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This is coming from a guy who has only recently tried to break into the community of TL, and is going rather slow. But even at such a slow pace, I feel like this is one of the most amazing communities in gaming that I've ever seen.
Within not even a year of regularly visiting this site, I witnessed interesting things that have begun to change my life and how I view the world. There's a lot of wisdom to be found here, I think, and I find it nothing short of spectacular that any gaming community can do that to someone who hasn't even been a part of it for very long. Although, maybe that's a point of a community, and I just never really found myself in a good one before. But I can't allow inference that I'm discrediting this site and it's members in any way.
For one, this game makes me appreciate my own capabilities as a human being. Sure, I have limitations, we all do, but I don't think a person can really see their limitations until they hit a ceiling that's unbreakable. The competitive emphasis on this site is instilling more motivation in me to practice at whatever I do, whether it's programming or playing Rock Band to get a good score and maybe win a few matches online or playing Starcraft.
Seriously, all I get pummeled by is a skewed idea of talent on a day-to-day basis. Yeah, I agree that people are just genetically more capable of certain tasks than others. I can't argue that, I'm a blatant example of strength inferiority that I can't help. It's just that people made me think that I couldn't do anything unless I had talent. I couldn't learn to do anything. Even my own mom does this, my friends. They make practice seem pointless to be good at anything.
So coming here, where practice is emphasized, is such a self-esteem booster. Sounds weird, but when I feel like my hard work is helping me, I feel better about myself. I handle failure better when I'm feeling productive rather than when I think I'm just naturally bad at things which was conveyed to me as saying "If you aren't good at it right off the bat, you have no real chance."
I hate that feeling. But I'm not dumb, I won't try to be good at set theory because I don't try to understand it yet. I know when something is just not going to benefit me in any way or be satisfying.
But that's such a general experience.
As many probably already know, Day[9] Daily #100 is Day[9]'s epic telling of his life in context of Starcraft and all his emotions and experiences. I'm sure I'm not the only one touched by this. It made me cry, a lot. I ignored my roommate even because I didn't want to diverge from the video. I have never been touched by anyone's story as much as him. It effectively made me watch his stream as often as possible, but the time difference makes me forget about it a lot...
But I didn't cry because it was touching to hear. I cried because I felt like it was just telling me how I was diverging into a life I would regret living. Instead of just enjoying my hobbies and having pride in them, I was playing games for the cool factor. His talks especially about excitement for the games he shared with his mother made me realize how my own mom probably wouldn't be so demeaning towards my hobby if I had done the same. It made me proud to be gamer. And not proud in the way that I'll start bragging and rubbing it in people's faces, but just that I have no regrets being a gamer.
I've even been touched by members not as huge as Day[9]. This blog made me see how I was becoming a cynic, and starting to only view people in a pessimistic manner and becoming more and more depressed with my life. Where #100 brought be to a point of motivation and contentment, this blog helped reinforce it before I lost it all. I know it wasn't really a blog to help people, but just my urge to look up cynicism to gain a better understanding of it made me realize something about my life's path.
These are probably the most significant things. I mean, it probably seems silly to be so affected by some people on the Internet I don't know. But...I believe it's sincere words. And I read these words, and they tell me something about my life indirectly that I'm not happy with, and from there on I feel like I've gained wisdom I wished I had years ago, or regained a bit of the high schooler in me that was a lot more dedicated for what he dreamed.
But the site isn't just a life-changing, emotional experience hub for me. It's given me something I enjoy so much more than the crap on cable! Pro gaming! I've always been a fan of professional gaming, almost reaching a point where I could start playing at a higher level (but I had to put school above it, and my mom wasn't happy about the idea of me talking to people online). Sure, I wasn't about to go to WCG or CPL (I respected it then, not so much now) for playing vCoD or CoD2 at a higher level, but I felt like I missed the chance to be in an environment that could lead me there, or closer to it.
So, I've always looked up to pro gamers. They really aren't heroes to me (that goes to Shigeru Miyamoto), but, I respect them (well, the honest ones...). And I was always aware of the South Korean scene, I just didn't realize pre-TL how huge it was. I just didn't know where to find anything, aside from some random videos on YouTube or Google Video. But, upon finding this site, I'm just enamored by pro-gaming. I mean, I don't feel I have the time to spend watching it often, so it's a bit of a mistimed discovery for me. But still, I can't even begin to appreciate the fact this community has the most amazing people in it that they spend hours of their day devoted to letting us watch and experience a game on a level so much more deep than we can experience alone.
So, pro-SC is about the only thing I watch. No, I don't know all the players yet, and I'm still trying to organize in my head how the OSL, MSL, and SPL scheduling works, as well as keep up with non-Korean play going on. Although, I could be watching it now instead of writing this!
Man, I know that my thoughts may seem rather disorganized, but I just can't help it when I'm spilling my heart out best I can.
A community that gave me so much I enjoy and a community that has shown me the better paths to tread in life. Basically, TL is so awesome, I feel so horrible for having nothing but words to give, so it's what I'll give.
Be proud of this community. Be proud of your fellow members. And be proud that you experience a game in a way that people can only be jealous of you, and you experience it with the best group of people on the planet.
For me, it truly is something else.
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United States11637 Posts
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Day[9] made me see things differently too because the way he talks is simply so inspirational.
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Croatia9373 Posts
On June 15 2010 17:14 RageOverdose wrote: "If you aren't good at it right off the bat, you have no real chance."
If every BW player would to follow this advice, BW would die a loooooong time ago =)
But anyways, very interesting article, it's always inspirational to see someone pouring their heart out about something. And yeah, tl.net is truly an unique site!
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Yeah, its pretty good...
You're a good writer
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all so true! if i wasn't such a lazy bum i'd write it myself ^_^
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Hong Kong20321 Posts
welcome to TL! ''
have u checked out the ultimate progaming FAQ yet?
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=75492
hope u love tl more and more until it becomes ur homepage and its the first thing u check when u wake up and before you sleep and while you brush your teeth and change and everything lolol
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5/5, good stuff, always nice to see these blogs. awesome to see you're having a great time + Show Spoiler +On June 15 2010 18:24 alffla wrote: hope u love tl more and more until it becomes ur homepage and its the first thing u check when u wake up and before you sleep and while you brush your teeth and change and everything lolol Story of my life >.<
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On June 15 2010 18:24 alffla wrote:
hope u love tl more and more until it becomes ur homepage and its the first thing u check when u wake up and before you sleep and while you brush your teeth and change and everything lolol
doesn't everybody do this? ....
I loved this blog.
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If I'm doing something else online for an extended period of time (random wiki/youtube tangents, research, etc), when I open up TL at the end of the session it feels like I've come back home after a trip.
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United States24345 Posts
It's times like these that make me feel bad that newer users weren't here for lots of of awesome things that have happened on tl the past several years.. and I'm sure there are a few users who have been here since the beginning that could say the same thing to me.
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Hong Kong20321 Posts
On June 15 2010 18:52 Grobyc wrote:5/5, good stuff, always nice to see these blogs. awesome to see you're having a great time + Show Spoiler +On June 15 2010 18:24 alffla wrote: hope u love tl more and more until it becomes ur homepage and its the first thing u check when u wake up and before you sleep and while you brush your teeth and change and everything lolol Story of my life >.<
haha!
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We love you too brother.
*e-hug*
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great blog man and yeah, this idea of talent is so overrated. Work hard for something and you will almost always reap the rewards, just believe in yourself, no matter how cheesy that sounds, every psychologist will affirm that that's a key part in accomplishing anything.
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Great blog!
The point you talked about how starcraft is something that... there are no shortcuts, no parents to pay top universities or recommend you to top jobs. Everyone gets to prove to themselves and themselves only how far they can go and what they can accomplish. This is what I thought about a lot after I watched day9-100 and read your blog.
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United States12607 Posts
Cool blog, thanks for sharing man. You fit right in here.
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That's what I like about this place: growth. Not only in member population and associated content but there's always something to expand on.
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thank you I love you too ^_^
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Wow, you're a pretty damn good writer - and this is what you call disorganized? If you can spill your heart like this, I'd love to see you write about other things in your life that make you all warm and fuzzy. This is definitely another welcome addition to TL, 5/5. + Show Spoiler +And I lol'd at your name, I like it ^^
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Beyonder
Netherlands15103 Posts
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Same thing I felt about TL like a year ago. This is the best community / forum ever.
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I read some lineage 2 forums recently... God I cant bear reading most internet forums for more then 5 minutes anymore. TL.net has spoiled me...
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I recently made a post about where I'm at in my life and how I'd like to break into the competitive RTS scene. In order to remain concise in that post I refrained from delving too far into what I think about the community, but I don't think I could have said it better myself. I'm recently into the pro scene and have been getting very serious about practicing, so I'm very much where you're at with discovering the community even when it comes to Day9's #100 story. TL truly is the most wonderful place on the internet!
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I'm genuinely happy to read this. I've felt the roughly same way about BW and TL.
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Talent is quite overrated. No one is born knowing set theory or complex analysis or how to code in Java or how to play the piano or even how to play Starcraft. Some people might have an easier time learning certain things, but at the end of the day, everyone needs to hit the books or put in the hours to develop skill at something. You might even say that talent is just a measure of how quickly practice develops skill, not a replacement of practice.
Overall, well said, sir. TL fighting!
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You're clearly a sharp guy, don't sell yourself short. My parents made many mistakes but one thing I am grateful for that they did is tell me that I could accomplish anything I really set my mind to. And it's true. Within normal reasonable parameters I can accomplish it if I actually want to. It's true. So don't sell yourself short, because it's the same for you as it is for me.
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awesome blog <3
we love you too good sir
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On June 15 2010 18:24 alffla wrote:welcome to TL! '' have u checked out the ultimate progaming FAQ yet? http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=75492hope u love tl more and more until it becomes ur homepage and its the first thing u check when u wake up and before you sleep and while you brush your teeth and change and everything lolol
No, actually, I never ran across it! O.o Thanks a bunch, may help me keep games ordered in my head, instead of watching random games all over the place like I do now.
Although I just got up, but I did take a shower first, so I'm almost there.
And I appreciate all the compliments on my writing, even though I noticed a mistake or two. And it's even better to see how I'm not the only one that feels this way about TL. Even more proof to me that this place is the best.
Actually, I'm feeling so good I may just mass game today.
*e-hugs for everyone*
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A lot of so called "talent" is passion and not genetics. "Talented" players got really good not just practicing games but thinking and analysing as well, out of passion for starcraft. Don't try to bottlehole yourself into anything because you lack "talent"
Best of luck, buddy.
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FREEAGLELAND26780 Posts
Welcome to TL! I'm glad you love it so much (oops I'm hooked) and I hope you will stay here forever!
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TL really is amazing.
Just so you know if you ever need help with anything or have any questions almost everyone on the site is more than happy to respond to PM's with actual answers and advice =]
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On June 15 2010 19:12 Kyuukyuu wrote: If I'm doing something else online for an extended period of time (random wiki/youtube tangents, research, etc), when I open up TL at the end of the session it feels like I've come back home after a trip. haha same kinda
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