Every year at Adobe MAX, one of the main highlights apart from the day 2 inspiration keynote with guest creators, is always the “MAX Sneaks”, where Adobe’s engineers and research scientists showcase a slew of cutting-edge innovations that may or may not eventually come to Adobe’s Creative Cloud apps. This year at Adobe MAX 2024 in Miami, the “Sneaks” was co-hosted by award-winning actress Awkwafina.

Here are the 9 latest early-stage innovations and exciting advancements across photography, video, audio, 3D and design shared during this year’s MAX Sneaks:

Project Perfect Blend makes it easier to add people or objects into another image while automatically adjusting colour, lighting, and shadows to naturally blend it with the image.

Project Clean Machine removes unwanted flashes from things like photo flashes or fireworks, as well as objects briefly blocking the camera. These distractions can easily be removed from photos or videos with just a click of a button.

Project In Motion uses generative AI to turn a custom shape animation into a video just by describing what you want. It uses generative AI to convert text into animation based on an initial After Effects project. You can even add a style reference image to mix and match styles with your prompt for a unique touch.

Project Know How envisions the future of content provenance by demonstrating the durability of Content Credentials across both digital and physical spaces. Through fingerprinting and watermarking, users can quickly trace the origins of videos and images to their original source, even when visible Content Credentials metadata has been stripped.

Project Turntable enables you to easily rotate 2D vector art in 3D, and it will still look like 2D art from any new angle. Simply click a button and drag a slider to spin your graphics around, much like manipulating a 3D object.

Project Super Sonic allows you to generate sound effects for your video simply by using a prompt. You can even control the timing of these sounds with your voice, or layer sounds directly in the timeline, mix background and foreground effects, and choose from variations of prompts to get just the right sound.

Project Scenic makes 2D image creation easier by letting you build a 3D scene layout with a copilot prompt.

Project Remix A Lot makes it super easy to turn a sketch into a polished design but starting with a rough idea and then refine it using an inspiration image. The tool uses generative AI to guide you through the creative process, letting you adjust your design to fit various shapes and sizes, even irregular ones.

Project Hi-Fi can capture any part of your screen and use it as a guide to quickly create high-quality images with AI. These images can then be easily brought into Adobe Photoshop for further editing.

Ending off the “Sneaks” session was a surprise announcement that the next Adobe MAX would be held in Tokyo, Japan on 13 February 2025.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Adobe MAX 2024: Nine Exciting “Sneaks” Offer Glimpse Into Future Of Creativity appeared first on Geek Culture.

Creative software company Adobe has announced key upgrades and innovative improvements across its suite of multimedia tools including Photoshop, Illustrator and Lightroom, and in its continued push towards adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) to aid in the creation of content, will introduce text to video for its generative Adobe Firefly software, which can now also fill in any gaps in video footage.

Announced this week at the opening keynote of the world’s largest creativity conference, Adobe MAX 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida, from 14 to 16 October, over 10,000 creative professionals watched as Adobe introduced over one hundred new Creative Cloud features, including major updates across Adobe Premiere Pro, Firefly, Express, Frame.io and more, that are immediately available for users to try out.

“We’re giving the creative community a powerful new brush to paint the world by putting unprecedented power, precision and creative control in their hands. With the demand for content projected to grow exponentially, we’re empowering creators to scale the use of their content across marketing, HR and sales teams,” said David Wadhwani, president, digital media at Adobe.

Aside from supporting individuals, the company also rolled out enterprise capabilities for Adobe Express, its cloud-based design platform that provides access to those within the organisation to use the tools. Here are some of the standout updates that got us most excited about, and we can’t wait to try them out over the next few months:

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe is rolling out a major update to the Distraction Removal in the Remove Tool. Distraction Removal now automatically detects and removes unwanted elements such as wires and people and replaces the background with AI-generated content.

Photoshop’s Generative Fill and Generative Expand are now powered by the latest Adobe Firefly Image Model 3, so users can count on getting realistic, lifelike results, with more levels of detail across lighting, composition and colour. Additionally, the new Generate Similar feature enables users to create more variations of generated images for that perfect fit. These features are available now on both the deskop app and Photoshop on the web.

Two new features have also been introduced to Adobe Photoshop (Beta). First, Generative Workspace lets you explore more ideas in less time with generative AI. Most AI image generators limit and slow your process as they only produce a few results and only allow you to submit one prompt at a time, requiring you to wait before you can further refine your prompt or try a different one. With Generative Workspace, you can brainstorm multiple concepts concurrently, using text prompts to quickly generate sets of images. You can search and reuse text prompts and images and generate new sets of images while previous sets are still generating. Once you get the resuts you like, you can easily import and refine your generated images in Photoshop. Second, the Adobe Substance 3D Viewer (Beta) is a new way to view and edit 3D files within Photoshop by simply adding them as Smart Objects.

Both features are now available in the Photoshop (Beta) app. Learn more about all the updates in Adobe Photoshop via Adobe’s blog post.

Adobe Firefly

Users can soon generate videos with the Firefly Video Model (beta), which enables creators to generate video from text and image prompts, extend video clips as well as deeper integration with Premiere Pro. Transforming ideas into video clips, pitching ideas, b-roll and visual effects is easier than ever before. On top of that, the latest evolution of Firefly Image 3 Model generates images four times faster.

Just check out this AI-generated video from the following prompt: Macro shot of a tiny baby dragon made out of lava scuttling around inside a volcano.

Firefly is also designed to be safe for commercial use, and is only trained on content where Adobe has permission, such as Adobe Stock and public domain content where copyright has expired, and never on Adobe users’ content. It has already been used to generate more than 13 billion images and counting. During the beta stage, only a limited number of users will be granted access, so be sure to sign up for the waitlist here.

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator’s new Objects on Path enables users to quickly attach, arrange and move objects along any type of path. Enhanced Image Trace lets users convert hand-drawn images and raster graphics into editable vectors with more accurate image tracing and greater editability. The Mockup feature is now available too, so designers can create mockups for brand and apparel designs by placing your artwork on images of real-life objects. Illustrator will automatically adjust your artwork to fit the curves and edges of the object.

Adobe Project Neo (Beta)

Project Neo, a completely new approach to creating 3D content via a web-based app is available now and in beta. It is an app built for designers who typically work in 2D design apps like Photoshop and Illustrator. With Project Neo, you can create and edit 3D shapes and artwork in your web browser. Neo lets you quickly edit and refine endless variations of a design, non-destructively. Your Project Neo creations can then be opened in Adobe Illustrator as vectors, so you can continue to edit your artwork and add them to your design compositions. You can even share your designs via a link to your artwork to invite team members to collaborate within the browser.

You can read more about Project Neo via Adobe’s blog post, or try it out for yourself if you have an active Creative Cloud subscription.

Adobe Express

Adobe Express is a quick and easy create-anything app that’s available on web and mobile, that allows users to create social media posts, videos, flyers and more, at no additional cost, since it’s included in most Creative Cloud membership plans. And now, it is armed with several new capabilities to make it even easier to use than ever.

AI-powered Resize and with Expand resizes designs for multiple social media channels and enlarges images to fit new sizes, while Bulk Create generates variations of images, videos and copy, enabling users to easily adapt content for different seasons or products, in just a few clicks. Animate All allows users to add motion to an entire design and AI emphasizes the most important parts, like headlines and buttons.

One-click Apply Brand and On-brand Recolor allows users to apply all brand elements, including designs, images illustrations or brand colors across multiple pages for one-click brand and visual consistency. When working with text, users can now use Rewrite to shorten or change the tone of copy instantly and Translate text into 46 languages, choosing between formal and informal tones. Contextually aware translation capabilities keeps messaging intent intact.

There’s plenty more features added to Adobe Express, check out the comprehensive full list via Adobe’s blog post.

Frame.io

Having acquired Frame.io almost three years ago, Adobe has since then been working hard to evolve and integrate the industry-leading creative collaboration platform with its Creative Cloud apps. And today, Frame.io Version 4 is out of beta, completely redesigned to be faster and more intuitive, with new features made for asset and workflow management, along with enhancements for reviewing and approving design work. Frame.io now has a direct connection to Adobe Lightroom, enabled through Frame.io’s Camera to Cloud (C2C) integrations that allows photographers to automatically transfer all images uploaded via Frame.io’s C2C into their Lightroom account.

And finally, Frame.io has further expanded its C2C camera ecosystem by partnering with Canon, Nikon and Leica, to be expected in forthcoming integrations.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Adobe MAX 2024: Over 100 New Creative Cloud Features Enabling Single Creators & Large Teams appeared first on Geek Culture.

Yes, the Dark Knight is 85 years old this year, and CASETiFY is celebrating Batman’s 85th Anniversary with a collaboration that features unique designs and elements from the comics and films, especially the iconic 1989 movie. The Caped Crusader first appeared in 1939’s Detective Comics #27 and since then, Batman has stood as a symbol of determination, courage, and justice to generations of fans for 85 years.

The Batman collection spans across CASETiFY’s range of Impact, Mirror, Clear, Impact Ring Stand, Bounce, and Ultra Bounce Cases available for iPhone, Samsung, and Google devices. As well as various compatible accessories for AirPods, AirPods Pro, Apple Watch bands, wireless chargers, grip stands, cardholder stands, power banks, charging stands, phone straps, MacBook and iPad.

One of the most notable standouts from this collection is the iconic Bat-Signal Collectible AirPods Case. The Bat-Signal Case resembles the iconic Bat-Signal used by the Gotham City officials and even lights up! It also features 1989’s Batman perched atop.

The second notable standout is none other than a 1989 Batmobile Phone Case that is shaped like Batman’s iconic Batmobile from Tim Burton’s 1989 film. Bulky and impractical as it is, it is bound to be a fun conversation piece and geeking out with fellow Batman fans. The front hood of the Batmobile flips open to uncover the camera lenses so you can take photos. The Batmobile is made of durable resin with intricate small metal parts. It also comes with an Impact Case that can be easily detached from the bottom of the Batmobile with two clicks.

The Batmobile Case will only be available exclusively for the iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max and in very limited quantities (only 50 pieces), on a first-come-first-served basis. And here’s the final kicker, it costs a whopping US$2,000 (S$2,841)! The collectible case also includes a rare 1/50 limited edition card, specially crafted for every die-hard Batman fan.

The Batman CASETiFY collection launches worldwide on casetify.com on 16th October. It will be available for purchase online, via the CASETiFY Co-Lab app, and at CASETiFY Studio locations. However, fans can now sign up for priority access to the products ahead of its launch.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post CASETiFY Celebrates 85 Years Of Batman With 1989 Batmobile iPhone And Bat-Signal AirPods Cases appeared first on Geek Culture.

With the advancement in AI-generated content over the last couple of years, there is a growing concern over misinformation and AI-generated deepfakes, so there is a need to help protect and attribute creators’ works. Since founding the Content Authenticity Initiative in 2019, Adobe has championed the widespread adoption of Content Credentials as the industry standard for transparency in digital content, currently supported by over 3,700 members.

Now, with Adobe’s newly announced free Adobe Content Authenticity web app, it bringing the full potential of Content Credentials, beyond Adobe’s own apps, for all creators to use, and to protect their work from misuse or misrepresentation.

“Adobe is committed to responsible innovation centered on the needs and interests of creators. Adobe Content Authenticity is a powerful new web application that helps creators protect and get recognition for their work. By offering creators a simple, free and easy way to attach Content Credentials to what they create, we are helping them preserve the integrity of their work, while enabling a new era of transparency and trust online. The Adobe Content Authenticity web app will not only benefit creators but also help consumers navigate the digital ecosystem with greater clarity,” shares Scott Belsky, Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President, Design & Emerging Products at Adobe.

According to Adobe, the web app was developed in close collaboration with creators, incorporating their feedback at every stage, through one-on-one listening sessions, group discussions, user experience testing and more, to ensure it is truly built by and for creators.

