StarCraft 2 as a spectator sport.
“StarCraft 2 is only fun to watch if you play it.”
This is always backed up with some statement about having to understand the game to be able to enjoy watching it. Of course, that only makes sense. But its also true for any other mainstream sport.
Let’s look at UFC. When I first watched UFC, I had no idea what’s going on. I see two guys attacking each other, and I couldn’t tell you their style or often times who’s winning.
The same should be true for someone as ignorant about StarCraft. They watch and have no true clue as to what’s going on. At first glance you simply realize that the players are trying to kill each other. Probably not too fun.
My girlfriend really likes UFC, so showed me a couple little videos that she picked out and told me some very rudimentary basics about it. I’m still the most utterly complete newbie watching it, but its far more entertaining now. I guess I’m now equivalent to the guy who realizes that you buy units by collecting minerals and gas, and you have to be careful to spend your money and control your units right.
When you were a child, and someone first told you about Basketball, I bet they didn’t tell you about the shot clock, or the fact that at the highest level, people fall on the ground all the time to try to get fouls called on their opponents. But, they did tell you enough that you could become interested enough to watch it a bit and learn more. The same is true with every sport.
Lots of people ask what they can do to help eSports. Go and show a few of your friends who aren’t believers, and give them an opportunity to try out this beautiful thing that we all already love and know can be huge. If you’ve been to one of these amazing live events, if you’ve been to a barcraft, if you’ve chatted excitedly with other like-minded people about games, then you know this is so possible and close.
Great post Artosis. My thoughts exactly on watching sports in general.
My tangentially-related comments:
We were showing some GSL streams during a science meeting, and someone who had absolutely no clue what Starcraft was got pretty into watching the game. :) Exploding shit is always coolio.
Me personally, I always thought Starcraft 2 was a pretty easy game to get. My friend gave me the basic premise of “destroy your opponent with more stuff” when I was watching some streams for the first time and I thought it was cool. Of course, actually got into playing after Day9 Daily #100. :)
