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E05 // Crossing the Ts and ZoeTwoDots(ting) the Is!
125 Plays11 months ago
Join us on Tap Tap Cast this week where have a lovely talk with the cheeky and infamous ZoeTwoDots! Zoe is a Pokemon Go content creator and is the newest addition to the casting and hosting team, making her debut appearance at the European International Championships! The crew talk about how she got interested in Pokemon Go, the advantages/disadvantages of being from the Oceania region, and why ZoeTwoDots must have her iconic bow!
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Appearance
00:00:01
Speaker
Hello, everyone. Welcome on another episode of Tap Tap Cast. You may know me as Inadequance. And I am Lundberger, and I'm super excited for this one. We have someone on who is, I wouldn't say like super involved with PVP yet, but she's really starting to be more lately. We have the one, the only, Zoe2Dots.
00:00:31
Speaker
Hello, good day, champions. How are we doing? Good day. Welcome in. That was the cutest good day I've ever heard. It was my attempt at it. I also think sometimes I'm like, if I spell it out like good eye, then I'm like, good eye. I love it. Never change. Never change. Never change. I love it.
Zoe's Journey into Pokemon Go Content Creation
00:00:55
Speaker
All right, Zoe, I think most of us know you, but for those who don't, can you give yourself a short introduction? Yeah, for sure. My name is Zoe. I'm from Australia. And I guess majority-wise what I do online with Pokemans, with Pokemon, is I do Pokemon Go videos. So a bit of travel stuff, playing the game, taking people all around the world, or, you know, in my backyard around Australia. I PvP in secret.
00:01:23
Speaker
i.e a pvp on the side so thankfully thankfully i didn't drop it in the the beginning like i know a lot of people have in the community but stuck with it um i just don't post much about it i guess um but definitely big fan big supporter of the pvp community as well um and yeah it's kind of that's kind of me i do other you know variety stuff for streaming pokemon but uh we'll be hosting in some capacity for go for euic which is pretty cool which is i guess going to be the
00:01:53
Speaker
All right, we got to make sure we know all the, all the, all the things, PVP, GBL related, but we'll be right. Yeah, that's super exciting. Well, when we saw it, I thought it was actually really funny too, because when your name was announced, people were like, Zoe, is that Zoe two dots? And then someone was like, Oh my gosh, is she Zoe two dots? Cause the two dots above me. I'm like, this has to be the way that everyone figures out what the name means.
00:02:20
Speaker
If they didn't know before. Yeah. So, I mean, obviously you've been around for quite a long time. You're probably one of the most well-known names in Pokemon Go overall. And I know that you kind of described what you did, but how did you get started in it? Like what really initially drove you to start making Pokemon Go videos?
00:02:39
Speaker
Um, I guess for a while I had wanted to do something, you know, in the online gaming space, but with, um, Australian internet being garbage and not having the resources, like I didn't have a proper PC. I didn't have like things for like streaming. Like you didn't even have the upload speeds for streaming. It was like a one make uploads physically impossible to live stream in Australia for a long time. And this, I don't know if you had some magic internet connection. Um, but when Pokemon go was announced to be coming out, I was like, well.
00:03:07
Speaker
I have a camera, I have a phone, you know, it's upload speeds are going to take literally overnight to upload 10 minute video, but we can live with that. There wasn't too, you know, time critical necessarily back then. And I was like, well, if I was ever going to do something, it probably has to be now because I can and I want to. So I started making videos. I was preparing my first video.
00:03:32
Speaker
because we didn't really have a date for when Go was going to come out and then that same week that I was getting this video ready, like the game dropped that Friday and I'm like, oh, okay, like it started floating, like, let's go. But yeah, it's kind of just been, been, been doing ever since, I guess.
00:03:51
Speaker
I guess I was doing full-time, like full-time work as a graphic designer as well, like when I started. And then I guess eventually it was a point where I was kind of like, well, I would like to do more of this and less of this. So dove into the YouTube thing. That's awesome. So you basically decided to make Pokemon Go content before it dropped, like, like just when it was announced.
00:04:15
Speaker
When it was being announced, I was kind of like how, you know, I was kind of thinking in the way, like, how could this be possible to make things for? So I started like looking on YouTube and of course found Nick's channels, you know, train of tips. And I'm like, Oh, this guy's like making videos about what they think's going to happen in the game and how it's going to work. And, you know, it has the beta access in the game as well. I'm like, Oh, that's really like, okay. Yeah. I could definitely see how this would physically translate of like, here's me and my phone and where I am in the world. And.
00:04:41
Speaker
you know putting the two together I'm like oh I'd already done like some YouTube videos like kind of vlog stuff for traveling um when I'd gone to Japan and like I'm like you know here's the Pokemon Center a little tour of that like those little bits and pieces so I had a bit of a concept of that side of it um and then actually seeing it like oh okay this is yeah this would function of like person game
00:05:03
Speaker
like go and do the thing that's kind of like solidified for me like oh yeah i should start like um that's basically making like a channel intro when the game dropped so i was a bit behind but we caught up yeah you say you're behind but you were like way ahead of like yeah besides like trainer tips like i can't think of anyone who's really been around since the beginning of pokemon go yeah yeah
00:05:27
Speaker
Yeah. I think there's definitely, there's a lot that jumped on really early days, but I think, you know, people like mystic seven or reversal and that they already had established channels doing other things. So I think for them, it was kind of like, Oh, cool. Here's this other game that I like of, I think for Brandon, he had no clue. I think it was his first ever Pokemon game was Pokemon go. So for him, it was like, everything is new and exciting, which is amazing. Um, so I think, yeah, it's, it's.
00:05:54
Speaker
There's a few of us that kind of like joined along the way or started early and then, you know, all met each other, which is great because everyone's been legends. But yeah, it's been fun. So you say about the the internet not being great in Australia. Is that like still the case? Because when it came out, it was like seven, seven years
Internet and Time Zone Challenges in Australia
00:06:10
Speaker
ago. It's better. It's better now. It's significantly better. It's not as good as it could be. But it was a ferocious like I genuinely it took 10 hours to upload a 10 minute video.
00:06:22
Speaker
And that was only like seven years ago or something. It was specifically upload speeds. It was always like a very big and it still is a thing when people are like, this is the best internet get out plan. And it's like, yes, what's the upload speeds though? Like your downloads are very much was that where it's like download was functional. Upload was like non-existent. Yeah. So thankfully that's kind of fixed, but yeah.
00:06:48
Speaker
Yeah, you guys are kind of uphill all the way for Pokemon Go, because not only do sounds like you're bad upload speeds, you're also our guinea pigs over half the time for when and there's new releases. I'm always just waiting to see the posts about like, okay, they forgot to turn this on or okay, this didn't work and this didn't start on time. Yeah. Do you feel like there's any benefit to being the first theoretically to be getting this stuff?
00:07:15
Speaker
I mean, I guess it makes sense in terms of the time zones. Like when people say like, let's just go back to before it was the time zone thing. I kind of like, I cringe a little bit because I just know like people forget at the best of times when events are coming up, what the details are for events. Like a lot of the time I'll post a video and the comments are, oh my God, I forgot this was happening. Thank goodness I'm, you know, two hours behind you or even people like, oh my God, I saw your notification. I'm in Australia too.
00:07:44
Speaker
time for me to head outside sort of thing. So I think if it was to go back to that format, like the early days, calm day, where it was, you know, Australia, Japan, everyone kicking off at the same time and then America gets it at one PM the previous day and then Europe's somewhere it's four P it's like, I think it's just far more confusing and it's just going to lead to more frustration in a way.
