The little cooperative game Valve conjured up to go with the Steam Summer Sale this year caused some pretty big issues, enough for the company to change things up a bit. Apparently, its mechanics were so complex, confusing and even broken that players inadvertently threw away loads of points they could've used to boost their teams. In addition, Valve seems to have failed to properly explain how players can win the top games in their wishlist as a Grand Prix reward. According to Kotaku, that led to a drastic decrease in wishlist numbers.
Hey @GreyAlien - Are your games seeing an abnormally high amount of wishlist deletions? I and 4 other devs all are seeing some pretty strange stats. I've never once in 5 years seen more deletes than adds/P&A during a seasonal sale. I've always left a sale with a net increase. pic.twitter.com/v1OY4MUQW5
Steam's event page advised players to update their wish list before they play. "[T]the very best drivers will be awarded their Most Wished For games throughout the event," it said. A lot of players dropped titles from their list, thinking that could ensure that they're getting the games they want the most. That's bad news for a lot of developers, since Steam alerts players when the games in their wishlist are available or on sale. Independent developers say they're seeing more wishlist deletions than purchases, and at least one of them told Kotaku that they're losing money from being hosted on the platform.
To remedy the situation, Valve's new blog post clarifies that players only have to move the game they want to win to the top of their wishlist. "There's no need to remove other items," it says, with advice to "keep them there so [they'll] be notified when those items release or go on sale." As for the Grand Prix mechanics, the company rolled out improvements to the Driver's Dash and Manual to help clarify how to play.
We don't see any massive tweaks on the event page, but the platform seems to have given more important information a more prominent place and added actual numbers for clarity. It also made some backend changes to prevent the snowball effects that led to Team Corgi's massive lead. Finally, Valve is boosting the max points players can earn by 1,000 if they were active on day 1 and by another 1,000 if they were active on day 2. Whether all those changes can help entice people back into the game remains to be seen.
Two-in-1 tablets are far from perfect. But just because there isn't a flawless laptop replacement today doesn't mean you can't get a tablet that's good enough to get some work done on the road. Tech's biggest players are falling over themselves to push out these devices, giving the premium-tablet category new life. It's easy to see why people would want these hybrids: They offer the power and productivity of a notebook in the thin and light body of a tablet. But there isn't an operating system yet that's versatile enough to work as well in tablet mode as it does as a desktop (or vice versa). So as you approach this decision, it's worth thinking about which mode is more important to you.
Still, thanks to the competition brewing among Microsoft, Apple, Google and Samsung, these devices can only get better. In the meantime, existing 2-in-1s are plenty powerful for banging out a proposal on an airplane or updating a spreadsheet from the back of a cab. If you're realistic about your expectations and want something for these specific situations, you'll likely find one that's right for you.
If you work on the go a lot and need something lightweight, sturdy and capable of multitasking like a champ, the Surface Pro 6 is the 2-in-1 for you. It's hands down the best hybrid for productivity. Microsoft has refined its formula so much that the sixth Surface Pro is a nearly perfect hybrid. It provides powerful performance and long-lasting battery in a lightweight yet sturdy frame. PC users will find the Windows 10 software familiar and just as capable of multitasking as on a laptop. Plus, Microsoft makes arguably the best tablet keyboard on the market.
The Surface Pro 6 comes with a bright display and a classy all-black option that refreshes the tablet's dated design. The base model with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage costs $899, but you'll have to add $129 for a Type Cover, bringing the total to $1,019. That's pricey, but it still isn't the most expensive option on this list.
For those chained to iOS: Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch
Apple wants so much for you to think of the iPad Pro as a notebook replacement that it markets the device as "more powerful than a PC laptop." Indeed, the iPad Pro's A12X Bionic is a beast of a chip that can handle most tasks. Just don't expect to edit 8K videos on it. The tablet also has a beautifully light design and crisp, vibrant screen, making it a joy to write on with the Apple Pencil. It has great battery life, to boot.
