Practicum 7

For my final blog post is venture to Wikipedia and search for the online network gaming page. Unfortunately there is no such page, so my next idea was to try and find the page for FIFA 12. After reading through the page I found that there was no mention of FIFA 12 Online mode, so I decided to write up a short summary basically describing what the online function does.

I mentioned how users connect with each other, and that they need a Xbox Live account to connect. I also touched on the fact that there are different game modes available on FIFA 12, including some multiplayer ones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_12

Practicum 6

After exploring through Pro Clubs, I started to notice how serious and time consuming some of the parts of FIFA 12 Online can be. Head to Head Seasons and Pro Clubs are definitely where you can find the most hardcore gamers that FIFA 12 has to offer, so if any of you guys are up for a challenge I would definitely recommend check these modes out. Head to Head Season are a single player mode where you enter in a league, but this time you play by yourself. Records and statistics are kept, which means that players who enter this type of gameplay are serious about the game. Also, like Pro Clubs, Head to Head Seasons are a serious time commitment. The game times are set in advance, and all members of the league are told when the matches will be played so that there are no conflicts.

The picture above is a screenshot of the main screen of a person that is in a Head to Head Season. At the top you can see the users handle, along with the stars representing his/her skill level. Below that is shown this persons record in the league. The large red bar represents how many points GarrethBro currently has in the league, and if you look to the right you see a gold thinner bar that represents how many points 1st place in the league has. At the bottom of the screen is shown how many times this user has been promoted or regulated, which means how many top 4 finishes and also how many bottom 4 finishes this person has had. Next to that is how many league trophies he has, which are awarded to the winner of the league.

As you can see there are many components that go into these Head to Head Seasons. These leagues can get very intense, and like this person did you can see that its possible to play in many leagues (but only one at a time).

Practicum 5

Pro Clubs were the next section of the game that I explored, and I can easily say that this was the most interesting feature that FIFA 12 Online has to offer. Users are placed on teams based on their rankings, and teams are composed of 10 members per squad (nobody is assigned the goalkeeper position). The alternative to random selection is you and 9 friends can come in as an already assembled team, which I thought was pretty cool and thats definitely the way I would go. I tried to join a team but I then realized how much of a time commitment this would become, not to mention how serious the users on Pro Clubs take their play. Teams usually play full length seasons, just like the actual professional soccer leagues do, and have 1 or 2 matches a week. Obviously all games are ranked, and not only is a team's wins and losses record kept, but also teams leading scorers, most effective defenders, and best assist men as well.

Although Pro Clubs are only available to North American users (there are 11 regional divisions that are offered), there is an overall leaderboard that includes all users throughout the globe. This way, there is a connection between users regionally, domestically, and even globally leaving no doubt about who is the supreme soccer squad in the world. Another thing this mode allows for is for you to meet and play against different teams from all over the world, each bringing their own style and unique gameplay to the table. This is what makes Pro Clubs the most interactive feature on FIFA 12 Online by far.

Practicum 4

The next part of FIFA 12 that I explored was the Custom Games section. In In this mode, you are able to invite any player online to a match with custom rules and game settings. The first option you choose is whether you want your match to be ranked or un-ranked. If you desire a ranked match, you are forced to play with the official FIFA 12 Online gameplay settings. This means random weather, 6 min halves, and you must play on the most advanced level of difficulty. 


Customs matches may contain different number of gamers. In this multiplayer mode, there are 4 types of matches. First are Match Lobbies, which are randomly selected. Here you can play versus 1-3 other player per match. Statistics aren't kept here and in general these matches tend to be un-ranked, and less intense than other gameplay modes. Contrastingly, Online Leagues are definitely the most serious of all the gameplay types. These matches are very intense, as each league is made up of 30 individual gamers. Each member selects a team at the beginning of the season and must play all matches for that league with that same team. Teams usually play between 2-4 matches per week, and seasons last around 3-4 months. Wins and losses are recorded, and at the end of the league the best 16 teams are seeded for playoffs and the tournament bracket begins. The other two modes of the multiplayer section are Team Play, which is 2 vs 2, and Head to Head Matches which is the classic and most common of all gameplay. These two modes are also ranked matches, and in Team Play both teammates must be playing for the same console. 


In the picture below, you can see a screenshot of actual gameplay from an Online League match. The white names above the player are the handles of the various users that are playing the game. The red circles surrounding the players feet help designate which teammate will be selected if you press the switch player button.

Practicum 3

After practicing for a while, it was time to start playing actual matches. Before I could do that, I had to first create my online "profile" for FIFA 12. I entered the "My FIFA 12 Online" section of the game. Here I was able to adjust my gameplay settings such as the camera view, the time length of each half, the color of the ball, the time of the day for the match, and the weather that the match will be played in, just to name a few. These settings allow for the game to become much more personalized, and there is even the option of using the actual weather that is occurring at the moment in the location where is your match is being played. Also, this is where all of your statistics are found, including your record, goals scored, goals against, games played, and trophies won.


