FFA Masters League

Players Signed Up
FML.Mage
FML_Persuade
FML-MattiasG
FML.Mog
FML-Worpex


Standings

Since there will be several shoutcasts coming out this week, I thought I would go ahead and make a weekly thread to post them here since I want to make sure they're seen by everyone.  As a reminder, games will be coming out Sunday - Tuesday - Thursday. 

FML Season 10 Match #24

Shoutcasted by: FML:Mage & Mog[Skynet]

Players
Htrt
Slythe
Humans7ar
Elessar



Mage & Worpex's AT Adventures: Part 2

Players
FML|Mage
FML|Worpex



Game Night with Magadansky

Honestly kind of surprised we don't have one yet.  This made me think we needed one though:

Well, it doesn't seem like that long ago that Worpex decided we should try to shoutcast a game.  He recruited Magadansky and myself to shoutcast a Season 14 qualifier match.  It went miserably, the audio was choppy.  The video lagged, and we were still playing full time on GGC at that point.  Still, it was the kick start that really got FML's shoutcasting started.  A couple months later and I was struck by the bug that decided this was really a brilliant idea and we needed to implement it.

So I put out a few feelers to see if the interest was there, and it turned out that it was.  One player in particular took a shining to the idea of casting with me.  That was how Mog[Skynet] and myself got our start, and it went pretty much just as badly as the first had.  Still, we had ourselves a baseline and I was pretty sure that we were on to something since Mog had the perfect voice for casting.  I put out that video while apologizing for the quality, and to my shock there was a great reception to it.  People were very understanding and gave us tips on how to improve and what equipment to use.  It was almost like this wasn't on the internet, people were just that helpful.

After a couple of months fooling around with this and trying out some different co-casters such as Magadansky, Wrecktify, Redkeekee, Worpex, and even Persuade it was suggested that I should upload these videos to YouTube since that's where a bigger/better audience is.  I was warned however that it was harder to gain traction than on Twitch, especially for a niche game like WC3.  Still, I started uploading them there and average 20-30 views.  As time went on we started to get a bit more traction and I learned to improve upon the videos a bit. 

After about 7 or 8 months we managed to hit 50 subscribers which was a huge milestone in my mind.  It was a nice shiny number, and it indicated there really were people listening to the hard work that everyone was putting in.  After that the subscribers started to come a bit quicker, and about 4-6 months later we've manged to hit 200 subscribers, despite my negligence in the past few months.  Along the way I've done casting with some more great casters such as Purebe, Ugri, and Hayder.  It really has been quite the ride so far, and I hope to continue it for a long while.  While I haven't released anything recently, I realize that there's no excuse not to.  I hope to get back to posting once a week now.  However what really makes all of this worth it is the time and dedication that all of the FFA community, and even the WC3 community at large, puts into watching these.  We have an astoundingly high average view time on our videos, and it's great to see so many people appreciate it.  So, thank you to everyone and here's to the next 300!

[ Invalid YouTube link ]

Mage: First off Mog, I'd just like to say congratulations on winning your first FML Season!  It certainly doesn't seem like that long ago that we had this hunt massing Tinker first maniac running around the maps harassing the hell out of players.  But as with everything else in life, time flies and the players mature.  I think I can speak for the rest of the community when I say it's been a pleasure seeing your game type evolve, and I expect we'll be seeing it go even further soon.  So, without further ado;

