“He did an extraordinary job, and he should be given that recognition,” Sen. Dick Durbin said.
Fortnite Stop Sign Locations Guide (Season 10)
Season X of Fortnite has officially arrived, and a lot has changed in Epic’s popular battle royale game. Not only are there new areas of the map to explore, there’s also a new Battle Pass to purchase, which gives holders access to an assortment of new challenges to complete and cosmetic rewards to unlock.
This time around, however, the challenges work a little differently than in past seasons. Previously, Epic offered new missions to complete on a weekly basis, some of which were available to everyone, even if they didn’t own a Battle Pass. Season X does away with these free missions. Now, most of the challenges are gated behind the pass, so you’ll need to pick one up if you’re hoping to get the most out of the new season.
The challenges are also no longer doled out weekly; rather, they’re now grouped into different themed sets. Three challenges are available from the outset, with additional ones unlocking as you complete them. The first themed set is called Road Trip, and it features a couple of tasks that may give you some trouble if you’re not too familiar with the island, such as one that asks you to destroy stop signs with the Catalyst outfit. If you don’t know where those are, we’ve put together this guide to point you in the right direction.
Where Are The Stop Sign Locations?
The stop signs that you need to destroy are scattered all around the island. You need to vandalize a total of 10 in order to complete this challenge. Fortunately, you don’t need to destroy all 10 within a single match, so you can jump into a game, visit an area where a few of the signs are bunched together, then get eliminated and repeat the process until you’ve completed the challenge.
The most stop signs can be found in Pleasant Park, which is home to 10 of them, so you can potentially clear this challenge in one go if you land there–although it will surely be a hotbed, as other players will be looking to complete this challenge as well. If you’d prefer to avoid the crowd, you can find three stop signs scattered around Salty Springs, and another two by Mega Mall. We’ve also found at least two stop signs around Paradise Palms, so you have plenty of options to choose from. You can see some locations in the tweet below.
Stop sign locations ❤🛑 #Fortnite #FortniteSeason10 #GamerGirl #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/DyG8e8e4Zg
— Lydia Deneez (@LydiaDeneez) August 1, 2019
How To Complete The Challenge
As the challenge name states, it isn’t enough to simply destroy the stop signs; you need to be doing so while wearing the Catalyst skin, which is unlocked at the first tier of the Season X Battle Pass. Equip the skin, then located some signs and destroy them using either your Harvesting Tool or any weapons you’re able to pick up during the round. Once you finally manage to break all 10 stop signs, you’ll complete the challenge and earn 10 Battle Stars.
Season X has only just begun, and much has changed in the game. Be sure to check out our Fortnite Season X hub, where you can find more details about what’s new this season, from all of the new unlockable skins and cosmetics to the Season 10 patch notes.
Fortnite Season X Challenges
Road Trip
- Visit Drift-painted Durr Burger Head, a Dinosaur, and a Stone Head Statue (3)
- Deal damage to opponents while riding in a vehicle (200)
- Destroy stop signs with the Catalyst outfit (10)
Game Release Dates Of August 2019: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, And PC
It’s August. Can you believe it? With the big fall games season right around the corner, the releases are slowly ramping up. This month has plenty of games worth grabbing as you wait for 2019’s heavy hitters. You can expect to play big games like Madden NFL 20, Astral Chain, and Control. You can find out more about each below.
Aside from new games, it seems like there’s always an unexpected Switch port releasing every month, and August is no different. Pillars of Eternity, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet, and Friday the 13th: The Game are all getting ported to Nintendo’s fan-favorite hybrid console-portable.
There’s plenty of other noteworthy releases in August, so be sure to check out the table below for all things big, small, and cult-classic. For a wider look at what’s still in store for the rest of this year, be sure to check out our complete list of game release dates in 2019.
Madden NFL 20 (PS4, Xbox One, PC) — August 2
It’s another year, another Madden. However, this year’s iteration of the massively popular American football franchise is one of the most intriguing ones yet, featuring a new scenario engine that creates subtle storylines the more games you play in a season. There’s also a special player trait system called Superstar X-Factor that allows famous players to activate special abilities after fulfilling certain conditions on the field.
Further Reading:
Control (PS4, Xbox One, PC) — August 27
Control is the latest third-person shooter from Remedy Entertainment, the studio that brought you several cult-favorite games like Max Payne, Alan Wake, and Quantum Break. It plays more similar to something like Quantum Break but amped up to a new extreme. You control protagonist Jesse, who possesses near superhero-like powers, such as the ability to glide mid-air and move objects with her mind, which creates some dynamic, over-the-top firefights. It’s all wrapped up in a surreal storyline about being stuck in a shapeshifting government facility that houses paranormal experiments.
