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Thursday, August 9, 2012
01:05 PM - August 9, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
The first fight between these two skilled lightweights was very close, with the Edgar camp believing they had done enough to win. Certainly, Edgar was game and had lots of strong moments, but the perceived damage of that upkick from Henderson (and the actual damage, too) definitely swayed the tide of the fight. Henderson was also never really damaged or rocked by what Edgar had to offer, and he moved in and out with effective striking. He landed roughly 20 more significant strikes than Edgar, with that upkick being the punctuation mark. Edgar does have a beef since he had five takedowns to just one for Henderson, but fighters have lost in the past when they've had an even bigger takedown advantage than that. With that setup, it seemed right to look into the crystal ball and simulate the upcoming rematch.
I set the CPUs to do battle in UFC Undisputed 3. I ran the fight at expert difficulty (because I felt the very top level might produce too many transitions), and I also enabled “simulation” settings for a proper stamina representation. The arena was set for the Mandalay Bay Events Centre (the actual venue), and I gave the referee assignment to Mario Yamasaki.
Here's the play-by-play of the fight...
Read More - Sim Fight: Henderson vs. Edgar II
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
12:44 PM - August 8, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Moment: “What doesn't kill you....”
Where/When: Nagano '98 (Nintendo 64)
Event: All of them
Ever play a game way too much just to master it's strange and mysterious controls and idiosyncrasies, even if the game itself is mediocre at best? Honestly, most videogames based on the Olympics probably fall in this category, but Nagano '98 drove me and my friend Nick to master all of the events in this game, even if it meant us combining our abilities into one “super run” through the events.
A good deal of the sports required some level of rhythm or tempo timing, and others were more focused around rote memorization. The half-pipe snowboarding was particularly ridiculous, as you had to memorize increasingly complex sequences of button presses and stick spins (like a really long Street Fighter move) and hit them in quick succession. The window to get them got narrower as you went along, and hitting them all was required to hit the podium. Just the same, flying down the ski slalom required perfect memorization of the hills and measurement of your speed, as only the lowest attainable times (in that virtual event) would get you a medal.
The things we do for a meaningless high score. Alas, another “great” Olympic moment was born.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
03:46 PM - August 7, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Moment: “Let's All Go to the Velodrome”
Where/When: London 2012 (Xbox 360)
Event: Keirin
One of the more amazing — and enlightening — aspects of current gaming is the ability play online against competitors from all over the world. Things can get even more ridiculous when you factor in a game like London 2012 that has clearly had reasonable success in international markets, if it's online player population is to be believed.
Take one race I had in the velodrome while playing online. The race itself was a tense affair, with some back-and-forth action and constant jockeying for position. I thought I had blown out all my stamina on the home stretch, but I was actually able to get one last burst and take the gold by a split second. The gold medal itself was satisfying, but the absurdity came from my opponents: a fast-talking Philadelphia resident who had an unhealthy love for the Olympics; a laid-back Birmingham, England, fellow who actually flew a Spanish flag (he said that's where he'd rather live); someone from France who kept on asking me the price of “Le chronic” in my neck of the woods (I live in British Columbia, Canada); and a couple of dudes flying the Jamaican flag and rocking absurdly loud music over the mic.
Indeed, it's good to play together.
Monday, August 6, 2012
04:25 PM - August 6, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
As I brought up in my review of London 2012, many Olympic-themed video games over the years have struggled to really be anything more than novelty products. The time crunch that the development team is under to churn out a game with so many events is usually evident, and said team developing the game is usually not carrying much of a pedigree. London 2012 showed some flashes of something different, with very good online play, effective (but simple) presentation, and a few events that were actually fun to play. Still, it mostly played it safe and did very little to break the mold of official Olympic titles.
