Advantages of E-Sports over Real Life Sports

[muffins]

Preface: I've never enjoyed professional football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and others. I don't know why and this topic is trying to help me figure this out. Throughout this post I'm going to use Football as the primary example just to make things easier.

I've never really enjoyed watching football and I've never been able to figure out why until recently. I'm not sure if I've got it ALL figured out but we'll see. To me, football use to be semi-interesting when I'd play it with friends in elementary school. It wasn't too organized but we had the basics. As you get older there are less and less ways to emulate the professional aspect of football. You can't get a field that large, don't have enough people, etc... Once you "grow up" there's no CAL equivalent where a person could go and emulate a professional game. One of the biggest reasons I love watching Counter-Strike matches is because I myself play. I know the intricacies, the spots, the strats, and everything about it. When you're watching as a player its a totally different game. 5 minutes after a coL match is over I can go grab some people and play a match against another team that is on the same map, time limit, etc... as the one coL just played.

CAL and CEVO are both great examples of what keeps eSports alive. The ability to sign up to the same league that your favorite teams are in and play by the same rules. If you're good enough you can even work your way up to the same level as your favorite teams. Not many other sports can let you do that. Playing in a match is so much different than going out on a field and tossing the ball with a couple of friends.

This is just one of the advantages to eSports in general. I'm curious if you guys agree and if you can think of any other advantages. I know there's more but I can't put my finger on it.

[Pracket]

Nice post. I agree.

The big issue with E-sports imho is that the whole scene is constantly evolving. Football, baseball, soccer, although they have been modified to fit league play, have always remained the same game.

It is really hard to maintain ones skills if the gamer has to constantly switch games. Counter strike has been great, I love it. Some day though people are going to move on.

I guess a company can create high standard games meant for competitive online / lan play.

Regardless, Video Games and E-competition won't go away due to the amount of people that buy games even during a recession.

[Meko]

Muffins, you should be an article writer or journalist if you aren't already. You always seem to have a nice way of expressing your opinions in a manner that doesn't discredit anyone's opinion that might be a complete opposite of your own.

I myself agree with you on some fields. Personally, I am not interested in sports unless I am the one playing in them. I just never got so into a sport that it made me watch it intensely for long periods of time. You made the excellent point though that since average, everyday people can actually play the game exactly like the professionals do it gives people a more connected feeling to the community and game itself.

Anyway, I'd love to read some articles from you. :D

[m0tive]

biggest advantage is that almost ANYONE can do it no discrimination ill get more into it later but im busy atm :)

[Popcorn1]

I definitely agree with you on that. Every time I watch a match right after it I am scrimming with my team or pugging in ESEA. E-Sports really brings you into it. Although if I do watch a soccer game on TV after that is over, I have FIFA booted up on the computer.

[deLay]

HAHA ^^ Fifa! :P

[muffins]

Muffins, you should be an article writer or journalist if you aren't already. You always seem to have a nice way of expressing your opinions in a manner that doesn't discredit anyone's opinion that might be a complete opposite of your own.

I myself agree with you on some fields. Personally, I am not interested in sports unless I am the one playing in them. I just never got so into a sport that it made me watch it intensely for long periods of time. You made the excellent point though that since average, everyday people can actually play the game exactly like the professionals do it gives people a more connected feeling to the community and game itself.

Anyway, I'd love to read some articles from you. :D

Haha thanks. I'm not a journalist nor do I write articles. When I was younger I use to have a lot of opinions but I could never find the words to explain what it was I wanted to say. (Its still like this sometimes) I have since constantly worked on my vocab, grammar, and articulation in general.

As for your points, I think you really hit the nail on the head when you said, "... average, everyday people can actually play the game exactly like the professionals do it gives people a more connected feeling to the community and game itself."

Its being connected that makes the community thrive.

One thing that has always bothered me about football is when fans judge the players for poor performance. I always felt that if you didn't play the sport, you really don't have any right to be judging. You don't know how difficult it would actually be to catch that pass in an environment like that. When you play CS you know that sometimes the player couldn't avoid the nade or that it was just unlucky that he got walled or picked. Having a knowledge of the game also gives fans a more valid opinion when commenting on it.

[bLuehaT]

here's me rambling (just typing as thoughts enter my head).

the reason why i continue to play cs is the lure of the professional scene. it's within everyone's reach; getting there depends solely on how much work you put in. sometimes, you'll pull off a "professional" clutch or hit a "professional" shot and you feel like you can one day make it as a professional. the skill gap between you and a professional isn't as wide open as it would be for real life sports. and in e-sports, you generally have the chance to play with and interact with professionals on a daily basis. that, i feel, is the main attraction in e-sports. at least for me.

i used to be in love with the game of basketball. i would practice for hours daily regardless of the weather. the work certainly paid off, as i have numerous awards and league selections to show off. but as i grew older and especially during my senior year in high school (college recruiters), i realized i wasn't tall enough. (lol, yeah shh..) i'm not short, but i'm not nba-tall if you know what i mean. but yeah, e-sports have no physical requirements (besides the standard hands, ears, etc.). whether or not you go professional depends on the amount of work you put in. that's it, it is that simple.

i still like the game of basketball and i play it almost daily, but i don't study/practice it like i use. apparently, by some, that makes me an e-athlete. lol. the weird thing is though, if you asked me whether i would rather play a basketball game or a cs match, ten times out of ten i would choose to play basketball. i know i may be contradicting myself at the moment, but.. hold up.. i get it now

i still like basketball over cs, but i continue to play cs because of the lure of the professional scene. bingo.

anyway, that's my sports-to-esports story. but yeah, i do agree that e-sports have some advantages over real life sports.

pz.

