p The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Thursday, April 11, 2013 - 3B

Sides winat
La Marsa

ESPORTS
From Page l B
With "StarCraft II: Heart of
the Swarm" becoming the stan-
dard for competition, players
have had to adapt to its faster
pace and limitless new strate-
gic opportunities. At the first
Major League Gaming tourna-
ment of the year, commentators
and spectators alike could not
help but comment on the breath
of life the expansion had infused
"StarCraft II" with.
"Everyone feels really, really
good about how 'Heart of the
Swarm' plays now," Plott said.
Making sure the professional
scene is faring well in the face
of new changes is a priority for
any company whose game is
being played competitively, and
changes are rolled out on a regu-
lar basis.
"There's a lot more strategy
(and) a lot more room for risk,"
Leung added. New units, maps
and tournament structures
have fostered the development
of aggressive and action-packed
matches. Players regularly exe-
cute upwards of 250 actions per
minute, each one essential to
maximize efficiency and clinch
victory.,
A potential for a career
In 2012 alone, nearly $4 mil-
lion was distributed in prize
money for "StarCraft II" tour-
naments, with 134 tournaments
boasting prize pools greater
than $1000. The opportunity
to make a living by playing,
streaming and winning is there.
The opportunity to be recog-
nized and go pro in eSports is
there.
Plott's manifesto on eSports,
available on his site, describes
the broad, all-inclusive nature
of the community:
"We believe that our game,
'StarCraft,' is as dynamic and
exciting a spectator sport as any
other," he said. "We think you
should be one of us."
But, as a spectator sport,
what does the future of this
industry hold?
"This might be kind of upset-
ting to some people, but person-
ally I don't think that eSports
needs to be on television and-I
don't think that it needs to be on
general broadcasting," George
Georgallidis, professional "LoL"

gamer and online personality,
said. "Entertainment that we see
today and enjoy is evolving. Peo-
ple my age aren't watching TV as
much anymore."
Georgallidis, known inside
the loosening but still pres-
sure-sealed world of gaming as
HotshotGG, is the founder and
owner of Counter Logic Garp-
ing, one of the first sponsored
"LoL" teams that continues to
maintain a sizeable online fol-
lowing. He began his career
much like anyone else inter-
ested in video games - by get-
ting his hands on as many as
he could, eventually discov-
ering and falling in love with
the Multiplayer Online Battle
Arena genre after playing the
independently developed mod
of "Warcraft III," "Defense of
the Ancients."
After the release of "LoL" and
the formation of his team, Geor-
gallidis discovered he could pull
thousands of viewers online to
watch his live stream on the CLG
website, allowing him to make a
sizeable income from advertis-
ing and professional sponsor-
ships for the CLG brand.
"I would never have left (col-
lege) if I didn't have the success
I did with livestreaming. There
has to be a potential for me to
live off 'League of Legends,' "
Georgallidis said. "As long as
there's that potential, I could
take that risk and for me, it paid
off."
But is that risk worth taking
for someone who's relatively
new to the scene? The numbers,
though daunting from a dis-
tance, certainly indicate that
"LoL" as a spectator-driven
sport has the potential to expe-
rience explosive growth, but as
Georgallidis indicated, it has
to be channeled efficiently and
.with the understanding that
eSports is breakingnew ground.
This isn't football. This isn't
basketball. And it never will be.
The appeal of simplicity
"(Five, 10 years from now),
I see it somewhere around the
level of NASCAR," Mona Zhang,
CSL community outreach rep-
resentative, joked. "No, I think
it will always be a niche game
simply because .. basketball
and football are mandatory in
gym; they'll never be the same.
If every kid in America was able
to get into 'League of Legends,'

