Tag Archives: Loans

‘Fall Guys’ level creation tools arrive on May 10th

Posted on by

Ever since taking the pandemic-soaked world by storm in 2020, the unique battle royale platformer Fall Guyshas added new gameplay elements and released on new platforms. Now, the developers are throwing a full-blown level editor into the mix.

Fall Guys Creativelaunches on May 10th and is part of Season 4 of the viral multiplayer title. The level editor lets you create legitimate multiplayer courses (called Rounds) using a wide variety of iconic items, enemies and obstacles. Developer Mediatonic encourages players to use the tools to “finally design the Round of your dreams”.

Once you make a level and test it out, you can share it with friends via a private lobby or share it on a larger scale with the entire community. The developer says they will also curate lists of its favorite player-designed levels to boost their popularity, housing them in a Playlists tab within the Show Selector.

To show off what’s possible with these creation tools, Mediatonic is dropping over 50 new Rounds designed by professional creators but using the toolkit available to regular players. This seems similar to how Super Mario Maker 2 handled things with all of its many tutorial levels. You’ll get 20 levels on May 10th, with the remainder releasing at various points throughout the season.

Season 4 is not just about the level editor, though that’s the primary new feature. Players will also find plenty of new costumes, like a neat-looking low polygon outfit, and new items at the store. Mediatonic is also teasing future collaborations, but has not offered any details. This likely refers to new branded costumes. The title has already featured costumes inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog, Doom, Ghost of Tsushima and other iconic titles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fall-guys-level-creation-tools-arrive-on-may-10th-192027104.html?src=rss

The evolution of video game controllers: From Telstar to the PS5’s DualSense

Posted on by

When looking back at past console generations, the conversation often turns to graphical fidelity. And for good reason. Who could, for example, forget the first time they left the confines of Kokiri Forest for the wide expanse of Hyrule Field in The Ocarina of Time? It was a moment where you felt like you were experiencing the future of gaming.

But as video games have become more complex, so too have the peripherals we use to play them. Over on Engadget’s YouTube channel, Senior Producer Brandon Quintana recently took a look back at the evolution of console controllers, tracking their development all the way from the 1970s to the modern day. It’s an overview that includes everything from the Coleco Telstar to the PlayStation 5 and its Dual Sense controller. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-evolution-of-video-game-controllers-from-telstar-to-the-ps5s-dualsense-170415428.html?src=rss

Microsoft expands the Xbox Game Pass family plan to six more countries

Posted on by

Microsoft has expanded the Xbox Game Pass family plan to six more countries. Folks in Chile, Hungary, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa and Sweden can now sign up for a membership that allows up to five friends and family members in the same country to access Game Pass Ultimate features via a single subscription. This is the first expansion of the Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family plan, which Microsoft debuted in Colombia and Ireland last summer.

There are a few things worth keeping in mind if you're in one of those countries and you're interested in the plan, which offers access to a library of hundreds of PC, console and cloud games and has other benefits. The primary account holder will be able to convert their existing plan based on the monetary value of the time they have left. A full month of an Ultimate subscription equates to 18 days of Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family access, for instance. People who are invited to join a group can't convert their remaining Game Pass time, however. Those with an Xbox All Access payment plan can't join a friends and family group.

Pricing varies by country. A good rule of thumb is that, based on the conversion rates, a regular Game Pass Ultimate subscription costs about three-fifths as much as the family plan. Given the US Game Pass Ultimate pricing, the family plan costs the equivalent of $25 per month. Split that cost between five people, and that's just $5 per month per person for Game Pass Ultimate access — around the same price as a single full game purchase each per year.

There's no sign of Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family plan coming to North America, the UK or elsewhere more broadly just yet. However, it's clear that Microsoft is interested in getting as many people as possible to sign up for Game Pass in one way or another, so it's likely the plan will expand to more territories down the line.

Microsoft expands the Xbox Game Pass family plan to six more countries

Posted on by

Microsoft has expanded the Xbox Game Pass family plan to six more countries. Folks in Chile, Hungary, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa and Sweden can now sign up for a membership that allows up to five friends and family members in the same country to access Game Pass Ultimate features via a single subscription. This is the first expansion of the Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family plan, which Microsoft debuted in Colombia and Ireland last summer.

