Ben Cherry M, Author at Hard Drive

Call of Duty MW3 Text Chat Guide: How to Type in Game Chat

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Noah Hunter

Want to know how to type in game chat in CoD MW3? When playing multiplayer in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, it’s imperative that you communicate with your teammates. Sometimes, this might mean in non-traditional methods that don’t include a mic or audio. The best method is to utilize the game chat feature in MW3.

For those who played Modern Warfare 2, you’ll know that this feature was available in that title. You’ll be happy to hear that it essentially works the exact same, so you’ll just need to follow the below instructions to enable and access game chat.

How to Enable Text Chat in Modern Warfare 3

First, you must ensure this feature is active for you in MW3. This can be done in the settings menu, so follow these steps. Regardless of your platform of choice, the same steps and settings apply.

Open Settings.
Head to the Account & Network section.
Move down on the menu to the Content Filters tag.
Hovering over the Text Chat setting, move the switch to ‘ON’.

How to Type in MW3 Game Chat

Game chat is available on all platforms. It’s not a PC-exclusive feature, nor do you need a connected keyboard to type on a console. Follow the below steps to access the game chat menu for both console and PC.

PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 & Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S (MW3 Text Chat)

Press down on the options button. This will take you to the sidebar menu.
Here, tab over with R1 to Channels. The icon is a pair of headphones.
Select Party / Game Channel.
Tab over once in the Game Channel menu with R1. This will take you to the Text Chat box.
Select the text box and enter your message.

PC (Steam or Battle.net)

When in game, press enter on your keyboard. Make sure you are in Match chat. If not, use the Tab key to switch to Game or Match chat instead of Party chat.
Type in your message and press enter once again.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to use text chat in MW3 with no problems at all! If you plan on diving into multiplayer, check out all maps in Call of Duty: MW3 on launch day.

Call of Duty MW3 Battle Pass Guide: Can You Gift the Battle Pass?

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Noah Hunter

The Call of Duty Battle Pass has been a staple in the series since Warzone was released in 2020. This is no different with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. If you’re playing MW3 with friends and feel like gifting someone the Battle Pass, can you do so?

This great feature allows everyone to join in on the fun of completing the Battle Pass, even if they cannot purchase it themselves. Each pass has rewards that can create unique game experiences. Here’s what you need to know about gifting the Battle Pass in this year’s Call of Duty.

Can You Gift the Battle Pass in MW3?

Unfortunately, you can not gift the Battle Pass in MW3 at this time. This is a feature that was removed with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and it has not been added back with MW3. Those who played the original release of Warzone will remember that this feature was available in that iteration.

It is unclear why this feature has been removed. At this time, we do not have guidance on whether or not it will be returning in the future. For those still wanting to gift the Battle Pass to a friend, you can always send money outside of the game since there is no gifting system.

How to Buy the MW3 Battle Pass

If you want to buy the Battle Pass, you can do so in the MW3 in-game store. Like previous passes, this will cost 1000 COD Points, translating to $10. The pass will have 1300 COD Points to earn, so if you do not spend them, you can pay for the next Battle Pass free of charge. It’s worth noting that if you pre-ordered the Vault Edition of the game, you will have access to the Battle Pass and 50 Tier Skips immediately.

Are you looking to get a head start on map familiarization? Check out all MW3 multiplayer maps right here!

Live-Action ‘Akira’ Movie Dismissed As Old Tale Told To Scare Misbehaving Children

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Jacob Colliver

HOLLYWOOD – Decades-old rumors of a potential live-action Akira remake have once again been dismissed as a frightening myth told to naughty kids.

“There’s simply no proof,” scriptwriter Sheryl Spade confirmed. “It’s a blunt way for parents to keep young anime fans in line and nothing more. So many children from the early 2000’s will recall that if they didn’t stop watching Toonami’s Midnight Run and get a good night’s sleep, the scary Hollywood producer would come and bastardize another beloved classic. Of course the film industry has its dark corners, but butchering one of the most beloved and influential animated films of all time and reanimating it with human flesh? For what, money? What a macabre fantasy.”

The 1988 Japanese cyberpunk extravaganza has long been dogged by baseless horror tales, ranging from goofy campfire stories about Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham Carter being cast as baddies through to the gruesome insistence of a PG-13 rating.

