Largest Contributors to Warcraft 2 gameplay!

[Swift]

Most of us are adults now, and this is just a video game that we play casually. We've got far more important things in our lives. Families, relationships, careers, hobbies, etc.

However, I think for most of us WarCraft 2 will always be more than just some "game", even for those of us who haven't played in many years, and for those of us who won't ever play again. For most of the players who log on to these forums, WarCraft 2 is/was a huge part of their life.

For myself, I can take a year or more off from time to time, and I am sure at some point I'll take several years off or never play again perhaps, however ever since I was 7 years old I have not gone a week without thinking about this game and all of the players in it.

I think there are countless players who have contributed to this community in immeasurable ways and elevated the evolution of the meta of wc2. I am going to list my Top 2 though, just to give a little appreciation.

#1 u8t3io3p

He's undeniably one of the best players and talents to ever play this game. I believe it's indisputable that his meta understanding of wc2 is top 3 all time. I believe that every single player who has either played against or with him has learned more about Warcraft 2 in the process. I know that I have personally learned quite a bit from him. 

However, simply being a top tier player who has helped to change/evolve the way this game is played isn't what makes u8 the greatest contributor ever to Warcraft 2 (and it's overall average skill base.) Not even close.

What makes U8, in my opinion, the biggest contributor to WarCraft 2, is his streaming platform. He has relatively consistently been streaming for some years now, and in that time I've seen the overall average skill level of Warcraft 2 massively increase. Today, the "average players" understand so many details of wc2 that the "average players" of 15-20 years ago didn't. The Gap Between Top players and Average players was much wider in 2005, for example, than it is now. And, at least in my mind, this is largely due to players watching U8's streaming. Many noobs, and long timers watch his stream, and learn a lot from it. I also believe that everyone who doesn't watch his stream, still benefits from it, due to the collective average skill level that is rising due to those DO watch it and learn from it.

In summary, U8's Skill, But more importantly his twitch/youtube platform, makes him the largest contributor to WC2 Ever in my opinion.

#2 Mistral

Mistral's impact on WC2 is perhaps a bit more obvious, as he is literally programming improvements into the game itself. Any player can now watch any top player from "obs" mode, and observe their resource management, unit skill, upgrade hierarchy, etc. Another example: Average players can now even see the progress bar for units being built - They can see how consistent top players are when it comes to instantly building peon, after peon, etc. There's countless things the average wc2 player has insights into, all due to Mistral

With all of these new features, average players can get a greater insight into many of the fundamental and vital details that virtually all top players implement within their gameplay.

In 2023, you do NOT see many players upgrading second shield before second sword anymore, do you? It's a simple detail that is very important in this game, and some of us have known details like this for decades, but now everyone can know things like this thanks to Mistral

This guy doesn't get even close to enough credit and appreciation that he deserves.

Thats it. That's my top two all-time contributors to WC2. In my ideal Warcraft 2 Utopia, everyone is very good at Warcraft 2 - that makes for a lot of GREAT games. So, I have a lot of respect and appreciation for anyone who contributes to the overall elevation of WC2 gameplay. A rising tide raises all boats!

There are 10-20 other players that come to mind pretty quickly, but I just wanted to name my top 2 and spread the love a bit.

[tk[as]]

I'd like to add )LW(Sly to this list

[Mistral]

wow thanks 

[Szwagier]

I got no idea what you want with that, but you had no problem to call me hacker cause Im using HD patch or offend me hard cause I refused to play with you after 3 hours game

Warcraft 2 need change if community want grow up to have more people than 1 gow
1) manner( I understand you can write that someone suck no problem but going to attack ad person is not acceptale and should be banned doesnt matter if you are playing this game 1 year or 20 years)
2) maps, we need play more maps, many people are asking me at chat "hey maybe sea map?" but what I can answer? no cause finding someone who will play it(in decent lvl) is like 0%, if they see many maps maybe some of them will play? few people allready log from twitch/youtube
3) BALANCE, yes we need change it somehow that human should be able to have chance win in late game when orc got bloodlust, but it must be FOR ALL not making another "lobby mod" like did it ealier when you can pick (if you guys ever played for example Red Alert 2 alliance tanks suck hard but they patched it for have all races not only soviet)

[Harrywangs]

NTS

[T1M]

Shout out to StarTale and 00Joe for putting out some great content, albeit incomplete and 5 years old. I learned a ton from those videos. I wish there were more.

