SunFire

sunfire

German electrolyser manufacturer <strong>Sunfire</strong> has announced a significant financial milestone with 215 million euros raised in a Series E equity financing round, further complemented by ...

Sunfire secures more than 500 million euros to accelerate growth and industrialisation of its green hydrogen technologies

⅔ of all venture investments by Big Energy companies go into sustainability. These include CCUS, Renewables, Hydrogen, Chemicals recycling, Grid & Utility tech, E-transport, and Digital. As pressure mounts for corporations to reduce their environmental footprint, energy giants have ramped up investments into clean energy and partnered with other firms to diversify away from oil & gas, recently announcing a pledge to be net-zero by 2050. Strategies for decarbonization are usually two-pronged: make current oil & gas operations more efficient and less carbon intensive (“core” / conventional energy) explore new forms of renewable energy generation (“new” / “future” energy) Amid the record of US oil and gas corporations, let's take a look at real examples of what these companies are doing in terms of the green transition. historical profits Hydrogen Hydrogen is poised to be a away from fossil fuels. This has been recognized by oil & gas companies as well as the Much of the existing oil & gas infrastructure (pipelines, gas turbine generators, refueling stations, etc.) can be easily repurposed for hydrogen uses, making this tech more appealing to oil & gas companies. pivotal fuel in the energy transition US Department of Energy. For example, TotalEnergies has established a partnership with Sunfire. This company produces renewable hydrogen and syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, from renewable electricity, water steam and captured CO2. Also, in August 2021, Chevron invested in Raven SR, which transforms biomass, mixed municipal solid waste, bio-solids, sewage, medical waste, and natural or biogas into renewable fuels. As for the independent players, (who do not yet partner with global giants, but have the potential to compete with them through their innovative products) we can name Electric Hydrogen (EH2), which is working on supplying ‘green hydrogen’ — hydrogen produced using renewable energy — to industrial sectors. EH2 secured $198M from a group of top investors, Fifth Wall Climate Tech led the round, with participation by S2G Ventures, and lenders Silicon Valley Bank and Trinity Capital. Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) in mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. CCUS involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from various sources, utilizing it for various purposes, and safely storing it so that it does not escape into the atmosphere. The technology is critical in reducing the carbon footprint of industries such as power generation, oil refining, and cement manufacturing, and is seen as an essential component in achieving global carbon emissions reduction targets. With the increasing awareness of the need to tackle climate change, the CCUS industry is gaining traction, and investment in research and development is expected to increase in the coming years. Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) is a crucial field Under pressure from EU governments to reach its net-zero goal by 2050, European energy giant TotalEnergies introduces deep interest in carbon utilization. In early 2021, its venture arm invested in UK-based carbon recycling company Deep Branch. The company's technology generates clean, nutritious, and sustainable single-cell protein directly from carbon dioxide in industrial waste gas, enabling its clients in the feed industry to reduce their carbon footprint. In addition to these efforts, In 2020, Shell acquired Select Carbon, an Australia-based carbon recycling startup, which uses microbes to convert carbon dioxide from industrial emissions into usable products. A noteworthy independent company - NET Power - developed a power plant that burns natural gas without releasing emissions into the atmosphere. The company achieves this by storing and using CO2, instead of steam, as a way to generate electricity. , the company has raised a total of $150M investments, from Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, Exelon Corporations, the Shawn Group and 8 Rivers. According to Crunchbase Grid & utility tech The Grid & Utility tech area to the technologies and systems that make up the electrical grid and its supporting infrastructure. This includes power generation, transmission, and distribution networks, as well as energy storage solutions and demand response systems. The focus of this field is to improve the reliability, resilience, and sustainability of the grid while reducing its cost and carbon footprint. With the increasing adoption of renewable energy sources and the rise of electric vehicles, Grid & Utility tech has become an increasingly important area for investment and innovation. refers As renewable energy systems require a multi-pronged, digitized approach to ensure they stay online at all times, TotalEnergies has funded startup LevelTen Energy through its venture arm. Company’s platform connects corporate and industrial power buyers to the universe of power purchase agreements from utility-scale wind, solar, and storage projects. Beyond this, in August 2020 Shell, another industry giant, invested in Palmetto Clean Technologies - software that helps consumers understand their energy spend, while enabling and promoting the home-based use of clean energy solutions, such as solar. Chemical recycling The industry aims to convert waste plastic into valuable chemicals, hereby potentially reducing the release of harmful chemicals into the environment. Chemical recycling can also produce high-quality raw materials, thereby decreasing demand for fossil fuels and other natural resources. In contrast, the traditional method of recycling plastic, mechanical recycling, has its limitations and can only be applied to a limited number of plastic types and grades.  As technology develops, chemical recycling could promote domestic businesses and employment, creating a market for plastic waste and a new way to reuse some plastics. chemical recycling TotalEnergies has built partnerships with Citeo, chemical recycler Recycling Technologies, Nestlé, and Mars to examine the technical and economic feasibility of recycling complex plastic waste, such as small, flexible and multilayered food-grade packaging. Like other oil & gas players, In September 2021, Chevron also invested in gr3n startup. Company supplies a reliable chemical recycling solution that closes the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) lifecycle, offers polymer grade material, treats waste, lowers carbon footprints, and provides cost savings for players throughout the value chain. Renewable Energy Renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydro, and bioenergy, are becoming increasingly cost-competitive with traditional fossil fuels and are expected to play a major role in meeting the world's growing energy needs in the future. , Renewables the largest source of global electricity generation by early 2025, surpassing coal. In addition, renewable energy technologies are making great strides in terms of cost-effectiveness and efficiency, with continued innovation expected to drive even greater progress in the years to come. According to the Renewables 2022 report will become Chevron’s renewable energy investment strategy has been broad, ranging from offshore wind and solar to nuclear fusion and geothermal. So, in August 2020, the industry witnessed investment from CTV to Zap Energy. It is a Seattle-based start-up company that develops and commercializes fusion energy technology using the sheared-flow stabilized (SFS) Z-pinch. As part of this, in November 2020, Shell built a partnership with Renewi and Nordsol. They will construct a bio-LNG plant in Amsterdam, where Renewi will collect organic waste, Nordsol will process it into bio-LNG, and Shell will make it available at its gas stations. ExxonMobil recently acquired a minority interest in Norway-based biofuels company Biojet, which converts forestry and wood-based construction waste into biofuels and biofuel components E-transport The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 15% of total emissions. The adoption of EVs, which emit far less greenhouse gases than internal combustion engines, can help reduce the carbon footprint of the transportation sector and contribute to the fight against climate change. In addition to reducing emissions, EVs also offer numerous other benefits, such as improved energy efficiency, lower operating costs, and a reduced dependence on oil. The electrification of the transportation industry has also spurred innovation in battery technology and charging infrastructure, which will be crucial to making EVs a practical and convenient option for consumers. Powering cars with electricity is a growing priority for Shell. It has established partnerships with Porsche, Hyundai, and Singapore-based Energy Market Authority to develop EV tech in 2021. They will implement Southeast Asia’ first cross-border high performance charging network with 12 charge points at 6 Shell stations strategically located along Malaysia’s North-South highway. It will offer the possibility of convenient travel between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang in the future. Similarly, TotalEnergies backed Chargetrip in 2020. The company’s platform and proprietary algorithms use multiple variables and predictive models to calculate the range of any electric vehicle, compute the best route to a destination, including the optimal charge stations in between, optimize for total travel time and travel costs. On top of that, in 2019, Chevron teamed up with EVgo. This company owns and operates a public direct current fast charging network in the U.S. Digital The digital industry has emerged as a powerful tool in promoting sustainable development, by leveraging technology to address social, economic and environmental challenges. In recent years, businesses have increasingly adopted digital solutions to enhance their operations and reduce their carbon footprint, while also improving access to information, goods and services for communities worldwide. As the digital sector continues to grow and evolve, it presents exciting opportunities for companies to develop innovative solutions and play a vital role in shaping a sustainable future. In this focus area, TotalEnergies has started partnership with supply chain and CO2 traceability startup Circulor and Recycling Technologies. Project TRACKCYCLE will embed blockchain technology into the advanced recycling value chain, with the aim of providing a fully traceable and accurately labeled record of recycled materials. In February 2022, Shell acquired Powershop, an operator of an online power company aimed to incentivize consumers in the Australian market to change their energy usage habits.It is also worth looking into an independent company WellAware. This company's technology offers end-to-end data to capture, monitor, and analyze datasets for oilfield intelligence from data collection to decision analytics. Raised $75M from investors like Activant Capital, Carlos Slim, and Dick Cheney. In conclusion, we can say that, despite some active participation from BigEnergy companies in recent years in funding the green transition (at least with venture money), we understand that still of CO2 in the world is produced from the use of fossil fuels. Therefore, we can expect even more proactive actions from those companies, especially given the recent . 92% new rules of the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance

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Those were anxious days

Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . ESCAPE ESCAPE Dian glanced downward and shuddered. Her tribe were hill people—they were not accustomed to swimming other than in quiet rivers and placid lakelets. It was not the steep that appalled her. It was the ocean—vast, mysterious, terrible. To dive into it from this great height was beyond her. I couldn't wonder, either. To have attempted it myself seemed too preposterous even for thought. Only one consideration could have prompted me to leap headforemost from that giddy height—suicide; or at least so I thought at the moment. "Quick!" I urged Dian. "You cannot dive; but I can hold them until you reach safety." "And you?" she asked once more. "Can you dive when they come too close? Otherwise you could not escape if you waited here until I reached the bottom." I saw that she would not leave me unless she thought that I could make that frightful dive as we had seen Juag make it. I glanced once downward; then with a mental shrug I assured her that I would dive the moment that she reached the boat. Satisfied, she began the descent carefully, yet swiftly. I watched her for a moment, my heart in my mouth lest some slight mis-step or the slipping of a finger-hold should pitch her to a frightful death upon the rocks below. Then I turned toward the advancing Hoojans—"Hoosiers," Perry dubbed them—even going so far as to christen this island where Hooja held sway Indiana; it is so marked now upon our maps. They were coming on at a great rate. I raised my revolver, took deliberate aim at the foremost warrior, and pulled the trigger. With the bark of the gun the fellow lunged forward. His head doubled beneath him. He rolled over and over two or three times before he came to a stop, to lie very quietly in the thick grass among the brilliant wild flowers. Those behind him halted. One of them hurled a javelin toward me, but it fell short—they were just beyond javelin-range. There were two armed with bows and arrows; these I kept my eyes on. All of them appeared awe-struck and frightened by the sound and effect of the firearm. They kept looking from the corpse to me and jabbering among themselves. I took advantage of the lull in hostilities to throw a quick glance over the edge toward Dian. She was half-way down the cliff and progressing finely. Then I turned back toward the enemy. One of the bowmen was fitting an arrow to his bow. I raised my hand. "Stop!" I cried. "Whoever shoots at me or advances toward me I shall kill as I killed him!" I pointed at the dead man. The fellow lowered his bow. Again there was animated discussion. I could see that those who were not armed with bows were urging something upon the two who were. At last the majority appeared to prevail, for simu-taneously the two archers raised their weapons. At the same instant I fired at one of them, dropping him in his tracks. The other, however, launched his missile, but the report of my gun had given him such a start that the arrow flew wild above my head. A second after and he, too, was sprawled upon the sward with a round hole between his eyes. It had been a rather good shot. I glanced over the edge again. Dian was almost at the bottom. I could see Juag standing just beneath her with his hands upstretched to assist her. A sullen roar from the warriors recalled my attention toward them. They stood shaking their fists at me and yelling insults. From the direction of the village I saw a single warrior coming to join them. He was a huge fellow, and when he strode among them I could tell by his bearing and their deference toward him that he was a chieftain. He listened to all they had to tell of the happenings of the last few minutes; then with a command and a roar he started for me with the whole pack at his heels. All they had needed had arrived—namely, a brave leader. I had two unfired cartridges in the chambers of my gun. I let the big warrior have one of them, thinking that his death would stop them all. But I guess they were worked up to such a frenzy of rage by this time that nothing would have stopped them. At any rate, they only yelled the louder as he fell and increased their speed toward me. I dropped another with my remaining cartridge. Then they were upon me—or almost. I thought of my promise to Dian—the awful abyss was behind me—a big devil with a huge bludgeon in front of me. I grasped my six-shooter by the barrel and hurled it squarely in his face with all my strength. Then, without waiting to learn the effect of my throw, I wheeled, ran the few steps to the edge, and leaped as far out over that frightful chasm as I could. I know something of diving, and all that I know I put into that dive, which I was positive would be my last. For a couple of hundred feet I fell in horizontal position. The momentum I gained was terrific. I could feel the air almost as a solid body, so swiftly I hurtled through it. Then my position gradually changed to the vertical, and with hands outstretched I slipped through the air, cleaving it like a flying arrow. Just before I struck the water a perfect shower of javelins fell all about. My enemies had rushed to the brink and hurled their weapons after me. By a miracle I was untouched. In the final instant I saw that I had cleared the rocks and was going to strike the water fairly. Then I was in and plumbing the depths. I suppose I didn't really go very far down, but it seemed to me that I should never stop. When at last I dared curve my hands upward and divert my progress toward the surface, I thought that I should explode for air before I ever saw the sun again except through a swirl of water. But at last my head popped above the waves, and I filled my lungs with air. Before me was the boat, from which Juag and Dian were clambering. I couldn't understand why they were deserting it now, when we were about to set out for the mainland in it; but when I reached its side I understood. Two heavy javelins, missing Dian and Juag by but a hair's breadth, had sunk deep into the bottom of the dugout in a straight line with the grain of the wood, and split her almost in two from stem to stern. She was useless. Juag was leaning over a near-by rock, his hand out-stretched to aid me in clambering to his side; nor did I lose any time in availing myself of his proffered assistance. An occasional javelin was still dropping perilously close to us, so we hastened to draw as close as possible to the cliffside, where we were comparatively safe from the missiles. Here we held a brief conference, in which it was decided that our only hope now lay in making for the opposite end of the island as quickly as we could, and utilizing the boat that I had hidden there, to continue our journey to the mainland. Gathering up three of the least damaged javelins that had fallen about us, we set out upon our journey, keeping well toward the south side of the island, which Juag said was less frequented by the Hoojans than the central portion where the river ran. I think that this ruse must have thrown our pursuers off our track, since we saw nothing of them nor heard any sound of pursuit during the greater portion of our march the length of the island. But the way Juag had chosen was rough and round-about, so that we consumed one or two more marches in covering the distance than if we had followed the river. This it was which proved our undoing. Those who sought us must have sent a party up the river immediately after we escaped; for when we came at last onto the river-trail not far from our destination, there can be no doubt but that we were seen by Hoojans who were just ahead of us on the stream. The result was that as we were passing through a clump of bush a score of warriors leaped out upon us, and before we could scarce strike a blow in defense, had disarmed and bound us. For a time thereafter I seemed to be entirely bereft of hope. I could see no ray of promise in the future—only immediate death for Juag and me, which didn't concern me much in the face of what lay in store for Dian. Poor child! What an awful life she had led! From the moment that I had first seen her chained in the slave caravan of the Mahars until now, a prisoner of a no less cruel creature, I could recall but a few brief intervals of peace and quiet in her tempestuous existence. Before I had known her, Jubal the Ugly One had pursued her across a savage world to make her his mate. She had eluded him, and finally I had slain him; but terror and privations, and exposure to fierce beasts had haunted her footsteps during all her lonely flight from him. And when I had returned to the outer world the old trials had recommenced with Hooja in Jubal's role. I could almost have wished for death to vouchsafe her that peace which fate seemed to deny her in this life. I spoke to her on the subject, suggesting that we expire together. "Do not fear, David," she replied. "I shall end my life before ever Hooja can harm me; but first I shall see that Hooja dies." She drew from her breast a little leathern thong, to the end of which was fastened a tiny pouch. "What have you there?" I asked. "Do you recall that time you stepped upon the thing you call viper in your world?" she asked. I nodded. "The accident gave you the idea for the poisoned arrows with which we fitted the warriors of the empire," she continued. "And, too, it gave me an idea. For a long time I have carried a viper's fang in my bosom. It has given me strength to endure many dangers, for it has always assured me immunity from the ultimate insult. I am not ready to die yet. First let Hooja embrace the viper's fang." So we did not die together, and I am glad now that we did not. It is always a foolish thing to contemplate suicide; for no matter how dark the future may appear today, tomorrow may hold for us that which will alter our whole life in an instant, revealing to us nothing but sunshine and happiness. So, for my part, I shall always wait for tomorrow. In Pellucidar, where it is always today, the wait may not be so long, and so it proved for us. As we were passing a lofty, flat-topped hill through a park-like wood a perfect network of fiber ropes fell suddenly about our guard, enmeshing them. A moment later a horde of our friends, the hairy gorilla-men, with the mild eyes and long faces of sheep leaped among them. It was a very interesting fight. I was sorry that my bonds prevented me from taking part in it, but I urged on the brutemen with my voice, and cheered old Gr-gr-gr, their chief, each time that his mighty jaws crunched out the life of a Hoojan. When the battle was over we found that a few of our captors had escaped, but the majority of them lay dead about us. The gorilla-men paid no further attention to them. Gr-gr-gr turned to me. "Gr-gr-gr and all his people are your friends," he said. "One saw the warriors of the Sly One and followed them. He saw them capture you, and then he flew to the village as fast as he could go and told me all that he had seen. The rest you know. You did much for Gr-gr-gr and Gr-gr-gr's people. We shall always do much for you." I thanked him; and when I had told him of our escape and our destination, he insisted on accompanying us to the sea with a great number of his fierce males. Nor were we at all loath to accept his escort. We found the canoe where I had hidden it, and bidding Gr-gr-gr and his warriors farewell, the three of us embarked for the mainland. I questioned Juag upon the feasibility of attempting to cross to the mouth of the great river of which he had told me, and up which he said we might paddle almost to Sari; but he urged me not to attempt it, since we had but a single paddle and no water or food. I had to admit the wisdom of his advice, but the desire to explore this great waterway was strong upon me, arousing in me at last a determination to make the attempt after first gaining the mainland and rectifying our deficiencies. We landed several miles north of Thuria in a little cove that seemed to offer protection from the heavier seas which sometimes run, even upon these usually pacific oceans of Pellucidar. Here I outlined to Dian and Juag the plans I had in mind. They were to fit the canoe with a small sail, the purposes of which I had to explain to them both—since neither had ever seen or heard of such a contrivance before. Then they were to hunt for food which we could transport with us, and prepare a receptacle for water. These two latter items were more in Juag's line, but he kept muttering about the sail and the wind for a long time. I could see that he was not even half convinced that any such ridiculous contraption could make a canoe move through the water. We hunted near the coast for a while, but were not rewarded with any particular luck. Finally we decided to hide the canoe and strike inland in search of game. At Juag's suggestion we dug a hole in the sand at the upper edge of the beach and buried the craft, smoothing the surface over nicely and throwing aside the excess material we had excavated. Then we set out away from the sea. Traveling in Thuria is less arduous than under the midday sun which perpetually glares down on the rest of Pellucidar's surface; but it has its draw-backs, one of which is the depressing influence exerted by the everlasting shade of the Land of Awful Shadow. The farther inland we went the darker it became, until we were moving at last through an endless twilight. The vegetation here was sparse and of a weird, colorless nature, though what did grow was wondrous in shape and form. Often we saw huge lidi, or beasts of burden, striding across the dim landscape, browsing upon the grotesque vegetation or drinking from the slow and sullen rivers that run down from the Lidi Plains to empty into the sea in Thuria. What we sought was either a thag—a sort of gigantic elk—or one of the larger species of antelope, the flesh of either of which dries nicely in the sun. The bladder of the thag would make a fine water-bottle, and its skin, I figured, would be a good sail. We traveled a considerable distance inland, entirely crossing the Land of Awful Shadow and emerging at last upon that portion of the Lidi Plains which lies in the pleasant sunlight. Above us the pendent world revolved upon its axis, filling me especially—and Dian to an almost equal state—with wonder and insatiable curiosity as to what strange forms of life existed among the hills and valleys and along the seas and rivers, which we could plainly see. Before us stretched the horizonless expanses of vast Pellucidar, the Lidi Plains rolling up about us, while hanging high in the heavens to the northwest of us I thought I discerned the many towers which marked the entrances to the distant Mahar city, whose inhabitants preyed upon the Thurians. Juag suggested that we travel to the northeast, where, he said, upon the verge of the plain we would find a wooded country in which game should be plentiful. Acting upon his advice, we came at last to a forest-jungle, through which wound innumerable game-paths. In the depths of this forbidding wood we came upon the fresh spoor of thag. Shortly after, by careful stalking, we came within javelin-range of a small herd. Selecting a great bull, Juag and I hurled our weapons simultaneously, Dian reserving hers for an emergency. The beast staggered to his feet, bellowing. The rest of the herd was up and away in an instant, only the wounded bull remaining, with lowered head and roving eyes searching for the foe. Then Juag exposed himself to the view of the bull—it is a part of the tactics of the hunt—while I stepped to one side behind a bush. The moment that the savage beast saw Juag he charged him. Juag ran straight away, that the bull might be lured past my hiding-place. On he came—tons of mighty bestial strength and rage. Dian had slipped behind me. She, too, could fight a thag should emergency require. Ah, such a girl! A rightful empress of a stone age by every standard which two worlds might bring to measure her! Crashing down toward us came the bull thag, bellowing and snorting, with the power of a hundred outer-earthly bulls. When he was opposite me I sprang for the heavy mane that covered his huge neck. To tangle my fingers in it was the work of but an instant. Then I was running along at the beast's shoulder. Now, the theory upon which this hunting custom is based is one long ago discovered by experience, and that is that a thag cannot be turned from his charge once he has started toward the object of his wrath, so long as he can still see the thing he charges. He evidently believes that the man clinging to his mane is attempting to restrain him from overtaking his prey, and so he pays no attention to this enemy, who, of course, does not retard the mighty charge in the least. Once in the gait of the plunging bull, it was but a slight matter to vault to his back, as cavalrymen mount their chargers upon the run. Juag was still running in plain sight ahead of the bull. His speed was but a trifle less than that of the monster that pursued him. These Pellucidarians are almost as fleet as deer; because I am not is one reason that I am always chosen for the close-in work of the thag-hunt. I could not keep in front of a charging thag long enough to give the killer time to do his work. I learned that the first—and last—time I tried it. Once astride the bull's neck, I drew my long stone knife and, setting the point carefully over the brute's spine, drove it home with both hands. At the same instant I leaped clear of the stumbling animal. Now, no vertebrate can progress far with a knife through his spine, and the thag is no exception to the rule. The fellow was down instantly. As he wallowed Juag returned, and the two of us leaped in when an opening afforded the opportunity and snatched our javelins from his side. Then we danced about him, more like two savages than anything else, until we got the opening we were looking for, when simultaneously, our javelins pierced his wild heart, stilling it forever. The thag had covered considerable ground from the point at which I had leaped upon him. When, after despatching him, I looked back for Dian, I could see nothing of her. I called aloud, but receiving no reply, set out at a brisk trot to where I had left her. I had no difficulty in finding the self-same bush behind which we had hidden, but Dian was not there. Again and again I called, to be rewarded only by silence. Where could she be? What could have become of her in the brief interval since I had seen her standing just behind me? About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Edgar Rice Burroughs (1996). Pellucidar. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/605/pg605-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html.

