[Sunset]

I know I’m not the only fish in the SEA.

A particular Saturday morning – early or late, depending on your perspective. Bleary-eyed and sleep-deprived, our faces bathed in electronic light, we sit at our computers, instant coffee clutched in our hands. We fire up our browsers, our Twitter. We open r/Starcraft. And together, the Starcraft lovers of SEA, slowly wake up our brain meats to the sounds of Tastosis, DJ Wheat and Day 9. Together, yet alone, we watch MLG.

Like a party we know about next door, that we can watch over a fence but aren’t invited to, we cheer on our favourite players, wriggling in our seats, leaning forward in anticipation and groaning with disappointment. When our fingers aren’t hysterically tweeting in capslock, they’re clutched to our faces, flailing in excitement, sharing the energy of the crowd transmitted through our headsets, our speakers. Our excitement is real.

It is a scene repeated, over and over and again, in bedrooms and lounge rooms across South East Asia.

And when it’s all over – the champions crowned, the memes created, and the highs and lows dissipate – we sit back and wonder when we will ever experience something like that. A room full of like-minded Starcraft nerds, in their hundreds, screaming, cheering, exclaiming, fusion core dancing together as one. Even the inevitable r/Starcraft post reminding patrons to wear deodorant and shower before the event doesn’t seem off-putting.

USA has MLG, Europe has Dreamhack, IEM. Korea has GSL.

But SEA?

PPSL has been the only event of note in our region, and apart of giving us a new verb (Verb: Le’des’maed – to be royally fucked. Ie: “OH BRO YOU GOT LEDESMAED!”) , nothing was gained. Our region became the laughing stock of live events of international capacity. Of course, no-one blamed the region specifically, but we all felt it – that some kind of horrible damage had been done.

Were we destined to never experience an international-level live event in our region?

On the weekend of the 21st-21nd of January this year, the first stop of a national competitive gaming circuit, ACL Pro, was held on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. Having focused on console games for years, they had decided to add Starcraft 2 to their repertoire. ACL Pro CEO Nick ‘Vanzr’ Venzetti enlisted the help of the most experienced organizers and casters in the region to ensure the tournament and stream ran smoothly.

With, perhaps, the some trepidation, the Starcraft lovers of SEA awoke again on the Saturday morning of January 21. Later this time, not as sleep deprived – turns out 10am Australian Eastern Standard Time is equivalent to 10am Australian Eastern Standard Time., not “why the hell am I awake at 4am to watch a video game tournament” o’clock.

We were greeted on stream by two of the most well-loved casters from the SEA region - Leigh ‘Maynarde’ Mandolov, the dreadlocked, mellifluous-voiced extraordinaire known for casting major tournaments run through the SC2SEA website, and James ‘TheDoble’ Doble, a well-loved caster from smaller regional live events.

We saw backdrops and a casters desk and shots of the spectators and shots of the players., a kind of professionalism in production we had never seen at a local live event.

Those who know a little about SEA think we’re a one-trick Pokemon…

..but the tournament brought us more than just handsome zerg dominance.

It brought us the great underdog story of Nicolas ‘Chadmann’ Russo, the Gold league player who miraculously won a championship bracket seed through an online qualifier. Now dubbed ‘The People’s Champion’ among SC2SEA regulars, he is not unlike a god among men.

It brought us amazing play from Rossi, the Italian stallion, TtPiG, the shirtless streamer, yang (lowercase), the great Protoss hope.

The skill gaps are becoming smaller and smaller - several players are devastatingly close to matching the skill Moonglade is known for. Close, exciting series are played out over and over again.

Suddenly we had so much that we had longed for, that we knew existed because we had witnessed it via stream from the other side of the planet.

Was it perfect? No. It was the first event on a major circuit. But Blizzard’s recent announcement that they had decided to partner with ACL Pro for some regional qualifiers and the final of Australia’s World Blizzard Championship, based on one live event and online qualifiers alone, proves that what ACL Pro has achieved in such a short amount of time is something we should all be excited about, that it is a product and event that you, as a Starcraft 2 citizen, should get behind.

It’s not about individuals, it’s about creating an event we can call our own that we can be proud of. We are organisers, casters, players, engineers, graphic designers, writers, spectators, shit-stirrers, professionals, students - we are many things, but we all love this game. We are all part of its success.

