[sc2australia]

Hey everyone, I'm creating this thread primarily looking for advice as to how I can make Starcraft as big a part of my life as I would like it to be. I feel so passionate about the game and feel that the eSports scene is greatly lacking in, I’d say most of Australia, but in particular Perth. Not only is eSports greatly competitive and fun to watch/compete in, but as we can see from overseas SC2 leagues attracts big name sponsors over and over again. This leads me to believe that companies that are putting their names to highly skilled teams and leagues are definitely getting their monies worth and this needs to start happening in Australia.

Now, a little about myself. I’m currently 20 years old, living in Perth and studying chemical engineering at Curtin university. With all the SC2 content currently out I feel as though I could watch SC related content from the countless highly competitive leagues going on such as the GSL, NASL, TSL 3 all the way to well known casters such as Husky, HD and to the educational (I guess?) side of the game with Day[9] and JP’s State of the Game & SC centre, not to even mention the huge amount of pros that stream! I feel I could watch this 24/7 and still be missing soso much. The point is that I want to share the joy I get from watching all these things with everyone else.
I’ve shown a lot of my friends some of the more exciting aspects of the game and on occasion host a viewing party at my house of a game that I was really looking forward to (GSL – sC v NesTea game 5 was f***ing insane, my house was so tense when both players had essentially stopped mining) and even inspired some to just casually play the game. But I want to share this with an even bigger audience. The problem is I just don’t know how, and chemical engineering definitely will not help me.

The thing is, I’m not a particularly good player with study restricting a lot of my time but I don’t think it so wise to drop my study to try and be a professional gamer. But I also feel like not having the in depth understanding of the game (primarily the intricacies of builds and such) would also restrict my commentary so I’m not all that keen on exposing people to my uneducated ramblings on high level players when there is a whole level to the game that I just can’t put into words with my current level of knowledge of the game (perhaps with SC2 being the center of my every day my knowledge will develop and I may eventually cast games). So what I’m really looking for is for advice to work with the game. There is not much that I can think of except to help with the behind the scenes of in game events such as leagues (perhaps you guys can offer some more scenarios where an in depth understanding of the game isn’t required) - which is why I am here.
I want to ask you guys where do you guys think I could put my passion and hard work to further the progression of SC2 in SEA - in particular Australia?
Just to be clear, if there is something that anyone thinks might be helpful in terms of a degree from university, I’m happy to put in the 3-4 years to get it as well as perhaps working with some of you in the mean time to help the eSports scene in Australia grow.


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TL;DR – I want to share my passion and further the eSports community in Australia and don’t know how. Any suggestions on courses at uni I could take to assist the growing community or is there any work out there now that I could jump on board with right away and share my passion and with any luck eventually make a living from eSports?


**Note: I feel like this perhaps wasn’t as well constructed as I would like it to be and I may get off topic a fair amount. But hopefully you guys get the jist of it and have some advice for me anyway =)
***Apologies for the wall of text

[Satu]

So, let me get this straight.

You want to dedicate yourself to SC2 esports.
You don't think you have what it takes right now to attempt to be a pro gamer.
You don't think you have the game knowledge to be a good caster.
You want to help SC2 in Australia in particular, where tournaments are usually small and theres not that many.

My advice is look at a way to help in the hosting of tournaments in Australia, which can seem hard at first. You need to know who would be interested in sponsoring tournaments, where they can be hosted, buyin amounts for tournaments (if applicable) and communicate frequently with the local community. Even then, I don't think it is possible to make much of a living off of that at this part at time.

However, tournaments are becoming more frequent and the community is only really improving at this point. I think the best you can do is assist the growth in some way.

[deL]

I think the easiest option would be to be a volunteer content writer in your spare time between that and hosting some small events where you can is a great stepping stone in to bigger projects.

The Team Australia webpage http://sc2australia.net/ (formerly teamaus.org) is looking to start up again soon, especially when the NationWar leagues return so we can compete as a team. Trouble is, content is slow as all of the people who would usually be responsible for the team have other commitments whether related to SC2 or not. If that sounds like something you'd like to do let me know - it would involve coverage of the Aussie scene, as well as whatever takes your fancy like interviews or releasing replay packs so you can interact with the players. Also, your name is a perfect fit xD

I suggest you read these pages to familiarise yourself with the SC2 scene as it stands in Australia:

http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/Team_Australia

http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft...lian_SC2_scene

The perth LAN scene is not too crash hot - if you were in Melb or Sydney you might be able to help there. I don't think at this point there is too much need for smaller tournaments even if they are Australian-only. I imagine you don't have much spare cash being a student so sponsoring some small events like KOTH Australia is probably out of the question too.

[pikk0n]

Well, imo the easiest solution (not the most practical but I feel that it's the most effective way) to create a boom is to do what Kerry Packer did for ODI cricket and how the IPL was run. This will require you to be loaded with a stupid amount of cash and be influential of course (hence the impracticality). It's next to impossible to get decent sponsors initially, that's why the startup cost will be extremely high and will require lots of money. eSport is not accepted as a proper form of sports here in Aus so you have to make a huge statement. You'll need a network station prepared to air the professional games, with good casters and to make up teams of players representing different states (the way most team sports are played. Team sports attracts the most audiences. ) with winners receiving significant cash prizes. Participants and the Australian public need to know that there is a future by pursuing eSport as their career the way the Koreans do. How competitions are run can be done on a weekly basis (similar to the AFL system) or on a daily basis (similar to the IPL because games need to be casted though too many games may dull people's senses) with finals to be played after a certain number of months.

Basically, making a system similar to the existing competitive sports system with coaches and weekly training. Acceptance from the general public that these games can now be seen as a form of sports is what you'll have to gain first to allow eSports any chance of growing. It's a boom or bust method which is pretty much a fantasy but I feel that that's the only way you'd be able to give these eSports a chance of growing into the phenomenon it is in Korea. As for uni courses, I'd suggest doing some internet researches and your own reading would suffice since you do not need any qualification yet. :P Unlike Facebook. Hehe... Stick to your chemical engineering course, be an effin successful engineer loaded with heaps of cash and use that cash to make create an eSport boom. That's how the rich Indian business men made the IPL such a success though they only sponsored the IPL because the Indian community worships their cricket. That was a relatively risk free business venture. This business venture involves you either becoming a martyr or be seen as a complete retard and lose everything you ever had in one big flop of a move.

Hope you guys had a good read. LOL!

[nirvAnA]

There is not much that I can think of except to help with the behind the scenes of in game events such as leagues (perhaps you guys can offer some more scenarios where an in depth understanding of the game isn’t required) - which is why I am here.

if thats the case send in a staff application under the about section! we could always use a few more helping hands from capable individuals with a passion and from your post u seem dedicated enough as well so now its just about getting some experience then taking it from there

u could later set up ur own au league or interstate war or maybe even help team au in running selections and stuff idk but what i do know is for you at the moment its probably best to start small, get some experience and build ur network and in time you will have a clearer picture of what u wanna do

[TeThYs806]

well.... I'm planning for the Bnet ID. Due to regulations of BNet, no one will show its game key HERE.