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Scientists build silicon transistor just one atom thick
Step aside, graphene, "silicene" is the trendy new nano-material in town that could one day supercharge future tech. Scientists have created the world's first transistor out of the silicon-based material, and it's a mere one atom thick. Unlike its much-maligned graphene cousin -- which has yet lived up to its vast potential -- silicene is a much more interesting material for computer scientists. Thanks to the silicon base, it can form "band gaps" necessary for transistors, which could one day lead to faster chips that consume less power.
Transistor, Yakuza 4 heading to PlayStation Plus next month
Sony has revealed next month's PlayStation Plus lineup, announcing that subscribers will receive free downloadable copies of Transistor, Yakuza 4, and more starting next week. Featured PlayStation 4 freebies for next month include Supergiant Games' Bastion follow-up Transistor and Alien Trap Games' side-scrolling action game Apotheon, while PlayStation 3 owners can expect to see Sega's open-world crime drama Yakuza 4 and Eidos Montreal's first-person stealth game Thief. The PlayStation Vita will host Jaywalkers Interactive's Kick & Fennick, and Cellar Door Games' roguelike platformer Rogue Legacy will be freely downloadable across the PlayStation 4, PS3, and Vita. All featured games will be available as free downloads for PlayStation Plus subscribers after the PlayStation Store updates on February 3. [Image: Sony]
Transistor get() 600,000+ sales, Bastion breach() 3 million
Transistor carved its way to more than 600,000 sales in 2014, Supergiant Games revealed this week. The PS4 and PC action-RPG looks set to become the dev's second million-seller, though it's still way off the "more than 3 million" copies sold to date by Bastion. In this week's announcement, Supergiant's Greg Kasavin noted the majority of Bastion's sales arrived "many months after the game first came out on Xbox 360 and PC. So we were very happy to see Transistor selling even faster relative to Bastion during the first couple of months after its launch." Kasavin's talked about that long sales tail before. Speaking at E3 2013 about future Transistor ports, he said, "For us, it's really important to not be tied down for the long haul, because Bastion's success was not made on any one platform. That being said, our focus is absolutely on a successful PS4 launch and also our Steam PC launch, because if that does not go well, there will not be other versions of the game, most likely and so forth."
All of the Lights: Many curious uses for the PS4 light bar
Sony is no stranger to idiosyncratic hardware design. Nintendo and Sega put analog sticks on their controllers in the '90s? Sony adds on an extra stick and redefines console controllers. Touch screens are de rigueur? Sony slaps a touch surface on the front and back of PS Vita. The PlayStation 4 is a sleek piece of modern consumer tech design, but even it's got its quirks. Case in point: the Dualshock 4 light bar. Every PS4 controller looks like KITT from Knight Rider, with a giant oblate spheroid of light pulsing on the front. Not just good for running down the battery, the light bar actually performs some unusual functions in a variety of games. Below the break is a taster's choice selection of memorable light bar uses from the PlayStation 4's first year of games. After browsing that, take our poll and discuss the light bar's career in the comments. What do you think of the Dualshock 4 light bar? [Images: Sony]
PS4 games added to PSN's Summer Sale in Europe
PlayStation 4 owners in Europe have access to a catalog-spanning sale on the PlayStation Network this week that discounts Don't Starve: Console Edition, Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes, Trials Fusion, and other platform standouts. PS4-specific Summer Sale highlights include Murdered: Soul Suspect for £29.99, Wolfenstein: The New Order for £44.99, and Thief for £29.99. A number of digital-exclusive PS4 games also see steep discounts this week, including Transistor for £11.59, TowerFall Ascension for £6.49, and SteamWorld Dig for £3.99. Sale prices are effective through August 20. Additional discounts are available for PlayStation Plus members. [Image: Ubisoft]
Listen to Supergiant's extended Transistor soundtrack here
If you were enchanted by the music featured in Supergiant's Bastion follow-up Transistor, you'll definitely want to check out an extended soundtrack released this week from composer Darren Korb. A digital version of Transistor's soundtrack is available via Supergiant's store for $9.99, and a CD version will set you back $14.99. Korb's tracks are also available from Steam and the PlayStation Store. To mark the soundtrack's launch, Supergiant is running a sale on the PC Transistor this weekend. Through August 4, you can pick up a Steam copy of Transistor for only $13.39. [Video: Darren Korb / Supergiant]
Super-sensitive chip can sniff out bombs from 16 feet away
Let's face it: the theatrical security procedures at airports aren't going away any time soon. However, they might just get more tolerable if a team of Israeli researchers bring a new, extremely sensitive bomb detection chip to an inspection line near you. The prototype sniffs for explosives by using groups of nano-scale transistors that react to tiny electrical changes when certain chemicals pass by. And we do mean tiny -- the chip can raise alarms if there are just a few molecules found out of 1,000 trillion. For those not keeping score, previous techniques will 'only' raise a red flag in the molecules per billion range.
