Category: Gaming Blogs

Madden 13 Demo Arrives – NTTV Has You Covered!

Finding the demo can sometimes be the most annoying experience.  This video will walk you through the quick journey to find one of the most impressive sports gaming demos to date.

We are currently uploading the first tutorial for Madden 13 noobs.  It is based around the ‘Demo’ version of the game, but you should be ready to hit the digital gridiron on August 28th!

The Death of Battlefield 3 or ‘How EA Will Screw Over Their Most Loyal Gamers’

NoobTubeTV has come to the side of Battlefield 3 on many occasions over the past gaming year.  It had its own issues with matchmaking and other strange glitches that eventually get fixed with 1.2GB patches(!) but it was still an excellent game that demanded your attention for in depth gameplay and multiple ways to level up as any of four classes with tremendous detail to weapon differential, etc.

The Expected Route of ‘Premium’ Content

Then EA decided to push Battlefield Premium after nearly 9 months of being released.  Premium isn’t much different from Call of Duty Elite in price or content.  It is $50 and you get guaranteed early access to DLC and Add-Ons for Battlefield 3.  That isn’t the issue at this point – it was an expected route for them to take because it essentially ‘saves’ their dedicated fanbase the same $10 that Elite ‘saves’ COD gamers.

The Unexpected Ultimate Middle Finger To Their Previously Dedicated Fans

In case you didn’t come across the latest substantiated rumor hitting many outlets, Battlefield 3 looks like it is set to release a new retail game of ‘Battlefield 3: Premium Edition‘ for $70.  In case you don’t want to do the quick math…

The more dedicated fanbase of Battlefield 3 purchased the game for $60(plus tax) in October, 2011.  Then they bought Premium for $50.  This adds up to approximately $110 of hard-earned money poured into a game that will now (almost one year later) will come with all of that same content for $70.

Is EA trying to tell us something?  Is it really possible that their message is – “Don’t buy our games on release day because eventually you will be able to get all the DLC in some sort of ‘Ultimate Edition’ a year later?

It certainly seems that way.

The Death of Battlefield 3?

It might not kill the game completely, but the notion that EA would do something like this is a bad way to treat the gamers that have been playing their game constantly over the last year.  Sure, it might be worth the extra money to most of the gamers out there, but the bottom line is that this is in bad taste as they already released word of a Battlefield 4 Beta that will be included (for later access) with Medal of Honor: Warfighter.

EA has never really been in the business of treating consumers well.  So, really – are you surprised?

Call of Duty Elite – Should You Jump In Now or Later?

Now that Modern Warfare 3 is nearing the end of it’s popular annual cycle there are many people looking forward to Black Ops 2.  Granted, some others are going to fight tooth and nail against playing Treyarch’s Call of Duty iteration just because of a preference to the Modern Warfare style and gameplay.

Regardless of your preference there is always the constant state of Downloadable Content (DLC) from the Call of Duty series.  If you are a Call of Duty fan and you play it online as much as the millions of other gamers out there and you haven’t purchased Call of Duty: Elite to this point – it might be time to jump into the sad situation with both feet.

Is The Time Right For You?

If you consider the $50 cost for Elite to be a little steep – you aren’t the only one.  The primary benefit is that you are entitled any of the content that they release for Call of Duty throughout your membership.  In many cases (especially on the XBox 360) this means you get early access to the maps as well – other users have to wait a few weeks if they don’t have Elite.  Sure, you get emblems and HD access to videos… blah blah blah.  Most people aren’t ‘pro’ gamers (even if they think they are) in which case – Elite is for the maps and game add-ons.

If you were to buy Elite today (August 13, 2012) you would be covered until August 13, 2013.  If you don’t want to take my word for it – take Activision’s word in their own FAQ for Elite.  This means that you will still get whatever benefits will be released for Modern Warfare 2 and everything they will release for Black Ops 2 up until August 13, 2013.

I have been putting Elite off for a long time, but at this point I am starting to feel like the time is right.  Why?

I have already bought all the map packs for Modern Warfare 3 (except for the latest Chaos Pack) and the logical view some people say is that I have overpaid and should have just purchased Elite when it came out.  In my case, I am always in flux around this time of year.  All sorts of new exciting games are coming out and it is hard for me to really devote every gaming moment to Call of Duty (or anything else).

