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Behind the Gamer Behind the Gamer is a feature at GotFrag where we highlight a well-known individual within the community. Brian "destrukt" Flander has been chosen for week five.	Brian "destrukt" Flander
Name: Brian Flander Alias: destrukt Age: 21 Location: Minnesota Current Clan: rdw Past Clans: SB, TSG, DoP, GX Most Memorable Gaming Experience: Taking out WEW in a 3v1 at CPL and no zooming the last guy to keep us alive in the match. Please introduce yourself to our readers. My name is Brian "destrukt or dkt" Flander. I'm 21 years old and I work at a shipping company owned by UPS. I am taking a year off school and reattending in September. I have a "high school sweetheart" that I've been with since I was 16. I've been playing CS since 1.1 and I've been to every CPL since Winter '01. I placed 13-16th with RDW and SB, and 9-12th with DoP. Your recent withdrawal from Gamers-X and joining of old school clan [rdw] has turned a few heads. From your perspective, what drove you away from Gamers-X and towards [rdw]? I don't really know...I guess I was looking for a team before the roster lock. GX was a very good team on the rise and I had wanted to play with Jubei for a while. At first it was cool but people started flaking on me, wouldn't answer my PMs and stuff like that. I'd ask to pug and they'd say no or wouldn't reply - 10 minutes later I'd see them pugging with someone else. I don't think they like how seriously I took the game either, I'd be upset if we lost and would want to talk about it they would play it off like nothing. I joined rdw because I'm tired of CS bullshit to be honest...rdw is mostly friends, fortunately they have good CS skills too. Do you think that [rdw] has what it takes to be at the top once again? Not many people are aware of the fact that they came just as close to beating NiP at CPL Winter 2001 as X3 did. It's hard to say, the game has changed a lot. But all these guys are super smart players and that's what I like. Everyone catches on fast, so it's going to be fun...we'll see, I guess. You are probably most well-known for your success in Unreal Tournament. Most notably, you placed first at WCG 2000 and retired from the OGL DM Open ladder undefeated. Do you think that you have yet to lived up to your UT fame while playing CS? It's an entirely different game and an entirely different atmosphere. I've always said that a random game has a random atmosphere. In UT, I could play consistant because the game let me, in CS for all I know the spray will pull left instead of right...you see my point. Despite being one of the very best players on the continent, you are not as well-known as your peers. Do you think this is because you played with "lesser" teams such as Team Stomping Grounds and SteelBreeze for a considerable amount of time? Why did you play with those clans as opposed to joining a higher calibre team? The CS politics and BS never meant much to me, even though eventually it's inevitable. I played with SB because I'd be in tears laughing every night. After the guys from rdw left to make doctors it really burned me deep...really made me hate the game. Also I think part of the reason I'm not as well-known is because I don't play the politics game. I don't kiss peoples asses and I say what I think. If you know me, know me (as in if you know who I am and you talk to me all the time), you know that I'm just as nice as the next guy. But if you wanna be a dumbass in game or on IRC, I'll never stop returning the favor.
Was making the transition from UT to CS easy for you? Most people dub CS as a "newbie FPS" and it is generally accepted that UT requires massive amounts of individual skill. How long did it take for you to realize that you were one of the best CS players in North America? To be honest, the transition was easy. I don't know really, I guess when I was at my first CPL and on LAN you can really SEE things...it really opens your eyes. I didn't really see anyone I was afraid of.	destrukt at WCG USA 2002
It is rumored that you once had a $12,000 contract with Razer. What were the specifics of this deal? How do you feel about Razer products? The BoomSlang in particular has received mixed reviews. The BoomSlang is my bread and butter, in fact I plan on buying the Mystify Razer when it's re-released. I did have a contract but Synergy Media, the company who sponsored Fatal1ty and myself flaked out and didn't pay us. I managed to get some money out of him but not the whole amount. You're considered to be one of the strongest AWP players in the world. What advice can you offer to other players regarding the AWP? Do you simply think that your skill with UT weapons such as the shock rifle carried over to CS? I think aim is aim, if you're good you're good. It's the only explanation I can give you. Concerning UT, you recently took 4th place at the WCG USA 2002 Qualifier. Do you still think that you're the best UT player in the world? Nope, definitely not. It's hard to admit that...I loved that game. Now that UT2K3 is out, the original UT is being played less and less at major competitions. Have you tried UT2K3 yet? Do you think it is better than its predecessors? UT2K3 is horrible. It's the biggest waste of $42 I've ever spent. The big name right now in UT2K3 is none other than Fatal1ty. Noted for his rigorous practice schedule (8+ hours per day for 2 months), he is currently the CPL World Champion after winning the UT2K3 tournament at CPL Winter 2002. During the tournament, he simply crushed many favorites such as zulg and Infinite. Do you think you have a chance at catching up with him? If I played of course, I wouldn't put that past me, but I highly doubt I'll play that game. I'm going to hold out for the next and go to Quakecon in the meantime.
