A 3-year-old girl in Israel found an ancient Canaanite amulet shaped like a scarab while she was out walking with her family.

This position-based particle orientation dynamics algorithm, developed by FX TD Giacomo Balma over the past month, calculates a particles orientation by considering only the positions of its neighbors. The process involves comparing the current positions to those from the previous substep and extracting the orientation from that comparison.The algorithm is fully implemented in OpenCL for Houdinis DOPs and introduces minimal overhead to the simulation, particularly when combined with a fast OpenCL neighbor search algorithm like the one used in Vellum. By computing particle orientation, especially for grains, as demonstrated in this case, it enables the creation of interesting non-spherical shape instances and up-res techniques, with more to come.The orientation is determined by comparing the positions of the current-frame neighbors with those from the previous simulation frame, identifying the best-fitting rotation, and updating the particles orientation quaternion. Solving for the optimal rotation falls under the category of the absolute orientation problem.As Giacomo mentioned, Efficient Absolute Orientation Revisited by Lourakis et al. offers a comprehensive overview of various existing solutions. He began by implementing and testing several of these in Houdini. The paper suggests that the Optimal Linear Attitude Estimator algorithm should be the most efficient. However, the version he implemented was only slightly faster, and the small approximation error it introduced quickly accumulated frame by frame. As a result, he switched to the more reliable method outlined in Least-Squares Fitting of Two 3-D Point Sets. In summary, this involves computing the covariance matrix of the two neighbor point-clouds and using singular value decomposition to extract the rotation matrix.Right now, Giacomo is focusing on developing a cost-effective method to preserve angular momentum for particles that detach or are in free flight. Find all the papers in the original post here and stay updated on Giacomo Balmas work by following him on LinkedIn.Also, join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Houdini R&D: Position-Based Approach To Particle Orientation Dynamics appeared first on CG SHARES.

You dont want to play hide-and-seek with her, but maybe youll have to: artist team Zector Lab showcased a creepy but well-made character they created for the co-op horror game Lunch Lady.Lunch Lady is a 1-4 player online co-op survival horror game. The school final exams are coming up and the best idea you and your friends had was to steal the test answers. Find all 10 pages and dont get caught by the murderous Lunch Lady!This is someone you wouldnt like to see in your school canteen but might expect from Little Nightmares or similar games.The lady was created using Unreal Engine special for the games developer Manic Mice.Zector Lab has a lot of horrifying creatures in their portfolio on ArtStation:Join our 80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Terrifying Lunch Lady Model Made for Horror Game appeared first on CG SHARES.

Nightdive Studios, a company known for efforts in updating and preserving outdated video games, has revealed that it would like to start remastering games from the PS3 and Xbox 360 era.In an interview with VGC, studio head Stephen Kick and director of business development Larry Kuperman said that they want to look at games that were only released on PS3 and Xbox 360 for potential remasters. When taking into consideration which games that could be remastered, Kuperman said that there are many factors that come into play.These include things like having access to the game's source code and original assets, as well as examining what consoles the game currently lives on. Games that are exclusive to one console, for example, might be more in need of a refresh. This is what makes tackling PS3 and Xbox 360 era titles such an exciting prospect.Continue Reading at GameSpot

The April 2025 lineup of PC games for Humble Choice subscribers has been revealed, and this month, there's a fun selection of retro classics, spooky sailing, and a chance to take on sci-fi cinema's perfect organisms. Sign up for Humble Choice If you haven't checked it out yet, Humble Choice is a $12 monthly subscription service that offers a monthly batch of PC games that are yours to keep forever, even if you decide to cancel your membership. Other perks of this membership include exclusive discounts at the Humble store and access to the Humble Vault--an additional rotating library of games that's only available to members.Humble Choice April 2025 Games1000xResistAliens: Dark DescentDistant Worlds 2Diplomacy Is Not An OptionDredgeNomad SurvivalNova LandsTomb Raider I-III RemasteredOne of the highlights in this month's Humble Choice bundle is Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, a remastered collection of Lara Croft's original adventures. Covering the first three games released between 1996-1998, the collection added new features like a camera lock-on option, hundreds of achievements, health bars for bosses, and the ability to switch between the original graphics and the updated visuals.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Monopoly GO is kicking off April with a brand-new solo event called Rich Waltz. It starts on April 1 and will only be live for 21 hours.