“Every generation has an urban legend like this,” film historian Caitlyn Vandesh explained. “The release dates change and the actors change, but it’s all the same core scares adapted to the pop culture of the time. Early interpretations had Gary Whitta cackling maniacally when Katsuhiro Otomo gave him permission to reinterpret everything. There are versions where the directors are cursed as well, like the one where Stephen Norrington was attached in 2002, but his career was slain by The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie. There’s one floating around schoolyards recently where Taika Waititi was on-board, but he directed Thor: Blood & Thunder instead. Sure, guys. And Marylin Manson removed one of his ribs too, right?”

Despite all reassurances, filmgoers remain on their toes. Akira holds a deep spiritual significance for many, and superstitious fans have been known to look for supposed apocalyptic “signs” in everyday occurrences, such as people yelling their friend’s name across a stadium or a motorbike doing a totally sick sideways slide.

“I’m not scared,” anime fan Bryn Splath denied, shaking. “It’s just, after Death Note and everything… You can’t deny there’s sick people in the world. It’s just plausible enough. Every time I hear about a new producer credit or a casting interest, I just keep repeating to myself: ‘It’s only a Screen Rant puff-piece. It’s only a Screen Rant puff-piece.’ That’s not real. It can’t be, right? …Right?”

At press time, new urban myths have sprouted up saying that the success of Netflix’s One Piece was simply a fluke.

Atlus Somehow Leaks GTA 6 Trailer Early

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Parker Johnson

After leaking their own game, Persona 5 Tactica, on Steam early on Wednesday morning, beloved RPG developer ATLUS has somehow managed to leak the highly-anticipated trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6.

“What the hell?” said Rockstar Games president Sam Houser. “We work hard to make some of the most profitable… I mean, impactful games on the market. A big part of that is the hype cycle. First we had the announcement of our trailer spoiled early, now this company that we’ve literally never had anything to do with leaks our trailer? The day after they leaked their own game? At some point, you just have to be impressed by how good they are at leaking.”

The trailer was posted late at night on the ATLUS West Twitter account, with the simple caption “get a load of this shit.” Even executives at the company are still baffled by the seeming rampant trend of leaks associated with the company.

“For the millionth time, I have no idea who the leaker is.” ATLUS West CEO Naoto Hiraoka said in an interview. “Leaking our trailers and even releasing our own games early is one thing, but how the hell did they get their hands on the GTA 6 trailer? No complaints from me though. Our social media numbers are looking better than ever.”

Fans seemed to confirm the rise in the developer’s social media presence, sharing the account with friends in hopes of getting exclusive leaks.

“At first, I just followed for details on new Persona news,” said Rhett Grandfield, a longtime follower of ATLUS across social media. “Getting the leaked trailers for Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Tactica early was pretty cool. But the GTA 6 trailer? I’m going to be turning on post notifications for sure.”

At the time of publication, the mysterious ATLUS leaker was reportedly planning to release the Super Mario Odyssey 2 ROM on the company’s website.

In Anticipation Of The Zelda Movie Here’s Our Top 20 Complaints

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Gabe Porter

Like a horrifically visaged moon, the impending release of The Legend of Zelda movie is descending upon us whether we like it or not, bringing with it death and destruction in its wake. Luckily, we are armed with a whole laundry list of complaints for such an occasion. By having these laid out in an easily accessible article, I’m sure Nintendo will concede and allow me to direct the movie instead because, really, I’m the only one who can do it justice. So, let’s begin.

#1 —The Director Sucks

Nintendo has announced that director Wes Ball will be handling the Zelda movie. Wow, already off to a horrific start. Couldn’t get anyone else besides the Maze Runner guy? Yeah, I’ve never seen those movies, but I’m sure they’re lame as hell.

#2 — They Announced It In A Tweet

This is how you know Nintendo thinks this is gonna suck. They didn’t even announce it in a Direct. Instead they just shat it out in a tweet like it was a 15% off deal on Breath of the Wild. Obviously that means they know it’s going to be a piece of shit.

#3 — The Producer Is Evil

Miyamoto named one other person in his tweet – Avi Arad, the producer. This is a huge red flag. Arad is the same guy who forced Sam Raimi to include Venom in Spider-Man 3, leading to that movie sucking eggs! Hopefully he doesn’t force Nintendo to include him in here as well.

#4 — It’s Not Animated

The colorful world of Hyrule just isn’t suited for live action. It should have been animated – preferably by Studio Ghibli, so I can just watch Princess Mononoke again. Also, now it can’t even be connected to the Mario Bros. movie. There goes my film treatment for Super Smash Bros.

