Posts from Heroic stories.

We were hanging out at German’s place back then. It was the 2nd Krasnodar gathering. There was Kobra, Matrosoff, Mustik, Titan JZ, and you and me. And we weren’t just sitting there, we were mostly lying down – there are even pictures of it.

Okay, I give up: chop off my head! :smile50: :smile10: :smile39:

Following in the wake of the Kyiv impressions, I'm publishing my interview with Forrest (because it's long overdue!). And reaching the CIS finals is an excellent achievement, further underlining the relevance of such an interview!

Forrest:
Hi Kostya
congrats on the diploma!
the scout heroes passed you on successfully))

KostyaN‎:
Hey, Tol!
Thanks!
well, I calculated it all 5 moves ahead)

Forrest:
nice one
try to play more boldly
found a Griffin Conservatory, so always think about how to take it
and not in 10 days, but in 2-3)
found a Dragon Utopia, so think about how to take it

KostyaN‎:
yeah, I'm trying... but not doing so well yet

Forrest‎:
well, you've got talent
play more with analysis afterwards
you should turn out to be a good player

KostyaN:
thanks, I'll try)

Forrest:
and you write very beautifully - it's pleasant to read

KostyaN:
listen, since you're already here and I'm not playing yet, can't wait for the tournament players - maybe you could give me something like an interview for the "Heroic Stories" topic? Because it already has everyone, but not you
I've been wanting to catch you for a long time)

Forrest:
well, I've got about 30 minutes, let's do it
just write modestly about me) I'm just an ordinary Heroes player

KostyaN:
I've always been curious, where do you get that bookmaker's instinct, calculating all sorts of odds and so on?

Forrest:
that's been my main job for 11 years

KostyaN:
ah, I see then, back in my day I placed bets from time to time - mostly on football, but never won more than 300 UAH, and now they've bloody banned it altogether...

How did you come to Heroes? through parts 1 and 2? or did you start playing "Three" right away? and who got you hooked?))

Forrest:
I studied at the Physics and Mathematics Faculty. Didn't play games. But in my second year I saw Heroes 2. First I said, "This is a stupid game"
But I tried it right away, played for about 15 hours straight. But common sense won out in the end and I didn't play until the end of university.
Then when Heroes 3 came out, I remembered how fun it was to play Heroes 2 and installed Armageddon's Blade. Started playing a lot)

KostyaN:
single-player or with people already?

Forrest:
We started playing hot seat right away. (hardly played campaigns or fixed maps) Then over LAN for stakes. That was 2002-2004

KostyaN:
yeah, I didn't even have a computer back then...

Forrest:
We played without XL KI rules. Then on the Arma portal they created an online movement and I signed up right away, while simultaneously playing on TuHa
That was around 2005 I think, maybe 2004)
When I came online I thought I'd be a total bot, played very diligently and was very nervous)
But apparently 3 years of binge-playing in clubs weren't wasted and I started playing above average

KostyaN:
"TuHa" - what's that?

Forrest:
tuheroes.com
a foreign site
the one that banned Antala) for not understanding his play)
I played there a few times - won, which I was incredibly happy about. Including against a guy from the Portal with the title - King (nickname Miron)
When the Armageddon "Seasons" appeared, I gave up on tuh

KostyaN:
so that's the same Miron who was King even before Vitalik, it turns out?..

Forrest:
yep. Miron was a cool Heroes player, he had his own site about Heroes with a lot of info on the game mechanics
he was about 40-45 years old back then I think
But after the first Arma tournament he stepped away from online, showing a poor (in his opinion) result
I'd like to add about binge-playing) I played from work. Saved the game there until 21:00, brought the save home and continued from there
We played without the internet, via modem
when one person calls another via modem, the modem picks up the phone - you get a LAN)
so I played like that for about 2 years, almost every day)
With breaks for fishing
That's my main hobby by the way. More than Heroes)
I see Heroes as something to fill the pause between fishing trips)

KostyaN:
what can you boast about regarding fishing, by the way?

Forrest:
I participate in competitions. I've won)
My main hobby is carp fishing. I also like float fishing, spinning, and feeder fishing
The biggest carp I caught was 9 kg.

KostyaN:
Wow!
too bad I didn't get to try the fish you brought to Kyiv, it all got distributed past Krega's place somehow...

let's get back to our muttons, i.e. Heroes))
so it turns out you only learned online? there wasn't really a specific Heroes scene in Kakhovka (like in our Nikopol) was there?

Forrest:
there was, and a good one.
There was a group of about 5-7 people.
Roughly equal in skill
But online I took a step forward

I played a lot with Ansient (from Khabarovsk) with subsequent analysis

KostyaN:
I see, and what's the secret, if there is one, to your achievements?

Forrest:
Then with Armagedda

KostyaN:
you're anticipating my questions)))

Forrest:
And what do you consider my achievements?)

KostyaN:
well, the fact that everyone fears you, like Fischer in chess back in the day - that's already a serious achievement, and you have plenty of wins over the old guards!
according to many, you're in the top three to five strongest Heroes players currently playing, after all!

Forrest:
After university my brain was, so to speak, overclocked) Heroes helped keep it toned further.
I always try to set clear tasks in the game. Simplify them if possible (to make it more reliable and manageable)

KostyaN:
what do you prefer more, regular Heroes or Tactics Corner 3?

Forrest:
I always played with an eye on FB. That is, I knew how to win it, if this plus that happened. And I looked for those components.
I believe that in Heroes, FB decides the game; you can compensate for a lot through smart FB.

Of course I love Heroes more. TC3 is only a small part of it. But what attracts me to it is the complete balance. There, you won't be faced with angels on day 1-1-6 while you have 20 imps)
In the last two years I played mostly only tc3. (there are a few players I play with for money) But just before the qualifiers I signed up for HeroesWorld tournaments and trained in random.

