本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Pupil driven to succeed
By ADAM GONSHOR
for Metro Toronto

——————
Parents who have yelled at their children to stop playing video games may second guess themselves after hearing about Kyle Patrick.

Patrick, a York University student whose parents told him that there were better things he could be doing with his time, won a year’s tuition for excelling at the PlayStation game Gran Turismo 4.

“My dad apologized,” says Patrick. “My mom hasn’t yet.”

Finalists representing 12 universities across Ontario and Quebec competed over the weekend at the Drake Hotel in PlayStation’s first Campus Cup.

The tournament pitted competitors against each other in a battle for the fastest lap time playing GT4, an authentic-looking simulated driving game.

Rob Segal, a spokesperson for PlayStation, says the prize was tuition, as opposed to gaming products or cash, to show that university students don’t spend all their time playing video games.

“We want to promote a healthy gaming style,” he says.

Although Patrick was unsure of his chances at the weekend’s big tournament, the second-year information technology student admits he was confident in the preliminary contest held at York.

“It’s one of the few things I’m good at. I haven’t played anyone that’s been able to beat me on a regular basis,” says Patrick, who has been playing the game since the first version was released in 1998.

Last year, the 19-year-old Hamilton native had to take out a loan to help pay his tuition in his freshman year at York.

This summer, he earned enough money to pay for his tuition while working at Stelco, the steel-producing company.

Saving a year’s worth of tuition will allow Patrick to clear up enough funds to replace his nearly broken digital camera. He says he will leave the rest of the money he is saving in the bank.

While Patrick takes pride in being able to demolish anybody who has the guts to challenge him, he didn’t think it could actually lead to his tuition being paid for.

His advice to fellow GT4 gamers: beware of dirty players. “Watch your rear-view mirror because people like to bump people off the track.”
——————

(Note: Kyle Patrick is the winner of PlayStation’s first Campus Cup. The grand prize is a year’s tuition. PlayStation gamer wins a year’s tuition)
source: 2006.01.31 metronews更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net