Evil Geniuses’ match and Nigma Galaxy’s form — highlights from the ALL CHAT podcast with SumaiL
Nigma Galaxy carry Said Samail “SumaiL” Hassan appeared on the ALL CHAT podcast, where he reflected on Evil Geniuses’ performance in 2017, discussed desired changes to the mid lane, and assessed the team’s current form. Here’s a quick rundown of the highlights in our article.
On the 2017 Evil Geniuses roster and their performance at The International
SumaiL noted that Evil Geniuses performed well throughout the 2017 season and won several LAN tournaments, but the team failed to live up to expectations at The International 2017. In his opinion, the reason for the failure was a poor mental attitude and overconfidence.
Hassan admitted that he hadn’t previously paid enough attention to training throughout the season and had only truly focused on major tournaments like The International. According to the player, he didn’t realize at the time how much this approach affected his teammates and the team’s development.
On his attitude toward practice in matchmaking and his motivation to continue his Dota 2 career
SumaiL explained that he has always found it difficult to play public games and practice through matchmaking. He admitted that he struggles to interact with unfamiliar players and find the motivation to play with them. According to Hassan, if he could regularly play with people he feels comfortable interacting with, he would be willing to practice more and give it his all. However, the current matchmaking format doesn’t allow him to enjoy the process.
Said explained that his main source of motivation remains his love for competition. According to the player, even if he were successful in another field, he would still strive to compete at the highest level. Hassan noted that Dota 2 has become so deeply ingrained in his mindset that gameplay ideas come to him automatically, even without active analysis. At the same time, he admitted that he wants not only to win but also to stand out with his gameplay, since a single tournament victory isn’t enough to leave a mark on esports history.
On Desired Changes to the Mid Lane and How Mid Differs from the Top Lane
SumaiL suggested removing the water runes and adding other mechanics that could make mid-lane play more varied. According to the player, most matchups these days boil down to mid-laners simply clearing the creep wave quickly and replenishing their resources via the Bottle. Hassan noted that in the past, differences in skill level had a greater impact on the lane’s outcome, but now, even in even matchups, it’s harder for players to build a significant advantage. He also criticized the miss mechanic when attacking from high ground and stated that it negatively affects the quality of gameplay.
Said believes that transitioning from mid to the carry position is relatively simple due to the significant difference between the laning phases. According to him, a player can go a long time without practicing on certain heroes and still successfully lane against offlaners, which is not the case for the mid lane. Nigma Galaxy’s carry noted that mid laners must constantly monitor a large number of factors and make more decisions in the early stages of the game. He also named supports and mid laners as the most challenging roles in Dota 2, while the side lanes are less demanding.
On Retiring from the Pro Scene and Nigma Galaxy’s Current Form
The player noted that winning The International wouldn’t necessarily mean the end of his career, since after a second title, he would naturally aim for a third. At the same time, SumaiL admitted that if the comfortable atmosphere within the team persists next season, he will continue to compete, but he doesn’t want to cause any inconvenience for his teammates.
SumaiL explained that one of the major changes at Nigma Galaxy has been the return of players to their primary positions. According to him, the absence of situations where a midlaner is forced to play offlane has had a positive impact on the team.
On No[o]ne- and the playstyles of mid laners and the carry role in modern Dota 2
SumaiL recalled his first matchups against No[o]ne- back when he was playing for Vega Squadron and said that he often beat him in the lane back then. However, after The International 2015, according to Hassan, the Russian player improved significantly and became one of the strongest mid laners.
Said stated that he could play the carry position on virtually any of the world’s top three teams without significantly affecting their results. In his opinion, this role is currently one of the easiest in the game. He noted that modern carries spend most of the first 20 minutes farming jungle camps under the protection of the support in the fifth position. According to the player, if a carry gains a significant gold lead by mid-game but doesn’t know what to do next, the problem lies with the player himself.
Read also:
- SumaiL on matchmaking in Dota 2: “I could never just sit around and play public games” (first part of the podcast).
- SumaiL on mid-lane practice with Arteezy: “He’d lose the first half-wave—and immediately type ‘GG’” (second part of the podcast).
- SumaiL on Dota 2: “Right now, I’m drawn not so much to the game itself as to the thrill of competing at the highest level” (third part of the podcast).
- SumaiL: “Let’s say I win this TI. Then I’ll have to go for a third win—there’s no other choice” (fourth part of the podcast).
- SumaiL: “Right now, among the top mid laners, No[o]ne- is the one whose style I identify with the most” (fifth part of the podcast).
Earlier, Nigma Galaxy carry player Sayed “SumaiL” Hassan discussed the reasons for a possible retirement, criticized the map expansion in Dota 2, and stated that the current gameplay has become less interesting due to the simplification of the game.
