fractals
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'Minecraft' creator wants you to go on a kaleidoscopic trip
Markus "Notch" Persson, the creator of Minecraft has something to show you, but you might not be ready for it. Okay, "your browser might not be ready for it" is probably the more accurate statement. The project? A kaleidoscopic "ray marching fractal generator" that'll run in virtual reality on certain browsers, or just plan old 2D on basically everything else. Road to VR linked to the mesmerizing geometry project (dubbed Unmandelboxing) apparently only weighs about 3.5 KB.
Trippy art project has you exploring fractals in virtual reality
Fractal art can already be mesmerizing when you're staring at a 2D picture, but artist Matteo Zamagni has found a way to kick things up a notch. His Nature Abstraction art project has you diving into 3D fractals thanks to both an Oculus Rift virtual reality headset and the almost psychedelic imagery from Google's neural network-based Deepdream. The result, as you'll see below, is rather hypnotic -- you're floating through formula-based shapes that are at once familiar and completely alien. Zamagni sees it as a way to challenge the accuracy of your perceptions. You're sadly too late to see this installation in person (it was part of an exhibit at London's Barbican this August), but here's hoping that it resurfaces... it looks like a wild mind trip.
Flameseeker Chronicles: November is controversy month in Guild Wars 2
November sucks. The only good things about it are food, my wife's birthday, and the birthdays of any other November babies (happy birthday). Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is at the end of the month, and Black Friday is a thing that still happens. Thank the Six it's December now. Get out of my face, November. We've had only two Novembers' worth of Guild Wars 2 so far, but historically it has been a dark time. Last year we had mixed reception of the Lost Shores karka invasion event and the implementation of Ascended gear. This year we have a baffling marketing campaign and extremely unfortunate gem store armor skins. At this rate I'm predicting that next November will bring an entire set of novelty weapon skins patterned on Scarlet Briar's hair and a kissing booth that awards precursors with Zhaitan's ugly mug as the main attraction.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 2's Fractal algorithm
It's been just about a year since ArenaNet introduced Fractals of the Mists to Guild Wars 2, and so it's appropriate that this week's release centers on polishing and additions to the popular never-ending, increasingly difficult dungeon-ish thingies. We'll finally be seeing the results of the Cutthroat Politics vote. Agony infusions are being updated. New rewards will be added. Heck, it's even enough to get me to give Fractals a second look, which is no mean feat since it's one of the few chunks of GW2 PvE content I haven't spent a lot of time on.
Diving into Guild Wars 2's Fractals of the Mists changes with ArenaNet
Last November, the Lost Shores content patch brought the Fractals of the Mists, a set of bite-sized dungeon scenarios that increase in difficulty as more are completed, to Guild Wars 2. As the anniversary of FotM rolls around, ArenaNet is adding brand spanking new Fractals to the rotational lineup as well as making changes to bring the content further in line with the developers' vision for the future of the game. We were invited to attend a conference call with Game Director Colin Johanson and content designer Anthony Ordon, where they gave us some insight into the design behind the new Fractals, the updated reward structure, and where FotM will head from here.
Guild Wars 2 developer preview livestream delves into Fractured update
Guild Wars 2 is focusing on the Fractals in its upcoming Fractured update, which is slated to go live tomorrow, November 26th. But if you just absolutely cannot wait even one more day without absorbing every available bit of information you can find, then you might be interested in the recording of ArenaNet's official Fractured developer preview that was livestreamed earlier today. In the video, developers Anthony Ordon and Jake Miller give players a firsthand look at some of the new content they can expect to experience when Fractured goes live. The video is over half an hour long, so the sheer breadth of features and details covered is nearly impossible to summarize, but rest assured that there will be plenty of Fractal goodness. So make yourself comfy, settle in, and head on past the cut for the full video.
Guild Wars 2's latest release will bring together new Fractals
Guild Wars 2 players voted Ellen Kiel into a position on the Lion's Arch captains' council during the Cutthroat Politics release. In the newest update, Fractured, Kiel will keep her campaign promises by opening up new areas in the Fractals of the Mists! You'll be able to revisit the popular Molten Weapons Facility and Aetherblade Retreat dungeons in Fractalized form, with the final bosses from each joining the Jade Maw as Fractal bosses. Kiel has also sponsored research into the Thaumanova Reactor meltdown, giving players a chance to explore that slice of history for the first time. In addition, Fractals of the Mists will be getting a coat of polish on rewards, progression and Agony resistance. This release will also include the opening of an arena in World vs. World's Obsidian Sanctum, giving players a dedicated space in which to beat on each other mercilessly for the fun of it. Have at you! Enjoy the new trailer after the break.
Flameseeker Chronicles Extra: The spotter's guide to the Fractals of the Mists, part two
Hello, volunteer, and welcome back to the Spotter's Guide to the Fractals of the Mists! We're here to teach you the difference between an Urban Battleground and an Uncategorized fractal, a Bloomhunger and a Mossman, and a chicken and a Charr. Part one came out earlier this week, so be sure to check it out if you're looking for the full guidebook for Guild Wars 2's newest dungeon; otherwise, let's move on!
Flameseeker Chronicles: The spotter's guide to the Fractals of the Mists
Welcome to the Mists, volunteer! What's that you say? You didn't volunteer? Well, you're here, aren't you? I'd say that's good enough. Now, if you and your party will be so kind as to pop into these unstable fractals and clear out all the ravening monsters inside, I'd be... "What are fractals," you ask? The Fractals of the Mists dungeon has been out and playable for a couple of weeks now and is possibly the greatest content addition in the Lost Shores patch. If you have around Lion's Arch for more than a few seconds, you're likely to see scads of LFG requests in mapchat. Don't let the number of people looking for level 21+ runs scare you off! Everyone starts somewhere -- in this case, it's at level 1. Let's take a look at what awaits you within Guild Wars 2's fractals.
ArenaNet explains Guild Wars 2's new Ascended item tier
Earlier today, Guild Wars 2 players got their first real idea of what's awaiting them in the Lost Shores content update. They responded with an collective outcry against the introduction of Ascended items, which inhabit a new tier of item rarity. The roar of outrage was a little muddled, however, as there weren't a whole lot of details about what purpose Ascended items serve. A new blog post clarifies the whole issue. Get ready for some knowledge! One of the primary design purposes for the Ascended item tier is to bridge the gap between Exotic gear (which fairly casual players can have a reasonable certainty of acquiring without too much angst) and Legendaries (which are for the hardest of hardcores). Specifically, Ascended items will be used specifically to combat new endgame mechanics. Foes within the new Fractals of the Mists dungeon will inflict Agony on players. Agony can only be mitigated by Infusions, which can be put only into Ascended armor. As players get to higher levels of difficulty within the dungeon, they will eventually find a point at which they have to counter Agony (by Infusions) before they can hope to proceed. Rather than being upgraded with normal components, Ascended gear has upgrades built-in, and upgrade slots have been repurposed into Infusion slots. November's update will include only Ascended rings and back items. More Infusions and Ascended item types will be added with time. When Ascended items are added to the game, Legendary weapons will be updated so they are still the best available option (as opposed to being on-par with Exotic weapons, as they currently are).
Guild Wars 2 updates Lost Shores page with video, schedule
Hey karka, leave our kids alone! If you find yourself saying this at some point this week, it's probably because you're neck-deep in Guild Wars 2's latest content update, The Lost Shores. ArenaNet's updated the official page of the update with lots of time-specific information as well as a teaser video for the big event. The first stage of Lost Shores begins on November 16th and tasks players to defend Lion's Arch. On the next day, the tides will turn as players seek to retake the town. The 17th is also when the new area, Southsun Cove, opens for business. Finally, there will be a one-time event on November 18th in Southsun Cove, where the invasion and counter-attack will come to a head. You can watch the trailer after the jump, and don't forget to check out our Lost Shores primer!
Guild Wars 2's Lost Shores content primer
We're just days away from Guild Wars 2's next big content patch and special event. So far the Lost Shores have been shrouded in mystery. Will the shores ever be found? Who lost them? Exactly how absent-minded does one have to be to misplace an entire shore? There are other, more pragmatic mysteries too. What is the content update all about? What can we expect? What sort of name do you give to a race of evil, bow-legged crustaceans? Happily, we're equipped to shed a little light on all those and more. Read on for our Lost Shores content primer!%Gallery-170657%
