Go and Gamers
Following scenario: A big TV station airs Hikaru no Go in a country. Alot of ppl see it. Alot of ppl want learn the game. They can do it, they play in internet, and meet ppl to play and get taught..
Though, they are still *alone* then. The usual newly born fan wont be found at the usual real life Go club - if there is such a Club at all.
So you gotta find an internet equivalent of a Go club. Something that offers a home. Allows ppl to push each other and to fight together in a team. Just like school tournament in hikaru no go.
Happily, such an equivalent exists already, its called Clans. In Clans, computer gamers organize each other to play computer games against each other. Usually Clans play more than just one game, but 2 or 3 with several teams.
Computer gamers can honor the beauty and depth of Go, because thats why they play games. Especially strategic games like warcraft or starcraft.
In Korea for example we know about the raise of Go. But not much Go players know that in Korea computer gaming is a sport too, with its own *pros*: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3321537.stm
The idea would now to bring together the 2 waves. One wave beeing hikaru no go watched by the ppl, and the other wave would be to engage those ppl into Go teams in the computer gaming scene.
My question would be - since Korea is far ahead both in Go and in Gaming. If Clans that also include Go Teams exist already in Korea. I would wonder if thats not the case, if so, it would be a good way to transport Go into the right places in the west. Where the new Go players are. Every new Go player is also a Gamer often already.
Spreading Go among Gamers, ive seen alot interest. And they can honor the beauty of the game after they played some - because thats why they play computer games too. Go isnt as shiny as polished computer game graphics. But it has depth Gamers seek for.
The idea would be to set up a Go Team Event for Go Teams of Clans. Teams could sign up and play against each other on KGS, just as they do in computer games. Having organized computer gaming leagues for years, i strongly believe this would meet the needs of the new Go fans.
The fans and kids watch hikaru no go, they learn Go, then they want play 3 vs 3 with friends. They wont visit a real Go club, and mostly such a club wont exist in their town. Though they are all computer gamers already.
Is it possible to setup some .org style project that offers such an ongoing competition with some support of the Go scene? A feeling tells me it might work, watching the dedication of gamers who learned GO i believe that it should be tried. It prolly distributes Go at the right place.
Please comment with your ideas or concerns or experiences.