AI is everywhere lately. I think it’s something that won’t blow over or will go away in our lives. In the past few months, I had a craving to write stories again. So, I downloaded one of those AI chatbot apps on my phone and at first, I was afraid that it would be something very niche or something that was a fad. Yet, I found value in these apps and I wanted to talk about them in this article. This article isn’t meant as a review of these apps, but more to open a general discussion of these apps. Since, I think these apps have their place in our lives and can help if they are used correctly. Yes, they also have their pitfalls and dangers. And that’s what I wanted to explore in this article. So, let’s dive right into the world of roleplay and story creation with AI.

What are these apps?

There are a lot of these apps. You have examples like Talkie, Character.AI and Moescape. The idea of these apps is that you create a character that replies to you. In a lot of cases, these characters fantasy characters to play out a story.

Some of the advertisements don’t do these apps any favors. By advertising them as apps where “you can create your own girlfriend” or “combat being lonely”. And it’s a darn shame, since the creativity that you can find on these platforms is amazing.

I personally feel that these apps are the strongest when you look at them what they really are. Apps to let you roleplay a story like old school text adventures. The biggest difference is that you can totally craft the world and have full control of the story line.

This does create a big risk that you fall in an echo chamber. I call it the “main character syndrome”. Where your character in these stories barely get any problem in their way, without it being solved in a few dialogues later. Then again, power fantasies are something that’s quite attractive to people. It’s fun to play a character that can overcome anything and is the best version of yourself. Or where you can say anything you want in an argument.

Some of these apps add additional features for you to play with. Things like a character speaking their dialogue, creating various AI generated images or even love songs. After trying various apps, I personally landed on Moescape. At the moment of writing, this app keeps things quite simple in the character department. Giving great replies and amazing in playing multiple characters.

Essentially, these apps are apps where you can write a story, but AI plays another character and tries to challenge you from time to time to be creative. This is really something where you have to create your own fun.

Limitations of AI

While ChatGPT turned two years old this week, AI isn’t still fully there yet. It still needs quite a lot of processing power and other things to run properly. It’s quite clear that the AI is also quite dependent on your reply.

I notice that the AI in the apps I tried is rarely to never negative towards the player. Which is a tricky thing, especially when you want to create character depth.

I tested this with playing a couple going through a rough patch. And I noticed that the AI always tried to get back together with you. Even when you give it the worst backstory, your mind can come up with. But that’s not the only problem. The AI story memory is quite limited. Sometimes you need to repeat certain parts, like where you are, or what your name is.

Thankfully, almost every app has a regenerate button. This regenerates the message in case you disliked the reply or if it didn’t fit the storyline you are making at all. Some apps even allow you to give feedback to the AI on the generated messages, so the AI knows how to craft more engaging messages for you.

What I personally love about Moescape AI is that you can tweak the settings of the AI quite a lot. You have various different models to play around with to get the best experience. I even tried to play the same 3 scenarios with one of my characters with different models and got very different and interesting results.

Now, how do you make apps like this profitable? I have seen apps that limit the amount of regeneration you can do or have other limitations. Some apps even offer a call feature where you can call your AI bot. Personally, I haven’t tried that yet, since I love playing stories where there are multiple characters involved. And since the calls only answer in one voice, it’s a difficult.

But most apps have ads or limit the more advanced features. I have tried some apps, but as soon as the “BUY PRO NOW” features became too aggressive, I stopped using them. I’m not here to buy the PRO version right away. Let me first try out the quality of your AI and if I like it, I’ll buy a PRO subscription.

There was one app where I almost bought the PRO membership, but it has one major issue that I notice in a lot of apps. The issue of multiple characters.

The perfect app

For me, the perfect AI chatbot app should be able to handle to play multiple characters. I dislike app where the AI only plays one character. It’s not the stories I like to write.

I like to write stories where you can play multiple characters and interact with multiple characters. Yet, with AI, this brings its own can of worms. Sometimes the AI ends their message with a question to a character they are playing. Why don’t they reply on it themselves?

Or better yet, I have a story where you are part of a friendgroup where almost, without fail… One character gets forgotten and barely gets any interactions. So, you are not only playing the story out to its conclusion, but you are also playing a moderator on how the AI is reacting.

At the moment of writing, the app that best fits my needs is Moescape AI. The reason why is quite simple. It has the best models that fit my writing style and the way how I want to go through the story. It allows quite fine control on the settings of the app and the bot. You can see earlier generations when you regenerate replies. You can create a wiki with trigger phrases for your bots to reply too. Like if you set up certain lore, you can use a trigger phrase you set up and the AI will keep it in mind.

But, I’ll keep a review on that platform for a later article. Since, I mainly wanted to focus on how these apps can be used for good. I personally use them to write out various stories I always wanted to write and see if certain arcs would work or if they would fall flat on their face. I find them a great outlet of my creativity.

Sometimes the strange replies, forgotten characters and other weird generation things can pull you out of the story… But, a good writer knows how to solve these things. Sadly, some of these apps can be money traps. So, before you spend any money on these apps, look into it. Test it out and see if it’s for you. Since, I have to admit, I’m somewhat addicted to my stories. I’m so glad I have these apps a chance and I found the app that best clicked with me. If you want to see the characters and stories I came up with, you can find my Moescape profile here: https://moescape.ai/@jonez

I’m curious what you all think about these apps. I totally understand that they seem “weird” but, I urge you to give them a chance and look at them with an open mind. Since, they hold value. Yet, I have talked about some traps in this article. So, keep those in mind as well.

With that said, I have said everything I wanted to say about these apps for now. I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope to be able to welcome you in another one, but until then, have a great rest of your day and take care.

Today I wanted to talk about a totally new type of game that’s gaining a lot of popularity. In late 2018, a totally new type of game called I’m on Observation Duty got released on Steam. Recently, these type of games are exploding on Steam. A spin-off called The Exit 8 gave a totally new spin on the formula. The games are actually a scary spin on the spot the difference style of gameplay. But, what does attract players so much into this formula? Let’s talk about a few titles, and maybe we find an answer to that in this article. Now, feel free to leave a comment in the comment section down below with your thoughts and/or opinions on these games, similar games and/or the content of this article.

Two main gameplay styles

There are actually two major styles in this genre. A lot of streamers call, one style Observation Duty and the other style Exit 8. Both styles have the same core concept. You need to first look at a room and then notice if anything changes or anomalies appear. The way how you deal with these anomalies differs in both styles.

In Observation Duty style games, the idea is mostly always that you are a security guard watching camera’s. You have to flip through camera’s and report the anomalies before there are too much present in the area. In Exit 8 type games, you play through them while walking through the rooms themselves. You have to walk one direction when there is no difference and another direction when there is a difference. The difference is that you have to make a certain amount of correct judgements in a row. One wrong judgement and you are sent back to level 0.

The gameplay is tricky to explain in words and in an article. I wanted to write this article several times, but I was unable to describe it properly. The best way to describe it in my opinion is a non casual spot the difference game.

Ever since, “I am on Observation Duty” and “The Exit 8” hit the scene… A lot of horror game streamers played through them. They gained a lot more popularity. A lot of new titles came out in a rapid pace with different spins on the genre and interesting innovations. I think it will become more clear when I talk about the games I played through or watched my favorite streamers play through.

The Exit 8 – The Platform 8

During the summer of this year, Klamath and I streamed through these two titles. The Exit 8 is one of the earliest games to my knowledge in the 3D style.

The idea is that you are trapped in a looping metro hallway where you have to reach the 8th exit. Travelers are advised to continue walking when nothing out of the ordinary happens. But when suddenly a poster changed or something else changed, you need to turn back.

Like I said in the introduction, when you make one mistake, you start at level 0 again. The first passage through the hallway is always safe. After that, you have to do 8 correct answers in a row. Now, at least 8, since if your 8th run has an anomaly, you need to turn back. You can only win if you have a hallway that has no strange thing, and you are above the 8th hallway.

Something really nice that this game does is, it doesn’t repeat anomalies. When you defeat a certain anomaly, it won’t repeat until you see all of them or reset the game. This makes the game more unpredictable and replayable.

The anomalies in this game range from extremely obvious like suddenly the hallway flooding… But others are sneaky, like a camera that moved location to the other side of the hallway. So, it was a puzzle. Is this room really the same, or did something change. Since you couldn’t go back to check. And there were various details that added to the complexity of the game.

In May of this year, we got the follow-up to this game called The Platform 8. If you thought that was more of the same, think again. This time, you are in the actual metro, and you have to survive 8 carts. The big change is that you can’t fail with an anomaly this time around since the exit door is locked if you need to find the anomaly first.

It’s a change that didn’t sit well with me at first, but I totally understand why. This game is now turned into a more tense game where you have to survive the crazy things that the game throws at you. The game is shorter than The Exit 8, but I’ll say… This game had me spooked and jump several times.

That’s Not My Neighbor

At it’s core, this game is an Observation Duty game. But with a big twist. You are a security guard at the entrance of a building. There are imposters out there, trying to look like your neighbor, and you have to keep them out.

This game tests your reasoning skills and tests you if you can look at all the clues. The best I can describe this game is: a mixture between Papers Please, and I am on Observation Duty. The added layer of difficulty is that you have a lot to keep track of. Who did you let already inside? Who is on the list and for who do you better call their apartment first?

This game is getting frequent updates with more lore and more modes. Each time I see this game being played by the streamers I watch, the new update impresses me. And I totally understand why this game got so big.

There is this extremely catchy song by longestsoloever. The amount of times I played it on repeat is just getting silly. Give it a listen if you like electronic music, but I warn you. It’s an earworm.

Confabulation

Confabulation, noun. Confabulation is a memory error consisting of the production of fabricated, distorted, or misinterpreted memories about oneself or the world.

This game does a very interesting take on the actual formula. Instead of explaining the differences and anomalies with unexplained events, in this game it’s caused by a mental illness.

The flow of each play trough of this game is the same. But, the puzzles, the changing objects amongst other things are randomized. It’s up to you to make sure that you avoid you going insane and finding the truth of what happened.

This is an Observation Duty style game, but you can walk around in the area instead of watching at camera feeds. There is an extra layer added with the puzzles that add more information and lore of what happened.

I could talk about it more, but I highly recommend you play this game as blind as possible. The story, scares and impact is that much stronger when you don’t know what’s coming and let yourself be surprised. Watch the candles since they give you amazing hints on where to look next.

ATTA -Spot the Oddities in the Strange Hotel-

What if you have to count the amount of differences in a hallway instead of deciding there is a difference or not? Well, then you describe “ATTA, -Spot the Oddities in the Strange Hotel-“.

This game is an Exit 8 type of game with multiple rooms, where you have to count all the errors in a hallway… While various strange things happen. Like a train suddenly appearing and you have to duck for cover.

The atmosphere this game has, where it leaves you with an open ending that raises more questions than it answers, is the cherry on the cake. It’s a more intense game than your usual games. It may be a short run, but it’s a wild and pleasant ride all the way through.

