3D Artist Danny Mac unveiled Hair Wrangler, a Blender add-on for enhanced hair creation.Hair Wrangler allows artists to visualize hair using Blender Geometry Nodes and curves and switch between geometry and strand hair with one click. In the add-on, complex Geometry Nodes are configured automatically, and the tool ensures seamless application of materials.With a range of useful functions and streamlined modifier management with intuitive UI, the tool allows for better controllability and optimized workflow. Take a look at the works that you can create using the add-on:In this thread, the creator explains how to use the tool. Also, check out the tutorial:Get the add-on here anddont forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post This Blender Add-On Enables Effortless Hair Creation Using Geometry Nodes appeared first on CG SHARES.

PocketpairUnderstanding why a hit game, especially an indie title, becomes a sensation can be valuable for the gaming community. It may provide insights into what elements contribute to a games success. However, success does not always follow a specific formula, and even the developers may not fully be aware of the true reasons behind their games popularity.An example in this case is Pocketpairs hit open-world monster-hunting game Palworld, which has over 32 million players across all platforms in the first year since it was released in Early Access in January 2024.John Bucky Buckley, the games global community manager, talked about how the game attracted so many players during this years Game Developers Conference panel. He frankly said, I dont know, please dont ask me. I know someone will ask me after, but I promise you we dont know the answer. Surprisingly, this stunning achievement of selling eight million copies merely six days after its launch isnt as a source of happiness for developers as I thought it would be. Within that first week, we hit this disgusting number that makes me feel sick when I see it It really was unbelievable, and just seeing this today still kind of freaks me out. Buckley recalled the panic situation when the player count kept soaring at launch, which was definitely out of expectation from the team who thought the game would only attract mainly Japanese players attention, Thats when things started to get weird.Only a month after the launch, the game acquired 25 million players, and following that, the team barely talked about the players numbers until the recent news of 32 million players. There are a few reasons, basically the short version is that there were some bad vibes coming, and these bad vibes convinced us to stop marketing for a while and go a little bit quiet. One of the facts that resulted in the bad vibes was the games nickname, Pokemon with guns, which made the developers feel uneasy.The lawsuit from the Pokmon developer arrived in September of last year, as was bound to happen eventually. Although Nintendo may not be interested in what makes the game successful, it is certainly protective of its copyrights and takes legal action under the belief that the game infringes on its patents, which were only filed after Palworlds release.For the development team, where nearly everyone is a huge fan, it was a very depressing day when the lawsuit was filed. Buckley described that everyone heads down and walking in the rain. The lawsuit has changed much of the teams plan, including scaling back the Tokyo Game Show and hiring security guards.Dont forget to join our 80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post How Palworld Drew So Many Players Remains A Mystery For Its Devs appeared first on CG SHARES.

A Dragonstorm is brewing...While many await the upcoming Final Fantasy collaboration set, Magic: The Gathering's own universe has a storm of its own brewing first. The next in-universe expansion for the game, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, debuted earlier today via an official Wizards of the Coast livestream, and with it came over three-dozen new and returning cards, some with unique alternate art and frame treatments.This gallery includes every card unveiled during the WotC livestream from the main set, Commander decks, and a few special guests. Some cards have as many as three alternate art possibilities, and we've included them all for each card revealed as well.Tarkir: Dragonstorm launches April 13 at local game stores and big-box retailers, with special pre-release events scheduled to begin at participating local games stores on April 6. Preorders for booster boxes, pre-constructed Commander decks, and bundles are available now. All-Out AssaultAll-Out Assault (Enchantment)Mythic RareCosts two generic, one red, one white, and one black mana to castCreatures you control get +1/+1 and deathtouch.When this enchantment enters, if it's your main phase, there is an additional combat phase after this phase followed by an addtional main phase. When you next attack this turn, untap each creature you control.All-Out Assault is a Swiss Army Knife of a card, though its biggest impact comes the moment it enters play. The persistent stat boost and deathtouch perk--which grants each creature the ability to kill any creatures that block it regardless of damage dealt--is nice, but getting an extra combat phase on that first turn out can turn the tide of a match very quickly. Anafenza, Unyielding Lineage (Rare)Anafenza, Unyielding Lineage (Legendary Creature - Spirit Soldier)RareCosts two generic and one white mana to cast2 power/2 toughnessFlash (This card can be cast as if it were an instant.)First strike (This creature deals combat damage to a blocking creature before the blocker damages it.)Whenever another nontoken creature you control dies, Anafenza endures 2 (Either put two +1/+1 counters on it or create a 2/2 white Spirit creature token.)Anafenza's latest card offers some intriguing strategies thanks to the new Endure mechanic, which grants you a buff of your choice after another of your creatures dies. The idea of sending in a lowly 1/1 creature to