Daily Archives: June 1, 2020

It was a compromise that worked for our family. My 7-year-old had a chance to dig in to his favorite games, and we parents felt like we were putting reasonable limits on an activity about which we were somewhat ambivalent.

But now he's playing them daily and I wouldn't have it any other way.

In this lonely pandemic world, we still want our kids to get together to play, and they do, too. Unlike us boring grown-ups, they don't get much out of chatting in group texts or through FaceTime (or even those work Zoom meetings).

They want to enter collective imagined spaces and discover the elastic possibilities that await. Only there, somewhere deep in the unreal, are they likely to start exploring, creating and, importantly, connecting.

Like most kids around the world, it's been a long time since my son has been able to battle bad guys, travel to faraway lands or rescue animals with his friends in person. But, thanks to video games, all is not lost.

Nearly every day for an hour, he joins his friends online to explore, create and connect in video games like Minecraft and the nonviolent, more adorable Animal Crossing.

These aren't the prescriptive, goal-oriented games from my youth, in which there were levels and a single objective (think 1980s-era Super Mario Brothers). Instead, they're "sandbox" games, in which players have freedom to roam around extensive worlds, figuring out their own goals and finding their own way.

Yes, it's virtual not "real." Still, these video games remain one of the only ways our kids can learn the kind of social and emotional lessons that they're otherwise missing out on right now.

The pandemic is giving us a chance to see the benefits of video gaming. They're significant and something fear not, son I won't be forgetting when the world reopens.

The benefits of collaborative video gaming

"In this time of high anxiety and reduced social access ... video games allow us to maintain friendship bonds in a multifaceted way," she explained. "There's collaboration and competition around a shared activity."

Research has suggested that friendships deep human connection can be created and sustained through online play, Kowert said. Also, it's fun, and fun matters for our overall well-being.

"As humans we have been playing since the beginning of time. This is an extension of that, through technology," she said.

My son recently told me that the most fun thing he gets to do these days is play video games with his friends. I could feel bad that he isn't saying that about some unplugged activity, like, say, building a fort out of twigs he collected in the forest. Or, I could feel good that the relatively small sliver of socialization he still gets brings him great joy. I choose B.

My son was recently enrolled in one of Camp EDMO's Minecraft camps, where he learned to respect other people's ideas, and stand up for himself when others weren't respecting his ideas.

"If you didn't build it, you can't break it," I overheard his instructor explaining to the group one afternoon, articulating an ethic that easily transfers to the world outside his laptop.

"We work with platforms that allow kids to be creative, to have a personality, to have feelings and they're great tools for social and emotional learning" Caballero said. "We always ask ourselves: What are we going to try to teach besides technology? What are the lessons that are going to apply to everyday life?"

Caballero said he sees kids develop empathy for others, become more considerate of others and find ways to problem solve together.

While he's not satisfied with the quality of most of the studies on the subject, he said he "couldn't find a single good reason why" the socializing that takes place in video games wouldn't either compliment or influence the socializing that takes place outside them.

While sheltering in place, Shapiro said video games are serving as his tween children's very important "transitional space," which gives them an opportunity to explore their identities without their parents around.

Identity formation is a big part of growing up, and, as research has suggested, can take place in the virtual realm. Games give children a chance to try on different avatars, personalities and even genders, with less severe consequences than the real world.

"Right now the only space to do that is digital," he said. "Kids need that. They need that kind of socialization, even if you think it can be bad [online] or even if you think it can be better."

Shapiro said another benefit to kids finding ways to engage online right now is that they will improve their ability to communicate through a computer. These are skills that will benefit them post-pandemic and far into the future.

Comparing a kid with little exposure to technology and his kids right now, Shapiro said his "kids have the capacity to socialize and read social cues online," explaining that there are unique social skills for digital engagement that are best learned through spending time online.

"Without any practice with social coding online, you're at a disadvantage."

All video games aren't created equal

Some games aren't age-appropriate and some will be more interesting to some children than others. Researchers haven't been able to find a clear relationship between playful aggression in video games and aggression in real life. But, like with everything else, children respond differently to different activities, and only a parent can decide whether or not that activity or particular game is beneficial for his or her child.

Still, there are ways to try to make online gaming a more socially rich experience for your children.

Caballero said to think of it like a playdate.

"You have to check in on them and ask them questions: Did somebody do something nice? Did you learn something new? Who cooperated well today?" he said, adding that parents might create structure for the get-together. Maybe today they're supposed to go fishing on Animal Crossing. Or perhaps ice skating on Bloxburg?

To emphasize communication, run a video chatting software while the kids are playing together, either through a split screen or two devices. Even if their eyes are locked on the game, they can hear each other's directions and reactions and offer emotional support when something goes right or wrong.

I hear a lot of "That was so awesome, dude!" and similar elementary age-approved affirmations coming from my son when he plays video games with friends or cousins.

If your child has never played a particular game before, it might be best to get them familiar with the game first, before they jump in with their friends. Kowert suggests watching videos online of people playing the games before starting them.

Also, Shapiro suggested matching your child up with someone who is also exploring the game for the first time, so they don't feel left out or unskilled.

For all the parents out there who remain scared of video games and aren't terribly fond of their kids spending more time online, one fix might be to get better acquainted with them.

