With this product, we delve into a multitude of battles, events, and the military-industrial complex of that era. Every pack comes with a brief historical overview, while the "Specials" pack offers intriguing images accompanied by historical insights. We invite you to relish this journey into the past, as you explore the significant and lesser-known events that played pivotal roles in shaping World War II.


The Invasion of Poland in September 1939 stands as a pivotal moment in world history, marking the beginning of one of the deadliest conflicts ever witnessed - World War II. This invasion was a meticulously planned military campaign orchestrated by Nazi Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, and the Soviet Union, under the leadership of Joseph Stalin. The aggression against Poland was a blatant violation of numerous international agreements and treaties, including the Treaty of Versailles, which had ended World War I.


The invasion itself unfolded with astonishing speed and ferocity. The German military employed their innovative blitzkrieg tactics, characterized by coordinated movements of tanks, infantry, and air support, to overwhelm the Polish defenses. Poland, caught between two formidable adversaries, faced a devastating assault from both east and west. The Polish armed forces fought valiantly, but the overwhelming firepower and superior strategies of the invaders proved too much to bear. Within weeks, Poland was overrun, its cities bombed, and its people subjected to the horrors of war.


The aftermath of the invasion was catastrophic. Poland was divided between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union along the agreed-upon demarcation line in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. This division resulted in the suffering of the Polish population, as both occupiers pursued their own agendas and subjected the Polish people to harsh repression, forced labor, and mass deportations. Meanwhile, the invasion of Poland prompted a swift response from Western democracies. Britain and France, honoring their commitments to support Poland in the event of an attack, declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. This formal declaration marked the escalation of the conflict into World War II, a global conflagration that would last for six years and encompass nearly every corner of the globe.


World War II was a harrowing period in human history, characterized by widespread destruction, the Holocaust, and the loss of an estimated 70-85 million lives. The Invasion of Poland remains a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked aggression and the tragic toll that warfare can exact on nations and individuals alike. It serves as a somber lesson in the importance of diplomacy, international cooperation, and the preservation of peace to prevent such catastrophic conflicts in the future.


Pixel Puzzles WW2 - Instagram
Pixel Puzzles WW2 - Twitter
Pixel Puzzles - Instagram
Pixel Puzzles - Twitter

Items can no longer be dropped via mouse from crafting box
Updated structures sprites
Thom and Matterhole no longer spawn in air environments
Performance update for blocks
New UI look
Increased Y block amount

Come dive into another update for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition! This is a large one with balance changes, bug fixes, and more, PLUS new campaigns are coming to Return of Rome – Ascent of Egypt and The First Punic War! There’s also a fun Return of Rome Event with some awesome challenges and cool rewards – so strap on your sandals and find your shield – everything is all about Rome! Are you ready?

While there are plenty of notable fixes and features to look forward to in today’s build, here’s some of the big highlights coming with this month’s update:

• New Campaigns in Return of Rome:
  
  • Ascent of Egypt
    
  • The First Punic War
• Return of Rome Event!
  
• Bug fixes based on your feedback!

Be sure to dig down into the post below to get all of the smaller details before hopping in-game and checking them out firsthand.

This is just a small taste of what is coming in the latest update. For a more complete list, please visit our site and check out our blog. Happy Gaming!

💬 DISCUSS: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Forum
🗣 JOIN: The Age of Empires Official Discord

Thanks again to our amazing community members, all of whom have helped to make Age of Empires what it is today!

—The Age of Empires Team

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Return of Rome Event

🤍September 6th – September 20th🤍

This month, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is celebrating the latest DLC – Return of Rome – with an all-new event! Join us as we soldier back to ancient Rome and unlock golden centurion statues, testudo formations, and more! So grab your helmets, strap on those sandals, and don your shiny armor – it’s time for the Return of Rome!

And for a touch of nostalgia, we’ve brought back some famous units and effects you might have missed from Age of Empires: Definitive Edition!

New Rewards!

TODAY through September 20th, complete the in-game tasks within the time limit to unlock exclusive rewards!

Event F.A.Q.

🢂 Q: Do I have to complete the challenges on consecutive days?
[expand type=details]While challenges don’t have to be completed on consecutive days, only one challenge can be completed per day.

