Tag Archives: progression

Health

Popular anti-inflammatories linked to worse osteoarthritis progression

Leave a comment

New data presented at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual meeting suggests long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as naproxen or ibuprofen, can be associated with hastened progression of osteoarthritis symptoms. The researchers are cautious to stress the link is still observational and more work needs to be done to understand how these drugs could be linked to worsening arthritis inflammation.

The new research, led by Johanna Luitjens from the University of California, San Francisco, focused on the association between long-term NSAID use and an arthritis symptom called synovitis. The synovial membrane is the connective tissue that lines joints like our knees or wrists, and synovitis is when that membrane becomes irritated and inflamed.

“Synovitis mediates development and progression of osteoarthritis and may be a therapeutic target,” explained Luitjens. “Therefore, the goal of our study was to analyze whether NSAID treatment influences the development or progression of synovitis and to investigate whether cartilage imaging biomarkers, which reflect changes in osteoarthritis, are impacted by NSAID treatment.”

The researchers recruited over 1,000 subjects with moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the knee. Around one-quarter of the cohort received sustained NSAID therapy for over a year, while the remaining participants were not treated with the common painkillers. Each participant completed a knee MRI at the beginning of the study, and again four years later.

Evaluating a variety of MRI biomarkers of synovitis the researchers saw no long-term benefits from NSAID use over the four-year study period. In fact, markers of joint inflammation were unexpectedly worse in the NSAID group at the end of the study, compared to those not taking the anti-inflammatory drugs.

“In this large group of participants, we were able to show that there were no protective mechanisms from NSAIDs in reducing inflammation or slowing down progression of osteoarthritis of the knee joint,” said Luitjens. “The use of NSAIDs for their anti-inflammatory function has been frequently propagated in patients with osteoarthritis in recent years and should be revisited, since a positive impact on joint inflammation could not be demonstrated.”

Luitjens is careful to avoid suggesting NSAIDs are directly contributing to the worsening of synovitis over time. She says it is possible the anti-inflammatory effects of these drugs are not directly making the condition worse but instead, those taking these painkillers could simply be moving more and hastening the progression of their condition.

“… patients who have synovitis and are taking pain-relieving medications may be physically more active due to pain relief, which could potentially lead to worsening of synovitis, although we adjusted for physical activity in our model,” added Luitjens.

Ultimately, the results of this preliminary study (yet to peer-reviewed and published in a journal) leave clinicians and arthritis patients in a tricky situation. NSAIDS are common pain-relieving agents for osteoarthritis patients, so there is no indication patients should stop taking these drugs for acute pain relief. However, according to Luitjens, the long-term use of NSAIDs as a way to reduce synovitis and slow the progression of osteoarthritis is in doubt after these findings.

Source: Radiological Society of North America

appId : '38456013908',

xfbml : true, version : 'v3.3' }); };

(function(d, s, id){ var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;} js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));

Read original article here

Technology

Overwatch 2 battle pass and progression changes coming soon, Blizzard says

Leave a comment

Overwatch 2’s launch and inaugural season as a free-to-play game hasn’t always gone to plan. The game’s creators said before the game’s launch they wanted its battle pass to feel like an “overwhelming, obvious value,” but much of the conversation around rewards and cosmetics for Overwatch 2 has been around high-priced skins and underwhelming freebies. That appears to be changing for the game’s second season, which kicks off in December.

New Overwatch executive producer Jared Neuss said in a blog post Thursday that Blizzard “aren’t completely satisfied with how everything feels right now,” when it comes to rewards and progression in Overwatch 2.

“There’s a lot we like about it — knocking out a bunch of daily/weekly challenges or getting something new for a hero you love can feel great! But we also recognize that today’s experience has opportunity for improvement that we need to focus on,” Neuss said. “We want you to feel more rewarded just for sitting down and playing. We want you to have new accomplishments to chase outside of your Competitive Rank and Battle Pass level.”

To accomplish that, Neuss said, Blizzard is changing Overwatch 2’s rewards structure “so that each event has a skin you can earn by playing, in addition to the other cosmetic rewards we already offer.” (Overwatch 2’s first event, Halloween Terror 2022, did not reward players with much beyond a weapon charm, some titles, voices lines, and XP.) Twitch drops, where players watch content creators streaming Overwatch 2, and get free cosmetics for that viewership, will also continue, Neuss said.

