Chris M

Idaho is one of the most sparsely populated states in the union, with fewer than 1.8 million residents living on about 83,500 square miles, or about 21 people per square mile. Much of the land is protected wilderness area, or held by the U.S. Forest Service. Here are a few glimpses of the landscape of Idaho and some of the wildlife and people calling it home.

This photo story is part of Fifty, a collection of images from each of the United States.

After a stressful day at work, it’s common to unwind by sacking out on the couch and watching Netflix.

Yet this form of relaxation, though it constitutes an almost complete break from any activity, often feels more benumbing than refreshing.

That’s because rejuvenation is premised not on shutting off your brain, but switching it to a different track.

Winston Churchill put it this way:

A man can wear out a particular part of his mind by continually using it and tiring it…[and this tired part] can be rested and strengthened, not merely by rest, but by using other parts. It is not enough merely to switch off the lights which play upon the main and ordinary field of interest; a new field of interest must be illuminated…It is only when new cells are called into activity, when new stars become lords of the ascendant, that relief, repose, refreshment are afforded.

Rejuvenation cannot be found in moving from one climate-controlled box to another, and toggling between staring at screens for business, and staring at screens for pleasure; rather, it is generated through rebalancing — stimulating the psychic (and physical) muscles which have atrophied.

If you spend your work hours indoors, spend some of your leisure time out. If the only “conversation” you make during the day is with toddlers, dialogue with a great friend, or a great book, at night. If your job utilizes only your mind, find a hobby that engages your hands.

If much of your time involves managing abstractions, refreshment will be found in crafting concretions. If the bulk of your existence is based around practicality, productivity, efficiency, then renewal will be found in beauty, art, imagination — in whim-driven pursuits done for their own sake.

As Churchill observed, when it comes to finding real relief and literal re-creation, “Change is the master key.”

The post Sunday Firesides: Change Is the Master Key appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

Two new Masterminds and two new maps have been announced for Resident Evil: Resistance, the multiplayer component of the upcoming Resident Evil 3 remake. Alex Wesker and Ozwell E. Spencer will each be playable Mastermind characters, with an abandoned horror-themed park and a casino available to torment Survivors in. According to Capcom, Alex Wesker will have more traps compared to other Masterminds. She can set up barriers for Survivors like her plant-based bioweapon Yateveo. Yateveo doesn't move but can be placed in front of objectives to cause some trouble for Survivors. Resident Evil 3 and Resistance producer Peter Fabiano told PlayStation Blog that he's looking forward to seeing how players use Alex's bioweapon. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/18/project-resistance-5-player-gameplay-in-4k"] “You’ve got a few plant-based enemies in the Resident Evil series. Plant 42, Ivy, and the Huge Plant from the Outbreak games, for example. Yateveo doesn’t take direct influence from any of them – or maybe it indirectly does from all of them – but we thought it would be interesting to have a Mastermind use a creature that’s fixed in one spot," Fabiano said. "This could add a layer of strategy to how Masterminds could play.” Ozwell doesn't even have a bioweapon. Instead, the character can place down a Disintegration Field that causes massive damage to Survivors. But, don't worry, Fabiano said the Disintegration Field won't affect creatures and will have an advantage on cooldown rate compared to the bioweapons. "The cooldown is much shorter than other bioweapons, and only does damage to the Survivors – the creatures he places are unaffected. He’s able to constantly redirect Survivor movement to his advantage by changing the stage’s layout, and it also changes the pacing of gameplay with Spencer compared to other Masterminds," Fabiano said. "Instead of one big game changing moment, he slowly but steadily wears out the Survivors.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=resident-evil-3-remake-23-new-screenshots&captions=true"] Resistance is a non-canon multiplayer game that comes with the remake of Resident Evil 3, which is due out on April 3 for PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Resistance has four players as Survivors fighting their way through a map while a fifth player acts as a Mastermind. The Mastermind places traps and creatures all over the map in an effort to take out the four Survivors. Fabiano previously talked about how it's "impossible" for Resistance to be canon and here's everything else we know about the Resident Evil 3 remake. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN who will gladly pay $60 for Resident Evil 3, but really really wants Resident Evil 8.

Adapting video games into movies hasn’t had the best track record, but Netflix seems to have slightly better luck. They’ve done animated series based on Castlevania, Skylanders, and Carmen SanDiego, there’s a Cuphead cartoon in the works, and of course, everyone’s talking about the live-action Witcher show. Even though it’s based on the books more than the games, the popularity of the series has led to a record-breaking number of hardcore fans and newcomers flocking to The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt four years after its release. Presumably, other video game publishers have taken notice and are trying to fast-track projects based on their properties — which will hopefully lead to more adaptations that actually treat their source material with the respect they deserve. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=6-video-games-that-should-be-netflix-shows&captions=true"]

Grand Theft Auto V

There has never been a shortage of procedural crime dramas set in gritty major cities, but they almost always focus on the cops being heroes, rarely the criminals. Grand Theft Auto’s appeal on an interactive level is letting players cause mayhem in a gigantic sandbox, but Grand Theft Auto V’s story is especially interesting since it shows three criminal characters experiencing the same events from different perspectives — something could totally work as a Netflix show.

