News

Fortnite Season 4 Adds A New Map, Dirt Bikes & More

Plus, a fresh battle pass lets you play as the Witcher, Geralt of Rivia or Doom Slayer from Doom and Doom Eternal.

Published

2 years ago

December 5, 2022

Nour Nasir

fortnite season 4 adds a new map, dirt bikes, and more

Epic Games

After an explosive finale to the third chapter of Fortnite, a fresh season has arrived, with a completely new island for players to wage battle over.

The new map features a bunch of landmarks that draw inspiration from fantasy themes, including a castle dubbed “The Citadel” that’s home to “The Ageless Champion”, as well as “Anvil Square”, a medieval town surrounded by autumn foliage. On another part of the island, players can explore an abandoned farm with the ominous title of “The Frenzy Fields”.

As well as a scenic new map, chapter four of Fortnite introduces updated gameplay elements. Dirt bikes called Trail Thrashers allow players to perform stunts and tricks while firing their weapons from the saddle. When on foot, it’s now possible to vault over obstacles by sprinting into them, and you can also use a pickaxe to create a snowball which can be rolled over enemies.

One of the game’s most intriguing new elements is being dubbed Reality Augments, which lets you choose between two random buffs you can keep until your character dies, or you win a match.

Also Read: Nvidia Announces RTX 6000 Ada Professional GPU

As for the behind-the-scenes technical updates, Epic has updated Fortnite to the newest version of Unreal Engine, and players on the latest platforms will now enjoy ray-traced reflections and other graphical improvements.

Finally, this season’s battle pass includes the ability to play as Doom Slayer, the protagonist of Doom and Doom Eternal, as well as Geralt of Rivia, the lead character from the Witcher. If you’re excited to get started on chapter four, season one of Fortnite, then you’ll be pleased to know the game is available to play right now.

News

Viasat Satellite Messaging Tech Showcased In Saudi Arabia

The direct-to-device (D2D) demonstration highlighted the technology’s potential to revolutionize remote communication.

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2024

Nour Nasir

viasat satellite messaging tech showcased in saudi arabia

Satellite communications firm Viasat announced yesterday that it had completed its first demonstration of direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity technology in Saudi Arabia. The live broadcast took place during the “Connecting the World from the Skies” event in Riyadh, organized by Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST) alongside the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Attendees witnessed successful satellite-based two-way messaging and SOS alerts sent using commercial Android smartphones and a combination of Viasat’s robust L-band satellite network and the Bullitt over-the-top messaging app. Signals were transmitted using the company’s L-band spacecraft positioned over the Indian Ocean, while the infrastructure for 3GPP NTN services was deployed by Viasat’s partner Skylo.

Sandeep Moorthy, Viasat’s Chief Technical Officer, emphasized the significance of the demonstration, explaining, “By expanding our direct-to-device innovation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we’re showcasing the potential for D2D services in the fast-growing Gulf and Asia-Pacific region. D2D could help reduce barriers to connectivity in regions where terrestrial services are spotty and unavailable to help transform industries and supply chains, enable new opportunities, and to become more efficient, sustainable and safer. We’d like to thank the CST for their support in carrying out this exciting demonstration”.

Also Read: Joby Begins Construction Of Dubai’s First Vertiport For Air Taxis

D2D technology allows devices like smartphones, vehicles, and industrial equipment to connect seamlessly to both satellite and terrestrial networks. Unlike traditional satellite setups, D2D eliminates the need for extra hardware, thanks to emerging global standards that are gaining traction among satellite operators, mobile network providers, and tech manufacturers.

What makes this approach particularly promising is that Viasat uses a licensed, dedicated satellite spectrum to deliver its D2D services. This avoids any interference with existing terrestrial networks, allowing smooth integration with mobile network operators in the future.

The demonstration clearly showed the potential of D2D technology to bridge connectivity gaps in remote regions while opening up opportunities for innovation, improved safety, sustainability, and efficiency.