Hospital 666

The final game I want to talk about today is called Hospital 666. In this game, you try to escape a cursed hospital. The first level has you running down a looping hallway. The second level, has one side room open.

Now, an impressive option that the game gives you is that you can choose if you want anomalies in the hallway or not. So, if you are in the second level, you can choose if you want things in the hallway to change or only focus on the new room.

Something impressive that this game does as well, is when you make a mistake, you can go back to the hallway to see what the mistake was that you made. You still start from the lowest floor of that level, but being able to see what got you is amazing. Since this game has very crazy anomalies but also various very sneaky ones. Like one is that some smiles faces appear on the wall.

In between the levels, there is a boss fight/puzzle that separates the floors from each other. They can be a bit janky, but the developer has updated and optimized the game quite a lot, and it is a lot better. Now, he is currently creating a sequel taking place in a school. And as somebody who works in education, I can’t wait to play through that.

Final thoughts

These games are only a handful of games in the genre. I have given a quick rundown of the games mentioned in this article, but if you are interested, I’m willing to talk more in depth about these titles. My intention with this article is to promote these titles.

Each game listed here is between 5 to €10 and is an amazing ride. These games are short little romps but are bursting to the seams with creativity. I always think, now, I have almost seen everything this genre has to offer. But, then I’m surprised with a new gameplay mechanic or a new setting that changes the atmosphere completely.

So, depending on how well this article does… I might write more of these. If you found amazing titles like this, feel free to send them my way or leave them in the comment section down below. But, for now, I’m going to leave you with my usual outro. Thank you so much for reading this article and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope to be able to welcome you in another one, but until then, have a great rest of your day and take care.

Wikipedia – Nintendo Microsite

After the release of Tears of the Kingdom, I was afraid that we would never see a new game in the style of the 2D Zelda game. Yet, I have been proven wrong when this game was announced. To be very honest, I didn’t have very high hopes for this game. Especially since this game was announced this summer and released in late September. I felt that this game going to be a game to fill a gap while the developers are working on a much larger game. Now, the game is released, and I have played through a fair chunk of it. So, what is my opinion on this game? Well, that’s what I’m going to tell you in this first impressions article, while I all invite you to leave a comment of your thoughts and/or opinions in the comment section down below.

Renewing the Echoes

After a short introduction where you play as Link, the main story of this game is introduced. There are all consuming interdimensional rifts appearing all over Hyrule, and it’s eating various people in the kingdom.

Link gets eaten by one of those rifts while freeing Zelda and when Zelda tells her father, the king, about these rifts… A new rift appears and replaces the king with an evil clone of himself. Zelda gets thrown in the dungeon and there she meets a fairy named Tri. This fairy gives Zelda a special staff where she can summon objects into the world using echoes. With those echoes, she escapes the dungeon and sets out on an adventure to save Hyrule from doom before the land is fully consumed by the rifts.

Something I always love about the Zelda games is that there is a different core mechanic at the base of the game. In this game, we get two things. We got the rifts to another dark world, but we also got the magical staff, which we can use to summon various echoes into the world. These echoes mean you can tackle this game in various different ways. But I’ll talk more about that later in this article.

In terms of story, this game is hitting all the same beats as your typical Legend of Zelda game. It might be disappointing, to some, that in this game there is no voice acting anymore apart from the grunts and various emotional noises. Personally, I think it adds to the charm of this game. That’s because the characters in this game are way more expressive. While the story isn’t going to leave you at the edge of your seat of “what’s going to happen next”, it’s still well quite enjoyable, and the more expressive characters add quite a lot to the charm and atmosphere of the game.

Something I really like is how in this game, you are free to explore the world at your own peace. This game isn’t limiting you to go in a certain order. While this game isn’t fully open world like Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, it’s somewhere in between. You can tackle parts in a different order. Like the first two major dungeons can be done out of order. Each area is its self-contained puzzle, and everything you need can be found in that general area.

In my introduction of this article, I said that I was afraid that was afraid that this game would be a short one where you were able to beat it in a few hours. That it was going to be a game that’s supposed to hold players over for the “next big 3D Zelda title”. To my surprise, this game is rather lengthy for a 2,5D Zelda game. It clocks in at 25 hours of casual playtime, which is, to my knowledge, one of the longest 2,5D Zelda games.

Climbing with beds

Something I find myself doing quite a lot while playing this game was climbing the area with beds. I summoned various beds stacked on top of each other to climb a wall. Since, I wanted to know if the developers hid a secret on that cliff face.

The exploration of this version of Hyrule is a blast to do. While you visit a lot of familiar places and meet your usual suspects like the Zora and the Gerudo, it’s a treat seeing them again. The only thing I missed a bit is showing the impact of the rifts. Something that this game only tells through dialogue was how things got impacted by the rifts. I wish it was shown a bit more visually. Like different animations of the characters before and after. But maybe, Tears of the Kingdom set the bar a bit too high for those expectations where each major area had a certain curse.

In terms of gameplay, this game really leans into the echoes mechanic. It also remembers that Zelda is a princess and didn’t really have combat training. So, you have to use summoned enemies to your advantage to let them fight for you. Now, you do have a sword, but you can only use it when your power meter has charge. I always reserved that for the dungeon bosses or when the situation got pretty dicey. Since recharging that meter is either done with potions or by defeating monsters from the rift world. These enemies aren’t exactly common in the overworld, and the energy bar drains fast.

In general, this game hits the same general gameplay beats as all other Zelda games. You go from dungeon to dungeon, learning a new technique or skill, defeating the boos and moving forward to another dungeon. There are also side quests in this game, that give you a nice reward. In this game, you also have a nice system to keep track of these side quests, like in Tears of the Kingdom. Something they also brought over from that game is the cooking system to a degree.

That’s something I personally feel mixed about. Maybe it’s me, but I feel the ingredients are quite rare to come by and there is no real way to farm certain ingredients like in Breath of the Wild. I have to admit that it adds a certain charm to this game, but I feel it’s a bit under implemented here. Like when you first meet the potion creators Deku shrubs, they talk about recipes… And I had a hard time finding any.

Like in Tears of the Kingdom, you can also eat most of the ingredients without cooking them. While I personally dislike the fact you have to do two clicks to consume an item, I do understand why they did it. To avoid you consuming them too much. Yet, this is a change from the two previous games and I honestly really feel it’s a set backwards. A fine solution would be to give the player an option to switch between both systems.

Grezzo playset

This game was co-developed by Grezzo. Their previous original Zelda game was Tri Force Heroes. But, this game looks very similar in graphical style to the remake of Link’s Awakening on the Nintendo Switch from late 2019.

This game looks like a plastic toy set and it looks amazing. While I was playing this game, I felt amazed at how expressive they were able to make everything without breaking the illusion that this is a toy set brought to live by our imagination. I don’t have a lot of complaints about the visuals and animations. And most of my complaints aren’t that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.

Just like, I don’t have any complaints about the music and sound design of this game. If you take the music and sound design in a vacuum, you would say that it sounds just like very other Zelda game. It sounds like a remix of the familiar melodies we all know and love from the Zelda games. But, this isn’t a problem, since it sells the illusion that you are a child playing with a sort of Playmobil toy set of Hyrule and trying to recreate the sound effects and music of the game.

In terms of controls, this game plays like a dream. I rarely had problems with the controls and something I really like is the fact that with one press of a stick, you can see a view from on top when you feel the camera is blocking something. Now, there is one thing that I do have some things to criticize about. And that’s about the jumping.

It’s pretty difficult sometimes to judge how high Zelda can jump. I had moments in combat where I wasn’t aware I could jump on a higher ledge until I saw an enemy jumping backwards on that ledge. I also got tripped up several times with how far Zelda can jump. Her jump is shorter than I think, and the amount of times I jumped into a pit misjudging the jump is quite a lot. Something that would have helped is something a small landing shadow when Zelda was coming down. Then again, that must have been a nightmare to implement… So, maybe I should keep her shorter jump just better in mind.

Now, something else. Something I really like is how this game has two difficulty modes. I’m playing through this game on the normal difficulty setting and I have to say, I’m happy that I did. This game can lure you into a false sense of security. I wouldn’t say that this game is hard, but it isn’t a cakewalk either. You really need to keep your wits about you and think fast sometimes.

Being aware of what’s around you is also quite important since this game loves to hide things in little side area’s and using the map system is a must. I love how you can put pins and such on the map. Yet, I have to admit that I still keep notes in my phone like: “treasure in Gerudo dungeon, need to check later”.

The more I play through this game, the more I realize that the critiques I can make about this game are more on the minor side. Like how it feels like a waste of time when you are scrolling through a long list of echoes when you just want to find one. An easy solution would be to give the player an ability to favorite certain echoes. But then again, the sort function in the quick menu has “most used”, “recently learned” … So, it’s kinda that.

Now, you have two save slots in this game. So, you can play through this game and let a friend or a sibling play through a different slot. Now, this game also autosaves for you frequently, in case you forget to save. The game also keeps like several autosaves in case you want to return to an earlier point.

Something I really like is how this game also has a quick travel system. The system works similarly like an owl statue in Majora’s Mask or a water vane in Link Between Worlds. It makes it easy when you feel stumped by a puzzle and want to return later. The fast travel locations are very fairly placed all over the land.

While I went quite critical in this game, the more I played it, the more it won me over. This game is a new 2,5D Zelda adventure game I hope we were going to see again. The last new, non remake 2,5D Zelda game was released almost 11 years ago. And, I’m so happy to see a return to this style. I’d love to see a this style also making an appearance very so often since it’s clear there are still various unique ways to explore Hyrule and tell a story about the Hyrule legend without going fully 3D.

Apart from a few small complaints you read in this article, I honestly don’t have any major complaints about this game. This is a game I’m going to finish for sure, since I’m enjoying my time with this title quite a lot. If you are into the series, I highly recommend this title to you. If you enjoy exploration and playing with unique mechanics, I also think this game is for you. This game is totally worth it’s price tag and it pleasantly surprised me.

And with that said, I have said everything I wanted to say about this game for now. I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope to be able to welcome you in another one, but until then, have a great rest of your day and take care.

Trailer – Steam store page

Today, I want to talk about a new game that’s going to come out later this year. It’s called Cave Hikers. It’s being developed by Porcupine Parkour. This small Croatian based studio reached out to me to review their demo in July. I would have written an article about it before, but I have been suffering from a writing burnout. Thankfully, I’m slowly getting back in the groove. And I’m going to make it up to the developers by publishing an article on their game today. Let’s take a look at the demo together, shall we? And I have a small surprise in store later.

Demo review

In this demo, you get an introduction to the gameplay. If you ever played a game like My Brother Rabbit, you will feel right at home in this game. This is a point and click game where you go from screen to screen. Each screen has a small puzzle or hidden object moment for you to take part in.

