Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Vole-Sim: A Hyperrealistic Hamster Simulator

2025-01-28

The GitHub project Vole-Sim is a remarkably realistic hamster simulator known for its high level of detail and accuracy. Built using the Unity engine, it simulates a wide range of hamster behaviors, including eating, sleeping, playing, and exploring their environment. Users can observe and interact with the hamsters in their daily lives. Beyond entertainment, the project showcases the power of the Unity engine in simulating biological behavior.

(faresbakhit.github.io)

Game game simulation Unity engine hamster simulation

IOC Long Shot's 'Crazy' Five-City Olympics Idea

2025-01-28

Morinari Watanabe, head of the International Gymnastics Federation, is an underdog in the race for IOC president. His bold proposal: a five-city Olympics. This unconventional idea aims to spark debate and, if successful, would make him the first Asian IOC president.

(www.japantimes.co.jp)

Game Olympics IOC Morinari Watanabe

FPGA-Powered Retro Console Recreates the PlayStation Experience

2025-01-28

Retro Remake's SuperStation One, a $180 FPGA-based PlayStation clone, is set to launch in Q4 2025. This console boasts compatibility with original PlayStation accessories and supports other MiSTer FPGA cores, offering versatility beyond PlayStation games. Featuring modern connectivity like HDMI and USB-C, the SuperStation One also offers an optional SuperDock for playing original PlayStation discs. Its FPGA emulation ensures accurate game performance and low latency.

(arstechnica.com)

Game

s&box: A Powerful Sandbox Game Development Toolkit

2025-01-28

s&box is a sandbox game development tool built on the Source 2 engine, offering players and developers a highly flexible creative environment. You can use it to create various game types, from simple first-person shooters to complex strategy games, and even build your own game modes and maps. s&box boasts a powerful toolset, including an easy-to-use scripting language, a rich asset library, and an intuitive interface, making it accessible even to users without programming experience. It lowers the barrier to entry for game development, enabling more people to participate in game creation.

(sbox.game)

Game sandbox game

Flagle Explorer: Master the Ultimate Global Flag Puzzle Game

2025-01-27

Flagle Explorer is an educational game that challenges players to identify countries and regions based on flag fragments. Combining strategic thinking and visual recognition, players have 6 attempts per puzzle, receiving feedback on distance, direction, and percentage accuracy after each guess. With unlimited and daily modes, Flagle Explorer offers endless practice opportunities and detailed progress tracking, fostering geography learning and flag identification skills. Social sharing features add another layer of engagement.

(flagle.fun)

Game geography learning flag identification

Excel World Championship: The Super Bowl for Nerds

2025-01-27

The first-ever Microsoft Excel World Championship took place in Las Vegas, attracting spreadsheet masters from around the globe. The competition, formatted like an e-sport, saw contestants battling it out on stage with complex Excel formula challenges for a cash prize and a championship belt. The event's popularity surprised many, with a packed audience and ESPN3 livestream, showcasing the unexpected appeal and competitive spirit surrounding spreadsheet skills in the modern world.

(www.straitstimes.com)

Game e-sports

OpenJazz: Open-Source Revival of a Classic Platformer

2025-01-27

OpenJazz is a free, open-source remake of the classic PC platformer, Jazz Jackrabbit. Originally released in 1994 by Epic MegaGames, Jazz Jackrabbit's fast-paced gameplay earned it accolades. OpenJazz, started in 2005, allows players to enjoy the game across Windows and Linux, overcoming the limitations of outdated DOS systems. A multiplayer version was even released in 2009, breathing new life into this beloved title.

(alister.eu)

Game open-source game

Uppercut: One-Click Access to Xbox Homebrew's Xbins in OS X Tiger

2025-01-26

Uppercut is a nostalgic throwback to the early 2000s, offering one-click access to the Xbins Xbox homebrew FTP server, specifically designed for OS X Tiger (10.4). This eliminates the cumbersome IRC and FTP configurations of the past. Inspired by the modern Xbins connector Pandora, Uppercut recreates the experience of accessing homebrew resources as it might have been in 2005. For modern OS users, Pandora is recommended. The developer also live streams the development process on Twitch.

