#internal id: Behemoth

[micromasterspaceshot]

UNGCC DAIKAIJU FILE #003

INTERNAL ID: BEHEMOTH

THREAT CLASS: KING CLASS

Species: Frigidicustos draconis

Height: 45 Meters

Length: 150 Meters

Status: Active

Bio: TO BE WRITTEN

Abilities: Heightened strength and reflexes, burrowing, Impenetrable Hide, advanced cryokenesis.

[comfortless]

AHH I was the anon from the Bear!Ko ask ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ I adore it so much like I’m kicking my feet and twirling my hair your ideas are CHEFS KISS AND IM GLAD YOU LIKED THE PROMPTT

Definitely not excited that you’re considering more hybrid stuff.. TEEHEE ʕ •́؈•̀ ₎

BUT YEAH JUST THOUGHT TO DROP SOMETHING NEW CUZ WHY NOT! Maybe Ko being deployed on a mission to some wild terrain, having to camp out on the grounds for a while by himself. Reader taking interest in the behemoth and toying with him until he finds out they’re a fae or nymph

Or a game of hide and seek.. in the dark.. with him.. maybe even a wolf!ko

ONCE AGAIN ID LOVE TO SEE YOU WORK UR MAGIC ON THESE IDEAS (｡♥‿♥｡)

hi, 🧸!! working on something with a lycanthrope Kö at the moment, but this is… well it is something! i adore the idea of König with a cute (insatiable) nymph!! definitely give @cookiepie111’s Drink From The Leche of Sirens a read if you haven’t already. <3

content/warnings: 18+. minors do not interact. fae nonsense (reader is a tree nymph), vague smut.

It isn’t that he ever intended to be here, not really. Simple surveillance, Fender had told him. Any knowing soldier would recognize the equipment that did not even need hands to tend to it, the cameras that should be set and monitored, and yet there were none in place here— just König, a loaded gun, and the stillness of the forest that seemed to stretch ever onward.

There’s been a lapse for the past week, with Kortac’s most adept at retrieving information out seeking just that, off with their radios constantly abuzz and adrenaline running rampant through their veins.

There’s an envy harbored somewhere in the back of his skull, twittering and hissing when he thinks on it too much… shelved for an uncharacteristic mistake to be left here amongst plants and scattered animal sounds, a temporary solace that would be ripped away when something new came through the chain of command; an overabundance of the very things he would care to think less about.

König hasn’t seen another person in days, not out here, tracking a vehicle carrying supposed smuggled weapons. There are no tire tracks, not even air traffic passing above: only gloom, loneliness, and the chill of early spring.

Then the abandoned house, where he takes refuge. It’s dated: the furniture all in various states of disarray, shattered porcelain about the kitchen and vaulted ceilings so high he doesn’t even need to bother with ducking to cross from room to room. It’s old on the exterior, stately, with vines creeping up its walls to reach the warmest height to bloom. Though internally, it is clear the place has not been left to rot for long: no loose boards, no holes in the ceiling or floor, just seemingly preserved somehow, as though time itself had come to still.

He doesn’t mind the daily patrols through the forest, the pensive stalking and creeping to find any hint of what he was after. Even through the night, when sleep forgets to lure him in for warmth and comfort amidst the pollen and silence, the walking never seems to grate on him.

There are lights, often, amongst the trees, faint pulses of glowing white that dissipate the moment his gaze sweeps over them. He’s read the fairytales as a child, even witnessed Conor get so drunk once that he shared his own tales of the ‘wee folk’, but König would feel a fool to believe any of that at face value. Most of his own kind were not interested in him, shying away with laughter or pitying gazes the moment he approached, so why would anything else be drawn to a man who could never quite scrub the blood from his fingernails or keep a conversation from spinning out into silence and uneasy glances?

It’s during one of these nightly walks that he first sees her, a vision bathed beneath the milky glow of the moon, ethereal, yet still nothing short of a proper blessing from the earth. Despite the distance from his path to her own, her body looks soft, bare and gentle. The growing thorns and clusters of ivy do not scrape her, only gently pull aside as she walks, tender and swaying like the petals sprung up from the plants for little fingers ghost over.

He only thinks that, assuredly, he’s lost his mind. The vision fades away when she looks at him, curls her lips into a smile… and then it is all gone. She leaves not a trace, no footprints indented into the soil he knows he had only just watched her tread. The flowers he saw her pull into being have vanished, too. All that remains is a dulled aura of dread, a strange thing that he has not felt in years, if ever at all.

König does not think of the woman until she appears again, during the day amidst the leaves of a sprawling sycamore. She lies against the bark, body resting over a healthy branch where she sleeps in a position so demure it sets his heart ablaze. The breeze caresses her hair, something he wishes to feel beneath his own fingertips; it whistles over her bare skin while the sun bathes her in rays of gold, filtered out through pinprick partings in the leaves, begs, pleads for him to touch. Forbidden fruit, too lofty to touch, too dainty for ash and blood.

He only walks away, carries on with the focus of his mission, reminds himself of every time that he’s sought some semblance of companionship and how those escapades had all simmered down to nothing but taunting echoes for sleepless nights. There was no need for any more ghosts, not even the pretty ones.

With nothing else in sight, he returns to that house where time halts and loses himself to want; swallows dry when he frees himself of his buckle and pulls out his growing erection. A release and an expelling of memory all in one.

He thinks of her, of her graceful walk amidst the darkened woods, of the way she lay, perfectly unscathed and beautiful, unknowing of any thing that plagues him, scatters from his grim expression right down to his very marrow. The imaginings… he would never speak of them, perhaps would only have the information pried from him that he thought of her smile when he spilled himself into his palm, but only if she came to beg for it with a voice he imagines must be tree sticky and sweet like warmed honey. Only if she came for him.

There lies a meadow just past an abrupt opening in the tree line, small and subdued by outstretched branches that curl over the grass and wildflowers still yet to bloom. No chill lingers here, as though summer stretches over the little glade and settles atop it with its warmth, masks even the little pond that does not seem to carry the same frosted panes of ice that the others he had seen do. There is fruit, puny red berries and hefty pears causing their limbs to bend, gently set them down for the earth and all of the animals roaming about to eat.

And he knows he’s stumbled upon her home.

He finds his voice when she peeks at him from behind the trunk, wide-eyed and curious with the softest curl about her lips, playful but tentative.

“Hallo,” he whispers, raising his gloved hand as if to wave, but curling his fingers into his palm instead. He’s horribly uncertain, caught between the alarming thought that he’s dealing with some perturbing nudist or something… else entirely.

“Hello,” she says, almost shy as she unveils herself from behind the tree, takes a step toward him with a tender look in her eyes and a long draw of breath. Sets his nerves at ease with her silent admittance that she, too, at least seemed wary.

König immediately tells her why he’s here, not in full detail, sparing the poor doe the tedium and the confidential bits that would likely only make her head spin, and then… he mentions how he had seen her, how the forest seemed to yield to her whims, her dancing beneath the moon that appeared to shine only for her. He gives her a curious look, undetectable beneath the darkened hood, pleads for her to explain in his own silent sort of way.

“I have seen you too,” she says instead, curling her arms behind her back, pushing out her chest, and… he doesn’t think to ask any further.

She’s the loveliest thing that he has ever seen or felt: places herself right into his lap when she guides him down to the grass. There’s sap on her fingertips when she presses them to his lips, curiously grazing them over his mouth as he speaks to her about the forest, a forest he’s already deemed to be her own, obscure princess that she was. She giggles when he dares to lick over each intruding digit, even gives a shaky, soft sigh when he suckles at one.

The nymph whispers things into his ear that he’s never heard before: things about each sprouting plant, of other things that hide away in the shade beneath branches and how they had all seen him too, about the earth and life and softer secrets about her beloved tree. Home and love without ever daring to speak words so simple. She does not ask about the dreadful things he does not think about, only lies back in the grass when he praises her beauty and the lovely notes of her voice.

He thinks for a moment that he should not touch her, should not have her grace wasted on something like him, but she rises up only enough to kiss him through the hood and he finds himself tugged down to tickling blades of grass and his mind finally does quiet.

She cradles him close as he claims her love for his own, steals sap from her lips and follows her sighs to a comforting oblivion. Her hands find his neck, his shoulders to offer gentle touches, tracing patterns like the intricate twisting of vines against his flesh all while he praises their union, her sweetness.

He doesn’t know how long he’s spent with her, the day seems to to stretch on for an eternity with the sun high above, but when he wakes… he is back inside of the old, quiet house, lying in the bed he knows with a certainty that he’s never even touched. Fender’s voice is calling to him over the radio, clipped and demanding for a report, one that proves nothing at all, a barrage of words filled with wonder and bliss with no intel on the mission.

And König isn’t shocked by the leave he’s given once he does return to base the following day. Three weeks time would be just enough to clear his head, regain his focus, pull money from his account to purchase that lonesome old house in the forest. He couldn’t bare the thought of never seeing such an angel again, never hearing the soft chittering of her voice or being blessed with the feeling of her beneath him, intertwined like the vines she so loved.

[moonrisecoeur]

i have been. debating sending this bc i know i am cringe. op i am so sorry feel free to ignore and delete bc this is just actual pure filth lmfaooo

op i literally think about pegging leon 24/7 its a full time JOB inside my brain i need to peg that man so fucking Bad its not even funny. i know hes so fucking Noisy. i wanna make him beg for my strap, i wanna fucking edge him until hes begging and crying to be fucking ruined. i wanna pretty him up, put eyeliner on him so i can make it run down his face from fucking him so hard. i wanna mark up his neck and pull his hair while i pulverize him. i wanna tell him hes taking it so well and how hes such a good boy, how pretty he looks bent over for me while i fuck his cute ass. i want him to hug me while i praise him bc hes so overwhelmed. tell him how hot it is hearing him moan and whine, encourage him to make as much noise as he wants, itd be cute to watch him try to not pillow bite because hes trying sooo hard to do what you want like a good boy. i want him to be borderline Incomprehensible, voice shaking and cracking as he tells me how much he loves me, how much he loves the way i make him feel. i wanna make him cum untouched. i wanna overstimulate him. i wanna grope his fat tits and milk his dick. i wanna make him watch himself getting fucked. put him in a collar, lingerie, fuck anything-hed be gorgeous no matter what he wears. shower him in kisses and affection and make him feel the most loved he has in his entire LIFE while short circuiting his brain n marking him with bites and bruises for everyone to see.

re2 leon is my fave man he has my heart and god id love to just take care of him. after a long shift i wanna slam him against the door and fuck him while hes still in uniform. make him feel so good. such a whiny cutie. cuff him up and bite his freckles while i fuck him late into the night, clean him up and cuddle him after, make him breakfast in the morning n give him kisses.

re4/re6/older leon is a subby bitch too. just as god damn fine and id do oh so horrific things to him. hed love it so much, not having to think, make decisions, take charge. just let me whatever i want to him. hed get off so hard being under you and told how fucking good, pretty, perfect he is. he needs your approval so fucking bad-its all that poor man wants, god he needs it so BAD. he needs to feel safe and loved and wanted, like this is Critical. id make SURE i fuck him so good he cant even think about his insecurities or problems. and dear fucking lord do not get me started on that slutty waist and button down of his in re6. he's keeping the gloves on while i press his hands into the mattress and bite his arms.

its so fucking funny bc i hc leon as a switch BUT GODDDDD SUBBY LEON MAKES ME FUCKING FOAM AT THE MOUTH LIKE A RABID, FERAL ANIMAL

its not a want it is a NEED

I NEED THIS MAN UNDER ME I NEED TO REARRANGE HIS GUTS !!!!!!!!!!!!

guhhh last anon again but now i really cant stop thinkin about sub leon. legit i have so much more to say i just love him so much. theres so much. More. i wanna say but lord. im trying so hard to be normal man 😭😭

first off. hi. hope u had a yummy thanksgiving if u celebrate it and if not i also hope ur having a good day !!

ALSO WTF WHY WOULD I DELETE THIS i literally woke up this morning and checked my tumblr notifs as one does and i literally see this behemoth of an ask and im reading through and im literally screaming bc why is this my internal monologue. like. did u get inside my head or something??? did u steal this from my brain bc i literally think about this approximately 1000 times a day.

i’ll literally be at work and my thoughts be like ughhh i wanna hurt him and make him cry but also want to love him and take care of him but also want to fuck him so so slow and deep i can feel it moving around if i put on hand on his abdomen and then i just spiral and then i remember im making a fuckin caramel macchiato or something >.<

so!! in spirit of our delusion i’m planning to write smthin for u based off of this vibe!! just give me a lil bit 👉👈

BUT TELL ME EVERYTHING TELL ME ALL UR THOUGHTS I WANT TO HEAR THEM ALL I WANT TO KNOWWWW ‘i have so much more to say’ okay prove it. tell me everything

[duchessofostergotlands]

What is your opinion on the Red Cross? After they deranged funds from Haití and other places? How centralised it really is?