Bastion senior programmer leaves Supergiant Games for Oculus
Oculus VR continues to snap up talent from other games industry fixtures, as Supergiant Games loses senior programmer Chris Jurney. "I'm joining @Oculus at the end of the month to help make VR awesome," Jurney wrote in a brief Twitter announcement. As senior programmer at Supergiant Games, Jurney's most famous work can be found in critical darling Bastion, and the more recent, yet no less beloved, Transistor. Despite the success of Transistor, Jurney's departure comes as little surprise. He's only the latest in an ever-growing line of games industry professionals to join Oculus VR. The virtual reality firm previously attracted Valve employees Jason Holtman, Tom Forsyth, Steve Lavalle, Atman Binstock and Michael Abrash. Of course, for sheer name recognition, none of those hires hold a candle to DOOM creator John Carmack, who left id Software to assume the role of Chief Technology Officer at the burgeoning virtual reality firm. [Image: Supergiant Games]
Joystiq Streams: Transistor with Supergiant and a Steam giveaway [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
Supergiant Games are builders. Back when the studio first formed up, Bastion was born as a game about cartography, discovering and building space as you stepped through it. Transistor, its latest for PC and PlayStation 4, may not share Bastion's literal take on building a world, but it does construct a strange, comprehensive universe defined by electricity and information. Cloudbank is vividly realized but still mysterious even after you've played the game. Is the city inside a computer, Reboot-style? Is it common for people to be turned into giant talking swords? It is a place with unusual rules, as strange as any real place. Good thing Joystiq Streams has a guide in Greg Kasavin, creative director of Transistor from Supergiant Games. Starting at 4PM EST, Joystiq will be streaming Transistor here and on the Joystiq Twitch channel alongside Supergiant Games' Greg Kasavin. Richard Mitchell will be playing the game while Anthony John Agnello hangs in the chat feeding your questions to Greg and Richard as we go. Not only that, we'll be giving away Steam copies of Transistor as we play! Joystiq Streams broadcasts live at 4PM EST every Tuesday and Thursday here and at Twitch.tv/Joystiq. [Images: Supergiant Games]
Joystiq Weekly: 'Transistor' review, 'Metro' director's cut and a book about 'Earthbound'
Welcome to the Joystiq Weekly wrap-up where we present some of the best stories and biggest gaming news from our sister-publication.
Joystiq Weekly: Amplitude is funded, Wolfenstein review, video previews and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Amplitude fans just discovered a new favorite month of the year, as Harmonix's Kickstarter for a Sony-exclusive continuation of the lane-changing rhythm game cleared its goal within the final day of its funding campaign. Regardless of the original Amplitude's quality, the button-tapper's fan base is pretty niche - if games catering to slivers of the broader gaming population can find the funding they need via Kickstarter, it makes us wonder what other dream sequels we could get away with. There are always the down-and-out series begging for continuations like Shenmue 3, but that almost feels too obvious. What if we launched a Kickstarter for a team to continue an established property? We could start a campaign to glue the pieces of Wipeout developer SCE Studio Liverpool back together, then launch another to cover the resurrected studio's costs to make a new F-Zero! What's that you say? F-Zero is owned by Nintendo and is definitely not a property we can just give out to whoever we wish? Well, we can launch another Kickstarter to fund a protective shield until SCE finishes the game, and then Captain Falcon can finally get back on track with his career! On second thought, maybe we shouldn't take swings at the legal beehive. We'll have to think our F-Zero revival strategy over, but until then, we've got the cliff notes from this week's news and content ready for you. Details about the Xbox One's June update, reviews for Transistor and Wolfenstein: The New Order and video previews for Driveclub and Middle-Earth: Shadow of Morder - it's all ready for you after the break!