ESCAPE

The Sea Lady by H. G. Wells, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . THE EPISODE OF THE VARIOUS JOURNALISTS THE EPISODE OF THE VARIOUS JOURNALISTS The remarkable thing is that the Buntings really carried out the programme Mrs. Bunting laid down. For a time at least they positively succeeded in converting the Sea Lady into a credible human invalid, in spite of the galaxy of witnesses to the lady’s landing and in spite of the severe internal dissensions that presently broke out. In spite, moreover, of the fact that one of the maids—they found out which only long after—told the whole story under vows to her very superior young man who told it next Sunday to a rising journalist who was sitting about on the Leas maturing a descriptive article. The rising journalist was incredulous. But he went about enquiring. In the end he thought it good enough to go upon. He found in several quarters a vague but sufficient rumour of a something; for the maid’s young man was a conversationalist when he had anything to say. [72] Finally the rising journalist went and sounded the people on the two chief Folkestone papers and found the thing had just got to them. They were inclined to pretend they hadn’t heard of it, after the fashion of local papers when confronted by the abnormal, but the atmosphere of enterprise that surrounded the rising journalist woke them up. He perceived he had done so and that he had no time to lose. So while they engaged in inventing representatives to enquire, he went off and telephoned to the Daily Gunfire and the New Paper. When they answered he was positive and earnest. He staked his reputation—the reputation of a rising journalist! [73] “I swear there’s something up,” he said. “Get in first—that’s all.” He had some reputation, I say—and he had staked it. The Daily Gunfire was sceptical but precise, and the New Paper sprang a headline “A Mermaid at last!” You might well have thought the thing was out after that, but it wasn’t. There are things one doesn’t believe even if they are printed in a halfpenny paper. To find the reporters hammering at their doors, so to speak, and fended off only for a time by a proposal that they should call again; to see their incredible secret glaringly in print, did indeed for a moment seem a hopeless exposure to both the Buntings and the Sea Lady. Already they could see the story spreading, could imagine the imminent rush of intimate enquiries, the tripod strides of a multitude of cameras, the crowds watching the windows, the horrors of a great publicity. All the Buntings and Mabel were aghast, simply aghast. Adeline was not so much aghast as excessively annoyed at this imminent and, so far as she was concerned, absolutely irrelevant publicity. “They will never dare—” she said, and “Consider how it affects Harry!” and at the earliest opportunity she retired to her own room. The others, with a certain disregard of her offence, sat around the Sea Lady’s couch—she had scarcely touched her breakfast—and canvassed the coming terror. [74] “They will put our photographs in the papers,” said the elder Miss Bunting. “Well, they won’t put mine in,” said her sister. “It’s horrid. I shall go right off now and have it taken again.” “They’ll interview the Ded!” “No, no,” said Mr. Bunting terrified. “Your mother——” [75] “It’s your place, my dear,” said Mrs. Bunting. “But the Ded—” said Fred. “I couldn’t,” said Mr. Bunting. “Well, some one’ll have to tell ’em anyhow,” said Mrs. Bunting. “You know, they will——” “But it isn’t at all what I wanted,” wailed the Sea Lady, with the Daily Gunfire in her hand. “Can’t it be stopped?” “You don’t know our journalists,” said Fred. The tact of my cousin Melville saved the situation. He had dabbled in journalism and talked with literary fellows like myself. And literary fellows like myself are apt at times to be very free and outspoken about the press. He heard of the Buntings’ shrinking terror of publicity as soon as he arrived, a perfect clamour—an almost exultant clamour indeed, of shrinking terror, and he caught the Sea Lady’s eye and took his line there and then. [76] “It’s not an occasion for sticking at trifles, Mrs. Bunting,” he said. “But I think we can save the situation all the same. You’re too hopeless. We must put our foot down at once; that’s all. Let see these reporter fellows and write to the London dailies. I think I can take a line that will settle them.” me “Eh?” said Fred. “I can take a line that will stop it, trust me.” “What, altogether?” “Altogether.” “How?” said Fred and Mrs. Bunting. “You’re not going to bribe them!” “Bribe!” said Mr. Bunting. “We’re not in France. You can’t bribe a British paper.” (A sort of subdued cheer went around from the assembled Buntings.) [77] “You leave it to me,” said Melville, in his element. And with earnestly expressed but not very confident wishes for his success, they did. He managed the thing admirably. “What’s this about a mermaid?” he demanded of the local journalists when they returned. They travelled together for company, being, so to speak, emergency journalists, compositors in their milder moments, and unaccustomed to these higher aspects of journalism. “What’s this about a mermaid?” repeated my cousin, while they waived precedence dumbly one to another. “I believe some one’s been letting you in,” said my cousin Melville. “Just imagine!—a mermaid!” “That’s what we thought,” said the younger of the two emergency journalists. “We knew it was some sort of hoax, you know. Only the New Paper giving it a headline——” [78] “I’m amazed even Banghurst—” said my cousin Melville. “It’s in the Daily Gunfire as well,” said the older of the two emergency journalists. “What’s one more or less of these ha’penny fever rags?” cried my cousin with a ringing scorn. “Surely you’re not going to take your Folkestone news from mere London papers.” “But how did the story come about?” began the older emergency journalist. “That’s not my affair.” The younger emergency journalist had an inspiration. He produced a note book from his breast pocket. “Perhaps, sir, you wouldn’t mind suggesting to us something we might say——” My cousin Melville complied. [79] II The rising young journalist who had first got wind of the business—who must not for a moment be confused with the two emergency journalists heretofore described—came to Banghurst next night in a state of strange exultation. “I’ve been through with it and I’ve seen her,” he panted. “I waited about outside and saw her taken into the carriage. I’ve talked to one of the maids—I got into the house under pretence of being a telephone man to see their telephone—I spotted the wire—and it’s a fact. A positive fact—she’s a mermaid with a tail—a proper mermaid’s tail. I’ve got here——” He displayed sheets. “Whaddyer talking about?” said Banghurst from his littered desk, eyeing the sheets with apprehensive animosity. [80] “The mermaid—there really a mermaid. At Folkestone.” is Banghurst turned away from him and pawed at his pen tray. “Whad if there is!” he said after a pause. “But it’s proved. That note you printed——” “That note I printed was a mistake if there’s anything of that sort going, young man.” Banghurst remained an obstinate expansion of back. “How?” “We don’t deal in mermaids here.” “But you’re not going to let it drop?” “I am.” “But there she is!” “Let her be.” He turned on the rising young journalist, and his massive face was unusually massive and his voice fine and full and fruity. “Do you think we’re going to make our public believe anything simply because it’s true? They know perfectly well what they are going to believe and what they aren’t going to believe, and they aren’t going to believe anything about mermaids—you bet your hat. I don’t care if the whole damned beach was littered with mermaids—not the whole damned beach! We’ve got our reputation to keep up. See?… Look here!—you don’t learn journalism as I hoped you’d do. It was you what brought in all that stuff about a discovery in chemistry——” [81] “It’s true.” “Ugh!” “I had it from a Fellow of the Royal Society——” “Stuff that the public won’t believe aren’t facts.” “I don’t care if you had it from—anybody. Stuff that the public won’t believe aren’t facts. Being true only makes ’em worse. They buy our paper to swallow it and it’s got to go down easy. When I printed you that note and headline I thought you was up to a lark. I thought you was on to a mixed bathing scandal or something of that sort—with juice in it. The sort of thing that understand. You know when you went down to Folkestone you were going to describe what Salisbury and all the rest of them wear upon the Leas. And start a discussion on the acclimatisation of the café. And all that. And then you get on to this (unprintable epithet) nonsense!” [82] all “But Lord Salisbury—he doesn’t go to Folkestone.” Banghurst shrugged his shoulders over a hopeless case. “What the deuce,” he said, addressing his inkpot in plaintive tones, “does matter?” that The young man reflected. He addressed Banghurst’s back after a pause. His voice had flattened a little. “I might go over this and do it up as a lark perhaps. Make it a comic dialogue sketch with a man who really believed in it—or something like that. It’s a beastly lot of copy to get slumped, you know.” [83] “Nohow,” said Banghurst. “Not in any shape. No! Why! They’d think it clever. They’d think you was making game of them. They hate things they think are clever!” The young man made as if to reply, but Banghurst’s back expressed quite clearly that the interview was at an end. “Nohow,” repeated Banghurst just when it seemed he had finished altogether. “I may take it to the Gunfire then?” Banghurst suggested an alternative. “Very well,” said the young man, heated, “the Gunfire it is.” But in that he was reckoning without the editor of the Gunfire. [84] III It must have been quite soon after that, that I myself heard the first mention of the mermaid, little recking that at last it would fall to me to write her history. I was on one of my rare visits to London, and Micklethwaite was giving me lunch at the Penwiper Club, certainly one of the best dozen literary clubs in London. I noted the rising young journalist at a table near the door, lunching alone. All about him tables were vacant, though the other parts of the room were crowded. He sat with his face towards the door, and he kept looking up whenever any one came in, as if he expected some one who never came. Once distinctly I saw him beckon to a man, but the man did not respond. “Look here, Micklethwaite,” I said, “why is everybody avoiding that man over there? I noticed just now in the smoking-room that he seemed to be trying to get into conversation with some one and that a kind of taboo——” [85] Micklethwaite stared over his fork. “Ra-ther,” he said. “But what’s he done?” “He’s a fool,” said Micklethwaite with his mouth full, evidently annoyed. “Ugh,” he said as soon as he was free to do so. I waited a little while. “What’s he done?” I ventured. Micklethwaite did not answer for a moment and crammed things into his mouth vindictively, bread and all sorts of things. Then leaning towards me in a confidential manner he made indignant noises which I could not clearly distinguish as words. “Oh!” I said, when he had done. “Yes,” said Micklethwaite. He swallowed and then poured himself wine—splashing the tablecloth. [86] “He had for an hour very nearly the other day.” me “Yes?” I said. “Silly fool,” said Micklethwaite. I was afraid it was all over, but luckily he gave me an opening again after gulping down his wine. “He leads you on to argue,” he said. “That——?” “That he can’t prove it.” “Yes?” “And then he shows you he can. Just showing off how damned ingenious he is.” I was a little confused. “Prove what?” I asked. “Haven’t I been telling you?” said Micklethwaite, growing very red. “About this confounded mermaid of his at Folkestone.” [87] “He says there is one?” “Yes, he does,” said Micklethwaite, going purple and staring at me very hard. He seemed to ask mutely whether I of all people proposed to turn on him and back up this infamous scoundrel. I thought for a moment he would have apoplexy, but happily he remembered his duty as my host. So he turned very suddenly on a meditative waiter for not removing our plates. “Had any golf lately?” I said to Micklethwaite, when the plates and the remains of the waiter had gone away. Golf always does Micklethwaite good except when he is actually playing. Then, I am told— If I were Mrs. Bunting I should break off and raise my eyebrows and both hands at this point, to indicate how golf acts on Micklethwaite when he is playing. I turned my mind to feigning an interest in golf—a game that in truth I despise and hate as I despise and hate nothing else in this world. Imagine a great fat creature like Micklethwaite, a creature who ought to wear a turban and a long black robe to hide his grossness, whacking a little white ball for miles and miles with a perfect surgery of instruments, whacking it either with a babyish solemnity or a childish rage as luck may have decided, whacking away while his country goes to the devil, and incidentally training an innocent-eyed little boy to swear and be a tip-hunting loafer. That’s golf! However, I controlled my all too facile sneer and talked of golf and the relative merits of golf links as I might talk to a child about buns or distract a puppy with the whisper of “rats,” and when at last I could look at the rising young journalist again our lunch had come to an end. [88] I saw that he was talking with a greater air of freedom than it is usual to display to club waiters, to the man who held his coat. The man looked incredulous but respectful, and was answering shortly but politely. [89] When we went out this little conversation was still going on. The waiter was holding the rising young journalist’s soft felt hat and the rising young journalist was fumbling in his coat pocket with a thick mass of papers. “It’s tremendous. I’ve got most of it here,” he was saying as we went by. “I don’t know if you’d care——” “I get very little time for reading, sir,” the waiter was replying. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. H. G. Wells (2011). The Sea Lady. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022, from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35920/35920-h/35920-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html .

