Ice Cube will write and star in a new installment of the Friday franchise.Marking the first sequel in the series in over 20 years, the rapper and actor, 54, has reached an agreement with Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema to develop Last Friday, which will be the fourth film in the comedy series.Ice Cube has long expressed interest in revisiting the Friday series.Speaking with Flavor Flav on his SiriusXM show Flavor of the Week in June 2024, Ice Cube said there was traction at Warner Bros. for the film under the studios new leadership, including co-chair Michael De Luca.He added: They have new leadership: My man Mike De Luca, who used to be at New Line when I first started, when I first did the first Friday and Players Club and All About the Benjamins.Mike De Luca was there.Ice Cube starred in and co-wrote1995s original Fridaywith DJ Pooh before going on to write the sequels Next Friday (2000) and Friday After Next (2002.)All three films were produced by New Line, which was under De Lucas leadership during their production.New LineNew Lineloading...READ MORE: The Best Comedies of the Last 10 YearsThe Friday series, which follows the misadventures of Craig, played by Ice Cube, has become a cult classic.Also starring Chris Tucker, the original movie in the series was a surprise hit, grossing more than $27 million on a reported $3.5 million budget.WhileTuckerdid not return for the sequels, the franchise continued with new supporting characters, including Mike Epps as Day Day.Beyond Friday, Ice Cube has had a prolific film career.He wrote and directed The Players Club, which came out in 1998, and starred in action films such as xXx: State of the Union (2005) and comedies including Are We There Yet?, which was released the same year.He has also worked as a producer on numerous projects, including the Ride Along series with comic Kevin Hart.Get our free mobile appPopular Movie Comedies That Could Never Get Made TodayThese comedies were big hits in theaters but they probably would not even get made today.

This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. Trumps tariffs will deliver a big blow to climate tech US president Donald Trumps massive, sweeping tariffs sent global stock markets tumbling yesterday, setting the stage for a worldwide trade war and ratcheting up the dangers of a punishing recession. Experts fear that the US cleantech sector is especially vulnerable to a deep downturn, which would undermine progress on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. Read the full story.James TempleCyberattacks by AI agents are coming Agents are the talk of the AI industrytheyre capable of planning, reasoning, and executing complex tasks like scheduling meetings, ordering groceries, or even taking over your computer to change settings on your behalf. But the same sophisticated abilities that make agents helpful assistants could also make them powerful tools for conducting cyberattacks. They could readily be used to identify vulnerable targets, hijack their systems, and steal valuable data from unsuspecting victims. At present, cybercriminals are not deploying AI agents to hack at scale. But researchers have demonstrated that agents are capable of executing complex attacks, and cybersecurity experts warn that we should expect to start seeing these types of attacks spilling over into the real worldand soon. Read the full story.Rhiannon WilliamsThe must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Did the Trump administration use AI to calculate its new tariffs? It appears to use an oversimplified calculation several major chatbots recommend. (The Verge)+ The economically-flawed formula has shocked analysts. (FT $)+ The severe tariffs may harm Americas data center ambitions. (Reuters)2 The EU is preparing to slap X with major financial penalties Even if it risks provoking Elon Musks ire. (NYT $)3 Googles tech will be used to surveil the US-Mexico border As part of plans to upgrade the virtual wall between the countries. (The Intercept)+ The number of illegal border crossings hit a record low last month. (Semafor)4 Hurricane season is set to be busier than usual Forecasters are predicting at least 17 tropical storms and four major hurricanes. (WP $)+ They arent as confident about this early forecast as they were last year. (CNN)+ Heres what we know about hurricanes and climate change. (MIT Technology Review)5 Myanmars internet shutdown is thwarting aid efforts Aid and rescue workers are struggling to help people caught up in its recent devastating earthquake. (Rest of World)6 Google is yet to publish safety reports for its latest AI modelsIt appears to be launching models faster than it can publicly verify their safety. (TechCrunch) 7 Online influencing has a major gender pay gapAlthough the majority of content creators are female, they earn less per collaboration than their male counterparts. (Fast Company $) + Why cant tech fix its gender problem? (MIT Technology Review)8 How to make solar panels on the moonMoon dust could help to power future lunar bases. (New Scientist $) + Nokia is putting the first cellular network on the moon. (MIT Technology Review) 9 The economy may be collapsing, but at least the memes are good Social media is bringing the lols in uncertain times. (NY Mag $)10 Bonobos communicate in similar ways to humans The great apes combine basic sound into larger structuresjust like us. (Ars Technica)+ How machine learning is helping us probe the secret