For as tremendous as FromSoftware games are, none of them are particularly good at co-op. You can’t just invite your friend and join a party in Elden Ring. You need to be in the right place, with the right password, while the right stars in the universe align just to hit monsters with your friends. If it wasn’t for the seamless co-op mod by Yui, Elden Ring’s co-op would be borderline unplayable.A few months ago, Yui went back and fixed co-op in Dark Souls 3. And now she’s fixed the most important game in FromSoftware’s history: the original Dark Souls.The first version of the seamless co-op mod for Dark Souls Remastered was released on Thursday. With it, you can play the action RPG that kicked off a whole genre with up to six players. “Simply put, the mod allows you to play with friends throughout the entirety of the game with no restrictions,” Yui wrote in the description on Nexus Mods.In the announcement video, you can see that it works like the Elden Ring version: You use a custom item in your inventory to summon people into your world at any time. Defeating bosses won’t disband the group like it does normally, and everyone won’t be prevented from interacting with NPCs. It just works.“Dark Souls 1 was my first Dark Souls game and it has a special place in my heart,” Yui told Polygon over DMs. “I also believe that the interconnected world of the game makes it a truly great candidate for seamless co-op.”Yui said it was much easier to make than the one for Elden Ring, but that there were a few issues that had to be worked out. Dark Souls came out 11 years before Elden Ring and wasn’t designed to be truly open-world, so players are gated by fog doors during regular co-op. Yui had to work around the game unloading parts of the map when people get too far away from the host, which “took a good amount of reverse engineering to get down,” she said.Even with those roadblocks, it only took her a week to get the mod running. It’s fully functional right now, but Yui said she’ll continue to fix any reported bugs until its flawless.Installing the mod requires unzipping some files into the right place and choosing a unique password for everyone to use. Then you’re free to roam around Lordran with your posse of Chosen Undead. And don’t worry about getting banned. The mod doesn’t touch FromSoftware’s servers and uses separate save files. Your co-op crew is safe.See More: Dark SoulsPlaystationPlaystation logoWindowsWindows logoXboxXbox logoExplore The GameWhy it mattersDon’t be fooled by the castles and dragons, Dark Souls isn’t your typical dark fantasy action RPG. Though the world is bleak, it’s full of charming weirdos, beautiful views, and brutal combat that can be just as much of a joke as a challenge.— Tyler Colp, Games Writer

Disney Illusion Island Starring Mickey & Friends $30 | Releases May 30 Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop After launching in 2023 as a Nintendo Switch exclusive, the joyful platformer Disney Illusion Island is now coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on May 30. The port has been rebranded to Disney Illusion Island Starring Mickey & Friends, and it now comes bundled with two previously released DLCs and a new DLC featuring Scrooge McDuck. Preorders are available now at major retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy. The PS5, Xbox, and PC versions of Disney Illusion Island are $10 cheaper than the Switch version. Plus, physical editions come bundled with a cool extra.Disney Illusion Island Starring Mickey and Friends Preorder BonusesDisney Illusion Island Starring Mickey & FriendsPhysical editions of the game come with an exclusive poster, though it’s only available while supplies last. This isn’t listed as a preorder bonus, but since inventory is limited, reserving a copy of the game is the best way to grab one before it disappears. The poster appears to be a universal bonus available at most retailers. We've verified it's bundled with purchases at Best Buy and GameStop, though double-check the listing if you're purchasing from other vendors.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Of all the weapons to choose from in Monster Hunter Wilds, the Sword and Shield is easily the most versatile choice. Its ease of use and flexibility to fit into different types of builds makes it a contender for one of the best weapons in the end game.

