Competitive Gaming: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:02, 20 April 2020

Competitive Gaming is like an adventure in a big open world game where you can explore a lot of different areas and get in touch with a lot of different competitions with different fighting styles.The competitive gaming community is getting wider and wider and there is a variety of possibilities in taking part in this community. What happened to be a "nerdy" thing, playing a game for weeks in the basement with yourself emerges and forms a bigger challenge for players all over the world. Every player can take part in this competition to demonstrate their skills and to show their power.

Introduction

Training Mode: How to Competitive Gaming?

Competitive Gaming is a game mode mainly connecting to multiplayer-based video games, where players compete with each other in different types of game mechanics, skillsets and settings.

The spectrum of competitive gaming interconnects with the wide field of video games in various sections. Often associated with professional monetized e-sports tournaments in first place, competitive gaming can be located in way more casual or intermediate gaming circumstances. There is a variety of types of gaming for competitive gaming like MMORPGs, MOBA (Massive Online Battle Arena), Browser Games, Casual Games, Strategy Games, Fighting Games, Racing Simulation or Sports Games. Other types are: Hot Seat, LAN-Party or Online-Mulitplayer Sessions.

In the scientific and professional literature on video games competitive gaming is lacking profound research and recognition. ^[1]

The Story behind: Competitive Gaming History

With the game Spacewar! the AI Labs in Stanford University in Silicon Valley started the first tournament in October 1972. Atari followed 8 years later with first major game tournament. In the 1980's there were a lot of tournaments coming up and in the 1990's the emerging of the home consoles changed the accessibility for players. They could play in the arcade halls or at home. Great game like Counter-Strike or Starcraft initiated a new era in the 2000's. Intel Extreme Masters or Major League Gaming started their tournaments. With the launch of Twitch TV and other Live- Streaming platforms for gameplay the viewers and players could watch from all over the world. With League of Legends, Fortnite and Dota 2 the competitive gaming world is still expanding.^[2]

Connected Research Approach

Round 1: Spirit of Competition

Thinking of the word competition we should get closer to the origin of the greek's word agon. It means competition, contest or challenge. Roger Caillois uses four classifications for games: Agon (football or Billiard), Alea (Roulette), Mimicry (acting Hamlet or a pirate) and Ilinx (dizziness or vertigo).^[3]For competition there is to consider, what game or play mean because there is a difficulty in describing. There are different theories through the history to study. For example Plato located play in relation to education, Schiller searched play in being human, and Huizinga ascribed play as a forming culture function. So how is competition part of a game or play? Discussing the fact that a game is more based of rules and play is free and childish, there is even to differ in the meaning of words. Using again agon and Caillois, for a fight or a competition, an equality of opportunity should be given, hence there are the best conditions.^[4] According to Joël Kaczmarek all the contestants have the same chances. The competition or rivalry is at a high point.There are similar attributes to sport: like a competition in the real world^[5] like football or athletics.^[6] By searching a way to the competition in competitive gaming, we have to consider these aspects. Game and play have a long tradition. Huizinga, as mentioned, sees play with a shaping function. Moreover he described some rules and boundaries for play. There is a time setting, a limited area and there are rules.^[7]Games and Rules seem to be connected. Hence there are ways of cheating.

For competitive gaming, next to the tournament's area or hall, besides we have the home of the gamers as an area of fighting for the competitive gamers at home.

There is a variety of fighting forms: against the game or against the boss in the game which maybe is another entity of the game, against other players or teams and their avatars and against yourself.

Round 2: Professional Electronic Sports

E-sports is a big industry which hosts worldwide tournaments in stadiums with millions of viewers in local or at home. Professional video gamer fight as single player or in teams competitions against other gamer or other teams. The tournaments are not just for amusement but first for money and prestige and admiration.^[8] As like the winner or the winning team takes it all. These tournaments One can discuss how durable these tournaments or this phenomenon are. Genres which are most viewed are MOBA, fighting games, first-person shooters and real-time strategy. For watching the e-sport events there are platforms like Twitch, YouTube or Mixer.^[9]

One can discuss how such events are produced and what influence teams or games have. There are also possibilities for the figure of the gamer. They have all nicknames and there are teams from all over the world. In some countries there are schools for e-sports, so there is a training for player. They are trained for competition like for example football players train for the next game. Even the football clubs have not just their teams for championships like champions league or the national division, there are also teams for e-sport for FIFA for example. So the gamer do not just coming upstairs from their basement gaming, they are demonstrating their skills and take part in competition all over the world and the identify maybe more with their skills and their fans. Even admitting that they play video games and getting hyped for it is different as it was in the past. They show their membership or their belonging to a game and a team and they take part in big produced events where sponsors invest a lot of money.

