#rather than a million launch week patches just to get the game to work
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goatsorcery · 8 months ago
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i will say, despite my newfound burst of optimism about this game, a fall 2024 release date feels a bit ambitious, i was honestly expecting spring 2025 at the earliest given the changes the game has gone through in development over the past few years
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aion-rsa · 4 years ago
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Days Gone Director Boldly Blames Cheap Gamers For Canceled Sequel
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In an interview posted on David Jaffe’s YouTube channel, Days Gone writer/co-director John Garvin (who has since left developer Bend Studios over what was implied to be personality differences) suggested that part of the reason why the game will reportedly not be getting a sequel is that not enough people bought it at full price.
“I do have an opinion on something that your audience may find of interest, and it might piss some of them off,” said Garvin. “If you love a game, buy it at f-cking full price. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen gamers say ‘yeah, I got that on sale, I got it through PS Plus, whatever.”
It’s an opinion that has indeed pissed many people off not only because it bizarrely insults those who played Days Gone but because it highlights several problems in the video game industry that some say help justify Garvin’s opinion at a time when we’re led to believe that increased access to games is in direct contrast to the act that’s still the lifeblood of the industry: buying a game at full price right away and in great numbers.
So rather than roll our eyes at the sight of another games industry member shoot themselves in the foot, let’s take some time to break down the many reasons why Garvin has identified many issues that plague the modern game industry in a particularly bad way
You Can’t Compare Days Gone to God of War
In one of the interview’s strangest moments, Garvin seems to suggest that Days Gone somehow deserved God of War’s success.
“It’s like, God of War got whatever number millions of sales at launch and, you know, Days Gone didn’t,” Garvin says. “ Just speaking for me personally as a developer – I don’t work for Sony – I don’t know what the numbers are.”
Besides clearly admitting that he’s not working with complete data (which makes that argument kind of hard to stand by), Garvin seems to believe that you can cleanly compare God of War and Days Gone on the basis of them being Triple-A PlayStation games. 
Simply put, you can’t. God of War was part of an established franchise, Days Gone was not. God of War received nearly universal praise upon its release, Days Gone did not. Both share some elements of that PlayStation Triple-A open-world design structure, but given that Days Gone launched when Spider-Man and God of War were already on the shelves and doing very well in nearly every respect, similarities between those titles (however passing) may have actually hurt the game rather than help it. 
Garvin has since noted that he’s simply pointing out that a game making more money helps its franchise prospects, which is true in a way that can’t really be argued against but ignores the fact that even apparently equal games aren’t really equal and success should never be treated as anything close to a given during development or after a title’s release.
It’s Hard to Know if You Love a Game Before Buying It At Full Price
The idea of buying a game at the full price doesn’t necessarily mean buying it at launch, but at a time when video game sales come fast and furious, the implication of that suggestion seems to be that you should buy a game as soon as possible in order to support it.
It’s an idea you sometimes hear from an unreleased product’s biggest fans who have bought into the idea of the product’s existence so completely that they’re willing to spend money on it and vocally support it even before they’ve played it. That’s also a mentality that has contributed to calls to stop pre-ordering games and other tech products simply because there have been too many instances of them not quite being ready for primetime and strangely “punishing” their biggest supporters out of the gate by making them put up with various technical problems.
With its own array of technical problems that hindered many people’s ability to play and enjoy the game at launch (and the weeks that followed), Days Gone certainly fit into that “buyer beware” category. The game got better after updates, but those updates came closer to a time when it was easier to find the game at some kind of discount. 
As for the argument that those who download the game on PlayStation Plus or similar services should somehow go and buy the game after already downloading it, the practical fact of the matter is that you’re going to have a hard time convincing a substantial number of people to ever do that. If anything, this is a big part of the reason why larger demos and trials need to be worked back into the pre-release culture.
Days Gone Was Already Elevated by Word of Mouth and Fan Support
It’s especially strange that Garvin seems to be going after late arrivals and a perceived lack of fan support given that Days Gone clearly benefited from both of those things in a way that should be encouraging rather than worrisome.
When Days Gone received mixed initial reviews, fans countered with a kind of “anti-review bombing” campaign that elevated the title’s user scores across nearly every aggregate website. They kept the game’s word of mouth strong enough to ensure it remained in the conversation by the time that updates and patches addressed many of the title’s biggest technical issues. 
Instead of blaming those who eventually came around to Days Gone for not buying it right away, it’s strange that Garvin isn’t praising the process of how those fans helped convince people to give the game a shot eventually and perhaps saved it from a potentially disastrous debut. Word of mouth is a powerful tool, and Days Gone should be an example of the strength of that process and not a condemnation of the circumstances that lead to it. 
At the very least, it’s an especially odd time to attack the foundation of the word of mouth process given that some of those who heard about Days Gone through it will soon have a second chance to buy the game at full price when it’s released for PC. That just makes it easier to buy into the idea that Garvin is maybe feeling a little bitter at the moment.
The $70 Game is Going to Make it Harder for People to Invest in Full Price Titles
As PlayStation’s top executives join the push for $70 Triple-A games, it must be said that deciding to support a game at full price is going to be more difficult for more people once the price of games goes up.
While it’s “only” a $10 price increase compared to the recent industry standard, the $70 game comes at a time when free-to-play titles filled with microtransactions and those aforementioned issues with many full-price games at launch make it harder than ever to simply buy a full-price game right away and not really worry about it. Meanwhile, subscription services are allowing us to play new games without having to depend on actually buying new games right away quite as often.
As more studios appear to suggest that the clearest solution to increased game development costs is to increase the price of games, Garvin’s statements should serve as a warning of the divide that could create and how now is the time to explore modern possibilities to find modern solutions. 
Not Every Game Deserves a Sequel
Would Days Gone have gotten a sequel if more people bought it at full price? Probably, but the idea that fans somehow did something wrong by not supporting the game at full price implies that major games are all somehow inherently deserving of a sequel. 
At a time when it often feels like we’re drowning in video game sequels, it’s easy to forget that sequels are not a sure thing. We’ve seen games get sequels that didn’t deserve them and games that deserved sequels not get them, but there are times when we’ve got to remember that a game not getting a sequel is just the way it goes.
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Days Gone had its fans who clearly enjoyed their time with the game, but it was also an incredibly expensive title that seemingly underperformed both critically and commercially. If Days Gone’s shortcomings mean that developer Bend Studio doesn’t get the chance to try a new idea, that will be a shame, but it’s a problem that says more about how the industry has become too reliant on instant blockbuster successes than the idea that those who play a game at any point under any legal circumstances contribute to its downfall in any meaningful way. 
The post Days Gone Director Boldly Blames Cheap Gamers For Canceled Sequel appeared first on Den of Geek.
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How to give v bucks on fortnite
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randomationmedia · 7 years ago
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It's already been 10 years since I first created the Randomation Pictures YouTube channel. I feel the need to share this story because it’s cathartic for me.
I remember how excited I was at age 11 when I first began using Pivot Stickfigure Animator during 2006. Going from sketching stickmen in notebooks to making them come to life on the screen ignited a passion that would eventually carry me into game development. I wanted to be just like the “famous” animators on YouTube. I wanted to create the same kind of fluid and funny scenarios that would draw in hundreds of thousands of viewers and propel me into the spotlight of this rapidly growing platform for sharing videos.
As time went on, I managed to animate a number of videos of gradually increasing quality, but nothing spectacular. I also dabbled in game development with early versions of Game Maker, but didn't achieve much as I struggled to wrap my head around the process of designing software.
Eventually my passion for animation transformed into passion for game development. This was accompanied by decreasing motivation and an inability to finish any videos worth watching. During 2012 I started using the Unity engine for the first time, enthralled by the opportunity to create interactive 3D worlds of my own creation. Now the goal was to create a successful indie game published on a platform like Steam.
After learning the basics of Unity, I embarked on a journey to create an open world stunt-driving game not unlike Burnout Paradise (the game most responsible for inspiring me to develop). With my lack of foresight in how to build stable software that isn't drenched in technical debt and the degree of inexperience required to believe the idea was even feasible in the first place, it's easy to see how that turned out.
The project was dead in the water and I didn't know what I was going to do next, or if I even wanted to do anything. That was until someone showed interest in purchasing the vehicle physics of the project. Despite the code being objectively awful, the core driving physics were very satisfying to interact with and were robust in how they reacted to environmental geometry. Out of all of the things I can do, I feel that game physics has always been the skill I'm most adept with and is the only aspect of game development I still actually enjoy working with.
The situation of seeing value in my vehicle physics led me to strip down the project and sell it as Randomation Vehicle Physics on the Unity Asset Store. This was my first source of income ever, and having anywhere from $300 to almost $1000 coming in each month as an 18-year-old still living at home was incredible. My will to develop was in full force again, but now I chose to dial things back a bit in terms of ambition and create a 2D platformer that would become Waffles (And Then Some).
The game was originally going to be based on an unfinished Game Maker project of mine that was about running across trains and shooting. The characters in this new project were going to be small and square, and the movement mechanics felt unintentionally similar to Super Meat Boy. However, the levels and theme were still unique enough to differentiate it. That is, until the level design started to feel boring and I had to redirect it. For whatever reason I decided to make the main character a waffle and make the theme about breakfast (old YouTube videos and LittleBigPlanet levels have reflected a strange affinity for this theme). Now the game was about a square-shaped food character that could sprint and wall-jump through punishingly difficult levels. To my chagrin, the Steam Greenlight comments were exactly what I expected them to be.
I chose not to publish the game on Steam because I didn't think it was worth selling anymore by the time it was greenlit out of the blue some 7 months after I originally posted it there. I also managed to get somewhat burnt out again by the time I finished it despite its relative simplicity.
Shortly after Waffles (And Then Some) was finished I began working on a kart racer known as The Fastest Meal of the Day. Mario Kart 8 came out shortly before that and inspired me to make a kart racer with the same caliber of graphics, but with the mechanics of Crash Team Racing. That might have been too ambitious (spoiler: it was). The same kind of development process followed, with the same kind of results as before. Grandiose ideas and world-building that will never come to fruition with nothing but an undercooked project and some work-in-progress videos to show for it.
I released the unfinished build and called it a day while feeling burnt-out yet again. However, I still had work to do as Unity 5 was around the corner and I knew I would have to update my vehicle physics for it. The problem with this is that the new version of Unity broke the behavior of wheel colliders from Unity 4 projects, so my vehicle physics could not function correctly in it.
I wasn't sure what I was going to do about this, until I started experimenting with making rigidbodies levitate in a balanced way using only raycasts and pure additions of force. I figured out how to do this by adding not just a basic floating force (upward constant), but by limiting this force with dampening (subtracting current velocity of point where force is applied on rigidbody). With this I had a crude model for vehicle suspensions, and thus a stable floating rigidbody. With that I knew I could write my own wheel and suspension models without the use of Unity's wheel colliders.
Over the course of a few months I developed Randomation Vehicle Physics 2.0 and launched it just a week or two after Unity 5 launched. It was a relative hit and I was over the moon “raking in” anywhere from $1000 to $1700 a month and still living at home. This was the peak of my happiness, fulfillment, and confidence out of my whole body of work over the past decade. The feeling of having that much disposable income at my fingertips and having people praise and find value in my work was overwhelming in the best of ways. Queue overzealous amiibo collecting.
With my reborn zest (I was feeling very doubtful and anxious before releasing RVP 2) I started working on the kart racer project from scratch again. The old code was abysmal (the main kart script was 3 or 4 thousand lines long and handled everything from physics to particles and audio) and the physics were not too good, even though they looked great on video. I chose to take an approach where the rotation of the karts is completely controlled by scripting and not the physics engine, leading to much more consistent behavior along with suspension based on RVP 2. I continued to work on it while occasionally stumbling over the aesthetic direction of the project and taking a month-long break to make Stickman Catapult 3D.
The good feelings ended a few months later when someone let me know RVP 2 was being “shared.” My heart sank as I tried to have the project taken down, only to see it reuploaded to another torrent site. Today I understand piracy as a legitimate way to see if software actually does what it claims to do in a world rife with early-access shovelware and DRM'd pre-order day-one DLC hotfix-patch-that-makes-things-worse culture. I also understand piracy is not truly theft because nothing is being stolen, just copied, and people who pirate might never purchase the asset anyways. At the time, however, I took it very personally and saw it as disrespecting my terms. It didn't help reading forums of people thanking each other for sharing it rather than thanking me for creating it in the first place, but I digress. I should have been grateful that something I made was valuable enough for people to take the “risk” of pirating in the first place.
Rather quickly, the butthurt brought on by piracy led to depression. I have had periodic bouts of depression prior to this, but the subsequent one was bad. Combined with my complete lack of a social life thanks to not bothering to keep in touch with high school friends, my obsession with game development hinging my entire self worth on my projects, and family issues I don't need to talk about, I was the most depressed I have ever been. RVP 2 was grossing less as well, but I don't believe this was directly correlated with the piracy. Sooner or later it had to slow down regardless of sharing.
I continued to work on The Fastest Meal of the Day even though it felt like a death march. I still consider it to be the hardest thing I have ever done. Making the characters was one of the last things I did through a tedious process of model, texture, rig, and animate. Verne and Castper were already put together from other prototype projects, but I still had 6 characters to create from scratch. Each one only took a few days but at that point I was waist-deep in a many months-long habit of spending most of my time every day working on the game.
I knew I wasn't going to sell the game. I knew it was only going to have 8 characters, 1 track, 1 mode, and no multiplayer, but I was ridiculously attached to the idea of creating some kind of polished 3D game that I can confidently show the world. All I did when I was done was throw it up on IndieDB and call it a day. I had already let go of the idea of publishing a successful game by myself and getting to be on the level of someone like the developers of Undertale or Stardew Valley. Someone who made a game mostly by theirself and gets to see thousands (millions?) of fans take in the virtual world you crafted and fill up forums discussing the characters, story, and game mechanics.
I still feel a pang in my chest when I read about how a game similar to those two is being ported to a new platform to be experienced by a new audience. I have had to work through feelings of envy and annoyance in order to try and feel happy for them. I am not entitled to success just because I put in a lot of effort, especially when my efforts have been so misguided. Trying to learn modeling, rigging, animation, texturing, foley, music composition, and programming mean nothing if I still haven't been able to produce a game worth selling. It’s just not-invented-here syndrome turned up to 11.
After finishing The Fastest Meal of the Day, I figured I should at least apply for game developer jobs. Surely having a game like that in my portfolio and being able to point to everything but the font and say, “I made that,” would be enough to land me a job at a studio that uses Unity? Not if my resume has no job experience or degree to speak of and I have no industry connections.
