Demystifying IoT for operational digital twins | Unite 2024

Diablo 4 Season 8 launches April 29 and, in addition to overhauling the game's endgame boss system, will also completely rework its battle pass to give players more control over which rewards interest them the most.The new battle pass system is called The Reliquary, and it breaks down rewards that would typically be in the battle pass into a number of different categories. The core seasonal Reliquary will actually be free, and at least for Season 8, will include a new Town Portal cosmetic, a weapon cosmetic, mount cosmetics, and some of the game's premium currency, Platinum. Meanwhile, separate Reliquaries for cosmetic armor, weapons, and "beasts" (aka pets and mounts) will also be available to unlock with Platinum.A look at what all is new in Diablo 4 Season 8.Each reward in each Reliquary can be unlocked in any order using a new currency called Favor Tokens that are earned from slaying monsters and completing quests. Claiming all of the rewards from a particular Reliquary will then grant a bonus reward that doesn't require a Favor Token to unlock. Players will be able to hold 99 Favor Tokens at one time, with items costing anywhere from two Favor Token to 10.Continue Reading at GameSpot

The Animal Crossing series has always been a sweet celebration of the “little things.” Neighborly connections, flowers blooming, and bugs buzzing about make up the beauty of quieter, smaller moments that Animal Crossing emphasizes as crucial. Animal Crossing: New Horizons brought these smaller moments to the forefront, even in a game that reinvented the IP. Whether the player is watching the seasons change or bumping into a neighbor they haven't seen in a day or two, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has a gift for transforming small, simple mechanics into emotionally resonant experiences. Every day holds a surprise: some big, some small, but some tucked away so subtly that they barely register in the moment. The tucked-away moments, unfortunately, should perhaps have been celebrated just a bit more.

Hi everyone, I’m Yasuyuki Oda, the producer of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. The dev team and I wanted to bring you an overview of how you can utilize the REV System to your advantage to tackle even your most formidable foes and opponents. We’ll also cover some flashy combos you can pull off and our roadmap for the Season 1 Pass DLC characters as well. Now without further ado, let’s get you all trained up and ready to jump into the world of Fatal Fury!  Use the REV System to get a leg up on the competition The key to snatching victory from the jaws of defeat is proper utilization of the REV System. REV Arts allow you to power up your special moves, whereas REV Accel is a great way to create flashy combos and pressure your opponent. The REV System can also be used defensively by using the REV Guard button (R1) to help keep your opponent at bay and increase your chance of securing the win. REV Guard can be performed by pressing just one button so it’s a good strategy to use when you think your opponent is going to go in for a cross-up. Some moves this works well against are Kain’s Schwarzes Rondo setups or attacks made after B. Jenet breaks her Gulf Tomahawk. REV Guard also allows you to input other actions while it’s being pressed, so you can hold down the button and use your grab to break out of an opponent’s oncoming grab attempt or use a hop to strategically maneuver your way out of a sticky situation. Try to make it a habit of holding REV Guard on wakeup to help protect yourself in battle.  The REV System can allow you to create a wide variety of different sick combos What better way to introduce some of the coolest combos in the game than our flagship returning characters, Mai Shiranui, Rock Howard, and Terry Bogard! Follow each character’s step-by-step guide to perform high-level combos you can use against your friends or online against opponents from all around the globe.  Mai Shiranui (Close) Neutral HK > Feint > (Close) Neutral HP > HP Hana Arashi (braking) > REV Ryuuenbu ～ REV Sayo Chidori > HK Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi (braking) > REV Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi ～ REV Hana Arashi (braking) > Kagerou no Mai  Play Video Rock Howard (Close) Neutral HK > →+Feint > ↓HP > REV Hard Edge ～ REV Rage Run Type: Layup > HP Rising Tackle (braking) > HP Reppuu Ken > REV Rising Tackle ～ REV Shippuu Ken > Raging Storm Play Video Terry Bogard (Close) Neutral HP・→ HP > →+Feint > (Far) Neutral HP > REV Burning Knuckle > REV Crack Shoot > HK Power Dunk (braking) > REV Power Charge > REV Burning Wave > REV Power Dunk > (perform in air right before landing) REV Blow > Cosmic Strike Geyser  Play Video Season Pass 1 includes 5 additional characters To start off the Season 1 Pass, Terry Bogard’s brother, Andy Bogard, makes his triumphant return, utilizing a combination of Koppo and ninjutsu to take down his opponents. Hokutomaru shares some moves with Andy so anyone looking to play the younger of the Bogard brothers can start out training with Hokutomaru to get ready for when Andy will become playable later this year.  Joe Higashi is a Muay Thai master and is well known for being both friendly yet hot blooded in the heat of battle. Joe, Terry, and Andy make up the legendary group of three friends that represent the Fatal Fury series, so when Joe returns this Fall, it will be a momentous occasion for fans of this legendary fighting game series.  One of the major antagonists from the Art of Fighting series, the big boss man himself, Mr. Big, also makes his devious return. He utilizes bojutsu and street fighting techniques to take on the other fighters of South Town.   Last but not least, we are proud to have two characters from the Street Fighter series make their appearance in the world of Fatal Fury as guest characters: Ken and Chun-Li. Look forward to when worlds collide in this legendary collaboration. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves releases on April 24, 2025 on both PS4 and PS5, but you can preorder the game digitally right now and get up to 3 days of early access. This is the ultimate Fatal Fury title, so we hope both newcomers and hardcore fans alike will hit the streets of South Town to take on both friends and new opponents online and offline. Make sure to use the tips, tricks, and combos we outlined here to REV IT UP and UNLEASH YOUR FURY against any opponent that dares to challenge you. 

