#CONSOLE GAMER STRUGGLES BUT ITS FINE

[northmains]

The medium steam

THE MEDIUM STEAM PORTABLE

THE MEDIUM STEAM PS4

THE MEDIUM STEAM PC

THE MEDIUM STEAM TV

Compact dimensions and attractive design.

You can get it on Steam or the Epic Games Store.

THE MEDIUM STEAM PC

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered launches on PC on August 12th. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find another backpack. If the ports turn out like Spider-Man Remastered on Steam Deck, we’ll be in for a treat. But considering the company’s current lineup of Steam Deck-verified games, its public plans to invest heavily in PC games, and PlayStation exec Shuhei Yoshida’s open excitement for the Steam Deck, the lineup of Sony titles that work on Valve’s handheld gaming PC should get even better in the future. Sony hasn’t said if those will support Steam Deck just yet. There are even hints that Sony may bring Returnal, a PS5 exclusive from just last year, to PC. The remake for The Last of Us is slated for September and is in development for PC already. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, which came out in January, is slated for this year. Spider-Man: Miles Morales, released in 2020, is coming out this fall. Sony’s future Steam Deck lineup promises to be quite good Even though the games available now have typically arrived years after they’re first released, Sony seems to be shortening that window for future titles. With the company’s growing support for Steam Deck, though, Sony has already brought multiple flagship exclusive games from its home console to a handheld device. Just three years after the handheld’s release, Sony effectively abandoned the Vita without so much as a Gran Turismo. While many gamers remember Gravity Rush, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Persona 4 Golden, only the first two were Sony games - and both arrived in the handheld’s launch window. Not only did Sony struggle to convince developers to make games for the platform but also its own first-party support was lacking.

THE MEDIUM STEAM PORTABLE

I’m not the first to suggest the Steam Deck could be a spiritual successor to the PlayStation Vita, but I’m beginning to think Sony’s support for Steam Deck could make it a better PlayStation portable than the Vita ever was. Sony and Insomniac Games haven’t officially said if Miles Morales will be verified to run on Steam Deck, but given that Spider-Man was verified more than a week before its official release, I’m guessing Miles Morales will work on Valve’s handheld gaming PC just fine.

THE MEDIUM STEAM PS4

While Miles Morales was a signature PS5 launch title, it also came to PS4 the same day, where it doesn’t look that much better than the original. That all being said, I’m enjoying playing Spider-Man on Steam Deck so much that I think it’s how I’m going to play Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales for the first time when it comes to PC this fall. I’m moving fast and there’s a lot going on, but I still think it looks good. Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge While here’s one I took swinging through New York. Here’s an indoor screenshot I took on Medium settings. None of those are big issues for me, but the game does kick on the Steam Deck’s noisy fan, which can get annoying. The frame rate generally varies between 30 and 60fps - though definitely near the lower end of that range while swinging around New York City. There’s no ray tracing on Steam Deck, either the option is grayed out for me, even on very high settings. On medium settings on my Steam Deck, I feel like Spider-Man looks a little worse than I remember it did on PS4. In Spider-Man, it means scaling yet another building to find backpacks that unlock new collectibles. In Zelda, that meant tracking down every single shrine.

THE MEDIUM STEAM TV

Instead of feeling like I’m wasting valuable TV time searching the farthest corner of the map for a hidden secret, it’s easier to go on unexpected expeditions and forge my own path on a portable device. I remember feeling something similar while playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild that game’s portability made it a more personal experience and a lot easier to chip away at. (Though Remastered does pack in all the Spider-Man DLC packs, which include some new story scenarios.) But making a game portable means I’m more likely to play it in bite-sized chunks, and so I’ve found myself using a few minutes here and there to fix police antennas and unlock more of the map. Sure, maybe that’s because I largely already know what happens in the main story. I wanted to see what happened next! But on Steam Deck, I’m swinging down every alleyway and scaling every building to find all the secrets hidden in New York City. When I first zipped through Spider-Man on PS4, I largely stuck to completing the story as fast as I could. Making a game portable means I’m more likely to play it in bite-sized chunks

#The medium steam

[korpuskat]

Start Game [Tomura Shigaraki/Reader] - Part 2

[Ao3 Mirror]

Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,781 Summary: A week after your last outing, you finally meet up with Tomura again. He’s injured and won’t say why- but hey, at least he’s down to game again. Contains: dry humping, dirty talk, praise kink ===== [Part 1] [You Are Here] [Part 3] =====

“You’ll like Cloud Seven. Each of the characters has a unique Quirk, makes for more varied gameplay.” He says, dragging you by your arm- his left hand wrapped around your bicep. “There’s even one that doesn’t use his quirk at all.” Your head is still spinning, kind of nauseous from your unconventional mode of travel. A portal- someone’s quirk- that’s all he’d tell you. A friend’s. But to be honest, you’d kind of figured he was his only friend. Though... who else had he been hanging out with for the last week if not friends? You knew enough that he wasn't close with his family (one too many unanswered questions left you drawing your own conclusions).

You didn’t even really get to look around where you’d ended up, staggering as your mind fuzzed as though sea sick. It’s all you could do to cling to Tomura’s slender arm as he guided you into a dark hallway, then into a room-

You raise your free arm to shield your eyes. In the pitch black, the bright blue light from a computer screen burns at your retinas. Tomura guides you in, shuts the door behind him, and flips a switch. In one corner of the room a floor lamp lights up, a soft yellow barely overtaking the monitor’s light. It’s a mess- trash and dirty laundry cover nearly every visible inch of flooring, routes between the door, bed, and the desk are carved out and well worn.

Tomura passes by you, grabs two controllers from in front of his television and touches a button on the console. It beeps as he crosses the room again, sitting on the edge of his bed- unmade, the sheets rumpled from last night- and scoots back across the narrow mattress so he can lean back against the wall. Right in the middle. You fidget awkwardly for a moment, but the colors in the room swirl as the console’s menu appears- and Tomura sets the other controller to the side.

It’s not like you haven’t been closer.

Swallowing your fears- because if there was one emotion Tomura could bring out in you, it was that giddy, untouchable fearlessness- you mimic his motions, settling onto the bed with the wall at your back, legs stretched out in front of you.

Like this, his thigh presses against yours. Warm, but firmer than you imagined. He doesn’t seem to mind, hardly even pays attention as he navigates over to the game, and the loading theme begins. Then- shifts. He hums, sits up, and sets his controller on your lap.

“What’s…?” You start, but blink and watch as he pulls at his gloves. He works the fabric over his wrist up in careful movements, never entirely grabbing it. Black cloth slides over his thumb, only then does he pull it from the fingertips. You blink, look at his uncovered hands.

White bandages extend out from under his sleeves, wrapped tight around his wrists. You gasp, cover your mouth with your palm. “What happened?” On his right hand they extend up over his palm, curling around the bases of his fingers to keep them in place. They look dirty, frayed at the edges from how long it’s been since he changed them. But his fingers look-

You swallow and look away.

It’d been a week ago. This was the first time you’d seen him since then, the first time your mind has buzzed in confusion and wonder and all your thoughts are narrowing down into will he do that again? It was intoxicating being around him before, your mysterious gamer friend- you’d thought about him like that more than a few times, but you’d always thought he wasn’t interested. Not until--

He drops the gloves onto a nightstand, covering up a digital clock. You glance at them and then up to-

Another wave of heat passes over your face and you want to sink into the bed, into Tomura’s bed- and he’s looking at you. A crimson iris perched in the corner of his eye, looking straight at you and your crisis- and, oh he’s reaching for you, that same hand you’d been thinking about passing over your lap- your heart is slamming in your chest, pulse quick and weak and you think you may just pass out-

And Tomura picks up the controller with three fingers. His eye slides back to the screen, the main menu finally loaded. All you can hear is your own breathing, the blood pumping in your ears. He cringes, shifts the controller in his right hand, adjusting to keep his index finger outstretched. Your hands tremble as you take your own controller, the screen splitting into the co-op mode.

.

.

.

The bright light of the television burns into your eyes- half blinks white two, three times in simulated muzzle flashes before the fake radio buzzes. ”Targets eliminated. Got ‘em.” Red text, bright and bold appears on screen, Mission Accomplished.

You let loose a little relieved laugh- not that you had much to worry about with Tomura as your partner. “Nice shot at the end.”

“Easy.” Tomura says flatly, unimpressed. “We haven’t done anything since then.”

And it’s only then you realize he’s not looking at the victory screen, the chart displaying the laughable difference in your stats. In the low, flashing light you’re back in the arcade. Turned entirely to face you, his eyes opened wide in the darkness, soaking in all the light to see you- his awkward hold on his controller persisting as he begins to shift.

Your hands tremble, but all you can do is squeeze the plastic tighter in your hands. “What do you mean…?” Your voice comes out breathy, weaker than you imagined. "You said you were busy last week. I- I wasn't avoiding you, if that's what you're worried about. I..." Your cheeks burn, "I like spending time with you."

The controller bounces on the mattress as he drops it. “Is that why you agreed to come here?” His tone changes, drops into that same restrained giddiness that had you spreading your legs for him before. It still works; an electric shiver shoots down your spine, nestles itself between your legs. Your mouth opens but no words form- and Tomura inches closer. “Coming over to a stranger’s house… That could be dangerous.”

Fear makes you shiver, but it is not fear that fans the flames just under your skin. “We’re not strangers,” You protest. It’s flimsy at best, a weak technicality. You don’t even know his last name, don’t even know where you are. That’s not what matters, you tell yourself. It takes everything in you to stop your lip from wobbling under his piercing gaze. “I… I trust you.”

A beat passes, a pause just long enough to make you wonder if that’s the wrong thing to say. Then his dry, damaged brow drifts up- and that electric gleam is back into his eyes, making his pupils expand out until there’s not a speck of red left. The trembling returns- and Tomura lays one hand just above your knee- index and pinky fingers lifted away from you.

You jolt, the thick muscle of your thigh tensing hard beneath his palm- his touch wavers before he’s murmuring half to himself, “Careful, careful…” His other hand lands on the controller, taking it from you with three fingers. “We don’t want any accidents, do we?” Your head is cotton-stuffed, his words do little more than making your brow pinch.

Without the controller to occupy your trembling hands, you splay them over his sheets, fingers spreading wide and pressing into the mattress. That’s fine by him- no resistance as he slides ever closer, until he’s nearly pressed up against you- but not quite. He hovers, touching nothing except where his hands still sit oddly, never quite fully laying his fingers on you. This close you watch as he breathes, his dry lips parted, tongue peeking out to try to wet them.

A hand touches your face, you know it’s his right with the rough bandages pressed to your cheek. “It’s okay.” He says, though you don’t know who it’s meant for. “It’s okay… let me just…” The pale skin of his throat bobs as he swallows and- he leans in.

He barely brushes your lips, the rough edges of his mouth catch on your own- and he takes the tiny gasp of shock as permission to do it again. This time, he’s bolder, his confidence growing exponentially- fully pressing scarred lips to you, moving in sloppy, unpracticed motions. Finally, your hands become your own again- one curling into his shirt, keeping him close, the other landing at his hip, your fingertips ducking under where the fabric has lifted, finding his skin cool beneath his clothes.

The contact makes your skin buzz- you’ve never touched him, not really. You’ve- you’ve never kissed him- but he struggles to breathe in and his chest expands against your palms, his tongue finds its way behind your teeth and all you can do is hold onto him. It’s already too much, his presence, his attention overwhelming you in the dark of his room.

