Author: Christopher

  • Is it a Bug or a Feature? Stellar Blade’s Half-Second “Input Lag” Explained

    Is it a Bug or a Feature? Stellar Blade’s Half-Second “Input Lag” Explained

    The director of Stellar Blade explained that what players are calling input lag during certain moves is a deliberate design choice.

    In an interview with 4Gamer, Kim Hyung-tae was asked about the game’s demo, and the topic of input lag came up.

    Kim was asked why there seemed to be a delay between pressing a button for performing a perfect parry or dodge, and the actual move happening.

    He explained that they intentionally added a delay to keep the animation smooth, and clarified that there’s no actual input lag because the skill activates the moment the button is pressed, even if the animation takes a moment to play out.

    “In Stellar Blade, there is about a 0.5-second delay between pressing the button and seeing the skill on-screen,” he said (translated by Automaton). “It’s a delay that can’t be reduced further.

    “We decided not to trigger the character’s movement immediately upon button press, as we thought it wouldn’t match the game’s animation style.

    “So, the skill itself activates right when you press the button, but the movement animation follows afterwards.” Kim also mentioned that if players find that the delayed animations make the game harder to play, the studio may make changes in the future.

    This might have already been partly addressed in the game’s day one patch, which, according to the official X account for the game, improves “the input time for basic attacks, as well as the timing of blocking and parrying to be more responsive”.

  • Mario Gets Moody: Garry’s Mod Loses 20 Years of Nintendo Fun, Devs Need Your Help

    Mario Gets Moody: Garry’s Mod Loses 20 Years of Nintendo Fun, Devs Need Your Help

    Despite rumors suggesting that takedown notices for Nintendo-related content in Garry’s Mod Steam Workshop were fake, Garry Newman confirmed that Nintendo verified these takedowns as legitimate.

    Recently, Nintendo issued takedown notices for certain Nintendo-related items on the Steam Workshop. The Garry’s Mod developers clarified that these takedowns were indeed from Nintendo and not a mistake.

    Nintendo Teases New LEGO Super Mario Sets
    Nintendo Teases New LEGO Super Mario Sets

    They acknowledged that Nintendo has the right to protect their content and decide how it’s used outside of their platforms. As a result, the Garry’s Mod team is working to remove any Nintendo-related content that violates copyright laws.

    The task is daunting because there are 20 years’ worth of user uploads to review. The developers asked users to voluntarily delete any Nintendo-related uploads and refrain from uploading them in the future to assist with this effort.

    It’s unclear how extensive the Nintendo-related content is on Garry’s Mod, but a search for “Mario” on the Steam Workshop returned thousands of results.

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    Nintendo is known for being protective of its intellectual property, and they have been active in taking down unauthorized use of its content, including emulators and mods.

    Fans of Nintendo’s games continue to create innovative content, but there’s always a risk that Nintendo will take action to protect its intellectual property against unauthorized use.

  • Genshin Impact Leaks Expose Clorinde & Sigewinne’s Ascension Materials!

    Genshin Impact Leaks Expose Clorinde & Sigewinne’s Ascension Materials!

    A reliable source in the Genshin Impact community has shared the full list of materials that players will need to gather beforehand to upgrade Clorinde and Sigewinne’s talents and ascensions in Version 4.7. In Genshin Impact, it’s exciting for players to fully develop a newly obtained character from an event banner, and preparing their required materials in advance can be very satisfying.

    Genshin Impact Leak Clorinde Rarity Role
    Image Source Reddit

    Clorinde and Sigewinne are characters coming to Genshin Impact in Version 4.7. Unlike Arlecchino from Version 4.6, whose ascension and talent materials require new bosses and domains introduced in that version, Clorinde, and Sigewinne’s materials will come from existing content, making it easier for players to prepare.

    Clorinde’s materials include Fontemer Unihorn, Lumitoile, Philosophies of Justice, and Worldspan Fern. Sigewinne’s materials consist of Water That Failed to Transcend, Romaritime Flower, Philosophies of Equity, and Lightless Eye of the Maelstrom.