GTA V already told a phenomenal story, so why not pick up where it left off, just a decade later? All the principal actors are still around, and while Rockstar might want to explore new territory and characters in Grand Theft Auto 6, fans would undoubtedly be ecstatic to reunite with Trevor, Michael, and Franklin in another medium.

Fallout

Fallout’s grim post-nuclear-apocalypse dystopia paired with a cheerful 1950s all-American can-do attitude has its own visual identity, and could allow for plenty of stories that are equal parts comedy, drama, horror, and action.

Plus, of all the AAA franchises out there, a live-action Fallout with a low-budget is totally on-brand — a cast in of scruffy characters wearing costumes made out of recycled garbage set against a desolate backdrop is authentically Fallout. Hell, hire the folks behind the Nuka Break fan series and enlist a bunch of cosplayers as extras and you’ll be all set.

Bloodborne

In a perfect world, Bloodborne’s dripping wet nightmare of grotesque horse skeletons, puss-filled, bandage-wrapped ghouls, and ragged-ass werewolves would be a phenomenal live-action horror movie or mini-series, but before production budgets go through the roof on trying to recreate and puppeteer a building-sized Cleric Beast animatronic, maybe this one should go the gritty animated route.

Adi Shankar and Frederator Studios did a wonderful job turning the classic monster-slaying action of Castlevania into a gruesome M-rated cartoon, and while it sounds like Shankar’s got his hands full with projects based on Devil May Cry, Assassin’s Creed, and Hyper Light Drifter, we’d still love to see a Bloodborne cartoon.

Imagine: a horror-tinged monster of the week boss fight show where a lone hunter scuffles with awful villagers, creepy monks, and bizarre creatures before turning a corner to face down a gigantic menace like Vicar Amelia or Rom The Vacuous Spider. Along the way, the hunter could gain access to badass new weapons and of course, nudge the underlying story along through bits and pieces of wonderfully deranged lore. In the meantime, at least we have the Bloodborne graphic novels from Titan Comics.

God of War

God of War’s incredible characters,from angry brooding dads to eccentric dwarven shopkeepers, would translate perfectly to a Netflix mini-series. The tale of Kratos and Atreus’ epic journey across Midgard is one of loss, grief, turmoil, and the growing relationship between father and son — and the mini-series format would give the story plenty of room to breathe.

But also: God of War is about killing monsters and ripping off their heads with a gigantic axe and/or your bare hands, so the combat sequences would be violent, intense, and way too spicy for network television -- and The Witcher proved once again that Netflix isn’t afraid to put some M-rated live-action beheading and disembowelment front and center.

The recent movie 1917 did a phenomenal job of depicting the journey of two men across a war-torn battlefield with a one-shot cinematography approach, striking a balance between tense action and nuanced character moments, all the while keeping the camera locked on the characters -- Just do that, but with Kratos and Atreus! And on a TV budget!

The Legend of Zelda

Considering the Zelda franchise has been legendary for over thirty years now, it’s genuinely baffling that we haven’t had an official movie or TV adaptation of The Legend of Zelda — y’know, aside from that animated series that inspired a thousand YouTube Poop videos and our own ideas for what it might look like.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2008/04/01/link-stars-trailer-legend-of-zelda-movie-trailer-debut-hd"]

The big debate would obviously be which Zelda game would make for the best show, and what that show’s format would be -- but given that almost every Zelda game gives its universe a soft reboot and new look, there’s really no issue with trying something new entirely, maybe even season to season.

Perhaps take a page from The Mandalorian and make Link a mostly-silent protagonist. Let the supporting characters provide the banter and exposition, but limit Link’s interactions to facial expressions, pantomime, and the occasional “YAH!” as he smashes pots or torments local poultry.

Animal Crossing

From kid shows like Octonauts and Llama Llama to more adult fare like Bojack Horseman or Tuca and Bertie, animated talking animal shows are a hit on Netflix. Given the wide age range of Animal Crossing’s fanbase, a show that finds a balance between the sugary-sweet baby cartoons and foul-mouthed animated sitcoms could bring everyone together.

A human character takes the train to a small, unexpected town, only to be greeted by a diverse cast of talking animals, including an evil raccoon that they are immediately indebted to. By helping villagers across town via small, episode long-quests, Animal Crossing could tell a charming, bittersweet slice-of-life story of making friends, doing chores, and buying furniture.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/05/26/5-reasons-animal-crossings-tom-nook-is-pure-evil"]

After all, Animal Crossing is about adorable animals and friendship — but it’s also about the crushing responsibility and grueling monotony of capitalist society. In the meantime, the next best thing is Netflix original Rilakkuma and Kaoru -- it’s about a depressed adult woman who finds joy in life thanks to her layabout talking animal roommates. [youtube clip_id="YKJf876thxw"]

Which video game do you think would make the perfect Netflix show? Let us know in the comments below. Netflix already made video games based on Stranger Things, Narcos and Dark Crystal, so it’s time to return the favor and make some shows based on games instead.

...Or, you know, just put the friggin Netflix app on Switch already.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]Max Scoville and Brian Altano are hosts and producers at IGN. They have been best friends for a decade. You can follow them on Twitter @MaxScoville and @agentbizzle.

