Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, Obsidian Entertainment’s legendary RPG, is set to land on iOS and Android later this month. This one originally launched on Xbox all the way back in 2004, before hitting PC the following year.

While it doesn’t come up as often as its beloved predecessor, Obsidian’s game is no less special, serving up a compelling Star Wars yarn, a solid cast of characters, and a surprisingly dark tone. After all, you do play as what is thought to be one of the galaxy’s last remaining Jedi.

In true Obsidian fashion, you can expect to make many tough choices as you continue along on your adventure, ultimately deciding whether to stick to the light or embrace the power of the Sith Lords. Despite its age, it’s still well worth a shot – and playing it while on the go should be a nice bonus.

The port’s publisher, Aspyr Media, has been behind some of the most impressive mobile ports going, including Civilization VI, Jade Empire, and – yes – the original KOTOR. Speaking of Bioware’s classic, it’s currently heavily discounted on both the App Store and Google Play, just in case you fancy running through it ahead of KOTOR 2’s launch on December 18.

A solid port of KOTOR 2 could easily be among the best mobile RPGs, and iOS users can pre-order it now from the App Store for $14.99/£14.99.

• Avowed

It’s DOOM Eternal launch day on Switch, so what better way to celebrate than by thrusting 16 minutes of gruesome demon-slaying footage right into your eyeballs?

Our super-lovely YouTube team have put together the video above, giving you the chance to see just how well the game runs on Switch first-hand. There’s no irritating commentary or other nonsense in the way either – just sit back, relax (as much as anyone can when DOOM’s involved) and take it all in.

If you haven’t already, we’d love for you to come on over and vote in our launch day poll. We’re asking all of you in the Nintendo Life community about your intentions on buying the game, and whether or not your decision’s been affected by the Switch version’s delay. Incidentally, we’ll have our full review of DOOM Eternal up on the site as soon as we can.

Right, we’ll leave you to it. Enjoy!

What’s better: One gift, or a bunch of gifts?

Yeah. We thought so too.

Today we’re releasing a few exciting things to enhance everyone’s Destiny 2 experience. Whether you’re a seasoned Guardian or a New Light, this is a great time to explore the world of Destiny.

Kicking off the free updates are the next-gen optimizations originally announced during the launch of Beyond Light. These start with cross-play functionality that enables Xbox One owners to play with Xbox Series X|S owners and PlayStation 4 owners to play with PlayStation 5 owners. Guardians are immediately able to journey to Europa with everyone upgrading to next gen.

Additionally, the new consoles tap into their cutting-edge hardware to vastly improve load times throughout Destiny 2. Everything from launching the game to opening menu screens and navigating through inventory became snappier and more responsive.

The optimizations arriving today bring even more to the next-gen table (it’s a floating holographic table).

Stunning 4K 60 FPS is now available on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. Not only that, but on supported displays, there’s even an optional 120Hz Crucible Mode that cranks things up to 120 FPS during Crucible PvP matches.

Another first for Destiny console players is also landing today: Custom field of view settings. Now, the power to fine tune a Guardians field of view from narrow and focused to wide and perceptive is available on console.

Upgrade from the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of Destiny 2 today absolutely free.

Next up is the new Destiny 2 Companion App. This time-saving app allows players to swap gear loadouts, retrieve lost items from the Postmaster, manage clans, track progress, discover when events go live in game, find fireteams, and much more.

Today’s update adds the ability to acquire bounties prior to an activity while they’re hanging out in the Tower, floating in orbit, or even completely offline. Want to launch Destiny 2 and get straight to the action? Grab those bounties in orbit, at the Tower, or before logging in.

Last but not least, the Prophecy dungeon is back! The stylish dungeon originally released in Season of Arrivals returns and is available to all players. Whether you were too busy trying to save entire planets from the Pyramid ships or you’re new to the Destiny community (welcome, btw), everyone who missed out when it was first launched can now take a ride down the rainbow road.

Thanks for reading and thanks for playing. Enjoy the holidays!

Python’s built-in callable(object) returns True if you could call the object argument like a function with the trailing parentheses in object(). You can make any object callable by implementing the instance’s __call__() method. For example, callable(callable) returns True because callable is a function object. But callable(3) returns False because an integer is not a function you can call.

Here’s a minimal example:

>>> callable(callable)

True

>>> callable(3)

False

Note: The function callable() was first removed in Python 3.0 but then reintroduced in version 3.2 and above.

Syntax: callable(object)

Here are some basic usages of the function:

Input : callable(42)

Output : False Input : callable(int)

Output : True Input : callable(callable)

Output : True

Want to learn more? We’re going to dive into more examples next!

But before we move on, I’m excited to present you my brand-new Python book Python One-Liners (Amazon Link).