It is to assume that professional competitive player gain higher skills for example like problem solving, prosocial behavior or enhanced short term-memory as in other areas or professions.^[10]

Round 3: Ninja, Shroud and Me

As already mentioned, competitive gaming or maybe excessive gaming was like a "nerdy" thing in the past. Cliché or not, today out of the tournaments, the social media platforms or other platforms players rise like rockstars. They are not unknown anymore. Players like Ninja, Shroud, Dr. DisRespect or Lee „Faker“ Sang-hyeok are famous and millions watch their games. E-sport forms big communities and the players/ fans are connected to the games and their famous gamers. When watching from home, fans can also follow their idols and they can write them and ask for feedback. Through watching the game sessions, the players can get inspiration and maybe learn new game styles. On platforms like Twitch or Mixer, it is possible to get closer to the famous players. Competitive Gaming appears through all these platforms and their representatives as an invitation to try all the different styles of gaming. There is also a following generated. Fans are bound to the games, because the developers create new ways or new versions of the games. They host tournaments or parties for the fans to generate more followers and a stronger connection to the game. Through the way to play, famous players like Shroud, Ninja or MontanaBlack create also an individual style of gaming which could adjoin virtuosity. According to Gabriele Brandstetter the virtuoso has a magical charisma, they amaze people and is admired.^[11] The gamers do not have to be the best players, but they are followed because of their individuality. They have their own style and their own channel. They use their performance and their audience and perform out of it as the virtuoso does.^[12] To name gamers like Shroud or Ninja as virtuoso could be overstated, even if their performance is overreached as the virtuoso's,^[13] but they have an effect in their performance which draws the fans/players.

Round 4: Cheating

There seems to be a long tradition of cheating, which is connected to the history of games. Why is it that players want to cheat or use some cheats for their pleasure of gaming or their successful outcome? In Mia Consalvo's essay about cheating, the practice of cheating is stated as not easily identified or defined.There is also a conflict for players with cheating, but there are practices or events definitely marked as cheating in the eyes of players or developers while cheating is developing in a new way.^[14] By thinking of cheating there are different forms, so for example using cheats to get a lot of money for building a big house with full furniture for example in The Sims 4. One can also disturb a player while they are taking part in a racing simulation. There is also the question if cheating is always negative? Can cheating generate new forms of gaming or what if all the players in the gaming round would use cheats? There could be a contest just about cheating. And what is with modding? Is it also like cheating or do the modders participate as developers in the game? Because some games exist because one modder acted and the industry tightened.

Round 5: Competitive Gaming - There is Violence and there is Addiction

One of the oldest first comment when someone is playing videogames is, that all videogames are violent or influence the player in a violent way. Videogames influence people mentally; they have an impact on the players. There is a variety of scientific researches in psychology for this aspect, but this should not be the focus in this abstract. However what is the role of violence in competitive gaming? Is violence necessary for gaming? For example when players fight in Soul Calibur, their characters use big weapons, but there is no blood used for an extreme representation. Another example is World of Warcraft where the player has to fight in guilds. For WoW there is also a great level for addiction which is another argument against games or for this example, competitive gaming. Having professional players in mind, they have to train an amount of time to become successful players and they are often stressed because the have to deal with pressure and expectations.

Kaczmarek says that violence should be excluded of the game or has to be used for the competition, as a service. The Avatar-Figure has to be saved in the game, the player has to be secured for the game.^[15] Using the violence for gaming aspects appears legitimate and it appears interesting. Violence could be a force for the gaming aspect. It is necessary, so the player can put themself in the position of the avatar. It is like taking a coat or moving into a sphere, but with the knowledge, that this is a temporary status. It is necessary if the player wants to play a competitive game or wants to take part in the community.

Conclusion

Competitive Gaming is part of the open gaming world. Its power and almost magical aura especially in the e-sports area is strengthen. This research approach is a start and part of a wide field of scientific studies. Further developments of competitive gaming should be observed. They are worth it, because the gaming industry, the fans, the gamers and the games: everything is still growing and interweaving and maybe one day, professional electronic sports will be part of the Olympics.