Another feature of this part of the game, is that you have what are called updated rosters. When playing FIFA 12 online, users are required to have the latest and most up to date rosters. With the simple click of a button you can download the latest squad update. This feature is essential for many reasons. First, it accounts for real injuries. If in a real soccer match Lionel Messi gets hurt and breaks his leg, he will also be injured in FIFA 12. You will not be able to use him if you select his team, and he will remain injured until he is back to healthy form in the real world. This feature makes the game incredibly more realistic. Also, if a player is playing exceptionally well in real life, his ratings will go up in FIFA 12 when you update the rosters. This also applies to players who are playing poorly, and their ratings will surely drop. Another customizable option available is that you have the option to not only change your starting line-up, but you can even designated which for you 30+ players can be available as substitutes and which will be reserved for that match.


When you play sport video games online with friends, do you take the time to download the latest rosters before playing or do you just think it's a waste of time?

Practicum 2

After the everlasting registration process, I was finally ready to play. Rather than immediately entering matches and probably getting beat by better, more experienced players, I decided to enter in the practice mode for a while and really learn the strategy and buttons for the game. At first, it was just me 1 vs 1 against a computer generated goalie. Here I was able to practice on my dribbling moves, along with shooting on a live keeper. After every shot taken, one of two things would happen. If the ball was scored, or went out of bounds, I would get the ball back at midfield and would basically repeat this process over and over. The other option would be the goalie saves my shot, and the ball stays in bounds. If that happened I would just chase down the rebound and continue trying to score. I was also able to practice making moves on the goalie, which is essential when you are playing and find yourself on a breakaway.

After doing this mode for a while, I moved into practice what are called "set pieces". Set pieces are similar to an inbounds play in basketball. On free kicks and corner kicks, you can call plays and have your teammates run to designated spots on the field, where you then proceed to making your best attempt at getting the ball to them on your cross. Also, here you can practice shooting free kicks while the defense is in position and has formed a wall.




Once I had practiced for about 2 hours, I could tell how much better I had gotten at the game. I felt much more comfortable maneuvering the controller and learning the more advanced moves. I now felt ready to take my talents to the world of Xbox Live and test out my skills versus live competition.


Do you ever practice before actually playing the game?

If so, do you think it helps you learn the game more than actual gameplay does?

Practicum 1

At first, I was a little confused with my practicum project. I have never really thought in depth about all the components that go into online gaming, even though I have played games online for years now. For this project, I took the approach as if this was the first time I was playing a video game online. I turned on my Xbox 360 and I was ready to go. 

Next, I had to figure out how to active the online feature of the game. I learned that in order to play Xobx Live, which was this online function, you needed to register and pay for an account. This kind of sucks because I know on Playstation's systems the online feature is free. Anyways, I went online and paid for the account. They had a variety of different plans, each unlocking different features that Xbox Live can offer its users, plus I had to give out all of my personal inormation, payment information, and agree to the terms of policy. I chose the $40 for 1 year plan, and after about an hour of registering I was finally ready to go online.

Question: Have you thought about or questioned how the video games are connected to the internet?

Computerized Devices

Last night I recorded every time I used a computerized device, and I found that there were a lot of instances of use in only 1 night. Throughout the night, I was using my iPhone for a variety of things such as web browsing, text messaging, checking social media such as Twitter and Facebook, and also gaming. Another device I used was my Xbox. For a couple hours, me and my friends played video games and even played online versus other people. Additionally, I was on my computer. I was answering emails, surfing the web, I watched a baseball game, and even video chatted with my cousin in Peru. I also spent a part of my night watching TV.

In all, what most stuck out to me was how capable my computerized devices can actually be. For example, my phone is not only a phone, but its also my email, the internet, my iPod, games, social media, much much more.

Copyright

Admittedly, I have downloaded thousands of songs from the internet using various programs such as Napster and Limewire. Growing up I really had little to no regard for breaking these "laws" as I felt it was something that everyone was doing and I wasn't really doing that bad of a thing. Since then I have started either buying albums on iTunes, listening to radio stations on Pandora, or even most recently listening to music online for free using Spotify. As I've grown up and become more aware of this ongoing problem, I tried to stop using these file sharing programs, mainly because I want to support the hard working artists that are producing these jams. I actually don't even know if Napster and Limewire are still running. Another reason I have stopped downloading illegal is because, its illegal. The recent focus on online piracy and cracking down on users has definitely scared me off a little bit, I'm not going to lie. There are so many ways of listen to music online legally and for free, that I don't even think its worth it to go through the hassle any more these day. Even though I do pay for these albums and movies, I try my best not to pay full price for them. I do a lot of shopping on online markets like Amazon where I usually find what I am looking for at a much more reduced price than what stores like Best Buy offer. Plus, if I purchase a movie from iTunes for example, I can instantly watch that video on my computer and I don't have to worry about loosing/scratching a DVD, like I have done hundreds on times in the past. Amazon gives me the video instantly as well, but they send a hard copy of the DVD to me also, which is why I like taking my business there as often as I can. I like how I get my music and movies much more today than how I used to do it, and I feel much better about having the media. I think it was very unfair to music/movie producers and artists who were just getting the short end of the stick, while everyone downloaded their hard work for free.

