The Wednesday gaming news:
SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS
GOG has the new Fallout Day Sale, with the games onf the franchise on sale with up to 75% discounts during 9 days: https://www.gog.com/es/promo/20261013_fallout_day
Steam has five new deals and one sale:
SOFTWARE & DRIVERS
Steam's new Big Art Mode is a lovely visual upgrade for my living room setup
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/steams-new-big-art-mode-is-a-lovely-visual-upgrade-for-my-living-room-setup/
Steam's Big Picture Mode just got a big visual overhaul that puts game art in the spotlight, and my living room setup has never looked better.
The new mode is rolling out of beta with the latest Steam client release. If you're all up-to-date, you can enable it within Big Picture Mode. Just head to Settings, then Home. It's called Big Art Mode.
The new Big Art Mode sticks a massive, full-size version of the game's key art behind the usual large art icon.
The update is also mentioned in the Steam Deck update notes, too.
>> Be careful with the screensaver you choose, because you may not like it (link).
Epic says its new 'vibe coded' Epic Games Store launcher is faster than Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/epic-says-its-new-vibe-coded-epic-games-store-launcher-is-faster-than-steam/
The big Epic Games Store rebuild teased earlier this year has arrived as a new "preview" client available to download for Windows and Mac, as well as Linux for the first time.
PC Gamer was shown a demonstration of the client in advance of the announcement, and the speed improvement appeared significant. Epic claims that it's halved the launcher's startup time, and that it now goes from a cold start to the store page 46% faster than Steam. (Epic says its technical improvements have been verified by an external vendor. We have yet to test the client ourselves.)
There are also updates to the interface: A redesigned library view is the standout change, and it includes the option to bring in shortcuts to games installed with Steam and other clients.
In a blog post, Epic notably refers to the new client as "vibe coded," a term for prompting AI tools to produce code. The term be taken as either derogatory or endearing depending on who's talking.
MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS
Time Crisis 2 & Virtua Fighter 2 Arcade-Perfect PC Ports Released
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/time-crisis-2-virtua-fighter-2-arcade-perfect-pc-ports-released/
Earlier today, I informed you about an unofficial PC port of Call of Duty 3. Normally, I would wait until tomorrow to share the next PC port. But I just couldn’t wait! Why? Because two of my all-time favorite arcade games have been ported to PC.
Let’s start with Time Crisis 2. This 3D light-gun arcade shooter came out in 1998. You can’t imagine how many coins I spent on this game. Like with most Time Crisis games, I learned each stage by heart. In the end, I could beat the whole game with just one coin.
This arcade-perfect PC port is part of the namco22-decompile project. Namco System 22 games for PC, also known as namco22-decompile, currently supports nine games. These are Time Crisis, Rave Racer, Dirt Dash, Tokyo Wars, Prop Cycle, Armadillo Racing, Ace Driver, Cyber Commando, and Time Crisis 2. These games run better than MAME. They do not require a Namco System 22 Arcade BIOS, and they offer some QoL improvements. For instance, they support widescreen aspect ratios, as well as resolutions up to 4K.
On the other hand, the unofficial PC port of Virtua Fighter 2 is not up to what I was hoping for. Only the i960 program is recompiled. The rest of the Model 2A board (the TGP geometry processor, the geometrizer and polygon renderer, the System 24 tile layers, and the sound board’s 68000 and SCSP) runs on code from MAME, inside an SDL 3 host.
The good news is that the game runs and looks better than MAME. The PC port supports up to 6x the arcade resolution. It also has support for widescreen and ultrawide monitors, meaning that the stages extend to the sides. You can also run it at up to 120FPS, and there is support for Antialiasing (Low, 2x, 3x).
You can download the PC port of Time Crisis 2 from here (Github). You can also download the PC port of Virtua Fighter 2 from here (Github).
>> The article has two videos, one for each game.
Super Mario Galaxy Unofficial PC Port Available for Download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/super-mario-galaxy-unofficial-pc-port-available-for-download/
Super Mario fans, get ready for a treat. The first public beta version of an unofficial PC port of Super Mario Galaxy has been released. This will let you experience this Super Mario game, which was originally released on the Nintendo Wii, natively on your PC.
This PC port of Super Mario Galaxy comes from keepvaibin, who has been working on it since June. Also note that this isn’t related to the decompilation project I shared last month.
In theory, the decompilation project from Luma’s Workshop will be better and more advanced. Also, if you hate PC recompilations that use Claude, this will most likely not interest you. Because, yes. keepvaibin has used Claude in order to create this PC port. Still, if you’ve always wanted to play Super Mario Galaxy on PC, you can do so with this recompilation.
But anyway, this PC port of Super Mario Galaxy supports aspect ratios from 4:3 to 32:9 and internal resolution up to 16x. It also features Anti-aliasing (SMAA, FXAA), AMD FidelityFX FSR 1 upscaling, anisotropic filtering, and optional per-pixel lighting.
Most importantly, the PC port supports a range of controls. You can use a keyboard and mouse, an Xbox pad, or a Switch Pro or Switch 2 Pro pad. You can also change the keys and buttons to suit your needs.
Getting keyboard and mouse support from day one is amazing! I have a gamepad, but I prefer to use a mouse and keyboard in most games. Yes, I even use them in Tekken 8. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. All unofficial PC ports should support a mouse and keyboard from day one.
Finally, the port comes with an in-game settings menu. Press F1 on your keyboard to open it. On an Xbox pad, press View and Menu. On a Switch pad, press Minus and Plus.
According to its creator, it should also be easy to run the game at 60FPS. An Intel Core Ultra 9 185H with its integrated GPU and 16GB of RAM runs it at a locked 60FPS at 1440p. So, you won’t need a high-end PC system to run it.
You can go ahead and download this PC port of Super Mario Galaxy from here (Github).
>> The article has a close to three minutes video.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Unofficial PC Port Released
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-legend-of-zelda-links-awakening-unofficial-pc-port-released/
And the time has come. The first native PC port of a Nintendo Switch game is finally here. At first, I thought it would be Super Mario Bros. Wonder or Super Mario Odyssey. But I was wrong. Instead, the first game to get this treatment is The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, which came out on the Nintendo Switch in 2019.
This unofficial PC port of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening adds many new features. It lets you change the screen size, use a keyboard and controller, and tweak the game’s look. You can also switch between the original game and randomizer modes without restarting.
PC gamers are now able to enjoy the game in wide or ultra-wide modes. A wider view lets you see more of the island. You can also go back to the original 16:9 view at any time. Moreover, you can increase or lower the internal resolution to match your display, or use dynamic resolution.
What’s also great is that the port supports both keyboard and controller play. You can change every key and button. It also shows the right button icons for Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo pads. You can open the in-game menu with F1 or Minus + Plus on a controller.
The biggest feature is the randomizer. It can change where you find items, foes, music, and more. You can make a new seed in the game and share its ID with others. Each seed also has its own save file.
You can shuffle almost every part of the game. This includes items, keys, shops, trade quests, music, foes, and dungeon doors. You can even make pots, bushes, and dig spots count as checks.
And that’s not all. You can change how dungeons work. The Dungeon Room Shuffler can mix up the rooms to make new dungeons each time. It has three modes: Coherent, Chaos, and Madness. Each mode makes the dungeons harder to read and explore.
The randomizer adds more fun twists. You can find pets like the Rooster, Marin, and the Ghost as items. Bosses and mini-bosses may also need special souls before you can fight them.
Other options let you change the game’s world and rules. You can use a special bottle to warp to key spots. You can also track your checks on the map. The game can mark pots and bushes that you have not checked yet.
You can go ahead and download this unofficial PC port of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening from here (Github).
>> The article has an over 30 minutes video.
The Witcher 3 Remastered Mod Makes Movement and Combat More Responsive
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-witcher-3-remastered-mod-makes-movement-and-combat-more-responsive/
Modder ‘bytevoid’ has released a new mod for The Witcher 3 Remastered that aims to make the game’s movement and combat more responsive. This is a mod that a lot of TW3 fans may appreciate. So, let’s take a closer look at it.
Going into more detail, the mod cuts input delay and helps Geralt react sooner to your commands. It also keeps the game’s original animations and balance.
Geralt will now stop sooner when you let go of a key or button. He also turns faster while running. Small changes in direction no longer slow him to a walk. Starting, stopping, and turning around feel faster, too.
These changes blend into the game’s own moves. This helps keep them smooth and natural. The mod does not add new animations. It also does not change damage or stamina.
Sword attacks will now flow into each other more quickly. The mod can also help Geralt hit the foe you aim at. His sword swings and signs can target the foe you picked, rather than miss and hit empty air.
You can also set his attacks to aim at the closest foe. Other options let Geralt turn toward a foe faster before a swing. You can also make attack lunges shorter and cast signs faster.
And that’s not all. Roach will also feel more responsive. The horse slows down sooner when you stop. It also turns faster and picks up speed more quickly. You can even make it gallop as soon as you press the key. You can also get off your horse with one tap. This works with both a keyboard and a gamepad.
It’s also worth noting that the mod has four settings pages: Movement, Horse, Combat and Targeting, and Other. Each page has its own switch. You can also pick a preset or change each option on its own.
Finally, there are five main presets for movement and combat. These are Off, Gentle, Recommended, Precise, and Unleashed.
Those interested can go ahead and download the mod from this link (Nexus Mods).
>> There’s a two minutes video in the article.
GAMING NEWS
No DsoG news articles here so, the short ones from PCGamer take the spot.
Hundreds of layoffs and many cancelled projects later, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma reportedly says 'we will not survive' without new IPs
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/hundreds-of-layoffs-and-many-cancelled-projects-later-xbox-ceo-asha-sharma-reportedly-says-we-will-not-survive-without-new-ips/
>> And that’s after closing many of the studios that worked on new IPs.
Ben Affleck lost 3 years to Starcraft, has strong Valorant opinions, and mourns RTSes as a genre, so there's solid odds he's one of our regular commenters
https://www.pcgamer.com/movies-tv/ben-affleck-lost-3-years-to-starcraft-has-strong-valorant-opinions-and-mourns-rtses-as-a-genre-so-theres-solid-odds-hes-one-of-our-regular-commenters/
Legendary level designer Richard 'Levelord' Gray has died
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/legendary-level-designer-richard-levelord-gray-has-died/
Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser says he 'failed' with Max Payne 3, and I'm sorry Danno but that's just plain wrong
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/rockstar-co-founder-dan-houser-says-he-failed-with-max-payne-3-and-im-sorry-danno-but-thats-just-plain-wrong/
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