Many of you may not know me too well as I haven't made a lot of major contributions to the community yet, but all of that is about to change.
My name is Greg "NrGMalice" Risselada, and I have been playing Starcraft 2 regularly since the beta was released. In the beta, I was playing quite a bit and was consistently in the top 200 lists for the NA server. In January 2011, I started working 40 hours a week and found less and less time to play, and my skill has dropped with my time commitment. I've only managed to get into the grandmaster league twice, and I've noticed that I have been getting slowly passed by more and more players.
No more! I've decided to leave my full time job to commit to playing Starcraft 2 full time and see just how good I can get. And I've set up a stream so that you can all come along for the journey!
A little bit about me and my past in esports:
In 2007 I became a member of Team Pandemic's World of Warcraft arena team, which was undefeated in tournament play for that year, winning 7 straight tournaments and over $100,000. Our best finish in 2008 was third, and our team slowly started to lose interest in the game and we eventually broke up and I quit the game. Here is a picture of our team after we won 2007 Dreamhack winter:
I finished out my college degree, but I always yearned to get back into esports, and now I'm giving myself an opportunity before I have too many other life responsibilities.
I'm 26 years old, so how will that affect me? Is that too old to attempt to make a push to the top? Will I succeed in becoming one of the better American players or will I fail miserably? We will find out!
Please watch and support an up and coming, hard working, American zerg player!
I will be streaming beginning at set times each day. The stream is high quality, I will be talking about each game afterwards (however not talking much during games), and listening to music. (dubstep, hip hop/rap, other misc) I also have a webcam setup! I may consider giving lessons sometime in the future as well, but for now I just want to play as much as possible!
I will mostly be playing on the NA ladder, however I will also play customs from time to time and I will also try to play in as many playhems and other online cups as much as possible.
One of my biggest goals is to become featured on teamliquid.net, so if anyone can offer any assistance there please let me know!
Also, please give me feedback on what I can do to improve my stream.
TL;DR I'm a former pro wow player, current low grandmaster/high master zerg from the NA server who is going to be streaming full time starting now. Check me out at twitch.tv/nrgmalice
If you enjoy the stream, please follow me on twitch.tv and on twitter @nrgmalice
Good luck Greg! Before you started working so much you were tearing everything up, I'm confident you can do awesome with all this time dedicated to the game.
Good luck Happy you already have your education. Would have been a lot worse if you dropped out of school to pursue this. You can always find another job... it's a lot harder to go back to school when you're older.
At first I thought this was a troll thread. with some low masters/ diamond level player trying to plug his stream and making a huge mistake. I came in here thinking I should give some sort of warning or the rocky road ahead and that you shouldn't play sc2 professionally unless you were already gm level.
Then I noticed that you were malice and you were actually pretty damn good back in the day. So all the things I orignally planned on saying are now thrown out the window.
I do want to wish you good luck, and that I hope you stomp the compeition and do well.
Good luck to you, and just remember... White Ra is older and makes his living with StarCraft. So it can be done, and you've already been a progamer, so you're not going into it with crazy ideas.I wish you the best, and you already know how hard it can be, so live the dream man.
gl for a fellow michigan player... But be warned ive been trying to stream for around 4 years now and never developed any following lol. And ive competed in tournaments and stuff since 1993 with quite a few tournament wins over the years =/
so gl, and can i have your old full time job as a trade?
I had a hearty laugh at your expense. I wish you the best of luck, but quitting your full time job to play the lottery isn't the greatest plan ever devised.
I was going to leave a negative comment but apparently you've been in progaming before so you it's not like you're just a random guy saying oh hey i'm gonna become a pro. GL
You go man! People told me I was insane when I quit my job to play poker. Even if you don't make it. You had the balls to live your dream. Much respect and hope to see you stomp some face in the future.
Try not to put to much value on every single game. It can break you down mentally if you have a bad run. I personally noticed a big difference in playing for fun and for a living. Realize that you will have good and bad days. It's the long run that matters.
“Never, never, never give in!” ― Winston S. Churchill
On May 10 2012 02:54 Chargelot wrote: I had a hearty laugh at your expense. I wish you the best of luck, but quitting your full time job to play the lottery isn't the greatest plan ever devised.
Meh. Carpe diem, man. And if it doesn't work out there are other jobs to be had in the future.
On May 10 2012 02:54 Chargelot wrote: I had a hearty laugh at your expense. I wish you the best of luck, but quitting your full time job to play the lottery isn't the greatest plan ever devised.
Meh. Carpe diem, man. And if it doesn't work out there are other jobs to be had in the future.
On May 10 2012 02:54 Chargelot wrote: I had a hearty laugh at your expense. I wish you the best of luck, but quitting your full time job to play the lottery isn't the greatest plan ever devised.
Meh. Carpe diem, man. And if it doesn't work out there are other jobs to be had in the future.
Gogo Malice!
Moreover if you don't think having a hjob is playing the lottery i am sorry but you are deluded.
Markets and laws change very rapidly.
Do what you want to, while you can so then you dont look back and regret begin a pussy.
Hello Malice! Normally when I see people say they are putting aside jobs / school to play SC2 full time, I'm worried because I don't think they have what it takes, but you're definitely a different story. Best of luck to you, and congrats on 5-0ing us yesterday in SC2 Tour League! :[
On May 10 2012 02:37 sob3k wrote: Lol, finally a post of someone doing this where they aren't in silver league.
Good luck
My thoughts exactly. Also @ OP, if for some reason you decide to pursue something else or don't make it, you should make a followup thread so that silver leaguers can get some perspective of how hard it is to be successful as a player.
Personally, I believe you should make an excel spreadsheet for all of your expenses (car payment, rent/mortgage, food, etc) and potential expenses (new clothes, gifts for birthdays, dating money, etc) and calculate how much income you will need to stay financially stable for the next four-six months. I would then set that as my savings goal and keep my full time job until the goal has been reached (Unless, you've already reached your goal from prize money).
I'm 26 years old, so how will that affect me? Is that too old to attempt to make a push to the top? Will I succeed in becoming one of the better American players or will I fail miserably? We will find out!
At 26, the length in your job experience will be affected which could be critical once you reach your 30's. However, you have already finished school and you have your degree which sometimes can override experience.
