Angel Munoz Interview

[CSN NewsBot]

GameZone has done an interview with CPL president and founder, Angel Munoz. The interview talks about the CPL's nearing winter event as well as how Munoz first created the CPL. Here's a tidbit:

Q: What was your greatest challenge in putting the CPL together?



AM: For me personally it has always been dealing with the skepticism and criticism of a small, but very vocal group of gamers. It has always been puzzling to me that some gamers would actually rejoice if the CPL failed, not understanding the incredible inroads that we have established for the gaming community. For example, no longer are gamers just considered "consumers" by technology companies, but now these companies have an honest desire to help the community grow and gain recognition. At the end of the day, it is smart business for these companies to establish strong bonds with hardcore gamers, which are in fact early adopters and the most consistent purchasers of technology products.

A very interesting read that gives some insight into what the CPL is and will be, about. Thanks for the heads up, cheetarah654.

[CSN NewsBot]

Angel Munoz Interview

That crazy cat bam_bam over at Gameloft, has slapped up a rather nifty interview with CPL founder Angel Munoz. He speaks about the cyber athlete stadium and the future of the CPL. Check it out.

[CSN NewsBot]

Angel Munoz Interview

Gamers.nu has recently interviewed Angel Munoz, founder of the CPL. It mostly details what gaming was like before, where it might head toward the future, questions regarding a little game called Counter-Strike, and life in general. Here is a nice snippet from the nice read:

Without Counter-Strike do you feel that the CPL would have been as big as it is now?



I like to think that if Counter-Strike did not exist, CPL would have invented it. :)

With this interview being highly informative, lengthy, and interesting as it is, I suggest you take the time and read this right away (with a free registered account).

[CSN NewsBot]

Angel Munoz Interview

Computer Power User has interviewed Angel Munoz, president of the Cyberathlete Professional League, which goes into detail of Mr. Munoz's background and early years, stance on gaming related issues, future plans for eSports, and much, much more.

CPU: A decade ago you were an investment banker. How on earth did you get into gaming?



Munoz: Well, back in the early '90s, there were some rumors in investment banking circles that there was a small company out of Mesquite, Texas, looking for financing. That company was id Software, which at the time was designing a game called Doom. While the rumor proved to be wrong, a friend of mine bought a copy of the game and told me, 'You just really have to try this and play it.' So I popped it in one of those early laptops that were only 256-color and no sound. For the first time, I found myself transported to another reality and being able to play a game that was, in my opinion at that time, so realistic and so immersing, I knew then that I had to be part of the industry somehow. So in '94 and '95, I launched a sort of a hobby Web site about gaming called The Adrenaline Vault. I figured there had to be a few people out there like me. I just never realized how big the industry was.

Interested? If so, click here to read an enjoyable interview.

[Z1G]

omg I'm too lazy I want a direct link D:

[MikeJ]

It's in there man. And screw close relative, that's me!

[kaxman]

You know, I hadn't really considered the impact an MTV program might possibly have. MTV has a rather large audience, and quite a few of them no doubt play games but have likely never heard of any sort of competitive gaming. (Not hard to believe when you realize that these people play the occasional game but their entire playlist could be heard by watching MTV for a couple of days...sad, really) It'll most likely create more interested people.



I also just sort of had this random thought out of nowhere while reading the interview. If, as everyone seems to believe, the only way for competitive computer gaming to survive is to create a larger audience, why isn't there more for people to do at these types of events? It seems to me that if the CPL had more shit for spectators to do (because I happen to agree with many who say there is very little 'wow' factor in spectating gamers. Sure, I'm impressed when I see someone nail that lightning quick 180 degree flickrail, but that's almost entirely because I personally know how much time in practice it takes to achieve that level of skill. To most people...I dunno, it's as out of their reach as dunking. Dunking just looks a lot cooler.) it would attract a larger crowd. Go the way of the Warped Tour and have tons of free shit to give away (not so much last time, the cheap bastards), games to play, hell you might as well throw up a skateboarding ramp while you're at it. Turn it into a huge fucking party. You could give it more of a geeky feel by making it more like...I don't know, Comdex or something. Manufacturers showcasing the latest in geeky gadgetry for you to fiddle with and ogle. (Oh, and for you gamers, I believe the competition is about to start. Everyone else who paid admission, check out this l33t tablet PC!) You've gotta make it fun for more than just gamers to attract non-gamers. Try as I might, I cannot envision making someone who doesn't care a LOT about games to care about competitions like the CPL.

Wow did I write a lot. This is me, putting off studying for finals. Wheeee...

[stooopid]

Just looking at the quote, I think this Munoz guy picked the right time to make a professional league happen. Before broadband Internet...



(okay, Z1G... that graphic is f^$&ing nasty. How am I supposed to type with that on my screen?!?)



...there could be little hope of maintaining a coherent community. Broadband has standardized gaming performance and made a objective concept of `skill' attainable relative to other players.



As an aside, I think that one of the reasons there was resistance to CS1.5 was that it appeared to take a step backward in this respect. Playing CS1.3 was a more consistent endeavour, because less was left to chance -- CS1.5 has tried to re-introduce realism through `luck' (as people on this site have pointed out). Objective criticism of skill is less relevant and I think that strains the community.



Looking at the numbers, I remember an article on CSN a few months after 1.5 came out, noting the decrease in server traffic and the lack of rebounding participation by gamers around the world. LAN play has not, suffered, however, perhaps owing some resilience to the personal interactions that go along with it.



-stooop

[pinchet]

o god nightstalker is a news guy now

[Gpig]

Rizzuh, is there a preference for "block munoz interviews"?

[icer-]

you can just block interviews

[Pharlap]

Gpig20 wrote..

Rizzuh, is there a preference for "block munoz interviews"?

lol im getting fed up of em too. hhehe :)

[mouth]

Evidently, the biggest challenge in putting the CPL together comes from the attempts to take credit for things he had very little involvment in.



I got your incredible fuckin' inroads right here.

[thrombose]

[xlokix]

interesting read, with a Leonard Riggio partnership, you can bet your ass the cpl will start giving books away instead of money! (joke)