Emo On Esports - Interview with Lekker

Black Ops has been out for just over a week now and I thought I should stop playing the game and perhaps do some writing, after all I know I am far better at this than I am at the game, hence the my GB team record sitting at 0 wins, 1 loss.

Taking all this into account I realised I should really do an interview, and where better to start than Team Lekker featuring Andrew 'Jolly' Jolly, Jack 'Crookz' Anderson and Jordan 'Vapez' Hayden. I sat down with the guys to see what they thought of Black Ops so far, the beef with Royalty and if it was really true that Vintage was about to join only a few days ago.

Find out everything below!



Emo: Hi guys, can you give us a quick introduction?

Vapez: Hi, I'm Jordan. 17 years old and currently juggling college and work while also playing Black ops in my spare time.

Jolly: I'm Andrew Jolly, I'm 19 from Blackpool. Currently bumming Black ops whilst looking for work in IT.

Jack: I'm jack. I'm 18 years old and I work, volunteer, study and sell ****.




Emo: Since we last interviewed you guys as a team, anything changed drastically in your real life?

Jack: Yeah, everything. I'm actually doing something now. I've started sole trading and landed a job that'll help fund my business whilst it grows. I've been getting some work experience at various companies along the way.

Vapez: Not that I can think of to be honest.

Jolly: Not really, I don't do much apart from game during the week, go out with friends and go out at weekends. Recently split up with my girlfriend which was pretty hard, just looking for work in IT like I said before.

If you're reading this Hannah, Jolly want's you back....

Emo: The obvious big news is Black Ops is now out. Can you give us your first impressions?

Crookz: Better than MW2; promising.

Vapez: I think it's sick personally. A nice range of maps for each gametype (unlike MW2). Gun balance seems a bit of an issue sometimes but it's nothing that can't be banned.

Jolly: I quite like it, its an upgrade from MW2 which is all that counts. but still nothing compared to COD4. Theres quite a few stupid bugs that need sorting but i like the theatre etc. I just want to try and make it as much like CoD4 as possible.




Emo: How would you compare it to CoD4?

Vapez: Erm, I think we'll know the answer to this further down the line. If we start getting bored after a couple of months then I'd say CoD4 is better. But so far from what I've played I'd say it's on par.

Crookz: As of now I probably prefer CoD4. A lot of it comes down to who you're playing against though. People like the Sowersby's have the ability to make any game the worst on the planet. But when we play other, more normal players, it's a lot more fun.

Jolly: The main difference for me is on Cod4 I enjoyed scrimming, on this game its not as fun, and it's only been out a week. And on CoD4 there were no Assault rifles that could dominate as much as SMG's at close range. On this the Famas/AUG and Commando are ridiculous, especially the first 2, they need banning. I loved domination and they've royally messed that up.




Emo: How is the game for competitive matches? Have you played any serious games yet?

Crookz: No, unless you count that one day tournament. Demo and CTF played well, SnD was it's usual tedious self.

Vapez: We played a one night tourney with a pick-up but the rules weren't perfect (stuns etc) so we never got the full feel of a tourney match yet. I'd imagine it'd pretty much the same as the scrims we've played, unless teams would start whipping out the 4x74U because it'll actually mean something

Jolly: We've played a few scrims, mainly just to try and sort out a 4th player that suits our team. It can definately work for competitive, just the spawns on some maps seem random at times, but as soon as teams work out how to manipulate the spawns it should be quite fun. We've played in the one day tournament but went out on an SnD map nobody had ever played before, was quite random.

Crookz at ECL

Emo: The Decerto rules council decided to keep the 3 gamemodes of CTF, Demo and SND from MW2. Would any of you like to see other modes added and if so, which ones?

Crookz: I can't see anything else working. If anything did it would be domo, and from what I've played the spawns render it useless for competitive play.

Jolly: Sabo, I haven't played it at all yet. But a few people have told me its good and I'd love to have 4 gametypes in the rules.

