"Fortnite patch 2.4.1 is now available, adds 3D Resolution slider, MiniGun and Cozy Campfires"

Resolution sliders deserve to be a standard in PC games.

It would be wonderful if devs added in a check box, that tells the engine to render at whatever res our GPUs can output at any given time.
Essentially, I want an easy way to have dynamic super sampling, all handled by the engine.
Oh and arbitrary resolution scalars, don't limit us to 100 or 200%.

IIRC, AC:O has this...as well as check box for dynamic resolution (to keep targeted frame rate).

I'd rather have CPU workload scaling because AC:O surely isn't GPU limited.

"Assassin’s Creed Origins “VMProtect + Denuvo” protection has been cracked"
Problem solved.

As for dynamic supersampling.
It looks to be something that will someday be a standard.
VR developers seem to be leading the charge on this front.
I also haven't played AC:O, so I don't know if has such a feature.

I'd rather have confirmation first if that fixes it.

Tuesday news!

SALES & "SALES"/DEALS

The Sims 4 is on sale for $10, expansions 50% off
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-sims-4-is-on-sale-for-10-expansions-50-off/
To mark the 18th anniversary of The Sims franchise, there's a pretty hefty sale happening for its most recent incarnation: The Sims 4 is on sale on Origin for 75% off, bringing the price down to a penny under $10.

>>That may be in the US, because here in Spain the discounts go from 25 to 50%. In any case, the sale will end this Thursday 8th.

Given that it's an Origin sale, I guess not many of you are interested in that Sims sale. Luckily, we have GOG and Steam:

• At GOG there are two new sales:
  • Telltale Games puts their games on sale: https://www.gog.com/promo/20180205_telltale
  • To celebrate the launch of the Close Combat series at GOG, the games are on sale: https://www.gog.com/promo/20180206_launch_promo_close_combat
• Meanwhile, at Steam we have the 1249 weeklong deals. Among those we can find:
  • PAKO 2 is 30% off (and yes, there is a first game but no, it's not on sale): http://store.steampowered.com/app/612370/PAKO_2/
  • Yesterday Origins is 34% off (and again, the first game is not on sale): http://store.steampowered.com/app/465280/Yesterday_Origins/
  • The Early Access title Niffelheim is available at half its usual price: http://store.steampowered.com/app/351100/Niffelheim/
  • Conarium is 55% off: http://store.steampowered.com/app/313780/Conarium/
  • Dying Light is 60% off, and the enhanced edition 67%: http://store.steampowered.com/app/239140/Dying_Light/
  • For those that want some sense of humor, LEGO MARVEL's Avengers is 60% off: http://store.steampowered.com/app/405310/LEGO_MARVELs_Avengers/
  • For the umpteenth time, The Witcher series is on sale: http://store.steampowered.com/bundle/727/The_Witcher_Trilogy/
  • And last, but not least, the Crysis series is also on sale: http://store.steampowered.com/sub/15609/ (oh, and a bunch of other EA titles are on sale too)

SOFTWARE

Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom will not be using the Denuvo anti-tamper tech
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ni-no-kuni-ii-revenant-kingdom-will-not-be-using-the-denuvo-anti-tamper-tech/
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom releases next month and according to its official Steam store page, this game will not be plagued by the Denuvo anti-tamper tech. This appears to be a pleasant surprise as Bandai Namco’s previous title, Dragon Ball FighterZ, used it.

>>Awesome news.

MODS/EMULATORS

Unreal Engine 4 Zelda fan tech demo lets you fight against the Darknut, available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/unreal-engine-4-zelda-fan-tech-demo-lets-you-fight-against-darknut-available-for-download/
YouTube’s ‘Aklar_45’ has released a new Zelda fan tech demo in Unreal Engine 4. This demo lets you control Fierce Deity Link and allows you to fight Darknut. What’s also interesting here is that Aklar_45 aims to release a VR version of this demo too in the near future.

>>This is the download link.

