I read a cookbook, does that count as a good book?

I mean I can name 5-6 people who I can walk into a sideroom and find regularly who will openly talk **** about other people siderooming. So sparring hasn't gone anywhere tbh.

But on topic. It's much more delay heavy and skill based at this point.

Comparing to 2013, the server is **** and has affected a lot of us. But I can't complain much since, top tier sparrers years ago are still at the top.

You might as well go see that iClassic server First to 10k video.

I used to really analyze and adapt to my opponent, playing around their strengths and putting relentless pressure on them when possible. I had fun focusing on the very minimal movements that would allow me to control ranges and zones while maintaining options for both offense and defense.

After spending a long while not really playing Graal and coming back, the delay involved with the server and playerbase has become really difficult for me to adjust to and deal with. Everything I thought I knew is useless when I'm analyzing movement and patterns from a second or so ago. It just seems to depend so much more heavily on anticipation and dodging attacks that seem to come from the future, and as unreliable as latency can be in any game, I find sparring nowadays to be really disappointing and not nearly as fun.. IMO.

If we are comparing spar from 2013 to what it is now, then massive change in server lag/increase in population brang new meta of spar (defense/delay). Not many forigners delayed to the extent they do now so playing more aggressive was usually the better play. Not a big "pro" playerbase so manly got lots of noobs for easy ratio (at least during Australian times it was). Was more fun to spar though in 2013. But I prefer sparring in 2017 since it feels more competitive imo

I think the learning curve is much greater due to the lag. I'm sure the lack of novice sparers has something to do with it as well.