block an opponent's attacker, then flashing in Anafenza and creating a 2/2 Spirit token after the 1/1 creature dies, makes her a potent counter option for an aggressive player on the other side of the table. Betor, Kin to AllBetor, Kin to All (Legendary Creature - Spirit Dragon)Mythic RareCosts two generic, one white, one black, and one green mana to cast5 power/7 toughnessFlying (This creature can only be blocked by other creatures with flying.)At the beginning of your end step, if creatures you control have total toughness 10 or greater, draw a card. Then, if creatures you control have total toughness 20 or greater, untap each creature you control. Then, if creatures you control have total toughness 40 or greater, each opponent loses half their life, rounded up.The first Tarkir dragon in our gallery is one tough customer, and he loves hanging out with other tough customers. The strategy here is simple: Pack a deck with multiple high-toughness creatures, put as many as you can on the battlefield, and then reap the benefits. Craterhoof BehemothCraterhoof Behemoth (Creature - Beast)Mythic RareCosts five generic and three green mana to cast5 power/5 toughnessHaste (This creature can attack the turn it is played.)When this creature enters, creatures you control gain trample and +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of creatures you control. Trample: Any excess damage dealt to a creature that blocks a creature with trample is assigned to that creature's controller. Example: If a creature with trample and 5 power is blocked by a creature with 3 toughness, the blocking creature's controller takes the excess 2 damage.The big boy is back in Standard! Craterhoof Behemoth has been a staple in the Commander format for a long time now thanks to its ability to win you the game on the turn you cast it, but now it will venture back into Standard for the first time since the early 2010s. This reprint also highlights an "echo" design, where a creature originally found on a different plane in the Magic multiverse--in this case, Craterhoof originated in Innistrad--might look on a different plane. Elspeth, Storm SlayerElspeth, Storm Slayer (Legendary Planeswalker - Elspeth)Mythic RareCosts three generic and two white mana to castStarts with 5 loyalty countersIf one of more tokens would be created under your control, twice that many of those tokens are created instead.+1 loyalty counter: Creature a 1/1 white Soldier creature token.0: Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. Those creatures gain flying until your next turn.-3 loyalty counters: Destroy target creature an opponent controls with mana value 3 or more.Elspeth's latest Planeswalker card has a lot going on, from doubling every token you create--including the Soldier tokens she generates with her +1 ability--to buffing your entire board with no change to her loyalty. Token-heavy decks will need to find a place for her, pronto. Equilibrium AdeptEquilibrium Adept (Creature - Dog Monk)UncommonCosts three generic and one red mana to cast2 power/4 toughnessWhen this creature enters, exile the top card of your library. Until the end of your next turn, you may play that card.Flurry - Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, this creature gains double strike until end of turn. Double Strike: This creature can assign its combat damage twice.This cute little doggo monk shows off the new Flurry mechanic, which rewards decks that can play multiple spells a turn. In Equlibrium Adept's case, it gives the good boy the ability to deal double damage for the rest of the turn, essentially turning this 2/4 into a 4/4. Frostcliff SiegeFrostcliff Siege (Enchantment)RareCosts one generic, one blue, and one red mana to castAs this enchantment enters, choose Jeskai or Temur. Jeskai - Whenever one of more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, draw a card.Temur - Creatures you control gain +1/+0 and have trample and haste.The siege enchantment subtype returns for Tarkir: Dragonstorm, hearkening back to their debut in the original Tarkir sets of old. This siege allows you to draw extra cards during combat or make your army of creatures instantly more potent, so weigh your options carefully before choosing a side. Kotis, the FangkeeperKotis, the Fangkeeper (Legendary Creature - Zombie Warrior)RareCosts one generic, one black, one green, and one blue mana to cast2 power/1 toughnessIndestructible (This creature cannot be destroyed or killed via combat damage.)Whenever Kotis deals combat damage to a player, exile the top X cards of their library, where X is the amount of damage dealt. You may cast any number of spells with mana value X or less from among them without paying their mana costs.Free spells are always a good thing, but there's something that much sweeter about those free spells coming from an opponent's deck. You'll need to buff Kotis a bit to maximize his potential, but even at two power, you can potentially steal something that will really disrupt an opposing player's strategy. Maelstrom of the Spirit DragonMaelstrom of the Spirit Dragon (Land)RareTap this land: Add one colorless mana.Tap this land: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast a Dragon spell or an Omen spell. Pay four generic mana, tap this land, and sacrifice it: Search your library for a Dragon card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.Dragon decks may be coming back into vogue with Tarkir: Dragonstorm, and this new land will definitely be a part of it. The mana fixing for Dragons and Omens specifically is nice, but being able to tutor up a Dragon for four mana is a great deal, even if you have to sacrifice the land to do it. Marang River Regent // Coil and CatchMarang River Regent (Creature - Dragon)RareCosts four generic and two blue mana to cast6 power/7 toughnessFlyingWhen this creature enters, return up to two other target nonland permanents to their owners' hands.Coil and Catch (Instant - Omen)Costs three generic and one blue mana to castDraw three cards, then discard a card.If