Chance of a life time - Become a progamer - Page 7

Zlasher

United States9129 Posts

October 29 2010 02:48 GMT

#121

I'd take the first couple months and evaluate where I stand, if you are to be a progamer you will see yourself move up the ranks fairly quickly, at which point you should decide how much potential you have to continue the next few months. Personally I'd probably try for a month, if I realized its not for me, I'd ask to have the money spent on the opportunity to live in korea for a few months to absorb the culture tehre fully, not just play video games.

Look at the money and realize it can be a life changing opportunity in the experience you will gain from it, not just from how much money you can make playing the game, because in the end it wont pay off, but a chance to experience the culture of korea, that is worth the money.

Although personally I'd go to Hong Kong, but thats me ^_^

LuckyFool

United States9015 Posts

October 29 2010 03:03 GMT

#122

just remember to keep in mind being a progamer isn't all super and amazing. like any career it definitely has drawbacks.

sure there are tons of fun aspects and getting to travel around but compared to other careers it's way less money and typically way more hours. majority of top players practice SOOOOOOOO much, more than a typical full time job. Obviously more fun than a full time job cuz ur playing a game instead of going to an office, but only the best of the best actually make good money. The rest put in tons of time with very little return. And even the best who are making good money have less time to enjoy it than if you were working a regular job.

of course time spent practicing varies a bit depending on the player or how much natural talent you might have (e.g (P)

Tyler) but ask any top player and they will tell you they spend quite a bit of time on it.

Thinking short term is fun but long term goals are really important too, if you drop things now for progaming endeavors would u have plans in place in case things don't work out?

edit: oh zlasher was posting at the same time as I was typing. The culture stuff is def another big plus that money can't really buy, you get to experience culture/make friends with people from all over the world. That's been one of my biggest advantages and I'm not even pro I've just been in the community for so long.

NevilleS

Canada266 Posts

October 29 2010 03:22 GMT

#123

You don't need funding to get a start in this career. If you already get up at 4 to watch games, you can play more than you currently do. Every progamer out there got to where they are not by some kind of "angel" sponsor, but through many years if practice in between school and part time jobs. Why should you be different? I are just seeing yourself up for a bad relationship with your sponsor (family investment isn't something to walk into lightly) and the very real possibility of blowing a bunch of found money out the window. Don't take a dime until you think you could come up with a decent business case fir a traditional investor, like a bank... Otherwise, you are just taking advantage of your dad's emotional attachment to you. Thank him for the offer, but tell him that you need to improve the old fashioned way before you can take his money to go all out.

But if you want to try, why don't you just switch to a job with part time hours. You can probably cut back on a lot of living expenses and pay rent and have plenty of time to practice and improve before taking the next step.

Hidden_MotiveS

Canada2562 Posts

October 29 2010 03:58 GMT

#124

After some consideration, were I in your shoes, I would not do the progaming. I don't like the risks.

Sufficiency

Canada23833 Posts

October 29 2010 04:02 GMT

#125

I am sorry. I really can't see any reasonable parent who would agree to let his son do this. It's a very bad idea.

There are many studies which show that once extrinsic rewards are introduced (e.g. money) the tasks at hand becomes dull. What I am trying to say is that despite you having a regular practice schedule right now, your mileage may vary one year down the road.

Flaunt

New Zealand784 Posts

October 29 2010 04:15 GMT

#126

Prac 10 hours a day and I can see you becoming a pro gamer. Ask your mom if you can stay at your dads for a week and then do 7 straight days of prac sc2 solo for 10 hours straight and see how you feel about it.

Cedstick

Canada3336 Posts

October 29 2010 05:37 GMT

#127

You're just working right now? If you dad is being totally cool about supporting you, what I say is just cut your hours back to part-time so you can still help-out with rent or whatever is necessary, but still devote full-time to the game. That way he hasn't invested a gigantic amount if you've decided it's not for you.

BottleAbuser

Korea (South)1888 Posts

October 29 2010 06:40 GMT

#128

Definitely not a safe road, unless your dad's inheriting enough that a few years of you effectively doing nothing productive doesn't hurt. In which case, why the fuck not?

ryanAnger

United States838 Posts

October 29 2010 07:54 GMT

#129

If its not too big of an issue, can I ask how much your dad has actually inherited?

