Ok. I created a new master thread, to be stickied at the top of the Gaming section, for those wanting to join VGChartz.com's first MMORPG Team (as far as I know). This is not only for fun, but for the glory of VGChartz.com, and free advertisment too!
Quick Start: Click the link, and sign up.
What Is This Game?
This game is called Goal Line Blitz, a free Browser-Based Massively Multiplayer Online game, that heavily used RPG Elements, and has rules based on American Professional Football (ie, the NFL).
In the game, your goal is to create players (upto 4 for free), train them, equip them, and prepare them for a long Professional Football career. You can sign to a team, get paid, and become the greatest Online Football Player on their network - which is over 35,000 players currently.
But bigger than this, the game also allows for macro-management, and the creation of entire Football teams. I've had a few year's experience managing unqiue MMORPG concepts, and Team VGC would be the game's first all-themed team. Rather than just hire random players as a General Manager, ever person will be a member of VGChartz.com. Want to throw a pass to ioi? Get a handoff from Naznatips? Argue with your Coach, Mrstickball? Sack a player from team GameSpot, or NeoGAF? Thats what this game is for: an off-site game, for us to rally around, and have fun, as a community.
How much time does it require? Is it Free?
In coming across this game, not only is it fun (if your a fan of American football), but it requires very little time (much is automated), but it's free, with any person signing up, allowed to do whatever he pleases without any major caps on in-game abilities without cash. Although there are (obviously) pay-for aspects, they are definately not needed, to work well. Furthermore, the referal system allows you to earn the same type of credits as you would get by paying real-life cash.
Time wise, most players would have to just commit to about 5-10 minutes per day. It's definately not bad at all. You can, however, spend more time to "fine tune" your characters, and make them better.
Click to Sign Up, and PM me at Mrstickball ingame
What kind of characters can I create? What kind(s) does Team VGC need?
In the game, you can create characters for any real-world position in American Football: 11 players per side, with every position represented.
As stated earlier, however, the game gives you a certain number of "Flex Points" that are used in creating a character. Quarterbacks, Runningbacks, and Wide Recievers are considered "top tier" players, and cost 300 FP, and you start with 400FP at the beginning of the game.
On the next-tier, you have Fullbacks, Tight Ends, and Defensive Players weighing in at 200FP each. On the final tier, Offensive Line players are a mere 100FP to create.
In addition to using your initial allotment of FP to create one, or multiple characters, you can upgrade them significantly by spending your extra FP by enhancing them with Custom Gear, or using 100FP to get them an automatic level up. However, at this time, it's reccomended that you save your FP up, if you plan on using the auto-leveler, until you get a higher, more costly level.
Team Requirements:
Currently, we are in dire need of:
Fullback (2nd String)
Offensive Tackle (1st String)
Wide Reciever (2nd and 3rd String, KR/PR)
Tight End (2nd String)
Offensive Tackle (1st and 2nd String)
Offensive Guard (2nd String)
Defensive Tackle (1st and 2nd String)
Defensive End (1st and 2nd String)
Linebacker (2nd String)
Cornerback (2nd String)
Free Saftey (2nd String)
Strong Saftey (2nd String)
Remember: in this style of MMORPG, being 2nd, or even 3rd string IS NOT BAD! On my current team, I have a 3rd string center that is playing 80% as much, at level 1, as their level 6 starter is, because of wise decisions! The game substitutes players ALOT. Even with an all-star at a position, that character can tire out, and the team will auto-sub the 2nd, and 3rd string players into the game.
Where do I sign up for "Team VGC"?
First off, Team VGC doesn't exist quite yet. Currently in the game, they are in the middle of playing a season. Not only this, there are only a certain allotment of actual in-game teams. Right now, these teams are all taken, and they are preparing to create more, and more teams for purchase.
Not only this, but if we started a team right now, we would only have half of the required positions filled, and we would get killed VERY quickly by teams that average level 4-7.
So what I'm asking is this: Sign up using my referral link (so we can get the needed in-game credits to buy the team) at http://goallineblitz.com/game/signup.pl?ref=3306249 , create your character, and join another team for now.
Once the season ends, I'll apply for a new Franchise Team, and then we'll begin the process of finalizing the roster, and all the needed stuff, to get those that sign up for Team VGC, onto the playing roster.
How Do I Play?
Goal Line Blitz is like your typical MMORPG, but with football as the main focus.
The first thing you need to do, is (as stated many, many times) is sign up for the link. Once you sign up, you will need to begin the Player Creation process. Decide on what kind of player you want.
Once your player has been selected, you will need to allocate skill points. Yes, like any grand MMORPG, you have various attributes, and unique skills for each position.
If you've never played a football game before, are are unfamiliar with the game, here are the various skill types that you want to focus on, so you don't waste points:
Offense:
Quarterback: The main player on any team. He is responsible for throwing the ball to recievers, handing the ball off to runningbacks, or running the ball himself, should the need/chance arise. As a QB, you need to focus on: Throwing, Vision and Strength. Also, should you want to build a "Dual Threat" Quarterback (one that Throws, and Runs), you'd need to focus on Speed, Agility and Stamina more than the main 3. Also, allocating your SP to the required Attributes is needed.
Running Back/Full Back: The main players that recieve the handoff from the Quarterback. Running Backs typically focus more on the actual running, and gaining yardage, and the Full Back focuses more on "lead blocking" for the RB, where he runs ahead of the RB, hitting opposing players that might tackle the RB. For the Running Back, your biggest skills are Strength, Speed, Agility, and Vision. However, if you want to build a "Dual Threat" Running Back, (one that can take the ball on a handoff, or become an eligible reciever), you will need to focus on Catching as well. For the Full Back, you will focus mainly on Strength and Blocking. Likewise, with a Running Back, if you want to focus on carrying, or recieving, work on the stated Running Back skills, for the required benefits.
