by Stone Marshall | Aug 21, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
HTC is bringing the U12 Plus in flame red to the US and Canada. It’s now available for preorder from the company’s website and ships next month. The other colors, blue and black, were already available for purchase, but it’s the flame red one that stands out.
The flame red color changes depending on what light it’s under, sometimes looking violet or gold in photos. A bunch of smartphones have appeared in iridescent shades lately, like the Huawei P20’s twilight color that can look purple or blue under different lighting and the Motorola P30’s similar “aurora” tone. The HTC U11 might have been among the phones responsible for sparking the trend.
All things considered, the U12 Plus is a pretty typical flagship phone for 2018, but its color and cameras are probably the most stand-out features about it. In our review of the phone, The Verge’s senior editor Vlad Savov found its more attractive aspects were overshadowed by dismal software and faux buttons that are difficult to use.
For the basic storage option, it costs $799 and also comes in blue or black. The 128GB version costs $849 in the US. In Canada, the U12 Plus costs C$1,099 with 64GB or C$1,169 with 128GB.
by Stone Marshall | Aug 21, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
Bloomberg reports today that Amazon is reportedly working on a new device that’ll record live TV with the goal of letting users play content back on their phones later. The device, which is internally called “Frank,” would have physical storage and connect to Fire TV boxes. It’d rely on the same wireless technology that allows Amazon’s Echo speakers to pair with those boxes. Bloomberg’s source says the product isn’t official yet and might not roll out.
Additionally, the company reportedly plans to update its Fire TV stick with new software and is also exploring the possibility of expanding its Fire TV software and video content to outside TV makers, beyond its current manufacturing partners. This would be similar to Roku’s efforts that have its interface being used across TVs from multiple makers.
Overall, it sounds like Amazon is brainstorming ideas for how it can totally own the living room space and compete even more directly with Tivo and Roku. It’s also gunning for content makers, like Netflix and HBO, with exclusive shows and movies. All its devices point to wanting to create a full setup for users, from the TV itself, to the DVR, to the content.
by Stone Marshall | Aug 20, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
The Minecraft Marketplace is about to get the followup on a serious 1-2 punch that could boost creator’s revenues and downloads through the end of July. The Minecraft Team at Microsoft launched the first Minecraft Summer Sale today. As part of this event, most of the content on the Marketplace is getting a steep discount.
While the Summer Sale may get fans downloading more content this month, last month it was the Nintendo Switch that helped fuel sales. The Minecraft Marketplace had 396,511 downloads in June, which is up from 285,816 in April. With the Marketplace hitting Switch for the first time beginning June 26, it’s likely that Nintendo’s platform contributed significantly to that total. You can see past results by tracking the Minecraft Marketplace sales charts here.
But now that Switch is integrated into the Minecraft platform, developers can focus on making their content and the Summer Sale. Some, like Gamemode One founder Sean Davidson, thinks discounts are exactly what some players are waiting for before they spend their money on Minecraft microtransactions.
“We hope and expect that the Minecraft Summer Sale will increase player accessibility to content and potentially drive increased traffic over the remainder of the year,” said Davidson. “Access to products at a discounted rate is a great way to give players and buyers on the fence a chance to see what the Marketplace has to offer.”
Developer Imagiverse has even spent the last few weeks preparing its Lapis Lagoon waterpark map for the sale (it’s already out). This update will roll out to everyone who owns it, and Imagiverse wants positive word-of-mouth to help it perform well in the sale.
“We focused on making sure Lapis Lagoon was going to give the player the best possible waterpark experience they could have in-game,” a spokesperson for Imagiverse explained in a note to GamesBeat. “Old and new players alike will appreciate the work we put into the map getting it ready for the sale.”
Let’s do the charts. Here are the 10 most downloaded pieces of content from the Minecraft Marketplace for June 2018:
10.) Lucky Block Escape
10. Lucky Block Escape
Here it is in list form:
City Life
Mineville Highschool
Dinosaur Park
Planes
Dinosaur Island
Monsters of the Deep
Wildlife: Savanna
Mutant Battle Arena
Prison Escape
Lucky Block Escape
And here are the 10 highest-grossing pieces of content for June 2018:
10.) Lucky Block Escape
10. Lucky Block Escape
List:
City Life
Dinosaur Park
Planes
Dinosaur Island
Monsters of the Deep
Wildlife: Savanna
Mutant Battle Arena
Mineville Highschool
Super Racers
Lucky Block Escape
Next month, we’ll get to see how the Summer Sale affects the charts. This is a big chance for Marketplace partners, and it could turn into one of the biggest months for the Minecraft store so far.
Correction, 12:14 p.m.: Sean Davidson’s name was misspelled as Sean David in the original article. We have corrected the error, and we apologize.
by Stone Marshall | Aug 20, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
Electronic Arts’ The Sims 4 continues to go strong, thanks to content updates that add fluffy friends and changing leaves. As part of its Q1 of fiscal year 2019 report, EA noted that The Sims 4’s players have grown 35 percent year-over-year.
