Category Archives: Terraforming Mars

INTERVIEW WITH JAMES LABRIE BY KELLEY SIMMSPHOTOGRAPHS BY RAYON RICHARDS

After 35-plus years, New York progressive metal titans Dream Theater usually doesnt disappoint its fans with each album released. The bands breakthrough moment happened with its 1992 release, Images and Words, featuring the game changing hit track Pull Me Under.

However, on its 2016 bombastic conceptual album, The Astonishing, the bands fan base was divided by its drawn out compositions and exhaustive storyline. On its 15th full-length optimistically titled album, A View from the Top of the World (released on October 22, 2021 via InsideOut Music), the talented quintet is sure to win back those fans that dismissed The Astonishing. Expanding on the sound Dream Theater helped create, the band also retained its roots of the elements that have garnered them worldwide devoted fans.

A View from the Top of the World contains the familiar Dream Theater formula that the band has been known for since its 1985 inception. Vocalist James LaBrie, guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung, keyboardist Jordan Rudess, and drummer Mike Mangini create proggy soundscapes on the albums seven expansive tracks, including the epic 20-plus minute closer and title track.

A View from the Top of the World begins with the explosive opener and first single, The Alien, possessing a cosmic sci-fi vibe with lyrics about interstellar travel and extraterrestrial exploration. With a dazzling display of musicianship, the lyrics are easily relatable and should resonate with longtime Dream Theater listeners.

My son, Chance, told me to listen to this Joe Rogan podcast, and he had on the show Elon Musk, LaBrie explained the inspiration for the subject matter during a recent Zoom chat. The whole podcast was about interplanetary travel, because thats what Elon Musk is aboutterraforming Mars and eventually going out beyond Mars and terraforming planets that will sustain humanity. The only way that we are going to survive as a species is that if we can somehow inhabit other planets and make them something that will support life as we know it.

After his initial inspiration, LaBrie jotted down some key points from the podcast episode that he felt would set him up in writing a cool sci-fi song with poignant lyrics.

I wanted it to be able to resonate with everyone, everybody being able to relate to it, LaBrie confessed. Especially nowadays where we see the planet becoming extremely overpopulated to a certain degree and the environment is paying the ultimate price because of it. When you hear somebody talking about that, maybe we should start looking beyond this planet. Because at some point, it wont be able to support who and what we are, which is one of the lines in that lyric, too. We need to expand our sense of reality, our sense of purpose, and our sense of being.

The accompanying video for the track is also an epic visual experience. Created and directed by digital artist Wayne Joyner, the footage perfectly ties the music together with the storyline and the lyrics.

Wayne Joiner does a lot of our animated footage. Hes done the stock footage and the virtual footage that weve used in our last tours, LaBrie said. A lot of the direction for that video was coming from him and John Petrucci talking. Wayne hit me up, James, can you give me a literal interpretation of what you were talking about for this song? So, I threw a big Word doc at him on where Im coming from and what Id like him to touch upon in the video. From there the dialogue continued between him and John Petrucci. Wayne is so incredibly talented and he gets things right away. His work is brilliant. Its extremely identifiable.

The album sounds like 100 percent Dream Theater. However, every new Dream Theater album brings heavy scrutiny amongst its fans and music critics. Was it a conscious effort from the band to steer away from past formulas and tread onto a different path?

The formula doesnt change for us, LaBrie admitted. We started discussing what we wanted to do, or where we thought we should go with this album. And what really sets the motion and what was the catalyst is knowing that we wanted to create an epic track with no time constraints. With this one, it was 20 minutes-plus. When you know that youre going to write a song of that nature, it sets up the rest of the album. We also knew that with the rest of the album, we didnt want to put time constraints on any of those songs. Once we get into a room, theres so many ideas and theres that conversation of where we want to go.

After the initial conversations from the band on the direction of the album, piecing together the musical compositions came next.

Once the instruments are picked up, John Petrucci and Jordan are throwing ideas back and forth at warp speed, LaBrie said. Then Mike Mangini is fully involved, and he has been for the last two albums as far as the compositions. John Myung is there like he always has been, and then Im there throwing my stuff in and out. So, it happens for a reason. With this album, we knew we wanted to get back to the roots. Lets get back to the moments in our past that really enamored our fans, whether it be some of the moments from Awake [1994], Scenes from a Memory [1999], or Six Degrees [2002]. That doesnt become the literal interpretation for the new music, but that becomes somewhat of a subconscious inspiration. You take in those moments and you make it sound cohesive and seamless to maintain the identity, but make it sound like its fresh, new, and contemporary, without copycatting.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic that plagued most of 2020/21, the writing and recording process for A View from the Top of the World proved to be a different experience compared to previous albums. With LaBrie quarantined and forced to stay in Canada while the rest of the band were in New York at their new state of the art recording studioDream Theater Headquarters (DTHQ)LaBrie was interacting through Zoom via studio monitors.

I was pumped into the Dream Theater studio via a big monitor and coming through their headphones and vice versa, he said. They were pumped into my headphones at the studio here at my house, on the big monitor screen I have here, and then my studio speakers. To a certain degree, it put me in a more advantageous position. Because anytime I had an idea, or those guys were working out sections, I could mute them, and then sing into my mic what I was feeling, whether it be a melody, a riff, or anything like that I could sing down. There were certain advantages to me being in my own studio and being able to control the environment completely. Its funny how things took on a different face, but it had its advantages for sure.

At DTHQ where A View from the Top of the World was recordedalso where Petrucci recorded his latest solo album Terminal Velocitythe facility includes the recording studio, control room, engineer room, and a huge warehouse where all of their equipment and stage gear is stored. It also contains a conference room, a living room, TV room, a kitchen, and a maintenance room to fix the equipment. As LaBrie puts it, Its our own little world, our little microcosm.