By getting Elite now you (like me) will be able to reap all the benefits of what is left for Modern Warfare 3 and most of the benefits for Black Ops 2… or whatever they push out for the title until August, 2013.  If you are considering a purchase of Halo 4 in addition to Black Ops 2 it would be wise to consider putting a quick $50 in advance down towards getting a bit of content for Black Ops 2 and knowing in advance that all you will have to do is download it rather than think about whether it is worth $15.  Not to mention, you are also safe from taking the risk that the next Call of Duty game after Black Ops isn’t complete garbage.

Assuming you don’t think Call of Duty is garbage already.  Yes, I know that many of my Battlefield readers are COD haters.  Well, stay tuned all my BF3 friends – you are probably going to riot after reading one of the latest bits of information is covered in our next article.

Madden 13 Demo To Feature Two Match-Ups & Full Four Quarter Games

In case you haven’t joined the madness that is the Madden forums on numerous sites – it is official… you will have a chance to play a full game with 5-minute quarters for the Madden 13 Demo.

Here’s hoping that RG3 isn’t to Madden 13 what Mike Vick was to Madden 2004.

The match-ups?

  1. A rematch of the NFC Championship between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants.  This should be fun for people that want to check out how much fun it is to play defense with the likes of Patrick Willis.
  2. A game between the Seahawks and the Redskins… otherwise known as an opportunity to see how fast Robert Griffin III is and how much you will want to play with him online.  In case you were wondering why that seems a little sarcastic – check out our old article about sports gaming online.

The opportunity to play a full game of Madden is really what you should be excited about.  It isn’t very often that publishers (especially EA Sports) give you a chance to play more than a half or a quarter of a sports game.  You can expect full video coverage and reviews pouring out from the sports gaming community and NoobTubeTV will be no different… other than the fact that we won’t be fanboys and we won’t be haters when it comes to reviewing a game and much less – a demo.

Keep in mind that Demos are not always the latest ‘build’ of a game.  There might (and probably will be) glitches that make you wonder if it is worth your time to begin with but we are hoping for the best.

*On a personal note, I am extremely excited (like Tim Tebow)  to get a crack at some Madden 13 action before the official release on August 28.

 

Make It Rain Like A Hundredaire – Budgeting Your Fall Gaming Purchases

It is quite possibly the best and worst time of year for gamers.  You want Halo 4 on November 6 but Black Ops 2 comes out on November 13.  You might want to get Madden 13 in a couple weeks but maybe you also want to get Borderlands 2 in September.  Maybe you are even considering a purchase of Medal of Honor: Warfighter – which will throw you for a loop in October as Assassin’s Creed 3 is coming on on the 30th!

It isn’t easy to be a hundredaire – but we know what it’s like to celebrate the purchase of a new game when we can afford it.

Every game you want is coming out within weeks of each other game you want and you just don’t have the money to pour into your passion.  It is one of the sad truths for people that live like real people that pay bills and make decisions every day that will effect their comfort in life.  Gaming is an expensive passion and we are going to help you make the best decisions possible.  Even if that means putting one or all of your games on a Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus/etc. List – you need to make decisions that give you the best possible outcome as a gamer and (more importantly) a fiscally responsible person.

The first step is to get a writing utensil and a piece of paper… NTTV will help you with the rest.

The Quick Decision – Pick What You Love

What is your favorite game?  If you can answer that without a second thought and that game has a sequel or continuation – that could be your answer.  If you can’t pick a single favorite game – use the process below.

Step One – What Is Your Budget?

If your budget is less than $65 – DO NOT BUY A NEW VIDEO GAME!

$65 = 1 Game

$130 = 2 Games…

Bottom Line – You know what you can afford and what you can’t afford.  Get that number and stick to it.

Step Two – Which Genre (Type) of Games Do You Prefer?

First Person Shooters, Sports, Action/Adventure, Role Playing Games, etc? – Make a prioritized list of which genres are your favorite (rank them from #1 – #8 if you have that many).  If you like a little bit of everything equally (like me) then you really can’t rank them, but you should try)  We have categorized some of the most popular upcoming releases for your convenience.  If you feel a game is missing – let us know!

Step Three – Do Prefer Online or Offline Gaming?

This is becoming a more gray area as games are becoming more and more integrated with online interactions and downloads.  There are many games out there that some people simply prefer to play on their own.  Are you a Team Deathmatch gamer on Call of Duty or are you an agile assassin that prefers to kill at your own leisure in Assassin’s Creed?

For me, it really depends on the game.  I don’t enjoy sports games in the online competitive sense, but I love shooter games like Call of Duty, Battlefield and Halo.  (No one said this is an easy process)

Games With Online Focus –

This includes games that primarily revolve around getting online and playing against other people as the main function

Games With Offline Focus –

This includes games that primarily center on you and playing the game for the campaign, season and especially the story.

Games With A Strong Mix of Offline and Online

This includes games that tend to be evenly played and supported for single player and multiplayer experiences.  This is open to opinion in some cases (sports games especially).

Step 4 – Prioritizing

Pick the game you want the most.  This is the hardest part you wanted to avoid earlier – now there is nowhere to run or hide.  The best way to answer this question is to put yourself in the position of having only enough money for one game.You have to walk out of the store with one game you have decided to purchase.  Everything else will have to wait for the next paycheck or holiday.

Step 5 – Enjoy What You Have

Regular people that have to budget and make decisions for and against certain purchases need to remember that the most important thing is to be happy with the things you have.  Which game are you picking?  Stick with your decision, be confident and forget what the reviewers grade it on a scale of 1-10 or 1-100… Do you enjoy your gaming?… Hopefully you can answer yes and this strategy will work for you again.

*Although I have put NoobTubeTV together on my own and can currently invest time and money into all my gaming and the few games I make tutorials for – I have to make these same decisions as well.

With that said…

Which games would you like to see NoobTubeTV feature in the coming months?  If you want us to feature a game that we haven’t mentioned please feel free to donate to the cause as it isn’t easy to buy every game we want – even if it is our passion.
Happy Gaming!

If You Ain’t First, You’re Last – Why People Avoid Playing Sports Games Online

If You Find A Great League – Cherish It

Do not let my jaded perspective ruin your desire to find a great league.  I am always looking for a great group of gamers that want to have a genuinely great time playing the game for the sake of fun and community.  There are a few of these almost mythological leagues and dynasties out there.  The hard part is finding one that will accept a new member or finding one that is even looking for new members.

If you are looking for an online league for any sports game you would be wise to check out the forums over at OperationSports.com and TraditionSportsOnline.com.

I would be remissed and it would be unfair to tell you that every league and online experience is terrible.  However, this article is meant to educate you of the downfalls because if you find something great there will be no reason for you to read the rest of this article.  However, if you are looking for honesty with objective, personal experiences and opinions – NoobTubeTV.com is always the best place to find it.

Online Connected Careers could be Madden’s saving grace.
 Why People Avoid Playing Sports Games Online

There is a fine line between friendly competition and taking a game a bit too seriously.  In my early gaming years it was hard for me to take a loss… even to the CPU.  Somehow the ‘Reset’ button would always get hit or I would have something come up that I had to do that would make me turn the game off.  What I started to learn after awhile was that it gave my season quite a bit more enjoyment to lose a game that I either didn’t play well or was simply outclassed by better opposition.

Something happens when you start playing other people in sports games though.  It is as if the stress level increases exponentially and your enjoyment of the game gives way to one thing – winning at all costs.  The issue is starting to climb more and more as online competition becomes more ubiquitous with gaming in general.  There are two primary reasons why online sports gaming is avoided like the plague by a large percentage of sports gamers.

Online Lobbies Are A Cesspool

If you have played a game of Madden NFL online, the chances are good that you have come across someone that either becomes verbally abusive if you start winning or they do something that is almost more annoying.  Cheating or Cheesing (using shortcomings of the game’s AI or a certain play that is almost unstoppable every time) has given gamers a reason to avoid online sports gaming altogether.  In these cases, it really just ruins the game for people that either aren’t experienced or prefer to play a more ‘simulation’ style of game (look for our upcoming article on ‘Simple Ways To Be A ‘Sim’ Gamer’).

