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thelizardrock daily news wednesday

Wednesday 7-25-18: Overwatch’s Wrecking Ball,Guacamelee! 2 Release Date, Retro Commodore 64 Mini

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On July 25, 2018

In Uncategorized

Do you like announcements? Then today is a good day! Here’s the news.

  • Wrecking Ball is Available in Overwatch
  • Guacamelee! 2 Release Date Announced
  • The Retro Commodore 64 Mini is Coming to the States
Hammond is Here


You may recall a while ago, Blizzard announced that a new fighter was coming. He was Hammond the hamster, and he rolled around in a giant mechanical ball. Dubbed “Wrecking Ball,” the new character is now available for all players in standard games. Have fun!

Guacamelee! 2 Release Date


According to a recent announcement on the PlayStation YouTube (and presumably other places), The sequel to the popular Mexican food platformer will be released on August 21, 2018. Preorders are available now for those interested. I never got into the game, personally. So I can’t tell you much about it.

The Retro Commodore 64 Mini


Smaller versions of retro game consoles are all the rage lately. Nintendo really kickstarted it with the NES Mini. A while back, Europe was given a Retro Commodore 64 Mini product. It would receive average feedback, with such complaints as stiff controls and games lacking any staying power. Regardless, the console will be coming to the States on October 9 of this year. Estimated price is $80.

That’s all for today, folks. Thanks for reading. Tune in tomorrow for another news. Otherwise, have a great day!

thelizardrock daily news tuesday

Tuesday 7-24-18: Fallout 76 BETA Date, Nintendo DMCAs Emulators, and No Man’s Sky Update Today

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On July 24, 2018

In daily update, News

Another day in the wild world or accounts payable. Not really, it’s video games. Here’s the news.

  • Fallout 76 BETA set for October
  • Nintendo is Taking Down Emulators
  • No Man’s Sky Update Today
Fallout 76 BETA Information


According to a recent posting by Community Administrator Jurassica (probably not their real name), Bethesda plans to start their BETA sessions for Fallout 76 in October. “Starting in October we’ll be selecting people who have pre-ordered the game from a participating retailer to enter our B.E.T.A. We’ll start small and grow over time as we prepare for launch.”

Let’s call this what it is, a pre-launch hype session. If you’re launching a beta a month before the game’s official launch, a Bethesda game, then I’m not expecting any major improvements before the game releases. Since the beta was locked behind preorders. it looks more like a “get a taste early” award for pre-ordering.

Nintendo DMCAs Emulators


It appears that Nintendo is issuing DMCA takedowns on various GitHub repos for console emulators. It started with the LoveROMS and LoveRETRO emulator sites and has expanded toward a popular in-browser Gameboy emulator. It’s clear that Nintendo is on a crusade for their intellectual property.

No Man’s Sky NEXT


Remember me reporting on a new update for No Man’s Sky? It added improved graphics, third-person view, true multiplayer, and more. Well, that update is launching today. I’ll be checking it out. If anyone else plans to get back into the game (for PS4), hit me up on my personal twitter, we can be space buddies.

That’s all for today. Thanks for reading, everyone. Tune in tomorrow for more. Otherwise, have a great day!

thelizardrock daily news monday

Monday 7-23-18: Shenmue 3 AI Battles and Halo: Infinite not on Xbox Play Anywhere

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On July 23, 2018

In daily update, News

Welcome back to the modern grind. It’s Monday, and here’s the news.

  • Shenmue 3’s AI Combat System
  • Halo: Infinite Doesn’t Support Xbox Play Anywhere
Shenmue 3 AI Combat


The Kickstarter for the long, long-awaited RPG has hit the 7 million funded mark. This means the “AI Battling” tier has been unlocked. This new feature will “automatically unleash the perfect technique in response to the opponent’s positioning and distance.” This is intended to feel the full immersion of combat, without needing to be good, or even familiar, with fighting games. Sounds cool, I look forward to it.

Xbox Play Here


Discovered by NeoGAF user DynamiteCop!, Halo: Infinite doesn’t appear on the Xbox Play Anywhere support list. The game page shows that it’s coming to Xbox and PC, supports 4K and HDR, and will have additional enhancements for the Xbox One X. This is curious, considering that Gears of War 5 appears on the Play Anywhere list.

That’s all for today, Tune in tomorrow for another day of news, video games, and such in between. Otherwise, have a great day!

thelizardrock daily news friday

Friday 7-20-18: Breath of the Wild in Mario Kart, Offensive PUBG Items, and Gravity Rush 2 Servers

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On July 20, 2018

In daily update, News

I’m still itching to watch Jurassic Park. Probably because I’ve been watching letsplays of that Jurassic World game. Here’s the news.

  • Breath of the Wild in Mario Kart
  • PUBG Devs Apologize for Offensive WWII Items
  • Gravity Rush 2 Servers are Gone
Zelda Kart


Did you think Nintendo was done with Mario Kart 8? WELL YOU’RE WRONG. The game company has recently announced the version 1.6.0 patch for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Switch. This update adds Link, in the Champion’s Clothes, as seen in the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It also adds in the Master Cycle Zero, a horse-like motorcycle originally added to Breath of the Wild as DLC. They must really like Link being in Mario Kart.

Offensive PUBG Items


Popular Battle Royale game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has stirred the pot of tact recently with two particular World War 2 references. If you like in an English speaking country, you may not have fully understood what they were or why, but those in China, Japan, and Korea are reasonably upset. The first item was a pilot’s mask that donning a rising sun symbol, which hits a bit too close to the controversy of kamikazes. The other was an AI bot name, “Unit 731.” This designation was given to a Japanese military arm that conducted experiments on prisoners of war from China, Korea, and Russia. They also developed chemical weapons. Developers Bluehole has since removed the items and apologized for their ignorance.

Gravity Rush 2 Servers


As I’ve warned about in the past, the online servers for Gravity Rush 2 have finally been shut down. Various online features like treasure hunts and picture ratings are now disabled, so to speak. Sorry GR2 fans, it was a long time coming.

That’s all for today. Tune in Monday for the next post of news. I’ll be out of town this weekend, not that it matters to y’all. Otherwise, have a great weekend!

thelizardrock daily news thursday

Thursday 7-19-18: Call of Cthulhu Release Date, Roblox Harassment Response, and No Man’s Sky Major Update

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On July 19, 2018

In daily update, News

I forgot to do the news yesterday, I’m sorry. Here’s some news from today AND yesterday.

  • Call of Cthulhu Release Date Announced
  • Roblox is Addressing the Cyber Sexual Harassment
  • No Man’s Sky’s Next Update
Call of Cthulhu Release Date


According to a tweet by developer Focus Home Interactive, the upcoming Call of Cthulhu game will be releasing on PS4, Xbox One and PC on October 30. Notice how I didn’t say the date in the title anywhere? That’s called clickbait, son. I’m quite excited about this game, Lovecraftian madness and all that is totally my bag.

Roblox Harassment Problems


Not long ago, there was an instance where a seven-year-old girl was sexually harassed online during a game of Roblox. This involved a number of other players with crafted genitals surrounding the girl. The mother of the girl had gone online to let mothers know about the dangers of this game. In an effort to save face, the Roblox company has issued a statement. They’ve perma-banned the offending party, and assure parents that “our work on safety is never-ending and we are committed to ensuring that one individual does not get in the way of the millions of children who come to Roblox to play, create, and imagine.”

No Man’s Sky Update


That’s right boys and girls, there’s another major update for the infamous universe sandbox game. called “Next” this update includes fleet controls, improved visual on both sky and land, base building anywhere, third-person perspective, and.. wait for it, MULTIPLAYER! You can finally play and interact with friends and other players. I’m actually kind of excited for this. You can watch the announcement trailer here.

Thanks for reading. Tune in tomorrow for another news post about the world of video games. Otherwise, have a great day!

thelizardrock daily news tuesday

Tuesday 7-17-18: System Shock Remake Update and a New Gun in Fortnite

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On July 17, 2018

In daily update, News

[Insert intro here]. Anyway, here’s the news.

  • System Shock Remake Update
  • New Fortnite Weapon
System Shock


Remember that remake that’s been in the work for ages? Progress is going well it seems according to the most recent developer update. They’re still working toward their september milestone of blocking out the entire game, but they managed to also texture many areas out at the same time. They’ve also concept’d out some in game stuff like dermal patches and how doors open. Check out the update post for plenty of images and stuff like that.

The Submachine Gun


Another Fortnite update is upon us. Nothing as major as last time, this update simply moved a gun to a different mode and added a new one to Battle Royale. The Typewriter has been removed and sent to Save the World mode, and the Tactical SMG has been removed from Battle Royale in favor of a new gun: the submachine gun. For real, y’all, this is just a nerf disguised as a new gun. You can read about it at Epic’s update post.

Dull day, sorry folks. perhaps there will be more tomorrow. Time will tell. Otherwise, have a great day!

thelizardrock daily news monday

Monday 7-16-18: Steam Delays Lewd Games, Germany Bans Vague Release Dates, and the Nintendo Labo Contest Winners

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On July 16, 2018

In daily update, News

Wow, what a weekend. Hello everyone coming in from the Animatronic article. Here’s Monday’s news

  • Steam is Delaying Adult Games
  • Germany Bans Vague Release Dates
  • Nintendo Labo Contest Winners
Lewd Games on Hold


Back in May, we talked about how Steam was causing a stink by essentially putting long-established lewd games on probation. It seems they’ve been working on a solution, and putting new games on hold until they have it running.

Love in Space, the developers behind Shining Song Starnova, recently tweeted out that their game is being put on hold until Steam can implement needed content moderation tools that they believe the game needed. Steam may be getting a mature game section, requiring age verification (they do that anyway) to look at. Time will tell.

Germany Against Release Dates


The Higher Regional Court of Munich has banned retailers from selling pre-orders for products that don’t have a confirmed release date, according to German news site Heise. The ruling was done with Media Markt, a German electronics franchise, in mind. This prevents the company from offering pre-orders for smartphones without release dates. The ruling covers other electronic goods as well, including video games. Ya know, I wouldn’t mind this state-side.

Nintendo Labo Champions


For those who didn’t know, Nintendo hosted their own Nintendo Labo Creation Contest. Participants were asked to create their best and most unique ideas for the Labo, and now the winners were announced. It ranges from solar-powered accordions, clocks, to a tea management game. It’s all very impressive. You can check out the winning entries on Nintendo’s site.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading. I’ve recently updated my Support page, for those interested in keeping the dream alive. Tune in tomorrow for another video game news post. Or check out The Animatronic. My first update post for it has done extremely well so far. I’m thinking about making the change to a post being about one topic at a time instead of this three-in-one deal. This would likely lead to only one or two news posts a day, though. But it’d be more in-depth. Let me know what you think. Otherwise, have a great day!

 

The Animatronic – Part 1: Bonnie

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On July 14, 2018

In articles, Feature

Not long ago, game developer Scott Cawthon released Ultimate Custom Night, an upexpected new game in the Five Night’s at Freddy’s franchise. While watching Markiplier play through it as best he could, he mentioned that Scott Cawthon didn’t think anyone would be able to beat 20/20/20/20 mode in the original game, until Twitch streamer BigBugz and Markiplier did so on August 21, 2014. He thought it was humanly impossible. This sparked a thought.

“What if it wasn’t a human playing?”

Excited by this idea, I got to work.

Dubbed the Animatronic, this is a Java-written piece of software that does two things: Analyzes areas on the monitor and assume control over the cursor. Technically speaking, this is all I wanted it to be able to do.

I’ve seen that video where an AI tries to play Super Mario Bros. While it’s cool, it uses the games hexadecimal data to parse out what it’s doing. While that’s quite fascinating, it’s not something a person can do. I wanted the Animatronic to have the same limitations we as the player had. All it can do is look and react. Though it is deaf, I suppose.

When Activated, the Animatronic will “look at” certain sections of the screen. What it sees will determine how it will react. Does it see Bonnie in the doorway? Better close the door. Is there a shadow in the window? Better keep the door closed.

I’m starting with the first Five Nights at Freddy’s game as a proof of concept. And with Bonnie first. While I’d love to try against Ultimate Custom Night, I figure it’s better to crawl before I start breakdancing.

Development will be slow as well. I work a lot, after all.

Next up, Part 2: Chica

thelizardrock daily news friday

Friday 7-13-18: YouPorn Sponsors Adult eSports, Nintendo Celebrates Octopath Traveler Launch

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On July 13, 2018

In daily update, News

For real folks, I’m worn out. But that won’t stop me! Here’s that good ol’ fashioned news.

  • YouPorn Sponsors Adult eSports Competition
  • Nintendo Celebrates Launch of Octopath Traveler
Adult eSports Competition


Yea. That’s right. Nutaku, a popular online “adult gaming” site is hosting what they call the world’s first adult eSports competition (I’ve yet to look into if that’s actually true). Even better, it’s sponsored by YouPorn. A total of 64 participants will fight off against each other in Tits and Tanks, a tank combat mobile game. They will be competing for a $25,000 prize pool. Registration has yet to open up, but you can find more information on their website (NSFW warning).

Octopath Traveled

The highly anticipated adventure RPG by Square Enix has finally released for Nintendo Switch. To celebrate, Nintendo hosted a small event. Participants can view an art gallery, listen to music, and try a number of hands-on activities. So that’s nice.

That’s all for today. Thanks for reading! I need a nap. Tune in Monday for more news, or check out our latest episode of the Cozy Co-op! Otherwise, have a great weekend.

thelizardrock daily news thursday

Thursday 7-12-18: Fortnite Season 5, No Yakuza on Switch, and New Switch Hardware

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On July 12, 2018

In daily update, News

Thursday! It doesn’t feel like a Thursday if you ask me. Regardless, here’s the news.

