Learning game development can be a daunting task, especially if you have no prior coding, art, or design training. But there is an increasing number of resources available to make it easier. Today, Microsoft announced an initiative of its own that aims to help people learn to make games, called the Xbox Academy.
Microsoft will hold a series of free game development courses at its stores in New York City and Sydney, Australia. There are three different courses in the series, each specializing in an aspect of game development.
The first, simply called Game Development, covers how to design and deploy games onto Xbox One and PC. The second, Game Programming, involves learning how to use the Unity game engine to create adventure games. Finally, Game Design goes into depth on how to conceive of and pitch game ideas.
The Xbox One is a particularly open platform, considering that anyone can turn their console into a development kit. The Xbox Live Creators Program, which is currently in testing, will additionally provide a relatively cheap and simple way to get games published on the Xbox Store. It's cool to see Microsoft continuing this support and working to make the barrier to entry for game development as low as possible.
The courses in NYC take place once a day from August 20-September 3. Sydney's courses begin on September 25 and run through October 1. You can register for the NYC courses here and the Sydney courses here. The classes are officially credited, meaning that they can potentially carry over to full-time game development programs.
In Friday the 13th, the survival horror game based on the classic horror film franchise, one player assumes the role of iconic serial killer Jason and must hunt down seven others playing as hapless camp counselors. However, he isn't the only one capable of murder; camp counselors can kill one another as well using the various weapons they find. This has led some players to deliberately kill their teammates during online matches--an issue that has become so prevalent that publisher Gun Media will be removing the feature in a future patch.
The publisher announced the decision in a post on Reddit. "[T]he biggest thing we've heard from our community with the game are issues pertaining to rampant team-killing that has unfortunately been abused by players on all platforms," the post begins. "While the mechanic's intent is designed to promote life-or-death experiences into each and every game you play, the reality has turned into more of a Battle Royale scenario to a point our team feels a change needs to be made."
Following the game's next patch, "Public Games will no longer allow counselor team-killing through weapons use against other counselor players," meaning shotguns, machetes, and other weapons that camp counselors can wield will no longer have any effect on their teammates. However, players can still kill one another by running them over with a car. "We decided on this as the alternative was abused during our beta where users would simply stand in front of the car, effectively blocking it from moving," the publisher explains.
"Our team believes that the ability to hurt other counselors is something that this game should have as it adds tension and requires players to make tough calls," Gun says. "However, we do not believe this should be a mechanic that is abused by players to the point where the vast majority of our current communications from fans are complaints of rampant/unwarranted team-killing/griefing/trolling."
Still, while team-killing may be disappearing from public matches, it doesn't appear to be the end of the mechanic entirely; it will still be allowed in private sessions for the time being, "with the hope of better options in the future."
Last month, Sony announced that PlayStation 4's 5.0 system update was on the way and that a beta would take place in August. While it still hasn't shared official details about the changes and improvements the patch will introduce, the update notes for it have now been leaked.
Eurogamer reports that it has obtained the release notes for the 5.0 patch. The major changes include the ability to stream 1080/60 FPS gameplay over Twitch using a PS4 Pro, as well as a new system that allows you to follow any PSN member (rather than only verified individuals, like developers). This setup sounds more like what's possible on Xbox One or Twitter, where one person can follow another without the two needing to add each other as friends. If that idea disturbs you or you simply want Bob to stay out of our business, privacy settings will allow you to close yourself off to non-friends or block specific people.
In a small but welcome change, notifications and upload/download statuses can be seen from the Quick Menu that's accessed by holding the PlayStation button. That means you don't have to retreat to the notification screen in order to check on any of this.
The 5.0 update also adjusts how sub accounts work, providing new tools for parents to manage what their children have access to on PSN. Some or all of this will be accessible from your PC or smartphone.
Curiously, there's no mention of PlayStation Now here. It was believed that the streaming service would be affected by the update, as the beta sign-up form inquired about PS4 owner's subscription status, but it appears that may not be the case.
PS4 update 5.0 is still without a release date. We'll report back as Sony shares more.
