Teardown reveals major iPhone 12 design changes to include 5G
The customary teardown of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro reveals changes Apple has made to the design of the models to accommodate 5G support, as well as how strikingly similar the two models are internally.
Apple’s latest iPhone models started to arrive with consumers on Friday, so it wasn’t long after release that the first teardown videos of the devices started to surface. In the first fully-detailed disassembly of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, iFixitindicates there’s some changes in the design over the iPhone 11 generation, in order to add 5G functionality.
The initial stage of gaining access in the teardown hasn’t changed much for 2020, with the use of Pentalobe screwdrivers, suction cups, picks, and heat used to lever open the display. Rather than opening on the left-hand edge, a routine that has been in play since the iPhone 7, the iPhone 12 opens from the right-hand edge.
An initial glance at the insides of both non-Pro and Pro models simultaneously has no indications one is better than the other, until the removal of the camera shield. It seems that the two were constructed so alike that Apple uses a plastic spacer in the iPhone 12 where the third camera and LiDAR sensor would be located in the iPhone 12 Pro.
The iPhone 12 and Pro cameras, as well as a camera spacer [via iFixit]
Another change for 2020 is the flipping of positions for the SIM tray, logic board, and battery, which is thought to be due to the larger logic board housing Qualcomm’s 5G chips. The logic board includes the Apple A14 Bionic SoC layered with Micron memory, Samsung flash storage, Qualcomm’s 5G and LTE transceiver, Qualcomm’s 5G modem, Apple’s U1 chip and power management controller, and an Avago power amplifier and integrated duplexer.
To make 5G work properly, the smartphones were found to have mmWave antenna modules embedded in the side of the frame and on the back of the logic board.
For other components, it was found that Apple had changed how the speakers were held in place, with it using Phillips screws and bright orange rubber gaskets instead of adhesive, which may aid repairs. The MagSafe charging arrays use 18 magnets to align the coils in place with the charger, with the polarity of the magnets thought to “expand the effective placement of the phone” while still maintaining proper alignment.
A side-by-side component view of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro [via iFixit]
In summing up the new models, iFixit suggests Apple has made “some serious design compromises” to add 5G components, with the loss of elements like the L-shaped battery and the smaller logic board. Though not “death by a thousand cuts,” the concessions made by Apple makes the iPhones feel “the least inventive.”
iFixit gave the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 a “Repairability Score” of 6 out of 10. While display and battery replacements stay as a priority along with modular components inside and the use of screws, the continued use of glue and the increased waterproofing measures “complicate some repairs,” while a broken glass back replacement will requiring the removal of every component from the device.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-24-2020, 02:15 PM - Forum: Windows
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Esports, livestreams, news and more – all in one place
We are proud to announce the launch of the MSN Esports Hub, a one-stop destination for information related to top esports titles! The data is powered in part by a combination of Microsoft Bing web-scale aggregation and cutting-edge machine learning courtesy of Microsoft Research. Fans of League of Legends, Valorant, CS:GO, DotA2, Overwatch, Fortnite, PUBG, Call of Duty, Rainbow Six, and Rocket League can watch the most popular streamers, catch up on the latest news, and stay-up-to-date with upcoming tournaments in a fast, intuitive experience on both desktop and mobile.
One Stop Esports Shop
The esports hub is powered partially by Bing data to provide you with a broad range of information for the games you are interested in. The home page provides a quick snapshot of the top information and allows you to filter to specific games and dive deeper into specific areas of interest.
We believe that what matters most to gamers is the game, not the platform, so we provide streams from both YouTube and Twitch, with more platforms coming soon. We also leverage machine learning and web-scale aggregation to provide fresh content from hundreds of news sites, including top esports content providers like DotEsports, GamesRadar, ESTNN, GosuGamers, and many more.
More Ways to Find Streams and Streamers to Love
Searching for streams on Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Gaming is easy, right? You just choose a title and you see the most popular streamers currently online. There’s only one problem. This creates a center of gravity whereby popular streamers always show up at the top of the results and get more viewers, making them even more popular. What if you want to find terrific emerging streamers or perhaps content by streamers who play the maps, modes, and characters you are interested in?
