...which brings us back to gaming. Arguing with a bot on the internet is one thing. I'm assuming in gaming the bot will always win? Like in chess, but not yet in pole vaulting?
Funny with these things - nobody says "I do it, I watch people play computer games because...."
Its always "Yeah, but erm football, other things nothing like the thing you're complaining about, those things are stupid too!"
Some people actually watch Gogglebox. I don't get that. And Love Island.
I don't know how else to argue about this subject.
Arguing with a bot on the internet is one thing. I’m assuming in gaming the bot will always win? Like in chess, but not yet in pole vaulting?
I dunno John ,it seems they have got the hang of backflips
Funny with these things – nobody says “I do it, I watch people play computer games because….”
I watch Rocket League tournaments from time to time. I'm not a big sports watcher, only downhill and football occasionally, but it's the most immediately exciting of the three. It's easy to follow and doesn't need arcane knowledge of weapon stats and level layouts. I also play the game and understand the technical ability on display - like football skills, they're doing things an amateur player is capable of from time to time but much quicker, more accurate and consistent.
There's also a couple of Hearthstone streamers I watch quite regularly, though often more as background noise than edge of my seat viewing. Again it's a game I play and enjoy myself, but I get to see the skill and insight of someone who plays full time, along with their commentary.
There are a lot of the cloned "high energy" 20-something streamers exploiting children, which I dislike as much as the rest of you. But there's also people here making a living from their skills as a presenter and entertainer. It's a new format that doesn't have a clear analogue in the TV we grew up with, but there's more to it than watching people play games.
Hasn’t been much of a waste for sim racers who have become professional racing drivers?
Or drone pilots for the military.
Why does going out and getting drunk have to be the barometer of a good time ?
It only counts as a sport if you have to change your shoes.
I occasionally watch twitch streams as you get some tips from them but like other sports watching is not as good as taking part.
It only counts as a sport if you have to change your shoes.
Swimming? 😉
Swimming?
You go swimming in your shoes? You're probably doing it wrong.
I understand where the OP is coming from, I used to look at my Son watching other people playing Minecraft on YT or whatever on Twich and I thought, "why on earth would anyone want to watch someone else do your hobby for you?" then went back to watching 50/1 videos on my phone.
As far as the entertainment industry is concerned competitive + entertaining = sport and if people will watch it, there's money to be made and there's a huge market. Frankly given the size of the gaming world compared to say football, $3m prize is probably insultingly low.
I understand how few kids who are gaming every waking hour, partly because they enjoy it, but partly because they want to be the next millionaire pro gamer, but it's not different to Gymnastics, Karting, Horse Riding, Swimming etc etc etc. The world is full of kids being ferried to training every day for something or other who'll never make a living from it. My Sister in Law was training 3 hours a day, 6 days a week, plus 2 hours a day in the car to get to this elite gym, by the time she was 20 her 'career' was over, she had little or no qualifications from school because she was completely devoted to Gymnastics. She's ended up coaching kids herself, makes a decent living out of it, but only because she went to the US, there's no money in coaching kids in the UK.
I guess one of the differences between kids gaming for countless hours with an ambition to become a pro and the equivalent in the physical sport world is that often there are coaches that act as gatekeepers to the next level. There is selection and scouts. There are rational adults a parent can consult who have seen it all before and can be consulted as to if this is a dead end to be done for the hell of it or is a genuine opportunity to reach a level worthy of the time it is taking and the other opportunities they are sacrificing to do it. To the average parent little Jimmy locked away in his room for hours a day could be the worst player to have ever held a game pad and totally delusional (or work avoiding) or golden thumbs for all they know.
You go swimming in your shoes? You’re probably doing it wrong
somebody wee'd in them
To the average parent little Jimmy locked away in his room for hours a day could be the worst player to have ever held a game pad and totally delusional (or work avoiding) or golden thumbs for all they know.
They could just ask for little Jimmy's gamertag and look on the leaderboards for his favourite game/league/whatever.
My son (11 yo) watches players online and also has a great time laughing and chatting with his mates playing Fortnite/Apex etc. Then when we tell him he's had enough, he goes in the garden and kicks his football around. It's just the current way kids interact and no amount of playing the Hovis theme will get them playing with a hoop and stick again. It's not unhealthy, at reasonable levels, just different (Gunz, 48 yo and massive Halo/Farcry fan).
<Something about physical fitness being beneficial to society here>
Bloody F1 drivers, all they do is sit in a chair turning a wheel. Totally not a sport.
And don't even get me started on cricket.. It's just not sport.
My son paid his way through university by streaming on Twitch. Saved me a ton of cash so I'm all for it and he got a first.
Pfft! I had a few firsts on Fortnite when I played it.
I watch people play board games.
On YouTube.
I'm doomed, aren't I?
I used to like watching Gamesmaster as a kid, but these days I can't be doing with watching other people play video games if I'm not in the room - the lag and visual limitations seem much more apparant.
But if other people like it, that's fine by me.
If you want to mix things up further then:
Bloody F1 pilots, all they do is sit in a chair turning a wheel. Totally not beneficial to society.
Yeah but yeah but…. I’m in the pub and drunk. Take that, nerd!
Sitting on your lonesome no doubt perusing stw
I totally get what you’re saying, apparently decent trigger happy skills on a computer are called for these days as proven by usa drone pilots
Plus if you were drunk then I v much doubt you could hold a phone
I mean what you drinking - Carona lol
Just fo a proper job of it and get 8 cans of that sweet tasting special brew 😉
Bloody F1 drivers, all they do is sit in a chair turning a wheel. Totally not a sport.
Even stranger Lando Norris actually streams on Twitch (although seems to play mostly PUBG rather than racing sims).
If you can comfortably drink beer whilst playing, it's a game, not a sport.
I play around 10 hours of counter strike each week, will spend several hours a week watching the pros play when the majors (trophy tournament's) are on, mostly for entertainment and appreciation of their skill levels, but also to improve my own game. I suck at fortnite though haha.
