Category: Games

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GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

Outriders is now out for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Stadia. The game is available for Xbox Game Pass subscribers as well. If you’re just downloading Outriders and you’re wondering where to begin, like which class to pick and how to activate cross-play multiplayer, then you’re in the right place. Below, we’ve compiled a series of Outriders guides that should get you on your way to exploring the planet of Enoch.

In Outriders, you play as one of the last members of the titular group, initially tasked with determining whether the planet Enoch is a suitable home for humanity after Earth’s destruction. But when a freak storm kills most of your crew, no one can stop the signal misinforming the civilian colonists in your group that it’s safe to settle. Although you survive, the storm mutates you, gifting you with extraordinary powers. Now with no choice but to make a home of Enoch, you’re tasked with using your abilities to uncover the secrets of the planet and stop the source of the storm.

Outriders is a third-person shooter, and although there is cover in the game, you don’t want to spend all your time hiding behind chest-high walls. This game is all about aggression–each character class can only heal by killing or damaging enemies, so putting yourself out there to wreak havoc with a variety of firearms is ideal. To compliment your array of weapons, you can also use several superpowered abilities to devastating effect. The Devastator class, for example, can stop bullets in midair and throw them back at enemies, while the Technomancer can pull together discarded metal to forge rocket launchers and miniguns.

Demo Progress

Developer People Can Fly have said that all progress made in the Outriders pre-release demo will follow you into the main game. Just be sure to download the game to the platform where you played the demo–Outriders has cross-play multiplayer, but not cross-platform progression.

Day 1 Update

Publisher Square Enix has revealed several updates scheduled to go live in the first few weeks of Outriders’ release. The first is a Day 1 update, which is planned to go live just prior to Outriders’ launch time but may be delayed and come out the day of, requiring an additional download.

The Day 1 update is aimed at addressing bugs and the uncomfortable level of camera shake during cutscenes. Following this, Outriders is scheduled to get a post-launch patch that will add additional options for controller settings, improve loading times on Xbox One and PS4, implement cross-play multiplayer improvements, and more.

Picking A Class

When you first play Outriders, you’ll go through an exposition-heavy prologue that also introduces you to the basic controls and shooting mechanics. Following that prologue, your Altered abilities will awaken, allowing you to pick one of four classes. Choose carefully, even if you can adjust your character’s appearance throughout the game, you’re stuck with your class until you make a new character.

So that raises the question: Which Outriders character class is right for you? If you’re looking to fight up close, going for the Devastator or Trickster is probably your speed–the former controls gravity as Outriders’ resident tank class, while the latter manipulates space and time as the game’s take on a rogue. For a more long-range option, go for the Technomancer, which can create and control advanced machinery in a support or summoner role. The Pyromancer falls in between the other three as a mid-range class, commanding fire as Outriders’ mage.

Solo Play

Despite each of Outriders four classes fitting into squad-based roles, you can play Outriders entirely solo (though, as a warning, the game requires you to connect to the internet even if you have no plans of playing with others). All four classes can tackle Outriders’ campaign on their own, though we advise you pick the Trickster for solo play. The class’ ability to easily teleport in and out of trouble and create a shield for itself relatively easily makes it an ideal choice for playing on your own.

Cross-Play Multiplayer

Outriders supports cross-play multiplayer, so you can party up with your friends regardless of which platforms you each decide to play on. You can team up with up to two other people for a squad of three. That said, you won’t be able to jump into multiplayer immediately. There are a few steps you’ll have to complete first.

In order to enable cross-play multiplayer, you’ll need to complete the prologue–that means becoming fully Altered, picking your class, and reaching Outriders first hub area: Rift Town. Once you’ve done that, you can turn on multiplayer and team up from the lobby screen or by visiting the matchmaking terminal in Rift Town’s garage. That terminal will be packed up and follow you as you explore the world, being set up wherever you make camp.

Farming For Legendary Loot

You’ll naturally come across rarer and more powerful gear in Outriders by just playing the game. Chances are you’ll stumble upon legendary loot without needing to grind for it. But if you want something cool and shiny to equip before setting out in the campaign, there are a few missions and boss fights in the early hours of Outriders that make for ideal farming locations for legendary loot.

PC Specs

If you’re planning on playing Outriders on PC, it’s good to know whether your machine can run the game. Developer People Can Fly has outlined the full PC specs, so you know what type of experience you’re getting based on your rig. For the recommended experience (1080p resolution and 60fps), the developer advises you to have at least a GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or Radeon RX 480 8GB graphics card, an i7-7700 or Ryzen 5 1600 CPU, and 16GB of RAM. To install the game, you’ll also need 70GB of available storage space.

YouTube’s most disliked videos of all time include classics like Justin Bieber’s Baby, Rebecca Black’s Friday, and the Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare reveal trailer–but a new update may take away viewers’ ability to tell how many users disliked any given video. YouTube says it is currently testing the change, which wouldn’t remove the dislike button, but would make the metric visible only to creators.

