By CHRISTINA CLARK
Staff Writer
League of Legends (LoL) has been a wildly popular game, quickly growing in popularity in the past few years. It is known as a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)-type game. For those unfamiliar with LoL, it is free to download and play online without a limit cap for free play.
Its success has spawned a club right here at IU South Bend, and they’ll have their first meeting on March 20.
The game is played in teams of three or five against “bots” (computer players) or other players. Players choose a “champion” character, which comes with set attacks and moves, strengths and weaknesses that the player must use skillfully to work with their team to beat the opposing team members and destroy their “nexus.” The only time a player must pay in this game is if they want a humorous or cool “skin” for their champion.
This is boiling it down quite a bit, as gameplay is complex, quick and requires strategy.
Student Chance Starcher has spearheaded the effort to bring League of Legends to IUSB. Having played LoL since the fall of 2009, he has grown to love the game more and more. As a self-professed “huge gamer” who has worked at GameStop for the last two and half years, LoL has a special place with him.
So when Riot Games (the company that owns and produces LoL) announced a collegiate program in February, “I decided it was the right time to start the program,” Starcher said.
Preface Photo/Christina Clark
“Within eight days IUSB approved LoL at IUSB as a recognized club on campus. Two weeks after that Riot Games approved us as a collegiate chapter. I am excited it happened so quickly.”
According to Starcher, there has been interest in a League of Legends club in his own social network, “but I have stopped a few people with Gaming Stickers or Gaming Laptops and asked if they play League. I am looking for anyone who has any potential interest.”
He plans to make a presence on the campus to help garner membership for the club.
“I want people from various levels playing League,” Starcher said, noting that both first timers and veterans of the game are welcome to join the club. “There will be breakout sessions at every meeting where you can learn individual skills, like “last hitting” and “warding,” but also going on will be a competitive team that will face other schools in this program.”
The first two meetings will be spent exchanging information, socializing and playing LoL.
According to Starcher, the goal is to have an official monthly meeting, then small local area network parties and practice sessions. There will also be breakout sessions based on skill level. There will also be people at the meetings to help struggling players become better, and to challenge those “who want to become better in the ranked games.”
The game has been so popular worldwide, that Starcher believes it “safe to assume that 500 students on campus play League of Legends. I want any and all of the students who play or are thinking about playing, to come out and have a good time with other gamers that are as passionate about gaming as they are.”
The first meeting is set for 5-6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, in the Administrative Building upstairs in room 220A. The next meeting will be from 5-7 p.m. on March 27 in Fireside A of the University Grill. The meetings are projected to continue on Wednesdays.
Interested members are encouraged to bring a wireless laptop if they have one with the League Client installed. The client can be found at http://www.leagueoflegends.com.