This game feels like playing through a children book. The voice of the narrator sounds like a (grand)father telling a story to their children. It’s extremely charming, and the story book art style really helps to sell this story.

Overall, there is no real tutorial in this game. Yet, the gameplay is quite simple. You learn quite quickly that this game is controlled with only the mouse. The menu system exists out of icons that make the game a lot easier to localize.

The demo is rather short but gives a very good impression of the full game. This game looks like it’s something I’m going to play. It’s a charming point-and-click game with hidden objects that feels nostalgic. Since the demo is so short, I don’t have a lot to talk about in terms of feedback.

The art style, voice acting, animation is all pretty well done. I only have a few minor complaints. The first complaint is that clicking to unmute the music or sound effects can’t be done right away. It doesn’t always register right away. And the second complaint is the in some rare spots, like with the red crystal at the end of the demo, the hitbox of placing it in the crusher is too tiny.

So, the game describes itself as:

Cave Hikers is a relaxing and humorous 2D interactive cartoon mockumentary that follows three characters through a cavernous world, on a quest to find the mystical “cave with an infinite ceiling”.

And I think it fits the game pretty well. Like I have been saying, the humor and charm of this game is there, and it’s pretty clear that maybe from some very minor things, this game is going to be an extremely charming game.

Now, how interesting would it be if I asked some questions to the developers of this game? Well, I had a few interesting questions in mind, so I went and asked them. Here are their replies.

Interview with the developers

– What games inspired you take to make this one?

It was mostly HOPA style games, which are usually made by much larger companies with inexpensive artists and a pseudo-realistic and kitsch-y style. So we went more in line with our own kind of art style, with some inspiration from Amanita games.

– What’s your process in creating puzzles?

It’s a strange process. As we started making the game in our free time for fun between odd jobs and more “serious” projects, we made a number of locations, creatures and simple mechanics. First we take a look at what already exists on the screen, then we intertwine the narrative with some clicking and potential puzzle elements. Then we play around with it until we are happy with the amount of “work” the player needs to do before accomplishing the goal.

Sometimes it includes a bit of moon logic. First, we make it clearer through conversation clouds and drawings. Then, whatever is unclear or hard to find for testers, we explain further through the Narrator.

– What are the funniest bugs or whoopies that happened during development?

For a while, we had a splash screen that looked exactly like the main menu, which created a lot of confusion! That was because the engine was upgraded, and also we started working with a much better programmer, we consolidated it into a coherent menu.

As for actually funny bugs, at one point we had Valeriano’s secret twin showing up at the cutscene. It took a while to realize we accidentally put two Valerianos of which one was outside the camera view.

– What engine did you use and why?

It’s Construct 3. At first, we made this project for fun and the Animator wasn’t exactly a programmer, so he used a really simple engine. (Un)fortunately, the project got out of hand and got some funding. Now we have a real programmer, but he had to learn Construct with all its limitations, but it’s also a really simple engine so we can still make a lot of the game without much hassle.

– What are some things you learned during developing this game?

Something that we re-learned time and time again… a game is easier to build if you have the whole team and a proper plan. Because otherwise you leave a lot of work and frustration for “future you”. We also learned that Construct can be a lot stronger than we initially thought… but also that it can be really stubborn in some areas.

– How many people worked on this game?

It first started with Sven the illustrator and Zvonimir the animator. At first, we were building a completely wordless game. But some testers were a bit confused at what the characters are really doing. So we hired Tom Bennet as the narrator and also Lea Konjetić to compose original music for the game. In the last six months, Fabjan the programmer also joined the team and superpowered our development process. All in all, five people, excluding all the translators.

Final thoughts

I’m very happy that games like these are getting more attention. Hidden object games have a strange reputation of being “too casual” or “boring”. Yet, I dare to argue there is something to love in these games. Especially when a game is created with this much passion and love.

I want to apologize to the developers again for taking such a long time in creating and article about the demo. But, I’m happy I did today. Since, if you have any interest in playing this game after reading this article, go and play the demo. Or share this article with somebody you think will enjoy playing this game. The demo takes roughly 15 minutes to finish.

I wish the developers a lot of luck and success with their game and when it’s fully released, I’m going to play this game and most likely review it on my blog. And with that said, I have said everything I wanted to say about this game for now. Thank you so much for reading this article, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed making it. I hope to welcome you in another article, but until then, have a great rest of your day and take care.

Microchip has released the LAN887x family of single-pair gigabit Ethernet transceivers adding to their line of Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) devices. This new family of transceivers supports 100BASE-T1(compliant with IEEE 802bw-2015) and 1000BASE-T1(compliant with IEEE 802.3bp) network speeds and can handle extended cable lengths up to 40 meters. They also integrate time-sensitive networking (TSN) protocols and comply with ISO 26262 functional safety standards. Additionally, they can operate in low-power mode with features like EtherGREEN technology and OPEN Alliance TC10 sleep mode. All these features make this IC useful for applications such as automotive, industrial, avionics, robotics, and automation fields.

Microchip previously released the LAN8770 100BASE-T1 Ethernet PHY Transceiver which has a max cable length of 15 meters for UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) cable and 40 meters for STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) cable. The speed was limited to 100 Mbps, but now, with the release of the new 1000BASE-T1 ethernet controllers, the data transmission speed has been significantly increased to 1 Gbps.

Microchip’s Ethernet single-pair transceiver specifications

• Device – LAN887x family of Ethernet PHY Transceiver
  • LAN8870 with RGMII and SGMII interfaces, extended cable reach for 1000BASE-T1 Type B (up to 40 meters)
  • LAN8871 with RGMII interface and similar features as LAN8870, but does not support the extended cable reach for Type B (See Cable reach section for details).
  • LAN8872 with SGMII interface and similar features as LAN8870, but does not support the extended cable reach for Type B.
• Supported standards
  • IEEE 802.3bw-2015 (100BASE-T1)
  • IEEE 802.3bp-2016 (1000BASE-T1)
  • OPEN Alliance TC10 (ultra-low power sleep and wake-up)
  • IEEE 802.1AS-2020 (Time-Sensitive Networking)
  • IEEE 1588-2019 (Precision Time Protocol)
• MAC interfaces – RGMII and SGMII
• Cable reach
  • Type A – At least 15 meters
  • Type B (LAN8870B only) – At least 40 meters (potential for even longer reach)
• Power management
  • FlexPWR technology for variable I/O and core power supply
  • EtherGREEN energy-efficient technology
• Diagnostics
  • Cable defect detection
  • Receiver Signal Quality Indicator (SQI)
  • Over-temperature and under-voltage protection
  • status interrupt support
  • Loopback and test modes
• Misc
  • Microchip Functional Safety Ready
  • MicroCHECK design review service available
  • Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) ready
• Temperature range
  • Automotive Grade 2: -40°C to +105°C
  • Industrial: -40°C to +85°C
• Package – 48-pin VQFN (7 x 7 mm) with wettable flanks

The main differences between the three ICs are the MAC interface support and 1000BASE-T1 Type B capability. The LAN8870 supports both SGMII and RGMII, whereas the LAN8871 supports only RGMII, and the LAN8872 supports only SGMII. Only LAN8870 supports 1000BASE-T1 Type B with cable reach up to 40 meters. But the LAN8871 and LAN8872 do not support this feature. you can check out the datasheet for the LAN887x family for more information.

Extending single-pair Ethernet cables to 40 meters automatically introduces signal loss and timing issues to the network. The transmitted signal tends to weaken over longer distances which causes errors, especially in noisy environments. Additionally, maintaining proper impedance to avoid signal reflections becomes more difficult, which requires careful design and potentially increasing costs. So I would take the “with cable reaches beyond the IEEE 802.3bp standard of up to at least 15 meters for type A and up to at least 40 meters for type B.” with a grain of salt.

The company mentions that the chips are designed for low power consumption so they have introduced EtherGREEN technology and  EN Alliance TC10 ultra-low-power sleep mode together the standby power of this chip goes as low as 16 µA. Additionally, this chip has support for RGMII and SGMII interfaces for design flexibility and simple integration with a wide range of MCUs and SoCs.

At the time of writing the company does not provide any pricing information for the new single-pair gigabit Ethernet transceivers, but you can find a little more information on the Microchips product page or the press release.

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YouTuber “EDISON SCIENCE CORNER” has designed yet another Arduino UNO clone but with a twist as the board is made out of a flexible PCB.

Companies like JLCPCB, PCBWay, and others have been offering flexible PCB manufacturing services for a while, mostly for flat cables or small boards that need to fit around a case, but the Flexduino is a complete Arduino UNO clone made of a flex PCB, and it looks rather cool.

The flexible Arduino board does work as shown with the RGB LED and power LED in the photo above and YouTube video below, but its usefulness is rather limited, and some corners had to be cut as for instance there’s no ground plane.

Nevertheless, it’s a nice demo of flexible PCB technology.  The video on the EDISON SCIENCE CORNER channel provides a short demo, shows how the PCB was designed (EasyEDA), and go through the ordering and assembly process. The project files for the Flexduino haven’t been shared as far as I can tell.

Via Hackster.io, Reddit, and Facebook.

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Renesas Electronics has introduced the RRH62000, a compact multi-sensor module for indoor air quality monitoring. It integrates particle detection, VOC, and gas sensing with an onboard Renesas MCU for sensor management. The module is designed for use in air purifiers, smoke detectors, HVAC systems, weather stations, and smart home devices.

The RRH62000 is an integrated sensor module that measures key air quality parameters, including particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), Indoor Air Quality Index (IAQ), estimated carbon dioxide (eCO2), temperature (T), and relative humidity (RH). These measurements are combined into a single package, with digital outputs available for each sensor, enabling simultaneous measurement. The module features a six-pin connector for easy plug-and-play integration.

The RRH62000 is available with the RRH62000-EVK evaluation kit, which simplifies the testing of the integrated sensor module. The module measures critical air quality parameters and connects to a Windows PC via USB. The evaluation kit includes a USB cable, ESCom board, RRH62000 sensor module, and a Quick Start Guide.

