Featured

What is Escape from Tarkov?

Published

5 years ago

January 30, 2020

Calin

By Jim Jones

An almost four-year-old video game, marred with controversial comments made by a developer and a two year long closed beta, managed to gain an explosion of popularity on Twitch in the last few weeks. The hardcore, realistic first-person shooter “Escape from Tarkov” is suddenly the biggest thing on Twitch.

Supported by a guerrilla-style marketing campaign, the game managed to crown itself with the top spot on Twitch. It managed to surpass the likes of League of Legends and the popular Fortnite. Not many games have managed to gain as much popularity in such a short amount of time.

The game is unforgiving and soul-crushingly difficult. A few well-placed shots can end your session. Your character can bleed to death from an open wound. You’ll have moments where you’ll prefer getting a paper cut on your eyeball. Yet despite its grueling difficultly, it’s an exciting game populated with AI enemies and cynical players who almost always have better gear than you.

In the last few weeks, many viewers have been watching these top ten streamers. Many of these streamers have of been playing Escape From Tarkov long before its popularity spike. However, their recent Twitch streams have kept viewers hooked and coming back for more.

So, what sparked the game’s recent popularity? How has a serious-toned game managed to leave Twitch viewers laughing hysterically at the expense of streamers undergoing mental breakdowns?

Entering Tarkov

Escape from Tarkov shows its individuality early on with its RPG-like elements inside an FPS. Developed by Battlestate Games, it’s touted as a “military-grade combat simulator” because of its realistic features. The vast number of weapons available in the game are inspired by real Russian and NATO weapon models. Everything from its ballistic modeling to the minor aesthetic details adds to the game’s hardcore realism.

Like any military simulator, you’ll need some serious situational awareness.

You’ll have enemies running towards you in densely lit hallways and warehouses, leaving you with moments of panic and thrills. Flying bullets from a distance will have you playing “Where’s Waldo?” You’ll find yourself low on ammo from time to time. You could easily shoot your teammates during raids. You’ll need to dodge, run away, sprawl, monitor your players status and count your bullets well to survive against AI enemies and online players alike.

Its comprehensive modification system adds an extra layer of complexity. Strategic use of weapon modifications and gear can influence how effective you are in the battlefield. Adding proper Reflex sights, stocks, barrels and even taking advantage of stronger ammunition rounds can make or break your experience. Following the right guide can give you an advantage over the most experienced players. Tarkov’s equipment and modification system force you to rummage through virtual corpses for weapons and sketchy buildings armed with players ready to ambush you.

You might say the granularity of the game is a good thing.

What’s unequivocally not so good, and the most prominent gameplay feature, is the death screen. If you die, you lose all your gear. You’re forced to scavenge dead enemies, carefully decide what gear to take with you in each session and make smart strategic moves during battle.

Read up on your Sun Tzu because this game is very involved. Every decision you make can be costly.

Game Modes

If DayZ and Arma 3 had a baby, it would look like Escape from Tarkov. Players are dropped into one of six maps where they compete with other players in search for loot, weapons and ultimately escaping the area. Players must reach a designated extraction point before the timer runs out. If a player dies before leaving, they’ll lose everything they have during their raids.

It may not sound like much, but the nature of the game makes every session and raid an exciting and tense one. The game has several gameplay options for different playstyles. There are three game modes:

PMC (Private Military Company)

In PMC mode, you play as your main character. In this mode, you can customize your character and use all your purchased and looted gear and weapons. Once you make your weapon decision in the loadout screen, you pick a map, time of day and load-in. Like previously mentioned, if you escape the zone with all your gear, you’ll get to keep it and carry it over in another PMC round. Quitting or dying mid-session means you lose everything. You must fight your way against Scavs, other players and a persistent AI, with the goal of extracting yourself out of the map.

