Monat: August 2019

  • Fortnite – Besser bauen im Battle Royale

    Fortnite – Besser bauen im Battle Royale

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Yannick Dohrmann, freier Redakteur


    Was unterscheidet Fortnite von anderen Vertretern des Battle Royale Genres? Egal ob man es nun mag oder nicht, aber die Antwort ist natürlich: Das Bauen. Die taktische Komponente die im Zweikampf oft den Unterschied zwischen Sieg und Niederlage ausmachen kann.

    Ihr könnt noch so treffsicher mit euren Waffen sein, aber wenn ihr euch im Bauduell verzettelt dann zieht ihr ziemlich sicher den Kürzeren. Zum Glück gibt es Möglichkeiten die eigenen Baumeister-Fähigkeiten schnell zu verbessern und einige davon stellen wir euch heute hier vor.

    Vorbereitung & Routine

    Die in unseren Augen wichtigste Vorbereitung, die ihr noch vor Start einer neuen Runde treffen könnt, finden sich in den Einstellungen wieder. Für Konsolenspieler empfehlen wir die Option des Turbo-Bauens, um wertvolle Zeit zu sparen, wenn ihr Wände, Böden oder Schrägen platzieren wollt.

    TITLETITLE

    Am PC hingegen ist es essentiell wichtig nicht umständlich mit „Q” in den Baumodus zu wechseln, sondern am besten direkt Shortcuts für alle unterschiedlichen Strukturen parat zu haben. Grundsätzlich empfiehlt es sich hier Tasten zu verwenden die nicht weit von WASD entfernt liegen, um auch beim Bauen in Bewegung bleiben zu können.

    Ein stillstehendes Ziel lässt sich bekanntlich viel leichter treffen. So spart ihr wertvolle Zeit und könnt direkt die entsprechende Taste für das drücken was ihr grade bauen wollt.

    Routine lässt sich dabei auf unterschiedliche Art und Weise erlangen. In der Spielwiese oder im Kreativmodus gibt es keine störenden Gegner und quasi unendlich Materialien. Der perfekte Ort, um zu üben bestimmte Strukturen schnellstmöglich aus dem Bode zu stampfen.

    Klassiker sind natürlich die Kombination aus Schrägen, vier schnell gebaute Wände und einer Bodenplatte. Wiederholt ihr dieses Vorgehen schnell genug könnt ihr innerhalb weniger Sekunden hohe Türme erschaffen die euch zugleich als Deckung und Highground dienen. Nach und nach kann man sich Freunde dazu holen und gemeinsam üben simple Gebäude und Deckungen zu errichten.

    Denn wenn ihr im Spiel angeschossen werdet ist es viel klüger zunächst Defensivmaßnahmen zu ergreifen, statt direkt das Feuer zurück zu eröffnen. Egal wie gut ihr schießt, wenn ihr schon angeschlagen seid, dann startet ihr mit einem Nachteil in den Kampf und verliert meist noch wichtige Sekunden, um überhaupt auszumachen von wo ihr beschossen worden seid.

    TITLETITLE

    Trainieren wie die Weltmeister

    Wem das noch nicht weit genug geht, der sollte nach speziell für diese Disziplin ausgelegten Kreativinseln Ausschau halten. Im Internet finden sich Zuhauf Parcour Maps, die auf schnelles Bauen und auch Editieren ausgelegt sind.

    Letzteres ist vor allem für Fortgeschrittene das Mittel zur Wahl, um sich gegen andere Spieler durchzusetzen. Der schnelle Wechsel zwischen Schießen, Bauen und Editieren will gemeistert werden um Gegner, die sich eingebaut haben in ihre Schranken zu weisen.

    Der Plan hierbei: Baut eine Wand, die eurem Gegner gehört ab, ersetzt sie blitzschnell durch eine eigene und editiert anschließend ein Fenster hinein um ihn erledigen oder eine Falle hinein setzen zu können.

    Auch die Fortbewegung wird euch auf diese Art und Weise ermöglicht. Turteln nennt sich die Methode bei der ihr bestehende Wände öffnet, um im angrenzenden Bereich einen neuen Raum zu bauen und sich so gerade im Endkampf bei kleiner werdendem Sturm fortzubewegen, ohne sich allzu offen für die anderen Spieler zu präsentieren.

    Beim Editieren werden Strukturen zudem halbdurchsichtig und ermöglichen euch einen Blick nach draußen ohne, dass ihr selbst dabei zu sehen seid. Und auch sonst können die 4 Grundstrukturen durch das Editieren zu einer Vielzahl von Variationen abgeändert werden. Wer all das geistesgegenwärtig umsetzen kann verbessert seine Chancen im Zweikampf immens. Erst die Kombination aus Schießen, Bauen und Editieren macht euch zu einem wahren Meister in Fortnite.

    Website: LINK

  • Fortnite: Schnell sein und bei der #baumeisterfixx-Challenge der Woche mitmachen

    Fortnite: Schnell sein und bei der #baumeisterfixx-Challenge der Woche mitmachen

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Konstantinos Fotopoulos, freier Redakteur:


    Ihr seid richtige Meisterbauer in Fortnite? Mit wenigen Knopfdrucken könnt ihr spektakuläre Gebäude, gefährliche Waffen oder wunderschöne Designs erstellen? Ihr seid Künstler und der Fortnite-Kreativmodus ist eure Leinwand? Dann haben Fortnite DE und der YouTuber Fixx genau das richtige Projekt für euch am Start. Tobt euch aus und gewinnt sogar V-Bucks! Hier alle Infos.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYAYPUrUSI?rel=0]

    Fortnite Community Inseln

    Jede Woche erhaltet ihr ein Thema, zu dem ihr bauen könnt, was ihr wollt. Startet einfach eine Insel im Kreativmodus und lasst eurer Fantasie freien Lauf. Ob es nun eine atemberaubende Stadt ist, ein besonders gefährlicher Hindernisparcours oder sogar eigene Minigames.

    Beweist euer Können und teilt eure Kreationen mit der Welt. Mit etwas Glück gewinnt ihr V-Bucks, mit denen ihr euch zum Beispiel den aktuellen Season Pass, Tänze, Skins und mehr aus dem Fortnite Shop holen könnt.

    Was ist das Thema der Woche?

    Das Thema der Woche ist Ruinen & Verlassene Orte. Bis zum 8. August um 10 Uhr (MESZ) habt ihr noch Zeit, um bei dieser Challenge mitzumachen. Tobt euch kreativ aus und stellt eure Bau-Skills unter Beweis. Haltet euch an die Regeln und mit etwas Glück werden eure Inseln vorgestellt und ihr gewinnt V-Bucks! Das Thema der nächsten Woche wird am 9. August bekannt gegeben.

    Wie kann ich teilnehmen?

    Lasst euch vom aktuellen Thema inspirieren, startet eine Insel im Kreativmodus und baut drauf los.