In the Front of a Galaxy of Witnesses

Heresies; or The Things that God Is Not

Video gaming has come a long way, evolving from 2D arcades to real-life simulators, now to Play and Earn games that reward users. The latest gaming industry stats indicate that Americans play video games, with the average player being 35 years old. In Europe, over 50% of the population is actively involved with immersive video games, with genres such as free-to-play team-based games on the rise. over 214 million Immersive gaming is a catch-all term that includes VR and AR experiences. However, the next level of virtual game experiences is more than that. It’s a culmination of Web3 technologies democratizing how people play and interact. Here are three significant innovations defining the future of immersive gaming. Enhanced Player Ownership and Portability Non-fungible tokens, popularly known as NFTs, disrupt the standards of how users control their profiles and in-game content. NFTs have been incorporated in the best Play and Earn crypto games in many ways, particularly for token and NFT rewards. QORPO Game Studio, a Web3 game development company backed by teams from Electronic Arts, Gameloft, Ubisoft, and Riot Games, experienced first-hand the problems around player ownership. “Let’s take Diablo Immortal as an example. The price of maxing your character’s attributes and inventory . That’s insane for game content, but do you want to know what’s even more insane? The fact that you can’t manipulate the in-game content. There’s no way for users to sell these assets for real money, in fact, users are basically funding a black hole. That’s an abuse of the free-to-play system by the developer,” says Rastislav Bakala, CEO of QORPO Game Studio. reached over $100,000 Bakala emphasizes how every game studio should “provide ownership of these assets to their holders”. That’s why QORPO Game Studio’s Free to Play shooter game, , is leveraging NFTs to power up the player-centric gaming experience. Players acquire characters, masks, and weapons, which are all individual NFTs, as they compete in the dystopian metaverse. Citizen Conflict Other blockchain-based games such as MetaOps, VulcanVerse, and Gunfire Hero are popular titles that utilize NFTs. With NFTs in play, players can truly own the digital items in question. However, it doesn’t stop there. The expansive value of NFTs depends on how well they can be used across multiple game ecosystems. For example, a weapon from a shooter game can be used in another similar game that supports the same NFT standards. This encourages gamers to acquire valuable items, customize them, and make them even more valuable in other compatible games. While NFT portability is said to be a game-changer, . The Sandbox and Otherside are . seamless interoperability between different gaming ecosystems is still in the nascent stages metaverse-centric platforms building NFT interoperability NFT Marketplaces and Monetization The fun in gaming goes beyond just owning an arsenal of in-game assets. Having assets is part of every gamer’s unique identity. It’s a way to “flex” among the gamer circle. Secondary markets for in-game content, especially weapon skins, have immensely grown in popularity even before the introduction of NFT technology. An AK-47 gun skin in CS:GO . If that’s not enough, a CS:GO knife sold for . sold for $150,000 more than $1.5 million With NFT assets, new revenue models for both the player and game developer are possible. Players who actually control their assets now have a greater sense of ownership within the game. They can buy or sell assets peer-to-peer on NFT marketplaces, creating a whole new ocean of secondary trading. But what makes NFT trading platforms different from traditional marketplaces? Players can list items at will and trade them using non-custodial wallets so that no one, including the game developer, can take away the player’s assets without permission. Another feature to note is royalty commissions. Instead of earning a flat fee on one-time sales, players can choose to set recurring royalty fees. Every time an item is bought and sold, the original seller can earn trailing commissions. Game developers can get a commission too, depending on the parameters governed by trustless smart contracts that make NFT marketplaces possible. The potential is already gaining traction – almost have already been paid out on the Ethereum network alone. $2 billion worth of NFT royalties Another rising trend in this area is NFT renting. Instead of selling NFTs to a new user, players can rent them out and earn interest. Hardcore fans with a large inventory of game items may be more interested in temporarily lending them out rather than permanently selling their prized collections. NFT renting is useful for gamers who go on an extended trips away from the computer, wherein the idle assets can be lent out to others who use the items in lieu of the original owner. This means passive income for the lender, more choices for the borrower, and greater cash flow for the game developer. These trends will likely drive new business models and high volumes of microtransactions, which is especially useful for games with various items. DAOs for Gaming Communities Play and Earn games and NFTs are not the only game-changers. Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) are also another component making an impact in the gaming sphere. DAO contribution systems may take center stage in . determining how gaming ecosystems make community decisions “DAO puts a vote on whether members want this update added to the game, and members vote. Once the guild voting ends, there is a verdict. Whether the vote passes or not, the decision was made by anonymous users, fully transparent, written on the blockchain, and managed by a smart contract. That is the cleanest and most honest statistic that the developer can get from the gamers – pure feedback regarding their product from the perspective of gamers and their opinion,” says Bakala. DAOs influence the center stage in determining how gaming ecosystems introduce proposals and pass community votes. It ultimately creates a transparent system for players to voice their opinions without revealing private information. They are making the social aspect of video games more immersive, thanks to its transformative approach that can be described broadly as the ”new internet democracy”. A Major Evolution for Gaming and Beyond As long as games deliver on the golden rule of “fun first”, the gaming ecosystem will find its way to innovation. However, the immersive gaming space still has much more to explore and prove. Now it’s up to the players and game developers how it will evolve. https://youtu.be/uDqhq8o8C7A?embedable=true

How this Metaverse Shooter is Defining the Next-Generation of Immersive Gaming

Cómo este Metaverse Shooter está definiendo la próxima generación de juegos inmersivos

Comment ce jeu de tir métaverse définit la prochaine génération de jeux immersifs

कैसे यह मेटावर्स शूटर इमर्सिव गेमिंग की अगली पीढ़ी को परिभाषित कर रहा है

このメタバース シューターが次世代の没入型ゲームをどのように定義しているか

Como este atirador metaverso está definindo a próxima geração de jogos imersivos

Cách game bắn súng Metaverse này đang xác định thế hệ trò chơi nhập vai tiếp theo

