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How I leveled up IRL through video games

RiotRiot Silog·2/5/2015, 8:01:41 PM·30 votes·18,890 views

If you haven't already seen it, Riot Neon posted this video segment on a neat guy named Brian "Chef Lu Bu" Smawley, whose love of video games helped him discover a new passion for cooking. It's called Chef Lu Bu: Professional Feeder, and you can watch it right above.

I'll admit my item 3070 stacked a few times while watching this, because I can relate -- this is a story about someone who was a bit aimless, but found that his love for nerdy stuff helped him cultivate other interests and passions into a truly badass job.

I was that person, too. Throughout most of my young adult life I could be fairly described as "smart, but lazy." It wasn't until I seriously dug into competitive video games (in my case, it was fighting games -- shoutouts to Capcom vs. SNK 2) that I discovered being "smart" didn't mean anything if I wasn't willing to work hard to win games, and that mentality translated over to real-life school, work, etc. Also, I found out that I liked to write, and started writing about video games. Without video games, I never would have started writing, picked up other hobbies like martial arts, or met my best friends.

I think that great video games become a part of you, just like great books and movies do; they can help us explore new interests, find new activities, and introduce us to awesome new people. So, I'm curious -- what have video games given you? Have you explored a new skill or hobby, or found a goal to work for? How have games changed your life?

48 Comments

OH NO ITS LU BU2/5/2015, 8:12:12 PM35 votes

:3 u guise

RiotJackll2/5/2015, 8:30:42 PM10 votes

I didn't have much of a plan when I finished high school and went to college. I was kind of going because it's "what you do after high school," you know?

I'd always been into games as a player, but somewhere along the line I started thinking about them more critically and got interested in both the artistic and business aspects of the industry. This led me to really evaluate what I was going to to school for and what I wanted to get out of it, because I realized I wanted to be in a position to share my passion for games with the rest of the world. That's why I'm so happy to have gotten into the marketing end of games, because in a lot of ways my job is literally to share with players how excited I am about a game/feature/piece of content.

Without getting seriously into games and the business behind them, who knows, I may have ended selling toilet paper at an ad agency or something. I'm grateful that I get to work on something that personally speaks to me and is an important part of my life outside of work as well. Thanks, video games!

(Also, Lubu is the dopest, and I'm going to find my way to Atlanta soon!)

lDontLiftIcarry2/5/2015, 8:26:54 PM9 votes

Ha. Tons of Flavor.

iAte Your Muffin2/5/2015, 8:28:53 PM7 votes

All my life I never truly understood what the point of video games were. I was 14, the video game industry evolving around me all the more. All I cared about was keeping up with my grades, getting into an Ivy League school, doing everything in my power to become the best in my school. And I did. I was one of the best. It was all good and what-not until I discovered the beauty that is League of Legenfs. I love it. I never realized what I was missing until I started playing it when I was 16 about to turn 17. My friend was the one who kept insisting—begging that I join this 'awesome, new game' that everyone is going nuts about. I didn't understand it at all in the beginning. Everything was just so complicated. But then I did understand it. League became a big part of my life. I finally understood what it was like to focus on something other than your grades. I finally understood that, even though I was one of the best at my school, I wasn't really having fun or enjoying myself with it because all I was was plain seriousness. League taught me to have more fun and enjoy myself; that it's okay to let go of your regular habits and be carefree for just a few hours. I love league of legends and I love my friend, Jason, even more for introducing me into a wonderful community. Thanks for everything and teaching me that life is not all about getting into the best school there is. :)

SecretAgentHulk2/5/2015, 8:40:00 PM6 votes

I'm fairly certain I want to be a writer, and I have the rich worlds created in video games to thank for sparking an imagination I didn't believe existed.

ModCaptainMårvelous2/5/2015, 8:30:23 PM5 votes

It's kind of ironic that you mention writing because (while I had written before), video games were my first foray into serious writing. As of late, I've actually been working on content for GDC (Game Developers Conference) as well as writing some long, serious League-based fiction. I'd probably still be bashing my head against a wall with a major I hated if I hadn't sat down one day and realized I wanted to breath life into a setting with text as opposed to, well, anything else.