Joe Biden, the former vice president and 2020 candidate for President of the United States, has shared some harsh thoughts on Silicon Valley game developers, as reported in a wide-reaching interview with The New York Times. When asked about the Obama administration's legacy on Silicon Valley regulation, Biden talks about meeting with leaders in Silicon Valley to discuss intellectual property rights, and describes interacting with an unspecified game developer as "one of the little creeps" who make games that "teach you how to kill people." "And at one point, one of the little creeps sitting around that table, who was a multi- — close to a billionaire — who told me he was an artist because he was able to come up with games to teach you how to kill people, you know the ——," said Biden. The reporter interrupted Biden at this point to clarify he was talking about video games, to which he agrees. The senator went on to use the words "righteous" and "overwhelming arrogance" to further describe those working in tech at Silicon Valley. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/07/every-country-has-video-games-only-one-has-a-mass-shooter-problem"] "And then one of these righteous people said to me that, you know, 'We are the economic engine of America. We are the ones.' And fortunately, I had done a little homework before I went and I said, you know, I find it fascinating. As I added up the seven outfits, everyone’s there but Microsoft. I said you have fewer people on your payroll than all the losses that General Motors just faced in the last quarter, of employees. So don’t lecture me about how you’ve created all this employment," continued Biden. "The point is, there’s an arrogance about it, an overwhelming arrogance that we are, we are the ones. We can do what we want to do. I disagree," Biden said. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/02/22/trump-suggests-movies-and-video-games-are-responsible-for-youth-violence"] The New York Times did not appear to press Biden on specifying which game developers he met with, or to elaborate further on his thoughts. Biden's views on violent video games aren't surprising. Back in 2013 when he was Vice President he vocally saw no legal problem taxing violent media. That year The Gaming Association even published an open letter asking him to look at studies suggesting there's no link between violence and video games. The question of whether violent video games lead kids astray is a long talked about one. However, when it comes to the relationship between shootings in the United States of America and games the correlation doesn't seem to make much sense. As for Silicon Valley, the tech hub's long history of sexism and worker exploitation has been well-documented by reporters at Wired and The Atlantic, among others. [poilib element="accentDivider"]Hope Corrigan is an Australian freelance writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

The Taiwanese ratings board may have outed a Switch release for BioShocks 1, 2, Infinite, and the collection comprising all three. Reported by Lootpots, BioShock Remastered, BioShock 2 Remastered, BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition and BioShock: The Collection have all been rated for Switch. That implies that each game in the series may be sold separately, as well as in a full series pack. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/09/14/bioshock-the-collection-review"] While not an official confirmation, ratings like these often pop up when a publisher is about to announce a new game release. We've contacted 2K Games for a statement. When it first arrived in 2017, we gave BioShock: The Collection an 8.2 review, saying it was "a great introduction for newcomers, but returning vets will find little new here." [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Our month-long IGN First coverage of Disintegration continues today with a behind-the-scenes look at some of the conceptual illustrations of key figures, locations, and elements V1 Interactive has built into its upcoming universe. In the gallery below you'll find artist renderings and illustrations of the massive, hovering Iron Clouds, the resistance's own out-of-commission ship, Old Meg, and early imaginings of locations and characters. In addition, we've included a ton of in-game screenshots taken directly from an early build of the game to give you a sense of how these environments will look in-engine. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=disintegration-45-new-behind-the-scenes-images-ign-first&captions=true"] And if you're looking for more you can check out our comprehensive Disintegration hands-on preview after playing a sizable chunk of V1's upcoming shooter, or watch an entire Disintegration story mission from start to finish. We're covering Disintegration in-depth all month long as part of IGN First, so stay tuned for much more in the coming days and weeks. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Brandin Tyrrel is a Senior Editor at IGN. You can find him on Unlocked, or chat over on Twitter at @BrandinTyrrel.

Thousands of gun-rights activists took part in a peaceful rally on Lobby Day, today, in Richmond, Virginia. Demonstrators from Virginia and from out of state gathered around the state capitol to protest gun-control legislation being pushed by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and other Democratic state legislators, such as universal background checks and a military-style-weapons ban. Although many participants showed up armed, no arrests were reported.

Today’s photo story is the second in a planned year-long Sunday series, focusing on each of the 50 states in the United States of America. Georgia, the southernmost of America’s original 13 colonies, is now home to more than 10.5 million residents. Its landscape ranges from Appalachian Mountain vistas in the north to moss-covered maritime forests along the southeastern coast. Gathered here, a few glimpses into the lush, often historic features of Georgia, and some of the animals and people that call it home.

