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Extremists from the far right including white supremacists and terrorists are exploiting the gaming environment and it is only increasing. They are using multiplayer games and even the use of mods in gaming and also creation type games like Roblox to create an environment to act out their terroristic ideologies. They are even using gaming-adjacent platforms forming chat groups and clans. Even game services like Steam and streaming services like Twitch is being used. This isn't about video games causing violence because that has been proven false. This is about how extremists are taking advantage of all these games and platforms with very little moderators or oversight. I don't play online and I don't use any video game services besides Playstation Store and this forum on VGR. So I don't know all the many forums, blogs, platforms, MMO games, or providers that are available or how they work. But there definitely is a lot of research going around these days due to the urgency of stopping the spread of these extremists especially how they target young people. Gamification is also a new term I haven't heard till now, but there seems to point to evidence how it's being used for terrorist violence especially at the terrorist attack at the mosque in New Zealand. Gamification actually is used in such a broad way by businesses and everything you can think of that can motivate people. It uses game based ideas like points, trophies, achievements, bonus, etc. to motivate them and influence their behavior. Gamification-Merriam Webster Dictionary: the process of adding games or gamelike elements to something (such as a task) so as to encourage participation. Verb: Easy-to-use Web- and mobile-based learning platforms … take the boredom out of long training sessions by gamifying the entire process. A training manual is replaced by an interactive game that allows participants to win awards and be acknowledged. Here is an article discussing The Role of Gamification in Radicalization Processes https://modus-zad.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/modus-working-paper-12021.pdf Extremist Use of Gaming (-Adjacent) Platforms https://gnet-research.org/2021/09/06/lets-talk-about-games-baby-extremist-use-of-gaming-adjacent-platforms/ The Anti Defamation League has also written a must read article. I recommend read this first: https://www.adl.org/resources/report/hate-no-game-hate-and-harassment-online-games-2022 From 2021-2022 Young People’s Exposure to White Supremacy Ages 13-17 has gone up--From 6% to 10% on a forum. From 11% to 14% in person. From 10% to 16% on an online game. From 17% to 26% on social media. The take home message is to be careful who you associate with out there while gaming and socializing on the many sites. There are terroristic predators out there seeking to bring you into their fold. They are very manipulative and promises you a sense of belonging while leading you into trouble. Don't be afraid to report people to the site's moderators and if someone seems a bit persistent on welcoming you while feeding you hate against others, then you should simply ignore them and report them.

So I like taking a look at steamDB from time to time, for various reasons, to see stats on various games, sales, total lifetime of players, and more. It's very useful for being a free thing. 😉 this data is very useful to know. It also helps me decide on whether to purchase games, sometimes based on some data that interests me. 📈📉✅🚫 What do you use SteamDB for if you do? Here's the site: https://steamdb.info/

Anybody interested in this game? I watched the trailer and it looks really neat. It's a survival-horror game where you live in a town that is trying to escape the past by taking, "Joy," a drug that leaves them in a blissful state, oblivious to the horror around them. Unsure if I'll get it at launch because I'd like to see if it gets ported to Switch. If I do get it at launch or it doesn't get ported then I will probably play on PS4.

