Confused About the Deadpool Characters? There’s a Diagram for That

Confused About the Deadpool Characters? There’s a Diagram for That

Deadpool characters charted in not-innuendo-at-all Venn diagram

Deadpool-Characters-Featured

There are a ton of new characters in 20th Century Fox‘s upcoming Deadpool movie that fans will be meeting for the first time, and to help you better understand who the good and bad guys are, Ryan Reynolds has debuted a very shapely Venn diagram offering some tips. You can check out the completely normal and not-innuendo-at-all diagram featuring the Deadpool characters below.

Based upon Marvel Comics’ most unconventional anti-hero, Deadpool tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

Ryan Reynolds stars as the title character alongside T.J. Miller as Weasel, Gina Carano as Angel Dust, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Morena Baccarin as Copycat and Ed Skrein as Ajax. The film will also feature the mutant Colossus, voiced by Serbian actor Stefan Kapicic. Reynolds has expressed a desire that Hugh Jackman might cameo as Wolverine, though it remains unconfirmed as to whether or not he will actually appear.

Tim Miller is directing the movie from a script by Zombieland writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Confirmed to be rated RDeadpool is scheduled for a release on February 12, 2016.

Last year we had the opportunity to chat with Reynolds on the Vancouver set of the film. If you haven’t already had a chance, check out our Deadpool set visit report. We’ve also got spotlights on the Deadpool characters as well as behind-the-scenes looks at films featuring Ryan Reynolds and Gina Carano.

Confused About the Deadpool Characters? There’s a Diagram for That

Josh Brolin on Playing Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Josh Brolin on Playing Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Josh Brolin on playing Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

thanos-infinity-war-header-11

Josh Brolin is starring in the new Coen brothers film Hail, Caesar! which opens on February 5. While chatting with him for the comedy about the golden age of Hollywood, he talked a little bit about another role he’s playing; Thanos, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’ve already seen his face and heard his voice, but we’re going to see more of him in the films leading up to the two Infinity War films. Brolin gave us a quick look into doing the motion capture for the Marvel villain, the number of cameras filming him and how he feels about the decision to take the role.

Brolin said, “It’s not voice work, it’s mo-cap. I’m there. I’m there and I’m not in a booth. I’m being filmed. I have a bunch of crap on my face. [laughs] I’m being filmed by like thirty-four cameras? Thirty-six cameras? Something like that. Every movement, everything. So, it’s very new to me, it’s very exciting, it’s very unnerving. But I sure trust these guys! You know? We’re supposed to get together very soon to talk about the trajectory of Thanos in the next few years and it’s very exciting. It’s one of the better decisions I think I’ve made.”

Avengers: Infinity War Part I will hit theaters on May 4, 2018 and Infinity War Part II on May 3, 2019. Brolin stars as Hollywood fixer Eddie Mannix in Hail, Caesar! alongside Channing Tatum, George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Jonah Hill and Alden Ehrenreich.

Josh Brolin on Playing Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition: What You Need to Know

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition: What You Need to Know

Video games don’t get more popular than Minecraft. It’s charming blend of distinctive graphics and whimsical survival setup were unlike anything we’d seen before. Developers have tried to replicate Mojang’s success with Minecraft, but to no avail. Available along with the Windows 10 operating system itself, Minecraft Windows 10 Edition seeks to clean-up what was already a pretty stellar experience.

The classic versions of Minecraft have some rather unsightly requirements. First, purchasing and downloading the game isn’t as seamless and one would assume. That’s because Mojang maintains it’s own Minecraft purchase system separately from Microsoft, the company that purchased the studio a few years ago. Second, Minecraft on desktop has mods that can get a bit unwieldy. The underlying technology that it relies on, Java, can be confusing for some too.

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition (3)

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition takes steps to solve those nagging problems. Windows 10 users purchase the game directly from Microsoft’s Windows Store. Any credit card or store credit already on their account can be applied to the game. Instead of returning to the Mojang website for extras, users simply go back to the Windows Store to unlock skin packs and add-ons using the same system. Also, Minecraft Windows 10 Edition has all the stuff you need to get going. You install it and it works, there’s no separate software add-ons to maintain or manage. It does introduce a new wrinkle though, you don’t get to add any mods.