If you’ve ever considered jumping into the BattleTech tabletop game, right now, Humble is offering an $18 bundle that includes all of the rulebooks you need to start playing, in addition to several sourcebooks, campaigns, and technical manuals to supplement your experience. While you technically don’t need fancy miniatures to play BattleTech, picking up an inexpensive introductory set like the Battletech Beginner Box is a great way to start building out your mini-Lance. The most important parts of this bundle are the Battlemech Manual, Alpha Strike: Commander’s Edition, and BattleTech: Total Warfare, which will get you up to speed on everything you need to play or run your own campaign. However, this bundle also features technical readouts for classic and modern ‘Mechs, in addition to BattleTech: A Time of War, which folds in rules for a more personal TTRPG experience on top of ‘Mech combat. BattleTech is a massive tabletop franchise that spans roughly a millennium of human history and has even recently announced a new, Warhammer-inspired, set titled BattleTech: Gothic. This bundle, however, sticks to the classic franchise and includes everything you need to set up campaigns, from the Succession Wars stretching all the way into the Ilkhan era. Humble Bundle sets always put aside a portion of your purchase to benefit a non-profit. This particular bundle will help fund No Kid Hungry, an organization that helps to provide children with nutrition at schools and at home. However, you can always customize how much of your purchase goes to the publisher, to Humble, or to charity by using the “adjust donation” drop-down menu and selecting a custom amount.

If you’re in the market for a new home, there’s a pretty good chance you've toured a few “flipped” houses—properties that were recently purchased, quickly renovated, and just as quickly put back on the market. Even amid the current real estate crunch, house flipping remains a popular business model: In the first quarter of 2024, 67,817 houses were flipped, which amounted to nearly 9% of all the houses sold during that period.Flipping is popular because it can be highly profitable, generating an average return of $73,492 per project. But those profits rely on a fast, efficient renovation—and some flippers may get in over their heads and end up cutting corners, while others might simply set out to rip you off by attempting to hide downright shoddy work. In either scenario, there are some common aspects of any renovation that can clue you in to incompetent or unethical work. When inspecting a house you suspect was a flip, check for these red flags.Glued-in sinksTypically, an undermount kitchen sink will be installed using a combination of adhesive and metal clips to hold it in place. Sometimes a sink will be installed with just adhesive if the clips aren’t absolutely necessary and the installer is worried about cracking the countertop or lacks the space to properly attach the clips, but they'll generally use a powerful, professional-grade adhesive regardless.An unethical house flipper, on the other hand, might use any old silicone-based adhesive to slap a sink into place, skipping the clips simply to save on time and labor costs. The sink will hang on for a while, then fall without warning—probably when it’s full of dirty dishes. When checking out a flipped kitchen, open the cabinet under the sink and look for metal support clips. If you don’t see them, it could be a sign that the flipper either didn’t know what was needed—or intentionally skipped a step.Ventilation fans that don't vent anywhereVentilation and exhaust fans are usually found in bathrooms, over ovens, and in other places where ventilation is required, and they need to be vented outside—but can simply be slapped into the ceiling and wired up, with no outside ventilation connection at all. In other words, they’ll vent the steam from your shower into your ceiling, where it can slowly foster mold and damage your home's wood framing. It’s worth checking that any exhaust fans are vented properly, and not just run into the cavities behind your drywall.Painted tubsIf the house being flipped has a unique classic bathtub—or the flipper is looking to save a few bucks on the renovation—they might decide to refinish the tub instead of replacing it. This is fine in theory, as tubs can certainly be refinished and hold up to years of use—provided the job done by a professional. It’s actually not easy to refinish a tub, as they must endure near-constant water exposure. Even a successful DIY refinish job will typically only last a few years.Refinishing a tub requires it be properly cleaned, etched, and prepped. If the flipper just paints the tub, it might look fine during a walk-through, but it will peel almost immediately once you start using it. In a flipped house, take a very close look at the tubs. Look for fine cracks, spotty coverage around drains and fixtures, and bubbling in the finish. Ask questions if you see any indication of an undisclosed refinishing job.Updated outlets hiding old wiringThe easiest way to save money on a house flip is to leave all the hidden stuff—the