During its recent Nintendo Direct, the company unveiled a new way that its consoles will handle digital game purchases. This new method will also affect how Nintendo Switch players use multiple consoles with the same account, as well as how sharing games between family members will work. Check out the video below.As part of the new method, players will have the option to convert all of their digitally-purchased Nintendo Switch titles into Virtual Game Cards. The method, in a bid to replicate the feeling of owning and sharing physical copies of games, will treat each Virtual Game Card as if it is a physical copy of a Switch game that has been inserted into the system.When the system is enabled, all digital copies of Switch games, including new purchases, are automatically considered Virtual Game Cards that have been loaded on to the system. While players can go on to enjoy the title as they usually would, they also have the option to eject a Virtual Game Card. Ejected ones can then be loaded on to other Switch devices. It is worth noting that using the system requires the console to have an online connection when loading or ejecting Virtual Game Cards.Virtual Game Cards will have their own management screen in the Nintendo Switchs home screen. Through this, players can then decide which Virtual Game Cards they want to load or eject. Multiple Switch consoles cannot have the same Virtual Game Card loaded simultaneously, and players will have to eject it from one console in order to load it into another. According to the video, Virtual Game Card and its management tools will work for up to two systems.In order to share Virtual Game Cards across systems, both consoles also need be in the same place for local communication between them to happen. Thankfully, this is only necessary the first time the two systems are linked up, and subsequent management of Virtual Game Cards can be done over the Internet.Virtual Game Cards also work through family sharing. Nintendo accounts that are in the same family group can share Virtual Game Cards between each other. Each family member can only get one Virtual Game Card at a time through this method, however, and the sharing only lasts for two weeks. After this, the Virtual Game Card will have to be shared again. While the shared games are returned to the original owner, family members will still get to retain their save files.It is also worth noting that the Virtual Game Card system will be compatible both with the original Nintendo Switch, as well as the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.Nintendo showcased quite a few other things during its recent Direct, including a new trailer for Metroid Prime 4, a new game in the Tomodachi Life franchise, the fact that Rift of the NecroDancer is out now on the Switch, and even the return of a classic RPG in Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army.

Developer Storm in a Teacup and publisher ESDigital Games have released a new trailer for upcoming sci-fi stealth action title Steel Seed. The trailer this time around focuses on giving us a more in-depth look at its gameplay. Check it out below.The trailer kicks things off by showing us a scene from what appears to be quite early in the game, with protagonist Zoe still lying in what seems to be some sort of medical bed. We also get to see Zoes robotic companion, KOBY, getting switched on as it flies around looking for Zoe.Through KOBYs perspective, we get to see the sci-fi grungy industrial vibes that Steel Seed seems to be going for. KOBY flies through what appears to be the between-the-wall maintenance spaces of an industrial building of some sort, complete with broken wires and other giant robots flying around. Ultimately, we get to see what appears to be the first time Zoe and KOBY meet.The gameplay parts of the trailer starts off by showcasing some of the platforming capabilities that players will have in the shoes of Zoe. Along with more traditional moves like being able to climb up ledges, Zoe is also equipped with some sort of rocket thrusters in her boots that allow her to double-jump in order to cross wider gaps.After spending some time with the games platforming mechanics and level design, things quickly start going wrong and an intense chase sequence ensues. Shortly after this, we get our first proper look at the titles stealth mechanics and combat. When sneaking up on an enemy, Zoe will be able to destroy the enemy in a single hit.Facing off against an enemy head-on leads to combat, which appears to be taking some cues from Soulslike RPGs. Zoe is seemingly equipped with a light attack and a heavy attack, and players can mix and match these to come up with more devastating combos. Zoe also has the ability to dodge enemy attacks, with more precise dodges being rewarded with what looks like a powerful follow-up attack.Generally speaking, the extended