[guO]

imo it's preference. whatever gives you the most excitment and feeling of achievement is what i think you should play.

[muffins]

bluehat that was a really great post. You hit everything that I've been trying to think of. I think the fact that anyone can be in on the professional scene and become a professional themselves without high requirements is a huge attraction. And like you said, no matter your physical stature, as long as you have hands you can join in on the fun.


imo it's preference. whatever gives you the most excitment and feeling of achievement is what i think you should play.

Oh I totally agree. E-Sports does have some advantages though and I was just wanting to examine them. E-Sports is still fairly new so I don't think its been looked at hard enough. Feel free to post the disadvantages of eSports over physical sports if you can think of some good ones. I'd be curious to hear them.

This topic wasn't a bash at physical sports. I just wanted to take some time to understand why myself and certain others find such a huge attraction to eSports.

[trexiL]

Tackling kids behind the line or clutching in cs?

I dunno they both get you pumped up but there's nothing like laying a HB on the turf on 3rd and short, paid or not.

[Jericho]

hmm okay bro

[guO]

yeah, i agree on the league aspect. in esports you can join whatever league.. without any prior experience or a certain skill level. that freedom is what sets esports apart from 'modern' sports. also, there's no (or extremely little) risk of injury in esports opposed to football, soccer, or basketball. i think esports is more appealing to those mentally while athletic sports appeals to more physical oriented people.

[muffins]

guO thats is an excellent point! My mind is constantly running and I always want to be thinking about something. I get bored extremely quick if nothings going on. That could explain why CS has such a draw on me.

[bLuehaT]

guO thats is an excellent point! My mind is constantly running and I always want to be thinking about something. I get bored extremely quick if nothings going on. That could explain why CS has such a draw on me.

lol, that's odd. i find it way more difficult to focus on what's going on in CS than in real sports :(

[kLeos]

paintball 5v5 on de_Dust2 IRL > cs
just imagine ...

hmm those rich folks in dubai should start making counter strike maps into real life landscapes and a paintball league...
that would be hella fun!

[plants taste good]

advantages of playing an online game is getting scrimmages and pugs going whenever you want. also, getting good at CS is monumentally easier than getting good at at basketball, football, or soccer. i'm sure someone will argue against this, but it's undeniably true to anyone who knows a shred about skill and sports. plus you can watch matches from your computer chair through HLTV, and watch who you want when you want. a disadvantage is that you can get out of shape if you play video games online 24/7 and don't go outside.

most people who comment on real sports also probably play the game, if you haven't noticed many people bash pro CS players for messing up a shot or losing a 3v1 or something. well having said all that i played sports in high school and all that junk and at least i didn't get fat in high school but i feel that both helped me in some way... CS helps your reflexes, but sports help you use those reflexes to make your mind apply faster reaction to better thinking, and that in turn helps your in-game thinking for CS. kind of went off-topic but yes.

[Moscow]

Go outside...

[beasta]

e-sports will not hurt you physically, there will be no blood. I like that

[tgchan]

because e-sport is more cyberpunkish >:D

[jfouellet]

The fact that playing with the same rule set as profesionnals is awesome and like you said I love watching the games because as a player i know exactly what happens, but on the other hand, esports brings no fitness whatsoever. No physical labor is needed and well its pretty much a mental game more then anything. For that reason, i find that it lacks some kind of fun since im a huge sports fan, but when you think of it staying up 24 hours playing counter-strike with your buds and living on energy drink requires some kind of fitness :P

[zerk]

see i agree to a aspect , because you cant play pro ball or pro football endless u really really work for it, But i used to play b-ball and football in high school and loved it with more of a passion then esports at the time. eSports brings to the table something different because as you said anyone can play. Peopl that are in wheel chairs or soemthing of that messure they have a chance to be something really big. But i have played with aba bball players and college players on the courts as well. and have played with pros in cs as well. I would say its easyer to play with pros on esports then in real life sports, compared to pro football players or something. Also u have to look at that pro football and pro anysport is more of a buisness as well. They are gifted in the game they play but buisness is a huge part. Here on esports for amatuers its not a buisness to them its just "fun" till you get sponsored.

[fenom]

If you say you don't need fitness for eSports your wrong. After 45 minutes of me just practicing I feel exhausted my arm is sore my fingers don't even feel like moving :| this is why I bench a good 175 and jog :D

[claymore]

In my opinion, esports will be a tier below until the principle issue of the internet is fixed: anonymity.

[shlorn]

i say that we declare the first esports holiday: Cal/Cevo Day

[Manfred]

thanks for sharing this kind of stuff? great

[LEELEE]

I couldn't disagree more..

eSports is good for a while, but you can't prove shit unless you're in person. I've been to one LAN and I loved it just because I could see who I was playing. CAL and CEVO are great ways to get together but I would rather make thousands and millions of dollars by playing football than getting a monitor tan. I would rather talk shit in person if I needed to rather than hiding behind the internet. You don't learn the same amount of team work and compassion for a sport unless you are working with a person face to face. You can play with a team, scrim, practice and hang out with these kids you play games with; however, you aren't really learning lessons with life that you pick up on in sports outside your house.

Personally sports made more mature and a better person all around. You learn to act as a adult and make those decisions that you won't encounter behind a monitor.