BioShock+Dead Space+ Metro 2033+Half-Life+Left 4 Dead/Operation Raccoon City+Half-Life+The Last of Us=Third Person Shooter Cooperative Science Fiction Survival Horror with shooter looter system like similar mechanics to The Division and environmental puzzles and have RE6/Uncharted Style multiplayer! Story Game set in an alternate history (which Eisenhower's didn't suspend U.S. nuclear testing and soviet union won the cold war) not too distant post-apocalyptic war. After the nuclear pandemic exchange known as " Armageddon Day " left devastated three quarter of world. Half of humanity live in under new national " Defense of United Treaty Government (DOUTG)", those who isn't living under United Government laws, rest of the survivors are to live in underground knowns as "CAVERS". The game following 4 players members of M.O.D.I.N.S (Mobile Officers Division Infectionist Nation and Search) Delta Ops Crews heading to Their mission in one of "Ashes City's." Ashes City's are abandonment city's once population by those once live here now left to fall. Reasoing why team arrives at Ashes City 13. They gotten repeatedly emergency reporting message from Commander of Central Division told ops about. One of their United Treaty Government research and defense facility base want silent under 24 hours so they need go in facility seem what happens then something started attacking chopper that caused malfunction crashes landing into the City 13. Their awakening in central of city, Delta Ops started ahead towards United Treaty Government research and defense facility. Off started their journey through city 13. Gameplay Players take on the role of M.O.D.I.N.S with each his or she different classes (Recon Commander,Medic,Breacher,Sniper,Gunner,Rifleman,Demolitions,Field Scientist and Engineer) and peaks with each have their own backstories. When the player earns enough experience points to gain a new level, they unlock an ability. When the player allocates more points to a statistic, more abilities can be unlocked. These perks can be upgraded to improve the protagonist's efficiency and to further unlock abilities. Controlling through "over-the-shoulder" third-person perspective which uses tank controls and fixed camera angles. The player traverses post-apocalyptic environments such as city, buildings, labs, and underground to advance the story, completing objectives given to players hands during the narrative, solving physics-based puzzles within the environment, and fighting monsters dubbed ”Vombie” and “Hynfecting“, play through the levels fighting off the infected—living genetici creatures who have been infected also dealing with cannabis gangs call “Eaters”. In the beginning of the game, players create their own agent by customizing the characters uniforms (unlocks them). In the game, players are equipped with different firearms, including assault rifles, sniper riflesand Submachine guns, and explosives like grenades to defeat enemies. The player's gear is categorized into seven levels: worn, standard, specialized, superior, high-end, gear set items or the rarer exotic items, each with a specific color code. Gear can be either bought, or found as in-game loot, or crafted from gathered materials. They have an opportunity for an "active reload", shown by a small cursor moving over a line with a marked section on the player's heads-up display(HUD). If the player hits a control button when the cursor is in the marked section. Focuses on cooperation and teamwork. If a survivor falls off a ledge, then they may automatically hang onto it and can only be helped up by another survivor. If a survivor's health) is depleted, then they become incapacitated and can only be revived by another survivor, at which point they continue playing with a low amount of health that decreases over time. If a survivor has been incapacitated and revived twice without tending to their wounds, then they will experience distorted black-and-white vision, and the next incapacitation will kill the character. If a survivor takes enough damage while incapacitated, or is not eventually helped up by teammates, then the incapacitated character will die. During "Campaign" mode, if a survivor is killed, then they will respawn) in a closet or other enclosed space after a period of time (except during key points in the scenario), but must be freed by another survivor to rejoin the team. Otherwise, the player must wait until the next level. The AI is incapable of accessing the "respawn closets", so if all human player survivors are killed or incapacitated, players will have to restart from the last checkpoint. Survivors can share first-aid kits and pain pills and help each other heal. The survivors communicate by voice commands that are accessed by quick menus, and some may sound off automatically when performing actions such as reloading or spotting infected. Regularly integrates puzzles, such as navigating a maze of conveyor belts or using nearby boxes to build a small staircase to the next area the player must travel to. Some puzzles involve using the environment to kill an enemy, like turning a valve to spray hot steam at their enemies. There are few bosses) in the conventional sense, where the player defeats a superior opponent by direct confrontation. The game provides several options for players to face challenges. In addition to direct combat, the player can use plasmids to lure enemies into traps or to turn enemies against each other, or employ stealth tactics to avoid detection by hostiles including the gangs, monsters and turrets. The player can hack) into any of Rapture's automated systems; the hacking process is done via a mini-game similar to Galaga,Space Invaders,Centipede,Crisis Force and M.U.S.H.A. With failure each time to complete in time costing XP for them. In combat, the player can use long-range weapons, such as rifles, shotguns, and bows, and short-range weapons such as handguns and short-barreled shotguns. The player is able to scavenge limited-use melee weapons, such as pipes and baseball bats, and throw bottles and bricks to distract, stun, or attack enemies. Multiplayer The game includes 5 regular game modes: The competitive multiplayers allows a maximum of twelve players. Ranks (or levels) are the visual representation of a player's experience earned. Being promoted to higher ranks will earn you more customizations and weapons. As ranks become higher, so does the amount of experience needed to be promoted to the next. There are a total of 60 ranks. Players can purchase different armor from The Armory, which also includes wrist armor, knee guards, utilities, visor colors, shoulder armor and armor effects. The Contractors: It is available by default. The main goal of the game is to accumulate a high score within a limited time without dying. However, players can now equip skills to their advantage. Killing an enemy with a melee attack will add 5 seconds to the timer. Killing an enemy with a Coup de grâce will add 7 seconds to the timer. Killing an enemy with a counter-attack will add 10 seconds to the timer instead. Killing multiple enemies with a single melee attack simply adds together the time gained for each kill. In this mode, up to four players can join together online and customize characters to fight. Team Deathmatch: Team Deathmatches feature two opposing teams: Modins vs Eaters. The goal is to score the most kills. The first team to reach a set number of kills wins the match, otherwise the team with more kills after the time runs out wins, meaning the match could end as a tie. The ideal goal of deathmatch matchmaking is five players per team. This will give a goal of 50 kills to win. Horde: That features arcade style combat with waves of enemies. Up to five players can join together to fight against 30 waves of the enemies. The difficulty increases as the players advance through the waves. Horde can be played on any multiplayer map, although players cannot play alongside bots. Higher difficulties feature stronger and more numerous enemies, as well as difficult enemy types in earlier waves and in larger numbers, but will also reward more XP and more bonus experience for successful completion. Capture The Flag: When playing with a Team of at least 5 people, a bit more strategy is required to play the game effectively. Capture the flag is an objective-based gametype, where teams compete to bring a flag, often taken from the opposing teams base, to a predetermined area, often your team's flag or base. flag cannot be returned if one's own flag is stolen. If the flag carrier dies or translocates, the flag is dropped. Dropped flags can be picked up by the team of the opposite color, and they are reset if touched by the team of the same color as the flag or if left untouched for 15 seconds. The first team to reach the game limit wins the match. Slayershooter: Features up to Ten players without teams who's only goal is to get the most amount of kills. The winners are placed in a list at the end of the match in the order of highest kills. After a character dies they will spawn randomly somewhere on the map.

