Watch The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Nintendo Direct Here

Nintendo’s biggest Switch game of the holidays, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, arrives this December, but before then, the company is giving fans one final in-depth look at the star-studded brawler with a special Super Smash Bros.-focused Nintendo Direct. The broadcast airs Thursday, November 1, at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET and will feature a ton of new details about the game, so you won’t want to miss it.

The presentation will be streamed on Nintendo’s website, YouTube, and Twitch channels. You’ll also be able to watch it right here on GameSpot via the embed below, so you can bookmark this page and come back when the presentation begins. Immediately following the Direct, Nintendo will also broadcast a Treehouse livestream that will feature additional gameplay footage of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as well as other upcoming Nintendo Switch games like Diablo III: Eternal Edition, Yoshi’s Crafted World, and Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee.

As usual, Nintendo hasn’t divulged any concrete details on what fans will see during the Smash broadcast, but it certainly seems like it’ll be a big one. The Direct is scheduled to run for approximately 40 minutes–nearly twice as long as the Smash Bros. Direct that aired back in August–and will reveal “new information” about the upcoming fighting game. What that will be is anyone’s guess, but it presumably includes the game’s final few playable characters, who director Masahiro Sakurai had previously teased would all be unveiled before its release. We’ll also likely learn more about the title’s mysterious final mode.

The last time Nintendo aired a presentation devoted to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the company unveiled five new playable characters: Simon and Richter Belmont from Castlevania; the new Echo Fighters Chrom and Dark Samus; and the oft-requested King K. Rool from Donkey Kong Country. The following month during its September Direct presentation, Nintendo revealed that Animal Crossing’s Isabelle is also joining the Smash roster. It’s unclear just how many more playable character remain, but more than 70 have been announced to date. You can see everyone that’s playable in our full Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster list.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launches for Switch on December 7. Ahead of then, Nintendo is releasing a Smash Bros. Ultimate Switch bundle on November 2. It includes a digital copy of the game (which won’t be playable until its release date) along with a Smash Bros.-themed dock and Joy-Cons. You can read more about the title in our roundup of everything we know about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

from GameSpot – All Content https://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-the-super-smash-bros-ultimate-nintendo-direc/1100-6462917/

Video: How devs can find the right branching narrative structure

In this 2016 GDC talk, academic Jay Taylor-Laird explains how to more effectively use a story map as a creative and analytical tool when making narrative games. …

from Gamasutra News http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/329775/Video_How_devs_can_find_the_right_branching_narrative_structure.php

Fortnite Updates Will Continue Addressing Glider Changes

As part of Fortnite‘s 6.20 update last week, developer Epic Games introduced the ability to re-deploy your glider in all game modes, just as you could in the Soaring 50s LTM. According to the studio, this wasn’t intended to be a permanent addition to the game, but rather as a test, and it looks like Epic was pleased with the results.

Epic has posted an update about the glider re-deploy mechanic on Fortnite’s official website, confirming that the feature will remain in place for the time being. “We’ve finished our first week of Glider Re-deploy being available in all modes,” the studio wrote. “During this time we’ve been collecting internal data and monitoring constructive feedback from all of you. We understand that not all players agree with this change, but we would like to continue with this functionality in the game based on the positive results we’ve been seeing.”

In the same post, Epic also revealed it plans to make some quality-of-life changes to the glider re-deploy mechanic with future updates. The first of these, slated to rollout with the recently delayed 6.21 patch, will focus on “prioritizing Glider audio over weapon audio within certain ranges.” Additional improvements are also on the cards, although Epic hasn’t revealed what those will be yet.

The glider re-deploy mechanic was first featured in the Soaring 50s limited-time mode, which placed a much greater emphasis on being airborne than standard Battle Royale matches. It allows players to open their glider again and soar back to the ground if they’re at least three stories in the air.

Fortnite’s 6.21 update is now scheduled to arrive on November 1. Epic originally planned to roll it out to all platforms on October 31, but it had to be postponed due to a “last minute issue.” Meanwhile, the Halloween-themed Fortnitemares event is scheduled to end on Sunday, November 4, and Epic teases that some kind of “one-time event” is set to occur on that same day.

from GameSpot – All Content https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-updates-will-continue-addressing-glider-c/1100-6462914/

Zynga reports 9% increase in mobile revenue with Harry Potter and Game of Thrones games in the works

Zynga has released financials for its third quarter ended September 30, reporting its best mobile quarter in company history as mobile revenue increased 9 percent to $212.5 million.  …

from Gamasutra News http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/329774/Zynga_reports_9_increase_in_mobile_revenue_with_Harry_Potter_and_Game_of_Thrones_games_in_the_works.php

