The Geoff "EGiNcontroL" Robinson Fan Club - Page 68

Geoff 'iNcontroL' Robinson on "the dark side' of e-sport

Making your money as a professional player with electronical sports is a dream for many. However as player you walk a fine line between dream and nightmare and for every high there's a low. Geoff ‘iNcontroL’ Robinson, player of Evil Geniuses, gives us a peek at the dark side of e-sports. What is his motivation to still take the professional route?

Gamer.nl: You have been part of the Starcraft community for a long time. How did you get to know the game?
Incontrol: Before the game was released I already read about it in PC-magazines and I got the chance to test the alfa version, I've always been hooked on the game. The similarities the game has with Warhammer 40k: Tyranids and the fact that it's a realtime strategy game, like my former big love, Warcraft II, back than already were too many reasons. I knew I had to get involved and that I needed to play the game!

When and how did you make the transition from amateur to professional gamer?
I don't know exactly when since I've always fully exhausted the game. The competitive scene, gameplay and community have always fascinated me. When Evil Geniuses signed me and I travelled with them during Starcraft:Brood War times my hobby became my work.

What was your motivation to continue travelling the professional road?
My motivations were the connections I had made and the feeling to "owe a debt" to the game and its community. I have always had a team to lead, a competition to prepare for and a social network of people whom I view as friends and in some cases even as family. It just never was an option to abandon these people and leave the game, that I love so much, behind me. That's why I never did that!

How do you prepare for major tournaments and important matches?
Within the game it's a point of playing many matches. I play custom games when I want to practice certain maps or tactics, but to refine my play I will have to play random people online. Mentally it's a lot trickier. I don't think I have ever prepared myself mentally very well for a competition. [Players of] Evil Geniuses are currently reading the book Mind Gym by Gary Mack and I have to admit that the book has greatly changed my way of thinking and preparing. Visualise succes, stay optimistic and positive. All very important factors.

Would you like to introduce us to 'the dark side' of professional sports?
Calling it 'the dark side' is perhaps slightly exaggerated. I think everything has a good and a bad side. For us professional gamers those bad sides are mainly something mentally. Starcraft II is new and still growing, which means the limits, responsibilities, etc. haven't been fully defined yet. If they want to make me worried, there's a million ways to do that, many people abuse that. When people criticise me, call me names or question my every move...Than I hear, read and see that. A further developed game like basketball has people whose job it is to keep the negative influences as far as possible from the players. It's logical for people who aren't on the same level to want to be involved but it's just as important for players to have a certain buffer around them. That way they can concentrate on their job, the game. Us Starcraft II players have noone to maintain this buffer, so it is up to us to handle it. Some manage this better than others. That's why you sometimes see breakdowns causing a depression.

Besides that many players have trouble with the financial instability within the electronic sports. How often haven't we heard a team hasn't paid a player his salary? A competition which hasn't paid out the prizemoney? It regularly happens that players don't get paid for their work, that promises aren't kept. That's why it's important the community punishes these kinds of organizations for their behaviour, otherwise it limits the growth of esports.

Lastly is the health of the players. Starcraft II can be seen as an office job. We are bound for multiple hours per day to our computer. After a long, mentally exhausting and stressful day that can be emotionally unstabilizing, players often don't feel like hitting the gym or preparing a healthy meal. It's easy to fall into a trap, in which you don't take good care of your body anymore. Physical decay affects your mental health, which makes it crucial to remember that you are an athlete who needs to treat his body like such.

How do you cope with adversity?
It's of course hard. Losing and winning are contagious. When you lose games it seems like it never ends, but the same can be said about victories. I cope with adversity like I expect most professional athletes to cope: keep going. When I continue to think about my shortcomings and focus my attention on them, I really already have written my own [negative] future. I rather concentrate on the positive aspects and say to myself: "I can do it" instead of "I can't and I never will".

How does your mental state affect your results?
Starcraft II is largely something mental. When your head is filled with a sense of failure and doubts than you won't accomplish much. Reality often shows this, look at me. I haven't performed very well during the last Major League Gaming-tournaments. Often, when I talked about it, I said I shouldn't have won because I was against much better players. What kind of attitude is that? Why would I compete if I am only supposed to beat the players "below my level" and am supposed to lose against those "above" me? With a new perspective comes a new mentality and I work hard on becoming a better gamer.

Can there be a situation or reason that would make you stop with Starcraft II?
If I can't pay the bills with it anymore, it would not be justifiable to go on with it. I'm not 15 anymore. I'm 26 and have a girlfriend I absolutely want to marry some day. I have to pay my way and stay cool about that. If I can do this till retirement, fine! Than I will be happy to do so! If not, well I will have to continue my life.

To put everything back in perspective: why do the good aspects in the end outweigh the lesser?
The difficult aspects play a vital part as they build your character and make the journey so much more satisfying. When I eventually win a big tournament and am holding the trophy, I know it won't be just luck. I have arrived there after adversity, deep setbacks, amazing highlights and tough challenges and trials. That's a feeling I have experienced before in physical sports and Brood War. I know how it feels and what it takes. I'm going to recapture that feeling again and when it happens, I'll cry from happiness, because I have worked so hard to achieve it again.

About the writer
Tobias Mauel
The heart of retired professional gamer Tobias beats for deep multiplayer experiences or action-RPG's. He is responsible for all MLG- and electronic sports related content. Follow him on twitter.com/tobiasmauel.