Hello, friends. We are located in the heart of Germany, in a secret bunker.
This is the place where NaíVi Dota2 team, EG and a couple of other teams are playing now.
Tell me, how did you get here and what are you doing this moment now?
We were caught, put in a car, bags on our eyes. They told us to sit still otherwise theyíll shoot us dead. We were driving for about an hour.
Then we came to a closed garage. They took the bags off and brought us to this room. Forced to sit before the computers we were handcuffed.
They told us to play, to amuse the audience just like Roman gladiators. So now we are modern gladiators. Youíve seen the arena in an overview video.
ñ So This is our story. This is what we are doing here. ñ There will be only one winnerÖ
ñ I do not know the guy who makes such decisions. ñ Have you taken the HearthStone away?
Yes! I had an idea of taking away the mobile phones of the team members. I had a very serious conversation with them on one day of the bootcamp.
We released our emotions. Told everything we thought. And we have a positive result.
The players do not alt+tab while training. They donít waste their time on a crap.
ñ I see you have a serious approach to it. ñ Well they played in a relax manner for a couple of days in the beginning.
They played ordinarily, as always. But afterwards, they took it for serious.
Ok. Tell me about the bootcamp, which began in the middle of June. It was held in Cologne, right?
Tell me, what was happening there. I know that you went there.
The bootcamp goes on. The team came to Cologne on 18-19 June. ESL, Turtle Entertainment gave us a place for bootcamping.
It was nearby the hotel we stayed in. It was very convenient.
We would get up in the morning, go to the venue, watch the replays, and play. That was our daily routine for about 8 days.
-Then we went here for ESL. After ESL weíll return there and go on bootcamping. ñ How many hours do you spend training?
It is hard to say. About 8 hours I think taking into account the replays and the discussions.
Moreover we keep on discussing it during our meals and our walks. Therefore, it is up to 14 hours devoted solely to Dota.
ñ It is pretty much. ñ We try not to burn out.
Many people saw that you began a bootcamp, it was obvious in D2L games, when you defeated Team Empire and Fnatic.
However you lost in a Grand Final with EG. You will also encounter EG here, though you have been defeated by them for 3 times.
- Tell me more about it. - The games in D2L were really good...
Especially after the playersí approached changed. As concerns EG, I would say that the performance of the team was of the same level.
However, the mistakes might happen, I mean the mistakes of the team or a player. This was an online tournament.
The players wanted to win on the one hand, but on the other hand they didnít want to show some new features in their game.
They wanted to play decently using old tricks. E.g. the Queen of Pain. Rarely do we use her now.
However the guys decided to take her and give it a try. As a result they didnít manage to win, notwithstanding they played very well, as for me.
ESL One, Frankfurt, Germany, is the last tournament before the International 2014.
It is widely discussed whether top teams like NaíVi will reveal their new features in gaming, or theyíd prefer to play a more decent game...
keeping their secrets to reveal them only at the International. What do you think about our guys and other teams?
It is hard to say if the players keep all of their new features solely for the International.
Because the first 2 phases of International is the best of the best.
You need to surprise there. New, unprecedented features can work there. Something like
ìLetís take Huskar and Tuskar, and snowball and killíem all with the burning spears. Or letís take 5 more pushers or letís take 5 carries."
And it might work! You see? It is hard to say about any new features that the players keep in secret for the TI.
Because everything will be absolutely different there.
There will be a completely different class of picks and ideas. And these are kept for the group phase of TI.
As concerns this tournament, yes it is single elimination, but people understand this is the best 3 at least.
You can sit back and play a decent game. It is hard to say which of the teams treated the situation the way you mentioned.
I know that my guys will play the way they like it in any case.
Well, have you got any new features? Are they planned or practiced?
Or that will be like this: ìletís take huskar-tuskar, or 5 snipers and invent something in the course of the gameî?
Well, we do have two interesting strategiesÖ. But I wonít tell you!
ñ Two strategies! This is way too much! ñ I wonít tell you! The players are training diversified strategies.
They try new heroes, which would rarely or never be seen in NaViís pick in the past.
They work out the new meta and search for the strong points. I speak of the strong points they are not used to.
These are strong points and new approaches used by other teams. We do have new ideas.
Ok. Letís speak about the tournament. Iíd like to ask you a couple of questions. This is quite big tournament and it is the first day.
The stadium is almost full. It's very interesting. What do you feel about it?
It is an amazing quantity of people. There are only 2 tournaments similar to this one (in terms of their scale): the International and MLG Columbus.
The ambience is awesome. We are interviewed on a regular basis here. The players are obviously loved and wanted.
During the signing session we had such a big ìzerg rushî that me and ESL staff had to surround the players and stand like bodyguards to protect them.
The ambience is awesome! However, there is one little problem ESL staff is to face.
E.g. there are many viewers that bought VIP-tickets, who can come into playersí lounge any time
and start distracting the players from viewing the replays or discussing the game performance.
This is a small problem, but all other aspects are very good.
Good. I know that as per moment you are not only a manager of NaíViís Dota 2 team.
You are also a manager for all the NaíViís teams, including the recently emerged NaíVi US team.
Tell me what you are doing now for NaíVi organization apart from your Dota 2 managerís responsibilities.
You are right. I control all NaíVi divisions. I contact the organizers of the tournaments, our sponsors (in terms of our sponsors agreements)
and the teams, including their managers. As concerns NaíVi US, we helped their manager to organize their bootcamp in Florida.
They rented apartment there, and made an arrangement with LAN Centre. We helped them with their hotel accommodation, car rental, flight tickets, etc.
I will meet them on 6 July in Seattle, during the International. We will manage the two NaíVi divisions together there.
Ok. Have your new working tasks influenced your performance as Dota 2 team manager? Or you manage to handle all the tasks.
I canít say I was fully occupied, when I worked as Dota 2 manager only.
I made the teamís schedule, I negotiated the terms of participation with tournamentsí organizers and I did other tasks.
However it was a part-time job. As per moment Iíve received tasks which enable me to work full time, except for the tournaments.
When I am at a tournament, I work solely for NaíVi Dota 2 division. When I return to the hotel I start working with other tasks.
I have letters and Skype messages to answer and issues to solve.
So the ideal NaíVi employee is a big man to protect the players from a crowd of angry zergs and a multitasker capable to work all the time.
To make several tasks at once, to prioritize the issues, to switch from one task to another quickly is important.
To put aside, but not for a long time, is important too. In the beginning we had a couple of mistakes.
I took control of all those tasks and the managers of NaíVi divisions. We needed to get used to each other.
However, as per moment NaíVi organization is trying to work in compliance with new pattern, to work synergistically.
This will take some time, but weíll achieve it for sure!
Ok. To sum up. NaíVi team has many fans, who are very emotional about teamís performance. Can you tell a couple of words to those fans.
Thank you very much for your support notwithstanding we play good or bad. In any case, you know
that NaíVi will do their best and perform in the best way possible. And thatís the reason you like those guys.
- Who do you bet your rare items on? - I canít. I am a manger.
- Tell us confidentially. ñ Virtus.Pro.
- Thank you very much. Sign up for our channel to follow us. And support NaíVi. See you soon!