SEARCH LANDODGER

Fixing the CPL

If you’re like me, you probably missed most of the action from the CPL. In fact, given the amount of exposure, you might be surprised to know the CPL is already done. In the news cycle, it lasted about as...

We Lose

This might be a little esoteric on my part, but I hope people remember the old PC game called “Theme Park”. You can figure out the basic idea from the title, but the beauty was in the little details....

Buy a SourceTV Ticket

The CPL didn’t have SourceTV. The XFX regional qualifiers didn’t have SourceTV. DigitalLife didn’t have SourceTV. I hope you’ve noticed the trend, because I’m out of examples. On the other hand, three examples are enough: too many fans didn’t get...

Daily Spray (9/25)

– Listening to your fans is a good idea, but I think there’s a point where you have to make decisions in the best interest of the game, even if they’re not popular. CEVO announced Season 7 of their Counter-Strike...

Interview with Carolina's Mark Dolven

I have a lot of respect for all different kinds of people. I respect Stephen King because my brain looks a lollipop compared to his. I respect Chuck Norris because of his internet fame. (Just kidding, I respect him because...

Daily Spray (9/24)

– It’s a Team Fortress 2 bonanza! Yes, it’s finally here, although by this point I’ve forgotten what the fuss is all about. On the timeline of late-arriving games, TF2 rates ahead of Duke Nukem Forever, but far, far behind...

Daily Spray (9/19)

– Organize a parade, I updated the Source rosters!  They really needed it, too. It was starting to get dusty in there. As always, if you have rosters tips, corrections, or a set “starting lineup” to send in, please do...

WSVG Cancelled: Good or Bad Sign?

It seems counter-intuitive to call the closure of the WSVG a good sign for eSports. It was the second-biggest league (for PC gamers). Now their events and prize money have been taken away from the collective pool, and that...

CPL Aftermath: People

Every once in a while, people get into funks. They don’t always have obvious sources, either, like getting dumped or being fired. Sometimes a small funk falls from a clear blue sky like a laser-guided pile of bird poop. (Yes,...

1.6 vs. Source: CPL Winter Showdown

Everybody get off the tracks, the Munoz train is comin’ through! Toot toot! It’s been stuck in the station for a long time. New trains came out with fancy things like air conditioning, friendly conductors, and gamer-friendly double-wide seats. Even...

Pandemic Wins CPL

Congratulations to Pandemic on their CPL championship! It was a long road back from the lower bracket, but they prevailed over Turmoil 13-9 on Inferno, and 13-11 on Nuke. It was a great tournament, and I'll have a more in-depth...

Grand Finals Map 2 Live

Prematch quote: "it's gay time" -- cheekz (Turmoil) Map: de_nuke, Turmoil starts CT side. Round 1: Pandemic tries a quick upper strat that results in two kills for sauce and KwicK on defense. 1-0 Turmoil. Round 2: Turmoil's defense couldn't...

Grand Finals Map 1 Live

Turmoil vs. Pandemic (de_Inferno) Lineups Turmoil: cheekz, sasquatch, KwicK, Funshine, sauce Pandemic: Juan, n0it, paradox, Mustang, Griff Turmoil starts off their T side with a slow push towards banana, they got it down to a 3v3 after two kills from...

Upper Bracket Finals

We're underway! Pandemic scores the first round on an outside split, with paradox picking up the last two kills from under bomb train. Sasquatch comes back with a big 4-kill round outside, floating between outside and middle; sauce picks up...

Predictions

The time is almost upon us when one team will stand over the smoking corpses of their fallen opponents. Their battle cries will be heard throughout the LAN(d), and their legends will rise to near-mythic proportions among their fellow gamers....

Hyper/zomblers Match Dispute

Before I go any further, let me make this point abundantly clear: HYPER IS NOT DISQUALIFIED There was a dispute after their match with the zomblerz for using an illegal config. I’m not going to bog you down with details,...

Quick Lower Bracket Preds

Zomblerz vs. Hyper – Zomblerz dropped their first match, and now they’ve only given up four rounds in their two lower-bracket matches. I think they’re a lot more comfortable now than they were at the start of the day, and...

The Best Move I Never Saw

This was a great move during Group Play that I didn’t find time to write about, but since the network is down, I’ve got nothing but time, baby. It happened in the match between the zomblerz and n3mesis on Mill....

zomblerz vs. Eximius Recap

We’re all familiar with zomblerz nation, and there were a lot of disappointed fans  as they fell in overtime to Eximius Sports on Nuke. Anybody that wanted to see a close match between two great teams was more than...

Change of Plans

All the action was done. It was done, and we looked at all the teams going on to the second round, and we weren’t satisfied. The wildcard formula was good, but still not good enough. We felt some teams...

g3: The Experience

There are things in life you can’t learn through lectures, logic, or even fortune cookies. I know, it’s hard to believe; if 3, 13, 17, 24, 25, 26, and 32 aren’t my lucky numbers, than what are they!? But...

CPL Groups, Information

If it’s information you seek, look no further! The Great (read: lame) LANDodger has come to the rescue, with the aid of the hardworking CPL staff. I’m working on getting the rosters finalized, I’ll keep working on that tomorrow,...

The Communal Experience

It’s hard to pinpoint the biggest problem in eSports. Is it the lack of one game to market? Maybe it’s a general lack of interest in the general population. What about all the immaturity and shady “sponsors”? That’s got...

First Impression: CPL Summer, 2007

After months of anticipation, flames from all sides about which players are “online”, and maybe one constructive argument, the CPL is finally underway. LANDodger is here to cover the action! When something interesting happens, wake me up. I’ve been...

Changes for CEVO?

Part of the problem with titles is they don’t get room for qualifiers. It’s a headline, and it should capture the gist of what’s written in the ensuing article. Usually it doesn’t matter, but I think it needs to be explained...

CAL|Gancorz Interview

He's overseen change, but doesn't take bribes. He's CAL|Gancorz, the CS:S Game Manager for CAL, and he was kind enough to answer some questions for LD.

CAL|Daniel Interview

Mr. Colbert does an interview every night, and it's time for my second in two days. If you've ever wondered about CAL-QC, wonder no more. CAL|Daniel's interview is here.

CAL|Barry Interview

I had a chance to ask CAL|Barry some questions about the CPL, CAL, and his experiences as an admin. Find the answers inside, along with some obscure Futurama references.

CPL: Summer, Winter, Sierra

Bird had Magic. The Sawx have the Yanks. Even fictional characters like Ichigo have rivals (Kenpachi, pictured). Now the CPL finally has some, and that's a good sign for eSports.

CSP Update

Pancakes on a stick won't take over breakfast, and CSP won't take over the Counter-Strike scene. Novelties that appeal to small groups of people just don't cut it.

Shut Yo Mouth (Talkin' 'bout Maps)

If I told you five years ago that we'd have six viable maps for competitive Counter-Strike in 2007, you would’ve looked at me like I was a Cylon (or a Power Ranger, whatever was cool then).  CS was the most...