Today, I saw Zalker 87’s YouTube video focused on the fact that Team Xbox hired several game developers from Sony to beef up the growing roster of very experienced game makers in The Initiative, the one Xbox Games Studios team that Microsoft established in 2018 to create great, big-budget games for the Xbox ecosystem. To say the least, the future for Xbox fans and gamers in general is looking very promising, and the fun will start with the launch of Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X on November 10, 2020. Watch the video below…
A lot really has been going on at the side of Team Xbox. Apart from the many developments that resulted from the Xbox-Bethesda deal, Microsoft continues to pour in more funds into the many game projects under production from the many game studios under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, and hire more people to work on their projects. Clearly Obsidian Entertainment, Ninja Theory, inXile, The Coalition, 343 Industries, Playground Games, Turn 10 and other 1st party studios of Team Xbox are all busy making their respective games right now!
To put things in perspective, Sony and its first-party PlayStation teams have a solid track record of producing high-quality, fun-loaded, story driven 3rd person action-adventure games which went on to receive huge acclaim from the game critics and sold a lot. Such games are what are sorely lacking on the side of Team Xbox and it only made sense for Microsoft to use its massive resources to hire the great game makers from Sony’s 1st party studios and put them in The Initiative.
The logo of the all-star team The Initiative.
More on The Initiative, the studio recently hired more talents from Sony’s acclaimed studio Naughty Dog: Lee Davis who worked previously as the head of melee animation and Lauren Garcia who was the character shading technical director. Under The Initiative, Davis is the lead gameplay animator while Garcia is the senior shading technologies executive. The two former Naughty Dog experts were involved in the production of Sony’s The Last of Us: Part 2. In a Twitter post, Garcia expressed happiness about joining The Initiative calling it an incredible team. He thanked Xbox chief Phil Spencer as well.
Before hiring the two former Naughty Dog experts, Microsoft also hired Christian Cantamessa whose best known work was writing (as lead writer) Red Dead Redemption for Rockstar Games, Brian Westergaard (the lead producer on God of War), Remi Lacoste (director of Marvel’s Avengers and Shadow of The Tomb Raider), Christine Thompson (the lead writer for Destiny 2) plus many others which The Initiative studio head Darrell Gallagher confirmed.
As you can see, The Initiative is literally an all-star team of very experienced and high achieving game makers who were previously involved in blockbuster games as well as other ambitious projects. Their first project still has not been revealed so far, although it has been alleged that it could be related to the Perfect Dark franchise which Microsoft owns. Whatever story concept it will have, whatever game design it will come with (note: I personally expect a 3rd person action-adventure in design with a cinematic feel and highly advanced animation for immersion) and whatever new characters it will introduce, you can bet that The Initiative’s expected first game will catch a lot of attention once Team Xbox makes the official unveiling of it. When and where? We don’t know and only Phil Spencer knows.
Ultimately, The Initiative is contributing to Xbox Game Studio’s upcoming wave of high-quality, 1st party video games that will be released for each of the next five years through the Xbox ecosystem (targeting users of Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Windows 10 PC and mobile phones supported by Project xCloud). In other words, Sony and its PlayStation division have serious competition coming.
In ending this, posted below are assorted gaming-related videos for your learning and excitement for the next-generation! Do not forget that Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X will launch on November 10, 2020!
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Before he became the co-publisher of DC Comics, the great Jim Lee made his debut in the comic book industry as an illustrator for Marvel Comics. Just a few short years after that, he became a fan-favorite of X-Men fans and was a major factor in the massive sales success of 1991’s X-Men #1 (Volume 2). Not only did that particular comic book established a long-lasting sales record for all comic books, Lee’s designs and visual concepts for the X-Men were adapted by the producers and creators of the fan-favorite X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-1997).
For the newcomers reading this, Jim Lee’s tenure with Marvel Comics ended in December 1991 when he, Rob Liefeld and Todd McFarlane met with the publisher and expressed that Marvel’s policies toward them were unfair and they were not rewarded well for their work. To put things in perspective, Jim Lee’s X-Men #1, Rob Liefeld’s X-Force #1 and Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man #1 were respectively million-sellers. As such, Lee, Liefeld, McFarlane plus some more creators left Marvel and went on to establish Image Comics (which involved a production and distribution deal with Malibu Comics).
In 1992, Jim Lee’s dream project – with concepts first created in 1986 – came through free from the constraints he endured from Marvel’s editorial team and strict policies. That’s dream project was WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams #1, which is the feature of this retro comic book review.
