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I just spent half an hour playing a funny, choose-your-adventure adaptation of Pokémon that was built inside a font. It's not an easy concept to understand, so I'll try to explain. Normally, when you hit the 'a' key on your keyboard, it makes an 'a' appear on the screen. That 'a' is a glyph, and it looks different depending on the font you're using. In wingdings, for example, pressing 'a' types this: ♋︎. In Fontemon.otf, typing 'a' doesn't make a letter appear. It plays Pokémon (well, a short, very clever Pokémon parody, but close enough). "I imagine the average english speaker thinks a font is something like this: You type a key… [and] the letter appears on the screen," writes Michael Mulet, who created font/game Fontemon. "But fonts can do so much more. A lot more." In a post on Github , Mulet breaks down how Fontemon (and fonts themselves) work. The short version is that in open type, a popular font format, there are actually a lot of ways to draw the letters, … [Read more...] about This Pokémon fan game is very literally made out of a font

What do you do when you want to mark good spots for jump scares in a work-in-progress, horror-adjacent mission? Bungie found an innovative solution to this problem during the development of Presage, the mission tied to the Dead Man's Tale Exotic: you say "boo" a lot. Bungie released the aptly named Presage boo compilation alongside an in-depth breakdown of the mission's development. See, the actual level was playable before the sound effects for it were finalized, so Bungie's audio team – namely senior audio designers Jennie LaBonte and Zach Thomas – needed a way to mark where they'd be adding jump scares. That's where the boos come in. "We both recorded 'Boos.' Like literal 'Boo. Boo!' Just slightly different versions," Labonte explained. "Then throughout the mission, it would be a really creepy moment and then you’d hear one of us say the word 'boo.' It stayed in for quite a while and I really wish we'd left some in as Easter eggs." Presage is another of Destiny's rare … [Read more...] about Destiny 2’s Presage mission had literal “Boo” sound effects during development

Microsoft is still planning to bring its xCloud streaming functionality to PC and iOS devices, and it may be coming sooner than you'd think. A new overview video from Xbox features xCloud Platform VP Kevin LaChapelle dropping a not-too-subtle hint that the rollout is getting close. The video is formatted as an overview, so most of it reviews the basics of everything we know about the cloud gaming functionality. Near the end, though, it raises the question of cloud gaming on iOS, prompting a response from LaChapelle. "Oh yes. We've already announced that we're bringing it to iOS and PC early this year. So I won't give you specific dates, but it's not--not very far." In case that wasn't enough, he visibly winks at the camera. To be clear, "not very far" could mean a lot of things, from days to weeks. And early 2021 is still a very wide release window that technically covers anytime through June. But the implication is certainly that it's just around the corner. Cloud gaming is … [Read more...] about Xbox Streaming VP Promises PC/iOS Functionality Soon With A Literal Wink

Nothing could've prepared me and my two friends for our first fatal encounter with Anna, the mangled, groaning, possessed cult leader trying to drag you down to hell in Devour. The new 2-4 player co-op horror game has shades of Phasmophobia, but Devour is a decidedly more chaotic experience. Right from the get-go, there's a lot going on and little in the way of instruction. Bundles of hay are scattered everywhere, goats with glowing red eyes are locked inside a cage, and cryptic notes are strewn about alluding to a sacrificial ritual involving said goats. I'll hand out a pro-tip right here and strongly encourage you to read those notes carefully. My first good scare happened as I looked around a dimly lit, run-down old house for goats to sacrifice. Turning a corner, I could see something not awesome looming at the end of a hallway. As I got closer, Anna's ghost-white face, decaying skin, and her blood-soaked dress came into view. Naturally, my instinct was to run the other way, … [Read more...] about Have you tried… watching a possessed cult leader drag your friends into an attic while you sacrifice goats in Devour?

We've finally been graced with the first piece of DLC for Crusader Kings 3 . Northern Lords is a Norse-themed DLC that adds new events and mechanics to dynasties in Northern Europe. Paradox is calling these 'Flavor Packs' as opposed to full expansions, similar to the Immersion Packs they released for England, Russia, and Iberia in Europa Universalis IV. This means the changes hone in on a specific part of the world rather than mixing up the pot for everyone. It's pretty small in scope overall, but there's a decent amount here for only $7/£5.19. The most immediately noticeable additions are all visual. Norse characters can pick from an armload of new hairstyles and beards, and wear historically appropriate clothing that even changes if you adopt a different culture or convert to a new religion. The coats of arms, too, reflect whether or not you've stayed true to your pagan traditions. The shield for the Kingdom of Sweden, for example, bears a gold Thor's Hammer if you form it as a … [Read more...] about Crusader Kings 3: Northern Lords is great if you’re already infatuated with the Norse