An update to online play.
Nintendo has released its second update for Super Mario Party Jamboree today and it includes another fix.
This latest fix is related to online play, where there was a certain type of glitch taking place. Here’s the full rundown, courtesy of Nintendo’s support page:
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Ahead of Black Friday, Best Buy and Amazon are offering the 2TB WD Black SN850X PCIe Gen4 M.2 NVMe solid state drive (SSD) for the best price we’ve seen all year long. Right now you can get it without heatsink for $129.99 or with heatsink (at Walmart) for $134.99. The WD Black SN850X is one of the best performing PCIe 4.0 SSDs on the market; this is the best SSD for your PlayStation 5 console, but it can also be a blazing fast boot drive for your gaming rig.
The SN850X is the latest generation of WD’s flagship Black series M.2 SSDs. In terms of performance, it’s considered a top-tier SSD with sustained read speeds of up to 7,300MBps, write speeds of 6,600MBps, random read speeds of up to 1,200K IOPS, and write speeds of 1,100IOPS. It’s faster than the previous generation SN850 thanks to newer flash chips (BiCS5 vs BiCS4) and an updated firmware.
If you plan to install this in your gaming PC, WD includes Game Mode 2.0 utility software that’s designed to tune the SSD for better performance during gaming sessions. Unless you have an unlimited budget, 2TB is the size I would recommend for a boot solid state drive; for most people, this is plenty of space for your OS and apps, and the price is still reasonable.
The SN850X also makes for an excellent SSD for your PlayStation 5 console. It’s identical to Sony’s officially licensed WD SN850P SSD. It more than fulfills all of Sony’s PS5 recommendations, including a M.2 2280 form factor, minimum 5,500MB/s speed, and PCI-E Gen4x4 interface. You can get the version with the pre-installed heatsink for $10 more, or you can just pick out a cheaper heatsink (it’s very easy to install). The SSD comes with a five-year warranty.
If you don’t yet own a PlayStation console, fret not because there are some fantastic PS5 deals coming for Black Friday. Sony recently unveiled a “Play Has No Limits | PS5” ad promoting a special holiday price for the PlayStation 5 Slim (Digital) at $379.99. The deal is set to run through Black Friday and expire after December 24.
That is a great question. We will unquestionably see more SSD deals on November 29. The WD SN850X, however, is one of the fastest SSDs on the market and if you’re looking for the best of the best, we think there’s a slim (although not zero) chance that you’ll find a better deal. However, if you’re more flexible and willing to buy an SSD that isn’t quite the best, but still fast enough to fulfill all of Sony’s recommended PS5 specs, then you should wait and find a deal that’s closer to $100.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
Just over a year ago, we launched our first dedicated remote play device, PlayStation Portal remote player, with an aspiration to deliver a console-quality gaming experience on a handheld device. PS Portal was an ambitious product for us, and we have been delighted by the positive response from our fans and to see that our vision has resonated with the community.
Today we’re pleased to announce a new system software update for PS Portal that will begin releasing starting later today (Europe release begins Wednesday), which will introduce refinements in the audio experience, including:
This update will also include a beta version of a new feature that many fans have been asking for – support for cloud streaming on PS Portal. When the update is live, PlayStation Plus Premium members will be able to participate in a beta for cloud streaming on PS Portal, allowing select PS5 games in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog* to be streamed directly from our servers, even without a PS5 console.
Since Cloud Streaming (Beta) on PS Portal is still an experimental offering, the features available during the beta period may change over time and may not reflect the final experience.
Let’s take a deeper look at what you can expect in this beta:
Cloud Streaming (Beta) for PS Portal will be available through the PlayStation Plus Premium plan, which is offered in the following locations:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.
To access the beta, you will need the following:
Once the beta is available, you can access the beta by updating your PS Portal to the latest system software and completing the following steps:
After you’ve enabled Cloud Streaming (Beta) in the settings menu, you should see a new option on the Home screen of your PS Portal that allows you to access games via cloud streaming. The beta option can be turned off any time, and your Home screen will revert back to the standard version once the option is turned off.
As we are in the beginning stages of publicly testing cloud streaming on PS Portal, some features will not be available, such as Game Trials, streaming games purchased on PS Store, system features such as Party voice chat and game invites for select games, Create button, 3D audio, and in-game commerce.