I think they have a lot of problems. The charity sector was totally shaken by the revelations that Red Cross staff had paid sex workers in Haiti and we know that sexual assault is rampant in the aid worker community. Unfortunately these things are not unique. The International Development sector is really flawed. If there’s a charity scandal it will often be in that area because of a lack of oversight. Firstly the organisations have kind of become behemoths which makes it more difficult to keep an eye on where money is going. Secondly when you have an office in London and then staff on the ground in the developing world it means offices tend to work as separate organisations and there isn’t communication on the issues that are really going on at ground level. They also seem to rely very heavily on outdated stereotypes so they often end up exploiting and undermining the very people they’re there to serve. While all charities have a power structure in place which is difficult to shake off, this is particularly prevalent in the iD sector. So while the Red Cross are bad, it’s not just a problem they deal with. People need to really do their research when they’re working on places to donate to. In terms of their structure the Red Cross is pretty much a lot of different independent organisations. They all have their own CEOs, they’re all legally separate, but they do share a common set of values and they collaborate. 

[talesofealdancynedom]

Tales of Ealden Cynedom: 36. The Dormant Forge (2/5)

36. The Dormant Forge (chapter 2 - Fifteen Silver Short 2/5 ) part 8. Stories of Dreams.

none

Everything was fine as Regina got he ticket to Hawkhaven. Mr. Topper took her on the daily train from Pepperidge, to The Grand Station; The international hub, historically symbolized peace. It represented The North Central of Francia, giving the world trains they invented, as a part of their peace treaty; According to the signs you could read while waiting for your transfer.  The ticket boys were adorable, and entranced by the black and green behemoth; Aches and brass lamps, eight platforms, and noisier than a firework festival.

When Mr. Topper chugged the train away, Reggie knew there was no turning back. She admired her green ticket; It had shinny pieces, to indicate authenticity, and a bunch of numbers, that must have meaning. Two hours later, a vending machine had eaten ten West-Silver from her pockets, leaving Regina hungry as her ticket was punched.

“Wait ma’am; I need to see a magic license if you’re bringing fey on board.” A ticket boy said. A line was forming behind the red-eye rail. Regina searched all eight pockets of her cargos, and pulled out her summoning note-book; She showed the first page, where she had scrap-booked the license into the cover.

“Have a nice trip ma’am!” The he nodded.

“Ma’am? I’m a magic-user; It’s Master, thanks. Also, how did you know my neckpiece held one of the most difficult fey to find?” Regina growled while boarding.

“Well, Master Geagmann, you have a gorgeous crystalline goblin behind you. She looks like a princess!” The ticked boy chimed. Wyvern hugged Reggie from behind.

“Thanks, I love my wife. Have an awesome day sir.” Reggie said casually, kissing Wyvern. The rest of the midnight trip, people either slept, or uncomfortably watched Reggie and Wyvern check off a list of romantic activities.

Strike midnight, and the train stopped at Holtwine Station; The boarder between The Grand West and Northlands. A station attendant boarded, and woke everyone to check their identities and tickets. He stopped at Regina last.

“All of them. On the table.” He said. Reggie was confused, and felt picked out. She normally felt the Celtician accent was happy, so his tone was off-putting. Reggie pulled out her passport, Grand West ID, and magic license. The attendant’s eyes narrowed as he read her ID.

“Master Geagmann, do you have a birth certificate? We check first-time travelers before giving the stamp of approval.”

“Bullshit.” A passenger yelled.

“Francian people need someone to vouch their character. Your stature and paler gives it away. Your posture even.”

“Sir, I’m slouching, quarter Danian, born Anglian, half Francian, annoyed, and want to talk to your manager.” Reggie growled, summoning her birth-certificate; Clearly stating she as born and raised in the Grand West, and in fact, not from The Central North of Francia. Regina felt like she was going to erupt. She’d accumulated small inconveniences which wore her thin. bubbling her anxiety about the fragility of aspirations. Making her feel unwelcome, at each stage of her quest. Wyvern stood up, and raised her hand. The attendant jumped back, yelling profanity.

“I’m half-human, can I vouch for her?” Wyverndor signed. She was mute, as rocks are, and learning sign language was one of her and Reggie’s bonding activities. The station didn’t have a translator, and Regina was escorted offboard, and give a caught at the station. They said it was for smuggling fey.

When Regina woke, she checked her necklace for Wyverndor, to thank her. At least her True Love was there. Regina briefly wondered, if she should have brought her father. Wyverndor turned human again, and lay next to Reggie.

“Just imagine how wonderful the forge will be, when you arrive! It will feel so deserved after a long journey. Oh look Reggie; They left you bread by the locked door.” Wyvern signed. Reggie groaned when she heard a knock. She clenched her fists for a proper slug, as she stood at the unlatching door. The officer was mishandling the keys. When the door opened, Reggie could see a cold sweat upon the officer’s brow.

“We called the embassy, and we don’t have a North Central department, because they seldom enter. Only postage and trade, I’m afraid. They also said the attendant was racist, and he’s on suspension. Our apologies ma’am. We’ll cover your ticket to your next destination, and help you apply for a work permit.” The officer assured. Reggie wasn’t amused.

“Thanks. It’s Master Geagmann by the way. I’m heading to Hawkhaven, if that’s ok.” Regina sighed. The officer paused, as if Regina was crazy for choosing that destination. Wyverndor climbed back into the necklace, as a ruby this time. The officer walked off for the documents, while Reggie yelled into the linins.

“I have a Happily Ever After; I’m enchanted with good fortune. My dream in nye. That forge is going to be so cool. So cool. So worth it.” She whimpered.

The next train had knots of sea creatures carved into the beams. Instead of benches along the windows facing each other, there were double seats all facing the same way. The maintained economy car, even had cushioned seats. Every inch was jewel-tones, from wood to carpet. Regina bought some mints, ale, and a sandwich off the trolly; And some crisps for Wyvern. As the train went, it emptied at Hassburry, the capitol, and continued in silence. Reggie walked around the empty car, looking through the windows. The green soft rolling hills had sheep, transformed into old growth forest, then marsh. Each mile under a dimmed sky that was about to rain. Steadily, the marsh turned rocky, and sun red. With a deafening screech, the train stopped at a frail bright orange station. The announcement said ‘End of Line’, and Regina disembarked.

Reggie’s face was slapped with cool air, and heat that radiated up her boots. Like a fever, or she was about to vomit. Finally at the destination, she kissed the blacked platform. The train turned off and cooled with a release of stream. Finally, the conductor jumped out and stretched.

“Wow, you must’ve come a long way to be our tourist! Never seen one kiss the floor though. The rumors are true by the way.” She gleamed. Reggie looked at the unhoused engine.

“Miss, you worried about Big Blitz here? She’ll be fine; Strong enough to survive without a barn. Let me show you to the pub!”

“I’m not a tourist, I’m your mage. A Warlock who can probably just transmute you a nice crate for Blitzen.”

“Oh, no… Mages are maniacal legendary beings! One used a blade of shadow, to cut down the city long ago, and stole a maiden on his way back, after failing to conquer us. Another used to make us toys from the screaming fires, past the glowing ridge. We don’t need one of those! We have families and live modest lives; I’m begging you to go.” She quivered.

“Come on, I just need to go dark on the gate, craft the unimaginable, and care for the fey. Won’t even know I’m there.”

“you want to make the voices stop, make trinkets, and live in the ridge then? So, you’re not dangerous, just mad?”

“Yup. I’m a normal person. Oh, but you should also meet my one-and-only; She’s crown princess of the stone Kingdom!” Reggie smiled. The conductor stepped back slowly. Reggie slouched further, and started staggering to the rumbling volcanic dam, looming over the town.

“Rain check for getting wasted at the pub when I’m done?” Reggie yelled to the conductor, who hid behind the ticket booth.

NEXT--->

<---PREVIOUS

[magess]

The description above is the energy usage is a good summary of Proof of Work blockchains. If you want to read the truly wild story about how Bitcoin came to exist and why, Digital Cash by Finn Brunton is a legitimately interesting book about it.

Proof of Work is the oldest and most outdated blockchain method. Proof of Stake systems don't require endless calculations, and so use considerably less energy, and several of them even purchase carbon offsets to make them carbon negative. So there are people and projects that are aware of and care about environmental impact, but they're not the behemoth and not even second place.

Bitcoin's waste isn't even necessary to accomplish what it set out to accomplish. It should die in a fire along with coal plants.

On another note, the Wall St Bros are already all over crypto. The people pumping millions of dollars into it aren't normal people working average jobs. There's a reason that every financial app is now adding crypto and pushing people to buy it. All the bullshit the investor class pulls to get rich in stocks they can do in crypto with no regulation. It's already just recreating wealth among the wealthy.

That being said, there are some useful things being developed, largely to do with international payments and exchanges between fiat currencies, something PayPal is used for now if you're just a normal person. Ethiopia built a school ID system on a blockchain. Whether any of them will turn out to have good real world application remains to be seen.

NFTs as art really is just dumb, because they don't limit access. You're not buying the exclusive right to view the original or something, like you would if you bought an original painting and put it in your house. Everyone can see it, download it, etc. I've seen people talk about using them for something like selling concert tickets. Each NFT is the ticket to a particular seat at a particular show, but I'm not sure what that solves over normal tickets, if anything. Is there massive counterfeiting in concert tickets?

WTF is an NTF? No matter how many times I’ve had it explained to me, it still makes no sense. The best I can figure that it’s a form of cryptocurrency with personalized artwork made on a really environmentally unfriendly material being sold for ridiculous prices just so suckers can get unique furry artz

[aion-rsa]

Xbox Game Pass: New Games for July and August 2021 Revealed

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft’s subscription service for Xbox One owners. It’s designed to be like a “Netflix for games,” where you pay a simple monthly rate and get access to loads of games for download. It’s not to be confused with the Xbox Live Gold membership, which gives users a selection of free games each month.

There has been a huge surge in popularity and profile for Xbox Game Pass since its launch, mainly due to the diverse list of games and first-party exlusives on the service. In fact, Microsoft drops new releases from its own internal studios onto the service on day one! Sea of Thieves was the first example of this, followed by State of Decay 2 and Crackdown 3. Since then, the service has seen the day one launch of several other high-profile Xbox exclusives, including Gears 5, The Outer Worlds, and Halo: Reach on the Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

Membership to Xbox Game Pass will set you back $9.99 per month. You can now also get an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for $1 for the first month and $14.99 every month after that. The subscription includes an Xbox Live Gold membership as well as all of the games offered on Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass for PC. Plus, with cloud support, you can play a selection of Xbox Game Pass titles on your Android phone. And now you even get access to titles on EA Play, the third-party publisher’s own on-demand service.

New games are added each month to Xbox Game Pass. Here are the latest games coming to the service (with descriptions courtesy of the Xbox team):

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Xbox Game Pass: Games for June 2021

The Wild at Heart (Cloud) – June 1

Explore a beautiful, handcrafted world full of charming puzzles, and deep secrets in The Wild at Heart, a whimsical story centered around two children that escape to a fantastical land filled with magical creatures to befriend and an oddball order of guardians who’ve lost their way. Welcome to the Deep Woods.

For Honor (Cloud and Console) – June 3

War marches across the land of Heathmoor as heroes from rival factions clash in unending visceral battles. Use your finely honed skill to emerge victorious in a variety of thrilling single and brutal multiplayer modes. Grasp destiny in your hands and fight… for honor.

Backbone (PC) – June 8

Raccoon detective Howard Lotor is not a hero. He can barely make rent. And yet he has stumbled across something so massive that it will shake the very fabric of society. Stunning visuals, an evocative soundtrack, and a daring narrative bring a dystopian Vancouver, BC inhabited by animals to life in this highly anticipated, post-noir adventure. Get to it, detective.

Darkest Dungeon (Cloud, Console, and PC) – June 10

Darkest Dungeon is a challenging gothic roguelike turn-based RPG about the psychological stresses of adventuring. Recruit, train, and lead a team of flawed heroes through twisted forests, forgotten warrens, ruined crypts, and beyond. Not only do unimaginable foes await, but stress, famine, disease, and the ever-encroaching dark.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Cloud, Console, and PC) – June 13

Now you can play all eight games in the mainline Yakuza saga from Yakuza 0 to the latest installment, Yakuza: Like a Dragon! Become Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking yakuza grunt left on the brink of death by the man he trusted most. Take up your legendary bat and get ready to crack some underworld skulls in dynamic RPG combat set against the backdrop of modern-day Japan in Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Arx Fatalis (PC) – June 13

This critically acclaimed first-person RPG from Arkane Studios takes the player on an amazing journey into the fantasy world of Arx. As your quest unfolds you will explore ancient temples, bustling cities and abandoned mines; unearth legendary artifacts and face terrifying foes.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (PC, Cloud, and Console) – June 13

From the award-winning developers at Arkane Studios comes Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, the third adventure in the critically acclaimed Dishonored series. Explore the dark underbelly of society to pull off the ultimate assassination.

