It is the very complexities of our genre that hinder its acceptance into the eSports world, but it is the very complexities of our genre that make the game so hard to resist its lure.
In CounterStrike when a an attack strategy is pulled off, its somewhat obvious to the eye, get in position, wait, make a move, possibly fake a move creating an opening and follow through. Whether in first person or on the 2D map, its nice and easy to appriciate a good attack or a strong defence. In TDM when the Quad is ready to drop, its great fun to see who will attempt suicide to get it and who will cover him, but when holz runs into the command post on his own and dies, where is the beauty?
Last night in the Eurocup Final I was dumbfounded by the beauty of what idle and Northern Darkness put on show for us. Sure it was one sided, and theres no doubt that idle deserve their victory, however both teams played a part in a game that was captivating from start to finish!
When idle attacked radar holz and senji were at the side entrance as engineer and covert ops, senji died and holz was left alone. He charged into the command post, merely licking his opponents, but reporting back how many were there at the same time. Some 10 seconds later he was back at the door, as was senji and 3 other idle players hungry for a new spawn point. After senji cleared the mine, Night hung in the door way wanting to die. His wish was granted and by the magic of ET he was revived and his invulnerability let him charge further into the command post and let off a mighty panzer blow. Followed instantly by his 4 teammates idle had it easy. Night had done the damage they just had to mop up.
Every aspect of the attack was planned and was perfect, was it easy to the eye as an AWP shot is in CS? No, but was it just as complex as the strategies that CS pro's run through? Oh hell yes.
Idle continued to boast their beautiful teamplay, espcially when collecting the documents and getting them away. But the next aspect of the match was one that took me a while to appriciate.
Northern Darkness had some 50 seconds to go with 3 players outside the forward axis spawn hut on Radar, what do you do? 50 seconds, one radar part and 3 players that have already breached the defences. Do you go for it? Or do you Self Kill?
Self Kill ?!? Thats what they did, had they not and those 3 died they would have been out for so long that they wouldnt have been useful to the other 3. They selfkilled and 5 Northern Darkness players walked through the main entrance which the previous 3 had just cleared and made their assault on the objective with revives flying in left right and center, eventually coming close to completing the objective but finally failed.
This attack would not have worked with 3, and this attack was so bizzare with the timelimit at hand that I knocked it on the commentary, a statement that I now fully retract.
Again, was it easy to understand? No, but was it so dynamic and planned, that involved precision voice comms, instant revives and a full 5 players to pull it off? Not only that but the full motion lasted a good 25 seconds longer than your average CS strat.
Finally we reach Adlernest, and this time no teamplay admiring, no 50 second attack plan, but one simple piece of excitement that changed the dynamic of the second half and had hearts in mouthes once again.
As Northern Darkness charge in to set a time on Adlernest. After some manic document running and mobile MG action the radio was clear of idle players, they bared down on goal going to score...until BANG Night with a double man panzer from nowhere clears all Northern Darkness players allowing idle to reclaim the documents.
The teamplay Northern Darkness so beautifully executed to allow emorej to clear out the radio was great, the comms that said "All clear" were fantastic, the precision accuracy and perfect timing of Nights panzerfaust was jaw dropping, heart pounding and exciting for all to see.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you poetry in motion also known as the Eurocup ET Final.
In CounterStrike when a an attack strategy is pulled off, its somewhat obvious to the eye, get in position, wait, make a move, possibly fake a move creating an opening and follow through. Whether in first person or on the 2D map, its nice and easy to appriciate a good attack or a strong defence. In TDM when the Quad is ready to drop, its great fun to see who will attempt suicide to get it and who will cover him, but when holz runs into the command post on his own and dies, where is the beauty?
Last night in the Eurocup Final I was dumbfounded by the beauty of what idle and Northern Darkness put on show for us. Sure it was one sided, and theres no doubt that idle deserve their victory, however both teams played a part in a game that was captivating from start to finish!
When idle attacked radar holz and senji were at the side entrance as engineer and covert ops, senji died and holz was left alone. He charged into the command post, merely licking his opponents, but reporting back how many were there at the same time. Some 10 seconds later he was back at the door, as was senji and 3 other idle players hungry for a new spawn point. After senji cleared the mine, Night hung in the door way wanting to die. His wish was granted and by the magic of ET he was revived and his invulnerability let him charge further into the command post and let off a mighty panzer blow. Followed instantly by his 4 teammates idle had it easy. Night had done the damage they just had to mop up.
Every aspect of the attack was planned and was perfect, was it easy to the eye as an AWP shot is in CS? No, but was it just as complex as the strategies that CS pro's run through? Oh hell yes.
Idle continued to boast their beautiful teamplay, espcially when collecting the documents and getting them away. But the next aspect of the match was one that took me a while to appriciate.
Northern Darkness had some 50 seconds to go with 3 players outside the forward axis spawn hut on Radar, what do you do? 50 seconds, one radar part and 3 players that have already breached the defences. Do you go for it? Or do you Self Kill?
Self Kill ?!? Thats what they did, had they not and those 3 died they would have been out for so long that they wouldnt have been useful to the other 3. They selfkilled and 5 Northern Darkness players walked through the main entrance which the previous 3 had just cleared and made their assault on the objective with revives flying in left right and center, eventually coming close to completing the objective but finally failed.
This attack would not have worked with 3, and this attack was so bizzare with the timelimit at hand that I knocked it on the commentary, a statement that I now fully retract.
Again, was it easy to understand? No, but was it so dynamic and planned, that involved precision voice comms, instant revives and a full 5 players to pull it off? Not only that but the full motion lasted a good 25 seconds longer than your average CS strat.
Finally we reach Adlernest, and this time no teamplay admiring, no 50 second attack plan, but one simple piece of excitement that changed the dynamic of the second half and had hearts in mouthes once again.
As Northern Darkness charge in to set a time on Adlernest. After some manic document running and mobile MG action the radio was clear of idle players, they bared down on goal going to score...until BANG Night with a double man panzer from nowhere clears all Northern Darkness players allowing idle to reclaim the documents.
The teamplay Northern Darkness so beautifully executed to allow emorej to clear out the radio was great, the comms that said "All clear" were fantastic, the precision accuracy and perfect timing of Nights panzerfaust was jaw dropping, heart pounding and exciting for all to see.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you poetry in motion also known as the Eurocup ET Final.