“While we’re working on the long-term plans, we want upcoming seasons to feel more rewarding than Season 1,” he added. More free skins and increased battle pass rewards will likely go a long way to meeting that goal.

Neuss also hinted at “a mix of Battle Pass changes, more interesting Challenges to pursue, and more exciting play-focused progression systems” coming in season 3, which would likely kick off in February 2023. The game’s weekly challenges in particular have been a point of contention for players, because that’s how Overwatch 2 doles out its free, in-game currency, Overwatch Coins.

In the near term, it sounds like Blizzard will also tweak XP rewards for the battle pass for players who queue in a support role (or all roles, which winds up being support) in an attempt to address overly long queue times for other roles (tank and damage).

Neuss added that Blizzard is also working on ideas related to the support role to make it “more fun and more rewarding to play.” That includes “targeted support hero reworks, game system updates, and even some role-wide changes to improve support quality of life.”

Season 2 of Overwatch 2 starts on Dec. 6. The second season will bring a new hero to the game, the tank Ramattra, a new map, and a new battle pass.

Read original article here

Health

Caffeine Metabolite May Slow Progression of Nearsightedness in Children

Leave a comment

According to a new study, a caffeine metabolite may slow the progression of short-sightedness (myopia) in children.

If proved effective in clinical trials, 7-MX could be a valuable future treatment.

A metabolite of caffeine, known as 7-MX, may slow the progression of nearsightedness, also known as myopia, in children. This is according to observational research published on August 22, 2022, in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

According to the researchers, 7-MX could become a valuable treatment for a condition for which current options are somewhat limited if it is proven safe and effective in large clinical trials.

Myopia occurs when the eye grows too long, stretching and thinning it. This often starts at the age of 6-7, progressing until the age of 16-20. 

In addition to causing nearsightedness, myopia is associated with a heightened risk of various conditions that affect vision and eye health, including macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal detachment.

Preliminary research indicates that the caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthine, or 7-MX for short, inhibits excessive lengthening of the eye (axial elongation).

7-MX has been used to treat childhood myopia in Denmark since 2009. But until now it has not been fully evaluated in long-term studies, and the investigators wanted to find out how quickly myopia progresses in children taking 7-MX.

The scientists reviewed the medical records of 711 children (356 girls and 355 boys) treated for myopia between June 2000 and January 2021 at one eye clinic in Denmark.

Comprehensive eye tests, including measurement of axial length, were carried out on the children. 624 (88%) of the children took 7-MX tablets up to 1200 mg daily (average 470 mg) while 87 didn’t, for various reasons.

Their average age was 11 (range 7-15) when they started treatment, and their eye length and degree of myopia were tracked for an average of 3½ years (range 11 months–9 years).

Diopters (D) are the units of measurement used to assess the extent of eye function: the average degree of refractive error (near-sight) to begin with was −2.43 D, which increased by an average of 1.34 D during the monitoring period. -3.00 D is regarded as moderately severe myopia; -6 D or more is regarded as severe myopia.

The average axial length was 24.4mm, to start with, increasing by an average of 0.21 mm/year.

Treatment with 7-MX was associated with a slower rate of worsening myopia and axial elongation, with higher doses seemingly more effective. 

Based on these data, the scientists estimated that for a typical 7-year-old with a refractive error of −2.53 D to start with, that child’s myopia would increase by −3.49 D over the next 6 years without treatment. 

But with a daily dose of 1000 mg of 7-MX, that same child’s myopia would increase by −2.65 D over the next 6 years.

Similarly, without treatment, axial length would increase by 1.80 mm over 6 the next years, whereas it would only increase by 1.63 mm on a daily dose of 1000 mg.

According to the researchers’ calculations, on average, for an 11-year-old taking 1000 mg 7-MX daily that child’s myopia would increase by −1.43 D over the next 6 years, compared with −2.27 D without treatment. And axial length would increase by 0.84 mm compared with 1.01 mm without treatment. 