The developers of InZOI have shared an update with fans, indicating that the team is making changes to the original roadmap laid out for the game. The news will likely be received well by players of InZOI, and shows the ongoing commitment the team has to the game.

Captions list all members of each Award-winning team even if some members of the team were not present or out of frame. For more Show photosand a complete list of nominees and winners of the 23rd Annual VES Awards, visit vesglobal.org.All photos by Moloshok Photography.A Night to Remember. Nearly 1,200 guests filled The Beverly Hilton on February 11th, coming together to honor the best in VFX across 25 award categories celebrating innovation, artistry and cinematic magic.A Warm Welcome. Nancy Ward, Executive Director of the Visual Effects Society, took the stage with a heartfelt greeting, celebrating an incredible year for the VES and the groundbreaking achievements of the visual effects community.Kicking Off the Celebration. Kim Davidson, founder of SideFX and Chair of the Visual Effects Society, took the stage to present the first round of awards, setting the tone for an unforgettable night of VFX excellence.On February 11, the VES hosted the 23rdAnnual VES Awards, the prestigious yearly celebration that recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials, video games and special venues.Industry guests gathered at The Beverly Hilton hotel to celebrate VFX talent in 25 awards categories and special honorees. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes received the top photoreal feature award. The Wild Robot was named top animated film, winning four awards. Shgun; Anjin was named best photoreal episode, winning three awards.The Sklar Brothers (Randy and Jason) brought their signature wit and energy to their debut as VES Awards hosts.Comedy duo The Sklar Brothers made their debut as VES Awards hosts. Acclaimed actor Keanu Reeves presented Golden Globe-winning actor-producer Hiroyuki Sanada with the VES Award for Creative Excellence. Chief Research Officer of Eyeline Studios Paul Debevec, VES, presented Virtual Reality/Immersive Technology Pioneer Dr. Jacquelyn Ford Morie with the Georges Mlis Award. Writer-director Michael Dougherty presented Academy Award-winning filmmaker and VFX Supervisor Takashi Yamazaki with the Visionary Award. Award presenters included: Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Krys Marshall, Mary Mouser, Russell Hornsby, Tanner Buchanan, Eric Winter, Tia Carrere, and Autodesks Senior Director, Business Strategy Rachael Appleton presented the VES-Autodesk Student Award.As we celebrate the 23rd Annual VES Awards, were honored to shine a light on outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation, said VES Chair Kim Davidson. The honorees and their work represent best-in-class visual effects work that engages audiences and enhances the art of storytelling. The VES Awards is the only venue that showcases and honors these outstanding global artists across a wide range of disciplines, and we are extremely proud of all our winners and nominees.Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes won the Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature, led by the team of Erik Winquist, Julia Neighly, Paul Story, Danielle Immerman and Rodney Burke.The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature went to The Wild Robot and the team of Chris Sanders, Jeff Hermann, Jeff Budsberg and Jakob Hjort Jensen.The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode went to Shgun; Anjin and the team of Michael Cliett, Melody Mead, Philip Engstrm, Ed Bruce and Cameron Waldbauer.Cobra Kai stars Tanner Buchanan and Mary Mouser brought energy and charm to the stage, acting as an engaging duo of presenters.The Award for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode went to The Penguin; Bliss and the team of Johnny Han, Michelle Rose, Goran Pavles, Ed Bruce and Devin Maggio.The Award for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature went to Civil War and the team of David Simpson, Michelle Rose, Freddy Salazar, Chris Zeh and J.D. Schwalm.Lisa Cooke, former VES Chair and the first woman ever elected to the role, took the stage to present multiple VES Awards.The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial went to Coca-Cola; The Heroes and the team of