Additionally, the streaming games playable on PS Portal are limited to PS5 games, and PS4 games/PS3 games are not supported.
We are always listening to your feedback, and we look forward to seeing many players participating in the beta!
*Titles available in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog varies over time, region/country and plan. See https://www.playstation.com/Plus for details and updates on PlayStation Plus offerings. PlayStation Plus is an ongoing subscription subject to a recurring subscription fee taken automatically (at the then-current PS Store price) at the frequency you choose at purchase until cancellation. Terms apply: play.st/psplus-usageterms
**Individual game performance will vary based on the specific game being played, and the quality of connectivity in your network environment.
***Haptic feedback and adaptive trigger features are only available when those features are supported by the game being played.
****Cloud Streaming (Beta) is not available for child accounts.
Today marks the release of the official trailer for “A Minecraft Movie” – and those with keen eyes might have already noticed some familiar elements from the game. The cast and crew have put a lot of work into staying true to Minecraft, and that includes bringing to life beloved features that have shaped players’ adventures throughout the years.
If you’re new to the Minecraft universe, some of these references may have left you scratching your head, but fret not! I’m here to explain some of the most iconic elements from the trailer, what they do, and how they’re useful to Minecrafters.
In Minecraft, you can build almost anything. But in Survival mode, you need to start somewhere, and for most players, one of the first steps of that journey is crafting a humble wooden pickaxe. However, try to mine diamonds with it and you’ll watch that precious ore crumble into voxel dust. You’ll have to work your way up to stone, and then an iron pickaxe – much like the one that Steve has in the movie – to mine most materials in the Overworld. But to reach other dimensions, you’ll need a couple more upgrades…
Few blocks are more recognizable than the crafting table, which unlocks countless recipes, from more durable tools to refined materials and various contraptions. You can place a crafting table in your base like Steve does in the trailer, or you can carry it around with you in your inventory to use as needed in your adventures. Crafting tables are often accompanied by furnaces for smelting ores, as well as enchanting tables that add special properties to your gear in exchange for experience points.
You could technically play Minecraft without ever making a crafting table, if you wanted to. Would it be difficult and keep you from discovering many cool things? Absolutely. But there’s no wrong way to play Minecraft, so you do you! Or would it just be Mine then?…
To this day, the sight or hissing of a creeper sends chills down the spines of Minecrafters everywhere – and that’s no different in “A Minecraft Movie.” Unlike skeletons or zombies, creepers don’t have any upper limbs to use against you, so it’s understandable if you assume they can’t hurt you. However, at close range, you’ll discover the creeper’s devastating attack: a literal explosion. Many playthroughs have been cut short by these stealthy ambushers… so keep your head on a swivel when exploring the darker corners of the Overworld.
Native to the Nether, these bipedal pig-like creatures normally can’t live in the Overworld, as they become zombified by the clean, spore-less air. However, in “A Minecraft Movie,” they’ve apparently found a way to not only enter the Overworld but also cause major trouble. What can you expect from them when playing Minecraft? The piglins you’ll encounter in the Nether are a bit more receptive to the idea of not attacking you on sight – as long as you’re wearing a piece of golden armor. Bring some gold ingots and they’ll even trade various items for them! And if you’re lucky, you might even get to see a baby piglin riding a hoglin. Awww!
In “A Minecraft Movie,” the protagonists pass through a village where Steve demonstrates his favorite way of cooking chicken. We’re still recovering from that one. And while you don’t get to witness any creative culinary feats in the in-game villages, they’re a huge boon for Survival mode players in need of resources, especially sustenance. The villagers might “hrrrm” and “haaaaah” as you raid their homes and farms, but they don’t really care! That’s just how they talk. In fact, they’ll also trade various goods for emeralds; the cartographer will even sell you maps to hidden treasures… but that doesn’t mean finding them will be easy.
You may have noticed Garret accidentally using a curious item called an Ender pearl in the official trailer – the last one in Steve’s stash, no less! In-game, Ender pearls are dropped by defeated Endermen and work in the same way: you throw them, and you get teleported to where they land. An even more interesting use for them is to craft eyes of Ender, which help you locate portals to the End dimension. This is an odd, desolate land of floating islands populated by Endermen, at the center of which lives the Ender Dragon, the largest mob in Minecraft and what is considered to be the ‘final boss’ of the game.