If this were Brood War, I'd say 26 was too old to make a push to the top but It's not. SCII is a lot friendlier on the hands (if you refrain from spamming) which is exceptional for all ages. Nestea is a good example. He's 29 years old and has won the GSL numerous times.
I wish you the best of luck! The best way to expand your fanbase as an unknown is to pull a scarlett!
Age doesn't matter for non korean players. We don't have a mandatory 2 years army service. I really respect your choice, it will be the right one as long as you don't snap and keep improving every day.
Very few people find the opportunity to fully chase a dream in their life. As long as you have a backup plan it's never a bad idea to take a risk. Good Luck.
Damn... I would wish that i could do what you are doing! It's awesome to see that a person like you is there to set an example for other aspiring pro gamers!
So sick. One of the most talented players out there for sure (at least among the non-featured streamers). NrG really got a hand on a gem this time, I wish the best for both. Will he attempt Code A qualifiers? Haha one can dream, I'll RootKiwikaki for you man.
this is going to be fun. watching your stream right now and its not bad. you are probably going to make it but still have to work on your ZvZ... but at the end who doesnt
wow! and in the other thread we were complaining that too many players put zero effort into building their own brand.
This is the first time I have heard about you but you can be certain that I will remember you and root for you whenever I see your name: you gave me a face to associate with the nickname, a compelling narrative that I can relate to, good reasons why I should believe in you (past successes), and told me clearly what you want of me (wacth the stream, support you so you get featured on TL, give feedback) and where I can go to get more of you (stream times, twitter, ...). Even the details like the TL poster in the background are just perfect.
Not a single person comes to mind who I think would be better to go full time right now. Definitely one of the more talented players in the scene, not to mention his sick control with mutalisks.
Hi, I don't watch streams much but just wanna say thank you for not having your music BLASTING louder than everything else, makes other streams unwatchable, yours is nicely done though(backround music in the backround). Goodluck on your journey.
GL to you man! I'm glad you are persuing your dream, and since you have years of experience being a progamer I have no doubt we will be seeing good things from you in the future.
added to stream list. good player, solid mechanics. just need to that spread the creep! (but you've dominated the last 4 games in a row i've watched, so what do i know. lol)
On May 10 2012 03:55 cost2010 wrote: wow! and in the other thread we were complaining that too many players put zero effort into building their own brand.
This is the first time I have heard about you but you can be certain that I will remember you and root for you whenever I see your name: you gave me a face to associate with the nickname, a compelling narrative that I can relate to, good reasons why I should believe in you (past successes), and told me clearly what you want of me (wacth the stream, support you so you get featured on TL, give feedback) and where I can go to get more of you (stream times, twitter, ...). Even the details like the TL poster in the background are just perfect.
:swoon:
That is what I'm saying. This post should serve as an example for other upcoming players to introduce and expose themselves to the community. Too many people do not see the potential in an introductory post and how much publicity you can gain from it. Good luck Malice! Great TL poster on your wall btw.
Remember you from beta, good luck although I don't think quitting your job was the smartest thing to do but if it works out you then awesome ^^. Good luck you will definitely need it!
On May 10 2012 03:23 BlazeFury01 wrote: Personally, I believe you should make an excel spreadsheet for all of your expenses (car payment, rent/mortgage, food, etc) and potential expenses (new clothes, gifts for birthdays, dating money, etc) and calculate how much income you will need to stay financially stable for the next four-six months. I would then set that as my savings goal and keep my full time job until the goal has been reached (Unless, you've already reached your goal from prize money).
I'm 26 years old, so how will that affect me? Is that too old to attempt to make a push to the top? Will I succeed in becoming one of the better American players or will I fail miserably? We will find out!
At 26, the length in your job experience will be affected which could be critical once you reach your 30's. However, you have already finished school and you have your degree which sometimes can override experience.
If this were Brood War, I'd say 26 was too old to make a push to the top but It's not. SCII is a lot friendlier on the hands (if you refrain from spamming) which is exceptional for all ages. Nestea is a good example. He's 29 years old and has won the GSL numerous times.
I wish you the best of luck! The best way to expand your fanbase as an unknown is to pull a scarlett!
Sounds like very good advice (especially the excel/saving bit). I did some research before leaving my office job to start a small business and its amazing how many people fail because they don't do simple financial planning (not saying you haven't done this ofc), and excel makes this nice and easy. Save some $$ maybe and get OpenOffice if you don't have excel yet.
Have to say quitting your full time job was probably not a good idea. You probably should have started streaming before you quit your job and got a steady fanbase before dong that.
Good luck, Malice! I remember that old Pandemic team. If it were some random quitting his job to pursue SC2 professionally, I might have questions, but you've got the pedigree, no doubt.
On May 10 2012 02:54 Chargelot wrote: I had a hearty laugh at your expense. I wish you the best of luck, but quitting your full time job to play the lottery isn't the greatest plan ever devised.
I have to disagree, why work a full time job, to support something you're not satisfied with. Life isn't just something you need to get through, whatever the cost might be. Luckily alot of people seems to agree with you, which is the reason we got a functional society.
Didn't intend to give the clichè speech about life, sorry about that.
On topic ; Have you ever been playing on the EU server, just feels like i've seen you play there before, or.. ?
Good luck to Malice nevertheless ! Hopes for the best on his behalf. No worries !
Yeah best of luck Malice. Though I can't help but express my concern. I hope you don't expect to make serious money from streaming for a long time. Because even some high level pro's (oGsVines comes to mind) only average about 2K viewers. EGmachine I don't think even averages 1000. At 2K viewers streaming about 12 hours a day you can make some decent money but that's way more than 40 hours a week and people tend to get sick of the game after that.
So your best bet is tournaments and making yourself known to where tons of people want to watch you stream. Example is Stephano who wasn't getting too high viewers but recently averages like 7K viewers spiking at 11K because everyone became interested in his play. Also not sure if you have a salary via your team but that would also be a factor.
So yes I wish the best and hope you make it big. Practice hard and play hard. Looking forward to seeing you play in tournaments.
Your Name is Greg, play Zerg, and are American... seems like we already had one of these. But I hope you more successes then the great Idra and that you can bring personailty, style, and victories to the foriegn nations. GL!
From a different thread, about a Michigan tourney that he couldn't attend.