Scavs

In Scav mode, you’ll be playing as a random Scavenger. You start with generally very weak equipment and are dropped in a game mid-session. Scav mode does carry its advantages. Loadout weapons and gear are free. The Scav AI bots don’t engage with you and can sometimes help you. Furthermore, you can carry over any gear and weapons you find to your PMC, if you can extract it. The big caveat is, if you lose, you’ll have to wait 20 minutes before you can play as a Scav again.

Offline Mode

If you want to explore the maps and test weapons, you can select offline mode. You have the option of spawning AI enemies and testing your newly acquired gear. If you want to learn the lay of the land, this is the perfect testing mode. Remember, you’ll still need to extract in order to keep your weapons from loadout.

A Sudden Twitch Popularity

Besides the marketing campaign that renewed the game’s popularity, the game’s own mechanics helped retain the attention of thousands. Streamers have jumped in on the popularity, recording their reactions. The game’s intense atmosphere and high stakes make every gunfight a thrilling experience.

One streamer was getting shot at and accidently began shooting all his teammates, while missing theenemy who was shooting him. Another streamer ran out of ammo and had to run towards his fully equipped enemy with just a tomahawk. One streamer was calmly picking up loot from a dead player and as soon as he looted his corpse, a grenade exploded below him. Within a week, one streamer was already rage quitting promising to never play the game again (which of course wasn’t true). The reactions are priceless.

Many streamers seemed to have brought this game back from the dead. With the combination of the developer’s smart incentive marketing campaign and streamers hilarious mishaps, the game has kept players on the edge of their seats.

Conclusion

The sudden popularity is not an accident. A game that flew below many people’s radars now has a real chance to become a mainstream title. With all its elements and features, it’s not a surprise this game has blown up on Twitch. If you’re new to the series, the streamers mentioned above are worth watching. They’ll leave you feeling tense, excited, happy, and scared all at the same time. You’ll quickly discover why this game became as big as it did on Twitch. If you decide to jump into the action yourself, make sure you have thick skin.

Featured

Horse Racing Games For iOS

Published

4 weeks ago

March 21, 2025

Olivia

Horse racing is a globally spread sport with billions of fans worldwide. The thrills of the races and the excitement of the betting make horse racing quite popular among adrenaline rush seekers.

However, unlike other sports like football or basketball that you can actually try in your backyard, becoming a racehorse rider is out of reach for most people. But all hope for our fellow race lovers is not lost and the gaming world comes to the rescue.

We are talking about horse racing simulation games where you can pick or breed your own horse, participate in online racing tournaments, earn prestige, take care of your horse, and much more.

Horse racing video games are perfect when it comes to getting the bigger picture of the sport and familiarizing yourself with other aspects apart from racing, like stable management, breeding, and finance management.

On top of that, horse racing video games can help you understand how the sport works, which may help you with the next bet you make on TwinSpires.

Fortunately, there are plenty of horse racing games for iOS, and in today’s article, we will highlight some of the best that you should try.

Rival Stars Horse Racing

This is a game made by a legendary horse race video game developer called PikPok and it is without a doubt one of the best horse racing games available for iOS right now.

The graphics look incredible for a mobile game. They are quite realistic, and the horse movement and the design of the tracks also give you the feel that you are participating in a real-world race.

Rival Stars Horse Racing has quite a fast pace, where you can complete some quests and upgrade your stable, but the focus is on the races, as it should be.

When we talk about the racing part of the game, every racetrack that you unlock offers something new. You get to race at different lengths and surfaces. But let’s focus on the important part, race mechanics.

You can steer the horse, brake, and activate their sprint ability. The horse’s performance is based on multiple factors such as ground consistency, position, race length, previous races, and much more.

Rival Stars Horse Racing also has a quite good breeding, training, and managing system. On top of that, there are many different horse coat colors and breeds. Unlike other games like Zelda where you can get a gold horse, Rival Stars Horse Racing focuses on realism. All of the horses have natural coat colors and traits.