    Zufrieden mit eurer Kreation? Dann erstellt ein kurzes Video oder Foto und teilt dieses auf Twitter oder Instagram mit dem Hashtag #baumeisterfixx, bestenfalls schreibt ihr noch den Share-Code in die Beschreibung
    Verlinkt am besten noch den Fortnite Deutschland-Kanal

    WICHTIG: Bei den Einsendungen muss es sich um eure eigenen Kreationen handeln. Kopiert also nichts aus anderen Spielen oder Filmen, damit ihr teilnehmen und V-Bucks gewinnen könnt. Alle Regeln und Teilnahmebedingungen findet ihr hier.

    Wie werden die Gewinner ermittelt?

    Habt ihr diese Schritte befolgt, wird der YouTuber Fixx sich eure Kreationen der Woche ansehen und fünf Inseln auf dem Fortnite Deutschland-Kanal vorstellen. Beispiele findet ihr in der Playlist.

    Was gewinnen die Top 3?

    Die drei besten Baumeister jede Woche erhalten einen Preis.

    • Platz 3: 1000 V-Bucks
    • Platz 2: 2500 V-Bucks
    • Platz 1: 5000 V-Bucks

    Viel Glück!

    Website: LINK

  • Fortnite: Schnell sein und bei der #baumeisterfixx-Challenge der Woche mitmachen

    Fortnite: Schnell sein und bei der #baumeisterfixx-Challenge der Woche mitmachen

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Konstantinos Fotopoulos, freier Redakteur:


    Ihr seid richtige Meisterbauer in Fortnite? Mit wenigen Knopfdrucken könnt ihr spektakuläre Gebäude, gefährliche Waffen oder wunderschöne Designs erstellen? Ihr seid Künstler und der Fortnite-Kreativmodus ist eure Leinwand? Dann haben Fortnite DE und der YouTuber Fixx genau das richtige Projekt für euch am Start. Tobt euch aus und gewinnt sogar V-Bucks! Hier alle Infos.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYAYPUrUSI?rel=0]

    Fortnite Community Inseln

    Jede Woche erhaltet ihr ein Thema, zu dem ihr bauen könnt, was ihr wollt. Startet einfach eine Insel im Kreativmodus und lasst eurer Fantasie freien Lauf. Ob es nun eine atemberaubende Stadt ist, ein besonders gefährlicher Hindernisparcours oder sogar eigene Minigames.

    Beweist euer Können und teilt eure Kreationen mit der Welt. Mit etwas Glück gewinnt ihr V-Bucks, mit denen ihr euch zum Beispiel den aktuellen Season Pass, Tänze, Skins und mehr aus dem Fortnite Shop holen könnt.

    Was ist das Thema der Woche?

    Das Thema der Woche ist Ruinen & Verlassene Orte. Bis zum 8. August um 10 Uhr (MESZ) habt ihr noch Zeit, um bei dieser Challenge mitzumachen. Tobt euch kreativ aus und stellt eure Bau-Skills unter Beweis. Haltet euch an die Regeln und mit etwas Glück werden eure Inseln vorgestellt und ihr gewinnt V-Bucks! Das Thema der nächsten Woche wird am 9. August bekannt gegeben.

    Wie kann ich teilnehmen?

    Lasst euch vom aktuellen Thema inspirieren, startet eine Insel im Kreativmodus und baut drauf los.

    Zufrieden mit eurer Kreation? Dann erstellt ein kurzes Video oder Foto und teilt dieses auf Twitter oder Instagram mit dem Hashtag #baumeisterfixx, bestenfalls schreibt ihr noch den Share-Code in die Beschreibung
    Verlinkt am besten noch den Fortnite Deutschland-Kanal

    WICHTIG: Bei den Einsendungen muss es sich um eure eigenen Kreationen handeln. Kopiert also nichts aus anderen Spielen oder Filmen, damit ihr teilnehmen und V-Bucks gewinnen könnt. Alle Regeln und Teilnahmebedingungen findet ihr hier.

    Wie werden die Gewinner ermittelt?

    Habt ihr diese Schritte befolgt, wird der YouTuber Fixx sich eure Kreationen der Woche ansehen und fünf Inseln auf dem Fortnite Deutschland-Kanal vorstellen. Beispiele findet ihr in der Playlist.

    Was gewinnen die Top 3?

    Die drei besten Baumeister jede Woche erhalten einen Preis.

    • Platz 3: 1000 V-Bucks
    • Platz 2: 2500 V-Bucks
    • Platz 1: 5000 V-Bucks

    Viel Glück!

    Website: LINK

  • Fortnite Zukunftsbattle: Alle Infos zum großen Kampf um die Zukunft

    Fortnite Zukunftsbattle: Alle Infos zum großen Kampf um die Zukunft

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Konstantinos Fotopoulos, freier Redakteur:


    Mit dem Start der neuen Season X – Gegen die Zeit in Fortnite geht auch das epische Zukunftsbattle weiter. Zwei Teams treten gegeneinander an und müssen vier Wochen lang Challenges absolvieren. Wer die meisten Punkte am Ende hat, gewinnt. Unterstützt euer Team und gewinnt sogar V-Bucks! Wie das geht, verraten wir euch hier.

    Wie läuft das Zukunftsbattle ab?

    Wir befinden uns aktuell in der zweiten Woche des Zukunfstbattles, das am 18. August endet. Bis dahin haben die zwei Teams #BunkerBuddies und #TechTalente Zeit, Challenges zu absolvieren und Punkte zu sammeln. Die beiden Teams bestehen aus jeweils drei Influencern, die von Epic Games ausgewählt werden.

    Wer diese Influencer sind, erfahrt ihr auf den Social Kanälen von Fortnite (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Discord). Hier werden auch die neuen Challenges und Leaderboards veröffentlicht.

    Es gibt drei Arten von Challenges: Solo, Duo und Real Life. Das Absolvieren einer Solo Challenge bringt 5 Punkte, das Absolvieren einer Duo Challenge 10 Punkte und das Absolvieren einer Team Challenge bringt 15 Punkte. Ihr könnt aktiv beim Punktesammeln helfen.

    Hierfür müsst ihr euch nur an den Challenges probieren und eure Versuche als Bilder oder Videoclips mit den Hashtags #Zukunftsbattle und den Namen eures Teams auf Twitter oder Instagram posten. Für 50 Posts gibt es 10 Punkte für euer Team.

    Die Sieger erhalten drei goldene Peely Trophäen, die Zweitplatzierten erhalten drei silberne Peely Trophäen.

    Challenges der zweiten Woche

    Bereit, ins Zukunftsbattle einzusteigen? Das sind eure Challenges der zweiten Woche:

    Solo: Nimm nur die Waffen, die du als Erstes siehst. Tausche diese nur mit einer Waffe des Gegners nach einer Eliminierung. Ohne Begrenzung. Alle anderen Items sind erlaubt. Gewinne das Match!

    Duo: Einer trägt nur Waffen, der andere nur Munition. Nachgeladen werden darf nur mit der Munition des Team Mates. Alle anderen Items sind beiden erlaubt. Gewinnt das Match!