Theoretically, the new USB-C port also makes the iPad Pro more versatile than before. It should let you connect far more accessories and avoid the hassle of a Lightning adapter. Think things like SD card readers, external monitors and mechanical keyboards -- something you might want to consider given that Apple's keyboard folio is serviceable at best. But finding compatible USB-C peripherals takes some trial and error, so don't expect all of your accessories to work seamlessly.
iOS 12 is also a limited platform for multitasking, though the new iPadOS beta promises significant improvements, so when that finally rolls out it might make the iPad Pro a better productivity machine. You'll need to pay $199 for the smart keyboard folio in addition to the iPad Pro's $999 starting price, making this about $180 more expensive than the Surface. But hey, that Apple premium probably doesn't matter to the loyalists.
Whether it's a tablet or a phone, the reasons to pick Samsung over other brands tend to be their typically superior displays and the useful S Pen. But for the Galaxy Book 2, you might also appreciate the fact that it comes with built-in gigabit LTE support. It adds the underrated convenience of always being online no matter where you go (cell coverage notwithstanding), and is best for someone who always needs to be updating Google Docs or a blog.
However, since the Book 2 runs Windows on an ARM-based Snapdragon CPU, it's limited by slightly laggy performance and a smaller selection of apps (compared to full Windows). Still, Microsoft and Qualcomm continue to work on the software to make the experience as close to standard Windows as possible. For now, if you need a beefy machine, go for a Surface Pro. If your workflow doesn't depend on obscure apps or you won't be editing videos or photos, then the Book 2 might be right for you. Plus, at just $999 including a keyboard and the S Pen, this is the most affordable option on our list.
Wrap-up
All these options hover around the $1,000 price, which is admittedly a lot to spend on a device that's not a full-fledged laptop. But a good 2-in-1 can be the best travel companion on your business trips, and these are the industry's finest offerings, making whichever one you pick a worthy investment. Just think how much work you can get done armed with one of these.
The little cooperative game Valve conjured up to go with the Steam Summer Sale this year caused some pretty big issues, enough for the company to change things up a bit. Apparently, its mechanics were so complex, confusing and even broken that players inadvertently threw away loads of points they could've used to boost their teams. In addition, Valve seems to have failed to properly explain how players can win the top games in their wishlist as a Grand Prix reward. According to Kotaku, that led to a drastic decrease in wishlist numbers.
Hey @GreyAlien - Are your games seeing an abnormally high amount of wishlist deletions? I and 4 other devs all are seeing some pretty strange stats. I've never once in 5 years seen more deletes than adds/P&A during a seasonal sale. I've always left a sale with a net increase. pic.twitter.com/v1OY4MUQW5
Steam's event page advised players to update their wish list before they play. "[T]the very best drivers will be awarded their Most Wished For games throughout the event," it said. A lot of players dropped titles from their list, thinking that could ensure that they're getting the games they want the most. That's bad news for a lot of developers, since Steam alerts players when the games in their wishlist are available or on sale. Independent developers say they're seeing more wishlist deletions than purchases, and at least one of them told Kotaku that they're losing money from being hosted on the platform.
To remedy the situation, Valve's new blog post clarifies that players only have to move the game they want to win to the top of their wishlist. "There's no need to remove other items," it says, with advice to "keep them there so [they'll] be notified when those items release or go on sale." As for the Grand Prix mechanics, the company rolled out improvements to the Driver's Dash and Manual to help clarify how to play.
We don't see any massive tweaks on the event page, but the platform seems to have given more important information a more prominent place and added actual numbers for clarity. It also made some backend changes to prevent the snowball effects that led to Team Corgi's massive lead. Finally, Valve is boosting the max points players can earn by 1,000 if they were active on day 1 and by another 1,000 if they were active on day 2. Whether all those changes can help entice people back into the game remains to be seen.
The Apple Watch is a rare example of a product that is absolutely worth every penny and then some, even if you pay full retail. Of course, even though it’s worth paying full retail doesn’t mean you should, especially now that the Apple Watch Series 3 is back on sale on Amazon at its lowest price ever. Pricing in Amazon’s big Apple Watch sales starts at just $199 for a 38mm Apple Watch Series 3 with Wi-Fi, and you can a 38mm model with Wi-Fi and Cellular starting at $299. 42mm models are on sale with discounts that are just as deep, so hurry up before this deal is done!
