[Hackaday] Hackaday Prize Mentor Session: Product Engineering With Giovanni Salinas

Hackaday Prize Mentor Session: Product Engineering with Giovanni Salinas

Earning Trophies In Eternity

PS Trophies or XBox acheivements don't really do too much for me, I'm not that bothered about them for some reason. But I know that there are plenty of people out there who really are.

Sometimes it is fun reading up about the trophies that are out there for games, the crazy little
challenges that have been added on top of a game to add an extra layer of challenge or competition. One I read about a little while ago was the challenge added to FFIX to get Vivi to jump the skipping rope in Alexandria 1000 times! From my memory, doing it 100 times was a challenge enough! Looking over FFVII, there are some hardcore challenges- get Aeris' final limit break, obtain maximum Gil, beat Emerald and Ruby weapon.




All these trophies got me thinking about our Holy Faith.
Maybe there are heavenly trophies to be gained in life, and stored up in eternity?

Resisted impure temptation on 5th May 2016,
went to daily Mass every day for a year in 2017,
spoke to a random person about saving their immortal soul last Tuesday,
this morning got up an hour early to make a meditation.

What if we are earning trophies all the time and don't even know it? What if there are trophies out there that we will only find out about in eternity? I think there are you know, I think there are acheivements to be earned every day of our lives, this is when we use our free will to co-operate with His Holy grace and do great things for Him. These are the kinds of trophies I am interested in, because they really mean something and they truly last forever.

Having Platinum trophies for 100 games, that passes away, but the trophies of merit that we earn for eternity, they will NEVER fade away.

Rev 22:12- Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.

1 Cor 3:8- Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

2 Tim 4:8- Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Matt 10:42- And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.

What are you waiting for, through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, earn those trophies, build up a treasure for yourself in heaven! But remember, if you commit a mortal sin all those trophies get taken away from you, you disqualify from the race- but, praise God, they are returned when you make a good confession and return to God's friendship- He forgets your evil deed and returns all those trophies once more.


Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever! We are more than conquerors through Him.

Creative Gaming Watch: Divinity: Original Sin 2

A rare non-Storium post here, but even if that has largely taken over the blog, I do still keep an eye on other forms of creative gaming!

One concept I've always been interested in is a game which merges, as much as possible, the ease of play of a video game and the creative power of a tabletop RPG. Not just a virtual tabletop, but something that actually played like a video game, but allowed someone to create and run their own adventures. There have been some attempts throughout the years - Neverwinter Nights, for instance, was a good shot at it, and Sword Coast Legends was a recent...not-quite-as-good shot at it. But nothing's quite gotten there for me - either there was too high of a barrier to entry for the GM for my tastes, or things were easier for the GM but fairly limited in power.

Obviously, that's quite a balancing act. But, fortunately, it hasn't stopped game companies from trying...and that brings me to today's subject, Divinity: Original Sin 2.

The first Divinity: Original Sin is quite a nice game, full of tabletop flavor and with an impressive amount of freedom for a video game - there are constraints, as one would expect since nobody can program for everything, but it definitely feels like you have more approaches to situations than in many other video game RPGs. I've found this particularly interesting in combat, where there seem to be all sorts of interesting tactical options that I can try to take advantage of and usually end up accidentally shocking and stunning my own guy, because I suck at tactical gameplay. The system's pretty brilliant, I'm less so.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is building on that and adding new tactical options, and expanding the rest of the game besides...but it's also doing one more thing that has me very excited. It's adding a GM mode.

Like the mode in Sword Coast Legends, it appears this one is focused more on the concept of live GMing, rather than building a plot that can be played without a GM like Neverwinter Nights allowed. Not sure if that will be an option too or not. Regardless, the live GMing mode looks very promising in the previews I've seen so far. A few highlights:

• It will be both providing a lot of prebuilt areas and allowing them to be built via some kind of modding package. This was a major early weakness of Sword Coast Legends, which only provided some prebuilts at first (I believe they did eventually add a toolset) - those only work for so long, so it's tough to build a full adventure. The combination of prebuilts and more extensive construction tools should allow a good mix of having what you need to grab at a moment's notice and being able to build something more detailed when needed.
• It looks like it will, like Sword Coast Legends, allow some on-the-fly setup. Not sure on the extent yet, but this is one of the things that game got very right, so I'm pleased to see other companies exploring that idea. If you're used to GMing, you know for a fact that nothing ever goes exactly how you'd plotted it out. Having the ability to add characters, quests, areas, and the like during a session is pretty essential.
• There's a GM override function, so if players want to do some tactic the game doesn't natively allow for, you can improvise and apply effects as you wish. That's just plain cool. One of the weaknesses of video games compared to tabletop gaming has always been that there's constraint over the options players have, to it's great to see that they've planned for ways around that.
• The system itself is turn-based, which...I just always find works better for the tabletop atmosphere. A little more time to think, and more allowance for players to come up with unique tactics that way, too.
• There's a "vignettes" feature that sounds excellent - a way of using images and text (they've compared it to PowerPoint) to convey parts of the story, and allow players to make choices. These sound like a great idea. Sometimes you really don't need to have a full, populated area for part of the story, but you still want to have a little more "pop" to it...this system should allow GMs to present stories in more freeform ways when needed. It looks very pen-and-paper, too.
• This hasn't been confirmed to my knowledge, but Divinity: Original Sin had co-op for two players on a single console - I know the sequel is planning on expanding co-op in general to up to four, but haven't heard if they are going to have two or four players on the same console, or if that can interact with GM mode in any way. It'd be great if we could have the ability to run an adventure for a full party of players on only two computers, one for the GM and the other for the players, but that's probably wishful thinking. Still, it's a good dream.

We're still in the early going here and the mode isn't available for general tryout yet, but it looks promising. Here's hoping it goes well.

I'm less enthused by the character creation engine...specifically, for appearance. There's just not that many options at this point for those of us who really get into appearance creation, and I honestly don't know why games based on tabletop roleplaying don't ever go whole hog with character appearance creation the way things like Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires or Dragon's Dogma do, to say nothing of various WWE 2k wrestling games or the like. If any game type should let you truly put the character in your mind on to the screen, it's one with a strong tabletop gaming concept like this, but it never really happens. Here's hoping that they take another look at this at some point, but it seems pretty locked in now. Ah, well. If this GM mode works out, I'll be happy with that...and encourage them to take another look at appearance creation for Divinity: Original Sin 3.

Upcoming Games Of 2019 | Confirmed Release Dates | PS4, Xbox One, PC

Upcoming Games  Of 2019 | Confirmed Release Dates | PS4, Xbox One, PC

As 2018 comes to an end, it's time to start looking forward to all the phenomenal new games of 2019. Maybe you're still making your way through the best games of 2018, yet it's never too soon to look forward to the future and figure out what you need to start saving up for. We've compiled the absolute greatest new games of 2019 that we're anticipating like Anthem, Cyberpunk 2077, Days Gone, DMC 5, Resident Evil 2 Remake, and Kingdom Hearts III make up just few what's coming down the road. BTW It's all ordered by release date for easy browsing.

More dates are certain to be confirmed as the year goes on, so make sure to check back often as we update this article with new additions. So, stay in touch with the "Pro-Bros Arena"




1. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

Release Date: 18 January 2019
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Developers: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, Project Aces, Bandai Namco Studios

Bandai Namco's cult most loved series of flight sims is gearing up for a major comeback, taking the dogfighting action back to the alternate world of Strangereal for Ace Combat's present gen debut. The fast-paced aerial skirmishes look incredible whether you're steering from the first-person cockpit or a third-person view, and the campaign guarantees to contextualize the battlefield in the skies with a healthy dose of political interest and Top Gun-esque acting.  The person who owns a PlayStation VR headset gets the special reward of PS VR-exclusive missions that make you feel like you're really flying your very own fighter jet.



2. Resident Evil 2 Remake.

Release Date: January 25, 2019
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre: Survival Horror
Developer: Capcom

Fans requested it, and Capcom has reacted in kind. The Resident Evil 2 remake takes you back to a survival horror classic. Reacquainting us with Leon Scott Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they battle for their lives in the infection tainted Raccoon City. And once the dust settled on E3 2018, it was clear that Resident Evil 2 Remake was one of the stars of the show. It's stunning to see how the Resident Evil 7 engine has improved the visual revamp of this 1998 classic: the very point by point zombies are covered in blood, slime, and rotting flesh, and the premonition environment look frighteningly lifelike. The third-person, over-the-shoulder camera should bring the gameplay more in line with modern expectations, making for some truly claustrophobic scares, and the reimagined cutscenes strive to be legitimately spine-chilling as they retell the original story. Put simply, this remake won't be for the faint of heart. 