Depressed, burnt-out, and living at home with no degree and with no visible way to break into the game industry despite my hard work, I started applying for the same kind of jobs most 21-year-olds are qualified for. I found myself working full-time in retail and feeling mostly okay about it, because at least I was interacting with people on a regular basis, getting paid, and not “having” to develop games every day. I was at a point where getting to sit at home developing games all day seemed like hell, even though just a few years earlier in high school that is all I could dream about.
For at least several months I had absolutely no desire to develop anything. I truly believed I had put the nail in the coffin on the career of software engineering in general, not just games. I was content working in retail for almost 2 months and realized I don't want to do it for very long. (Who'da thunk it?) I chose to go to college full-time in pursuit of a bachelor's degree in computer science because I was beginning to warm up to the idea of programming again, but not so much game development.
Even with my hesitance toward game development I decided to start working on a mobile game in my free time, a basic multiplayer game where you play as a penguin and try to bump other penguins off of an ice berg. The game is still unfinished to this day and has been in development for about a year. School is not the only thing getting in the way of developing it. The other factors are my motivation and planning what exactly my free time should go into. The game and the process of realizing it just don't entice me. I don't really want to model everything, record sound effects, and write the music. I don't want to collaborate with someone either because I have a very clear idea of how those things should be, and I can't afford to pay people who would be able to do the jobs well. I haven't looked at the code in a while which makes it harder to work on that aspect and there is no monetary incentive because I was planning on making it free.
School has been eating up my savings from RVP and I need to work on things that make money. I'm considering going back into the asset business, maybe developing a kart racer kit or something else. Developing assets is not so hard, because they are essentially unfinished games. I may even pursue contract work if I have to. Plus, if I'm going to go into a more traditional software engineering role, I need to learn frameworks and work on projects that don't depend on Unity.
The only way I would pursue a career in game development is if I could work in my preferred role as a gameplay programmer at a company that doesn't depend on unpaid crunch time, doesn't lay off employees after a game ships, and offers decent benefits. As far as I'm concerned, that job does not exist, or is the kind of job that's immediately filled internally by someone in the network of connections.
I just want to get paid to write software and have a healthy work-life balance. This is not a defeatist attitude, but a realistic one. The dream I sought after in the game industry is so difficult to obtain that I would not even enjoy it after putting in the work to get there. It was and is an unhealthy obsession that I still struggle with, where even today I feel uncomfortable if I don't have some vague game idea bouncing around in my head that I want to work on at an unspecified time in the future.
One thing that stuck out to me while reflecting is the fact Randomation Vehicle Physics is the most successful thing I've ever made, and that's because it provides real value to other people. It was a catalyst for other aspiring developers' dreams of making some kind of driving game, or maybe just a product that can enhance a professional team's workflow. Either way, it helped other people much more than my own “selfish” projects have, which only served to express my own ideas. Developing assets from here on out makes the most sense because it requires less work than developing full games, is more likely to earn money, and can help others develop the games they want to make.
I am now 22 and look forward to finishing school in a few years and have mostly overcome my depression. Closing myself off from the world in pursuit of an attachment to a grandiose fantasy is no way to live. I wonder where I'll be in 2027.
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caron517gaming-blog · 6 years ago
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My Main VBUCKS Lesson
'My Child Spent £150 On Fortnite'
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There will a new Fortnite Battle Pass, giving people entry to further Term 8 skins and Flavor 8 emotes - offered people and then put in the time with sweat to next unlock them, of course. That and worth highlighting the importance of personal Fortnite's PVE component, Save The planet. That pretty pricey at $39.99, but it often goes on seasonal deal regarding a $19.99 so ensure people continue an eye out.
Fortnite seasons tend to live a complete of 10 weeks. For the standard Epic Games website, that states the Movement Occur and Time 6 may determine by Thursday night, December 6. While it may be disappointing to some participants to Fortnite isn't currently free to play, know that you're at least getting some further content on top of early access for the money. In a daze chance of consequences, Apex Story came back. See its statement in February, the sport has a very similar narrative to Fortnite. It quickly gathered a huge audience, hitting 50 million players just 28 time once the idea took place off.
Past six seasons here training Epic games released Fortnite in July 2017. Those who are not very technical and do not know how to keep your fortnite account safe and secure need to study following points to know your security online. At the BRITISH Safer Internet Centre, we regularly deliver online safety training meeting to pupils, parents and instructor. Recently we have noticed an expansion number of young folks talking about the game ‘Fortnite'. In this blog we are doing assistance to parents about Fortnite, glaring by what the action remains also many of the things being aware of.
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Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 8, Week 5 happens today officially live along with it yet another batch of regular obstacle to sink the pirate land into. Avast me hearties, 'tis time to make Battle Celebrities next levels up the Campaign Pass. Complete 55 weekly obstacles and you'll uncover the surprise Discovery Outfit. Fortnite Battle Royale is available by Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Samsung Android devices while But the World is presented in PROCESSOR and consoles platforms.
Where To Start With VBUCKS
To perform Fortnite to its broad potential, you don't really need a very good PC. The biggest advantage Epic Games cover with Fortnite is the cartoon art way they selected, that does not require a great deal of hardware even though it provides a good overall experience. Fortnite players are ended through community media scammers who are using websites claiming to offer free in-game currency, known as V-Bucks, to take over considerations and appropriate personal data.
Investigators from Malwarebytes showed in April that scammers are developing data-stealing malware as well as cryptocurrency-stealing malicious value in targeted strikes against Fortnite gamers. For 4K contest with Fortnite and other activities, however, something with a little more processing strength is recommended. Such as the i7-9700K or at least the i5-9600K would be a solid option regarding a higher-performing rig.
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The stolen cards are used to buy V-bucks, the personal currency in Fortnite. Typically, V-bucks are obtained to buy in-game outfits, weapons, emotes and other things in-game. For Fortnite and Epic Games, V-bucks have been a huge revenue course, with over $3 billion net profit for Epic Sports in 2018. Fortnite gives everyone being up until stupid times in the morning. I've not been this way with a game while Black Ops.
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rickhorrow · 6 years ago
Text
Rick Horrow’s 10 to Watch : Week of Februrary 18th
MAYORS EDITION
MLB in 2019 will "commemorate the 150th anniversary of professional organized baseball with a season-long series of uniform features and content integrations across its league-run media platforms." According to Sports Business Journal, the league's celebration will begin on Opening Day in late March with "special cap patches worn by every player." The cap application has "never been done to celebrate a major anniversary in baseball, but it will be similar to special postseason patches worn on the side of player caps." There also will be a "uniform patch worn all season on the right sleeve of player jerseys." Those sleeve patches "recall similar ones used to celebrate baseball's 100th anniversary" in 1969 and 125th in 1994. MLB also is planning an "extensive series of anniversary-driven multimedia content commemorations of great moments in baseball history that will run on MLB Network, MLB.com and the league's official social media channels.” It truly is a celebratory year, as the NFL is also celebrating its 100th anniversary and other key milestones of sport also unfold, which we will document throughout the year.
Overtime banks $23 million from Carmelo Anthony, Victor Oladipo, Spark Capital, and others. According to Hashtag Sports, the digital sports media startup focused on high-school athletes has raised $23 million in Series B funding. Venture-capital firm Spark Capital led the round, which brings the two-year-old company to $33.5 million raised to date. Others participating include MSG Networks and NBA players Victor Oladipo and Carmelo Anthony. With the latest funding, Overtime has a valuation of around $100 million. The company launched with short-form content centered on high-school basketball stars, and over the past year has expanded its coverage to include soccer, football, esports, and women’s basketball. Overtime also is looking to launch live in-person events and activations and is eyeing international expansion. People continue investing in Overtime because they’ve smartly monetized through branded-content deals and nascent ecommerce and merchandise business, and look to be a rising star in the youth sports digital media space.
U.S. Club Soccer and LaLiga North America have announced an expansion of their technical partnership first signed in August, 2015. The long-term extension continues a valuable relationship in youth soccer that has provided various coaching education resources to the American game, directly educating thousands of coaches and impacting even more players. It also points to LaLiga North America’s commitment to growing soccer in the U.S. LaLiga North America is a joint venture between LaLiga and Relevent Sports, which serves as the exclusive representation of LaLiga in the U.S. and Canada for all business and development activities. The operation supports the league’s growth in the U.S. and Canada through consumer-related activities including youth academies, development of youth soccer coaches, marketing agreements, consumer activations, exhibition matches, a coaching education series, and plans to have an official LaLiga Santander match played in the U.S. In 2019 and beyond, the two organizations plan to increase their Players First commitment by creating additional coaching development opportunities, extending LaLiga scouting to U.S. Club Soccer members, and offering exclusive benefits to Players First-licensed clubs and others.
The Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA), the non-profit association comprising 2,700 men and women professionals overseeing sports fields worldwide and critical to athletes’ safety, received outstanding participation at its 30th annual Conference and Exhibition in Phoenix. Visit Phoenix confirmed the community received over $3 million from total estimated direct expenditures from conference participants including event attendees, exhibitors, and organizers. The Phoenix Convention Center housed more than 2,300 participants including 1,400 sports turf leaders and 900 exhibitors from 14 countries for four days of industry education, networking events, and product demonstrations. The event was highlighted by a volunteer rebuild of Lindo Park baseball field, two “Seminar On-Wheels” tours of Phoenix area sports complexes, SAFE fundraisers, and the STMA Awards Reception and Banquet. SAFE, the association’s charitable foundation, raised nearly $41,000 through a bowling competition, live and silent auctions, raffles, and a golf tournament at Grand Canyon University Golf Course. Proceeds benefit educational programs, scholarships and grants enriching communities through safe, sustainable sports and recreation fields.
NASCAR goes all in on media advertising and teams up with Barstool Sports. With an aging fan base and no consistent uptick in ratings, NASCAR needs a serious revamp. To deal with this, NASCAR is launching an ad campaign for nearly 20 TV markets throughout the United States and has struck a digital partnership with Barstool Sports. According to Sports Business Daily, NASCAR is set to spend between $10 million-$20 million for this advertising campaign set to run throughout 2019 with a new technique of advertisements to be shown during non-NASCAR related programming. NASCAR is planning to launch locally themed ads on local Fox and NBC affiliates in NASCAR markets such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Kansas City, and Orlando/Daytona and such cities as Cleveland, Milwaukee, Raleigh, and Tampa where NASCAR doesn’t yet race. NASCARS’ overall marketing goal will be to tell the stories of its drivers and accompanying teams in hopes of bringing in new fans to the sports while retaining its core fan base.
The Alliance of American Football league is underway and the ratings show that it’s an early hit. The AAF debuted on February 9 on CBS. Surprisingly, according to Yahoo Sports, the new football league was able to pull off better television overnight ratings than a Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder NBA matchup and generally received positive reviews during its opening week. Although the early 2.1 overnight rating beat out the NBA numbers, there was certainly more curiosity about the AAF than a regular-season NBA game. In the past other startup football leagues such as the USFL and XFL performed well at the beginning before excitement quickly fizzled. The challenge for the AAF will be to keep the good times rolling as ratings will be harder to come by when the games are on CBS Sports Network and not CBS in primetime. Ultimately, compelling football will be what keeps fans engaged long term. The AAF will also be competing with the other new football league, the XFL, which is set to launch some time during 2020. The AAF will have to outperform other new football leagues in addition to well-established sports institutions such as the NBA and MLB during the spring and summer months.
Sports entities raise the bar on stylish celebrations of Black History Month. CBS Sports Network celebrates Black History Month with the premiere of “Althea & Arthur,” a documentary highlighting the legacies of Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe on February 18. The documentary is narrated by Tony Award winning actress Phylicia Rashad and chronicles the impact Gibson and Ashe made to the world of tennis and in advancing civil rights in America during a time of racism and segregation. In Phoenix, The Arizona Republic notes the Suns’ Mikal Bridges, Josh Jackson, Kelly Oubre, and Richaun Holmes have "each worn themed sneakers in February" to celebrate Black History Month. The shoes will be made "available for purchase at the end of the month with the proceeds benefiting Elevate Phoenix, a local non-profit that works with youth." The Suns "commissioned designers to create the custom sneakers, but the players had a say in the theme.”
The PGA Tour continues to drive philanthropy. Last week, insurance firm Burns & Wilcox launched its signature philanthropic initiative Champions & Charities with brand ambassadors Webb Simpson and Jimmy Walker. The company will give a minimum of $50,000 to the charity of the golfers' choice. And the just-completed PGA Tour Genesis Open "will get a big upgrade" beginning in 2020, according to sources, in no small part because of its affiliation with Tiger Woods’ foundation. According to ESPN, the event held at Riviera Country Club and run by Woods' foundation will receive “elevated status,” which means it will have a significantly higher purse – growing to $9.3 million, as well as offer  a three-year PGA Tour exemption to the winner (up from two years), and have an invitational field" of 120 players rather than 144. The best thing that Woods could do to boost its prominence? Win the event.
As the 2019 NASCAR season opens at Daytona, Dale Earnhardt Jr. volunteered on a chainsaw crew as they "cleaned up debris from Hurricane Michael" in Panama City, Florida. According to the Charlotte Observer, Earnhardt "joined a crew from Team Rubicon, the non-profit group of veterans that teams with first responders.” Likewise, NASCAR driver Kurt Busch will "pay for and give away 100 tickets" for each Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race this season to military members and veterans. The giveaway is in "partnership with the Veterans Tickets Foundation." NASCAR continues to be a team player and major contributor off the racetrack as well as working hard to keep sports fans’ focus on its racing circuit, state of the art facilities likeD, and high profile drivers.
USA BMX, Mongoose team up For STEM education initiative. USA BMX has signed a deal with the Mongoose bicycle brand to bring science, math, engineering and technology training to U.S. schools in a joint program that is projected to reach 225,000 students in 2019. Additionally, according to Sports Business Journal, Mongoose has hired nine-time USA BMX amateur national champion and USA BMX Foundation Marketing Coordinator Justin Posey as a sponsored rider and education ambassador. Interestingly, the Mongoose bicycle brand is owned by Pacific Cycle, a division of Montreal-based Dorel Industries.
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asfeedin · 5 years ago
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The Hubble Space Telescope just turned 30, and it’s working better than ever
Hubble zooms in for an up-close look at star assembly in one of the galaxies orbiting the Milky Way. (NASA, ESA and STScI/)
On April 24, 1990, the Space Shuttle Discovery blasted off from Florida with an instrument that would forever divide astronomy into two eras: the time before space telescopes, and the time after.