Including, just maybe, their relationship with you.

Kaitlee Venable, an instructor and curriculum writer at Camp EDMO, predicted that any request by a parent to a child to learn a video game will be met with an enthusiastic yes.

"I can't imagine any kiddo who would not get excited about showing their parents how to play. They are going to be so excited," she said.

Elissa Strauss is a regular contributor to CNN, where she writes about the politics and culture of parenthood. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Glamour, Parents and elsewhere. Follow her on Twitter @elissaavery.

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Why now is the time to embrace video games for kids - CNN

When Good Trouble returns to screens, fans of the Freeform TV drama will reconnect with two young women, Callie and Mariana, trying to make it in Los Angeles.

At least, it will look like Los Angeles. But it will just be an illusion.

By using software that powers the hit video game Fortnite, producers of the TV series are digitally re-creating downtown Los Angeles. Instead of on-location shooting, actors and crew will be working in a studio where photo-real imagery of the buildings will be projected on LED video walls.

It will be faster, easier and most important in the COVID-19 era safer than having everyone congregate in public spaces, said Sam Nicholson, chief executive of Stargate Studios, which has partnered with the TV shows creators to create the virtual sets.

As Hollywood faces mounting pressure to resume production and re-employ hundreds of thousands of cast and crew members whove been out of work for months, filmmakers are turning to virtual producers like Nicholson as a route to reboot TV shows and features halted by the pandemic.

Virtual production isnt new. But thanks to the video gaming world, the technology has advanced well beyond the use of green screens, where actors perform in front of a blank screen that is green or blue and later replaced by an alternate background.

Instead of performing against a static, blank screen, actors and crew can interact in real time within a 3-D environment projected onto LED screens.

Some people think its the future of filmmaking.

People have to utilize these tools to get back on line, Nicholson said. Once theyve utilized them and realized its faster, better, cheaper, you will see a lot more virtual production coming down the pipeline.

Marco Fargnoli, director of photography for Good Trouble, said virtual production will give the show more flexibility.

Once everybody agrees on the protocols that will allow us to get back to work, we just want to be able to maintain the creative freedom that we had before the shutdown, as much as possible, he said.

Producers expect that in coming weeks, studios and producers will need to comply with new protocols, including frequent testing and hand-washing, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Virtual production, they say, is one way to mitigate the risks.

Once you take the machinery of that show and bring it out to successive locations, you are exponentially increasing your risk factor, Fargnoli said.

Nicholson, a visual effects supervisor and cinematographer, said his company is fielding calls from streaming companies and studios eager to revive films and TV shows as fast as possible.

We are bidding six jobs right now that are considering dropping set building and their location work, and using virtual sets, Nicholson said.

Walt Disneys hit show The Mandalorian, about an intergalactic bounty hunter, is a recent example of the possibilities of virtual technology.

Director Jon Favreau collaborated with Industrial Light & Magic and Epic Games to create a 20-foot-high, 270-degree semicircular LED video wall that eliminated the need for location shoots entirely.

To a lot of folks, virtual production can often sound like we are making Avatar, said Richard Bluff, visual effects supervisor for The Mandalorian, speaking at for the National Association of Broadcasters in the spring.

Furthermore, the footage can be played back for the director in real time, as opposed to having to wait for months after the shoot has wrapped to see the results typically created by visual effects artists after the fact. Backgrounds can be swapped out easily, avoiding costly set construction, Bluff said.

Bruce Jones, who is supervising special effects for the Warner Bros. science-fiction movie Reminiscence due out next year, said that instead of sending the entire cast and crew to a far-off location, visual effects artists can re-create the scenes.

One day youre shooting a desert scene and the next day youre shooting a scene in the Arctic, and all you ended up doing was some costume changes, Jones said.

But the technology isnt just being used to create fantasy worlds.

Nicholson, who cut his teeth on the first Star Trek movie, highlighted the example of this years HBO show Run, a drama set largely on a train. Stargate used its virtual system to create the views out of the windows of the train to give the impression that it was speeding along.

Stargates proprietary system uses a software known as Unreal Engine, produced by Epic Games.

Miles Perkins, who works in business development for Epic Games, said the Unreal Engine is being embraced by the film community in a way it hasnt in the past and interest is extremely high.

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Hollywood is playing around with gaming tech - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Amazon has taken a step into the highly lucrative world of gaming by releasing its first title, Crucible. A team-based action shooter, it hopes to rival industry giants like Fortnite. What makes the game unique is that it was developed to be as fun to watch as it is to play. This is because it was created with the companys gaming live-streaming platform Twitch in mind.

Twitch was acquired by Amazon in 2014. It has become the major platform for gamers around the world to show off their skills and acquire massive fanbases, even rivalling YouTube. In 2019, it attracted 17.5 million average daily users and more than 600 billion minutes of gameplay were watched.

It is easy to understand why it is fun to battle your way across fictional lands but a bit confusing why so many people enjoy watching someone else do it. However, the reasons they do are not so far removed from their own gameplay.

The logic behind the growing popularity of simply watching others play games can be found in the phenomenon of mirror neurons. These are specialist brain cells that seem to play some role in an animals ability to mimic.