“Come here,” He tugs at your pants with his left hand. “Lay down.”

Perhaps you should be ashamed how readily you’re moving your shaking body, but his voice has you feeling weightless. He shifts his long limbs as you lower yourself down to his sheets, your head nearly hanging off the foot of his bed. He looms over you, mouth open in a pant, practically drooling as he stares down with lust-glazed eyes. He could ask anything of you, anything-

“I hurt my hand.” Tomura swallows loudly- and your universe narrows down to his fingertips ghosting along the edge of your shirt.

“That’s…” The words fade on your tongue. “That’s okay.” You stroke your thumb against his side- feel the muscles of his abdomen constrict, watch how his brow lifts at your touch. Your face burns, embarrassment makes you turn your gaze away. “We don’t have to… do anything.”

Tomura whines. Whatever space was between you is gone all at once- his elbows collapsing onto the bed. “I want to,” His nose prods at your chest, soft hair falling across your face. His next inhale shudders, “I want you.” Heat rushes in your veins, gathers between your legs- and Tomura shifts again, works his way up your body until his mouth sits next to your ear and your head fills with his low, rasping breathing.

Until his hips move. Through so many layers of clothes, he’s hard and pressed right up against you, slotted between your legs. “Can you feel it?” Right against your ear. Low and rumbling- it’s not a question. He already knows, knows by the way your fingers violently twist into his shirt, your nails sink into the skin over his ribs. Knows by the way your hips lift on their own, a tiny, desperate movement that comes without your permission.

“I want to touch you…” His breath shudders. It starts off with stuttering, stiff movements- as though he’s trying to stop himself from rolling his hips down against you over and over. Like the first was for show, just to make you squirm beneath him and now- now he can’t stop. The motions smooth out as he goes. No longer jerking and forceful, like he’s trying to fuck you through your clothes, but firm and continuous. You can’t complain; your pussy sings with every drag. “Want to…” He drives against you with abandon, cock pressing between your legs- “Want…” He gasps, but he’s already lost the thought, his mouth moving without thought. “Want… oh, fuck.”

Your legs tighten around him, draw him closer, calves pulling at the backs of his thighs. Air hisses through his teeth- pain. You stiffen, start to sit up- and Tomura is gone in an instant. He reels back onto his heels for only a moment- and then his arms are forcing their way under your knees, his hands held in tight fists. Your breath catches- seeing your legs lifted up to rest on his shoulders- and he’s on you again.

Folded in half, there’s little you can do but take how his grinds against you. Rutting hard, all you can do is mewl and sink into his mattress, rock uselessly into each thrust. “You’d want it just like this-” He grunts, shifts his left arm- but doesn’t miss how you moan beneath him, nod thoughtlessly because yes- Tomura on top of you, holding you down, whispering in your ear all the things he’ll do to you. His expression softens, his face coming back to hide between your jaw and shoulder. “You’re so good, so good to me. Letting me touch you-”

“I like it.” You whimper, clutch at him. “Oh, gods, Tomura, please-”

“You want…” Tomura hesitates, licks his lips. “You want to be good for me?”

You whine, nod frantically- more than anything you want to make him happy, want to tell him you’d do anything for him, if only your mouth could put words together again. If his hips would just stop for a moment-

“That’s right.” He coos, pulls his face back. Framed by waves of his light hair, his cheeks are burning red. “Then be good and cum for me. Let me watch you.”

That’s all it takes to have your teeth sinking into your lip, every nerve in your clit set alight. It’s not the same as his mouth- those precise, tortuous movements with the tip of his tongue, but the weight of him on top of you- knowing he was getting off on this too- it’s enough. The dam breaks, liquid pleasure rushes through your abdomen- makes your thighs twitch and spasm against his chest.

Your lips part- to moan, to praise him, you aren’t sure- and his left hand catches your chin. Pinned with his index finger and thumb, he holds your face still- his teeth catch your bottom lip and bites. His teeth sink into your soft mouth, drag the thin skin between incisors- and all you can do is keen, ride out the wave of your orgasm against the firm shape of his cock.

You’re still trembling when he lets go, pants hot and damp against your cheek, “That’s it,” He groans, eyes pinching closed. “So good, perfect for me- mine.” You whimper, nod again, choke out his name- “Mine, mine, all mine.” And every muscle goes stiff, his hips stuttering in their pace- and through his hair you watch as his face draws in tight, the damaged skin of his brow pushing together over his eyes-

And his mouth drops open, eyes cracking open just enough for you to make out the crimson of his iris, staring down at you through his thin lashes. “Mine,” He repeats, low and quiet, his lips barely moving. You nod wordlessly, release your hold on his shirt and side to cup his thin face. Shock makes his pupils recede into pinpricks, before softening again, letting his eyes fall shut once more.

He groans and rolls off you (much to the relief of your aching thighs) laying on his side, pressed between you and the wall. You waste no time in turning towards him, huddled in close. He pants, his mouth opened, lips cracked and scarred- and you still so badly want to kiss him. It almost feels forbidden now- he’s initiated everything. But perhaps…

You crane your neck upwards- and as his eyes crack open just enough to watch you move in. His chin dips, lets you find his lips- and it’s like the first. Soft, unhurried- his left palm presses over your cheek, the tips of four fingers curl under the line of your jaw, his thumb hovering away from your skin. You break away only to sigh.

“Are you hungry?”

You blink, look up to him. “Um, yeah, actually.” The moment is lost, but you can’t help the smile that slips over your face. “Though, I think we’ve kind of done this backwards.”

“Backwards?”

“You’re supposed to take me to dinner first.” You grin, smooth your hand over his shirt. “But it’s okay. I, ah, like how this turned out.”

He watches for a long moment, before the corners of his mouth also lift, lift until his teeth peek out from his pale lips. “A date. What did you have in mind?”

Putting a name to it makes your cheeks heat again. You fumble, arch on the bed to dig around in your pockets until you can find your phone. It unlocks easy- and Tomura watches as you type in the search bar. “I dunno. Let’s see what’s around here.”

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Tag List:

@annonymousbread

#tomura shigaraki #shigaraki tomura #tomura shigaraki x reader #tomura x reader #shigaraki x reader #tomura shigaraki fanfiction #tomura shigaraki imagine #shigaraki imagine #x reader #reader insert #bnha shigaraki #Game Start #LMAO got my own fucking title backward fml #start game #kat talks

[fletchphoenix]

Bittersweet Aftertastes

Hey gamers - its me with chapter 5 of the Varigo Coffee Shop AU. Yet again, thank you for all the support I’ve received on this - now, on with the chapter!

TW - Strong Language

Word Count - 3858

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Consoling the boy in front of him was...not an easy task to say the least, endless streams of tears leaving his eyes which broke Hugo’s heart each time one rolled down his now-red face, flushed from crying. He just wanted to scoop Varian up and take him away from all of this - to be alone with him where they didn’t have to worry about anything else. Obviously that wasn’t an option, but that didn’t stop him from silently pleading to the universe for it to become one.

 Hugo threaded his fingers through the smaller boy’s hair, letting them sit on the floor of his hallway in each other’s embrace and kissing his forehead as he soothed him. He whispered sweet nothings to him to provide the boy with some sense of comfort as the storm inside him brewed. Sobs died down into pathetic little whimpers, akin to a wounded animal or a kicked puppy, and tears stopped making little puddles in his shirt.

 “Feeling better?” Hugo enquired, leaning back slightly to allow himself to see the pained boy’s face. Blotched cheeks met him, eyes swollen from his extensive crying and his bottom lip quivering as he nodded, moving closer to Hugo again as they stood and walked down the hall towards the living room. Carefully, Hugo sat Varian down on the fern green couch before kissing his forehead yet again and moving back. “I’ll be right back, okay?” Hugo muttered, waiting for Varian’s nod of approval before he turned on his heel and exited the room.

 In only a few strides, he arrived in the kitchen again, immediately striding over to a moss-green cabinet beside his stove, crouching and opening it. Taking out two cups, a sapphire one and an, of course, jade one, before setting them aside and starting the coffee machine. Searching the various other cabinets and cupboards around the cramped room rewarded him with some vanilla syrup (some that he TOTALLY didn’t buy just in case Varian came over, no way) before sauntering back over to the discarded cups. He distracted himself by setting the cups under the machine and letting them fill, sitting down on the counter and scrolling through his phone in silence. Looking up, his eyes glossed over the boy in the living room, who sat staring at the floor with a troubled expression on his face.

 Hugo pushed down the feelings of guilt building in his stomach as he turned back to the coffee machine, sliding off the counter and adding the syrup along with one teaspoon of brown sugar into the sapphire mug. ‘What happened in the car?’ he pondered as he stirred the dark liquid in the cup, pouring in the milk deep in thought. What did Varian’s brother have against him? At least, he thought it was his brother, the brunette man bore no physical resemblance to Varian at all and looked far too young to be the father, let alone the father of a nineteen year old. Nevertheless, it didn’t explain his...for lack of a better word, explosive reaction to the pair. Hugo thought back, but no, he couldn’t remember a point in time where he’d potentially robbed the guy - he’d remember a face as unique as that. Shit, he thought as he stopped stirring, drops of coffee dribbling down his hand. “VERY smart, Hugo..” he groaned as he grabbed some tissue to clean his hand with, picking up the two cups and strolling to the kitchen.

 “Hey V, I’ve got your drink.” he said softly, placing it on the table in front of the boy and taking a seat beside him. The boy only gave a soft smile in response, picking up the cup and taking a sip. He hummed in satisfaction, taking the time to shuffle closer to the blonde and cuddle against him, muttering a barely audible ‘thank you’ as Hugo’s arm snaked around his shoulders to pull him closer to him. He looked so helpless. He didn’t deserve to feel that way whatsoever. Hugo felt his heart ache. “You wanna talk about it now? It’s fine if not, I just…thought it might help you I guess?”

 He cursed to himself mentally. Why was he so bad at comforting people? Why was he so awkward? Why couldn’t he just...be normal and not stutter and stammer through each sentence when he was around the other boy, who had now set his cup aside and cuddled against him further before clearing his throat. “Don’t feel pressured to, Varian. I was just-”

 “No, Hugo. I’m ready to talk. You deserve to know everything.” he uttered, cutting Hugo off. His eyes, filled with guilt, had a sadness behind them while he sat with his shoulder slumped. Defeated was the only word that came to mind as Varian let out a sigh, proceeding with his explanation.

 “He said that you’re a criminal and that you’ll never change. I don’t believe that thought. At all. You see, Eugene used to be like that - a criminal who went by the alias Flynn Rider. He was a petty thief - pickpocketing and all that jazz. Until he decided to steal from the mayor. Cue Rapunzel. She convinced her dad not to hurt him, and she promised she could help him get on the right side of the tracks. And he did! He turned his life around - he even joined the Coronan police force with Lance and helped improve the rehabilitation of criminals in jails in positive ways!  She helped him become better, but it just frustrated me about what he said because...” he let out a frustrated groan, slumping back on the couch and tugged his hair.

 “He’s not the only one with a dark past.” Varian added, clear as day. Confusion washed over Hugo’s face as he looked at Varian’s darkened, deathly serious expression. What else was he hiding? Of course he didn’t want to push him too far, but now...his interest had peaked and his curiosity got the better of him as he waited for the rest of the explanation.

