April 2025 PCG Article Discussion

[ZedClampet]

Satisfactory 1.1 will have autoconnecting blueprints, vertical splitters, branching hypertube networks, controllers, photo mode, and more

The first update following Satisfactory's 1.0 release is massive and here soon.

www.pcgamer.com

Ugh, the thing was in early access for years. Just say it's finished and move on to Satisfactory 2.

 

[Pifanjr]

Satisfactory 1.1 will have autoconnecting blueprints, vertical splitters, branching hypertube networks, controllers, photo mode, and more

The first update following Satisfactory's 1.0 release is massive and here soon.

www.pcgamer.com

Ugh, the thing was in early access for years. Just say it's finished and move on to Satisfactory 2.

What is Satisfactory missing that requires a sequel instead of a free patch?

 

[BeardyHat]

Linus Torvalds admits 'pure incompetence' for missing the new Linux 6.14 kernel deadline but all is forgiven as the update is great news for non-Windows gaming

And it's all down to an improved NTsync driver.

www.pcgamer.com

Happy to hear this. I've been thinking about giving Linux another go as my daily driver with my new computer. It can be fiddly, but I've used it enough and now have several machines in my house running on it that I can make it work.

At the same time, I also don't really feel like fiddling. Installing the mods on my Deck for NFSU2 was enough of a pain, that I remember why I also don't really want to daily drive Linux. Some things can be easy enough (installing Battletech mods was a cinch), but then others can be just enough ass pain that it takes several times longer to get something working than it does in Windows.

Someday I'll make the switch. Windows is getting more annoying , but hasn't quite reached that threshold for me yet.

 

[ZedClampet]

What is Satisfactory missing that requires a sequel instead of a free patch?

Terraforming would be great, and that can't be done the way the current world is built. But it's not necessarily that a sequel would provide something missing from the previous game, but that it could provide something different. For instance, more complicated processes and relying more heavily on drones for finished products. This first game is, at its most basic, about conveyor belts (as is Factorio), and that's great. I wouldn't want them to change this about the first game, but I'd be interested in a 2nd game with a different engineering focus. Just about everything could be changed in some way. That doesn't mean that it would be an improvement, just that it would be a new way to play. But, again, I would be upset if they changed the original game in this way.

Another thing to do, and this would be fine as a DLC and might even be able to include terraforming, is to create a new planet to work with. Unlike Factorio, the huge map itself plays a massive role in the game, so giving us a new one to work with would be great, but I don't think they would do that in a DLC. It would be a massive undertaking because of how dense and incredible their original map is, and they might be concerned about making their budget back, although the Factorio DLC with new planets may actually be the most successful DLC of all time. A new world would presumably bring new enemies, too. And, technically, there's no reason why they couldn't implement sweeping changes in mechanics.

But if you are going to do that, the best financial decision would be to just make a sequel. Even as great as the Factorio DLC has done, the sales obviously will never be close to the 6 million copies (est) of the game that have been sold (on PC). Satisfactory 2 could conceivably sell as many copies (estimated at 9 million on Steam and a couple more million on Epic) or more than the first.

 

[ZedClampet]

Someday I'll make the switch. Windows is getting more annoying , but hasn't quite reached that threshold for me yet.

I actually came here to post that article, and I will also someday make the switch.

The way I see it (and this might even be applied to the continuous updates to Satisfactory that I mentioned above) is that there is one way that continuous, never-ending software development can go: Obfuscation, frequently via simplification. In fact none of this is actually necessary. The only reason they are doing most of their changes is because they think they have to work on Windows forever.

In Windows, they are constantly getting rid of useful features in an attempt to make the program idiot proof. This also makes doing anything advanced much more difficult to figure out.

One of their latest things is to work towards getting rid of troubleshooting. Why? What conceivable excuse could be used for getting rid of troubleshooting? They are moving some of it to a "get help" app, but some of it is just going away.

The control panel? Nah, we're going to merge some of that with the generic Settings page and get rid of the advanced stuff that most people don't use.

Want to turn your computer off to reset everything? Sorry, we have Fast Boot now, so turning your computer off doesn't change anything.