 Renesas RRH62000 module specifications

• MCU – Onboard Renesas microcontroller
• Integrated multi-sensor module for air quality monitoring
  • Particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10)
    • Detects particle sizes from 0.3 µm to 10µm
    • Mass concentration measurement range: 0 to 1,000 µg/m³
    • Mass concentration resolution: 1 µg/m³
    • Number concentration range: 0 to 3,000 particles/cm³
  • Gas Sensor (ZMOD4410)
    • TVOC measurement range – 160 to 10,000 ppb
    • IAQ measurement range – 1 to 5 IAQ
    • Estimated CO2 (eCO2) range – 400 to 5,000 ppm
  • Humidity and Temperature Sensor (HS4003)
    • Humidity range: 0 to 100% RH
    • Humidity accuracy: ±5 to ±7% RH (20% to 80% RH range)
    • Temperature range: -40°C to 125°C
    • Temperature accuracy: ±0.4°C to ±0.55°C (-10°C to 80°C range)
• Host interfaces – I2C and UART
• Connector – ACES 51468-0064N-001 connector for data output and power
• Power Supply
  • Input voltage: 4.5V to 5.5V
  • Current consumption during measurement – Max. 60mA
  • Current consumption during cleaning – Max. 70mA
  • Sleep mode current – Max. 50µA
• Dimensions – 46.6 x 34.8 x 12 mm
• Temperature Range
  • Operating temperature: -10 to 60°C
  • Storage temperature: -40 to 75°C
• Humidity range – 0-90%RH, non-condensing
• Qualified according to JEITA ED-4701
• Siloxane resistant
• Protected module housing
  • Dust accumulation prevention
  • High-speed fan self-cleaning mechanism

Renesas RRH62000-EVK specifications

• MCU – Renesas RA4M2
  • Core – Arm Cortex-M33 microcontroller @ 100MHz
  • SRAM – 128KB
  • Code flash memory – up to 512 KB
  • Data flash memory – 8KB
  • Package – 48-pin LQFP
• Connectivity
  • USB Type-C connector for connecting the communication board to the user’s computer
  • PMOD Connector (Female) for additional sensors via I2C interface
  • PMOD Connector (Male) for Renesas MCU EVKs
  • 14-pin connector for connecting the environmental sensor boards to the ESCom communication board
• Compatible Sensors
  • ZMOD4410 & RRH46410 for TVOC, IAQ
  • ZMOD4510 for O3, NO2, OAQ
  • ZMOD4450 for RAQ
  • HS3001 & HS4001 for RHT
  • FS3000 for Air velocity
  • RRH62000 for PM, TVOC, RHT
• Misc
  • Power LED – Blue when power is ON
  • Status LED –  Blue when ESCom is connected, blinks green when communication takes place
• Power Supply
  • 5V via USB-C connector for internal power
  • 1.8V to 3.3V supply with external power supply pin
• Dimensions – TBD

The RRH62000-EVK software, ES-Eval, provides a user-friendly graphical interface for configuring and evaluating the RRH62000 environmental sensor module. It features blocks for measurement control, sensor selection, algorithm configuration, signal analysis, and real-time data visualization, allowing users to easily manage and monitor the sensor’s performance. The software also automatically checks for and installs firmware updates for the ESCom communication board upon startup, ensuring optimal functionality. Users can download ES-Eval from the Software Downloads section on the Renesas website.

The documentation for the kits includes a quick start manual, a list of components (BoM), circuit diagrams, and PCB design files for development and production purposes. all can be found on their respective product pages.

Earlier, we covered the STM32-based Indoor Air Quality Sensor, which connects to Raspberry Pi or Arduino. We also wrote about the Qsen-07, the AirGradient One, and Studio LUFF’s Air Quality Sensor, which is built around the ESP32-S3 wireless module. Feel free to check those if you are interested.

At the time of writing, I can see that all the major distributors have this board available on their websites including Mouser where the RRH62000 module is available for $38.08 and RRH62000-EVK is sold for $100.

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MYIR has recently introduced MYC-LMA35 industrial SoM and its associated development board built around the Nuvoton NuMicro MA35D1 microprocessor with two Arm Cortex-A35 cores and one Arm Cortex-M4 real-time core for processing. The SoM comes in a BGA package with connectivity options such as dual Gigabit Ethernet, cellular connectivity, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, and various other interfaces like RS232, RS485, USB, CAN, ADC, GPIO, and more. All these features make this SoM and its associated dev board useful for demanding edge IIoT applications like industrial automation, energy management systems, smart city infrastructure, and remote monitoring solutions.

Previously we have seen MYIR introduce various SoM and development boards like the MYC-LR3568 Edge AI SoM, and the MYC-YF13X SoM and we have also written about similar industrial dev boards such as the Firefly ROC-RK3576-PC, the Nuvoton NuMicro M2L31 development board, and many more. Feel free to check those out if you are interested in the topic.

MYC-LMA35 industrial SoM and MYD-LMA35 development board specifications

• MYC-LMA35 SoM specifications
  • SoC – Nuvoton NuMicro MA35D16A887C microprocessor
    • 2x Arm Cortex-A35 cores running up to 800 MHz
    • 1x Arm Cortex-M4 processor core running up to 180 MHz
    • 2D Graphic Engine (GFX), LCD controller with a resolution of up to 1080p
    • H.264 Video Decoder and JPEG Image Decoder
  • Memory:
    • On-chip SRAM 384 KB (Cortex-A35 256 KB + Cortex-M4 128 KB)
    • 256MB DDR3L (MCP DDR)
  • Storage
    • 256MB NAND flash
    • 8GB eMMC flash
    • 32KB EEPROM
  • USB – USB 2.0 high-speed host and device
  • Networking – 2x Gigabit Ethernet MAC (GMAC)
  • Other peripherals
    • Peripheral DMA (PDMA)
    • I2C
    •  SDIO3.0
    • JTAG
    • Up to 190x GPIOs
    • Serial – CAN FD, Low-power UART, RS485
    • Audio – I2S
    • Enhanced PWM (EPWM), 32-bit Timer PWM
    • Quadrature Encoder Interface (QEI)
    • Enhanced Capture (ECAP)
    • HMI – KeyPad Interface (KPI), 4/5-Wire Touch
    • Enhanced Analog-to-Digital Converter (EADC), Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC)
  • Security
    • TrustZone
    • Secure Boot
    • Trusted Secure Island (TSI) – Run-Time Integrity Checker (RTIC)
    • Cryptographic – AES, SHA, ECC, RSA, SM 2/3/4 TRNG
    • KeyStore
    • One-Time-Program (OTP) Memory
    • Tamper Detection Pins
    • CMOS Sensor Interface
  • Misc – Real-Time Clock (RTC)
  • Package – 252-pin LGA expansion interface
  • SoM Dimension – 37 x 39mm
• MYD-LMA35 dev board specifications
  • Storage – MicroSD card slot
  • Display – RGB display interface (Supports MYIR’s MY-LCD70TP-C LCD Module with Capacitive Touch Screen)
  • Camera – Parallel CSI interface
  • Networking
    • 2x gigabit Ethernet RJ45 ports
    • Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Module
    • M.2 socket and 2x SIM card slots for 4G/5G LTE module (USB-based)
  • USB
    • 2x USB 2.0 host ports
    • 1x USB 2.0 OTG port
  • Serial Interface
    • 6x RS232 (isolated)
    • 6x RS485 (isolated)
    • 4x CAN Interfaces (w/ isolation)
  • Expansion
    • 30-pin GPIO expansion header
    • 2x Digital Input ports, 2x Digital Output ports
    • 1x ADC Interface
  • Debug – 3x Debug Interfaces (one for Cortex-A35 core, one for Cortex-M4 core, one for SWD)
  • Misc – Reset, User, Power buttons
  • Dimensions – 150 x 110mm
• Power
  • 12V/2A DC (baseboard)
  • 5V/1A DC (SoM)
• Temperature Range – -40°C to 85°C

In terms of software, the company provides SDK featuring Linux 5.10, which includes u-boot, the kernel, and drivers in source code format which makes it easy to develop applications for the dev board. Moreover, the company also mentions there will be support for Debian and OpenWrt in the future. The documentation also includes pinout descriptions, certifications, and 3D STEP files of the MYC-LMA35 industrial SoM.

The Nuvoton NuMicro MA35D1 industrial SoM is available with either 256MB NAND flash for $39.80 or 8GB eMMC for $45.80. The MYD-LMA35 dev board goes for $99.00 with 256 MB NAND flash and $105 with 8GB eMMC flash. You can find more details and purchasing information on the product page.

The post Nuvoton NuMicro MA35D1-powered industrial SoM and dev board features dual GbE ports, cellular connectivity, and more appeared first on CNX Software - Embedded Systems News.

For mobile gaming news this week, Apple Arcade has revealed a wealth of updates to their mobile titles with three new title announcements, and mobile darling Genshin Impact is finally heading to Xbox.

Mobile gaming has had yet another busy week in August, with Gamescom ONL 2024 launching a wealth of news on the gaming landscape for fans to dive into. Probably the most surprising is Genshin Impact has received a release date of November 2024 for Xbox. However, no release has been announced yet for the mobile Nintendo Switch despite HoYoverse announcing it for Switch way back in January 2020.

Aside from that, Apple Arcade has upped its offerings with three new titles launching in September 2024, which were announced this week, and a boatload of updates for its existing titles.

This Week in Mobile Gaming For August 24

Apple Arcade has Announced Three New Titles For Mobile!

• Monster Train+ by Good Shepherd Entertainment – Good Shepherd Entertainment is bringing their lightning-in-a-bottle title to Apple Arcade from Steam, making it a true mobile gaming experience. Players must defend the burning pyre from the celestial forces of heaven as monsters would. This title functions as a roguelite deck-building game and introduces a new strategic layer with three vertical playing fields to defend. The ‘plus’ version for Apple Arcade also includes The Last Divinity DLC, adding a new clan and challenges to the fray.
• NFL Retro Bowl ’25 by New Star Games – Retro Bowl is coming back to mobile gaming, and it’s exclusive to Apple Arcade in NFL Retro Bowl ’25. The newly revamped title brings full NFL licensing to the title, allowing NFL fans to utilize their favourite athletes in the game, just like Madden 25‘s Franchise Mode, Retro Bowl allows NFL fans to create their own dynasty by choosing their favourite official NFL teams and taking them the distance.
• The last new game announced for Apple Arcade is Puzzle Sculpt by Schell Games, an Apple Vision Pro and Apple Arcade exclusive that brings coziness to an already cozy space of a living room. Players can look around and solve puzzles while completely relaxed in this new title. There are many puzzles to solve and challenges to overcome with an ever-increasing difficulty that ramps with the player’s skill.

Other Mobile Gaming Updates Coming to Apple Arcade

• Vampire Survivors+ Introduces a new stage called Room 1665, doubling as a Challenge stage made of 16 rooms that will challenge players to fight the floors as a crucible. This update also adds two new character skins — ‘Unbinded Imelda’ and ‘Retired Poe’ — with new Darkanas modifiers. 
• TMNT Splintered Fate now lets players pair four controllers to enjoy four-player couch co-op on the same device. With new cross-platform support, four-player online co-op can now happen on any platform.
• Temple Run: Legends introduces customization with new unlockable Outfits and a new Outfit System. Outfits also grant wearers buffs during specific runs, proving that the sneakers matter when foot racing.
• SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit adds the conclusion of the latest Tales of the Deep called Inner Machinations of the Thoughtless Mind.
• Simon’s Cat – Story Time lets players try out the new Summer Search Party event to earn daily rewards for finding beach balls in the gardens. 
• Fruit Ninja Classic+ blasts off a Jetpack Joyride 2-themed in-game event, where players can earn the Jetpack Blade and Moon Tombs Dojo from joyride, but in Fruit Ninja Classic+.
• A Slight Chance of Sawblades+ celebrates International Dog Day (August 26) with an all-new canine character and dog-themed background. 
• Disney Coloring World+ lets players join the Muppets in a new colouring pack.

