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Hier ein "kleines" Interview mit IdrA bezüglich MLG und dem kommenden Patch! 
Quelle
By Overswarm
As one of the top Zerg players in the world, one of the few foreigners to find success on the Korean scene, and the winner of MLG D.C., EG.Idra is truly a force to be reckoned with. With just a few short weeks until MLG Dallas, we took the chance to speak with him about his recent return to America, his plans for MLG Dallas and the 2011 Pro Circuit Season, and the strategy’s he’s developed for the current state of the Zerg race.
MLG: You've lived in Korea for quite some time, but are now returning to America. Will this be a permanent move?
Idra: For now yes, but it is possible I'll move back to Korea either temporarily or permanently in the future. It all depends on how both scenes develop; I'd prefer to stay in the US, though.
MLG: What are you looking forward to the most about competing in the US?
Idra: I've always loved going to foreign events; you get a much more personal connection with other foreign players and particularly foreign fans. It's just a much more enjoyable experience than Korean tournaments, in my experience.
MLG: You've got quite a following here; there are pages of your quotes, dozens of photoshopped pictures and fan art centered around you, a fan club, poetry… the list goes on. How do you feel about all the attention?
Idra: It's a little bizarre—you grow up being told that computer games are a waste of time or at best just a hobby. And now there are international tournaments, televised matches, that scale of attention and fandom. It's awesome, but I'm still not really used to it.
MLG: What about the negative attention? How do you react to people who decide to harass you to try and trigger the fabled "Idra rage?"
Idra: Doesn't bother me at all—most of it is silly and exaggerated. If people choose to get worked up about it, I just ignore it. Though I do think it's kind of bad for the scene, how much the community tends to focus on drama and stupid stuff over the game itself.
MLG: All right; let’s talk about the game. How do you plan on practicing for the MLG Pro Circuit?
Idra: I've been playing a lot on the European ladder, and a bit on the American ladder, to get re-accustomed with foreign styles of play. For actual practice it's largely with my teammates and friends—I've been playing a lot with Skew and Axslav and will be practicing with the rest of my teammates as we all gear up for Dallas.
MLG: You were recently eliminated from IEM by Squirtle, a top Protoss player, in a close 2-3 series. What are your thoughts on that set, and what do you think you could have done differently to win it?
Idra: I should've played more conservatively in the fifth set; the positions and matchup were bad for me so I decided to do a risky all-in build and hope to get lucky. In retrospect, I think that was unnecessary and I would've outplayed him in a standard game. It was a very disappointing match overall. I won two macro games and then lost three times to silly little mistakes that could have been avoided.
MLG: A lot of players watching your matches have commented on your builds being solid, but predictable; do you agree with this sentiment?
Idra: Yes, that's generally accurate. I'm not as one-dimensional as my reputation would claim but I do aim to play very safely and conservatively in general. Playing Zerg also plays a large part in that; we have the most limited amount of viable builds and most of our aggressive builds are quite risky.
MLG: Do you feel that the lack of viable strategies is a result of how Zerg is currently balanced, or do you think that Zerg's design naturally produces conservative play?
Idra: It's mainly the defensive capabilities of the other races and the short range of hatch tech units. Forcefields, walls, bunkers, and cannons are all very good at nullifying Zerg aggression. The Creep mechanic [matter] as well; Zerg units are designed to be most effective on Creep and you can never have creep at [your opponent’s] base early on in the game.
MLG: How do you adapt your play when an opponent does something unique or creative that puts you out of your comfort zone?
Idra: That's a situation you never really want to be in as a competitive player. That's why it's necessary to practice so much, so you do have experience with almost every situation. If you are caught off-guard, the best general tactic is to apply pressure to your opponent so they're not able to execute whatever they have planned as they want to. They're aiming for a situation where they know what to do and you don't, so you have to do something to prevent that unless you're much better than them and can simply outplay them.
MLG: July has been tearing it up in the GSL lately using a lot of aggressive strategies. Do you think this style of play has a future for Zerg? [Please note: this interview was conducted shortly before the GSL Code S Finals between STJuly and OgSMC.]
Idra: Not really. I think MC is going to show just how fragile July's play is in the Finals. Nada played completely into July's hands in their match, playing aggressive timing pushes versus July's low Drone style, while if he had just pulled back and played defensively he could’ve won easily. And Anypro is simply not a top level player; beating him in the Semifinals isn't particularly meaningful. July's run has been a result of lucky circumstances and an unusual style that his opponents weren't prepared for. But it’s certainly not something that’s viable long-term.
MLG: Are there any good players hiding under the radar that you think we should look for throughout the MLG Season?