gameplay trailer for Steel Seed appears to showcase the titles early sections with essentially zero edits. We get to see the set up for the story, as well as what look like levels designed to be tutorials that will allow players to slowly come to terms with Zoes various abilities. After an extended stealth section where Zoe takes out several enemies with sneak attacks, the trailer ends at what looks like the beginning of a boss fight.Steel Seed was originally unveiled all the way back in June 2023s Future Games Show with a trailer. The game takes place in a distant future, with humanity having brought the planet to the brink of destruction through ceaseless industry. The game is being developed using Unreal Engine 5. While its original release date was slated for a 2024 window, the game has since been delayed to April 10. It is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Friday, March 28th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerAutodesk releases Arnold 7.4.1html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Autodesk has released Arnold 7.4.1, the latest version of the production renderer.The update adds support for Toon Shading when rendering on the GPU, improves performance in complex scenes, and adds a new interactive HTML-based viewer for render statistics.The new functionality is available in all of Arnolds integration plugins, with the Maya plugin also getting better handling of OpenVDB point data.Toon shading can now be rendered on the GPUArnold 7.4.1 makes it possible to use the toon shading features the Toon shader itself, and the Contour filter when rendering on the GPU, as well as on CPU.The GPU implementation is currently limited to direct lighting only, so it does not support reflections, refractions, or indirect lighting, in addition to the standard limitations on CPU.Faster rendering of complex scenes with procedural instancingThe update also improves render performance, particularly in complex scenes with a lot of procedural instancing.The new options.procedural_instancing_optimization flag usually produces speedups between 1-2x, but for sufficiently complex scenes the speedup can be significantly larger.According to the release notes, Activisions new Caldera USD data set (shown above), which is based on a map from Call of Duty: Warzone, renders a full 18x faster.Parallel scene initiation also now scales better with CPU cores, reducing time to first pixel on many-core machines.Improvements to Global Light Sampling and USD workflowsIn addition, rendering photometric (IES) lights and mesh lights using Global Light Sampling now generates higher-quality results for the same render settings and render times.In the comparison images in the release notes, the difference is particularly striking on a motion-blurred mesh.When rendering USD data, Arnold now uses Hydra by default to handle the translation from USD, which makes the resulting render consistent with its Hydra render delegate.New interactive viewer for render statisticsArnold 7.4.1 also introduces a new HTML-based interactive viewer for render statistics. It displays render stats such as frame render time, render time by category or by node, memory usage, and texture usage in a visual format, making it easier to troubleshoot performance bottlenecks. Support in the integration pluginsAll of Arnolds integration plugins have been updated to support the new features: 3ds Max: MAXtoA 5.8.1Cinema 4D: C4DtoA 4.8.1Houdini: HtoA 6.4.1Katana: KtoA 4.4.1Maya: MtoA 5.5.1Newer than the versions of the plugins included with 3ds Max 2026 and Maya 2026If youre using 3ds Max 2026 or Maya 2026, both of which were also released this week, be aware that these arent the versions of MAXtoA and MtoA included with them, which support Arnold 7.4.0, the previous version of the renderer.MtoA 5.5.1 also adds support for OpenVDB point data in the aiVolume node, enabling Maya users to import VDB files that contain point data and render them as Arnold points primitives.System requirements and availabilityArnold 7.4.1 is available for Windows 10+, RHEL/CentOS 7+ Linux and macOS 10.13+. Integrations are available for 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Houdini, Katana and Maya.GPU rendering is supported on Windows and Linux only, and needs a compatible NVIDIA GPU.The software is rental-only, with single-user subscriptions costing $55/month, up $5/month since the start of 2025, or $415/year, up $15/year.Read a full list of new features in Arnold 7.4.1 in the online documentationHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsAutodesk releases Arnold 7.4.1Check out the latest features in the production renderer, including toon shading on GPU, and new HTML viewer for render statistics.Friday, March 28th, 20253DGS Render 3.0 lets you paint 3D Gaussian Splats in Blender3D scanning firm Kiri Innovations' free add-on now lets