GAMING NEWS

Square Enix will fix the LOD and stuttering issues in the final version of Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/square-enix-will-fix-the-lod-and-stuttering-issues-in-the-final-version-of-final-fantasy-xv-windows-edition/
A couple of days ago, we informed you about some GameWorks HairWorks issues that currently affect the benchmark tool for Final Fantasy XV. And from the looks of it, Square Enix is now aware of these issues and will address them in the full version of the game.

>>We'll see about that.

Forbidden Forgiveness is a new Unreal Engine 4-powered psychological horror game, first screenshots
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/forbidden-forgiveness-is-a-new-unreal-engine-4-powered-psychological-horror-game-first-screenshots/
GeekyMouse has shared the first details and screenshots for its upcoming psychological horror game, Forbidden Forgiveness. Forbidden Forgiveness is as first-person horror game that promises to feature unique puzzles, and will be powered by Unreal Engine 4.

Puyo Puyo Tetris is coming to the PC on February 27th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/puyo-puyo-tetris-is-coming-to-the-pc-on-february-27th/
SEGA has just announced that Puyo Puyo Tetris will be coming to the PC on February 27th. In order to celebrate this announcement, the publisher released a new trailer for the PC version that you can view below.

New State of Mind screenshots released
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/new-state-of-mind-screenshots-released/
Daedalic has released a new set of screenshots for State of Mind, showcasing some of its environments and its characters. This game has been under development for quite a while and unfortunately, it still suffers from a heavy use of Chromatic Aberration effects.

The news, part two:

The MGS5 'nuclear disarmament' event triggered this weekend, but no one seems to know why
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-mgs5-nuclear-disarmament-event-triggered-this-weekend-but-no-one-seems-to-know-why/
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain has a special, very-briefly-secret event that was set to trigger if, and only if, all of the nuclear weapons in the game have been removed. It first came to light thanks to the efforts of dataminers, and Konami confirmed it a few months later. On February 2 the event was finally triggered, rewarding players with a cutscene memorializing the accomplishment. There was one problem, however. It wasn't supposed to happen.

In FPS brawler Sky Noon, the west is wild thanks to grappling hooks and jetpacks
https://www.pcgamer.com/in-fps-brawler-sky-noon-the-west-is-wild-thanks-to-grappling-hooks-and-jetpacks/
The Wild West is looking as wild as ever thanks to Sky Noon, a first-person multiplayer brawler from developer Lunar Rooster and Reverb Triple XP. Set to enter Steam Early Access later this year, Sky Noon will pit 2-8 players against each other in a floating arena.

Unicef's 'Game Chaingers' asks gamers to mine cryptocurrency to support relief efforts in Syria
https://www.pcgamer.com/unicefs-game-chaingers-asks-gamers-to-mine-cryptocurrency-to-support-relief-efforts-in-syria/
Unicef, the United Nations Children's Fund, is looking to gamers to help the children of the Syrian civil war through a program called Game Chaingers—spelled that way as a pun on "blockchain," which is how the scheme works. Instead of donating money, participants will donate GPU time to mine the Etherium cryptocurrency on behalf of the agency.

Ancestors Legacy open beta begins tomorrow
https://www.pcgamer.com/ancestors-legacy-open-beta-begins-tomorrow/
Ancestors Legacy was announced last year as a "historically accurate" RTS featuring Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Germans, and Slavs doing battle for dominance across northern Europe. Developer Destructive Creations announced today that the game will be released worldwide on May 22, and that a multiplayer open beta version, including all four nations and three maps with support for two to six players, will be available for all on February 6.

Ash of Gods is a game about angels and free will that looks like The Banner Saga
https://www.pcgamer.com/ash-of-gods-is-a-game-about-angels-and-free-will-that-looks-like-the-banner-saga/
"The Great Reaping has begun" is not the sort of news you ever want to see flashing on a CNN chyron, but that's how the action gets rolling in the upcoming turn-based RPG-CCG Ash of Gods. The world is in trouble as another one of those ancient evils that nobody believes in comes to life, and it falls to you to do something about it.