Want to dial in exact figures for power usage? You can theoretically still do that, but it takes an act of god to find it, and I can only assume the plan is to get rid of it entirely.

And pretty soon you won't be able to do anything at all without asking CoPilot to do it for you.

 

[BeardyHat]

I actually came here to post that article, and I will also someday make the switch.

The way I see it (and this might even be applied to the continuous updates to Satisfactory that I mentioned above) is that there is one way that continuous, never-ending software development can go: Obfuscation, frequently via simplification. In fact none of this is actually necessary. The only reason they are doing most of their changes is because they think they have to work on Windows forever.

In Windows, they are constantly getting rid of useful features in an attempt to make the program idiot proof. This also makes doing anything advanced much more difficult to figure out.

One of their latest things is to work towards getting rid of troubleshooting. Why? What conceivable excuse could be used for getting rid of troubleshooting? They are moving some of it to a "get help" app, but some of it is just going away.

The control panel? Nah, we're going to merge some of that with the generic Settings page and get rid of the advanced stuff that most people don't use.

Want to turn your computer off to reset everything? Sorry, we have Fast Boot now, so turning your computer off doesn't change anything.

Want to dial in exact figures for power usage? You can theoretically still do that, but it takes an act of god to find it, and I can only assume the plan is to get rid of it entirely.

And pretty soon you won't be able to do anything at all without asking CoPilot to do it for you.

Precisely. Everything is so disparate, but they keep features in because they know it'll piss off legacy users, but there's bizarre ways to access them. I was literally just complaining about this to a buddy not too long ago, because I'm still using the feature "Windows 7 Back-up" because Microsoft "Back-up" now wants you to use OneDrive.

It's all driven by the dreaded "increasing shareholder value", constantly pushing you to subscribe to Microsoft 365, Gamepass, etc. Automatically syncing everything to OneDrive to force you to pay for more storage, because they obfuscate the fact that you can turn that off, so your average user will assume they have to sub.

I mean, Windows has gotten better. I actually don't mind that it auto-updates itself these days, because it stops people from having systems that are years out of date and then complain they got a virus. I like that I finally have tabs in Explorer--though Linux has had it for years.

If I wasn't primarily a gamer, I probably would have switch already. Although I have many complaints with how Linux handles Trackpoint and middle mouse clicks on Thinkpads. I am tempted to just install it immediately once I receive my new machine today, but I also want to begin using my computer immediately, rather than spending heaps of time tweaking it exactly how I want it. I do wish I had a 1tb NVME just sitting around so I could swap out and give it a go quick and easy, but all I've got is 512.

Admittedly, the community for Linux often sucks too. Sure, you can find information on issues, but it's often out of date or for a different distro or the replies are grognards mocking the OP for not knowing one thing or another.

 

[Johnway]

Wizards of the Coast says it didn't mean to send a DMCA takedown notice to the Baldur's Gate 3 Stardew mod: 'We are in the process of fixing that now' (updated)

The mod has Swen Vincke's personal approval, and the legal threat didn't go over well with fans—now WotC says it was "issued mistakenly."

www.pcgamer.com

taking a page out of nintendo's play book it would seem. nintendo absolutely hates any and all creative endeavors by fans and it shows the absolute contempt nintendo has for fans love for a game or franchise. if its not from Nintendo themselves, they'll burn it all to the ground and expect us to like it.

Fingers crossed that they do pull back on this one. A passion project this good and approved by those who made the inspiration material doesn't deserve to be taken down.

 

[Pifanjr]

I'm not looking forward to "upgrading" to Windows 11 either. However, I'm also not very interested at spending my limited gaming time tinkering with Linux.

I'm considering getting a second desktop PC this summer, if I can make the finances work. It'll be nice to be able to play something when my wife is using our current PC, or just play something together that doesn't have local coop. If I do, I'll probably put Linux on that.

Wizards of the Coast says it didn't mean to send a DMCA takedown notice to the Baldur's Gate 3 Stardew mod: 'We are in the process of fixing that now' (updated)

The mod has Swen Vincke's personal approval, and the legal threat didn't go over well with fans—now WotC says it was "issued mistakenly."

www.pcgamer.com

taking a page out of nintendo's play book it would seem. nintendo absolutely hates any and all creative endeavors by fans and it shows the absolute contempt nintendo has for fans love for a game or franchise. if its not from Nintendo themselves, they'll burn it all to the ground and expect us to like it.

