Are Korean Gamers Faster than a Speeding Bullet?

[Rob Williams]

Where the term "hardcore gamer" is concerned, not everyone will generally agree on what it means. For some, the term "hardcore" comes when you have achieved somewhat of an elite status in a game, or series of games, and for others, it could simply determine that someone games a lot... as in, it's a full time job, and then some.

Read the rest of our news post here and discuss it here!

 

[Optix]

"...it's recommended that you can play Starcraft with at least 300 APM."

I think in my SC hay days I would only clock about 30-40 and that's if I was up against multiple players. Watching someone play at 300 APM would make me motion sick.

 

[madstork91]

I live in SK atm... and the Fanboi love towards Starcraft is insane.

I could turn on my TV at the moment and find not one, but possibly two channels playing starcraft replays. A third depending on one stations time of day. And no, not SC2, but starcraft.

Warcraft 3 is virtually unknown here.

There is talk about SC2 here. There are even demo movies being played at large department stores on demo laptys and PC's, but ultimately I think you will still see SC being played here for at least another 3-4 years in a hardcore way.

These guys like competing. They live and breath the rote method of learning, but that is starting to change. Literally though, the culture demands rote learning. Take that concept and apply it to a game where the more you do something the better you get, and then you can always compete to see who can do more... and you get the idea.

The younger generation is finally having more access to new learning styles. They are starting to have an emerging console market finally. "PC rooms" are starting to come under increasing scrutiny from the Gov. And more and more people are owning PCs at home capable of playing at least one generation old games. Who knows what will happen.

 

[Optix]

If that is the case is there any wonder why so many of our every day items are made in Korea? Do the same thing over and over and eventually you get better and faster at it.

Oh yeah. Then there is the gross under pay and long, terrible working conditions.

 

[madstork91]

I could tell stories and name the names of companies, but Korean companies also sue like fucking crazy.

They have freedom of speech, but they need tort reform worse than the use when I come to being able to speak out against things.

The next time the boycott a foreign company like walmart, that company needs to sue.

 

[Rob Williams]

I think in my SC hay days I would only clock about 30-40 and that's if I was up against multiple players. Watching someone play at 300 APM would make me motion sick.

I'm guessing that in Modern Warfare 2, I can at times get up to 100 APM, but that's a first-person shooter... when you are constantly moving. Starcraft isn't even that kind of game. It can be fast-moving, yes, but not <em>that</em> fast moving. It's been so long since I've played SC, but thinking back, I can't even picture how going so fast would be that beneficial. Apparently I'm wrong.

I live in SK atm... and the Fanboi love towards Starcraft is insane.

You're in the heart of it all, that's for sure, especially in Seoul. Out of curiosity, do you ever see Lineage II posters or things like that? Or has that game essentially been drowned out by all the rest?

If that is the case is there any wonder why so many of our every day items are made in Korea? Do the same thing over and over and eventually you get better and faster at it.

It's like this in all Asian countries that I'm aware of. Just in Korea, that's where all the hardcore of the hardcore gamers seem to be, so from that standpoint it's noticeable. For products, there's a reason there are factories in China that house well over 100,000 people.

 

[Optix]

So Korea makes hardcore gamers and China makes gold farmers. Good thing they don't breed and make hardcore gold farmers!

 

[Rob Williams]

So Korea makes hardcore gamers and China makes gold farmers. Good thing they don't breed and make hardcore gold farmers!

ROFL!

I think gold farmers could be considered hardcore all the same though... I've seen some documentaries. It's more sad than it is odd.

 

[Optix]

I know. People crammed into tiny rooms loaded with computers only to play for 10 or 12 hours and then tag off to someone else. The money can't be that good and you don't even get to truly play the game in an enjoyable way plus you need to make quotas or you get canned.

If that were my job I doubt I would even play games in my free time at all.

My friends and I used to hunt down gold farmers during the fledgling days of Lord Of The Rings Online in the PvP area. It was easy pickin's because they sprinted to level 50 but didn't bother doing any of the serious quests to get any high end armour or craft their own.