Moreno: Everyone needs stability

The words ‘loyalty’ and ‘perseverance’ are never far from Hector Moreno’s lips, and the two themes have been key to the Mexican international’s success to date. The young centre-back has just completed a solid fourth season with Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar, and deeply ingrained values of hard work and dedication have played no small part in his consistent form.
“Everyone needs stability,” said Moreno, who turned out 27 times this past season for the 2008/09 Eredivisie champions, in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com. “If you want to succeed, you have to be consistent and for that you need a healthy and stable environment. When you’re at a club for a long time, you get to know everyone and how everything works. This helps you to perform at your best”.
Moreno’s career has been on a continuous upward trajectory since his early outings for UNAM Pumas as a 15-year-old. He was part of the young Tricolor side that beat Brazil 3-0 to win the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2005, and this success ultimately helped secure him a move to the Netherlands two years later, aged just 19.
“The title helped me so much,” said Moreno, who already has 18 senior caps for Mexico. “I went on to establish myself in the Pumas first team and I don’t know if I’d have managed that so quickly if it hadn’t been for the World Cup success. It was also in Peru that AZ discovered me, during our 4-0 win over the Netherlands.”

A costly error
It was after two seasons in the Mexican top flight with Pumas that Moreno tasted the first major disappointment of his fledgling career. Mexico were up against Argentina in the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007, and Moreno believes it was his mistake that cost El Tri the match and handed victory to the eventual champions.
“It’s my biggest disappointment so far,” he said. “It was hard to stomach because it felt as if we’d wasted an opportunity. We had an exceptional generation of players and we had what it took to win the tournament. Unfortunately I committed a foul that cost us a place in the semi-final. I struggled to get over it but the whole team supported me.”

When a big club comes in for me, I’ll be ready.

Hector Moreno, Mexican and AZ Alkmaar defender

Despite the error, Alkmaar remained convinced of the Mexican’s worth and moved to bring him to the Netherlands in December 2007. Moreno won the Eredivisie under Louis van Gaal in his first full season and, even though AZ have not repeated that feat since, he is still very much enjoying life at the club.
“The people here are so nice, which has helped me to settle in much quicker than I’d envisaged,” said the centre-back. “I’ve been lucky enough to work under Van Gaal and Ronald Koeman, and I’ve learned a huge amount from them. The general atmosphere around the club is great.”

Following in Marquez’s footsteps
Moreno realises that he will have to step up to an even tougher league one day if he is to continue his progress. There will be no shortcuts to the top, however, and he is adamant that only hard work will lead him to greater success. “When a big club comes in for me, I’ll be ready,” he said.
The 23-year-old has already experienced the big time with Mexico, having started against France in the duo's first-round match at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. “It was a dream come true,” he said. “I could feel the adrenaline, knowing that 100 million people were watching us and counting on us back home. We could make them happy. But I had to ignore all of that on the pitch and concentrate on my game.”
Moreno also started against Uruguay, but he had to watch from the bench as El Tri crashed out of the competition in the Round of 16. Just as at Germany 2006 and Canada 2007, it was Argentina who shattered Mexico’s dreams. “We did all we could but they were just too strong,” he said, without any hint of lingering bitterness.
“I’ve learned that you have to keep working all the time,” added Moreno, who hopes to become a fixture in the Mexico side for years to come. He also dreams of walking in the footsteps of Tricolor star Rafael Marquez, a player he describes as his “idol” and who embodies the kind of loyalty and consistency that Moreno clearly values so much.

Credit : FIFA

Anwar says SPNB now cash cow for UMNO

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has charged that funds from government-owned housing development company Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad were now channeled to UMNO. Anwar (pic) said SPNB, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance Incorporated which was established to undertake construction of affordable housing, had now become irrelevant and was acting like private developers. “The political interference in the management of the company has turned SPNB into a centre to enrich UMNO leaders," he was quoted as saying by Suara Keadilan. On the ‘My First Home’ scheme lanched by prime minister Najib Razak recently, Anwar said the project only eased the younger generation to apply for loans. “But it fails to tackle the real problem, which is lack of affordable houses in the market,” he said. Anwar, who is Selangor state government's economic advisor, said the government must play an active role to balance the housing market currently monopolised by private developers. He reminded that Pakatan Rakyat in its Orange Book suggested a National Housing committee to build houses and control house prices in order to make them affordable to people. Anwar, whose tenure as the Finance minister saw the launching of SPNB, said the PR-led state government in Selangor had revived housing projects which had been abandoned by Barisan Nasional administration, including the RM79 million project in Bukit Bota and RM120 million in Alam Perdana. “The residents in Bukit Bota were given a choice to buy the house rebuilt at a discount, RM99,000 compared to the original price of RM170,000. To solve the problem of spiralling house prices, Anwar said Selangor recently launched its ‘Affordable Housing’ project, with plans to construct 2,000 houses across the state. “It is based on the concept, affordable and comfortable, conducive design with 750 to 850 square feet offered at a maximum cost of RM100,000. "Selangor Economic Development Body (PKNS) and few other private developers have been tasked for the project with the emphasis that it will be sold to buyers aged 35 and below,” he added. Meanwhile, the state government yesterday launched the Private Home Ownership Scheme to help Selangorians own homes with flexible payments on premiums. According to Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, the scheme would help people who could not pay entirely the land premium, to be the official owners by just paying RM1,000. “They will only need to settle the entire premium according to current market price, if the property is sold or there is change of ownership,” he said. Credit : Harakah