(uppercut.chadbibler.com)

Game Retro Software Xbox Homebrew

Resurrecting a Dead Audio Format: The Return of ZZM

2025-01-26

This blog post details the author's journey in reviving the defunct ZZM audio format used by the classic game ZZT. ZZM, playable only under MS-DOS, posed significant challenges. The author overcame these by using JavaScript and the Web Audio API, reverse-engineering ZZT's sound engine, reconstructing its frequency table, and parsing ZZM's unique file format. The result? ZZM music now plays in a browser. This project showcases impressive programming skills and a deep passion for retro gaming and technical challenges.

(nicole.express)

Game audio format

Dwarf Fortress Adventure Mode Finally Hits Steam!

2025-01-26

The long-awaited Adventure Mode update for Dwarf Fortress officially launched on January 23rd, available on Steam and Itch.io. This free update transforms the iconic construction and management sim into a turn-based roguelike experience. Players can use custom characters, explore existing worlds from a new perspective, or embark on quests in newly generated ones. Adventure Mode retains Dwarf Fortress's signature world simulation and sandbox elements but emphasizes exploration and questing, offering a challenging and replayable strategic experience.

(gamerant.com)

Game Adventure Mode

Optimizing League of Legends Builds with Linear Programming: A Kai'Sa Case Study

2025-01-26

A League of Legends player used linear programming to optimize item builds for the champion Kai'Sa. By defining an objective function (minimizing total gold cost) and constraints (meeting stat requirements for Kai'Sa's ability evolutions and inventory limits), the player, using Rust and a linear programming solver, found the optimal build. The article also details fetching item data from Riot's Data Dragon API and considers practical in-game factors like item components and movement speed, leading to refined strategies.

(versary.town)

Game Linear Programming Game Optimization League of Legends

OpenRA December 2024 Update: Classic RTS Reborn

2025-01-25

OpenRA, the open-source reimagining of classic RTS games like Red Alert, Command & Conquer, and Dune 2000, has released a major December 2024 update. This update boasts numerous bug fixes and new features, including an improved map editor, enhanced unit descriptions, support for high-definition assets, and progress towards better multilingual support. A Tiberian Dawn HD playtest is also included. Players across Windows, macOS, and Linux can enjoy modernized gameplay featuring attack-move, unit veterancy, and fog of war.

(www.openra.net)

Game

OpenAI's o1 Model Aces Codenames

2025-01-25

OpenAI's o1 model played Codenames against itself, and the results were surprisingly impressive. Over 20 games, o1 consistently demonstrated strong reasoning and a vast knowledge base, both as clue-giver and guesser. Researchers noted o1's superior general knowledge compared to humans, cleverly connecting seemingly unrelated words. Examples included using "007" as a clue, and linking "mail," "lawyer," "line," and "log" with the single word "paper." This showcases the potential of large language models in strategic games, hinting at future applications in diverse game environments.

(suveenellawela.com)

Game

Cheap AI Enables 'Stupid' Ideas: The Birth of Gongzilla

2025-01-25

The author used ChatGPT's o1 and v0 functionalities to create a small game called Gongzilla in under an hour, without writing a single line of code, through multiple iterations. While the game itself isn't perfect, it showcases the possibilities of rapid prototyping and creative realization in the age of cheap AI. This post explores the ease of AI-assisted creation and the value of exploring 'stupid' ideas at low cost—even if those ideas ultimately aren't perfect, the fun of learning and creating is invaluable.

(everything.intellectronica.net)

Game AI creation low-cost prototyping

EA Origin Shutdown: Secure Your Games!

2025-01-25

EA is shutting down its Origin platform on April 17, 2025. All Origin users must migrate to the EA app to keep playing and preserve their game data. While the transition is relatively straightforward, it requires a 64-bit system, potentially necessitating an upgrade for some users. Alternatively, players can add their games to their Steam library to avoid using the EA app entirely.

(www.pcworld.com)

Game

VIC-20 Elite: A Retro Space Trading Adventure Reborn

2025-01-24

Programmer Aleksi Eeben has brought the classic space trading game Elite to the VIC-20 in 2025 with an unofficial port. Despite the VIC-20's limited memory, VIC-20 Elite boasts 30 unique ships, Coriolis and Dodo space stations, and core gameplay elements like exploration, combat, and a dynamic economy. While some features were trimmed to fit the hardware constraints, it's a remarkable feat of 8-bit programming and a testament to the enduring appeal of the original.

