Why I Decided To Turn Off My Trophy and Friend Notifications on My PS3

As soon as I started playing The Last of Us, I knew I was in for something special. I had been waiting for the game for some time now and as soon as I finished the first chapter, I knew that it was going be a great experience. The hype that surrounded the game before its release had also been monumental. High scores and high praises from everyone in the industry, this was one game that everyone agreed was a masterpiece. So I dived in, ready to be immersed like never before. But then something happened, something that removed me from the experience in bits and pieces. After playing for a couple hours I just wanted to know, "When am I getting my first trophy?"

Before I played Ellie and Joel's adventure I had already read a couple of reviews to prepare me for what was coming. The reviews raved about how great the visuals looked and how the story telling had surpassed their expectations. The reviews also mentioned that obtaining a trophy in the game was not going to be as common as in other titles.

Now, I'm not one to simply buy games for the mere collection of trophies. Before I start any game, I never look at the trophy list and I make the attempt to not make trophies my main objective. As soon as I finish a game though I don't mind looking through the list and earning the trophies I may have missed. That's the way that trophies should be approached. They are simply an added bonus that (hopefully) allows you to experience the game in new and exciting ways.

But even with not looking at my trophy list and not making it my main goal to collect them, they are still there. Every time you finish a chapter, "ding!" Every time you you achieve a gaming milestone, "ding!" Worst of all, any time you are engaged in your game, "ding!" The trophy's default notification will interrupt your experience to let you know that you have acquired your tenth bronze, "ding!"

However, that isn't to say that the trophy notification entirely removes the player from the game's core experience. A lot of players probably don't even notice the trophy notifications and many of them can have a great experience with the default notification setup. But when I am deeply immersed in a game where immersion is key and important, personally I would prefer to skip the trophy notifications all together.

Granted, it's not only the trophy notifications that interrupt that immersion but also the friend notifications. Look, as much as I enjoy chatting and playing multiplayer games with my friends (okay, not really), I don't need to know that they are logging in or out when I'm in the middle of an important cut scene. It's just annoying.

This is why I have decided to turn off notifications for trophies and friends whenever I'm about to start a new game. That way, I can experience the game without any interruptions on-screen. If I end up getting a trophy for something I do in the game, at least now my immersion won't suffer because of it. It's not that it entirely removes a player from the experience, but those small chunks where it does certainly add up.

In my experience with The Last of Us, it wasn't the "ding!" that annoyed me but rather the lack of. This is an attempt to put an end to those notifications and experience a game in a richer way. Congratulations, you have finished reading this article, "ding!"

Image: Wikimedia Commons

What Infamous 2 Got Right (That Other Games Didn't)

Infamous 2 is a great game, let me state that first to get it out of the way. If you haven't played it already, you should just stop reading this article and go buy it right now. In fact, it's free on PlayStation Plus! So go on, check it out.

Now, if you're still reading this I'm assuming you already finished the game and for that I say great job! Even though the game is a little old now it has stood the test of time quite well. However, this short piece isn't about raving on about how great Infamous 2 is but rather I am going to discuss with you one of the game's features that outshines many other titles. In short, that feature is "Blast Shard Sense."

Within the past generation we've all played great titles such as Bioshock, Uncharted, Call of Duty, or Assassin's Creed. In each one of those games there has been what I like to call a "Collection Achievement," by which I mean, there is a side quest in the main story that requires you to collect particular items in order to unlock an achievement or get an extra dose of story information.

By the titles that I mentioned above you can already recall the collection achievement mission that I have described, Bioshock has the tape recorders, Uncharted has the treasures, Assassin's Creed has the feathers/flags, and even the ever popular Call of Duty has the intel. All of these games including many other popular titles have these collection achievement missions.

In each one of those games I would argue that collecting the required items ended up being a chore and in worst cases, it removes the player from the entire experience. For example, as much as I love the Uncharted series, sometimes I found myself moving the camera in odd places just to see if there was a treasure that I might have missed. The same can be said about Assassin's Creed. Whenever there was a mission that involved chasing after a target or simply trying to be stealthy, a feather or flag would appear and for a moment I would switch my attention on trying to obtain the item. Now, this doesn't break any game by any sense, but it is something that many games still have and honestly, I don't feel that it should be that way.

