Sunway Student Battles His Way to Italy
His baby face does not reveal that he is an offensive and defensive combat expert, but Tan Soon Hua has proven his capabilities – in the cyberworld, that is.
After three days of battle at the World Cyber Games (WCG) 2006 Malaysia Finals, winners emerged for the various cyber games. Tan claimed the championship title for StarCraft: Brood War (SC). The coveted prize – to represent Malaysia in the Grand Finals in Monza, Italy come this October.
This was not Tan’s first attempt. The two prior times he competed, he achieved “just second place” as he humbly puts it. Deciding to improve his chances of winning, this time he tried different strategies, which gave him the success he desired. “Just like in our studies, we must train smart, not hard,” he says.
18-year-old Tan is currently pursuing his pre-university education, the Monash University Foundation Year (MUFY) programme, at Sunway University College. The institution also hosted one of the WCG preliminary rounds leading up the National Finals.
Tan’s way of balancing SC practice and studies is to interlace one with the other. “I’ll study for a certain period of time, then I’ll play a few matches for relaxation. Then it’s time to study again!”
Parents of cybergames enthusiasts probably identify with vain efforts at getting their progenies to eat, study, do their homework or practically any other activity that require tearing themselves away from their computers. For those who do not understand the thrill of hunching over the computer for hours on end, Tan explains, “SC is a game of strategy and agility. It requires thinking ability and swift decision-making. Then, the fingers do the talking.”
Of course there are material rewards. For winning this year’s WCG, he received a cash prize of RM1,800, a high-end user PC and the approaching trip to Italy. “Perhaps my parents can now cut my allowance,” he jokes.
Tan looks forward to meeting his gaming friends at Monza whom he developed friendships with online. “This will give me the opportunity to get to know them in person and their culture better. Games are not the only important things to me, you know – people are too.”
“It’s very exciting for me to win this trip to Monza. I’ve never been there before,” he continued to enthuse “I’m extremely happy that I can represent my country in an international competition, and to challenge international gamers of high standards.”
Leave a Response