Senator Richard Burr had his phone seized by the FBI today over $1.7 million dollars in stock sales shortly before the economic downfall caused by the coronavirus. A warrant was served to him today at his Washington DC residence. Sen. Burr denies any criminal activity or intent, explaining that all senators are briefed on the state of the economy and that he based his decisions on that information and that of news sources. The FBI has also issued a warrant to Apple to access his iCloud account. Se. Burr handed in his intent to resign as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee today as well.
Attackers dressed as Afghan police detonated a charge outside of a hospital in Kabul and then entered the building. The hospital contained a Doctors Without Borders maternity ward and multiple people inside, including new mothers and 2 newborn boys whowere killed. The death toll has reached 16. No group has claimed responsibility and the Taliban have denied all involvement. Tariq Arian, Ministry of Interior, stated that “Any groups that are involved in such attacks are against all human and Islamic values.” The tenuous hold on peace between the Afghan government and the Taliban may suffer because of this attack.
On May 7th, Microsoft held the first digital event of the summer. What was promised was a host of third-party games being played on Xbox Series X. However, looking back at the stream brings up a lot of disappointment. Here is where the Inside Xbox stream went wrong and why everyone is upset.
Expectations set too high
The number one issue with the most recent Inside Xbox stream is that everyone involved with it set up the stream to fail with its over-hyped messaging leading up to the event. Microsoft, Ubisoft, and even Geoff Keighley are responsible for this to some degree, in my opinion. Just one example of this are tweets like below.
Tomorrow changes the game. Or rather, the games do the changing.
How did Inside Xbox change the game? Assassins Creed Valhalla (which we will go further into in a bit) was revealed a week prior. Madden NFL 21 is an annual franchise. Almost everything else revealed at this show was made by AA and indie studios. That does not make these bad game reveals by any means, but when you are coming out with a huge next-generation console, showing games by smaller companies does not generate excitement. Microsoft was making this show out to be a blockbuster event. One that could rival the kind of announcements seen at E3. What we got though was a B-tier lineup of games by the B team at Microsoft. I love Aaron Greenburg and the work he does, but not hearing a single word from Phil Spencer during an event like this instantly takes something away from the experience. He is the Head of Xbox and we need to hear from Phil when the Series X has games being announced.
There are so many amazing @summergamefest events planned. The schedule launches soon on the website, and next Thursday @xbox will have a special inside Xbox Episode at 11 am ET / 8 am PT with Xbox Series X gameplay. pic.twitter.com/yGR35MW0bF
For the first event headlining Summer Gamefest, this was incredibly dull and left me wondering how lackluster the rest of these events might be. We are talking about Microsoft here. Not only are they supplying one of the new consoles this year, but they are one of the biggest electronic companies in the world. If all they could get for this event (which let me remind you was supposed to be filled with game-changers) were smaller studios, what exactly do the bigger ones have to show? Do you know how they could have avoided the over-hype?
Set the expectations early like how they did with their first-party offerings. We knew right away that no one under Xbox Game Studios would be showing anything until July. They easily could have worded their marketing to show that these are exciting new games from their SMALLER partners. What we were told was we should look forward to Cyberpunk 2077, Avengers, and Batman: Arkham level game announcements. Instead, we got games that could be fun to play over a weekend.
Let me stress that there were good games shown off during the show. I will be playing more than a couple of these titles and hope to enjoy them. Nothing here conveyed why I HAD to buy an Xbox Series X, though. Microsoft already has an issue with first-party games, and if somehow that spreads to them not being able to show third-party offerings, they are in deep trouble. Even the Assassins Creed promises were not held up properly.
This Inside Xbox was not the proper first step into the next generation, and if this is the best that the biggest companies in the industry can show right now, the pandemic might be affecting things much worse than we have thought. If so, prepare for a mediocre summer and rest of 2020 when it comes to game releases. I admit that this pessimistic view is not viable, there will be big games released at some point and we want all the people making those games to be safe.
However, after all the momentum Microsoft had going into this week, they took a big hit in how excited fans are for their new console, and the biggest reason for that is how they over-hyped the fanbase.
Assassins Creed Valhalla “gameplay”
Ever since Assassin Creed Valhalla was revealed a week prior, Ubisoft had been promising a first look at gameplay for their upcoming game.
Don't miss #InsideXbox, tomorrow at 8AM PDT / 5PM CEST ?
The problem with the trailer, however, is there was absolutely no gameplay shown off in the minute and a half of footage. Allow me to echo a common sentiment you can find around the internet following the “gameplay” trailer. Cinematic footage is NOT gameplay. You cannot expect a fanbase to be excited from seeing clips of in-game cutscenes pasted together. That works for when a game is first being revealed. This is the kind of trailer that should have been shown while the game was being announced.
It delivers on the idea of Assassins Creed Valhalla. You play as a Viking who also happens to be in the creed. It shows the Viking ships, battles and all that jazz. Not once in here is gameplay shown. After being told for a week we would see that footage by not just Ubisoft, but Microsoft as well, of course everyone looking forward to the game is disappointed. It goes back to expectations being set much too high, and the fault of that here lies in both companies presenting the trailer.
