Interfering With Play – 19th August 2008
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Tue 19 Aug
Interfering With Play, the next generation. Got quite a cool ring to it. PESGaming.com regulars will know that this column has been following pretty much the same routine for the past 12 months, and now is as good a time as any to make a few changes. So, for all the newbies, here is the score. Interfering With Play is a weekly column, featuring news from the gaming, football and most importantly football gaming world. It is designed to provoke thought amongst its readers and gives you, the PESGaming.com public the opportunity to respond to whatever has been said, if you agree with the views or not. The article has been running for a year now, and has proven to be rather successful, so I am hoping for another 12 months of interesting topics, fierce but fair debate and audience participation that has led to its aforementioned success. With that said, let’s get going with a new year of Interfering With Play
“I Wake Up In The Morning, And I Ask Myself”
First of all, I am going to quickly run through the changes to this column, some subtle, some slightly more obvious. As many of you will be aware, there are a number of new columns starting up on PESGaming.com, a couple of which have a similar format to IWP. Therefore, instead of using generic, all be it witty, headers for each subject, I am instead going to use song lyrics related to the topic in hand. Above is the lyric from 2Pac’s Changes, and this section is about the changes to Interfering With Play! I hope that makes sense. Secondly, each Interfering With Play will now feature a poll, in which you, the PESGaming.com public can vote on a chosen topic. The topics will vary between football, computer games or even the running of PESGaming.com. The votes will give a good indication of the overall views of the community, and hopefully lead to appropriate discussion topics in the future. This is an idea a couple of people have suggested in comment or e-mail form, and therefore I thought would be a good idea to incorporate. The third new addition is a change of e-mail address. As I have said before, I get in the region of 30 e-mails each week regarding Interfering With Play, and a further 5 people add me to msn. Therefore, I have signed up for a new e-mail address, which I will use for anything related to this article. I was also be on MSN using that address, so if you have topics you wish to discuss, please feel free to add me. Those players currently playing in the IWP League, please continue to use the original e-mail address, as I have all saved data in that e-mail account. The new e-mail address is interferingwithplay@hotmail.co.uk and will be the address featured in each article from now on, so please update you address books/contact lists as appropriate. And the final new introduction this week is the snazzy new logo you see at the top of this article. This is the official logo for Interfering With Play, and will be the logo for future Interfering With Play leagues. The logo will be adapted to feature the name of the leagues first winner in a couple of week’s time, but until that point, this is it. The man behind the design is Dave Ostrander, who took the time and effort to produce this top-notch image. Dave is a member of the PESGaming.com community, and if anyone needs a design for any reason, he is willing to listen to offers. Contact me for his e-mail address. More changes are coming up, but the above should keep you going for now!
“Tuesday, Wednesday, Happy Days”
This week is a huge week in the PES world. Wednesday sees the media silencer lifted on those journalists that have been lucky enough to play test PES2009. Whilst no official word has been posted, the rumblings are extremely positive, and PESGaming.com will report various views from different camps as the story develops. With all the images starting to filter through, and game play reviews just days away, the question must be ‘Are You Excited Yet?’ Personally, I thought that the ‘Christmas Eve’ feeling for computer games was long gone, especially after last years disappointing online modes in PES2008. All the PR, hype and build up seemed to be let down in a number of key areas, and whilst I am still playing PES2008, and will do right up to the night before 2009 is released, I felt stung, and less inclined to ‘look forward’ to a title. Metal Gear Solid 4 and Grand Theft Auto IV have gone along was to bringing that feel good factor back, but those were titles that had constantly fired five star games. But today, as I sit here, mulling over what is public knowledge so far, I actually am beginning to feel that little rumble in the pit of my stomach. I am starting to become hungry for that latest screen shot, menu screen or even entrance video! Is online sorted? What about edit mode? What about the lag? All these questions still hang over my head, but I am now wondering, what tricks are in the game? Is become a legend as good as it sounds? Is PES2009 going to finally be the answer to the football sim question? So yes, I am excited, as a columnist for a PES based website, but mainly as a PES fan, and I am starting to wish the summer away, and look forward to October! Is anyone there yet? Or have too many years of next generation disappointment doused any flames of hope? Your views, either via comment or e-mail are most welcome.
