Gaming into the future
HOUGHTON – E-sport provides a way to compete safely, says Colin Webster, general secretary of Mind Sports South Africa.
E-sport is becoming increasingly popular and, with Covid-19, allows for safe participation and competitive interaction for learners and community members.
Colin Webster, general secretary of Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), has encouraged schools and residents to become involved with the society, which holds gaming events throughout the year.
Webster said he joined Mind Sports SA when he was a student at the University of the Witwatersrand in the 1970s. Today, he is extensively involved with the society and said he had watched it grow and evolve over the years, with the evolution of gaming, especially e-sport gaming.
The society covers gaming events of all descriptions, from backgammon, board and card games to online games/e-sports. He said to be involved in e-sporting, one needed to be open and flexible to accommodate new innovations and technology. “Contrary to what most people think, computer gaming tournaments have been around for quite a while. Our first computer game tournament was in 1998 and was with Warcraft.”
Still, despite the advances in technology, he said the fundamentals of gaming remained the same. The same basic qualities which make for a good competitive game have not changed, and these apply to all games – from board games to card games, and then to online games.
“Mind Sports is all about strategy, focus, fast reaction time and calculated moves,” said Webster.
He added that however varied the games supported by the society were, they all required these qualities from members if they were to be successful in tournaments.
He said Mind Sports South Arica was an official channel for gaming enthusiasts, which allowed them to grow in their chosen sport. This is a route that will take learners and participants towards a positive outcome, as tournaments provide the opportunities to win, among other things, bursaries. “Different clubs compete in regional championships and subsequently national championships and we have entered international tournaments, with many of our South African participants having international opportunities opened to them through their affiliation with MSSA.”
Details: Colin Webster mindsportssa@gmail.com
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