Microsoft Research has developed technology to watch tens of thousands of streamers in real-time, apply cutting-edge machine vision models, and extract out the same kind of information that a human can. Which streamers are currently playing your favorite Overwatch hero or League of Legends champion? Which Fortnite players have the most eliminations in the mid-game? We know the answers to these questions at any given moment and provide you with sorts and filters to bring the most relevant streams to the top of your page.
We are actively working on new machine vision models and would love to get your suggestions on what to watch for next. Send us your suggestions on Twitter or chat with us on our Discord!
Tournaments, Top to Bottom
Esports is rapidly growing in audience with around half a billion fans around the world. That’s something like 20% of all gamers worldwide! With so many events happening in so many countries and at so many levels of competition, it’s hard to keep up. We are collecting data from studios, esports websites, esports data aggregators, and amateur event organizers to provide you with a full picture of what is going on. Whether it’s an amateur tournament in your neighborhood or the League of Legends World Championships, our goal is to make sure you know about it. Find out important dates, prize pools, and even register to compete! It’s all here for you. There are more online competitions now than ever; over the last 12 months we tracked more than 1275 tournaments.
All the Match Information, Before, During, and After the Game
With so many events happening, there is so much to watch! We provide you with detailed schedules for your favorite titles and teams. See what is coming up, watch live games, and get detailed stats on Bing after the event is over, including in-game stats, MVP players, rankings, and win percentages for various champions, maps, and more! We have information on more than 23K in more than 100 regions.
Fresh and Relevant esports News
It’s tough finding the best news for your favorite games. There are plenty of sites out there, but sometimes it takes days for them to publish articles and the quality can vary from place to place. We have leveraged machine learning and Microsoft Bing search technology to identify fresh content from more than 3K publishers around the web. This results in more than 500 articles a day on average. We take that mass of information, identify the games being discussed, cluster similar articles, then present you with fresh and relevant content the moment you land on the page. You can read more from the Microsoft News team here.
Made by Fans, for Fans
Our team at Microsoft is comprised of esports fanatics from Bing, Microsoft Research, MSN, Xbox, and others around the company. We have been quietly working for several years now to bring together the necessary technologies to make this possible, basing our work on conversations with fans, streamers, pro teams, and everyday viewers like you! We would love to know what you think about our new hub. Please check it out, share your thoughts on Twitter and, if you really want to get involved, join the conversation with our engineers on our Discord. We are excited to chat with you and would love to get your feedback to help shape the future of this and other Microsoft esports offerings!
Even Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Is Getting A Battle Royale Game
Launching on Switch next week in Europe – and a little later in North America – is a video game adaptation of the hit TV show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? It has all your favourite things from the show, like tough questions, lifelines, and lots of money to be won, but it also has a battle royale mode?
Developed by Appeal Studios, the game will feature six different iconic TV sets as seen in the British, American, French, Spanish, Italian and German versions of the show. The questions you’ll come up against have also been specially adapted for each of these regions, meaning those of you in the US shouldn’t have too many questions about tea, James Bond and Manchester United. Or whatever it is other countries think the UK is obsessed with these days.
There’s a solo mode with a ‘normal’ difficulty, as well as a kids mode with easier questions. It also boasts a wide range of multiplayer modes, including that battle royale option we were talking about:
The mode “Free-for-All” will see 4 players compete to find who will answer a series of question. May the best one win!
In “Taking Turns“, gather up to 10 players for a stressful game of sudden death where a wrong answer means you’re eliminated.
In the “Cooperative” mode, team up with 3 other players and work together to reach the goal!
Battle against up to 99 players in a “Battle Royale” mode and try to reach the top position!
The game will be available on Switch on 29th October in Europe and on 17th November in the US. It’s currently available to view on the European eShop and is priced at £35.99.