But before we start the review, here’s a quick look back at the conceptual history of WildC.A.T.s as written by Jim Lee himself.
“I created my first ‘professional’ comic book submission in the summer of 1986 entitled The Wild Boys involving an espionage agency called International Operations. The co-writer of that sublime piece of work was coincidentally enough – Brandon Choi – who at the time was still in college getting a double major in history and politics,” Lee wrote in the comic book’s intro.
Now that we’re done with the history, here is a look back at WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams #1, published in 1992 through Image Comics with a story co-written by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi. Lee illustrated the comic book with ink work done by Scott Williams.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in Antarctica in 1986. There, two men braved the cold weather searching for something with information they learned from IO (International Operations). Suddenly an orb rises from the snow and then an image of a lady wearing silver tights and wielding energy appears in front of them. After demanding them to let her have the orb, she and the energy field fade away.
In 1992, at the crisis control facility of IO in Virginia, IO’s executives carefully view video footage of Georgetown which was hit by an explosion. They suspect rogue C.A.T.s (covert action teams) could have been involved. Suddenly, the same energy field from six years earlier forms in their presence with the same lady appearing for a few moments. The energy field fades away.
In the present day, a dwarf named Jacob Marlowe wakes up in the middle of garbage in an alley. After getting hurt by two troublemakers, the same silver lady from the past appears and uses her energetic power to save Jacob. She introduces her to him as Void, claiming he came for him and she knows he was once a lord named Emp. She tells him the Cabal is a threat to humans on Earth…
Quality
Clearly Jim Lee took inspiration from John Woo’s action movies.
When it comes to the presentation of the story, the comic book starts in a deliberately cryptic way. It’s like having very short prologues back to back and, fortunately, it works well to capture attention while building up slowly its concept. The story really begins when Jacob Marlowe arrives at his headquarters with Void as his enduring advisor and executor. The introductions of each of the team’s members – Spartan, Warblade, Maul, Grifter, Zealot and Voodoo – were decently done and never felt rushed as Jim Lee and Brandon Choi carefully paced the storytelling and really tried to balance exposition and spectacle. That being said, similar results happened with regards to the comic book’s spotlight on the Cabal and its evil leader.
With regards to the presentation of the classic conflict between good and evil, Lee and Choi came up with the concept of planet Earth being slowly infiltrated by Daemonites (who originated in outer space) with the Cabal serving like an anchor with an organized set-up for domination. Over at the WildC.A.T.s, Marlowe formed a team to fight and stop the Cabal since the lives of the people of Earth are at stake. This is a really nice concept serving as the foundation, and the irony is that, in this comic book specifically, IO was on the sideline.
When it comes to the visuals, Jim Lee must have enjoyed the liberty he had in illustrating this comic book…free from the editorial interference from Marvel and free too from the restrictions of the Comics Code Authority (CCA). The result here is a visual presentation showing more Lee’s creativity and a style different somewhat from his final works on X-Men. He clearly took more inspiration from action movies and the violence is somewhat more mature to look at. It should be noted that Scott Williams helped Lee’s art shine.
Conclusion
These two pages remind me somewhat of the X-Men, their jet and the Danger Room.
By today’s standards, WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams #1is surprisingly still a good superhero team comic book to read. It’s not a literary classic but it proved to be compelling and fun enough to read from start to finish. It has a decent amount of action here and there which is understandable since Choi and Lee had to build up the concepts and the plot. If there were any weak spots, this comic book is almost devoid of character development and the clear lack of a lead character (which is still needed even for a superhero team comic book).
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams #1 (1992), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $5 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition is priced at $16. The near-mint copy of the 3D edition costs $9 while the near-mint copy of the gold cover edition is priced at $42.
Overall, WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams #1 (1992) is recommended.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Muntinlupa City records the lowest COVID-19 prevalence in Metro Manila and the second lowest active cases in the region, a sharp drop of from 768 cases in September 1 to 89 cases as of October 19.
Muntinlupa City Health Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao reported the improvement in COVID-19 cases in the city to Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, and members of the local task force in a virtual meeting last October 20.
Tuliao said the recovery rate has further improved to 94.80%, an all-time high since the start of the pandemic, and Muntinlupa City now has the second lowest active cases in NCR following the Municipality of Pateros with over 49 active cases. She reported that no COVID-19 related fatality has been recorded over the last week.