you paint onto 3DGS data inside Blender, including through texture images.Friday, March 28th, 2025Adobe releases Photoshop 26.5Check out the changes to the image-editing and retouching software, updating workflow in the Adjustment Presets layout.Thursday, March 27th, 2025Autodesk releases MotionBuilder 2026Update to the character animation and mocap-editing software extends USD workflows. Check out all the changes here.Thursday, March 27th, 2025Autodesk releases 3ds Max 2026Check out the latest changes to the 3D modeling and rendering app, including updates to retopology, shading and animation.Wednesday, March 26th, 2025Autodesk releases Maya 2026 and Maya Creative 20263D modeling and animation tool gets updates to the ML Deformer and liquid simulation in Bifrost. Check out all the new features here.Wednesday, March 26th, 2025More NewsAutodesk adds Golaem 9.2 to its Media & Entertainment CollectionZen Masters releases Zen UV 5.0Peregrine Labs ships Yeti 5.2Check out new open-source 3D character generator CharMorphPolygonflow releases new free version of DashUnity unveils its 2025 product roadmapUnity previews Unity 6.1Character Creator to get new MetaTailor pluginNVIDIA unveils Blackwell RTX PRO GPUs with up to 96GB VRAM5 key features in Blender 4.4Sketchsoft releases Feather 1.1GIMP 3.0 is out after seven years in developmentOlder Posts

Friday, March 28th, 2025Posted by Jim Thacker3DGS Render 3.0 lets you paint 3D Gaussian Splats in Blenderhtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"3D scanning tools developer Kiri Innovations has released 3DGS Render 3.0, the latest version of its open-source tool for visualizing 3D Gaussian Splats inside Blender.The add-on makes it possible to import 3DGS scans of real-world objects in PLY format and manipulate them in real time inside Blender, rendering them with the Eevee renderer.Version 3.0 makes it possible to paint 3D Gaussian Splats as if they were standard meshes, including by painting through image textures, and to convert polygonal meshes to 3DGS.A new technique for generating 3D scans from images of real-world objectsBased on research published in 2023, 3D Gaussian Splatting is a new 3D scanning method.Like photogrammetry, it begins by generating a point cloud of a 3D object or scene from a set of source photos, but rather than converting the point cloud to a textured mesh, it converts it to gaussians, using machine learning to determined the correct color for each.The result is a high-quality and potentially fast-rendering 3D representation of the object or scene being scanned.An increasing number of 3D scanning tools now support 3D Gaussian Splatting, one obvious example being Kiri Innovations own Kiri Engine.However, native support for 3DGS data in CG applications is currently limited, although it has recently been implemented in both V-Ray and D5 Render.Manipulate and render 3DGS data directly inside Blender with 3DGS Render3DGS Render is intended to address some of the pain points with existing workflows, making it possible to manipulate 3DGS scan data inside Blender like a standard 3D object.The add-on converts 3DGS data imported on PLY format into an object that can be transformed, scaled, rotated or duplicated like conventional geometry.The scan can then be lit and rendered inside Blender, although currently only using Eevee, Blenders real-time renderer, not Cycles, the main production renderer.3DGS Render Addon for Blender is out!New features include: Paint and use image textures to edit colour Mesh to 3DGS conversion Transformations and edits are exportable Lot's of other boosts and little features!Link for the addon and a Quick Guide tutorial below#b3d pic.twitter.com/vcLpcunXhT KIRI Engine 3D Scanner App (@KIRI_Engine_App) March 27, 20253DGS Render 3.0: paint directly onto 3DGS scans3DGS Render 3.0 makes it possible to retexture 3DGS scans by painting onto them directly, as well as by editing shader properties.You can see the workflow briefly in the video at the top of the story: as well as painting solid colors, it it is possible to paint through an image texture.3DGS Render also now automatically generates UV maps when importing 3DGS data, making it easier to texture using standard Blender workflows.Other changes: convert polygonal meshes to 3DGS and export transformationsThe update also lets you convert standard polygonal meshes to 3DGS the reverse of what most people will currently be doing, we imagine, but it may open up new workflows in future.In addition, it is now possible to export face edits and transformations, like changes of scale and rotation, made inside Blender when exporting 3DGS data to other DCC applications.There is also an experimental new feature for baking modifier effects to improve performance, the option to apply animated effects to 3DGS data having been added in 3DGS Render 2.0.Pricing and system requirements3DGS