Are you a fan of the show? Will you be ditching Super Mario Bros. 35 and Tetris 99 for this game’s brainteasing battle royale mode? Tell us below.
Earlier today you may have caught the latest quote from a certain well-known analyst suggesting that Nintendo would do well to scrap the standard Switch entirely and concentrate on the handheld-only Switch Lite model.
We (and most industry onlookers, we’d wager) would argue that the console’s namesake hybrid nature is its greatest strength, and that the Switch Lite simply offers a cheaper alternative for handheld fans and budget-conscious gamers — a great additional pillar to expand Nintendo’s audience.
Without wanting to focus on questionable takes, we thought it might be interesting to see how you split your Switch gaming time between modes with a little poll. Back in October 2017, Nintendo’s own data suggested that 30% of players used the Switch almost exclusively in handheld mode versus 20% who played in docked mode only, with the remaining 50% of players who switched between the two. We wonder if that’s still true three years later.
Below are a selection of handheld-to-docked mode percentages — simply click on the ratio that best reflects how you use your (standard) Switch, and click the ‘Vote’ button at the bottom to give us a better picture of how things stand in 2020.
Thanks for voting. Do the results surprise you? Has how you use your Switch changed over time? Let us know in the usual place.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-24-2020, 11:24 AM - Forum: Lounge
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This Week At Bungie – 10/22/2020
This week at Bungie, we talk story and sandbox.
Before we kick this TWAB off, I have to ask: Have you watched the new story trailer for Beyond Light yet? No? While we aren’t going to dive deeply into spoiler territory between now and launch, this is the moment where we say it’s time for you to go dark if you’re looking to experience the expansion with no knowledge of what’s coming.
If you’re hungry, it’s time to dig in.
Soon, you’ll be exploring Europa, in search of answers. Whether you be a lone wolf or part of a fireteam, we’ll leave that path for you to walk.
110? Meet 120
Two weeks ago, we began a conversation about sandbox tuning for Beyond Light. Armor modifications are getting some hefty changes, from reloads to raids. If you missed it, check out the October 8 TWAB. This week, our focus shifts to the weapons in your arsenal. As with our mods preview, we have a collection of patch notes accompanied by developer commentary. Alright, we ready?
Let’s pass the microphone over to the Dev Team for some juicy details.
Dev team: Hello! Today, we’ll be covering some changes to a few specific weapons and weapon families. For those of you who don’t have much knowledge of our sandbox, each weapon has a specific “frame” that is also tied to its associated rate of fire (RoF). We’ve included both of these for a bit of clarity, as many players default to RoF when talking about various weapons. As an example, “Aggressive” Hand Cannons currently have a RoF of 110 rounds per minute.
Hand Cannons: We’re making changes to give hand cannon subfamilies more diversity, and more reasons to use each.
Aggressive
Increased RoF from 110 to 120.
Broke out Aggressive Hand Cannons, allowing custom tuning of stats (e.g. damage falloff for 100 range in this subfamily now starts at 32m).
Adaptive and Precision
Range stat now has more impact on minimum damage falloff range for both archetypes.
Damage falloff for 100 range now starts at 25m, was 20m.
Precision Hand Cannon
(180 RoF) magazine scaled up by 37 percent.
Note: This also affects Exotics with that rate of fire.
Lightweight (folded in to Adaptive)
Moved all Lightweight Hand Cannons (150 RoF) to the Adaptive subfamily (140 RoF).
This includes Luna’s Howl and Not Forgotten.
One Exotic Hand Cannon will retain 150 ROF.
We aren’t going to leave it to speculation.
It’s beautiful.
It does solar damage.
It makes enemies explode.
It’s Sunshot.
At this time, Lightweight (150 ROF) Hand Cannons represent the majority of Hand Cannon usage in the Crucible. While we experimented with many different ways to even out Lightweights (150 ROF) and Adaptives (140 ROF), Lightweight Hand Cannons consistently retained a faster time to kill (TTK). As such, we opted to equalize their ROF.