Confusing messaging
Games shown off in the May Inside Xbox show have a cloud of mystery around them in some way. Some of the games did actually have gameplay or conveyed the idea of that game. In fact, most of them did a great job of selling what that development team is going for. However, there are still many questions surrounding these titles. Are these Xbox exclusive? Are they timed exclusives? What kind of time frame are we looking at for their release? While Inside Xbox showed off a batch of games, there was very little explanation around those games. Some were revealed afterward to be exclusive to Xbox, but not out in front for the public to see. To not even have a planned release window for any of the games shown does not help their cases as well. If these games release around Cyberpunk 2077, how can they compete? If we are waiting until 2021 for these, they could be going up against other bigger games that have been pushed back. 2020 is filled with so many questions for upcoming video games. A little more clarity from gaming companies could go a long way to avoiding so many questions.
Overall, Inside Xbox was a disappointing showing if you were going into it hoping for the shining stars of the next generation. Most of the blame for this falls on Microsoft and Ubisoft for overpromising and underdelivering, but the good news is we are only in May. Microsoft will be holding monthly events leading up the Series X release, and they have plenty of time to turn this disappointment around into excitement again. According to Aaron Greenburg, they are listening.
Had we not said anything & just shown May Inside Xbox show like we did last month, I suspect reactions might have been different. Clearly we set some wrong expectations & that’s on us. We appreciate all the feedback & can assure you we will take it all in & learn as a team. ???
— Aaron Greenberg ??♂️❎ (@aarongreenberg) May 8, 2020
As mentioned above, there are so many questions in the video game industry right now. However, there is a lot of room for companies to ease our concerns and rebuild excitement for the next few months. Hopefully, the teams learn and build from this experience, and I can write next month about how much better I am feeling about going forward.
Sunday night, over 600 people gathered in a Fort Worth Park for a fireworks display. After the fireworks began, rounds were fired into the park, injuring 5 locals. It is unclear why the shots were fired, and no arrests have been made. Police have suggested that the shooting at the park was related to another nearby shooting, but have not made any official statement. The park was one of the dozens reopened after a lift of the lock down orders. The city still suggests social distancing guidelines but are not citing or arresting for breaches. “…ultimately people have a choice and that’s just the choice they made tonight” said Officer Buddy Calzada.
Elon Musk has been posting controversial statements about the coronavirus since early on in the pandemic. The posts have been general in nature but now, with Alameda county not giving Tesla the “green light” to reopen production, Musk is taking it personally. “Frankly, this is the final straw. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen [sic] on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA” tweeted Musk. He is also threatening to sue the state of California over the prolonged closure of the Tesla plant.
Since Musk’s outburst he has decided to re-open the Alameda plant today, in defiance and violation of county health order to remain shutdown.
Governor Tom Wolfe of Pennsylvania signed a ban against marriage under the age of 18 last Friday. The age of marriage is 18 in most states, but earlier marriages may be approved by parents and guardians down to the age of 12. “Setting the minimum age to obtain a marriage license will help prevent child exploitation,” said Governor Wolf in a press release Friday. “Marriage is a sacred and serious commitment that should be undertaken with love by two adults, not by children being exploited by unscrupulous adults.” The majority of these child marriages are primarily between underage girls and adult men, with over 200,000 underage marriages occurring between 2000 and 2010
Seattle’s “Stay Healthy Streets” program was launched to allow residents to walk and exercise outdoors without breaking social distancing. 20 miles of city streets were shut down for this purpose and Mayor Jenny Durkan says they will stay that way even after pandemic restrictions have been lifted. The city parks are still closed but the open stretches of road are allowing Seattle dwellers to find an escape from their houses. “We’re announcing a nimble, creative approach towards rapidly investing in a network of places for people walking and people biking of all ages,” said Durkan. The city is partnering with the Seattle Department of Transportation on this project and plan to make it permanent.
The morning of May 7th, an LG Polymers plant that was gearing up to reopen experienced a massive gas leak. The leak has been identified as a vapor form of Styrene, a common base of industrial polymers. The workers were not initially aware of the leak and an LG representative stated that the alarms only go off if Styrene leaks in liquid form. It must have “reacted with something” in order to escape in vapor form. The current estimate of those that have died is 11 people and over 300 people were hospitalized. Most of those affected were found unconscious in their cars, on the streets or on their balconies. The leak is now under control.
The Nintendo 64 is the third home console for the beloved video game company. It was the first Nintendo console capable of rendering actual 3D worlds. While the Super Nintendo Entertainment System had games that gave the illusion of a 3D environment, it wasn’t until the N64 that players had the freedom to explore these worlds. With that in mind, let’s look at the very best games for the Nintendo 64.
Paper Mario
Paper Mario is an RPG made on the heels of success from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. It’s turn-based combat, and the colorful story made it stand out as a proper successor to Mario RPG. It might not be at its height anymore, but many people love this series because of its beginnings. Paper Mario was an odd direction to take this style of game, and it ultimately paid off by delivering that classic Nintendo charm in the form of paper cutout characters.
