This is the last blog update before-saken, and we’ve just served up a menagerie of content to get you prepared. If you’ve been looking to avoid spoilers, don’t click “play” on any of the following videos. If you’re chomping at the bit for info, this was cooked up just for you:
The hunt is about to begin, but we also have a long road ahead of this year. To share our goals for Forsaken and what waits beyond launch, we invited developers from the team to go on the record. Check out the new ViDoc to see what we have planned for the second year of Destiny 2:
If you’re looking for a quick reference on what’s covered in the ViDoc, we’ve also made a roadmap with details on Forsaken, Annual Pass content, and the free Seasons updates.
A single weekend is between you and Forsaken. We have a few treats ready to help you pass the time.
Gambit Showdown & Trial
On September 1, every player of Destiny 2 will be invited to try Gambit before the launch of Forsaken. For 24 hours, fireteams will bank motes in a race to beat their opponents and burn down a Primeval.
Tomorrow, before the games begin for everyone, we’re inviting some special guests into our studio to show how it’s done!
Gambit Showdown
Friday 8/31, 1 PM PDT
The following day, all are invited to join the fun. This is the final stop before launch, and we’ll be out there in the wild with you. If you happen to catch a Bungie employee on the opposite team, show ’em your favorite emote.
Gambit Trial
All platforms
Saturday 9/1, 10 AM PDT – Sunday 9/2, 10 AM PDT
We’re also planning to place a few bounties during the Gambit Trial event. If you want a chance to earn the “Sign of Mutual Combat” emblem, stay tuned to @Bungie for future announcements.
As always,
DEATH HEALS PRIMEVAL.
Penny Arcade Expo
Still hungry for a bit more Gambit before September 4? Stop by and see us at PAX 2018 in Seattle! With the convention center in our back yard, we’ll be here all weekend to host Gambit matches, hang out at signing tables, and offer some sweet Destiny gear for purchase from the Bungie store.
Location: Booth 229, on the fourth floor.
Play Gambit—Earn an Emblem
We will have Gambit playable on the floor at PAX. Stop by the booth and try out the new competitive co-op game mode all weekend long. Anyone who plays will also receive a code for our event emblem.
Bungie Store—Snag some Swag
Available throughout the weekend, the Bungie Store will have the following merch (and more!) available for purchase.
Signing Tables—Meet the Devs
We’ve rounded up a few developers from various teams who’ve brought Destiny and Destiny 2 to life! If you’d like to shake hands and snag an autograph, here’s the lineup.
Friday, 8/31
11 AM–12 PM: Narrative
3–4 PM: Crucible
4–5 PM: Gambit
Saturday, 9/1
11 AM–12 PM: Bungie Diversity Committee
1–2 PM: Art and UI
2–3 PM: Sandbox
3–4 PM: Gameplay and Investment
Cosplay Meetup—Meet the Guardians
Sunday 9/2, 1–2:30 PM
Each year, we’re humbled and amazed by the talents of our community. If you’ve ever wanted to see hand-crafted exotics or snap a photo with your favorite Destiny 2 character, chances are they’ll be there! For details on location, check out the Destiny Meetup at PAX West group.
Bringing the Hammer
The team has been hard at work the last few months improving their toolsets to watch over Destiny 2. They have some important information to share on how we’re improving your search for Glory in the Competitive playlist.
Security Team: Throughout Season 3, we’ve been working on improvements to our systems that identify players who may be tampering with their connection to Crucible matches or breaking the Terms of Service for Destiny 2. We have some news to share, but first a point of clarification…
We have received reports from players who have been using bungie.net or other third-party websites to attempt to identify wrongdoers. We want to clarify that our internal tools have much more detail, which players do not have access to. For example, a player who returns to orbit or switches their character will show as did not finish on a third-party website, while our internal tools have much more detail on the reason they left the match. This helps to ensure that we do not hand out restrictions when opponents are disconnecting due to temporary networking or ISP issues or opponents leaving of their own accord.
Using this data—and working with the PvP team directly—we’ve recently updated our detection and analysis tools and re-checked the previous four months of matches from the Competitive playlist.
Effective September 4, 2018, we will apply more restrictions and bans to player accounts that benefitted from opponent disconnects at a highly abnormal frequency throughout Season 3 with our improved detection methods. This will include “voluntary” disconnects when players are repeatedly matching against the same opponents.