Doom (Cloud and Console) – June 13

Relentless demons, impossibly destructive guns, and fast, fluid movement provide the foundation for intense, first-person combat in Doom, 2016’s Action Game of the Year and lead-up to the critically acclaimed Doom Eternal. Become the Doom Slayer and experience visceral intuitive push-forward combat as you obliterate Hell’s armies.

Fallout (PC) – June 13

The first entry in the beloved Fallout franchise. Explore the devastated ruins of a golden age civilization. Talk, sneak or fight your way past mutants, gangsters, and robotic adversaries. Make the right decisions or you could end up as another fallen hero in the wastelands…

Fallout 2 (PC) – June 13

It’s been 80 long years since your ancestors trod across the wastelands. As you search for the Garden of Eden Creation Kit to save your primitive village, your path is strewn with crippling radiation, megalomaniac mutants, and a relentless stream of lies, deceit and treachery.

Fallout 3 (PC, Cloud, and Console) – June 13

An expansive world, unique combat, shockingly realistic visuals, tons of player choice, and an incredible cast of dynamic characters. Every minute is a fight for survival against the terrors of the outside world.

Fallout: New Vegas (Newly added for PC, Cloud, and Console) – June 13

Welcome to New Vegas. It’s the kind of town where you dig your own grave prior to being shot in the head… and that’s before things really get ugly. It’s a town of dreamers and desperados being torn apart by warring factions vying for complete control of this desert oasis.

Fallout: Tactics (PC) – June 13

In these dark times, the Brotherhood – your Brotherhood – is all that stands between the rekindled flame of civilization and the wasteland. Your squad mates will be dearer to you than your kin and for those that survive there will be honor, respect, and the spoils of war.

Rage (Cloud and Console) – June 13

In the not-too-distant future an asteroid impact left Earth ravaged. You emerge into a vast wasteland to discover humanity working to rebuild itself in a treacherous world. Survive and explore an expansive environment teeming with bandit gangs, mutant hordes and an oppressive government’s soldiers with exotic guns and gadgets.

The Evil Within 2 (PC, Cloud, and Console) – June 13

Experience visceral survival horror as you descend into terrifying domains in search of your missing daughter. Use weapons, traps, and stealth to survive an onslaught of horrifying creatures determined to rip you apart. Return to the nightmare to win back your life and the ones you love.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (PC, Cloud, and Console) – June 13

You are BJ Blazkowicz, humanity’s last hope for liberty, on a mission to recruit the boldest resistance leaders left. Fight in iconic American locations, equip an arsenal of awesome guns, and unleash new abilities as you kill every Nazi in sight and spark the second American Revolution.

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance (PC, Cloud, and Console) – June 13

Gather your party, choose your adventurer, and get ready to set out on an epic brawl through Icewind Dale on June 22 with Xbox Game Pass. Forget character sheets and math for the night, Dark Alliance is a third-person action brawler that drops you and your friends into the unforgiving frozen hellscape of Icewind Dale to take on iconic Dungeons & Dragons monsters and collect epic loot. You can venture on your own, but with the addition of cross play on PC and Xbox featuring up to 4-player co-op, why would you?

Xbox Game Pass: Games for July 2021

Atomicrops (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – July 22

Atomicrops is an action-packed, roguelite, bullet-hell game where you must defend and cultivate the last farm in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Tend to mutated crops (be careful, some have teeth), marry townsfolk (ooh la la), collect cats (because who wouldn’t?!), and kill every mutant creature that tries to invade! This ain’t no ordinary farming simulator.

Raji: An Ancient Epic (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – July 22

Take on the role of Raji, a young girl blessed by the gods to defend the human realm from an onslaught of demonic beings that seek to destroy her world. Brother and sister, Raji and Golu, separated by the attacking demonic hordes, now find themselves in the middle of a great war. Raji has taken it upon herself to find her brother and put an end to this reckless conflict.

Last Stop (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – July 22

Developed by Variable State, creators of the award-winning Virginia, and available with Xbox Game Pass on day one, Last Stop is a single-player, third-person adventure set in present-day London, where you play as three separate characters whose worlds collide in the midst of a supernatural crisis.

Blinx: The Time Sweeper (Cloud and Console) – July 26

Coming to Xbox Game Pass to celebrate 20 Years of Xbox, Blinx: The Time Sweeper is a fast-paced action game featuring a cool, clever character in wild, warped worlds. The ability to control the flow of time provides a classic 4-dimensional gaming experience.

Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge (Cloud and Console) – July 26

Celebrating 20 Years of Xbox, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge combines thrilling aerial combat with the swashbuckling style of a Hollywood action-adventure movie. Set in an alternate 1930s world of gunship diplomacy and sinister intrigue, pilot powerful aircraft against nefarious air pirates and behemoth war zeppelins.

Microsoft Flight Simulator (Xbox Series X|S) – July 27

From Xbox Game Studios, available with Xbox Game Pass on day one of its release for Xbox Series X|S! From light planes to wide-body jets, fly highly-detailed and accurate aircraft in the next generation of Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X|S. Test your piloting skills against the challenges of real-time atmospheric simulation and live weather in a dynamic and living world. The sky is calling!

Lethal League Blaze (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – July 29

An intense, high speed ball game with unique characters, outta sight sounds, and none of that weak stuff. In Shine City, the anti-gravity ball game has long been illegal. The group who kept playing was dubbed the Lethal League. Even now, with their sport pushed underground, players and crews compete for challenge and respect.

Omno (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – July 29

Available with Xbox Game Pass on day one! A single-player journey of discovery through an ancient world of wonders, created by solo developer Jonas Manke. Full of puzzles, secrets, and obstacles to overcome, where the power of a lost civilization will carry you through forests, deserts, and tundra – even to the clouds.

Project Wingman (PC) ID@Xbox – July 29

In an immersive flight experience, you’ll dogfight, strike, and fly your way to conquering the skies. Strap yourself into the cockpit of over 20 unique aircraft and become a true ace in Project Wingman.

The Ascent (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – July 29

Available with Xbox Game Pass on day one, The Ascent is a solo and co-op action-shooter RPG set in a cyberpunk world. The mega corporation that owns you and everyone, The Ascent Group, has just collapsed. Can you survive without it?

Xbox Game Pass: Games for August 2021

Twelve Minutes (PC, Cloud, and Console) – August 19

In Twelve Minutes, you play as a man coming home for what should be a romantic evening with your wife. The night twists into a nightmare when a brutish policeman breaks into your home, accuses your wife of murder, and beats you to death… only for you to wake up, suddenly returned to the moment you opened the front door. Your wife is blissfully unaware of what is about to happen, but you… you remember everything.

Psychonauts 2 (PC, Cloud, and Console) – August 25

Psychonauts 2 is an exciting journey through the mind filled with the signature Double Fine humor and heart, and a touch of next-level platforming. You play as Razputin Aquato, a trained acrobat and powerful young psychic, who has realized his lifelong dream of joining the international psychic espionage organization known as the Psychonauts. But these psychic super spies are in trouble. Raz must use his powers to bring the murderous psychic villain, Maligula, back from the dead! Check out the video above and get psyched!

Hades (PC, Cloud, and Console) – TBA

As the immortal Prince of the Underworld, you’ll wield the powers and mythic weapons of Olympus to break free from the clutches of the god of the dead himself, while growing stronger and unraveling more of the story with each unique escape attempt. 

Xbox Game Pass: Games for September 2021

Aragami 2 (PC, Cloud, and Console) – September 17

Aragami 2 is a third person stealth game where you play as an assassin with the power to control the shadows. Join the shadow clan and fight the invader armies to protect your people. You are one of the last elite warriors of your kin, the Aragami. Victims of a supernatural affliction which corrodes the body and devours the mind, the Aragami control Shadow Essence – a mystical power which grants the ability to control the shadows. With this power the Aragami carry out their tasks and quests – assignments made all along the valley to ensure the subsistence of the village and to free the Aragami enslaved by the invader armies.

Sable (PC, Cloud, and Console) – September 23

Embark on a unique and unforgettable journey and guide Sable through her Gliding; a rite of passage that will take her across vast deserts and mesmerizing landscapes, capped by the remains of spaceships and ancient wonders.

The post Xbox Game Pass: New Games for July and August 2021 Revealed appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3e8utqM

[nuclearblastuk]

Announce ‘Repentless’ 6,66'' box set for international SLAYER day!

 SLAYER has announced they will release an exclusive ‘Repentless’ collector's box set that includes 6 single EPs featuring all the songs off their latest album pressed on unique 6.66'' vinyl. The box set, which will be released on June 6th, will be available in black, red, and gold.  Pre-order your 6.66" ‘Repentless’ box set here: 6 x 6.66" Gold Vinyl Box Set: https://bit.ly/2GqydpF 6 x 6.66" Red Vinyl Box Set: https://bit.ly/2IUu5Nc 6 x 6.66" Black Vinyl Box Set: https://bit.ly/2pQ2GE0  

  On January 22, 2018, SLAYER announced that they would embark on one final concert tour around the globe to thank their fans for all of their support over the years, for making the last three-and-a-half decades packed with good times and unforgettable experiences, and then move on.

New and previously announced dates for SLAYER's final world tour, North America legs one and two, are as follows:

SLAYER

w/ LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, NAPALM DEATH

26.07. Gilford, NH - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (US)

27.07. Bangor, ME - Impact Music Festival (US)

29.07. Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater (US)

31.07. Scranton, PA - The Pavilion at Montage Mountain (US)

01.08. Albany, NY - Times Union Center (US)

03.08. Darien Lake, NY - Performing Arts Center (US)

04.08. Syracuse, NY - Lakeview Amphitheater (US)

06.08. London, ON - Budweiser Gardens (CA)

07.08. Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena (US)

09.08. St. Louis, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre (US)

10.08. Atlanta, GA - Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood (US)

12.08. Nashville, TN - Municipal Auditorium (US)

13.08. Rogers, AR - Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion (US)

15.08. San Antonio, TX - Freeman Coliseum (US)

16.08. Oklahoma City, OK - The Zoo Amphitheatre (US)

18.08. Denver, CO - Fiddler‘s Green Amphitheatre (US)

19.08. Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheatre (US)

21.08. Boise, ID - Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater (US)

23.08. Portland, OR - Sunlight Supply Amphitheater (US)

26.08. San Jose, CA - SAP Center (US)

More SLAYER dates:

w/ LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, BEHEMOTH, TESTAMENT

10.05. San Diego, CA - Valley View Casino Center (US)

11.05. Irvine, CA - FivePoint Amphitheatre *SOLD OUT* (US)

13.05. Sacramento, CA - Papa Murphy's Park (US)

16.05. Vancouver, BC - Pacific Coliseum (CA)

17.05. Penticton, BC - South Okanagan Events Centre (CA)

19.05. Calgary, AB - Big Four *SOLD OUT* (CA)

20.05. Edmonton, AB - Shaw Conference Centre *SOLD OUT* (CA)

22.05. Winnipeg, MB - Bell MTS Place (CA)

24.05. Minneapolis, MN - Armory *SOLD OUT* (US)

25.05. Chicago, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre (US)

27.05. Detroit, MI - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill *SOLD OUT* (US)

29.05. Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage *SOLD OUT* (CA)

30.05. Laval, QC - Place Bell *SOLD OUT* (CA)

01.06. Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun *SOLD OUT* (US)

02.06. Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center (US)

04.06. Reading, PA - Santander Arena *SOLD OUT* (US)

06.06. Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center (US)

07.06. Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center (US)

09.06. Pittsburgh, PA - KeyBank Pavilion (US)

10.06. Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live (US)

12.06. Virginia Beach, VA - VUHL Amphitheater (US)

14.06. Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion (US)

15.06. Orlando, FL – Amphitheater (US)

17.06. Houston, TX - Smart Financial Centre *SOLD OUT* (US)

19.06. Dallas, TX - The Bomb Factory *SOLD OUT* (US)

20.06. Austin, TX - Austin360 Amphitheater (US)

21. - 24.06. Reykjavík - Secret Solstice Festival (IS)

More info:

www.slayer.net

www.facebook.com/slayer

www.nuclearblast.de/slayer

[kissofwargold]