From its perch above Earth’s fuzzy atmosphere, the Hubble Space Telescope has spent three decades peering into the darkness, indiscriminately collecting whatever stray light beams found their way to its giant mirror. From local moons, to distant planets, exploding stars, and far off galaxies, the world’s first and best-known space telescope has snapped images of them all, producing a voluminous gallery topping 1.4 million observations. Now NASA is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Hubble’s launch with one more picture—and it’s a doozy.
Taken earlier this year specifically to commemorate the observatory’s milestone, the image captures stars being constructed from gas swirling in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small galaxy circling our own that can be seen in the skies of the southern hemisphere. The blazing young stars in the center each outweigh our sun by a factor of ten, and the blue cloud (colors indicate different gas types) represents detritus expelled from one star.
“It just reminds us of the beauty of our universe, and the ongoing activity,” says Jennifer Wiseman, a NASA astrophysicist and the senior project scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope.
It’s hard to overstate—or even state—how deeply Hubble has transformed astronomy with its eagle eye. Free from the blurring effects of Earth’s atmosphere, the telescope can do the equivalent of spotting clouds of fireflies in Tokyo from Washington D.C., or seeing an individual human hair from a mile away. Ground-based telescopes struggle to reach a tenth of that precision.
And the telescope has used that vision to observe the universe near and far. Astronomers have used Hubble to discover possible geysers of water on Europa, take videos of auroras on Jupiter, snap pictures of exoplanets around other suns, watch stars and gas whip around black holes, and clock the expansion of the universe. “It’s rewritten the textbook in every area you care to look,” says Mark Clampin, NASA’s Director of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate.
It’s a remarkable legacy, especially considering that the wunderkind observatory started off its career in ignominious failure.
A nearly eight-foot mirror lies at the heart of the spacecraft, expertly ground to exquisite smoothness. But tragically, it’s the wrong shape. During manufacturing, engineers measured its curvature with two different tools, one older manual instrument and a newer laser-based device. The first indicated that the mirror was flawed while the second suggested it had the right form, and rather than investigate the disagreement the team chose to believe the high-tech doohickey. “If you’re over budget and behind schedule and people are mad at you, there’s a temptation to talk yourself into an answer you like,” said astronaut Kathryn Sullivan during a lecture at the Symphony Space performing arts center in New York City on Dec. 3, 2019.
The one-millimeter “spherical aberration,” as the flaw came to be called, was imperceptible to the human eye, but it wrecked Hubble’s vision. NASA knew immediately that it had a problem when their shiny new space telescope, the product of decades of planning and $4.7 billion at the time of launch, returned pictures with sharp centers but blurry halos. Astronomers ran to mathematics textbooks to find techniques to correct their data and make the best of a bad situation, while the mission became a national laughingstock. A young Jay Leno once joked on late night that the government should “shoot down” Hubble and “put the thing out of its misery.”
But NASA had another idea. Mission planners had entwined the telescope’s design with that of the Space Shuttle program, making the machine serviceable by astronauts. After three years of scrambling, the engineers designed a second mirror that could correct the aberration of the first like a pair of glasses, and a team of astronauts (including Sullivan) launched to slot it into place. The astronauts also installed a new infrared camera, starting a tradition of upgrading Hubble’s components that would span five missions. “That has left us with a new observatory every time they have visited,” Wiseman says.
So even as Hubble aged, many of its parts have gotten facelifts. Clampin says that the mirrors, supports, and many electronics boxes are original, but the solar panels, batteries, instruments, reaction wheels (for pointing), and computers have all been upgraded—some as recently as 2009. The Space Shuttle program has since ended so Hubble now flies beyond our reach. But if the telescope could somehow return to Earth, it would actually weigh 3,000 pounds more than it did at launch.
The astronomical community has put all that hardware to good use. Hubble beams down about 19 gigabytes of data every week—the equivalent of six hours of HD Netflix binging. Data from the telescope has led to more than 17,000 journal articles, with more than 1,000 publications last year. Researchers compete fiercely for access to the machine with roughly 90% of proposals being rejected.
Amongst the essentially innumerable scientific highlights, Wiseman and Clampin both single out two fields that Hubble has particularly revolutionized: exoplanet science and cosmology.
When Hubble launched, five years before the first exoplanet was discovered through indirect means, astronomers debated whether the telescope would be able spot them directly, Clampin recalls. It’s seen a few, mostly hot young worlds still glowing from the heat of formation, but Hubble’s real success lies in capturing light filtering through exoplanet atmospheres as they pass in front of their star. This technique, which didn’t even exist when engineers built Hubble, has since been employed to discover liquid water and perhaps even clouds on alien worlds. “If you asked anybody 30 years ago if they thought that was possible,” Clampin says, “they’d have thought you were nuts.”
But Hubble’s greatest superpower may be its ability to peer into past, because of the way the speed of light yolks distance to time. The telescope’s deep field research program has stared longer and longer at dark patches of space, zooming into tiny spots of sky to resolve the thousands of galaxies each contains. Light from the farthest galaxies took billions of years to reach us, and with intense squinting Hubble has been able to see galaxies that existed a few hundred million years after the big bang. The universe back then, at just a few percent of its current age, was a hot mess. “As you look further and further back in time, you can see more and more violence,” Clampin says. “You don’t have galaxy-looking galaxies anymore. They’re all train wrecks,” tearing through each other at high speeds.
Cosmologists have long understood that getting from the smooth soup produced by the big bang to today’s lumpy universe of stars and planets involved a lot of growing up. But Hubble has been able to produce direct images showing exactly how galaxies have matured over the eons, helping researchers measure the age of the universe and discover the expanding influence of dark energy. It’s the difference between assuming your friend must have had some wild college years, and then getting access to their photo library. “That’s been something Hubble has really helped us understand,” Wiseman says. “How the universe has changed and progressed over time to being the life-friendly place that we enjoy, at least on one planet.”
As astronomers move into the fourth decade of the space telescope era, they look forward to a host of new discoveries from instruments young and old. After its 2009 servicing, Hubble remains at the top of its scientific game, and Wiseman expects that it may live to see its 40th anniversary.
Soon joining Hubble in the sky, possibly even next year, will be the highly anticipated James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which will complement Hubble’s abilities with more reflecting area to collect light and an ability to see a wider variety of infrared colors. Astronomers expect the JWST will detect new elements in exoplanet atmospheres (including, just maybe, cocktails indicative of alien life), as well as even younger galaxies.
Looking farther ahead, the launch of the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFISRT) in the middle of the decade could let cosmologists study the distant past more broadly. “Think of the Hubble deep fields as at little thumbnails,” Clampin says. “WFIRST will give you the full HD TV view of these regions.”
These up and coming space telescopes will build on Hubble’s legacy, but they will also be products of it. Clampin, who has been deeply involved in the assembly of the JWST, says that engineers now insist on getting identical mirror measurements from at least two different tools as to not repeat Hubble’s mistake. They’ve even had to ask companies to build them custom devices just for that purpose.
As NASA’s growing fleet of space telescopes continues to expand our view of the universe, one unforgettable motto of the Hubble era will undoubtedly live on: Measure twice, launch once.
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scootoaster · 5 years ago
Text
The Hubble Space Telescope just turned 30, and it’s working better than ever
Hubble zooms in for an up-close look at star assembly in one of the galaxies orbiting the Milky Way. (NASA, ESA and STScI/)
On April 24, 1990, the Space Shuttle Discovery blasted off from Florida with an instrument that would forever divide astronomy into two eras: the time before space telescopes, and the time after.
From its perch above Earth’s fuzzy atmosphere, the Hubble Space Telescope has spent three decades peering into the darkness, indiscriminately collecting whatever stray light beams found their way to its giant mirror. From local moons, to distant planets, exploding stars, and far off galaxies, the world’s first and best-known space telescope has snapped images of them all, producing a voluminous gallery topping 1.4 million observations. Now NASA is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Hubble’s launch with one more picture—and it’s a doozy.
Taken earlier this year specifically to commemorate the observatory’s milestone, the image captures stars being constructed from gas swirling in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small galaxy circling our own that can be seen in the skies of the southern hemisphere. The blazing young stars in the center each outweigh our sun by a factor of ten, and the blue cloud (colors indicate different gas types) represents detritus expelled from one star.
“It just reminds us of the beauty of our universe, and the ongoing activity,” says Jennifer Wiseman, a NASA astrophysicist and the senior project scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope.
It’s hard to overstate—or even state—how deeply Hubble has transformed astronomy with its eagle eye. Free from the blurring effects of Earth’s atmosphere, the telescope can do the equivalent of spotting clouds of fireflies in Tokyo from Washington D.C., or seeing an individual human hair from a mile away. Ground-based telescopes struggle to reach a tenth of that precision.
And the telescope has used that vision to observe the universe near and far. Astronomers have used Hubble to discover possible geysers of water on Europa, take videos of auroras on Jupiter, snap pictures of exoplanets around other suns, watch stars and gas whip around black holes, and clock the expansion of the universe. “It's rewritten the textbook in every area you care to look,” says Mark Clampin, NASA’s Director of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate.
It’s a remarkable legacy, especially considering that the wunderkind observatory started off its career in ignominious failure.
A nearly eight-foot mirror lies at the heart of the spacecraft, expertly ground to exquisite smoothness. But tragically, it’s the wrong shape. During manufacturing, engineers measured its curvature with two different tools, one older manual instrument and a newer laser-based device. The first indicated that the mirror was flawed while the second suggested it had the right form, and rather than investigate the disagreement the team chose to believe the high-tech doohickey. “If you’re over budget and behind schedule and people are mad at you, there’s a temptation to talk yourself into an answer you like,” said astronaut Kathryn Sullivan during a lecture at the Symphony Space performing arts center in New York City on Dec. 3, 2019.
The one-millimeter “spherical aberration,” as the flaw came to be called, was imperceptible to the human eye, but it wrecked Hubble’s vision. NASA knew immediately that it had a problem when their shiny new space telescope, the product of decades of planning and $4.7 billion at the time of launch, returned pictures with sharp centers but blurry halos. Astronomers ran to mathematics textbooks to find techniques to correct their data and make the best of a bad situation, while the mission became a national laughingstock. A young Jay Leno once joked on late night that the government should “shoot down” Hubble and “put the thing out of its misery.”
But NASA had another idea. Mission planners had entwined the telescope’s design with that of the Space Shuttle program, making the machine serviceable by astronauts. After three years of scrambling, the engineers designed a second mirror that could correct the aberration of the first like a pair of glasses, and a team of astronauts (including Sullivan) launched to slot it into place. The astronauts also installed a new infrared camera, starting a tradition of upgrading Hubble’s components that would span five missions. “That has left us with a new observatory every time they have visited,” Wiseman says.
So even as Hubble aged, many of its parts have gotten facelifts. Clampin says that the mirrors, supports, and many electronics boxes are original, but the solar panels, batteries, instruments, reaction wheels (for pointing), and computers have all been upgraded—some as recently as 2009. The Space Shuttle program has since ended so Hubble now flies beyond our reach. But if the telescope could somehow return to Earth, it would actually weigh 3,000 pounds more than it did at launch.
The astronomical community has put all that hardware to good use. Hubble beams down about 19 gigabytes of data every week—the equivalent of six hours of HD Netflix binging. Data from the telescope has led to more than 17,000 journal articles, with more than 1,000 publications last year. Researchers compete fiercely for access to the machine with roughly 90% of proposals being rejected.
Amongst the essentially innumerable scientific highlights, Wiseman and Clampin both single out two fields that Hubble has particularly revolutionized: exoplanet science and cosmology.
When Hubble launched, five years before the first exoplanet was discovered through indirect means, astronomers debated whether the telescope would be able spot them directly, Clampin recalls. It’s seen a few, mostly hot young worlds still glowing from the heat of formation, but Hubble’s real success lies in capturing light filtering through exoplanet atmospheres as they pass in front of their star. This technique, which didn’t even exist when engineers built Hubble, has since been employed to discover liquid water and perhaps even clouds on alien worlds. “If you asked anybody 30 years ago if they thought that was possible,” Clampin says, “they’d have thought you were nuts.”
But Hubble’s greatest superpower may be its ability to peer into past, because of the way the speed of light yolks distance to time. The telescope’s deep field research program has stared longer and longer at dark patches of space, zooming into tiny spots of sky to resolve the thousands of galaxies each contains. Light from the farthest galaxies took billions of years to reach us, and with intense squinting Hubble has been able to see galaxies that existed a few hundred million years after the big bang. The universe back then, at just a few percent of its current age, was a hot mess. “As you look further and further back in time, you can see more and more violence,” Clampin says. “You don’t have galaxy-looking galaxies anymore. They’re all train wrecks,” tearing through each other at high speeds.
Cosmologists have long understood that getting from the smooth soup produced by the big bang to today’s lumpy universe of stars and planets involved a lot of growing up. But Hubble has been able to produce direct images showing exactly how galaxies have matured over the eons, helping researchers measure the age of the universe and discover the expanding influence of dark energy. It’s the difference between assuming your friend must have had some wild college years, and then getting access to their photo library. “That’s been something Hubble has really helped us understand,” Wiseman says. “How the universe has changed and progressed over time to being the life-friendly place that we enjoy, at least on one planet.”
As astronomers move into the fourth decade of the space telescope era, they look forward to a host of new discoveries from instruments young and old. After its 2009 servicing, Hubble remains at the top of its scientific game, and Wiseman expects that it may live to see its 40th anniversary.
Soon joining Hubble in the sky, possibly even next year, will be the highly anticipated James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which will complement Hubble’s abilities with more reflecting area to collect light and an ability to see a wider variety of infrared colors. Astronomers expect the JWST will detect new elements in exoplanet atmospheres (including, just maybe, cocktails indicative of alien life), as well as even younger galaxies.
Looking farther ahead, the launch of the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFISRT) in the middle of the decade could let cosmologists study the distant past more broadly. “Think of the Hubble deep fields as at little thumbnails,” Clampin says. “WFIRST will give you the full HD TV view of these regions.”
These up and coming space telescopes will build on Hubble’s legacy, but they will also be products of it. Clampin, who has been deeply involved in the assembly of the JWST, says that engineers now insist on getting identical mirror measurements from at least two different tools as to not repeat Hubble’s mistake. They’ve even had to ask companies to build them custom devices just for that purpose.
As NASA’s growing fleet of space telescopes continues to expand our view of the universe, one unforgettable motto of the Hubble era will undoubtedly live on: Measure twice, launch once.
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dippedanddripped · 5 years ago
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GAMING
Sep 26, 2019By
Emily Engle
Professional gaming has taken the world by storm over the past couple of years. Colleges are offering scholarships to aspiring esports stars, and dedicated esports stadiums are popping up all over the world. The recent Fortnite World Cup awarded $30 million USD in total prize money, and both the Olympics and ESPN have now sanctioned esports. According to Newzoo’s 2019 Global Esports Market Report, YouTube and Twitch audiences for esports were larger than the viewership of HBO, Netflix and ESPN combined in 2018. In short, esports are beginning to look and feel a lot like a traditional sports — and with that comes big sponsorship money pouring in.
Everyone from automaker Nissan to rapper Offset wants a piece of the esports pie, but it’s sportswear brands that stand to make the greatest profit and, subsequently, are making the biggest waves. Companies like adidas and Nike have been quietly beginning to work alongside various esports teams, but adidas Originals made headlines when it signed a partnership with professional Fortnite player Tyler Blevins, better known as Ninja, marking the brand’s first endorsement deal with an individual esports player. “We are exploring what we might have to offer gamers to enhance game performance, or even possibly bring them closer to the gameplay itself,” adidas Originals said in a statement to HYPEBEAST.
Thanks in part to free streaming platforms like Twitch, which brings in 15 million daily viewers alone, esports stars like Ninja have managed to stand out among millions of players based on personality and appearance. After garnering an audience of around 14.6 million followers on Twitch, Ninja recently signed a deal with Microsoft, promising to exclusively stream his gameplay on Twitch’s competitor platform Mixer, where he amassed over 1.5 million subscribers and two million follows in just two weeks. Earlier this year, Fortnite creator Epic Games announced that its platform has more than 250 million registered accounts — that’s two-thirds the size of the US population. “In my mind [esports are] no different than any other sport or craft. You gotta put the time in to it if you love it and want to truly be one of the best,” Ninja tells HYPEBEAST.
On social media, Ninja commands an Instagram following of around 14.7 million individuals and growing, surpassing famous NBA players of the same age like Tristan Thompson by millions. “What I’ve found is that esports fans are just as passionate about their teams as traditional sports fans,” says designer Maxwell Osbourne of streetwear label Public School. “It’s amazing to see how they look up to their favorite players the same way NBA fans idolize LeBron James or Steph Curry.”
“[I'd] rather be the first brand looking at esports than the twelfth brand looking at basketball.”
Esports do differ from traditional sports in at least one key way, however. Anyone with access to a computer and the internet can play, making it easier for those outside of the professional industry to understand and invest in the movement. “We’re seeing the smartest, most forward-thinking investors and organizations in sports lean into the movement, says Blake Lawrence, CEO of athlete marketing platform opendorse. “With their support, the ceiling is pretty high.
Among the list of esports admirers outside of the industry is rapper Offset, who’s known to play games like Call of Duty and NBA 2K to unwind outside of the public eye. Last month, the Atlanta rapper even claimed a stake in the industry by announcing his personal investment in popular esports team FaZe Clan, a monetary move he made because he believes in the players themselves. “The actual players, they’re like rock stars,” he says. “They’ve got great followings, they influence kids, and that’s what I do. It was just organic. These guys are cool.” In addition to Offset, Drake, Sean Combs and even Michael Jordan joined the list of many celebrities who invested in esports last year.
In addition to relatability, esports stars garner a desirable audience made up of 79% millennials — a demographic brands are eager to get their hands on. “For any company trying to reach the Gen Z and millennial-minded audience, streaming and esports is an enormous opportunity,” says Robert Cross, director, media and activation of Nissan North America, who also confirmed partnerships with Faze Clan and Call of Duty team OpTic Gaming earlier this year. “It’s just a massive audience of the hardest to reach demographic of young men, and they’re spending hours immersed in gaming,” echoes K-Swiss President Barney Waters. “The viewership of these big tournaments is bigger than the NBA Finals, and look at the time, money and energy that sneaker brands are spending there.”
Another draw for big brands looking to invest in esports is the potential to land the next big collaborator. “While certain market analysts would say YEEZYs have had little impact on adidas’ bottom line, it’s obvious the hype created by Kanye‘s involvement has stretched well beyond the sneaker, impacting the adidas’ brand perception and helping sales across the board,” says Lawrence. “I think Ninja [partnering with adidas Originals] could have a similar impact with this generation of esports fans.”
Along the same lines as sneaker releases like with YEEZYs, esports teams have begun experimenting with streetwear-esque product drops. Fortnite and Call of Duty team FaZe Clan offers its fans frequent merchandise drops that sell out almost instantly. The team recently hosted a pop-up at Stadium Goods NYC, which FaZe Clan Creative Director Erik Marino reports attracted hundreds of fans lining up days before the event and thousands flooding the space the day of. “NYPD had to shut down the event, but only after agreeing to extend a bit — as long as they could get pics with our pros to show their kids,” recalls Marino. “I’ve never seen lines like this in streetwear.” New York Excelsior had a similar experience when hosting its first pop-up shop, which released multiple collaborations between the professional Overwatch team and brands like UNDEFEATED, Nike, Champion, Levi’s and New Era.
“Esports fans are hungry for more streetwear apparel that looks great, but also serves a functional need for their daily lifestyle as gamers”
The demand for esports related merchandise is clearly alive and well, however brands are still discovering what it is esports fans and athletes are actually looking for. Most would imagine esports to be a sedentary and immobile activity, but it turns out players at all levels are seeking a healthy mix of comfort, style and performance apparel and gear. “Everybody loves to look good, but we also want to be comfortable and able to get into the game,” says Ninja. “Esports fans are hungry for more streetwear apparel that looks great, but also serves a functional need for their daily lifestyle as gamers,” echoes Osbourne.
Brands like Public School and esports organization Andbox are leading the charge when it comes to performance apparel for esports players. The two brands recently collaborated on a collection of performance windbreakers, fleeces, lounge pants, jerseys and T-shirts, featuring design details that can enhance a player’s game. “The hoodies from our first Andbox collection have nylon patches on the back of the sleeves to decrease drag and friction when someone is moving a computer mouse across the table,” explains Osbourne. “Features like that are essential for this community.”
ANDBOX
K-Swiss also tested out performance gear for esports players with its One Tap Esports Shoe designed in collaboration with multi-game esports team Immortals. For the iconic sportswear brand, the decision to not only invest in but to create product within the esports space stemmed from equal parts brand alignment strategy and pure interest. Waters says that beyond jumping on the chance to have the “first-mover advantage” in the emerging field, he has a vested interest, “in anything progressive, as a counter-weight to K-Swiss’ perception as a heritage brand,” noting that because sportswear brands are always looking for performance-inspired product design, he’d “rather be the first brand looking at esports than the twelfth brand looking at basketball.”
Performance gear fills one void in the esports apparel realm, but Co-Founder of Culture Group Michael Patent and his team noticed an even larger gap when it comes to overall esports team identity. Football players have kits, basketball players have jerseys, but esports players were lacking a way to communicate team identity to each other and to fans. As a result of this realization, Culture Group drove a partnership between Riot Games and Nike China to create a cultural identity for League of Legends players through lifestyle apparel.
K-SWISS
Patent sees the ongoing need for esports team identity as an open invitation for someone within the space to create a new brand that will dominate, similar to to the beginnings of today’s heritage sportswear brands. “Take brands like Billabong and Vans for example, which emanated from skate and surf, he explains. “We will see a global apparel brand emerge from an esports specific organization.”
“Esports teams and athletes have suffered from a lack of brand identity and cultural resonance,” he continues. “If you look back into the ‘80s and ‘90s at iconic brands and campaigns like ‘Bo Knows’ in ’89, the launch of the Jordan Brand in ’84, or the impact of Team USA’s basketball jersey in 1992, you see the role that brands have played in driving a cultural conversation. The same will happen in esports.”
“It will only be a matter of time until we see luxury brands enter esports.”
As for the future of sportswear and esports’ relationship, experts predict it will only continue to expand. “This is all early adoption still; I feel the market will continue to grow and the best of the best will rise to the top,” says Marino. But in order to find success as a brand entering the esports space, Ninja notes that, “the challenge will always be finding individuals that really fit the spirit of your brand,” and that brands will really need to “focus their time and energy on folks who can truly build and engage a community.”
Public School and Andbox’s collection marked one of the first crossovers between luxury streetwear and esports apparel, and Marino notes that he doesn’t see higher-end designers shying away from the industry anytime soon. “It’s not just heritage sportswear brands [like Nike or K-Swiss] that have an interest in collaborating with the esports space,” he says. “More independent designers and higher-end streetwear brands are also reaching out to FaZe Clan.” The team has previously worked on a project with Siberia Hills, and Marino has confirmed with us a FaZe Clan x Warren Lotas project dropping this fall, as well as a collaboration with Kappa on the way. “It will only be a matter of time until we see luxury brands enter esports,” echoes Patent.
Just like any company in the apparel space, though, Marino wants to drive home that “there will be teams, organizations and players that excel in building their brands, and there will be those that don’t.” He continues to detail what factors play into the success of a brand in a new space, stating that, “the success of any particular esports team, organization or player in relation to apparel is still dependent on organic growth in building a fan base and brand strategy.” From a player’s perspective, Ninja adds that he hopes that as brands enter the space, they will do so “with gamers, instead of making a weak attempt at ‘targeting’ the community.”
Authenticity will be key to capturing the hearts and wallets of the gaming community because as Ninja notes, “gaming is a massive community full of passionate people both at the competitive and hobbyist levels, but too often they don’t get to see folks like us represented in the mainstream culture.” The community needs an authentic, inclusive voice in the apparel space, and the esports star is hopeful that his collaboration with adidas Originals will be a step in the right direction. As Ninja himself says, “It’s not just about Ninja, or even just about gaming—whether you’re a gamer, running back, soccer player, musician, doctor, or entrepreneur, we’re telling the story of the grind, the thousands of hours of work that it takes to chase and catch your wave. Nothing happens overnight.”
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reneeacaseyfl · 6 years ago
Text
World of Warcraft: Rise of Azshara review — showers players with fun after a long dry spell
World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment’s massively multiplayer RPG, spent most of this spring in a deep content drought. Rise of Azshara, one of the most-ambitious content patches ever in the game, seeks to drown players in new content.
The patch offers two new significant zones of content with new reputations, types of encounters, islands, the reintroduction of flying, an uplift to the crafting system that includes new leveling and crafted items, and a host of other changes big and small.
Two weeks after its initial launch, on July 9, Blizzard released a new eight-boss raid dungeon, Azshara’s Eternal Palace; and an eight-boss, five-player “megadungeon,” Operation: Mechagon, something that hasn’t been seen since the days of Return to Karazhan.
Since that time I’ve reached exalted reputation with both factions and regained the ability to fly; experienced every piece of new content the zones had to offer; completed the raid dungeon on Normal and Heroic difficulty; completed the new megadungeon on normal and hard mode; done all PvP battlegrounds and open-world competition; done the new Heroic-difficulty Warfront; completed the new islands; maxed out new crafting skills; gotten to Heart of Azeroth level 58, and picked up major and minor traits along the way; and generally spent far too much time playing, like a pig in the newly-rejuvenated mud.
Overall, Rise of Azshara is just what Warcraft needed: a long-overdue shot in the arm of new and novel content. While not perfect, it presents happy players with so many options that in some cases, it feels like going from starving to becoming overstuffed with things to do.
Above: Mechagon is one of two new zones.
Image Credit: Blizzard
What you’ll like
New zones and content unfold as you go
A nice extension to World of Warcraft’s storyline leads you into two new zones: Nazjatar, the until-recently-underwater home of the evil Naga snake-people empire, and the island of Mechagon, home to mecha-gnomes and the Rustbolt Resistance. In each, the more you do, the more there is to do. Unlock reputation with the Resistance and more quests open up; loot rare items and you’ll have things you can craft and, more importantly, things you can do. In Nazjatar, you’ll build experience with your chosen bodyguard, and as you do, more quests and storyline will open to you.
Even with this careful approach, the Rise of Azshara patch has an overwhelming amount of content. This unfolding-style reveal of new things to do makes that deluge exciting and challenging, instead of overwhelming, and Blizzard’s design does it with subtlety and grace.
New group content for PvE players
The Eternal Palace raid and Operation: Mechagon megadungeon are two of the best instances Blizzard has ever created. Both do an exceptional job of making the environment part of the encounter; while there are still plenty of boss battles that (sometimes literally) trap you in a flat arena, most involve tricksy bits of technology that use your surroundings to put you in peril or just make the fights more immersive.
In Operation: Mechagon, the five-player, eight-boss megadungeon, you’ll climb through trash piles and fight battling robots in an area that includes BattleBots-style hammers and saws that come up from the floor. In the Eternal Palace raid, an underwater boss is (finally!) extraordinarily well-designed, with the Blackwater Behemoth using platforms and jetstreams and the need for breath and healing to challenge your group. Za’qul offers three “phases” existing simultaneously on a single platform, forcing players to hop from one phase to the next and back again to defeat the bad guy.
Both instances are incredibly enjoyable, and the difficulty seems well-tuned. Eternal Palace is a bit easier than Battle for Dazar’alor, at least on Normal and Heroic difficulties, but poses a good challenge for groups, particularly in Mythic. Operation: Mechagon is difficult, but not impossible, on its basic Mythic difficulty; and Hard Mode offers some terrific challenges based on your group’s ability to handle mechanics, not just the power of your gear.
Above: The new Heart of Azeroth.
Image Credit: Blizzard
The new Azerite essences system
Azerite armor disappointed players in Battle for Azeroth. It was the successor to the incredibly fun legendary weapon system in Legion, and it didn’t fulfill its promise. Instead, players had to work over and over again in new levels of gear to earn the same traits they had in the last tier.
The new system uses interchangeable “essences” on players’ Heart of Azeroth neckpieces, each with multiple ranks, and it’s been a hoot. Not only does leveling up those essences require nearly every type of gameplay, giving players a million things to do to progress, but they’re balanced well enough that they feel slightly overpowered (yay!) and offer some real options to players swapping between different types of content.
The system isn’t perfect, and new essences are hopefully coming along as we slurp up all this delicious new gameplay, but it’s a huge improvement and works smoothly.
