Veteran game developer Ken Levine has shared his thoughts on generative AI, his latest game and it having high stakes, and why he believes we still don't really know what video games are.Talking to GI.biz, Levine said he believes generative AI is a "very powerful" tool that he doesn't want to underestimate. But he said it has many limitations in its current state, including persistence."You look at Sora, the ChatGPT video generator, you see a woman walking down the street and the street scene is beautiful--but if she were to turn around and walk backwards, it wouldn't remember where she has been," he said. "It doesn't currently understand persistence, although that may change."Continue Reading at GameSpot

Russia is looking to enter the video game console space by creating its own systems, and the country is reportedly planning on making two different kinds as it continues to feel the economic impact of its illegal invasion of Ukraine.According to TechSpot, one of them is reportedly a traditional console using the Elbrus processor, which is developed by the Moscow Center of SPARC Technologies. This processor is mainly used for applications such as critical infrastructure and defense. It's also reportedly going to use a domestic OS--either Aurora or Alt Linux.In a statement on Telegram, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on information policy Anton Gorelkin confirmed that Elbrus processors aren't as powerful as the ones used in PS5 or Xbox, so Russia will have to take a unique approach to its consoles.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Perfecting a gaming space can feel daunting, especially with so many ways to upgrade gaming setups available using quality accessories and decor, such as dynamic lighting. While choosing the best gaming peripherals and hardware can be straightforward, some may overlook the integral role that lighting plays in creating a comfortable and immersive gaming environment.

Using skills and abilities in The First Descendant can consume a ton of MP. But if you want to cast skills more frequently, you'll have to optimize your Descendant's build with the right modules. One such module that is essential for recovering Mana Points is the MP Collector module.

Dungeons and Dragons spans its multiverse over countless editions, movies, novels, and more than one game, tapping into the abundance of lore available. These in-depth worlds are accompanied by enthralling stories propped up by an interesting cast of characters, both heroes and villains.

Lovelace is a data-driven platform designed to help game studios and publishers centralize and analyze player feedback. By gathering insights from various communication channelssuch as social media, forums, and in-game feedbackLovelace provides actionable data to improve gameplay, address critical bugs, and enhance the overall player experience.The platform also automates the prioritization of tasks by identifying the most urgent feedback and highlighting key trends,

Artificial intelligence and accelerated computing are being used to help solve the worlds greatest challenges.NVIDIA has reinvented the computing stack spanning GPUs, CPUs, DPUs, networking and software. Our platform drives the AI revolution, powering hundreds of millions of devices in every cloud and fueling 75% of the worlds TOP500 supercomputers.Put in the hands of entrepreneurs and enterprises, developers and scientists, that platform becomes a system for invention, and a force for good across industries and geographies.Here are five examples of how these technologies are being put to work from the past year:Supporting SurgeonsIllinois-based startup SimBioSys has created TumorSight Viz, a technology that converts MRI images into 3D models of breast tissue. This helps surgeons better treat breast cancers by providing detailed visualizations of tumors and surrounding tissue.Saving Lives and EnergyResearchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, a key player in the Human Genome Project, analyze tens of thousands of cancer genomes annually, providing insights into cancer formation and treatment effectiveness. NVIDIA accelerated computing and software drastically reduce the institutes analysis runtime and energy consumption per genome.Cleaning Up Our WatersClearbot, developed by University of Hong Kong grads, is an AI-driven sea-cleaning boat that autonomously collects trash from the water. Enabled by the NVIDIA Jetson platform, Clearbot is making a splash in Hong Kong and India, helping keep tourist regions clean.Greening Recycling PlantsGreyparrot, a UK-based startup, has developed the Greyparrot Analyzer, an AI-powered device that offers waste intelligence to recycling plants. Using embedded cameras and machine learning, the analyzer identifies and differentiates materials on conveyor belts, significantly improving recycling efficiency.Driving Technological Advancement in AfricaA new AI innovation hub has launched in Tunisia, part of NVIDIAs efforts to train 100,000 developers across Africa. Built in collaboration with the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute, the hub offers training, technologies and business networks to drive AI adoption across the continent.All of these initiatives whether equipping surgeons with new tools or making recycling plants greener rely on the ingenuity of human beings across the globe, humans increasingly supercharged by AI.Find more examples of how AI is helping people from across industries and the globe to make a difference and drive positive social impact.