KostyaN:
well, balance or not, Cove-Conflux still get vetoed right away (that's about TC3)...

Forrest:
well yeah) but you don't play Inferno against red Necropolis in random either)
same there, some Castle is better, some is worse. But with a draft it's, in my opinion, completely balanced. That is, everything is in your hands. Play and show what you can do, there's no generator. There's you and your skill) The opponent and their skill
Well, and the Boots of Resistance too)

KostyaN:
yeah, which so inappropriately like to appear in Dragon Utopias instead of some useful artifact

Forrest:
well, you remember your Dragon Utopia against Syoma

KostyaN:
and in TE, the balance is better than in SoD overall, isn't it? I wonder why there's now this trend where many TE players are returning to SoD, at least you and Stinger, who I remembered...

Forrest:
TE is undoubtedly a better game
But I love SoD because it's like real life) not without its flaws)
And TE is a fairy tale)
TE is more pleasant to play. In SoD you need to show more spirit when you're dealt 10 gnolls

KostyaN:
well said!
(about life and fairy tale)

Forrest:
They switch for a simple reason: In TE they constantly add something, not everyone can keep up and understand the software. But SoD remains the same) So they play that.
I started playing SoD because on HeroesWorld a lot of people play SoD among those who play during the day (for example Skorp)
In TE, by the way, I play without experience (with experience it's no longer Heroes 3 but a different game)
If I played SoD for 7 years, I don't see a reason not to play it even if TE exists)

KostyaN:
well, and in conclusion, so as not to bother you completely), what would you wish for wannabe Heroes players like me?

Forrest:
You have clear progress. So if you continue to think more, you'll become a strong player.
I wish you to not play as much as people usually do) but to devote more time to analyzing your own games (2-3 hours for each game)
And don't get upset about losses. You can't learn to play Heroes quickly
Like, try not going there, but if you had gone, what would it have been like - check it)
there, you lost someone, but how could you have not lost them
didn't go there, but what would have happened if you had gone
and all battles with full effort
I also recommend the method of progress
you play with someone
then you send each other saves and online via Skype analyze each day of the game for both players. Advising and criticizing each other.
I do this sometimes
That's what Volodymyr - my friend and a good player - and I do. We invented this method
We also analyze other people's saves the same way

KostyaN:
Volodymyr - is that the one called Medved?

Forrest:
I call all my friends Medvedi. A habit)

KostyaN:
well, good luck to you, Tolyan, in Heroes, especially in the CIS Finals, and in life!

Forrest:
Thank you, Kostya. You are a wonderful person!

Good afternoon, everyone. Right from the start, a heroic surprise. I'm just sitting here, not bothering anyone, and planning to record a video about the swamp, and then I get a message on AIM, "Let's play!!!"
I was really surprised when I saw the nickname; I've wanted to chat with this person for a long time, a legendary and, at the same time, open-minded individual: =Stinger=
I'll rephrase a saying that fits this topic and then we'll start the interview: Only the most worthy make the heroic world better!!!

So, let's begin...
Question 1: How did you get into Heroes, and what motivated you to dedicate a certain amount of your time to this game?

Stinger
I studied at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, lived in a dormitory there. Our dormitory had a huge computer network. At first, like most students, I played Quake, then Counter-Strike. Somewhere around 2003, I think, I went to a classmate's place, and his roommate was playing Heroes II. To my shame, I didn't know anything about Heroes before that. Anyway, I stood there, watched, saw what he was doing, and I liked it. I played it for a while, and then, again, I went to another friend, Aztec. He was playing Heroes III online with someone from the dormitory. And that's how it started... we started hanging out playing HoMM3. There were always people to play with in the dormitory, but we only played fixed maps, and the level was quite low. Then it went further...

SEM_56
Cool, great.

Stinger
I haven't finished yet.
))
Aztec, who was originally from Yakutia, had a classmate named Den, whose parents bought a two-room apartment in the Moscow suburbs. Den did everything he could to get us, Aztec and me, hooked on Heroes; he bought a computer and installed Heroes. Besides the computer, the house had 2 mattresses, and that was basically all we needed to play hot-seat )) we didn't leave there for weeks... Then, after some time, Aztec found out that tournaments were being held in Moscow. Deciding that it was time for us to stop hanging out at Den's place and start participating in tournaments, we signed up for our first Chaos tournament. That was in the summer of 2004.
The question was, what nickname should we use? Well, I didn't think for long, knowing that I was unbeatable, and I chose the nickname gepu)l(on )))))))
Surprisingly, I managed to win the first 2 games in the tournament, but then I ran into Joker, who put me in my place. And after that, having already been eliminated from the tournament, I just watched how people played, learned, and realized that my level was very low. I started taking lessons from the top players in games for money )))) And later I changed my nickname to Stinger.

SEM_56
And can I ask why Stinger?

Stinger
That's another story about my obsession )))

SEM_56
I'm not in a hurry...

Stinger
I got into a game called Disciples 2, and I didn't stop until I played it several times for each faction, I was really hooked on it. I spent a month at Den's place until I finished it...
Well, when the expansion with the elves came out, there was a unit called Stinger.
For some reason, I started to like it.

SEM_56
I see...
Question 2: What is your vision of the game? What guides you, and where does this, shall we say, exceptional ability to implement what's on the map come from?

Stinger
In general, I learned the most from Bishop's playing style. And he always tried to do everything as quickly as possible, but at the same time reliably. Therefore, when I start a game, I always try to decide what I want to do to my opponent.
Whether it's a quick rush with a warrior, a mage, or something else.
That's why I like strong castles the most, which don't need any additional buildings. On SoD, that's Dungeon, Rampart, Tower. If we're talking about a quick advance to the opponent.
Perhaps this scheme is very simplified, but the result is what matters. I don't like long, drawn-out games, especially if I have to save.
And as for the vision of the map, it's already automatic, I guess, just experience.