IskatuMesk2/5/2015, 9:36:52 PM5 votes

[{quoted}](name=Riot Silog,realm=NA,application-id=cIfEodbz,discussion-id=Ks9Rh9g0,comment-id=,timestamp=2015-02-05T20:01:41.751+0000) So, I'm curious -- what have video games given you? Have you explored a new skill or hobby, or found a goal to work for? How have games changed your life?

I started dreaming of creating my own custom content for games back on the N64 with Battle Tanx and Perfect Dark. When I was first introduced to computers, it was at the same time Starcraft had just released. By 1999, I had been introduced to custom mapping, and by 2000, I was building my own Total Conversions with Stardraft.

Previous to that point I had made radioshow-like productions in my youth using tapedeck. I quickly digitalized my voice, and from there on, I never produced a total conversion without voice acting. I was also a writer, and had invested all of my school hours and free time into building worlds of my own imagination instead of working on other people's ideas.

I dropped out of school at grade 11 to pursue my dreams of writing and custom content. I continued to make total conversions for Brood War all the way until 2009, where I produced my last project, Armageddon Onslaught. It also happens I was also a part of a community Phreak was a part of in my past, but almost everyone except for him has long disappeared.

While most people involved with Starcraft modding quit early in 2001-2003, I continued to try to push past my learning disabilities and try to learn music composition and 3d modeling. I never became good at anything I did except for writing, voice acting, and sound engineering, but to be frank, those are pretty useless skills when you want to build something from your head. I pursued modding in many other games, including Diablo 2, Warcraft 3, Homeworld 2, Supreme Commander, Neverwinter Nights, Sins of a Solar Empire... well, the list goes on. Each game taught me a little something. In Sins I learned how to create extremely high quality particle effects in an extremely limited environment, and how to optimize those particle effects using animated textures created with things like FumeFX. In my Audiobook, I learned how to voice act a narrative as opposed to unit dialogue.

Ultimately I came to accept that even though I struggled to improve my skills past the basics, I had found my purpose as a person in pursuing my dreams, and visualizing my dreams through projects I created through games. I'm a private person, and don't enjoy releasing my work to the public, so much of what I have done or tried to do has been very secretive. I don't really mod anymore, I'm working on an Unreal 4 game, or at least, I'm hoping to one day be able to.

Games gave me a chance to live the life I wanted to live, however long or short it may be, and however difficult that path may be. Make no mistake, it has been impossibly hard to endure all these years fighting for something that forever feels beyond my reach. But I will keep trying until the day I die.

Baka S0raka2/5/2015, 8:23:30 PM5 votes

This hits close to home. I'm preparing to get to my AA in culinary arts, and I've always dreamed of having my own gaming themed restaurant. Though I think I'd be better off in the kitchen than managing a business. My biggest fear has always been the stress of being a chef in a busy and fast paced environment, but I love it so damn much it'd be worth it!

Can he make me some Bristle pork chops? :3

Luna Loves Lulu2/5/2015, 8:10:01 PM5 votes

Now if only I could find a job. item 3151

DevilishMetal2/5/2015, 11:57:08 PM3 votes

WHERE THE HECK IS THIS PLACE. I WILL GET FED IMMEDIATELY.

Edit: It's in Georgia.

Blue Moon Wolf2/5/2015, 8:28:27 PM3 votes

Im a lvl 7 security guard with low charisma stats... that's what I get for using all my experience points on endurance :[

Risk of Fate2/5/2015, 8:25:36 PM3 votes

Open one in Chicago, srs we need one.

Borbland2/5/2015, 9:21:40 PM3 votes

LoL made me starting thinking alot.

I always liked to plan strategies for things, but when I played LoL, I started thinking alot more.

At first about picking, item build LoL strategies ofc, but later on on political subjects, and, as biology student, science stuff and so on. And video games really boost your imagination, I'd like sometimes imagining myself in a game and what I would do.

Drunk Rummate2/19/2015, 8:55:36 PM2 votes

Legend of Zelda inspired me to learn the violin and guitar. I've been able to play for my church and friends in the past, and I played at my brothers wedding.

I would probably have given up if not for video games keeping my interest in the difficult learning stages. Video games essentially helped me discover my passion for music.

Budupops2/5/2015, 10:19:22 PM2 votes

League of legends has given me more stress and lower grades plus empty wallet :(

Spot The Mott2/5/2015, 10:46:11 PM2 votes

Well they have distracted me and made me put less effort in school but the bronze badge is worth all of that.