Aside from playing UT and CS, you've also experimented in Quake 3. How did you career in that game go? It was average, I didnt play it enough. It's a great game but I got in too late, mainly because I was 56K for most of my UT career.	The legend himself
You are apparently a very competitive person. Do you play games for the fun, competition, fame, or money? Or perhaps a mixture of the four? Do you feel that playing games for money is "dishonorable"? It's a mixture but playing for money is definitely not dishonorable. I started competiting in tournaments before the money and I'll compete playing games until I die. I'm a gamer, always have been. As a player who's dabbled in many different games, why do you think that the Europeans, the Swedes in particular, have only been able to dominate team-based games such as CS and Q3 TDM? They seem to be much less successful in dueling games such as Q3 DM and UT DM? Probably because the size of the country and the geographic makeup; it makes it easier for them to focus on a team-oriented game. Dueling is dueling, if you're good at it, you're good at it. Team games are different however, there's a lot more to it. Do you have a typical social life outside of gaming? Yeah, I do. I won't lie though, my friends aren't nearly as close to me as they were in high school. Too much time on the computer...but gaming is a lifestyle. You've been called cocky and arrogant in the past by a few members of the gaming community. Do you think that you deserve to be called such words or do you think that your many gaming achievements speak for themselves? I deserve it. I am cocky and I am arrogant. However, MOST of the time I can back it up, and if you're cool -- I can also laugh with you about it afterwards on IRC. Your first CS movie received much praise and admiration from the community. Is there a sequel currently in production? Yeah, I'm going to release it after the summer CPL! It's gonna make the first one look stupid. As one of the best players in the world, is there any unique advice that you can offer to aspiring clans and players? Don't make the game harder than it is. Don't mess with your shit either, find something you like and stick with it. I speak from experience; I've tried everything you can imagine -- it doesn't make you better.
What does it take to reach the level of competitiveness that you have achieved in more than one game? Were you naturally talented at video games or did you practice for countless hours? A little of both, I think. Most good gamers have naturally good aim and smart, but they're just instruments that you need to tune by practicing.	destrukt takes down an eoL player at CPL Winter 2002
Who is your biggest inspiration in life? My girlfriend, Tonia. Do you think that the dream of professional gaming will be realized within the next few years? Do you have a "back-up plan" incase pro-gaming falls through? I'm going to school for Network Administration, but the job market sucks. Hopefully I can get a job in a few years doing marketing for a gaming company, or even playing games. As far as the whole "pro-gaming" thing, it's really just up in the air. It could explode in 6 months, or it could still be LAN parties for a prize. Who knows? If people can have battlebots on TV they can have pro-gaming, Korea is proof. Is it true that you have your own mousepad being released very shortly? What makes your mousepad better than all the other mousepads out there? Yes, it's true. My mousepad is similar to a supermat in size, however it has a smoother cloth surface and it's thinner. This makes the feel of the pad a little harder. I haven't heard one bad thing from anyone who's tried it. The thing just owns, I'm using one now. In your eyes, who are the top three players in North America? What are the top three clans? Top 3? Team 3D are the only people who really deserve any credit, everyone else is another team trying to do what Team 3D has done over and over again. As for the top 3 players, I'd go with Ksharp, Rambo, and Bullseye. It's not a coincidence. When you eventually retire from gaming, what do you wish to be remembered as? The guy you loved to hate, but not really. Thank you for your time. Any last words/shoutouts? Shoutouts? LOL, maybe if I was in a rap video.
Brian "destrukt" Flander currently plays for rdw and plans to release his own gaming mousepad within the upcoming coming months.

Counter-Strike: Behind the Gamer: destrukt

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