Kiss of War Cheats

Kiss of War Guides

Kiss of War manual is a guide for a popular new recreation. Additionally, you can appoint them to growth construction velocity, manufacturing/accumulating/repair/march speed. So make sure to appoint the officials. Sources are extremely beneficial inside the Kiss of War game. So ensure to max out the production homes so that you can get the max manufacturing enter each hour. Outside the bottom, you could build a farm, metallic mill, oil rig, and power plant like homes to supply meals, metal, oil, and electricity. Max out their improvements - as equal as the hq stage. It's extraordinarily essential - there are many perks you are going to get by becoming a member of a guild; the help from guild individuals in rushing up the construction, reinforcement, items, get admission to to guild save, and lots greater. Underneath the captain avatar, faucet the search log button -> follow the chapter missions if you are confused about a way to get commenced, whole the each day missions and encouraged missions for rewards. In the Kiss of War, you could acquire free Gold by using completing all of the every day missions. It is no longer about scuffling with ais. We're speaking about combating actual players. Befriend them or act against, it is all up to you. Loads of players take part on this legendary battlefield. Extend your guild territory, reveal your energy, and triumph over the land! Set in international war ii, Kiss of War is a conflict strategy sport about a collection of particular and fascinating women with tremendous lifestyles stories. Throughout the conflict, they joined a spy agency to assist the allies to fight towards invaders. You will play as a commander in the allies, educate sturdy armies, recruit stunning sellers as officials to steer your armies, rally all commanders within the global to put off invaders and in the long run build a stronger allied pressure to preserve peace in this world! It will not simply be about who has the stronger forces, however who has the better strategy. Consistent with europe's actual geography in word war ii, we've got constructed brilliant towns and battlefields, particularly iconic buildings all and sundry can understand. Further, we've modeled famed weapons of war that were in use throughout globe battle ii, sending you again to that mythical time. It is now not about fighting ais. We're speakme approximately struggling with actual players. Befriend them or act in opposition to, it's all up to you. Do you've got any pointers? Put up right here i am unable to assault any pandora department or iron behemoth. Every time i set a rally and assign troops, whilst the timer hits zero, it at once tells me the march turned into canceled. How do i restoration this? Your guild participants have to assist in the event that they do not it'll cancel and you need to be within the identical vicinity to get there help. In case you now not within the guild base you can teleport to their location möchte mit meiner base zu einem anderen server geht das und wie kann ich einen acc auf dem server löschen mfg rene1971 tap4fun, the writer in the back of brutal age and sea game, has just elevated the app portfolio with a brand new mmo struggle game called Kiss of War. The ability of rally assault and rally guard in raiders of the treasure are based on the capacity of the corridor of struggle 6. period of warmonger is based totally on the bottom degree, the higher the bottom stage the longer the period 10. modified calculation of severely injured gadgets that died from quit of the war to the end of spherical. - r4 and higher officials in a guild, can construct the guild deliver station in the guild territories. - after the occasion is scheduled to begin, gamers who can not take part in it because of teleporting or joining the guild now can take part in it. The sport uses a new unfastened manipulate system that lets in gamers to command a couple of troops to march, garrison, and change objectives and marching routes on the battlefield. Strong troops can not succeed without tremendous management and strategies! We've created bright cities and battlefields based on actual geography from the late modern-day europe, consisting of landmarks that humans will recognize. Plus, we've also simulated the well-known struggle machines used in the course of the overdue modern-day duration, which aim to bringing you lower back to the technology while legends emerged. Unite different commanders to cast off the invaders and sooner or later gain international peace by using setting up a more potent guild! The sport uses a brand new free manage system that allows players to command more than one troops to march, garrison, and change objectives and marching routes on the battlefield. Robust troops cannot succeed without terrific leadership and techniques! We have created vivid towns and battlefields based on real geography from the overdue modern europe, which include landmarks that human beings will understand. Plus, we've additionally simulated the well-known war machines used in the course of the overdue present day length, which intention to bringing you again to the generation whilst legends emerged. Hundreds of gamers participate on this mythical battlefield. Expand your extended family territory, exhibit your strength, and defeat the land! New functions: 1. shop is open and numerous packages arrival.2. Open officer's club 3. new beginner guide4. Territory career regulations modification5. Greater campaign tiers and open campaign save. 6. recruitment middle interface optimization7. Restore bugs copyright © 2017. cheat-Cheatss.com all rights reserved. Add your personal recommendations, recommendations and tricks for games! Were given connection mistakes when down load. Went to check google play in the event that they had it and they didn't.dont suppose this game coming out. - throughout the event duration, every player can only participate it as soon as with his id. Very last rankings and rewards could be based on the guild that participant got the factors - guilds with a total combat power in the server's top 20 can participate after being registered by means of the guild chief - rewards are now not acquired by electronic mail however immediately brought. The rewards are introduced at once to the backpack and can be regarded there. 3. increased private rewards obtained in the operation falcon. Unite different commanders to eliminate the invaders and eventually achieve global peace by organising a stronger guild! The sport uses a brand new unfastened manipulate device that permits players to command multiple troops to march, garrison, and change targets and marching routes on the battlefield. Strong troops cannot prevail without excellent leadership and strategies! We have created vivid cities and battlefields based on actual geography from the late modern europe, including landmarks that people will recognize. Plus, we have also simulated the famous war machines used during the late modern period, which aim to bringing you back to the era when legends emerged. The capacity of rally attack and rally defend in raiders of the treasure are based on the capacity of the hall of war 6. Duration of warmonger is based on the base level, the higher the base level the longer the duration 10. Changed calculation of seriously injured units that died from end of the battle to the end of round. - r4 and higher officials in a guild, can build the guild supply station within the guild territories. - after the event is scheduled to start, players who cannot participate in it because of teleporting or joining the guild now can take part in it. Another core aspect of the game is resources; food, steel, oil, and energy are the four important resources that you need to perfrom almost all the activities; producing units, buildings, upgrades, etc. Let's learn everything in detail and explore all the Kiss of War tips & tricks: - officers are the characters in the Kiss of War game who help you in leading the battles, gathering the resources from the map, and boosting the base activities. Legendary officers are the top-tier best officers because of the high stats they possess. Check the comments of this article too. Our readers tend to post gift codes if they find them before we do, and when we see them in the comments, we'll post them. Right now, with the game being brand new, there are no known gift exchange codes, promo codes, or redeem codes available for Kiss of War. Keep checking this article, through, and we will post them as soon as they become available. Evan heisenberg named himself after a breaking bad character one time, and then got stuck with it.

[marconixon70]

Switch to These Laptops for Editing Videos

Finding a perfect laptop for editing videos, specifically, can be a little tough task, but it’s not impossible. You must look for laptops that give you a lot of space because if your sole purpose is to edit videos full time, then you must look for good memory that can be expanded or you can add an SSD to it. And look for backup storage options on cloud and external storage so that transferring files can be easy and hassle-free. Moreover, lookout for longer warranty period laptops. You should also look out for good portability, graphics, colour accuracy, resolution, display and battery life of the computer.

You will find the tonnes of options if you begin your search for the perfect laptop. So, to save you time and make your task hassle-free, we have listed some of our favourite laptops that are highly rated by the users and are best in business.

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

MacBook Pro has a 16-inch behemoth screen with Retina Display that shows true tone with P3 wide colour. It gives high-class performance due to the advanced thermal design and the Intel Core i9 processor. The laptop provides smooth performance even when you are adding multiple tracks, effects, 3D models, etc. Additionally, it supports up to 2048 x 1280 resolution. It has an on-board memory (RAM) of 16 GB of 2666MHz DDR4 which can be configured up to 64GB, and its storage is 512GB which can be extended up to 8TB SSD. It is processed with Intel’s UHD graphics 630 which can be configured to AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory. It has multiple charging and expansion options. Its high-fidelity six-speaker system provides expansive stereo sound and supports Dolby Atmos playback, which will give you the perfect sound quality on your videos. It will cost you $2,799.

MSI GS65 Stealth

This laptop is powered by 9th generation Intel core i7 processor, and you can choose from either Windows 10 home or Windows 10 Pro operating system. Its graphics are powered by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 with 6GB GDDR6. Its memory can be extended up to 64GB, and it has two slots for additional storage capability. It has a sleek design, 2x 2W audio speakers and 720p (30fps) HD webcam. It will cost you $2,000.

MacBook Pro (13 inches, 2020)

This is a pocket-friendly laptop that will give you more or less similar features to that of MacBook Pro 16 inches. It has 2.0GHz quad-core 10th-generation i5 processor with turbo boost up to 3.8GHz. Your laptop is protected by touch ID and touch bar. It is available in different storage variations from 256 GB to 1TB. It is powered by Intel Iris Plus graphics with a retina display that shows true tone. Its Four Thunderbolt 3 ports will give you enough space and speed to work rapidly. It costs $2,000.

Dell XPS 15

This laptop comes with a huge storage space of 16GB along with 1TB SSD. It has the 15.6-inch 4K Ultra HD InfinityEdge display that is anti-reflective as well. It has a backlit English keyboard and a fingerprint reader. It will provide you 3D sound quality with Waves Maxx audio Pro that enhances the bass volume so that you can experience epic cinema sound right from your comfort zone. The CinemaStream design will deliver you smoother video streaming quality. It also has SD card reader, USB 3.0, DDR4 SDRAM and thunderbolt. All of these features come at a pocket-friendly price of $1,750 only.

Lenovo Legion Y7000

This is a compelling laptop that has 16GB DDR4 RAM along with 1TB HDD 128 GB PCie SSD. It is powered by Intel Core i7 8750H processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics that will make your videos come alive. The 15.6-inch full HD IPS anti-glare display with 300 minutes of brightness will bring great precision to your videos. It has a highly responsive keyboard with white backlit feature and Harman speakers with Dolby Atmos. The dual-channel cooling system optimally cools down the laptop when it gets overheated. This highly featured laptop will cost you $1,500.

Acer Predator Helios 300

This is another powerful laptop with 9th-Gen Intel Core i7-9750H 6-core processor. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti-powered with GPU architecture will provide you with high performance. You will not have to worry about the overheating of the product because it has 4th-Gen Aeroblade 3D fan technology. You can connect four extensive connections including USB type C, USB 3.1 and HDMI 2.0. Its backlit 4-zone RGB keyboard has turbo and Predator sense. It has 16GB RAM and 512GB internal storage and 5.6 inches screen with 1920x 1080 resolution. It costs $1,400 only.

Acer Aspire 5

It is available in a notebook style and has AMD r

Ryzen three 3200u CPU. It’s 15.6 inch full HD IPS display along with Acer’s Colour Intelligence will give you a sharp and clear picture and video quality. It protects your eyes from some straining through the blue light shield feature. You will get 7.5 hours of battery life on a single charge. The Radeon Vega 3 graphics 12 will give you exceptional video quality. Multiple extensive ports including USB 2.0, USB 3.1 and HDMI will make your task easy. The backlit keyboard will allow you to work comfortably in any environment and additional to that, it is portable and light to carry around. It will cost you $500 only.

All the laptops have been listed from high to low price, so you can choose the best one out for you according to the performance you are looking for without putting any burden to your pocket. All of them provide great display, high performance, good battery life and multiple extensive connectivity. The significant difference lies in their processor and storage limit.

Source: https://ypquest.com/blog/switch-to-these-laptops-for-editing-videos/

[whittlebaggett8]

7 reasons you should buy the standard 13-inch MacBook Pro instead of Apple’s new 8-core monster laptop, Defence Online

source

Hollis Johnson/Defence Online

Apple has unveiled an eight-core MacBook Pro for the very first time.

But you probably shouldn’t buy it.

If you’re in the market for a professional-grade laptop that runs the Mac operating system, here’s why you should consider Apple’s baseline 13-inch MacBook Pro (with no Touch Bar) instead of the new 15-inch, eight-core laptop behemoths.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is thinner and lighter than the 15-inch models — and size and weight is a big deal when choosing between laptops.

source

Hollis Johnson/Defence Online

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is 0.59 inches thin, and 3.02 pounds.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro is 0.61 inches thin, and 4.02 pounds.

While having a slightly thinner laptop is nice, having a lighter laptop is a big deal. That extra pound of weight makes a world of difference if you’re carrying it around your office, holding it in a backpack or purse, or traveling with it. You’ll be happy you went with the lighter model.

You can save over $1,000 by choosing the 13-inch MacBook Pro over the 15-inch models.

source

Apple

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with no Touch Bar starts at $1,299.

The cheapest eight-core, 15-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,799.

If you don’t want the eight-core processor, the six-core, 15-inch MacBook Pro still starts at $2,399 – over $1,000 more than the 13-inch model.

Read more: Maxing out Apple’s latest MacBook Pro will cost you over $6,500

When you compare the rest of the specs, as we do below, you’ll find that you’re not getting a significantly better value by going with the bigger option, despite spending $1,000 more for it. You’re paying for a slightly larger display, a little more built-in storage, a little more RAM, Touch ID, and two extra USB-C ports.

