Author - Jerry Paxton

The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying 5E Adaptation Out Now

2023/05/10

Rejoice, the path to Middle-earth has opened for new adventurers. Free League Publishing today released the 5E adaptation of the award-winning second edition of The One Ring™ RPG, entitled The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying.

Together, you are entering the Lone-lands of Eriador. It is here that the One Ring lies, a seed of the past that will one day lead the world to open war against the returning Shadow. The Enemy is moving, and smoke issues once more from Mount Doom, in the land of Mordor…

Find out more about The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying:
www.thelordoftheringsroleplaying.com

The new edition of The One Ring™ RPG, set in the world of The Lord of the Rings™ by J.R.R. Tolkien and designed by Francesco Nepitello and Marco Maggi, became the most successful tabletop roleplaying core game ever on Kickstarter in March 2021. Now Middle-earth is open for new roleplayers with the brand new 5E adaptation The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying.

The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying is 236-page beautifully designed and illustrated hardback volume that contains what players need to create 5E adventures set in the world’s most popular fantasy setting: six original heroic cultures from the land of Eriador, six new classes, a host of terrifying adversaries, and comprehensive rules for journeys, councils, wondrous artefacts, and the subtle magic of Middle-earth.

Shire™ Adventures is a 104-page hardback volume that describes the Shire in great detail, as well as five short adventures and seven pre-generated characters, including famous Bagginses, Tooks, and Brandybucks! The contents of Shire™ Adventures are adapted from the Starter Set for The One Ring™ RPG.

A Loremaster’s Screen with a compendium about Rivendell, including a map of the valley and a plan of the house itself, is also available.

About The One Ring™ Roleplaying Game

The One Ring™ is based on The Hobbit™ and The Lord of the Rings™, two extraordinary works of fiction by the beloved author and respected academic, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. With these books, Tolkien introduced readers to his greatest creation, the world of Middle-earth, a mythic land from a remote past.

First released in 2011, The One Ring™ was hailed as the best attempt at bringing Middle-earth to the gaming table to date. Now the time has come for the game to enter a new era and bring new players further into the Twilight of the Third Age with the new 5E conversion: The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying.

The year is 2965 of the Third Age and the Shadow is returning. Rumors of strange things happening outside the borders of civilized lands are spreading and they sometimes reach the ears of individuals who recognize the sinister truth they hide. You are part of such a company of heroes seeking adventure. Restless warriors, curious scholars and wanderers, eager to seek what was lost or explore what was forgotten.

The War of the Ring, Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings, The One Ring and the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC and are used under license by Sophisticated Games Ltd and their respective licensees. © 2022 Sophisticated Games Ltd.

The One Ring™ Roleplaying Game won a Gold ENNIE for Best Interior Art 2022.

Death from Above Announcement Trailer

2023/05/10

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Lesser Evil is pleased to announce that the release date of its inaugural title, Death From Above, will be May 25th, exclusively on Steam Early Access. The game will be priced at €9.99/$9.99/£8.99.

You can find our Steam page here, ready to wishlist for the 25th.

“Early Access is the perfect opportunity for our backers and the wider community to get their hands on Death From Above for the first time and bonk some vatniks. We’re proud to be supporting the Ukrainian people in the defence against Russian imperialism. Remember, Putin, you pronounced this nonsense. Not us.” said Lesser Evil CEO Hendrik Lesser.

Death From Above is an arcade-style drone simulator game set during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. You will play as a Ukrainian military drone operator fighting the occupation forces, salvaging valuable equipment, and restoring communication lines disrupted by the conflict.

When Death from Above is released on Steam Early Access, 30% of its net revenues from game sales will be sent to two Ukrainian charities: Come Back Alive and Army of Drones. Once we cover our production costs, that donation will increase to 70% of all net game revenues, with the final 30% going towards continued development.

In it, you’ll get your first look at the details of the gameplay we’ve been putting together for you over the last few months and some of the surprises we’ve added as a thank-you to our incredible community.

