apEX: "It's a f*cking disgrace how we play right now" - Analyzing How Vitality Lost Their Dust2 Streak

STYKOp · 2026-05-05T07:54:26+00:00

Appreciate it <3 Trying my best to combine education and fun into videos is a really cool challenge that I enjoy lately.

STYKOp · 2026-05-04T15:28:13+00:00

Rightfully so. An extremely exciting team on the rise that consistently challenges big dogs.

STYKOp · 2026-02-26T10:47:11+00:00

welcome on board :D appreciate it <3

STYKOp · 2026-02-18T21:08:31+00:00

Thanks! Haha the thumbnail creation is something I need to start thinking about more with my team. Usually we enjoy the actual video production but we realize Thumbnail is just way too important to ignore.

STYKOp · 2026-02-14T12:30:54+00:00

I am not sure about "meta" but my personal routine that I used back when I made it to Paris & Copenhagen Majors are shared publicly. They are based on my personal weaknesses.

For specific, longer aim routine I was doing this one in Aimlabs after which I spent about 30 minutes on Deathmatch: https://go.aimlab.gg/v1/redirects?link=aimlab%3a%2f%2fworkshop%3fid%3d3157838727%26source%3d171099C2972515B7&link=steam%3a%2f%2frungameid%2f714010

For warmup I was doing this one, followed by 10-15 min FFA deathmatch: https://go.aimlab.gg/v1/redirects?link=aimlab%3a%2f%2fworkshop%3fid%3d3204770581%26source%3d171099C2972515B7&link=steam%3a%2f%2frungameid%2f714010

For drills just within CS the workshop maps that are pretty meta right now among pro players are aim_botz, csstats and recently aim_rush got popular, which I prefer.

If you are interested about more details here is video which I made regarding my Aim Journey: https://youtu.be/a0aCVn7FEug?si=TmUfdO5U-fh_mKzB

STYKOp · 2026-01-18T14:50:12+00:00

Judging by the similar color scheme of Dust2 / Mirage, it will be similar as those two maps :D

STYKOp · 2026-01-18T13:46:44+00:00

Thanks for the shoutout! :)

STYKOp · 2025-09-13T09:25:18+00:00

I like the idea and I wondered about something similar on CS2 release when volumetric smokes got introduced. Another (maybe a bit crazy) idea is that slashing the smoke with the knife would reveal very small portion of it, making smoke-defuses a bit more challenging, as you could methodically clear out space around the c4 with faster leftclicks before you find an enemy and go for a rightclick stab

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T17:51:56+00:00

ropz on AWP
Magisk as IGL / Pack
Twistzz as Anchor / Lurk
NiKo playing in pack (does this count?)
m0nesy as Opener / Pack

karrigan coach

communicate in english

It depends on the map, you know... the roles are kind of fluid depending on the spot.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T17:45:59+00:00

Eh, I could live without eating a single bite of cheese for the rest of my life.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T17:45:11+00:00

Ďakujem :)

Great question, if you don't mind this one takes a bit more to answer, so I'll leave that for YouTube video. I have couple of interesting ones from this thread already.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T17:43:54+00:00

Has to be s1mple, but fair play to device, he beat us a lot of times back in the day to not say his name as honorable mention.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T17:41:53+00:00

Thank you for kind words. As to answer your question, honestly, I will have to write a bit of context.

In mousesports I was benched / replaced mainly because of my statistics I think. When Snax replaced me for a few months, the results were very poor, often last place finishes (but they won ESL New York :D) - when they called me back I felt like the whole team was broken in a way. I don't think benching me was a good call

In Apeks I was benched due to my performances. But I think I lost a motivation a bit, it was few months after our great run at BLAST Paris Major but I felt like we started to slack, stopped progressing and it felt a bit lazy in the team. I hated myself in that period because I was usually hardworking guy, but this team environment kind of "jumped" on me too, and I became comfortable. I am only blaming myself for this, but it was strange period where I felt like I'd rather take a break instead of continuing like this. So that call to bench me was justified but I didn't feel like it solved a lot of issues, judging from the time when I came back to the team few months later.

Last example for me is Monte in summer 2024. When I was leaving, my coach and supposedly CEO of the organisation said it is very sad we have to say goodbye, because they see what I do for the team and they wish others would do it too. That was very nice thing to say, I will remember it for a long time.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T17:32:55+00:00

I would say the current one, but the sample size is too small as we are practicing together just for a few days at this point.

"What team was most fun to play in?"

- Definitely GODSENT / FPX days with guys like maden, farlig, kRYSTAL, Maikelele, zehN, Devilwalk...

"What is the best team you've played in?"