If you’re in Sydney next weekend (21-22 April), attend. Make cheerfuls, bring your friends or make some new ones. If you’re anywhere else, take some time to watch what passion and hard work alone can create for what we love. An event like MLG for SEA is not a dream, or far away at all. It’s right at our doorstep.

All it needs is us.

“My bounty is as boundless as the SEA,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.”
- William Shakespeare


(I don't know how to submit this under articles or make a blog. This site is so confusing I could vomit rainbows. Feel free to move it. It's 2:30am and I don't give a shit I'm just trying to get back into writing - this was my first go at it in a long time. Stuff I do in the future will be less emotive, more news focussed. But probably still contain stupid pictures. Bitches love stupid pictures.)

Quick Comments

	nirvAnA:
	Arma:
	Rageboredguy:
	inFeZa:	m-a-zing
	iM yang:
	TAminimat:
	TAriiChard:
	Maynarde:
	Dox:
	dot89:
	Reere:
	NOM:
	NvRossi:
	Mr_Zain:
	dippa:	may the sun never set on this great post
	crAzerk:	keep writing keep writing keep writing
	fray`Fourby:	JUST SHUT UP AND TAKE MY REP POINTS
	AusBox:
	LiviBee:	far out. nothing short of an incredible post. i agree completely
	Pandan:
	xGKingdelete:
	xGKingStallion:	an excellent post
	fray`ChadMann:	STOP PISSING ON ME!!!!
	ArcMSi.Rogue:	my gurl
	Myth.PickleWeasel:
	ToRSmotPokingFish:
	neon:
	Hydroid:

[x5.Potthead]

I don't care if it's an article or blog, this was a super awesome read!

[zendex]

Tgx... Estc...

EDIT:
Both were international events for SEA but didn't get enough attention. However, I noticed that coverage on both events were... lackluster to say the least?

Quick Comments

	SoloZ:
	Revenant:	y u do this to me

[Sunset]

Originally Posted by zendex

Tgx... Estc...

EDIT:
Both were international events for SEA but didn't get enough attention. However, I noticed that coverage on both events were... lackluster to say the least?
]

Ah, yes. I've only been focussed on the SEA scene for about 6 months, after I went to the WCG finals on the Gold Coast. Before that, since release, I'd only been part of the NA community. So I apologise for making it seem PPSL was the ONLY international event we'd had. That wasn't my intention

[Fraser]

This is great to Sea!

Quick Comments

Sunset:

YES, YESSSSSSS~ *APPLAUSE*

[Frogmite]

I believe that ACL is the future of SC2 in SEA/ANZ. I wish ACL to grow bigger with time.

I will attend.

[Acies]

I stopped reading at instant coffee

[ToR.Arnor]

Zendex is spot on it is no where near the biggest fish in SEA (yet) the biggest fish in Australia? absolutely, it certainly is the loudest fish in our region though , If ACL's goal to to allow Australia to be more accessible to the NA scene then the right direction.

haha before I even got through the comments I couldve picked you were from the NA scene, a very well written article for promoting ACL even if it does kinda piss on alot of people/organizations efforts in the process T_T

[NvPinder]

Originally Posted by Arnor@CityHunter

haha before I even got through the comments I couldve picked you were from the NA scene, a very well written article for promoting ACL even if it does kinda piss on alot of people/organizations efforts in the process T_T

Wtf? Who exactly would this piss off? I've been a part of this community since day 1 and I don't disagree with anything she's written in this article?

[iM yang]

Originally Posted by Arnor@CityHunter

haha before I even got through the comments I couldve picked you were from the NA scene, a very well written article for promoting ACL even if it does kinda piss on alot of people/organizations efforts in the process T_T

Oh right, that other huge Australian national circuit organization that's bringing the entire country together for competition and fun... totally forgot about that one

Quick Comments

	neKo:
	simon:	hehe

[Sunset]

Originally Posted by Arnor@CityHunter

Zendex is spot on it is no where near the biggest fish in SEA (yet) the biggest fish in Australia? absolutely, it certainly is the loudest fish in our region though , If ACL's goal to to allow Australia to be more accessible to the NA scene then the right direction.

haha before I even got through the comments I couldve picked you were from the NA scene, a very well written article for promoting ACL even if it does kinda piss on alot of people/organizations efforts in the process T_T

I know enough about the SEA scene to know that putting money on you being negative about what I wrote would not have been a bad idea at all

If you'd like to back up anything you've said, that'd be great - constructive criticism is the shit
Who do YOU think is the biggest? How does ACL make SEA "more accessible" to the NA scene and how is that bad? Who exactly did I piss on?