Thank God that we did have something like that, because during the pandemic it would just be the band in there and nobody else, he said. We used it to do all the rehearsals before we went out on Distance Over Time [2019]. We can also use it for getting ready for any rehearsals or tours that might be coming up. It really provides everything that a band like us needs. Any band would love to have this. It would be extremely productive for any band to have this kind of a setup so that its at your beck and call anytime you want it. Its an amazing situation for us.

A View from the Top of the World was produced by Petrucci, with engineering and additional production by James Jimmy T Meslin and mixed and mastered by famed producer and current Judas Priest guitarist Andy Sneap.

Andy had mixed Johns last solo album, so John mentioned to the rest of us that he had this guy, Andy Sneap, and he was thinking that this is our guy to mix our next album. So, we sat down and listened to his solo album and sure enough, the production and the sonic value of it speaks for itself. We were all in agreement. Not only that, Andy Sneap is an amazing musician as well. He has the ears, he understands a band like us, and being in Judas Priest, he would know that as a musician what to listen for. John Petrucci produced it. He has been producing several of our albums. And he has a clear picture of where he wants it to come from and where he wants it to ultimately end up sounding sonically. I think it sounds brilliant. Each instrument is heard for what its worth. Theres a great balance on there, everything is being heard, and theres nothing being obstructed. Theres nothing being buried or lost in the mix. And I think, especially on the last two albums with Ben Gross and Andy Sneap, these albums are defined to a certain degree from the sonic value. Just the whole production is amazing.

Since Dream Theaters Distance Over Time tour was cut short in 2020 because of Covid-19, the band is itching to get back on the road and play these new songs to a live audience.

The plan is, were gonna kick off the world tour at the beginning of February 2022, LaBrie said. Were going to start at the beginning of February. Were going to start throughout North America, and then obviously were going to bang over into Europe. I believe, April, were supposed to start there. Theres talk that were going to Japan sometime in March. You can pretty much take it from the beginning of February and probably for the next year and a half thereafter, well be out touring around the world.

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DREAM THEATER: Expanding Reality - OUTBURN ONLINE - Outburn

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In Jeff Bezos' vision of the future, people will be born in space colonies and visit Earth on vacation.

Bezos discussed space, Blue Origin's plans, and the relationship between space exploration and saving Earth during a conversation Wednesday at the 2021 Ignatius Forum in Washington, DC.

During the interview, the Amazon and Blue Origin founder expanded on his idea for space colonies: floating habitats that mimic Earth's weather and gravitational pull. The floating, spinning cylinders would be able to hold as many as 1 million people and have "rivers and forests and wildlife," he said.

"Over centuries, many people will be born in space. It will be their first home," Bezos said. "They will be born on these colonies, live on these colonies. Then, they'll visit Earth the way you would visit, you know, Yellowstone National Park."

Bezos first mentioned the idea of building space colonies as far back as his valedictorian speech at his high-school graduation, and he said Wednesday that he believed space colonies were a better option than trying to restart life on another planet.

"Even if you were to terraform Mars or do something very dramatic like that which could be very, very challenging, by the way even if you were to do that, that is, at most, a doubling of Earth," Bezos said. "Then you're going from 10 billion people to 20 billion people."

How to establish life outside Earth is a major point of contention between Bezos and Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Musk has said the main goal of his rocket company is to "colonize Mars," and Bezos' reference to terraforming appears to be an indirect jab at him. Musk has endorsed the straight-from-science-fiction idea, in which the planet would need to be transformed using nuclear weapons to make it habitable for humans (NASA has since said this wouldn't work).

For his part, Musk tweeted in 2019 that Bezos' plan wouldn't work, either, because you'd need to "transport vast amounts of mass from planets/moons/asteroids."

"Would be like trying to build the USA in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean," he said.

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Jeff Bezos predicts humans will be born in space on floating colonies - Business Insider

According to the global statistical report of 2019, the board games market size was estimated to be around 13-billion USD. The board game market is likely to touch a CAGR of 9% per year for the period 20192025. According to statistics, the board game market is likely to gross over $8.5-billion by this year's end. Board games are for everyone, irrespective of their age, gender or proficiency level.

In the context of India, board games have always been a part of our rich heritage and glorious history. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for board games has surged like never before.

Ludo, one of the most popular board games, was introduced to the British in the 1950s. Earlier, this game was known as Pachisi game, and has its origin since the time of Mahabharata era. Some of the latest historical evidence also pointed out how board games like Ludo, Chess and Carrom have been part of India even during the Indus Valley Civilization.

Traditional board games like Ludo, Snakes & Ladders, and Chess are still in much demand these days. Ludo was also recently in news for a brand new film with the same title released on NETFLIX OTT. The entire plot of the story was based on this game.

The COVID-19-induced lockdown forced people to stay at home. Board games have emerged as the best alternative for people to enjoy the game with their near and dear ones while staying away from unwanted stress and tensions.

Some scientific reports also connect the possible link between mental health wellness and board games. If you play board games well, they are likely to keep your mental health in balance while keeping you calm and relaxed.

In the current era of PUBG and other online video games, the keyword board game has been searched by users across the globe multiple times since COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. Every day, the term board game records thousands of entries on Google and Bing, which indicates how people are shifting their focus back to playing board games on online platforms and other apps.

Tabletop board games are still relevant today. Apart from offering excellent opportunities for the players to spend quality time with their loved ones, these games also teach moral values to kids. Board games are also effective in the cognitive development of kids and children especially when they are transitioning from teens to adolescence.