    To obtain these materials, players will need to challenge specific bosses. For example, the Worldspan Fern can be obtained by defeating the Guardian of Apep’s Oasis, while the Lightless Eye of the Maelstrom comes from the All-Devouring Narwhal boss.

    It’s important to note that while Arlecchino in Version 4.6 requires materials from new content, Clorinde and Sigewinne’s materials are tied to older content, making them easier to farm ahead of their release.

    Version 4.7 will also introduce a new Spiral Abyss mode, with the first season set in Mondstadt. Players can access this mode through Lisa’s library in the Knights of Favonius headquarters. The new Spiral Abyss will feature trial characters and allow players to borrow a friend’s character to tackle its challenges.

    Overall, preparing materials for Clorinde and Sigewinne in advance can help players fully equip and level up these characters as soon as they are released in Genshin Impact Version 4.7.

  • Gloomhaven Studio’s Demo Debuts Alongside Devastating Downsizing

    Gloomhaven Studio’s Demo Debuts Alongside Devastating Downsizing

    Indie developer Flaming Fowl Studios, known for games like Fable Fortune and Gloomhaven, made a surprising move by releasing a demo for their new game, Ironmarked, on Steam while laying off more than half of their employees.

    Flaming Fowl explained that due to financial challenges in the games industry, they had to pause production on Ironmarked and reduce their studio size. They hope that sharing the demo will highlight the talent of their former team members and help them find new jobs.

    The studio was started in 2016 by former Lionhead employees to finish and release Fable Fortune after Lionhead closed. They later created Gloomhaven, a popular dungeon crawler based on a tabletop game.

    Craig Oman, Flaming Fowl’s CEO, mentioned that Ironmarked was dropped by its publisher in 2023, and despite funding development themselves, they struggled to find a new publisher interested in the game. Many publishers now prefer very large or very small projects, leaving mid-sized games like Ironmarked in a tough spot.

    If you want to know about other news related to gaming, then you can also read these articles by clicking on the links given below:

    After the layoffs, Flaming Fowl’s team is now focusing on developing a smaller self-funded strategy game by the end of 2024. They hope that by sharing Ironmarked’s demo and gaining more wishlists on Steam, they can attract a publisher willing to support the game.

    Ironmarked is described as a co-op RPG with turn-based combat, set in a fantasy world inspired by medieval Italy. Players hire mercenaries for quests, each with unique abilities and personalities that affect gameplay.

  • Embracer CEO Takes Blame: “I Deserve a Lot of Criticism” After Mass Layoffs, Studio Closures

    Embracer CEO Takes Blame: “I Deserve a Lot of Criticism” After Mass Layoffs, Studio Closures

    Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors is taking responsibility for recent layoffs, studio closures, and game cancelations at the company.

    In 2023, Embracer made significant changes due to challenges in the video game industry. They laid off 1,400 employees, closed seven studios, and canceled 29 games. These actions followed years of mergers and acquisitions, including a failed $2 billion deal with Savvy Games Group.

    In response to criticism, Wingefors acknowledged his role, saying, “As a leader and an owner, sometimes you need to take the blame and be humble about mistakes or what could have been done differently.” He recognizes the impact on his team but believes in the company’s mission despite the restructuring.

    Also Read:

    Embracer recently announced splitting into three entities: Coffee Stain, Middle-Earth, and Asmodee, each focusing on different aspects of the business. They also sold Gearbox, known for Borderlands, for $460 million after acquiring it for $1.3 billion three years ago.

    Wingefors emphasized unity among Embracer’s leaders regarding the company’s direction. He acknowledged challenges but expressed confidence in their game pipeline and plans, despite adjustments needed due to industry changes.

  • Unreal Engine 5.4: Unleash Smoother Gameplay with 60fps Performance Boost

    Unreal Engine 5.4: Unleash Smoother Gameplay with 60fps Performance Boost

    Unreal Engine 5.4 is a big deal for game developers. It’s the latest version of Epic’s powerful software, and it’s packed with improvements.

    One exciting change for players is better performance. Unreal Engine 5 had some issues running smoothly on new game consoles and high-end PCs. Now, with version 5.4, Epic is focused on making games run at a smooth 60 frames per second (fps) on current hardware.

    They’ve worked on speeding up shader compilation, which should reduce those annoying stutters players sometimes experience in Unreal Engine games.

    Epic has also added new features to make games look even better. Nanite, a technology in Unreal Engine, now includes “Adaptive Tessellation” which can create intricate details without slowing down performance. There are also “Heterogeneous volumes” for realistic smoke and clouds. Epic has improved their Temporal Super Resolution upscaling too, making games look sharper.

    Developers can now integrate AI and machine learning tools more easily into their games using Unreal Engine 5. This means smarter NPCs and more dynamic environments.

    Some developers, like those working on 1943: Rise of Hydra, are already using Unreal Engine 5.4 to create impressive games. They’re showing off what this new version can do.

    Overall, Unreal Engine 5.4 is all about boosting performance and visuals, making it a top choice for developers working on next-gen games.

  • Can’t Wait Until August? Xbox Game Pass Adds Day One Mystery Title

    Can’t Wait Until August? Xbox Game Pass Adds Day One Mystery Title

    It’s been confirmed that SteamWorld Heist 2 will be available on Xbox Game Pass from its release day, August 8. Xbox Game Pass has had a great year so far, starting with the popular game Palworld and continuing strong with many high-quality games available right from day one. The good news is that this momentum is expected to continue.

    April 2024 alone has already seen several impressive day-one games on Xbox Game Pass, and there are more to come. For example, this week will bring new releases like Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and the Soulslike game Another Crab’s Treasure.

    While most subscribers are excited about upcoming releases, it’s worth noting that games are also being confirmed for later in the year.

    Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 8, if you’re an Xbox Game Pass subscriber. That’s when SteamWorld Heist 2 will be added to the service as a day-one game.

    This sequel to the 2015 turn-based tactics game SteamWorld Heist was announced during the latest Nintendo Indie World Showcase. The original game received positive reviews from critics, so there are high expectations for the sequel.

    With SteamWorld Heist 2 coming to Xbox Game Pass on August 8, subscribers can play it without any additional cost. Turn-based tactics might be a niche genre, but even if you’re not excited about SteamWorld Heist 2, there are plenty of other new games coming to Game Pass in the upcoming months.

    In May 2024, subscribers can look forward to Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, releasing on May 21. It’s one of Xbox’s key game releases for 2024, and fans are eager to see if it meets expectations.

    Looking ahead, Rolling Hills will join Xbox Game Pass on June 4, while the horror game Still Wakes the Deep is set for release on June 18. Frostpunk 2 is coming to PC Game Pass on July 5, followed by STALKER 2 on September 5.

    SteamWorld Heist 2 is the only confirmed day-one game for Xbox Game Pass in August 2024 so far, but more titles are expected to be announced soon.

  • Is Gray Zone Warfare On PS5? A Deep Dive Into The Next-Gen Tactical Beast

    Is Gray Zone Warfare On PS5? A Deep Dive Into The Next-Gen Tactical Beast

    Madfinger Games’ Gray Zone Warfare caught the attention of gamers when it was revealed in 2023. The game, set to launch this year, has already been tested by some PC players, challenging them with its intense realism.

    Gray Zone Warfare isn’t just another first-person shooter. It’s an immersive tactical FPS where players can join a Private Military Company in a massive open-world setting.

    You can play solo or team up with others to battle enemies, whether they’re other players or AI-controlled foes. The game is brutally realistic—getting killed is as easy as it would be in real life, so players need to strategize carefully.

    Forbes’ Mike Stubbs recently shared his experience playing an early version of the game. According to Stubbs, Madfinger Games has delivered on their promise of realism. The game’s stunning visuals and lifelike gameplay make it both thrilling and challenging.

    Each enemy bullet poses a serious threat, pushing players to devise smart tactics to survive and accomplish objectives. The feedback from early testing will help address any issues, and console players can look forward to experiencing the game soon.

    Madfinger Games plans to release Gray Zone Warfare on consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Right now, they’re focused on perfecting the PC version, aiming for stability and polish.

    Creative director Marek Rabas mentioned a desire to bring the game to consoles through early access because of his love for console gaming, although a specific timeline for this release is still unclear.

    While the game was initially expected to launch this year, some sources suggest its development will continue into 2024, with a full release for everyone anticipated in 2025. Gray Zone Warfare is poised to challenge other popular FPS games, though there’s always room for further improvement in its development.

  • No Rest for the Broken Gear! No Rest for the Wicked Hotfix Balances Durability and Repair

    No Rest for the Broken Gear! No Rest for the Wicked Hotfix Balances Durability and Repair

    The developers of No Rest For The Wicked haven’t had a break since the game launched in Steam Early Access last week. They quickly deployed their first hotfix to address some issues players were experiencing.

    In this update, Moon Studios focused on balancing the game and improving core systems. They reduced the damage gear takes, lowered repair costs, and increased the drop rate of Repair Powders to help players maintain their equipment. They also made stamina costs and fall damage less punishing. Here are the key changes:

    • Reduced Durability Damage Taken
    • Reduced Repair Costs
    • Increased Drop Rate on Repair Powders
    • Reduced Stamina Costs
    • Reduced Fall Damage
    • Adjusted prices of Horseshoe Crab and food containing Horseshoe Crab
    • Tweaked the Cerim Crucible boss fight
    • Changed the Corpse-Smeared Blade’s starting tier
    • Added more weapons to Fillmore’s Pre-Sacrament Loot Table
    • Decreased the drop rate of Fallen Embers

    They also fixed stability issues like crashes when quitting to the main menu and improved inventory navigation. Additionally, they addressed specific bugs like fixing a jump in the Potion Seller Cave and blocking off out-of-bounds areas.

    Earlier, players were concerned about durability and repair costs, which were common complaints in user reviews. The game is designed for dodge-roll melee combat enthusiasts, but some found it too challenging or unfair.

    Moon Studios has been responsive, outlining known issues and promising solutions. They’re also working on adding remappable controls soon.

    Overall, this update shows that the developers are listening to player feedback and making adjustments to improve the game experience. If you encounter any remaining issues, Moon Studios is actively working on fixes to address them.

    You might also be interested in the patch notes for Valorant 8.01 and NBA 2K24 Season 4 New Gen Patch Notes.

  • Early Access Exodus! Steam Zombie Game Finally Breaks Free After a Decade-Long Uprising

    Early Access Exodus! Steam Zombie Game Finally Breaks Free After a Decade-Long Uprising

    After more than a decade in Steam Early Access, the zombie survival game 7 Days to Die is finally getting its official version 1.0 launch. With a ‘very positive’ rating from over 210,000 Steam reviews, it’s a game worth trying. The price will go up after the launch, but there will be a big sale before then.

    7 Days to Die has been in Early Access since 2013 – almost 12 years! Fans have loved it, and now the developer, The Fun Pimps, feels ready to release the full version.

    After 20 Early Access releases, The Fun Pimps feels satisfied with the progress. They’ve improved the game’s art, performance, and overall quality for PC and consoles.

    The roadmap shows what’s coming in version 1.0 and beyond, with updates planned until 2025. Some Kickstarter goals will be achieved after the full launch.

    The 1.0 launch brings remade vehicles, new animals, better zombie variety, challenges, and more. After launch, expect an overhauled weather system, new biomes, a wardrobe system, crossplay, bandits, story mode, and more quests.

    The co-founder, Richard Huenink, says they’re amazed by the game’s popularity and thankful for the community’s support.

    7 Days to Die 1.0 launches in June 2024 (with an experimental launch in May) for $44.99. Before the price increase, there’s a big Steam sale from April 22 to April 29, offering a 76% discount. It’s your last chance to get the game cheap!

  • Infection Free Zone’s Early Access Needs a Patch, Not a Pandemic

    Infection Free Zone’s Early Access Needs a Patch, Not a Pandemic

    Infection Free Zone, now available on Steam Early Access, starts with a simple idea: Zombies have taken over the world, forcing humans into underground bunkers. After a while, a radio message announces that the disease is fading. Although the surface is still dangerous, it’s time to rebuild society.

    I’ve played games like this before, where you build a post-apocalyptic society and fight off zombie attacks. But this time, I’m doing it from my neighborhood. Instead of a made-up world or a model of a city, Infection Free Zone uses real map data to recreate cities and towns exactly as they are. This means I can loot real locations and set up a base in familiar places.

    When I started my game, I chose to begin in my region, and I even found my apartment in the game. The map uses real-world information to identify each building.

    For example, the walk-in clinic near my apartment is recognized as a hospital, making it a perfect base for me. My apartment didn’t have medical supplies, and it would be hard to defend because it was small. But the clinic was easy to secure, and I could use all the leftover medicine.

    Every building’s real-life purpose affects how it works in the Infection Free Zone. I had to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of each building to survive. I organized my survivors into small groups to scavenge nearby homes for food. We also found other survivors and started growing food and setting up infrastructure.

    It’s an exciting challenge to rebuild society in my own neighborhood, even if it’s just in a game. Infection Free Zone brings the zombie apocalypse right to my doorstep!

    If you want to read more articles about other games, check out Stardew Valley 1.6 Release Date and Elden Ring DLC Shadow Of The Erdtree Release Date. We appreciate your interest in our site! Make Gameempress.com your go-to source for gaming knowledge.

  • No Cuts Here! Stellar Blade Slashes Through Censorship in All Regions

    No Cuts Here! Stellar Blade Slashes Through Censorship in All Regions

    Developer Shift Up has announced that Stellar Blade will have an “uncensored” release worldwide, including in Japan. This means that the game’s content will be the same everywhere you buy it.

    The announcement on social media didn’t explain exactly what will be uncensored, but it likely refers to violent and sexual content being consistent across all versions of the game.

    Sometimes, games have to change certain things to be released in different countries because each region has its own rules for age ratings. If a game is deemed too mature, it might need changes to get the desired rating. In some cases, a game might even be banned from certain regions if it doesn’t meet the rating criteria.

    However, Stellar Blade has received a Mature rating from the ESRB and an 18 rating from PEGI, which means it includes blood, gore, strong language, suggestive themes, and violence—typical for a game with this rating.

    Fans who were worried about censorship in certain regions are happy about this news. But just because the game is uncensored doesn’t mean you’ll see revealing content all the time. The game director suggested that players dress the character Eve modestly to improve her stats, warning that revealing outfits don’t provide defense and could lead to quicker defeat.

    Stellar Blade will launch on April 26, exclusively on PlayStation 5. You can try a demo of the game now.

  • Valheim Gets an RPG Makeover: Players Dedicate 1,000 Hours to Epic Creation

    Valheim Gets an RPG Makeover: Players Dedicate 1,000 Hours to Epic Creation

    Two Valheim enthusiasts, Ninebyte and Dhakhar, dedicated over a thousand hours across three months to build an entire RPG game within Valheim, a popular survival game.

    The YouTubers teamed up to embark on this ambitious project, using Valheim’s versatile building tools to create unique stories, bosses, and more. They started by collecting and modifying existing builds at the edge of the game world, creating a “build graveyard” to use as a base for their project.

    Is Valheim Cross Platform?
    Is Valheim Cross Platform?

    Next, they crafted five main towns that would be connected through a story and lore they developed. They added points of interest, roads, and boss arenas with custom enemies for intense battles. Inspired by the Legends mod, they included 12 different classes like berserker, mage, and shaman.

    Once the main structure was in place, they focused on refining roads, optimizing code, adding mysterious NPCs who give quests, and creating lore to tie everything together. They even scattered vanilla loot items across the map as quest rewards.

    If you’re curious to explore their creation, you can try the beta version 1.0 for free on their Discord server. This project showcases their dedication and creativity within the world of Valheim, turning it into a fully-fledged RPG experience.

  • Million Dollar Layoffs? CI Games CEO Hails Revenue Boom After Trimming Workforce

    Million Dollar Layoffs? CI Games CEO Hails Revenue Boom After Trimming Workforce

    CI Games, the developer of Lords of the Fallen, has had its “best year” ever in terms of revenue, making over $60 million during fiscal 2023.

