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NoneWarframe is a game that’s full of surprises. At first glance, the team at Digital Extremes is simply making a free-to-play space ninja game. Once I started digging past the surface, I was continually shocked with some new feature coming out of left field: a fighting game, a character creator for a new form, or a different game mode with deep progression trees and unique rewards. The next big Warframe expansion, Warframe 1999 , is going to offer even more big changes, like a climactic battle against a boy band in space. But the new feature I’m most interested in is a romance system. As the game’s protagonist, the Drifter, explores the world of 1999 , they’ll meet the Hex. The Hex are six proto-Warframes who live in the abandoned remains of a mall, and if you play your cards right across a series of IM conversations on old-school CRT monitors, you can smooch one of them on New Year’s Eve. “We always wanted a deeper relationship system in the game — not necessarily romance proper, but something you could be more immersed in,” said Rebecca Ford, creative director on Warframe , in a call with Polygon. Ford then provided examples of the developer’s inspiration: Stardew Valley , Baldur’s Gate 3 , and Fire Emblem. In the early stages of Warframe 1999 , the team realized that the framework would allow for a contextual romance system. “It just happened that during COVID, I read about 25 of [Kathryn Kingsley’s] books,” said Ford. “On the back of all her book covers, it said she was a romance author as well as game designer. I wondered if she would want to take a stab at this, so I just messaged her on LinkedIn, and Kat right away was like, ‘I’m in.’” Kingsley, after joining Digital Extremes, beseeched her own Discord community for help. The Warframe fans in the Discord gave her a crash course in the setting, like the identity of the Drifter, the secrets of the Warframes, and the political factions fighting over the galaxy. Writing around the canon of an 11-year-old game is a tough task, one that Kingsley compared to balancing a Jenga tower. So, the Drifter arrives in this alternate timeline, meets the six members of the Hex, and then gets to chatting. Each member of the Hex has their own typing style, set of interests, and sense of humor. “We wanted to make sure these characters were identifiable, even if you couldn’t remember whose usernames were which, just by the manner in which they speak,” said Kingsley. “So one of the very first things we came up with was a style guide on how each character types.” The player can revisit and redo the events of Warframe 1999 , which means that while a decision might determine the events of that particular campaign, the player isn’t locked into any permanent choices. “Whatever happens, it’s not permanent, if you choose to not let it be permanent,” said Ford. “When we set out designing the experience, we went to look at other live service games with a romance system and quickly found out that, oh, there aren’t any. “It became very quickly clear that we needed an easy way for our players to roll back on choices and give them the freedom to explore and feel safe enough to click choices without having to Google the answers to everything.” The relationship between the Hex and the Drifter isn’t all sweetness and light. The Drifter drops in on their lives with some heavy alternate-universe lore that makes the group question everything they know. “We were really trying to make this a relationship system in parallel to this being a romance system, so you can go through fully platonically and get just as much lore and conversation without having to flirt with or date the characters,” said Kingsley. The Hex maintain a group chat, where the player can find the recognizable progression systems. But the individual IM windows offer their own possibilities, and the player can poke each character about lore, ask probing questions, or try and interest them in some flirting. There are no cosmetic or gameplay rewards associated with romance through the IM system, but after the New Year’s kiss, your love interest will move in with the Drifter and offer some custom dialogue. That opt-in impermanence means that the devs at Digital Extremes felt comfortable giving the players some opportunity to put their foot in their mouth or say something downright rude. “You can definitely be an asshole. I was ashamed at some of the things I’ve said to characters,” said Ford. “I approached these six characters as individual little romance novels — not for video game characters, but actual people. And so there are times where you can say really mean things to them,” said Kingsley. “Sometimes it’s the right thing to do, sometimes it’s the wrong thing to do. You have to know these people well enough to know if it’s the right decision. But the first time [Ford] showed anyone on the team one of my conversations, I swear I thought I was fired. “This isn’t your average video game,” Kingsley went on. “If you ask the character to dump his backstory on you in your first conversation with him, it’s not going to go well. I got told off, and that’s fine. I recovered. It was but a road bump in my blooming romance.” Warframe 1999 has a demo available through Warframe , and is set to arrive free on all platforms this December. Developers at Digital Extremes are also continuing to work on Soulframe , a similarly structured open-world game with slower combat and a big Elden Ring vibe. Gaming Mobile Nintendo PC PlayStation Xbox Warframe