names of animals. (MIT Technology Review)Quote of the day There will be blood. Bruce Kasman, JPMorgan's chief global economist, is not optimistic about Donald Trump's aggressive tariff policy, Insider reports. The big story The weeds are winning October 2024 Since the 1980s, more and more plants have evolved to become immune to the biochemical mechanisms that herbicides leverage to kill them. This herbicidal resistance threatens to decrease yieldsout-of-control weeds can reduce them by 50% or more, and extreme cases can wipe out whole fields. At worst, it can even drive farmers out of business. Its the agricultural equivalent of antibiotic resistance, and it keeps getting worse. Weeds have evolved resistance to 168 different herbicides and 21 of the 31 known modes of action, which means the specific biochemical target or pathway a chemical is designed to disrupt. Agriculture needs to embrace a diversity of weed control practices. But thats much easier said than done. Read the full story. Douglas Main We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.)+ Sweet Moroccan flatbreads sound like a fantastic way to start the day.+ Val Kilmer was more than just a heartthrobhe was a really great actor too.+ Drop everything: theres an uncut version of the White Lotus series three theme.+ All aboard the giant almond car!

But construction prices could also ease as overseas exporters dump products in the UK to avoid US barriersDonald Trump announcing a raft of new tariffs on WednesdayUK construction experts have given a mixed reaction to Donald Trumpsliberation day tariffs, with some warning investors might pause funding for big schemes and others suggesting it could lead to lower material prices.The US president announced a raft of worldwide tariffs on Wednesday, including a baseline 10% tax on all imports into the country which will come into effect tomorrow (Saturday) in what economists have described as a watershed moment in global trade.The UK is the least affected developed country with only the baseline tariff imposed on it, although other countries are facing much more severe reciprocal rates including China, at 54%, Japan at 24% and the EU at 20%.While the UKs lower rate means it could become an attractive location for overseas businesses to import into the US, industry experts warn short and medium-term uncertainty could stall many investment decisions including on major projects.Arcadis head of strategic research and insight Simion Rawlinson described the tariffs as clearly not positive for overall UK growth.There will be direct impacts on inward investment and domestic investment decisions, particularly associated with manufacturing, as any investment that has a component of production serving the US will be under review, Rawlinson said.My anticipation is that investment decisions will be put on hold and that big binary decisions on where to locate investment wont take place until there is greater clarity on the longevity of the measures put in place.Noble Francis, economics director at the Construction Products Association, said short term uncertainty associated with reciprocal tariffs could impact global economic growth prospects and investor confidence.The rise in uncertainty means increased risk, which must be factored into the pricing of firms worldwide, leading to further inflation, and this is already bad news, he said.Francis also warned construction products imported from overseas could be subject to higher price volatility as exporters reassess established trade routes.While around three quarters, 76%, of UK construction products are sourced locally, the cost of materials which are commonly imported including electrical wires and sawn timber may be an issue for firms on fixed-price contracts signed up to 12-24 months ago when these potential risks wouldnt have been on most firms lists of key risks, Francis said.However, Francis also suggested prices for some products could decrease if countries which previously exported to the US move to export more to the EU and the UK to avoid high tariffs.Rawlinson added: There will be a lot of products from tariff hit countries including China and Canada looking for new markets, so expect some product and price dumping. The EU is already taking steps to erect barriers against low-cost aluminium. This might be more difficult for the UK.Meanwhile, HTA Design chair Ben Derbyshire warned the immediate effect of the tariffs could be further supply chain scarcity and cost inflation, adding: Both are immensely counter-productive to the governments efforts to ramp up housing delivery.MHCLG are doing their best to build a sensible response to the crisis of supply and affordability in housing and a trade war must not be allowed to trash their efforts, he said.Just as Starmer is working on considered responses to Washingtons new imperialism, I hope the rest of the world can find a way of reducing the disruption to the global supply chain on which the success of the industry depends.And while Kelly Boorman, national head of construction at tax consultant RSM UK, said the tariffs may not hit construction as acutely as other sectors, the ripple effect will be felt across all businesses.She said: It creates more uncertainty and could hit growth, so businesses need to plan ahead by considering diversification of material suppliers, reviewing procurement processes, investing in technology and focusing on working capital management to mitigate any potential risks.