Further Reading:
- Remedy’s Control: We Played An Hour And Still Have No Idea What’s Going On
- How Remedy’s Control Will Trust Players To Figure Out Its Unreal Story
Astral Chain (Switch) — August 30
Platinum Games is back with another exciting new action game called Astral Chain exclusively available for Nintendo Switch. It iterates upon the studio’s classic action with new ideas, putting you in the role of a special police force cadet with the ability to summon an entity that fights alongside you. All the while, you’ll conduct investigations to solve petty crimes and unravel the mysteries of the larger overarching plot.
Further Reading:
- Astral Chain Hands-On Preview: Two Characters Make Combat A Fast-Paced Blast
- Platinum Games On Making A New Kind Action Experience With Astral Chain
Full August Release Schedule
Dev Has A Great Explanation For Why It’s Going Epic Exclusive On PC
Cute life-sim adventure game Ooblets did the thing that some people aren’t fond of: sign an Epic exclusive deal. Now, Ooblets will launch exclusively for the Epic Games Stores on PC, while the Xbox One release remains unaffected. Indie developer Glumberland has some words on the matter, explaining the choice in a surprisingly frank message to fans.
In a blog post, Glumberland stated that signing with Epic was a “big decision” the studio didn’t take lightly. “[Epic] offered us a minimum guarantee on sales that would match what we’d be wanting to earn if we were just selling Ooblets across all the stores,” Glumberland wrote. “That takes a huge burden of uncertainty off of us because now we know that no matter what, the game won’t fail.”
The financial security, according to Glumberland, gives the studio peace of mind, allowing the small team to “focus on making the game without worrying about keeping the lights on [and] afford more help and resources to start ramping up production and doing some cooler things.”
Glumberland also responds to common complaints leveled against the Epic Games Store, writing, “Venting anger is cathartic and natural, but let’s have just a little perspective about what we decide to get angry about.” The developer suggests, instead of getting riled up over “low-stakes video game stuff,” gamers should “look at the things going on and ask if there might be anything just a tad more worthwhile to be upset about.” Suggestions include climate change, human rights abuses, the new Twitter desktop UI, and the final Game of Thrones season–though Glumberland says the last two are jokes.
Check out the full blog post for tons of laughs and further insight behind the decision.
The indie studio did say the Epic investment “might delay” the game’s initial launch, though no release date has been confirmed. Increased resources will speed up development time, but Glumberland confirmed that “it takes some time to ramp things up.” Ultimately, the lack of financial pressure won’t force the team to push out an incomplete product. Ooblets will arrive on other PC distributors after “a pretty long while.”
Modern Warfare Dev Downplays White Phosphorus Controversy, Says Multiplayer Is About The Fun
Infinity Ward released a heap of new details about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare‘s multiplayer mode this week, both on a livestream and to journalists at a hands-on press event in Los Angeles. Those details included some of the game’s new Killstreak rewards, which struck up controversy in the days before the announcement when Infinity Ward revealed that white phosphorus is one of the weapons players will have access to in multiplayer.
In the real world, white phosphorus is a chemical weapon that has horrific power. The chemical ignites when it interacts with oxygen, creating a thick white smokescreen that can obscure troop movements and disorient soldiers on the battlefield. But white phosphorus also burns extremely hot, making the chemical very dangerous. It can melt skin and burn through muscle and even bone; it also is capable of reigniting days or weeks after its use.
Infinity Ward saw criticism for choosing to allow players to use white phosphorus against each other in the game. The inclusion of the weapon also seems at odds with Infinity Ward’s stated goals for its single-player campaign. The studio has said it means for Modern Warfare’s narrative to be gritty and realistic, exploring morality and gray areas soldiers have to navigate when balancing completing their missions and doing the right thing.
- We Saw White Phosphorus In Action In Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare — Here’s What Happened
- Modern Warfare Multiplayer Hands-On: Rebuilding Call Of Duty From The Guns Up
- Call Of Duty Reveal: Modern Warfare Multiplayer News Recap
- Modern Warfare’s Night Multiplayer Maps Are Its Coolest New Feature
- Modern Warfare Multiplayer Supports Up To 100 Players
Call of Duty games of the past have included weapons in multiplayer that are horrific in the real world, including flame throwers, napalm, and even nuclear weapons. Art director Joel Emslie pointed out during an interview with GameSpot that Modern Warfare’s multiplayer trailer ended with a nuclear detonation. Nuclear bombs have been Killstreak rewards in past Call of Duty games.
