Rest in pieces, Steam machines: https://www.pcgamer.com/valve-gets-rid-of-the-steam-machine-section/

@Pemalite: Have you tried to tell Talon about it? Maybe he could give it a look in case there's something wrong.

Myself, I find sometimes that pages take ages to load, but so far I've been lucky. Except the other day when I couldn't get in, getting only a black page with a "Could not connect" message.

@Conina: Yeah, looks like having finally given up, at least officially. They were stood a chance.

It's Steam stats time again!

Some smaller Maxwell cards lost a lot of percentage this month, especially the GTX 750 Ti... every AMD card/series gained from that, in total AMD gained a whole percentage point. Let's hope that this is not a fluke but a proper adjustment; only time will tell.

GTX 970, 1070, 1080 and 1080 Ti also had huge gains from the adjustment above, which leads to an increase of 10% of VR-capable PC systems (from 60 million to 66 million units). PSVR compatible units are still above that (around 78 million PS4s), but the PC hardware base is getting closer.

Star Citizen is a 180+ million dollar game.
The food better reflect that.

The food being procedurally generated, isn't that odd.
Quite a few games do make use of these kinds of workflows.
Being able to tweak the food/material like this is pretty normal.
Even though the food in the live-stream/video is displayed at various resolutions, all the assets should just work at 4k, or even 8k.
Due to the procedural nature of the assets being authored.

The files (SBSAR) containing all of the information required to create the procedural texture should only be a few KB - few MB (more towards a few KB).
Textures can be generated from the SBSAR files, when installing the game, or during the game.
Though obviously that will take a decent amount of power.
Being able to reduce the download size is surely a great benefit to the Star Citizen team: keeping in mind that this game is an MMO.

The install size probably won't be affected much, as it takes power and time to generate textures.
You don't want to have the client to spend a half hour generating textures, each time the game boots (and you couldn't fit that into the system's RAM anyway).

Valve just recently hired another Linux graphics driver developer (I think they are at ~5-6 full time devs now).
Hopefully this doesn't mark the end of Valve's support for Linux.
https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Mesa-2018-Q1-Stats

It probably won't.
Not for the foreseeable future.

Thanks!

Those adjustments are a bit off, specially the rise of the 970. Maybe they're going through some oddities like when their OS numbers changed so much.

Star Citizen started developing in 2012, and was supposed to launch in 2014. That's almost four f*cking years ago! And Squadron 42 was supposed to launch last year.

I don't give a sh!t about how the food looks because in the rare case I end playing the game, I would only look at the food once, the first time.

So, as I said, less work on food, and more work in finishing the damn game.

One thing doesn't have to relate with the other. They can be working to improve their Source engine when running under Linux, for example.

Doing this on a holiday that ALSO happens to be Monday...*sigh* Let's go with the news, and sorry if I didn't catch an April's fool joke:

SALES & "SALES"/DEALS

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Grand Theft Auto V surpass 33 & 10 million Steam sales, respectively
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/playerunknowns-battlegrounds-and-grand-theft-auto-v-surpass-33-10-million-steam-sales-respectively/
It appears that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Grand Theft Auto V are still among the best selling PC games on Steam. According to the latest Steamspy stats, Bluehole’s battle-royale title has surpassed 33 million copies.

Fortnite and Call of Duty: WWII drove digital game spending in February
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnite-and-call-of-duty-wwii-drove-digital-game-spending-in-february/
The latest Superdata report says the worldwide digital videogames market grew six percent year-over-year in February 2018, hitting $9.1 billion in total. Interestingly, social, pay-to-play (subscription-based), and free-to-play markets on PC are actually all down slightly, but the premium PC market—that is, games that you actually have to buy if you want to play them—is up by 33 percent.