这款 Metaverse 射击游戏如何定义下一代沉浸式游戏

2022 featured far too many fun video games for anyone to play, as it does every year. Even professional game reporters don't have enough time to cover them all. Big-budget, 50+ hour epics like , , and can be too easy to become engrossing. Elden Ring God of War Ragnarok Xenoblade Chronicles 3 You undoubtedly have a backlog of games to last you well into January or February after finishing this list. In this thread, our community discussed about the Top 10 games that you may or may not have played in 2022. This Slogging thread is by Valentine Enedah, Teri, Mónica Freitas, Sara Pinto, Moses Concha, Seye Yemi-Olowolabi and Marco Sullivan occurred in slogging's official #gaming channel, and has been edited for readability. Slogging Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:02 PM Top 10 games you may have not played in 2022! https://mashable.com/article/10-best-games-you-may-have-missed-2022 Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:20 PM The Top 10 games: You play as Nobody, a nondescript little fella who gets a magic wand that lets him transform into a bunch of different forms, including a rat, a slug, a dragon, and much more. Each form has its own abilities that level up as you mow down hordes of enemies in the game’s top-down dungeons, and levelling up also unlocks new forms. Nobody Saves the World Eventually, you'll be mixing and matching abilities from multiple forms at once and unleashing screen-filling devastation on hapless enemies. If you like games about watching numbers go up while meters fill in the background, is about as satisfying as it gets. Nobody Saves the World Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:23 PM is probably best experienced with as little information going in as possible. It’s also on my personal backlog. However, given what damn near everyone I know has been saying about this game all year, it seems like a can’t-miss proposition for fans of compelling, branching narratives in games. Citizen Sleeper Citizen Sleeper Set on a space station that’s become a sort of lawless nation, follows a worker android who’s escaped from the job they were built for. It’s all about going through a daily routine of trying to survive, making friends, taking on odd jobs, and doing anything else you can do with a dice roll. Citizen Sleeper Like a tabletop role-playing game, uses dice rolls to determine the outcome of your actions and the narrative can branch depending on what happens. Oh, and get this: It’s on Game Pass, too. Citizen Sleeper Platforms: PC, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:29 PM The original made big waves in 2014, within its first hour on sale. Its gameplay loop of entering a shapeshifting castle, fighting until you die, and spending the money you earned on upgrades that your offspring could use next time around was hard to resist. You never knew what would happen on any given run, but the steady upgrade incline made each progressive run a little less scary. The good news about its 2022 sequel is that it’s even better than the original. takes the first game’s formula and adds a ton of new classes with their own unique weapons, new spells to use in combat, and movement abilities that make getting around the castle much more fun than before. It’s never been more satisfying to hit enemies with a scalding frying pan. Rogue Legacy Rogue Legacy exactly Rogue Legacy 2 Platforms: Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Mac Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:32 PM Continuing down the road of narrative-heavy adventure games that have something to say about the real world, has been heralded as by people who actually got around to playing it. It was PC-only for much of the year, but as of mid-November, you can play it on consoles, too. is a point-and-click adventure game with stunning pixel art that’s used to draw you into Norco, Louisiana, a fictionalized version of a real town with the same name. It’s rare for any game to be set in the deep south and much more rare for any game to directly confront the realities of capitalism, climate issues (the real Norco has experienced and everything else that kind of sucks about living in America right now. Norco Norco Norco Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:35 PM Remember the golden age of 3D platformers? Back in the late 1990s, it seemed like every other video game starred a plucky mascot who was real good at jumping on things. and were the kings of gaming. Sadly, Mario is the only one still putting in the work on a consistent basis. Enter . This Game Pass diamond-in-the-rough is a charming little platformer where you play as a shrunken little guy running around a regular home. I the “little character in a gigantic version of a mundane room” trope. Your character quickly learns how to catch and command the titular tinykin, color-coded creatures who can perform different tasks on your behalf. It’s essentially a mix between and , to put it simply. You can finish it in a weekend and I highly recommend doing so. Tinykin Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon Tinykin love Super Mario 64 Pikmin Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:37 PM Do you like solving mysteries? Of course you do. Right now, you’re here to solve the mystery of “which games to play while I’m on vacation.” Consider giving a shot, in that case. This PC-only adventure game has wickedly cool pixel-based visuals to go along with a murder mystery involving 12 cases that may or may not be related. It’s all about interviewing suspects, picking out the right words from their testimony and related evidence, and slotting those words Mad Libs-style into a chain of events until you figure out what the heck happened. is definitely a game where you may want to keep your own notes. It may also just be the answer to your holiday gaming mystery. The Case of the Golden Idol The Case of the Golden Idol The Case of the Golden Idol Platforms: PC Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:39 PM A futuristic racer in the same vein as or , is about speeding very quickly down, up, over, and around wild sci-fi racetracks. There’s a good degree of technique involved here, as boosting too much can overheat your vehicle and end a race prematurely. If you’re like me, you’ll ride the line between “going faster than everyone else” and “exploding horribly.” It’s a great time, even you are terrible at it. Redout 2 F-Zero Wipeout Redout 2 constantly Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC is about beating the holy hell out of enemies. It’s devastatingly simple at first, but quickly gives way to something much more dynamic and varied. Don’t get me wrong, it’s never about beating dudes up, but the ways in which you can do that keep expanding as you play. At first, you just button mash through combos. Within a couple of missions, however, you’ll be pulling off counters, finishers, using folding chairs as throwing weapons, sticking dudes with knives, and even engaging in some gunfire. It’s easy to pick up, but leaves plenty of room for high-level mastery. Oh, and the bass-y, electronic soundtrack is . Midnight Fight Express Midnight Fight Express not sick Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:45 PM Ever wanted to run a laundromat? I know, I know, it almost sounds too exciting to handle, but in , it’s the key to success. is a game where you can play 35 different original games inspired by arcade games of the 1980s and ‘90s, but it’s also more than that. It’s about managing a laundromat until it becomes a successful enough arcade to grow into something . With a unique blend of management sim mechanics and good old-fashioned arcade fun (some of the games even have multiplayer), there’s nothing else quite like . Arcade Paradise Arcade Paradise Arcade Paradise more Arcade Paradise Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:47 PM is a cozy little spacefaring adventure about coming-of-age as one of just a few human colonizers on a faraway planet. Playing as the titular teenage exocolonist through 10 in-game years (from ages 10 to 20), you’ll encounter alien plants and animals, build relationships with your fellow humans, and try to determine your place in the world. It’s a game about choices, friendship, romance, and the struggle to survive. There’s also a card game mechanic that you can become fully invested in or turn off entirely. This is your adventure, after all. I Was a Teenage Exocolonist I Was a Teenage Exocolonist Platforms: PS4, PS5, Switch, PC, Mac Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:51 PM Ahhhhhhhhh. That's the sound of your brain being massaged by the dopamine-releasing thrills of . There isn't a lot to say about because there isn't a lot to it. You move a little guy around the screen and he attacks automatically at set intervals. Enemies slowly encroach upon you and fall victim to said attacks. Defeated enemies drop experience points and every time you level up, you get a choice of three random enhancements, like upgraded damage, a new projectile that gets added to your base attack, or more armor. And it just keeps going like that until you're a walking merchant of death with like 19 different weapons and projectiles flying out of you every half-second. is not only the most satisfying game of 2022. It might be the game of 2022. Vampire Survivors Vampire Survivors Vampire Survivors Vampire Survivors best Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Mac, iOS, Android Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 2:53 PM These games are so cool! What do you think? Would you love to try them? Teri Dec 14, 2022, 7:15 PM I can't remember the last time, I played a game. Maybe someday, I will want to try it out. Valentine Enedah Dec 14, 2022, 9:36 PM Teri Really! You should play games. They are really good for recreation. 🙈 1 Mónica Freitas Dec 15, 2022, 2:11 PM Nobody saves the world seems fun. Have you played any of these yet? Sara Pinto Dec 15, 2022, 2:33 PM Valentine Enedah, this list sounds pretty cool. However, I'm not sure I have the commitment to go through a whole game. I'm been playing the same one for about a year 😅 Valentine Enedah Dec 15, 2022, 3:19 PM Mónica Freitas Yes, I have played the Redout 2! The game is really cool and also a bit difficult.😞 Valentine Enedah Dec 15, 2022, 3:20 PM Sara Pinto I totally understand! What game have you been playing so far? Moses Concha Dec 15, 2022, 3:27 PM Mónica Freitas Nobody Saves the World is incredibly underrated! It's an excellent co-op experience where you have to tactfully transform into different characters on the fly to defeat hordes of unique enemies. The game’s plot and writing id wildly hilarious, and never takes itself too seriously. It takes place in a densely packed open world that is both sprawling and fun to explore, with a variety of silly and equally menacing dungeons filled to the brim with creative enemies and bosses to beat - alone or with a friend to boot! It also has soft RPG mechanics where you can upgrade your favorite characters' special abilities that will make it easier to continue munching through waves of monsters. I highly recommend it 😄 💚 1 Sara Pinto Dec 15, 2022, 3:57 PM Valentine Enedah, I'm still trying to finish It Takes Two! What about you? What are you playing? Valentine Enedah Dec 15, 2022, 4:04 PM Moses Concha Amazing! It has a touch of Fortnite to it. I will definitely check it. Valentine Enedah Dec 15, 2022, 4:07 PM Sara Pinto Interesting game! What console do you play games on? Well so far I have been playing Redout 2, God of War Ragnarok and a mobile arcade game called Clash Royale. Sara Pinto Dec 16, 2022, 4:46 PM Valentine Enedah, I've been playing on PC, I haven't played any game in a actual console in years, but still use a console controller to play haha. Do you also play on PC? Valentine Enedah Dec 16, 2022, 7:21 PM Sara Pinto Not really! I prefer playing on console. I have a PS4 Seye Yemi-Olowolabi Dec 16, 2022, 7:21 PM anybody playing mobile?👀 Valentine Enedah Dec 16, 2022, 7:22 PM What mobile games are you playing? Seye Yemi-Olowolabi Dec 16, 2022, 7:24 PM Call of Duty Mobile and hopefully Warzone mobile when it comes out Valentine Enedah Dec 16, 2022, 7:25 PM Interesting! I think we need to settle this debate. PUBG or COD? Seye Yemi-Olowolabi Dec 16, 2022, 7:27 PM Man I was a pubg supporter before then when I started playing COD, I had to be honest with myself 💀 Seye Yemi-Olowolabi Dec 16, 2022, 7:28 PM None of them comes close to COD at all Valentine Enedah Dec 16, 2022, 7:28 PM Funny how, I prefer PUBG to COD. What features on COD do you think makes them stand out? Seye Yemi-Olowolabi Dec 16, 2022, 7:39 PM The player movement is a lot smoother and more enjoyable It has more gun customisation features Valentine Enedah Dec 16, 2022, 7:46 PM I see. This is a good point. What console-only game would you love them to create a mobile version for it? Teri Dec 18, 2022, 11:05 PM Yeah, 2023 will be different as I will probably get the PS5 console Valentine Enedah 💚 1 Mónica Freitas Dec 19, 2022, 11:54 AM Moses Concha that seems like a tricky game. Have you tried any other game from this list? Valentine Enedah Dec 19, 2022, 4:14 PM Teri Wow, Amazing. I hope you do get FIFA 23 or 24 as well.😊 Seye Yemi-Olowolabi Dec 19, 2022, 4:55 PM Valentine Enedah the one which I wanted was warzone and it's already coming to mobile , it'll be released next year I would also love it if PES mobile adds controller support 😏 Valentine Enedah Dec 19, 2022, 5:40 PM The PES mobile feature would make more sense. It will be like Dream league with better features. Marco Sullivan Dec 23, 2022, 5:41 PM Valentine Enedah Amazing list of games! I'm looking forward to trying Arcade Paradise. 💚 1