Mage: How did you first find out about FML, and when did you start playing?
Mog[Skynet]: I first found out about FML from sir Worpex. I, like many others, switched over to SC2 when it first came out, and after about 6-8 months I started really missing WC3, and getting really bored/frustrated with SC2. I started playing WC3 a little again, but didn't know where to play since bnet was overrun with hackers and all my old friends had moved on to SC2 or just stopped playing entirely. I don't remember how, but I ran into Worpex randomly and he told me they needed more players for the upcoming season of FML (It was Season 13), so I checked out the site, applied, and was accepted straight into the season! I had known Worpex for many years, having played for him in solo leagues for one of his old teams, and also having played in his old league WCO. I'm sure after my first match of the season, where I tinker hunt rushed SteppinRazer on Deathrose, then got flamed for the remainder of the game before finishing in 4th place, he regretted his decision of inviting me to the league, but I'm thankful he gave me the chance! 
Mage: So, after your rough beginning to the FFA Masters League, what were your impressions for the rest of Season 10?  I presume that you didn't get flamed every game... hopefully
Mog[Skynet]:    Well...it was season 13 I believe. But I don't really remember much of the rest of that season. I think I consistently finished in 3rd place and I don't think I got flamed much for the rest of the season. I had a very quick change in play style, and rather than being hyper aggressive solo player, I became super passive hoarder. That didn't work out either, because I was too passive, but didn't get flamed much because people would just tome me.
Mage: Speaking of your interesting play styles, you were pretty well known for a long time as a Tinker first player.  How did that start?
Mog[Skynet]:    Hmm... I don't really remember when it first started. I just really liked the Tinker, even in solo leagues back in the day I would go Tinker first in a lot of different matchups. I think it began because I hit a wall in solo, where my mechanics simply weren't good enough to get any better, so i took a creative route and tried to develop a unique play style to catch players off guard. It didn't really work out too well for me in solo, but I became pretty good with Tinker, so I just kept using him. Once I switched primarily to Elf, I would mass hunt rush every race, and would pick Tinker first when vs HU only. When I started playing FFA, it just seemed normal for me to pick Tinker, because I wasn't comfortable doing anything but massing hunts, and I knew my play with standard hero combinations would be subpar because I never really played with standard hero combinations.
Mage: And how did playing with a Tinker work out for you in FFA?  I've seen some very mixed play with it, but it would seem to mesh better with Human if I'm being honest.
Mog[Skynet]:    Clearly, at first it didn't work out for me at all. But I don't think it was necessarily the Tinker's fault, I think it was more my lack of FFA knowledge and ability. I still tried to use the Tinker like I did in solo, using him in big battles, where I would end up losing because that isn't utilizing the Tinker's strengths properly (as Persuade pointed out to me on a large number of occasions). Once I adapted my play style a bit, Tinker started working out better for me. He is really great at creeping early game, and securing a lot of easy early expansions. So on a lot of big FFA maps, I can often times creep Tinker up to level 4 or 5 with relative ease, then I just have to gain a little bit of experience through engagements before level 6, where Tinker turns into a powerhouse. I really like Tinker because he gives me the ability to win a game, even if I'm losing a lot of big fights, or behind in hero levels, or even behind in gold. Tinker has the ability to win a game singlehandedly, and with Elf, it allows the possibility of hiding trees and securing a win through building kills. You aren't wrong about Tinker meshing well with Hu, because Hu can easily hide behind mass towers and use Tinker, and mixed with tanks that can be a total nightmare for any player. But since I don't play Hu... I think he meshes well with NE also.
Mage: Fair enough, but I've noticed that recently your play style hasn't included a Tinker in it.  What's the reasoning behind that, and do you think we might see a reappearance of the Tinker any time in the future?
Mog[Skynet]: I came to the conclusion that if I was ever going to be successful in FFA, I couldn't be a one trick pony, so to speak. I do still use Tinker, and if I recall correctly I won some games this past season with Tinker, including the semi-final. I think I definitely gained a reputation as just another hoarding Elf who avoids fighting all game until I can just win with mass gold or through building kills with tree hiding and lots of rebuilding etc. I'm not saying that reputation was wrong, but I wanted to do away with it by mixing up my play style more. I think by playing other strategies and utilizing other play styles, I improved my game and became more successful. So yes, the Tinker will still make appearances, but I can't say I will use him every game, because I don't want to be a predictable player who does basically the same thing every game. I want to be more well-rounded, so other players don't always know what to expect from me.
Mage: Which makes a lot of sense, and probably has a lot to do with your improvement as a player. 
Mage:  Along those lines, what do you attribute your progress as a player to?