This means that you will need to play at least five different days to complete all of the challenges.[/expand]
🢂 Q: When is the last day I can complete the daily challenges?
[expand type=details]The Return of Rome Event concludes September 20th.[/expand]
🢂 Q: What do I do if I accidentally unsubscribe from a special mod?
[expand type=details]No problem! All you need to do is click your Profile Icon on the main menu, select Event Mods (under Collection), and then check the unlocked event mod you want to enable![/expand]
🢂 Q: How do I change my profile icon?
[expand type=details]You can update your profile icon in your profile:

1. On the main menu, click the Profile Icon next to your name.
   
2. You should now be in the Profile Icons tab under Collections.
   
3. Select your favorite icon, then click the Select Icon button to lock in your choice.
   
4. You’re done!

[/expand]
🢂 Q: How do I download and enable mods?
[expand type=details]For information about how to subscribe to and prioritize your mods, visit this article.[/expand]

This is just a small taste of what is coming in the latest update. For a more complete list, please visit our site and check out our blog. Happy Gaming!

:alertalert: DISCLAIMER

This list is subject to change and should not be considered a comprehensive list of all the known issues we’re tracking. The above is to inform you of the team’s current priorities, which will change as other issues arise or take precedence.

For the latest updates and announcements, please visit our social channels.

Hotfix 93870

Stability & Performance

• Fixed a few crashes that were introduced in the previous update.
  
• Fixed a performance issue that was introduced in the previous update and was impacting the ranked benchmark.

Achievements

• Achievements for Ascent of Egypt and Punic Wars campaigns are now unlocking properly.

Graphics

• WidgetUI graphics and fonts filter introduced in Update 93001 has been temporarily disabled.
  
  • It is still possible to activate it by using WIDGETUI_FILTER in Launch parameters. The filter has been adjusted to result in less blur on certain resolutions, and to work better with older Graphics Hardware.
• Fixed an issue where graphics issues could occur when starting another match on certain resolutions.

Hotkeys

• Fixed an issue where the Pause/Break key did not work as Pause hotkey.

Multiplayer

• Fixed an issue where recorded games were not uploading correctly.

Gameplay

Fixes

• Fixed an issue where building a Market did not grant Line of Sight of your allies when Shared Exploration was disabled.
  
• Ranged units with Attack < 5 no longer do more damage to buildings than intended in Return of Rome.

1. Clearer UI and Streamlined Achievements:
   We've revamped the user interface (UI) to provide a clearer and more user-friendly experience. Achievements now seamlessly integrate into your gameplay, ensuring that nothing disrupts your farming adventure.
   
   
2. Simultaneous Chick Management:
   Now, you can manage multiple chicks simultaneously, adding depth and efficiency to your farm management. The wise and tired rooster will guide you through this new capability, making your farm life even more enjoyable.
   
   
3. Peaceful Farm Life:
   Say goodbye to interruptions while managing your slumbering chickens. We've resolved issues that were causing crashes, guaranteeing uninterrupted tranquility on your farm.
   
   
4. Top Bar Stability:
   Rotating top bars are a thing of the past. We've addressed issues related to top bars becoming rotated after certain in-game events, ensuring a stable and visually pleasing experience.
   
   
5. Smooth Startup:
   No more startup hiccups. We've eliminated intermittent null references that occasionally surfaced after launching the game, providing a smoother and hassle-free beginning to your farm life.
   
   
6. Wise Rooster's Guidance:
   The wise and tired rooster takes center stage as your guide to clearer gameplay. Rooster events are now expertly managed, enhancing your understanding of the game and its mechanics.
   
   
7. Serene Sunlight and Delightful Animations:
   Experience the serene beauty of daytime sunlight, with soothing hues that elevate the overall atmosphere. Additionally, enjoy smoother chicken animations with randomized speeds, adding a delightful touch to your farm life.
   
   
8. Farming Clarity:
   Get ready for a more intuitive and enjoyable farming experience as the Guidance & Clarity Update takes you by the hand, led by the wise rooster. Discover newfound clarity in your farm management and storytelling.

Some collisions have been revised
The end timer now displays the correct run duration for clients
The end of the game is a little more folkloric Sandway
New languages added
You now play a new character on the Sandway map
Texture problem fixed on first map.


Graffiti added in the first map
Dorliz is now visible in the first map aquarium
A training mode is now available for the second map Sandway
Training areas have been added to the SandWay map
A sound indicator has been added to give clues about hidden objects
Birds have been added in maps
Invert mouse is now available
Addition of several ambient sounds in the last two levels of second map
Objects have been added to prevent the player from jumping into the void on the penultimate level.

