The thrills of a well executed game far outweigh the occasional hitches but all online gamers agree that high latency is the most annoying issue affecting their performance. Latency or ping time, known technically as round trip time or RTT, goes by milliseconds and depends on the connection given by an online game server to its network clients thru a cable modem. Not only are these questionable RTT’s often way longer than what system commands such as ping or tracert return, but gamers also have to deal with more packet loss than what their system utilities show.

When you’re serious about your game, this could be a problem. But it’s fortunately a no brainer. Too high latency and packet loss often have to do with a cable modem having limited network traffic volume capacity, thus stalling network packets or losing them altogether. Sometimes, it’s simply that network clients are getting way too much traffic.

This happens when a game connected through ethernet or USB, for example, automatically configures itelf for a 10Mbps LAN connection which is created to handle heavy network traffic. The cable modem then tends to lag because it is forced to perform beyond its design and capacity. While this doesn’t harm TCP traffic, it does cause packet loss and high ping times for games running on UDP (unreliable datagram protocol).

In this case, you’ll have to skew your game configurations a little so they come easy on your slower-than-normal LAN connection. There are actually websites you can check for game setting variations and step-by-step procedures on how to get the most out of your gaming experience. While some games need you to use the cl_rate or rate commands on your gaming console to turn up your data rate to a max of 6000 – 10000 bytes per second for a cable connection, others require you to go right down to details such as maxpackets and snaps. Read the rest of this entry »

It is important to play the game FIFA Soccer 10 in an effective manner, and this can be done by following certain guidelines which will provide better opportunities to win the game. The ball should be in constant movement while making runs such that it gives better possession of the ball and facilitates accurate passing, thereby creating splendid scoring opportunities.

Making runs towards the opposite half is important, and ensuring there is always a player free enough to receive the ball is essential. Passing the ball to him can either cause a goal or an opportunity, since all it requires is a correct pass. However, it is best to lay-off the ball to a forward as they have a better probability for scoring, and a counter attack is expected while attacking continuously. For such situations, a good defense can be very helpful mainly because a good defense stops most opportunities. Dribbling and changing pace often confuses defenders, while counter attacking can be done in a flash with very little, but accurate passes.

Scoring forms the base of any soccer game, however there are some very important guidelines that can prove to be very useful for a player. Attacking implies that the player should be brought as close to the goal as possible so that the pressure is reduced and efficiency is ensured. Long-range shots are really tempting, but do not always make a goal and hence it is best to make use of a formation employing 2 strikers. Using a lone striker is never as effective as using 2 strikers, as with 2 strikers, a 1-2 pass (wall pass) can be easily made and it may result in easy goals. For goal scoring opportunities, the lobbed pass is the best option, and a lobbed ball is hard to block or intercept. If there is a player in the correct position, a lobbed ball can work out wonders, ensuring fruitful breakaways.

Shoot button is meant for tapping, not for pressing down as it gives lots of accurate and fast shots on target. Fast strikers are the best sources for goals, and are available with top clubs such as Manchester United, Inter Milan, FC Barcelona, etc. These strikers have better shots, accuracy and speed, yet while attacking the defense of the opponent careful observation is expected. Every defense has flaws in it, and the best tactic is to exploit them to the maximum extent. Read the rest of this entry »