Qualcomm's new AI/Copilot PCs has overwhelming hype but their actions point to a far murkier picture.
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The post Qualcomm AI/Copilot PCs don’t live up to the hype appeared first on SemiAccurate.
Discord and Roll20 have introduced a new integration designed to simplify the initiation and management of tabletop games within Discord’s platform. This collaboration brings Roll20’s suite of virtual tabletop tools directly into Discord’s Activities, allowing users to launch and play games like Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and Cyberpunk RED without leaving the Discord environment.
With this integration, Discord users can seamlessly access Roll20’s tools including interactive maps, character sheets, simulated dice rolls, and drag-and-drop rulebooks by selecting Roll20 after clicking the Rocket Ship icon in a Voice Channel. This setup eliminates the need to switch between apps and facilitates direct login or signup options at first launch, providing a straightforward path to starting the game.
The collaboration supports a range of popular games and includes several free starter adventures to help new players begin without any initial investment.
More info can be found on the official Roll20 website.
During today’s Gamescom: Opening Night Live presentation, Floatopia was revealed for multiple platforms, including Switch. It’s set to arrive in 2025. Floatopia, coming from NetEase Games, is a life sim. Players can travel among super-powered worlds to craft their island and engage with friends. Lots of details can be found in the following overview: It’s time to step into a...
The post Floatopia announced for Switch appeared first on Nintendo Everything.
May 31: Little Nightmares III has been delayed, and will not be making it out this year as originally planned. Bandai Namco now intends to publish the title in 2025. Little Nightmares III was first unveiled at Gamescom last August. It’s a notable shift for the series as the first two titles were made by Tarsier Studios. This one is...
The post Little Nightmares III delayed to 2025 appeared first on Nintendo Everything.
New 11″ dual-screen laptop that allows it to be used in various positions. Its peculiar design also adds a magnetic keyboard. This lightweight 2-in-1 computer offers two 11″ touch ...
The post New 11″ dual-screen laptop with Intel Core processor first appeared on AndroidPCtv.
Modern laptop computers have more processing power than ever, with many also offering features like long battery life, thin and light designs and… AI, I guess. And for the most part, laptops are versatile and powerful enough to serve as desktop replacements for most users. But there are a few areas where desktop hardware continues […]
The post This DIY gaming laptop is made is made from desktop components (CPU, GPU, and more) appeared first on Liliputing.
Today during Gamescom, Bethesda announced that it was adding the previously-teased dune buggy to Starfield in a free update that is set to go live later tonight. Bethesda also provided another sneak peek at Shattered Space, the upcoming DLC for Starfield, and revealed that it’s launching September 30 on consoles and…
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is taking a more action-oriented approach to combat than its predecessors. Early footage shows the sequel looking like it borders on a character action game, so as someone who plays a mage in every single one of these games, I was curious how The Veilguard was going to adapt the…
Every writer has their own creation process. These processes are rarely to never set in stone. People change, and their habits and routines can change as well. Now for a few weeks now, I have been thinking… What is my process? How do I decide on which game to write, and how do my actual thoughts get into an article? So, I think it would be fun to explore some of those things in this article. While I have written a similar article back in 2018, I also think it would be fun to just start this article as if I have never written that article. So, here we go, from choosing the game to clicking on the button “publish”… How do I do it?
Choosing the subject
When I look at the taglines I have chosen for my blog in the past, most of them have one thing in common. They represent in a way what this blog actually is. This blog is a public diary of a Belgian game collector who shares his opinions on the games he plays. Sometimes I play with the idea to create series, where I look at each game from a series or look at several games I have played in the past.
While that could be fun, I don’t like forcing myself to play a certain game because I have to write an article about it. That’s because I might not enjoy the game since I need to rush my play through, so I can have an article out. On top of that, it might reflect in my article as well. I like to take my time when writing about a certain game. Writing about a game right away without giving it time to let things settle is such a risky idea. Since, you never know if you are overreacting on something or not.
Now, when I’m playing games, I have a rule. I never go into playing a game thinking how to turn it into an article. The only exception I make to that rule is when a developer requests me to write an article about their game. While playing the game, I let myself enjoy the game. Now, there comes a moment while playing the game, where I think… “Should I write an article about this game or not?”.
In the past, I used to have a long list of games where I answered yes to that question. When my writing day arrived, I opened the list and picked a game from that list and started the process of writing an article. But, I felt that, that system didn’t work for me anymore. I can’t tell you exactly when I stopped using that system, but I wanted to write more in-depth articles, so I wanted to more research on the game I was writing about and that was taking a lot more time compared to just having a list of games I want to write about.
So, the decision of choosing the game for the next article is a bit more complicated. Sometimes I have a game in mind that I want to write about, and sometimes I don’t. When I have a game in mind, it’s easy to move on to the next process. When I don’t, I look at the games I have played in the past months/weeks and decide from there.
Now, what do I take in consideration when deciding if a game can become a good article? The first question I ask myself is this, what can I say about this game? There are several games I play that don’t have enough things going on for me to write about. Even when they are fascinating like Yeti Quest, it’s your typical match three game like Bejeweled. But in this game, you can choose between three different play styles on the fly in this genre, and that makes it more interesting. But, besides that, there is not too much else going on. Maybe I might turn them in a short game quicky. But I find writing and creating shorter articles about a game less rewarding than writing a longer article about them.
The second question I ask myself is the same question as the first but in a different direction. The first question is actually more, how much is there to talk about, and the second question is what is there to talk about. Something I dislike writing is very negative articles. I don’t want to write an article where I just rip into the game and only talk about the weak points of a game. I also don’t enjoy reading those articles myself, and I personally rather write and read a balanced article over an overly positive or negative article any day of the week.
Now, when a developer requests an article from me and I notice that I’m going to write mostly a negative article… I actually scrap the article. From talking to various developers, I learned how much time and effort goes into creating games, and it takes a lot of courage reaching out to the press to show off your game. People sometimes base their decision on this kind of articles, and I don’t want to turn people away if the game doesn’t click with me or if I’m not the correct person to review the game. But, I do give a list of feedback back to the developer. This feedback exists out of bugs/issues I found or suggestions for improvement. That’s the least I can do for declining the article.
While I answer both of these questions, I start coming up with the theme of the actual article. What will be the core of my message? On what do I want to focus the article? The music, the game mechanics, the visuals, the writing style? It’s mostly now that I come up with the subtitle of the article. A great recent example is how I came up with the core of the Another Code – Recollection article. While playing that game and streaming it with Klamath, I remembered that I wrote an article about that game in the past. One of the game’s core story mechanics is how memory works and how people grow with them. At that moment, I decided to make that the main focus of my article. To show how I have grown as a writer, while using the memories of the past game and articles to take a new look at the game.
The actual review process
Now that I decided on which game I want to review or write about, it’s time to talk about the actual process of preparing the article.
The first thing I start to look at is the story of this game. The reason why I start with the story is simple, it’s one of the best ways to start your article, in my honest opinion. With that, you can set the scene for your readers and explain the mechanics, visuals amongst other things more easily as well. I have tried several times to write about the mechanics or something else first, but I felt that these articles didn’t flow well enough, and I rewrote the whole article. By now, it has become a habit of mine that I don’t know how to change and even if I should change it.
Then, depending on the message I have chosen of my article, I chose something else next. In most cases, that is the pacing or the gameplay, but it can also be the world building or the visuals. Besides having a core message, I also want the article to flow well. My main goal in writing these articles is not only to inform and entertain those who are reading my articles, but also as a way to easily share my opinion on the games I’m playing.
When you read my articles, you’ll notice that I don’t focus on the same things that most big reviewing outlets do. For example, I don’t focus on how realistic the visuals are or if the game is using the latest technology or running at the highest frame rate. Personally, I don’t really care about those things too much. I rather focus on the actual game over those things.
Now, when I’m looking at the visuals for example for my article… I look more at how consistent everything is. How well does everything fit together and fit together with the story and themes of the game. Are there models and moments that look rough or unpolished? Are there animations that look out of place and unnatural? Now, since I sometimes review a retro game, I take in consideration the technology of the time and the size of the studio that developed the game.
I mostly put my focus when writing about a game on the whole package. For example, if you introduce a certain mechanic in a game… how often is it used and what does it bring to the gameplay. There is nothing that annoys me more than having a mechanic in a game that is underused when it’s shown off with a lot of potential. I’m looking at you, for example, Death Mark II. There were some mechanics like the shop or the hidden teeth that were just underused. If a mechanic is going to be underused, don’t put so much focus on it.
Something I also find very important is consistency. While it can be interesting to break consistency in a game to surprise the player to keep them on their toes, there is no excuse to have an inconsistent game. I’m talking for example about huge difficulty spikes or the UI having different ways of working in the game. Let me give you a specific example, in Suikoden Tierkreis, the final boss of the game is so much stronger than all previous enemies, and it felt just unfair. Without any warning, you also had to know you had to grind certain characters and build them in a certain way. Maybe it might be less of a problem now that I know that, but it felt like a slap into the face after the balance of the game being very consistent.
So, do I take notes while I play through the game I’m going to write about? In the past I used to do that, but I stopped doing that. I started to have this bad habit of only writing down the negatives moments or just trying to work everything in from my notes and forcing some sections in. I do have an alternative when writing about a game now.
First, I play the game for at least an hour before I write about it. So, things are fresh in my mind. Also, I leave the game running while I’m writing my article. In case I’m hesitating on something, I can quickly jump in the game and replay to test something out.
And second, I’m abusing my visual memory. I have a very strong visual memory when it comes to games and I found out that when I play the soundtrack of the game, I start to remember quite a lot of things. I can’t write an article without playing the soundtrack of the game.
Sadly, a lot of things in a review are extremely subjective. The biggest thing here is finding a right balance for me. For example, if I didn’t enjoy certain tracks in the soundtrack of a game but I don’t see that complaint while doing some research, I mention it that way in my article. That it might be that the tracks didn’t click with me but that the overall impression of the soundtrack is positive.
The final part I usually do before I sit down and write is doing my research. This research consists out of just looking up this game in Google, reading through other articles, reading through press material, looking at the voice actors, looking at other projects of the developers… I have a whole list of things I want to answer and know about the game. Like how big was the studio that developed it? How long was the game in development? Sometimes reading up on the game helps to clear up things on why certain creative decisions where taken.
Writing the article
Now that I have chosen the game, played through (most of) it and did some research it’s time to start writing the article. The first thing I do is put in the title and it’s subtitle. And then, I create the subtitles and screenshots for the article. In case of a game review, I write in brackets the main themes of that section. For example: (gameplay, controls, music).
Then I put on the soundtrack of the game and I start writing the introduction and just continue to write. While writing, I look at the flow of the article and when I notice that a certain section would fit better in an earlier section, I move it. Now, when I remember a certain detail that fits in a later section, I add a small note in that section before returning to the point I was writing.
I don’t like writing out of order, since I find it more difficult to make sure my core message shines through or the flow/theme of my article stays consistent. So, that’s why I’m doing the article editing somewhat at the same time. When I’m finished with a paragraph, I re-read what I have written and think about the flow of the article and when it doesn’t fit, I just remove the whole paragraph and rewrite it. Now, I also read my paragraph again since my mother tounge isn’t English and sometimes I use certain expressions that don’t exist in English or just make silly typo’s.
While I use two spelling correctors to help me to avoid mistakes, I rather review it myself as well. Too many times I see that spellings correctors fail at understanding gaming terms or make the strangest corrections. While I know that my articles contain grammar issues and typo’s in the end, I try to catch as many as I can before they go live. During some breaks, I spend a couple of hours going through old contect and correcting typo’s and grammar issues. Also, when readers point them out to me, I try to fix them right away. Since, you start to read over your own mistakes way too easily.
While writing, I usually try to not take a break. I find it quite important to do everything in one go while writing. Apart from refilling my glass or taking a quick bathroom break, I try to keep writing. Usually, the whole writing process takes me around 4 hours on average.
After I have fully written my article, I copy it from the WordPress editor to Microsoft Word and let it check again for typo’s and grammar mistakes I missed. I also quickly skim through my article to make sure I haven’t left a paragraph on something stupid like an incomplete thought or sentence.