 “When I was fourteen, I hurt my dad really badly. So badly, in fact, that he went into a coma. By that point, my mother had left and I had no one to turn to. So I ran, in the middle of a snowstorm mind you, to the mayor’s house. I begged and begged for help, for someone to listen to me, or to give me some money to be able to afford a good hospital for my dad to recover in! But no one did. I felt tossed aside, so I did what any kid my age would do. I turned to crime to try and raise money for my dad’s hospital bills. I was desperate. And that’s when I met Andrew.” Another lengthy pause.

“I’d sell drugs for his gang, the Saporians, and they’d give me a cut of the money so that when dad finally did wake up, we’d be just fine financially. Then they wanted me to rob a cottage. I really really didn’t want to, but...the thought of seeing my dad again made me. But I got caught by Rapunzel, the mayor’s daughter. If she wanted to, she could’ve just called the cops on me and gotten me arrested. But she didn’t.”

 “She told me all about the night I begged her for help and that she desperately wanted to, but there were citizens severely in danger because of the snowstorm, and she had to help them before she could help me. From there, she forgave me. She forgave me for trying to rob her and all my other crimes. I helped her to take down the Saporian gang - as it turns out, they were planning to attack the city..and she helped fund my father’s hospital funds. Hell, she even let me stay with her while I was waiting for him to get better. And he did. I got my dad back and everything went back to normal.”

 “My point is...Eugene’s being a hypocrite. He knows me and him did some bad stuff - but we changed. And I know you can.I just hope you don’t..think differently of me” He commented, the expression on his face solemn as he looked at Hugo. Hugo sat, lost for words, as he stared at the boy in front of him. Wow. That was...a lot of emotional baggage that was just unpacked. Not that it was a problem - in fact, Varian talking about his feelings was FAR better than him keeping them in but..wow.

 “Varian.” he began, taking the younger boy’s hands in his own. “I don’t care who you were before, I care who you are now. So what if you were a criminal? So was I. I grew up on the streets after my parents abandoned me at birth. It was hard, but I had to do it to survive. Then Donella took me in and showed me a different way to make money - using my engineering skills to take commissions and make machines for people and sell them.” He paused for a second, realising he was rambling. “What i mean to say is...I love you, Varian. Regardless of who you were before. I love you.” Shakily, he stopped and their eyes locked, anxiety building in his stomach as Varian’s eyes studied his face in silence. “I’m sorry if I’m moving too fast with this-fuck,I should go-”

 His words were cut off as the younger boy lunged forward, wrapping his arms round the blonde’s neck and knocking him back onto the sofa. Their lips met in an admittedly sloppy kiss, neither of them really caring as Hugo’s hand drifted to rest on Varian’s waist. They settled into the kiss, heads tilting and eyes remaining shut as their lips moved against each other in perfect harmony, with the only sound they could hear being each other’s heartbeats as their chests pressed against each other and the occasional breathy moan escaping from either boy’s mouth.

 Varian was the one to break the kiss, sitting in Hugo’s lap with a wide grin plastered on his face as he stared down at the older male with the utmost affection in his eyes. “I love you too, Hugo. I love you so much-god, it feels so good to finally say that. I love you, I love you, I love you.” He kept repeating, giving time for Hugo to prop himself up on his elbows and lean in for another kiss - this one being far superior to the amateur one prior. It was slow, sweet and gave Hugo plenty of time to savour the taste of vanilla that lingered on Varian’s lips.

 Hugo, eventually managing to pry Varian off his lap with very little struggling from the other, picked the teen up in his arms and trailed fleeting kisses down his neck and across his collarbone as they stumbled to his room, the soft moans Varian let out not helping Hugo’s ability to focus in the slightest. Despite all odds, they got there and Hugo immediately got to work. Laying Varian down, he hovered over him and proceeded to kiss him senseless, pulling back to observe the swollen lips and scarlet blush over his face that he’d grown so accustomed to seeing. He loved it. He loved everything about this boy - the name Varian now synonymous with perfection in his mind. Alas, he was exhausted and didn’t want to push the other too far after the absolute rollercoaster today was.

 “As much as I would love to take this further, and believe me, I would, I’m exhausted and want my eight hour beauty sleep, thank you very much.” he stated as he lay down beside Varian, pulling him close by his waist and into a tight embrace.

 “Yeah, you sure as hell need it.” Varian added snarkily, cackling as Hugo began to tickle him. “NO! Ah-Fuck! I’m sorry! Just stop!” he yelled between fits of laughter as he curled up into a ball against the man beside him. Hugo relented, his arm moving around the raven haired teen as he rested his head on his chest after pulling the green bed covers over them both. “Goodnight Hugo..I love you.” he whispered, his eyes fluttering shut as he drifted off to sleep.

 Hugo took a second to admire the boy, the same lovestruck smile creeping its way onto his face yet again. He was so stunning no matter what he did. Hugo couldn’t get enough of him - his greed proving useful for once in his life. A sigh of happiness left his lips as he placed a gentle kiss on the sleeping boy’s forehead. “I love you too, Varian. Goodnight, my dear.”

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 As Varian’s eyes opened in the morning, the first thing that registered in his brain was the unusually large amount of sunlight bleeding in through the window. As he grew accustomed to this invasive light, he realised. He wasn’t in his room. It was too green, and the lack of a particular fatass cat just proved his point further.

 The second thing that registered was the sound of humming heading closer and closer to the door. The door swung open and in stepped Hugo, carrying a small tray with two plates stacked with blueberry pancakes, two cups and a bottle of syrup. His hair wasn’t tied up yet, the golden locks sitting a few inches above his shoulders and concealing that dumb undercut. (He’d claimed it was a ‘pinnacle of fashion’ that Varian wouldn’t understand considering how his outfit on that day was, in his words, ‘a fashion crime worthy of a life sentence’, however Varian begged to differ.)

 “Hey beautiful. Hope you’re okay with blueberry pancakes. They’re the only breakfast food I can cook, and as a poor college student, I can’t afford a toaster, so these were the only option.” He elaborated as he placed the tray on a desk pressed against a wall. A desk with a silver cage on, housing a tiny, gold furred mouse. Hugo sauntered over with Varian’s plate and cup, handing it to him.

 “Wow, your rat matches you.” he commented, a smug grin on his face as he shuffled up into a seating position to take a sip from his coffee. He set it aside on the bedside table and dug into his pancakes, moaning as he took his first bite. “Holy shit Hugo, where did you learn to cook like this? It’s perfect!”

“Darling, I was blessed with impeccable culinary skills from birth. Isn’t that right, Livi?” he glanced over at the mouse, who let out a little squeak as he sat on the bed beside Varian, placing a kiss to his temple before beginning to eat. “Her name’s Olivia. The mouse, I mean. I’ve had her for a few months, but she’s a darling.” he explained as he began to eat his pancakes, letting his boyfriend cuddle against him. Hugo bit his lip gently as his eyes caught sight of the purple bruises across Varian’s neck and collarbone, his cheeks gaining a deep red tint to them.

 “Makes sense. Also, you wanna explain the weird obsession with green? I swear, the amount of green I’ve seen here..you could have your own episode of My Strange Addiction!” he laughed before his gaze met Hugo’s now-solemn expression. “Shit, Hugh I’m sorry if I upset you, I didn’t-”

 “It’s fine. First off, I have an aesthetic to uphold and I’m not giving it up for anything. And..well, where I grew up..it was called Pittsford. Worst place in the world. Very economically divided. It uh..I grew up in the poor part of town, which was all just mines and vendors. All of the parks and greenery were in the higher class parts..parts we weren’t allowed in as ‘filthy, lower-class peasants’. As soon as me and Donella moved here, there was so much green everywhere...so much grass and so many trees...I couldn’t get enough! I fell in love with the color, hence why it’s everywhere. I just don’t want to not see it again.” he finished, glancing over at Varian. “Sob story, right? Sorry for bringing down the mood.”

 Varian smiled sadly, reaching up to turn his boyfriend’s head in his direction. “I think it’s a cute quirk. I’ll be sure to wear more green.” He stated, defining every word before placing a soft, loving kiss to Hugo’s lips, cupping his cheek.

 “Oh no you don’t! Green is my color!” Hugo declared as he leaned down, pushing his boyfriend back against the pillows and peppering kisses all over his face before proceeding to kiss his lips again. Slowly but surely, it got more intense between them, with Hugo’s hands moving to slide up Varian’s shirt and fingers danced across the skin beneath it before Varian broke the kiss. “We should-” he tried to catch his breath, panting and breathing heavily, “we should take this slower, okay?”

 “Fine by me, hairstripe!” he smiled, removing his hands and standing. He gathered some clothes from his closet. “Don’t mind me, I’m going to have a shower, alright?” he asked, watching as Varian nodded.

 “Hey Hugo?” Varian spoke, Hugo with one foot out the door as he turned on his heel to look at the boy in his bed. He looked adorable with bedhead. Hugo should invite him to stay the night more often, he noted. “Does uh..does this make us boyfriends?”

 Hugo shrugged. “I don’t mind. Do you want us to be?” He asked, Varian immediately replying with a frantic nod of approval. With a wicked grin, Hugo strode over and lowered himself onto one knee. “Okay then, Varian Ruddiger! Would you do me the pleasure of becoming my boyfriend?” He proclaimed, taking Varian’s hands in his own.

 “You’re such a dork.” The other replied, though the smile on his face spoke volumes to what he was truly thinking about the scene in front of him. “But yes, I shall become your boyfriend, Hugo Atkinson. Now go enjoy your shower! You need it!”

 Hugo shoved Varian as he laughed hysterically and gathered his clothes in his arms again. He took one last look at the teen before he strolled down to the bathroom across the hall. He ran the water and leaned back against the door, resting his hand over his mouth to hide his ridiculously wide smile. Wow. Varian was his boyfriend. Varian Ruddiger was his boyfriend. He couldn’t help the bubbly feeling that took over his body as he trailed his hand through his hair. He really was the luckiest guy in the world.

 Varian let out a little giggle and fell back against the pillows again, stunned into silence. He really was dating the biggest nerd in the world, huh? And the best thing was..he couldn’t be happier. Everything was looking up for him - thanks to his and Eugene’s argument, him and the boy he loved were finally together.

 He swung his legs over the bed to find he’d slept in the same clothes he wore yesterday, cringing slightly. No wonder he was so uncomfortable. There was no way he was borrowing Hugo’s clothes either - those things would dwarf him if he even attempted to wear them. That thought didn’t stop him, however, from sneakily taking a green hoodie from the closet, the Corona High symbol on the arm. He pulled it on and walked through the apartment.

 Despite how small it was, he loved the place. It was so Hugo - every inch of it felt exactly like his boyfriend had decorated it. Huh, boyfriend. The thought made the corners of his lips twitch up in a ghost of a smile. It sounded right - like it was meant to be used to describe Hugo and only Hugo. However, one thing that shocked him was the significant lack of pictures. The only thing that came close were framed movie posters, the rest being newspaper headlines and neon green sticky notes which, upon closer inspection, had questions on various topics about engineering. He’d have to buy him some frames and take more pictures when they went out - that way Hugo would have more to hang on the walls.

 His eyes passed over the shelves against the wall, filled to the brim with books on engineering, chemistry, physics and biology. He took one out and skimmed through the pages. They seemed very outdated and old - so most likely a hand-me-down. Maybe they were from that Donella woman he kept bringing up? Anyhow, he slid the book back into place on the shelf and continued his journey down the hall to the living room.

As he passed a mirror in the hallway, he caught sight of purple bruises littered around his neck and collarbones. Oh my god, Eugene was going to kill him-

 Oh shit.

 Eugene.

