As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes continue with seemingly no end in sight, members of those unions—as well as workers in adjacent entertainment fields—are feeling the sting of being without incomes. Fortunately, some of Hollywood’s highest-paid figures have stepped up to help, including showrunner Greg Berlanti, archite…
Patreon creators have a new option to interact with fans, as the subscription platform just rolled out a group chat feature. This community chat allows creators to interact with adoring fans, but also lets subscribers talk to one another in a space outside of comments. Creators can have up to four chats going at once and there’s a toolset in place to allow certain restrictions as to who can participate. For instance, a creator can limit a specific chat to various subscriber tiers.
Patreon group chats are exclusive to the mobile app for now, but the company says a desktop version is in the works. Yes, this all sounds suspiciously like Discord, which Patreon acknowledges, referring to the feature as “essentially a simpler, in-app Discord server.” However, it’s not like Discord has a patent on group chats. Patreon says the tools aren’t meant to replace Discord, as creators will still have access to an integrated experience with the third-party app. In other words, they can choose which chat method they prefer.
You’ll be able to do more in chats than just spit out hot takes regarding your favorite creator’s published content. The rooms allow for the sharing of photos and emojis, in addition to plain-jane text. Obviously, there are moderation tools in place for creators to limit noxious content. The company says that a future update will allow creators to enlist fans to assist with moderation, so you can, uh, actually pay money to work.
To make these group chats feel more like an actual community, Patreon has also introduced a new member profile feature. This allows you to customize your name, photo, social media links and bio, so your fellow chatters can get to know you better. The company told Engadget that all of these tools will be useful “to enable deeper connections with fandom communities.”
Patreon group chats are already rolling out to select creators, with wider availability in the coming months. The subscription platform has been busy adding new features to aid creators and fans. It recently introduced tools to publish subscriber-only podcasts on Spotify and unveiled a native video toolset.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/patreon-app-adds-simple-discord-like-group-chats-181337987.html?src=rss
Just four “hero” X-Wings were created by ILM to film Star Wars’ climactic battle over Yavin IV against the Death Star—primary models detailed enough to be used for close-up shots and major action sequences. Now one of them, believed to have been missing for over 40 years, has been found—and is going up for auction.
At Halloween Horror Nights Orlando, Eddie Munson fans can eat their hearts out with Stranger Things treats, while The Last of Us survivalists can collect their FEDRA rations.
Epic Games chief creative officer Donald Mustard is stepping down. The industry veteran, instrumental in guiding Fortnite to immense popularity, said he will retire at the end of September. “I have enjoyed nearly 25 years in the game industry collaborating with some of the most talented people ever and I am so proud of what we have made together,” the 47-year-old wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Mustard co-founded ChAIR Entertainment in 2005 with his brother Geremy Mustard, Ryan Holmes and others. The developer launched the subaqueous shooter Undertow on Xbox Live Arcade in 2007 and the Metroidvania title Shadow Complex two years later. Epic bought ChAIR Entertainment in 2008, and the studio soon unveiled Infinity Blade, a trilogy of iOS games showcasing the growing graphical prowess of Apple’s early mobile devices, using simple dodge-and-attack gameplay reminiscent of the NES classic Punch-Out!!
He was promoted to Epic’s worldwide creative director in 2016. Fortnite launched the following year and quickly became one of gaming’s biggest 21st-century success stories. The title’s Battle Royale mode transformed it into a cultural phenomenon, as it emerged on nearly every platform, including PC, consoles and mobile. Fortnitepassed 350 million registered players in 2020 and remains one of the most ubiquitous games today (especially among younger players) while spawning countless copycats.
“Fortnite will never be ‘finished,’ the creative director posted on Twitter last December. “The whole idea is that it’s a living, breathing PLACE.”
After an incredible adventure, I will be retiring from my role as Chief Creative Officer at Epic this month.
