animated

AppWizard
July 31, 2026
In the 1990s, the Dungeons & Dragons setting known as Dark Sun emerged, depicting a world ravaged by exploitative sorcerer-kings and featuring warriors with psychic abilities. Dark Sun briefly returned during D&D's 4th edition, and there has been growing demand for its revival in the 5th edition. At Gen Con's D&D keynote, Wizards of the Coast announced the return of Dark Sun, along with a new rulebook titled Blood and Power, a setting guide called Edge of Oblivion, and a special edition of the Player's Handbook. All three publications are set for release next year. Due to mature content, these books will be shrink-wrapped and rated 18+ for profanity, bloodshed, nudity, and sexuality.
AppWizard
July 26, 2026
Steam Train Fest is ongoing until July 27, featuring discounts on games like Train Sim World 6, Victoria 3, and Thomas & Friends: Wonders of Sodor. The author reflects on their experiences with the UK rail system, noting its delays and overcrowding. They explore the Train Sim World expansion, Great Western Express, which replicates part of their journey from Bath to London. The game allows players to drive trains and experience the journey as a passenger, starting at Reading station. The recreation of the station is detailed, though it lacks certain familiar elements like a pasty shop. The author finds the experience surreal and notes the absence of realistic sounds and interactions on the train. They appreciate the game's authenticity despite minor critiques and express a preference for simulators that capture everyday life.
AppWizard
July 24, 2026
Gameplay Group International, Paramount Games Studio, and Avatar Studios have released Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, available on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch for .99. The Xbox version has been postponed until September 3. The game is a 2D, 1v1 fighting game set in the Avatar universe, featuring 12 playable characters, including Aang, Sokka, Katara, Korra, and Zuko, with hand-drawn animations. It includes a single-player Story Mode, Training Mode, Lessons, Trials, Online Ranked and Casual lobbies, and local multiplayer options. The game is available in Standard and Deluxe Editions, priced at .99, with the Deluxe Edition offering additional content. A physical edition and a version for the Switch 2 are planned for later this year. The game has an E10+ rating for Fantasy Violence.
AppWizard
July 15, 2026
Google has been enhancing Google Maps with features similar to Waze, including road hazard warnings and a visual upgrade called Immersive Navigation, which began rolling out in early 2026. This upgrade was launched for Android Auto users in July 2026, linked to Android Auto version 17.3, but its rollout may be server-side, causing delays for some beta users. Immersive Navigation features a three-dimensional interface with 3D buildings and animated trees, and aims to provide more intuitive directions using images from Google's Street View. Since March 2026, it has been gradually reaching users alongside the updated Ask Maps functionality, which uses AI through Gemini for enhanced navigation assistance. The update's distribution is uneven, with no method to expedite the process. Immersive Navigation utilizes real-time traffic data for better route context, positioning Google Maps favorably against Waze, although Waze still excels in live user feedback on road hazards. There is currently no information on whether Immersive Navigation will support offline maps.
AppWizard
July 14, 2026
Bit Bot Media, in collaboration with Mecanimal Games, is set to release Final Boss: The Video Game on PC via Steam in the fourth quarter of 2028. The game combines pixel art side-scrolling beat 'em up mechanics with 3D fighting game elements, inspired by the Final Boss Image Comics series by Tyler Kirkham. Players will control characters like Tommy Brazen, Rabak, Masked Vigilante, and Midnight Lily, navigating various environments and facing formidable villains. The gameplay features cooperative play for up to four players, with each stage introducing new mechanics and culminating in 3D boss battles. Key features include animated comic book sequences, an original score by Celldweller, and a nostalgic experience built for modern players.
AppWizard
July 6, 2026
Paralives, created by indie designer Alex Massé, launched on Steam in May 2026 as an early access title and sold 250,000 copies within eight hours, achieving a peak concurrent player count of 78,603. The game allows players to create and customize characters called Parafolk, featuring extensive representation and body inclusivity. It offers user-friendly building and decorating tools, enabling flexible item placement and personalization. The art style is a comic-book aesthetic reminiscent of "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." Paralives was developed independently with community feedback, contrasting with EA's acquisition of The Sims, which raised concerns among players regarding corporate influence and representation. The game is priced at £33.50, with plans for free downloadable content updates.
AppWizard
July 5, 2026
PC gamers can claim the free game Dispatch, which won the Steam Awards 2025 Game of the Year. Amazon Luna, a gaming service that allows streaming on various devices, is offering Dispatch along with other titles for July 2026. The game is developed by AdHoc Studio, whose team includes former members of Telltale Games. Dispatch features engaging storytelling, humor, and animation, and is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch 2. Other games available on Amazon Luna this month include Sonic Mania Plus, Courtroom Chaos: Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Centipede Swarm, LEGO: Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, YouTuber’s Life, Arcade Paradise, Jackbox Party Pack 8, and Angry Birds Mystery Island.
