Hero shooter Overwatch has an incredible diverse roster of characters: cowboys, robots, soldiers, even the undead. One character, however, stands out as particularly meta: South Korean professional gamer turned mech pilot D.Va.

As the only avatar in the game that is actually a gamer, D.Va has the distinction of spouting numerous voice lines filled with video game references. A personal favourite of many players seems to be “Is this easy mode?” It is meant as an insult of the opposing team, but it also perpetuates a troubling attitude among gamers.

What’s so bad about easy mode?

There has always been a bit of a “cult of difficulty” in the gaming community. Bragging rights, be they in the school yard or on online forums, seem to be a driving motivation for many gamers. Some gamers always are looking to “beat” somebody, be that other gamers or the game developers.

The rise of developer From Software and their style of brutally difficult, unforgiving gameplay, certainly has contributed to this “cult of difficulty”. The From Software formula is usually referred to as “Soulsbourne”, a portmanteau of the games Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls and Bloodborne. These titles famously do not feature difficulty settings; the same brutal difficulty applies to all players.

The From Software style even helped make a meme famous among gamers: “git gud”, an intentional misspelling of “get good”. This phrase has been used to mock players who struggle with difficult games.

What is particularly troubling is that many game developers seem to buy into this “cult of difficulty”. Numerous games released in the last few years make it a point to actively mock gamers for playing on an easier difficulty.

Ninja Gaiden Black, released in 2004 for the Xbox, for example, included a difficulty mode called “Ninja Dog”. On this difficulty setting, protagonist Ryu Hayabusa wears a purple ribbon to signal his lesser status. Non-playable characters in the game openly mock him throughout the game, even in victory.

Multiplatform shooter Wolfenstein: The New Order, released in 2014, includes difficulty settings that insult the player from the word go. The lowest difficulty is called “Can I play, Daddy?” and is accompanied with a picture of protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz dressed as a baby. The description even refers to the player as a “spineless gamer”.

Even worse, some developers decide to include an easy mode in their game, then actively lock players out of content unless they switch to a higher difficulty. Cuphead, rightly praised as one of the most beautiful games of this generation, offers a simplified mode for its brutal boss battles, then locks players out of the final area of the game.

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, released in 1996, omits a final cut scene on the “easy” difficulty, leaving the players with a cliffhanger unless they replay the entire game on “normal”. Did playable character Dash Rendar survive? On easy mode, it appears he did not.

The end effect is a gaming culture that is exclusionary. A vocal group of gamers excludes others who love games on the grounds of not being “good enough”. Some developers buy into this attitude, and eliminate difficulty settings or openly mock gamers who play on lower difficulties.

Video games are an interactive medium. There should be an effort to enable interactivity for players of all skills levels. Thankfully, some developers are moving in the right direction with what best can be described as a “Narrative Mode”.

A narrative mode enables gamers to play on a difficulty setting that focuses on story or world exploration and eases combat difficulty. Playstation exclusive Horizon: Zero Dawn calls this setting “Story”. Death Stranding, another Playstation exclusive, calls it “Very Easy Mode”. Assassin’s Creed: Origins refers to it as “Discovery Mode”.

The gaming industry has been reaping the benefits of an ageing demographic. In the 1980s and 1990s, publishers often focused their efforts on children and teenagers. According to the Entertainment Software Association, the average age of gamers in the US today is 34. This older generation of gamers, unlike teenagers, has disposable income that has helped the gaming industry reach record sales.

This ageing demographic, however, also faces the stark realities of adulthood: full-time jobs, raising children, and financial obligations. Time is at a premium for working adults. When faced with having to balance work and family obligations with the time needed to “git gud”, many ultimately have to choose their obligations. Developers should continue to seek ways to keep these individuals involved in the gaming community.

In the end, there are really two ways to get enjoyment from video games. Some gamers play for fun and relaxation, while others play for challenge or to prove they are better than others. Developers and publishers should make it a point to cater to BOTH types of gamers.

Include brutal difficulty for those players who enjoy that, but don’t mock or exclude gamers who do not. It is ultimately better for developers’ and publishers’ bottom line, since more gamers can buy into their games, and better for gaming culture.

The rise of the narrative difficulty setting bodes well for the future of the gaming industry. The gaming community is, after all, big enough for people of all skills levels.

The post Easy Mode vs The Cult of Difficulty In Gaming appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In the fall of 1990, Europe was once again late to the party. Nintendo’s ground-breaking handheld gaming system, the Game Boy, had been released in Japan and the U.S. in 1989. In Europe, however, gamers were still waiting.

I was six years old at the time and somewhat familiar with video games. My father owned an Atari 2600 and I had dabbled in handheld LCD games like those Tiger Electronics had made infamous. The Nintendo Entertainment System had been on the market since 1986, and some of my friends swore it was the greatest thing they’d ever seen.

When my parents asked what I wanted for my seventh birthday, I faced a dilemma. My parents usually limited my TV time to one hour per day. I had a sneaking suspicion that I would be able to spend a lot more time with a portable gaming system. So, I requested a Game Boy for my birthday.

The Game Boy was my first video game system. It introduced me to Mario and Link, to “Final Fantasy” and “Tetris”. It holds a special place in my heart. It ignited a lifelong passion for gaming.

Thanks to the power of the internet, I quickly discovered a thriving community of Game Boy modders. I combed through dozens of websites and online sellers and put together a plan to make my Game Boy better than ever before.

When I recently decided to retrieve my Game Boy from the basement, I was greeted with disappointment. The once white-grey shell had turned a sickly yellow. Some of the buttons felt too loose. The springs in the battery compartment were warped, barely allowing the batteries to make contact. Screen rot had created several dead spots on the screen.

I briefly considered purchasing a working Game Boy at a retro store, but dismissed the idea. I didn’t want to play on just any Game Boy. I wanted to use the same system that first inspired my gaming habits.

1. Disassembly

By modern standards, the Game Boy is not a particularly sophisticated piece of technology. Still, I hit a brick wall even just trying to open up the system.

