Random: Finally, You Can Play Dark Souls On Switch The Way Nature Intended
If you cast your mind back to 2018 and the release of the excellent Dark Souls: Remastered for Switch, you might remember a tiny issue we (and many other players) had with the game. Oh, for the most part the Switch port of FromSoftware’s inscrutable masterpiece was just fine and dandy, but beyond any frame rate hiccups or minor visual disappointments, one issue blighted the game’s good name and has continued to do so to this very day.
We’re talking, of course, about the use of ‘B’ to confirm and ‘A’ to cancel in menu screens. The issue stems from the fact that on PlayStation and Xbox the ‘confirm’ button (‘X’ or ‘A’ on those consoles’ respective pads – in the West, at least) sits where Nintendo’s ‘B’ resides at the bottom of the diamond button formation. This has caused headaches in a few games, but none where quite so vexing as the Dark Souls example. The fact that the option to change the confirm and cancel buttons was visible in the menu but inexplicably greyed out made the issue all the worse!
Fortunately, the latest firmware update for your Nintendo Switch has introduced the option to remap any button on your pad and finally gives us the option to play Dark Souls, or more precisely, navigate the game’s menus, the way they were meant to be navigated on a Nintendo console, with the ‘A’ button confirming and the ‘B’ button cancelling.
If like us you fancy swapping ‘A’ and ‘B’, all you have to do is head into the console’s settings, scroll down to Controllers and Sensors and select the minty fresh ‘Change Button Mapping’ option. Here you can remap any of the buttons on your controllers on a per-controller basis. This is particularly handy, as if you have more than one right Joy-Con you’ll be able to designate it your Dark Souls Joy-Con and crack it out when you’re heading back to Lordran. You’re also able to save up to 5 presets, so it’s as simple a process as you could reasonably expect.
It should be noted that there are some issues to think about when doing this, though. Firstly, once you’ve changed the buttons, you’ll have reversed their functions for the console’s menus, too. This you’ll have to navigate back to the game with care or (and we recommend this in handheld mode) simply use the touchscreen. When returning to your Switch’s system menu a prompt informs you that user-defined button mapping is in use and gives you the option to disable it without going through menus again. Handy!
Secondly, swapping these buttons for the in-game menus also swaps them for gameplay. Assuming you’ve committed the default control layout to memory, you can address this by swapping their functions again (in the game’s menus this time) and returning the gameplay buttons to their usual configuration. Ta-da!
The in-game prompts will still be labelled incorrectly, but ignore them and you can imagine that Bandai Namco itself patched in the tiniest of updates and improved your Soulsian experience by a factor of at least 10,000. Our resident Video Producer, the lovely Alex, will certainly be pleased with this new option. Hopefully it’s not too late for him…
Yay for accessibility and optional loveliness! It’s not ideal, but it’s now possible. Will you be using this feature to swap the buttons for Dark Souls on Switch? What other games might benefit from this new feature? Gonna switch ‘X’ and ‘B’ for jumping in Splatoon 2? Gonna rejig it to play Animal Crossing one-handed? Let us know below.
Just as a quick reminder, new Switch firmware updates often bring controller updates, too. With Switch’s Version 10.0.0 firmware update now available to download, you’ll find that your Joy-Con can also be updated.
After updating to Version 10.0.0. ourselves, we’ve noticed that all of our Joy-Con needed an update but our Pro Controllers were seemingly fine. Nintendo doesn’t provide information on what changes are made to any controller updates, but it goes without saying that it’s worth keeping them up to date to avoid any unnecessary issues later down the line.
If you need a bit of help, follow the steps below:
How To Update Your Nintendo Switch Joy-Con
1) Make sure the Joy-Con you wish to update are attached to the console.
2) From the Home menu, choose ‘System Settings’. Then choose ‘Controllers and Sensors’ from the left-hand side.
3) Scroll down to ‘Update Controllers’, press it, and let the console do its thing. Make sure to repeat all steps for all of your Joy-Con.
Version 10.0.0 has brought a couple of new welcome features, including the option to change button mapping.
The 171st GalaQuiz will be LIVE soon, win up to $75 in GalaCredit!
[www.indiegala.com] The GalaQuiz will take place in less than 15 minutes from this announcement Today's GalaQuiz[www.indiegala.com] hints are up. The theme will be Emoji Animals Redux.
