First Student Cyber Fights at ASU
21.05.2014
In spring 2014, the first contest in cybernetic sports has been held at Astrakhan State University.
The idea to hold an online contest in popular games “Dota 2” and “Counter Strike” was suggested by Dr. Denis Zholobov, Dean of ASU’s Department of Math & IT, and by his students. It was backed by ASU’s management and proved to be successful: practically all the Departments of ASU have taken part in the contest. Most participants were male, but some girls have also wished to take part in the cyber fights.
The contest has been held at the main building of ASU for five Sundays, 6-8 hours each time. The ICT staff of ASU has been providing technical support, while the organizing committee has taken care of tasty pies and drinks for the young “fighters”.
The winners have been determined with the Double Elimination system (dropping from the game after two defeats): a contest scheme was made up - it was filled in after each tour. Step by step, the organizing committee determined teams to participate in the quarter final, in the semi-final, and in the very final.
The organizing committee thinks the main problem that some participants faced was absence of teamwork skills. “Many gamers saw their peers for the first time, so they didn’t develop tactics of their joint fights”, Dr. Zholobov says. “Some of them came just to have a good time and didn’t treat the contest as a kind of sports - I think it was impossible to win without that”.
Besides the high level of the game, many participants have demonstrated their carefulness: they brought their own computer accessories from home - keyboards, headsets, mice - they either were afraid that unknown hardware might break down at the most responsible moment, or regarded such items as talismans.
At last, after several tours, it became clear who has won: it was the team “NB” (the Department of Math & IT); the 2nd place was taken by “Silver Age Writers” (the Department of Business & Economy); the 3rd place - by “United Russia” (the Department of Social Communications”. As for “Counter Strike”, the game was won by “RT|mix” (the Department of Physics & Technology); the 2nd place was granted to “International Pro” (the Department of Mathematics & Information Technologies); the 3rd place - to “Power” (the Department of Business & Economy). The best of the best have been awarded with certificates and thematic ceramic souvenirs manufactured by ASU’s Center of Creative Industries - medals and figures of game characters.
After assessing the success of the contest that has gathered about 100 students, ASU’s management has suggested that the Department of Mathematics & Information Technologies held such contests twice a year; its participants have wished the same. As for now, the organizing committee is planning to hold the next contest in spring 2015, including some other games in it. There is an idea to arrange an inter-university contest, but some problems arise in this case. “At first, it’s necessary to agree with other universities to arrange a contest there. But, as far as I know, not all the universities of Astrakhan have the right technical base, in particular, several computer classrooms. That might be a serious obstacle”, the organizers say.
The Department of Math & IT congratulates the winners and wishes them to be as persistent in their studies as they have demonstrated in their game. “Play learning, learn playing!” - this is the wish of the organizing committee.
Russian original information source: T.Yu. Gavrilkina (the Innovative Laboratory of Information Linguistics of ASU)
Russian original photo source: T.I. Vasilyeva, E.V. Fedyulina (the TV Media Center of ASU), and Yu.S. Garanov (the Unit of Internet Technologies of ASU)
