BW Magic-- It's not in the game. - Page 12

On November 01 2011 05:59 HawaiianPig wrote:
<style type="text/css">#hppost { font-family: verdana, sans-serif; } .box { background: #8095A7; margin: 0px 15px; padding: 30px; border-radius: 10px; -moz-border-radius: 10px; -webkit-border-radius: 10px; } .box2 { background: #E4E9ED; margin: 0px 15px; padding: 30px; border: 1px solid #566B7A; border-radius: 10px; -moz-border-radius: 10px; -webkit-border-radius: 10px; } .quotebox { margin: 10px 70px; padding: 15px; font-size: 8pt; border-radius: 10px; -moz-border-radius: 10px; -webkit-border-radius: 10px; background: #2F425C; color: #E0EEFF; } .orderedlisthp { background: #8095A7; margin: 10px 50px; padding:10px; border-radius: 10px; -moz-border-radius: 10px; -webkit-border-radius: 10px; } .orderedlisthp ol { padding-left: 30px; font: italic 12pt Georgia, Times, serif; } .orderedlisthp ol p { font: normal 10pt verdana, sans-serif; color: #092842; }</style><div id="hppost">I'm going to abuse the hell out of my HTML rights to lay this out clearly:

<div class="quotebox">On November 01 2011 01:56 RedJustice wrote:

I think on further reflection, much of my thoughts on this are based in part on how BW gets represented many times when there is talk about it to someone who does not know the game. The overwhelming impression I have received is that watching a few games of BW, or trying to play it yourself will completely change the way you think about BW-- make you love it, make you think it's the best, make you want to learn everything you can about it and be part of that community (regardless of whether or not you drop other particular games all together in favor of it). The tone I feel like I have heard is that there is no way you can not love BW once you have been exposed to it, try watching X game and you will change your mind.</div>

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Ok, we have some serious miscommunication here. I think the crux of the issue is that those who apparently "get" BW are terrible at conveying their stance to the uninitiated.

For example, let's revisit that first quote. RedJustice wrote:

<span style="color: #FFDBAA;">"The tone I feel like I have heard is that there is no way you can not love BW once you have been exposed to it, try watching X game and you will change your mind."</span>

It's true. I see people speak like this all the time, and while I shrug it off in casual conversations, it needs to be made clear that this is probably the worst approach you can take if your aim is to introduce someone to Brood War. I've always found these types of claims overzealous. They scream of what amounts to fanboyism.

You know... that whole:

<span style="color: #FFDBAA;">"Just watch Flash play and you'll know why BW is so much better than everything ever!!!"</span>

This is silly and not how one should seriously go about introducing someone to Brood War.

Let me take the time to properly recommend this fine game to you.

Before I do so, we'll first look at the language behind what people say when they suggest the game. The suggestion to do X Y and Z in order to "love BW" needs some caveats.

The "overzealous claim" is better phrased this way:

<span style="color: #FFDBAA;">"Doing X Y and Z will get you to love BW if and only if certain assumptions are made."</span>

These assumptions are:
<div class="orderedlisthp"><ol><li><p>There are certain values that comprise the "love" that must be deemed valid</p></li><li><p>X Y and Z are proper ways to convey why BW upholds these values</p></li></ol></div>
A practical example of this, based on my stance on the matter follows:</div>



Here's my personal reasoning:

<div class="orderedlisthp"><ol><li><p>If you highly value activities that (i) require, (ii) demonstrate and (iii) measure skill in a competitive way, then</p></li><li><p>By engaging in (i) learning the game and (ii) exploring its depth and breadth of skill, you will reasonably understand why BW is one of the, if not best, examples of the aforementioned values.</p></li></ol></div>
Now, you've already had some exposure, as you outline here:

<div class="quotebox">On November 01 2011 01:56 RedJustice wrote:

I played a small amount myself-- enough to experience the difference in the amount of multitasking and unit control it requires. I am pretty bad, but I can still appreciate this challenge.

I watched the OSL finals because it seemed that it would represent some of the best play I could see that is happening now. It was exciting, and crazy, and fun to watch.

I watched VODs on my own to find out a bit more about what was going on in the game, and see some of the amazing plays like reaver drops that everyone loves (they are pretty awesome).

I appreciated it-- I think it is a good game, and better than what is out there now. I did not have this epiphany of recognizing how much I wanted to learn more about BW and play it and celebrate it.</div>

It seems as though you have engaged in both 2(i) and 2(ii) to some extent.

