Programming Archives

AppWizard

June 16, 2025

Stutters and hitches in Unreal Engine 5 games should become rarer over time due to Epic’s continuous updates, but we’ll still see them for a while because of the way games are made

At Unreal Fest in Orlando, Epic Games showcased new features for Unreal Engine 5 through a tech demo of CD Projekt Red's Witcher 4 and hosted training sessions for developers. Key topics included shader compilation stutters and performance issues in Unreal Engine games, with a focus on optimization methodologies rather than the engine itself. Insights revealed persistent performance optimization challenges, particularly with shader compilation and traversal stutters. Developers were encouraged to implement PSO precaching in Unreal Engine 5.2 or newer, although neither solution is perfect. Obsidian's game Avowed began development in Unreal Engine 4 before transitioning to version 5.3.2, while aiming for specific frame rates on Xbox Series S and X. The team size for Avowed was 140, with only 15 in technical roles, which may have limited their ability to fully utilize new features. Unreal Engine 5.6 offers performance enhancements that require strategic implementation by developers. Attendance at Epic's sessions was high, indicating a growing awareness of performance issues among developers. The hope is that future titles will leverage the latest engine version to address these challenges effectively.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

When Is ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Coming To Streaming On Max?

Warner Bros. Discovery announced that A Minecraft Movie, featuring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, would be available for streaming on Max in June, but as of mid-June, no specific release date has been provided. The film was released in theaters on April 4 and became available on premium video on demand on May 13. It is still showing in 346 North American theaters and has grossed approximately 3.6 million domestically and nearly 7.6 million internationally, totaling 1.2 million worldwide against a production budget of 0 million. A streaming tracker estimates a June 20 release for the film on Max. A Minecraft Movie is rated PG and follows four misfits transported to the Overworld, where they encounter various creatures and the character Steve, voiced by Jack Black. The film is directed by Jared Hess and features a voice cast that includes Jennifer Coolidge and others.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

‘Minecraft,’ ‘Clash of Clans,’ ‘Magic the Gathering’ and ‘Ghostbusters’ Series Teased at Netflix Annecy Studio Focus

Netflix showcased a variety of animated projects at Annecy’s Imperial Palace, including adaptations from franchises like “Minecraft,” “Clash of Clans,” “Magic the Gathering,” and “Ghostbusters,” as well as the return of “Blue Eye Samurai.” Highlights included three new preschool shows based on Dr. Seuss, an adaptation of the French comic “Samuel,” and several adult-oriented series such as “Long Story Short,” “Haunted Hotel,” and “Mating Season.” “Samuel” is an acclaimed French animated series set for a wider audience release later this year. The Dr. Seuss adaptations consist of “Red Fish Blue Fish,” “Horton!,” and “The Sneetches,” with “Red Fish Blue Fish” aimed at children aged four to seven. “Long Story Short” is a family comedy from Raphael Bob-Waksberg, while “Haunted Hotel” is a horror-comedy produced by Dan Harmon. “Mating Season” is an adult animated comedy about dating in the animal kingdom. “Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85” aims to create animated series with cinematic quality, while “Splinter Cell: Deathwatch” is the first animated adaptation of the Ubisoft game. “Magic the Gathering” is described as an ambitious epic fantasy saga, and “Blue Eye Samurai” promises intense storytelling in its new season. A new “Ghostbusters” series is being developed with Sony Pictures Animation, and the “Minecraft” series is being crafted in collaboration with Mojang Studios. The “Clash of Clans” series will transform the mobile game's fantasy world into a workplace comedy.

