Category: Technology

BMW has been spotted putting an updated version of its BMW X5 M Competition through final sign-off testing at the Nürburgring, leading up to its reveal either late this year or early next. The new M model will correspond with a wider range update for X5, but will pick up a selection of new design motifs specific to the M Competition, plus a few updates under the skin.

Its aesthetic changes will focus around a new look front and rear. It’s clear from these images that the new X5 will pick up a slimmer set of LED headlights and a reshaped grille, but specific to the M are new horizontal slats within the kidneys that will also be found on the upcoming M2 and flagship XM SUV.

Underneath, the new lower bumper will be reshaped, but otherwise retain a key function of supplying copious amounts of air to the twin-turbo V8, but we expect it to have an even more aggressive design in-line with BMW M’s new and more eclectic design language.

Out back, the changes are likely to be more subtle, with new lights and some reshaping to the bumper and tailgate, but the key M elements like its four drainpipe exhaust finishers and double-profile roof spoiler will remain. Inside, we expect the X7’s new interior to be essentially carried over wholesale, incorporating BMW’s curved dual-screen display, sat on a new dash that’s both slimmer and more ornate in its detailing.

We can’t yet say whether the X5 M will offer any more power than the existing car, but with 616bhp already available from the twin-turbocharged V8 engine, we’d be surprised if it did. From our experience, it certainly doesn’t need the extra power, as the X5 M is already one of the more extreme high performance SUVs, both in terms of performance and handling.

And to that end, we expect that like BMW’s done with its updated X3 M Competition, the X5 M Competition will be adjusted in its setup, rather than given a wholesale change. Unlike all of its rivals, it features technical elements like simpler coil-spring suspension and an electronically-controlled limited slip differential matched to an extreme rear-bias to the all-wheel drive system that genuinely makes it feel less like an aggressively set up SUV and more like a big saloon. But it’s how these elements are calibrated that make all the difference on the road.

We have a complex opinion of the current car. On the one hand, it’s sheer power, aggressive chassis tune and hilariously lairy handling balance make it one of the most enjoyable SUVs to pilot. Yet in order to achieve that capability, things like the basic ride quality have been completely compromised, making it more of a struggle to drive day-to-day than you’d ever expect of something with an X5 badge.

With BMW M’s current form, and the extent to which BMW is refining the new X5 M’s handling package for what would otherwise be a mild mid-life update, it’ll be interesting to see what it has in store.

One of the many items required to enhance weaponry in Tower of Fantasy is the Firecore, a molten shard of the Fire element. Players must procure this resource to strengthen their elemental Fire equipment, such as the Scythe of the Crow or Negating Cube. Similar to Genshin Impacttheorycrafters are likely calculating what the best element in the Tower of Fantasy es. While it is unknown if Fire takes the top place like Genshin‘s Pyro and Cryo, this element will come in handy for both combat and exploration. Therefore, it is essential for players to know where to find Firecore in Tower of Fantasy.

Obtaining Firecore In Tower Of Fantasy

To get Firecore in Tower of Fantasy, players must find Firecore nodes within the open world. These nodes appear as large hive-like mounds with massive red cube-shaped crystals protruding from their surface. To break them apart and acquire the resource within, Wanderers must attack them with the Fire element.

Related:

Tower of Fantasy: How to Break Cracked Rock Walls

Ace wanderers progress through Tower of Fantasy‘s main story and explore its vast world, it is likely they will eventually acquire a weapon imbued with the Fire element. Accordingly, they can equip the armament and use it to break apart the Firecore nodes. On the other hand, those who do not have access to Fire-imbued weaponry can still destroy the nodes using a different method — Flame Cores. Flame Cores are small docile mobs that can often be found near Firecore nodes. If a Wanderer approaches one of these creatures, they will be prompted to “Lift,” picking up the fiery critter. With the Flame Core in hand, hurl the creature at a Firecore cluster to break it apart and retrieve its contents instantly.

Open world exploration is not the only way to get Firecores in Tower of Fantasy. According to gamepur, Wanderers can also acquire this resource by making a purchase in the Weapon Store, where Firecores can be procured in exchange for Black Gold ×1. Those who’ve participated in the gacha system of the game will recognize Black Gold as the currency acquired from using Gold Nuclei. However, bear in mind that the Daily Purchase Limit is ×10, so the Weapon Store is not the most efficient source of Firecores. However, it can be a convenient means to instantly obtain one or two required materials for enhancing a Fire-imbued weapon.

Tower of Fantasy is available on PC, Android, and iOS.

Source: gamepur

Riot Games has acknowledged that the jungle role in League of Legends is “in need of a touch up” and has outlined a series of planned changes for Preseason 2023.

in to lol pls blog published today (August 12), Riot has admitted that the jungle role – in which players roam across the map killing camps of enemies and assisting their team mates’ lanes – “hasn’t kept up with the times” and is “way too much” for new players to learn.