Content Credentials are already supported in popular Adobe Creative Cloud apps such as Photoshop, Lightroom and Firefly. The web app will eventually integrate with these Creative Cloud apps and others, serving as a centralized hub for managing Content Credentials preferences. Here’s a quick look at the key features of the web app:

• Easily Apply Content Credentials: Creators can easily apply Content Credentials in batch to digitally sign their work, across images, audio and video files. For a start, creators will be able to attribute their website and social media accounts. Name attribution and other options will be added in future.
• Set Generative AI Training and Usage Preference: Creators can use Content Credentials to signal if they do not want their content used by or to train other generative AI models on the market.
• View and Inspect Content Credentials Easily: Adobe will release a Content Authenticity extension for Google Chrome and the Inspect tool within the web app will help to recover and display any Content Credentials associated with the content, including edit history when available.
• Durable Content Credentials: Content Credentials applied with the web app stay securely connected to the creator’s work throughout the content lifecycle and can be recovered even if the provenance information is removed or when someone takes a screenshot of the content. This is possible through the combined use of digital fingerprinting, invisible watermarking and cryptographically signed metadata, helping to ensure that Content Credentials remain intact and verifiable across the digital ecosystem.

The free public beta of the Adobe Content Authenticity web app will be available in Q1 2025. Creators can join the waitlist now and be notified when the beta is available. A free beta of the Content Authenticity extension for Google Chrome web browser is out now.

Adobe will also preview the web app at its booth (#424) at this year’s Adobe MAX, happening from 14 to 16 October in Miami Beach, Florida.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Free Adobe Content Authenticity Web App Helps Creators Protect & Attribute Their Work appeared first on Geek Culture.

Created in collaboration with Toei Animation Inc., the Secretlab TITAN Evo Dragon Ball Z Goku
Edition is upholstered in deep orange SoftWave Plus Fabric, reminiscent of Goku’s Gi. The chair utlises an advanced 3D multi-coloured gradient knit to achieve a stunning heat map gradient, evoking the crackling aura that surrounds Goku in his iconic Super Saiyan form.

The overlapping orange and blue speckles also mirror the way Goku’s Gi rips and tears during his epic battles. There is also a four-star Dragon Ball on the front-left side of the chair, which was what Goku started his journey with, a memento from his late grandfather, Son Goha.

The SecretlabTitan Evo also features the kanji symbols 亀 (Kame) on the front and 界王 (Kai-oh) on the rear, a nod to Goku’s training in the Kame School of martial arts and his time under King Kai. Let’s not forget the seven Dragon Balls on the rear as well.

Find out more about the Secretlab Titan Evo Dragon Ball Z Goku Edition at Secretlab’s website.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Secretlab X Dragon Ball Z Goku Edition Celebrates Franchise’s 40th Anniversary appeared first on Geek Culture.

Professor Layton is back! The new game, Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, takes place one year after the events of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future from way back in 2008 (on the Nintendo DS). The story now takes place in Steam Bison, America, where the power of highly advanced steam engines has ushered in a new world, greatly surpassing even London’s technological development. And now, due to the mysterious incident in Steam Bison, a new adventure for Professor Layton and Luke begins.

Check out the full 13-minute demo playthrough of Nintendo Switch gameplay captured from the showfloor at Tokyo Game Show 2024.

Professor Layton and the New World of Steam is coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2025.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post TGS 2024: ‘Professor Layton and the New World of Steam’ Full Nintendo Switch Demo Playthrough appeared first on Geek Culture.

Hot on the heels of Sony’s PS5 Pro console announcement earlier this month, PlayStation continues its 30th anniversary celebrations with the reveal of its PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection. The new limited edition designs pay homage to 30 wonderful years of gaming and is reminiscent of the very first PlayStation console launched on 3 December 1994. The designs feature the original PlayStation colour design and integrates it into the latest line of PS5 hardware products.

Check out the nostalgic designs in all its glory. Even the packaging design takes a nod to the original PS1 console’s.

The PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection will be sold in highly limited supply in the following options:

• PlayStation 5 Pro Console – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition BundIe (S$1,529)
• Original PlayStation controller-style cable connector housing
• Four PlayStation Shapes cable ties
• PlayStation sticker
• Limited Edition PlayStation Poster (1 of 30 possible designs)
• PlayStation Paperclip

• PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Bundle (S$749)
• Original PlayStation controller-style cable connector housing
• Four PlayStation Shapes cable ties
• PlayStation sticker
• Limited Edition PlayStation Poster (1 of 30 possible designs)
• PlayStation Paperclip

PlayStation Portal Remote Player – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition (standalone – S$324.90)

DualSense Edge Wireless Controller – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition (standalone – S$324.90) & DualSense Wireless Controller – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition (standalone – $114)

The PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection will be released on 21 November and there will only be 12,300 units of the PlayStation 5 Pro Console – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Bundle available for customers to purchase, with limited edition numbers etched onto the unit. The number represents the month and date of the first PlayStation console launch. Of these, 50 will be available for purchase in Singapore.

Pre-orders for the 30th Anniversary Collection are now live. However, due to the limited quantity of the PlayStation 5 Pro Console – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Bundle, it will only be available for purchase via an online contest. Details and mechanics are available on Sony Singapore’s website.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection Fuels Nostalgia From 1994’s Original PS1 Console appeared first on Geek Culture.

Apple users, it’s time to update your ecosystem of devices once again. Today, Apple has rolled out its highly anticipated iOS18 for iPhone devices, iPadOS 18 for iPads, macOS Sequoia for Mac computers, watchOS 11 for Apple Watches, tvOS 18 for Apple TV devices, and visionOS 2 for the Apple Vision Pro headset.

iOS 18 is available now for iPhone Xs and later. It includes more ways for users to customise their Home Screen such as choosing how the app icons and widgets are presented (in light, dark or with a coloured tint). App icon sizes can now be adjusted too. The Control Centre is redesigned to be more flexible than ever too. Photos has been redesigned to include new collections like Recent Days, People & Pets, and Trips automatically keep the library organised with on-device intelligence, so users can spend less time searching and more time enjoying their memories. Users can personalise their experience with a customisable layout that reflects what is most important to them and pin favourite collections to keep them easily accessible. Passwords is a new app built on the foundation of Keychain that makes it even easier for users to access their passwords and see all their credentials — like passwords, passcodes, and verification codes — all in one place. Read more on the full list of iOS 18 updates here.