Render 3.0 is compatible with Blender 4.2+. Its a free download. The source code is available under an Apache 2.0 license.Read an overview of the new features in 3DGS Render 3.0 for BlenderDownload 3DGS Render from Kiri Innovations GitHub repositoryHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsAutodesk releases Arnold 7.4.1Check out the latest features in the production renderer, including toon shading on GPU, and new HTML viewer for render statistics.Friday, March 28th, 20253DGS Render 3.0 lets you paint 3D Gaussian Splats in Blender3D scanning firm Kiri Innovations' free add-on now lets you paint onto 3DGS data inside Blender, including through texture images.Friday, March 28th, 2025Adobe releases Photoshop 26.5Check out the changes to the image-editing and retouching software, updating workflow in the Adjustment Presets layout.Thursday, March 27th, 2025Autodesk releases MotionBuilder 2026Update to the character animation and mocap-editing software extends USD workflows. Check out all the changes here.Thursday, March 27th, 2025Autodesk releases 3ds Max 2026Check out the latest changes to the 3D modeling and rendering app, including updates to retopology, shading and animation.Wednesday, March 26th, 2025Autodesk releases Maya 2026 and Maya Creative 20263D modeling and animation tool gets updates to the ML Deformer and liquid simulation in Bifrost. Check out all the new features here.Wednesday, March 26th, 2025More NewsAutodesk adds Golaem 9.2 to its Media & Entertainment CollectionZen Masters releases Zen UV 5.0Peregrine Labs ships Yeti 5.2Check out new open-source 3D character generator CharMorphPolygonflow releases new free version of DashUnity unveils its 2025 product roadmapUnity previews Unity 6.1Character Creator to get new MetaTailor pluginNVIDIA unveils Blackwell RTX PRO GPUs with up to 96GB VRAM5 key features in Blender 4.4Sketchsoft releases Feather 1.1GIMP 3.0 is out after seven years in developmentOlder Posts

A newly described wasp species,Sirenobethylus charybdis, had a tail with paddles and trigger hairs that scientists say was used to catch and parasitize insects. The scale bar is 0.5 millimeters. Wu, Qiong et al., BMC Biology, 2025An ancient wasp may have used an odd structure at its rear end to capture insects and lay its eggs on or inside of them, according to a new study published Thursday in BMC Biology.Researchers named the parasitic creature Sirenobethylus charybdisboth after the sirens of Greek mythology that lured in sailors to their doom and after Charybdis, a mythical sea monster that created large whirlpools to drag its unsuspecting victims underwater.The wasps, which lived almost 99 million years ago, might have launched backward at their insect targets, then grasped them within their Venus flytrap-like abdomens.Its unlike anything Ive ever seen before, says Lars Vilhelmsen, a study co-author and researcher at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, to Chris Simms at New Scientist. It was very exciting, but it was also a challenge, because how can you explain how this animal worked when you have nothing like it today? Scientists looked at 16 amber-preserved specimens of the extinct wasp, which revealed the abdomen flaps, trigger hairs (black arrows) and needle-like device for depositing eggs (orange arrows). The scale bar is 0.5 millimeters in the top row and 0.2 millimeters in the bottom row. Wu, Qiong et al., BMC Biology, 2025For the study, scientists examined 16 female specimens of the wasp, which had been found encased in amber in northern Myanmar. The wasps strange abdomens each had three flaps with small spikes and trigger hairs, similar to the motion-detecting hairs on a Venus flytrap. Three-dimensional X-rays show that the flaps could open and close, likely to trap other insects.Perhaps most disturbingly, the researchers detected a needle-like structure that the parasitic wasps might have used to deposit their eggs in or on their prey. The baby wasps would then feed on their new host as they grew.Ive seen a lot of strange insects, but this has to be one of the most peculiar-looking ones Ive seen in a while, Lynn Kimsey, an entomologist at the University of California, Davis, who was not involved with the research, tells Adithi Ramakrishnan of the Associated Press.This is a truly unique discovery, Manuel Brazidec, an arthropod researcher at Frances University of Rennes who was not involved in the study, says to New Scientist. What I find extraordinary is that the abdomen of Sirenobethylus charybdis is a brand-new solution to a problem that all parasitoid insects have: How do you get your host to stop moving while you lay your eggs on or in it?Among modern insects, cuckoo wasps might offer the closest comparison to these odd creatures. Like the bird of the same name, cuckoo wasps lay their eggs in the nests of other animals, specifically bees. The wasp larvae will hatch, then devour either all the young bees or all their food. But these brood parasites of today dont have anything resembling the paddle-like flaps seen on the back end of Sirenobethylus charybdis.Its unclear how or when the wasp went extinct. But the discovery shows us how wonderful and weirdand even gruesomethe world of insects can be.We tend to think that the cool things are only found today, says Gabriel Mel, a wasp expert at the Federal University of Paran in Brazil who was not involved in the study, to the Associated Press. But when we have this opportunity, we see that many really exceptional, odd things already happened.