Starting at 2:00 p.m. PST today, members of the Xbox One Preview Alpha Ring will begin receiving the latest 1908 Xbox One system update (Build: 19H1_RELEASE_XBOX_DEV_1908\18362.6049.190722-1945).

New Features:

Today we will be enabling this new feature for flighting in Alpha:

Home

• 50% of users will begin to see and experimental version of the dashboard. For more information on this experiment, please review the blog post on the Xbox Insider Blog here.

• • Note: This experiment is randomly selected and the Xbox Insider Team cannot assist with users who do not see it.

DETAILS:

• OS version released: 19H1_RELEASE_XBOX_DEV_1908\18362.6049.190722-1945
• Available: 2:00PM PDT 7/24/19
• Mandatory Date/Time: 3:00 AM PDT 7/25/19

Fixes:

Community

• We’ve fixed an issue where the Dashboard reloaded when navigating to the Community tab for some users.

Known Issues:

Audio

• Users who have Dolby Atmos enabled and console display settings set to 120hz with 36 bits per pixel (12-bit) are experiencing loss of Dolby Atmos audio in some situations.
  
  • Workaround: Disable 120hz or set Video Fidelity to 30 bits per pixel (10-bit) or lower.

Guide

• Some users have reported that the icons at the top of the Guide have sometimes appeared distorted, blocky, or with ghostly outlines.
  
  • For more information about this issue, refer to the post on the Xbox Insiders subreddit located here.

Profile Color

• Sometimes users may encounter the incorrect Profile color when powering on the console.

© 2019 Valve Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are property of their respective owners in the US and other countries.

This week at Bungie, things are heating up for Solstice of Heroes.

If you have what it takes to fully upgrade your armor set to the Legendary tier, you’ll also find an armor 2.0 version of you Solstice of Heroes set at the Gunsmith when Shadowkeep launches.

While the event begins next week, Lord Saladin didn’t want you sitting idle. The Iron Banner is in full swing, bringing Power-enabled PvP combat back into the fold. If you’re hunting advanced perks on Legendary armor, be sure to complete Saladin’s bounties and quest line. A few changes are coming next week for both that quest and a certain wolf-themed weapon, so let’s get to it.

Commemorative 

Sometimes there are weapons that bring a bit of chaos to the meta. The weekend of Prometheus Lens, otherwise known as “Laser Tag Weekend,” is a great example. Lord of Wolves also falls into this category. Next week, Destiny 2 Update 2.5.2 will reign in the wolves a bit by reducing the amount of ammo Guardians pick up and toning down the effective range of the weapon. As promised last month, we’ve created an emblem and Triumph for those who braved the wolves during the Season of Opulence. Next week, qualifying players will receive a “Lost History” package at the postmaster, which will unlock a unique Triumph. Once the Triumph is claimed, the emblem will be granted.

To qualify for the “Wolves Unleashed” emblem, players must have finished an Iron Banner match between 10 AM PDT June 18 and 10 AM PDT June 25 2019 or between 10 AM PDT July 23 and 10 AM PDT July 30 2019.

Additionally, we’ve created an emblem for those who embraced the madness back in 2017, when skulls were melted during the reign of Prometheus Lens.

To qualify for the “Prismatic Inferno” emblem, players must have finished a Crucible match between 10 AM PST December 8 and 10 AM PST December 12 2017.

While we don’t intend for these chaotic micro-events to happen, it can be an exciting time when things get a little crazy. We hope these emblems bring fond memories of the battlefield. Who knows—maybe a new weapon will dominate the Crucible come Shadowkeep. Only time will tell.

Two Five Two

As mentioned above, Destiny 2 Update 2.5.2 will be released next week, kicking off Solstice of Heroes and bringing some balance to Lord of Wolves. There will also be a few more changes and fixes within the update that have been highly requested by the community. Here’s a quick preview of what’s to come:

Patch Prep

Some call them detectives, others see them as bug exterminators. Destiny Player Support is on the case, bringing you vital information to keep you up to speed when downloading and installing Destiny 2 Update 2.5.2.

This is their report.

Destiny 2 Update 2.5.2

Next Tuesday, on July 30, Update 2.5.2 will roll out to all players in Destiny 2. This update will mark the beginning to Solstice of Heroes, and is required in order to access Destiny 2 once it has been deployed. Listed below is the release timeline for this update.

Tuesday, July 30:

One Last Wish—No Wait, Maybe One More…

Life’s greatest questions have always been: Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? What you are about to watch probably won’t answer those questions, but they may inspire you to slay an Ahamkara.

