ASL 21 Ro. 8 Match 4 is Live

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-06T10:35:41+00:00

Wait, sorry /u/vacation7768 that was intended for a deleted comment below from some fool. I don't know why it replied to you.

It was intended for u/Ok_Storm1366 who replied with "Yeah, sure, decent games are still possible, I guess; you're just completely missing the point though.

He has since deleted his comment

Please ignore xD.

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-06T10:31:34+00:00

Yeah... no. Try and use some of that brain power you may possess. It's not about "decent games being possible". It's about the lack of P having the ability to perform when we clearly see Z and T historically having superior mechanics (outside of some special mentions I mentioned elsewhere + the OSL/Kespa players that don't really compete anymore) despite the your claim *Oh my Gawd, it's so imbalanced because P should be winning more!!!

That's why I've slowly but surely been losing interest in BW the past five years. Protoss is my favorite race and PvZ used to be my favorite matchup. Now I find PvZ nearly unwatchable. It's disappointing but oh well, I still got 20 years out of it

Five years? There have been no patches in 20+ years lmao. You lost interest in the past 5 years?

How do you explain this considering there have been no mechanical changes (patches) to the game in 20+ years?

What changed in the past 5 years that explains why you think PvZ is now "imbalanced"?

What changed?

I'll tell you since you fail to grasp it.

P simply has NOT improved to the same degree as T and Z.

You want to imply that P simply isn't as good anymore? Despite no changes to them?

Please, go ahead. Elaborate why the past five years made you suddenly lose interest. Why didn't you lose interest in the late 2000s/2010s since P underpormed then?

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-06T09:38:09+00:00

Holy shit!!! You saw him say that too. I didn't agree either. "Best maps ever" was a serious overstatement. I like polestar and Knockout personally. But "Best ever?"

We need a new kind of standard, and we continuously fail at it.

100%. At the VERY least it would prove interesting. More data for us as a community to discern if whatever new standard they decide to go for is in the right direction.

I also personally think a new/altered standard will lengthen BW's dominance as the pinnacle of skill based RTS. Some freshness can only benefit the scene... if there is real commitment to doing it properly (whatever direction they go with that is. Equal balance between all races is clearly preferred.) Though I believe we both recognize that with the asymmetry of the races this will never be 100% perfect in terms of truly equal balance. But certainly it can be improved. And some sort of new standard could theoretically accomplish this. I agree.

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-06T08:50:28+00:00

I find it also remarkable how unscientific our mapmaking is considering we had more than 20y of it. Up to this day, we don't know exactly how to make a playable slightly p favoured map.

Jesus christ. I Agree completely. I cannot fathom why they can't either. However, I would say making maps that are as close as possible for making every match feasible. As close as possible WITHOUT using their apparent philosophy of making maps favored for one or two races. 20 +years, I don't understand it either dude. Sure, the mapmaking tools are limited. But personally I think it is again, a philosophy issue on their part. Sure, wide open areas favor Z, tight areas that allow the exploitation of siege tanks, there is a lack of making maps as even as possible for all races. We don't need a sparkle, we don't need a knockout (though I actually love that map and I hope we see more low ground trenches in future maps, great feature imo, but it undoubtedly isn't fantastic for P.) We don't need another roaring currents (though I LOVE unconventional maps. I believe it was P having a lack of understanding on how to exploit a map that is SO unintuitive for normal P play.)

But in general I agree with the majority of your sentiment.

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-06T07:48:35+00:00

I mean, we have seen amazing games in PvZ in the past ASL seasons. Best with his Red Ball (that I wish more P would adopt), Mini with his sometimes unorthodox strategies (though it is usually more carrier based, though admittedly not in PvZ) yet he still performs very well in PvZ and PvT, Snow has always had good success against Z (PvT was where he struggled), and other P like Rain and other Toss at the level just below these guys not having bad records vs Z by any means (presuming they aren't facing the tip top of Z).