There is increasing evidence that babies use mirror neurons to copy and learn facial expressions, and to mimic sounds. The idea is that when we see, for instance, a facial expression for the first time, mirror neurons fire in our brains giving us a map of how to copy that same expression through the neural connections to our faces.

There is also some evidence of mirror neurons involvement in areas such as empathy. These mirror neurons appear to contribute to a brain system that helps us relate what we observe in others to our own experiences.

This could be key to understanding why so many are driven to watch others play games. When we are watching the action being streamed to our screens, it would be these circuits that fire up and make us feel the highs and the lows, as if it were us playing. This kind of passive psychological involvement is also seen with spectators of traditional sports, such as football.

Many Twitch viewers watch so they can increase their knowledge and improve their own playing experience. This was found in a study looking at the behaviours of Twitch users specifically. Users reported that they would watch gamers playing to discover new strategies for gameplay and to find out how good certain games are before purchasing them. That second point suggests that Twitch makes a fantastic marketing platform.

Whats more, the study found that social factors were also major drivers for using the service. The more hours that a person spends watching game streams, the greater the opportunity for them to interact with other like-minded members of the online community.

However, the strongest motivator for using the service, by far, was found to be the release of tension. Viewers sought to use the platform for escapism and diversion from their day-to-day lives. This was found to be a major driver behind the number of individual streams that are accessed in one sitting.

It seems likely, then, that we are not only hard-wired to enjoy watching other people play, particularly if we play games ourselves, but also psychologically driven to see streaming platforms as a way of fulfilling our informational, social and escapist needs. This phenomenon creates a demand that Twitch is well placed to supply.

In light of this, it seems an obvious and natural step to begin crafting games that make effective streaming of play to audiences easier, as is the case with the aptly named Crucible. These are the ingredients from which gaming legends will be made.

Excerpt from:

Crucible: the science behind why watching others playing video games has become so popular - The Conversation UK

E3 2020 has been cancelled, but this year's PC Gaming Show will be beamed out of Los Angeles as usual, and it'll be our biggest production yet. Hosts Sean "Day[9]" Plott and Frankie Ward will return to present both pre-recorded and live segments, including world-premier trailers and developer interviews.And what's that on the horizon?

The 2020 PC Gaming Show livestream will start at 12 pm Pacific on Saturday, June 6. (That'll be the start of the preshow, and the event will begin shortly after.) As usual, you'll be able to watch the show live on Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as on platforms we'll announce closer to the event.If you can't catch the stream live, the full video will be posted on our YouTube channel following the event.

The PC Gaming Show will air as part of a slate of June 6 events which will begin at 10 am PDT with the Guerrilla Collective and end with the Future Games Show, which starts at 2:30 pm PDT. The PC Gaming Show is right in the middle at noon.

Here's the full June 6 streaming schedule, all times PDT:

Next week, we'll reveal much more about what you can expect to see at The PC Gaming Show this year. And if you want to watch live but "Pacific time" doesn't mean anything to you, here's when to tune in to the PC Gaming Show in your timezone or near it:

The PC Gaming Show is one of many events happening despite E3's cancellation or in lieu of it this yearhere's the full lineup of summer game events on the way.

For more information about The PC Gaming Show and its sponsors, or to submit a media query, head to the official site.

See more here:

How to watch The PC Gaming Show 2020 - PC Gamer

In the words of 1978 song The Gambler, recorded so memorably by country crooner Kenny Rogers, Youve got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em. There has of late been more folding than holding from FTSE 100 investors, leading to one of the biggest reshuffles of the index in recent memory.

The term blue chip has its origins on the poker table, where blue was the colour of the highest-value tokens. Rarely have the gambling idioms so beloved of investing commentary felt so appropriate as when the pandemic saw many companies land on zero revenues during lockdowns.

In the light of such chaos, the only surprise is that there isnt more turnover. In the words of Nicholas Hyett, an equity analyst at investment group Hargreaves Lansdown: The world has changed since the last FTSE review at the beginning of March.

Yet only four companies are expected to drop down to the FTSE 250 at the upcoming quarterly review a decision based on market values at the close of play on Tuesday. Still, the last time more companies than this dropped out was in 2009, during the previous major economic crisis, according to tracking by investing platform AJ Bell.

Contenders for promotion are telling: cyber-security company Avast, emergency plumbers Homeserve, and medical equipment firm Convatec

Rogers met his gambler on a train bound for nowhere. A Covid-era cover might include a plane parked on a disused runway or a cruise ship requisitioned as a floating hospital. Its obvious why easyJet and Carnival, the worlds largest cruise operator, are dropping out of the FTSE 100. Not even the most wary shareholders calculations had had a zero in the revenue column for their second-quarter forecasts. Both companies have announced thousands of job cuts as they battle for survival.

The reshuffle will also show how the direct disruption from lockdowns has rippled out to companies beyond. Meggitt makes wheels and brakes for fighter jets spending that is fairly stable throughout the economic cycle. But the freeze in the commercial aviation parts business is relegating it after its brief sojourn in the FTSE 100.

Utilities are meant to be the ultimate in blue-chip companies, with boringly dependable revenues and dividends. British Gas owner Centrica has done its best to buck that trend, with relegation likely to mark the end of departing chief executive Iain Conns reign. Conn blamed the UK governments energy price cap for Centricas 1.1bn loss last year, with cancellation of its dividend adding to shareholders pain.