Depending on the severity of infractions, players may receive Crucible restrictions and bans.
This will remove access to pinnacle Crucible rewards, such as Redrix’s Claymore, Redrix’s Broadsword, and Luna’s Howl, and any pinnacle Crucible rewards released in the future.
For the most severe infractions, players may permanently lose access to all Destiny 2 activities, including PvE.
As we begin to apply this moderation, we will be crosschecking matches to ensure the proper levels of punishment are applied.
We’ll continue to apply and revise our detections throughout Season 4 and beyond.
If you believe you’ve encountered a player who is breaking the terms of service, please see Report Suspected Cheating on help.bungie.net. This page details all available forms of reporting to Bungie for the platform on which you play.
As a final note, thanks to everyone who plays Destiny 2 legitimately. We appreciate the time you invest in our game, and we’re working hard to ensure everyone has a good experience when rightly earning their rewards.
Pardon Our Dust
Since the Year 2 deployment on Tuesday, we’ve seen reports that matchmaking time in the Crucible may be taking longer than usual. While no deliberate changes to matchmaking were deployed in Update 2.0, we have been investigating this issue.
We are planning to deploy a fix that we hope will increase the speed of matchmaking queues. As our investigation continues, please stay tuned to @BungieHelp for updates on our progress.
Upon the launch of Forsaken, skill matching will work in the same manner it has in recent weeks (i.e., no skill-based matchmaking). In the near future, we will preview any planned improvements to matchmaking in Crucible Labs first, so we can tune that experience collaboratively. As always, our commitment remains to communicate all changes to the competitive ecosystem in advance right here on bungie.net.
Thanks for playing!
Download After Download
As we said last week, things are a little weird right now. Player Support has been on the front lines, troubleshooting issue reports and identifying workarounds for some of the oddities you might be seeing since the release of Update 2.0.0.
This is their report:
Destiny 2 Hotfix 2.0.0.1
On Tuesday, September 4, Destiny 2 will undergo maintenance to receive Update 2.0.0.1. The conclusion of this maintenance will mark the launch of Destiny 2: Forsaken, and this hotfix will be required to log in and play. For the Hotfix 2.0.0.1 deployment schedule, please see the times listed below.
On Tuesday, September 4:
7:00 AM PDT: Players will no longer be able to log in to Destiny 2. Players leaving activities will be returned to the title screen. Hotfix 2.0.0.1 will begin rolling out across all platforms and regions.
7:30 AM PDT:Destiny 2 will be taken offline for maintenance, and all remaining players will be returned to the title screen.
7:30–10:00 AM PDT:Destiny 2 will remain offline for maintenance.
10:00 AM PDT:Destiny 2 maintenance is expected to conclude, and Destiny 2: Forsaken will become available to play on all platforms.
For Hotfix 2.0.0.1 patch notes on September 4, players should keep an eye on our Updates page or follow @Bungie on Twitter for live announcements.
Destiny 2 Update 2.0.0 Known Issues
Over the past few weeks, we have warned players that the weeklong transition between August 28 and September 4 may be a rocky one. In direct response to player reports on our #Help forum, we have listed below some of the known and emergent issues we’ve tracked since the launch of Update 2.0.0. Please be aware that not all of the issues below will be resolved in Hotfix 2.0.0.1.
We are aware of an issue impacting players’ ability to obtain specific loot from the Nightfall strike “Strange Terrain.” This issue should be resolved on September 4 with Update 2.0.0.1.
The XP bar is not showing XP gains for players at the level cap. This is a UI issue, and all players will continue to earn XP and Bright Engrams at their expected rates. This issue is expected to be resolved on September 4 with Hotfix 2.0.0.1.
We are currently investigating an issue that causes the precision multiplier for some weapons with explosive rounds to be incorrectly capped, making them deal less total damage than intended.
We are investigating reports of issues impacting sandbox gameplay, including Hand Cannon recoil on PC and aiming down sights not cancelling properly.
Some Year 2 Forsaken weapons and armor may drop prematurely from world loot sources. Items awarded to players early may see minor changes following Hotfix 2.0.0.1 and the launch of Destiny 2: Forsaken on September 4.
Some objectives that require Heroic strikes will not be achievable until Hotfix 2.0.0.1 on September 4.