SEM_56
Great. Question 3: What were your first and most significant victories for you personally? Who were you playing against, where, and what were your feelings at the time?

Stinger
The most significant victories for me were in the early stages, victories over Chaos. We gathered at a club near Taiga, played Heroes for money. We had a series of games, me with Tower, him with Castle. In this series, I convincingly won. The feeling was like when you achieve something you've been striving for for a long time. I especially remember a game where I dug up the Grail on day two with Tower ))) I remember it more as a funny moment. Another significant thing for me is that every time I came to Minsk for tournaments, which was at least 5 times, I didn't lose a single game there and won all the tournaments, or shared 1st-2nd place once with Andre and once with Alex. This is, so to speak, my pride.)

SEM_56
Oh, or wow :-D
I still can't get confirmation, so I'll ask you: did you beat Utopia on the first day?
Your report:
“In SoD, if I played, it was Shakti 110 + two of my own at 35 plus 4 hidden spots, and that's it, on the third day, two convoys of 3 break through with 114 lochs, and there were 3 more convoys of 2-2-2, and there was Pandora on the pigs for a rush.”
“Sword +2+2, expert offense, bless, and on 116 I really wanted to take Utopia, which I did, losing 100 trigons and all the rush.”

Stinger
Well, yes, it happened )) It all depends on the situation, and specifically, whether there will be a Utopia that can be taken, and there were opportunities to take Utopia on the 1st week more than once, but there wasn't the Utopia itself ))

SEM_56
Question 4: A tournament against a team of the best players in the world, was there such a thing? What can you tell us about it?

Stinger
What tournament are you talking about? ))

SEM_56
You and 4 other people: you, Forrest, Alex the Great, DS-Vasya, I don't remember who the fifth one was. against guys from Lithuania (Black Knight), England, Denmark, and someone else, 5-0 in your favor.

Stinger
Ah, about that... I didn't think of it as a team of the best players in the world )))

SEM_56
What was the name of that session?

Stinger
Tournament Bai vs. WCL

SEM_56
World League?

Stinger
Yes, basically, nothing special... just, knowing that the opponent was playing Castle, I trained Dungeon and won... Well, and I got lucky in a couple of moments in the game, of course, but you can't do without that component ))

SEM_56
You trained Dungeon and won... I don't quite understand, can you explain?

Stinger
Dungeon doesn't lose momentum with a more or less acceptable start.
That is, it starts taking all the objects literally from day 1: lairs, hidden spots, convoys, and so on, while Castle waits for the angels to be built on the 1st week... yes, of course, archers look much stronger on the 2nd week, but still, I intended to get to the center faster and take it, which I did.

SEM_56
Question 5: The latest tournaments, including Michurinsk, what can you say about them, and what is your attitude towards such tournaments, that is, traveling somewhere outside of Moscow and Russia in general?

Stinger
My attitude towards such trips has always been extremely positive. I like to travel, in general. And I can highlight the tournaments in the estate near Minsk, organized by Balamut, Vasya's tournaments, they were more focused on poker, as well as the tournaments in Kingisepp. And about Michurinsk, I can only say good things, I've been there 3 times already, and every time Eric does everything at a high level.

SEM_56
And the last question: what is your attitude towards your title as one of the strongest Heroes players on the planet, and what advice would you give to everyone who is just starting to take more or less serious steps in the Heroes community?

Stinger
I'm fine with it, I was aiming for it))) And the advice, as in any business, is to practice and strive for self-improvement!

So, we chatted and started a game, I'm Tower, Torosor - Stinger, Castle, Caitlin (was black)!!!

I learned a little about his family: his wife is Irina, he has a daughter who turned 2 years old on Monday, everyone sends their congratulations (may she grow up and make her parents happy)...

Thank you for the interview, I was very glad to chat, I hope it won't be the last time. With respect, a simple Ukrainian guy from Kyiv - SEM_56!!!

Wars have been waged since time immemorial. No matter what they are, someone perishes, someone celebrates victory and collects trophies. Some words may condemn, others may elevate, but in any case: war is the will of the devil (the Bible)...

One can recall many famous names from history, and fortunately, not only male ones. And so, by my own volition, I want to add names to the world of heroes that people will know and know their stories...

They say: a man comes into this world to fight. But what about a woman??? Is she alien to the feeling of spilled blood and the taste of victory??? No, and again no...

The ancient Spartans, as a result of the decrease in the number of their army, began to replenish their ranks with women. A certain commander (Spartan) said: a woman can bear the burden of war alongside men. But during battles, men could not bear the sight of beautiful women of this world dying on the battlefield...

But thank heavens, we have virtual wars, and representatives of the fair sex can fight on equal footing with our men. Today, we will talk about one of the Amazons...

I myself have a weakness for girls who do not quite (if I may say so) engage in "feminine" activities: flying airplanes, driving cars, buses; practicing martial arts or simply punching someone in the face;
So, I present to you an interview with the well-known, sweet, kind, charming, flirtatious, sincere (I'm getting carried away a bit, it's a weakness) Ta Kotoraya...

A message for Tatiana and her answers:

So, Tanya, there will be about 5-7 questions. There is no need to rush, answer as best you can. There is only one request: write more in your answers, that is, make them comprehensive...

I'm probably too early to be in "Heroic Stories." But if SEM, you think otherwise, then okay... I will try to give long and detailed answers.

Question 1: As you know, the computer world, and especially any games, are somewhat alien to the female sex. What attracted you to Heroes from a female perspective, and how did it happen that you became seriously involved in Heroes???