“Many League players see the wildly complex set of strategies and game knowledge required to be even slightly competent at the jungle and are scared away,” shared Riot. “We want to lessen this barrier to entry. One of the ways we’ll do that is by easing players in, showing them how to play the role, and adjusting mechanics so they’re less punishing and more intuitive. The goal here is absolutely not to dumb down the jungle or remove the ability to show off your jungle knowledge, but to make sure that jungle is complex in the right places.”

Riot added that it is exploring in-game aids to make learning the role easier, and new ways for junglers to communicate and co-ordinate strategies with their team. The blog also identified that too many champions in League of Legends are not competitively viable as junglers because they can’t keep up with how fast other champions can clear camps.

“If jungle clear optimization is no longer a major barrier-to-entry for jungle viability, way more champions can be played there,” explained Riot. “The meta is less set in stone, the jungle itself isn’t telling you that you’re bad at the game just because you picked Warwick and wanted to take raptors.”

Finally, there will be major changes to the starting items that junglers can buy – including the addition of pets.

“These pets will help you do little things in the jungle like clearing or taking down epic monsters (think old Sated Devourer puppy),” said Riot. “As you jungle, you slowly raise and feed your pet until they’ve grown up enough to be able to empower you.”

While these changes are not final, Riot’s jungle changes will be implemented during Preseason, a time where Riot typically makes larger changes to League of Legends that are riskier for the game’s balance.

Earlier in the week, Riot Games revealed a rework for Udyr, one of League of Legends‘oldest jungle champions.

The updated BMW X5 M has been seen testing for the first time since March, and this time we’ve been treated to a better view of its front grille.

Changes for the updated 2023 model are expected to be fairly limited, so what glimpses we get of the grille may be important. As you’d expect for an M model, there are a lot of air inlets to feed the engine.

The biggest change, though, appears to be on the kidneys, which are farther apart and have horizontal slats. The 2022 model, on the other hand, has vertical grille slats that obfuscate the distinction between each side of the unit.

Read Also: 2023 BMW X5M Adds Redesigned Taillights Into The Mix, Shows More Of Its Face

Fortunately for fans of restraint, it also appears that the kidney grilles will remain a sensible size, and won’t grow to gargantuan proportions as they have on the likes of the upcoming XM, say. The lower grille sections may also be redesigned.

Elsewhere, BMW has opted to put more camouflage on the rear of this test vehicle. That’s a bit of an odd decision, since we’ve already seen the X5 M testing with its rear end bared.

Our spy photographers didn’t manage to get a look inside the SUV, but BMW’s recent activity suggests that the X5 M will get its fancy new curved display that combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a 14.9-inch infotainment system.

Rumors suggest, meanwhile, that the 2023 X5 M will only be offered as a Competition model and that it will be equipped with the new S68 engine that is set to make its debut in the XM. The X5 M will only be a mild hybrid, though, which means it’s unlikely to be as powerful as the XM, which is rated at 740 hp (552 kW/750 PS) and 738 lb-ft (999 Nm) of torque.

The X5 M is expected to make its debut at the end of 2022 and to be sold as a 2023 model year vehicle.

PHOTO GALLERY

more photos…

Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien for Carscoops

Cult of the Lamb might be the strangest game of 2022. This wild mashup of life sim and roguelike tasks you with running a thriving cult — gathering materials, building structures, and slaying anyone that gets in your way. Since Cult of the Lamb borrows so many ideas from so many genres, it can be difficult to come to grips with everything it asks of you. However, with a few tips and tricks, you’ll be running the most successful cult the world has ever seen.

Here are some beginner tips and tricks for Cult of the Lamb.

further reading

Master your combat skills

Fight in Cult of the Lamb is fast-paced and unforgiving. Several skills are at your disposal, and learning the intricacies of each is the key to staying alive. More importantly, you’ll want to master your dodge roll. This lets you quickly evade incoming attacks and put distance between you and your enemies. It can also be used to close gaps, as you move surprisingly fast while rolling. Also keep in mind that touching most enemies won’t damage you — only active attacks will deplete your HP. This means you shouldn’t be afraid to get close, deal some damage, then roll away to safety.

Use each weapon properly

A roguelike is only as good as the weapons at your disposal, and Cult of the Lamb will throw no shortage of sharp, pointy objects your way. Some are slow and deal heaps of damage, while others are fast and designed to slowly chip away at enemy health bars. You won’t always be able to bring your favorite weapon into combat (thanks to the random nature of the game), so make sure you change up your playstyle based on your gear. Heavy weapons, for example, might only let you land a single attack before needing to roll away to safety, while fast weapons will let you hack away endlessly.

Food is king (and so is your Farm)

If your cult starts getting hungry, bad things start happening. Picking berries and cooking food should be a daily task, and try to establish a Farm as soon as possible. This gives you easy access to cooking ingredients and makes it easy to keep your cultists fed. You’ll also want to forage for berries as you venture out into the wild.

Don’t worry, you can move your buildings

The game doesn’t tell you this right off the bat, but don’t fret about where you place your initial structures. Most of these are entirely customizable and can be moved without penalty later in the game. Simply head over to the Building Sign and select the Edit Buildings option. This will let you move around your structures as you see fit.

