Posted by: xSicKxBot - 03-16-2019, 01:05 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Blind Squirrel lands $5M in funding to self-publish its first game, Drifters
Blind Squirrel Games announced today that it has raised $5 million in funding for its first game, Drifters.
This is pretty notable, given that Blind Squirrel is best known for helping other studios get off the ground, and the funding goes towards self-publishing its first internally developed game.
Drifters is a free-to-play 5v5 hero action shooter, slated to release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC later in 2019.
As reported by Gamesindustry.biz, the $5 million comes from an unnamed external source, with Blind Squirrel CEO Brad Hendricks saying that the investment was comprised of “various members with differing strategies, who felt that they needed to start getting involved in the game industry.”
“I was lucky to find investors who were willing to take a bet on our studio to not only fund the game, but to give us enough money to work with various outside companies to market this game,” Hendricks continues.
“This is giving us the maximum freedom that we needed as a studio to create and market the game we wanted to build.”
Any additional funds will be used to finish up remaining development (if necessary).
Inside Xbox is back on Tuesday, March 12, at 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET with even more exclusive news, content, interviews and footage you won’t see anywhere else!
We’ll have some exciting news involving Halo: The Master Chief Collection! The hourlong episode will also feature DayZ, One Piece World Seeker and of course, Xbox Game Pass! Of course, there’s much more that we can’t reveal just yet, so be sure to tune in live on Mixer, Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter on Tuesday, March 12th at 2 p.m PT / 5 p.m. ET.
Combining seamless gameplay, FINAL FANTASY characters and breathtaking worlds from the past 30 years of the franchise, DISSIDIA® FINAL FANTASY® NT welcomes all gamers to the online battle arena with a new style of competitive gaming!
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 03-16-2019, 01:05 AM - Forum: Minecraft
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Minecraft 1.14 Snapshot 19W11A
It’s wednesday, my dudes! Todays snapshot marks The Village & Pillage update as, for the most part, feature complete. We’re still planning to do a big polish pass, there may be some small features snuck in here or there, but ultimately it’s bug fixing from here on out and we’re
hoping for a release quite soon!
A full summary of the content available in this snapshot can be found in the changelog on Minecraft.net.
Lots of accessibility improvements!
Added a new “Globe” banner pattern and item (Currently only accessible from commands or the creative inventory)
Trading changes
Added recipe for smithing and fletching table
TNT and TNT minecart explosions now have 100% drop rate
There’s a new Accessibility menu which provides a useful place for all of our accessibility features to be toggled
When the narrator is turned on, buttons will be narrated on focus
Most screens allow tab and shift+tab navigation through buttons, edit boxes and other UI elements
Most lists allow up/down arrow keys to navigate through them
We’ve added a new option for turning up the background of all transparent text elements, which should help make them more readable for some people
Smithing table is crafted with 4 planks + 2 iron ingots
Fletching table is crafted with 4 planks + 2 flint
Villagers use them as a work site
We’ve decided not to add the functionality for these blocks for this update as we want to make sure that they’re useful for the overall gameplay. We have a great idea for them for the next major themed update…
Lots of new trades have been added
Villagers now level up in a new way
The trading UI is updated (WIP)
The trading prices now depend on your reputation and on demand
The villagers will restock up to two times per day (if they can work at their work station!)
Added visual trading; villagers will display the item they want to trade for your in-hand item
Villagers now have a daily schedule. They will for example go to work and meet up at the village bell
Each villager will try to find their own bed and work station
Each profession has a specific block that works as a work station for them (e.g. lectern for the librarian and cauldron for the leatherworker)
Village detection is now based on beds, job sites and meeting points instead of doors
Iron golems will spawn when enough villagers meet
To get snapshots, open your launcher and go to the “launch options” tab. Check the box saying “Enable snapshots” and save. To switch between the snapshot and normal version, you can find a new dropdown menu next to the “Play” button. Back up your world first or run the game on in a different folder (In the “launch options” page).
Please report any and all bugs you find in Minecraft to bugs.mojang.com.