Rez Infinite, the updated and enhanced version of the classic rhythm-based shooter, is no longer exclusive to PlayStation 4. As of today, it's available for PC on Steam.
This marks the first time Rez--which originally launched for Dreamcast and PS2 in 2001--has been released on PC. But as was the case when it launched on PS4 last year, Rez Infinite is also the best way to play the game. Most significantly, it includes a brand-new stage called Area X. While still the same kind of shooter as the rest of the game, it was built from scratch for Infinite and affords players more freedom in their ability to move and navigate the world.
Optional VR support--which is quite spectacular--also makes the transition to PC, with both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive supported. Infinite also features enhanced visuals and audio with support for 4K. The PC version supports some enhancements beyond the PS4 release, featuring "double the textures of PS4 with additional graphics settings such as rendering resolution, texture quality, anti-aliasing (MSAA - Classic Rez / FXAA - Area X), and texture filtering (Trilinear or ANISO)."
Gearbox, which is best known as the developer of the Borderlands series, has quietly revealed its next project. Like Borderlands, Project 1v1 is a first-person shooter, but it offers a twist.
Project 1v1 is described as a "competitive first-person shooter that combines the action of fast-paced 1v1 first-person combat with the metagame strategy of a collectible card game." Unfortunately, that's virtually everything we know; the email Gearbox sent out to some fans and the game's new website both contain little more info than that. You can check out some artwork from the site below.
Despite a general lack of details, some people will have the chance to try the game out quite soon. A "short" closed technical test is scheduled for this summer, and Gearbox has opened sign-ups for the beta on its website. This will include only a "limited number of players" and is meant to "test the online infrastructure and learn what players like you think about the game in order to inform and influence future development." While international players can sign up, servers will be hosted in North America, so the game may not run ideally for those elsewhere in the world.
This test will consist of three game modes: Challenge lets you take on a friend; Arena lets you take on the "current Arena champion," with a win elevating you to their position; and Ranked, where you play against an opponent of similar skill. Wins in Ranked mode net you experience and crates that provide you with more cards.
Platforms are not explicitly laid out on the website. However, the beta sign-up process mentions the need for a Steam account, which suggests it will be PC-only, at least for now. Additionally, Project 1v1 is only a code name; the final version will be called something else.
Nintendo's Switch fighting game, Arms, has received a new update, and version 2.1 adds new training exercises and changes a bunch of fighters. There are also lots of balance changes not specific to any one fighter, such as the rush gauge filling slower when your attacks miss.
In terms of specific tweaks, plenty of fighters and Arms have been buffed. Master Mummy and Mechanica now have faster movement, as do the Boomerang and Coolerang Arms. There also a few Arms that have been nerfed to some extent, such as Bubb and (ironically, given the name) Buff--they now extend slower. Take a look at the full list of changes, via Nintendo, at the bottom of this article.
In our Arms verdict, critic Kallie Plagge called the title a "strong, substantial fighting game," but one that "takes a while to really hit its stride." Read more in our full Arms review.
Added five exercises to Training and added difficulty level indications.
Adjusted the way the rush gauge fills, decreasing the amount gained for punches that do not connect with the opponent.
When 3-4 players start a battle, instructions on how to switch targets will now be displayed. A cursor will also be displayed above the current target for a set time.
Adjusted hitbox sizes for fighters, improving issues where hits were not registered despite looking like hits.
Changed the pause, results, and replay menus in Training to be more convenient.
For Best Stage in Stats, made it harder for less frequently played stages to be selected, even if you have a high win ration on them.
Corrected issue that caused the game to hang-up when the ending was skipped at a particular time.
Fighter/Arms-Specific Tweaks
Master Mummy
Increased dash speed. Increased movement speed when jumping.
Mechanica
Increased movement speed when jumping.
Kid Cobra
Adjusted floatation when performing a jump attack.
Byte & Barq
Trained Barq to get up quicker.
Boomerang
Increased speed when throwing in a wide curve. Increased extension speed. Increased homing.
Coolerang
Increased extension speed. Increased homing.
