew more stable with our play. From DK's unstable play, to LGD's complete domination of the battlefield, we matured in our play, and in fact went a step above our opponents. I guess this is the beauty of ESports.



After we won the competition, the six of us were in each other's embrace, and even 71 cried for us. Although I was excited and anxious, I remembered what had happened on the first day after arriving on Malaysian shores. During our meal, we went round the table asking who had dreamed of taking the championship. Well - I had. So, my heart had always carried a feeling of greatness, and of anxiety, haha. When I won, I knew I had made it. There was no place for tears.

Recalling these events, I am tempted to sit down and do so over a hot beverage. There are just too many stuff that happened last year, and even what I have written was skimming the brim of what I really have to say. Sigh.

I had a couple of beers yesterday, so I'm feeling rather dizzy now. I'm not much of a booze guy - I actually feel like a younger person trapped in a 23-year old dude's body. But this was a special occasion, so I decided to down some alcohol. When I got back, my stomach and mind wasn't feeling well, and even as I am writing this I still feel a little drowsy.

I don't remember when I started having this aura of victory and accomplishment attached to me. I didn't use to care much about the things I have now, but now that I was the center of discussions and the public eye, I guess I'm rather happy about it. Now that I'm more frequently recognized on the streets, it's no longer like the past. Well, I've been judged, compared against, ridiculed, insulted, and the like. What's to stop me now?

The weather's getting cold, but somehow I'm feeling hotter. It feels pretty good though. Thanks to all the friends who've been there for me in 2010. I have too many friends to thank so I won't bother mentioning them haha!

This article leaves out a later portion where he discusses the differences between a Chinese DotA imitation and the actual game.

Links
SGamer - Original Article