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April 4, 20253 min readMathematicians Solve Decades-Old Spinning Needle PuzzleFor a long time, the Kakeya conjecture, which involves rotating an infinitely narrow needle, kept mathematicians guessinguntil nowBy Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas Sean Gladwell/Getty ImagesIt is rare to read about spectacular progress or a once-in-a-century result in mathematics. Thats for good reason: if a problem has not had a solution for many years, then completely new approaches and ideas are usually needed to tackle it. This is also the case with the innocent-looking Kakeya conjecture, which relates to the question of how to rotate a needle in such a way that it takes up as little space as possible.Experts have been racking their brains over the associated problems since 1917. But in a preprint paper posted in February, mathematician Hong Wang of New York University and her colleague Joshua Zahl of the University of British Columbia finally proved the three-dimensional version of the Kakeya conjecture. It stands as one of the top mathematical achievements of the 21st century, said mathematician Eyal Lubetzky of N.Y.U. in a recent press release.Suppose there is an infinitely narrow needle on a table. Now you want to rotate it 360 degrees so that the tip of the needle points once in each direction of the plane. To do this, you can hold the needle in the middle and rotate it. As it rotates, the needle then covers the surface of a circle.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Amanda MontaezBut if you are clever, the needle can make its 360-degree journey while taking less space. In 1917 mathematician Sōichi Kakeya wanted to investigate the smallest area required to rotate the needle. For example, by rotating not only the outer end of the needle but also its center, you can obtain an area that corresponds to a triangle with curved sides.Amanda MontaezYears later, mathematician Abram Besicovitch made an unexpected discovery. If you keep moving the needle back and forth like a complex parallel parking maneuver, the surface that the infinitely narrow needle covers can actually have a total area of zero.The Dimension of an Area of Zero?From there, experts began to wonder what dimension this Kakeya surface has. Usually surfaces in a plane, such as a rectangle or a circle, are two-dimensional. But there are exceptions: fractals, for example, can also have fractional dimensions, meaning they can be 1.5-dimensional, for instance.Because the Kakeya surfaces can look very jagged, the question of dimensionality is an obvious one. In fact, it has implications for many other areas of mathematics, including harmonic analysis, which breaks down complicated mathematical curves into sums of simpler functions, and geometric measure theory.In fact, in 1971 mathematician Roy Davies was able to prove that the Kakeya surface is always two-dimensional, even if its area vanishes. But in mathematics, people are interested in general results. The experts wanted to solve the problem in n dimensionsdoes a needle that is rotated along all n spatial directions always cover an n-dimensional volume? This hypothesis is now known as the Kakeya conjecture.The three-dimensional case proved to be an extremely hard nut to crack. Over the decades, experts have been able to rule out the possibility that a rotating needle covers a volume with less than 2.5 spatial dimensions, but that was as far as they got.Wang and Zahl were not discouraged, however, and worked their way forward step by step. Through painstaking effort, they gradually managed to eliminate all cases in which the covered volume would have a dimension of less than three.In this way, they were finally able to prove the Kakeya conjecture in three spatial dimensions, showing that the volume covered by the needle is always three-dimensional. In the recent press release, mathematician Guido de Philippis of N.Y.U. commented, I am expecting that their ideas will lead to a series of exciting breakthroughs in the coming years.This article originally appeared in Spektrum der Wissenschaft and was reproduced with permission.