Mobile Gaming news hasn’t wrapped just yet. Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition also brings the new free and paid expansion to mobile devices this week, capping off A Rift in Time (and Jaffar’s time as the big bad). With that, though, mobile gaming news ends this week. Fans looking for all of the additions and where to check them out can visit the official Apple Arcade website.

Fan Expo Canada 2024 had a great variety of cosplayers, activations, shopping, panels and guests throughout the convention weekend.

This year was star-studded and packed with so many great guests! Fan Expo Canada 2024 kicked off with many attendees flocking to the Toronto Metro Convention Centre. CGMagazine was able to capture the most important part of the show: the fans! The fans brought a great assortment of cosplay clothing, offering both sophisticated looks and zany ones. Many of them ranged from some of the hottest anime series, TV/film, comics, video games and more.

Fan Expo Canada 2024 comes back back swinging harder than ever post-pandemic, even bringing back the Xbox exhibit! There are many new and returning celebrities and special guests too, such as Barbie and Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings star Simu Liu, Emily Swallow, Giancarlo Esposito and Temuera Morrison from The Mandalorian/The Book of Boba Fett, and so much more. On top of that many installations and fun prizes are to be won throughout the con. This collection captures the general minutiae of the whole convention across the whole weekend.

Fan Expo Canada 2024 Thursday Kick-Off

Fan Expo Canada 2024 Friday Rush

Fan Expo Canada 2024 Saturday Bonanza

After I reviewed the NapCat smart video doorbell last June, the company asked me to review a wireless NVR with solar-powered security cameras and I understood I would receive a kit with four solar-powered cameras and an NVR with storage preinstalled.

In this review, I’ll go through an unboxing, a quick teardown of the NVR, the installation process, and my experience with the Napcat NVR user interfaces (connected to HDMI) and the Napcat Life Android app which I also used with the video doorbell.

Napcat wireless NVR N1S22 kit unboxing

The package I’ve received reads “N1S22” model of a “Solar-powered Security Camera System” and is quite smaller than I expected.

One reason for the small size is that my kit only comes with two cameras instead of four, and the company also did a good job of making everything take as little space as possible. On the net, you’ll see it advertised as a “4K security camera system”, but the included 2.4 GHz WiFi cameras only have a resolution of just 2680×1620 (5MP).

The kit features a compact wireless NVR (center in the photo below), a 12V/2A power adapter for the NVR, an Ethernet cable, an HDMI cable, a USB mouse, two battery-powered security cameras, two small solar panels each with a 3-meter USB-C expansion cord and a solar mounting bracket,  as well as a pack of screws, a reset needle pin, some stickers, and a quick start guide.

The NVR system features an HDMI port, an Ethernet RJ45 jack, a USB port for the mouse, a Reset pinhole, a USB port for storage, a microSD card slot (fitted with a 64GB microSD card), and a 12V DC jack.

The bottom side says the Napcat N1 is an 8-channel WiFi network video recorder.

The bottom cover is attached to the main unit through a magnet. You can press on the left or right side to take it out. From there you’ll find the QR code to add the NVR to the Napcat Life app, as well as a SATA tray secured by a screw and suitable for 2.5-inch SATA drives. I’ll just be using the provided microSD card for this review.

The front of the camera has some infrared LEDs, a spotlight (yellow), two indicator lights (red and green), a photosensitive sensor, a hole for a microphone, a PIR motion sensor, and a hole for the speakers on the bottom.

The bottom side of the “B220” camera has waterproof covers for a microSD card slot and a USB-C port for power. Since the videos will be recorded to the NVR, I did not add a microSD card to the cameras. I precharge the cameras with a USB power adapter before installation and connection to the solar panels.

Napcat N1 teardown

The NVR is easy to teardown, so I went ahead and we can see it’s based on a MediaTek MT7628DAN MIPS processor on a module attached to two interesting metal antennas… The main processor is under a heatsink, but it did come off easily, so I left that alone.

The bottom side features the SATA connector for a 2.5-inch hard drive.

Napcat wireless NVR setup

Before installing the cameras, we should make sure everything works first. So I connected the NVR to my router through Ethernet, added the mouse and an HDMI monitor, and connected the power supply.

We are asked to set up a password as the first configuration step. But this needs to be done with the mouse and a software keyboard that pops up. Not ideal. I tried to connect a USB keyboard to the storage port, but it did not work. I was too lazy to type a password with the software keyboard using the mouse, so I went to the Napcat Life mobile app for configuration. I first scanned the QR code under the device after tapping on “+ Add Device” in the app, and went through the configuration wizard.

After the NVR is properly detected, we’re asked to enter a device name, select the time zone, and we’re good to go… Just make sure to disable any VPN including Adblockers you may have when adding the device or it will fail (based on my experience with the video doorbell).

Now that the configuration is done, I went back to the display connected to the NVR and was just asked to input the password I had set in the mobile app.

Somehow, I had to confirm the time zone and date/time formats again…

… before selecting the storage device.

Finally, I was presented with the QR code, but I didn’t need it at this point, so I clicked on “Finish”.

Our two cameras can be seen in a 3×3 Mozaic for eight cameras, so everything is working, and it’s time to install the cameras in strategic locations.

Napcat B220 solar-powered security cameras installation

There are various ways to install the cameras. I installed the first camera on the wall directly, and since I don’t have a ladder that would allow me to safely place the solar panel on the roof, I attached it to the cover of an old water pump in an area that gets sun a few hours a day. I did not use the solar panel bracket at all.

I install the second camera the same way but used the solar panel bracket to install the second solar panel in a location that gets sun a couple of hours a day.

At first, I felt the camera holder for the camera was insecure and a bird or strong winds could potentially bring it down, but then I noticed there was also a thread to insert a screw and keep it properly secured.

One other method is placing the camera directly into the solar panel bracket, but this would not have worked in my case due to the locations of the cameras not getting any sun at all. It’s also possible to mount it on the holding bracket provided with the kit, but that is probably not suitable for outdoor use since the holding bracket is simply placed on the surface and there aren’t any screws to secure it.

Napcat wireless NVR user interface

Once the installation is complete, we can go back to the NVR and check out the interface. Our two cameras are properly shown, but the live window shows paused videos because the cameras are only active when a person, vehicle, or motion is detected in order to save power and extend the battery life.

We can manually start each stream by clicking the blue play button with the mouse. We are asked to enter the NVR password each time we want to start using the device after a period of inactivity. I tried to disable it in the configuration menu but was unable to find a suitable option.

Nighttime capture also works well in black and white. The camera also has a color night vision option, but the spotlight is rather weak, so colors are not as good as a product like the Foscam SPC.

Besides the “Live” window, we can access other menus by clicking the Home icon on the top left corner of the display.

The Playback menu enables the other to check videos by day, watch them, and edit them as needed.

The Search menu is similar, but more useful, as it will show the more recent videos each with a thumbnail showing the person that was detected.

Clicking a video will enlarge the video and we can perform the same operations as in the Playback window…

… including zooming in on suspect individuals…

The Configuration section has various options for channel settings, display settings, encoding, privacy protection to define those where recording should be hidden, and camera maintenance.

The Events and Alarm option should that only pedestrian detection is enabled by default. Vehicle detection and motion detection are both turned off, but that’s fine in the current location of the cameras since car can’t access those locations or disabling motion detection extends the battery life.

I haven’t shown all configuration menus here, but everything is pretty standard. The NVR can be connected to WiFi instead of Ethernet if indeed, as in all battery-powered WiFi cameras I’ve tested so far ONVIF and RTSP are not supported since they are better suited to cameras operating 24/7.

I still did a quick test to see what would happen if I turned off my broadband router, meaning the NVR would exclusively operate in the LAN without access to the Internet. Everything worked like before. I could play the live videos, and human detection is working fine. Since it rained at the time, I also used an umbrella in a way that prevented the camera from seeing my face and upper body, but a pedestrian was still detected properly.

Napcat Life app

I connected the broadband router and went to the Napcat Life app. The settings are pretty common except for a few items.

I first went to the message notification section because I would not receive any notifications on my phone, but everything seems fine, and I’m unable to make that work. I can only manually check notifications when I get inside the app.

The Deterrence section also intrigued me… It’s used to enable the siren and strobe lights, but it did not work until I went to the Smart Event->Pedestrian & Vehicle Detection, and manually set Deterrence to ON there.  The siren is quite loud, you can listen to it in the video below.

The rest of the app is pretty much standard and similar to the NVR interface with a Live and a Playback section…

You can select from some of the latest videos, or filter the videos for a given day.

Sadly, Download does not seem to work properly as it’s telling me the file will be downloaded to “Person Center->Albums”, but I’m unable to find any videos after download. It’s the exact same issue as in the Napcat smart video doorbell review two months ago… It’s disappointing.

Conclusion

The Napcat wireless NVR works reasonably well and is easy to install with solar-powered security cameras so no cabling is required through the house. Like most/all? recent security cameras, it supports AI features such as pedestrian and vehicle detection greatly reducing the number of false positives.

The camera outputs can be visualized through the NVR connected to an HDMI display and mouse, or through the Napcat Life mobile app for Android or iOS. The system works offline without access to the internet when visualizing the cameras from the NVR’s display.

Like other battery-powered WiFi cameras, I’ve tested the Napcat cameras do not support standard streaming protocols such as ONVIF or RTSP which means you are dependent on the company staying in business, at least when using the mobile app. I understand that ONVIF may not be suitable for battery-powered cameras, but I’ve tested cameras from five different vendors, and each requires its own app. I wish some standard like Matter could be more widespread. Another very disappointing issue is the download feature does not work from the mobile app, so it’s unclear how people can save important videos if needed.

I’d like to thank Napcap for sending the N1S22 wireless NVR kit for review. The kit can be purchased on Amazon for $299.99 after ticking on the $70 discount, and kits with four and six cameras go for $479.99 (with $100 discount) and $759.99 (no discount) on the same page.

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Studio Imugi has given fans a brief glimpse at their new upcoming title, Bonaparte, which answers the question ‘What if the French Revolution had Steampunk Gundam?’

Studio Imugi has finally unveiled their debut strategy simulator, Bonaparte, an homage to the former Revolutionary’s skill in identifying weaknesses in opposing battle plans, placing the player firmly in control. My knowledge of the French Revolution comes from two sources: college history courses and the 2006 film Marie Antoinette. This means I know practically nothing.

However, one thing is certain—France did not have ‘steampunk Gundams’ as their main force. This is where Bonaparte introduces a paradigm shift to the French Revolution formula. Studio Imugi has also released a trailer to coincide with their announcement, which you can view below.

