The Game Developers Conference, an annual gathering that brings thousands of game developers to San Francisco, has just wrapped up. While most of the event is about networking and interesting talks about game design and technology, there were also a bunch of unreleased indie games that we got to check out. Yes, much of video games in 2025 will probably be defined by the Nintendo Switch 2 and Grand Theft Auto VI. But based on the games we played, there might be some really fun smaller titles that could be huge hits this year, too.Here are a few of our favorites that were looking forward to.Dreams of AnotherDreams of Another is a shooter, but you use your gun to create the world around you instead of destroying it. The games graphics have a dreamy, deconstructed quality to them, and when you shoot things, the colorful, unfocused scenes you see will solidify into things like buildings and people. Unexpectedly, my brief demo ended with a more traditional shootout against a sentient manhole cover. (I even lobbed a couple grenades to try and destroy it.) But Im intrigued by the overall concept, and I look forward to seeing what developer Q-Games does with it in the final version of the game.JPFaraway In Faraway, you play as a shooting star and try to make constellations. The game requires just pressing and holding one button to spin around other stars, create a trail, and essentially play a celestial game of connect the dots. Its a simple concept, but I was impressed by it immediately. In just a 10-minute demo, I was really starting to get the hang of using my shooting stars momentum to perfectly swing around a star to make elaborate and high-scoring constellations. Thats all the time it took to make Faraway far and away my favorite game of the show.JPHaste: Broken WorldsHaste: Broken Worlds is kind of like a 3D version of the classic mobile game Tiny Wings. You play as Zoe, a girl who runs forward at blinding speed through procedurally generated levels. Like with Tiny Wings, there are rolling hills you can launch from for added height, and if you time your fall right into the curve of another hill, youll get a satisfying perfect message and a boost to a meter that lets you pull out a hoverboard. The game has a roguelike structure, so youll get to pick and choose different types of levels to tackle as you make your way through a run. On the show floor, I was awful, dying within the first few levels before I had to hand the controller to the next person in line. But as soon as I got back to my hotel room, I downloaded the games free demo on Steam.JPHerdlingHerdling tasks you with herding mysterious, fluffy beasts. In my demo, the character starts in a dark city before quickly coming upon three adorable beasts that reminded me of a big goat mixed with Sesame Streets Mr. Snuffleupagus. Your goal is to get them out of the city and out to wilder pastures. You coax the animals forward from behind with a magic stick, and while they generally follow your directions, they are sometimes difficult to direct. More than once, my herd of three walked right into a wall. By the end of the demo, however, I really started to care for my fluffy friends, especially since you can name them though I can only imagine the cruel ways the developers will pull on my heartstrings over the course of the full adventure.JPHotel BarcelonaThis is sort of the video game equivalent of a supergroup. Goichi Suda51 Suda (best known for off-kilter games like Killer 7 and No More Heroes) has teamed up with Hidetaka Swery65 Suehiro (the writer and director behind Deadly Premonition and, more recently, The Good Life) on an extremely challenging and roguelike game set in a world inspired by slasher movies. In the short time I had with the game, I died multiple times, but the twitchy action felt very satisfying, especially once I got the hang of the controls. Theres a neat feature where you can fight alongside a ghost image of your previous run, which seems like it will come in handy. What I didnt get to experience was the inevitable surreal twist the two creators have put on the horror setting, but the core is solid.AWMy Arms Are Longer NowSlapstick comedy games are really coming into their own of late. And if you loved Untitled Goose Game or Thank Goodness Youre Here, this is definitely one to keep an eye on. The name really says it all: you control an unseemly long and stretchy arm and attempt to... do things, most of which are illegal. The level I played took place on a moving train, and you were tasked with stealing items from passengers while remaining undetected (probably because of how terrifying the arm is). Theres a puzzle element to it; at one point, I needed to take a briefcase from a sleeping businessman, only to find it was chained to his wrist. Its absurd, of course, but thats exactly the appeal.AWTo a TTo a T is a delightful game about a teenager permanently stuck in a T pose. The game is from Katamari series creator Keita Takahashi, so, of course, its wacky and silly. My demo featured an elaborate tooth-brushing sequence, musical numbers, and a talking giraffe. But the demo also hinted at the characters fear of school and bullying over their T-pose condition. I was surprised how much that made me care for the character, and if the story sticks the landing, it could make a game that might have been pure silliness something more thoughtful. Its out on May 28th.JPSee More:

Streaming Wars is a weekly opinion column by IGNs Streaming Editor, Amelia Emberwing. Check out the last entry Daredevil: Born Again An Unexpected Connection to the Netflix Series Could Right a Decade-Old Wrong.This column contains spoilers for The Walking Dead franchise. When people bring up The Walking Dead, I always cheerfully change the subject with a simple I broke up with that show. Its dramatic, its definitive, and the cheery way I deliver the sentiment is, I suppose, somewhat unnerving. If people pry further, I explain that I loved it, it broke my heart too many times I will never stop being mad about the pointless death of Beth Greene (Emily Kinney) and then I left.See? Breakup. A blissful one that I have never had second thoughts over until The Walking Dead: Dead City. But lets not get ahead of ourselves.There was a time, early on, when almost every dang moment in The Walking Dead was engaging. We were engrossed! The whole world (the whole world that had AMC or applicable streaming services, that is) would tune in every Sunday to find out what was going to happen to the crew. We even tolerated the show treating we [humans] are the walking dead as some kind of revelation! It was addictive, right up until it wasnt. I can go on and on about how shows like The Walking Dead require hope to be interesting, and killing off your only two hopeful characters (Beth and Chad L. Colemans Tyrese) back to back with Negan on the horizon (and then somehow making that situation even more bleak) and expecting people to remain engaged is a fundamental writing failure, but thats not the point here. The point is that I have been blissfully separated from this franchise for a decade, but there is something about the Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohen) spinoff The Walking Dead: Dead City that I find absolutely fascinating. PlayThe trailer for Season 2 of the spinoff dropped this week, pulling the series from the out of sight, out of mind section of my brain and reminding me, yet again, to look at this crazy-ass series. Something about the shows absurd premise of putting a widow on a quest with the man who brutally murdered her husband in cold blood right in front of her is intriguing in a way that grabs my attention every time it comes up. What do you mean Negan and Maggie are working together? Its a premise so insane that it manages to outweigh the question of how the hell does Daryl (Norman Reedus) get to France in the middle of the apocalypse?! I dont actually care enough about how Daryl made it to France, or how Carol (Melissa McBride) somehow followed separately, to find out. But I do, for some unfathomable reason, find myself engaged by the idea of Maggie and Negan being forced into what is, perhaps, the strangest team-up in television history. A thought that I have after watching 15 seasons of Morgans former series, Supernatural, and witnessing those idiot boys team up with nearly every villain they encounter at one point or another. Youd think that would prepare me for any working with your mortal enemy situation, and yetBeyond all of that, theres a scene in The Walking Dead: Dead Citys Season 2 trailer that shows Maggie wielding Lucille, Negans treasured bat that was used to brain her beloved husband Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun). That frame alone is enough to tickle my brain in a way that I start to wonder what if I gave this spinoff a chance? before I snap back to reality and remember that way lays endless frustration.PlayEven still, I have to praise the writers without seeing a single episode of the spinoff. Ideas may be cheap, but engaging an audience up front is not easy, and sparking the curiosity of someone who broke up with your franchise and never looked back is even harder. They have created a premise that intrigues in a way that The Walking Dead has been unable to accomplish in years. So much so that there may come a day where, in a moment of weakness, I hit play on that first episode and give Maggie and Negans absurd (platonic) pairing a chance to wow me beyond my initial damn, thats interesting. Over the years The Walking Dead has remained alive thanks to international views, which has me curious: if youre in the U.S., have you been watching The Walking Dead: Dead City or any of the shows other spinoffs? And for the international folks that have remained loyal to the franchise, what keeps you engaged after all these years?

Thanks to a renewed focus on the ideas the series was originally built on, Shadows is the most satisfying Assassins Creed has felt in years. You can fluidly move from ground to castle rooftop thanks to the best parkour system since Unity, and a grappling hook only makes the journey to a great vantage point even speedier. Perched on a tightrope high above the enemy, youre only a drop away from scoring the perfect kill provided youre playing as Naoe, that is. Take control of Yasuke, Shadows second protagonist, and its a whole different game. Yasuke is slow. He is clumsy. He cant kill silently. And he climbs like a grandpa. He is the antithesis of an Assassins Creed protagonist. He is one of Ubisofts most baffling design choices and one of its most fascinating. Because when I play as Yasuke, I dont feel like Im playing Assassins Creed anymore. Yasuke changes the rules of Assassin's Creed, promoting grounded combat over parkour stealth. | Image credit: UbisoftI initially found this gulf between Yasukes ability set and the fundamental philosophy of the series to be incredibly frustrating. What is the point of an Assassins Creed protagonist who can barely climb and cant perform a silent takedown? But the more Ive played as him, the more Ive seen merit in Yasukes design. Hes unquestionably flawed, but I think he addresses a couple of very important issues that Assassins Creed has struggled with over the past few years. A brief starring role in Shadows prologue aside, you dont get to play as Yasuke until several hours into the campaign. It means that your entire settling-in period is spent controlling Naoe, a swift shinobi who fulfills the assassin part of Assassins Creed better than any series protagonist has for a decade. Switching to Yasuke after playing as Naoe for so long is jarring. This towering samurai is too big and too noisy to effectively sneak through enemy camps, and is barely capable of climbing anything higher than his own head. He cannot find a handhold in the jutting roofs that line Japans streets, and when you do find something hes able to climb, he does so painfully slowly. On rooftops, he precariously balances on the apex, standing upright for all to see as he cautiously inches forward. These impairments to Yasukes climbing abilities introduce friction. Scaling environments can feel like a chore, with structures like scaffolding and ladders required to make any significant progress. All of this doesnt exactly force Yasuke to stay at ground level, but it certainly encourages it. This in turn denies him vision; without easy access to high vantage points its difficult to map out an areas threats and plan accordingly. And where a grounded Naoe at least has the enemy-highlighting Eagle Vision to fall back on, Yasuke has nothing. Take up his blade and youre agreeing to sacrifice almost everything other than raw strength.Assassin's Creed is built on stealthy kills and vertical exploration, ideas that Yasuke is in direct opposition to.If this sounds not a lot like Assassins Creed, its because it isnt. The series has thus far been built around parkour-led exploration. Even when it has delved into areas of history where buildings were rarely more than one or two storeys high, verticality is still a core part of the flow. Being robbed of the series traditional climbing freedom and forced to follow more prescribed routes makes time spent as Yasuke feel much closer to playing Ghost of Tsushima than Assassins Creed a feeling only emphasised by Yasukes lack of stealth training and reliance on his samurai sword skills. Embodying Yasuke is to play a game thats first and foremost about fierce combat, something Tsushima is fondly remembered for and Assassins Creed often criticised over. To play as Yasuke is to be asked to rethink how to play Assassins Creed. Historically, the series has allowed us to climb anywhere. Previous assassins have been knife-happy Spider-Men, armed with sticky hands that allow them to scale everything from towers to glaciers as if they were ladders. It is effortless and, as a result, it offers no challenge whatsoever. Yasuke changes this. While its true that theres a lot beyond his grasp, careful observation of the environment reveals hidden pathways that have been built especially to allow Yasuke to reach his objectives. For instance, a leaning tree trunk protruding from an overcrop can lead you to a sync point that would otherwise be inaccessible without a grappling hook. A castle may have an open window on the second floor, easily entered if you follow the staircase-like arrangement of the courtyards exterior wall. Such paths are arguably more interesting to decipher than the practically thoughtless scrambles of past games. These pathways only take Yasuke where he needs to be, though. He has much less freedom when it comes to general exploration, and its difficult to gain the high ground to observe enemy patrol patterns. But Yasuke really doesnt abide by the traditional Assassins Creed approach of assessing guard movements and planning ahead. His only real stealth ability is the Brutal Assassination skill, and well, it involves impaling an enemy on his sword, lifting them three feet off the ground, and yelling. Not exactly inconspicuous, is it? Rather than a takedown, its an opening move for combat, kicking things off with an instant kill. And when things do kick off, things get good. They get really good. Shadows boasts the best swordplay Assassins Creed has had in over a decade. Theres purpose to each strike and a rich variety of techniques to pull on from brutal rush attacks to satisfying ripostes. Finishing moves cleave heads from shoulders, an image that creates a clear contrast between Yasukes abilities and Naoes stealthy approach. Yasuke enjoys the best combat mechanics Assassin's Creed has ever had. | Image credit: UbisoftBut theres more than just contrast here; the separation of combat and stealth into two characters means theres less bleeding between the two styles. In Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, far too many quests used direct conflict as the default interaction. As such, action became their primary language. In Shadows, the twin protagonist system safeguards against that; Naoes relative fragility means she cant go full slaughter mode, so when combat does break out youre eventually forced to flee, reposition, and reset the stealth loop. When you want a break from that tension, Yasukes strength ensures youll be able to survive the worst Shadows can throw at you. Its the power that he brings to the party that makes him such a tantalising prospect in combat, especially once his flashy skill tree full of abilities unlocks over time.Theres strong intention within Yasukes design, then. But its nonetheless difficult to see where he fits into Assassins Creed this is a series built on stealthy kills and vertical exploration, ideas that Yasuke is in direct opposition to. While its true that the likes of Bayek and Eivor stepped much too far into action territory, they were still able to perform the fundamental actions of an Assassins Creed lead character. They climbed to the apex of temples and wielded hidden blades. While it is thematically appropriate for Yasuke, who is a samurai and not an assassin, to be bad at stealth and climbing, his design simply means you cant play Assassins Creed like Assassins Creed while in control of him. The real problem Yasuke faces, though, is his ally. Naoe is just the better option. She is, mechanically speaking, the best Assassins Creed protagonist in many years. Her stealth toolkit is complemented by Sengoku Period Japan, which allows for the towering verticality of architecture the series has been missing since Syndicate. Combined, these elements allow for an experience that truly fulfills the promise of Assassins Creed: becoming a highly mobile silent killer. Naoe also benefits from the design changes that shape Yasuke while she can climb up to practically anywhere in the world, the stick to every surface mantra of the series has been scrapped in favour of something slightly more realistic. This means you still have to assess climbing routes and find anchor points for your grappling hook, but you can leap further and climb faster these are the fundamental things that turn an open world into an Assassins Creed sandbox. And when you are on the ground and in the thick of it, Naoes combat flow feels just as ruthlessly violent and impactful as Yasukes. She benefits from all of the swordplay enhancements he enjoys, just with the caveat that she cant endure battle for as long as her samurai friend can. All of this raises the question: why would you play as Yasuke when you can play as Naoe? Due to its admirable intent to offer two distinct playstyles with Yasuke and Naoe, Ubisoft has created a double-edged sword. The African samurai plays by very different rules to a classic Assassins Creed protagonist, which creates a contrasting and reasonably compelling experience thats a genuine first for the series. But he is undeniably in direct opposition to the ideas upon which these games were built ideas that remain largely unique in the open-world genre. So while Ill always find time to return to Yasukes shoes to enjoy the vicious thrill of his blade, itll be through the eyes of Naoe that I truly explore Shadows world. Because when I play as Naoe, I feel like Im playing Assassins Creed. Matt Purslow is IGN's Senior Features Editor.

For almost 250 years, West Virginias storied resort The Greenbrier has attracted generations of guests to its 11,000 scenic acres in the Allegheny Mountains. The National Historic Landmark, which has hosted everyone from royalty (the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Princess Grace) to 28 U.S. Presidents, remains an enduring symbol of Southern hospitality and exuberant interiors. So when designer Kendall Rabun was tasked with outfitting a new country house for a New York family of five at the Greenbrier Sporting Club, a private residential community on the pastoral property, the Atlanta-raised, and now Bronxville, New York-based, designer felt the weight of the task.I [sensed the] looming presence of Dorothy Draper, Kendall says, referring to the design legend who masterfully transformed the resorts interiors in the 1940s with 45,000 yards of fabric and 40,000 gallons of paint. (At one point the resorts green-walled, red-carpeted writing room was said to be the most photographed room in America.)Matthew KisidayClassic country touchesincluding a blue beadboard half-wall with shelf, an apron-front sink, and a skirted storage area in the laundry roomabound throughout this well-appointed property.Despite the undisputable design chops of her chintz-loving predecessor, Kendall felt confident this modern Greek Revival property merited its own point of view. I just knew from the beginning that my goal wasnt to try to compete or emulate but to sneak in little references [to The Greenbriers storied design] while pivoting toward a more country feeling, says Kendall. Case in point: The floral wallcovering in the laundry room (Lucknow by Carolina Irving) is a not-too-on-the-nose nod to Drapers iconic Rhododendron wallcovering, seen throughout the resort.The same goes for slightly more subdued pops of patternincluding paisleys, florals, checks, and stripesthat play well throughout the 3,200-square-foot home. Similarly, while the resort itself is known for bold contrasts, Kendall embraced color via a more complementary, landscape-inspired lensthink earthy browns, sky blues, and serene greens. For the homeowners and their three sonsages 12, 11, and 9the result is everything they hoped for and more. A country home suggests a dwelling with an inextricable relationship to the natural world, says Kendall. Here, from the gracious back porch, you can truly take in the majesty of the Allegheny Mountains. Its a humbling and awe-inspiring thing.Below, step inside the dreamy home: Tour More Dreamy Country EscapesPolished PatternsMatthew KisidayMatthew KisidayWith its large-scale circa-1800s paisley print, the entrys wallcovering sets a lively tone befitting the propertys history. The custom ink drawing by Hugo Guinness features five dandelions, referencing the homeowners and their three children. Underfoot, a Greek key design hand-painted by Connecticut-based artist Shelly Denning gives a wink to the homeowners Greek ancestry. The bronzed brass-and-glass globe lantern is modeled after a 19th-century antique. Get the Look:Wallcovering: Kashimir by JasperLantern: Vaughan DesignsConversation CornersMatthew KisidayThe welcoming living rooms many blues, greens, and neutrals blend for a one-with-nature scene that complements the setting outside the French doors. A textural grasscloth wallcovering adds coziness but doesnt compete with the patterned fabrics.Matthew KisidayMatthew KisidayPaired with a vintage marble and brass drinks table, the rooms custom banquette, covered in a petite patterned stripe, creates an intimate conversation corner. Above it, 19th-century artworks, including a British equestrian painting in a simple burl frame, hint at the familys horse-racing history. The rooms oversize ottoman was designed so every houseguest could put both their feet up and their drink down. (Note the slide-out drink tray on the right.)Get the Look: Banquette Fabric:Dutch Stripe by Jasper FabricsGrasscloth Wallcovering: Manila Hemp by Phillip JeffriesOttoman:James Showroom Matthew KisidayCustom door panels based on a Moroccan motif add an exotic touch to the wet bar.Get the Look: Door Panels:Mosaic HousePretty PleatsMatthew KisidayFor proof that a country house neednt skimp on softness, simply look to the homes breakfast room, which features block-print floral draperies, a custom pendant with a gathered floral print shade, and rattan dining chairs outfitted with cushions made of a carefree performance fabric. Even the antique furniture and fixturesa scalloped 19th-century pine hutch, a trestle table, ornate iron sconceshave soft curves. The brown-and-cream spongeware was inspired by 19th-century British stoneware. Get the Look:Drapery Fabric: Samode by Lisa Fine TextilesDining Chairs:Sika Design Dining Chair Cushion Fabric: French Ikat by Carolina Irving TextilesSpongeware: Tory BurchNatural TexturesMatthew KisidayIn the kitchen, custom wicker pendant lights illuminate the marble-topped island and its bistro-style rattan stools. The green weave of the seating plays off the green hue of the hand-finished terra-cotta tiles that compose the check-patterned backsplash. Kendall also looked to nature for the artwork, opting for a set of 12 antique botanicals in a single hand-painted frame. Get the Look:Stools: AnthropologieBacksplash Tile: Mosaic HouseBotanical Artwork:Casa Gusto Verdant Backdrop Matthew KisidayIn the powder room, a botanical wallpaper provides a verdant backdrop for the vintage rattan mirror and the marble sink.Get the Look:Wallpaper: Renaissance Herbier by SchumacherSerene GreensMatthew KisidayMatthew KisidayAny visitor to The Greenbrier is familiar with the signs that come out at bedtime: ShhIts Sleepy Time Down South. In this restful bunk room, Kendall coated the beds, walls, and trim with the same soothing green shade, which is echoed in the window treatments and the ceiling wallpaper. The golf bag print above the left bunk hints at the rooms 11th-hole view as well as the familys love of the game. The Greek key design, at right, on the bunk beds is another tribute to the homeowners Greek ancestry. Get the Look: Window Treatments:Argentine by Quadrille FabricsCeiling Wallpaper:Links by Galbraith & PaulPaint: Breakfast Room Green by Farrow & BallRELATED: Need to Sleep a Crowd? Try These Nostalgic Bunk Room IdeasFloral BluesMatthew KisidayIn the bath off the bunk room, a petite floral wallcovering is combined with a checkerboard tile floor and a sweet blue-shaded light fixture.Get the Look: Wallcovering: Devonshire by JasperLight Fixture:Sazerac StitchesThe Dorothy Draper EffectMatthew KisidayIn the primary bedroom, a plaster shell-form chandelier brings in a bit of nature, and a grass cloth wallcovering adds warmth.Get the Look:Wallcovering: Phillip JeffriesChandelier: Liz O'BrienMatthew KisidayMatthew KisidayAlso in the primary bedroom, Kendall again channeled Dorothy Draper with the large-scale fabric on the headboard, which is accompanied by an antique nightstand and a purple ceramic lamp. At right, an antique-inspired desk is paired with a 1920s marquetry chair reupholstered in a colorful floral fabric. Get the Look:Headboard Fabric: Thistle by George SpencerCeramic Lamp: by Christopher SpitzmillerDesk: by Highland House FurnitureChair Upholstery: Decors BarbaresRELATED: Best Bedroom Ideas for Every Decorating StyleLetting the Light InMatthew KisidayCaf curtains offer privacy in the primary bathroom but at the same time let in plenty of natural light. I cant help but start the day happy when there is so much sunlight and beauty around me, the homeowner says of one of her favorite rooms in the house. A pair of faux bamboo mirrors and lacquered brass sconces with whimsical floral backplates help complete the space. Get the Look: by Sconces:Ann-Morris LightingRELATED: Caf Curtains Are Back! Heres How to Get Them RightGolf Course ViewsMatthew KisidayFrom the comfort of the back porch, the homeowners can take in views of the Old White (a golf course named after the Old White Hotel, which previously stood on The Greenbriers grounds) while sipping wine on the rattan sofa covered with durable indoor-outdoor fabric designed by Mark D. Sikes.Get the Look:Sofa Fabric: Oleander from Schumacher Check Out More Homes in Dreamy Country Settings

Courtesy of MasterClassCountry Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?Ah, spring! The warm weather has returned, flowers are blooming, and all seems right in the world. With longer days and more sunshine, its also time to give your home some TLC. Of course that all makes us think of classic spring cleaning, and while we all need to deep clean at least a few areas (hello, dirty oven! and maybe we shouldnt ignore you any more, dusty walls?), perhaps we should think a little more broadly about refreshing our home this spring.MasterClass Designing a Home That Tells Your Story$120 at MasterClassCredit: Courtesy of MasterClassThats where our old friend Joanna Gaines, founder of Magnolia, can be of help. In her MasterClass, Gaines guides us through tips to spruce up a room in your home to make it uniquely right for you and your family in this season of life. If youre like me and youve been putting off figuring out what to do with some blank walls or how to think through changes in a room you arent loving, Gaines can help you find design direction to move forward with while youve got that get-up-and-do-something spring sunshine working for you. Here are some of Gainess top tips to develop a vision for your spring home refresh. Related StoriesTake inventory of your room. As a first step, look around the space you are considering changing and evaluate what does and doesnt speak to you today: What do you love about this space? Whats worth keeping? Whats worth removing? Is there anything you want to uncover and restore? What styles have you seen outside your home that speak to you, and are they in this space or not? These question swill help you decide what you want to add to the space based on where you and your family are now in life.Identify the ideal function of the space.Before getting to inspiration images, Gaines asks how a space will function for you or your family: What do I need this space to do for me and my family? How do I want this space to work? What is the best day in this space, and how do we use it then? Every space is an opportunity to make it work for you and your family, Gaines says in the class. Thats the intention and the thought I want on the front end that will help lead me through my design and the choices I make for the space.Establish a look and feel for the space.After you have thought through the function of the space, Gaines recommends reflecting on this question: What do you want your space to feel like? Describe it in a few words, or if you get stuck doing so, think about what you dont want and then flip it to the opposite to help you define what do you do want. Then let those words guide each design decision you make from there. If you hit a moment of decision paralysis, this vision can help get you unstuck and keep moving forward.Prioritize to stay on budget.Even as you work your way through Gainess tips, its easy to start scheming beyond your budget. But not to fear. Gaines recommends prioritizing whatever you hate most in a space and fixing that first. From there, you can take on other projects in the future as your budget allows.Remember nothing has to happen overnight, Gaines says in her MasterClass. Dont forget that the moments that are happening within the home matter way more than anything when it comes to design and styling and renovation.To get all of Gainess tips for home design and to see photos from her dramatic before and after projects (a farmhouse! a castle!) to illustrate them, subscribe to MasterClass and watch her Designing a Home That Tells Your Story class. Annual memberships start at $120, but MasterClass offers an array of sales throughout the year.Related StoriesMadoline Markham KoonceAssistant Managing EditorMadoline Markham Koonce is the assistant managing editor at Country Living and VERANDA, where she covers home dcor, shopping, travel, news, and culture. She began her career at Southern Living and previously worked in community journalismincluding serving as the editor of three community magazines she helped launch. She has an undergraduate degree in history from Rhodes College (and loves to tap her love of history in her writing) as well as a master's degree in magazine journalism from the University of Missouri. When she's not on deadline, you can find her baking or lost in a good book.

Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle,the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost.Request your EXTENDED TRIALtoday and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.If youve read any of my writing over the years, you know I love protocols and building on top of them. Launched in 2001, OpenVPN has been the go-to protocol for VPN connections across almost all services. But the problem with underlying protocols is theyre a bit harder to evolve as technology changes. As mobile devices became a key part of the VPN experience, so did the need for faster speeds, better security, and improved roaming abilities. Thats where ExpressVPNs Lightway protocol comes into play.About Apple @ Work:Bradley Chambers managed an enterprise IT network from 2009 to 2021. Through his experience deploying and managing firewalls, switches, a mobile device management system, enterprise grade Wi-Fi, 1000s of Macs, and 1000s of iPads, Bradley will highlight ways in which Apple IT managers deploy Apple devices, build networks to support them, train users, stories from the trenches of IT management, and ways Apple could improve its products for IT departments.First introduced in 2020, Lightway was ExpressVPNs answer to modern VPN demands with a new and modern standard. Built initially in C, Lightway was designed to offer faster connection speeds, stronger security, and reduced battery consumptionparticularly on mobile devices. Unlike traditional protocols prioritizing flexibility over performance, Lightway was built for efficiency, making it ideal for streaming, gaming, and other high-bandwidth activities that have become commonplace with VPN for business and consumer needs alike.Of course, like any protocol, it has to be open source. This allows companies to build on top of it without worrying about future costs of usage but allows the protocol code to be examined by the community at large. A codebase that everyone can hammer on is more secure.At ExpressVPN, we innovate to solve the challenges of tomorrow. Upgrading Lightway from its previous C code to Rust was a strategic and straightforward decision to enhance performance, and security while ensuring longevity. With Rust widely recognized as the high-performing, secure, and reliable language, it was a natural choice for evolving Lightway, said Pete Membrey, Chief Research Officer at ExpressVPN.Introducing Lightway in RustLightway in Rust is the first major attempt at a new VPN protocol in many years. Its built on common standards and could replace OpenVPN as the new industry norm. The biggest shift? A complete rewrite of the codebase from C to Rust, a modern programming language known for its memory safety, speed, and security.The move to Rust brings several clear advantages for Lightway with the new release:Enhanced Security: Rust eliminates memory-related vulnerabilities common in C, offering stronger protection against exploits. Performance Gains: The simpler Rust codebase means faster connection speeds, lower latency, and better battery performance on iPhones, Android, etc. OpenVPN was built when the world was largely using desktop workstations, so this is one of the key gains of Lightway in Rust.Transparency and Trust: Lightway in Rust remains open-source, and ExpressVPN has backed its security claims with two independent audits from Cure53 and Praetorian. Both audits confirmed the protocols robustness, swiftly addressing all identified vulnerabilities.Whats next?ExpressVPN is positioning Lightway in Rust as a serious contender to OpenVPN and WireGuard as the default industry standards. Obviously, with any protocol, the other companies in the VPN space will have to be convinced that Lightway with Rust is better than the alternatives. Protocols cant last forever, but moving them forward is part of the trade-offs of a community protocol.Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle,the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost.Request your EXTENDED TRIALtoday and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? 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Image by Getty / FuturismDevelopmentsSorry, gym rats, but all that creatine you've been relying on? It may have been for nothing, according to a new clinical trial at least at the dose you were probably taking it.After having over fifty people undergo a 12-week resistance training program, a team of researchers in Australia found that the group who took creatine supplements on a daily basis didn't have more substantial gains that the group that didn't, as they wrote in a study published in the journal Nutrients."We've shown that taking five grams of creatine supplement per day does not make any difference to the amount of lean muscle mass people put on while resistance training," said senior author Mandy Hagstrom, an exercise scientist at UNSW Sydney, in a statement about the work. "The benefits of creatine may have been overestimated in the past, due to methodological problems with previous studies."This may come as an assault on a hallowed institution of weightlifting wisdom. The muscle-building benefits of taking creatine, a safe substance produced naturally by the body, wasn't just mere bro science, but backed by a substantive body of research. Just swallow five grams a day, the common advice goes, and you're on your way to hypertrophy heaven.Supplementing creatine is also thought to produce other salubrious effects, promoting brain health, bone health, and even reducing all-around mortality, according to the researchers. Better yet, it's really cheap. If getting big was your calling, there was no reason not to take it.This latest study puts a dent in that image. To take part in the trial, the researchers selected relatively healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 50 with limited training history. They were all put on the same resistance training program of three lifting sessions per week, and instructed to keep track of what they ate in a food log. To precisely measure muscle growth, their changes in body composition were measured using x-ray imaging techniques.A key factor that makes the experiment stand out is that it had the participants take creatine a week before they started the program, instead of starting everything all at once. This avoided a problem encountered by previous trials: confounding the creatine's effects with the benefits of lifting weights."We had what we call a wash-in phase, where half of the participants started taking the supplement, without changing anything else in their daily life, to give their body a chance to stabilize in terms of its response to the supplement," Hagstrom said in the statement.At first, the creatine group showed about an extra pound of mass gained in the first week. But this eventually flattened out to match the control group, suggesting that the gains weren't due to muscle mass, but fluid retention; one of creatine's well known effects is causing your muscles to draw in more water."Then once they started exercising, they saw no additional benefit from creatine which suggests that five grams per day is not enough if you're taking it for the purposes of building muscle," Hagstrom said.It's not over for creatine evangelists, though. One potential takeaway is that to produce the mythical muscle-building benefits, we should be taking more creatine perhaps ten grams per day, instead of five. There's also the possibility that creatine's effects are borne out in the long term for advanced lifters, and not just the several-month period of the study with relative newbies."It would be really interesting to see if creatine has more of a long-term benefit," coauthor Imtiaz Desai, a fellow UNSW Sydney exercise scientist, said in the statement. "When you start weight training, you have those beginner gains in strength and those start tapering off around the 12-week mark and become slower, so it's possible the support from creatine might come at a later stage."More on gains: If You Still Think Bodybuilding Is Healthy, This Woman Just Died at Age 20Share This Article

It's never been a better time to be an American consumer. Incredible new technological advancements in fast food technology have given us burritos delivered by drones, Taco Bell powered by AI, and surge pricing on Wendy's burgers.But all those treats cost money something many Americans seem to be running low on. Not to worry, because a new partnership between two beloved startups is making sure you never have to go without.This week, DoorDash announcedthat it's partnering with AI-powered payment platform Klarna to allow empty-walleted consumers to take out micro-loans to pay for food and grocery delivery.On checkout, DoorDash users will soon see Klarna as a payment option along the usual options like debit cards and Apple Pay. If your bank account is empty and payday is a ways off, Klarna will offer three options: pay in full, pay in four interest-free installments, or pay later, presumably with interest.DoorDash's press release is full of words like "empowers," "freedom," and "flexibility" a welcome reminder that in this country, liberty and commerce are synonyms.While there's no word yet how burger loans will effect DoorDash's army of migrant gig workers, we can probably rest easy knowing that freedom and empowerment are top of mind.And when it comes to commerce, no financial vehicle typifies deep-fried freedom like micro-loans. Though versions of microlending have always been present in the US, the commercial micro-loan fad really took hold in the early 90s, as international firms lending to the global poor set their sights on America's down-and-out.After Ronald Reagan's destruction of New Deal social spending and organized labor, America's poor became cash cows for global micro-lenders like ACCION and their numbers have been growing ever since. In the following decades, micro-loan companies would pop up in strip malls across the country, offering temporary relief for struggling wage earners, and guaranteed returns for lenders. Heck, even our democraticleaders love micro-loans.Today, micro-loans are everywhere, empowering Americans of all ages with the flexibility to "buy now, pay later." When it comes topaying for treats, today's consumers are spoiled for choice as startups like Afterpay guarantee you'll never have to go without jeans, groceries, or makeup.Indeed, DoorDash is only the latest of a huge list of American companies to add the freedom and flexibility of micro-loans to itslineup. In the words of President George Bush: "go shopping!"More on food delivery: This New Paper About Eating Out of Plastic Containers Is a Bit TerrifyingShare This Article

If you've got a mammoth-sized super old PC tower sitting around, don't throw it out. You can recycle it for free, and in some cases even get store credit.