South of Midnight: a well-crafted 60fps experience on Xbox Series consolesAn accomplished presentation on both consoles - and PC.Image credit: Compulsion Games Face-off by Thomas Morgan Senior Staff Writer, Digital Foundry Published on April 4, 2025 Developer Compulsion Games continues its impressive streak of eye-catching, visually creative projects with South of Midnight. Following its work on 2013's Contrast and 2018's We Happy Few, this time we pivot to a gothic fantasy setting inspired by American deep south myths. It's a unique premise, and the third game from the studio to champion an aesthetic of some kind - with South of Midnight's twist being that it plays out using a stop motion style. To complete the effect, the game puts an arbitrary frame-rate cap in place, most notably in its cutscenes, simulating the staccato motion of an actual animated feature. It's an Xbox and PC exclusive at present, too - so how do the Series X and Series S versions compare in their delivery of this visual style, and what's the scope of the PC release's scalability? South of Midnight is a single-player, circa 12 hour adventure that fits the bill for a Game Pass release perfectly. Compulsion Games focuses on three core pillars of gameplay here: platforming, combat and physics-based puzzling. Our lead Hazel's abilities as a spell-caster give us plenty options in control for each, letting us glide through the air, push, pull and apparate scenery into existence, and even snare enemies in battle. In every aspect, this idea of manipulating the world with threads is well realised, with a satisfying flow to movement once her abilities expand on a skill tree. There are higher difficulty settings, but I found it a pleasant ride as-is on the default mode. It's linear, no question - and there's even an optional trail to the next objective if a hint is needed - but given the deluge of open-world extravaganzas as of late, it's refreshing to have a more guided experience for a change. In terms of its tech, there's no official line on whether this is using Unreal Engine 4 or 5, but, looking at the PC install directory, there are crashdump files which heavily suggest UE4 as a base. The highlight this time though is South of Midnight's stop motion animation style. To break this effect down, all cut-scenes run at 30fps on Xbox Series X, Series S and even PC. There's no way to opt out on any platform, but it's justified given it forms the basis of the game's idiosyncratic visual style. Within this 30fps update, certain elements are chopped even down further for effect; facial movements run at 15fps, creating the illusion of face plates being swapped every other frame. Meanwhile, most of Hazel's body movements run at 30fps, though some other elements - like the creatures roaming the land - appear to move at 15. The full Digital Foundry video review of South of Midnight and its unique stop motion animation, as narrated by Captain Morgan. Watch on YouTubeAll combined, the stop motion effect is convincing in its delivery, creating an otherworldly, off-kilter movement that suits the story well. We've seen this technique used in other UE games too, most recently with Hi Fi Rush's vivid imitation of a Saturday morning cartoon. Likewise, it authentically captures the anime influence on Ark System Works' Guilty Gear Strive, with pre-fight sequences running at eight, 10 or 15 frames per second - or higher. South of Midnight goes a further step though, by extending this to the controllable gameplay itself in some respects. To be clear, gameplay runs at 60fps - as it should, given the focus on timing-sensitive combat and platforming - and all camera motion conforms to a 60Hz refresh too. Still, you'll notice Hazel's running motion and the world's creatures use a form of decimated animation to lock movements at 30 or 15fps. If you're not a fan of the result, you can disable the stop motion effect outright in the menus on Xbox and PC, though this toggle will not affect the cutscenes.To the comparisons, and this is remarkably straightforward. The big difference between Series S and Series X is their resolution targets. On Series X resolution scales from 1080p to 4K internally, while Series S runs at a lower 540p to 1080p range. This is then upscaled on each machine to a fixed output resolution, 4K on Series X and 1080p on Series S, using what appears to be Unreal's TAAU method. Alas this means that Series S does take a hit to image quality, especially in one early storm sequence where any flash of lightning reveals the raw pixel structure for a few frames. Thankfully, in other chapters the Series S release holds up better. The differing resolutions have a knock-on offect on depth of field, and shadow quality looks to have been cut back very marginally on Series S, but other visual settings are matched between the two machines.A quick look at PC is also illuminating. Even with all settings locked on ultra on PC and the resolution fixed at a native 4K, the Series X version still spits out a competitive image in side-by-side comparisons. Shadow quality is really the main dividing point this time, with PC pushing cleaner, crisper shadows further to the distance. The PC edition also offers up options for DLSS upscaling and frame gen. My RTX 4080 setup comfortably maxes the game out at 4K and ultra settings with frame-rates between 65 and 80fps, with upscaling and frame generation boosting that figure substantially to 100-120fps. The game does seem to suffer from a degree of UE4 stutter, despite a short shader compilation step on first launch, with the appearance of 'weaver' characters triggering a hitch even at a capped 60fps. Hopefully this can be fixed by a patch, as the rest of the game runs smoothly.