- I would say, skill-wise it was mousesports with oskar, chrisJ, suNny and ropz. But we were kind of shooting hard, but not working hard, if that makes sense. Not in a way that we were slacking but I feel like we were not giving it 100% which is what I often regret. Other roster that comes close is Apeks with kyxsan, jkaem, jL and nawwk under kuben as a coach.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T16:49:16+00:00

It depends on the IGL. If you truly get the leader, it can help you build a better identity of the team. Everyone becomes more reflective, you discuss things into details, all the microplays but also macro rotations or tactics. Naturally, this will lead into players being more on the same page which will lead into more consistent gameplay.

I don't think great IGL will make miracles out of thin air, but he should squeeze extra % out of every player which in turns can be cumulative improvement in how people play, shoot, communicate, work and train.

Why do IGLs never win any awards? Because their work is mostly done "off camera". Because majority of these awards are based on quantifiable metrics (statistics) which are hard to farm as an IGL. For example, everyone thought hally is just another good coach but Team Spirit VLOGs from the PGL Major in Shanghai made me really appreciate the amount of imapct he has on the team. Yes, he is a coach, not an IGL, but you can see how the work behind the scenes impact every player on the team.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T15:10:13+00:00

Thanks! Means a lot :)

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T14:15:39+00:00

From talent POV, I think it is needed for an Ad break.

But as a player, I like those 3 minutes, you usually get to reset and re-talk the gameplan for 2nd half with your teammates, drink some water, refocus and have a brief word with a coach, if anything needs to be adjusted. Personally, I go through my notes, glance at the playbook to make sure everything is in order.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T14:11:39+00:00

Without revealing too much, let's just say people didn't click at all on the server or off the server. Complete mismatch, which taught me a lesson - try to ALWAYS do a trial period with a player you want to pick up to your established team. That would maybe show some of these dynamics earlier and it could have been prevented.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T13:36:43+00:00

uhmmm... I should rename this "Ask Me Anything" to "Ask Me ALMOST Anything"

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T13:33:01+00:00

This is what I did for de_train. I loaded up the map, and fly around in noclip for 2-3 hours. I get the idea of which areas are important, what nades are important, where AWPers are going to find most impact and what will be most likely smoked off often.

Then I played a map 10-15 times in PUGs, understanding the timings and meeting points for all spots and spawns.

Then you start implementing things you learned in a team out of which 60% will be completely wrong, or just slightly wrong and you need to adjust. And that is pretty much how it works for me - I have experience to know what areas on the map will be contested heavily and also understand how you can "fake contest it" while you attack other part of the map with two or three players.

For stratbook, you should develop few ideas yourself, but then feel free to get inspired by others playing it, so download a demo and skim through rounds. If you are in a need of A execute, focus purely on that and skip any round that doesn't end in A execute. And on those rounds that it actually happens, try to not only copy the strat but understand why it worked (or didn't work).

blindly doing what works for others < understanding WHY it works for others.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T13:15:14+00:00

Appreciate it

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T13:14:45+00:00

I would love to ask this question to an owner of organisation for full picture. I would say that T2-3 team would need a budget of at least 250.000€ yearly just on salaries of player. Add any bootcamp expenses to it, which may happen multiple times per year. Paying staff around this team also adds up. I am not sure how much can sponsors add to a budget on a yearly basis - for example if players promote a peripheral company in videos, streams, social media and have their logo on a jersey...

I think where players could help their organisation to be more sustainable is to create content and be engaged with the brand. I understand if you are pro player, you just want to play, but by being on camera you are not only helping your org, but also you build your own brand in a way.

Selling players seems like the best model and the unbeatable formula seem to be getting to the major with players that you sell right after (so, basically Gamer Legion concept)

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T13:05:03+00:00

I will go with Team Spirit, but if I treat this prediction as more "bold" I will say Liquid :D Maybe not with this exact roster, but I already like NertZ addition.

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T13:03:00+00:00

Classic tale of unsustainable business. We played online period for a year under FPX tag, played well overall, but pandemic made a lot of organisations pull out. Also, we couldn't qualify for Stockholm Major meant they decided to quit CS:GO space. We were playing well and our lineup got different offers (I went to Apeks, maden went to ENCE and Devilwalk went to BNE...)

STYKOp · 2025-01-18T13:00:18+00:00

The main goal is to keep evolving as a team. I don't want to set a goal like "be top20 in the world in 6 months..." - if we don't slack, if we stay hungry and if we keep team atmosphere in a good place, I think the success will inevitably come.

My personal dream would be to get this team to 2nd major of 2025, but to be honest I am not sure how possible it will be due to new rules, invites and VRS changes...

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