Hire a Game Coach Online 179
Carl Bialik from WSJ writes "Expert videogame players, many of them teens, are forging professional careers as coaches, finding clients — many of them in their 20s or 30s — online, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some gigs pay $65 an hour. From the article: 'Gaming-lessons.com says its youngest "Halo 2" instructor is 8-year-old New Yorker Victor De Leon III — better known by his online gamer name, Lil Poison — who has given several lessons a month since late last year, fitting the classes in after he has done his homework. His father, also named Victor, says his son has used some of the money he earns from lessons (hourly rate: $25) to buy a hamster, named Cortana after a character in the game.'"
Re:Pathetic (Score:5, Insightful)
Some people enjoy their leisure activities more if they're good at them (especially when the activity is competitive). Stands to reason the market would provide facilities to help people improve. I wouldn't spend my money on something like this, but I'm not going to disparage the people that do.
Re:Pathetic (Score:2, Insightful)
Oh, Pur-Leeze! (Score:3, Insightful)
that is the gheyest thing I've ever heard. Paying a kid $25 to get good at Halo is pathetic to say the least.
For the past two decades the second highest market behind selling the games themselves has been the selling of magazines with cheatcodes, screens, etc. All of which may not actually make you a better player. Having someone to actually point out the things you do which are wrong and better ways to achieve results is nothing less than Big Business spends tonnes of money on every year, so why not avid gamers? Just because it doesn't work for you, don't dis everyone else.
One method I learned, years ago, was to play games at their hardest levels or accept the highest degree of difficulty missions. I'd get slaughtered, but at that pace I picked up better sends of timing, anticipation and reaction. Then returned to the easier levels/missions and I learned enough from them to actually beat/complete all levels/missions.
The minute gaming is this important in my life.... (Score:2, Insightful)
Mercenaries (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Why? (Score:2, Insightful)
It's also rewarding.
I don't know why I should be at all surprised that people are spending money on getting better at games. The solution to everything these days is to throw money at it; that's why I quit playing CCGs like Magic: The Gathering a decade ago...I wasn't able to spend the thousands of dollars required to even have hope of competing in the tournaments.
I suppose we're just forgetting the joy of doing things for ourselves. Our society has come to care only about the end result. Pay someone else to do all the hard work, then take credit for what they did. Landscaping companies and interior designers are a good example of it in the real world: I don't see where someone can take a great deal of pride in their home when they had nothing to do with its appearance except writing checks.
Re:Why? (Score:5, Insightful)
1) Coaches in every sport imaginable
2) Exercise consultants in the gym of your choice
3) Music teachers
I mean, to learn piano, all you need is to buy a piano and then just plunk away at it until you're playing Chopin, right?
Hurm... (Score:2, Insightful)
But, ah, this is ridiculous, in its own right.
This begs the question... (Score:4, Insightful)
I mean, to learn piano, all you need is to buy a piano and then just plunk away at it until you're playing Chopin, right?
You seem to be implying that learning to play a video game well is equal in difficulty to learning to become a skilled pianist. For that matter, do you think that becoming a skilled basketball player or swimmer is no more difficult than becoming skilled at Halo 2?
I don't think all activities are equal in difficulty, particularly given that video games are created specifically to be playable. The piano wasn't created to be easy to learn. Video games are.
Re:Why? (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm concerned for that kid (Score:3, Insightful)