Only select users are part of the experiment to begin with, with YouTube sharing a screenshot of what the new interface will look like for the testing group. The number of likes would still be displayed under the thumbs up button, while the “dislike” button no longer has a number attached.

The gaming side of YouTube is no stranger to the “targeted dislike campaigns” described in the tweet, with the aforementioned mass-disliking of the futuristic Infinite Warfare trailer as one example. On another occasion, gamers organized in order to mass-dislike a Jimmy Kimmel video in which he said that watching other people play games makes no sense.

YouTube’s announcement of the experiment has been generally disliked by the YouTube community, with many replies and quote-retweets on Twitter criticizing the move. Even high profile YouTubers such as Jacksepticeye and RubberNinja have expressed doubts about the change, while other users have pointed out how easily committed dislikers will get around the restrictions.

It’s yet to be seen whether YouTube will roll out this change more broadly across the site. It is currently testing multiple versions of a user interface without dislikes on small groups of users.

It’s hard to miss Randall Park these days; he’s in a ton of stuff and is a consistent scene stealer. But now, Park is stepping behind the camera to bring a graphic novel to life. Park will helm the adaptation of Shortcomings, a graphic novel by cartoonist Adrian Tomine, Deadline reports, with Roadside Attractions and Imminent Collision producing.

Shortcomings follows the life of a group of young Asian Americans living in the Bay Area in the early 2000s as they explore relationships both with each other and outside, navigating questions about race and culture.

“I am such a huge fan of Adrian’s work, and I’m very excited to team with him and Roadside Attractions on this updated, modern take of Shortcomings,” Park said in an official statement. “In these characters, I see version of Asian Americans in my own life, the ones I love and the ones I just kind of tolerate.”

“Shortcomings is a book that’s very close to my heart, and I have long resisted the idea of any adaptation that didn’t feel true to the style and spirit of the material,” said Tomine, who is also penning the screenplay for the adaptation. “Randall, Roadside Attractions, and Imminent Collision immediately impressed me with their passion, insight, and vision for this film. They have been invaluable partners in the process of translating Shortcomings both to the screen as well as to the current time, and I’m honored to be a part of this collaboration.”

“With his adaptation of Shortcomings, Adrian has proven himself not only a brilliant cartoonist but also a talented screenwriter. When Randall came to us with a true artist’s vision for telling this story cinematically, everything clicked into place,” said Roadside Attractions’ senior VP Jennifer Berman.

The project is in early development, and Deadline says the team will be looking to sell the project in the coming weeks, meaning the project is still a ways off. In the meantime, you can catch him on Young Rock, read up on how Park forgot about his hilarious Office cameo (and the awkward interactions it has led to in his real life), or how he got ready to reprise his role as Jimmy Woo in Marvel Studios’ WandaVision.

Ready to start streaming on Twitch but not sure where to begin? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. From must-have gaming gear to pro-level Twitch tips, we asked streamers what they wished someone had told them before they started streaming.

Essential Streaming Gear

Aside from a computer and a game to play, there are three essential pieces of gear you need to start streaming: a microphone, a webcam and some streaming software.

Nothing sends viewers clicking off to another stream faster than distorted or muffled sound. That’s why it’s so important to use a mic that delivers professional on-stream sound.

With a catalog of broadcast-quality microphones, it’s no surprise that Blue is the top choice of gamers and streamers around the world. From USB to XLR, Blue offers a wide range of pro streaming microphones to suit any budget or gaming aesthetic.

When you’re first starting out, it’s best to go with a USB microphone like the Yeti or Yeti X, which plugs directly into your computer and works seamlessly with all of your favorite software. Best of all, Yeti X includes Blue VO!CE audio software, a suite of broadcast vocal effects that give you total control of your sound.

TattedPoodle: “Your mic is going to be the key factor to your success. The way you sound is important because people come for the games but they stay for your entertainment. Blue Yeti was my first mic and it was amazing to use! User friendly, budget friendly, and the quality sounds great.”

As gamers, we tend to geek out over graphics. That’s why it’s important to use a webcam that captures professional-quality video. Logitech offers a variety of pro-grade webcams that streamers love—like StreamCam, which streams and records in full 1080p HD resolution at 60 fps for sharp, natural video with smooth motion and crisp details.

MegKaylee: “Having a webcam can make your stream feel more personable. The Logitech StreamCam gives you a number of options to give your stream a clean and professional look. ”

Finally, you’ll need a live streaming software like Streamlabs to combine your audio, webcam feed and gameplay video into a simple, all-in-one streaming solution. With Streamlabs, you can also personalize your stream with overlays, customize on screen alerts, and multistream to multiple platforms like Twitch, Facebook and YouTube.