“Ultimately, I think it’s a realistic game,” Emslie said. “It’s mature-rated and, you know, you saw a nuclear bomb go off at the end of the trailer.”
As far as the disconnect between what the narrative is trying to say about war and the way multiplayer portrays it, Emslie said the two modes are trying to accomplish different things.
“I think that, in the end, the narrative is telling a story, a serious story, and it does things in a way, to make things–it’s trying to get a dramatic reaction out of the player, and making you feel things,” Emslie said.
“We want people to be thoughtful about what they’re playing,” audio director Stephen Miller added.
“In the narrative experience, you’re using this landscape and this universe to make people care about these characters,” Emslie continued. “And then when you’re in the multiplayer space, you’re trying to get them, using the same things in the same universe, to care more about the fun that they’re having. It’s almost like a mental chess game, where you’re solving puzzles with mechanics and doing these things. And the characters that are in there, it’s more about representing you in this play-space.
“…It’s almost like having two different actors in the same film,” he said. “You might have a really dramatic, deep, disturbed character with a horrible past and all this trauma. And then over here, you’ve got another character that’s devil may care, whatever. But I look at it that way. I almost look at the game as, it’s three very different characters and actors in the same film, in the same play.”
As NPR reports, the US military has used white phosphorus in Iraq during the war there and in fighting the Islamic State. The substance isn’t banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, as long as it’s used to create smokescreens and not as a weapon itself. Human rights organizations have pushed the US and others to stop using the chemical weapon, however, because of the risk to civilians, especially in urban settings.
We saw white phosphorus in use in Modern Warfare during our hands-on session. It blankets the battlefield in white smoke, which does a small amount of damage to enemy players, renders their screens in black-and-white, and disorients them as they go cough through it. We didn’t encounter any canisters, which apparently will “burn any that wander too close,” according to Infinity Ward’s description of the Killstreak reward. You can see white phosphorus used in our gameplay capture of a 20-vs.-20 Modern Warfare match.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare – 20v20 Team Deathmatch Gameplay
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare introduces its massive 20v20 mode. This mode is played with large-scale maps such as “Aniyah Palace” seen here. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 25, 2019.
Dragon Quest 11 Definitive Edition (Switch) Is Only $49.94 To Pre-Order (US)
It’s finally August, which means Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive edition will officially be out next month, on September 27. And fortunately for those planning to pick it up on day one, it seems Dragon Quest XI S is being included as part of Amazon and Walmart’s ongoing pattern of discounting games to $49.94 before they’ve even released. The fact that it’s labeled as the number one best-selling Switch game on Amazon right now may have something to do with such an early price drop. In any case, you can grab Dragon Quest XI S at that price right now.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition
$49.94 ($60)
See it at Amazon See it at Walmart
The good thing about pre-ordering games at Amazon is that you’re guaranteed the lowest price after you place your order, even if the price drops again between now and September 27. For example, if Amazon decides to sell it for $45, you’ll only be charged $45 when the item ships. But if (and when) the price goes back up to $60, you won’t pay any more than the sale price you committed to. Walmart doesn’t offer that price guarantee, but you’ll still get the game on release day with either retailer.
Dragon Quest XI’s Definitive edition includes all the content from the original game as well as additional character-specific stories, orchestral field and battle music, the ability to toggle between HD and retro 16-bit visuals, side quests that let you travel into past Dragon Quest worlds, both Japanese and English voice tracks, and more.
Of course, you can get in on some Dragon Quest action already with the release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s newest DLC character, the Hero, whose default look is based on the protagonist in Dragon Quest XI. He’s available to download now as part of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Fighters Pass or to purchase individually for $6.
The Dragon Quest XI Definitive edition was originally announced during a Nintendo Direct back in February, and a new trailer revealing the release date dropped during E3 2019. You can check that trailer from Square Enix’s E3 press conference below.
Respawn Will Reveal Its New VR Game Next Month
Respawn’s upcoming VR game will be announced next month. Not too much is known about the game, though Respawn has been adamant that it is not the “premium” Titanfall experience that it’s also been working on.
In a blog post, the Oculus team announced Respawn’s new VR game would be revealed at this year’s Oculus Connect, which is scheduled for September 25-26. The game is described as a “triple-A first-person combat title made in partnership with Oculus Studios.” A hands-on demo will be available at Oculus Connect.
Respawn has a proven track record with first-person action games, being the developer behind Titanfall, Titanfall 2, and Apex Legends. However, this unannounced title is the studio’s first foray into VR. Respawn hasn’t said whether this VR game is a spin-off of the Titanfall franchise, like Apex Legends, or a brand-new story for the studio.
Alongside this VR game, Respawn is currently creating a limited-time event for Apex Legends: Season 2, beginning work on Apex Legends: Season 3, and finishing up on Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order–all of which are scheduled for this year. Fallen Order stands to be the developer’s biggest project of the year, delivering a Metroid Prime-inspired Star Wars experience that also utilizes a similar combat system to From Software’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Speaking of Star Wars, ILMxLAB will also be at Oculus Connect 2019 to talk about Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series. The first episode of the Oculus Quest exclusive VR experience was received very well by fans and critics alike, containing fun lightsaber mechanics and a never-before-seen canonical story about Darth Vader’s quest to bring Padme back to life. Episode 2 will allow users to use the Force.
Outrage At Ole Miss Over Students Posing With Bullet-Riddled Emmett Till Sign
“It makes it harder to say it’s not bad,” one recent black graduate said. “To say ‘I’m safe here, Mom, don’t worry.’”
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Night Multiplayer Maps Are Its Coolest New Feature
There’s a lot to like in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare‘s multiplayer offering. Infinity Ward showed off the competitive mode to journalists ahead of its multiplayer reveal livestream, where we got a chance to engage in 20-on-20 battles, try out new Killstreaks, customize all our guns, and drive tanks.
The coolest new addition to Call of Duty multiplayer, though, is probably Modern Warfare’s take on night-vision goggles. The game supports day and night versions of several maps, and we played a match on a version of the map “Caves,” blanketed in darkness. Fighting at night completely changes the feel of the map–as you move through it, you have to decide whether to use goggles for heightened visibility or to take them off in favor of natural light sources that might blow out the goggles’ optics. There’s also a hardcore version of the mode that removes your heads-up display information, making the darkness more intrusive and your time in the goggles even more realistic. Check out our gameplay with Modern Warfare’s night-vision googles in the video above.
Using night-vision gives you the ability to see in the dark, but it also has its drawbacks. Modern Warfare takes into account the size of the goggles when you’re wearing them. If you were wearing NVGs in the real world and tried to look into a gun scope, the gun would bang into the goggles. That’s the case in Modern Warfare, too, so when you draw up your gun to aim down its sights while wearing NVGs, the weapon rests about halfway up, instead. It’s more accurate than aiming from the hip, but not quite as useful as normal ADS. That creates a tradeoff situation you’ll have to adapt to if you want to be effective in the dark. However, you can also fully customize all your weapons in Modern Warfare. Opting for smaller sights can get the optics out of the way and let you pull the rifle up to aim properly.
The goggles also significantly change how you think about engagements with other players. On NVG maps, guns come with infrared targeting lasers that are invisible to the naked eye but become fully visible in the goggles. The lasers only appear when you hit the ADS button, taking up the role your scope would otherwise occupy.
The trouble is that if you can see your laser while using night-vision, so can anyone else who’s wearing goggles. Your laser then becomes something of a liability: Whenever you ADS, you’re not only sighting in a target, you’re also revealing your location to anyone who can see the laser. During its multiplayer press event, Infinity Ward developers discussed how real-world soldiers practice “laser discipline” to make sure their lasers aren’t giving them away. You’ll need to do the same thing in Modern Warfare–but the intel you get from other players who aren’t as careful about their aim can help you set up ambushes and take advantage.
Of course, whenever you’re using NVGs, you have to worry about being blinded by sudden flashes of light. That can push you to change up your loadout choices. Guns with big muzzle flashes can blow out your goggles somewhat (as well as those of your opponents), while flashbangs are even more hazardous to anybody too close to them. And of course, you need to be careful about any light sources around you that might disorient you.
It seems a minor change, but thanks to the attention to detail Infinity Ward has put on its night-vision tech, flipping a map from day to night significantly changes up Modern Warfare’s gameplay. Suddenly, a lot of tactical decisions you don’t make during the day, like where to move between light and darkness, and when to risk taking aim, dominate your decision-making. The night-vision goggles of Modern Warfare feel very authentic, and all the pros and cons they bring mean adapting to new strategies. The inclusion of night-vision bucks the multiplayer formula just enough to add exactly the kind of fresh dynamics Infinity Ward is going for with Modern Warfare.
Check out our impressions of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s multiplayer, and read more about its open beta, how big teams can get, and how the game is changing radar and Killstreaks. We’ve also seen how white phosphorus functions in the game, and you can check out footage of the Modern Warfare’s 20-vs-20 game mode from our hands-on session.