plumbing and electrical—untouched, and just cover it up with new fixtures. An unethical flipper might swap out old, ungrounded outlets with new, modern ones and simply not connect the ground—or, worse, jump the ground to the neutral wire (known as a “bootleg” ground). That can be dangerous, but it won’t trigger an error when the outlet is tested. It’s worth it to unscrew a few outlets and take a quick look at what's going on in the walls—if the outlets are new but the wiring is old, be suspicious, and consider having an electrician come in to take a look during the inspection process.Hidden floor damageOne trick desperate flippers will try is simply covering up problems with a new floor. Flooring is expensive, and it’s possible to put carpet or vinyl flooring over damaged hardwood, cracking tile, or other problems. Fresh carpet or planks will look good, and you might not spend enough time walking on them to notice deeper problems until well after you've closed. Another trick flippers will sometimes play is to tear off a bad floor and throw a cheap floor over a damaged subfloor in order to save a little time and money.You can look for a few tells that a cheap new floor is covering up a big old problem:Varying floor heights. If you’re constantly stepping up and down as you pass from room to room, it could be a sign that old floors were just covered over.Sags and soft spots. If the new tile is already showing cracks, or if you can feel parts of the floor are soft when you step on them, this could indicate the new flooring was either laid over a damaged floor, or that the subfloor is rotten.Gaps. If new vinyl planks are separating, it probably means a sub-par installation, and it could also be a sign that the floor under the vinyl is damaged and uneven.Unexpected carpet. Is there just one room in the house with brand-new carpet or other flooring? Be suspicious, and see if you can get a peek underneath.Loose trimWhen a flip runs out of time, it’s usually the trim work that suffers, because it’s the last step in a remodel. If you walk into a kitchen and notice the toe-kicks are missing, or the house lacks door trim, you’d immediately be worried, so some flippers will stick that trim on in fast, cheap ways—like with double-sided tape, caulk, or any old glue. It will all look fine for a while, but the moisture of a kitchen or bathroom will eventually cause it to just pop off. When looking at a remodeled kitchen in a flipped house, it’s worth it to give the trim a gentle tug. If it was installed properly, there’s no way you should be able to budge it without a lot of effort.Missing caulkSimilarly, take a close look at the kitchen and bathrooms. Specifically, look for caulk—or a lack of it. Caulk is usually one of the final steps when finishing up a bath or kitchen remodel, and you might not notice it was skipped if you’re not looking for it. Any “change of plane” (where horizontal and vertical surfaces meet) or gaps should be caulked with an appropriate caulk. Otherwise moisture, crumbs, and other debris will get between and inside things, leading to rot, mold, and other problems.Unconnected HVAC ventsJust like ventilation fans, one way an unethical (or rushing, inexperienced) house flipper might try to skate by is by skipping a crucial step with the home’s central heating and cooling: They might install the vents and returns for the system, and never connect them. Everything looks right, and when you turn on the air conditioning it fires up, but the air never actually gets into your rooms. During your walkthrough or inspection, test the system to ensure the air is flowing.Poorly placed guttersIf your flipped house has a new roof, pay attention to the placement of the gutters. A flipper DIYing a roof installation or spot-hiring subcontractors instead of going with a reputable roofing company might rush through gutter installation, resulting in situations where gutters drain water against the house or directly onto windows and doors. That’s obviously the exact opposite of the whole purpose of gutters, but the mistake won't jump out at you unless it’s actively raining, so try to tour the house under varying weather conditions.Hidden pestsYou can imagine the horror a desperate house flipper experiences when they uncover termite or carpenter ant damage in the house they just bought, and they have no budget for a thorough treatment. Signs of termites and other pests can be easy to hide—often paint is all you need to cover up some light termite damage for a few weeks, which is enough time to get through an inspection—and home inspectors aren’t always thorough, and may not look behind a fresh paint job, or moving heavy furniture to see what might be hidden.If just one area of the home has been recently painted, take a closer look. If the area under the paint is rough and damaged, it might be an attempt to hide a civilization of critters the flipper didn’t know how to evict. You can also look for insect droppings (some termites leave droppings that look like grains of rice or sesame seeds), sawdust piles, shed skins or eggs—and traps and poisons hiding in cabinets or under appliances.