Fingers crossed that they do pull back on this one. A passion project this good and approved by those who made the inspiration material doesn't deserve to be taken down.

Time for Schmaldur's Village, with a romanceable Schmadowheart and Schmastarion.

 

[ZedClampet]

Palworld decides it wasn't April fooling after all, is actually making a visual novel dating sim where you can, uh, 'dismember and eat' some of its cast

Some take-backsies.

www.pcgamer.com

Speaking of romances, PockePair, of Palworld fame, is going through with their threat to make a Palworld themed dating sim. If the date doesn't work out, you can dismember and eat them. Only PocketPair...

It's kind of funny, too, that they are making a visual novel at all because I still remember them most from Craftopia where everything was written in the most broken and bizarre English I'd ever read.

 

[Pifanjr]

Palworld decides it wasn't April fooling after all, is actually making a visual novel dating sim where you can, uh, 'dismember and eat' some of its cast

Some take-backsies.

www.pcgamer.com

Speaking of romances, PockePair, of Palworld fame, is going through with their threat to make a Palworld themed dating sim. If the date doesn't work out, you can dismember and eat them. Only PocketPair...

It's kind of funny, too, that they are making a visual novel at all because I still remember them most from Craftopia where everything was written in the most broken and bizarre English I'd ever read.

I'm assuming this is just another April Fools joke, the timing is too suspicious.

 

[Pifanjr]

Screenshots have seemingly leaked of the new Star Wars game from a team of former XCOM developers, and surprise: it looks like a Star Wars XCOM game

Featuring Bo Katan and Ahsoka Tano.

www.pcgamer.com

I'd love a Star Wars XCOM game with a good story. Honestly, even if the story sucks I'd love it as long as the gameplay holds up.

 

[neogunhero]

Someday I'll make the switch. Windows is getting more annoying , but hasn't quite reached that threshold for me yet.

Exactly how I'm feeling, especially as I'm getting closer to losing support on Win10, not going to pay the annual fee to keep it. I've used Windows 10 pretty much since the day it came out, and had a beta copy before full release. While it may not be the perfect OS, I like it enough that I've used it for 10 years straight. I have it customized and configured exactly how I want it. I'm afraid of losing all of this when I have to switch to Win11.

As you pointed out in another post, the demand for driving up profits is what ruins Windows for me. I like a lot of MS products, have had multiple Xbox's over the years, a MS account that I've had for over 15 years that I use daily, stuff like that. It's just like with my iPhone, I am so ingrained into the ecosystem that is would be very difficult for me to drop out. I know there are better alternatives, there are other phones and other OS's that would make things a lot easier for me and work just as well as what I'm used to, but breaking out of these molds you put yourself into is very difficult. Neither of them have reached the threshold of annoyances for me yet to make me switch, but I'm afraid that time is coming soon. Windows 11 just seems terrible compared to 10 IMO.

 

[BeardyHat]

Exactly how I'm feeling, especially as I'm getting closer to losing support on Win10, not going to pay the annual fee to keep it. I've used Windows 10 pretty much since the day it came out, and had a beta copy before full release. While it may not be the perfect OS, I like it enough that I've used it for 10 years straight. I have it customized and configured exactly how I want it. I'm afraid of losing all of this when I have to switch to Win11.

As you pointed out in another post, the demand for driving up profits is what ruins Windows for me. I like a lot of MS products, have had multiple Xbox's over the years, a MS account that I've had for over 15 years that I use daily, stuff like that. It's just like with my iPhone, I am so ingrained into the ecosystem that is would be very difficult for me to drop out. I know there are better alternatives, there are other phones and other OS's that would make things a lot easier for me and work just as well as what I'm used to, but breaking out of these molds you put yourself into is very difficult. Neither of them have reached the threshold of annoyances for me yet to make me switch, but I'm afraid that time is coming soon. Windows 11 just seems terrible compared to 10 IMO.

