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Tag Archives: FanMade
Popular fan-made Blade Runner restoration relegated to controversial Enhanced Edition add-on
UPDATE: GOG has defended its delisting of the fan-created ScummVM version of Blade Runner in favour of a controversial new Enhanced Edition.
A statement from GOG to Eurogamer notes: “by buying the title on GOG you receive two versions of the game, the new and the original one, for the same price as the original was sold before.
“The now delisted original version is included with the purchase of Blade Runner Enhanced Edition not as an add-on, but it shows up in your GOG library as a separate game – and both versions will continue to be fully supported. This way GOG users can choose which version of the game they want to play.
“The decision to handle the release on GOG this way, in what we feel offers the greatest value for fans of this game, was made with input from multiple parties.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
Nightdive Studios has released its Enhanced Edition of Blade Runner on the GOG store, replacing the fan-created ScummVM version in the process.
This Enhanced Edition has been a long time coming, as previously reported, involving “reconstruction and upressing of original Westwood VQA Videos”.
However, it has replaced a fan-created version that’s now available only as an add-on, meaning it’s impossible to access without purchasing the Nightdive Studios edition first.
ScummVM is a fan-made programme with which a group of enthusiasts has been diligently updating and restoring the original 1997 adventure game adaptation of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi film.
Their version was already available on the GOG store, but is now only included as part of Nightdive Studios’ Enhanced Edition.
ScummVM member Thomas Fach-Pedersen, a.k.a madmoose, shared his disappointment on Twitter.
“Over a number of years, I, along with friends, lovingly reverse engineered Westwood’s Blade Runner for ScummVM, reviving the game and helping GOG to release the game for sale once again. For this we have asked for and received nothing but the honour of the work,” he explained.
“Now Nightdive Studios has released their ‘Enhanced’ version. It is, by all accounts, ugly and buggy, and offers no tangible benefits over ScummVM aside from very poor console support. They even forgot to credit me for the subtitles we let them use.
“Sadly, it is now no longer possible to purchase and play a digital copy of Blade Runner in ScummVM without sending money to Nightdive Studios. I’m sad to see GOG relegate our free work to a mere attachment on somebody else’s mediocre paid product.”
1/4 Over a number of years, I, along with friends, lovingly reverse engineered Westwood’s Blade Runner for @ScummVM, reviving the game and helping @GOGcom to release the game for sale once again. For this we have asked for and received nothing but the honor of the work.
— Thomas Fach-Pedersen (@madmoose_dk) June 23, 2022
Eurogamer sister site Rock Paper Shotgun has published a detailed analysis of the new version, stating it “looks 25 years old, blurry, and unlike itself”.
In response, fans of the game have been posting negative reviews of the Enhanced Edition on the GOG site and recommending the superior ScummVM version instead.
“What the…? How is this even possible? Look at the font! Look at the menus! Look at those blurry backgrounds! Look at the…I mean, oh my God! I can’t believe this is a final product,” reads one comment.
It continues: “Please, don’t waste money and time on this ‘Enhanced’ joke. Go for the original with ScummVM emulator.”
Another comment reads: “What an utter disaster. The original is one of the greatest games ever, mostly thanks to the excellent atmosphere. This completely strips the atmosphere away, making it half the game the original was. Utter garbage.”
Over on Steam, where the Enhanced Edition is also available, the game has a “mostly negative” rating. “This is how the original game looks like when your eyes are full of tears in the rain,” quips one reviewer.
Eurogamer has contacted GOG for comment.
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You Can Play Mario Kart 64 In Glorious HD Thanks To This Fan-Made Texture Pack
The Nintendo 64 fan scene has been pretty darn busy lately, with the Zelda: Ocarina of Time PC port finally launching — and getting a shed-load of fun and unusual mods — and even more games rumoured to be made available through reverse engineering. Next on the list, however, is a very smooth and shiny update to a party game favourite.