We hope you enjoy it – please do share it with your friends! Please check the Press-kit for assets and additional information, or contact us directly!

Finally – we’d like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful Ukrainian organizations we’ve been working with: Gis Arta, Aerorozvidka, Army of Drones, and the mighty Antytila. We’re very proud to have you on board.

Slava Ukraini!

Knott’s Berry Farm Unveils Summer 2023 Events, Food, and More

2023/05/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

There’s something fun for everyone at Knott’s Berry Farm this Summer. The transformation of the new Fiesta Village will offer another Knott’s original experience with enhanced theming, beautiful décor, authentic food, immersive entertainment, thrilling rides and more starting on May 26. Lively entertainment continues park-wide with the return of Ghost Town Alive! and Summer Nights. Across the street, Knott’s Soak City reopens its gates for another splash-filled summer.

The Reimagined Fiesta Village

Fiesta Village comes alive both day and night to celebrate the Hispanic influences in Southern California. Guests can enjoy the sounds of Mariachi music, encounter a storyteller spinning whimsical tales of the alebrijes, experience performances of the traditional dance Folklorico and be entertained by interactive puppets and their playful antics. Those who venture through the newly landscaped alebrije gardens can meet Fiesta Village’s very own spirit animal friends. As the sun goes down, the fun heats up with an immersive nighttime street party, Calle Celebración, spanning the entire village, celebrating Mexican traditions of family, love and community through color, music, dancing and giant colorful puppets.

Guests can savor the flavors of Fiesta at the new restaurant Casa California with burritos, birria quesadillas and signature tamales. At Cantina Del Sur, plenty of thirst-quenching bebidas will be served. These cold refreshments pair nicely with the delicious fish tacos at the new Baja Taqueria. Papas Mexicanas brings back a wide variety of toppings for crispy french fries, including a park favorite, the carne asada fries. Not only can guests enjoy all these delicious food options in the area, but this summer’s tasting card, Flavors of Summer, has expanded to include Sabor de Fiesta with food festival booths in Fiesta Village serving items such as potato and chorizo tacos, micheladas and elotes.

Guests can stroll down Fiesta Mercado, inspired by Los Angeles’ Olvera Street, and find a variety of merchants with unique and authentic items. New merchandise items inspired by the area include a selection of Chamoy candies, hot sauces and queso. Other additions include carts throughout the village selling wares such as personalized parasols and colorful zarapes.

Those looking for a thrill can enjoy the seven refreshed rides reopening in this area. Take a swing on Los Voladores and fly through the air, similar to the Flyers of Mexico. Climb aboard one of the 48 hand-carved animals in the Carrusel de California and enjoy this timeless ride. Due to construction delays, MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress will not open with Fiesta Village this summer. An opening date has not been scheduled at this time.

Ghost Town Alive!

Your favorite town of Calico comes to life once again this summer with the return of the award-winning, interactive Ghost Town Alive! Guests are invited to become the star of this summer’s new action-packed storyline in the streets of Ghost Town. Each guest has the power to unlock secret missions with characters, influence the day’s events, and take on mind-challenging puzzles in this immersive version of the Old West. Ghost Town Alive! will offer new adventures, roles and characters this summer on select days starting May 26.

Knott’s Summer Nights

A summer favorite continues after the sun goes down, with a nighttime summer party that extends the fun into the evening. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy bands from the local music scene that rotate throughout the event on two stages. Knott’s Summer Nights transforms Calico Park into a neighborhood party like no other with a hub of live music, relaxing atmosphere, Instagram-able photo opportunities and family-friendly games.

A summer party is not complete without an abundance of food and drinks, and no theme park does food quite like Knott’s. The Knott’s culinary team creates tasty twists to classic summer dishes, from Sea Salt Caramel Iced Coffee, BLTA Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps and Mexican Pineapple Pork Sandwiches. A great way to indulge in all the flavors of Summer is by purchasing a tasting card that allows guests to choose from a selection of over four dozen seasonal-inspired dishes and drinks.

