Soccer/football and other games

[Maxim M.]

Are there any soccer fans here?
What do you think of Ukrainian teams' unbelievable success in UEFA Cup this season?
Who will be the UEFA Champions League winner?
What are your favorite teams, players, tactics? What's your national team's greatest hope?

[Matt R.]

www.nottinghamforest.co.uk

A loyal supporter for 16 years now

[Alan B]

Here in Canada we prefer fast sports involving ice skates and pucks, or bats, gloves and balls, or even what you call "North American football" which is a little like rugby.

International soccer is popular, and World Cup games are very popular here, but local professional soccer is in its infancy. Having said that however, Toronto FC is doing quite well both on the field and at the box office for a very young club.

[Maxim M.]

www.nottinghamforest.co.uk

A loyal supporter for 16 years now

Cool. I've heard of this team. But not much
As far as I know, these guys were quite successful in European cups last century Can you remind the greatest team achievements?
At the moment they are playing in English Coca-Cola Championship, right?

Alan, how many soccer teams do you have in Canada? Is there a national league and who's its leader?

[Alan B]

Professional soccer (what you call football) is very new here. While playing soccer is popular in schools and recreation clubs, pro soccer has not been. In Canada fans have many choices of pro sports to view that they prefer, such as ice hockey (fastest game in the world!), football (what you call North American football), baseball, basketball, etc. Even lacrosse is probably bigger here than soccer.

Toronto FC is just in its third season, as its first season was 2007. A young club, it has been doing quite well on the field and also successfully drawing fans. Toronto plays in the Major League Soccer league which includes 14 U.S. teams plus Toronto.

So, while there are many other soccer teams in Canada, Toronto FC is the only professional team and even it is very new.

[Maxim M.]

Hehe. We have similar situation with hockey in our country.
There's only one pro team in Kyiv (Sokil) that takes part in Russia national league.

Do you know who's the first in MLS? I've heard of LA team. David Beckham (English team star) was recently playing for them.

[Alan B]

Offhand I do not know, I would have to look it up. I don't follow soccer, as we have so many more exciting sports here to choose from.

[Tony]

The only sport I can tolerate is computer gaming. If I can't virtually blow it to pieces with an outsized weapon, I'm not interested.

[Matt R.]

WHB Battlefield wars? What do you play?

I know a few of us like some online FPS action.

[Maxim M.]

I'm fond of Counter-Strike 1.6 online battles and almost all kinds of first person shooters
Texas Hold'em Poker and Heroes of Might and Magic III
World of Goo. I am also an experienced Windows Miner and Hearts gamer
Tony, let's have a Left 4 Dead match =)

[Arkadij S]

+1 for CS 1.6
I also like WW-2 related games, they look more realistic.
E.g. latest Medal Of Honour: Airborn was brilliant.

But my most beloved virtual sport is racing. This really rocks!
Perhaps there I can do the things, doing which in reality I would kill my car on our roads

[Maxim M.]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. by Ukrainian developers! ^^

[Arkadij S]

Btw! Has anyone of you (non-Ukrainian guys, I mean) heard about/played S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?
Believe me, it's worth it! The only thing I'm not sure about, is if it has been translated to English already.

[Tony]

The last Battlefield I bought was BF2. It's not installed now, but I keep thinking about it. With a good team its lots of fun, and I see there are still lots of servers up.

Which is maybe why I can't get into Left4Dead. I go in occasionally for a pickup match with total strangers, but as often as not something happens like the phone rings and I can't just idle for a few minutes because it leaves the team short so I have to disconnect.

Recently I've been playing a lot of TF2, though I'm so bad I'm mostly just Pyro. Had fun getting my Pyro achievement last week. Unlikely I'll ever get a Scout upgrade because I just cannot hit *anything* with those shotguns.

Steam ID: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197960408298/

[Maxim M.]

The first game of Champions League semi-finals tonight.
Barcelona vs FC Chelsea.
Stake on gentlemen

1-2 I guess. Go ahead aristocrats!

[Maxim M.]

Half time. Still goalless.

[Matt R.]

I think Chelsea can do it in the 2nd leg.

Game wise, another Call of Duty is out later in the year and I'll probably get that. I could happily locate my COD4 dvd and put up a WHB server if anyone wanted to play

[Maxim M.]

Matt that would be great

[Maxim M.]

MU - Arsenal 1:0

I've been so much for gunners.
Hope Devils will be defeated with shame next game.

[Tony]

I liked the single player COD1. But hated the multiplayer. Absurd game modes where you'd fight to defend a spot for an hour, then it would switch and all your defenses were for naught, as enemies would suddenly be attacking from your *rear*! Ridiculous.

They've had a few new versions in quick succession now, but I don't recall anything special that wouldn't be more fun in a simpler game like Day of Defeat.