Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Automating Steam Game Publishing with GitHub Actions

2025-03-24

This post details how the author automated their Steam game publishing pipeline using GitHub Actions. By simply creating a new tag, the workflow automatically compiles the 2D hide-and-seek game for Windows, macOS, Linux, and WebAssembly, creates a GitHub release, and finally deploys to Steam. The author provides a detailed walkthrough including build scripts, Steam API usage, and necessary configurations such as generating Steam keys and setting up GitHub Actions variables. This is a great example of leveraging automation to streamline the game release process and is highly valuable for indie game developers.

(nullonerror.org)

Game

Great Singing App, But Needs Sharps and Flats

2025-03-23

This app is fantastic for learning music theory and piano, especially for singers wanting to improve their pitch. It teaches piano skills crucial for accurate singing. However, it lacks lessons on sharps and flats, a significant omission. While additional lessons are available as in-app purchases, their content isn't specified. The practice mode allows flat training, but lacks the structured approach of the main lessons and doesn't label sharps and flats on the keys. A great app, but incomplete without comprehensive sharp and flat instruction.

(apps.apple.com)

Game music learning music theory

Homeworld 2's Stunning Background: A Vertex Color Gradient Masterpiece

2025-03-23

This article unveils the secret behind the stunning background art of Homeworld 2. By analyzing game data, the author discovered that the backgrounds aren't created using textures, but rather a clever implementation of vertex color gradients. This bold solution not only avoids texture compression artifacts but also subtly controls detail, keeping the background where it belongs and preventing it from overpowering the foreground. This technique mirrors the 2.5D tree approach in Diablo 3, showcasing a perfect blend of technology and artistry.

(simonschreibt.de)

Game vertex coloring

Building a Spacefaring Mission in Lua: An EmptyEpsilon Tutorial

2025-03-23

This tutorial details creating custom spacefaring missions for the EmptyEpsilon game using Lua scripting. Starting with a basic scenario file, it guides you through adding space stations, nebulae, asteroids, and ships, designing encounters between player and enemy factions, and setting up mission objectives and events. The tutorial progresses step-by-step with complete code examples. Learn how to use Lua functions to manipulate game elements and build a compelling space adventure, such as a mission to rescue a stranded diplomat.

(daid.github.io)

Game Lua Scripting Game Tutorial

The Mythical Vectrex Computer: A Lost Piece of 80s Gaming History Unearthed

2025-03-22

A Vectrex enthusiast, while OCRing old issues of Electronic Games magazine, stumbled upon a forgotten article detailing a never-released Vectrex computer. This add-on was planned to expand the Vectrex with a keyboard and five games, including music creation, solar system exploration, and game programming tutorials. While it never materialized, the article reveals a fascinating, untold chapter of 80s gaming history and sparks curiosity about what could have been.

(www.amigalove.com)

Game Unreleased Product

Unreal Tournament's Sniper Rifle: A Balancing Act Between Physics and Gameplay

2025-03-22

This article delves into the physics model of the sniper rifle in the classic game Unreal Tournament. While the game uses a 'hitscan' mechanic, ignoring real-world factors like bullet travel time and drop, this simplified model generally provides a smooth gameplay experience. However, on the iconic map 'Facing Worlds', the unrealism of this simplification becomes more noticeable. The article compares different games' approaches to projectile physics, explaining the trade-offs between realism and gameplay in game design, ultimately concluding with the philosophy, "All models are wrong, but some models are useful."

(militaryrealism.blog)

Game Unreal Tournament

Vibe Sail: A Week-Long Game Dev Success Story Powered by AI

2025-03-22

Nicola Manzini built a multiplayer online sailing simulator, Vibe Sail, in just one week using AI-assisted coding tools Cursor and Replit. Starting with a simple concept—one boat, one island, a vast ocean—he progressively added physics, camera systems, wind controls, and more, even refining game physics with insights from the r/sailing subreddit. The game quickly gained traction, boosted by endorsements from prominent figures like Levels, leading to in-game advertising revenue. This case study showcases the power of AI-assisted development and highlights the developer's strong understanding of game mechanics and coding.

(www.vibecoding.games)

Game game dev case study

Fallout 2 and Baldur's Gate: A Tale of Two CRPGs in 1998

2025-03-22

In 1998, Interplay released two CRPGs with drastically different fates. Fallout 2, rushed into production with team members quitting, resulted in a game that, while improving on some minor aspects of its predecessor, lacked the thematic clarity and aesthetic vision of the original. In contrast, BioWare's Baldur's Gate, with its ingenious digital implementation of traditional D&D rules and its balanced approach to open-world exploration and main storyline, achieved massive commercial success, influencing subsequent D&D rule designs and CRPG development, becoming a landmark title in CRPG history.

