Sega already has the basic infrastructure in place. At least in Japan, arcades are still prevalent enough for the fog gaming system to be viable. The company owns around 200 of them, and Sega machines are also prevalent in third-party arcades.
The company’s machines are connected to game center servers, which are also linked to the cloud. Many of them use the All.net platform, which is a backbone of online arcade competition, and also lets players track high scores, rankings and profiles across various game centers. But Ars Technica reports that non-Sega arcades are cutting ties with All.net because “the fees make it untenable” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s not entirely clear whether Japanese players would be able to stream games directly from arcade machines. Famitsu suggests fog gaming would add minimal lag (less than 1 ms) on top of regular network latency, which could make that tenable — especially for quick-reflex titles, such as fighting games.
Players actively use arcade machines for eight hours or so a day, and the fog gaming system could give them the option to grind their favorite games outside of game center opening hours. Sega and other arcade operators would also be able to generate revenue from machines when the centers are closed.
It remains to be seen if or when Sega gets the fog gaming platform up and running, or even what shape it’ll take. But at the very least, it points to an even more connected (and potentially more sustainable) future for arcades.
Ars Technica reporter Sam Machkovech wrote about Salvador’s work. By chance, one reader chimed in the comments to say they had shared the article with a retired chemical engineer who had worked for Chevron in the 90s. That person found a single 3.5-inch floppy disk with a copy of the game on it. After disappearing for a couple of weeks, the reader reappeared earlier this week to report that they had successfully uploaded SimRefinery to the Internet Archive, where you can play it now. You can also download the game and play in a PC using DOSBox.
The SimRefinery that’s available to play today is a prototype, so many parts aren’t complete. It’s also very much designed for those with a chemical engineering background; many of the gameplay elements attempt to recreate the more technical aspects of running an oil refinery.
However, like most other Sim games, you can simply try to cause chaos. In fact, causing havoc seems like it may have been the point SimRefinery since it gives the player a sense of all the systems that need to work in order for a refinery to function. “If you start breaking the refinery, you can see how ruining one part of the plant will affect the other parts of the plant,” wrote Salvador. So if you just feel like watching a refinery burn in all its pixelated glory, go right ahead.
Nintendo does have a policy of fixing these issues but, as several users noted, the repair center is currently closed. However, some users like Jake, who got theirs repaired pre-pandemic, reported issues even after their units were supposedly fixed. Many people just bit the bullet and picked up replacement Joy-Cons, with Jacob and Benjamin having problems with at least three different sets, while theLepthty and Codester went through five and six pairs, respectively. Unfortunately, as Joy-Cons have been continuously sold out everywhere, players have had to find create solutions to their drift problems.
(Editor’s note: As I was writing this, I attempted to buy a pair from Best Buy. It sold out while I was selecting my shipping address. #%@*.)
Jacob used electrical contact cleaner to clear out his controllers, noting that he has to do this regularly and adding, “good thing I bought the venti-sized can, I guess.” Benjamin noted that compressed air doesn’t work, a fact I can also personally verify. Felix recommended WD-40, saying it “clears that up for a LONG time.” Codester tried replacing the joysticks himself with little success, recommending that you “do not order replacements through Amazon, it’s a 25/75 chance they will actually work.”
Devindra Hardawar / Engadget
Paul was the only one who managed to fix his drift problem, calling it “fixable with cheap replacement kits online, which was quite easy to complete.” But in fairness, he also noted that users “should not have to do this” considering the cost of the parts compared to the retail price of the controllers. Many recommended just picking up the Switch Pro controller instead.
What made the drifting problem sting so much for so many players wasn’t just the replacement cost of the Joy-Cons, but the fact that many of them actually like the controller design itself. Felix called the controllers “comfortable to play with in my hands,” and Codi said the buttons feel good. N thought the Joy-Cons were “a cool idea and the fact that you can take them off the system and use them individually as two separate controllers is pretty neat, although not very practical or ideal for any serious multiplayer sessions. They’re cute and come in fun colors, and technically have all the buttons and functions you need to play most games.” However, they didn’t find the Joy-Cons very comfortable, taking the controllers to task for the lack of a D-pad.