ampueroleonardo/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index contains 66 dividend growth [DG] stocks called the Dividend Aristocrats. With a few exceptions, the Dividend Aristocrats are S&P 500 companies with higher dividend payouts every year for 25 or more years. Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of PG,ADP,JNJ,CTAS,CVX,CB,AFL,GD,PEP,LOW,NEE,ITW,KO,APD,ABBV,MCD,BRO,ATO,TGT,O,ADM either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Apple is poised to expand its retail footprint in the UAE, announcing plans for a fifth store in the region. This development comes as the company’s cumulative investments in the UAE have surpassed $1.6 billion, underscoring the tech giant’s commitment to strengthening its presence in a key international market. The upcoming store, slated to open in Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island, will be the second Apple location in the UAE capital. Described by Apple as a community space to inspire creativity and collaboration, the store aims to offer visitors a comprehensive experience, combining technology, learning opportunities, and Apple’s signature design aesthetic. Special barricades at the site signal the brand’s vision of delivering innovation and premium service to its customers in this new location. The UAE’s strategic position as a global technology and commerce hub has made it a vital region for Apple. With the company’s initial entry into the UAE market dating back to 2015, Apple has continued to invest in both physical and digital infrastructure in the country. Its flagship outlets, including the Marina Mall store in Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates locations, consistently rank among the busiest retail outlets globally. This expansion reinforces Apple’s strategy of integrating its retail presence within the country’s top-tier lifestyle destinations. Beyond retail, Apple’s investments in the UAE also reflect its emphasis on fostering local innovation and talent. The company has been instrumental in advancing digital literacy in the region through educational initiatives such as its “Today at Apple” workshops. These sessions, hosted across its UAE stores, are designed to empower the community by teaching new skills in photography, music, and app development, contributing to the broader digital transformation goals of the UAE. The company’s operations in the region also extend to significant contributions to the UAE’s economy. With over $1.6 billion invested, Apple’s ventures span across various sectors, including retail, technology, and education, while supporting thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Its presence has enhanced the UAE’s standing as a leader in technological adoption and innovation. Apple’s growing footprint aligns with the UAE’s vision of becoming a global technology and innovation leader. By leveraging the country’s advanced infrastructure and a dynamic consumer base, the tech giant has successfully tapped into one of the Middle East’s most lucrative markets. This latest expansion reaffirms Apple’s long-term commitment to the region as it continues to deliver premium services and products tailored to its local audience.PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Electronic Arts Inc. ( NASDAQ:EA – Free Report ) by 20.4% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 50,354 shares of the game software company’s stock after purchasing an additional 8,542 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc.’s holdings in Electronic Arts were worth $7,223,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC purchased a new position in shares of Electronic Arts in the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Electronic Arts in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Family Firm Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Electronic Arts during the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Reston Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Electronic Arts in the third quarter worth $36,000. Finally, Gradient Investments LLC boosted its position in shares of Electronic Arts by 592.1% during the second quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 263 shares of the game software company’s stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 225 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.23% of the company’s stock. Insider Buying and Selling at Electronic Arts In other Electronic Arts news, insider Vijayanthimala Singh sold 7,384 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.91, for a total value of $1,106,935.44. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 31,190 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,675,692.90. This represents a 19.14 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, CEO Andrew Wilson sold 2,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $148.88, for a total value of $372,200.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 56,747 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,448,493.36. This represents a 4.22 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold a total of 31,384 shares of company stock valued at $4,776,635 in the last three months. Company insiders own 0.22% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Read Our Latest Research Report on Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Stock Performance EA stock opened at $166.67 on Friday. Electronic Arts Inc. has a twelve month low of $124.92 and a twelve month high of $168.50. The firm has a market cap of $43.