Archives for September 2023

Baldur’s Gate 3‘s combat can be hard to get your head around, particularly if you’re not well-versed in the rules of Dungeons & Dragons, and developer Larian Studios knows it.

Speaking to GamesRadar+, lead writer Adam Smith addressed the game’s complex nature and how the team at Larian tackled teaching the ins and outs of D&D to players enticed by Baldur’s Gate 3 but with little to no prior knowledge of the table top RPG’s mechanics without having them overwhelmed and running for the hills.

“[Cinematics and character art] may bring people in, but then they might bounce out again as soon as it gets too complicated,” Smith said. “So then it’s onboarding people, teaching them how to play D&D, which is really complex. We used to joke you basically need a tutorial for every class in D&D because they play very differently sometimes.

“So you don’t want to win people over and they put their money down, and then they go, ‘Oh, this is not the game for me.’ It’s gonna happen occasionally. But we needed to give people something that they could just enjoy.”

As well as onboarding, Smith explained that having various difficulty settings also helps to make for a more accessible adventure. One of the three options available is Explorer mode, which makes battles significantly more forgiving so that players can focus more on the many other alluring facets of Baldur’s Gate 3, such as its rich world and deep narrative. 

“One of the things that’s very nice about making RPGs is, if people aren’t enjoying one aspect of it, there’s another aspect of it,” Smith continued. “You can have an entire session that’s just combat, you can have entire session that’s just exploration, or an entire session that’s just character building. So usually, if one element of the game isn’t quite working for you, then another one hopefully is, and the pacing tries to bounce people around to do different things. But also they’re in control of the experience.”

Elsewhere, when recently asked about post-launch expansion plans for Baldur’s Gate 3, senior product manager, Tom Butler, said Larian “wants to do more” but isn’t quite sure what shape that new content will take just yet.

Struggling to find your feet in Faerun? Check out these Baldur’s Gate 3 tips and tricks.

Comedy in Pakistan ranges from the bhaand to the highbrow: from Khalid Abbas Dar to Shafiq ur Rehman to Omer Sharif and Moin Akhtar to Anwar Maqsood and Ibn e Insha. You gotta love a joke if it’s in Urdu, which is a language that can politely take down the loftiest to make an otherwise polite event sound absolutely scandalous.

While we’ve had other comics for what we will loosely dub a younger generation, it is with the opportunity to create digital content that local comedy finally has a permanence it didn’t before. Whom are we laughing at today (in a good way!)? The present, and hopefully, the future of comedy in Pakistan. Instep is proud to present some of the brightest, funniest voices on the local comedy circuit today:

Usman Mazhar is an actor, a stand-up comic and a math teacher. He has performed theater and stand-up comedy across Pakistan and can also be seen in various TV shows and commercials.

Akbar Chaudry is a stand-up comedian from Karachi. He’s been closely involved with the comedy scene in the city and also leads the improvisational comedy troupe, LOLWaalay, in addition to performing internationally, having toured the UAE, KSA and most recently, USA. However, ever since the pandemic started, his focus shifted to digital content with his weekly series Ranty Ronay which was well-received by online audiences. Previously, he hosted a morning show on a local channel, Chai Toast aur Host and has taught improv and performing arts at the Institute of Business Management. Akbar also has a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering. His knowledge of aerodynamics helps him ensure his jokes don’t drag..

Ammar Zaidi, a multi-talented individual, is a writer, stand-up comedian, and digital creator who has made his mark in the comedy world. With over five years dedicated to perfecting his craft, he has worked for his passion wholeheartedly, even turning his BBA degree into comedic material.

Ammar’s storytelling skills and the ability to craft relatable stories allows him to create a strong bond with his audience. He has performed on platforms like Maansals, Tapmad, and Laughter After Iftar, showcasing his versatility across various stages.

Over the past few years, Ammar has dedicated his efforts to developing an online presence through his digital content and has successfully built his audience there as well.

Notably, his collaborations with prominent brands such as Daraz have refined his livestream hosting skills, elevating his presence in the digital world.

A proud highlight in his career is his participation in Shapatour, where he joined forces with fellow renowned comedians, bringing laughter to cities like Multan, Faisalabad, and Peshawar. Their shows marked a milestone as the first comedy show in these cities.

