Rocket League: The Blueprint Update And Rocket Pass 5 Hit On December 4

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Rocket League‘s big update that will remove loot crates is right around the corner. A new post on the official Rocket League website has confirmed that the Blueprint update is coming on December 4 at 10AM PST, alongside Rocket Pass 5. Blueprints will replace loot crates and add transparency to the game’s loot system–you know what a Blueprint is for, and it’s up to you whether you want to spend the credits to build it, or whether you want to either hold onto it or trade it.

Once this update happens, players will be able to accrue Blueprints from their online matches, and all Crates in your collection will be converted into Blueprints as well. Your Keys will be converted into Credits, since there will no longer be anything to open with keys. Crates will actually stop dropping 25 hours before the update, though, from 9AM PST on December 3. You won’t be able to purchase DLC packs or trade between players during this time either, until the update is live.

Simutaneously, some vehicles and items that were previously locked to paid DLC will be made available to everyone. The Supersonic Fury, Revenge of the Battle-Cars, and Chaos Run DLC content will be made free for all, and immediately placed in your inventory. The Item Shop will open after this update, which will replace the Showroom. This is where you will be able to buy premium DLC vehicles and other items in the future.

Rocket Pass 5, the game’s take on a battle pass, will arrive on the same day. The full reveal of this pass won’t arrive until next week, so we’re not sure exactly what it will offer, or how it will differ from Rocket Pass 4, just yet. Competitive Season 13 will start at the same time, giving all players new rewards to work for–this means that you have limited time left to earn your Season 12 rewards.

Rocket League’s Blueprint update, along with Rocket Pass 5 and Competitive Season 13, will arrive simultaneously on PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/rocket-league-the-blueprint-update-and-rocket-pass/1100-6471657/

Bloodborne Influenced The Design Of One Of 2019’s Best Indie Games

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This year’s Neo Cab is one of the more intriguing indies in a year chock-full of fascinating games designed by smaller studios. The developer behind the game, Chance Agency, took influence from other sources of media when designing the adventure RPG–including Bloodborne.

One of Neo Cab’s cooler features is the Feelgrid, which allows you to get a vague approximation of main character Lina’s feelings and mental state through colors. You can try to gauge how Lina is feeling based on her Feelgrid and then use different dialogue options to encourage her emotional and mental state to change–unlocking certain conversation options and locking others. Depending on how you play, Lina can approach certain aspects of Neo Cab’s in-game world very differently, and just because she’s happy does not necessarily mean you’ll have better choices. This system is loosely based on the same risk vs. reward nature of Insight in Bloodborne.

“I loved that [Bloodborne had] this in-game currency called Insight, which was a number that went up, and so people would tend to hoard it,” Chance Agency creative director Patrick Ewing said, according to USG. “Narratively, it represents your awareness of the cosmic horror of the universe. So if you don’t spend it–if you let it keep growing–the world gets corrupted around you … My inspiration from Bloodborne was the idea that sometimes, character attributes can be good in some contexts and really bad in others.”

“Early on, we had two separate attributes that could be positive or negative,” Ewing continued. He explained that, originally, Lina had “Faith,” which represented her overall faith in humanity, and “Energy,” which informed you about her physical well-being.

“Essentially, we just adapted that system we had before–which was Energy and Faith–into this cohesive 2D map,” Ewing said. “It really felt like, as soon as we got that, it was like ‘Oh, it all makes sense, we can write dialogue for this full spectrum of emotions and let the player’s imagination fill in specific gaps.’ The game is telling you Lina is this red, she’s this far away from the edge, but you as the player get to decide, like, is she angry? Is she scared? Is she anxious? The red spectrum can catch all of those things.”

