"Ah?"
IG's analyst felt that Red Rice was exaggerating and immediately retorted, "Sword Magician's rework is absolutely terrible. How can it enter the professional scene?"
"I think so too. After trying it out for two rounds, it's really awkward to play!"
"Compared to the previous version, the new Sword Magician is too stupid!"
There were many people who had the same thoughts as him. Even some of the team members nodded and agreed with the ward's analyst's opinion.
Before this, the Korean server had been using Version 8.13 for two days. Sword Magician's win rate was ranked at the bottom of the Korean server. As for the new version of Atokus, the general consensus from Bronze to King was that it was stupid.
Even before the patch was installed, a group of Sword Magician players complained, claiming that Fist did not care about the players' feelings and forced them to play the game. It was similar to the players' reaction when Kenji was reworked.
Especially Sword Magician's unique streamer Blazing Angel, who was evaluated as' a little noob and a little green 'by Steady Stick. He was filled with righteous indignation and felt that he was being targeted.
Three years ago, Swordmistress was redone, and Fiona, a professional streamer, West Gate, who had taken in a lot of disciples at that time, was crippled. After the revision of Hero, the proficiency that he was so proud of was useless. Like all the other players, he was back to the starting line.
Sword Magician was the same. An unpopular hero that could not enter the competition was originally brought by a few unique streamers, and it was his own livelihood.
With Fist's rework, he lost his livelihood. How could he continue to live?
The eSports forums were also filled with scolding.
As soon as the test server data was released, players all over the world laughed in anger.
What kind of pig nose rework was this?
Q [Dark Blade] became three segments. It looked like the area of effect damage was quite good, and it even had a small control effect. However, the weakness was obvious. The damage was too dependent on the first two segments and the center of the third segment. Other than that, the damage output was pitifully low. People would stupidly eat all three segments of Q's.
Other than that, W [Evil Fire Chain] had a forced displacement effect. E [Dark Shadow Charge]'s displacement could be stored for up to two segments. However, there was a cooldown time between each segment. Other than that, the passive effect could also heal Sword Magician when damage was dealt to minions and monsters. It was not bad.
Not only did the R [Annihilation] increase attack power, it also brought over the resurrection mechanism of the old Sword Demon's Blood Well.
The players took a look. Isn't this the Heavy Warrior version of Rui Wen?
It was nothing more than changing the flexibility of the Blade of Exile to the Lifesteal and resurrection mechanism of the Sword Demon.
Would Ruiwen be able to participate in a professional match?
It's very blue.
They believed that Sword Demon would not be able to enter the arena either.
Furthermore, after the rework, Yatokus's movements were slow and sluggish. Every time he used a normal attack to cast a Skill, he would pause and pause. His movements were incredibly awkward, making him look like an idiot.
Was this a hero that humans could play?
What was the point of making such a cricket in the original art?
The pro players who pursued agility had no interest in Sword Magician. It was no wonder that a few of the pro players agreed with the IG analysts.
Hongmi stood in the middle of the room and saw the reactions of everyone in the training room. He explained without hesitation.
Without hesitation, he explained, "When Sword Demon was first reworked, it was indeed very clumsy. However, after the introduction of two hotfixes, Sword Demon was strengthened quite a bit …"
He switched to the next slide. Sword Demon's base health had been increased. The damage, casting length, and width of Q [Dark Blade] had been strengthened to a certain extent. The passive healing effect of E [Shadow Charge] had also been strengthened. It could even be used to reset normal attacks.
"No, no." The IG analysts disagreed. "Sword Demon has a problem with the mechanics. He can't participate in the competition. This little bit of strengthening is useless."
"How can it be a problem with the mechanics?"
Hongmi was furious. "Don't you know how strong a Heavy Warrior with strong combat power and healing ability is?"
Jiang Chenglu translated it with great sincerity and elegance. He even imitated Hongmi's tone, making it sound very realistic.
Even so, there were still some players and coaches who were skeptical.
It was not that they were stubborn.
It was that they believed too much in the Korean server's statistics of the hero's win rate.