The iRacing 2023 Season 4 Release is here! This release contains a boot-load of both content and upgrades for 2023 Season 4, which officially starts on September 12th at 0000 UTC! The iRacing garage expands by FIVE bays to include: Acura ARX-06 GTP, Ferrari 296 GT3, NASCAR Classic Pontiac Grand Prix - 1987, Porsche 963 GTP, and Super Formula SF23. In addition, the iRacing map plants TWO new flags and updates a long-awaited third to include: Circuit de Lédenon, Kern County Raceway Park (Asphalt Track, Dirt Track, Legends, and Dirt Mini Oval), and a complete rebuild of Circuit Zandvoort using 2023 data (Grand Prix, Grand Prix w/ Chicane, Nationaal, and Oostelijk).

Our senior software engineers have continued their mission to squeeze every bit of optimization they can into the Simulator, and have further improved load times from last season as well as reduced the memory required to run iRacing. This has enabled us to allow up to TWELVE different car models to be in the same Session at a time without disrupting performance. Our Spotter system has also continued training from the previous season, and is ready to assist you with a variety of new calls, including: incidents or off-track events are ahead or behind you, reporting on damage taken and repair time estimates, reporting on the Strength of Field for the Session, and warning you when you’re on your last laps or time is running out for the event. A brand new audio feature has been added which can simulate the driver wearing ear protection or the effect of a helmet, adding to the immersion on-track. The Results page has received an overhaul for improved usability, including a fully featured “Find Past Results” button, which provides a bevy of selectable fields and filters to help you find exactly the sessions you want to see.

The New Damage Model has been put into practice on ALL FIVE brand new car models, and it has also been enabled for SEVEN existing car models. Our artificial intelligence trainers have given the green flag for ALL FIVE brand new car models, and for THREE existing car models, as well as all SEVEN non-dirt new race track configs, and ELEVEN existing race track configs. We have also added brand new top-notch vehicle setups for nearly every car in the service. Welcome to iRacing 2023 Season 4!


Season highlights include:

• Acura ARX-06 GTP
  
• Ferrari 296 GT3
  
• NASCAR Classic Pontiac Grand Prix - 1987
  
• Porsche 963 GTP
  
• Super Formula SF23
  
• Circuit de Lédenon
  
• Kern County Raceway Park (Asphalt Track, Dirt Track, Legends, and Dirt Mini Oval)
  
• Circuit Zandvoort, 2023 rescan and full update (Grand Prix, Grand Prix w/ Chicane, Nationaal, and Oostelijk)
  
• SIM Optimizations (Improved loading times, & reduced memory usage footprint)
  
• Ability to load 12 car models per Session
  
• Rolling drag improvements for tires on off-track surfaces
  
• Additional Spotter Calls (Incidents & off-track ahead/behind, damage report, time/laps remaining, and Strength of Field report)
  
• Driver Audio Filters (ear protection and helmet effects)
  
• Results Page overhaul and Search function
  
• New Damage Model for 12 vehicle models [Acura ARX-06 GTP, Dirt UMP Modified, Ferrari 296 GT3, Ford Mustang FR500S, Modified - SK / NASCAR Whelen Tour Modified (both models), NASCAR Classic Pontiac Grand Prix - 1987, NASCAR Xfinity Class Cars (all 3 models), Porsche 963 GTP, and Super Formula SF23]
  
• AI Racing for 8 vehicle models [Acura ARX-06 GTP, ARCA Menards Chevy / Gen 4 Cup (Gen 4 Cup Car), Audi 90 GTO, Ferrari 296 GT3, NASCAR Classic Pontiac Grand Prix - 1987, Nissan GTP ZXT, Porsche 963 GTP, Super Formula SF23]
  
• AI Racing at 18 track configurations [Circuit de Lédenon, Circuit Zandvoort (ALL 4 Configs), Kern County Raceway Park (Asphalt Oval & Legends), The Milwaukee Mile, Nürburgring Grand-Prix-Strecke (Grand Prix w/out Arena, Kurzanbindung w/out Arena, Sprintstrecke), Road Atlanta (Club, Short), and [Legacy] Silverstone Circuit - 2008 (ALL 5 Configs)]
  
• Hundreds of professionally crafted iRacing vehicle setups

Visit our 2023 Season 4 features page here: https://www.iracing.com/seasons/2023-s4/


Read the full 2023 Season 4 Release Nots on the iRacing Forums here: https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/47512/2023-season-4-release-notes-2023-09-05-03

NEW DEMO!!!