    Real Life: Backe die Vorschaubilder von fünf verschiedenen Emotes deiner Wahl!

    Versucht euch an den Challenges und postet ein Bild oder Videoclip mit den Hashtags #Zukunftsbattle und den Namen eures Teams auf Twitter oder Instagram, um Punkte zu sammeln.

    So könnt ihr V-Bucks gewinnen!

    Ihr habt die perfekte Idee für eine Challenge? Dann postet sie mit dem Hashtag #Zukunftsbattle auf Twitter. Mit etwas Glück wählt Epic Games eure Challenge-Idee aus und ihr erhaltet zur Belohnung 1.500 V-Bucks! Die Teilnahmebedingungen findet ihr hier.

    Website: LINK

  • Fortnite Zukunftsbattle: Alle Infos zum großen Kampf um die Zukunft

    Fortnite Zukunftsbattle: Alle Infos zum großen Kampf um die Zukunft

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Konstantinos Fotopoulos, freier Redakteur:


    Mit dem Start der neuen Season X – Gegen die Zeit in Fortnite geht auch das epische Zukunftsbattle weiter. Zwei Teams treten gegeneinander an und müssen vier Wochen lang Challenges absolvieren. Wer die meisten Punkte am Ende hat, gewinnt. Unterstützt euer Team und gewinnt sogar V-Bucks! Wie das geht, verraten wir euch hier.

    Wie läuft das Zukunftsbattle ab?

    Wir befinden uns aktuell in der zweiten Woche des Zukunfstbattles, das am 18. August endet. Bis dahin haben die zwei Teams #BunkerBuddies und #TechTalente Zeit, Challenges zu absolvieren und Punkte zu sammeln. Die beiden Teams bestehen aus jeweils drei Influencern, die von Epic Games ausgewählt werden.

    Wer diese Influencer sind, erfahrt ihr auf den Social Kanälen von Fortnite (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Discord). Hier werden auch die neuen Challenges und Leaderboards veröffentlicht.

    Es gibt drei Arten von Challenges: Solo, Duo und Real Life. Das Absolvieren einer Solo Challenge bringt 5 Punkte, das Absolvieren einer Duo Challenge 10 Punkte und das Absolvieren einer Team Challenge bringt 15 Punkte. Ihr könnt aktiv beim Punktesammeln helfen.

    Hierfür müsst ihr euch nur an den Challenges probieren und eure Versuche als Bilder oder Videoclips mit den Hashtags #Zukunftsbattle und den Namen eures Teams auf Twitter oder Instagram posten. Für 50 Posts gibt es 10 Punkte für euer Team.

    Die Sieger erhalten drei goldene Peely Trophäen, die Zweitplatzierten erhalten drei silberne Peely Trophäen.

    Challenges der zweiten Woche

    Bereit, ins Zukunftsbattle einzusteigen? Das sind eure Challenges der zweiten Woche:

    Solo: Nimm nur die Waffen, die du als Erstes siehst. Tausche diese nur mit einer Waffe des Gegners nach einer Eliminierung. Ohne Begrenzung. Alle anderen Items sind erlaubt. Gewinne das Match!

    Duo: Einer trägt nur Waffen, der andere nur Munition. Nachgeladen werden darf nur mit der Munition des Team Mates. Alle anderen Items sind beiden erlaubt. Gewinnt das Match!

    Real Life: Backe die Vorschaubilder von fünf verschiedenen Emotes deiner Wahl!

    Versucht euch an den Challenges und postet ein Bild oder Videoclip mit den Hashtags #Zukunftsbattle und den Namen eures Teams auf Twitter oder Instagram, um Punkte zu sammeln.

    So könnt ihr V-Bucks gewinnen!

    Ihr habt die perfekte Idee für eine Challenge? Dann postet sie mit dem Hashtag #Zukunftsbattle auf Twitter. Mit etwas Glück wählt Epic Games eure Challenge-Idee aus und ihr erhaltet zur Belohnung 1.500 V-Bucks! Die Teilnahmebedingungen findet ihr hier.

    Website: LINK

  • Introducing a Community Resource Page for Twitch Developers

    Introducing a Community Resource Page for Twitch Developers

    Reading Time: 2 minutes
    Tristan Wiley

    The Twitch Developer community has created some incredible, open source projects that help developers get started on Twitch. These resources — as well as our own coding projects — are scattered across different sites like GitHub, Glitch, and the documentation. In order to centralize these resources, and showcase the code samples, tutorials, blog posts, and other content the community has created, we are launching the first iteration of https://dev.twitch.tv/code.

    This will continue to be our destination to make educational resources and examples more discoverable for experienced Twitch developers as well as those just getting started. We appreciate all of the feedback on the Request For Comments and will use it as we continue developing and refining the page.

    We are launching the code page with content from twelve community members. Developers who would like their content considered for this page can submit it for review. We are looking for great writing comprehension, code consistency and clarity, spelling and grammar, and repository descriptions that clearly define the function of the project. For GitHub projects, feel free to also add a topic to your repository with “TwitchDev” which will make it easier for us to proactively find great examples to share.

    If your content meets the above requirements, or as soon as you’ve made necessary updates, submit it for review at https://link.twitch.tv/devsubmit! We look forward to your submissions, highlighting the awesome content the community creates, and hearing your feedback on this new resource.

    Connect with us on Discord | Twitter | Developer Forum | Twitch
    Have an idea you’d like to explore for an Extension? Start now!

    Website: LINK

  • Train Sim World 2020 Arrives Today on Xbox One

    Train Sim World 2020 Arrives Today on Xbox One

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Winning is a slippery concept, something seen everywhere in today’s gaming culture. Gone are the days when everything was about getting the fastest time or the highest accuracy; to any one of us winning could mean something different – collecting all the achievements, perfecting a flawless run or something as personal building a castle in Minecraft that you think is beautiful. For Train Sim World, winning is about accuracy and control, not speed – which makes it far more challenging than a simple race.

    Train Sim World has always had a scoring system but for the Train Sim World 2020 update we wanted a system that reflects the demands on real rail drivers and engineers while also feeling like a game with easily accessible mission objectives, the ability to track and study performance and most importantly a way to understand how to improve your scores so you can truly master the rails. It’s hard enough moving these massive machines without having to wonder about your scores!

    Train Sim World 2020Train Sim World 2020

    Train Sim World 2020 introduces our new Action Point scoring system. Players will be able to see where points are earned for reaching their objectives, along with the impact of any mistakes such as speeding, passing signals or missing a station. When stopping there are more bonuses up for grabs, you’ll be graded on stopping accurately at the right spot on the platform (which new players frequently miss by hundreds of yards) and how close to “on time” you are (no surprise to anyone this can also be quite a challenge…). Earlier delays put pressure on you to speed up to meet your timetable, but speeding penalties mean you’re always fighting to avoid going too fast – with the new Action Point system this impossible problem is now firmly in the players hands!