MOTW: Solo Riven, but this time only one floor

Honorable Mention: Rivens’ Last Array

Cheers,

Dmg04

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is easily one of the biggest games on the Nintendo Switch. In an interview last month, Intelligent Systems’ director Toshiyuki Kusakihara said it took him 80 hours to complete just a single storyline. If you want to play through all three pathways, it will require more than 200 hours of your time.

With all this content on offer, it has got certain players wondering about what is hidden away within the game that hasn’t been publicly revealed just yet. Now, a YouTuber by the name of DeathChaos, who has been sifting through the game’s files since its release last week, believes they have stumbled upon future content updates for the game.

DeathChaos revealed Sothis – the mysterious green-haired girl, who Byleth meets at the beginning of the game – has voice lines for combat and levelling in-battle, and is also available for school classes and activities. These findings suggest Sothis will become playable in the future – perhaps within the DLC portion of the game.

Speaking to USgamer, the YouTuber said:

So far Sothis seems to be the only unique discovery in Three Houses, but that’s not to say more like her don’t exist since there exist literally thousands of character entries that we have not yet figured out who they belong to

Would you like to be able to play as Sothis in Fire Emblem? Have you picked up Three Houses yet? Leave a comment below.

Communication is key. Your computer might be trying to tell you something important. But if your mail transport agent (MTA) isn’t properly configured, you might not be getting the notifications. Postfix is a MTA that’s easy to configure and known for a strong security record. Follow these steps to ensure that email notifications sent from local services will get routed to your internet email account through the Postfix MTA.

Install packages

Use dnf to install the required packages (you configured sudo, right?):

$ sudo -i

# dnf install postfix mailx

If you previously had a different MTA configured, you may need to set Postfix to be the system default. Use the alternatives command to set your system default MTA:

$ sudo alternatives --config mta

There are 2 programs which provide 'mta'. Selection Command

*+ 1 /usr/sbin/sendmail.sendmail 2 /usr/sbin/sendmail.postfix

Enter to keep the current selection[+], or type selection number: 2

Create a password_maps file

You will need to create a Postfix lookup table entry containing the email address and password of the account that you want to use to for sending email:

# MY_EMAIL_ADDRESS=glb@gmail.com

# MY_EMAIL_PASSWORD=abcdefghijklmnop

# MY_SMTP_SERVER=smtp.gmail.com

# MY_SMTP_SERVER_PORT=587

# echo "[$MY_SMTP_SERVER]:$MY_SMTP_SERVER_PORT $MY_EMAIL_ADDRESS:$MY_EMAIL_PASSWORD" >> /etc/postfix/password_maps

# chmod 600 /etc/postfix/password_maps

# unset MY_EMAIL_PASSWORD

# history -c

If you are using a Gmail account, you’ll need to configure an “app password” for Postfix, rather than using your gmail password. See “Sign in using App Passwords” for instructions on configuring an app password.

Next, you must run the postmap command against the Postfix lookup table to create or update the hashed version of the file that Postfix actually uses:

# postmap /etc/postfix/password_maps

The hashed version will have the same file name but it will be suffixed with .db.

Update the main.cf file

Update Postfix’s main.cf configuration file to reference the Postfix lookup table you just created. Edit the file and add these lines.

relayhost = smtp.gmail.com:587

smtp_tls_security_level = verify

smtp_tls_mandatory_ciphers = high

smtp_tls_verify_cert_match = hostname

smtp_sasl_auth_enable = yes

smtp_sasl_security_options = noanonymous

smtp_sasl_password_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/password_maps

The example assumes you’re using Gmail for the relayhost setting, but you can substitute the correct hostname and port for the mail host to which your system should hand off mail for sending.

For the most up-to-date details about the above configuration options, see the man page:

$ man postconf.5

Enable, start, and test Postfix

After you have updated the main.cf file, enable and start the Postfix service:

# systemctl enable --now postfix.service

You can then exit your sudo session as root using the exit command or Ctrl+D. You should now be able to test your configuration with the mail command:

$ echo 'It worked!' | mail -s "Test: $(date)" glb@gmail.com

Update services

If you have services like logwatch, mdadm, fail2ban, apcupsd or certwatch installed, you can now update their configurations so that their email notifications will go to your internet email address.

Optionally, you may want to configure all email that is sent to your local system’s root account to go to your internet email address. Add this line to the /etc/aliases file on your system (you’ll need to use sudo to edit this file, or switch to the root account first):

root: glb+root@gmail.com

Now run this command to re-read the aliases:

# newaliases

• TIP: If you are using Gmail, you can add an alpha-numeric mark between your username and the @ symbol as demonstrated above to make it easier to identify and filter the email that you will receive from your computer(s).

Troubleshooting

View the mail queue:

$ mailq

Clear all email from the queues:

# postsuper -d ALL

Filter the configuration settings for interesting values:

$ postconf | grep "^relayhost\|^smtp_"

View the postfix/smtp logs:

$ journalctl --no-pager -t postfix/smtp

Reload postfix after making configuration changes:

$ systemctl reload postfix

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash.

Earlier this summer we announced new updates coming to Teams for Education to celebrate our two-year anniversary. We’re excited to share the previously announced Grid View–a simpler, faster and more seamless user experience is now available! See it in action here. 

We’d like to take a moment to thank you—our vibrant worldwide community of educators—for all the insightful ideas and feedback you’ve shared with us. All of these updates were driven and inspired by you.

Over these past two years, we’ve been amazed by the successes of educators at every grade level who use Teams to assign work and leave impactful feedback that helps students achieve more. Thanks to you, today we’re thrilled to launch a new Assignments experience worldwide. 

Let’s dive into what’s new! 

A faster, more streamlined design 

We’ve redesigned Assignments while listening to educators of every grade level so that everyone can get more done.  

The Assignments tab now shows a clear view of what’s coming up next. Think of it as your “to do” list. If you’re a teacher, this means work you have left to review or grade. For students, that means approaching due dates. 

It’s easy to assign engaging learning activities  

We’ve refreshed the assignment creation experience with a new single-column layout. You’ll notice that details are grouped in a more intuitive way, based on what we heard from you. 

And we’ve given you more space—a larger canvas to view and edit documents and more screen space to create the perfect grading rubric. 

Add assignment resources from any team 

Working on a lesson plan in a Staff or PLC team? When it’s ready to assign, simply select Add resources on your assignment and choose it from the file picker. No need to move your content between teams. 

See what your students see  

From the beginning, you asked us for a way to preview how assignments appear to your students. Now, just click the new Student view option and you’re there. 

Add Close dates to your assignments 

Edit all the dates that matter to your assignment with new, more fine-tuned controls. Schedule to assign in the future, add a due date, and now, specify when you want to close turn-ins, too. No submissions will be allowed after the close date, granting you more flexibility on if/when you’ll accept late or revised work from students. 

Assign content from your favorite education apps using the Share to Teams button 

We know inspiration for a lesson can come from anywhere, even when you’re on the go. With that in mind, the new Share to Teams feature makes it simple to create assignments or send links to your class directly from your favorite education apps and learning resources.  

We’re thrilled to share that some of our favorite education apps have already integrated with Teams! You’ll now find Share to Teams buttons in Kahoot, Flipgrid, Buncee, Wakelet, Pear Deck, Flat.io, SoundTrap, Kano, and so many more. (If you’re an Edtech developer interested in adding your own Share to Teams button, head here to get started.)  

Use Immersive Reader to read assignment instructions and feedback 

When it’s challenging to read the assignment instructions, it can be difficult for students to share their best work. Immersive Reader implements proven techniques to improve reading for students regardless of their age or ability. That’s why we’ve integrated the Immersive Reader into all student assignment instruction pages! 

Bring Microsoft MakeCode computer science activities to your classroom 

Assign Microsoft MakeCode activities right from Teams! MakeCode brings computer science to life for all students with fun projects, immediate results, and both block and text editors for learners at different levels.  

Check out the live demo from the MakeCode team to see an activity in action. (IT Admins can enable MakeCode in the Teams Admin Center.)  

Review student work in a snap 

Select an assignment from your list. Start grading. No extra clicks necessary. 

It’s also easier to tell what you have left to grade and which student assignments you’ve already graded and returned. Sort by submission status to view who’s turned in work at a glance. 

And when you’re finished grading? It’s time to celebrate! Take a break; you deserve it. 

Grading that goes with you 

You asked and we answered. Now, teachers can grade Teams Assignments from anywhere on an iOS or Android device using the Teams app. In fact, all our new assignments updates work well on mobile devices!  

Deter plagiarism and grade in one step with Turnitin 

We’re excited to expand our release of Turnitin in Teams Assignments! Turnitin helps teach the value of academic integrity, proper attribution, and authentic writing by empowering teachers to identify similarities between student work and the world’s largest collection of internet, student papers, and academic journal content. With our new integration, Turnitin subscribers can screen assignments directly in Teams. 

Join the Early Access Program and get an exclusive opportunity to test drive the integration before it’s launched more broadly. (You must have a Turnitin license.) 

Up next: We saved the best for last 

We want to continue delivering you the best possible Assignments experience, and that’s why we’re building a gradebook in Teams. Our new gradebook gives you the perspective you need on average scores on assignments and individual student progress. We’re rolling this out to our beta customers soon, collecting invaluable educator feedback, and then delivering this experience right to you. We can’t wait!

Tips & trainings for back to school 

Get all the how-tos on the latest Teams for Education updates by browsing the Education help center, or boost your knowledge with the new course on the Microsoft Educator Center. Plus, jump into back to school prep and check out this quick tip on how to reuse all your assignments and content from last year. 

And a reminder – Teams is part of Office 365 for Education which is free to all schools worldwide. Get started here!  

Thank you for everything you do. We hope you have an amazing school year. Reach out to me anytime with your questions—we love your feedback. 

– Justin Chando and the Teams for Education team 

This post was originally published on this site.

This latest Weekender update is another short & sweet one as technically I’m not here, but there’s a couple of things we can run through that you may be interested in.

Out Now

You already know about Raiders of the North Sea, which I’ve been playing as well and is excellent, but other notable releases this week include:

I actually wanted to try out the Gundam Battle game because it’s easy to do and I’ve always been a fan of the anime, but it says my phone isn’t compatible. I mean, that’s nonsense because I have a Google Pixel 3XL now, but I was surprised at how upset I was given how this is going to be a prime cut of gacha. Oh well.

Battle Chasers is a pretty decent tactical RPG that released back in 2017 on PC. We haven’t had a chance to try it out yet but it’s good to see that mobile is still getting these decent, premium-grade RPGs amidst a sea of free-to-play games. We’ll try and get a full review up and running as soon as we can.

Updates

Nothing much to report here – Game Dev Tycoon got an update this week, although what it did I’m not so sure, and there’s been a release-patch for Raiders, as well as the usual round of Auto Chess-related game updates.

One thing I found out today while updating our list of best mobile war games was that Heroes of Normandie actually got a patch back in March, which fixed a few things like the Assault bug. Might be worth giving that another go if you haven’t played it recently.

News You Can Use

In lieu of the normal sales bulletins, thought I’d share an interesting piece of news that’s come across our desk.

It seems Google are now actively testing their rival to Apple’s ‘Apple Arcade’ subscription program, named ‘Play Pass’. We’ve gotten most of our information (including the screenshot) from this Android Police article, but thought it was worth sharing here still.

Apparently, its existence was hinted at last year, but only recently has more concrete evidence surfaced that its being actively tested. New UI elements how that it’s currently being billed as costing $4.99 a month, and feature games won’t have ads, or in-app purchases. Considering IAPs can cover everything from genuine DLC expansion, to premium currency, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of games end up in the Play Pass. We’ll keep an eye on this one and let you know as more information comes to light.

Seen anything else you liked? Played any of the above? Let us know in the comments!

Autodesk have announced new Indie version of their popular 3DS Max and Maya DCC applications.  These are full versions, not subset’s like Maya LT, their other indie focused offering.  They do however come with some strings attached.  The new version (3DS in this case) is described as follows:

Autodesk 3ds Max Indie is the same industry-standard product used by professional studios, at a price point accessible to those who are just starting out. If you are a recent graduate or freelancer with less than USD$100,000/year in revenue, you can get started now. Please note that this is a limited-time offer.

The revenue limit is not the only limitation:

• Your annual gross revenue from design work must be less than USD$100,000/year
• Only one license can be used per user or organization
• Offer is only eligible to those based in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK or the US

There is also one very big gotcha people should be aware of:

Note: In order to avoid an automatic renewal at the full subscription price of 3ds Max, you must turn off the automatic renewal once you subscribe to 3ds Max Indie. In order to turn off the automatic renewal setting, you must go to your Autodesk Account, and follow the instructions posted here. This offer is subject to certain restrictions.

So, if you do not turn off automatic rebilling, you could get hit for a VERY nasty surprise on your credit card in a years time, as you get charged for the full, non-indie version of Max or Maya!

It is a huge savings for those that qualify and it will be interesting to see if the deal expands to other markets or is offered beyond this year.  Have Autodesk noticed a new market between students and full professionals, or are they facing pricing pressure for alternatives like Blender?  Or perhaps it’s a bit of both?

You can learn more about the programs here (3DS Max) and here (Maya).

Art GameDev News