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GameReplays: Hello , thanks for doing this week's Spotlight. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Valor`: Hello, my name is Hannes. I come from Germany and I am 25 years old. Currently, I am close to finishing my bachelors degree in English and History with the aim of becoming a secondary school teacher in some capacity or another. I could also imagine teaching at university, but I am not sure yet. As for my other interests besides gaming, I like football, reading, watching movies/series and doing stuff with friends. I am also generally quite interested in history, philosophy and politics.
GameReplays: Tell us a bit about your online gaming history?
Valor`: BFME was actually the first game I played online. I started playing it in spring of 2008. At first I only played single player but eventually started playing multiplayer in summer of the same year. While I also played other single player games, this game was the only game I played online until the servers were shut down in the end of 2010. Afterwards I started playing LoL, which I still play on and off today.
GameReplays: Why did you join GR?
Valor`: I found out that GR was the site where all pros reside and post replays/strats, so I essentially joined to improve my gameplay. I first lurked the forums before eventually registering and becoming an obnoxious spammer.
GameReplays: What is your favorite game?
Valor`: All time, it is probably LoL, closely followed by BFME.
GameReplays: What is your favorite game genre? Why?
Valor`: Definitely RTS. MOBAs and some round-based strategy games like Civilization are also nice but RTS is the best.
GameReplays: So, how did you first get started with BFME?
Valor`: I went to a friend of mine one day after school and he showed me this game. As a big fan of the LotR movies, I became hooked instantly and bought the game a few days after.
GameReplays: What do you like so much about BfME, that has kept you playing the game for years?
Valor`: Hmm it's hard to describe, but it just feels like there is no other game quite like this. Despite all of its bugs, imbalances and other frustrating aspects, it is really fun to play. It also helps that I am a big LotR fan.
GameReplays: What is your favorite army and Match-up?
Valor`: Probably Gondor. My favorite MU is definitely Gondor vs. Isen when playing as Gondor.
GameReplays: What is your favorite map, and who is your best Team game partner?
Valor`: My favorite 1v1 map is probably Fords, but I do like Westfold as well.
My favorite 2v2 map is Anorien, although I've recently come to like Wold as well.
I had many good team mates over the years. When I started to get decent and compete in CW sometime in the 2nd half of 2009, I used to play with N0NS3NSE` (who recently came back to this game as well btw, hi mate ) a lot. We used to have amazing teamwork without really having to communicate a whole lot.
Another great player I played a lot with in 2v2 is Orange. He is really innovative and always tries to win until the last second of the game, which has led to some great comebacks where I thought the game was lost already but we pulled it back somehow.
Some others who deserve a mention:
chyna, Ross (aka WaywardSon), LiGhT`, Arkurios, Pallando and of course BolerLan (aka Oats)
There are probably more people who I forgot.
GameReplays: What would you do to change or improve the game?
Valor`: Hmm, difficult question. In terms of balancing, I'm not sure. There are definitely some obvious improvements to be made though. Reducing/eliminating offhost lag would be my first change, and fixing some of the many bugs in this game would also be great.
GameReplays: How did it feel to play BfME when you had your "noob" time and what is the difference to your current status as a player?
Valor`: I feel like if you are new to a game it is always more fun, because you haven't figured everything out yet. It's like you are exploring something unknown and surprises await you at every corner.
If you are a good player however, the joy you get from a game is different, at least for me. Since you know the ins-and-outs of the game, you're hardly going to experience something completely new, but it can still be fun to strive for perfection. Like say, not losing a single horse or hero. Or pulling off an incredibly clutch play.
GameReplays: Playing against a Forces of Darkness or Forces of Light opponent?
Valor`: FoD
GameReplays: Killing a high ranked Gandalf the White, or wiping out an entire castle with a Balrog?
Valor`: Killing a high ranked GtW. Killing an entire castle with Balrog is too easy so it's nothing special
GameReplays: Army of the Dead or Balrog?
Valor`: AoD.