Bonaparte places the player firmly in the commander’s seat, allowing them to not only make battlefield decisions but also wield a politician’s greatest weapon: diplomacy. The trailer showcases an in-battle scene where Céline Bonaparte discusses her allegiance—whether to the subjects of France or the mighty monarchs—adding a notable Fire Emblem feel to the turn-based combat. These decisions will likely lead to battles playing out differently, considering “Rewrite History” is central to Bonaparte‘s identity.

What sets this strategy simulator apart is the reliance on advanced machines to decimate the enemies of France, we are talking Steampunk-humanoid-shaped vehicles that use weaponry (similar to Code Geass‘s nightmare frame, or Neon Genesis Evangelion units) to rule the battlefield. This title allows the player to enter the capable boots of either Céline or César Bonaparte and change the course of history by siding with notable historical figures (like Marie Antoinette) or taking up arms against them.

Bonaparte launches at a TBD date in 2025, and fans can check out their Steam page for more info.

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Read the full article on GamingOnLinux.

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The Netgotchi network security scanner is a simple, compact device based on an ESP8266 wireless microcontroller with a single goal: to defend your home network from intruders and potential bad actors. It is described as “Pwnagotchi’s older brother,” a network guardian that keeps your network safe instead of penetrating it.

If you are unfamiliar with Pwnagotchi, it is an A2C-based (advantage actor-critic) “AI” that can penetrate Wi-Fi networks using WPA key material obtained from passive sniffing or de-authentication attacks. The Netgotchi is a reverse Pwnagotchi that alerts you to intruders or breaches in your network. It runs on a simple microcontroller and cannot employ reinforcement learning like the Pwnagotchi. Rather, it pings the network periodically and reports any new potential security threats.

The device’s design is as simple as its purpose. It is an ESP8266 microcontroller connected to an OLED display and running an Arduino .ino script, enclosed in a 3D-printed case. It is powered via USB and does not contain batteries, so an external power bank is required for portable use.

The Netgotchi software is open-source and available in ESP32 and ESP8266 versions in the GitHub repository, alongside an installation guide. The device has been tested and is compatible with Minigotchi firmware. Minigotchi is a currently archived project that is essentially a tiny Pwnagotchi, and performs deauth attacks and advertisements.

The Netgotchi scanner is limited to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks and will scan compatible networks at intervals. It scans hosts for vulnerable services such as Telnet, FTP, SSH, and HTTP and marks them as “WRNG!” to indicate a potential security risk. The “WRNG!” indicator can be toggled on or off using the securityScanActive flag. The Honeypot functionality exposes a service to lure potential intruders and triggers an alarm when breached. The scanner features a web interface and supports a headless mode for cyberdecks and other devices.

The Netgotchi network security scanner is priced at $69 on Tindie and comes pre-assembled with a USB cable in the box. Multiple color options are available on request. Due to the device’s open-source nature, there is no post-sale warranty.

There aren’t a lot of open-source devices aimed primarily at identifying security threats on your home network, but you may be interested in deauthentication hardware such as the Flipper Zero add-on, the Marauder Pocket Unit, and the Deauther Watch X.

The post ESP8266-powered Netgotchi network security scanner aims to protect your home network appeared first on CNX Software - Embedded Systems News.

Rotten Tomatoes is a trusted source that aggregates all review scores for film and TV and this week, they announced a change in the site’s viewable ratings.

First off, for the uninitiated, Rotten Tomatoes serves the internet as a source to head to when looking for not one but multiple reviews on a hit TV show or film that has been released. The site even goes as far back to show how older films have done in the past, with review aggregations of films like 1994’s The Crow letting fans compare it to the recently released film also called The Crow (with a new ensemble). The site focuses on giving critics a communal voice, certifying whether films are ‘fresh’ or ‘rotten,’ hence Rotten Tomatoes.

This week, the review site underwent a drastic change that has watered down its audience score system. The new system is referred to as ‘The Popcornmeter’. The new designations show films branded with “Verified Hot,” “Hot,” or “Stale,” depending on the feedback of the Verified Audience. The new Verified Hot rating will be reserved for films and TV that score 90% or higher initially, and it will stay hot until the score falls below 80%.

How does one become a verified audience member? Rotten Tomatoes says they will verify the audience in attendance by using Fandango ticket purchases. It’s worth mentioning that RT is owned by the US Fandango platform. With this move, it appears the site favours the Fandango ticketing service due to their connection, but RT is working on collaborating with other platforms to verify purchases as well.

Recently, ‘review bombing’ has gone mainstream. Angry fans have taken to Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB, and other sites to unleash their fury when things don’t go their way. The steep difference in scores between RT’s Star Wars: The Acolyte‘s critical review and audience review could be one instance. Other instances show fans openly and brazenly targetting titles like Helldivers 2 on Steam and blasting the ‘1-star’ button due to behind-the-scenes operations (in this case, Sony requiring PC players to need a PS Network account to play the title). In this sole case, they walked back the decision and Helldivers 2 can be played on Steam without the need for a PSN account.

Either way, implementing the new rule stifles the audience score for better or worse. Fans can check out the rules rollout on the official Rotten Tomatoes website.

For the first time in World of Warcraft history, Blizzard has given both tickets to Beta and early access periods to War Within Epic Edition buyers, and the early access has just begun!

The early access period for the World of Warcraft: The War Within has begun, and players who have purchased either the physical collector’s edition or the Epic Edition digital bundle can dive right into the action four full days early. World of Warcraft launched a specialized cinematic trailer to prep Azeroth inhabitants for the upcoming expansion, which can be seen below.

World of Warcraft: The War Within Key Features

• Explorers will be able to head to the new continent of Khaz Algar, which lies off the western shores of Pandaria. Within the continent lies the surface-level city of Dornogal, which will serve as the new main city hub of the expansion. Expeditious adventurers can explore what dwells beneath the surface of the city in the lava-fuelled forge of The Ringing Deeps, the Hallowfall, and the Nerubian society monument, Azj-Kahet.

• Hero Talents will be introduced in The War Within. They are a new class feature that allows more levels of class specialization customization. Hero Talents are modelled after well-known archetypes from the Warcraft universe, including Dark Ranger, Farseer, and more.
• A new world content feature is being added to World of Warcraft, and it is called Delves. These are small adventures seamlessly integrated into the world (similar to delves in The Elder Scrolls Online), which scale to support 1-5 players and offer a new rewards track in the Great Vault.
• Introduced as dragon riding in Dragonflight, the function will be expanded into sky riding, allowing a larger number of mounts to be used. This system will allow more mount types to be used in mid-air, and the previous flight system will now be referred to as steady flight.

World of Warcraft: The War Within launches globally on August 26, but for those who have early access, It starts today. More info can be found on the official website.

ALLPCB is an ideal PCB manufacturer for PCB professionals and businesses thanks to additional customization options compared to competitors, monthly discounts for business users, and post-delivery payment options, besides ultra-fast delivery services and quality assurance services.

ALLPCB customization options

ALLPCB excels at higher specification boards and more complex PCB designs, which is why ALLPCB provides more customized quote options than competitors. Let’s take JLCPCB, one of ALLPCB’s main competitors, as an example starting with “Surface Finish” options for FR-4 material.

JLCPCB offers three options, namely HASL (with lead), LeadFree HASL, and ENIG, but ALLPCB offers a total of 12 different surface finish options.

That would the the same first three as in JLCPCB, but also OSP, Bare Copper, Immersion Tin, Immersion Silver, Gold Plating, ENEPIG, OSP+ Selective ENIG, Lead-free HASL + Selective ENIG, and Lead-free HASL + Selective Gold Plating

ALLPCB also offers a PTH (Plating Through Hole) copper thickness option from 18um and 35um that’s missing from the JLCPCB website.

You can discover more customization options such as selecting our prepreg for various applications on ALLPCB’s online quote system.

A business-friendly PCB manufacturer

ALLPCB has a business verification program designed to enhance efficiency and reduce costs for business users. It offers business users monthly discounts and post-delivery payment options. After the verification, a business can have net 30-day payment terms to help with their cash flow. Also, they can enjoy ALLPCB prototyping services each month for a minimum cost of 1$.

ALLPCB’s PCB batch order prices are highly competitive. Aluminum PCBs start at $50 per square meter, and 6-layer PCBs start at $110 per square meter.

The company also recognizes the importance of time to market. ALLPCB offers significantly faster delivery times compared to industry standards. For example, 6-layer board batch orders (under 5 square meters) can be produced in just 3 days, while aluminum PCB batch orders (under 10 square meters) are produced in 2 days. This is 3-5 days faster than what competitors typically provide.

Quality assurance is equally important and all solder masks are even and thick, PCBs have smooth edges, and silkscreens are clear and accurate.

Give ALLPCB a try for just $1 with 1-6 layer PCB

If you think your business might benefit from ALLPCB PCB manufacturing services, you can have the opportunity to test the service for just $1 for an order of 5 pieces with up to 6 layers and a size of up to 150x100mm. You can check out the ordering process in our previous article about the promotion.

The post ALLPCB – An ideal PCB manufacturer for PCB professionals and businesses (Sponsored) appeared first on CNX Software - Embedded Systems News.

Avowed & Obsidian Entertainment’s Art Director, Matt Hansen took to the Iron Lords podcast to reveal some “juicy” information about the upcoming title.

Obsidian Entertainment’s next title, Avowed, is coming out this February 2025. Ahead of the big release, Obsidian Entertainment’s Art Director Matt Hansen and Production Director Ryan Warden have jumped onto the IGN Iron Lords podcast to reveal some upcoming information about the title.

Hansen explains that Avowed development is focusing on getting the title to run at a crisp 30fps and getting to 60fps would be a hard task even for the more robust Xbox Series X console. He even goes so far as to say that as a first-person single-player title, “you don’t necessarily need that 60 frames.” Below is the latest story game trailer revealed by Obsidian back at the Xbox Games Showcase 2024.

Hansen continues with an explanation of how smooth gameplay is paramount to the overall experience, which is why they’re targeting 30fps. He says “[The 30fps] allows us to get a lot juicier with VFX and lighting and all this other stuff. It’s a trade-off we opted to make relatively early, and we’re really happy with that. The game’s running pretty smooth for how visually dense it is, and that was always our goal.” The notion is that Obsidian would rather have Avowed run excellent at 30fps than choppy at 60fps. The recent single-player release of Black Myth Wukong has also been said to run smoothly at 30fps.

Other Xbox-published titles like Starfield and Hellblade 2 have launched at 30fps as well, to help avoid input or performance issues they could trip on. While Starfield has since seen an update that brings the performance near 60fps, Hellblade 2 still has yet to receive an update, but this means Avowed can also launch at 30fps and get an update later on to boost visual fidelity.

Avowed launches on February 18, 2025 for Xbox Series S/X and PC.

