Maelk: "eSport needs UEFA"
Jacob Maelk Toft-Andersen is one of the best known old faces in DotA worldwide. In a detailled interview with fragster he announces his possible upcoming retirement and talks about his team MeetYourMakers. Maelk also talks about eSport in general, criticises and gives improvement suggestions which should be interesting for all eSport players.
The interview was held by Andreas 'RuFFy' Lonz and Dennis 'HolyMaster' Schumacher.
Would you have stayed at Ravens if they payed you the trip to Malaysia?
Maelk: Yes, if we were completely confident in going to Malaysia, we probably would still be there. The organisation as well as the guys behind it treated us really well, and on a personal level we were sad to be leaving them.
You said that KuroKy is your replacement. Is it sure that you will quit DotA?
Maelk: I don't want to go out saying anything is definite as everyone, especially me, can change their mind. But as things are right now, it's fairly sure that I'll be taking my leave somewhat after SMM. As of right now, my plan is to make it my last event.
Why do you want to quit DotA?
Maelk: There are several reasons. First and foremost, it's because I don't feel the game gives me the same level of enjoyment as it used to, and I have tonnes of other things I'd rather want to do than sit and play all day. Maybe my age finally caught up to me. Secondly, I've played it too long hoping that the E-Sports aspect of the game would develope, which it hasn't, so I'm fed up always hoping for
more. Had prizes been paid out, more LAN events taken place and a generally more professional scene surrounded the game, then maybe I wouldn't have lost my motivation.
Can you tell us which prizes have not been paid out yet?
Maelk: The obvious ones are ESWC (5,000$), KODE5 (1,000$ + gear), Dreamhack (~5,000$ at the time – lost due to MYM bankruptcy where money was transfered the same day as the bankruptcy happened) and several smaller ones. There are more, but I choose to believe the money is being paid out eventually, so I'd rather not mention them by name.
In an interview with fragster Jens Hilgers said that the ESL payed out all the prize money. Is that true?
Maelk: They did eventually, yes. It's never right away, but they do come. And that's better than nothing.
If Maelk retires, on which kind of things will Jacob focus on?
Maelk: Girlfriend, friends, school. Unfortunately also in that order. I'm easily whipped. But the past few months I've been having a blast enjoying life outside of the game and I've found DotA to bore me.
Why do you step back and replace yourself with somebody who had a different role in his past teams?
Maelk: KuroKy isn't necessarily my replacement literally speaking, but we needed someone to fill in for me while I'm away and possibly be the new fifth of the team. Who will be the teams new captain, and if there'll even be one, isn't settled as we aren't really in a hurry to determine this yet.
Is it clever that the team plays much more with KuroKy now while you will play at SMM?
Maelk: I will be putting in the necessary time inorder to practice up to the event. My team, my girl and my friends knows this and are all supporting both my ways of living so that I don't feel the need to choose.
Will there be a bootcamp or do you have some special online training schedule concerning SMM?
Maelk: I doubt we'll be actually bootcamping, but we'll be practicing online most nights possible, and the weeks closing up to the event, we'll probably be putting in hours each and every day. Myself included.
What's your aim at SMM? What results are you expecting against the asian elite?
Maelk: An actual placement would be difficult to say, as I'm not too familiar with any of the Asians' shape, but we're always going for #1 and I'd be very disappointed with anything out of top-3. My personal goal is to face hyhy's team and make him realize a fluke (ESWC) doesn't make him any good.
Do you think that the playstyle of Ravens was more turtling in the past weeks and months, as a statement of Kuroky suggested?
Maelk: No. I've actually talked it over with both Kuro and MiSeRy, and neither of them feels we turtle as much as suggested by the community. Our playstyle differs in the way that we tend to play games much safer than other teams which the untrained eye might confuse with defensive. We have played worse turtle-games with MYM than I ever have with Ravens.
KuroKy said that he tries to change the playstyle of the team. How did this work out in the first games?
Maelk: We haven't at all practiced enough with Kuro to downright change our playstyle and I doubt we'll be seeing Ks.int's style of play in our games as Puppey was the mastermind behind it; but we are working on adjusting our style to a more aggressive way of playing which is something everyone has been wanting for a long time. Kuro has tonnes of input that can remove our mistakes and shave off the rough edges.
fnatic.DotA decided to quit the clan and join AEON despite of having contracts. Was this decision unprofessional from the players or do you think that people can change organisations like they want to?
Maelk: I don't know the details surrounding the entire incident and I'd prefer not commenting on it until I do so. However, I don't think people should change organisations in the middle of contracts if their current organisation doesn't allow it.
What's your opinion about the heavy differences between joliE and his former manager eryc regarding not payed money and wrong promises?
Maelk: I trust JoliE on the matter and I've always felt like eryc has been a fraud. That's all I have to say.
What do you think about the new F4F rule that doesn't allow the teams to buyout?
Maelk: It's nice. Until Icefrog decides to change it, I suppose it's good that leagues makes rules of their own that can help to create more interesting games.
I guess you like the idea of F4F doing fixed match dates very much, since you said that in our last interview that you wish to have those.
Maelk: Yes, fixed match dates are definitely a way forward. But it still requires teams to show up and be able to play, otherwise it'll just end up in tonnes of "no show"-wins.
Which game will have the most success in your opinion? LoL, HoN or the DotA stand-alone of IceFrog/Valve?
Maelk: It's hard to say what the stand-alone will look like, but I have complete confidence in Icefrog and his ability to create a wonderful game, so it'd have to be the latter. The stand alone game.
So you do think that IceFrog/Valve can give you the eSport-DotA you ever wanted to have?
Maelk: Hopefully, yes. Sadly I doubt I'll be around when that happens.
So there will be no comeback at all?
Maelk: Not planned no, and I can't imagine I'll change my mind. I'll most likely be the reserve for MYM and play when they need one for practice or whatnot.
MYM and fnatic/AEON are the top two teams in Europe without any doubt at the moment. Which are the toughest followers? Is there any other European team that may turn out to be a hard competitor in the near future?
Maelk: I honestly wouldn't be able to say. I haven't followed the scene lately, but PlaymatE and Lacoste on the same team seems scary! (smiles)
The comeback of MYM went hand in hand with the revival of mymym as a newssite. Can you imagine that it will become the most important coverage portal for DotA once more?
Maelk: Yes, as soon as ReiN get the crew up and running I'm convinced myMYM will be the leading site again. I feel the site itself is better and have more functionability than Gosugamers although 80% of both site's users seems ignorant. No offense.
You said you wish "a generally more professional scene surround the game". What wasn't or isn't professional all the time in detail?
Maelk: Everything from the players' way of behaving both concerning games, comments and getting matches played to organisations screwing over their teams to tournamentholders not paying out prizes. Everyone are to blame and I doubt it'll ever change cause E-Sports is played by, followed by and most importantly ran by anonymous teenagers.
So this is not a problem for DotA, but for eSports in general?
Maelk: Yes. Even in Europe's most professional scene, Counter-Strike, these things happen all the time. Just look at SK's way of taking players from a different organisation or the lacking prizemoney paid out to mTw (90,000$).
Do you have any other suggestions on how to improve DotA and eSports in general?
Maelk: What G7 had in mind was great. (Editor's note: G7 wanted to publish a list of dubious organisations which don't pay prize money.) Unfortunately they are too lazy and nobody follows their supposed guidelines, not even one of their mainmembers. eSport needs UEFA.
We thank you for the interview. The last words remain to you.
Maelk: In case I don't get the chance to later, I'd like to thank everyone I've ever played on teams with throughout the years. They made it all worth it. Special thanks to MaNia for putting up with me for so long – a true friend.
Source: Fragster.de
[NEWS] Interview with MYM.Maelk
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