2020 is when the next-generation of consoles is set to be released, but Microsoft is upending the playbook this year by announcing the upcoming Xbox Series X won’t launch with exclusive games. Instead, any new title playable on the Series X will also be playable on older Xbox One consoles. “As our content comes out over the next year, two years, all of our games, sort of like PC, will play up and down that family of devices,” said Xbox Game Studios boss Matt Booty in a recent interview with MCV. “We want to make sure that if someone invests in Xbox between now and [Series X] that they feel that they made a good investment and that we’re committed to them with content.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=xbox-project-scarlett-e3-trailer-screenshots&captions=true"] What this means is that Xbox will still have console exclusives on Xbox and PC, but they won’t be limited to just the Series X. Upcoming games for the next-gen Microsoft console will also be playable on the Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X. This is somewhat of a departure for next-gen hardware. While there are cross-gen games that are usually released within the first two years of a console launch, there are also next-gene exclusive games that are released to incentivize the early adoption of new hardware. But Microsoft seems to be avoiding that strategy with the Series X. Anticipated Series X games like Halo Infinite are already confirmed to also be coming to Xbox One, but it sounds like Microsoft is planning for Xbox games to be cross-generational for at least the next two years. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/xbox-series-x-reactions-and-analysis-unlocked-423"] For more on Microsoft’s next-gen plans check out our everything we know about the Xbox Series X guide, and our Series X and PlayStation 5 comparison breakdown. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has confirmed that Xbox will be at E3 2020 following the news that Sony would be sitting out for the second year in a row. Spencer took to Twitter to confirm that the Xbox team is "hard at work on E3" and that they "look forward to sharing with all who love to play what's ahead for us." With Sony opting for "hundreds" of other consumer events across the globe, this year's E3 could be Xbox's chance to prove that the Xbox Series X is the best choice for this holiday season. Xbox will continue building on The Game Awards 2019 reveal of the Xbox Series X hardware and announcements of such games as Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 and Halo: Infinite. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/xbox-series-x-console-announcement-trailer"] Spencer, who is already using an Xbox Series X as his primary console at home, will also surely discuss the future of xCloud and its game streaming service that will one day allow players to stream games they own and even Xbox Game Pass games. For more on Xbox Series X, be sure to check out everything we know about Microsoft's newest next-gen console, how it compares to the PlayStation 5, and read Xbox Game Studios boss Matt Booty's comments on how Xbox won't have Series X exclusives for at least a year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=xbox-series-x-reveal-images&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The editors of Cool Tools have curated a number of gift suggestions selected from our website, newsletters, videos, and podcasts. This week: Mark’s picks!

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“The Bug-a-salt gun ($40) doesn’t ‘cream’ the flies, it leaves them pretty well intact, but it is quite effective. Non-toxic, environmentally friendly, it is spring powered and doesn’t eat batteries. Just table salt. It is possible to shoot flies out of the air. There is nothing else like it.” — Norm Bolser

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“No need to buy charcoal lighter fluid or self-starting charcoal briquets. Just put two crumpled sheets of newspaper in the bottom chamber of Weber Rapid Fire Chimney Starter ($20) and add briquets. Light the newspaper and 20 minutes the briquets will be cherry red and ready to use. Once you use this you’ll wonder how you grilled without it.” — Mark Frauenfelder

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“Teenage Engineering’s OP-1 ($1,299) has been an indispensable addition to my synth arsenal: partly because it produces sounds I can’t find elsewhere and partly because it’s so incredibly easy (and yes, even fun) to use. I love handing my OP-1 to non-musicians and watching them as they almost instantly begin ‘programming’ a sound. For a performer, this kind of ease-of-use is power: to effortlessly turn a few knobs and get to the sound one is after. No fiddling around. In this regard, the OP-1 is a musician’s instrument.” — Robyn Miller

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“I bought this weird-looking Wonder Winder ($30) a few years ago. After installing the wall mount near the power outlet in my garage and winding my cord into the basket, I was quite surprised to discover I could pull out the 100′ of power cord, tangle/kink free in about a minute to the end of my driveway. I would do my chore (usually the leaf vacuum for lawn clippings and leaves) and, in another minute or two I could wind up the cord, detach the cord winder from the wall mount and put it on the shelf.” — Jim Service

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“The most important aspect of pizza is the crust, and a conventional home oven does not achieve the high temperatures needed to cook pizza crust properly. Everyone acknowledges the wood-burning oven is the best choice but it costs thousands of dollars and requires hours of preparation time when you want to use it. The Pizzeria Pronto ($260) oven contains a gas burner beneath a double pizza stone with a top that is open in the front so you can slide the pizza onto the stone. The results are quite good — much better than anything I’ve been able to achieve with a conventional oven (and I’ve tried every trick out there).” — David Zicarelli

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“I originally bought this classic Italian coffee maker for camping, but the coffee was so good I use it every day. It is so simple to use and the result is superb. I prefer French roast coffee in this coffee maker. It comes in 1,3,6,9 and 12 cup versions. The 6 cup version gives you enough coffee for a good mug of strong/bold coffee. It is very sturdy and well made in Italy. It does require hand washing and not dishwasher safe, but the simple process of pouring water in the well and putting the coffee in the filter cup and screwing it together and putting on a stove, makes enjoying the end result a rewarding experience.” — Angus Miller

Want more? Check out our 2018 Gift Guide picks, as well as our 2017 Gift Guide, 2016 Gift Guide, 2015 Gift Guide, 2014 Gift Guide and our 2103 Gift Guide

Today’s photo story is the first in a planned year-long Sunday series, focusing on each of the 50 states in the United States of America. Wyoming got its nickname “The Equality State” when it granted women the right to vote in 1869, the first state to do so. Although Wyoming is one of the 10 largest states in the U.S., it is also the least populated, with barely more than 575,000 residents. Gathered here, a few glimpses into the beautiful wide open spaces of Wyoming, and some of the animals and people that call it home.