this spell is cast, shuffle this card into its owner's library.A new spin on the Adventure mechanic will make its debut in the new set with Omens. Omens are alternate spells fused with a creature, but rather than exiling the card and casting the creature later like Adventures, Omen spells immediately shuffles the card back into the user's library. Is it time to play the creature, or can you cast the Omen and bring the creature back later? This decision could swing the match in your favor. Mox JasperMox Jasper (Legendary Artifact)Mythic RareCosts 0 mana to castTap this artifact: Add one mana of any color. Activate only if you control a Dragon.The latest in the long line of Mox artifacts throughout Magic history, Mox Jasper awards you with a mana of any color so long as a Dragon sits on your side of the table. Narset, Jeskai WaymasterNarset, Jeskai Waymaster (Legendary Creature - Human Monk)RareCosts one blue, one red, and one white mana to cast3 power/4 toughnessAt the beginning of your end step, you may discard your hand. If you do, draw cards equal to the number of spells you've cast this turn. Narset is a great addition to decks that casts a lot of different spells in a turn, simply because she can restock your hand with cards even if you don't have a hand left to discard. Nothing on the card specifies that you have to have at least one card in your hand, so cast as many spells as you want; Narset's got you covered. Neriv, Heart of the StormNeriv, Heart of the Storm (Legendary Creature - Spirit Dragon)Mythic RareCosts one generic, one red, one white, and one black mana to cast4 power/5 toughnessFlyingIf a creature you control that entered this turn would deal damage, it deals twice that much damage instead.Neriv has the potential to allow you to deal incredible amounts of damage quickly, you just have to factor haste into the equation. If you can build a deck around the haste mechanic, or around granting your creatures haste, Neriv is going to make a huge difference. Qarsi RevenantQarsi Revenant (Creature - Vampire)RareCosts one generic and two black mana to cast3 power/3 toughnessFlying, deathtouch, lifelinkRenew - Pay two generic and one black mana, exile this card from your graveyard: Put a flying counter, a deathtouch counter, and a lifelink counter on target creature. Activate only as a sorcery.Qarsi Revenant shows off another new mechanic, Renew, which grants powers from creatures in the graveyard to creatures still on the battlefield. The revenant is a formidable creature on its own, but its ability to grant its keywords to another creature after death gives it an extra layer of potential. Rakshasa's BargainRakshasa's Bargain (Instant)UncommonCosts three hybrid mana (two generic/one black, two generic/one green, two generic/one blue)Look at the top four cards of your library. Put two of them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard.Rakshasa's Bargain heralds the return of the "hybrid mana" mechanic, where a card's costs can be paid with one of two choices depending on the symbols shown. Here, you can either pay two generic mana for each symbol, or either one black, one green, or one blue mana. This means you could pay as little as three mana for this spell, or as much as six depending on what you have available to you. Rediscover the WayRediscover the Way (Enchantment - Saga)RareCosts one blue, one red, and one white mana to castAs this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice the card after the third ability is used.Chapters 1 and 2: Look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.Chapter 3: Whenever you cast a noncreature spell this turn, target creature you control gains double strike until end of turn. The first two chapters of the Saga offers a bit of card selection with no discards required. The third chapter, then, allows you to cast the spells you've been holding on to while also granting one of your creatures double strike for each spell you cast. That path could lead to a massive turn, or even the game, if done right. Roiling DragonstormRoiling Dragonstorm (Enchantment)UncommonCosts one generic and one blue mana to castWhen this enchantment enters, draw two cards, then discard a card.When a Dragon you control enters, return this enchantment to its owner's hand.This is one of multiple "Dragonstorm" enchantments in the set, all of which grant a single ability, then bounce back to its owner's hand when a Dragon creature hits the battlefield. You can then cast the Dragonstorm again, giving you access to the ability once more. In Roiling Dragonstorm's case, that's some impressive card draw with a bit of graveyard building to boot. Sarkhan, Dragon AscendantSarkhan, Dragon Ascendant (Legendary Creature - Human Druid)RareCosts one generic and one red mana to cast2 power/2 toughnessWhen Sarkhan enters, you may behold a Dragon. If you do, create a Treasure token. (To behold a Dragon, choose a Dragon you control or reveal a Dragon card from your hand.)Whenever a Dragon you control enters, put a +1/+1 counter on Sarkhan. Until end of turn, Sarkhan becomes a Dragon in addition to its other types and gains flying.Just as he does in the story leading up to this new set, Sarkhan has the ability to transform into a powerful dragon in his own right, and all you have to do is give him a dragon buddy to hang out with. The ability to gain an extra mana simply for showing one of your Dragons to an opponent--either from your hand or one already on the battlefield--is just an added bonus. Sidisi, Regent of the MireSidisi, Regent of the Mire (Legendary Creature - Zombie Snake Warlock)RareCosts one generic and one black mana to cast1 power/3 toughnessTap this creature and sacrifice a creature you control with mana value X other than Sidisi: Return target creature card with mana value X plus 1 from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate only as a sorcery. Despite being a low-cost creature, Sidisi's value is most felt in the late game, where he can replace a decent body with a bigger one at any time during your turn. Sacrificing an underperforming creature for one that can wreak some havoc, perhaps one with a noteworthy "enters the battlefield" ability, could turn a game around for you. Ugin, Eye of the StormsUgin, Eye of the Storms (Legendary Planeswalker - Ugin)Mythic RareCosts seven generic mana to castStarts with 7 loyalty countersWhen you cast this spell, exile up to one target permanent that's one or more colors.Whenever you cast a colorless spell, exile up to one target permanent that's one or more colors.