Now, if you would ask me what I enjoy the least in this whole process… I have to answer the whole SEO process. It’s one repetitive task that is just boring to do in my honest opinion. Looking for the right keywords, pasting the links everywhere and making sure you did everything to make the article appear in search engines. I’m always happy when that process is over and done with.
The opposite question is a more difficult to answer. I can’t really say what I enjoy the most in writing gaming articles. At one hand, I love the interaction with people who read my blog. The developers who found my blog by reading my articles and decide to request a review from me. It’s a rewarding feeling that people enjoy your creative hobby and are able to relax or find new games.
I also love talking about underrated or forgotten games. I just love when I get a reaction from people: “I totally forgot about this game! This game was part of my childhood.” It’s a great way to connect with people and make new friends and/or discover new games.
But, I also just love writing itself. I just love being creative and trying to entertain people and I find that writing and just using languages in creative ways is something I love doing the most. I love telling stories and being able to tell them through a game article without it overpowering the actual article is just a lot of fun to do.
Of course, playing the actual games is quite a lot of fun as well. Since I have such a broad taste in games, I play so many different games and it’s just a blast. I love discovering things about games and how they are developed and how the whole creative process works behind it. Especially since people don’t always stand still by the fact that a lot of things have to come together perfectly in order for a game, movie, album or any creative work to get created.
I just enjoy the whole process. If I have to give an average on how much time one article takes, I have to say that it takes at least 20 to 30 hours. And that’s when everything goes perfect. When I don’t have a writers block or when I don’t have other things going on in my personal life. I’m happy that I found this hobby for me and I’m surprised at how much you are all enjoying it. It still surprises me that some students of the school I work for discovered certain games through my blog and talk to me about them. I even have coworkers who come and ask me for game advice for themselves or their childern. Besides that, I get a lot of reaction through Discord and other platforms and it makes me just happy. Being able to make someones day or just help them (re)discover games and/or entertaining them… It’s one of the main goals of this blog and that’s just perfect.
Now, I think I have said everything wanted to say about this for now. Know that what I talked about in this article is my personal process and feel free to copy (parts of) my process but I highly advice you to make sure that your process works for you. Since, if it doesn’t work for you, you’ll hit a brick wall eventually and either burn out or just loose interest. Enjoy the process and stay true to yourself. That’s how I managed to write around ~ 600 articles over almost 15 years.
Thank you for reading this article and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. What is your creative process or did you learn something from this article? I’m curious to know, so feel free to leave a comment in the comment section down below. I’m also curious if I’ll be able to welcome you in another article but until then, have a great rest of your day and take care.
Last week, as a result of a few messages on X, the trading shares of GameStop once again rose significantly as couple of years ago.
The post GameStop shares triple in a week, again appeared first on WholesGame.
Video game publication Game Informer has announced its closure after 33 years of operation. Once one of the most popular and recognizable brands in games media, GI is the property of embattled U.S. retailer GameStop, which itself has been in a downward spiral for eons at this point.
GI made its debut in 1991 as a print magazine, and was quick to establish a presence on the internet in the mid 90s. The magazine subscription was only just revamped in March 2024, but GI’s web presence hasn’t been as formidable as it once was.
Today, the publication announced that it’s stopping the presses completely. In an official statement, GI thanked readers and bid them farewell.
“From the early days of pixelated adventures to today’s immersive virtual realms, we’ve been honored to share this incredible journey with you, our loyal readers,” the statement reads. “While our presses may stop, the passion for gaming that we’ve cultivated together will continue to live on. Thank you for being part of our epic quest, and may your own gaming adventures never end.”
Game Informer’s closure takes effect immediately, and its next magazine — featuring Dragon Age: The Veilguard — will be its last.
The post Game Informer Shutting Down After 33 Years appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
June 13: Lollipop Chainsaw Repop is getting a release on Switch, Dragami Games just revealed. A worldwide release is planned for September 26, 2024. Lollipop Chainsaw was originally developed by Grasshopper Manufacture, the studio behind No More Heroes and more. It never released on a Nintendo console previously. Those that players the original can look forward to various improvements and...
The post Lollipop Chainsaw Repop announced for Switch appeared first on Nintendo Everything.
Game Informer has been shut down after 33 years in publication.
As reported by Kotaku, staff were reportedly called into a meeting on Friday (August 2) by parent company GameStop where they were informed of the closure, that the entire team was laid off, and that severance packages would be put in place.
GameStop shared a statement to social media the same day, announcing that the site was shutting down.
Tech, and laptops in particular, often revolves around trends. Every couple of years, you get something new that every manufacturer tries to adopt, and if it catches on, it just becomes a standard from then on out. Right now, that's Copilot+ and AI, but it's been many things throughout the years.
It’s not unusual for PC makers to offer the same laptop with several different processor options. But usually we’re talking about chips in the same family, like Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, or 7. But the new StarBook 7 laptop from Linux PC vendor Star Labs is something different. […]
The post StarBook 7 Linux laptop comes with a choice of Intel N200 or Core Ultra 7 165H chips appeared first on Liliputing.
Getting the Master Sword in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom feels great. After dozens of hours of dealing with ugly fused weapons and broken gear, you finally get the sword of legend. But it’s still far from perfect. While it can’t break, it can lose its power and have to recharge. The Master Sword from the…
Who needs another Nintendo Direct when the company is willing to randomly dish on its next Zelda game with an unexpected five-minute trailer? The latest info dump for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom gives a tour of the Hyrule players will get to explore in the series’ latest top-down sequel for Switch, and it…
What is going on with Intel's GPU program? The chatter is negative but what is really happening?
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The post Why is Intel’s GPU program having problems? appeared first on SemiAccurate.
Why does AMD keep pissing off the press and inflicting needless wounds on their reputation?
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The post AMD Teases Ryzen 7000 appeared first on SemiAccurate.
There has been a lot of talk lately about Intel delaying their upcoming Meteor Lake CPU but what is really happening?
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The post Did Intel delay Meteor Lake? appeared first on SemiAccurate.
SemiAccurate hasn't done an update on Intel's consumer offerings in a while so lets rectify that.
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The post Intel’s consumer roadmap splits a bit appeared first on SemiAccurate.
