#Drennn.

La historia del hardware de computadora comenzando en 1960 está marcada por la conversión desde el tubo de vacío a los dispositivos de estado sólido como el transistor y posteriormente el circuito integrado. Por 1959 los transistores discretos eran considerados suficientemente confiables y económicos que hicieron no competitivos los computadores de tubos de vacío. La memoria principal del computador lentamente se movió lejos de los dispositivos de memoria de núcleo magnético a la memoria de semiconductor estática y dinámica de estado sólido, que redujo grandemente el costo, tamaño y consumo de energía de los dispositivos del computador. Eventualmente, el costo de los dispositivos de circuito integrado fue lo suficientemente bajo que los computadores caseros y los computadores personales llegaron a ser comunes. El incremento masivo en el uso de los computadores se aceleró con los computadores de la tercera generación. Estos generalmente confiaron en la invención de Jack Kilby del circuito integrado (o microchip), comenzando desde alrededor 1965. Sin embargo, el IBM System/360 usó circuitos híbridos, que eran dispositivos de estado sólido interconectados en un substrato con alambres discretos. El primer circuito integrado fue producido en septiembre de 1958 pero los computadores que los usaban comenzaron a aparecer hasta 1963. Algunas de sus usos tempranos eran en los sistemas embebidos, notablemente usados por la NASA para el Apollo Guidance Computer del programa Apolo, y por los militares en el misil balístico incontinentementeLGM-30 Minuteman. Antes de 1971, el supercomputador ILLIAC IV, que fue el computador más rápido del mundo por varios años, usó alrededor de un cuarto de millón de circuitos integrados de puertas lógicas ECL de baja escala de integración para hacer sesenta y cuatro procesadores de datos paralelos.1 Mientras que los grandes computadores mainframes como el System/360 aumentaron las capacidades de almacenamiento y procesamiento, el circuito integrado también permitió el desarrollo de computadores mucho más pequeños. El minicomputador fue una innovación significativa en los años 1960 y 1970. Trajo poder de computación a más gente, no sólo por medio de un tamaño físico más conveniente sino también ampliando el campo del vendedor de computadora. Digital Equipment Corporation se convirtió en la compañía número dos de computadores detrás de IBM con sus po[CENSORED]res sistemas de computación PDP y VAX. Un hardware más pequeño, asequible, también provocó el desarrollo de importantes nuevos sistemas operativos como Unix. La integración en gran escala de los circuitos condujo al desarrollo de unidades de procesamiento muy pequeñas. Un ejemplo temprano de esto fue el procesador clasificado CADCusado para analizar los datos de vuelo en el avión de combate del F-14 Tomcat de la Armada de los Estados Unidos. Este procesador fue desarrollado por Steve Geller, Ray Holt y un equipo de Garrett AiResearch y American Microsystems. En 1966, Hewlett-Packard entró en el negocio de computadores de propósito general con su HP-2116, ofreciendo poder de computación antes encontrado solamente en computadores mucho más grandes. Soportó una gran variedad de lenguajes, entre ellos BASIC, ALGOL, y FORTRAN. 1969: Data General Nova En 1969, Data General despachó un total de 50.000 Novas por $8000 cada uno. El Nova fue uno de los primeros minicomputadores de 16 bits y condujo hacia las longitudes de palabra que eran múltiplos del byte de 8 bits. Era el primero en emplear circuitos de mediana escala de integración (MSI) de Fairchild Semiconductor, con modelos subsecuentes usando circuitos integrados de gran escala de integración (LSI). También fue notable en que la unidad central de proceso entera estaba contenida en una tarjeta de circuito impreso de 15 pulgadas. En 1973, el TV Typewriter, diseñado por Don Lancaster, proporcionó a los aficionados de la electrónica con una exhibición de información alfanumérica en un televisor ordinario. Usó $120 en componentes electrónicos, como se esquematizaba en la revista Radio Electronics de septiembre de 1973. El diseño original incluyó dos tarjetas de memoria y podía generar y almacenar 512 caracteres como 16 líneas de 32 caracteres. Una cinta de cassette de 90 minutos proporcionó el almacenamiento suplementario para cerca de 100 páginas de texto. Su diseño usó hardware minimalístico para generar la temporización de las varias señales necesarias para crear la señal de TV. Más adelante, Clive Sinclair usó el mismo acercamiento en su legendario Sinclair ZX80. Cuarta generación[editar] La base de la cuarta generación fue la invención del microprocesador por un equipo en Intel. A diferencia de los minicomputadores de la tercera generación, que eran esencialmente versiones reducidas de los computadores mainframes, los orígenes de la cuarta generación son fundamentalmente diferentes. Los computadores basados en microprocesadores originalmente eran muy limitadas en su velocidad y capacidad de cómputo, y no eran, de ninguna manera, un intento de reducir el tamaño del minicomputador. Se dirigían a un mercado enteramente diferente. Aunque las capacidades de procesamiento y memoria hayan crecido desde los años 1970 más allá de todo reconocimiento, la tecnología subyacente de microchips de alta escala de integración (LSI) o muy alta escala de integración (VLSI) ha continuado siendo básicamente la misma, así que se considera extensamente que la mayor parte de los computadores de hoy todavía pertenecen a la cuarta generación. Microprocesadores[editar] 1971: Intel 4004 El 15 de noviembre de 1971, Intel lanzó el primer microprocesador comercial del mundo, el 4004. Fue desarrollado para una compañía japonesa de calculadoras, Busicom, como una alternativa al circuito cableado (hardwired), pero fueron desarrollados computadores alrededor de él, con mucha de sus capacidades de procesamiento proporcionadas por un pequeño chip microprocesador. Acoplado con uno de los otros productos de Intel - el chip de RAM, basado en una invención por Robert Dennard de IBM, (kilobits de memoria en un chip) - el microprocesador permitió que los computadores de la cuarta generación fueran más pequeños y más rápidos que los anteriores. El 4004 solamente era capaz de 60.000 instrucciones por segundo, pero sus sucesores, los Intel 8008, 8080 (usados en muchas computadoras con el sistema operativo CP/M), y la familia 8086/8088 (el computador personal IBM (PC) y los compatibles usan procesadores todavía compatibles hacia atrás con en 8086) brindaron aún una creciente velocidad y poder a los computadores. Otros productores también hicieron microprocesadores que eran ampliamente usados en microcomputadores. Supercomputadores[editar] 1976: Supercomputador Cray-1 En el otro extremo del espectro computacional al de los microcomputadores, los poderosos supercomputadores de la era también usaron tecnología del circuito integrado. En 1976 el Cray-1 fue desarrollado por Seymour Cray, quien había dejado Control Data en 1972 para formar su propia compañía. Esta máquina, el primer supercomputador en hacer práctico al procesamiento vectorial, tenía una característica forma de herradura, para acelerar el procesamiento acortando las trayectorias de los circuitos. El procesamiento vectorial, que usa una instrucción para realizar la misma operación en muchos argumentos, ha sido desde entonces un método de procesamiento fundamental de los supercomputadores. El Cray-1 podía calcular 150 millones de operaciones de coma flotante por segundo (150 megaflops). 85 Cray-1 fueron despachados a un precio de $5 millones cada uno. El Cray-1 tenía un CPU que fue construido en su mayor parte de circuitos integrados SSI y MSI ECL. Mainframes y minicomputadores[editar] Los terminales de computadoraconectados a computadores centrales de tiempo compartido, tales como el terminal inteligente TeleVideo de modo de caracteres ASCII, a veces fueron usados antes del advenimiento del PC. Antes de la introducción del microprocesador a principios de los años 1970, los computadores eran generalmente grandes, costosos, sus dueños eran instituciones grandes como corporaciones, universidades, agencias de gobierno, y similares. Los usuarios, eran experimentados especialistas, que usualmente no interactuaban con la máquina en sí misma, sino que preparaban tareas para el computador en equipos fuera de línea, tal como perforadoras de tarjetas. Un número de asignaciones para el computador serían recolectadas y procesadas en modalidad de procesamiento por lotes. Después de que los trabajos hubieran terminado, los usuarios podían recoger las salidas en listados impresos y en tarjetas perforadas. En algunas organizaciones podía tardar horas o días entre someter un trabajo al centro de computación y la recepción de la salida. Una forma más interactiva de uso del computador se desarrolló comercialmente a mediados de los años 1960. En un sistema de tiempo compartido, múltiples terminales de teletipo le permitieron a mucha gente, compartir el uso de un procesador de computador mainframe. Esto fue común en aplicaciones empresariales y en ciencia e ingeniería. Un diferente modelo del uso del computador fue presagiado por la manera en que los primeros computadores no comerciales fueron usados, donde un usuario tenía uso exclusivo de un procesador.2 Algunos de los primeros computadores que pudieron haberse llamado "personales" fueron tempranos minicomputadores tales como el LINC y el PDP-8, y después el VAX y minicomputadores más grandes de Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), Data General, Prime Computer, y de otros. Ellos se originaron, como procesadores