In the midst of preparations for Rock2ober 2009, we caught up with ‘Mr AGR’ himself, OneManClan for this exclusive interview.
AGRMANIA: First of all OMC, why are you so good looking?
OMC: Ha. Ha. Look, I’m only answering questions about Rock2ober, so can we stick to the subject?
AGRMANIA: Ok, so when is Rock2ober? Do you have a final date?
OMC: Yes, the final date will be Saturday the 24th of October, at 23:45 GMT
AGRMANIA: 23:45 GMT? But that wasn’t one of the Options was it?
OMC: No it wasn’t, the winning timeslot was Option 2, but 00:00 GMT had the potential to confuse people, so I made the official starting time 15 mins earlier. I mean people will want to talk, and have a little warmup anyway before the game starts
AGRMANIA: How many people did you get?
OMC: Option 2 got 23 players.
AGRMANIA: Can I ask who they are?
OMC: Here’s the list.
AGRMANIA: Ok, a couple of new players, but also there’s some names missing from the list.
OMC: Yea, I know.
AGRMANIA: Pulseczar, The Gizmo, Phrostbyte, Hardkore, Rach, Sweetie, Soul, 8Ball….
OMC: Yes, I know, I know. I think Pulseczar might be there, but the rest, I don’t think so.
AGRMANIA: What’s going on?
OMC: You’ll have to ask them. I don’t think they play anymore.
AGRMANIA: Have you asked them?
OMC: Well if they’re reading this, I can say that ALL CustomTF fans are welcome, and it would be great to see the old gang back together.
AGRMANIA: Even Phrosty?
OMC: Yes, even Phrosty.
AGRMANIA: Wow, so the prebookings have already matched the Rock2ober 2008 record?
OMC: Well, this isnt 2008, we regularly get 20+ players these days and a month ago we had 24. I’m actually a little disappointed that the prebookings didnt get to 26-28.
AGRMANIA: Still, it’s going to be a killer game though.
OMC: Of course, don’t get me wrong, it’s utterly brilliant. AGR has come a long way and it’s great that a 6 vs 6 game is considered ‘small’ these days.
AGRMANIA: Still, aren’t the smaller games better in some ways?
OMC: You have a point, some of the most intense AGR have been 3 vs 3 or 4 vs 4
AGRMANIA: With maps liks spit1, flib10b etc
OMC: Yes exactly, and swamp3
AGRMANIA: Ok, back to Rock2ober – since you didn’t get 32, does that mean there’s no need for a password?
OMC: Probably not, but if we DO get 32 players on the day, it’s important that players who DID prebook, don’t miss their spots, in the event they get an ‘overflow’ message or something
AGRMANIA: Is that realistically going to happen?
OMC: The point is, this is a very special event, and I’d be absolutely LIVID if I got an ‘overflow’ disconnect, and then couldn’t reconnect because a tourist took my spot.
AGRMANIA: So there will be a password then?
OMC: I’ll see what happens in the next few days. I’m going to continue taking bookings, and hopefully we’ll get 32 players committed to showing up, and then it will work perfectly.
AGRMANIA: So would you welcome non-AGR fans to Rock2ober?
OMC: Of course I would. As long as they were there as players and fellow CustomTF fans, and not AGR bashers.
AGRMANIA: So are Shaka and Pulseczar going to be there?
OMC: Shaka has said he’s interested but hasn’t been in touch re securing a place. Of course he is ‘Mr CustomTF’, and the event won’t be compete without him there. Pulseczar, is of course the guy who coded AGR, so he *should* be there but I’m not sure.
AGRMANIA: Surely Pulse would want to be there too, to see his ‘baby’, all grown up?
OMC: Well, Pulse comes across like he’s ‘dissapointed’ with AGR these days, so I don’t know whether he loves his baby, or has disowned it!
AGRMANIA: Why not have 2 one hour games, rather than one two hour game?
OMC: Well depending on what happens, that might be the case. We haven’t played AGR w 32 people, and it’s possible that Blue will never ever get their D up properly.
AGRMANIA: At least there’s no RR D for you to obsess over.
OMC: What do you mean ‘obsess’?
AGRMANIA: Well it’s known that you’re always insisting on RR D, as the only correct method.
OMC: I only insist that people do what works. The superiority of RR D has been proven over and over. It still amazes me that games like todays 2fort5r (AGR Session 18 Oct 2009) where Blue did FR D, lost, switched to RR D, scored twice, yet STILL ended up back in the FR, only to lose again!
AGRMANIA: Talking of strategy, what do you suggest for Rock2ober?
OMC: Well with 16 players, Blue is going to have to spread out. Normally, I’d say wardens side D, with a total focus on the Wardens side doorway – pipes, snipers in the yard, and the engies on the other side. But with 16 attackers, the pressure on Blue will be tremendous. Remember AGR means this will be (almost) the equivalent of a 64 player non-AGR game. I really have no idea what will happen, I don’t think anyone does
AGRMANIA: Are you going to D or O?
OMC: I haven’t decided yet.
AGRMANIA: What do you say to those who aren’t interested in Rock2ober?
OMC: I say ‘shame’. ‘Shame on you’. These people have no right to call themselves CustomTF fans. They are clearly more into ‘hating’ OMC/AGR than they are into CustomTF. After all AGR *is* CustomTF
AGRMANIA: True. Finally, any last minute tips? How are you preparing for Rock2ober?
OMC: I’ve been running, pushups, and abstaining from porn..
AGRMANIA: You mean sex?
OMC: Whatever. The point is we all need to prepare. And get a checkup. We’re not in our teens anymore, and a marathon two hour game might be dangerous for some of the older players. Tastyspleen is also putting in special cooling systems, because the Action at Rock2ober will be so intense, the server itself might explode with the sheer power of AGR.
AGRMANIA: Wow, is the world ready for a 32 player AGR game? Is there such a thing as ‘too much’ AGR?
OMC: Who knows, we’ll have to wait and see what happens this Saturday the 24th October at tastyspleen.net:26666, at the unforgettable time of 23:45 GMT!