Time to check GOG and its two new sales:

• The daily deal is Mages of Mystralia, 40% off: https://www.gog.com/game/mages_of_mystralia
• The weekly sale, dubbed A little less conversation, has a nice selection of action games up to 85% off: https://www.gog.com/promo/20180402_weekly_sale

SOFTWARE

-empty-

MODS/EMULATORS

CEMU 1.11.6 is now available, improves emulation compatibility, adds UI game list
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/cemu-1-11-6-is-now-available-improves-compatibility-adds-ui-game-list/
The team behind the best WiiU emulator, CEMU, has released a brand new version. CEMU 1.11.6 is now available to all Patreon backers and will be made available to the public on April 3rd.

Here is your first look at The Last Of Us and Red Dead Redemption running on the PC via emulation
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-is-your-first-look-at-the-last-of-us-and-red-dead-redemption-running-on-the-pc-via-emulation/
John GodGames Emus has shared some videos, showing The Last of Us and Red Dead Redemption running on the PC via emulation thanks to RPCS3. RPCS3 is the best emulator for Playstation 3 and as we can see, Red Dead Redemption runs without major graphical glitches, though performance is still not that great.

New Project Lambda screenshots, Half-Life in Unreal Engine 4, look gorgeous
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/new-project-lambda-screenshots-half-life-in-unreal-engine-4-look-gorgeous/
SilverTM has released some new screenshots from its fan remake/project of Half Life/Black Mesa in Unreal Engine 4. This project will feature only the first chapter from Valve’s classic shooter, and will be made available to the public once it’s done.

This mod for Need for Speed removes its annoying chromatic aberration and vignette effects
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/this-mod-for-need-for-speed-removes-its-annoying-chromatic-aberration-and-vignette-effects/
Modder ‘GrosRelou’ has released a new mod for the 2016 version of Need for Speed that removes its annoying chromatic aberration and vignette effects. Chromatic aberration is perhaps the worst effect we’ve ever seen, and every developer should be offering options to disable it. And when that is not possible, we have to rely on such mods, so thank God for modders.

>>Download it from Nexus Mods.

Extreme Wolfenstein Version 4 adds new map-based enhancements, new graphics, new enemies and grenades
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/extreme-wolfenstein-version-4-adds-new-map-based-enhancements-new-graphics-new-enemies-and-grenades/
Modder ‘Sigma64’ has released a new version of his Extreme mod for Wolfenstein 3D. In case you weren’t aware of, Extreme Wolfenstein is a gameplay enhancement mod for modern gamers. This mod makes enemies stronger, smarter, and better equipped and some boss levels are automatically tweaked, to include mini-bosses or different items.

>>This mod is available from ModDB.

Rise of Mordor, a Lord of the Rings conversion mod for Total War: Attila, hits first public alpha
https://www.pcgamer.com/rise-of-mordor-a-lord-of-the-rings-conversion-mod-for-total-war-attila-hits-first-public-alpha/
Total War: Rise of Mordor is a conversion mod for Total War: Attila that, in its final form, will let you play through a newly-crafted campaign featuring 19 factions from Middle Earth. You can take your first peek at it now thanks to a public alpha released this week that will hand you control over some of the factions and let you play around with custom units that are based on the ones you'll have seen in the films.

>>The mod is also available from ModDB.

GAMING NEWS

New Dynasty Warriors 9 update adds Photo Mode
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/new-dynasty-warriors-9-update-adds-photo-mode/
KOEI Tecmo has released a new update for Dynasty Warriors 9. Instead of focusing on improving the game’s overall performance, though, this update adds a Photo Mode. Yes, a Photo Mode, because apparently this is more important than improving the actual gaming experience.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance Patch 1.4.1 released, fixes corrupted saves
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/kingdom-come-deliverance-patch-1-4-1-released-fixes-corrupted-saves/
Yesterday, Warhorse Studios released a new major update for Kingdom Come: Deliverance. This patch introduced a new HD Texture Pack, new HD Audio, and fixed 200 major bugs. However, it appears that this patch also corrupted some save files. Thankfully, the team was quick to react and released a hotfix that resolves this issues.

New BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle gameplay trailer released
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-blazblue-cross-tag-battle-gameplay-trailer-released/
Arc Systems has released a new gameplay trailer for its new anime 2v2 fighting game, BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle. Alongside some new gameplay footage, this trailer also gives us a glimpse at its story mode, as well as its cinematic opening.