Professions and pets and achievements and mounts
Rise of Azshara’s meat lies in how much there is to do in nearly every aspect of the game. Professions got 25 new skill levels and a pile of new recipes, earned in a wide variety of places. New pets and mounts and rare spawns and achievements and hidden tricks to obtain them are stuffed into this patch. New islands and PvP battles and even new types of daily quest mechanics added to the variety.
This content update pony performs more than just a few tricks. It gives players an overwhelming, wonderful pile of things to do. In an ideal world, this is what every patch would feel like.
What you won’t like
Welcome back, grindy content
Rather than time-gate some of this content goodness — a system that generally frustrates the most committed players — Blizzard returned to a more-grindy system this time around. While unlocking some content does require time, whether it’s to increase the experience of your bodyguards in Nazjatar or your reputation with the factions in both zones, much of it can be ground out a little at a time if you want to … which means many players did.
Surprise quests sometimes lead to missing out
Rise of Azshara doesn’t hold your hand. Breadcrumbs quests almost don’t exist, so knowing where to go and what to do can be a challenge. Some content isn’t identified anywhere, so either careful scrutiny of third-party guides or random activity, such as kill every neutral mob in a zone, turn out to be your options for finding everything. The Secret-Finding Discord has been working overtime on this patch.
Sometimes that’s really fun, and makes the zones feel more alive. Killing neutral Algon creatures gives you two mana pearls you can use to upgrade Benthic gear, and eventually spawns a rare monster? Charming a critter in the open world and dragging it to another mob can net you a pet or activate a rare? Neat!
But sometimes it results in missing out on major parts of the content. The most egregious example was Chromie’s “Alternate Timeline” in Mechagon. This fun questline sent you into an alternate future for the zone, where you did a couple of quests and got to see the island in a new light. It was a blast.
But if you didn’t read any guides and didn’t get lucky with the drop for a set of plans for an item that would let you return, you soon discovered that while other players could return to the Alternate Timeline day after day, doing additional quests that got them additional reputation, you had literally no way to return or to correct the problem until Chromie herself returned, days later.
Above: Queen Azshara.
Image Credit: Blizzard
Faction imbalance continues to get worse in PvP and PvE content
While Horde and Alliance populations are roughly equal overall in World of Warcraft, the percentage of players taking advantage of end-game content (raids, PvP battlegrounds, open world PvP content, high-end Mythic Plus dungeon runs) is overwhelmingly imbalanced. Horde outnumber Alliance on leaderboards for Mythic raids and dungeons more than 6:1, a problem that only worsens as players swap factions after having difficulty finding guilds and groups.
Rise of Azshara included some truly fun open-world PvP encounters, which form the core of new PvP currency systems. The Battle for Nazjatar was supposed to pit Alliance and Horde players against each other for control of the zone and currency rewards, for example. Instead, the imbalance was so extreme that either Horde won the battle over and over again as raids formed in zones to capture those objectives, pulling people in from multiple shards; or faced no competition at all, because there were so many of them that they ended up in shards of their own, with not a single Alliance player in sight.
Eventually, the event was changed so that it wouldn’t even spawn if the shard was imbalanced, instead presenting a much less-rewarding PvE option. The Mechagon Fight Club treasure chest was similarly removed from an achievement altogether.
Overwhelming high-end faction imbalance makes Rise of Azshara less fun for both factions in PvP, and for Alliance players who struggle to find groups in high-end PvE dungeons and raids.
Bye bye, bag space
Everything takes up bag space now. PvP currency. Things to summon other things. Things that are clearly quest items. Parts that combine into other quest items or essences. Even with a full slate of 32-slot bags, it requires daily inventory maintenance, which is not fun gameplay.
Conclusion
This is the patch that Warcraft should have received several months ago. There were signs that at least some of the content was planned to go out earlier; the in-game “new things to do” screen enticed players to join Heroic Warfronts weeks before they were actually available, for example, before it was quietly changed.
That said, Rise of Azshara and Season 3 present an amazing amount of options for current, new, and returning characters, and most of them engage you and offer some surprising fun. The grindy bits aren’t too horrible, and as you progress through the zones, you unlock additional things to do. The raid and the megadungeon are well designed, the Heroic Warfront certainly feels a ton more fun than the standard setup, and while the crafting system needs a significant balance pass, the new systems are generally fun and rewarding.
Judged on its own merits, this is one of the best patches the game has ever seen. In the overall context, however, it feels not-to-little but a-lot-too-late. Battle for Azeroth needs more love that patches like Rise of Azshara provide.
Score: 95/100
Credit: Source link
The post World of Warcraft: Rise of Azshara review — showers players with fun after a long dry spell appeared first on WeeklyReviewer.
from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.com/world-of-warcraft-rise-of-azshara-review-showers-players-with-fun-after-a-long-dry-spell/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=world-of-warcraft-rise-of-azshara-review-showers-players-with-fun-after-a-long-dry-spell from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.tumblr.com/post/186524026287
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velmaemyers88 · 6 years ago
Text
World of Warcraft: Rise of Azshara review — showers players with fun after a long dry spell
World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment’s massively multiplayer RPG, spent most of this spring in a deep content drought. Rise of Azshara, one of the most-ambitious content patches ever in the game, seeks to drown players in new content.
The patch offers two new significant zones of content with new reputations, types of encounters, islands, the reintroduction of flying, an uplift to the crafting system that includes new leveling and crafted items, and a host of other changes big and small.
Two weeks after its initial launch, on July 9, Blizzard released a new eight-boss raid dungeon, Azshara’s Eternal Palace; and an eight-boss, five-player “megadungeon,” Operation: Mechagon, something that hasn’t been seen since the days of Return to Karazhan.
Since that time I’ve reached exalted reputation with both factions and regained the ability to fly; experienced every piece of new content the zones had to offer; completed the raid dungeon on Normal and Heroic difficulty; completed the new megadungeon on normal and hard mode; done all PvP battlegrounds and open-world competition; done the new Heroic-difficulty Warfront; completed the new islands; maxed out new crafting skills; gotten to Heart of Azeroth level 58, and picked up major and minor traits along the way; and generally spent far too much time playing, like a pig in the newly-rejuvenated mud.
Overall, Rise of Azshara is just what Warcraft needed: a long-overdue shot in the arm of new and novel content. While not perfect, it presents happy players with so many options that in some cases, it feels like going from starving to becoming overstuffed with things to do.
Above: Mechagon is one of two new zones.
Image Credit: Blizzard
What you’ll like
New zones and content unfold as you go
A nice extension to World of Warcraft’s storyline leads you into two new zones: Nazjatar, the until-recently-underwater home of the evil Naga snake-people empire, and the island of Mechagon, home to mecha-gnomes and the Rustbolt Resistance. In each, the more you do, the more there is to do. Unlock reputation with the Resistance and more quests open up; loot rare items and you’ll have things you can craft and, more importantly, things you can do. In Nazjatar, you’ll build experience with your chosen bodyguard, and as you do, more quests and storyline will open to you.
Even with this careful approach, the Rise of Azshara patch has an overwhelming amount of content. This unfolding-style reveal of new things to do makes that deluge exciting and challenging, instead of overwhelming, and Blizzard’s design does it with subtlety and grace.
New group content for PvE players
The Eternal Palace raid and Operation: Mechagon megadungeon are two of the best instances Blizzard has ever created. Both do an exceptional job of making the environment part of the encounter; while there are still plenty of boss battles that (sometimes literally) trap you in a flat arena, most involve tricksy bits of technology that use your surroundings to put you in peril or just make the fights more immersive.
In Operation: Mechagon, the five-player, eight-boss megadungeon, you’ll climb through trash piles and fight battling robots in an area that includes BattleBots-style hammers and saws that come up from the floor. In the Eternal Palace raid, an underwater boss is (finally!) extraordinarily well-designed, with the Blackwater Behemoth using platforms and jetstreams and the need for breath and healing to challenge your group. Za’qul offers three “phases” existing simultaneously on a single platform, forcing players to hop from one phase to the next and back again to defeat the bad guy.
Both instances are incredibly enjoyable, and the difficulty seems well-tuned. Eternal Palace is a bit easier than Battle for Dazar’alor, at least on Normal and Heroic difficulties, but poses a good challenge for groups, particularly in Mythic. Operation: Mechagon is difficult, but not impossible, on its basic Mythic difficulty; and Hard Mode offers some terrific challenges based on your group’s ability to handle mechanics, not just the power of your gear.
Above: The new Heart of Azeroth.
Image Credit: Blizzard
The new Azerite essences system
Azerite armor disappointed players in Battle for Azeroth. It was the successor to the incredibly fun legendary weapon system in Legion, and it didn’t fulfill its promise. Instead, players had to work over and over again in new levels of gear to earn the same traits they had in the last tier.
The new system uses interchangeable “essences” on players’ Heart of Azeroth neckpieces, each with multiple ranks, and it’s been a hoot. Not only does leveling up those essences require nearly every type of gameplay, giving players a million things to do to progress, but they’re balanced well enough that they feel slightly overpowered (yay!) and offer some real options to players swapping between different types of content.
The system isn’t perfect, and new essences are hopefully coming along as we slurp up all this delicious new gameplay, but it’s a huge improvement and works smoothly.
Professions and pets and achievements and mounts
Rise of Azshara’s meat lies in how much there is to do in nearly every aspect of the game. Professions got 25 new skill levels and a pile of new recipes, earned in a wide variety of places. New pets and mounts and rare spawns and achievements and hidden tricks to obtain them are stuffed into this patch. New islands and PvP battles and even new types of daily quest mechanics added to the variety.
This content update pony performs more than just a few tricks. It gives players an overwhelming, wonderful pile of things to do. In an ideal world, this is what every patch would feel like.
What you won’t like
Welcome back, grindy content
Rather than time-gate some of this content goodness — a system that generally frustrates the most committed players — Blizzard returned to a more-grindy system this time around. While unlocking some content does require time, whether it’s to increase the experience of your bodyguards in Nazjatar or your reputation with the factions in both zones, much of it can be ground out a little at a time if you want to … which means many players did.
Surprise quests sometimes lead to missing out
Rise of Azshara doesn’t hold your hand. Breadcrumbs quests almost don’t exist, so knowing where to go and what to do can be a challenge. Some content isn’t identified anywhere, so either careful scrutiny of third-party guides or random activity, such as kill every neutral mob in a zone, turn out to be your options for finding everything. The Secret-Finding Discord has been working overtime on this patch.
Sometimes that’s really fun, and makes the zones feel more alive. Killing neutral Algon creatures gives you two mana pearls you can use to upgrade Benthic gear, and eventually spawns a rare monster? Charming a critter in the open world and dragging it to another mob can net you a pet or activate a rare? Neat!
But sometimes it results in missing out on major parts of the content. The most egregious example was Chromie’s “Alternate Timeline” in Mechagon. This fun questline sent you into an alternate future for the zone, where you did a couple of quests and got to see the island in a new light. It was a blast.
But if you didn’t read any guides and didn’t get lucky with the drop for a set of plans for an item that would let you return, you soon discovered that while other players could return to the Alternate Timeline day after day, doing additional quests that got them additional reputation, you had literally no way to return or to correct the problem until Chromie herself returned, days later.
Above: Queen Azshara.
Image Credit: Blizzard
Faction imbalance continues to get worse in PvP and PvE content
While Horde and Alliance populations are roughly equal overall in World of Warcraft, the percentage of players taking advantage of end-game content (raids, PvP battlegrounds, open world PvP content, high-end Mythic Plus dungeon runs) is overwhelmingly imbalanced. Horde outnumber Alliance on leaderboards for Mythic raids and dungeons more than 6:1, a problem that only worsens as players swap factions after having difficulty finding guilds and groups.
Rise of Azshara included some truly fun open-world PvP encounters, which form the core of new PvP currency systems. The Battle for Nazjatar was supposed to pit Alliance and Horde players against each other for control of the zone and currency rewards, for example. Instead, the imbalance was so extreme that either Horde won the battle over and over again as raids formed in zones to capture those objectives, pulling people in from multiple shards; or faced no competition at all, because there were so many of them that they ended up in shards of their own, with not a single Alliance player in sight.
Eventually, the event was changed so that it wouldn’t even spawn if the shard was imbalanced, instead presenting a much less-rewarding PvE option. The Mechagon Fight Club treasure chest was similarly removed from an achievement altogether.
Overwhelming high-end faction imbalance makes Rise of Azshara less fun for both factions in PvP, and for Alliance players who struggle to find groups in high-end PvE dungeons and raids.
Bye bye, bag space
Everything takes up bag space now. PvP currency. Things to summon other things. Things that are clearly quest items. Parts that combine into other quest items or essences. Even with a full slate of 32-slot bags, it requires daily inventory maintenance, which is not fun gameplay.
Conclusion
This is the patch that Warcraft should have received several months ago. There were signs that at least some of the content was planned to go out earlier; the in-game “new things to do” screen enticed players to join Heroic Warfronts weeks before they were actually available, for example, before it was quietly changed.
That said, Rise of Azshara and Season 3 present an amazing amount of options for current, new, and returning characters, and most of them engage you and offer some surprising fun. The grindy bits aren’t too horrible, and as you progress through the zones, you unlock additional things to do. The raid and the megadungeon are well designed, the Heroic Warfront certainly feels a ton more fun than the standard setup, and while the crafting system needs a significant balance pass, the new systems are generally fun and rewarding.
Judged on its own merits, this is one of the best patches the game has ever seen. In the overall context, however, it feels not-to-little but a-lot-too-late. Battle for Azeroth needs more love that patches like Rise of Azshara provide.
Score: 95/100
Credit: Source link
The post World of Warcraft: Rise of Azshara review — showers players with fun after a long dry spell appeared first on WeeklyReviewer.
from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.com/world-of-warcraft-rise-of-azshara-review-showers-players-with-fun-after-a-long-dry-spell/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=world-of-warcraft-rise-of-azshara-review-showers-players-with-fun-after-a-long-dry-spell from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.tumblr.com/post/186524026287
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weeklyreviewer · 6 years ago
Text
World of Warcraft: Rise of Azshara review — showers players with fun after a long dry spell
World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment’s massively multiplayer RPG, spent most of this spring in a deep content drought. Rise of Azshara, one of the most-ambitious content patches ever in the game, seeks to drown players in new content.
The patch offers two new significant zones of content with new reputations, types of encounters, islands, the reintroduction of flying, an uplift to the crafting system that includes new leveling and crafted items, and a host of other changes big and small.
Two weeks after its initial launch, on July 9, Blizzard released a new eight-boss raid dungeon, Azshara’s Eternal Palace; and an eight-boss, five-player “megadungeon,” Operation: Mechagon, something that hasn’t been seen since the days of Return to Karazhan.