I have three PC's that get used every day that are on Win 10 and won't support 11, so I'm thinking over my options. Two of them, that my kids play on, I'll definitely use Rufus to get around the Win 11 requirements and just upgrade them so the kids have a fairly seamless experience and can still play Minecraft together without an issue, as well as have controller support etc (I'm assuming Linux has this, but I'm not sure) and just generally so I don't have to support these things too often for the kids.

The third is my Den/HTPC that my wife and I usually watch TV/Game on. That one I might put Linux on, as I think it would be a fairly frictionless experience for us, given we don't do anything fancy on it, aside from game. I do need to see if I could still attach my Bluetooth controller to it without any issue for the occasions we do play something.

 

[ZedClampet]

The third is my Den/HTPC that my wife and I usually watch TV/Game on. That one I might put Linux on, as I think it would be a fairly frictionless experience for us, given we don't do anything fancy on it, aside from game. I do need to see if I could still attach my Bluetooth controller to it without any issue for the occasions we do play something.

Valve is releasing SteamOS for download next month. They are specifically telling people not to replace their desktop OS with it, but people are already doing it (I'm not sure how they are getting it exactly) and saying it runs great. I think as long as SteamOS is free and Microsoft keeps putting their games on Steam, you'll probably never hear Valve recommend that you use their OS

 

[BeardyHat]

Seems like maybe I'll wait until next month in that case. And maybe pick-up a 2tb drive in the meantime...

 

[Pifanjr]

Wizards of the Coast says it didn't mean to send a DMCA takedown notice to the Baldur's Gate 3 Stardew mod: 'We are in the process of fixing that now' (updated)

The mod has Swen Vincke's personal approval, and the legal threat didn't go over well with fans—now WotC says it was "issued mistakenly."

www.pcgamer.com

taking a page out of nintendo's play book it would seem. nintendo absolutely hates any and all creative endeavors by fans and it shows the absolute contempt nintendo has for fans love for a game or franchise. if its not from Nintendo themselves, they'll burn it all to the ground and expect us to like it.

Fingers crossed that they do pull back on this one. A passion project this good and approved by those who made the inspiration material doesn't deserve to be taken down.

WotC did reverse their decision, the article was updated 11 hours ago.

Swen Vincke says fan mods 'shouldn't be treated like commercial ventures that infringe on your property' just hours before Wizards of the Coast retracts its BG3 Stardew mod takedown

Karlach would hate all this.

www.pcgamer.com

 

[Colif]

I'm not looking forward to "upgrading" to Windows 11 either. However, I'm also not very interested at spending my limited gaming time tinkering with Linux.

Windows 11 is just windows 10 with a new desktop. Every new version of windows is the same, rearrange the settings and make desktop more shiney... There are other less noticeable changes but I went looking for differences 5 years ago and didn't find anything exciting

So nothing really to be worried about, when I upgraded it just ran windows update.

Seems I have both windows 11 & Linux installed on same OS... though I think Linux is associated with my Python software

I don't want to have to learn a new OS so I stick with Windows until it annoys me too much.

 

[Pifanjr]

Schedule 1 is great because it knows crafting sucks unless you turn everything into a fun minigame

Chores don't feel like chores when they're this fun.

www.pcgamer.com

I don't think it's necessary to turn everything into a minigame, I think it's already an improvement if you can see the process happening in the world.

Say for example that you have a structure that turns one resource into another. The simplest way to implement this is to open a menu when you interact with the structure, put the resources in and then take the resulting resources out (after the process is done). However, this makes the structure just a front for a menu.

An upgrade is if the structure plays an animation showing the input resource being turned into the output resource. It at least makes it feel like the menu is an interface for the structure instead of the structure being a front for a menu.

It's (often) even better if there's no menu at all, or at least not one beyond configuring the structure. The main way to interact with the structure is to do so physically. Which can include a mini-game, but then you have to make sure the mini-game doesn't become annoying, which can be a tricky balance.

One important thing is that the presentation of the game affects the expectations of the player as well. Opening a menu when a player interacts with a flower pot breaks immersion more than opening a menu when a player interacts with a sci-fi hydroponics pod.