If you like one-liners, you’ll LOVE the book. It’ll teach you everything there is to know about a single line of Python code. But it’s also an introduction to computer science, data science, machine learning, and algorithms. The universe in a single line of Python!

The book is released in 2020 with the world-class programming book publisher NoStarch Press (San Francisco).

Link: https://nostarch.com/pythononeliners

How to Check Whether a Function Object is Callable

The following code shows you how to use the callable() method to check whether an arbitrary object is a function, method, or another callable object:

def finxter(): return 'Python' print(callable(finxter))

# True f = finxter print(callable(f))

# True print(callable(finxter()))

# False

How to Create Your Own Callable Object

The following code shows you how to create your own callable object.

class Car: def __call__(self): print('brumm') porsche = Car() # Is it callable?

print(callable(porsche))

# True # Call it!

porsche()

# brumm

This is an interesting way to make any instance instantly callable so that it can be used as a function.

Summary

Python’s built-in callable(object) returns True if you can call the object argument like a function with the trailing parentheses in object().

Otherwise, it returns False.

For example, callable(callable) returns True because callable is a function object. But callable(3) returns False because an integer is not a function you can call.

You can make any object callable by implementing the instance’s __call__() method.

Do you want to boost your Python skills in a fun and easy-to-consume way? Consider the following resources and become a master coder!

Where to Go From Here?

Enough theory, let’s get some practice!

To become successful in coding, you need to get out there and solve real problems for real people. That’s how you can become a six-figure earner easily. And that’s how you polish the skills you really need in practice. After all, what’s the use of learning theory that nobody ever needs?

Practice projects is how you sharpen your saw in coding!

Do you want to become a code master by focusing on practical code projects that actually earn you money and solve problems for people?

Then become a Python freelance developer! It’s the best way of approaching the task of improving your Python skills—even if you are a complete beginner.

Join my free webinar “How to Build Your High-Income Skill Python” and watch how I grew my coding business online and how you can, too—from the comfort of your own home.

Join the free webinar now!

The post Python callable() Function first appeared on Finxter.

Developers creating games using the Core game engine can now make money from their creation with the newly announced Perks monetization system. Lagging behind user content platforms like YouTube and Twitch, creating game content is becoming hotter and hotter. With the recent massive IPO of Roblox revealing that developers just made 1/4 billion dollars on the platform it’s obvious there is money to be made here. With the Perks monetization system, Manticore Games are offering developers a much more equitable 50% share instead of the 24.5% currently earned by Roblox developers.

Details from the Core Perks announcement blog:

With Perks, monetizing your games is easy. Simply put, Perks are in-game purchases built specifically for Core. They allow creators to sell in-game benefits and earn Credits from players. Players buy Perks with Core Credits, which creators can then easily convert to fiat (real) currency.

In just a few simple steps, you can make your game free-to-play or premium, require a membership, offer expansion packs, or whatever you want. No matter how you choose to engage and entice your players, we make it simple. And if after going in one economic direction you decide to pivot to another, you can change it up very quickly. Perks always gives you full control over the economics of your games.

Another significant difference is how developers make money and what is covered by the platform. In addition to double the earnings, the Core platform will also be taking care of a bigger portion of the workload as illustrated in this graphic.

The Core Platform is powered by Unreal Engine and Epic Games have recently taken a stake in the company illustrating a certain belief in the idea. We went hands-on with the Core Engine when the open alpha release was announced. You can check out the video below to learn more about Core and the new Perks monetization program.

Experience Minecraft on Windows 10 in a whole new light with the official launch of Mojang’s Render Dragon technology powered by NVIDIA’s Ray Tracing technology!  If you’ve been following along our previous posts you know just how pretty Minecraft can be.  In order to experience this newest update, you will need at least a GeForce RTX 2060 GPU.  Check out the video from Mojang’s YouTube channel below to get a glimpse of what your Minecraft may look like if you have an available card.

Sweepstakes

For those who may be interested in a 30 series graphics card, NVIDIA is hosting a sweepstake.  Head over to NVIDIA’s announcement page to learn more about your chance to win either a GeForce RTX 3080 or RTX 3070!

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/minecraft-rtx-dlss-official-release/

Already on Beta?

A lot of you have been playing on the Beta and have been sharing your screenshots for months now.  If you’re unsure how to swap over to the official release just follow these steps listed below:

1. Back up your existing worlds, saves, and profiles, just in case
2. Open the Xbox Insider Hub application
3. Navigate to Insider Content and click on Minecraft
4. Click Manage, select “Unenroll”, and then Done
5. Wait a few minutes, then check for Minecraft updates in the Windows Store app
6. If you haven’t been updated, uninstall Minecraft completely, and install a fresh copy from the Windows Store
7. And if you’re still having issues, uninstall Minecraft, log out from the Insider Hub, Xbox Companion App, and Windows Store. Restart your PC, then log back into the Windows Store and download Minecraft anew

Are you wanting to convert your JAVA worlds or make your own PBR textures?  NVIDIA has created an easy to follow guide containing details for all you need to know.  Please check it out if you are interested!