A group of Minecraft modders known as the Floo Network has recreated basically the entirety of the Harry Potter universe, and the results are quite magical. Filled with plenty of places to explore and puzzles and quests to fulfill, players can visit some of the most recognizable Harry Potter locations like Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and much more. For what is essentially a Minecraft mod, the whole project looks surprisingly fleshed out. Aside from merely exploring, players will be able to fight enemies, trade in Diagon Alley, scavenge for loot and supplies, and even explore parts of London. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=igns-top-25-modern-pc-games&captions=true"] Players will even be able to visit the Quidditch Field and play a game or two with friends. Further, a lot of the locations in the Minecraft Harry Potter mod are interactive, like the Grand Staircase, where all the stairs are continuously moving. Additionally, there are a couple of puzzle rooms where players will have to use their wands to shoot at a target or cast a spell to move objects around in order to solve the mystery. Around four years ago, the group released a similar mod that was far less interactive and expansive, and a few years ago decided to relaunch the project with new ambitions. "This current project has been in the works for around two years, and has become gradually more ambitious along the way," one project lead, who goes by the username Wednesday Frog, told IGN. " If you count the old map as part of the project it's been closer to seven years." Wednesday Frog told us that their inspirations were drawn from their love for Harry Potter and Minecraft, and they've even visited some of the filming locations to make their digital world as accurate as possible. "Hogwarts itself was very complicated, said Wednesday Frog. He continued, "Since the castle layout changes a lot throughout the film series, it isn't very consistent." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/02/13/minecraft-pocket-edition-review"] However, despite some complicated builds, the team says that their love for Harry Potter, Minecraft, and their fans have encouraged them to keep going. "The inspiration to continue was the support and kind words from all the Harry Potter fans who enjoyed what we'd made a long time ago, and the knowledge that we could expand and improve the whole thing a lot with the experience we had gained over the course of the first version of the map." At launch, players will also be able to visit places like Privet Drive, The Great Hall, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, the Green House, the Chamber of Secrets, Hagrid's Hut, and much more. Floo Network has not announced an official release date for the Harry Potter mod, but told us that they are aiming to release it to the public by the end of January. In the meantime, players can play as Baby Yoda in Minecraft thanks to the work of a dedicated fan. Further, there have been rumors that the Vatican may be getting its own Minecraft servers, in order to launch a friendlier place to play. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Andrew Smith is a freelance contributor with IGN. Follow him on Twitter @_andrewtsmith.

The Witcher 3's story is massive one, spanning multiple frontiers in Geralt's hunt for Ciri, his surrogate daughter. And yet, if you can easily miss out on some truly amazing side quests that provide stories as engrossing as the main plot, and rewards that are too good to pass up. With that in mind, we've compiled some of the best side quests you shouldn't pass up in The Witcher 3.

Ghosts of the Past

This Velen side quest may not be important to some, but if you've played the Witcher 2 it may have a more special meaning. If you either imported your Witcher 2 save where you spared the Witcher Letho, or told the Nilfgaardian court that he's still alive, you'll be able to run into the former Witcher. You can do so by picking up the quest The Fall of the House of Reardon, or by simply investigating the abandoned and trap-laden manor in the middle of the Velen woods. This quest serves as a nice callback to the events of the previous games, and your actions here can also ensure that Letho can help you in turn later in the story.

A Towerful of Mice

Early on in the main story you'll meet the mage known as Keira Metz in Velen. After completing the main quests Hunting a Witch and Wandering in the Dark, take up Keira's offer to meet at her home in Velen, where you'll be able to take up the quest, A Towerful of Mice. What starts as a simple quest to lift a curse on an island gets a lot more complicated as you learn of the terrible truth behind the events on Fyke Island by talking to the spirits of the dead, and end up having to make a tough choice that's not likely to make all parties happy in the end. On the plus side, this quest puts your one step closer to romancing Keira Metz.

Return to Crookback Bog

Most Witcher 3 fans agree that the character known as the Bloody Baron is one of the most intriguing, despicable, and saddest characters you'll meet during the main quest. After you help out the baron determine where his wife and daughter have gone, you can stick around to continue helping the Bloody Baron - but things will get even stranger. All of the choices you make around the bog will reveal their consequences at the culmination of this story - intertwining the lives of the baron and his wife, as well as the fate of the Crones, orphans, and the mysterious Whispering Hillock. As you can expect in The Witcher 3, you won't be able to find a true happy ending for everyone involved.

The Cave of Dreams

Once you're able to visit the Skellige Isles, look for the Arinbjorn noticeboard to take on The Phantom of Eldberg contract, which will then open up a new side quest. Geralt will be tasked with helping Madman Lugo's son, Blueboy, as he investigates the Cave of Dreams. The cave is a pretty trippy place, which will cause Blueboy and his crew to deal with all sorts of horrifying visions, culminating in Geralt having to face his own worst nightmare. This fact alone makes the quest a very intriguing one, and worth checking out when in the neighborhood.

The Last Wish

While you're in Skellige, once you've completed the main story quest Nameless, you can decide to pursue romantic intentions with Yennefer, by finding the same djinn that entwined the star-crossed lovers fates. The quest alone provides a great look back on their complicated history together, and as Geralt you can decide just how much of your feelings for Yennefer are due to the djinn's granted wish. Of course, it's also worth looking into this quest as one of several that cement your relationship with Yennefer.