    During your journey we’ve added a live task list which you can pop up by holding the View button down on the Xbox One Controller, allowing you to see what stops you have up ahead and when your due times are to help you plan your time. You can also see at a glance how many Action Points you’ve earned at each of the previous instructions to help you understand how your driving is helping (or hindering!) your score.

    Train Sim World 2020Train Sim World 2020

    The result is that you know what’s needed to grab those last few points, so your score and skills improve. You’ll first learn to stop in the right place, and then get even better as you learn the right techniques for braking so that you can have a precise stop without wasting time cruising in at slow speed or frantically swapping between your brake and your throttle.  Keep an eye on the speed limit changes throughout your journey and you’re on the right track for top scores!

    Once the ride is complete it’s time to review how you did so we’ve added a detailed debriefing screen with much more data and a graph of your speed and the speed limits over the duration of the journey. Using this you can review your stopping accuracies, as well as see easily how you managed your speed in the face of the line limits and your station stops.  Are you too early to brake? Too early? Do you come in too slow for stations?  Are you missing speed reductions starting? There’s lots to learn as you review the debrief screen before it’s time to fire up the next service or scenario and get back in the cab – easier than ever as our new ‘Journey’ system will automatically suggest a new mission that follows on from the one you’ve completed.

    Train Sim World 2020Train Sim World 2020

    Train Sim World 2020 is a free update for all existing Train Sim World players, so jump aboard to take these changes out for a spin! For new players (or people looking to expand their collection) we’ve also updated the contents of the main game so it now features the latest and greatest routes from the last year.

    See the rest of the story on Xbox Wire

    Related:
    Demon Pit is a Savage Arena Shooter and Homage to Classic FPS Games of the 90s
    Free Play Days: Black Desert and Puyo Puyo Champions
    Meet Microsoft Game Stack Developers at devcom 2019 for Panels, Ideas, and More

    Website: LINK

  • Demon Pit is a Savage Arena Shooter and Homage to Classic FPS Games of the 90s

    Demon Pit is a Savage Arena Shooter and Homage to Classic FPS Games of the 90s

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Demon Pit is a fast-paced FPS arena shooter, inspired by the genre classics of the 1990s. The gameplay design work and graphics were done by Paul Conway, and I (Sam Redfern) did all the programming. Although we’ve been friends for several years, due to the vibrant local developer community here in Galway, Ireland, and although we have both been developing games for 15+ years, we haven’t previously worked together.

    Demon PitDemon Pit

    Demon Pit was initially prototyped during a Game Jam in late 2017. The first iteration was called Night of the Pumpkins, with evil pumpkins chasing the player in lieu of hellspawn, due to the game jam’s “Nature’s Revenge” theme. It was a janky demo with only two types of enemies, but players kept coming back at the end of the event, battling for the top spot on the leaderboard.

    It was clear that there was something special about the gameplay so we decided to continue working on it in our spare time through 2018 and 2019. We were joined by Thomas O’Boyle on music and SFX after Paul met him at an Expo in London and liked his work.

    Demon PitDemon Pit

    The game quickly left its game jam identity behind as the bouncing pumpkins weren’t all that appealing. Paul redeveloped the artwork to reflect the 90s FPS games which inspired the fast-paced gameplay. Possessed fruit became demons, hellbent on devouring the player’s soul. The art style and graphical limitations were designed as a homage the aesthetic of 1990s classics such as Quake, Doom, and Blood.

    The gameplay evolved as the development progressed, too. Multiple weapons and enemy types were introduced. Verticality was added to the level design to enhance the soul grapple mechanic and then the constantly changing arena layout added the needed variety while keeping the game play’s design purity.

    Demon PitDemon Pit

    Musically, Thomas drew a lot of inspiration from Trent Reznor’s score for Quake as well as modern industrial metal and techno acts. As well as the dark synths and driving drum patterns, he added dynamic elements. The first was a heavily distorted guitar layer that comes in and out as the action onscreen increases. The second was a layer of demonic sounding voices that get louder and louder as the player’s health decreases. These elements blur the lines between music and sound design and, we believe, add a lot to the overall feel of the game.

    You can get a good idea of what to expect from Demon Pit by watching the trailer at the top of this page. We look forward to seeing you on the leaderboards when the game launches for Xbox One later this year.

    For more Demon Pit info, head to demonpitgame.com or follow the game on Twitter @DemonPitGame.

    See the rest of the story on Xbox Wire

    Related:
    Train Sim World 2020 Arrives Today on Xbox One
    Free Play Days: Black Desert and Puyo Puyo Champions
    Meet Microsoft Game Stack Developers at devcom 2019 for Panels, Ideas, and More

    Website: LINK

  • Whimsical Victorian Adventure 39 Days to Mars Launches on PS4 This Winter

    Whimsical Victorian Adventure 39 Days to Mars Launches on PS4 This Winter

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Hello, I’m the developer of 39 Days to Mars, a two player cooperative puzzle-adventure game, and I’m very excited to announce that it will be coming to PlayStation 4!

    39 Days to Mars is about cooperation, where you work with a friend to control two hapless British inventors on their quest to sail to Mars for a cup of afternoon tea. It’s inspired by my childhood reading and love of Heath Robinson and Jules Verne, and it’s a mix of whimsical story and absurd contraptions.

    One of the things I’m most excited about for the PS4 release seems inconsequential at first, but I really think it will make a big difference! In the single-player mode, you control both characters (Albert and the ship’s cat) at the same time. When playing on a computer, this was done using the mouse for one and the keyboard for the other, two very different input methods that made things feel lopsided.

    The DualShock 4 controller, on the other hand, is almost exactly symmetrical! The two joysticks and the trigger buttons are at the same level, and balanced on the controller. When trying to coordinate your left and right thumbs to pour the perfect cup of tea, I feel like having both sides equal is really going to help!

    Aside from coordinating your tea brewing, 39 Days to Mars tasks you with baking scones, fixing water leaks, pruning your garden, and fighting a giant space Kraken. The entire game is hand drawn, and one of my favourite scenes — both when I was drawing it, and when I play it — is when the ship runs out of space coal. Albert and Baxter have to jump on a repurposed penny farthing to try and collect enough space rocks to refuel their ship.

    The absurdity of the situation is enhanced by the fact that this is the first time you get to move outside of the ship. Lacking gravity in space, you suddenly find yourself without a reference for up and down. Navigating the wobbly penny farthing through space as the ship rotates around you is a surprising moment and gives a neat view of the HMS Fearful that you don’t get at any other point in the game.

    I hope this gives you a glimpse into 39 Days to Mars and what to expect on the PS4, and I hope that you enjoy playing it when it comes out this winter!

    Website: LINK

  • Whimsical Victorian Adventure 39 Days to Mars Launches on PS4 This Winter

    Whimsical Victorian Adventure 39 Days to Mars Launches on PS4 This Winter

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Hello, I’m the developer of 39 Days to Mars, a two player cooperative puzzle-adventure game, and I’m very excited to announce that it will be coming to PlayStation 4!

    39 Days to Mars is about cooperation, where you work with a friend to control two hapless British inventors on their quest to sail to Mars for a cup of afternoon tea. It’s inspired by my childhood reading and love of Heath Robinson and Jules Verne, and it’s a mix of whimsical story and absurd contraptions.

    One of the things I’m most excited about for the PS4 release seems inconsequential at first, but I really think it will make a big difference! In the single-player mode, you control both characters (Albert and the ship’s cat) at the same time. When playing on a computer, this was done using the mouse for one and the keyboard for the other, two very different input methods that made things feel lopsided.

    The DualShock 4 controller, on the other hand, is almost exactly symmetrical! The two joysticks and the trigger buttons are at the same level, and balanced on the controller. When trying to coordinate your left and right thumbs to pour the perfect cup of tea, I feel like having both sides equal is really going to help!

    Aside from coordinating your tea brewing, 39 Days to Mars tasks you with baking scones, fixing water leaks, pruning your garden, and fighting a giant space Kraken. The entire game is hand drawn, and one of my favourite scenes — both when I was drawing it, and when I play it — is when the ship runs out of space coal. Albert and Baxter have to jump on a repurposed penny farthing to try and collect enough space rocks to refuel their ship.

    The absurdity of the situation is enhanced by the fact that this is the first time you get to move outside of the ship. Lacking gravity in space, you suddenly find yourself without a reference for up and down. Navigating the wobbly penny farthing through space as the ship rotates around you is a surprising moment and gives a neat view of the HMS Fearful that you don’t get at any other point in the game.

    I hope this gives you a glimpse into 39 Days to Mars and what to expect on the PS4, and I hope that you enjoy playing it when it comes out this winter!

    Website: LINK

  • Dark Fantasy Witching Tower VR Haunts PS VR This Fall

    Dark Fantasy Witching Tower VR Haunts PS VR This Fall

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    I’m Artem Severin of Daily Magic Productions, and I’m here to announce that Daily Magic is bringing Witching Tower VR to PlayStation VR this fall. Of all of the titles we’ve developed, I’ve never been as excited for anything as I have for this.

    The Witching Tower is a VR action-adventure set in an original dark fantasy universe. You will take the role of Anna, a prisoner in the tower, as she discovers she has a talent for controlling the dead. Fight and puzzle your way through the foreboding fortress tower, unraveling each level’s mysteries. The Witching Tower VR is an unparalleled experience with breathtaking visuals and environments.

    Witching Tower VR is not a short-term experience, but a full-featured game built for VR from the ground up. From the very beginning of development, our goal has been to give players reasons and rewards for exploring. Each level will present you with fresh challenges and unique story experiences.

    As Anna, you have a number of powers and tools at your disposal. You can fence with your enemies, snipe them with an enchanted bow, or unleash your magic. Study your enemies, block their strikes, and counterattack with a crushing blow or a headshot.

    You can also develop your magic powers:

    • Necromancy: take control of undead warriors and pit them against your enemies, or use them as pawns to help you defeat the tower’s numerous traps and puzzles.
    • Sight: your magic will show you a world others cannot see, and reveal invisible objects.
    • Manipulation: summon a magical lasso that can grab and control objects from afar, collapse architecture, and crush your enemies.

    On one level, you will explore a dungeon that housed the tower’s other prisoners, long since tortured to death. They were once wizards, magicians, and enchanters hunted for the powers that you possess. Their sad ghosts linger, and will share their memories of the tower and its dark mistress. On another, you’ll crawl hand-over-hand across the tower’s exterior, dangling over a frozen mountain gorge. For players’ convenience and comfort, Witching Tower VR will have a choice of user-configurable movement options: teleportation and locomotion.

    The PS VR version of Witching Tower VR is in its final stages of development, and we are looking forward to showing it to the public!

    Website: LINK

  • Dark Fantasy Witching Tower VR Haunts PS VR This Fall

    Dark Fantasy Witching Tower VR Haunts PS VR This Fall

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    I’m Artem Severin of Daily Magic Productions, and I’m here to announce that Daily Magic is bringing Witching Tower VR to PlayStation VR this fall. Of all of the titles we’ve developed, I’ve never been as excited for anything as I have for this.

    The Witching Tower is a VR action-adventure set in an original dark fantasy universe. You will take the role of Anna, a prisoner in the tower, as she discovers she has a talent for controlling the dead. Fight and puzzle your way through the foreboding fortress tower, unraveling each level’s mysteries. The Witching Tower VR is an unparalleled experience with breathtaking visuals and environments.

    Witching Tower VR is not a short-term experience, but a full-featured game built for VR from the ground up. From the very beginning of development, our goal has been to give players reasons and rewards for exploring. Each level will present you with fresh challenges and unique story experiences.

    As Anna, you have a number of powers and tools at your disposal. You can fence with your enemies, snipe them with an enchanted bow, or unleash your magic. Study your enemies, block their strikes, and counterattack with a crushing blow or a headshot.

    You can also develop your magic powers:

    • Necromancy: take control of undead warriors and pit them against your enemies, or use them as pawns to help you defeat the tower’s numerous traps and puzzles.
    • Sight: your magic will show you a world others cannot see, and reveal invisible objects.
    • Manipulation: summon a magical lasso that can grab and control objects from afar, collapse architecture, and crush your enemies.

    On one level, you will explore a dungeon that housed the tower’s other prisoners, long since tortured to death. They were once wizards, magicians, and enchanters hunted for the powers that you possess. Their sad ghosts linger, and will share their memories of the tower and its dark mistress. On another, you’ll crawl hand-over-hand across the tower’s exterior, dangling over a frozen mountain gorge. For players’ convenience and comfort, Witching Tower VR will have a choice of user-configurable movement options: teleportation and locomotion.

    The PS VR version of Witching Tower VR is in its final stages of development, and we are looking forward to showing it to the public!

    Website: LINK

  • Automating a chop saw with Arduino

    Automating a chop saw with Arduino

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Automating a chop saw with Arduino

    Arduino TeamAugust 15th, 2019

    YouTuber “Absorber Of Light” needed to cut thousands of tiny aluminum pieces with a chop saw, and after paying someone to do this for him, decided to instead automate the process. 

    His system is controlled by an Arduino Uno, and moves strips of aluminum under the saw using stepper motor and threaded rod assembly—a sort of very simple CNC. Once in position, a second stepper activates a linear actuator via a physical H-bridge relay setup with cams and microswitches. This actuator pushes the saw into the aluminum strip, cutting it to an impressive ±.002 in, or ~.05 mm tolerance.

    You can see it in action in the video below and find the project’s code in the description.

    Cutting thousands of these small pieces of aluminum with the help of an Arduino and a couple of stepper motors. They will eventually become brackets to fasten computer monitors to metal enclosures.

    The brackets measure .750″ x .547″ x .125″, tolerance is quite decent at + or – .002″ I tried to keep the code as simple as possible because I’m not much of a programmer and didn’t want to spend too much time on it. The loop is triggered by the Arduino reset button. The linear actuator is controlled by an H-bridge with 4 simple switches activated by one of the steppers.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl16CQJarpQ?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    Website: LINK

  • Weekend Deal – Sekiro™: Shadows Die Twice, 20% Off

    Weekend Deal – Sekiro™: Shadows Die Twice, 20% Off

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    Save 20% on Sekiro™: Shadows Die Twice as part of this week’s Weekend Deal*!

    Carve your own clever path to vengeance in an adventure from developer FromSoftware, creators of Bloodborne and the Dark Souls series. Take Revenge. Restore your honor. Kill Ingeniously.

    *Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time
    Website: LINK

  • Daily Deal – Galactic Civilizations III, 80% Off

    Daily Deal – Galactic Civilizations III, 80% Off

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    Today’s Deal: Save 80% on Galactic Civilizations III!*

    Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

    *Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time
    Website: LINK

  • Inside Xbox: Sei live dabei auf der gamescom 2019

    Inside Xbox: Sei live dabei auf der gamescom 2019

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Bald ist es so weit – die gamescom 2019 lockt vom 20. bis 24. August unzählige Begeisterte nach Köln und Xbox ist in Halle 8 mittendrin! Als Vorgeschmack auf die gamescom und die Xbox Open Doors sendet die nächste Episode von Inside Xbox live aus dem Gloria Theater in Köln. Schalte am Montag den 19. August um 17.00 Uhr deutsche Zeit ein und erfahre brandheiße News zu neuen Spielen, Merchandise und Services. Verfolge die Show live auf xbox.comMixerTwitchYouTubeFacebook, und Twitter.

    Einschalten lohnt sich! Diese besondere Live-Episode ist gespickt mit exklusiven Hintergrund-Informationen und Trailern rund um die größten kommenden Xbox-Titel. Anlässlich des unmittelbar bevorstehenden Release von Gears 5 am 10. September 2019 enthüllen wir den herausfordernden neuen Horde Spielmodus! Wirf außerdem einen ersten Blick auf über ein Dutzend Trailer-Premieren und Enthüllungen zu kommenden Top-Spielen wie Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, Age of Empires II, Wasteland 3, Empire of Sin, Greedfall, The Surge 2, Vigor, Metro Exodus, NBA2K20, Borderlands 3, Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds und Blair Witch. Zusätzlich erwarten Dich spannende Informationen zum Xbox Game Pass, ein Interview mit Aaron Greenberg zu der riesigen X019-Feier in London und vieles, vieles mehr! Für alle Zuschauer, die über Mixer einschalten, gibt es außerdem ein besonderes Ingame-Goodie, mehr dazu später.

    Du bist vor Ort und volljährig? Dann sei live dabei und sichere Dir einen der limitierten Plätze! (nur begrenzt verfügbar, Personalausweis-Kontrolle bei Einlass). Weitere Informationen zum Einlass folgen im Laufe der Woche über die Twitter– und Facebook-Kanäle von Xbox DACH.

    Im Gloria Theater finden außerdem die Xbox Open Doors vom Mittwoch, den 21. August bis Freitag, den 23. August von 17.00 bis 22.00 Uhr statt. Jeder Abend ist gefüllt mit spannenden Spielen, coolen Goodies, packenden Turnieren und mehr. Weitere Details zu den Xbox Open Doors findest Du hier.

    Weitere Informationen zu den neuesten Xbox One-Titeln, der gamescom 2019 sowie eine spätere Zusammenfassung des Inside Xbox-Streams gibt es außerdem auf Xbox Wire DACH.

    Website: LINK

  • Free Play Days: Black Desert and Puyo Puyo Champions

    Free Play Days: Black Desert and Puyo Puyo Champions

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Puzzled on what to play this weekend? Don’t worry, we got you covered! Through this weekend, Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can play Black Desert and Puyo Puyo Champions for free. Immerse yourself in an open-world, fast-paced MMORPG or challenge friends, family, and online players to fun and fast-paced puzzle action.

    The Free Play Days event begins Thursday, August 15 at 12:01 a.m. PDT and runs through to Sunday, August 18 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. You can find and install the games here. To download on console, click on the Gold member area on the home dashboard on your Xbox One.

    The following games are also currently available for purchase at a discount so you can continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned in-game during the event.

    Black Desert

    In this expansive, living, and breathing world MMORPG, engage in thrilling combat with monsters and bosses, battle alongside friends and your guild, and hone your crafting and trade skills. Play as different classes as you immerse yourself in a story surrounded by a beautiful fantasy setting.

    The region of Kamasylvia has been added to the wide, open-world of Black Desert on Xbox One. Kamasylvia, the birthplace of the elves that was blessed by the goddess Sylvia, contains a wealth of unique areas for Adventurers to explore. The region update also includes the new Archer class and introduces a fairy companion. Hailing from Kamasylvia, the Archer is a highly mobile class capable of shooting enemies while simultaneously dodging their attacks. Even against insurmountable odds, he is able to escape death’s grip with incredible agility.

    Puyo Puyo Champions

    Jump into fast-paced puzzle action in Puyo Puyo Champions! Stack Puyos in strategic formations to generate chains, sending “garbage” Puyos to your opponents. With both single player and multiplayer options and fan favorite rulesets, there’s something for everyone.

    Don’t miss out on this exciting weekend event for Xbox Live Gold members! Learn more about Free Play Days here and stay tuned to Xbox Wire to find out about future Free Play Days and all the latest Xbox gaming news.

    See the rest of the story on Xbox Wire

    Related:
    Meet Microsoft Game Stack Developers at devcom 2019 for Panels, Ideas, and More
    Xbox and 2K Build One-of-a-Kind Basketball Court at I Promise School in Akron
    Go Beyond with the Biggest Free Update Yet to No Man’s Sky on Xbox One

    Website: LINK

  • Meet Microsoft Game Stack Developers at devcom 2019 for Panels, Ideas, and More

    Meet Microsoft Game Stack Developers at devcom 2019 for Panels, Ideas, and More

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Next week is one of the biggest gaming shows of the year: gamescom! And for game developers, that also means devcom. This year, team Microsoft will be representing at both conferences: devcom from August 18 to 19 and gamescom from August 20 to 22.

    If you’re a game developer, we have a jam-packed lineup of talks, demos, and games to play in our booth. We’re bringing game development experts from Microsoft Game Stack for tools across Azure and PlayFab, Xbox, Project xCloud, Havok, Visual Studio, App Center and more to support you and get you answers to the pressing questions you have in your game development. If you have plans to attend, we’d love to meet you and hear about what you’re working on!

    Let’s talk about the show happening at Congress Center East where we have several exciting and informative talks to kick off devcom starting Sunday, 18 August.

    The Psychology of LiveOps – Hall 11, Stage 4 at 12:30pm CEST, Sunday 18 August

    In our first talk we’ll break down how online games increasingly rely on live operations to grow and engage their player base and how LiveOps can expand fun through continual engagement and modular features. And we’ll explore how player psychology impacts your design and live operation.