Revolver
Increased extension speed. Improved curving performance. Increased retraction speed. Shortened the time needed from starting a rush to firing the first shot.
Made it so the electric shock when a charge attack connects lasts longer. Corrected odd behavior that occurred when a rush attack connected with a wall or platform.
Blorb
Corrected odd behavior that occurred when a rush attack connected with an opponent that was not targeted.
Seekie
Increased retraction speed. Made it so the electric shock when a charge attack connects doesn't last as long.
Ramram
Increased retraction speed. Decreased expansion rate for charge attacks. Decreased speed of charge attacks.
Cracker, Popper, Hydra
Increased retraction speed.
Bubb, Buff
Decreased extension speed. Decreased expansion rate when extending.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus has received a new trailer--but it's a little different from most video game trailers. Instead of concentrating on new guns, new enemy types or the array of locations you'll fight in, the majority of the trailer highlights a naughty child, seemingly acting in a wartime comedy show. Some gameplay does emerge towards the end however--take a look above.
Wolfenstein II's E3 reveal was similar--it aped TV footage from decades gone by in the form of mock game shows, ads, and cartoons, before showing gameplay footage later on. It's certainly a change from the usual affair of Big Dudes With Guns, that's for sure.
Following its exclusivity period on PS4, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare's third major DLC is available for Xbox One and PC. Players on all platforms can now download the Absolution map pack, which adds a handful of new stages to the popular shooter, as well as a new chapter in the Zombies experience.
The Zombies map is the biggest draw of the Absolution DLC. Called "Attack of the Radioactive Thing," this chapter is inspired by 1950s-era monster movies and features guest voice work from Ike Barinholtz (Neighbors, Suicide Squad) and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira: Mistress of the Dark). According to Activision, "Players will fight against a new array of zombie enemies across a ravaged beach town where a government science experiment has transformed the residents into flesh-devouring zombies and introduced a new biological menace into the city."
The DLC also adds four new maps to the shooter. The first, Bermuda, is a shanty town "created around the remnants of a crashed ship." Permafrost is a close-quarters map set in a frozen cityscape. Fore is a mini-golf course that features "magical forests, giant creamsicles, and elevated castle walls." The final map, Ember, is a remake of Resistance from Modern Warfare 3.
The success of last year's Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them showed that a hit film property can have life beyond the end of the main series. The Hunger Games and Twilight franchises were hugely profitable for Lionsgate, and it has now been reported that the studio is looking to continue them.
As reported by Variety, Lionsgate boss Jon Feltheimer recently spoke about the studio's plans for both series and explained that they would only proceed with the approval of Twilight author Stephenie Meyer and Hunger Games creator Suzanne Collins, respectively.
"There are a lot more stories to be told, and we're ready to tell them when our creators are ready to tell those stories," he said.
This isn't the first time that plans for more Hunger Games movies has been discussed. In 2015, Feltheimer said that the studio was "actively looking at some development and thinking about prequel and sequel possibilities." Vice chairman Michael Burns subsequently stated that the franchise "will live on and on," and he suggested that further movies might take the form of prequels.
The final Hunger Games movie was Mockingjay Part 2, which opened in November 2015. In total, the franchise grossed more than $2.9 billion worldwide. The Twilight saga drew to a close in 2012, having made in excess of $3.3 billion worldwide.
By Anonymous on Aug 09, 2017 09:45 pm The Lobby crew dives headfirst into Hellblade, recounts their hectic time with Lawbreakers, and gets weird with Yakuza Kiwami.
There's a new trailer showing off Destiny 2's competitive multiplayer, and we're getting a look at the total carnage that erupts in the game's 4v4 battles.
"Enter the Crucible to fight, to conquer, to crush...Don't be captured, show your enemy what a real fight looks like," says the trailer's narrator, Lord Shaxx, as the game's three central classes--Hunter, Titan, and Warlock--and their abilities are showcased. Check out the new trailer above.