AppWizard
July 1, 2026
Google has introduced the Nano Banana 2 Lite, a faster and more cost-efficient image generation model that can create images from text queries in four seconds. It generates five images in the time the previous model took to produce one and uses less bandwidth, costing [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Google has unveiled a significant advancement in its image generation capabilities with the introduction of the Nano Banana 2 Lite. This new model is not only faster but also more cost-efficient than its predecessor, Nano Banana 2. Designed to address one of the primary concerns regarding image generators—long wait times—Nano Banana 2 Lite can transform text queries into images in an impressive four seconds. In a demonstration, Google showcased its ability to produce five images in the time it took the older model to generate just one. The efficiency of this model is further highlighted by its reduced bandwidth usage and a cost of only [cyberseo_openai model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Rewrite a news story for a business publication, in a calm style with creativity and flair based on text below, making sure it reads like human-written text in a natural way. The article shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. The article shall NOT start from a title. Response language English. Generate HTML-formatted content using tag for a sub-heading. You can use only , , , , and HTML tags if necessary. Text: Edgar Cervantes / Android AuthorityTL;DR Google has released a faster and more cost-efficient image model called Nano Banana 2 Lite. Gemini Omni Flash is rolling out to developers Google has also created three new demo apps that showcase how the two models can work together. One of the issues with image generators is how long it takes for the AI to generate an image. Google is shaving down that wait time with a quicker and leaner model than Nano Banana 2. Along with this new model, it is also expanding Gemini Omni Flash to more users. And to showcase what these two models can do together, the company has created a trio of demo apps.Jumping right in to today’s announcement, Google is releasing Nano Banana 2 Lite. According to the Mountain View-based firm, this is the fastest and most cost-efficient model in the Nano Banana family to date. It’s capable of taking text queries and turning them into images in four seconds. In the example Google provided, the AI was able to generate five images before the old model generated one.In terms of efficiency, it uses less bandwidth and costs $0.034 per 1K image. Nano Banana 2 Lite is available today in AI Mode in Search, the Gemini app, Google AI Studio, Gemini API, Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, and more. The second part of the announcement deals with the expansion of Gemini Omni Flash. Google first introduced the model during I/O, replacing Veo as the default video generation tool in the Gemini app. Now, Omni Flash is rolling out to developers in Google AI Studio, the Gemini API, and Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, in addition to the Gemini app and Google Flow.Anywhere appAs mentioned earlier, Google has launched three demo apps to showcase how the two models can work together. The first app is called Anywhere, and transports your image to dozens of iconic landmarks when you upload a photo. Gemini Omni flash then turns the photo and the location into an animated clip. Next up is Space Lift, which is an interior design app that lets you reimagine a room with a photo upload. The last app, Omni product studio, turns static images generated by Nano Banana 2 Lite into e-commerce videos generated by Gemini Omni Flash. Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting." temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" ].034 per 1,000 images. Users can access Nano Banana 2 Lite immediately through various platforms, including AI Mode in Search, the Gemini app, Google AI Studio, and the Gemini API. Expansion of Gemini Omni Flash In conjunction with the launch of Nano Banana 2 Lite, Google is also expanding the reach of Gemini Omni Flash. Initially introduced at the I/O event, this model has replaced Veo as the default video generation tool within the Gemini app. Now, it is being rolled out to developers using Google AI Studio, the Gemini API, and the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, in addition to its availability in the Gemini app and Google Flow. Innovative Demo Apps To illustrate the capabilities of these two models working in tandem, Google has developed three innovative demo applications. The first, Anywhere, allows users to upload a photo and transport it to various iconic landmarks, with Gemini Omni Flash creating an animated clip from the image and location. The second app, Space Lift, focuses on interior design, enabling users to reimagine a room by uploading a photo. Lastly, Omni Product Studio takes static images generated by Nano Banana 2 Lite and transforms them into dynamic e-commerce videos using Gemini Omni Flash." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"].034 per 1,000 images. Nano Banana 2 Lite is available in various platforms, including AI Mode in Search, the Gemini app, Google AI Studio, and the Gemini API. Additionally, Google is expanding the Gemini Omni Flash model, which has replaced Veo as the default video generation tool in the Gemini app, and is now available to developers in Google AI Studio and other platforms. Google has also launched three demo apps: Anywhere, which animates uploaded photos at iconic landmarks; Space Lift, which allows users to redesign rooms with photo uploads; and Omni Product Studio, which converts static images into e-commerce videos.
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