We selected 140 ROF as it is fairly balanced in the Crucible sandbox. It gives other weapon archetypes more time to breath between shots, avoids an overabundance of Hand Cannons with faster TTK than other weapons, and pairs nicely with upcoming changes to 600 ROF Auto Rifles (more on that below).
Sniper Rifles: We want Sniper Rifles to feel powerful, without being so easy to use that they dominate.
Adjusted how aim assist (AA) is affected by Sniper Rifle zoom level. Lower zoom scopes have less AA, higher zoom scopes have more, scopes with around 50 zoom are unchanged.
Lowest-zoom scopes have a large reduction in AA cone angle.
Highest-zoom scopes have a small increase.
Auto Rifles: In Season of the Worthy, the Adaptive archetype (600 RoF) was given a buff. We’re pulling that back a little to keep it in check with other Auto Rifle archetypes.
Adaptive
Damage per bullet reduced from 15.75 to 14.25.
Note: Prior to Season of the Worthy, damage per bullet was 13.75.
Scout Rifles: Scouts have a reasonable time to kill (TTK)and can’t be adjusted too much without making them dominate the battlefield, so we’re making them a little easier to use.
Increased how much each point of the AA stat widens the AA cone.
At maximum, the AA cone is now 15 percent wider.
Rocket Launchers: These Heavy weapons currently have very low reserves, so we’re adjusting that. We expect to take another look at Rocket Launchers in a future Season.
Increased reserves by 1 or 2 rockets depending on Inventory stat.
General: The following is a list of surgical changes for select weapons based on player feedback. Some of these changes apply to weapons that are a little too far ahead of other options while others apply small buffs to increase the weapon’s effectiveness.
Perks
Outlaw – The reload speed increase felt insufficient with certain subfamilies and combinations of rolls (e.g. Aggressive Hand Cannons).
Increased reload stat bonus from +50 to +70.
Merciless
Increased inventory stat from 36 to 55 (this increases reserve ammo).
Mountaintop
We’ve had a ton of feedback that Mountaintop feels a bit over the top in Crucible modes. This Pinnacle weapon has had ample time to shine, so we’re taking it down a notch.
Specific pain points:
A one-shot body shot with infinite range.
Quick and easy cleanup of wounded Guardians, even around corners.
Deals high splash damage, rewarding players for inaccuracy.
Perfect in-air accuracy allows airborne Guardians to rain down death, and there’s not much grounded Guardians can do to respond.
Here are the changes intended to address those points:
Reduced splash damage by 33 percent, increased impact damage such that total damage is 5 percent lower than before.
Reduced projectile velocity multiplier from the Micro-Missile perk from 1.4 to 1.2. (i.e., now 20 percent faster than other breech Grenade Launchers instead of 40 percent).
Reduced in-air accuracy. Now has significant projectile error while in-air (around 7 degrees without the Icarus Grip mod, substantially less with).
Falling Guillotine
Reduced heavy attack damage by ~24 percent to bring in line with other Swords.
Note: Falling Guillotine will continue to be slightly above average, just not to the extent that it is now.
MIDA Multi-Tool and MIDA Mini-Tool
MIDA Mini-Tool
Moved the “Mida Synergy” trait to the intrinsic, similar to how the (Baroque) version works
Added the following perks:
Hip-Fire Grip
Kill Clip
NOTE: There is an issue with the masterwork on this weapon that prevents it from being upgraded. This will be fixed in a later update.
NOTE: The Gunsmith will begin selling a version of this weapon on November 10 with no infusion cap.
Sturm and Drang
Drang
Moved the “Together Forever” trait to the intrinsic, similar to how the (Baroque) version works
Added the following perks:
Accurized Rounds
Moving Target
NOTE: There is an issue with the masterwork on this weapon that prevents it from being upgraded. This will be fixed in a later update.
NOTE: The Gunsmith will begin selling a version of this weapon on November 10 with no infusion cap.
Ruinous Effigy
Transmutation Spheres
Reduced the damage of the aerial melee attack by 25%
Significantly reduced the damage of the drain effect on enemy combatants
Arbalest
No longer strikes shields multiple times, but its efficacy against shielded targets has been increased.