Rainbow Six Siege 'Outbreak' gets another cinematic trailer starring Ash
https://www.pcgamer.com/rainbow-six-siege-outbreak-gets-another-cinematic-trailer-starring-ash/
Rainbow Six Siege is getting an alien-shooting four-player cooperative mode. If you'd told me that two years ago, I wouldn't have believed you. While it's among my favourite shooters, RS:6 isn't a funny or lighthearted game. It's very serious.

Fortnite Battle Royale's latest limited-time mode improves first-shot accuracy
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnite-battle-royales-latest-limited-time-mode-improves-first-shot-accuracy/
From its snipers-only shootouts to its stealth-driven Sneaky Silencers, Fortnite Battle Royale loves a gimmick. Its latest limited-time mode, however, targets how weapons work, and how they might improve down the line. Shooting Test #1 is live now.

Civilization 4 veterans unveil historical 4X strategy game 10 Crowns
https://www.pcgamer.com/civilization-4-veterans-unveil-historical-4x-strategy-game-10-crowns/
No matter what this PC Gamer reader survey says, Civilization 4 is the best Civilization. Agreed? Good. Mohawk Games—the studio co-founded by Civ 4 lead designer Soren Johnson and art director Dorian Newcomb—has now announced 10 Crowns, a historical 4X turn-based strategy affair that aims to let players create the "greatest dynasty in world history."

>>There's a good question there: which Civ game is the best in your opinion? I only got into Civ with the fifth installment, so I can't vote.

Wednesday news:

SALES & "SALES"/DEALS

Let's start with a new Humble Bundle, the Humble Best of 2017 Bundle... but be careful! It's not about the best games of 2017, but the most popular games of last year's bundles. It's an important difference.

On the Bundle Store, there's a new sale featuring VR games, for those of you that have a headset: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/vr-sale

Lastly, we have the Steam Midweek Madness deals, this time featuring three games:

• Steep is 50% off: http://store.steampowered.com/app/460920/Steep/
• Fairy Fencer F Advent Dark Force (the title is much longer, but f*ck it) is 70% off: http://store.steampowered.com/app/524580/Fairy_Fencer_F_Advent_Dark_Force____ADVENT_DARK_FORCE___F_ADVENT_DARK_FORCE/
• Cities: Skylines is not only 75% off (too bad the DLC isn't) but also free to try until this Sunday: http://store.steampowered.com/app/255710/Cities_Skylines/

SOFTWARE

Former DICE artist shares screenshots and video of his incredible new forest Unreal Engine 4 project
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/former-dice-artist-screenshots-video-incredible-forest-unreal-engine-4/
Former DICE artist, Ren, has shared some new screenshots and a video for his amazing forest project. This project shows the graphical capabilities of Unreal Engine 4 and explores the limits of real-time rendering.

MODS/EMULATORS

Borderlands 2 unofficial community patch 4.0.10 is available, featuring over 380 changes and fixes
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/borderlands-2-unofficial-community-patch-4-0-10-is-available-featuring-over-380-changes-and-fixes/
Borderlands fans, here is something for you today. Shadowevil and a team of modders (FromDarkHell, Jim Raven, Adudney, laxlife, AngrierPat, Zububu, B33PB00PJOE, Koby, empireScum, LightChaosman, SirUmnei, Hydrattler, Kazy, Aaron0000, Dave Rabbit and Mike Soze) have released the 4.0.10 version of the unofficial community patch for Borderlands 2.

>>Check the article for download links.

New high-resolution textures released for the first Mass Effect game
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/new-high-resolution-textures-released-for-the-first-mass-effect-game/
Modders ‘CreeperLava’ and ‘CDAMJC’ have released new versions of their high quality texture packs for the first Mass Effect game, ALOT and MEUITM. These new versions feature some new high-resolution textures for a number of characters, surfaces and objects, and they are a must-have for everyone who wants to replay Bioware’s title.