The local health officer noted that Muntinlupa earned the lowest prevalence among Metro Manila cities with a rate of 0.16. The city’s prevalence rate or the number of cases over the total population is below the ‘acceptable rate’ of 1.0.
As of October 19, the doubling time in Muntinlupa City is at 17.94 days. Doubling time refers to the number of days for COVID-19 cases to double in number and the standard rate of transmission should be at 7-30 days to be considered decelerating. Tuliao said the improvement can be accounted to the city’s holistic approach in curbing COVID-19 which include surveillance-isolation-treatment strategies, intensified targeted mass testing, contact tracing, psychosocial interventions, and massive information drives, among others.
DOH Metro Manila Center for Health Development confers COVID-19 Response Service Award to Muntinlupa City last October 16 in recognition of its programs to ensure the provision of quality health services in the community amid the pandemic. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
Muntinlupa CHO has conducted at least 18,944 swab tests as of October 19 which is equivalent to 3.50% of the city’s population. The city surpassed the national target of testing two percent of the population.
Recently, the 144-bed We Heal As One quarantine facility has opened in Pacwood Site, Barangay Tunasan for COVID-19 positive, suspect cases, and residents who have undergone swabbing tests. Each room has a comfort room, air-conditioning unit, and supplies. Residents who will occupy the isolation rooms will be given COVID-19 essentials bag consisting of a hygiene kit, vitamins, medicine, thermometer, bedsheet, pillow blanket, and towels, among others.
Self-isolation or admission to city isolation facilities is mandatory for anyone who have undergone COVID-19 swab testing in Muntinlupa under City Ordinance 2020-126. Currently, there are 6 occupants in the facility from Barangay Ayala Alabang and Barangay Putatan.
DOTr Sec. Arthur Tugade lauded Muntinlupa’s strategies towards the fight against COVID-19 and vowed to continue to support the city’s COVID-19 response efforts. Tugade was assigned by the IATF to monitor Muntinlupa’s health system performance, critical care capacity, and stringent compliance to surveillance, isolation, and treatment protocols.
The Department of Health – Metro Manila Center for Health Development also lauded this development as it conferred the COVID-19 Response Service Award to Muntinlupa City last October 16 in recognition of its programs ensuring the provision of quality health services in the community amid the pandemic.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi welcomes the improvement of COVID-19 situation in the city highlighting the significant decrease of cases being monitored from by the hundreds down to the tens. However, the local exec warns residents not to be complacent with the positive results. He urged the public to continue to strictly follow minimum health protocols and safety measures such as wearing of face masks, observing physical distancing and washing of hands.
As of October 19, Muntinlupa City has 4,559 confirmed cases with 4,322 recoveries, 89 active cases, 148 reported deaths, 144 suspect cases, and 402 probable cases.
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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NOT to distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, engagements, commerce and updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Is Prime your favorite caped hero among the many heroes of the Ultraverse? For the newcomers reading this, Prime is an overly muscular hero of the Ultraverse who is actually a kid deep inside his fake flesh. Prime was one of the major heroes of the Ultraverse and was part of UltraForce alongside Hardcase and Prototype (two other major heroes).
In late 1993, a 2-part Ultraverse crossover was published titled Break-Thru and, with the art of the legendary George Perez, it was a big mix of characters from the UV. Prime had a role in Break-Thru and we can see what happened to him after the end of the said crossover in this look back at Prime #8 published in 1994 by Malibu Comics and written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones with art done by the late Norm Breyfogle.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in outer space with Prime and Prototype re-entering planet Earth. With the heat intensifying, Prime is worried that he won’t be able to make it safely on earth. Prototype, who is flying behind him, wonders if Prime knows what he is doing by leading the way. Prototype’s life is at stake as he relies on Prime to be his flying front shield (note: for the way the flight turned out in Prototype’s perspective, read Prototype #6).
Due to the instability and intense heat, the two ultras got separated flying down. Remembering the strip of Mantra’s cape, Prime uses it and manages to receive faint communication with Mantra. Prime eventually crashes into a swimming pool. With Prime’s flesh quickly dissolving, teenage Kevin Green is exposed naked underwater and struggles. Suddenly, water pushes him up several feet and finds himself being assisted by Mantra.
The naked Kevin is carried by Mantra who transform herself into Eden Blake…
Quality
The pressure on the parents of Kevin.