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. The state of console performance is also remarkably clear-cut, with both Series X and S running at a stable 60fps for the vast majority of gameplay - with no alternative graphics modes as we've often seen in this console generation. The approach makes sense for the game's linear setting, but Compulsion still deserves props for delivering a great single mode experience. Coming straight after examining the likes of Assassin's Creed Shadows and Atomfall, more open-world affairs with RT tech, it's a relief to see a game that doesn't lump Series S users with a 30fps cap as well. There are a few small rough points elsewhere, but they're hardly game-breaking. Firstly, much like on PC, there are moments during traversal that hitch on occasion. Encounters with the ghostly weavers characters early in the adventure appear to be the cause, always triggering a small hiccup on both Series X and Series S in the same spot. It's infrequent, but sticks out given the general success of the push to 60fps. Secondly, there are sub-60fps drops in very specific areas. When Series X or S bottom out their DRS ranges, the game lurches into the mid-50s for a spell, such as during the opening chapter run during the storm, and a specific combat encounter in chapter 4. The game remains well within the VRR range, if your display supports it, but even without this feature drops are a rare enough to be overlooked in play. The final point relates to the cutscenes. Of course, the 30fps caps and 15fps animation aren't indicative of GPU limits on either machine, but the 30fps cap is incorrectly frame-paced. That makes these scenes animate more erratically than is perhaps intended, though the stop motion effect still works well despite it. It's a welcome surprise, then. South of Midnight tells a fish out of water tale with a commendable sense of style. The stop motion effect is well-executed, helping to elevate the mystique of its Deep South folklore. Hitting 60fps on both Series X and Series S isn't to be taken for granted either, with a great single-mode experience that delivers a good blend of fidelity and performance. The game's frame-rate delivery is solid, barring a few streaming hitches early on, even rarer sub-60 drops in battle and some frame pacing oddities. The one notable catch for Series S is the resolution drop, but it still holds up well given its 4TF profile. All of which makes South of Midnight an easy one to recommend right from the get-go, regardless of which Xbox you own - and especially given it's on Game Pass from day one.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereDead By Daylight has just received a new killer in Ken Kaneki as part of Chapter 35 Tokyo Ghoul. The new killer has already become a massive fan-favorite within the DBD community, but another new character is already on the horizon. BeHaviour has confirmed the release date for when Dead By Daylight fans will be able to play as the new survivor, and right now details are slim.Dead By Daylight new survivor release dateBeHaviour Interactive has confirmed that the public test build for Dead By Daylight Chapter 35.5 is April 15th. This is the earliest DBD fans will be able to play as the new survivor.As per usual, the demo will only be playable for fans who own the game on Steam. Sadly, we dont know any official details about the new survivor right now other than they are being introduced on their own, and they are an original character rather than licensed.Once the public test build is over, players will have to wait until May 6th for the new survivor to arrive on all platforms. We then only have a few weeks until the PTB for FNAF, with the full release scheduled for June.With the PTB included, below is everything DBD fans have to enjoy for April:Blood Moon event w/daily login rewards April 7th to 29thBlood Moon Collection April 7thHorrorCon Scotland April 12thChapter 35.5 PTB April 15thTechwear Collection April 22ndChaos Shuffle April 29th to May 6thUnfortunately, while Tokyo Ghoul is great, and the new survivor is exciting, Hellraiser has now left DBD. If you didnt purchase the chapter before April 4th, you now are unable to buy the BDSM torturer, Pinhead.For more Dead By Daylight content, check out ourranking of the top 10 DLC expansions to buyalong with a ranking of thebest killer perksandbest survivor perks.Dead by DaylightPlatform(s):Google Stadia, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Action, Survival Horror7VideoGamerRelated TopicsDead by Daylight Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

