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Starbound: Mass Effect Edition looks well worth Shepard's endorsement
An interesting mod for the Starbound beta incorporating several elements from BioWare's lauded Mass Effect series has been published online by a group known as Team SMEE. It's called Starbound: Mass Effect Edition and we're certain it's Shepard's favorite beta mod on the Citadel. The most interesting inclusion is Mass Effect's Biotics, the special abilities unlocked in certain lifeforms through the integration of technology. Both Lift and Slow have been added to Starbound, though players need to track down and learn these techniques before they can employ them. The mod also converts your personal ship into the Normandy – the original SR-1, to be exact, from the first Mass Effect. On top of the AI-controlled ship, the Asari, Turians and Human Alliance races are all represented here, as well as a slew of appropriate armor and weapon sets pulled directly from BioWare's series. Future updates are planned, and will add the Mako (why?) and Element-0 – a rare element that, when electricity is applied to it, allows for the creation of mass effect fields. In order to install the mod, users must grab Kawa's Xbawks Mode Character Creator and the Simple Extended Character Creation Mod. Then head over to the Starbound forums and follow the installation instructions to get Starbound: Mass Effect Edition up and running. Good hunting, Commander.
'Stiq Tips: DayZ
You wake up on the shore of a mysterious land with nothing but the clothes on your back and a flashlight. You have no idea what to do, no objectives, and there isn't another soul in sight. No, this isn't a bad dream; you finally decided to buy DayZ. Playing DayZ is a unique experience, but it can also be confusing and can be frustrating if you're not sure what to do. It would be impossible to go over every strategy, item, weapon, and location in the game without forcing you to read a novel-length walkthrough, but here are some basics that will get you started.
Total War: Rome 2 mod tools now in open beta testing
In lieu of offering yet another downloadable content pack for Total War: Rome 2, developer Creative Assembly has opted to let fans roll their own units, factions and conflicts with the release of the Rome 2 Assembly Kit. Though still in the beta stages, the Assembly Kit is a full-featured suite of tools useful in modding the historical strategy game. According to publisher Sega, the Kit includes everything necessary to modify the game's existing assets, as well as import/export tools for pulling artwork, audio and character models into the game from third-party programs. The Kit also includes a swath of "example data" which should be useful for nascent modders. The best news, however, is that the Assembly Kit is available free of charge to anyone with a copy of Total War: Rome 2 and an Internet connection. Full details on the Kit and information on how to download the tools can be found on the Total War Wiki.
Modders invite the undead to invade Bully: Scholarship Edition
Rockstar Games may not have introduced zombies to its childhood delinquency simulator Bully, but thanks to industrious modders you can see what might happen if shambling corpses were to invade Bullworth Academy. That footage you see above comes from Bully: Zombie Edition, an in-production modification for the PC version of Bully: Scholarship Edition that strips out most of its gameplay elements in favor of a new, as yet incomplete storyline. We'd tell you more about this new zombie-focused plot, but the mod's creators have yet to publicly reveal any details of what it might include. Likewise, the clip above is taken from an early stage of the modification, and should be viewed only as a proof of concept for the game's environments as well as its formerly deceased inhabitants. As of now there's no scheduled release date for Bully: Zombie Edition, but if you'd like to keep tabs on the mod you can visit its ModDB page. Everything you need to know can be found there and presumably that will be where the modification first debuts, once it's complete.
Dev diary looks at Morrowind's rebirth as massive Skyrim mod
The above footage offers a look behind the scenes of The Elder Scrolls: Skywind, an ambitious modification project for The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim that hopes to recreate the world of Morrowind in a more modern engine. Though still far from complete, those impatient souls who just can't wait to dive back into Morrowind can visit the official Skywind website to download a pre-release version of the game. Don't be surprised if you find bugs in this build as it's not even reached beta testing yet, but as the video demonstrates, it should still offer plenty of pretty, familiar sights to see. Keep in mind though, if you plan to play Skywind, you'll need to own a fair number of related items beforehand. As the mod uses resources from both Morrowind and Skyrim, you'll need to own both games, as well as the Tribunal and Bloodmoon expansions for the former. A full list of the mod's requirements can be found on its site, along with a stern warning against playing Skywind using pirated copies of Skyrim or Morrowind. Not only because it's unlawful, but also because Skywind has a tendency to crash when sourcing in-game elements from pirated games.
How to reverse engineer a Wii U GamePad for PC streaming
PC gamers, have you ever looked down at the mouse and keyboard in your hands and said to yourself (dramatically, with a single tear of regret rolling down your cheek), "no, this will not do"? Well, how about hacking a Wii U GamePad to stream games from said PC? A team of hackers and emulator developers revealed at the 30th Chaos Communication Congress a modified GamePad capable of connecting to - and streaming from - a laptop. Attendees burst into applause when the team showed off an emulated version of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, despite the game crashing and experiencing some latency issues. The mod isn't quite ready for primetime just yet, but the team expressed a desire to see their work expand; An Android port, for example, could theoretically allow Wii U owners to stream their games to an Android tablet of their choice. Check out the video above to see how the hackers managed this feat, or skip to 47:30 to catch a demonstration. The hackers have made all of the slides from their presentation available to view as well.
No mods for Titanfall on PC, studio to 'evaluate' after launch
Titanfall on PC will not support mods or offer any map editor tools to players at launch. Respawn Entertainment co-founder Vince Zampella confirmed as much on Twitter, though he did say that the studio "will have to evaluate after launch." Former Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella were dismissed by Activision in early 2010, spurring a lengthy legal battle between the duo and publisher. The two would quickly go on to form Respawn Entertainment, partner up with EA and begin work on Titanfall. Titanfall launches on March 11, 2014, exclusively for the Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC. While Titanfall will remain exclusive to these platforms throughout the lifetime of the game, Respawn has said it plans to develop games for PS4 down the line.
Doom mod brings Resident Evil 4's mercenaries to Mars
Intrepid modder DooMero has mashed together Resident Evil 4's "Mercenaries" mode with the original Doom, creating a hybrid game experience that expertly combines elements from the two games. You only need watch this video of the 4.0 version of the mod to understand.
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Chaos Theory: A few useful mods for The Secret World
Do you use mods in The Secret World? This was a question I have actually asked friends and colleagues as the idea of corralling the best and most useful mods bounced around in my head for a while. The irony in that inquiry is that I, personally, do not use any addons for TSW; in fact, I tend not to use them for most any game. But I do hear people swear by them, so I thought finding the best ones used throughout the community would be a helpful service. And then I set the idea aside. You know how it is -- other things jump in the way or catch your attention screaming, "Look at me! Look at me!" So helpful mods have been on the back burner, bumped in favor of other more timely matters. And then suddenly it was the timely issue. You see, once I started trying to run scenarios, one of the mods that everyone keeps talking to me about suddenly became very relevant. (If you've ever tried to do a super-quick swap using the gear manager only to find that once you're in combat, one weapon didn't make the switch, leaving you without half of your skills, you can totally understand why). Once I started thinking about that, it led me to wondering about the other addons out there. And if I am wondering about them, chances are someone else is, too. So that makes now the perfect time to check out the various addpons that players use to make life smoother in TSW.
Arma 3 modding contest involves pool of €500,000, potential contracts
Those enlisted in the war sandbox of Arma 3 have a shot at a real life victory - developer Bohemia Interactive has announced Make Arma Not War, a contest that will reward top-tier mod projects from a pool of €500,000. The revealing post also notes that mod projects which "show a lot of potential" could result in a contract offer from Bohemia, regardless of their standing in the contest's ranks. Participants will compete in four categories: Total Modification, Singleplayer Game Mode, Multiplayer Game Mode and Addon. The event's keystone reward, a prize of €200,000, will be rewarded to the winner of the Total Modification category. The other categories will grant scaled awards depending on a contestant's placement - first place winners will rake in €50,000, second placers will get €30,000 and those in third will get €20,000. Ten finalists will be selected for most categories (20 for Singeplayer), with the victors being selected according to four equally-weighted attributes: Technical Quality, Originality, Experience and Presentation. Applications won't be accepted until 2014, but Bohemia welcomes those interested to begin working on their project right now. Once you're done daydreaming about a future sack of money, you can also check in on the rules of entry. Submissions will be accepted up until October 28, with winners being announced on January 15, 2015.