 He dashed into the living room and searched frantically for his phone, finding it on the glass coffee table alongside the coffee cups they’d discarded last night in favour of more..engaging activities. He picked it up and checked the home screen. Thirteen missed calls from Eugene, ten from Rapunzel. He was in trouble next time he saw them, he thought.

 “V?” Hugo’s voice called through the apartment as he entered the room, his eyebrow raised as he tied his hair back. “You alright there, dollface?” he asked, walking to his boyfriend and wrapping his arms around his waist from behind. “Are you okay?” He enquired yet again, placing a gentle kiss to the junction between Varian’s collarbone and neck.

 “Hugh, we’re in trouble.” He said simply, showing Hugo the screen. The other boy’s eyes widened and he stepped back. “Shit, V.” he chewed his bottom lip in thought before slumping onto the couch. “I uh...how about you send them the address and...and we can all try and talk it out?” he reasoned.

 Varian gulped and pressed ‘Call’ under Rapunzel’s contact, joining his boyfriend on the sofa and letting himself be pulled into yet another embrace by the taller male. It rang. One...two..three times before a frantic voice came through on the other end.

 “Varian Ruddiger, we have been worried SICK about you!” she declared through the phone, the boy in question pulling the device away from his ear slightly and wincing. “Where are you? Are you okay? Please tell me you’re safe-”

 “Rapunzel, I’m fine. I just...I need to talk to you. And Eugene. At Hugo’s apartment. I’ll send through the address just...please. I need you to hear us out. To hear me out.” he sighed and leant back against him, his head resting on the other teen’s chest who proceeded to play with his hair.

 A long silence came from the other end of the phone before a sigh came through. “Okay.” she said, finally, “Send it through and we’ll be there as soon as possible. I love you, Varian.”

 “I love you too, Rapunzel.” He said softly, hanging up and sending the address of Hugo’s apartment to his sister, letting out a breath he didn’t even realise he’d been holding in. Now all that was left to do was wait, he thought as Hugo held him in his arms.

 God, he hoped this went well.

#varigo #varian and the seven kingdoms #varian x hugo #varian tangled #tangled varian #hugo tangled #tangled hugo #alchemy boyfriends #varigo coffee shop au

[a-very-bizarre-adventure]

Sorry if you don’t accept platonic, if you don’t you’re free to change it to romantic. Could I request a reader playing video games with Kakyoin. And the two end up using their stands to get ahead of the others. Like, using their stand to either mess with the game itself or distract the other. Then it ends up with one of them accidentally unplugging the game.(again, if you don’t write platonic, you’re free to change it to romantic thanks!!)

I LOVED THIS

Noriaki Kakyoin was your best friend in every sense of the word. The two of you had been inseparable ever since the day you met. If you could trust anyone with your life, it would be Kakyoin.

However, Kakyoin was quite the gamer while you were what he called a ‘noob’. It was during your time playing video games that all laws of friendship was thrown out the window.

Kakyoin had invited you over to his house to play a new game his parents had bought for him. Even though you were awful at video games, you gladly accepted. However, now you wished you would have said no.

“You cheater!” You squeal out as you see Hierophant Green rapidly pressing down on the D-pad, spitting out attack combos at rapid speed. You watched helplessly as your poor character got thrown around the arena.

“I call it being resourceful.” Kakyoin slyly throws a wink your way. Best friend Kakyoin always had your back and would never do anything to make you upset, however, gamer Kakyoin threw all that out the window in the name of winning.

“Fine, then so can I.” You huff as you summoned your stand. Now, you were not a gamer like Kakyoin. Honestly, you had just been key smashing the entire time. However, if there was one thing you were good at, it was distracting him.

“Hey! Stop that!” Kakyoin yelled as your stand began waving its hand in front of his eyes, causing him to not be able to see the screen. You laugh maniacally as you managed to get a few good hits to his character. After about the fifth punch, you felt something slithering against your arms. By the time you realized what was happening it was too late. Hierophant had wrapped itself around your hands, restricting your hand movements.

“No fair!” You desperately tried to move your hands, but they didn’t budge. Amidst your struggle, you didn’t notice that Kakyoin had managed to slip away from your stand and began demolishing your character. Your eyes widened as you saw your health bar rapidly dropping. You did the last thing you could think of: you swung your legs as hard as you could and kicked Kakyoin right off the bed. Before he could hit the ground, Hierophant let go of you and quickly flew towards Kakyoin.

Suddenly, one of Hierophants tendrils got caught up in the wires of the game console, sending it flying at the wall with a loud thud. The two of you stared speechlessly at the broken console as you heard Kakyoin’s mom yelling at you two to keep it down.

“And I was winning, too.” Kakyoin quietly mumbled.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” You roll your eyes as your stand gives a smack to his arm.

“You owe me a new console.” Kakyoin grinned as he got up from the floor and marched towards you, Hierophant in tow. You gulped as you knew what was about to come. You screamed as Hierophant pounced towards you, knocking you backwards off the bed. You hit the ground with a loud thud. You glanced up to see Kakyoin grinning at you with his head in his hands.

“That’s what you get for breaking a gamers console.” If he wasn’t your best friend, you would have slaughtered him by now.

#noriaki kakyoin #kakyoin x reader #jjba kakyoin #JJBA #jjba x reader #jjba fanfiction #jjba imagines #jjba asks #kakyoin

[brokinghusking344]

How much ram gaming pc 2018

Unforgettable Moments In Gaming Component 3

Twitter is exactly where game publishers, the gaming media, common game streamers and entertainers, esports leagues, teams, players and commentators interact with their most engaged fans and with 1 one more. On-line gaming holds immense potential for developers as effectively as investors. The above list tends to make it apparent that on the internet gaming has emerged as a main segment of the entertainment business. With mobile games, spend-to-play games, and free-to-play (F2P) games becoming even far more creative, it is expected that the worldwide on line gaming market place will grow at an immense rate.

Green Man Gaming , a global e-commerce technologies company in the video games market, today announced that gaming market veteran, Paul Eibeler, has joined the firm as Board Advisor. Paul brings a wealth of information to Green Man Gaming by way of his encounter of operating at top game publishers, distributors and platforms in the interactive games industry.

IGN (Imagine Games Network) has emerged as the hot favourite game internet site on a international level. Launched 21 years ago, IGN is mostly focused on video game & entertainment enthusiast markets. The game website is one quit online destination for gaming, films, Television Shows, Comics and anything you can consider of. You can find recently launched video game news, testimonials, videos, gaming facts, guidelines, and so substantially extra.

No matter if you want to make a tiny-scale team website and spread data about your players or handle huge-scale organizations like Group liquid or Virtus Pro with various gaming divisions, PixieHuge is ideal for you. PixieHuge provides you with sections with designated purposes such as player profiles,, sponsor promotions, numerous game departments, match history and achievements list.

Live in the planet of games on this web-site that is dedicated to providing out magazine style review contents on the hottest games, functions on the gaming community and multiplayer user interface for its readers. How to download games on pc. Invest in games & game keys with Green Man Gaming - get the very best rates, awesome bundles & exclusive game deals each day! Take a look at to explore Green Man Gaming.

What Your Clients Think Around Your own GAMING?

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The stereotypical image of the geeky gamer, sitting alone in his room, playing video games all night long, is long gone. Gamers have come to be the actual stars of social media. No other niche has grown so immensely with the age of social media than the field of gaming. Supported by social media like YouTube and the live-streaming platform Twitch, the numbers of gaming channels boomed. No wonder that brands recognized the prospective that these gaming influencers bring with them. We have put collectively a list of some of the most significant gaming influencers you require to know.

Paul: Green Man Gaming, like a lot of information driven technology marketplaces, was born in a spreadsheet and continues to this day to be heavily data dependant. The business uses historical evaluation of correlated information to create forecasts of customer behaviour, as effectively as genuine-time information streams to augment these forecasts in actual time.

Augmented reality games are becoming a front-runners of gaming market. Nowadays, this is not just the fantastical concept. AR games let you to fight aliens, capture fantastical creatures, defend kingdoms in the real planet. And all of this is possible without the need of super high-priced headsets - just an AR-enabled smartphone or console is expected. Wolf's Gaming Weblog is on a run to give you the most accurate and honest reviews on the top games in Xbox 1, Individual Laptop or computer games and Board games. With this site in your bookmarks tab, the climate is often superior to get your hands on some on line games.

We're going to the International Festival for Business this month and will be hosting a special occasion Inspiring Entrepreneurs '˜Going Global' exactly where best business individuals will inform us the secrets of their results. A single of these entrepreneurs is Paul Sulyok, CEO and Founder of Green Man Gaming Green Man Gaming is a pioneering, global eCommerce technology corporation that has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2010. We asked him how he did it.

Blogs listed should really be either primarily about board games, or contain sufficient relevant content material to be viewed as a 'gaming blog'. Tech Guided is a technologies and gaming community web site that publishes articles on the best Pc, CPU, video game cards and other useful gadget evaluations that is required for a smooth gaming expertise.

As for the other subject E­sports seems to be increasing and expanding, and with it Youtube. Video reviews from men and women like AngryJoe let people connect far more with the reviewer, and by way of that subtantial followings are constructed. Written media, on the other hand, is struggling, which is poor news for me due to the fact I'm not quite enough for Youtube! Sadly, though, we're still seeing lots of hostility within the gaming community, which the media loves to focus on.

Top quality gaming headsets not only let the player hear things that are hard to pickup with speakers- like directional noises- but also facilitate group work with their built-in mics. Well-liked games like PUBG, Fortnite, and Battlefield V need these accurate audio queues surprisingly, hearing footsteps can make a substantial distinction. Whether or not you want to create a gaming news blog, a testimonials site or create an on-line community for gamers, the CrystalSkull theme has anything you want to get started.

When obtaining an inexpensive gaming Computer, from time to time you require to make sacrifices to maintain the specs to a minimum. Thankfully, there are machines like this 1 from Lenovo that minimize the amount of compromise to a minimum, even supporting virtual reality platforms. The VR Ready” label means you can play with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive without having any storage problems, offered the 2 TB tough drive and the 256 GB SSD. There's a variety of specs you can choose from, so if your price range makes it possible Click here for for it, you can tailor the most powerful components for even improved results.

The future of gaming is a world where you are empowered to play the games you want, with the individuals you want, anytime you want, wherever you are, and on any device of your deciding upon. Our vision for the evolution of gaming is comparable to music and films — entertainment should really be accessible on demand and accessible from any screen. Today, I'm excited to share with you one of our important projects that will take us on an accelerated journey to that future globe: Project xCloud.

[segernatural]

I'm a big fan of everything the Game Grumps do. Those guys (and their team) usually have an incredible connection with their fans, in knowing when, how, and what content they want to see.

But the saga over the last few days has left a bad taste in my mouth.

I'm not a "gamer". I casually play a few video games, and I know how games work and lore and stories, but I'm not up to date on gaming history, or console specifics, or anything deeper than a few classic and modern titles. But i am an avid learner, especially when there is interesting information around. I'll watch hours of content about something obscure and unusual, even if i just happen across it.

So when a channel i support has a mystery afoot, i'm invested before the video is over. I genuinely loved the dendy deep dive videos--arin's solo one was great, and then bringing dan in to springboard for some of the repeats in the second. It was just genuinely good content.

And then the "discovery" video happened. Arin had been hyping it up saying he'd found a few things on twitter and instagram, and i was stoked. Thats so cool! He's super invested in it! We hardly get to see him so passionate about things, so i was ecstatic. And i watched the full-length video minutes before my lecture started because i was that interested. It was a great video! The pacing, the mystery, the struggle! A discovery like this is incredible! Arin!