Since that time I’ve reached exalted reputation with both factions and regained the ability to fly; experienced every piece of new content the zones had to offer; completed the raid dungeon on Normal and Heroic difficulty; completed the new megadungeon on normal and hard mode; done all PvP battlegrounds and open-world competition; done the new Heroic-difficulty Warfront; completed the new islands; maxed out new crafting skills; gotten to Heart of Azeroth level 58, and picked up major and minor traits along the way; and generally spent far too much time playing, like a pig in the newly-rejuvenated mud.
Overall, Rise of Azshara is just what Warcraft needed: a long-overdue shot in the arm of new and novel content. While not perfect, it presents happy players with so many options that in some cases, it feels like going from starving to becoming overstuffed with things to do.
Above: Mechagon is one of two new zones.
Image Credit: Blizzard
What you’ll like
New zones and content unfold as you go
A nice extension to World of Warcraft’s storyline leads you into two new zones: Nazjatar, the until-recently-underwater home of the evil Naga snake-people empire, and the island of Mechagon, home to mecha-gnomes and the Rustbolt Resistance. In each, the more you do, the more there is to do. Unlock reputation with the Resistance and more quests open up; loot rare items and you’ll have things you can craft and, more importantly, things you can do. In Nazjatar, you’ll build experience with your chosen bodyguard, and as you do, more quests and storyline will open to you.
Even with this careful approach, the Rise of Azshara patch has an overwhelming amount of content. This unfolding-style reveal of new things to do makes that deluge exciting and challenging, instead of overwhelming, and Blizzard’s design does it with subtlety and grace.
New group content for PvE players
The Eternal Palace raid and Operation: Mechagon megadungeon are two of the best instances Blizzard has ever created. Both do an exceptional job of making the environment part of the encounter; while there are still plenty of boss battles that (sometimes literally) trap you in a flat arena, most involve tricksy bits of technology that use your surroundings to put you in peril or just make the fights more immersive.
In Operation: Mechagon, the five-player, eight-boss megadungeon, you’ll climb through trash piles and fight battling robots in an area that includes BattleBots-style hammers and saws that come up from the floor. In the Eternal Palace raid, an underwater boss is (finally!) extraordinarily well-designed, with the Blackwater Behemoth using platforms and jetstreams and the need for breath and healing to challenge your group. Za’qul offers three “phases” existing simultaneously on a single platform, forcing players to hop from one phase to the next and back again to defeat the bad guy.
Both instances are incredibly enjoyable, and the difficulty seems well-tuned. Eternal Palace is a bit easier than Battle for Dazar’alor, at least on Normal and Heroic difficulties, but poses a good challenge for groups, particularly in Mythic. Operation: Mechagon is difficult, but not impossible, on its basic Mythic difficulty; and Hard Mode offers some terrific challenges based on your group’s ability to handle mechanics, not just the power of your gear.
Above: The new Heart of Azeroth.
Image Credit: Blizzard
The new Azerite essences system
Azerite armor disappointed players in Battle for Azeroth. It was the successor to the incredibly fun legendary weapon system in Legion, and it didn’t fulfill its promise. Instead, players had to work over and over again in new levels of gear to earn the same traits they had in the last tier.
The new system uses interchangeable “essences” on players’ Heart of Azeroth neckpieces, each with multiple ranks, and it’s been a hoot. Not only does leveling up those essences require nearly every type of gameplay, giving players a million things to do to progress, but they’re balanced well enough that they feel slightly overpowered (yay!) and offer some real options to players swapping between different types of content.
The system isn’t perfect, and new essences are hopefully coming along as we slurp up all this delicious new gameplay, but it’s a huge improvement and works smoothly.
Professions and pets and achievements and mounts
Rise of Azshara’s meat lies in how much there is to do in nearly every aspect of the game. Professions got 25 new skill levels and a pile of new recipes, earned in a wide variety of places. New pets and mounts and rare spawns and achievements and hidden tricks to obtain them are stuffed into this patch. New islands and PvP battles and even new types of daily quest mechanics added to the variety.
This content update pony performs more than just a few tricks. It gives players an overwhelming, wonderful pile of things to do. In an ideal world, this is what every patch would feel like.
What you won’t like
Welcome back, grindy content
Rather than time-gate some of this content goodness — a system that generally frustrates the most committed players — Blizzard returned to a more-grindy system this time around. While unlocking some content does require time, whether it’s to increase the experience of your bodyguards in Nazjatar or your reputation with the factions in both zones, much of it can be ground out a little at a time if you want to … which means many players did.
Surprise quests sometimes lead to missing out
Rise of Azshara doesn’t hold your hand. Breadcrumbs quests almost don’t exist, so knowing where to go and what to do can be a challenge. Some content isn’t identified anywhere, so either careful scrutiny of third-party guides or random activity, such as kill every neutral mob in a zone, turn out to be your options for finding everything. The Secret-Finding Discord has been working overtime on this patch.
Sometimes that’s really fun, and makes the zones feel more alive. Killing neutral Algon creatures gives you two mana pearls you can use to upgrade Benthic gear, and eventually spawns a rare monster? Charming a critter in the open world and dragging it to another mob can net you a pet or activate a rare? Neat!
But sometimes it results in missing out on major parts of the content. The most egregious example was Chromie’s “Alternate Timeline” in Mechagon. This fun questline sent you into an alternate future for the zone, where you did a couple of quests and got to see the island in a new light. It was a blast.
But if you didn’t read any guides and didn’t get lucky with the drop for a set of plans for an item that would let you return, you soon discovered that while other players could return to the Alternate Timeline day after day, doing additional quests that got them additional reputation, you had literally no way to return or to correct the problem until Chromie herself returned, days later.
Above: Queen Azshara.
Image Credit: Blizzard
Faction imbalance continues to get worse in PvP and PvE content
While Horde and Alliance populations are roughly equal overall in World of Warcraft, the percentage of players taking advantage of end-game content (raids, PvP battlegrounds, open world PvP content, high-end Mythic Plus dungeon runs) is overwhelmingly imbalanced. Horde outnumber Alliance on leaderboards for Mythic raids and dungeons more than 6:1, a problem that only worsens as players swap factions after having difficulty finding guilds and groups.
Rise of Azshara included some truly fun open-world PvP encounters, which form the core of new PvP currency systems. The Battle for Nazjatar was supposed to pit Alliance and Horde players against each other for control of the zone and currency rewards, for example. Instead, the imbalance was so extreme that either Horde won the battle over and over again as raids formed in zones to capture those objectives, pulling people in from multiple shards; or faced no competition at all, because there were so many of them that they ended up in shards of their own, with not a single Alliance player in sight.
Eventually, the event was changed so that it wouldn’t even spawn if the shard was imbalanced, instead presenting a much less-rewarding PvE option. The Mechagon Fight Club treasure chest was similarly removed from an achievement altogether.
Overwhelming high-end faction imbalance makes Rise of Azshara less fun for both factions in PvP, and for Alliance players who struggle to find groups in high-end PvE dungeons and raids.
Bye bye, bag space
Everything takes up bag space now. PvP currency. Things to summon other things. Things that are clearly quest items. Parts that combine into other quest items or essences. Even with a full slate of 32-slot bags, it requires daily inventory maintenance, which is not fun gameplay.
Conclusion
This is the patch that Warcraft should have received several months ago. There were signs that at least some of the content was planned to go out earlier; the in-game “new things to do” screen enticed players to join Heroic Warfronts weeks before they were actually available, for example, before it was quietly changed.
That said, Rise of Azshara and Season 3 present an amazing amount of options for current, new, and returning characters, and most of them engage you and offer some surprising fun. The grindy bits aren’t too horrible, and as you progress through the zones, you unlock additional things to do. The raid and the megadungeon are well designed, the Heroic Warfront certainly feels a ton more fun than the standard setup, and while the crafting system needs a significant balance pass, the new systems are generally fun and rewarding.
Judged on its own merits, this is one of the best patches the game has ever seen. In the overall context, however, it feels not-to-little but a-lot-too-late. Battle for Azeroth needs more love that patches like Rise of Azshara provide.
Score: 95/100
Credit: Source link
The post World of Warcraft: Rise of Azshara review — showers players with fun after a long dry spell appeared first on WeeklyReviewer.
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talldarknsexy · 6 years ago
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Sudan: Cycling the Sahara
Crossing the border to Sudan was a huge relief. Everything was even less developed. And I waited in the immigration building with the one other tourist and the squeaking fan rotating slowly overhead. Susan's ATMs do not connect with the outside world and so, the only option is to bring hard currency in US dollars. Not having Sudanese pounds yet, and having to pay a registration fee, the government official had his friend lead me to the black market money changer in order to get 50:1 as opposed to the 25:1 that the banks offer as it is an artificially controlled currency. I rode into Sudan and was able to breathe so much easier. Ethiopia has about 100 million people as opposed to Sudan's 13 million (in a larger land mass.) At the first roadside opportunity, I pulled over and had some goat meat at a local restaurant. After about 20 minutes, I'd realized that there was no crowd around me, no beggars, and no children staring at me. It was serene. For about 2 hours I laid there on one of their benches. I was listening to a podcast on my phone pressed against my ear when I noticed people started to take notice and act unusual. Eventually, an English speaker, probably police came up and asked me "Camera?!" It took me a minute to understand what he was asking and convinced him no, I wasn't filming, just listening to audio and he was appeased. But nonetheless, I realized there was an oppressive backwards reason why I felt so free here. Anyways, I set off and getting into sunset was eagerly looking for a place to camp. In the distance I spotted something unusual. I couldn't tell if it was a cycletourist, two motorcycles, or a fucking donkey and a wheelbarrow. Anyways, it turned out to be Alex and Merlin, two British lads on a tandem whom I'd been following on their journey, training local medical workers on optical medical devices. This was their first long bike trip. They flagged down a truck for water and we camped in the bush off the road. I had a few days riding to the capital of Khartoum. Lots of desert, but in the south there's plenty more agriculture. The Sudanese are incredible friendly and helpful. They'll invite you for tea and meals and won't let you pay. And if here, unlike much of Africa, you're in need of something like directions or advice, they'll actually help you without looking for something in return. Because of a collapsing currency, everything was also incredibly cheap. Meals were usually 50-60c though we're typically just bean paste and flatbread. Petrol is cheaper than bottled water and costs something like 50c/gallon (12c/L) And a hotel could be something like $3-$5. In Wad Madani I paid $6 and had a suite with king sized bed, air con, refrigerator, and kitchen. In Khartoum, I reached the youth hostel and to camp there was $1. I Had a few days to kill and so went to the pool, changed more dollars, and visited Ahmed, a Syrian guy I'd met a few days prior. I got a taxi to his town and met up with his friends. Some were Sudanese, but most were Syrian or Yemenite. Sudan has since welcomed refugees from various crises. We had dinner, went to a shisha bar, and chatted, largely through google translate voice. They were good fun and very generous hosts. It got late though and they wouldn't let me take a taxi back so I crashed at their place. It was fairly basic and I'm used to that, but on my own terms and with a mosquito net or tent, neither of which I had. They'd all gotten malaria at least once, so I didn't get much sleep. Up all night in a room with 5 other guys, I realized I was having a sober sleepover with 5 ~25 yr old (presumable) virgins. Something I hadn't experienced in probably 15 years. Gracious for their generosity and friendship, but realizing maybe it was time to start thinking past Sudan. Indeed, even bringing up the idea of girls or women to guys here sent them into giggles. But the more mature ones like to ask you if you fancy Sudanese woman. I have no fucking idea I tell them... I've never seen more than their eyes, let alone talked to one! On Friday in Kharthoum I went to see the Sufi dancers. It's a tradition that has been going on for centuries influenced by the Ottoman Empire, but with its own distinct Sudanese practices. The Sufis burn frankincense, sing, chant, dance, and some will spin on axis until they fall down in order to achieve a vertigo of feeling closer to God. As this is a popular tourist attraction, it attracted all the tourists in Khartoum. About 15 to be exact... It was high season after all. Some I'd met there lived there for work though, and to get back to the city I shared a taxi with 3 Scandinavian embassy workers. It was interesting to hear some very informed intelligent outside, but inside perspectives on the Sudanese Government as well as those of surrounding countries. Also, them being embassy employees, had a stash of contraband alcohol. We brought some pizza up to their rooftop and I ate and sipped champagne with tall, attractive, whiter-than-white, Scandinavian folks. A bizarre, albeit enjoyable experience that was highly unexpected. On the walk back I met three American cyclists just on the street. It was probably 10pm, but they were headed to camp at the same hostel. They'd gotten Sudanese visas at home and it had cost them almost $250 as opposed to the $70 I'd paid. The next day I set off as I was looking to meet up with Will and Wendy, an older cyclist couple of rode with briefly in East Africa. I was now entering the Bayuda desert. A very desolate section of the Sahara that strays from the Nile. Here things were a bit more remote and I carried quite a bit more water and food. Some stretches were flat, hot, and unstimulating. Others passed through varied terrain with desert scrub or picturesque dunes. I'd listen to music or podcasts, but frankly after a few days, the Bayuda was quite mind numbing. I ended the third day riding into the sunset with Pink Floyd's Time playing as I watched the road continuously slip below the shimmering horizon. I felt like time indeed was standing still, and with the visual in front of me, could easily understand how people saw mirages. Only for me, my hallucinations were of eating Chipotle. Specifically a double wrapped chicken burrito: spanish rice, pinto, fried veggies, lettuce, salsa, corn, cheese, and sour cream. I spent days riding 10km/hr into the wind with occasional stops for water or fowl, a bean paste served with flatbread. In fact, this was about the only food I ever encountered on the road. And getting diarrhea one stretch, with only fowl as sustenance was like pouring gasoline on the fire. Somebody's idea of a cruel fucking joke. I had a solid day playing carnival games with a squat toilet and fertilizing patches of the desert, but soon enough I was fine. People in Sudan are incredibly welcoming. There's endless offers for chai, conversation, and selfies. And one day I was invited over by two Bedouin goat herders who were cooking lunch not too far from the road. It was an interesting exchange as they were both about my age, but didn't know a word of english. We cooked and ate and laughed at whatever and the younger one crashed trying to ride my bicycle. After a few days, I crossed back onto the main highway where there were more villages as it was on the Nile. There was one in particular that stuck out. On the side of the road, there were three kids and one launched a rock past me. This was rather unexpected and annoying so I stopped and hurled one back. Just in this one village, this reoccurred five times. The PTSD from Ethiopia finally kicked in on the last and I exploded, sprinting after a series of kids and sending rocks flying. These were isolated to just this one area, but for a few days still served to shatter the comfort and trust I'd had. This was usual for Ethiopia but very bizarre for Sudan given the authoritarian government/police/education. I was told later that a child's punishment for such activity was 20 lashings by camel hide. I did finally catch up with Will and Wendy in the town of Dongola. Maps.me brought me to their hotel or so I thought. It was a very nice building, but with no sign. I asked a teenager standing "Lord Hotel?" He gave me one of those Indian headbob answers and followed me over to help me get my bike through the gate. Upon rounding a corner, the un-burka'd woman's look on her shocked face was enough to assure me was in the wrongg place. Someone pointed me around the corner to a very obviously signed guesthouse. I spent a day off the bike with Wendy, Will, and Tomás, a cyclist headed south. I had tea, falafel, and chicken with them and spent a good time finishing the book Quondam that Alex and Merlin had given me. It was about an Irish guy who rode down Africa in 1980. It was an incredible journey and had been fascinating to travel through the same places in a now much different world, and on paved roads. I then passed the book on to Tomás as he was also Irish, the same age, traveling the same course, and meeting his girlfriend in the same place. It was another two days riding before I caught up with Will and Wendy again and we both stayed at a nice guesthouse along the Nile. The owner came by and offered me to join him and some workers for food. "Eat much" he insisted, "the night is now longer than day." The north was filled with interesting desert terrain. You could camp almost anywhere and it was mind boggling to stare out in one direction and know that there was absolutely no humanity for hundreds of miles. After another two days of this I reached the town of Wadi Halfa where Wendy and Will had arrived. I had a change of heart though and decided to take a longer ferry than they were planning. I was kinda burnt out and it went across lake Nasser to Egypt and cut out 3 days of windy desert riding with only one shop. Again, I wasn't originally planning on it, but I happened to arrive to the port just an hour before the ferry set off for the week. There was plenty of hoops to jump through. I bought the ticket from one line, luggage with another, another line for a form, another for customs, immigration, security, etc. This isn't too different from any other port of entry or airport, but in Sudan it's complicated by a foreign passport which almost everyone blankly stares at upside down. They'll invariably ask me my name, nationality, and details anyways, which will be transcribed to Arabic script. We took off as the sun set. The ferry was packed with some 200 Sudanese guys all headed to Egypt for work or trade. The young ones were eager to chat and I was invited down below for dinner as well We chatted, the older men prayed, and the janitor heaved out the buckets of trash off the stern. The good-intentioned holy man approached me later and introduced me to the way of Islam. I had a few questions on fate, marriage, and theology. But he was more interested in giving me examples on hand washing and how God determines on decision day whether you live or die- this I assured him was also represented in Judeo-Christian practices. And when I respectfully told him that I was in no way planning on converting to Islam, but wanted to know what takeaway was most important to be a better person... He told me to be Muslim. It was an interesting atmosphere- mostly all young men looking for better prospects in a different land. I had enjoyed my time in Sudan, the desert was pristine, the people unbelievably friendly, and the bean fowl was plentiful. But after 3 weeks, and less than $2 worth of hard currency left, I too was ready for a change and looking for new prospects as we made port the next day in Aswan.