+2 loyalty counters: You gain 3 life and draw a card.0: Add three colorless mana.-11 loyalty counters: Search your library for any number of colorless nonland cards, exile them, then shuffle. Until end of turn, you may cast those cards without paying their mana costs. Oh boy. If you're playing a colorless deck, and you cast this new Ugin, you can systematically weed out your opponent's entire board simply by casting spells (assuming they're not also playing a colorless deck). Then, when Ugin's loyalty is high enough, you can simply cast every colorless nonland permanent in your deck, which will likely win you the game. The idea of colorless Eldrazi flooding the board thanks to Ugin has us shaking our heads. Ureni, the Song UnendingUreni, the Song Unending (Legendary Creature - Spirit Dragon)Mythic RareCosts five generic, one green, one blue, and one red mana to cast.10 power/10 toughnessFlying, protection from white and from blackWhen Ureni enters, it deals X damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or planeswalkers your opponents control, where X is the number of lands you control.That 10/10 stat line is eye-popping on its own, but Ureni's "enters the battlefield" ability might be even more potent. Assuming you tap one land for every mana needed to cast Ureni in the first place, that's 8 damage being divided among enemy creatures and planeswalkers. With even more lands on the table--thanks to someone like, say, Overlord of the Hauntwoods from Duskmourn--Ureni could be packing a major punch from the jump. Ureni's RebuffUreni's Rebuff (Sorcery)UncommonCosts one generic and one blue mana to castReturn target creature to its owner's hand.Harmonize, costs five generic and one blue mana (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its harmonize cost. You may tap a creature you control to reduce that cost by X, where X is its power. Then exile this spell.)A cheap creature-bouncing spell is pretty good. A cheap creature-bouncing spell you can cast again later on once you have a bigger creature on the board is even better, especially if that bounced creature was your opponent's only line of defense again a horde of your creatures. Harmonize can be a powerful mechanic on the right card, and this one is a good start. Voice of VictoryVoice of Victory (Creature - Human Bard)RareCosts one generic and one white mana to cast1 power/3 toughnessMobilize 2 (Whenever this creature attacks, create two tapped and attacking 1/1 red Warrior creature tokens. Sacrifice them at the beginning of the next end step.)Your opponents can't cast spells during your turn.It may be small and cheap to cast, but there's a reason this creature's name has "victory" in the title. Shutting off your opponent's ability to counter your spells on your turn is massive, and then creating two extra attackers whenever it attacks could capitalize on cards that trigger when creatures enter the battlefield. Watch out for Voice of Victory; it's a sneaky-good card. Abzan Armor CommandersThese are the two legendary creatures designed to lead the Abzan Armor pre-constructed Commander deck.Betor, Ancestor's Voice (Legendary Creature - Spirit Dragon)Mythic RareCosts two generic, one white, one black, and one green mana to cast3 power/5 toughnessFlying, lifelinkAt the beginning of your end step, put a number of +1/+1 counters on up to one other target creature you control equal to the amount of life you gained this turn. Return up to one target creature card with mana value less than or equal to the amount of life you lost this turn from your graveyard to the battlefield.Felothar the Steadfast (Legendary Creature - Human Warrior)Mythic RareCosts one generic, one white, one black, and one green mana to cast0 power/5 toughnessEach creature you control assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power.Creatures you control can attack as though they didn't have defender.Pay three generic mana, tap this creature, sacrifice another creature: Draw cards equal to the sacrificed creature's toughness, then discard cards equal to its power. Jeskai Striker CommandersThese are the two legendary creatures designed to lead the Jeskai Striker pre-constructed Commander deck.Shiko and Narset, Unified (Legendary Creature - Human Spirit Dragon)Mythic RareCosts one generic, one blue, one red, and one white mana to cast4 power/4 toughnessFlying, vigilanceFlurry - Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, copy that spell if it targets a permanent or player, and you may choose new targets for the copy. If you don't copy a spell this way, draw a card.Elsha, Threefold Master (Legendary Creature - Djinn Monk)Mythic RareCosts one blue, one red, and one white mana to cast1 power/1 toughnessTrampleProwess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)Whenever Elsha deals combat damage to a player, create that many 1/1 white Monk creature tokens with prowess. Sultai Arisen CommandersThese are the two legendary creatures designed to lead the Sultai Arisen pre-constructed Commander deck.Teval, the Balanced Scale (Legendary Creature - Spirit DragonMythic RareCosts one generic, one black, one green, and one blue mana to cast4 power/4 toughnessFlyingWhenever Teval attacks, mill three cards. Then you may return a land card from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.Whenever one or more cards leave your graveyard, create a 2/2 black Zombie Druid creature token.Kotis, Sibsig Champion (Legendary Creature - Zombie Warrior)Mythic RareCosts one black, one green, and one