early work Archives

AppWizard

October 13, 2025

RPG vet Josh Sawyer keeps things like Fallout and D&D grounded in history because ‘Once things get too magical… it’s impossible to bring it back down to Earth’

Josh Sawyer is a respected figure in gaming, known for his directorial roles in titles such as Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2, and Pentiment. He emphasizes a materialistic perspective in worldbuilding, drawing inspiration from real environments and historical contexts. His work often explores themes of colonialism, imperialism, and the struggles of survival in post-apocalyptic settings. In Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, factions reflect historical conflicts between colonial powers and indigenous cultures. Sawyer approaches game mechanics with caution to maintain realism, highlighting the importance of believable narratives that resonate with players' understanding of human needs.

Winsage

April 4, 2025

Here’s the original source code for Microsoft’s very first product

Bill Gates marked Microsoft’s 50th Anniversary by unveiling the source code for Altair Basic, a programming language interpreter developed for the MITS Altair 8800 microcomputer. This 157-page PDF is available for download on Gates' blog. Altair Basic was created in 1975 by Gates, Paul Allen, and Monte Davidoff, who worked intensively for two months after being inspired by the Altair 8800. They chose to develop an interpreter instead of a compiler to provide instant feedback for novice programmers. MITS licensed the software from Gates and Allen, leading to the founding of Micro-soft. The full code document is now accessible, along with a web page featuring animations and graphics celebrating this early coding project.

AppWizard

December 16, 2024

Polish studio Dark Passenger lands $3m funding

Polish game developer Dark Passenger has secured funding for its inaugural project, a third-person multiplayer stealth action game set in feudal Japan. The investment was led by The Games Fund, with participation from Blite Fund. CEO Jakub Ben highlighted the transformative impact of this funding on team expansion and project development. Ilia Eremeev, co-founder of The Games Fund, noted a market gap for bold gaming experiences and praised the quality of Dark Passenger's early work.

Winsage

July 15, 2024

Windows 11 Start menu could get better if Microsoft pushes forward with this nifty change that’s currently in testing

- Early work on a new feature in Windows 11 is being analyzed. - The feature shows colored blocks for each category, which may host icons of four apps. - The interface is still in the early stages and may not be properly implemented or released. - Microsoft is also testing a grid view for apps in the Start menu, which may make the category view unnecessary. - Organizing apps into categories in the Start menu is seen as a potentially appealing move.