Month: September 2024

What’s on your bookshelf?: why have you put pumpkin spice in my grandfather’s ashes edition

Posted on by faz_business


Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week – our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! Once again, the dastardly autumn breezes have blown my schedule all out of whack, so no cool industry person this week. Instead, here is a short excerpt from another weird story I starting writing, also containing poultry for some reason.

Atop the council manse pokes a lone grey-black spire, scorched gruesome and slanted like a broken finger.

Above the hill that holds the manse the sky cracks forever.

Below the hill that lifts the manse the village sits, chirping like electrical wires with the collective crow of the eighty eight ash-grey roosters that mistake the ever-cracking sky for a never ending dawn.

And no-one who lives their wakes, because no-one who lives there sleeps. It’s the roosters, you see. They never stop crowing, so it’s always time to get out of bed.

If you ask the people who live there why they don’t just get rid of the roosters, they’ll say: Well, it’s not their fault. They’re just doing what roosters do. Crowing at cracked sky.

If you ask them why they’ve never tried to find a way to fix the sky, they’ll just say: Well, it was like that when we got here.

If you ask the roosters why the sky is cracked, they tend to just shit themselves, continuing to crow at what they’re quite certain is a never ending dawn.

As always, let me know what you’re reading below, and let us pray for a return to guest-hood next week. That, or I could just get on top of my emails. Book for now!



YoloBox Mini is Marvelous & Amazing!

Posted on by faz_business

In this YouTube video, Anthony from StreamTek introduces the tiny YoloBox Mini. An all-in-one powerhouse in the palm of your hand for live production.

YoloBox Mini is a super portable live streaming encoder, monitor and recorder that is capable of incorporating many powerful features for high end work! As the name suggests, it’s very small compared to almost all other live streaming solutions. You can fit it in your pocket, especially perfect for live events that require high mobility. If you’re looking for a mini but mighty live streaming solution for mobile live streaming needs, YoloBox Mini is your best choice.

Watch the full video from StreamTek below:


visual studio – CMake, VCPKG Manifest Mode installation fails to link and find headers after configuring with cmake

Posted on by faz_business


I’m trying to setup Visual Studio 2022 with some libraries using vcpkg.
I have set my vcpkg.json to something like this, I’m trying to get it working with
manifest mode.

    {
  "name": "whatever",
  "version-string": "whatever",
  "dependencies": [
    "fltk"
  ],
  "builtin-baseline": "6f1ddd6b6878e7e66fcc35c65ba1d8feec2e01f8"
}

I have a CMakeLists.txt file like this:

cmake_minimum_required (VERSION 3.8)
set(CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE "mylocationfor\\vcpkg.cmake")

project ("CMakeProject1")

find_package(FLTK CONFIG REQUIRED)
    
add_executable (test main.cpp)

target_link_libraries(main PRIVATE fltk fltk_gl fltk_forms fltk_images)

After running cmake -B build/ -S ..
I’m trying to roughly follow the documentation here.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/vcpkg/consume/manifest-mode?tabs=cmake%2Cbuild-cmake
But when I do this. I have my main.cpp with some test code like this.

#include <iostream>
#include <FL/Fl.H>
#include <FL/Fl_Window.H>
#include <FL/Fl_Box.H>

int main(int argc, char** argv) {
    Fl_Window* window = new Fl_Window(340, 180);
    Fl_Box* box = new Fl_Box(20, 40, 300, 100, "Hello, World!");
    box->box(FL_UP_BOX);
    box->labelfont(FL_BOLD + FL_ITALIC);
    box->labelsize(36);
    box->labeltype(FL_SHADOW_LABEL);
    window->end();
    window->show(argc, argv);
    return Fl::run();
}

I can generate but can’t build this, as it says it can’t find the FL headers.
I understand I can try to set the headers manually in project properties but even then it doesn’t seem to be linking the library properly.
A vcpkg list says no packages are installed, I can also run vcpkg install instead of through cmake then vcpkg list shows me stuff. But obviously CMake places the
“vcpkg_installed” folder within my root/build/ folder. And I’ve checked that the headers and libraries are there.