It is really unfortunate that this is the reality for Olympic video games, as I think most people either really like the Olympics or at least respect it as an area of sports that you get to peek at once every four years. For the most part, you have athletes that are there for the right reasons, and they clearly pour a ton of effort into the events, even though they might seem obscure or quaint by outside observers. So why can't we have a game that really explores the depth of some of these events and the athletes who compete in them? I propose the following five areas where Olympic video games have been lacking — and that also serve as a road map for how they can excel.
Read More - How to make a Successful Olympic Video Game
It is really unfortunate that this is the reality for Olympic video games, as I think most people either really like the Olympics or at least respect it as an area of sports that you get to peek at once every four years. For the most part, you have athletes that are there for the right reasons, and they clearly pour a ton of effort into the events, even though they might seem obscure or quaint by outside observers. So why can't we have a game that really explores the depth of some of these events and the athletes who compete in them? I propose the following five areas where Olympic video games have been lacking — and that also serve as a road map for how they can excel.
Read More - How to make a Successful Olympic Video Game
02:41 PM - August 6, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Moment: “Nordic Hijinks”
Where/When: Lillehammer '94 (Sega Genesis)
Event: Four-man Bobsleigh, Short-track Speedskating, Ski Jumping
Some of the best moments in Olympic videogames come from making up your own fun during the events. I'm all for excelling at sports games — and I, strangely, like the warped challenge of absurd button mashing required for Olympic videogames — but in the past button mashing just got so obtuse that you sometimes had to play by your own rules to create enjoyment.
For Lillehammer '94 on the Sega Genesis, my friend Nick and I tried to honor the Olympic spirit by blasting around corners on the bobsleigh run and having spectacular crashes by riding too high up the wall. There was an art to how high you could go up the wall and keep the vehicle going, but occasionally you could even go all the way up really quickly and still complete the run. This was a mandatory risk for us. Just the same, we tried to achieve the longest distance in the ski jump while also spectacularly crashing, and we also tried for quickest takeout and number of takeouts in the short-track speedskating — a personal favorite. If only we could've had an event for botching the torch-lighting ceremony....
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
10:47 AM - July 24, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
With the UFC license transferring over to EA in the near future, there's a bit of a window for another mixed martial arts product to fill the gap. UFC Undisputed 3 is still going strong in its own way, but I'd say the genre could still use some more competition, iteration and innovation. Sadly, Bellator MMA Onslaught does not offer much in the way of competition. Frankly, it doesn't engender much good will at all, as the product just falls down in pretty much every area. It sets its goals much lower, as it is a downloadable product with an arcade style, but it still fails to carve out a niche for itself.
Read More - Bellator: MMA Onslaught Review (360/PS3)
Friday, July 6, 2012
12:13 PM - July 6, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
It's one of the most elusive concepts in sports videogames — an Olympic Games product that is actually worth caring about. I've actually had some guilty pleasure Olympic titles in the past that have provided some fun — Nagano '98 on the Nintendo 64 and Lillehammer '94 on the Genesis and SNES — but these games just usually lack the depth and polish of sports games that focus on one specific discipline.
The potential appeal of an Olympic Games title is that it offers tons of events to compete in, but often this spreads the development so thin that all of the events end up suffering in their design or control scheme. I won't claim that London 2012 bucks this trend entirely, as it clearly lacks certain events and is presented in a fairly basic way, but there is actually some decent value, thanks to some smart controls and well-implemented online play.
Read More - London 2012 Review (360)
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
11:44 AM - July 3, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
One of the most anticipated rematches for the UFC is just around the corner, as Chael Sonnen will try and dethrone Anderson Silva after having fallen just short in their first encounter. One has to wonder if Chael Sonnen didn't benefit from not only a minor injury to Anderson Silva in the first fight, but also just the sheer surprise factor of actually throwing strikes at the champ and moving forward. Either way, Sonnen continues to be the mouthpiece for the fight, hyping it beyond a level that it maybe even deserves. I've always thought Sonnen just kind of goes for quantity of verbal barbs rather than quality, but at least he makes people care about these fights.