#5 — The Actors Are Gonna Be Bad

We all know where this is going. Next Direct be ready for a Pratt-level meltdown from me and the other true Zelda fans when they inevitably announce Timothée Chalamet or Tom Holland as Link.

#6 — No Way Link Can Be A Good Character

Link is a mute, and has no personality. There’s simply no way that they can make him interesting, he exists only as the ‘link’ between the game and the player. So unless I get to choose every line of dialogue he says, his entire purpose and origin has been discarded.

#7 — It Should’ve Been Kirby, Damnit

Out of all the Nintendo characters and series they could have chosen, why not Kirby? It would be a true cinematic experience, watching that pink puff-ball run around on the big screen. Better than whatever garbage they’re going to make with the Zelda movie.

#8 — The Legend of Zelda Can’t Work As A Movie

This series is so engrained with video gamey stuff that there’s absolutely no way that they can put it in another medium. Well, except for the mangas, those were alright.

#9 — It’s Going To Make Zelda Mainstream

With this movie, no longer will Zelda be a niche game series. There’s going to a huge influx of new fans, each of which I already hate. They don’t have the same understanding of the series as me, cause they didn’t start with playing Ocarina of Time.

#10 — The Dialogue Will Be Cringey

Hope you’re ready for Zelda to say ‘Well THAT just happened!’ when Ganon comes and destroys her castle.

#11 — Sony Is Involved

Sony Pictures is involved with this movie, and I can’t believe I had to type that. As a loyal Nintendo soldier who hates just about anything with the Sony branding, I simply cannot think of a reason why Nintendo would choose to work with their heated rival like this. I thought they learned their lesson with the failed Nintendo PlayStation in the 90’s. Shaking my damn head.

#12 — Going To Kiddify Zelda

They’re going to make sure that even kids can enjoy this movie, and completely ruin the nuanced and sophisticated world of the Zelda series. As an adult, I need any and all media I consume to be dark and mature, like me. Not since Wind Waker came out have I been this worried about the future of this game series.

#13 — The Writer Is Awful

Who did Nintendo get to write their Zelda movie? The guy who wrote The Rise Of Skywalker. Yeah, that one. If he thought the Star Wars fans were bad, just wait till he gets a load of us.

#14 — Have To Go To Theater To See It

Unlike a video game, the superior medium, I’m going to have to leave the house to see this movie. I can’t wait to dish out like 50 bucks to see this thing, including pop and snacks, then have to be surrounded by the general public. Truly horrific.

#15 — Going To Have A Horrible Soundtrack

The Zelda series has a long list of iconic songs and tunes. So, I can’t wait to listen to the dregs of the Billboard Top 100. Or, even worse, a bunch of 80’s songs.

#16 — Will Ruin Zelda’s Character

Zelda is a damsel in distress, but I’m sure Nintendo will make it so that she’s a girlboss or something. She should only act as Link’s motivation, but nope, they’ll make it woke garbage instead.

#17 — Will Get The Lore Wrong

The process of adaptation means that they will take some creative liberties with the lore. Stuff like the Twili and the Zonai will be absolutely ruined. What a joke. I didn’t watch a cumulative total of 500 hours of video essays on Zelda lore just to have to learn something new.

#18 — Could’ve Made A New Game

With the budget that this movie will have, they could have made a brand new Zelda game, hell they probably could have made two! But no, they have to make a stupid movie that doesn’t even play on my Switch instead.

#19 — Will Completely Mess Up The Timeline

The Zelda timeline is a delicate balance of planning and pure bullshit. Now, with a movie in the mix, there will have to be significant changes. Will this take place in the child timeline or adult timeline? I’m sure these are not what they were thinking about, unfortunately.

#20 — Tingle Should Never Be Put To Film

This character should stay in the digital space. I’m actually scared as to the repercussions of making an actual human play as Tingle. Will they make him hot? Will he be a creep? These are the questions that keep me awake at night until I inevitably pre-order my tickets to see the movie at midnight.

Team of Literary Scholars Stuck Debating if Mr. Darcy’s Power Level Higher Than Don Quixote’s

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Gabe Porter

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Yale University’s most respected and accredited literary scholars have been stuck debating the power levels of various famous book characters for nearly a week, it’s been reported.

