,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, An interview of milagros (Kuski of Month on January 2006): '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' -= When did you start playing? =- Started in March 2001. No bigger breaks.. -= Ex-teams and why did you change teams? =- Once I read at our team page that I joined SET, actually I didn't know about it;). I'm still there and probably I'm the only one active player, maybe Capo would try some cup or so, but not playing nowadays. -= Current total? =- 38:57.45 -= Top5 newest and oldest personal records? =- (check the last modified times of your replays) newest - Apple harvest 1:38.62 - 18.03.2006 He-he 58.89 - 03.03.2006 Circuitous 24.42 - 19.02.2006 Fruit in the den 1:00.46 - 11.02.2006 Labyrinth pro 2:30.25 - 06.02.2006 oldest - Twin peaks 18.21 - 24.05.2003 What the heck 41.14 - 25.08.2003 Warm up 14.16 - 27.10.2003 Hangman 14.68 - 08.12.2003 Shelf life 36.80 - 26.12.2003 -= Across Career briefly. Any WRs?, World Cup I and II and so on.. =- I've tried across after elma so I tried to do some wrs (steppes and uphill), got quite close but didn't manage to do that. And that's all, haven't played for a few years. -= Elma career? =- I've started playing in march 2001. I've seen my friends playing it and I remember I couldn't believe how they suck in it, you know, volting in wrong places and so on. They had max hoyled warmup times, best time 15.15 and I should have never been able to beat that. So I had to try myself.. I started to improve quite fast, I had time, my that time gf had nothing against my hours of playing (I usually played when she had nothing to do) got 43 total in 10 months (that was some top30 that time). WRs seemed so far away. Once I found out that it's quite ez to beat warmup multo wr on my comp. SO I tried hard and after I while I've beaten Terrance & Phillip 's 7.38 by a hundred. Yeah, I became elma god. Having multi WR omg.. Once I was travelling and I got an idea how to do freefall faster.. got to my computer and made 12.96 after 2 minutes, I was like OMG such ez wr:). I kept improving and made 6 Wrs on it, best 12.33. Afterwards I took a long break in taking wrs:), I got quite close in uphill and I believe I would take it if I didn't have to go to Germany. When I came back, there was new style and WR was lost forever:/. Once when I got bored I decided to find out what's the structure of REc file. It was quite ez task, got it after 1-2 hours. After that I realized that it's ez to get exact time of the rec from the file. Surprisingly many state-edit cheaters got caught. I simply don't understand why did let's say Totalnew cheated animal farm WR 0.01 down (of course it would be WR anyway). Also Nostrada got caught 2nd time. Many still believe he didn't cheat but that's simply not possible. Also mrickx got caught, sending other's recs is quite lame. After that my playing decreased a bit, I tried some other WRs like steppes (got that style only when it was not enough for wr), no success. Once I decided to beat turnaorund WR, played that damn level for a month a few hours a day and finally I made it! 37.39! Later I've improved it to 37.17. That WR was in the table for almost year and a hlaf, so probably it was quite good. I could have got better but it was end of the school year and I didn't try later when I got my comp back. Soon after that Abula got back form army and asked about anti-cheating situation. Of course nothing changed during last few years. I wanted to publish anti-cheat patch but for some reasons I didn't do so (and didn't finish it anyway). Only new cheat was autoplay which I didn't and I also didn't have any recs. Abula sent me that, I made detection program and.. best player DarMoeD got surprisingly caught with similar cheat. Detection works 100% for cheated recs but it shows liek 1% of non-cheated recs driven with Win98 as cheated. Made my worst mistake and wrote that DeamoN's headbanger is also cheated without testing any other recs. Sorry, man:/. Later on I started to play a bit and once I finally decided to try my curvaceous style whoch I found out year ago but never got even close, I only believed that it's possible. After a few weeks I got it it was was wr on first finished run - yeah 30.74. Later I improved it a bit. Maybe I should not have spread the style week before, next time I won't:). Later I improved that lev 2 more times but both times evil