Gaming Reality

[byakugan]

So, what is it that is required to be considered a pro gamer and not an addict? just participating in tournaments or actually winning? Because if it's the later then it is just impossible.

[rassilon]

So, what is it that is required to be considered a pro gamer and not an addict? just participating in tournaments or actually winning? Because if it's the former then it is just impossible.

I would say it's the same thing that defines any other "professional" - if playing games is your job, pays your bills, you are a pro. If playing games gets in the way of your job or otherwise messes up your life, you're probably addicted.

[DeanNim]

What if I have a job, and I exercise, and I have friends AND time to game more than 2 hours a day. Am I addicted?

my situation :|

[byakugan]

I would say it's the same thing that defines any other "professional" - if playing games is your job, pays your bills, you are a pro. If playing games gets in the way of your job or otherwise messes up your life, you're probably addicted.

That's why I say it must be impossible. IDK much about this really, but I believe gaming tournaments give rewards only to the 3 top places like in most competitions, if lucky, the 10 top places. Now let's take this to gaming, in a comunity like, let's say Seoul's, you will be competing against the same people in the tournaments you go and most likely it will be always the same top 10 people battling it among themselves for the prizes, leaving no chance for the rest. Everyone else is screwed and wont get anything back from all the time they spend into this, it works for MarineKing because he is already among that top 10, but MarineKing had to spend like 10 years for it as it's said in the video.

The line between progaming and addiction is so thin that its hard to tell them one another.

[Dystopiq]

my situation :|

I think we're fine Dean. As long as we're functional people who don't prioritize gaming over more important things we're good. I hope.

[DeanNim]

I think we're fine Dean. As long as we're functional people who don't prioritize gaming over more important things we're good. I hope.

well i game with my IRL friends when we have nothing to do, and each session can exceed more than 2 hours. we are also doing fine in school and im coping with my part-timing just fine. some people just take things to the extreme i guess.

[SaptaZapta]

That's why I say it must be impossible. IDK much about this really, but I believe gaming tournaments give rewards only to the 3 top places like in most competitions, if lucky, the 10 top places. Now let's take this to gaming, in a comunity like, let's say Seoul's, you will be competing against the same people in the tournaments you go and most likely it will be always the same top 10 people battling it among themselves for the prizes, leaving no chance for the rest. Everyone else is screwed and wont get anything back from all the time they spend into this, it works for MarineKing because he is already among that top 10, but MarineKing had to spend like 10 years for it as it's said in the video.

The line between progaming and addiction is so thin that its hard to tell them one another.

How is this different from, say, golf, or tennis? Or, for that matter, being a singer or a sculptor?
Some dozen "professionals" make a good living off it, and everyone else either does it for fun or "trains" for endless hours and gets no return whatsoever.

[byakugan]

How is this different from, say, golf, or tennis? Or, for that matter, being a singer or a sculptor?
Some dozen "professionals" make a good living off it, and everyone else either does it for fun or "trains" for endless hours and gets no return whatsoever.

That the physical training can be used and generally enhance your daily living, but can gaming do the same?. Singing is about as bad and sculpting well... its art?

[Luxeraph]

That the physical training can be used and generally enhance your daily living, but can gaming do the same?. Singing is about as bad and sculpting well... its art?

Chess.
How those it involve physical training?

Gaming does bring benefits which depending on the game can go from eye-hand coordination to abstract thinking, although some people can cheat and avoid those activities which give those abilities.

[byakugan]

That the physical training can be used and generally enhance your daily living, but can gaming do the same?. Singing is about as bad and sculpting well... its art?

Actually I take back some of what I said. There is a lot of room for profit in singing, as long as the person really knows how to sing they can sing from a restaurant to even a plaza and make money. Sculpting and art in general is harder but you also could sit in a plaza and sell your creations. Sit in a plaza with a comp playing Starcraft or any game and you will get the cops.