In May, developer Bungie announced it would be overhauling the series' multiplayer in Destiny 2. The game will limit competitive multiplayer to 4v4, focusing on battles between smaller teams. Game director Luke Smith said the changes are caused by Bungie's desire to rethink "the Crucible from first principles."
Nintendo's Eshop is getting the critically-acclaimed hack-and-slash adventure game Severed today. Nintendo Switch players in North America and Europe will be able to pick up the game for US $15 / £13.49.
Severed is a first-person dungeon crawler that came out last year, first on PS Vita and then on Wii U, 3DS, and iOS devices. At its core is the touch-screen interface and colorful art, both of which are in full display in the game's new Nintendo Switch trailer above.
Severed puts you in command of Sasha, a one-armed warrior who wields a living sword as she travels through a nightmare world to find her family. The game uses touch controls to let you solve puzzles, uncover secrets, and do battle by hacking and slashing with your fingers and performing defensive moves. There are also many RPG elements, including the ability to unlock new abilities via a skill tree, along with a dark story set in a "surreal, non-linear world."
When it debuted on Vita, GameSpot reviewer Jason D'Aprile called the game deceptively simple with gameplay that got deeper as the game went on. "The weird, old-school scrolling method and touch-based interactions hide a remarkably deep and involving mix of action, adventure, and role-playing," he said.
"The more hours you pour into Severed, the more complex it becomes and the darker the story gets. It takes a while to grasp, but once the game picks up steam, it becomes an intriguing experience." You can read our full Severed review here, and check out the latest new releases on the Switch Eshop.
By Anonymous on Aug 09, 2017 08:30 pm Joey is back with another Inkonomics lesson, and he's here to teach you all about Splatoon 2's co-op mode, Salmon Run.
Some games are timeless. Rez is one of them. Set in a cyberspace landscape riddled with bugs, you guide your tiny figure on a quest to awaken the mysterious being lying dormant within in. To get to her, you must shoot through hordes of technicolor, swirling viruses that lob projectiles and try to block your path. But it's not the narrative that makes this game incomparable; Rez is a rail shooter on paper and a heart-pounding synesthesia joyride in practice.
Rez Infinite, the updated remake designed for the PlayStation 4 and PSVR, is still the same game as the original Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 version, albeit with a little more visual flourish. Backgrounds that were once hazy have been replaced with updated, crystal clear pieces of the cyberworld. Colors are brighter, lines sharper. Enemies drift in and out of your field of view with a new smoothness. And in VR, Rez Infinite allows you to dive deeper into its world in ways previously impossible.
To navigate Rez, you need only concern yourself with aiming and shooting, as you remain on rails moving at a set speed at all times. While holding down the X button you use the left stick--or in VR, the headset's motion tracking--to highlight the enemy or enemies with a targeting reticle, then release the button to fire your shot. Rez encourages you to chain hits together by cluttering your field of view with opponents, making picking them off one by one not an option. And this isn't as simple as it sounds, given enemies come flying at you from every direction at all once, and that's not even counting the additional projectiles they toss your way. Shooting sounds are replaced with claps or beats, and successfully destroying enemies results in a flood of musical tones. You can pick off your opponents in time with the beat, or create your own discordant melodies--it's entirely up to your own rhythm.
Still looking good after all these years.
Occasionally you'll collect clusters of bright white and blue pixels that allow you to charge up. Collect enough of these and you level up, taking on a new form--for example, at one stage you evolve from a floating silver figure to a red and black figure seated cross-legged within a sphere. Additionally, collecting these white pixels and rare red ones charges up your Overdrive, a powerful attack that can clear the screen of enemies in seconds and comes especially handy during a boss encounter.
When rushing bosses, you must locate and target the core object of an undulating, vibrating cluster of tiles and lights to dismantle one area of the cyberspace prison. These are the most complex and challenging sections of Rez, and often include multiple stages. One boss collects squares around its core and takes on the form of a running figure that chases you through hallways. Another is a swirling sphere, with tentacle-like arms that break up and try to whip you as you fly by. These boss battles are also a visual treat, and with Rez Infinite's upgraded graphics it feels more like attending a rave in Tron than a fight.
Area X.