How can I get the IDE to actually find the headers and link properly after configuring and then trying to build? Isn’t this meant to be automatically found when I configure and build. Also I’m not sure if manifest mode is enabled (when doing the cmake configure to get dependencies) as I can’t seem to find the location on VS2022, everything I try follow has VS2019 and they set it through Project Properties -> vcpkg and enable it there but I can’t find anything of the sort on 2022.

Suunto Race review: Near the finish line

Posted on by faz_business


I received a Suunto Race review unit in mid-May, only for Suunto to release a newer Race S the following month with doubled heart rate LEDs, a lighter design, and few downgrades for $100 less. That, along with a bundle of Wear OS watches from Samsung, Google, and OnePlus to test all summer, put it on my back burner.

So yes, this Suunto Race review is nearly a year out of date from its late 2023 launch. It stayed in my mind, though, because it has most of the main ingredients I want in a modern running watch: a bright AMOLED display (sorry, MIP fans), a 16-day battery life, dual-band GPS, training load data borrowed straight from TrainingPeaks, downloadable topographic maps, and a unique app store for downloading niche training tools.

How to Get Into Gonzo Journalism

Posted on by faz_business


If you wanted to learn about how to get into gonzo journalism or the history behind it, keep reading.

Originally credited to Hunter S. Thompson, gonzo journalism is the style of writing where you’re covering a topic or event, but you’re mixing your own thoughts and experiences into the writing.

Traditionally in journalism, you do not mention yourself at all and are supposed to stay objective throughout your reporting. You’re just an observer trying to give the facts as accurately as you can.

With gonzo journalism, you are almost a character in the story and it matters who you are and how you see the world or go through some experiences.

You’re still reporting on the event or topic you’re covering, but it’s from a much more personalized angle than you would as a traditional reporter.

In the current world, we see more first-person reporting than back then, especially with people able to publish their own content online. It’s a style audiences are used to reading compared to before it started to be published.

At the time that gonzo journalism started to become popular, it was a new form of writing that most people had not yet experienced.

Throughout this article, we’re going to go through the history of gonzo journalism, what makes it different than other types of writing, and how you can get into writing these types of pieces if that is your goal.

What is gonzo journalism?

According to Wikipedia, “The word ‘gonzo’ is believed to have been first used in 1970 to describe an article about the Kentucky Derby by Hunter S. Thompson, who popularized the style.”

Bill Cardoso, an editor at the Boston Globe, said, “‘Gonzo’ was South Boston Irish slang describing the last man standing after an all-night drinking marathon.”

This is a perfect description of Thompson’s style of writing and how he approached journalism.

Gonzo journalism is a style of writing that takes out objectivity and is written as a first-person narrative. There is often a level of satire mixed with social critique where the writer is the protagonist throughout the piece.

When practicing gonzo journalism, your background and perspective as a writer is essential to include.

While Thompson had a brash-style of writing, not all gonzo journalism is as edgy. Sometimes it’s simply personalized news reporting.

What is an example of gonzo journalism?

One of the first published pieces of gonzo journalism is the sports article “The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved” by Hunter S. Thompson.

Instead of writing about the Kentucky Derby and reporting the facts of the event, Thompson wrote about the drunken debauchery in the local city and the area around the Derby itself. He shared his own thoughts and experiences as he went through the event while also reporting on the surrounding events.

Cardoso (editor at The Boston Globe), loved the piece and said, “This is it, this is pure Gonzo. If this is a start, keep rolling.”

This piece kicked off what was called the “new journalism movement” where journalists started to push the boundaries and reach outside the traditional rules of journalism.

Another famous piece that displays gonzo journalism is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson. While it is technically fiction, it is written in the gonzo journalism style.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a great book to read if you want to fully immerse yourself in this style of writing and learn how it works.

Outside of Thompson, Tom Wolfe is another famous gonzo journalist. His book, The New Journalism, outlined how journalism was starting to change and the new writers leading the charge.

Lester Bangs from Rolling Stone magazine is one of the first gonzo journalists to bring this style of writing to music. (You might know him better from the movie Almost Famous where he’s played by Philip Seymour Hoffman.)