Well, I wouldn't be so categorical. Not alien – rather, girls, in my opinion, have more diverse interests. And not always are there games that appeal to them – developers are focused on the male population. Girls don't really like weapons, killings, and so on. But in Heroes, the atmosphere appealed to me – a fairy-tale world, pleasant graphics. I started with strategies in general – Civilization (even the first one!), War and Peace, Lost World, Horde, etc. Then I fell in love with Heroes – a leisurely game, the opportunity to both run around the map and fight. Then I heard about Heroes 5 (it was still in development). I was looking for information about it, stumbled upon the heroesV.net website, which later turned into HeroesWorld.ru. Here, I gradually discovered new things – new strategies, new people, new features. Initially, I played offline, then I discovered online. That's how I got hooked. I even brought my brother with me!

Question 2: As you know, you are the head of a clan and used to be very active in the life of the site, tournaments, and various heroic events. What has changed???

Well, I hope that my clan will always receive enough support and attention from me! I haven't disappeared, I haven't left completely.
However, it is true that things have changed somewhat now – work takes up a lot of time, and now I also have a rather busy personal life (secretly - (sorry guys, it's a secret)). But I'm not going to give up my favorite game – I promise! I'm just taking a short break.

Question 3: What are your greatest achievements in Heroes? What would you highlight as your most memorable experiences (tournaments, trips to tournaments in clubs, communicating with people)???

My achievements are modest. I'm an average player, but if I played as often as many people on this resource do, I'm sure I would have achieved a good level of skill. But I play more for fun.
What I remember are the people who taught me to play online (my first opponents – Geksorin, Adelaide, CrasH). Meetings with people in real life (St. Petersburg, Moscow, ESPECIALLY Michurinsk!). Tournaments – I mostly remember offline ones.

Question 4: How do you feel being one of the few girls on our site, and even the only representative of the fair sex online???

How do I feel? Probably good. I'll spice up the male company. And there are girls playing online besides me, and they play great!

Question 5: What do you think about the fact that so many guys spend their free time doing who knows what??? (suggestions, humor is welcome)

Why don't you ask how men would feel if their wife, for example, sat down at the computer instead of preparing dinner? I'm very curious!
By the way, the only surprising fact for me was the age of the players. I thought that only people up to 25 years old played. It turned out that it's more likely to be after 30, or even 40. Some have adult children playing with their fathers. That's really interesting!

Question 6: What can you say about the future of Heroes? Will you return to our ranks, or is that it, have you played enough???

Nope! You won't get rid of me!!! I'm not going anywhere... That's it.

And in general – honestly – it will be hard for me without Heroes. So I will play, I hope, for many more years.

I hope I wasn't too harsh, I'll be waiting for your answers, a true admirer of female commanders, SEM_56!!

P.S. I recently talked to a respected person. I hinted about an interview with Tatiana, but I received several interesting suggestions:

SEM_56
On Monday, I might write an interview with TaKotoraya.

Respected person
Oh, damn, she's quite a character :-D

SEM_56
Character??? Tell me about the character???

Respected person
Well, she's the head of a clan in which both Eric and Mizrael are ))
And I'm not there)))

SEM_56
And what, what clan are you in???

Respected person
I was just teasing each other at the meeting in Michurinsk. I'm not in any.

SEM_56
Religious beliefs???

Respected person
You were the first to say that )) I just wanted to create my own and take these friends with me, but, alas, they had already joined.

Please do not pay attention to the last lines. I wrote them to add a little playful mood and mystery at the end of the interview, with respect, SEM_56!!!

Hello everyone, on this wonderful Sunday, I would like to start the interview by deviating slightly from the main topic and beginning with some life philosophy!!!

Why do you need all this??? - A question that sounds more often than you'd expect...
You sit for nights before the computer instead of with me, stealing your thoughts away with heroes!!!
Without even noticing, battles, utopians, burning your nerves again over a loss..
To which you get an immediate answer:
- It's already in my blood, it's all too distant for you, you just won't understand!!

What is this for??? Simply, sometimes battles take up a lot of time. Sometimes you need to distract yourself, but forget??? NEVER!!!!

So, for your attention, I present a simple heroic conversation with one of the experienced fighters from St. Petersburg. Namely - URAN!!!

SEM_56
Hey, got 20 minutes???

Uran
Hi

SEM_56
I'm running a column called "Hero Stories," I'd like to interview you, how do you feel about that???

Uran
I'm at work and might have to step away, but otherwise I'll answer - I'll tell you everything))

SEM_56
Great, I'll send you the questions, and you can write the answers whenever it's convenient for you; the more detailed, the better, ok???)))

Uran
Ok

SEM_56
So, first question:
Your first steps towards Heroes, how did it all start and what was your interest?
No need to rush, think about it, I'm in no hurry

Uran
Around 1995 I turned on Heroes 1, but I didn't like it (didn't get the point...),
but then, when Heroes 2 appeared, a buddy came over with a disc... and for three days without sleep or rest, with breaks for runs to get dumplings and beer, we smashed enemy castles. Then mommy said STOP and put us to bed, but Heroes had already taken their niche in my soul. At first I played against the computer, but my brother liked it too and we battled together. After a year, I thought I knew how to play well... how wrong I was; it was explained to me at the very first overnight tournament I participated in. Then I played at home and over the network with acquaintances for another six months, and the next tournament went more successfully. In every battle with a strong opponent, I gained invaluable knowledge, I also watched the games of the "big shots," and after some time, I won a couple of tournaments, but in St. Pete, I started as a mid-tier player and stayed that way. Then for several years I hardly played, and on the internet I stumbled upon the HW site. Decided to remember my youth. It clicked, I won a few tournaments, but after a year I got bored (players started gaining skill quickly, new strong players appeared and I had to calculate and measure almost with a calculator, which becomes stressful). Currently, I play Heroes very rarely, maybe there's a new cycle ahead?))

Uran
Maybe I didn't write exactly what was needed...

SEM_56
Excellent!!!
2. How did you come to World and what is your attitude towards online play in general???