It seemed appropriate to run a simulation of this fight, so I set the CPUs to do battle in UFC Undisputed 3. I ran the fight at expert difficulty (because I felt the very top level might produce too many transitions), and I also enabled “simulation” settings for a proper stamina representation. I gave the referee assignment to Josh Rosenthal since he had the assignment during the first tilt.
Here's the play-by-play of the fight...
Read More - UFC Simulated Title Fight: Sonnen vs. Silva II
It seemed appropriate to run a simulation of this fight, so I set the CPUs to do battle in UFC Undisputed 3. I ran the fight at expert difficulty (because I felt the very top level might produce too many transitions), and I also enabled “simulation” settings for a proper stamina representation. I gave the referee assignment to Josh Rosenthal since he had the assignment during the first tilt.
Here's the play-by-play of the fight...
Read More - UFC Simulated Title Fight: Sonnen vs. Silva II
Saturday, June 30, 2012
12:07 PM - June 30, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
The cardinal sin many players commit, even when they're good at the game, is playing too fast. It's easy when playing in a tournament to just hammer away on the ball and keep churning out shots, but you want to make sure that there is some thought behind what you're doing, especially on Tournament difficulty where one mistake can send everything awry.
Be sure to use your caddie advice on difficult approaches and putts, as a lack of putt previews and after-touch can really affect certain players' ability to post low scores. Also, don't be afraid to try some practice swings while chipping or putting just so that you can see how much power you might get on a shot.
Another mistake that can happen, especially if you're talking to people while playing in a tournament, is that you might forget to adjust the right stick before a shot, affecting where the club strikes the ball. This can be devastating for shots from the rough or sand, and it almost always results in a driven shot that will sail the green.
What do you do to ensure you play at a controlled pace?
Friday, June 29, 2012
02:17 PM - June 29, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Pay attention to the feedback that you're given on the swing meter after you swing, as it can tell you a lot about what you're doing right and wrong. Some people find that a more measured swing brings results, whereas others feel that a slow tempo with increased power means a few extra yards that can come in handy. Honestly, extra yardage does often help, but there are certain holes where having a controlled shot might prevent a ball from skipping into the first cut.
Also, look for wacky curves in your swing trajectory in the swing meter. It will help you see if you're going all wonky on the back swing, which might be affecting the quality of your shots, especially at higher difficulties. You can get away with a bit of a wonky swing while putting, but be sure to find your cadence with a few practice swings, especially when you don't have the visual cues of the meter on Tournament difficulty.
How is your swing in Tiger 13?
Thursday, June 28, 2012
02:52 PM - June 28, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
If you're using a created golfer to try and win an open event, make sure you have all of your best equipment selected. These new clubs and gear can make a huge different in your stats under the hood, so it's worth checking out all of your new gear as you unlock it.
You'll gain new clubs and gear as you make your way through the career mode, and the game helpfully points out which stuff you've unlocked while showing you what stat impact it will have. There will be a bit of variance in some clubs, as a higher-level driver might actually provide more spin but at the expense of power. The grips you unlock are just cosmetic, but the club shaft modifiers provide additional club power of varying degrees. The sponsored golf balls available will also provide varying amounts of spin and power on your shots.
For EA Season Ticket holders, you'll have access to a set of gear specific to that purchase, and you'll be able to gain significant stat boosts across all of your clubs. In fact, those clubs are better than almost any other equipment in the game, save for the very high-level stuff.
How much do you upgrade your golfers via their eqiupment?
02:48 PM - June 28, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Jon Jones is in for some interesting times in the coming months.
After pretty much dispatching of any relevant threat — past or present — at light-heavyweight in the UFC over the past year or so, Jones has been flying high. His upcoming fight with Dan Henderson seems like an intriguing match up, though, as Henderson is a pure power striker with a solid wrestling base. His gas tank can be questionable sometimes, but he seems like a legitimate threat to Jones' title. That said, maybe Jones was trying to ready himself for the impact of the fight by getting loaded and totaling his Bentley the other day, but unfortunately only he knows the reasons for his poor choices outside the Octagon.