Mog[Skynet]: I don't think I can attribute it to any one thing, because there were many things that helped me improve, and still help me improve. First, I listened to the feedback the more solid players of the community gave to me. My first few matches, I was lost. I had FFA experience on bnet ladder, but FML was a whole different challenge, and frankly, a whole different type of FFA than bnet ladder ever was. The constructive criticism players such as Magadansky, Renaud, Persuade, Wrecktify, and even Redkeekee (though his was more just criticism) gave me, really helped grow my understanding of FFA. Although it is going to sound really arrogant, I also have to attribute some progress to myself. I try to always have the mindset that I can learn and improve my game, and even though I don't necessarily practice playing games as much as others, I always take the time to watch my own replays, as well as replays of others. I watch my own replays to see ways in which I can improve. It is very revealing to know what was going through my own head while playing the game, and then seeing how wrong I was via replay. Early on, I would think I was in a good position, then watch replay and see I was getting manip'd hard by someone with 20+k more gold than me. My scouting and game sense were poor, and those are what I've always tried to improve on the most (and continue to try and improve). And of course I watch other players' replays to see their different playstyles, to see how they make decisions, and to find things I can take from their gameplay, and utilize in my own.
Mage: So let's go back a little bit to the end of Season 13.  I presume that you enjoyed FFA enough that you wanted to continue playing.  We know that you won this Season, and made the finals directly in Season 17, but what were some memorable moments in Seasons 14-16 for you?
Mog[Skynet]:   I don't have many memorable moments haha. Let's see... Season 14 I didn't qualify for. Then Season 15, my first memorable moment occured when I won my very first FML match in the qualifiers by beating DarkFlameMaster and Persuade. *disclaimer, that game Persuade basically suicided into DFM, and gave me the win, but it was memorble because I played decently and finally won a game! That game was also on Sanctuary, which kind of makes Sanctuary my favorite map. After qualifying, I didn't win a single game the whole season. And I honestly don't remember Season 16.... I don't think I won any games that season either. So... I didn't break through the wall until season 17. But I did very much enjoy playing the games and also being a part of the FML community, and in those seasons, albeit not very successful, I think I was slowly improving and learning a lot about FFA. It finally all came together for me in Season 17.
Mage: Hey, good things happen to good people and while it's not usually as abrupt as that you deserved it.  So, why don't you run me through Season 17 a little bit.  If I remember correctly you were pretty much dominating throughout the entire season points wise, and directly qualified for the finals.  What was your thought process going through that, and were you worried as we got closer to the finals?  Speaking as someone who has the sucking the entire season routine down, but not the first place run part, I can only imagine what type of nerves that might create.
Mog[Skynet]:    I think the biggest change for me in season 17 was my confidence. With the new format introducing so many players to the season, I felt like I had an advantage over a lot of players when it came to FFA sense and strategy. I don't remember exactly how the season played out, but I remember after winning my first match, I had a lot more confidence going into the rest of the season. When you get used to losing, or being in the middle of the pack (or bottom!), there is something about seeing your name in the top 8 section of the homepage and wanting to keep it there. Once I got to the top of the standings early in the season, it motivated me to practice more, put more effort into studying my own gameplay to see how I could improve, and studying maps and thinking more about my upcoming matches. Before season 17, I would see the match, maybe play the map 1 time, or maybe not even at all, and go into the game with no plan whatsoever, just telling myself I would adapt to however the game played out. In season 17, I started practicing the maps beforehand, learning about where the good item drops were, what a good creep pattern would be (especially with Tinker!), and going into the games with a plan. I would play out game scenarios in my head, like if player A spawns next to me, this is how I'll play, or if player B is cross map, I'll change my creep route to go this way instead of another. Those were aspects of FFA that I simply never put time or effort into thinking about, and in season 17, rather than letting other players impose their strategy of how they wanted the game to play out, I began to play my own game and force others to adapt.
I didn't really feel a lot of nerves until my last match on Gold Rush against Wrecktify, Ludix, and Svedirko. It was basically a Semi-final scenario, because the winner would directly qualify for finals and the losers would all play the Semi-final. That game I was very nervous, and the finals I was also very nervous, but the rest of the season I kept my nerves in check and just played my game.
Mage: While we certainly don't want to dwell on those finals instead of these, why don't you give us a quick run through of how they played out for those that didn't get to watch them.
Mog[Skynet]:   Well firstly, I hope most people didn't want them, because I played so terrible! I really let my nerves get the best of me, and the game didn't play out at all how I imagined. It was on Harvest of Sorrow and I spawned next to Seksi playing Undead. I knew Seksi wanted to tome me while staying low on supply so he could mass gold, and I also knew he would expect a 100 food chippo push, so I wanted to surprise him with a Lore rush. However, as many people know I don't hardly ever play Lore style elf, even in solo I never really went bear/dry. I ended up losing a 100 supply army charging into Seksi's heavily towered main base, and trying to fight in really bad choke points. After the initial lost engagement, I had a severe gold disadvantage and hero level disadvantage to Seksi, and so he did end up toming me rather easily. From that point on, I tried to rebuild constantly, but never really had the resources or time to do it. When j33 won, I told myself that could have been me if I had just kept my cool and played smarter. I told myself I would practice harder and if I had the opportunity to play in the finals again I would use this experience and learn from it. Thankfully, history did not repeat itself (even though it almost did!).