The contenders in line for promotion are also telling in our work-from-home, quarantine times: cybersecurity company Avast, emergency plumbers and electricians Homeserve, and medical equipment supplier Convatec.

B&Q owner Kingfisher could also come up trumps, depending on share-price moves. People stuck at home have often had nothing better to do than DIY, while its status as an essential retailer meant sales were not too badly hit.

Another probable addition is betting company GVC. Its Coral and Ladbrokes arms have suffered a temporary hit from the pause in sports events around the world. But Premier League football is due to return on 17 June, while regular gamblers have shown no signs of holding back during lockdown. GVCs online gaming business has proved that normal people as well as blue-chip investors can easily lose fortunes from the comfort of their own homes.

Original post:

Cybersecurity, DIY and gaming to come up trumps in FTSE reshuffle - The Guardian

Only on Thursday, as the end of May drew close, did they land upon one. In Germany, the Bundesliga had already been playing for two weeks. In Spain, the games authorities had long since committed themselves to playing out the season. In France, where the leagues hand was forced by the government, Paris St.-Germain had already been named champion.

Now, at last, England has a way forward, too: The Premier League will return on June 17, as long as it retains political permission and there is no spike in either the positive tests returned by players or the infection rate across Britain.

If the league cannot return, the season will be determined on a points-per-game basis (effectively freezing the table as it stands, with one or two exceptions). It will name a champion. It will relegate its three worst teams. At last, the idea of null and void is off the table.

For a while, that seemed to be the preferred solution of a number of teams who exist entirely to play soccer. For some time, there has been a constituency in the Premier League to whom all that matters is being there: not excelling, not winning games, not entertaining anyone, but simply existing in the top flight of English soccer. Null and void seemed to be the natural conclusion of that approach: It did not matter if anyone played soccer at all, it turned out, as long as they could keep cashing those television checks.

It was initially dressed up in an understandable, fairly compelling, morality: The very idea that soccer should return was almost offensive, they said. Then, later: The idea that the season should be played out in empty stadiums, compromising its integrity, was unfair, they said. Then, later still: Soccer could be played without fans, they said, but not at neutral venues; or it could be played at neutral venues, but nobody could be relegated.

There is merit to some of these arguments. Certainly, in April, it felt distasteful to try to map out the return of a mere sport (we have established previously that it is morally OK to miss sports, no matter what else is going on) as the pandemic raged at its peak and it seemed there was no end to the nightmare.

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Rules, Rescheduled Games and a Covenant Worth Preserving - The New York Times

Will the PlayStation reveal event live up to the hype? (pic: Sony)

The Monday Inbox looks at Microsoft and Sonys different approaches to exclusives, as a reader asks about your favourite Japanese video game.

To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk

One-upmanshipSo here we are, on the cusp of finally learning something about the next generation. Probably less than five months before theyre released. Thats crazy, but its been a crazy year and at least now we have a time and date to look forward to. But what if its another disappointment? What if this is the equivalent of Microsofts gameplay reveal? It already is in terms of purpose, whether it is in terms of content.

I dont think gamers can take another wet squib, not with no E3 and so little information or things to get excited about recently. I would hope Sony understands that and I think they do. Or rather, I think they will have gone over all Microsofts recent mistakes (and successes) with a microscope and making sure everything they do and say will be seen as one-up on Xbox.

How many games will be shown, who can say, theres no way to guess but logically the thing to do now was to show off some games that are only possible on next gen, to prove that Sonys attitude towards exclusives is correct (Im not saying it is, just from their perspective it must be). After the Unreal Engine 5 demo that should be quite the sight. Im hope that then next gen will begin this week.Coffey

Two and doneSo with EA stopping making new content for Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and it free on PS Plus I guess that officially draws a line under what I think we can call a troubled game. I will insist it is a very good game though. Im sure many people will avoid it even when its free because of its reputation but the updates since have bene great and the game itself was always good, its just the way they were going to use loot boxes that was the problem but microtransactions never got turned on so it was never an issue.

The loot boxes are still in there, which makes player progression a pain but they managed to finesse the system enough that it took out a lot of the randomness and worked really well. I really recommend everyone give it a go as it has some of the best graphics of the generation and even stuff like the spaceship mode is very good.

Which brings me to the other point of my letter: I hope they dont do another one. That may seem at odds with what Ive just said but Battlefront 2 was and is great, so lets move on. Lets see what this Project Maverick thing is and get some kind of Mandalorian bounty hunter game going. The only problem with success is it tends to put a stop to innovation, so now that victory has been snatched from the jaws of defeat lets move on to bigger and better things!KimblePS: A dont for a second think EA, or any publisher, would think like this.

Japanese curiosDo any other readers have a favourite Japanese game or game franchise that has made little impact in the West (or has not even been officially released outside of Japan)?

I know Mother 3 has a big word of mouth fan following and I hope it does get an official release someday, however the game series I would really like to see properly localised in its entirety is Ganbare Goemon. SNES Legend Of The Mystical Ninja is good (despite the annoying renaming of the main characters) but the three sequels are superb.

I suspect its unlikely but I would love to see a compilation package released featuring full, decent translations.John

GC: Considering its published by Konami we think unlikely is probably an understatement. But we like the idea so we adapted it for this weeks Hot Topic, minus the obscure aspect.

