The Weekly Gazette 02-11-2024

[DerVVulfman]

(February 5 to February 11, 2024)

Welcome dear readers to the latest issue of the Weekly Gazette! Here in the Gazette, we give you the news in brief of what occurred in the past week as well as provide any news happening in Save-Point itself

Official Area

Announcements and Updates

This week, DerVVulfman followed up his annoucement about it being the Year of the Spammer, noting how a number of accounts have been entering with clean IPs and eMails. However, he also noted that they are being regularly checked to see whether their status changes. And he asked that if any untoward PMs are received that he be informed.

General Chat

The Middle East is still one of the main focuses within the News of the World, with the Houthis Terrorists threatening global internet as well as shipping in the Red Sea, U.S. drone strikes killing three top Hezbollah leaders, evidence of Iran's direct payments to Hamas, and the discovery of Hamas tunnels directly under the UNRWA HQ in Gaza. When a Special Council's report over U.S. President Biden's handling of classified documents came out, Biden initially praised it for saying he wasn't to face charges. But the report was damning as it referenced his senility. Since the report this week, he also confused the President of Mexico for Egypts, and confused talks with Germany's Angela Merkel with the late Helmut Kohl. Since then, Biden has snapped at reporters. And former President Trump questioned how one could be mentally fit to serve if not mentally fit to stand trial. When you read, you may wonder why last week's report of a knife wielding man specifically targeting French citizens was not called a terrorist act. Let alone, the tale of an axe wielding Iranian on a Swiss subway train who took hostages was said not to be terror related. At least those who opened fired upon the police ast an Istanbul Court were defined as Left-Wing Terrorists. Issues with immigration still hits the U.S. with the failed impeachment of DHS Mayorkas, refusing to disclose full accounting of every illegal alien and claiming immigrant-caused crime shouldn't be politicized. And there is severe issues between the House and Senate with the recent Border bill, conservatives seeing it further enables unchecked crossings and funnels money to illegal immigrants. Within Venezuela, Maduro's opposition for the office of Presidency, María Corina Machado and her office was stoned and beaten. This even since Maduro cancelled any hope for free and fair elections. In Columbia, veterans found the pay in Ukraine far more lucrative and began signing up for the war. And despite the smell and taste of gasoline in Costa Rican water supplies, a probe was unable to find any suspects into the contamination. Unable to find the cause has sent shockwaves of distrust through the polulace. With the ongoing strike over green policies strangling Farmer's livelihoods, the E.U. scraps key elements of their Green Agenda. King Charles III has been diagnosed with Cancer, and is receiving out-patient treatments. Since then, estranged Prince Harry returns to Buckingham Palace upon hearing the news. And a Freedom of Information act busted the Canadian Trudeau Administration, revealing that it was the Trudeau administration that invited former Nazi Yaroslav Hunka to Parliamant and not the previous Rota adminitration. Revelations that the U.S. Treasury department and Biden Administration used banks to surveil Americans based on Private Transactions, Tucker Carlson's interview with Russia's Vladimir Putin causing shockwaves, China's Lunar New Year threat to Taiwan, the resignation of Hungary's President over a child predator's pardon, the U.S. Defense Secretary back in the hospital, and much more hit this week's news.
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Tech Talk

This week's News of the Cyber World detailed issues with AI fakery, whether it was the unauthorized use of musician's voices, or Facebook and Instagram's new policy to flag AI generated content. But AI has grown more insidious with a business losing millions over an AI generated interactive video deepfake over Zoom. But Disney has its own issues, losing millions for their 25% subscription hike and wrongful termination lawsuit filed by Mandaorian star Gina Carano. Politics hit the Cyberworld as Meta finally bans Supreme Leader Ali Khameni over his anti-semetic hate speech. Meanwhile, recent news is uncovering how the U.S. Biden Administration worked with Amazon to censor books, his Executive Order bypasses Congress to censor anything considered disinformation. And while Musk has issues with Driverless cars among Apple VisionPro users, Google's own Waymo car is having issues with cyclists this week. The fury over Tucker Carlson's interview with Putin, European Government backed hackers targeting Apple iPhones, the NYPD Subway Robot, and much more hit this week's cybernews.

The world has been constantly assailed by Chinese Hackers, such as the Netherlands now releasing reports of China's intrusion. And since the China-backed hacking group known as Volt Typhoon was busted by Microsoft and the FBI, and the Phillipines providing evidence of China attempted intrusions of government websites and accounts, China is now crying out that they were instead the victim. Of course, China's own Global Times refused to mention the incidents, preferring to release editorials of the American Hacking threat around the globe, and the vicitimization of China by the Phillipines..

Games Development

Development Discussion

If you're wondering What's up with some RMers, you'll be pleased to know that Remi-chan is once again active, reworking the graphics of her menus and displaying select images of her brochure pages for all to see. But on top of that, she's also presented the official art for one of her anti-heroes, a dangerous, green-eyed femme fatale donning what would not be generally permitted in public.

Within the Maps and screenshots thread this week, kyondides showed the development of his script that changes the appearance of the show choices window.

Upcoming Projects

At last released on steam is Heroes of the Seasons, the seasonal game worked on by Starmage. At a low price of $6.99 (USD), it can be yours. Or for the fruga, you can acquire a free short demo. But if unsure, you can check out the three recent Mercenary spotlights uploaded, showcasing bridal and avian sorcerers, demonic children, and nuclear wolves and sheep.

Material Development

Scripts Database

If you want your heroes to have a little uncertainty when it comes to combat, kyonides created the RandomSkillKost collection for the Ruby-based engines of RPGMaker. With these scripts, the cost of skill use may now vary from turn to turn during combat.

For those who wish to step away from the traditional means to display a list of choices for the player, then perhaps you wish to add some flair with FancyChoices. An RPGMaker XP script by kyonides, it is a re-skinned Show Choices window .

If you wish to keep HP and SP recovery rates separate when using RPGMaker VXAce, kyonides's ACE HP or SP Recovery Rate may be what you need.

Creativity Section

Art and Design

There are many who are getting ready for Valentines day, including artists of all kinds. Even upon entering Remi-chan's Neato Arty thread thing, you will see that, even among the evil incarnate, that love is in the air. Three rough drafts had appeared, the first being the the wholesome side-by-side of the most unwholesome entities in Remi-s current game. The second a tough of affection between two friends and a simple headpat. And the third a duet between opposites who had found each other.

Well, that's it for this week.

"I am not the archetypal leading man. This is mainly for one reason: as you may have noticed, I have no hair" - Sir Patrick Stewart

PROSPECTIVE GAZETEERS!

If you are the creator of a thread in Save-Point, you have the option of sending/writing your own entry into the Gazette. The Gazette accepts write-in announcements (which will be doublechecked). Likewise, the Gazette would welcome other content such as a comic-strip series, ongoing story arc, or the like.

Just PM DerVVulfman with the submissions. Submissions must be in by 10pm EST.