Scratchy Spring Sale Day 1: Idea Factory Spring Sale, up to -80%
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 04-15-2020, 04:56 AM - Forum: Minecraft
- No Replies
NVIDIA announces Minecraft with RTX
Today, NVIDIA has announced Minecraft with RTX. This is an update to the Windows 10 Edition of the game (this is NOT the Java Edition of the game) which enables some RTX features. If you’re an avid resource pack creator, or if you love your game to look amazing, then this will be for you.
Here’s a link to their official beta announcement trailer. Enjoy the pretty previews of what RTX can do with Minecraft.
In case you don’t want to view the trailer, here are some screenshots of how Minecraft looks with RTX.
With this beta, NVIDIA is introducing several maps to help showcase RTX on the Minecraft Marketplace. These maps were made by members of the community, and are highly detailed and show off the power of what an RTX-enabled Minecraft looks like. These maps will be available free of charge to the community.
As stated before, this is the Windows 10 Edition of the game. This is not Java Edition. As such, you will need to own the Windows 10 Edition in order to enjoy this. However, if you bought Java Edition before October 19th, 2018, then you are eligible for a free copy of the Windows 10 Edition. You can view more information about it here, but hurry, this deal expires April 20th!
Nemesis Returns: Resident Evil 3 is Available Now on Xbox One
Summary
Overcome chilling encounters in a constant fight for survival that ratchets up the genre-defining horror game’s intensity.
Nail-biting exploration complements the gripping puzzle solving that fans have come to love.
Includes Resident Evil Resistance, an asymmetrical multiplayer game set in the Resident Evil universe.
The wait is over, and it’s time to begin your escape from the streets of Raccoon City. For Jill Valentine, it may very well be her last time wandering the streets of the place she once called home – her last escape. Resident Evil 3 is available now for Xbox One, with Resident Evil Resistance, an asymmetrical 4 vs. 1 multiplayer game set in the Resident Evil universe, included!
Taking place concurrently with the events of Resident Evil 2, Jill Valentine has little choice but to venture out into a city in chaos in order to seek a way out. She’ll have more than just shambling zombies to deal with, however, as it’s quickly revealed that a terrifying creature, known as Nemesis, is after her, with one goal in mind – ensuring Jill never sees daylight again.
Taking cues from the original Resident Evil 3: Nemesis while building upon the re-imagined Raccoon City introduced in last year’s Resident Evil 2, RE3 explores a vibrant city and various locales as Jill Valentine’s skills as a police officer and member of S.T.A.R.S. are put to the test. True to survival horror tradition, you’ll need to manage your items and ammunition carefully if you want to make it through all the horrors that Raccoon City has in store with the terrifying Nemesis chasing you throughout.
That’s not all that’s available starting today; Resident Evil Resistance, an asymmetrical multiplayer game set in the Resident Evil universe, is also included with Resident Evil 3! Pitting four Survivors against a maniacal Mastermind, it’s up to the team of four to make their way through a series of deadly experiments filled with traps, creatures, and familiar bioweapons – like the Tyrant – from the Resident Evil universe. There’s a bit of a twist to this game, though: a real live player is taking the role of a Mastermind, populating their own house of horrors to stop the Survivors at every opportunity. While the Survivors are an all-new cast, you’ll see some familiar faces among the Masterminds, such as Umbrella researcher Annette Birkin and the master of fear, Alex Wesker. Resident Evil Resistance is included with Resident Evil 3, available now for Xbox One on the Microsoft Store.
RESIDENT EVIL 3
CAPCOM CO., LTD.
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
Jill Valentine is one of the last remaining people in Raccoon City to witness the atrocities Umbrella performed. To stop her, Umbrella unleashes their ultimate secret weapon; Nemesis! Also includes Resident Evil Resistance, a new 1 vs 4 online multiplayer game set in the Resident Evil universe where four survivors face-off against a sinister Mastermind.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 04-15-2020, 04:56 AM - Forum: Lounge
- No Replies
Video Game Deep Cuts: The Animal Crossing Minutes
The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutras community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.
We’re back again with Video Game Deep Cuts on Substack, folks. I got some good feedback on the revamped newsletter, so there’s going to be a couple of tweaks, hurrah.