Article Reading Time: 1 minute
Ever wondered if you could play Minecraft on your browser? It’s not the full game on google.com, but it’s a quick and easy way to have some casual fun for a minute or two. And the best part? You can do it right from your web browser, no need to download anything. Perfect for a quick break from work or studies
It works on desktop PCs or mobile devices in the same way. Once you click on the button, it is activated, and you can mine as much as you wish on Google modules. It works on every browser we try, like Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge.
The post Minecraft Minigame in the Browser on Google.com appeared first on WePlayGames.net: Home for Top Gamers.
Board games are a great social activity that brings people together by disconnecting everyone from their screens. But what if your favorite stories and worlds from the screen could be a part of board game night too? With these ten great board games based on video games, it’s now possible to enjoy your favorite digital titles in an exciting new tabletop setting.
The iconic adventures and exploration of Skyrim await you in the game’s excellent tabletop adaption. As opposed to the classic video game, Skyrim- The Adventure Game is a cooperative experience for up to four players, which affects both the combat and dungeon loot systems. Each player’s character is suitably unique, and the strategic decisions you make throughout the game’s two campaigns can trigger exclusive story outcomes as well.
The Fallout Board Game does just about everything right in adapting this classic video game franchise. An unknown post-apocalyptic world awaits you outside your vault, along with deadly enemies and warring factions. The art style is most faithful to the series’ more recent adaptions, and the storylines are appropriately thematic and recognizable to anyone who’s played Fallout before. Interactions between players are semi-cooperative; while everyone has their own objectives, they also need to work together to prevent any one of the non-player factions from taking over the wasteland.
Kingdom Rush is a classic tower defense game in which you place archers and other troops to defend against waves of oncoming enemies. Whereas the original video game is a fast-paced race, Rift in Time instead features more calculated, strategic gameplay. The game comes with a booklet of scenarios that you can play against, which makes it easy to adjust the difficulty. In addition, the miniatures look great and are fun to paint.
Establish your kingdom, expand your territories, and build the great monuments of man in Civilization: A New Dawn, the most recent tabletop adaption of Sid Meier's Civilization. Though the original video game draws its roots back to a 1980s board game, the video games that followed have evolved significantly. A New Dawn utilizes many of the newer technology and city upgrade options from the most recent titles. Playtime is thankfully shorter than the 2010 edition of the board game, and to top it all off, the game tiles are gorgeous.
Small World of Warcraft is a WoW-themed adaption of the popular board game Small World. Players take control of the major races in Azeroth, including everything from Orcs to Worgen, and attempt to conquer as much territory as possible on the game’s various islands. Once one of the races you control is overextended, you can take charge of another to continue the conquest and hopefully have the most points by the end of the final round.
With its outstanding deck-building and strategy elements, Slay the Spire feels like the perfect video game to bring to the tabletop environment. Contention Games has done just that via Kickstarter, with the recently released adaption gathering nearly four million dollars worth of pledges. All the best elements of the original title are here, including, of course, the absolutely iconic six-eyed whale Neow. The biggest change here is the cooperative multiplayer, but it's a welcome change that's more befitting a board game.
Survival is the name of the game in This War of Mine: The Board Game, which does a fantastic job of bringing the war-torn surroundings and impactful storylines of the original video game to the table. During the day, you’ll build up your shelter and gather the resources you need to scrape by. During the night, you’ll have to fight off bandits to protect what little you have. The mechanics of exploring new locations work really well, with risks and rewards to be found in every corner of the war-torn city.
Dead by Daylight: The Board Game leans heavily on hidden movement mechanics to represent the Killer’s stalking presence and the four Survivor’s attempts to escape. All the basic elements of the video game work surprisingly well in the tabletop environment, and there are also plenty of props and other tools that the Survivors can use as they work to stay alive. Most importantly, the competitive thrill of the original remains.
The cozy confines of Stardew Valley come to the table with immersive, cooperative gameplay and faithful attention to detail, though the board game does have some key differences from its source material. The players have a set number of turns in which they can complete their goal cards and rebuild the community center, but if the season cards run out, the players lose. Thankfully there’s still lots of farming, fishing, and mining fun to be had, along with plenty of interaction with the Valley’s most recognizable inhabitants.
God of War’s most iconic characters come to the table in style in the God of War card game. You’ll need to complete a series of scenes and quest cards to survive Ragnarok and win. It’s primarily a deck-building game, though you’ll be up against a set of randomly selected monsters and bosses rather than the other players at the table. It’s a must-have collectible for fans of the God of War franchise. We're also looking forward to finding out if the upcoming God of War Gamefound project will be an even better tabletop adaption than this one.
The post 10 Awesome Board Games Based On Video Games You Can Play Right Now appeared first on Destructoid.
The shifting sands of Arrakis are home to the most precious substance in the universe: spice. As the leader of one of the Great Houses in Dune Imperium: The Board Game, you’ll need to conquer the desert planet, win skirmishes, and expand your influence with factions like the Bene Gesserit and the Fremen if you hope to claim victory. In this article, we’ll be looking at the different editions and expansions of the game and answering some of the most common questions about this modern tabletop classic. Let’s start by looking at the two core versions of the game.
The Dune Imperium board game essentially has two different versions of its core game: Dune Imperium and Dune Imperium Uprising. The gameplay in the two editions is largely the same, with each centering around deck building, agent placement, and desert combat. However, there are several key differences between the original Imperium release and Uprising. To start, Uprising features an all-new set of Dune Imperium leaders, with characters like Feyd-Rautha, Lady Margot Fenring, and Princess Irulan all entering the fray. In addition, many of the board spaces have new functions. To top it all off, there is also a new six-player mode in which the players will be divided into opposing teams.
In terms of new game mechanics, Dune Imperium: Uprising has a lot to show for itself. It drops the Mentat token from Imperium, which originally allowed you to purchase an additional agent for a turn. It also drops the foldspace cards, which made it much easier to level up your standing on the game’s four influence tracks. In exchange, Uprising adds spy tokens that you can place between board spaces in order to draw cards or unlock adjacent locations that are already occupied by enemy players.
The newer edition of the game also adds sandworms to combat, which doubles the rewards you earn for winning a round’s conflict. This mechanic makes fighting more important than ever and might change up your favorite Dune Imperium strategy, though all of the combat cards have been edited appropriately to make the game less swingy. Uprising also adds contracts, which essentially function as single-use board spaces that give substantial rewards when you send an agent to them. The intrigue cards are also altered to match the new gameplay mechanics.