(vic20elite.wordpress.com)

Game

Netflix's Cloud Gaming Push: Co-op and Party Games on the Way

2025-01-24

Netflix is expanding its cloud gaming efforts, planning to launch a service featuring co-op and party games streamed directly to TVs. Co-CEO Greg Peters described this as a successor to family board game nights or an evolution of TV game shows. While a release date hasn't been announced, Netflix has been beta testing cloud gaming since 2023 and plans to continue investment. The company will also focus on narrative games based on Netflix IP.

(www.theverge.com)

Game multiplayer games

Epic Games Subsidizes Developers to Bypass Apple's App Store Fees

2025-01-24

Epic Games is expanding its mobile game store by subsidizing iOS developers' fees for using third-party marketplaces, directly challenging Apple's App Store dominance. This move aims to attract more games to its store and combat Apple's high fees. Epic will pay the Apple Core Technology Fee (CTF) for developers in its free games program, but this is not a long-term solution. Epic hopes the EU will enforce the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to break Apple's monopoly. This is the latest maneuver in Epic's long-running battle against Apple and Google, who Epic argues create unfair restrictions and fees for developers, stifling competition in the mobile gaming market. Despite a delayed launch due to technical issues, Epic is determined to push for greater competition in the mobile app store landscape.

(www.theverge.com)

Game Apple App Store

Decoding the Mario Logo: A Surprisingly Deep Dive into Color Schemes

2025-01-23

Blogger Louie Mantia embarked on a fascinating analysis of the color usage in Mario game logos. He discovered patterns in the seemingly random color choices across the franchise's various logo styles. By meticulously examining 40 game logos, he found green to be the most frequently used color, while red dominated the letter 'M'. His analysis culminated in a proposed 'most Mario' color scheme, sparking intriguing correlations with release dates, game genres, and even box art characters.

(lmnt.me)

Game Mario

Tokyo Xtreme Racer: A Technical Deep Dive into the UE5 Powered Reboot

2025-01-23

After an 18-year hiatus, the Tokyo Xtreme Racer series roars back with a new entry in Steam Early Access. This technical review delves into the game's Unreal Engine 5.4 implementation. Surprisingly, even a GTX 1070 can run the game smoothly at 1080p with high settings. The author provides detailed comparisons of visual quality and performance across different presets, exploring the impact of Lumen lighting technology. Steam Deck performance and future update expectations are also discussed. The game proves surprisingly scalable and visually appealing, even on older hardware.

(cookieplmonster.github.io)

Game Unreal Engine 5

AI-Generated Minecraft: A Glitchy Pixel Wonderland

2025-01-23

Oasis Minecraft, an AI-generated Minecraft game, is notable for its unique 'lack of object permanence.' In this game, mountains vanish in a blink, buildings disintegrate instantly, and creatures morph into sand. The author recounts bizarre glitches encountered: shifting terrain, morphing blocks, and erratic health fluctuations. These aren't bugs, but rather odd occurrences stemming from the AI's attempt to predict the next frame, illustrating limitations in generative AI training while inadvertently creating a surreal, dreamlike experience.

(www.aiweirdness.com)

Game AI game

Multiplayer Shooter Game in Lisp: A Solo Dev's Odyssey

2025-01-22

A solo developer built a web-based multiplayer third-person shooter, Wizard Masters, using Clojure, a Lisp dialect. Leveraging Clojure's REPL for rapid iteration and Babylon.js for graphics, the article details the game's rule system, networking architecture, and area-of-effect damage calculations. Challenges faced include state management, the lack of a strong Clojure game development community, and web platform limitations. The author concludes by weighing the pros and cons of web game development and emphasizes the crucial role of tooling, hinting at a potential shift to a mainstream engine like Unity or Unreal in the future.