Bangs brought his own experiences and thoughts to his writing, which music journalists hadn’t done up until that point.

gonzo journalism
Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/Hb6uWq0i4MI

Why is it called gonzo journalism?

Gonzo journalism is rumored to be called that due to a comment made by Cardoso when he was describing “The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved.”

It’s a slang term from the Boston Irish meaning “the last man standing,” and it was an apt description for Thompson’s satirical writing.

Thompson believed that journalism could never be truly objective. He thought that personal bias played a role in all journalism because writers are human. Because he operated from this belief, he birthed an entire new style of journalism.

How to get into gonzo journalism

If you want to become a gonzo journalist, you’re going to need a unique perspective and writing voice.

So much of this type of writing is based on style and personality as opposed to following traditional journalism writing style.

If you come from an academic writing or journalism background, you’ll need to practice writing creatively and injecting your opinion. This will feel foreign at first!

Most schools do not teach how to inject your main character persona into your writing, so it can be a steep learning curve.

However, it’s a good time to get into gonzo reporting because there’s more examples to follow and ways to learn than ever before.

You can also start to publish your own work online (on a website or social media) faster than people could before where they had to go through traditional publishing routes.

Find stories that others would care about

While it would be great to write journal-style posts all day and draw in readers, what separates that from gonzo journalism is that there’s an event or particular topic that is being covered.

You’ll want to find interesting angles and people to cover so you can include your own experiences, thoughts, and opinions.

For example, you could write a personalized story about attending Comic Con in your city and your own experiences at it.

You could grow your career by either writing about a certain type of niche or you could grow your career by having a writing voice that stands out.

Work on your writing style

It can be hard to write in a gonzo journalism style since it goes against what most of us were taught in school.

If you’re like me, we were taught that even writing “I” or any first-person stories were always a no-no.

You’ll want to practice sharing your own thoughts and experiences in a first-person narrative.

Telling your own stories and mixing them into what you’re currently experiencing is hard, but it’s necessary to get your style where it needs to be.

Immerse yourself in a topic or experience

One of the top ways you’re going to get your foot in the door of this industry is by having pieces to show editors.

You’re going to have to start publishing pieces as much as you can, even if it’s on your own website.

Ideally, you can find a publication to share your work, but all of us have to start somewhere. If you have to start on your own website, it’s a perfectly great place to start getting the ball rolling.

Submit and pitch your work

Once you have some samples published, you’re going to need to get them into the hands of as many editors as you can.

You’ll need to think deeply about why they would want to publish your work and what they get out of it.

You’ll want to come up with stories and unique angles to work on in your pitches so you can get an editor excited about green lighting an article for you.

If you’re wondering what opportunities exist for freelance writers in 2024 (hint: there are plenty!) then make sure to register for the free webinar coming up on September 26, 2024 called How to Successfully Break Into Journalism in 2024! You’ll learn about the different types of journalism and what you may best be suited for, and the top skills successful journalists need and what it can lead to.

EmuDeck is slowly taking over my PC gaming setup

Posted on by faz_business


I was once like you. I thought EmuDeck was just a quick and easy way to set up emulators on my Steam Deck, and despite using it for years, I never thought more of it than that. But slowly over the past few months, EmuDeck has become one of the most essential apps I have installed on my gaming PC.

EmuDeck showed up on the scene in 2022, originally built as a “collection of scripts that allows you to autoconfigure your Steam Deck” for emulation. It will install your emulators, configure them, create directories for your games, and hook into apps like Steam ROM Manager so you can see all of your emulated games in your Steam Deck library. It’s been an essential tool for retro and emulation enthusiasts since release, but EmuDeck has grown into something much more powerful — and it’s not slowing down.

Always humble beginnings

A suite of retro games in the Steam Deck library.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Although most of the documentation for EmuDeck is signed by the “EmuDeck team,” a sole developer remains the main producer of the project — DragoonDorise on GitHub. Speaking with the developer, he told me that the Steam Deck actually wasn’t the inspiration behind the project. “The very first code I built was because when I bought my Odin,” he told me. The Odin is a handheld emulator built on Android. “I didn’t want to do all the setup manually again.”