And then. The wool was removed. I don't know anything about consoles, and i dont know a lot about the history of the internet--as i imagine, a lot of folks don't--so as this "thing" seemed unusual and unlikely, i didn't think too much about it. But other people know things. Commentors do. And i guess, ultimately, i'm just disappointed.

Don't get me wrong. I love them. They're fantastic people. But not one of their media people spoke up and said, "hey, maybe intentionally leading your audience astray isnt a good idea? Maybe lying to them isnt a good idea?" Okay, maybe us fans should have been able to tell. But why go through the effort of making it convincing if you expected us to know anyway?

There's a lot of trust involved in online communities for channels. Without a doubt, i think they could have marketed and sold this game just fine without the hoax. As stated, i'm not a gamer. I wouldnt have bought it anyway. But now, instead of me having a "hey thats a cool thing! Great work" sort of attitude, i'm left with a sort of betrayed attitude of "here's this cool story whoa! Big news! Actually, nevermind. We just wanted to sell our new game," while feeling like an utter idiot for falling for it.

It's just not cool guys. You got a bunch of people excited about something you just "made up". And then expect them to be excited for the bait and switch.

I love a good story as much as the next person. But what was the point in lying to your audience?

(There's a lot of conjecture out there right now, and i honestly dont know what to believe. So many people saying its not possible w/ the tech and the files, the guys sticking with the "discovery", throw in some legality stuff--i just dont know. Until we know more, ultimately, i dont think it was a great idea. If it honestly happened, then good on them. But it just seems so unlikely now.)

#soviet jump game #game grumps #settle down char #sorry for clogging up your feed but i needed to say something #arin and dan #char rants #gg #i'll come back to this once we know more #i really hope it wasnt just a hoax #but the odds arent in their favour #but why call it then? just to commit to the bit? #what about legally releasing a game from a russian company that never premiered? can you legally do that? its not public domain. #but the inconsistencies with the technology and the translations #as well as the timeline here are super suspicious #taking old russian coding from a russian console and being able to write enough code to finish it--let alone transfer it to modern ablities? #i just dont know #talking in tags

[orbemnews]

The Races Are Digital, and So Are the Adverts, however the Cash Is Actual It takes greater than gasoline to make a racecar run. It requires cash. And cash requires sponsors. And sponsors require spectators who they hope will change into clients. Which turned an issue for motorsports when Covid-19 shut down tracks worldwide early final yr. The money drought put groups, tracks and race sequence at risk of extinction. The trade turned to an rising phenomenon — simulated racing. In these extremely sensible video video games, automobiles obey the legal guidelines of physics and race on reproductions of real-life tracks which are correct all the way down to the final pavement seam. In an experiment, NBC and Fox changed the canceled races with sim races. Nobody knew if digital automobiles would draw viewers and repay for sponsors. Historically, racecars served as high-speed billboards main customers to clamor for the engine oil proved superior by the profitable automotive. Might a sim automotive promote engine oil, having neither an engine nor oil? Ten months into the experiment, sim races appear to be paying off, as tv and net audiences helped to salvage the 2020 season. And now sim racing provides groups a brand new income, provides sponsors a extra accountable type of advertising and has a younger viewers that motorsports have struggled to seize. Quickly sim racing will face the true take a look at: Can it retain followers and sponsors when actual automobiles are again on actual tracks and actual spectators are within the stands? Racing video video games aren’t new. You could possibly play Indy 500 and Avenue Racer on Atari in 1977. By the ’90s, extra subtle System One video games — albeit with blocky graphics — flourished. Graphic refinement vaulted forward in successive generations of sport consoles from Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo. Now, at an informal look, you won’t even discover the races are simulated. Desktop computer systems additionally run extremely advanced networked video games, like iRacing, which was the chosen platform of plenty of race organizations, together with NASCAR, IMSA, IndyCar and the W Sequence. System One selected its personal industrial sport by Codemasters. Many professional racers privately used the video games to coach. At a minimal, the tracks’ constancy lets drivers memorize the structure. Some groups use particular simulator software program to fine-tune the setup of their precise automobiles earlier than a race. Sim racing builds driving talent sufficient that some players, like William Byron, have graduated into actual automobiles. Mr. Byron, a NASCAR Cup Sequence driver, now owns an eNASCAR crew, which gained a $100,000 purse within the 2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Sequence. Professional drivers have sneaked unannounced into on-line competitions for years. For followers, it’s like becoming a member of a pickup basketball sport and discovering LeBron James on the courtroom. Carmakers see the brand-building worth of video games. Chevrolet made information when its simulated C8.R mid-engine Corvette joined iRacing’s IMSA sequence in September. Chevy, like producers as assorted as Mazda and McLaren, licenses its autos to dozens of video games together with Forza, Venture CARS and Gran Turismo Sport. Avid gamers will not be the prime marketplace for a $60,000 Corvette, stated Kevin Kelly, a Chevrolet spokesman, “however it’s an opportunity to change into loyal to the model.” Sim racing was an afterthought till about three years in the past, when know-how, social media and actual racing started to converge, stated Bryan Prepare dinner, who was employed by Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR to followers) in 2009 to deal with social media. He expanded into iRacing 4 years in the past, starting with a personal league that pitted JGR professional drivers towards “your common Joes,” he stated. A yr earlier than the pandemic, iRacing turned an official a part of the JGR advertising program, providing sponsors a youthful viewers and social media information — for a charge. “You get to the purpose the place drivers have to be paid,” Mr. Prepare dinner stated. “There are tools wants. We stated we actually must cowl our prices right here.” Sims bought their massive break on March 22, when each eNASCAR and digital System One races had been proven on TV instead of canceled races. The eNASCAR race drew 910,000 viewers, fewer than the three million typical for NASCAR however greater than the 400,000 typical for a digital race. “We began realizing this might be an actual alternative for these NASCAR races,” stated Brad Zager, Fox Sports activities’ head of manufacturing and operations. The primary F1 alternative race, the Digital Bahrain Grand Prix, drew 4 million whole viewers on digital and TV, lower than the 34 million common for an precise race, however forward of the common 1.8 million viewers for professional digital races. Final yr “supplied a brand new degree of publicity for F1 Esports,” stated Julian Tan, head of digital enterprise initiatives and Esports at System 1. “We noticed file digital numbers on engagement once we got here again racing reside in Austria and even our Esports content material from our official digital championship final winter noticed file numbers.” Although validating, broadcast TV is simply a part of sim racing’s attain. Livestreams might hit 400,000 viewers over YouTube, Fb and Twitch, stated Anthony Gardner, president of iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations. Extra beneficial are the social interactions — tweets, likes, feedback — throughout races. “The social media touches are within the tens of millions in a race,” Mr. Gardner stated. These interactions yield buyer information and an opportunity to talk on to customers. All of a sudden the sim racing viewers was large enough to demand consideration, however too new for entrepreneurs to know how one can capitalize on it. Sponsors took completely different approaches, however all aimed for an elusive new viewers. NASCAR’s fan base has declined since 2005 because it ages. Sim racing attracts a youthful and extra racially various viewers — engaging to each sponsors and leagues. “It’s actually arduous to succeed in that 18-to-35 demographic,” stated Patrick Daugherty, who manages sponsorships for Valvoline. “Gaming overindexes with younger D.I.Y.-ers.” The corporate signed with Parker Kligerman, a star racer and an eNASCAR driver, earlier than Covid-19 struck. “The viewership and engagement exceeded our expectations,” Mr. Daugherty stated. “We bought actually fortunate, and we’re going to renew with these guys in 2021.” Regardless of being the official grill of NASCAR, Pit Boss Grills couldn’t afford to sponsor a front-running racer, which is reported to value as much as $35 million. That modified with eNASCAR. “This gave us the chance to leap in on a main sponsorship,” stated Carlos Padilla, director of brand name partnerships. “It allowed us to be reside on a broadcast on a automotive, if you wish to name it that, at a worth level viable for a corporation of our measurement.” It value 4 figures per race, he stated, to be seen by one million TV viewers — a cut price. Discouraging iRacing would possibly appear to be in a racetrack’s greatest curiosity, however Richmond Raceway first sponsored a crew about three years in the past. It constructed a simulator inside a decommissioned racecar for followers to strive. That innovation led Daytona Worldwide Speedway to borrow the automotive. Not solely did that elevate Richmond’s profile, however sponsor money earned a five-figure revenue. “Advertising and marketing was the unique goal,” stated Brent S. Gambill, a spokesman previously for the monitor and now for NASCAR’s Mid-Atlantic Area. “When it began, we had been spending cash to be part of one thing. By the second yr, we had been creating wealth.” On-line audiences provide sponsors a capability to measure responses to particular provides, slogans and pricing in a method that TV doesn’t. But a tsunami of information will not be at all times useful. “It will be implausible to us if we are able to say a million individuals watched final week and 200,000 purchased automobiles this week. I don’t know if we’ll ever have the ability to do this,” stated Paul Doleshal, normal supervisor for motorsports and belongings at Toyota Motors North America. “We’re sort of drowning in data now.” Which makes it troublesome to match sim racing’s gross sales energy with actual racing’s. However it could be a moot query for a couple of causes. One is that the 2 worlds are intertwining — efficiency on the digital monitor can have real-world repercussions. When Darrell Wallace Jr., often called Bubba, stop a digital race in frustration in April, the sponsor Blue-Emu dropped him, tweeting partially: “Bye bye Bubba. We’re concerned about drivers, not quitters.” Kyle Larson, a driver, uttered a racial slur throughout a sim race, shedding sponsors and incomes a suspension from NASCAR and iRacing. He’ll return to NASCAR in October. The second cause is that whereas profitable helps, it’s not the only real cause a fan buys a automotive product. “It’s not simply in regards to the literal oil,” stated Eric Schwartz, a advertising professor at College Michigan’s Ross College of Enterprise. “It’s about being a trusted model, one which understands this world of racing.” Lastly, sim’s easiest enchantment to manufacturers is that it delivers viewers. “It is a approach to get eyeballs for the model, to remain high of thoughts,” Mr. Schwartz stated. “If Valvoline doesn’t sponsor a crew their competitor will.” It can take time to know if sim race followers change into actual race aficionados and vice versa, however Fox has scheduled 5 sim races for its FS1 community this yr. “You could have so many choices with iRacing,” Mr. Zager of Fox stated, envisioning a dust monitor race one week and Daytona the subsequent. “ESports turned a really massive buzzword when the pandemic hit,” he added. “However iRacing simply went to the entrance of the sphere, and nobody caught as much as it.” Supply hyperlink #ads #Digital #Money #Races #Real

[ryadel]

Buying the Perfect Gaming PC - Guide for Beginners

The world is evolving rapidly. A couple of decades ago, the sole purpose behind a Personal Computer was to help people carry out work related tasks. Well, those times are long gone and the most prominent motivation behind buying a formidable PC these days is gaming. Computer gamers across the globe take pride in owning machines that can perform at par and even better than most gaming consoles. With so many amazing titles like Assassin’s Creed Origins and Battlefield V waiting to be grabbed, the question is whether a gaming PC is capable of delivering them in the way they are meant to be played. Now assembling a PC might seem intimidating with all the wirework going on and the various components, which need to be interconnected. However, in reality, once you get a hang of how things work, the process is fairly streamlined. Whether you intend to buy a new PC, or upgrade the one you already have, let us guide you through a detailed component analysis to get the machine of your dreams.

