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Hack makes playing 'Doom' on a computer inside 'Doom' a reality
You know, in case there isn't a printer, ATM or graphing calculator readily available.
The Big Picture: 'Dark Souls' gets creepy with 'Limbo'-like mod
The Dark Souls series might not be the game for those folks who lack patience, but what you see up above is something just about anyone can appreciate. Reddit user CystisomaMagna was fooling around with the Reshade mod for the game and happened across some settings that turned the world of Lordran into a monochromatic, but still absolutely dangerous, wonderland. The user notes that the Limbo-esque modification isn't just for show, and that it's even possible to keep the game's HUD intact with it active. It might not get you soft-banned, either. Wanna know how to activate it on your system? That's what the videos embedded below are for.
Your 'Fallout 4' PC mods will work fine on the Xbox One, too
Take a quick tour of YouTube and it'll become clear that PC gamers get to have more utterly ridiculous fun since their games are so much easier to mod. Wanna fire cars out of a gun? Simple. How about turning Skyrim's dragons into monstrous, angry former wrestlers? You get we're going with this (and that video is definitely worth a watch). Anyway, Bethesda is working on bridging that cross-platform insanity gap with the upcoming release of Fallout 4 — director Todd Howard just confirmed that mods made for the PC version of the game can be "transferred, played and shared for free" on the Xbox One.
Steam hands developers the power to ban cheaters
Cheating in multiplayer games isn't big or clever, but people still think they can successfully get away with it. That's a problem for the folks at Valve, who are constantly trying to ensure that Steam is a nice place to play. It's one of the reasons that the company has now revealed that it'll hand the power to police users straight to the developers behind each game on the service. Now, rather than Valve staff racing to deal with each incident, the teams that made the title can rule on what they consider to be fair and unfair practices.
Valve removes option to sell paid 'Skyrim' mods
After a few days of hearing complaints on the internet, Valve is removing the payment feature from the Skyrim Workshop on Steam. The PC gaming juggernaut explains that it underestimated the differences between the communities built around its own games and those from other studios, and toeing the waters of an established modding scene like one surrounding The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's "was probably not the right place to start" experimenting.
Steam lets modders sell their wares, starting with 'Skyrim'
Valve's move to start selling community-created mods on its PC-game storefront looks like it could boost that $57 million user payout from earlier this year. And it's starting with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- one of the most popular moddable games. The process sounds pretty easy as Valve tells it, too. Upload your tweak to the Skyrim Creation Kit, agree to the new Steam Workshop terms, enter payment info and set your creation free. Within the week, it'll go up for sale at a price of your choosing. You can even add revenue splitting if you're working with a team and generally control the whole process from start to finish.
EVE gives more market data tools to the mod community
EVE Online is such a mod-happy game that there's an official site for it, and it's on this site today that CCP said that it will be giving another valuable information-gathering tool to players with the advent of a new searchable resource. "We also are making available the MarketType resource. MarketTypes is a collection of all possible MarketType resources," the devs posted. Being able to search market history and orders will help modders pull in data from multiple regions and should be in the game with the Rhea content patch.
WildStar's megaservers shouldn't impact addons much
Carbine Studios took to the forums earlier today to address how player addons may have been affected by WildStar's recent megaserver merge and name changes. The good news is that "most third-party addon users" will not be impacted whatsoever. For addons that were impacted by the transition, Carbine posted tips on how to bring broken addons up to par. The team encouraged those dealing with broken mods by saying that the data is still there and that recovering it won't be difficult at all. This post is somewhat technical and relevant only to addon creators, but important to everyone who's mods are borked.
3DS mod adds smashing GameCube controller support
With the launch of the exceptional Super Smash Bros. for 3DS looming, some might still be miffed that the game won't support the Circle Pad Pro add-on. Though the game will make use of the new 3DS and 3DS XL's C-stick, some may want a separate controller entirely for optimized Smash Bros. usage. A new 3DS mod introduced late last week does just that, giving players the ability to play any 3DS game with a GameCube controller. The hardware hack is courtesy of dekuNukem, the same modder that delivered an automatic shiny Pokemon finder mod last year. According to the demonstration video seen after the break, those looking to dust off their GameCube controllers for the mod will spend roughly $12 for the parts needed, which include a handful of resistors, a circuit board and an LCD screen from a Nokia phone. The screen offers a visual aid so players can change button configurations from the controller itself. DekuNukem doesn't have a full detailed list of instructions for the mod yet, which results in an empty circuit board on the bottom side of your still-functional 3DS, but they are accepting a few send-in modification requests. [Image: dekuNukem, YouTube]
Saints Row 4 SDK released, chaos expected to ensue
Developer Volition announced at PAX Prime that they have released the official software development kit (SDK) for Saints Row 4 on PC, allowing enthusiasts of virtual sandbox mayhem with the technical know-how to create ... pretty much whatever they want. This can only end well. Although Saints Row 4 was released in August of last year, Volition is keeping up support for the game with two projects, both due on January 27, 2015: Saints Row 4: Re-elected will port the base game and all the DLC released so far to Xbox One and PS4, while Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell is a standalone expansion that sends players literally into the bowels of Hell. [Image: Deep Silver]
The Daily Grind: Are MMO mods and emulators on their way out?
We don't talk about emulators on Massively often because we're forbidden to encourage illegal activities or link or name specific emulators save those rare few publicly sanctioned by studios (so please don't). In fact, we've written before that emulators are a frustrating topic for many of our writers since gamers pour boatloads of creativity and technical skill into both legal and illegal emulators for games dead and alive, creativity that we can't write about even when we'd like to. I can't be the only one who's wondered whether legit modders and underworld emulator coders are abandoning their craft in favor of more legal ventures, however. There might be more sunsetted MMOs, moddable UIs, and calls for "classic" game versions than ever, but the rise of low-risk crowdfunding, easy Steam greenlighting, and modular multiplayer titles that encourage customization makes me suspect that people who once modded shady MMO emulators or built interfaces for the masses are being lured away to work on something more legitimate or profitable or resume-worthy. What do you think? Are emulators and modding going out of fashion? (Please don't link to anything illegal!) Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
R-Kaid-R packs portable arcade cabinet in a sleek wooden box
In case you ever felt proud about the paint job you gave your controllers or something, Swedish craftsman Love Hulten has created the R-Kaid-R, a portable homage to arcades that manages to look sleek and old fashioned at the same time. The R-Kaid-R's wooden clamshell design hosts an 8" LCD screen and a mono speaker above an arcade-style layout, complete with nine face buttons, a screw-in joystick and a stereo port for headphones. Its hardware supports titles from the Game Boy Advance, PlayStation and predating consoles, along with some PC titles like Doom and Duke Nukem 3D. Hulten estimates that on a full charge, the arcade away from home can withstand about 8 hours of play. While the R-Kaid-R is a joy to look at, you can always add it to your on-the-go collection for a, uh ... minor charge of $3,397 (€2,499). While that includes a manual, a 16 GB SD card with pre-installed OS, a USB charging cable and a copy of Cave Story, it doesn't include the carrying case seen in the video, which is a separate $176 (€239) purchase. At least you can choose your R-Kaid-R's appearance from one of five colors? [Thanks, Love!] [Image: Love Hulten]
Stick and Rudder: How complex is too complex for Star Citizen?
I've taken a little while to let Chris Roberts' recent flight model manifesto marinate. In that time, my opinion has run the gamut from "funk yeah, simulation!" to "hmm, I hope I'm able to enjoy this title" and back again. I waffled because as much as I'm salivating over Star Citizen and everything it represents, it's still one game out of dozens that I'm following. And as much as I'd like to, I can't realistically devote all of my free time to a single title!
Bohemia Interactive acquires a new team for DayZ and assembles a roadmap
Are you ready to kill your fellow survivors and take their stuff in DayZ? If so, you've got plenty of company; according to creator Dean Hall, the game has sold 1.7 million copies on Steam thus far. It's given the team good reason to expand, at that. Bohemia Interactive has acquired Cauldron Studios, now renamed Bohemia Interactive Slovakia, and will be putting that team to work developing more content and systems for the zombie sandbox experience. Hall also outlined a roadmap of the game's coming updates, stating that the end of April should see the inclusion of fireplaces, loot respawns, and crossbows. New pistols and AI pathfinding are next on the list, followed by a 64-bit upgrade and the inclusion of animals for players to hunt and cook. Whether you're looking forward to what comes next or just like the current state of beating up players and taking what they've found, if you're a fan of the game you should take a look at the full rundown.
New Elder Scrolls Online API changes affect UI mods; devs post an AMA
Modding and The Elder Scrolls series have long been a match made in gamer heaven, but ZeniMax's latest API changes to The Elder Scrolls Online has the fantasy MMO's modding community up in arms. In a nutshell, the new version of the API removes the ability to track what others are doing to your avatar. You'll still see various effects, but you'll no longer see which spell was cast. The impetus behind the changes seems to be to level the playing field between those using the standard UI and those using add-ons like Foundry Tactical Combat. [Thanks Andre!] [Update: Tipster Vinicius let us know that the ESO team has also posted a fresh Ask Me Anything on Reddit. The devs discuss beta wipes, load capacity, bug fixes, and more.]
Tamriel Infinium: Five essential Elder Scrolls Online addons
The Elder Scrolls series is known for its mods and addons, and Elder Scrolls Online is no exception. Although we will likely not see the appearance modifications found in Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, we will see UI addons that help with grouping, dungeon crawling, and even roleplaying. In fact, modding is so essential to the Elder Scrolls franchise that Curse announced it was opening its own site featuring Elder Scrolls Online addons, and ZAM launched its ESO addons website a few weeks ago. I've been keeping an eye on these addons as they begin to take off. As you would expect, initially the pickings were slim. However, over the last few weeks with the beta weekends, the ongoing beta, and the NDA drop, we have seen these addons grow exponentially to the point that I think some of these modifications are required to properly enjoy the game. Today, I will list some of the addons that I think are necessary before you even start playing the Elder Scrolls Online. Although modders Wykkyd and WarLegend lead the pack, there are plenty of lesser-known mods you might want to look at. Here are my top five mods for the Elder Scrolls Online.
Minion rounds up Elder Scrolls Online addons
It's Addon Day here at Massively, and as such we have another handy-dandy platform to help you manage your mods. ZAM has started an open beta for Minion, an addon management software designed to work with Elder Scrolls Online. Minion will help you install, manage, and update your addons for next month's ESO. It includes automatic updates and options to support additional future titles (such as World of Warcraft) and it claims to be safe from viruses, malware, and keyloggers. Minion is available for both Windows and OS X systems.
Curse opens its doors to WildStar addons
Curse would like to become your one-stop shopping hub for all of your future WildStar addon needs. The site announced that it's expanding its focus to include addons for Carbine Studios' upcoming MMO. Curse will be supporting WildStar mods with a new version of the CurseForge platform, which purportedly will streamline tools and better fit players' needs. The site is also open to authors creating and submitting their own projects to fill up the categories. Speaking of WildStar, Bogotter has a first-hand tour of the Dominion adventure, Riot in the Void, which you can watch after the break. Which path will he take? Who knows, but it will almost certainly end in glorious disaster!
Nintendo 64 mod promises HDMI output, soldering burns
If you have a Nintendo 64 kicking around, it's probably not hooked up to your television. It's not that you don't love the classic console, it's just that many modern sets don't support the machine's archaic video cables. Don't worry, it can be fixed. RetroActive, a one-man mod team, is working on a circuit board that will gift the aging console with digital outputs. The kit promises to pipe audio and video out through DVI, HDMI or VGA (assuming you have the appropriate cables), but its creator is considering building an HDMI-only version. Either way, it won't be easy to install -- RetroActive says that it attaches directly to one of the Nintendo 64's main processors, and "it requires fine pitch soldering skills to install." RetroActive has set up a notification page for folks interested in project, adding that the device's Q1 2014 release date is only tentative. "To be honest it's one of many things I have going on and I'd rather not release a crappy product," writes Marshall, the man behind RetroActive. "It'll be done when it's done." Fair enough, we're not that handy with a soldering iron anyway.
Civilization 5 mod adds playable Papers, Please nation
Glory to Arstotzka! The bleak Papers, Please nation is now a playable world power in Sid Meier's Civilization 5 thanks to a Steam Workshop mod from Snakeeater337. Arstotzka comes to Sid Meier's Civilization 5 replete with its own unique units, buildings, custom dialogue and music. Arstotzka has its own custom Border Guard unit, a cheaper version of the Rifleman that gets combat bonuses fighting on native soil. There's also the Border Checkpoint building, which adds protection from spies and produces extra gold each turn. Arstotzka begins the game with its custom "Glory to Arstotzka" trait, which increases worker production at the cost of population happiness and city growth speed. All cities also start with a free worker. The only downside to this mod is that it requires Brave New World, the latest expansion for Sid Meier's Civilization 5, in order to play. Sid Meier's Civilization 5: The Complete Edition, along with several other games bearing the eponymous developer's name, are currently available in the Humble Sid Meier's Bundle. [Image: Snakeeater337 on Steam]