Why would you even want to start a fight with the Ender Dragon? For the heaps of experience points but also for the rare dragon egg, which you can display in your base for bragging rights. If you just want to see the egg up close without fighting, you can always switch to Creative mode and place one from your unlimited inventory! I won’t tell if you don’t.
Ah, redstone! Hard to learn and even harder to master in my experience – but the payoff is worth it! This crimson element can transmit signals between different components to create various automations, such as Steve’s minecart system from the trailer. Using redstone is one of the most technical skills to master in the game, but it unlocks a world of possibilities in terms of both functionality and creativity. Minecraft players have used redstone to create firework shows, automate resource farms, and even build actual computers inside of Minecraft… then played games on them! I wasn’t joking when I said you could build almost anything in Minecraft.
I hope this brief deep dive helped you understand a bit more about how Minecraft works and why Steve yearns for the mines. But the Minecraft universe is literally endless, and I’ve barely scratched its pixelated surface – so why not grab a virtual pickaxe and see what secrets you can uncover for yourself? There’s plenty of time to practice until “A Minecraft Movie” comes out in theaters on April 4!
The post How A Minecraft Movie’s Official Trailer Brings Iconic Game Features to Life appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is officially out today, and fans are eagerly hopping into their virtual cockpits to take to the skies once again. Or at least, they’re trying.
Players are taking to social media to report initial loading screens that are lasting for two hours or more. Its propensity for hanging at around 97 percent has led to memes about “Microsoft Flight Simulator 97” and other jokes. Some fans aren’t even that lucky, getting stuck at around six percent.
In a post on X/Twitter, Microsoft said that it’s aware of the problems and working on a solution. “We are aware of user reports of long initial loading times into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. With so many users initializing the sim concurrently, we have a large number of server requests. We are working to help resolve the issues as soon as possible. For users whose initial load is past 90% and no longer progressing, we recommend a reboot. Otherwise we advise waiting to allow the loading to proceed as normal.”
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is the follow-up to 2020’s Microsoft Flight Simulator. Among its additions are a brand-new career mode and new aircraft types such as gliders and hot air balloons. We wrote in our preview, “I am suitably impressed with what I saw, and I didn’t think they’d be able to improve on MSFS 2020 much more than an iterative update, but this is a reimagining of the entire franchise. Everything good… is better now, and everything new looks awesome and fun.”
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is available now on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
Get your joystick ready, because Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 releases today for Xbox Series X|S and PC. The biggest new addition in this installment is a Career Mode, which lets you create a character and start working from any airport in the world. You can complete certifications for Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue, and more. All told, Flight Sim 2024 comes in two physical editions and four digital editions this time around (see it at Amazon now). Read on for full details about what comes in each edition of MSFS 2024, as well as pricing.
One quick note before we dive in: Below, you’ll find the number of aircraft and airports that are included in each edition. To see specifically which aircrafts are included, you can check out this image from the official website.
The Premium Deluxe Edition is by far the most widely available physical edition of the game. It includes the following:
If you want the most exclusive (and priciest) edition, the limited collector’s edition is the one for you. Exclusive to the Aerosoft Store, it comes with everything included in the premium deluxe edition, plus some extras. Here’s what you get, per the listing:
If you just want to play the game without spending a lot of money, Game Pass may be your best bet. The standard edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is already available for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members and PC Game Pass members.
Otherwise, if you’d like to purchase a digital edition, you can do so on Steam or at the links below.
Standard Edition – (70 Aircraft, 150 Airports)
Deluxe Edition – (80 Aircraft, 155 Airports)
Premium Deluxe Edition – (95 Aircraft, 160 Airports)
Aviator Edition – (125 Aircraft, 160 Airports)
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is the latest installment of an extremely long-running series (it dates back to 1982, if you can believe it). This installment is based on the Asobo Studio engine, which Microsoft says uses cloud computing and machine learning to create the most accurate re-creation of the world yet in the series.
As mentioned above, the new career mode lets you take on all sorts of aeronautical jobs, like aerial firefighting and Medevac, and even Airline Passenger Transport. You can also check into the new Challenge League, where you can participate in competitions like rally races and precision landings and low-altitude challenges.