Blizzard launches standalone, souped-up Overwatch viewer for esports event

Blizzard has rolled out a standalone spectator mode that gives fans of its Overwatch League esports events a more hands-on way to watch the upcoming Overwatch World Cup. …

from Gamasutra News http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/329772/Blizzard_launches_standalone_soupedup_Overwatch_viewer_for_esports_event.php

Red Dead Redemption 2 Guide: Hidden Weapons You May Have Missed

Lost And Legendary Arms

Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS4 and Xbox One features a massive arsenal of weapons, from basic six-shooters and lever-action rifles to powerful shotguns and sniper rifles. In addition to the weapons you can buy from a gunsmith or pick up from run-of-the-mill fallen enemy, there are also many special weapons hidden in the world for you to find. Much like the side missions you come across, it’s very easy to permanently miss out on some of these weapons, especially if you don’t take the time to examine an area further or loot a dead bandit’s corpse.

After spending many hours roaming the wilderness and towns of Red Dead Redemption 2’s depiction of late-1800s America, we’ve amassed a large amount of melee weapons and firearms for Arthur to use when fighting against rival gang members and angry vagabonds. There’s a surprising amount of items to find, some of which break away from the Western setting and reference cultures that have since disappeared in the face of the new century. To avoid spoilers, we’ve omitted some mentions of weapons that you can acquire late in the game, though we plan to update this feature in the coming weeks. So for now, here’s an extensive list of weapons along with their locations.

If you just can’t get enough of Red Dead Redemption 2 and want more info, be sure to check out our galleries and features focusing on Fishing, the many legendary animals, and an extensive breakdown of the Core systems. You can also check out GameSpot’s new weekly show Quickdraw, where we highlight and examine some of the game’s most fascinating and impressive details each Friday.

Firearm: Flaco’s Revolver

In-game description: A rare Cattleman Revolver, featuring delicate engravings and a carved ivory handle. Previously owned by the late gunslinger Flaco Hernandez, defeated in a duel at Cairn Lake, this gun has an ammo capacity of six rounds, and a can use Regular, High Velocity, Split Point, Express and Explosive revolver ammo.

Location: Flaco’s Revolver

After accepting the Gunslinger mission in Valentine–The Noblest of Men, and A Woman–you can examine the photos of the various characters. To find Flaco Hernandez, examine and read his photo to unlock his mission, which is located near Cairn Lake, southeast of Colter to the northern section of the map. Pick up the gun near his body to acquire his revolver.

Firearm: Granger’s Revolver

In-game description: A rare Cattlemen Revolver, with a dark metal finish and covered in custom engravings. Previously owned by the late gunslinger Emmet Granger, defeated in a dual near Flatneck Station, this gun has an ammo capacity of six rounds, and can use Regular, High Velocity, Split Point, Express and Explosive revolver ammo.

Location: Granger’s Revolver

After accepting the Gunslinger mission in Valentine–The Noblest of Men, and A Woman–you can examine the photos of the various characters. To find Emmit Granger, examine and read his photo to unlock his mission. Just east of Flatneck Station, you can find him at his pig farm. After completing his tasks, you’ll engage in a duel. Afterwards, you can pick up his signature firearm.

Pistol: Midnight’s Pistol

In-game description: A rare Mauser Pistol, this weapon features gold-plated engravings and a black wooden grip. Previously owned by the late gunslinger Billy Midnight, defeated in a duel on a train departing Rhodes, this gun has an ammo capacity of ten rounds, and can use Regular, High Velocity, Split Point, Express and Explosive pistol ammo.

Location: Midnight’s Pistol

After accepting the Gunslinger mission in Valentine–The Noblest of Men, and A Woman–you can examine the photos of the various characters. To find Billy Midnight, examine and read his photo to unlock his mission. At the post office in Rhodes, talk to the clerk to figure out where he is. After boarding the train, talk to Billy Midnight, which will lead to a quick chase. Eventually, you’ll engage in another duel. Pick up his firearm from his body, and you’ll acquire his gold-plated Mauser Pistol.

Shotgun: Rare Shotgun

In-game description: A rare Double-Barreled Shotgun with faded brass tarnish and adorned with carvings. Previously owned and cherished by a lonely woodsman living in solitude amongst the trees and wildlife of Roanoke Ridge. This gun has an ammo capacity of two rounds, and can use Regular Buckshot, Incendiary Buckshot, Slug and Explosive Slug shotgun ammo.