The hardest mechanic of any tabletop game is finding people to play it with. The logistical difficulties of organizing a group, the influx of high-quality indie TTRPGs, and countless other factors have given rise to a renaissance of sorts for solo tabletop role-playing games specifically, solo rules for games that would otherwise be for a full group.To be clear, the solo tabletop phenomenon is not new. As Polygon contributor Tom Ana explains, it started in earnest with wargames in the 80s, slowly growing in prominence for the next few decades until the quarantine period of the ongoing COVID pandemic offered a perfect moment for board games and TTRPGs. Standalone TTRPGs like Tim Hutchings historical Thousand Year Old Vampire, Shawn Tompkins Ironsworn, Chris Bisettes The Wretched, and Alone Among the Stars by Takuma Okada laid the groundwork for solitary tabletop RPG experiences.In the five years since 2020, the demand has only grown. At PAX Unplugged last month, I heard a repeated refrain: people came looking for solo role-playing games. While so many great games have debuted in the last few years, tabletop gamers seem to have maxed out their shelves with games they may never find a group to play. To work with this, designers have begun incorporating solo play into their rules sets either by making a secondary supplement, making solo rules a stretch goal during their crowdfunding campaigns, or including them in the base game itself. The three games below represent the range of approaches designers have taken to including solo rules in their games.VaesenSwedish games studio Free League Publishing made solo rules for its Nordic Horror RPG Vaesen in 2023. Written by Per Holmstrm, the solo iteration of the game contains a step-by-step guide that shifts the base games pre-determined mystery to one you discover as you go. Using a deck of cards and the core books random tables, solo Vaesen has players uncover the mystery through rolling dice to determine their discoveries while using the color and value of the cards to determine the outcome of their actions.HUNT(er/ed)Based on the classic hook and ring game, HUNT(er/ed) by Meghan Cross and Dillin Apelyan has two players take opposing roles of hunter and monster. Players roll 2d6 each, competing to see who can roll doubles first to advance their token across the board. The winner then pulls a card with a corresponding prompt, pushing the story forward in the same tradition as games like For The Queen. The solo iteration of the game takes HUNTER(er/ed)s core experience of examining monstrosity and pushes the player to move along a scale of acceptance or denial. A stretch goal for HUNT(er/ed)s crowdfunding campaign, the solo rule set was written by Elliot Davis who has written his own solo game, Project Ecco, as well as solo editions of Soul Muppets Orbital Blues and Paint the Town Red.The ZoneA surreal play-to-lose horror game inspired by Jeff VanderMeers Annihilation, The Zone leaned fully into solo play from the jump. In a similar way to HUNT(er/ed), this game relies on card-based prompts to guide players through a quarantined, mutation-filled zone from which only one of them will make it out alive. Each action requires drawing a Not-So-Easy card, that has a yes, and or no, but result. Advertised as a game for 1-6 people (rather than 2-6 with a GM), solo rules were always baked into The Zone. The solo rules stay largely the same, except the sole player controls multiple characters.

Gallica is a pretty great companion in Metaphor: ReFantazio, gleefully providing tips on how to spend your time, whether its with people, or tackling objectives to save Euchronia. Polygons a great resource for tips, too, if I say so myself. However, if you want your own physical companion to the game, ones coming in the form of Future Press gigantic, hardcover strategy guide for the game, and its launching Feb. 28 for $54.99. Its available for pre-order at Amazon and from Future Press itself (49,99 Euros converts to about $60). If you purchase a copy at Amazon, and the asking price goes down at any point before it ships (its currently $5 off), youll be charged the lowest price on launch day.If youre trying to get the most out of a single playthrough, this strategy guide is a smart purchase. It promises to be exhaustive on all fronts, containing a bestiary for the games enemies, including their weaknesses, item drop rates, and more. It can also lead you to the locations of all the games most important items, and it reveals how to max out the amount of Wisdom you can get in a day. And, for the completionists out there who intend to play through the game multiple times, it can guide you to a 100% completion rate. Not only that, the guide also includes a fold-up map of Euchronia, so you can easily reference different areas as you glide around on your sword.For fans, Future Press guides are collectors items just as much as they are great resources for helping players get through games. The publisher typically tackles games that have a ton of depth in terms of content and complexity, with some previous examples being Bloodborne, Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Lego has once again expanded its reach into the Mario universe, bringing us six new sets inspired by the Mario Kart franchise. The sets vary in size, but each one includes at least one racer driving their trademark Kart which is equipped with a launcher that can be loaded with a red or green shell to fire at unsuspecting motorists. The accessories and items included with each set are vivid recreations of what youd find on the in-game circuit. The Baby Peach & Grand Prix Set, for example, includes a trio of racers at the starting gate, complete with a floating Lakitu and item boxes. Or, you can practice your aim with the Baby Mario vs. Baby Luigi set by popping green and red balloons.Right now, the selection of available characters and karts is somewhat limited, but we can expect that to change in the near future. However, if youd like to start collecting this new set, weve outlined the current roster below along with where you can find them.While the Lego Mario Kart sets wont let you race around your living room like Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, each set does feature a number of interactive elements that can be activated by pairing them with a Lego Mario, Luigi, or Peach, which can be found in their corresponding starter sets for roughly $49.99 each. Placing the characters on different items will produce iconic sounds from the Mario Kart franchise, while placing them behind the wheel will bring a Kart to life with engine noises and burning rubber when you make hairpin turns.