Online Leagues Are A Crapshoot

Over the last few years many sports games have started allowing online leagues to form so that groups of gamers could find purpose in what had been up until that point trivial leaderboard competitions at best.  There had been communities of gamers making their own online leagues for years.  It wasn’t until EA Sports gave gamers a chance to run a league with NCAA Football 09 that it became a bit more ‘mainstream’.  In Madden 10, it finally came in the form of the sickeningly bare-bones ‘Online Franchise’ mode.

In order to get Madden you should probably pre-order the game from GameStop.
Personally, I miss his presence in the game that has made his name even more immortal.

Now that all gamers had a chance to join a league in NCAA or Madden Football it was only a matter of time before the friendly leagues with a lot of promise turned into glorified Lobby Matches.  In college football leagues all you need to do is lose a game to effectively end your chances to win a championship and then you start seeing league member quit by the week.

In the pro game, it is a bit more forgiving if you lose a game… or five.  The problem with Madden is that for some reason a lot of the people that play it competitively make it seem like it is a requirement to be rude or make every game into some sort of digital war of  ‘money plays’.  Sure, there are occasions when you will find a decent game but those seem to be as fleeting as the leagues they are a part of.

Who Wants To Wait?

It isn’t a question of whether or not online leagues are a good idea or if there are ‘good’ leagues out there.  For most people, it just isn’t as much fun to play in an online league because they have to wait for other people.

On a personal level, it isn’t uncommon for me to play two or three games at a time during my sports gaming sessions.  If you are in a league with multiple users you usually have to wait on a scheduled advance before you can play another game.  I don’t want to plan my week or my days around other gamers.  If I start a game and in the middle of the first quarter I need to leave for an emergency I don’t want to have to explain myself to anyone, let alone some guy in my league.  If it is a friend, of course they will understand but when you start getting into leagues and ‘official sites’ it can turn into some sort of elitist club of ‘Uncle Ricos’.

 

 

Madden 13 – All Running Back Ratings Released

Once again, the hype machine has released their little bit of digital crack to the Madden masses!  Come and get it!

