Nothing can substitute for the real thing, guys.
Airsoft and paintball games are a pretty good real life FPS equivalent and more importantly it forces you to get physically fit as opposed to sitting on your bum clicking.
I recommend watching some actual airsoft and paintball games on YouTube. They're about as close to the real thing that you'll get.
Now- I don't disagree that going outside is more desirable to me than this. Through the lens of playing a video game, cheating sucks. People that cheat suck and sour the experience for others. If it makes him happy to ruin these people's game like they've ruined his-- I'm good with it. If he's doing this to make his own experience more enjoyable-- I'm good with it. Either way, this was an interesting article. It was well written, and it gave me a window into something I will probably never choose to enjoy.
Either work to improve your own stats and accept that people will cheat.
Or pick up your ball and go play elsewhere - in this case a real life outdoor activity where cheating isn't as easy as hooking a motor inside.
This is coming from someone who logs 200 miles outdoors in the summer.
We all have our own weird obsessions that don't necessarily make sense, but they don't have to.
Either pick up your ball and play elsewhere or accept the imperfections and work around them.
Is "Accept the imperfections and work around them" how you approach all of your hobbies? Are you not invested in any of them? Since wanting to improve things is a pretty normal aspect of being invested in anything, especially a hobby.
This is what competition is like. It has nothing to do with "virtual" vs "real" sports, and everything to do with human nature.
Lance got caught and his professional image ruined but he was a professional.
If you're willing to inject mystery chemistry into yourself to win a amateur bike racing torneys then that's on you.
HN posters need to take the L and learn to just be your own competition instead of forcing your world view on others.
This just borderlines on excessive. Do the real thing.