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Ex-DICE artist builds photo realistic environments in Unreal Engine 4
In the current slate of games, graphics are good - but nowhere near photo realistic. The best graphics around are found in the latest games like The Division and Rise of the Tomb Raider, but they're multi-platform games built for consoles - with PCs as an afterthought.
What if we had games use the true power of PC, requiring more than one GPU to power photo-realistic gaming? Well, a former DICE 3D artist has teased some of the best environments we've ever seen - powered by Unreal Engine 4. The video is above, and shows environments running in real-time, on UE4, and it looks absolutely insane.
Here are some screenshots that will blow your mind.
Continue reading: Ex-DICE artist builds photo realistic environments in Unreal Engine 4 (full post)
New survey might give away story details for Mass Effect: Andromeda
A new survey from EA may have given away some particulars about the story for Mass Effect: Andromeda, and it might have something to do with colonialism if the contents of the survey actually hold true. Let us all read these with caution, however.
The survey is one that's being made available online to users for what they're noting could be a possible future and direction for the series. This could either be a way to gauge interest for the present game they're working on, or to help decide the direction of a new series of games based on the same protagonist. Colonization of a distant galaxy is exciting in its own right, however.
We don't know very much about what the game is about, aside from that it'll be taking place not in our home galaxy, so seeing additional details, no matter how fleeting, is rather nice. This survey seems to point towards the human race fighting to establish a new home in a new galaxy against an intelligent alien race, though no specifics (obviously) were given. Survey's like these aren't uncommon to actually see if either their ideas are among the most picked or to establish a direction that they intend to take based on the feedback they receive. So it could be true, or it could be a way to establish where they're going next. This type of survey can also be a way to establish the best way to market to various parts of the world as well.
Continue reading: New survey might give away story details for Mass Effect: Andromeda (full post)
The FBI doesn't need to tell Apple how it broke into the iPhone 5C
We reported yesterday that the FBI had broken into the iPhone 5C used by the San Bernardino shooter, without Apple's help. It's now being reported that Appel can't force the FBI to disclose just how it broke into their smartphone.
The FBI reportedly tapped the help of an Israeli security firm, which broke into the iPhone 5C, and with Apple unable to force the FBI to show them how they did that, it could mean that other iPhones could be broken into. Why? Because Apple can't fix the security hole that the FBI went through - mainly for iPhone users, but it's obviously a hole that Apple don't know about, or at least they don't know which method the FBI used. It's quite scary there's an easy hole for a company that's not Apple, nor the FBI, can use to break into iPhones - quite easily, it seems.
Ars Technica talked with a law enforcement official, who said: "We cannot comment on the possibility of future disclosures to Apple. [There] are legitimate pros and cons to the decision to disclose, and the trade-offs between prompt disclosure and withholding knowledge of some vulnerabilities for a limited time can have significant consequences," he said while explaining the Vulnerabilities Equities Process". So, there's no legal requirement of the FBI to disclose how it broke through Apple's much-touted security... well now.
Continue reading: The FBI doesn't need to tell Apple how it broke into the iPhone 5C (full post)
Killer Instinct frame rate tied to monitor refresh, unlock to 144Hz!
Killer Instinct, alongside Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, showcase that developers don't care about PC gamers. Killer Instinct's frame rate is locked to monitor refresh rates, so if you have a high refresh rate gaming monitor cranking at 120/144/165Hz - then your game is going to be too fast.
There's a workaround for this however, as you can untie Killer Instinct's refresh rate lock from your monitor. You'll have to set a custom resolution in your display settings, to whatever resolution (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160 and so on) and 60Hz. The ultra-awesome gaming monitors at 120/144/165Hz are usually 2560x1440 native resolutions, so you'll have to lock your high refresh rate to 60Hz - and only for Killer Instinct.
This means you'll have to change resolutions (and refresh rates) for Killer Instinct, but then when you want to play something else like CS:GO, The Division or whatever else - you'll have to go back in and change your resolution and refresh rate from the custom settings to the normal resolution and refresh rate - until the developer updates the game and it'll work without a problem... hopefully.
Continue reading: Killer Instinct frame rate tied to monitor refresh, unlock to 144Hz! (full post)
Spotify raises $1 billion in debt, gets dirty in its fight with Apple
Well... the fight between Spotify, Google and Apple just heated up with Spotify raising a huge $1 billion - but not from the usual investors and funding methods. It has borrowed $1 billion in convertible debt from TPG, Dragoneer, and clients of Goldman Sachs.
Why is raising debt different than equity? Well, as TechCrunch reports that by "raising debt rather than equity, it doesn't have to worry about poor signaling from a down-round raised at a lower valuation than the $8.5 billion it set in June 2015". Spotify has confirmed the news, with TPG telling TechCrunch: "This financing gives them the strategic resources to further strengthen their leadership position", and that the money will be pumped into growth and marketing.
