technical challenges Archives

AppWizard

June 17, 2025

He was devastated when his favorite Facebook game shut down, but at 10 years old, what could he do? 8 years later, he’s got the rights, the original code, and is about to relaunch Dungeon Rampage on Steam

Angelos Mako began playing Dungeon Rampage at age seven with his brother. After a decade, he sought to revive the game as a Steam title with Gamebreaking Studios, led by CEO Taylor Hellam. Initial discussions faced skepticism regarding Mako's ownership of the IP. Mako later connected with the last engineer from the original development, who revealed the game's source code was on a laptop owned by his daughter. Gamebreaking Studios partnered with Mako to update the game, which faced technical challenges due to its original use of Flash, C++, and PHP. After months of work, the game successfully booted up during a video call, leading to an emotional moment for Mako. They launched a Kickstarter campaign that surpassed its ,000 goal, and the game has over 100,000 wishlists on Steam. The revived game will be a complete, one-time purchase instead of freemium.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

MindsEye maker BARB “heartbroken” by game’s messy launch

Build a Rocket Boy, the developer of MindsEye, has acknowledged a memory leak issue affecting about 10 percent of players, which has led to game instability. The studio is actively working to resolve these technical challenges and has dedicated resources to optimize performance. Sony Interactive Entertainment is issuing refunds to players who purchased MindsEye on PlayStation 5, a rare action in the gaming industry. The studio expressed regret that not all players could experience the game as intended and is focused on delivering a high-quality experience for all users.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

MindsEye hotfix promised for the end of this week as Steam rating sinks back down to ‘mostly negative’

Build a Rocket Boy is addressing performance issues for their game MindsEye after a challenging launch that resulted in fluctuating Steam ratings between "mostly negative" and "mixed." The team is working on patches to enhance the gaming experience, with the first patch expected for PC users by the end of the week. They acknowledged the game's high minimum system requirements and are optimizing performance for mainstream hardware and consoles. Build.MindsEye is currently accessible, and the team is also working to resolve issues with missing downloadable content (DLC). A sponsored stream with streamer CohhCarnage was abruptly canceled on launch day. Initial impressions from PC Gamer indicated that while the game ran on an RTX 2070 Super GPU, it still had frequent graphical issues. Build a Rocket Boy is encouraging player feedback through various channels as they aim to improve the game.

TrendTechie

June 11, 2025

Похоже, что мнения игроков тоже купили: вышедший экшен MindsEye получил низкие оценки геймеров, а игру тут же выложили на торренты

Build A Rocket Boy has launched its narrative-driven action game, MindsEye, available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The protagonist, Jacob Diaz, is a former special forces operative with a neuro-implant, involved in a conspiracy in the futuristic city of Redrock. The game features a cinematic storyline and fast-paced gunfights but has received a mixed reception, holding a 42% positive rating on Steam due to technical issues and poor optimization. MindsEye was released without anti-piracy measures, making it available on torrent sites.

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

Meta Pixel halts Android localhost tracking after disclosure

Security researchers have found that Meta and Yandex used native Android applications to access localhost ports, allowing them to link web browsing data with user identities and bypass privacy protections. Following these findings, Meta stopped its data transmission to localhost and removed much of the tracking code to comply with Google Play policies. A report from researchers at IMDEA Networks, Radboud University, and KU Leuven detailed how apps like Facebook and Instagram collected web cookie data via the loopback interface. This method allowed the companies to associate browsing sessions with user identities, undermining privacy measures. Meta's tracking process involved the Meta Pixel script, which transmitted cookies to native apps through various protocols. Meta began using this technique in September 2024 but ceased these practices by June 3rd, 2025. Yandex's localhost tracking dates back to 2017, and while they did not respond to inquiries, browser vendors have implemented mitigations against these practices. Proposed solutions include a new permission for local network access to prevent such tracking in the future.

