lighting effects Archives

AppWizard

December 30, 2025

‘Friendslop’ dominated 2025 by proving time and time again that graphics are overrated

In 2025, the PC gaming industry has shifted away from the pursuit of cutting-edge graphics, as advancements have plateaued and often yield only marginal improvements. AI-generated enhancements have not generated the expected enthusiasm, especially given their high costs. Successful games like Peak and REPO demonstrate that engaging gameplay can thrive on budget-friendly PCs, some nearly a decade old. The term "friendslop" describes a genre of games that, despite being labeled low-effort, feature intentional design choices that enhance enjoyment. REPO involves transporting a fragile vase, creating tension and humor, while Peak utilizes immersive sound design and dynamic lighting to convey danger and adventure. Abiotic Factor, a survival game, runs smoothly on older hardware while using modern lighting effects. Larger productions like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Battlefield 6 prioritize performance over graphics, optimizing for mid-range and minimum-spec PCs. The common thread among these titles is that gameplay is prioritized over graphics, suggesting a potential turning point in the industry towards valuing engaging mechanics and narratives over visual fidelity.

AppWizard

December 11, 2025

AMD’s Redstone update could revitalize FSR for PC games – here’s why Nvidia should be worried

AMD has launched FSR Redstone, accessible through the AMD Adrenalin 25.12.1 driver, featuring FSR Frame Generation, Ray Regeneration, and Radiance Caching, along with enhanced FSR Upscaling technology, compatible exclusively with RDNA 4 hardware (Radeon RX 9060 XT and RX 9070 XT/RX 9070 GPUs). Ray Regeneration will debut in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, with plans for future titles. The update aims to improve image quality and performance, closing the gap with Nvidia's DLSS 4 technology. However, it lacks backward compatibility with older GPUs, limiting its use to RDNA 4 hardware. FSR Radiance Caching is expected to enhance ray tracing performance in 2026, and the FSR Redstone SDK will facilitate easier integration into games.

AppWizard

November 21, 2025

Tavern Keeper: It’s Good

Tavern Keeper is a fantasy barkeeping video game that combines management simulation with creative customization. Players manage taverns by designing layouts, hiring staff, and ensuring operations run smoothly. The game features a creation suite that allows players to craft items like bookshelves and paintings, fostering a community for sharing designs. Challenges include hiring staff with questionable skills and managing customer satisfaction amidst chaotic scenarios. Players can adjust difficulty settings to suit their preferences. The game incorporates humor throughout, enhancing player engagement. Currently in Early Access, it has received positive feedback for its depth and personalization options.

AppWizard

October 29, 2025

I tried the translucent Razer Phantom Green Collection, and it’s not my kind of throwback

Razer has launched the Phantom Green Collection, featuring gaming gear with a translucent green aesthetic. Key products include: - Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K Phantom Green Edition: A gaming mouse with a translucent green casing and RGB lighting, priced at 9.99 in the US and £169.99 in the UK. - Razer Firefly V2 Pro Phantom Green Edition: An RGB-illuminated mouse pad with an integrated USB-A socket, priced at 9.99 in the US and £109.99 in the UK. - Razer BlackWidow V4 75% Phantom Green Edition: A compact keyboard made from translucent green materials, priced at 9.99 in the US and £169.99 in the UK. - Razer Barracuda X Chroma Phantom Green Edition: A headset with a translucent green design and customizable RGB lighting, priced at 9.99 in the US and £109.99 in the UK.

AppWizard

October 21, 2025

Building A Minecraft Lantern For Halloween

A team at Hulk has created a 3D-printed replica of the Minecraft lantern for Halloween. The lantern features a 3D printed enclosure that mimics the game's design and is made of six parts assembled with acrylic lenses to diffuse light. It uses an Arduino Nano to control lighting effects with NeoPixel LED rings, allowing customizable RGB colors through integrated rotary pots. The lantern is powered by an 18650 lithium-ion cell and a TP4056 module for battery maintenance. This project exemplifies the merging of technology and creativity in the maker community.