Jade Rabbit
Armor Piercing Rounds swapped to High Caliber Rounds.
This fixes an issue that could prevent the exotic perk from triggering.
Some of these changes look pretty hefty, and we’re looking forward to seeing your reactions. When first hearing that Aggressive Hand Cannons would be shifted to120 RPM, I wondered if it would be enough to push them into the hands of my Guardian. I can safely say after quite a few playtests, I have a bunch of new favorite Hand Cannons that have been waiting for their time to shine.
Now, let’s look to some new hotness coming soon to a Lighthouse near you.
(ADEPT)
Before we let our friends on the Development Team go, we have a few more details concerning weapons to share with you. A few months back, we announced the return of Adept weapons to the Trials experience. Today, we’ll be spending some time getting you reacquainted with these tools of destruction, and how we’re laying the groundwork for future Adept weaponry. While these weapons are similar in name to the Adepts of Destiny 1, there are some added elements to embrace the weapon systems of Destiny 2. With that, we pass the mic back to the Development Team to give you a full rundown:
Dev Team: Beginning in Beyond Light, all existing Trials weapons have Adept versions. Our intent is for all new Trials weapons to have an Adept version in the future, with their infusion caps matching the Season they were introduced in. For our first round of Adepts, their infusion caps will be set to that of Season of the Worthy. Additionally, we will be introducing Adept weapon mods into the sandbox in Beyond Light, which can only be applied to Adept weaponry.
Adept Weapons
Here’s how Adept weapons differ from the base weapons:
Masterworking an Adept weapon grants additional stats.
+10 for the primary stat as usual (the specific Masterwork of the weapon).
+3 for all alternate stats.
Adept weapons can use either a standard weapon mod or a new Adept weapon mod earned when going Flawless.
A unique Adept shader has been made for these weapons.
Note: These shaders are not awarded as a consumable when dismantling an Adept weapon. As such, they cannot be applied to other pieces of gear.
Adept Weapon Mods
These mods come in two varieties:
Weapon stat boosts, each of which grants +10 to a particular stat in a similar way to Masterwork stats.
Example: Adept range (+10 range).
Versions of some existing mods granting an improved bonus, but with a downside (base version of the mod explained below).
Adept mag (+40 magazine, -20 handling).
Backup mag is +30 magazine.
Acquisition
To earn Adept weapons and Adept weapon mods, players must complete a Flawless Trials Passage and open the Flawless chest at the Lighthouse.
Each week, a different Adept mod can drop from the Flawless chest.
Adept weapon mods will be on a weekly rotation, so a given mod may not make its appearance until later in the Season.
The mod is unlocked for use on owned Adept weapons when acquired.
Adept weapons will be available from the Flawless chest on a bi-weekly basis, alternating with armor drops.
The first Adept weapon acquired on a given week is a Pinnacle drop.
Adept weapons will be on a set rotation, so players may continue to earn alternate rolls on specific Adept weapons when completing Flawless passages throughout a given weekend.
As you can see, for those who reach the Lighthouse, your loot is about to get a little more spicy. While Adept rewards are coming first, we also have a Trials armor refresh planned for a future Season, after the stardust has settled from Beyond Light.
With that, we come to an end to our sandbox previews leading up to Beyond Light. Some of you may be asking, “Wait a minute, what about abilities?” In three short weeks, the abilities you’ve come to know and master will be challenged by the Darkness. Stasis will make its debut, bringing a new flavor of combat to the sandbox. The team will be watching closely as you embark on your first strikes, Gambit matches, and Crucible exercises to see how your abilities stack up against each other. It’s going to be a wild time, and we’re excited to see the Light clash with the Dark.
Prime Time Continues
This week saw another update to our Prime rewards. If you have a Prime account, make sure it’s linked with your Bungie.net account! Once you’ve done that, head over to the Prime Gaming portal to redeem some sweet cosmetic rewards. Say hello to the Cryptomnesia Sparrow, making its debut through this month’s Prime drop!