>>Both mods are available from Nexus Mods. Check the article for the links.

GAMING NEWS

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege gets another free to play weekend
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/tom-clancys-rainbow-six-siege-gets-another-free-to-play-weekend/
Ubisoft has announced a new free to play weekend for Rainbow Six Siege. This free weekend will begin on February 15th and will last until February 18th. Naturally, all your in-game progress will carry over whenever you buy a full version of Rainbow Six Siege.

Open-world first-person horror survival game, Desolate, hits Steam Early Access on February 8th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/open-world-first-person-horror-survival-game-desolate-hits-steam-early-access-on-february-8th/
HypeTrain Digital has announced that its new open-world first-person horror survival game, Desolate, will hit Steam Early Access on February 8th. In Desolate, players will take the role of a Volunteer, and explore a place filled with threats of every shape and size – from monsters and madmen to supernatural anomalies and seemingly impossible weather patterns.

The Surge 2 is under development and planned for a 2019 release
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-surge-2-is-under-development-and-planned-for-a-201-release/
Focus Home Interactive and Deck13 have just announced the renewal of their partnership with the development of The Surge 2. The Surge 2 promises to feature larger and more ambitious level design, more brutal combat, and an expanded limb-targeting system.

>>Shikamo has made a thread about it.

Fear of the Wolves is a new post-apocalyptic battle royale game from the developers of STALKER
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/fear-of-the-wolves-is-a-new-post-apocalyptic-battle-royale-game-from-the-developers-of-stalker/
Focus Home Interactive and Vostok Games – the developers who created the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise – have announced that their working on a new post-apocalyptic first-person shooter battle royale game. This is called Fear of the Wolves, will release in 2018, and promises to offer a new and original take on the growing Battle Royale genre.

First 2018 patch for Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft brings card changes and several events
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/first-2018-patch-for-hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft-brings-card-changes-and-several-events/
Blizzard has released the first Hearthstone update of 2018, bringing a number of card changes. Moreover, Blizzard announced that it will be holding several Wild events from February 19 to March 11. Starting on February 19 and lasting through March 11, the Arena draft will offer cards that are exclusive to Wild, instead of only Standard cards.

New Metro: Exodus screenshots surface, showcasing environments and characters
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/new-metro-exodus-screenshots-surface-showcasing-environments-and-characters/
GameInformer will feature Metro: Exodus in its March cover and a new screenshots of 4A Games’ upcoming shooter have surfaced. These brand new screenshots showcase some of the game’s environments alongside various characters.

Wednesday news, part two:

Hunt: Showdown's 'work-in-progress' system requirements recommend a GTX 970
https://www.pcgamer.com/hunt-showdown-system-requirements/
The greatest challenge we faced in the Hunt: Showdown alpha—aside from the bees—was maintaining a consistent framerate. All of us who played encountered stuttering, with framerates dipping heavily, especially during scuffles with players and monsters, where freezing and hitching are deadly.
Hunt is in alpha, so problems like this are expected, but improving performance is going to be crucial if Hunt is going to be any fun for most people. In an email sent to PC Gamer this morning, Crytek laid out its working plan for optimization.

The Zulu are coming to Civilization 6 in the Rise and Fall expansion
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-zulu-are-coming-to-civilization-6-in-the-rise-and-fall-expansion/
The upcoming Civilization 6: Rise and Fall expansion will add the Zulu to the roster of nations, led by Shaka, the illegitimate son of a Zulu chief who would suffer exile and humiliation before finding his place as a warrior in the ibutho, eventually rising to become one of the most influential rulers of the Zulu Kingdom.

Germany may ban loot boxes
https://www.pcgamer.com/germany-may-ban-loot-boxes/
Germany is looking into imposing restrictions on loot boxes in videogames, according to this Welt report, which says (via Google Translate, so caveats apply) that a study by the University of Hamburg has found that elements of gambling are becoming increasingly common in videogames. It's an important part of the game industry's business model, but the chairman of the Youth Protection Commission of the State Media Authorities warned that it may violate laws against promoting gambling to children and adolescents.