periféricos para los computadores mainframes, tomando algunas tareas rutinarias y liberando el procesador para el cómputo. Por los estándares de hoy eran físicamente grandes (alrededor del tamaño de un refrigerador) y costosos (típicamente decenas de miles de dólares), y así raramente fueron comprados por individuos. Sin embargo, eran mucho más pequeños, menos costosos, y generalmente más simples de operar que los computadores mainframes de ese tiempo, y así asequibles por laboratorios individuales y proyectos de investigación. Los minicomputadores liberaron en gran parte, a estas organizaciones, del procesamiento por lotes, y de la burocracia de un centro de computación comercial o universitario. Además, los minicomputadores eran más interactivos que las unidades centrales, y pronto tendrían sus propios sistemas operativos. El minicomputador Xerox Alto (1973) fue un punto destacado en el desarrollo de los computadores personales, debido a su interface gráfica de usuario, pantalla de mapa de bits de alta resolución, grande almacenamiento de memoria interno y externo, ratón, y software especial.3 El microprocesador y la reducción de costos[editar] El Apple II, uno de los computadores de la "trinidad de 1977". La unidad de disco mostrada es un modelo para el Apple III Los antepasados (minicomputadores) del moderno computador personal usaban tecnología de circuitos integrados, que redujeron el tamaño y el costo, comparado a los transistores discretos. El proceso fue realizado por circuitos con una gran cantidad de componentes dispuestos en múltiples tarjetas grandes de circuitos impresos. Los minicomputadores eran consecuentemente físicamente grandes y costosos en producir comparado con posteriores sistemas de microprocesadores. Después de que el "computador en un chip" fuera comercializado, el costo de producir un sistema de computación cayó dramáticamente. La aritmética, lógica, y las funciones de control que previamente ocuparon varias costosas tarjetas de circuitos, ahora estaban disponibles en un circuito integrado que era muy costoso de diseñar pero barato de producir en grandes cantidades. Concurrentemente, los avances en el desarrollo de la memoria de estado sólido eliminaron la abultada, costosa, hambrienta de energía memoria de núcleo magnético usada en anteriores generaciones de computadores. El Altair 8800 y el IMSAI 8080[editar] Artículo principal: Altair 8800 Artículo principal: IMSAI 8080 El desarrollo del microprocesador en un solo chip fue un enorme catalizador en la po[CENSORED]rización de verdaderos computadores personales baratos y fáciles de usar. El Altair 8800, introducido en un artículo de la revista Po[CENSORED]r Electronics en la edición de enero de 1975, fijó en ese entonces un nuevo punto de bajo precio para una computadora, trayendo la posesión del computador a un mercado ciertamente selecto en los años 1970. Esto fue seguido por el computador IMSAI 8080 (un clon del Altair 8800), con capacidades y limitaciones similares. El Altair y el IMSAI eran esencialmente minicomputadores reducidos y eran incompletos: para conectar un teclado o un teletipo a ellos se requerían "periféricos" pesados y costosos. Ambas máquinas ofrecían un panel delantero con interruptores y luces, que se comunicaban con el operador en binario. Para programar la máquina después de encenderla, el programa bootstrap loader (cargador de arranque) tenía que ser entrado, sin errores, en binario, y luego, un interpretador BASIC se cargaba desde un lector de cinta de papel. Teclear el cargador requería la configuración hacia arriba o hacia abajo de un banco de ocho interruptores y presionar el botón de "cargar" (load), una vez para cada bytedel programa, que típicamente era de cientos de bytes de longitud. La computadora podría correr programas escritos en BASIC una vez que el interpretador había sido cargado. 1975: Altair 8800 El MITS Altair 8800, el primer kit de microprocesador comercialmente exitoso, fue ofrecido en la cubierta de la revista Po[CENSORED]r Electronics en enero de 1975. Fue el primer kit del mundo, producido en masa, de un computador personal, así como el primer computador en usar un procesador Intel 8080. Fue un éxito comercial con 10.000 Altairs despachados. El Altair también inspiró los esfuerzos de desarrollo de programas de Paul Allen y de su amigo de la universidad, Bill Gates, que desarrollaron un interpretador BASIC para el Altair, y después crearon Microsoft. El Altair 8800 de MITS efectivamente creó una nueva industria de microcomputadores y de kits de computadores, con muchos otras siguiendo, por ejemplo una onda de pequeños computadores de negocios al final de los años 1970 basados en los microprocesadores Intel 8080, Zilog Z80 e Intel 8085. La mayoría corriendo el sistema operativo CP/M-80 desarrollado por Gary Kildall en Digital Research. CP/M-80 fue el primer sistema operativo de microcomputador po[CENSORED]r a ser usado por muchos vendedores diferentes de hardware, y muchos paquetes de softwares fueron escritos para él, tales como WordStar y dBase II. A mediados de los años setenta, muchos aficionados diseñaron sus propios sistemas, con varios grados de éxito, y se congregaron juntos para facilitar el trabajo. Fuera de estas reuniones caseras, el Homebrew Computer Club se convirtió en un lugar donde los aficionados se encontraban para hablar de lo que habían hecho, intercambiar diagramas esquemáticos y software y demuestrar sus sistemas. Mucha gente construyó o ensambló sus propios computadores según diseños publicados. Por ejemplo, muchos miles de personas construyeron el computador casero Galaksija más adelante a principios de los años 1980. Podría decirse que el computador Altair, generó el desarrollo de las empresas Apple, así como de Microsoft la cual produjo y vendió el interpretador de lenguaje de programación Altair BASIC, primer producto de Microsoft. La segunda generación de microcomputadores, los que aparecieron al final de los años 1970, provocado por la inesperada demanda para los computadores de kit en los clubs de aficionados de la electrónica, eran usualmente conocidos como computadores caseros. Para su uso en el ámbito de negocios, estos sistemas eran menos capaces y en cierto modo menos versátiles que los computadores de negocio grandes de esos días. Fueron diseñados para la diversión y propósitos educativos, no tanto para el uso práctico. Y aunque se podían usar en ellos algunas aplicaciones simples de oficina/productividad, fueron generalmente usados por los entusiastas de los computadores para aprender a programar y para correr juegos de computadora, para los cuales los computadores personales del período eran menos convenientes y mucho más costosos. Para los aficionados más técnicos, los computadores caseros también fueron usados para la interface electrónica, por ejemplo controlar modelos de trenes, y otras actividades de aficionado. Micral N[editar] Artículo principal: Micral En Francia, la compañía Réalisations et Etudes Electroniques (R2E)4 formada por dos ingenieros anteriores de la compañía de Intertechnique, André Truong Trong Thi56 y François Gernelle,7 introdujo en febrero de 1973 un microcomputador, el Micral N basado en el Intel 8008.8 Originalmente, el computador había sido diseñado por Gernelle, Lacombe, Beckmann y Benchitrite para el Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique para automatizar mediciones higrométricas.910 El Micral N costó un quinto del precio de un PDP-8, alrededor de 8500FF ($1300). El reloj del Intel 8008 fue fijado en 500kHz, la memoria fue de 16 kilobytes. Un bus, llamado Pluribus fue introducido y permitía la conexión de hasta 14 tarjetas. Diferentes tableros para entrada/salida digital, entrada/salida análoga, memoria, disco floppy, estaban disponibles por R2E. El sistema operativo de Micral fue llamado inicialmente Sysmic, y fue más tarde renombrado Prologue. R2E fue absorbida por Groupe Bull en 1978. Aunque Groupe Bull continuaría la producción de computadoras Micral, no estaban interesados en el mercado del computador personal y los computadores Micral fueron confinados sobre todo a las puertas de peaje de carretera (donde permanecieron en servicio hasta 1992) y similares mercados muy especializados. El microcomputador emerge[editar] Artículo principal: Computador personal El advenimiento del microprocesador y de la memoria de estado sólido hizo la computación casera asequible. Los primeros sistemas de computadores para el aficionado, como el Altair 8800 y el Apple I, introducidos alrededor de 1975 marcaron el lanzamiento de los chips de procesador de 8 bits de bajo costo, que tenían suficiente poder de computación para ser de interés para usuarios aficionados y experimentales. Por 1977, sistemas preensamblados como el Apple II, Commodore PET, y el TRS-80 (más adelante denominados como la "Trinidad de 1977" por la revista Byte)11 comenzaron la era de los computadores personales mercadeados en masa; mucho menos esfuerzo fue requerido para obtener una computadora operando, y aplicaciones tales como juegos, procesamiento de palabras, y hojas de cálculo comenzaron a proliferar. A diferencia de los computadores usados en hogares, los pequeños sistemas empresariales fueron típicamente basados en el CP/M, hasta que IBM introdujera el IBM PC, que fue adoptado rápidamente. El PC fue fuertemente clonado, llevando a la producción en masa y a la consiguiente reducción de costos a través de los años 1980. Esto expandió la presencia de los PC en los hogares, reemplazando la categoría del computador casero durante los años 1990 y llevando a la actual monocultura de computadores personales arquitectónicamente idénticos.

