Oh nice. Same from me on if the sites close down.

Same, I have discord on my phone but like Whatsapp, I'm mostly a lurker in all the chats I'm in or respond to certain things if it benefits my interests.

The Thursday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

The Epic Store gives away LOVE: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/love-65c4d0
There's no mention on what they'll give away next week.

GOG hosts Toge Productions' 15th Anniversary Sale, featuring up to 80% discounts until January, the 24th: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/2024_toge_productions_publisher_sale.

Steam has two new deals:

• Darkwood will be 75% off until the 24th of January: https://store.steampowered.com/app/274520/Darkwood/
• And we also find Toge Productions' 15th Anniversary Sale, bu this time with up to 90% discounts until the 24th: https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/togeproductions/sale/togesale2024

And Fanatical has launched the new BYO Shooter Bundle, featuring 19 titles to choose from for your 3, 5 or 8 games bundle: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-shooter-bundle.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

New RTX Remix Path Tracing Screenshots for Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
https://www.dsogaming.com/articles/new-rtx-remix-path-tracing-screenshots-for-dark-messiah-of-might-and-magic/
In August 2023, we informed you about an RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod for Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. And today, we have some new screenshots to share from it.
Created by wiltOS Technologies, this mod aims to implement full Ray Tracing/Path Tracing effects to this classic title. And, as with most of the RTX Remix Mods we’ve shared these past few days, the following screenshots are not based on the upcoming Open Beta build of RTX Remix. However, the modding team aims to properly use those tools once they come out. As such, this RTX Remix will keep getting better and better. So yeah, make sure to keep that in mind.
Now what’s interesting here is that in order to make Dark Messiah of Might and Magic compatible with RTX Remix, wiltOS Technologies had to make it work with the DX7 API. The modding team claimed that this API downgrade had a visual impact on the game’s reflections. However, thanks to RTX Remix, they have managed to add path-traced reflections which are better in every way than the DX9 shader-based reflections.
There is currently no ETA on when this RTX Remix Mod will come out. However, the modding team already got access to the Open Beta build of RTX Remix, and it has experimented with it. So, hopefully, we’ll see more screenshots and videos in the coming weeks.

You can now play as Halo’s Master Chief in Starfield
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/halo-master-chief-starfield-mod/
Halo and Starfield fans, here is something for you today. Modder ‘Bonepunk’ has just released a new mod for Starfield that allows you to play as Master Chief from the Halo games.
To be more precise, this mod adds different Spartan Cores and Attachments from Halo Infinite to Starfield. And yes, it also includes the classic Mark V and Mark VI armors that Master Chief uses. As such, you can use them and role-play as Master Chief in Bethesda’s RPG.
You can download the mod from this link. Make also sure to download the 4K Textures for it that are included on that page. At the end of the article, you can also find some screenshots from it.

Batman: Arkham Knight mod fills age-old plot hole about how the Dark Knight stays hydrated, blasts Dr Pepper toward thugs 'at a solid 112MPH'
https://www.pcgamer.com/batman-arkham-knight-mod-fills-age-old-plot-hole-about-how-the-dark-knight-stays-hydrated-blasts-dr-pepper-toward-thugs-at-a-solid-112mph/
Look, I'm not going to lie to you, this is very stupid. So stupid that it might be very important? No. But it has produced some truly spectacular screenshots, and I'll be good and goddamned if I don't gin up some excuse to show them to you.
I'm talking, of course, about The Dr Pepper, a mod for Batman: Arkham Knight that replaces the Dark Knight's Freeze Blast gadget with a, uh, can of Dr Pepper. Yes.
Created by a modder named MrBinks—who usually dabbled in suit mods before experiencing some kind of traumatic, soda-related life event—The Dr Pepper pledges to answer the age-old question "How in the hell does the so-called 'Dark Knight' stay hydrated?" A question that's animated forums and comment sections for years if not decades.
>> The article has some screenshots.

