[Interview]Random is as Random Does

[FML|Mage]

FML|Mage: Hey everyone, this is Mage and today I'll be interview one of my good friends and semi-competent WC3 player; Persuade.  Somehow he's managed to luck himself into an impressive 4-0 record during King of FFA II, and as such I feel obligated to interview him.  You know that it's a slow week when something this trivial is cause for an interview, but what can you do?
FML|Mage: So Persuade, say hi to the millions of fans that will be reading this!
Persuade: Hello all fifteen people reading this everyone!
FML|Mage: Come on, I usually get at least 18 reading!
FML|Mage: So, let's get down to some of the basics, and the only part of the interview people read.  Word association?
FML|Mage: Do you know how it works?
Persuade: Of course!
FML|Mage: You're somewhat of a simpleton.  You never know. Let's get started.
Persuade: I too have had my shares of psychoanalysis
FML|Mage: Warcraft
Persuade: three
FML|Mage: FML
Persuade: fuck my life
FML|Mage: beer
Persuade: brown
FML|Mage: rkk
Persuade: gay
FML|Mage: redkeekee
Persuade: flamboyant fanboy
FML|Mage: Worpex
Persuade: false head admin
FML|Mage: Maga
Persuade: scared of persuade
FML|Mage: King of FFA
Persuade: renaud
Persuade: :(
FML|Mage: Mage
Persuade: hmm
FML|Mage: DC
Persuade: murder
FML|Mage: United States
Persuade: #1
FML|Mage: Germany
Persuade: #3
FML|Mage: #2
Persuade: USA
FML|Mage: Well played!  I think that's a wrap on that front
FML|Mage: So we'll move on to some basics
FML|Mage: How long have you been playing WC3 and why did you get started?
Persuade: I originally played starcraft on west because I was stupid and it was the default server.
Persuade: My brother switched to wc3 and I hesitated for a few months and eventually caved in, sad that I would have no friends since I had to use Azeroth.
Persuade: But I quickly fell in love.
Persuade: And have stayed ever since
Persuade: so I think that's like 12 years?
Persuade: 11*
FML|Mage: So basically you were a loner, got it.  I know you played a bit competitively.  Can you expand on that
Persuade: I wouldn't really call it competitively, as I never actively "practiced" or anything. I was really bad in roc and would just do dual ud dual aura mass ghouls/necros everygame with my friend.
Persuade: But eventually when TFT came out I realized I was decent enough to at least compete with some good players, and decided to use 2s as my medium.  My 2s partner for like 6 years was Rated. and I was DKISTHEIRLEADER.  I would frequently play duck and we would call each other maphacker and BM each other every game, fun times.
Persuade: I've won some small tournies in solo though, mostly through bad clans I was apart of for a few months.  Made a very tiny amount of money though so it wasn't too bad.  I've done zotac once, and I was destroyed by kas on twisted meadows (lucky noob got toe + sobe then towered me).  My best win was vs Sase in 2008 I believe, I did one of those solo tournies on northrend. It was lost temple, and I was orc vs elf.  I proceeded to get extremely lucky and barely won being up an expo all game.
FML|Mage: All very interesting, who's the most interesting person you've played against and why?  It can be most famous, but if it was something like a pro who was very friendly but not as well known then that can count as well
Persuade: There are 2 games that come to mind as the most memorable for me.
Persuade: First was back in 1.11 or 1.12 vs someone named love.forever.  It was around the time people realized how imbalanced the beastmaster was and the first time I played someone that was just really good compared to me at the time.  I remember him going mass dotts and having no clue how to stop it.
Persuade: The second was vs a friend of mine.  Now this one I am really sad about because I didn't save the replay.  It contained my most impressive micro trick I have ever pulled off.
Persuade: I was orc vs elf on turtle rock, I was about to lose when I forced a TP at my base.
Persuade: he left his panda behind, lucky for me.
Persuade: my blademaster was level 10, and I chased him halfway across the map
Persuade: and... I used mirror image on the panda, and surrounded the panda.
Persuade: and killed it, and was able to win the game.
FML|Mage: Ok, so now that we have all that out of the way, we'll get down to what most people probably care about.  How did you get into FFA, and more importantly FML
Persuade: So knowing that all my career I was a smurfer, most of it was because of ffa
Persuade: I had a secret passion for ffa in the early stages of roc + tft
Persuade: something about being able to use all 3 heroes and any units to win  a game just triggered something in me.
Persuade: maybe 1 out of every 20 games in solo or 2s even net you a level  6 spell, whereas in ffa 1 out of 20 games you don't get level 6 (well maybe 1/5 for me since I get 4th place a lot)
Persuade: But I was so obsessed with my record, and I hated the idea of lossbotting to find games, so I turned to smurfing.
Persuade: Eventually I found FML through some players online.  I was actually in clan TOP wayy back when, I think crow was a shaman or something.
Persuade: I dabbled in clan lone now and then, but never anything serious, as I always joined clans on various smurfs as well.
Persuade: I actually joined FML once before on another account...
Persuade: It was season 5 i think, I did only a few games as I really hated the political side of FML at the time.
Persuade: I was used to chaos in ffas, I loved doing the 12 man's on d/c that were hosted all the time.
Persuade: But alas, hackers have ruined that experience, so I turned to FML in season 11 after a small hiatus from wc3 (i had actually quit for a bit)
Persuade: And here I am
FML|Mage: Interesting, I hadn't realized you were in FML before, and I suspect most others hadn't either.
FML|Mage: When you played back then were you random as well?
Persuade: I actually played orc back then I think?  Not very sure.  I was undead from like 2002-2004, orc from 04-10 then random since then simply because I hate the idea of being stuck to one race.