If you’re just getting started with Dune Imperium, then Uprising is a great place to start. However, there are no bad options here. If you already own and enjoy Dune Imperium, Uprising can still be a great pickup if you’re a big fan of the game. However, you might want to prioritize expansion content first since it adds even more mechanics than the changes from Uprising.
Each Dune Imperium expansion adds more cards and dramatic new gameplay elements, along with additional board space actions that open up new pathways towards conquering Arrakis and claiming victory. Below you’ll find details about each addition to the game, listed in our suggested purchasing order.
The Rise of Ix Expansion for Dune Imperium expands the game board with new game-changing board spaces that allow you to purchase technology, boost your shipping and smuggling efforts, and obtain the coveted dreadnought units. The dreadnoughts add three combat power to your side and can temporarily hold territory in your name, which ups the stakes in each conflict. There is also a new selection of powerful yet difficult to master house leaders that are perfect for more experienced players. If you’re going to get one of the expansions, Rise of Ix is definitely the best choice.
The Dune Imperium: Immortality expansion adds an additional board to the play space that represents the players’ interactions with the Bene Tleilax and their genetic advancements. The expansion also adds graft cards, which allow you to combine the cards in your hand into a single action for more powerful effects. These cards are definitely fun to use, though not as much of a game-changer as the Bene Tleilax board or the components of the Rise of Ix expansion. Immortality also includes a family atomic token for each player, which is an underrated addition that allows you to clear out the cards available for purchase from the Imperium deck and draw new ones.
If you love Dune Imperium and just can’t get enough, you can upgrade your game experience with a beautiful selection of miniatures that replace approximately sixty of the game’s more basic-looking tokens. Unlike the other two expansions, this pack is entirely cosmetic. However, the visual upgrade it provides is substantial, especially if you enjoy painting the miniatures. There’s also a Rise of Ix Dreadnought Upgrade Pack available through the Dire Wolf store that offers similar cosmetic benefits but for the expansion’s components.
Every Dune Imperium expansion is compatible with both the original release of the game and Dune Imperium: Uprising. However, when adding the expansions to Uprising, there are a few cards you might need to remove, such as the Rise of Ix conflict cards, in order to maintain a balanced game. Further directions on these changes are available at the back of the Uprising rulebook.
The post The Complete Dune Imperium Board Game Buyer’s Guide (2024) appeared first on Destructoid.
Board games are a fairly robust and universal source of fun. People of all ages can enjoy them, and most importantly, you can play them with others, making them more of a social occasion than sitting down to play a video game solo.
However, not all board games are appropriate for every age, and that becomes a problem when you've got kids, young relatives, or friends with children who need to be entertained. Board games are a minefield because they need to be more complicated than card games used to help babies learn about shapes and colors, but they can't be so complex that all the rules just go over their heads. In this article, I'm putting all my knowledge at your disposal because I've been playing board games with my nephews for over a decade.
Below, I've listed the best board games for 7-year-olds that I've played with my nephews and nieces over the years. While they're older now, I've played these games with 7-year-olds and some of their relatives who were even a little younger at the time. You'd honestly be surprised at how much they can understand and want to engage with the game being played.
I've ranked these board games with the best at the bottom of the list and the worst at the top. However, all of them are great and worth a try if there's a 7-year-old you need to entertain and you don't want to stick them in front of a screen.
Pop Up Pirate is a pretty simple game that 2-4 people can happily play together. The pirate goes into the barrel and is set in place until someone puts a sword into the wrong hole. Every player takes turns to place swords in the holes in the barrel and hopes they're not the ones to trigger the pirate to launch out of it.
This game is loads of fun to play with children and adults alike. I've played multiple games where we've all been incredibly cautious and tactile and have reached the end of the barrel with one slot left. At that point, it's like watching the final player walk the plank, and it's always hilarious.
We've all played Snap in a pinch. It's a game you can make with two decks of cards if you've got absolutely nothing else, but it works better with a dedicated product that includes it. Most sets include at least a few games, and you can make your own up after you're done with Snap for a while.
For anyone who doesn't know, Snap is a simple card game where you and each player place cards down face up from a pile until you see two in succession that match. When that happens, you must shout "snap" and slam your hand down on the pile to claim it. Each player loses as they run out of cards.
7-year-olds are at just the right age when they're good at Snap, and they love that. It's an easy game everyone knows, and they're the masters. Giving them a game they've got an advantage in will help it go on for longer and feel better by the time they're finished because they've probably won most of the rounds.
Cheat is a game you can play with one standard deck of cards. Everyone takes seven cards and goes around in a circle, saying what their card is as they place it next to the face-up card in the center. Their card must be the same suit or one number higher or lower than that card.
At the start, this game is easy because you can cheat, and no one can call you out on it. But as it goes on, it becomes incredibly difficult not to laugh as you lie about the card you're placing down. You have to call another player's bluff to get them to pick up the pile of cards that are amassed on the table, but if you get it wrong, that pile is yours.
This game is fantastic for 7-year-olds because it gives them the ability to lie without hurting anyone. It's cheeky fun but still restricted to the board game itself.
Uno is an absolutely fantastic board game for 7-year-olds because, like many in this article, it can go on forever. There are a few different game types you can play with a single deck, but the most common uses colors and numbers, requiring you to place your cards, switch the direction of the rounds, or block someone from making you pick up more cards or skipping a turn.
This game is hilarious for 7-year-olds because they think they hold all the power. To be fair, they do. They know the game better than anyone and can ruin your day by placing a blocker or skip card just as you think you're about to place your last card and win the entire game.
Connect 4 is a classic board game you can play for hours with people of all ages. But 7-year-olds just have more stamina for it. This is a game they know they can beat you at, and they're going to make you play again and again until they're on a losing streak and want it to end.
The goal of the game is simple: get a line of four counters in your color. I've had to play this game for almost a full day while my nephews, niece, and my own kids rotated through playing against me. It's a winner for any rainy day or just when you need a board game to break up the hours.
Kerplunk never gets old. It's a structure through which you must poke dozens of sticks before pouring marbles over them and getting them stuck. Then, and only then, does the game start. You take it in turns to pull sticks out and collect marbles, and you want to get the best sticks possible so you earn the most marbles on your turns.