Players who still have the “Spicy Ramen” quest will not be able to complete it because the ramen shop is no longer distributing expired coupons.
For the full list of known issues, as well as possible mitigation steps, players should see our Update 2.0.0 Known Issues list.
Gear Infusion and Level Requirements
Once Destiny 2: Forsaken is live on September 4, players may begin increasing their Power and character level beyond their Year 1 limits. As with all increases to player Power in Destiny 2, players should be aware that infusing gear with a requirement above their current character level will make the infusion recipient unavailable for use until the player levels up.
For example:
A player logs in to Destiny 2: Forsaken on September 4 at character level 30
The player receives new gear with a level 31 character requirement
The player infuses the new gear into their favorite Year 1 gear
This Year 1 gear is no longer available for use, since it has adopted the level 31 character requirement from its infusion material
The player must then increase their character level to 31 to reequip this gear
Players should pay extra attention to the character level requirements on their gear as they climb to max level in Destiny 2: Forsaken.
Mod Changes for All
As a reminder, mod changes will take full effect on September 4 at the launch of Destiny 2: Forsaken. Listed below is the full experience that players will encounter once Hotfix 2.0.0.1 becomes available.
Year 1 weapons will not accept Year 2 weapon mods
Elemental attributes on Year 1 weapons will be locked, and you will no longer be able to change them
Some targeted Year 1 Power weapons have had their elemental attributes changed and locked for Year 2
Year 1 armor will accept Year 2 armor mods
Year 1 Gear will not receive randomized perks
All Year 1 mods will be deprecated at the launch of Destiny 2: Forsaken on September 4
Year 1 mods may safely be dismantled ahead of time in preparation for the Year 2 mod system
Solstice of Heroes T-Shirt Redemption
As of this past Tuesday, Solstice of Heroes and Moments of Triumph have concluded in Destiny 2. Players who achieved 250 Triumph Points or more and redeemed the Triumph Shirt reward in-game are eligible to generate their Solstice of Heroes T-shirt code on their Bungie.net profile until September 12 at 10 AM PDT.
Players who generate their code by this deadline have until September 30 at 11:59 PM PDT to redeem their code at checkout with their shirt order at the Bungie Store. At that time, all remaining T-shirt codes will become invalid, and players may no longer place new Solstice of Heroes T-shirt orders on the Bungie Store.
It’s a Space Western
Things have been a bit wild this week. Anticipation is reaching a breaking point, and players are getting creative in their excitement. Here’s a sampling of what’s been bubbling to the top of the Creations page.
Movie of the Week: What’s This?!
[Editor’s note: Cheers to all involved in the creation of this week’s winner. Check out the Reddit thread here.]
Honorable Mention: Shaxx narration of a Gunslinger’s Last Stand
Next week, we deliver the start of a new year in Destiny 2. This week has been refreshing. We’ve deployed major system updates for Forsaken and a new season of content. Next week finishes off the implementation of changes not only to address feedback, but also to continue the growth and evolution of Destiny 2 and its universe. We’re excited to see you continue your journey, uncover new secrets, and take some of the new weapons in the arsenal for a spin.
When Destiny 2 was first released, new legends rose to the occasion. Who among you will be on the first fireteam to clear the “Last Wish” raid? To reach maximum Glory in Competitive Crucible in Season 4? To earn the “Chronicler” seal for completing all Lore Triumphs? Only time will tell, and we’ll be celebrating each moment alongside the community.
This next step is a big one. We can’t wait to see where the road leads, and we can’t thank you enough for being here with us. See you starside.
Epic Games this week rolled out another patch for Fortnite. The 5.30 content update is now available on all platforms--PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile--and it introduces a new item and limited-time mode to Battle Royale, while Save the World receives a new hero and Horde Challenge to take on.
On the Battle Royale side, the recently teased Shockwave Grenade has been added to the ever-expanding weapons list. The Shockwave Grenade is an Epic rarity item that can be found in Supply Drops, Vending Machines, llamas, and chests, and when used, it launches players a huge distance. Those who've been knocked back by the Shockwave Grenade won't take any fall damage, but they'll destroy any structure they fly through.
The new content update also marks the start of another LTM: the returning Solid Gold mode. This time around, Solid Gold is playable in standard and 50v50 iterations, and as before, the only weapons and items that spawn in this mode are of the Legendary variety. Since launch, Epic has flipped this from a Solo playlist to a Duos one.