Now or Never

On the opposite side of the romantic coin, this quest in Novigrad begins after taking on A Matter of Life and Death, and is one of the necessary steps to proving your love for Triss Merigold. Instead of just focusing on Triss, this quest has a bit more stakes involved, as Triss needs your help getting her and her fellow mages out of Novigrad to escape to Kovir. Your fight to free them from the grasp of the Witch Hunters will not only affect the city of Novigrad, but also if you'll allow Triss to leave and become the leader of the mages at Kovir, or seduce her into staying by your side.

Reason of State

This late game side quest in Novigrad only shows up after you've finished a long chain of quests that include An Eye for an Eye, A Deadly Plot, and Redania's Most Wanted - and you'll also need to gain Djikstra's favor during the main questline known as Final Preparations. What sets this side quest apart from others is that it will have a huge impact on the war that's been looming in the background of Geralt's story, as you'll get the opportunity to help assassinate the king of Redania. Depending on your actions, and how you decide to act once the job is done, Geralt stands to make a huge impact on the fate of the land.

Carnal Sins

Everyone loves Dandelion the Bard, and after you save him during the main quest A Poet Under Pressure, and follow up with the Cabaret side quest, you can undertake this murder mystery as well. What follows is a fun and length investigation into a serial killer lurking in Novigrad. And like any good murder investigation, you can easily get things wrong and attack the wrong suspect - a fact you'll only find out once you hear that the murders have continued despite your rush to judgement. Be sure to pick up this quest if you fancy Geralt as the star of CSI: Novigrad.

Paperchase

This particular quest takes place in the Blood and Wine DLC, and may not be for the faint of heart. By this, I mean if standing in line, filling out forms, and dealing with bureaucracy give you pause, Paperchase will make you tear your hair out. In this quest Geralt finds out a man who owes him money has instead deposited it into a bank under his name, and what follows is a painfully realistic interpretation of trying to get anything done in a bank or similar government building. The good news is you can decide to end the quest by getting in a fight. The bad news is if you want to get the better reward, you'll have to wait a whole week to get a bit of extra coin and a sword for all your troubles.

Witcher Gear Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger Hunts may not exactly be "side quest material" as there isn't a whole lot of story involved, but it's extremely worth it to know there's a ton of excellent gear out there you can easily miss if you don't know where to look. By exploring new areas and stumbling upon blacksmithing diagrams for certain Witcher Gear, you can learn of scavenger hunts to track down the remaining weapons or armor parts, and then even learn how to upgrade them as you progress through the game. Each set covers a different Witcher "school", and can help you take down enemies in whichever style you prefer. For these reasons, you should always keep an eye out for these diagrams, and check out where to begin your hunt for each of the Witcher Gear sets:

• Griffin Witcher Gear
• Feline Witcher Gear
• Ursine Witcher Gear
• Wolven Witcher Gear
• Viper Witcher Gear
• Manticore Witcher Gear

  There's arguably a ton of more incredibly interesting quests out in the world of The Witcher 3 to peak your interest that we haven't even scratched - and luckily we have guides for every side quest, interactive maps, and much more in our Witcher 3 Wiki. If you've already scoured the Northern Kingdoms and beyond, let us know what your favorite quests were, which had the best stories, or if they had a reward that really stood out! [poilib element="accentDivider"] Brendan Graeber is a Guides Editor for IGN, and wishes he had a Hyperbolic Time Chamber to replay The Witcher 3 before Cypberpunk 2077 comes out in just a few months. Follow his attempts to ignore his increasing backlog of games on Twitter @Ragga_Fragga.

Transcript

Tools (Recommended):
Lixada Blocklite

PAK-LITE Super Glow LED Flashlight

Tools (Other):
Blocklite 2.0

-- Sean Michael Ragan

[Cool Tools has a YouTube channel with many more tool reviews]

In the past few months I’ve had to repair my iPhone, my digital camera, and my Macbook Pro. During this time I’ve found the iFixit’s magnetic mat ($20) indispensable. Not only does the magnetic surface mean fewer lost screws, but it’s whiteboard surface means I can keep track of what came from where. Intelligently, iFixit includes a very nice fine-tipped dry-erase marker from Staedtler for quickly jotting down repair notes (that also features a bit of wool on the cap for erasing them, too). The pro model mat, which I own, also features a nonslip foam backing much like that of a mousepad which when flipped upside down features cutouts that act like cups.

I like mine so much that it never leaves my desk as it serves as miniature whiteboard, mousepad, and DIY repair station.

-- Oliver Hulland

[This is a Cool Tools Favorite from 2012]

iFixit Magnetic Project Mat ($20)

Available from Amazon

Sample Excerpts:

Where do we start?

In April 1904, St. Louis opened its doors to the world for what was officially called the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, but was widely known as the St. Louis World’s Fair. Millions of dollars had been spent to build the 1,200-acre fairgrounds and its nearly 1,500 buildings—a huge scale that ended up delaying the opening by a year. During the eight months the fair stayed open, nearly 20 million people paid a visit. On display were marvels of technology, agriculture, art, and history, and there were amusement rides and entertainment to be found in a section called “the Pike.” The fair introduced a huge audience to some relatively new inventions such as private automobiles, outdoor electric lighting, and the X-ray machine—as well as foods from across the United States and around the world. The exposition also had a focus on anthropological exhibits—with an approach that is shocking by today’s standards: In some cases, organizers brought people from the Philippines, the Arctic, and elsewhere to the fairgrounds as set pieces among re-creations of their home environment or villages. After the fair closed, nearly all of its structures were demolished within a short time, leaving only a few footprints, ponds, and canals in Forest Park in St. Louis.

