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Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The 3 ‘STALKER' Remasters Do The Bare Minimum, And That's Fine
The three S.T.A.L.K.E.R. remasters are great for console players, even when they, er, aren't. The ever-growing list of 2025 remasters continues this month, and it's now the turn of the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy to join the ranks of Tomb Raider IV-VI, Suikoden I & II, Lunar, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Enhanced Edition dropped on May 19, and having now completed the OG Shadow of Chornobyl and sinking a good 10-15 hours between Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat, I can confirm two things for PS5 and Xbox players (but I'm sure PC players, who've been modding it for years, may disagree): The three S.T.A.L.K.E.R. remasters have undergone a visual overhaul, with an impressive amount of detail devoted to lighting, which now adds effects such as godrays, screen space reflections, and global illumination — perfect for console players, given how atmospheric it's always been on PC, especially with mods. NPC models, weapons, and environments have been given a new lick of paint, while attention's also been paid to water shaders, wetness effects, and skyboxes. The cinematics look better than ever, too, thanks to 4K pre-rendering. Textures have also been edited, including the notable removal of Soviet-themed artwork (alongside, it seems, rubles as currency). Unlike GSC Game World's team, I've not lived in Ukraine since it was invaded, so I can't judge on this decision, even if the rest of the game sticks remarkably doggedly to the source material. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder They kept the ferris wheel in, at least. Console players on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S can pick between quality and performance modes, but you really should stick with performance, as the frame rate absolutely trumps whatever meager details are boosted. Consoles also receive keyboard and mouse support, as well as that all-important integration for cross-platform mod sharing. For PC players, there's Steam Deck optimization, Steam Workshop mod support, full gamepad compatibility, and cloud saves. Most importantly, owners of the original games on Steam or GOG receive the corresponding enhanced editions for free (the original's upgrade appeared in my GOG library on release day). Those buying remasters on PC will get the classic games for free. When you jump into the first S.T.A.L.K.E.R. — I'd be surprised if anyone started with the other two — there's a good chance you'll've forgotten how good the voice acting and music are. The cinematic boosts are fantastic, even if they still feel like an early-stage PS3 game, much like the wider experience. Finally, we also get a weapon wheel, but one that makes ammo changes or gun modes unpredictable. That's pretty much where the UI improvements end, and you realize GSC Game World sticks to the source material like glue. The left analog stick and D-pad work independently, making navigation a chore; picking missions, finding your place on the map, and item interactions are a drudge; interactive switches or levers aren't labelled as such; save state dates are weirdly pegged to 2012; and you have to wait for the slow fade-in of '(X) Talk' to interact with other stalkers. Most egregiously, and going against basic accessibility standards we really should expect from remasters, absolutely no attention has been paid to the STALKER games' unusual subtitles, which rarely (if ever) reflect what's being said. This ranges from minor omissions to significant gaps in the voiceover, such as key locations or your next steps. In the weirdest moment of all — Call of Pripyat's opening sequence — the narrator says entirely different dates and years to the subtitles. Sure, this was the case in the original, and people might see it as a quirk of the series, but subtitles exist for a reason, and it feels lazy. Despite everything that's dropped on consoles recently — and with the impending release of the Switch 2 next week — I couldn't stop playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Enhanced Edition. I've had to uninstall it, because despite all the recommendations I've had for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, and Revenge of the Savage Planet (plus the incoming Switch 2), I was utterly unable to leave the Zone. The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy needs no (re)introduction, and certainly doesn't require another review to rake over 16-to-18-year-old faults; what matters is that GSC has brought a brutal, weird, and truly unique game kicking and screaming into the modern era, with just enough spice to make it incredibly attractive and playable on consoles. The support adds something extra for those willing to mess with, and inevitably break, a game that already has its fair share of odd problems. Ah mate, not this prick again. I'm not a Soulsborne guy. Still, put me in any FPS, and I'll clear it on veteran, unless it's S.T.A.L.K.E.R.. It encourages you to learn without really teaching you, and it's keen to punish you for not taking advantage of absolutely everything it doesn't fully explain. I save-scummed my entire way through the Sarcophagus, despite playing on novice difficulty, and had two medkits and one anti-rad pack to my name before the credits rolled. I lost 10kg of bullets, medicine, and throwables in the final hour, and it was all worth it for the inevitable 'greedy' ending I always get. After I tried and failed to review S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 — a game so broken before launch that after 45 hours reviewing it, its developers dropped a day zero patch that voided 90% of my notes and broke the game in different ways — the S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Enhanced Edition reminds you that the better experiences are often simpler, even if you constantly feel like you've been dragged through a hedge. It's far from perfect and won't hit the heights of PC community mods, but for newcomers and veterans who want a peek at what it's like on PS5 or Xbox, it's absolutely worth a go.