  • Fortnite Season 5
  • Yakuza Won’t Come to Switch
  • Nintendo Shipping Out New Switch Hardware
Fortnite Season 5


So it finally dropped. But this time, there wasn’t a major event to change the world. As we know, items between real life and the game were gradually teleporting between the two dimensions. No major events marked the launch of Season 5, but we do get a new collection of items and features. This includes a new vehicle, a golf cart, as well as a new teleportation method: the rifts. Players can now use nearby rifts to warp to a different location on the map. For more details on the update, visit the official patch notes page.

Yakuza (not) for the Switch


In an interview with Gameblog.fr, Yakuza series producer Daisuke Sato spoke about the game’s future on non-PlayStation consoles. He had remarked that the 1 & 2 remakes for the Wii U were a failure (surprise, the Wii U was, as well), and that “as far as Switch is concerned, I’m convinced that it isn’t the ideal platform on which to develop Yakuza games.” As for the Xbox One, they consider it a possibility. Shame, I’m loving my Switch and would enjoy a Yakuza game on it.

Nintendo’s Improved Hardware


I previously reported on Nintendo using hackable hardware. The situation was that the CPU chip the Nintendo Switch used had an exploit that could allow for unauthorized control. This meant that Nintendo couldn’t simply issue a software patch to prevent hackers. In response to this issue, Nintendo is reportedly shipping out new Switches with a factory set hardware fix that prevents this issue. In the meantime, anyone caught hacking has their hardware and accounts banned. I’d rather not take such risks, personally.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading. Really, I appreciate the viewership I have. Tune in tomorrow for more video game news. Otherwise, have a great day!

thelizardrock daily news wednesday

Wednesday 7-11-18: Rage 2 Lacks Loading Screens, Minecraft Aquatic Update, and Subnautica for PS4

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On July 11, 2018

In daily update, News

I both overslept, and feel lethargic. Good start to a day. Here’s the news.

  • Rage 2 Will Not Have Loading Screens
  • Minecraft Update Aquatic
  • Subnautica is Coming to PS4
Rage 2 Loading Screens


In the original Rage, there was an unfortunate disconnect from having to transition between open world driving and first-person combat. This was only made worse by the loading screens between them. id’s Tim Willits spoke about this issue in the Official PlayStation Magazine, reassuring us that it won’t be a problem with the sequel.

“It was the wasteland, and you then loaded another level, and then you were in your first-person combat. Well, that’s all gone now. You’re just in the game. Everything is seamless, and together, and you can engage in combat the way you want. The promise of Rage is delivered in Rage 2.”

Minecraft Update Aquatic


I don’t know why its called that, and not “Aquatic update.” Either way, the major update to the world’s most popular video game has arrived on Windows 10, VR, mobile devices, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The Java version of the game will update on July 18 with the same content. This update is all about the water, ocean, and all that. This includes new underwater buildings like sunken ships, new mobs like sea turtles and zombies called “drowned,” and new blocks and items. The list of changes is rather large. I recommend checking the changelog wiki page.

Subnautica for PS4


As the title implies, the popular alien ocean survival game is coming to the PlayStation 4. It came with an announcement trailer, stating a timeframe of “Holiday 2018.” That’s all we know so far. Here’s hoping it comes with PSVR support.

A majority of the news was water based, neat. Tune in tomorrow for more video game news. Otherwise, have a great day!

thelizardrock daily news tuesday

Tuesday 7-10-18: Titanfall Online Canceled, Ingress Animated Movie, and More Fortnite in Real-Life

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On July 10, 2018

In daily update, News

Another day full of news and things! Hello all, here’s the news.

  • Titanfall Online Cancelled in South Korea
  • Niantic’s Ingress Netflix Movie
  • More Fortnite in Real Life
Titanfall Offline


According to Korean news site GameFocus, the online Titanfall game developed for Asian markets has been canceled. After being in development for three years, it was decided that time and effort would be better spent on different things. Not much else to say about this one.

Ingress Movie


Niantic, best known for Pokemon Go, is getting a movie. Before Pokemon Go, they had Ingress, a similar AR game requiring players to travel to real-life locations to gain control of “portals.” Well, that game is getting an animated movie on Netflix. Created by Crafter and Fuki TV, it’ll arrive on the video streaming service this autumn. In Ingress, two factions fight over portals leaking exotic matter into the world. The player can choose which team to join and they can work together to maintain control of their local area.

More Fortnite


Yesterday we reported on the strange appearance of Durr Burger in California. Now llamas are appearing in various EU locations like London, Barcelona, and Warsaw. Season 5 of Fortnite starts on Thursday, so we’re reaching the apex of this strange story.

That’s all for today, tune in tomorrow for more. Otherwise, have a great day!

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