[tk[as]]

I got no idea what you want with that, but you had no problem to call me hacker cause Im using HD patch or offend me hard cause I refused to play with you after 3 hours game

Warcraft 2 need change if community want grow up to have more people than 1 gow
1) manner( I understand you can write that someone suck no problem but going to attack ad person is not acceptale and should be banned doesnt matter if you are playing this game 1 year or 20 years)
2) maps, we need play more maps, many people are asking me at chat "hey maybe sea map?" but what I can answer? no cause finding someone who will play it(in decent lvl) is like 0%, if they see many maps maybe some of them will play? few people allready log from twitch/youtube
3) BALANCE, yes we need change it somehow that human should be able to have chance win in late game when orc got bloodlust, but it must be FOR ALL not making another "lobby mod" like did it ealier when you can pick (if you guys ever played for example Red Alert 2 alliance tanks suck hard but they patched it for have all races not only soviet)

he's always privately told me has a great deal of respect for you.

[tk[as]]

Shout out to StarTale and 00Joe for putting out some great content, albeit incomplete and 5 years old. I learned a ton from those videos. I wish there were more.

http://www.youtube.com/@u8t3io3p/videos

[Rensyyra]

Wow so cool! anything else???

[Szwagier]

he's always privately told me has a great deal of respect for you.

is that enough tk?

another guy who get caught hacking calling me hacker, some guys will never grow up, and yes I dont belive anything what he wrote, he is fake person, cant trust him anything what he wrote

[tk[as]]

sometimes when you have a crush on a girl, you tease and pick on her a little bit.

it's like that.

[Szwagier]

Iam not buying it

[Dudakurten]

Wow so cool! anything else???

https://m.twitch.tv/videos/1742407016

https://m.twitch.tv/videos/1742410618

Here you have good games from last 1s tour. Semi finals and finals

[Swift]

I got no idea what you want with that, but you had no problem to call me hacker cause Im using HD patch or offend me hard cause I refused to play with you after 3 hours game

I want nothing from it. Everything I said there is true. I also think you're an asshole. That's my early experiences with you, and Teaboy. Perhaps you are not in reality. Perhaps I am simply wrong, and you're actually a nice guy. I am open to that. I just didn't experience it when I first met you. Perhaps I was too sensitive. I also think HD is a massive advantage. Most my jokes about it, including "hacker/cheater" are in lighthearted spirit. I say these things about anyone who uses HD  (not just to you), but its mostly just cuz I cant seem to DL it for myself - my PC blocks that version of WC2.

Me thinking you're an asshole, at least that you were to me, has nothing to do with me giving you respect where its due. I like your gameplay, and I think you're streaming is a net positive to the WC2 community, and I appreciate it. No matter how I feel about the way you treated me years back, these things are just true. I want you to keep playing wc2 forever, as long as u enjoy it, because it makes for a better wc2 experience for me everytime i log in or play, today, or months/years from now.

I don't care too much about what you think about me, or how you interpret me because it's just a game. I know I can be an asshole often, and in the past i've overreacted. The past is the past, it is what it is. You don't got to like to me at all, but all the respect I gave in this thread is true. And I want more people to stream, more people to get involved with Mistral in improving the game in the ways that he does, etc. It's all about the game and the community.

I love this game way too much not to respect it and the players who also love it. If someone likes warcraft 2 half as much as me, I automatically relate to them on some level.

[Swift]

Shout out to StarTale and 00Joe for putting out some great content, albeit incomplete and 5 years old. I learned a ton from those videos. I wish there were more.

I recall multiple players bringing this up multiple times in the past. I was around when they were making those videos. I bet they are great! Care to share them?

I am open to teaming up with someone to do something similar and contribute to the overall elevation of wc2 gameplay~