There's an elephant in the room. My friend just asked me if I'd like to see a movie with her this Tuesday... what do I say? Do I tell her the real reason? Do I tell her why I really can't go? Not because I don't want to see this movie. Not because I have prior engagements; that part is true. I mean, I don't have to divulge every little bit of my life right? No one has to know why I'm staying home instead of going out. No one has to know that I have squad practice. Squad practice for an 11 year old game that I play. Practice for our upcoming scheduled match on Sunday. Yes, I'm part of an online gaming league of the smallest scale possible.
I dedicate two (maybe three) nights of my week to an online video game. Like any other sporting team, we have playing seasons, set match nights and practice certain days of the week for a couple hours. We all log on at the same time to play together. We build chemistry together to triumph over our stacked opponents. We communicate through Ventrilo (similar to Skype, but more specifically geared towards gamers).
Is this odd to you?
I was pretty embarrassed of this bit of my life for the greater part of last year. I really enjoyed playing though. I liked to think I was getting better at this game. I've played Infantry (SOE owned, Harmless made) since I was in the 6th grade. I was ashamed until one of my friends showed me a recorded Korean Starcraft game (with commentary)! Not only was this organized game play on a much larger scale than my league (with sponsors, managers, trainers, television cameras, fans and paid playing), it made me feel like my own organized online gaming wasn't such a weird thing after all.
Knowing that there was a whole slew of more dedicated, passionate league gamers made me feel like I wasn't such a geek!
Have you ever participated in an online video gaming league?
Comments (22)
No, this isn't weird at all. I know that the DotA community has transformed public games (hosted by random people on battle.net) into more of league type play (DotA matches that are hosted on a 3rd party bot which represents a league), as any one playing Warcraft III can see on the custom games list. Online gaming leagues and competitions are revolutionizing the way games are played as a whole on a more competitive level.
So no, this isn't weird at all, and there's no reason to feel ashamed!
I played on a CS team for a while. I still occasionally scrim with friends. It is kind of awkward to tell people that I'm going to miss social gatherings because I want to shoot people over the internet so I don't do that anymore. :D
Too much gaming is unhealthy. Video games are like drugs. They are addictive and if abused, they warp your mind, cause you to alienate your friends and family, and in some cases cause overdose.
South Korean obsession with Starcraft is very bad. If/when North Korea launches their nukes, they will all select their scanners and try to find the ghost. But by the time they remember what it's like in the real world, it'll be too late. And then they'll try to burrow into the ground.
Yes, I used to be the head of a very competitive sponsored gaming guild/clan/league. Long nights, but ya know what, I really, really enjoyed it. Made friends I'm still friends with (this was years ago).
Is it odd? No. People make time for things they enjoy.
Oh man, I haven't seen the word "Infantry" in a long time in regards to video games. I used to play when it was free... I miss those days.
Playing in a league isn't weird at all. It's the same as sports really (aside from the pysical aspect of course). I think it's weird that if you told someone you had soccer practice 3 nights a week and you play pick up games on the weekend, you're a dedicated person, but if you substitute "soccer" with "Halo" then you're a social outcast and nerd.
Keep playing man, just make sure it doesn't take over your life.
@mcmeister89 - Oh man! You know the game?! It's free again (since 2007)! I thought I'd be a lone ranger.
@Stephanie - HOLY SHIT!!! Are you SERIOUS? It's free? Like not just a trial thing? Because I remember trying to play awhile ago and it was like just a trial package.... fuck. There goes my gaming habits for a bit.
HURR YOU LIE WE DONT HAVE PRACTICE ON TUESDAY
-Your intrepid squad captain
@mcmeister89 - Yes, it's free! Download it and I can help you unfade even.
@Duxx, Hello Squad Captain. Optimum used to practice on Tuesday. That was in the summer when I had a life, no job and no school. Gottem!
@james_pinato@xanga - A lot of the WC3 Custom Games are hosted by bots now. Legion TD, Footies, DotA, Civ Wars etc. Hardly anyone wants to play a custom game unless it's followed by a number sign.
@Stephanie - Haha, thanks. I downloaded it and started yesterday. Went back to my old infiltrator. A LOT different than I remember, but it's also that I'm living in noobsville right now and have an average kill/death ratio of like.... 6/20.... yeah.... so. Lol, but that was just after I jumped in right after downloading, I'm going to spend the next few days reading up in forums and what not. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
I play CTF mostly. After I get better at that, I'll move on. I'm prokary... short for my account name prokaryote.
love the pic
I've gone to local tournaments, haven't played online tournaments though
I admit, when my boyfriend was in CAL and had scrims all the time and couldn't hang out, I would get a little annoyed. I understood, but I still was irked, and maybe jealous I wasn't in CAL or clans or even played well enough to be considered for them back then.
This should be on hardest level!
nothing to be ashamed of
especially when you have total control and awareness of how much time you're putting into it
not like those runaway kids or angry wall punching kids yelling at parents for being sensible
nothing embarrassing joining a gaming league for fun
Hmmm nah, not weird at all. Been playing MMOs when I was a kid as I was brought up with 2 brothers in the house!
Stopped playing MMOs as I started playing more FPS games. But since I'm in college etcetc, I've cut down my gaming hella a lot ):
Good old days, good old days.
Rawr~ i would play if i had more time <3 actually, i have time. right now. -_-
hey everyone needs a little obsession :p
Mine's anime, yours is gamming...nothing wrong with either just have fun (of course)Yes- I am completely guilty of being a part of a clan in an online game. I don't play nearly as much as I did in high school, but I still hop on when I have some free time. I'm a closet nerd. I read Buffy comics, play RS, and play Xbox RPG's like nobody's business.
it's not really for me..
Bah. You should see how many clans played on CAL or how big SC competitions are in Korea.