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The video gamer community is full of people who create fan games that tribute their favorite video games. These fan games are a labor of love, and while not all of them are good (most suck if I’m being honest) quite a few gain the attention of the general gaming public and AAA game developers. However, some companies love to send cease-and-desist letters to the people who make these fan games (coughNintendocough), while others are more open-minded. It does my heart good when a large AAA development studio gives its blessing to the tiny team behind an ambitious fan game.

Enter Installation 01. No, it’s not the building where the U.S. government stores the Arc of the Covenant, it’s the name of a Halo fan game. Installation 01 recreates the multiplayer components of Halo 2 and 3 with the Unity engine and, when released, will be free for PC gamers. Installation 01 nails the look and feel of classic Halo, but that’s where the game runs into legal problems. Does Installation 01’s mere existence violate any copyrights? Is the game even allowed to exist? According to the dev team’s latest blog post, the answers are a resounding no and yes respectively.  Sorta.

According to the announcement, the team behind Installation 01 has been in touch with current Halo developer 343 Industries for the past several months. The Installation 01 team shared a lot of information with 343, including development plans, planned content, and the release schedule. The Installation 01 project manager and lead, referred to as Church (a reference to the character of the same name from the web series Red vs. Blue), participated in a phone meeting with 343 and was pleased with the result:

“We are happy to announce that the outcome of the call was both incredibly information and very positive! Through these interactions we have ensured that Installation 01 is not under any imminent legal threat, provided we remain non-commercial in nature and scope, and continue to follow Microsoft’s Game Content Usage Rules to the letter. We are now able to say with certainty that Installation 01 will never be accepting donations. We also will not be selling i01 or Halo related merchandise. This is to keep a respectful distance between us and Microsoft’s intellectual property. It is also important to note that these rules and assurances from 343 are specific to Installation 01 as a project, and should not be interpreted to apply elsewhere. Through ongoing communication with 343 Industries we hope that we, as a fan project, can continue to be a positive driving force within the Halo community.”

In other words, as long as Installation 01 remains free to play and the developers never receive any money for the project, even if it’s a thank you gift of $1 from a random fan, 343 and Microsoft will not take any legal action. This decision does not mean 343 or Microsoft actively support the development of the game, just that the companies have adopted a laissez-faire attitude. From what I have seen, Installation 01 looks very promising and will definitely scratch the itch PC gamers feel for a proper Halo game on the PC, especially since Halo Online (a free Halo multiplayer game for PC designed for Russian audiences) was axed back in 2016. I personally look forward to the official release of Installation 01.

All you have to do to get my attention is talk about video games, technology, anime, and/or Dungeons & Dragons - also people in spandex fighting rubber suited monsters.

Gaming

New PS5 Patch Introduces Rare 40FPS Mode for Avatar Game

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Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has received an exciting update that introduces a new graphical mode, elevating the game’s visual experience. With a smooth frame rate of 40 frames per second and enhanced resolutions, players can now immerse themselves in even more stunning and detailed environments. Now downloadable on PS5 with the latest patch 3.2, this mode is compatible with 4K TVs that can handle up to 120 Hz. Before this update, Avatar PS5 only offered quality and performance modes. However, with this new option, players can now enjoy the benefits of both modes after downloading the 2.4GB update.

Throughout the PS5 era, 40fps modes have been a rarity, much to the disappointment of the hardcore community. Insomniac Games first introduced them in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and later added the feature to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. They also included it in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Other PS5 titles, such as Hogwarts Legacy, Lies of P, and God of War Ragnarok, also offer 40fps modes.

In addition to that, Patch 3.2 for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora brings along the following:

Worldwide:

  • Research Station Alpha now features a convenient Fast Travel option
  • The issue of controller re-mapping and resetting on game restart has been resolved
  • Addressed multiple instances of crashes
  • I corrected a few spelling errors
  • Addressed the issue of voice lines overlapping during dialogue

Primary Objectives & Optional Objectives:

  • [Main Quest: Shadows of the Past] This main quest is an intriguing journey into the depths of history. Addressed a bug that previously hindered quest progression in co-op mode

More bug fixes have been implemented.

  • [Available on all platforms] The rescued human characters no longer return to the Resistance HQ wearing masks
  • Available on all platforms. There is a noticeable improvement in the visibility of NPCs when they are at the edge of the Player’s vision

 

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Gaming

Exciting news for gamers! The highly anticipated PS5 game Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will be joining EA Play on Thursday

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Update: It seems that the PS Store may have acted prematurely, as it has now been officially confirmed that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will be added to EA Play on Thursday, April 25th, 2024. Once the active members are in, they’ll have the opportunity to download and play the complete game.

Original Story: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, released in 2023, has been added to the EA Play subscription service. This exciting action-adventure game is now available for download and play at no additional cost for active members. While EA has yet to provide any official updates, you can head over to the PS Store and find it listed as “included with EA Play.”

Adding to the mix is the recent announcement of a forthcoming price hike for the subscription, affecting both monthly and yearly payment plans. Starting on May 10th, 2024, the monthly subscription fee will be increased from £3.99 / $4.99 to £5.99 / $5.99. For those who choose the 12-month commitment, the price will be £34.99 / $39.99, which is a £15 / $10 increase.

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In April 2023, the highly anticipated Star Wars Jedi: Survivor made its debut on the PS5. After thoroughly evaluating the game, we are pleased to announce that it has earned an impressive 9/10 rating in our review. We praised the game for its ability to build upon the first installment’s foundations and improve upon every aspect. “The combat is highly enjoyable and provides a plethora of options, while the exploration reaches new heights. The incorporation of Metroidvania elements adds an extra layer of depth, resulting in captivating puzzles and rewarding experiences.”

Click the link to access a comprehensive list of all EA Play games available on PS5 and PS4. Are you planning to give Star Wars Jedi: Survivor a try on the service? We would greatly appreciate your feedback in the comments section.

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Gaming

Rest assured, the highly anticipated PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade, will be available in its original, uncensored form across all regions

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Fear not; for those worried about potential censorship issues with the PS5-exclusive Stellar Blade, set to release on April 26th, Sony has got you covered. ShiftUp, the developer, proudly assures players that the game will maintain its uncensored content across all regions, including Japan.

We have to admit, we didn’t anticipate this as a potential issue or a potential selling point. The main character, Eve, and her revealing costumes have been heavily showcased in the game’s pre-release marketing. Nevertheless, it is pleasing to witness ShiftUp’s evident enthusiasm as their vision prepares to reach the hands of a vast number of players.

Regarding Stellar Blade, Yoko Taro believes it surpasses NieR: Automata, and we were pleased to learn that the game will be considerate of your PS5 storage capacity. The demo is now available for you to try, and it has nearly doubled the daily active users of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. This is quite impressive, especially considering it is the game’s first console showing.

Will you be there to experience Stellar Blade on its release day? It’s certainly a relief to witness the game remaining uncensored until the last moment. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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