GAMING NEWS

Tomb Raider I-III Remastered vs Original Screenshots Comparison
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/tomb-raider-i-iii-remastered-vs-original-screenshots-comparison/
Aspyr Media has shared some comparison screenshots between Tomb Raider I-III Remastered and the original versions of these classic TR games. These screenshots will give you a glimpse of the graphical improvements that these remasters bring to the table. So, go ahead and take a look at them.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 & Warzone 2 now support AMD FSR 3.0 Frame Generation
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3-warzone-2-amd-fsr-3-0-frame-generation/
Beenox has just released a new update for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone 2 that adds support for AMD FSR 3.0 Frame Generation. This will allow most PC gamers who use an Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD GPU to enable Frame Generation.

Take-Two has sued Remedy over its new studio logo [UPDATE: Remedy responds]
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/take-two-has-sued-remedy-over-its-studio-logo/
After chasing and suing modders, Take-Two went one step further. Yeap, as the title implies, Take-Two has sued Remedy Entertainment. The reason you may ask? The use of the letter “R” in its new logo. And no, that’s not an out-of-date April’s Fools joke.
UPDATE Remedy has responded, claiming that it has already resolved this situation with Take-Two.
>> They solved it last year...

Thursday news, the second part:

Open-world city builder-exploration game Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles shows off 30 minutes of all new gameplay
https://www.pcgamer.com/open-world-city-builder-exploration-game-bulwark-falconeer-chronicles-shows-off-30-minutes-of-all-new-gameplay/
Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, an open-world city-builder and exploration game being made by solo developer Tomas Sala, is set to arrive on March 26, and now that the release date is nailed down we can get a proper look at what's coming in an exclusive new 30-minute gameplay video showcasing a range of new features and content.

Blizzard puts Diablo 3 out to pasture as it starts to recycle old seasons
https://www.pcgamer.com/blizzard-puts-diablo-3-out-to-pasture-as-it-starts-to-recycle-old-seasons/
Diablo 4 may still have some fans on the fence but, next to Diablo 3, its launch can only be seen as a rip-roaring success. (...)
What happened next is, of course, the redemption arc of Blizzard slowly peeling-away the bad (including those auction houses), amping up the good, and eventually with the Reaper of Souls expansion crafting the experience into what it always should have been: a joyously gory ARPG where you could melt crowds of enemies in seconds.
Blizzard announced last year that Season 29 would be Diablo 3's last tranche of new content and in the event delivered big with a solo mode players have wanted for years, But now with the arrival of Season 30, the true endgame has begun, and Diablo 3 will from here on out rotate existing themed seasonal content for as long as it remains live.

Diablo 4 season 3 has 2 new Uber Uniques for your companion that will give you 'bragging rights' if you can find them
https://www.pcgamer.com/diablo-4-season-3-has-2-new-uber-uniques-for-your-companion-that-will-give-you-bragging-rights-if-you-can-find-them/
Everyone in Diablo 4 season 3 will get their very own robot companion that you can equip with all sorts of powerful skills and then modify with "tuning stones". You can read through a list of these new seasonal items in Blizzard's blog post, but two of them are left blank and said to be talked about "in hushed whispers" by Sanctuary's scholars.
In an interview with PC Gamer last week, Blizzard said these two companion tuning stones will mirror the power and rarity of Diablo 4's Uber Uniques and will give you "bragging rights" if you find them.

Baldur's Gate 3's latest hotfix makes Gale less cranky when he doesn't get his way
https://www.pcgamer.com/baldurs-gate-3s-latest-hotfix-makes-gale-less-cranky-when-he-doesnt-get-his-way/
Baldur's Gate 3 companion Gale may be "the Sword Coast's biggest wife guy," but he's also apparently a bit of a touchy sort who will permanently leave your party if you don't cough up magic items when he asks for one. Not cool! Also not intentional, as it turns out, as the latest Baldur's Gate 3 hotfix prevents him from doing so—unless you want him to.

