Interview with Na`Vi.ceh9 @ Natus Vincere training base

- Hi everybody!
We are at the NaViís training base.
Iím gonna interview
a player of team Na`Vi Arseniy Trynozhenko.
Hello!
- Hi!
- Tell me please why are you in Kyiv?
What are you preparing for?
- Firstly I came to practice before MSI BEAT IT tournament
which is held this Saturday and Sunday
(well, if we manage to qualify).
Thatís a great tournament organized by Fnatic and MSI.
All the post USSR stars and even
world top gamers except SK will be there.
It can be even named the European championship.
The prize fund is impressive taking into account
the current situation in Counter Strike scene.
Thatís why our goal is to win and score the gold.
Yesterday we also decided to participate in the DreamHack.
We actually had some troubles but luckily
we managed to fix them. Actually we
didnít take the invitation on time and refused it
so we have to fight for one of two slots at the BYOC.
The organizers promised to help us with computers.
But everything will be done in the last minute.
And of course the BYOC format is bo1.
Thatís quite complicated for us.
One map can be lost easily but weíll try to make our best to qualify.
- If speaking of the nearest MSI BEAT IT Russia tournament,
youíve already mentioned that many top teams will compete there.
Donít you think this tournament is a modificationÖ
actually itís much like international ASUS championship.
Many Russian teams and some top teams...
How do you estimate the tournament
from the point of view of teamsí selection?
- The format really resembles ASUS championship.
Even organizers are the same.
As far as I know itís d1monn who hosts the eventÖ
and ASUS is postponed for some other time.
Yep, everything is the same. Many Russian teams,
a few Ukrainian ones and international teams.
It reminds me of ASUS summer 2010
when we took the first place on LAN
and won about $10†000.
- As far as I know, Anexis,
the team which defeated you during DreamHack qualifiers
will be there. Tell me why did you fail
and how strong is your desire to punish them?
- Thereís no envy or desire to blow them out of the water.
I still think we are stronger as a team and weíll prove it.
And LAN is LAN. Itís ideal environment, ideal computers,
ideal connection I mean ping 5 and aim.
We were always better on LAN not on the internet.
I think it wonít be difficult to defeat them.
By the way trace will play for Anexis.
Heís a very experienced and smart player
who aims perfectly both with AWP and assault rifles.
He will definitely strengthen their team.
Nevertheless Iím sure in our victory.
- DTS will also compete in the tournament.
They showed quite good results recently.
They took over you at Kyiv qualifiers.
You start from the third qualify round
while they start in the group stage.
How do you estimate their achievement?
Are they stronger then you?
They are, jugging on the tournament results.
Is there any confrontation between you?
What do you think of them?
- Itís hard to speak of the team
which didnít show their LAN achievements.
Yes, they took over us and Poles in the InternetÖ
but itís much respected in Counter-Strike when
one shows the same performance on LAN
where conditions differ much from those during practice.
When one should stay concentrated and win the first place.
Of course we observed their games and
played against them by ourselves during the qualifiers.
Their progress is obvious but the question is
if they are ready to show the same level on LAN.
I think they can as they are a good team.
They always strive for the victory, have a good
understanding inside the team and solve
inner problems by communication and
tactic shifts not by lineup changes.
- As far as I know theyíve got the new captain.
- Yep.
- Whoís the captain now?
- Kucher, I guess. Itíll be very interesting
for me to see how he guides the team on LAN
because Iíve never perceived him as a captain.
But at the same time Zeus has also never been perceived
as a captain. You can always find something new
in every person as it occurred.
- As you know theyíve got a training base.
Is it an indicator of their growth
like moving on career ladder?
- Base is a very good component of every professional team.
Thatís great they finally realized they needed
a base and raised money for it. Itís pretty convenient
to live with your team for 15-20 days a month.
You get up and youíre already to get in.
Thatís why Iím sure they will only benefit from it.
Weíve seen a lot of examples, like United team, Moscow 5 team
who possess their own base, Virtus.Pro had their base
but it didnít give a desired effect. It gave nothing.
But it definitely can if using wisely.
Itís convenient as youíre always in hand.
- Speaking about DreamHack tournament,
how do you feel about the qualifier?
Do the fact that you have to qualify press on you?
There will be definitely a lot of strong Swedish teams
or other European teams. Is the fact of performing
like ordinary team not champions puts any pressure on you?
- No, thereís no pressure.
The fact that we are to play bo1 frightens me much more.
A strong Swedish mix can defeat us if
we are not able to concentrate. But I can assure you
that weíll be constantly concentrated and everything will be ok.
Qualifier is additional time for us to warm up
on tournament computers. To get fit, so to say.
- Tell me what: I know that one of your teammates
has got a new mouse sample from SteelSeries.
Did you have an opportunity to use it?
- Weíve got two samples. But we screwed one of themÖ
- And what are your impressions of this mouse?
Tell your viewers and your fans about it.
- One of them is SteelSeries Kinzu V2.
Itís a mouse with improved acceleration.
Many people got used to previous acceleration and they liked it.
Personally I couldnít get used to it and this sample
is a step forward to me. I may even change
my mouse to it. Sensei is a bitÖ
- Bulky?
- Yep, itís heavy for me.
Previously I used smaller mice. And the second sample wasÖ
- Kana.
- Yep. Thatís a totally new mouse.
Itís not updated Xai or Sensei, thatís a brand new light mouse.
It resembles Sensei in form. But itís a bit smaller.
- So is it closer to Microsoft 1.1 mouse?
- Yep, itís like 1.1 with side buttons.
Thatís the mouse I used for all my life.
So I look forward to new samples of Kana and 1.1.
I suppose Iíll take Kana, because itís extremely comfortable for me.
- Ok, I see. Tell me what, many people say
Counter-Strike 1.6. is dying and CS: Global Offensive
will be released soon,
Valve will start to put money into it.
Is CounterStrike 1.6 really dying as you think?
Many people say it has been dying for 5 years but nevertheless itís still alive.
And which game will you choose if such conversion occurs?
- Everything depends on tournaments and on prize money.
We didnít try beta as itís not free for public.
Weíve got the keys but we
still canít download the game. I actually donít think
itís gonna be a masterpiece, Iíd rather say itíll be sad.
But everything depends on prize money.
People play Call of Duty and Battlefield,
they enjoy it. So I think we can also adapt.
Maybe we wonít shoot very accurately or
misunderstand something in the beginning but
we have a strong advantage. Itís a huge joint gaming experience.
If we use this advantage wisely,
we can be on top it any game, even in Call of Duty.
- And if speaking of recent events, a month ago
it was announced that Arbalet would not sponsor the team any more.
How did the team react on it?
Did it affect your results and your motivation?
It was a powerful support, how do you feel to lose it?
- Well, itís difficult of course. We got used to
this financial aid and support. We are grateful to this man
for everything he has done. We look ahead.
But it definitely affected our motivation.
Previously we played and were sure in our sustainable future,
salary and bonuses. And suddenly it bumps.
You stop hoping for better and donít understand what to do.
Whether to play Counter-Strike with no guaranties
or not to play. Soon the new version of Counter-Strike
will be launched and it totally crashes my mind.
This year tournaments also reduced prize money
compared to the last year. Itís complicated.
But our current sponsors like SteelSeries,
Kaspersky and Antec still support us. We hope to findÖ
- The head sponsor?
- Yep the head sponsor by the end of this year.
We hope our current sponsors
will sign new contracts on better conditions.
- How can you generally sum up
the results of your cooperation with Arbalet?
He let you see the light of the day, speaking metaphorically.
Could you please say a few final words.
- Deep in my mind I still believe
that sooner or later Murat Zhumashevich will call Starix and say:
ìGuys, Iím with you againî. Well, as I mentioned,
this man helped us greatly and we are grateful to him.
And letís hope that soon or late he really calls us.
- Letís hope. As I know, on the 17th of December
you are celebrating the 2nd anniversary of the Na`Vi team.
How will you celebrate the event?
- If Iím not mistaken on the 18th of December
we have qualifiers on Stage 3 Extreme Masters.
If these dates coincide weíll probably even
gather in Kyiv for a couple of days.
But we have to stay concentrated.
These qualifiers are extremely important as
they let us to get slots for the tournament
not somewhere far away but in 30 min car drive.
Weíll practice before the tournament through the Internet.
As you know the internet here in Ukraine is also unstable.
But weíll do our best. There are 5 slots
for European gamers. Such teams as DTS and
someone else have already got the slot so we have to fight.
Speaking of celebration, I think the next day
weíll go out somewhere, recollect how everything began
and think of our happy future.
- I know that in social media
thereíll be a lot of raffles and contests for your fans
- Yep, we intend to make a few contests
with valuable prizes. So stay with us,
participate in our contests and support us.
- And the last question is traditional.
Any thanks to your friends, sponsors, fans etc?
- As Iíve already said, thanks to our
current sponsors SteelSeries, Kaspesky, Teamkill.ru,
Zone 51, Antec. Thanks to all of you
for supporting us in such a complicated period
without the head sponsor. And hello
to my friends from Crimea, Lviv and the whole Ukraine.
- Ok, thank you for the interview and good luck!