Thursday, March 31, 2016

Things I need to do for my magazine

For my magazine, the only thing I have left to do is finding pictures that will fit what I'm trying to do. As the basis of my magazine will be around esports and video games as a spectator sport, I plan to either have friendly competitions of Super Smash Bros. at a friends house. A picture of this will imply how the idea of watching video games for fun extends to anybody who plays video games. I plan to include pictures like this:

image

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Layout of my two-page spread

Due to convenience for my article and magazine, I've decided to provide a layout for my article that will be based on e-sports in general. This means that my article will include multiple video games but will discuss basically all the research that I have done on this blog in general.

Title of article: Video Games as a spectator sport
Key Points:
1) Define spectator sport, contrast video game viewmanship and sport viewmanship.
2) List the most monumental times in e-sport history
3) Explain the boundaries of video games and the boundaries of sports
4) Video Games as a "art"
5) The entertainment aspect of video games
6) The analytical aspect of video games
7) Examples of video games that are watched for entertainment
8) Why I like to watch video games
9) Expectations for the future of video games, where I think this market will go and what it will grow into

Monday, March 28, 2016

Sports vs. Video Games

In the recent blog posting I linked a video called "Things of Beauty: Super Smash Bros. as a Spectator Sport." In the video, they briefly described to contrasting elements between sports and video games. That being said, sports have rules, but video games have laws. Articulating on this, for example, in soccer as a sport, players have mutually agreed to not touch the ball with their hands, but they are still able to if they wanted to. But in FIFA the video game, players aren't allowed to touch the ball with their hands because THEY CANT. The system wont allow it. What this means is in sports you can do anything that is explicitly forbidden, but in a video game, you can do anything that is explicitly allowed by the system. What makes this a "Thing of Beauty" is how creative players have gotten with these rules that are defined by the system. In contrary, it is much easier to be creative in a sport because these bodily functions have no parameters. If i wanted to play basketball with solely my head, I would be allowed to. Although it would be unorthodox, I would still be allowed to do it. However, if I wanted to play NBA2K where my avatar has to dribble the ball with my head, I wouldn't be able to without having to alter the source code for the game.
SO

Back to what makes this a "Thing of Beauty." It is the creative nature that players have taken on, as well as the developed strategies that the community has defined that makes this a thing of beauty. Take Street Fighter, Injustice, SSB, and Killer Instinct. In these games, the instructions only include a few combos that are at most 4 hits long. But if you YouTube combo videos for each video game, players have developed combos that could last for infinity, given the dynamics of the game make each player invincible.

It is the strategy and creativeness of the community that has made video games a thing of beauty. Although my view point may be a minority, some might call the YouTube combo videos works of art because each combo video has its own authentic and original value.








:D

Video Games as a Spectator Sport

Gameplay

Informal Video (Watch this first)

To my personal experience, I find that watching has become a common past time that I enjoy. To the point where I re-watch gameplays that I have already seen because I love the nature of the gameplay and it reminds me of why I love videogames. Recently, I watched the video linked above called "Things of Beauty: Super Smash Bros. as a Spectator Sport." After watching, I have to completely agree, video games in general has become a spectator sport. For example, competitions such as KTAR, EVO, APEX, and League of Legends World Championship are all prime examples of this. Visitors pay money and the labor to attend these events. Some of these events aren't as big as Worlds or EVO, but people still make the effort to watch their favorite players play. In this growing day and age, videogames has evolved from a past time to a "Thing of Beauty."

Instead of watching these gameplay videos like I usually do, after watching the Things of Beauty video, I have taken an entirely different aspect of viewership. Rather analyzing every little thing that players do when decision making, I have altered my mindset to realize that video games sometimes should not be taken as seriously. I suggest to try and analyze the gameplay video that was linked, then re-watch it with the mindset of pure enjoyment.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

What I like about this video

Video 1

Recently, I have been watching the three different types of videos posted on my last blog posting as research. What I particularly liked about this video is the seriousness that was shown throughout the video. Although it may be hard to pick up on the sarcasm, the attitude and atmosphere of the video would be something similar to what I would write about because I won't be able to commentate game play. In the video, they mimic a documentaries on video games to commentate on that fact that almost every single LOL player that is in bronze, takes the game too seriously or is too young to play the game, which is also why they are in bronze.

Additional Examples

Video 2
Video 3
Video 4

Content of article

I am in between 3 types of articles to write for my magazine, those being tournament/game analysis, comedic takes on the respective video game, or tips and tricks on how to play better.

Tournament/Game Analysis:

Example

Video games analysis has become increasingly popular in terms of media because for the most part, playing video games is all about analysis and logical thinking. However, the aspect of video game analysis that makes it so interesting, is "studying" different play styles that these players have and learning to adapt your own play style in real time. In this video, a professional SSB player, C9 Mang0, is analyzing a match that he played with one of his biggest competitors. In the video, he reviews retaliation options, as well as kill opportunities that may or may not have been smart.