Storywise, this one is a solid follow-up to the Break-Thru crossover and it succeeds in developing Prime further thanks to the combined efforts of Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones. With the narrative shifted away from Break-Thru, the story emphasizes the actions of the covert operations led by Colonel Samuels who simply won’t let Prime go free given the US government’s interests. What Samuels does not know is that someone sinister and hidden is spying on their operations. That someone is also interested in Prime and this alone added a lot of intrigue into the story.
As usual, the character development is very solid. I love the way Strazewski and Jones raise the stakes on the parents of Kevin and made them more troubled knowing their son’s involvement with the military. Kevin’s father, meanwhile, is living with the guilt of keeping the big secrets of the past.
When it comes to crossovers and interactions, the exchange between Kevin/Prime and Eden/Mantra is very compelling to read. Mantra, who knows Prime’s secret, tries to keep her identity secret. Already working for Aladdin under her Eden Blake identity, she sees an opportunity to learn more about Colonel Samuels through Kevin. For his part, Kevin wants to go home instead of getting involved again with the colonel. As their dialogue goes on, the tension really strengthened and added to the plot.
Without revealing too much, I should state that the introduction of a new character really shook the story and the big fight that followed was a great payoff to all the build-up.
Conclusion
Kevin and Mantra together.
Prime #8 is an excellent superhero comic book! The creative team of Strazewski-Jones-Breyfogle really crafted a post-Break-Thru story that did not slowed down and kept raising the stakes and the intrigue. Suspense, excitement, drama and intrigue made a great mix here.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #8 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $8 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $26.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Do you happen to have any comic books of the Batman versus Predator II crossover in your collection? According to MileHighComics.com, their near-mint copies are valuable and you can sell them to make some much-needed money in this time of pandemic, government overreach and economic hardship.
Right now, I am about to finally end my review of the Batman versus Predator II mini-series and so far, I have enjoyed it a lot. To find out if this mini-series will come to a satisfying end, here is my retro review of Batman versus Predator II #4, published in 1995 by DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Doug Moench and drawn by Paul Gulacy.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in the bat cave with Batman and Alfred discussing what happened lately. As it turned out, there were two other Predators on the lose apparently sent to stop the first one (who killed one of the mentioned two). Batman also mentioned the deaths of Song Sung and Terraro. Now there are two hunters remaining who may not know that the man who issued their contracts is dead.
Just before leaving with the motorcycle, Batman receives a call from Commissioner Gordon through the special line. Afterwards, he leaves.
In the city, a thug on a motorcycle starts chasing Batman which catches the attention of the local police…
Quality
From the final encounter with the hunter from space.
This comic book is a satisfying conclusion to the mini-series. In terms of writing, issue #4 delivered the payoff for what was built-up in issue #3. This results the return of Batman’s trusted ally as well as some more involvement of the police force as the stakes were raised in issue #3 with the involvement of more than one Predator. The hunter Predator – the one Batman and Huntress encountered in the first two issues – was indeed present and it was very interesting to see it pursue its encounter with the two heroes even though he was being hunted by a fellow Predator.
Having more than one Predator was initially confusing but the confusion did not last too long which readers will find relieving. As expected, the Huntress joined Batman in the final encounter and served nicely as a fighting partner whose assistance proved to be valuable. If there is any weak spot in the presentation, it’s the element of the gang and human hunters who only served to add to the death toll.
As with the first three issues of this mini-series, the action here remains very intense and quite uncompromising with its violence. Expect gunshot wounds and decapitations here and there. The hard action presented, especially in the encounters with the Predator, was indeed satisfying. I should state that the final encounter inside the space ship is very thrilling.
Conclusion
The Bat signal is an attraction to the Predator.
Batman versus Predator II #4 (1995) is a pretty solid read. What was built-up previously, got paid off nicely here. With regards to raising the stakes and making this mini-series different from its predecessor, the creative team succeeded with the resolutions they came up with. In addition, Batman and the Huntress make a solid duo and their interactions together were compelling.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Batman versus Predator II #4 (1995) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $50.
Overall, Batman versus Predator II #4 (1995) is highly recommended!
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
In a recent study conducted by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication Foundation, Inc. on the compliance level of NCR cities in implementing Smoke-Free Policies, the City of Muntinlupa earns a high rating receiving a ‘Very Satisfactory’ remark.
MMDA and UPCMCFI presented the results to members of the Muntinlupa City Smoke-Free Task Force last October 16 during a virtual meeting with Metro Manila LGUs execs.