None of the children taking 7-MX reported any side effects during the monitoring period.

According to the scientists, the findings echo those of experimental studies. However, they acknowledge that their study is observational, and they were not able to account for potentially influential factors, such as genetic factors, ethnicity, time spent outdoors, and time spent on near work. Their findings cannot, therefore, establish causality.

“The question of causality and the size of a possible treatment effect can only be determined through a randomized trial,” they write.

But they conclude: “Existing myopia control intervention methods are not fully effective in preventing children from progressing to high myopia, and 7-MX may become a valuable supplement if causality and efficacy can be confirmed in future randomized controlled trials.”

Reference: “Oral administration of caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthine is associated with slowed myopia progression in Danish children” by Klaus Trier, Dongmei Cui, Søren Ribel-Madsen and Jeremy Guggenheim, 22 August 2022, British Journal of Ophthalmology.
DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2021-320920 



Read original article here

Health

Caffeine Metabolite May Slow Progression of Short-Sight In Children

Leave a comment

Summary: 7-MX, a caffeine metabolite, may help to slow the progression of myopia or short-sightedness in children.

Source: BMJ

A metabolite of caffeine, known as 7-MX, may slow the progression of short-sightedness, also known as myopia, in children, suggests observational research published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

If proved safe and effective in large clinical trials, 7-MX could become a valuable treatment for a condition for which current options are somewhat limited, say the researchers.

Myopia occurs when the eye grows too long, stretching and thinning it, and often starts at the age of 6–7, progressing until the age of 16–20.

It is associated with a heightened risk of various conditions that affect vision and eye health, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and retinal detachment.

Preliminary research suggests that the caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthine, or 7-MX for short, inhibits excessive lengthening of the eye (axial elongation).

7-MX has been used to treat childhood myopia in Denmark since 2009. But until now it has not been fully evaluated in long term studies, and the researchers wanted to find out how quickly myopia progresses in children taking 7-MX.

The researchers reviewed the medical records of 711 children (356 girls and 355 boys) treated for myopia at one eye clinic in Denmark between June 2000 and January 2021.

Comprehensive eye tests, including measurement of axial length, were carried out on the children. And 624 of the children took 7-MX tablets up to 1200 mg daily (average 470 mg) while 87 didn’t, for various reasons.

Their average age was 11 (range 7-15) when they started treatment, and their eye length and degree of myopia were tracked for an average of 3½ years (range 11 months–9 years).

Dioptres (D) are the units of measurement used to assess the extent of eye function: the average degree of refractive error (short-sight) to begin with was −2.43 D, which increased by an average of 1.34 D during the monitoring period. -3.00 D is regarded as moderately severe myopia; -6 D or more is regarded as severe myopia.

Average axial length was 24.4mm, to start with, increasing by an average of 0.21 mm/year.

Treatment with 7-MX was associated with a slower rate of worsening myopia and axial elongation, with higher doses seemingly more effective.

Based on these data, the researchers estimated that for a typical 7 year old with a refractive error of −2.53 D to start with, that child’s myopia would increase by −3.49 D over the next 6 years without treatment.

But with a daily dose of 1000 mg of 7-MX, that same child’s myopia would increase by −2.65 D over the next 6 years.

It is associated with a heightened risk of various conditions that affect vision and eye health, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and retinal detachment. Image is in the public domain

Similarly, without treatment, axial length would increase by 1.80 mm over 6 the next years, whereas it would increase by 1.63 mm on a daily dose of 1000 mg.

The researchers calculated that, on average, for an 11 year-old taking 1000 mg 7-MX daily that child’s myopia would increase by −1.43 D over the next 6 years, compared with −2.27 D without treatment. And axial length would increase by 0.84 mm compared with 1.01 mm without treatment.

None of the children taking 7-MX reported any side effects during the monitoring period.

The findings echo those of experimental studies, say the researchers. But they acknowledge that their study is observational, nor were they able to account for potentially influential factors, such as genetic factors, time spent outdoors, ethnicity, and time spent on near work. Their findings cannot, therefore, establish causality.

“The question of causality and the size of a possible treatment effect can only be determined through a randomized trial,” they write.