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk

Preserve and improveBackwards compatibility is great to preserve the medium, making it easier to play games from yesteryear. Nobody wants to buy a console (original Xbox for example) just to replay a game they loved as a kid, so backwards compatibility solves this problem.

I dont use it every day, but for sure a few times a year I replay a classic from my childhood, in the same way I sometimes rewatch movies I loved as a kid.Jez

Hope springs eternalFor Switch owners eager for any news of new games, hopefully we are gearing up for some announcements. Apparently, Amazon France have put up some tentative placeholders, for both third party and first party games, which may mean some announcements are imminent. Or not.

As ever with this kind of thing its best not to make presumptions until they happen. Anyway, heres the story.

GC: That seems pretty tenuous, but hopefully June is the month that things start to happen.

Always a chanceThe reason I believe the Xbox/Sega team-up rumours is that its dumb, which, unfortunately is exactly the sort of business decision Microsoft seems to love. I know some people think theyre unfairly picked on but I completely agree with the Readers Feature about them still being the underdog. Although to be honest thats a fairly generous phrase to describe their position at the moment.

The bit that I still cant believe is the companies they bought while on their spending spree. What a bunch of second-stringers and nobodies! Even Obsidian is just a poor mans BioWare. It s that which gives me no hope in their games line-up. That and the insistence on concentrating so much on Halo and Gears of War, even though its clear nobody cares anymore.

As the reader said, they had to change Gears name just because everyone thought the acronym was a God Of War! What I also agree is that we need strong competition for Sony, which Xbox is not providing right now. Well see what Sony reveals on Thursday but them messing up is the only chance Microsoft now, I dont see them having any positive effect on their own success, they can only benefit from Sonys mistakes.

Lucky the games industry makes those all the time, so in that sense Xbox is definitely still in the game.Rinser

Guiding influenceIn my opinion Microsoft will be wasting a lot of money for exclusives from Sega. Sega cant seem to be able to reinvigorate any of their franchises. Microsoft also isnt able to give real constructive direction, as say Nintendo does with a lot of the studios it works with. I would point to Rare and look where they are after being taken over by Microsoft.

Thats why I think Segas best bet is to be taken over by Nintendo if people want to see the Sega of old, which is pretty ironic.Alek Kazam

Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here

Opposite approachesIt was interesting that on pretty much the same day Sony said they believe in console generations, and have no interest in making their PlayStation 5 games run on PlayStation 4, Microsoft boasted that thousands of games will be playable on Xbox Series X at launch and it will be the most compatible console ever. Its a reminder theres significant differences in each next gen business plan.

Both approaches have clear advantages and are appealing. Game Pass and backwards compatibility, along with Project xCloud are parts of the formation of an Xbox brand Microsoft want to see on many devices, of which the Xbox Series X is just one. Which should put them in good stead for a streaming-only future, where console generations no longer mean anything and services do.

But for the next gen specifically that means games will have to run on less powerful hardware for a while, most notably Microsofts exclusives. Its hard to believe Halo Infinites design wont be limited by having to run on Xbox One. Which is why its so tantalising and exciting to see what Sony has to offer this week for games that will be PlayStation 5 only.

Whichever approach is more appealing to you I think whats nice is it looks very promising that each will successfully deliver their next gen vision to the pillars of belief they have so far stated. Unlike Google with Stadia, who havent delivered on their pitch for a streaming platform yet.Simundo

Inbox also-ransAn updated version of the System Shock 1 Remastered demo is now available on Steam and GOG until the 15th June. I am a Kickstarter backer, backers can still download the demo after the 15th June.Andrew J.PS: Showdown Bandit is free currently on Steam, hopefully it will still be free when this letter is printed on Monday.

So then, Sony is now going to start fighting back on Thursday? Im going to be honest, Im a little excited. Just think, to name a few games that could be there: Marvels Spider-Man 2, Days Gone 2, Bloodborne 2, and The Last Of Us Part 2. Cant wait.David

Speaking of Sega, Anyone seen how much certain Saturn games are going for on eBay? Panzer Dragoon Saga (sealed PAL version) is 2.5K!Anon

I knew someone would say Final Fantasy in the weekend Hot Topic. I would definitely recommend Final Fantasy 7 Remake as a great jumping on point. Its the one mainline entry that Id say anyone could enjoy.Gingster

This weeks Hot TopicThe question for this weekends Inbox was inspired by reader John, and asks whats your favourite Japanese-made video game?

It can be any game on any format, obscure or an all-time classic, as long as it was developed by a primarily Japanese team (the publisher is irrelevant). Do you usually know where your games are made and does that affect whether youre interested in them or not?

What do you think are the most common strengths and weakness for Japanese-made games and how do you expect them to adapt to the next generation?

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk

The small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers letters are used on merit and may be edited for length.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Readers Feature at any time, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and dont forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE: Weekend Hot Topic, part 1: Classic video games youve never played

MORE: Weekend Hot Topic, part 2: Classic video games youve never played

MORE: Games Inbox: Microsoft and Sega Xbox team-up, The Last Of Us Part 2 apathy, and Zelda: The TV Show

Follow Metro Gaming on Twitter and email us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk

For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.