The clients didnt want it to feel as if they had inherited their grandmothers apartment, designer Christine Gachot remembers thinking at the outset of a top-down renovation of an Upper East Side prewar duplex for a couple with four young children. Having relocated to uptown Manhattan from Tribeca, they wanted something fresh, but they did want to keep some of that traditional sensibility.Christinewho, alongside her husband, John Gachot, runs the namesake firm noted for dreamy, cinematic interiors that blend contemporary and classic elementsknew at once they could deliver what the homeowners had in mind. Spread over two floors in a 1907 American Beaux Arts building by Delano & Aldrich, the residence had ample space, but, says John, it had really been lived in, chopped up, and adapted for the previous owner. Poring over original floor plans from the building and similar edifices nearby, the designers were able to craft a layout that would feel original but could perform as a forever home for this growing family.The living room of an Upper East Side duplex gut-renovated by John and Christine Gachot, of NYC-based firm Gachot, alongside general contractor Fiocchi Group, for a discerning couple with four young children, blends comfort with old-world elegance. Pastellone plaster walls painted in Benjamin Moores White Dove, ornamental moldings, and an Arabescato mantel from Jamb provide a subdued envelope for a mix of vintage and custom furnishings. The Gunnel Nyman club chairs, sourced by Hostler Burrows, wear a cream wool from ALT for Living and complement the bespoke sofas wrapped in nutmeg mohair from Angela Brown LTD. The round marble-and-brass coffee table was also designed by Gachot. Illuminating the space after sunset are circa-1940 floor lamps by Lysberg and Hansen, sourced by Jackson Design, and a double-silk ceiling fixture from Gong.Architecturally, the aim was to carve out spaces that would adapt with the familys changing needs over time. The apartments working wood-burning fireplaces would become the focal points for the homes public areas downstairs, in what would ultimately become the living room and den. Fortunately, the expansive living room could comfortably accommodate a formal dining table for eight or more, which allowed the owners to transform the former dining room into a sunny breakfast/play area adjacent to the kitchen.Upstairs, on the more private level, one of the abodes six bedrooms was turned into a secondary playroom for toys and books. And, in an especially ingenious gesture, a mudroom for stroller parking was created adjacent to that floors entry in such a way that it could one day be converted into a home gym or office. Phases of life change, so those spaces need to be able to adapt to tweens, teenagers, and then eventually to making closets bigger, explains John. There are these little adjacencies we planned on.The sunny kitchen was designed to be both traditional in appearance and highly functional. The millwork, painted in Benjamin Moores Shadow Gray, oak-herringbone floors by J. Rapaport Wood Flooring, and subtle marble with delicate veining create a soothing atmosphere at any time of day. Waterworks fixtures, RW Guild ceiling fixtures, and Simonini counter stools complete the look. This felt like it could architecturally have fit into that original apartment with a few updates, observes John of the family hub.The breakfast room is the locale of casual family meals and gatherings throughout the day. A custom ceiling light by Gachot and Scandinavian sconces sourced by Bloomberry cast a warm light on the Dedar-covered built-in banquette, oak table by Alfred Newall, and Freda Razor dining chairs by Hati Home. Its kind of the old Parisian apartment trick, says Christine. You put modern furniture in a traditional backdrop and it somehow just looks perfect every time.With the core structural plan in place, the Gachots took the same evolutionary approach to the interior decoration, creating a timeless backdrop for future chapters. They gave traditional architectural detailsplaster walls, crown moldings, baseboards, marble mantels, and trimsa delicate update with profiles, proportions, and finishes that feel clean and refined. Theres so much room for them to add their own layer, says Christine of the brief. When you are looking at a young family, they have a long way to go of collections and travels and experiences that will only add to the breadth of the home. The library, lined in solid white oak, smacks of old-world Manhattan, but its custom sectional and Milo Baughman tub chair, all covered in mohair, are conducive to kicking back on movie nights. Even the formal living room pairs rare piecesa rosewood-and-mahogany cabinet from the 1930s, Gunnel Nyman club chairs, a Fantasia coffee table by Philip and Kelvin LaVernewith durable, plush custom seating and airy double-silk ceiling light fixtures. The timeless English-inspired kitchen, aglow with light bouncing off of subtle marble counters, light-gray walls, and oak-herringbone floors, retains