Infamous 2 on the other hand does something great with it's own collection achievement mission. Yes, it still has you collect a particular item (Blast Shards), but the entire collection process is remedied with an ability that Cole gets midway through the game called "Blast Shard Sense." This ability allows the player to pin-point the exact location of the remaining blast shards without having to search for them on your own. If you want the Blast Shards, go get them. If you don't, leave them be. If you're playing as Cole while on a mission, it becomes a whole lot easier to leave a blast shard that you passed by because in the end you know that you can always come back to get it. This ability allows the player to remain engaged in the experience without having to worry about missing a collection item.

Infamous 2 did genius work with "Blast Shard Sense," and other games should take note on how to take on these collection achievement missions. As a player, you want to be engaged in what you're playing and anything that breaks that engagement should be remedied.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Two Upsets Heard Around the World

If there’s two things any avid sports fan can tell you with certainty, it’s that in sports you should always expect the unexpected and that a little faith can go a long way.

Which is why you are guaranteed to see two upsets this week, the U.S. will end El Tri’s reign in CONCACAF this Tuesday and the fiery “Canelo” Alvarez will set Mayweather’s kingdom ablaze on Saturday.

It was impossible to expect that with an 88% chance of qualifying Mexico is now stumbling for a third place spot in the standings. It was also unexpected that the U.S. is now almost guaranteed a spot in the World Cup after an early loss to Jamaica. Expect a gritty match with the outcome being U.S. 2 - Mexico 0 .

Mayweather Jr. is a great fighter no doubt, but not even the best athletes fare well against father time. Whereas Mayweather is approaching the end of a career, Canelo is only just hitting his peak. Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr.  has the numbers behind him, Saul “Canelo”Alvarez has the faith of an entire nation with him. Look for Saul “Canelo” Alvarez knocking out Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. in the tenth round.

There’s one more thing every sport fan can agree on, it’s gonna’ be one heck of a week.

What Nintendo Should Do to Boost Wii U Sales

It seems as though everywhere you look nowadays there is someone declaring that the Wii U is a failed console. Granted, you would have to know the difference between a Wii and Wii U first (I kid, I kid!). Nintendo however isn’t the type of company that you can simply brush off as a failure.

Time and time again they have proven themselves to come back from economic hardships. Most recently the 3DS, who at first was seen as a lackluster device now even outsells both the PS3 and Xbox 360. The point is, Nintendo understands their business model better than anyone else and they will do what they seem fit to increase their revenue.

But just in case that they needed some quick advice on how to improve sales, here some ideas to help boost the Wii U market.

Focus on the Current Audience

Nintendo’s audience started to shift dramatically when the Wii was first released. Though to be fair you can make the case that it truly shifted with the release of the Gamecube. The audience was no longer the hardcore gamer that finds enjoyment from current games such as Call of Duty, Uncharted or Halo. Their main target is a more of younger audience that still finds enjoyment in classics such as Mario, Zelda, and Donkey Kong. That isn’t to say that there are no adults that are current owners or fans of Nintendo’s offerings. But it is hard to argue that their main target is a younger audience. Thus, it it is crucial that they don’t shy away from what’s making them currently successful. It would be wise for their focus to continue appealing to a youthful generation, and from what we've seen that’s exactly what they’re doing. Support your current audience and continue to focus on distributing the content that made the company great, and you will see Wii U sale growth.

Remember the Hardcore Gamer

Nintendo is already focusing on their core audience and that’s a great thing. The sales for the Wii U will indeed improve because of this. But remember when I said that the the company appealed to a younger audience? Well, that audience does grow up eventually. Thus this next idea could possibly be the long-term plan for the company in the end. That is to approach the younger audience now and remain with them until they grow into adults. However, just because your appeal is strongly focused on the youthful gamer, you can also develop a strong case for the Hardcore gamer to come back to Nintendo. Don’t forget that that this is the same company that released Goldeneye on the N64 and more recently it is the same company that revealed those great looking Wii U Pro Controllers. If Nintendo can once again reach out to the Hardcore gamer, they will indeed see sales climb for their console.