Greg McKneally, Antonia Vlasto, Ryan Knowles and Fabrice Fiteni.The Award for Outstanding Character in a Photoreal Feature went to Better Man; Robbie Williams and the team of Milton Ramirez, Andrea Merlo, Seoungseok Charlie Kim and Eteuati Tema.Actress and singer Tia Carrere took the stage to present several awards, bringing charm, energy and star power to the celebration.The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project went to D23; Real-Time Rocket and the team of Evan Goldberg, Alyssa Finley, Jason Breneman and Alice Taylor.The Award for Outstanding Character in an Animated Feature went to The Wild Robot; Roz and the team of Fabio Lignini, Yukinori Inagaki, Owen Demers and Hyun Huh.The Award for Outstanding Character in an Episode, Commercial, Game Cinematic or Real-Time Project went to Ronja the Robbers Daughter; Vildvittran the Queen Harpy and the team of Nicklas Andersson, David Allan, Gustav hren and Niklas Walln.The Award for Outstanding Environment in a Photoreal Feature was won by Dune: Part Two; The Arrakeen Basin and the team of Daniel Rhein, Daniel Anton Fernandez, Marc James Austin and Christopher Anciaume.The Award for Outstanding Environment in an Episode, Commercial, Game Cinematic or Real-Time Project went to Shgun; Osaka and the team of Manuel Martinez, Phil Hannigan, Keith Malone and Francesco Corvino.Liv Hewson, star of Yellowjackets, was a captivating presenter in celebrating VFX, as she bestowed multiple awards.The Award for Outstanding Environment in an Animated Feature was presented to The Wild Robot; The Forest and the team of John Wake, He Jung Park, Woojin Choi and Shane Glading.The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Real-Time Project went to Star Wars Outlaws and the team of Stephen Hawes, Lionel Le Dain, Benedikt Podlesnigg and Andi-Bogdan Draghici. Presenter Kelvin Harrison, Jr. accepted the Award.The Award for Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature went to Dune: Part Two; Atomic Explosions and Wormriding and the team of Nicholas Papworth, Sandy la Tourelle, Lisa Nolan and Christopher Phillips.Krys Marshall, known for her role in For All Mankind, lit up the stage with her charisma and grace as she presented multiple awards.The Award for Outstanding CG Cinematography went to Dune: Part Two; Arrakis and the team of Greig Fraser, Xin Steve Guo, Sandra Murta and Ben Wiggs.The Award for Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project went to Alien: Romulus; Renaissance Space Station and the team of Waldemar Bartkowiak, Trevor Wide, Matt Middleton and Ben Shearman.The Award for Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature went to The Wild Robot and the team of Derek Cheung, Michael Losure, David Chow and Nyoung Kim.The Award for Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, Game Cinematic or Real-Time Project was won by Shgun; Broken to the Fist; Landslide and the team of Dominic Tiedeken, Heinrich Lwe, Charles Guerton and Timmy Lundin.The Award for Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Feature went to Dune: Part Two; Wormriding, Geidi Prime and the Final Battle and the team of Christopher Rickard, Francesco DellAnna, Paul Chapman and Ryan Wing.Actor Russell Hornsby, featured in The Woman in the Yard, showcased his charisma and love for VFX as a standout presenter.The Award for Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal Project went to The Penguin; Safe Guns and the team of Devin Maggio, Johnny Han, Cory Candrilli and Alexandre Prodhomme.The Award for Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in an Episode was presented to The Penguin; After Hours and the team of Jonas Stuckenbrock, Karen Cheng, Eugene Bondar and Miky Girn.The Award for Outstanding Compositing & Lighting in a Commercial went to Coca-Cola; The Heroes and the team of Ryan Knowles, Alex Gabucci, Jack Powell and Dan Yargici.The Emerging Technology Award went to Here; Neural Performance Toolset and the team of Jo Plaete, Oriel Frigo, Tomas Koutsky and Matteo Olivieri-Dancey.Championing the Next Generation. Rachael Appleton, Autodesks Senior Director of Business Strategy, took the stage to present the prestigious VES Autodesk Student Award, honoring emerging talent in the world of VFX.Keanu Reeves honors his friend, award-winning actor-producer Hiroyuki Sanada, and presents him with the distinguished VES Award for