Carzy Zarx’s PC Gaming Emporium - Catch Up on All the Latest PC Gaming Related News

[JEMC]

Thursday Wednesday news, part two:

Valve shuffles some crates around on beloved Counter-Strike map, some fans react like it shot Old Yeller: 'The more I think of this, the more upset I am'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/valve-shuffles-some-crates-around-on-beloved-counter-strike-map-some-fans-react-like-it-shot-old-yeller-the-more-i-think-of-this-the-more-upset-i-am/
Valve has released a new update for Counter-Strike 2, and changed a minor feature near the Counter-Terrorist spawn in the game's most popular map, Dust 2. Per the release notes, the developers have "modified crate stack outside CT spawn towards bombsite A", which doesn't sound like much, but oh my is there some weepin' and a-wailin'.

Baldur's Gate 3 dev says it's Larian's philosophy to 'fuel and reward' player creativity: 'They found a way to exploit the game, let them have it, it's awesome'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/baldurs-gate-3-programmer-says-its-larians-philosophy-to-fuel-and-reward-player-creativity-they-found-a-way-to-exploit-the-game-let-them-have-it-its-awesome/
At a games conference in Sofia, Bulgaria earlier this year, Larian gameplay scripter Mihail Kostov gave a presentation outlining the philosophies and strategies the studio employs to ensure games like Baldur's Gate 3 stay playable even as players are actively tearing them apart. Recently made public on YouTube (via GamesRadar), Kostov's talk explains how Larian addresses "edge cases"—times when "player action may push a system to the extreme"—with solutions that reward, rather than stifle, creativity.

Humble Games says it's 'restructuring,' employees say its entire staff has been laid off
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/humble-games-layoffs/
Humble Games, an indie-focused publisher with dozens of games in its catalog, is "restructuring," according to a statement published on X—but that new structure doesn't involve any of its employees.

The developers of this new micro-tactics roguelite RPG say it's 'small in scale, grand in depth'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-developers-of-this-new-micro-tactics-roguelite-rpg-say-its-small-in-scale-grand-in-depth/
A new tactical RPG has you put together small adventurer teams and take on time-limited battles against a variety of monsters in fast runs to reclaim ancient mines beneath a fantasy world. Forgotten Mines, out today by solo developer Cannibal Goose, strings together micro-sized tactical arena battles into runs at glory as you build up resources and treasures to recruit ever-better adventurers and get deeper into the earth.

Super Earth grants free mechs to all Helldivers 2 players in celebration of a last-minute Major Order victory
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/super-earth-grants-free-mechs-to-all-helldivers-2-players-in-celebration-of-a-last-minute-major-order-victory/
Over the weekend in Helldivers 2, the tireless forces of Super Earth proved that the narrowest of victories can bring the sweetest rewards—particularly when those rewards involve a surprise, galaxy-wide mech giveaway. When a Major Order demanding the liberation of three planets seemed doomed to fail, the Helldivers achieved a last-minute victory so impressive that High Command's rolling out war robots to everyone who can fill a cockpit.

Marvel's Overwatch-style hero shooter has players scrambling to log in and push a payload as their favorite superheroes
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/marvels-overwatch-style-hero-shooter-has-players-scrambling-to-log-in-and-push-a-payload-as-their-favorite-superheroes/
Marvel Rivals, the new Overwatch-style third-person hero shooter, has a killer theme song that I heard several times while waiting to log in as its closed beta was hammered by legions of other players trying to do the same. After about an hour, however, the servers seem to have stabilized and I managed to get in and play a match.
The servers went online a few hours ago and it seems like they weren't quite prepared for the number of players who want to team fight as classic Marvel heroes, like Spider-Man, Loki, and Storm. Several players reported being stuck on the title screen on the Steam forums, and some say they were disconnected when they finally entered a match.
>> Seems like the usual problems.

Here's a free walking sim about cryptid investigation that's dripping with early 2000s vibes, complete with fake forums
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/heres-a-free-walking-sim-about-cryptid-investigation-thats-dripping-with-early-2000s-vibes-complete-with-fake-forums/
Want to spend some time in the dark streets and woods of a Polish village in the early 2000s? I know I do, which is why I'm playing Krypta FM—and sharing that it exists with you. In Krypta FM you'll do some authentic cryptid investigating in Gozdary, Poland, where you'll take pictures of stuff, post on forums, and listen to radio broadcasts between bouts of wandering around town.

13 years later, this bonkers third-person shooter collab between Suda51 and the creator of Resident Evil is finally coming to PC
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/13-years-later-this-bonkers-third-person-shooter-collab-between-suda51-and-the-creator-of-resident-evil-is-finally-coming-to-pc/
Shadows of the Damned released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011, and by all accounts it sold terribly. A collaboration between Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, on paper it's a project that should have sold decently: a surreal third-person shooter inspired by Kafka and straight-to-VHS schlock? No wonder EA published it! 
Well actually, the trailer above—which celebrates the imminent release of the game's PC debut—goes a little way towards explaining why it sold poorly. Console games in 2011 were all about macho grey shooters, not whatever that is. Unsurprisingly, it's since established a cult following, so hopefully the new edition meets a better reception come October when it'll release on Steam.

Warframe's upcoming 1999 expansion adds a romance system, and it's all thanks to Baldur's Gate 3
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/warframes-upcoming-1999-expansion-adds-a-romance-system-and-its-all-thanks-to-baldurs-gate-3/
Warframe's next major story update, the 1999 expansion, will introduce plenty of new features to the mix, like '90s boy bands and instant messenger clients. However, one thing that definitely wasn't on my bingo card is a romance system that could end with a New Year's kiss from any of the Hex, a new syndicate made up of Protoframes. 

World of Warcraft: The War Within's pre-patch may have dug up the graves of deleted characters—including my ancient shaman with a hearthstone that killed me
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/world-of-warcraft-the-war-within-s-pre-patch-may-have-dug-up-the-graves-of-deleted-characters-including-my-ancient-shaman-with-a-hearthstone-that-killed-me/
World of Warcraft: The War Within is bringing a whole ton of neat changes to the game—changes like the Warband system, which have been packaged early into the expansion's pre-patch. There've been some slight glitches so far, like Warband banks being disabled, but it's otherwise a massive quality-of-life boost to the MMO.
When logging in for the first time, your existing characters will be converted to the new system—but seems to have had an unintended side effect. Characters might be coming back from the dead, clawing their way out of the deletion graveyard.

Last edited by JEMC - on 24 July 2024