Location: Rare Shotgun

Though it’s known as the Rare Shotgun, you can find this weapon in a couple locations. The first is north of Annesburg, located at a small cabin in Manito Glade. Take out the angry recluse and pick up his gun. The second can be dropped from cave hermit directly west of Hanging Dog Ranch, just north of the Little Creek River near Wallace Station.

Melee: Ancient Tomahawk

In-game description: A traditional native Tomahawk with a striped bound shaft and polished sharp blade. Although showing some signs of its age, this weapon has been well maintained by one of the locals. This melee weapon was found lodged in a broken wooden target, overlooking Calumet Ravine in the Grizzlies.

Location: Ancient Tomahawk

Can be found sticking out of a broken target on the east side of Calumet Ravine, overlooking the river below. This is located east of the Wapiti Indian Reservation.

Melee: Antler Knife

In-game description: A rare knife, with a handle manufactured from the antler of a stag, and part of the blade snapped off near the crossguard. This weapon was taken from the scene of a fight between a large bear and hunter, which occurred near Hanging Dog Ranch in Big Valley. Neither side won.

Location: Antler Knife

Found on a dead bear who was killed by the hunter he crushed. Located directly northwest of Hanging Dog Ranch near Little Creek River.

Melee: Broken Pirate Sword

In-game description: An old and rare pirate cutlass, with a long snapped blade and decorative golden handguard. This relic was found lodged inside an abandoned boat, run adrift in the swamplands surrounding Saint Denis. With a longer range than most bladed melee weapons, this is still practical combat weapon despite its age.

Location: Broken Pirate Sword

On a wrecked boat located on the small islands southwest of Saint Denis, you’ll find a skeleton with an old pirate sword.

Melee: Civil War Knife

In-game description: An old Bowie knife with a solid blade, worn wooden handle and large D-shaped handguard for protection. This weapon was commonly used by Civil War soldiers, and is covered in rust. It was found in a storage room underneath the ruined Fort Brennand in Roanoke Ridge, New Hanover.

Location: Civil War Knife

Found in the basement of Fort Brennand, an abandoned fort southwest of Van Horn. To find the basement, go into the building to the right of the entrance of the fort and go down the ladder inside.

Melee: Hewing Hatchet

In-game description: This old and worn Hatchet has a flat edge along one side of the blade and is designed for hewing, the process of converting logs into lumber. This melee weapon was found in a tree stump near Moonstone Pond in the Grizzlies, next to an abandoned shack. This Hatchet can also be thrown.

Location: Hewing Hatchet

On the south shore of Moonstone Pond, you’ll find the hatchet resting in a tree stump.

Melee: Rusted Double Bit Hatchet

In-game description: A rare Hatchet, featuring a rusted double-bladed head: one razor-sharp side for chopping and cutting; and a dull side for splitting wood. This melee weapon was found in a tree stump near Annesburg Mine in Roanoke Ridge, and has been worn by the elements over time. This Hatchet can also be thrown.

Location: Rusted Double Bit Hatchet

Found in a tree stump outside a shack between Elysium Pool and O’Creagh’s Run.

Melee: Viking Hatchet

In-game description: A rare ancient Hatchet, engraved all over with Nordic patterns and bound with leather. This melee weapon was found at an old stone altar in the Roanoke Valley area of New Hanover, lodged into a skull. This Hatchet can also be thrown.

Location: Viking Hatchet

Northeast of Beaver Hollow you’ll find a small ruin made by ancient Vikings. While you can find the hatchet resting on a stone table, heading into the tomb will also lead you to the Viking Helmet, one of the game’s more unusual items to find.

from GameSpot – All Content https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/red-dead-redemption-2-guide-hidden-weapons-you-may/2900-2353/

Mid90s: How Jonah Hill Avoided Leaning Too Heavily On Nostalgia

Just when you thought you were getting tired of ’80s nostalgia featuring kids on bikes, neon lights, and synth-pop, along come films filled with grunge music, skating, and Nintendo games. The ’90s don’t feel like they were that long ago, but the wave of ’90s nostalgia in movies and TV may have just arrived with Jonah Hill’s Mid90s. Hill’s directorial debut, Mid90s is the story of a 13-year-old kid who finally finds friends and a sense of belonging in the rough world of skateboarding in Los Angeles in the 1990s. We had a chat with the first-time director at Fantastic Fest after the movie’s US premiere, and he said despite the subject matter, he didn’t want to lean too heavily on nostalgia.

The first thing you notice about the film is how true-to-life it feels. From the squared, 4:3 VHS-like look, to the ’90s soundtrack, to the clothes, Mid90s doesn’t feel like a recreation, but like a lost film from that era. Despite this, it doesn’t point at its many references or shove them down your throat. “That was very intentional,” Hill said. “The rules of the film were no skate-porn and no nostalgia-porn. I didn’t want it to be that ’90s movie. The idea ultimately was that if I, at the last second, decided that the film would not be set in the ’90s, it would still work as a film about growing up.”