On April 19 2012 21:58 M[a]LiCe wrote: I probably won't be going to this, just because it is on a Sunday and I have to be at work at 8am on Monday. I'll let you know if my status changes.
I hate the fact that my job keeps me from what I love, so I hope this works out for you Malince. Sometimes it's hard to find the right stepping stones and you just have to leap into thin air.
On May 10 2012 04:55 BisuDagger wrote: Your Name is Greg, play Zerg, and are American... seems like we already had one of these. But I hope you more successes then the great Idra and that you can bring personailty, style, and victories to the foriegn nations. GL!
This guy has already been successful.
And i know people dont like Idra, but if this dude can get half of the achievements Idra has then his SC2 career will be fine.
I played Mage back in the glory days of BC Raiding. Loved watching you in Arena.
Undefeated for an entire year, and winning 7 straight tournaments in a row? That's absolutely insane for any game. You for sure have what it takes to succeed in SC2.
Malice huh? Were you a warlock I think? When I played arena semi-seriously and followed the tournaments it was Paperkat/inflame/carekoala dominating the european scene and I think Rhaegyn, Glick and Hafu the US scene.
I'm the same age as you and I really believe it's too late to reach the top, even for somebody relatively decent already such as yourself. That said, I'll be cheering you on like a madman if you do make it to the GSL one day!
On May 10 2012 02:39 Stress wrote: Good luck, Starcraft 2 is a whole different beast compared to WoW and is about to get a lot tougher with the BW pros switching.
?? BW pros are the last thing he needs to worry about. He needs to worry about passing all the other aspiring NA nerds trying to do this for a living first.
GL Malice. I remember playing you alot near SC2 release. Keep at it man!
Good luck man! Just keep practicing and the results will come. There will be bad days when you just don't feel like it, but remember your goal! Losing games may hurt for a while, but quiting hurts forever.
You are about to find that your 40 hour a week job was cake in comparison.
Get ready for your 'new' 84 hour a week job. Cause that is what you are going to have to put into SC2 to even have a chance at competeing on a competitive level.
I cringe at choices such as these. If you naturally fall into progaming, it's one thing. To quit your job and dedicate all your time is completely different. At least you have a college degree to fall back.
On May 10 2012 06:13 Coated wrote: You are about to find that your 40 hour a week job was cake in comparison.
Get ready for your 'new' 84 hour a week job. Cause that is what you are going to have to put into SC2 to even have a chance at competeing on a competitive level.
Either way, I wish you luck.
Lol, i disagree. Most "pro" players in europe barely practise, atleast i remember DarkForcE telling that. If he continously practises for 40hours a week that will be enough if he has the talent. Of course you really need to use the time practising and not get lazy.
Ofc it needs to be more if you want to compete vs the koreans, although i'm not sure if time alone is a matter here, probably better to move to korea (for bettter practise partners) rather than play more.
Lol, i disagree. Most "pro" players in europe barely practise, atleast i remember DarkForcE telling that. If he continously practises for 40hours a week that will be enough if he has the talent. Of course you really need to use the time practising and not get lazy.
Reasons like this are why NA/EU are so far behind in skill compared to Korea.
As someone who works a full-time job, and am 25 years old, I'm going to go ahead and say you've probably just made a huge mistake. I don't know what kind of job you had, but speaking from my own experience, gaming has passed me and become just a hobby. Even if I were good enough to reach the peaks of competitiveness for a few years, it would slowly fall by the wayside, and when the dust settles I would've gained very little. It's not something that I could put on a resume. I wouldn't make a lot of money doing it, nor would there be much, if anything at all going towards pension/benefits.
Personally, I think the best time for a gaming career happens at the end of high school until the point you follow your college/career path. This would give you the years from ~18-25 at best, and anything else afterwards is eating into the rest of your life.
That being said, it's your choice, and if you're going to do it, do it 100%. Good luck.
Lol, i disagree. Most "pro" players in europe barely practise, atleast i remember DarkForcE telling that. If he continously practises for 40hours a week that will be enough if he has the talent. Of course you really need to use the time practising and not get lazy.
Reasons like this are why NA/EU are so far behind in skill compared to Korea.
Yeah that post basically summed up the korean domination hard.
"No we're just so talented we don't need to practice" Korean top 8 for 20th tourney in a row
I don't know why everyone on reddit is downvoting you and the ppl who are saying good luck. But good luck to you man! Don't let their "parenting bullshit" get to you. Follow your dream! That's what esports is all about! Don't give up and I know ill be rooting for you when you're at the top of the naplayers! It will be tough but im sure you'll make it given hard work and time!
Man your facial puts like a a decade of age on you man. At least your way up there on the ladder, obviously not top tier pro status yet but it's not completely out of your grasp like it is for some plat player trying to play full time. Although I hate the term, YOLO, it fits and it works for a situation like this. Good luck.
Lol, i disagree. Most "pro" players in europe barely practise, atleast i remember DarkForcE telling that. If he continously practises for 40hours a week that will be enough if he has the talent. Of course you really need to use the time practising and not get lazy.
Reasons like this are why NA/EU are so far behind in skill compared to Korea.
Yeah that post basically summed up the korean domination hard.
"No we're just so talented we don't need to practice" Korean top 8 for 20th tourney in a row
On May 10 2012 06:28 SeraKuDA wrote: As someone who works a full-time job, and am 25 years old, I'm going to go ahead and say you've probably just made a huge mistake. I don't know what kind of job you had, but speaking from my own experience, gaming has passed me and become just a hobby. Even if I were good enough to reach the peaks of competitiveness for a few years, it would slowly fall by the wayside, and when the dust settles I would've gained very little. It's not something that I could put on a resume. I wouldn't make a lot of money doing it, nor would there be much, if anything at all going towards pension/benefits.
Personally, I think the best time for a gaming career happens at the end of high school until the point you follow your college/career path. This would give you the years from ~18-25 at best, and anything else afterwards is eating into the rest of your life.
That being said, it's your choice, and if you're going to do it, do it 100%. Good luck.
Doubtful that its a huge mistake. Jobs are easy to come by. People put too much stock into quitting a job being a mistake. If you've saved up money to live off of, you can always find another job.
