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The CPL
What made you get into gaming ?
The passion and love I have for playing games.
After owning an investment banking firm, and being in that business for ten years I grew bored and decided I wanted to do something fun with my life. What could be more fun that something I had done consistently since the first appearance of pong? I have always had a great interest in virtual environments that are constructed purely for entertainment purposes, so the decision was quite natural for me.
You started up the Adrenaline Vault. What brought you to this ?
I launched the Adrenaline Vault in 1995, at a time when the only game-related website was Happy Puppy. I felt it would be interesting to share my enthusiasm about games with other people. But interestingly enough in the five years that I have owned the website, I have never written for it. Today my involvement with AVault is as an end-user, because it is run entirely by the staff and I have no advance previews of the content. The staff of the Adrenaline Vault has, in my opinion, done a great job in maintaining consistent content and a unidirectional approach for the past five years. Brian Clair, editor-in-chief of AVault since inception is the one to congratulate for accomplishing that.
The CPL was founded while there was already the now dead PGL. Didn't you fear the competition at that time ?
Incorrect. The CPL was launched on June 26, 1997, three months before the PGL. It is a common misconception that the PGL pre-dated the CPL. On the other hand I have no fear of competition, I thrive in competition and as some of past competitors may admit in their brief moments of honesty, I am probably the most forceful and relentless competitor they have ever encountered.
The CPL is the biggest league in the world, with divisions everywhere. What's the ultimate goal ?
World domination! Just kidding. The goal is to transform competitive computer gaming into a professional sport, I think every day we get closer to that goal. Our goal after that, is to remain the worldwide leaders of the new sport and to be THE league of choice for professional gamers.
Have you ever considered starting up online leagues ?
No. I think online competitions are plagued with too many problems that make the use of the word "professional" in association with that form of competition a complete oxymoron. One the other hand an amateur league that is primarily run online is an idea that the CPL is very interested in.
You stated that a fun amateur online league is something the cpl is very interested in. With this are you thinking of setting it up yourself, or working together more with existing sites like clanbase and savage league ?
The CPL is not interested in running an amateur league, but instead is seeking a relationship with an existing league that is interested in running amateur competitions using the scope, the standards and the procedures of the CPL. We have spoken to a few online leagues but none seem quite sure of their exact direction or their desire to work at a worldwide level. It also takes strong capital reserves to run at the level of the CPL, and that's where the "huge plan" conversations take a more serious tone and the aspiring league normally bows down.
It's amazing to me how many people prefer to sit on the porch, instead of running with the big dogs.
People don't think of computer games as a sport while the cpl is trying to prove those people wrong. Do you think pro gaming will ever be accepted as a real sport ?
Of course I do. It is typical of any starting sport to encounter natural resistance, especially a sport that is technologically based. I am sure that auto racing encountered the same problems when it was at an embryonic stage too.
There are several divisions of the cpl already. Are you thinking of starting a cpl division in every country ?
Absolutely. CPL Europe has the lead on this with CPL France, CPL UK and others being launched very soon. Henrik Andersen, president of CPL Europe, is completed focused on covering every country in Europe as quickly as possible. And I am sure he will accomplish it and serve as an example to other CPL divisions to do the same.
What does a centre need to have/be to become an official CPL qualifier next to just following the cpl rules ?
The guidelines are now very strict. And the exact requirements have been developed by Monte Fontenot and Mike Wardwell of the CPL. It would be best to ask them for a complete description of the requirements.
Answer from Monte Fontenot : There are multiple things that going into being approved as an Official CPL Qualifying Center. Some of the details are Center layout, Network, Systems and drive up appeal. We want to do business with Centers that have what it takes to be around for a few years. If you know of a Center that would like to discuss being considered a center send them my name and email address. I would be happy to discuss things with them.
CPL is using mostly Q3A at the moment. Why not other games like Unreal Tournament or Half-Life (Counterstrike) more ?
"Mostly" is the clue world. Counter Strike was part of the CPL Asia event in Singapore last month and Unreal Tournament will be part of the FRAG 5 event, next year. We will have a few announcements on this issue fairly soon.
What do you think of the on-going discussion on the Pro Mode for Q3A ?
I read them with a bit of dispassion, as those arguments tend to be quite academic. I can see why people would like Quake 3 modified but the CPL is not jumping on that bandwagon.
Is there a chance that it will be ever used on a cpl event ?
A chance? Sure there's always a chance.
What does one need to become an official CPL affiliate ? (a question that many websites will probably be interested in I guess ;p)
That category is being re-worked. Bear in mind that the CPL's business model is to work with exclusive arrangements. We have exclusive agreements with most of our sponsors, with the qualifying centers, with some of our service providers and we are expanding that concept into different categories.
In 2001, the CPL will institute a membership program to enter any CPL tournament, and may even seek certain exclusivity rights from its top gamers. That is actually returning to our roots as anyone that knows the history of the CPL can attest to.
We will be doing the same with our affiliated website program, to become a member of that section the CPL will require that a special section is launched at the site that exclusively covers CPL news. We expects sites to cover other aspiring leagues but not on the same section that they cover the CPL news, we will then link to that section exclusively. Sites that are willing to do that, to cover our events live and have constant updates about the CPL players and events will be entered into that program.
What is it that you yourself like most ? Playing games and which ones or organising stuff ?