With the recent confirmation of Mark Meador as Federal Trade Commissioner, the Republicans now have a 3-0 majority at the FTC, giving President Donald Trump broad control over what was once an aggressive business regulator under former FTC chair Lina Khan. The vote fell along party lines, with all Senate Democrats voting against confirming Meador. Under normal circumstances three Republican members at the FTC is expected. Whichever party the president represents typically holds three seats, while the other party holds two. What makes the new Republican majority unusual is that Trump fired the Democrat Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter in March, something that's not supposed to happen without "good cause." The FTC, like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is technically part of the executive branch, but exists independently of the rest of the government, with the current president adding new members as terms end or in the rare case there's good cause to remove a commissioner, like if they're found guilty of malfeasance or neglecting their duties.  An executive order Trump signed in February 2025 sought to exert more control over these independent organizations in the name of "accountability." That was the primary justification for removing Bedoya and Slaughter, both of which are fighting their termination in court.  Given the actions Biden's FTC took against corporate America, like suing John Deere over unfair practices and leading antitrust investigations into Meta, Amazon, Google and Apple, it makes sense business-friendly Republicans would prefer less pushback from Democrats. That doesn't make anything that's happening legal, though.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-now-has-full-control-of-the-ftc-180816016.html?src=rss

WhatsApp has just rolled out an endless list of new call and chat functions, but two of them have really rubbed users the wrong way.

Storm Studios spent two years contributing to the unique visual identity of The Electric State, diving deep into a world of dystopian sci-fi and retro tech. Their work included designing distinctive bots, experimenting with VHS aesthetics, and scouting surreal real-world locations that mirror a dreamlike VR experience. The team embraced 90s nostalgia, infusing it into the film’s tone through clever design choices and subtle texturing, creating a seamless blend of old-school charm and futuristic storytelling. From giant robots to eerie landscapes, Storm Studios helped shape the world’s atmospheric mood and visual complexity. Their dedication to detail brought authenticity to the film, making The Electric State a truly immersive and visually compelling journey for Netflix audiences. The post Designing Dystopia: Storm Studios’ VFX for The Electric State appeared first on Vfxexpress.

When people talk about how AI might reshape media, the term “hyper-personalization” comes up a lot. In broad terms, it means that AI can tailor the experience around your preferences—assuming it has enough data about you. To some extent, algorithms and ad tech have been doing this for years, recommending links and stories based on your clicks and browsing behavior. What generative AI brings to the table is the ability to adapt the content itself. A large language model could, in theory, understand the kinds of stories I care about and modify what I’m reading—maybe by adding an angle relevant to my region. It could even offer up different lengths or even formats. If I’m about to go for a run, maybe I want that feature article as a podcast. Or if I’m in a hurry, a short video in TikTok style might do. But this frames AI as a kind of Santa Claus: a magical benefactor dropping content “presents” on demand. In the AI courses I teach, I often explain that a key unlock of AI is that, once you use it enough, you start to realize the value is often more in the conversation—the questions you ask and the answers it gives—than the so-called output. Verbal features such as ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode are ideal for this. If you haven’t engaged in a brainstorming session while driving or walking, you’re missing out. AI can be an excellent brainstorming partner when you need to think through something. Even better: it can be a superb writing assistant, helping you develop ideas, stay on track, and fill in the holes in your arguments—without taking over the writing itself. Rethinking how we read the news Now apply that same idea to how we consume news. When you hit a point in the story you’re reading where you want to go deeper, you can instantly do that. If, say, you were reading a story about bringing the dire wolf back from extinction, you could ask about whether the same technique could be applied to other extinct species, how ethicists are responding, or how the news is affecting the biotech sector. The AI could bring in all that context without needing to “navigate” anything. We’re already seeing early signs of this behavior. On X, for example, people often tag Grok—a chatbot built into the platform—to ask follow-up questions about trending stories. It’s a small but telling behavior: instead of passively reading the news, users are instinctively treating it as a jumping-off point for a deeper conversation. Most news stories aim to deliver the latest facts, often with only a perfunctory