Turns out, I needed some rather specific screwdrivers to open the shell. These “tri-wing” screwdrivers are thankfully available from numerous online sellers. They are inexpensive and extremely useful when disassembling old Nintendo hardware.

There are six tri-wing screws holding the two halves of the Game Boy together, four on the back of the system, and another two inside of the battery compartment. These are the only tri-wing screws; for the rest of the disassembly, a jewellery screwdriver is required.

Once the Game Boy was “open”, I noticed a small ribbon cable connecting the two halves on the inside. I gently disconnected the cable and separated the two halves.

Each of the two PCBs (short for “printed circuit board”), is connected to one half of the Game Boy shell via a series of screws. Using a jewellery screwdriver, it was simply to remove them both. The springs inside the battery compartment are easily removed, as well; gently pushing in the release inside the shell allows them to pop right out. Finally, a little pressure removes the lens that covers the screen; the adhesive used to attach it is quite old and brittle.

2. Hair Care for the Game Boy

My next step was to deal with the yellowing of the shell. I read on countless websites about a substance called “retrobrite” that could remove the yellow tint from ABS plastics commonly used in computer and video game shells in the 1980s. Some of the recipes were pretty complex. I didn’t exactly feel qualified to run chemical experiments in my basement.

Some further research, however, suggested that the active ingredient in “retrobrite” was hydrogen peroxide, a substance commonly used for highlighting hair. Instead of trying to re-create “retrobrite”, I purchased a bottle of 40v Cream Peroxide Developer online.

The concentration of hydrogen peroxide in this kind of developer is high, usually over 10%. Gloves are essential to protect the skin when using this stuff.

I applied the gel-like developer to the Game Boy shell with a small brush. I then wrapped the shell in cellophane wrap, which I had seen recommended on a couple of websites in combination with “retrobrite”. Finally, I placed the wrapped Game Boy shell outside into the sun, since hydrogen peroxide reacts with UV light.

I left the Game Boy shell outside for about 5 hours, then unwrapped it and rinsed it off. Unsatisfied with the results, I repeated the entire process. The results were impressive. The Game Boy shell was almost completely devoid of any yellowing.

3. After-Market Replacement Parts

I am not alone in my love for old video game systems. A small but thriving industry has sprung up around the games of yesteryear. Several online retailers specialise in replacement parts for various gaming consoles.

After some thorough research, I decided to go with handheldlegend.com. There, I purchased a new lens to cover the Game Boy’s screen, new buttons, and button pads (which sit under the buttons and make contact with the PCB), and battery springs.

Some of these parts are even available in alternate colours. I stuck with the authentic colour scheme, except for the lens. I felt a darker coloured lens would look better with the recently restored colour of the Game Boy shell.

Installing these parts was incredibly simple. I placed the buttons in the shell, then covered them with the button pads. The lens came with its own adhesive. Even the battery springs simply snapped into place.

The real challenge, however, would be replacing the most important part of the Game Boy: the screen.

4. Preparing for a New Screen

When I began this project, it was incredibly important to keep the Game Boy as authentic as possible. If a part was not broken, I would not replace it. I wanted to preserve my original Game Boy, not replace it.

There was, however, one part I had to replace: the screen. Here, I faced a choice: replace the screen with a similar screen or upgrade.

Although intended to be a black and white screen that could display four shades of grey, the original Game Boy screen really displayed four shades of baby-diarrhoea green. Worse, it did not feature a back light. Playing the Game Boy in less than ideal lighting conditions was basically impossible. The low-tech nature of the screen, however, allowed the system to have some incredible battery life for the time.

After some consideration, I decided to upgrade the screen, even if the battery life would take a hit. Using a screen with a back light would breathe new life into the system. Thankfully, handheldlegend.com had a screen replacement available that met my needs: the DMG RIPS IPS LCD V3.

This screen comes with a new front PCB to help minimise soldering. There is, however, one drawback: the new screen is actually larger than the original screen, so the front shell needs to be modified.

Two small posts above the screen opening have to be removed from the shell. I accomplished this with a sharp knife, although there are also specific tools available to accomplish this goal. After some minor sanding to make sure the surface was as smooth as possible, I was ready to proceed.

5. Installing the New Screen

There is a bracket that can be used to help install the new screen; regrettably, I did not know that. When I began re-assembling my Game Boy, I had not ordered such a bracket. Thankfully, although it is helpful and highly recommended, it is not technically necessary.

I attached the new screen to the Game Boy shell’s interior with the included adhesive tape, carefully measuring every step of the way. At this point, I also made sure that I had the buttons and button pads installed, since the front PCB would cover all of this.

A small ribbon cable then connected the screen to the new front PCB.

6. Sound

Purchasing a screen with a new front PCB minimised soldering, but it did not eliminate the need completely. There was still one small soldering job required: the Game Boy’s speaker.

The speaker is attached to the front PCB via two cables. I simply cut the wires off as close to the original PCB as possible, then used a wire cutter to strip some of the insulation. The new PCB clearly shows where to insert these wires, but they still need to be connected via solder.

The good news is that this is a very easy soldering job. I had never soldered electronics before, so I was initially intimidated. I purchased a cheap soldering wand and watched a couple of videos on soldering. The whole process took less than two minutes.

7. Game Boy Re-Assembled

At this point in the process, it was just a matter of putting everything back in its place. I re-installed the back PCB in the back shell, used the ribbon cable to connect the front and back PCBs, and tightened all screws.

A word of caution: when re-installing the PCBs, it is important to not over-tighten the screws. This can create too much tension on the internal parts of the Game Boy. I made this mistake, and half of the buttons did not register when pressed. I had to disassemble the Game Boy once more to find the problem.

This was the moment of truth. Would it all work? The answer was yes. I fired up the Game Boy, then spent the next hour playing “Super Mario Land”. The buttons were responsive, the batteries maintained contact, and the screen was gorgeous.

After a lengthy process that required me to learn new skills, I am thoroughly pleased with this “new” Game Boy. I’d like to think that seven-year-old me would have loved this restored and upgraded system.