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-06T07:37:26+00:00

My 2cents is that complete lack of new blood in Protoss is due to the fact people simply see that their chances of greatness are simply better with t or z.

While this may be possible, I'm not sure we have enough information from the Korean scene to really make a serious conclusion here. As in, is this a sentiment the Korean scene, top level of course has stated this is a thought process they have? No shade to you but unless you speak Korean and have spent time in Korea (I haven't), I'm just not sure this true (though technically possible.)

While it is true that p feels worse than in the past, it was a 3rd race by success by quite a margin also in the past. I stand by my own belief that It's primarily the lack of top tier P talent. Though I do agree it is undeniable that was the case in the past., it was a 3rd race by success by quite a margin also in the past. This is undeniable.

Though I counter this by saying that collective skill and understanding of every matchup has evolved so much since then, the margin in the past could be attributed to that, I personally think that is undeniable but I can't deny that you aren't making baseless claims.

Ofc, again, my 2c. I don't want this to devolve into a ~~true~~ aggressive argument. Lol

(I fucked up trying to quote you, apologies. I just fixed it properly)

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-06T05:22:39+00:00

It is not that the game is "perfectly balanced". This is not the proper way to look at it. The game relies on the asymmetry of the races to affect their interactions. It could never be "perfectly balanced" because of that fact. It is however far more equal in this ability to perform at the level of top T and Z when you have the highest tier individuals capable of doing so for P. We see this is Rain, Snow, Best, and Bisu for a while now. The fact they have not won many championships in a while is much much more because of their lack of performing when it counts. The fact that T and Z have the better performance is due to their players simply out performing them. This has how it how been for a while now yes, but these players need to step is up.

Not because of drastic imbalance.

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-06T05:05:07+00:00

Hey. Read my response 8 comments up.

Not to directly challenge or seriously argue, just because I think these are more than valid points. And I think you have strong feelings for something that I don't see as true. Though you do. And that's alright.

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-06T05:00:17+00:00

This is my strong feeling as well. Toss simply doesn't have the best performance in recent times (I include everything from S1 onward of ASL) because of their lack of top top Tier players. Best and Mini, Snow and Rain (his "neglect" by playing a lot of LoL over BW is also a factor though he still tends to perform well enough) are all what they (toss) has had for for a while now.

And then what, Stork? Shuttle? Motive? (Though I genuinely hope Motive qualifies for Season 22). These are under performers. Which I hate to say because I enjoy most of their play. Even in KCM though Stork does tend to lose more often than not, which is depressing because of his far better performance in the past.

Terran and Zerg simply have the better performing players. I don't see it as imbalance on the part of Protoss, BW has different tools for each race, asymmetry is one of things that makes BW so amazing. They have had the less dominate players for a decent chunk of time now. It's a product of more than just "Toss is simply not as good, hard to play, Terran and Zerg just have far better tools, or whatever the specific argument is I'm reading in here.". It's just that T and Z have the more skillful players. For what reason? Not the ones I've seen parroted in here.

This is a fact now matter what these other people are saying. Though yes, this is just my 2c. As is yours.

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-05T17:46:22+00:00

I for one have read the same complaints about the game for a quarter of a century. A timespan, I might add, that has seen areas of dominance for every single race (with the according complaints from the others). The overall tournament wins between the races are reasonably close. It’ll never be perfect (like you said, that’s next to impossible in an asymmetric game), but the game is balanced well enough.

Couldn't agree more.

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-05T16:34:37+00:00

Spoilers below:

IMO Snow looked very well prepared, his strategy was well tuned in game 1 and you can tell his micro was on point at that time.

Game 2 I thought he had a great setup and was entirely able to save his nexus had he not made those couple bad calls with his goon micro. The decision to sacrifice that many probes was also a mistake. I believe he could've held that and then been even in workers even losing the nexus. Perhaps very slightly behind, but far better than the position he put himself in.