---

And mentioning player expectations, I think this article was interesting as well:

Dwarf Fortress dwarves are 'more human than human,' creator says: 'They're allowed to embody bigger emotions. They're allowed to make bigger mistakes. They're allowed to do anything'

Dwarves embody the universal human urge to wade into a flooded tunnel in search of dinner.

www.pcgamer.com

Based on the presentation of the game, what could be considered a bug can, in fact, be considered a feature.

 

[ZedClampet]

Schedule 1 is great because it knows crafting sucks unless you turn everything into a fun minigame

Chores don't feel like chores when they're this fun.

www.pcgamer.com

I don't think it's necessary to turn everything into a minigame, I think it's already an improvement if you can see the process happening in the world.

Say for example that you have a structure that turns one resource into another. The simplest way to implement this is to open a menu when you interact with the structure, put the resources in and then take the resulting resources out (after the process is done). However, this makes the structure just a front for a menu.

An upgrade is if the structure plays an animation showing the input resource being turned into the output resource. It at least makes it feel like the menu is an interface for the structure instead of the structure being a front for a menu.

It's (often) even better if there's no menu at all, or at least not one beyond configuring the structure. The main way to interact with the structure is to do so physically. Which can include a mini-game, but then you have to make sure the mini-game doesn't become annoying, which can be a tricky balance.

One important thing is that the presentation of the game affects the expectations of the player as well. Opening a menu when a player interacts with a flower pot breaks immersion more than opening a menu when a player interacts with a sci-fi hydroponics pod.

---

And mentioning player expectations, I think this article was interesting as well:

Dwarf Fortress dwarves are 'more human than human,' creator says: 'They're allowed to embody bigger emotions. They're allowed to make bigger mistakes. They're allowed to do anything'

Dwarves embody the universal human urge to wade into a flooded tunnel in search of dinner.

www.pcgamer.com

Based on the presentation of the game, what could be considered a bug can, in fact, be considered a feature.

Two things, as far as the Schedule 1 mini-games go, I wouldn't even consider them mini-games. To dump something out, for instance, you hold right click and move your mouse either to the left or the right and whatever you are holding tilts until the stuff spills out. The mini-game for harvesting the plants is to click on the buds. The mini-game for planting is to click on the piles of dirt. Etc. Everything is very natural. It's what you would expect to do. And in that sense, it feels very good and helps with immersion. But I wouldn't consider those mini-games. They are just natural ways to interact with the environment. By the article's standards, punching a tree in Minecraft would be a mini-game. And maybe that's what it technically is, I guess, but I certainly don't consider it that.

As for the machine showing the process, in Center Station Simulator the machines do that. One machine that fabricates car parts, for instance, has you place a metal ingot into the machine and then you go to the machine's screen and punch in what you want, then you can watch the machine actually make the product. It cuts the ingot into what you requested. All the machines she made are like that. If you are making canned vegetables, the cans get picked up and move along a conveyor belt, and then a funnel type thing comes down and pours the vegetables in, and then another contraption ads the label to the can. It's pretty cool to watch. Also, unless you consider zooming in on the machines' screen a menu, then there aren't menus.

 

[Rolfil]

I moved to Windows 11 when my old PC gave up the ghost on me and I had to get a new one. Honestly it's not that bad. There are lots of articles to get it to look and behave like Windows 10 with minimum effort and not extra software.

 

[BeardyHat]

Schedule 1 is great because it knows crafting sucks unless you turn everything into a fun minigame

Chores don't feel like chores when they're this fun.

www.pcgamer.com

I don't think it's necessary to turn everything into a minigame, I think it's already an improvement if you can see the process happening in the world.

I generally hate crafting in games and I won't do it.

However, the one game I did really enjoy it in was Kingdom Come and I think that's because it was all diagetic. So in order to craft a potion, not only do I need to pick the correct flowers and stuff (less interesting), but I need to actually read the recipe and execute it correctly, very much like cooking in real life.

For example (and it's been a few years, so I may not remember exactly right), you need your heat correct, you need to put your ingredients in at the correct time, etc. All this is done at a table where you pump the bellows for heat and your character has to physically move back and forth between the alchemy table and the recipe book.

I just found it so much more interesting. It honestly felt a lot like cooking for real to me. Every other game, even stuff that crafting is a primary mechanic, is boring as hell to me.

YouTuber Karl Jobst to pay more than $230,000 to Donkey Kong record holder Billy Mitchell in defamation ruling

And it could have been more, the judge said.

www.pcgamer.com

So this is interesting and has mad me realize I didn't do my due diligence. I've been following this lawsuit a little bit over the years, but only from Jobsts perspective and now I realize, I've been mislead. Billy Mitchell still seems like an incredible turd, but Jobst never let on he was being sued for saying what he said. He consistently construed it in his videos that Mitchell was sueing him for claiming he cheated.

At any rate, it sounds like this is probably a fair result and based on Jobsts comments toward the end of the article, seems like he's not willing to accept any wrongdoing on his part.

 

[neogunhero]

Valve is releasing SteamOS for download next month. They are specifically telling people not to replace their desktop OS with it, but people are already doing it (I'm not sure how they are getting it exactly) and saying it runs great.

One thing I can think of that would make me reluctant to switch is using any mod that doesn't use workshop. My Batman Arkham Asylum enhanced mods, all of my GTA IV mods, Tony Hawk reTHAWed, these mods aren't readily available on Nexus or Workshop, require some work to get running, so I have no idea if any of these would support Linux or SteamOS specifically. Realistically though, I do play Steam games way more than these mods, but it is still something I think about. Even if I don't use it much, knowing that I have the ability to use fairly obscure mods like this makes me want to stay where I'm at.

 

[BeardyHat]

One thing I can think of that would make me reluctant to switch is using any mod that doesn't use workshop. My Batman Arkham Asylum enhanced mods, all of my GTA IV mods, Tony Hawk reTHAWed, these mods aren't readily available on Nexus or Workshop, require some work to get running, so I have no idea if any of these would support Linux or SteamOS specifically. Realistically though, I do play Steam games way more than these mods, but it is still something I think about. Even if I don't use it much, knowing that I have the ability to use fairly obscure mods like this makes me want to stay where I'm at.

So far, I've had no issue running mods on my Deck. It is definitely more work, but it can be done if you have some motivation. I've installed Battletech mods that require their own installers and activation without an issue and of course, lots of mods that just drop right into the file structure. Most of the modding just requires you to have some understanding of how proton and steam structure their files, as there's a good bit of rooting around in there that you need to do, but otherwise, works fine with extra effort.

I did recently have some issues with a separate mod installer/activator for Need for Speed Underground 2, but I also didn't try that hard to actually get it working correctly, as I didn't really care about what it was installing.

 

[Colif]

Valve is releasing SteamOS for download next month. They are specifically telling people not to replace their desktop OS with it, but people are already doing it (I'm not sure how they are getting it exactly) and saying it runs great.

I guess it being linux based spares it from most viruses.

Maybe they got it from:
https://store.steampowered.com/steamos/buildyourown

if its just a games machine, sure... but games isn't even in the top 10 things of what I use pc for.

 

[DXCHASE]

I moved to Windows 11 when my old PC gave up the ghost on me and I had to get a new one. Honestly it's not that bad. There are lots of articles to get it to look and behave like Windows 10 with minimum effort and not extra software.

Same, upgraded to Win 11 on all 3 of the PCs in my house and i have had 0 issues with it to the point that i have to reformat, or uninstall/reinstall the OS etc. All of the issues ive dealt with these PCs have not been its OS.

Ive been using the Insiders Edition for mine since i got windows 11 and even those have been pretty stable, never had the major problems PCG covered with windows 11 insider preview builds.

Doom: The Dark Ages' melee-heavy, parry-focused gameplay was nothing like I expected, and now I'm more eager to play the full thing than ever

Doom Souls.

www.pcgamer.com

As an LE purchaser of this game, im excited. The change in pace is welcoming though i really need to see how difficult or easy it is to sit there and dark-souls mini/major bosses.

I get 2 DAYS EARLY ACCESS TOO! SUCH WOW!

But...i wanted the statue.