Desktop Vs Laptop

The first thing you need to analyze is what suits you the best, a laptop or a desktop. If you like to travel around a lot for gaming sessions, and prefer changing places often, then a laptop might be a more suitable bet (provided that you are willing to spend a little more since laptops generally cost more than PC’s due to their portability factor). Desktop computers on the other hand are powerhouses, and you can obtain some monstrously capable devices for the same price you will be paying for a capable gaming laptop.

Buying a Pre-Built System

Now that we know whether we want a laptop or a desktop computer, let us move ahead. A number of prominent companies offer prebuilt desktop systems, which is a great option if you wish to avoid all the hassle of assembling a computer system by yourself. Some prominent options are Corsair’s Vengeance 5180, which is targeted for a high-end audience, or the HP Omen Obelisk, which is suitable for mid-ranged gamers. Even if you calculate the individual price of the components, DIY assembly and a pre-assembled system won’t vary majorly in price. Moreover, these assembled systems come with warranties and some added features which are not available for DIY scenarios. Before we explain the different components and their participation towards the perfect system, you need to understand that your online gaming experience is largely dependent on the capabilities of your internet. If you have an impressive system, but your internet is struggling, the overall experience will be disappointing. Major ISP’s offer formidable services to cater to the need of online gaming, like Cox internet packages can very well be your savior in this regard.

Assembling your PC

There are a number of components, which we need to consider while assembling a computer system. A list of those components is as follows: PC Casing and Cooling The first thing you need to do is select the perfect PC casing for your setup. Some people prefer compact casings for closed spaces while others favor more flashy options with RGB lightings and larger structures. Your casing should have enough space to comfortably host all the components of your choice and there has to be enough breathability so that things do not overheat. Casings usually come with built-in cooling fans but for a gaming setup, it is advisable to opt for a dedicated cooling option like liquid cooling. With the changing technology, parts like graphic cards are advancing every other day so it is wise to keep some extra space if you plan to upgrade your system in the future. Many major companies like Asus, Corsair, Cooler Master and VIVO offer great casing options like Cooler Master Stryker SE, Corsair Carbide Spec-Alpha and VIVO “Smart” Tower. Your decision has to be based on the price bracket that you have in mind for your system. Power Supply (PSU) The next thing you need to consider is the capacity of the power supply you want for your system. Power supply is the driving component of your system, which powers all the individual components, some through the motherboard and some of them directly. A good practice before purchasing a power supply is to inquire the energy requirements of the most prominent components like the graphic card. This will give you a good idea regarding your systems consumption. Always buy 100 watts above the required limit to be on the safe side. The usual range for power supplies in gaming PC’s lies between 450-550 watts. Motherboard (MB / MoBo) Motherboards, just like processors, come in many different flavors such as budget entry options and enthusiast focused geared options. The motherboard distributes electricity and commands. When compared to our biology, it would be similar to that of our own skeleton. All of your components will be secured to the motherboard; therefore, connectivity options are important alongside features. These features can be added through the addition of components but keep the connectivity option in mind that will be limited with entry-level options. You could add on Wi-Fi through a USB port or a PCI slot on your computer, but remember to factor in the cost of these options when selecting a motherboard versus purchasing additional components. Audio options that are offered are fine for most but not for everyone. So if you plan to add a dedicated sound card to handle your audio processing, bear in mind that an additional PCI slot is required. Your graphics card will occupy a PCI Express slot and if you plan to have Multi-GPU setup for 4K gaming then you will need two of those slots. Graphics card manufacturer NVidia and their property SLI certification result in a higher premium since the manufacturer of the motherboard is charged a fee to use their seal of approval. Processor (CPU) Your processer is the key component when it comes to the computing power of your system. Capable processors complimented with the right set of components allow you to play the most advanced computer games with ease. While determining the processor you need, a good practice is to look at the number of cores being offered. Multiple cores split processing data between them, which increases the efficiency for various tasks. Note that not every game takes full use of all your cores so it is better that if you have a specific game in mind, check its compatibility with different processors. The processing frequency also plays an important role in defining the capability of a processor. Processing frequency is generally calculated in hertz (Hz). Simple processors will be branded as a single processor with a certain Hz frequency like 2GHz. On the other hand, multiple cored processors define speeds for individual cores. Make sure that your processor supports the latest RAM and GPU so you don’t have to spend extra if you intend to upgrade your system in the future. Video Graphic Card (GPU) Proper gaming is based on significant graphical power, which comes from the GPU. A number of assembled PCs come with built-in graphic cards. However, the way games are being developed these days, a dedicated GPU has become a necessity. When you add a good graphical card to your gaming arsenal, the core processing is shifted to the GPU so that your computer can multi-task properly as well as give you the best performance during demanding gaming sessions. Different cards perform particularly well with different genres of games so it’s quite useful if you carry out some base research as to what your requirement is. Similarly, different graphic cards outshine in different resolutions. For instance if you are a fan of Witcher 3, AMD RX Vega 56 would offer you excellent graphics with great value for money. If DOTA 2 is your thing, Nvidia GTX 1070-Ti could be your go-to card. Sometimes, even the most basic graphic cards are sufficient to play the games you love. So your decision should be based on your need rather than what you want if you intend to save money. Memory (RAM) RAM is an important component as it temporarily stores data in itself while your computer performs various tasks. A greater RAM allows your computer to carry out multiple tasks simultaneously without compromising on the efficiency. Despite the fact that you have a capable processor and graphic card installed, if the RAM is not sufficient, your entire system will be considerably slow. In the current era of technology, a minimum RAM of 6 GBs is recommended, especially if you have a gaming intent. You also need to take into account the generation of the RAM you are using, as it should be compatible with your system. For instance, a DDR2 RAM would be considerably slower than a DDR3 RAM of the same Gigs. Your motherboard and the processor need to be compatible with the RAM you install in your PC so make sure to consult a credible resource. This is not difficult at all, it could be as simple as reading the instruction manual on your motherboard. Hard drive (HDD / SSD) Everything that is stored in your computer requires a local physical space. Your hard disk provides that space where you can store all the games and programs, until your hearts content. The ideal hard disk for a gamer would need to be fast and offer you great space for storage at the same time. The speed of a hard disk is generally determined by the RPM, the speed at which its disk rotates. These days, the standard RPM for gaming is 7200. Solid States Drives (SSD) is also the go-to technology for gamers these days as these storage devices don’t rely on a rotating disc. They do cost considerably higher and offer less storage space as compared to the standard hard disks. The best practice these days is to couple an SSD with a standard hard disk. The SSD will be useful for booting purposes as well as initiating various programs and software. The standard disk will provide the space for all the data storage. A 512GB SSD would work great with 1-2TB of standard storage space for backing it up. Monitor Monitor is your core output component as it displays all the awesomeness of your system. Having so many options in the market and making a decision on which display suits you best might be a nuisance. The primary factor, which you need to consider, is the size of your monitor. You need to choose a size that suits your gaming needs the best. If you are a fan of RPG’s, a bigger screen size can bring in better entertainment. On the other hand, if you like playing strategies games more; a larger screen size would make it difficult to maneuver your character. Higher resolutions are required on bigger screens for optimal results. Moreover, certain games require greater resolutions to support all the immersive detailing, which goes on in them. Keep in mind though that playing games at a higher resolution will test the computing power of your device so your computer system needs to be at par with the performance requirement for such titles. Resolution settings can be tweaked as per your requirements but there is always a max resolution up to which a monitor can perform. If you are willing to upgrade your system in the future or if your current system is capable enough, we highly recommend going for a good monitor that facilitates you in the longer run. Other components to consider There are certain other things, which are an active part of your system as well. However, these are minor components as compared to the ones, which we have already discussed. Your preference for a mouse, speakers, or a keyboard would not affect the performance of your device. Nevertheless, these things, including a headset can directly affect your gaming experience. So make sure you choose components in accordance with your comfortability level. Some people prefer ambidextrous mice while some gamers like their headphones to have noise cancelation features. The buying choice is always yours. Choosing between DIY or an assembled system is also per your preference and if you feel like ‘doing it yourself’ could be nuisance, you always have the other option at hand. DIY Installation You can always have someone build your machine but that would take all the fun out of the fulfilling and rewarding experience, you will get when assembling it on your own. When you run into a problem, it can be frustrating but the internet is always there to help you out. By accessing online forums, you easily find a solution to your problem. The first goal should be to have your newly built computer post and allow you access the bios. You can configure RAM speed and ensure all devices are being recognized properly. If, for some reason, a component is not visible in the bios then it is a good idea to power down and inspect your cabling. It's best to load your operating system on to a USB 3.0 flash drive and boot from the device via bios. Once installation of the operating system is complete, you want to install the necessary drivers for the operating system, motherboard, processor, and graphics card. All driver installations are straightforward except for your graphics card, which requires you to disable on-board graphic so your graphics card can take care of graphics processing. Read the full article

#CPU #GamingPC #GPU #GraphicCard #Motherboard #PSU #RAM

[linuxgamenews]

OUYA exceeds expectation and hits 1000 games

It seemed almost like an impossible dream, but they've definitely done it. OUYA has just marked its 1,000th game, reaching that number that any non-mainstream gaming platform can only dream of. It was an achievement two years in the making, and one that perhaps almost never came to be. OUYA and its community definitely have one more thing to be thankful for this holiday. Back in 2012, OUYA captured the hearts, imaginations, and, of course, money of Android gamers on Kickstarter. But after the initial campaign success, the gaming console set off to a rocky journey marred by delays. It finally did land in backers' hands and later on in store shelves, but not everyone was satisfied with how the product turned out, especially when it came to the controller. And it wasn't just the hardware. OUYA's history would be punctuated with controversy in its efforts to get more games and developers on board. And yet it persevered and is now lighting its 1,000th candle, if there were a cake big enough to hold that many. Its success proved that there is a market, albeit not that big, for Android-based console gaming, something that both Amazon and Google are now targeting with their TV-oriented thrusts. OUYA's catalog is no small matter either. While it did cater to indie developers, a lot of big names have also lent their weight to the platform, like SEGA, Telltale Games, and Double Fine, just to name a few. And those 1,000 games aren't filled with knockoffs and imitations, as the carefully curated list boast of quality titles, some of which might not even be available for the general Android populace.

So what's next for OUYA? The startup hasn't been coy about turning OUYA into more than just a gaming console but also a platform, one that will have features like user-created "Community Content" or one that can be installed in other devices, like Xiaomi's Mi TV. But there are also rumors of the company struggling to keep afloat, with whispers of potential buyouts. Whichever way the wind blows, OUYA has undoubtedly made history and hopefully it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.

#ouya #gaming #console #platform #linux #gaming news #games #success

[spicynbachili1]

Cozy up to the dead with these recent Switch releases

Loss of life, dismemberment, and demons, all simply in time for Halloween

In keeping with Irish folklore, Samhain is the day on the calendar when doorways between the land of the residing and the land of the useless and different areas of the supernatural open at their widest. Over time, the day morphed into what we now name Halloween, a vacation the place kids’s minds are stuffed with ideas of monsters whereas they stuff their mouths with sweet that may ultimately kill their our bodies. Additionally it is the night time when the most individuals on Earth might be discovered sporting slutty Luigi. The Yin and Yang, life and demise relationship between teeth-rotting, blood sugar-spiking sweet, and the attractive Mario Bros. are simply a part of what makes this such a particular time of yr. 