iPadOS 18 is available now for iPad Pro (M4), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later), iPad Air (M2), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad (7th generation and later), and iPad mini (5th generation and later). Similar to iOS 18, the iPadOS update includes the same level of customisation for the Home Screen and Control Centre, along with the Photos app redesign. The Calculator app now delivers a new way to solve with Math Notes and Smart Script utilises the power of the Apple Pencil to enable greater editing of handwritten text. Read more on the full list of iPadOS 18 updates here.

watchOS 11 is available now for Apple Watch Series 6 and later, and requires iPhone XS or later running iOS 18. The update comes with a new Vitals app which allows users to quickly check in on key health metrics at a glance and gain better context on their health. Three new watch faces are added: The new Photos face helps users select their best photo options by using machine learning, the Flux face features a bold graphic design that fills the screen second by second and the Reflections face features a distinctive shimmering dial that reacts subtly to user movements. The Smart Stack and Photos face use intelligence to offer a more individualised experience, and Check In, the Translate app, and new capabilities for the double tap gesture come to Apple Watch for more convenience and ways to stay connected.

Lastly, tvOS 18 is available now for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, while visionOS 2 is available now for Apple Vision Pro.

The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in beta next month as part of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come. It will be available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with M1 and later, with device and Siri language set to U.S. English. Additional languages and platforms are coming over the course of the next year. Later this year, Apple Intelligence will add support for localised English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. In the coming year, Apple Intelligence will expand to more languages, such as Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Apple’s iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11, tvOS 18 & visionOS 2 Now Available appeared first on Geek Culture.

Everyone loves the thrill of blind box figures, and it’s even better when the figures are of high-quality build and highly poseable. Blokees is one such toy maker. Over the years they have released a significant number of intricately detailed Blokees Transformers figures based on the G1 series from the ’80s.

Due to their highly stylised and poseable nature, don’t expect them to be transformable though. The second series in their “Shining Version” comprises of Optimus Prime (inspired from the retro original G1 Optimus Prime Takara Tomy toy released in 1985), Soundwave, Grimlock. Beachcomber, Sideswipe and Sunstorm.

Each figure comes with a light-up feature, activated with a simple tap of its body. Depending on the character, either the eyes or eyes and chest illuminates. Various accessories are also included, such as Soundwave’s cassettes Ravage and Laserbeak, weapons, blast effects, as well as Energon cubes and display stands (yellow for Autobots and purple for Decepticons). Each figure also comes with swappable hands (open and closed). Beachcomber even has an extra gold hand, as seen in 1985’s G1 TV series “The Golden Lagoon” episode.

Best of all, there are no worries of stickers peeling over time as all the parts are all beautifully printed. Have a look at the close-up shots below to see just how sharp the prints are on each figure. Additionally, as with any blind box collection, there is also a 1/36 chance of obtaining a secret Optimus Prime in a metallic finish.

The Blokees Transformers Shining Version 01 is out now in Singapore, retailing at S$14.90 per blind box figure. Shining Version 02 is expected to roll out in October for the same price across toy retailers such as Toys “R” Us, Gift Greetings and Popular Book stores.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Blokees Transformers Shining Version 02 Blind Box Figures – Unboxing appeared first on Geek Culture.

The 2024 iPhone 16 lineup revealed at Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California has showed us once again that Apple is serious about AI – Apple Intelligence, and what others reference to as artificial intelligence. Specifically, it all eyes on the iPhone 16 Pro series, which is built for Apple Intelligence, features a new Camera Control button, upgraded Ultra Wide camera, 4K video recording at 120 fps, a big boost in battery life and so much more.

Alongside the new iPhone 16 lineup, the Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Ultra 2 in Black Titanium, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max, will all be made available to customers from 20 September, with pre-orders starting on 13 September.

Every iPhone release begs the question: What’s the difference from last year’s model and is it worth an upgrade this year? We’ve managed to have a brief hands-on with Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro so here are five things that should help with your decision-making.

#1) Largest iPhone Displays Ever

With the iPhone 16 Pro lineup, Apple has produced the largest iPhone displays ever. The display size for the iPhone 16 Pro is now 6.3 inches (versus 6.1 inches on the 15 Pro) while the Pro Max is 6.9 inches (versus 6.7 inches on the 15 Pro Max). This is achieved thanks to the thinnest borders ever for an Apple product, while only marginally weighing a tad heavier than the iPhone 15 Pro series, but still lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro series. So how light is the iPhone 16 Pro Max despite have a larger display and overall footprint?

The iPhone 16 Pro lineup continues to maintain the same lightweight space-grade titanium finishes in black titanium, white titanium, natural titanium, and a new desert titanium to replace last year’s blue titanium. The device is coupled with the latest-generation ceramic shield, which has an advanced formulation that is 2x tougher than glass on other competitor smartphones. This time, our personal favourite would have to be the new desert titanium finish. The brushed borders of the device delivers a nice premium finish that not only looks good but feels great. The surface however, isn’t quite immune to fingerprints smudges once again, but it’s easy to wipe off just like before.

#2) New Camera Control Button

This is definitely one of the most obvious new additions to the physical appearance of the iPhone 16 Pro series. If you think the new Camera Control button is simply a button shortcut that activates the phone’s camera mode, and allows you to snap photos, you are not wrong, but it is way more than just a button. Apple has gone a step further and came up with a tactile button that not only has a high-precision force sensor that is able to detect light press gestures, but also a capacitive sensor that allows for touch interactions.

The Camera Control button is flushed with the side of the iPhone so that users are less likely to accidentally press it to activate the camera mode. Although this is great from a design standpoint, one concern with such a button design would be with the use of third-party phone cases. This would mean there is a need to cater for an opening for the button, which will make it hard to reach with the added thickness from the phone case.

Pressing the button once will activate camera mode and pressing it a second time will take a photo. Holding it down will record a video. That’s all straightforward enough. The real magic happens when you start using a “light press” gesture. This might take some time for users to get used to, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature and very intuitive to use. Upon pressing lightly on the button, there is a subtle haptic feedback from the button that indicates that it has registered the action. In fact, when done right, we didn’t even have to lift our finger off the button at all, and to cycle through all the various functions mentioned above with ease. A light press pulls up a selection of camera functions on the display, right next to the button, enabling users to slide through options like zoom, exposure, or depth of field. Zooming can then be easily achieved by simply sliding the finger across the same button.