The post Restoring and Upgrading Nintendo’s Original Game Boy appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Article contributed by Madalena Daleziou

Schools are often depicted as safe, generally uneventful places, where students can make friends and hone their skills. A place to feel nostalgic for when it’s time to leave or simply a boring but essential experience one has to go through. But for many of us, things were more complicated. For many students, school requires master specific sets of skills, devising plans, and making difficult choices just to get through a single day. Perhaps this is what makes school so interesting settings for video games. Of course, school settings are still not as common in gaming as they are in books or anime, for instance, but with gaming communities becoming more and more diverse, many players are keen on games that go beyond epic adventures or traditional horror. Sometimes, what looks like our experience, but not quite, is the hardest and the scariest.

Developed by Team Salvato, Doki Doki Literature Club! begins like your typical dating sim game. ‘You’ are a presumably male high school student, persuaded by your childhood friend, Sayori, to join your school’s poetry club. The other club members are shy, mysterious Yuri, impulsive Natsuki, and Monika, the club president. The girls welcome you and share their goal for the club to make it into the official after-school club ranks.

The game initially involves long, but well-written conversations about literature. Your choices can alter your experience of everyday occurrences like trivial arguments between club members but – apart from a few disturbing hints here and there – everything seems mundane. For every game-day, the player can choose words to include in a poem to share with the club the next day. The four girls’ poems are also available to read. Some of them are very well-crafted and suggestive of their struggles and the stage of the game. As the school festival approaches, your poems and other choices can lead to bonding with one of the girls and spending more time with her.

But if you have heard anything at all about the game, you will be at the edge of your seat throughout this familiar, anime-style premise. Part of the enjoyment (if it can even be called that) stems from not knowing when things are going to change, and how, so it’s better to start playing with as little knowledge as possible (but don’t take the content warning too lightly).

One thing is certain: Doki Doki Literature Club! is not your typical dating sim, although it initially seems to be. The setting might be an after-school literature club, but important issues, from real-life ones, like mental health struggles, to meta ones, such us writing female characters with the sole purpose of being love interests, are discussed in unexpectedly insightful, but very creepy ways.

Dan Salvato, who wrote and developed this unique visual novel, has announced that, although we can’t expect a Doki Doki Season 2 for the time being, new content will be available at some point in 2020. For the game’s many fans, this is definitely something to look forward to. 

In a very different style and type of game, the first season of Life is Strange – a 2015 video game developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix – takes the player to a very unsettling school experience. The main character, Max, is an introverted 18-year-old girl who has just moved back to her small hometown, Arcadia Bay, to complete her secondary education in prep school Blackwell Academy which has an elite Photography programme. The storyline contains many of the elements that compose many school dramas: a shy main character with quiet friends, including a nerdy best friend who possibly has a crush on her, the rebellious, troubled friend, the expected bullies, the mean student whose family practically owns the town and the principal who takes action when it’s too late.

But from the very first scene, true to the game’s title, strange things begin to happen. Max wakes up in the classroom of her favourite photography teacher, having had a horrible vision of a storm destroying Arcadia Bay. Soon after, Max discovers she has acquired a mysterious power: she has suddenly become able rewind time without anyone noticing, each time enacting the butterfly effect. This discovery deeply unsettles her, at the same time as it amazes her. At first, she only uses it for trivial things, such as going back in time to give a witty answer to a teacher’s question. But, as the school’s darker side is revealed, Max realises she can use her powers to do some good. Going back in time allows her to know things others don’t, correct mistakes, and sneak into places she shouldn’t, avoiding getting caught. Following Max’s school-life, the player can choose when to move back in time to help other students. Her powers make her feel strong enough to stand up to the school’s bullies, and, if she chooses to, become an everyday hero. But at what cost?

Though very different from Doki Doki in terms of style and storyline, Life is Strange is also full of dark twists. To an extent, player choices matter and even determine the result of important plot twists, but no matter what decisions who make, you will share something of Max’s school experience. From the very realistic dorm rooms, to late-night sneaking in places you shouldn’t, the game brings Blackwell Academy to life; along with its secrets. When serious issues arise that reflect real-life problems, such as cyberbullying, drugs and struggling with mental health, Max’s powers aren’t enough to fix things. This, along with the disappearance of a student that haunts the characters since episode 1, is where the real horror comes from.  

So, what is it that make school-settings so suitable for subtle but impactful horror? Perhaps it’s their uncanny effect, the way they feel familiar, almost like home, but still scary when they are empty, after sunset. Real-life problems, such as bullying and struggling with mental health, which can affect one’s school experience, definitely play a role as well, perhaps even helping some players process their own reality.  Of course, for some people, no video game will compare to the more mundane but very real issues of their own school experience (though, for me, one or two scenes came close). In the end, it comes down to great videogame writers using horror elements creatively to create twisted versions of school experiences, that still feel eerily real.  

Both Doki Doki Literature Club! and Life is Strange are available on Steam, the former for free.

Have you played these games? What are your own favourite video games in school settings? Let us know in the comments below!

The post ‘Doki Doki Literature Club!’ and ‘Life is Strange’ With Their Dark School Settings appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Most people can appreciate the value of a good old YouTube marathon — grabbing a snack, a drink, a blanket, some earbuds, and enjoying the content others have put out. It can be amusing, entertaining, and/or relaxing, depending on what you watch. For those who love The Sims franchise, specifically The Sims 4, there’s a whole community of creators with challenges, speed builds, gameplay, and more. Most videos could also be enjoyed by those with little to no knowledge of or experience with the game. On that note, here are six YouTubers with Sims content worth watching.

1. Kelsey Impicciche

Kelsey provides content for two channels: her own self-named channel and that of her employer, Buzzfeed — specifically, Buzzfeed Multiplayer, the video game-themed division of the company. She’s best known for the “Single Girl Tries the 100 Baby Challenge” series, and yes, that challenge is a real, surprisingly popular thing. The shortest version is that you play as a single mother in game, trying to have one hundred children in as few generations as possible, and each pregnancy must come from a different parent. It’s wild, and Kelsey’s playthrough is incredibly entertaining. It started as a joke in December 2018 and has since acquired quite the following. As of May 2020, she is just over sixty children in and still going strong. In addition to the main series, there are also six spin-off series starring various children from the challenge. If you want even more from Kelsey, there are a few Sim-themed videos up on Buzzfeed Multiplayer unrelated to the challenge, and a handful on her own channel.