Mage: While I'm sure that you probably would have rather just won that finals, I suspect that the finals and the entire season probably taught you quite a bit.  For some of our newer players what words of advice might you give from lessons learned here.
Mog[Skynet]:    Some lessons I learned would be to keep a cool head and not let your frustrations get the best of you. As a competitive person, there were a lot of points in past season where I got extremely frustrated from losing so much, but rather than flaming others, or blaming inbalances, I looked at my own game and tried to evaluate how I could improve. Honestly, it sucks looking at your own games in replays, especially games you know you played poorly, but a person can learn a lot from looking at their own game. The other lesson I've learned, is tied to the first. Through looking at your own game you can see your own strengths and weaknesses as a player. The great thing about the FFA gametype is you have the ability to build your own playstyle around your strengths. I play with a wrist brace on my right hand (my mouse hand), because I have carpal tunnel. I know I will never be able to improve my apm or micro, because of my physical limitations. So I looked at what I do well, and tried to improve my playstyle around those strengths. I think some players get stuck in this mindset like "I will never be able to micro like (insert solo pro player here), so I will never be a good FFA player". But that is wrong. Look at past FML champions like myself, J33, Renaud, etc. as examples of players who don't have the best micro, but still find ways to be successful by adapting our playstyles around our strengths. P.S. no offense to J33 or Renaud, I think they are both great players! But yeah we don't have as good micro as champions like Maga, Rain, or Wrecktify.
Mage: Wise words, and something I think a lot of our players could focus on, even the solo pros in the league.  After finishing off Season 17, what were your goals coming into Season 18.  I presume that winning it all was goal number one, but how about some different goals along the way, perhaps based off of what you had previously learned.
Mog[Skynet]:    I knew with the smaller field of players, that Season 18 would be a bigger challenge. My goal was to make it back to the finals. I almost finished last in my first round on Twilight ruins, but with some luck I managed to pull out a come from behind win. After winning the first match of the season, I thought I really had a chance at making it back to the finals if I kept practicing hard. I wanted to prove to people I wasn't just a lucky hoarding elf, but a real competitor who could potentially win any game I was thrown into. That was my main goal of the season, and I thought if I made it back to the finals I would achieve that. Then winning was even more awesome!
Mage: Well, I would say that it worked out and then some! 
Mage: Now that you've won a season of FML, what are you setting your sites on as your next big accomplishment?
Mog[Skynet]: I'm a very competitive person, and I am not satisfied with just winning one season. I know I can still improve a lot as a player, and that my game has a lot of holes in it. I don't view myself even as a top tier FFA player. I think Wrecktify, Persuade, Seksi, and Ludix are the best right now, and I still feel like I need to work more to get on their level. So that is where my sites are set. I really want to perform well again next season--to prove to myself and others I am not just a flash in the pan, but can be consistently good, rather than consistently lucky!   
Mage: I think I've taken up enough of your time so far, but could I interest you in a quick word association game before we go?
Mog[Skynet]:   bring it on!
Mage: Okay, I presume you know the rules.  I say one word and you say the first word that pops into your head. 
Mage: Warcraft
 Mog[Skynet]: Tinker
Mage: Asian
Mog[Skynet]: Moon
Mage: Sun
Mog[Skynet]:   Moon
 Mage: Travel
Mog[Skynet]:   Ireland
Mage: FML
Mog[Skynet]:   Worpex
Mage: Worpex
Mog[Skynet]:   FML
Mage: Heat
Mog[Skynet]:   Miami
Mage: Google
Mog[Skynet]: Chrome
Mage: FIFA
Mog[Skynet]: World Cup
Mog[Skynet]:   Pinballmap
Mog[Skynet]:   Germany
Mage: And one last one that's not really a word association, but what's your prediction for who will win this years world cup!?
Mog[Skynet]:    Netherlands! I was rooting for them last season (after USA was eliminated of course). This year they are out for revenge.  Last season... I mean last world cup of course
Mage: Haha well for us Americans the season really is only every 4 years!  Just kidding. 
Mage: Any shoutouts or acknowledgements you'd like to give?
Mog: I would like to give a shoutout to the whole FFA community, who make this game fun and competitive still even after all these years. To all the admins, who run this awesome league. To Worpex, for giving me the chance to compete in this league even when I was an awful FFA players. And for everyone I've become friends with who have helped me improve and grow as a FFA player. Especially to Persuade, and Wrecktify, who I look up to the most as players and who have probably taught me the most. And I would like to give a shoutout to Mage, who is a great admin, and who I enjoy shoutcasting with when our schedules allow for it.
Mage: Many thanks for taking the time to do this Mog, hopefully we'll be seeing you back here before too long if all goes according to your plans!