Knott’s Soak City

Make your own waves with a visit to Knott’s Soak City Waterpark starting select dates May 20 through September 10. Guests can catch a ride down 23 different speed, tube, and body slides or take a relaxing trip down one of the longest lazy rivers in the country. The 15-acre water park has something for each member of the family, an interactive kid’s area, and for those more adventurous, The Wedge, a rip-roaring raft ride.

The best way to enjoy all the fun throughout Knott’s Summertime and all of the other Seasons of Fun is with a 2023 Gold Season Pass! Get unlimited visits to both parks, food and merchandise discounts, plus so much more! For more information about Knott’s Berry Farm, please visit knotts.com or download the Knott’s Berry Farm app for your smartphone.

Limerick: Cadence Mansion Gets First Gameplay Trailer

2023/05/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Halloween, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Indie developer Jenito Studios has today unleashed the first gameplay trailer for their upcoming fantasy thriller adventure game Limerick: Cadence Mansion, due to be released on PC in 2023 via Steam. Solve puzzles, outwit evil creatures and explore the arcane halls of Cadence Mansion as you dive deeper into a story of manipulation and dark science.

“I’m so happy to finally show off the Limerick: Cadence Mansion gameplay trailer to the world,” said Daniel Hall, Solo developer at Jenito Studios. “Using Unreal Engine 5, everything you see has been painstakingly handcrafted with nearly every monster and environment an original creation. Even the musical tracks have been composed by myself. Any assets used have been carefully curated to ensure they match the style, feel, and flow of the world perfectly. Cadence Mansion will soon be open to all, do you dare enter?”

In Limerick: Cadence Mansion, explore an abandoned mansion inhabited by monsters, both beast and man, and discover its secrets in your attempts to escape. Solve puzzles to progress through increasingly haunting environments, fend off or hide from evil creatures and tear through the fabric of reality in cinematic boss fights. Scavenge for resources throughout the forgotten mansion and use Panic closets to escape from harm.

A new ballad sounds across Nightsonnet Isle.
Awaken, Proofreader, and solve the ancient writ.

The seas will swallow light with darkness. The boulders will shatter and shake.
The Poets will be silenced and the Resplendent will rise.

Will you take the quill and right the wrongs of Splendor?
Can you unlock the mysteries of its games and riddles?
What will you learn of the Anachronism, of the Dissonance and Cacophony, of the Dark Refrain and Prism?

And when you face the darkness, will you be ready?

Stellaris: Galactic Paragons Launch Trailer

2023/05/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Paradox Interactive today launched Galactic Paragons, the latest expansion for the sci-fi strategy game Stellaris. Players can strengthen their empire by customizing and fine-tuning their empire’s leaders to make the most of their unique characteristics. Galactic Paragons is available today via online stores for a suggested retail price of $14.99/£12.79/€14.99.

Galactic Paragons expands Stellaris’ Council mechanic, introduces leaders who bring specialized abilities to your empire, and adds tons of additional features. Players gain control over how they invest in and strengthen their leaders to guide their empire and influence the galaxy’s future.

Features of Galactic Paragons include*:

Unique Council Roles: Specialized roles and benefits are included in Galactic Paragons to expand upon the new Council Mechanics in Stellaris! Find dozens of unique council roles based on your civics and government types, and unlock additional positions as your empire evolves.
New Dynamic Leaders: Recruit, improve, and follow the leaders of your empire through the ages! You may shape them by picking their traits, selecting their veteran class, and guide them towards their destiny, up until they retire – or perish!
Meet Galactic Heroes: Attract paragons of renown to your council: unique leaders with their own art, events, and stories may join your empire and bring their own benefits to your government. Or, discover four Legendary Paragons with intricate event chains and unique mechanics!
New Traditions, Civics, And More:
- A new “Under One Rule” Origin that tells the tale of the leader who founded your empire
- Eight new Civics focused on leadership, from immortalizing the personalities of leaders past in digital archives to heavily optimized council selection via corporate charter
- 12 new Veteran Classes
- Hundreds of new Leader Traits
- Two new Tradition Trees, giving players new edicts and improved leaders
- New ships, art, and story content