In GameSpot’s Neo Cab review, James O’Connor writes, “Neo Cab might suffer from inconsistencies and presentation issues in some places, but as a depiction of a near-future society corrupted by tech fetishization, and an exploration of how humans are adapting to automation and the rise of the gig economy, it’s got plenty to say about how important it is that we all look out for one another. This is a forward-thinking game, but the issues it explores are extremely relevant in 2019, which makes for an engaging, stimulating narrative experience, even if the central mystery of your friend’s disappearance is not particularly interesting.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bloodborne-influenced-the-design-of-one-of-2019s-b/1100-6471656/

Half-Life: Alyx Ships With Community-Building Tools

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Half-Life: Alyx, a Half-Life pre-sequel, will release for all SteamVR-compatible headsets in March 2020. Valve has released a new trailer for the upcoming VR game and also revealed additional details about what players can expect–including community-building tools at launch.

The Half-Life: Alyx Steam page reads: “A set of Source 2 tools for building new environments will ship with the game, enabling any player to build and contribute new environments for the community to enjoy. Hammer, Valve’s level authoring tool, has been updated with all of the game’s virtual reality gameplay tools and components.”

The Steam page also reveals that pre-ordering Half-Life: Alyx prior to the end of 2019 will unlock special rewards, such as alternative skins to customize the look of Alyx’s arsenal. Purchasing the game early will also unlock special in-game Half-Life: Alyx-themed content for both Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2. You get a discount for pre-ordering too, knocking Half-Life: Alyx’s $60 USD launch price tag down to $54 USD. A copy of the game comes for free with a Valve Index VR headset.

Prior to deciding on Half-Life, Valve considered basing their new VR game on other franchises instead, such as Portal. “Portal is so much about flinging yourself through space and through portals that we thought, ‘Well, we’re just going to make people sick with this game,'” Valve software developer David Speyrer said. “A full-on Portal game seemed challenging.” When the team decided to put their new VR game into the world of Half-Life instead, Valve refrained from titling the project “Half-Life 3” in order to avoid the “terrifyingly daunting prospect” of the name.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-alyx-ships-with-community-building-tools/1100-6471654/

New Gordon Freeman Figure Releases Same Month As Half-Life: Alyx

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Half-Life: Alyx isn’t the only big new Half-Life release shown off this week. A new figure of Half-Life hero Gordon Freeman, based on his appearance in Half-Life 2, has been announced by Mondo. The figure, which is made to 1/6 scale, comes with various items from the Half-Life series, including a pheropod, the Gravity Gun, and the iconic crowbar. The figure will feature over 25 points of articulation, seven switch-out hands, removable eyeglasses, a stand, and various weapons to pose him with. The Gravity Gun will even be able to light up.

The figure will be available to preorder from November 22 at 12PM CT. It costs $200, and expects to ship worldwide in March 2020, the same month that Half-Life: Alyx is due to release. The figure is 12.5 inches high, and weighs approximately 3lbs. It’s made from PVC, ABS, and fabric, and was designed by Bigshot Toyworks, Mara Anchete, and Joe Allard. You can check it out in the gallery below.

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Half-Life: Alyx is Valve’s new VR game set before the events of Half-Life 2. Here’s everything we know about it so far. You can get it for free with a Valve Index VR, but it will also work with other PC VR headsets.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-gordon-freeman-figure-releases-same-month-as-h/1100-6471653/

Fortnite Hidden T Location: Where To Search Letter T In Trick Shot Loading Screen

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A new set of Fortnite Chapter 2 challenges has arrived, and if you’ve been following along this season, that means there’s another hidden letter to find somewhere around the island. This week, you’ll need to search for another hidden T, and its location can be found in the special loading screen you unlock after completing eight Trick Shot challenges. If you’re having trouble finding the letter, we show you where to go below.

Where Is The Hidden Letter T Location?

As previously mentioned, the clue that will lead you to the letter T is found in the special Trick Shot loading screen, which you’ll only unlock after completing eight challenges from that set. The screen depicts two 8 Ball skins having a tense stand-off in the middle of a forest. If you look closely at the background of the loading screen, you can spot the letter T hidden beneath a bridge.