Snapshots can corrupt your world, please backup and/or run them in a different folder from your main worlds.
Share your thoughts on how 1.14 is shaping up in the comments below!
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 03-16-2019, 01:05 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Narrative Preview – The Murder of Cayde-6
Dawdling outside the entrance to a Gensym lab, the man tucked a green coin into a pocket of his newly-acquired duster, and then checked to make sure his Obsidian Mind was sealed shut. He fiddled with the clasps of the helmet as a technician carrying a clipboard hurried up to the door. She stepped inside, and he followed on her heels. The doors almost caught him as they slid shut, and the tech noticed, turning around to take stock of him.
“How you livin’?” The man said in a deep, modulated voice as he shouldered past her.
“Creep,” the tech muttered, and walked the other way.
The man stopped to check a listing of room schedules on a monitor at the front desk, then continued down the hall into the darkness of Lab 3.
Inside, the Praxic Warlock Aunor stood under a constellation of holographic projections anchored in the air around her.
She saw the man out of the corner of her eye, and nodded her head slightly.
“Warlock,” the man said in greeting.
“Warlock,” she returned, dragging a looping feed from a far corner into focus in front of her. “I won’t be long.”
“Take your time,” he said, leaning against the far wall. “I’ve always wanted to see a Praxic at work.”
“I assure you it’s glamorous,” she replied, throwing her arms wide and unfolding the feed into a three-dimensional space.
The lab flashed with light and became the shattered, burning husk of the Prison of Elders.
The man turned to his left and saw a familiar, weathered face staring up at the eight Barons of the Tangled Shore.
Cayde-6 stumbled forward and raised a hand. “Hey, help me out here, little buddy.” His Ghost appeared in a blazing burst of Light.
“Freeze playback,” Aunor said. Time stopped. “Confirm what I’m seeing.”
The Tower’s central processing unit spoke with an automated voice. “Ghost ‘Sundance’ audiovisual feed, third-person perspective; date of recording is roughly six months prior.”
“Scan the feed for soft light interposition.”
“None found. This Ghost feed is direct from the subject’s databanks and has not been tampered with.”
“Resume playback.”
The high-pitched whine of the Rifleman’s weapon was the last sound on the feed. It was the last thing Cayde’s Ghost ever heard. The bullet shattered the holographic world around Aunor and the man, and Lab 3 reappeared in its place.
Aunor swept her coat back and clasped her armored hands behind her. “Why did the feed end?”
“Subject ‘Sundance’ suffered unrecoverable system failure and ceased recording.”
“Scorn guns can’t kill a Ghost,” the man said, taking a step away from the wall, and uncrossing his arms.
Aunor ignored him. “Cause of death?” she continued.
“’Sundance’ appears to be the victim of a single, catastrophic wound from a Devourer Bullet, modified to fire from a Scorn launcher. Projectile classified as ontological.”
“Define Devourer Bullet.”
“Payload matches the ballistics of a Weapon of Sorrow or a comparable Hive implement.”
“What do you think, Warlock?” Aunor asked the man without turning around.
“Didn’t the Mindbender build himself an Ascendant throne?”
“Yes.”
“Crafting bullets sounds easy if you can manage that.”
“Sword Logic doesn’t work that way. The throne came after,” Aunor replied. “It was built on Cayde-6’s death. I didn’t catch your name.”
“Finch,” said the man.
“Finch,” Aunor echoed dryly.
He gestured at the holographic displays. “What’s all this for?”
The various HUDs and data streams reflected off Aunor’s polished black helmet. “I’m investigating the possible involvement of the Hero of the War in the death of Cayde-6.”
Finch chuckled. “Won’t they hang you for that?”
Aunor looked at the ground. “You’d be surprised what this City will let a Lightbearer get away with.”
“I hear that. So? Is the big hero actually the villain?”
“You can read the report once the Vanguard publishes it.”
Finch nodded. “Fair enough.” He turned to leave, then stopped himself. “And what actually happens if the saint turns out to be a sinner?”