GameReplays: What do you like (or dislike?) most about the BfME community?
Valor`: I like that there are still some awesome people who keep this game alive after so many years.
I don't like that people play so much 3v3/FFA nowadays. Even some of the good players. In my most active days, no one but noobs played these game modes. 3v3 = residentsleeper
GameReplays: How has gaming affected your life?
Valor`: Funnily enough I talked about this with Orange the other day. It's kind of a mixed bag I feel. One the one hand, there are many awesome moments that I look back on fondly, but on the other hand, I feel like I did spent too much time on it in my teens especially and maybe missed out on other things.
GameReplays: How high is the influence of micro skills to win a game in 1v1 and 2v2?
Valor`: 1v1 is imo the most micro intensive game mode, so it definitely plays a huge role. Although I feel like decision making is more important, like when to attack, where to attack etc.
For 2v2 it is also important, although the decision making aspect is probably even more important there.
GameReplays: If you want to meet a bfme player in real life who would be that player? Why?
Valor`: Hmm..there are many cool people that have played this game over the years. If I had to choose one, I'd probably choose Orange. We've gotten to know each other pretty well over the years and share many interests, so it would be fun to meet him in person.
GameReplays: Who do you think is best bfme player right now?
Valor`: Difficult question. I haven't played every one of the current best players and I feel like my level is not as high as it used to be, so that might skew my perception. Dunedain is definitely very good. So are others like Orange, Felix, Stiwie (though he is not very active nowadays) and Alan.
If I take my entire time on BFME into account, the best players I've ever played with and against are, besides Orange who I've already mentioned above, Buttafly, chyna and Xehanort, in no definitive order. Scop is also a very good player, but his high time came after I had already left the game.
GameReplays: And who will be best bfme player?
Valor`: It currently looks like Dunedain will be the guy to beat.
GameReplays: QM , CW OR FFG?
Valor`: CW. Although all three can be very fun.
GameReplays: If you had a time machine, would you go back in time or visit the future?
Valor`: I would probably go back in time
GameReplays: QM history?
Valor`: I started off playing Gondor and got to like rank 1000 or so, but I rarely played 1v1 as I preferred 2v2. Later on I got a good host account and played Gondor. I reached top 20 for the first time in the summer of 2009. I started playing Rohan later that year because I felt like it was my worst army. I eventually managed to get top 10 with a Rohan only account. I also played random on some offhost accounts.
My most known QM names were Maoon, H3AV3N|n|H3LL and Ar4d0s.
GameReplays: CW history?
Valor`: I played under many aliases and in many clans, almost exclusively on the old servers.
I started playing early 2009 and like most people new to CW I mostly got shat on. Eventually improved and was able to hold my own against most players. Likely most people don't remember these clans, but I played on aTTaX^, ihA^, }Z3R0| and eventually ]DA| with Orange, mostly against TT, which was Xeha's and chyna's clan. My most well known names are probably }Z3R0|Artemis and ]DA|H4rry, but as I said, nowadays people probably haven't seen or heard of most of these names. It's been a long time since then after all.
I hardly played CW on GameRanger. In the first months of 2014 I briefly returned to the game for about two months and played some CW. Especially February 2014 was a nice month with many games played.
GameReplays: What is your dream in life?
Valor`: To live happily and long!
GameReplays: If you could star in a movie, what genre would it be and what role would you play?
Valor`: Maybe in something LotR related, that would be awesome.
GameReplays: If you had to move to another country, which country would you pick and why?
Valor`: Perhaps Italy because of the food
GameReplays: If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?
Valor`: Gandalf the White
GameReplays: If you could only have one meal (including drink) for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Valor`: Authentic Neapolitan pizza. No idea about the drink, perhaps a nice beer alongside it would be nice.
GameReplays: If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
Valor`: I would first try to make sure that my name does not get public. After that I'd probably buy a nice apartment and a car. The rest of the money I would invest wisely so that I would not have to work 9 to 5 for the rest of my life.
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