Excerpt from:

Games Inbox: Will Sonys PS5 reveal live up to the hype? - Metro.co.uk

May 29, 2020

Emily KaplanESPN

With the NHL announcing its plans to return this summer, we caught up with Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour to see how he's approaching the unconventional postseason.

In an appearance on ESPN on Ice this week, Brind'Amour discussed why his team was one of two to vote against the 24-team format, how he'll handle the return of European players, his thoughts on drawing the New York Rangers in the first round, the impact of crowdless games and, of course, what a post-pandemic training camp looks like under the guidance of Rod the Bod.

ESPN: What's your reaction to the 24-team format?

Brind'Amour: Well, I mean, hopefully it happens and it'll be great. I think the easiest thing was getting this part done, quite frankly. I mean, I think we all kind of figured this out -- whether it was 16 teams or 20 teams or 24 or everybody. I mean, that seems to be the easy thing. The hard part now, to me, is going to be how they figure all this out logistically. That's the work in progress part. I think it is going to be interesting how it all shakes out.

2 Related

ESPN: Jordan Martinook admitted you guys were one of the teams that didn't vote for the NHLPA's approval of this format. From what I gather, it has to do with the fact that you guys are a wild-card team and this format does not give you much benefit for your accomplishments in the regular season.

Brind'Amour: Well, I think that's pretty clear. First of all, his comments are dead-on. We want to play. And we understood that there might have been some teams, you know -- whether 16 or 18 -- you understood that that was really the issue. I think the bigger issue, especially for our guys, was what was the 68 games we played for? What did we grind for? The bulk of the season was completed, and they just threw that out. And I think that's how they felt. I think that's a little bit justifiable in a way. Why not carry the points over that you had?

I think that the thought was if you're playing in five, six, seven games, we could easily have all had the same amount of games, figured that out. That would've been your play-in, and then take your points with you and see how you end up. That's probably the way that I think the guys felt would be fair, I guess is the best way to put it.

But we understand. Nobody really cares. At the end of the day, they want to see hockey. We want to get back to playing. Is it the best way to do it? Probably not, in my opinion. But I hope we can play. And once they get this format figured out -- as far as not the format necessarily but how we're going to do it -- nobody is going to talk about this. Whether it's fair or not fair, it doesn't matter. We're moving on and we're going to try to do our best.

ESPN: Do you have any injured players that you think could come back?

Brind'Amour: We were one of those teams that -- we had a lot of injuries actually at the end, even though we were playing pretty well. Dougie Hamilton was out. He'll probably be able to return now, especially if we don't start until when it sounds like.

So he'll definitely be ready to go. That's a huge bonus. And then we traded for Sami Vatanen at the trade deadline, but he was actually injured and we kind of thought he was gonna be able to play. We were told he was going to be able to play, but he wasn't. So he would have been iffy at best had we started [at the regularly scheduled time]. And now that takes that out of the equation. So that's an interesting one, just because we've never seen him play with us or practice even. That is a wild card, but that's a pretty good wild card. I like having that one in the hole there.

So those two guys, that's a big addition. Brett Pesce went down for the year. That's a long, long shot because his injury was almost a six-month injury. But if you go back to when we did it -- and I think it was in March when he had a surgery -- suddenly now you start thinking, well, maybe, who knows? How does it look if he's available? So that one is more of a long shot. But for sure, those two guys I mentioned, Dougie and Sami, it will be interesting to see how that works out, where they're at when we get ready to go.

ESPN: I have to ask you about this return to training facilities that's gonna be happening within the next couple of weeks. What are your expectations for that? It's voluntary for the players. Very small groups of guys can be there at the same time. You can't be on the ice, right?

Brind'Amour: Right. Well, the league sent out a pretty intense protocol, and I'm like, how are we going to do that? How are you going to manage that and figure that out? Bring in people to monitor the people coming in the door. And just to me, it's just a lot. And as a group we're trying to figure that out. It's going to be interesting, obviously. But the stuff you have to do, the times, they are what they are. Trying to navigate, it sounds really like there's really nothing the coaches can do, so it's up to the players to figure out how they're gonna go for a while.

I think really what we need, to be quite honest, is some dates. We need some dates as far as, OK, training camp's going to start on this date. Do you really want guys coming in? If we're talking July 15 as a training camp, we're not even in June yet. You know, you've gotta remember, for me, the bigger issue is guys away from their families and stuff like, I mean, that's to me the biggest issue here.

Guys in Europe, are they coming back? Do you have to quarantine them? Are they going to be away from their families that whole time? Then they should probably stay home until the last minute because this could be a long run, hopefully. To me, that's the bigger concern that we're trying to figure.

But until you have a date, then it's kind of hard to really sink your teeth into planning for that stuff. But really my major concern honestly is just the guys and how they're gonna handle their families. And no one's really figured that out. So that's the big question.

Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski take you around the NHL with the latest news, big questions and special guests every episode. Listen here

ESPN: How many guys are around the Raleigh area right now that you do believe will be able to participate in Phase 2?

Brind'Amour: I think right about now we have about eight guys that stayed, pretty much from the get-go didn't go anywhere. I mentioned Dougie Hamilton. He was injured, so he was rehabbing. So he is the one guy that is still trying to kind of go through the daily routine. Everyone else is kind of doing their own thing and waiting for things to open up. So we have a decent amount of guys around here.