00:08:07
Speaker
I wish the solution was just to have someone on the ground in New Zealand. So like, I know that when things are tested in the game, it's more than likely probably tested with a limited number of staff. So you're not going to find weird things like a raid lobby cap with 30,000 people being an issue until there's that many people doing it. But I think having someone that's like there
00:08:29
Speaker
ready to respond to a community of, you know, for any of the early time zones, not just New Zealand, but like, they're the biggest population that hits it first. To be able to respond and fix it in five minutes would be a big thumbs up.
00:08:45
Speaker
Um, but yeah, I guess it would become sort of that role. I think a lot of, um, APAC has kind of taken on, you know, we're like, oh, we're the guinea pigs, but at the same time, it's like, have fun, everyone. Like we hope this information's like, you know, it's helping other people, but.
00:09:01
Speaker
You know, yeah, it's weird. It's a weird spot. It's a weird spot to be in, I'd say. It would be, look, it'd be amazing if someone's listening, if you guys want to do a special event for, you know, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, you know, those first couple of time zones, a little special something as a sorry would be, you know, it wouldn't go amiss. But yeah.
00:09:22
Speaker
I think that can be difficult sometimes, right? I think that's something that I, that we had in Europe as well often, like at tournaments that they forgot to turn the bonuses on on tournaments. And then, you know, if you want to let someone on Niantic's side know, they're like nine hours behind us. So they might very well be asleep. That's something that's a little bit tough with time zones. Do you think it would be more beneficial to like avoid or prevent these kind of issues if everything would start at
00:09:52
Speaker
I think Niantic is located in San Francisco or so, that everything starts at PST time or something. If it was like an everything all at once sort of thing. I'm not sure, possibly. I guess then there's just going to be... It depends if the events then... I guess because they're still running for the same total time. But if the playable time lines up for everyone, would that balance out? Yeah. Because it might start at like 3am for someone, right? They're obviously not going to be happy about it.
00:10:21
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, it's hard. It's a weird one. I honestly, I think because there's a website that tracks all of the New Zealand broken events. I think, look, it's been a couple of weeks, I think, since I've had to flag anything. So my fingers are crossed. I hope that things are improving. I think a couple of little weird ones that have happened this year have been so far nothing major.
00:10:49
Speaker
I think there's a few weird ones where it was like, oh, the squirt, uh, what was it? The sanctuary spotlight hour started as Pikachu for something for five minutes. And it's like, that's not, you know, that's not detrimental necessarily. Um, depends on your preference for Pokemon, I guess. Um, and a few little bit like, oh, the raid boss was the wrong thing, but it was like Kiram. And it's like, well, that's.
00:11:12
Speaker
pretty fun to rate, I guess. That's all right. Again, depends on your preference. So far, I don't think there's anything too catastrophic this year.
00:11:20
Speaker
fingers crossed don't jinx it like I hope that that's the continued trend is that it's not like the shiny is not on the raids not on the things broken like that would be that'd be great you know when you just said this it reminded me and and this is just a venting this is not necessarily focused on that region but I was in Fiji a couple years ago and I was so excited because it was before Relicant was like really
00:11:47
Speaker
global at that point. But there was an event going on, like the Canto event. And I didn't catch one while I was there because the event, like just the only things that were spawning were the first generation. And something similar happened to me when I was in the Canary Islands when I was hunting for Tropius. And there was like, I caught one at the airport and that was it for the week. And
00:12:09
Speaker
Like I get it that there are special events that go on that obviously you want to like try to catch them. But I think that there's got to be some sort of like give and take where if there's something that's only local to a region that you should still be able to get a decent amount of them.
00:12:24
Speaker
It's something that I've definitely, I flagged consistently, especially because of things like I would land somewhere for an event. It's like we're in France, it's Kleffke time. And you know, I think Tom and Brandon who were there two days before and they're like, there's Kleffke everywhere, it's going to be great when you get here. And I landed and the event had started as I landed.
00:12:41
Speaker
And suddenly I'm like, hey guys, is this like the same Klefke you were seeing on the nearby where it's like the furthest possible thing? And they're like, no, there was some flagging it again to be like, hey, when these events are starting, especially when people have, you know, traveled for a go fest and they're going to take their time to slowly leave, try and get those regionals. I think it is unintentional. Um, I think they have gotten better at, I don't know if there's like a checklist that they do and I've gotten better at, um,
00:13:07
Speaker
Like maybe there's that first hour when the event starts, but then the regionals kind of kick back in and I have noticed that when I've been traveling where I'm like, Oh, am I going to have to flag this again? And then a few hours later, you can see definitely more of the shadows on the nearby, but I think early days it was just quite literally.
00:13:22
Speaker
push to the wilderness. Like I had the same thing with Corsola. We had driven about 10 hours north for like a cousin's birthday. And then I'm like, well Corsola only spawns like four hours above that. So like quickly on that Saturday morning, that's a drive four hours up through traffic to get Corsola, but there's an event. And this was pre, like this is 2017, I think, like early days, no one's got connections to message someone a Niantic. And it's like,
00:13:51
Speaker
Like I had messaged that community being like, how abundance course and they're like, mate, here's a screenshot. Like this dude's everywhere. I'm just like sweating, just watching. Like we've got one hour in this city for her to get back for this birthday sort of thing. And I'm like, please just spawn one. I managed to get one, but it was like, yeah, there was very much that where it's like.
00:14:11
Speaker
Come on, like you're special to this area. You should be guaranteed to find. I totally agree with that. I was thinking like, where am I going back there? I feel like it's really hard. Even when it's not an event for Relicant, it's so weather and biome dependent, I've noticed. It's like being near the water and a hope for cloudy weather because it's so, I don't know, it's like seems very committed to that, that biome. It's hard one to find.
00:14:38
Speaker
Like New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, like that general slice of the islands. Like I think any of the Pacific islands in that cluster have it as well. Yeah. Yeah. You probably have everything in your decks though, right?
Pokemon Events and Community Impact
00:14:50
Speaker
At this point? No, no. What are you, what are you missing? That's actually in the game. Thankfully we should be coming up, I guess for August, Hawaii. I'm missing Kung-Fei. I've never been, I've never had a layover lineup to get Kung-Fei. And it's one, sorry.
00:15:07
Speaker
It's one that I refuse to trade for because it's cute and I want to catch it myself. There's plenty of stuff that just haven't evolved. And then that's the main regional would be comfy, I think. I have a Mr. Mime for you. I always love regionals. I always love trading regionals. Yeah. I want to ask about maybe a sensitive topic, the OCIC.
00:15:39
Speaker
Crizy and Australian, yes. Yeah, I was actually very excited for that, especially as myself getting through the Institute Casters, hoping that maybe, you know, I might get to that region and then maybe take an extended holiday to get some relevance, right? But unfortunately, it's gone. I don't know for how long, but how do y'all feel about that?
00:16:06
Speaker
I think everyone is just like that kick in the guts sort of feeling. I'm especially bummed out because the date for OCIC last year got changed last minute. So I was already going to be in the Las Vegas event for that. And it got changed to that same weekend. So I was like, I had planned, you know.
00:16:29
Speaker
You know, here's what it is. Um, hotel and whatever else to be down in Sydney. I'm like, awesome. It's only like a two hour drive from where I live. And it's finally, it's like on a home turf, like the production, like I was seeing, I had no idea, but I was just like seeing tweets from the casters being like, Ooh, first coffee in Australia. And I'm like, wait, hold on. You're actually like this stuff happening for it, like proper. Um, and then seeing all the photos as it was all getting set up and the
00:16:52
Speaker
full-on production like amazing stoked uh and it looked amazing it went fantastically everything that i heard everyone that went had a great time like proper showing as well for displaying the Aussie talent um to then it being like you know is uh it was pretty brutal um i think it's
00:17:15
Speaker
The assumption I guess from us is that it was, you know, expense related where it's like, okay, if we can either do one big one in Sydney, but then we have to like lose two other locations sort of thing. But then it's sort of like, there's, there's got to be other locations in Australia that are still, you know,
00:17:35
Speaker
adequate, but not as expensive as Sydney. Like Sydney is stupid expensive, but there's plenty of other locations in my mind that could have feasibly housed one. And I'm not sure if it's looking at it from the perspective of like a Europe or an America where, you know, Europe's very interconnected, but you've got multiple different locations for different regions. Or if you're thinking of like America where it's like, well, someone's not going to fly from New York to California to participate. And it's like, well, in Australia, yes, you would.
00:18:04
Speaker
you would fly from Perth to Sydney to participate. Or I mean, like, obviously it's better for Perth to have their own one. It's going to be the cheapest anyway for a regional anyway. It's the most expensive for them. But there's not a question about like, if someone would fly from to Brisbane, from Sydney, from Newcastle to Brisbane to Melbourne, like those, that major cluster, like we're very spread apart. Like me driving to Brisbane, as I said, is 10 hour drive. It's a one hour flight.
00:18:30
Speaker
maybe a hundred bucks. You get a nice deal, get a little cheeky flight deal. Like people would do it. Like, um, it's, we're used to it, I guess. Cause we are so spread out like to doing the big trek out. I think it's just rough that, you know, and maybe it was just timing, whatever else to not find an alternative location, um, that fit the budget or whatever else. But.
00:18:52
Speaker
Yeah, I think there's definitely that feeling of just not being included because as it stands as well, the regionals, none of our regionals get streamed. If you attend a regionals, there's not even a screen to see gameplay.
00:19:08
Speaker
Really? Oh, that sucks. Anything for nothing, for none of the like VGC, TCG, nothing. We are only lucky in that the go judges pretty much know us all at this point and they know us to not be disruptive. So they let us kind of hover like gremlins with enough space behind to like watch screens or to film someone's screen so that we can document it or, you know, participate. And we're like, you know, silently cheering along and like watching.
00:19:36
Speaker
We're also very lucky that the contenders aren't like, could you back off please? Like everyone's kind of used to this, like that energy at this point, which is good. But for any of the other, you know, VGC, TCG, if you go even have a look, it's kind of like, no, give them space. Cause it's such a like tight quarters, you know, location. Um, and then there's people that have, you know, went to OCIC last year and then they, Oh, bi-spectator pass for this year for, for Melbourne. And they get in, they're like, ah.
00:20:06
Speaker
Where is everything? Like, where's the, I can't even expect it. It should be called like a parents and guardians pass. Honestly, because it's not, you can't expect it. I think there's definitely that, that feeling of like,
00:20:22
Speaker
I think on multiple levels I say it because it's like we're not getting to display the talent that, you know, Oceana's got. People, these amazing skills just aren't on display. And then I think it also is a detriment to the on the ground communities because
00:20:39
Speaker
I think part of like, you know, the magic of worlds and stuff is you see all the different games and you're getting invested in like people over there are cheering. You're like, well, I don't know what's going. I don't know how VGC works, but I'm going to watch this for a bit and be like, Oh, this is okay. This is getting pretty clutch. And you might see that competitor later. I'm like, Oh, good job, buddy. That was an amazing game. Or it kind of brings people cross platform to appreciate, you know, and to meet people and, you know, make communities. I think.
00:21:04
Speaker
it's very pocketed still in Oceania because we don't get to celebrate each other or even just, yeah, spectate. So yeah, I think the loss of OCIC is rough. I would hope that at least going forward, there's just chuck it up on a little projector screen, like a little something, something, like,
Visibility Challenges for Australian PVP Talents
00:21:25
Speaker
because I think Australia is very much getting the forgotten child feeling at the moment, yeah.
00:21:33
Speaker
Yeah, I know I was talking with some of the PVP players in Australia as well, because they are really hoping that at least if maybe they could follow in Europe's footsteps in a way where it's just like, you know, there was a year of unofficial streams and even before that for VG and for the card stream, there was like unofficial streams for those for actually quite a few years.
00:21:55
Speaker
where people were just allowed to do this. And I know that a couple of them are looking into it. I hope that it's something that can end up coming to fruition. But at this stage, I can imagine that, of course, yeah, you feel kind of left out because you're watching all these others. And I even as a caster, I was I was given a little bit of crap because I totally didn't mention Yakovovich, who was our other like two time in one season regional champion. I mentioned Doonbug and then I just completely
00:22:24
Speaker
Again, and that that's completely on. Yeah, because there's no coverage. It's only whoever's on the ground tweeting it. And if, if that doesn't get picked up in, you know, other people seeing it and liking it and sharing it, then there's no way that it's going to get to everyone that wants to know that information for sure.
00:22:40
Speaker
Yeah, it's wild though as well because so many of the Aussie regionals now, again, we're super lucky that it's so newcomer friendly. Everyone's really super chill, easy to get along with. You could show up and not have a clue and just say, hello, could someone help me make a team? And people would help you immediately. You'd have the best players in Australia giving tips and advice and super sweet. And then others convincing you to put a Wilmer on your team.
00:23:09
Speaker
I signed up for that, I signed up for that treatment. I asked Steve, that's my own fault. Like genuinely, and then it's like, do you see like the regulars that are there that it's become to this point where every single Aussie regionals, you've got like a top 10 of people that haven't been to Worlds. Like the top four finals are these, you know, multiple regional winners slash
00:23:37
Speaker
top 20, top 10 world's players. And you're like, dude, this match is ridiculous. As soon as it gets to the top four, top five, I think it is, not a single match is done in the like two to like two and done. It's all three matches, all five matches, because it's take one, you take one. It's like down to a fast move tense. And I'm like, I wish people could see this because it's written.
00:24:03
Speaker
ridiculously high caliber and I'm just like there with this zoom lens like trembling like please someone please someone win because I'm like trying to document it but they're just like they just don't stop like it's it's phenomenal but um yeah
00:24:18
Speaker
I want more people to see that. But, you know, maybe it's going to work in our favor. Maybe we're going to roll up to worlds with all these crazy high level players and no one's going to have seen anything. You know, there's no streams. They've got the they don't know how they play, you know, secret tactics. It's it's what I always look forward to with OCSE and LAIC, because those are players that I know through grassroots or go battle league that I know that are so freaking good.
00:24:45
Speaker
But that's like the only times that you actually saw them on like, you know, official production stream. Currently Copac in Latin America does have streams often. There's like zoomed up cams. It's not the same, you know? It's like just put a cam here in front of someone on a table and he plays the game. It doesn't look like it's comparable to others. Exactly. Even though I do appreciate that it's at these big streams.
00:25:14
Speaker
And you know, like I would love to see players like Valiantfish, like Rick Clarion, you know, players that make it definitely two worlds. Yakov, Reach of course, now I forget him again. But like I know him, right? I talk to him quite often actually. And the only way we actually got him on like on official broadcast was through a tweet.
00:25:34
Speaker
Yeah, yes, exactly. Where it's like, yeah, sharing the post from Melbourne or Brisbane. Yeah, it's it's wild because it's, it's funny as well, because of it on the weird way, but like, because I've just been hovering there with the close cam for so long, like on those players, especially, they have such different styles of play. And the note taking is different. The like the
00:25:58
Speaker
not that you can like read someone's mind through their thumb movements but like when you see the hesitation or like the decision like hovering over which of the charge moves and stuff versus when I guess when I assume they're feeling confident like now I'm locking this in and this is the next play but you can see like that that vibe from each of the players and how they're so different in um
00:26:22
Speaker
you know, how they're thinking about the game or talking to them afterwards. And I'm like, how can you even remember exactly? Like they're playing out and telling you the whole game move for move. And I'm like, how do you, I'm like, my brain deletes the first Pokemon want to get swapped. And I'm like, I'll go, what do they have in the lead again? That's a common thing. They're just like perfectly. Yeah. So if I, my one win condition was if I didn't, you know, farm up this other back. Oh my God. That's just.
00:26:49
Speaker
Phenomenal. Phenomenal skill. And yeah, I wish that more people could see that because it's like such high level plays, but all with different flavors, I guess, like different styles of play, which is really, really cool to see. Like once you get used to seeing it. Yeah. Do you feel that, um, cause like most of, I think you're most of Pokemon go, I would say.
00:27:12
Speaker
does not really care about PVP. There's a small sliver of the pie that does. And then an even smaller sliver that probably even knows about the show six pick three tournaments rather than just like go battle league. I know that you've been covering it a little bit more on your channel and been going to these events competing as well. How do these videos fair to your fans in comparison to the regular stuff that you like your more weekly content stuff?
00:27:38
Speaker
uh honestly just like to put it bluntly like the
00:27:43
Speaker
not nearly as, you could say like air quotes, good. If we're just talking like views or engagement or whatever, it is like visually, you can see it gets less traction, less eyes on it, which is rough. I've even tried just a few different ways of like, I think for the Brisbane event, I'm more framed it around like, whoa, check out this crazy like shiny bonus that's happening at events. Like, because I believe there is like, we got,
00:28:09
Speaker
five shinies in one weekend, it was ridiculous from the PVP spawns that get put on for the regionals. And even that, it was kind of like, as soon as people saw that it was PVP, it was like, eh, we're kind of here a little bit, but not super invested. They're here for you, but they're not necessarily
00:28:30
Speaker
Yeah, they're kind of like, oh, that was cool to see, but they're not going to necessarily then play it themselves. And then I guess for one videos where it's just flat out PVP, it's less so. So I've kind of tried to just more for the most recent ones. Like, I guess I'm just kind of like putting myself there so I can document everything again, because we don't have an official stream. We don't have like, even we can't get the screen recordings of the battles just to be able to have
00:29:00
Speaker
Yeah, but they, for whatever reason, people running the events, basically like, no, sorry. So it's kind of like basically making it so that there's some documentation for people and I just give the whole footage to
00:29:16
Speaker
like to share it with all the PVP players where I'm like, if you're in it, you know, take your footage. If it's someone else's battle, like, you know, like be ethical about it, whatever, but like, feel free to use this however you want to share it and that sort of thing. Um, but I have been trying to think of ways where I'm just like, how can we get more people either interested or at least, you know, supporting it where you don't have to play it yourself, but you, you know, cheering for your team or, you know, you get a little Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, you know, some, you know, following along.
00:29:44
Speaker
and kind of like seeing what's going on and seeing, you know, why it's a skill and things like that. Um, and definitely like, I think when I used to stream more PvP, there was a bit more people asking questions and getting a bit more involved. I'd be like, Hey, you know, Q up. I'm still only, you know, I've forgotten to do my battles this season. So I'm ranked 10, like haven't even got to 20 yet. So I jump in with my verse each other.
00:30:10
Speaker
Um, or, you know, trying to encourage people to use Pokemon where it's like, you don't have to pick the three most meta things. Cause if you're using three things that you don't like, I believe you're not going to play as well because I've got, I've got no love or affinity for meta-champ. I've never used a meta-champ. So that's like my team at the moment ever got from, uh, sorry, Laurentus, Lickitung and Dedene.
00:30:36
Speaker
Yeah, there's plenty of stuff we come up against that's going to destroy me. But at the current climb to 20, it's fine. I'm getting three out of fives. It's surviving. But I'm having fun because I like these little dudes. They're a bit goofy. No one knows that, you know, Laurentus has got super power or whatever they see. Just jump, bail out. Have some fun with it.
00:30:59
Speaker
And I think you're gonna perform significantly better than trying to force, you know, how I'm gonna play like the top players and pick these like meta teams. But yeah, I think it's still a weird, you know, weird zone. I would like there to be more, you know, more people. I like the way you think there that you should use what you like to use. That's the same way I think. If I don't like to use a particular Pokemon,
00:31:25
Speaker
It's just not gonna grow well on me, right? I had the same thing kind of with Medicham. In one of the seasons before, it wasn't every single team, and it almost felt mandatory. Yeah. Here's my prescribed Medicham, here's my mandate. Yeah, you have to. Exactly. Take once per day with breakfast, you're Medicham. Oh, here it is, okay.
00:31:50
Speaker
Yeah. I agree with that. Yeah. Yeah. Martina has been winning all these local cups and challenges with every single cup is a different Pokemon. That's a shiny Pokemon that I like. Yeah. That's excellent though. Cause it's more fun. And then people like, what does that have? What move does that even have? Like it's more, yeah.
00:32:12
Speaker
I think it's been fun. I think some fun out of it come also with the creativity, right? To make something work. I think that's all. If you're always using the same Pokémon, bringing the same Pokémon, and basically feel pressured to use those because everyone does, I think that might take away some fun. That may be. I don't know. Have you been to a local tournament yet?
00:32:33
Speaker
Uh, no, there was, there was one yesterday that was close to me, but I was catching up with family. So I had to, had to miss that one sadly, but we've only just, yeah, just, just started, um, for March. So there was, there was one last weekend as well, but it just, how was the last weekend?
00:32:52
Speaker
I think it just lined up that it also clashed with something, but that would have been like the closest one to me. So I guess the closest that we've had, realistically Sydney, it's about two hour drive away. So hopefully, I mean, there's going to be plenty more I believe coming up for Australia, which has been great. I think there was this nervousness at the start.
00:33:11
Speaker
for, um, you know, it's like, Oh, it's coming. It's coming. It's coming. And then talking, you know, a lot of the players, especially like Steve and Debbie, like being awesome about like talking to card shops that were attending at the regionals and being like, Hey, are you guys going to run tournaments? And some places being like, it's not really like.
00:33:28
Speaker
Is it going to be, you know, worth it for them to host it sort of thing and then plenty of others who are absolutely keen to do it.
Growth of Local Tournaments and International Involvement
00:33:35
Speaker
So there's just been, you know, in that little discord group just like here's the pinned post and here's the next five coming up for this and the next five for this state and, you know, X, Y and Z. Some states are getting
00:33:47
Speaker
way more, which is great, especially if they're ones that aren't as accessible to get to a regional or if it's going to cost so much more for them to attend a regional. But yeah, it's it seems to all be kind of like kind of kicking along, which is good. I know that was like a big concern with with getting local tournaments going just because I think someone did the maths on it. Like you would have to win. You'd have to win
00:34:13
Speaker
No, if you didn't win a regionals in Australia, you would have to place top four at all of them to get enough points to even. Yeah. Steve made like a graph or something out of it. Something like that. It was like something super like you would have to be super clutch to get yet to even get the points to do it if there was no locals, which is crazy. Because again, if you had to fly to all of these accommodation to stay like not even a guarantee that you're going to, you know, get prize money to pay it back sort of thing like that's
00:34:42
Speaker
Yeah, so I'm glad that the locals have been kicking along pretty well. Yeah. Yeah. Because I think the points were pretty cruel to get otherwise. I believe you have three or four regionals and then you need three championship points. By winning one of them, you get 200. Yeah. And then top four, something like 100 to 130. So that means you need to clutch top four.
00:35:03
Speaker
Yeah. Three times or something. That's not easy. No, no, no. And again, like depending what, I think Melbourne originally was about to be the same weekend as Taylor Swift. So everyone's looking at the flights and they're like, why are these flights $400? Why is accommodation $1,000 for the cheapest total? Like what's going, thankfully got changed. But like stuff like that could come up where it's like, ah, I can't afford to fly to all three of these. Like that's not physically possible. Like,
00:35:33
Speaker
especially because one of them is in Perth. It's like this, this, you know, again, it's the same distance as flying from California to New York, like the straight line sort of thing. Perth to Sydney. It's massive. So it's like, it's not cheap often either, depending what day that you go. So it's either, you know, the Perth players are having to spend twice to go to Brisbane and go to Melbourne and or then the East coast is having to spend this massive flight out to Perth.
00:36:01
Speaker
I'm glad that the locals seem to be, everything seems to be functioning. Everyone's got happy smiley faces in the group photos. Seeing the points update on the leaderboard, which is great. I hope that we're able to get a lot more people qualifying for it.
00:36:19
Speaker
I think locals are a really cool way also just to get involved with the PVP scene to begin with. I mean, like you said, like if you go to a regional people will help you build a team. And I think that that's probably true with the locals as well. Um, like the hard part for me is like, and again, unless you know about PVP with Pokemon go, there's like not really a strong way to get involved. And so I'm just hoping as like things continue to grow. Cause I mean, we are in our infancy and so this is only our, you know,
00:36:50
Speaker
third technical year, I guess. I mean, that hopefully within the next year or a couple of years times, it's only going to grow because there's going to be more things that are, yeah.
00:37:02
Speaker
I agree. I hope so as well because I remember the first Melbourne regionals and there was like an in-game notification of like, hey, go and register and go and check out this regionals coming up this week. And there was an influx of people signing up and it finished off that, you know, the registration, like, you know, the spaces sort of thing.
00:37:23
Speaker
And then since then, I don't know if there has really been like, I've only seen that recent one pop up in game being like, Hey, there's local tournaments. I don't know that I'm assuming maybe I was like an Oceana exclusive one because it was pushed in game for us. Maybe it was for you guys too. Um, that was like two weeks ago, but.
00:37:40
Speaker
I wish yeah there was more of those especially even for regionals like even if someone didn't go to compete or didn't want to spectate at least they would be told that there's something happening in their area. Hey go and catch some pokemon and by way of being there you're gonna see people that are.
00:37:59
Speaker
you know, competing, whatever else, you're going to notice the spawns are all PVP Pokemon. It's like, oh yeah, these are all, oh yeah, I've heard about people using these for PVP. And like, at least that's kind of getting you a bit closer to like, I was just a more, more communication, I guess, about it because it is very insular. Like if you're already in those discord groups or, you know, whatever other chats and stuff that people have going on for their PVP communities, how does anyone else know that that exists?
00:38:26
Speaker
Because you could be super wanting to get into it, but how do you even know it exists to get into it if you don't meet in person? Even I guess from these local events, one of the first ones that we had for Australia, like, you know, someone shared a little group photo in the PvP Oceana one. And it's like, oh, like here's like four people I've never seen before. Cause you see all the usual suspects at the regionals. And I'm like, I've never seen these four people before and two of them placed in like the top.
00:38:53
Speaker
top five. I'm like, Oh, and then you see like, so-and-so joined the discord. So-and-so joined the discord. So it's like, obviously someone said like, Hey, are you in the discord yet? No. Chuck them in. It's like, Yay, more people. Let's like, you know, get it growing. But yeah, definitely there's, um,
00:39:10
Speaker
Yeah, there's a gap there as well for getting people to know where to be. Yeah, because then there's access to, you know, people that you might have met at the local event, but now you've got access to a server with a hundred other people, you'd be like, hey, can I practice some battles with people?
00:39:28
Speaker
Or, Hey, my, this Pokemon isn't working out for me. What can I do? Am I playing it wrong? I want this thing to work. How can I get to be supported better? Like you had that wealth of knowledge to ask other people, but yeah, if you're not able to know where it is, how to get in there, like, yeah, it's gonna be rough. I hope that the local events help a lot with that as well. Just bringing people, you know, into the community more things. Yeah.
00:39:54
Speaker
I hope there will be some sort of line that connects like, you know, in-game, if you don't have any affiliation with a lot of PvP at all, servers, X, or, you know, like, Pokémon website even, that somehow there will be a way to, you know, find them nearby. Because if you don't know any of it, like,
00:40:13
Speaker
You know, I might just be. I'm pretty sure if I go to my to my local telecom group and I ask someone, are there local events? I will definitely get a few questions. What are those? And I don't blame them because you don't hear anything at all about. Yes. All right. I want to go into a very exciting topic with you, Zoe. Yes.
00:40:34
Speaker
the European International Championship. You are on the team. How do you feel about that? I'm excited. I'm very, very excited. I'm about 5% nervous. Very, very excited. Only 5%. It's like, well, let's go tempest. Why not? 10% just for like, you know, just in case, you know, I've got to make sure the terminology is right. You know, got to make sure I'm like,
00:40:59
Speaker
It's like, I think when there's an unknown, I'm like, if I know what's going on, happy days, I'm fine. I like to improvise. We can roll with it. Um, but when it's saying that it's like, don't call Pikachu he and we're cutting now to the, this interview. And it's like.
00:41:18
Speaker
How'd that go, mate? Shit, how you doing? It's like certain things where it's like, what's the done procedure? And then once I know what the baseline is, we're good. Like I've been obviously watching previous broadcasts and stuff just to, I'm like, I'm sure it's going to be fine. But I just want to know exactly all of the, all of the, the parameters and then I'll be funky fresh. Um, but we fine. It'll be fine. I'll be good. I'm excited though.
00:41:42
Speaker
Very excited to buy a pantsuit, you know, a jazzy suit, you know, look flashy with a little blazer, you know, it's all happening. For London, I have, but literally only for London Worlds. So it was another really fast trip where I landed, I like teleported to the hotel that was near the XL center. It was the four days of like boom, boom, boom, boom, worlds, and then flew out on the Monday.
00:42:11
Speaker
Um, so it's going to be pretty much the same again for this trip. So it's going to be the, the most upset of like London city is in the taxi on the way back to the airport. And I'm like, Oh, there's big Ben. Hey, there it goes. Oh, that looks really nice. Okay. Like, so maybe hopefully this time, like speed run, like get a day in the city. Yeah. Are you not worried of being jet lag?
00:42:38
Speaker
Not always, but I've got like a whole 22-hour flight to try and sort that out in advance, you know? That is crazy to me.
00:42:47
Speaker
22, wait, how long did you say? 22 hour flight. That's miserable. Yeah. That's the direct as well. That's like the stopping to fuel up in Singapore and not even getting off the plane one. Yeah.
Travel Adventures and Preparations
00:43:00
Speaker
Pray for Mojo. Send vibes. And it's on my birthday as well. I'm going to be stuck on a plane. It's on your birthday? Pretty much. Yeah. I land on my birthday.
00:43:11
Speaker
Oh man, love to make sure there's a cake there for you. Not only for your birthday, but also just to give you some energy. But yeah, it's like, it's so far away. You know, it is what it is. But like, thankfully, I kind of like.
00:43:27
Speaker
the way that I, after the first international trip where I had like the worst jet lag ever, I'm like, how can I have this not happen where I feel like a pirate captain for the first two days? I'm just like, my head is bobbing. So pretty much as soon as I leave the house,
00:43:44
Speaker
for like getting to the airport on the first day, whatever time it is in my destination country, I'm like role-playing. I'm laughing as a Londoner. Like if I leave the door and it's supposed to be 2 AM in the car on the way to the airport, I'm like, I'm going to be a bit late. You know, just kind of, you know, being low key, not getting too active. Like as soon as I'm on the plane, if it's supposed to be nighttime, eyes shut, put the podcast on or whatever else. And just like even if I can't sleep.
00:44:10
Speaker
I'm pretending it's nighttime and I'm pretending I'm asleep. And it's like, all right, I've got a little set or something or to, you know, it's now 7 a.m. London time. It's not 7 a.m. your time anymore. So this is going to feel rough, but time to stay awake for the next 12 hour portion of this flight. And then, you know.
00:44:31
Speaker
at least it lands early in the morning. So ideally just sleep as much as I can for the last bit of it to kind of start forcing that time zone clock. The first day is going to be rough. It always is, but we'll be right. I say you're a better person than me. I mean, I'm sometimes have to go back to Atlanta this year. And I was like, it took me two days. I woke up at four o'clock. I'm like, well, now I'm up. Well, here I am.
00:44:57
Speaker
Oh no. So I try my best. London was rough last year though, because it was so, it was such a fast turnaround of a trip and every day there was something going on.
00:45:08
Speaker
So I think this day I've got like an extra, like the Wednesday I land. So I think there's technically anything on the Wednesday. We're good Wednesday. But yeah, yeah. So I said to stay awake until at least 7PM and then I've made it. Well, hopefully you have some time to, I mean, London is a cool city that you can maybe go explore a little bit because the Excel Center is like not close to anything besides the Excel Center. So it's like, that's a bummer if you really want to go out and see anything you have to do either.
00:45:36
Speaker
take the metro or go take a taxi or something. We'll make it work. We'll see something this time. There's like a 10 hour difference, right, with London? Are you in GMT plus 10? Plus 10 or plus 11, I think at the moment because of daylight saving. Let's have a look. It's already for you as well. Yeah, our daylight saving started like... When did summer start for us? Like September? October?
00:46:06
Speaker
Something it's going to basically actually, oh, the time always goes back on my birthday as well. The week of my birthday. So daylight savings will end also. The week for EUIC, but let's say London time right now is 9pm and it is, it's called it's a 9am right now for me. I'll survive. I'll make it work.
00:46:35
Speaker
I'll just start doing DJ hours at home in the lead up for it. That's actually what I do for when I go to the US. Like I try to have as late as possible. Yeah. Have you ever done something like this before? Like, you know, how's the show? I'm not on this level of production. No, I.
00:46:56
Speaker
I don't think so, but I can recall, like, I guess I've always been, I guess someone who doesn't shut up. I always speak a lot. I preferred, you know, the school assignments where it's like give a speech versus write an essay sort of thing. So I'm very much a talky presentee, like I like, you know, drama class and all that sort of jazz. So I feel like I gravitate more towards that sort of stuff.
00:47:25
Speaker
Um, so looking forward to it. Yeah, but this is probably gonna be the first. I can think of like the first big production type thing. Cause I've done stuff where it's like prerecorded where it's like, okay, we've got to do the, you know, read from the teleprompter, deliver this script for, you know, like education material and stuff like that, but like not.
00:47:43
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. It'll be fun. It'll be good. Yeah, it'll be fun. We'll make it work. Yeah. Now you guys have even more FOMO here that you guys are going to get to hang out.
00:47:58
Speaker
I've asked you a million times, Amanda. I begged you. I went on my knees. I was catching all these chat tots for you as well, in case you needed luck. I finished the lucky decks for it, but I still need a hundo. I need the king of scum. So many just waiting. If you were in London, we could arrange a trade. I'd wait, Amanda.
00:48:23
Speaker
Right there. It's not expensive. That's true. Once I land in Atlanta, I'll just turn around right away again. You're in Atlanta then already. Oh, okay. But yeah, I'm excited for both of your debut sort of, you know, I mean, March, not that you're a debut caster, but it's your first, I see. This is really cool, I think, for Europe as a whole, I think. Yeah.
00:48:50
Speaker
I'm actually pretty nervous for it. It's different. I feel like already with what I've seen so far with the European group we had so far, right? So it'll be fine. We'll make it work.
00:49:10
Speaker
But, you know, there's always the expectation of like the players and that sort of thing of like the like playing the meta differently. And that's that's intimidating. Oh, no, absolutely not. Oh, no. Oh, do you mean like just the whole production side is a bit different this year or something? Yeah, yeah, exactly. The players, they do what they do. That's not my pressure. You're like, oh, my God, just to change the whole meta, everyone's just going to be magic carpeted and what's going on.
00:49:40
Speaker
No, no. That'll be fine. That I'm not worried about. But obviously like for every show, you know, I want to do it perfect. Yeah. It's just always that kind of small pressure. I do find less pressure in casting than in playing. So I guess I have to go for me.
00:49:58
Speaker
Says the man who just won the most recent event for a year. Oh, there's so much pressure playing the game. As I go on a 14-0 streak from Willy's bracket to win. 17-0. 17 game streak. It's fun when you lose too.
00:50:17
Speaker
Not just because I know I won, but you know. So actually, speaking of productions and stuff, Zoe, I do have a question, not necessarily about EUIC, but since you're kind of in this fold, would you consider doing like what Trainer Tips did for Go Battle League Day? Like on Twitch, you know, doing that sort of thing? Are you hoping that there's more of these going on? Because I'm also hoping that maybe these can align as they go along.
00:50:44
Speaker
I think that'd be great as well if they went along because I do think that kind of fills one of those roles we were talking about earlier of like getting more information to people that are curious about it. Um, and just kind of like, it's a fun, low stakes, you know, more, I guess community involvement sort of way where it's like, Hey, you're going to build this team. Here's me doing these battles, like explaining what's going on along the way in a lot more.
00:51:08
Speaker
accessible way because I think again if someone was totally new and they were watching a broadcast and it's like there's so much going on and you know this is there's the excitement and they're like and here comes the shield and the like the terminology for you know the the energy the charge move priorities and things like that where it's like I'm hearing the word but what does it mean but then to have those like the go battle days where it's more
00:51:29
Speaker
I guess, you know, you're going to explain what those words mean and why it's relevant and how to use it sort of thing. I think that's, I think it's great. Like two thumbs up. Yes, please. Like it's, it's in no way a negative. So it, even if it's neutral, that's a positive because someone's still getting something out of it. Someone's going to learn a little bit extra. Someone's going to maybe just tune in because they're like, Oh, it's training tips. I love training tips. Like they might not even.
00:51:57
Speaker
They have never even done a single battle, but because they see someone they like doing something entertaining, they're watching and they're participating and they're like, oh, I'm engaged in this. I'm interested. You know, tell me more. You know, like I, I see no downside really. So.
00:52:13
Speaker
Yes, a thousand percent. It would help me redeem the time that I accidentally evolved, uh, like my rank one PVP dust glops into dusk noir instead of powering it up. Um, cause that's like the one clip that just gets repeatedly shared from like live stream. So if I can redeem yourself on a different live stream, that'd be great.
00:52:36
Speaker
I was brutal. I did that with the frost last but not evolved it. I wasn't paying attention. And I just evolved it one above the 1500 cap and I was like, no, it's like, you know, you press no, no, no. But it was, it was, it was before it let you know, you know, like, oh, this is above the cap, you know, where you can see where it went. So I was like, ah,
00:52:56
Speaker
That's brutal. It was sad. I do have another, I have multiple frost last now at this point, but it was earlier on, you know, and PPP was more of a new thing and I'm like trying to build up Pokemon. I'm always stardust poor because every time there was a new grassroots tournament, it was this new off-net Pokemon that I've never seen before.
00:53:18
Speaker
My time makes fun of me a lot because Pokemon Go is my first Pokemon game. So a lot of times I was looking, I was like, what is, even when something new comes out, I'm like, oh, look at this thing. What is his name?
00:53:34
Speaker
You mentioned this first on the Turin stream, I didn't even know you expose yourself You're casting and that's like this is your first ever Pokemon game I'm like I was talking with the TCG casters and they're like what they're like, how do you never played any of these games before?
00:54:00
Speaker
I blame my parents. I think I'll be a game boy. Exactly. Yeah. That's cool though. But I mean, like, that's just, I think that just proves the power of Pokemon though. It's like, this can be your first game and it's like, you're in. You're like, I love these, you know, these characters and these, like, this world and this community sort of thing to the point where you're kicking butt casting events and stuff. Like, I think it's really cool. I like that. I like that it's like.
00:54:29
Speaker
I think for the majority, not gatekeeper. Every single Pokémon is someone's favorite. Everyone started somewhere and has their own journey with Pokémon. Even joining as an adult, it's kind of like, cool, I'm here, I'm having fun. It's great. Speaking of favorite partner Pokémon, what was your pick when you first started the game?
00:54:51
Speaker
Oh, for like a starter, like a proper starter.
Personal Stories and Community Highlights
00:54:54
Speaker
Charmander. The correct choice technically. I hold it against anyone else. The first chance is hard. You know, as a kid, I feel like you're very much like, this is the only right choice. And my Charmander is way better than, and as an adult, I'm like, these are all phenomenal designs. Like these are all really, really good. Like looking back, I'm like,
00:55:15
Speaker
I could happily, if I got randomly selected one of these, I'd be happy. Like, they're all really, really good. They're very cute. I think, yeah, it's so cute. I picked Squirtle. I still have him too, it's my first one, and I haven't powered him up or touched him at all, but he's still in my Pokédex.
00:55:32
Speaker
My original, uh, sorry for go, my starter was Bulbasaur because Australia got it a day early. So I didn't know about the whole like walking a little bit to find other ones. I was like, Oh, I guess you get, you get assigned, you get, you get assigned your guy. Okay. I pick hello Bulbasaur. Um, it accidentally got transferred when mass transfer came out. I somehow, it just wasn't favorited and I learned the hard way about.
00:55:57
Speaker
Using that favorite as a child lock, basically, for goofy mistakes. So Bulbasaur's off in a field somewhere and becoming a starter for someone else, you know, reintroduced into the wild and some child is going to take them on a nice little adventure. Meanwhile, you have all those delicious Bulbasaur candy from the trip. No!
00:56:20
Speaker
I remember the first time I evolved Bulbasaur into the Venusaur. Again, this is not a dig on Venusaur, but I guess it kind of is. I was like, ew.
00:56:33
Speaker
They want it to go back. I was like, why do they get like, not as, like, why do they get uglier as they get bigger? It's like puppies, you know? Yeah. I want to petition for like one evolutionary line that just gets like ridiculously cuter with every evolution. Like just to flip the, instead of like, I've grown up, it's like, no, I'm staying baby. Thank you. Getting little and smaller. Yeah. Yeah.
00:57:00
Speaker
but just like infinitely stronger it's like this little blob but it's just an absolute unit all right excellent um before i want to lead into our final question i have one personal question to you the the bow that you have is is kind of um how do i say it your signature thing to you where does it come from um it basically like
00:57:28
Speaker
Pretty much. I don't know if it's the same for Europe as well, but like, do you guys have school uniforms? Everyone's got to wear the school uniform. So mostly, yeah. Like same thing for Australia, like most schools, school uniform sort of thing. And then depending on what school you go to, you know, there's going to be different strictnesses of like, you can't color your hair or like, you know, the socks have to be the ankle length, white, whatever. And some schools don't care. They're like, wear whatever socks with the uniform sort of thing.
00:57:55
Speaker
So for our school, it was pretty relaxed on the accessories side of things like bracelets or necklaces or hair accessories, whatever, go for it champion. So I think it kind of started with that in high school where it was like, everyone's kind of conforming to this one.
00:58:14
Speaker
you know, uniformed look. So everyone had like a little something different, like might wear, you know, different socks in a different way or, you know, always wear like a big headband or whatever. So the bows kind of started, started there. I was just like, ah, this is my, this is my little bit of color, my little bit of something to kind of wear. And then I guess never really stopped. Just feels like very much part of my brain. I think, I think you have to wear it. I know.
00:58:41
Speaker
I, that's what I'm hoping. I'm like, hopefully that's, that's, that's, you know, permissible, right? I'm going to try and actually make, cause this has been like the shape of this bow I've really quite liked lately. Um, but I can't find like bows this size and shape anywhere these days. It's always either just flat headbands or like the really, they sit flat and I'm like, no, what's going on like this? Why is it so hard? It's like a mission. So I'm going to probably actually try and make like a few more. So I get some fresh bows debut for EUIC.
00:59:12
Speaker
You know? Hopefully. If I can find the right material. But yeah. Yeah, so it's kind of like become part of part of the look, I guess. Also means I can go undercover if I take it off.
00:59:25
Speaker
Of course, no one would reckon it's like Superman on the glasses, right? Genuinely, yes. Like, Clark Kent was a genius. Everyone's always saying, like, oh, who wouldn't recognize you with these sunglasses off? I always had a go-fest. Like, the Chicago go-fest, and it was too windy. So I had the big red bow, and I was just getting blown off. So I just put it on my bag. I'm like, I'll put it in the bag, and I'll get to this point I need to get to in the park. Not a single person.
00:59:48
Speaker
Not a single person was like, as soon as I got into like the part where I was waiting for and I was like, okay, the winds died down. Like put that thing on five minutes later. It's like, you are like genuinely I'm like, oh my God, Superman was onto it. Like it's true. It works. Now I'm bummed. I mean, I've been in the same place as you now at two locations for sure. Cause I was at worlds also in London and I was also at the Chicago go Fest, but we just ships in the night. So it's just, yeah.
01:00:17
Speaker
Just sailing past each other constantly. No, we'll make it work. Hopefully, yeah, within this year, next year, we'll meet up.
01:00:26
Speaker
Because you were casting at Last Worlds as well, weren't you? No, I was a subject matter expert, so I was helping out behind the scenes with the production of it and everything. Okay. Worlds London, yes, though? No, I was... When do I see you casting? I swear, you were in the middle of something, but you were doing the talking and I'm like, not that you're there to get the lights on you, though.
01:00:49
Speaker
Was it? Maybe I'm thinking, I don't know. Don't remember. Unless it was if you were behind the scenes, if I just saw you somewhere behind the scenes at the world, you would have been somewhere that was possibly roped off and I'm like, oh, there you are in the distance and I'm like, I'll see you later. So I never lines up. Exactly, exactly. Yeah.
01:01:11
Speaker
But yeah, no, we'll, we'll put a date in the calendar. I was hoping that you would be an LAIC. I know that we kind of talked about it earlier, but it just didn't work out. Cause I think you had another event that you were at around that time. Um, yeah, I'm not sure. I'm not sure for LAIC. I think that one was more just like a, um, I don't, I didn't get. Yeah. Called up, I guess for that one. But, um, Oh, sorry. LAIC. Yes. Uh,
01:01:39
Speaker
What was it? I think there was. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. I think so. Cause it was last year's one, like the, I think Korea. Yeah. I think it was like, I had just gotten back from Korea and it was like, I can't do the extra light yet. Yeah.
01:01:59
Speaker
Is a lot of the time it's like, if I'm over that side of the world and the other thing is happening, it's like, okay, I can kind of like extend like myself and you know, but yeah, I'd love to, love to be able to get out to more of them for sure. Yeah. Well, we'd love to have you. We're excited to have you at UIC.
01:02:16
Speaker
And on that note too, we will go to the ending question because it is about PVP and maybe some of these players might be at the EYC as well. But Zoe, we have a two-part question to end this and it is about
01:02:32
Speaker
Cabralers and Machampians. So the first part is like, who is someone in the PvP community you would consider a Cabraler? And this is someone who is like maybe not super well known within PvP, but they have a lot of skill and you could see them going really far. And then the other is who is a Machampian in your eyes? And this is someone who is probably pretty well established and you think could maybe even win worlds.
01:02:56
Speaker
Okay, so I had to think about this. So for my crabrawler and it's hard to know like who I guess is well known necessarily in the online space because I feel like again, the PvP community is very intertwined. So this is no disrespect if they are well known and I'm saying it the wrong way at a turn, but I want to pick Rocket Claire. They are
01:03:20
Speaker
So, so, so, so phenomenally skilled. I met Claire back at the first Melbourne regionals, I'm pretty sure, and that one was such a rough bracket for everyone because it was just like the first round was, I think it was just one and done.
01:03:39
Speaker
I kind of was like immediately one and done or like the first two as a standard sort of thing. But I have a feeling that it was kind of like immediately one and done. And a lot of people didn't get to like show their, you know, like battle their way through. And then I haven't really seen them. I mean, they're still definitely doing stuff online, but hadn't seen them in person until the...
01:04:05
Speaker
uh Melbourne again yeah yeah this Melbourne most recent one um and absolutely just like slayed their way through the competition like um phenomenal battles like such an interesting player to watch play as well again the creep camera with me like seeing too much of people's hands like seeing the intensity of taps when it's like
01:04:28
Speaker
I'm like, oh my God, she's got this and she knows she's got this. Let's go. And she's just like hammering the screen for like knowing exactly what's play is coming up to like send this charge move. She knows that they're gonna like try and sack swap in. So like there's that I know and I'm watching you and they waited for it sort of thing. It's like phenomenal. So, so, so phenomenal. Top four, I believe. Like just so skilled. And I think maybe because people haven't,
01:04:55
Speaker
you know, play face to face, won't know what to expect sort of thing. I hope that she just keeps crushing it. I know, I think Tasmania's got some of the locals coming up, which again, I hope because for players in Tasmania, it's like another expense to go to the regionals, you know, Perth is coming up. But that's again, probably one of the furthest distances you can go from like Tasmania to Perth is massive.
01:05:21
Speaker
Um, so I hope that they're able to get the points and just come through and make waves for worlds. Um, such a cool person, great player. Uh, and then I would say for my champion, can I, can I pick, can I pick more than one? Is that okay?
01:05:38
Speaker
Yeah, you can pick me in another. So he's like, I'm torn between. And you guys like mentioned them just by chance. The fact that their names popped up in this, this already is kind of funny. Um, but my champions, again, I feel like a tie between you, Cobra bitch, Rick, Flareon and valiant fish. Like they just, they, uh, I keep calling them like the usual suspects. You see them at all of the regionals, like they've been to worlds multiple.
01:06:04
Speaker
times now, I'm pretty sure. Like, I think they've all qualified more than once. Um, like, and again, they all have such different play styles in a way. Again, it's like the note taking versus no notes at all versus like, they're really, you know, uh, like aggressive like this, like they're really like, I'm going in and we're going to like adapt on the fly to the, I'm thinking about every scenario in advance sort of thing. Like they are just three.
01:06:34
Speaker
Again, phenomenally skilled players. And I think depending how the cards land for who they end up versing, I would love to see any of those four, honestly. I would love to see any Aussie. Let's go. Let's go Australians. Take it home. Like, do it.
01:06:52
Speaker
But I think they have some crazy, crazy skills. And I would love to see all of them up on the stage in Hawaii. So, fingers crossed. And they're all lovely as well. They have a fantastic attitude, great sense of humor, super lovely people. Like, there's not a time where it's like,
01:07:12
Speaker
You know, when I've been competing and making goofy teams and I'm like, this, how do I win? And he's like, all right. So like genuinely starts to give me advice. And I'm like, it's a joke. I've got a Wellma and I have not practiced a single match. Like it's very joke video. But he's like in earnest going to help, like to tell me, you know, give me some tips. He's like, okay, so, you know, to, to round out this team. And I'm like, it's fine, dude. But yeah, just some really lovely guys. So yeah.
01:07:37
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. I put some of them in Japan. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I want to see, I want to see, secretly, I want to see Claire to just sweep. Go Claire. Do it. No pressure, by the way, Claire. Yeah. I just, yeah. She's been around for a while. She's pretty good, yeah. Yeah. But yeah, I agree that it's nice that she's getting some recognition that I think actually she's a perfect example of a curve roller. So you, well done.
01:08:06
Speaker
Yeah. Cause I think it's like, yeah, someone who's definitely been, I think she's been around, but like, again, I don't know who internationally, who knows who cause again, tight-knit community, but I feel like definitely someone who could just kind of like slingshot where it's like, you have been so amazing. Like let's get, yeah, the accolades, get the big claps, you know, that you deserve.
01:08:27
Speaker
Absolutely. All right. Well, thank you, Zoe, for your time for coming on. I appreciate it. And on a personal note, I am very much looking forward to working with you at UIC.
01:08:37
Speaker
Likewise, man. Thank you both for having me on and I'm stoked. I'm looking forward to EYC so much. Yeah. I'll be crying watching you guys, but my heart will be with you. A quick reminder for everyone listening in. It is the first weekend in April that is the EYC. You can watch it online on Twitch or on YouTube. And new episodes of Tap Tap Cast are out every Thursday. Thanks for listening to this one. We will catch you guys in the next.