10 Games from 2022 to Check Out in 2023

In case you didn’t already know, Open AI recently released , a new model that interacts in a conversational way. ChatGPT However, I don’t care much about chatbots and instead wanted to see its fiction writing capabilities. Here was my prompt: Write the opening scene of The Great Gatsby set during a zombie apocalypse From there, I continue the story by using the AI’s generated text as the next prompt and add “Chapter 2:”, “Chapter 3:”, and so on, to the ends of the prompt to tell the AI to continue the story. Here is what it came up with… The image of the story was created using feature via stable diffusion. I used the prompt “The Great Gatsby pointing a gun at a zombie” Note: HackerNoon’s AI image generator The Great Gatsby & Zombies Chapter 1 The sky was a sickly shade of green and the air was thick with the stench of decay. The once-lush fields and forests had been reduced to a barren wasteland, and the only sound was the shuffling of countless feet. The zombies lumbered across the land, their bodies twisted and contorted by the ravages of the virus that had turned them into mindless killing machines. They were driven by an unending hunger, and they would stop at nothing to feed their insatiable appetites. In the midst of this chaos, a lone figure stood atop a hill, gazing out over the destruction with a look of detached amusement. He was Jay Gatsby, the enigmatic millionaire who had risen from humble beginnings to become the most powerful man in the land. Gatsby was not like the other survivors. He had not been driven to desperation by the apocalypse, but had instead embraced it as a new opportunity to acquire even more wealth and power. He had used his cunning and ruthlessness to build a small empire, using the zombies as a means to eliminate his rivals and assert his dominance over the remaining pockets of humanity. And now, as he stood on the hill, he knew that he was untouchable. He was the master of this new world, and nothing could stand in his way. But even as Gatsby basked in his own greatness, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. He had everything he could ever want, but he was still not truly happy. For deep down, Gatsby knew that true happiness could only be found in the love of another person. And in this world of death and destruction, that love seemed like an impossible dream. But still, Gatsby held onto that dream, knowing that one day, he would find the love that had eluded him for so long. And until then, he would continue to rule over this new, terrifying world with an iron fist. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, walking towards Gatsby with a determined stride. It was Daisy, Gatsby's long-lost love, and she had come to find him in this desolate wasteland. Gatsby's heart raced with excitement as he saw her, and for a moment, he forgot all about the zombies and the chaos of the apocalypse. All that mattered was that Daisy was here, and she was finally within his grasp. Daisy ran towards Gatsby, her eyes shining with love and determination. She threw herself into his arms, and they held each other tightly, finally reunited after so many years apart. In that moment, all of Gatsby's doubts and fears melted away, and he knew that he had finally found the happiness that had eluded him for so long. He and Daisy were together again, and nothing, not even the zombies, could tear them apart. And as they stood there, embracing in the midst of the apocalypse, Gatsby knew that he had finally achieved the one thing he had always wanted: true love. But just as Gatsby and Daisy were lost in their moment of happiness, they heard a sudden roar from behind them. They turned to see a massive horde of zombies closing in on them, their eyes glowing with hunger and rage. Gatsby and Daisy knew they had to act fast if they were going to survive. They grabbed each other's hands and ran towards a nearby abandoned building, hoping to find shelter and safety inside. As they ran, Gatsby could hear the zombies gaining on them, their moans and growls growing louder and more menacing with each passing second. He knew they had to move faster, but his body was starting to feel heavy and exhausted from their long journey. Despite his fatigue, Gatsby pushed himself harder, refusing to let go of Daisy's hand. He knew that if they could just make it to the building, they would have a chance to fight back against the zombies and defend their newfound happiness. Finally, they reached the building and burst through the doors, slamming them shut behind them. They leaned against the doors, panting and sweating, their hearts pounding in their chests. But they knew the fight was far from over. The zombies were still outside, clawing at the doors and windows, trying to break through and get to them. Gatsby and Daisy steeled themselves for the battle that was sure to come, knowing that they would do whatever it took to protect their love and survive the apocalypse. Chapter 2: Gatsby and Daisy looked around the abandoned building, trying to figure out their next move. The building was dark and musty, and it was clear that it hadn't been used in a long time. "We need to find some weapons," Gatsby said, his voice low and urgent. "Something we can use to defend ourselves against the zombies." Daisy nodded, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of a weapon. She spotted a broken chair leg in the corner and picked it up, testing its weight in her hand. "This will do," she said, her voice determined. "We can use this to fend off the zombies if they break through the doors." Gatsby nodded, impressed by Daisy's resourcefulness. He looked around the room again and spotted a small closet in the corner. "I'm going to check in there," he said, gesturing towards the closet. "Maybe we can find some more weapons or supplies." Daisy nodded and watched as Gatsby walked over to the closet and opened the door. Inside, he found a small cache of weapons and supplies, including a few knives, a baseball bat, and some cans of food. Gatsby grinned as he grabbed the weapons and brought them back to Daisy. "Looks like we're not completely defenseless," he said, handing her a knife. "Let's make sure we're ready for anything." Daisy nodded and took the knife, her grip steady and confident. Together, they stood at the door, ready to face whatever dangers the zombie apocalypse threw their way. They didn't have to wait long. A few minutes later, they heard a loud crash from outside, followed by the sound of the zombies pounding on the door. "They're here," Gatsby said, his voice tight with fear. "We need to hold them off as long as we can." Daisy nodded, her heart racing with fear and adrenaline. She stood next to Gatsby, ready to fight alongside him. As the zombies started to break through the door, Gatsby and Daisy sprang into action. They used their weapons to fend off the zombies, striking them with precision and ferocity. But despite their best efforts, the zombies kept coming, overwhelming them with sheer numbers. Gatsby and Daisy fought valiantly, but they were quickly being pushed back. Just when it seemed like all was lost, a loud siren pierced the air, followed by the sound of gunfire. Gatsby and Daisy looked up in amazement to see a group of soldiers storming the building, taking out the zombies with ease. The soldiers quickly secured the building and rescued Gatsby and Daisy. As they were being led to safety, Gatsby couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and gratitude. "Thank you," he said to the soldiers, his voice choked with emotion. "You saved our lives." "It's our job," one of the soldiers replied. "We're here to protect the remaining survivors of the apocalypse." He knew that as long as they had people like the soldiers on their side, they had a chance to survive and rebuild in this new world. And with Daisy by his side, Gatsby was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. But as they were being escorted to safety, Gatsby couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He looked at Daisy, and he could see the same fear and uncertainty in her eyes. "What is it?" Gatsby asked, his voice low and urgent. "Do you feel it too?" Daisy nodded, her face pale with fear. "I think the soldiers are hiding something from us," she said. "They're not who they say they are." Gatsby's heart sank as he realized that Daisy was right. The soldiers had rescued them, but they seemed too organized and well-equipped to be mere survivors like them. "We need to be careful," Gatsby said, his grip on Daisy's hand tightening. "We can't trust them completely. We need to find out what they're really after." Daisy nodded, and together, they followed the soldiers, determined to uncover the truth and protect each other from whatever dangers lay ahead. Chapter 3: As Gatsby and Daisy followed the soldiers, they quickly realized that something was off about the group. The soldiers were heavily armed and seemed to be on a mission, but they refused to answer any of Gatsby and Daisy's questions. "Where are you taking us?" Gatsby asked one of the soldiers, his voice tense with suspicion. "What are your plans for us?" The soldier just stared at him, his expression cold and unfeeling. "It's not your concern," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Just follow us and do as you're told." Gatsby exchanged a worried look with Daisy. He could tell that she was just as uneasy as he was, and he knew they needed to find a way to escape from the soldiers and get to safety. But as they continued to follow the soldiers, they soon found themselves in a large, fortified compound. The soldiers led them inside, and Gatsby could see that the compound was filled with other survivors, all of them looking scared and confused. "This is where you'll be staying," one of the soldiers said, his voice gruff and unfriendly. "You'll be given food and shelter, but in return, you'll be expected to follow our rules and obey our commands. Any disobedience will not be tolerated." Gatsby and Daisy looked at each other, their hearts sinking. They knew that they were trapped in this compound, and they would have to find a way to escape before it was too late. As they explored the compound, Gatsby and Daisy quickly realized that the soldiers were using the survivors as a source of labor and resources. The soldiers were in charge of everything, and they treated the survivors with cold, ruthless efficiency. Gatsby and Daisy knew they had to find a way out, but the compound was heavily guarded and escape seemed impossible. They decided to lay low and gather information, trying to find out more about the soldiers and their plans. They quickly made friends with some of the other survivors, and they learned that the soldiers were part of a larger organization known as the New Order. The New Order was a group of ruthless, power-hungry individuals who had seized control of the compound and were using the survivors to further their own goals. Gatsby and Daisy were horrified by what they heard, and they knew they had to do something to stop the New Order and free the survivors from their tyranny. But as they plotted and planned, they also grew closer to each other, finding solace and comfort in each other's company. Gatsby realized that he was falling in love with Daisy all over again, and he knew that he would do anything to protect her and keep her safe. Finally, they came up with a plan to escape the compound and take down the New Order. It was risky and dangerous, but they were determined to make it work. Chapter 4: The night of their escape arrived, and Gatsby and Daisy made their way to the compound's perimeter, trying to avoid the guards and stay hidden. They had managed to gather some weapons and supplies, but they knew they were vastly outnumbered and outgunned. They reached the perimeter and started to cut through the fence, trying to create a small opening that they could slip through. But just as they were about to finish, they heard a loud alarm blaring through the compound. "They've discovered our escape plan," Gatsby said, his voice tense with fear. "We need to move quickly." Daisy nodded, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of the guards. She could hear their footsteps getting closer, and she knew they had to act fast if they wanted to get away. Together, Gatsby and Daisy finished cutting through the fence and squeezed through the small opening. They ran into the darkness, their hearts pounding with fear and adrenaline. They could hear the guards behind them, shouting and giving chase. Gatsby and Daisy ran as fast as they could, trying to put as much distance between them and the guards as possible. But just as they thought they had made it to safety, they stumbled upon a group of zombies. The zombies snarled and lunged at them, and Gatsby and Daisy knew they were in trouble. They fought off the zombies with their weapons, but they were outnumbered and quickly overwhelmed. Just when it seemed like all was lost, a loud roar echoed through the night, and a massive bear emerged from the darkness, attacking the zombies and saving Gatsby and Daisy. Gatsby and Daisy looked at each other in amazement, unable to believe what they had just witnessed. They knew that they had been saved by a miracle, and they were determined to make the most of their second chance. They thanked the bear and continued on their journey, determined to take down the New Order and free the survivors from their tyranny. Thoughts on ChatGPT’s Output …uhhh so I don’t know where the hell that bear came from, but other than that weird plot point, this was pretty damn amazing! The model generated completely natural sounding prose in a consistent writing voice all throughout the piece. I was thinking it was going to start making mistakes with the weapons and technology available during the time period (Gatsby is set in the 1920’s). However, to my surprise, it never created any inconsistencies. I don’t know about you, but I would totally watch a B-horror film with this exact plot 🤤 What do you think about ChatGPT’s output? Want me to get the AI to continue the story so you can learn what happens to Daisy and Gatsby in the end? Let me know in the comments below!