Over the weekend, the 186th Oktoberfest beer festival opened in Munich, Germany. Once again, organizers are expecting about 6 million visitors over the next two weeks—the last keg will be tapped on October 6. In 2019, the average price one can expect to pay for a one-liter mug of Oktoberfest beer is 11.80 euros ($12.99). Gathered below, some of the scenes of the opening weekend of Oktoberfest 2019.

The 2020 Sony World Photography Awards are now taking entries, and the organizers were once again kind enough to share some of their early photos with us, gathered here. This year’s competition has an expanded youth-competition schedule, a new overall environment category, and two new awards: the Latin America Professional Award, and the China National Student Award. Entries in the open competition will be accepted until January 7, 2020. Captions here were written by the photographers.

A friend sent me this old upload a couple of days ago. It’s just a simple guy, with a simple shop, and a simple life. It’s sort of beautiful.

Fabricator, racer, and automotive-industry personality Jessi Combs was killed Tuesday afternoon while attempting a land-speed record in the Alvord Desert in southeast Oregon. She was driving the North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger, a repurposed F-104 fighter jet with 52,000 hp. Jessi has piloted the car to past records, including the women’s four-wheeled speed record in 2013, where she ran 393 mph. Back in 2016, she would beat the record again, running 440 mph and cementing her title as the “Fastest Woman on Four Wheels”; then in 2018 she hit a whopping 483.227 mph during a shakedown run of the car.

According to a report on local News Channel 21 KTVZ, the Harney County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call just after 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 27. The sheriff’s office, along with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), are currently investigating the crash. “The cause [of the crash] is undetermined at this time,” said Brian Needham, lieutenant undersheriff of the Harney County Sheriff’s Department. “The race team is currently removing the onboard computers.” A representative from BLM stated that there were no adverse weather conditions during the record attempt.

“She went out on her terms,” said Jonny Mill, close friend of Jessi. “I find solace in that. Just crazy and hard to accept.” Jessi’s teammate Terry Madden was the first person at the scene of the crash and confirmed her passing in an Instagram post early Wednesday morning with a caption that read: “So I don’t know how to say any of this, but it all needs said. I have never loved or been loved by anyone as much as this amazing woman @thejessicombs she was truly my unicorn and I enjoyed every single minute that I had with her. She was the most amazing spirit that I have ever or will ever know. Unfortunately, we lost her yesterday in a horrific accident, I was the first one there and trust me we did everything humanly possible to save her!! I’m not ok, but she is right here keeping my going-I made her a promise that if this didn’t go well that I would make sure and do good with it, please help me with that, you are all going to see things on news please believe none of them.. we the family have drafted a release and it will come out today with more proper info, but I was just woke up by the media tracking me down and I need every one of her true friends to do what she would want ‘take a deep breath, relax’ and do good things with this. Please donate to nothing, I know there will be people try, we are finishing the documentary as she wished and the world will know the truth and her foundation will use those funds to do amazing things in this world and make her legacy live on properly. In the coming days her family and I will get the proper channels put together that you can then donate to that foundation but until you hear it from me wait please-I don’t want some asshole profiting off this (already had one try to sell us a video)… Love you all and thank you all for being such amazing friends to her, she dedicated her life to helping support others dreams and I promise I will continue that.”

The Discovery and MotorTrend Family is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Jessi Combs. She was a friend and colleague, an icon in the industry, and an undeniable force of nature who left an indelible mark on the car world. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones.

The post Industry Icon Jessi Combs Killed in Land-Speed Record Attempt appeared first on MotorTrend.

During the week of July 17, 1955, Walt Disney’s new theme park, named “Disneyland,” opened to the public in Anaheim, California. The 17th, a Sunday, was intended to be an “international press preview,” limited to selected invitees who could ride the attractions, witness the parades, and take part in the televised dedication of the park. However, many counterfeit invitations were distributed, and more than 20,000 eager guests showed up, overwhelming many areas of the 160-acre park. The official public opening came the next day, July 18, and within several weeks, Disney reported that more than 1 million people had visited the site. Here, a look back at the opening days of Disneyland in 1955.

The grand champion of the Fortnite World Cup finals has been crowned. Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf, a 16-year-old American boy, took home the trophy and a $3 million prize.

Congratulations @bugha! pic.twitter.com/nchRlL3wUC

— Fortnite Competitive (@FNCompetitive) July 28, 2019

Giersdorf is a player for the Sentinels group, and managed to careen past his 99 other opponents by a wide margin, earning a total of 59 points. The runner up, Psalm, scored 33 points by comparison over the finals’ six matches. The World Cup used a point-scoring system that encouraged players to not only place higher up in the ranking, but also eliminate opponents, as to discourage players from simply hiding until the end game.

Continue reading…

A pair of Fortnite World Cup competitors, formerly banned by Epic for cheating, were the target of much ire Saturday, as the crowd loudly booed one's appearance onscreen and subsequently cheered for their loss.