blue mana to cast3 power/3 toughnessOnce during each of your turns, you may cast a creature spell from your graveyard by exiling three other cards from your graveyard in addition to paying its other costs.Whenever one or more creatures you control enter, if one or more of them entered from a graveyard or was cast from a graveyard, put two +1/+1 counters on Kotis. Mardu Surge CommandersThese are the two legendary creatures designed to lead the Mardu Surge pre-constructed Commander deck.Neriv, Crackling Vanguard (Legendary Creature - Spirit Dragon)Mythic RareCosts two generic, one red, one white, and one black mana to cast4 power/4 toughnessFlying, deathtouchWhen Neriv enters, create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.Whenever Neriv attacks, exile a number of cards from the top of your library equal to the number of differently named tokens you control. During any turn you attacked with a commander, you may play those cards.Zurgo Stormrender (Legendary Creature - Orc Warrior)Mythic RareCosts one red, one white, and one black mana to cast3 power/3 toughnessMobilize 1 (Whenever this creature attacks, create a tapped and attacking 1/1 red Warrior creature token. Sacrifice them at the beginning of the next end step.)Whenever a creature token you control leaves the battlefield, draw a card if it was attacking. Otherwise, each opponent loses 1 life. Temur Roar CommandersThese are the two legendary creatures designed to lead the Temur Roar pre-constructed Commander deck.Ureni of the Unwritten (Legendary Creature - Spirit Dragon)Mythic RareCosts four generic, one green, one blue, and one red mana to cast7 power/7 toughnessFlying, trampleWhenever Ureni enters or attacks, look at the top eight cards of your library. You may put a Dragon creature card from among them onto the battlefield. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.Eshki, Temur's Roar (Legendary Creature - Human Warrior)Mythic RareCosts one green, one blue, and one red mana to cast2 power/2 toughnessWhenever you cast a creature spell, put a +1/+1 counter on Eshki. If that spell's power is 4 or greater, draw a card. If that spell's power is 6 or greater, Eshki deals damage equal to Eshki's power to each opponent. Dragon's Presence LandsTarkir: Dragonstorm will feature two sets of full-art basic lands. The first, Dragon's Presence, depicts the shadows of the massive beasts as they fly over the landscapes. These lands will be available in both Play Boosters and Collector Boosters. Dragon's Eye LandsThe second set of full-art basic lands in this new set, the Dragon's Eye lands are special basic lands with each mana symbol located in the eye of a fearsome dragon. These lands will only be available in Collector Booster packs. Special Guests - The Ultimatum CycleTarkir: Dragonstorm will continue MTG's Special Guests program, where 10 specifically selected cards will be reprinted with new artwork in limited supply in booster packs. Unlike previous sets, however, the 10 cards selected this time make up two "cycles," or a set of cards with similar names and mechanics.The first five Special Guests are all reprints of the Ultimatum cycle from 2020's Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths. Those cards are:Eerie UltimatumEmergent UltimatumGenesis UltimatumInspired UltimatumRuinous Ultimatum Special Guests - Enemy Fetch LandsThe second Special Guest cycle for Tarkir: Dragonstorm are the "enemy" fetch lands, or land cards designed to search your library for a land that generates mana in a specific color pair. The five fetch lands featured in Tarkir: Dragonstorm are below:Arid MesaMarsh FlatsMisty RainforestScalding TarnVerdant Catacombs Special Guests - Enemy Fetch Lands Premium VersionsThe enemy fetch land Special Guests will also receive ultra-rare "premium" editions in Collector Boosters. These cards will feature unique art, as well as a new Dragonscale foil pattern designed to replicate the scaly skin of the dragons of Tarkir. Misty Rainforest Dragonscale FoilFinally, here's an example of the special Dragonscale foiling on one of the five premium art Special Guest cards from the previous slide.

Call of Duty Season 3 arrives to Black Ops 6 and Warzone next month, and the season comes packed with a brand-new Zombies map. Treyarch has now revealed the logo art and name for the map: Shattered Veil.In a post on Twitter, Treyarch confirmed Shattered Veil arrives in Season 3, and the logo art can be seen in the image below.Season 03.#Zombies pic.twitter.com/4AARkps88B Treyarch (@Treyarch) March 18, 2025 Previously, Treyarch has posted a series of teases to hint at the map's setting and story details. So far, we gather that the map is seemingly set at Edward Richtofen's Liberty Falls mansion, and the story will likely reveal personal audio logs to provide more of his side of the story in Black Ops 6's ongoing Dark Aether narrative.Continue Reading at GameSpot

There are plenty of new features and mechanics in Mortal Kombat 1, but the most notable is definitely the inclusion of Kameo fighters. They're mainly used to string together or break up combos, but can also be called upon to add a little extra pizzazz to throws and Fatal Blows. It's even possible for players to take a step back and let their chosen Kameo fighter land the final blow, with every MK1 Kameo fighter having their own unique Kameo Fatalities.

In each major region of Assassin's Creed Shadows, there are small groups of NPCs that offer long-form side quests that deal with the issues in that specific region. Some of these side quests require Naoe or Yasuke to collect items, while others involve much deeper investigations into the crime rings that bleed Japan dry. One such quest is offered by Kuma, one of the "People of Omi" NPCs offering quests in that region. "The Corrupt Daikan" tasks the player with tracking down a group of corrupt nobles, enriching themselves by exploiting the commoners. To complete the quest, players must locate all six Corrupt Daikan in Assassin's Creed Shadows, and bring them to justice.