Jalli got better before update. I still believe it's one of the coolest wr styles if not the coolest one. Some weeks later Zweq asked me to test one of his styles in long haul. He had one not that close run and wanted me to try. After some hours of trying I got it in the training lev. I still can't believe how could he have made it without doing it in the train level (that doesn't mean he didn't try). Anyway he got WR and I didn't:(. Later I made it twice better than old WR but too late. One day John asked me to do patch that automatically takes PCX picture from elma in certain frame rate. I got it quite fast only there was one bug with turning in it and it took me a loooong while to fix it. Skint0r made quite nice "elma done quick" video with that. I got some patching mood and finally decided to do elma-online patch. Actually it wasn't a problem at all, no unwaited bugs appeared, only one with flag tag, that was fixed ez. I've also made "long rec names" patch but didn't spread it (one bug with merging there), I'll fix it one day. Also I decided to do computer player (cheat), that will do some ez wrs, we'll see if I find time some day. So the summary of my carrier is 10 WRs (6 freefalls, 2 turnarounds, 2 curvaceous), 7 multi (warmup, uphill, steppes, enigma, turnaround, 2 curvaceous with Capo (max drunk) and Flat), OLP (creeping), multi OLP (creeping with Mystery), a few patches, a few cheaters caught, 2x KOM won, a few 2nd places in GAA, some battles won and a lot of fun.. I might play a bit in the future, try some styles I believe they are possible, do some ez patch and so.. -= Do you still like Across? Why/why not =- I've never got into it so not really. -= How did you get Across/Elma? Was it your worst mistake? or the best? =- I've seen my friends (neighbour), copied it. I had a lot of fun with elma, so not a mistake at all. -= Favourite internals / most irritating internals =- I like most of the internals. Freefall, enigma and steppes used to be my favourites but not anymore. Now I like almost all internals except Ramn frenzy and Upside down. -= Your own best WRs? =- Curvaceous 30.74 was best style, turnaround probably the best because it was in the table for longest time. -= Best WRs in your opinion? =- Most of the WRs are beatable, TorInge might be able to beat maybe 30 of them. The only unbeatable times (or atleat that won't be beaten) are enigma, warmup and hangman. Best WRs might be enduro, downhill and apple harvest but last two are not driven with best styles so they will be beaten. -= What's the limit of WR times? =- Theoretical limit might be somewhere around 34 minutes, if there won't be any new version of elma, WRs will go to some 35.40, I there will soon be then not more than to some 36.20-36.30. -= Are there some kind of external contests you like? What kind of contests do you like? Are there any new competitions you would like to see? =- I don't use to play externals a lot, I played some but not really hard.. -= Best lgr in your mind? What lgr do you use? =- I use to change lgrs quite often, now I use nice textures. I think that's the nicest one but some of the level are not playable (turnround 2nd half, downhill). -= Mention some good things you have gotten with Across/Elma? =- Playing, chatting, having some friend with which we don't use to talk about elma, one great cze-svk meeting organized by TonyLee in Hodonin, .. -= Mention some bad things you have gotten from Across/Elma? =- Actually not any. -= What is the most frustrating thing you have faced in your career? =- Playing those 12 secs of steppes for a few months wihtout getting WR. I got that style later when it wasn't enough. -= The biggest mistake of your Elma career? =- Accusing DaemoN of cheating. -= Cheating, what feelings? Do you use level unlocker/1.11hb/1.2 etc? How many cheaters do you think there are in the top100? =- Cheating might be fun when you cheat for yourself to do some slesk recs. I made some and it was a great fun. I can understand some serious cheating when you want to become best player (like Darm did) but I don't see any reason to cheat to get to 8th in some lame cup (Berhabdul or what's his nick). Also 0.01 down cheating especially in some longer levs doesn't make much sense. Most of the cheats are detectable these days, I somehow lost interest in testing anything, there might be some new guys to do that. If there will be new version of elma, Balazs