Fan group Mario Kart 64 HD has been working hard to create an HD texture pack for Mario Kart 64, and over the weekend, the group revealed that they’ve finished recreating all of the characters. Now, you can race around as your favourite driver in beautiful HD visuals:
Looks flippin’ good, doesn’t it? The full pack is almost done — and as the video on Twitter shows, every single asset of the game will be updated. This means even items like shells and banana peels will be remodelled in HD. No stone will be left unturned.
The group uses the game’s title screen and promotional art to guide them on what they want the models, courses, and items to look like. The team has been working on this for a number of years, with various updates, but this latest one is looking like the sharpest yet. Heck, even the menus are getting a make-over!
It’s amazing to see just how much smoother Mario Kart 64 HD has made things look, and it makes a real difference. But the real eye-opener is seeing the portraits and characters from the HD pack and the original game side-by-side. The difference is staggering:
We’re huge fans of everything we’ve seen here, basically. It looks just how we’d imagined it as kids on our CRT screens!
While the character models are available to download, the rest of the pack is still being finalised. And, again, this is another release that’s possible because of the fruits of all that reverse engineering. You can check out what packs are available on GitHub, or join Mario Kart 64 HD’s Discord to get more info.
Let us know your thoughts on this lovely texture pack in the comments!
Random: Waluigi “Invites Himself” To Super Smash Bros. In This Emotional Fan-Made Trailer
Believe it or not, but there’s now just one slot left to fill in the second Fighters Pass for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The game’s director Masahiro Sakurai has also reiterated how this really will be the last character to join the battle.
While it’s still unclear who exactly the final fighter will be, there are obviously a lot of players out there hoping to see a Waluigi reveal. While there’s absolutely no guarantee something like this would necessarily happen, it hasn’t stopped fans from imagining what Waluigi’s addition to the game’s roster might look like.
We’ve even seen mods such as Project M (based on Super Smash Bros. Brawl) go as far as adding Waluigi as a playable character, and now the YouTube channel King Bob Gaming has taken it one step further with a rather emotional reveal trailer for Waluigi, who in the end decides to invite himself to the battle…
Back in 2018, the president of Nintendo of America at the time, Reggie Fils-Aimé, mentioned how Sakurai was well aware of the support for Waluigi and noted how the decision-making was up to him. Although, in more recent times, we’ve heard from Sakurai himself how Nintendo has a “larger” say in this process, and his own “preferences” don’t really play a role in the selection process.
And then there’s the theory that Waluigi will never join the battle as a playable fighter, simply because he’s already an assist trophy in the game. Still, that didn’t stop Min Min, who was a spirit prior to her fighter debut in Ultimate – so unwritten rules like this can always change.
We’ve had so many different characters and series join Smash over the years from Steve and Alex from Minecraft to Kazuya from Tekken. Could you see Smash Bros. Ultimate going out with a bang by adding Waluigi as a playable character? Anyone else you would like to see? Leave your own thoughts and theories in the comments below.
The Fan-Made 2D Metroid Prime Game Has Been Forced To Shut Down
Back in April, we covered a story about a talented group of developers known as “Team SCU” who were working hard on a 2D version of the Nintendo GameCube hit, Metroid Prime.
It was called ‘Prime 2D’ and at the time, the first demo of the game had just gone live. It was quite impressive, we might add. SCU even noted in this demo how the title was a project “made by fans for the sole purpose of having fun”.
Despite this, it seems the project has now been shut down. This information was shared over on the project’s Discord by ‘Troid92’ and then reposted on the Metroid subreddit. While no names are mentioned, a “certain games-related company” has informed the team to stop their work immediately.
The demo has also been taken down, along with the MP3 soundtrack – and there’s now a dialogue between the two parties taking place. In the same message to fans, it’s noted how the decision to release the demo was the “right choice” for the team and SCU has no regrets about it. Here it is in full:
At this stage, it shouldn’t be hard to guess which company is behind the shut down. With any luck, the project can resurface in some way or form, in a way that doesn’t include the use of the Metroid IP.
For more information about this fan-made project, check out our previous story:
Did you try out this game’s demo in the end? Were you looking forward to a 2D return to Talon IV? Tell us down in the comments.