[Malthe]

Actually I take back some of what I said. There is a lot of room for profit in singing, as long as the person really knows how to sing they can sing from a restaurant to even a plaza and make money. Sculpting and art in general is harder but you also could sit in a plaza and sell your creations. Sit in a plaza with a comp playing Starcraft or any game and you will get the cops.

Why do you need to make money off of it?
Plenty of competitive gamers play because they enjoy the game, not for the money.

[byakugan]

Why do you need to make money off of it?
Plenty of competitive gamers play because they enjoy the game, not for the money.

So, what is it that is required to be considered a pro gamer and not an addict?.

Answer me this one then.

[Even]

Answer me this one then.

If you are a part of the gaming community rather than a part of your own bedroom with your computer. Have friends that you play with, become a part of a team, get sponsors that support your gaming life. If you would call people who play the game constantly addicts, what would you call the spectators? The casters? Unhealthy people who doesnt like normal sport?

I'll repeat, if you are a part of something that consist of gaming rather than your own 24/7 life in your bedroom, then you are not an addict. At least thats how I look at it.

[Malthe]

Answer me this one then.

Sure thing.
Being an addict would mean that gaming took priority over other and more important things in your life, for some SC2 players gaming is their job and thus, it doesn't take priority over their job because it is their job.
Many teams and players in e-sports almost regardless of the game aren't able to make a living from playing, and thus still have to prioritize other things such as work above it.
Enjoying and spending a lot of time on something =/= Being an addict. I do not get how people can assume that spending a lot of time on something means that you are addicted, there are many many people who use a lot of time on single activities in their sparetime without them being addicted, hobbies exist you know.
For you to be a pro gamer you'd have to make money, because "A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialized set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. "
Being sponsored makes you a professional team.
Being addicted on the other hand is to be "compulsively or physiologically dependent on something habit-forming". And being computer addicted is often defined as "the excessive use of computers to the extent that it interferes with daily life." and you are able to use a lot of time on playing games without it interfering with your daily life(bathing/working/eating/sleeping/everything else you'd need to do)
And as i've already stated, you can use a lot of time on something without you being dependent on it, at all.
I personally have large periods where i use 4-5 hours a day reading books, often multiple book series and triologies, this can span over a few weeks. Does this make me addicted to the books? No, i just enjoy them and have time to use on it.

[byakugan]

Let's just say there are 2 types of gamers for this case, the "OK"gamers who play games without these getting in the way of activities that can sustain their daily living and the professional gamers that have found a way to make of gaming the way to sustain their daily living. By these definitions you can be an "OK" gamer without much trouble but being a pro gamer is still nearly impossible, at least right now.

I started this debate because by how it is depicted in the video, most of the people that play startcraft in Korea can't go into pro-gaming without going through addict gaming first.

[Even]

Let's just say there are 2 types of gamers for this case, the "OK"gamers who play games without these getting in the way of activities that can sustain their daily living and the professional gamers that have found a way to make of gaming the way to sustain their daily living. By these definitions you can be an "OK" gamer without much trouble but being a pro gamer is still nearly impossible, at least right now.

I started this debate because by how it is depicted in the video, most of the people that play startcraft in Korea can't go into pro-gaming without going through addict gaming first.

Tbh it depens on which game you are aiming for. Often solo games like stat starcraft 2 is really hard to become pro in because you arent depending on others, so the most skilled people will always be on top. When it comes to team games like HoN, DotA 2, CS and so on, you're a lot more dependant on your team than just yourself. Obviously if you stack star players in one team they might dominate and I say might because believe it or not, not everyone can get along, even if they are professional players.

[Malthe]

but being a pro gamer is still nearly impossible, at least right now.

Actually, plenty of not very skilled players can make a living trough streaming. And SC2 might be dominated by certain players, but a lot of other scenes have a lot of different teams playing for the top. And it's the same for normal sports, it's pretty damn hard to make a living by playing soccer, not a lot of people can do it.
You can go into pro-gaming without going trough addict gaming, playing a lot =/= being addicted. But yes, i'm not saying there aren't people who are addicted, there most definitely is.