Idra: I wasn’t playing with foreigners very much at all while I was in Korea, so I'm not very familiar with anyone but the top players, and I haven't run into anyone unknown and good on the ladder yet. I do think Skew/SKU is likely to do very well. He's a very talented RTS player who started SC2 relatively late and is already easily the best macro Terran in the US. Given some more experience with the game, I think he'll be a top level player.
MLG: Patch 1.3 on the PTR currently has the Infestor's Fungal Growth changed; it now deals damage in four seconds rather than eight, and deals extra damage to armored units. How do you think this will change Infestor usage in Zerg matchups?
Idra: It's going to be a massive change for Zerg. I think Infestors are going to be overpowered against Protoss now, and it's going to completely change ZvZ as it'll nullify Roaches beyond timing attacks. ZvT might not change too much, simply because Mutas are so good and it might not be worth the gas to get Infestors before the lategame. But Fungal is going to be ridiculously good now.
MLG: How do you think the Infestor change will change the Protoss army composition in ZvP?
Idra: I'm not really sure what they're going to do because their best composition versus Zerg is all armored: Stalkers, Collosi and Void Rays. And Fungal is going to destroy that now. But Protoss light units aren't very good versus Zerg into the mid/lategame; Banelings are very good if they can avoid forcefields, and Roach/Hydra is cost efficient versus light unit mixes as well. I think PvZ is likely to devolve into timing all-ins unless someone comes up with something weird.
MLG: Let's get into some strategy questions. Terran and Protoss players can block their ramps to prevent scouting, and well-placed Marines and Stalkers can prevent an Overlord from seeing any hidden tech structures. What is your advice for Zerg players in these situations?
Idra: There is no great answer to that situation; it's the basis of a good percentage of the imbalance complaints about Zerg. You just have to constantly probe their ramp with Zerglings and hope you see something. Watch for add-ons, upgrades, what is being Chronoboosted, and what units you can see. Extra Queens are usually a good option if you can't get any information at all, but at that point it’s basically a guessing game.
MLG: What is the best way for a Zerg player to deal with a maxed Terran or Protoss army?
Idra: Generally by avoiding fighting it head on. Running your opponent around with Nyduses, drops, and Zergling counters and trying to engage smaller portions of the army. Maxed Terran and Protoss armies are way too cost efficient to simply throw waves of units at, like many people recommend. Infestors are very good in this situation, as you can try to pin their army with Fungal while harassing and spreading them out.
MLG: How does a Zerg player effectively win in the midgame, before the 200/200 deathballs grow?
Idra: Generally you can't win straight out unless your opponent makes a mistake. Your goal in the midgame is to keep their army size down, particularly the important units like Collosi, Tanks, and Thors that make the endgame armies so efficient. Midgame is the one time the Zerg army should be stronger than the Terran and Protoss armies, and your mobility allows you to dictate the pace of the game. So your goal is to simply force them to engage at some point by running around and finding a weak point, and forcing them to defend it. Or if you have a large enough army advantage, you can simply attack them head-on and try to trade armies.
MLG: Many of the new maps being played competitively are fairly large. How should a Zerg player go about putting pressure on his opponents on these larger maps, given that spreading Creep is much more difficult?
Idra: Being more reliant on Mutas and Nyduses, circumventing the need for Creep. But it is much more difficult, especially versus Protoss where it's very risky to go Mutas. However, the size of the maps does make it much easier for Zerg to establish a huge economy and get to Hive tech while mass expanding, making the harass-based counterattacking lategame much more effective.
MLG: Do you think there is ever an excuse for a player to all-in, or is it always a bad idea?
Idra: My criticism of all-in styles has never been that it’s a bad idea, but just that it removes skill from the game and generates luck-based results. However, there are certainly situations where it’s good. If your opponent is better than you, an all-in often is your best chance to win. And all-ins can be very useful psychologically in series play, making your opponent nervous for future games.
MLG: Phoenix openings in PvZ have become more popular as of late. How do you deal with their harassment effectively without falling behind?
Idra: You just want to absorb it as well as possible while making a ton of Drones and expanding again, mainly with Spore Crawlers and extra Queens. Phoenixes are very annoying but they aren't very dangerous unless you're caught completely off-guard. Most of the time if Phoenix builds are successful it's because the Zerg player overreacts, treats them as if they're a significant threat instead of just harassment.
MLG: What advice would you give to the players out there who want to do well at MLG Events? How should they improve?
Idra: There's no shortcut; you just have to practice a ton. And play reliable, safe styles. There's room to branch out strategically once you have the mechanics and execution of the game down. But without that you won't be able to do anything as well as you should.
MLG: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Zerg players are probably scribbling notes as they read this! Do you have any shoutouts before you go?
Idra: I'd like to thank all my fans for supporting me and cheering for me, and thank my team Evil Geniuses and all our great sponsor:, Intel, Steel Series, MSI notebook, Bigfoot Networks, Kingston HyperX, and thermaltake.