Last week, Niantic announced that its games division, which makes augmented reality games Pokmon Go, Monster Hunter Now, and Pikmin Bloom, was being sold to mobile gaming powerhouse Scopely for $3.5 billion. The move, which had been rumored for nearly a month, raised concerns among longtime Pokmon Go players a passionate and dedicated fan base that isnt shy about sharing its opinions about the future of the game under Monopoly Go! maker Scopely.As a longtime Pokmon Go player myself, I also had concerns about the games new ownership related to monetization and sharing of player data. On Friday, I spoke with senior product director for Pokmon Go Michael Steranka whos been working on the game for eight years to learn more about the deal from his perspective and address burning questions from the player community.You can read our conversation below, which has been edited for clarity.Polygon: As someone who works on the game very closely, what do you think this deal with Scopely means for Pokmon Go for players?Michael Steranka: I definitely have been looking online myself and reading some player theories and hypotheses and whatnot. What I would love to be able to get across is like, Hey, its actually great. Its going to be a good thing for the game and for the communities out there. Very happy to chat with you and hopefully have an opportunity to set the record straight or at least quell a lot of the concerns that Ive been seeing from folks online.Why do you think its going to be great?So, I am one of the few people thats actually had the fortune of having been able to chat with members of the Scopely team for the past few months and really get to know them quite a lot before this deal got signed. In the course of getting to know the team over at Scopely, Ive come to really find that they share so many of the same values that weve held near and dear to us at Niantic in terms of really caring about the player communities that theyve fostered through their various games. [There are] also lots of shared values on how to operate within a team and caring about the people on the teams as well. But also through those conversations, something thats become really clear to me is how they operate as an organization comprised of lots of different game teams building their total portfolio. The way that they operate is they truly give all of their individual game teams full autonomy to make the best decisions that they can for their games. Theres not really a lot of top-down, executive-level guidance or pressure on any of the different game teams. Theyre really there to do their best to support the different teams and make sure that we have all the resources that we need to be as successful as we can.So hearing all of that, and doing my own personal investigation with friends that I know at Scopely just to get a gut check on how folks felt on the ground, Ive found that to be true and be very reassuring insofar as were going to be able to continue to operate Pokmon Go the same way we always have, with the same practices that we always have, and evolve the game in the way that weve always envisioned wanting to do.In those discussions that you had, did you get the impression that Scopely views Pokmon Go differently than its other free-to-play titles?Absolutely, yeah. This is maybe a little bit into the business side of things, but through the diligence process, they get access to everything on our side, all of our data and our [key performance indicators]. I think through looking at all of our data, theyve found just a really incredible story of a group of game developers whove built a game very differently than any other developer in the market. And what theyve shared with us time and time again is theyve been so inspired by how weve been able to build such a durable and just a fantastic product with such a strong, rabid fan base that they just havent seen anywhere else. So of course theyre really interested in the fact that Pokmon Go is such a stable business, but almost more than that, theyve been really interested to try to learn from us and see what they can take from how we build Pokmon Go and apply that to potentially other games in their portfolio and future games to come as well.I think the big concern is that there will be intrusive ads that will interrupt gameplay in Pokmon Go obviously, you do have ads, but they come in a very different delivery system.Or they worry that people would be restricted on playtime and then would have to pay money to keep playing. Is that something thats going to come to Pokmon Go?If theres one takeaway that I would love for people to have from this conversation, its that definitively no, that is not happening in Pokmon Go not now, not ever. Again, Scopely really recognizes how unique this game is, and theyve told us themselves that they would be foolish to try to change the recipe of whats made this such a huge hit and a success. So yeah, absolutely not. We will not be building into our games any type of obtrusive ads or anything like that. I just really want to reiterate Scopely as a company, the way that they operate is they give all of their teams the agency to make the decisions thats right for their games. And that is not something that we feel would ever be right for Pokmon Go.Ive seen some concern that peoples location and movement data is being shared with a second corporation, even more people, and when you get to the top of the organizational structure, a different country. Are there any plans to address those concerns in terms of what players can keep private about their location, their travel information, the businesses they visit? Is there any thought addressing that now that youre moving to a different company?Im happy to address that one head-on. We do not sell player data to third parties, full stop. We only leverage location data to operate the game, and we store any location data needed to operate the game on U.S.