Later this year, Camera Control’s functionality is expected to be updated with a two-stage shutter to automatically lock focus and exposure on a subject with a light press gesture, so users can reframe their shots while maintaining the focus on the subject, much like how traditional digital cameras work. Additionally, Camera Control will also unlock visual intelligence to help users learn about objects and places instantly by clicking and holding the Camera Control button to pull up the opening hours or ratings for a restaurant when standing in front of it, add an event from a flyer or poster to their calendar, or even identify an animal.

Check it out in action:

#3) Upgraded Camera System & Photographic Styles

Thanks to the new A18 Pro chip, the iPhone 16 Pro is able to have an upgraded 48MP Fusion camera with a more efficient quad-pixel sensor that can read data 2x faster, enabling zero shutter lag for 48MP ProRAW or HEIF photos. 4K video recording at 120 fps in Dolby Vision is now possible too. Videos can be captured in both Slo-mo or Video mode, and the playback speed can be adjusted any time after capture in the Photos app, allowing instant toggle between 120fps, 60fps, 30fps, and 24fps.

The new 48MP Ultra Wide camera also features a quad-pixel sensor with autofocus, so wider-angle macro photography is now possible. Additionally, the 5x Telephoto camera now comes on both iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, and both models are able to take spatial photos in addition to videos, so users can relive their memories on the Apple Vision Pro.

Apple’s next-generation Photographic Styles gives users the ability to customise their photos by enabling them to adjust colour, highlights and shadows in real-time, after the photos have been taken. Unlike filters, which often use a one-size-fits-all approach by adding a colour to an entire scene, adjustments are applied to specific colours of a selected style. The styles can be further personalised a new intuitive, easy-to-use square control pad and an intensity slider. These adjustments applied during the camera live preview, or applied any time after a photo is taken, and is reversible at any time.

#4) Apple Intelligence Offers Features Galore

The iPhone 16 series utilises Apple Intelligence to quite an extent, to make users’ lives easier. From summarising a long document or email thread into one paragraph, search for photos by simply typing out the query to describe the photo, to cleaning up a photo by instantly removing distractions. Speaking of which, the Clean Up feature is one of our favourites demoed at the event. When activated, Apple Intelligence automatically detects an object within the photo that it deems to be a distraction and highlights it. All the user has to do is to tap on the object and it gets erased instantly. Smaller objects and artifacts can further be removed simply by rubbing over the objects too.

When typing notes or emails, users can easily highlight any written copy and engage Apple Intelligence to instantly make it more friendly, more concise, or even add a more professional tone to their writing. This is on top of the usual checks for grammar, word choice and sentence structure, and of course, to summarise selected text to make it more digestible.

Siri also gets a brand-new design with an elegant rainbow glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when activated. One of the most noticeable improvements for Siri that we tested is how it follows along when users stumble over their words, and also maintains context from one request to the next without having to repeat earlier questions, while the glowing light is still active. Users can now also type to Siri at any time, and switch fluidly between text and voice.

Additional Apple Intelligence features will roll out later this year such as the ability to create original Genmoji by simply typing a description, or by selecting a photo of a friend or family member. Apple Intelligence will be available as a free software update, with the first set of features rolling out next month in U.S. English for most regions around the world.

#5) Boosted Battery Life

The iPhone 16 Pro Max has the longest battery life ever for an iPhone, which according to Apple, can run 33 hours of continuous video playback. That’s 4 hours longer than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which clocked in at 29 hours. This makes for a 14% increase of battery life. As for the iPhone 16 Pro, it can achieve 27 hours of continuous video playback, as opposed to iPhone 15 Pro’s 23 hours, a 17% increase. Apple explains that this can be achieved thanks to the much more energy efficient A18 Pro chip, coupled with a larger, optimised battery, a new internal design, and advanced power management of iOS 18.

Pricing & Availability

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will be available in black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and desert titanium, in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities. Interestingly, this year’s iPhone Pro lineup is actually priced a little lower than last year’s lineup. The iPhone 16 Pro starts at the base price of S$1,599 (iPhone 15 Pro was at S$1,649), while the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at S$1,899 (iPhone 15 Pro Max was at S$1,999). Pre-orders open on 13 September at 8 pm SGT (GMT+8), and will start shipping on 20 September.

Existing iPhone customers can get S$275 to S$1,370 in credit via bank transfer when they trade in their iPhone 12 or higher, by visiting the Apple Store online. Current iPhone users can also check how much their device is worth by visiting Apple’s Trade-in site.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Hands-On: 5 Outstanding Upgrades For The Apple iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max appeared first on Geek Culture.

A scoundrel’s life is hard work, so it’s always nice to have a partner-in-crime along for the ride. Star Wars Outlaws, the latest romp from Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft, will shine the spotlight on a new pair of protagonists: Kay Vess, and her reliable Merquaal companion Nix, offering a chance for fans to finally step into the seedy underbelly.

In celebration of the game’s launch on 30 August, Geek Culture is giving out five plushes featuring the adorable critter, courtesy of Ubisoft. It’s a nice way to kickstart the journey into an underrepresented space, especially since Nix proves to be a valuable presence throughout — from simply being an emotional support to helping out during infiltration by opening vents, distracting enemies, stealing items, and more.

Taking place between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Outlaws follows the duo as they assemble a team for one of the biggest heists the Outer Rim has ever seen. It touts an open world design, featuring platforming mechanics, combat, and a franchise staple, dogfighting, among others.

ENTER NOW TO WIN

For a chance to win 1 of 5 Nix plushes, simply complete these steps: 

1. SHARE THIS POST and TAG a friend or more** whom you share the love for Star Wars with.
2. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM and/or TELEGRAM**.
3. Fill in the form and answer the question(s) below.

Give us a LIKE below if you haven’t done so yet, so you won’t miss out on future similar giveaways!

The giveaway is open to all residents of Singapore. The giveaway closes on 8 September 2024 @23:59hrs (GMT+8). 5 lucky winners with the correct and best answers will be picked at random and contacted via email by 10 September. Good luck!

**These steps are entirely optional, but we greatly appreciate it if you choose to show some support to Geek Culture by sharing and tagging the post so that we may be able to bring more giveaways to you all in the future!