This week is all about tension on TV. Like flowers blossoming on your spring walks, it’s everywhere you look. Whether it’s a creepy stalker returning triumphant to New York, now clothed in wealth and prestige (You season 5), or the nascent Rebel Alliance trying their best to hobble the Empire in whatever way they can (Andor season 2), or even just two prestigious ballet companies swapping their casts (the Sherman-Palladinos’ return to TV with Étoile), things are going to get strained before they get any better. But isn’t that what great TV is made of? Here are the best new TV premieres and finales this week. New shows on Netflix You season 5 Genre: Stalker thrillerRelease date: April 24, with all episodesShowrunners/creators: Michael Foley and Justin W. LoCast: Penn Badgley, Charlotte Ritchie, Madeline Brewer, and more Joe (Penn Badgley) is back and at the top of the world. He’s happily in love with his wife, Kate (Charlotte Ritchie), who has used her massive wealth to wipe his slate clean and bury the bodies of his past (metaphorically; he already literally buried them). So of course he’s about to blow it all by questioning his relationship and setting his eye on a new girl. There’s serious money and serious stakes to this season — after all, this is the final installment of You. New shows on Disney Plus Andor season 2 Genre: Star Wars spy thrillerRelease date: April 22, with three episodesShowrunner/creator: Tony GilroyCast: Diego Luna, Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, and more We already know Andor’s endpoint — this being the final season, we know the show is leading right into Rogue One, with Cassian on a pretty major mission for the Rebellion. But Andor season 2 has a lot to accomplish in the meantime — this season is covering the four-year period leading up to that movie, with each batch of episodes focusing on three days in the lives of Cassian and the rest of the rebels. New shows on AMC Plus Dark Winds season 3 finale Genre: Western noir thrillerRelease date: April 27Showrunners/creators: Tony Hillerman and Graham RolandCast: Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon, Jessica Matten, and more Wrapping up a season full of mysterious and beautiful moments, Dark Winds season 3 (which was based on Dance Hall of the Dead and The Sinister Pig) is drawing its mysteries to a close this season. Luckily, fans don’t have to be too worried about this one: Season 4 has already been greenlit by AMC ahead of the third season premiere. So just sit back, soak in the drama, and let the mysteries wash over you. New shows on Prime Video Étoile Genre: Ballerina dramedyRelease date: April 24 Showrunners/creators: Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel PalladinoCast: Luke Kirby, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou de Laâge, and more Two world-renowned ballet companies are in trouble. So they come up with an unorthodox arrangement: swap the companies of their productions and save the institutions themselves. Unfortunately, the stunt is as impulsive as it is bold, and, as it turns out, swapping creatives — with all their egos and affectations — is a lot more complicated than a pirouette.

While rugs have their place, typically underfoot, who’s to say they can’t rise up to meet us in entirely new ways? That’s the thinking behind DUNE, a sculptural collaboration between German design studio BUDDE and Cologne-based Nando Studio. Debuting at Milan Design Week at Galleria Rossana Orlandi, DUNE reimagines the traditional rug as a fully functional chaise lounge, inviting users to recline and reflect on how design can redefine the boundaries of conventional typologies. Drawing from the flowing landscapes of nomadic desert cultures, DUNE pays homage to the rug’s cultural significance as a gathering space and resting place. “The pattern mimics the flowing dunes of a desert landscape, with a warm, shifting color palette that reflects the subtle changes in sunlight along the sand dunes,” shares designer Johannes Budde. The result is a visual rhythm that’s been immortalized in tufted merino wool – both tactile and expressive. At first glance, the surface of DUNE appears soft and sculptural. But beneath that inviting form lies a story of precision and adaptability. Gun-tufted by Nando Studio in Cologne, the rug is supported by a bent aluminum frame that can be easily attached or removed beneath either side. This gives users the freedom to enjoy DUNE as a traditional rug or transform it into a chaise lounge when the mood strikes. Whether used for lounging, gathering, or simply as a centerpiece, that kind of adaptability – innovative yet demure and inconspicuous – redefines what we can expect from a rug, inviting new rituals for rest and relaxation. L-R: Ferdinando Colosimo of Nando Studio and Meike Papenfuss + Johannes Budde of BUDDE DUNE is exclusively represented by Galleria Rossana Orlando – for more information, visit rossanaorlandi.com. Custom pieces are available upon request, allowing for personalization while preserving the piece’s nomadic, desert-inspired spirit. To learn more, visit budde.co. Photography by Saskia Kinast.