Just Cause 2 gets multiplayer mod on Steam December 16 [Update]
Avalanche Studios will launch a new mod for Just Cause 2 on Steam December 16. The mod brings online multiplayer options to the game, which originally launched in March 2010. Development on the mod first began in 2010, and the developer has since hosted multiple public beta tests of Just Cause 2's multiplayer. The final beta test is scheduled to begin this Saturday, December 7 and run until December 14, available through the multiplayer mod's site. Update: As a clarification, while the Steam page for the multiplayer mod lists Avalanche as the developer, an independent JC2-MP team created the multiplayer mod. The team restarted development on the mod in June 2012 and launched public beta tests one month later.
Raspberry Pi hack creates a smart TV from a not-so-bright set
Many of us only wish we could upgrade our less-than-smart TVs. Carnivore at DroidBuild, however, has taken matters into his own hands -- he recently finished installing a Raspberry Pi-based media center into his own 40-inch Hisense screen. The hack replaces the TV's built-in speaker with a Raspbmc system that has a 3D-printed faceplate for Ethernet and USB ports, an infrared adapter and external speaker output. While the modification is risky (and certainly voids the warranty), it's much more elegant than hanging the Raspberry Pi off the back of the set. Check Carnivore's photo guide at the source link if you'd like to know how he achieved the feat.
Half-Life revamp Black Mesa head(crab)s to Steam for a 'low price'
Black Mesa, the fan-made Half-Life mod that re-imagines the game with current technology and a bunch of extra goodies, is coming to Steam soon for "a relatively low price," the development team says. Black Mesa started as a free mod, and there will still be a free version, but the team wanted to give players a chance to support its efforts financially. "For us, Black Mesa is purely a labor of love," the team writes. "We believe this philosophy has significantly contributed to the overall quality and feel of the game. Our decision to sell Black Mesa rests on two key points. One is we believe we can make the game even better by having full access to the Source engine. This lets us tackle and fix limitations instead of working around them. The second is because frankly, our team could really use the financial help." The paid version will include a few features not in the free game, but soon after the paid version launches on Steam, a brand new free version will go live, too. Black Mesa was one of the first 10 games to make it through Greenlight in September 2012, granting it a spot on Steam. The current, free edition of Black Mesa is available now through a number of hosts, including Mod DB. Check out the complete list under "Download" here.
Pokémaniac builds automatic shiny finder for 3DS, deserves all the rare candies
One of the aspects of Nintendo's Pokemon series that keeps players hooked is the occasional appearance of shiny creatures, or ultra-rare Pokemon that have a different color than usual. The odds of running into a shiny wild Pokemon in Pokemon X and Y are reportedly 1 in 8,192 battles, though crafty players have taken to special "chaining" and "chain fishing" tactics to speed up the process of finding one of the rare, elusive beasts. YouTuber dekuNukem took that a step further by creating a mod for the 3DS game that detects and alerts players when a shiny Pokemon has been encountered in Pokemon X and Y during a chain fishing sequence with the game's fishing rod item. The mod connects to the 3DS' button logic to control the console, reading the audio signal for the correct moment to virtually press the A button and initiate the battle. Then, a sensor placed on the system's bottom screen determines the length of time the screen is dark, as a shiny Pokemon has a longer introduction in a battle. If a regular Pokemon appears in battle, the system tells the game to run away and start the cycle over again. The modder says the system took less than 300 lines of code in addition to a little soldering.
Custom Luigi 2DS up for auction, 25% of proceeds to Child's Play
Remember Rose Colored Gaming's Luigi 2DS, the modified handheld that looks good enough to be a real Nintendo product? Now that it's up for auction, you can celebrate the Year of Luigi in style by establishing yourself as the bro's biggest fan. The bidding period will conclude on November 17 at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, with 25 percent of the proceeds going to the Child's Play Charity. Despite the interest the singular unit has drawn, the auction page explains that the unit was built under the vision of a "one-of-a-kind item, and as such, there will not be a run of more than one." The green and white color scheme is complimented with an indentation of Luigi on the back of the device. [Thanks, Wes!]