I think being a pro gamer is exactly the type of skills that transfer into kicking ass outside of games. Specific skills in jobs are largely irrelevant. If you can create a process/dedicate the effort to becoming a great SC2 player, then I guarantee you that you can create a process that will allow you to find a job(or start a company) that gives you plenty of income. Being awesome at something generally isn't limited to one sphere of your life. Winners are winners at everything they do.
On May 10 2012 06:28 SeraKuDA wrote: As someone who works a full-time job, and am 25 years old, I'm going to go ahead and say you've probably just made a huge mistake. I don't know what kind of job you had, but speaking from my own experience, gaming has passed me and become just a hobby. Even if I were good enough to reach the peaks of competitiveness for a few years, it would slowly fall by the wayside, and when the dust settles I would've gained very little. It's not something that I could put on a resume. I wouldn't make a lot of money doing it, nor would there be much, if anything at all going towards pension/benefits.
Personally, I think the best time for a gaming career happens at the end of high school until the point you follow your college/career path. This would give you the years from ~18-25 at best, and anything else afterwards is eating into the rest of your life.
That being said, it's your choice, and if you're going to do it, do it 100%. Good luck.
Eating into the rest of your life? You portray life as very set in stone and boring. Sure trying to become a professional gamer is a risk, but you have to take risks in life. If you go for the pension from your age I don't know what to say...
NrG has been around for a while, and that whole sixjax stuff really messed it all up. Even beyond all of this, they still have very good players and most of the community is just unaware of it.
Why do people keep spouting this "Yolo" nonsense...that's the ignorant man's "Carpe Diem," after all, and carpe diem is all the more fitting because it doesn't suppose the finite mortality of the human spirit ^.^
On May 10 2012 03:23 BlazeFury01 wrote: Personally, I believe you should make an excel spreadsheet for all of your expenses (car payment, rent/mortgage, food, etc) and potential expenses (new clothes, gifts for birthdays, dating money, etc) and calculate how much income you will need to stay financially stable for the next four-six months. I would then set that as my savings goal and keep my full time job until the goal has been reached (Unless, you've already reached your goal from prize money).
I'm 26 years old, so how will that affect me? Is that too old to attempt to make a push to the top? Will I succeed in becoming one of the better American players or will I fail miserably? We will find out!
At 26, the length in your job experience will be affected which could be critical once you reach your 30's. However, you have already finished school and you have your degree which sometimes can override experience.
If this were Brood War, I'd say 26 was too old to make a push to the top but It's not. SCII is a lot friendlier on the hands (if you refrain from spamming) which is exceptional for all ages. Nestea is a good example. He's 29 years old and has won the GSL numerous times.
I wish you the best of luck! The best way to expand your fanbase as an unknown is to pull a scarlett!
The main questions we should be asking are:
1. What (if any) bills do you currently have? 2. Are you still paying off any student loans? (If applicable) 3. How much do you typically pay for a full tank of gas? 4. Do you have enough money in your checking/savings to support you for the next four-six months? 5. Are you aware of this situation? http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=281161 6. Will NrG pay for your travel expenses. hotel room, and tournament entry? 7. Have you created a Pros and Cons list about your decision? 8. Have you calculated your anticipated revenue from StarCraft II vs the annual salary of the job you would apply for? 9. What's the "difference" in income for #8? 10. With the Brood War Progamers (and the rest of the korean bw community) making an imminent transition to StarCraft II and an audience who's geared toward watching Korean games; how exactly do you expect to generate revenue if placing top 3 in a tournament is extremely limited?
1. What (if any) bills do you currently have? 2. Are you still paying off any student loans? (If applicable) 3. How much do you typically pay for a full tank of gas? 4. Do you have enough money in your checking/savings to support you for the next four-six months? 5. Are you aware of this situation? http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=281161 6. Will NrG pay for your travel expenses. hotel room, and tournament entry? 7. Have you created a Pros and Cons list about your decision? 8. Have you calculated your anticipated revenue from StarCraft II vs the annual salary of the job you would apply for? 9. What's the "difference" in income for #8? 10. With the Brood War Progamers (and the rest of the korean bw community) making an imminent transition to StarCraft II and an audience who's geared toward watching Korean games; how exactly do you expect to generate revenue if placing top 3 in a tournament is extremely limited?
He's already quit his job, no reason to plant doubt in his decision, instead of asking the above questions (some of them seems legit (my opinion)) ask yourself; what do I want now. And if you feel relieved ?
I don't want to be "that guy", but quitting a job that's only 40h/week in order to pursue SC2 when you can't keep GM on NA server with 8 hours free a day doesn't seem like the brightest idea.
Either way, best of luck, don't expect any "living standards" income the next 2 years or so unless you win a major title out of nowhere, among foreigners only a select few can truly commit to sc2 without major consequences in their future professional lives, I hope I'm wrong and that you kick ass!
1. What (if any) bills do you currently have? 2. Are you still paying off any student loans? (If applicable) 3. How much do you typically pay for a full tank of gas? 4. Do you have enough money in your checking/savings to support you for the next four-six months? 5. Are you aware of this situation? http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=281161 6. Will NrG pay for your travel expenses. hotel room, and tournament entry? 7. Have you created a Pros and Cons list about your decision? 8. Have you calculated your anticipated revenue from StarCraft II vs the annual salary of the job you would apply for? 9. What's the "difference" in income for #8? 10. With the Brood War Progamers (and the rest of the korean bw community) making an imminent transition to StarCraft II and an audience who's geared toward watching Korean games; how exactly do you expect to generate revenue if placing top 3 in a tournament is extremely limited?
He's already quit his job, no reason to plant doubt in his decision, instead of asking the above questions (some of them seems legit (my opinion)) ask yourself; what do I want now. And if you feel relieved ?
I wouldn't call it "planting doubt" I'd call it preparation for making an important decision...
It takes a real man to quit his job and stream full time, so big kudos to you sir! Will definetly be checking out your stream whenever I can. Good luck! ^^
On May 10 2012 06:28 SeraKuDA wrote: As someone who works a full-time job, and am 25 years old, I'm going to go ahead and say you've probably just made a huge mistake. I don't know what kind of job you had, but speaking from my own experience, gaming has passed me and become just a hobby. Even if I were good enough to reach the peaks of competitiveness for a few years, it would slowly fall by the wayside, and when the dust settles I would've gained very little. It's not something that I could put on a resume. I wouldn't make a lot of money doing it, nor would there be much, if anything at all going towards pension/benefits.