New screenshots released for Unreal Engine 4-powered open-world survival game, SCUM
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/new-screenshots-released-for-unreal-engine-4-powered-open-world-survival-game-scum/
Gamepires has released a new set of screenshots for its upcoming open-world survival game that will be powered by Unreal Engine 4, SCUM. SCUM aims to evolve the multiplayer open world survival game with unprecedented levels of character customization, control, and progression where knowledge and skills are the ultimate weapons for long-term survival.

Star Citizen Alpha 3.1 is now available, new details and screenshots unveiled
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/star-citizen-alpha-3-1-is-now-available-new-details-and-screenshots-unveiled/
Roberts Space Industries and Cloud Imperium Games have announced the release of Star Citizen Alpha 3.1 to its eager fan base. Star Citizen is an epic first-person experience where players fly highly detailed space ships, battle on foot through massive environments, explore life-sized planets and moons, and discover boundless adventure in an ever-changing and expanding galaxy.

>>It's almost like they read me complaining... too bad the article is from yesterday.

Amazon Game Studios cancels its team battle sport game that would be using its Lumberyard Engine, Breakaway
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/amazon-game-studios-cancels-its-team-battle-sport-that-would-be-using-its-lumberyard-engine-breakaway/
Amazon Game Studios has announced that it has cancelled the development of its team battle sports game that would be the first one using its Lumberyard Engine, Breakaway. The team claimed that it was unable to achieve the breakthrough that made the game what it hoped it could be, and such as it has decided to focus on new ideas.

Ken Silverman’s BUILD2 Engine is available for download, lets you create your own retro FPS games
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ken-silvermans-build2-engine-is-available-for-download-lets-you-create-your-own-retro-fps-games/
I’m pretty sure that most of you retro fans already know the BUILD Engine. This first-person shooter engine, created by Ken Silverman, powered some classic FPS games such as Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior, Blood, Powerslave and Redneck Rampage. And we are happy to report that its successor, BUILD2 Engine, is now available for download and is distributed for free to everyone.

New Survarium screenshots showcase brand new graphics renderer
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/new-survarium-screenshots-showcase-brand-new-graphics-renderer/
Vostok Games has released three new screenshots for its free to play post-apocalyptic online FPS game, Survarium, showcasing the brand new graphics renderer. According to the team, these are WIP screenshots, meaning that the final game may look even better.

Darksiders 3 may release this August according to EB Games
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/darksiders-3-may-release-this-august-according-to-eb-games/
EB Games may have just leaked the release date for Darksiders 3. The online store updated the release date for this brand new Darksiders game, hinting at an August 8th release. And while EB Games was quick to restore the placeholder date – that it has been using these past months – some users were able to capture a screenshot from the updated page.

Crytek’s Hunt: Showdown will receive major performance improvements next week
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/cryteks-hunt-showdown-will-receive-major-performance-improvements-next-week/
Crytek has announced that next week it will release a major performance patch for the Early Access version of its first-person PvP bounty hunting game, Hunt: Showdown. According to the team, the general smoothness and response of the game should increase and in many cases overall framerate should also increase with this patch.

Part two of the news:

Where The Water Tastes Like Wine was a 'commercial disaster,' dev says in painful post
https://www.pcgamer.com/where-the-water-tastes-like-wine-was-a-commercial-disaster-dev-says-in-painful-post/
Story adventure game Where The Water Tastes Like Wine struggled critically and flopped commercially, lead developer Johnnemann Nordhagen said today in a post-mortem of the game, in which he argues that its difficulties don't bode well for experimental indie games.