Again, those guys I'm less concerned about, it's the guys that are far away that have to travel here. What are the restrictions to be put on when they do get here? Because that's the planning part. And if you have to quarantine a guy for two weeks, well, then he better get here sooner than later. But then my other point was, if you're going to be away from your family for that long, how is this all going to shake out? So those are the issues that are not even hockey-related that are really the biggest concern.

ESPN: You draw the Rangers in the first round, who went 4-0 against you this season. Does that matchup give you pause?

Brind'Amour: The stats don't look very good. And if you pull up the last 40 games we've played them, that doesn't look good either. Trust me, you don't have to look them up. I'll tell you, I think we're like 9-31 or something. That's not a good stat.

Then if you want to really pinch the numbers a little bit and watch the games -- obviously, we've already done that -- but three of the four games, I thought we were the better team this year. So, again, it's a bit skewed. And does it really matter when we hit the playoffs? I'm not sure. I mean, we went against Washington last year in the playoffs and we were 0-3-1 when we hit them [and won the series in seven games].

I think they'll say the same thing. It's a whole new season. And it is. I mean, this is literally a whole new season when and if we get going. So I think you can throw a lot of that out the window.

ESPN: The NHL still has to decide if it will reseed after the first round or go bracket style. Do you have a preference?

Brind'Amour: I don't care. I'll be quite honest with you. I guess this goes back to your first question and the comments Martinook made. The hardest thing about winning the Stanley Cup is getting into the playoffs. That's your first stage. We play 82 games, you go seven months or six months to get into that, then I think it's wide open. I mean, I think getting in is the hardest thing.

So they've established that 24 teams essentially have gotten in, in my opinion. You can reseed, you can do whatever you want. I really don't know that it's going to make much difference. Especially when you're taking away -- well, I think you would take away -- home-ice advantage. There's just so many other variables now that are popping in that I don't think that it matters much.

ESPN: It's crazy to me to think about you guys going on a postseason run and not having that crowd. I can't even conceive what that's like because you feed off of it, and it's such a part of what the Hurricanes are right now.

Brind'Amour: Yeah. That, to me, is something that hasn't been talked about enough. I think that's just a big, big factor. In our sport, especially, I don't know, maybe I'm a little biased. But the emotional impact that that has, especially playoff hockey, in a building in the NHL is something special. And it's hard to weigh it. It's hard to tell you how much impact it has on the game, you know.

And I do think the competitive nature of the players will kind of take over at some point. But I think there's going to be a big lull at the start of these games. And it's gonna be interesting to see if it carries over or does that competitive nature fire up the guys? It's kind of like you do when you're playing in the summer. There's nothing on the line, and kids are fighting each other just over a Gatorade, you know what I mean? Like, I just wonder how, when and if that all kicks in.

But it's going to be really tough, I think, at first to play when there's absolutely zero emotion in the building.

ESPN: What does a Rod Brind'Amour pandemic training camp look like? How tough is this conditioning? What can the guys expect?

Brind'Amour: That's a good question. There's no [conditioning] testing, from what I've read. I read that right away. So the players got that in right away. They knew. They were smart. They don't want any part of that. And I agree. That's good.

I think it's going to be way different, only because it's not like a training camp where you got 50 guys and you have three weeks to practice and then play six meaningless games in preseason and you got all that buildup before things start ramping up. It's going to be way more, almost as if you just pick up where you left off. You can't come out of the gate and go hard, you'll have to ramp it up. I'll have to rely a lot on my strength coaches to say how are we going to do this, because I think I'd probably err on being a little too aggressive at the beginning.

But it's all about peaking right away at the first game. I can't see that they're going to play a bunch of meaningless games.

ESPN: Can you allow yourself to get excited about this, knowing that there's so much uncertainty left to be settled?

Brind'Amour: I think initially it was excitement, just because it felt like, "Oh, it's going to happen." You watch the press conference and you say "Oh, it looks pretty exciting. We're going to have some hockey." The next day, we're figuring out how we're going to do all of this, and then I'm like, "Oh my gosh. How is this actually going to work?"

And then this is just us here, with the variables you can control, you know, putting all these people and teams in a place and, how are you going to work out? Where are you going to go? Where are you going to stay? What's the practice like? All the questions just start coming in and you're like, "I've no idea how that's going to work."

So somebody, I assume, is trying to figure this out. To me, that's the hardest part. Figuring out the format, like I said, I think that's pretty easy to do. But now the work begins for everybody to try to figure out how we can make this work.

The rest is here:

Rod Brind'Amour's take on the NHL's playoff format, empty arena games and his training camp plan - ESPN

In the 2019 MLB Draft, the Baltimore Orioles took a major step toward rebuilding their roster and farm system by selecting catcher Adley Rutschman No. 1 overall. The switch-hitting backstop projects to become the cornerstone of the franchise. This year, the team can add another major piece in the 2020 MLB Draft as they have the second overall pick.

Though the draft has been shortened from 40 rounds to just five, it doesn't truly impact what Baltimore will do at No. 2. There, they will still have an opportunity to select the next piece of their future, and plenty of good options will be available.