By saving your money, you’re still getting an incredible Apple laptop in the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro has a comparable display to the 15-inch model.

source

Apple

Both laptops feature Retina displays that can achieve the same 500 nits brightness.

The only difference is that the 15-inch models have True Tone technology, which keeps the white balance on-screen the same regardless of the ambient light outside the computer. It’s a nice feature, but not a must-have. (I don’t miss it at all on my 13-inch MacBook Pro.)

The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models have identical battery life.

source

Hollis Johnson/Defence Online

Battery life is a big deal for people, but bigger doesn’t mean better in this case.

Apple says the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros, despite the differences in their battery capacity, will both get up to 10 hours of wireless web activity, or 10 hours of iTunes movie playback.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro has an identical FaceTime HD camera to the 15-inch models.

source

Apple

Don’t spring for the bigger laptop because you think you’re getting a better camera. The FaceTime camera is identical across Apple’s 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro lines.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro has impressive specs that stack up well to the beefier eight-core, 15-inch models.

source

Apple

While the eight-core, 15-inch MacBook Pro models feature Intel’s Core i9 chip, you really don’t need it.

I have Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro with no Touch Bar, with the baseline i5 chip, and it is plenty powerful for all of the work I need to do. (You can upgrade to a dual-core i7 processor if you’re really worried about speed.)

The 13-inch MacBook Pro also comes standard with 8 GB of memory, and 128 GB of storage. The 15-inch MacBook Pro can be configured with more RAM and way more internal storage, but the vast majority of people really don’t need more than 16 GB of RAM in a laptop, and you shouldn’t be buying into Apple’s expensive internal storage options anyway.

Read more: Apple charges a ton of money for built-in storage – here’s how to get around it

The 15-inch MacBook Pro can be upgraded with better graphics chips compared to the single default option you have in the 13-inch model, but let’s be real: You probably shouldn’t be considering a MacBook Pro if you want to do PC gaming. The Mac’s operating system, and the specs on these computers, aren’t conducive to a great gaming experience. You should buy a desktop PC if you’re looking for more power, or gaming applications. (Overheating is very much an issue on all Apple laptops.)

Both computers run the same operating system, MacOS.

source

Dave Smith/Defence Online

You’re getting an identical user experience regardless of which laptop you buy. You’ll get the same ecosystem, the same App Store, and the same updates directly from Apple.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is the perfect Apple laptop. If you really need more power for the work you’re doing, you should consider a desktop computer instead.

source

Apple

Apple’s eight-core MacBook Pro models start at $2,799.

Meanwhile, you could buy an iMac with an even bigger display (21.5 inches versus 15 inches), plus all the power you’ll need, for as little as $1,099. You could even splurge on a higher-end iMac model and you’re still paying as little as $1,499.

If you want a powerful Apple laptop, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is the ideal combination of power and portability. Spending over $1,000 more to get a bigger and heavier laptop just so you can have a six-core or eight-core processor (which is probably overkill for most applications) is unnecessary, especially when there are more affordable desktop computers that are probably better suited for your needs.

Do you disagree? Are you excited about the eight-core MacBook Pro? Email me at dsmith@businessinsider.com.

The post 7 reasons you should buy the standard 13-inch MacBook Pro instead of Apple’s new 8-core monster laptop, Defence Online appeared first on Defence Online.

from WordPress https://defenceonline.com/2019/05/22/7-reasons-you-should-buy-the-standard-13-inch-macbook-pro-instead-of-apples-new-8-core-monster-laptop-defence-online/

[internallypediatric]

Too Peds for Medicine

InternallyPediatric: [Intensely writing behemoth ID consult note for medicine patient with massive infection history with several highly resistant bacteria]

Medicine Intern: UGH! Where is that coming from?

InternallyPediatric: [Comes out of chart sleuthing stupor] Huh? What?

Medicine Intern: That baby who’s been crying for like 10 min! It’s so annoying and loud - is it seriously not bothering you?

InternallyPediatric: Ahh! You forget - I’m also a pediatrician. Didn’t you know? The screams of children only make us stronger. 

Medicine Intern: [mildly horrified]

Internally Pediatric: Real talk though - we get kind of desensitized to the crying. A crying baby is a baby that’s conscious, breathing, and has a pulse. We can deal with that. When they’re sick and NOT crying is when you really start to worry. 

[dysperdis]

@transpolice

I'm not reblogging your whole response. People can click through to see it for themselves if they wanna make sure I'm not making shit up, but I don't want that copy/paste throw-everything-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks behemoth on my blog. For folks who don't find that description appealing, the arguments can basically be summed up as:

1) One of the terms we currently use to refer to trans experiences arose in the 1960s and has evolved quite a bit over the last 50 or so years, so therefore it's all fake. Which, aside from the absurd enthocentrism- apparently, nobody had anything comparable to our current understanding of a "gender identity" until that exact English phrase was coined- just demonstrates a poor understanding of how the language of sexuality and gender has evolved over time (see my post about the origins of the label bisexual for another example of this evolution).

2) Evoking John Money, aka the guy who proved that forcing an accidentally-castrated dmab child to live as a girl (eventually, against the child's wishes) and performing pedophilic "experiments" on them in order to argue that intersex children can be forced to hold a specific gender identity is harmful. This is somehow proof that people who have expressed a desire to live as a specific gender are wrong.

3) A HBSer wrote some stuff in the 70s that doesn't fit the current understanding of how identity forms. She may or may not have coined a word that's currently in use.

4) The claim that if trans women are allowed to be considered women, it kicks butches out of the community & forces them to id as trans, which tbh sounds suspiciously like the "transsexuals are stealing our butches" shit that I've watched TERFs pull since I first started coming out. It's also blaming trans people for the shit straight cis people dump on butches, so that's fun.

5) A firm misunderstanding of what a social construct is. Now tbh I've been expecting this since I saw the first screen's worth of your response, so I'm surprised it took this long for you to spell it out. Anyway, here's a hint from someone who's devoted almost half his life to studying this shit: all symbols and categories, including bio sex categories, are socially constructed and negotiated. Every single one. This is why there is no single scientific definition of sex, and why the broadest definitions of sex categories have changed even just over the last 150 years. It's also why I've met so many intersex folks over the years who have rejected the construction of a strict sex binary and the related idea that intersex bodies are inherently disordered. (To quote the world's largest association of intersex people: "The purpose of OII is to work in favour of human rights for intersex by helping people to understand that there are not just two pre-existing sexes... OUR societies have accepted a binary construct between male and female which does not reflect Nature and the enormous variety of possible sexes which overlap one another in various gradations on a spectrum with male at one end and female at the other." -OII Intersex Network)

6) A strawman argument that turns the theory that dysphoria arises from a socially constructed incongruence (because, as mentioned above, all categories are constructed) into "dysphoria is internalized transphobia." If I were to hazard a guess, those accusations of internalized transphobia prooobably have more to do with the fact that you've been claiming thst other people experiencing things in a way that doesn't reflect the same kind of pain you experience demeans your experience, thereby positioning pain as the root of all trans experience.

7) Cis people mistreat transsexuals because some trans people don't fit their standards, and not because transsexuality is culturally treated as deviance from the cis norm that must be discouraged and hidden whenever possible.

Bonus: Did you know that I've seen literally every. single. argument. you've made from supporters of an actual anti-lgbt+ hate group that's been active in my area, which in turn has been using the divide and conquer strategy from the 2017 values voter summit in an attempt to undermine the new lgbtq+ inclusive resources and curriculums in BC? Like, absolutely 0 exaggeration, every single argument, all used in support of a group that's fighting against recognizing families with gay parents over a decade after same sex marriage was federally recognized in my country. Again, if you're wondering why people are accusing you of internalized transphobia...

Anyway, I've hit the point where I think I need a strong drink, so I'm going to stop here before I start digging too heavily into deviance theories & end up buried under a pile of textbooks.

Teenage transmedicalist fresh out of grade 9 biology class: You NEED dysphoria to be trans, it’s the only requirement! Just ask the medical experts, they’ll tell you!

The American Psychiatric Association: No you don’t, and no it isn’t.

The World Medical Association: Sure, dysphoria’s common in trans people, but it’s not necessary.

World Health Organization: Including GID and Gender Dysphoria diagnoses in official diagnostic standards pathologizes trans people. (pdf)

[armandj]

Fb Varieties Monetary Unit Led By David Marcus, Hires Ex-Upwork CEO

Fb (NASDAQ:FB) is reportedly exploring a stronger push into digital funds area. The social-networking behemoth has arrange a brand new unit known as Fb Monetary, which can be in cost for all funds tasks, together with its WhatsApp-based digital funds service.

David Marcus, who was recruited to move Fb’s messaging service in 2014, after which was tapped to guide the cost into cryptocurrencies, has been appointed to move the brand new enterprise. Marcus already runs a portfolio of necessary merchandise which are anticipated to drive the corporate’s income sooner or later.

The lifelong entrepreneur continues to move up subsidiary Novi (previously Calibra) which handle a digital pockets for Fb’s proposed cryptocurrency Libra. David was president of PayPal from 2012 to 2014 and has greater than 15 years of cellular and funds expertise worldwide. He moved to Silicon Valley in 2008 the place he based the cellular funds firm Zong.

Alongside Marcus, Fb has additionally lured former Upwork CEO Stephane Kasriel to affix as a funds vice chairman. His determination to leap ship is elevating hopes that Fb was getting critical a few funds push.

Kasriel had served on the freelance job website for over six years and have become CEO in 2015. He led Upwork’s rebranding from its outdated id, oDesk, managed the merger with rival website Elance, and took the gig financial system outfit public in 2018.

Kasriel has additionally a wealth of expertise in funds, having served in varied management roles for ecommerce website eBay from 2008 to 2010, and led PayPal operations in France from 2006 to 2008.

The transfer comes as Fb continues its push to facilitate extra funds on its main platforms, permitting it to assemble knowledge round spending patterns so as to compete with the likes of Venmo, Google Pockets and Apple Pay.

Known as F2 internally, Fb Monetary will run Fb Pay service that allow customers ship and obtain cash throughout the corporate’s household of apps. WhatsApp Pay, which permits customers to make purchases or switch cash straight kind the chat platform, additionally joins the monetary unit’s portfolio.

source https://www.financeary.com/payments/fb-varieties-monetary-unit-led-by-david-marcus-hires-ex-upwork-ceo.html

[ruthsulivan]

ITC Probes Altria Following R.J. Reynolds Complaint

Complaint Prompted International Investigation Into The Two Tobacco Giants

Unfortunately, the global vaping industry is under constant attack from big-tobacco titans, as they take massive market shares via aggressive marketing campaigns and hostile takeovers of smaller companies. Thankfully rather than continue on a sustained campaign to dismantle what was primarily a grassroots industry, these industry giants are starting to set their sights on each other.

The United States International Trade Commission has announced they will be launching an investigation into Altria and Philip Morris International. The probe comes following a previous complaint filed by competitor R.J. Reynolds months prior.

The complaint and subsequent investigation are the results of a patent dispute between the two nicotine behemoths. R.J. Reynolds alleges that certain elements used in Altria/PMI’s IQOS devices infringe on patents held for their own Glo vaporizer.

R.J. Reynolds is seeking a cease-and-desist against their competitor in an attempt to halt sales of the infringing product. The injunction would bar the import and sale of the product within the United States and would help establish a case and precedent for additional trials in international markets.

Cease And Desist

In what has been dubbed the opening shots fired in the great vape wars by tobacco titans, R.J. Reynolds is seeking an injunction against competing behemoth Altria over an alleged patent dispute. Analysts have speculated the action may be the result of larger cross-licensing negotiations between the two giants.

In the dispute, R.J. Reynolds is accusing Altria’s IQOS heat-not-burn device of infringing on patents used in their Glo vaporizer. Specifically, the complaint alleges that the IQOS device infringes on at least five copyrights pertaining to certain tobacco heating elements and other components used in the Glo vaporizer.

If awarded, the limited exclusion and cease-and-desist orders would bar Altria from importing and selling the product within the United States. In response to the allegations, the company has stated that the claims hold no merit, and the company is fully prepared and positioned to defend itself.

R.J. Reynolds is a subsidiary of British American Tobacco, which had recently filed its own lawsuit against Altria and Philip Morris International. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Virginia, is similar in nature, although BAT is seeking preliminary and permanent injunctive relief in addition to treble damages.

Vaping Facts

Every year, the smoking epidemic is responsible for the deaths and illnesses of millions of people throughout the world. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, there are currently an estimated 38 million smokers in the United States alone, of which over 16 million live with some form of smoking-related illness or disease.

Vaping continues to prove itself as the greatest tool we have at our disposal in combating the deadly worldwide smoking epidemic. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that vaping was more effective than traditional nicotine-replacement therapies in helping people both quit smoking and remain tobacco-free.