(www.filfre.net)

Game Fallout 2 Baldur's Gate

Bluey: The Aussie Cartoon That Conquered the World

2025-03-21

Bluey, an Australian animated series, has become a global phenomenon, captivating both children and adults. Its realistic portrayal of family life, heartwarming relationships, and exploration of complex emotions resonate deeply with viewers. The show's success has extended beyond entertainment, impacting tourism, merchandising, and even shaping parenting styles. From theme parks to merchandise deals, Bluey's brand is estimated to be worth $2 billion, a testament to its relatable characters and genuine portrayal of family dynamics. The show's ability to connect with multiple generations through heartwarming storytelling and nuanced emotional explorations is key to its unparalleled success.

(www.hollywoodreporter.com)

Game Family Cultural Phenomenon

Leaked Xbox UI Hints at Steam Game Integration

2025-03-21

Microsoft accidentally leaked, then quickly removed, an image showcasing a new Xbox UI. The image reveals a cross-device UI seemingly capable of displaying Steam games. Sources say Microsoft is developing an Xbox app update to list all PC games, including those from Steam and the Epic Games Store. While still early in development, this suggests a potential move towards greater PC game platform integration, solidifying the Xbox app as a central hub for PC gaming.

(www.theverge.com)

Game Cross-Platform Gaming

Retro Boy: A Highly Accurate Game Boy Emulator in Rust, Now on the Web!

2025-03-20

Retro Boy is a cycle-accurate Game Boy emulator written in Rust and playable in your web browser. Leveraging wasm-pack for WebAssembly compilation, it uses Web Audio API and HTML Canvas for audio and graphics. Supporting MBC1, MBC3, MBC5, and HuC1 cartridges, it boasts accurate CPU, audio, and graphics emulation, even including GameShark/GameGenie cheat code support. The user-friendly interface features fullscreen mode, pause/resume, selectable color modes, and customizable keymapping. Retro Boy passes a significant portion of Blargg's test ROMs, demonstrating its high accuracy.

(github.com)

Game

Minesweeper via MCP: A Server-Side Agent

2025-03-20

This is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server enabling MCP client agents to play Minesweeper. It's designed to work alongside a Minesweeper game server. A sped-up video demo is available at https://youtu.be/CXXMafVtlEQ (16x speed). Follow the game server's instructions to start it locally. Install dependencies, build the server, and configure your MCP client to add the tool (e.g., in Claude Desktop's `claude_desktop_config.json`). Start a Minesweeper game and try to flag all mines; coordinates are 0-indexed. The full conversation log is extensive, with snippets showing incorrect flag placement and giving up after multiple attempts.

(github.com)

Game Minesweeper Game Server

ByteCraft: Generating Games and Animations with AI

2025-03-19

ByteCraft is a groundbreaking AI model capable of generating executable game and animation files from text descriptions. Trained by fine-tuning a 7B parameter LLM, ByteCraft produces files containing diverse elements like characters, sounds, and animations. While many generated files are imperfect, this research represents a significant leap in AI code generation, demonstrating the potential for AI to understand and generate byte-level data. Future improvements, fueled by increased computational power, promise more complete and complex programs, potentially revolutionizing game and animation creation.

(emygervais.github.io)

Game

Odysseus: A Landmark Live-Action Role-Playing Game

2025-03-19

Odysseus, a €190,000, 50-hour non-stop sci-fi LARP (live-action role-playing game), has become a landmark achievement in the field. Over 200 volunteers transformed an elementary school into a sprawling spaceship, utilizing custom open-source software, RFID scanners, and intricate character relationships involving 300+ NPCs. Its innovative 'clockwork' gameplay and immersive experience have sparked discussion on the commercial viability of LARPs, prompting its creators to explore sustainable business models for this previously non-profit endeavor.

(mssv.net)

Game immersive experience

US and Canada Video Game Workers Form Industry-Wide Union

2025-03-19

A landmark industry-wide union for video game workers in the US and Canada, the United Videogame Workers-CWA (UVW-CWA), has officially launched. Aiming to unite artists, writers, designers, QA testers, programmers, freelancers, and more, the union seeks to empower workers regardless of studio or employment status. Debuting at GDC's "Video Game Labor at a Crossroads" panel, the UVW-CWA will circulate a petition to garner support and highlight the recent wave of industry layoffs—a significant issue, given that 10% of developers lost their jobs in 2024. The union operates on a direct-join model, allowing workers to bypass traditional unionization processes. While its industry-wide adoption and recognition by major publishers remain uncertain, it represents a significant step in the ongoing struggle between game industry workers and corporate entities.