But they conclude: “Existing myopia control intervention methods are not fully effective in preventing children from progressing to high myopia, and 7-MX may become a valuable supplement if causality and efficacy can be confirmed in future randomized controlled trials.”

About this visual neuroscience research news

Author: Press Office
Source: BMJ
Contact: Press Office – BMJ
Image: The image is in the public domain

See also

Original Research: Open access.
“Oral administration of caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthine is associated with slowed myopia progression in Danish children” by Klaus Trier et al. British Journal of Opthalmology

Abstract

Oral administration of caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthine is associated with slowed myopia progression in Danish children

Purpose 

Myopia is associated with an increased risk of permanent vision loss. The caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthine (7-MX), licensed in Denmark since 2009 as a treatment to reduce the rate of childhood myopia progression, is the only orally administered therapy available. The purpose of the current study was to assess the rate of myopia progression in children taking 7-MX.

Methods 

Longitudinal cycloplegic refraction and axial length data for 711 myopic children from Denmark treated with varying doses of oral 7-MX (0–1200 mg per day) were analysed using linear mixed models.

Results 

The median age at baseline was 11.1 years (range 7.0 –15.0 years). Children were followed for an average of 3.6 years (range 0.9–9.1 years) and the average myopia progression was 1.34 dioptres (D) (range −6.50 to +0.75 D). Treatment with 7-MX was associated with a reduced rate of myopia progression (p<0.001) and axial elongation (p<0.002). Modelling suggested that, on average, an 11-year-old child taking 1000 mg 7-MX daily would develop −1.43 D of myopia over the next 6 years, compared with −2.27 D if untreated. Axial length in this child would increase by 0.84 mm over 6 years when taking a daily dose of 1000 mg of 7-MX, compared with 1.01 mm if untreated. No adverse effects of 7-MX therapy were reported.

Conclusions 

Oral intake of 7-MX was associated with reduced myopia progression and reduced axial elongation in this sample of myopic children from Denmark. Randomised controlled trials are needed to determine whether the association is causal.

Read original article here

Technology

Sea of Thieves ship prices, progression, and customization detailed in new season 7 trailer

Leave a comment

Sea of Thieves’ long-awaited and slightly delayed season 7 update is nearly here, and Rare is detailing its big new Captaincy addition in a new trailer.

In case you hadn’t heard, Sea of Thieves will let you buy and own ships when season 7 goes live on Thursday, August 4. We’ve known that since Rare surprise-revealed the new feature back during not-E3, but now we know exactly how it all works, including the price of the ships and how you can customize them.

First things first, buying a sloop will run you 250,000 gold, while brigantines will cost 375,000 gold, and galleons are priced at 500,000 gold. Once you become a proud ship owner, you can decide on a name for your vessel and have it displayed prominently. Though, it’s best to think hard about what you want your ship to be named, as renaming it will cost you real-life money.

Ship ownership grants you more than just a persistent vessel to carry with you across servers – it also unlocks a wealth of new customization options. Whereas the old loaner ships only let you customize the exterior of the ship, you can now dress up the indoor areas as well. For example, you can customize interior furniture like the Captain’s bed, table, rug, and drapes, and add trinkets like pictures and trophies to the walls. Just be sure to nudge them back into place when they shift around due to intense battles.

(Image credit: Rare)

All these decorations will stay on your ship from one session to the next, but so will any damage you take on in your adventures. Thankfully you can have it restored by Scarlett in exchange for gold instead of patching up all of the holes yourself.

There’s a new progression system consisting of various Milestones which you can unlock by engaging in all aspects of the game – from the amount of days you’ve spent at sea to the number of times you’ve repaired your ship – and that’ll give you even more ways to customize your boat.

Season 7 will also add new special voyages exclusive to captains designed to give you more control over how you play. For instance, some Captain’s Voyages will be short and sweet, tasking you with finding treasure on a single map, while others will involve several different activities and require a lot more time to complete.

The new Sovereign company will make Captains’ lives easier by giving them a single location to turn in all different types of loot, so you can finally stop asking your crewmates where you’re supposed to sell the dang Crate of Fine Teas. Can you tell I’m particularly excited about this feature?