There’s also a World Photographer mode, in which you travel the globe to take photos of natural wonders and famous landmarks. You can land anywhere in the game and exit the aircraft to explore various biomes filled with real-life flora and fauna.
Check out our in-depth Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 preview for more information.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN’s board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Threads.
Remedy’s Control 2 will be an “action RPG“, the developers have announced, and while I have already caved and written it up, I’m not sure this is really news. Wasn’t the first game an action-RPG? True, it was a third-person shooter, but it also had a progression system with unlockable abilities and boosts. Besides, isn’t every action game an action-RPG these days? Levelling-up has become an industry-wide syndrome. Go on, name an action game that doesn’t have RPG-style elements. No wait, don’t actually do that. I was being rhetorical. Read the rest of this post first.
Dragon Quest and LEGO Horizon debut even further down.
After missing key data last week, GfK has finally provided an updated look at the UK charts so we can get an idea of where all the newbies have landed.
For Nintendo’s latest, that’s a little way down. The latest look informs us that Mario & Luigi: Brothership got off to a good start last week (not that we saw it) and arrived in third, but the same can’t be said for its second appearance as the Bro-led RPG has wound up in 12th this week.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is by far our most ambitious simulator to date, and we are incredibly excited for all of you – from our core sim fans to all gamers and those who want to explore the world with us – to join us on this journey. With authentic realism of all environments, aviation careers to pursue and the ability to explore our beautiful world with various kinds of aircraft, there is something amazing for everyone in this version of the simulator.
We feel very fortunate that Microsoft Flight Simulator has a vibrant, highly informed and passionate community which has been invaluable on our journey to continually improve the simulator. Our motto is “for the community – with the community”, which means that we will continue to carefully listen to your feedback and suggestions to help guide our development efforts – and it also means that we will continue to work with teams from the community to help us produce the best aircraft, airports, scenery, missions, and other features.
The team at Asobo is very much the core with the engine and key innovations all coming from the team in Bordeaux. We were able to substantially enhance the breadth and quality by inviting other creator teams from the flight sim community to help and bring focus to the many areas of this vast simulator. Aircraft were built by well-known and loved community teams like iniBuilds, Carenado, Got Friends, Blackbird, Hype Performance Group, MilTech, S&H, FlightFX, DC Designs, ATSimulations, BlueMesh and others to create the largest and most detailed fleet we have ever had (70 aircraft) for the base simulator. Other areas like airports, heliports, glider airports were mostly built by the talented team at Gaya, worldwide obstacles by Orbx & Puffin Flight, animals by Lakshya and via a collaboration with Frontier Developments, air racing by Climax, and many other elements like avionics and flight planning from Working Title. In total, we had over 800 people contributing to the sim and the result is beautiful and incredibly impressive.
The dream of flight is ingrained in us yet many people have been unable to pursue that dream due to a lack of opportunity to pilot their own plane … MSFS 2024 provides 70 highly diverse aircraft, our entire beautiful Earth, and many activities to suit your aviation desires.
Thank you for embarking on this incredible adventure with us. We hope you enjoy Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
The Sky Is Calling.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is now available in a variety of editions. The Standard Edition – available with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass — comes with 70 aircraft and 150 upgraded airports; Deluxe Edition includes 10 additional aircraft and five extra airports; the Premium Deluxe includes another 15 aircraft (total of 95); Aviator Edition includes everything from the Premium Deluxe Edition plus the entire fleet of 30 Microsoft-published Marketplace aircraft developed for Microsoft Flight Simulator between 2021 and 2024. If you own Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) Deluxe Edition or Premium Deluxe Edition the additional aircraft and airports unique to these editions will automatically work in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
Xbox Game Studios
Fly with Purpose
· Launch your aviation Career wherever you choose in the world. Gain experience, build your reputation, and complete certifications to gain access to authentic aviation activities ranging from Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue and more, all the way to becoming an Airline Passenger Transport Pilot. Set out on a truly global aviation adventure with virtually unlimited missions across the planet.