“Obviously, Don Quixote’s many adventures through Spain make him the clear GOAT,” head of English Studies Felisa Berger said. “Mr. Darcy’s nothing but a little Englishman bitch. His money basically ensured he’d never face any true difficulties other than his tumultuous love life. I don’t see how anyone could ever think he has a chance in hell at beating Don Quixote. Sure he’s crazy, but honestly that’s another point for Don. Mr. Darcy wouldn’t know what hit his ass.”

This evolution of literary discussion was seen as inevitable by some.

“At this point, what else do we have to talk about?” professor Edward Gilmore said. “You’ve got decades of research and debate over the themes and merits of these works. So, why not spend our time talking about the power scaling of the literary canon? Not like we ever got much farther in our other debates. Besides, this stuff does gangbusters on YouTube Shorts.”

Others hate the notion that this is what they have been reduced to.

“This whole fight is laughable. I can’t believe this is what we’ve been reduced to,” stated professor Daniel Parnell. “We used to be the world’s foremost experts on literature. Now we debate this. And first off, the time and locations don’t add up, so there’s no way that they’d ever even be near each other to fight. Besides, we all know that Mr. Darcy would beat the shit out of that fake conquistador, no cap.”

At press time, though the team was still quarreling, they were all able to agree that the books are still “peak fiction”.

Video Game With Four Emote Options Perfectly Matches Gamer’s Range of Emotions

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Jon Ruggiero

WICHITA, Kan. — Local gamer Tad Frassley is happy that he has discovered a competitive online game that only has four emotes, mirroring his simple emotional palate.

Frassley, a 12-year-old stuck inside a 34-year-old, has become an avid fan of card-battler StacksWorldz after discovering how little emotion you have the ability to convey in the game.

“It’s, like, depressing to play a game and have all these different emotions you can do,” Frassley said using the sad emote. “Worst yet, all the different feelings and stuff change between games. How am I supposed to tell ‘jaunty’ in one game from ‘jovial’ in a different one? Like, what even is ‘swagger’? I don’t get it, man; all I need is a small list of emotes to let people know what I think.

StacksWorldz, a card-battling roguelike WW2 RPG MMO with a story about magic teenage alien zombies, has only four reactions that players can use: happy, angry, sad, and confused. That’s not many compared to other card games on the market, but that’s a selling point for Frassley.

“That’s why StacksWorldz fuckin’ rules; doesn’t have all that bullshit, “ Frassley continued, angrily emoting. “It’s just got the four buttons you can press to tell the other guy how you feel about his last move, and that’s all you need. I mean, look at Baldur’s Gate 3; do you know how many emotionally fraught conversations and situations you can get into in that? Too many– it sucks. I have no idea what people are trying to tell me through body language and tone of voice in that stupid game.”

As of press time, Frassley claimed he was quitting StacksWorldz after he was confused by the new paid premium emote that was added to convey “disappointment”.

Attention All Deckbuilding Sickos: You Gotta Play Cobalt Core

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Parker Johnson

Ever since falling in love with Slay the Spire around 4 years ago, I’ve been trying to find a deckbuilding game that can in some ways live up to it. After popularizing, if not inventing, the roguelike deckbuilding genre, many games have tried to emulate its success. Cobalt Core, a new game developed by Rocket Rat Games and published by Brace Yourself Games of Crypt of the Necrodancer fame, gives me more of what I love and blazes its own path in the roguelike-deckbuilding subgenre.

In the gameplay department, fans of Spire or other deckbuilding games will feel entirely at home. When you start a run, you’ll get to choose three pilots to man your ship. These pilots will determine what cards will be available to you throughout your run. Each pilot has their own specialty, ranging from building shield, risky offense, or using drones to do your dirty work for you. Some of these specialties will be familiar to fans of the genre, but others are pretty unique to the genre.

Speaking of “unique to the genre,” Cobalt Core’s ship system is perhaps what makes it feel most fresh. Instead of fighting with a character or party of characters, you fight in ship-vs-ship combat. It seems minute, but this adds more to manage: you can move your ship to dodge attacks, target weak points, or get behind cover. I didn’t know how much of a change this would be, but playing for myself, a surprising amount of depth gets added to the combat from this seemingly-minute change.

Instead of trying to just build up shield, you can use movement cards to dodge out of the way. You could block the attack with a drone. You could use a stun attack to prevent the enemy from acting. There’s a myriad of possibilities, depending on the combination of pilots and ship you choose.