The forest in question is Weeping Woods, which is located just northeast of Slurpy Swamp, and the bridge where the T is hidden is in the northern portion of the area–you can find it easily enough by following the river. You’ll need to make your way there to find the letter.

How To Complete The Challenge

Once you know where to look, head to the bridge depicted in the Trick Shot loading screen and the T will appear beneath it. Interact with the letter as you would any other item in the game and you’ll complete the challenge, which means you only need to find one more letter to spell out “FORTNITE” and unlock this season’s special Battle Pass skin.

Before you set off to find the T, keep in mind that the letter will only appear after you’ve unlocked its corresponding challenges, so you’ll first need to finish all the other missions from the Trick Shot set before you can collect the letter. Fortunately, most of those are fairly straightforward, but one that may give you some trouble tasks you to dance at the Pipe Man, Hay Man, and Timber Tent.

The first season of Fortnite Chapter 2 was originally slated to end in early December, but Epic recently announced it is extending the season into February, so you have a lot more time to complete any outstanding challenges. If you need help with those, you can find all our maps and guides in our full Fortnite Chapter 2 challenges roundup.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-hidden-t-location-where-to-search-letter-/1100-6471652/

This Google Stadia Alternative Will Get A Big Discount For Black Friday 2019

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Although Google Stadia is getting all of the game streaming attention right now, there’s another streaming service that’s getting a Black Friday deal. The service is called Shadow, and it’s been around since late 2018, but costs a monthly fee to access its date centers, which lets you stream games through a high-end Windows 10 PC. A year-long subscription averages out to $25 per month, you can get the Shadow streaming service it for a only $13 a month for Black Friday.

Since you’re accessing a remote, high-end desktop PC, you’ll be able to sign in to your own digital store accounts. Be it Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, or anywhere else, you’ll have access to their storefronts and your library. Google Stadia is a closed platform with its own store and titles, so you won’t be able to play any of the games you already own. However, Stadia doesn’t require a subscription if you’re okay with streaming your games in 1080p with stereo sound. An optional Stadia Pro membership is available for $10 a month and gets you 4K streaming, surround sound, free games, and special discounts.

Shadow lets you stream a gaming PC to any compatible device with a decent internet connection.

Shadow streaming service | $13 per month

See at Shadow

You’ll also have access to the internet speeds of Shadow’s data centers to download content and game online, which is rated at about 800 Mbps down with 1ms latency–remember, you’re only using your internet connection to view your remote PC. Currently, Shadow’s specs are made up of the following:

  • OS: Windows 10 Home Edition
  • CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2678 v3 @ 2.5GHz
  • GPU: Nvidia Quadro P5000
  • Memory: 12 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB QEMU Drive

With Shadow, you’ll be streaming a video feed of your virtual desktop, and like Stadia, data consumption and internet speed will be part of the equation. Shadow’s app is compatible with any Windows 7 / 8.1 / 10 or MacOS computer and certain Android and iOS versions (controlling Shadow between different platforms will vary).

The app lets you set your bit rate between 5 Mbps to 70 Mbps at 5 Mbps intervals, giving you some control over image quality and data usage. It’s recommended you have at least 15 Mbps down and connect via wired Ethernet or 5GHz Wi-Fi; Shadow consumes between 5 Mbps to 25 Mbps depending on settings and conditions.

Like many other cloud-based game streaming services, Shadow has its ups and downs–we reviewed the service and its separate set-top box earlier this year, so be sure to check out our Shadow Ghost and Shadow cloud gaming service review. For more on Black Friday 2019 sales this year, check out some the early and upcoming deals you can take advantage of.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/this-google-stadia-alternative-will-get-a-big-disc/1100-6471571/

Black Friday 2019 Deals: Nintendo Switch Lite For $175, PS4 Pro Bundle For $289, And More

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We’re quickly approaching the end of November, which means Black Friday 2019 is just around the corner. This year, the big shopping day falls on November 29, and while that’s still more than a week away, many retailers have already revealed their Black Friday ads. That includes Google Shopping, which will have deals on a handful of game consoles and other tech as part of its “Cyber 10” sale, which kicks off Black Friday and runs for 10 days.