2. Kayla — lilsimsie

While Kayla is arguably one of the most popular Sims content creators out there, some people might not be aware of her, as was the case for me. She posts daily videos, mostly for The Sims 4 but also occasionally for its predecessor, The Sims 3. Some of the series on her channel are her own attempt at the one hundred baby challenge — four years and counting — as well as the “Wheel Spin of Doom” let’s play, where she uses a random number generator to fuel the story and cause all sorts of chaos. She also frequently uploads building videos, and in all honesty, she’s one of the best builders I’ve ever seen. If you want to improve your own builds, check out her channel; she provides entertaining commentary and helpful build tips in nearly all of her videos.

3. Sasha — Vixella

Another popular content creator, Sasha is also very entertaining to watch. Although she focuses less on gameplay and more on challenges, both in the character creator and in build mode, her videos are still absolutely worth your time. Some of her best content includes numerous random genetics challenges — in which you randomly create two Sims, randomise their child, and then try to make the child look as attractive as possible — as well as the solid colour and black and white build challenges — the former meaning you can only use one colour to build a house, the latter meaning you turn the colours off on your computer screen and give building your best effort. Most of her videos also feature amusing visual and audio effects.

4. Gray — GrayStillPlays

If you want less structured, more chaotic Sims content, Gray’s channel is definitely worth watching. He doesn’t care about making Sims or building; instead, his singular goal is causing as much pain and drama in his Sims’ lives as possible. That’s the entire theme of his channel, to be quite honest, and it’s highly entertaining. Some of his Sims include Florida Man, Australian Man, Bab Ross, Colono Scopy, and the two cats, Spleens and Tonsils. To give you a good idea of what his content is like, here are some video titles in his The Sims 4 playlist: “I Built a 1000 Mile Long Hallway”, “I Built a House That is So Dirty it Kills People”, “I Built a House That Kills People for Food”, “I Built a House with 100,000 Doors”, “I Made a Mother take care of 100 Children”, “I gave a woman 100 husbands and this happened”, and finally its counterpart, “I gave a man 100 wives and this happened”. He also frequently uploads videos where he plays lesser known games, always with the objective to cause maximum chaos.

5. Deli — Deligracy

Deligracy’s channel is another that’s quite popular, and this Australian YouTuber is fun to watch even though her videos aren’t quite as wild. She has many ‘let’s play’ and building videos, including one ongoing let’s play, “The Cobbs Family”, about an average Sim household, just with much more drama. Deli also has a second channel with more entertaining content, but less structure. On that channel, called More Deligracy, one notable series is her attempt at the one hundred baby challenge, but with a twist — it all happens in a micro home, a feature that came with the Tiny Living stuff pack, meaning the entire house is only thirty-two tiles. Tiny houses such as that do come with perks like reduced bills and quicker relationship and skill gain, but as you can imagine, having a large family in a minuscule space isn’t easy.

6. Kenzie — Positively SIMful

Kenzie’s is the smallest channel on this list, and one I found completely by chance after reading an article she wrote related to The Sims 4. She doesn’t have a whole lot of content, but one thing she does have is the ongoing “Veteran Mom Tries the 100 Baby Challenge” series. She’s a very down-to-earth person, and her videos can be quite comical. If I’m being honest, her approach to the challenge is the most methodical I’ve seen, and she might be the first I know of to finish it in a single generation. Only time will tell if that actually happens, but in the meantime, you can check out the challenge thus far and help her channel grow.

Hopefully this list has given you some new content to enjoy, and maybe some new creators to check out! As a whole, the Sims community is full of great people and entertaining content, so if you like these channels and want more or are searching for something more suited to your tastes, you’re bound to find something.

Do you watch any of these YouTubers? Or do you have any other recommendations? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Six YouTubers With Great ‘Sims’ Content appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Sims is a franchise that needs no introduction. Ever since the first titular game released in 2000, it’s been wildly popular. Each instalment has gained more traction, and there have been several other games, such as The Sims Medieval and The Sims Freeplay.

For those unfamiliar, The Sims is a life simulation game that allows you to create a character and a life for them, and you essentially play god. You can make their lives as mundane or as messy as you desire, and really, you can do anything you want. The newest significant addition to the franchise is The Sims 4, released on PC and Mac in 2014, then on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in 2017. Whether you’ve played since The Sims 1, only dabbled in the Freeplay app, or discovered The Sims 4 through YouTube last week, there’s nothing stopping you; no need to play through the series to understand what’s happening. Each game stands alone, each full of infinite possibilities for any style of gameplay.

But wait, there’s more. Each main game in the franchise has additional content available for purchase, called packs. The focus today is on The Sims 4, which has three pack tiers, and each one adds something new — the larger the pack, the more content it brings to the table. There are stuff packs, game packs, and expansion packs — the first are $10 each, the second $20 each, and the last $40 each, in US dollars. Although there are frequent sales for all platforms, there are also over thirty packs to choose from, and the total definitely adds up. So if you want to purchase something to add to the base game — though it’s still fun and versatile on its own — without breaking the bank, consider this list of my top ten packs!

1. Cats & Dogs (Expansion Pack)

If you aren’t much of a pet person, this likely won’t appeal to you. If you are, though, you’re in for a treat. There are dozens upon dozens of breeds of both cats and dogs to choose from, even a couple of wildcard options such as a fox and a raccoon. Whether your Sim adopts a pet or you make one (or five) specifically for your household, these buddies are so much fun to play with. Each pet gets their own set of three traits, which determines whether they’re affectionate or distant, obedient or mischievous, smart or…not so much. You can dress cats and dogs alike with collars, hats, shirts, even dresses and costumes. You also have the opportunity to open a vet clinic, no experience needed from you or your Sim, and help distressed pet parents, whose babies have come down with silly illnesses like Winterfest fever.