Mizani2/5/2015, 11:18:26 PM1 votes

Loved the story, I went through culinary school myself and I never knew they had such cool places tying in food and gaming. I've been gaming since I was a kid and my older cousin gave my siblings and I a computer and Dangerous Dave on a floppy disc. Games for me have always been my way to kick back and chill, while other people spent their time partying I spent mine socializing through various computer games and mmos. Over the years I got an autoimmune disease and couldn't do a lot of normal activities that I used to be able to do and sometimes it's hard to block out the pain. But that's what games give me, a way to focus on something else other then the pain which for me, is becoming a better league player and mastering the roles that I like to play. When I focus on that, I feel happier and I'm pleased with my accomplishments and how far I've come. I've also learned that just like in League, in life, you might not be the best at everything, but if you put genuine hard work and effort into it you can get past the feeding stage :p and make something of yourself and eventually get better and past the "I suck" stage. Eventually one day, I hope to have a career where I can incorporate games because of how much they've helped me to focus and find a bit of peace. Maybe in writing or animation, which I know is hard to learn, but I know I could work through it.

unban swifty2/6/2015, 1:37:47 AM1 votes

They've given me something to strive for. I've always absolutely adored video games of all platforms and styles and I've always had my own ideas for what should change, what should be added, what I would add if given the chance.. and it's so exciting to me.

If any rioter is reading this, my goal isn't to be a pro LoL player. I don't want to hit the LCS scene. (I'm way to nervous for that!)

I want to be working with the FANTASTIC minds behind this superb game! I want to be a part of the journey of LoL's future! My life goal right now is to work and practice my art and other skills so that I may find myself working for Riot and help work on my favorite game!

Edit: to add some backstory, I've been out of highschool for a year now and I had no idea what to do for a long time. I was graduating highschool with no plan for the future or any ideas for the future. I played LoL casually for a little bit during my senior year but as soon as I graduated I took time off school and really enjoyed myself! I played a ton of LoL and realized THIS is the kind of stuff I want to work on! I want to be a part of something great so I can know that MILLIONS of people might be enjoying something I contributed to. :D

Hernani2/6/2015, 1:48:56 AM1 votes

Throughout my life, I've experienced different things and situations that have changed me over the 18 years I have been alive for. It started with numerous problems at home at a young age. Not knowing how to deal with these things, I didn't know how to release all the pent-up-emotions i had and would get into a lot of trouble at school for really bad behavior.

My first experience I had with video games was when I went home and found my father's old Nintendo 64 with Super Smash Bro's still in it. I figured out how to plug it in and turn it on and began playing my first video game. 12 years later, I can proudly say that video games have influenced my life forever; but most importantly I am proud to say that video games gave me an outlet to forget the things i dealt with at home and at school. Because of video games, I was able to relate to people and start making friends. Things at home and at school died eventually, but i still was never able to put the controller down.

Another experience I had with video games was when I changed schools junior year. I was walking around alone when I ran into one of my classmates who started a conversation with me about a game called "League of Legends." He told me to try it out and I went home and did so. I started to play with him and his friend group, and eventually we became really good friends. I'm thankful for League for giving me that opportunity to make those friends.

To this day, I still get stressed out over school and work. Like most teenagers my age, I'm dealing with the middle class problems of going to college and working. I find it amusing how video games can still give me a break from my stress I deal with and give me opportunities to have fun with my friends. As cheesy as it may sound, I know that video games have changed my life, and that they will continue to change it.

Long live video games, and long live League of Legends

Rahzel2/6/2015, 2:34:38 AM1 votes

I'm still in college and I hope that someday I will find a way to get a job dealing with my passion for video games!

Also, I'm definitely going to visit the Battle and Brew if it's open during my trip March 27th to the 29th!

EMOFRATPARTY2/6/2015, 2:38:56 AM1 votes

Games have been both a blessing and a curse.

I've played since I was young, remembering the fond days of Mario and the SNES while trying to ignore our barren neighborhood in Phoenix. The creative outlet of games encouraged me to draw, and towards the end of my days in high school I studied 3D animation. I ended up working on a student project that was pitched to Rockstar, and when that fell through I lost a lot of interest that I had for game development. (You'd be amazed how business can ruin creative passions.)

After two years of attending Arizona State living a life not too far off from the one depicted in "Blue Mountain State," I decided it was time for a drastic change. Two years later, games had roped me into a game design degree, some experience at a small studio, and the development of a game conference, not to mention the myriad of friends and business partners I have met over the years. I even went through recruitment at Riot for...well, a long time...last year and am incredibly grateful for that experience.

Now, I run a small publisher that was recently accepted into an entrepreneurship accelerator. I have games to thank for that.

However, games have also opened my eyes to the murkier side of the industry. As you climb the business hierarchy of games, the darker side of things ebb and flow much more openly. It's much easier to see how success is made, and unfortunately there just aren't a ton of good people at the top. Obviously there are exceptions, but money is a dangerous game -- you either understand and roll with it or you are left behind. About 90% of the industry struggles to be a part of it on a daily basis, largely due to the rise of independent development.

Additionally, games themselves have started to take a toll on me. I've been using them as an escape for personal struggles, League included, and while that is OK to some degree it is awful to see how integral to my life they have become. I've had to all but swear games off completely in an effort to re-discover myself and decide whether or not I want to be involved in this industry for years to come.

So like I said, they have been both a blessing and a curse. The transition period I'm going through now should determine which side of the coin I ultimately fall on, but no matter what happens I'm sincerely grateful that I am where I am...and I wouldn't be here without the world of games.

Oh, I also have a sweet Vault Boy tattoo.

Squiddy Carry2/6/2015, 11:56:16 AM1 votes

I watched this while I was hungry ._.

Eleshakai2/19/2015, 3:35:39 AM1 votes

My passions in this life are video games, anime, and fantasy literature - in that order.

These three things are responsible for everything good I have in my life just about.

I met my wife online through a forum dedicated to an author, but it was over Diablo 2 and later World of Warcraft that we bonded and after a short courtship all those years ago got married.

Together we work on my website Shadowed Blade which combines both gaming and anime together into one relatively cohesive package. She does the web design, I do the writing... and it combines to create a passion project that, while it's not a money maker, is a work of love that takes many hours of our lives - together and otherwise. Recently, gaming and anime have given me a another hobby to be passionate about: photography. You see, attending conventions showed me how fun it can be to take pictures of all the amazing cosplay people make, and through that I've learned that it can be fun to take other types of pictures as well, such as the wildlife and scenery photos I took during my trip to Vancouver.

But beyond just hobbies, most of my closest friends have been found through gaming. My brother and I, who spent most of our first 20 years(well his fifth through twenty-fifth and my first 20) at each others throats, found friendship through our shared interest in World of Warcraft, LoL, and other games. Additionally, in my StarCraft and Diablo 2 days I met one of the nicest groups of people I've ever known, a group of friends connected by their love of gaming and of Tolkien's works. During World of Warcraft, through some of the guilds I was in, I made long-time friends who I have kept with me even as I've stopped being an active member of the World of Warcraft community. And, that brings me finally to League of Legends, where I've made countless friends, some of which short lived, others that have persisted... some out of nice individuals, others out of folks labeled as toxic who just needed to recognize how they were acting...

But moving on from League of Legends, as I have made the decision to stop playing(but still be active on the forums and watch the LCS), I have started to stream on twitch. This has led to me making some awesome friends and getting to share some incredible experiences... and I hope that this will be able to continue for a long time to come as I've enjoyed the lot of it.

So ya, my passions - gaming, fantasy and anime - have given me everything I hold dear in life. My wife, my friends, my website, and now my stream. And these are all things I wouldn't trade for anything.

kanetsu2/19/2015, 5:11:29 AM1 votes

I remember playing World of Warcraft for the longest time, and one of the most time consuming things in that game was leveling up professions. so, one day, while leveling up blacksmithing I asked myself "How hard would it be to actually do that?" and before I knew it I was standing there, tongs in one hand, and hammer in the other, before a roaring fire. I found my favorite hobby, and my main source of stress relief in Blacksmithing, and I never would have found this hobby and art form if it weren't for games like these introducing me to concepts I never would have given a thought to otherwise. Thanks for making games, and to the players for supporting them. games are just like a growing story, and it is one that you interact with. I see many times how players and the makers of the games shape the game, but it is nice to see the game shape the player for the better too.

with hope someone here joins me in making a item 1038 , Tanner from Minnesota

Scuttler Slayer2/5/2015, 10:20:17 PM1 votes

Hanna Botts. Too perfect.

This vid made me smile; glad your parents are supportive of your endeavors.