South Park: Seasons Twenty-One to Twenty-Five Collection Blu-ray and DVD Date

2023/05/08

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News

Description: Television’s favorite fourth graders are back when SOUTH PARK: SEASONS TWENTY-ONE TO TWENTY-FIVE COLLECTION arrives on Blu-ray™ and DVD on July 18. The Emmy® Award-winning series, created by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Brian Graden, continues to dominate the animation world with their newest collection. This collection will contain bonus features that include audio commentaries from creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, deleted scenes, and concept art.

COME ON DOWN TO SOUTH PARK WITH THIS EPIC BOX SET! Over 35 classic episodes from Seasons 21 through 25 of South Park have been packed into this one kick-ass Collector’s Edition! The residents of everyone’s favorite little mountain town contend with the vaping epidemic, the Underbelly of Social Media, and the return of ManBearPig! So join Cartman, Kyle, Stan and Kenny as they take on COVID-19, tackle the consequences of immigration, and correct a long-held misconception about one of their classmates. For them, it’s all part of growing up in South Park!

SOUTH PARK: SEASONS TWENTY-ONE TO TWENTY-FIVE COLLECTION stars creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Mona Marshall (“Blue Exorcist”), April Stewart (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) and Jessica Makinson (“Maron”).

Specifications: Widescreen Format
English 5.1 Dolby Digital
English 2.0 Dolby Digital
English SDH Subtitles

U.S. Rating: Not Rated

Canadian Rating: 14A – Crude Content, Coarse Language

Run Time: 15 hours

Crimen – Mercenary Tales Launch Trailer

2023/05/08

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Dive into eight thrilling mercenary escapades with Crimen – Mercenary Tales, launching exclusively on Meta Quest 2 and Pico on May 25, 2023, by renowned VR developer Carbon Studio. Hunt a vampire through an army of spawn; fight off undead Spanish conquistadors in a haunted Aztec temple; invade a Saxon fortress; steal an aristocrat’s fortune (for love!).

Take up historically accurate 17th century arms in Arcade-style combat and puzzles, presented in eye-catching cel-shaded art and cheeky narration. Explore towering castles, ancient temples, derelict pirate ships, and an idyllic countryside through these eight compelling character-driven tales.

Features:

Action-packed, gory arcade slasher that distinguishes itself
from conventional physics-driven VR games
Eight hilarious escapades narrated by a cast of eight charismatic personalities
Attractive and vibrant comic-inspired graphics
Abundant humor, hidden surprises, and nods to popular culture
A wide array of authentic 17th-century European weapons and settings
Engaging Slavic folk music score composed by the talented Arkadiusz Reikowski

Don’t miss out on the latest news and exclusive content – be sure to follow Carbon Studio on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Discord and join a community of avid fans eagerly awaiting the thrilling world of Crimen – Mercenary Tales.

Arcade1UP’s The Fast and The Furious Deluxe Arcade Game Now at Best Buy

2023/05/08

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Tech News

Rev your engines! The Fast & The Furious Deluxe Arcade Game has pulled into Best Buy. Just in time for the release of the tenth installment in the Universal Pictures film saga Fast X, the new arcade machine transports fans into the fast-paced world of street racing, letting them experience the thrill of the blockbuster films from the comfort of their home.

Arcade1Up’s The Fast & The Furious Deluxe Arcade Game is the first home arcade machine of the franchise, putting fans behind the steering wheel of two games, The Fast & The Furious and The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift.

The Fast & The Furious Deluxe Arcade Game creates an unrivaled experience with immersive features including:

8 licensed cars: Chevrolet Camaro, Ford GT, Ford Mustang, Ford Mustang GT, Nissan 350Z, Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, Pontiac Solstice GXP, and Saleen S7 Twin Turbo.
19 total street courses, 7 of which are set in Japan.
Up to (4) The Fast & The Furious Deluxe Arcade Game machines can be linked together through a local network to create the ultimate arcade set-up – a first for Arcade1Up.*
A performance 4-gear speed shifter, a racing steering wheel with rumble, and gas and brake pedals create a realistic driving experience.
Each car has 24 customization and upgrade options.
Flipping, barrel rolling, drifting, and being airborne rewards the player with a shorter time at the end of their race to beat high scores and stay on top of the leaderboards.