Overwatch's 'Uprising' event probably has a new PvE mission to play
https://www.pcgamer.com/overwatchs-uprising-event-returns-in-april/
The Overwatch Uprising brawl will return on April 10, Blizzard announced today, taking players back to "a pivotal moment in Overwatch history" when the team fought against rampaging Omnics in the city of London.
Update: A new teaser video for Overwatch Uprising just went out, confirming that all the content from last year's event would be returning to the game. However, as we've seen recently, seasonal events returning for their second year not only bring back the previous year's content but also introduce a pile of new skins, cosmetics, and content. It's curious that this new trailer doesn't mention any new content—save for a quick tease at the very end. As the video finishes, it reads "Accessing Archives File 0382 ... Complete"—referring to the King's Row Uprising mission from last year. It then briefly flashes "Accessing Archives File 0274 ..."

Factorio prepares to leave Early Access, price increase incoming
https://www.pcgamer.com/factorio-prepares-to-leave-early-access-price-increase-incoming/
Factorio, the factory building management game by Wube Software, has been playable in alpha and Early Access since 2014. It's edging closer to a 1.0 full release, however, according to a post on its official site today. What's more, the price is going up from $20 to $30 on April 16.

Telltale teases The Walking Dead's final season with a nostalgic Clementine callback
https://www.pcgamer.com/telltale-teases-the-walking-deads-final-season-with-a-nostalgic-clementine-callback/
Telltale said last year that the final season of its Walking Dead adventure series would be out in 2018, and so it will be: The studio tweeted the first tease of the last season earlier today with an image that very deliberately hearkens back to the game's first season.

90,000 people sign petition against Valve's new CS:GO trading rules
https://www.pcgamer.com/90000-people-sign-petition-against-valves-new-csgo-trading-rules/
Valve tinkered with Counter Strike: Global Offensive's trading rules this week, and sections of the community are ticked off about it. Under the new rules, added in an update, any items you receive through trading will have a seven-day trading cool down, which stops you moving them on to another user quickly.

Orcs Must Die! developer lays off 30 staff to focus on single game
https://www.pcgamer.com/orcs-must-die-developer-lays-off-30-staff-to-focus-on-single-game/
Orcs Must Die! developer Robot Entertainment has laid off more than 30 staff and cut the number of games it's working on from two to one, it has announced.
In a blog post, the company said it "grew significantly" during the development of Orcs Must Die! Unchained, the 2015 entry in the third-person tower defense series, and has since been working on two games. However, it is now "making a strategic shift" to working on a single project, which means cutting its staff numbers.

PUBG 4x4km map test begins Monday, and we'll have access keys to give away (Updated)
https://www.pcgamer.com/pubg-map-keys-savage-test/
We got a quick look at PUBG's new 4x4km map, codenamed "Savage", during GDC. At one-quarter the size of the two existing maps, Savage should produce brutal and fast rounds of battle royale—and you might not have to wait long to try it for yourself.
On Monday, April 2, PUBG will begin the first round of closed experimental testing for its 4x4km map. Access to the map will be limited to players with a key, but you don't even have to own PUBG to take part in this test.

There's a comet hurtling towards Fortnite
https://www.pcgamer.com/theres-a-comet-hurtling-towards-fortnite/
There’s an ominous light hanging in the sky above Fortnite’s verdant battlefield that one might describe as “comet-like”. And it’s getting bigger. Large objects hurtling towards Earth are usually a cause for concern, but Epic’s keeping schtum. Players, on the other hand, well they’ve got some theories.

Well. I tried a VPN today and it made no difference.

I have replicated the issue on multiple machines even with different internet connections from different companies, which rules me out as the issue.

I.E.
Desktop PC, Firefox with Internode VDSL2.
Galaxy Note 5, Chrome with Optus 4G.
Laptop, Chrome, Telstra ADSL2+.


I would rather a full graphics experience. ;)

But thanks for the suggestions either way.

Let the nagging commence!

I am geographically in a different area than you though, more links in the chain so to speak from the sites servers.

I have been seeing the Geforce 970 and 980 recommended heavily in enthusiast forums for their price/performance during the inflated GPU pricing thanks to mining.
So I wouldn't think it was entirely peculiar.

^So that's why the 970 and 980 hav gone up? Because people had to resort to buy used cards because they couldn't find new cards at sane prices?

That makes me sad.