    Spatial Sound Platform – Dolby Atmos Stage at 1:30pm CEST, Sunday 18 August

    Sunday’s second talk focuses on our Spatial Sound Platform. Here, we break down the fundamentals and best practices, and show off some cool implementations around how spatial audio can be used to increase the fidelity and overall experience of your video games.

    LiveOps Workshop – Showfloor Stage at 4:00pm CEST, Sunday 18 August

    We then take it to another level on Sunday afternoon with a LiveOps Workshop, hosted by our PlayFab team. Here, you’ll pick up critical skills around how to increase engagement and player retention, ideas for monetization and content updates, and have a chance to workshop your real-world scenarios with our LiveOps experts.

    On Monday, come visit us at our Microsoft Game Stack booth in devcom (Booth 17 in Congress Center East)! Our experts on LiveOps will be there to keep the conversation going from our Sunday workshop. Here, you’ll be able to talk through your game and get free 1:1 guidance and support for Live Operations.

    Hyper scale with Azure – Stage 5 in Hall 11 at 3:00pm CEST, Monday 19 August

    Monday afternoon, we’re giving a talk on how your game can achieve hyper scale with Azure.  Here, we’ll talk through how to implement massively scalable architecture to support your game by designing with CAP theory and distributed systems, web APIs, and dedicated game servers.

    Then we move over to gamescom. Team Xbox will have an awesome booth and experience in the Koelnmesse – go play some games and get your hands on Project xCloud. You’re not going to want to miss it! Over in the Business Center, located in Hall 4.2, Microsoft Game Stack will have an oasis of game developer support. Come have a coffee with our game development experts, talking through solutions for developer tools, backend services, analytics, and programs to help you drive your business. We want to hear about the game you’re building and support you in working through any challenges you’re facing.

    For those who won’t be at the show, we’re planning to record our sessions and content and post them here immediately following the conference.

    Hope to see you in Germany!

     

    See the rest of the story on Xbox Wire

    Related:
    Free Play Days: Black Desert and Puyo Puyo Champions
    Go Beyond with the Biggest Free Update Yet to No Man’s Sky on Xbox One
    gamescom 2019 Kicks off with an All-New Inside Xbox

    Website: LINK

  • Four New DualShock 4 Wireless Controller Colors, New Gold Headset Design Coming This Fall

    Four New DualShock 4 Wireless Controller Colors, New Gold Headset Design Coming This Fall

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    The DualShock 4 Wireless Controller family has grown so much since its launch almost six years ago, as we’ve introduced more than 25 colors, ranging from classic Jet Black and Wave Blue to the eclectic Sunset Orange and Red Crystal.

    Today, we’re excited to reveal four new stylish colors being added to our growing lineup to help you play in style starting this Fall, including:

    Electric Purple

    This vibrant new color features a two-tone purple design with white PlayStation shapes for added contrast.

    Red Camouflage

    Black, red and brown take on the iconic controller camouflage pattern paired with silver detailing for extra flare.

    Titanium Blue

    A metallic top cover with light blue detailing is complemented by a matte blue back with this new addition to our metallic line.

    Rose Gold

    A gold metallic finish and subtle rose hue offers a sleek and sophisticated metallic option.

    And if you like the look of the Rose Gold controller, then get ready, because we’re also revealing a Rose Gold Edition headset, coming later in November. This headset offers the same Gold Wireless Headset audio features players have come to love, but boasts a Rose Gold metallic finish on the headband, with embossed PS Shapes on the inside. Check out the Rose Gold collection below in our new video.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpKf3CVfrUg&w=1032&h=581]

    All DualShock 4 wireless controllers will be available for purchase this September, at participating retailers across the US and Canada for $64.99 USD (MSRP) / $74.99 CAN (MSRP). Meanwhile, the headset will be available for $99.99 USD (MSRP) / $119.99 CAN (MSRP), a bit later this Fall, 2019.

    Learn more about the controllers here and headsets here. Otherwise, let us know what colors you’re planning on picking up in the comments below!

    Website: LINK

  • Rock of Ages 3 Rolls To PS4 Early Next Year

    Rock of Ages 3 Rolls To PS4 Early Next Year

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    If you like competitive tower defense, going real fast and smashing things with rocks — or just hilarious cutscenes — then boy are you in for a treat! That’s exactly what you’ll get early next year when Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break arrives on PlayStation 4.

    Anyone who’s played any of ACE Team’s previous games will already know they’re in for a gut-busting treat next year. For the rest of you, we’re introducing the third game in this great series with a little trailer we like to call “The Rules of the Rock.” While these simple rules don’t cover all the game’s awesome features, they’ll get you started down that path and we’ll have more to share soon! Now, on to rule number one.

    Rule 1: Thou Shall Create

    In traditional Rock of Ages gameplay, creating simply meant the tower defense portion of the game. That is, you would place towers, cows, ballistae, exploding barrels, war elephants, and a whole host of other units along your opponent’s path in an effort to slow them down, knock them off course, or just straight up shatter their boulder.

    This time around, that’s all still part of the fun, but for the first time ever in a Rock of Ages game, you’ll get to create your own levels and share them online with friends and strangers alike. That means that creative player levels will serve as a nice complement to the game’s brand-new (and much larger) campaign.

    Of course, defenses and levels are kind of like rules though — they’re meant to be broken. So, on to rule two!

    Rule 2: Thou Shall Destroy

    You better get ready to rumble! In the most traditional ‘War’ mode of Rock of Ages 3 you’ll find yourself alternating between careening down a course with your boulder and defending your stronghold. To win, you’ll take your boulder on a mad dash to the end of the course where your opponent’s castle awaits. While your boulder is being prepared for another roll you’ll be doing your best to defend your own castle by placing and upgrading your defenses. The main goal is simple in both parts though — destroy your opponent!

    Other modes return and ask you to change up your destructive glee with altered objectives like Skee-Boulder, where you’ll test your ability to maneuver and destroy at high-speed. Race your opponents and break targets for points along the course — the first to the end of the course blasts off for a skeeball shot at a score multiplier.

    Rule 3: Thou Shall Protect the Crown

    While you’ll be protecting yourself and battering on opponents in the campaign mode, you’ll also want to protect your own crown (or noggin, as I like to say) in head-to-head split screen or up to four-player online matches. This of course is all made more exciting by the largest roster of new and returning boulders, units, upgrades and game modes ever seen in a Rock of Ages game.

    The story of Rock of Ages 3 will introduce you to all the game modes (including more I didn’t cover here!) and new boss battles that expand the gameplay even further! Everyone from Caesar and Moctezuma to Krampus and the Spaghetti Monster will make an appearance in an expansive campaign across history and beyond when Rock of Ages 3 releases early next year.
    Don’t forget to pre-order now and let us know what you’re excited for in the comments!