The Wordle of 2014 is coming to Steam in February
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-wordle-of-2014-is-coming-to-steam-in-february/
Before there was Wordle, there was Threes!: A simple, logic-based puzzle game that blew up into a huge, often-copied hit. Mobile gaming site TouchArcade called it "about as close as it gets to a perfect mobile game" when it debuted on iOS devices on February 6, 2014, and with the tenth anniversary of that big day coming up, developer Asher Vollmer has announced that it's finally coming to Steam.

EverQuest is kicking off a year-long anniversary celebration with a packed calendar of new events, quests, and giveaways, culminating in 2 new expansions
https://www.pcgamer.com/everquest-2024-roadmap-25th-anniversary-expansions-events-calendar/
They say every dog has its day, but for EverQuest's Fippy Darkpaw it turns out it's a whole year. The Year of Darkpaw celebration kicked off this month with promotional events, collectibles, and bonus dungeons for tenacious adventurers still playing EverQuest to sink their gnoll fangs into. The fun will continue with new time-locked servers midyear and an expansion for both games this winter.

If The Finals wants a good solo mode, it'll have to try a lot harder than this
https://www.pcgamer.com/if-the-finals-wants-a-good-solo-mode-itll-have-to-try-a-lot-harder-than-this/
The Finals got its first ever limited-time mode today in patch 1.5.0, continuing developer Embark's uncommon strategy of surprise content drops untethered from a public roadmap. The mode is Solo Bank It, a new take on normal Bank It that trades four teams of three for one big 12-player free-for-all.

Vampire Therapist is a game about helping the living dead come to terms with their centuries-old emotional hangups
https://www.pcgamer.com/vampire-therapist-is-a-game-about-helping-the-living-dead-come-to-terms-with-their-centuries-old-emotional-hangups/
Some game announcements just immediately grab my attention, and Vampire Therapist is definitely one of them. Honestly, it had me at the title—I mean, Vampire Therapist, there's no way you don't want to know more about that—but the underlying concept looks genuinely interesting too: It's a dark comedy narrative adventure about a cowboy who was turned into a vampire in the 1800s and is now seeking help coming to terms with immortality and finding meaning in his unlife.
>> Sounds like the plot of a TV show.

Palworld climbs the Twitch charts as streamers discover it contains bird butt grenade launchers, human trafficking, and other bizarro acts of Pal cruelty
https://www.pcgamer.com/palworld-climbs-the-twitch-charts-as-streamers-discover-it-contains-bird-butt-grenade-launchers-human-trafficking-and-other-bizarro-acts-of-pal-cruelty/
Palworld, aka that game everyone has spent the last two years referring to as "Pokémon with guns," is out on Friday, but streamers are already broadcasting it ahead of launch—and going off early Twitch numbers, it's a hit. Wednesday morning (Pacific time) Palworld had around 60,000 viewers on Twitch, and that figure has climbed steadily throughout the day. At the time of writing it's neck-and-neck with Fortnite, each with around 85,000 viewers.
>> Despite the first paragraphs, the article has videos of some of features of the game.

How to watch the Xbox Direct livestream for January 2024
https://www.pcgamer.com/how-to-watch-xbox-direct-january-2024/
As 2024 begins, it's time to find out what Xbox has in store for us this year. Now with even more studio acquisitions than before, the Xbox Developer Direct is getting pretty packed. Xbox has confirmed that we'll be hearing from Obsidian, Machine Games, Oxide Studios, and Ninja Theory. Blizzard isn't getting into the mix during this show, but there will be a Diablo 4 developer update happening a few hours beforehand.
Here's exactly where and when to watch the January 2024 Xbox Direct and what we're expecting to see from its studios.

4 years after it was announced, Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is finally making its versus mode a reality with a closed alpha: 'We put it on the shelf to marinate for a bit'
https://www.pcgamer.com/4-years-after-it-was-announced-warhammer-vermintide-2-is-finally-making-its-versus-mode-a-reality-with-a-closed-alpha-we-put-it-on-the-shelf-to-marinate-for-a-bit/
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is getting a versus mode, as announced four years ago at our very own PC Gaming show, no less. Except it's for real this time. A steam post by Fatshark outlines their mission statements for the mode's closed beta test on Steam.