Aunor still hadn’t turned around. “The Praxic Order doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t stop. If we can prove you’ve done demonstrable harm to humanity or the City, doesn’t matter how far or how fast you run. We’ll catch you. And you’ll face Praxic Fire.”
“You’re a scary sister.”
She turned to look directly at him. “You have no idea.”
Finch coughed and headed for the door. Behind him, Aunor called out, “Didn’t you need lab time?”
“Just remembered I’m busy,” he replied over his shoulder and disappeared.
The doors closed and Aunor stood in the half-darkness, a sea of data streams reflecting off her helmet.
Assassin's Creed 3: Remastered Will Include New Stealth Gameplay Mechanics
Ubisoft has announced the upcoming remaster for Assassin's Creed III will have gameplay improvements. The remaster will get additional updates in the Switch version too, most of which take advantage of the unique features of Nintendo's console.
The gameplay changes for Assassin's Creed III: Remastered are detailed in the March Monthly Update for Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Ubisoft stated that many of the changes are to create a "better balance between action and stealth" in the game. Double assassinations, which existed in the original AC3, are now easier to pull off. Whistling to attract enemy guards, which you only could do from behind cover before, can now also be done from bushes. Free-aiming long-range weapons--which was added into the franchise in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag--is being implemented into the remaster as well, allowing more control with Ratonhnhaké:ton's pistols and bow.
AC3: Remastered also includes "additional weapons for crafting," an updated in-game economy, and a new UI that incorporates color-blind settings. The game will include new Legacy outfits as well, which allow Ratonhnhaké:ton to dress up as protagonists from other Assassin's Creed games, such as Origins' Bayek and Odyssey's Alexios.
For the Switch version, AC3: Remastered will receive a few additional gameplay changes. The Switch version will include touch screen support for navigating the game's menu. There will also be motion control for aiming with long-range weapons. The design of the UI will be tweaked for the Switch version to better adapt to the console's feature of going back and forth between docked and handheld, and HD rumble support has been added as well.
AC3: Remastered is scheduled to release for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on March 29, and for Nintendo Switch on May 21. The game will release as a standalone title, but is also included in Odyssey's Season Pass.
The rest of the March Monthly Update details changes coming to Odyssey in the coming weeks. The new Abstergo-themed cosmetic items for Kassandra/Alexios and the Adrestia and her crew are coming out March 19, as is another Legendary ship lieutenant called Captain Octopus. A new Lost Tales of Greece, titled A Friend Worth Dying For, will be available March 26. Odyssey is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Random: The Entire Mega Man ’90s Cartoon Is Available To Watch On YouTube
If you’re yet to experience the Mega Man cartoon from the mid-nineties and feel a sudden urge to do exactly that, you’re in luck, because the entire show is available to watch – legally – on YouTube.
Produced by Capcom and Ruby-Spears Productions, the show aired for around a year or so back in 1994-95. It was based on the Mega Man games available at the time, and two seasons were completed and aired; a third was reportedly planned but cancelled before seeing the light of day.
We wouldn’t exactly describe it as being a must-watch show, but we challenge you to make it through every episode without wanting to shout “Mega Man” along to the theme tune. Here’s the very first episode:
If you’re wanting to check out the whole thing, it’s all available here via Mega Man Retro – Official Channel. There are playlists for each season as well as special compilations. Enjoy!
Did you watch this back in the day? Will you be checking out the full show? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Hands Up, Who Needs A Pair Of These Custom Zelda Game Boy Trainers?
It’s safe to say that we’re pretty huge Legend of Zelda fans here at Nintendo Life, so much so that we’d happily go out and about wearing our favourite hoodies, backpacks, or t-shirts featuring our favourite Hyrule characters. Taking things up a notch, though, are these pair of custom trainers featuring a particularly fresh Zelda Game Boy theme throughout.
As you can see, they feature Link’s Awakening artwork on the tongues, Game Boy text on the sides, and even the console’s various buttons are dotted around the edges. To top it off, they even came in a Game Boy-themed box, as shown off by their owner, YouTube’s head of gaming, Ryan Wyatt.
