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![]() For a game with only one mode, one featureless arena, and a cruel insistence that you spend most of your time dying, it’s got a lot of little discoveries to make. And you will, if you’re a reasonably curious player. You’ll have to figure out everything for yourself. What do the collectable gems do? How do enemies affect them? What abilities do you have? How, exactly, do they even work? There’s no tutorial here. Getting better at Devil Daggers means learning to process its informational overload. At around seventy seconds, the game turns into a kind of cyclone of sound, and I honestly start struggling to keep track of where I am and who I need to kill. I had to wear headphones to keep an aural map of all the skulls closing in on me. My only warning that a new enemy has spawned is the sound it makes as it’s barfed or plopped or hurled screaming into the arena. I’m usually so busy spinning and looping across the arena that I can’t ever stop to take visual stock of my situation. It would be pretty hard for a person with a hearing disability to play this game, to be honest. The sound design is, I think, my favorite part of Devil Daggers.Īnd the sounds are key. There’s, uh, some other stuff, and it sounds even weirder. There is a kind of enormous spider-skull that screams when it appears and reaches out to wave its zillion deadly legs over the battlefield with a sound like a giant scorpion scurrying across a tile floor. The horned skulls circle ominously across the battlefield with a constant ticking sound, and there’s another variety that comes after you with a much louder drone that grows louder the closer they get. The weakest skulls make a sort of muttering clop-clop sound as they chase you, and they die with a delicious glassy pop, like a christmas ornament dropped on the ground. It works.Īnd if the artstyle is beautifully spooky, the sounds are spookily beautiful. The game is filled to the brim with bones and blood, but it’s just a vibe, right? Gross-out gothic Lovecraft insectoid tentacle-skull horror-violence in the abstract. You’re not shooting people, or even animal monsters– just, you know, swarming skulls. That is basically what’s going on in Devil Daggers. I didn’t really imagine shooting people I just imagined blasts and jets and fountains of blood randomly flying all over the place. In general, Devil Daggers’ low-res artstyle is almost a perfect match for the kind of uninformed, childish mental pictures I used to create of the ultra-violent 90s-era shooters I was not allowed to play as a kid. It’s very ‘Warhammer 40K’– the weakest skulls remind me of servo-skulls without the tech in them. Speaking of skulls: this is a super skull-filled game. When you first start playing, the skull-swarms will seem impossibly complicated, but after a while, they’ll start to make a lot of sense. The process of getting better at Devil Daggers is, at a most basic level, all about understanding movement– your enemies’ movement, your own movement, and the way your movement affects your bullets. The smallest skulls bound off the floor and swarm after you like bugs. Movement in Devil Daggers– everyone’s movement, yours and the skulls’– is fluid and lively. Repeat forever, with increasingly extreme types of skulls pursuing you ceaselessly across the abyssal darkness of the arena. If anything touches you, even once, you die immediately and must restart.Then some things made out of different kinds of skulls stuck together. These skulls are gonna chase you, constantly, until you hit them with your bullets.After a few seconds it will vomit a cloud of human skulls into the air. A rotating obelisk covered in tentacles will appear somewhere on the periphery of the arena. ![]() For about three seconds, you’re at peace. The average session of Devil Daggers goes like this: The best player, as of this writing, has survived for only 483 seconds, which is eight minutes. ![]() ![]() There are about 2460 people in the world who are better at surviving in Devil Daggers than me. From what I can tell, this is a pretty OK score.ĭevil Daggers is a first-person arena shooter with a gothic retro artstyle and only one game-mode: survival. Devil Daggers. My longest gameplay session in Devil Daggers is eighty-six seconds long. ![]() Ultimately, no matter which steps you take or how you measure, you won't get a perfectly accurate result. If you regularly have one or two video or audio streams going, start those before starting the internet speed test. Bypassing the router test should let you pick a server farther away. However, if you want results closer to real-world performance, use a browser or app test. Doing so removes some of the hoops the process has to jump through. If your router has a built-in speed test, use that instead of a browser test. You might even want to restart your router before running a speed test. Use an ethernet-connected device, choose the test server closest to you, and stop anything that might be taxing the internet connection (like a streaming service). Do you want to see if your ISP is genuinely providing the speeds it promised? Then, go for optimal conditions. Getting accurate test results depends on what you intend to measure. It's fine if you just want to brag about how great your ISP is (that's the idea), but it's bad for getting an idea of your real-world speeds. That means you'll get a faster result than you might with a Netflix or Google speed test. Their tests are optimized for ideal conditions, using servers close to you that are often maintained on the same ISP network you're testing from. However, you probably shouldn't rely on an ISP-generated speed test. Your ISP might also offer a speed test, like Comcast, Spectrum, or AT&T. ![]() The difference in server locations is why you likely see different speed results when trying different tests, like Ookla's, Netflix's, or Google's. In that scenario, your results may reflect a faster performance than your real-world usage. ![]() So, while your speed test may show incredibly fast streams, you might find that downloading a program is very slow if the server hosting the data is far away. Much of it is on computers far away-sometimes across the country or in another country. The speed limit hasn't changed, but more cars can pass through the same space at a faster rate thus, the 50th car will arrive sooner using a four-lane highway than it would on a two-lane.