Review Games DIRT3

Publisher: Codemasters Developer: Codemasters Studios Genre: Racing Release Date: N Amer - 05/11/24 Platforms: PC PlayStation 3 Xbox 360   Rating Pending

 

It’s sometimes easy to dilute a racing game to its basic core. Gran Turismo and Forza can be reduced to a “gas, break, and turn” concept, for example. But making a racing title that is more than middle generics is a skill that developers have to mine and exploit. Enter Dirt 3, the latest in the franchise and a game that hopes to adequately bridge the gap between the first game and the second.
For those who don’t remember, the original Dirt was a simulation-heavy rally car racing game. The sequel pushed the game in an “XTREME” stylistic direction, and it was criticized for an overly strong arcade feel. Dirt 3 aims for a fine line between the two. With Dirt 3’s new focus on reaching a middle ground between the technicality of the first game and the rush of the second, the game feels new.

The most important addition is the element of gymkhana. A style of extreme drift racing, gymkhana is a secondary focus of the traditional rally car racing, sending specially built cars sliding left and right through specialized trick courses. It would be an understatement to say that gymkhana is only a small part of Dirt 3; rather, it’s an integral component of the game.
For example, the actual physics have been completely changed to better suit this style of driving. Rally cross has never been a racing genre known for solid grip and control, but Dirt 3 takes this drifting mechanic to the extreme. Normal races have cars flinging themselves back and forth across the course, while gymkhana has specially designed ones that can control better while drifting than they can in a straight line.

Multiplayer is a big focus of the game, and Dirt 3 has some of the most unique modes available. First and foremost, the traditional online and split-screen races will be immensely popular for rally cross aficionados. This isn’t just limited to the traditional races, taking place everywhere from snowy Finland, the downtown Los Angeles Coliseum, sunny Kenya, and all across the world.
Trailblazer sends cars down undefined racing tracks, while other races focus on custom-designed off-road trucks. There’s enough variety in the basic racing mode, with the various weather (snow is new), race types, the 100+ tracks and the multitude of cars to keep racing fans happy.

Since gymkhana is a major new addition to Dirt 3, multiplayer will heavily integrate into this mode. Firstly, a two-player competitive mode includes brightly colored pylons, Styrofoam blocks, and drifting areas that reward players for their specialized tricks. This is basically a score attack mode requiring two players to outdo each other in gymkhana tricks.
Gymkhana also makes an appearance in the more competitive multiplayer modes. At least three of these modes place up to eight players in an arena, allowing them to slip, slide, drift, spin, and smash around in a small, enclosed area. Outbreak is a mode in which the drifting arenas will have cardboard pop-ups of robots and city buildings. Up to eight players can race, knocking over robots while avoiding the buildings. It’s a fun mode, one that gets chaotic with all 8 players.

Finally, there’s Transporter, a gymkhana version of capture the flag. Four teams of two have to race around the stages to collect a flag. Once these are collected, all it takes for another player to steal the flag is to ram into you, so once eight cars are piled up in a mess, the flag will jump from player to player. If players can get the flag to a drop-off location, they earn a point.
The multiplayer experience of Dirt 3 looks solid and enjoyable. The hardcore and realistic modes have traditional racing and standard gymkhana tracks, but once you add the arena modes in multiplayer, things can go crazy. With Dirt 3 coming out May 24, it’s only a matter of time before players can make the experience their own.