This game teaches strategy and a little bit of deception. It's loads of fun and only requires a few minutes to set up for each round. The random way the marbles fall is what makes it so engaging for a 7-year-old, and because it feels different each time, it can be played over and over for hours.
Guess Who? is a great game to play with any 7-year-old. Each player has a board of characters and must choose one as the character that their opponent has to identify by asking questions about their appearance. It sounds simple, and it really is, but the fun is in how you ask the questions.
I've had the best time with younger family members asking about hair and eye color in the strangest way possible. If you lean into the silly side of the game and have fun with it, this can be a true banger of a game that keeps on giving.
Battleships is a classic game I've been playing since I was a 7-year-old. Each player has one side of the game and must place their ships around the sea. You then take turns firing shots at various places on that ocean, trying to score a hit on your opponent's ships.
This game makes you feel like some sort of naval strategist as a 7-year-old, and you feel pretty great when you nail a hit as an adult as well. What I like about it is that everyone is on even ground. A 7-year-old knows the shapes of each ship and is out for your blood in this game. It's brutal.
I've played the normal version of Settlers of Catan with a 7-year-old, and it's been fine, but I have to recommend the Junior version just in case this is your first time with the title. It's a simplified version of the game that will prepare young people for the complexity of the full version.
The Junior version of the game is essentially the same, but it's a bit faster-paced to better keep everyone's attention. If you're a family who loves the base game, I can't recommend this enough because it will mean you get to play Catan for years to come.
While the recommended age for The Game of Life is 8+, if you've ever played it, you know that you can grasp it at 5 years old. This is an incredibly simple board game that's about as linear as it gets. You go from one end of the board to the other and make choices based on dice rolls along the way.
The idea with this game is to get your 7-year-olds used to playing board games at all. It's easy for them to win, and there are enough variations for each run that make it feel new each time you play. This is the preparation game for more complex things to come.
Monopoly needs little introduction. It's a game in which everyone starts with a set amount of money and must buy up property as they move around the board to, hopefully, charge other players and increase their rent by adding to those properties over time.
The best part about this game is the metagame that forms between every player as it goes on. You can end up becoming a property mogul and charging your dad or your uncle a fortune just to keep a roof over their heads for the night. It's fantastic fun, but you need to know when to let the game end before it sparks an argument.
The Garden Game is an oldie, but it's pure gold. It's a unique board game with gorgeous artwork and an incredible boar with polystyrene gardening plots that you must play to plant your seeds in. Each type of plant adds pints to your score, but some add more points if planted with others.
The game is almost educational in the way it teaches you about plant pairing, but it's also a fun game. Cards will wash out your plants and ruin your day or give you some serious growth, depending on what you get. It's great fun for all ages, but it's a game you're going to have to pick up a second-hand copy of from eBay. they pop up all the time but are well pout of print at the time of writing.
Chess is a startlingly simple game, but one that few people have a decent boxed copy of in their homes. It doesn't take much to learn the rules, but mastering them is a lifetime's work. Some people can make a career out of the game if they're good enough.
I think this is an essential game to play with any 7-year-old because it teaches them the basics of a board game they can love for the rest of their lives and go on to play with anyone in the world. There's no way you can sit down at a public Chess corner without knowing the game, and being part of that feels like a rite of passage for everyone.
Draughts is a board game that's a bit simpler than Chess, but it can be no less strategically advanced. The idea is to take all of your opponent's pieces still, but there's a layer of extra play you can add with various rulesets that see you gain pieces back for reaching the opposite side of the board.
As with Chess, I think this game is essential for anyone to learn as young as possible. It teaches you a game you can play forever and one that pretty much everybody can interact with. It opens doors in the future and it's a game you can use to pass the time even if all you have is rocks and some sand.
Blokus is the ultimate game to play with 7-year-olds because they can see strategies you'd never notice. Every player picks a color and must place their tiles across the board. However, you can't place a tile unless one of its corners touches the corner of another already set piece.
This gets really difficult by the end of the game, with the board becoming a mosaic of multiple colors of tiles. The thing I'm always impressed by with my nephews is how they manage to thrash me with ease. Once they get it, they can see the way to set every tile they have before you've worked out your next move.
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This week, Destiny 2 maker Bungie was hit by massive layoffs, leaving the future of the company’s popular looter shooter in some doubt and spurring waves of criticism of its CEO, who remains at the studio. We also saw streamer Dr Disrespect once again posting online, just 36 days after he confessed to sending…
Game Informer, the longest-running gaming magazine in the U.S., is officially dead and GameStop killed it. It began publishing in 1991 and has been one of the last remaining physical gaming magazines in the world, with cover stories that continued to share deep dives and exclusive interviews on the biggest games…
Earlier today, retailer GameStop announced that it was shutting down the long-running magazine Game Informer which launched back in 1991. As you might expect, many people across the video game industry, as well as fans, content creators, critics, and journalists, were shocked by the news.
A new Deadpool movie means two things: Marvel is about to make a lot of money and people all over the internet are going to try and tap into what is likely to be one of the biggest pop culture events of the year. And that means someone is trying to sell a $970 copy of that Deadpool game from 2013 on eBay.
New lightweight notebook called KUU A6, featuring a powerful Intel Core i7-1280P processor with an integrated Intel Xe GPU. The KUU A6 is a new laptop with aluminium ...
The post KUU A6, new 16″ 2.5K lightweight laptop with Intel Core i7 CPU first appeared on AndroidPCtv.
The ACEMAGIC X1 is a dual-screen laptop with an unusual design. From the front you could easily mistake it for a typical notebook: there’s a screen, keyboard, and touchscreen. But there’s a second screen attached to a 360-hinge that flips out to give you a dual-screen setup without the need to carry a portable monitor. First […]
The post ACEMAGIC X1 dual-screen laptop now available for pre-order for $899 appeared first on Liliputing.
Dynabook’s Portégé X40 series laptops are premium, business-class 14 inch notebooks with thin and light, but sturdy designs and some features you don’t always find on compact notebooks these days: like smart card readers and full-sized Ethernet ports. The company’s newest model is the Portégé X40-M, which launches today with a Intel Core Ultra “Meteor […]
The post Dynabook Portégé X40-M is a thin and light Meteor Lake laptop with full-sized Ethernet and HDMI ports appeared first on Liliputing.