    Website: LINK

  • Ab Herbst erhältlich: Dualshock 4 Wireless-Controller in vier neuen Farben

    Ab Herbst erhältlich: Dualshock 4 Wireless-Controller in vier neuen Farben

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Hier seht ihr zum ersten Mal die neuen DS4-Farben Electric Purple, Red Camouflage, Titanium Blue und Rose Gold.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S5TfHebUsE?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    Seit ihrer Einführung vor fast sechs Jahren ist die Familie der Dualshock 4 Wireless-Controller beträchtlich gewachsen: Mittlerweile gibt es über 25 Farben, von Jet Black und Wave Blue über knalliges Sunset Orange bis hin zu Red Crystal.

    Heute möchten wir euch vier schicke neue Farben vorstellen, mit denen ihr ab Herbst ganz viel Stil beweisen könnt:

    • Electric Purple
      Diese knallige neue Farbe wird für zusätzlichen Kontrast durch weiße PlayStation-Symbole ergänzt.
    • Red Camouflage
      Schwarz, Rot und Braun werden hier zur ultimativen Tarn-Kombination, silberne Details sorgen für das gewisse Extra.
    • Titanium Blue
      Hellblau im Metallic-Design wird im Rahmen unserer Metallic-Kollektion mit einer mattblauen Rückseite kombiniert.
    • Rose Gold
      Ein Finish in Metallic Gold und dezentes Rosa sorgen für einen schicken und hochwertigen Look.
    New Dualshock 4 Range

    Wenn euch der Controller in Rose Gold gefällt, aufgepasst! Im November kommt ein Headset in der gleichen Farbe groß raus.

    Rose Gold Edition Headset and PS4 Dualshock 4

    Das Headset bietet die schon beim Wireless-Headset der Gold-Edition so beliebten Audiofunktionen und weist am Kopfbügel ein Finish in Rose Gold und eingeprägte PS-Symbole auf. Seht euch die Rose Gold-Kollektion im neuen Video unten an.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1yvUadotws?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    Alle Dualshock 4 Wireless-Controller sind ab September bei teilnehmenden Händlern erhältlich. Das Headset ist ab November erhältlich.

    Und für eine kurze Zeit kehren auch Berry Blue, Sunset Orange, Blue Camouflage und Gold im November zurück!

    Dualshock 4 Range

    Mehr über die Controller erfahrt ihr hier. Weitere Infos zu den Headsets gibt es hier. Verratet uns unten in den Kommentaren, welche Farben eure Favoriten sind!

    Website: LINK

  • Code your own 2D shooting gallery in Python | Wireframe issue 20

    Code your own 2D shooting gallery in Python | Wireframe issue 20

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Raspberry Pi’s own Rik Cross shows you how to hit enemies with your mouse pointer as they move around the screen.

    Duck Hunt made effective use of the NES Zapper, and made a star of its sniggering dog, who’d pop up to heckle you between stages.

    Clicky Clicky Bang Bang

    Shooting galleries have always been a part of gaming, from the Seeburg Ray-O-Lite in the 1930s to the light gun video games of the past 40 years. Nintendo’s Duck Hunt — played with the NES Zapper — was a popular console shooting game in the early eighties, while titles such as Time Crisis and The House of the Dead kept the genre alive in the 1990s and 2000s.

    Here, I’ll show you how to use a mouse to fire bullets at moving targets. Code written to instead make use of a light gun and a CRT TV (as with Duck Hunt) would look very different. In these games, pressing the light gun’s trigger would cause the entire screen to go black and an enemy sprite to become bright white. A light sensor at the end of the gun would then check whether the gun is pointed at the white sprite, and if so, would register a hit. If more than one enemy was on the screen when the trigger was pressed, each enemy would flash white for one frame in turn, so that the gun would know which enemy had been hit.

    Our simple shooting gallery in Python. You could try adding randomly spawning ducks, a scoreboard, and more.

    Pygame Zero

    I’ve used two Pygame Zero event hooks for dealing with mouse input. Firstly, the on_mouse_move() function updates the position of the crosshair sprite whenever the mouse is moved. The on_mouse_down() function reacts to mouse button presses, with the left button being pressed to fire a bullet (if numberofbullets > 0) and the right button to reload (setting numberofbullets to MAXBULLETS).

    Each time a bullet is fired, a check is made to see whether any enemy sprites are colliding with the crosshair — a collision means that an enemy has been hit. Luckily, Pygame Zero has a colliderect() function to tell us whether the rectangular boundary around two sprites intersects.

    If this helper function wasn’t available, we’d instead need to use sprites’ x and y coordinates, along with width and height data (w and h below) to check whether the two sprites intersect both horizontally and vertically. This is achieved by coding the following algorithm:

    • Is the left-hand edge of sprite 1 further left than the right-hand edge of sprite 2 (x1 < x2+w2)?
    • Is the right-hand edge of sprite 1 further right than the left-hand edge of sprite 2 (x1+w1 > x2)?
    • Is the top edge of sprite 1 higher up than the bottom edge of sprite 2 (y1 < y2+h2)?
    • Is the bottom edge of sprite 1 lower down than the top edge of sprite 2 (y1+h1 > y2)?

    If the answer to the four questions above is True, then the two sprites intersect (see Figure 1). To give visual feedback, hit enemies briefly remain on the screen (in this case, 50 frames). This is achieved by setting a hit variable to True, and then decrementing a timer once this variable has been set. The enemy’s deleted when the timer reaches 0.

    Figure 1: A visual representation of a collision algorithm, which checks whether two sprites intersect.

    As well as showing an enemy for a short time after being hit, successful shots are also shown. A problem that needs to be overcome is how to modify an enemy sprite to show bullet holes. A hits list for each enemy stores bullet sprites, which are then drawn over enemy sprites.

    Storing hits against an enemy allows us to easily stop drawing these hits once the enemy is removed. In the example code, an enemy stops moving once it has been hit.

    If you don’t want this behaviour, then you’ll also need to update the position of the bullets in an enemy’s hits list to match the enemy movement pattern.

    When decrementing the number of bullets, the max() function is used to ensure that the bullet count never falls below 0. The max() function returns the highest of the numbers passed to it, and as the maximum of 0 and any negative number is 0, the number of bullets always stays within range.

    There are a couple of ways in which the example code could be improved. Currently, a hit is registered when the crosshair intersects with an enemy — even if they are barely touching. This means that often part of the bullet is drawn outside of the enemy sprite boundary. This could be solved by creating a clipping mask around an enemy before drawing a bullet. More visual feedback could also be given by drawing missed shots, stored in a separate list.

    Here’s Rik’s code, which lets you hit enemies with your mouse pointer. To get it running on your system, you’ll first need to install Pygame Zero. And to download the full code, go here.

    Get your copy of Wireframe issue 20

    You can read more features like this one in Wireframe issue 20, available now at Tesco, WHSmith, and all good independent UK newsagents.

    Or you can buy Wireframe directly from Raspberry Pi Press — delivery is available worldwide. And if you’d like a handy digital version of the magazine, you can also download issue 20 for free in PDF format.

    Make sure to follow Wireframe on Twitter and Facebook for updates and exclusive offers and giveaways. Subscribe on the Wireframe website to save up to 49% compared to newsstand pricing!

    Website: LINK