For those who’re a Change proprietor and also you wish to rejoice the day in a extra off-beat means, these 5 new-ish video games (most of that are additionally on PC) could do the “trick.” Not like most typical horror tales, these titles do not at all times work laborious to make you concern demise. As a substitute, they permit the participant to interact in contemplative, generally empowering relationships with the tip of their lives, making them an ideal match for Crom Cruach’s large occasion. 

Pinstripe 

I used to be not anticipating a lot out of this sport, nevertheless it actually blew me away with its writing and voice performing. It is not clear that any of the characters in Pinstripe are alive for any of our time with them, however they actually come to life emotionally, particularly Bo, your three-year-old daughter who faces a destiny worse than demise for many of your journey. The sport is about attempting to avoid wasting her from Pinstripe, a shadowy, devilish man who desires her for himself. It is uncomfortable stuff, however by no means exploitative. It is spectacular how shut the narrative involves straight addressing critical subjects like alcoholism and youngster abuse whereas by no means veering into territory that I would conceal from a ten-year-old. 

The sport’s puzzles are extra hit and miss. They vary from quick re-appropriations of Flappy Chook to hidden object hunts straight out of Highlights journal, although they’re all tailor match for the narrative. There are additionally some limited-scope motion sequences, often involving taking pictures one thing with a slingshot or leaping on a canine with a giant butt. All of them vary from fine-to-fun, nevertheless it’s the Burton-esque artwork route, unsettling use of By The Mild Of The Silvery Moon, and underlying themes of paternal guilt and habit that actually make this one work. It is a rated-T 2D Silent Hill: Shattered Reminiscences for the fashionable period. 

The Lacking: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Reminiscences 

As Chris stated in his assessment, there may be much more to The Lacking than you would possibly glean from simply the trailers. I’ve heard some folks say that the sport seems like one other dread-filled 2D platformer within the type of Limbo or Inside, the place grisly shock-value deaths lie round each nook, besides that this time it is a beautiful younger lady who will get repeatedly massacred. That is not solely unfaithful, however one of many issues that makes The Lacking particular is the best way it turns participant motivations on their head, generally actually. As a substitute of desirous to run away from having your cranium caved in or your legs lower off, it’s essential to run into these brutal assaults in an effort to progress, and it hurts each time. 

Hurting herself is the one means for J.J. to avoid wasting somebody very near her. In that means, The Lacking forces the participant to alternate between the roles of protector, victimizer, and sufferer on a relentless cycle, and that is all simply in relation to controlling the sport’s protagonist. It is extraordinarily intense, which makes me all of the extra grateful that the carnage is damaged up by the occasional bursts of surreal comedy and in-game textual content messages that really feel very actual. Regardless of some points with wonky physics and uneven issue curves, The Lacking is a must-play sport for followers of physique horror, survivor tales, and anybody who is aware of what it is wish to be hated only for being your self.

Black Chook 

This new Fantasy Zone-meets-Steel Slug shmup from the thoughts of Yoshiro Kimura (Dandy Dungeon, Rule of Rose, No Extra Heroes, Little King’s Story) can also be a few lady who dies and comes again time and again, however not like in The Lacking, the violence right here is never masochistic. As a substitute of coming again damaged and bloody, the star of Black Chook reanimates as a ghostly raven’s head who wreaks havoc on every part she sees. The message can also be slightly tougher to parse. Do all of the soldier-peasants appear like Mario as a result of the sport is about struggling indie devs who wish to let free on the senseless mascot-worshiping client tradition that usually leaves them ignored? Would the world be higher off if the spoiled innocence of nature rose up in a rage and destroyed mankind and all its environment-poisoning expertise? Which has extra of a proper to exist, the vengeance of a useless youngster that left the world in wreck, or the lives of apathetic bystanders who did nothing however watch as that very same youngster died within the streets?

I haven’t got solutions to these questions, however I do know that Black Chook makes it very enjoyable to explode issues, and its soundtrack is already one among my favourite sport scores ever. It is a gibberish opera sung by passionate Muppets the likes of which we have not heard since LocoRoco, and higher but, many enemy spawn occasions are tied to the choral beats. This inherently enjoyable fusion of sound and motion mixed with non-linear development and a copiously deep combo system makes replaying the eight ranges (4 in the primary sport, 4 in new sport plus) a pleasure to blast via each time. Although the sport is technically fairly quick, it has tons of secrets and techniques, unlockables, and random occasions to assist each apocalyptic spherical of destruction really feel contemporary.

Friday The 13th: Killer Puzzle 

Sure, consider it or not, this makes the fourth sport to launch on Change this month the place you play as some type of a useless individual. This time although, the rotten face you tackle will in all probability look extra acquainted, even though it is hidden behind an cute hockey masks. Like within the movies from which he hails, Jason Voorhees is out for revenge once more, however this time his homicide spree takes place in a collection of human jigsaw-like puzzles. As a substitute of film items round a board, you progress Jason, who’s mainly the Superman of the slasher world; impossibly robust, capable of transfer into your private house right away, and susceptible to only a few obstacles. On this case, his types of kryptonite embrace lakes, bear traps, and even getting arrested by the cops. Jason could also be a mass assassin, however with regards to interacting with the police, he is downright well mannered. 

These issues not often gradual Jason down although. His fundamental drawback right here is, he cannot stroll diagonally, and he can solely cease shifting when he hits a wall or somebody to kill. That may make it laborious to walk up and decapitate a camper who’s hiding in a nook down by a bear entice subsequent to the lake. Whereas the primary 10 levels or so are slightly too straightforward, the following 100+ greater than make up for it with sensible design and satisfying options. The devs additionally labored all of the DLC content material from the Steam construct into the Change port with extra pure, in-game unlocks. Now new variations of Jason are accessed through progressing via varied modes and coming into secret codes. That features the return of the NES’s inexperienced and purple Jason to Nintendo consoles, which is a trademark occasion for anybody who grew up with that individual iteration of our illustrious drowned boy.

Streets of Purple: DDD 

This can be the one sport on the record the place you play as a residing individual, however do not you are worried, it is nonetheless received loads of reanimated corpses to mess around with. In truth, there’s at the very least one boss that bears greater than a putting resemblance to the beforehand talked about Voorhees youngster, although this mama’s boy is extra of a parody and fewer of direct illustration. He is simply one of many many satirical tributes to horror movie icons. You could possibly virtually consider the sport as co-op horror Smash Bros., because it has equally easy inputs, however with a crossover of sport characters combined in with the lookalikes of The Demogorgon, Freddy, Colossus Titan, and the one who scares me most of all, none apart from Jim Sterling.

We additionally simply acquired phrase that the sport is about to get a complete lot greater. As you’ll be able to see within the trailer above, it is getting a free replace, tentatively set to go reside on Halloween. The patch features a good quantity of recent content material, together with new bosses, language choices, and the implementation of on-line leaderboards, all alongside a brief value drop.

I’ve helped advise the creator of Streets of Purple on varied points of the Change port for some time now, so any reward from me could come off as biased, however hey, I am not the one one who likes it. Whereas all of the video games on this record come extremely really helpful, that is the one one which’s constructed for 4 gamers, so in the event you’re planning on partying this vacation, placing this in your Change is the best way to go. 

Bonus Deal with

This artwork by James “Illmosis” Beaver, entitled Horror Combat 2, is on the market proper now and I am unable to suggest it sufficient. I purchased an 11×17 print of this piece final month, so I can attest to the print high quality and paper inventory, that are each high notch. In case you have time for one final Halloween ornament earlier than the 31st rolls round, do not be afraid to choose it up. 

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[yahooben]

'Mass Effect: Andromeda' review: A sprawling space drama that struggles to stay on target

‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’ invites you to strap in for another space opera.

“Space is big,” beloved author and interdimensional traveler Douglass Adams noted in his seminal towel-seller, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” “You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big,” he wrote, hammering home the point that when it comes to bigness, even our new president has nothing on the universe.

That size presents quite a challenge to game makers, but few have hacked away at the quandary with as much gusto as developer Bioware. The team behind the blockbuster “Mass Effect” trilogy managed to capture the epic scope of the big unknown while keeping our eyes trained on the intimate interactions between characters, a space opera in its truest — and, in terms of video games, among its best — form. So when they announced a return to their beautifully realized universe with “Mass Effect: Andromeda” ($60 for Xbox One, PS4, PC), we all got very excited indeed.

But a great deal has happened since 2012’s “Mass Effect 3” simultaneously wowed and enraged gamers; namely, “The Witcher 3,” “Fallout 4,” Bioware’s own “Dragon Age: Inquisition” and a host of other genre-blending RPGs (you could arguably toss recent greats “Horizon: Zero Dawn” and “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” into that mix, too). Big-budget role-playing games have blossomed in the past five years.

‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’ has the makings of a great game, but misses the mark with a number of missteps.

And unfortunately, “Mass Effect: Andromeda” picked up some unwelcome visitors on its long journey to your gaming machine. Though it has some stellar moments, “Andromeda” tries to cram too many ideas into one package, turning its obsession with the bigness of space into a crutch for uncharacteristically shoddy workmanship.

The (next) final frontier

To answer your most obvious question: no, you do not need to have played the prior “Mass Effect” games to understand what the hell is happening here. “Andromeda” tells a self-contained story featuring entirely new characters, planets and star systems, though references to elements from the original trilogy (the Citadel, the Geth, Spectre, etc.) do occasionally pop up.

The game is set roughly 600 years after the events of the original trilogy. Just as things were heating up in the Milky Way (around the “Mass Effect 2” timeframe), several giant Ark ships were launched towards the faraway heart of the Andromeda galaxy. Snuggled in cryo beds and dreaming of a new life, the adventurous souls aboard these vessels were hoping to discover habitable new worlds and plant some flags.

‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’ sees you exploring the Andromeda galaxy for a new home. But – spoiler alert – things go very wrong.

Naturally, things go sideways. You play as either Scott or Sara Ryder, a twin thrust into the role of ‘Pathfinder’ and tasked with guiding a ragtag group of aliens in a quest to find a new home. It’s all pretty standard sci-fi stuff — a bite of “Star Trek,” a nibble of “Battlestar” — but Bioware crafts a well-told tale that rises above its derivative vibe to keep you, um, engaged throughout.

Mostly, that’s done though a tweaked version of the branching narrative structure Bioware is known for. Conversation options have expanded beyond the binary Paragon/Renegade of prior games, adding flexibility and giving you a bit more agency over your particular Ryder. Despite some nasty bad guys and extremely high stakes, it’s also significantly more lighthearted than the trilogy’s dour doomsday scenario. Regardless of how you play Ryder, he (or she) is quick to joke and seems intent on keeping the joy of discovery intact.

The dialogue system isn’t as thrilling as it used to be, however. Other franchises have taken the cue and built branching narratives with greater emotional value. “The Witcher 3,” “Life is Strange” — heck, the entire Telltale Games catalog (whose Season 1 of “The Walking Dead” bested “Mass Effect 3” in most 2012 Game of the Year Awards) have pushed the envelope of branching narrative design, making each choice feel impactful. Though your tone changes based on your responses in “Andromeda,” Ryder’s playful, at time snarky attitude takes some of the gravitas out of the decision-making. You rarely break a sweat.

‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’s’ dialogue system lacks the kind of gravitas that makes games like ‘The Witcher 3’ so addictive and powerful.

Still, developing relationships, opening/closing paths, trying to get busy with a blue lady — it’s all here, and thanks to an interesting story, likable characters and great voicework by both male and female Ryders, “Andromeda” does a convincing job of turning you into Captain Kirk.

A downright uncanny job, you might say.

