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Monday, July 2, 2012
11:45 AM - July 2, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
Why does EA need to patch in the new playoff system?
Well, it’s the biggest change in college football since the implementation of the BCS. And the shadow of the playoff will be hanging over the college football season. If it’s not in the game, then EA is failing to deliver the most accurate product possible.
Read More - Why EA Needs to Patch the New Playoff in to NCAA Football 13
Monday, June 25, 2012
12:40 PM - June 25, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
The release of NCAA Football 13 is only a few short weeks away. But what do we know about the game so far? The demo is out, so the short answer is “a lot.” But there are a number of things that remain uncertain that will affect whether NCAA Football 13 goes down as the best NCAA game of this console generation or as another disappointment.
Read More - NCAA Football 13: What do we and don't we know?
Monday, June 11, 2012
11:40 AM - June 11, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
Understand the difference between slices, flat shots, and topspin shots
There’s a reason tennis games give you three different ground strokes to choose from: they all have their places. Slices are slow, low, and full of backspin, which makes a ball bounce sideways, up, or even backwards once it hits your opponent’s side of the court. Flat shots are straight and don’t really spin, but they’re more powerful than other shot types. Finally, topspin shots are performed by brushing the racket up as you swing through the ball. This creates, naturally, a large amount of topspin that causes the ball to arc, drop quickly, and kick up once they bounce on the opponent’s side of the court. These shots keep your opponent pinned back behind the baseline and are the standard forehand hit by most good tennis players.
What's your favorite type of shot?
Monday, June 4, 2012
11:25 AM - June 4, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
Know when to charge the net
Moving to the net to volley is a great way to take control of a point. But if you rush the net from a bad position, you’re setting yourself up for failure. The best time to approach the net is when the computer hits a ball that bounces short and you are able to return a deep shot. If your opponent is stuck behind the baseline, they’ll struggle to hit an effective passing shot, and you’ll be able to angle the ball off the court for an easy winner. Don’t charge the net from too far away or you’ll be stuck hitting an awkward half-volley that your opponent can put away with ease.
Who is your preferred player to charge the net with?
Saturday, June 2, 2012
09:35 PM - June 2, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
Keep your opponent moving
An overhead smash might be the most viscerally satisfying way to win a point. But the most entertaining way is causing your opponent to run back and forth without giving them a chance to rest. Off-balance opponents will make weak contact with the ball and eventually tire themselves into making a mistake. Mix it up with short slices and deep topspin shots as well as shots to the left and right. Variety is key.
What are your tips to keep your opponent on the move in Top Spin 4?
Friday, June 1, 2012
03:06 PM - June 1, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
To some extent, all sports are about angles. But in tennis, it’s particularly noticeable. Every time your opponent is setting up to hit a shot, you should imagine the widest points at which they could hit a shot that stays in the court. Then, set yourself up accordingly. Don’t bother trying to cover court space that your opponent can’t possibly reach with their shots. This is particularly important when you’re playing at the net. If your volley pulls your opponent out wide, you should move over as well, making it difficult for them to hit a passing shot and making it easy for you to direct the next volley in the opposite direction for a winner.
What's your strategy for playing the angles?
Thursday, May 31, 2012
11:43 AM - May 31, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
Another NFL Draft is behind us, and naturally, the talk among gamers has turned to the Madden ratings of this year’s top rookies. But before we look forward, let’s take a look back to rookies in the time of bench press drills and lead blocking controls – Madden 07.
We all know that Madden doesn’t rate players on the same scale anymore. Five years ago, a rookie at 71 OVR would be a scrub with no future.
Read More - Charting the Change in Rookie Ratings in Madden
Read More - Charting the Change in Rookie Ratings in Madden
11:23 AM - May 31, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
No man’s land is a term most commonly used to refer to the area between opposing trench lines during the First World War, typically strewn with barbed wire, explosives, and corpses. In tennis, the term refers to the area between the baseline and the service line, which is only slightly less dangerous. Why? That’s where most shots bounce. Try hitting a tennis ball that bounces right at your feet. It’s not impossible, but it is extremely difficult to add any power or control. Sometimes, you’ll be caught hitting a shot in no man’s land, but get out as quickly as you can by attacking the net or retreating behind the baseline.