The Fast & The Furious Deluxe Arcade Game echoes the look of the classic arcade machine including a light-up marquee and faux coin door, and sports Arcade1Up’s new streamlined style in the Deluxe edition machines – a sleek single cabinet design with a crisp 17-inch LCD screen, full-color graphics, and Wi-Fi leaderboards.

The Fast & The Furious Deluxe Arcade Game is available now on BestBuy.com for $599. More information can be found at Arcade1Up.com.

Corsair Launches MP700 Gen5 M.2 SSDs

2023/05/08

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Hardware News, News

CORSAIR® (NASDAQ: CRSR), a world leader in enthusiast components for gamers, creators, and PC builders, today announced the launch of the MP700, its first PCIe Gen5 M.2 SSD. Available in capacities up to 2TB, the MP700 sets a new standard for next-generation storage, with sequential read and write performance topping out an incredible 10,000MB/sec and 10,000MB/sec respectively*- up to 40% faster than even the best PCIe 4.0 SSDs available today (see cooling requirements below).

On top of the impressive sequential throughput, the random read and write performance of up to 1.5 million read and 1.7 million write input/output operations per second (IOPS) put the MP700 way ahead of the best PCIe Gen 4 drives. The MP700 is backward compatible with PCIe 4.0 motherboards**, making this an upgrade that will last you for years to come. Native support for Microsoft® DirectStorage ensures that you’ll get the most from the latest games, while copying files in Windows and loading applications has never felt so fast.

Utilizing the industry-standard M.2 2280 form-factor, the MP700 installs easily into desktop motherboards for great all-around compatibility. To achieve its optimal performance, the MP700 requires additional cooling, with users able to choose between using their motherboard’s integrated M.2 cooling system, or an aftermarket M.2 SSD cooler such as the CORSAIR Hydro X Series XM2 Water Block. This water block fits easily into your custom cooling loop, delivering top-of-the-line cooling and performance while virtually eliminating throughput throttling.

Like all CORSAIR SSDs, the MP700 is supported by free CORSAIR SSD Toolbox software, enabling convenient features such as secure erase and firmware updates directly from your desktop. With a five-year warranty for extended peace of mind that your storage will remain fast and reliable, the MP700 takes full advantage of PCIe Gen5 technology to set a new standard for M.2 performance.

*Performance and endurance vary by capacity.
**Lower performance on PCIe Gen3.

Availability, Warranty, and Pricing

The CORSAIR MP700 PCIe Gen5 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD is available immediately from the CORSAIR webstore and the CORSAIR worldwide network of authorized retailers and distributors.

The MP700 is backed by a five-year warranty, alongside the CORSAIR worldwide customer service and technical support network.

For up-to-date pricing of the MP700, please refer to the CORSAIR website or contact your local CORSAIR sales or PR representative.

Web Pages

To learn more about the CORSAIR MP700 Gen5 PCIe x4 NVMe M.2 SSD, please visit:

https://www.corsair.com/mp700

Robosen Unveils New Limited Edition TRANSFORMERS Optimus Prime Robot

2023/05/08

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News, Tech News

Robosen (Robosen.com), a global leader in robotics and the creators of the TRANSFORMERS Optimus Prime robots, today announced a new Limited-Edition robot inspired by the new TRANSFORMERS: Rise of the Beasts movie coming out this June.

Click to Embiggen

From “Screen to Reality,” fans can now sign-up to be notified of product updates, including pre-order information, and be entered to win a limited-edition copy of the TRANSFORMERS: A Visual History book (retail value $99). Sign-ups are available at robosen.com/us/transformers-7-optimus-prime-performance-limited-edition