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 ===Round 3: Ninja, Shroud and Me===
-As already mentioned, competitive gaming or maybe excessive gaming was like a "nerdy" thing in the past. Cliché or not, today out of the tournaments, the social media platforms or other platforms players rise like rockstars. They are not unknown anymore. Players like Ninja, Shroud, Dr. DisRespect or Lee „Faker“ Sang-hyeok are famous and millions watch their games. E-sport forms big communities and the players/ fans are connected to the games and their famous gamers. When watching from home, fans can also follow their idols and they can write them and ask for feedback. Through watching the game sessions, the players can get inspiration and maybe learn new game styles. On platforms like Twitch or Mixer, it is possible to get closer to the famous players. Competitive Gaming appears through all these platforms and their representatives as an invitation to try all the different styles of gaming. There is also a following generated. Fans are bound to the games, because the developers create new ways or new versions of the games. They host tournaments or parties for the fans to generate more followers and a stronger connection to the game. Through the way to play, famous players like Shroud, Ninja or MontanaBlack create also an individual style of gaming which could adjoin virtuosity. According to Gabriele Brandstetter the virtuoso has a magical charisma, they amaze people and is admired.<ref>Brandstetter, Gabriele: Vom naturwissenschaftlichen Experiment zum Medien-Event. Der Virtuose als Grenzfigur des Performativen. In: Brandstetter, Gabriele; Brandl-Risi, Bettina; Van Eikels, Kai (Eds.): ''Szenen des Virtuosen,'' Bielefeld 2016, p.104.</ref> The gamers do not have to be the best players, but they are followed because of their individuality. They have their own style and their own channel. They use their performance and their audience and perform out of it as the virtuoso does.<ref>ibid., p. 106.</ref> To name gamers like Shroud or Ninja as virtuoso could be overstated, even if their performance is overreached as the virtuoso's,<ref>ibid., p.106.</ref> but they have an effect in their performance which draws the fans/players. <br />
+As already mentioned, competitive gaming or maybe excessive gaming was like a "nerdy" thing in the past. Cliché or not, today out of the tournaments, the social media platforms or other platforms players rise like rockstars. They are not unknown anymore. Players like Ninja, Shroud, Dr. DisRespect or Lee „Faker“ Sang-hyeok are famous and millions watch their games. E-sport forms big communities and the players/ fans are connected to the games and their famous gamers. When watching from home, fans can also follow their idols and they can write them and ask for feedback. Through watching the game sessions, the players can get inspiration and maybe learn new game styles. On platforms like Twitch or Mixer, it is possible to get closer to the famous players. Competitive Gaming appears through all these platforms and their representatives as an invitation to try all the different styles of gaming. There is also a following generated. Fans are bound to the games, because the developers create new ways or new versions of the games. They host tournaments or parties for the fans to generate more followers and a stronger connection to the game. Through the way to play, famous players like Shroud, Ninja or MontanaBlack create also an individual style of gaming which could adjoin virtuosity. According to Gabriele Brandstetter the virtuoso has a magical charisma, they amaze people and is admired.<ref>cf. Brandstetter, Gabriele: Vom naturwissenschaftlichen Experiment zum Medien-Event. Der Virtuose als Grenzfigur des Performativen. In: Brandstetter, Gabriele; Brandl-Risi, Bettina; Van Eikels, Kai (Eds.): ''Szenen des Virtuosen,'' Bielefeld 2016, p.104.</ref> The gamers do not have to be the best players, but they are followed because of their individuality. They have their own style and their own channel. They use their performance and their audience and perform out of it as the virtuoso does.<ref>ibid., p. 106.</ref> To name gamers like Shroud or Ninja as virtuoso could be overstated, even if their performance is overreached as the virtuoso's,<ref>ibid., p.106.</ref> but they have an effect in their performance which draws the fans/players. <br />
 <youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbXVjvGPWq8</youtube>                  <youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M81CONQ8vcE</youtube>
@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 There seems to be a long tradition of cheating, which is connected to the history of games. Why is it that players want to cheat or use some cheats for their pleasure of gaming or their successful outcome? In Mia Consalvo's essay about cheating, the practice of cheating is stated as not easily identified or defined.There is also a conflict for players with cheating, but there are practices or events definitely marked as cheating in the eyes of players or developers while cheating is developing in a new way.<ref>cf. Consalvo, Mia: Cheating. In: Wolf, Mark J. P; Perron, Bernard (Eds.): ''The Routledge Companion to Video Game Studies'', New York 2016, p.152.</ref> By thinking of cheating there are different forms, so for example using cheats to get a lot of money for building a big house with full furniture for example in [[The Sims 4]]. One can also disturb a player while they are taking part in a racing simulation. There is also the question if cheating is always negative? Can cheating generate new forms of gaming or what if all the players in the gaming round would use cheats? There could be a contest just about cheating. And what is with modding? Is it also like cheating or do the modders participate as developers in the game? Because some games exist because one modder acted and the industry tightened.
-===Round 5: Competitive Gaming - There is Violence and there is Addiction ===
+===Round 5: Competitive Gaming - There is Violence and there is Addiction===
 One of the oldest first comment when someone is playing videogames is, that all videogames are violent or influence the player in a violent way. Videogames influence people mentally; they have an impact on the players. There is a variety of scientific researches in psychology for this aspect, but this should not be the focus in this abstract. However what is the role of violence in competitive gaming? Is violence necessary for gaming? For example when players fight in ''[[Soul Calibur]]'', their characters use big weapons, but there is no blood used for an extreme representation. Another example is [[World of Warcraft|''World of Warcraft'']] where the player has to fight in guilds. For WoW there is also a great level for addiction which is another argument against games or for this example, competitive gaming. Having professional players in mind, they have to train an amount of time to become successful players and they are often stressed because the have to deal with pressure and expectations.
-Kaczmarek says that violence should be excluded of the game or has to be used for the competition, as a service. The Avatar-Figure has to be saved in the game, the player has to be secured for the game.<ref>cf. Kaczmarek, Boizenburg 2011, p. 222.</ref>
+Kaczmarek says that violence should be excluded of the game or has to be used for the competition, as a service. The Avatar-Figure has to be saved in the game, the player has to be secured for the game.<ref>cf. Kaczmarek, Boizenburg 2011, p. 222.</ref> Using the violence for gaming aspects appears legitimate and it appears interesting. Violence could be a force for the gaming aspect. It is necessary, so the player can put themself in the position of the avatar. It is like taking a coat or moving into a sphere, but with the knowledge, that this is a temporary status. It is necessary if the player wants to play a competitive game or wants to take part in the community.
 <br />