Here are some additional details from the product page:
GPS
Optical heart sensor
Digital Crown
S3 with dual-core processor
Accelerometer and gyroscope
Swim proof
watchOS 5
Aluminum case
Follow @BGRDeals on Twitter to keep up with the latest and greatest deals we find around the web.
To learn more about our sponsored deals and sponsored posts opportunities, please email sponsored@bgr.com
BGR Deals content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and BGR may receive a commission on purchases made through our posts.
As you're probably already aware after reading our review, Super Mario Maker 2 is an essential addition to your Switch library. It builds on the brilliant foundation of the original with more themes, more elements, more options, more of everything. The blank canvas it provides to create any kind of Mario level imaginable is really quite something.
If there’s a drawback to that canvas and the wealth of tools at your disposal, it’s that it can be a little overwhelming, especially to new players who missed the original. Super Mario Maker on Wii U held your hand and doled out objects and tools over time (admittedly, a little too slowly) giving you space to experiment and get familiar with everything in your inventory.
The sequel throws the lot at you from the very beginning – fabulous for veterans, but new players faced with a vast array of options may feel a little lost after tinkering with a few boxes and seeing how many goombas they can stack on top of each other. Choice overload can lead to paralysis - "Where do I start?!"
We remember this feeling and one of the most helpful (and rewarding) tricks we came up with was to return to the classics. Yep, just as an artist learns by copying the masters, we fired up some 2D levels from the past and set about recreating parts of them to learn the basics and find out what made them tick. The toolset soon became familiar and we began experimenting, putting our own spin on things and, above all, having fun.
Rediscovering old stages from a fresh perspective was one of the great joys of the first game, and we’d encourage anybody feeling overwhelmed by Mario Maker 2’s potential to go back to the source before creating your own magnum opus. While it's not possible to recreate each of these with 100% accuracy, discovering workarounds and substitutes to create certain effects is half the fun.
So, here are a handful of 2D Mario levels to study for inspiration if you’re getting just started with Super Mario Maker 2…
Conventional wisdom might dictate starting with World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros., but - let’s face it – even the most casual Mario fans have probably had their fill of that. By all means, start at the beginning (it’s a classic for a reason!), but we’d recommend taking a look at the second level for a change.
As an underground stage, there are plenty of blocks to fill in to get you accustomed to the basic interface and you also get to play with moving platforms and deal with enemies in closer quarters. If you’re feeling adventurous you could also add in a little ‘hidden’ warp pipe area at the end, too.
Again, 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. 3 is a textbook tutorial level that’s well worth checking out, but it’s 1-2 which will enable you to flex some new muscles. You see, it wasn’t possible to replicate the second level of this seminal game in the original Mario Maker because the Wii U game didn’t have slopes. Nintendo has corrected this in the sequel, so this stage gives you the perfect opportunity to experiment with gradients and sliding down them into enemies. You can also play with P-Switches and Note blocks (remember to put a Star in the third one!).
Super Mario Bros. 3 – World 3-6
Oh no, it’s a dreaded auto scroll level! While falling to the bottom of the screen will result in your doom, this is a relatively sedate level as long as you don’t rush. It’s perfect for testing the distance and height Mario can jump when walking and sprinting and it’ll introduce you to Donut blocks, throwable Ice blocks and flying Koopa Troopas.
Auto scroll levels have a bad reputation, but there’s no reason they can’t be as great as any other. This level is perfect for testing, tweaking and testing again to find frequent fail points and make adjustments for a more forgiving experience - there's nothing to stop you extending platforms or even adding a safety net at the bottom of the screen. Alternatively, turn the speed up to max and watch your playtesters sweat! Vertical and variable scrolling levels are also possible in Super Mario Maker 2, but let’s nail the horizontal basics first, hmm?
While recreating this entire level is probably a little ambitious, it’ll give you a good taste of the Snake Block, Lava Bubbles and the Castle skin in general. The Snake blocks (green as standard, and blue ones are faster) follow a path that you set. The section with falling spikes is also a handy tutorial in hazard avoidance.