However, I'd contend one of either two things occured:

1. You didn't engage in learning the game or exploring the depths properly, or
   
2. You do not highly value the tenants of point 1.

I'll address each point here individually:

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I'd suggest you find a BW player of about C rank or up and ask them to teach you the game.

Now, I do understand that it's a huge undertaking to develop a strong understanding of the game. I can tell you from experience that it took about a year for me to truly start to appreciate the existence of fine intricacies in the game, and I fully admit that I know nothing relative to a better player.

So... in the event you don't want to invest this time, I'd suggest watching games and hearing what a skilled player has to say about what happened.

...And by skilled player, I do not mean an English caster. I love em, and they made the foreign scene accessible to many during the years prior to SC2's release, but anyone who's been around will tell you that most English casters had very limited knowledge of the game. (i.e. Klazart and the "Bisu Build," lmao)

If you can't get a hold of skilled player, watch VODs or live games together. Barring that, maybe read some of the analysis posted in the BW news here on TL. Our battle reports are often written by players who have a good grasp on the game. Anything written by Kiante* and mustaju in the last 2 or 3 weeks of the most recent Proleague season was pretty spot on. Also check out KwarK's analysis of OSL games, he is often unforgivingly critical of pros. It's a good thing.

*Careful with Kiante... his writing could... uh... use improvement at times. </div>

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That is to say: you don't highly value activities that require, demonstrate and measure skill in a competitive way, then you probably won't enjoy BW. Simple as that.

The fanfare, the hype, the leagues and fanboy/girlism, all of it, in my opinion, exists on a necessary foundation of a sufficiently complex and deep game. You need to be able to appreciate this greatly to greatly appreciate BW itself.</div>

Now that I've gone beyond the "OMG Watch this game and you'll know" recommendation.

I'll now address your main objection as to why you doubt the "magic":

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<div class="quotebox">On November 01 2011 01:56 RedJustice wrote:

One of the prevailing arguments has been that if BW didn't have this inherent bit of "magic" that makes people love it, how would there be such a strong scene, and so much more success for the game than any other?

What I wonder in response-- legitimately, not disrespectfully-- is that if it has that inherent magic, why is it struggling? Why aren't thousands and thousands of new fans entering the scene? Why isn't the foreign fanbase of BW growing after it gets re-exposed to the world with the release of SC2?</div>
First thing's first:

BW's success in popularity is a manifestation of love for the game, not the reasoning behind it.

The truth is, just because we have good reason to love the game, does not mean everyone will buy into those reasons.

If you look at the video game industry, competitive and challenging games are, on the whole, in a decline. There has been a steep rise in cheap, simple and "fun" casual games. People who enjoy these games pay no mind to the competitive nature and skill required.

The truth is, it's actually not very common for people to enjoy the details of the skill required of any game or sport. There may be a core of "enthusiasts" that are well versed in the intricacies of any given activity, but I'd argue that the majority of the fanbase for these activities have only a cursory understanding.

Most of my friends and family who watch Hockey with me have no idea what "a trap" is, but they thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere and fanfare surrounding team rivalries and watching someone use a stick of wood to slap a puck into a net.

However, Hockey would not have thrived and developed this atmosphere, this fanfare, this storied history, without a solid foundation of a truly deep and competitively rich activity. This can be said for any popular sport or competitive activity.

Brood War has this foundation, but whether or not it has the fanbase on top is a matter of a whole host of other factors.

You contend that BW is "struggling," and while that may be an overstatement, the reasoning behind this is a complex issue. Chief among the reasons for this struggle just so happens to lie in the release of what's essentially a new version of the game. This release not only directly competes with it for attention, but has resulted in a host of legal issues with the broadcasting of the game itself. Add in the fact that the newer game is more accessible to new players (it's easier to pick up and play), makes for just a few of many "blows" to the BW scene.

These blows are not inherent to the game, they're complex matters of cultural adoption.

You can devise an activity that compellingly and interestingly measures human skill, but how that activity is disseminated has nothing to do with the activity itself.

In short, many of us love the game for its sheer merits, and the fanbase built upon it gives it a further dimension that we feel is warranted, deserved and incredibly engaging.

That being said, the fanbase, its popularity, and the health of the scene is based on more factors than simply how good (read: competitively deep) the game is.

To object to the game's inherent merits based on the health of the scene is to be blind to the complexity of the process of what makes something popular.</div>

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If that doesn't answer your questions and give you perspective on the matter, I don't know what will </div>