After so many years in the professional arena, characters with low win rates were basically unable to participate in the competition. Although it was said that ranked matches and professional matches were two different games, the heroes used were the same after all.
The win rate of the ranked matches was a direct reflection of the hero's ability. In most cases, the heroes with low win rates were either not strong enough or had a problem with the mechanics.
The representatives of the few heroes who could break through the shackles of the ranking competition were Reitz and Tsar. They had very high requirements for the players' proficiency. Moreover, the team could find opportunities for Reitz to push through through tacit cooperation, making room for Tsar to develop until the formation stage.
These were two things that normal players could not do in solo matches.
However, what did the new version of Sword Demon have?
Single carry and push?
Was it not going to be beaten up by the four top laners? Was it going to be so stupid in the later team battles that it had to stand in front as a meat shield?
Seeing that there were still people who disagreed with Hongmi's point of view, and that there were signs of a debate, Guo Hao quickly came over to smooth things over.
"Everyone, there's no need to be like this!" He stood at the back and used this method to show his support for his coach.
When Hongmi saw this scene, her expression eased slightly.
"It's just a little disagreement. Now that everyone has their own opinions, arguing won't lead to any results, right?"
Guo Hao said loudly. "How about this, we'll go first in the opening match anyway. Let's talk about the battle against the Lightning Wolf. How about that?"
Everyone quieted down.
"It's mine, it's mine …" The IG analyst calmed down and quickly apologized to Hongmi.
He was the one who had argued the most just now. Now that he thought about it, it was really unnecessary.
Hongmi had worked so hard to come over and explain the version to them. It turned out that she had no obligation to do so. Even if their views were different, they should not have reacted that way.
After thinking about it carefully, this was not a big deal. The first few days were all group matches. Everyone could slowly test the version. Anyway, the impact would not be too serious.
At this moment, the tense atmosphere in the lounge dissipated.
"Okay, okay, I'll continue," Gou Ba hurriedly replaced Hongmi on stage. "Let's put the matter of Sword Demon aside. The remaining content of the version update that is worth our attention is that the damage of Qing Gang Yin's E [Hook Rope] has been reduced. The top lane of the main E is basically gone. Zooey's W skill has also ushered in a nerf, but it doesn't seem to be a threat to the strength of the hero …"
The top lane focused on hand-to-hand combat. A little difference in health could snowball. Moreover, Qing Gang Yin was the main E before. Now that he had been slashed, it made things worse for Camille, who was already struggling to face strong men and strong women on the top lane.
In contrast, Tianshan Child Zooey was not so hurt. Originally, W [Magic Stealing Hand] was maxed out at the end. In the early stages, it was enough to use it at level 1. The reduction of this skill's attributes did not affect it much.
"It's worth mentioning that the two heroes, Wine Barrel and Princes, have ushered in an enhancement …"
When Gou Ba said this, Mongoose's eyes widened like copper bells, shooting out lightning-like shrewdness …
Wine Barrel and Princes, these were his specialty!
"Don't be too optimistic." Gou Ba also noticed Phyllostachys Pubescens' reaction and quickly reminded, "Princes' initial armor has not been restored. He is still a little injured in the early stages of the game, and his ability to fight is not that strong."
"However, Wine Barrel is indeed a good choice. This time, W [Drunken Rage]'s cooldown has been changed to a fixed five seconds. Compared to the original version, it has been greatly enhanced in the early stages. Coupled with the increase in W and Q's abilities in Version 8.7, it should be able to return to the T1 stage."
Lin Yan glanced at it. Red Rice had prepared a lot of information. This time, Wine Barrel had been strengthened, and he had also put up the Version 8.7 patch from more than a month ago. Together, the players present could more intuitively feel how much these two changes had brought to Gulagas.
His eyes stopped at Version 8.7's [Drunken Rage]'s additional damage reduction effect for Gulagas, reducing damage by 4% for every 100 Spell Power.
"Are we really going to make an AP Wine Barrel now?"
His mind was active. If there was a new AP jungler to compete with Rock Sparrow, it would mean that more physical damage heroes could appear in the mid lane.
There would be a lot more room to play.