I don't doubt that there could be
a revolution."
Of the millions that play
worldwide (recent reports by
Riot Games, the company that
created the game, indicate
approximately a billion hours of
playtime logged every month),
over 8 million tuned into the
Season Two World Champion-
ships held in Los Angeles last
October. Riot took notice, intro-.
ducing the League Champion-
ship Series.
Commonly referred to as
LCS, or simply The League,
the weekly match format gives
players and spectators alike an
organized medium to experi-
ence the professional scene.
Polished and slickly arranged,
the online shows are designed
to mimic professional sports
airings in every way. There's a
play-by-play analysis desk, com-
mentators shepherding along
viewers through every crucial
development in every match
and even weekly highlight reels
for all the teams.
It's funded almost solely by
Riot Games, which also pro-
vides the salary for professional
players and subs in addition to
most of the tournament prize
pools.
"The competitive scene is
Riot right now - it is the LCS,"
said Zhang. "But in the case that
Riot was not there, and they
were not funding these tour-
naments, I still think the com-
munity would come up with
something."
Part of that community
has been brought together by
organizations like CSL, which
originally sponsored collegiate
tournaments for "StarCraft"
but has since branched into
"LoL" after taking note of the
game's immediate mass appeal.
"'StarCraft' will always be
the birth place of eSports for
me," Zhang said. "It definitely
did kick off things in Korea,
but now with 'League of Leg-
ends,' we have so many more
people playing. There would
be maybe a few Brood Wards
players before, but now we're
getting hundreds of 'League of
Legends' players at a single col-
lege."
"League of Legend" 's appeal
has largely been a result of its
simplicity - the relative ease
with which new players can
pick up the game and find a
place within the community. Of

course, it doesn't hurt that the
game is free; the only voluntary
expense is the purchase of Riot
Points that allow players to pick
up customized skins for char-
acters and other add-ons that
don't affect overall gameplay.
Nurturing a competitive
scene
"I think 'StarCraft' will have
the same or similar fan base
throughout its lifespan. The
only reason 'League of Leg-
ends' is more popular is simply
because it's an easier game to
pick up," said Sam Li, an LSA
junior and the University's LoL
Club vice president. "It was
built from the ground up to be
an easy game to learn, and yet
the skill floor is pretty low but
the skill ceiling is decently high,
which is why it's such a compet-
itive game."
The palpable difference in
skill level, further highlighted
by the straightforwardness of
the game, allows "LoL" to be
instrumental in nurturing a
competitive scene.
"There's a whole enterprise
around having people watch
the game, and at the same time,
if you're good enough, you now
have the opportunity to play
professionally," Li said.
But at the end of the day,
choosing to have a career in
this industry is still very much
a gamble. Li, for example, is
hesitant to refer to himself as
a professional player, instead
calling his experience playing
"LoL" competitively "semi-pro-
fessional."
"Stay in school," Zhang said.
"An education is irreplaceable.
There are a lot of avenues into
the professional scene now, but
these collegiate leagues exist
specifically to let you pursue
your education and your gam-
ing career."
Georgallidis added that it
depends on whether or not
you're willing to look past the
glamour and fame.
"A lot of the people I know
never really got into the scene
for the money," Georgallidis
said. "It's about getting paid
to do something you love. That
seems like a far-fetched idea at
this point but if you have the
skill to back it up and really
want to make this your career, I
say go for it. Not doing so would
be an opportunity missed."