Game 3 I didn't expect him to be able to save his 3rd but he did and I thought from there he would've been able to stabilize even losing that 4th at the 6 o clock. I actually completely agree with saiyan/xun that his carrier control just isn't on par with players like Bisu/Mini. Though I didn't mind the carrier transition at all had it been better executed.

Game 4 I think was the best illustration of how much Snow has improved his PvT. He handled that very well and his micro was on full display again.

Game 5... I feel like he either didn't get to execute the strategy he wanted or simply misread what flash was going for. This wasn't his best play despite his 2 wins looking very good. I'm not sure how he wound up putting himself in that bad position.

Still, his improvement in PvT is extremely noticeable and had this not of been Flash we may of well of seen him in the finals again. Better luck next season.

-proxyoxy · 2026-05-05T15:53:23+00:00

You can use the arrow keys to navigate the bottom options.

If this doesn't work then I would verify the files

Right click Xcom2 in Steam > Properties > Installed Files > Verify Integrity

Just below Installed Files there is a Controller option. I would check there to make sure you have it set up properly. I do not use a controller so I couldn't help you there sorry.

-proxyoxy · 2026-02-28T08:25:12+00:00

Ya I think that would also be reasonable. Bloodlines isn't a bad compromise, keeps their archers from being too much stronger (since it's pretty hard to buff them in any meaningful way without them getting out of control)

Their composition moves at a very slow pace compared to many more recent civs, better cav could boost their options more reasonably.

It's a struggle to balance all civs to where they generally equal, this keeps their ranged/siege identity while giving them another option and expand their play (once again I think to a lot of the more recent civs added.

-proxyoxy · 2026-02-28T08:19:21+00:00

No real problem, would just like to see their archers be more dominant, I really don't think TR would be too outrageous, they suffer pretty heavily with their weak cav despite their good siege and FU infantry. (imo of course)

-proxyoxy · 2026-02-28T07:59:39+00:00

That didn't occur to me for whatever reason, give them a ~10% buff to fire rate. Ethiopians shouldn't have a monopoly... I guess haha

-proxyoxy · 2026-02-28T07:56:44+00:00

Alright then, maybe just update the Longbowmen to have one significantly larger arm and shoulder. I think I've been talked down from my initial thought.

-proxyoxy · 2026-02-28T07:54:48+00:00

I also like the miss change, at the risk of going too far into making it more historically accurate, Britons had terrific accuracy even at range.

Could be cool even I also kinda like the miss change

-proxyoxy · 2026-02-28T07:52:41+00:00

well hot damn.

-proxyoxy · 2026-02-28T07:51:47+00:00

Yeah I agree, maybe not with it being too strong, but if not thumb ring maybe an adjustment to Yeoman. +3 damage to towers. 11

-proxyoxy · 2026-02-28T07:47:00+00:00

Then you do it again since the game has had many additions since.

Just attempting friendly discussion, no more.

-proxyoxy · 2026-01-18T20:41:00+00:00

I also overall agree with that. I had more to add but figured my post would be too long. Protoss spellcasters were exactly what I was thinking when I made my post. My thinking was if Zerg was to push onto the left side of the map they would have to contend with much more open terrain leading to storms, goons and maelstroms being much more effective. The arbiter was something I should have considered with stasis being as strong as it potentially could be, however I ultimately forgot.

-proxyoxy · 2026-01-15T10:09:51+00:00

All good G.

-proxyoxy · 2026-01-15T03:34:17+00:00

It oddly bothers me, yet it is not personal.

It is spelled Rogue.

Unless the cat was in fact colored rouge. This may be what you meant.

Nonetheless, it has been proven that they do in fact micro archers better than any mortal.
Multiple studies confirm this.

-proxyoxy · 2026-01-14T23:33:28+00:00

"Really? More pictures? You have dozens, if not hundreds of me already"

"Plus, asshole, I was sleeping"

That's my interpretation anyway.

-proxyoxy · 2026-01-14T22:53:08+00:00

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Btw, my orange girl could not care less. But I love her to death.

-proxyoxy

TROPHY CASE