FML|Mage: Well, you are certainly one of the most vehement random players, even going so far as to ignore advice that you should pick a race you're actually good at in important games.  You've also been known to play some unconventional strategies.  The one that comes to mind first would be the qualifier match that you played with Beastmaster and mass archers.  At the time everyone watching thought you were some noob idiot, but then it was actually fairly successful.  What made you decide to play a strategy that is so weak (compared to other well established strategies) in such an important game?  After all if you didn't win a qualifier you wouldn't have been allowed in for the FML season.
Persuade: I actually have a favorite strat or hero combo with every race that I try to use every now and then.  Mass archers is my favorite elf strat, it's ridiculously fun, and hard to use vs good players.  unfortunately I was used to using it in non FML games where teaming isn't as cooridinated.  It's very good early game when heroes are low.  I decided that I would play it if I randomed elf because I care more about having fun than anything else.  Unfortunately I often got yelled at by Wreck because of this.  I have strayed away from my unconventional strats as of late, but I still incorporate them every once in awhile.
FML|Mage: Do you plan to ever choose a race if you get into an important game, like the Finals ofKoFFA?  Or will you continue to random even then
Persuade: That's a tough question, and ultimately I feel it depends on the map and races of the players.  Like last week during my round 4.  It was supposed to be 2x ud and an orc.  This is a rare scenario where I think picking orc was a smart move.  Then out of nowhere renaud and seksi sub.  I hadn't planned on playing vs an elf and hu so I got flustered and picked elf last minute, and it didnt pay off in the end.  I got to where I am playing random, it's a part of what defines me as a player, and I'm going to keep playing random no matter what happens.
FML|Mage: Fair enough, that's a good answer and I think everyone can respect that.
FML|Mage: Getting back to King of FFA though, since we should probably touch on it at least a little bit, how does it feel to be the only 4-0 player?  Those are impressive results anytime, but especially so when you consider that you defeated 24 other people in total during the 4 games.
FML|Mage: In addition, would you say that your play style is more suited for large games?  Or what is it that made you so successful here.
Persuade: I'll tell you what mage, it's a combination of luck, picking the right map, and knowing what to do in certain scenarios.
Persuade: By choosing divide and conquer I know I have a good chance of winning my corner, as opposed to some random luck map like emerald. (I really hate this map)
Persuade: I also got fairly lucky with a disc in one of my wins.
Persuade: But like you said, yes.  I feel more comfortable in bigger games where I can take advantage of people not scouting properly.
Persuade: Like in game 1, I knew that if no] took 2 expos to our 1, I could use that against him and force nomercy on him all game, from there I just basically fed off the lesser known players that I assumed wouldnt call me out, and just kind of went from that.
FML|Mage: That's interesting.  I think most people would be more comfortable in 4 player games where they know everyone has some experience.  To each their own though!  We're running pretty long though, so I just have one more area I'd like to touch upon before we wrap this up.
FML|Mage: You were recently made a moderator at FML.  How does it feel to be the only moderator and not trusted enough to be an admin =D?
Persuade: Well mage, I'm glad you ask that.  A moderator is actually more important than an admin, because there is only one of me, and 5 of you.  Also Blue > Red.
Persuade: asked* that
FML|Mage: You keep telling yourself that.  Ignorance is bliss.
Persuade: I prefer delusions of grandeur
FML|Mage: But on a more serious note, how do you think FML is running currently?  Are there any changes you'd like to see implemented or additions made?  This is your chance to speak to FML at large, so think about it carefully
Persuade: I think FML is headed in a good direction, Ugri has done a fantastic job with the bot, I don't remember who was in charge before, but I'm glad they aren't anymore.   I was worried last season because we had lost a good chunk of players and I wasn't sure we'd be around much longer.  The only thing I still hate is how political some of the games can be.  I do understand that it comes with the territory and the fact that 90% of us play with the same people all the time.  Hopefully some upcoming events and the new maps will relieve me of my worries
 FML|Mage: Well, I've taken up enough of your time for today I think.  Before we go is there anything we didn't cover that you want to, or shoutouts you want to give?
Persuade: I want to thank gnom, for his ever loving embrace.  I'd also like to thank mage for this opportunity.  Shoutout to redkeekee, all the admins, and everyone currently in FML. (except LW)
FML|Mage: Thanks for the time Persuade, and I think I speak for all of us when I say we're looking forward to the King of FFA Finals!
Persuade: I too am looking forward to playing 3 human players.

[humans7ar]

funny ;-)

Great Job guys

[Pinballmap]

And wheres the tl;dr version of the interview? :D   joking !

I see u played FML in Season 5 (?) what was your nickname during that time?

[FML|WorpeX]

Good interview! I'm enjoying these a lot.

I don't remember who was in charge before, but I'm glad they aren't anymore.

Yeah, that guy was a dick wasn't he?

[Kamran_pc]

Entertaining and a good read!

[FML|Renaud]

I see u played FML in Season 5 (?) what was your nickname during that time?

[Persuade]

I rushed renaud one game and he raged at me, it hurt my feelings

[FML|Renaud]

don't make me watch all the replays in s5

[FML|Mage]

If we just have a list of the Season 5 players I can probably figure it out.  Or just look for the one with the lowest point total.

[Persuade]

I think one of the other players was lewis or battle.suck

i remember the map was custom and we were both on the right side.

I was orc. you were elf

[Ugri2]

nice read

just tell us your account in s5 im curious plz

and thks for compliment. One day I will have my itnerview too!