amount of background—usually tucked into a paragraph or two at the end. For exotic topics like crypto, this often leaves the subject impenetrable to casual readers. With AI, however, a news story can be a conversation—one that explains things at exactly your level. In other words, the most powerful personalization tool isn’t data—it’s your words. This is the eureka moment in Joshua Rothman’s recent New Yorker essay that contemplates how AI might improve the news. The only catch? It requires a mindset shift—from AI giving you things to AI helping you discover things for yourself. There needs to be some education in the use of AI on the part of the reader. AI still needs a map But for that vision of AI and news to work, context is everything: In other words, the machines still need a map. For AI to bring you the absolute best information for whatever news rabbit hole you want to go down, you need a data set that’s oriented towards news topics. The massive data sets in today’s large language models are probably overkill, since they bring noise or generic knowledge when specificity is what’s needed. However, restricting the context to just the stories on the site you’re reading would be too limiting. A better idea would be something like a “general news corpus” of vetted sources that publishers could opt into, which other sites could access to bring a wide-ranging context into their AI experiences. ProRata and NewsGuard are building these kinds of products, but their best use case might not be general search engines like Perplexity or ProRata’s own Gist. Context is arguably more important when a reader has already clicked on an article and begun to go down a path. With AI, that path doesn’t have to be on rails—the reader can go in any direction, and the right context will follow. The most compelling thing about this vision of personalized news is that it doesn’t require Big Tech to be part of it, at least outside of building the large language models themselves. Journalists provide the raw information, product designers can build the experiences, and third-party content brokers assemble the context. Participation, not prediction For the past two decades, media organizations have optimized their platforms by trying to anticipate what audiences would respond to. But AI may be rendering that approach obsolete. Imagine a news experience where every reader gets the background they need, the angles they care about, and the context to go deeper—all just by asking. That’s not personalization by prediction. That’s personalization by participation.

This tiny home by Sweden’s Vagabond Haven is quite tiny, tiny enough that it is almost nearing becoming impractical, yet somehow it manages to dodge the bullet. This model features a cleverly designed yet extremely compact interior, reflected in its price. Measuring only 3.9 meters (12.9 feet) in length, the Honey 216 ranks among the smaller tiny homes available, though it’s not the smallest on record. For comparison, Wind River’s Tellico is nearly four times longer. The Honey 216 is constructed on a double-axle trailer, finished with wood, and includes an external storage unit. Designer: Vagabond Haven Due to its incredibly compact size, the Honey 216 inevitably requires some compromises, which are evident in its interior layout. The entire home is arranged on a single floor, with most of the available floor space dedicated to one open, multifunctional room. This design choice leaves room only for a separate bathroom, emphasizing the need for efficient space utilization. Entry into the home is through a glass door that leads into the living area. This space features a U-shaped seating and dining area, complete with a table, and is complemented by a skylight that enhances the amount of natural light filtering into the interior. In the absence of a designated bedroom, the sofa in this area serves a dual purpose by converting it into a bed, showcasing the adaptable nature of the space within this tiny home. The kitchen in the Honey 216 is designed to maximize functionality within its limited space. It includes a compact two-burner propane gas stove, similar to those found in camper vans, alongside a sink, a small refrigerator, and some cabinetry for storage. The bathroom is the only separate room in this tiny home, accessed through a door. Inside, it features a camper van-style chemical toilet, a shower, and a sink, providing essential amenities in a minimalist setting. This efficient use of space ensures that despite its small size, the Honey 216 remains fully equipped for comfortable living. The Honey 216 tiny house offers flexible power options, drawing electricity from a standard RV-style hookup or operating off-grid with solar panels mounted on its roof, connected to battery storage. This adaptability allows occupants to enjoy modern conveniences regardless of their location. With a starting price of US$48,000, plus taxes, the Honey 216 combines efficient design with eco-friendly features. It provides an amazing choice for those seeking a compact yet functional home, blending affordability with sustainable living. This tiny house is a prime specimen of innovative design, ensuring comfort and independence in a variety of settings. The post This Tiny Home Is Small But Mighty, Offering Compact Elegance In A 12.9-Foot Body first appeared on Yanko Design.