Heavy Metal

GUERRILLA GAMES IS ABOUT TO EMBARK ON ITS RISKIEST PROJECT EVER. THIS IS HORIZON: ZERO DAWN, THE MOST AMBITIOUS PS4 GAME YET

There’s a small herd of deer grazing in a field. It is a quiet field, enclosed by towering trees and bronze autumn leaves that gingerly fall from their branches, floating carelessly in the wind. This enclosure ensures the docile creatures have just enough cover to let them stand idly by as a breeze rustles softly through the undergrowth, they are blind to the hostility of the world around them. Like clockwork they come here, the herd, simply content to brush through the lush green foliage undeterred, occasionally peeking their antlers towards the Dreamcast-blue sky that stirs above them; mountain ranges and wooden huts can be seen sat atop a distant horizon. But somewhere closer is a predator; the fleeting glimpse of a fiery red mane cutting through the grass is the only hint that this serenity is about to be shattered. It’s a natural, idyllic scene that you’d likely find broadcast in 4K on a new season of Planet Earth, narrated by the docile tones of David Attenborough. But reality this is not, for something far stranger than nature lurks in plain sight.

Watch This Space

Your destination: the Andromeda galaxy.

Your mission: find humanity a new home.

Welcome to Mass Effect: Andromeda. Bring guns.

Talk about a big bang. When word spread that Mass Effect’s long-awaited fourth instalment was to be set in a new corner of the universe, within a different stretch of time, light years removed from the scores of characters we’ve come to know and love, it sounded as though Bioware was boldly going, well, a bit too far. But the more we learn about Mass Effect: Andromeda, the more certain we are it’s blasting off in the smartest possible direction. Much like its heroes, the Ryders.

Why Do Fake Accounts Want To Follow You?

Sarah Dobbs finds out what’s lurking behind those fake names and faces

It’s always exciting when a notification pops up to tell you you’ve got a new follower on Twitter (or Instagram, or Tumblr, or the other social media platform of your choice). Whether you’ve got 50 followers or 50,000, attracting more feels like an ego boost – it means someone’s interested in what you’ve got to say! However, when you see that it’s just a weird account with a fake name and a stolen photo as an avatar, rather than a real person, it’s not very exciting at all. What’s more, rather than making you look and feel more popular, these fake followers can actually be harmful to you and your credibility.

So where do they come from, what are they up to, and what should you do about them? Let’s see…

How To Get Your First IT Support Job

David Hayward looks at some key points for how to get started in the industry

My first IT job was as a helpdesk technician at a university. I managed to get an interview based on the fact that I was a keen enthusiast and I had some experience, albeit at home, of building a PC from scratch. At the interview, I was required to build a PC from an assortment of components laid out on a table, which I did. After that was a chat with the IT manager, and I was offered the job on the spot.

It was generally a fun job to have; there were times when the workload was utterly tremendous, and I bore the brunt of everyone’s IT ire and frustrations. And there were times where things were pretty relaxed.

Times have changed significantly, though, and where getting into an IT role based on some loose homegrown skills was once the norm, these days the potential recruit has to hone their skills, qualifications and experience to a fine degree. I for one certainly don’t envy those starting off.

Top Tips For Using VPNs

Connecting to a public Wi-Fi hotspot on your laptop or phone carries risks, because the security may not be very good and it is possible that someone could snoop on your internet activity. A VPN (virtual private network) creates a secure and encrypted connection between you and the VPN server, bypassing anyone that might try to look at what you are doing, including the owner of the hotspot.

A VPN is especially useful for online shopping, banking and anything that requires you to log in, because it adds a layer of almost uncrackable security. Some VPNs such as Hotspot Shield (www.hotspotshield.com) will detect when you are using an insecure public Wi-Fi hotspot and automatically switch on to secure it. A VPN can be manually enabled, too – just don’t forget to switch it on!