Upgrading Your Setup

After you gain some streaming experience, it’s time to level up your equipment. For PC gamers, upgrading your mouse and keyboard can be a great way to improve your performance.

Logitech G’s Wireless Collection features innovative Lightspeed technology, which uses super-fast processing to deliver reliable, low-latency performance. Plus, Lightspeed technology gives you the freedom to move around while streaming without getting tangled up in wires. Lightspeed gaming mice like the G502 and keyboards like the G915 TKL are built for pro-grade performance with features like low-latency connectivity, precision sensors and continuous charging.

SNOWLIT: “I absolutely love my Logitech G502 LIGHTSPEED mouse. There’s no latency, which is great when I play competitively off-stream. It’s still hands-down my favorite mouse.”

SNOWLIT’s streaming rig

As your streaming rig grows, you may want to introduce multiple microphones to accommodate different setups, or even use professional audio equipment like EQs and compressors to enhance your sound. For that, you’ll need a microphone with an XLR connection, like the Blue Blackout Spark SL.

Blackout Spark SL brings Blue’s legendary studio sound to your space. With a professional XLR connection and versatile switches, Blackout Spark SL gives you that broadcast studio voice that will instantly grab your viewers’ attention.

PLEASANTLYTWSTD: “I didn’t consider upgrading my mic and cam until I had more viewers and a steady community, at which point I felt like I owed it to them to get something a little nicer.”

Showing Your Personal Style

According to Streamlabs quarterly report, in 2020, streamers broadcasted a total of 761 million hours of content to Twitch, which can make it difficult to stand out from the crowd. Thankfully, you have something to set yourself apart that no one else has—your personality.

Comfort, style and self-expression are key to being noticed on stream. Logitech G’s Color Collection makes it easy to show off your personal style with gear that combines high-performance tech with fun, vibrant colors. Like the G733 Headset, which features personalizable LED lighting via the free Logitech G HUB app and is ready to customize with a selection of colorful accessories like headband straps and mic covers.

KarimCheese: “When it comes to my setup and personality I enjoy a dark, slick and clean look. Logitech always provides that with their awesome mouse, headset and keyboard designs. It also makes me feel professional and keeps me comfortable on camera when I stream.”

SAMZORZ’ streaming rig.

Streaming Tips From The Pros

Finally, we asked streamers what they wished they would have known when they started streaming. Here are a few of our favorite responses:

SAMZORZ: “The most important piece of advice I’ve always given to those interested in streaming is to have fun. Your audience picks up on everything from your tone, expressions, and mood. If you aren’t having fun, your viewers won’t be either.”

TattedPoodle: “Eat proper meals. Learn to meal prep instead of ordering food all the time. You’ll save a lot of money by cooking. I wish someone would have told me that the majority of my paycheck would be going to UberEats and DoorDash.”

PLEASANTLYTWSTD: “You don’t have to do everything right away. Ease into what you want your channel to become, take your time and build up!”

MegKaylee: “I would pay someone money to time travel back to warn me about the importance of work/life balance. I always heard the ‘If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life’ phrase and thought it was true when I started creating content. I eventually learned that if you work all the time, even if you love it, you can become drained and burnt out. Burnout feels like it just sucks the creativity right out of you, and dealing with it is really frustrating, so I always urge others to avoid it at all costs by making sure to take time for themselves.”

For more streaming tips and advice on how to start your Twitch channel, check out BlueMic.com.

Fortnite Season 6 Week 3 challenges go live on April 1 at 6 am PT / 9 am ET, and one of them requires you to put down your guns and go fishing for a while. You’ll need to collect five fish across Camp Cod, Lake Canoe, or Stealthy Stronghold. As two of those places aren’t written on the map, you might be stuck. Here’s where you can find all three fishing locations for this week’s Fortnite quest.

Catch Fish At Camp Cod, Lake Canoe, Or Stealthy Stronghold

Camp Cod is at the southeastern corner of the map, south of the snowy weather station. You can find fishing poles on the docks on the far right of the landmark.

Lake Canoe is the lake southwest of Dirty Docks. You’ll find many fishing poles there in addition to, appropriately, lots of canoes.

Stealthy Stronghold is easiest, as it’s already named on the map up in the northwestern region of the island. Like Lake Canoe, there are ample fishing poles all over this enclosed jungle region.

To fish, simply cast your fishing pole into the water. It’s usually quickest and most fruitful to do so at the rippling spots in the water, as these indicate a higher likelihood of loot being caught.

If you happen to pull out something other than a fish, simply re-cast your pole until you’ve nabbed five fish in total. It wouldn’t be so tough to find all five at one location assuming you’re not being hunted by other players or chased away by the Storm.

For more Fortnite Season 6 Week 3 challenges, find out how to Eliminate Raptor, Zenith, or Blackheart.

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