3. Kingdom Hearts 3

Release Date: January 29, 2019
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: Square Enix

The Disney based game is at last set for a firm release date in January, and with it, a huge amount of new franchise are making their series debut in Kingdom Hearts 3. Confirmed to show up are characters and locals from Tangled, Big Hero 6, Toy Story, Monsters Inc., and Frozen. And plenty more that we've seen before, for example, Hercules and Pirates of the Caribbean. But the question is whether the gameplay of the PlayStation 2 period still holds up so many years later?



4. Crackdown 3

Release date: February 2019
Platforms: Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Developers: Sumo Digital, Reagent Games, Cloudgine, Ruffian Games

4 years after its debut at E3 2014, we still have no clue what's in store from Crackdown 3. We got a new trailer at Microsoft's conference this year, and it gave off an impression of being comprised of in-game footage, yet we're still just as clueless as you are for the most part. Terry Crews presently gives off an impression of being a prominent aspect of the game. And keeping in mind that we love Crews, his VO work in the latest trailer can be depicted as over the top at best.

If you're willing to see how it look like then here's the latest short gameplay of Crackdown 3 by IGN.







5. Trials Rising

Initial release date: 12 February 2019
Genre: Racing
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
Developers: Ubisoft, RedLynx, Ubisoft Ukraine

The physics-based motorcycle stunt series is back with Trials Rising. The Trials community will be able to make and offer tracks with different players over the globe in this rendition. And you'll likewise have the option to customize your racer and bike with a large number of various items including helmets, jackets and trousers. There are a plenty of landmarks over the globe that will have tracks dependent on them. A lot of modes are incorporated, some new and some old. Declared so far are Tandem Mode, 4-Player offline co-op, Contracts, Asynchronous Challenges, and of course Online Multiplayer. The game looks like a blast to play solo or with friends. 



6. Anthem

Release Date: February 22, 2019
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre: Action Role-Playing
Developer: BioWare

Arguably a standout amongst the most exciting games slated for 2019 is BioWare's hopeful come back to form in Anthem. The game surprised when it appeared at E3 in 2017, and after a year, it's still high on people's wishlist. The title joins third-person shooting and action RPG elements within a shared open world. 

You play as a Freelancer taking part in third-person, Mass Effect-style shootouts, armored up in your Javelin exosuit to explore and eliminate within some gigantic alien biomes. Up to four players can adventure together within their customizable Javelin suits. The game is intended for a group, but single-player will be supported too.

Related post: Anthem detailed preview




7. Metro Exodus

Release Date: February 15, 2019
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Developer: 4A Games

Metro Exodus is the third game in this criminally overlooked post-apocalyptic FPS series, transporting you to the irradiated ruins of modern civilization, now abounding with mutated creatures, which some way or another still manage to look beautiful. The game begins off from Last Light's "Redemption" ending and continues with the story of Artyom as he attempts to escape the Metro in Moscow. The title will see Artyom and his wife Anna attempt to travel far east to start a new life. However, that journey will be more unsafe than Artyom or Anna know. 

Exodus will feature both sandbox environment and linear levels to progress the plot. The story will happen through the span of a year, with the game's dynamic climate and day-night cycle constantly showing signs of change regions dependent on the season.




8. Devil May Cry 5

Release Date: March 8, 2019
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre: Action-Adventure
Developer: Capcom

Many conjectured that it would be Sony's E3 conference in which the much-rumored Devil May Cry 5 would make its appearance. But, no, quite an opposite in fact. Microsoft's E3 conference got the reveal of a game. And, fans of the series couldn't be more excited. 

Both Dante and Nero will return as playable characters in DMC 5. A third playable character is also introduced. It feels really satisfying when your game's hero is surfing rockets like a surfboard directly into an evil demon's face? 

For detailed Preview: Devil May Cry 5 | Release date, Gameplay preview, Trailer, News, & more..




9. Tom Clancy's The Division 2

Release Date: March 15, 2019
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: Massive Entertainment

The sequel of The Division moves from the streets of New York City into the country's capital. A civil war is breaking out within Washington D.C., and it's up to The Division to help squash it. Massive is bringing 8 player Raids into The Division 2. Also, the developers have guaranteed that three episodes of post-launch DLC, including new story content and game modes, will be made accessible to all players for free.




10. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Release Date: 22 March 2019
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre: Adventure-Adventure
Developer: FromSoftware

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice comes to us from the same team that created Bloodborne for PlayStation 4. The game looks comparable in gameplay to Bloodborne and the developers' other outstanding work, the Dark Souls series. However, the game won't feature RPG elements nor multiplayer modes like the others do.

The setting is sixteenth century Sengoku Japan. You play as a shinobi named Sekiro as the character attempts to take revenge on a samurai who recently assaulted Sekiro and kidnapped his lord. The samurai has disjoined one of Sekiro's arms, consequently prompting an in-game mechanic in which Sekiro can install different gadgets and accessories upon his prosthetic and upgrade them all through his adventure. 

The most alluring feature spotted so far? A grappling hook, which could drastically change how we traverse the expertly made zones and arenas. Cool! Isn't it?




11. Mortal Kombat 11

Release Date: 23 April 2019
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Developers: NetherRealm Studios

Mortal Kombat has been one of the most popular fighters game in the world for decades. NetherRealm Studios announced Mortal Kombat 11 to the world in an official revealed trailer at The Game Awards 2018. Mortal Kombat 11 will release on 23 April 2019 for multiple platforms including PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch. The trailer for Mortal Kombat 11 was typically bloodier. With heads being removed from bodies and blood flowing freely. Also, the trailer seems to feature just how detailed the brutality zoom-ins will be in the new game. Preorders for both console and PC start on December 7, 2018, Although there's no word on when the game's beta access period will start.




12. Days Gone

Release Date: April 26, 2019
Platform: PlayStation 4
Genre: Survival-Horror, Action-Adventure
Developer: SIE Bend

The more we see of Sony Bend's Days Gone the more the upcoming title seems to impress. Gone are the days of thinking the project is "simply one more zombie game". Rather, it's demonstrated to give a convincing lived in world in which you constantly stumble upon environmental hazards. And because of 'not just any zombie game' it has been the most anticipated game for a long time, lastly, it will release on 26 April 2019.

For a detailed preview: Days Gone | PS4 Release date, Gameplay, news & more...

13. Team Sonic Racing

Release Date: 21 May 2019
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
Developer: Sumo Digital

Sonic and his numerous buddies are back for their third kart-racing competition - and before you ask, Sonic races in a car as a handicap because there'd be no challenge if he was running on his foot. Sumo Digital, the same developer behind the splendid Sonic All-Stars Racing games, is back for Team Sonic Racing, which focuses exclusively on the Sonic universe and places drivers in groups as they compete for a combined score instead of pole position. It's certainly a takeoff from the more conventional arcade racing of the past games, and the Sonic focus, unfortunately, avoids all that superbly obscure Sega fan service. But, the dynamic visuals and finely tuned fundamentals are still there, with all the boosting, item-blasting, and mid-air tricking you could seek after.



14. Rage 2

Release Date: May 14, 2019
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Developer: Avalanche Studios, id Software

The infamous Walmart leak of 2018 spoiled the reveal of Rage 2 for the majority. Many people questioned the legitimacy of the retailer's listing, but when a franchise as obscure as Rage was confirmed just as the leak predicted, we realized it had to be legit. The game looks to be a fabulously frantic mashup of Doom and Mad Max. Which well makes sense considering id developed Doom and Avalanche developed Mad Max.

Players wander the game's apocalyptic open world after a giant asteroid devastates the majority of mankind, the survivors need to fight for themselves against armies of horrendous bandits and mutants with deadly tendencies. And also, Rage 2 brings back the deadly boomerang known as the wingstick, and amps up the firefights with a lot of dashing and an adrenaline-pumping, neon-soaked berserker mode.



15. Shenmue 3

Release Date: 27 August 2019
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4
Genre: Action-Adventure
Developers: YS Net, Neilo

The Shenmue series was never a huge commercial success, but thanks to some extent to Kickstarter and a large number of fans' hard-earned dollars, the project is completely in progress. In Shenmue 3, you'll play the job of a martial artist named Ryo Hazuki as he attempts to reveal who is responsible for his dad's murder. The game guarantees to have gameplay reminiscent of the past titles, enabling players to go up against enemies in hand-to-hand combat, upgrade combat abilities, and explore a living world loaded with towns, shops, and an active populous.


So these are the upcoming games of 2019 with confirmed release dates, We'll keep updating this list as soon as any other release date is confirmed, so stay in touch with the "Pro-Bros Arena"