Tomulin style approach to the ever debated "Is it, or is it not?" for competitive gaming.
Another piece written while lacking in sleep, with a little filler added to reach a length requirement.
What
Makes a Sport?
Heavy
breathing, fingers clenched, heart racing; you're on the edge of your
seat, afraid to blink and miss even a second. Tension breaks as the
match completes, a crescendo of sound erupting from the audience as
bodies launch to their feet and cheer the victor. Maxed capacity,
the room quakes under the energy of the crowd as the winner exits his
sound poof cocoon to strut across the stage and shake hands with his
former foe. In the splendour of such a moment, none present could
fathom someone discounting their competition as a true sport, yet
there are many who would contest such a claim. Competitive video
games are often discounted by those who do not understand them.
Professional players push themselves past the breaking point
physically and mentally, practicing multitasking skills and
strategies to be the best in their craft. One Real Time Strategy
[RTS] game, Starcraft II, has emerged above the rest as the flagship
game to represent what many are calling eSports. By definition,
StarCraft II is a sport because it is an athletic activity, which
requires mental, emotional, and physical dexterity at a highly
competitive level.
The
topic of what makes an activity a sport versus a game is a well worn
argument. The English language is continuously evolving, semantics
of a word change with common usage to become gradually accepted by
the general public. Most current definitions of the word “sport”
require the same basic mechanics; physical activity, usage of skill,
a set of rules, and a competitive nature. Many emphasize the
importance of the physical activity as a staple of sport, although
modern society as a whole has evolved to a point less emphasizing the
pure muscle strength of the individual. Contests such as billiards,
car racing, and video games focus more on specific skills of the
individual player. Each game has its own form of endurance involved
to be able to win; in Starcraft players sit for hours at a time
playing endless games and studying their opponents. Contrary to
conventional views, the physical, mental, and emotional drain on a
player is immense. Albeit not moving much in comparison, a
professional gamer's heart rate can race up to 160 beats per minute,
keeping pace with a basketball player on the court (PBS). Many of
the teams have mandatory exercise periods to help stay in peak
physical condition to play to their best and help prevent career
killing injuries such as carpal tunnel. Just as with more
conventional sports, players dedicate their entire lives to the game
with full days of practice and studying strategies. They train their
body and mind with only victory in sight, often to the point of
exhaustion. Jonathan “Jinro” Walsh, a professional Swedish
progamer living in Korea describes preparing for an important match;
“I practiced every hour I didn’t eat, shower or slept during the
GSL,” Walsh said. “One day could start at 2 pm and end at 7 am
and when I played the most I only had was a few hours over to eat and
for shorter breaks. (dantranimal)” Although the 2008 Summer
Olympics did not pick up Warcraft III, another RTS game, as a
demonstration sport, they did select two progamer athletes as torch
bearers on the way to Beijing (Blocksom).
An
important aspect of a sport is how it engages with those who watch
it. Entire stadiums have been filled by spectators hoping to see
their favourite titans clash in battle for thousands of dollars and
recognition. South Korea is the current hotbed for eSporting events,
the second most watched sports genre under only Soccer (KeSA). The
largest live event in Korea had 120,000 live spectators gathered at
Kwang-An-Li beach in Busan to watch Starcraft, beating even the 2011
Super Bowl (KeSA). The passion and fervent excitement demonstrated
by Korean fans is slowly infecting the rest of the world as leagues
expand in other countries. Major League Gaming [MLG] recently held
their National Championships in Providence, Rhode Island drawing in
over 241,000 unique viewers online from over 175 different countries,
surpassing top cable networks during competing broadcasting time
slots (MLG). Their peak live spectator event in Anaheim, California
had over 20,000 in attendance, many traveling from all across the
world just to potentially meet and cheer on top progamers (MLG).
Big
time eSports leagues such as MLG, North American Star League [NASL],
and the Korean organization GOM all stream their matches online with
live commentary with a popular viewer subscription programme of
typically about US10$/month. Spectators can choose to watch the
matches in the lowest quality setting for free, but many opt to pay
the fee for better resolution and to join in with chat conversations.