Rose Colored Gaming craftsman claims ownership of Luigi 2DS
Anyone getting their hopes up for the rumored Luigi 2DS might want to mail their heartbreak directly to Matt (also known as wiggy) of Rose Colored Gaming. In a video interview with Second Opinion Games' Wes De, Matt explained how he modified a standard blue 2DS into a Luigified version of the handheld, complete with a Luigi-shaped indentation on the back of the device. Matt explained that he sent pictures of the device to "quite a few people" and assumes they made their way to blogs from there. The hardware has yet to be posted to RCG, but Matt laughed that he "would have sent them some better pictures" had he known it would gain traction as a rumored impending version of the 2DS. Matt said he's "beyond flattered" by the excitement his mod has generated, but also that he hopes no one hates him for it not being official hardware. You hear that, internet? No pitchforking! Given Nintendo's fondness for releasing special editions of hardware, however, future special 2DS bundles aren't out of the question. [Thanks, Wes!]
Gone Home began as an Amnesia mod, and you can play it
Amnesia: The Dark Descent developer Frictional Games revealed that The Fullbright Company's indie hit Gone Home began life as an Amnesia mod, but switched to the Unity engine after plans to license Frictional's HPL2 engine fell through. As a standard practice, Frictional Games co-founder Thomas Grip declines all HPL2 licensing requests, due to the engine's lack of documentation and support. After inquiring about licensing, Fullbright's Steve Gaynor received the same response from Grip, who advised the team to begin building Gone Home with Unity instead. After following up with Gaynor in the months after Gone Home's release, Grip received a copy of Gone Home's original prototype version, which is now available for download as a mod for Amnesia. While it's still in an early state, the prototype retains many of Gone Home's distinct themes and mechanics. "The prototype is quite short and very basic; it is really more of a proof of concept," Grip explains. "But it still gives a very good sense of the game, and having played the full version, I could recognize quite a bit. It does feel a bit awkward to play an early test like this though. Gone Home is a very personal game, and playing this prototype felt like a meta version of the game's voyeuristic thematics."
Don't Starve's free horror mod, The Screecher, turns survival into terror
Halloween is a good holiday for Don't Starve, since it generally involves a hefty amount of eating (candy) and more mad scientists than any other festive day. To celebrate, Don't Starve is half off on Steam, $7.50, and a horror mod called The Screecher is free to all owners. The Screecher turns the Don't Starve design on its head, offering players a view of the main character in third-person, from behind, rather than the front-facing angle in the main title. It's less of a "build things to survive" game and more of a "find dead bodies and blood in a dark forest and run away from the terrifying monster to survive" game. Think Slender Man meets Telltale's The Walking Dead with developer Klei's sensibilities. Yeah, it feels like Halloween now.
TUG prepares Survival Games servers
TUG's hardcore survival mode will get its first iteration of testing with the so-called "Survival Games" coming to the beta in January 2014. The team is preparing limited, focused matches on special servers to experiment, refine, and polish its PvP systems. The Survival Games servers are a prelude to TUG's survival mode in which players are thrown onto a map and challenged to be the last man or woman standing. In addition to straight-up combat, these maps contain enemy NPCs and crafting resources. The shrewd survivalist might be able to fashion a weapon or trap on the fly to help gain an edge. As players engage in the Survival Games, the TUG team will be changing the rules constantly and allowing players to implement their own mods in order to develop the best final product. "No name handles, no global chat, and dead is dead," the team described the servers. "Expect some serious trolling from us in these matches... FOR SCIENCE!"
PSA: The Stanley Parable is out now, 20 percent off
The Stanley Parable is now available on Steam, and is 20 percent off ($11.99) until October 23. Originally a Half-Life 2 mod, the first-person exploration game centers on Stanley, employee number 427 of a nameless company, who pushes buttons on a keyboard at his desk as instructions appear on a monitor. Compared to the 2011 mod, The Stanley Parable "returns with new content, new ideas, a fresh coat of visual paint," and voice-overs by Kevan Brighting. The game's description underscores the "everything is not as it seems" nature of the game, as over time "meaning begins to arise, the paradoxes might start to make sense." Developer Galactic Cafe encourages players to check out the game's demo to learn more, which is also available through Steam.