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e Mediterranean food: interesting than a beef chili
s savory, generously her- and somewhat of a rarity, this
d and spiced, healthy and is definitely worth trying once.
lanced, satisfying, full of The lamb vegetable soup is also
combinations and such a fun and tasty pick, but some-
'med what watery and admittedly not
ure as special.
e And if you're feeling more like
y fare a salad, the fattoush - whose
tedly appeal lies in its simplicity - is
'self my top choice. Made with crisp,
ing. fresh and crunchy romaine,
abso- radicchio and cucumber, good
t, I go NATHAN cuts of bright red tomato and a
ido WOOD verdant, tangy dressing, the per-
born. vasiveness of the flavor/texture
an combination in this salad over-
e-hour drive each way in whelms your taste buds. I have a
our traffic, but the food is hard time passing up this classic
istible and my cravings so whenever dining here.
that it's usually worth it. The appetizer standouts
sometimes my car is cov- include falafel, baba ghanooj and
snow and I don't feel like anything with hommous. The
ng it off, or the roads are falafel have abrightherbal flavor,
I have an exam the next and the minty green color inside
my friends are being lame, reveals the sweet fava beans
or ... and for times like used to craft the deep-fried balls.
here's La Marsa. Crunchy and well-browned on
me,the restaurantis a mere the outside, warm and grainy
ute walk from my col- on the inside, these treats are a
me, just up to where Lib- perfect starter when paired with
reet dead-ends onto State the tahini sauce and accompa-
I often find myself there nying tomatoes and pickles. The
h after myFridaymorning baba ghanooj is unsurprising but
or a relaxing Sunday eve- typically pleasing, and the hom-
nner, but this place is great mous is rock-solid quality. With
ter the occasion. a kick from the garlic, bite from
the lemon and boasting a texture
much smoother than what I'm
est fattoush ever able to achieve when I make
the stuff at home (can you sense
in tow the jealousy?), this is a must-
L. .* order at La Marsa.
The entres are not disap-
pointing,but always fail to exceed
e, the space is narrow but expectations; compared to all of
ith a prominent curving the delicious foods offered before
r/bar ushering you from and alongside them, they're out-
nt of the restaurant back shined. Still, the chicken kafta,
r booth. You are greeted meat schwarma and shish tawook
iendly waitstaff, a couple are a few of my favorites. As a
J waters and a sizeable friendly side note, whenever any-
bound in a thick, black thing at this place offers to be
o. The artwork on the flavored with lemon and oregano
s inspired by the places - this will be clearly indicated
which the dishes on the on the menu - you must accept.
originate and - just like opting for the heightened acid-
d - is lush, colorful and ity, richness and slight bitterness
g. afforded by the additional ingre-
re you know it, a basket dients is a no-brainer.
and a plate of an almost But because I like the appe-
rally colorless paste are tizers so much more than the
ore you. The bread here is actual main courses, if I can con-
any pita I've ever had - vince a friend or two to join me,
d of like a baby-sized pita I often opt for the Vegetarian
The crusty brown exte- Combo, which is basically just a
the bread is easily punc- collection of all of my favorites.
quickly giving way to the For $24.99, you get hommous,
ry wisps of steaming-leav- baba ghanooj, tabbouli (which
ough cradled inside. And is admittedly not as good as the
ping, the bleached-white fattoush, but still easy on the
Lebanese garlic sauce) is taste buds), falafel, grape leaves,
ly pungent, luscious and mjadra, spinach pies and French
ve. Who knew the simple fries. Without fail, I am amazed
ation of raw garlic, fresh by the mass of food every time
uicevegetable oil and salt I order the Combo. It really is
e so delicious? an incredible value and always
you've ordered a din- ensures you get to take a cou-
homemade soup or salad ple of leftovers home, which -
tly follows. The lamb chili unlike Dearborn, and luckily for
ecellent choice among the us - is only a 10-minute walk
with a slightly gamey away.

sweet background notes
mplex seasoning profile.
irty and thick with plenty
ple ground lamb. More

Wood is drivingto
Dearborn. To ride along, e-mail
nisaacw@umich.edu.

MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW
In the video for "Power Trip,"
the first single off of his upcom-
ing sophomore release Born
Sinner, J Cole
hearkens back
to crafting
the power- Power Trip
ful and vivid
stories that
helped make Miguel
himfamous. Roc Nation
In the song,
Cole mentions
"Dreams," a track off of The
Warm Up in which he becomes
increasingly obsessed with a girl
to the point offantasizing about
killing her boyfriend. "Power
Trip," is a continuation of that
final verse. neon-lit strip club. Cunning
The video, which follows The video then tells the story impressively
Cole as he plots the murder over, and Cole plays the part of Trip" is proo
of this woman's boyfriend, is obsessive stalker eerily well. The the exceptie
twisted, dark and somewhat featured guest on the song, R&B he's always i
unexpected from Cole. singer Miguel, is cleverly cast as Sinner is des
The tension is palpable from the boyfriend, and Cole watches expectation
video's start, showing Cole dis- the two of them in their house on it.
tracted and lost in the haze of a from his car. -J

I