Personally, I think the best time for a gaming career happens at the end of high school until the point you follow your college/career path. This would give you the years from ~18-25 at best, and anything else afterwards is eating into the rest of your life.
That being said, it's your choice, and if you're going to do it, do it 100%. Good luck.
Eating into the rest of your life? You portray life as very set in stone and boring. Sure trying to become a professional gamer is a risk, but you have to take risks in life. If you go for the pension from your age I don't know what to say...
That's fine and dandy, but when you're in your 30s without a career and any real savings and/or possessions (vehicle, house, etc.) you're going to feel like you've wasted the past several years for nothing. Then what? With your mass video gaming experience you're not just going to land a decent job. Even with a good education, you've got to really sell yourself for your employer to get past why you haven't worked at all in the past 5 years. It's not a smart plan, and the chances of success are extremely small.
Also, what is wrong with going for a pension from an early age? If you think it's stupid, or you can just build it up later, then you're misinformed, and not looking at the big picture.
On May 10 2012 06:28 SeraKuDA wrote: As someone who works a full-time job, and am 25 years old, I'm going to go ahead and say you've probably just made a huge mistake. I don't know what kind of job you had, but speaking from my own experience, gaming has passed me and become just a hobby. Even if I were good enough to reach the peaks of competitiveness for a few years, it would slowly fall by the wayside, and when the dust settles I would've gained very little. It's not something that I could put on a resume. I wouldn't make a lot of money doing it, nor would there be much, if anything at all going towards pension/benefits.
Personally, I think the best time for a gaming career happens at the end of high school until the point you follow your college/career path. This would give you the years from ~18-25 at best, and anything else afterwards is eating into the rest of your life.
That being said, it's your choice, and if you're going to do it, do it 100%. Good luck.
Eating into the rest of your life? You portray life as very set in stone and boring. Sure trying to become a professional gamer is a risk, but you have to take risks in life. If you go for the pension from your age I don't know what to say...
That's fine and dandy, but when you're in your 30s without a career and any real savings and/or possessions (vehicle, house, etc.) you're going to feel like you've wasted the past several years for nothing. Then what? With your mass video gaming experience you're not just going to land a decent job. Even with a good education, you've got to really sell yourself for your employer to get past why you haven't worked at all in the past 5 years. It's not a smart plan, and the chances of success are extremely small.
Also, what is wrong with going for a pension from an early age? If you think it's stupid, or you can just build it up later, then you're misinformed, and not looking at the big picture.
Not everyone can live an average life. Not saying its a good choice for most people, but there are people with a stable career and a family by the time they hit 30, and then there are people who travel the world, move to an entirely new country with no contacts and scrape by doing interesting things.
Not sure which is the better experience, but im sure many people will be going through a midlife crisis even with a stable job and the family/property that goes along with it.
GL dude, streaming is pretty stacked atm, even really fucking good koreans can't hit 4 figures in viewers at times, you really have to bring something different
On May 10 2012 08:12 M[a]LiCe wrote: (As NeverExpo talked about earlier, if it is possible to get a name change to NrGMalice, that would be great! Not sure how to do that though...)
What i wonder myself is why people would even want to be a progamer. I can agree that it is freaking cool, and i like the idea - but unless you're a top world player, you're really not going to make a lot of money in comparison to your effort.
And yes, i know it's not all about money, i have a heart (i think ), but to me games are very enjoyable in themselves, and i will probably be able to make a better living for myself with more spare time by sticking to my studies.
Basically what i am getting at is, what job did you quit? I don't understand the decision to leave everything behind unless one already has a solid idea that things will go as well as you would want them to.
On May 10 2012 08:26 Mr.Pyro wrote: What i wonder myself is why people would even want to be a progamer. I can agree that it is freaking cool, and i like the idea - but unless you're a top world player, you're really not going to make a lot of money in comparison to your effort.
And yes, i know it's not all about money, i have a heart (i think ), but to me games are very enjoyable in themselves, and i will probably be able to make a better living for myself with more spare time by sticking to my studies.
Basically what i am getting at is, what job did you quit? I don't understand the decision to leave everything behind unless one already has a solid idea that things will go as well as you would want them to.
Some people just aren't made for 9-5 jobs... and if you have the talent to potentially do something else.. DO IT. Worst case is you fail and only lose out on a few years of retirement savings.
On May 10 2012 06:28 SeraKuDA wrote: As someone who works a full-time job, and am 25 years old, I'm going to go ahead and say you've probably just made a huge mistake. I don't know what kind of job you had, but speaking from my own experience, gaming has passed me and become just a hobby. Even if I were good enough to reach the peaks of competitiveness for a few years, it would slowly fall by the wayside, and when the dust settles I would've gained very little. It's not something that I could put on a resume. I wouldn't make a lot of money doing it, nor would there be much, if anything at all going towards pension/benefits.
Personally, I think the best time for a gaming career happens at the end of high school until the point you follow your college/career path. This would give you the years from ~18-25 at best, and anything else afterwards is eating into the rest of your life.
That being said, it's your choice, and if you're going to do it, do it 100%. Good luck.
Eating into the rest of your life? You portray life as very set in stone and boring. Sure trying to become a professional gamer is a risk, but you have to take risks in life. If you go for the pension from your age I don't know what to say...
That's fine and dandy, but when you're in your 30s without a career and any real savings and/or possessions (vehicle, house, etc.) you're going to feel like you've wasted the past several years for nothing. Then what? With your mass video gaming experience you're not just going to land a decent job. Even with a good education, you've got to really sell yourself for your employer to get past why you haven't worked at all in the past 5 years. It's not a smart plan, and the chances of success are extremely small.
Also, what is wrong with going for a pension from an early age? If you think it's stupid, or you can just build it up later, then you're misinformed, and not looking at the big picture.
Not everyone can live an average life. Not saying its a good choice for most people, but there are people with a stable career and a family by the time they hit 30, and then there are people who travel the world, move to an entirely new country with no contacts and scrape by doing interesting things.
Not sure which is the better experience, but im sure many people will be going through a midlife crisis even with a stable job and the family/property that goes along with it.
I agree with that. There's something to say about being bold enough to quit your job to follow your dreams. I think about how cool it would be once in a while as well, but I just can't justify doing it when I look at the big picture. But hey, everyone is different.