Vaping is already responsible for saving thousands, and potentially millions, of lives throughout the world each year. According to a study from University College London, researchers found that vaping was responsible for helping up to 70,000 British smokers quit in a single year alone.

Not only has vaping been proven as an effective cessation aid, but it has also been demonstrated as a safer, reduced harm alternative to tobacco as well. Landmark research carried out by the UK Royal College of Physicians found that vaping is staggeringly 95% safer than smoking. Public Health England, the country’s top health agency, has routinely touted and defended this fact and advocates vaping as an effective form of smoking cessation.

There has also been no evidence of long-term risk to users of vapor products. According to a study published by the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that not only is vaping less harmful than smoking, but there are no known long-term health effects associated with prolonged usage as well.

Conclusions

These legal disputes represent some of the last dying breaths of former tobacco titans. Rather than focus on innovation, these antiquated nicotine behemoths opt to focus on litigation instead.

It remains uncertain whether British American Tobacco, through R.J. Reynolds, will be successful in court. The U.S. International Trade Commission issued a statement saying that it has not made any decision on the merits of the case at this time and that the investigation is ongoing.

What are your thoughts regarding the International Trade Commission’s investigation into Altria? Do you believe R.J. Reynolds’ complaint has merit? Let us know what you think in the comments below, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive all the latest vaping news!

(Image Credit – Pixabay – https://pixabay.com/images/id-945619/)

The post ITC Probes Altria Following R.J. Reynolds Complaint appeared first on ChurnMag.

[ciathyzareposts]

The Shareware Scene, Part 3: The id Boys

On December 14, 1990, Scott Miller of Apogee Software uploaded the free first installment of his company’s latest episodic game. He knew as he did so that this release would be, if you’ll pardon the pun, a game changer for Apogee. To signal that this was truly a next-generation Apogee game, he doubled his standard paid-episode asking price from $7.50 to $15.

Rather than relying on the character graphics or blocky visual abstractions of Apogee’s previous games, Commander Keen 1: Marooned on Mars was an animated feast of bouncy color. Rather than looking like a typical boxed game of five to ten years earlier, it looked quite literally like nothing that had ever been seen on an MS-DOS-based computer before. In terms of presentation at least, it was nothing less than computer gaming’s answer to Super Mario Bros., the iconic franchise that had done so much to help Nintendo sell more than 30 million of their videogame consoles in the United States alone.

Yet even Miller, who has been so often and justly lauded for his vision in recognizing that many computer owners were craving something markedly different from what the big game publishers were offering them, could hardly have conceived of the full historical importance of this particular moment. For it introduced to the world a small group of scruffy misfits with bad attitudes and some serious technical chops, who were living and working together at the time in a rundown riverfront house in Shreveport, Louisiana. Within a few months, they would begin to call themselves id Software, and under that name they would remake the face of mainstream gaming during the 1990s.

I must admit that I find it a little strange to be writing about humble Shreveport for the second time in the course of two articles. It’s certainly not the first place one would look for a band of technological revolutionaries. The perpetually struggling city of 200,000 people has long been a microcosm of the problems dogging the whole of Louisiana, one of the poorest states in the nation. It’s a raggedly anonymous place of run-down strip malls and falling-down houses, with all of the crime and poverty of New Orleans but none of that city’s rich cultural stew to serve as compensation.

Life in Shreveport has always been defined by the Red River which flows through the center of the town. As its name would imply, the city was founded to serve as a port in the time before the nation’s rivers were superseded by its railroads and highways. When that time ended, Shreveport had to find other uses for its river: thanks to a quirk of Louisiana law that makes casinos legal on waterways but not on dry land, residents of northeastern Texas and southern Arkansas have long known it primarily as the most convenient place to go for legal gambling. The shabbily-dressed interstate gamblers who climb out of the casino-funded buses every day are anything but the high rollers of Vegas lore. They’re just ordinary working-class folks who really, really should find something more healthy to do with their time and money than sitting behind a one-armed bandit in a riverboat casino, dropping token after token into the slot and staring with glazed eyes at the wheels as they spin around and around. This image rather symbolizes the social and economic condition of Shreveport in general.

By 1989, Al Vekovius of Shreveport’s Softdisk Publications was starting to fear that the same image might stand in for the state of his business. After expanding so dramatically for much of the decade, Softdisk was now struggling just to hold onto its current base of subscribers, much less to grow their numbers. The original Softdisk and Loadstar, their two earliest disk magazines, catered to aged 8-bit computers that were now at the end of their run, while Big Blue Disk and Diskworld, for MS-DOS computers and the Apple Macintosh respectively, were failing to take up all of their slack. Everything seemed to be turning against Softdisk. In the summer of 1989, IBM, whose longstanding corporate nickname of “Big Blue” had been the source of the name Big Blue Disk, threatened a lawsuit if Softdisk continued to market a disk magazine under that name. Knowing better than to defy a company a thousand times their size, Softdisk felt compelled to rename Big Blue Disk to the less catchy On Disk Monthly.

While the loss of hard-won brand recognition always hurts, Softdisk’s real problems were much bigger and more potentially intractable than that of one corporate behemoth with an overgrown legal department. The fact was, the relationship which people had with the newer computers Softdisk was now catering to tended to be different from the one they had enjoyed with their friendly little Apple II or Commodore 64. Being a computer user in the era of Microsoft’s ascendancy was no longer a hobby for most of them, much less a lifestyle. People had less of a craving for the ramshackle but easily hackable utilities and coding samples which Softdisk’s magazines had traditionally published. People were no longer interested in rolling up their sleeves to work with software in order to make it work for them; they demanded more polished programs that Just Worked right off the disk. But this was a hard field for Softdisk to compete on. Programmers with really good software had little motivation to license their stuff to a disk magazine for a relative pittance when they could instead be talking to a boxed-software publisher or testing the exploding shareware market.

With high-quality submissions from outside drying up just as he needed them most, Vekovius hired more and more internal staff to create the software for On Disk. Yet even here he ran up against many of the same barriers. The programmers whom he could find locally or convince to move to a place like Shreveport at the salaries which Softdisk could afford to pay were generally not the first ones he might have chosen in an ideal world. For all that some of them would prove themselves to be unexpectedly brilliant, as we’ll see shortly, virtually every one of them had some flaw or collection thereof that prevented him from finding gainful employment elsewhere. And the demand that they churn out multiple programs every month in order to fill up the latest issue was, to say the least, rather inimical to the production of quality software. Vekovius was spinning his wheels in his little programming sweatshop with all the energy of those Shreveport riverboat gamblers, but it wasn’t at all clear that it was getting him any further than it was getting them.

Thus he was receptive on the day in early 1990 when one of his most productive if headstrong programmers, a strapping young metalhead named John Romero, suggested that Softdisk start a new MS-DOS disk magazine, dedicated solely to games — the one place where, what with Apogee’s success being still in its early stages, shareware had not yet clearly cut into Softdisk’s business model. After some back-and-forth, the two agreed to a bi-monthly publication known as Gamer’s Edge, featuring at least one — preferably two — original games in each issue. To make it happen, Romero would be allowed to gather together a few others who were willing to work a staggering number of hours cranking out games at an insane pace with no resources beyond themselves for very little money at all. Who could possibly refuse an offer like that?

The id boys: John Carmack, Kevin Cloud, Adrian Carmack, John Romero, Tom Hall, and Jay Wilbur.

The team that eventually coalesced around Romero included programmer Tom Hall, artist Adrian Carmack, and business manager and token adult-in-the-room Jay Wilbur. But their secret weapon, lured by Wilbur to Shreveport from Kansas City, Missouri, was a phenomenal young programmer named John Carmack. (In a proof that anyone who says things like “I don’t believe in coincidences” is full of it, John is actually unrelated to Adrian Carmack despite having the same not-hugely-common last name.) John Carmack would prove himself to be such a brilliant programmer that Romero and Hall, no slouches themselves in that department by most people’s standards, would learn to leave the heavy lifting to his genius, coding themselves only the less important parts of the games along with the utilities that they used to build them — and they would also design the games, for Carmack was in reality vastly more interested in the mathematical abstraction of code as an end unto itself than the games it enabled.

But all of these young men, whom I’ll call the id boys from here on out just because the name suited them so well even before they started id Software, will be more or less important to our story. So, we should briefly meet each of them.

Jay Wilbur was by far the most approachable, least intimidating member of the group. Having already reached the wise old age of 30, he brought with him a more varied set of life experiences that left him willing and able to talk to more varied sorts of people. Indeed, Wilbur’s schmoozing skills were rather legendary. While attending university in his home state of Rhode Island, he’d run the bar at his local TGI Friday’s, where his ability to mix drinks with acrobatic “flair” made him one of those selected to teach Tom Cruise the tricks of the trade for the movie Cocktail. But his love for the Apple II he’d purchased with an insurance settlement following a motorcycle accident finally overcame his love for the nightlife, and he accepted a job for a Rhode Island-based disk magazine called UpTime. When that company was bought out by Softdisk in 1988, he wound up in Shreveport, working as an editor there. The people skills he’d picked up tending bar would never desert him; certainly his new charges at Gamer’s Edge had sore need of them, for they were an abrasive collection of characters even by hacker standards.

These others loved heavy metal and action movies, and aimed a well-sharpened lance of contempt at anything outside their narrow range of cultural and technical interests. Their laser focus on their small collection of obsessions would prove one of their greatest strengths, if perhaps problematic for gaming writ large in the long run, in the way that it diminished the scope of what games could do and be.

Yet even this band of four, the ones who actually made the games for Gamer’s Edge under Wilbur’s benevolent stewardship, was not a monolith. Once one begins to look at them as individuals, the shades of difference quickly emerge.

Like Wilbur, the 25-year-old Wisconsinite Tom Hall was a middle-class kid with a university degree, but he had none of his friend and colleague’s casual bonhomie with the masses. He lived in a fantasy world drawn from the Star Wars movies, the first of which he’d seen in theaters 33 times, and the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy novels, which he could all but recite from heart. At Softdisk, to which he’d come after deciding that he couldn’t stand the idea of a job in corporate data processing, he ran around talking in a cutsey made-up alien language: “Bleh! Bleh! Bleh!” He was the kind of guy you either found hilarious or were irritated out of your mind by.

The 21-year-old Adrian Carmack also lived in a world of fantasy, but his fantasies had a darker hue. Growing up right there in Shreveport, he had spent many hours at arcades, attracted not so much by the games themselves as by the lurid art on their cabinets. He worked for a time as an aide at a hospital, then went home to sketch gunshot wounds, severed limbs, and festering bedsores with meticulous accuracy. Instead of a cat or a dog, he chose a scorpion as a pet. He’d come to Softdisk on a university internship after telling his advisor he wanted to work in “fine art” someday.

Still, and with all due respect to these others, the id boys would come to be defined most of all by their two Johns. The 22-year-old John Romero was pure id, a kettle of addled energy that was perpetually spilling over, sending F-bombs spewing every which way; David Kushner, author of the seminal history Masters of Doom, memorably describes him as “a human exclamation point.” The not-quite-20-year-old John Carmack was as quiet and affectless as Romero was raucous, often disturbingly so; Sandy Petersen, a game designer who will come to work with him later in our story, remembers musing to himself after first meeting Carmack that “he doesn’t know anything about how humans think or feel.”

Yet for all their surface differences, the two Johns had much in common. Both were brought up in broken homes: Romero was physically abused by his stepfather while growing up in the Sacramento area, while Carmack suffered under the corporeal and psychological rigors of a strict private Catholic school in Kansas. Both rebelled by committing petty crimes among other things; Carmack was sentenced to a year in a boys’ detention center at age 14 after breaking into his school using a homemade bomb. (The case notes of the police officer who interviewed him echo the later impressions of Sandy Petersen: “Boy behaves like a walking brain… no empathy for other human beings.”)

Both found escape from their circumstances through digital means: first via videogames at the local arcades, then via the Apple II computers they acquired by hook or by crook. (Carmack’s first computer was a stolen one, bought off the proverbial back of a truck.) They soon taught themselves to program well enough to put professionals to shame.

Romero got his games published regularly by print magazines as type-in listings, then parlayed that into a job with the disk magazine UpTime, where he became friends with Jay Wilbur. After that, he got a job as a game porter for Origin Systems of Ultima fame. Meanwhile Wilbur moved on to Softdisk while Romero was at Origin. When Romero found himself bored by the life of a porter, he came to Shreveport as well to join his friend.

John Carmack, being more than two years younger than Romero and much more socially challenged, brought a shorter résumé with him to Shreveport when he became the only id boy to be hired specifically to work on Gamer’s Edge rather than being transferred there from another part of Softdisk. He had mostly sold his games for $1000 apiece to a little mom-and-pop company near his home called Nite Owl Productions, who had made them a sideline to their main business of supplying replacement batteries for Apple II motherboards. But he had also sold one or two games to Jay Wilbur at Softdisk. Finding these to be very impressive, the id boys asked Wilbur to deploy his considerable charm to recruit the new kid for Gamer’s Edge. After a concerted effort, he succeeded.