I have enjoyed nearly 25 years in the game industry collaborating with some of the most talented people ever and I am so proud of what we have made together. From the… pic.twitter.com/9KJT9Jg2jr
— Donald Mustard (@DonaldMustard) September 8, 2023
Although Mustard didn’t detail his reasons for retiring now, his X post lavished praise on his years with ChAIR and Epic. “From the ambitious Advent Rising, to the start of ChAIR where we created Undertow, Shadow Complex, and the Infinity Blade trilogy, to the honor of our tiny team becoming part of Epic, each new chapter allowed me to accomplish something new and original,” he posted on X. “I am especially proud of the opportunity I’ve had to help create and shape Fortnite.”
“I am humbled to have been a part of the team that every day tries to bring ‘joy and delight’ to the Fortnite community!” Mustard continued. “We love watching you experience every moment — leaping from the Battle Bus for the very first time, seeing the rocket crack open the sky, dancing with friends after a Victory Royale, being sucked into a black hole or being washed out to sea as The Island flipped over — and on and on! I can’t wait to now share in the future of Fortnite as a player alongside all of you! The teams are in the best hands and they are working on huge, jaw dropping, amazing things!!!”
Mustard added that he plans to enjoy more domestic time for now. “I’m excited to spend time with my wife and family and am forever grateful for @TimSweeneyEpic and the Epic Games family,” the outgoing creative director wrote.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fortnite-creative-lead-donald-mustard-is-retiring-from-epic-games-185543919.html?src=rss
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is adding artificial intelligence tools to crack down on potential tax violations, the agency announced on Friday. The IRS claims it will be focusing on wealthy taxpayers who have used “sophisticated schemes to avoid taxes,” instead of burdening average people with “no-change” audits.
Twilight of the Dead is coming, and the long-promised last zombie movie to come from the mind of horror legend George A. Romero, who died in 2017, now has a director: Brad Anderson, whose genre bona fides include 2001 creepfest Session 9.
X, the company formerly known as Twitter, may not be labeling its ads properly, putting it at risk of — once again — running afoul of the FTC. There have been numerous reports over the last several days of ads appearing in users’ timelines without being labeled as such, according toTechCrunch, which was first to report on the stealth ads.
According to their reporting, as well as reports from industry groups, users have identified numerous ads that leave off the typical “Ad” label that identifies the post as paid advertising rather than a native post. It’s apparent that the posts are, in fact, ads when clicking into the “…” menu in the tweet, which indicates the tweet is a paid promotion.
While the unlabeled ads have irked users, who may mistakenly believe the platform is showing posts from accounts they don’t follow in their following timeline, the issue also risks stirring up more regulatory trouble with the FTC. Nandini Jammi, co-founder of watchdog group Check My Ads, has been sharingexamples on her Twitter account over the past couple days. The nonprofit group is tracking the issue and encouraging X users to report any examples they find.
We’ve gotten some great examples from you all of Twitter ads that aren’t marked as ads. Keep those screenshots coming to submit@checkmyads.org, along with how you’re using Twitter (iOS/Android app or web). pic.twitter.com/wIXsiLzCj0
— Check My Ads (@CheckMyAdsHQ) September 8, 2023
It’s unclear if the unlabeled ads are the result of a bug or an intentional change by the company. X, which no longer has a functioning communications department, didn’t respond to a request for comment.
But it’s no secret the company’s advertising business has collapsed over the last year since Elon Musk took over the company. Musk recently said ad revenue is down 60 percent, a drop he has blamed on activists. The company also recently losttwo top executives overseeing brand safety, an issue advertisers have cited as a major concern and reason for pulling back from the platform.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-seems-to-be-slipping-unlabeled-ads-into-peoples-feeds-204234161.html?src=rss
The saga of the AI-generated song that sounds like The Weeknd and Drake continues. After the head honcho behind the Grammys indicated that “Heart on My Sleeve” would be eligible for the award, it appears that the track is dead in the water.
NASA has come under heat for the increasing cost of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which space agency officials have finally admitted to being unsustainable and unaffordable, a new report revealed.
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