-based servers, and we follow all of the incredibly strict regulatory best practices to protect that data as best as we can. So if there are any fears that this is going to other places that you may or may not know or may or may not trust, I hope that what Im sharing today can help quell any of those fears, because that is absolutely not something that happens today and not something that will happen in the future.In the past, when Ive spoken to [Niantic CEO] John Hanke very briefly and other Niantic people, one of the things that I think was raised again and again was the philosophy of getting out, being active, exploring. I guess what Im curious is, is that a Niantic-specific philosophy? Does this move change that mandate in any way? What does this mean for you to have more freedom to do beyond Niantic?It is definitely a Niantic-driven mission for sure. But I will say its something that we on the game team also feel very passionate about as well. And I would be remiss if through this transaction, Pokmon Go became Pokmon Stay at Home. We still want this game to be something that at its core encourages players to go outside and explore the world and create those real-world social connections because I think that truly is what makes this game unique and as valuable as it is to a company like Scopely. So I wouldnt expect any changes on that front anytime soon because thats a mission that were hoping to carry along with us, even through this new ownership.I saw that Pokmon Go senior VP Ed Wu implied that even in-person community events like Safari Zone and Go Fest will continue as they are.Its totally true. The two things that I heard time and time again through the Scopely leadership that Ive had a chance to chat with is, number one, how impressed theyve been with our ability to build such strong and passionate communities. But number two, how blown away theyve been at what weve created in terms of our live event experiences. Thats something that no other game in the industry really does, and its an area that if anything, they want us to double down on and grow in the future. So first and foremost, all of what weve announced for Pokmon Go Fest this summer, thats all still happening. And then beyond that, if anything, what I would say is expect maybe even bigger and better live events from us and maybe in even more locations in the future.One of the other things Id seen people say and wanted to address was what seemed to be a bit of a reassurance with players that no matter what Scopely may do with Pokmon Go, that at the end of the day, The Pokmon Company has guardrails set up to protect its players and protect its brand. Can you address what TPCs role is in a situation like this and how they have oversight over the game?Yeah. Well, again, not to get too into the business side of things, but The Pokmon Company has always been a part of the Niantic board ever since we spun out from Google. Theyve been walking side by side with us through every step along the way and have been very supportive of this Scopely acquisition. And so we would not be able to make a transaction like this without The Pokmon Company being on board, and theyre going to continue to be absolutely valuable partners for us as we continue to build great and authentic Pokmon experiences for Pokmon Go.Is there anything else that you think that people are misunderstanding or over-panicking about as it relates to this deal?The thing that I really want to reiterate to folks is the team that has been building Pokmon Go over all of these years, everybodys coming along for the ride if they want to. Of course, if someone doesnt want to come along, nobodys forcing anybody to come. And so that was something that was not only important to us, it is really important to Scopely as well. They wanted to make sure that there was true continuity here and that the operational aspects of this game did not degrade as a part of this transaction. And so thats really important to me. We have such an incredible team working on Pokmon Go, and I would not want to continue operating this game if it meant that I didnt get to work with the same amazing people that Ive been able to for years and years.In a situation like this, where do you get most of your feedback on the game from? Whats coming into you the most and how do you process all that?We leverage lots of sources for feedback. Im personally reading things that I see online and whatnot, but I also talk to folks in my local community and Ill catch up with people at Go Fest, but my own personal sort of processing of feedback aside, we also have a robust user research arm in the company. And so were constantly serving players and pulling not just quantitative feedback, but qualitative feedback as well, because any source of information can come with its own inherent biases, and we really want to be able to cut through that and sample a broad range of players.Were coming up on a decade of Pokmon Go. In light of this big change happening, what are the things that stand out to you the most as to how the game has changed, the things that youve learned as a team, and what you want to kind of carry forward into this is scary to say the next decade of Pokmon Go?So you might not know this, but Ive been spearheading our 10-year anniversary projects, so thats been a big part of my day to day for the past one and a half, two years or so. Weve been planning on this for a long time, so I really want to make sure that next year is as big of a celebratory moment as possible for Pokmon Go. And as you probably know, its also the 30-year anniversary for Pokmon as a brand. So I think next year as a Pokmon fan, you are going to have just the best year of all time. So I cannot wait for folks to see what we all have planned in terms of these past 10 years compared to the next 10 years.I often look back at the announcementtrailer for Pokmon Go. In many ways, that signaled what the future of this game might look like. If you look back on the trailer today, youll find that a lot of the promises we made back in 2016 weve delivered on. So Im very interested in, if we were to create another, maybe not a launch trailer, but a next-10-years trailer, what might that look like and how can we excite and inspire players for another decade of this fantastic experience? Nothing specific to share on that front, but we as a team are really thinking about that. We look at Pokmon Go as a forever game, as weve said before, and Im happy to share that Scopely also looks at Pokmon Go and all of their franchises as forever products. Thats another area where I feel like theres just such great synergy between the two groups, and I have all the confidence that Scopely is going to invest in the long-term success of Pokmon Go and not just whats going to be good for next month.Finally, with this move to Scopely, does this get us any closer to getting Caterpie in a cowboy hat in Pokmon Go?Nothing to share on that front, unfortunately. What, cowboy hat Snorlax wasnt enough for folks? We have to put it on more Pokmon?

