frontier Archives

AppWizard

April 26, 2025

The Secret Weapon Behind the VFX of ‘A Minecraft Movie’

Director Jared Hess helmed "A Minecraft Movie," which emphasizes creativity and the struggle between freedom and oppression. The film features a villain named Malgosha, a Piglin ruler from the Nether, voiced by Rachel House, with motion capture by Allan Henry. Production VFX supervisor Dan Lemmon discussed the challenges of integrating live-action actors like Jason Momoa and Jack Black with animated characters while maintaining the game's aesthetic. The team developed a tool called "Bloktz" for achieving the distinctive "Minecraft" look, and twelve variants of the Piglin army were designed. The Creeper character, initially a coding error, underwent numerous design iterations to maintain its pixelated essence. Malgosha's design was inspired by characters like Emperor Palpatine and Mama Fratelli, with adjustments made for expressiveness. The film's conclusion features an improvised moment between Jack Black's character and Malgosha, highlighting the collaborative spirit of the production.

AppWizard

April 11, 2025

Indie Game Utsav Steam sale features 110+ Indian games with discounts up to 80% – The Times of India

Indie Game Utsav and Comic Con India are hosting their first Steam sale from April 10 to 20, 2025, featuring over 110 Indian-made and Indian-origin PC games at discounts of up to 80%. The event will be highlighted on Steam's global frontpage from April 18 to 20. Concurrently, Indie Game Utsav will debut at the Mumbai Comic Con 2025 on April 12-13, showcasing over 40 indie games for PC and console. Industry partners include Intel, Xbox, Xsolla, Specter, and Nodwin Gaming, with IGDA India as the community partner. Featured titles include Bao Bao's Cozy Laundromat, Fears to Fathom, and Raji: An Ancient Epic, along with upcoming titles for wishlisting. The Steam sale page will remain active until April 20 at 11 PM IST.

AppWizard

April 11, 2025

Razer’s new app offers yet another way to play PC games on your phone

Razer PC Remote Play is currently in beta within the Razer Cortex application and serves as a remote access solution for gaming, allowing users to stream their entire PC display or specific games. It is compatible with Razer’s Kishi series of mobile controllers and optimizes bandwidth usage by adjusting to the phone's resolution and refresh rate. However, users must be on the same local network as the host PC to connect, and attempts to connect over a mobile network may fail. Alternative solutions like Steam’s streaming service and Nvidia’s GeForce Now are available for remote gaming access. The app is noted for being stable among dedicated driver programs for gaming accessories but may not meet user experience expectations. Users not interested in Razer’s mobile controllers may want to explore other options before using Razer PC Remote Play.

Winsage

April 5, 2025

Microsoft AI chief Suleyman sees advantage in building models ‘3 or 6 months behind’

Microsoft's CEO of AI, Mustafa Suleyman, outlined the company's strategy for AI development, focusing on adapting its Copilot digital assistant to consumer needs. Despite having a large inventory of Nvidia GPUs, Microsoft is not using them for the most advanced AI models, opting instead for a measured approach that allows for lower costs and targeted solutions. The company collaborates with organizations like OpenAI and CoreWeave to enhance products such as Bing and Windows. A new feature called "memory" will be added to Copilot, allowing it to retain user information for personalized interactions. Microsoft has invested .75 billion in OpenAI, but in July 2024, it classified OpenAI as a competitor. OpenAI announced a collaboration with Oracle on the Stargate project, moving away from exclusive reliance on Microsoft Azure, although Microsoft stated that OpenAI remains committed to Azure. Suleyman emphasized the importance of developing internal AI capabilities and maintaining a long-term partnership with OpenAI through at least 2030.

Winsage

March 31, 2025

Microsoft is turning 50. Is it ready for the next technological frontier?

Satya Nadella made a significant investment in OpenAI at the end of 2022, positioning Microsoft as a leader in the AI sector and boosting its valuation by over a trillion dollars. As of early 2025, Microsoft faces challenges including reduced data center investments, disappointing stock performance, tensions with OpenAI, and declining market enthusiasm for AI technologies. The company's shares have dropped approximately 16% since peaking in July 2024, and it has experienced a 7% decline this year, making it the only member of the Magnificent 7 tech stocks without a gain over the past twelve months. Microsoft has retreated from ambitious AI infrastructure plans, scrapping data center projects that would have increased its computing power by about 14%. The company is also developing its own AI models while struggling with the market traction of Copilot, which has not advanced beyond initial testing for many organizations. Broader trends indicate a slowdown in AI adoption growth rates among U.S. workers and growing apprehension among CIOs regarding AI expenditures.