Much of Starcraft is about entertaining their audience via
personalities; players interact with fans, celebrate victories and
actively participate in the online community. Progamers may stream
their practise matches online to thousands of viewers daily, the
bigger personalities often being able to make more by streaming daily
than most salaries (Destiny). Esports also accesses a demographic
which is typically difficult for marketers to reach, males ages
18-24, which attracts many sponsors to support players and
tournaments (MLG). Where there is money, there is support to help
the sport grow past just being Korea's national pastime and spread
across the world.
Some
dissenters claim that it is too easy to reach a professional level as
a progamer, that all one has to do is put in the hours to be on the
same tier as top players. There is a bit more of a level playing
field since physical ability is less of a factor. Anyone can train
themselves to be decent at the game, typical barriers such as gender
differences or motor capacity do not come into play. Aptitude and
dedication are the essentials in a equation for success. Just as in
regular sports, muscle memory and learning the game to the point
where it becomes instinctual is the key to winning. When playing
Starcraft, a player must focus on collecting resources to build his
army via structures and upgrades, as well as keeping an eye on his
enemy. Ultimately, you must defeat your enemy by dominating control
of the map and using the army you've amassed against his.
Multitasking, decision making, strategy, and muscle memory are all
heavily relied upon for victory. Some progamers can reach up to 370
actions per mintue [APM] with their keyboard and mouse, while casual
players usually peak around 100 APM (National). In an effort to find
the reason why professional players excelled above amateurs who are
also dedicated, Korean doctors scanned the cognitive processes of a
professional and an amateur players' brains after playing a match.
Seo Ji Hoon, the professional player, had the most activity in his
frontal lobe and limbic area, showing that his actions were based on
assessing the play field and reacting using instinctive strategy
unlike the amateur player who focused on consciously deciding what
course of action to take (National). Mark Blair, a cognitive
scientist at Simon Fraser University recently began a study analyzing
the learning patterns and division of focus mastered by Starcraft
enthusiasts in hopes of applying their multitasking mastery skills to
the general populace outside of the game (Scientific).
Sensationalism
and a sense of imminent danger is one method of selling a sport.
There is obviously no real potential threat on a player's life or
immediate health when engaging in electronic competition, but that
isn't something to belittle. Claiming that the primary incentive for
viewership is violence gives a negative impression of any sport as
well as the fans and isn't a solid ground to base an argument. As
with any new sport, the basic concept can be easily grasped while
watching; more in depth intricacies are learned from continuing to
watch, speaking with friends, or from listening to commentary. No
matter the sport, a neophyte will not has as strong of a relationship
with the mechanics as a seasoned veteran. Small nuances about the
metagame and leveled aspects of play enhance the game for both
players and spectators. A true sport can branch across language
barriers and bring a community together over their shared interest,
something Starcraft accomplishes well. Anyone with a computer and
internet connection can play, watch, and participate in the community
to connect with like minded individuals all over the world.
Semantics
and definitions can be constantly debated and reevaluated to uplift
or discount the validity of the dedication people have for eSports.
The true spirit of sport and competition is to bring people together
in friendly rivalry who come away from the experience with a feeling
of self worth and camaraderie. Any participant in the Starcraft
community, be they a player, spectator, caster, or merely support it
can vouch for the worth of being brought together by this shared
passion.
Works
Cited Page
MLG.
“MLG Delivers the Largest Season in eSports History.” Major
League Gaming.
Major League Gaming. 6 Dec 2011. Web. 6 Dec 2011.
Upson,
Sandra. “How a Computer Game is Reinventing the Science of
Expertise.” American
Scientific.
1 Dec 2011. Web. 6 Dec 2011.
Blocksom,
Jimmy. “Sky & Moon to Carry the Olympic Torch!” Gosu
Gamers.
3 years ago. Web. 6 Dec 2011.
PBS.
“Korean eSports.” Frontline.
2
Feb 2010. Web. 6 Dec 2011.
KeSA.
“e-Sports Biz in Korea.” Korea
s-Sports Association. May
2008. Web. 6 Dec 2011.
National
Geographic. “Starcraft: World Cyber Games 2005.” YouTube.
4 Feb 2010. Web. 6 Dec 2011.
dantranimal.
“Why e-Sports Will Rival Traditional Sports.” dantranimal.
30 Dec 2010. Web. 6 Dec 2011.
Destiny.
'What do the pros earn and how?” Team
Liquid.
4 May 2011. Web. 6 Dec 2011.