Manga publisher VIZ Media announces indie program and first original game
https://www.pcgamer.com/manga-publisher-viz-media-announces-indie-program-and-first-original-game/
Manga and anime distributor VIZ Media is partnering with Portland-based studio Rose City Games to launch a new publishing program dedicated to original indie games. The pair announced their first game, The World Next Door, today as the first of three currently in the works.

Into the Breach, from the makers of FTL, is coming this month
https://www.pcgamer.com/into-the-breach-from-the-makers-of-ftl-is-coming-this-month/
Into the Breach, the next game from the makers of FTL, will launch on Steam, GOG and the Humble Store on Tuesday, February 27, two-man developer Subset Games announced today.

Retro cartoon adventure Crossing Souls gets a free demo
https://www.pcgamer.com/retro-cartoon-adventure-crossing-souls-gets-a-free-demo/
Crossing Souls is an action-adventure game styled after '80s cartoons like He-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It's due out a week from today on February 13, and developer Fourattic is giving out free samples on Steam through a fairly sizable demo. It covers "the first few hours" of the game and introduces main characters Chris, Joe, Charlene, Kevin and Matthew, the studio says.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War - Blade of Galadriel is out now, so here's a trailer
https://www.pcgamer.com/middle-earth-shadow-of-war-blade-of-galadriel-is-out-now-so-heres-a-trailer/
A new Middle-earth: Shadow of War expansion called The Blade of Galadriel went live today, giving players the opportunity to switch things up as Eltariel, an elite Elven assassin who's been sent by Galadriel to hang a job on the Nazgul. The new character comes complete with new Nemesis characters including Flint, Tinder, and the Slayer of the Dead, plus eight unique Legendary Orcs who will join your army in the main campaign.

Rocket League may get competitive Snow Day and Hoops
https://www.pcgamer.com/rocket-league-may-get-competitive-snow-day-and-hoops/
In a Reddit post explaining some of Psyonix's update decisions, game director Corey Davis wrote that the dev team is "engaged in design discussions" about how to add "an experience equivalent to Competitive play for our existing alternate modes." That includes Snow Day, Hoops, Dropshot, and Rumble.

Hand of Fate 2 update lets players make their own missions
https://www.pcgamer.com/hand-of-fate-2-update-lets-players-to-make-their-own-missions/
Hand of Fate 2, the choose-your-own-adventure/Arkham brawler/RPG with cards, recently updated to give players access to its "Game Master's Toolkit". These are the same tools the designers at Defiant Development used to create the game's quests, each a unique mix of cards and combat encounters, and are also the tools they're using to make future DLC.

Kerbal Space Program's Making History expansion bringing mission builder next month
https://www.pcgamer.com/kerbal-space-programs-making-history-expansion-bringing-mission-builder-next-month/
Originally announced in March 2017, Making History makes two big additions to the base game. The first, and arguably most exciting, is a mission builder enabling players to create, edit and share custom scenarios. "Players can customize their own missions to include launches, landings, rescues, malfunctions, explosions, repairs and much more," the studio says. Right, that's the making sorted, and we're guessing it won't be long before someone creates a mission to launch an electric car into orbit.

"Former DICE artist shares screenshots and video of his incredible new forest Unreal Engine 4 project"
https://overview.artbyrens.com/
Looks like the demo was run on a system with two 1080Tis in SLI.
Impressive stuff, by someone who is clearly very passionate about pushing the limits.
Hopefully the final product reflects that passion accurately.

"Hunt: Showdown's 'work-in-progress' system requirements recommend a GTX 970"
"Since we are most likely CPU-bound on most configurations"
CPU bound, on a PC, that is rare sight.
Hopefully this game can save Crytek.
The game does look like it could draw in a large audience, assuming they can run the game.