(ertu.dev)

Game

Pitfall! Reimagined: A Modern Take on a Classic Platformer

2025-01-22

The 1982 Atari 2600 classic, Pitfall!, returns as a browser-based experience! This isn't a mere emulation; it's a TypeScript rebuild meticulously crafted from the original's 6507 assembly language source code. While faithfully preserving the sounds and graphics, the remake introduces side-scrolling, mid-air control, refined trap mechanics, and more. Easy, Normal, and Hard modes cater to all skill levels. Whether you're a nostalgic gamer or a newcomer, prepare for a thrilling jungle adventure!

(meatfighter.com)

Game platformer

Castle Game Engine Web Target: First 3 Demos!

2025-01-21

Castle Game Engine proudly announces the release of its first 3 working web applications! Experience 3D scenes and a 2D game directly in your browser (Firefox, Chrome, etc.)—no installation needed. Powered by WebAssembly and WebGL, the cross-platform code offers a glimpse into future features like data loading, currently under development. Comprehensive documentation is available, even though the web target is still on a development branch.

(castle-engine.io)

Game

Game Devs Revolt Against Boss's AI Schemes

2025-01-21

A survey reveals growing unease among game developers concerning AI's impact on the industry. Nearly half of the 3,000 respondents expressed concern about AI's negative effects, with 30% voicing outright negativity. While AI offers potential benefits in coding, art, and 3D modeling, many developers see limited practical applications and report increased workloads and job insecurity. Long hours and layoffs are rampant, leading to widespread frustration. Developers attribute these problems to post-pandemic overexpansion, unrealistic expectations, and poor management.

(www.wired.com)

Game Industry Crisis

Sudoku Variants: Play and Create Unique Sudoku Puzzles

2025-01-21

SudokuVariants is an online platform where users can play and create various Sudoku variants. The site boasts a wide selection of Sudoku types, including Killer Sudoku, Arrow Sudoku, and Thermo Sudoku, allowing users to filter and select puzzles based on preference. Furthermore, it supports saving and importing Sudoku grids for convenient gameplay.

(sudokuvariants.com)

Game Sudoku Online Game

Reverse Engineering Call of Duty's User-Mode Anti-Cheat

2025-01-21

This post details a deep dive into TAC, the user-mode anti-cheat in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. The author meticulously reverse-engineered TAC, revealing its sophisticated techniques. These include runtime API lookups, anti-debugging measures (detecting debug registers and test signing mode), API hook detection, external overlay detection, and innovative encrypted custom syscall stubs. The analysis covers TAC's process termination methods, anti-signature scanning, and other anti-debugging tricks. The integration with Arxan code protection further enhances TAC's robustness. This research provides valuable insights into anti-cheat mechanisms and reverse engineering.

(ssno.cc)

Game anti-cheat game security

Play Brick Breaker with Your Hands!

2025-01-20

Forget controllers! 'Manual Brick Breaker' lets you play the classic game using only your hands. The game uses your webcam to track your palm movements, controlling the paddle to break bricks. Difficulty increases with each level, speeding up the ball and shrinking the paddle, testing your reflexes. All processing happens directly in your browser, ensuring privacy. The game's code is open-source, built with JavaScript, HTML canvas, and MediaPipe hand tracking. The creator also offers other fun open-source projects, such as video-to-ASCII art converters.

(collidingscopes.github.io)

Game hand tracking web game

Voxel Slugs on a Cube: An Interactive Animation

2025-01-20

Artist Japhy Riddle created a captivating animation featuring three colored slugs navigating the edges of an invisible cube, never quite touching. Inspired by this, developer Matt Sephton built an interactive version using Love2D, allowing users to manipulate cube parameters and slug behavior. This interactive version not only replicates the charm of the original but expands its possibilities, such as increasing the number of slugs. Users can download and explore the possibilities themselves.

(blog.gingerbeardman.com)

Game gamedev

Mixxx: Unleash Your Inner DJ with Free, Open-Source Software

2025-01-20

Mixxx is a free and open-source DJ mixing software application available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Boasting powerful features such as BPM and key detection, sync lock, DJ controller support, effects, and even vinyl record control, Mixxx caters to DJs of all skill levels. Driven by a passionate international community of DJs and programmers, Mixxx is constantly updated and improved. The latest release, Mixxx 2.5, promises an even more exciting DJ experience.

(mixxx.org)

Game DJ software music production

Category: Game