[Dox]

This thread was wonderful and uplifting and inspiring.

And then I read Arnor's post.

Quick Comments

	Myth.PickleWeasel:
	NOM:
	dippa:	would you like some fries with your zinger burger sir

[x5.Potthead]

Originally Posted by Arnor@CityHunter

Zendex is spot on it is no where near the biggest fish in SEA (yet) the biggest fish in Australia? absolutely, it certainly is the loudest fish in our region though , If ACL's goal to to allow Australia to be more accessible to the NA scene then the right direction.

haha before I even got through the comments I couldve picked you were from the NA scene, a very well written article for promoting ACL even if it does kinda piss on alot of people/organizations efforts in the process T_T

I'm sorry, I guess she forgot the WE LOVE XGKING disclaimer.

[simon]

I'm just glad there are intelligent people on these forums to counteract arnors obvious lack of...
do you think arnor realises how petty and juvenile he comes off as?

dox
yang
pinder

keep on keeping on


also a refreshingly good read sunset and for that i thank you

[fray`iaguz]

Arnor you've read way too much into the title. It's just a little pun anyway, nothing much there.

Nowhere in the article itself does it talk about how ACL >>> every other South East Asian event. We don't know about a lot of them because we barely hear about them because they don't speak english and this is unfortunate and maybe a topic for another thread .

The point of this article is that it shows that for a small region, even we too can have e-sports and that is ******* awesome. It's not about a dick measurement contest at all.

Quick Comments

	Maynarde:	Good words
	Mr_Zain:	This
	nirvAnA:
	AusBox:

[Sunset]

With all due respect, this kind of bickering is what I was vaguely referring to in what I wrote.

I've been watching the esports scene in Australia to differing extents across the last decade, and I have seen enough ruined by people who are only in it for personal gain and interest. We are going too well now to fall back into the same trap.

It's not about YOU, YOUR team, YOUR interests, YOUR event - it's about us as a community, taking steps, being professional and supporting each other when it is due.

Always let your product speak for itself

[Mr_Zain]

Love the thread but the lack of the use of the word 'tootsie' in the body text or any reference to beatboxing makes me a little sad.

Nonetheless I salute you lass (aka tootsie pop)

[dippa]

Originally Posted by Sunset

I've been watching the esports scene in Australia to differing extents across the last decade, and I have seen enough ruined by people who are only in it for personal gain and interest. We are going too well now to fall back into the same trap.

for fellow oldschooler

Originally Posted by Arnor@CityHunter

haha before I even got through the comments I couldve picked you were from the NA scene, a very well written article for promoting ACL even if it does kinda piss on alot of people/organizations efforts in the process T_T

mate

mateeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[fray`iaguz]

Going back and having another read through, actually drawing a comparison between the PPSL fuckup, ACL and SEA as a region is not a very good one. Here's why.

SEA isn't really one big region, it's a lot of small regions who occasionally interact with each other. Sure we share the same server and Ladder and we get to play each other in SEA leagues and tourneys and that's cool but in reality as far as offlines go, the philipines have their own thing, Malaysian/Singapore have their own thing going, New Zealand have their own thing going, Thailand have their own thing and Australia has theirs and these things never really overlap with each other all that much.

Because of this, I feel it's difficult to consider us a proper region in the same way we'd consider USA and Europe to be a region. ACL only matters to Australians (plus Jazbas and Ryoomak I guess). How is an almost completely Australian event really a South East Asian event? Gus and the PPSL was a Philipines community event, and the tourney itself was mostly philipinos anyway with only 2 Australians (and frankly you guys can bloody keep zanooku, though I won't blame if you if you won't have him) and no other representation from other SEA nations.

BUT, I can understand why you'd consider this to be a sort of silly thing to point out and argue over, and I do agree. Huzzah, video games.

Quick Comments

Pandan:

You make a very valid point that they don't come here, and we don't go there. We really need to work together on that and make it worthwhile!

[NvPinder]

Originally Posted by xGKingiaguz

How is an almost completely Australian event really a South East Asian event?

Probably because Australia makes up like 80% of the top players from the region anyway ^^.

(This is assuming you don't count TW since they are TW/Kr)