Also, if you think you have what it takes, you can do it, and should do it. The only limitations you have, are thrones you set for yourself.

Just take this opportunity and run with it man. Nothing bad can come of it, seriously.

BEARDiaguz

Australia2362 Posts

October 29 2010 11:14 GMT

#130

Do it.

You'll hate yourself if you don't.

Galois

United States124 Posts

October 29 2010 11:15 GMT

#131

On October 29 2010 01:25 razorsuKe wrote:
If you don't follow your passions, life becomes boring an full of regret.

i very strongly agree with what this guy is trying to say

and i very strongly disagree with the asshole who was like "lol all jokes aside, if you dont got talent you will suck".

just like in education, if you work hard enough, you -will- get what you want. people who have that thing they call 'talent" just don't have to put as much effort into it. so fuck that guy. do it. do it for me and everyone else like me who has always wanted to but couldn't, for whatever reason.

for me its because my mother is dead and my father is on the other side of the country, so i have to take care of my family. so fuck that ignorant faggot who said that you shouldn't do it because it won't be easy.

ryanAnger

United States838 Posts

October 29 2010 11:32 GMT

#132

+1 to the post above.

Most importantly do it for yourself, but also do it for the many of us that would love to, but haven't been given such an amazing opportunity. And of course, keep us posted as you progress. I demand weekly blogs.

jlim

Spain943 Posts

October 29 2010 12:23 GMT

#133

On October 29 2010 04:10 Seide wrote:

Show nested quote +

Some people like myself will argue, that talent has nothing to do with it and that talent in general is a myth.
Investigate the top pros of any sport, and look at the dedication and ferocity they put into their practice. It is more than anyone else in their sport.

Its wrong to think that I am not a pro tennis because I wasnt born with the talent for tennis. This seems like a weak personal excuse. I am not a pro tennis player because instead of practicing 6 hours a day, every day back when I played seriously, I only practiced for 2 hours 3/4 times a week.

While this was enough to be one of the top varsity players at my school, it is no where near enough to even consider going pro. Considering someone like Federer has practiced over 6 hours a day, almost every day, since he was extremely young old. Even among pro players, this is an absurd amount of dedication, that simply compounds over time, as in a single day, he practices more than I do in the entire week.

Talent by definition would mean they could get by and succeed by doing less work than other athletes. This is not the case. Flash was not born with a gift for SC, he put in an insane amount of work, and still puts in an insane amount of work every day to stay ahead of his opponents.

There are people who have better practice habits, as there is a difference between just playing and performing deliberate practice. Thus they get more out of less practice time, but this is not an inherent ability to Starcraft, rather a personal ability to buckle down and focus. I don't know if you can call a higher work ethic talent.

Yes well this the eternal discussion about talent vs hard work.

While accepting all what you said, I see it in this way (very simplized tho):

There are four stages: mediocre, good, very good, excel. Good would be an amateur with a superior winratio, Very good would be a mediocre pro and Excel, a famous pro.

For an untalented player: Mediocre -> lots of hard work -> Good -> a ridiculous and insane amount of hard work -> Very Good. After that, you're capped. You'll have to keep working constantly to not lower your level and not to be left behind. Someday you'll reach the spotlight, the Excel level, but go back in no time.

For a talented player: Good (your mediocre state would last for a negligible amount of time) -> lots of hard work -> Very Good -> a ridiculous and insane amount of hard work -> Excel

So basically the idea is: hard work may led you to proficiency, but never to mastery. That's the main reason why there aren't out there a massive amount of superstars in any field: because it's not something you can earn, but something you have to be given by nature.

Of course this is not (as far as I know) empirically proved thus your arguments could be valid. Maybe If you work in something with an incredible amount of effort, spending lots of time, having a solid faith, enjoying it, and you reach something like a conjunction between body mind and soul, you may become of the best without having that natural talent. But I don't know about that.
Maybe I'm just too lazy to think that exceling in something can be achieved by just working as hard as almost no one ever did.

I'll just be lazy and stick to the activities that are related to my talents. I suggest the OP does the same. Seems the most intelligent idea to me.