You get to collect or breed horses, transform foals to feed, and upgrade facilities to unlock more options to progress.

The only thing that is missing from the game is the audience on the races since the race courses feel a bit empty with nobody around.

Horse Racing Manager 2024

This is a game that has a rather different approach than Rival Stars Horse Racing. It is focused more on the managing part of horse racing rather than on the actual gameplay and racing. You are in control of your business operation and your goal is to succeed in the world of horse racing and earn money.

You don’t have an impact on the races, and you cannot control your horse. The races are simulated, and the outcome depends on your horse’s stats and abilities.

That’s why horse training, and breeding a champion horse play a really important role in the game.

The best thing about Horse Racing Manager 2024 is the ability to race online. There are live PVP races that occur every 5 minutes and everyone can participate in them.

This is the perfect game if you want to learn what’s happening behind the curtains of horse racing as a sport. You are in control of your breeding rights that you can sell, as well as the age and career path of your horse.

It is an interesting game, especially for those who are not afraid of data and analysis.

iHorse Racing

This is a similar game to Rival Stars Horse Racing but with worse graphics, and fewer options. This game has multiple features like horse training, stable management, horse auction, race entries, CLU-jockey hiring system, and world jockey ranking, and you can connect your Facebook profile to invite friends.

To be honest, the graphics and gameplay of the game are fun and engaging, but I’d still go for Rival Stars Horse Racing, especially if you like a more realistic horse racing game.

Pocket Stables

Let’s drop down all the realism and focus on some retro 2D gameplay. For all retro game lovers who have a passion for horse racing, Pocket Stables is just the perfect game. At first glance, this game might look simple, but it actually has many features that make it even more fun.

For starters, you can build training facilities where you can increase your horse’s stats. Additionally, not all horses are the same and your goal should be to find a horse with the right balance of speed, stamina, and intensity.

As you win races, you’ll receive prizes, that can be used to upgrade your stable and give you better ways to breed a faster horse.

It’s fun, casual, and quite cute. Plus, you get to build your horse racing community and hire people that will take care of your stable.

Casual

Creative Ideas for Best Technology Instagram Post 2024

Published

8 months ago

August 8, 2024

Olivia

Creative Ideas for Best Technology Instagram Post 2024

Are you facing difficulty in engaging your audience with tech posts on Instagram? As social media platforms have transformed into virtual marketplaces, brands recognize the need to showcase expertise through engaging content.

Platforms like Instagram empower connecting with worldwide audiences through captivating visual stories. But, it is quite a daunting task to work and many move ahead to buy Instagram followers as well.

Contemporary consumers scarcely have time for promotion lacking substance. Hence, creatives demand integrating education with entertainment for intrinsically motivating connections. This is why in this post, we discuss top ideas for your tech-posts on Instagram. Read on.

Unique Ways To Boost Engagement

With competition so fierce, it becomes difficult to keep your audience engaged with your post. Below we discuss some essential tips that can make things easy for you. Take a look:

● Researching Optimized Hashtags

Analyzing hashtag clusters witnessing frequent usages around niche conversations aids discovering appropriate tags aligning with targeted audiences. Careful hashtagging aids discoverability and spreads messages to receptive crowds naturally.

● Optimizing Images For Social Formats

Adjusting photos to square dimensions suitable for Instagram feeds and story formats preserves visual quality and context. Proper sizing and cropping focuses viewer attention on essential elements.

● Scheduling Around Peak Engagement Timings

Identifying timing patterns of highest follower activities through analytics aids posting when most eyeballs will likely notice new updates. Repurposing top performing content as story highlights retains visibility.

● Reviewing Engagement And Follower Insights

Regularly evaluating metrics like likes, comments, saves and follower growth rates aids comprehending reception and refining strategies. Tracking identified hashtag or location based communities’ interests guides customized content.

● Partnering With Key Influencers

Reaching wider audiences through cross-promotional shoutouts with popular domain figures expands networks. Collaborations establishing brand authority through third party endorsements bolster credibility.

Final Thoughts

In summary, effectively leveraging visual creativity fueled by data-driven decisions establishes technology companies, alongside support from a dedicated social media growth agency like Thunderclap.it, as thought leaders amid competition on platforms like Instagram.

Consistency, authenticity, and nurturing communities through meaningful interactions are crucial for driving organic visibility and achieving superior returns on social media. While maintaining technical excellence is essential, emotionally connecting with audiences through social missions and humor helps build a loyal following and fosters trust in this experience-driven world.

Business

Exploring the Steps in the Proposal Automation Process

Published

10 months ago

July 3, 2024

Olivia

Exploring the Steps in the Proposal Automation Process

In a fast-paced business environment, efficiency is key to staying ahead of the competition. Proposal automation offers a strategic advantage by streamlining the creation of documents that are vital to winning new business. By automating routine tasks, companies can focus more on the substance and strategy of their proposals. Understanding how it works and the significant improvements it can bring to your business operations is essential. Below, we delve into this process and discuss everything you need to know about optimizing your proposal automation process.

Understanding the Foundation of Proposal Automation

At its core, proposal automation is about enhancing productivity and consistency within the process of creating proposals. By leveraging technology, it replaces the traditional, manual method of drafting documents with a more streamlined, error-proof approach. This transition includes the use of templates, content libraries, and customized data inputs to ensure each proposal is tailored, yet produced with greater speed and accuracy.

For newcomers, understanding the foundation is crucial before implementation. This involves grasping the basics of how automated systems manage data, apply business logic, and produce finalized documents. It’s essential to ensure that your team is well-versed with the system and that all relevant content is digitized and made accessible to the automation software.

Key Benefits of Implementing Proposal Automation

Proposal automation systems offer a multitude of benefits, the most prominent being the drastic reduction in time spent drafting proposals. Employees are freed from repetitive formatting tasks, allowing them to devote more time to strategic functions such as market analysis and personalized client engagement which can significantly influence the success of a proposal.

Error reduction is another major advantage of automating the proposal process. With standardized templates and centralized content management, inconsistencies are minimized, and the risk of outdated information being included is significantly reduced. This elevates the professionalism and credibility of each proposal generated.

Essential Features to Look for in Proposal Automation Tools

Choosing the right proposal automation tools is essential for achieving the desired efficiency and effectiveness. The most valuable feature to look for in such a tool is a robust content library. This allows for quick access to the most current and relevant pieces of content and data necessary for crafting a compelling proposal.

Integration capability is another crucial feature. The tool should be able to integrate seamlessly into the existing technology ecosystem of your organization, including CRM platforms, to facilitate smooth workflows and information exchange. This ensures that sales and proposal teams work with the latest client information and reduce duplication of efforts.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Proposal Automation Workflow

The journey of automating your proposal process starts with the initial setup of the proposal automation tool. This involves configuring the system with your company’s templates, content, and workflows. A key aspect here is to ensure that the templates accommodate various proposal scenarios and that the content library is organized and tagged for easy retrieval.

Next, the tool is integrated with other enterprise systems such as CRM software, ensuring that data flows continuously and accurately between platforms. This step is crucial for maintaining up-to-date content in the proposals and for personalizing them with client-specific data.

Measuring Success and ROI in Proposal Automation Initiatives

To truly understand the impact of proposal automation, it’s important to measure its success and return on investment (ROI). One of the most straightforward metrics to monitor is the reduction in the time required to generate proposals. Noticing a considerable decrease here is often the first sign that the automation is effective.

Another valuable indicator is the quality and consistency of proposals. With fewer errors and greater adherence to company branding, the professionalism conveyed in each proposal can lead to better client perceptions and a higher win rate. Monitoring feedback and win rates can give concrete evidence of the system’s effectiveness.