The developer reported $1.14 billion in GAAP revenue for Q1, and though live services was a major driver in the past, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter says that its contributions for this quarter were relatively weak. However, The Sims 4 is benefiting from its steady drip of content — like its most recent expansion, Seasons, which sold around 800,000 copies on PC, according to market researcher SuperData.
The Sims 4 released in 2014, and since then, it has released expansions and DLC every year. This year, the developer rolled out Jungle Adventure, which added a new location and activities, as well as item packs, like My First Pet Stuff, which introduced small animals like hamsters. The latter works in conjunction with its best-selling expansion, Cats & Dogs, which launched in November on PC and will arrive on consoles on July 31.
by Stone Marshall | Aug 19, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
These days, the Metroidvania genre — exploring an open world within a 2D environment — is really getting some unstoppable traction in the indie scene. Just over the summer alone we’ve gotten games like Iconoclasts and Chasm that show just how well structured a game like this can be.
But I’ve been excited to check out the console edition of Motion Twin’s Dead Cells. Ever since its introduction on Steam earlier this year, I’ve been hooked on its Metroidvania approach. Everything about it just clicked so nicely. And now there’s the option to take it with you wherever you go on Nintendo Switch.
Granted, Dead Cells is also available for other consoles and is equally great on those platforms, so don’t think you have to go get a Switch to get an ultimate experience. But it’s the sort of game that you’ll want to invest hours of time in, if only to see what different choices are available to you as you make your way through a world with someone else’s body. So being able to take it on the go with you is something special — and gives you something to do on that next road trip.
Oh, yeah, it’s not really clear just what you are, as you emerge and practically slip into the first body you can find. I was immediately reminded of the 1980’s classic The Hidden (look it up, Kyle MacLachlan fans).
But this is no cakewalk. Just seconds after inhabiting this new body and getting the lowdown from a nearby secondary party (or someone that, hauntingly enough, tracks your progress), you find yourself facing off against foes aplenty. These include teleporting madmen that keep on you even after you try to escape onto upper platforms; a defenseless figure that actually works as a shield to protect others (so destroy him first, yeah?); and other unspeakables such as slugs with explosive tendencies and flying grenade-like things that serve as a nuisance from above. Your mission is to endure long enough in your new form for the next health refill while attaining new runes, weapons, gear and so much more. With a game like this, that’s a tall order to fill.
At first, it may seem like you’re not making too much progress after death. You return to where you once were and inhabit another body. But Dead Cells is built with a greater endgame in mind. Soon you’ll open up other places that you could begin your journey, as well as long-term ability building that you don’t have to grind to get back up to speed. Motion Twin knew what it was doing with this system, and it truly shows.
Like Dark Souls, you actually learn a thing or two from death. Not only can your progress your character in a different way the next time around, but you can also discover a new area to explore, like an underground cavern you may have missed the first time around while hacking away at monsters. (How little we forget you can drop through some platforms.) Its replay value is imminent, even if you think you’re not making any progress. You actually are.
Surviving does reward you, however. You’re able to use Cells that get picked up over the course of the game to gain some special goodies, such as healing items that, surprise, keep you alive a bit longer when the scenario calls for it. (And when you run into your first high-powered boss character with a high level, you’ll bless its presence.) Attaining new gear is also key, even with something as simple as a weapon change like a bow and arrow set (ideal for long-range foes and enemy archers). Sure, the sword can do a world of good, but giving a new weapon a shot can almost change the way you play. It never hurts to keep an eye out for occasional vendors that may have key items for you as well.
What’s great is how the challenge in Dead Cells builds you up for combat. Sure, some enemies are easygoing, like a green-ish oaf that will try to lunge at you — something you can avoid with a simple defensive roll. But before you know it, the enemies pile onto the screen, and soon you’ll realize that you’ll have your work cut out for you. But, again, it’s part of the learning process and this portion of Dead Cells really ties into an ingenious aspect of the game — the combat.
This system is absolutely stunning, as it really feels like each encounter delivers. Not even just the boss battles, either. When you destroy enemies they practically explode and, on occasion, leave you some precious cells to stock up on.
No matter which weapon you go with, Dead Cells’ combat feels natural and inviting, while at the same time having its challenge with particularly overpowered enemies — some even two or three at a time. Hey, you don’t know what you’re going to get until you jump in and take them on, right? Live and learn. (Or die and learn, whatever.)
Defensive skill is also vital in Dead Cells. Acquiring a shield may not sound like a necessity but you’d be surprised just how helpful it is to utilize it to fend off an enemy’s attack. On top of that, the roll technique is wonderfully implemented — and still not quite perfect. For instance, if you’ve got multiple enemies on you, there’s only so many times you can use it while still getting hit. Still, it does help you out of a few fights, so keep that ability on hand.
The platforming also feels terrific. Getting around is fairly easy, including reaching new areas by climbing up chains or grasping onto ledges. Motion Twin definitely did its homework when it comes to realizing the importance of feel in a game, as Dead Cells never feels sloppy or second-rate. It’s focused and super responsive, just like a good Metroidvania game should be.