Rewards:
Cryptomnesia Sparrow
Ada-1’s Lone Wolf Ship
Peerless Precision Ghost Shell
Flare Gun Emote
Once redeemed, you’ll find these at Amanda Holliday in the Tower’s hangar. Stay tuned for future updates!
Cipher Search
Festival of the Lost has reached its halfway mark, and Destiny Player Support is keeping an eye out for scary bugs as we approach the final days of the event. While no major issues have been found, we do have a few reminders on items to complete, and a note on the Interference: Loop Triumph.
This is their report.
INTERFERENCE: LOOP TRIUMPH
Due to the extension of Season of Arrivals, the Nokris encounter for the Interference weekly quest will remain for the remainder of the season. This means players who have missed a previous Interference encounter will be unable to access those encounters and will be unable to claim the “Interference: Loop” triumph.
TITLES
With the start of Year 4 on November 10, certain Seals and their associated Titles will no longer be available to earn. Players will need to be sure to unlock and equip the following Titles before this date to guarantee that the completions are recorded on their accounts:
A Shadow Rises – Shadow
Reckoner – Reckoner
Black Armory – Blacksmith
Destinations – Wayfarer
Lore – Chronicler
Arrivals – Forerunner
KNOWN ISSUES
While we continue investigating various known issues, here is a list of the latest issues that were reported to us in our #Help Forum:
The Convergence ornament for Transversive Steps clips through the front of some Warlock robes.
We are investigating an issue where Ashen Wake can cause damage to allies.
The Unbridled Enthusiasm exotic emote is not playing audio as intended.
For a full list of emergent issues in Destiny 2, players can review our Known Issues article. Players who observe other issues should report them to our #Help forum.
Insert Witty Movie Reference Here
I’ve been combing the internet, looking for spooky movies to watch during a Halloween marathon. While watching my own clips from the Crucible can be scary (how can someone be that bad!?), I’m looking for things that are slow burn. Half the movie spent setting the world up, introducing you to characters, then BAM. Weird stuff happening. Lights going out. Doors being mysteriously locked. People turning on each other while trying to do simple tasks to get the space station running. Mentions of suspicious behavior. Vents. Garbage disposals. That weird thing where you have to tap a button while disks spin.
Wait, that’s not a movie… ah well. Let’s get back on topic. While these movies aren’t so scary, they are entertaining! Let’s check out who won MOTW.
MOTW: Kingdom Come
MOTW: Most of you are too young to understand this reference
MOTW: Regent
For every movie you see listed here, there’s at least one emblem being granted to those who created them. Want a shot at a sweet emblem? Submit your movie to the Creations page on Bungie.net. We have an expert panel of casual movie watchers selecting things at complete random to win!
I mean, Cozmo and I watch movies and feature the ones that look fun, cool, unique, or otherwise silly. Sometimes people send us emails with cool videos too. Either way, take a shot!
The days are continuing to grow shorter here in Seattle. Pretty soon, Destiny won’t be the only thing enveloped in Darkness. I for one can’t wait. Only two more TWABs stand between you and Europa.
Ah, and before we go – we’ve been seeing a lot of questions in the wild on how bounties, currencies, and progression systems will be updated in Beyond Light. We’re currently working to get the info together and making sure everything is factual. This isn’t a “preppers guide to the galaxy,” mind you. Just a heads up on how these systems are changing. Our current plan is to cover those topics next week! The most frequent question we’re seeing right now concerns bounties, and whether they’ll be cleared at the start of next Season.
Most of your bounties will stay intact, but any bounties tied to specific Seasonal activities or content entering the DCV will be removed on November 10. Examples would include Black Armory, Gambit Prime, or Festival of the Lost bounties. Additionally, any bounties that grant progression towards Infamy/Valor may negatively impact your powerful rewards, as they will be limited to Season of Arrivals Power Levels. Our recommendation is to go ahead and claim your bounties, just to make sure you don’t miss out on any XP or Glimmer.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-24-2020, 11:23 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Build beautiful creatures in Jonah Lobe’s GDC Masterclass
Character artist Jonah Lobe is one of the talented folks who built the ferocious monsters of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. He’s an unparalleled creator of compelling video game creatures, and now you have the opportunity to learn from him in this December 4th GDC Masterclass!