The presentation is just as creative as the gameplay, too. A cute pixel art style is accompanied by a synth-heavy soundtrack. Usually, playing a deckbuilding game is my opportunity to catch up on podcasts or listen through some Spotify playlists. However, I more often than not found myself zoning out to the chill battle themes and humming along in this game instead. It’s easily the most stylized deckbuilders I’ve played in recent memory.

The writing in Cobalt Core complements that presentation well, with a lot of conversations to be had between pilots, your ship’s AI, and the numerous fun NPCs you meet along your journeys. There’s also a bit of a story to the game that, admittedly, I haven’t found the time to see to its end. However, as you complete cycles and learn more about the mysterious time loop and titular Cobalt Core, it seems like there’s some interesting things to learn. The story & writing probably won’t be the main attraction that keeps you coming back, but cute banter between your crewmates is a fun extra cherry on top of some of the incredibly fun package.

Overall, after roughly 15 hours of playtime, Cobalt Core stands out in a crowded year as one of my favorites, evoking things I love about roguelikes and giving me new features to appreciate, too. If you love Slay the Spire, play Cobalt Core. If you like roguelikes, play Cobalt Core. If you’re a fan of cute animals, play Cobalt Core. Really, you should just play Cobalt Core. It’s out on Nintendo Switch & Steam right now, and it’s perfect for portable play.

A Steam code for review was provided by Brace Yourself Games.

ACTUALLY: This is Dr. Mario and This is Dr. Mario’s Monster

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Garry Kerls

Video game discourse on the internet is a slippery slope. Passionate gamers will leave their blood, sweat and tears in the comment section fighting for their correct opinion. But there is one argument that needs to be sealed away once and for all: Dr. Mario is the Doctor, and Dr. Mario’s Monster is the protagonist of the mainline Super Mario games.

For years I have argued with misinformed gamers about this certain reality. How else could “Mario” jump that high, run that fast, and grow that big without years of genetic modifications carried out by Dr. Mario? Dozens of surgeries and experiments have been conducted to turn the once ordinary plumber into a Koopa killing machine.

It’s true that Dr. Mario’s Monster is the main character of the story, but calling him “Mario” is an insult to the brilliant man behind this marvel of scientific engineering. A trailblazer in gene splicing tanooki and elephant DNA with humans to create the modern super soldier.

This isn’t to say we agree with the actions of Dr. Mario as he pushes the limits of the human condition. Like Sisyphus, Dr. Mario’s Monster is forced to endure endless torture. Constantly having to rescue the “princess” is nothing more than an immortal punishment for the Doctor’s man-made abomination.

The Super Mario series is an exploration into the danger of scientific endeavors left unchecked. Shigeru Miyamoto has authored a modern day Frankenstein story set in a fantastical world of stars and mushrooms. Casual gamers who refuse to read between the lines will forever make a fool of themselves when referring to “Mario” in Reddit threads and Discord servers alike.

So do your part, and spread the word to every gamer you know: Dr. Mario is the Doctor, and Dr. Mario’s Monster is the guy in the red hat.

‘Simpsons’ Writers Confirm Homer Will Now Only Beat Bart With a Belt

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Joe Tilleli

After a staggering 30 years on television, beloved adult animated series The Simpsons is retiring the running gag that has had viewers in a chokehold since its debut. Going forward, Homer Simpson will no longer be wrapping his fingers around his mischievous son’s neck. Instead, they’ll be securely clutching the black leather of his belt as he beats Bart senseless.

“I’m happy to move on,” said Matt Selman, showrunner of The Simpsons. “Homer strangling Bart — this was an adequate way to discipline children back in the 90s. But that simply isn’t enough anymore. Kids today are always on their damn phones. It takes a more deliberate beating with lasting bruises to get them to listen up.”

In a recently aired episode, Marge remarks how proud she is of Homer for no longer strangling the boy. This occurs during a conversation in which she gifts her husband a new belt without blood on it.

“We’re okay changing with the times,” stated Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson for 35 seasons. “A few years back, we got called out for having a white man voice the Indian immigrant storeowner, Apu. Now, my colleague Hank Azaria is more than happy to rectify that situation by recording all his lines in brownface. Standards evolve and people can too.”

At press time, the official The Simpsons Twitter account tweeted a post encouraging artists drawing incestual fanart to only depict choking among the family members as consensual.