Muntinlupa City earned a Very Satisfactory rating with a compliance rate of 74.1% in the Smoke-Free Policy Compliance Study among Metro Manila cities conducted last December 2019 to February 2020. MMDA and UPCMCFI lauded the city’s strong commitment in promoting a healthy environment through the regulation of tobacco products. Local government units were assessed in four compliance metrics namely Advertising and Promotions, Enforcement, Selling, and Smoking Behavior in three observation venues including school (within 100m vicinity), transportation terminals, and moving public utility vehicles.
Among the compliance metrics, Muntinlupa City earned the highest rating on Advertising and Promotions with 99.1% and Smoking Behavior with 79.4%.
(L-R seated) Public Information Officer Tez Navarro, City Health Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao, CHO exec Dra. Magdalena Meana, and Deputy City Administrator Roger John Smith. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi expressed his gratitude to MMDA and UPCMCFI for the recognition and vowed to continue its advocacy towards a smoke-free city especially amid the pandemic.
“We continually urge the public to quit smoking and live a healthy lifestyle especially amid the pandemic as a preventive measure against complications brought about by COVID-19,” Fresnedi said.
Muntinlupa City is a pioneer in enacting a Comprehensive Smoke Free Ordinance through City Ordinance No. 17-072 following President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order (EO) No. 26 or known as the Nationwide Smoking Ban. Under the local ordinance, the use and distribution of cigarette and tobacco products are prohibited in the city.
Since its implementation last 2017, the Department of Health (DOH) has conferred the Red Orchid Award to the City Government of Muntinlupa for two consecutive years (2018-2019) in recognition of its outstanding initiatives against tobacco use.
For more information or to report violators, you may contact the Smoke-Free Task Force or the City Health Office at 8935-6824 or visit the City Health Office-Muntinlupa Facebook Page.
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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NOT to distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, engagements, commerce and updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
The City Government of Muntinlupa approved the landmark Freedom of Information Ordinance of 2020, the 4th city in the National Capital Region (NCR) to localize the FOI bill, to ensure transparency in local governance.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi signed the Ordinance 2020-139 or known as the FOI Ordinance of 2020 On October 14, 2020 to give Muntinlupa as well as non-Muntinlupa residents access to information, officials’ records, public records and documents, and papers pertaining to official acts, among others.
Fresnedi said the City Government recognizes the importance of the people’s right to government information by providing a local mechanism to ensure that these rights are respected and upheld.
City Ordinance 2020-139 is an adoption of Executive Order No.2 s. 2016 upholding the right of people to information on matters of public concern. Muntinlupa City is the 4th LGU in NCR to enact an FOI ordinance following Pasig, Valenzuela, and Quezon City.
Under the local ordinance, departments in Muntinlupa LGU are required to make public records available such as contracts, transactions and any information requested by a member of the public, except for sensitive information and matters affecting national security.
Any person who request access to information may consult the local FOI Focal Person for the processing of a request or may go directly to the concerned office that has the information being requested.
If the retrieved information has been approved for release, the FOI Receiving Officer shall immediately notify the requestor of the decision and release the information within fifteen (15) working days upon receipt of request.
Failure of any government officer to comply with the provisions of the ordinance shall be ground for reprimand for first offense, suspension of one (1) to thirty days for second offense, or dismissal from the service for third offense.
Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said the City Government supports the Presidential Communications Operations Office’s thrust on continuing proactive information disclosure efforts in the spirit of openness and transparency.
She noted that the IRR is still underway but the public can now coordinate with the Public Information Office being designated as the FOI concerned office.
For more information, visit Muntinlupa City’s website at www.muntinlupacity.gov.ph or contact the Public Information Office located at 2F Annex Building, Muntinlupa City Hall with tel. no. (02) 8886-7091 and email address lingkodbayan.muntinlupa@gmail.com.
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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NOT to distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, engagements, commerce and updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
The Las Piñas City Police Department continues to serve the local constituents by means of securing places, implementing rules and helping those who need assistance. Check out these recent media releases and pay close attention to the details written.