· Compete against other pilots in the all-new Challenge League mode or hone your skills in dozens of Activities ranging from exciting Rally Races and Precision Landings to Low-Altitude challenges and more. Fly head-to-head in the iconic Red Bull Air Races and the legendary Reno Air Races, including the new Roswell courses.
· Be a World Photographer and travel across our beautiful planet to capture awe-inspiring natural vistas, visit famous landmarks, and record these adventures with pictures in your travel book. Unique photo challenges test your creative eye along with your piloting skills while you strive to capture the perfect moment.
Advanced Simulation
· Enhanced physics system allows 10,000+ rigid-body surfaces that enable the simulation of any shape of aircraft. Soft body physics supports cloth, ropes, balloons, and more. Improved ground and water handling further enhance realism.
· New, highly accurate aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel and hydraulic systems, payload and passenger systems, and avionics like the Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2. Preflight inspections and walkaround checks add to immersion.
· Plan your flights with a groundbreaking flight planner which supports both IFR and VFR map layers, IFR charts, route planning, fuel and payload planning, vertical profile planning, and ETOPS planning. It also provides airport information including weather and NOTAMS and is available native in the sim, on mobile devices or web browsers for flight planning outside the simulator.
Explore Our Visually Stunning Digital Twin
· Explore our most detailed re-creation of planet Earth to date. Enhanced digital elevation maps, over 500 TIN (triangular irregular network) cities and more than 100,000 square kilometers of countryside photogrammetry allow for visually stunning digital twin experiences. More than 150 airports, 2,000 glider airports, 10,000 heliports, 2,000 points of interest, and 900 oil rigs have been carefully hand-crafted while a procedural system generates all 40,000 airports, 80,000 helipads, 1.5 billion buildings, and nearly 3 trillion trees our planet.
· Land anywhere and, for the first time in Microsoft Flight Simulator, exit your aircraft to explore 27 highly detailed biomes with hundreds of species of vegetation, dynamically created details including grass, rocks, and flowers – all influenced by seasonal changes. The all-new photometric lighting system renders the world more accurately than ever before, and enhanced weather features such as new cloud types, auroras, and other weather phenomena produce fresh and compelling atmospheric experiences.
· The world comes alive with a vast array of land-based wildlife in their natural habitats and free-ranging livestock across the entire globe. The oceans and waterways are teeming with live, worldwide maritime traffic ranging from large tankers and cargo ships to trawlers, tugs, and more. A richly diverse, regionally accurate representation of humanity brings life to the airports, aircraft, and passenger cabins of the world. Enhanced real-world air traffic populates the skies and airport tarmacs with hundreds of accurately depicted aircraft models and dozens of officially licensed liveries.
Xbox Game Studios
Fly with Purpose
· Launch your aviation Career wherever you choose in the world. Gain experience, build your reputation, and complete certifications to gain access to authentic aviation activities ranging from Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue and more, all the way to becoming an Airline Passenger Transport Pilot. Set out on a truly global aviation adventure with virtually unlimited missions across the planet.
· Compete against other pilots in the all-new Challenge League mode or hone your skills in dozens of Activities ranging from exciting Rally Races and Precision Landings to Low-Altitude challenges and more. Fly head-to-head in the iconic Red Bull Air Races and the legendary Reno Air Races, including the new Roswell courses.
· Be a World Photographer and travel across our beautiful planet to capture awe-inspiring natural vistas, visit famous landmarks, and record these adventures with pictures in your travel book. Unique photo challenges test your creative eye along with your piloting skills while you strive to capture the perfect moment.
Advanced Simulation
· Enhanced physics system allows 10,000+ rigid-body surfaces that enable the simulation of any shape of aircraft. Soft body physics supports cloth, ropes, balloons, and more. Improved ground and water handling further enhance realism.
· New, highly accurate aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel and hydraulic systems, payload and passenger systems, and avionics like the Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2. Preflight inspections and walkaround checks add to immersion.
· Plan your flights with a groundbreaking flight planner which supports both IFR and VFR map layers, IFR charts, route planning, fuel and payload planning, vertical profile planning, and ETOPS planning. It also provides airport information including weather and NOTAMS and is available native in the sim, on mobile devices or web browsers for flight planning outside the simulator.