It looked like a shaky start to begin the season, however we gained quite a bit of steam towards the end of applications and have ended up with a respectable 28 players this season.  While it's not as high as some seasons, it actually fits this format very well, and we have very high average skill level from our applicants.  All in all I think it's safe to say that we're going to have another great season! 

So with all that out of the way, we'll talk a bit more about season format.  The matches will be posted sometime today, however I'm terrible at that so it'll be left to my more skilled counterpart Worpex.  This season will feature 6 regular season matches, however with the inclusion of the elimination format it means that not all of our players will be able to play all of the games.  The format for eliminations is below.

Round 1 - 28 Players
Round 2 - 28 Players
Cut 1 - Bottom 8 Players Eliminated
Round 3 - 20 Players
Round 4 - 20 Players
Cut 2 - Bottom 8 Players Eliminated
Round 5 - 12 Players
Round 6 - 12 Players
Cut 3 - 5 Players Eliminated.
Semi Finals - Players 4-7 in Standings Play a Semi-Final match, Players 1-3 in Standings make finals.
Finals - Winner of the Semi-Final and 3 Players who auto-qualified.

Players
MattiasG
Pinballmap
Mog[Skynet]
DV-
Persuade
Meeds
Seksi
Ostone
zTsoso
Red7z7
SteppinRazor
PLZLEAVEDUCK
NoMercy2
Supremo
DNIWE-VOVA
qwest
AJIKAIII
Renaud
Ludix
PwNu.Wan
WarchiefRich
Noexxx
Lightweight
yaodintakoi
Yaws
Re-Chavez
Ashalar
Sk2Flash

**Disclaimer we currently have 27 and are in the process of adding our final player.

Alright so I know what you're all thinking.  "Mage, this is really damn late" or "God, Mage has really let his punctuality slip" or possibly even "Ich Ban Van German"*

*I don't speak German so I just imagine this is what it sounds like.

The truth is, we wanted to avoid spoilers, and so we decided a late publishing would help that process...

... Oh, you aren't buying that?  Well in that case I blame Worpex.

Most of you have probably already managed to figure it out one way or another, but we have polished off the 18th Season of the Forsaken Melee League and it has a new champion who has come close before, but is taking home his first championship.  Mog[Skynet]! 

After a disappointing loss in the finals last season Mog rebounded with a strong start to the season, and almost managed to directly qualify for the finals again this year but came up just short.  Being in third place may have been disappointing initially but it did give him map pick, and he took advantage of it by beating the Season 17 winner J33 and PlayFFA Cup III winner Persuade.  This brought Mog back into the finals for the second straight year, no easy feat for sure.

Early on in the match though it looked like Mog was going to be making another early exit from the finals as Wrecktify was able to handily beat Mog in fights, and had him down to ~300 gold at one point.  But opportunistic and resourceful play, combined with some good luck, allowed Mog to rebuild and stay in the game.  And, as we have seen with great players time and time again it led to a come from behind win as the underdog. 

Below I've included the live shoutcast of the Season 18 Grand Finals game, as well as a sneak peak of the upcoming interview with Mog[Skynet].  Make sure to congratulate him on a job well done!