I like both. :)
The passion and love I have for playing games.
After owning an investment banking firm, and being in that business for ten years I grew bored and decided I wanted to do something fun with my life. What could be more fun that something I had done consistently since the first appearance of pong? I have always had a great interest in virtual environments that are constructed purely for entertainment purposes, so the decision was quite natural for me.
You started up the Adrenaline Vault. What brought you to this ?
I launched the Adrenaline Vault in 1995, at a time when the only game-related website was Happy Puppy. I felt it would be interesting to share my enthusiasm about games with other people. But interestingly enough in the five years that I have owned the website, I have never written for it. Today my involvement with AVault is as an end-user, because it is run entirely by the staff and I have no advance previews of the content. The staff of the Adrenaline Vault has, in my opinion, done a great job in maintaining consistent content and a unidirectional approach for the past five years. Brian Clair, editor-in-chief of AVault since inception is the one to congratulate for accomplishing that.
The CPL was founded while there was already the now dead PGL. Didn't you fear the competition at that time ?
Incorrect. The CPL was launched on June 26, 1997, three months before the PGL. It is a common misconception that the PGL pre-dated the CPL. On the other hand I have no fear of competition, I thrive in competition and as some of past competitors may admit in their brief moments of honesty, I am probably the most forceful and relentless competitor they have ever encountered.
The CPL is the biggest league in the world, with divisions everywhere. What's the ultimate goal ?
World domination! Just kidding. The goal is to transform competitive computer gaming into a professional sport, I think every day we get closer to that goal. Our goal after that, is to remain the worldwide leaders of the new sport and to be THE league of choice for professional gamers.
Have you ever considered starting up online leagues ?
No. I think online competitions are plagued with too many problems that make the use of the word "professional" in association with that form of competition a complete oxymoron. One the other hand an amateur league that is primarily run online is an idea that the CPL is very interested in.
You stated that a fun amateur online league is something the cpl is very interested in. With this are you thinking of setting it up yourself, or working together more with existing sites like clanbase and savage league ?
The CPL is not interested in running an amateur league, but instead is seeking a relationship with an existing league that is interested in running amateur competitions using the scope, the standards and the procedures of the CPL. We have spoken to a few online leagues but none seem quite sure of their exact direction or their desire to work at a worldwide level. It also takes strong capital reserves to run at the level of the CPL, and that's where the "huge plan" conversations take a more serious tone and the aspiring league normally bows down.
It's amazing to me how many people prefer to sit on the porch, instead of running with the big dogs.
People don't think of computer games as a sport while the cpl is trying to prove those people wrong. Do you think pro gaming will ever be accepted as a real sport ?
Of course I do. It is typical of any starting sport to encounter natural resistance, especially a sport that is technologically based. I am sure that auto racing encountered the same problems when it was at an embryonic stage too.
There are several divisions of the cpl already. Are you thinking of starting a cpl division in every country ?
Absolutely. CPL Europe has the lead on this with CPL France, CPL UK and others being launched very soon. Henrik Andersen, president of CPL Europe, is completed focused on covering every country in Europe as quickly as possible. And I am sure he will accomplish it and serve as an example to other CPL divisions to do the same.
What does a centre need to have/be to become an official CPL qualifier next to just following the cpl rules ?
The guidelines are now very strict. And the exact requirements have been developed by Monte Fontenot and Mike Wardwell of the CPL. It would be best to ask them for a complete description of the requirements.
Answer from Monte Fontenot : There are multiple things that going into being approved as an Official CPL Qualifying Center. Some of the details are Center layout, Network, Systems and drive up appeal. We want to do business with Centers that have what it takes to be around for a few years. If you know of a Center that would like to discuss being considered a center send them my name and email address. I would be happy to discuss things with them.
CPL is using mostly Q3A at the moment. Why not other games like Unreal Tournament or Half-Life (Counterstrike) more ?
"Mostly" is the clue world. Counter Strike was part of the CPL Asia event in Singapore last month and Unreal Tournament will be part of the FRAG 5 event, next year. We will have a few announcements on this issue fairly soon.
What do you think of the on-going discussion on the Pro Mode for Q3A ?
I read them with a bit of dispassion, as those arguments tend to be quite academic. I can see why people would like Quake 3 modified but the CPL is not jumping on that bandwagon.
Is there a chance that it will be ever used on a cpl event ?
A chance? Sure there's always a chance.
What does one need to become an official CPL affiliate ? (a question that many websites will probably be interested in I guess ;p)
That category is being re-worked. Bear in mind that the CPL's business model is to work with exclusive arrangements. We have exclusive agreements with most of our sponsors, with the qualifying centers, with some of our service providers and we are expanding that concept into different categories.
In 2001, the CPL will institute a membership program to enter any CPL tournament, and may even seek certain exclusivity rights from its top gamers. That is actually returning to our roots as anyone that knows the history of the CPL can attest to.
We will be doing the same with our affiliated website program, to become a member of that section the CPL will require that a special section is launched at the site that exclusively covers CPL news. We expects sites to cover other aspiring leagues but not on the same section that they cover the CPL news, we will then link to that section exclusively. Sites that are willing to do that, to cover our events live and have constant updates about the CPL players and events will be entered into that program.
What is it that you yourself like most ? Playing games and which ones or organising stuff ?
I like both. :)
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