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Hello everyone, we are sitting here with team Na'Vi player Funnik.
We will start with easy question: how was you training for Techlabs?
Well, we weren't really training.
I was actually expecting it. Almost every tournament I hear such statements from Na'Vi players.
Is The International the only worth training tournament?
The International has one million prize, when Techlabs has little bit less.
So you think that you can win without any preparations, and if you lose - it's not a big problem?
Yea, something like this.
About the bootcamps. Are you planning anything for DreamHack or something?
We are going to bootcamp right after the Techlabs. We'll be bootcamping for MLG. We will play at MLG and fly straight to DreamHack after. If we qualify for it.
About the Diretide patch. Have you followed the stir that happened in the internet? Volvo ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ Give Diretide etc?
And what do you thing about the community's eagerness not for the game, but for some mode?
I was hoping to play this mode. It's funny, you can play with friends and have some joy.
But I'm really irritated by abusers that leave games because they didn't get into the game with another stack of their friends.
But overall the community reaction looked ridiculous, when there was no update and twitter was blown and even Volvo was "involvo'd".
Have you seen that iG abused the Diretide with full roster and do you know why people even do it? Don't you think that Platinum Baby Rosh is worth it? Maybe Na'Vi should gather and abuse?
Maybe if we have free time during bootcamp, but as I heard Platinum Baby Rosh won't be as pricy as last years Golden one.
It's your Birthday today, right?
Yes.
Congratulations once again. When I was interviewing you a year ago, it was DreamHack, you said that you barely celebrated because of preparations and so on.
Today's situation is the same. You have a Birthday and a tournament to play. Don't you think that it would be better to abandon such tournaments in favor of personal time?
No, four people agreed to go, so why should I betray them only because I want to drink with friends.
I can celebrate it later with all my friends and family, when I finish all affairs. It's not essential to celebrate exactly at that day.
Tell us about the Na'Vi management. Why was Ash removed and who is the new manager?
Ash was removed because he didn't have enough time for us. Our new manager Jenya is fully involved into process.
He's even sitting in Skype with us during games. He's controlling us every time and reminding us about the games. Our management is reaching next level.
I've heard he's one of the people who attended The International and made some analytics?
Did he prove himself as a good manager lately?
Yes, he's doing good. It's fresh experience for him. He himself expressed a desire to manage us. So far everything is fine.
Don't you think that there's some redundancy of tournaments for Na'Vi? Both online and offline ones all the time. Aren't you bothered by constant playing?
We are making more money.
If there were even more money, would you be ready to play 24/7?
Nah, 24/7 is too hard. But playing 7-8 games per week isn't much. And not that difficult.
What can you say about new DreamHack format? Just four teams on LAN and main part is happening online.
So far I don't really like it because we may miss it. We'll talk about it when I get there.
But generally, do you know why is it happening? There was more interest before, more people were following the tournament.
Don't you think that there gonna be less press, less hype with just four teams on LAN part?
No, I think there won't be less hype. They gonna select the strongest teams and send them to fight for big money. I think it's good.
We all remember XBOCT's statement during The International 3. He was disappointed. Were you disappointed by the 3rd place?
I wasn't disappointed at all. I was satisfied by the result. We didn't have enough luck. It happens.
How did you reconcile and what was Zero's role in it?
We weren't talking much about it before Zero's appearance. When Zero arrived we started to talk about it trying to clear the situation. Most work was done by Zero.
Other players had same attitude as XBOCT or he was the only one who didn't want to play with the same roster?
Well, I don't really know what to say, but I was tuned to play with the same roster. Puppey was offended by that words, but didn't want to leave anywhere.
Everyone wanted to play, but there was only one problem.
Aren't you going to go to China soon?
I don't want to visit China.
Not personally you, but the whole team. Supposably next year in spring?
Don't really know. Depends on the tournaments. We don't really want to go to China for two weeks after our bootcamp.
There was a point to go to China because those tournaments had bigger prizepool, but now European tournaments' prizepool also increased, so there's no much sense to go to China.
There was a G-League quali recently, you didn't even participate. Is it connected with the prizepool and the fact that you don't want to go there?
It's not because of the prizepool. It's because of the solid schedule. We have like four LANs now: Techlabs, MLG, DreamHack and EMS in Poland.
You said before that you are watching Chinese replays, some past tournaments, even before The International.
Are you still following Chinese scene or you stopped?
I'm watching some interesting games, DK, iG, but mostly partially. Now China and Europe are on the same level.
Do you think the new all-stars DK roster can be on the same level?
From what I've heard and seen, DK have some problems these days, because of the new patch.
They are still playing 6.78 dota, when other teams are already trying the new meta.
In one of the interviews you said that Techlabs management isn't that good.
For example, you said, that EMS was better. What can you say about current Russian Techlabs?
This Techlabs looks better, more serious. Nothing is shutting down, so far so good.
Let's talk about pings. Dendi likes to mention bad pings in every mini interview.
How it's bad and impossible to play with Americans on their servers. Dendi even says that it's the different game.
Maybe it matters on the different, moral level. Tell us your opinion.
It's really annoying when you are losing your lane because of the delay, when your opponent has almost no delay.
You lose two-three games like this and then you don't want to play with Americans at all.
Do you see any solution? Don't allow Americans to play with Europeans?
There's no solution. In first game it's we who suffer, next game it's they.
You already made some comments about last global patch. Now everyone got used to it.
You promised Krobelus to appear in picks, she didn't really make it. Do you think why?
I think people still don't fully understand the strength of the hero. It's not default hero, so teams just don't want to take risk and use it.
You will see some new strategies on the MLG after our bootcamp.
You also said that Lich is imba. Do you still think like this? And can you name some other heroes except Krobelus and Lich?
Venomancer is really strong hero, Elder Titan is still good. Viper is also nice.
Do you see any potential in spirits that were just added in Diretide patch?
I don't even know what their skills do, so I can't see any potential.
One year ago you said that you are a Wisp. Where is he now and why haven't you played it during The International and why aren't you playing it now?
We had more flexible lineup before, Silent could go to hard lane, I could go and play Wisp.
Now it's not the same. So I have to play on the hard lane.
Don't you miss the Wisp?
Not really.
You also mentioned that you have a divided opinion about Dota 2. Something you like, something don't. Can you tell us more about it?
What do you like and dislike in current version?
I kinda like the current version. Hard lane was changed so it's possible to do something there now. It's not that boring to play and possible to win easily now.
You also mentioned that Kuroky is learning Russian now. How is it going for him and when will he start speaking fluently?
Ask him about Russian skills when you interview him.
Speaking seriously, does he understand some basic phrases or you still communicate in English with him?
He understands something, but we mostly communicate in English with him. We don't have much problems with it.
Did you get used to it, or some microdiscomfort takes place?
There was some discomfort in the beginning, but now everything is good.
Overall, what for are you playing now?
It's a job for me. Really good job. It's not so easy to earn the money I earn in the country where I live.
What about the recognition or emotions? Or it's in the background?
Yes, I mostly play because of money.
This interview is for the GosuGamers.net, so tell us your opinion about the site. Do you read it, what do you think about it?
I sometimes read the news there, nothing else.
Do you think something should be improved there?
It's too colorful.
So, we are almost done. Give your shoutouts.
Shoutout to our sponsors: Steelseries and Kingston. Shoutout to all my friends and our fans, thanks for your support. Shoutout to my lovely girlfriend Polina.
Thanks for the interview.