Wide Receiver: The main player that catches the football from the Quarterback. Wide receivers are the most critical aspect of the passing game. Good WR's can do amazing things. Also, as an FYI, I *hope* we can use a strong passing game, so we'll have a large focus on WR's. Good skills for Wide Recievers to focus on are: Jumping, Catching, Speed, Agility, and Strength. Like other positions, Stamina is also critical. Depending on how you want your WR to play, you might focus on a specific area more than others: Possession recievers will focus more on Jumping, Catching and Vision in order to catch the ball more often, in more critical spots, but for less yardage. Speed WR's focus more on the pure ability to out-run a defender, therefore focus more on Speed and Agility...And Stamina too.
Tight End: Another multi-dimentional player on offense, the Tight End plays both as a blocker (with the Offensive Line), and a Reciever too. Eligible for passes, they focus on catching the ball for very short yardage, in special situations. For me, the TE is a great position, as they can be the "tipping point" for a bad defense, and a good QB. Although they never are glamorus, they are critical for both aspects they play on. And of course, it depends on how you want to create a TE. Some are like cheap Wide Recievers, some are like Offensive Linemen. Tight Ends utilize most every kind of skill: Tight Ends need Catching, Jumping, and Agility for those that want to recieve the ball, and Strength and Blocking for blocking TE's. Of course, since the TE position is so variable, you can utilize near-every other kind of skill as well, depending on what you want to do with your TE.
Offensive Line: Although the cheapest player to create in the game, they are also (as stated by most Pro. Analyists), the most valuable. OL members, consisting of Guards, Tackles, and Centers, attack at the center of the field, holding off defenders by opening up "running lanes" for the Running Back/Full Back to run through (unopposed by enemy players), and prevent the Pass Rush, by giving the Quarterback enough time to find open recievers, or scramble for the football. Any O-Line player needs to focus on Strength, Blocking, and Stamina. Very few other things are needed, except maybe for Vision and Confidence. As an FYI, O-Line players are in GREAT demand on the game, and are usually picked up very quickly by teams.
Defense:
Defensive Line: The exact opposite of the Offensive Line, the D-Line attempts to "break through" the O-Line, and get into the "backfield" of the Offense, breaking the play up, before it gets started. The Defensive Line consists of Defensive Tackles, and Defensive Ends. They also open up holes for the Linebackers to blitz through, attacking the Quarterback, or foiling the Running Back. Just like the O-Line, they are critical, and in short supply. The same skills are needed as the O-Line: Strength, Blocking, Stamina, and Tackling.
Linebackers: Are the combination players on defense. They are rather varied with what they do: They attempt to break through the line of scrimmage, and sack the QB, attempt to tackle the Running Back on the Inside and Outside running lanes, and also attempt to deflect passes for short yardage gains from Tight Ends, or WR's on Slant Routes to the middle of the field. Depending on how you want to play your Linebacker (should you want to focus on one specific ability), you want to focus on some, or all of the following skills: Tackling, Strength, Agility, Speed, Jumping, and Vision. Again, you might want to focus on a particular area of the passing, or running game.
Cornerbacks: are to the Wide Recievers as the D-Line is to the O-Line. They play opposite of the Wide Recievers, and attempt to follow WR's on their routes, hoping to deflect or intercept the football when a Quarterback attempts a pass play. They also might need to tackle the Running Back, should he recieve the ball, or run to the outside. Skills to focus on are: Speed, Agility, Jumping, Tackling, and Vision. But again, like any Defensive player, you might have a specific goal with your CB as a strong anti-WR, or good CB against the Run.
Safties: Are the final, last-ditch effort of the Defensive Team in the game. They play far away from the line of scrimmage, and focus exclusively on Wide Receivers, and anyone that gets very far on the line of scrimmage, making good yardage. They focus on very similar skill sets as Cornerbacks, but add Catching into their mix (as I tend to think they might get the ball thrown at them more): Agility, Jumping, Tackling, Vision, and Catching. Note that I didn't include Speed in there, as they do play far away from the line, and chances are, they might be hitting somone headon, and need more agility and tackling.
Special Teams:
Kicker: Rugby fans know exactly what these players do. A kicker is purely focues on kicking the ball off to the opposing team, and converting Field Goals should the team require it. A kicker has only 2 skills he needs: Kicking and Tackling. Tackling because sometimes the return game can do well, and cause major headaches. Also, a Kicker could be a "Dual Threat" and focus on adding Punting Skills too. Also, there might be other skills like Accuracy to focus on.
Punter: A punter is similar to the Kicker. However, he is utilized when the Offense cannot make it to the end zone, and reaches the 4th Down. He punts the ball (whereas the kicker place-kicks the ball in his circumstances), hoping to force the opposing team to recieve the ball in a bad spot. Punting and Tackling. are the good skills to have..And the Dual Threat comment can be said the same, should you need to Kick because of Injury.
And above all else: Each player needs a good bit of Stamina!
This doesn't go for Kickers and Punters, but I have found out that having alot of Stamina when you start your career is a very, VERY good thing. Stamina allows your player to play at his best, the most. In the game, you do NOT gain EXP by doing spectacular things on the field. It's based on how many times your on the field. So if your on the field every play, chances are, your going to get alot more EXP. Also, having high Stamina allows you to finish a game off with more Total Energy left. This allows you to continue with "Intense" training more often, getting better skill upgrades every day.
Ok. I think that's it for now. Hopefully this helps explain things.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