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jaycast · 7 years ago
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Rather than doing the ordinary, I’d like to give some status updates as a focus for this week!
SOME STATUS UPDATES
I haven’t really done much over the past week for Jay-Cast. I planned to finish Super Mario Odyssey and have my posts release on time this week, but alas… that didn’t happen. What ended up happening early in the week was a devastating event that ended up emotionally hurting me and my family. I’d rather not talk about what happened but I knew that it would have affected what I would have said if I worked on Jay-Cast stuff while I was trying to recover from what happened. I hope you guys understand, but I’m feeling more optimistic about the holidays quickly approaching!
It doesn’t explain what happened last week, as I honestly don’t know why I didn’t post anything last week. I was just too busy with life, I guess.
Now, for a true status update actually related to Jay-Cast and my content! My official backlog of recording videos and live-streaming is starting to build up, and I may have been a little confusing on where I’m heading with the videos I’ve released recently, but here’s a list of games I plan to finish (in order) and by the end of this month:
Super Mario Odyssey
Cuphead
Not many games, but I’m making an official promise now that they’ll be finished this month. Here are some games I plan to also check out and return to this month and beyond:
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove
de Blob
Slime-san
Just Cause 2: Multiplayer Mod
BIT.TRIP RUNNER 2
Garry’s Mod
Rogue Legacy
If you guys are interested in any other game that I can check out that I already own, head over to my Games section on my Steam Profile! I’m always interested in your opinion and your suggestions, so please don’t hesitate about stuff like this!
NEW VIDEOS
I’m getting very close to finishing this masterpiece of a game! Super Mario Odyssey is such a great game that I knew from Day 1 that I’d put all of my effort towards making this one of my best walk-throughs, with 60 FPS gameplay and 100% commentary to boot. With this almost done, it’ll be one of my highlight play-throughs for people to check out on Jay-Cast, and I’ll also probably love the post-game content found beyond the supposed final kingdom. I won’t spoil anything here, but expect that final video very soon!
THIS WEEK IN GAMING
While I previously stated PUBG would run at higher FPS at XGP launch on 12/12, I want to clarify that PUBG will run at 30 FPS across all @Xbox One devices. We’re constantly refining the game & exploring options to increase FPS, but this early in dev, we’re unable to confirm more.
— PLAYERUNKNOWN (@PLAYERUNKNOWN) December 1, 2017
EA Completes Acquisition of Respawn
Jak and Daxter PS2 Classics Available for Download on PS4 December 6
Persona 5 worldwide shipments top two million
“We have to remember it’s a game”: Mixing anti-cultism and action in Far Cry 5
Yogscast Jingle Jam 2017 – Humble Bundle
Cupdate – Patch Notes v1.1.3
Thanks for reading this (shorter than usual) issue of Jstar’s Chronicles! I understand I didn’t have as much effort as usual, but I’ll definitely put a goal of over 1,000 words in next week’s issue. I’ll try to get back into the rhythm for next week’s Chronicles, but until then, thanks for reading!
The post Jstar’s Chronicles #46 – Some Status Updates appeared first on JAY-CAST.
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rickhorrow · 8 years ago
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15 to watch 52217
Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, and crossover sponsors are revving their engines in Indianapolis. According to the Indianapolis Star, Pacers guard Jeff Teague is sponsoring driver Buddy Lazier's entry in the 101st Indianapolis 500, which will see Lazier's Chevrolet "sport number 44, a Team Teague sticker and the Factory at D1 Sports decal." D1 is the name of the 33,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art gym Teague is "opening in Indianapolis." Teague's business manager, Jamel Barnes, said "Not many athletes, let alone a hometown kid playing for the hometown team have their own logos and decals on an Indy 500 car." But Teague isn’t the only crossover athlete fronting an IndyCar decal this weekend – Zach Veach will drive the No. 40 Chevrolet IndyCar for AJ Foyt Racing, representing the inaugural LPGA Indy Women in Tech Presented by Guggenheim tournament taking place at the Brickyard Crossing course in September. While estimates vary wildly for what it costs to sponsor a car at the Indianapolis 500, the last study commissioned by Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2000 pegged the Indy 500 economic impact at $336 million. Just call it Motorsports Econ 101 at 230 mph.
As the French Open begins play at Paris’ Roland Garros this week, two things have dropped significantly since 2016: the number of household name players contending on the red clay, and the euro-dollar exchange rate. The currency drop left the French trailing other grand slams by a wide margin in terms of prize money, so French Open authorities announced another 14% hike in the total prize money pool to remain on par with the other grand slams. This year’s 14% increase sees the French right up there with Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, offering a total prize pool of $39.2 million, $2.29 million apiece to the respective men’s and women’s singles champion, and a respectable $39,145 to first round losers. The tournament, however, will be without marquee players Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, and Serena Williams, meaning American ratings will likely decline as well. Grand Slam tennis is big business on both sides of the pond, and while the French is the smallest of the bigs, its impact, rich tradition, and place on the annual tennis calendar remains significant, regardless of on-court star power or exchange rate.
Head racquets owner and CEO Johan Eliasch believes that the French Tennis Federation "made the right call" not to hand Maria Sharapova a French Open wild card spot after she finished her doping-related suspension. But Eliasch, according to the London Times, "laid the blame for one of his most prominent clients missing the second grand-slam event of the year at the door" of WADA. Eliasch said, "This issue with Maria and the French Open, that is a consequence of Wada breaching their own rules for a delinquent way of operating." A WADA spokesperson said that the organization had "followed all the required procedures" before including meldonium -- which Sharapova tested positive for -- on their "list of banned substances." WTA CEO Steve Simon told the New York Times he "did not plan on pushing for re-examination of the wild-card rule, but would be open to it." Simon "maintains that the federation went too far." While WADA has no financial stake in a Sharapova-less French Open, the WTA certainly does – especially in a year when fan favorite Serena Williams is on maternity leave. No surprise that Simon is questioning the “letter of the law.”
  Kids, apparently, still like the long ball. According to a just-released Sports & Fitness Industry Association report, baseball and softball "combined to rank as the most participated team sport" in 2016. The report said that casual participation showed an average annual growth of 6.5% over five years, 10.7% over three years, and 18.1% from 2015 to 2016. SFIA President & CEO Tom Cove said that the sport "showed growth in both casual and core participation over one-, three- and five-year periods at a time when the trends in other team sports are less encouraging." MLB Senior VP/Youth Programs Tony Reagins said, "To see the numbers where they are, it’s really exciting…We’re going to keep pushing and try to get more kids playing." The participation increase, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, "almost certainly stems from MLB’s 'Play Ball' initiative," which launched in June, 2015 in conjunction with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, USA Baseball, and USA Softball. From finding funding to build fields to helping grow sports participation, the U.S. Conference of Mayors actively partners with communities nationwide to ensure our kids are healthy and engaged. I am proud to work with the Mayors Professional Sports Alliance to help see these important goals come to fruition.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Goodyear have announced a jersey patch partnership beginning next season. The agreement, according to SportsBusiness Journal, will also involve Turner Sports, which the Cavs hired to help “amplify the deal nationally.” Turner’s in-house agency Ignite Sports will create custom Goodyear-branded content to appear on TNT NBA coverage and provide media services for the Cavs. It is the first such deal for Ignite, which is angling to align itself with other NBA jersey patch deals. Sources have noted that the deal makes good sense because Goodyear is headquartered in nearby Akron, hometown of regional favorite son LeBron James. The deal is reportedly worth upwards of $10 million a year, making it the most lucrative of the six jersey patch deals signed to date. Goodyear’s other sports sponsorships include Ohio’s Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, and the College Football Playoff. While the Goodyear deal is reportedly eight figures, none of the jersey patch deals would have been made without the foresight of the 76ers and jersey patch partner StubHub, who pioneered the innovative revenue opportunity for the NBA.
    Maryland Governor Larry Hogan claims he "wants to keep the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore and is willing to talk about investing state money to do so." According to the Baltimore Sun, the governor's office issued a statement after Stronach Group, the owner of Pimlico Race Course, said that the 147-year-old track likely "would have to be rebuilt" at a cost of $300-$500 million to "keep the race there” rather than move it to newer Laurel Park. State House Speaker Michael Busch also "signaled he's open to a state role." Regardless of the top leaders' "willingness to consider a state investment, lawmakers warned that it would be difficult to win General Assembly approval of a sizable investment in a track that survives on the strength of one big day each year." State Senator Edward Kasemeyer "isn't ruling out what he calls a 'three-way partnership' of the state, the city and the company to rebuild Pimlico." Few sports are as tradition-steeped as horse racing, so expect Maryland lawmakers to pull out all the stops to keep the race at Pimlico – especially when this year’s Preakness drew record attendance and race card handle for the third straight year.
The race between Los Angeles and Paris is heating up as both cities are vying to “wow” IOC members before a final decision is made. According to Reuters, LA 2024 “threw down the gauntlet” to its rival Paris with IOC members visiting planned venues and sites. IOC Evaluation Commission Chair Patrick Baumann said that the bid has “no major risks and venues that he described as 'mind-blowing.'" The plan is for sustainability and cost-consciousness to be a center point of the bid, using existing facilities across L.A. and building as few permanent structures as possible. While most cities “shunned the Olympics as too expensive,” L.A. jumped at the opportunity to host the Games again, especially after experiencing a positive economic upswing these past few years. As it wrapped up the Los Angeles tour, the USOC revealed a $78.5 million surplus on $336 million in revenue during the 2016 Rio Games year, including $173 million in broadcast rights fees, benefitting from Games-time boosts in TV and sponsorship revenue, according to its annual IRS filing. The site visits are over, and now Los Angeles and Paris must wait out the IOC’s ultimate decision on who gets the 2024 Games, and likely, who gets the 2028 event. My thinking: look for Paris to prevail in 2024, and L.A. to renegotiate for 2028.
  Disney CEO Bob Iger has been rumored to potentially run for office sometime in the near future, leaving uncertainty how much longer he will “keep his grip on the company.” According to the Wall Street Journal, the 66-year-old Iger “simply doesn’t want to retire yet, despite stating repeatedly that he intents to.” Iger has lead Disney for the past 12 years with "such hands-on attention that he and Disney now seem inseparable to many employees and outside partners." Iger's "ever-extending leadership might be just what Disney needs to keep thriving where it is strong and solve problems looming on the horizon, such as declines in viewership at ESPN and the company’s other television networks." Iger has discussed the possibility of serving in a Democratic presidential administration somewhere down the line or even potentially spending time off on his sailboat. Don’t expect Iger to sail away into the sunset until ESPN’s decline is checked – whether that means installing new top management, an Iger-adjusted business model, or both.
  The fate of two potential future MLS teams will not be decided until December. According to the Sacramento Business Journal, an announcement of two expansion teams was expected by midyear, but MLS officials “indicated an announcement of which cities are chosen” will not come until the end of the year. The Sac Soccer group in Sacramento is confident it will be one of the two cities selected in seven months, especially after purchasing Sacramento Republic FC, “making the USL club part of a bid for inclusion in MLS.” On paper, Sacramento has "checked all three boxes" with an "ownership team, established soccer market and a build-ready stadium plan." The ownership group behind the bid for Northern California is strong, with San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York and HP Enterprise President & CEO Meg Whitman part of the core. Meanwhile, the David Beckham-Oak View Group- led Miami Beckham United franchise continues to search for a stadium site in Miami, a task that’s proved more difficult than originally anticipated. With a slew of boldface names backing each MLS franchise, it’s only a matter of time before we’ll see MLS matches played in shiny new stadiums in both Sacramento and Miami. Star power usually gets things done.