Vapez: I'm happy with those three. Alot of people who say Domo should be included are either blind or stupid. The spawns do not work, end of really. The way Domo is now promotes camping a two cap rather than pushing a 3 cap.




Emo: Could we ever see a TDM included or is it still not the game for it?

Vapez: I don't think it would ever be possible. It literally would be people getting a few kills and then retreating to some dirty spot to camp for the rest of the time. Especially in a tourney match or whatever.

Crookz: I suspect some teams would drive me to suicide, the things they will do on TDM.

Jolly: I doubt it. I've always wanted to play TDM becasue of how it works on Halo. But like Vapez said, as soon as there is something on the line it would be extremely campy, especially against foreigners




Emo: What would you change in the Decerto v1 rules?

Vapez: Ban the AUG and the Famas. I want to say 74u but it's 50/50 imo. I much prefer using the MP5 and it feels so much more satisfying especially when you're destroying the other team who are all using 74u's. At the end of the day, if the 74u is kept in teams will abuse it. I saw Granny saying the other day if it doesn't get banned they will use 4x74u's and that's the harsh reality of it. Honestly the mp5 is good but some people won't give it a chance because it has a bit of recoil.

Crookz: I haven't played much with them, but I'd remove pretty much all the automatic ARs. Now, if anyone disagrees, I'd like to see good reasons. M16 is underpowered but still won't lose long range against an SMG. It'll be more like CoD4 that way, which was definitely the most balanced CoD in recent times. Screw the U.S rules, no need to follow a poor ruleset just because of MLG. Oh, and ban the ak74u as well.

Jolly: Erm not much considering I help come up with them ha. But after playing scrims abit more the Famas and AUG are ridiculous, it just cancels out the whole point of Assault rifles vs SMG's thing. Some people will say that I just want to ban anything thats good, but I'm just trying to make it so its like CoD4. Everyone liked CoD4 the most, and it had no AR's that could consistently outshoot an SMG at close range. I think if we banned them and the main guns were M16/AK47 and Mp5/maybe 74u we'de have a much better game and the better players would stand out alot more!

Jolly and Vapez at ECL Liverpool

Emo: You're missing a 4th player. I heard a certain rumour that you were going to be bringing back a certain player from another big squad but it fell through at the last second. Care to elaborate?

Jolly: Yeah basically the plan was to get our ECL team back together, the first step as getting Crookz to commit to a team cus he's pretty much the player that keeps out team together. So once Crookz said he wanted to make a team it wasnt hard getting Jordan away from the Sowersbys. Then Ben (vintage) said he was up for it after a few scrims, and said 'right ill message Doped now, I'd rather team with you guys' so we were like ok cool, then next minute im in a party chat with Mak and he says Ben had messaged Doped saying he thinks hes gonna get dropped, which isn't what he'd told us. That he's now staying with them. Ben didnt even have the gutts to message one of us and to say he was staying with the fnatic guys, just went silent. I think he only stayed because it's 'Fnatic' and hes easily persuaded, Doped probably said "ehh Vintage what have they won on CoD, and what have I won" haha.

Vapez: Well we originally planned on bringing back our ECL team so we were playing with Vintage but I think Doped had a word with him and he rejoined. We've been playing with a few 'big names' if you like but we're two have rejoined there respective teams.

Crookz: Poor youngsters don't have the ability to make decisions for themselves. Persuasion is a method I never use, because it's a game at the end of the day, players can join who they like, I don't need to make myself look desperate to keep someone.




Emo: Can you tell us any of the names you have got lined up?

Vapez: Methodz is all I could say probably. He's a sick guy and known him for a bit and he does have a sick shot aswell.

Crookz: We've played a bit with Methodz and Spoken. Not close to a decision though really.

Jolly: We've played a few scrims with some other people but nothing serious yet, we're just looking for someone with the ability, that also wants to be the best, simple really. Too many kids nowadays think there amazing because they've got a 5* mp5.




Emo: You are currently under the name Lekker. Have you looked into joining an organisations or is it not a top priority?

