Fire in the Hole!

It's not just a game.

Five years ago I could not sleep without playing even just one round of it. Five years ago, I walked through dark alleys and endured hunger just to get a taste of it. Five years ago, I could go head-to-head against the toughest gamers. It was the best thing the world has ever created. And it took me months to stop playing Counter-Strike.

It's not just a game.

Few people realize that virtual games are no different from books, music, movies and other forms of media and recreation. They all have the same function: an escape.

We watch television, listen to music and read because we want to experience what it's like to be in another world as a different person or place. I'm a CS addict, but I also know that life will be so boring without it.

There is an art in playing. All people have the ability to learn how to do it but not everyone can be good at it. Battle Realms and Generals require strategic and tactical skills. Counterstrike requires precision and speed. Like writing, you need to know the basic keys and through practice you learn different techniques. Like dancing, it requires flexibility of the mind (and hands). Like drawing and painting, you need to know what techniques or strategies will suit best in a given situation and to make most of the materials available.

So you see, it's not just a game.