Now you might be saying to yourself, but didn’t Nintendo already try reaching out to the Hardcore gamer with Call of Duty and FIFA? Only to fail and even lose support from EA? Yes and no. Even though some companies have gone on to say that they won’t support Nintendo unless they start selling consoles, this can still be remedied by SELLING consoles. So with focusing on your market and reaching out to the Hardcore gamer, Nintendo could also…

Begin Branching Out to Indies and Third-Parties

Honestly, I think the biggest gripe that people have against Nintendo is that they leech the heck out of Mario, Donkey Kong, and Zelda. Granted, those are some excellent games but those titles can only carry you so far. Both Sony and Microsoft are already nailing the indie support and Nintendo just recently displayed interest in supporting indies as well. The fact of the matter is that indies have the potential to dramatically increase sales for the Wii U mainly because the future of gaming revolves around indies. Nintendo should also look to bring more third party support for their system. If I have a Wii U that can play my Call of Duty, my Battlefield, or my Madden, why would I need to have a Sony or Microsoft console? Bring back the indies and the third parties that made Nintendo the thriving company it is today and Wii U sales will indeed rise.

Bonus: Continue Being Nintendo (Original)

Here’s an intriguing thought. Even though it sounds as though I am trying to make the Wii U into a PS4 or even Xbox One, it cannot be. As long as Nintendo continues to be what it’s always been, Nintendo, it can never be Sony or Microsoft and that is a glorious thing! Recall what happened with the Wii console and how it sold incredibly well with people of all ages. Nintendo could have easily gone the same route as Sony or Microsoft but by proposing a different idea to gaming (motion sensor controls) they captured a market that had never been tapped. The rise of casual gaming basically began with the Wii system and it has become a market that competing companies try their best to attain as well. With the Wii U, Nintendo introduced a tablet controller that dramatically changes the way we play console games and even though it has met with troubling short-term success, its long term success resides on that tablet controller. In short, Nintendo has always been a company that takes risks with new consoles and in an industry that thrives on innovation it’s important for Nintendo to continue being Nintendo, or original.

With the new upcoming line of first-party games and even a price drop, Nintendo has a great chance of resurrecting the Wii U and making it into a formidable console. Though things right now appear grim for the console it still has the potential to rise. If it manages to follow a couple of these guidelines don’t be surprised if it ends up becoming, “the little console that could.”

5 Tips to Help You Dominate In FIFA

Over the course of the years, my FIFA skill level has evolved drastically. I began playing as a complete noob who had absolutely no idea how to shoot effectively or even pass the ball without getting it stolen. It also didn’t help that I knew very little about the game of soccer and even teams as popular as Real Madrid and Barcelona had players I didn’t recognize, including the current greats Ronaldo and Messi.

Yet slowly but surely my knowledge of the beautiful game quickly grew and with it so did my FIFA skills. That isn’t to say that I’m one of the best players in the world, but I can say with great confidence that I win a good 95% percent of my matches online. The following are a collection of tips that have helped me step-up my game and I’m hoping that they can do the same for you.

5) Play Calmly

After I had developed my skills into an “okay player,” I knew that there were still plenty of areas where I could improve. I decided to take to the net and see what fellow players were saying about improving your game. The most common trend I discovered was that there were a lot of players who were losing simply due to frustration and uneasiness. Remember, you are playing FIFA which is more like a chess game as a opposed to a more fast paced game such as Call of Duty. When the opposing team scores on you in the first ten minutes, rather than get discouraged keep a cool head and stick with your game plan. It’s important to keep calm even when your opponent is doing “that one taunt” that gets under your skin. Play calmly and stick with your game plan. If you’re holding the controller with a rugged grip and are constantly jamming the buttons to oblivion, you are doing it wrong.

