E-sports

Vikas Sharma

Electronic sports (e-sports) is a general term to describe the play of video games competitively. These “e-sports” are not specifically sports games, but rather, video games across several genres, such as fighting games (ex. Street Fighter), first-person and third-person shooter games (ex. Counter Strike), sports games (ex. Madden) and real-time strategy games (ex. Starcraft). These games are played tournament-style online, or at local spots with big screens for a larger, present audience. The competitive nature and opportunity for widespread, simultaneous viewership is the reason why these games are termed “e-sports.”
E-sports as a form of entertainment has grown substantially over the past few years. About two years ago, watching tournament footage was only possible through pre-recorded YouTube videos. With a growing viewership and interest, websites such as Twitch TV have emerged to provide a medium to watch live matches.

My first glimpse into the world of tournament gaming came from watching EVO 2010 online. I became interested in EVO after witnessing the famous Daigo vs. Justin Wong comeback. The video of Daigo’s comeback is inserted below.

E-sports has grown into a spectator sport. Many individuals who may not be up to par to challenge top-tier tournament players are still able to enjoy tournaments of fighting and real-time strategy games. Before EVO 2010, you would not find me sitting at my PC waiting for my favourite tournament series to begin. However after watching a few of the online tournaments, I have become addicted to following them and I am always looking forward to the next time my favourite tournament series will be up and running.

E-Sports has changed the gaming industry in a major way, and it does not seem likely it will be slowing down in its progression any time soon.

To follow a great e-sports streaming company in Canada, follow eSchamp.

Pin It

Digging In

Trisha Beausaert

Digital interactive and gaming. Conference. DIG. For those of you who already know what this means, kudos! We can’t wait to see you in November. Confused? Don’t be; I’m going to clear everything up for you. My name is Trisha Beausaert, and I am the Marketing Coordinator for the London Economic Development Corporation. This is my first year with DIG, and I could not be more excited to be a part of the team who is bringing you DIG. I am one of three coordinators who will post blogs Tuesdays and Thursdays. This opening blog post is simply to introduce the bones of the conference to newcomers, as well as to remind returning participants of why they keep coming back. The next few months of blog posts will give these bones meat, and a pulse, as we discuss everything related to DIG and the industry that interests you.

If you’re interested in video games, web development, or the path to your dream job, attendance at DIG in London, Ontario, is essential. In an industry that celebrates accomplishments and new ideas through the use of tradeshows and conferences, there are many events to choose from, but DIG is not your average conference.

DIG is focused on the Canadian web and game industry. It is designed to appeal to local industry experts and amateurs and provides programming for a varied audience, whose needs and interests overlap to create an interactive and informative day. A special area of DIG programming reaches out to high school and post-secondary students who are interested in a career in DIG industries.

Idea sharing, networking, a reunion of sorts, informative and educational seminars and panel discussions, a pseudo job-fair, and school recruitment are all rolled into one awesome package. Our DIGX room- where games and new innovations can be experienced and enjoyed- is famous. Participants can contribute to discussions about web and game development with artists, computer programmers, software engineers, web content managers, and designers.

Essentially, DIG showcases the latest in digital technology and brings together the industries’ leaders and contributors to share, collaborate, and network. We’ll keep you updated on our program and speaker developments through this blog and our other social media outlets:

 .

Pin It

TAAFi Event - Recap

The Toronto Animation Arts FestivalInternational (TAAFI) had its inaugural event this past weekend July 6 – July 8: and it was awesome. The first day we were shown a fantastic animated film “RonalThe Barbarian”. The film was a great way to kick off the event With a VIP Party to follow.

My main purpose was to attend the panel on Animation in Gaming. The panel was very educational and responsive to questions. The panellists were indie developers, who have work experience with AAA developers. The panel consisted of Ryan Henson Creighton, Jay Edry, Matt Hammill, Catherine Feraday Miller, and Miguel Sternberg. Everyone in the panel was quite knowledgeable and provided a lot of key information on how animation takes a key role in the development of a video game. The panelists also shed some light on how animation is critical for making a game run smoothly, effectively, while at the same time making the movements look incredible. I wasn’t aware of the amount of frames and minute details that can change the way in which a game is played.  

The panel and the event provided a lot of information on the different aspects of animation, and gaming as a business. Stay tuned for more information about TAAFI working with DIG!

  

Pin It