On the Save the World front, Epic is introducing a new hero: Mythic Bladestorm Enforcer Ninja. It will be available from the Event Store beginning tomorrow, August 29, at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET and features the new Bladestorm subclass. Players can also unlock Redline Ramirez, a Legendary variant of the Raider, by completing the new Week 4 Horde Challenge.
You can find the full patch notes for the 5.30 content update on the official Fortnite website. Additionally, Epic has rolled out a client update to "improve stability." The update is available now for most platforms, but the developer says the Switch patch will follow "a little bit later" as it will also include matchmaking improvements for that console.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 08-31-2018, 05:17 PM - Forum: Windows
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Showcasing new computing possibilities at IFA
This year at IFA, we get another glimpse into what the future may hold as technology evolves and, more tangibly, the devices consumers will have in hand. This week, we’ve seen numerous partners announce new and innovative modern devices that allow people to achieve more. To fully light up these new devices, we’re continuing to evolve our experiences and features to bring more functionality and delight to our Windows users.
Erin Chapple, corporate vice president, Microsoft, speaking at the IFA 2018 keynote in Berlin
As part of this commitment, I’m pleased to announce that our next feature update to Windows will be called the Windows 10 October 2018 Update. With this update, we’ll be bringing new features and enhancements to the nearly 700 million devices running Windows 10 that help people make the most of their time. We’ll share more details about the update over the coming weeks.
We’re excited to continue to innovate with our partners and to bring new and meaningful technology to this ever-changing world. Today at IFA, Nick Parker, corporate vice president, Consumer and Device Sales, and Erin Chapple will be showcasing a number of these great new Windows PCs as part of our keynote presentation. For those of you that can’t be at IFA, not to worry. Here’s Erin to tell you more about the exciting innovation she’ll be showing in Berlin.
New PCs, new opportunities (Erin Chapple, corporate vice president, Microsoft)
I’m so excited to be here in Berlin to share new Windows experiences that help people achieve more – all come to life by new modern PCs announced this week.
One of the areas that remains a top commitment for us is the connected computing space. Earlier this week, we took another step forward in our focus on connected PC experiences with the announcement of the first Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 powered Always Connected PC: the Lenovo Yoga C630 WOS (Windows on Snapdragon). Lean, light and crafted from premium aluminum, the Yoga C630 WOS offers LTE connectivity and, as noted by Lenovo, an incredible up to 25 hours [1] of battery life. Combined with powerful entertainment features and an optional Lenovo pen, the Yoga C630 WOS is designed for wherever the day takes you.
Lenovo Yoga Book C630
Beautiful devices like the Lenovo Yoga C630 WOS are pairing the functionality of Windows 10 with portable, lightweight devices that keep our users connected to the things that are important to them, while on the go. We believe that the mobile, cellular-connected PC experience is going to continue to grow in popularity, and devices like the Lenovo Yoga C630 WOS, as well as connected PCs from ASUS and HP that went on sale earlier this year, are ensuring that we have a robust and diverse portfolio of products to keep users connected and happy.
Lenovo also announced the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 – a multi-year, multi-release investment by Lenovo focusing on creativity and productivity for the mobile user, using new paradigms of input and content consumption built on the Windows 10 platform, combined with optional Office productivity tools. At the press of a button, the Yoga Book C930’s E Ink display appears and serves as a keyboard, notepad and eReader. Ultra-thin and light, the device is packed with Windows hero features like Cortana, Windows Ink and Windows Hello, along with optional 4G connectivity to keep you productive all-day long.
Lenovo Yoga Book C930
Another great productivity PC is the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1. It brings beauty from every angle with a 3-sided narrow border that focuses on the IPS and Active Pen compatible touch screen. The Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 brings a ‘Modern Standby’ feature for instant-on performance and the ability to log in with just one touch using the Windows Hello fingerprint reader, while a miniature 4-element lens webcam offers temporal noise reduction and increases image quality in low-light settings.
Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1
One of the devices that really turned heads in the booth this week was the new Surface Go. It offers all the comforts of a laptop, with the convenience of a 10’’ tablet. Sometimes, a little can go a long way, and the Surface Go offers a small, 1.15 pound portable 2-in-1 form factor that adapts to the way you want to work. Whether at work or home, travelling, or just for everyday tasks, it runs Office365 with a touchscreen, has built-in Windows Hello for a more secure sign-in and offers note taking, drawing and more with the Surface Pen.