South Korean publisher KRAFTON is probably best known for titles such as PUBG and The Callisto Protocol. Recently, however, in an effort to bolster their gaming portfolio, they’ve turned heads by saving studio Tango Gameworks from being shut down by Microsoft. With that goal in mind—to expand on their offerings—KRAFTON has been hard at work on inZoi: a life simulation game developed using Unreal Engine 5 and boasting a variety of creative tools. If this brings The Sims to mind, you’d be encouraged to know that the inZoi team is well aware of the comparison, the overall goal for their virtual world being to combine Sims and SimCity and add some innovative features to boot.

Having spent 5 hours playing an early build of the game, I found that what they’re trying to do rightfully sounds too good to be true. With some more polish and work on tightening its elaborate systems, inZoi might just rise up to its lofty ambitions and carve a place for itself within the genre. Nevertheless, on start-up, inZoi begins with the explanation that the player is working as a “trainee god” for an in-game tech giant.

“For now, despite some frustrations, inZoi is largely an enjoyable experience.”

According to the tutorials, referred to in-universe as the “onboarding”, being a said trainee god involves creating Zoi, the game’s name for the inhabitants of its digital world, and ensuring that they have good relationships with others and the environment. Failure to do so would result in “a meeting with the CEO”.

With this warning in mind, I began work on my Zoi in earnest, trying my hardest to make the perfect digital version of myself. The final result, I think, looks more like YouTuber hasanabi than me, but that’s not the fault of the character creation tool, which is genuinely amazing. Beyond getting the basics right, inZoi’s character creator is mindful of the details. This might not sound like a big deal at first, but put together, these small choices make for a customisable experience that already makes inZoi stand out from the rest.

This dedication to the minutiae can also be seen when it comes down to the city-building element. Whereas not as elaborate as something like SimCity, I was pleasantly surprised by what inZoi allowed me to do. To give just an extreme example, I decided that the main park in town should have a high density of cats, pandas and…crocodiles. To my great disappointment, the crocodiles, from what I could tell, had no effect gameplay-wise as they were simply content meandering here and there. In any case, after maybe 3 hours of fine-tuning, it was finally time for some action.

What took me by immediate surprise when taking control of my Zoi was that I was able to maneuver him as if he were a character in a third-person action-adventure game. I still had to issue other commands with a click of the mouse, but still, this added to my immersion. This being said, inZoi was dropping frames left and right and continued to do so during my time with it despite running it on a decent PC.

Another issue was the overall game logic, as all the Zoi I encountered were often making inexplicable decisions. My Zoi, when left to his own devices, was obsessed with deep cleaning his house even though it was brand new and squeaky clean.

To test the AI further, I decided to see how easy interactions with other Zoi were and, to my amusement, I was able to get the character I created married to someone he had just met and spent the last half of an in-game day (or about ten real-life minutes) complimenting. Now, I’m not necessarily opposed to love at first sight, but the ease with which I made this happen reminded me of the OG Sims, which reflects a bit badly on inZoi.

“Whereas not as elaborate as something like SimCity, I was pleasantly surprised by what inZoi allowed me to do.”

For now, despite some frustrations, inZoi is largely an enjoyable experience. The team over at KRAFTON have a lot of work left, yes, but what I’ve played so far is encouraging. My hope for the game, which is set to release in Early Access later this year, is that the developers remain committed to seeing through their ambitious vision. Time will tell if that will indeed be what happens.

inZoi is set to launch in Steam Early Access in 2024. Make sure to check out all things gamescom here on CGMagazine.

Some of the newer Espressif Systems wireless SoCs such as the ESP32-H2 and ESP32-C6 support Zigbee through their built-in 802.15.4 radio. It’s been working since the release of the ESP-IDF 5.1 framework along with the ESP-Zigbee-SDK for a while, but Arduino support was less straightforward.

But this is about to change as an Espressif engineer nicknamed P-R-O-C-H-Y has recently added a Zigbee wrapper library for the ESP-Zigbee-SDK to Arduino Core for ESP32 that works with ESP32-C6 and ESP32-H2 as standalone nodes and other SoC can be used as radio co-processor attached to an RPC (802.15.4 radio layer).

The wrapper library currently supports the following:

• Zigbee classes and all Zigbee roles
• Zigbee network scanning
• Allow multiple endpoints on the same Zigbee device (not tested yet)
• Supported Home Assistant devices
  • On/off light + switch
  • Color Dimmable light + switch
• Setting Manufacturer and model name

Other tasks currently planned include supporting “Temperature sensor + Thermostat” Home Assistant devices, updating ported examples to use the Zigbee library, and writing documentation… While the latter is still missing, you’ll find four basic Arduino code samples for the following Zigbee devices: a light bulb, a light switch, a temperature sensor, and a thermostat.

You can follow the progress of the port on GitHub or even contribute if you are interested in adding to the features. Over time this could potentially benefit open-source Arduino projects such as Tasmota which could add support for ESP32-C6 and ESP32-H2’s Zigbee connectivity on top of existing support for Zigbee MCUs from Texas Instruments (CC253X, CC26x2, CC13x2) and Silicon Labs (EFR32MG12/EFRMG21).

Thanks to Hedda for the tip.

The post Arduino Core for ESP32 gets a Zigbee wrapper library appeared first on CNX Software - Embedded Systems News.

Waveshare has recently introduced the PCIe to MiniPCIe GbE USB3.2 HAT+ for Raspberry Pi 5 adding gigabit Ethernet, a mini PCIe socket for 4G LTE, and two USB 3.2 Gen1 ports to the popular Arm single board computer. The HAT+ is compatible with IM7600G-H-PCIE/EG25-G-mPCIe series 4G LTE modules with 4G/3G/2G global band and GNSS positioning. Additionally, it has a gigabit Ethernet with an onboard RJ45 port, two USB 3.2 Gen1 ports, an onboard power monitoring chip, and EEPROM. All these features make this HAT useful for applications such as industrial routers, home gateways, set-top boxes, industrial laptops, industrial PDAs, and much more.

We have previously written about many different types of HATs for the Raspberry Pi 5 designed by Waveshare including the Waveshare UPS HAT (E), the Waveshare PoE HAT (G), the Waveshare PCIe to USB 3.2 HAT+, and many other products. Feel free to check those out if you are interested in different types of HATs for the Raspberry Pi 5.

Waveshare PCIe to MiniPCIe GbE USB3.2 HAT+ specifications:

• Compatibility – Designed for Raspberry Pi 5, driver-free, plug-and-play
• Host Interface – 16-pin PCIe FFC connector for interfacing with the Raspberry Pi 5
• Networking
  • Ethernet – RJ45 Ethernet port that supports Gigabit connectivity via Realtek RTL8153B chip
  • Mini PCIe slot for 4G modules (SIM7600G-H-PCIE / EG25-G-mPCIe series compatible) and Nano SIM card slot
    • 4G/3G/2G support (with compatible 4G module)
      • LTE Cat-4: up to 150 Mbps downlink / 50 Mbps uplink
      • 3G (HSPA+): up to 42 Mbps downlink / 5.76 Mbps uplink
      • 2G (GPRS/EDGE): up to 236.8 Kbps downlink/uplink
    • GNSS positioning (with compatible 4G module) – GPS, BeiDou, Glonass, GALILEO, QZSS, LBS
• USB
  • 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 ports driven by VL805 PCIe to USB 3.2 Gen1 HUB IC
  • USB Type-C interface for 4G networking, firmware updates, or external power supply
• GPIO – Raspberry Pi GPIO header
• Misc
  • Onboard power monitoring chip (INA219)
  • EEPROM
  • DIP switches for power control and USB signal direction
  • LED indicators for power and network status
• Power Supply – 3V ~ 3.6V (5V through USB)
• Dimensions – 65 x 56 mm
• Operating Temperature – -40°C to +80°C

While it’s great to have a multi-interface HAT+ board, the PCIe interface of the Raspberry Pi 5 only supports up to PCIe Gen3 x1 with a maximum bandwidth of 8 Gbps. This HAT adds Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps), two USB 3.2 Gen 1 (2x 5 Gbps theoretical), and a 4G LTE module (variable bandwidth depending on network conditions) to the Raspberry Pi 5. So, there’s a good chance that the Pi’s PCIe bandwidth could become a bottleneck if you’re trying to max out the speeds of multiple interfaces simultaneously.

So, If you’re planning on using this HAT for demanding applications, then you should consider the Raspberry Pi 5’s PCIe bandwidth and plan accordingly.

As the device is plug-and-play the company mentions that the board supports Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu, OpenWrt, and other operating systems with reliable network speeds. Waveshare also provides installation instructions and demos on how to use the power monitoring IC with the Raspberry Pi 5.

The board has an operating temperature range of -40°C to +80°C and can be used for industrial applications such as rugged IPCs and digital signage, as well as routers, laptops, and tablets used in industrial settings. But bear in mind that Raspberry Pi Limited did not specify an operating temperature range for the Pi 5.

The PCIe TO MiniPCIe GbE USB3.2 HAT+ is available on Aliexpress for $29.46 and on Amazon for $37.43. If you need the 4G and GPS functionality, you can bundle the HAT with the SIM7600G-H 4G module and antennas, bringing the cost to $70.06 on Aliexpress and $95.99 on Amazon. You can also check out the Waveshare store for additional purchase options, but Waveshare’s pricing does not include shipping.

The post Raspberry Pi 5 PCIe HAT+ board features gigabit Ethernet, 4G LTE (mini PCIe), two USB 3.2 ports appeared first on CNX Software - Embedded Systems News.

X96Q Pro+ is an Android 14 TV box powered by the new Allwinner H728 octa-core Cortex-A55 SoC with a Mali-G57-MC1 GPU, and a 4Kp60 / 8Kp24 H.265 and VP9 4Kp60 video decoder that looks very similar to the Allwinner T527 AIoT SoC.

The TV box ships with 4GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash by default, and features an HDMI 2.0 port outputting up to 4K at 60 Hz, a 3.5mm audio jack, an optical S/PDIF output, a gigabit Ethernet port, WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and a few USB ports.