As one of the top Zerg players in the world, one of the few foreigners to find success on the Korean scene, and the winner of MLG D.C., EG.Idra is truly a force to be reckoned with. With just a few short weeks until MLG Dallas, we took the chance to speak with him about his recent return to America, his plans for MLG Dallas and the 2011 Pro Circuit Season, and the strategy’s he’s developed for the current state of the Zerg race.
MLG: You've lived in Korea for quite some time, but are now returning to America. Will this be a permanent move?
Idra: For now yes, but it is possible I'll move back to Korea either temporarily or permanently in the future. It all depends on how both scenes develop; I'd prefer to stay in the US, though.
MLG: What are you looking forward to the most about competing in the US?
Idra: I've always loved going to foreign events; you get a much more personal connection with other foreign players and particularly foreign fans. It's just a much more enjoyable experience than Korean tournaments, in my experience.
MLG: You've got quite a following here; there are pages of your quotes, dozens of photoshopped pictures and fan art centered around you, a fan club, poetry… the list goes on. How do you feel about all the attention?
Idra: It's a little bizarre—you grow up being told that computer games are a waste of time or at best just a hobby. And now there are international tournaments, televised matches, that scale of attention and fandom. It's awesome, but I'm still not really used to it.
MLG: What about the negative attention? How do you react to people who decide to harass you to try and trigger the fabled "Idra rage?"
Idra: Doesn't bother me at all—most of it is silly and exaggerated. If people choose to get worked up about it, I just ignore it. Though I do think it's kind of bad for the scene, how much the community tends to focus on drama and stupid stuff over the game itself.
MLG: All right; let’s talk about the game. How do you plan on practicing for the MLG Pro Circuit?
Idra: I've been playing a lot on the European ladder, and a bit on the American ladder, to get re-accustomed with foreign styles of play. For actual practice it's largely with my teammates and friends—I've been playing a lot with Skew and Axslav and will be practicing with the rest of my teammates as we all gear up for Dallas.
MLG: You were recently eliminated from IEM by Squirtle, a top Protoss player, in a close 2-3 series. What are your thoughts on that set, and what do you think you could have done differently to win it?
Idra: I should've played more conservatively in the fifth set; the positions and matchup were bad for me so I decided to do a risky all-in build and hope to get lucky. In retrospect, I think that was unnecessary and I would've outplayed him in a standard game. It was a very disappointing match overall. I won two macro games and then lost three times to silly little mistakes that could have been avoided.
MLG: A lot of players watching your matches have commented on your builds being solid, but predictable; do you agree with this sentiment?
Idra: Yes, that's generally accurate. I'm not as one-dimensional as my reputation would claim but I do aim to play very safely and conservatively in general. Playing Zerg also plays a large part in that; we have the most limited amount of viable builds and most of our aggressive builds are quite risky.
MLG: Do you feel that the lack of viable strategies is a result of how Zerg is currently balanced, or do you think that Zerg's design naturally produces conservative play?
Idra: It's mainly the defensive capabilities of the other races and the short range of hatch tech units. Forcefields, walls, bunkers, and cannons are all very good at nullifying Zerg aggression. The Creep mechanic [matter] as well; Zerg units are designed to be most effective on Creep and you can never have creep at [your opponent’s] base early on in the game.
MLG: How do you adapt your play when an opponent does something unique or creative that puts you out of your comfort zone?
Idra: That's a situation you never really want to be in as a competitive player. That's why it's necessary to practice so much, so you do have experience with almost every situation. If you are caught off-guard, the best general tactic is to apply pressure to your opponent so they're not able to execute whatever they have planned as they want to. They're aiming for a situation where they know what to do and you don't, so you have to do something to prevent that unless you're much better than them and can simply outplay them.
MLG: July has been tearing it up in the GSL lately using a lot of aggressive strategies. Do you think this style of play has a future for Zerg? [Please note: this interview was conducted shortly before the GSL Code S Finals between STJuly and OgSMC.]
Idra: Not really. I think MC is going to show just how fragile July's play is in the Finals. Nada played completely into July's hands in their match, playing aggressive timing pushes versus July's low Drone style, while if he had just pulled back and played defensively he could’ve won easily. And Anypro is simply not a top level player; beating him in the Semifinals isn't particularly meaningful. July's run has been a result of lucky circumstances and an unusual style that his opponents weren't prepared for. But it’s certainly not something that’s viable long-term.
MLG: Are there any good players hiding under the radar that you think we should look for throughout the MLG Season?
Idra: I wasn’t playing with foreigners very much at all while I was in Korea, so I'm not very familiar with anyone but the top players, and I haven't run into anyone unknown and good on the ladder yet. I do think Skew/SKU is likely to do very well. He's a very talented RTS player who started SC2 relatively late and is already easily the best macro Terran in the US. Given some more experience with the game, I think he'll be a top level player.