There are a few things worth keeping in mind if you're in one of those countries and you're interested in the plan, which offers access to a library of hundreds of PC, console and cloud games and has other benefits. The primary account holder will be able to convert their existing plan based on the monetary value of the time they have left. A full month of an Ultimate subscription equates to 18 days of Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family access, for instance. People who are invited to join a group can't convert their remaining Game Pass time, however. Those with an Xbox All Access payment plan can't join a friends and family group.

Pricing varies by country. A good rule of thumb is that, based on the conversion rates, a regular Game Pass Ultimate subscription costs about three-fifths as much as the family plan. Given the US Game Pass Ultimate pricing, the family plan costs the equivalent of $25 per month. Split that cost between five people, and that's just $5 per month per person for Game Pass Ultimate access — around the same price as a single full game purchase each per year.

There's no sign of Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family plan coming to North America, the UK or elsewhere more broadly just yet. However, it's clear that Microsoft is interested in getting as many people as possible to sign up for Game Pass in one way or another, so it's likely the plan will expand to more territories down the line.

Microsoft’s AI event: Live coverage

Posted on by

Microsoft's set to make an AI-related announcement today at 1pm ET, but it will not be streaming the keynote to the public. Not to worry, though, we're here at the event in Redmond and will be liveblogging all the news the company is sharing today. After Google unveiled its ChatGPT rival Bard yesterday, Microsoft revealed it had been planning today's event all along, without disclosing many details beyond telling us to expect information about "exciting projects." Thanks to a tweet from OpenAI's Sam Altman, though, we can at least guess that generative AI is on the agenda, if not the star of the show. We'll be starting this liveblog around 12:30pm ET, with myself (Cherlynn Low) on text and our head of video Brian Oh taking pictures. See you soon!

Microsoft Teams makes it easier to host meetings using sign language

Posted on by

It's now much simpler to participate in a Microsoft Teams meeting if you have hearing issues. Microsoft has introduced a sign language view that lets people who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as their interpreters, prioritize each other during meetings. Those video feeds will remain in consistent locations, at sizes large enough for sign language to be visible. You'll see as many as two other signers throughout a meeting, and video will remain large even when slides or screen shares are visible.

The view also makes preferences "sticky" thanks to a new accessibility settings pane, Microsoft says. You won't have to worry about pinning interpreters or enabling captions every time a Teams call begins. You can jump directly into a meeting instead of tweaking options.

The sign language view and accessibility pane are currently available only through a Public Preview available on a user-by-user basis. They'll roll out to all commercial and government customers in the "coming weeks," Microsoft says. It could take a while before everyone can use the functionality. Still, this promises to greatly simplify meetings for anyone with limited hearing — and might make Teams more viable if alternatives like Zoom (which only recently added support for interpreters) aren't up to the task.

Microsoft Teams makes it easier to host meetings using sign language

Posted on by

It's now much simpler to participate in a Microsoft Teams meeting if you have hearing issues. Microsoft has introduced a sign language view that lets people who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as their interpreters, prioritize each other during meetings. Those video feeds will remain in consistent locations, at sizes large enough for sign language to be visible. You'll see as many as two other signers throughout a meeting, and video will remain large even when slides or screen shares are visible.

The view also makes preferences "sticky" thanks to a new accessibility settings pane, Microsoft says. You won't have to worry about pinning interpreters or enabling captions every time a Teams call begins. You can jump directly into a meeting instead of tweaking options.

The sign language view and accessibility pane are currently available only through a Public Preview available on a user-by-user basis. They'll roll out to all commercial and government customers in the "coming weeks," Microsoft says. It could take a while before everyone can use the functionality. Still, this promises to greatly simplify meetings for anyone with limited hearing — and might make Teams more viable if alternatives like Zoom (which only recently added support for interpreters) aren't up to the task.