"That's right. Originally, Wine Barrel would have a Talisman Echo jungler, and then a tank and support equipment like Knight's Vow." Gou Ba nodded in agreement. "Now, my suggestion is to make an AP item like Zhonya and Ghostbook. After all, W's [Drunken Rage] has been modified, as long as the AP is increased, there will be a certain level of stability."
The players present thought for a moment and agreed with the YM analyst's opinion.
In the early stages of the game, Wine Barrel's pure damage output was undoubtedly much more threatening than a tank.
"The last point, Pike's appearance in Version 8.11 has also been strengthened in this version, mainly focusing on the two skills of E and R … But I'm not optimistic about this hero's appearance. The drawbacks are still too big."
Jack's hardcore fan, LGD's incarnation in Summoner's Canyon, Pike, nicknamed Water Ghost, had entered the Alliance after the mid-season version. There had been no interest in the professional scene, mainly because of the mechanics of the game, there was no way to make a tank.
The current game was not like the S6 version where Ella and Slayer were popular. There was no need for support to make up for damage, just providing control and stability was enough.
Pike could not fulfill these two requirements.
However, Pike was very popular in ranked matches, especially in the ward game, mainly because the people in that section did not like to play support. A hero like Pike who could show off his skills was very popular.
As Lin Yan thought of this, Gou Ba had already switched the slide to the last page.
At this time, RNG jungler Kassar suddenly asked a question. He got up and discussed with Gou Ba whether AP Wine Barrel should have a Predator Rune. Lin Yan took advantage of this time to look at the last update.
[Lone Ghost's Berserk Blade] had been cut.
The current version of Sheep Blade could be stacked according to the number of layers of normal attacks to increase magic power and attack power.
But now these two values had been reduced by a lot.
"Isn't this forcing us to change the way we play?"
Ouze obviously also saw this change. He immediately leaned back, his face full of displeasure. "What are you changing?"
This change was an epic nerf to him.
Ouze's favorite was Edisi with Sheep Blade + Hurricane. This kind of archer hero had high requirements for the way he played. As long as he lived, his damage output would be higher.
At present, RNG's playstyle was the same. As long as Ouze was the core and protected the ADC in the team battle, he could shoot through all of the opponents.
Jack was laughing at the side, his smile was very wretched. If the female audience saw this, they would probably stop being a fan on the spot.
It was completely different from Ouze's playstyle. Most of the time, Shiba Inu only needed to burst out with all of his damage output and then let his teammates deal with it.
He rarely became the absolute core of the team. This was the essential difference between Jack and Ouze.
After Shiba Inu finished a set of damage output and was focused on the fountain, YM could still win. Lin Yan and the other teammates could harvest the battlefield. But if Ouze died, RNG would most likely lose.
In other words, Ouze's need for Sheep Blade was higher than Jack and the other Edisi.
It could be said that Fist was cutting Ouze and RNG.
It couldn't be helped. Since the first half of the spring season, Ouze had shown an outrageous dominance in the league. Although he couldn't get over YM in the end, he still attracted Fist's attention.
Although the main task was to weaken YM, it was reasonable to cut RNG at the same time, right?
…
Lin Yan wore a slightly loose sportswear and panted as he ran to the entrance of the hotel. Under the reflection of the morning sun, it was easy to see the sweat on his forehead.
Breakfast in the restaurant had just started serving not long ago. He took some buns and eggs, a bowl of steaming hot soy milk, scooped a spoonful of white sugar, and found a seat to rest for a while.
The location of the Crowne Plaza Hotel was relatively remote. Next to it was the Dalian Sports Center and some parks and seaside attractions. In addition, the price wasn't very affordable. Normal business people on business trips wouldn't stay here. They had better options in the city.
It was still a working day. There were very few tourists in the vicinity. There weren't many people in the restaurant. Professional players rarely woke up early like Lin Yan. Most of them slept in their rooms to replenish their energy.
Lin Yan took out his phone from his shoulder bag and glanced at the exercise intensity displayed on the app. He was very satisfied with himself.
The screensaver of the photo he took with Su Cheng showed the time — July 5, 7: 17 in the morning.
There were less than seven hours before the start of the intercontinental competition.
