Eric Van Allen's saved articles

ericvanallen
Eric Van Allen
ericvanallen
Freelance writer, Dota enthusiast, Texan.

So proud of Escher. He’s a great kid and a fantastic player. Props to his father for being so supportive and coaching him too. Thrilled to see him win the big prize! Read more

I finally got chance to mess with Dropshot last night, and it’s actually kind of fun. Really different, but def a good time. Read more

I just want mutators back. That was the only mode to come and go.
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I adore Rumble. It’s the best, most frustrating game mode in Rocket League, but I have fun even if I’m losing 7-0 because of the insane goals that happen. Read more

Gotta keep that 3-1 meme alive. Read more

Is it even possible to jump into overwatch as a solo player these days? I’ve been curious about the game for a long time, but I don’t have a regular playgroup and watching it on twitch is a nightmare for me personally. I have no idea what’s going on or how any of the tactics work. Read more

I don’t go in much for competitive gaming myself, but during my endurance runs (30 hours+), my palms tend to sweat the way Mom told me they would if I touched myself at night.

A little cornstarch, Gold Bond, or other drying agent works wonders, as does taking the opportunity when it presents itself (cutscene, main Read more

So did you actually watch the entire match? I can just imagine the morning stand-up meeting in your office. Read more

I have superbly sweaty hands. It’s such a problem that I can’t use a touchscreen without cleaning it every ten minutes, it gets so spotty. Hell, when I was a teenager, wearing any sort of rubber or insulated gloves would lead to sweat pooling in such large amounts that I would have to pour it out in a sink when I took Read more

Interestingly, console gamers have been using a product called “Gamer Grip” for years. They apply it to their hands and it helps reduce sweaty palms. CoD pro teams use it frequently. Pretty sure Hastro, the founder of team EnvyUs, helped create Gamer Grip years ago. Read more

I’m an athlete of sorts having done several years of weightlifting, track. I was even asked to carry the torch one year where I live, Hapkido & skydiving. I’d imagine mental stability has a bit to do with body reactions through mental conditioning. Before online gaming I used to have marathon LAN parties & console Read more

I’ve played LOL and various RTS games for years and never felt sweaty. But put a controller in my hand for some Melee, Tekken of Soul Caliber and I feel embarrassed passing it to the next player. So I felt like there might be different standards between PC pros and fighting game pros :P
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I would say its not just about sweating, but heart-rate. There are multiple streamers who have heart-rate monitors, and you will see it spike, or remain high during high stress situations, or toward the end of a run. Read more

When I used to play in SC2 tournaments I actively prepared for eventualities like sweat and bathroom breaks. So I limited my intake of fluids and stuff like that. Though my most common issue was cramps in my hand and I didn’t play at that high a level at all. Read more

Me in a Dark Souls boss fight:

I don’t remember what year it was, but if you pulled someone from the far left, over to the far right on a punt, the fullback would attempt to pick up the block and essentially run straight into the snap every single time. Read more