Explore Our Visually Stunning Digital Twin
· Explore our most detailed re-creation of planet Earth to date. Enhanced digital elevation maps, over 500 TIN (triangular irregular network) cities and more than 100,000 square kilometers of countryside photogrammetry allow for visually stunning digital twin experiences. More than 150 airports, 2,000 glider airports, 10,000 heliports, 2,000 points of interest, and 900 oil rigs have been carefully hand-crafted while a procedural system generates all 40,000 airports, 80,000 helipads, 1.5 billion buildings, and nearly 3 trillion trees our planet.
· Land anywhere and, for the first time in Microsoft Flight Simulator, exit your aircraft to explore 27 highly detailed biomes with hundreds of species of vegetation, dynamically created details including grass, rocks, and flowers – all influenced by seasonal changes. The all-new photometric lighting system renders the world more accurately than ever before, and enhanced weather features such as new cloud types, auroras, and other weather phenomena produce fresh and compelling atmospheric experiences.
· The world comes alive with a vast array of land-based wildlife in their natural habitats and free-ranging livestock across the entire globe. The oceans and waterways are teeming with live, worldwide maritime traffic ranging from large tankers and cargo ships to trawlers, tugs, and more. A richly diverse, regionally accurate representation of humanity brings life to the airports, aircraft, and passenger cabins of the world. Enhanced real-world air traffic populates the skies and airport tarmacs with hundreds of accurately depicted aircraft models and dozens of officially licensed liveries.
Xbox Game Studios
Fly with Purpose
· Launch your aviation Career wherever you choose in the world. Gain experience, build your reputation, and complete certifications to gain access to authentic aviation activities ranging from Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue and more, all the way to becoming an Airline Passenger Transport Pilot. Set out on a truly global aviation adventure with virtually unlimited missions across the planet.
· Compete against other pilots in the all-new Challenge League mode or hone your skills in dozens of Activities ranging from exciting Rally Races and Precision Landings to Low-Altitude challenges and more. Fly head-to-head in the iconic Red Bull Air Races and the legendary Reno Air Races, including the new Roswell courses.
· Be a World Photographer and travel across our beautiful planet to capture awe-inspiring natural vistas, visit famous landmarks, and record these adventures with pictures in your travel book. Unique photo challenges test your creative eye along with your piloting skills while you strive to capture the perfect moment.
Advanced Simulation
· Enhanced physics system allows 10,000+ rigid-body surfaces that enable the simulation of any shape of aircraft. Soft body physics supports cloth, ropes, balloons, and more. Improved ground and water handling further enhance realism.
· New, highly accurate aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel and hydraulic systems, payload and passenger systems, and avionics like the Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2. Preflight inspections and walkaround checks add to immersion.
· Plan your flights with a groundbreaking flight planner which supports both IFR and VFR map layers, IFR charts, route planning, fuel and payload planning, vertical profile planning, and ETOPS planning. It also provides airport information including weather and NOTAMS and is available native in the sim, on mobile devices or web browsers for flight planning outside the simulator.
Explore Our Visually Stunning Digital Twin
· Explore our most detailed re-creation of planet Earth to date. Enhanced digital elevation maps, over 500 TIN (triangular irregular network) cities and more than 100,000 square kilometers of countryside photogrammetry allow for visually stunning digital twin experiences. More than 150 airports, 2,000 glider airports, 10,000 heliports, 2,000 points of interest, and 900 oil rigs have been carefully hand-crafted while a procedural system generates all 40,000 airports, 80,000 helipads, 1.5 billion buildings, and nearly 3 trillion trees our planet.
· Land anywhere and, for the first time in Microsoft Flight Simulator, exit your aircraft to explore 27 highly detailed biomes with hundreds of species of vegetation, dynamically created details including grass, rocks, and flowers – all influenced by seasonal changes. The all-new photometric lighting system renders the world more accurately than ever before, and enhanced weather features such as new cloud types, auroras, and other weather phenomena produce fresh and compelling atmospheric experiences.
· The world comes alive with a vast array of land-based wildlife in their natural habitats and free-ranging livestock across the entire globe. The oceans and waterways are teeming with live, worldwide maritime traffic ranging from large tankers and cargo ships to trawlers, tugs, and more. A richly diverse, regionally accurate representation of humanity brings life to the airports, aircraft, and passenger cabins of the world. Enhanced real-world air traffic populates the skies and airport tarmacs with hundreds of accurately depicted aircraft models and dozens of officially licensed liveries.