He went out for a three-kilometer run and was now refreshed. He was in good condition.
Lin Yan took advantage of his break to look at the eSports forum.
Now that the competition was approaching, the summer competitions of the various divisions had been suspended. All the audience's eyes were focused on the competition between Asia and Europe.
In fact, other than the competition between the five divisions, wild cards like LJL (Japan division) and OPL (Oceania division) also had intercontinental competitions. However, the number of people paying attention was still too small.
During this suspension day, the audience had nothing to do. The forum was filled with blatant EXP.
Lin Yan skipped a post discussing Jay Chou's position in the domestic music industry and finally found the organization — 2018 Intercontinental Competition Preview: The opening battle between YM and FW. Can they win a good start for LPL?
He clicked on the post and scanned the replies.
[YM was killed by me. I still remember the disgusting audience from last year's Intercontinental Competition in Kaohsiung.]
[To be honest, that group of fans really messed with people's mentality. They ran away when they saw their father win the championship. The local gangs are really too rude!]
[Losing to Korea is barely acceptable. Just beat LMS to death and it's over.]
[What do you mean losing to Korea is barely acceptable?
If we lose today, we'll hold a meeting for them!]
[So what if we lose in the group stage? We can play in the elimination round anyway. What's wrong with saving our hidden moves for the finals?]
[Does no one care about the first battle of version 8.13?
The reworked Sword Demon will definitely not appear. If anyone chooses this idiot, I'll swallow a kilogram of sh * t!]
Lin Yan left when he saw this.
He was still eating breakfast, afraid that the rest of the content would cause physical discomfort.
With a bun in his mouth, Lin Yan hastily browsed through the follow-up posts. He realized that the audience in the forum was almost hostile to the LMS division.
The relationship had been getting more and more tense this year. Coupled with the unpleasant experience of last year's intercontinental competition, the netizens were filled with righteous indignation.
He felt that his breathing had more or less stabilized, so he put away his phone and prepared to eat properly.
At this moment, the person in charge of Fist China, Winston, also walked into the restaurant. He was very familiar with Lin Yan and knew that this person's schedule was different from other professional players. He immediately walked over with a tray of food.
"You woke up so early?" Lin Yan casually found a topic to talk about.
Winston smiled bitterly. "I couldn't sleep. I don't know if there will be any problems during the opening ceremony in the afternoon …"
As this year's Intercontinental Competition was held in Dalian, as the person in charge of Fist China, he had to lead the team to discuss the rental of the venue, the lighting design, the arrangement of the hotel, and all the design of the opening ceremony.
Fist China's benefits and salary were top-notch. In other places, one could only be paid to take a dump, but here, one could be paid to play games. Of course, this was only in their free time.
In the past month, Winston could only sleep for five hours a day. He didn't even have time to take care of his wife and daughter, who had just given birth. Every week, he would travel between Shanghai and Dalian to ensure that there wouldn't be any problems during the Intercontinental Competition.
Today was the day to check on the results, so he was naturally very nervous.
"But after this Intercontinental Competition, I'll be able to rest for two years." Winston took a sip of the savory and spicy tofu pudding, feeling that he had finally come back to life. "At the very least, until the end of S9, Fist doesn't have any plans to hold an official competition in China."
Lin Yan was peeling the herbal tea egg when he suddenly thought of something. "Oh right, Winston, where did you study in university?"
"… My undergraduate degree was in China, and my PhD was at Johns Hopkins University." Winston wolfed down his food and took a big bite of the meat bun.
Although he looked young, in terms of age, he wasn't much younger than Chunli, who had just left her job.
"That's great." Lin Yan continued to extend the topic. "My girlfriend should be going to America after her undergraduate degree. Can you help introduce some of your experience to her?"
"Sure." It wasn't a big deal, so Winston immediately agreed. "Wait until I'm done with the Intercontinental Competition. I'll be more free then."
After the two of them finished their breakfast, Winston hurried to the venue to supervise the preparations for the opening ceremony, while Lin Yan went back to his room to take a shower. He then ran to the empty training room to warm up his hands.
By the time it was afternoon, the place was already full.
