12 minutes
ELECTRONIC Sports or eSports has been thrust into the spotlight especially since the tabling of Budget 2019, where RM10 million is said to be allocated to develop and promote its growth.
Explained as a paradigm shift in video gaming for those who are green in this area; it is the product of the advancement of information and communication technology. Today, professional competitive gaming involves multiple professional gamers who compete under the watchful eyes of live audiences, while millions of enthusiasts watch online.
The demand for this “sport” has become so intense that it has given rise to many popular tournaments such as League of Legends, Dota 2, Call of Duty and StarCraft II, to name a few. With the surge in popularity is the growing fan base which has been increasing year after year. Newzoo, a global provider of games and eSports analytics estimates some 427 million to be watching some form of eSport through various online streaming media platforms like Panda.tv, YouTube and Twitch.tv. It also anticipates that eSport will generate an economic revenue of close to $1.5 billion by 2020 in terms of sponsorships, advertising, prizes, tournaments, merchandise, ticket sales, etc.
In Malaysia, the Youth and Sports Ministry has plans to establish an eSports arena in Kuala Lumpur (part of the ministry’s plan to capitalise on the country’s potential of becoming an eSports hub). Before this happens, the development of the e-gaming industry, which is the core of eSports, needs to be strengthened.
Hence, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) is stepping up efforts to produce professionals with the technical skills and knowledge to take the e-gaming industry in Malaysia to the next level. It presents a comprehensive range of programmes, which include software engineering, interactive software technology, internet technology, information security, software system development and management mathematics with computing. All these are created to produce the various talents needed in the e-gaming industry, such as game designers, programmers, software engineers, game producers, game testers, and technical leads.
An avid e-gaming fan and TAR UC student who is currently pursuing a Diploma in Internet Technology, Wong Yik Han, shares that the knowledge he receives through his course of study has helped him develop the necessary skills required in the e-gaming industry. He says that as eSport tournaments usually involve multiple players, having a solid network connection is important, or else, it needs to be set up so that players can perform at their best.
“This requires in-depth knowledge in both software and hardware. Quite challenging ... students often make errors in this area. In my Diploma programme, I learn about the framework of computer networks, which truly helps me understand the process of setting up network connections and how to effectively troubleshoot some of the common errors, which may occur,” he informs.
Quite the master in his field of study, Yik Han was Champion of the International Computer Driving License Asia Digital Challenge 2018 in the tertiary category at national level. The competition recognises students with the best ICT skills across Malaysia and Asia. He represented Malaysia at the regionals in Bangkok, Thailand and bagged the bronze.
Ts Andrew Tan Khin Huat, Programme Leader at the Department of Computer Science and Embedded Systems, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology (FOCS) reveals that TAR UC’s ICT programmes in e-gaming are extensive and thorough, and covers wide areas from building a game, right up to management of the game. He cites the Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons) in Interactive Software Technolgy, which equips students with real-time interactive software programming, physics, graphics, AI, audio programming, game mechanics programming, and game design knowledge and skills, and adds: “There is also a programme in information security, which is equally important and related to eSports, as in securing, analysing and performing digital forensics on any of the connected components of games like servers, clients’ and other supporting systems such as online transactions”.
Students with passion for the “sport” can complement their academic learning via TAR UC’s Interactive Gaming Society (IGS). Members will receive opportunities to partake in external competitions, local and international, and collaborate with industry players in organising eSport tournaments at TAR UC. One of many examples is the recent win at the Taiwan Excellence Intercollege Battleground Grand Finale where TAR UC students took home the second place in Dota 2 and third in League of Legends.
Learn more about TAR UC programmes at its Open Day from March 4 – April 14 at its KL main campus or branch campuses in Penang, Perak, Johor, Pahang and Sabah or visit www.tarc.edu.my