We’ve spent some time with Minecraft for Windows 10. Here are some tips for anyone thinking about purchasing one of the latest editions to the Minecraft ecosystem.

Connect a Controller

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The first thing anyone playing Minecraft Windows 10 Edition needs to do is leave their keyboard behind. To be clear, playing with your mouse and keyboard can be great. The game also supports touch. Neither compare to the ease of a controller.

Luckily, Minecraft supports Microsoft’s own Xbox controllers. You can plug an Xbox One controller directly into your Windows PC with a microUSB cable or opt for the older Xbox 360 controller and a wireless adapter if you want. Other controllers are supported along with these. Microsoft recently released a dedicated Xbox Wireless Adapter that lets you play your games without a cable.

Why Minecraft Windows 10 Edition is So Cheap

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition is cheap, really cheap. In the United States, the game costs just $9.99 from the Windows Store. That’s a lot less than the $26.95 that the desktop version of Minecraft costs directly from Mojang’s website. Lots of people are wondering why that is.

Put plainly, Minecraft Windows 10 Edition is in open beta. This means that’s that what you’re buying isn’t necessarily a feature complete game. Instead of waiting to release it, Microsoft opted to make the game available at a steep discount, adding new features to the game when they’re done. Neither Mojang nor Microsoft usually discuss what features are coming before they’re available.

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition (2)

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition has a lot of nice features, but it’s running behind the Mac and regular PC versions. It’s also missing mod support, which is essential for creating the types of incredible things that people dream up in the game’s sandbox mode. You can add your own character skins if you want.

Note that you don’t have to choose either or. If you buy the regular version of Minecraft from the Mojang website, you unlock the Windows 10 Edition for free.

You Can’t Transfer Your Worlds to Minecraft Windows 10 Edition

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition does have one big caveat. You can’t transfer your worlds from other versions of the game to it. For that, Microsoft is still encouraging users to download the regular PC version alongside the Windows 10 version.

Don’t Worry About Updating

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition (5)

Microsoft’s internal team and the Windows Store app that you have installed on your device will handle all the heavy lifting related to Minecraft Windows 10 Edition. You’ll never need to go out and find a software update, the latest updates are published into the Windows Store, where your Windows 10 computer will then grab them and install them behind-the-scenes.

Introducing The Games Bar

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition (6)

Along with the Xbox app itself, Minecraft Windows 10 Edition supports Windows 10’s Games Bar. Press the Windows key and G key on your keyboard to get access to screenshots and video clip recording directly from your game. If you have a controller connected, the Games Bar is always available by pressing the Xbox logo on that controller.

Play Minecraft With Friends

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition (4)

Any other Minecraft Windows 10 Edition player on your same network can play along with you in your worlds. Microsoft revealed that it would add Xbox Live connectivity to the game in a future update so that users can play together across devices. The company said so in an FAQ about the game published at launch. The feature is now available, though it’s buried in the game’s Options area.

Already, the company has implemented some useful features and laid the groundwork. Minecraft Windows 10 Edition forces users to login into their Xbox Live account because it comes with Xbox Live Achievements. The Xbox app that comes installed on Windows 10 devices allows users to send messages over Xbox Live and start Xbox Live Parties with other Windows 10 and Xbox One owners.

Mojang and Microsoft keep the Minecraft community updated with news directly through the Game Hub in the Xbox app too. Go there for the latest news about the game and questions about your experience with it so far.

Good luck with Minecraft Windows 10 Edition.

Minecraft Windows 10 Edition: What You Need to Know

Microsoft’s new Minecraft Education Edition – written in C++ – will outrun the Java version

Microsoft’s new Minecraft Education Edition – written in C++ – will outrun the Java version

Microsoft’s new Minecraft Education Edition – written in C++ – will outrun the Java version

The forthcoming Minecraft: Education Edition, written in C++, looks faster and smoother than the old Java version, but won’t be compatible with all the old mods. If Microsoft mis-handles the transition, a split could damage the Minecraft community that underpins the game’s stunning success….

Minecraft Education Edition logo
Image credit: Microsoft

This summer, Microsoft will release a beta of Minecraft: Education Edition written in C++ rather than Java, which looks like removing the performance problems associated with running the current version of Minecraft. The Education Edition should run well on the types of Windows laptop commonly found in schools, and in homes.

Microsoft announced the Education Edition at the BETT 2016 educational technology exhibition held last week in London. Microsoft also announced that it had purchased MinecraftEDU, an educational version of Minecraft, from Teacher Gaming LLC. (SeeMicrosoft acquires MinecraftEdu from Teacher Gaming.) MinecraftEDU will not be developed any further, but most of its features will be implemented in the Education Edition.

Minecraft: Education Edition also builds on and extends the Windows 10 version of Minecraft. This is based on the Pocket Edition of Minecraft (MCPE), which is written in C++, not in Java. At BETT, a Microsoft programmer told me that the aim for the Education Edition was to support all the features of the Java version. It will also include extra features that will enable teachers to control large multi-player sessions, including new commands such as Build Allow and Build Deny.

In schools and colleges that use Office 365, students will be able to log on to Minecraft using their Office credentials. Alternatively, the Education Edition can easily be set up on a peer-to-peer classroom network, without a server.

At BETT, early versions of the Education Edition were running impressively smoothly with high-resolution graphics settings on the Minecraft stand.

It remains to be seen how much of the Java version can be incorporated in the C++ version, which runs on Windows 10 PCs, tablets, smartphones and games consoles. It should be possible to import worlds, skins, maps and similar mods. However, mods written in Java code will not be compatible.

The Education Edition is both a solution and a problem for both Microsoft and the Minecraft community. It looks like providing the higher performance that Minecraft players have wanted for years. However, removing the ability to create Java-style mods might well diminish the community supporting the game. That would be extremely bad news for Microsoft, and for its $2.5 billion investment in Mojang, Minecraft’s developer.

What follows is speculation….

At the moment, it looks as though there will be two versions of Minecraft – a Standard Edition and an Education Edition – with the latter feeding off the former. At first, these will have somewhat different features and capabilities, and different target audiences.In the future, however, it seems likely that most Minecraft players will learn the new C++ version first, either in schools or on their own Windows 10 laptops, or via the Pocket edition on smartphones, tablets, and games consoles. The old Java version could therefore see a relative decline: its users may become just a small minority of the expanded market.

Obviously, Mac OS X and Linux have no problems running C++ code, but it remains to be seen whether Microsoft will port the Education Edition to these rival platforms. If it doesn’t, Windows 10 will have an advantage in the education market. If it does, it could be the beginning of the end for the Java version. Why support two code-bases if you only need

Microsoft’s new Minecraft Education Edition – written in C++ – will outrun the Java version

Minecraft shaders: 10 of the best Minecraft graphics mods

Minecraft shaders: 10 of the best Minecraft graphics mods

Minecraft shaders: 10 of the best Minecraft graphics mods

best minecraft shaders

Minecraft shaders. What is a Minecraft shader? Why is it? And for how long? Well, Minecraft has a lot of things in its favour: infinite replayability, massively varied gameplay and a constantly changing and improving online game. Where Minecraft falters in comparison to other modern games is its graphics. Fortunately, as with everything in Minecraft, the graphical fidelity can be tweaked to incredible effect with the help of mods called shaders.

From photorealistic lighting to uncanny motion blur, shaders are capable of bringing your Minecraft experience to life. Every shader has its own unique qualities, whether that’s injecting some serious style or providing a lag-free boost to Minecraft’s base visuals. So, in order to set you on your way to crystal-clear vistas we’ve put together a collection of the top Minecraft shaders out there.

How to install Minecraft shaders

Getting a shader or shader pack up and running on Minecraft is a simple enough process. Before you get started trying to install a shader pack though, you’ll want to download and install Forge and Optifine and GLSL Shaders Mod.

Head to Forge’s download page and select the download for the version of Minecraft you’re running. Once downloaded, locate the file and run it, which should bring a install window up. Check it’s located your Minecraft folders and then click ‘Install client’. To check it’s working, run Minecraft and select Forge as your profile – this should give you a new screen with your mods and programs listed in the bottom left-hand corner.

minecraft install

Optifine will require roughly the same procedure, but after downloading you’ll have to locate the Minecraft folder yourself. To do so hit [Windows key]+ R and type %appdata%\.minecraft into the run prompt. Now just drag and drop OptiFine into your ‘mods’ folder.

Finally, it’s time to grab the GLSL Shaders Mod. Head to their page and download the correct version before once again dragging and dropping it into the ‘mods’ folder. Now you have everything you should need to run shaders. The install process in no different than the rest except you’ll want to place the shader packs into… you guessed it… ‘shaderpacks’ folder.

Sonic Ether’s Unbelievable Shaders

best minecraft shaders SEUS

The touchstone shader pack for anyone wanting to feel like they’ve entered an entirely different game. Named SEUS for short, this pack is a modification on another much-loved shader pack, and as such it’ll have your Minecraft world looking about as good as you can ever expect it to. Soft natural lighting, rain that adds a glossy sheen to every surface it touches, procedurally generated clouds and much more await you.

Lagless Shaders

best minecraft shaders lagless

Experimenting, tinkering and modding like the mad scientists we are comes with the cost of severely reduce performance – not every budding Minecraft engineer has a computer rig capable of dealing with the demands of high-fidelity visuals. Thankfully, some clever so-and-so made lagless shaders, giving everyone a taste of jaw-dropping visuals with no framerate drops to speak of.

Summer Sunset

best minecraft shaders summer sunset

Few things compare to the warming glow of a summer sunset. That’s why this Minecraft modder decided to make a shader capable of bestowing all of those feelings of nostalgia and carefree-living upon your Minecraft world. Perfect for getting you through a dark and gloomy January afternoon or convincing yourself you’ve spent time outside on a hot June day.

Naelego’s Cel Shaders

best minecraft shaders cel

Add some crisp, cartoony visuals to proceedings with this Borderlands-inspired, cel-shaded look. This expertly crafted shader introduces bold colours, crisp outlines and solid shadows in order to emulate the look of a classic comic or cartoon.

itsMagicMelon Shader Pack

best minecraft shaders itsmagicmelon

Specially made for low-end setups, this humble shader gives lighting, effects and animations a dramatic boost with little to no toll on how well the game will run for you. Staggeringly, the itsMagicMelon Shader Pack still manages to include all the features of its performance-draining counterparts, such as water reflections, natural shadows and hosts of animations.

Acid Shaders

acid shader minecraft

Flawless visuals and breathtaking sunsets are one thing, but if you want to make your Minecraft session a little psychedelic there are few shaders as effective as this aptly named mind-bender. Looking towards the horizon will cause everything in view to twist and distort, folding the world in on itself and falling away in a single motion – it’s stomach-churning stuff. Load up a horror map with this shader turned on and you’re all set for a Minecraftian nightmare.

RudoPlays Shaders

rudo minecraft shaders

Every shader has its best feature, this one has lots of them. Arresting sunsets, swaying foliage and vibrant colours are just some of the additions that make RudoPlays’ pack so great. This shader rests somewhere between photorealistic and classic Minecraft, making it an ideal bolt-on for anyone looking to add an aesthetic kick to the vanilla game.

Ziipzaap’s Shader Pack

ziipzaap shader pack minecraft

Sure, Ziipzaap’s Shader pack provides a hearty boost to Minecraft’s general lighting, but it’s the quality of the reflections that have been added to water which make this shader stand out. Our recommendation: find a large body of water, sit back and bask in the glory of those pristine reflections until the sun sets and it’s time to return to the safety of your hut.

Hexagon’s Night Owl Shader Pack

minecraft shaders night owl

Survival mode places a great amount of emphasis on surviving the night, which means attempting to adequately light a pitch-black world while defending yourself.This useful shader lights the night up with a convincing moonlight glow, making slaying mobs and exploring your surroundings considerably easier in early game.

The Wave

The Wave is another hypnotic shader that’ll give VR a run for its money where motion sickness is concerned. Stirring your vision as much as it stirs your stomach, The Wave makes the world around you roll about like… well… waves. It’s off-putting, nauseating, but totally awesome, especially when the sun’s setting.

That’s it – Minecraft shaders aplenty. If you’ve found any more that you think belong in the list then let us know in the comments.

Minecraft shaders: 10 of the best Minecraft graphics mods