On October 17, 2020, personnel under the supervision of PLT JAMEL B RINANDANG, C, SCAS through the strong leadership of PCOL RODEL A PASTOR, COP of Las Piñas City Police Station conducted Ugnayan/Dialogue/Lecture with Hon. Romualda C Villalon, Barangay Chairwoman of Barangay Pamplona Dos re: Strict Implementation of Social Distancing and Mandatory Wearing of Face Mask and reiterated health protocols to the public. (source – Las Piñas City Police Department)
On October 17, 2020, LPCPS extended their helping hands by sharing some relief goods to indigent families and who are very much in need of such assistance. (source – Las Piñas City Police Department)
On October 17, 2020, personnel of Zapote Sub Station under the supervision of PMAJ JOYLENE A BULAN, Zapote SS Commander through the strong leadership of PLTCOL YAHYA B YUSOP , OIC while conducting Simultaneous Enhance Managing Police Operation (SEMPO) and Implementation of General Community Quarantine, suspect were chance upon playing cara y cruz at Basa Compd, Zapote,e and during the arrest recovered from the suspects pieces of evidence. (source – Las Piñas City Police Department)
The above information and images were provided by the Las Piñas City Police Station for the purpose of public information and transparency. Some parts were edited for this website.
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the FB group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
2020 is coming to an end and until now the single, most discussed video game industry news is still the Bethesda-Xbox deal. That megaton deal also means that Team Xbox has all the means to lock out PlayStation and Nintendo consoles and keep future Bethesda games exclusive to the Xbox ecosystem which includes Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X and Windows 10 PC.
In other words, what Microsoft owns, Sony and Nintendo cannot have!
Don’t get me wrong. People who own Nintendo Switch, PS4 and the PS5 (note: compatible with most PS4 games) can still avail of the current Bethesda releases of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (the remastered edition specifically), Elder Scrolls Online, Doom Eternal and others in the market. They just should accept the fact that future games like Fallout 5, Starfield, Elder Scrolls VI, the next Doom, the next Wolfenstein, the next Dishonored and whatever new intellectual properties Bethesda comes up with!
No matter how loud and emotional the fanboys are over the Xbox-Bethesda deal that tremendously changed the game, Nintendo and PlayStation consoles are NOT part of the Xbox ecosystem! Microsoft did not spend $7.5 billion only to make new Bethesda games and franchises available on non-Xbox platforms, and they also invested a whole bunch of money building up Xbox Game Pass (XGP) and Project xCloud.
The said interview discussed a whole bunch of topics. The Xbox-Bethesda deal, unsurprisingly, was discussed and it dealt with what Microsoft will do with Bethesda game properties that they now own and control. Here’s an excerpt:
Spencer had said in previous interviews that existing deals involving ZeniMax games would still be honored, suggesting that something like the time-traveling game Deathloop would still come first to PS5, as previously announced. Beyond that, though, fans have wondered whether ZeniMax games would go Xbox and PC-only. In other words, they’ve wondered if PlayStation would stop getting Fallouts and miss out on the sequel to Skyrim.
I wondered that, too.
“Is it possible to recoup a $7.5 billion investment if you don’t sell Elder Scrolls VI on the PlayStation?” I asked.
“Yes,” Spencer quickly replied.
Then he paused.
“I don’t want to be flip about that,” he added. “This deal was not done to take games away from another player base like that. Nowhere in the documentation that we put together was: ‘How do we keep other players from playing these games?’ We want more people to be able to play games, not fewer people to be able to go play games. But I’ll also say in the model—I’m just answering directly the question that you had—when I think about where people are going to be playing and the number of devices that we had, and we have xCloud and PC and Game Pass and our console base, I don’t have to go ship those games on any other platform other than the platforms that we support in order to kind of make the deal work for us. Whatever that means.”
As seen above, Phil Spencer answered with confidence that they can recover the $7.5 billion Bethesda investment with the Xbox ecosystem, Xbox Game Pass and other services they have. The PlayStation and Nintendo console bases are undeniably large but they are not really needed in Microsoft’s master strategy on not only recovering their Bethesda investment but also expanding the Xbox ecosystem as a whole worldwide.
As I observed, a lot of Xbox fans are very enthusiastic for Bethesda’s games and have collectively spent huge amounts of money on them. These same Xbox fans are willing to spend more for the next-generation Xbox Series consoles and the Bethesda-Xbox deal is a big factor in their decisions and excitement.
Sony had tremendous success selling over 100,000,000 PS4 units worldwide but that does NOT mean Microsoft and Bethesda will plead to them and offer future games of Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Doom, Wolfenstein, and others on PS5. Sony does NOT have the upper hand at all with the next-generation and they do not own Bethesda.