Chinese PC maker SZBox is selling a small, cheap laptop with a 10.95 inch, 2000 x 1200 pixel touchscreen display and a 360-degree hinge, allowing you to use the computer in notebook or tablet modes. The notebook is powered by a 15-watt Intel N95 qaud-core Alder Lake-N processor and features 16GB of RAM, a 34.2 […]
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The Pocket 386 is a tiny laptop computer with a 7 inch display, a QWERTY keyboard, and a body that’s small enough that you might actually be able to fit it into a (large) pocket. It’s also a device specifically designed for retro computing. The Pocket 386 gets its name from its 386 SX compatible processor, and […]
The post Pocket 386 is a mini laptop for retro computing with support for DOS and Windows 95 appeared first on Liliputing.
The latest version of the KDE Plasma Desktop environment has arrived for Linux-based operating systems. The next version of Google’s Android operating system is inching closer to release. And if you’ve ever found yourself wishing that you could use an eReader that has Barnes & Noble’s NOOK hardware but Kobo’s software, well… maybe you can? […]
The post Lilbits: KDE Plasma 6.1, Google Android 15 Beta 3, and Kobo firmware on a NOOK eReader appeared first on Liliputing.
Sipeed’s LM4A compute module is a small board with a T-Head TH1520 RISC-V processor, an NPU with up to 4 TOPS of AI performance, and support for up to 16GB of LPDDR4X memory and 128GB of eMMC storage. But what really makes this computer-on-a-module interesting is that Sipeed has designed an ecosystem of products that […]
The post Sipeed Lichee Book 4A is a cheap RISC-V laptop with an upgradeable processor module appeared first on Liliputing.
Two laptops with RISC-V processors developed by Chinese company SpacemiT are now available. The MUSE BOOK was first unveiled in April and is now available from ARACE for $299 and up, while the DC-ROMA II was introduced just last week, and is now available from Deep Computing for $399 and up. Both are 14 inch laptops […]
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It is now officially summer. Yesterday, the solstice (Litha, as it’s known to some) brought us our longest day of the calendar year, and now we march on to ever darkening days. But right now, we’re just marching on into the weekend to spend that time off in some delightful digital realms.
Qualcomm's new AI/Copilot PCs has overwhelming hype but their actions point to a far murkier picture.
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The post Qualcomm AI/Copilot PCs don’t live up to the hype appeared first on SemiAccurate.
Fortnite has grown its fanbase to millions over the years with heaps of merch to choose from! One of the best ways to show your dedication to the game is to adorn your walls with posters and wall hangings. There are so many to choose from, but luckily for you we have collated the best 13 Fortnite posters in 2024. Check them out in our ranked list below!
This high-quality print shows the Fortnite Battle Bus against a serene sunset. The red, pink, and yellow hues certainly make that classic blue Fortnite bus pop! You can choose from a framed or unframed style, and in multiple sizes between 8″x10″ to 24″x36″. Every poster is printed in high resolution using waterproof ink onto poster canvas to ensure durability. This means you can have this poster on your wall for years to come! Now, don’t forget to thank the bus driver before you leave.
You can’t jump into a Battle Royale without the right kit so we have a selection of the best shirts you can wear while playing Fortnite. From the cool to the absurd, these are the top 13 funniest Fortnite shirts to check out this year!
A super a-PEEL-ing shirt featuring the iconic banana himself. This short-sleeved Peely t-shirt is 100% cotton and fully machine washable! It comes in a range of sizes suitable for any adult Fortnite fan from small to 5XL. The soft, comfortable shirt is styled in this smart light gray color with a large graphic print of the Fortnite logo with our little yellow guy sitting atop the F. Perfect for lounging around as you play or wearing to a family brunch.
Listen, I've got nothing against coffee games - they're some of my absolute favourites - but I've got to admit, I'm a tea-drinker at heart, and it always makes me a little bit sad when all I can serve in these games is a hot cuppa joe while tea gets relegated to the sidelines. Good on the developers at Ivy Road, then, for finally doing us tea-drinkers justice with their debut game Wanderstop.
Revealed this evening at the Summer Game Fest, Wanderstop's development is being headed up by Davey Wreden, creator of The Stanley Parable and The Beginner’s Guide, as well as Karla Zimonja, co-creator of Gone Home and Tacoma, along with music duties being performed by Minecraft's composer, Daniel 'C418' Rosenfeld.
You play as Alta, who desperately wants to get back in the fighting arena but must instead run a tea shop in the heart of a magical forest. Tough break, eh? I know which one I'd rather do.
Samsung has been working with Google and Microsoft to improve integration and productivity between Galaxy devices. Galaxy phones are usually the first to get access to new integration features with Microsoft's Windows OS. Thanks to deeper integration in Windows 11, accessing files from your Galaxy phone could soon get even easier.
To access files stored on your Galaxy phone and tablet, you may not need to open the Phone Link app anymore. As spotted by X user @PhantomOnEarth, the File Manager app in Windows 11 will soon be able to display your Android phone as a shortcut. Once you click your phone on the app's sidebar, you can see all the files stored on your Galaxy device.
You can wirelessly import relevant files from your Galaxy phone or tablet to your Galaxy (or any other branded) laptop or PC. To enable this feature, you must enable the setting from the Settings app on a computer running Windows 11. To make this happen, the Phone Link app and the Cross Device Experience Host app act as a bridge between Android and Windows.
The story continues after our Galaxy Book 4 series hands-on video below.
The Phone Link app on Windows 11 already allows users to access images and videos stored on Android phones and tablets. However, other files, like documents, can't be accessed right now without using screen mirroring and dragging and dropping files.
The new File Manager integration for files stored on your Galaxy phone and tablet is under testing right now, and it could be released to some users soon via the Dev and Beta versions of Windows 11. Once the testing is done thoroughly, the feature could be released to all users with compatible devices and capabilities.
The post Accessing files from your Galaxy phone on your laptop could get easier appeared first on SamMobile.
Wizards of the Coast has officially revealed that the second Magic: The Gathering and Hatsune Miku collaboration in the MTG Secret Lair × Hatsune Miku: Digital Sensation drop. the small set will only be available for a limited time but packs a real punch.
