English interview - For Is Here #22 - MaNa

A straight path

[M] TinkeR : How could you describe your first experiences with videogames? What are the ones that have marked you the most and how did you end up in StarCraft II?

Liquid_MaNa : The first game I can remember playing was something like « Galaxxy » or « Galaxx ». I was very, very little back then. It was a game similar to « Tiger » or « Raptor » where you have a plane and you fly from the bottom of the monitor to the top destroying incoming opponents [editor's note : shoot 'em up]. Eventually, my brothers and I played WarCraft, WarCraft II and the demo version of StarCraft.

I fell in love with StarCraft, the graphics were great for the current time and overall the game felt dynamic with a lot to discover. Luckily my cousin who was living almost next door had a full version of StarCraft and we continued to play creating a LAN connection between us. We even played Age of Empires or Quake 2 with my father in Sunday noon. I ended up in StarCraft II as a normal transition from StarCraft : Brood War which I've been playing almost since forever. I am still in love with the game as I was before. There's unlimited potential and no one is perfect in the game even after all this time. That's why I enjoy playing the game so much.

 From the schoolyard to international tournaments

Did you always play Protoss (Brood War and StarCraft II) or did you try/play for some time one of the other races? Why eventually choosing Protoss?

I've tried all the races before. In StarCraft II I was already convinced that I'll continue to play Protoss because I had a lot of experience from Brood War. I chose Protoss simply because I wanted to Storm people.

In the news

Like your teammate Snute last week, you came back recently from DreamHack Tours, in France. What were your thoughts on the event compared to the other DreamHacks you've been?

Besides the Internet problems at the beginning of the event and a lot of travel to get into Tours, the rest was aboslutely great. I enjoyed every minute of my time there. The biggest problem of DreamHacks is that it's a very tight schedule with game after game after game and there's so little time to get some rest or grab something to eat.

Luckily in Tours the venue was located nearby a lot of restaurants so I didn't need much break time to go and find something to snack. I adored the little park nearby the venue as well. The weather was great and before the tournament started the Liquid Boys gathered in the park and bathed in the Sun warming our minds and bodies for the marathon of playing.

Let's talk about your run in the tournament itself now, I guess that's pretty hard to be disappointed as you lost against the eventual winner, PartinG. How did it go and what were your expectations before going to this DreamHack?

I was happy to advance to the Ro16 and then lose only to PartinG but I am certainly not satisfied with my performance. I always want more than that, better, faster play. I am hungry to play on a big stage, not Ro16 like in WCS, but a semifinal, maybe a final.

I miss the crowd cheering for me so much. I didn't have any expectations for this Dreamhack, I came in relaxed without any pressure on me. I just wanted to try myself out, see my weaknesses so I can fix them in my next practice games.

Looking at your Twitter post, you seem to have spotted some of your weaknesses you've had during the tournament. According to you, what still needs to be improved on your play today?

I noticed that I don't fully understand the match-ups yet, the room to improve would be getting to know the situations I am put in better. When I was watching VODs, I knew exactly when I was « panicking » or playing « on the fly » which was a little bit frustrating. When I was watching PartinG's play, every move he made made a lot of sense, but even though I know what to do, the problem of HOW to do that still remains.

Adapting to the strategies of your opponents and reacting to how they react to you, that's a small piece of what I need to improve. I already know a lot of this stuff, but StarCraft is a never ending hole of plays and strategies.

Next week you'll have to play your WCS group consisting of MaSa, iaguz and FireCake (again). You're considered to be the favorite here but how do you evaluate your chances? What are your expectations for this season, and more globally for this year?

I can consider myself the favorite in the group, however I am never underestimating my opponent. There's a reason why they have qualified for Premier League, they are good. But I am better. I am going to carefully advance from my group into the Ro16 and then hopefully I will finally break the Ro16 in WCS that I've finished in few seasons already. I have no real expectations for me in this year, I want to become a better player than I am now.

Back in my days

Talking more about StarCraft in general, during the Wings of Liberty time, you were considered as one of the best foreigners around, managing to win a DreamHack and an ESWC at the top of it.

After the Heart of the Swarm release, you've started to be in a bit of a « slump » (relatively) before going back in a pretty good shape recently, even winning the « Who's The Best European » last September for example, and doing pretty great overall.

How did you live each of these periods? Did you see the move from Team Liquid to recruit you as some kind of a risk for them back at this time?

There were a few things in my private life that were happening at that time so my mind wasn't very clear and my practice wasn't going really well. I've been talking with Team Liquid even when I was in Korea in 2012 and I think we knew each other well enough to know that I still have potential and I am going to overcome the bad times.

After joining Team Liquid I got a great bunch of practice partners and friendship which is the biggest fun in this team. I certainly appreciate my time in Liquid.

As you just said, you've been to Korea in 2012, even qualifying for the Code S, is that an experience that you'd like to do again in the near future?

I would've loved to practice in Korea and compete in GSL again, but there's so many things to do to arrange something like that as well as private life sacrifices. If I got the opportunity now I think I would've said no, I am not ready yet to crush the Koreans.

MaNa & Bunny joined Team Liquid both at the same time

Talking about sacrifices, what are the ones you've made to be where you are today? If you had the chance to change one choice you made in the past, what would it be, if there is?

It's hard to name specifically, but just not spending as much time with friends or parties in the past I would call it a sacrifice. I wouldn't change any of my choice in the past, I am living with a conscious mind and I am aware of the consequences of the decision I make. I am really happy to be where I am now, making always the best of anything what happens.

If you didn't manage to be a progamer, do you have any idea of what would you do today?

No idea, I've been playing for my entire life. I would've definitely figured something out, I can't see myself doing nothing.

How did you came up with your nickname? Is there a story behind it or you kind of just thought it would suit you well?

It's a short story from Brood War. I was creating my own clan (~13year old wannabe-manager, it was surely going to work out well huh?) AnCienT) and there was a 15 character limit for nickname so I needed something short. At that time I bought a game « Sword of Mana » for Game Boy Advance and that's where my nickname came from.

Extras

Before concluding this interview, there's still some bonus questions. If you could remove one unit from the game, which one would it be and why?

I would remove Colossus. It's a very easy to use and very powerfull unit, as well as very crucial for Protoss army, too crucial. We'd need to think about adding something else.

If tomorrow you'd have to go to Korea with three foreigners in your luggage, who would you pick? (no teammates allowed!)

My girlfriend, my brother and my dog, would he count as a foreigner too?

I'm afraid not, they need to be top players and I'm not sure Bruno (it's his name, right?) has a barcode somewhere! :O

I've got 3 dogs, choosing one would be heartbreaking though. Wow, you're forcing me to choose top players, can't I choose not top? Choosing outside my teammates is quite hard, I'll be selfish and brutal and say no one.

Two of the MaNa's « protégés »

That's your right! And in the way around, if you could invite three Koreans (obviously neither HerO, nor TaeJa) in your personal teamhouse in Poland (yes, you have one), who would it be? No one again :(?

Koreans it's a different story. Please give me  PartinG, Life and Maru and I am a happy person then.

Ahah great, will do :P That concludes the interview, thank you very much for your time, MaNa, Liquid's players never disappoint me! If you have any last word to our readers, and any shoutout to make, please do so.

Thank you for having me. I'd like to thank Team Liquid and our sponsors: HTC, Razer, HyperX, G2A, Quest, Namecheap and Alienware for the support they're providing for my career. Shoutout to all my fans and take a look at my stream www.twitch.tv/LiquidMaNa!

Thanks, bye!