Not sure where to post but our small game company just released our 1st pc casual game lil' Sherman on Steam. lil' Sherman is a 3rd person action tower defense RPG that takes place in a stylized WW2/Alt-Universe. The year is 1945 and with the help of Element 115 the evil Nazi Scourge has won the great war in Europe. However, with lil’ Sherman leading the counteroffensive all hope is not lost. This elite U.S. Sherman tank, along with the support of the command center, will help take back Europe one country at a time.

The prison has a new look with its guardian-robots and redesigned puzzles. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1197600/The_Pyramid_Prison/ Story The Pyramid Prison is a special-design of one of the maximum security prisons somewhere in the middle of the ocean. Your duty is to save your wife and leave the prison. Game Features - Classical first-person-perspective - Single player - Full of unique puzzles

Story The Pyramid Prison is a special-design of one of the maximum security prisons somewhere in the middle of the ocean. Your duty is to save your wife and leave the prison. Game Features - Classical first-person-perspective - Single player - Full of unique puzzles https://store.steampowered.com/app/1197600/The_Pyramid_Prison/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1197600/The_Pyramid_Prison/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1170070/Pentagonal_Saloon_Two/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1170070/Pentagonal_Saloon_Two/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/998830/The_Last_Roman_Village/ Time of peace is over. The Roman Empire doesn't exist anymore. Everything is in the hands of General Marcus Aurelius to preserve and protect the last piece of roman history. Enemies are attacking on both sides, and it is important to keep good defense and balance on both flanks. With a little luck and wise choices you will be able to take the best decisions to show the enemy hordes that the Last Roman Village will remain. Times are hard choose wisely every coin you spend... GAME KEY FEATURES: * Build and Upgrade more than 10 buildings * Train and upgrade roman soldiers * Defeat big variety of enemies like skeletons, orcs, trolls, minotaurs goblins and more * Defeat 10 unique bosses * Wheels of Soldier give you options to win many surprises like dog pet, 10% more attack and defence for all soldiers, stronger walls and towers, 3 magics (summon soldier, arrow rain and wrath of gods), coins and more * Beautiful music and weather change atmosphere * The game will not have any paid features or DLCs

Explore the village and find out what's happened recently. Prepare the cures to save the villagers. Get ready for the mission! You have been chosen as a savior of the village. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1093710/Awaiting_Salvation/

Karar X is a puzzle-adventure game with a decision-based story-end. It requires you to use 4 special characters with different skills to solve the unique puzzles. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1146220/Karar_X/

So it's time for a competition. This time I'm giving away a copy of Ion Fury for PC (Steam). https://store.steampowered.com/app/562860/Ion_Fury/ The only thing you need to do is answer correctly and a winner will be randomly chosen from those who have answered correctly. So here we go!

Episode 5 of the VGR Weekly Recap podcast is now available on YouTube! Apologies for the delay, we had some issues getting the file transferred between computers yesterday, but as you'll see, video is now fully implemented and a huge step up from last week! We're hoping to implement webcam footage fairly soon too. In any case, check out the latest episode: Jacob and I discuss the Rocket League acquisition, Borderlands 3 info and micro-transactions, Elder Scrolls: Online, Total War: Three Kingdoms, and more! As always, if you have any questions about what we discuss or anything you'd like us to discuss next week, please feel free to comment under the video or on this thread!