 

16 dead in Malaysia orphanage landslide

The death toll from a landslide caused by heavy rains that hit a Malaysian orphanage has risen to 16, police said Sunday, announcing the search operation was over.
The incident took place at around 2:30 pm (0630 GMT) Saturday at the Children's Hidayah Madrasah Al-Taqwa orphanage in Hulu Langat, just south of the capital Kuala Lumpur.
A policeman at the scene said 16 bodies had been recovered, including a 34-year-old caretaker. The ages of the others killed ranged from eight to 19 years old.
"The search and rescue operation is over. We have completed our mission," said a police officer at the scene, who did not want to be named.
Villager Mohamad Azam, 38, said: "The last four bodies were taken out at about 5:30 am.
"I know some of the boys. They are very good boys. They recite their prayers early in the morning every day."
Ten people remain in hospital.
Landslides are regular natural disasters in Malaysia and the government has imposed strict rules with regards to hillside development.
In one of the country's worst landslips, a huge mudslide brought on by heavy rain triggered the collapse of a 12-storey residential building on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur in December 1993, killing 48 people.

DIRT3 COMING 25 MAY 2011....

Coming 2011, DiRT 3 will boast more cars, more locations, more routes and more events than any other game in the series, including over 50 rally cars representing the very best from five decades of the sport. With more than double the track content of 2009’s hit, DiRT 3 will see players start at the top as a professional driver, with a top-flight career in competitive off-road racing complimented by the opportunity to express themselves in Gymkhana-style showpiece driving events.
As players race to elevate their global standing, DiRT 3 delivers mud, sweat and gears world over: from the intense weather-beaten rally stages of Europe, Africa and the US, to executing performance driving showcases and career challenges where car control is pushed to spectacular limits. DiRT 3 is now in development at Codemasters Studios for a 2011 release for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and PC Games For Windows® LIVE.

Games Review BRINK

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Developer: Splash Damage Genre: First-Person Shooter, Platformer Release Date:  05/10/17 Platforms: PC PlayStation 3 Xbox 360   Rating Pending

 

It’s a unique mash. If you were to combine the first-person parkour of Mirror’s Edge with the class-based object shooter Team Fortress 2, you would get Splash Damage’s Brink. Published by Bethesda and a few years undertow, this colorful shooter is finally ready to fall into the hands of gamers. But is it worth your top dollar?
If you’re a fan of objective-based shooters, then yes. You won’t find any traditional death match modes or control point missions. Instead Brink tasks players with taking on the roles of soldiers, medics, engineers and operatives to complete objectives. With a story entirely integrated within the multiplayer experience, the single-player and multiplayer are one and the same. Those looking for a pronounced solo experience should not turn to Brink. However, if you’re comfortable working and communicating with other players, it’s time to get excited.
But first some business. Have you ever heard the saying “Show, don’t tell?” I’m of the opinion that video games should take this a step further with the motto “Do, don’t show.” When someone boots up a game, regardless of whether or not they’ve read the manual, it should introduce the mechanics in a slow and understandable manner.
Unfortunately, Brink is all about showing gamers how to play. When you first start the game and have to pick a side (no real difference exists initially), Brink asks players if they would like to watch the training videos to explain the mechanics of the game. If you say yes, you’ll be rewarded with 1000 free experience points, but these videos each take ten minutes to watch. Who wants to do that instead of jumping into the game?

Part of the problem rests with Brink’s absent single-player campaign. Sure, players are recommended to play through the different missions on the security and the resistance sides using bots, and that’s kind of cool (although it’s much easier and more fun with other players). However, these campaigns can be played cooperatively and with real-life players joining the other side. Since the game is basically open from the get-go, the game provides very little guidance on how to play because you aren’t exposed to any training. There are no tutorial levels (other than some ignorable challenge modes). Just pick up and go.
While that makes the game sound largely negative, the whole experience changes once everything clicks and players understand the UI, the goals, and how classes work. By paying attention to the lengthy training videos, you’ll gain some insight into the four different classes and the three different weight classes.  Soldiers are the explosives masters, who set charges to blow up barriers and bridges. They can also send supplies to other players. Medics provide a healing and revival role (perfect for escort missions), and they increase the health of other players.
Engineers are the defensive class (and my favorite). Able to place mines and turrets, they improve the damage potential of their teammates and remove explosives and hack boxes set by the other team. The operatives are the spy class, who disguise themselves as enemy players and hack turrets and objective devices. With the running and gunning, each class plays exactly the same, but the different abilities makes it important to have an appropriate team of squad mates designed for a particular objective—be it hacking a box, escorting a hostage, or destroying an obstacle. It’s a balanced scheme, and as you unlock more abilities and items, the class dynamic becomes much more essential.