AppWizard

March 30, 2025

No Sleep For Kaname Date will have us dreaming of AI: The Somnium Files’ deranged detective again this July

Yesterday's Nintendo Direct event announced several highlights for PC gamers, including a remaster of Saga Frontier 2, a remake of a PlayStation 2 Shin Megami Tensei spinoff, and a next-gen Super Robot Wars game in English. The reveal of No Sleep For Kaname Date, the latest installment in the AI: The Somnium Files series, is set to launch on Steam in July. The game features the return of detective Kaname Date, who will rescue Vtuber Iris Sagan. The series consists of story-driven point-and-click adventures where players solve crimes by diving into dreams, aided by AI companion Aiba. This installment will include 'real-world' escape rooms with more coherent puzzles. Kotaro Uchikoshi takes on the role of assistant scenario director, while Kazuya Yamada is the primary writer. The game is anticipated to explore the B-plot from the previous game, The Nirvana Initiative.

AppWizard

March 27, 2025

The Best Minecraft Updates (And How They Changed Multiplayer Forever)

Minecraft has evolved significantly since its inception, with various updates introducing new features and enhancing gameplay. 1. Beta 1.8 (2011): Introduced hunger, sprinting, strongholds, and villages, marking the transition to survival mode and boosting multiplayer dynamics with the rise of PvP servers and Hunger Games-style minigames. 2. Release 1.3 (2012): Unified single-player and multiplayer modes, allowing single-player worlds to function as lightweight servers and introducing command blocks for scripting events, enhancing multiplayer experiences. 3. Release 1.7 (2013): Added new biomes and improved world generation, enriching multiplayer exploration and encouraging themed survival worlds and roleplay. 4. Release 1.8 (2014): Introduced armor stands, banners, and enhanced creator tools, allowing for custom lobbies and scripted events, fostering a thriving multiplayer scene. 5. Release 1.13 (2018): Revitalized oceans with new features like coral reefs and improved swimming mechanics, leading to water-themed multiplayer worlds and ambitious server designs. 6. Release 1.16 (2020): Transformed the Nether with new biomes and mobs, introducing Netherite and creating new survival challenges and PvE zones for multiplayer. 7. Releases 1.17 & 1.18 (2021): Overhauled terrain generation, expanding world height and creating dynamic multiplayer experiences with group mining expeditions and scenic base-building. 8. Release 1.20 (2023): Focused on storytelling with new features like archaeology and sniffer mobs, promoting collaborative narratives and community-driven experiences in multiplayer.

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

With Nvidia Ace taking up 1 GB of VRAM in Inzoi, Team Green will need to up its memory game if AI NPCs take off in PC gaming

Nvidia unveiled its latest RTX technologies, including the Ace suite of digital human technologies, at the Game Developers Conference (GDC). The game Inzoi, reminiscent of The Sims, is one of the first to utilize Nvidia Ace, enhancing character interactions through 'thought bubbles' that reveal emotions and intentions. The AI system is powered by the Mistral NeMo Minitron, a language model with 500 million parameters, using 1 GB of VRAM. This model is limited to NPCs within the player's line of sight and does not change a character's life trajectory. While smaller models can lead to inaccuracies, the potential for larger models in expansive RPGs is significant. Nvidia has maintained an 8 GB memory standard for its mainstream graphics cards, but the demand for more advanced AI may prompt a reevaluation of VRAM offerings. High-end GPUs like the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 offer 16 GB of VRAM, which is becoming more common in affordable graphics cards.

AppWizard

March 23, 2025

Meta Continues to Integrate AI Bot Profiles into its Apps

Meta is integrating AI-powered profiles into its social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. Messenger has launched an “AI Studio” for users to create and manage their own AI personas for conversations. WhatsApp is also introducing an AI Studio for user interaction with AI bots. Instagram is enhancing this trend with AI options in its “Create” tools, allowing real-time character creation and customization. Meta plans to introduce millions of AI profiles that mimic real users, complete with bios and the ability to post and comment, which raises concerns about user awareness and potential psychological impacts. The integration of AI bots may influence engagement metrics and app usage while also raising ethical questions about social interaction. There are concerns about the mental health implications of social media use, especially in light of rising AI-generated misinformation. The competitive pressure for innovation in AI development is influencing the approach taken by social media companies.

AppWizard

March 9, 2025

Planet Coaster 2’s spring roadmap splashes down, with ’round-bottomed flumes’ coming in March and buildable restaurants arriving in April

Frontier Developments is enhancing Planet Coaster 2 with several updates since its launch in October. January introduced improved flume simulation for waterslides, and February added customizable video billboards. The next update, scheduled for March 20, will enhance flume construction with increased flexibility, introduce a wider variety of guest and raft movements, enhance visual effects, and incorporate "inflatable deformation" for rafts. Additionally, "round-bottomed flumes" will be added, and Update 3 will feature the Vector, an inverting suspended rollercoaster. April's Update 4 will introduce in-park restaurants and another new ride. Ongoing improvements will focus on performance, stability, and economy management. Further updates are planned for May and beyond.