TEAM First Name Last Name Overall Speed Acceleration Strength Trucking Elusiveness
Jaguars Maurice Jones-Drew 97 94 95 79 85 93
Vikings Adrian Peterson 97 96 97 84 87 97
Texans Arian Foster 96 92 96 79 96 92
Eagles LeSean McCoy 95 93 97 65 68 99
Ravens Ray Rice 95 91 97 84 75 93
Bears Matt Forte 93 92 93 73 78 90
Ravens Vonta Leach 92 69 80 84 74 40
Niners Frank Gore 92 91 90 78 89 78
Rams Steven Jackson 92 86 87 85 94 67
Jaguars Greg Jones 91 78 80 82 88 44
Chiefs Jamaal Charles 91 97 97 59 62 96
Falcons Michael Turner 91 86 90 85 98 74
Raiders Darren McFadden 91 97 95 74 94 78
Seahawks Marshawn Lynch 90 90 88 84 98 74
Titans Chris Johnson 90 99 98 66 55 86
Panthers Mike Tolbert 89 84 89 82 96 64
Seahawks Michael Robinson 89 79 84 80 85 57
Bills Fred Jackson 89 90 91 77 82 94
Saints Darren Sproles 89 94 98 55 40 93
Giants Ahmad Bradshaw 88 92 96 68 76 89
Chargers Ryan Mathews 87 92 91 74 92 81
Packers John Kuhn 86 79 83 77 89 48
Steelers Rashard Mendenhall 86 89 91 79 92 65
Broncos Willis McGahee 85 86 85 83 93 58
Cardinals Beanie Wells 85 89 87 81 96 74
Raiders Marcel Reece 84 90 92 77 65 60
Dolphins Reggie Bush 84 95 97 58 55 94
Panthers Jonathan Stewart 84 90 91 78 93 65
Panthers DeAngelo Williams 84 93 93 65 49 86
Texans Ben Tate 84 90 92 73 89 72
Bears Michael Bush 83 86 87 81 94 65
Browns Trent Richardson 83 90 96 85 95 76
Chiefs Peyton Hillis 83 85 86 83 93 58
Cowboys DeMarco Murray 83 94 93 74 88 78
Saints Jed Collins 82 75 76 72 71 48
Bengals BenJarvus Green-Ellis 82 82 84 79 94 65
Jets Shonn Greene 82 86 91 79 93 62
Saints Pierre Thomas 82 88 90 75 86 63
Chargers Le’Ron McClain 81 78 81 80 87 44
Cowboys Felix Jones 81 96 94 64 60 86
Niners Brandon Jacobs 81 86 80 87 97 61
Lions Jahvid Best 81 97 95 59 58 85
Bills C.J. Spiller 80 95 96 61 51 91
Bucs LeGarrette Blount 79 85 86 85 97 64
Redskins Roy Helu Jr. 79 93 96 64 68 85
Saints Mark Ingram 79 85 91 74 87 67
Jets John Conner 78 72 81 77 75 45
Colts Donald Brown 78 91 86 73 83 68
Lions Kevin Smith 78 88 90 75 69 79
Patriots Danny Woodhead 78 92 94 52 41 91
Niners Bruce Miller 77 75 82 77 66 35
Texans James Casey 77 82 86 68 79 44
Bengals Bernard Scott 77 93 92 65 68 88
Chargers Ronnie Brown 77 88 85 71 73 78
Packers James Starks 77 90 87 69 82 74
Patriots Joseph Addai 77 88 91 64 55 77
Redskins Tim Hightower 77 86 86 77 87 59
Saints Chris Ivory 77 88 85 77 92 71
Steelers Isaac Redman 77 86 90 82 94 65
Bengals Chris Pressley 76 70 75 77 77 44
Cowboys Lawrence Vickers 76 73 80 81 84 40
Steelers David Johnson 76 75 77 81 69 55
Broncos Knowshon Moreno 76 86 93 66 66 77
Bucs Doug Martin 76 87 95 83 84 75
Vikings Jerome Felton 75 73 76 80 70 50
Niners Kendall Hunter 75 91 96 58 67 88
Lions Jerome Harrison 75 90 91 60 43 85
Patriots Stevan Ridley 75 86 92 78 93 69
Seahawks Leon Washington 75 95 94 62 53 87
Vikings Toby Gerhart 75 85 81 78 89 55
Bills Corey McIntyre 74 75 74 85 70 28
Chargers Jacob Hester 74 83 87 70 75 51
Giants Henry Hynoski 74 69 75 84 74 46
Jaguars Brock Bolen 74 72 76 68 73 45
Redskins Darrel Young 74 73 75 78 86 45
Cardinals LaRod Stephens-Howling 74 94 95 49 37 90
Chiefs Dexter McCluster 74 92 95 47 40 90
Dolphins Daniel Thomas 74 84 88 76 87 78
Falcons Jason Snelling 74 81 86 84 92 49
Falcons Jacquizz Rodgers 74 84 97 54 42 91
Giants David Wilson 74 94 90 65 74 88
Jaguars Rashad Jennings 74 84 87 78 89 60
Raiders Mike Goodson 74 93 95 54 54 91
Bengals Brian Leonard 73 80 84 74 83 55
Cardinals Ryan Williams 73 87 94 68 85 77
Colts Mewelde Moore 73 87 91 60 62 82
Niners LaMichael James 73 92 97 52 53 93
Jets Joe McKnight 73 93 95 59 52 91
Patriots Shane Vereen 73 90 86 58 62 81
Redskins Evan Royster 73 82 89 72 84 53
Titans Javon Ringer 73 87 94 67 68 76
Texans Justin Forsett 73 90 93 65 49 88
Bills Tashard Choice 72 87 89 65 60 74
Browns Montario Hardesty 72 84 87 72 84 62
Dolphins Steve Slaton 72 93 93 63 52 85
Eagles Dion Lewis 72 85 91 59 65 88
Lions Mikel Leshoure 72 85 93 75 87 56
Cardinals Anthony Sherman 71 80 75 78 58 55
Patriots Spencer Larsen 71 72 75 78 55 20
Broncos Lance Ball 71 85 86 71 84 65
Browns Chris Ogbonnaya 71 85 88 74 85 61
Browns Brandon Jackson 71 88 91 63 52 82
Colts Delone Carter 71 85 88 75 92 65
Browns Owen Marecic 70 73 77 76 78 25
Jaguars Naufahu Tahi 70 76 81 84 71 38