And then there's Area X. Rez isn't about shooting and conquering, it's about creating music. And nowhere is this concept stronger than in a new mode unlocked after completing all five main campaign areas. Area X removes the rails and sets you off into space, allowing you to fly in any direction you wish. In doing this, Rez Infinite grants you more power in manipulating your space; you can fly closer to or away from enemies, skirt around giant structures shimmering in the surrounding darkness, or simply fly around in circles and let the beat play out around you. You can maneuver around the space in a way that lines up enemies and objects exactly how you want them, then unleash a torrent of tones following your own rhythm. I played through Area X several times and never found the same rhythm twice--going after the pink, squid-like enemies and leaving a giant flying dragon-like creature alone for a while produced a different sound that when I went directly for the dragon and followed it around the space, a tiny silvery shadow in its starry wake.
But playing the game in VR places Rez in what feels like its final form. In the original areas one through five, as you glide through these cyberspaces, you can look up, down, and behind you for a greater view of the world you inhabit. This new freedom of movement for your field of vision also allows you a second chance at enemies that have floated out of your path; in several cases being able to look directly behind me assisted in my takedown of a boss. This wider field of movement lets you more quickly dispatch enemies, and in this way it makes the game a bit easier (especially that pesky running boss).
The party don't start til I hack in.
But Area X in VR is the perfect coupling. I spent time flying off in the stars and gazing down on the musical chaos below me, before rocketing down and zipping between shiny pink projectiles as I moved in to pick off a particularly large enemy that dropped the beat as it dissipated into nothing. This feels like the natural evolution of Rez, and I have to imagine this could be how creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi saw his creation from the beginning. The full sensory immersion elicits a sensation beyond the simple toe-tapping and head-bobbing that comes from playing the original Rez. Rez Infinite's Area X in VR engages your entire body, thumping your synapses in time with the music and forcing you to move. I felt connected to my tiny being on screen, doling out a symphony with fireworks in my wake.
Despite it's short campaign--you can complete everything in a little more than an hour, if you're skilled--Rez Infinite is the game to buy a PSVR for. It's hypnotic and enveloping. And it's transformative, both within itself and in the wider scheme of the experiences made possible by VR. You don't want to sleep on Rez Infinite, because with the addition of more polished visual flair and the dreamy Area X, we have a new classic for the new generation on our hands.
Editor's note: We've now had a chance to test the PC version of Rez Infinite, including tests using both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR headsets. Rez Infinite continues to be a magical experience, and the PC version proves to be the best version of the game yet thanks to new control schemes and native support for 4K capable monitors. We have updated the score on this review to reflect this version of the game. - Peter Brown, Aug. 9, 8:00am PDT
The next big update for No Man's Sky is coming soon. Following a weird ARG campaign, developer Hello Games today announced that Update 1.3 is coming out this week. "Atlas Rises," as it's called, will be free on PC and PlayStation 4, just as the previous updates have been. The update focuses on "improving the central story," while it also adds a fast-travel feature by way of portals.
"It's been an exciting, intense, and emotional year for us at Hello Games," founder Sean Murray said in a release. "We have been quiet, but we have been listening intently. We've spent that year working hard on free updates for this game our team cares about so much."
The patch notes for the Atlas Rises update will be released soon.
Also in the release, Hello Games talked about why it launched the ARG campaign, Waking Titan, and revealed that more than 250,000 people came together to try to figure it out.
"What we do is much more important than what we say, but since launch we have sometimes focused too much on that," Murray said. "We wanted to reach out and celebrate the devoted community that means so much to us. We launched Waking Titan to try to do that. You've travelled great distances both real and virtual, undertaken complex tasks, and explored the depths of simulation theory. New friendships have been forged, and a tight-knit community has been created. Most importantly a cute hamster has a new home."
The Lobby crew dives headfirst into Hellblade, recounts their hectic time with Lawbreakers, and gets weird with Yakuza Kiwami.
Joey is back with another Inkonomics lesson, and he's here to teach you all about Splatoon 2's co-op mode, Salmon Run.
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