XXiF was competing in Saturday’s Fortnite World Cup duos tournament alongside his partner Ronaldo. During the tournament’s fourth match, XXiF was shown on the stadium’s giant screen for the first time. The crowd gradually booed XXiF louder and louder, until 100 Thieves clan player Elevate quickly eliminated him.

Video footage captured by multiple individuals on social media shows the crowd’s ecstatic reaction to XXiF’s elimination.

Continue reading…

Two classic Star Wars games will be getting re-released: 1991's The Empire Strikes Back for NES and Game Boy, and 1997's Shadows of the Empire for N64.

The classic games, which come in either a "Classic" or "Premium" edition, are being brought back by Limited Run Games and are available for pre-orders starting on July 26, 2019. The Classic editions cost $40-45 USD and come with the game cartridge for the original hardware (sorry, no digital versions - you'll need to dust off your N64 or pick up a Retron 5), in a package based on the era the action figure for the game would have released in.

Continue reading…

Kroil ($15) is an extremely effective penetrating lubricant. Almost every professional machine shop I’ve been in has a bottle of this sitting prominently beside the workbench. I first saw it about 8 years ago, and asked the mechanic why he used it. His words are the same I now say to those who ask me: It will unstick ANYTHING.

I frequently take apart antique machinery or general equipment. There is almost always rust, grime, burned grease, metal shavings, and the wear of decades that prevent me from separating bolts from nuts, pins from holes, or keeping sliding surfaces from doing anything BUT sliding. I’ve used every possible penetrating lubricant on the market. Some worked OK, but nothing really was “magic” until I found Kroil. Not many products make me laugh with glee. But the satisfying twist of an otherwise impossible-to-remove bolt or the turn of a shaft that was rusted solid now make me smile because of this little orange can.

Kroil doesn’t work instantly. It takes between a few minutes and a few days (for extremely large bearing surfaces) to work its magic. I once let it sit for a week on a 300 pound flywheel that was being very stubborn, and it came right off.

Kroil is not for general lubrication purposes. It’s very thin (which is part of how it works) and is not very sticky. But that’s not the reason I use it; I use it to get things apart. Kroil has a weird creeping capability, it finds its way up and across metal surfaces like some sort of strange science fiction amoeba. After I use Kroil to separate things, I’ll typically clean them completely (dip in mineral spirits) air-blast to remove residue, and then re-oil with a more permanent lubricant. The Kroil won’t hurt anything if it stays, but I like to get a thicker material in everywhere to avoid having to fix the problem again in a few years.

It’s somewhat hard to find in a retail setting. I’ve never seen it in a hardware store, but that doesn’t mean some don’t carry it. (The label on my bottle says “For industrial use only – not for retail sale” which is somewhat antiquated.) I typically get it directly from kanolabs.com, though eBay also might have some good deals. There are now several variants of Kroil including graphite and silicone, but I stick with the old-fashioned stuff since I haven’t read the data enough on the other mixtures to figure out if it’s worth changing.

If someone asked me what critical items I’d want for my toolbox, this would be among them. It comes at an even higher value than general-purpose sprays like WD-40. Simply put, Kroil is the most useful lubricant I know of.

-- John Todd

[This is a Cool Tools Favorite from 2011]

Kroil Penetrating Oil ($15)

Available from Amazon

Sample Excerpts:

A recent example of when I have used Kroil came when I bought an Ideal #3 Stencil machine on eBay, which is used for cutting out cardboard or paper letters and numbers for making paint stencils. I purchased the machine for $40, which is about 1/5th the normal price, because the machine was rusty and jammed.

I took the risk because I knew Kroil would work. Indeed, when I opened up the box, the rust was pretty severe. All of the vertical punch letters were rusted in place, and the dial didn’t even spin at all to change letters. I liberally dosed all of the moving component interface areas I could see with Kroil, and then started to take it apart. After an hour or so of time, I was able to get all of the moving components back into fully operational condition after slowly working them through a few gritty and then progressively smoother cycles with the Kroil finding its way into the nooks and crannies.

Even the central shaft which was frozen solid with several hundred pounds of turning force, after two hours or so I was able to feel a little movement, and after another hour and some huffing and puffing I was able to get the assembly off the shaft.

While doing my job of researching photos for various stories, I always come across more interesting images than I need, or photos that are unrelated to the story yet still remarkable, strange, hilarious, or just great shots. I tuck the best of those into a folder without a clear plan for future use. Today, I offer another sampling from that folder—a grab bag of historic images depicting land-speed records, underwater photography, Italian elections, a young Princess Elizabeth, a streamlined ferry, and more—from epic achievements to small moments. There isn’t really a theme here, other than “I thought these were neat photos, many rarely seen, and thought you’d enjoy them as well.” This is part of an ongoing series of collections of interesting photos from the past. See the previous entry: Weird, Wonderful Photos From the Archives.

Monument Valley sits on the Utah-Arizona border, within the Navajo Nation reservation. The iconic sandstone buttes that dot the valley floor can mostly be accessed or viewed from Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which—though instantly recognizable—has many fewer visitors annually than the nearby Grand Canyon. Gathered here, a collection of images of some of the many moods of the valley, from wild storms to dusky evenings to bright, sunlit panoramas.