Surface Go
And, of course, we have to have something for our gaming fans! The newly refreshed Acer Predator Triton 900 gaming rig sports the latest 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processor for ultimate power and speed, while the laptop’s hinge pivots the screen to fit whatever angle you’d like to game at. With the garage door, you can insert an Xbox controller dongle to play Xbox games seamlessly, and a custom-engineered dual-fan keeps things cool while the RGB backlit keyboard and overclocking capabilities customize your gaming experience.
Acer Predator Triton 900
As you can imagine, this is only a small snapshot of the great innovation that is coming from our partners this week here in Berlin. Whether it’s gaming, productivity or creativity that drives you, there’s truly a modern Windows 10 PC that will help you achieve more. And, as Roanne mentioned, we’re excited to bring even more experiences and innovation to our customers with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update.
To learn more about the other devices announced this week at IFA, check out posts about Dell, Acer, Lenovo and MSI.
[1] Battery life varies significantly with settings, usage and other factors.
Every so often I run into a Linux distribution that reminds me of the power of open source software. SharkLinux is one such distribution. With a single developer creating this project, it attempts to change things up a bit. Some of those changes will be gladly welcomed by new users, while scoffed at by the Linux faithful. In the end, however, thanks to open source software, the developer of SharkLinux has created a distribution exactly how he would want it to be. And thatmy friends, is one amazing aspect of open source. We get to do it our way.
But what is SharkLinux and what makes it stand out? I could make one statement about SharkLinux and end this now. The developer of SharkLinux reportedly developed the entire distribution using only an Android phone. That, alone, should have you wanting to give SharkLinux a go.
Let’s take a look at this little-known distribution and see it’s all about.
What Exactly is SharkLinux?
First off, SharkLinux is based on Ubuntu and makes use of a custom Mate/Xfce desktop. Outside of the package manager, the similarities between SharkLinux and Ubuntu are pretty much non-existent. Instead of aiming for the new or average user, the creator has his eyes set on developers and other users who need to lean heavily on virtualization. The primary feature set for SharkLinux includes:
KVM hypervisor
Full QEMU Utilities
Libvirt and Virtual Machine Manager
Vagrant (mutate and libvirt support)
LXD/LXC/QLc/LXDock
Docker/Kubernetes
VMDebootstrap
Virt-Install/Convert
Launch Local Cloud Images
Full System Containers GUI Included
Kimchi – WebVirtCloud – Guacamole
Vagrant Box Conversion
Many Dashboards, Admin Panels
LibGuestFS and other disk/filesystem tools
Nested Virtualization (hardware depending)
Alien (rpm) LinuxBrew (Mac) Nix Package Manager
Powershell, Upstream WINE (Win)
Cloud Optimized Desktop
Dozens of wrappers, automated install scripts, and expansion packs
Guake terminal
Kernel Options v4.4** -> v4.12*
Clearly, SharkLinux isn’t built for those who simply need a desktop, browser, and office suite. This includes tools for a specific cross section of users. Let’s dive in a bit deeper.
Post Install
As per usual, I don’t want to waste time on the installation of another Linux distribution, simply because that process has become so easy. It’s point and click, fill out a few items, and wait for 5-10 minutes for the call to reboot.
Once you’ve logged into your newly installed instance of SharkLinux, you’ll immediately notice something different. The “Welcome to SharkLinux” window is clearly geared toward users with a certain level of knowledge. Tasks such as Automatic Maintenance, the creation of swap space, sudo policy, and more are all available (Figure 1).
The first thing you should do is click the SharkLinux Expansion button. When prompted, click Yes to install this package. Without this package installed, absolutely no upstream packages are enabled for the system. Until you install the expansion, you’ll be missing out on a lot of available software. So install the SharkLinux Expansion out of the gate.
Next you’ll want to install the SharkExtras. This makes it easy to install other packages (such as Bionic, MiniKube, Portainer, Cockpit, Kimchi, Webmin, Gimp Extension Pack, Guacamole, LXDock, Mainline Kernel, Wine, and much more (Figure 2).
Sudo Policy
This is where things get a bit dicey for the Linux faithful. I will say this: I get why the developer has included this. Out of the box, SharkLinux does require a sudo password, but with the Sudo Policy editor, you can easily set up the desktop such that sudo doesn’t require a password (Figure 3).