“Welcome To The Jungle”
The jungle of course, is the Premier League, and following an excellent and enjoyable first weekend, my hat must go off to Hull City. As a fan of a Championship side, I always feel a great deal of resentment for any club that is starting the new season in the English top flight, especially when my beloved Wolves only lasted the single season. I always hope that the sides that go up become the league whipping boys, and fall straight back down, a weaker and more dejected side for the experience. And normally, this is true. In previous years, teams like Norwich, Sheffield United Crystal Palace have all been one season wonders, and since struggled to find any consistent form within the division. But there is something about Hull. Phil Brown does not have the look of a boring manager. The fans have a certain level of hope and lack of expectation, probably from being in an area dominated by rugby league. The players they have brought in are experienced Premier League players, who along with the mix of seasoned lower league professionals offer a certain level of experience perhaps lacking in Derby of last season. Out of the three promoted sides, Hull would be most people’s favourites to finish bottom, and my head follows those people’s views. But my heart seems to be hoping they can actually do the unthinkable. It would be a huge boost for young managers, a huge boost for Championship teams and a huge boost for fans of lower league clubs, who have seen that the magic of rising through the divisions can still happen in the money driven world of modern football. Any Hull City fans, or anyone with a view on this topic, mainly lower league fans; please feel free to express your views.
“Candlelight And Soul Forever”
If your keeping track whilst reading, the above song is Two Becomes One by The Spice Girls, and links me nicely on to a point raised by John Groth, about playing 2v2 on Pro Evolution Soccer online. Of course, this was a mode not available on PES2008, but on previous versions of the game, most notable PES5 on PC, there was the option of having you and a friend, on the same system, play against another party in a match. Some gamers feel the team with the two players have an unfair advantage, as there are actually two players, but this is only true if the two players compliment each other’s play. I have played this game mode offline with 2 mates, and find that it is easier to play by yourself, as you have more control over features such as one-twos and through balls. Of course, if you are used to playing this mode, be it in Master League or Exhibition modes, when it comes to playing against another human being, the experience will show, with off the ball movement and timing of runs embarrassing the AI. My question is, what kind of interest level is there in 2 people playing on the same team? I know a few of my mates that play Master League in this way, but when I have mates round, we do tend to go for the more competitive one on one games. Anyone who supports this mode, please get in touch and outline why you do so, as it is something that may be included in future Interfering With Play leagues.
“Don’t You Want Me Baby”
Moving on the human league, or more strictly speaking, the Interfering With Play league. The league is almost at the half way stage, and has so far been played in an excellent spirit. Providing the next few weeks follow suit, I have no problem running a larger scale league for more participants on PES2009, hopefully even separate 360 and PS3 divisions. Of course, all this depends on the online state of the new PES, but in spite of the lag, the competition is running very well, and is closely contested at the top. At the time of writing, Martin Ginnelly’s River Plate currently sit top of the pile, but with difficult games against Marseille and Anderlecht this week, there is a good chance all of this could change round pretty quickly! If your are interested in being involved for a PES2009 league, and are not currently playing in the IWP league, please send an e-mail to the new address, stating your name, age, location, console and a valid hotmail address, and you will be put on a mailing list for any future news.
“Got The Body Of A Goddess”
Finally this week is the much-promised poll. The link to the above song is of course T-Pain’s, I’m In Love With A Stripper, and of course strippers do work on poles. Tedious, maybe but is original, and well thought out. Well that’s my story anyway. I won’t be explaining these links every week, but they will be available on request! Anyway, as many you will have noticed, even if you are new to PESGaming.com, the last 7 days has seen a group of new columns pop up from different sources, all discussing different topics. Some of these have been well received, others have come in for some criticism, but the whole point of a site like this is that you get your views across, its what you are entitled to do! Personally, I quite like Steve From Stoke’s Geek Chic, as it is completely different and actually quite amusing, if taken with a pinch of salt! None PES fans would actually call a mental asylum to check him in, but many people would agree with some of the comments Steve makes, and Steve’s points are exactly about people’s love of PES!
However, having been writing a column on this fine site for a while now, I realise it is a big commitment and not always easy to come up with interesting and unique talking points, more so when the news regarding PES dries up in January time, and the site is itching for new content. I feel Interfering With Play coped reasonably well through the ‘dry season’ but I am wondering which column will be the first one to bow out. And that is the question I am putting to you in this weeks poll. Which PESGaming.com column will be the first one to disappear? This could be because you personally don’t enjoy reading it, it could be because you don’t like the author’s writing style, or maybe you feel the content is not enough to keep people coming back for more. I am of course, including IWP in there, as just like the other three columns, there will be people who would like to see the back of it, and this is your opportunity to express your views in an anonymous manor.
That’s your lot for this week’s column. As I said, over the next couple of weeks we have some exciting new features, some regarding PES, and some just for fun! If you would like to get in contact regarding anything you may have read on here, you can do so at interferingwithplay@hotmail.co.uk, or make your comment public using the little red button below.
Thanks for Reading
CoolWebPoll
Lovely article son, well done!
Great artical Dan – Lets hope and pray that PES 2009 is great, what we all deserve.
Another great article, loving the sub-titles!
I’m supporting geek chic in the poll though, I’m surprised it’s favourite to finish first!
Great article, as always. Regarding the anticipation and excitement…i feel it to, growing with every day that passes :)
Hows this going to work Dan? Will the peoples reviews and the gameplay videos appear here on the homepage or where? What time shall we be expecting them?
Cheers!
Nice post!!!
I have never played 2 vs 2, but seems like fun.
My 2 friends and I that are the only huge Pro Evo fans in our area of the world always play 3 vs the CPU in World Cups and Konami Cups.
It can get boring playing 1 vs 1 with 3 people all the time. Playing 3 vs the CPU gives us a goal to strive for. We especially like to play as a buildup to going out for the night.
Unfortunately PES 2008 became way too easy so we switched back to WE9:LE. The game still kicks our ass most of the time…but the challenge is incredible fun.
you have good thoughts and great interest in Pro EVO. I like that. But please; Write shorter – read up on writing an article or writing for the web. I would follow you a lot more if you had published the above in shorter posts every day instead of a bible every week.
THis says it all; focus to get people to read all of it and kill your darlings.
“However, having been writing a column on this fine site for a while now, I realise it is a big commitment and not always easy to come up with interesting and unique talking points, more so when the news regarding PES dries up in January time, and the site is itching for new content. I feel Interfering With Play coped reasonably well through the ‘dry season’ but I am wondering which column will be the first one to bow out. And that is the question I am putting to you in this weeks poll.”
45% and rising? Wounded :-(
2 v 2 I played a few times online on the previous pro evo, absolute quality! And I must applaude you in the running of the IWP league, loving every match of it (albeit a shocking performance from myself this week).
i think hull city is a great example of the galvanising effect a new stadium can have on a team. 5 years ago hull were playng in the 4th tier against my team lincoln, moved to the kc stadium, now they are in the premiership! with hull being a large city, they knew they had the catchment area to attract plenty of fans to fill the large stadium. this in turn inspired the players and possibly intimidated the opposition. additionally a higher gate would enable more money come into the club.
i personally love playing 2 v 2 when there are 4 of us round, we normally have a great laugh! the lack of communication often results in some bizzarre goals and fouls, and many high scoring games. its not a pretty game of football by any means but immensely enjoyable!
Thanks Dan for bring my topic and it is intresting and nice to see that we are not alone in this PES-world to enjoy the 2 vs 2/CPU feature! :)
Thanks