The crisp tapping sounds of keyboards and mice reverberated in the room. The professional players were in a race against time, all of them wanting to use the last bit of time before going on stage to find their form.
"Let's go, let's go. Carry your bags. We'll meet in the main hall in fifteen minutes!" Bobby patted the table to get everyone's attention.
Lin Yan had just finished playing the last round of Rank. He sat on the chair and stretched lazily.
Four wins and one loss in the morning. His Korean server ranking, which had been affected by the nursery, was about to return to the one thousand mark.
He unplugged the keyboard and mouse from the USB port, rolled them up, and stuffed them into his backpack along with the mouse pad. He zipped it up and slung the backpack over his shoulders, then followed the others downstairs.
It took them half an hour to reach the Dalian Sports Center Stadium.
Just like last year, the resting rooms weren't divided according to the teams. Instead, there was a big room for each competition zone. Winston and the others had even arranged a few computers for them in case of emergencies.
"Take out the peripherals first, then line up and head to the dressing room!"
A punching staff member with dyed pink hair urged. "Hurry up, we're pressed for time!"
The players from the 12 teams, as well as the head coaches, had to wear their makeup. The group of people crowded the dressing room. Lin Yan had just found a place to sit down when he heard Khan's unique voice calling out for Xiba 'er. There was even a gentle accent in the middle.
"Weep, Fengtang, you're really lousy now …" Cass and Lightning Wolf's old teammate hadn't seen each other for a long time, so they were still chatting and teasing each other.
"Cass, don't say that. Today is Fengtang's day of suffering." Snake Snake smiled innocently and even patted his mid laner's shoulder hard. "Roar to World One."
"Haoxuan, you're on good terms with Brother Ran. Can you ask him to go easy on you today?" Maple still wanted Lin Yan to go easy on him.
Cass's smile looked very innocent. Other than being a little skinny, there wasn't anything big about his inverted triangle figure. "He's just sitting there. You can go by yourself."
Fengtang naturally wouldn't really go easy on Lin Yan. If they were close brothers, it would be fine. Everyone would treat it as a joke and let it go. However, the problem was that the two of them weren't close. Saying something like this without rhyme or reason would not only put him in a disadvantageous position, but it would also add some awkwardness.
As there were too many people putting on makeup, and the makeup wasn't as exquisite as in movies and dramas, the speed at which the players put on their makeup was very fast.
Lin Yan quickly stood backstage with the other teams' representatives in the waiting area, preparing to step onto the stage according to the arrangements from yesterday's rehearsal.
With a slight glance, he realized that the three spectator stands weren't full.
"What's the situation?"
Lin Yan was confused. This was the first time in two years that he had doubts about his popularity. "Are there so few spectators?"
Winston felt helpless as well. "The competition schedule is too tight. The intercontinental competition only lasts for a total of four days. The semi-finals and finals will definitely be held on the weekend. Then, the opening ceremony can only be held on Thursday."
"Working days, suburbs, Dalian, and the group stages of the intercontinental competition. With these four factors added together, do you think the attendance rate will be high?"
It wasn't that Dalian wasn't good, but the esports atmosphere in this coastal city couldn't be compared to Shanghai, where there were all sorts of esports competitions every day.
The main audience for such competitions during working days were students.
There weren't many high schools in Dalian, and this was just a group stage competition. Even YM's hardcore fans didn't come over to watch.
However, the entire central stadium could hold 18000 people. It was considered one of the larger indoor stadiums in the northeast. In comparison, the venue seemed a little empty.
"But this stadium is much better than last year …" Lin Yan's memory of the 2017 intercontinental competition in Kaohsiung was still fresh. It wasn't just the audience's reaction. The dilapidated stadium also left a deep impression on him.
At that time, there were a few hundred people below the stage, and even the spectator stands were built on the spot. The organizers couldn't wait to get Wan Wan to bring her own benches.
"Of course." Hearing Lin Yan say this, Winston immediately puffed out his chest, looking proud. "The stadium we use for the competition has to be the best!"
At this moment, deafening cheers suddenly erupted from the three spectator stands!
Even though the stadium was empty, these few thousand people still brought out their most passionate side!