Play It On A Mac: Transistor
In this weekly series I'll show you how to get your favorite Windows-exclusive PC games running on OS X. For more information on the programs used, check out the Play It On A Mac explainer. For suggestions and/or questions about any game, feel free to contact me on Twitter. If you're a fan of the gorgeous indie RPG Bastion, there's a really good chance you've been looking forward to the next game from developer Supergiant Games. It's called Transistor, and it just came out for Windows and PlayStation 4 earlier this week. I've played the game on both PS4 and on my Windows gaming PC, but now it's time to get it running on my beloved Mac mini. Let's do this! CrossOver The game is brand new, and as such it has not appeared on the official CrossOver compatibility list yet. I attempted to install it using the default settings in CrossOver, but was met with simply a black screen. There may well be a way to get it running with more customized settings, but as of yet a custom bottle has not been released. Parallels Transistor isn't a particularly graphically intensive game. It's very pretty, but it consists of mostly 2D art with 3D models on top. Because of this, I wasn't anticipating having any issue running the game in Parallels. I mean, if I could get Dark Souls to boot up, Transistor should be no problem, right? Wrong. Very, very wrong. It installed through Steam as planned, using the highest Parallels virtual machine settings I had available, but upon first start-up, it seemingly froze. I was left with a full black screen for several minutes, and eventually hit ESC to back out. I was met with an error telling me Transistor had stopped working... yeah, no kidding. I restarted the virtual machine, but that didn't change anything. I ran the game directly from the executable file, tweaked some Steam launch settings, and tried some other light troubleshooting before venturing online in search of a solution. I found many, many Steam threads complaining about Transistor failing to run even on high-end gaming PCs. Nobody complained of it not running through Parallels -- probably because I'm the first to try it -- but the fact that the game was having issues on the machines on which it was meant to run wasn't a good sign. Some users were able to get the game running through compatibility mode, so I tried launching it with settings for XP SP2, XP SP3, and Vista, to no avail. Things weren't looking too good. Boot Camp My last hope was Boot Camp. I installed it once again, and clicked "Play" with very little hope. To my surprise it started immediately, and played decently right from the start. At 1080p resolution, I get about 25 frames per second. That's not bad for a game like this, as it doesn't often require twitch reflexes, but it's not ideal. Bumping the resolution down to 1280 by 800 -- which still looks fantastic, given the game's 2D nature -- and I can reach 50fps with little issue. This is the prime way to play it on the Mac mini test computer I use, and the game is just as epic as it is on its native platforms. Verdict For the first time we found a game that didn't agree with Parallels whatsoever. I have no idea why it wouldn't work, and you may have better luck with different Mac hardware, but if you don't want to mess around with troubleshooting, install it via Boot Camp for a smooth experience from start to finish. Pick up Transistor on Steam for US$19.99.
Metareview: Transistor
Red has red hair The Transistor is blue We decree 3.5 stars Go read our review Yes, Transistor is now out for PC and PS4, and that means it's time to see what everyone thinks. While we found that Supergiant Games' futuristic, not-quite-cyberpunk adventure "makes a great first impression," it "doesn't strike all of its intended chords" by the end. We're not the only ones attending Red's computerized concerto however, so head past the jump to see what others thought.
PSN Tuesday: Transistor, Wolfenstein on PS4
Happy Tuesday, everyone! The PSN Store update packs a punch this week, with Transistor and Wolfenstein: The New Order out on PS4, and Destiny up for pre-order on PS4 and PS3. Wolfenstein is also available on PS3, along with Drakengard 3 and it's collector's edition, Mugen Souls Z and R-Type Dimensions. Sparkle 2 is out for Vita and PS4 as a Cross-Buy, and Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga is this week's PS2 Classic. There's also a lineup of PS1 Imports playable on PS3 and PSP (plus one also on Vita, Dragon Beat Legend of Pinball). A bunch of apps also get updates, including HBO GO on PS3 and MLB.TV Premium on PS3 and PS4. This week, PlayStation Plus members get Puppeteer and Surge Deluxe for free.
Transistor review: Functions and form
Transistor makes a great first impression. Its combat dances between familiar isometric action and turn-based tactics without missing a beat. The story radiates mystery and political intrigue, blended with a touch of romance. And all of it takes place in a world that somehow manages to marry the dreary neon of Blade Runner with the bohemian allure of Toulouse-Lautrec. For the most part, these impressions hold true, even if Transistor doesn't quite deliver on all of its promise.
Transistor launch trailer lines up foes ahead of PS4 debut
This trailer for Supergiant Games' Transistor takes account of the game's enemies. The lovely, colorful adventure, which features a blue talking sword, launches next Tuesday, May 20 for PS4 and PC.
