Halo 5 is getting a singlular $25 microtransaction for REQ

Jeff Williams | Gaming | Feb 4, 2016 4:02 PM CST

Microtransactions are a fact of life now, something that's inevitable in any online multiplayer experience. Of course there's a right way and a wrong way to implement them, and in this case, the $25 spent within Halo 5 is actually the right way; for optional items only.

The new singular Arena REQ bundle contains a whole host of different armor, weapon and other skins to help you define your individuality within the Halo universe. You don't want to be just any ol' Spartan, now do you? But this is a limited offer with 14 separate packs smashed together that have "Mythic" and "Legendary" items that you likely won't find elsewhere. It'll be available starting February 16th.

But, even though it seems like a lot of money, it's cosmetic only and doesn't change the gameplay or give you an advantage. Aside from people staring at your newly applied weapon, armor and other skins. So don't fret, because you don't have to buy it.

Continue reading: Halo 5 is getting a singlular $25 microtransaction for REQ (full post)

Epic Games develops a VR game while in VR

Virtual reality is poised to completely change our lives and shake up a number of industries. We've seen how VR can be used for tons of different applications, but what about games development? Thanks to Epic's new Unreal VR Engine, devs can now build games in fully immersive VR spaces. It's like VR-ception!

Epic Games develops a VR game while in VR

In a new video, Epic Games' Mike Fricker is seen developing a game in real-time while ensconced in a HTC Vive headset. Using the new Unreal Editor's VR mode, developers can literally create video game environments while standing in them, adding a whole new depth to content creation. The editor is rendered virtually in a VR environment and contains the full scope of utilities and tools as traditional 2D software, and devs will be able to use Oculus Rift motion controllers to mold and shape digital world's.

VR expert and Moor Insights and Strategy analyst Anshel Sag adds some perspective to the new Unreal VR Editor: "With this new tool, developers can finally preview their games as they are making them in VR and get a good idea of how things will feel for the gamer, immediately. I don't see someone building or finishing a game in this tool, but I do see someone making minor changes to a game with it and making it a part of the development phase."

Continue reading: Epic Games develops a VR game while in VR (full post)

Chrome now warns you about websites with deceptive download links

Sean Ridgeley | Software & Apps | Feb 4, 2016 3:08 PM CST

After blocking auto-play flash ads back in September and "social engineering attacks" in November, Chrome will now throw up a full page warning (pictured below) when you arrive at a page with deceptive download links and ads (like those that tell you to 'click this link' to clean your viruses). Well, sometimes, maybe: the new feature of sorts will be likely be rolled out gradually.

The warning represents an expansion of Google's Safe Browsing, which warned you about malware and such.

It must be noted deceptive ads like this can be difficult for webmasters to control, as they are often generated by random ad servers. If nothing else, this could well discourage ad providers from creating these type of ads in the first place. With Chrome's massive browser share, it's not hard to believe.

Continue reading: Chrome now warns you about websites with deceptive download links (full post)

Updated AMD 16.1.1 driver released with Fallout 4 Crossfire fix

Sean Ridgeley | Video Cards & GPUs | Feb 4, 2016 2:10 PM CST

As promised, and a little quicker than expected perhaps, AMD's updated 16.1.1 driver has been released. This one includes all the fixes from yesterday, as well as a new one for flickering in Fallout 4, as seen post-version 1.3 and with Crossfire enabled.

If you missed the news yesterday, the driver includes Crossfire profiles for Rise of the Tomb Raider and Fallout 4, plus resolved issues for Radeon Settings and three high profile games (Battlefront, Assasin's Creed Syndicate, Battlefield Hardline). For all the details and the download, click here.

Continue reading: Updated AMD 16.1.1 driver released with Fallout 4 Crossfire fix (full post)

Wanna play The Last of Us within Grand Theft Auto V?

Jeff Williams | Gaming | Feb 4, 2016 1:03 PM CST

Gaming inception just happened. As it seems to happen with Grand Theft Auto games, someone went and recreated the look and feel of The Last of Us in Grand Theft Auto 5, complete with clothing and weapons.

The creator, taltigolt, captured the whole essence of the decrepit and dilapidated atmosphere. Nature has started to take back the city and there's detritus everywhere and a general feeling of despair with vehicles in the street and even a crashed airplane.

Despite being a simple visual recreation, the level of detail, care and time that put into the mod is pretty incredible. Sure, the vegetation isn't quite as lush as it is in the actual The Last of Us, plus there's no AAA actors voicing the character, but they've done a great job. There's a lot of other great mods for GTA V out there as well, with nearly anything you could possible imagine.

Continue reading: Wanna play The Last of Us within Grand Theft Auto V? (full post)

Doom reboot release date revealed with grisly new campaign trailer

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Feb 4, 2016 12:31 PM CST

id Software and Bethesda have announced the release date for their hellishly chaotic Doom reboot, choosing a very fitting date of Friday, May 13th to launch the game.