2. Island Living (Expansion Pack)

Though many players complain that this pack isn’t as fleshed out as it could be, I fully believe that it’s great and has something for everyone to enjoy. If you like otherworldly gameplay, Island Living introduces mermaids to the game, and you can make them look as innocent or as vicious as you like. There’s a heavy focus on community, as demonstrated through the people of the new island world, Sulani. There are also new careers, such as divers, fishermen, and conservationists; the first two are rather self-explanatory, and the last allows your Sims to explore and preserve the environment, another focal part of this newer pack.

3. Realm of Magic (Game Pack)

To the Sim players that are still salty they never got their Hogwarts letter, this pack is for you. Although magic is the only similarity between Harry Potter and this Sims pack, and a faint one at that, it’s a good way to get peoples’ attention. Realm of Magic adds another type of occult Sim to the game: spellcasters. Whether you make them in the character creator to start off your game or your Sim stumbles through the Glimmerbrook portal and ends up with magical abilities before dinner, they’re so much fun to play with. There are three kinds of magic — practical, mischief, and untamed — and alchemy. You can focus on one or dabble in all four. You can choose from eleven different familiars, although as far as the community is aware, you can have as many as you want. Options include, but are not limited to, ravens, Sixam owls, dragons, phoenixes, and snub-nosed leaf bats.

4. Vampires (Game Pack)

If you don’t like being limited to mundane gameplay, I’ve got good news: there are two other types of occult Sims in addition to the two mentioned previously. Vampires are a media classic, yet this pack still manages to put a somewhat fresh spin on them. Sims can be created as or turned into vampires, and from there, you can simplify or dramatise their dark form and make them as merciful or merciless as desired when they’re thirsty. Befriend or antagonise other vampires as you learn more lore. Maybe you spar every fanged person in sight, or maybe you transform into a bat and keep to yourself. Then again, maybe you remain human and wait to see how vampires approach you. The Vatore siblings, Caleb and Lilith, are amiable (and easy to flirt with), whereas Vlad stays secluded in his rundown mansion, only coming out for blood. You could be a vampire’s best friend, beau, or blood source…who knows what will happen?

5. Seasons (Expansion Pack)

Arguably, this pack is one of the best, simply because it adds so much to gameplay. It gives your games the four seasons, hence the name, and daily weather unique to whatever world your Sims live in. Nearly everything is here, from the casual, day-to-day things like sunshine and rain, to the extremes like heat waves, thunderstorms, and blizzards. Splash in puddles in the spring, jump in leaf piles in the fall, build snow friends in the winter; sounds real, yes? Well, that’s not all. Your Sims can celebrate classic seasonal holidays like Love Day, Harvestfest, Winterfest, and New Year’s, as well as entertaining random ones, including, but not limited to, Prank Day and Talk Like a Pirate Day. This pack brings an enormous amount of new content to the table for Sims of all ages — which can’t always be said about packs — and some smaller details even change depending on your Sim’s age and traits. Although it was placed in the middle of the list due to personal preference, this is honestly one of the best packs EA has put out for The Sims 4, to date.

6. Parenthood (Game Pack)

Whether you’re attempting the one hundred baby challenge (yes, that’s a thing) or prefer more normal families, Parenthood adds much to the table for those who enjoy having Sims have children and general generational gameplay, though anyone could benefit from it. Toddlers and children can splash paint on the floor if left to their own autonomous devices; children and teens can work on school projects and even experience random phases, such as the desire to listen to loud music or don a bear costume. This pack also boasts a warm, homey, colourful aesthetic in clothing and decor.

7. Toddlers (Stuff Pack)

Toddlers were introduced to The Sims 4 in an early 2017 update, and many can agree that while they were fun, they felt like a half-baked element of the game. With Toddler Stuff comes more outfits, interactions, and activities for the young Sims. Admittedly, your kiddos can be either adorable sweethearts or insufferable brats; their trait and simple luck determines which side of them prevails. However, I find them enjoyable nonetheless, and this pack is absolutely worth its cost. You can even host toddler play dates, if that sort of frenzied gameplay is appealing to you.

8. Backyard (Stuff Pack)

If you want outdoor fun for your whole Sim family, Backyard Stuff is the way to go. This pack’s star feature is the lawn water slide, of which there are two — one with a simple oceanic pattern and another with a shark’s open mouth over the middle. Paired with colourful yard furniture and decorations, as well as brightly coloured crop tops and overalls, the aesthetic here is undeniably summer. Fun fact: your Sim can even get attacked by birds when they go to fill up their bird feeder.

9. Tiny Living (Stuff Pack)

For as many people there are that enjoy gameplay, there are plenty that love building. You’re able to build any number of private or public things in The Sims 4, from houses and parks to night clubs and gyms. Players might prefer building spacious family homes or smaller, more cosy ones. Those that favour the latter would likely be interested in the newest stuff pack, Tiny Living. This pack allows you to challenge yourself, to build truly tiny houses. And the smaller you go, the more perks there are for your Sims: learning skills and building relationships faster, reduced bill prices, better moods. Just beware the Murphy bed, as it might look pretty and allow you to maximise space, but it can be much more troublesome than you might think.

10. Movie Hangout (Stuff Pack)

The best word to summarise this pack would be vibrant. In both its clothing and decor, Movie Hangout is colourful and fun. It offers indoor and outdoor movie projectors, significant because, prior to its release, Sims could only watch television. To complete the experience, there’s even a popcorn maker with a number of flavor options. This pack is another easy way to give your Sims a fun way to pass the time, although they’ll definitely make it clear if they dislike a film. Oh, and when left to autonomy, Sims, for some reason, adore making popcorn instead of eating proper meals. At least, that’s my experience with it.

The Sims 4 is a fun game, full of possibilities, and there’s something to appeal to everyone’s taste and playing style. There are so many packs to choose from, and numerous reasons to consider each one. Hopefully this list will help you decide which pack to purchase next time you’ve the opportunity. Happy playing!