(www.engadget.com)

Game union

Ikemen GO: An Open-Source Fighting Game Engine in Go

2025-03-19

Ikemen GO is an open-source fighting game engine written in Go, offering backwards compatibility with M.U.G.E.N version 1.1 Beta while adding numerous new features. Pre-built binaries are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with nightly builds also provided. Comprehensive documentation covers building, debugging (using Goland or VS Code), and cross-compilation with Docker. The engine's source code is MIT licensed, with certain assets under CC-BY 3.0.

(github.com)

Game

Half-Life 2 RTX: Free DLC Brings Ray Tracing and 4K Visuals

2025-03-18

Orbifold Studios is releasing a free DLC, Half-Life 2 RTX, for all Half-Life 2 owners. Leveraging RTX Remix technology, the DLC boasts full ray tracing, DLSS 4, and NVIDIA Reflex, resulting in stunning 4K visuals with new textures, high-poly models, and improved lighting. Demos for Ravenholm and Nova Prospekt are set for March 18th. Note: The game contains violence depicting both humanoid and alien enemies, including zombies and detailed gore.

(store.steampowered.com)

Game Free DLC

Netflix's Underrated Masterpiece: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

2025-03-18

Netflix's 2019 series, *The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance*, is a criminally underrated fantasy epic. Serving as a prequel to the 1982 film, this 10-episode masterpiece boasts stunning puppetry and an all-star voice cast (including Taron Egerton and Anya Taylor-Joy), recounting the Gelfling rebellion against the evil Skeksis on the planet Thra. Despite its premature cancellation due to high production costs and viewership, its exceptional production quality, profound storytelling, and mature dark themes make it a must-watch classic, rivaling the likes of *Lord of the Rings* and *Star Wars*.

(gizmodo.com)

Game Puppetry

Six Mistakes I Made Making a Diorama Puzzle Game

2025-03-18

The author details six challenges encountered while developing a point-and-click puzzle game built entirely from dioramas. These include low-resolution machine-woven tapestries, the high cost of Git hosting, AI's poor tweening capabilities, difficulties shooting in confined spaces, a flawed Steam marketing strategy, and warped veneer. The author shares these lessons learned and encourages players to wishlist the game on Steam.

(novalis.org)

Game dioramas

High Heels in Game Dev: Animation, Physics, and Optimization Challenges

2025-03-17

This article delves into the complexities of incorporating different shoe types, particularly high heels, into game development. The varying heights introduced by different footwear create challenges across animation, collision detection, and physics engines. The article proposes two main solution approaches: adjusting character height (through manual animation tweaking, dynamic IK systems, etc.) and employing workarounds (hiding feet, shortening lower legs, bending legs). It also explores the impact on posture, gait, and footstep sounds, noting potential balancing issues in competitive games. Optimization strategies, such as removing polygons hidden by shoes, are examined across various games. Ultimately, the article summarizes the key considerations and common solutions for handling diverse shoe types in game development.

(simonschreibt.de)

Game

Xbox 360 Hack: BadUpdate Lets You Run Homebrew Without Opening the Console

2025-03-17

Xbox 360 modders have discovered BadUpdate, a new software exploit allowing homebrew apps and games to run via USB, bypassing Microsoft's Hypervisor. Unlike previous methods, this doesn't require opening the console. While it needs manual patching of executables and isn't perfectly reliable, requiring re-application on each boot, BadUpdate offers a new way to access the Xbox 360's homebrew scene, including games, apps, and emulators.

(www.theverge.com)

Game

Cracks, Demos, and the Fuzzy Copyright of the Demoscène

2025-03-17

This article explores the long-standing ambiguity surrounding copyright within the demoscene. Since the heyday of Amiga and C64 game cracking in the 1980s, a complex relationship has existed between cracking groups and demo production groups. While cracking was commonplace, even seen by some as a rebellion against expensive games, the demoscene itself has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism among its members. Using examples like Unit A and The Movers' cracktros, the article highlights this paradoxical culture, discussing how former crackers coexist with game companies in commercial game development, and how to view originality, code sharing, and AI-generated art. Ultimately, the article points out that the demoscene's understanding of copyright is fluid and ever-changing, lacking clear rules, relying instead on unwritten norms and community consensus.