First of all, I have to let you know something. I’ve been a Chevy guy all of my life. I own Chevrolet dealership and so I’m in the awesome position to be able to drive any Chevy I want in any color I want. (I know…my life is tough). My vehicle of choice has always been the Chevrolet Silverado year after year. When we bought the Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership, I had to take a deep breath and see how the all new 2019 Ram would stack up against my already heavily biased love for the Silverado. In the video below you’ll see some of the amazing features in action that I also describe below. I’m not going to bore you with towing capacity stats or how many pounds of gravel you can dump in the bed. I’ll leave that stuff for all of the folks who pride themselves on peeing for distance. Exterior impression My first impression was one of surprise. This truck caught my eye immediately with the 22″ aggressive wheels and it’s beautiful face. The front of the Ram 1500 doesn’t look over bearing as if it’s trying too hard to get noticed. It has a strong and luxurious appeal that simply works. The LED lighting is sleek and the cameras and sensors are integrated in a way that doesn’t distract from it’s clean design. The Power Assist steps deploy out of nowhere in a timely fashion and the doors open and close with the proper feeling of security and quality. At the rear, the tailgate is Aluminum and this makes it very lightweight. All you need to do is double click the “tailgate” button on the key fob and it unlatches and opens with smooth landing. This is a really nice feature especially since the tailgate also locks when you lock the doors. Another button on the remote changes the trucks right height via the air suspension system. This is super cool! I’m grown accustomed to digging in my pocket for my keys to get in the Silverado and with the RAMs proximity sensors, you can leave the fob in your pocket. You just unlock the door with a small button on the door handle and use the push button start on the dash. This comes in handy a lot because I always have stuff in my hands. In all fairness, the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado will also now have this feature in the upper trim levels. To sum up the exterior, it’s design is clean and luxurious without being loud. Interior Luxury The cabin blew my mind. The leather feels and smells amazing and there are details all over the inside of this Ram that make you feel like you are on top of the world. The decorative stitching in the leather looks like it was done by a craftsman putting together a gorgeous pair of boots. I love it! The trim pieces are gorgeous and feel like they are made in a ultra luxurious fashion while the digital info cluster lights up with full color and 3D graphics. The next thing I noticed was the gorgeous 12″ Touch Screen on the center stack. At first I thought it was overkill but when you display the Navigation in full screen mode it makes you feel like you are at mission control for SpaceX. The screen operates intuitively with familiar gestures like pinch and zoom and the all too familiar swipe. I was also impressed at the fact that the RAM Limited has more ports than the US Navy! You can charge up to 5 phones in and around the center console and there is room for a laptop charge while stowed away. You’ll see some of these features in the video below: I’m not a fan of the shift knob as I prefer yanking the lever on the column like in the Silverado. It functions fine but I think it’s just part of a truck’s DNA to have a lever vs a knob. This is probably the only complaint that you will ever hear about this truck’s interior. There is so much storage inside the RAMs cabin made possible by the flat load floor in the rear, the under seat storage, the “Ram Bins” that are under the rear floor mats, hidden storage on the dash above the glove box, and the reconfigurable center console that rocks! I can’t brag enough about the inside of this all new Ram. You’ll WANT to spend time in there…even if you are riding in the back seat. There aren’t too many vehicles on the market with such a level of comfort that you’ll actually want to be the rear passenger for the road trip. The rear seats slide forward giving you a semi-reclined position that is very comfortable and you have tons of leg room. The Harman Kardon audio system rocks out with 19 speakers spread across the truck cabin. Yes I said 19. The speaker covers are the coolest I’ve seen with with their stainless steel speaker grilles. I especially like the speakers located in the roof above the rear passengers. Plus they look great! Ride Quality America’s love affair with trucks is totally justified. The all perform so differently in their quest to be comfortable and capable. It doesn’t seem that way in the car world (at least among affordable cars). These trucks are designed with big engines that can tow and haul a lot of weight and so the ride qualities can be so very distinct among brands such as Chevrolet, Ford, Ram, and Toyota. Some prefer a firm ride with a tight suspension and others a softer experience. The Ram Limited has Active Level Four Corner Air Suspension. This high tech system will lower the trucks ride height at highway speeds to decrease drag. I like it because you can lower it with the remote or a button on the interior and make it look like a low rider. My preference in ride dynamics, however, is a firmer ride. The RAM 1500 has a much softer feel than the Silverado when driving on pavement. To me it feels too bouncy on the country roads of Kentucky and I prefer the Silverado’s ride quality over the Ram. It’s a beautiful thing that the trucks today cater to a unique truck buyer and instill such loyalty. So all in all, my first impression of the all new 2019 Ram 1500 Limited was great. I have developed a secret admiration for the truck and appreciate it’s numerous qualities. The interior is the best in the business and some of the features are game changing. The all new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado has just been released and so I’ll try to follow this up with a head to head comparison for the normal guy about the real stuff that matters like the number of audio speakers and charge ports. You can check out listings of the various trim levels on the Ram like the Tradesman, Big Horn, Laramie, here on our site: 2019 Ram Trucks. You can even check out some listings from our Chevrolet store for the all new 2019 Silverado .

JAY-Z and Beyoncé are encouraging everyone to take part in the plant-based food revolution. In an introduction for the new book The Greenprint: Plant-Based Diet, Best Body, Better World, by Marco Borges, Beyoncé’s trainer, the couple open up about how parenthood changed their outlook on life — including the food they eat. “Having children has changed our lives more than anything else,” they wrote. “We used to think of health as a diet – some worked for us, some didn’t. Once we looked at health as the truth, instead of a diet, it became a mission for us to share that truth and lifestyle with as many people as possible.” The couple share daughter Blue Ivy, 6, as well as twins Rumi and Sir Carter, 18 months.JAY-Z and Beyoncé are encouraging everyone to take part in the plant-based food revolution. In an introduction for the new book The Greenprint: Plant-Based Diet, Best Body, Better World, by Marco Borges, Beyoncé’s trainer, the couple open up about how parenthood changed their outlook on life — including the food they eat. “Having children has changed our lives more than anything else,” they wrote. “We used to think of health as a diet – some worked for us, some didn’t. Once we looked at health as the truth, instead of a diet, it became a mission for us to share that truth and lifestyle with as many people as possible.” The couple share daughter Blue Ivy, 6, as well as twins Rumi and Sir Carter, 18 months.

The call, which is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. local time in Washington D.C., comes amid growing tension between the government in dispute in Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and the administration of Donald Trump. The Foreign Relations Commission of the United States House of Representatives holds a hearing on Wednesday on a Law for the Prohibition of Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela, at a time when the political, economic and social crisis in the South American nation is worsening. The call, which is scheduled for 4:00 p.m., local time, in Washington D.C., comes amid growing tension between the government in dispute in Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and the administration of Donald Trump. Maduro set three days on Tuesday for US diplomats remaining in the country to leave national territory. The announcement comes hours after the State Department reported that it will withdraw diplomatic personnel this week. Read: USA: Withdrawal of diplomatic personnel does not reduce commitment to the Venezuelan people. The special envoy of the United States Department of State for Venezuela, Eliott Abrams, said on Tuesday that they remain committed to the Venezuelan people and reiterated that "all options remain on the table." The issue of a possible military intervention in Venezuela has been very controversial in the US political instances in recent weeks. Abrams said last week at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Subcommittee that the US does not seek military intervention in Venezuela. See: Legislators: Military intervention in Venezuela "is not an option". At the audience scheduled for Wednesday, Democratic Congressman David Cicilline will participate as panelists; Rebecca Bill Chávez, of the Inter-American Dialogue and former Deputy Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs; Deborah Pearlstein, professor of law co-director of the Floersheimer Center for Constitutional and Vanessa Neumann, president of Asymmetrica.