While I can't simulate Jones driving into a pole, I thought it might be fun to simulate the upcoming Jones-Henderson fight in UFC Undisputed 3. I set the computers to do battle at expert difficulty (because I felt the very top level might produce too many transitions), and I also enabled “simulation” settings for a proper stamina representation. Herb Dean seemed like the logical choice for a referee in title fight, so he got the nod.
Here's the play-by-play of the fight.
Read More - UFC Simulated Title Fight: Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson
After pretty much dispatching of any relevant threat — past or present — at light-heavyweight in the UFC over the past year or so, Jones has been flying high. His upcoming fight with Dan Henderson seems like an intriguing match up, though, as Henderson is a pure power striker with a solid wrestling base. His gas tank can be questionable sometimes, but he seems like a legitimate threat to Jones' title. That said, maybe Jones was trying to ready himself for the impact of the fight by getting loaded and totaling his Bentley the other day, but unfortunately only he knows the reasons for his poor choices outside the Octagon.
While I can't simulate Jones driving into a pole, I thought it might be fun to simulate the upcoming Jones-Henderson fight in UFC Undisputed 3. I set the computers to do battle at expert difficulty (because I felt the very top level might produce too many transitions), and I also enabled “simulation” settings for a proper stamina representation. Herb Dean seemed like the logical choice for a referee in title fight, so he got the nod.
Here's the play-by-play of the fight.
Read More - UFC Simulated Title Fight: Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
11:55 AM - June 27, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Boost pins are a great way to boost your golfer's stats and lower your score. They can make off-line open events a breeze, and they'll give you a much better chance to post a competitive score in on-line tournaments.
These are especially great if you feel your play style has a deficit in one or two areas. Maybe you tend to shank iron shots or come up short of the green. In that case, it would be a good idea to equip boost pins such as recovery, accuracy, good lie, shot preview, etc. Or you can just use boosts for specific clubs if there's just one club you have trouble with. Since the chipping game can be a bit unwieldy, consider boosting your wedge attributes.
Power is always a good pin to throw on as well, because on certain courses it can mean the difference between making a par 5 in two or three strokes. Just the same, you might as well throw on your created golfer pin boosts when you have them, as your stats will eventually be so high that they won't have much value.
Do you use pin boosts? Which ones do you opt for?
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
12:01 PM - June 26, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Whether you're trying to win an open event on Pro, TOUR Pro or Tournament difficulty, take advantage of what tools you have available to you. If you're trying to win on Pro difficulty, be sure to take advantage of everything from caddie advice, after-touch ball spin, putt previews and a much more forgiving swing meter. In particular, after-touch on the ball can pretty much make any shot a pin-seeking bullet, so it's good to use that whether competing in a tournament on-line or off-line.
If you're playing on TOUR Pro difficulty, you'll lose the ability to do putt previews and execute after-touch on the ball, but you'll still have caddie advice and the swing meter. The swing meter is incredibly helpful for putting, and caddie advice can at least give you a better sense of where you should aim certain key shots when dealing the increased challenge.
On Tournament difficulty, all you've got to rely on is yourself and the caddie advice. Use the caddie advice as much as you need to consider certain shots, and don't be afraid to adjust your shots a bit more conservatively than he says in order to avoid flying the hole or putting it too hard.
What difficulty level do you play on?
11:57 AM - June 26, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
The people at BigPark released Kinect Joy Ride to little fanfare back at the November 2010 launch of the Kinect hardware. That title had a bit of fun to be had, but ultimately the Kinect interface hindered the actual act of racing. Maybe Microsoft realized this and now is just letting BigPark release a game without the contrivance of Kinect. I think Joy Ride Turbo is for the better in not having to carry all of that baggage. While it isn't the most original arcade racer out there by any means, what is here is a totally serviceable and fun drift-and-boost racing game.
Read More - Joy Ride Turbo Review (XBLA)
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