Writing an article of video game analysis would be the easiest route for me, also the most fun. However, it would require me to attend multiple tournaments and follow certain SSB or LOL players that I find the most competent, which can be hard to do considering that I would have to see a match in real time.

Comedic Takes:

Example

Video games in a comedic perspective has been around ever since video games existed, however, it is extremely difficult to produce humorous content. It is also equally as difficult to commentate your own matches in a comedic way. This path is not very likely for me to take, but i would most likely find the most success if done so. In the path of much brucer/tank by dinado, I am not here to learn you how to play xin zhao. I hope you find much gg.

Tips and Tricks:

Example

Lastly, the alternative path that I could take is "teaching" readers how to play better. This is the easiest path for me to take because players learn and adapt after every match. I could easily compile the things that I learn, or the things that I have already learned into one article and publish that, but this route is not as fun. The downside to these types of articles are that they do not apply to every type of gamer due to  different play styles and the various mind games. Doing a tips and tricks article will not be as effective, but will be the easiest.




















Plans for the magazine as of now

My plans for the magazine are as follow:
1) Go to Versus Gaming Center and capture images of weekly SSBM, SSBPM, SSB4, tournaments as well as those who are on the computers playing computer games.
2) Interview some of the people there who are serious about "competitive gaming."
3) Research more information about Youtubers such as videogamedunkey, imaqtpie, weegee, etc.
4) Assemble templates of the magazine, I plan to have a fan art drawing of LOL or SSB on the front cover, the TOC will include the images taken at Versus Gaming.
5) Decide on article content

Versus Gaming Center
Type of fan art images that will be on cover


Sunday, March 13, 2016

pea pea pod

Pod sesh today consisted of a conversation on e-sports and the argument between whether or not e-sports is an actual sport or not. We talked about twitch streamer "imaqtpie" which led to the idea of trying to get an interview with him to talk about e-sports. The question depends on whether or not we should interview him on twitch.tv and donate money to him, or find another means of contact.
Either way, the legend himself will be interview...

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Easy guap (money)

Top Streamers Monthly Earnings
Forbes article on streaming as a career

Video game streaming has been a prevalent topic in the e-sports scene for years, but just recently, streaming has become careers for some people. Streamer have been utilizing the website, twitch.tv to broadcast live streams to viewers. However, these viewers are able to donate money and subscribe to these people to encourage the streamers to continue streaming. Streamers such as "imaqtpie" have been estimated to make around $14,433.468 a month, strictly off of streaming on twitch.tv.

WILL VIDEO GAMES AND THE WORLD OF VIDEO GAMES GROW INTO MORE THAN JUST A PASTIME????????

According to Forbes, yes. Actually, it already has. Streamers have been projected to make between $100,000 and $300,000 a year. Additionally, the only money invested into starting a stream is buying a microphone an webcam. So the payoff is huge, and the job is relatively easy... just be good  video games.

gg

Forbes. Forbes Magazine. Web. 10 Mar. 2016. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/cameronkeng/2014/04/21/online-streaming-professional-gaming-is-a-300000-career-choice/#1452623221d9>.

 "A Look Into Streaming." A Look Into Streaming. Web. 10 Mar. 2016. <http://efekarakus.github.io/twitch-analytics/#/revenue>.
 

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Is e-sports an actual sport?

The article linked under "Is e-sports and an actual sport" covers all opinions on whether or not it is. But the real question is, how has e-sports allowed for human evolution? As a believer in e-sports, the shenanigans that occur in online computer games only adds to strategy. The 10% gimps in super smash bro's happens for a reason, and those reasons originate from the strategy that each player develops for their play style. So to answer the question, yes, e-sports is an actual sport. Except, rather exercising physical development to help human evolution, e-sports exercises the mind and logical thinking. As stated in the article, "some scientists now believe certain computer games might give a better indication of exceptional intelligence than chess."
So basically, participating in e-sports makes ya smurter. ggwp

gimp: In super smash bros, each player tries to deal as much damage as possible before knocking the opponent off the stage. This damage is represented as a percentage. For example, it is easier for someone to lose a life at 100% rather 10%. To gimp someone, means to knock your opponent off stage at a low percentage. Usually demonstrated by precise inputs on the controller as well as "hard reads." Which means to guess what the person is going to do next.

ggwp: good game well played

smurter: smarter

ya: you

 
Dirs, Ben. "Is Computer Gaming Really a Sport?" BBC IWonder. Bbc.co.uk. Web. 9 Mar. 2016. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zygq2hv>.