Slide 3 of 4A Fantastic Presentation
You’ll also need to watch out for other obstacles in the game, including consistently lined floors of spikes, toxic pools and a whole lot more. They’re part of the dangerous world your dead-alive soldier has to work his way through in order to make any kind of progress. And that ties in with a truly unique aspect of Dead Cells — procedurally generated levels.
Sure, some areas are recognizable based on their decor, but other than that, getting a lay of the land is a tough act mainly because things change around so much. That said, Motion Twin again did its homework, making each level worth exploring each time around. This is mainly due to an occasional hidden surprise or two, as well as locating new areas. The visual design is absolutely splendid, and this is accounting for both handheld and TV mode. No matter which way you play, the visuals really pop on-screen.
The only downside is occasionally coming across a door that won’t open unless under special circumstances. For instance, you’ll hear, “Well, this door was open 33 seconds ago!” and you’ll be like, “But I was here 33 seconds ago!” Still, it’s enough to tempt you to come back, and I think that’s the idea Motion Twin had in mind with it.
It also helps that the animations are incredible. Watching an enemy explode in different ways is a sheer delight, even as you wade through what remains of their…remains? It really makes the game pop to life, adding to that overwhelming feeling that you’re making progress — even if you do end up dying in the next room. Hey, with a game like this, it happens.
Dead Cells also gets strong support in the audio department, between atmospheric sound effects that are splendidly done and a music score taken straight out of the old-school book. That’s not to say it matches Symphony of the Night by any means, but it takes inspiration from it and rolls into something not only listenable, but favorable. I would totally dive into this soundtrack any opportunity I can get.
So is Dead Cells recommended for everyone? Not quite. While some rookies may like the idea of jumping in and hacking everything, they may have some trouble accepting the definition of progress here. You’re going to die — hell, it’s going to happen. The game is literally called Dead Cells, not Maybe I’ll Survive Cells. (Though that’d just be silly.)
But how that ties into the endgame and gives it so much replayability (for a 2D game, no less) is extraordinary. You’ll be going back for more and still trying something new to experiment after several hours — and deaths — in. And then you’ll come across that rune-based upgrade that makes the whole “permadeath” system balanced out, even if you feel like you’ve lost everything. We won’t spoil it here, but you’ll reap the rewards from this journey, whether you prefer Tactics, Brutality or whatever suits you. There’s something for all here.
There’s no shortage of excellent Metroidvania games for the Switch, but I’d make Dead Cells the priority. It feels like a necessity for the genre, a game that does something bold and runs with it more successfully than you could possibly imagine. The combat is superb and buttery smooth; the platforming and level design really open up exploration and revisiting something; the ability to level up your character and attain skills for the long haul is remarkable; and the presentation is a tour-de-force.
Everything just about comes together for this game to create an experience that no fan of the genre should be without. Hell, with Dead Cells’ utmost quality, we may get some new fans coming into the fold. And that means more of the same. Listening, Motion Twin?
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WWG’s Score: 5 out of 5.
Disclaimer: A review code was provided by the publisher.
by Stone Marshall | Aug 19, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
A new set of skins are available in Minecraft with the Super Cute Texture Pack available now through the game’s marketplace.
The new skin pack that’s found here through the game’s marketplace is made by the Minecraft team, so you won’t have to worry about any quality concerns when purchasing the Super Cute Texture Pack. An announcement for the texture pack that was shared yesterday referred to it as Minecraft’s “cutest makeover ever” and previewed some of what’s included in it.
“Yes, our talented artists have ‘cuted up' (scientific term) Minecraft to shockingly adorable new levels,” Minecraft’s Tom Stone wrote in the announcement article. “Rosy-cheeked Creepers! Cakes with faces! Rainbows, smiles everywhere and joy pouring out of every pixel! Even the zombies look cuter than ever as they munch on your brains. D'awwwww!”
There’s no trailer out for the new Minecraft skin pack, but the images above and below should give you an idea of what all of the game’s various mobs will look like once you buy and enable the pack. A close-up image shared through the announcement post shows a more detailed look at the Creeper mentioned above along with other mobs that come with the pack’s 15 different player skins.
“The Super Cute Texture pack is available now in the Minecraft Marketplace,” the announcement continued. “It's got bouncing bunnies, ultra-adorable unicorns, brilliant bumblebees and, er, burgers? Yes, burgers! Even the squid will make you Squeee! This texture pack comes with 15 skins to make your game cuter than ever.”
Minecraft Creeper
(Photo: Mojang)
This new texture pack costs 660 Minecraft Coins, the game’s currency that allows players to buy different items from the marketplace. This equals out to roughly $5, a typical price for the texture packs that change the game’s world and the way that players look with the packs’ various skins.
The Minecraft team has made several other packs that are available in the marketplace as well if you want to stick to the most official of the options. Another examples of these is Minecraft’s The Incredibles skin pack that was released not long ago alongside the series’ second movie. That one costs a bit less at just 490 coins, but it’s a skin pack and not a texture pack, so you’ll only have your human characters taking on a new look.
Minecraft’s Super Cute Texture Pack is now available to purchase and download https://marketplace.minecraft.net/en-us/pdp?title=super-cute-texture-pack.