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming

EmuDeck was originally built for Android, and it was under the name Pegasus Installer. “Everything started with the RetroidPocket 2 and the Pegasus frontend. Setting that up was a chore, so I tried to automate it,” the developer told me. Eventually, the Steam Deck was revealed, and DragoonDorise said it was “a huge deal” for him. “I was lucky enough to get [a Steam Deck] on the first wave and that’s how EmuDeck was born. It took me a weekend to release the first version, and boy, it was rough… but it worked.”

Pegasus Installer became EmuDeck, and at first, it was just for the Steam Deck. Given the handheld form factor and problems getting around desktop mode without a keyboard and mouse, EmuDeck made perfect sense. If nothing else, it minimized the amount of time you’d need to spend on the desktop, all while installing and configuring everything you need through a single, easy-to-use package. But it didn’t stop there.

Eventually, the ROG Ally came out, following on the Steam Deck’s success. And EmuDeck responded in kind by developing a Windows version of the utility. Now, you’ll find installers for SteamOS, Windows, ChimeraOS, Android, and general Linux distros. You can get EmuDeck on just about any platform now as a quick and easy way to set up your emulators, but I’ve been so drawn to the utility for everything it does beyond its core function.

More than emulation

Cloud sync settings in the EmuDeck apps.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

EmuDeck could’ve stopped at just being a utility that automatically configures a bunch of emulators, but it’s grown to encompass a ton of additional features. Here’s a sampling:

  • Compressor — Compresses your ROM library to reduce its size.
  • Auto save — Automatically saves your progress in emulated games when closing them so you don’t need to manually create a save state.
  • Cloud sync — Uses an online storage service like Box or Google Drive to store and sync your save files for emulated games.
  • EmuDecky — A plug-in specifically for the Steam Deck that allows you to access emulator hotkeys from the Steam Deck’s game mode.
  • Local multiplayer — Allows you to start local multiplayer games for emulated titles.
  • Rom Library — A dedicated second Steam Library for the Steam Deck filled only with emulated games.
  • Game mode — A tool that bypasses Windows processes to launch directly into Steam Big Picture mode.

That is just a sampling, too. EmuDeck has a slew of smaller features, from a BIOS checker to Retro Achievements support to migration utilities that allow you to carry your entire library to other systems. All of these features were developed on top of the “gazillion of hours invested in testing” of the core of EmuDeck, too, according to DragoonDorise.

Homebrew games in EmuDeck.
There’s even a collection of homebrew games built into the app. Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Although I’ve used most of EmuDeck’s features on various machines, game mode has really made the difference in the way I play PC games. As anyone who’s tried to set up a console-like PC knows all too well, you need a keyboard and mouse on hand to at least get into whatever controller-support interface you’re using (usually Steam), and even then, notifications, start-up apps, and other pesky windows can get in the way. With game mode, I’m finally able to have the console-like PC experience I’ve dreamt about for years.

Rebirth of the Steam Machine

An Origin PC Steam Machine.
Digital Trends

Ever since Valve tried (and failed) to get the Steam Machine to catch on, there’s been countless attempts to make a small form factor PC behave like a console. You start it, grab a controller, and plop down on the couch to start playing games. Although there are ways to get close to that experience — specifically with Linux distros like ChimeraOS or HoloISO — you’ve always needed to settle either for a portable keyboard or spotty compatibility due to Linux. Game mode gets around that entire issue.

DragoonDorise describes it like this: “What it does is replace your Windows desktop with Steam, so it boots faster into Big Picture mode — it’s kind of like a Steam Deck.” You can already have Steam immediately launch into Big Picture mode — the controller-friendly interface that mirrors the Steam Deck — and you can set Steam as a startup app. But game mode is doing more than that in EmuDeck.

Game mode inside of EmuDeck.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

From what I can tell, it’s doing two main things. First and most important is that it never starts (or at least significantly limits) Windows File Explorer. You might think of File Explorer as just a way to browse your files, but the process in Windows actually does a lot more. It commands the taskbar, your desktop wallpaper, the Start menu, and even your desktop icons. EmuDeck runs a PowerShell script to bypass all of the junk you don’t need for a living room setup and goes directly into Big Picture mode. It takes only a few seconds — if I don’t turn on my TV fast enough, I’ll completely miss the script running.

