Interview with Focus

Nickname:
Focus
Name:
Vladimir
Age:
32
Location:

Volgograd, Russia

Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m a choreography teacher by training, but now I call myself a beginner streamer 🙂
Link to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWFsr2GnvuWWsB7UUVrW2_A 
How did you start playing?
I was reading a site about iPads. Just iPads. Like a blog. And there was a post about this game. It said that the game is available on PS3. That’s how I downloaded the first MW on PS3. That was about 11 years ago, I’m not exactly sure now. After a while I downloaded it on my tablet and then I got hooked… multiplayer, tournaments, community…
The online battle of intellects is what I liked most about the game.)

Focus’ profile details on 15 March 2020.

Tell us about your path from novice to top player
Was it a lot of time and effort? Hard to tell. I think that when you enjoy what you do, time flies by and you don’t feel it as an effort. I didn’t have any mentors, I always learned from the experience that I got from winning (or not) matches. If I lost on maps for 3-4 players, I would always spectate till the end, analyzing how my opponents play.

Has the game changed a lot since you’ve started to play?
For me, the biggest positive change has been the addition of the tournament system. I am also really hoping that Mushroom Wars will finally break into cybersport!!!
What features are you most eager to see added to the game?
Tournament tab in the game, streamer mode in the game, tournaments with big prizes!
Do you like tournaments?
Tournaments are awesome, they’re the future. I don’t just like watching and participating, but also streaming tournaments.)

Focus’ ranked games statistic on 15 March 2020.

Tell us a story
Once in the first MW I won a Russian roulette. If you win a match, it multiplies your points by 66. If you lose a match, it also multiplies the rating loss by 66. I activated the roulette and entered a match. I got a map for 4 players. On my side of the map there was a strong player. So both of us are strong players. We were fighting each other for a long time. But finally I won. On the other side there were a strong player and a very weak one. The strong one won very quickly. He immediately started to grow, while I was still fighting. That player started to put pressure on me from the other side of the map, my buildings and my units started to melt away fast. Soon I was left with just one building. My opponent sent his troops to capture my last house. I had already started to grieve for my 660 points of lost rating, when suddenly a “sacred disconnect” happened to my opponent. I was over the moon 🙂
Your advice for new players
Don’t play as Rudo 🙂 Morale is the most important thing in the game. Understand how to get it and you’re going straight to the top!
Your top-3 veterans

  1. My number 1 is Focus. I fight with him every day. If I can defeat myself, then winning any match is only a matter of skill.
  2. Tormoz. Coldblooded and very smart.
  3. Lomy – a real legend of MW2.

Your top-3 new players
Unfortunately, I can’t name the new players, but I can name those who became top players recently and really surprised me.

  1. 1st place is Benzodiazepin
  2. 404NotFoun
  3. Smirnov

What have we forgotten to ask?
I’d like to thank the developers. They are really making an effort, working day and night. The results are showing. There is a lot of new content in the game for every taste. The Mushroom player base is increasing. There are tons of online tournaments. Can’t wait for the first offline tournament…

Part of MW2 Focus’ trophies on 15 March 2020

What’s your favorite trophy?
I actually have 4 trophies that I really value.

  1. «100 At Once». I once won 100 times in a row on the PC version. A very cool trophy. It always reminds me that a certain level has already been reached.
  2. «Special Thanks». Looks like a thumbs up. It’s one of the rarest trophies. Developers only give it to a very few players for an outstanding contribution to Mushroom Wars. Big thanks for recognition!
  3. «Media Personality». Looks like a streamer microphone. This trophy is also incredibly rare. It’s given for covering Mushroom Wars news.
  4. And the «2015 Championship Gold Medal». It was awarded to me for winning the 2015 World Championship in Mushroom Wars: Space. Hurray!!!

Who’s next?
I’d like to know more about Benzodiazepin. That’s a player who’s become Pro in a very short time.

“Golden medal World Cup 2015” trophy Mushroom Wars: Space.