• In case you missed it: Recently we released a big new update to the public demo! (Version 5.2)
  
• We’ve been keeping up to date with player feedback on the demo and releasing lots of tweaks and improvements along the way! 
  
• Find all the patch notes in our Steam announcements to see what’s been updated!
  
• Try the new demo and let us know what you think!!!

Speaking of player feedback, here are some incredible responses that we received about the latest demo update:

“The previous demo made me excited for the full game. This new demo increased that excitement tenfold!” -Tonite

“Isles of Sea and Sky is a game I cannot sing enough praises about. It is an absolute masterclass of design on every level that I highly recommend to anyone.” -SapphireDrew

"After speedrunning the game for so long, Isles of Sea and Sky's latest demo reminded me of why I fell in love with this game to begin with. It truly refills the sense of mystery and wonder that keeps you exploring to learn more about the world." -Adventium_

 "When I first played..., I was reminded of my childhood. Playing this new Demo, the same feeling remained if it didn't get stronger… [it] added a new layer of mystery... that has me really excited for the full game!" -Pendragon

"I love when a game surprises me. There's so many mysteries and secrets in the game that a surprise awaits you every turn. The demo is a good reminder that this game is very special and I absolutely cannot wait for the release! " -dackid

 "Every demo update... continues to iterate, evolve, and improve the game, bringing me a sense of joy and wonder each time. The team's passion and dedication has been evident to me from the first moment I first washed up on the beach in-game. I can't wait to experience the masterpiece that will be the full game!" -CyberSe7en

“[Isles of Sea and Sky] manages to take everything I love about gaming and condenses it into one awesome package, it's not even out yet but I feel like I've gotten more from it than even the highest budget titles.” -MartianBlobfish

“I really liked how there were no instructions so that you learned by just butting your head against things. I didn't need any outside help but it still felt challenging. I think the cleverest the game made me feel was figuring out when things were connected that weren't on the same screen.” -archcorenth

Thank you for all the wonderful feedback!

What We’ve Been Up To

• Milestone 4 continues to progress by leaps and bounds. Check out a new teaser screenshot from Milestone 4 on Kickstarter.
  
• We continue to helplessly flail on social media. Here’s a little round up, help us out with likes, subscribes, follows, winks, uptweets, revotes, chain emails, swiping right, MySpace, etc:
  
• Check out this banger on Tiktok (How It Started vs. How It’s Going)
  
• Another fun Tiktok about a fire elemental bug.
  
• A sneak peek at a river puzzle on Twitter.
  
• A recent post on r/Games Indie Sunday.

The Leftfield Collection
We are unbelievably stoked to share with you that Isles of Sea and Sky will be a part of The Leftfield Collection at EGX from October 12-15! If you’re going to EGX, come try our new show demo!

Thank You!
We value your feedback and suggestions, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or comments. Follow us on TikTok and Twitter and join our rapidly growing community on Discord to join in on the conversation.

Sign up for our mailing list!

Wishing you smooth sailing and clear skies,
Cicada Games

Hello Survivors!

Today we bring to you A21.2 with an all new "Death Penalty" setting, allowing you to choose between different penalties for someone's demise, including a total wipe of your character.
For dedicated servers you will need to have this line in the serverconfig to start fresh or continue an old save:
<property name="DeathPenalty" value="1" /> <!-- Penalty after dying. 0 = Nothing. 1 = Default: Classic XP Penalty. 2 = Injured: You keep most of your debuffs. Food and Water is set to 50% on respawn. 3 = Permanent Death: Your character is completely reset. You will respawn with a fresh start within the saved game. -->

To opt in and give feedback follow these steps:

1. Right click on the game in steam
   
2. Click on properties
   
3. Click the “betas” tab
   
4. The drop down menu will have latest_experimental available <— you want THAT
   
5. Select that and wait for the game to download

We wish everyone a lot of fun with this experimental version!

Here is what changed since A21.1:

A21.2 b14

Added

• Death Penalty settings
  
• #cacti and #ember_piles as new bit actions for Twitch.
  
• #spoil_boxes bit command for Twitch.
  
• #mixup bit Twitch action to mixup the backpack and toolbelt items.
  
• Three bit teleports for Twitch as Extras.
  
• #blind bit action to blind the target and their party for 10 seconds.
  
• #destroy_toolbelt bit action that destroys all the items in a target's toolbelt.
  
