Satellite Internet and Online Gaming: Does It Work?

Online gaming is one of the fastest growing trends in the world right now. With games such as Runescape boasting subscriber numbers of around a million and World of Warcraft exceeding 7 million active members, the total number of MMOG subscriptions is verging on the absurd, quickly approaching the 14 million mark worldwide[6/06, mmogchart.com]. This tremendous growth in the popularity of the online gaming industry has, in part, been fueled by the accessibility of high-speed broadband internet. A high-speed connection allows for a much more enjoyable game-play experience. Everyone knows that online games work exceptionally well on DSL and Cable internet connections, but what about the newer high-speed service satellite internet? As satellite internet is becoming more readily available and cost effective more and more rural dial-up customers are making the switch to cash in on the faster speeds and always on access. But, when it comes to online gaming many are concerned that their game-play experience will be less satisfactory, if they can even connect to play at all.

The reason for this concern is the issue of latency. Latency is an expression of how much time it takes for a packet of data to get from one designated point to another. This is direly important when it come to on-line gaming in that latency translates into the time that it takes from the moment that a button is pushed to when the action is performed in the game. Often this can mean the difference between life and death. With DSL and Cable the response time is almost immediate, being between 50milliseconds-150milliseconds. The latency for satellite internet is between 600milliseconds-800milliseconds. This may sound like the end of online gaming for someone who has just made the switch to satellite internet but it is not. Although this degree of latency does all but rule out first-person shooters there are a good number of MMOGs that operate well over a satellite internet connection. And, although the effects of latency can never be completely eliminated, there are ways in which to improve upon them. The simplest way to do this is by speeding up the way that one's computer handles and responds to information being transferred through the connection and by increasing the total amount of available bandwidth. Some operating systems have built in reserves on bandwidth that are non-essential to the functionality of most web applications, see link for a tweak http://www.wildblue.cc/wbforums/showthread.php?t=3323 .

By eliminating non-essential services i.e. bandwidth hogs that the average user never utilizes and dedicating more physical resources to the most used application can help tremendously. Minimizing the effects of latency down to the bare minimum allowed by the laws of physics enables one to play more online gaming that was before not workable and also speeds up the responses of other games that already do work. So, although there are limitations to on-line gaming over satellite internet there are also ways to improve upon game-play responsiveness and many games that will play well without operating system tweaks. Below is a list of online games for both console and PC that, according to subscribers that have tested and played them, do and do not work over satellite internet. This is not a definitive list of games guaranteed to work, so be cautious as results may vary.

What Works

Xbox/Xbox360/PS2/Handheld Games:

GHost Recon: Advanced Warfighter

Battlefield 2: Modern Combat(for me anyway doesn't for some others)

Perfect Dark Zero

All Tony Hawk games

Mario Kart DS

Call of Duty 2

Medal of Honor: Rising Sun

Socom 3(mixed results)

Socom 2(so-so)

Nascar 06 total team control(works kinda)

Rainbow Six Series(Host boots for high ping usually, But CO-OP and 2 V 2 work well)

Splinter Cell: Double Agent

PC Games:

Runescape

Asheron's Call

Everquest

Everquest 2

World of Warcraft

Star Wars Galaxies

Dark Age of Camelot

Roma Victor

Eve Online

Star Wars: Empire at War

Dungeon and Dragons online

Warcraft3

GuildWars

City of Heroes(very difficult to connect to the patch server..other than that it works fine)

Final Fantasy XI

Contract Jack

Auto Assault

Aces High Online flight sim

Trackmania

WarRock Beta

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast

StarPeace

America's Army

Red Orchestra

Diablo 2

Titan Quest

F.E.A.R.

Postal 2

What doesn't work or is not enjoyable

Xbox/Xbox360/PS2/Handheld Games:

Far Cry Instincts Predator

Halo 2

NBA Live 2006

Quake 4

Prey Demo

Ratchet and Clank: Deadlocked

PC Games:

Star Craft

BattleField 2 Demo

Call of Duty 1&2

Battelfield2

Band of Brothers

C&C Generals

UT2004(playable..not enjoyable)

Ragnarok

Prey Demo

Civ 4

Battlefield 2142

Winning in Internet Poker

When people speak of Internet Poker, there is one name that cuts above the rest of the Poker variants - the Texas Hold'em Poker game. This variant of poker is considered to be the most popular type being played in the online Casinos. The same popularity also extends to television and the World Tour of Poker.