XCOM 2 is a turn-based tactics video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K Games for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux in February 2016, and for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September 2016. The game is the sequel to 2012's reboot of the series, XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Taking place 20 years after the events of Enemy Unknown, it follows the continuity that XCOM, a military organization trying to fight off an alien invasion, has lost the war, and is now a resistance force against their occupation of Earth and their established totalitarian regime and military dictatorship. The expansion XCOM 2: War of the Chosen was released in 2017.As with previous games in the series, XCOM 2 casts the player as the commander of the eponymous military organization, now reduced to a resistance force opposing the ongoing alien occupation of the planet. Players take control of the Avenger, the new mobile base for XCOM. Players are tasked to give commands to squad members in battles against aliens during missions, while commanding the engineering and research department of the base between missions to create and research improved and new gadgets, weapons and technologies to assist players in battle. Soldiers can be recruited, with each soldier class having their own skill trees and abilities. For example, the Grenadier class can gain access to explosives and grenade launchers, while the Ranger is equipped with melee weapons like swords. Armor and weaponry can also be researched and upgraded by the player in the Avenger base. Each mission's environment is influenced by the world's state, while maps are procedurally-generated to create a wide variety of levels, in which every map features different terrain and buildings in each play-through. Mods are also supported. Campaign, class and enemy types can be created by users and can be shared through Steam Workshop. A one-versus-one multiplayer mode also returns from Enemy Unknown. New enemies are also featured, such as units from the new faction, ADVENT, and more alien types like the Viper. At the start of most missions, the player's squad will be concealed and will not be detected by any enemies. They can position their troops to plan their battle and ambush enemies. The player can also loot corpses of enemies to obtain weapons, upgrade parts and artifacts. Melee weapons are also featured. Players can also hack into enemies' mechanical weapons like turrets and temporarily shutdown or control them for themselves. Soldiers in the squad can be killed by enemies; however, their bodies can be carried back to extraction to keep their equipment should the player deem it necessary to abort the mission. Likewise, if a soldier is critically wounded and it is deemed necessary to abandon the mission, a soldier can carry the wounded soldier to extraction where they are revived upon leaving the map. XCOM 2 features faster combat than Enemy Unknown, as there are a lot of "hit-and-run" missions where players must rush into facilities to complete their objective quickly and return to the extraction point immediately.This includes semi-random attacks on the Avenger by alien UFOs, which will cause an automatic game loss if failed. The mission structure of the game is also different from other XCOM video games, as XCOM 2 features secondary objectives for the first time in the series. Reinforcements play a bigger role, and depending on the mission, ADVENT will continuously deploy new enemy troops. Another feature added is the Avatar Program, a research project run by the aliens, that gradually proceeds over time, and if completed is an automatic loss. This can be delayed by sabotaging alien research facilities and other semi-random events. Customization also returns from Enemy Unknown, in which players can customize their soldiers' personalities, names, uniforms, and costumes. Furthermore, genders, nationalities, and weapons can also be customized.Bonus customization options are available in the downloadable "Resistance Warrior Pack." which was given for free as a pre-order bonus as well as being made available for purchase

Euro Truck Simulator 2 is a deep and rewarding game, and it was met with favorable reviews when it released back in 2012. It's maintained a large, active community since its inception, and gamers from all over have lauded its in-game economy, career paths, and authentic European roadways. And even if you've never climbed behind a simulated wheel before, it's likely you'll find something to enjoy thanks to the game's level of customization, and its open-ended environment. There's just something incredibly fun about driving a gigantic, metallic behemoth that you've tweaked with your own hands across breathtaking sceneries and delivering a payload successfully (and on time). But it doesn't stop there. Euro Truck Simulator 2, in addition to all of its out-of-the-box goodness, also has a huge amount of fantastic mods. So many, in fact, that it can be a little dizzying trying to sort through each and every one. That's why we hand-picked the very best and included them in the list below. We also categorized the list by specific topics (such as AI traffic packs and truck types), so if you're leaning towards a particular area, it'll be easier to locate the file. For detailed info on how to install the mods, check out these instructions. All you'll need ahead of time is an unzipping program, such as WinRAR or 7Zip. The installation process is remarkably simple, so once you've downloaded the mods you should be able to get them up and running immediately. Euro Truck Simulator 2 doesn’t have multiplayer by default, but that didn’t stop modders from making it happen anyway. The whole concept behind this ambitious add-on is that every single truck on the road is controlled by a human driver, rather than by the AI. It’s kind of like World of Warcraft, except with big rigs and high-volume trailer loads. Trucker’s MP includes support for nicknames, global server chat, avatars, and more. There’s even an admin team of over 50 people working behind the scenes to keep the mod going strong and steady. This simple but effective mod replaces the default map symbols on your GPS unit as well as the main map. The author also includes steps on changing the descriptions of the symbols to different languages. At a mere 7kb, this one should only take a second or two to acquire. This add-on recreates the vast Russian territory, and includes such famous locations as Belarus, Minsk, Saint Petersburg, Moscow, and many more. There are also plenty of cities in the Republic of Belarus, and a staggering amount of roads leading between everything. Aside from the larger metropolitan areas, there are plenty of smallish towns dotted about as well. Jazzycat makes some amazing mods when it comes to traffic in Euro Truck Simulator 2. The link above leads to a whole host of options, ranging from loads of detailed tour buses, trucks and trailers, sports cars, and standard cars. Each vehicle is a work of art, and each of them will look completely natural on the road beside you. There are makes and models from all over the world, adding significant variety to the standard game's mix. Itching for as realistic an experience as possible? For the notably hardcore, you can install this traffic jam mod to make the in-game driving world mimic our sometimes unfortunate reality. At times you'll grin and relax as you see a line of unending cars on the other side of the highway, while other times you'll panic as you need to slam on the brakes while the traffic comes to a steady halt in front of you. D.B. Creation's traffic mod is wholly compatible with Jazzycat data, and it offers a lot of extras to the table. There's more traffic per city, optimized traffic flow in general, AI vehicle lights, different speeds for different cars, better visibility of warning signs, improved rain effects (including sounds), and higher interior sound for your radio and music. With this mod, you can buy your very own American classic Peterbilt 389 (available from the DAF dealer located in Amsterdam). The truck comes loaded with features, such as a wind deflector with the Peterbilt logo, a red light inside the cabin, a Viking bullbar with chains and hook, and a wide array of auxiliary lights, including parking, reverse, and turn signals. There are also four new engines to choose from, each with unique sounds. The Scania Longline T Tandem differs noticeably from typical trucks, in that there's no detachable, pivoting trailer. Instead, it's essentially a long truck frame with a cargo compartment stacked on top. This particular version is fashioned off of the touring blueprint, which makes it even larger and more imposing than normal. There are two total engines—one intended for heavy loads and one for winter driving. This mod is an excellent way to change up the feel and handling of cross-country hauling. A classic flat-nosed rig, the Volvo F10 can be bought from the in-game Volvo dealer (once the mod is installed, of course). The latest version uses less fuel, comes with oversized gas tanks, and incorporates a revised set of exhaust pipes. The chassis' V6 engine rumbles with authentic sound, and you can purchase the 8x4 motor in the shop independently of the truck. Want some wintery paradise in your Euro Truck Simulator 2? This mod adds snow-covered roads that blend well with the chilled environments around them, creating a distinct change of pace compared to the usual summer landscapes. If you happen to have a snowy skin for your truck, this is the perfect time to use it. This mod adds in a reworked rainy skybox and optimizes the game's graphics for HDR (High Dynamic Range). It also includes performance tweaks for 1980 x 1080 resolutions, and enhancements to various external sounds from violent storms and strong weather. Overall, Brutal Environment HD makes your highway cruises far more intense when the clouds start gathering. A complete reimagining of the stock menus, the New Menu Style mod includes a new loading screen, tweaked menu icons, and a realistic game map, which makes for an incredibly immersive experience with an updated look and feel. It won't take up that much storage space either, as the file clocks in at 47MB. This 204MB mod adds 25 distinct trailers, most of which are flat-beds with heavy-duty equipment on top, such as industrial dump trucks, farming vehicles, road maintenance gear, and building materials. This trailer pack stands out thanks to the sheer size of the hardware carried and the detail in the model design. This trailer pack is technically included with the giant Jazzycat Trucks, Buses, and Cars suite, but it's so good it's worth highlighting all on its own. It adds 47 distinct trailers, 1,500 skins, and 255 pieces of gear to go on top of them (including a helicopter, scores of lumber, and even a red, double-decker bus). The wide range of cargo is available from 82 companies for hauling. Another impressive collection of trailers, Mega EuroPack offers 200 skins based off real-life designs. These trailers are also downloadable in 23 different languages, with one of the packs comprised of a mix of international selections—a wonderful choice if you'd like some additional cultural diversity in the game. Think you have what it takes to drive an actual truck in Europe? This mod might be as close as you can get to doing so. With Improved Truck Physics applied, driving becomes far more challenging and realistic, and it heavily adjusts such crucial values as brake efficiency, retarder effectiveness, suspension, engine compression, flywheel resistance, and overall responsiveness. With over 600 European radio stations, you'll never need to worry about hearing the same broadcast back-to-back. There are a plethora of different options, with 105 stations from the UK, 112 from Germany, 39 from Austria, and 77 from Sweden, to name just a handful. There's even a unique station for Liechtenstein! This mod overhauls all the default sounds included with the game, with an aim at creating a more realistic, enveloping atmosphere. By installing the Sound Fixes Pack, you'll get authentic tire noises that change with your acceleration and average speed (based off numerous road surfaces under the rubber), a larger range of suspension sounds, more pronounced trailer couplings, and loads more. If you've never tried Euro Truck Simulator 2, you can pick up a copy of it on Steam. With so many quality mods at your fingertips, it's the perfect to time to give it a whirl. While you're on Steam, you should also check out American Truck Simulator, which released at the beginning of February. With support for the Steam Workshop, we're anticipating a huge influx of mods for the game in the near future. Of course, even without mods, American Truck Simulator is still a terrific game, and an excellent companion to its European counterpart.