On May 10 2012 08:26 Mr.Pyro wrote: What i wonder myself is why people would even want to be a progamer. I can agree that it is freaking cool, and i like the idea - but unless you're a top world player, you're really not going to make a lot of money in comparison to your effort.
And yes, i know it's not all about money, i have a heart (i think ), but to me games are very enjoyable in themselves, and i will probably be able to make a better living for myself with more spare time by sticking to my studies.
Basically what i am getting at is, what job did you quit? I don't understand the decision to leave everything behind unless one already has a solid idea that things will go as well as you would want them to.
Some people just aren't made for 9-5 jobs... and if you have the talent to potentially do something else.. DO IT. Worst case is you fail and only lose out on a few years of retirement savings.
The worst case scenario is more vast then that. You can't put your years of "video game" experience on a professional resume and expect to be taken seriously. I say get rich first then play video games that way you already have A, B and even C covered. I'm 23, currently making $55 hr/40 hrs a week as a Business Analyst. My advice is to be financially stable before making any life altering decision.
I would'nt, regardless of talent unless much younger i.e. 16-18 y.o. range or in specific cases like a lack of education/lack of employment in your field of study.
-Playing for leisure is not the same as playing for "work" -Should you be first, it usually does'nt last long (depends on age, talent and commitment I guess..) -Pretty unfulfilling unless you enjoy and aspire to not doing anything other than "entertainment" -Dont expect the big bucks unless you're like..top 10 in the world, and even then, a decent diploma will net you a better yearly salary than most of them. -Years lost now cost you more later, not only in terms of salary but in terms of finding a job. Employers look for candidates with a fresh skillsets, wether from being newly graduate or from switching jobs. There's a difference between taking a few years off to travel around the world, and quitting your job to commit fulltime to a videogame...pretty big stigma there.
If being a pro gamer is your "dream", I guess you have some introspection to do -_-
My opinions obviously. You'd be surprised at how much you can still play and enjoy videogames while working a fulltime job. All about management (being single helps a lot though).
On May 10 2012 09:02 AeroGear wrote: I would'nt, regardless of talent unless much younger i.e. 16-18 y.o. range or in specific cases like a lack of education/lack of employment in your field of study.
-Playing for leisure is not the same as playing for "work" -Should you be first, it usually does'nt last long (depends on age, talent and commitment I guess..) -Pretty unfulfilling unless you enjoy and aspire to not doing anything other than "entertainment" -Dont expect the big bucks unless you're like..top 10 in the world, and even then, a decent diploma will net you a better yearly salary than most of them. -Years lost now cost you more later, not only in terms of salary but in terms of finding a job. Employers look for candidates with a fresh skillsets, wether from being newly graduate or from switching jobs. There's a difference between taking a few years off to travel around the world, and quitting your job to commit fulltime to a videogame...pretty big stigma there.
If being a pro gamer is your "dream", I guess you have some introspection to do -_-
My opinions obviously. You'd be surprised at how much you can still play and enjoy videogames while working a fulltime job. All about management (being single helps a lot though).
He's already accomplished in esports (WoW at least), I'm pretty sure he knows what he's getting into.
On May 10 2012 09:02 AeroGear wrote: I would'nt, regardless of talent unless much younger i.e. 16-18 y.o. range or in specific cases like a lack of education/lack of employment in your field of study.
-Playing for leisure is not the same as playing for "work" -Should you be first, it usually does'nt last long (depends on age, talent and commitment I guess..) -Pretty unfulfilling unless you enjoy and aspire to not doing anything other than "entertainment" -Dont expect the big bucks unless you're like..top 10 in the world, and even then, a decent diploma will net you a better yearly salary than most of them. -Years lost now cost you more later, not only in terms of salary but in terms of finding a job. Employers look for candidates with a fresh skillsets, wether from being newly graduate or from switching jobs. There's a difference between taking a few years off to travel around the world, and quitting your job to commit fulltime to a videogame...pretty big stigma there.
If being a pro gamer is your "dream", I guess you have some introspection to do -_-
My opinions obviously. You'd be surprised at how much you can still play and enjoy videogames while working a fulltime job. All about management (being single helps a lot though).
He's already accomplished in esports (WoW at least), I'm pretty sure he knows what he's getting into.
People didn't have nearly as strict practice in WoW as in SC2 But yea he should know what he's getting into.
On May 10 2012 09:02 AeroGear wrote: I would'nt, regardless of talent unless much younger i.e. 16-18 y.o. range or in specific cases like a lack of education/lack of employment in your field of study.
-Playing for leisure is not the same as playing for "work" -Should you be first, it usually does'nt last long (depends on age, talent and commitment I guess..) -Pretty unfulfilling unless you enjoy and aspire to not doing anything other than "entertainment" -Dont expect the big bucks unless you're like..top 10 in the world, and even then, a decent diploma will net you a better yearly salary than most of them. -Years lost now cost you more later, not only in terms of salary but in terms of finding a job. Employers look for candidates with a fresh skillsets, wether from being newly graduate or from switching jobs. There's a difference between taking a few years off to travel around the world, and quitting your job to commit fulltime to a videogame...pretty big stigma there.
If being a pro gamer is your "dream", I guess you have some introspection to do -_-
My opinions obviously. You'd be surprised at how much you can still play and enjoy videogames while working a fulltime job. All about management (being single helps a lot though).
someone gave up on there dreams, and second a diploma doesn't entitle you too anything (ex. a high paying job) 3rd i know some people very close to me without a college education that still make bank. Just saying. IMO go to college if you actually care about learning something not just to get a diploma
On May 10 2012 09:02 AeroGear wrote: I would'nt, regardless of talent unless much younger i.e. 16-18 y.o. range or in specific cases like a lack of education/lack of employment in your field of study.
-Playing for leisure is not the same as playing for "work" -Should you be first, it usually does'nt last long (depends on age, talent and commitment I guess..) -Pretty unfulfilling unless you enjoy and aspire to not doing anything other than "entertainment" -Dont expect the big bucks unless you're like..top 10 in the world, and even then, a decent diploma will net you a better yearly salary than most of them. -Years lost now cost you more later, not only in terms of salary but in terms of finding a job. Employers look for candidates with a fresh skillsets, wether from being newly graduate or from switching jobs. There's a difference between taking a few years off to travel around the world, and quitting your job to commit fulltime to a videogame...pretty big stigma there.