Doom reboot release date revealed with grisly new campaign trailer

According to id, the game is all about "badass demons, big 'effing' guns, and moving really, really fast", and based on the new bloodthirsty campaign trailer, the new reboot is everything we'd expect in a Doom game. The FPS mechanics are gracious and fluid, delivering obscene death to nightmarish hellions with equally insane weapons. We even get to see a three-barreled minigun tear through demons like tissue paper. Based on the trailer, the game will most likely be in full 1080p 60FPS on all platforms.

As with most modern games, Doom will release with its own $120 collector's edition that includes a 12-inch Revenant statue based on an in-game 3D render. The dastardly skeleton statue also sports LED lighting and a low-power, spinning turbine to boot. The Doom CE also includes multiplayer skins and a stylish metal case, but all in all it seems like the standard fare for these types of deals.

Continue reading: Doom reboot release date revealed with grisly new campaign trailer (full post)

What happened to Asteroids: Outpost? Core gameplay is being revisited

Jeff Williams | Gaming | Feb 4, 2016 12:06 PM CST

When Asteroids: Outpost was announced back in February of last year it was an exciting prospect. A revival of a brand but with a completely new perspective using a modern genre with a significant and distinct science fiction twist.

An open-world sandbox survival game that let you build massive manufacturing plants on remote outposts on asteroids. The idea really added inspired a lot of excitement. Sure it wasn't the traditional Asteroids game from so many years ago, but it was so much better. At least it had the potential to be. The game development was going slowly but surely, moving along with regular updates that candidly talked about the issues and problems they encountered.

But then, it suddenly stopped. The last update was on July 7th 2015, and since then the servers have seemed to go offline with almost no communication. That didn't seem right, especially for such an intriguing project. It was a survival game that takes things to the next level, and you don't have to press P to poo. In the wake of the missing communication, I reached out to Atari to see what was going on internally. The answer we got is good news, though.

Continue reading: What happened to Asteroids: Outpost? Core gameplay is being revisited (full post)

Uncharted 4 themed PlayStation 4 bundle coming this April

Jeff Williams | Gaming | Feb 4, 2016 11:01 AM CST

Sony just announced the special 500GB PlayStation 4 bundle for Uncharted 4 that'll be available this April. The limited edition console will have the visage of Nathan Drake silk-screened onto the console with a golden logo on the bottom to commemorate the release of possible the final chapter in his adventure.

The limited edition bundle will also include a matching DualShock 4 controller and an actual physical Blu-ray copy of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. The phrase "SIC PARVIS MAGNA", which means "greatness from small beginnings," in Latin. will also be silkscreened on the other side.

As an added bonus, those that buy this bundle will get a voucher for a special outfit, a golden weapon skin and Uncharted Points, the in-game currency, for use in the multiplayer mode. The entire limited edition bundle will cost a cool $399.99, and you can pre-order it later today.

Continue reading: Uncharted 4 themed PlayStation 4 bundle coming this April (full post)

Australian Government uses Facebook to track $2m AU of welfare fraud

Chris Smith | Internet & Websites | Feb 4, 2016 10:34 AM CST

The Australian Government has hired some third-party agencies in order to scour social media and track down Aussies gathering welfare donations illegally.

Boasting a current $1.43 million US ($2m AU) haul, the department responsible for processing welfare in the Land Down Under, Centrelink, further commented that $1.21 million US ($1.7m AU) has been discovered by them monitoring eBay accounts of welfare recipients not claiming this form of sale as income. Some of the offenders are said to have made the mistake of posting "Thank God it's Friday" on their Facebook, explaining that they were relieved the working week was over while receiving unemployment benefits at the same time.

Stuart Robert, the Minister for Humans Services, stated that this research resulted in "3,072 compliance reviews, 1,888 cases of overpayment and five arrests on warrants for failing to attend court for welfare fraud offences" as reported by the Canberra Times.

Continue reading: Australian Government uses Facebook to track $2m AU of welfare fraud (full post)

Mac and Linux version of Batman: Arkham Knight has been cancelled

Jeff Williams | Gaming | Feb 4, 2016 10:01 AM CST

Warner Bros. won't be finishing development on the Mac or Linux versions of Batman: Arkham Knight. If you happened to pre-order on the pretense that those would eventually be released, they're asking that you apply for a refund through Steam, which will be granted.

When it finally released, after much anticipation, Batman: Arkham Knight suffered from performance issues that rendered it near unplayable on a variety of hardware. The game was removed from Steam after receiving more than 1000 negative reviews at launch and sales were suspended in retail stores until they could find and fix the issues. It was assumed that the inclusion of GameWorks might have been related to the issues at hand, though it was only a correlation.

Rocksteady was able to fix the majority of the issues with the help of NVIDIA, though the damage had already been done. Performance with NVIDIA's GameWorks turned off did eventually become acceptable, however it was perhaps too late in the eye of the consumer.

Continue reading: Mac and Linux version of Batman: Arkham Knight has been cancelled (full post)

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