The MTG Secret Lair × Hatsune Miku: Digital Sensation is comprised of six new cards you can add to your decks and collections. They all feature the digital pop sensation in beautifully hand-crafted art that encapsulates her personality and music alongside mechanics on cards that you'll find useful enough to use in a range of deck types. Of course, getting these just because they're pretty is just fine and is what I'll probably be doing.
Below, I've listed every card in the MTG Secret Lair × Hatsune Miku: Digital Sensation drop. With each one, I've included the mechanics of the cards so you have an idea of what they do, even if all you're buying them for is to be sleeved and stored or just to ensure you have this gorgeous artwork in your possession.
Thespian's Stage is a colorless land card that allows you to use one colorless Mana. Tapping the card allows it to become a copy of another land card, except it will retain its ability. It's not going to be hugely powerful, but it might make an impact.
Look, we all know what Sol ring is and does. This card has the prettiest art of any variation by far, though. This artifact card will add two colorless mana, effectively boosting you to turn three. Its usefulness varies depending on who you speak to.
Song of Creation is my favorite card in this set, based purely on artwork. It lets you play an additional land on each of your turns. Whenever you cast a spell, you'll draw two cards, but you'll need to discard your hand at the beginning of your end step. You've got to play carefully with this card. Use it, then dump it as soon as you don't need it.
This card is a pretty powerful 6/6 legendary creature, but it takes a lot of mana to play. It has Trample, and when it dies, you destroy all nonland permanents. As a bonus, those nonland permanents can't be regenerated, just to add extra insult to injury.
Chord of Calling has Convoke and allows you to search your library for a creature card with mana value X or less, with X being the card's power. When you get that card, put it into the battlefield and then shuffle. A great way to quickly grab a key card for our strategy.
Finally, we have Diabolic Tutor. This card lets you search your library for a card, put that card into your hand, and then shuffle. It's potentially incredibly powerful, depending on your strategy. I can think of more than a few uses for it, and most of them blend with Sol Ring.
The post All cards in the MTG Secret Lair × Hatsune Miku: Digital Sensation drop appeared first on Destructoid.
Wizards of the Coast has revealed the next Hatsune Miku crossover with Magic: The Gathering. It's yet another Secret Lair drop comprised of six collectible cards that look stunning and will be well worth adding to your decks if you're quick enough to get a copy of the set.
This latest set is called the MTG Secret Lair × Hatsune Miku: Digital Sensation drop. It's the second collaborative drop between the incredibly popular card game and global digital superstar Hatsune Miku. It'll be available as part of the Secret Lair Summer Superdrop 2024, which you can pre-order from June 24, 2024, at 9 AM PT until July 14, 2024, at 11:59 PM PT. You'll have to be quick, though, because I suspect this particular set is going to sell out quickly.
The MTG Secret Lair × Hatsune Miku: Digital Sensation has six new cards for you to add to your collection. As you'd expect, each one is themed around the digital superstar Hatsune Miku. I've outlined every card in the set below so you know what to expect. My favorite is the one shown in the image above, Miku, Child of Song.
If, like me, you haven't purchased a Secret Lair Superdrop for a while, you should know that Wizards of the Coast changed the system a little while ago. Superdrops and Secret Lair sets, in general, are now no longer printed to demand once a campaign finishes. Instead, there's a limited number of everything on offer, so you might miss out if you don't get your order in right away.
This MTG Secret Lair × Hatsune Miku: Digital Sensation will almost certainly be a popular one that sells out faster than most. I tend to sit on Secret Lair drops for a while before I decide what I'm getting, but you won't have that luxury with this one.
Hatsune Miku has a huge following and live shows that must be seen to be believed. As a collector and art-lover, I adore these cards, but they've also opened me up to a library of music that I didn't know I needed in my life and I love them all the more for that.
The post MTG Secret Lair × Hatsune Miku: Digital Sensation revealed as the next melodic drop coming later this month appeared first on Destructoid.
Apple kicked off its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) today with a keynote where the company laid out some of the new features coming to Macs, iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and the Apple Vision Pro headset. Leading up to the event, there was a lot of buzz about Apple’s first big foray into the AI […]
The post Lilbits: the Xbox Handheld is coming (eventually), another Linux phone, and some WWDC odds and ends appeared first on Liliputing.
When the Summer Game Fest trailer for "narrative-centric cosy game" Wanderstop said it was from the creator behind The Stanley Parable, I thought I had surely entered a different dimension where The Stanley Parable was actually a wholesome shop-keeping sim rather than a zig-zagging office-based nightmare. Then Wanderstop started to get rather bleak, and I finally stopped pinching myself. See for yourself.
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Book 4 Edge earlier this month. It's the company's first laptop that's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite. As you'd expect, AI is front and center on this product, with the Galaxy Book 4 Edge boasting some Galaxy AI features.
The company has started taking pre-orders for the device in some markets already. The launch information was limited for its home market of South Korea, but Samsung has now provided clarity on the matter.
Samsung confirmed during a media day event for the product yesterday that it's going to launch the Galaxy Book 4 Edge in South Korea next month, June 18th, to be precise. Pricing starts at 2.15 million won or $1,563 for the 14-inch variant, with other models in larger sizes costing a bit more.
It's a pretty capable notebook, powered by the Snapdragon X Elite and a dedicated NPU for 45 TOPS of AI performance. An ARM64-optimized version of Windows 11 is onboard with the promise of exceptional battery life. The chipset is paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Other specs include a Dynamic AMOLED 2X touchscreen display with 3K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 120% color gamut average.
A handful of AI features are also present on the device. This includes Circle to Search via Link to Windows, access to Windows Copilot with a dedicated key, a new Recall feature that lets users search for recently created emails, videos, or documents, Live Captions with translation, Windows Studio Effects during video calls, and more.
The post Galaxy Book 4 Edge release in South Korea set for June appeared first on SamMobile.
While still quite uncommon, we've seen the rise of dual-screen laptops over the past couple of years, with Lenovo first introducing the world to its Yoga Book 9i, and then a year or so later we got a copycat from Asus with its Zenbook Duo. Of course, these types of devices aren't for everyone, but there's defintently some compelling reasons why having a second screen on a laptop can be a good idea.
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