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
ZenaTech Provides Quantum Computing Update on ‘Clear Sky' Weather Forecasting Project─AI Drone Swarms to Combat Steep Rise in Billion Dollar Extreme Weather Events
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZenaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) ('ZenaTech'), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), Enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing solutions, today provides an update on its 'Clear Sky' project, an R&D initiative soon to be released in a beta application version, that uses multiple AI drones in a drone swarm, and quantum computing for weather forecasting. The goal is to better predict localized weather including extreme weather events for business and government users, saving lives and billions of dollars. In the coming months, ZenaTech plans to expand its quantum computing project team to 20 by adding at least ten additional specialized engineers. This will accelerate the development and upcoming beta release of Clear Sky in addition to furthering other internal quantum computing projects currently underway. 'Last year, there were 58 separate billion-dollar weather disasters globally, the second highest on record, which includes 27 in the US. Through the Clear Sky project, we will use AI-powered drone swarms and quantum computing to better predict these disasters and fill the critical atmospheric observation gaps of traditional weather data collection and satellite methods,' said CEO of ZenaTech Shaun Passley, Ph.D. 'Drones with sensors flying at high altitudes can collect data in real time enabling greater spatial and temporal resolution resulting in more precise, up-to-the-minute weather insights to better anticipate the onset of extreme weather like tornadoes.' AI-powered drone swarms are an emerging tool in meteorology, offering a transformative approach to weather forecasting by collecting real-time atmospheric data with unprecedented precision and spatial coverage. These multiple autonomous drones coordinate their movements using AI algorithms to sample different layers of the atmosphere simultaneously. Equipped with advanced sensors, they measure key variables such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and pressure in hard-to-reach or dangerous areas like storm systems or remote regions. The data collected is transmitted in real time to forecasting models, improving the resolution and accuracy of predictions, especially for fast-evolving thunderstorms or tornadoes. By providing high-frequency, localized measurements, AI drone swarms significantly enhance the ability to detect early warning signs and refine short-term and local mesoscale forecasts. Quantum computing is an emergent field of cutting-edge computer science harnessing the unique qualities of quantum mechanics to solve problems beyond the ability of even the most powerful classical computers of today, to process massively complicated mathematical problems and data at orders of magnitude faster speeds. Quantum computers can analyze vast and complex drone data much faster and more accurately, improving weather predictions and enhancing the ability to forecast extreme events. There has been a steep rise in the number of billion-dollar weather disasters in recent years. In 2024, extreme weather events—including hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and severe storms—inflicted approximately $417 billion in losses globally according to Gallagher Re's Natural Catastrophe and Climate Report. About ZenaTech ZenaTech (Nasdaq: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) is a technology company specializing in AI drone, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions for mission-critical business applications. Since 2017, the Company has leveraged its software development expertise and grown its drone design and manufacturing capabilities through ZenaDrone, to innovate and improve customer inspection, monitoring, safety, security, compliance, and surveying processes. With enterprise software customers using branded solutions in law enforcement, health, government, and industrial sectors, and drones being implemented in these plus agriculture, defense, and logistics sectors, ZenaTech's portfolio of solutions helps drive exceptional operational efficiencies, accuracy, and cost savings. The Company operates through seven global offices in North America, Europe, Taiwan, and UAE, and is growing a DaaS business model and global partner network. About ZenaDrone ZenaDrone, a wholly owned subsidiary of ZenaTech, develops and manufactures autonomous business drone solutions that can incorporate machine learning software, AI, predictive modeling, Quantum Computing, and other software and hardware innovations. Created to revolutionize the hemp farming sector, its specialization has grown to multifunctional drone solutions for industrial surveillance, monitoring, inspection, tracking, process automation and defense applications. Currently, the ZenaDrone 1000 drone is used for crop management applications in agriculture and critical field cargo applications in the defense sector, the IQ Nano indoor drone is used for inventory management and security in the warehouse and logistics sectors, and the IQ Square is an indoor/outdoor drone designed for land survey and inspections use in commercial and defense sectors. Contacts for more information: Company, Investors, and Media: Linda Montgomery ZenaTech 312-241-1415 [email protected] Investors: Michael Mason CORE IR [email protected] Safe Harbor This press release and related comments by management of ZenaTech, Inc. include 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws and applicable Canadian securities laws. These forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This forward-looking information relates to future events or future performance of ZenaTech and reflects management's expectations and projections regarding ZenaTech's growth, results of operations, performance, and business prospects and opportunities. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as 'may', 'will', 'should', 'expect', 'plan', 'anticipate', 'aim', 'seek', 'is/are likely to', 'believe', 'estimate', 'predict', 'potential', 'continue' or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information in this document includes, but is not limited to ZenaTech's expectations regarding its revenue, expenses, production, operations, costs, cash flows, and future growth; expectations with respect to future production costs and capacity; ZenaTech's ability to deliver products to the market as currently contemplated, including its drone products including ZenaDrone 1000 and IQ Nano; ZenaTech's anticipated cash needs and it's needs for additional financing; ZenaTech's intention to grow the business and its operations and execution risk; expectations with respect to future operations and costs; the volatility of stock prices and market conditions in the industries in which ZenaTech operates; political, economic, environmental, tax, security, and other risks associated with operating in emerging markets; regulatory risks; unfavorable publicity or consumer perception; difficulty in forecasting industry trends; the ability to hire key personnel; the competitive conditions of the industry and the competitive and business strategies of ZenaTech; ZenaTech's expected business objectives for the next twelve months; ZenaTech's ability to obtain additional funds through the sale of equity or debt commitments; investment capital and market share; the ability to complete any contemplated acquisitions; changes in the target markets; market uncertainty; ability to access additional capital, including through the listing of its securities in various jurisdictions; management of growth (plans and timing for expansion); patent infringement; litigation; applicable laws, regulations, and any amendments affecting the business of ZenaTech.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
XGS Energy Secures Additional $13 Million to Accelerate Advanced Geothermal Deployment
Aligned Climate Capital, ClearSky, ClimateIC, and WovenEarth Ventures join XGS Energy investors to accelerate development of XGS's commercial project pipeline across the Western United States. HOUSTON, March 26, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--XGS Energy, a developer of next-generation geothermal power projects leveraging a proprietary water-independent technology, today announced that it has closed $13 million in new financing. The over-subscribed round included new investors Aligned Climate Capital, ClearSky, ClimateIC, and WovenEarth Ventures, in addition to inside investors. This financing builds on a round led by Constellation Technology Ventures, VoLo Earth Ventures, and Valo Ventures in 2024. "We are excited to welcome new investors who appreciate the requirements of power infrastructure and understand how our unique technology unlocks a massive global development opportunity," said Josh Prueher, Chief Executive Officer at XGS. With the new financing, Mano Nazar, ClearSky Senior Advisor and the former Chief Nuclear Officer of NextEra Energy, will join the XGS Energy Board of Directors. "XGS' advanced geothermal technology is uniquely positioned to deliver abundant energy to the grid faster than any other baseload energy technology at a time of unprecedented demand for energy resources," said Nazar. "We are excited to partner with XGS to deliver on their mission of sustainable, reliable, and scalable geothermal energy." XGS' modular, water-independent geothermal system is designed to overcome the financeability and geographic scalability challenges that have constrained geothermal development globally. XGS completed a shallow field test of its Thermal Reach Enhancement (TRE) technology in 2024 and is now operating its first commercial-scale well in California, validating its predictive performance models and accumulating operating history. The funding supports the execution of XGS' multi-gigawatt project pipeline that has materialized as demand for baseload power skyrockets. "As both venture and infrastructure investors, we evaluate every investment first and foremost through the lens of financeability," said Peter Davidson, CEO of Aligned Climate Capital. "With its focus on minimizing exploration risk and optimizing for long-term predictability, XGS is systematically overcoming the barriers that have historically prevented geothermal from securing large-scale, low-risk project financing, unlocking a new era of geothermal scale." XGS plans to aggressively expand its team through year-end, building from its headquarters in Houston, Texas, and expects to continue fundraising to support further growth. "We are ramping commercial operations ahead of our planned growth equity round later this year, which will highlight the results of our first commercial-scale system plus our growing project pipeline," said Lucy Darago, Chief Commercial Officer at XGS. "We're pleased to be partnering with XGS at this critical inflection point," said Kevin Kimsa, Managing Partner at ClimateIC. "We are facing global energy supply challenges of unprecedented scale and urgency. The XGS team is uniquely primed to meet the moment, bringing together innovative technology and leading engineering talent with the deep experience in infrastructure development and financing critical to deploying large-scale energy systems at speed." To learn more about XGS Energy, please visit About XGS EnergyXGS Energy provides Clean, Round-the-Clock Energy Everywhere, Forever. XGS's proprietary solid-state geothermal system uses thermally conductive materials to deliver affordable energy anywhere there is hot rock. The XGS system decouples geothermal energy production from its historical dependence on natural water resources and geological conditions, unlocking low-risk power project development, geographic flexibility, easier permitting, and faster deployment. XGS's scalable, financeable geothermal energy approach is supported by leading investors globally including Anzu Partners, BlueScopeX, B Current Impact Investment, Constellation Technology Ventures, H&P, MIH Capital, Thin Line Capital, Valo Ventures, and VoLo Earth Ventures. Learn more and explore our open roles at About Aligned Climate CapitalAligned Climate Capital LLC is an asset manager investing exclusively in the companies and projects driving the clean energy transition. Founded in 2019, Aligned currently manages approximately $1.9 billion of assets (as of 12/31/23). The firm's senior leadership team brings decades of climate and clean energy experience across finance, energy markets, and government. Aligned has two primary investment strategies: the Aligned Climate Fund, which provides capital to venture-stage companies deploying and scaling established clean energy solutions, and Aligned Solar Partners, which owns and operates distributed solar, energy storage, and other clean energy projects. For more information, visit About ClearSkyClearSky is a venture capital and growth equity fund manager that invests in innovative, transformative companies. We specialize in investing in technology solutions that power the energy transition and disruptive technologies in cybersecurity. Over more than a decade, we've effectively managed approximately one billion dollars in capital commitments. Our investment funds enable exciting companies to bring disruptive technology to market while positively impacting our world and delivering value for our investment partners. Learn more at About Climate Innovation Capital (ClimateIC)ClimateIC is a venture fund whose purpose is to deliver superior financial returns and decarbonize the economy. We identify and invest in cost-competitive, commercial climate tech innovations that solve pervasive, large-scale economic challenges and inefficiencies, and can be adopted and scaled rapidly. ClimateIC leverages our strong network and extensive experience as operators, climate advisors and investment professionals to source attractive opportunities and enhance the growth prospects of our portfolio companies. Learn more at About WovenEarth VenturesWovenEarth Ventures is purpose-built to harness what we believe is an unstoppable wave of market forces and clean technologies reshaping how the world is powered, built, moved, and managed. We provide a fund of funds structure that seeks to deliver attractive, risk-adjusted returns by maintaining a laser focus on US-based venture funds specializing in the early-stage of clean technology investment while providing access and diversified exposure to what we believe are the strongest teams in the space. View source version on Contacts Kalyn Schieffer for XGS Energykos@ Technica Communications for AlignedJamie Corteraligned@ Sign in to access your portfolio