Xbox Game Studios
Fly with Purpose
· Launch your aviation Career wherever you choose in the world. Gain experience, build your reputation, and complete certifications to gain access to authentic aviation activities ranging from Medevac, Remote Cargo Ops, Aerial Firefighting, Search & Rescue and more, all the way to becoming an Airline Passenger Transport Pilot. Set out on a truly global aviation adventure with virtually unlimited missions across the planet.
· Compete against other pilots in the all-new Challenge League mode or hone your skills in dozens of Activities ranging from exciting Rally Races and Precision Landings to Low-Altitude challenges and more. Fly head-to-head in the iconic Red Bull Air Races and the legendary Reno Air Races, including the new Roswell courses.
· Be a World Photographer and travel across our beautiful planet to capture awe-inspiring natural vistas, visit famous landmarks, and record these adventures with pictures in your travel book. Unique photo challenges test your creative eye along with your piloting skills while you strive to capture the perfect moment.
Advanced Simulation
· Enhanced physics system allows 10,000+ rigid-body surfaces that enable the simulation of any shape of aircraft. Soft body physics supports cloth, ropes, balloons, and more. Improved ground and water handling further enhance realism.
· New, highly accurate aircraft systems including electrical, pneumatic, fuel and hydraulic systems, payload and passenger systems, and avionics like the Universal UNS-1 FMS and Honeywell Primus Epic 2. Preflight inspections and walkaround checks add to immersion.
· Plan your flights with a groundbreaking flight planner which supports both IFR and VFR map layers, IFR charts, route planning, fuel and payload planning, vertical profile planning, and ETOPS planning. It also provides airport information including weather and NOTAMS and is available native in the sim, on mobile devices or web browsers for flight planning outside the simulator.
Explore Our Visually Stunning Digital Twin
· Explore our most detailed re-creation of planet Earth to date. Enhanced digital elevation maps, over 500 TIN (triangular irregular network) cities and more than 100,000 square kilometers of countryside photogrammetry allow for visually stunning digital twin experiences. More than 150 airports, 2,000 glider airports, 10,000 heliports, 2,000 points of interest, and 900 oil rigs have been carefully hand-crafted while a procedural system generates all 40,000 airports, 80,000 helipads, 1.5 billion buildings, and nearly 3 trillion trees our planet.
· Land anywhere and, for the first time in Microsoft Flight Simulator, exit your aircraft to explore 27 highly detailed biomes with hundreds of species of vegetation, dynamically created details including grass, rocks, and flowers – all influenced by seasonal changes. The all-new photometric lighting system renders the world more accurately than ever before, and enhanced weather features such as new cloud types, auroras, and other weather phenomena produce fresh and compelling atmospheric experiences.
· The world comes alive with a vast array of land-based wildlife in their natural habitats and free-ranging livestock across the entire globe. The oceans and waterways are teeming with live, worldwide maritime traffic ranging from large tankers and cargo ships to trawlers, tugs, and more. A richly diverse, regionally accurate representation of humanity brings life to the airports, aircraft, and passenger cabins of the world. Enhanced real-world air traffic populates the skies and airport tarmacs with hundreds of accurately depicted aircraft models and dozens of officially licensed liveries.
The post Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is Available Today appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Becoming the stuff of legend is no easy feat. But it’s entirely appropriate that a compelling and complex tale about vengeful vampires has not only lasted as long as it has, but triumphantly arisen from its resting place.
From its popular 1996 debut, The Legacy of Kain series has a long-standing history across PlayStation, from introducing memorable characters to pioneering in 3D game design. So, with Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered on its way to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, and Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Blood Omen 2 coming to PlayStation Plus Classics, it’s the perfect time to dig up the details on why The Legacy of Kain series has endured. As a bonus, the original developers join us to recall some relevant anecdotes on the way…
A new gameplay video showcases Raziel’s otherwordly abilities in The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered.
“I’m super proud of the way we wove our time travel plot throughout the games – writing time travel stories is hard!”