Aberu

United States968 Posts

November 02 2010 20:14 GMT

#134

On October 29 2010 07:36 avilo wrote:
There are already people better than you, that are trying harder, and not making posts about it. I don't think you have much chance. Sorry for being negative, but just saying "im gonna be pro" doesn't make it so. Go ladder. Why do you need to tell everyone?

Just like in another carbon copy of these blog posts from a month or more ago, you already fell into a huge psychological trap.

To the people who don't believe him. This has been scientifically researched and proven.

Ekko

United States72 Posts

November 02 2010 20:53 GMT

#135

I think asking a forum of a bunch of SC2 geeks a question like this was probably setting yourself up for these types of awnsers. I bet if you asked an older crowd they would tell you to go for it. There is really no reason not to if your father is giving you the money with no strings attached. The majority of these people responding are broke kids to college students and 3-5k to just stay home and play SC2 is a lot of money to them. To your father 3-5k may not be that much money, as it really wouldn't be to me either. I'd invest it in my son if it was something he wanted to try and not expect him to be famous but look at it more like giving money for a trip or long vacation.

Maybe the outcome is bad and he decides to move on with his life to get a career and remember the time that he tried. Maybe it's good and he becomes a progamer for a year or to and then decideds to move on with his life and get a career and remember the time that he was a progamer. Either way the outcome will eventually be the same.

-miDnight-

Taiwan455 Posts

December 02 2010 06:15 GMT

#136

I have a idea, why dont you use the money for coaching section. Not only it can make you improve faster, You can also ask all sort of question to those progamer during the lesson. your first goal should be in the top 200

LazyMacro

976 Posts

December 02 2010 13:06 GMT

#137

I haven't had time to read the entire thread, but frankly you'll probably get another opportunity like this ever again.

I say go for it, but be honest with yourself and your father. It's his money, after all.

Will you suddenly win GSL4? Probably not. But, if you don't try in a few years you'll probably regret not just going for it.

Railin

Canada96 Posts

December 19 2010 18:26 GMT

#138

On October 29 2010 14:37 Cedstick wrote:
You're just working right now? If you dad is being totally cool about supporting you, what I say is just cut your hours back to part-time so you can still help-out with rent or whatever is necessary, but still devote full-time to the game. That way he hasn't invested a gigantic amount if you've decided it's not for you.

This sounds like the most reasonable advice.

Working a small job 20 hours a week would allow you to invest plenty of time in SC2 every day, and at the same time not lose touch with reality. (Just staying at home runs a HIGH risk of becoming lazy and not working hard enough on your SC2 goals. The more someone NEEDS to do in a day, the more they are ABLE to do!).

Definitely get a gosucoach, see what you can learn that way, and what they say about your talent/skills.

But definitely go for it!! You have to go for your dreams while you're still this young - not gonna be able to do it when you're 30 and with a family

And don't worry about your Mom ... she will not be happy, but she loves you and will come around ... eventually.

Zidane

United States1691 Posts

December 19 2010 20:18 GMT

#139

How balling is your dad gonna be? If money is no longer an issue in your life, you're set on going to finish school at some point, i don't think taking half a year off to explore this kind of path is that terrible of a thing. Just don't put all your eggs in this basket, like you said it really is a chance of a lifetime!

wwJd)El_Mojjo

Sweden173 Posts

December 20 2010 00:42 GMT

#140

I've actually done something similar to this.

I would really recommend you to listen to the advice of KurtistheTurtle. It is good advice.
I've done this twice before, once in bw and once in sc2. I followed a written schedule similar to the one KurtistheTurtle posted. I only did it for a week though, I didn't really have more time than that. But what I want to say is this:

IT HELPS A LOT!

Honestly, I think almost anyone can get really really good by following those steps. Of course, not everyone has what it takes to become a progamer, and that is very difficult to know beforehand unless you've already played a lot. But I do think ladder top 200 is quite an "easy" feat if you really put your heart into it like this.

Other than that, the most important advice I can give you in regards to my own experience is to really listen to your body. Take care of yourself and stay healthy. You should research a bit about computer ergonomics and set up your "work-station" accordingly.

I hope everything goes well, please give us some updates every now and then. I think it will be interesting to read about it regardless of whether you succeed or not.

HFGL!

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