Patriots Tony Fiammetta 70 82 74 77 78 50
Ravens Anthony Allen 70 84 82 77 92 54
Falcons Mike Cox 69 70 72 85 68 40
Bears Kahlil Bell 69 85 90 68 72 82
Cowboys Phillip Tanner 69 86 90 73 85 66
Dolphins Lamar Miller 69 94 96 58 55 81
Jaguars Montell Owens 69 84 87 77 82 52
Lions Keiland Williams 69 83 85 74 85 56
Rams Isaiah Pead 69 92 92 60 64 78
Ravens Bernard Pierce 69 88 91 62 77 69
Dolphins Charles Clay 68 81 88 68 81 55
Saints Korey Hall 68 74 79 75 72 50
Bengals Daniel Herron 68 83 89 73 75 75
Broncos Ronnie Hillman 68 90 91 53 55 92
Chargers Curtis Brinkley 68 87 89 65 63 80
Colts Deji Karim 68 90 93 67 72 81
Niners Anthony Dixon 68 83 84 79 90 45
Packers Alex Green 68 87 91 72 84 65
Raiders Taiwan Jones 68 97 96 56 64 86
Seahawks Kregg Lumpkin 68 87 89 65 62 81
Bucs Erik Lorig 67 68 75 81 72 25
Texans Moran Norris 67 65 74 83 70 38
Cardinals Alfonso Smith 67 93 87 64 68 78
Niners Rock Cartwright 67 82 88 78 85 35
Jaguars DuJuan Harris 67 93 95 59 62 87
Ravens Damien Berry 67 83 87 76 87 64
Seahawks Robert Turbin 67 87 91 83 85 76
Steelers Jonathan Dwyer 67 87 78 79 93 59
Bears Tyler Clutts 66 69 74 76 74 37
Cowboys Shaun Chapas 66 69 82 78 75 40
Bills Johnny White 66 86 89 70 83 66
Chiefs Cyrus Gray 66 92 93 64 53 79
Broncos Chris Gronkowski 65 73 76 67 69 56
Chiefs Shane Bannon 65 72 74 69 76 43
Raiders Owen Schmitt 65 73 72 84 88 50
Raiders Manase Tonga 65 71 74 75 77 45
Rams Brit Miller 65 76 75 75 72 44
Broncos Jeremiah Johnson 65 86 92 65 62 82
Eagles Chris Polk 65 88 77 62 85 49
Jaguars Jalen Parmele 65 82 86 71 84 55
Titans Jamie Harper 65 85 91 75 81 62
Browns Eddie Williams 64 77 81 66 73 72
Jets Josh Baker 64 78 83 73 72 33
Vikings Rhett Ellison 64 74 75 63 53 55
Bears Armando Allen 64 83 91 63 63 77
Bucs Michael Smith 64 95 94 72 77 73
Cardinals Javarris James 64 81 85 72 83 52
Chiefs Nate Eachus 64 84 81 75 70 80
Chiefs Shaun Draughn 64 79 84 68 63 77
Colts Vick Ballard 64 85 89 74 88 62
Panthers Josh Vaughan 64 82 86 75 85 55
Redskins Alfred Morris 64 81 83 65 89 57
Steelers Chris Rainey 64 94 97 48 44 92
Vikings Lex Hilliard 64 80 82 83 86 55
Browns Brad Smelley 63 73 69 75 77 38
Eagles Stanley Havili 63 80 84 68 79 54
Patriots Eric Kettani 63 82 78 68 77 39
Titans Quinn Johnson 63 70 75 67 70 30
Bengals Aaron Brown 63 95 94 59 49 87
Bucs Mossis Madu 63 86 87 55 64 83
Colts Darren Evans 63 86 82 78 87 49
Cowboys Lance Dunbar 63 87 90 48 55 80
Eagles Bryce Brown 63 92 86 71 87 63
Giants Da’Rel Scott 63 96 94 62 65 69
Giants D.J. Ware 63 84 86 71 83 55
Panthers Armond Smith 63 94 95 58 45 85
Rams Chase Reynolds 63 84 79 62 66 81
Rams Daryl Richardson 63 89 95 53 48 85
Seahawks Tyrell Sutton 63 88 92 64 65 80
Steelers John Clay 63 78 82 84 93 49
Bengals Cedric Peerman 62 91 84 75 52 79
Chargers Edwin Baker 62 88 82 75 85 52
Falcons Dimitri Nance 62 82 89 72 85 64
Niners Jewel Hampton 62 85 87 79 83 56
Giants Andre Brown 62 87 79 78 86 50
Jets Bilal Powell 62 86 87 74 82 61
Packers Brandon Saine 62 93 95 69 81 48
Patriots Brandon Bolden 62 86 80 73 81 47
Ravens Bobby Rainey 62 86 90 72 61 75
Steelers Baron Batch 62 86 85 67 74 66
Vikings Jordan Todman 62 94 90 58 64 73
Bears Evan Rodriguez 61 83 75 62 67 54
Bucs Cody Johnson 61 78 85 82 82 44
Falcons Bradie Ewing 61 76 73 59 56 45
Broncos Mario Fannin 61 94 86 69 85 63
Browns Adonis Thomas 61 89 93 54 37 86
Cardinals William Powell 61 85 87 63 74 71
Jets Terrance Ganaway 61 84 86 73 87 65
Titans Herb Donaldson 61 81 84 77 80 54
Titans Darius Reynaud 61 89 91 48 46 45
Texans Davin Meggett 61 87 91 74 73 68
Raiders Lonyae Miller 60 90 88 72 86 57
Saints Travaris Cadet 60 82 85 61 78 52
Bengals James Develin 59 73 74 76 77 37
Jets Fui Vakapuna 59 73 69 78 74 44
Panthers Richie Brockel 59 67 77 72 76 42
Packers Marc Tyler 59 79 82 69 87 43
Broncos Austin Sylvester 58 73 77 74 67 25
Packers Jon Hoese 58 72 82 69 74 45
Vikings Ryan D’Imperio 58 69 74 75 55 20
Bears Harvey Unga 58 74 75 76 86 44
Lions Joique Bell 58 85 84 75 85 50
Lions James Bryant 57 77 74 73 73 42
Vikings Matt Asiata 57 77 83 69 80 42
Bears Alvester Alexander 57 93 95 62 51 70
Cowboys Darrell Scott 57 81 84 70 85 47
Falcons Antone Smith 57 92 94 49 37 83
Jaguars Richard Murphy 56 83 84 64 55 75
Colts Kyle Miller 55 76 74 62 63 44
Texans Derrell Smith 52 75 85 67 66 37