Do you play The Sims 4? Do you have a favourite pack, or one you’ve got your eye on? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 10 Fantastic Add-On Packs For ‘The Sims 4’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Pokémon’s long awaited eighth generation adventures, Pokémon Sword and Shield are bound to be one of the biggest gaming releases of the year when they hit the Nintendo Switch on November 15th.

The famous franchise was first introduced to Nintendo’s latest console last year with Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee and while they were widely received, many fans still expressed initial disappointment that they wouldn’t be exploring a new region and catching all new creatures. Let’s Go, however, did give us a firsthand look at of what Pokémon on the Switch was capable of which only heightened the anticipation for the next main series entry. Finally, on June 5th a special Nintendo direct was held where Pokémon Sword and Shield were officially announced, a trailer was released and some of the games new features were revealed.

Since the initial direct, fans have slowly been fed gameplay snippets and updates. Now, with just over three months to go until we can rejoice and dive back into the Pokémon world, so here’s a breakdown of all the exciting things we’ve learnt so far about Pokémon Sword and Shield.

New Starters

A new adventure of course means a new Pokémon partner will be joining you and in Sword and Shield you’ll be able to choose from the energetic rabbit fire-type: Scorbunny, the curious grass-type: Grooky, and, the skittish water-type: Sobble, who appears considerable less cheery than the others.

The Galar Region 

Sword and Shield are set in the brand new Galar region where Pokémon battles are the most popular form of entertainment, so much so that your gym battles will take place in stadiums in-front of eager audience members.

The region’s environment appears to have taken a lot of inspiration from Great Britain, containing Victorian architecture, stretches of countryside, snow covered mountains and a vast industrial city. A large portion of the Galar region is encompassed by the Wild Area, an open world area situated between the region’s primary cities that features a wide variety of wild Pokémon to encounter.

Dynamax 

One feature that’s unique to the Galor region is the dynamax phenomenon. Dynamaxing is a new battling technique in which trainers can command their Pokémon to increase in size and power, resulting in a Pokémon’s moves becoming much more powerful. A dynamax can be used once in battle and lasts for three turns so deciding when to use this special technique will be the key to victory.

Max Raid Battles  

In the wild area, you’ll have the opportunity to join forces with up to three other players to undergo various activities and challenges. One of these new multiplayer features are max raid battles where you’ll be able to challenge powerful wild Pokémon that will remain dynamax’d for the entire battle, so you’ll need your allies help to take on these powerful creatures. Once the battle is won you’ll then have to opportunity to catch the powerful Pokémon and add it to your team.

Rival and Guides 

Speaking of allies, you’ll be receiving support from the Galar region’s Pokémon expert Professor Magnolia and her granddaughter and assistant Sonia. Your new rival will also be starting his journey on the same day as you. Hop is the younger brother of the region’s greatest trainer and current champion, Leon and dreams of one day becoming the champion too.

Enemies 

As well as Hop, you’ll also meet two more rivals, Bede and Marine during your journey. A new force of trainers, deemed Team Yell (or ‘Marine’s wild fans’) are also set to join the story and are sure to throw some curveballs your way.

Legendaries 

It wouldn’t be a Pokémon story if there weren’t some legendary creatures to encounter and Sword and Shield has two enticing wolf like creatures that are featured on each games respective artwork. There’s Zacian who bears a sword between its teeth, and, Zamazenta that possess a strong shield covering its body. As well as these legendaries and the three new starter Pokémon, there will of course be an array of new Pokémon to discover in the Galar region. Nintendo’s latest trailer in particular has highlighted a Galarian Zigzagoon (first featured in the third generation’s Hoenn region), and, a new form changing electric Pokémon called Morpeko.

With an exciting environment, new gameplay features, wonderful graphics and a lot of Pokémon to meet, Pokémon Sword and Shield are shaping up to be brilliant. Are you ready to catch em’ all and experience the Galar Region?

Will you be picking up Sword or Shield (or possibly both?) Let us know in the comments down below!

The post ‘Pokémon Sword and Shield’: Everything We Know So Far  appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

If you’ve heard of the Oddworld series of games, then you will know where I’m coming from and you will want scroll straight to the recent gameplay walkthrough below, but if you haven’t, it’s time for a quick history lesson.

Back in 1997 developers Oddworld Inhabitants created Oddworld; Abe’s Oddysee on Playstation which was a 2D side scroller platform game that followed an adorable little blue character named Abe. Abe was part of the enslaved race of “Mudokons” working in a meat factory, before he realised that the next meat on the menu was his own race! It was the gamers job to help him escape and rescue his fellow mudokons along the way. Abe’s return to Playstation the following year in Abe’s Exoddus saw a bigger adventure with more mudokons to save, tombs to raid, and factories to infiltrate! Both games were very challenging if you wanted to complete them having rescued 100% of Abe’s buddies. I thought the visuals and music were great for their time, perfectly blending industrial factory levels, and beautiful scenery such as forests and sunsets in outdoor levels.

Here is Abe’s Oddysee and the HD remake New N Tasty:

After the success of Oddysee‘s makeover with New N Tasty in 2014 by the developers Just Add Water, Oddworld Inhabitants announced its plans to remaster and rework the sequel (Abe’s Exoddus), which will be titled Soulstorm (after a very unique and suspicious brew). Soulstorm will see new challenges and new elements of gameplay rather than just being a HD a “glow up” of the original game.  Lorne Lanning, the mastermind behind the series, has often been quoted as saying Soulstorm will be the sequel they always wanted to make but didn’t get the chance to release.

A teaser of the cinematics dropped in March this year at the Games Developer Conference in San Francisco which you can see below which shows off gorgeous graphics.

So what do we know about the game and what can we expect from Soulstorm that’s new?

Collecting and Crafting

Abe will now be able to find and loot things as he goes, and craft things like bottles into objects such as weapons to use against enemies.

Recycling

Abe will be able to recycle objects at vending machines for money which he can then use to buy products which may aid him in the game

Karma

Or Quarma, as it’s known as it the Oddworld universe is Abe’s karma. The games have always been about doing right by Abe’s friends and saving as many of his fellow mudokons as possible. If Abe has good karma this affects what happens to him at the end of the game. In Soulstorm, gamers are going to be able to see what is happening with Abe’s quarma on screen as it goes up and down.