Transistor pre-orders, soundtrack now available
Good news for anyone who's been furiously clutching a wad of crumpled dollars in anxious anticipation of Supergiant Games' upcoming Transistor: The studio will now accept your money for either a pre-order of Transistor, a copy of the game's soundtrack or both. For those unaware, Transistor is Supergiant Games' first release following Bastion, a game that incited a deluge of critical praise and fan affection. Though the two games share similarities - most notably an art style that relies heavily on a vibrant yet ethereally diluted aesthetic - Transistor offers gameplay akin to a tactical roleplaying game, where Bastion was a more traditional action-RPG. Supergiant has also ditched the mild fantasy setting of Bastion in favor of an overtly sci-fi backdrop, where it's not all too unusual to find a chatty sword willing to tag along on an important adventure. Those who would like to pre-order Transistor on PC can do so either from the game's website or Steam. PlayStation 4 pre-orders are not yet available, but Supergiant claims they will be appearing on the PlayStation Network Store very soon. Alongside pre-orders, Supergiant is now accepting orders for the Transistor soundtrack. This, too, can be ordered via the studio's website or Steam, with both retailers offering the soundtrack at $10 for a digital release and $15 for the physical disc version. Both game and soundtrack will become available on May 20. [Image: Supergiant Games]
Joystiq Weekly: PAX East, The Last Of Us: Remastered, Super Smash Bros. and more
This week's reveal of Charizard in Super Smash Bros.' roster is a bit of a blow to our argument that Squirtle is the best starter from Pokemon Red/Blue. Yes, both pocket monsters were in the Pokemon Trainer's arsenal in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but Charizard flying solo is a whole different level of awesome, one that's left us Squirtle enthusiasts drowning in envy. Playground rivalries aside, there's a lot more going on this week beyond Pokefeuds. Sony admitted that The Last Of Us is coming to the PS4, Borderlands fans are finally going to be able to play as Claptrap in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and we've got a faint glimmer of hope for the Xbox One to eventually be backwards compatible. This is also the weekend of PAX East, which you can treat as a source of news or, if you're attending, a giant game of "Where's Waldo?" Track down Joystiq's away team and say hi! Provided you can catch them between appointments, panels and the lone meal of their day, that is.
Bastion dev's Transistor connects with PS4, PC next month
Sci-fi action RPG Transistor is charging onto PlayStation 4 and PC next month on May 20, priced at $20 in North America and £15/19 euros across the ocean. If you can't wait to try out the next offering from Bastion joint Supergiant Games, the good news is the game is playable at this weekend's PAX East get-together in Boston. Transistor reprises the vocal talents of Rucks actor Logan Cunningham, this time as the titular talking sword who has a more "symbiotic" relationship with his wielder and the game's heroine, Red. As for the gameplay, it's a mix of isometric action-RPG melee and tactical turn-based mechanics. "When the first major enemy appears, Red is able to pause the action and survey the battlefield, and she is allotted two moves in this stage," Jess wrote in last year's preview. "Red is allowed to roam free within a certain radius, and she can undo moves to test out certain strategies and attacks. The freeform tactical design lends itself to exploring all of Red's abilities and establishing combos, which deal more damage." PS4 players are set to also see Transistor use the DualShock 4 light bar in an unusual but interesting-sounding way. According to Creative Director Greg Kasavin, the controller syncs with the Transistor sword so that when the sword speaks, its pulsing glow is matched by the DualShock light bar. "We soon found, however, that the light bar works really well for that," Kasavin said back in October 2013. "We got it to match the exact turquoise hue of the in-game weapon, and the flashing effect was in perfect sync. When I played with this for the first time, it felt a little more like the Transistor was right there in my own hands." [Image: Supergiant Games]
Transistor uses DualShock 4's light bar to aid player immersion
Supergiant Games' Bastion follow-up Transistor will use the PlayStation 4's unique controller features to enhance the game's narrative, creative director Greg Kasavin revealed this week. Transistor's story revolves around a talking sword that glows and pulses as it speaks to the game's protagonist. Supergiant was able to sync the DualShock 4's light bar with the sword's in-game behavior, aiding player immersion. "When Sony revealed the controller, they suggested this light bar could have a variety of uses, such as visually distinguishing between four players in a cooperative game and stuff like that," Kasavin explains. "Sony didn't suggest it could be used to indicate when an extraordinary weapon of unknown origin was speaking to you. "We soon found, however, that the light bar works really well for that. We got it to match the exact turquoise hue of the in-game weapon, and the flashing effect was in perfect sync. When I played with this for the first time, it felt a little more like the Transistor was right there in my own hands." "The controller has a speaker on it, too," Kasavin adds. "We're looking into that."