“But how do we get a pair exactly like this?”, we hear you ask. Well, judging by the branding on the box, it seems that they’re from Freaker Sneaks – a “company that creates unique, one of a kind hand-painted custom sneakers”. You can order custom designs on the store’s website by discussing your ideas and applying via a form.
What do you think? Are you a fan? Would you be tempted to get your own gaming-themed shoes? Let us know how you’d design yours in the comments.
The release of the GNOME desktop is the default desktop environment in the upcoming release of Fedora 30 Workstation. GNOME 3.32 includes a wide range of enhancements, including: new default application icons, a new emoji chooser in the on screen keyboard, and improved per-app permissions control.
GNOME 3.32
New Icons
GNOME 3.32 features a range of UI tweaks and improvements. Notably, the entire default icon library has been updated and refreshed, featuring more vibrant colours.
Some of the new icons in GNOME 3.32
Additionally, the colours of the desktop are tweaked to the brighter colour palette to match the new icons.
App Menus deprecated
In GNOME 3. the App Menu is the dropdown that appeared in the top left of the panel next to the Activities hotspot. As of GNOME 3.32, this UI feature is deprecated, and all core GNOME default applications now no longer have App Menus.
Fractional Scaling
Previously, the GNOME UI could only scale in increments of 1. With the wide range of different DPI screens available this may cause a strange middle ground on some displays, where the UI is either too small or too large when scaled. GNOME 3.32 provides experimental support for scaling the UI by more granular amounts.
Better emoji input
GNOME 3.32 features an updated on-screen keyboard implementation. Most notably, this includes the ability to easily “type” emoji with the on-screen keyboard
Emoji on-screen keyboard in GNOME 3.32
Improved App permissions control
The new “Application Permissions” in the main settings dialog allows users to view and change permissions for applications.
Read more about this release
There are many more changes and enhancements in this major version of GNOME. Check out the release announcement and the release notes from the GNOME Project for more information.
Maxell sues Apple over navigation, camera & data tech patents
By Roger Fingas Friday, March 15, 2019, 01:36 pm PT (04:36 pm ET)
Long-time magnetic storage and electronics maker Maxell on Friday launched a lawsuit against Apple, accusing it of violating 10 U.S. patents, some of them inherited from Hitachi.
Three of the patents — dubbed ‘317, ‘999, and ‘498 — are connected to walking navigation, and Maxell cites features like Find My Friends and pedestrian routes in Apple Maps as infringements. A third patent, ‘493, involves Apple camera design, while a fourth (‘438) relates to wireless communication and AirDrop file transfers.
Also cited are Maxell’s ‘193 covering cellphone technology, ‘306 for ring alerts, ‘794 for controlling power consumption, ‘586 for unlocking one device with another, and ‘991, which the company says is violated by FaceTime video calls and iTunes video.
A wide range of Apple devices are listed as infringing, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs up to 2018 models. The iPhone XS is repeatedly cited as an example in Maxell’s complaint, filed through a U.S. District Court in Texarkana, Tex.
The company is seeking a jury trial, compensatory damages, and both preliminary and permanent injunctions.
“Since at least June 2013, Apple has been aware of Maxell’s patents and has had numerous meetings and interactions regarding its infringement of these patents,” the complaint charges. “These meetings included Apple’s representatives being provided with detailed information regarding Maxell’s patents, the developed technology, and Apple’s ongoing use of this patented technology. Through this process, Apple’s representatives requested and received detailed explanations regarding Maxell’s patents and allegations. Maxell believed that the parties could reach a mutually beneficial solution and to that end considered a potential business transaction and continued to answer multiple inquiries from Apple over the course of several years, including communicating with Apple as recently as late 2018.”
Based on its track record Apple will mostly likely try to get the case dismissed or settled out of court, given the potential cost of losing a trial. This often succeeds, but Maxell is more prominent than most plaintiffs, and the company isn’t immune — earlier today a judge ruled against it a Qualcomm patent suit, awarding the latter $31 million in damages.