‘The Lost Records’ Is A New Fan-Made Expansion That Brings Skyward Sword To Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
The Zelda modder Waikuteru is at it again – this time announcing a brand new expansion for Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
It’s titled ‘The Lost Records’ and tells the story of Link’s original adventure in the timeline by transporting him back to the Skyview Temple in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It’s all very timely considering the release of the HD version on Switch is just a few weeks away.
As shown in the trailer above, there are all sorts of additions such as classic vines and chests, new enemies and even the Demon Lord Ghirahim makes an appearance. It’ll be made publically available on 14th July – just a few days out from Skyward Sword HD’s release.
Here’s a description, along with a full showcase:
The player loads the game and an unfamiliar voice prompts Link to go to the Spring of Power to look for a book. Once there, the player interacts with the “Lost Records” book and a sequence is started (from 03:02 in the video). Link remembers the earlier adventure and the player is finding himself in the Skyview Temple – immediately with suitable armor, sword and two apples (from 04:07). A new quest starts and the search for Zelda begins; Fi makes it clear to the player that she should be at the Skyview Spring.
The player will be able to find new objects from Skyward Sword such as the normal, small and the boss chest(s). There are also new opponent alternatives such as a Lizalfos (from 13:20), which is immune to bomb damage and electrical attacks, but it receives more damage from spears. Or the strong Lynel (from 21:40), which is immune to headshots and bomb damage, and runs faster. However, it cannot withstand electricity and becomes paralyzed.
The player arrives in the boss room where Thunderblight Ganon is already waiting (from 28:08). As soon as Thunderblight Ganon has been defeated, and the player wants to go on to the Skyview Spring, the door that has just been opened closes again and Ghirahim laughs wickedly (from 32:39). The highlight in this expansion is probably the boss – Dark Lord Ghirahim from Skyward Sword. There is a first, slow phase (from 33:18), and a second, quick and critical phase in which Ghirahim makes doubles appear (from 34:46). As soon as Link has defeated all doubles and the real Ghirahim, the final door opens and Link continues towards the Skyview Spring where Zelda is still located. Link manages and saves Zelda (38:10).
Waikuteru is the same Zelda modder who earlier this year released “Second Wind” – a free large-scale DLC expansion mod for Breath of the Wild. You can read more about this in our previous post.
What do you think of this new Skyward Sword-themed mod for Breath of the Wild? Leave a comment down below.
GTA Online: Rockstar to Implement a Fan-Made Fix That Reduces Load Times on PC
Rockstar Games has announced that the fan-made solution to the lengthy load times that impact GTA Online’s PC version will be officially implemented in a future update.Github user tostercx, who also goes by t0st, published a blog post that detailed how they reduced GTA Online’s loading screen time by 70%. This change would cut down the time players had to wait loading into the game from six minutes to just one minute and 50 seconds.While t0st did share the fix, they warned that it was an unsupported “proof of concept” and was “not for casual use.” They also mentioned that it “shouldn’t take more than a day for a single [Rockstar] dev to solve” the problem.
Rockstar took notice of this situation and issued a statement to PC Gamer, confirming that t0st’s findings were accurate. Furthermore, it said it would be releasing an update that will incorporate their solution to improve GTA Online’s load times on PC.
“After a thorough investigation, we can confirm that player t0st did, in fact, reveal an aspect of the game code related to load times for the PC version of GTA Online that could be improved,” the company said in a statement. “As a result of these investigations, we have made some changes that will be implemented in a forthcoming title update.”Rockstar hasn’t shared when the fix will be available, nor if fans can expect a 70% decrease in load times, but it did share that it has been in contact with t0st and that the company thanked him for his efforts.
T0st shared that Rockstar awarded them $10,000 through its Bug Bounty program. This is an even more impressive outcome as this service by Rockstar is usually meant for those who discover a security of privacy issue in the company’s online games. This was a special case, and Rockstar made “an exception” to honor t0st’s work.
IGN has reached out to Rockstar for a comment.
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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.