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.85, a PEG ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.78. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $149.36 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $143.84. The company has a quick ratio of 1.43, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. Electronic Arts Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 18th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 27th will be issued a dividend of $0.19 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, November 27th. This represents a $0.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.46%. Electronic Arts’s payout ratio is 19.54%. About Electronic Arts ( Free Report ) Electronic Arts Inc develops, markets, publishes, and distributes games, content, and services for game consoles, PCs, mobile phones, and tablets worldwide. It develops and publishes games and services across various genres, such as sports, racing, first-person shooter, action, role-playing, and simulation primarily under the Battlefield, The Sims, Apex Legends, Need for Speed, and license games from others, including FIFA, Madden NFL, UFC, and Star Wars brands. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Electronic Arts Inc. ( NASDAQ:EA – Free Report ). 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WACO, Texas (AP) — Sawyer Robertson threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns as Baylor won its sixth straight to keep alive its slim hopes for a berth in the Big 12 championship game, beating Kansas 45-17 on Saturday. The Bears (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions in the first half to take a 21-7 lead, then found the end zone on all three of their drives in the third quarter. Bryson Washington ran for 192 yards on 27 carries that included a 10-yard TD run and punching in from the 1 in the second half for Baylor. “I’m proud of that team in the locker room there, just the grit they showed,” Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. “To go through the season we’ve had and not let the outside on the inside, all those things are just really hard.” Kansas (5-7, 4-5) entered on a three-game winning streak — all against ranked teams — to be in position for bowl eligibility with a win. But the Jayhawks had no answers for Baylor’s offense. “It’s extremely disappointing because this team has overcome so much,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “It’s been a roller-coaster year in many ways, and we didn’t fulfill expectations. We battled back. The locker room stayed together. To play a team like this that is playing really well and playing physical, and to do it on the road, is a challenge, and one that we didn’t answer.” Devin Neal ran for 133 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries for Kansas. Jalon Daniels was 12-of-23 passing for 280 yards passing, and had two passes intercepted by Baylor safety Devyn Bobby. Baylor, which started 0-3 in league play, had to wait for the outcomes of games later Saturday. Arizona had to beat Arizona State, Kansas State had to beat Iowa State and Houston had to beat BYU for the Bears to get into next week’s conference title game. “I feel like what is being built here can be sustained because of the quality of people we have," Aranda said. Robertson was 23-for-31 passing, with TDs of 36- and 39-yards to Monaray Baldwin in the first quarter before a 14-yard score to Josh Cameron in the second. Baldwin caught seven passes for 119 yards, and Cameron added eight receptions for 102. “To finish the game and the season the way we did, it’s super special," Robertson said. Kansas: The Jayhawks rarely had issues moving the ball in the first half. Despite trailing 21-10 at intermission, the Jayhawks had outgained Baylor 301-283. Their problems came with holding onto the ball and scoring when they had the chance. Tabor Allen missed a 38-yard field goal to end the Jayhawks’ first possession, and they had promising drives end on a Daniels interception and Tevita Noa fumble after a 39-yard reception. Baylor: The Bears made a remarkable turnaround in the second half of the season. They began the year with coach Dave Aranda’s future considered tenuous at best, and a 2-4 start only made calls for him to be replaced louder. But Aranda and Baylor haven’t lost since Oct. 5 against Iowa State. Baylor’s first two TDs came off the same route from Baldwin, and the second was nearly a replay of the first. Baldwin lined up in the slot to the right side in a one-on-one matchup with Kansas safety Marvin Grant and ran right by him and down the sideline. The only difference in the plays was that Baldwin had to adjust and keep his feet in bounds as he went to the ground in the end zone for the first score. Robertson hit him in stride as he crossed the goal line on the second. “He’s such a good teammate, a good athlete, fun to throw to, because he can run by anybody," Robertson said. "But it was the same route, just different formations.” Kansas’ season is over. Baylor has to wait to see when and where it will play its next game. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Gwamnati ta musanta bullar sabon nau’in cutar COVID-19 a Najeriya