X96Q Pro+ specifications:

• SoC – Allwinner H728
  • CPU – Octa-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor in two clusters of four cores four cores
  • GPU – Arm Mali-G57 MC1 GPU
  • VPU
    • Video decoder
      • H.265 up to 4Kp60 or 8Kp24
      • VP9 up to 4Kp60
      • H.264 BP/MP/HP up to 4Kp30
      • Multi-format 1080p60 VP8, MPEG-1/2 SP/MP, MPEG-4 SP/ASP, AVS+/AVS JIZHUN
    • Video encoder:
      • H.264 up to 4Kp25
      • MJPEG up to 4Kp15
    • JPEG encoder – Up to 8K x 8K resolution
    • AWonder1.0 post-processing engine
  • Package – FCCSP 660 balls
    17 mm x 17 mm size, 0.5 mm ball pitch, 0.3 mm ball size
  • Manufacturing process – 22nm ULP
• System Memory – 4GB (2GB optional)
• Storage
  • 32GB eMMC flash (16/64GB optional)
  • MicroSD card slot
• Video Output – HDMI 2.0a up to 4Kp60 with 10-bit HDR support
• Audio – 3.5mm audio jack, optical S/PDIF, digital audio via HDMI
• Networking
  • Gigabit Ethernet port
  • Dual-band WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0
• USB – 1x USB 3.0 port, 2x USB 2.0 ports
• Misc
  • Power button
  • Update pinhole
  • Front panel display
  • Optional RTC
• Power Supply – 5V/3A via DC jack
• Dimensions – 140 x 90 x 20mm
• Weight – 150 grams

The TV box ships with a remote control, a power adapter, an HDMI cable, and a user manual. The main benefit of the X96Q Pro+ is that it runs the most recent Android 14 (for TV?) operating system. The Allwinner H728 “Decoding Platform Processor” does have some interesting interfaces like PCIe 2.1 x1, 30x PWM, two gigabit Ethernet MAC, and more that make it look like the Allwinner T527 even more, so it’s probably just handled by a different business unit within Allwinner, and that’s potentially the same silicon.

The X96Q Pro+ Android 14 TV box is sold for about $40 (2GB/16GB) or $50 (4GB/32GB) on AliExpress under the VONTAR brand. I was initially contacted by Shenzhen Amedia Technology Co., Ltd. who claims to be the manufacturer.

The post Allwinner H728 octa-core Cortex-55 SoC powers $40+ X96Q PRO+ Android 14 TV box appeared first on CNX Software - Embedded Systems News.

DeepComputing DC-ROMA RISC-V Pad II is a 10.1-inch tablet based on the same SpacemIT K1 octa-core 64-bit RISC-V processor found in the DC-ROMA RISC-V Laptop II introduced a few months ago, as well as in the MILK-V Jupiter mini-ITX motherboard.

The RISC-V tablet features up to 16GB LPDDR4, 128GB eMMC flash, a 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen display with 1920×1200 resolution, a 5MP rear camera, a 2MP webcam, a USB-C port for peripherals and/or an external display, and a 6,000 mAh battery.

DC-ROMA RISC-V Pad II specifications:

• SoC – SpacemiT K1
  • CPU – 8-core X60 RISC-V processor @ up to 2.0 GHz
  • GPU – Imagination IMG BXE-2-32 with support for OpenCL 3.0, OpenGL ES3.2, Vulkan 1.2
  • VPU – H.265, H.264, VP9, VP8 4K encoding/encoding
  • NPU – 2.0 TOPS AI accelerator
  • RVA 22 Profile RVV 1.0 compliant
• System Memory – 4GB, 8GB or 16GB LPDDR4
• Storage
  • 64GB or 128GB eMMC 5.1 flash
  • MicroSD card slot
• Display – 10.1-inch IPS display with 1920×1200 resolution, 10-point capacitive touch
• Audio –  3.5mm headphone jack
• Camera
  • 5MP camera camera with auto-focus
  • 2MP front-facing webcam
• Networking – Not specified, but potentially Wi-Fi 6 & Bluetooth 5.2 like in the laptop
• USB – 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port with DisplayPort Alt mode
• Battery – 3.5V/6,000 mAh (max) cobalt battery
• Power Supply – Via USB-C port (TBC)
• Dimensions and Weight – TBD

The tablet runs Ubuntu 24.04 right now, but DeepComputing says models with 16GB RAM will be upgradeable to Android 15 AOSP in Q4 2024… Please note that while Linux RISC-V support has made great progress, our review of the Jupiter RISC-V motherboard based on the same SpacemIT M1/K1 revealed more work is needed. I still think the Android 15 release schedule is probably way too optimistic since Android 15 AOSP is yet to be released…

If you are a developer interested in checking out the RISC-V tablet, you can pre-order it with a 20% deposit for as low as $149 in the 4GB/64GB configuration. The top model with 16GB RAM and a 128GB eMMC flash goes for $299. A few more details may be found in the press release, and the tablet is currently showcased at the RISC-V Summit China 2024 in Hangzhou until August 25.

Via Liliputing.

The post DC-ROMA RISC-V Pad II octa-core RISC-V tablet can be pre-ordered for $149 and up appeared first on CNX Software - Embedded Systems News.

Behaviour Interactive and Supermassive Games’ team-up title, The Casting of Frank Stone continues an exciting reveal spree, and a new trailer has come out of The Fog revealing new exciting features not seen in a Supermassive game before.

Gamescom 2024 continues to steamroll ahead and at the Xbox Gamescom Broadcast 2024, The Casting of Frank Stone has walked straight out of The Fog and into a new trailer. The new trailer presents new features not seen before in a Supermassive Games title, and even implements some of the tried and true mechanics (albeit loosely) from Dead by Daylight. The trailer can be seen below as shown at the showcase.

The Casting of Frank Stone New Features

• Supermassive games open the Cutting Room Floor. Fans can sit in the director’s chair and revisit key story decisions. This also allows fans to seek missing collectibles or relive thrilling moments without starting a new game. The Cutting Room Floor opens by purchasing the Deluxe Edition or completing the narrative of The Casting of Frank Stone.  

• Twitch Integration will let streamers and audiences experience The Casting of Frank Stone together. With Twitch Integration, viewers can vote on each choice throughout the game (similar to the poorly received Silent Hill: Ascension project from 2023). Votes will be placed into the streamer’s hands and they will have a limited number of vetoes to override a decision, if they dislike the audience’s direction.
• Plunderer’s Instinct makes its way to The Casting of Frank Stone from being a Dead by Daylight perk and allows the player to see the aura of any Trinket Chest that may have been missed.
• Up to four-player couch co-op allows fans to share the experience in the same room. Fans can pass the controller back and forth as the character perspective changes throughout the game, and it cohesively immerses the audience into the storyline with a group of friends.

The Casting of Frank Stone will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on December 3. Fans can check out the official Supermassive Games website in the meantime for more information.

EA Sports has announced the newest cover athletes for the upcoming NHL 25, and it’s a family affair. The Hughes brothers (Quinn, Jack, and Luke) become the first set of brothers to grace the cover of the annual hockey title.

NHL 25 marks the second time in three years that the yearly hockey franchise has placed more than one player on their cover, with NHL 23 featuring Trevor Zegras and Sarah Nurse, and the NHL 24 cover featuring Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar.

Quinn Hughes, the oldest of the three brothers, was drafted 7th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He was nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the leagues best rookie in 2020 and is the most recent recipient of the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the leagues best defenseman.

Jack Hughes was drafted 1st overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, just one year after Quinn. Jack has earned himself 3 consecutive All-Star Game selections and was nominated for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (awarded to the player that shows the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct) for the 2022-2023 Season.

Luke Hughes, the youngest of the three brothers, was drafted 4th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, joining older brother Jack on the team. After a stellar rookie season in 2023-2024 that saw him set a new franchise record for points by a rookie defenseman, he was named as a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the leagues best rookie, and was subsequently voted to the All-Rookie Team unanimously.

More details were also shared about the annual hockey title, too. NHL 25 will be powered by a brand-new gameplay intelligence system called ICE-Q, and is designed to give the player the space and ability to be in control of every inch of ice there is. Player skating has been completely revolutionized by the Next-Gen Vision Control system, which allows you move easier on the ice, creating opportunities, walking the blue line, squaring up on an opponent, and a whole lot more.

The CPU Player system has also been improved by Empowered AI, allowing the CPU to execute intricate and authentic plays, make smart decisions off the puck, leading to more opportunities on the powerplay. 

In addition, a wealth of new gameplay modes and structures have been implemented, namely a revamped Franchise Mode, HUT Wildcard Mode, and a single-path XP progression system that is shared across HUT. Last but not least, the introduction of Sapien Technology to NHL 25 brings player likenesses to the next level, meaning your favourite players will look a whole lot more like your favourite players. 

NHL 25 is now available for pre-order with a Standard Edition and a Deluxe Edition available. Pre-ordering the Standard Edition will get you 500 NHL Points, a HUT NHL Player Pack, WOC Battle Pass XP Boost (x2), and an immediate reward in NHL 24 with a digital pre-order (Choice of Quinn, Jack or Luke Hughes at 99 OVR). 

Pre-ordering the Deluxe Edition will get you 7-days of Early Access, including a head start in the initial HUT campaign and WOC season, 4600 NHL Points, HUT NHL Player Pack, HUT “Hockey is Family” Objectives Choice Pack (x2, 82 OVR), HUT Cover Athlete Choice Pack (85 OVR, 1 of 8), HUT Wildcard Starter Choice Pack (84 OVR, 1 of 6), WOC Battle Pass XP Boost (x2), WOC Season 1 Premium Battle Pass, Exclusive WOC Player Set, Immediate Reward In NHL 24 (Choice of Quinn, Jack, or Luke Hughes at 99 OVR).

NHL 25 should be released later on this year, though a specific date has yet to be announced by EA.

Lionsgate decided to pull down the trailer for their new film, Megalopolis after fans figured out the trailer quoted falsified reviews for the Director’s previous films.

To say Megalopolis had a rocky production is putting it mildly. Director Francis Coppola (known for award-winning films like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now) has been trying to get the film made for many years, even fronting $120 million to foot the production costs. But today, Lionsgate has decided to pull the new trailer off the internet due to reports suggesting the trailer used fake quotes coming from Coppola’s earlier films.

The trailer was released Wednesday morning, and it didn’t take long for people to figure out that the ‘bad reviews’ quoted in the trailer from films like The Godfather were fictional, it’s also worth mentioning a critic themselves noticed they didn’t write what was quoted in the trailer.

This is after the film has gotten questionable attention, specifically from The Guardian where Coppola himself suggested he was going to make “a really s*****, embarrassing, pompous film on an important subject, and I am doing it,” and the report further alleges the Director mismanaged time and wasted a lot of production hours. The report continues with allegations the Director acted inappropriately with female extras on set, claiming he was “trying to get them in the mood.”

The trailer could have been meant to show former bad reviews for Coppola masterpieces, to insert Megalopolis into the same camp as the films that were shown to have said bad reviews. Variety critic, Owen Gleiberman, was cited in the trailer as saying Bram Stoker’s Dracula is “a beautiful mess” where he himself suggested that wasn’t the case.

Gleiberman said “Even if you’re one of those people who don’t like critics, we hardly deserve to have words put in our mouths. Then again, the trivial scandal of all this is that the whole Megalopolis trailer is built on a false narrative,” continuing with the notion he wishes he said Dracula was ‘a beautiful mess,’ as it “sounds kind”.

Lionsgate has also issued an apology via Variety, saying “We offer our sincere apologies to the critics involved and to Francis Ford Coppola and American Zoetrope for this inexcusable error in our vetting process.  We screwed up.  We are sorry.” after the trailer’s removal today.

Megalopolis hits theatres on September 27.

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