The game of peace

Elder Scrolls Online High IsleRating 35Developer Zenimax Online StudiosPublisher BethesdaPlatform PCPrice Rs 2499Elder Scrolls Online ESO launched in 2014 has been around for a while now It is a Massively Multiplayer Online RolePlaying Game MMORPG where you get to create a character and live out their life in this online world This world is based on the Elder Scroll games by Bethesda The reason it has remained relevant for so long probably comes down to its release of chapters adding new storylines and places to exploreWith High Isle Elder Scrolls has added a brandnew paid chapter to the world of ESO In addition to an entirely new storyline players explore new coastal landscapes including an island meant for criminals The architecture and look of the place seem to be inspired by European buildings and structuresThe story unlike previous iterations doesnrsquot dwell on Daedrics vampires and the like Instead the story for High Isle focuses on politics where you are involved in peace talks to prevent a war from happening It is lowkey but a pleasant change in pace However I felt like the story didnrsquot push it much Especially when we are so spoilt with great stories coming in from both video games and TV I was hoping for more nuance and excitement which unfortunately was not the case Instead we get a whiff of the socalled political drama before it fades into the backgroundThere is still a lot of combat in the game especially if you hunt for trouble The enemies are not that challenging and some bosses are way too easy making it easier for newbiesDespite the lacklustre main story there is still a lot to do and many sidequests to explore There is also a whole card game within the game The card game called Tales of Tribute is a bit challenging initially and the tutorial does you no favours However a few good YouTube videos later you should be a master of playing this game That said it isnrsquot a groundbreaking card game and you usually end up playing it when you need a change of paceHigh Isle also looks fantastic Elder Scrolls Online looks good and plays even better for a game launched so many years agoThe wonderful thing about ESO is that you donrsquot need to play with other people You can be on your merry way doing whatever you want and play the game like any other Elder Scrolls game There is so much to do solo you can be forgiven for forgetting that this is in fact an MMORPGThe main story quest for High Isle has around 27 hours of gameplay which is not bad What is bad though is the things I had to do to get the game to start The game installer is very annoying Not only did it constantly change the estimated download time but it also would stall the installation process if I left it to do its thing Then after the download was completed the installer decided the file was corrupted this meant it had to fix the download which took another chunk of time I also found the server disconnected from time to time which was a bit annoyingElder Scrolls Online High Isle is a pretty good addition to the franchise It is simple enough for people who are new to the game but at the same time there are some challenges for veterans making this a great game if you are looking to start playing Server issues aside the game looked and played wellSquid skin inspired coffee cupsA material inspired by squid skin has been developed by researchers from the University of California Irwine It can be stretched to double its size and can insulate beverage cups restaurant togo bags and parcels Expansion and contraction in a squidrsquos skin alters the reflection and transmission of visible light and these changes help it communicate and camouflage its body to hide from predators The research team mimicked this approach by enabling ldquotunable thermoregulationrdquo in their material which can lead to improved energy efficiency and even protect sensitive fingers The top layer of the material is made of copper and the underlying support layer is a common rubbery polymer The composite material can be recycled in bulk by removing the copper with vinegar and using established commercial methods to repurpose the remaining stretchable polymerWearable textile exomusclesResearchers in Zurich have developed Myoshirt a wearable textile exomuscle that serves as an extra layer of muscles It is designed to help those with limited upper body mobility Working via sensors embedded in the fabric an algorithm detects the wearerrsquos intentional movements and the amount of force required A motor then shortens a cable in the fabric running parallel to the wearerrsquos musclesmdasha sort of artificial tendonmdashand supports the desired movement tailored to the users preferences