Our Next Generation Console Demands – Part 1

Hoping for advances in technology is like hoping that tomorrow will come.  While it is a 99% certainty that it will happen, we really don’t know how it will turn out.  We usually hope for tomorrow to be amazing.  It is human nature to desire more and better for the future.  As we get closer to the next generation of gaming, we will be talking about some of our favorite parts of this generation’s games and what we hope to see in the future.

In Game Graphics Vs. Screenshot Graphics

If you have read any of our coverage of Madden 13 and real time physics you will see that it is one of the more important parts of gaming at this point. Players and characters have ‘looked like’ their real-life counterparts for a couple years now. While EA Sports has taken awhile to get more face scans, it is something that will indeed improve for the next generation. However, physics and processing power are going to be more important than something just looking pretty.

Take Battlefield 3 for instance – not only do you see guns and enemies, but you see buildings and vehicles that can easily explode and remind you that some things look cool but they just aren’t ‘super real’ just yet. That is where the physics and actual graphical ‘processing’ are going to be more important than some sort of glorified screenshot that we see even this generation.

PC games aren’t necessarily held back like console games in this way. Well, they aren’t held back ‘as much’… and it is something that PC gamers are always happy to point out to console gamers. Console gamers shouldn’t expect ‘real life’ realism yet. If you take a look at the game from id Games that made everyone see just a glimpse of the graphical future of games – Rage certainly amazed gamers on PC and consoles alike. Even with a bunch of driver problems on PC it is still a great benchmark graphically. The issue XBox 360 users got to see as they opened the game for the first time was the fact that it came on 3 discs. While PS3 owners got to snicker and laugh because they have Blu Ray playback, XBox 360 gamers simply had to enjoy Rage with a couple swaps of the disc.