"Get ready to go on stage. Remember to follow the route we arranged yesterday!"
Winston restrained his expression and reminded them.
"This is Dalian, China!"
The host, Ren Dong, faced the camera and said loudly, "Everyone present and the Summoners in front of the screen, welcome to the venue of the 2018 Asian League!"
"Last year, the LPL division won the championship in Kaohsiung. This year, the 12 teams from the three divisions will gather again to fight for the glory of the division!"
Ren Dong waved his arm. "First, let us invite the representatives of the teams to come on stage!"
"From the LMS division, the Spring Competition Hall Team, Machi!"
The big-breasted guy, who was 1.9 meters tall and had broad shoulders and a round waist, looked like a bodybuilder. He waved his arms and walked out from the backstage.
"Damn … Can he kill me with one punch with this physique?" Even Ah Guang was scared. This physique was comparable to Wing Chun's Death Announcer from back then.
"No." Ouze's expression was solemn. "These are all dead muscles. He might not be able to defeat me."
Lin Ran replied, "That's right.
"Even this big guy, who is 1.9 meters tall and weighs 200 kilograms, can throw you to the ground."
"Hur." Ouze's lips curled into a smile, his expression devilish and wild. "Really? I don't believe it."
"As long as you can't defeat him, then it's a 50-50 chance."
This time, Lin Yan was really speechless. He didn't know what to say.
Ouze had probably been greatly influenced by Lu Benwei.
That Wan Wan, who was comparable to the Death Announcer, waved to the live audience along the way. He had a smile on his face that he thought was charming.
However, there was no reaction from the audience.
There was no applause.
No cheers.
Not even mockery.
The thousands of audience members collectively ignored him.
This was a tacit revenge.
They had copied the scene from a year ago at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Hall and returned it to LMS without changing anything.
Lin Yan, Ouze, and Ning Wang, who had participated in the Intercontinental League last year, were almost applauding the audience.
The audience was less confused. This reaction made them feel better.
Wan Wan's top laner was stunned for a moment. In the end, he obediently kept his smile and stood at the side of the stage with a slightly reserved expression.
In his entire career, he had never stepped on such a luxurious stage. At this moment, the stage under his feet was playing Machi's dynamic team logo. It looked very cool.
The host, Ren Dong, saw the audience's reaction and couldn't say much. Any reaction now could cause side effects.
Winston, who was standing backstage, felt quite relieved. However, what came after was a little awkwardness.
From his point of view, it was indeed a problem how to deal with this matter.
"Let us welcome LCK's Spring Season Champions … SKT!"
Li Xianghe revealed a polite smile and calmly stepped onto the main stage.
However, Lin Yan could tell that Li Xianghe was a little nervous from the way he waved his arms.
He was probably afraid of being ignored by the audience again.
That would be a big loss of face.
This time, the audience didn't target him. They still gave a warm applause to the former world's number one mid laner.
Next, the representatives of IG, RW, KT, KZ, and other teams took turns to go on stage. The audience's reaction was quite normal.
They would only choose to remain silent when facing the LMS representative team.
[Handsome handsome handsome!
Don't say anything. Just take your revenge and be done with it!]
[You're still waving at the audience. Who the hell are you?]
[Too much, too much. You've lost your cool.]
[I know so many people in LCK. Mr. Dai, Khan, Brother Li, and Kuro are all good brothers. In LMS, other than Snake from Lightning Wolf, I don't know anyone else!]
[That's right. How can you blame us?
You don't even have a decent celebrity player in your own division. It's reasonable that we don't applaud people we don't know, right?]
Even though there weren't many people in the audience, the bullet screen was still full of comments in the various major live streaming channels.
The Dalian audience's actions brought about a flurry of bullet screen comments.
"Lastly, let us give a warm round of applause to the representative of team YM!" Ren Dong dragged out his words this time. "R-A-N!"
Lin Yan was embarrassed, but he didn't dare to laugh. He could only go on stage with his mouth pulled taut.
The moment he was exposed under the stage lights, the spacious stadium instantly became a boiling cauldron of voices!
The loud noise created by thousands of audience members filled the entire stadium in an instant!