Progress is tied to the size of your cult

While you’ll have a bunch of goals to accomplish listed on the right side of your screen, much of your progress is truly tied to growing your cult. This means you’ll want to do everything in your power to free prisoners and indoctrinate them — allowing your weird little family to grow larger and letting you unlock new areas of the game.

Time of day is important

Cult of the Lamb uses a Day/Night cycle that is continuously running. Whether you’re chopping trees with your fellow cultists or out on an adventure, time will slowly tick by. Keeping track of time is important, as some activities can only be performed once before getting locked behind a timer.

Give daily Sermons

Speaking of time-gated activities, you’ll want to give Sermons as often as possible. This is essentially how you level up in Cult of the Lamb, growing more powerful based on your number of followers and how loyal they are to the cult. Your best bet is to give a Sermon early in the morning, then head out for an adventure. Only one Sermon can be performed a day, so make sure you don’t miss out on this easy way to level up.

Keep everyone healthy

Your followers can get sick and die if you’re not careful. To avoid this, be sure to not only keep them fed but also dispose of any bodies, poop, or other hazardous materials. The easiest way to do this is to take a quick lap around your camp every day, scouting for anything unsavory that might be scattered on the ground.

Keep everyone loyal

Giving cultists gifts and completing quests for them will increase their loyalty toward you. Increase their loyalty enough, and you’ll be rewarded with Devotion and a Commandment Stone Fragment. They’ll also produce more Devotion during Sermons. It can be easy to overlook your followers when you’re busy questing and unlocking structures, but gaining their loyalty is an easy way to quickly grow stronger.

Bones are priceless

Bones are ridiculously useful in Cult of the Lamb. These resources are required to perform Rituals and increase the faith of your cultists. Early in the game, it’s a good idea to stockpile these, as you’ll unlock some really costly rituals later in the game.

Destroy everything in sight

When you’re out on a quest, it’s in your best interest to destroy absolutely everything you see. Various resources can often be gathered from random plants and other objects on the map, and cutting down everything you see before moving to the next room will ensure your inventory is fully loaded when you return to camp.

Play Knucklebones

Early in your adventures, you’ll unlock a dice game called Knucklebones. Not only is it incredibly fun (and easy to learn) but you can earn new Tarot cards (used to grant temporary perks) for your journey by playing. Most of them are nothing too game-changing, although Knucklebones is a fun diversion from the harsh realities of running a cult.

Level fast with Worshipers

Instead of having your followers cut down trees or mine stone, you can have them worship at your Shrine. This is where you’ll unlock new upgrades for your cult, such as a Lumberyard, Farm, Missionary, and more. Unless you’re running very low on resources, it’s a good idea to have as many cultists worshiping at the Shrine as possible. This lets you quickly unlock new parts of your camp and progress through the game with ease.

Develop a routine

Cult of the Lamb has so many moving pieces that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. To combat this, try to develop a schedule that you follow each day. Here’s a simple example that you can modify as needed:

• Once all your cultists are awake, head to your Temple for a Sermon or other Rituals.
• Make a sweep of your camp, checking for hazardous materials that could get your crew sick.
• Collect any resources around your camp.
• Head out on a quest, gathering materials as you go.
• Return to camp and indoctrinate any followers.
• Check your camp stats (such as Hunger) and improve these as needed.
• Chat with followers.
• Wrap up with any tasks you missed throughout the day.

This routine will constantly require minor adjustments as you unlock new features (or automate them, thanks to your loyal followers), but it’s a good starting point for beginners.

Editors’ Recommendations

apex legends‘ recent Season 14 update appears to have a sly reference to another Respawn Entertainment game, titan fall 2.

Whilst likely nothing major, it’s interesting to see as the new lobby in apex legends has a silhouetted figure in the background, which Twitter user KralRindo managed to find, showing off in the video below (via The Loadout).

The guy you see behind the glass (prisoner)
Don’t expect anything big from this, most likely reused asset, still interesting to see pic.twitter.com/60IUYdie3z

— KralRindo (@kralrindo) August 10, 2022

This may seem unassuming at first, but another user by the name of ApexLmgLover pointed out that it’s the model of an IMC scientist from the titan fall 2 mission Effect and Cause, which sees the player time traveling between the past and present in an effort to get through the level.

Ace apex legends and titan fall are set in the same universe, with Apex taking place in the near future, the two franchises are closely connected. That said, it’s absolutely possible that this could be nothing of significance, and instead an effective use of assets from one game to another. But it does raise some potential questions about the specific use of the asset.

This isn’t the only recent news tying Respawn’s battle royale game to its titan fall franchise, as back in July it was revealed that the developer is looking to make a single-player apex legends game – with previous game titan fall 2 having a campaign as well.

The jobs listings describe the title as an “FPS Incubation” title and a “new single-player title [that] is a developer’s dream playground,” with another adding: “Our critically acclaimed, multi-platform games have always established a “fun comes first.”

“Sensibility created with the notion that great ideas can come from anyone, which allows creativity to shine and individuals to shape the game in meaningful ways.”

In other news, Humble Bundle is offering a collection of 12 different resident Evil games with a minimum donation of nearly £30, with proceeds going to Ukraine relief.