ChatGPT Writes The Great Gatsby Set in a Zombie Apocalypse

ChatGPT escribe El gran Gatsby ambientado en un apocalipsis zombi

ChatGPT écrit The Great Gatsby dans une apocalypse zombie

चैटजीपीटी ज़ोंबी सर्वनाश में द ग्रेट गैट्सबी सेट लिखता है

ChatGPT は、ゾンビの黙示録でグレート ギャツビー セットを書いています

ChatGPT escreve The Great Gatsby ambientado em um apocalipse zumbi

ChatGPT viết The Great Gatsby lấy bối cảnh ngày tận thế Zombie

ChatGPT 在僵尸启示录中写下了不起的盖茨比

Tanks: The Deciding Battle of the War of 1932 

Tanques: la batalla decisiva de la guerra de 1932

Chars : la bataille décisive de la guerre de 1932

टैंक: 1932 के युद्ध की निर्णायक लड़ाई

戦車: 1932 年の戦争の決戦

Tanques: A Batalha Decisiva da Guerra de 1932

Xe tăng: Trận chiến quyết định năm 1932

坦克：1932 年战争的决定性战役

Hey Hackers! I’m Bryan Applegate. First of all, a huge thank you to the HackerNoon community and staff for nominating me for a 2022 Noonies award! I’ve been nominated in the gaming category so please do check out these award pages and vote: : HackerNoon Contributor of the Year - GAME DEVELOPMENT https://www.noonies.tech/2022/gaming/2022-hackernoon-contributor-of-the-year-game-development HackerNoon Contributor of the Year- GAMING-INDUSTRY: https://www.noonies.tech/2022/gaming/2022-hackernoon-contributor-of-the-year-gaming-industry Address currently N/A Mom’s Basement Bandit - 1. What product/feature/project did you get nominated for? I got nominated for two Gaming-related categories. They are as follows. The first one is for Contributor of the Year in Game Development. The second one Is Contributor of the Year for Gaming Industry. 2. Why did you design or develop it the way that you did? I designed my review articles the way I did because I wanted to go discuss the positives and negatives of combat. I also wanted to go into lots of specific obstacles that annoyed me. Such examples include Darksiders III’s spiked girders of instadeath and the instadeath tornado in the final main area of the game (The Scar). I see why the developers (THQNordic and Gunfire Games) went with these obstacles: to test your mastery of Stasis. 3. What was combat like? Combat - as described in my review of Darksiders III, involves Witch Time-Esque dodging, and counterattacking with your whip, subweapons, and elemental Hollow powers. You start with the whip in the beginning.  Then you go gain more maneuvers by going through tougher and more complex areas and puzzles and acquire more weapons and hollows as you beat the 7 deadly sins. 4. Were you expecting the nomination? I wasn’t expecting this nomination, to be honest. My review heavily discussed the game’s enviroments, and combat mechanics so well.  I’m a reviewer and writer, first and foremost. I’m not much of a developer unless you wanna count coding in Codecademy. 5. What do you think made it successful? What I think made Darksiders III Successful is - to some - the ability to play as a female Horseman named Fury. To be fair to the development team, implementing a gameplay style that’d work for Famine and Conquest (magic-based combat, and Strategy RPG - respectively) would be VERY difficult. Creating Fury and Strife and implementing them at the chronological point in the series in this game occurs is utterly genius. 6. If you could design the perfect project, what would it be? If I were in charge of making the perfect Darksiders game, I’d make a Darksiders V where all 4 horsemen are playable in a co-op setting as they take on Heaven, Hell’s leader Lucifer, and the Charred Council in a final battle to protect humanity. A lot of people are interested in the idea, and the fans would love it as well. As for how it’d end…? Well, it’s a secret. 7. What technologies in the games industry are most exciting? Cloud Streaming, Game Pass-Esque subscriptions, and the Nintendo Switch are most exciting right now. Why do I say this? It’s due to Xbox Game Pass PC getting DEATH STRANDING, For Cloud Streaming, it brings games like Dying Light 2: Stay Human to Switch. For the Nintendo Switch, it’s super-popular and has sold over 100+ million units. 8. What is a major issue in the games industry that needs to be addressed? There are 2 major issues the Games Industry needs to address. They are DLC that can easily be made into a Complete sequel of its’ own, and NFTs/Crypto. They have become problematic in recent years, with instances like Resident Evil Village’s Winters’ DLC being proof of the former. As for Crypto and NFTs… So many other people on Twitter express it more eloquently than I could. 9. Is there something that you would like to shout-out? I want to shout out THQNOrdic for letting me review Darksiders III. I also want to shout out HackerNoon for letting me write to a MASSIVE audience. 10. How can gaming writers on HackerNoon set themselves apart from the mainstream gaming publications such as IGN and Gamespot? Here are 2 pieces of advice. In order, it goes as such. 1.  Be honest in all of your writings about a game, crypto, or NFT. If you got a negative opinion on one of them, then don’t be afraid to express it. People will appreciate your honesty. Don’t invest in Crypto or NFTs. It’ll disappear and devalue over time. 11. Please give us the links to all your relevant social media profiles so we can use them to promote this interview! (Twitter and LinkedIn would be a huge plus) Twitter: twitter.com/BryanApplegate5 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-applegate-306b99188/ Youtube (main Channel): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYujQ7fwl5-4ME-x3PfRTyQ Youtube (2nd Channel): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAp8b8GBpyrHO_4H-UMXRqw

How To Review A Game

Holocaust

Astounding Stories of Super-Science May 1931: VOL. VI, No. 2 - When the Moon Turned Green

is a shooter looter game with Play-to-Earn (P2E) elements that is being developed on the Polygon blockchain. Players may win rewards in the form of NFTs as well as the game's native currency, XPND. Time Raiders The game is currently in the Beta testing phase and revolves around a time-traveling shoot and loot style gameplay where in-game assets are dropped as loot. Let's take a closer look at its gameplay elements and the NFTs within its ecosystem. Overview & Gameplay Time Raiders is set in the future and players will be able to travel across different settings in time to access various levels, including Medieval Europe (Knights and Lords), Edo Period Japan (Samurai), and even the Prehistoric Era (Dinosaurs). However, the original main setting of the game will take place in World War II Era Europe, with the player facing off against the Nazis. Initially, players will start off with a basic character that is fully customizable and upgradeable. Players can also recruit companions of different classes, each one with class-specific weapons, items, and abilities. These classes are Commando, Sniper, Heavy, Spy, Engineer, Chemist and Assassin. The player character and their companions can be upgraded and customized with new gear, weapons, and items. Certain companions also give the player access to certain regions, which could encourage players to explore every character and companion class in order to experience the game in its entirety. Similar to strategy games like Divinity Original Sin and Dragon Age: Inquisition, some levels will require a specific combination of character classes to discover rare and unique items. The combat mechanics of the game revolve around a run-and-gun style where players shoot up waves of different enemies who drop loot that can be sold, traded, and used in-game. Bosses drop the most valuable loot as well as give the player a chance to earn a production facility that generates in-game assets for the player to use in their missions. Facilities include mines, munitions factories, labs, and production facilities which need to be built and maintained using in-game staff. Players can stake Xpendium and their NFTs in the facilities and unique resources will be produced based on the facility's specialty. In-Game NFT Assets In-game assets exist as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) that can be earned, traded, sold, or staked for Xpendium, the game's utility token. Despite this, players don't need to purchase an NFT to get started, instead, they start off with a basic character that they can use to earn in-game items, all of which are NFTs. These NFT assets come in different rarities and include consumables, vehicles, and weapons. Initial in-game items include WW2 Era planes, tanks, boats, and weapons as well as prehistoric animals, dinosaur eggs, and special characters. Time Raiders is having an NFT Pre-Sale that will be going live on on Wednesday 20th July at 12pm UTC. Participating platforms include BitMart NFT, Gate.io, Babylons, Enjinstarter and Rarible. The Pre-Sale NFTs are listed below: Churchill Stamp This is a founder's token with a total supply of 999 that provides players with perks that include regular NFT rewards, 250 upgrade energy, and 250 extra level energy as well as a chance for better loot drops from enemies. This token also grants users access to both the Helen 2237AD gear and Jason 2237AD gear NFTs. 250 founder tokens will be sold for $1000 each. U-Boot These U-Boots will be used by players to clear large groups of players by directing missile strikes. It will also be used to travel to Nazi strongholds in base raids. 350 of the 500 U-Boots will be sold for $300 each. Lancaster Bomber These bombers can be used by players to direct airstrikes to take down multiple enemies. In future updates these aircraft will be used to transport enemies to island strongholds, allowing players to destroy dams and buildings. 350 of the 500 Lancaster Bombers will be sold for $300 each. Lancaster Dambuster This aircraft can be used by players to launch airstrikes and bouncing bombs on enemies, destroying personnel and buildings that are in the blast radius. The aircraft will be used for attacking island bases in future updates, as well as unlocking special levels by destroying certain structures. 250 of the 500 Lancaster Dambusters will be sold for $400 each. Spitfire Spitfires can be used to launch a barrage of gunfire on enemies as well as be used in Nazi bases raids. 350 of the 500 Spitfires will be sold for $300 each. VI Rocket These rockets can be used to clear large groups of enemies, vehicles, and buildings. It will also be useful in destroying architecture such as dams during base raids. 400 of the 500 VI Rockets will be sold for $250 each. Victorian Hot Air Balloon Players can use these balloons to reach higher levels of elevation, to reach hidden treasures on certain levels. Wounded players, loot, and equipment can also be airlifted back to the Hub. They can also be used in Victorian and Steampunk Era levels by players. 400 of the 500 Victorian Hot Air Balloons will be sold for $250 each. Pterodactyl These dinosaurs can be summoned through time portals to help players take out enemies, drop health packs and drop multiple items in their own time era. In future updates, this NFT will give players access to special game modes in the prehistoric era. 400 of the 500 Pterodactyls will be sold for $250 each. Triceratops These dinosaurs can be summoned through time portals to charge enemies in a straight line. It can also be used as a battering ram to knock down obstacles and in future updates, this NFT will give players access to special game modes in the prehistoric era. 400 of the 500 Triceratops will be sold for $250 each. Hover Bike Hoverboards can be used as transport on levels and as a way o transport characters between different eras. It also functions as a mini-tank that can mow down enemies. In future updates, this NFT will give players access to special game modes in futuristic levels. 400 of the 500 Hover Bikes will be sold for $250 each. Tiger Tank Tanks can be used to take down enemies and enemy structures and other tanks. In WW2 levels, Tank owners will get access to special game modes. 250 of the 500 Tanks will be sold for $500 each. There are also a special Winter Assault and Desert version which are more rare. Helen 2237AD gear A limited edition gear set that provides extra buffs to a player's stats, defense, and critical hit capabilities. 500 of the 1500 Helen 2237 AD gears will be sold for $250 each. Jason 2237AD gear Similar to the Helen set, this is a limited edition gear set that provides extra buffs to a player's stats, defense, and critical hit capabilities. 500 of the 1500 Jason 2237 AD gears will be sold for $250 each. Gen 1 Neos-Mech gear This is a special Gen 1 Gear that will add extra buffs to the player character and turn any of your Raiders into a “Heavy” Class. This NFT also increases armor and attack capabilities whilst providing short periods of invincibility and heavy burst fire. 500 of the 1000 Gen 1 Neo-Mech gears will be sold for $250 each. Dinosaur Eggs Dinosaur Eggs can be nurtured for 6 months to hatch a Pterodactyl, Triceratops, or even a baby T-Rex NFT, which upon hatching have unique stats and a special ability. This NFT also unlocks secret levels in future updates. 500 of the 750 Dinosaur Eggs will be sold for $500 each. Treasure Map Series P This is a treasure map NFT with a total supply of 200 that will be used in future releases to send a signal to players when they come close to treasure on certain levels. It will also serve as a way to eventually find the hidden “Ark of the Covenant”, which holds 1,000,000 waiting for the lucky player who finds it. 100 treasure map NFTs will be sold for $750 each. In Closing Time Raiders is a shooter looter game that includes Play-to-Earn. In-game items that exist as NFTs and give players access to additional levels and actions. The NFT pre-sale will go live on the Wednesday 20th of July via BitMart NFT, Gate.io, Babylons, Enjinstarter and Rarible and you can join the whitelist . here