Put simply, Texas Hold'em involves fours rounds of betting: the first after the hands of two cards have been dealt; the second after a "flop" of three cards has been dealt on the table; the third and fourth after "turn" and "river" cards have been dealt on the table. The object is to get the best standard poker hand of five cards, using any of the five table cards or the two cards in hand.

While all poker game variants involve a lot of psychological play - and Texas Hold'em is certainly not an exception - it is possible to play winning poker with a purely mathematical strategy. The sheer amount of players online ensures that you can cash in on the bad players: the gamblers.

Playing winning Internet poker involves getting rid of the gambler's instinct and concentrating on the game. While it involves mathematics, the concepts are easy enough for anyone to understand. Even simply picking the starting hands according to a set table gives one a great edge against poor players.

There are many different styles of play: loose or tight, based on how many hands one is willing to play; aggressive or passive, based on how easily one bets or folds. Almost any combination can win. The style of play best suited for winning depends on the person. However, it is usually best to start with a tight-aggressive strategy, especially before one grasps the finer points of Hold'em.

Playing positions matter a lot in Hold'em. The dealer plays last after the first round and is in the worst position. The blinds are early positions as is the next one, which is called "under the gun". Which positions are middle and which late depends on the number of players.

Hands are often written in shorthand like K7 for king and seven off-suit and A9s for ace-nine suited. A basic guide to starting hands that suits this style of play is the following: play AA, KK, AKs and QQ from any position; play AQs, JJ, AK, TT and AJs from mid to late position; and play mid pairs and high ace-suits from dealer position, when you get the chance.

Hold'em becomes much more complicated at later stages and higher levels of play, but even this amount of information gives an edge about some players. To play winning Internet poker one has to stop gambling and start playing strategy. Play solid strategy and rest assured: at the end of the day, the best player will win.

How to Win at Poker with These 5 Awesome Internet Poker Tips

How to win at Poker is not as difficult as it seems. I hope by now you have realized all the books written by the big name professional players are totally useless and way off base. They write these books with little or no concern for the advanced player. In order to beat the online Poker game, you need a sound strategy. I have used these five internet poker tips to continually beat the donks and totally annihilate the calling stations.

Table image - Whatever table image you have established make sure to use it. It's important you do not forget how your opponents have viewed your play. If you have been playing tight, in order to steal the blinds. Make sure you exploit the blinds and loose players at your table. If you have been playing loose, do not try and steal the blinds. Go after tight players with you big hands and make them pay you off.
Shift gears - You need to play the exact opposite your table is playing. It is so vital and it's how to win at poker. Feel the tempo or flow of the table and make sure you do the exact opposite of your opponents. Tight tables call for you to play loose in position and steal the blinds. Loose tables call for you to play tight and play only the best hands. Trying to play tight on a tight table is a huge was of opportunity and vice versa.
Deep tournament play - Deep tournament strategy is one the biggest internet poker tips you will ever receive. You have to and I repeat have to play for first place. Every decision you make should be based on the fact you are playing for first place. Never hesitate in your approach, I always am willing to fall on my sword when 15 handed. The tournament is one when you are playing short handed at the final two tables. The best players in the world understand this and routinely exploit tight players. The chips you stack up at this stage of the tournament are the same chips you will use to bully your opponents and win first place.
Hand selection - Stick to this internet poker tips and understand you hand selections is vital. You will not win many tournaments online playing tight poker. You need to mix up your hand selection and play your position well. The golden rule still is applied today as it was 50 years ago. Good hands in early position and loosen up as you go around the table. You can play all kinds of random hands in unraised pots in later position. It's usually wise to play the better hands in early position, but your image and type of table will dictate what you can play. I will play 75s under the gun with a raise if I know my table is playing tight.
Raise - Raise and raise some more, call only when trapping. The person who takes direct control of the hand pre-flop wins 80% of the time. Always take control. The players personality will dictate how you will play your hand. But, always bring it in for a raise. Trap players with calls in late position and please never re-raise a player who had not played a hand in 40 minutes. Look for the loose players and re-raise them.

You want to know how to win at poker, please use these internet poker tips to dominate your competition.