should do anti-cheat part better. And dont' forget - CHEATING IS LAME! I use 1.11hb, tried some 1.2 but I used to normal resolution so no need to use it. I don't play external contest much so I don't use level unlocker at all, I think it's already in elma 1.11h and 1.2. I think there aren't many cheaters in top100, but maybe a few (not me). -= You are a great contributor to the anti-cheating part of the Elma scene, as well as you make other very nice patches and programs for the public. How is that feeling? =- It feels nice when I'm kinda respetful guy in the scene:). I do programs and patches when I get in the right mood, so it's quite fun. I don't like doing progs when somebody asks for and I don't feel like doing it. Also depends on time, now I got new girlfriend so not much time left. -= Elma tuning, have you tested? Opinion about it? =- I didn't try it for quite a long time, but when I tried I found out that there are some differences. But if you're not good at elma you'll not notice at I guess:). Atleast it's very useful to set off in levels like Uphill battle and Haircut or set on in level like Flat track. -= Map on/off, timer on/off, resolution, centered camera on/off, sounds on/off, animations on/off, high/low details? =- Map on, timer on, resolution 640x480, centered camera on (switched short time ago), sound off, animation off, high detail. -= Best kuskis and teams? What are the things you value in another kuski/team? =- Toringe is surprisimgly best kuski in my opinion, Zweq and John quite close behind, that some gap, Luther and Karlis then, then nothing, nothing... some n00by players and then me:). Hard to tell what's valuable in the others.. Maybe beeing cool:) -= Your best achievements? =- 10 Wrs, 7 multi Wrs, online patch, pcx dump patch, 2x KOM, some cheaters caught, some programs made, almost got a few GAA, 5 times 2nd I think:), olp wr, multi olp wr -= Do you do any other neat finger-related stuff like playing violin, repairing watches, pick pocketing etc? I play guitar and played piano long timne ago for many years. Just bought sitar today:). -= How much did you play in your sickest period? How much these days? =- Some days I played 3-4 hours a day, in my sickest periods it was like 2 hours every day. -= Have you had Elma dreams? =- Sure I had but I don't remember any:/ -= Strengts and weaknesses as a player? What moves you like/dislike? =- I'm quite calm and patient, there aren't any moves I hate/dislike, maybe I don't like pipes much. -= Tips for average players? =- Play more:) -= Best memories with Elma? =- Wrs, meeting in Hodonin, drinking parties with Capo.. -= First time at #across? =- I remember I got there thanks to Cloud who sent me some link to webchat. I didn't use to visit any chat so I was a ircn00b. I remember there was zyntifox making fun of me. Even my assurence that I have WR didn't change it:). Anyway it was quite fun. Long time ago I think people used to chat more and not just idle. -= Best Elma friends? =- My best elma friend is Capo, he changed from elma friend to normal quite fast and then we never talked about elma. Only once after real drunk party we decided to beat multi WR. We were barely walking but we tried. The other problem appeared when we found out that we have only one chair. I was more important in that run so I was sitting:). Capo was kneeing on the ground and a bit wiggling. He got his really easy part almost never but surprisingly exactly when I got it right he made it too and it was WR! One of the best memories;) I got also some other online friends, it probably varies, there are always some others which I use to talk to, nowadays probably to John most, before it was to many others (yes, I have forgotten you:)). -= Thoughts about Elma meetings? =- Elma meeting are fun, too sad I wasn't able to come to last FEM (final exams) and sadly last CZE-SVK meeting last summer was cancelled:/ -= What do YOU think should be improved in an eventual new version of Elma? How are your feelings towards there coming a new version? =- There are not many things to improve, maybe better graphics and smoothness, also maybe new surfaces on the ground may be added. If new version comes, I'll not try it, I might quit, we'll see. Or only play still old version. -= How about battles? =- Battles are fun when I have mood to play them, I haven't tried much in last months and I'm quite lame in them (or comparing to my internals