The other thing it does is suppress notifications and other windows that try to go on top of the Big Picture interface. In my case, I have a VPN installed on my living room PC, along with an outdated AMD driver that I don’t use. I may get everything in order for the PCs I use for work, but when I’m sitting down to relax and game, I’m lazy. They aren’t causing problems, and I couldn’t care less. Both want to command the screen when I sit down and power on my PC and EmuDeck’s game mode stands in the way to block them.

The Registry Editor in Windows 11.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

As impressive as game mode is, it can’t actually log you into Windows. Thankfully, I’ve found a simple way around that if you aren’t concerned about security. Go to the Registry Editor and head to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device. Then, set the value of DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion to 0. Restart your PC, press Windows + R and enter netplwiz. Uncheck the box that requires a password, click Apply, enter your current password, and you’re done.

With this setup, I’m able to press the power button on my PC, turn on a controller, and start playing. Since I started using EmuDeck in this way, I haven’t had to break out a Bluetooth keyboard. It feels like I’m properly playing on a console — just with much better performance.

An essential app

Settings in the EmuDeck app.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

EmuDeck started as a way to set up emulators on the Steam Deck, but it’s become a critical part of my PC setup since then. Never since I installed Special K — make sure to read my column on that app — have I found something that will go on any new PC I build. Game mode is the main draw for me, but I’ve engaged with EmuDeck’s other features, too. I have a treasure trove of ROMs on an external hard drive, and EmuDeck allows me to sync my saves between my PC and Steam Deck, as well as keep my configuration consistent between devices.

Even better, most of what EmuDeck offers is free. New features, particularly those developed by EmuDeck alone, first show up for members of its Patreon, but you can get a lot of functionality out of EmuDeck — including its core function of setting up emulators — free of charge. And if you want to sign up and get the latest features, it’ll run you about $35 per year.

Since installing EmuDeck, I’ve played retro classics I would’ve never touched, modded modern games in ways I never thought was possible, and let my consoles gather dust as I transition all of my gaming to PC. If you’re even remotely interested in emulation, give EmuDeck a shot — you’ll be impressed by how powerful it really is.






Copycat Free Download (v2024.09.19) – WorldofPCGames

Posted on by faz_business


Copycat Free Download By Worldofpcgames

Copycat Direct Download:

Copycat is a narrative-driven indie game about a pet who learns to deal with abandonment, and a human forced to surrender. Together, two souls go on a journey to discover the meaning of family and home. The game’s colourful visuals delight the senses while exploring dark thematic depths. Journey on an emotional rollercoaster that pulls at the heartstrings and reminds you how it feels to be left behind. We follow the tale of Dawn, a sceptical shelter cat who would much rather be in the wild than be readopted again. Dawn actually believes she is a wild cat. And plans on escaping as soon as she gets the chance. Dawn has second thoughts when she meets new owner Olive, a lonely older Aussie mourning the disappearance of her beloved furry companion. Together Dawn and Olive develop an intimate friendship, as two broken hearts mend one another and learn to beat as one. Forklift Simulator

Everything changes when Olive falls ill, and a stray copycat steals Dawn’s place in the home—forcing Dawn onto the streets. Wander alleyways, fences and rooftops as you learn about the true meaning of home. The reflective pacing of the game allows you the opportunity to indulge in the emotions of love, loneliness and letting go as you progress throughout the story. Copycat is fully voice acted, featuring hours of dialogue and a talented voice cast. Original music score by Daniel Bunting.

Features and System Requirements:

  • The game is designed for group play, making it an excellent choice for parties or gatherings. Multiple players compete to out-copy their opponents, adding a social and interactive dimension.
  • Different game modes or challenges keep the game fresh and exciting, with opportunities to customize rules for a unique experience each time.
  • While skillful mimicry and strategy play key roles, there is also an element of luck involved, ensuring that every player has a chance to win.

Screenshots

System Requirements

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10/11 (64 bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5-4690K (3.5 GHz) / AMD FX-8300 (3.3 GHz)
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: GeForce RTX 2080 / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT (8 GB VRAM)
Storage: 20 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam

Installation Guide

Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game

1 :: Download Game
2 :: Extract Game
3 :: Launch The Game
4 :: Have Fun 🙂

Why Frostpunk 2 is A True and Creatively Necessary Sequel

Posted on by faz_business


In the corridors of 11 Bit Studios, there’s an old saying: the hardest challenge for a band is recording a second album that surpasses the debut. This sentiment echoed through our minds when thinking about a sequel to Frostpunk. The first game was designed not necessarily to be followed by a direct sequel but to establish a world that could host different kinds of games. And yet, here we are, more than six years later, on the eve of Frostpunk 2’s launch on Windows PC and PC Game Pass.

Frostpunk 2 screenshot

Creating something new always comes from a desire to say something fresh—whether it’s a new idea, a new story, or an innovative gameplay experience. The challenge for us was to ensure we had something meaningful to say about life in a post-apocalyptic city that would resonate just as deeply as the first game, but on a much larger and more evolved scale. We wanted to explore new aspects of human survival that felt both familiar and entirely new, delivering a true and creatively necessary sequel.

It didn’t feel right to simply have players survive a harsher winter or a more violent storm. That wouldn’t push the boundaries or fulfil our ambitions. By late 2019, the vision for Frostpunk 2 had begun to take shape, taking a significant step beyond basic survival. A 30-year leap forward, in fact—because that’s how much time has passed between the first and second games. While the original Frostpunk was all about keeping a single city alive and holding onto hope in an all-freezing world of despair, the sequel treats society itself like a fluid. Humanity has tamed the frost, and now it’s time to grapple with ideologies and visions of the future.

Frostpunk 2 screenshot

As the newly elected Steward, replacing the deceased Captain, it’s the player’s role to manage this fluid society—a society that can flow, boil, or even ignite. Players must navigate the needs of factions, knowing when to push for votes, even if it means becoming entangled in a web of conflicting promises. Sometimes, it’s better to step back, letting the whims of delegates play out, and observe the consequences. Frostpunk 2 is not about authoritarian rule, but about political and ideological conflict.

The “society survival” aspect of the first game is elevated in Frostpunk 2. To truly feel the weight of long-term decisions, we’ve scaled up the game. Instead of days, weeks and months pass. Instead of constructing individual buildings, you’ll be building entire districts. The societal impact is also more profound in Utopia Builder mode, which is similar to the Endless mode from the original game. Here, players can freely develop their cities and societies, unhindered by the narrative constraints of the campaign.

Frostpunk 2 screenshot

And for those eager to take their creativity further, we’re introducing mod support with our Frostkit tool. Starting in beta, it will eventually allow players to modify nearly every aspect of the game—from maps and models to entire scenarios. With all of this, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome players back to the frozen world of Frostpunk 2, launching today for Windows PC, with Game Pass.


Frostpunk 2

Frostpunk 2

11 bit studios


☆☆☆☆☆


★★★★★


Frostpunk 2 elevates the city-survival genre to a new level. Take the role of a Steward and lead your city through a cascade of calamities taking place in a postapocalyptic, snowy setting. Build large city districts with their string of endless needs and demands. Navigate through conflicting interests of factions that populate your metropolis. As the needs of the city grow and factional power at its core rises, only you can steer the society towards an uncertain future.

The city grows
The world is overtaken by an ever present winter, which makes expansion of the city the only way for the survival of mankind. In order to grow, the metropolis needs resources like coal and oil, just like its citizens require food and warmth. In Frostpunk 2, it’s your job to tackle this never ending circle of supply and demand.

City districts
Your city is divided into zones serving different purposes, such as housing or extraction. It’s up to you to build new ones and make sure that those already existing work in perfect unison.

Special buildings
In time, you will have to build places like City Hall or Research Institute. Inside these buildings, you will put forth laws and projects to ensure that your city develops in the proper direction.

Colonies
To ensure that your city growth will not falter, you have to venture into the frostland. There, you can build extensive colonies that will provide all the necessary resources.

Perlis of human nature
The number of your citizens steadily grows, making the task of governing them and satisfying their demands all the more challenging. As the Steward you will have to maneuver carefully across the interests of many groups inhabiting the city.

New Londoners
Your citizens can form communities and factions, each with different ideas for the city’s future. In the Council Hall you’ll put forth laws and negotiate them with the faction’s delegates.

Council Hall
Support of every faction inside the Council Hall costs dearly, as one’s faction ascension breeds discontent among others. That means you have to carefully think through every alliance.

Towards progress
The Research Institute is where you forge the city’s future. Each new project must be entrusted to a faction, forcing you to maneuver and form strategic alliances.

Factions
People of your city want to have a voice in how you run things. Each faction has its own ideology and ideas for the future, yet they also have one thing in common – insatiable thirst for power. Choose your allies in the Council Hall wisely.

Story Mode and Utopia Builder
The story of Frostpunk 2 introduces a multi-chapter saga set in the frozen wastes. Spanning across the life of the Steward this campaign lets you feel the burden of leadership as you take the responsibility for thousands of lives. At the same time, the sandbox mode called Utopia Builder with infinite play time leaves you room for boundless social and infrastructural experiments.

Google antitrust trial, two weeks in: What’s transpired so far

Posted on by faz_business



The US Department of Justice (DoJ) is set to wrap its case in the Google antitrust trial, after an eventful two weeks in the courtroom.

The tech giant is accused of engaging in monopolistic behavior by strategically acquiring certain companies and controlling the adtech industry’s most widely-used tools and exchanges. The lawsuit was filed in 2023 by the DoJ and a coalition of eight states seeking to “restore competition” on the web.

The trial began on September 9, and the DoJ has been laying out its case that Google has attempted to monopolize control of the ad network, server, and exchange, beginning with its acquisition of advertising company DoubleClick in 2008.

Lawyers for the government argued that the move made Google’s ad server the default choice and left publishers with few alternatives. By integrating its ad exchange and server, Google has an unfair edge in ad auctions, and it manipulates auction rules and drives up cost, the DoJ alleged. Advertisers taking the stand — including Gannett, NewsCorp, Index Exchange, The Trade Desk, Scope3 and others — have backed up these allegations, stating that they have felt trapped by Google’s tactics, and at the same time felt compelled to use the company’s products to remain competitive.

Notably, the DoJ obtained numerous seemingly damning internal Google emails and presentations suggesting that the company was fully aware of the advantage it would gain through the DoubleClick grab and how it would impact competitors.

For instance, in 2009, Google’s former president of global display advertising, David Rosenblatt, said in an email that Google’s control of the ad market would be akin to owning both Goldman Sachs and the New York Stock Exchange. “If we execute …we’ll be able to crush other networks, and that’s our goal,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, current and former Google executives and managers have been caught contradicting themselves when presented with such emails, brushing them off or attempting to talk their way around them.

For its part, Google argued that the government is focusing on just a narrow sliver of the advertising market (that is, banner ads at the top and sides of web pages). In an opening slide deck, it said that the ad technology industry is “intensely competitive, with new entrants all the time.” The company claimed that there is “no monopoly power,” and that its share in a “two-sided market” has decreased even as the company’s revenue has increased.

Further, Google is arguing that sellers and buyers are free to choose multiple ad tech tools (and do); that it makes its products interoperable with those of its rivals; and that it has sought to create value for advertisers, publishers and users. In 2024, “this is the commercial reality,” the company said.

Google, which will soon have to begin its defense, is said to have earned $200 billion in 2023 alone through ad placement and sales.

The case will ultimately be decided by a judge (what’s known as a “bench trial.”) Google avoided a jury trial by making a roughly $2.3 million payment to the DoJ. The $2,289,751 check covers a portion of the damages sought by the plaintiffs, and ensures that a judge will make the final decision in the case. Google’s team of lawyers described it as a strategic decision that will help ensure a quicker resolution.

This is the second antitrust trial faced by Google in the last two years. Earlier this year, the company lost a case centered around its search business; Judge Amit Mehta ruled that the company had engaged in anticompetitive behavior to maintain its dominance, calling Google a “monopolist.” The penalties attached to that ruling are as yet unannounced.

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