The hottest Gaming Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

What's Next?

Have You Played? • 98 implied HN points • 30 May 23
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. The author reflected on their least-read and most-read posts, highlighting the importance of diverse content for their audience.
  2. The author discussed their experience playing long games and the belief that shorter entertainment options are generally better.
  3. The author emphasized the importance of clear, descriptive writing in discussing games to broaden understanding beyond familiar genres.

GM Shaders Mini: FXAA

GM Shaders Mini Tuts • 98 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing (FXAA) is a cheap and effective algorithm for producing smoother images.
  2. Understanding the uses and limitations of FXAA is important for practical implementation.
  3. The FXAA algorithm involves sampling, computing luma, gradient directions, and blurring for smoother results.

GM Shaders Mini: CRT

GM Shaders Mini Tuts • 98 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Emulating the retro CRT monitor look involves RGB color masking, pixelation, chromatic aberration, screen curvature, vignette, pulsing, scanlines, and bloom.
  2. Creativity allows for creating variations using different effects like scanlines, chromatic aberration, vignette, or just the RGB mask and pixelation.
  3. The tutorial provides insights on how to recreate the CRT effect for a game's visuals, providing a cozy and nostalgic feel.

Ronin Waypoint is LIVE on App.axie!

The Lunacian • 138 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Ronin Waypoint is integrated into App.axie, making it easier to switch between wallets. You can manage your assets without visiting other sites.
  2. There are no gas fees for up to 10,000 transactions daily when using Ronin Waypoint on App.axie. This helps save money while trading.
  3. A new UI card shows the status of your axies, including evolution and offering details. It makes tracking your axies much simpler.

Axie Champions is LIVE!

The Lunacian • 368 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Axie Champions is a Match3 Puzzle game where you can play with your own axies and earn rewards. The game resembles Axie and involves strategy in team building for success.
  2. To play Axie Champions, download the game on Android, connect your Ronin Wallet, and start playing with your own axies. Earn off-chain CUBE rewards that can be exchanged for AXS.
  3. In Axie Champions, utilizing Affinity Advantages and proper team building is crucial. Understanding different Axie classes and their relationships enhances gameplay and victory chances.
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Perspective Engines

the shimmering void • 139 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Video games can be more than just entertainment; they offer new ways to think and perceive the world. Playing them can lead to deeper understanding and focus.
  2. Creativity can be developed through experiences that push us to see things differently. It’s about learning and translating new perspectives into our lives.
  3. Software and design can help us understand our thoughts better. By creating spaces that encourage exploration, we can gain new insights and expand our thinking.

A Realization as a High-Level DM

Fireside Chat Logs • 39 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. Balancing high-level D&D combat encounters can be a challenge due to the abundance of abilities and actions, leading to potential slow gameplay.
  2. To streamline high-level combat encounters, reduce battlemap size, limit the number of opponents, and encourage players to prepare, act promptly, and avoid retro actions.
  3. Implementing changes to make combat encounters more efficient and engaging can lead to smoother gameplay and heightened player emotions.

Huson Soft HuCAL

Computer Ads from the Past • 384 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Hudson Soft was a Japanese company that started as an electronics store and later moved into game development.
  2. Hudson Soft created popular games like Bomberman, Adventure Island, and Bonk for various gaming systems.
  3. HuCAL, a product by Hudson Soft, was initially thought to be a word processor but was actually a spreadsheet used on Sega systems.

My life through Halo

Trevor Klee’s Newsletter • 447 implied HN points • 16 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. The author fondly recalls playing the first Halo game with their brothers on Christmas
  2. Playing Halo 2 online multiplayer was a significant experience for the author
  3. The author's relationship with the Halo series evolved over time, eventually moving on to other games

Vol. 1, Issue 14 - My Pokémon Collection - Part 3

Johto Times • 159 implied HN points • 11 May 23
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. The author shares their personal Pokémon collection, focusing on classic VHS movies that are nostalgic for them. They have great memories connected to these movies and have kept them despite not having a VHS player.
  2. Pokémon GO's monthly revenue has dropped significantly, and the game's company, Niantic, faced backlash after increasing prices and limiting features. They claim that changes have improved gameplay, but many players feel ignored.
  3. The newsletter includes a mailbag segment where a reader asked about a pink Pikachu. While there's evidence of a temporary pink Pikachu in an anime episode, it’s not a permanent feature in the games.

Axie Classic Competitive Season 7 is LIVE!

The Lunacian • 138 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Axie Classic Competitive Season 7 is happening now and runs for four weeks. Players can win over 35,000 AXS, with top players qualifying for a championship.
  2. There are Mini Tournaments where players can compete daily for rewards. Winning these tournaments also earns players AXP, which is a new point system.
  3. A brand new PvE Tower Mode is now available. Players can defeat teams, climb floors, and earn rewards as they go. The difficulty increases as you progress, making it exciting.

Axie Delegation is LIVE!