But, unlike last year where Rutchsman was the shoo-in all along, the choices are not as clear cut in 2020. MLB Pipeline senior writer Jim Callis, who has closely studied the group of prospects, believes there are a few different ways the Orioles could go.

I dont think its a clear cut decision at No. 2 yet," Callis told MASN's Steve Melewski.

When it comes to who Callis could see Baltimore selecting, the dream-scenario would be Spencer Torkelson out of Arizona State University. However, it's considered a dream because the most likely outcome is that the Detriot Tigers will take Torkelson first overall. The first baseman has a special bat according to Callis and resembles the talent Rutschman has demonstrated at the plate.

Though there is a slim chance of it happening, the idea of those two one day sharing a lineup card in Baltimore would have the Orioles over the moon with excitement.

To image those two guys in the middle of the lineup," Callis said."Woo, that would be pretty exciting.

Yet, if Torkelson does go No. 1, there is still plenty of talent available in the draft class. A name that comes to mind for Callis is Vanderbilt's Austin Martin. The position player asserted himself as a top prospect after his 2019 collegiate season in which he ledthe SEC in batting average (.392) and on-base percentage (.486) all while helping his team dominate the toughest conference in baseball and claim a College World Series title.

In Martin, the Orioles could be getting another reliable bat for years and years to come, one Callis claims to be the "best pure hitter in the draft." However, Martin's major area of concern isdefense, as many are still unsure as to what his best position is.

I think theres some questions as to where hes gonna play," Callis said of Martin. Is he a center fielder, a third baseman, an offensive second baseman? Thats a little unclear.

After struggling in the infield, largely due to an inability to consistently make the throws from the left side of the diamond, Martinmade the move to center field. However, due to the shortened 2020 season, he lost valuable reps in the outfield. Despite that, Callis sees that and one other option as Martin's best spot in the pros.

My guess is hes going to be a center fielder or second baseman," Callis said.

If the Orioles are not sold on Martin, or want to grab a player of similar skill but for a little less price, Nick Gonzales out of New Mexico State could be a fit as well. Versatile, he led the NCAA in batting in 2019 with a .423 average.

Baltimore could also decide it wants to add a pitcher at No. 2 overall, and based on how Callis views that portion of the draft class, it could be a beneficial decision. After a down year for pitchers in 2019, things look a lot better in 2020.

[2019]was not a good year for college pitching. It was probably, Ive been doing this for over 30 years, the worst draft Ive seen in terms of first-round caliber college arms," Callis said. "This year, college pitching is a strength.Theres a lot of good college pitching.

The best, according to Callis, is Texas A&M's Asa Lacy. The left-handed starter was off to a strong start to the 2020 season (3-0, 0.75 ERA) before games were canceled. The Orioles could always use another arm to one day rely upon at the Major League level, and Callis sees Lacy as the best prospect to fit that mold.

Even with Lacy's potential, the talented pitching class may sway Baltimore away from him. The Orioles also hold the No. 30 and No. 39 picks in the draftin addition to their first-round selection, and Callis has a feeling that other very good arms will be available.

Theres gonna be really good pitchers available at 30," Callis said. "Much more so than I think the hitters that will be available at 30.

With the draft just a couple of weeks away, Martin, Gonzalesand Lacy are seen as the three most likely options for the Orioles. No matter who the team ends up selecting with the No. 2 overall pick, Callis believes that they will become a big part of Baltimore's future success. A few years down the line, the 2020 class should have a good reputation in Callis' eyes.

Its the first year of the decade. I would bet that we look backin history and this would be one of the top two or three draft classes of the 2020s," Callis said.

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Cal Ripken Jr. reflects on his consecutive games streak 38-years later - NBCSports.com

Welcome back, Commanders.

After a couple of relatively quiet weeks, June is here jampacked full of releases and announcements. New PS5 games doesn't really count as a release per se, but we're getting a lot of those this week. In terms of actual games, Riot's Project A, now known as Valorant, is launching on June 2. (Possibly June 3, depending on our timezone, but I'm checking that with Riot.)

Later in the week, Command & Conquer Remastered Collection lands with all of its gloriously campy FMV and the sweet, sweet sounds of Frank Klepacki's Hell March. I suspect everyone's going to fire this up in multiplayer and discover just how unbalanced the original Red Alert actually was, but you know what? That's great. Let's all have a grand time with that.

If you're into sports, the official Tour de France video game is dropping this week too. The Sims 4 is getting an eco-friendly expansion in Eco Lifestyle, Sea of Thieves hits Steam, 51 Worldwide Games lands on the Switch with The Outer Worlds, and there's some intriguing indies.

It's a busy week. Let's get to it.

Oh boy. Plenty to work with there. But you know what we'll be starting with, right?

Plenty of games to dig into this week. Command & Conquer: Remastered Collection and Valorant are high on my list, and Sims 4 should be intriguing too. 51 Worldwide Games looks like a super chill thing to share with friends, and I've had my eye on Liberated for a little while, although I don't know that I'll get time to play it this week with everything that's going out.

Ton of embargoes lifting this week too, although obviously I can't reveal any specifics. The Not-E3 train has definitely left the station, though.

So, see anything you like this week?

More:

This Week In Games: Hell March 2020 Edition - Kotaku Australia