a crisp, New Yorkcentric efficiency.In lieu of having a grand staircase, the team elected to maximize usable space elsewhere. Here, in the upstairs landing, illuminated by a brass-and-silk ceiling fixture designed by Gachot, a mahogany handrail, bronze stair spindles, and stained oak-parquet floors emphasize the apartments timeless quality. On the wall, Jim Shaws The Land of the Octopus 6, adds color and movement.The familys art, too, plays a crucial role in this story of evolution, finding the sweet spot between old and new. Working with personal art consultant Anne Bruder, the Gachots and their clients added another layer of meaningful personality with thoughtfully placed pieces: a textured Dan Colen canvas in the entry hall, serene pieces by Louise Lawler and Katherine Bradford in the living room, and colorful Jim Shaw works in the upstairs landing and primary bedroom. In a home built for change, that latter serene, expanded hideawaywith its walls wrapped in creamy Dedar silk, 1940s club chairs wearing a jaunty yellow Sahco pattern, and Pinch bed covered in a natural C&C Milano fabricis perhaps the only area intentionally given a more permanent, anchored vibe.The clients knew what they liked, and thats really half the battle, says Christine, who, a fellow parent of young children and also a recent downtown-to-uptown transplant, felt particularly close to this project. If you have people that are willing participants and come with knowledge, theyre sitting at the table with you, and its lovely. Reflecting on the process, John nods in agreement: Youre producing their movie.It was a real treat to walk in and be like, Yes, this place is amazingI can do something, John remembers thinking when first visiting the apartment pre-renovation. Here, the team carved out a formal dining area in a space between the commodious living room and den. The expandable custom table, designed by Gachot and fabricated by Fischer Furniture, is surrounded by rosewood dining chairs from Modernity covered in fabric by Prelle. The 1960s brutalist credenza from Spain, sourced by Morentz, is topped by a French crystal lamp from Danke Galerie and an Art Deco coffee and tea set found at Maison Gerard.The building is iconic and beautiful, shares Christine of the venerable address. Its [built to have] room after room of discovery. The oak-paneled library strikes a more traditional note while plush furnishingsincluding a custom sectional sofa covered in moss Marci mohair and swivel tub chair by Milo Baughman in Holland & Sherrys Rive Gauche mohairencourage casually kicking back. The space is illuminated by a circa-1946 floor lamp from Ponce Berga, custom double-silk ceiling fixture by Gachot, and Modulightor picture lights. A side table in the form of a Gunnera leaf by Cox London, custom coffee table by Gachot, and elephant-shaped storage box by Pamela Weir-Quiton stand on a custom area rug by VandenLoom.The idea was to give [the clients] their own little sanctuary, John says of the serene primary bedroom with its own seating area. If the nanny is spending the night, they can close the door and have their suite to themselves and not be disturbed. On one end of the room, a Moreau bed by Pinch is covered in a custom Charvet linen bedspread and flanked by maple-and-brass tables by Tommi Parzinger, sourced by Donzella. The lamps are 1950s Murano Sommerso, sourced on 1stDibs. A pair of 1940s club chairs covered in a patterned silk by Sahco and sourced by H. Gallery populates the other end of this space. The drapery is cut from an ivory Holland & Sherry wool.A view into the wifes own bathroom, where Imperial Danby from Beata & Agnes Stone Gallery and the Venetian plaster walls and ceiling enhance a sense of peace. The unlacquered Waterworks fixtures complement the Scandinavian ceiling fixture, sourced by Bloomberry, and Mr. Shower Door frame. The oak-and-leather stool, meanwhile, is from Nickey Kehoe.Another girls bedroom demonstrates how the Gachots thoughtfully maximized storage throughout; even the bed is tucked into a niche to make room for a built-in bookcase in the threshold leading to a shared bathroom. The wallpaper, by Helen Blanche, was sourced from Temple Studio, while the Pinch bed is covered in a linen fabric from Designs of the Time. Samuel & Sons tassels hang from cabinet pulls from the Brass Center.The girls rooms are as cute as crackers, says Christine. Theyre just so charming. In the twins domain, the Gachots, known for their penchant for calm interiors, answered the homeowners call for a dose of pattern by covering the walls and beds, fabricated by Charles H. Beckley, in a delicate floral print from Peony & Sage. A 1960s glass lamp with pleated shades by Lamptouch adorns a dresser from Trove by Studio Duggan beside a burl-wood table sourced on 1stDibs. The striped Roman shade wears a fabric from Soane Britain.In a downstairs powder room, a hand-painted gold-and-blue silk wallpaper by Fromental adds whimsy surrounding the custom St. Laurentmarble sink from Novo Marble. Waterworks fixtures, an Alix D. Reynis sconce, and mirror by Soyun K. round out the transportive space.

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HmmmmmThe Duskbloods is a PvPvE game that seems to have more in common with online shooters than it does BloodborneThe Duskbloods continues to sound like something entirely new for FromSoftware, so expect a lot of flexing of creative muscles - and a cute level up ratImage credit: FromSoftware, Nintendo. News by Sherif Saed Contributing Editor Published on April 4, 2025 The Duskbloods was arguably one of the biggest surprises in the recent massive Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. Though many initially saw it as a spiritual successor to Bloodborne - much in how Dark Souls effectively was Demons Souls 2 - this impression has shifted now that we've learned a lot more about it.The Duskbloods is not Bloodborne 2. In fact, its not even the solitary, single-player experience that FromSoftware fans have come to expect from the studio.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. In a new interview with game director Hidetaka Miyazaki, we got a lot more information about how this idea came to life, as well as some of the goals FromSoftware has with The Duskbloods. According to the veteran director, the game started out as a Switch title, before development shifted to the Switch 2.FromSoft obviously isnt entirely new to online multiplayer; most of the studios games offer online co-op and PvP, and the upcoming Elden Ring Nightreign is an online-only co-op game. The Duskbloods, however, doesnt neatly fit into either of those boxes.Miyazaki noted that the team had been experimenting for a while with a way to meld its world-class enemy and encounter design with co-op and PvP more directly. The Bloodsworn - the games protagonist/player characters - are all competing for First Blood because of the power it holds. This guy may be Making Contact, but this still isn't Bloodborne. | Image credit: FromSoftware, Nintendo.The game has a flow that anyone who played battle royale games should be familiar with. Eight players spawn in a hub area, which is where they get to pick from pre-made classes, customise their character and join the match. Players spawn at random locations in the games various maps, which Miyazaki said depict various eras of humanity.Win or lose, all players will return to the hub with some unspecified rewards to grow their characters and get back in. Oh, and the cute rat seen at the very end of the trailer is the games version of the Fire Keeper. Its actually an elderly gentleman, FromSoft just wanted to make something cute for a change to be more in line with Nintendos brand.In the match itself, your goal is to be the last player standing - pretty typical for BR, and to obtain Victory Points. Those can be gained through direct combat, or by only partaking when youre guaranteed to win, so called third-partying. What a cutie! | Image credit: FromSoftware, Nintendo.Some events could alter this structure, however, and introduce different victory conditions. Miyazaki gave the example of tasking players with taking down a boss to win. In fact, the game is dynamic enough to occasionally spawn special enemies, and set fresh objectives for players. According to Miyazaki, the studio wanted to create multiple avenues for players to succeed so that even those who arent good at PvP could still find it satisfying.The director also touched on this idea of roles, which players can pick from and customise. Some of the examples given include a role that will task one player with taking down another specific player, or protecting them instead. Roles can be assigned to any character using blood.The Duskbloods is a Switch 2 exclusive arriving sometime in 2026, and it sounds like FromSoftware wanted to try a lot of new interesting ideas with this one, so it may well end up being its most interesting project yet.