Click on the Sudo Policy button in the Welcome to SharkLinux window and then either click Password Required or Password Not Required. Use this option with great caution, as you’d reduce the security of the desktop by disabling the need for a sudo password.
Automatic Maintenance
Another interesting feature, found in the Welcome to SharkLinux window is Automatic Maintenance. If you turn this feature on (Figure 4), functions like system updates will occur automatically (without user interaction). For those that often forget to regularly update their system, this might be a good idea. If you’re like me, and prefer to run updates on a daily basis manually, you’ll probably opt to skip this feature.
After taking care of everything you need in the Welcome to SharkLinux window, close it out and you’ll find yourself on the desktop (Figure 5).
At this point, you can start using SharkLinux as you would any desktop distribution, the difference being you’ll have quite a bit more tools for virtualization and development at your disposal. One tiny word of warning: You will notice, by default, the desktop wallpaper is set to randomly change. In that mix of wallpapers, the developer has added one particular wallpaper that may not be quite suitable for a work environment (it’s nothing too drastic, just a woman posing seductively). You can remove that photo from the Appearance Preferences window (should you choose to do so). Beyond that, SharkLinux works as well as any desktop Linux distribution you can find.
One Quirky Distribution
Of all the Linux distributions I have used over the years (and I have used PLENTY), SharkLinux might well be one of the more quirky releases. That doesn’t mean it’s one to avoid. Quite the opposite. I highly recommend everyone interested in seeing what a single developer can do with the Linux platform give SharkLinux a try. I promise you, you’ll be glad you gave it a go. SharkLinux is fun, of that there is no doubt. It’s also a flavor of desktop Linux that shows you what is possible, thanks to open source.
Learn more about Linux through the free “Introduction to Linux” course from The Linux Foundation and edX.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 08-31-2018, 11:12 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Nintendo's Dragalia Lost Getting A Video Direct [Update]
Tonight, at 8:30 PM PT / 11:30 PM ET, Nintendo will have another Direct. The livestream will discuss new details about Nintendo's first original mobile title, Dragalia Lost. [Update: As promised, the Direct-style video offered up a full reveal for Dragalia Lost. It's an action RPG co-developed alongside Cygames, the company responsible for popular mobile RPG Granblue Fantasy.]
Announced last April, Dragalia Lost is an action RPG developed by both Nintendo and Cygames. Described as a "new gaming experience with worldwide appeal," Dragalia Lost launches in the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau on September 27. Nintendo hasn't announced any other information about the game, so you'll have to tune in to the Direct later tonight to learn more.
Nintendo long expressed a desire to stay away from mobile game development, but the company eventually changed its tune. The developer's three mobile titles--Super Mario Run, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and Fire Emblem Heroes--each released to various levels of success. Both Super Mario Run and Heroes have done alright, but Pocket Camp faced heavy criticism for its repeated attempts to get players to buy into microtransactions.
Shigeru Miyamoto--most well known for creating games like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda--recently announced that Nintendo is trying to find a different way for getting players to pay for mobile games. "I can't say that our fixed-cost model has really been a success," Miyamoto said, "But we're going to continue pushing it forward until it becomes entrenched. That way everyone can develop games in a comfortable environment. By focusing on bringing games to the widest range of people possible, we can continue boosting our mobile game business."
The Dragalia Lost Direct comes a day after Nintendo's announcement that 22 indie games are coming to Switch. The biggest surprise from yesterday's Direct is Into the Breach coming to Switch. One of our favorite titles from 2018--we gave Into the Breach a 9/10 in our review--this turn-based strategy game is available on Nintendo Eshop right now for $15/£11.39.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 08-31-2018, 11:12 AM - Forum: Windows
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Join the Bing Maps APIs team at Microsoft Ignite 2018 in Orlando
The Bing Maps team will be at Microsoft Ignite 2018, in Orlando, Florida, September 24th through the 28th. If you are registered for the event, stop by the Bing Maps APIs for Enterprise booth in the Modern Workplace area of the Expo, to learn more about the latest features and updates to our Bing Maps platform, as well as attend our sessions.
Bing Maps APIs sessions details:
Theater session ID: THR1127
Microsoft Bing Maps APIs – Solutions Built for the Enterprise
The Microsoft Bing Maps APIs platform provides mapping services for the enterprise, with advanced data visualization, website and mobile application solutions, fleet and logistics management and more. In this session, we’ll provide an overview of the Bing Maps APIs platform (what it is and what’s new) and how it can add value to your business solution.
Theater session ID: THR1128
Cost effective, productivity solutions with fleet management tools from Microsoft Bing Maps APIs
The Bing Maps API platform includes advanced fleet and asset management solutions, such as the Distance Matrix, Truck Routing, Isochrone, and Snap-to-Road APIs that can help your business reduce costs and increase productivity. Come learn more about our fleet management solutions as well as see a short demo on how you can quickly set up and deploy a fleet tracking solution.
If you are not able to attend Microsoft Ignite 2018, we will share news and updates on the blog after the conference and post recordings of the Bing Maps APIs sessions on http://www.microsoft.com/maps.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 08-31-2018, 04:56 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Why CD Projekt Red Waited So Long To Show Cyberpunk 2077's Gameplay Demo
After nearly three months of waiting, fans eager to get a look at Cyberpunk 2077 can finally do so. CD Projekt Red, the acclaimed developer of The Witcher series, has released the gameplay demo that was first shown behind closed doors at E3, and then again at Gamescom. It consists of a 48-minute look at the first-person RPG, and as was the case in its private showings, it remains extremely impressive. But, given the great deal of acclaim it's received, just why did CD Projekt Red wait so long to share the video?
That very subject is addressed by Adam Badowski, the game director and CD Projekt Red's studio head, in a press release accompanying the release of the trailer. "What we're releasing today was recorded from a game deep in development," he explained. "Since many of the assets and mechanics in the current version of Cyberpunk 2077 are most likely to be modified, we initially decided to show this gameplay only to media. Elements like gunplay (both in terms of visuals and how RPG stats influence it), netrunning, car physics, or the game's UI--everything's pretty much still in the playtest phase and we felt uneasy about publicly committing to any particular design. Animation glitches, work-in-progress character facial expressions, early versions of locations--all this made us hesitant to release what you're about to see."
Some of these concerns might stem from the complaints about how The Witcher 3's final release had been "downgraded" from the earlier, pre-release looks we got at the game. Whatever the case, despite the worries, CD Projekt Red has obviously decided it would rather get Cyberpunk 2077's first gameplay in front of people--though it is warning that the final product may be different in a variety of ways.
"However, we are also well aware that many of you want to see what the media saw," Badowski said. "Although this is probably not the same game you'll see on your screen when we launch, we still decided to share this 48-minute video with you. This is how Cyberpunk 2077 looks today. Let us know what you think!"
You can watch the full gameplay video above; it shows off numerous parts of the game, including combat, dialogue, and the ability to upgrade your character. We also get a good look at Night City, the sprawling metropolis that serves as the setting for Cyberpunk 2077.
Unfortunately, while we now have gameplay for everyone to see, CD Projekt Red still has not announced a release date for Cyberpunk 2077. Whatever it might be, it isn't soon enough.
Judge dismisses motion to halt Qualcomm’s potential iPhone import ban
By Stephen Silver Thursday, August 30, 2018, 06:54 pm PT (09:54 pm ET)
Plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against Qualcomm had sought to stop the chipmaker from getting a theoretical import ban on Intel-equipped iPhones, but perennial Apple judge Lucy Koh has denied the motion.
“At bottom, Plaintiffs cannot sustain their request for a preliminary injunction because their asserted harm relies on a speculative and attenuated inferential chain, which centrally includes intervening decisions by multiple independent decisionmakers,” Judge Koh wrote.
The motion was dismissed “without prejudice,” meaning that it can be brought again in the future.
The plaintiffs, who are suing Qualcomm for antitrust violations, filed the motion in June concerning Qualcomm’s separate proceeding before the ITC, in which Qualcomm seeks to “prevent importation of certain Apple devices into the United States.” The issue Koh ruled on this week was the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction, which sought to “enjoin Qualcomm from enforcing any exclusion or cease-and-desist order that the ITC may issue in that action.”
The motion was brought by plaintiffs who believe that Qualcomm’s ITC complaint represents an anti-competitive action.