• Dismantle Vehicle bit action to break down a vehicle into parts.
  
• Rename_signs bit action to rename all the signs / containers in your land claim area.
  
• Unload Ammo bit action that unloads all weapons in your toolbelt / backpack.
  
• Lost Twitch bit action that removes all map data and waypoints and teleports you a short random distance away.
  
• Player Inventory Preference System.
  
• Tall Cacti have a bottom cap
  
• Player will be teleported from the full trader protected area during a blood moon

Changed

• Increased max particles of a type per entity to 3
  
• Lock AdminTools queries while reloading so no invalid state can be received
  
• Descriptions for teleports now show the distances.
  
• Set AllowedRotations property to No45 on Land Claim Blocks to prevent clipping
  
• Enabled mesh collider convex on various doors to prevent players from getting stuck in them
  
• Updated collider on modularFireWoodStackC to allow projectiles to pass around them easier
  
• Bird nest material and max damage to match particles and sound when harvested
  
• Updated collider for brick_half_destroyed04
  
• Updated colliders for couchModernCorner to allow projectiles to pass around them easier
  
• Removed Damage Mitigation from Grandpa's Moonshine and Pain Killers to prevent 100% or higher buff stack up
  
• Reworked values for WaterChangeOT for Pain Killers, Steroids, Recog, and Fort Bites to match the new durations
  
• Reduced Damage Mitigation of Fort Bites from 50 to 40
  
• Reduced water loss of Fort Bites from 30 to 20
  
• Updated localization of Physician ranks 2 and 4 to reflect the 20 and 40% crafting time reduction to items in the chem station
  
• Updated localization for critical hits journal tip
  
• Updated tags on zombieBurntFeral to include "walker"
  
• Updated some logging for mod loading for better readability

Fixed

• Double Barrel Shotgun zooms while in hipfire position. Additional change made which increases the range for the AoE knockback of Repulsor mod to be in line with the shock radius (both are now 1.3).
  
• Non visible downgrade, destroy and death particles due to origin
  
• Particles were tracking for none entity id and for forced creation
  
• Reloading toolbelt window group causes exceptions on picking up/dropping items
  
• Player names in persistent data now get updated when logging in again
  
• Server permissions file no longer reloaded on own changes, only actual external changes
  
• Error message on failing to load an AssetBundle now includes the requested filename again
  
• Buried Supplies quests keep the Twitch Quest Cooldown active after quest complete.
  
• Reading a treasure map or using glass while in the modification menu messes up the UI
  
• When loading into the prefab editor for the first time, it lets you build without clicking Create New Prefab, leading to inability to save work
  
• #setbitpot does not show correct localization.
  
• Issue that could cause food to not fill up all the way if moving on respawn
  
• World creation had the default size set to 8 (now 4096)
  
• World Creation window combobox for world size now shows all valid values from 1024 to 10240
  
• Random Teleports would not teleport you within a POI bounds.
  
• Opening a container directly above the treasure cache will complete treasure quests
  
• Mixup did not work on vehicles.
  
• Players stuck in closed commercial doors v1v3
  
• Rain particles do not collide with glass
  
• Issues with curing sprained leg and arm at the same time
  
• Issue with buffs that caused Goldenrod Tea and Pure Mineral Water to play the "player sick" sounds after consumption
  
• Issue with harvesting camping chairs
  
• Switching from ADS to hands with num keys will result in stretched arms
  
• Roadside_checkpoint_05 rollup door open/close state alternates on chunk load
  
• For clients on dedi swicthes powered by generators may not always function in non power restore quests when they should always have power
  
• Triggers sometime stops working after a POIReset
  
• Switch triggers can load in a broken state which is directly tied to a player save, some switches alternate between states with game reloads
  
• For clients on dedi swicthes powered by generators may not always function in non power restore quests when they should always have power

Greetings players!

We are keep sending beta keys and granting access via Steam playtest!

For closed beta testers who are willing to share more feedback with us, you can complete a survey here:

https://forms.gle/zPgE34yzdhFc1zX76


After the test has ended, we may select a few of the players who submitted the most helpful feedback and send them official game keys upon the game's release.

As always, thanks for the support!

USC:CF v0.30.2a, build 230906

MISCELLANEOUS

• Added missing Simplified Chinese translation to Defend the Base! Encyclopedia entries and all new interface elements (including the Weapon Prototypes system). Thank you very much for your patience!