The Counter-Strike Kids

They call themselves Team3D, and their job is playing Counter-Strike. For six to eight hours a day, seven days a week, they hone their skills bagging virtual bad guys online. The goal: to be the No. 1 CS team in the world, and to make so much money they don��t have to work. So far, it��s paying off. The group, aged 19 to 23, have racked up more than $370,000 in winnings in the three years they��ve been playing together.

They have top-of-the-line PCs supplied by sponsors CompUSA, Nvidia, Shuttle, and Asus. They make a monthly stipend, and all their expenses are paid when they travel for tournaments. The team has flown around the country as well as Europe and Asia to compete.

The team members found each other over the Internet. For most of the them, competing with Team3D is now their main focus. Some are in college, but they all seem happy to be playing games and earning serious cash.

Team leader Dave ��Moto�� Geffon, 21, says, ��I took some flak from my parents, but their attitude changed when we got interviewed on CNN and ABC.��

��My parents were skeptical until we started making money,�� adds Ron ��Rambo���� Kim, 19. The other members of the ever-more-intimidating team are Kyle Miller, Sean Morgan, Ognian Gueorguiev, and Johnny Quach.

Top 5 Downloads

Recreation areas on the info freeway

Spotlight on the 2004 Independent Games Festival www.igf.com

1 Dungeon Scroll

www.rtsoft.com/dscroll

Casting ��spells�� in a dungeon romp has never been quite so literal. Damage monsters by spelling words to win treasure in the form of special tiles.

2 Mutant Storm

www.pompom.org.uk

Robotron with cool graphics, great sound effects, and tons of explosions.

3 Oasis

www.mind-control.com

Oasis includes cities, roads, followers, and hordes. Sound like Civ? It��s more a puzzle game that involves a little strategy and a lot of luck; unlike Civ, you can finish a game in minutes.

4 Sea3D

www.s3dconnector.net

Board gamers have enjoyed The Settlers of Catan for years now, and with Sea3D PC gamers can see why it��s such a hit.

5 Sprinky

www.flashbang studios.biz/sprinky

Guide a spring across a variety of levels, and your only enemy is gravity.

Copyright © 2003 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Computer Gaming World.