– Amy Hennig, Design Manager (Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain), Director and Lead Writer (Soul Reaver, Soul Reaver 2, Legacy of Kain: Defiance)
Action-adventures took a turn for the macabre as The Legacy of Kain series introduced us to the shadowy world of Nosgoth. Blood Omen set the tone with Kain seeking a cure for his vampiric curse, only to slip deeper into a moral abyss.
Engaging hack-and-slash gameplay mixed with magic, shapeshifting, and puzzle-layered exploration cast an intoxicating spell encased by a smart and gripping story that laid the groundwork for all that followed. So it was no surprise that the triumphant debut of the titular vampire lord was met with a craving for more. Only three years later, that craving was satisfied…
“It was one of the best-looking games for PlayStation.”
– Daniel Cabuco, lead enemy artist (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver); lead artist (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2) and art director (Legacy of Kain: Defiance)
If Blood Omen began the crimson-stained lineage for the series in 2D, Soul Reaver took up the trail and innovated it into fully formed 3D. This time the consequences of Kain’s actions are directly in your hands, assuming control of the iconic Raziel, a former vampire lieutenant slain by Kain. Resurrected into a wraith, Raziel is given his mission by The Elder God – to destroy Kain and restore the now-broken wasteland of Nosgoth to its former glory.
The evolution into 3D allowed the series to push the boundaries of its presentation even more, especially when teamed with the already captivating narrative, which allowed players to travel between the material and spectral realms.
“The writing, dialogue, and incredible voice acting all took things to the next level,” says Cabuco. “At every point the artists, designers, musicians, and engineers asked themselves how they could make the experience better. It was an incredible moment in time where every aspect was firing on all cylinders.”
It’s a sentiment shared by the game’s chief of engineering, Scott Krotz: “The streaming technology we developed was great, and I think we only had one loading screen in the entire game once getting into it. The combination of solid gameplay and technology, a dark world full of interesting lore, a great story and characters, and amazing voice actors all came together to make it a pretty special game.”
“The amazingly well directed cinematics with lip sync were simply mind blowing.”
– Monika Erosova, head of development (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered)
After Soul Reaver introduced the iconic Raziel, its sequel vastly expanded on his human past, traveling through time to reveal Nosgoth’s secrets which have immense repercussions on not only Raziel and his home, but Kain as well.
Between its combat, puzzles, and exploration, Soul Reaver 2 successfully elevated much of what made its predecessor so well received, but a particular spotlight fell on its story and characters. “Amy Hennig masterfully interconnected Raziel’s journey back to Blood Omen,” says Erosova. “I enjoyed exploring the world in different eras.”
“Soul Reaver 2 was originally supposed to be on the original PlayStation, but our team was determined to use the power of PS2 to elevate the game’s graphics and animation,” reveals Amy Hennig, who worked as design manager on Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, and director and lead writer on Soul Reaver, Soul Reaver 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance. “We ported the game onto the new hardware in a matter of weeks.”
In a smart connection to the time travel chaos of Soul Reaver 2, the series went back to its roots in Blood Omen 2 by exploring an alternate timeline set after the events of the very first Blood Omen. This gave players a chance to enjoy Kain’s undead life again, aside from his antagonistic turn in the Soul Reaver games, layering a now rich and involving lore.
While paying homage to its vampiric roots where Kain is able to feed off enemies or civilians to replenish his health, novel gameplay elements like weapon durability kept the combat and challenge fresh.
After two games each where we played as Kain or Raziel, it was perhaps inevitable that we’d get a chance to control both characters in the same game – which is where Legacy of Kain: Defiance swooped in. “Given we were revealing crucial things about our characters’ motivations and the world that shaped them, it was critical for us to make Kain and Raziel dual protagonists, and to cut back and forth between their playable chapters,” explains Hennig.
Using different abilities helped differentiate between the bitter enemies in terms of gameplay, while the story offered the now expected – and satisfying – philosophical pondering on determinism and morality to resolve Kain and Raziel’s blood-stained conflict.
“We wanted to tell a great, complex story with flawed but compelling characters in a captivating and original world,” says Hennig. “It’s incredibly gratifying to see how formative and indelible these games and stories have been for our audience.”
You’ll be able to get a taste of the series’ lasting legacy when Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Blood Omen 2 arrive on PlayStation Plus Premium November 19, and when Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered hits PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on December 10.