It’s really the other way around for Sony and Nintendo when it comes to convincing Microsoft to allow Bethesda to release their future games on PS5 and Switch. Imagine PlayStation head Jim Ryan approaching Microsoft and offer them $500,000,000 to release Starfield on PS5. I know it’s crazy but with the many Xbox-hating PlayStation fanboys online who are still restlessly ranting over the Xbox-Bethesda deal, they might be willing enough to pressure Jim Ryan to do it. As for Nintendo, what can they offer to Microsoft?
As for the two timed-exclusive Bethesda games coming to PS5 initially, you can expect those games to land in the Xbox ecosystem in the near future. I don’t expect Sony and Bethesda will renew their deal now that Microsoft is in the game.
The way things are right now, Starfield and other future Bethesda games will be exclusive to the Xbox ecosystem. Those who own non-Xbox platforms who really crave for sequels to Fallout, Elder Scrolls and the like can simply use their capable Windows 10 PCs or buy an Xbox Series S or an Xbox Series X console, and then subscribe to Xbox Game Pass. If they want to play Xbox ecosystem games on their smartphones via streaming, there is Project xCloud to support them.
In ending this article, here are some more gaming-related videos for your enjoyment.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Hey Xbox fans and gamers! Have you been following the recent updates leading to the inevitable launch of the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X? Let’s start first with these two videos from Colteastwood! Watch, learn and enjoy these because the heavy hitters (hot exclusive games) for the Xbox ecosystem are coming out after the launch of the two Xbox Series consoles!
The launch games lineup for November 10, 2020, which includes cross-generation games that will be optimized for the new consoles, don’t look that red hot but rest assured, the excitement will only begin that day and will only get even better starting 2021. Speaking of 2021 games, check out my article about the Xbox-exclusive The Gunk.
What are the launch games for Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X? Here’s the list:
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Smart Delivery)
Borderlands 3 (Smart Delivery)
Bright Memory 1.0
Cuisine Royale (Smart Delivery)
Dead by Daylight (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition
DIRT 5 (Smart Delivery)
Enlisted
Evergate
The Falconeer (Smart Delivery)
Fortnite
Forza Horizon 4 (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Gears 5 (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Gears Tactics (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Grounded (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
King Oddball (Smart Delivery)
Maneater (Smart Delivery)
Manifold Garden (Smart Delivery)
NBA 2K21
Observer: System Redux
Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Planet Coaster (Smart Delivery)
Sea of Thieves (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Tetris Effect: Connected (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
The Touryst (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
War Thunder (Smart Delivery)
Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition
Watch Dogs: Legion (Smart Delivery)
WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship (Smart Delivery)
Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Smart Delivery)
Yes, Your Grace (Smart Delivery)
With a great mix of 1st party exclusive games, new intellectual properties (IPs) and 3rd party games that cover vast genres and types of games, there will always be something new and fun for gamers who use Xbox consoles and Windows 10 PC. Even gamers who have not yet subscribed to Xbox Game Pass (XGP) won’t be left out.
Remember years ago when PlayStation fanboys criticized Xbox for the lack of exclusives and lack of great games? That is all over and the huge amount of games produced by Team Xbox’s 1st party game studios (including the game studios of Bethesda) will be released once completed…and the beauty of it is that the wait for the hot exclusive games won’t take too long. As reported by Colteastwood in the above videos, Xbox fans can expect exclusives like Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 from Obsidian Entertainment, the next Doom from id Software, Forza Horizon Festivals from Playground Games, and the Perfect Dark-related 3rd-person action-stealth game from The Initiative. These are just a few of the upcoming heavy hitters coming to Xbox and Windows 10 gamers. As Colteastwood confirmed, Xbox Game Studios are currently producing at least forty games.
Going back to the November 10, 2020 launch, the early batch of games for Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X are not satisfying enough, there is backward compatibility on the new consoles that will not only ensure you get to play games from past Xbox console generations, you will get to play them with visual enhancements (example: improved frame rates reaching up to 60FPS) and much reduced loading times.
In an Xbox.com article dated October 13, 2020, Compatibility Program Lead Peggy Lo confirmed their team’s respect for fans’ gaming legacy. She stated: We believe your favorite games and franchises, your progression and achievements, your Xbox One gaming accessories and the friendships and communities you create through gaming should all move with you across generations. We also fundamentally believe that not only should you be able to play all of your games from the past without needing to purchase them again, but they should also look, feel and play better on the next generation of Xbox consoles.