The Lunacian • 184 implied HN points • 17 Oct 24
đź”® Crypto Gaming
  1. Axie Delegation is now available, allowing players to rent out their NFT axies like a scholarship. This means managers can earn benefits from their idle axies while scholars can play with better axies without needing to buy them.
  2. There's a new Delegation Center where players can manage their delegated axies easily. You can bulk delegate or revoke access from there, making it super simple to keep track of everything.
  3. The delegation feature will expand to other Axie games, but it won't be the same for all games right away. Each game will have its own rules and details for how delegation works.

You're Invited to Capla-Con 2025!

Bet On It • 65 implied HN points • 29 May 25
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. Capla-Con is a two-day festival for nerds happening on July 12-13 this year. It's a fun event with games, socializing, and plenty of activities for families.
  2. Anyone can join and bring their friends, making it a welcoming space for everyone. There are games like board games and role-playing, and even dinner is provided!
  3. The event organizer writes new role-playing games for the festival, ensuring there's always something fresh and exciting to play. To get updates, it's good to subscribe to the new Capla-Con Substack.

Vol. 2, Issue 9 - Interview with The PokéMasters

Johto Times • 39 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. The PokéMasters is a popular Pokémon fan website that started in 1998 and has a long history of bringing fans together. It offers a place for discussions about Pokémon and has a sense of community.
  2. New Pokémon games and features are being released, like Pokémon Legends: Z-A for Nintendo Switch and Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket for mobile devices. These updates show that the Pokémon franchise is still growing.
  3. Maintaining online communities can be challenging, but The PokéMasters has thrived due to its strong bonds between members. Even as people grow older, they come back to share their love for Pokémon and connect with others.

Vol. 1, Issue 3 - Memories of Mew

Johto Times • 199 implied HN points • 23 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. The Pokémon World Exhibition took place at the Millennium Dome in 2000, where fans could experience exciting events and get cool Pokémon memorabilia.
  2. Attendees had the chance to obtain the rare Pokémon Mew through an official distribution, making the event memorable for fans.
  3. Pokémon Day is celebrated on February 27th each year, and there are often announcements for new games and updates around this time.

Forkast Prediction Markets are Coming to Ronin!

Ronin’s Newsletter • 135 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
đź”® Crypto Gaming
  1. Forkast is launching on the Ronin platform in January 2025. This new feature will allow users to engage in onchain prediction markets, expanding the ecosystem beyond just gaming.
  2. Users can earn rewards through Forkast by making correct predictions and participating in various activities. Rewards will mainly be distributed as $CGX tokens.
  3. To get started with Forkast, create an account on Ronin Waypoint, which offers benefits like gasless transactions and simpler onboarding for new users.

Jin’s Fortune Spin is LIVE!

Ronin’s Newsletter • 49 implied HN points • 26 Jun 25
đź”® Crypto Gaming
  1. Jin's Fortune Spin lets you spin capsules for a chance to win cool prizes like land and collectible characters. It costs 15 RON or 10 USDC to play.
  2. There are extra rewards if you spin at least five times and complete a special quest. You can get a neat accessory and possibly win a rare character!
  3. This feature is new on Ronin Market and they want your feedback. It’s a fun way to collect items, similar to surprise boxes you might find in stores.

Vol. 2, Issue 7 - Backwards compatibility with Pokémon titles

Johto Times • 39 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. The closure of the Nintendo eShop means players can't transfer Pokémon from older games anymore. This has affected many fans who cherish their Pokémon from previous generations.
  2. While Pokémon Bank is currently free after a recent shutdown, it's uncertain how long it will continue to operate. There are worries about losing access to older Pokémon data in the future.
  3. There is hope that Nintendo may offer classic Pokémon games online eventually. However, for now, links to older games feel cut off as technology changes.

Congrats to the May and June Discord reward winners!

The Lunacian • 46 implied HN points • 04 Jul 25
đź”® Crypto Gaming
  1. Congratulations to the winners of the May and June Discord rewards! They helped make the community great by engaging and contributing.
  2. Rewards will be distributed in the coming weeks, so winners should remember to share their Ronin Wallet address to receive them.
  3. Everyone in the community can earn rewards by being active and helpful in Discord. It's a nice way to support and reward participation.

🎙️ Generative AI for 3D Worlds with Atlas CEO Ben James

The GameMakers Letter • 39 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Atlas specializes in transforming 2D images into 3D models for gaming worlds, creating diverse models at a massive scale, changing art styles dynamically.
  2. Atlas' technology accelerates the creation process of 3D assets, generating 20,000 unique buildings for a VR game 200 times faster than traditional methods, saving time and costs for developers.
  3. Early applications of Atlas technology focus on game concept testing by providing a quick visualization of 3D worlds in various art styles to iterate on game layouts, though full production usage is still in development.

Vol. 1, Issue 44 - Rachael Gater's Pokémon Memories

Johto Times • 59 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. Rachael Gater shares her special Pokémon memories from Christmas 1999, a time full of excitement for both her and her brother as they received their Game Boy games.
  2. During this festive season, Pokémon created a sense of connection and joy among kids in the late 90s, sparking fun conversations and friendly competition on the playground.
  3. Rachael's experience highlights how video games allowed for bonding moments with family, making memories that stood out even as childhood transitioned into adulthood.