Finally, the Captain’s Logbook logs everything you and your crew did during your session, but if you’re sunk by another crew they’ll be able to steal your logbook and sell it at the Reaper’s Hideout for gold and reputation.

That about covers it for the Captaincy features. I’m psyched about how it could make progression even more rewarding by letting you hold onto your own customizable ships across sessions instead of scuttling them at the end of the night.

Find out where we ranked Sea of Thieves on our list of the best Xbox Series X games released so far.

Read original article here

Technology

Soul Hackers 2 ‘Summoners Guide Vol. 4’ video – Ringo, Figue, and Devil Summoner progression elements

Leave a comment

ATLUS [1,850 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/atlus”>ATLUS has released the fourth volume in its series of “Summoners Guide” information videos for Soul Hackers 2 [13 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/soul-hackers-2″>Soul Hackers 2.

The “System: Facilities” page of the official Japanese website was also updated.

Get the video and full English transcript below.

■ Introduction

Hey there, how’ve you been? I’m Ringo of Aion. This is the fourth Summoner’s Guide, a program that teaches you how to be a Devil Summoner. Make sure to follow along, okay?

First things first, have you seen the video about me and Figue that was released the other day? I’ve got even more info for you today.

Ringo

I’m sure you know this by now, but I’m Ringo, an agent of Aion. I was recently born to prevent the world from coming to an end, and I’m still in the process of learning about humans. I’d love to learn more about all of you. It wouldn’t be fair if this is a one-way deal, so I’ll tell you about me first.

My COMP has some special characteristics. It’s usually a katana type, but can transform into a gun-type COMP during a Sabbath. I’m pretty good with Electricity and Almighty skills. I also have high offensive power, so you can count on me as an attacker. I even plan on learning skills that let me expand the number of a demon’s skill slots. I’m sure it’ll come in handy, so be sure to give it a try.

Figue

Moving on to Figue, the other agent who was born at the same time as me. I guess you could say she’s kind of like a sister to me. Figue is the careful and dependable type, unlike me. She helps us out by providing intel among other things, which suits her perfectly.

Her analytical skills make her a good fit for a support role. She scouts dungeons for enemies using her owl-type drone named Mimi. Pretty cute, don’t you think? Mimi alerts us when enemies appear and lets us know when demons out on Demon Recon are nearby, so be sure to pay attention.

And…what else is there… Oh yeah… Her favorite food is taiyaki! She’ll get mad at me if I blab too much, so you should talk to her directly. Please look after my adorable Figue!

In order to pass down the will of Aion to the two of us, Flamma was born. Flamma just tells us what we need to know in a matter-of-fact way, but she could be a bit more friendly about it.

Now that I’ve gone over the…people? Who are related to Aion, This sums up the gist of everything I talked about. Now you have a good idea of everyone’s relationship with each other. That’s a pretty complex correlation chart. Humans really are fascinating.

■ Devil Summoner Progression Elements

Now I’d like to discuss how Devil Summoners grow stronger. Humans must continue to grow each and every day.

At the Mansei Realm facility COMP SMITH, acquired materials can be used to modify COMPs. It’s run by the talented Tara (voiced by Yumiri Hanamori), who can apply modifications useful for battle such as increasing attack or decreasing MP costs… or skills like Pick-Me-Up, which increases the chance of obtaining items from defeated enemies, which can grant valuable benefits for exploration.

There are also Commander Skills exclusively available to Ringo’s COMP. Freely customize your COMPs to suit your individual play style.

Accessories can be purchased in Zafiro, which is located in Shinsando. Not only can accessories boost defense, but many of them can modify various stats such as evasion. Try equipping accessories that work well with your play style.

Also located in Shinsando is Bar Heidrun, where Ringo and her allies can spend time together. These interactions where they converse and drink together are called Hangout Events, and completing them boosts your Soul Level with a given ally.

Soul Levels represent the level of mutual understanding between allies. Other than hanging out at the bar, Soul Levels can be increased by progressing the story. They say that increasing Soul Levels can grant some sort of boon.

—Ringo: “We can’t approach this like there’s only one right way to do things.”

Modify COMPs and equip accessories to power up characters. Boost Soul Levels and deepen your relationship with your allies! In order to face powerful enemies, you’ll need to become stronger as a Devil Summoner and as a team.

■ Conclusion

Well, that’s it for today’s Summoner’s Guide. Keep looking forward to the next one, okay?

Until next time!

Read original article here

Technology

Tire and Progression Bugs Addressed – GTPlanet

Leave a comment

A new update has arrived for Gran Turismo 7, largely aimed at addressing a number of early bugs and glitches as well as adding a broadcast mode.

Update (1230UTC): Official Gran Turismo channels report that “an issue” has been found in the 1.07 update, resulting in prolonged server maintenance. That means that, other than Music Rally and custom races in whatever World Circuits you have already unlocked, GT7 is currently inaccessible — and no progress can be saved.

While content updates will be coming to GT7, today’s v1.07 patch doesn’t bring any new cars, tracks, or races. It comes in at 385MB on PlayStation 5 and fixes several issues to do with game progression, including a glitch introduced in v1.06 which saw players given the wrong tires for certain single-player challenges.

That will come as good news to players who were struggling through some of the licences, missions, and circuit experience tests, particularly those on dirt surfaces with cars using road tires. Drifting and wet weather events were also affected, but this should now be remedied.

Other bugs addressed include an issue where vehicle settings would not save, and a game crash that could occur whenever the player bought or won a car.

Slightly less welcome news is an adjustment to race prize values in World Circuit events. While this does change a couple of the events for the better — the clearly incorrect 5,000cr first-place prizes in a couple of the WTC800 events have been brought in line with more reasonable rewards for sibling events — it also dramatically blunts some of the most effective money-making methods in the game.

Front and center of this is the top-earner, the Dirt Champions race at Fishermans Ranch, which sees payouts cut by more than half. That still makes it the quickest method in the game, but at close to 850,000cr per hour it’s now far less efficient than before.

Other top earners have also seen the rewards cut too, with High Speed Ring, Special Stage Route X, Goodwood, and even Alsace Village races less effective than pre-patch.

One boost for streamers is the addition of “Broadcast Mode”. This mode, which can be enabled through the sound settings, removes all music tracks which could trigger automated copyright claims from services like YouTube. With Broadcast Mode on, players can stream gameplay without having their videos taken offline due to background music.

You can read the full patch notes for v1.07 in the comments thread for this article.

See more articles on Gran Turismo 7 Game Update.

Read original article here

Technology

Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.06 Arrives, Fixes Progression Bugs and Issues – GTPlanet

Leave a comment

A new update for Gran Turismo 7 is now available, bringing with it a raft of changes designed to address some of the bugs encountered by some players since the game’s general launch last week.

Weighing in at 916MB on PlayStation 5, the update known as 1.06 is the first post-launch patch for the title — as gamers would have had to update to 1.05 on day one in order to play.

As you’d expect from an update relatively early in a game’s life, the size doesn’t correspond to new content but to fixing glitches noted across the community. In the case of 1.06, the major fixes relate to game progression issues.

The primary fix covers issues with the Menu Books not completing properly. This prevented players from advancing through the core single-player game and, as a result, unlocking tracks and features. We’ve had a number of reports from players of this issue cropping up, though the patch notes state it is a “very rare issue”…

There’s also a fix for an issue with one of the game’s trophies, Rain Royalty. Although it’s not specifically detailed in the trophy description, it’s awarded for at least passing all of the license tests that are set in wet weather conditions — though in some cases it wasn’t triggering properly.

This is now fixed, and according to the patch notes if you were affected you can pick up the trophy by heading back and getting a bronze time (or better) in each again. However GTPlanet’s users are reporting that completing any one test (such as B-1) will cause the trophy to pop.

Another license test glitch actually helped players out, but has now been reverted. A bug was introduced which enabled the Overtake boost feature on the Super Formula car used in the S-7 test, making target times a lot easier. That’s been undone and the leaderboards wiped — but you’ll retain your progress.

Aside from these, the fixes in the update cover minor but irksome bugs across the board. The full patch notes are quite lengthy, but include tweaks to car settings, livery editor, GT Auto functions, brand invitations, and Showcase. In addition there’s a fix for the Thrustmaster TH8A shifter. In addition, the patch notes also refer to a bug with engine swaps, which is the first time this feature has been directly acknowledged in any way.