Uran
As I wrote above, I stumbled upon it by chance, and since I considered myself a good player, I decided to try. HW progressed quickly, and I hope it continues to gain momentum. I view online very positively, because no one will force me to play against the computer, and it's always pleasant to have a match with a good person...

SEM_56
I agree 200 percent!!!
3. Tournaments in St. Pete, what would you highlight as the most significant part of them, and would you like to participate in tournaments again???

Uran
It's hard to highlight anything... strong selection of players, good organization (almost always). I'm not against it, but there's clearly not enough time((

SEM_56
Maybe some interesting situation happened at a tournament, or one of them???

Uran
That was all a long time ago. Nothing comes to mind that is worth telling as a memory, and all those moments - when the computer kills the opponent, or when a couple of buddies are left after the finals, or when the same map out of 10 possible ones drops 5 times in one championship and you know it by heart - every player with long experience has had those.

SEM_56
4. What can you tell us about online tournaments??? I saw 2 awards in your profile, were they hard to get???)))

Uran
Medals aren't earned easily. At that time there was a real rush, and with that, you can move mountains. In my opinion, in online tournaments you need to be bolder with techs due to unplayed matches, but otherwise there were never any complaints.

SEM_56
Cool, I agree…
5. What goals did you set for yourself in Heroes and what heights did you want to reach (and did you reach them)???

Uran
Playing Heroes, you get pleasure from the process itself. Of course, it's pleasant to win. I didn't set any specific goals or objectives; the main thing was not to lower one's dignity with bickering, cheating, or rudeness…

SEM_56
Golden words, if only everyone were like that!!!
6. Why does interest in a game to which you give the lion's share of your free time fade??? And will you stop warring altogether???

Uran
When you start acting in the game on autopilot, adjusted for nuances, it becomes stressful. The "zest" disappears. Nothing is eternal and I'll still ride the horses...:-)

SEM_56
And the last question: what would you want to change in Heroes??? And what would you wish for the future generation????

Uran
If I changed everything that is unsatisfying in Heroes, it would already be a different game, perhaps better, but DIFFERENT, and I remain an eternal fan of HMM3 specifically. I wish everyone difficult victories against strong opponents and pleasant communication in the field of this great game!!!

SEM_56
Thanks Andrey for the interview, I'll format it for World tomorrow and send you the link…
It was a pleasure chatting and I hope not for the last time…
Good luck to you and success in everything)))
The guys asked me to interview you and I was interested too, so everything went great)))

Uran
Thanks for the kind words, luck…

The next interview will be with one of the Belarusian warriors, wait and watch the announcements)))

How I got hooked on the drug.

I accidentally stumbled back upon Pasha's post at the beginning of the thread, and I thought I'd scribble something too... I started reminiscing and got such a wave of nostalgia that I probably won't be able to keep it short; I'll even bring in the pre-Heroes era.:)

It all started around '99. My buddy Seryoga and I were huge football fans, but since we lived in a dorm, we didn't have much access to TV broadcasts. Plus, we wanted to watch more than the domestic channels showed (though credit where it's due — back then they managed to broadcast the Italian and English championships, unlike nowadays). My black-and-white set was moody, borrowing from neighbors didn't always work, and besides, what can you actually see on a box smaller than a 15-inch monitor with a terrible signal? There was only one person in the whole dorm — the lucky owner of a fairly large Samsung — but he only shared his passion for football under public pressure during important match days (we'd say: "It's game time — we're watching at the Samsungs"):) . By that time, betting shops had started popping up in Kharkiv like mushrooms, and the more advanced ones were equipped with blue screens. Well, if you're watching football at the bookies, naturally you'll gamble too. Analyzing it later, I realized that was the 1st step toward gaming addiction.:D
Then, for Seryoga's birthday, someone gave him a FIFA 99 disc. No clue why — neither of us even had a computer back then.:D At some classmate's birthday, we installed it, played as a duo on one keyboard (me with the letters, Seryoga with the arrows:smile04: ), and got seriously hooked. That was the 2nd step.
There were no more computers in the dorm than there were TVs — maybe 10-15. Naturally, after 7-8 hours of keyboard hammering, the computer owners started regretting letting uninvited guests near the PC, and next time they'd have weighty excuses — midterms, thesis, work, etc... But we found an alternative — computer clubs. Oh, I forgot, there was another funny moment on Seryoga's next birthday — of all the gifts, the coolest was a PC for free use for 24 hours... man, what a joy that was. :D
My first encounter with a strategy game happened exactly in the club. We dragged along another buddy, but he quickly got tired of shooters and football, and having a bit of experience with strategies, he sat down to play some confusing game called "Cossacks." "Trash," I said, and started playing it too. It turned out to be fascinating, and subsequently, we'd go for all-nighters to clash army against army.
By then, I was financially ready to buy a not-too-fancy PC (mentally I was ready much sooner). The purchase itself became the 3rd and, so far, irreversible step toward this drug.:D
We set up a small network of 6 PCs and mostly played football, NFS, and Counter-Strike. "Cossacks" turned out to be a pretty clunky game and got boring quickly. My stupid nickname came from those times. I wasn't great at CS, more of a victim than a hunter, and since the guys playing terrorists took names like "Hottab," "Osama," etc., I took an eastern one too, "Javdet" — so enemies could tell each other over the radio, "Leave Javdet alone — he's mine." :D After registering on HW, I thought about changing it, but I kind of lagged behind. To be fair, our guys were decent shooters — one guy later took a prize-winning place in Ukraine.
And then, after another battle, everyone goes into the hallway to discuss frags, and they agreed that we needed to play something else. That "something else" was Heroes. We started playing over the network in groups of five or six. After playing this unfamiliar thing for a week and waiting 10 minutes per turn for the opponents (everyone):smile18: (I'm writing this now, and LeBronych is already on turn 20), I delivered my verdict: a children's toy with a stupid name.
But there was still a need for an intellectual game. And so, about six months later, I stopped by a friend's place to nurse a hangover after another dorm feast. He was playing those hated Heroes, reloading a save several times and cursing loudly, but he still couldn't beat the computer. Having received brief instructions: "The main thing is to build something every day," I went home to crush the computer. It was an obsession — for 3 days I forgot the way to the institute, and once I got there, my mind was racing back to my "eared" Packard Bell. And the most amazing thing — I managed to hook people who hated Heroes just as much as I did. :)
In six months, the lion's share of the mechanics was learned by trial and error. And strangely enough, the game didn't get boring; on the contrary, new nuances and features were constantly being found. They still are. :) We played both hotseat and over the network, and I felt "cool." Until Denis, an acquaintance from vocational school, entered the 1st year. In Simferopol, he was part of the Heroes crowd and knew players like Virus, Boy, VVV, who took the top 2 places at one of the St. Petersburg championships (Alex should remember them). Deniska quickly demonstrated the pointlessness of building the capitol. This was a breakthrough. We played several fixes and completely without rules. After a while, I managed to beat the teacher. But the most interesting battles were still with Seryoga. By that time, we had stamps in our passports, and Heroes became a trial for both us and our wives. :D In the time stolen from the family, we played many matches. Although Seryoga played quite well, the score was a landslide — he was always just a little bit short, specifically in achieving the main objective. "A day without a battle is a wasted day." I remember a game of my warrior against Adelka — after anti-magic on 40 geese, he didn't speak to me for 2 days.:D
After graduating from university, I only played single-player. Until technical progress finally reached our street. The first thing in Google was the portal, but I waited half a year for authorization. I registered on HW immediately, thinking I'd play a bit and get bored — but no way. At first, it was hard to adjust to the randomness and I mostly lost. And after the fixes, I wondered why people took Tazar as fathers. Now it's clear.
That's all.

