8bit opinion: Play time with DAYZ & E-sports world

So at work there is this charming young compu nerd that I find very entertaining. On his down time he slings his Microsoft Surface Pro on to the counter and watches various people playing a game called DAYZ (pronounced DAY Z) at first I thought why you would watch someone else play a video game.

This concept completely alluding me. But lets be clear this is not a review of a game but an overview of how I have seen this new e-sports world.  After some discussion with this young chap and other likeminded folks, it made me realize that what they do is no different than JOE sports monger and his urge to consume copious amounts of large men smashing into each other holding a pig skin or 7 foot monsters slamming a big rubber ball in a metal horizontal ring. (this was to point out how some people may view other sports)

Streaming video games is a sport like any other (e-sport) you have a series of people with a skill set above most making money for playing a game they love.

I started to watch this one player in particular LIRIK, he is the reason I decided to write this little article. Like most popular and well liked athletes he shows a true love of his craft, he carries this passion into each game playing a fun and entertaining match. You can follow his stream on a site called www.twitch.tv he has people who pay 4.99 to subscribe, this allows you special chat functions and a subscriber only mode if the moderator wants to reduce the garble of trollers. You can always follow for free or you can donate to him as well (he tries to call out and thank people while he is playing to new and existing donators) but there is no required cost to watch this young e-sportsman.

DAYZ is a game in alpha stage placed in a map so large that it can take up to 3 hours to travel. This game is not one for a part time gamer looking for a quick shoot FPS. Sometimes you can 20 minutes or more and not see other person in the game (depending on how many people are on the server) the detail is amazing. I could spend an hours just discussing everything you can do.

If you want a game that you can really get into and like the idea of playing something more realistic and real time pick it up on steam $29.99.

As a final thought to everyone sports are defined as an activity involving physical exertion and or skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

So as odd it might seem at first the idea of watching a video game online or someone broadcasting said video game feed, they are as much a sportsman as Michael Jordon, our Olympic teams or the kid learning to play hockey for the first time.

Embrace change it is just easier

N8