During the recent WSVG event in Dallas, Realm Media Networks was able to talk to the top two Gears of War teams about the tournament and Gears of War in general. Here's the full transcript of the interview with the vVv Vision, the 1st place team.

Team Members

Jerry Prochazka, Manager (vVv LordJerith)

Ryan Watson (vVv Takedown)

Ethan Holmes (vVv Bawabus)

Kevin Green (vVv StOnEs)

David Held (vVv puff)

Realm Media Networks: How did you guys get into this tournament?

vVv LordJerith: We were signed up for the event, then Matt, the CEO of WSVG, contacted us and gave us his own personal invite. He wanted us to come out to check out the World Series of Video Games. We are excited ... it was really good tournament for us. So it was really great for us to get the invitation, the World Series of Video Games has been a really accomodating and good event for us.

RMN: So are you guys professional gamers, do you play in a lot of tournaments full time?

vVv Stones: Yeah we've been playing in MLG. We just won in MLG Meadowlands [In Meadowlands, New Jersey], the first tournament for Gears of War so far, well, the first really big tournament. [see vVv Vision at Meadowlands]

RMN: So how's the setup for this competition compared to the setups of the other competitions?

vVv Takedown: Here's we're kinda thrown in the back behind Fight Night Round 3 and Quake 4. We're all kind of set in the back a little bit more. At MLG they have the main stage and the big screens and stuff, I think it's a lot better. Gears of War doesn't stand out as much here as it does there.

RMN: So much do you guys play, outside of competition?

vVv puff: We try to get as much practice as possible. Whenever we get off of work, I don't since I don't have a job so I gotta get a job. (everyone laughs) We get on around 8 and practice until about 11. If we're doing good, we're going to keep playing. We get as much practice as possible.

RMN: So how do you guys practice?

vVv puff: We try to run different strategies around different kind of teams to see what they do, and just mix it up.

RMN: Favorite maps & weapons?

vVv Takedown: War Machine, Shotgun

vVv Bawabus: War Machine, Handy B Button without it I wouldn't be good at this game

vVv Stones: Manshion, Shotgun

vVv puff: Clock Tower, Pistol or Boom shot

RMN: Since Gears of War has come out there has been some patches, that made some subtle changes. How has that affected you guys?

vVv LordJerith: This is one of those classic situations where the game developers have kind of shut out the voices of the competitive community in favor of more casual gamers. Fortunately for the competitive community, we can adjust to the developer's desires to favor the casual gamers. Some times it is unfortunate, specially with a title as popular as Gears of War, that the developers don't take time to satisfy both communtities.

In this particullar last patch they took out the weapon sliding glitch, which although a glitch, we discovered actually increased the pace of the game. It made the game more interesting. Obviously when they removed it, we adjust and continue to move forward. But even though it's a small community, because of the growth of competitive gaming it would be nice if the developers gave some of the top teams a little more ear.

Such that Microsoft has done with Shadowrun by bringing in the top Halo teams and Counterstrike teams to help develop the game, ensure it's balanced and keep it fast paced.

RMN: I saw just a couple days ago, it's expected to be announced at E3, about Gears of War would be coming to the PC. Do you guys have any feelings/opinions on that, how the control would differ on a keyboard/mouse?

vVv Bawabus: The different setups with Shadowrun they spent a lot of time balancing the control of the PC and the consoles, because obviously a mouse is much more precise than just moving a stick around to aim. With the way Gears is setup I really see no way they can balance it over than making it so that the aimer doesn't really track with the mouse completely. But that would just be frustrating to PC players.

Honestly, I don't see PCs developing as much as consoles can just because it feels better with the control for a lot of people. PCs obviously cost a lot. It's just easier for more people that are better at games to get into them on consoles.

RMN: So how would you feel if you had to compete across platform for those games, like Shadowrun, that are available for both PC and consoles?

vVv Bawabus: Actually, we've been practicing a lot and I don't think at this point gaming would make much of a difference if both PCs and Consoles got into it at the same time. Yeah we'd beat them, it wouldn't matter. (team laughs in agreement)

RMN: So what are you going to do with the money?

vVv Takedown: I'm probably going to save the money and use it for travel to get to other events.

vVv Bawabus: I'll probably be saving some of the money for college, or other funds, and then donating the rest to charity.

vVv Stones: Dunno, probably throw some rims on my car. New intake, new exhaust? And then I'll probably use the rest to pay my college tuition.

vVv Puff: I'll probably use mine to save it, and then I can move out of my mom's house finally.

RMN: Thanks guys! Congratulations on your win!

Links:
WSVG Dallas 2007 full story
WSVG Dallas 2007 image gallery
vVv Vision website