Disney Plus is rolling out a singularly comprehensive way to watch The Simpsons starting Tuesday: A 24-hour rolling stream of every season of the venerable series, adding up to nearly 300 hours of comedy made across 35 years.A no-choice-required Simpsons episode delivery system is something that fans have clamored for since day one, Disney Plus senior vice president, Gabe Lewis, admitted in a news release. And now they have it, provided theyve got a Disney Plus subscription: A Simpsons marathon all day, every day. As of the writing of this post, the Simpsons stream is displayed as Disney Plus main header as well as farther down the page under Streams, beside Disney Plus other 24/hour channels like ABC News, Playtime (kids programming), Real Life (documentaries, nature shows), and the like.At launch, the Disney Plus stream will air 767 episodes of seasons 1-25 in chronological order (presumably omitting season 3 opener Stark Raving Dad, per the wishes of Matt Groening and other folks behind the episode). Given some quick back-of-the-napkin math, this would suggest that the Disney Plus stream will cycle through the entirety of The Simpsons at least twice a month. But the news release also says that the programming lineup of the stream will be refreshed monthly implying that the chronological order is just to kick off the party, and in the future the channel may have differently themed and presented lineups.The 36th season of The Simpsons is currently airing, and is available to stream on Hulu.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.A quality set of tools is critical for most any DIY or home improvement project, and whether youre doing home repairs or trying your hand at woodworking, cordless tools can make your project go much more smoothlybut the tradeoff comes in the investment required, especially as youre just starting out. Right now, you can ease the pain a bit: Many Milwaukee cordless tools and accessories are currently on sale at Home Depot for more than 50% off, making it a good time to build out a new tool kit or expand your existing one.Cordless toolsCordless power tools can make or break your DIY project, from cutting to driving screws. Here are some deals on power drivers and saws from Milwaukee to help you elevate your DIY game.The Milwaukee 18-Volt quarter-inch impact driver is on sale for $99, 50% off its usual price. The driver includes a 2-amp-hour battery and a charger as well as a tool bag. This is a great beginner kit, as it comes with an 18-volt battery and compatible charger.The Milwaukee 18-volt reciprocating saw is on sale for $149, 52% off its regular price. The reciprocating saw comes with a 5-amp-hour battery and a charger. This is a good deal, as larger-capacity batteries can be expensive on their own, making this tool and 18-volt-battery combo a good choice to expand your existing Milwaukee set.The Milwaukee 18-volt Hackzall reciprocating saw is on sale for $149, 52% off its typical price. This tool set also comes with a 5-amp-hour battery and a charger. The Hackzall version of the reciprocating saw has a compact, one-handed design, making it ideal for squeezing into smaller spaces where a larger tool wont fit.BatteriesBatteries tend to be the most expensive component of cordless tools. They can also wear out over time, lasting for 2-3 years on average. With a few freshly charged batteries on hand, your projects will go faster, so it's worth picking up some spares at a discount.The Milwaukee 8-amp-hour, 18-volt battery and charger is on sale for $149, 52% off its usual price. This set is a good deal because higher-capacity chargers last longer and can run more powerful tools. If you have a home shop situation that isnt close to a power outlet, having an 8-amp-hour battery for your cordless tools will allow you to work for hours without needing to swap the battery.The Milwaukee 18-volt battery three-pack is on sale for $219, 33% off its regular price. This set of batteries includes two 18-volt cp3 batteries and one 18-volt, 5-amp-hour battery. The cp3 batteries are smaller and lighter, charging in 35 minutes on a Milwaukee rapid charger. The 5-amp-hour battery takes 60 minutes to top up on a rapid charger. This is a good deal on replacement batteries if you already have tools and chargers, but need to replace worn out batteries.BitsBits for your drivers are essential, and having a good collection of various types and sizes will help to eliminate those lat-minute trips to the hardware store while working on a project. The Milwaukee 105-piece driver and drill bit set is on sale for $69, 37% off its typical price. This set includes several sizes and types of driver bits, and 15 sizes of drill bits to fit either an impact driver or a standard drill. This is a good foundational set if you have a range of small projects to work on.The Milwaukee 90-piece driver bit set is on sale for $49, 51% off its usual price. The bits are a range of sizes and tip types including Philips head, and they come with a case compatible with Milwaukee packout toolboxes. These bits are useful for a range of projects, making this a good choice if youre building out an impact driver kit.The Milwaukee 95-piece drill and driver bit set is on sale for $39.97, 34% off its regular price. The set includes a quarter-inch socket adapter, a range of driver bit sizes and types, and a few drill bits. This is a more compact kit that travels easily, and is a good addition to your tool go-bag.

It's been clear for some time that the Gemini AI app would be replacing Google Assistant, once it had learned all the necessary tricks and been granted all the required hooks into other apps. Now, Google is in the process of actively dismantling the features available in Google Assistant ahead of its retirement.As per Google's official support document (as spotted by 9to5Google), seven more Google Assistant features have recently been pulled across Android devices and Nest smart speakers and displays. These deactivated features add to a bunch of other capabilities that were taken away last year.On smart displays, you can no longer use your voice and Google Assistant to favorite, share, or ask where and when your photos were taken, or to access photo frame settings. You'll now need to delve into Google Photos or the options panel on your smart display to get at this information. Google Assistant remains integral to Google's smart speakers and displays. Credit: Google Another Google Assistant capability that's going away across devices is interpreter mode, where you can have a conversation translated in real time. It's still available in the Google Translate app, though you can't yet do this with Gemini.When it comes to Google Assistant Routines, you can no longer get birthday reminders as part of a Routine. Google is also taking away daily updates and Family Bell announcements from Google Assistant, pointing users towards Routines instead. And finally, Google Assistant is being pulled from car accessories that work via Bluetooth or an AUX plug.Google says this is all part of "prioritizing the experiences you love and investing in the underlying technology to make them even better" while retiring "underutilized features"but considering we just received an official announcement that Google Assistant is going to be replaced by Gemini on phones before the end of 2025, there's not going to be much investing in the older AI app from this point on. Google Gemini is the new default on Pixel phones. Credit: Google As long as your phone meets the minimum requirements of 2GB of RAM and Android 10 or later, Google Assistant will be switched off in the coming months, and you'll be pointed toward Google Gemini instead (which has already replaced Google Assistant on newer phones such as the Google Pixel 9).Google also says new Gemini-powered experiences are coming to other devices, including smart speakers and TVs, in the "next few months." The switchover on these other gadgets may take longer, but it'll happen eventuallyand it probably makes sense to start using Gemini as much as possible, where you can.There's still a lot of maintenance work for Google to do here: Routines, for example, let you group a bunch of actions with a single Google Assistant voice command, and there's no sign yet of the functionality appearing in Gemini. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see more Google Assistant features deactivated in the coming months.