And then there are the hot details Xbox fans can expect regarding backward compatibility on the new consoles. Here’s an excerpt:
Games play best on Xbox Series X and Series S
Backward compatible games run natively on the Xbox Series X and S, running with the full power of the CPU, GPU and SSD. No boost mode, no downclocking, the full power of the consoles for each and every backward compatible game. This means that all titles run at the peak performance that they were originally designed for, with significantly higher performance than their original launch platform, resulting in higher and more steady framerates and rendering at their maximum resolution and visual quality. Backward compatible titles also benefit from significant reductions in load times due to the massive leap in performance from our custom NVME SSD at the heart of the Xbox Velocity Architecture.
Auto HDR for everyone
Modern games often implement high dynamic range (HDR) to improve overall visual quality. HDR allows a game to render a much larger range of brightness values and colors. This gives an extra sense of richness and depth to the image when compared to a standard dynamic range (SDR) image. For example, the light from a flashlight looks much brighter and red flowers look much more vibrant.
However, thousands of Xbox games shipped before HDR was first introduced with Xbox One S, and even for some Xbox One games, developers simply didn’t have the development resources or time to implement HDR. With Xbox Series X and Series S we are introducing a new feature named Auto HDR. Auto HDR automatically adds HDR enhancements to games which only shipped with SDR. Auto HDR enhances the visual quality of an SDR game without changing the original artistic intent of the game. Auto HDR is implemented by the system so developers don’t have to do any work to take advantage of this feature. Also, since Auto HDR is enabled by the console’s hardware, there is absolutely no performance cost to the CPU, GPU or memory and there is no additional latency added ensuring you receive the ultimate gaming experience.
If you want to play your legacy Xbox games with a much higher frame rate for the best experience, such improvements are also confirmed as part of the backward compatibility feature on the new consoles. Check out the details below:
Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S bring next-gen performance to your favorite games. Higher, steadier framerates make games feel smoother, resulting in more immersive gameplay. Many improvements are the result of the custom designed processor that allows compatible games to play and leverage the increased CPU, GPU and memory from the new consoles. In addition however, the backward compatibility team has developed new methods for effectively doubling the framerate on select titles. While not applicable for many titles due to the game’s original physics or animations, these new techniques the team has developed can push game engines to render more quickly for a buttery smooth experience beyond what the original game might have delivered due to the capabilities of the hardware.
To emphasize the above, Team Xbox showed via YouTube the 2015 game Fallout 4 running at a buttery smooth 60FPS on Xbox Series S! Watch below!
With regards to enhanced visuals via backward compatibility on the new consoles, Peggy Lo wrote: On the Xbox One, we were able to provide a curated list of titles that were enhanced for the Xbox One X via the Heutchy method. This allowed titles from Xbox 360 that rendered at 720p and original Xbox games that ran at 360p to play at 4K on Xbox One X, well beyond the capabilities of their original platform. The Heutchy method continues to be used to bring a variety of titles to 1440p on Xbox Series S and 4K on Xbox Series X.
Improved texture filtering is also coming to backward compatible titles on both Xbox Series X and Series S. On Xbox One X, a portion of the catalog benefited from increased anisotropic filtering, improving image quality of games. On Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, 16x anisotropic filtering has been enabled for nearly all backward compatible titles so you can experience the very best visuals the games have to offer.
With Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X, the future of next-generation gaming is very bright and promising, even more exciting than what Sony is offering with PlayStation 5 (PS5). Supporting the excitement for the Xbox ecosystem is Team Xbox’s very powerful bridge to the past (legacy gaming) with backward compatibility that also enhances the old games when played on the new consoles.
Peggy Lo further wrote: The backward compatibility team has been working hard to make all the games you love and remember available to you on Xbox Series X and Series S. Playing the games will be just as easy and magical as it’s always been. Simply insert your favorite backward compatible Xbox One, Xbox 360 or original Xbox disc into your Xbox Series X, install the game, and you’ll be ready to play. Your digital library will instantly appear and ready for download on the console when you sign in. If you’ve already installed your games to an external drive, you can bring that with you to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. This all happens with no additional cost to you. And, with cloud saves, you’ll jump right back in where you left off. For those of you still enjoying Xbox 360, cloud saves will soon be free to all Xbox 360 users, making transferring your favorite games to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S even easier.
In ending this, posted below are gaming-related videos for your learning and excitement for the next-generation!
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Author Carlo Carrasco 