How a cargo plane sets up PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds for greatness

This is The Mechanic, where Alex Wiltshire invites developers to discuss the inner workings of their games. This time, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds [official site].

Somewhere across Erangel’s 64 square kilometres of towns, villages, hills, rivers and sea, 100 players are running, looting, driving and shooting each other. With every one of them having an average of well over half a square kilometre to themselves, it might sound like playing PUBG is a lonely experience, but in practice it’s anything but. The opening minutes are always intense, demanding strategy and planning. It’s all down to a clever piece of design that relates to how you’re being delivered to this Battle Royale:

THE MECHANIC: Cargo plane … [visit site to read more]

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The petty, grudge-holding NPCs of Thousand Threads

“Things go wrong” is one of the best genres of videogames. Thousand Threads [official site] is an upcoming open world game that seems to embrace that philosophy, if the developer’s attempt to create a video demonstration is anything to go by. It features colourful meadows, peaceful woodland and half a dozen angry people in hats chasing and punching each other as part of an elaborate grudge match all because Sung stole three rocks from Dorinda. For goodness sake, Sung.
… [visit site to read more]

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Wot I Think: Nex Machina

I can’t think of a better collaboration than the one that’s brought Nex Machina [official site] to life. The blindingly-fast twin-stick shooter is the spawn of Resogun developer Housemarque and the creator of the entire genre, Eugene Jarvis. It has a great deal to live up to, then, and the legacy of Robotron, Smash TV and Resogun hovering over it. Clearly the pair were up to the challenge.

All of the above games are inside Nex Machina. They are in both the foundations and the bricks — the teeming swarms of robots, the linked rooms, even the voxels. Combined, however, the construct something new; something that’s full of its own tricks and quirks, challenges and surprises. … [visit site to read more]

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Rain World expansion to bring easy mode & multiplayer

When we looked at survival platformer Rain World [official site] we found a gorgeous and intriguing world but one that often felt too brutal to fully enjoy. So it’s good news that an upcoming expansion will add an easier mode, where you play as a yellow slugcat nicknamed “The Monk” who needs less food to survive and doesn’t provoke the ire of as many of the world’s vicious animals. Namaste, little Monkcat.

This is only one feature of the upcoming update, say developers Videocult. Also planned are a level editor, multiplayer arenas and – perhaps most exciting – a host of new creatures. Come peep at the deets.
… [visit site to read more]

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Wot I Think: psychological investigation FPS Get Even

“Style over substance” is traditionally considered a negative epithet, but in Get Even‘s case it succeeds precisely because of surface-level showiness. What it does with paranoid mood, cut-up storytelling and most of all its nightmare-fuel sound design absolutely excuses a central plot that plays out like Days Of Our Lives doing a cyberpunk episode.

… [visit site to read more]

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Do some crimes in LawBreakers’ open beta today

From today, everyone gets to be a LawBreaker! That doesn’t mean you should break into my flat and steal my telly, but it does mean that, until 9AM PDT on July 5, you can play Boss Key Productions’ gravity defying multiplayer shooter, LawBreakers [official site]. The open beta has already kicked off, so consider fighting future criminals and cops this weekend.

… [visit site to read more]

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Cuphead devs entirely rebuilt the game after E3 2015

You probably recognise Cuphead [official site] because you’ve been hearing about it for years. The action platformer was first announced at E3 2014, and it’s finally out on September 29. In between, the developers at Studio MDHR quit their jobs, remortgaged their homes and essentially rebuilt the game.

… [visit site to read more]

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Watch Dogs 2 getting a 4-player party mode for July 4th

You can’t properly celebrate July 4th, the infamous date when Americans discovered fireworks and those really patriotic hats, on your own, which is why Ubisoft is putting out a free Watch Dogs 2 [official site] multiplayer update. On Tuesday, you’ll be able to jump in-game and fool around in a slew of 4-player party mode activities. Take a gander at the trailer below.

… [visit site to read more]

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Arkane’s founder on why he’s ready to leave Prey devs

Raphael Colantonio, president and founder of Arkane Studios, announced that he was leaving the company earlier this week. Colantonio started Arkane in 1999 and was most recently the creative director on Prey [official site]. Today, at Gamelab Barcelona, he reflected on his time at Arkane and what prompted his departure.

… [visit site to read more]

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The Flare Path: Unburdens

Thirty-five years of computer wargaming have taught me nothing about the art of military leadership. Yes, I’ve learnt how to attack and defend, how to exploit terrain, triage threats, and tell the difference between a Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. D and a Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. G, but no dev has ever asked me to build trust… maintain discipline… inspire loyalty. Since falling in love with Arnhem on my rubber-keyed Speccy in 1985 I’ve been a tactician and puzzle solver, never, in any meaningful sense, a leader of men.

Burden of Command [official site] wants to fill this gaping experiential void. A stat-shunning military RPG that mixes interactive fiction decisions with traditional hex grid battling, if all goes to plan it could prove to be one of the most memorable and affecting war games ever. … [visit site to read more]

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League of Legends overhauls Honor, rewards niceness

A new champ is possibly the more eye-catching midweek League of Legends [official site] news to catch up on but I’m far more interested in the overhaul Riot are giving to the game’s honour system. Or, because they’re a US-based company by and large, the honor system.

The overhaul is about making it easier for players to reward positive behaviour in teammates and attaching incentives to accumulating rewards for your own positive behaviour. Here’s the video which breaks down what’s happening and I’ll add my own thoughts just after! … [visit site to read more]

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StarCraft Remastered launching on August 14th

After being finally announced in March — confirming rumours that felt like they’d been going on forever — StarCraft Remastered [official site] now has a release date: August 14th. The remastered version will contain all the original content from the main game and the Brood War expansion, gussied up in 4K. It’s available for pre-purchase now.

… [visit site to read more]

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Best PC gaming deals of the week

If you’re not entirely out of money by now thanks to Steam’s rather massive Summer Sale, or if today is the day that you’ve been paid, welcome! It’s time to take a look at the very best deals that the last week had to show us, so let’s get to it.

As usual, we’ve got deals that’ll work in the UK, deals that’ll work in the US and some deals that will work in both the UK and US, as well as presumably many other places. Let’s get started.

… [visit site to read more]

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