AppWizard

June 9, 2025

Everything Revealed During The PC Gaming Show 2025

The PC Gaming Show 2025 featured over 60 trailers in a nearly three-hour livestream, showcasing new titles and updates on previously announced games. Major reveals included world premieres of titles such as Ambrosia Sky, Ratatan, and The Alters, covering a variety of genres like roguelikes, co-op shooters, and survival sims. Key titles highlighted include: - Ambrosia Sky: A first-person sci-fi game where players confront an alien fungus in a space colony. - Far Far West: A co-op game where players are robo-bounty hunters in a Wild West setting. - Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition: Revives classic Dungeons & Dragons adventures with new features. - Fresh Tracks: A skiing adventure game with music elements. - Terminull Brigade: A co-op hero shooter set in a digital realm. - Ratatan: A rhythm-action game featuring online co-op battles. - Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth: A narrative-driven game about friendship and resilience. - Necesse: A sandbox action-adventure game focused on building and exploration. - Den of Wolves: A session-based shooter involving cooperative heists. - All Systems Dance: A game that combines dance battles with a dystopian narrative. - Spooky Express: A management simulation game set in a monster-themed theme park. - The Rogue Prince of Persia: A roguelite experience featuring acrobatics. - Enginefall: A multiplayer social sandbox aboard a mega-train. - EVE Frontier: A player-driven sandbox in a harsh cosmic environment. - Skyrig: A game focused on building rigs to extract gases in a stormy atmosphere. - Kaizen: A Factory Story: A factory design game set in 1980s Japan. - Dawn Apart: A colony simulation game on a destructible voxel planet. - Modulus: A factory-building game with customizable modules. - Generation Exile: A turn-based city-builder aboard a generation starship. - Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults: A co-op hack-and-slash ARPG. - Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault: Continues the story of its predecessor with action-RPG elements. - Barotrauma – Home & Harbor: An expansion for managing a deep-sea outpost. - No, I'm Not A Human: A narrative-driven game set in a dying world. - Botsu: A physics-based competitive gaming title. - No More Room In Hell 2: A co-op survival game in zombie-infested zones. - Farever: An online co-op action RPG in a fantasy world. - Mandrake: A narrative game about uncovering family mysteries. - Pizza Bandit: A cooking and shooting game. - Demonschool: A tactics RPG combining university life with battles. - The Last Caretaker: A survival game set in a flooded world. - Railborn: A game about building trains and managing resources. - Voyagers of Nera: A cooperative survival-crafting game in a magical ocean world. - Icarus: Great Hunts Campaigns: Offers nonlinear missions with unique stories. - Garbage Country: An exploration sim in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. - DarkSwitch: A vertical city builder around a great tree. - Sprint X Strike: A chaotic battle game in a post-apocalyptic setting. - Worship: A multiplayer roguelite about cultists performing rituals. - Stars of Icarus: A starship combat game emphasizing teamwork. - 007 First Light: A game featuring a young Bond's journey. - goblinAmerica: A game where players possess U.S. presidents to correct historical mistakes. - EverSiege: Untold Ages: A rogue-lite action-strategy game. - Pigface: A narrative-driven game about confronting the past. - TerraTech: An open-world sandbox adventure game. - Paralives: A life simulation game focused on building and managing lives. - Lost Rift: A cooperative survival game on an archipelago. - Hell Clock: A roguelike ARPG. - Militsioner: A narrative-driven escape game. - Arcane Eats: A roguelike deckbuilder. - Guntouchables: A cooperative survival game against mutants. - Ultrakill – Layer 8: Fraud: Details are yet to be revealed. - Stario: Heaven Tower: A game about building ecosystems. - Dispatch: A superhero workplace comedy. - Wheel World: An open-world mission game. - FBC: Firebreak: A cooperative FPS in a federal agency. - Anno 117: Pax Romana: A historical city-building game. - Baby Steps: A walking simulator exploring self-discovery. - Warhammer 40,000: Darktide – Arbites: Players enforce law in a Warhammer universe. - Endless Legend 2: A fantasy strategy game. - Berserk or Die: A survival game against overwhelming odds. - Mycopunk: A game about uncovering a fungal catastrophe. - Bippo Plus: An interactive experience for Playdate owners. - Morbid Metal: A roguelike with simultaneous character control. - Love Eternal: A psychological horror platformer. - Bus Bound: A public bus service management game. - Atmosfar: A survival and co-op road trip adventure set for early access in 2026. - Void/Breaker: A sci-fi FPS with destructible environments. - Grave Seasons: A farming simulation with a mystery element. - Eyes of Hellfire: A multiplayer horror game with puzzles. - Deadwire: An action game with hacking elements. - Dinkum: A life simulation game on islands. - Void Martyrs: An action game set in a grimdark world. - CloverPit: A unique gameplay experience set to release in summer. - Eclipsium: A title with intense visuals and gameplay elements. - Abyssus: A cooperative FPS adventure. - Ascendant: A multiplayer shooter with chaotic gameplay. - Mewgenics: An endless cat breeding RPG set for release on February 10, 2026. - Dead Reset: A sci-fi horror FMV adventure. - Bernband: A lighthearted cyberpunk game. - Wanderburg: A roguelike adventure with a castle on wheels.