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Discoveries, Ecology, Fossils, Insects, New Research, Plants, Reproduction, Wasps, Weird Animals

Google is adding gaming support to Android Auto, with titles including Candy Crush Soda Saga and Angry Birds 2 playable from compatible cars touchscreens. The new feature is included in the beta version of Android 14.1, which is rolling out to testers now.Only four games are currently supported, with Candy Crush and Angry Birds joined by Farm Heroes Saga and Beach Buggy Racing. To play them on the cars display you need to have the games installed on your phone first, and for obvious reasons theyre only available while the car is parked. 9to5Google tested it out, and found that when you shift out of park, the game closes immediately and is grayed out within the app drawer and app switcher.This addition also marks the first time that fullscreen apps have been available in Android Auto, though its not clear if the option will be extended to other types of app. Gaming and fullscreen support brings Android Auto closer in line to the software experience on cars with Google built-in, which already support a wider range of games to play while parked.Gaming support in Android Auto was announced by Google earlier this month as part of its March feature drop, but the company hasnt said when the option will leave beta. These arent the first games available on Android Auto, with a small number of basic titles running on HTML5 added in 2021 as part of Googles GameSnacks service.

Life sim inZOI is out now in early access on PC, and players have expressed their surprise at being able to run over children, despite the games Teen rating.Warning! The following contains descriptions of inZOI gameplay some may find disturbing.PlayThe ESRBs listing for inZOI does not mention the ability to run people over, but does mention Zois can die from "traffic accidents."This is a simulation game in which players create, customize, and control realistic characters called Zois through their daily activities. Players pursue various goals/objectives as they observe and interact with other Zois around town. Some actions can result in Zois fighting with each other, if players choose specific prompts (e.g., Pick a fight; Throw a punch). Zoi can die from natural or accidental causes (e.g., starvation, electrocution, fire, traffic accidents); among these deaths, death by fire depicts flames visibly engulfing a Zoi's body in dramatic fashion. Players can build relationships and pursue intimate encounters with other Zois, with the ability to romance them via certain prompts (e.g., Tell a dirty joke; Make bedroom eyes; Try out a pickup line). One of these actions (e.g., Suggest having a baby) leads to a scene in which Zois appear in bed, with a large heart icon covering them, as confetti bursts on the screen. During the course of the game, Zois can be seen using toilets, accompanied by mosaic/blurred pixelation effects; players can also command Zois to pass gas (e.g., Fart secretly).Thats enough to get the T for Teen rating youd expect for a sandbox life sim like this, and indeed is the same rating The Sims 4 has.However, inZOI players have discovered that they can accidentally or otherwise kill NPCs including children by driving into them, at which point the ragdoll physics kick in. Characters run over in this way die immediately.This sort of gameplay typically warrants an M for Mature rating in the United States and a PEGI 18 rating across Europe. The Grand Theft Auto games, which carry an M for Mature rating, do let you run over pedestrians but do not feature children outside of cutscenes.While inZOI looks like an early Steam hit, reaching number one on the global Steam top sellers chart just 40 minutes after release and, at the time of this articles publication, over 56,000 concurrent players, it seems this aspect of the game may have slipped through the net at publisher Krafton.IGN has asked Krafton for comment.I don't think that Krafton realizes that you can run over children in inZOI, reads one thread on the inZOI subreddit.So I have early access to inZOI and part of early access is trying to break the game, redditor HeeeydevonGaming said.This is how