Roy’s Castle will also give you a look at a Boss battle and how to incorporate one into your level. You may not be able to use poor old Roy, but there are plenty of enemies to choose from – Boom Boom is a decent substitute.
Certain elements of this level aren't possible in Mario Maker 2 (the pursuing Dragoneel itself, for example), but it’s still a great lesson in creating an underwater gauntlet to test players’ swimming abilities. Balancing the positions and frequency of Cheep Cheeps, power-ups and respite areas makes all the difference between a challenging underwater stage that’s rewarding to tap through or a nightmare that players simply want to escape from.
It’ll also give you the opportunity to play about with the water level and Scroll Stop features, new for Mario Maker 2. Whereas previously an entire level would have to be underwater if you selected that theme, you can now raise and lower the water level and have separate sections of the level built in the space above, meaning you can recreate the opening and closing areas of this stage.
Scroll Stop is a feature whereby the camera won’t move beyond a solid column of Ground blocks or Hard blocks – a small touch, but one which makes the beginnings and ends of different sections look more ‘professional’ than they did before.
A good cautionary tale in not making courses too tough. The Lost Levels was designed for veterans who know the original game inside out and it can be hugely fun to go up against. That said, it’s not for the faint-hearted and it really picks up where 8-4 of Super Mario Bros. left off. For players starting out with Super Mario Maker 2, it provides a good guide on how to crafty tricky courses, but The Lost Levels arguably lack the trademark balance and the ebb-and-flow you'll find in more typical Mario games.
Obviously, there’s pleasure to be had in triumphing over adversity, and perhaps you’re purposefully designing some fiendish gauntlet for a friend or relative to run. Certainly, think about your audience while fashioning your creations, but a good level requires a nice balance of carrot and stick; The Lost Levels are nearly all stick with a carrot of completion at the end.
Still, the odd poison mushroom can be hilarious.
Once you’ve looked at these you should have a solid grounding in the basic toolset of Super Mario Maker 2. Obviously there are dozens of classic levels to choose from, but the above selection should give you a good taste of the potential for incredible new creations. Master the basics and you can start thinking about breaking the rules and experimenting with your own ideas.
There's also the Super Mario 3D World theme, of course, which has its own objects and ideas to play with, plus the Story mode to play through, so you can take a break from the hard graft of level design and set about rebuilding Peach's Castle for further inspiration. Have fun!
Have you ever come up against 'course creator's block'? Have you got any other suggestions for good levels to inspire and get the creative juices flowing. Share your ideas with a comment below.
The Minilogue and Monologue are a few years old at this point, and approaching modern classic status in the synth world. But that doesn't mean that Korg is content to simply let them coast through life the same way they left the factory. Today the company is releasing a major update to the firmware for both that in a lot of ways is about making them a little closer to each other in terms of features.
For one, Minilogue users are getting micro tuning capability. That means they'll no longer be bound by the constraints of the Western 12-tone equal temperament, and it's particularly great if your goal is to be the next Aphex Twin. The sequencer is also getting a much needed refresh, especially on the "motion" side which controls the parameters and settings rather than notes. A new view lets you dig a bit deeper and makes it clearer what you're working on.
Monologue is getting some tweaks too, including to the MIDI filter, which will be a huge boon to anyone that likes to control it with an external sequencer. There have also been changes to the active step programming features, though we've been unable to test them out, so we can't tell you exactly how useful they are. Lastly, both synths are getting original value indicators. That will make finding your way back to where a patch started much easier after you're done twiddling the knobs.
Version 2.0 of the Minilogue and Monologue firmware is available today for free at Korg.com.
Recently Mozilla has updated Firefox with features that block companies from tracking you across different websites, and now Microsoft is testing similar tech in its Chromium-based Edge browser. Insider beta testers with the latest Canary release on Windows can try it by enabling a browser flag (enter - "edge://flags#edge-tracking-prevention" in the address bar) then restarting.
Once it's on, there are three different levels of blocking, with intentions to filter out only known malicious trackers, some third-party trackers that are used for ad targeting or all third-party tracking entirely. Microsoft demonstrated the feature at its Build 2019 event earlier this year, so even if you're not in that test group you can get a peek at it right here.
