Dwarf Fortress is coming to Steam.The infamously complex but brilliant "infinite possibilities" simulation game, which has been worked on for over 16 years, finally launches on Valve's platform as a lifetime "living" project by brothers Tarn and Zach Adams.Why Steam now? "Dwarf Fortress is going premium because we want more people to encounter the game, grow the community, and some of the creator's close family members have developed serious health issues within the past six months, and money to support them is tight," reads an FAQ."As it's a sensitive and difficult matter, please respect Tarn and Zach's privacy about this, but keep some well wishes in your hearts for them."Due to these rising healthcare costs, as well as the uncertain structure of Patreon, they decided it was time for them to have additional means of support."The Steam version has a custom premium tileset with graphics enabled by default, new music and auto-updates. And, of course, Steam Workshop integration.Dwarf … [Read more...] about Dwarf Fortress coming to Steam
Major healthcare issues
US House panel issues 81 document requests in Trump obstruction probe
WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - A U.S. congressional panel said on Monday that it has served document requests on 81 government agencies, entities and individuals as part of an investigation into alleged obstruction of justice and other abuses by President Donald Trump and others.Among those targeted by the Democratic-led House Judiciary Committee are the president's sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, WikiLeaks, White House aide and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg, former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former White House counsel Doug McGahn."We have seen the damage done to our democratic institutions in the two years that the Congress refused to conduct responsible oversight. Congress must provide a check on abuses of power," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said in a statement.Among the committee's aims is determining whether Trump may have obstructed justice by ousting perceived enemies at the … [Read more...] about US House panel issues 81 document requests in Trump obstruction probe
The fall of Starbreeze
At Starbreeze's 2016 Christmas meeting, held in a cinema close by to the studio's Stockholm headquarters, CEO Bo Andersson told staff the company was in rude health. Payday 2, a co-op first-person shooter Steam hit, was still making money, virtual reality investments were about getting ahead of the game, and in-development titles, such as Raid: World War 2 and Overkill's The Walking Dead, were on course for success. Starbreeze's top brass even announced a new staff bonus system. The message was loud and clear: Starbreeze had evolved from the plucky developer of Payday into a big, important, successful entertainment company.Just two years later, Starbreeze is on the brink of extinction. Following the disastrous release of Overkill's The Walking Dead in November, Starbreeze's board of directors unceremoniously booted Andersson out of the company. In a remarkable email obtained by Eurogamer and sent to everyone at the company the day after he was fired, Andersson lamented the laziness of … [Read more...] about The fall of Starbreeze
Democratic Senator Gillibrand to launch 2020 White House bid
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Jan 15 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand told CBS' "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" that she would file paperwork on Tuesday night to explore a run for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2020 election.Colbert, during the taping of an episode that will air on Tuesday night, asked Gillibrand, who has been taking the steps to begin a presidential campaign, if she had anything she would like to announce."Yes," the lawmaker from New York said. "I'm filing an exploratory committee for president of the United States tonight."The formation of an exploratory committee will allow Gillibrand, 52, who is known for spearheading efforts to change how Congress handles allegations of sexual harassment and became a prominent voice in the #MeToo movement, to begin fundraising and organizing her campaign. 31 PHOTOS Kirsten Gillibrand through the years See Gallery Kirsten Gillibrand through the years ALBANY, NEW YORK - JANUARY … [Read more...] about Democratic Senator Gillibrand to launch 2020 White House bid
Report: Senator McCain has chosen to discontinue medical treatment
WASHINGTON, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Senator John McCain has chosen to discontinue medical treatment for an aggressive form of brain cancer, his family said in a statement on Friday, a year after the Vietnam War hero announced his prognosis."John has surpassed expectations for his survival," the family said, adding that the disease's progression and McCain's age, 81, have led him to stop treatment for the "aggressive glioblastoma.""With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment," the family said.McCain, who represented Arizona in the Senate and House of Representatives for 35 years, had said the cancer was discovered in July 2017 and he has not been at the U.S. Capitol this year. He also had surgery for an intestinal infection in April.McCain has had a reputation for speaking his mind, which led to a running feud with President Donald Trump that grew heated in 2015 when McCain said Trump's candidacy had "fired … [Read more...] about Report: Senator McCain has chosen to discontinue medical treatment