If you’ve never used Google Shopping, it’s basically a service that lets you shop deals across the web in one place, including stores like Target, Best Buy, and Walmart. You’ll often find additional promo codes or discounts available, helping you get the best deal on consoles, games, and more. You check out directly from Google, and you’ll get free shipping above a certain minimum (usually $25-$35).

While Google’s Black Friday ad may be a little sparse, as far as game-related sales are concerned, there are still some good deals to be had, particularly if you’re looking to pick up a Nintendo Switch. The new, portable-only Switch Lite will be on sale for $175. If you prefer the flexibility of the standard model, you’ll also be able to pick up a new Switch (with improved battery life) that comes bundled with Crash Team Racing ($40 value) and a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online Family Plan ($35 value) for $305.

Those aren’t the only worthwhile deals Google Shopping will offer this year; you’ll also be able to pick up a PS4 Pro along with a copy of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Game of the Year Edition for only $289. If you’re just interested in a copy of the game, Walmart will have Spider-Man: GOTY Edition for $15 during Black Friday, but this bundle is still a nice deal, especially as Sony is offering the PS4 Pro alone for $300.

A handful of laptops and other tech will also be on sale, so scroll down for a look at all the best deals from Google Shopping’s Black Friday ad. Please note that Google hasn’t confirmed start times for these, and links aren’t yet available. We’ll be updating this story with more deals and links to buy as soon as Google Shopping’s sale goes live.

Best Black Friday deals at Google Shopping

Nintendo Switch Lite | $175 ($200)

Nintendo Switch with Crash Team Racing, 12-Month NSO Family Membership | $305 ($374)

PlayStation 4 Pro with Spider-Man GOTY Edition | $289 ($440)

Surface Pro 7 128 GB with Black Cover and Microsoft Office | $729 ($1,049)

Skytech Ryzen 7 2700 / RTX 2060 / 500 GB SSD / 16 GB DDR4 / Blaze II | $799.04 ($1,100)

MacBook Air 13-inch: 1.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 128 GB | $699 ($1,000)

Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones – Mickey’s 90th Anniversary Edition | $198.90 ($299.95)

50″ UN50NU6900 Widescreen LCD Ultra HDTV and Google Home Mini | $278 ($354)

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/black-friday-2019-deals-nintendo-switch-lite-for-1/1100-6471625/

Fortnite: Where To Dance At Pipe Man, Hay Man, And Timber Tent (Week 7 Challenge)

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The first season of Fortnite Chapter 2 has been extended into next year, which means you have more time to complete any challenges from this season. That includes Week 7’s Trick Shot missions. As usual, most of the challenges from the batch are fairly straightforward and can be completed easily enough with a little persistence, but there’s at least one that may give you some trouble, and that’s to dance at the Pipe Man, Hay Man, and Timber Tent. If none of that made any sense to you, don’t worry; we show you how to complete the challenge below.

Where Are The Pipe Man, Hay Man, And Timber Tent Locations?

As the challenge states, you’ll need to dance in front of three different structures to complete this mission, and they may be hard to find if you aren’t already familiar with Fortnite’s new map. Fortunately, they’re not too hard to find, but they’ll require a bit of leg work to get to. The Pipe Man is sitting on a hill near the southern tip of the island, just past the snowy mountain that’s to the south of Misty Meadow. The Hay Man, meanwhile, is in the southwest corner of Frenzy Farm. Finally, the Timber Tent can be found directly south of Sweaty Sands.

How To Complete The Challenge

Once you know where all three structures are, make your way to them one by one, then use a dance emote in their general vicinity. Fortunately, you don’t need to dance in front of all three within a single round, so the most expedient way to complete the challenge will likely be to visit one landmark, dance in front of it, get yourself eliminated, then jump into another match and head to another until you’ve visited all three.

As previously mentioned, Chapter 2, Season 1 has been extended into February 2020, giving you quite a bit more time to complete all the challenges from this season. Epic says the reason for the extension is so that it can roll out more content for the game, including new events and some kind of “live experience.” In the meantime, if you need help completing any earlier challenges, you can find all our maps and guides in our full Fortnite Chapter 2 challenges roundup.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-where-to-dance-at-pipe-man-hay-man-and-ti/1100-6471650/

Sony Has An Excellent PS4 Slim Bundle For Black Friday 2019

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PS4 Slim 1TB bundle with God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, and The Last of Us Remastered – $200

Update: Sony has confirmed the PS4 holiday bundle is real as part of its official Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2019 deals, and it’ll be available at all major retailers starting next week. The PS4 Slim bundle includes three PS4-exclusive games: God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition, and The Last of Us Remastered. Other Black Friday PS4 deals this year include a PS4 Pro for $300, DualShock controllers for $40, and more.

Original story follows.

It’s still early in the Black Friday season, but it’s likely this PS4 Slim bundle will be one of the best savings you’ll find if you’re shopping around for a console. You won’t be able to snag it until the end of the month, but it’s best to know about it now, so you can keep an eye out for it as you do your Black Friday shopping.

On October 24, notable Twitter user and deal-hunter Wario64 reported he’d heard of a PS4 holiday bundle with three PlayStation hits–Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us Remastered, and 2018’s God of War–and a new Black Friday ad from American retailer Belk basically confirms that deal will be available. Belk’s Black Friday ad shows the aforementioned PS4 bundle will be available for $200 USD starting November 24.

Note that Belk’s Black Friday ad shows God of War III Remastered alongside the bundle instead of 2018’s acclaimed sequel. Wario64 purports the “ad made a mistake,” which is highly plausible, but unfortunately, we can’t be sure at this time.

It’s unclear when the deal will end, but we expect it to last through the Black Friday weekend while supplies last–and those last three words are key. During Prime Day, similar PS4 bundles were among the first deals to sell out, so if you have your eyes on this bundle, be ready to go when the deal goes live. As a Sony bundle, it should be available at all the major retailers beyond just Belk.

During Black Friday, Belk will have a variety of other deals, but in terms of gaming, nothing else is particularly noteworthy beyond the PS4 bundle (a Nintendo Switch “doorbuster” is being promoted for $300, for example). You can check out the full ad scan at BF Ads. In the meantime, stay tuned to GameSpot as we highlight all the best Black Friday deals leading up to and during the event.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-has-an-excellent-ps4-slim-bundle-for-black-fr/1100-6471034/

Persona 5 Royal Details Are Coming In 12 Days, Likely Including A Western Release Date

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Persona 5 Royal, which takes the original Persona 5 and expands upon it with new scenes, interactions, and attacks, plus an entire extra in-game semester, is coming to PlayStaion 4 in the west next year. We know that the game is due in Spring 2020, but a specific release date has not been announced, despite the game’s Japanese release having already launched on October 31.

Now the Atlus USA Twitter account has told us that an announcement is coming in 12 days (on December 3.) While it hasn’t been specific about what the announcement will contain, a release date is very likely.

A countdown timer on the Persona 5 Royal website promises that “the truth will be revealed” once it finishes counting down. We don’t know exactly what will be announced, but with the game already out in Japan, there’s not much left to reveal beyond this. Whatever news is coming, though, we can track when it’s coming down to the second.

The next game in the Persona series to release in Japan will be Koei Tecmo’s action spin-off Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers. It will release for PS4 and Switch in Japan on February 20, 2020. It’s possible that we’ll find out about a western release for Scramble at the end of the countdown as well, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/persona-5-royal-details-are-coming-in-12-days-like/1100-6471651/