īut the entire internet isn't close to you. Opening additional connections is like adding more lanes to the highway. ![]() Imagine your internet service as a highway with a speed limit. The general idea is to tax your internet connection and see how much it can do simultaneously. If the client detects you have room to spare, it opens more connections to the server and downloads more data. At this point, two things are measured: how long it took to grab the fragment of data, and how much of your network resources it used. The client opens multiple connections to the server and attempts to download a small piece of data. The test measures that roundtrip in milliseconds.Īfter the ping is complete, the download test begins. With the test server in place, the Speed Test sends a simple signal (a ping) to the server, and it responds. Some versions, like Ookla's, have an option to change the server. First, the client determines your location and the closest test server to you-this part is important. When you start a speed test, multiple things occur. ![]() The emulator features NetPlay which you can use by entering the server configuration details manually. Snes9x supports cheats if you want to unlock/bypass something in a game. The emulator automatically pauses the game, when you switch to a different window, you can toggle this option off. Moving to the Emulation menu, you can set the program to jump frames, add ROM hacks and choose some advanced options like rewind time, Hi-Res AVI recording, etc. You can also capture screenshots from the emulator's File menu. SMV video which is playable with the emulator, but may not work with your regular video players. There is one more video recording mode in Snes9x, and this one is called "Movie Record". While the recorded video retains the audio, the program mutes the sound while recording, so playing a game when you record it is slightly difficult. The emulator will record the gameplay until you go back to the menu and click on stop recording. Set a file name, and then the compression settings and hit OK. Snes9x has a built-in recording option that can be accessed from the file menu. ![]() The prerelease version has 10 banks, each of which have 10 save slots. The stable version of the program has 10 save game position slots (savestate), these are numbered as 0 - 9, which you can use to save your gameplay at any moment without relying on the in-game save system. Your recently accessed games are listed under the file menu. The emulator supports SFC files, but it can also open ZIP archives that contain the game files. ![]() Click on File > Load game and select the game that you want to play. The interface is nice and simple, use the menubars to select various options. It is a portable application, and comes in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. ![]() An extended paddle switch gives you ultimate comfort and convenience during prolonged use. With a 1.4 head diameter, and the ability to use with most 1 insert bits, the M12 Hex Right Angle Impact Driver offers users maximum access for hard-to-reach fasteners. Milwaukee 2485-22 M12 FUEL Lithium-Ion Right Angle Die Grinder Kit (2 Ah) 4.7 (159) 28820. The onboard fuel gauge helps you monitor the charge precisely, so there’s less downtime on the job, and a built-in LED Light illuminates the work surface. The M12 Hex Right Angle Impact Driver is the ultimate solution for jobs demanding extreme power and speed in the tightest spaces. Electronic clutch provides up to 100 in-lbs of torque Redlithium battery. The M12 REDLITHIUM™ Battery Pack delivers more work per charge and more work over pack life than the competitors. Impact Drivers Impact Wrenches Ratchets Screwdrivers & Screwguns. It also features the industry’s first electronic clutch, with 12 torque settings and an LED indicator for fastening with complete control. Drill Drivers Hammer Drills Right-Angle Drills Magnetic Drills. ![]() We have low prices and a great selection on all Drills. It’s the first subcompact with a spindle lock chuck for maximum versatility and grip. Milwaukee M12 Compact Right Angle Drill (2x 2.0ah Li-ion batteries charger BMC) C12RAD-202 at the lowest UK prices from Euro Car Parts UKs No.1 for Car. Find theM12 3/8 in Lithium-Ion Cordless Right Angle Drill/Driver Kit by Milwaukee at Fleet Farm. With a head size of just 95mm, this M12™ Right Angle Drill/Driver is compact and lightweight for drilling and fastening in tight spaces, yet delivers 12Nm of torque. Work more efficiently with the most versatile right angle drill. Milwaukee M12 Cordless Right Angle Drill 10mm 12v (Bare Tool) With a head size of just 95mm, this M12 Right Angle Drill/Driver is compact and lightweight for drilling and fastening in tight spaces, yet delivers 12Nm of. ![]() ![]() ![]() So with all of that said, SNES Doom is a tough son of a bitch because you can't just flick your wrist with a mouse and turn around. However, I think the soundtrack for SNES Doom exceeds the vast majority of PC sound card MIDI of the time and, at least as far as ports, minus the ceiling/floor textures (which I never really missed), the texturing and geometry better match the PC original than pretty much any other ports sans modern "ports" which pretty much are just the PC release repackaged. And then there is the framerate which is barely playable at best. The walls behave like they're made of honey and you get stuck up against them. There's a slight delay to the sound effects (particularly when firing). Of course, SNES Doom sucks if you're used to playing Doom on a PC because if you try to play SNES Doom as if you were playing on the PC, you will become immediately frustrated. The SNES was the only way I was able to get my hands on Doom at the time and, not knowing about how Doom played on more powerful machines, SNES Doom was an amazing experience for me as there is nothing else that matches it on the SNES. At the time of it's release, I did not have a PC capable of playing Doom. It is not a great version of Doom, but I don't believe that makes it a bad game. However, I want to start off by professing my love of SNES Doom. This isn't going to be a traditional hack, per se, as I'm not really a fan of those "all this IPS does is apply game genie codes to your rom" hacks. ![]() The screens of all three editions are brighter, and they have adjustable warm backlighting however, only the Signature Edition has an auto-adjust feature that adapts the backlighting to your surroundings, making it even easier to read outdoors or in the dark. You also get the same IPX8 waterproof rating, non-slip rubber backing and 300ppi resolution we saw on the previous Paperwhite model, making the eReader a great all-rounder. Each device now includes USB-C charging, a faster page-turn rate and a larger 6.8-inch screen (up from six-inches on the previous model), which I found to be the ideal reading size. I reviewed the Signature Edition model and scored it a 4.5 out of five, but all three options are solid choices. With three different size options available – 8GB ($249), 16GB ($269) and a 32GB Signature Edition ($299) model – it’s easy to find a version to meet your budget and storage requirements. Tried and tested by Lauren Chaplin, Consumer Technology ReporterĪmazon released an updated version of its Kindle Paperwhite back in 2021, and it’s still our top eReader pick for most people. Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen), from $249, Amazon Australia In addition, we read hundreds of customer reviews and looked at test results and ratings from product review sites, eliminating any options that aren’t readily available here in Australia. To help you find a great eReader, we road tested four well-known products at different price points. To help you find the right one for your needs, we’ve compiled a list of the best eReaders for all budgets and preferences below. While Australia’s eReader market is limited to just a few brands, there are still plenty of models to choose from. (Not to mention, they’ll save you the heartache of spilling a coffee all over your favourite novel). If you’re an avid reader, you know the struggle of trying to fit a stack of books into your luggage or fighting to find space for them in an already heaving bookcase.įortunately, eReaders offer a lightweight and convenient solution that makes reading on-the-go a breeze. Right now, it looks like you are consuming well below this target, and I suspect that’s why you are hitting the wall early in your runs. Personally, I aim for 45 grams of carb each hour, and I recommend that the athletes I work with do the same. Most experts recommend consuming between 30-60 grams of carbohydrate an hour. During the run, this tank will be depleted, and that’s why it’s necessary to add in fuel as you go along. Your meals in the hours before the run will supply your muscles with glycogen and will essentially top your your fuel tank. To make it through a long run or a marathon, what you eat before and during the run is crucial. TRAINING PLANS: Find a Runner’s World Marathon Plan to run your first, or fastest, 26.2. That way, the next time a long run is scheduled, there will be no question of what did or didn't work for you. It’s easy to forget what exactly worked for you out on the road so remember to write down your fueling regimen in your training journal. You may need to try different brands, various flavors, and various amounts before you hone in on your perfect fueling plan (so it’s best to start experimentation early), and once you find something that works for you, stick with it. You may need to try out different forms of fuel-gels, blocks, beans, chews, bars, and even real food-are options. Determining your best strategy can take some trial and error. It’s important to nail down nutrition during training runs because whatever works for you during these runs is what should work for you on race day. You’re smart to be thinking about it now and realizing that hitting the wall during your long runs is probably a result of not enough energy in the tank. Play icon The triangle icon that indicates to play Some runners skip long run fuel altogether and don’t even give it a thought until race day. Many first-time marathoners-and even seasoned marathoners-struggle with nailing down what to eat to make it through long training runs. In the past I’ve avoided eating too much because it makes me feel slow and sluggish or causes emergency bathroom breaks. I felt better, but that was about 11.5 miles in, and I had to call for a ride home at mile 15. During last week’s training run, I was supposed to cover 21, miles but I was so tired I stopped at a store and ate a banana and granola bar and some Powerade. On half-marathon race days I’ve taken GUs, and they seem to work for me. ![]() ![]() I take about four with me and eat them while I run. My fueling strategy is this: On the 15 mile and less runs, I drink water and that’s it. I ran 1545 miles last year, have done four half-marathons, and ran 40+ miles a week-just not 20+ miles in a day. I haven't done more than 18.5 miles on the training runs. I run for 15 miles and have to make myself keep going. I'm training for my first marathon, and I'm struggling to get my 20- to 22-mile training runs completed. ![]() ![]() The oddly haunting, archaic melody that opens “The Kindling” lulls the listener into a deceptive calm, one quickly shattered by the oncoming firestorm of icy brimstone fury. Slinky riff arrangements and cutting tremolo melodies – instantly recognisable as distinctive Antestor trademarks – armour the song with irrepressible metallic power, as it races, barely pausing for breath, at breakneck speed towards its soaring penultimate solo and explosive climactic bars. The opening of “In Solitude” is one of those pure Antestor-ian moments, their signature riff style and intricate drumming building to a crescendo of pulse-pounding blastbeats and Ronny Hansen’s snarling, yet crystal-clear, vocal delivery. The unexpected clean vocals here have a strong Pink Floyd feel to them, a restrained and melancholic majesty, once again leaving you with the feeling that the band really took the time to make sure that ALL of the elements of their sonic signature were simpatico this time around – the flow from malevolence to melody, and back again, feels completely natural and organic. Stepping into shoes last filled by the inimitable Hellhammer can’t be an easy thing to do, but his high-velocity kick patterns and laser-guided stick work never fail to impress. “Unchained” continues the assault, piling on the intensity with riff after riff of scorching fury, fuelled by Jo Henning Borven’s immaculate drumming. The dizzying solo work which the group also first unveiled on The Forsaken now flows seamlessly from within the song itself, adding a mesmerising new facet to the band’s sound. ![]() Accentuating the scalding aggression is the proggier vibe the band flirted with on The Forsaken, now fully and more artfully integrated, complete with subtle clean backing vocals. ‘Treacherous Domain’ begins with a doomy intro that hearkens back to the Martyrium days, pulverisingly heavy guitars and hammerhead drumming building the tension to the breaking point, before the dam cracks under the pressure of the track’s seething, blackened onslaught. I merely make the comparison to put you in the right frame of mind, oh dear reader. But this is an Antestor album through and through, with all the clever nuances and subtle undercurrents we’ve come to expect, and in no way derivative of anyone else. To give you some idea of how to situate this album in your mind, think of the more aggressive assault of Dark Funeral, mixed with the more technical and atmospheric playing of Dark Fortress, and you’ll be in the right ballpark. Heavier, sharper, and more refined throughout, there’s a seamless mixing of the old and the new, with every member putting his own authoritative stamp on the individual performances. The logical progression of the blackened direction that ruled The Forsaken, Antestor’s latest manages to incorporate elements of all their previous records into a cohesive whole, in a perfect synthesis of their doomy past and their pitch-black future. Through years of strife and sorrow, we’ve remained vigilant for Antestor’s return and now finally… the time is here. (In this post Andy Synn reviews the new album from Norway’s Antestor - a band whose previous albums were the subject of a SYNN REPORT and who had the good taste to use a painting by Zdzisław Beksiński for their album cover.) ![]() He also owns indoor farming company Square Roots and started foundation Big Green, which teaches farming to children. ![]() In 2004, Kimbal shifted industries and co-founded The Kitchen Restaurant Group, which owns three farm-to-table restaurant chains: Next Door, The Kitchen and Hedge Row. In 2002, eBay purchased PayPal for $1.5 billion.Įlon went on to start SpaceX in 2002, and became a Tesla investor in 2004 and CEO in 2008. In 2016, he founded Neuralink, and a year later, he created The Boring Company. ![]() In 1999, Elon and Kimbal reportedly sold Zip2 for roughly $300 million and Elon used that money on a second start-up X.com, which later became PayPal. Zip2 ultimately won over The New York Times, Knight Ridder and Hearst Corporation, who not only partnered with Zip2 but together invested a total of $50 million in the business, according to Ashlee Vance's book, "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future." "And we were like 'OK, I guess we'll just build it.'" How dare you even suggest this,' Elon said. You'll still own all the content and everything.' And they'd just throw us out of the office, 'No. "We said like, 'Listen, it costs very little. When Elon and Kimbal would try to get funding or partner with other companies, they were forced to explain the internet. "At that point, very few people were in the internet, so it was really a question of, 'Is the internet going to succeed?' Which we were huge believers in, and these guys were not." Maye Musk tweets pic of her, Kimbal & Elon at Zip2. "Most people didn't have an email address or ever went online." "And picked up the Yellow Pages – this book, this big thick book full of ads, this multibillion-dollar risk industry – and threw it at me and said, 'You ever think you're going to replace this?'"īut the response was a typical one at the time, as "most businesses didn't know what the internet was" back then, Elon said on the podcast. Let's be one of your partners to put the Yellow Pages online.' "I remember talking to the head of the that owned the Yellow Pages ," Kimbal said on the Third Row Tesla podcast. |
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