NFL Nixes Social Networking During Games

The Associated Press reports that the NFL is limiting the use of social network updates 90 minutes before kickoff and after players have completed post-game interviews with the media.

The rule also applies to coaches and other personnel. Yet, NFL game officials and officiating department personnel are banned from using social networks at all times. As play-by-play updates during games have always been a staple of NFL no-noes, the new rule appears to give a side-to-side nod to the growth of social networks, even with the sports elite.

Fines for violating the rule were not disclosed but the first known social fine, imposed on San Diego Chargers cornerback player, Antonio Cromartie, forced him to dish out $2,500 after he openly criticized the quality of the food at training camp this summer over Twitter.

Announcing the AOL GameShow Podcast!

What's the AOL GameShow Podcast?
It's the best idea we've had since the last best idea we had.

Hosts Libe Goad, Laurent Courtines and Robin Yang are joined weekly by an ever-rotating cast of games industry friends/cohorts to talk about video/casual/social games -- we'll do a quick run-down of the week's big news and hit a few interesting discussion points.

You should also expect such recurring segments as Spanish Word of the Day (where we translate popular gaming terminology into Spanish) and What You Should Be Playing This Week Or Else You're A Big Dum-Dum (this one's pretty self-explanatory).

Awesome! How do I watch/listen to this show?
We're so glad you asked! We'll be posting each episode (video and audio) on this, the Games.com blog, every week as it debuts. But there are also multiple ways to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode!

Subscribe in iTunes
(links will open in iTunes, make sure you click 'Subscribe'!)

AOL GameShow Video Podcast
AOL GameShow Audio Podcast

Subscribe using RSS
Video Podcast RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/aolgameshow
Audio Podcast RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/aolgameshow_audio

Hey, I've got a great idea/shoutout/question for your show!
We'd love to hear it! You can email us at podcast@games.com, or you can send us a reply on Twitter! Just include "@AOLGameShow" in your update and we'll be able to see it on our super computer controller panel screen. :)

RockYou seeking skilled recruits ... to play Galactic Allies [Video]

Look, RockYou knows that you're not an architect by trade, and you're certainly no cook. So, why not stop pretending to do things real people do and pretend to be something completely fictional, like a galactic fleet commander? With developer 3 Blokes, the Facebook game publisher recently released Galactic Allies to Facebook, the studio's second strategy game.

The game enlists players as commanders of their very own fleet of star ships in a battle to protect their end of the galaxy from alien enemies. In a more casual approach to the growing sub genre of hardcore strategy games on Facebook, Galactic Allies lets players directly control their space-faring units to avoid enemy fire in real-time combat. (Of course, battles are exchanged between players asynchronously.)

While it's not marketed as such, the game looks a lot like the spiritual successor to 3 Blokes's first game on Facebook, Galactic Trader. But this time around, the developer has resources from a major publisher, which can only mean one thing: a goofy trailer displaying almost everything the game has to offer in a 60-second nutshell.
Gallery: Galactic Allies on Facebook
Also, the game wasn't exactly live when we first revealed it to you, so check out the fun trailer down there. And when you're done with that, click on the link below to hop into Galactic Allies. That is, if you think you can answer the call--come on, even the narrator wants in.


Click here to play Galactic Allies on Facebook Now >

Have you tried Galactic Allies on Facebook yet? What do you think of where hardcore strategy games on Facebook are at right now? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment