Semblance (console)

Semblance is an upcoming tenth generation home video game console developed by Semblance Industries, a subsidiary of Morningwood Industries. Slated for release on March 21st, 2023, it is the first console to be developed under Morningwood Arts and their entry into the console gaming market. While not intending to compete with other consoles, the company hopes that Semblance could become a new player in the market.
First teased as Project Hope with another codenamed "Cyan" on June 9th, 2021, Morningwood Arts would officially announce the console's existence as Semblance on June 8th, 2022, along with an additional model known as Semblance NEO which is a lower-end but more affordable console for those with lower budgets. Both of these two consoles are considered to be part of the Semblance console family.
When comparing the two models at launch, the NEO has less power than the base model. Semblance can support up to 8K resolutions with higher frame rates and real-time ray tracing and comes standard with a high-speed 1TB solid-state drive to decrease the loading times of games. The NEO, however, has most of the features of the base model but instead can only support up to 4K resolution and comes with a 500GB solid-state drive. It is also worth noting that both Semblance consoles also have a feature called "Smart System" wherein users will be able to buy games off the store from the web or their mobile devices on the official Semblance Gaming app, provided the console is on and connected to the internet. Both consoles use the Semblance OS, an operating system based on the Semblance game engine.
== Features ==
=== Semblance OS ===
Built on top of the Semblance engine and the Android operating system, Semblance OS is created specifically for the Semblance consoles. Inspired from Android OS designs, its sleek and user-friendly interface allowed Semblance Industries to cater a wide audience with a design template that's easily identifiable by owners of the console and future users. During the development of the console's OS, the decision to use the Android OS as a framework in addition to the Semblance engine came from the fact that instead of creating an entirely new framework, using an open-source software and pairing it another software that Semblance Industries was familiar with seemed like the better choice without spending too much time on development, thus the Semblance OS was created. However, the company did make their own improvements and optimizations in order to provide a smooth and bug-free experience with the OS.
Being an Android-based operating system, Semblance OS is also an option for Android smartphones and tablets; these would be sold as "Semblance A Edition" smartphones and tablets, sponsored by Google.
=== Semblance Gaming ===
Semblance Gaming is a mobile app developed by Semblance Industries that allows users of the Semblance console to remotely take direct control of their consoles with their mobile device. This is extremely useful and helpful for users that happen to lose or damage their controllers, or if they simply wish to save their controller's battery life. With the app, users can navigate through the Dashboard with their mobile device's touchscreen, turn off or turn on the console, easily with a few swipes.
The app also allows users to browse through the console's catelog of games, manage their Semblance+ subscription and make purchases on games and DLC. When buying games, the user will be given an option to remotely turn on their console to begin installed the newly purchased game; this is useful for those who are away from home.
=== Semblance Online ===
Both Semblance consoles come with Semblance Online, an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service and is operated by Semblance Industries. With this online service, users can create an Account with a universal name on the service, similar to Xbox Network's Gamertag. An Account name is unique to each user and can only contain letters, numbers, spaces and certain special characters (_ - — ~). When a user first creates an Account, they'll be given a randomized name. Users are allowed to change their Account name every 6 months and has no cost for doing so. The sCloud is a feature that allows players to access their saved games across different Semblance consoles, storing that data in the cloud for easy access to save data.
==== Semblance+ ====
Semblance+ is a paid subscription service for Semblance Online. The service provides users access to a catalog of games from publishers. These games are either from first or third party developers. Unlike Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass, titles are not removed from its catalog, unless it is requested by that game's publisher or developer. Morningwood Arts titles remain on the service once they are added, though not all titles from the publisher are added.
There are also other perks given to first time Semblance+ subscribers, which includes one month of Spotify Premium and one month of Disney+.
Semblance+ is available in several different plans.
*1 Month Plan - $14.99
*3 Month Plan - $24.99
*6 Month Plan - $34.99
*12 Month Plan - $44.99
*24 Month Plan - $64.99
=== Dashboard ===
The Dashboard is the main screen that users will see after the console has been booted up. From here, they can navigate to various sections.
==== Social ====
The Social section is where the user can find their Profile, their Achievements, Social Groups, Group Chats and Voice Parties, and view the Profiles of friends and other users/players.
Users are free to customize their Profiles to their liking, which includes setting and changing their Profile Picture with the console's internal set of pictures or through external USBs, setting their real name if desired, location, creating a bio for other users to read, and display friends as Favourite Friends in a list other users can view. A user's Friends List is also viewable from their Profile. Users can search up other users and choose to send a message, invite to a Voice Party or send a friend request, and if friends, favourite and add them to their Favourite Friends list. Users can be blocked, which will prevent them from being matched in multiplayer games, and reported for offenses. Achievements can be viewed and are categorized by games and all contribute to a Profile Score. When a user has obtained all the Achievements for a game, they'll earn a Profile Badge based on that game for them to display on their Profile for their friends and other users/players to see. Users can communicate with other users through Messages and Group Chats, and Voice Parties. Users are able to set Privacy settings, which includes hiding parts of their Profiles from other users with an option for their Profiles only to be viewed by "Favourites Only", "Friends Only" or "None" to completely hide their Profile from others, and prevent other users from sending messages or friend requests, and to hide their Achievements. Users can also set their Online Status with five options: Online, Looking to Play, Away, Do Not Disturb and Offline, the last hides their status from friends and other users.
Social Groups are "guilds" of users/players formed with common interests in games, franchises or a specific activity within a game available on the console. A Social Group has its own dedicated Group Chat and Voice Party features specifically for members of a Social Group to use and communicate with each other to coordinate group activities. Additionally, Semblance Industries has its own Social Group called "Official Semblance Team", where they will make official announcements relating to the Semblance console, the announcement, release and development of games as well as general news about Morningwood Arts. This Social Group is automatically followed by all users when they first create an Account. They are free to unfollow if they wish.
Revealed in an interview, Morningwood Arts CEO Anakin Nakamura has said that Discord was originally planned to be the console's Social section and that Semblance+ subscribers would receive a complimentary Discord Nitro membership, though these plans were scrapped as Nakamura expressed his decision for Semblance Industries to develop their own Social component for the console instead of using a third-party social platform.
==== Game & Apps ====
The Games & Apps section is where users can find and access their downloaded digital games, installed from disc games and third-party apps, such as YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, Twitch and Spotify. It is also where owners can see how much storage is available, how much is being used, and is where users can delete games or apps to free up space.
If a user has the Netflix app open on their mobile device, they can choose to "cast" a movie or TV show of their choosing from within the Netflix app to be displayed on their Semblance console, similar to how Spotify users can control the app across devices.
==== Movies & TV ====
The Movies & TV section is where users can find and access all of their downloaded digital movies and seasons or episodes of TV shows. These downloaded movies and TV shows contribute to the console's internal or external storage capacity. This section can also be used to free up space by deleting movies or TV shows.
==== Pins ====
While not a true section, the Pins "section" is where owners can find games and apps they pinned and can be found on the Dashboard for easy access without opening the Games & Apps section.
==== Store ====
Semblance Marketplace is the storefront where users can find both free and premium content for download including but not limited to games, apps, downloadable content, movie and TV content. There is also a catalog dedicated to and showcasing first-party games, both upcoming and released.
Available at retailers, users can also purchase Semblance Gift Cards which will add to their Account Balance, which they can use to make purchases.
==== Settings ====
The Settings section is where users can view the settings of their console, including but not limited to subscriptions, Home Console settings, internet connection, accessibility options, audio and information about their console's serial number, model number and current software version.
== Games ==
Semblance will release alongside several launch titles available on day one. These include:
*Arena of Valor: Heroes & Villains
*Eclipse Universe: Second Galactic War
*Eclipse Universe: Rose Squad - Extinction
*Star Wars Mandalorian: Outlaws & Hunters
Want your game added here? Leave it in the comments and I'll add it!
== Console Specs ==
Component 	Component 	Semblance 	Semblance NEO
Processors 	CPU 	Custom AMD Zen 310 Cores @ 4.8 GHz (4.66 GHz with SMT)	Custom AMD Zen 310 Cores @ 4.6 GHz (4.2 GHz with SMT)
Processors 	GPU 	Custom RDNA 362 CUs @ 2.825 GHz18 TFLOPS 	Custom RDNA 340 CUs @ 2.565 GHz10 TFLOPS
Memory 	Memory 	24 GB GDDR6 with 420-bit bus14 GB @ 660 GB/s, 8 GB @ 386 GB/s 	18 GB GDDR6 with 248-bit bus12 GB @ 344 GB/s, 4 GB @ 86 GB/s
Storage 	Internal 	1 TB PCIe Gen 5 custom NVMe SSD2.8 GB/s raw, 5.2 GB/s compressed	612 GB PCIe Gen 5 custom NVMe SSD2.8 GB/s raw, 5.2 GB/s compressed
Storage 	Expandable 	SSD Seagate Expansion Card (2 TB, 4 TB, 6 TB) 	SSD Seagate Expansion Card (2 TB, 4 TB, 6 TB)
Storage 	External 	USB 3.1 external HDD support 	USB 3.1 external HDD support
Optical drive 	Optical drive 	Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-rayDVD, CD, Digital distribution 	Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-rayDVD, CD, Digital distribution
Performance target	Performance target	8K resolution at 120 FPS 	4K resolution at 75 FPS
Model 	Model 	1981 	1971
Price 	Price 	US$599/€599/£549/A$849/C$699 	US$399/€399/£349/A$599/C$479
== Trivia ==
*Images for visual representation of Semblance consoles and controller are under-construction.
== Gallery ==
Semblance NEO.png|NEO model logo
Semblance Box Art template.png|Box Art template
Category:Articles by Jenkins S115 SII
Category:Consoles
Category:Fan Consoles
Category:Home Consoles
Category:10th Generation Consoles
Category:Morningwood Arts