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Geek Giveaway: Exclusive ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ Nix Plushes That Money Cannot Buy appeared first on Geek Culture.

Knight Industries Two Thousand aka K.I.T.T. from the iconic ’80s TV show with David Hasselhoff is now Agent Knight! The Transformers Collaborative Knight Rider x Transformers Autobot is a 6.5-inch figure that converts between Pontiac Trans Am car mode and robot mode in 22 steps.

A first for a Hasbro Transformers Collaborative toy, the figure is powered by x3 A76/LR44 button cell batteries (sold separately) that delivers 6 different electronic sounds, phrases and even K.I.T.T.’s iconic scanner effect lights!

Agent Knight includes two blasters accessories that can be mounted on his back in robot mode and at the base in vehicle mode. There’s even a comm link that attaches to his left wrist, just like Michael Knight, who uses it to communicate with K.I.T.T.

There was another Transformers Collaborative released in July this year, also from a hit 80s’ TV series, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles party wagon.

The Transformers Collaborative Knight Rider x Transformers Autobot Agent Knight is expected to ship in September 2024 and is available for pre-order at S$117.90 on Hasbro Pulse, The Falcon’s Hangar and Robo Robo.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Knight Rider x Transformers Autobot Agent Knight – Hasbro Unboxing appeared first on Geek Culture.

‘Till All Are One. The time has arrived for a new Transformers movie – the first animated Transformers film in nearly 40 years and Geek Culture, together with UIP Singapore, are inviting 200 lucky Transformers fans and their partners in Singapore to a special early fan screening of Transformers One on 30 August (Friday), two weeks before it opens on 12 September in cinemas!

It’s time to put aside all you know about robot sentient beings as Transformers One tells the untold origin story of two brothers-in-arms turned sworn enemies – Orion Pax and D-15. Before he turned from Orion Pax to become Optimus Prime and leader of the heroic Autobots, and before Megatron was the leader of the evil Decepticons, the two friends once bonded like brothers and would ultimately changed the fate of Cybertron forever.

In the first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers movie, and the first animated film since 1986’s The Transformers: The Movie, Transformers One features a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth as Orion Pax, and soon to be Optimus Prime, Brian Tyree Henry as D-16 who becomes Megatron, Scarlett Johansson as Pax’s girlfriend Elita-1, Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee, Steve Buscemi as Starscream, with Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion and Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime.

FAN SCREENING DETAILS

Date: 30 August 2024, Friday
Location: Shaw Theatres IMAX Waterway Point (assigned seating)
Time: 7pm & 9:50pm (two IMAX screening times)
Runtime: 104 minutes

If you need more reasons to come early, here are four: grab photo opportunities with life-size statues of the four Transformers One characters as seen in the movie – Orion Pax (Optimus Prime), D-16 (Megatron), B-127 (Bumblebee) and Elita-1.

Goodie Bags For All & Attractive Prizes To Be Won!

Each attendee will receive a swag bag consisting of the following during the collection of tickets:

• 2 x Exclusive Collector’s Prints (Orion Pax & D-16)
• 1 x Transformers Run 2024 Singapore 10km/5km Race Pass
• 1 x Blokees Transformers “Shining Version 01” Blind Box Figure (worth S$14.90)

Be sure to come early, because the first 50 fans for each session who claim their pair of tickets and scan a QR code at the ticket redemption table to join an online Blokees contest can get an additional exclusive Blokees Sharkticon Storage Box Figure (comes in either translucent blue or pink, given at random).

The movie starts at 7pm and 9:50pm but be sure to be seated in the cinema early to partake in our in-hall trivia activities to win awesome prizes from Hasbro Singapore, Blokees and The Falcon’s Hangar, worth over S$4,000! If you’re curious about what some of the prizes are, here’s a sampling. Do note that there will be multiple units of each up for grabs:

• Blokees Transformers G1 Optimus Prime Action Edition 01 (worth S$49.90)
• Transformers Generations Titans Return – Fortress Maximus (worth S$320)
• Transformers Generations Target Optimus Prime & Autobot Bullseye (worth S$119.90)
• Transformers Studio Series Deluxe Transformers One Optimus Prime (worth S$38.90)
• Transformers Studio Series Deluxe The Transformers: The Movie Bumblebee (worth S$38.90)
• Transformers Generations Selects Legacy United Autobots Stand United 5-Pack (worth S$199.90)
• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Jungle Mission 3-Pack (worth S$109.90)
• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts 2-in-1 Mask (worth S$74.90)
• Transformers Studio Series Leader Scavenger (worth S$101.90)
• Transformers Studio Series Voyager 98 Cheetor (worth S$62.90)
• Transformers Year of the Dragon Crimsonflame (worth S$59.90)
• Transformers Studio Series Deluxe Bumblebee (worth S$38.90)
• Transformers Studio Series Deluxe Airazor (worth S$38.90)

For Transformers fans who missed watching the 1986 film in cinemas, here’s your chance to catch the new origin retelling of Transformers with a hall filled with like-minded fans, way ahead of the film’s release!

ENTER NOW TO WIN

For a chance to win a pair of tickets to the early fan screening, simply complete these steps: 

1. SHARE THIS POST and TAG a friend or more** you would like to watch the movie with.
2. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM and/or TELEGRAM**.
3. Fill in the form and answer the question(s) below.

Give us a LIKE below if you haven’t done so yet, so you won’t miss out on future similar giveaways!

The giveaway is open to all residents of Singapore. The giveaway closes on 26 August 2024 @23:59hrs (GMT+8). 200 lucky winners with the correct and best answers will be picked at random and contacted via email by 27 August 2024. Good luck!

**These steps are entirely optional, but we greatly appreciate it if you choose to show some support to Geek Culture by sharing and tagging the post so that we may be able to bring more giveaways to you all in the future!

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post ‘Transformers One’ Exclusive IMAX Early Fan Screening – Win Tickets To Geek Culture Event appeared first on Geek Culture.

Remaking an iconic game from the turn of the century is no easy task, but having spent close to four hours playing the upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake at a recent media preview event in Tokyo, it’s clear that Japanese publisher Konami and Polish developer Bloober Team have rebuilt the 2001 survival horror game into something new to appeal to modern players, while still retaining the elements that made the game so iconic to behind with.