There’s also a single new feature added, by way of a wind speed/direction indicator on the main race screen. We’ve seen strong crosswinds affecting the car previously, but the indicator will also allow players to anticipate the arrival and departure of weather systems.

The update is now available, and you’ll need to apply it before you can access the bulk of Gran Turismo 7’s features.

See more articles on Gran Turismo 7 Game Update.

Read original article here

Technology

Halo Infinite Players Frustrated With Fracture: Tenrai Event’s Gated Progression

Leave a comment

Halo Infinite’s first event – Fracture: Tenrai – is giving Spartans around the world the chance to earn free rewards like the samurai-inspired Yoroi Armor Core. Unfortunately, many have already run into issues with its gated progression and padded event pass.

The Fracture: Tenrai Event Pass is free to all players and contains 30 tiers of rewards. Unlike Halo Infinite’s premium Battle Pass that requires XP to level up, players can only progress through the event pass by completing specific event challenges. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, some of the other factors surrounding it are causing frustration for certain players.

Halo Infinite Fracture: Tenrai Event Images

For one, the event pass can not be completed in this first week that ends on Monday, November 30, according to Halo marketing lead Noah Benesch. Instead, Fracture: Tenrai will return five more times throughout this first season to give players “plenty of opportunities to complete all 30 reward tiers.” That is great for those who either don’t have the time to dedicate a ton of time in one week to an event pass or may not even be available to play in a given week.

One of the biggest problems players have run into, however, is that the event pass appears to be padded with Challenge Swaps and XP Grants. So much so that only 10 of the 30 reward tiers are actual themed rewards.

“So there’s 30 tiers, 10 of them being XP bonuses and 6 of them being challenge swaps,” PN4R wrote on Reddit. “Out of the 14 tiers remaining which includes ‘actual’ content, 4 of them is a single emblem that you need to unlock 4 times to be able to use it everywhere.

“Out of the 10 remaining, you unlock 3 color palettes that are lock this specific armor [sp]. Out of the 7 remaining, you get 1 stupid callsign backdrop that most people will forget. So out of the 30 tiers for this event, you only get 6 armor parts, 2 of which are the same shoulder pad that you need to unlock 2 times for both shoulders. Meanwhile, 343 sells a 25$ armor set in the shop which actually looks pretty cool.”

That armor set they spoke of is the Chonmage Armor Set, which is part of a bundle that can be bought with 2,000 in-game credits. As of this writing, that costs $17.99 USD. The shop also currently includes the Sentinel’s Blades bundle that includes a Legendary Utility that can only be equipped on the samurai armor. Furthermore, you can’t pay for tiers in the event pass, and you don’t unlock the Yoroi Armor Core until level 5.

Compounding these issues is the fact that the event challenges are mixed in with standard challenges, so there may be times where you have to complete various standard ones to even get another event one.

Speaking of the event, it also comes with its own special mode – Fiesta – which is new to Halo Infinite but not to the franchise. In this mode, Spartans spawn with two random weapons and equipment, adding a bit of variety to the standard modes.

It’s important to keep things in perspective, as Halo Infinite is a free-to-play game and this event pass costs you no extra to participate in. Sure, there are items locked in the shop that would be wonderful to be able to earn by simply playing through the event, but this is hardly the first game to do this. Although it is new to Halo, and it is a big change from the previous entries that were complete, paid packages.

To help ease players’ woes, 343 Industries’ community director Brian Jarrard has already responded to the outcry from these frustrated fans, saying they are “being heard loud and clear.”

“Been traveling so slow to respond – but please know the constructive feedback is being heard loud and clear,” Jarrard wrote. “Changes will take time and our priority this week is giving the team a much deserved break for the holiday after a long final stretch. Thank you for understanding.”

It’s also worth mentioning that Halo Infinite’s multiplayer was not even set to be released until December 8 alongside its campaign. The team at 343 surprised fans during the celebration of Xbox and Halo’s 20th anniversary by announcing that it would be available early.