Gamer’s Edge was far more than just a new job or a workplace transfer for the young men involved. It was a calling; they spent virtually all day every day in one another’s company. Pooling all of their meager salaries, Wilbur rented them a rambling old four-bedroom house on the Red River, complete with a Jacuzzi and a swimming pool and a boat deck which he soon complemented with a battered motorboat. It was an Animal House lifestyle of barbecuing, skiing, and beer drinking in between marathon hacking sessions, fueled by pizza and soda. Wilbur — in many ways the unsung hero of this story — acted as their doting den mother, keeping the lights on, the basement beer keg filled, the refrigerator stocked with soda and junk food, and the pizza deliveries coming at all hours of the day and night.

Inside the riverfront house in Shreveport. John Carmack sits near center frame, while John Romero is to his left, mostly hidden behind a pillar.

For the first issue of Gamer’s Edge, the two Johns agreed to each port one of their old Apple II games to MS-DOS. Romero chose a platformer called Dangerous Dave, while Carmack chose a top-down action-adventure called Catacomb. They raced one another to see who could finish first; it was after losing rather definitively that Romero realized he couldn’t hope to compete with Carmack as a pure programmer, and should probably leave the most complicated, math-intensive aspects of coding to his friend while he concentrated on all the other things that make a good game. For the second issue, the two Johns pooled their talents with that of the others to make a completely original shoot-em-up called Slordax: The Unknown Enemy. So far, so good.

And then came John Carmack’s first great technical miracle — the first of many that would be continually upending everything the id boys were working on in the best possible way. To fully explain this first miracle, a bit of background is necessary.

Although they were making games for MS-DOS, the id boys had little use for the high-concept themes of most other games that were being made for that platform in 1990; neither complicated simulations nor elaborate interactive movies did anything for them. They preferred games that were simple and visceral, fast-paced and above all action-packed. Tellingly, most of the games they preferred to play these days lived on the Nintendo Entertainment System rather than a personal computer.

Much of the difference between the two platforms’ design aesthetics was cultural, but there was also more to it than that. As I’ve often taken pains to point out in these articles, the nature of games on any given platform is always strongly guided by that platform’s technical strengths and weaknesses.

When first looking at the NES and an MS-DOS personal computer of 1990 vintage, one might assume that the latter so thoroughly outclasses the former as to make further comparison pointless. The NES was built around a version of the MOS 6502, an 8-bit CPU dating back to the 1970s, running at a clock speed of less than 2 MHz; a state-of-the-art PC had a 32-bit CPU running at 25 MHz or more. The NES had just 2 K of writable general-purpose memory; the PC might have 4 MB or more, plus a big hard drive. The NES could display up to 25 colors from a palette of 48, at a resolution of 256 X 240; a PC with a VGA graphics card could display up to 256 colors from a palette of over 262,000, at a resolution of 320 X 200. Surely the PC could effortlessly do anything the NES could do. Right?

Well, no, actually. The VGA graphics standard for PCs had been created by IBM in 1987 with an eye to presenting crisp general-purpose displays rather than games. In the hands of a talented team of pixel artists, it could present mouth-watering static illustrations, as adventure-game studios like Sierra, LucasArts, and Legend were proving. But it included absolutely no aids for fast animation, no form of graphical acceleration whatsoever. It just gave the programmer a big chunk of memory to work with, whose bytes represented the pixels on the screen. When she wanted to change said pixels, she had to sling all those bytes around by main force, using nothing but the brute power of the CPU. All animation on a PC was essentially page-flipping animation, requiring the CPU to redraw every pixel of every frame in memory, at the 20 or 30 frames per second that were necessary to create an impression of relatively fluid motion, and all while also finding cycles for all of the other aspects of the game.

The graphics system of the NES, on the other hand, had been designed for the sole purpose of presenting videogames — and in electrical engineering, specialization almost always breeds efficiency. Rather than storing the contents of the screen in memory as a linear array of pixels, it operated on the level of tiles, each of which was 8 X 8 or 8 X 16 pixels in size. After defining the look of each of a set of tiles, the programmer could mix and match them on the screen as she wished, at a fairly blazing speed thanks to the console’s custom display circuitry; this enabled the smooth scrolling of the Super Mario Bros. games among many others. She also had up to 64 sprites to work with; these were little 8 X 8 or 8 X 16 images that were overlaid on the tiled background by the display hardware, and could be moved about almost instantaneously, just by changing a couple of numbers in a couple of registers. They were, in other words, perfect for showing a Super Mario or a Zelda bouncing around on a scrolling background, at almost no cost in CPU cycles. Freed from the heavy lifting of managing the display, the little 6502 could concentrate almost entirely on the game logic.

The conventional wisdom of 1990 held that the PC, despite all its advantages in raw horsepower, simply couldn’t do a game like Super Mario Bros. The problem rankled John Carmack and his friends particularly, given how much more in tune their design aesthetic was with the NES than with the current crop of computer games. And so Carmack turned the full force of his giant brain on the problem, and soon devised a solution.

As so often happens in programming, said solution turned out to be deceptively simple. It hinged on the fact that one could define a virtual screen in memory that was wider and/or taller than the physical screen. In this case, Carmack made his virtual screen just eight pixels wider than the physical screen. This meant that he could scroll the background with silky smoothness through eight “frames” by changing just two registers on the computer — the ones telling the display hardware where the top left corner of the screen started in the computer’s memory. And this in turn meant that he only had to draw the display anew from scratch every eighth frame, which was a manageable task. Once he had the scrolling background working, he added some highly optimized code to draw and erase in software alone bouncing sprites to represent his pseudo-Mario and enemies. And that was that. His technique didn’t even demand VGA graphics; it could present a dead ringer for the NES Super Mario Bros. 3 — the latest installment in the franchise — using the older MS-DOS graphics standard of EGA.

I should note at this point that the scrolling technique which John Carmack “invented” was by no means entirely new in the abstract; programmers on computers like the Commodore 64 and Commodore Amiga had in fact been using it for years. (I point readers to my article on the techniques used by the Commodore 64 sports games of Epyx and particularly to my book-length study of the Amiga for more detailed explanations of it than the one I’ve provided here.) A big part of the reason that no one had ever done it before on an MS-DOS computer was that no one had ever been hugely motivated to try, in light of the types of games that were generally accepted as “appropriate” for that platform; technological determinism is a potent force in game development, but it’s never the only force. And I should also note a certain irony that clings to all this. As we’ll see, John Carmack would soon toll the death knell for the era of bouncing sprites superimposed over scrolling 2D backgrounds. How odd that his first great eureka moment should have come in imitation of just that classic videogame style.

Carmack first showed his innovation to Tom Hall, the biggest Super Mario fan of all among the id boys, late in the afternoon of September 20, 1990. Hall recognized its significance immediately, and suggested that he and Carmack recreate the first level of Super Mario Bros. 3 right then and there as a proof of concept. They finished at 5:30 the following morning.

A few hours later, John Romero came into the office to find a floppy disk sitting on his keyboard. He popped it into the drive, and his jaw hit the floor when he saw a Nintendo game playing there on his computer monitor. He went off to find Jay Wilbur and Adrian Carmack. They all agreed that this was big — way too big for the likes of Softdisk.

In one 72-hour marathon, the id boys recreated all of Super Mario Bros. 3, level by level. Then Wilbur typed up a letter to Nintendo of America and dropped it in the mail along with the disk; it said that the id boys were ready and willing to license their PC port of Super Mario Bros. 3 back to the Nintendo mother ship. This was a profoundly naïve thing to do; virtually anyone in the industry could have told them that Nintendo never let any of their intellectual property escape from the walled garden of their own console. And sure enough, the id boys would eventually receive a politely worded response saying no thank you. Given Nintendo’s infamous ruthlessness when it came to matters of intellectual property, they were probably lucky that a rejection letter was all they received, rather than a lawsuit.

At any rate, the id boys weren’t noted for their patience. Long before Nintendo’s response arrived, they would be on to the next thing: an original game using John Carmack’s scrolling technique.

For some time now, John Romero had been receiving fawning fan mail care of Softdisk, not a usual phenomenon at all. His gratification was lessened somewhat, however, by the fact that the letters all came from the same address near Dallas, Texas, all asked him to call the fan in question at the same phone number, and were all signed with suspiciously similar names: “Byron Muller,” “Scott Mulliere,” etc.

It was in fact our old friend Scott Miller, writing from Dallas, Texas, 175 miles west of Shreveport. Miller’s attention had been captured by Romero’s games for On Disk and Gamer’s Edge; they would be perfect for Apogee, he thought. But how to get in touch? The only contact information he had was that of Softdisk’s main office. He could hardly write them a letter asking if he could poach one their programmers. His solution was this barrage of seemingly innocent fan mail. Maybe, just maybe, Romero really would call him…

Romero didn’t call, but he did write back, and included his own phone number. Miller rang it up immediately. “Fuck those letters!” he said when Romero started to ask what kind of prank he thought he was pulling. “We can make a ton of money together selling your games as shareware.”

“Dude, those old games are garbage compared to the stuff we can make now,” said Romero, with John Carmack’s new scrolling technique firmly in mind. They struck a deal: Miller would send the id boys an advance of $2000, and they would send him a brand-new three-part game as soon as possible.

The Gamer’s Edge magazine, which just six months ago had seemed like the perfect job, now fell to the back burner in light of the riches Miller was promising them. Since they were making a Nintendo-like game in terms of action, it seemed logical to copy Nintendo’s bright and cheerful approach in the new game’s graphics and fiction as well. This was Tom Hall’s moment to shine; he already seemed to live every day in just such a primary-colored cartoon fantasy. Now, he created an outline for Commander Keen, blending Nintendo with The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and old science-fiction serials — the last being perfect for an episodic game.

Billy Blaze, eight-year-old genius, working diligently in his backyard clubhouse, has created an interstellar spaceship from old soup cans, rubber cement, and plastic tubing. While his folks are out on the town and the babysitter is asleep, Billy sneaks out to his backyard workshop, dons his brother’s football helmet, and transforms into… Commander Keen, Defender of Justice! In his ship, the Bean with Bacon Megarocket, Keen dispenses justice with an iron hand!

In this episode, aliens from the planet Vorticon VI find out about the eight-year-old genius and plan his destruction. While Keen is out exploring the mountains of Mars, the Vorticons steal his ship and leave pieces around the galaxy! Can Keen recover all the pieces of his ship and repel the Vorticon invasion? Will he make it back before his parents get home? Stay tuned!

Commander Keen

When Miller received the first Commander Keen trilogy in the post barely two months later, he was thrilled beyond his wildest dreams. He had known that the id boys were talented, but this… he had never imagined this. This wasn’t a throwback to the boxed games of yore, wasn’t even on a par with the boxed games of current times. It was something entirely different, something never seen on an MS-DOS computer at all before, as visually striking and technically innovative within its chosen sphere as any of the latest boxed games were within theirs. Just like that, shareware games had come of age.

All of Apogee’s games together had been earning about $7000 per month. Commander Keen alone made $20,000 in the first month of its availability. It caused such a stir online that the established industry took a casual notice for the first time of this new entity called Apogee with this odd new way of selling games. Computer Gaming World magazine even deigned to give Commander Keen a blurb in the new-releases section. It was “of true commercial quality,” they noted, only slightly condescendingly.

Despite their success in shareware and the big checks that started coming in the mail from Apogee as a result, the id boys continued to make games for Gamer’s Edge throughout 1991. Betwixt and between, they provided Miller with a second Commander Keen trilogy, which did every bit as well as the first. No one could ever accuse them of being lazy.

But making a metaphorical name for themselves outside of Softdisk meant that they needed a literal name for the world to know them by. When they had sent their Super Mario Bros. 3 clone to Nintendo, they had called themselves “Ideas from the Deep.” Deciding that was too long-winded, they became “ID” when they started releasing games with Apogee — short for “In Demand.” The only one of their number who cottoned onto the Freudian implications of the acronym was Jay Wilbur; none of the other id boys knew Sigmund Freud from Siegmund the Norse hero. But when Wilbur explained to them how Freud’s id was the seat of a person’s most basic, impulsive desires, they were delighted. By this happenstance, then, id Software got a name which a thousand branding experts could never have bettered. It encapsulated perfectly their mission to deconstruct computer gaming, to break it down into a raw essence of action and reaction. The only ingredient still missing from the eventual id Software formula was copious violence.