4) Play With A Mediocre Team

As I mentioned previously, when I first began playing FIFA I knew very little about soccer. Feeling a little American pride after the World Cup, I chose to support and select an MLS club when I would play online. Unfortunately for me, the MLS clubs were weak in comparison to other teams based off Spain or Europe. Let’s just say the beatings online were monumental and staggering and my team would come off defeats that equated to losing by three goals or more. Eventually it got to the point where I began to select teams with five stars just so I could win a couple of matches. It wasn’t long until I was the one taking names and beating others. What I discovered though was that by playing slowly with a mediocre team, it helped me become a better player with the better teams. When you are using a mediocre team you are forced to slow down your game. You forward isn’t going to outrun your opponent’s defense so you have think about where your next move will be, whether that’s a pass or a shot at goal. Your defensive players in the same way aren’t going to outrun your opponents forwards so you have to be aware of the gambles you make and learn to develop good predictions of what your opponent will do next. I can assure you that there will be countless losses in your record but this will ultimately make you a better player in the long run.

3) Don’t Be Flashy (Unless You Know How)

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve encountered players that think that just because they can juggle the ball, do a couple spin-moves, or even strike from midfield, they feel as though they are the best players in the world. Whereas you get points for being flashy in FIFA Street (at least I think so) you don’t get any in the yearly editions. There are a lot of players that act flashy in the game but in no way does it improve their skill. Equally, there are players that use their flashiness effectively by getting around the defense or making the right pass. The point is, you don’t have to be flashy to win in FIFA. The game is more of a mental game as opposed to unleashing the right move. In contrast, if you are already an intermediate player, consider learning a couple of the flashy moves to aid you in improving. That isn’t to say use all of them but just use the ones that fit you best. There’s nothing more embarrassing than someone trying to be flashy and losing by seven goals.

2) Pass, Pass, Pass

I cannot stress the importance of passing enough. The best players in the online world and even the best teams in the real world are some of the best passers. Passing however, is better implemented when it isn’t solely focused on attacking. For example, let’s say that your opponent has a solid defense that you just can’t seem to outrun or get past. A weak passer would only pass the ball toward the goal in hopes of breaking through. On the other hand, a strong passer will *always find the open man” and carve a new opening towards goal. This of course includes passing the ball backwards as well as forward. Instead of trying to go directly through an opponent’s defensive wall, consider going around the court, finding the open man, or passing the ball backwards. The main takeaway is that passing is crucial if you want to improve your skills and you should do it consistently and often.

1) Remember, It’s A Game

When it comes down to it, FIFA is still a beloved video game. As we have learned from even the best sports-sim games, they can never replicate real teams or players as effectively as they’d like. This comes to play in FIFA mainly when your opponent “just appears” as though they can beat you. If they have a custom team of “Atk. 99 Mid.99 Def.99,” or if Ronaldo and Messi are on the same team, or even if they are using a two level star team, it is never a good idea to underestimate or overestimate your opponent. Regardless of what you face, play a skillful intelligent game without fear. Personally, I’ve lost to very low level teams a number of times assuming that they would be easy pickings. I’ve also embarrassingly crushed opposition that would normally seem impossible to beat in real life. In the end, FIFA is a video game just like The Legend of Zelda, Uncharted, and Final Fantasy. As we have all learned, when it comes to games anything could happen.

Bonus: Know Your Players

When selecting your team, it is important to know each of player’s strengths and weaknesses. I first uncovered this tip when I began choosing Real Madrid as my team. Granted, I had only heard Real Madrid was a good team but I knew next to nothing about the players. This became a problem when substitutions came into play since I couldn’t figure out which players to use as forwards or midfields. Ronaldo is a great example since he can be effective as a forward and as a midfielder, but again,with a lack of experience in soccer knowledge I always assumed he was a forward. The best way in my opinion to know your players would be to simply watch a little more soccer every now and then with the team that you normally play as. That way you can see how the real life players are used and how you can implement them yourselves on your virtual squad.

FIFA is what I would call a thinking man’s game. For the most part, it’s a game where you’re better of making the smart choice instead of the fast one. With this in mind, try some of these tips to help you improve and see which ones work with your style of play. Remember that just like with anything else, practice makes perfect.