One of the few elements that causes players to react differently are the three weight classes. Starting out with the medium build, players unlock heavy and light builds as they level up. Besides the hundreds of clothing and facial customizations, picking a build has a major impact on the game. The medium build is standard, a middle of the road run-and-gun. The heavy can take more damage and use heavier weapons, but he’s slower and can’t vault over many walls. The light build dies after a few shots and can only hold the lighter guns; however, they can straight-up parkour around the levels.
Called the SMART system, by holding a trigger, players can enter a sprint that automatically sends them up and over obstacles. The light builds are especially fast, and they can wall run around the stages, swapping health for speed and the ability to traverse levels in a way that may seem impossible. Thankfully, challenge courses are meant to force the player to explore the extant of free-running in Brink, and are areas that many players are bound to exploit.
As mentioned, playing by yourself is a pointless exercise. The single-player missions are a replica of the multiplayer missions, and Brink has been designed from the ground up to get players to interact with each other. When it’s good, it’s really good—with players communicating their separate missions goals and trying out creative applications of the class abilities, such as masquerading as an enemy character to steal a suitcase before sprinting back to base or dropping a turret on top of the enemy’s defenses to double-team opponents while a partner takes care of the objective. When the game is bad, you usually have a team of bots and players with no idea what the hell they’re doing, and once everyone comes together, the experience can get heated. Unfortunately, since I was playing prior to launch, some connection and lag issues did come up, but a Day One patch promises to smooth over any lingering issues.

Brink has a story, but it’s barely any better than Team Fortress 2’s odd plot about competing construction companies, and the little random audio logs that players collect do little to explain matters. There’s this Ark. It’s a lovely place, all snowy white and floating about in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. While at first it’s home to scientists and wacky celebrities, by the time 2045 rolls around, the whole world has flooded due to global warming, bringing with the tide a few stragglers hoping for safety. These “guests” are now looking for a way to return to the outside world, while the founders of the Ark insist they are all that remain.
Honestly, while the plot is potentially compelling, it’s so bland and non-existent in the actual game that it can be outright ignored. The absolute lack of women in Brink is a curiosity worthy of discussion, but we’ll leave that for another time.
The bare-bones plot leads to two basic level themes: shipyard ruins and electric blue and white resort areas. In all technicality, you can only play a limited number of stages, which round out to about eight. If you play through the game on the resistance side (completing resistance-focused objectives), when you jump over to the security forces, it’s the exact same levels, only from the alternate perspective. It’s much less of a problem than you would think (this never cost a comparable game like Left 4 Dead sales), but it left me itching for more levels, especially ones that could better flesh out the world of the Ark. Hopefully the requisite DLC is substantial and not overpriced.
Besides the parkour elements, Brink has a lovely visual style reminiscent of Mirror’s Edge, which is nice to see. The character models themselves are very distorted, with long limbs and stretched faces. These are some ugly dudes, but after a while their appearance better fits the game, and players will have a great time decking them out.
Ultimately, it comes down to what players will be playing hours and hours with their friends. Like Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress 2 before it, Brink is a multiplayer game plain and simple, and going about it solo completely defeats the purpose it was made for. Jump in, meet some people, and work hard to tear apart the mechanics and goals of the game. Brink offers an incredibly satisfying multiplayer experience. Playing any other way is not worth your time.

 

REVIEW GAMES : Operation Flashpoint: Red River

Operation Flashpoint: Red River for PC Publisher: Codemasters Developer: Codemasters Studios Genre: First-Person Shooter, Shooter Release Date:04/19/11 Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

 

The brutal new chapter in the world-renowned, multi-million selling franchise, Operation Flashpoint Red River takes the tactical military shooter to new levels of intense authenticity. On a deadly new battlefield where one bullet can kill, Operation Flashpoint Red River brings gamers closer to the experience of the US Marine Corps on campaign than ever before.
Operation Flashpoint Red River delivers a very personal experience of infantry Marines on mission in a hostile country thousands of miles from home. Dispensing with corny heroics, corridor gun-play and unrealistic set pieces, players deploy real life tactics in a range of new scenarios and against new enemies. The tension, brutality and carnage of modern warfare is intense as players feel the rush of adrenaline that comes when it’s time for Marines to ‘get some’!
Players embark on a full expeditionary campaign set in the remote yet beautiful country of Tajikistan. A fictional conflict with contemporary geopolitical themes unfold over three distinct acts, presenting unique challenges which can be experienced in both single player and co-operatively by up to four players online. Empowered with the real life freedom of fireteams to take on objectives on their own initiative, players must think on their feet and act decisively as they take on determined, adaptive and reactive enemies. From the unpredictable chaos of close-quarters insurgency warfare to holding defensive positions against the full might of the Chinese PLA, players tackle the wide-ranging threats Marines face, with the assets of one of the world’s leading super powers at their disposal. It’s as close to war as players will ever want to get. 

Credit : PCGAMEZONE