Yet there are plenty of references and Easter eggs to that decade. Shortly after the main character, Sunny, starts to become part of a group of skater kids, there’s a memorable scene in which he asks his brother for his skateboard. When the brother asks what Sunny can give in return, he offers his Nintendo games as trade, and we see Sunny’s brother going through a stack of cartridges. It’s a very small and simple scene, made special because we never see any of the games, just the sides of the cartridges. They could be any games–replace them in your imagination with whatever you grew up playing.

“I made sure that even if you don’t see the games, if you grew up at that time, you’d know which games they are,” Hill said. “Every one of those games are ones that I loved. I made sure they would place games that I’d play at that time. The wrong decision would be to punch in on it and focus on each game and make a big deal out of it. Instead, just hint at it so those who know, know they are the right games.”

This attitude of not making a big deal out of the references is key to making Mid90s feel natural. “My favorite scene in the movie is where two characters are outside a courthouse talking to a homeless guy,” Hill recalled. “That’s Del the Funky Homosapien, one of my favorite rappers, but it’s so casual you don’t really notice him. That was the point–to not make things overt.”

When it comes to the music, Mid90s has plenty of songs viewers can recognize, but you aren’t hit over the head with one hit wonders. Hill had a list of 300 songs he would write the film to, all of which made it onto the film’s “soundtrack.”

“We got all of the songs I listed,” he said. “Which was amazing because we didn’t really have any money for the music, so I wrote letters to like Morrissey and Nirvana’s estate and everybody. And they said yes,” Hill said. Spotify currently has a 30-song soundtrack available for streaming, and it’s been reported that more will arrive in additional “waves.”

Friendship and having a sense of belonging are big themes in Mid90s, and the film’s core cast of young actors, most of them first-timers, have great chemistry together. To achieve that, Jonah Hill did one simple thing. “I took everyone’s cell phones away,” he said. “That was actually my main reason to set the movie in the ’90s–because there weren’t cell phones. That made the intimate conversations and friendships in the movie real.”

“Nowadays the second you feel uncomfortable, you can just take out your phone, so you don’t get intimate with people,” Hill explained. “Growing up, you were so bored you’d get into these strangely deep conversations just waiting for the bus or hanging out at the skate spot only because you didn’t have anything better to do.”

Getting the actors into the ’90s vibe was obviously important to the film. Hill provided his cast with iPods with the 300 songs he wrote the music to, which he felt was important. “The most important part was getting the actors related to the feelings of the characters,” he said. “The music and the clothes helped in getting them to the mindset of the ’90s, but I didn’t want them to just rely on the gadgets and references. And they didn’t even need to understand them, because they are just existing as people and that’s just what’s around them. Because the film should feel like living in the ’90s–we didn’t go around pointing at every single piece of contemporary pop culture, it was just part of our world. My movie should feel like that.”

Mid90s is now out in theaters.

from GameSpot – All Content https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mid90s-how-jonah-hill-avoided-leaning-too-heavily-/1100-6462913/

PS4 Game Deals In This Week’s Double Discount Sale

The PlayStation Store’s Sale of the Dead runs through November 2, but that hasn’t stopped Sony from launching a new sale this week. This one is called the Double Discount Sale because, while everyone gets up to 30% off the games on the list, PS Plus members get–drumroll–double the discount. That’s what Sony is advertising, anyway, though some of the PS Plus discounts actually seem bigger. In any case, the sale ends November 13, so let’s take a look at the best deals you can get between now and then.

Ubisoft has dropped prices on much of its PS4 back catalog, with discounts on Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry games in particular. If bang for your buck is what you’re after, you can grab Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection for $34 ($17 with PS Plus). It contains Assassin’s Creed II, plus Brotherhood and Revelations. Fans of open-world shooters can grab Far Cry 3 Classic Edition for $25 ($20) or go pre-historic with Far Cry Primal for $33 ($15).

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The delightful Japanese crime saga Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is down to $45 ($30), while EA Sports UFC 3 drops to $40 ($20). If you want to try something a little different, you can grab Pyre for $14 ($8); it’s a party-based RPG that plays out like a made-up sports game. Speaking of RPGs, you can log dozens of hours in Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition for $35 ($20).

You’ll find more of our picks below, or check out the full list of sale items for PS4, PS3, and PS Vita here.

from GameSpot – All Content https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-game-deals-in-this-weeks-double-discount-sale/1100-6462887/