If being a pro gamer is your "dream", I guess you have some introspection to do -_-
My opinions obviously. You'd be surprised at how much you can still play and enjoy videogames while working a fulltime job. All about management (being single helps a lot though).
Having a Diploma doesn't guarantee you anything either. Yes it has better odds then streaming video games for sure but its not the be all and end all of having a successful life. End of the day people got to do what they enjoy.
I'm not dissing professionnal certificates, self starters that made their own business or anything as such (crafts, arts,etc.) , why are you even debating about that.
A job, regardless of your qualification, is usually not strictly dependant of your performances at tourneys or ads revenues from streams. An aspiring artist or musician usually relies on a (2nd) job to pay his bills, until he breaks into the market or realize he'll never make a living from it.
Making bank =/ professionnal fullfillment, altough for some its not as important. I would'nt clean toilets for 50K a year.
As I said its my opinion, your anecdotal evidence(s) will not change it in the slightest.
Good luck to you because if you are not financially stable already this is bad idea. Keep in mind a large gap in employment is not a positive thing when you decide to enter back into workforce.
Hmm I don't think its that risky as long as he knows when to call it quits - I mean, I'm without a doubt going to be rooting for him to succeed, however, I'm really hoping that he'll pull the plug if its not working after say 2 years. You definitely don't want to hit your 30's still trying to climb the ranks of a progamer, because it will only get harder and harder. I'm all for reaching towards dreams, as long as you keep things in perspective
On May 10 2012 09:02 AeroGear wrote: I would'nt, regardless of talent unless much younger i.e. 16-18 y.o. range or in specific cases like a lack of education/lack of employment in your field of study.
-Playing for leisure is not the same as playing for "work" -Should you be first, it usually does'nt last long (depends on age, talent and commitment I guess..) -Pretty unfulfilling unless you enjoy and aspire to not doing anything other than "entertainment" -Dont expect the big bucks unless you're like..top 10 in the world, and even then, a decent diploma will net you a better yearly salary than most of them. -Years lost now cost you more later, not only in terms of salary but in terms of finding a job. Employers look for candidates with a fresh skillsets, wether from being newly graduate or from switching jobs. There's a difference between taking a few years off to travel around the world, and quitting your job to commit fulltime to a videogame...pretty big stigma there.
If being a pro gamer is your "dream", I guess you have some introspection to do -_-
My opinions obviously. You'd be surprised at how much you can still play and enjoy videogames while working a fulltime job. All about management (being single helps a lot though).
someone gave up on there dreams, and second a diploma doesn't entitle you too anything (ex. a high paying job) 3rd i know some people very close to me without a college education that still make bank. Just saying. IMO go to college if you actually care about learning something not just to get a diploma
Agreed. A friend recently landed a nice government job here in Australia, having graduated with a dual degree a few years ago. His other roommates are electricians and are on $25-30 000 per year more than him.
On May 10 2012 09:02 AeroGear wrote: I would'nt, regardless of talent unless much younger i.e. 16-18 y.o. range or in specific cases like a lack of education/lack of employment in your field of study.
-Playing for leisure is not the same as playing for "work" -Should you be first, it usually does'nt last long (depends on age, talent and commitment I guess..) -Pretty unfulfilling unless you enjoy and aspire to not doing anything other than "entertainment" -Dont expect the big bucks unless you're like..top 10 in the world, and even then, a decent diploma will net you a better yearly salary than most of them. -Years lost now cost you more later, not only in terms of salary but in terms of finding a job. Employers look for candidates with a fresh skillsets, wether from being newly graduate or from switching jobs. There's a difference between taking a few years off to travel around the world, and quitting your job to commit fulltime to a videogame...pretty big stigma there.
If being a pro gamer is your "dream", I guess you have some introspection to do -_-
My opinions obviously. You'd be surprised at how much you can still play and enjoy videogames while working a fulltime job. All about management (being single helps a lot though).
Typical western materialistic mentality.
Fuck your career, fuck your 401k, fuck knowing what you're going to do thirty years from now. Make yourself happy. Good luck sir.
On May 10 2012 09:02 AeroGear wrote: I would'nt, regardless of talent unless much younger i.e. 16-18 y.o. range or in specific cases like a lack of education/lack of employment in your field of study.
-Playing for leisure is not the same as playing for "work" -Should you be first, it usually does'nt last long (depends on age, talent and commitment I guess..) -Pretty unfulfilling unless you enjoy and aspire to not doing anything other than "entertainment" -Dont expect the big bucks unless you're like..top 10 in the world, and even then, a decent diploma will net you a better yearly salary than most of them. -Years lost now cost you more later, not only in terms of salary but in terms of finding a job. Employers look for candidates with a fresh skillsets, wether from being newly graduate or from switching jobs. There's a difference between taking a few years off to travel around the world, and quitting your job to commit fulltime to a videogame...pretty big stigma there.
If being a pro gamer is your "dream", I guess you have some introspection to do -_-
My opinions obviously. You'd be surprised at how much you can still play and enjoy videogames while working a fulltime job. All about management (being single helps a lot though).
someone gave up on there dreams, and second a diploma doesn't entitle you too anything (ex. a high paying job) 3rd i know some people very close to me without a college education that still make bank. Just saying. IMO go to college if you actually care about learning something not just to get a diploma
Agreed. A friend recently landed a nice government job here in Australia, having graduated with a dual degree a few years ago. His other roommates are electricians and are on $25-30 000 per year more than him.
true that is interesting, but on the flip side, his roommates are braindead blue collar workers while he would probably be stimulating his brain at his work
Not the best first day, lost ~70 ladder points, but I was very happy with the support the community gave me. Really appreciate it guys!
I'll be on before 2pm tomorrow! I'll also be updating this post sometime soon with info about coaching since some people have already been asking me about it.
On May 10 2012 09:02 AeroGear wrote: I would'nt, regardless of talent unless much younger i.e. 16-18 y.o. range or in specific cases like a lack of education/lack of employment in your field of study.