This is the start of the future of Halo, and there will be bumps on the road. Luckily, 343 is committed to making this a game worthy of Master Chief, and it wants your constructive feedback to help make it so.

It has already proven it is ready to adapt, as it recently made changes to Halo Infinite’s Battle Pass and promised that more changes will be on the way.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.



Read original article here

Technology

Halo Infinite Players Frustrated With Fracture: Tenrai Event’s Gated Progression

Leave a comment

Halo Infinite’s first event – Fracture: Tenrai – is giving Spartans around the world the chance to earn free rewards like the samurai-inspired Yoroi Armor Core. Unfortunately, many have already run into issues with its gated progression and padded event pass.

The Fracture: Tenrai Event Pass is free to all players and contains 30 tiers of rewards. Unlike Halo Infinite’s premium Battle Pass that requires XP to level up, players can only progress through the event pass by completing specific event challenges. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, some of the other factors surrounding it are causing frustration for certain players.

Halo Infinite Fracture: Tenrai Event Images

For one, the event pass can not be completed in this first week that ends on Monday, November 30, according to Halo marketing lead Noah Benesch. Instead, Fracture: Tenrai will return five more times throughout this first season to give players “plenty of opportunities to complete all 30 reward tiers.” That is great for those who either don’t have the time to dedicate a ton of time in one week to an event pass or may not even be available to play in a given week.

One of the biggest problems players have run into, however, is that the event pass appears to be padded with Challenge Swaps and XP Grants. So much so that only 10 of the 30 reward tiers are actual themed rewards.

“So there’s 30 tiers, 10 of them being XP bonuses and 6 of them being challenge swaps,” PN4R wrote on Reddit. “Out of the 14 tiers remaining which includes ‘actual’ content, 4 of them is a single emblem that you need to unlock 4 times to be able to use it everywhere.

“Out of the 10 remaining, you unlock 3 color palettes that are lock this specific armor [sp]. Out of the 7 remaining, you get 1 stupid callsign backdrop that most people will forget. So out of the 30 tiers for this event, you only get 6 armor parts, 2 of which are the same shoulder pad that you need to unlock 2 times for both shoulders. Meanwhile, 343 sells a 25$ armor set in the shop which actually looks pretty cool.”

That armor set they spoke of is the Chonmage Armor Set, which is part of a bundle that can be bought with 2,000 in-game credits. As of this writing, that costs $17.99 USD. The shop also currently includes the Sentinel’s Blades bundle that includes a Legendary Utility that can only be equipped on the samurai armor. Furthermore, you can’t pay for tiers in the event pass, and you don’t unlock the Yoroi Armor Core until level 5.

Compounding these issues is the fact that the event challenges are mixed in with standard challenges, so there may be times where you have to complete various standard ones to even get another event one.

Speaking of the event, it also comes with its own special mode – Fiesta – which is new to Halo Infinite but not to the franchise. In this mode, Spartans spawn with two random weapons and equipment, adding a bit of variety to the standard modes.

It’s important to keep things in perspective, as Halo Infinite is a free-to-play game and this event pass costs you no extra to participate in. Sure, there are items locked in the shop that would be wonderful to be able to earn by simply playing through the event, but this is hardly the first game to do this. Although it is new to Halo, and it is a big change from the previous entries that were complete, paid packages.

To help ease players’ woes, 343 Industries’ community director Brian Jarrard has already responded to the outcry from these frustrated fans, saying they are “being heard loud and clear.”

“Been traveling so slow to respond – but please know the constructive feedback is being heard loud and clear,” Jarrard wrote. “Changes will take time and our priority this week is giving the team a much deserved break for the holiday after a long final stretch. Thank you for understanding.”

It’s also worth mentioning that Halo Infinite’s multiplayer was not even set to be released until December 8 alongside its campaign. The team at 343 surprised fans during the celebration of Xbox and Halo’s 20th anniversary by announcing that it would be available early.

This is the start of the future of Halo, and there will be bumps on the road. Luckily, 343 is committed to making this a game worthy of Master Chief, and it wants your constructive feedback to help make it so.

It has already proven it is ready to adapt, as it recently made changes to Halo Infinite’s Battle Pass and promised that more changes will be on the way.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.



Read original article here