Expansion hack: Grandia II (Dreamcast)

Rings of Saturn • 43 implied HN points • 05 Jul 25
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. You can unlock hidden debug features in Grandia II on Dreamcast. Just change some settings from OFF to ON in the game's files.
  2. With these debug features, you can warp to any map location, mess with display options, and even eliminate gameplay restrictions like enemy encounters.
  3. These tools can give you a fun, unique experience in the game, letting you explore parts of Grandia II that you wouldn't normally see.

Bonus: Fighters Megamix

Rings of Saturn • 130 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. There's a hidden stage in Fighters Megamix that can be accessed under specific conditions. It's called the 'Oshima Stage' and players discovered it through hacking.
  2. To get to the hidden stage naturally, players must follow a process that includes battling the CPU and restricting character choices. This can unlock the special stage during gameplay.
  3. The creator of the game, Yutaka Ito, shared his regrets about the hidden stage freezing during gameplay. It seems to be a topic of nostalgia and curiosity for long-time fans.

The Work of RPGs

Oliver Bateman Does the Work • 78 implied HN points • 17 Jul 23
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Video game developers aim to find the right balance between gameplay and storytelling in RPGs.
  2. Publication discusses the role-playing video game genre and its significance.
  3. Consider becoming a paid subscriber to support this publication and access more content.

Inside the Xbox wars

Updater, Shannon Liao's gaming newsletter • 78 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
đź’Ľ Business Gaming
  1. Microsoft is in court defending a $69 billion deal to buy Candy Crush developer Activision Blizzard.
  2. The deal is a significant tech acquisition and a notable antitrust case drawing attention from many.
  3. The outcome of this case will determine the future of gaming, including the exclusivity of games like Call of Duty on Xbox.

The Revolution of Generative AI Based Games

Trends, Analysis, Lies and Statistics • 78 implied HN points • 30 Aug 23
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Generative AI enables players to craft novel characters, stories, and settings, leading to new gaming formats.
  2. GenAI games challenge established norms by rendering scarcity obsolete and emphasizing creativity over collection.
  3. Generative AI-based games expand gameplay beyond mechanics, allowing players to become active content creators and fostering community collaboration.

Vol. 1, Issue 30 - A Pokémon fan in Japan: SteC

Johto Times • 79 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. A Pokémon fan in Japan shared amazing photos of cool Pokémon items and attractions. It's fun to see all the unique Pokémon products available in Japan.
  2. Pokémon Sleep, a mobile app for tracking sleep with Pokémon themes, recently celebrated ten million downloads. They are offering rewards for players to enjoy.
  3. New Pokémon are coming to Pokémon GO during the Adventures Abound season, including fan-favorite characters from the Paldean region. This event runs until December.

Decisions depend on the decision maker

Overthinking Everything • 419 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
🚌 Education Gaming
  1. Decisions depend on who is making them, as individual factors influence the best choice.
  2. Even in games with 'objective' optimal strategies, decisions are subjective based on each player's abilities and knowledge.
  3. Beginners should consider their own strengths and weaknesses when making decisions, rather than just emulating experts.

Axie Classic Guilds are LIVE!

The Lunacian • 276 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. Axie Classic Guilds are now live, allowing players to create or join guilds for competitive advantages.
  2. Players can now deposit AXS and SLP, withdraw SLP, earn Contribution Points, and hire fellow Guild members' axies.
  3. Register for the Grand Tournament to accumulate Guild Points and climb the Guild Leaderboard, with prizes up for grabs.

Under the microscope: The Crow: City of Angels

Rings of Saturn • 29 implied HN points • 20 Aug 25
đź•ą Technology Gaming
  1. The game 'The Crow: City of Angels' has some major bugs that let players exploit the game for unlimited lives. Entering certain passwords can give you an excessive number of lives.
  2. The Saturn version of the game lacks unique special cheats, unlike the PlayStation version, which has various interesting cheat codes and effects.
  3. There are hidden staff messages and a possibility of enabling a debug mode in the PlayStation version, which isn't present in the Saturn version.

Vol. 1, Issue 4 - The Legacy of Pokémon

Johto Times • 159 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. Many fans are excited about the Legacy of Pokémon series. It's a chance for older players to share memories and newer fans to understand the history.
  2. The Nintendo eShop for Wii U and 3DS is closing soon, meaning many Pokémon games will be hard to buy legally after March 27, 2023.
  3. New Pokémon-related announcements were made on Pokémon Day, including new downloadable content and a cool new Pokémon card game set.

Vol. 1, Issue 21 - Interview with Lawrence Schwedler

Johto Times • 99 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. Lawrence Schwedler was the Audio Director for Pokémon Puzzle League, where he worked on translating popular Pokémon music into MIDI format for the Nintendo 64. It was a creative challenge to make it sound great with limited technology.
  2. For reworking Pokémon Puzzle League with modern technology, Lawrence would focus on using real instruments and adaptive music design, which would enhance the gaming experience with richer sound and variety.
  3. He shared that working within limitations can spark creativity, a valuable lesson he learned during his time at Nintendo Software Technology. This approach has contributed to many successful games despite technical constraints.