Devindra Hardawar / Engadget
Justin also loved the wide variety of colors, along with the Joy-Cons’ versatility, noting that “you have many different ways to use them to play; single upright, single horizontal, double upright, connected to the switch, or in a wide array of controllers & accessories.” Tim also liked how “it gives added flex to work as two controllers in a pinch, especially while gaming-on-the-go.” They actually made Jacob feel a bit decadent, in that he enjoyed “having a controller in each hand and laying back like a king while I’m fed grapes by my attendants. It’s an awesome feeling.” And N said that “overall I think the Joy-Cons are neat but fundamentally flawed in some important ways, and I hope future revisions address the comfortability and usability for prolonged gaming sessions especially, and focus less on the weird edge cases that aren’t as commonly used.”
Ultimately, the Joy-Cons’ poor durability got a lot of players questioning Nintendo as a whole. Thomas E. Edwards said “I’ve owned consoles since the Atari VCS and Pong discrete systems came out and so I’ve dealt with some notoriously bad controllers in my time (Atari 5200, I’m looking at you). However, nothing comes close to the frustration of having four $80 controllers die in two years.” And Paul summing up his feelings as such: “My kids are growing up in an era where the word ‘Nintendo’ means ‘it might work this time, or it might frustrate you.’ As a child of the N64 to GameCube era, I am infuriated – not in the fix, but in how little my kids trust the Switch. I have a Wii U and recently set up my old GameCube in the living room … they are more likely to play older games on those as ‘they just work.’ Kind of regret the 30-plus Switch games I own that I am mostly the only one playing.”
You may soon have another choice when it comes to a password manager. Earlier today, Dropbox uploaded a new app to the Play Store (via Android Police) called Dropbox Passwords. While anyone can download the app, you’ll need an invite from the company before you can log in and use the software. Dropbox doesn’t describe the app as a password manager, but all the hallmarks of one are there. You can use the service to store your passwords, as well as generate new ones when needed. With automatic syncing between different devices, Dropbox says you can access your creditenals anywhere.
Since we can’t access the app, we can’t say much more about its functionality. However, we’ve reached out to Dropbox for more information, and we’ll update this article when we hear back from the company.
Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have since served as home to a large number of boogaloo groups. Facebook banned the use of the term when accompanied by pictures of weapons and calls to action back in May, but now it’s taking things a step further. The social network also told Reuters it’s aware that members are trying to evade detection by using alternative terms, such as “Big Igloo” or “Big Luau.”
A few months ago, the Network Contagion Research Institute released a report about hate speech across social media, which touched on the rise of the boogaloo movement on Facebook. At the time, a spokesperson told NBC News:
“We’ve been studying trends around this and related terms on Facebook and Instagram. We don’t allow speech used to incite hate or violence, and will remove any content that violates our policies. We’ll continue to monitor this across our platform.”
What a year this past week has been. While protesters were hitting the streets to combat police violence, most of us were left watching the events unfold on social media. And even without those historic demonstrations, it was a pretty momentous week for Twitter and Facebook, both of which were faced with challenging decisions on handling Donald Trump’s more explosive posts. Devindra and Cherlynn chat with Karissa Bell, Engadget’s Senior Editor focusing on social media, about how Twitter and Facebook approached the occasion very differently.
Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you’ve got suggestions or topics you’d like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
Unfortunately, I don’t have a pair and can’t offer an opinion. I made the poor choice of following Devindra Hardawar’s advice and opted for the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones. Even though they’re every bit as good as he said they would be, and they were on sale, a leaked listing from Walmart suggests an improved follow-up model is just around the corner. Don’t you hate when that happens?
— Richard
Sonos Arc review
An upgrade worth the wait
Engadget
Meet the Arc, a completely redesigned soundbar that offers all that we’ve come to expect from recent Sonos products, plus Dolby Atmos audio. Billy Steele found the automatic setup was a breeze and that it delivered “stellar” sound for music and TV.
The only downsides? There’s just one HDMI input, so we hope your TV has eARC technology or else you won’t get most of the benefits. The soundbar by itself starts at $799, and as we’ve come to expect from Sonos, expanding your setup with satellites and a subwoofer can push the cost to over $1,800. Check out the full review to find out if it’s worth it or if you may do better with a cheaper option. Continue reading.
Sony’s next noise-canceling headphones have leaked early at Walmart
They were due an update.
Sony’s 1000XM3 (left) vs the 1000XM2
Engadget
Sony’s WH-1000XM3 headphones are due an upgrade, and there are hints it might be worth the wait. Walmart has prematurely listed the WH-1000XM4 with multiple major feature additions. To start, it would finally support multiple devices with easy switching — you’d only have two devices, but that might be fine if you just want to jump between your phone and PC.
Bluetooth makes the leap from 4.2 to 5.0 as well. Precise Voice Pickup, meanwhile, would address the XM3’s lackluster voice quality using five microphones and “advanced audio signal processing” to improve sound for your call recipients. While they might well be listed by Walmart, there’s no mention of a release date, but the $348 price is about what we’d expect these to retail at. Continue reading.
Riot is testing ‘Valorant’ on consoles — but don’t get your hopes up
It’s not yet sure if the experience ‘translates completely to console play.’
Riot Games
Riot’s next big hit, Valorant, is still PC-only, for now. The developers are currently prototyping a console version, however. The team is non-commital on whether it’ll ever exist on your Xbox or PlayStation, but they’re looking into it. The main challenge might be the disadvantage of playing a FPS-style game with a controller instead of the precision offered with a mouse and keyboard setup.
Many first-person and third-person shooters offer controller players aim-assist options to compensate for this — but some top Fortnite players recently raised concerns that aim assist in that game was far too powerful. For Valorant, which places a strong emphasis on aim and mechanical ability, striking the right balance for controller players might prove a problem. Continue reading.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has been updated with a splash screen message in support of the Black Lives Matter organization. “Our community is hurting. The systemic inequalities our community experiences are once again center stage,” developer Infinity Ward wrote. “Call of Duty and Infinity Ward stand for equality and inclusion. We stand against the racism and injustice our Black community endures. Until change happens and Black Lives Matter, we will never truly be the community we strive to be.”
First reported by The Verge, Engadget has confirmed that the screen appears on the Sony PS4 console but not on PCs for now. It pops up every time the game is launched or when you switch between gaming modes, so it’s bound to reach both serious and casual players.
Just as Slack reported quarterly earnings, it also announced a new agreement with Amazon. Under the terms of the deal Slack will keep using Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its preferred cloud provider — as it has since launching in 2014 — and is shifting its Slack Calls feature to use Amazon Chime.
In case you’ve forgotten what Amazon Chime is, it’s the in-house teleconferencing tool the company revealed a few years ago. However, an exec told CNBC in an interview that it hadn’t invested in creating a UI on the level of what Slack has, which is why in a world with Zoom, Skype and Google Meet you probably aren’t using it. Slack will rework its call technology to use Chime’s backend service, so that it can work reliably and add new features — like mobile video and automatic transcriptions — easily.
The service also relies on the sensor’s integrated crash algorithm to determine whether a motorcycle truly got into an accident or whether it just fell over, for instance. If Help Connect decides that a vehicle got into an accident, it will transmit information about the scene and the rider to the Bosch Service Center. In severe accidents, the service could use the rider’s phone to find their location and direct emergency responders to the scene.
Help Connect will initially be available in Germany, Bosch’s home country, only. According to Autoblog, though, the company plans to expand its availability to other markets at a later time.