(www.datagubbe.se)

Game cracking

RIP Urban Dead: A Zombie Apocalypse Browser Game Closes After Nearly Two Decades

2025-03-16

Urban Dead, a free-to-play, massively multiplayer online browser game depicting a zombie apocalypse in the quarantined city of Malton, has shut down after nearly 20 years. Launched in July 2005, the game saw over 1.7 million players battling zombies, rebuilding society amidst the ruins, and facing off against military and scientific factions. Its closure, due to upcoming UK website legislation changes, marks the end of an era for this unique and long-running browser-based experience.

(www.urbandead.com)

Game zombie

Game Devs Boycott GDC Over US Political Climate

2025-03-16

A Swedish game developer is boycotting events like GDC in the US due to concerns about the increasingly extreme political climate, particularly the crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights. She cites feeling unsafe and scared in the US as an LGBTQ+ person. Other developers share similar concerns, viewing the US as no longer a safe place to conduct business and calling for the game industry to become more globally minded, moving beyond a North American-centric approach. While GDC organizers report business as usual, the boycott reflects the impact of the US political environment on the international gaming industry.

(www.wired.com)

Game

Lego Brings Game Development In-House: End of Third-Party Reliance?

2025-03-16

Lego Group announced it's bringing video game development in-house, marking a significant shift in the toy giant's gaming strategy. While Lego has previously collaborated with third-party studios on numerous games, this internalization signifies greater control over its future game products. This move is particularly notable given the success of the Lego mode in Epic Games' Fortnite. However, Lego isn't entirely abandoning collaborations; partnerships like the 2K Drive racing game and rumored Lego football game suggest a continued exploration of diverse partnerships.

(www.videogameschronicle.com)

Game Lego in-house

Lead Technical Artist Wanted: Revolutionizing Social VR Gaming

2025-03-14

Gym Class, the top-rated Meta Quest game (58K ratings, 4.9 stars), is seeking a Lead Technical Artist! You'll optimize art pipelines, develop tools, and enhance visual fidelity and performance across VR and mobile platforms using Unity, C#, and Python. Collaborate with engineers on performance profiling and optimization. Backed by top-tier investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Y Combinator, and the NBA, this is a chance to work at the forefront of social VR gaming, with fast iteration cycles and a direct impact on product development.

(www.ycombinator.com)

Game VR Game Development Lead Technical Artist

Art Attack: A Global Phenomenon in Children's Art

2025-03-13

Art Attack, a British children's television program, captivated audiences worldwide since its debut in 1990. Hosted by Neil Buchanan, the show's unique approach to art creation, guiding children step-by-step through painting and crafting, made it a beloved classic. Multiple revivals and translations into numerous languages ensured its global reach, impacting generations of children. The memorable 'The Head' segment further cemented its place in pop culture.

(en.wikipedia.org)

Game children's show art creation television program

Cracked Sudoku: A New Sudoku Variant Based on Voronoi Diagrams

2025-03-13

Tired of traditional Sudoku? Cracked Sudoku is here! This new Sudoku variant uses irregular Voronoi diagrams as its game board. The rules remain familiar to Sudoku fans, but 'rows' and 'columns' are replaced by 'runs'—connected sequences of cells without repeating numbers. The shapes of these runs are determined by the Voronoi diagram, creating a unique solving experience. The author shares the design philosophy and algorithms, and calls for experienced puzzle constructors to collaborate on creating more sophisticated levels, injecting more vitality into this innovative game.

(danielchasehooper.com)

Game Voronoi Diagrams

Microsoft's AI Gaming Copilot: A Second-Screen Sidekick

2025-03-13

Microsoft is launching Copilot for Gaming, an AI assistant for Xbox players. Initially available via the Xbox mobile app, Copilot will guide players through games, offer tips, and even help download and launch titles. Demos showcased Copilot offering tactical advice in Overwatch 2 and crafting guidance in Minecraft. While demos were impressive, the initial April release for Xbox Insiders will be limited. Microsoft plans to iterate based on user feedback.

(www.theverge.com)

Game AI gaming assistant

Unearthing Lost Commodore 64 Master Tapes: A Retro Gaming Archaeology

2025-03-13

This article recounts the discovery and restoration of a vast collection of Commodore 64 game master tapes and disks, including rare materials from legendary programmer Gary J. Sabin. The find sheds light on the behind-the-scenes work of 80s game development, from the creation of loader music and the hectic process of mastering games to amusing development blunders. It's a fascinating blend of tech archaeology and nostalgic retro gaming history.

(spillhistorie.no)

Game

Category: Game