Some of the modern board games that are well known across the world include games such as Terraforming Mars, Sythe, Wingspan, etc. The games have had board gamers hooked for hours.

The Goa-based Kheo Games team is launching their own board game based on tourism in Goa. This is a unique take on board games and will be available soon. The game, Go Goa, has already made noise in the international board game community, having won multiple awards and honourable mentions in contests. What makes the Go Goa extra special is that the designers and the artist all hail from the tiny Indian state of Goa.

The team is committed to offering gamers the best board games all the time while keeping in mind the latest trends and developments in the board game segment.

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The Rise of Board Games in India - Deccan Herald

Dune is the informal name for the planet Arrakis, a rugged desert world located in the star system Canopus and where much of the story unfolds. Its two main inhabitants are a tough group of people called the Fremen, and the native Shai-Hulud a species of giant sandworm that lives for thousands of years and can grow to more than two kilometres in length.

The major diet of the Shai-Hulud is sand, supplemented with tiny organisms known as sand plankton. As they digest this rather bland fare, their metabolism releases oxygen which perhaps isnt so far-fetched given that sand is just silicon dioxide (an atom of silicon bonded to two atoms of oxygen). And this gives Arrakis an atmosphere thats breathable to humans.

On Earth, we owe our breathable atmosphere to photosynthesis by plants and bacteria. These take in carbon dioxide and water, combine them with sunlight to create food for themselves in the form of sugars, and give out oxygen along the way.

Humans and animal life in general could not have evolved on Earth had it not been for the Great Oxygenation Event between 2 and 2.4 billion years ago, when photosynthesising cyanobacteria living in the planets early oceans spewed oxygen into the atmosphere.

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This culminated in an atmosphere that could support metazoans [multicellular organisms] around 540 million years ago and then us somewhat later, says Prof Gary King, of Louisiana State University.

King is researching the possibility of using photosynthesising bacteria also known as phototrophs to introduce oxygen into the atmosphere of Mars. This process of engineering an alien world to make it more like our own, and potentially habitable by humans, is sometimes known as terraforming.

In 2012, NASAs Curiosity rover found direct evidence for the presence of water on Mars a key ingredient for photosynthesis. Most of the water is frozen solid, however. One way Kings terraforming plan could work is by building automated factories on Mars that generate greenhouse gases to warm the planet and melt the ice into a usable liquid form.

Conceivably, Marss temperature could be raised enough to support phototrophs. But that still leaves challenges, says King.

Korolev crater is an especially well-preserved example of a Martian crater. Korolev is filled with ice all year round ESA/DLR/FU Berlin

One potential issue is the stream of high energy radiation pouring from the Sun. On Earth, we have a magnetic field to bat away these particles. But Mars has no such protection, and this is thought to be how the planets original atmosphere got blasted away a process called spallation some 3.5 billion years ago.

How do you stop the same thing happening again?

King believes that once microbes have established an active biosphere on Mars, then oxygen production may be able to keep pace with the spallation losses in much the same way that plants on Earth keep pace with the consumption of oxygen by animals and other aerobic life.

Deserts arent the most hospitable locations, but Dunes Arrakis is especially harsh. Rain never falls on this desolate planet, and its human population, the Fremen, must resort to some resourceful tactics to survive.

One of their innovations is the stillsuit, a full body suit thats designed to recycle all moisture excreted by a human. Perspiration passes through the porous inner layers of the suit, to be filtered and collected in pockets from where it can be drunk through a tube. Urine and faeces go to the thigh pads, from where water is similarly reclaimed. The suit is powered by the walking action of the wearer. As the Fremen leader Liet Kynes puts it, With a Fremen suit in good working order, you wont lose more than a thimbleful of moisture a day

Nothing quite like a stillsuit exists in the world today, because theres not a great need for it. In space, however, the storys quite different.

In Dune, humans wear stillsuits that filter and purify water produced by the body so that it can be drunk Warner Brothers

On the International Space Station (ISS) there is no natural source of water. Any new water brought to the station has to be launched on a rocket from Earth, at a cost of several thousand dollars per litre. And for that reason, the station employs a closed-loop water purification system, similar to the Fremen stillsuits, albeit on a slightly less personal scale.

The ISS system is able to recycle up to 93 per cent of the water used by the astronauts on board. That includes moisture from the air, secreted by sweating and breathing, as well as waste washing water and urine which is purified by distillation then centrifuged to eliminate further impurities. All waste water is passed through further treatment and filtration processes to eliminate toxins and microorganisms. The purity is then tested electrically, and any water not making the grade gets processed again.

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It may come with the yuck-factor, but the drinking water on the ISS is purer than what comes out of most domestic taps.

Similar water-preservation measures are likely to be employed on Mars, where usable liquid water will be scarce. Other measures on the Red Planet could include water harvesting from the atmosphere, or using condensers to turn vapour in the atmosphere into liquid water suitable for drinking.

A research paper published in 2018, in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, detailed a trial of such a system in Saudi Arabia. It used 35 grams of a moisture-absorbing gel to extract 37 grams of water overnight at a humidity of 60 per cent.

This technology provides a promising solution for clean water production in arid and land-locked remote regions, the authors of the study reported.

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The science of Dune: Could we terraform Mars? - BBC Science Focus Magazine

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 8:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.

Pasadena Farmers Market at Victory Parkclick for more information

As a Certified Farmers Market, Pasadena Farmers Market provide visitors with fresh, nutritious, locally-grown fruits and vegetables. They are proud and active members of the California Federation of Certified Farmers Markets. Everyone will love the experience of buying directly from the farmer

Event Location: Victory Park

Cost:Varies

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 8:00 a.m.

SoCal Out of the Darkness Walk Resource Fairclick for more information

Great news! American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) will be in-person this year! For those of you who are not comfortable with joining in-person, AFSP will have a virtual opening ceremony at 8:00am on this page. Check-in for the in-person component will be at 9am, and event will start at 1

Event Location: Central Park or Online

Cost:Free to register

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 9:30 a.m. 10:15 a.m.

Puppy Playschoolclick for more information

Puppy guardians! Looking for a safe and fun venue to socialize your new best friend? Join the behavior team and other new puppy parents at Pasadena Humanes Puppy Playschool. This ongoing workshop welcomes vaccinated puppies who are at least 9 weeks old or under 19 weeks of age. PH playgroups are

Event Location: Pasadena Humane

Cost:$20.00/Session

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.

AbilityFirst Stroll & Roll 2021 Registration is Now OPEN!click for more information

The AbilityFirst Stroll & Roll is a yearly fundraiser involving nearly 2,000 participants and their families, dozens of corporate sponsors and teams, and community supporters who come together to walk or stroll & roll through various locations throughout Southern California. The 2021 Stroll & Rol

Event Location: Los Angeles State Historic Park

Cost:$35.00/Registration fee

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m.

La Canada Farmers Marketclick for more information

La Canada Farmers Market, setup weekly on Saturdays with love, rain or shine! Choose from a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, to meats and cheeses, breads, jams, pickles, a profusion of leafy vegetables and fruits juices and much more. For more information and updates visit http://www.rawins

Event Location: 1346 Foothill Blvd.

Cost:Varies

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.

Brick Fest Liveclick for more information

LEGO lovers rejoice! Brick Fest Live is filled with hands-on attractions and activities engineered to inspire, educate, and entertain. View incredible LEGO sculptures, shop exclusive merch, and find inspiration around every corner. For more information, visit https://www.brickfestlive.com/2021-2022

Event Location: Pasadena Convention Center

Cost:$24.99 $44.99

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 10:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m.

Preservation Pasadena: Irving Gill, the Greatest Architect Youve Never Heard Of Presentationclick for more information

Irving John Gill was born outside Syracuse in 1870 and after a brief apprenticeship he moved to Chicago, first working with Joseph Sillsbee then with the seminal architectural firm of Adler and Sullivan where he worked as a draftsman under a young Frank Lloyd Wright. He next moved to San Diego in 18

Event Location: Online (Virtual)

Cost:$15.00 $180.00

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.

Seed Library: Garden and Seed Saving Round Tableclick for more information

Bring your questions to a special roundtable with Yvonne Savio and other LA County Master Gardeners. This panel of experts will answer your questions about soil, gardening, seed saving and more. About the presenter: Yvonne Savio started the UCCE Master Gardener program and has personally trained ove

Event Location: Online (Virtual)

Cost:Free

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 10:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m.

Heritage Housing Partners Presents A Path to Affordable Homeownershipclick for more information

Join Heritage Housing Partners (HHP) Virtually to learn about Affordable Homeownership Opportunities! Achieve Your Homeownership Goals Through Preparation Learn About the Affordable Homeownership Program Understand Why Your Credit Score is Important Take the Action Needed to be Consi

Event Location: Online (Virtual)

Cost:Free

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.

Electrify Your Lawn No Gas South Pasclick for more information

The City of South Pasadena has banned gas powered leaf blowers. Come watch an Electric Lawn Equipment demonstration and learn how to transition to all electric at Electrify Your Lawn! Featuring Food, Giveaways, Music and More. Free Raffle! Rain or Shine! Click here to view flyer.

Event Location: Garfield Park

Cost:Free

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.

Community Bike Ride No Gas South Pasclick for more information

Join the City of South Pasadena for a Community Bike Ride with Senator Anthony Portantino and Mayor Pro Tem Michael Cacciotti at Garfield Park. Riders will meet at Stratford Avenue and Grevelia Street. Note: Helmets are required. We highly encourage other bicycle safety gear. Click here to view

Event Location: Garfield Park

Cost:Free

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 10:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m.

Food and Culture of the Ohloneclick for more information

Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino, co-founders of and chefs at the world-renowned Cafe Ohlone, will talk about Ohlone culture and the role food plays in it. Presented in Zoom Sign up here; please provide an email address where login instructions will be sent to you.

Event Location: Online (Virtual)

Cost:Free

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 10:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m.

Saturday Storytimeclick for more information

Join the library virtually on Instagram Live (@pasadenalibrary) for storytime in the garden. Nov. 6th will highlight National Native American Heritage Month with some special books and songs. Preschool (3-5 years of age).

Event Location: Hill Avenue Branch

Cost:Free

Saturday, November 06, 2021

Time: 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m.

Flower Arranging: American Autumn Still Lifeclick for more information

Bring the American painting collection of The Huntington to life through this hands-on flower arranging class with Flower Duet. Students will learn a floral design technique inspired by the museums still-life paintings, incorporating fall roses, flowers, pods, grasses, vegetables, and fruit. For q

Event Location: The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

Cost:$80.00 $95.00

Saturday, November 06, 2021

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The Best Things to Do in Pasadena This Weekend - Pasadena Now

Surviving Mars recently received the Below & Beyond: Content Update 1. The developers reworked cave-ins, and they no longer require specific technology to be cleared. They also removed blocked tunnels that needed landscaping tools. These changes now make exploration easier. However, players do need specific tools for collapsed tunnels.

Additionally, the developers improved the loading time of the game when players switch between maps. After the map switches once, the following switches will fade instead to speed up the loading screen.

Gameplay Improvements

Added clear warnings to the lander rocket for why it cannot depart yet, so you can take action.

Disabled the visit asteroid button, if there is no Asteroid to go to.

Removed the Micro-G Vehicles tech, RC Vehicles can now always be brought to Asteroids.

Elevators can now recharge drones, just like drone hubs.

Improve requested payload feedback on the elevator.

Added 1 drone to terraforming initiative default loadout to fill out the cargo space.

Bug Fixes

Asteroid Lander now gives correct feedback when requiring maintenance.

Fixed the lander info panel showing an incorrect status when there aren't enough prefabs.

Fixed the lander showing an incorrect status after canceling the trip.

Fixed the First Rainfall milestone not being achieved after reaching all requirements

Fixed disasters running back to back.

Fixed an issue with suffocating colonists continuing to suffocate when they get out of the Elevator.

Fixed an issue with colonists suffocating while trying to reach micro-g habitat.

Fixed an issue with drones needing several takes on a single cave-in to clear it.

Fixed an issue with vehicle navigation when collapsed tunnels are cleared.

Fixed Electrolyzer continuing to consume water when turned off.

Fixed Drone Hub Extenders not receiving the extra range of 15 hexes.

Fixed Drone Hub Extender active range not being redrawn immediately after researching the Signal Boosters.

Fixed an issue with the Unknown status of drones and rovers while using the Elevator.

Fixed empty tooltip and building panel of the Forestation plant when the language is set to Turkish.

Fixed drones facing the wrong side while gathering Metals or Exotic Minerals.

Fixed an issue with the lander rockets color being different before and after construction for some sponsors.

Fixed an issue with colonists not occupying the last (14th) slot of the Micro-G Habitat.

Fixed tooltip for the Micro-G Habitat colonist filter referring to a dome instead of habitat.

Fixed the Jumbo Cave experiment pop-ups showing incorrect cost cuts.

Fixed Cave-ins and Collapsed Tunnels not having a texture in the quick bar.

You can read more about the update here.

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Surviving Mars Below & Beyond Content Update 1: Bug Fixes and Game Improvements - Player.One

We might know Mars as the red planet, but many look to the planet as more, being a mystery and a world full of potential. Nearly 60 years ago, scientists believed the planet contained water and life in the form of a plantlike lichen. These initial findings were enough to push the US perseverance of a rover landing on Mars. The rover successfully drilled its first Martian rock core for NASA, sparking interest in this new world.

Today, rovers and other astronauts continue to learn more about the planet as enthusiasts support the dream of life on Mars. With the exploration of this new world opening up many opportunities, it is no wonder that many people have begun speculating on the planets value. Since many wont get the chance to visit Mars in our lifetime, suggesting one of the only meaningful ways to speculate the value of Mars is through nonfungible tokens (NFTs) and land plot sales run on Ethereum (ETH).

Mars4 is a metaverse ecosystem developed and based on a detailed 3D map of Mars terrain. Using the latest data from NASA and other space agencies, the team has put together the 2001 Google Earth 3D map equivalent.

The project recently announced a new exchange listing on both Bittrex and Sushiswap with staking opportunities available through their ONSEN system. Richard Berno, CEO of Mars4,shares, we are thrilled to be listed on Bittrex centralized exchange and the SushiSwap DEX, both of which exceeded our expectations and delighted our community.

The 3D virtual world provides a gamification aspect to users, allowing them to explore the red planet and buy and sell land as NFTs. The platform has divided the Mars terrain into 99,888 rare real estate NFTs, each symbolizing one of the Mars rover landing sites and the popular geographical features found. Land parcels measure 559 square miles, each of which can increase in value through terraforming. Users will be able to do so by purchasing certificates, avatars or other logos from the in-game assets feature.

Each of these NFTs also provides users with an opportunity to earn income. With NFTs incorporated into the system, users can generate passive income from participating in the Mars4 metaverse and other liquidity mining features. Until the launch of Metaverse, Epochs were introduced to redistribute 51% of the income generated from Land NFTs. Each Epoch starts after 10,000 NFTs are sold, and the profit redistributed to the previous Mars Landlords.

Additionally, Mars4 leverages token yield farming and other gamification elements to help space exploration enthusiasts explore while also creating a decentralized finance investment option.

Yield farming for MARS4 is carried out on SushiSwap decentralized exchange (DEX). Long-term believers and owners of ETH and MARS4 dollars can provide liquidity and stake tokens on SushiSwap Farm with a double multiplier to get annual percentage yield (APY). The amount of liquidity pool tokens staked describes the size of the reward pool distributed. After staking, users can harvest rewards in the form of SUSHI and MARS4 tokens.

The developers have also created a series of diverse activities and fun adventures to help keep their community engaged. Similar to the setup of other decentralized finance (DeFi) projects, utility and governance tokens can be leveraged to support user incentives, transactions, trading, gaming and NFT minting processes.

Getting involved in the community begins with purchasing nonfungible tokens in the representation of land NFT parcels. To date, the Mars Land NFT sale has sold out more than 50% of their available Mars Land NFTs. Mars4 tokens used in the Mars4 ecosystem will continue to play a crucial role in the metaverses transaction process and provide NFT owners with a reward for holding onto their units.

Tokens can be found on Bittrex exchange and Sushiswap, which recently listed MARS4 tokens on their MISO Launchpad. Throughout the private and public auctions, the minimum raise was reached in only 45 minutes. The platform organized two auctions for a total of 40 million tokens, which was met with success on the MISO launchpad and raised an amount 13 times larger than the minimum requirement.

As scientists continue to explore Mars, learning more about what the planet has to offer, the demand for the related-NFTs is only expected to rise. Like other NFTs, Mars-related ones provide proof-of-ownership (PoO) to an unknown world that is limited in supply and beautiful in opportunity.

Over the next year, the platform plans to continue building out the functionality in their play-to-earn (P2E)gaming functionality and launch new NFT drops, including 888 martian avatars and a variety of other in-game assets.

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Marvel's Inferno #2 (on sale October 27) significantly escalated the split between the secret co-conspirator trio of Professor Xavier, Magneto, and Moira X (AKA Moira MacTaggert) and the members of the Quiet Council who support Mystique and the newly resurrected Destiny.

Written by Jonathan Hickman with art from Stefano Caselli and David Curiel, the issue revealed the circumstances behind Destiny's mysterious resurrection in Inferno #1, and added even more complications to fulfillment of Xavier, Magneto, and Moira X's hidden agenda - perhaps even setting up the additional factions that will find themselves at odds by the time Inferno reaches its coclusion.

Inferno #2 opened with the secret explanation behind the surprise resurrection of Mystique's deceased wife Destiny, the precognitive mutant whose resurrection has been shadowbanned by Xavier, Magneto, and Moira.

Kicking off with a flashback to the scenes of Inferno #1 that seemed to show Xavier and Magneto collecting and destroying the means to resurrect Destiny, it's revealed that those scenes actually depicted Mystique using her shapeshifting powers to steal Destiny's psychic records and DNA, and to trick the Five into resurrecting her by posing as Xavier.

Resurrected as a younger woman, closer in age to the time she initially met Mystique, Destiny initially struggles to adjust to her resurrection. But it's revealed that she's been alive for over a month prior to her surprise arrival in the Quiet Council chamber, during which time she and Mystique reconnected as romantic partners and as co-conspirators to overthrow Magneto and Xavier.

This also means that Xavier and Magneto never had a chance to eliminate her from their resurrection database even after being asked to by Moira.

This brings Inferno #2 up to speed with the ending of #1, with the Quiet Council about to vote on whether to admit Destiny or not. Xavier vows to call an immediate vote to remove Destiny and Mystique following the vote on Destiny's membership, but the mutant precog wryly warns Xavier that events won't follow to his liking.

Destiny is elected to the Quiet Council in a vote of six to four in favor, with Exodus, Sebastian Shaw, Mister Sinister, and Emma Frost shown to have been convinced to vote 'yes' by Mystique prior to the meeting - with Mystique bribing Emma Frost with a mysterious object she seems to covet enough to potentially turn on her allies. Nightcrawler also votes to instate Destiny on the Quiet Council, but only out of a desire to please his mother Mystique.

With Destiny now on the council, and apparently surrounded by allies, Xavier abandons his plan to call for a new vote, instead regrouping with Magneto and Moira to discuss their next move. Moira initially insists that Magneto and Xavier murder Destiny and prevent her figuring out their plans, but they refuse, stating that such a thing would be beyond even their twisted principles now that she's on the Quiet Council.

Instead, they decide to bring Emma Frost into their conspiracy, introducing her to Moira, whose presence on Krakoa has remained totally secret, and explaining Moira's mutant powers and their implications. Unfortunately, their plan to include Emma seems to backfire, with the White Queen stating that as a "true mutant" and member of the Quiet Council, she will give the matter of dealing with Destiny's precognitive abilities "proper consideration" - but also states that Magneto and Xavier have "lost her loyalty forever."

At the same time Xavier, Magneto, and Moira are meeting, Mystique uses her shapeshifting abilities to infiltrate Sage's security system, uncovering the location of an Orchis facility that's been attempting to breach Krakoa.

Using a Krakoa gate, Mystique travels to the Orchis facility, infiltrating it in the form of one of the organization's scientists and discovering they have plans to harness the full power of the sun itself for some action that will dwarf the achievement of mutants terraforming Mars into Planet Arakko, at least according to the Orchis scientists.

Back on Krakoa, Xavier assembles the Quiet Council to call for another vote - not to remove Mystique and Destiny as he previously vowed, but to fill the final empty seat on the Council with someone who Moira tells Xavier and Magneto that they "know they can trust."

Elected in a vote of seven to four, with Mister Sinister, Mystique, Destiny, and Sebastian Shaw voting "no," and Xavier, Magneto, Storm, Kate Pryde, Emma Frost, Nightcrawler, and Exodus all voting "yes", Colossus enters the chamber to fill the final seat of the Quiet Council - presumably with full knowledge of Magneto, Xavier, and Moira's conspiracy, and a willingness to do whatever must be done to ensure the sanctity of their vision of Krakoa.

Interestingly, many of the allegiances being cultivated by Mystique and Destiny are drawn on the same lines that traditionally separate the X-Men and their enemies. Though Nightcrawler did vote to add Destiny to the Council, he's the only one who wasn't secretly swayed by Mystique - and the only one who isn't traditionally part of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants or Hellfire Club (Magneto notwithstanding, given his own involvement in the conspiracy with Xavier and Moira).

Will the split in Krakoan society come down along lines so simple as the X-Men going up against their traditional enemies? Or will the apparent sides being formed become more complex as more Krakoans potentially learn the truth about Moira X and her role in Krakoa?

And furthermore, what's Mystique's actual side plan with Orchis, that requires her to apparently sneak around behind Xavier and Magneto's backs even more?

Perhaps these questions will be answered when Nimrod attacks Krakoa as teased in the solicitations and cover for November 24's Inferno #3.

You don't have to be a precog to know what's coming for Marvel's mutants - you just need our listing of all the new X-Men comics planned for release in 2021 and beyond.

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X-Men Inferno #2 turns the Quiet Council against Magneto and Xavier - Gamesradar

Sometimes, the stars just dont align; life doesnt dish up the opportunities that you want it to and as a result, you end up posting a Best 50 Games Weve Ever Reviewed that doesnt feature the best game weve actually played. But hey, every cloud has a silver lining. This isnt a review of Terraforming Mars, really, its a review for all of the current expansions Hellas & Elysium, Venus Next, Colonies and Prelude.

Firstly, lets cover some basics. Anyone who is already deeply invested in the tabletop hobby will be well aware of what Terraforming Mars is and who it appeals to. For everyone else though, it must look like an absolute shambles at first glance. Terraforming Mars is a game that has such a low production quality out of the box that it becomes almost impossible to justify.

The board itself is fine, albeit a little unattractive how would you expect to jazz up the Red Planet, after all? The player aids, however, are pieces of thin card covered in various tracks that serve a functional purpose and nothing else. Onto these tracks, players will place coloured cubes to show their production capability, whilst held resources will be placed into adjacent boxes. The problem with this is that if someone knocks the table, these cubes scatter everywhere, which can spoil the game entirely.

As youll see in some of my photographs, Terraforming Mars is well-loved by many to the extent that a number of companies now provide three-dimensional overlays for these player aids. Other companies replace certain components entirely, which leads to some incredibly well pimped editions of the game being in circulation. Such products simply could not exist, were it not for the popularity of the game.

So why, despite being of a particularly lacklustre construction, has Terraforming Mars gained such a large following? Well, thats a simple question to answer. This is an incredible game. It offers a design that has such a low barrier to entry that anyone can pick it up within about fifteen minutes, but the range of strategies available and the stories that are created over the course of two hours are probably more varied than in any other game out there.

Each and every time you play Terraforming Mars, you will remember what you did, the moment your plan came together (or didnt) and how each of the starting corporations that define your early strategy evolved over time. Did you begin as a multinational megacorporation and end up as an ecological force of nature? Maybe you began as a mining corporation and your control of minerals proved to be crucial in your offworld expansion. Terraforming Mars allows players to create plotlines in a way that no other game that I can think of does.

But what about all these expansions? Well, with four already out in the wild and at least one more planned, Terraforming Mars has been well supported by both designer and publisher to date.With so many ways to expand the game though, it can be hard to know where to begin. Each expansion brings its own nuances and, much like almost every other board game expansion, can be categorised in two ways; more of the same or something extra. Let me tell you all about each of them, as well as how it feels to play Terraforming Mars with everything included.

The currently available expansions for Terraforming Mars are:

Played in isolation, each Terraforming Mars expansion offers changes to the base game that make sense, either because they subtly enhance the core experience more corporations, more projects or because they expand and change it slightly. The Hellas & Elysium maps, and the Prelude expansion, for example, are quite subtle, tweaking the base game and introducing new strategies rather than changing anything fundamental.

Venus Next and Colonies, however, radically affect the player strategies from the outset. In some games, a player might ignore Venus altogether and still win, whilst in other games, if one player runs rampant on Venus, then they will almost certainly steal an unopposed victory. Colonies introduces a number of mechanisms that change how players execute their strategy, although its fair to say that there isnt really a Colonies strategy as such.

With all of these expansions in play, Terraforming Mars is simply too much to take in. The main board (or the alternate main board) alongside the Venus board is one thing, but then adding in a load of colony boards is such a table hog. It also creates a situation where whole swathes of one or more expansions will be ignored. The sheer number of project cards with all expansions in play is also close to unmanageable, and it can be mean that entire strategies (like colonies, or Venus) are swallowed up entirely.

Despite the fact that I dont think its sensible to play with all of these expansions at once, I do think that each of them is a superb addition in its own right and I love to combine them in different pairings. I dont think that Id ever play the game without Prelude now, and the additional maps from Hellas & Elysium add much needed variety when youre into your hundredth play of the game.

Colonies and Venus Next are probably the two that should be considered carefully and I have to say, perhaps surprisingly, my preference is Colonies because it doesnt detract the players attention away from Mars itself. Whilst the marketplace style interface that it introduces is a bit elaborate and overly complex, I find that it offers a way for players to expand their strategy in a wide variety of ways.

When all is said and done and despite the crappy production, Terraforming Mars must be considered one of the best, if not the best, modern board game. A lot of people will tell you that title belongs to Gloomhaven, but they are just wrong. You cant ask a complete novice to spend two hours with Gloomhaven and expect them to walk away with the kind of satisfaction that they would get from Terraforming Mars.

Equally, its rare that the same game that can delight a gaming newcomer can also appeal to high strategy power gamers intent on min-maxing at the very highest level. Terraforming Mars deserves to be on your shelf and if its not already there go fix that before you do anything else, or at least see if you can borrow it from a friend. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

You can grab Terraforming Mars and its expansions from your friendly local game store or on Amazon. You can read more about the base game here.

Love board games? Check out our list of the top board games weve reviewed.

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Terraforming Mars might be board game perfection and is now infinitely expandable Big Boss Battle (B3) - Big Boss Battle

Cyclops announcing his desire to step down as one of Krakoas four Great Captains.Image: Valerio Schiti, David Curiel, Joe Sabino/Marvel.

While the developments of this weeks Inferno #2from writer Jonathan Hickman, artist Stefano Caselli, colorist David Curiel, and letterer Joe Sabinoare the big, flashy pearl-clutching sort, a certain someone being resurrected (or not) isnt the only major twist Marvels been teasing for its Krakoan mutants.

Even though the newest team of X-Men just got itself together, Marvels already hinted at a major shakeup to the roster following Cyclops being replaced by an unknown newcomer: Captain Krakoa. Following Captain Krakoas arrival being teased in the solicitations for Gerry Duggan and Pepe LarrazsX-Men #6, due out in December, Marvels released more detailed concept art of Captain Krakoas costume that gives you a better sense of the mutants seemingly plant-focused power set.

Captain Krakoas design.Image: Pepe Larraz/Marvel

Because Captain Krakoas civilian identity has yet to be announced, theres been some speculation as to who might be hiding beneath his visor, which looks something like a cross between the helmets Cyclops and Professor X have been wearing as of late. Given how the X-Men, along with the rest of Krakoas various mutant teams, are all finding a new footing in the universe following the terraforming of Mars, there are a variety of wild possibilities when it comes to who Captain Krakoa could be. Like, for example, him actually somehow being Cyclops in disguise after he stepped down, being able to operate as more of an unknown agent.

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Interesting as that might be, a more solid hint about whos under the floronic mask may have been tucked into Inferno #1 from Hickman, artist Valerio Schiti, and colorist David Curiel, in one of the comics quieter moments that wasnt about a certain reincarnating mutant living in fear of a certain dead clairvoyant. In a sequence immediately preceding Cyclops announcing that he plans to step down as one of Krakoas four Great Captains, were shown a snapshot of Cyphers life as he greets the day and the people most important to him in the entire world: his wife and his best friends. The degree to which Doug and Bei the Blood Moon have gotten along with one another in the wake of X of Swords is debatable, given how their respective powers make it difficult for them to communicate with one another. But Cypher insists to Warlock, the technarch hes fused with, and Krakoa, the sentient embodiment of the island as a whole that only he can understand, that he genuinely loves Bei.

Image: Valerio Schiti, David Curiel, Joe Sabino/Marvel.

Cyphers declaration of love for Bei prompts both of his friends to express a possessiveness of him that whiffs of jealousy, and the chumminess that Cyber uses to diffuse the moments tension feels like it might be a subtle hint about who Captain Krakoa might really be. Though Cypher, Warlock, and Krakoa might not be seen as the same exact kind of mutant circuit that the Five arethe mutants who govern the resurrection process that has made Krakoa the superpower it istheir pasts and power sets have made them a unique unit in the Dawn of X. Though Warlock can exist on his own, he often spends his time physically (and to a certain extent, mentally) bonded with Cypher, who himself has a profound connection with Krakoa, who appreciates that the humanoid mutant can interpret its form of speech.

Krakoa being Krakoathe literal sentient Earth landmass without which the mutants new age of glory wouldnt be possibleit was necessary for the being to have a seat on the mutants Quiet Council, mutantkinds secretive governing body, with Cypher (and perhaps Warlock by extension) joining as interpreters. Both of the first two issues of Inferno have been detailing how the balance of power on Krakoa is gradually shifting as different members play their hands at wresting control from Xavier and other members of the Quiet Council. Between Cyclops stepping down as one of the four Great Captains, and the shuffling that occurs on the Quiet Council in Inferno #2, its interesting to wonder whether Captain Krakoas arrival might be the result of Krakoa and Cypher making moves of their own, to further extend their powers reach beyond the Quiet Council itself to the primary X-Men team specifically.

What little weve seen of Captain Krakoas plant powers and costumes could plausibly be some sort of combination of Cypher and Krakoa stepping out in a new identity to mix things up a bit, but Inferno #1 also includes a curious tidbit suggesting another potential true identity for the new hero. Benjamin Percys recent run on X-Force detailed how Beast and other X-Force members came to be involved in an underhanded espionage plot targeting the human nation of Terra Verde that ended disastrously.

In response to the Terra Verdan government developing sophisticated telefloronic technology that, if left unchecked, could have posed a threat to Krakoa, Beast attempted to hack the technology for his own ends, and in doing so caused hundreds of thousands of people to lose their lives as Terra Verdes population was transformed into plant monsters. The fallout of Beasts actions were something that he and the rest of X-Force continued to deal with well into the Hellfire Gala and beyond, as individuals like Black Tom Cassidy fell victim to an unknown menace hunting people on Krakoa. While Black Toms yet to properly resurface since he was attacked by something in the forest back in X-Force #18, a medical report from Dr. Cecilia Reyes in Inferno #1 confirms that hes alive, and than ever, but suffering from some sort of profound mental trauma from his assault.

Image: Joshua Cassara, Robert Gill, Guru-eFX, Joe Caramagna/Marvel

The concerns about whats happening with Black Tom are mirrored somewhat in X-Force #21, where Reyes details various strains of intelligent plant life that now exist on Earthincluding those hailing from Terra Verde, but also those that transformed Dr. Theodore Ted Sallis into the creature known as Man-Thing. Reyes singles out plants born of Man-Thing as having given rise to the mutant Man-Slaughter strain of plants seen in the issue itself, acting as a benevolent figure and ally to X-Force. While the point of Reyes Man-Slaughter speculation was whether or not plants grown on Krakoa might have infectious properties mutants should be worried about, X-Force #21 also underlined how, despite being made of several plants, Man-Slaughter considers himself to be a singular person.

There are more than a couple of possibilities when it comes to who Captain Krakoa truly is, but whether its Cypher and Krakoa in a trenchcoat, Black Tom reborn, Man-Slaughter in a new guise, or someone else entirely, everything about the characters impending arrival points to them being rather suspicious. Flowers or not, the worlds perceptions of Krakoa are still being formed, and everything the X-Men have been working towards could definitely be ruined by one flashy Krakoan patriot insisting that he alone stands as the embodiment of the best and brightest of mutantkind.

Inferno #1 and Inferno #2 are now on sale. Captain Krakoa is set to make their debut this December, in the pages of X-Men #6.

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The X-Men Comics That Might Be Teasing Captain Krakoa's True Identity - Gizmodo