Valley of the Dolls

Unless you’ve been avoiding the internet for the last week, you’ve likely caught wind that gamers are, to put it mildly, displeased with the “Andromeda’s” animations, particularly its facial close-ups. And, well, yeah, the facial animations aren’t great. The game doesn’t just glide over the uncanny valley, it builds a big space house and moves right in.

I typically don’t put too much stock in this; plenty of outstanding games are kind of ugly up close (I’m looking into your lifeless eyes, “Fallout 4”). What makes it so rough here is the amount of time you spend staring at close-ups. A good third of the game is spent chatting with people and developing relationships, but when they look like broken robots, it breaks the spell. About halfway through the game, my Ryder inexplicably developed two wicked lazy eyes that lasted for a good 10 hours.

‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’s’ human characters look like dead-eyed androids.

Perhaps the increased power of modern consoles/PCs (I played on PS4) is the culprit — as the theory goes, the closer you get to reality, the deeper the valley. But as ugly as it gets for humankind, the power leads to some amazing aliens. The brutish, dinosaur-like Krogans have never looked better, and jittery eyes and smooth skin give the amphibious Salerians incredible life. I relished every chance to chat with non-humans, both to bask in Bioware’s great work and as a respite from the mannequin onslaught.

This sort of uneven delivery extends to the rest of the game’s graphics. The art design is triumphant – Issac Asimov would commend the look and feel of the game’s colorful terrain, sweeping interstellar views and massive starships – but technical glitches abound. Flickering textures are common, load times are excessive and occasional pop-in mars the stunning planetside vistas. These sorts of glitches aren’t game-breaking, but they speak to a project struggling to bear its own weight.

Humans might not look good in ‘Mass Effect: Andromeda,’ but the aliens are gorgeous.

Galaxy quest

And make no mistake: “Andromeda’s” scope is massive.

Much of the game takes place on explorable planets that are significantly bigger than the regions found in “Dragon Age: Inquisition.” You can spend hours scouring the nooks and crannies of each location from the comfort of your Nomad rover. And as you find ways to make life more hospitable, the areas open up even further.  

‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’s’ worlds are vast and beautiful.

A star map gives you free reign to explore the Heleus cluster of the Andromeda galaxy. You can only land on and explore a handful of planets, but you rarely feel hemmed in, and the desire to build outposts pushes you to approach Andromeda like a real pioneer. It’s a good hook.

But this goal is quickly buried beneath a ridiculous number of less essential Things to Do. Some are classic “Mass Effect” – your shipmates have needs, and if you want to unlock their highest-level abilities or get them into bed (perv), you’ll need to attend to those — but you pick up other, seemingly unwanted side quests with alarming ease.

Checking in on an outpost? Be careful who you talk to, because apparently every single life form in the galaxy is incapable of handling their own business. Even if they don’t have a gigantic exclamation point on their head, they’ll probably ask you to shuttle something somewhere or look into a mild, pointless drama. And you’ll feel pressed to track down every one, because you never know which insignificant-sounding rabbit hole will yield some legit XP or loot.

‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’ piles on the quests like every other RPG, but organizes them poorly.

This is fairly common to RPGs, but “Andromeda’s” flood of quests is compounded by terrible quest tracking. A Journal ostensibly keeps tabs on them, but inexplicably lists them based on where you picked them up rather than where they are located in the world. It’s a crazy way to organize quests; land on a planet and you’ll have to either scour dots on the map or rummage through your Journal to figure out what, if anything, you’re supposed to do there.  

This alone drove me nuts. I may be a real-world organizational disaster (I am a writer, after all) but this is definitely a trait I don’t want to carry into my sci-fi power fantasy.

Laser tag

On the other hand, I did get to carry lots of guns. And this is one area where “Andromeda” really fixes something.

The game does a fine job of improving and even amping up “Mass Effect’s” combat. Jump jets and a handy dash make you far more maneuverable, which is a boon since you contend with enemies in open-world locations. Skills and proficiencies can totally alter the way you play. Focus on Combat to be a Rambo, invest in Biotics to be a Jedi, stick with Tech to hurl fire and ice, or spread the wealth and be a bit of each. Deep but approachable, the system serves as a solid backend for the on-the-field action.

If there’s one thing Bioware improved for ‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’ it’s the game’s combat.

I forgot exactly how shooty “Mass Effect” was, and once you get used to the fact that you’re not playing a game quite as refined as the “Halos” and “Horizons” it attempts to ape, it falls into a pleasant rhythm. Nice touches abound, like jumping and pausing in the air for a few seconds while aiming down your sights. Experimenting with different abilities is also a snap thanks to a handy respec option, quelling the FOMO that rules most games that force to to stick with one class. It’s flexible and fun.  Bioware upped their game here, for sure.

But it isn’t perfect. The wide-open universe only yields a handful of enemy types, and none of them are particularly exciting. You have little control over your two fellow squadmates, and the weak enemy A.I. means you never need to think strategically when deciding which companions to bring into battle. I mostly stuck with the Krogan warrior because he looks cool. A baffling “auto” cover system claims that you just need to move close to an object with your gun drawn to hide behind it, but it doesn’t work very well. It just ends up getting you shot a lot, even when you think you’re safe.

You want jump jets? You’ve got jump jets.

Systems overload

“Andromeda” just doesn’t know when to quit, layering on screen after screen and system after system to make even the simplest task, like equipping a hot new weapon, painstaking.

Find a gun? You’ll need to head back up to your ship or find a “forward station” to switch your loadout, because, well, who knows. Tiny, uniform iconography turns inventory management into a slog. You know the thrill of finding and ogling a gorgeous, exciting new rifle in “Destiny?” That ain’t here.

Scanning planets for resources takes forever due to pretty but infuriatingly slow pans and zooms. Tracking down a specific resource to, for instance, craft a new helmet, is a total crapshoot. Bioware’s focus on the big picture has left a surprising number of holes in its basic RPG foundation.

They even tossed in co-op multiplayer, because it’s 2017 and I think that’s required by law now. “Mass Effect 3” toyed with this and it returns largely unchanged, as you and some pals clear out waves of increasingly stubborn baddies. It’s got its own progression system and offers a decent break from the RPG slog, though considering the core game could take a good 80 hours to complete, I’m not sure anyone needs it.

So do they need “Mass Effect: Andromeda” at all? That’s a tough call. A cool game is buried beneath “Andromeda’s” issues. When the guns are on point and you’ve exploded a Biotic combo, or when the ramifications of some difficult choice made hours ago comes back to haunt you, “Mass Effect: Andromeda” scratches that old space itch. But getting past the technical gaffes and unfriendly interface requires a great deal of patience. Space is big, indeed, but it’s supposed to be fun, too.

Platform reviewed: PS4

What’s hot: Cool story; outpost settling is a good hook; improved maneuverability; deep combat options

What’s not: Technical issues; aggravating interface; seriously uncanny valley; quest quantity over quality; dated feel

More games coverage:

‘Middle-earth: Shadow of War’ lets you lead orcish armies — and destroy them

Nintendo Switch launch games: The must-haves, the maybes and the probably nots

‘For Honor’ review: You’ll need skill to survive this online fighter

‘Horizon: Zero Dawn’ Review: Combat and storytelling shine in spectacular sci-fi epic

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‘Resident Evil 7’ review: It’s a screaming good time

Ben Silverman is on Twitter at ben_silverman.

#gaming #_revsp:yahoofinance.com #Mass Effect #games reviews #_author:Ben Silverman #Mass Effect: Andromeda #video game reviews #Mass Effect: Andromeda review #_lmsid:a077000000BAh3wAAD #reviews #game reviews #_uuid:c94944b9-14e5-3c4f-83e6-5d5367276538 #video games

[componentplanet]

Sony Scaling Back PlayStation 5 Production Over Price, Not Coronavirus

Render by LetsGoDigital

Sony may be reducing the number of PlayStation 5s that it intends to sell this year, thanks to a mixture of price concerns and COVID-19. The PlayStation 5 is widely expected to cost more than its predecessor, with estimates of $499 to $549 not being uncommon. It’s worth noting that the PlayStation 4’s $400 launch price in 2013 is ~$442 in 2020 when accounting for inflation. A $500 PS5 wouldn’t actually be all that much more expensive than the launch price of the PS4. For comparison, the PlayStation 3 launched at $640 and $767 in 2020 dollars ($499 and $599 in 2006 dollars). Sony expects the PS5’s price to be higher at launch thanks to expensive internal components, Bloomberg reports, and as a result, the company will produce “far fewer” units than with the PS4.

As for COVID-19, the ongoing pandemic has reportedly changed Sony’s marketing plans for the new console, but not its production figures.

Why Are Manufacturers Moving Back Towards More Expensive Hardware?

One of the big differences between this generation and the last is the way both Sony and Microsoft are approaching their hardware loadouts. While we don’t know how much either console will cost, both companies have aggressively pushed the envelope in terms of CPU and GPU performance.

The PS4 and Xbox One used a capable but ultimately lower-end CPU core intended for modest laptops and paired it with an already in-market GPU core in what was, at most, a midrange PC GPU configuration. One of the most common complaints about both systems, however, was that they didn’t offer as much of an improvement compared with previous consoles as expected. The Xbox One X and PS4 Pro were mid-cycle refreshes intended to solve this problem. But, having introduced them, the two companies will need to both demonstrate a significant-enough performance improvement with the PS5 and XSX to make them worthwhile upgrades.

Sony PS5 DualSense

Much will depend on whether Sony and Microsoft were willing to start shipping console hardware at a loss again, but I suspect part of the argument for selling more expensive hardware this generation is that the hardware itself is far more capable. Day One backward compatibility is a fairly rare feature. Sony offered it with the PS2 and the initial run of PS3 systems, but neither the Xbox One nor the PS4 were immediately compatible with their predecessors. This time, that’s going to be different. The Xbox One and PlayStation 5 will both play their predecessors’ games, which means the two companies may feel more comfortable asking gamers to pony up for new hardware.

This is a subtle point, but an important one. If I built a new gaming PC tomorrow, it would still run every game I already own, presumably at better detail levels and resolutions than I could previously achieve. Previous console launches have not offered this kind of compatibility regularly enough for gamers to expect it as a baked-in feature, but console players may feel more comfortable shucking out higher prices for hardware if they know it’s compatible with the library of software they already own.

I don’t envy Sony or Microsoft the difficulty of planning a console launch this year. While it’s true that gaming is one of the only markets seeing robust engagement right now, it’s not at all clear what the global economy will be doing in the back half of the year. But pushing back launches is also fraught with peril, because the software developers who are building launch titles for the PS5 and Xbox Series X need to recoup those investments in order to stay in business. Pushing the launches back 6-12 months might be fine from Sony and Microsoft’s perspective, but their various studio partners might not be able to absorb the financial hit. Plenty of game studios have gone out of business when they couldn’t ship a game on time for reasons that had nothing to do with a global pandemic.

We don’t know how large these production cuts would be, but the PS4 sold 4.2 million units by the end of 2013 and 5.3 million as of February 8, 2014.

Top image: PS5 render by LetsGoDigital

Now Read:

Sony Reportedly Struggling to Keep PS5 Hardware Costs Down

Sony PS5 Specs Revealed: Unusual Boost Methods, PCIe 4.0 Storage

Why TFLOPS Are Bad for Comparing PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X Performance

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/309426-sony-scaling-back-playstation-5-production-over-price-not-coronavirus-report from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2020/04/sony-scaling-back-playstation-5.html

#Sony Scaling Back PlayStation 5 Production Over Price #Not Coronavirus