curiosity Archives

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Outer Wilds studio finally confirms it’s working on a new game but says it will be ‘years’ before it’s ready to share details

Mobius Digital has announced a new project, six years after the release of Outer Wilds, during the final major update for the game. The studio indicated that further details about the new game will not be available for some time, stating, "It's gonna be a while, on the order of years, before we have any details to share about it." The update includes various gameplay enhancements, art and visuals improvements, user interface adjustments, text and localization updates, and PC-specific changes. Mobius Digital has no further major updates planned for Outer Wilds or Echoes of the Eye as they focus on their next game.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

PlayStation spins out new studio TeamLFG out from Bungie

TeamLFG is a new studio formed by former Bungie employees, located in Bellevue, Washington. The studio is developing a multiplayer action game and aims to incorporate player feedback through early access playtests. They also hinted at a "frog-type" game concept in a recent PlayStation Blog post.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Someone Reportedly Hacked the Messaging App Mike Waltz Was Seen Using

A cybersecurity breach involving TeleMessage, an Israeli messaging application company, has raised concerns about customer data safety. The breach allowed unauthorized access to direct messages and personal information on the platform, which lacks full end-to-end encryption like Signal. The hacker reported that accessing the data took only 15-20 minutes and exposed names, phone numbers, and email addresses of Customs and Border Protection officials, along with information from various financial institutions. TeleMessage is used by government agencies, including the State Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making the breach more significant. While the hacker did not access all content, they indicated potential for further breaches, and journalists have verified some of the compromised material. TeleMessage's claim of maintaining Signal's security standards is questioned, as archiving messages introduces privacy risks. A spokesperson for Signal warned against using unofficial versions of their app, highlighting security vulnerabilities.

Winsage

May 6, 2025

My week with Linux: I’m dumping Windows for Ubuntu to see how it goes

BitLocker encryption is enabled by default on most Windows 11 systems, which can hinder the installation of Ubuntu. To proceed with the installation, BitLocker was temporarily disabled through the Control Panel. A bootable USB drive for Ubuntu was created using Rufus with an SK hynix Tube drive. The Ubuntu 25.04 ISO file, known as "Plucky Puffin," was downloaded at 5.8GB in about a minute. The decision was made to install Ubuntu 25.04 instead of the more stable Ubuntu 24.04 LTS due to a desire for the latest features. The installation was planned for both a ThinkPad X1 Carbon and a custom-built desktop with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X CPU.

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

Minecraft was fine, except for one pesky little phrase

A family outing to the cinema featured the film A Minecraft Movie, which received negative reviews prior to its release. Despite this, the film appealed to the author's child, Sam, who wanted to see it "for the memes." The author had previously endured several children's films and was surprised that A Minecraft Movie exceeded expectations, performing better than titles like Snow White, Wish, Paddington in Peru, DC League of Super-Pets, and Moana 2. The film's cast did not include acclaimed actors Barry Keoghan and Paul Mescal, and it avoided the influence of Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The film had a runtime of 100 minutes, which was appreciated for being shorter than many contemporary films, and it successfully engaged both young and older viewers with its humor and adventure.

AppWizard

May 5, 2025

Gears of War: Reloaded Announced, Coming to PC This Summer

Microsoft has announced a remaster of the original Gears of War, titled Gears of War: Reloaded. This remaster features 4K assets, enhanced post-processing effects, improved shadows and reflections, HDR support, and Dolby Vision, along with 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos audio. The campaign mode runs at 60 FPS, while multiplayer aims for up to 120 FPS. The game supports cross-play between PC and consoles without requiring a Microsoft account for the Steam version, although signing in unlocks additional cross-platform features. The remaster will be available on Steam, and the developers have not yet confirmed the engine used or the official PC requirements.

Winsage

May 3, 2025

Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation Was Once The Cause Of Laptop Crashes

Janet Jackson's song "Rhythm Nation" caused laptops to crash due to its bass-heavy sound generating a resonant frequency that affected mechanical hard drives. Microsoft investigated the issue and found that the song could induce slight movements in the hard drives, leading to data corruption and system freezes. They implemented a "notch" filter to eliminate the problematic frequency from the launch of Windows XP in 2001 until Windows 7 in 2009. This issue was specific to laptop hard drives and did not affect external models. With the introduction of solid-state drives (SSDs), the problems associated with mechanical drives and resonance have been largely resolved.

AppWizard

April 30, 2025

Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone hasn’t ‘really’ played a lot of other farming and life sims, but he appreciates the impact the game has had on the genre—’it seems to have inspired a lot more people to consider this kind of game’

Stardew Valley, released in 2016, has significantly influenced the farming simulator genre, leading to comparisons with new titles. Eric Barone, the creator of Stardew Valley, noted that he hasn't played many other farming games but mentioned Sun Haven and Graveyard Keeper as titles of interest. He expressed curiosity about Disney Dreamlight Valley due to its name, stating it resembles Animal Crossing more than Stardew Valley. Barone acknowledged that Stardew Valley has inspired many developers to create similar games, reflecting on his own gaming influences from titles like Harvest Moon, Rune Factory, and The Sims. He appreciates the resurgence of farming simulators and the creative wave it has generated in the industry.

AppWizard

April 30, 2025

After Rowdy Minecraft Screenings, Warner Bros. Is Embracing Fan Reactions In A Fun Way

Warner Bros. Pictures has announced the launch of "A Minecraft Movie: Block Party Edition" screenings on May 2nd, 2025. These screenings will encourage audience participation, allowing fans to sing along and engage in interactive experiences. The events will not feature 3D/4DX enhancements and will focus on communal enjoyment. The studio aims to create a lively atmosphere, inviting fans to relive favorite moments from the movie.

Winsage

April 29, 2025

Even now, Windows Vista is the most hated OS, and here’s why

Windows Vista was developed as a successor to Windows XP and was originally codenamed "Longhorn." The project faced significant challenges, leading Microsoft to abandon the original XP framework in favor of a foundation based on Windows Server. Despite its ambitious goals, Vista struggled to achieve a positive reception in the industry. The video explores Vista's development, its mixed legacy, and the lessons learned from its challenges in software development.