More than just a game

Playing computer games isn't just a bit of fun - for some, it's a way of life, and a very serious one at that. As the interest in gaming gathers pace, so does the money and kudos. In the US, where there is a professional league, prizes totalling £200,000 were handed out at the World Cyber Games, while in South Korea, the best players command massive fees for appearing in TV commercials.

It may not yet have reached this level in Britain, but we are in no way immune from the phenomenon. This summer, £25,000 will be on offer to winners of the first ever Games Domain online championship finals. But among the computer cognoscenti, big gaming gatherings have been going on for years.

The most recent took place during the Easter weekend when 1,000 people left their darkened bedrooms and headed to Newbury, Berkshire, for I-10 - the largest multi-player convention ever held in Britain. It was a Lan (Local Area Network) party, where a system set up by organisers linked all the PCs brought by players, who each paid £70 to take part. Ahead lay four days of playing Quake, Medal Of Honour and a host of other titles. Some were there for fun, others vied for cash and computer hardware prizes.

Because of the single-mindedness involved, all unnecessary interruptions were avoided. A local pizza firm enjoyed its busiest weekend of the year by delivering food directly to individual PCs - and the little sleeping that took place was done beneath tables or in corridors surrounding the playing arena. Washing was kept to a minimum.

While many people would sooner have their tongue pierced with a javelin than spend a weekend this way, I-10's organisers, Multiplay, say they are struggling to keep up with an evergrowing demand.

Craig Fletcher, managing director of Multiplay, said: 'It never ceases to amaze me how many people we turn away in the week running up to the start of the event. We are always sold out.'

Expansion is planned and the venue should soon be able to hold 1,500 players. Good news for the likes of the Anti-matter Airheads, an online game-playing clan who meet at Lan gatherings.

Jay 'Wise Washu' Davies, 18, a member of the group, said: 'It's not just about the gaming. There's the social aspect as well and we've all made a lot of friends here this year. When I'm here, I like to play as much as possible. I sleep under my desk and I've had only about ten hours over the four days. I haven't had a shower once.'

With people such as Wise Washu around, professional gaming leagues in the UK may not be too far away. For the players, the future looks bright, even if it might smell a bit.