PC Requirements for Sea of Thieves Revealed
Microsoft and Rare have released the PC system requirements for the upcoming Sea of Thieves, ranging from the "Mythical" 4K 60 FPS all the way down to the "Cursed" 540p 30 FPS.
designed to support a wide range of PC setups and ensure many gamers are able to enjoy the game" the developer said in a press release.
Check out six different sets of specs, and how well they can output your game, in the chart below (click to enlarge):
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Sea of Thieves Has a Very Smart Approach to Server Size
It's never been quite clear how many players will be able to fit in a Sea of Thieves server, and it turns out there's a very good reason for that - Rare's approach to servers is very different to most online games, meaning there's no definitive answer.
The developer's focus is on keeping player encounters regular, but not too frequent - the magic number is apparently to see another ship, on average, every fifteen minutes to half an hour, making every encounter different, as well as giving non-violent players the chance to escape.
But in a map as large and spread out as Sea of Thieves', a high number of players might still be too spread out, or a small group too bunched together, to keep that magic number in check. The solution for Rare is to focus on the distance between players in a server, not just how many players are on that server.
Sea of Thieves Dev Explains Why the Maximum Crew Is 4 Players
Sea of Thieves will launch with a maximum crew size (and therefore party size) of four.
Lead designer Mike Chapman confirmed to IGN that the party size from the game's beta would continue into the full game, saying that the key element for Rare was in how larger groups would (or wouldn't) communicate:
"The biggest ship was designed for four," Chapman explained when asked why that became the maximum. "We've looked at feedback and of course there's people who want an 8-player ship, a 10-player ship. The thinking there, as with everything in this game, is really intentful.
"If the two of us were to go out to the pub together with two other friends, you've got that intimate relationship, you're all getting on together. If it becomes six or eight people, you start getting people splintering off and it's really hard to communicate - four seems like the magic number."
Sea of Thieves Will Add Microtransactions Around 3 Months After Release
Sea of Thieves will launch without microtransactions, but will add them in its first major content update, planned for around three months after release - but they'll be for cosmetic rewards only, and won't feature loot boxes.
During a visit to Rare, executive producer Joe Neate told IGN:
"Our focus at launchon a great game experience. When we deliver this first major update, that's when we'll turn on the ability for players to spend money optionally.
"We thought long and hard about what's right for our game experience, and the key thing we think is that it has to add to the fun, social nature of the game. So anything in this area will not impact power or progression, and you'll always know what you're getting - so that means no loot crates."
Sea of Thieves: How It Starts, What You’re Aiming For, and Kraken Attacks
The more we’ve seen of Sea of Thieves, the clearer it’s become that the simple act of playing it will be fun. Its mix of gentle action and almost hardcore seafaring (seriously, you try manning a galleon with three people who don’t know how sails work) is immediately engaging and, more importantly, hilarious.
But what bookends that moment-to-moment play has remained resolutely mysterious since the game’s announcement - how does Sea of Thieves begin, what’s the story, and what are we working towards? After visiting Rare and talking to several of the game’s developers and producers, finally we have some answers.
Let’s begin at the beginning. Sea of Thieves will open with you choosing your pirate. “Choosing” is a deliberate choice of words - this isn’t character customisation. Rare’s made a purposeful decision not to include slider-filled menus. Instead, you begin in a tavern, with eight procedurally-generated pirates to inspect. They’re created based on twenty different parameters - everything from age, to body shape, to overall ‘wonkiness’ (essentially, how asymmetrical they are) - leading to a “practically infinite” number of variations. If you don’t like the 8 you’re shown, you can regenerate another 8 as many times as you like until you find a favourite.
Letsplay.Live Opens Esports Broadcast Studio in Auckland
A state of the art esports studio has been opened at Auckland's Sky Tower, thanks to a partnership between LetsPlay.Live and the SKYCITY Entertainment Group.
LPL Studios features both PC and Console Booths
With dedicated PC and console booths, commentary and analysis desks and the aim to broadcast in 4K or HD, the launch of LPL Studios is a big step for Australasian esports.
Secret X-Men Movie ‘143’ Reportedly in the Works
A new X-Men movie is reportedly in the works at Fox with prolific comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis on script duties and Deadpool helmer Tim Miller in the director's chair, and if substantiated it looks like it's a Kitty Pryde solo movie.
Deadline reports that little is known about the project other than it is set in the X-Men Universe, and has the title '143'. X-Men comic fans might surmise that the title could refer to Uncanny X-Men #143, in which Kitty Pryde faces off against a demon in the X-mansion at Christmas-time. Indeed, with Miller attached and the 143 nod, all signs point to the solo film for Kitty Pryde that was rumored last month. This could still be interrupted by the Disney buyout of Fox, however.
Monster Hunter World Shines a Light on Our Guilt
As a newcomer to this series, the first time I saw an injured monster in Monster Hunter World lying down, like a dog crawling under the deck to die, I thought its AI had glitched out. After all, this was a video game enemy, a ‘monster’ - it’s in the name. It shouldn’t lie down in defeat, it should keep fighting me, tooth and nail, until one of us drops dead. As a relatively unimportant part of Monster Hunter World’s ecosystem, that was surely its destiny.
But it didn’t. It lay there, having limped away, its body torn open by my weapon, muscle shredded and flesh skinned. I hesitated, but admit to a brief flash of selfish glee - it’s given up! I can kill it! - and swung my sword at its resting head. After another short skirmish to finish it off, I was rewarded with a ‘Main Objective Complete’ popup - here we were, back in Video Game Land, where things made sense - and I was soon skinning its corpse for parts. That first time, I admit I didn’t really enjoy doing it. I mean, I attacked it when it was lying down.
The New Face of Kick-Ass Debuts This Week
With dozens of comic books to choose from, let us show you which are the best coming out this week. Take a look at this list spotlighting our favorite comics that we know are money-well-spent and new books that look cool and are backed by some top-tier talent.
Once you check out our picks, then head to the comments to let us know what you’ll be buying this week!
Writer Mark Millar | Artist John Romita (Image Comics)