Mage: First off Mog, I'd just like to say congratulations on winning your first FML Season!  It certainly doesn't seem like that long ago that we had this hunt massing Tinker first maniac running around the maps harassing the hell out of players.  But as with everything else in life, time flies and the players mature.  I think I can speak for the rest of the community when I say it's been a pleasure seeing your game type evolve, and I expect we'll be seeing it go even further soon.  So, without further ado;

Mage: How did you first find out about FML, and when did you start playing?
Mog: I first found out about FML from sir Worpex. I, like many others, switched over to SC2 when it first came out, and after about 6-8 months I started really missing WC3, and getting really bored/frustrated with SC2. I started playing WC3 a little again, but didn't know where to play since bnet was overrun with hackers and all my old friends had moved on to SC2 or just stopped playing entirely. I don't remember how, but I ran into Worpex randomly and he told me they needed more players for the upcoming season of FML (It was Season 13), so I checked out the site, applied, and was accepted straight into the season! I had known Worpex for many years, having played for him in solo leagues for one of his old teams, and also having played in his old league WCO. I'm sure after my first match of the season, where I tinker hunt rushed SteppinRazer on Deathrose, then got flamed for the remainder of the game before finishing in 4th place, he regretted his decision of inviting me to the league, but I'm thankful he gave me the chance! 
Mage: What do you attribute your progress as a player to?
Mog: I don't think I can attribute it to any one thing, because there were many things that helped me improve, and still help me improve. First, I listened to the feedback the more solid players of the community gave to me. My first few matches, I was lost. I had FFA experience on bnet ladder, but FML was a whole different challenge, and frankly, a whole different type of FFA than bnet ladder ever was. The constructive criticism players such as Magadansky, Renaud, Persuade, Wrecktify, and even Redkeekee (though his was more just criticism) gave me, really helped grow my understanding of FFA. Although it is going to sound really arrogant, I also have to attribute some progress to myself. I try to always have the mindset that I can learn and improve my game, and even though I don't necessarily practice playing games as much as others, I always take the time to watch my own replays, as well as replays of others. I watch my own replays to see ways in which I can improve. It is very revealing to know what was going through my own head while playing the game, and then seeing how wrong I was via replay. Early on, I would think I was in a good position, then watch replay and see I was getting manip'd hard by someone with 20+k more gold than me. My scouting and game sense were poor, and those are what I've always tried to improve on the most (and continue to try and improve). And of course I watch other players' replays to see their different playstyles, to see how they make decisions, and to find things I can take from their gameplay, and utilize in my own.
Mage: Can you give us a little insight as to what was going through your head when you realized you had just won the Season 18 Finals?
Mog: I couldn't really believe it at first. The finals game was a roller-coaster ride for me. I spawned in a decent position, but then things went south fast for me as I lost my solo vs Wreck. I thought I blew my opportunity two seasons in a row, by getting solo'd out by two superior players--Seksi last season, and now Wrecktify. I was really frustrated, because I was very nervous, and made a lot of mistakes. I knew I could have played so much better, and thought at that point the game was over for me. Then, my rebuild attempts kept getting destroyed, but since it was the finals I really didn't want to give up. Once I started getting some mining going, and the other players were finally convinced that Wreck was the strongest (which he was by far), I thought maybe I have a small chance if I play this very carefully. Even when Wreck only had 1 tree left, and I had scouted the whole map non stop for 10~ min, I couldn't really believe I was going to win. I tried to stay focused, and it wasn't until I sniped Wreck's last tree and saw that he was defeated that I finally let myself think I had won. When I saw those words I actually cracked a smile. It meant a great deal to me to win, because in my very long WC3 career, I have never won anything. I've been runner up, my league teams have made playoffs and done well, but we had never won both when I was a manager and when I was a player. So in my mind all I could think was I finally won something 
Mage: Now that you've won a season of FML, what are you setting your sites on as your next big accomplishment?
Mog: I'm a very competitive person, and I am not satisfied with just winning one season. I know I can still improve a lot as a player, and that my game has a lot of holes in it. I don't view myself even as a top tier FFA player. I think Wrecktify, Persuade, Seksi, and Ludix are the best right now, and I still feel like I need to work more to get on their level. So that is where my sites are set. I really want to perform well again next season--to prove to myself and others I am not just a flash in the pan, but can be consistently good, rather than consistently lucky! 
Mage: Any shoutouts or acknowledgements you'd like to give?
Mog: I would like to give a shoutout to the whole FFA community, who make this game fun and competitive still even after all these years. To all the admins, who run this awesome league. To Worpex, for giving me the chance to compete in this league even when I was an awful FFA players. And for everyone I've become friends with who have helped me improve and grow as a FFA player. Especially to Persuade, and Wrecktify, who I look up to the most as players and who have probably taught me the most. And I would like to give a shoutout to Mage, who is a great admin, and who I enjoy shoutcasting with when our schedules allow for it.