Lobe’s iconic creatures aren’t just one of the defining features of Bethesda’s massively popular role-playing game, they’re also infused with a personal touch that has captured the attention of artists around the world.
His commitment to mixing the practical realities of game development with a vibrant artistic vision makes him one of the most reputable instructors in the world of game character art. And now you can learn from him in an interactive, tight-knit Masterclass!
In Lobe’s class, you’ll learn much of the following:
Learn how to create characters and creatures that are strikingly original, totally plausible, and immediately iconic.
Learn to target the foundations of your artistic ability by delving into the powers of line and shape, contrast and color theory, anatomy and personality.
Discover how to develop new ideas and walk away ready to build.
This course also includes a free copy of Lobe’s Chimaera: A Creature Design Masterclass video, for further instruction to build on this course.
With Lobe’s help, you’ll improve the foundations of your artistic ability in order to create better creatures that can help your game shine.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-24-2020, 11:23 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Why bringing Donkey Kong 64 into the third dimension required a mental shift
Donkey Kong 64 is about to turn 20, and to celebrate that marvelous but inevitable milestone, GamesRadar had a sit down chat with some of the creative leads behind the beloved platformer.
While the full interview contains plenty of tidbits and tales from day days gone by, it’s particularly interesting to hear how lead designer Mark Stevenson struggled to yank the franchise into the third dimension for the very first time.
Describing the process, Stevenson, who was working for developer Rare at the time, explained how “going 3D was a whole different ball game” back in the ’90s.
“The technology, at that point, was in its infancy,” he recalls. “From an art perspective, you couldn’t achieve anything visually comparable to the Donkey Kong Country games. It was an incredible challenge to produce 3D graphics, and building 3D models was really hard work — they only had a few hundred polygons but it was tough using the tools we had to manipulate them.”
Having largely worked on 2D titles until then, Stevenson was so used to designing characters from a fixed side-on view, that he struggled to break those habits when making the switch to 3D. It meant a lot of trial and error before he landed on the models players eventually saw in-game.
“As an artist who was on the Donkey Kong Country games, I used to build and animate the characters from a fixed side-on view,” continues Stevenson. “Being able to see this character from any angle, you’d make an animation, put it in the game, and you’d think it looked good side-on, but awful from every other angle. It was challenging from a technical and design perspective.”
Tactical shojo RPG, Illusion Connect, launches globally on iOS and Android
Superprism Games celebrates the global launch of its tactical shojo RPG, Illusion Connect, as it debuts on iOS and Android. Over 600,000 users pre-registered to play Illusion Connect, an impressive feat for any mobile game. Those of you that sign in over its launch period can expect to receive a number of free-to-claim rewards, including skins, resources, and even characters.
In a battle to save humanity, you must team up with Saya to fight the mysterious enemies who have invaded the space between the real world and the dream world. These enemies, also known as Nightmares, are incredibly powerful and will require you to bolster your squad. Fortunately, there are plenty of Lenses available to team up with to make fights easier.
To uncover the hidden conspiracy, you’ll need to defeat all the Nightmares who stand in your way. Your path should be different from most players thanks to the faction system, giving each team their own unique purposes and faiths. Illusion Connect isn’t all about fighting, however, as you can learn all about your partners with the social features built into the game.
Here’s a list of everything you can gain during Illusion Connect’s launch window:
Login for eight days in total to gain massive Diamonds, Nina’s skin ‘Redhood’, and SSR partner Miyuki
Anna’s Gift: clear stages to gain massive resources including diamonds, coins, partner EXP, and SSR gears
SEED’s Recruitment: collect a certain number of SR and SSR partners to gain Summon Ticket x30 and a bikini skin for Kasumi
Dreamweaver (third day after character creation): collect stage stars to gain massive Diamonds
Newbie Bonus Gacha: ‘Summon x10’ guarantees an SSR partner (Frantiva, Hotaru or Nicola)
The Journey of Growth: complete all seven-day objectives to upgrade Saya from R to SSR, and gain Saya’s skin ‘Nightingale’
You can download Illusion Connect from the App Store and Google Play right now. Interested in other gacha games like this? Check out our list of the best gacha games available on mobile devices.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-24-2020, 08:01 AM - Forum: Windows
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3 Teams features that help keep online classrooms connected
For many educators, the shift to remote and hybrid learning has meant increasingly long hours and creative lesson planning to ensure an inclusive learning experience for all students. These stories are the inspiration behind creating new ways to improve learning experiences for educators and students alike.
A new set of Microsoft Teams updates can help by making it easier for educators and students to stay engaged and empowered. More than just video calls, Teams is a comprehensive learning hub that integrates with learning management systems (LMS), giving educators what they need to create inclusive, student-centered classrooms.
“I started using Teams with OneNote Class Notebook. [Teams] gives me options—it’s a chat space, our assignments, the grade book—so it’s really like an LMS. I’ve loved using these tools not only for my classes, but in my other roles as an administrator, as a student advisor, and as a researcher in my field.”
– Valentina DeNardis, Director of Classical Studies at Villanova University
With the current need to limit in-person interaction, schools are recognizing that orientation shouldn’t be one single event, but an ongoing program that keeps students engaged throughout the year. So, how will institutions continue to present all their welcome and informational sessions each quarter or semester when classes may be online or hybrid, and when many students may not physically travel to campus?
See how everything comes together in Teams with the following updates that help students feel connected and give educators the confidence to run successful classrooms from anywhere.
1. Together Mode Together Mode offers an alternative to Gallery View, the video conferencing feature that frames students in a grid format. If selected, this option will bring students out of their individual tiles and transport them into a shared setting, whether an auditorium, a conference room, or coffee shop—all Together Mode virtual venues coming this fall. This helps faculty set the tone for their meetings and brings an in-person feeling to the virtual classroom.
2. Professional DevelopmentTraining With dozens of on-demand resources and tailored group sessions guided by Microsoft Store associates, professional development training on Teams and other tools helps support inclusive, student-centered learning. The sessions are not only beneficial for faculty but for the whole school, as they help educators learn new ways of engaging with students through technology.
3. Education Insights Organized by class, Education Insights offers a window into students’ activity, from attendance to engagement in class conversations. With spotlights on important trends, the Education Insights dashboard helps educators understand the needs of their classes and save themselves time in planning, providing feedback, and offering help where needed.
“I’ve loved having the Insights tool within Teams. I think it’s especially useful during remote learning because it can be hard to gauge how much students are engaged with the course material. If you see a student slipping, you can use the Insights tool in Microsoft Teams to see how often they’re logging in and working with the material.”
– Valentina DeNardis, Director of Classical Studies at Villanova University
We hope these and other new Teams features help your faculty continue to connect and collaborate with their classrooms, leading to a more positive and productive experience for students.
Start integrating these rich education resources with your institution’s LMS. And if you don’t have Teams yet, get your school signed up for free today.
Gallery: Lots Of Gorgeous Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity Screenshots Appear
via 4Gamer
We’re now less than a month away from the launch of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity on Nintendo Switch, and plenty of lovely screenshots have been shared ahead of the big day.
The images below come courtesy of 4Gamer, and show off lots of the game’s main cast, stunning scenery, some of the attacks you’ll be able to perform, and much more. Let’s jump in, shall we?
How good is this looking, huh?
Let’s take a quick break from the screenshots with these gorgeous assets of some of the game’s stars:
And finally, we’ll end with some new snaps of Link and those terrifying Guardians…
Remember, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity launches on 20th November. If you want to feel the hype even more, make sure to check out the game’s most recent trailers: one, two, and three.
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