Vodafone has pulled out of a naming rights deal that would have put its name on London Stadium for the next six years. According to the London Times, the deal was set to be worth $26 million over six years. Sources close to the company note that Vodafone pulled out after reporting an annual loss of $6.7 billion worldwide, “with profits down 31% in the United Kingdom, a downturn blamed largely on the weakness of sterling” amidst Brexit. EPL club West Ham United just finished out its first season at the former Olympic stadium, which was downsized after the 2012 Games. The club is desperate to land a naming rights deal for its home stadium to help cover the costs of annual rent totaling $3.2 million per year. Vodafone has been "noticeably absent" from sports marketing after it ended its seven-year title sponsorship of McLaren’s Formula 1 team in 2013. Even with a solid transition plan, the long term fate of Olympic facilities is never 100% certain because most cities fail to properly estimate ongoing maintenance and other costs. Look for the IOC to reference London Stadium as it chooses between Los Angeles and Paris.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are waiting to receive official confirmation that they will host the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. According to Yahoo Sports, if the game is awarded to Tampa Bay, it would mark the first time it would be hosted by the Lightning since 1999. Owner Jeff Vinik has invested heavily in renovating Amalie Arena instead of building a new facility. Downtown Tampa Bay has also grown considerably, making it a more attractive destination for a mega event. There has been "speculation that the lack of an NHL All-Star Game host announcement meant the NHL was hedging on its vow not to send players" to the 2018 PyeongChang Games. However, holding the All-Star Game was "always part of the contingency plan in case a deal with the IOC couldn’t be struck." As determined as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the league’s owners have been to keep their players away from the Olympics, a winter’s trip to Tampa Bay is looking all the more likely.
  Derek Jeter may be retired, but that has not stopped fans from buying his memorabilia. According to SportsBusiness Journal, Topps Now is selling a set of special Jeter baseball cards commemorating the short stop’s retirement ceremony at Yankee Stadium. The cards have become “the top-selling regular-season cards in history of the Topps Now daily on-demand card service.” The company said it sold more than “13,500 cards relating to the Jeter ceremony between two base cards and a limited number of autographed cards and relic cards containing pieces of a base used in the game” on ceremony day. That marker tops the 11,550 cards sold last year for a card commemorating Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki gaining his 3,000th hit. The Jeter set generated more than $150,000 in revenue for Topps since its release. Trading card sales have declined as interest in baseball has waned among younger generations, and Topps and its peers welcome any opportunity to boost revenues tied to MLB special events like the Jeter ceremony.
  U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati could have an unexpected challenger next year in his quest to remain in his role. According to the Washington Post, Boston attorney Steven Gans has begun exploring the option of running for the top spot in U.S. domestic soccer, but has not officially decided on doing so yet. "It’s amazing to me that such a big position, no one has ever run against Sunil,” said Gans. “There needs to be a challenger. He hasn’t demonstrated such a great track record. I don’t think the direction at the pro and youth level is so great. There are a lot of disenchanted people out there.” Gulati is officially allowed to run for one more term under current USSF guidelines; he has not confirmed his intent on running for the spot again, though many close to the organization expect him to run again. Gans has openly critiqued moves by Gulati that has demonstrated “poor judgment and leadership.” With corruption-driven leadership shifts at the FIFA level, it’s only natural that the heads of national federations would receive additional scrutiny. Gulati has had a lock on U.S. Soccer for many years, and as in most organizations, an infusion of new blood is usually a positive thing.
  United Airlines is buying the naming rights to L.A. Memorial Coliseum for more than $70 million over 15 years, making it the richest naming-rights deal among college football stadiums. At $4.7 million per year, according to sources, United’s deal will surpass the 10-year, $41 million deal Alaska Airlines signed with the University of Washington for Husky Stadium rights in 2015. The naming-rights revenue is expected to help offset costs of a $270 million Coliseum renovation, slated to be completed in time for the 2019 USC football season. It is thought that “Memorial Coliseum” will be retained in the name. United’s CEO, Oscar Munoz, is a USC grad, and nearby LAX is one of United’s biggest U.S. hubs. Down the road, the Rams' and Chargers' $2.6 billion stadium in Inglewood "will be delayed almost a year" from its originally planned opening in 2019 and is "now scheduled to be ready" for the 2020 NFL season, due to record rainfall during critical construction phases this past winter. The Rams will remain at the Coliseum for 2019, while the Chargers will play at StubHub Center. While the rain was a pain, the delay is definitely a silver lining for naming rights holders United and StubHub, which will both benefit from the additional exposure.
Jordan Spieth is the latest athlete to be featured on the Wheaties box. Spieth told media at the AT&T Byron Nelson that he will be on "about four million Wheaties boxes nationwide." Fittingly, Wheaties was "Byron Nelson’s first endorsement." Other golfers who have "had their own limited-edition boxes" include Ben Hogan, Babe Zaharias, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. Wheaties joins a Spieth endorsement portfolio that already includes "deals with AT&T, Coca-Cola, Titleist, and Under Armour. CNBC estimated the Wheaties deal could increase Spieth's brand value by upwards of $3.1 million, while Under Armour, whose logo appears on the shirt Spieth wears on the cereal box, could garner $171,000 worth of brand exposure. Too bad Spieth started the first weekend of his new deal by skipping breakfast – after a quad bogie on Friday, he failed to make the cut.
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tortuga-aak · 7 years ago
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Everyone asks me the same question about spending 4 days with Tony Robbins — here's what I tell them
Graham Flanagan/Business Insider
I interviewed and shadowed Tony Robbins over four days at his Fiji resort Namale.
For the last three decades, Robbins has been the premiere "performance coach," building a business empire and coaching clients like Paul Tudor Jones and Bill Clinton.
Robbins can be a polarizing figure, but I found him to be a genuine person with practical insights, not hollow positive thinking.
When I tell people that I spent four days with Tony Robbins, they always ask a version of the same question: "What is he really like?"
This can be asked with skepticism: "I remember his infomercials. He's just a con artist selling motivational speeches to desperate people, right?" Or they can be asked with reverence: "His lessons changed my life. Is he as inspirational in person? What did he teach you?"
I recently had the chance to travel to Robbins' Fiji resort Namale, where he was hosting the winners of Shopify's Build a Bigger Business competition, to form an opinion.
Robbins, who determined that his presentation and mentoring style was captured by a job he deemed "performance coach" at some point in the '80s, has been at it for almost 40 years now. In that time he's sold millions of books and audio tapes, and given thousands of presentations to packed crowds. He's coached people like Salesforce founder Marc Benioff, tennis champion Serena Williams, and even former US President Bill Clinton.
Robbins is as relevant today, having developed a massive online audiencee of fans who eat up articles and videos about his lessons.
It's hard to not have some sort of opinion of him at this point. Perhaps the reason why people can feel so strongly either way about him is because no one else really does what he does, and so it's hard to put him into a context where he's not just fitting an exaggerated archetype, for better or worse.
Before I first spoke Robbins during his 2014 book tour for his personal finance guide, "Money: Master the Game," I was unsure of what to expect.
As a little kid in the '90s, my dad would occasionally play Robbins' tapes in the car, and I remembered Robbins' deep, raspy voice more than the actual material. At one point, my dad asked our family to take a sort of personality test assessment from Robbins' website, and I objected on the grounds that it was all nonsense. This guy was monetizing meaningless motivation, I thought.
But about two decades later, I decided differently.
Tony Robbins genuinely wants to help.
When I met Robbins, I got a first impression that was confirmed over several more interviews and finally developed further during the Fiji trip: He's an incredible communicator with a magnetic personality and a genuine desire to help people. And rather than acting as a huckster, he's a shrewd businessman who knows how to develop products for both the masses and the wealthy. On top of that, he's invested in and assists 30 companies, directly running 12 of them — one of his latest projects outside of his coaching career is developing the upcoming Major League Soccer franchise in Los Angeles, LAFC.
I noted how practical his coaching approach is when seen in person. I'll admit that when I watched Joe Berlinger's 2016 Netflix documentary "I Am Not Your Guru," which followed one of Robbins' "Date with Destiny" multiday seminars, I felt that some of the interactions between Robbins and audience members seemed cult-like. Here was a god who appeared onstage to instantly solve the romantic, career, and spiritual problems of his enraptured followers.
But when such a long event is cut down to a narrative of just the dramatic scenes, it can take away some of the nuance of how Robbins connects with people. After spending four days hanging out with Robbins, talking about his career, observing coaching sessions he had with entrepreneurs and then discussing them with those entrepreneurs, I saw Robbins in a different light.
He's certainly one of those figures with, as it's been ascribed to the late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, a "reality distortion field," that can suck you in, but even weeks after the trip, the documentary looked different to me on a second viewing.
The parts that previously looked to me like something out of a megachurch now looked like Robbins having fun with people who were letting loose rather than giving into a cult. Robbins seemed more like a rock star lighting up a crowd of fans than a televangelist preying on a weak audience.
It's this lack of context that can give a wrong impression of what Robbins actually does. For example, there's an old clip floating around YouTube, not from Robbins' official channel, with the title, "Tony Robbins — 30 years of stuttering, cured in 7 minutes!" It's portrayed like a David Blaine trick, and so further confirms extremist biases around Robbins in either direction. It's not worth getting into an investigation of it, but it seems much more likely that Robbins helped this stutterer with a sense of self-worth, and that increased confidence in speech projection could allow for a sort of coping mechanism to the stutter, rather than triggering an instant "cure."
In person, Robbins is quite practical. The heart of the vast majority of the stuff you'll hear him telling crowds or individuals can be found in books about behavioral psychology, leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal finance — his talent is connecting the dots on some of these ideas and relating them to people in an intimate way in a remarkably fast time. He knows how to read people well and speak to them in a way that works best for them.
Take his latest personal finance book, "Unshakeable" — there's no get rich quick scheme or dangerous advice in there. In fact, it's mostly the sort of stuff you could find on Vanguard's website. But with Robbins' energetic, simple way of writing, financial concepts that would make the average reader fall asleep suddenly become enjoyable to read.
Graham Flanagan/Business Insider
Wealthy, successful people pay him for his pragmatism.
He even takes this approach with his small batch of personal clients, which includes the billionaire investor Paul Tudor Jones, who pays him a $1 million annual fee and a performance fee tied to that year's profits. Jones hired Robbins back in 1993, when Jones had hit a rough patch after becoming famous on Wall Street for correctly predicting the 1987 stock market crash.
Robbins studied all aspects of Jones' behavior and decision-making, comparing how he behaved during upturns with how he behaved during downturns. "I uncovered for Paul Tudor what he was doing at his best," Robbins told Business Insider last year. "I got to interview all the people around him," Robbins said. "I watched films. There were patterns that Paul Tudor was doing when he was at his very best, and he had dropped them out."
Jones began making money again, and was convinced that Robbins had a big enough role in that turnaround that he kept kept him as his coach. The two have checked in every day since then.
"The amazing thing about Tony is how he can deconstruct what drives certain behaviors and help you develop a plan for action with carefully-considered risk and reward propositions," Jones wrote to me in an email.
Jones introduced Robbins to Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world's largest hedge fund. Dalio agreed to be interviewed for Robbins' first personal finance book. "He shocked me in his level of understanding because he had researched me and he had researched the investment area so well and he was so conceptual that the quality of his understanding was shockingly great, and the interview was very good," Dalio told me. Dalio became friends with Robbins after that interview, and flew to Robbins' Florida home to launch his book "Principles: Life and Work" with a Facebook Live interview in September.
Salesforce founder and CEO Marc Benioff often credits much of his success to studying Robbins' lessons from a young age, and he both meets with Robbins on a personal basis and regularly invites him to Salesforce's annual Dreamforce conference.
There's a reason he's been able to inspire people for nearly 40 years.
A ticket to Robbins' three-and-a-half-day event "Unleash the Power Within" goes for $650 to $3,000, but he offers scholarships through his foundation (which, on a separate note has a 93.48 rating from the charity watchdog Charity Navigator), and unsatisfied customers can receive refunds for many of his products and programs. And aside from a paperback edition of his book, there's plenty of free material from him on the internet. My initial cynicism around his pricing has essentially changed to my belief that he knows his audience and knows how to maintain a massive business around himself.
Robbins isn't a therapist or a business consultant, but he's also a bit of both — combined with a football coach.
Marie Forleo, MarieTV founder and Oprah Winfrey collaborator, has worked with Robbins and said that he doesn't replace either, but is rather his own thing, and a valuable resource at that. "What Tony offers is something utterly unique that frankly, I've never been able to get from any therapist or consultant I’ve worked with," she told me. "And I've worked with a lot."
Billy Beck IIIIf the idea of going to a self-improvement seminar or reading a book with a title like "Awaken the Giant Within" turns you off, then what Robbins' does probably isn't for you. But after interviewing him several times over the course of three years and shadowing him for four days, I'm convinced that while Robbins definitely isn't for everyone, he's a sincere guy who truly lives what he preaches, and shows no signs of slowing down.
On our last day in Fiji, my colleague Graham Flanagan and I went to Robbins' private residence to grab some last minute footage. We hoped to stretch our promised 10 minutes to 15. Instead, as his team loaded up cars in preparation for their upcoming flight to Australia, he had his personal trainer (and friend) Billy Beck III grab an SUV and take us on a trip to "the waterfall."
As his team anxiously waited for us back at the house so as not to throw his schedule totally out of wack, Robbins took us on a tour of his favorite parts of his property, culminating at a beautiful waterfall. To our surprise, he dove in, pulled his shirt off, and, catching the camera, gave a Tarzan-like yell as the water crashed on him. Then it was my turn to jump in and try.
We drove back down the hill to his house, talking about the recurring coaching techniques he's built into a "tool box" over the years. Along the way, he chatted with some of the resort's workers and sipped from a coconut one gave him. Back at the residence, a collection of about 20 members of staff sang a traditional Fijian farewell song to Robbins before he left, which is what they do every time he leaves. Tears filled his eyes as he sang along.
Tony Robbins is a larger-than-life figure with plenty of quirks, but the person you're seeing is really him. You're either along for the ride or you're not.
NOW WATCH: Tony Robbins takes us on a private tour of his massive beachfront mansion in Fiji
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