Accordingly to Bloober Team creative director Mateusz Lenart, his team did make attempts to modernise the game by updating the puzzles, in-game atmosphere and game controls to make it more immersive and engaging for today’s audiences, but the game still retains pretty much 95% of its original content, staying true to what made the original Silent Hill 2 so iconic in the first place, from the ominous score, to memorable creatures and immersive story-telling.

The game should take players 18 to 20 hours to complete on their first playthrough, and here are five things that the team has improved from the original.

#1. Fog-filled town recreated in 4K with additional areas to explore

Fans of the 2001 original will remember the creepy town of Silent Hill engulfed in fog. For the remake, the town, located somewhere in Maine, USA, has never looked more beautiful, and eerie. Every detail of the town has been painstakingly recreated in glorious 4K resolution, complete with ray-tracing and fog effects. As a nice little bonus, new buildings and locations have also been added that is sure to satisfy completists who love to explore every nook and cranny of the map, to pick up all story elements and items before proceeding to the next main objective.

There’s nothing more satisfying than smashing every car window along the streets to find some ammo or health drink. No way to get into a random store along the street? Just smash the window and vault or squeeze right in to explore. Not only that, but certain entry points throughout the town, both indoors and outdoors are subtly marked with white cloth and rags, indicating them as “traversal points” so players will have a slightly easier time spotting certain points of interest.

#2. Reworked soundtrack and emotional cutscenes

The remake utilises 3D audio to great success and when using a headset, we could hear exactly where the Creeper (large cockroach-like insect) is scurrying from, whether it was from the corner of the room floor on the left, or even on the wall behind the player, it allows for quick turns in the right direction and stomping on it with ease. It also never fails to send a chill down our spine when we hear the crackling sound of the Mannequin creature in the next room or around the corner.

Soundtrack-wise, all the game’s music has been reworked from the ground up by the original game’s music composer, Akira Yamaoka, who shared that he had composed over 9 hours of music for the game. The score changes with each location and switches up situationally, on the fly, which heightens the tension for the player when danger looms near, or when a new location is introduced.

The cutscenes are of course, completely reworked with state-of-the-art facial motion capture that not only delivers subtle eye and mouth movement but also brings across the details of every character’s emotions far beyond the original’s. Luke Roberts (Holby City, Black Sails) plays the game’s protagonist, James Sunderland, while Icelandic actress Salóme Gunnarsdóttir (Pennyworth, The Lazarus Project) plays his deceased wife, Mary/Maria.

Both actors not only possess the right level of skills to deliver the emotional performances Konami was gunning for, but according to Silent Hill series producer, Motoi Okamoto, the actors were selected partly due to their similarities (looks and mannerisms) to the game’s characters.

Check out the cast interview below for an insight into how the actors took on these new, yet familiar roles.

#3. Immersive over-the-shoulder camera & tense combat

The original’s fixed camera has been changed to a more immersive, over-the-shoulder approach, similar to those used in modern-day remakes of other recent survival horror game remakes, including Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space. This serves to not only create more blind spots that elevate the overall tension, but also significantly raise the fear levels for the player. Combat has also been improved, as melee attacks land with way more precision and impact, while dodging enemy attacks feels intuitive and responsive. Yes, James can finally dodge attacks too, and the addition of a quick 180-degree snap turn is handy in situations when he has to make a run for it.

For gunplay, the team has added the ability for James to aim at different parts of the enemies, even while moving (yes!). And yes, shooting at the enemy’s legs will slow them down and create the opening James needs to save some ammo and dash in to use melee to finish the job. Once the enemies are down on the ground, James can even stomp on them to finish them off. Dead Space fans will know just how satisfying that feeling is, to be able to constantly stomp on each enemy’s corpse, just to make extra sure they are not getting up again. This nice little feature is present in Silent Hill 2, complete with satisfying bloody squishy audio cues, minus the dismemberment. Unfortunately, there are no dismemberment mechanics in Silent Hill 2. Perhaps it’s something to be added in the next Silent Hill game?

#4. Creature updates & new Spider Mannequin

Although there are no new creatures introduced to the remake, iconic creatures such as the Mannequins, Nurses and Pyramid Head have all been remapped and upgraded to be way more menacing than ever before, keeping players on their toes. However, the team did add one new creature to the mix, which is more of an evolution of the existing Mannequin enemies.

Silent Hill fans will remember the creepy headless Mannequins with legs (without feet) for arms. This time, players will get to face off against a variant of it, known as the Spider Mannequin. It essentially looks the same, but with the added ability to climb up walls. Now that’s one way to up the fear factor of these menacing creatures and pose a whole new challenge for players!

#5. Improved puzzles & additional new endings

Solving puzzles in survival horror games has always been a key element and the Bloober Team has done an amazing job in improving on existing puzzles and coming up with new ones that are fun to solve. Remember that satisfaction you get when you solve a puzzle for the first time and love how cleverly hidden the clues are, without being too ridiculously random or overly complicated? Our 4-hour playthrough that us through various locations in the town of Silent Hill, and through the Wood Side Apartments did give us a good taste of the fun and engaging puzzles. Though our playthrough didn’t reach the Brookhaven Hospital stage, the developers did hint that there was a fun puzzle involving all the patients who had admitted to the hospital.

The original game featured multiple endings, three in total from the first playthrough, depending on how you played through the game. There were two other alternate endings that could be achieved only after the second playthrough, after having James find specific items in the game. These will be retained in the remake, but the developers did hint that there were additional endings that would be added to the remake.

Perhaps it would be in a similar vein as that radical black-and-white UFO alien abduction ending that was only available in the Greatest Hits and Director’s Cut versions of the original game, but we’re counting on a more serious alternate ending that could contribute to the Silent Hill canon. Whatever the new endings are, gamers would have to play through it when the game releases to uncover what they are.