MLG: Patch 1.3 on the PTR currently has the Infestor's Fungal Growth changed; it now deals damage in four seconds rather than eight, and deals extra damage to armored units. How do you think this will change Infestor usage in Zerg matchups?
Idra: It's going to be a massive change for Zerg. I think Infestors are going to be overpowered against Protoss now, and it's going to completely change ZvZ as it'll nullify Roaches beyond timing attacks. ZvT might not change too much, simply because Mutas are so good and it might not be worth the gas to get Infestors before the lategame. But Fungal is going to be ridiculously good now.
MLG: How do you think the Infestor change will change the Protoss army composition in ZvP?
Idra: I'm not really sure what they're going to do because their best composition versus Zerg is all armored: Stalkers, Collosi and Void Rays. And Fungal is going to destroy that now. But Protoss light units aren't very good versus Zerg into the mid/lategame; Banelings are very good if they can avoid forcefields, and Roach/Hydra is cost efficient versus light unit mixes as well. I think PvZ is likely to devolve into timing all-ins unless someone comes up with something weird.
MLG: Let's get into some strategy questions. Terran and Protoss players can block their ramps to prevent scouting, and well-placed Marines and Stalkers can prevent an Overlord from seeing any hidden tech structures. What is your advice for Zerg players in these situations?
Idra: There is no great answer to that situation; it's the basis of a good percentage of the imbalance complaints about Zerg. You just have to constantly probe their ramp with Zerglings and hope you see something. Watch for add-ons, upgrades, what is being Chronoboosted, and what units you can see. Extra Queens are usually a good option if you can't get any information at all, but at that point it’s basically a guessing game.
MLG: What is the best way for a Zerg player to deal with a maxed Terran or Protoss army?
Idra: Generally by avoiding fighting it head on. Running your opponent around with Nyduses, drops, and Zergling counters and trying to engage smaller portions of the army. Maxed Terran and Protoss armies are way too cost efficient to simply throw waves of units at, like many people recommend. Infestors are very good in this situation, as you can try to pin their army with Fungal while harassing and spreading them out.
MLG: How does a Zerg player effectively win in the midgame, before the 200/200 deathballs grow?
Idra: Generally you can't win straight out unless your opponent makes a mistake. Your goal in the midgame is to keep their army size down, particularly the important units like Collosi, Tanks, and Thors that make the endgame armies so efficient. Midgame is the one time the Zerg army should be stronger than the Terran and Protoss armies, and your mobility allows you to dictate the pace of the game. So your goal is to simply force them to engage at some point by running around and finding a weak point, and forcing them to defend it. Or if you have a large enough army advantage, you can simply attack them head-on and try to trade armies.
MLG: Many of the new maps being played competitively are fairly large. How should a Zerg player go about putting pressure on his opponents on these larger maps, given that spreading Creep is much more difficult?
Idra: Being more reliant on Mutas and Nyduses, circumventing the need for Creep. But it is much more difficult, especially versus Protoss where it's very risky to go Mutas. However, the size of the maps does make it much easier for Zerg to establish a huge economy and get to Hive tech while mass expanding, making the harass-based counterattacking lategame much more effective.
MLG: Do you think there is ever an excuse for a player to all-in, or is it always a bad idea?
Idra: My criticism of all-in styles has never been that it’s a bad idea, but just that it removes skill from the game and generates luck-based results. However, there are certainly situations where it’s good. If your opponent is better than you, an all-in often is your best chance to win. And all-ins can be very useful psychologically in series play, making your opponent nervous for future games.
MLG: Phoenix openings in PvZ have become more popular as of late. How do you deal with their harassment effectively without falling behind?
Idra: You just want to absorb it as well as possible while making a ton of Drones and expanding again, mainly with Spore Crawlers and extra Queens. Phoenixes are very annoying but they aren't very dangerous unless you're caught completely off-guard. Most of the time if Phoenix builds are successful it's because the Zerg player overreacts, treats them as if they're a significant threat instead of just harassment.
MLG: What advice would you give to the players out there who want to do well at MLG Events? How should they improve?
Idra: There's no shortcut; you just have to practice a ton. And play reliable, safe styles. There's room to branch out strategically once you have the mechanics and execution of the game down. But without that you won't be able to do anything as well as you should.
MLG: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Zerg players are probably scribbling notes as they read this! Do you have any shoutouts before you go?
Idra: I'd like to thank all my fans for supporting me and cheering for me, and thank my team Evil Geniuses and all our great sponsor:, Intel, Steel Series, MSI notebook, Bigfoot Networks, Kingston HyperX, and thermaltake.
Quelle
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