you report bugs, issues, etc. One of the issues I found is that you can drive into the elementary school and run over.. Unalive the children.. They might want to change this as the game is launching with a T rating.Most fans believe Krafton will likely patch this out of the game, or risk inZOI having to be resubmitted for a stricter age rating.Celebrating the launch today, inZOI Studio CEO and inZOI producer and director Hyungjun Kjun Kim said:I created and nurtured inZOI with great care as if it were my child, though it still has a lot of room for improvement.As inZOI takes its first steps into the world, I feel both proud and somewhat anxious hoping it wont stumble or get hurt. It would be deeply appreciated if you could watch over the game with warmth and support.inZOIs Steam page also includes the now essential generative AI disclaimer, which Valve imposes on developers and publishers who use the tech in the creation of their games.The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this:Players can generate unique textures for character outfits and various items based on text input. They can also create 3D objects from image input, which can be used as interior decorations or accessories, and add distinctive motions to their Zoi using video input. Additionally, the actions and thoughts of Zois are controlled through sLM technology, enabling more engaging and intuitive interactions.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Armageddon. That word, spoken by political officer Putin in the 1990 adaptation of Tom Clancys The Hunt for Red October, is weighted with meaning. Its not just that The Hunt for Red October is a Cold War thriller about the Russian and American Navies racing to find the titular nuclear sub, a conflict that might set off World War III. Its that the delivery of the word completely changes the movie.Up until that point, Putin (Peter Firth) and the other Russian charactersmost notably, Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) and his second officer Vasily Borodin (Sam Neill)have been speaking Russian. As Putin reads from a Bible that he finds in Ramius quarters, the camera pushes closer and closer onto his face, reaching his mouth just as he pronounces the word Armageddon. The camera then reverses the push, pulling out as Arana, Connery, and the others now all speak English from here on out, albeit some with Russian accents.Its an incredible moment, one that makes The Hunt for Red October the gold standard for handling foreign languages in Hollywood movies.Speaking the Same LanguageThe push in is just one of many elegant directorial flourishes that John McTiernan makes in The Hunt for Red October. Like the previous movie McTiernan directed, Die Hard from 1988, Red October is a masterclass in action filmmaking. Whether in the cramped confines of a submarine or in the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, McTiernan keeps the spacial arrangements clear, making sure that we viewers understand the distance between the characters.To put it another way, McTiernan is keenly aware of where his viewers eyes are going and resting. He intentionally constructs the frame so that, for example, we see the distance between CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) and American sub the USS Dallas when the the latter tries to board the boat from a chopper. McTiernan and editors Dennis Virkler and John Wright maintain a steady rhythm of cuts between people inside Red October and the sub itself to ratchet up the tension as navigator Gregoriy Kamarov guides the boat through tight straights.Whether it is that attention to composition that prompted McTiernan to drop the subtitles used in the first 15 minutes of the movie or its just the fact that Connery isnt going to muddle through Russian for two hours and 15 minutes (nor will the films target American audience), Red Octobers transition remains the best in Hollywood history.Traditionally American movies indicate someones nationality through accent, so that characters speak English to be legible but with enough difference to sound othered. Even if American audiences are less averse to subtitles than studios think, its unlikely that anyone other than, say, Quentin Tarantino making Inglourious Basterds, could get funding for a Hollywood picture where most of the cast speaks different languages.Nuclear MiscommunicationIn one of the movies tensest moments, Jack Ryan boards the Red October alongside Commander Bart Mancuso (Scott Glenn) and Petty Officer Ronald Jones (Courtney B. Vance) of the USS Dallas. The three Americans stand across from Captain Ramius, Captain Borodin, and other members of the Red Octobers senior staff.Throughout the movie, Ryan has been trying to convince anyone who would listen that Ramius intends to defect from the Soviet Union to the United States, and that he is taking Red October and