Silent Hill 2 will be released on 8 October on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. All PS5 pre-orders made at select retailers in Southeast Asia will stand to receive Pyramid Head’s “The Great Knife” collectible ballpoint pen which makes for a nice addition to every Silent Hill fan’s collection.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Silent Hill 2 Remake: 5 Modern Updates While Retaining 95% Of The Original’s Essence appeared first on Geek Culture.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

25 years after the original game was released back in 1999, survival horror series Silent Hill is finally primed for a reboot – if the upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake succeeds, that is.

In a media preview for the upcoming remake that Geek Culture attended in Tokyo, Japan, Silent Hill series producer, Motoi Okamoto, made it clear that the remake serves two purposes. The first is to remind gamers of the seminal game, while the second and more important reason, is to show audiences, new and old, that the Japanese publisher is capable of bringing the franchise to greater heights.

“We fully understand that Silent Hill 2 probably has a whole special place in many people’s hearts as being memorable and as a masterpiece,” reminded Okamoto-san to the dozens of global media present. 

“So by introducing the remake of this game as the very first major title that we wanted to address to all of our players and all of the fans that Konami is serious about rebooting the series and that we are capable of delivering a high-quality Silent Hill game.”

Unfortunately, he did not elaborate on what or how the reboot would come along, though this marks the first time that Konami has addressed years of speculation that a reboot of the series was in the works, as it has been 12 years since a mainline Silent Hill game has been released. 

Little has been revealed about the upcoming game, Silent Hill f, which was announced back in 2022 but Okamoto-san statement shows that Konami reboot plans begin with delivering a high-quality Silent Hill 2 remake as the company’s first major remake title.

Originally released in 2001, Silent Hill 2 is an iconic psychological survival horror game that outperformed its predecessor to become a greater classic over the original. Aside from the multiple sequels spawned over the years, the franchise was even adapted into two films – Silent Hill (2006) and Silent Hill: Revelation (2012) – and come 8th October, the highly anticipated modernised remake, which is more of an overhaul of the game that will include new music, redesigned set pieces and update game design, will remind a new generation of gamers why the game remains an iconic masterpiece.

While the first four games in the series were made by Team Silent, a development team within Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, subsequent games in the series were developed by non-Japanese developers, which fans saw as a reason for the later games’ drop in quality. 

While the remake will tap on the expertise of some of the game’s original developers, such as creature designer Masahiro Ito and original composer Akira Yamaoka, game development is led by Polish developer Bloober Team, with input from Konami and the publisher was confident enough to invite global media down to have an unprecedented 4-hour long hands-on with the game, and to speak with Okamoto-san, Yamaoka-san, Ito-san, as well as Mateusz Lenart, creative director at Bloober Team, and Maciej Glomb, lead producer at Bloober Team.

Sharing more on the soundtrack for the remake, Yamaoka-san proudly reveals that he composed over nine hours worth of music, and has since wondered how the team was going to fit it all into the game. 

“I have reworked for the tracks, so there are segments, there are bits and pieces of original tracks that you can hear, but all of the tracks have been reworked from the ground up,” he says, as he is aware that the soundtrack is very much well-loved by fans, so he made sure to retain bits and pieces of the original tracks.

When it comes to the monsters and creatures in the game, fans of the original shouldn’t expect things to look the same from 23 years ago says Ito-san. 

“We have made some minor changes to some of the monster designs to tie-in with the changes that we’ve made to the combat design. There are no brand new monsters in the game, but there is one example of a monster where it has been reimagined to some extent because I wanted to reflect the ideas that could not be realised in the original game.” 

And in case you’re wondering, the monster in question is the headless and armless Mannequin, with legs for arms. The team was able to spawn a “Spider Mannequin” variant of it for the remake, which essentially looks the same as the original, but now with the ability to climb up walls, which ups the scare factor and challenge for gamers.

But while fans have faith in team Konami and the game’s original developers, the same cannot be said for Bloober Team, best known for developing less-than-successful horror games such as The Medium (2021), Blair Witch (2019), Observer (2017) and Layers of Fear (2016).

But it was the company’s reputation that made Konami want to seek a partner that had a strong passion towards the game too. 

“We had a list of candidates that we were willing to work with and among them, Bloober Team stood out. So we reached out to them and visited them, and I had personally selected them,” revealed Okamoto-san. 

And according to Glomb, everyone at Bloober Team are big fans of the original Silent Hill games. “Once you play the game from the beginning to the very end, you can see this passion in almost every aspect of the game, from the reimagined visuals and audio to the AI of the enemies.”

Adding on to that, Glomb is most proud of what the team had achieved with the overall gameplay flow and level design, especially the puzzles, because they were able to strike the right balance of both memories of the original game and new content, which he believes will surprise even long-time fans of the series.

Working on a much-loved game and remaking it was no easy task, and it was not easy for the team to decide how much of the game to retain or change from the original. 

“I think at the very beginning we had a lot of conversations about characters, monsters, and redesigns and didn’t want to change anything completely because we are too afraid to touch too much of the game,” admitted Lenart.

“But after some time we saw that we needed to expand on the idea to create a game that would be competitive in this generation of consoles.”

But it doesn’t mean Blooper Team is here to make changes just to modernise the game for new audiences. One element of the original game is that it starts off really slowly, which was fine back in 2001, but gamers in 2024 might not have the same level of patience, and Blooper Team was very careful in how they wanted to address it, said Lenart.

“I think it was very tricky because obviously, you will want to stay true to the original, which was very slow at the beginning. And this might not be how games are created these days, which tend to start on a very high note just to maybe interest players more into the game before it kind of slows down. We actually discussed a lot of different approaches to that such as making it more action heavy at the beginning. But we just didn’t feel this is Silent Hill and that’s why we made the choice to keep it as it was and only pick up the pace after some time.”

And while it is a remake, there are parts of the game that are new, introduced by Konami and Bloober Team, but the essence of the original still remains, shares Ito-san. 

“The original idea that Konami and Bloober Team had in mind at the start may have been a little different from the final rendition we ended up with right now, but I believe with my deep involvement in the project, I was able to maintain the core principle of Silent Hill 2 and preserve it in a way that’s more polished so that gamers of the current console generation will be able to appreciate the Silent Hill 2 remake in the best way possible.”

Silent Hill 2 will be released on 8 October on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post ‘Silent Hill 2’ Remake Producer Says Game’s Success Sets The Stage For Franchise Reboot appeared first on Geek Culture.