Other gamers might even recall having to switch discs on their 360 while playing Rockstar’s L.A. Noire. This game, while running on the same engine as Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption pushed a new era of facial structure and movement in games. Never before have you had to interpret whether someone was lying to you based on their facial expressions, but in this case it made the game incredibly innovative even if it was quickly disregarded as a must have title. L.A. Noire still ranks as one of my favorite titles that came out during this generation of consoles because while it was in development for what seems like forever (nearly 7 years) it was still incredibly innovative and risk taking from a graphical and gameplay perspective when it game to interrogating suspects. There is still something to be said for games that take a chance to amaze you and that will never go away.

Even with these amazing achievements in graphics, there is still something to be desired. The PS3 was marketed almost solely on ‘The Cell Processor’ and its amazing 7-Cores. Yes, it was and is an amazing processor, but the funny part of this really goes back to the fact that many developers actually stated that games were easier to develop for the XBox 360 (which had issues with their own processor – RROD). Metal Gear Solid 4 was delayed on numerous occasions and if you pay close attention to Solid Snake during a cinematic scene you will notice that his hair still moves around in little chunks. While details like a character’s hair are something that some people might scoff at, take a look at some of the things people are getting caught up about with Madden Football. (wrong facemasks, helmets and shoestrings, etc.)

Real Time Physics (aka – The Sports Gamer’s Pipe Dream)

Perhaps one of the most famous hits in NFL history is the one that Lawerence Taylor put on Joe Theismann. While this is an extremely gruesome hit (please don’t watch this video if you get queesy) – it is a fine example of something that isn’t in Madden NFL football – real time physics with real time injuries.

Perhaps one of the most desired and denied wishes of gamers is realistic ‘real-time’ physics. This basically means that if a character is moving at a high rate of speed and tackles someone going a different direction you should see a collision that makes you go “oooohhh!”. What we have been seeing instead are animations that are ‘canned’ and play out in an expected fashion almost every time.

Even if you don’t play sports games it wouldn’t be hard to imagine a fighting game or an action game that had better real-time physics. Games like Assassins Creed or Mortal Kombat could become some of the most amazingly technologically advanced console games ever made (from the standpoint of physics). However, where many people want to see this drive improvement is in sports games.

The current generation of consoles has been pushed to the limit with physics processing. Many games look good in this fashion (All Pro Football 2K8) and others look simply ‘overblown’ (Backbreaker). What we are really hoping for is something in-between that will give us true physics in regards to player size, speed and strength (with other such variables). It is our hope that someday we will be able to play a game of Madden, MLB, NHL or NBA 2K and see hits, throws, catches, shots, passes, interactions and injuries that genuinely make us feel like we are watching/playing a real game of football.

 

XBox 720 Coming Out Next Fall/Winter? – A Job Posting At Microsoft Has Given Us Hope

Where is the ‘proof’?  Check out the bold print below or the link provided-

“Job Category: Marketing
Location: United States, WA, Redmond
Job ID: 803075
Division: Marketing

Over the next eighteen months Microsoft will release new versions of all of our most significant products including Windows (Client, Server, Phone and Azure), Office and Xbox, along with completely new offerings like Microsoft Surface. This wave of product launches will define the course of the company for years to come and thus provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to refresh and evolve our strategic brands. The Microsoft brand strategy team is looking for passionate, creative, team oriented branding experts to help us lead this transformation…”

It isn’t really surprising that the next XBox generation is on its way.  There also isn’t a lot of wonderment about the fact that Microsoft is looking to hire a marketing wiz to help them push out many of their upcoming products.  However, this information could give us a lot of insight into what some game publishers are doing at this moment.

Some studios have been rumored to be working on Next-Gen titles.  There are rumors constantly pouring out of the wonderful internet cesspool.  Some of them are legitimate and most of them are as contrived as the people posting them.  Keep your eyes and ears tuned into NoobTubeTV as we search for the first legitimate and official details of new consoles.