Let’s Look at Time Raiders: An NFT Treasure Hunting Game

Gaming has long helped to popularize innovative technologies. This holds true for blockchain, where games already span distinct sub-categories. The play-to-earn model is typified by Axie Infinity, in which players collect and battle little monsters represented by NFTs that can be transacted with other players. Other games include Decentraland, a metaverse game where players use a native token to purchase in-game items represented as NFTs. Such games have introduced hundreds of thousands of gamers to blockchain technology. But this early growth has been constrained by the technical limitations of blockchain platforms to date. Most popular blockchain-based games — including Axie Infinity, Decentraland, and the Sandbox — run on Ethereum. With Ethereum still awaiting its transition to a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, issues with speed and scalability continue to prevent blockchain-based gaming from truly taking off. Ethereum currently maxes at about 19 transactions per second at peak times. Consider that the popular online survival game Fortnite has anywhere between 1 million and 3 million concurrent players. If even a fraction of them were to try interacting and transacting simultaneously on Ethereum, it would create serious congestion problems and rising transaction and storage fees. Because storing in-game data on Ethereum is prohibitively expensive, these games typically rely on a layer-two solution or centralized servers, with layer-two protocols lacking the security of the game’s underlying blockchain and centralized servers being single sources of failure. Newer layer-one protocols are paving the way for blockchain-based games that can truly scale. Among the most intriguing is the Internet Computer, which supports end-to-end decentralized gaming experiences and is currently the focus of a tech demo being built by a major gaming studio. A Decentralized Gaming Platform “At best, classic blockchains such as Ethereum are settlement layers in the Web3 gaming ecosystem. High transactional (gas) fees and consensus latency make integration with games prohibitive,” explains Andrew Tang, a former executive of Unity Technologies who is now general manager of Web3 games at the DFINITY Foundation. “The Internet Computer was invented and built from the ground up to address the financial and technical challenges of integrating blockchain with the cloud-based tech stack, making it the only viable option for the possibility and scalability of true Web3 gaming.” Tang is overseeing the development of that is being developed in stealth by “one of the world’s top game studios.” Screenshots and video clips suggest an open-world metaverse game of some kind, although Tang is currently not at liberty to share further details. a tech demo making the rounds on social media “We are collaborating with an external studio that has been working on a new metaverse project called ,” he offers. “The unannounced studio has agreed to build a tech demo on the Internet Computer as a proof of concept.” IC1101 The demo features the integration of a PokedStudio NFT, one of 10,000 unique bots designed by the digital artist Jonathan Ball and hosted on-chain, demonstrating the feasibility of such integrations. Tang also revealed that the tech demo plans to incorporate multi-chain NFT marketplaces that will support major NFT series, from Bored Ape Yacht Club to CryptoPunks. This will allow recognizable brands to include branded digital objects in games that can be owned as NFTs, as well as traded with other users and potentially transferred to other titles. Virtual land could also be owned by players, while the use of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) could give gamers more influence over the development of the games they play than they’ve ever had. The use of NFTs in Web3 games has generated much excitement and hype, largely because they promise to create an external, secondary market for items generated and used within the games. Some games are even positioning themselves to financialize video games and gamers, as indicated by the development of a sub-sector within blockchain gaming known as “GameFi,” in which gaming and DeFi combine to allow gamers to lend their NFTs. The studio behind the IC1101 demo will emerge from stealth in the near future and offer more information on its project, Tang says, but meanwhile other projects are demonstrating the possibilities of Web3 gaming. is a John Wick-inspired third-person shooter in which the user navigates a 3D world and avoids gunfire from anonymous agents. The game, which is still a demo, is built using Unity, a cross-platform game engine. The Internet Computer’s ability to integrate any pre-existing game engine is another factor that widens the scope of the gaming ecosystem that will run on the blockchain. Mission Is Possible “Unity may be the preferred option for certain platforms such as mobile, while Unreal may be more suitable for PC,” explains Tang, referring to another major gaming engine. “Open-source engines such as O3DE and Godot are also viable options. The choice depends on the needs of the project and the available resources that can harness the power of modern game engines.” There are basically two approaches to developing games on the Internet Computer. The first involves building and running both the frontend/user interface (HTML5) and the backend on the blockchain. The second involves developers building the frontend on custom hardware (e.g., PC, consoles) while running the backend on-chain. “Deploying the entire stack fully on-chain is optimal from a security standpoint. However, this approach limits rendering capabilities (WebGL) compared to deploying the frontend on hardware with modern GPUs,”  Tang notes. “Hence we’re investing in R&D efforts on an IC-native game engine (codename Fahrenheit32) that implements the next-gen graphics APIs (i.e., WebGPU, Vulkan), intending to eliminate the tradeoff between performance and security for 100% on-chain deployment.” Building and running everything on-chain opens up a number of exciting possibilities. “If the entire game stack can be built on the blockchain, then there would be no need to spend valuable resources to solve potential integration challenges and security problems (e.g., relying on third-party blockchain oracles) with the Web2 stack,” he explains. The Internet Computer’s architecture organizes individual nodes running in independent data centers into subnetwork blockchains called subnets, which can communicate with one another. Nodes and subnets can be added to increase scalability. The subnets host smart contracts that do everything from computing simple transactions to running dapps and serving web content. They run in parallel, much like “shards” in other chains, and are responsible for processing their own sets of transactions and computations. The blockchain’s protocol suite enables it to sign transactions using only a single public key, and its asynchronous consensus mechanism allows new blocks of transactions to be finalized within two seconds of being proposed. These features make it capable of 11,500 transactions per second for update calls that record data and of 250,000 per second for read-only query calls. A reverse-gas model also relieves end users of needing a crypto wallet or tokens to interact with the blockchain, making it easier to onboard new users. “It is 100% possible now with the Internet Computer for blockchain-based gaming to reach full potential, as we have discovered that it has the same capabilities as any other configurable and customized centralized server,” says Omar Hernandez Salmeron, the founder and CEO of , a real-time space-themed strategy game in early development. “Low transaction costs, high scalability, high memory computing power, powerful, compatible variety of programming languages, and low latency along with reverse-gas fees are just exactly what was needed to achieve this.” Cosmicrafts As with other examples of the blockchain gaming genre, Cosmicrafts makes extensive use of NFTs, allowing players to trade, stake, and farm them. Unlike many more established titles, its NFTs and tokens are hosted on-chain along with its website and interface. This degree of decentralization signals the promise of taking power away from centralized providers such as Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform. It also reduces single points of failure, something that continues to affect internet users even today. “From single-player arcade games to MMOs, we will demonstrate to the developer community that 100% on-chain games are not only possible on the Internet Computer, but preferable over various attempts to integrate blockchains with cloud-based solutions,” says Tang. One other important feature is that blockchain-based games, much like their traditional counterparts, will be able to be played by millions of gamers at the same time. “It’s just a matter of time until the IC starts to add more and more subnets that will enable billions of users,” says Bartek Laskowski, the developer of Mission Is Possible. “The great thing is that developers don't have to care about scaling issues.” Realizing this promise could deliver the de-facto universal layer for Web3 gaming — one  with the necessary speed and scalability to run blockchain-based games for millions of concurrent users, creating new use cases for in-game NFTs and cryptocurrencies. While it’s still only early days, developers are increasingly recognizing the potential of a thriving decentralized gaming ecosystem.

A Decentralized Layer for Web3 Gaming

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