Tech Optimizer

June 3, 2025

Misspell one word and you’re infected: New malware campaign fools developers on both Windows and Linux

Cybersecurity experts have highlighted the risks of typosquatting, where developers accidentally download malicious packages due to typographical errors. A report from Checkmarx reveals that attackers exploit this trust by creating counterfeit packages that can grant unauthorized access to systems. Malicious packages have been found in the Python Package Index (PyPI) and can enable remote control, posing serious threats to system integrity. Attackers employ a cross-platform strategy, mixing names from different programming environments to target unsuspecting users. On Windows, malware can create scheduled tasks and disable antivirus protections, while on Linux, certain packages facilitate encrypted reverse shells for data exfiltration. Although the malicious packages have been removed, the threat remains, prompting developers to verify package sources and spellings. Checkmarx recommends organizations conduct audits of deployed packages and scrutinize application code to enhance security.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

WhatsApp and iMessage competitor: Elon Musk announces new Vchat messenger

Elon Musk has introduced XChat, a secure messaging service aimed at transforming X (formerly Twitter) into a comprehensive communication platform. XChat focuses on privacy, file sharing, and cross-platform calling, competing with established messaging services like WhatsApp and Telegram. It is developed using Rust and features Bitcoin-style encryption and end-to-end encryption to ensure message confidentiality. Currently in beta testing, XChat will be rolled out to more users soon, although no official launch date has been set. This service is part of Musk's vision to create a "super app" that combines social networking, digital payments, media sharing, and private communication, similar to WeChat. Analysts believe XChat could significantly influence the development of Web3 applications and challenge traditional messaging platforms to innovate in security and functionality.

Tech Optimizer

May 29, 2025

Xanthorox, the AI that promotes itself as an easy resource for committing cybercrimes

Xanthorox is an AI developed in 2023 by an anonymous creator, claiming to surpass WormGPT and EvilGPT. It promotes itself as a tool for illicit online activities, offering features like ransomware creation, deepfake generation, phishing email production, and malware development. The AI operates on open-source models without typical security measures, allowing for unregulated content generation. Its pricing includes a free tier for limited features and negotiable rates for full access. Security experts note that while Xanthorox is effective, its actual impact on large-scale cybercrime is uncertain. The legality of Xanthorox stems from its open-source nature, which allows for its use as long as it does not violate laws, although using it for illegal activities remains unlawful.

Winsage

May 23, 2025

The END of Support: Preparing for Windows 10 Transition » CBIA

Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 on October 14, 2025. After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide updates, including security patches and programming fixes, potentially increasing vulnerability to operational failures and cyber threats. Upgrading to Windows 11 may be possible at no additional cost if hardware meets minimum requirements. Companies should consider a migration strategy that balances costs and needs, possibly redistributing older devices for less demanding roles. For server upgrades, it is recommended to consolidate functionalities, utilize physical servers for virtual systems, assess company growth for informed investments, and prioritize redundancy through frequent backups.

AppWizard

May 23, 2025

New on Max in June 2025: Gilded Age Season 3, Looney Tunes, and Minecraft Movie

Max will release several new titles in June 2025, including: - June 1: The documentary series The Mortician, which explores the unethical practices of a family-owned funeral home in the 1980s. - June 22: The third season of The Gilded Age, focusing on the social and economic upheaval of the American Gilded Age. - June 28: The documentary My Mom Jayne, featuring Mariska Hargitay's exploration of her relationship with her late mother, actress Jayne Mansfield. - Streaming debuts of A Minecraft Movie and The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (release dates to be announced). Additional programming includes various seasons of shows and films scheduled throughout the month.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

Tech Talk: Can you really build an app or game with an AI chatbot?

Google Gemini is a tool introduced at the Google I/O event designed to assist developers by generating code from text prompts. It has been trained on a wide range of freely available code examples, enabling it to understand various programming languages. While AI can help build applications and games, the quality of the generated code often lacks the finesse and creativity of human developers. AI excels at following instructions but struggles with originality. It can assist in organizing app elements, constructing foundational code, identifying syntax errors, and managing routine tasks, thereby streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity.