D&D Beyond Enters Beta April 7, 2017
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Players of the pen and paper RPG Dungeons & Dragons will be happy to know the guys at Wizards of the Coast and Curse have just revealed they have entered open beta for D&D Beyond, the ultimate Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition website!
The beta will be hosted in three stages. The first stage, which is currently active, includes an interactive Dungeons & Dragons reference library and official forums. This is active right now so if you’re interested in joining the beta, you can visit the official website and sign-in using a Twitch.tv account.
As the summer progresses, Phase two will allow players to create interactive character sheets on their computers, smartphones and tablets. Phase three, which will launch even later, will offer campaign management tools to make it easier for players to keep track of their in-game progress.
This news could mean a complete functional overhaul of how Dungeons & Dragons can be played. The capabilities of the website can make it easier than ever before to introduce new players (like myself) to the game, make it easier for players to communicate with each other, and expand the game’s capabilities.
This is an open beta so it can be played by anyone who wishes to check it out, and players are free to talk about their experiences with it online all they wish!
We will keep players posted on the beta’s progress as the beta moves into new testing phases. Until then, if you want to try it for yourself, check it out!
RF Switch – Metroid Theme April 7, 2017
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With a name inspired by the RF Switch gamers needed to use to change their televisions back and forth between cable TV and their video game console, the band RF Switch performs a rockin setlist of music inspired by television and video games from the 80s.
This past weekend, RF Switch performed at the CT GamerCon 2017 and we were lunch enough to get some video of them in action! Here’s their rendition of the theme to Metroid.
iOS 10.3.1 Released April 6, 2017
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A minor software update was released for iOS 10 devices earlier today. The new update, version 10.3.1, includes bug fixes introduced in 10.3. You can install it from iTunes or your device’s software update feature.
Depending on your iDevice and which version of iOS you are currently running, your update can range from 25MB to 600MB.
iOS 10.3.1 can be installed on iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch which are compatible with iOS 10.
CT GamerCon 2017 Coverage Part 1 April 5, 2017
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We were invited to the CT GamerCon at the Mohegan Sun Casino this past weekend. We recorded hours of footage and took countless photographs while at the event.
We’ve decided to release our coverage of the event in several parts across the rest of the week. Here is part 1, which takes a look at the event’s opening and shows us checking out the freeplay gaming area and the vendor area.
Special thanks to Lame Genie for allowing us to use their music.
More videos from CT GamerCon are on the way as the week continues, so stay tuned!
Quantum Break Celebrates Their 1 Year Anniversary April 5, 2017
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I’ve made it no secret that we consider Quantum Break to be one of the finest games released last year. It’s spin on the 3rd Person Action Genre mixed with a live-action TV show was refreshing. Remedy Games, who developed the game, has always been known for making games with deep stories and Quantum Break was truely worthy of that description. The game’s grounded sci-fi narrative was refreshing in a world flooded with military shooters. The fact they added the live-action television series complemented the story they wanted to tell perfectly.
Today, Remedy is celebrating that it has been a year since the game was released on Xbox One and Windows 10, and I am celebrating the fact that it has been about 364 days since I started playing it myself.
To celebrate, Remedy has asked their fans to follow their social media accounts for cool Quantum Break content. That content starts with the new celebration video they’ve published which you can watch below!
Should we do our own Quantum Break celebration on this site? Will we see a Quantum Break 2? Post a comment below with your thoughts!
Quantum Break is out now for Xbox One and Windows.
Cheer Up! Card Game Preview April 4, 2017
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This past weekend, I was lucky enough to meet the guys from Cheer Up Games at CT GamerCon 2017 to do a live preview of their upcoming card game, Cheer Up!
You can download the game’s official rules here, but here’s a brief retelling of how the game is played: One player picks a question card, which, before being read, will tell players to draw two cards from each specified deck. So if a question card says A+B, it means players have to draw two cards from deck A and two from deck B. If a question card says C+C, it means players have to draw four cards from deck C. Once each player has their cards, the question card is read aloud, and the players have to pick which of the cards in their hands they want to use to answer the question card. Before the cards are read, a rule card is drawn. This rule card adds a random modifier to the question, such as a requirement to answer the question with a heavy accent.
Once each player gives their answer, the person who drew the question card chooses which answer they liked best, and that player wins the round.
For example:
A question card could be drawn that says “What’s the worst thing you could be caught doing without pants on?” The players won’t know the question at first, but they will be told C+C, so each player will draw four cards from the deck C.
Once everyone has their cards in hand, the question is read and after the initial laughs subside, the players then select which two cards from their hand they want to use to answer the question.
When the extra cards are discarded, the player who drew the question card will then draw a rule card. In this case, the players are told they have to give their responses in a heavy Rastafarian accent.
At this point, each player has a turn reading their responses. I’m sure you could just imagine hearing your friends say, “I wouldn’t want to be caught fishing and starting a tickle fight without pants on!” in a heavy Rastafarian accent. The player who drew the question card picks the player with the best response.
Of course that is just one example of how a single round of the game will go, there are literally hundreds of other kinds of questions, rules and answers you’ll be able to play in this game!
Cheer Up! is a great icebreaker for getting to know new people, and a hilarious activity for long-term friends. I will not accept any responsibility for players who end up single after playing the game with their significant others, but I will say that I am willing to play this game with my own girlfriend later this week. I will make sure to update you all if I end up becoming single afterwards.
So why am I telling you guys all about the game now? Because starting at 10am today, Cheer Up! is going to be seeking crowdfunding through Kickstarter.
If you want to give the game a look for yourselves before checking out the Kickstarter page, you can try out the game by visiting its official website.
Based on the cards I’ve previewed, I can say the game’s content is currently suitable for mature audiences, however the developers have told me they are including an even more adults-only expansion pack they’re calling be Not Safe for Grandma version to Kickstarter backers!
We may have more coverage of Cheer Up! as the game continues its Kickstarter campaign so stay tuned to the site for more information.
Gaming History You Should Know – Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Buyers Guide April 2, 2017
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CT GamerCon Day 2 starts in a few hours and among the video games being played at the event is a loyal segment of pen and paper games. I’ve been trying to get into the legendary pen and paper RPG Dungeons & Dragons for at least a few years now. In fact, I recently picked up the 5th Edition Starter Set with the intention to finally begin playing the game, but after buying the Starter Set I had no idea what 5th Edition books I should buy next. Thankfully, someone online has produced a great video of exactly what I needed to know, and that person is WASD20.
This 5th Edition Buyer’s Guide video includes a deep look at all of the current books published by Wizards of the Coast, including the Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual and several different modules. I highly recommend it to prospective role players interested in 5th Edition, so give it a watch!
Thanks so much to Nate from WASD20 for posting this video because it has pointed me in the right direction for which books I should seek out. You can check out his YouTube Channel here.
If you’d like access to the PDF files featuring the 5th Ed Players Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide mentioned in the video, you can find them to view, download and print right here. These files are hosted on the official Dungeons and Dragons website and Wizards of the Coast freely offers these files to view, print and copy for personal use only. If your computer can’t read the documents, you might need to download the Adobe Reader.
Destiny 2 Release Date March 30, 2017
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Bungie has officially revealed that they are preparing an entirely all-new Destiny game, Destiny 2. Check out the trailer!
If you’re interested in playing the game early, Bungie has announced early Beta access will be offered to players who preorder the game from select retailers.
Destiny 2 is coming to multiple platforms September 8th, 2017.
Amazon Echo Gaming Tips March 30, 2017
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Got yourself a new Echo or Echo Dot from Amazon? I know it’s a great personal assistant, and perfect for streaming music but did you also know you could play games on it?
Here’s some tips on how to turn Alexa into a gaming machine. All you’ll need is an Echo or Echo Dot, an Amazon account, and a smartphone or tablet with the Alexa app installed! Once you have all that, give the video below a watch.
iOS 10.3 Released March 28, 2017
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A major software update has just been released on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices that are compatible with iOS 10.
The biggest change included in iOS 10.3 is an all new filesystem, which will not only make your device run faster, it may also free up some much needed system space.
You can download and upgrade your device right now using either iTunes or your device’s Software Update feature in the Settings App. Depending on your device and what version of iOS your device is currently running, the upgrade will require a 600MB download.
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