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/guides/minecraft-rtx-texturing-guide/

Colosseum RTX

Creator: BANV
Pack Type: World

Do you love the history of the Roman Empire?  Experience the Colosseum in its glory day in this beautiful recreation containing historical trivia.  Find hidden locations and take in the marvelous sights it holds.

Dungeon Dash RTX

Coming Soon

Creator: BlockWorks
Type: Action

A dangerous and challenging medieval countryside.  Fight your way through an Orc Fortress, a treetop village, a mysterious mine, and floating islands as you conquer each of the 10 unique dungeons.

Final Words

Check out NVIDIA’s site for more in-depth information regarding the RTX update along with information about their DLSS technology.  If you have any questions check out Mojang’s FAQ.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/minecraft-rtx-dlss-official-release/
https://help.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/360041035092-Minecraft-NVIDIA-RTX-FAQ

After months and months of waiting, today is finally the day: yes, DOOM Eternal is now available on Nintendo Switch.

Those days of constant DOOM and Animal Crossing memes feel like an eternity ago now, so it’s easy to forget that Eternal has been available on other platforms for more than eight months at this point. While Switch owners never got the tantalising double launch day they were dreaming of back in March, at least it’s now ready and available to play on-the-go.

With the game being out for so long on other platforms, and at a considerably cheaper price point than the Switch edition thanks to post-release discounts, Nintendo’s version isn’t perhaps quite as appealing as it once was. Still, the Switch’s portable nature will always be enough of a reason for some players to pick it up, and for those who don’t own other platforms, today will be the first opportunity to dive into Hell once more.

So, we hand it over to you. Are you buying DOOM Eternal on Switch? Has the Switch version’s delay caused it any harm? Cast your votes below:

We’ll post our full review of DOOM Eternal on Switch as soon as we possibly can. Until then, feel free to check out our interview with port legends Panic Button and this handy DOOM Eternal Switch FAQ to learn more, and feel to expand upon your answers in the comments below.

The 2021 Independent Games Festival (IGF) is now accepting submissions for the 23^rd annual iteration of the event. IGF is the longest running festival, summit and showcase celebrating independent games and their creators.

The IGF is part of the Game Developers Conference 2021, which will take place as a hybrid physical and online event from July 19^th through July 23^rd at San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center and virtually. Entries for all of the IGF categories will be accepted now through February 1, 2021, with finalists announced in early May 2021.

Developers submitting games should know that the IGF is working to ensure a safe and accessible awards ceremony for GDC 2021. Nominees will have the opportunity to accept awards in-person or submit a remote acceptance speech.

Finalists will be selected by hundreds of industry peers across game development & media, with specially selected juries picking the winners of each award.

The IGF will nominate standout titles for Excellence in Visual Art, Excellence in Audio, Excellence in Design, Excellence in Narrative and Best Student Game, with six finalists each. The special Nuovo Award, which honors the title that ‘makes the jurors think differently about games as a medium,’ will have eight finalists. The IGF Audience Award will be decided by a public web-based poll that features all the competition finalists. Finally, six finalists will be selected to compete for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.

The Independent Games Festival has served as a springboard for games that have gone on to become critical and cultural hits. Previous IGF prize winners from the past 20 years include A Short Hike, Return of the Obra Dinn, Quadrilateral Cowboy, Night in the Woods, Her Story, Papers, Please, Spelunky, Braid, Castle Crashers and many more of the game industry’s breakthrough independent titles.

Submissions to the competition are now open to all independent game developers. Important dates for IGF 2021 are as follows:

—      December 7, 2020 – Submissions are Open

—      February 1, 2021 – Submission Deadline

—      Early May, 2021 – IGF Finalists Announced

—      July 19 – July 23, 2021 – Game Developers Conference 2021

—      July 19 – July 20, 2021 – Independent Games Summit @ GDC 2021

—      July 21 – July 23, 2021 – IGF Pavilion @ GDC 2021

—      July 21, 2021 – IGF Awards Ceremony (Winners announced)

Independent Games Festival organizers would like to encourage submissions from those making interesting or experimental works who, because of the entry fee, might otherwise not enter the contest.

Those creators interested in applying for a waiver on the full ($75) entry fee can find additional details and the waiver application form on the submissions page. Applications are due by Jan 11th, 2021. If selected, entrants will be invited to submit to the IGF 2021 without paying the entry fee.

For more information on the 2021 Independent Games Festival, including submission specifics and frequently asked questions, please visit the official Independent Games Festival website. IGF entries can be submitted here.

For more information on GDC 2021 in general visit the show’s official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.

Gamasutra, IGF, and GDC are sibling organizations under Informa Tech