Creative Excellence, a tribute to his extraordinary contributions to film, VFX and storytelling.Paul Debevec, VES, Chief Research Officer at Eyeline Studios, presents Virtual Reality and Immersive Technology pioneer Dr. Jacquelyn Ford Morie with the VES Georges Mlis Award, recognizing her trailblazing contributions to immersive storytelling.The Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project went to Pittura (entry from ARTFX, The Schools of Digital Arts) and the team of Adam Lauriol, Titouan Lassre, Rmi Vivenza and Hellos Marre.Golden Globe-winning actor-producer Hiroyuki Sanada, one of Japans most celebrated actors, proudly holds his VES Award for Creative Excellence. Known for his unforgettable portrayal of Lord Toranaga in the acclaimed series Shgun, Sanada continues to leave an indelible mark on cinema and television.Virtual Reality/Immersive Technology Pioneer Dr. Jacquelyn Ford Morie was honored with the VESs prestigious Georges Mlis Award.Writer-director Michael Dougherty presented Academy Award-winning filmmaker and VFX Supervisor Takashi Yamazaki with the VES Visionary Award.Hosts The Sklar Brothers share a laugh backstage with award presenter Tia Carrere.Takashi Yamazaki, recipient of the Visionary Award, is one of Japans leading filmmakers and VFX supervisors, earned the 2024 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for his groundbreaking work on Godzilla Minus One.The celebrated group of Keanu Reeves, VES Executive Director Nancy Ward, Takashi Yamazaki, Hiroyuki Sanada and VES Chair Kim Davidson share a star-studded backstage moment, radiating talent and camaraderieThe dedicated volunteers of the VES Awards Committee Prashant Agrawal, Stephen Chiu, Olun Riley, Michael Ramirez, Kathryn Brillhart, Dave Gouge, Sarah McGrail, Den Serras (Chair), Lopsie Schwartz (Co-Chair), Scott Kilburn (Co-Chair), Eric Greenlief, Dylen Velasquez, Rob Blau, Pramita Mukherjee, Sarah McGee, Brad Simonsen turned their hard work into a spectacular evening celebrating the VES and the best in VFX.

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APESThe VES Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature went to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. (Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Studios)THE WILD ROBOTOutstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature went to The Wild Robot, which won four VES Awards including Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature (Roz), Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature (The Forest) and Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature. (Photos courtesy of DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures)SHOGUNOutstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode went to Shgun; Anjin, which won three VES Awards including Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, Game Cinematic or Real-Time Project (Broken to the Fist; Landslide) and Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial or Real-Time Project (Osaka). (Photos courtesy of FX Network)

Jizo Statues are small unique collectibles in Assassins Creed Shadows which you need to find to complete Mayus quest as one of the romance options.When you find a Jizo statue, you can honor it by leaving a fruit as an offering. They can be found on the main roads all over the nine regions and, although you will find most of them naturally as you progress in Assassins Creed Shadows, youll need to visit less inviting corners of the map to spot some of them.In this Assassins Creed Shadows guide, well show you where to find all Jizo Statues and explain what you get for doing so.How to find Jizo Statues in Assassins Creed ShadowsJizo Statues are unique collectibles spread found in every region of Assassins Creed Shadows. There are a total of 69 Jizo Statues in the game and finding them is the most difficult part when it comes to completing this challenge.You will find all of the Jizo Statues on the roads in the regions in the game. If you passed by one and havent seen it, dont worry. An icon of a small statue appears when you get near them and it stays on the world map until you complete your offering. Once you find one, you just need to interact with it to trigger a short animation of you honoring the Jizo statue.Each Jizo Statue you find gives you 50 XP. Gaining a little bit of experience isnt the