Disney reportedly freezes hiring and expects some layoffs

Posted on by

Disney CEO Bob Chapek has told division leads in a letter that the company is implementing cost cutting measures in part to help it "achieve the important goal of reaching profitability for Disney+ in fiscal 2024." Based on the internal memo obtained by CNBC, Disney is planning to limit additions to its workforce through a targeted hiring freeze. It will still welcome new people for the "most critical, business-driving positions," but all other roles are on hold for now. Chapek has also admitted in his letter that Disney "anticipate[s] some staff reductions" as it looks at all aspects of its business to find places where it can save money. 

Chapek's letter comes after Disney reported less-than-stellar earnings for the previous quarter. While Disney+ welcomed 12.1 million new subscribers for the company's fourth fiscal quarter ending on October 1st, the company's operating loss for streaming jumped from $0.8 billion to $1.5 billion. The company expects its losses to taper off going forward, thanks to its streaming services' price hikes and the launch of an ad-supported tier on Disney+. In his memo, Chapek also reiterated he is "confident in [the company's] ability to reach the targets [it has] set," but Disney clearly intends to tighten its belt until it hits its goals.

Disney is but one of the many companies imposing a hiring freeze due to the economic downturn. When Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg announced that the Facebook parent company is laying off 11,000 employees, he also said that it's extending its hiring freeze through the first quarter of 2023. Amazon froze hiring at its corporate offices earlier this month, as well. 

Disney reportedly freezes hiring and expects some layoffs

Posted on by

Disney CEO Bob Chapek has told division leads in a letter that the company is implementing cost cutting measures in part to help it "achieve the important goal of reaching profitability for Disney+ in fiscal 2024." Based on the internal memo obtained by CNBC, Disney is planning to limit additions to its workforce through a targeted hiring freeze. It will still welcome new people for the "most critical, business-driving positions," but all other roles are on hold for now. Chapek has also admitted in his letter that Disney "anticipate[s] some staff reductions" as it looks at all aspects of its business to find places where it can save money. 

Chapek's letter comes after Disney reported less-than-stellar earnings for the previous quarter. While Disney+ welcomed 12.1 million new subscribers for the company's fourth fiscal quarter ending on October 1st, the company's operating loss for streaming jumped from $0.8 billion to $1.5 billion. The company expects its losses to taper off going forward, thanks to its streaming services' price hikes and the launch of an ad-supported tier on Disney+. In his memo, Chapek also reiterated he is "confident in [the company's] ability to reach the targets [it has] set," but Disney clearly intends to tighten its belt until it hits its goals.

Disney is but one of the many companies imposing a hiring freeze due to the economic downturn. When Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg announced that the Facebook parent company is laying off 11,000 employees, he also said that it's extending its hiring freeze through the first quarter of 2023. Amazon froze hiring at its corporate offices earlier this month, as well. 

‘Metal Gear Solid 2’ mod adds a third-person camera to Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece

Posted on by

Twenty years ago this month, Konami released Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, an expanded reissue of MGS2: Sons of Liberty. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to revisit one of the most important games of the 21st century, now is the perfect time. Over the weekend, modder oct0xor released The Substance of Subsistence, a mod that adds a third-person camera to Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece.

If it’s been a while since you played MGS2, you may have forgotten the game employed an overhead camera that was a holdover from Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake and Metal Gear Solid. It wasn’t until 2006’s Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, the expanded rerelease of Snake Eater, that Hideo Kojima and Konami implemented a proper third-person camera. That bit of history is also where the mod's name comes from, with The Substance of Subsistence referring to the expanded editions of each game.

Adding a new perspective to MGS2 was no easy task. "The code to have a normal third-person camera was never present in the game, and in order to implement it, I had to reverse engineer and rewrite many things in the game engine," oct0xor told PC Gamer. You can learn more about the work that was involved in a developer diary oct0xor shared a few months back.

You can find instructions on how to install the Substance of Subsistence on Github. The tricky part is finding a copy of the game for PC. Konami delisted Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 from GOG and other digital storefronts over a “temporary” licensing issue in 2021. In July, the company said it was still working on resolving the dispute but did not provide a timeline for when the games would be available to purchase again.