Donut County is a quizzical, whimsical not-quite puzzler brimming with charm and vision. Players control a hole in the ground, ‘driving’ it around town to swallow anything and everything they can find. The story unfolds in L.A., land of fantastic donuts and cute animal residents disappearing en masse. In dry mechanical terms, this hole grows bigger with each fallen thingamajig swallowed during a level which means a complete level is also an empty one.
Overall, the game’s tone is droll, odd and at times a bit anticlimactic. While the experience is admittedly brief and the challenge practically non-existent, the game is an easy thing to recommend solely on the strengths of its aesthetics and good humor. (In every sense of the phrase: that is to say: its cheerfulness and wit.)
Its version of L.A. is stuffed with pastel hues and animals of all species and temperaments, but the game also begins on a mock-sombre note: the characters are all stuck nine-hundred ninety-nine feet below the ground, huddled around a campfire and taking turns commiserating. The game’s levels show how things got so wretched while the characters tell and embellish this tale. Pacing thus bounces between dynamic, punchy levels and the weirdly endearing scene underground, which serves to both introduce the cast and provide a dose of exposition. Our antihero, the rascally raccoon with a heart full of trash, BK, spends these interludes denying any and all accusations. His neighbors say he is the one responsible for the mess they’re in. In between this mainline argument there are quips and side quarrels about birdwatching, cat soup and moral justification for hacking. Yes, really. It’s also worth noting that this review’s diction is pretty much the polar opposite of Donut County’s breezy, bouncy dialogue. What is modern and fresh to some might be artificial and grating to others, but in general I’d rate the game’s characters and phraseology a big, refreshing plus.
As for gameplay, the levels are short, each with a small twist and different environment. Holes fill with water, frogs jump, bunnies ‘cuddle’ off-screen, chameleons hide and try to dodge the hole while cockroaches run towards it. So there’s pretty decent level variety and design, and most importantly, the feel and physics of the core ‘I’m a whole in the ground’ schtick are…surprisingly solid. It tracks fluidly, and objects fall and fit into the hole in a fairly intuitive and intelligible way. Some objects with sharp corners or unusual shapes will take a little more manoeuvring to get to fall. Progression is linear and a little flat in the game’s earlier section, though the final few are diverse and rich enough to make up for it. The game is more like a toy than a puzzle, proper, though, for its environmental interactions and number of player tools are extremely limited. It would be boorish to say this is a flaw, fatal or otherwise, but the comment needs to be added to the record because the game doesn’t belong to any particular wheelhouse. This will inevitably disappoint some expecting a holotype of beloved genre X. Donut County is very much its own thing.
But its style recalls other very fun, very unique games like Chuchel or Hidden Folks, and the story, though delivered with jokes and self-referentially ‘full of holes,’ is well-developed and with a nice thematic and emotional ending. Also the philosophical underpinnings and off-the-wall item descriptions (from the Trashopedia, no less) are to die for. The characters are barely given any lines yet already feel like they have distinct lives and opinions. The game builds the player’s understanding of a small world and its weird community, as its levels ask that player to tear it apart.
It’s a satisfying paradox and one familiar to those tinkerers: make it, break it, see what makes it tick. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and to BK, people homes are just giant trash receptacles, and in this world, raccoons covet and collect trash nonstop. So the possum recluse’s hideaway home is naturally strewn with masks and shrouded in darkness, because he’s a tech-savvy remote recluse by choice. There’s a smidge of the scrap-as-story to this, snooping around someone’s room to see what kind of person they are which is common to games like this as well as indies like Gone Home or What Remains of Edith Finch, even stuff like Prey or Bioshock. Basically, Donut County is all about environmental storytelling. It’s successful and low-key about it is all, so unless you’re looking for it or specifically a fan of the technique, it isn’t actually flashy enough to impress.
Donut County is also the poster child for quality over quantity. Every moment is memorable, amusing and distinct, but there also aren’t very many. For most players a complete playthrough start to finish will last about two hours, give or take some variation. The only enduring complaint is that the early levels do a lot of heavy lifting story-wise but are a little flat, with the hole growing in pretty much the same way each time.
A little arty, very funny, quite fun and brief, Donut County is a vivid vignette and great romp for an afternoon. Dive right in and lose yourself in its quirks and you’ll be delighted, jump down the hole with an archetype or rubric to fill and you’ll be bitterly disappointed. More oddball than cornball, the game is youthful, creative and clearly the product of a lot of time and imagination.