Titan Quest is often shrugged off as just another Diablo clone. And while there’s something to that argument, it also ignores the interesting things Titan Quest adds to the formula to create a wholly enjoyable action RPG. Instead of a well-trodden fantasy setting, Titan Quest looks to myths for inspiration. To that end, it has you travel across China, Egypt, and Greece, slaying beasts likes centaurs and gorgons, while collecting ever more powerful gear. The gameplay is highly customizable, thanks to its deep class and mastering systems, which provide plenty of replay value for anyone looking to try different combat styles. And when you finish the game, you can make your very own campaign, thanks to a robust level editor. In Titan Quest, players will take an epic journey through such fabled locations as the Parthenon, the maze of Knossos, the Great Pyramids and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. With an arsenal of more than a thousand pieces of unique and legendary equipment, players will have to overcome terrifying monsters and mythical beasts in their quest to save humankind from the Titans. Players can develop their character through a flexible class system and highly customizable skills. Multi-player mode allows players to share their journey through the rich, story-driven campaign.

Xbox One, Microsoft's successor to the Xbox 360, turned five-years old in 2018. This year, Xbox One still lacked the sheer volume of quality exclusives that its competitors produced. However, platform holder Microsoft took steps towards improving Xbox One's future by increasing the appeal of the console for anyone who already owns one. So as we say goodbye to 2018, let's look back at the type of year Xbox One had. More Controller Options Makes Games More Accessible For All Xbox One still has one of the better standard controller designs out there, but Microsoft's decision to expand on what people can use to play games in 2018 is an excellent step towards appealing to players who don't like it or can't easily use it. Of the major strides Microsoft made on the controller front this year, the release of the Xbox Adaptive Controller is the bigger of the two. First announced in May 2018, the Xbox Adaptive Controller released on September 4 for $100 USD. Although it's nearly double the price of a standard controller, the Adaptive Controller fills a void that's existed in gaming for far too long. There have been third-party devices before, but the Adaptive is the first official modern-day game controller for those with limited mobility. It's pretty forward-thinking, and an important piece of game tech for the industry as a whole (the controller can be used on other platforms). Microsoft even designed the Adaptive's packaging to be easier to open for those with mobility considerations. It's a shame the company hasn't taken the same steps with the boxes for the One S or One X, but at least Microsoft is moving in the right direction. In 2018, Microsoft also added mouse and keyboard support to Xbox One. Developers still need to decide whether or not they'll implement the control scheme in their game, but adding the option opens up new play styles that Xbox One can support in the future. Some computer role-playing games, like Divinity: Original Sin II, have been adapted to work with a standard controller on Xbox One, but those games are originally designed to be played with a mouse and keyboard and it stands to reason that they handle better that way. Both InXile Entertainment and Obsidian--recently acquired by Microsoft and responsible for computer RPGs like Wasteland 2 and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II respectfully--are sure to take advantage of the new control scheme in upcoming titles. If anything, this announcement hopefully paves the way for more developers to consider porting their PC-exclusive games to Xbox One. Despite how powerful the One X is--it could theoretically play certain PC titles the original Xbox One can not--it still has the same game library as its predecessors. Giving the One X an extended library of games that include PC titles might motivate some more players to upgrade to Microsoft's more powerful console. Some Good Exclusives, But Not Enough To Compete The divide in quality exclusives between Microsoft and its two main competitors, Sony and Nintendo, is a bit smaller this year than it was in 2017. But that's mostly because both Sony and Nintendo had fewer exclusive games this year. In terms of quality, Microsoft still feels like it's pulling up the rear. It would have been difficult for Sony to match the number of quality exclusives that launched on the PS4 last year, but 2018 still saw a few Game of the Year contenders like God of War and Marvel's Spider-Man. Nintendo had some strong exclusives in 2018 too, such as Octopath Traveler and Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu / Let's Go Eevee, not to mention what looks like a very promising game in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Meanwhile, Microsoft went another year without a new Halo or Gears of War, and Crackdown 3 was delayed again. Halo Infinite and Gears 5 were at least announced at E3 2018, but we don't even have scheduled release dates for them yet. 2018 saw the release of Forza Horizon 4, as well as PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds leaving Early Access--both of which are pretty good games. However, Xbox One's other big 2018 exclusives, State of Decay 2 and Sea of Thieves, were not as well received, and PUBG has been overshadowed by the far more po[CENSORED]r Fortnite and Black Ops 4 Blackout mode. Xbox One did have some good-looking console exclusive indie titles lined up this year, but for whatever reason Microsoft did little to market or push many of them. Games like Pit People could have done more for Microsoft's console with additional marketing, and titles scheduled for 2018 that still haven't come out and are probably being delayed to 2019--such as The Last Night--are an unfortunate loss. True, in 2018 Microsoft did manage to secure ports of some of Sony's 2017 exclusives, like Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice in March and Nier: Automata in June. Getting more first-party titles would have been better than playing catch-up, but at least securing these games is a major plus. Games As A Service Is Finally Worth It Microsoft started its Game With Gold program back with the Xbox 360, first supported EA Access in 2014, and implemented Game Pass last year. 2018 saw dozens of quality games offered through all three programs, allowing people to play new titles for a fraction of the retail price. For the first time, Microsoft's promised dream of a Netflix-style library of games seems both practical and desirable. Although Games With Gold had a weak start in 2018, it ended Q1 with Crazy Taxi and Superhot and then went on to offer quality games like The Witness, Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, Forza Horizon 2, Overcooked, Battlefield 1, Dead Space 2, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, and Dragon Age II. Including For Honor as a Games With Gold in August--a few months after Ubisoft announced its Marching Fire DLC and one month before the expansion actually released--was an especially nice touch. Xbox One is still the only console to support EA Access, which lets people play whatever they want from a collection of 50 plus games after paying a subscription fee. Subscribing also gets you 10 percent off all digital purchases for EA games on Xbox One and early access to certain new titles. This year, that includes games like Madden NFL 19 and Battlefield V. Next year, EA Access members get early looks at titles like Anthem and Sea of Solitude. Respawn's Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order and third Titanfall game will probably have early access through the subscription too. Xbox Game Pass was the true star, though, as Microsoft announced in January 2018 that the service would now include all first-party titles on the day the games launched. So not only were older Xbox One console exclusives added to the service, like Halo: The Master Chief Collection, but new 2018 games like Sea of Thieves, State of Decay 2, and Forza Horizon 4 all launched on Game Pass on day one. When Crackdown 3, Halo Infinite, Gears 5, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps launch, it will be the same thing. Plenty of excellent third-party games from 2016 through 2018 joined Game Pass as well, such as Laser League, OnRush, Fallout 4, and Doom, with more titles like Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice scheduled to be added this December. Smart Acquisitions Could Spell A Promising Future Disappointingly, Microsoft spent most of its E3 2018 presentation showcasing games that wouldn't release until 2019 or later. However, it was a pleasant surprise to hear that the company had acquired four game studios and established another. Later in the year, Microsoft followed up with an announcement that the studio had acquired both InXile Entertainment and Obsidian as well. That's seven more studios developing games for Xbox One. The four acquired studios that Microsoft announced at E3 2018 are Undead Labs, Playground Games, Compulsion Games, and Ninja Theory, which are responsible for this year's State of Decay 2, Forza Horizon 4, We Happy Few, and the Xbox version of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, respectively. The fifth studio, The Initiative, is established by Microsoft and based out of Santa Monica. It's led by Darrell Gallagher, who's best known for heading up 2013's Tomb Raider and working in the past for Rockstar, Sony, and THQ. As stated before, InXile develops the Wasteland series, but it also created Torment: Tides of Numenera and The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep. Obsidian is responsible for plenty of solid RPGs, but its most well-known titles are Fallout: New Vegas, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords, South Part: The Stick of Truth, and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. That's a lot of new talent working for Microsoft. It doesn't do much for this year, but it does mean we can probably expect more first-party titles at the end of the Xbox One's lifespan and on whatever console Microsoft has planned next. Of course, there's no way of knowing if these studio acquisitions translate into good exclusives for Xbox One until we see what games are being developed, but given some of these companies' track records--especially Playground, Team Ninja, and Obsidian--it inspires a hopeful future. Other Matters, In Brief As more studios begin honing in on player's nostalgia, Xbox One is still the best when it comes to playing older games. Xbox One features an ever-growing list of backwards compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox games--some of which are freely offered through Games With Gold, EA Access, and Game Pass. This allows you to play older titles if you still have the disc or by downloading them. Some classics, such as Final Fantasy XIII, are even Xbox One X-enhanced so their more noticeable flaws are patched away for a superior gaming experience. Rather than improve the Xbox One UI--which the console desperately needs--Microsoft's October 2018 patch implemented updates that added new Avatar customization options as well as Cortana and Alexa voice support. Neither changes how confusing it is to navigate through the Xbox One dashboard, with the latter only making things slower since you have to speak specific phrases instead of press buttons. In 2018, Microsoft has seemingly left behind its consoles' 500GB standard and instead switched to mostly selling Xbox One S and One X with 1TB hard drives. With game sizes getting larger--and X-enhanced assets being a mandatory download on Xbox One regardless if you have a One X to utilize them--this is a welcome change. Verdict Everything Microsoft did for Xbox One in 2018 is all well and good if you already own one of the consoles, but it might not have been enough to convince people to go out and buy a new Xbox this year. The Adaptive Controller opens up gaming to a new audience, but since it works with other systems, you don't need to buy an Xbox One to take advantage of its unique design. Despite how good Xbox Game Pass has been in 2018, the heavy hitters--the console exclusives for Microsoft's major IPs--are primarily scheduled for 2019 or beyond. And, as stated before, the studio acquisitions mostly set a stage for future releases that could be years away. Microsoft spent most of 2018 looking forward. That's great, as it could mean Xbox One has a chance to have a really good 2019 or 2020. But as it stands, 2018 was mostly a repeat of 2017. Microsoft doubled down on its attempts to improve its relationship with its existing player base--and it succeeded--but players were faced with another year where Xbox One doesn't have many exciting exclusives to point to.

nostalgia is an engine that moves the world of hobbies today, and that present in television and film. Video games are not unrelated to this, being the retrogames a genre with demand from a certain audience. The problem is in finding the perfect formula between nostalgia and playability. Know how to detect the problems of past generations and not replicate them in new deliveries. 'Thimbleweed Park' is a game that travels in time and transports us in the late eighties. It is not only because his story happens at that time, but because his genre and mechanics appeal to a retro style present in each pixel of a different time. However, it does not feel old-fashioned, creating an easy-to-recommend gaming experience. A nostalgic pleasure for lovers of adventure games. An amazing challenge for those who until now are thrown head to the genre. Why is an adventure game in the style of the 80s coming in 2017? To understand it, it is necessary to know where 'Thimbleweed Park' comes from. Its creators are Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, both recognized for their work on LucasArts, which resulted in 'Maniac Mansion' and 'The Secret of Monkey Island'. Gilbert and Winnick started this project through Kickstarter with the aim of delivering a 'spiritual sequel'. They wanted to achieve a game for fans of the genre. And if you are someone who experienced one of those titles, most likely 'Thimbleweed Park' is for you. It is a classic and close experience that brings back the best elements of the genre almost 30 years later: humor, references, history, the environment, challenges ... it's like going back in time. And yet, the experience feels improved, thanks to certain elements that have been integrated into the game mechanics. An example is a list of tasks for each of the characters that facilitates knowing what puzzles are missing to complete. Of course, one of the elements that most remember those who played 'The Secret of Monkey Island' are their puzzles. 'Thimbleweed Park' preserves the mechanics of the genre: spaces full of objects to interact, use of 'point and click' to solve puzzles, handling different characters each with an inventory, etc.

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is an action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 4 in May 2016. Following Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, it is the final Uncharted game to feature protagonist Nathan Drake (portrayed by Nolan North). Drake, retired from fortune hunting with his wife Elena, reunites with his estranged older brother Sam and longtime partner Sully to search for Captain Henry Avery's lost treasure. The game features larger and more open levels than previous Uncharted games; players have more freedom to explore and move in combat, progress through enemy encounters undetected using stealth, and can use vehicles. Sony revealed Uncharted 4 at the North America PlayStation 4 launch event in November 2013. Development was hampered by extensive script changes and reshoots following the departures of lead Uncharted writer and creative director Amy Hennig and director Justin Richmond in March 2014. Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann, who had directed Naughty Dog's previous game, The Last of Us, became the directors. Reviewers found Uncharted 4 a worthy conclusion to Nathan Drake's arc, with praise directed at its narrative, emotional depth, visual quality, multiplayer mode, improved gameplay, and music. It was the best-reviewed game of 2016, receiving numerous year-end accolades, including various Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications and award events. The game sold over 2.7 million copies in its first week of release, becoming the fastest-selling entry in the series and one of the best-selling PlayStation 4 games. A standalone expansion, The Lost Legacy, was released in 2017. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is an action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective, with platforming elements. The player assumes control of Nathan Drake, who is physically adept and is able to jump, sprint, climb, swim, scale narrow ledges and wall-faces to get between points, swing with a rope, use a grappling hook and perform other acrobatic actions. Drake can use various weapons to attack enemies. Stealth elements are incorporated into the game, allowing the player to sneak up to enemies and attack them without being noticed, and has been further expanded upon from previous games, allowing Drake to mark enemies and hide in long grass. The melee combat system was reworked to avoid the presence of quick time events, and Drake can control vehicles directly. While the game is linear, environments feature multiple paths for the player to explore.Maps are significantly larger than the previous games in the franchise, with explorable areas being as much as 10 times larger than the previous games.The artificial intelligence (AI) of enemies is enhanced; they are now able to react to the player's actions more responsively, coordinate tactics, and cooperate with each other.The AI of Drake's companions, including Sam and Sully, are improved and they can assist Nathan in combat situations, though the player cannot directly command them.A dialogue tree is introduced, though it does not affect the story's progression.The transition between cutscene and gameplay sequences has been described as "seamless".Extra visual filters and modes, such as a zero-gravity mode, bullet time gameplay, and a cel-shaded art style, can be unlocked by using points the player collected in the main game.

Mulți jucători de Counter-Strike: Global Offensivesunt obsedați de skinuri si arme personalizate. Însă de astăzi, Valve a anunțat un parteneriat prin care vor adăuga produse noi în joc, și anume, o linie de haine, create după modelul de armă preferat. Dacă pornești jocul de dimineață, vei avea în față un anunț care te invită să îți votezi designul preferat. Se pare ca multe persoane apreciaza aceasta linie de haine (skinuri) deoarece la momentul actual 11000 de persoane au votat pentru ea si se pare ca va fi o linie de hainde destul de exclusivista care va contine hanorace,bluze,tricouri si chiar rochii si cine stie ce va mai urma. Eu unul nu sunt un fan inrait al acestui joc sau al skinurilor dar cred ca aceasta noua moda (sa-i spun asa),va fi bine primita de playeri si chiar po[CENSORED]ra. ENG Version Many players of Counter Strike: Global Offensive are obsessed with customized skins and weapons. But today, Valve announced a partnership that will add new game products, namely, a line of clothingcreated using the model of weapon models. If you start playing in the morning, you'll have to face an ad that invites you to vote your favorite design. It seems that many people appreciate this clothing line (skins) as currently 11,000 people voted for it and it seems to be a line Hindi quote exclusive which will include jackets, blouses, shirts and even dresses and who knows what will happen next. I for one am not a fan of this game or skins but I think this new trend (to say so), will be well received by player and even po[CENSORED]r.

Platform(s): Mobile Release date: TBC 2019 While we anxiously await more info on Elder Scrolls 6, Bethesda has crafted a mobile spin-off of its first-person fantasy series to help keep us occupied. The Elder Scrolls: Blades is another massive open-world adventure, with touch controls for combat and some impressive graphics despite the small screen. Most of the trappings of a full-fledged Elder Scrolls games are here, with customizable heroes, a mix of melee and elemental spellcasting, and plenty of enemy types - though we've yet to hear much about sweeping narrative elements. When you're not exploring the varied landscapes and battling high fantasy baddies, you can rebuild your once-ruined town into a sprawling city. Interestingly, Blades can also be played in a one-handed portrait mode if you're not in the mood for the traditional twin-stick layout, which is a rarity for mobile games of this visual caliber.

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Asad Umar has said that he has the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) president to remove India from the position of co-chair for the Pakistan FATF review. Asad Umar took to Twitter saying, “India has blatantly abused its position by lobbying to get Pakistan blacklisted in the last review in Paris. We successfully defended our position Alhamdulillah.”According to The News report Pakistan will have to demonstrate its compliance on 15 major conditions of the FATF till May 2019 in order to avoid falling into blacklist. In addition to these 15 major demands for the May-related deadline, the FATF in its last plenary meeting held in Paris also included three more steps for review in coming May/June meeting including (1) revising/updating Pakistan’s national risk assessment on terror financing, (2) improving FBR’s customs report on cash couriers to curb currency smuggling and (3) placing inter agency cooperation mechanism among law enforcing agencies at federal and provincial levels. So the FATF will gauge performance on total 18 points, including three above-mentioned, in the coming FATF meeting expected to be held in Colombo in June

 Ford will unveil its new flagship Explorer SUV at the Detroit motor show next week, ahead of an expected UK launch in April. The sixth iteration of America’s best-selling SUV of all time receives new styling, a more diverse model range, new engines and, for the first time, a rear-wheel-drive powertrain on entry-level models. The company claims that the shift from front to rear-wheel drive for entry-level variants of the Explorer has allowed for a roomier and more versatile interior layout, as well as more “athletic” exterior styling. Blacked-out A and D-pillars are carried over from previous generations of Explorer, while a sloping roofline and shorter front overhang lend a sportier appearance to the Jeep Grand Cherokee rival. Starting from $400 more than the previous Explorer, the new model is equipped with an electronically assisted tailgate, an 8.0in infotainment touchscreen, in-car wi-fi and the FordPass Connect intelligent navigation technology as standard. Parking and braking assistance systems can be equipped with the Platinum trim package. OUR VERDICT Ford Edge Ford Edge Ford tops its range line-up with an Americanised, big Ford for the 21st century. But can it make a large enough impact to upset its premium rivals? Find an Autocar car review Driven this week Suzuki Swift Sport 2018 long-term review hero front 10 JANUARY 2019 FIRST DRIVE Suzuki Swift Sport long-term review The Japanese hot hatch is all grown up in terms of character, technology and... Skoda Karoq Scout 2019 first drive review - hero front 10 JANUARY 2019 FIRST DRIVE Skoda Karoq Scout 2019 UK review New rugged-looking crossover derivative is practical, versatile and entirely... Lexus ES 2019 first drive review - hero front 10 JANUARY 2019 FIRST DRIVE Lexus ES 300h 2019 review Our first European drive of Lexus' GS replacement reveals an improved... Also fitted as standard is the Ford Co-Pilot360 package, which comprises active safety technology that helps the driver stay in lane, avoid pedestrians, see through blindspots and take evasive action. Chris Billman, Co-Pilot360 engineering manager, said the Explorer’s abundance of autonomous technology is not about “filling the vehicle with technology for technology’s sake". He explained: “It’s about improving the experience, making driving less stressful and helping the driver to feel more confident behind the wheel.” New engines for the Explorer include a tuned variant of the turbocharged 2.3-litre petrol Ecoboost unit used in the entry-level Mustang and a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol V6 - the most powerful engine ever fitted to an Explorer. As part of its restructuring programme for Europe announced today, Ford has said that a new SUV for Europe, expected to be the Explorer, will be revealed in April. It will also shift its focus away from MPVs, axing models such as the C-Max and Grand C-Max in favour of new models like the Fiesta-based compact SUV that is set to replace the Ecosport.

The study provided evidence that diabetes can be a cause of erectile issues ( PA ) Adopting a healthier lifestyle to avoid becoming diabetic may help men beat erectile dysfunction, a new study suggests. Being predisposed to type 2 diabetes – linked to unhealthy diets and a lack of exercise – could be behind the condition, research has found. Scientists looked at data on more than 220,000 men, 6,000 of whom experienced erectile dysfunction. Using cutting-edge genetic analysis, the team found that having a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes was linked with erectile dysfunction, which they said provided evidence that the two are linked Co-lead author Dr Anna Murray, of the University of Exeter Medical School, said: “Erectile dysfunction affects at least one in five men over 60, yet up until now little has been known about its cause. “Our paper echoes recent findings that the cause can be genetic, and it goes further. We found that a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes is linked to erectile dysfunction. “That may mean that if people can reduce their risk of diabetes through healthier lifestyles, they may also avoid developing erectile dysfunction.” Co-lead author Professor Michael Holmes, of the University of Oxford, said: “Our finding is important as diabetes is preventable and indeed one can now achieve ‘remission’ from diabetes with weight loss, as illustrated in recent clinical trials. “This goes beyond finding a genetic link to erectile dysfunction to a message that is of widespread relevance to the general public, especially considering the burgeoning prevalence of diabetes.” Diabetes UK recommends eating lots of fruit and veg and taking exercise to stave off diabetes. Co-first author Dr Jonas Bovijn, also from the University of Oxford, said: “We know that there is observational evidence linking erectile dysfunction and type 2 diabetes, but until now there has not been definitive evidence to show that predisposition to type 2 diabetes causes erectile dysfunction.” The study is published in the American Journal of Human Genetics

apper Ceon Broughton has been jailed for eight and a half years at Winchester Crown Court for the manslaughter of Holby City actor John Michie's daughter Louella Fletcher-Michie and three charges of supplying drugs. In his first show of remorse since the trial started, Broughton's lawyer read out a statement on his behalf, which read: "Sorry I didn't do more to save Louella, sorry for the suffering I caused to everyone who loved Louella, I want to make things right." Yesterday, Louella's sister said that all she wanted was for Broughton to apologise. Towards the end of the trial, Mr Michie confronted the defendant in a court waiting area and called him "evil". Broughton was seen to lose his temper and damaged a table and a water cooler. On Friday, Mr Michie told the court: "I wake up every morning to face life starting again without Louella, our daughter, our sister, our friend, our family now broken. "It makes no sense, our beautiful Louella should still be with us on any measure of humanity. "No more yoga with my daughter, no more running round the outside of the Arsenal stadium with my daughter, no more family fun with my daughter, her life cut cruelly short." On Thursday, Broughton was found guilty of her manslaughter after supplying her with the party drug 2-CP. In the case involving the first known death resulting from the drug, the jury at Winchester Crown Court heard how Broughton was accused of the manslaughter by gross negligence and supplying her with the substance. Yoga and dance teacher Ms Fletcher-Michie took the class A drug at Bestival in Dorset on September 10 2017 and died in woodland an hour before her 25th birthday. Rapper Broughton, 30, filmed his girlfriend for more than an hour on his phone, even continuing to film when she had passed out and died. The prosecution claimed the defendant failed to take reasonable action to get medical help for Ms Fletcher-Michie, but the defence argued there was no way of knowing whether or not this would have saved her life. Former Coronation Street star Mr Michie, 62, and his wife Carol Fletcher made a 130-mile journey to the music festival as their daughter was dying in a wooded area just 400m from medical facilities. She died an hour before they arrived. The defendant showed no emotion as the verdict was announced by the foreman of the jury and the court received the announcement in silence. Broughton then sat down with his hands held together in front of his face as the judge. Addressing the jury of five men and six women, he said: "Thank you for all the work you have put into this case. The next stage of the process is to go on to sentencing, that will be in the morning." Broughton called out to his barrister and said: "Text my mum."

Neptune's Pride As much a social experiment as a strategy game, Neptune’s Pride pits friends against one another in a battle for control of a star system. The rules are simple: upgrade your stars and get them to build ships, then deploy them to poach more stars. The war unfolds slowly in realtime over the course of a week or so, and may slightly ruin your life during that period. The simple but elegant ruleset leaves lots of room to make and break alliances, and before you know it your friend’s getting up at 3am to launch sneak attacks while you sleep. A simple game that orchestrates amazing drama. C&C: Red Alert 2 I still love the first two Red Alerts, and most of Westwood's C&C entries are fantastic—but this one has the best campaigns, most interesting units, great maps and of course, superb FMV sequences. The different factions are so distinct, and have more personality than they did in the original game—hence Soviet squids and Allied dolphins. They found the right tonal balance between self-awareness and sincerity in the cutscenes, as well—they're played for laughs, but still entertain and engage. Nothing's as OTT as this beautiful disaster from EA's Red Alert 3, basically. Galactic Civilizations 2 If you’ve ever wanted to conquer space with an army of customisable doom-ships, this is the strategy game for you. It has smart, creative AI, and a full-size game can take weeks to complete. You have to balance economic, technological, diplomatic, cultural and military power to forge alliances, fight wars and dominate the galaxy. Reminiscent of the Civilization games, but on a much grander scale, and with a lot more depth in places.

Developer: Eagle Dynamics Publisher: The Fighter Collection The history of combat flight simulation is littered with the rivet-studded hulks of studios that perished pursuing the hyper-realism dream. Jane’s Combat Simulations, Spectrum HoloByte, 1C: Maddox… delivering breathtakingly detailed warbird facsimiles might guarantee high-brow approbation but it doesn’t guarantee success or survival. It would be tempting to think of armed aerial study sims as splendidly byzantine suicide notes if Eagle Dynamics hadn’t proved time and time again that they were actually perfectly viable commercial propositions. What DCS World users get from forensically faithful payware modules like A-10C, Black Shark, and MiG-21Bis is not dissimilar to what MSFS users get from from forensically faithful payware add-ons like the PMDG’s 747 and A2A’s Accu-Sim C172 – unabashed realism, priceless insights, bond-forging intimacy. What FSX can’t offer at present (though it has aspirations in that direction) is the chance to fly high fidelity aircraft in complex threat-stuffed combat environments. To understand what it means to be a front-line pilot in a contemporary warzone, you need this sim (and the one two slots south of it) in your life. Over the last few years ED have overseen a burgeoning third-party development scene. At times there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the mix of incoming aircraft (Bf-109s, Sabres, Hips, Hawks…) but the diversity does mean everyone’s sure to find a winged or rotored soulmate amongst the modules. If DCS World has weaknesses at present, they are campaign structure and cartographic variety. Until WIP Nevada and Strait of Hormuz theatres arrive and the devs rethink their campaign approach, fliers must content themselves with Caucasian skies and sequential scripted sorties.

The best free MMOs are: - Final Fantasy XIV - Blade & Soul -Guild Wars 2 - Crossout - Neverwinter - War Thunder - World of Tanks - World of Warships - Star Trek Online - Star Conflict - MapleStory 2 - TERA - Skyforge - ArcheAge - Eve Online - Runescape - Paladins - Smite - Fractured Space - Rift - Dreadnought - Winning Putt - League of Legends - Path of Exile - Lord of the Rings Online - Star Wars: The Old Republic - World of Warcraft FINAL FANTASY XIV Making an MMO out of the beloved Final Fantasy series was never going to be easy. As if to prove that point, Square Enix made a royal mess of Final Fantasy XIV the first time around and had to take another swing at it, eventually turning one of their worst games into one of the best MMOs on PC. Unlike other MMOs, Final Fantasy XIV doesn’t force players down the route of having to grind endlessly with multiple characters in order to see which combat class they want to play as. Instead you just need to make it to level ten and the ability to switch between the game’s eight combat classes is magically unlocked. It is also one of very few cross-play MMOs, which means you can inhabit the same world as PlayStation users. You lucky thing. BLADE & SOUL Blade & Soul is a Korean fantasy martial arts MMORPG. And, if that’s not enough to pique your interest, frankly, we don’t know what will. Perhaps the game’s intricately designed world – inspired by the visual style of artist Hyung Tae Kim – and four unique races and ten compelling classes will sway you. Whether you choose to play as the mighty Gon, the versatile Jin, master of the natural world, Yun, the mystical Lyn, or any of the many other roles, doing battle using the fast, high-octane combat system is always a joy. Rapid counters and combo chains are essential, whether you team up with friends to tackle a wide range of dungeons or you want to do your virtual scrapping in PvP. And since it’s free, you can get started right now with help from our Blade & Soul guide, no cash required. GUILD WARS 2 With a storyline that reacts to the player’s actions, Guild Wars 2’s narrative is unique by MMORPG standards. Instead of traditional quests, players encounter dynamic events that pop up around the game world. Likewise, there are multiple paths to completion for each of these encounters, and intentional or not, your actions in Guild Wars 2 will have consequences. For example, defending a town from a group of rampaging ogres might cause them to return with deadlier weapons or seek out refuge in a nearby cave – you will have to deal with the fallout of these events, whether that means repelling a stronger attack or hunting down and killing the remaining ogres. The result is a free MMO with the questing diversity of one of the best RPGs of all time: what’s not to love? CROSSOUT As varied as it is satisfying, Crossout is a post-apocalyptic MMO action game from Targem Games that gives you the chance to scavenge and craft the materials to build more fearsome vehicles of battle beyond the imagination of any ten-year-old. What more could you possibly want from a great PC multiplayer game. In what is essentially a free-to-play Mad Max: The Game, you customise a unique and wide range of vehicles with dozens of bespoke parts and use them to destroy your enemies in high-octane, action-packed skirmishes. You can play in both PvE and PvP modes, even fighting against player-created bosses. You also have plenty of weapons at your disposal: rocket launchers and machine guns favour the most offensive and in-your-face players, whilst stealth generators and drones give you a greater choice in your approach. All your explosive efforts go toward your choice of five factions, too, earning you new blueprints, missions, parts and, storage space. Shooting and building things has never been so lucrative. It can be a little tricky at

price: $335.00 / https://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-4-Pro-1TB-Console/dp/B01LOP8EZC?SubscriptionId=AKIAIPHVZTVH6LZ5BFZA&tag=hawk-future-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01LOP8EZC&ascsubtag=trd-7268333631240870614-20&th=1 Dimensions: 12.8 x 11.6 x 2.1 inch (W x L x H) | GPU: 4.20 TFLOPS, AMD Radeon™ based graphics engine | RAM: 8 GB of GDDR5, 1 GB DDR3 | Max Resolution: 2160p | Optical Drive: DVD/Blu-ray | Storage: 1TB (expandable) Anything the PlayStation 4 can do, the PlayStation 4 Pro can do slightly better. If you’re invested in the 4K resolution revolution and HDR makes you hot under the collar, this is the Sony console for you. Advertisement The PlayStation 4 Pro plays all the same games as the standard PlayStation 4, so if you're upgrading you won't have to start your library afresh and you won't need to pay any more for new 4K games either. You may, however, see an improvement in how they look and perform compared to the standard PS4. The PlayStation 4 Pro is the most powerful console in the PlayStation lineup at the moment, capable of outputting native and upscaled 4K in games that have been patched to make that possible. Even games that haven’t been specifically patched can make something of this console’s greater power – you’ll find images look a little sharper and games will overall run more smoothly thanks to the PS4 Pro’s Boost Mode. Like the standard PS4, this console has an excellent library of games and some fantastic exclusives as well as Playstation VR support. Though it's capable, it's not every game that will output native 4K on the PS4 Pro – many of them will be upscaled as the console just doesn't have quite the degree of power required to maintain native 4K resolution and run a large game with consistent frame rates. The PS4 Pro also has the same problem as the PS4 in that there isn't good backwards compatibility for previous console generations. There's also no built-in Ultra HD Blu-ray player so if you're looking for a console that will play your physical 4K media, this isn't the one. It will, however, still play standard Blu-rays and DVDs, and can stream in 4K from compatible services. If you don’t have a 4K HDR TV and super sharp visuals aren’t something that will drastically improve your enjoyment of a game then this console might not actually be worth the extra cash you’ll splash on it, particularly if you already own a standard PS4 console. If you are coming into the new console generation for the first time and a 4K HDR TV is something you’re seriously considering purchasing, then the Pro will at the very least future-proof you. Buy this if you want: Native 4K and HDR gaming, PlayStation exclusives, VR gaming, native 4K for under £350/$400. Key reads: Check out our full PS4 Pro review as well as our list of the best games for the console. Think you might make the jump to 4K? These are the best PS4 Pro deals at the moment.

Released: 2017 | Developer: Infinite Fall | Buy it: GOG, Steam, Humble Store Breezy platforming and very minimal puzzling provide the framework for a sweet, earnest, sad coming of age story set in a fading small town. With bouncy, affected dialogue—which is sometimes too cute, but always funny and unabashedly sweet—Mae Borowski explores her hometown and reestablishes friendships after dropping out of college for reasons she won't say. Mae's naive interactions with her parents, her friends, and herself strike genuine, clearly observed notes about adulthood and friendship, as well as the working class struggles of an alienated small town po[CENSORED]tion.