only reason for you to look for these statues though. Finding all of them is a mandatory step to complete the side mission Mayus Offerings, which unlocks one of Naoes romance routes.Below, see where to find all Jizo Statues in Assassins Creed Shadows, organized by region in the general order in which you go through them for the main story.Izumi Settsu Jizo Statue locationsThere are eight Jizo Statues in Izumi Settsu, and theyre mostly close to places you need to visit as you progress through the main story. To reach the ones on the east side of the region, you can follow the main road leaving from Katano. To find the one on the north, crossing the river, use the road which connects Eguchi Crossing and Tatsuki.Yamashiro Jizo Statue locationsThere are six Jizo Statues in Yamashiro. Although most of them are around Kyoto, there is one statue on the southeast side that might take you some time to reach. If youve already unlocked the Todaiji Kakurega in Yamato, you can take the road and head north from there. For the remaining ones, just look for the roads leaving Kyoto in the direction you need to go and you will find the statues.Omi Jizo Statue locationsOmi is a huge area and youll have to cover long distances to find its eleven Jizo Statues. Your first contact with the region is through the southern side. Using the Seta Bridge as a reference, you can travel using the main road toward the northwest or northeast side of the region, going around Lake Biwa. Nagahama is the best starting point to get the remaining four on the top part of the map.Iga Jizo Statue locationsThere are only three Jizo Statues in Iga, making it the quickest region to cover. The first ones are between Mibuno Vale and Ichinomiya. Its easier to start from the former, using the roads to go southwest. Next, follow the river south to find the Hinotani Shrine, where the last statue is.Yamato Jizo Statue locationsThe seven Jizo Statues located in Yamato are spread out all over this region. The one up to the north, you can reach by starting from Koriyama and taking the main road. Another tricky one to reach is the Jizo Statue on the east, next to the river. Depending on where youre in the game, you might have unlocked the Mitsue Kakurega, which saves you some time. Otherwise, youll need to start from Gose and try to enjoy the long trip.Wakasa Jizo Statue locationsWakasa is home to 10 Jizo Statues. Many of them are easily reached by taking the roads out of Obama. This is the best place to start even to reach the statue to the east in Kumagawa Juku. Now, for the northern portion of the map, there isnt much to be done. If you have already visited Sotomo Gate, you can save some time by taking the road south and west to find the other statues.Harima Jizo Statue locationsHarima is one of the last areas you explore during the main story, and you can find seven Jizo Statues in it. If youre just entering Harima from Izumi Settsu, we advise you to start on Senri Hills and head to The Warfield. From there, you have access to the roads that lead to four statues. To reach the remaining three statues on the left side of the map, you should use Himeji as a reference and start from there.Kii Jizo Statue locationsKii will force you to traverse long distances to honor its 10 Jizo Statues. Entering the area from Izumi Settsu, you have two options. You can either follow the coast or go south from Kawachi Heights. We suggest the latter since it puts you close to one of the more distant statues.Your next step should be following the coast. There is a road that covers all of it and can take you to the remaining statues. To reach the statue in Iseji Trails on the east side, you can take the Riverside Kakurega if you have access to it, or just ride your horse to get there.Tamba Jizo Statue locationsWith seven Kizo Statues to find in Tamba, you cant avoid exploring large portions of the region. Reaching the four statues on the bottom part of the map is easier if you start from Takeda. All the roads you need are connected to this area. Fukuchiyama is the main reference on the northern side. Teleport there and use its roads to reach the other three statues.For more Assassins Creed Shadows guides, see our running lists of Lost Pages, Kuji-kiri, and armor locations. Or see our full Assassins Creed Shadows walkthrough, and our guides on how to get all companions and romance options.