Distinguished by his street smartness, Ammar infuses his unique perspective into his comedic material. This particular perspective adds an extra layer of authenticity to his performances, which is why watching him perform often feels like a meet up with an old friend. For a Karachiite, Ammar Zaidi’s performances definitely feel like home.

Hassaan Bin Shaheen is a writer, lawyer, performer and content creator.

His background in law and comedy has allowed him to develop a deep understanding of the interplay between creative and critical thinking. Hassaan won the Public Speaking Championship in 2015 at the World’s University Debating Championship. Hassaan has trained employees of Karachi Electric, fellows at DICE for the British Council, and has worked within various consulting roles with Unilever. Most recently he was the writer of the Lux Style Awards in 2022, which had a TRP rating of 7.8, one of the highest for the show.

As a creative professional Hassaan is a stand-up comedian, who has performed in multiple cities in Pakistan and has performed on the US and UK comedy circuits. His series White Vloggers met critical acclaim across the border and was covered by various news outlets.

His comedy and music can be found on his channels under his name across all social media and streaming platforms.

Meet Syed Muhammad Kumail, the multi-talented performer and educator who is taking the world by storm! With a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA under his belt, Kumail has an impressive professional background in installing gas turbines in the rugged deserts of Balochistan, Pakistan.

But that’s just the beginning of Kumail’s story. He’s also an accomplished actor, improvisational comedian, and stand-up comic who has been wowing audiences with his quick wit and hilarious characters for years. He’s a key member of Pakistan’s longest-standing improv troupe LOL Waalay, bringing laughter and joy to crowds all over the country.

As if that wasn’t enough, Kumail is also a talented singer of Eastern classical music, with a voice that can transport you to another world. His passion for the arts extends to his work as a physics and math teacher, where he uses his creativity and performance skills to make complex concepts accessible and fun for his students.

If you’re looking for a fun and engaging way to learn about physics, look no further than Kumail’s YouTube channel, Bhin Physic. Through his entertaining character-based lessons, Kumail makes even the most daunting topics approachable and entertaining. With his boundless energy and infectious enthusiasm, Syed Muhammad Kumail is a force to be reckoned with in the worlds of comedy, education, and beyond!

Ali Abdullah is an IT graduate and supply chain professional. He has proven himself to be an accomplished comedian and digital content creator. He performed for various stand-up comedy platforms including Mansaals and The Circus, Mangal Madness, Tapmad and Nashpati Prime where he left his audience in fits. Recently, he did his first international show in Dubai, which was a huge hit.

Aaron Ramsdale said there’s nothing quite like grabbing an injury-time win, after late, late goals from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus fired us to all three points against Manchester United.

The keeper was all smiles at the end of an emotion-packed afternoon at Emirates Stadium. “For endings like that, I think it’s a toss-up, you probably want to win 3-0 and be comfortable but when you do have that feeling, there’s nothing quite like it in football,” he said.

“It’s a great way to end it going into the international break and one which we can breathe, relax and enjoy.

“It was a topsy-turvy game, going 1-0 down, 1-1 and then you think you’ve got a penalty and you don’t, then you think you’ve conceded, and you haven’t,” he added.

“So, to keep going and playing the Arsenal way, playing the way which we want to play, it’s testament to the players because we’re just trusting what we’re doing.

“Like the manager said in the week, relationships are built in the grass and that left unit probably trained with each other for four or five days, with Zinchenko coming back from injury, and you can see it slowly starting to click.”

Aaron also praised his England team-mate Declan Rice, who scored his first Gunners goal in the sixth-minute of injury time to grab the all important breakthrough.

“He hasn’t stopped smiling! I’ve just been asked in a different interview if it’ll take the pressure off his shoulders, but I’m not too sure if he feels any pressure.

“It’s great that he’s got a goal so early on, we want him to score more, we want him to be in a position to shoot and score; he probably should have scored in the first half with a header. And you can see what he does going backwards. So, again four games into his Arsenal career, if he has more time with us, we’ll have more time with him, and you’ll see a completely different Declan Rice from now until the end of the season. For him, it’s top.

“The celebrations were crazy, and we just sung Rice Rice Baby. Honestly, it was a strange afternoon. I never thought I’d hear Rice Rice Baby in a football stadium with a bunch of 30 people ranging from 40-year-olds to 18-year-olds dancing around, but that’s football and that’s what we love!”