    This revenue is a huge increase of 400 percent compared to the previous year. Lords of the Fallen, which sold around 1.3 million copies in less than three months, played a big part in this success.

    CI Games CEO
    CI Games CEO

    During the 12 months, CI Games made a gross profit of about $6.48 million and a net profit of approximately $3.57 million. Their EBITDA (a measure of a company’s operating performance) was around $24 million.

    Marek Tymiński, the CEO of CI Games Group, described the fiscal year 2023 as a time of strong progress due to the launch of Lords of the Fallen. This game, the most expensive in the company’s history, made up 83 percent of its sales revenue for the year.

    However, it’s important to note that CI Games laid off 10 percent of its workforce in January, which affected employees at Lords of the Fallen studio Hexworks, Sniper Ghost Warrior developer Underdog, and the majority of the company’s marketing team.

    Currently, CI Games employs over 180 people. Hexworks has 82 team members, and Underdog has 53.

    Tymiński commented on the successful year, highlighting Lords of the Fallen‘s sales and their plans for future games in the series. He mentioned that CI Games is working on two new projects internally, codenamed Project Survive and Project 3, expected to be released in 2025 and 2026 respectively.

  • Red Rover Interactive Blasts Off with $15M Series A Funding Round

    Red Rover Interactive Blasts Off with $15M Series A Funding Round

    Red Rover Interactive has announced that it has raised $15 million in funding for its Series A round. This is the second time Red Rover has raised money within a year, after its initial seed funding last June. Both rounds of funding will support Red Rover’s upcoming survival game, codenamed Project Coltrane.

    Krafton led this funding round, with support from Tirta Ventures and Overwolf, along with existing investors The Games Fund, Behold Ventures, Lifelike Capital, and Acequia Capital. Maria Park, VP head of Krafton’s corporate development division, mentioned that Krafton is interested in Red Rover and Project Coltrane because of similarities to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG).

    Red Rover’s focus on player feedback and iterative design aligns with PUBG’s philosophy, as observed through regular playtests with players and streamers.

    Also Read:

    Project Coltrane is described by Red Rover as a post-apocalyptic survival game where trains are a key element. Red Rover aims to bring a unique twist to the survival genre with this game. With the new funding, Red Rover plans to expand its development team and speed up the game’s progress.

    Fred Richardson, Red Rover’s CEO, highlighted their approach of involving the community and content creators early in the development process. This approach, focusing on what matters most to players, has been crucial to their rapid progress.

  • Red Dead Redemption 2’s Hidden Ending Will Make You Reconsider Everything

    Red Dead Redemption 2’s Hidden Ending Will Make You Reconsider Everything

    I often wonder if anyone has discovered all of Red Dead Redemption 2‘s secrets. It’s hard to know when we’ve found everything in Rockstar Games’ highly detailed open world.

    Discoveries keep popping up, but what’s new for one player might not be new for another. That’s why the game still has such an active community. Players are constantly sharing new things they’ve found or tricks they’ve learned.

    TIL that’s there’s an alternate scene if you escape the police after the drinking with Lenny mission
    byu/Name12345678910-1 inreddeadredemption

    Today, we’re discussing an alternate ending to a mission that many of you might not have seen before. This alternate ending was mentioned by a Reddit user named Name12345678910-1. They said, “[Today I learned] that there’s an alternate scene if you escape the police after the drinking with Lenny mission.”

    In this mission, Arthur and Lenny get very drunk, causing chaos. They try to run away, but Lenny gets caught by the police. Arthur has a few choices here. Usually, he gets caught too and ends up in jail, or he escapes and leaves Lenny behind.

    But there’s another funny option. Arthur can accidentally run into a post and knock himself out. When he wakes up, he finds himself in jail.

    “This always cracks me up. Most people either always get caught or never get caught and don’t know about the other scene,” commented InvisibleMadBadger.

    “Yeah, it took me until my fourth playthrough to realize you could get caught,” added Wplong23.

    So there you go! There is something new for you to discover in your next playthrough of the game.