skills). -= Have you got any negative feedback about playing Elma from your mates? =- Not really, maybe my parents used to tell me that I'm too old to play computer games:). ANyway I'm not living with them anymore so no negative feedback at all. -= What games do you like beside Elma? =- I don't play any other game. I didn't play any game last 2 years before I started to play elma. I used to play minesweeper (got nice 82s on expert long time ago with bad mouse) also I was quite good in popoint game (got 2.908s I think, much better than others) -= Did you buy Elma? Why not? =- No I didn't:(. It's not about those 15$ or how much it was. It's like I don't feel like sending money somewhere. If I meet Balazs, I would buy him 50 beers:) -= Have you thought about if you could stop playing Elma soon, or anytime? =- I'll probably stop playing when elma comes or when it won't be fun anymore. I'l probably not quit community if many others won't. -= What gets you still playing Elma? =- Good way of killing time when I have nothing to do. Also it's quite a good feeling when I get some new best time:) -= Are you at the top of your career now? If not, when? =- Yes, I think I'm still getting better and only not trying some "new" styles makes my total not great only semi-good. -= How high would you rate yourself as an Elma player? Top100? Top10? Honestly. =- Maybe end of top20 in internals. -= What are your goals in elma these days? =- Nothing special, just play in free time and make some ez patches. -= Forecast the future of Elma. How the scene will be in five years? =- I guess there won't be any elma scene in 5 years.. or who would say there will be one five years ago:). -= Was it a surprise to be voted for the kuski of month? If it was who should have won in your opinion and why? =- Actually I have noticed that I won maybe three weeks later. It wasn't a big surprise, I got it thanks to online patch so that's quite a good reason. Maybe TorInge should win it again. -= Mopolauta, thoughts? =- Mopolauta is quite god to discus diffent topics about elma, I'm not very active these days, but sometimes I have to write something. -= Opinions about Elma Crime, MUe's animations and stuff like that. =- Elma Crime was really max stupid "movie". I was watching it with my that time girlfriend and we were laughing on it whole movie, of course not on the movie itself, but on how lame it was:) Sorry, guys, great effort:) MUe's elma picnic was great. Also Bartek's brutal volt movie:* -= What's your favourite Elma website (not moposite)? =- Maybe zworqy's page. I love big zworqy's picture:) -= Your relation to OLP? =- I haven't played OLP much. Only liked creeping level. I found new style there and got WR, twice somebody impoved it before the update, but finally I got it:). Also got multi WR with my n00b friend. Most of the OLP levels suck, there are a few nice once but haven't played much. -= Why that nick, milagros? =- I used to change nick quite often to get motivation to beat old times. I don't play under milagros nick anymore, only I got known by that nick when I got Warm up multi WR. Once I wanted to get a new nick and decided to change to milagros from soap opera wild angel:) Max nick though:)) -= How much do your parents know about you/elma/the scene? =- I don't live with my parents so they don't care. But they used to tell me that I should do something more important. Elma is important, atleat I got improved in assembler:) -= Your real life. Do you have it (school/work, other interests etc)? =- I work as a programmer in England nowadays, I've studied theoretical physics and also automation. I hobbies are elma:), girlfriend, guitar, skiing, drinking with friends in the pub and so on.. I think I have common n00b hobbies:) -= You have won the KOM award twice, last in January 2003. How would you say the scene has changed since that time? =- The people didn't change. Maybe there is less talk at #across, but it's still same. -= Which award do you value the highest? This one or the first one you got? =- I've never thought about that. I can't say I value those 'prizes' at all. -= How did this interview make you feel, like a moviestar? =- Yes, exactly. I've always dreamed of writing something like that. That's why I never filled the interview when I won for the first time:) -= Write something about the game, fellow kuskis, moposite, #across, etc =- Elma roxx0rz. milagros 19th March 2006