The Inside Story: b1

The Inside Story is a series of interviews, that www.nineLegends.com provides, focusing on getting to know certain players better. The questions will often be challenging and require long answers, resulting in very interesting interviews. The first edition of The Inside Story features Bobby "b1" Jonsson, well known for creating and playing in Knife Gaming, as well as his many community involvements.

Let's start off with some personal details. Could you tell us a little bit about who you are?

I'm sure most NSplayers knows abit about me, but for those who don't and aren't envolved in NS... My name is Bobby Jonsson, nicknamed b1, which is short for Bobbi_wan. I've been playing Natural Selection since 2.01, but I'm currently on a break. I'm most remembered from playing in Knife Gaming.

What do you do when you're not playing NS?

Right now I'm enjoying my unemployment by spending time at the beach (yes sweden has those) and playing football with my friends. I do actually still help out in ENSL as a Head Admin for the ns_seasons and co_tournaments.

How did you first get into competitive Natural Selection?

One of my friends showed me this game years ago and after awhile, when I finally got the idea of the game and stopped building ocs all over the place, there was some swedish guy that talked to me about joining his clan.

After that I made some clans with my friends and then started commanding for a swedish team called MtMe. The funny thing is, I didn't even start to get really good until I got asked by cheeZ to join his new pro-pubbers clan (later called knife).

Your gaming level expands so fast when you play around other great players.

What would you say was your greatest achievement in NS?

I would have to say mastering the command chair and the tactics that can be used in NS. It's abit surprising to myself really, because I've never been good with strategy games. I always sucked at Warcraft, Starcraft and those types of games. I guess it could be because I totally fell in <3 with NS.

A little over a year ago, you played for Knife Gaming against Lessthanthree in the ENSL Season 1 finals and against Terror in the NSI Season 2 semifinals, and lost both matches. Why do you think you failed in these two matches, after dominating European NS for almost a full year?

Well, I could count up alot of reasons for it, but I think the main reason to it was that, half of our playing roster just didn't really care anymore about NS or winning. They were into other games and other activities at the time.

I'm not saying Lessthanthree and Terror had a lucky game against us, they played well for that gaming era. I just think our chances would have been better if our team was more concerned with actually winning, but hey, if you aren't, then you probably don't deserve to win ;)

After Knife Gaming decided to take a break, you created a new team called Storm of Europe, which went on to win the second season of ENSL. Could you tell us a little bit about this team and season of ENSL?

I think this was a few weeks after knife had folded the first time, after season 1 of ENSL. If I'm not mistaken Team Newrope had been started for the first time and I felt like I wanted to make a new team aswell, but not a team that would be number 1 in Europe.

Instead I wanted to make a fun clan, just to play so nice games now and then, but yeah that didn't work out. I'm too competetive as a person, so of course I started recruiting good players and working on our teamwork to be as good as possible. We had some fun times and I'm glad I got to play with these new people. For anyone that doesn't know the roster, check out storm.baconmen.net (zaiko is still hosting it!).

After ENSL season 2 you decided to fold though, why did that happen?

I actually had to look that up lol, didn't even remember. Apparently the majority of our roster didn't have time to play NS anymore, school, work and so on, that's mainly the reason why we folded.

No more than a month ago, you were playing for the reformed Knife Gaming. After a perfect comeback -- 3 titles and 5 months undefeated, Knife Gaming was closed again. Could you give us some insight into why this happened?

It's pretty much the same as last time, some of the players weren't that involved in the clan/NS anymore. Me and cheeZ were the ones that were going to quit ns and move on (although I'm saying that I'm taking a break so I don't look too stupid if i come back^{^),} so we decided to fold knife when it was back at the top again. Anyone who played against or during our NS time, won't forget the great teamwork we had. Everything comes down to enjoying the game together, as a team.

Recently you've been organizing a hotly debated tournament called the NSCC. Could you tell us a little more about this tournament?

Yeah. The tournament is called NSCC, which is short for Natural Selection Combat Cup. There was alot of talking about making something like this, but like always in NS, all talk, no action. So I decided to build everything up based on the great "Upper & Lower Bracket" System NSI used (an american NS summer tournament). It's basicly 3on3 players, playing co_ maps in a double knockout tournament.

Double meaning, you start off in the Upper Bracket and if you lose one game, you will continue playing in the Lower Bracket. Thus giving you a second chance to keep playing in the tournament and still being able to get to the finals. More information about the brackets and gameplay can be found on our official website. http://ensl.zanith.nl/nscc

The first NSCC was played only a little over a week ago and was for the most part a success. Do you plan to run any more of these tournaments, and if yes, which changes do you plan to make?

Well, the first tournament was to be played during only 1 day. We soon discovered that this was almost impossible, even when playing on a saturday. So we have some changes made for the next season in mind, one I can go into is the timetable. For NSCC II, the tournament will be held during 2 days instead, Saturday and Sunday. Starting from 18.00 cet and ending at 22.00 cet the latest. Of course, all timetables and fixtures will be uploaded on the website, aswell with other changes.

You fielded a mix team called MARVEL for the NSCC1, which has remained undefeated up until the finals (which is still to be played). Why do you think your team did so well as opposed to the other tournament favourites?

It's due to play today and unfortunately I'm going to a barbeque dinner with my family and can't participate! So, the only match that will take place is Team Newrope vs Levitacus, fighting for 1st and 3rd place.

Our team, MARVEL, was just a fun mix of me, frG and mu. We didn't really have any overwhealming tactics. It was mostly like ok you two go there and kill some stuff, and I will sit in base with MT cause my mouse sucks lol. I mean we did have good players, but you also gotta get lucky with the first kills in combat.

I wasn't sure I was going to participate in the cup, but now I really don't regret doing it. It's been REALLY stressful as an admin, since we didn't have everything planned out before, but it's been great fun to play with my teammates.

You've also recieved a fair share of e-fame as the creator of the Knife Gaming series of movies and the tutu movie, do you have any plans for more fragmovies?

Yes absolutely. I always want to make the next movie in knifegaming series better and better than the previous one, which I think I've managed so far. Hopefully I will be able to do the same for my next one, where I'll be making the 4th knifegaming movie. I might also make a small storm movie if I find the time for it.

You recently decided to take a break from competitive NS gaming, could you tell us a little about why you chose to do this?

Every minute spent playing on a computer is a minute lost playing with a girl. But seriously, I feel like it's been taking abit too much of my time lately, like it's the most important thing and I'm ignoring what I really need to do. Like study and work for example. So, that's why I'm taking this break, just to get my future plans on track. I'm 22 years old and not 16, so it's pretty important for me to do so ;)

Good answer

yarrr

Do you think you'll make a return to competitive NS gaming?

I'm going to say maybe, to keep the suspense going. (lol)

Oh I think you know you're coming back.

;]

What about other games?

Well I'm going to say for certain that, if www.nuclear-dawn.net becomes anything near NS quality gameplay, I will aboslutely play it and probably competitive too.

Last question! Ninjas or Pirates?

BOTH :D

LIES!

preferably as one

(I think we can all live happily not knowing what he ment with that - Fana)

Thanks a lot for answering my questions. If you have any shoutouts, this is the time to make them!

YaRRrr, thanks for taking time with the interview, thanks to everyone that read it. Be sure to check out more stuff on TN.com, I'm sure Fana is gonna go far with it. Peace out

• Date: 16/07/2006
• Source: www.nineLegends.com
• Interviewer: Fana