Since I’m on sabbatical from the dayjob, I could actually make multiple of these ‘core’ free VGDC newsletters per week. But it’s a slippery slope timewise. So I’ll be keeping it to two newsletters per week (one for free, one for paid subscribers!) for now – enjoy!
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 04-15-2020, 04:56 AM - Forum: Lounge
- No Replies
ESRB ratings will now note if in-game purchases involve random items
The Entertainment Software Rating Board is adding a new clarification to its on-package game rating system, and will now specify if a game’s real-money transactions involve any sort of random element like a loot box mechanic with a “in-game purchases (includes random items)” label.
It’s an evolution of the “in-game purchases” label that the ESRB rolled out back in 2018 in response to rising loot box concerns, and one that aims to help better inform parents and players alike about what kind of premium transactions a game features.
Loot boxes tend to be the surprise mechanic that garners the most public concern, the new “includes random items” specification also covers gacha mechanics, in-game card packs, prize wheels, and similar features that attach elements of chance to either real-world money or premium game currency.
While ESRB research shows that parents are mostly concerned with if a game simply offers real-money transactions, the board says that it received numerous requests from “consumers and enthusiasts” to tighten up its existing language and note if a game’s transactions include loot boxes.
The previous in-game purchases label will still be used to flag any game that features any sort of digital transaction like cosmetics, expansions, or other forms of DLC.
Ring Fit Adventure is a different type of adventure game for Switch which uses a couple of unique accessories that detect and measure your real-world movements and turn them into in-game actions. The Ring-Con and Leg Strap accessories bundled with the game enable players to explore and battle in the game world using the power of real-world exercise. Blast those quads, pump those glutes!
It’s a little like Wii Fit was back in the day, although with a little more workout and a lot more game.
If you’re after a fun way to burn some calories while gaming on your Switch, Ring Fit Adventure could be just the ticket. It’s out now (if you can find the hot-ticket item, that is), so feel free to look for a copy below. The game’s popularity has led to global stock shortages and some of the retailer’s links may go out of stock or be restocked again with little notice. Be sure to check back if at first you don’t succeed, and good luck on your fitness quest.
Please note that some links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
Pixelbox is a brand new all-in-one 2D game engine perfect for game jams or other small projects. Combining an easy to use JavaScript API with a complete set of editing tools including a map editor, sprite tools, palette tools, sound FX and music tools in a single >60MB download. Pixelbox is open source under the MIT license.
Documentation for Pixelbox coding is available on the GitHub page. There is also a beginners tutorial available over on Itch.io. Pixelbox also includes a stand alone music tracker application called Pata Tracker, documentation for which is available here.
Pixelbox is available for download on Windows and MacOS right here. Since it is an electron application, it should be possible to build a Linux install, but no binaries are currently provided. You can learn more about Pixelbox in the video below.
Apple Arcade has a brand new title in the form of Scrappers, a multiplayer beat-’em-up in which you literally clean up the streets as a team of robot garbage collectors. It takes place in the future, after humanity has destroyed itself. We thought it was a great idea to fire all of the world’s rubbish into space in a rocket, which subsequently crashed down and destroyed the planet.
Skip to the not-so-distant future and robots have taken over. Trash has become a valuable commodity; so much so that rival gangs now stalk the streets looking to keep it all for themselves, and you have to fight them off as you complete your daily rounds. You can partner up with three other players in multiplayer, or go it alone across the game’s over 20 different stages.
There are two key components to Scrappers: cleaning up the streets and beating up any fools trying to stop you. You run around picking up trash and passing it to your teammates, who are carrying a huge stack. The larger the stack, and the more you work together as a team, the greater the rewards.
Then there’s the combat, which should appeal to fans of Streets of Rage. You perform a variety of different combos and attacks, whether it’s with a weapon or your fists. You can unlock new weapons and ‘Scrappers’ (playable characters) by getting high scores, which also provides custom parts that you can use to tweak your garbage truck.
Aside from the lengthy campaign, there are a bunch of minigames to participate in, which you unlock by completing levels on a Super Mario World-style map. There are four different areas to travel through, which are wholly different from each other visually.
If you think you have what it takes to clean up the city of Junktown, head on over to the App Store right now and download it. You’ll need an Apple Arcade subscription to play it.
in GalaCredit!