Replay Value

Players will now get access to statistics at the end of a level, showing what collectables they’ve got and how many “secrets” they’ve collected. This means those die – hard gamers that like to pocket everything are looking at hours and hours of playtime.

Want to see it in action? In June at E3 2019, they revealed some gameplay and a play through, check it out below:

In my opinion, it looks very different to the original game with lots happening on the screen, and it’s visually much brighter. I hope it still keeps some of the parts which stole many hours of my time as a young teenager! That being said, it’s also exciting to know that there is going to be a very new game and experience of an old favourite in a new way. Oddworld has many loyal fans, and it would be amazing for it to gain some new ones.

Release Date: 2020

New N Tasty now available on all of the following platforms; Playstation 4, Playstation 3, Playstation Vita, Xbox One, Wii U, PC (Linux, Microsoft Windows & OS X)

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/314660/Oddworld_New_n_Tasty/

Will you be playing Soulstorm? Did you play any previous games? If so, what did you love about Oddworld?

The post Get Ready For ‘Oddworld: Soulstorm’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The remake of the 2005 cult classic game Destroy All Humans has been announced and is set for release in 2020. Instead of talking about the shiny new graphics and revamped tales of our beloved character, Crypto, let’s revisit the award winning original. Lead artist, Fiona Francois, was one of three women working on the game in a largely male-dominated industry.

Pandemic Studios had two separate offices, one in Los Angeles and one in Brisbane, Australia. When asking Fiona what it was like working as a woman in a computer game company, her answer was her mostly laughing. However, she did explain that “one of my first experiences with feeling a little out of place was when I was sitting in a meeting at Activision in the U.S where there were 200 male developers in a room… and me. Rather intimidating, but I got used to it over the years. We had a great time working on most games, pulling all-nighters, doing crazy pranks; for the most part I was “one of the guys”. But if I was to be brutally honest, there were times when I had to prove myself over again a little too often, especially after coming back from maternity leave (twice) and there was always a spare chair either side of me during company meetings as nobody wanted to sit next to The Girl.”

At various points during production, Pandemic lost the lead game designer, producer, and then the director, “which were three critical roles!” Fiona explained. “Tensions were high during deadline periods and more than once the project was threatened to be shut down. The game underwent many high-level redesigns which entailed a completely new set of art and animation assets, not to mention code rewrites.”

One of the concept artists, Mat Brady, designed the alien protagonist and then Fiona built him. Enquiring about the origins of Crypto’s name, Fiona explained that “I devised the concept of naming the alien characters after diseases. We had a friend at the time who had contracted Cryptosporidium from a public swimming pool so it came to mind as a particularly nasty (but cool sounding) name, shortened to Crypto.”

The excreting cow cut-scene early in the game won an innovation award. Fiona explained that “I didn’t really have a lot to do with that scene other than to organise for the art to be redone. It was originally outsourced to the US office due to tight deadlines and when it arrived the “Poo arc” was in glorious high res with more budget than Crypto himself! We were in stitches having all gathered around to watch it in its cinematic splendour right before we had to hack it to bits to make it run in the game. The splendid poo texture was the only thing that remained of the original, albeit much, much smaller… but we still remember,” she said.

Looking back at the landscapes and the general graphics of the game, it was a beautifully immersive and realistic 1950’s America. When the game was released, the graphics were highly praised for their originality. When asking Fiona about why the scenes and landscapes were so unique and realistic, she explained that “it certainly wasn’t the tools that we had” she laughs, “We were using left-over, buggy world-building tools developed for Army Men released in 2002, so it all came down to doing what we could with what we had and good artistic decisions.  Because the game was third-person and the majority of the real-estate of the screen was sky, I pushed hard to have a large portion of the graphics budget dedicated to the skybox. It was like creating a painting. Hi-res sky with painterly clouds orchestrating optimal times of day along with weather variants created the groundwork for a believable universe. We backed that up with good lighting choices (magic hour, moonlight etc) with vertex lighting on the ground-plane and buildings to break up the tiled uniformity of the landscape. Nothing fancy, just good old-fashioned art direction. Also, we had some seriously good animation talent and that further contributed to the realistic believability of the world.”

Early in the development of the game, place-holder sounds were created by the developers, things like screaming and character vocals, later to be professionally recorded by voice actors. Fiona relates an incident during the process of directing this recording session with the actors, which had to occur at night (Australian time) with the counterpart American recording studio. “Brad Welch, the lead designer was on speaker-phone directing the process at 1 am with the volume on his phone turned right up listening to countless screams and shouts of panicked NPC actors. Then he gets a knock on the door. The police had arrived, alerted by a cacophony of screaming and shouting in a building in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. One of the many quirks of working in such an odd industry.”

After Pandemic was bought out by EA games and consequently shut down, Fiona moved to Tasmania to complete the other half of her dream. She opened an art gallery in Deloraine in the north-west of the state and has been painting and drawing for the past eight years. You can find Fiona online on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, fionafrancoisart.com, or at Gallery 5 Deloraine in Tasmania.

Have you played Destroy All Humans? Tell us in the comments below!

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Think for a moment of your favourite RPG. This can literally be anything from World of Warcraft, to Dungeons and Dragons, to Fallout. Just put it in your mind and then think of one character that you have played as in this game. What did you create them to be like? Usually in RPGs you have about a million options from class and skills, to weapons and appearance, and everything in between. But in your own creative process, you narrow down your options until you create the wizard knight elf bard of your dreams and then as you play through the game, your character levels up to take on harder and harder challenges and gains more skills.

Now, what if you built your character as you and instead of viewing that character as, well, a character, you viewed them as yourself just living in a fantasy world. Now, I know some people do this to a degree by making them look like them for example, but what I am talking about is not just giving them your name but rather imbuing them with your characteristics, including your fears.

What if you used your character as a reflection of yourself and thus every obstacle that they face is something that you are facing in your own life? So, if you struggle with anxiety or depression make your character suffer from those as well. But here is the key, because it is a game, you are going to play forward, that is the fun of it. Even though your character of you has those obstacles to overcome you are going to push them forward because you are playing. You can actually use this as a technique to push yourself forward in your day to day.

The next step in this process would be to think of the monsters and bosses that you face in the game as things you are overcoming in your own life. For example, if you find that you have anxiety in social situations maybe the boss at the end of the next level represents your sister’s wedding that you have to go to next month and all the smaller enemies that you face on your way there are the smaller things that you do in preparation for that event, like going to a barbecue at a friend’s house that you would otherwise avoid.

There is immense power in not only visualisation but in stories and by gaming in this way, you are making your brain think about your life in a different and very concrete way. Viewing your life and problems as something external to you helps you to think objectively and to figure out new positive solutions. It also helps to understand the journey of your life without massive amounts of emotional fog that you can easily get surrounded with in the everyday.

Not only that, but having your growth on a linear pattern, such as it is in games, can help you ease into healing and overcoming huge blocks in your personal life in little bite sized steps. When you are faced with a new mental health challenge in your life, gaming it away actually gives you a way to organise your thoughts about your challenge without getting wrapped up in the real world yuck of all of it.

Our brains learn the quickest and easiest through stories. It is the reasons we are told fables when we are children because it is easier for us to remember lessons when they are about a boy and sheep than our parents simply telling us not to lie. However, if we use this principle now, we can actually help our brain unlearn its anxiety patterns and instead create new story based lessons. By consciously choosing to play through our own stories, we take back some agency over our lives and feelings.

After I left an abusive relationship, I suffered from extreme anxiety. It was incredibly debilitating and, if I am being totally transparent, therapy or counselling was not something that I found I wanted to invest a ton of effort in. Mostly because it was a challenge in and of itself to even set up an appointment. So, because setting up an appointment gave me anxiety, I simply avoided it. However, I knew that I needed to do something to help myself to get over this, I didn’t want to live in fear forever.

When I first tried this method (I am a deep lover of all things nerdy), I was shocked at the difference I noticed in my life. The big turning point for me was I no longer had to try and imagine what it would be like to not have anxiety cripple me. I actually had a visual that I didn’t come up with in my own mind. It was there! Right there in front of me on the screen! Conquering monsters. Suddenly things started to become less scary to deal with.

I am not saying that this method can be an anxiety cure the first time you try it, but giving your mind an image and a story to follow can seriously help the next time life springs something at you. You can even take this RPG strategy and keep the game going mentally as you are overcoming your challenges. Picture the character of you going to the grocery store and view it as an adventure. Bringing the fun of play into your everyday can help those monstrous fears seem deeply less terrifying.

So give it a try! Use the things that you love to help you overcome the things that you, well, don’t love. I think you will be surprised with the results!

Do you agree? Have you tried this? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Can RPG’s Help With Your Anxiety? appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a big nerd. Why else would you visit The Nerd Daily? Here at The Nerd Daily we celebrate every facet of nerddom, and that also extends to video games. In this article, I want to just take a moment to talk about what makes the video game industry specifically, in the midst of all the nerdy fandoms out there, so special. My initial thought was actually to write persuasive essays about the legitimacy of video games as a form of expression that should be taught and studied like books, music, art, and movies. Instead, I’m simply going to point out facets and features that have made certain games “classics,” and why I think these specific works can hold their salt against their cousins in movies, TV, and novels. And who knows, maybe some of my feelings surrounding gaming’s legacy and feasibility as a whole will sneak in here and there. Just be warned: I will nerd out, and I’ll nerd out freaking hard. Join, fellow nerds.

That said, while reading these short posts you must understand that I truly believe that we are in the infant stages of a medium that is going to evolve storytelling and human experience to a new level, that video games ought to (and will) be studied like the classics of centuries before. Already, people are beginning to understand the significance of movies and how they’ve changed storytelling, and already the study of film is being implemented at every level of schooling. Why? Because the benefits are finally being seen and understood. Right now, gaming is too young of a medium and is not fully understood, but in time, the same will happen.

I was going to move on but now I’d like to finish this thought out. Maybe this short article will just act as a “pilot” of sorts for this venture of mine. But, in all honesty (and you’ll probably think this is ridiculous), I think video gaming is going to be the future of learning; more specifically, that it is actually the key to unlocking higher learning in the average individual. Humanity learns 80% through experience, and video games have already proven to be a tactile, skill-honing experience unlike any other. I just can’t help but see the potential in the days ahead when math concepts, literature stories, art programs, and historical events are all experienced by students through the power of video gaming—a medium that has been creating tangible virtual realities since its inception. In our schooling system today, we already do our best to simulate real-life situations for students. Knowledge is presented from the known to the unknown, and teachers already work hard to have students visualise concepts. So imagine a video game simulation that grounds the concept in some reality for students to actually experience themselves as opposed to just trying to imagine in their head or study it on a page. Knowledge and communication could skyrocket.

Eventually, I believe the medium will break out of its “video game” moniker and just become pure virtual reality—or should I say, virtual realities. They’ll be called something like “virtual experiences” or “video realities,” because eventually, every form of reality–and truly, the potential is for every form–will be able to be experienced by the user through VR technology. Experiences are so invaluable in shaping a human being, and what we now call video games—what we often assume is just mindless entertainment and escapism—are actually leading the charge into a new frontier of human experience, knowledge, and understanding. A goofy headset today will be the world changer of the future. Fingers crossed, anyway.

Despite the technology’s potential not having been fully realised yet, already we can catch glimpses of the sheer power the gaming experience has. It can be truly overwhelming. And that’s what this blog is going to be about—those glimpses at the future of humanity, through the little cartridges of experience we call video games. If this were literature, then we’re living in the times of ancient Greece, people. The potential of this medium is just beginning to be unlocked, and we have the whole of the human experience to realise its potential completely. It’s only a matter of time.

What do you think about the future of gaming? Tell us in the comments below!

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