Hulu vs Youtube

Personally, I have always preferred Youtube over Hulu. Years ago I used to like Hulu better but then they redid the website and added commercials, and since then its been all Youtube for me. Now Youtube has started to incorporate some ads as well, but I still think its far less annoying to the ones on Hulu.You can also skip the ads on Youtube after a couple of seconds. As I went back to Hulu, I was very surprised and pleased to find that the quality of the videos was in high-definition. This was superior quality than majority of the videos found on Youtube. Also, I was able to watch episodes of shows such as SNL and 30 Rock on Hulu, something that cannot be done on Youtube. As I explored deeper into the site, I found that for $8 per month, you can access unlimited high-definition shows that are all commercial free. This seemed pretty cool to me, as its not something that Youtube offers. While Hulu did impress me a bit, I must say that Youtube was created so that users can post their videos to the web, and that is easily its best feature in my opinion. Any random person can upload a video of anything, and it has a chance to be "the next big thing". There are even shows on TV completely dedicated to analyzing and critiquing videos posted to Youtube, such as Tosh.o on Comedy Central. Lastly, the fact that other users can comment post their thoughts and reactions to a video makes Youtube much more interactive than Hulu. Ultimately, I was surprised at Hulu since I thought it would be way worse of a site than it is, but I still have to give Youtube the win on this one.

Googling Myself

Googling yourself is something that most people have done in their lives at one point or another. Google is a tremendously popular search engine, so its not that unusual for a person to wonder what's on available to the public about them. When I entered my name into google, I was not shocked to find other people's accounts to Facecbook, Twitter, and other popular social-media websites who share the same name as me.

Other things I found were a little more interesting. I now know that in New York City, a fellow Andrew Brodsky found an actual animal toe in his Sabra hummus dip and is now suing them. I also learned about Andrew Brodsky, the star forward for the New Jersey Grizzlies of the National Colligate Roller Hockey Association, which I did not know existed either. All in all, I realized that by searching your name on Google you will find things about yourself you never knew were made public, there are also some things you may be expecting to find that are not on there, and you may also find out about people you have never met before with your same name. In the end, I would say this assignment was one of the more entertaining ones.

Chatroullete

Chatroullete was once a website where you could video-chat with other users at random. Now, Chatroullete has become something way worse. I have not used it since its "15 minutes of fame" so when I logged on recently I was very taken back by what I saw. I felt like I was going through a rotation of strange older men, European grandparents, and perverted guys. It was pretty gross and I really didn't enjoy my experience on the website this time. The only people I met on Chatroullete that I would consider to be "normal" would be two musicians. After many clicks of the next button, I found one guy who was holding a guitar. He introduced himself and told me he was from Virginia and a music student at UVA. He then asked me how the Wisconsin winters were. I hadn't realized that Chatroullete automatically shares your location with the person you're chatting with, and it really creeped me out that he knew where I was without me saying anything, so I hit him with the quick "Next". After a couple more weird older guys, I found a relatively younger man who was playing piano. He asked me if I wanted to hear a song, and I said sure. I wish I had said no. His song was one of the worst things I've ever heard; he couldn't even rhyme and I'm not sure if he really knew how to even play his instrument.

I had had enough of Chatroullete and decided to sign off. Overall, I wasn't too pleased with my experience on the site. I've been on Chatroullete in the past and had very different experiences, but none as bad as this one. I think the idea and framework of the site works great, but too many users abuse it. I think there are too many invasions of privacy, and nothing stopping any user of exposing themselves to you. Back when there were less weirdos on the site, Chatroullete was way more popular.

Video Response

I would say I spend a decent amount of time on the internet, but I have never heard anything about ARPANET before I watched this video. I learned a lot about the internet from watching it. This video really opened my eyes to how the internet was actually developed, and how far its come since then. I thought it was very cool to see how the internet was formed interlocking 4 independent networks. This video left me wondering what happened to the development of the internet after 1990, when ARPANET was removed. The video only says that "the internet was up and running...", but it does not give any details on how. Another thing I found interesting was the involvement of France and England in the internet's  development. I would be fascinated to find out real reasons these countries decided to get involved.

Introduction

Hi my name is Andrew Brodsky and I'm from Miami, Florida. I am a junior here at UW-Madison and Political Science major. I plan going to law school after I graduate.

I really look forward to taking this course. The internet is something we all using multiple times a day, and its one of the best tools we have. I'm eager to learn more about the internet, and how we use it daily. I think that the internet will become increasingly important to our lives in the future, so its very important that we know how to use it.