Good afternoon, everyone!!!
Decided to give you all a gift for the New Year in the form of an interview. I've already told some people who it would be and hinted at it, so everyone probably guessed...
Every time you sit down at the computer, pick up the mouse, turn on ICQ, Hamachi, Heroes, and start playing, something strange happens!!!
Either it's new sensations, in anticipation of victory. Or it's the excitement of showing yourself and surprising your opponent, or sometimes just relaxing, doing something you're used to (something you've become accustomed to, accepted as something familiar and your own, and forgetting about reality for a while)!!!
Is it foolishness, a pastime, childishness, a lack of childhood, you ask???
What's the answer???
For everyone, it's different, truthful, personal, and you'll agree with that answer without even thinking about it!!!
And today, that's the answer I'll give. Today, I'm talking to a man who can be called a legend in the Heroes community (and that community is already quite large), Dmitry - PALADIN!!!

I'll start, as always, with a quote, reworked by your comrade-in-arms:
Only those who fight every day are worthy of victory and glory (Aristotle - SEM_56)))

SEM_56
Hello Dmitry, I'm SEM_56, and together with Nagan (You're Glad), I run the "Heroes Stories" section. I would like to interview you as one of the strongest players in the world...

Paladin
Today is my last day playing Heroes, and I'm retiring.

SEM_56
I and many other guys would like to know more about Paladin!!!
I can write down the questions now, or later, and you can answer them later.

Paladin
Whatever is convenient for you, but I'll probably answer later, and as brothers-in-arms, we can call each other by our first names.

SEM_56
Question 1: Tell me a little about yourself. Where did you study, what did you do, and how did you get acquainted with Heroes???

Paladin
When I was a student, the games were weak and simple, but then Civilization, Dune, and Warcraft appeared. Playing these games obsessively, I eventually got to Heroes (HoMM1), and that's when everything changed. I couldn't stop, and I didn't want to. This was back in 1995, and after that, no other games interested me. But when HoMM3 came out, I forgot about everything.
Let's just say that from the moment I got acquainted with the first Heroes, it became a serious passion. Playing Hot-Seat on one computer, we could play 20-50 games a week, and we mostly played the same map, "Four Grains." The first year after I got acquainted with HoMM3 was just a passion, but then everything changed. The more skilled the player, the more experience and interest in the game.
Even when my company went bankrupt in 1999 and everything was collapsing "around me," I would sit down to play Heroes in the evening, and I would feel "peace" and bliss. But that didn't last long... my attitude towards the game changed drastically and instantly.

SEM_56
Question 2: At what point did Heroes become more than just a game, and you started to devote part of your personal time to it?

Paladin
The turning point was the first real championships. That's where I met DS_Vasya and a couple of other strong pro Heroes players (they had been playing for money in HoMM3 for over a year). And feeling the strength of my opponents, I just started to go crazy and play better and better, and it turned from "blissful pastime" into a big sport, where the beer and nuts were gone, and only dry emotions and a clear mind remained.

SEM_56
Question 3: Your first serious games and tournaments, how did you start in them???

Paladin
Probably it was in 2001. It was a shocking experience, playing in a championship and in my "sandbox" is like heaven and earth. I won the first round brilliantly. But in the second round, I lost to a player who later made it to the final and lost to DS_Vasya.
The second time I participated in a tournament a year later and took 3rd place. I played well, but really, as "Paladin," I was being targeted with magic, and I just kept going into battle. I beat everyone until I ran into DS_Vasya, and he didn't let me into the final. But after that, we became friends.
Then I played with a group of strong, gambling strategists. Now they are all in poker.

SEM_56
Question 4: Being one of the strongest in the world, how do you feel about it, and was it your goal (to become the strongest)?

Paladin
I definitely wanted to win. I have average abilities and moderate ambitions, but the desire to win has always been there. There were times when I played against a strong opponent and made mistakes, but I still won, I retreated, losing everything, and I still won. For me, the strongest Heroes players include: Stinger, DS_Vasya, and AlexTheGreat. And I'm a moody person. I know that I can beat anyone, but I don't always have the motivation. And that's bad. The best should always be the best, but I haven't reached that level yet.

SEM_56
Question 5: You say you're retiring, why, are you tired of playing or are there no opponents left?

Paladin
Right now, there are many opponents, and the level of skill is good. But this isn't the first time for me. In 2004-2005, I took a year off, and after returning in 2006, I took 1st place in a real championship in Minsk with 57 participants (until 2 losses). And during that year of break, I got married, we built an apartment with my wife, and a year later, we had a son.
And right now, I need to sort out issues that require not just time and attention, but something more profound, which, unfortunately, Heroes takes away from me. So a year-long break is simply vital.

SEM_56
Question 6: In your opinion, will Heroes have a place in the future, and will they be able to compete with sophisticated games or improved versions of Heroes?

Paladin
100%. A simple example: Heroes 4 and 5 are not random. They are definitely interesting to those who play HoMM3, but not HoMM3 itself. HoMM3 is still a classic, and if it is replaced, it will be by something equally serious. I haven't found anything like that yet. And the game isn't sophisticated, and that's a sign that it won't get boring. After all, a chessboard hasn't gotten boring in thousands of years. The same effect applies. It all depends on the opponent. I haven't played against the computer for many, many years, even out of boredom. But as long as there are real and strong opponents, it's interesting to play with them.

SEM_56
Question 7: What would you say to future comrades-in-arms, is it worth getting involved?

Paladin
This game is great and worth the effort to hone some skill and realize it. But that's also what makes it dangerous. It gives a serious outlet for some inner desire for victory, and after the game, you feel satisfied, and you're no longer driven to conquer the world, which is sad. That's why I love Heroes, but I haven't fully understood how to feel about them. If I lived forever, I would play more, but time is precious.

SEM_56
Wow, thank you so much!!!

Paladin
In reality, you can say a lot of good things about Heroes, but then I'll have to go on for a long time.

SEM_56
I understand.

Paladin
It was a pleasure to work with you.

SEM_56
It was a pleasure for me too, talking to a legend.
I was a student of AlexTheGreat, maybe someday I'll reach your level.

Paladin
Alex is also a fun guy, you won't get bored with him.
I'll be back in a year to check your level.

SEM_56
Great, I'll be waiting

Great topic. Nagan, give me the license, and I'll interview the guys about non-mainstream stuff on Bay.

Great topic. I'll get Nagan to give a license and I'll interview the guys in an informal setting on Bay.

No problem. People from St. Petersburg or Minsk could remember a lot...

What are we looking for in this game, and why doesn't a series of victories and defeats satisfy our thirst for online battles?
Why stay up all night, strategize, and try out different approaches?
Why watch replays, study VODs, and saves?

The answers will be revealed in January!

Hello everyone, this is SEM_56, and Heroic stories are back, and the first interview, after a long break, will be with Bayazet...
Champion of the CIS 2010, of the revived tournament!
We know each other personally, I've seen his games at the club, we talked a lot, as I sat next to him all the time and learned a lot and was able to take it into account!

We can do a lot, we know a lot, and we want to do a lot; we will overcome a lot, if only we win! Napoleon Bonaparte

As always, there will be questions and answers. Interesting stories and instructive tales, but most importantly, let it remain in the heart, as a reminder of the great and wise!

SEM_56
1st question: Tell me a little about yourself, about significant events and how you became acquainted with Heroes?

bayazet
It's going to be long...
Is that okay?

SEM_56
On the contrary, that's great, that's what I was aiming for!

bayazet
I was in my second year of university when I realized that without computer skills, it would be very difficult to study and work. So, thanks to the financial support of my parents, I acquired a Pentium 166. Thanks to a classmate, I quickly learned about the Heroes series when I briefly explained to him what genre I was interested in. My brother, who was studying in St. Petersburg at the time, and I put our studies on hold for a while and became fascinated by the two Heroes games. I couldn't really compete with him, but it was great to study the game together. A year or two later, the third installment of Heroes was released. New possibilities captivated us. My level caught up with his. So, hot-seat games became commonplace. Soon, a HotA map was created for all races with a fairly decent balance. When such competition became tiresome, a new era began. By chance, I learned about SingingHeart's tournaments. It was just a small article at the end of a computer magazine. According to the rules, all games were played on a single fixed map of size M. Of course, it wasn't possible to break out of my comfort zone and start winning right away, but valuable experience was gained. After meeting the Heroes community, new contacts appeared and a chance to learn about other tournaments. The organizational skills of Lord Maniac made a special impression. It was impossible to get into his tournaments directly; there was always a sieve of qualifying nights that many could not overcome. It was here that I met and played with Antal, Flamingo, Master of Lightning, Uncle Fedor, and others. I didn't achieve much success; I only confidently passed the qualifying rounds. The competition rules already included several different fixed maps. Two were intended for the nights, the rest for the final stage. During the tournaments, I found a new sparring partner (to replace my brother, who had gone home) - Punisher. I think that the huge number of games played with him in hot-seat mode determined the growth of my skill. The appearance of Horn and his creation, TE, can be said to have been my moment of glory. The advantages of experience for troops turned out to be unclear to most, which affected the result. Polished battles with neutrals allowed me to keep a large number of upgraded troops, which made the encounter with the opponent predictable, and the advantage overwhelming. After three won tournaments, a match took place with Antal. It took place on the TE version, which gave me all the chances of winning, which ultimately happened. In 2006-2007, I finally found myself on the World Wide Web. This was a transition to random maps; for a long period of time, I was sheltered by "Alaska" Sila. Heroes.by is a resource on which I played in almost all tournaments at that time. I even won a couple))).

SEM_56
2nd question: your first serious steps, tournaments, meetings, how did you find out about them, and what was your attitude to what was happening?
3rd question: your first tournaments, online, at the club, the brightest and most memorable moments?

bayazet
Meeting at one of the first tournaments with SingingHeart (he always started with Melody and Rampart)
In the final battle, he surprised his opponent by responding to an expert berserk with a mass shield and a teapot in the second round, after which the opponent decided not to block the elves, but to engage in combat, changing his usual tactics.
In one of the qualifying rounds for Lord Maniac's tournament, I knocked out one of the contenders in the first round, after which he told me for half an hour about the strategy for the second round (on the LoM map), which he had devised specifically against Antal. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough experience to fully implement it.
About the first tournaments, I can say that the main thing was curiosity, of course, who plays Heroes and how, and most importantly, what the tournament itself looks like.
Regarding Lord Maniac's tournaments, I was very confident in the qualifiers, but I came to the finals with the intention of losing.
TE tournaments were anticipated with great excitement, a sharp surge of adrenaline.
During the tournament, with the mouse in my hand, I felt confident until the decisive/controversial moments, when I didn't know what the opponent would do.

SEM_56
4th question: The final was in Kyiv, and I sat next to you and watched you. You were always in a good mood, joking, laughing, and behaving easily. Is this your attitude, or are you always so positive?
Interesting...

bayazet
Yes, when the atmosphere is right, especially this time, when so many familiar faces were at the tournament: Stinger, Vic, Cobra, Preds, Roland - I guess I relax and positivity comes out.

SEM_56
After so many years, battles, tournaments, and meetings, do you still want to participate in all of this?

bayazet
You know, when the desire disappears, it's enough to take a six-month break, and it comes back. Maybe it's nostalgia. The most amazing thing is that in almost every tournament, you learn something new about this familiar and thoroughly studied game.

SEM_56
I agree, how long have you been playing Heroes, and how often do you play?

bayazet
Since the release, we started playing, immediately after the second Heroes, so almost 12 years, since February 1999.

SEM_56
Not bad at all!
6th question, and it will be one short one: What do you think, does Heroes have a future, and what might it be?

bayazet
As long as there are enthusiasts like Four, Horn, Vic, Me, and Asm, who are promoting Heroes to a new level, this game cannot die.
How many new fans it will attract, I think it will, new people will replace those who have left, at least that's how it was. There is a kind of principle of preserving players.

SEM_56
Yes, that's true...
And the last question, or rather, a request: what can you wish or say wisely, because you are an old-timer and have deservedly made your name in Heroic history, to those who have been playing for some time and are just starting out?

bayazet
I'll think about it...
I couldn't think of anything smart.
"less poker"
In principle, in my opinion, poker takes away the most strength and players from Heroes.


That's it, is there anything else to add? Everything has been said, with respect, SEM_56!
P.S. photo of the champion...

bayazet
I'll think about it...
Couldn't come up with anything clever.
"less poker"

Heh, you're right, nothing more brilliant can be thought of here.

Hello everyone, this is SEM_56, and I have a small but delightful surprise for you!
As you know, few members of the fairer sex participate in the world of Heroes...
But they do exist! These are Amazons, warrior goddesses, beasts, furies, but in a positive sense, girls...

Today, or rather yesterday, I managed to subtly find out about Tatiana's interest in Heroes, also known as Scorpionaa)))

The conversation turned out to be short but interesting. And you, dear readers of heroic stories, will enjoy this dialogue, as will I...

SEM_56
I'd like to know, what sparked such an interest in Heroes for an adult woman?))

Scorpiona
I think that mostly people in that age group play Heroes.
They came out when I was in my second year of university.
They just stuck with me:-)

SEM_56
And who introduced you to them?

Scorpiona
My brother's friends, they were playing, and I joined them.

SEM_56
At the same computer, for long nights?))

Scorpiona
That happened too. We usually went to an internet cafe at night, about 6 of us, and played Cossacks, and then the rest of the night we played Heroes.

SEM_56
Interesting, were you the only girl in that group?

Scorpiona
yes

SEM_56
Did they tease you or make fun of you for not doing something right?))

Scorpiona
I never had girlfriends, I only hung out with guys.
I beat them all:-)))))))))))

SEM_56
Awesome))

Scorpiona
Only Contra was difficult for me, they even used a knife on me)

SEM_56
Well, I've always said that girls should be better at playing Heroes))

Scorpiona
what do you mean?

SEM_56
Well, because a woman's mind and attention are focused on details, and the game is built on details...

Scorpiona
hmm..but mostly guys play:-)

SEM_56
Yes, it's a strange pattern,
the desire to fight and hunting instincts, that's why we play))

Scorpiona
hehe)

SEM_56
That's just the way men are)
the desire for victory
in everything))

Scorpiona :-)

SEM_56
Then one more question, if you don't mind?

Scorpiona
sure

SEM_56
There are fewer internet cafes now, so you moved online, quietly clicking away on the network?))

Scorpiona
I only played Heroes with close friends....but I got bored of always winning...and then I came across GR and saw how many people play Cossacks!
And at what level!
So I got hooked again:-)

SEM_56
I understand, but it still doesn't quite add up, how a girl can devote so much of her attention to a game))

Scorpiona
My husband doesn't like it either, but I don't watch TV, I don't chat with girlfriends for hours, and I spend all my free time playing:-)
And now it was the weekend, so I had a lot of time...

SEM_56
I understand, I'll ask one more question and then I'll stop, okay?

Scorpiona
ok)

SEM_56
How do you rate your chances in the novice tournament, and will you continue to play after it ends?))

Scorpiona
hehehe)
I consciously went there just to gain experience)
And whether I'll keep playing or not depends on my mood and desire. I'm still keen to play, but I might get bored...I don't know...

SEM_56
I understand, thank you for your time...

And in keeping with the tradition of interviews, here is a photo of Tatiana..

I fell head over heels.)))
That Scorpio is great:smile23: