ekgamers

It’s not easy to find a presentation that expresses all the admiration, respect and affection I feel about our interviewee. He’s, without a doubt, the most talented and representative player in the spanish Quake 3 history, his track record features the first place in most of national events and when he was only 23 he became the runner up in WCG Korea, knocking out players as cooller, jibo and chaoticz during his way.

Gamegune.Yezabel: Good Evening, Álvaro.
Akiles: Good evening.

Gamegune.Yezabel: It’s been a long time since I firstly interviewed you, do you remember? It was for dp and, if memory doesn’t fail me, you’d just won Xuventude Galizia. It was my first interview and I was really nervous. I expected the best player in Spain to be conceited or, at least, arrogant, and it was a nice surprise to find out that I couldn’t be more mistaken. As I said, it’s been a long time… Which are the best memories you keep during your gaming period?
Akiles:I can remember that interview, and it was pretty surprising that a quaker girl was interviewing me, it wasn’t really usual in those days, and correct me if I’m wrong but it’s still uncommon to see girls playing. It’s been a long time xD. My best memories as a gamer, it couldn’t be otherwise, it’s been the feeling when you win, reach out for the goal you set and see how after you fight hard untill the end for it, you get what you really want. I also keep loads of good memories about all the momments I shared with my old partners in parties, bootcamps, and so on.

Gamegune.Yezabel: Talking about old partners… First it was Dreams&Magic, later on masK, then again Dreams&Magic and after all x6tence. Several names for the same clan and the same partners and friends. I suposse after all these years they’re like a family for you, aren’t they?
Akiles: Indeed, we’ve always been a small group, we’re united in a way any other teams can say. Everybody knos that Dreams&Magic was almost like a family. Specially, I consider Sombra as a brother born from other mother :*

Gamegune.Yezabel: The other day, I was telling Bloom1s from d3porte that, unluckily, the lack of support from sponsors and the bad internet connections made many good players giving up halfway through. Who are the hardest national players you’ve faced? Besides Sombra, of course XD
Akiles:I wasn’t scared of anyone in Quake 2. In Quake 3 just before I finished competing there were many specialist. Just to name some of them: Koba was a fucking human calculator if you let him control the map, or Sombra and his pixeled rails were scary too. There were many good spanish players, able to surprise everybody and improving fast and hugely but I was never afraid of them. Perhaps I was more scared of some of my team-mates I was training with, because they knew the way I played better than anyone else.

Gamegune.Yezabel: Any international player?
Akiles: LeXeR. I just didn’t know how he got to do it but… anywhere he shot a rocket to, it went directly to my mouth. It always happened. Whenever I used to train with him he got me desperated, and I obviously lost every time I played him. :( In Quake 4 everything changed, there were new players (besides my team-mates) and sincerely, it was quite a challenge to play against Dabra or Phoenix sometimes, I had to work more on the strategy and not worry so much about the aim.

Gamegune.Yezabel: Who’s the player you admire the most?
Akiles: I haven’t got enough words to praise Sombra´s dedication, hard work and effort and how he’s behaved not only in gaming but also with me (although many people won’t agree). Internationally, the player I admire the most is Oskar “Lakerman” Ljungström’s style playing and they way he is personally. He’s a crack.

Gamegune.Yezabel: It’s going to be the tenth aniversary of Quake 3 next year. It’s still included in the most important competitions worldwide, there’re international tournaments every now and then and there’s a legion of professional players with their own sponsors. Carmac from SK Gaming describes its resilience to die as eerie, in my opinion it’s all because of passion.
Akiles:Well, what I think is that Quake 3 resists dying because it’s a part of many players and it has grown up with them. All those players keep great memories of it and, on the one hand they quit and get back to playing later and on the other new players (adviced by old Quakers) show up. Personally, I think it’s been the first and best prepared for professional competitions game ever. Besides that, it was made by Carmack (not the SK Gaming one xD) and that’ includes Quality assurance.

Gamegune.Yezabel: The climax in spanish gaming history arrived when you reached the silver medal in WCG Korea 2002, those of us who followed every moment of the tournament felt it as if you won the golden one. How do you remember the experience?
Akiles:I remember it as the greatest moment in my gaming career. I was so blissful, emotioned, but even though I had a thorn in my side because of the feeling I could have been the champion. Anyway, it was amazing to be the runner-up in a so huge competition. Gamegune.Yezabel: Indeed, it was amazing. I’m sure no Quaker in Spain will ever forget it :)

Gamegune.Yezabel: Nowadays, I know that the lack of time and your dedication to work you’ve left aside Akiles and had centered yourself in Álvaro. Please tell us what you’re doing every day and which are your plans for the future.
Akiles: I’m spending the 100% of my time setting up a business :)

Gamegune.Yezabel: Everybody will be wondering why have you come back to Quake 3 and this tournament considering you’ve no time. Let me answer if you don’t mind: Mr Romero will play the Gamegune Q3 Allstars because there couldn’t be an Allstars without the best spanish dueler ever (and because I know where he lives and I’d end up going to kidnap him if he had refused xD). Anything to say?
Akiles:Well, I’ve felt kidnapped, really XDD I used to go to Euskal Party most of all because it’s pretty near my city and I wanted to visit some old pals that go too :) Those who know me already know that I’m unactive for a long time and I haven’t played quake3 since even before. I really don’t aspire to win it considering the player list but as I once read, expect the unexpected x´D
Gamegune.Yezabel: Sincerely it’s an honour for Gamegune to have you as an attendant and I’m really glad you visit us again :)

Gamegune.Yezabel:This will be your third Euskal Encounter, how was your experience the years before and what do you expect of the tournament?
Akiles: My first time there, it was in Aoneta’s velodrome and it was pretty uncomfortable. But, last year in Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC), I came back home with a nice feeling. The venue is great for a party like that: huge parking (no slots problems) and inside the venue. I also liked the big pabillion it was located in (if you google it you’’ll see it) and the distribution, there was plenty of space for everyone, you didn’t have to bother or be bothered by the ones beside you. If this year it’s as good as the last one I’ll be very pleased. Regarding the tournaments, it’s always been a benchmark not only in Spain but also international, with foreign players that travel over here just to compete and enjoy the party.
Gamegune.Yezabel: And thru it all, we haven’t paid him nor threaten him to say all this xD

Gamegune.Yezabel: It’s been a pleasure, as always. Do you want to say anything to our readers?
Akiles: I’d like to thank all the support and interest they’ve always shown upon me and I’d also like to encourage them to keep playing and competing. Who knows, maybe one day they can reach a podium between the best players of the world.