Tekken 8 promises to change accessibility options after potentially dangerous filters that 'may hospitalise players' were discovered
https://www.pcgamer.com/tekken-8-promises-to-change-accessibility-options-after-potentially-dangerous-filters-that-may-hospitalise-players-were-discovered/
Tekken 8 director Katushiro Harada has revealed that changes to the game's accessibility features are coming for the full game after concerns began circulating in early January around potentially life-threatening seizures relating to its colour and mask filters.

Microsoft’s 16 GB Baseline For AI PCs To Propel Memory Growth In Consumer Market, 40% AI Servers Growth In 2024

https://wccftech.com/microsoft-16-gb-baseline-ai-pcs-propel-memory-growth-consumer-market-ai-servers-growth-2024/

Samsung Exynos 2400 RDNA3 GPU is twice as fast as Exynos 2200 RDNA2 GPU in 3DMark test

https://videocardz.com/newz/samsung-exynos-2400-rdna3-gpu-is-twice-as-fast-as-exynos-2200-rdna2-gpu-in-3dmark-test

Not everybody wants to do it for free, and lack of resources was one of the other reasons given for the closure.

The site is already a shadow of what it was. I remember when I'd need to go to the second page of the Latest Topics section to find the last ones I saw the night before. Now, if I check the Latest Topics page I find that the last one has ten days...

And my personal situation isn't much better, as I've mostly cornered to this thread and the Most Wanted ones (that reminds me that I still haven't voted in the February one).

So, if/when this forum closes, I'll likely just move away from forums and likely other similar places. I don't like Reddit and while I'm on Discord, I'm not very active there.

Yeah, reminds me of a old anime forum I used to go to back in 2006/2007 - it dwindled in its population and had very similar users that were here (in personality and character lol).

Eventually the site just went offline completely in 2011 or so.

Ironically..what started the downfall imo was a thread was made suggesting that everyone in the forum group up together to play on a private server on Ragnarok Online.

This was my first dip into PC gaming ironically and well due to the fact that a lot of the bigger posters kept playing the game, forum activity fell.

Even though the forum is gone and I dont play RO - everything paved way to me getting into PC gaming officially with Steam in 2011 - never heard of Steam prior to 2011 lol.

I'm not there because I didn't want to (and still don't want), but it wouldn't surprise me if part of the decline in activity here is because of the VGChartz Discord server, that may have pulled some people away from posting here and doing it only there. But it's just a thought and that place may also have little activity.

Anyway, my introduction to Steam was when I build my first PC and the GPU came with a Steam voucher for DiRT 2. It took me a while before I actually decided to create an account, tho, because the notion of not having phisical games was odd to me, but I eventually caved in.

I think there's multiple discord servers now - amongst certain people who fragmented from the original group due to disagreements, arguments, etc.

I'm in the main one I think?

There was one I was in but I left that - I'm not that active and didnt like my phone getting spammed constantly with messages about the most random conversations.

Anyways, my first build, I remember - it was HD Radeon 7850 2GB replacing a pre-built GPU PC build. Got Sleeping Dogs with it too, ironically was suppose to get another game but I'm glad I got Sleeping Dogs because that was an amazing game.

Ironically while I was still in the phase of playing MMOs - one of my guildmates introduced me to Left 4 Dead 2 - a pirated version of the game and we were using Hamachi to do MP playthroughs.

Eventually something happened where we couldnt use Hamachi again so they introduced me to Steam.

First game I got was a gift - Torchlight 1 with 2 pre-ordered.

First set of games on my first Steam sale I bought were

-Terraria
-Left 4 Dead 2
-Ys Origin
-Assassin's Creed Director's Cut

I remember PC games boxes, boy were they the best ones. The art on them was great and you have to love those good old floppy disks.

I remember seeing them all the time at the stores and wondered what it would be like.

To this day, I've only gotten 1 physical PC game - it was the Elder Scrolls Anthology collection (Elder Scrolls 1, 2, 3, 4 and V). 3, 4 and 5 came with steam keys and I never had any of them. It cost like $25 because it was on sale.