Conker’s Bad Fur Day
Rare was at the height of its power while developing games for the N64, and one of its best outputs was also one of the last games to release for the console. Conker’s Bad Fur Day is one of the few mature games. Conker is an alcoholic squirrel who will face many ridiculous situations including fighting a boss that goes by the name “The Great Mighty Poo” who has an opera performance while you fight him and a sunflower who you need to get to reveal herself to a group of honey bees. Conker was an unexpected game to appear on the N64 but would go on to become a true cult classic.
Star Fox 64
Star Fox is a space combat series that started on the SNES, but Star Fox 64 is the height of the series. You play as Fox, the captain of the Star Fox crew, as you pilot his Arwing through various levels. You dodge both the environment and enemy fire on your way to defeating the evil Professor Andross. This might not be the most popular of Nintendo’s franchises, but Star Fox 64 remains in the hearts of many 90s gamers.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
How do you follow up one of the best video games ever made? By reusing its assets to create a creepier story within a year of the former’s release. Majora’s Mask is one of the more unique Zelda games. It lies as a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time and sees Link deal with many homages to the five stages of grief. The iconic 3D Zelda gameplay introduced in the previous game returns here with new mechanics introduced through the different masks you wear. Majora’s Mask is often seen as one of the best games in the Zelda series, as well as one of the best overall on the N64.
Mario Party 2
Mario Party made its debut on the Nintendo 64, but its sequel is the one that stands out. In Mario Party 2, everything is made better. Four players move around a board while collecting as many stars as possible. Mini-games are held at the end of each round of turns to earn coins to buy those stars and items. Every board in the game has a theme that has all characters dressed up to match, including cowboys, pirates, and more. The mini-games in Mario Party 2 were much better than the original, either by being updated or bringing in brand new ones that felt much better.
Diddy Kong Racing
Diddy Kong Racing is a game that is still beloved by many 90s gamers. It introduced many colorful characters that made playing as each racer feel different, even though it was not. Races could take place in cars, hover vehicles, or airplanes, and truly made this a unique racing game during this time. The item selection is small, but between the extensive adventure mode and fun multiplayer racing, Diddy Kong Racing is a 90s classic for the N64.
007 Goldeneye
Imagine whatever first-person shooter game you enjoy. A big reason you can enjoy that game is from the success of 007 Goldeneye. Even though the N64 controller is not great by any means, the work Rare put in to make this game feel good was essential to making FPS’s feel the way they do today. The single-player campaign was great, but the real fun of this game comes from its multiplayer. Numerous nights were spent between friends and siblings battling each other in Goldeneye’s matches. It is rough to go back to play today, but this game’s importance cannot be overstated.
Banjo-Kazooie
Our fourth (and final) Rare game on the list goes to Banjo-Kazooie. A 3D collect-a-thon platformer that features so much charm. Banjo and Kazooie need to save Banjo’s sister Tootie from Gruntilda, a rhyming witch who is trying to steal her pretty looks. The diverse worlds all are unique to each other and give you plenty (but not too many) items to gather in your quest. Combine these colorful worlds with a brilliant soundtrack composed by Grant Kirkhope and the kind of characters you only find in a Rare game, and you have one of the most beloved games of the 90s.
Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64 is Mario’s first time jumping into the 3D plane. It was an instant success and became one of the most important 90’s video games released. At the time, game companies were trying to figure out how to make 3D games properly. There were issues from how to control the camera to how to make moving in the 3D environment feel right, and Mario 64 hit it out of the park on both accounts. This game gave Mario a bunch of new moves, and every world was varied and fun. Mario 64 is a true classic that introduced many to what a 3D game could achieve and still feels great to play today.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is one of the greatest video games ever created. Like Mario, Link made his first adventure in a 3D environment on the N64 and smashed it. In this game, you travel back and forth through time carrying out classic Legend of Zelda mechanics in an (at the time) expansive world that enamored so many people. Ocarina of Time took advantage of everything the N64 could offer at the time and put out an epic adventure that lives on today as one of many people’s favorite games. Breath of the Wild might have overtaken it as the best game in the series, but if you have access to any of its versions, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will still put a smile on your face.
Three Russian doctors have “fallen” out of hospital windows in the last two weeks. The most recent, Dr. Alexander Shulepov, fell out of a 2nd story window, allegedly during an argument over being forced to work even after he was diagnosed with COVID-19. He is recovering now and has retracted all inflammatory statements made prior to his accident. He is the third physician to suffer from such a fall, and the only one to survive. Dr. Natalya Lebedeva was killed from a 6 story fall out of a Moscow hospital after being blamed for spreading coronavirus within the hospital, and Dr. Yelena Nepomnyashchaya, who also fell from a 6 story window, dies from fatal injuries caused by the fall. Nepomnyashchaya had been pushing to not receive more patients due to a massive shortage of PPE.
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