Michael Stein and his team of anti-terrorists have just killed five people, and no one is surprised.
Stein's team infiltrated a base, defused a bomb and defeated the enemy without ever leaving their dorm rooms.
Internet games such as Counter-Strike, a first-person shooting game, have become an underground culture here at Ohio University. Stein, an OU sophomore, and his group of friends stage scrims - or scrimmages - in their dorm rooms almost every night after classes. By logging onto different Internet servers, they can test their skills and strategies against anyone in the United States.
Counter-Strike is basically like any team sport
said Stein, It's not just for fun but for competition too.
It is not unheard of for 70-80 people to participate in local area network - or LAN - parties, where players can connect to a single network and blast the night away.
Prizes at LAN parties range anywhere from computer parts to cash. At the national competition for Counter-Strike in Texas the grand prize was $100,000, Stein said. A previous winner has his own mouse pad licensed to himself. Stein has it on his desk as he plays: It reads, Destrukt.
Internet gaming isn't an addiction; it's a lifestyle. Stein said. He logs at least five hours a day playing Counter-Strike. For most people who play, Internet gaming becomes an addiction. My girlfriend hates the game so much Stein said. He acknowledges the game can be a distraction from his studies too. If I am in the room and I know (Counter-Strike) is on the computer
I'm going to play it
he said.
Others became addicted last school year as well. Stein and Dave Royer, a fellow team member, tried to start a computer gaming club at OU. A group of about 30 students were interested but because of a lack of teacher sponsorship, it never became official.
Matt Poole, resident assistant for Weld House, held a Halo tournament before winter break as a floor activity. A $10 admission charge paid for pizza, pop and prizes. Like Counter-Strike, Halo can be played online, but this tournament was played using the Xbox game console.
Poole noticed a large interest in Halo in his dorm and decided to host the tournament. A fair amount of people play on the OU online network - around 20-30
Poole said. About 30 students participated in the tournament.
Poole said that there are no plans to make this a regular event, but Stein still is looking for anyone who is interested in starting a Counter-Strike club, as well as a sponsor. Students who are interested can contact Stein at ms775102@ohio.edu. For those who already play Counter-Strike, OU's channel is #|OU|.
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