its highly sophisticated caterpillar drive with him. However, the USSR has warned the U.S. that Ramius has gone rogue and plans to attack the Americans with his nuclear sub, something made all the easier by the virtual silence granted by Red Octobers caterpillar drive.Finally after the Dallas locates Red October, Ryan convinces Mancuso to send a message to Ramius via morse code and sonar pings, arranging to let the Americans board the sub. When the Americans come aboard, Ramius spies the pistol on Mancusos belt and makes a comment to Borodin. Ryan chuckles, which surprises both Mancuso, to whom Ryan explains the joke, and Ramius. When Ramius asks if Ryan speaks Russian, Ryan explains himself in the language, leading Ramius to continue in English.At that moment, Ryan and Ramius bond, relieved that their gambits have paid off. But its a moment that only works if the audience understands that these characters have not heretofore been speaking the same language. The entire stakes of the scene, indeed of the whole movie, come down to people hoping they can understand each other well enough to avoid nuclear catastrophe.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Unheard and UnlearnedOne can certainly make a larger argument about the thematic importance of communication in The Hunt for Red October, how its a statement on the tragedy of the Cold War, how we could achieve peace if we could just understand one another. Thats a great way to approach something like Star Trek (or, you know, Denzel Washington talking about Star Trek in a submarine in Crimson Tide), but The Hunt for Red October is not Star Trek. Its a thriller, one that leaves little room for philosophizing on international affairs.McTiernan needs to build tension quickly, laying out the stakes without letting too much exposition get in the way. Which he did right at the start of the movie with the language shift. It wasnt showy, it got the point across, and laid all the groundwork for the stakes and themes.Even 35 years later, weve rarely seen a technique as genius as the shift in The Hunt for Red October. What should have been a type of cinematic armageddon, forever changing the way we do different languages in visual art, has instead become a highlight of a great movie, an important lesson that continues to go largely unlearned.

Delia Kenza, the New Yorkbased lawyer turned interior designer, started going to Sag Harbor as a child. Her aunt was one of a small group of Black homeowners from New York City who built bungalows in Ninevah Beach, an enclave developed by two sisters in the 1950s. Kenza has spent weekends and summers there since she was nine years old. Now, with the help of local architect Anne Sherry, she has built a new home on the property, which Kenza shares with her husband and their daughters. The project, the first she has designed from the ground up, reflects her and her familys prioritiesexploration, enjoyment, and ease, as well as the designers longtime appreciation for African modernism. The quiet concrete masterpiece is much like its owner: exceptionally calm, extremely cool, and expertly collected.Camille Okhio: What is your personal history with this property in Sag Harbor?Delia Kenza: The women in my family have always been about real estate. My grandmother instilled that. My aunt had a summer house on this small plot of land, and I would come visit. At the time, no matter how successful you were, Black people could not buy homes or live wherever they wanted. This area was developed by two sisters so that Black people could own vacation houses near the water. The air is different here. It is quiet. There is a peacefulness to it. I can see the stars. My cell doesnt work so well here, and Im okay with that.CO: What was your aunts house like, and why did you recently replace it with a new structure?DK: Often the families who bought the plots of land would camp out and build the houses themselves. There are second- and third-generation folks in the neighborhood who will tell you wonderful stories about what it was like building together and the sense of community here. My aunts house was a five-minute walk from the beach. It eventually transitioned to me, more than 10 years ago. We enjoyed it for many summers, but it had no proper insulation. The houses here werent built to live in all year. In March or April we would come up, open the house, turn the water back on, do a deep clean, and enjoy the house for summer. Every year it just got hotter and hotter. I had to go to a neighbors house just to get some central air! I tend to gravitate toward preservation, but around 2016 I remember saying enough is enough. We broke ground then, finished the house five years later, and moved in in 2021.I was thinking about Brutalism and African modernism, but I was more focused on the feeling of the house, versus the look.Kelly MarshallA sectional by Area Portugal anchors a downstairs living area. Cocktail table by Sancal; stool from Angola; floor lamp by Lambert & Fils.CO: What were your reference points as you designed the house? DK: This was the first home I built from the ground up. I was thinking about brutalism and African modernism, but I was more focused on the feeling of the house versus the look of it. The exterior is concrete, and inside we used plaster on the walls, brass, and tiles from Portugal, where we spend much of our time. I like the architecture of Francis Kr, but I also like mud houses built by African women. And those thatched roofs! The shapes of these houses are so clean, and the one commonality in my work is clean lines. People dont realize it, but theres a minimalism to much African architecture. I have only what I need, and that is reflected in this house. Im the queen of quiet luxury.Kelly MarshallIn the dining room, artworks by Joseph Eze (center) and Kenzas daughter (right) hang behind a custom white oak dining table with chairs from Hay.CO: Your work always has a sense of subtlety and intention. How did you imbue those qualities in this space? DK: I worked with Anne Sherry to build the house. I wanted someone who is based locally, as the rules here in the Hamptons are very strict. The process was very collaborative. I wanted the house to have a feeling of ease. I wanted to walk through the door and decompress. I want guests to respect the space, but I also want them to put their feet up. I dont like waking up andboom!before I brush my teeth Im looking at a person. So the layout allows for privacy. All five bedrooms have their own bathrooms. There is a clear separation between private and public spaces.Kelly MarshallIn this sitting room, Kenza arranged paintings and sculpture from Angola around Maiden Homes Jones Sofa and a sofa Kenza purchsed 15 years ago and reupholstered for this home. The coffee table is vintage with a stainless steel top. Custom forest green paint covers the walls and the pendant light is from Area Store in Portugal.On the ground floor we have an open plan living room, dining room, and kitchen, which works for me because Im always feeding people and I dont want to be stuck inside an enclosed kitchen. Right off the kitchen is the dark green den. My two daughters rooms are on the bottom level. The top floor is where the primary bedroom is, with its balcony, and above that we have two roof decks.The air is different here. There is a peacefulness to it. Kelly MarshallA custom tub in stainless steel reflects the Portuguese bluestone surfaces in the primary bathroom. Fittings by Bruma.CO: Now that the house is done, how do you and your family use it and enjoy it?DK: I love a good party, so that was at the forefront of my mind. I wanted somewhere everyone could convene. On Thanksgiving we have anywhere from 12 to 20 people, including friends and family.But, that said, the house does not feel overwhelming if youre here alone. Even though the rooms have large volumes, there are pockets of space where it feels good to be by yourself.I invited a bunch of friends over last summer. In the morning we had homemade bread (thats my husbands thing) and eggs, while some people hung out around the kitchen island and some sat at the dining table. We made our way, with coffee in hand, onto the main deck, then decided to move up to the upper deck for stronger sun and more of a breeze. Then we walked to the beach, came back, and watched a movie, and if anyone didnt want to do that they could retreat to their room. That is luxury: time and the freedom to do what you want.Inside Delia Kenza's HomeCO: That is the definition of luxury: doing exactly what you please. How else does this house reflect you?DK: There is a lot of African and Black American art in our home, because that is who we are. I was intentional about everything I chose for these spaces. Even the spout in the powder room was specialwe made it from a sculpture my husband and I found in a market in Angola.Im old school. I believe everything takes time. Everything needs to be about the individual. True freedom means living your life the way you want to live it.This story originally appeared in the April 2025 issue of Elle Decor. SUBSCRIBE

Five high-flying scaleups from the Benelux region have made it into TECH5 the Champions League of Technology. The classy quintet joins an exclusive group of Europes fastest-growing tech companies. Over the next two months, they will join six other regions the Nordics, Southern Europe, France, the Baltic States, DACH, and the UK & Ireland in a competition for the crown of hottest scaleup on the continent. The contest will conclude on June 19-20, when the TECH5 champion will be announced on the main stage of TNW Conference. But first, the contenders have to win their regional title. TheThis story continues at The Next Web