And that too was already in the offing: Tom Hall’s cheerful cartoon aesthetic had started to wear thin with John Romero and Adrian Carmack long before they sent the first Commander Keen games to Scott Miller. Playing around one day with some graphics for the latest Gamer’s Edge production, Adrian drew a zombie clawing out the eyes of the player’s avatar, sending blood and gore flying everywhere. Romero loved it: “Blood! In a game! How fucking awesome is that?”

Adrian’s reply was weirdly pensive. “Maybe one day,” he said in a dreamy voice, “we’ll be able to put in as much blood as we want.”

In September of 1991, the id boys’ lease on their riverside frat house expired, and they decided that it was time to leave the depressing environs of Shreveport, with its crime, its poverty, and its homeless population who clustered disturbingly around the Softdisk offices. Their contract stipulated that they still owed Gamer’s Edge a few more games, but Al Vekovius had long since given up on trying to control them. The id boys decamped for Madison, Wisconsin, at the suggestion of Tom Hall, who had attended university there. He promised them with all of his usual enthusiasm that it was the best place ever. Instead they found the Wisconsin winter to be miserable. Cooped up inside their individual apartments, missing keenly their big old communal house and their motorboat, they threw themselves more completely then ever into making games. Everyone, with the exception only of Tom Hall, was now heartily sick and tired of Commander Keen. It was time for something new.

Whilst working at Origin Systems in the late 1980s, John Romero had met Paul Neurath, who had since gone on to start his own studio known as Blue Sky Productions. During their occasional phone calls, Neurath kept dropping hints to his friend about the game his people were working on: an immersive first-person CRPG, rendered using texture-mapped 3D graphics. When Romero mentioned it to John Carmack, his reply was short, as so many of them tended to be: “Yeah, I can do that.”

Real-time 3D graphics in general were hardly a new development. Academic research in the field stretched back to well before the era of the microchip. Bruce Artwick had employed them in the original Radio Shack TRS-80 Flight Simulator in 1980, and Ian Bell and David Braben had used them in Elite in 1984; both games were among the most popular of their decade. Indeed, the genre of vehicular simulations, one of the most popular of them all by the late 1980s, relied on 3D graphics almost exclusively. All of which is to say that you didn’t have to look very hard in your local software store to find a 3D game of some stripe.

And yet, according at least to the conventional wisdom, the limitations of 3D graphics made them unsuitable for the sort of visceral, ultra-fast-paced experience which the id boys preferred. All of the extra affordances built into gaming-oriented platforms like the NES to enable 2D sprite-based graphics were useless for 3D graphics. 3D required radical compromises in speed or appearance, or both: those early versions of Flight Simulator were so slow that it could take the program a full second or two to respond to your inputs, which made flying their virtual airplanes perversely more difficult than flying the real thing; Elite managed to be more responsive, but only by drawing its 3D world using wire-frame outlines instead of filled surfaces. The games-industry consensus was that 3D graphics had a lot of potential for many types of games beyond those they were currently being used for, but that computer hardware was probably five to ten years away from being able to realize most of it.

John Carmack wasn’t that patient. If he couldn’t make true 3D graphics run at an acceptable speed in the here and now, he believed that he could fake it in a fairly convincing way. He devised a technique of presenting a fundamentally 2D world from a first-person perspective. Said world was a weirdly circumscribed place to inhabit: all angles had to be right angles; all walls had to stretch uniformly from floor to ceiling; all floors and ceilings had to be colored in the same uniform gray. Only interior scenes were possible, and no stairways, no jumping, no height differences of any kind were allowed; in this egalitarian world, everything and everyone had to stay permanently on the same level. You weren’t even allowed to look up or down. But, limited though it was, it was like nothing anyone had ever seen.

“You know,” said John Romero one day when they were all sitting around discussing what to do with the new technology, “it’d be really fucking cool if we made a remake of Castle Wolfenstein and did it in 3D.” With those words, id’s next big game was born, one that would make all the success of Commander Keen look like nothing.

The original Castle Wolfenstein.

Written by Silas Warner, one of the Apple II scene’s early superstar programmers, and published by the long-defunct Muse Software, Castle Wolfenstein was an established classic from 1981, a top-down action-adventure that cast you as a prisoner of the Nazis who must escape, preferably taking his captors’ secret war plans with him. It remains historically notable today for incorporating a significant stealth component; ammunition was scarce and your enemies tough, which often made avoidance a better strategy than confrontation.

But avoidance wasn’t the id boys’ style. Very early on, they jettisoned everything beyond the core theme of the original Castle Wolfenstein. Wolfenstein 3D was to be, as Romero put it, “a totally shocking game. There should be blood, lots of blood, blood like you never see in games. When the player gets really low in health, at like 10 percent, he could run over the bloody guts of a dead Nazi soldier and suck those up for extra energy. It’s like human giblets. You can eat up their gibs!” In other words, Tom Hall’s aesthetic vision was out; John Romero and Adrian Carmack’s was in. “Hey, you know what we should have in here? Pissing! We should make it so you can fucking stop and piss on the Nazi after you mow him down! That would be fucking awesome!”

In early 1992, the id boys came face to face with the gaming establishment for the first time thanks to Wolfenstein 3D. They sent an early demo of the game to Sierra, and that company’s founder and CEO Ken Williams invited them to fly out to California and have a chat. Sierra was one of the three biggest computer-game publishers in the world, and was at the forefront of the interactive-movie trend which the id boys loathed. King’s Quest VI, the upcoming new installment in Sierra’s flagship series, would be so weighted down with multimedia that most reviewers, hopelessly dazzled, could spare only a few sentences for the rather rote little adventure game underneath it all. Williams himself was widely recognized as one of the foremost visionaries of the new era, proclaiming that by the end of the decade much or most of the Hollywood machine would have embraced interactivity. A meeting between two more disparate visions of gaming than his and that of the id boys can scarcely be imagined.

And yet the meeting was a cordial one on the whole. Williams had been quick to recognize when he saw Wolfenstein 3D that id had some remarkable technology, while the id boys remembered the older Apple II games of Sierra fondly. Williams took them on a tour of the offices where many of those games had come from, and then, after lunch, offered to buy id Software for $2.5 million in Sierra stock. The boys discussed it for a bit, then asked for an additional $100,000 in cash. Williams refused; he was willing to move stock around to pay for the Wolfenstein 3D technology, but he wasn’t willing to put his cash on the table. So, the negotiation ended. Instead Williams bought Bright Star Technologies, a specialist in educational software, for $1 million in cash later that year — for educational software, he believed, would soon be bigger than games. Time would prove him to be as wrong about that as he was about the future of Hollywood.

Not long after the Sierra meeting, the id boys left frigid Wisconsin in favor of Dallas, Texas, home of Scott Miller, who had been telling them about the warm weather, huge lakes, splendid barbecue, and nonexistent state income tax of the place for more than eighteen months now. One Kevin Cloud, who had held the oft-thankless role of being the id boys’ liaison with Softdisk but also happened to be a talented artist, joined them in Dallas as a sixth member of their little collective, thereby to relieve some of the burden on Adrian Carmack.

After making the move, they broke the news to Softdisk that they wouldn’t be doing Gamer’s Edge anymore. Al Vekovius was disappointed but not devastated. Oddly given how popular Commander Keen had become, the gaming disk magazine had never really taken off; it still only had about 3000 subscribers.

And so Softdisk Publications of Shreveport, Louisiana, that unlikely tech success story in that most unlikely of locales, finally exits our story permanently at this point. Nothing if not a survivor, Vekovius would keep the company alive through the 1990s and beyond by transitioning into the next big thing in computing: he turned it into an Internet service provider. He was bought out circa 2005 by a larger regional provider.

Wolfenstein 3D

This screenshot of the Wolfenstein 3D map editor illustrates why the game’s name is a misnomer: the environment is really a 2D maze much like that of the original game, albeit shown from a first-person perspective. At bottom, the engine understands just two dimensions rather than three.

If the id boys were worried about how Scott Miller would react to the ultra-violence of Wolfenstein 3D, they needn’t have been. Apogee had already been moving in this direction with considerable success; their only game to rival Commander Keen in sales during 1991 had been Duke Nukem by Todd Replogle, whose titular protagonist was a cigar-chomping Arnold Schwarzenegger facsimile with a machine gun almost as big around as his biceps. When Miller saw Wolfenstein 3D for the first time, he loved the violence as much as he did John Carmack’s psuedo-3D graphics engine. He knew what his customers craved, and he knew that they would swoon over this. He convinced the id boys to make enough levels to release a free episode followed by five paid ones rather than the usual two. On May 5, 1992 — the very same day on which the boys had handed the final version to Miller — the free installment appeared on Software Creations, Apogee’s new online service.

As it happened, Paul Neurath’s Blue Sky Productions had released their own immersive first-person 3D game, which had spent roughly five times as long in production as Wolfenstein 3D, just two months before. It was called Ultima Underworld, and was published as a boxed product by Origin Systems. It boasted a far more complete implementation of a 3D world than did id’s creation. You could look up, down, and all around; could jump and climb ledges; could sneak around corners and hide in shadows; could swim in rivers or fly through the air by means of a levitation spell. But Ultima Underworld was cerebral, old school — dull, as the id boys and many of their fan base saw it. Combat was only a part of its challenge. You also had to spend your time piecing together clues, collecting spells, solving puzzles, annotating maps, leveling up and assigning statistics and skills to your character. Even the combat happened at a speed most kindly described as “stately” if you didn’t have a cutting-edge computer.

Wolfenstein 3D, by contrast, ran like greased lightning on just about any computer because it didn’t waste time on any of that other stuff. The id boys just wanted to watch the blood spurt as they mowed down Nazis; “just run over everything and destroy” was their design philosophy. And many others, it seemed, agreed with their point of view.

For, while Ultima Underworld became a substantial hit, Wolfenstein 3D became a phenomenon. It made $200,000 in the first month, then kept selling at that pace for the next eighteen months. It was, as Scott Miller would later put it, a “paradigm shift” in shareware games. Whatever that illusive “it” was that so many gamers found to be missing in the big boxed offerings — immediacy? simplicity? violence? id in the Freudian sense? all of the above? — Wolfenstein 3D had it in spades.

The shareware barbarians were truly at the gates now; they could no longer be ignored by the complacent organs of the establishment. This time out, id got a feature review in Computer Gaming World to go along with the full-page color advertisements which Apogee was now able to pay for. “I can’t remember a game making such effective use of perspective and sound and thereby evoking such intense physiological responses from its player,” the review concluded. “I recommend gamers take a look at this one, if only for a cheap peek at part of interactive entertainment’s potential for a sensory-immersed ‘virtual’ future.”

Yet, as that “if only” qualifier intimates, the same magazine was clearly bothered by all of the gleefully gory violence of the game. An editorial by editor-in-chief Johnny Wilson, the former pastor who had built Computer Gaming World into the most thoughtful and mature journal in the industry, drove the point home: “What are we saying when we depict lifelike carnage in a game where the design is geared for you to kill nearly everyone you encounter?”

If Wilson thought id’s first 3D shooter was disturbing, he hadn’t seen anything yet. Their next game would up the ante on the violence and gore even as their first competitors jumped into the act, starting a contest to see who could be most extreme. Everyone working in games or playing them would soon have to reckon with the changes — distributional, technical, and cultural — which a burgeoning new genre, born on the streets instead of in the halls of power, was wreaking.

Crashing the halls of power: Tom Hall, Jay Wilbur, and John Romero in black tie for the Shareware Industry Awards of 1992.

(Sources: the books Masters of Doom by David Kushner, Game Engine Black Book: Wolfenstein 3D by Fabien Sanglard, Principles of Three-Dimensional Computer Animation by Michael O’Rourke, Sophistication & Simplicity: The Life and Times of the Apple II Computer by Steven Weyhrich, and I Am Error by Nathan Altice; PC Magazine of September 12 1989; InfoWorld of June 12 1989; Retro Gamer 75; Game Developer premiere issue and issues of June 1994 and February/March 1995; Computer Gaming World of August 1991, January 1992, August 1992, and September 1992; The Computist 88; inCider of November 1989. Online sources include “Apogee: Where Wolfenstein Got Its Start” by Chris Plante at Polygon, “Rocket Jump: Quake and the Golden Era of First-Person Shooters” by David L. Craddock at Shack News, Samuel Stoddard’s Apogee FAQ, Benj Edwards’s interview with Scott Miller for Gamasutra, Jeremy’s Peels interview with John Romero for PC Games N, Lode Vandevenne’s explanation of the Wolfenstein 3D rendering engine, and Jay Wilbur’s old Usenet posts, which can now be accessed via Google Groups.

The company once known as Apogee, which is now known as 3D Realms, has released many of their old shareware games for free on their website, including Commander Keen. All of the Wolfenstein 3D installments are available as digital purchases at GOG.com.)

source http://reposts.ciathyza.com/the-shareware-scene-part-3-the-id-boys/