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

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The Wednesday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Call of Duty 4 is one of the best-selling Steam games right now, but only because you need it to play an ambitious Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer mod launching this week
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/call-of-duty/call-of-duty-4-is-one-of-the-best-selling-steam-games-right-now-but-only-because-you-need-it-to-play-an-ambitious-modern-warfare-2-multiplayer-mod-launching-this-week/
There's a Call of Duty climbing the top sellers list on Steam right now, and it's not Black Ops 6. It's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, the 2016 re-release of 2007's Call of Duty 4. It's currently number three on the best-selling games list (by revenue) in the US and hanging out in the top 10 worldwide, beating out the likes of Dota 2, The First Descendent, and Baldur's Gate 3.
That's a bit weird at first glance—the remaster going on sale for $20 somewhat explains the sales bump, but it doesn't account for why this one not particularly active CoD remaster is outselling every other game in the series and most other games on Steam.
The real reason for the renewed interest is way more fun, and very PC gaming: There's a long-awaited fan mod coming out this week that revives classic Modern Warfare 2 (2009) multiplayer on PC, and you need this remaster to get it working.
The project, called H2M, is coming out August 16. On the mod's website, developers say H2M aims to recreate classic Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer while adding "a wide variety of maps, new progression, unique camos, remastered weapons, custom attachments, and more."

A massive free update and a 50% discount sends Cult of the Lamb rocketing up the Steam charts
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/a-massive-free-update-and-a-50-discount-sends-cult-of-the-lamb-rocketing-up-the-steam-charts/
The world's suddenly got a lot more cult leaders in contention. Thanks to the release of its packed Unholy Alliance update and an accompanying half-off discount, Cult of the Lamb has launched into the upper echelons of Steam's top sellers charts, ranked 4th in the US at time of writing and 6th worldwide.
Cult of the Lamb's second major update for 2024, Unholy Alliance brings a cuddly occult comrade for the action roguelike's titular Lamb. A second player can take on the role of the Goat and join in for full co-op in local play or with Steam's Remote Play Together.

GOG has five new Limited Time Offers and a new Promo:

• These are the LTO, that will last 46 hours:
  • A Building Full of Cats is 20% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/a_building_full_of_cats
  • Elvira II: The Jaws of Cerberus also gets a 20% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/elvira_ii_the_jaws_of_cerberus
  • Decision: Red Daze is 70% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/decision_red_daze
  • A Golden Wake has an 80% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/a_golden_wake
  • And the last one is BattleZone 98 Redux, 81% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/battlezone_98_redux
• The Build & Manage Promo features up to 90% discounts during 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20240814_build_manage_promo

Steam has a new sale and a new deal:

• For all the cat lovers out there, the Cat Awareness Feline Sale feature games with cats up to 85% off until August 22: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/CatAwarenessFelineSale
• Meanwhile, Bakery Simulator gets a 91% discount until the 27th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1031120/Bakery_Simulator/

Fanatical has three new 24h Flash Deals:

• Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is 35% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/apollo-justice-ace-attorney-trilogy
• Sniper Elite 5 - Deluxe Edition gets a 79% deal: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/sniper-elite-5-deluxe-edition
• And Prey has a 91% discount: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/prey-game

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

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MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Dark Souls 3 will soon get a mod that will remaster its lighting
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/dark-souls-3-will-soon-get-a-mod-that-will-remaster-its-lighting/
Modder ‘Trivia Vanille’ is currently working on a graphics mod for Dark Souls 3 that aims to remaster its lighting. This mod is based on the upcoming DS3 LightingEngine mod. And below, you can find some screenshots from it.
In case you didn’t know, Ganaboy is working on a version of his Dark Souls 2 Lighting Engine Mod for Dark Souls 3. This mod aims to bring major lighting improvements to the game. My guess is that it will also add support for NVIDIA’s DLSS and DLAA. After all, DS2LE already supports them.
In these screenshots, Vanille showcased some new graphics effects that will come to DS3. PC gamers can now enjoy regenerated cubemaps, SSR, SSS and GTAO.
At the end of the article, you can find some before/after comparison screenshots. These will give you a better idea of the graphical improvements that this mod will bring to the table. The vanilla screenshots are on the left, whereas the modded ones are on the right. So, be sure to check them out.
One of the big differences is the color palette. The modded version of Dark Souls 3 looks richer and more vibrant. It also feels more natural. For instance, the fake light behind the main character has been removed. However, I can also spot some artistic differences between them. So, it will be kind of a mixed bag for some.

Doom 2 just got a cool new Doom 64-inspired episode mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/doom-2-just-got-a-cool-new-doom-64-inspired-episode-mod/
Doom 64 is one of my favorite Doom games of all time. Thus, I’m happy to report that Doom 2 just got a brand new mod that is heavily inspired by it, called DBP64: The Vast Silence.
As its creator claimed, The Vast Silence is a Doom 64-themed episode for Doom 2 designed for limit removing source ports made by various members of Doomer Boards.
Apparently, this mod came out in February 2024. In other words, it passed under my radar, and shame on all of you for not informing me. So, better late than ever, I guess.
>> There’s a 6 minutes video.

New Skyrim Mod adds amazing real-time dismemberment system
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/new-skyrim-mod-adds-amazing-real-time-dismemberment-system/
Now here’s something really cool. Modder ‘Seb263’ has released a new cool mod for Skyrim: Special Edition. This mod, called Dismembering Framework, allows you to cut the limbs of your enemies in real-time during fights. But that’s not all. The mod also adds realistic blood effects and sounds that change depending on the type of armor and weapons being used. So, if you’re into Skyrim and want a more intense and realistic battle experience, this mod might be perfect for you.
This mod doesn’t use Papyrus scripts like other mods do. Instead, it works directly with the game engine to make dismemberments happen in real-time. This means there won’t be any noticeable delays, and the game will run smoothly without the usual lag from scripts. So, you’ll get a more immersive and seamless experience while playing. Cool, right?
Not only that, but the mod also makes sure limbs are cut off accurately. By using another mod called “Precision,” the game will cut off limbs exactly where you aim. This makes fatal attacks look even more realistic. And, in a way, it will remind you of Die by the Sword. Well, that is if you are an old-school PC gamer. So, if you want the best experience, remember to install the Precision mod along with this framework.
And that is not all. The mod adds realistic blood splatters with physics that are expelled from severed limbs until the body is drained. It also allows NPCs to dismember each other. And yes, this also includes all animals. Oh, and the mod can also work with other mods too. So that’s another cool thing to keep in mind.
>> There’s a less than 2 minutes trailer of the mod.

This awesome mod sees TF2 come to CoD Zombies—which is all the more impressive considering it'd typically be the other way around
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-awesome-mod-sees-tf2-come-to-cod-zombies-which-is-all-the-more-impressive-considering-it-d-typically-be-the-other-way-around/
It's a rare delight to discover that a game you hadn't considered not only has an active modding community, but has one with some really clever boffins doing some awesome work. As is the case with Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, a game that came out in 2015 but is still receiving new workshop content almost a decade later.
Enter TF2 Zombies: A loving recreation of 2Fort (a map so iconic and recognisable in gaming that it's only outdone by Dust) all within Black Ops 3. You can see it showcased by YouTuber FPSpsycho below, though considering the map has 43,520 subscribers at the time of writing and was posted in May, it's been in the ecosystem for a while.
What's really impressive here is the attention to detail—this isn't just an asset flip with a bunch of CoD models gunking the place up. The base game mode has been recreated using TF2 UI assets, all of its models have been swapped, and even the mode's perks—such as the Double-Tap Root Beer or Stamin-Up—have been given their own custom Bonk! Energy drink cans to keep the whole thing in-universe.
The only thing stopping this from looking like a GMOD server or is, invariably, the Black Ops 3 zombies shambling about and the unmistakable feeling of its physics engine. The map itself is a group effort, with a credits list featuring 17 modders (shared below—I'm excluding Valve from that count for obvious reasons) and was produced for the Noahj456 mapping contest.
>> The video is over 40 minutes long.

GAMING NEWS

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone Official PC Requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/chernobylite-2-exclusion-zone-official-pc-requirements/
A couple of days ago, The Farm 51 announced the sequel to its post-apocalyptic STALKER-like action RPG, Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone. And, from the looks of it, the team has also revealed its PC requirements. So, let’s take a look at them.

Until Dawn is coming to PC on October 4th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/until-dawn-is-coming-to-pc-on-october-4th/
Sony has just announced that the remake of Until Dawn will be released on PC on October 4th. To celebrate this announcement, the company has shared a new trailer which you can find below.