-Playing for leisure is not the same as playing for "work" -Should you be first, it usually does'nt last long (depends on age, talent and commitment I guess..) -Pretty unfulfilling unless you enjoy and aspire to not doing anything other than "entertainment" -Dont expect the big bucks unless you're like..top 10 in the world, and even then, a decent diploma will net you a better yearly salary than most of them. -Years lost now cost you more later, not only in terms of salary but in terms of finding a job. Employers look for candidates with a fresh skillsets, wether from being newly graduate or from switching jobs. There's a difference between taking a few years off to travel around the world, and quitting your job to commit fulltime to a videogame...pretty big stigma there.
If being a pro gamer is your "dream", I guess you have some introspection to do -_-
My opinions obviously. You'd be surprised at how much you can still play and enjoy videogames while working a fulltime job. All about management (being single helps a lot though).
someone gave up on there dreams, and second a diploma doesn't entitle you too anything (ex. a high paying job) 3rd i know some people very close to me without a college education that still make bank. Just saying. IMO go to college if you actually care about learning something not just to get a diploma
Agreed. A friend recently landed a nice government job here in Australia, having graduated with a dual degree a few years ago. His other roommates are electricians and are on $25-30 000 per year more than him.
true that is interesting, but on the flip side, his roommates are braindead blue collar workers while he would probably be stimulating his brain at his work
I have to disagree with that statement. In my field I work alongside electricians all the time, and quite a bit of the stuff they do requires a very active brain. You definitely need to think and problem solve etc.
On May 10 2012 12:19 tomatriedes wrote: 26 is old compared to Korean players, but White-ra is 31 and he managed to win IPL season 2 last year, so anything is possible!
Dude, being 26 is not going to affect gaming ability at all... I would say it isn't even hindered till the 30's at the absolute earliest.\
As a P player I tend to only watch P streams, as too maximize my learning, but I will check out your stream and try to give you my viewership whenever I can if I enjoy it!
On May 10 2012 12:12 M[a]LiCe wrote: Not the best first day, lost ~70 ladder points, but I was very happy with the support the community gave me. Really appreciate it guys!
I'll be on before 2pm tomorrow! I'll also be updating this post sometime soon with info about coaching since some people have already been asking me about it.
Thanks again!
Why are you streaming it all? Do you just want to bank on the viewers, or do you actually really want to improve? I think your focus is too all over the map. I hope Kurtis marked a good gameplan for you if you really want to improve. I keep seeing a lot of players waste time via stream.
On May 10 2012 12:12 M[a]LiCe wrote: Not the best first day, lost ~70 ladder points, but I was very happy with the support the community gave me. Really appreciate it guys!
I'll be on before 2pm tomorrow! I'll also be updating this post sometime soon with info about coaching since some people have already been asking me about it.
Thanks again!
Why are you streaming it all? Do you just want to bank on the viewers, or do you actually really want to improve? I think your focus is too all over the map. I hope Kurtis marked a good gameplan for you if you really want to improve. I keep seeing a lot of players waste time via stream.
If he quit his job, he needs to get money somehow. Streaming can be a nice way of doing that
Edit: Plus I imagine it helps him to keep motivated
maybe he has a lot of money and doesnt need a job? who cares as long as he's doing w/e he thinks is right for himself (and not what a bunch of internet users think is right for him)
On May 10 2012 12:12 M[a]LiCe wrote: Not the best first day, lost ~70 ladder points, but I was very happy with the support the community gave me. Really appreciate it guys!
I'll be on before 2pm tomorrow! I'll also be updating this post sometime soon with info about coaching since some people have already been asking me about it.
Thanks again!
Why are you streaming it all? Do you just want to bank on the viewers, or do you actually really want to improve? I think your focus is too all over the map. I hope Kurtis marked a good gameplan for you if you really want to improve. I keep seeing a lot of players waste time via stream.
I want to improve as much as possible, and having a consistent schedule where I stream will help motivate me to keep it going everyday.
My main focus is to improve my play as much as possible, not to get max viewers/money.
EDIT: However, I'm open to suggestions as to what the best way to practice/improve is. I've heard from many that the best way to improve is to just play a massive amount of games, so that is what I intend to do, at least for the first couple months. Then maybe I will start to practice more specific race/map matchups, study more replays/other players, etc.
I want to improve as much as possible, and having a consistent schedule where I stream will help motivate me to keep it going everyday.
My main focus is to improve my play as much as possible, not to get max viewers/money.
EDIT: However, I'm open to suggestions as to what the best way to practice/improve is. I've heard from many that the best way to improve is to just play a massive amount of games, so that is what I intend to do, at least for the first couple months. Then maybe I will start to practice more specific race/map matchups, study more replays/other players, etc.
Good practice partners are super important. That's pretty much the whole reason why koreans are so good. They can play the same matchup on the same map for 30 times in a row, because the practice partners are in the same house as you so scheduling is not a problem. Ladder can never provide the same, but playing ladder is just so much easier scheduling-wise.
It's not just who you practice with, but how you practice as well and like I said. Streaming and playing massive amounts of ladder games in my view isn't efficient and effective practice.
I understand you want to get your feet wet, but like I said earlier you need an actual gameplan rather than just monitoring your progression through climbing ladder ranks. That will only take you so far and Kurtis should know this better than anybody.
Hi malice. We used to battle it out in some LANS. You always looked threatening from a distance but in reality you're a good guy and I wish you luck in this new endeavor!
Hey you should put the link to your stream at the very top of the op! Makes it a lil easier for people to get to the stream. Little things like that matter
On May 12 2012 18:44 CecilSunkure wrote: Hey you should put the link to your stream at the very top of the op! Makes it a lil easier for people to get to the stream. Little things like that matter
I removed the schedule. Even though I feel like I have been steadily improving over the first two weeks, I'm reorganizing how my time can be best spent in order to improve as much as possible. I will continue to stream around 40 hours a week, however the times might not always be consistent. I'll post here or tweet when my stream is going live. It will also be listed on teamliquid's stream list.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) I have been offered a job that I can not refuse. I'm moving across the country, and am not sure if I will be streaming anymore in the future. Stay tuned for more info...
EPT![[image loading]](http://s.sk-gaming.com/image/image/99cc8c8bcc520f20m.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ItbrV.jpg)
nice initiative, you have to be very passionate to quit job and go full time sc2 wish u best luck!
i hope you do well but imo it wasn't smart
