Teddy Bear Swapsies & Drunken Tomfoolery In Fallout 4

The other day I grumped a little at the idea of our dutifully posting all seven of the Fallout 4 [official site] S.P.E.C.I.A.L. videos over the coming weeks, but you lot rightfully called me out on my cynicism. These cute wee vignettes are doing a handy job of summarising Fallout’s systems and general attitude.

So here’s the fourth one then, this time looking at that most alien of concepts to me, Charisma. I particularly liked its depiction of Ye Archetypal Roleplaying Inn.
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How To Teach An AI To Play Hex: Shards Of Fate

Hex is getting smarter. It’s learning. While it might not quite be approaching the colloquial indifference (or destructive potential) of Wargames’ WOPR, it is watching you play – it’s watching everyone play – and it’s adapting.

After their tremendously successful Kickstarter (warning: contains clown death) and while settling a protracted lawsuit with the creators of Magic: The Gathering, developer Cryptozoic have been diligently ploughing through the alpha and beta stages of Hex [official site], regularly bolting on new features and laboriously constructing the vision that CEO Corey Jones first prophesied nearly two and half years ago.

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Claymation Adventuring: Armikrog Released

Armikrog [official site] is more than onomatopoeia for a belter of a burp, it’s the first game in yonks from Earthworm Jim and The Neverhood chap Doug TenNapel. It was Kickstarted in 2013 as the “spiritual successor” to The Neverhood, offering more claymation adventure game jollies, and has today finally launched – only a year and a bit behind schedule.

Here, check out some of its squidgy pretties and boingy noises in this here new trailer:

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Metal Gear Solid V: Fobbed Off

Oh God suddenly my private desert adventure is a PvP game in which other players can invade my base and steal my stuff and my men at any time. THIS WASN’T WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR HELP HELP

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League Of Legends 2015 Worlds Anthem – More Esports Or Less Esports Than Imagine Dragons?

This evening will be spent watching Legends Rising – a bunch of League of Legends [official site] documentaries focusing on specific pro players – but right now I’m digging through everything else the Worlds hype train deposited while I was on holiday. I like taking a look at what Riot do in the run up to Worlds because it’s a total contrast to Valve’s approach with Dota 2. Valve didn’t even play Basshunter’s Dota when a Swedish Dota team won The International.

Gather round as we listen to the official League of Legends Worlds anthem and then watch the official League of Legends… make up tutorial? Facts of life video? Hype thingummyjigger reminding you that there’s only one trophy and so forth? Or go read my ACTUALLY INFORMATIVE (but pleasantly chillaxed) guide to what the hell League of Legends World Championships is.

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Unplayably Broken Horror Calendula Looks Pretty Swish

I like the idea of games masquerading as strange and forbidden software. Memory of a Broken Dimension and TIS-100 are odd explorations of strange computer systems, Deabirth is made by satans and draculas in Hull, and now Calendula [official site] is an apparently broken game which seems to actively resist attempts to play it. Sounds like someone’s got a frankenstein dad or two in their CD drive.

Calendula a curious upcoming horror game by Spanish team Blooming Buds Studio, and its computery chills looks pretty dang swish in this new trailer:

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Concept Artstravaganza: The Elegiac Art Of Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight [official site] was a Kickstarter project I remember being captivated by because of the art style. It’s all bluey greys and underground exploration to solve a mystery – kinda elegiac. There’s a beta awaiting further exploration in my Steam library but I’ve only been able to dip in for small chunks of time thanks to a set of trips and other distractions. HOWEVER that didn’t stop me emailing the game devs about the artwork. As a result artistic lead, Ari Gibson, has opened his sketchbooks (at one point literally) for RPS.

Here is a whole bouquet of concept art along with Ari’s own comments and explanation.

N.B. Clicking the sketchbook images takes you to a slightly larger version but otherwise what you’ll see when you click through is the same picture, but it turns them into a clickable slideshow which can be a nicer way to look at concept art as it greys out the rest of the page and lets you concentrate :)

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