Vapez: We definitely want to get into a top org. We've thought about one and are in contact with another. Nothing is set in stone yet though

Crookz: Not fussed really. The others are it seems.

Jolly: yeah I wouldnt say I'm too fussed right now, there isn't much for a org to give us right now as there's no Lans announced. but I would like to sort something out sooner rather than later so when an event comes about they know that were loyal, and not just there for funding.




Emo: Black Ops is obviously 18+. If the game can't be played at LAN would you go back to CoD4 if ECL took it up?

Jack: No

Vapez: I would rather not. It's dead now but it is still a good game.

Jolly: Don't think so, I'd still attend events cus im geeky like that but Cod4 is literally over now, there's been 3 titles since then.




Emo: Royalty are make an official announcement to let everyone know they are very much awake. Would you go back to them?

Vapez: Doubt it. Still haven't got my ECL money

Crookz: Nope.

Jolly: I no yeah, just so evewryone knows, Gavin still hasnt given Vapez or Vintage there ECL money, bit overdue if you ask me. Funny thing is them 2 are owed the most.




Emo: Did Royalty not deliver on any other promises?

Crookz: We didn't receive our headsets. Could be Steelseries' fault, could be Royalty's, I don't know.

Jolly: Nah not really. I said at the time we should have just given our details in instead, but Gavin was like "ill put it in the team account" which was stupid on our part. I made sure I pestered him so I got mine. It's probs because Ben and Jordan moved on to other orgs, whereas me and crookz just kinda stopped playing.

Vapez: To be fair, I really got on with Gav at ECL. But like Jack said we never got Steelseries either but they didn't turn up at the event as they were mean to.

Jolly: Yeah I got on with him fine aswell, but just because we got on doesn't mean he can not pay you for months when the moneey went into his account within about 2 weeks. Don't be a ****ing if you're not going to give out money, he probs used it to buy Vard out of his dignitas contract ha.

Jolly with Vintage

Emo: Who do you think will succeed on Black Ops?

Jolly: Erm I dunno, Swannys team look good but it depends on whether they all put the time in. Fnatic will be good as they'll have good teamwork. I think its gonna be the same as MW2.

Crookz: I can't call any certain teams because line ups are in the making or will change constantly over the next few weeks anyway. But the same group of players will be at the top.

Vapez: Hard to say. None of the so-called 'top teams' have really scrimmed that much as of yet.




Emo: If you could choose any player to fill the void in your team, who would it be?

Crookz: An active Dom.

Jolly: Erm, yeah an active Dom, Gunshi or XLNC, they know what it takes to win and aren't your average stupid player. Well Dom is haha but his shot is unreal

Vapez: Skill wise - XLNC. All-round – n1kz




Emo: Finally, where do you want to see Black Ops go and what do you want to achieve with it?

Jolly: I want ECL to find a way around the age rating and have 3+ Events a year. I'd also like to attend an event out side of the UK, ideally MLG, so if I had the chance to go there I would.

Crookz: I'm not really bothered with where it goes, I just want to enjoy myself and play in some tournies.

Vapez: If MLG was Xbox and they sorted out a decent ruleset it would be sick. A first place at an MLG would definitely be my ideal achievement for CoD.



Emo: Ok well thanks for taking the time out to do this. Would you like to give a shoutout to anyone?

Jolly: Yeah, Shoutout to swanny whos mad, Shane & Richie (late night gamerzz), Oli, Devz and I cba to do anymore because it takes too long. The standard cheers Emo for taking the time to do this interview. I may see you at loco's this weekend so ill thank you properly, like the youtube video of me

Crookz: Mini, Richie, Dan, Swanny, Stu

Vapez: Shoutouts to Minime, Blackout, n1kz, AdamMACCA, Tango, Vintage, Danimal and Emo for the interview.




Thanks to the guys for taking the time out to do this, if you want your team interviewed let me know at michael.kent@decerto.net or tweet me www.twitter.com/EmoOnEsports.

Good read, scrimmed this team earlier, vapez is sick with that mp5.

Was earlier anyway