Here’s how to stay compliant with new privacy laws without making your product experience suckContinue reading on UX Collective »

Meta is getting serious about the teens who use its services. Last year, the company rolled out "Teen Accounts" for Instagram, which add a number of restrictions, limitations, and features for users under the age of 18. Earlier this month, Meta rolled out Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger as well, and expanded some of those restrictions on Instagram specifically.If your teen had a standard Instagram account when Meta started rolling this out, their account was automatically changed into a Teen Account. Of course, that only worked if they had their real age attached to the account: If a teen said their birthday made them 18 or older, no Teen Account for them. Meta's AI is snitching on Instagram teens In response to this loophole, Meta is tasking its AI with rooting out teens purporting to be adults on Instagram. The company announced the experiment on Monday, revealing that tests will begin in the United States that same day. Meta is brief on the details here, but they do say that if the AI finds a standard account it suspects to be a teen, it will automatically switch them to a Teen Account—even if that account has an adult birthday. This also isn't Meta AI's first rodeo. The company has used an AI model trained to identify whether a user is underage since 2022. The AI model looks for behaviors associated with teen users, as, according to Meta, people in the same age group react similarly to specific types of content. (Think about all those memes you don't understand.) One interesting "tell" comes with birthday posts: The AI looks at how users interact with an account on their birthday, and can make a determination from there. If the AI is seeing a lot of "happy 17th birthday" posts and DMs, that's going to be quite obvious, but even if the messages track with how users under 18 tend to wish each other a happy birthday, the AI will get suspicious fast. What happens if the AI gets it wrong?There are probably many parents out there that have no issue with Instagram automatically changing their kids' profiles to Teen Accounts. But this tech is driven by AI, and AI doesn't always get it right: As such, there's a good chance that the AI accidentally flags adult accounts as teens by mistake, locking users 18 and older into restrictions meant for minors. That means your account will automatically take on some pretty drastic restrictions: You'll go private if you aren't already, and adult users won't be able to see your posts or DM you without following first. You won't see "violent" content, or posts promoting cosmetic procedures. (Perhaps no loss there.) Instagram will also warn you whenever you use the app for 60 minutes in one day, advising you to stop. And while you don't need to, your account will enter "sleep mode" between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., muting alerts and sending auto-replies to DMs. (To be fair, perhaps many of us adults would benefit from these restrictions.) If Instagram thinks you're 16 or 17, you'll be able to manually disable some of these limitations, but that's not really the point. If you're an adult, you shouldn't expect Instagram to change the parameters of your account because its AI bot got it wrong. Meta knows it, too. As the company says it its blog post: "We’re taking steps to ensure our technology is accurate and that we are correctly placing teens we identify into protective, age-appropriate settings, but in case we make a mistake, we’re giving people the option to change their settings."The company hasn't said exactly what those mitigation steps are yet, so I'll update this piece once we know for sure. My guess, however, is there will be an option in settings to verify your age and transfer your account back to an adult account.

Nearly four years after it was originally announced, Riot Games has finally shared a look at Valorant Mobile. The mobile version of the competitive shooter was developed by LightSpeed Studios and will launch in China first before coming to other countries and regions. Valorant Mobile looks like it relies on a lot of onscreen buttons, but based on a brief gameplay video, the game otherwise seems pretty similar to its PC counterpart in terms of speed and intensity. LightSpeed Studios successfully adapted PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds into PUBG Mobile, and Riot Games clearly believes the developer has managed to do the same with the originally mouse-based Valorant. Coming to mobile has been in the works for Valorant for years, and makes a ton of sense given the current popularity of mobile first-person shooters like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty: Warzone. This isn't the first time the game's precise gunplay has had to be adapted to a slightly more cumbersome control scheme, either. Valorant successfully made the jump to controllers when it launched on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 in 2024. Mobile controls aren't that much bigger of a hurdle in comparison. Players in China can pre-register now to be ready for the next playtest, ahead of a more formal launch at some point in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/valorant-mobile-pre-registration-is-open-in-china-180132021.html?src=rss

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