But what happens if Spotify doesn't do well over the next year or two? Well, this is an aggressive deal with some razor sharp terms - with TPG and Dragoneer to convert the debt to equity at a 20% discount, or whatever share price Spotify sets for its eventual IPO. If the IPO doesn't arrive within the next 12 months, this discount increases by 2.5% every 6 months. Spotify will also have to cough up 5% annual interest on the debt, and 1% more every 6 months up to a total of 10%. Yeah, it's not good at all.
Continue reading: Spotify raises $1 billion in debt, gets dirty in its fight with Apple (full post)
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition update adds UltraWide display support
The Coalition have been quick to update the kind-of-limped release of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, with the third patch now available and adding support for UltraWide resolutions (2560x1080 and 3440x1440), an FPS counter, and much more. Here's what to expect from the new patch:
Continue reading: Gears of War: Ultimate Edition update adds UltraWide display support (full post)
Corsair's new M65 PRO RGB gaming mouse has a with 12,000 DPI sensor
Corsair has just unveiled its new M65 PRO RGB gaming mouse, which is a competition-grade FPS gaming mouse that is infused with technology that pushes you further towards your goal of winning. It features a huge 12,000 DPI optical sensor that provides "pixel-precise tracking and the advanced surface calibration support offers supreme responsiveness for your playing surface".
The new M65 PRO RGB has an advanced weight tuning system that lets gamers tune their mouse's center of gravity to better match their play style, as some gamers want super-quick precision so they make it lighter - while heavier weights are used for decisive movements. Corsair has tapped high-capacity Omron switches that are good for 20 million clicks, alongside low friction PTFE glide pads that will provide reliable performance throughout your gaming sessions with the Corsair M65 PRO RGB. Here are the full specs:
The new Corsair M65 PRO RGB is available right now from most places, while the M65 PRO RGB White will be available next month.
Continue reading: Corsair's new M65 PRO RGB gaming mouse has a with 12,000 DPI sensor (full post)
NVIDIA's next-gen GeForce GTX 1080 to be shown off next week at GTC16
NVIDIA will show off its next-generation Pascal architecture at their GPU Technology Conference last week, where we should be introduced to the GeForce GTX 1080 and GTX 1070 video cards - with their purported cooler shrouds teased just a couple hours ago.
We could be surprised, and NVIDIA could unveil their new Pascal-powered Titan X successor - which is something I think we'll see. I think NVIDIA will unveil the GP100 GPU, rocking 16-32GB of HBM2 and a price of $1000-$2000 (I'd say $1499 for the 16GB HBM2 version and $1999 for the 32GB HBM2 card). NVIDIA could then drop the GTX 1080 for something like $599, rolling with GDDR5X - still providing a large increase in performance over the GTX 980 and GTX 980 Ti - with thanks given to the 16nm node and the new Pascal architecture.
Continue reading: NVIDIA's next-gen GeForce GTX 1080 to be shown off next week at GTC16 (full post)
Steam's no-refund policy falls foul of Australian Government
Steam's no-refunds policy has raised the ire of gamers for years now, but never before have they pissed off a Government. Yesterday, that all changed.
In an Australian court yesterday, Valve's Steam Refund Policy was found to have resulted in "misleading or deceptive conduct and made false or misleading representations to Australian consumers" in action brought by the Government's competition watchdog, the ACCC.
In an Australian-first, the court decreed that digital goods were just as subject to the same laws that govern the sale of physical goods, and the same consumer laws apply. Speaking on the court victory, ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said "The Federal Court's decision reinforces that foreign based businesses selling goods and/or services to Australian consumers can be subject to Australian Consumer Law obligations, including the consumer guarantees".
Continue reading: Steam's no-refund policy falls foul of Australian Government (full post)
Oracle wants $9.3 billion from Google for using Java in Android
The long-running lawsuit between Oracle and Google over the latter's use of Java in Android just got spicier: Oracle is seeking up to $9.3 billion in damages according to recent court filings. Lawsuit damages aren't typically a worry for the ever-rich Google, but an amount this high is plenty enough to worry even the search giant, which made $4.9 billion in profits last quarter.
The suit began in 2010 and went to trial two years later, where the jury was divided on whether Google was protected under fair use laws. A new trial is set for May 9 with a pre-trial scheduled for April 27; Oracle's Larry Ellison and Google's Eric Schmidt will take the stand, among other faces.
The new figure is about 10 times the original amount Oracle asked for, a reflection of Android's growth and subsequent releases. Google has hired a damages expert, presumably to push the figure way down. While its counter-offer isn't public, another filing indicates at least a portion of the damages are capped at $100 million. With a disparity this large, it's plausible the jury will settle somewhere in the middle (around $4.6 billion in this case, or one quarter's worth of profits for Google as opposed to two).
Continue reading: Oracle wants $9.3 billion from Google for using Java in Android (full post)