AppWizard

September 23, 2025

Tactical FPS Delta Force reveals some ambitious future plans, offering something Battlefield 6 can’t

Delta Force has introduced a new season featuring a fresh operator, fighter jets, and a crossover with Metal Gear Solid. The game will face competition from Battlefield 6 and the upcoming 1.0 update of Escape From Tarkov. A new "full-scene" destruction system will allow players to destroy buildings across maps, with initial changes expected by early 2026. In the extraction mode, players will be able to play as bosses with unique loadouts and recruit defeated opponents. The Space City map will receive an overhaul, including an underwater section, and a new Operations map set in a nuclear fortress is in development. Delta Force will transition to Unreal Engine 5 in the latter half of 2026 for improved visuals.

AppWizard

September 12, 2025

‘It would have damaged us forever’: After the calamitous cancellation of Football Manager 25, what does FM26 need to deliver?

The release of Football Manager 2025 has been canceled by Sports Interactive due to concerns about the player experience and interface. Studio head Miles Jacobson stated that releasing the game in its current state would not provide good value for money and could damage the company’s reputation. The next installment, Football Manager 26, is expected to feature a new game engine, updated user interface, and enhanced graphics. It will also include women's football, a feature developed with a new player database and motion-capture sessions. Additionally, a partnership with the Premier League will enhance the game's management experience. Fans have created mods for FM24 to improve the match engine following the cancellation of FM25.

AppWizard

July 27, 2025

First Version of BioShock RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod Released

A demo for the RTX Remix Mod for the original BioShock game has been released by modders ‘skurtyyskirts’ and ‘watbulb’. This mod introduces real-time Path Tracing to enhance the game's graphics, utilizing improved materials through physically-based rendering (PBR) assets. The mod includes a custom compatibility wrapper to facilitate communication between BioShock, which operates on Unreal Engine 2.5, and RTX Remix. The demo features hundreds of newly crafted textures and assets, with updated lighting effects. The demo is available for download, but users may encounter visual inconsistencies and bugs. Additionally, various RTX Remix Mods for other games are in development, including titles like Tomb Raider 2, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Demos for Path Tracing Mods have also been released for games such as Deus Ex and Call of Duty 4.

Winsage

July 24, 2025

Top 6 new features and changes coming to Windows 11 in August 2025 — from AI agents to redesigned BSOD screens

Microsoft is rolling out new features for Windows 11, with most users expected to access them by August. Users can enable "Get the latest updates as they become available" in Windows Update for early access. Key features include: - Copilot Vision: An AI assistant that can view the user's desktop in real-time, facilitating discussions about projects and modifying settings through natural language commands. - Relight in Photos: A feature that uses on-device AI to enhance images with virtual lighting sources, allowing manipulation of up to three light sources and offering built-in presets. Currently exclusive to Copilot+ devices powered by Snapdragon, with future support for Intel and AMD systems. - Object Select in Paint: An AI tool that identifies and isolates objects in images for easy cutting, along with a sticker generator for creating custom stickers. This feature is exclusive to Copilot+ but works across Snapdragon, Intel, and AMD platforms. - Perfect Screenshot in Snipping Tool: An AI feature that automatically crops screenshots to eliminate background elements, along with a color picker for identifying hex codes. - Quick Machine Recovery: A redesigned BSOD that appears for about two seconds, improving the recovery process, along with automatic detection and troubleshooting of boot issues to restore the operating system.

Winsage

July 24, 2025

Microsoft is bringing powerful new AI tools to Windows 11

Microsoft has rolled out new features for Windows 11, transitioning tools from testing to general availability. Key additions include semantic and agentic search functionalities in the Settings menu, allowing users to express queries in natural language and request specific tasks. The Click-to-Do feature now integrates with Copilot and a new Reading Coach application for context-aware actions. Paint has been upgraded to allow AI-generated stickers and includes a new object select tool for easier image editing. The Photos app will introduce a Relight feature for dynamic lighting effects, limited to devices with Snapdragon X processors. The Snipping Tool has a new “perfect screenshot” feature that uses AI for improved selection, and a new Black Screen of Death and rapid recovery option have reduced crashes and restarts by 22%.