Who are your favorite players to play with in Top Spin 4?
11:19 AM - May 31, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
For many people, EA Sports and sports video gaming are pretty much synonymous. But as its competitors continue to wither away, it’s worth noting that EA isn’t infallible. NBA Elite was the studio’s highest-profile recent failure, of course. But even the EA Sports games that actually make it into stores don’t always dominate the market. Let’s take a look at a recent EA release that, at this point, hasn’t done so well: Grand Slam Tennis 2.
Read More - Grand Slam Tennis 2 - What Went Wrong?
Read More - Grand Slam Tennis 2 - What Went Wrong?
Friday, May 18, 2012
12:12 PM - May 18, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
Soccer just isn't as popular here in the States. But for the few who love the sport, and prefer MLS over most, FIFA can get frustrating. In any game, you want to beat the best of the best with your team So how are you supposed to beat Man City with the Vancouver Whitecaps? Bo McCready knows...
Read More - Beating A Premier European Team in FIFA with an MLS Squad
Monday, May 7, 2012
01:44 PM - May 7, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
We recently asked our staff what they thought of the initial feature releases of Madden NFL 13. Read their impressions of the tweaked gameplay and presentation after the jump!
Read More - OS Roundtable: Our First Impressions of Madden's Features
Read More - OS Roundtable: Our First Impressions of Madden's Features
Friday, April 27, 2012
11:42 AM - April 27, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
One of the best features of Baseball Mogul 2013 is that it is possible to simulate decades into the future in a matter of a couple of hours. I used Mogul’s simulation tool to advance Major League Baseball to the 2038 season, offering a chance to examine the career paths of current players and see who the game thinks might end up in the Hall of Fame. The game has an extremely generous Hall of Fame, as 61 active players were enshrined in the virtual Cooperstown between 2012 and 2038.
To find out who made it plus other interesting events in baseball's future, click through the jump!
Read More - Simming into the Future with Baseball Mogul 2013
11:29 AM - April 27, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
The Baseball Mogul series has always felt like the “other” PC baseball text sim, living in the shadow of Out of the Park (OOTP). But for baseball fans looking for a more streamlined experience than that offered by OOTP, the Baseball Mogul games are an appealing alternative. Does Baseball Mogul 2013 continue this series’ long streak of solid offerings?
Gamers who don’t play text sims might not understand how the market can support both OOTP and Baseball Mogul, but the two series offer very different experiences. OOTP is a much deeper game, in that every team has full minor league rosters for you to manage, as well as the potential to add independent and international leagues.
Baseball Mogul, though, keeps its focus on the major league level, with the minor leagues serving as a place to stash a few players until they’re major-league ready. The game generates comprehensive and useful minor league stats for these players, so they never feel superfluous. In addition, players who remain in the free agent pool for a while will eventually accrue stats in independent or Central American leagues as they wait for their shot, which is an awesome touch. While the focus is on the MLB, it feels like you’re managing inside a larger world.
Read More - Baseball Mogul 2013 Review (PC)
01:09 AM - April 27, 2012. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Bo McCready
The AL West Race isn't off to the most compelling start, with the Rangers opening up a nine game lead early -- but there's no doubt that the smallest division in baseball can be an exciting race in MLB '12: The Show. It's a two horse race between the Rangers and Angels, with both Seattle and Oakland just trying to find an identity at this point as franchises.
Read More - AL West Team Strategy Guides
Read More - AL West Team Strategy Guides
Monday, March 19, 2012
01:56 PM - March 19, 2012. Posted by DustinT. Written by Bo McCready
College Hoops 2K8, though well-received, didn’t exactly rack up the accolades when it first came out almost five years ago. In fact, Operation Sports gave the game a measly seven on the old review scale -- nowhere near an score for what has been considered an all-time classic by the OS community. But since then, a devoted cult following has sprung up around the game. A large community of gamers continues to play College Hoops 2K8 religiously. For this piece, I revisited the game based on the current OS review standards and used rosters from the 2011-12 season to see how well the game holds up and how we might judge this much-beloved title if it came out today.
Read More - Revisiting College Hoops 2K8
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