AppWizard

May 30, 2025

Digital Domain vs. the Nether Horde: Behind the VFX of Minecraft

VFX Supervisor Piotr Karwas and Animation Supervisor Liz Bernard discussed the visual effects of Minecraft: The Movie, which includes 187 shots completed in 25 weeks. Karwas, with experience from films like World War Z, served as Cinematic Director, merging CG storytelling with Minecraft's aesthetic. Bernard, with a background from The Lion King, was the Previs Supervisor, focusing on visual planning and comedic tone. Digital Domain assisted with the final battle sequence, and Karwas learned about Minecraft lore from his children. The team worked to balance humor and visuals, ensuring consistency across departments. They faced technical challenges in creating custom VFX shots and animating characters like Piglins and Iron Golems, navigating the constraints of their blocky designs. Karwas is also exploring generative AI to enhance creativity in visual effects workflows.

AppWizard

May 21, 2025

A Super Mario 64 ROM Hacker Is Recreating Minecraft Inside The N64 Classic

A modder named Arthurtilly has created a voxel engine similar to Minecraft within the Super Mario 64 engine, which operates on an authentic Nintendo 64 console. This project showcases modern modding techniques applied to vintage hardware. Arthurtilly, known for previous ROM hacks, collaborated with rovertronic to develop the Mario Builder 64 tool. His latest hack features an infinite world, multiple block types, diverse biomes, initial fluid dynamics support, and enhanced graphics. Future plans for the engine include a dynamic day/night cycle, flowing lava and water, world saving and loading functionality, integration of trees and vegetation, and an inventory system.

AppWizard

May 14, 2025

Modders use reverse engineering to bring Mario Party 4 to PC, more GameCube games to follow

The gaming community has seen a rise in reverse-engineering source code from retro console games, particularly from the Nintendo 64 era and earlier, leading to native PC ports. The decompilation of Mario Party 4 is nearly complete, making it the first fully decompiled GameCube title, which will facilitate unofficial PC ports. A port of Mario Party 4 with online multiplayer is in development. Other GameCube titles like Super Smash Bros. Melee and Metroid Prime are also being targeted for decompilation. An unofficial PC port of the Xbox 360 game Sonic Unleashed has been completed. Previous titles such as Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time have received PC ports with enhanced features. Modders are experimenting with advanced technologies like ray tracing for classic games. A modding tool has improved the recompilation process, but technical challenges remain. Nintendo has not taken legal action against these decompilation efforts, and modders use clean room tactics to avoid legal issues, requiring ownership of the original game for PC ports.

AppWizard

May 12, 2025

Xbox Game Studios bundle launches at Humble, and includes eight PC games for £7.80

Humble has launched an Xbox-themed bundle featuring eight Xbox-published PC games available on Steam, priced at £7.80. The bundle has two tiers: a £3.90 option that includes three games (Broken Age, Sunset Overdrive, and Battletoads) and a £7.80 option that includes all eight games (Wasteland 3, Quantum Break, As Dusk Falls, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition, Broken Age, Sunset Overdrive, and Battletoads). Proceeds from the bundle support charitable causes, raising over £43,000 for Gameheads, a charity focused on training low-income youth in game development. Notable titles include Sunset Overdrive, praised for its unique style, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, recognized for its emotional depth, and As Dusk Falls, which offers a fresh approach to interactive storytelling.

AppWizard

April 22, 2025

CHARTS: RuneScape Dragonwilds debuts at No.2 on Steam

RuneScape: Dragonwilds became the second highest-grossing title on Steam after its launch on April 15th, achieving a peak of 52,641 concurrent users. Counter-Strike 2 remains the top-grossing game, while Schedule 1 dropped to third place. Last Epoch climbed to fifth place after launching its second season of content. REPO held sixth place, Marvel Rivals fell to seventh, and Baldur's Gate 3 rose to eighth. Tempest Rising debuted in tenth place despite technical issues at launch. The Steam Top Ten for the week ending April 22nd includes: 1. Counter-Strike 2, Valve 2. RuneScape: Dragonwilds, Jagex 3. Schedule 1, TVGS 4. Steam Deck, Valve 5. Last Epoch, Eleventh Hour 6. REPO 7. Marvel Rivals 8. Baldur's Gate 3, Larian 9. Tempest Rising