Kairosoft’s World Cruise Story Arrives On The Switch eShop Later This Week
The Kairosoft game library on the Nintendo Switch continues to expand. The next pocket-sized entry in the addictive management simulation series is all about running your own cruise liner. It’s appropriately-named World Cruise Story and will be available on the eShop on 18th July for $12.00 / £8.99.
Players are tasked with managing their guests while decking out their ship with restaurants, casinos and all sorts of other entertainment at the same time. Here’s the full description from the eShop:
Get ready to take the helm of history’s grandest, most over-the-top luxury cruise liner for an unforgettably addictive excursion at sea!
Deck your own ship with everything from lavish suites and first-class restaurants to casinos and hot tubs! You call the shots as you travel the world, visiting every country on the map–even entertaining royalty with tours truly fit for kings!
Put the right facilities next to each other and you’ll score big points with passengers and reviewers. Amass enough fame and even celebrities will come flocking when you’re in port!
Can you turn your sea buggy into a 5-star floating paradise? Put on your captain’s hat and find out in World Cruise Story!
If you would like to find out more about Kairosoft’s previous releases on the eShop, click here.
Have you bought a Kairsoft title for your Switch yet? Do you like the look of World Cruise Story? Leave a comment down below.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 07-15-2019, 06:36 PM - Forum: Windows
- No Replies
Photographer and digital artist up their game with Z by HP
“I can bust out so much more whenever I’m either working personal or professional projects, so that’s great,” Oostenbroek says. “The last Windows I used was Windows XP, so that’s how long ago I had used Windows. But it was easy to switch. All the software I use works the same on Windows 10. It’s older software, but it works so much faster thanks to the Z4’s capabilities. My workflow is so much faster now. And that’s the best thing.”
HP gives the option to remap the keyboard, so he can continue to use the shortcuts that are most familiar to him.
His Mac could not give him the RAM he needed to open “crazy resolution” files (20,000 x 20,000 pixels). He used to go to a friend’s to open those files but now he can handle everything himself. He also now has the capability to render on a graphics card, which is something he says he’s wanted “for ages.”
“HP brought me to that moment,” he says. “I’m super happy with that.”
He had also stopped doing animation for personal projects because it used to take so much of his free time to render it. But now he’s taking on personal animations thanks to the quick feedback he gets from the Z4, which saves him a lot of time, as he’s able to make corrections more quickly.
A self-taught artist who didn’t discover Photoshop until he was in high school, he avoids online tutorials, preferring to follow his own path. Constant change not only applies to his workstyle, but also his philosophy about learning.
“Improvement is key for my own work. I always want to learn something from every project I take,” he says. “Improving and learning throughout the creative process can be really rewarding because you can pay the bills, but you’ve learned a lot too. So that’s like a total win-win situation. The learning curve is super important for me.”
To find out more about how these devices work for creative professionals, head over to Z by HP.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 07-15-2019, 11:53 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Assassin's Creed Odyssey Bans Creator Mode XP Farming
Assassin's Creed Odyssey recently introduced a Story Creator mode, allowing players to build their own custom missions. Ubisoft has noticed a glut of missions intended to easily boost XP, and has announced changes to the mode to prevent farming. The studio said in an update that it is doing this to maintain the integrity of the creative mode, as well as to keep the XP farming missions from crowding out other community stories that are using the mode as intended.
"Story Creator Mode was designed to be a tool for players to let their creativity and imagination run free as they build their very own Stories to share with others, using a modified version of the tools our own designers used to develop the quests in the game," the update states. "These exploits risk jeopardizing the overall quality, integrity, and purpose of Story Creator Mode and results in less visibility for the creative, interesting and frankly fantastic community stories that have been published."
The post details several steps it will be implementing going forward to reduce the instances of these XP farming quests. Those include filtering XP farming quests from its automatic recommendation system, hiding any stories that are reported for exploits, sanctioning those who misuse the tool, and updating the terms of use to reflect these changes. It also says it will be implementing "further solutions" in the future with other title updates.
While some of these changes do clearly connect with improving visibility for non-farming quests, banning the quests altogether isn't necessarily needed for that goal. It's worth noting that Assassin's Creed Odyssey's steep experience ramp was one common point of criticism among reviews, including in our own. The in-game shop also offers a permanent XP boost item as a real-money purchase.
"When looking at Odyssey in the bigger picture, it can often feel like too much game for its own good," Alessandro Fillari wrote. "There are numerous moments where the loop of exploring, completing missions, and traveling can slow the pace significantly. This is exacerbated by the expansive map, which can sometimes feel excessively big and a chore to travel through. ... Several times throughout my journey, progression was somewhat exhausting, which made some of the more impactful and exciting moments in the story feel like a drag."
For more content authored by Ubisoft itself, the final installment in the Fate of Atlantis episodic DLC trilogy is coming on July 16. That is the last piece of planned DLC that we know of for the game, which released in 2018.
Random: This Super Mario Maker 2 Glitch Blasts Cat Luigi Into Space
We’ve seen some weird Super Mario Maker 2 glitches since the Switch title was released, but this particular one is out of this world.
All you’ll need to do is create a custom Super Mario 3D World level, transform Luigi into a cat, crawl underneath a few blocks and then attempt to long jump. Once you’ve done this, Luigi will skyrocket off-screen. Here’s a demonstration below, courtesy of Twitter user Killashtan – the player who discovered this glitch:
Even if you fill the entire screen with blocks, Luigi will still be sent sky-high. Interestingly, though, the edit screen doesn’t record him being sent upwards. It’s also worth noting that this glitch only works with the cat version of Luigi.
Below is a full GameXplain demonstration:
What do you think of this glitch? Have you encountered any other glitches in Super Mario Maker 2? Leave a comment below.
The Next Crash Team Racing Update For Switch Will Improve Load Times
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled is one of many games on Nintendo Switch that can take an incredibly long time to load. Fortunately, the next update coming to the live racing game will significantly improve load times.
Version 1.05 will make use of the Switch’s boost mode, which allows the system’s CPU to be temporarily overclocked to speed up in-game load times. Below are the full patch notes:
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is a live game and Beenox is continuously working on adjustments and improvements to the racing experience. This patch addresses various quality of life improvements to provide the best ongoing kart racing experience possible. The update is set to go live over the next day for PS4 and Xbox One, and within the following week for Nintendo Switch players.
This patch represents the following platform versions:
PS4 – 1.07
Xbox One – 1.0.1.1
Switch – 1.05
The following will be addressed in the patch:
All Platforms:
Loading time improvements on all platforms
Stability fixes when playing online
Adjustment to track selection frequency when choosing tracks in online matchmaking lobbies
Fix for various track lap exploits
Adjustment of global cooldown for power-ups on all players (prevent timeclock/warp orb spamming)
Fix to lobbies not repopulating properly after player quits
Experience the world of restaurant cooking in a highly polished, realistic kitchen. Use ovens, gas stands, pots, pans, bowls and plates, everything you need. Prepare dozens of lifelike ingredients - from vegetables through fish to steaks and poultry - to cook over thirty real dishes, or anything you like.
Another day, another Metroidvania. It feels like the Switch is getting a new one every week at the moment, and whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing will no doubt depend on your affinity with the genre. Whilst the Switch has become home to some of the finest examples of the genre in recent memory, such as Axiom Verge and Hollow Knight, it has also played host to a few less-than-stellar titles. And that, sadly, is where Paradox Soul comes in.
Paradox Soul sees you take on the role of Dr. Allie Rose, who must navigate a mysterious, deadly test facility filled with roaming beasts and monstrous bosses. Since this is a Metroidvania title, very little is handed to you on a plate. Right from the start, you’re given nothing to work with – no backstory or weaponry – just you and your spindly, pixelated legs.
Eventually of course, you’ll come to find new gear, such as an automatic machine gun that you can gradually upgrade, and a handy suit that allows Dr. Rose to morph herself into a ball when sliding and jumping… hmm, that sounds very familiar. But what sets Paradox Soul apart from other Metroidvanias is its cover-based shooting gameplay. Dr. Rose isn’t the most resilient of protagonists, and it only takes a few hits to take her down, so you’ll need to take on more defensive tactics when dealing with foes. If you happen to come across an enemy that can fire back at you, chances are there will be an obstacle nearby that you can take cover behind. From here, you can hide in wait until the enemy needs to reload, then pop out and take them down.
It sounds pretty compelling in theory, but Paradox Soul really struggles to make it feel exciting. Each encounter boils down to simply rolling into cover, wait for the enemy to reload, then fire back. Rinse and repeat. Of course, you don’t have to roll into cover if you don’t want to, but thanks to Dr. Rose’s poor health meter, it almost becomes a necessity as you struggle to survive. Additionally, those who like to navigate the environment quickly will use the roll ability frequently to gain extra momentum – what this means is that if there’s a crate lying around, chances are you’ll accidentally roll into it. It’s not a massive issue, but it does break your flow quite a lot.
Thankfully, other enemy encounters are a bit more hands-on. You’ll come across zombies, rabid dogs, surveillance drones, and more. These don’t require you to jump into cover, and a good mix of jumping, rolling, dropping bombs and firing is enough to take these enemies down. Then of course, there are the boss battles. These can be extremely difficult at the best of times, particularly since you have such finite health. Learning their attack patterns is absolutely crucial to survival, but even then it’s a bit hit-and-miss. The ability to alter the difficult at any time from the main menu seems like a very deliberate decision, so don’t be surprised if you find you need to take it down a notch if you’re struggling.
Metroidvanias are perhaps most famous for their ingenious use of environments. Everyone remembers the claustrophobic caves of Super Metroid’s planet Zebes, and the famous inverted castle of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. This is unfortunately where Paradox Soul really fails to stand out from the crowd. Taking place within a test facility, the map looks very much looks like a lab you might find in the latter half of a Resident Evil game. Blood coats the doorways, crates lie around in all sorts of places, and zombies burst out of test chambers in nearly every room. The problem is there’s a severe lack of variety; every new room looks incredibly similar to the last one, and this causes repetition to set in very quickly.
To exacerbate this issue, the map is set up in a grid format, with doorways either taking you up, down, left or right within the grid. Whilst the map itself is easy enough to analyse once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you’ll often feel forced to rely on its presence, as it can be incredibly difficult to remember exactly where you’ve been previously, or where you need to go next. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself visiting the same rooms over and over again.
Like so many indie games hitting the market these days, Paradox Soul displays self-proclaimed ‘retro’ graphics consisting of blocky, pixelated characters and environments. A lot of people may be getting a bit fed up of this particular aesthetic in modern games, but we think the graphics suit the nature of the game quite well. A lot more effort could have gone into the aforementioned repetitive room design, but for the most part, it looks decent enough. On the flip side, however, the music is particularly impressive, invoking a sense of horror, sci-fi and mystery all in one go, whilst ramping up suitably during boss battles. All in all, Paradox Soul is a decent enough Metroidvania that suits its low price point, but we think a bit more TLC within certain areas would have gone a long way.
Conclusion
On its own, Paradox Soul is an average Metroidvania that will keep you reasonably entertained throughout its fairly short duration thanks to its creepy art direction and atmospheric soundtrack. But when you look at it next to some of the more accomplished examples of the genre on Switch, its repetitive nature and uninspired cover-shooting mechanics hold it back from being truly recommendable.
The DLC Packs For Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Won’t Be Sold Individually
During Nintendo’s E3 2019 Direct presentation, we got another look at the upcoming title Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. It was also revealed how players would be able to expand their experience with a paid Expansion Pass – including three DLC packs for Fantastic Four, X-Men and Marvel Knights.
Unfortunately, if you were only wanting a few additional characters or one specific DLC pack, you’ll still be required to purchase the Expansion Pass. A description on Nintendo’s official website states the following:
This paid Expansion Pass includes 3 DLC packs, which will become available as they release one at a time after the launch of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order and will not be sold individually.”
There’s also a new image on the Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 website reinforcing the fact the DLC won’t be sold individually:
The first pack is scheduled to arrive in Fall 2019, the second is expected to show up later in the year and the third one is due out next year.
Were you hoping to buy one DLC pack at a time or were you always planning to buy the Expansion Pass? Leave a comment below.
Amazon Prime Day 2019: the best tech deals with live updates
By Christine McKee Monday, July 15, 2019, 12:11 am PT (03:11 am ET)
Amazon Prime Day 2019 is officially here, and we’re compiling the best deals on Apple products, accessories, Amazon hardware and much more. Check back throughout July 15 and July 16 for live updates as new deals launch.
Amazon’s Prime Day sale has begun, and we’re rounding up the best deals on tech gadgets, including deals on Apple products with a Prime membership. Continue to check back throughout the 48-hour sale as we’ll be bringing you the best deals from Amazon and third-party sellers.
As in years past, Amazon has issued extensive markdowns on its own line of Fire, Kindle and Echo devices for Prime Day. Save up to 64% instantly on individual systems and bundles, with all of the deals view-able here. New to Prime Day 2019, Amazon is also knocking up to 30% off Apple Watches and iPads.
Apple Watch deals
iPad deals
Fire TV deals
Fire TV Stick deals
Echo deals
Fire Tablets
Ring Doorbell deals
Exclusive deals on MacBook Pros and iMacs
Exclusive savings on MacBook Pros and iMacs are in effect.
Shoppers on Prime Day can also save up to $2,500 instantly on iMac and MacBook Pro computers. Plus, grab exclusive savings on closeout iPad Pros with high-end 12.9-inch models available for just $699. Please note, these deals must be activated via the special pricing links in this post. Promo code APINSIDER will also need to be entered for the Adorama deals. See the footnotes in each section for additional instructions.
Need help? Send us a note at [email protected] and we will do our best to assist.
Grab the lowest price ever on Apple’s upgraded 2014 Mac mini.
B&H has also launched new deals on closeout Mac mini systems, with prices as low as $489. This represents an additional $50 price drop for Prime Day compared to last week’s cost.
Upgraded Mac mini now $489
Apple accessory deals
Nomad Battery Cable
Prime Day deals are also going on now with discounts of up to 80% off everything from AirPods to back-to-school covers and stands from Twelve South.
AirPods 2 deals
Twelve South accessories
Satechi accessories
Nomad Battery cable $19.98 with coupon
Software
The Mighty Mac Bundle
Shoppers can also save on VPN subscriptions and photo editing tools with Prime Day 2019 markdowns.
Prime Day software deals
More Apple deals
AppleInsider has partnered with top Apple Authorized Resellers to bring you even more Apple markdowns, many of which are available only at AI. Top offers on a variety of Macs, iPads and Apple Watches can be found below, with the lowest prices available every day in our Apple Price Guide.
Travel back in time to change fate itself in this beautifully crafted story-driven adventure, inspired by classic 90s action-platformers. Join timekeeper Lunais on her quest for revenge against the empire that killed her family, using time-bending powers to explore a vast, connected world.
