Author(s): Barhoumi Mosbeh Originally published on Towards AI. Ollama multi-modalOllama has just announced its official support for the Llama 3.2 Vision models. The Llama 3.2 Vision models come in two sizes: 11 billion and 90 billion parameters. In this article, I will provide an overview of their performance in different cases, along with my personal thoughts on them.The Llama 3.2-Vision instruction-tuned models are optimized for visual recognition, image reasoning, captioning, and answering general questions about an image. The models outperform many of the available open source and closed multimodal models on common industry benchmarks.Also the model supports many languages:For text only tasks, English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Hindi, Spanish, and Thai are officially supported. Llama 3.2 has been trained on a broader collection of languages than these 8 supported languages. Note for image+text applications, English is the only language supported.EvaluationI will use the approach from this paper for evaluation, which actually argues that vision-language models are blind. It tests models on several tasks:VLMs are BlindResearch showing that vision language models (VLMs) fail on simple visual tasks that are easy for humans.vlmsareblind.github.ioTask 1: Line IntersectionsTask 2: Two CirclesTask 3: Circled LetterTask 4: Overlapping ShapesTask 5: Nested SquaresTask 6: Counting GridTask 7: Subway MapI will choose the most challenging parts from each task and see if the model can get any of them right. Additionally, I will run the code around 1020 times to calculate the average of accurate responses and identify any false results.Task 1: Line IntersectionsPrompts:How many times do the blue and red lines touch each other? Answer with a number in curly brackets, e.g., {5}.Count the intersection points where the blue and red lines meet. Put your answer in curly brackets, e.g., {2}.The blue and red lines intersect at 2 points. Therefore, they touch each other twice. {2}The blue and red lines touch each other at three points. Therefore, the answer is {3}.Success rate > 60%Task 2: Two CirclesPrompts:Are the two circles touching each other? Answer with Yes/No.Are the two circles overlapping? Answer with Yes/No.**Step 1: Identify the Circles**The image contains a blue circle and a red circle.**Step 2: Determine if the Circles are Touching Each Other**To determine if the circles are touching each other, we need to check if they intersect at exactly one point or not. If they do not intersect at all, then they are not touching. If they intersect at more than one point, then they are overlapping but not necessarily touching.**Step 3: Check for Intersection Points**Upon examining the image closely, it appears that the two circles intersect at exactly one point. This means that the circles are indeed touching each other.**Conclusion:**YesThe image depicts a diagram with two circles, one red and one blue. The red circle is positioned on the left side of the diagram, while the blue circle is located on the right side.To determine whether the two circles are touching each other, we need to analyze their positions and sizes. Upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that the two circles do not overlap or touch at any point. Instead, they appear to be separated by a small gap between them.Therefore, based on this analysis, **No**, the two circles are not touching each other.Success rate > 80%Task 3: The circled letterPrompts:Which letter is being circled?Which character is being highlighted with a red oval?**Answer:** The letter "n" is highlighted in red and encircled.Success rate: 100%Counting overlapping shapesPrompts:How many {shapes} are in the image? Answer with only the number in numerical format.Count the {shapes} in the image. Answer with a number in curly brackets e.g. {3}.The model answered with either 6, 7, or 8 but never gave the correct number, which is 9. And guess what? Even GPT-4 cant do it!Success rate: 0%Following single-colored pathsPrompts:How many single-colored paths go from A to C? Answer with a number in curly brackets, e.g., {3}Count the one-colored routes that go from A to C. Answer with a number in curly brackets, e.g., {3}.To find the number of single-colored paths from point A to point C, we need to count the distinct paths that only use one color throughout their entire length.**Step 1: Identify the colors used on the graph**Looking at the graph provided, we can see that there are four different colors used:* Red* Blue* Green* PurpleHowever, upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that not all these colors are utilized in creating paths from A to C. We focus only on those colors that lead directly or indirectly from A to C without interruption.**Step 2: Determine the relevant paths**Upon examining the graph closely for paths using a single color from A to C:* There is one path going directly from A to B (using red) and then continuing in another segment. {* Another path leads from A to D and then to C, but this involves two colors.Given this analysis, only one path utilizes a single color continuously from A to C.**Conclusion**Therefore, the number of single-colored paths from point A to point C is1}.Answer: {1}.To find the number of single-colored paths from point A to point C, we need to analyze the given graph and count the distinct paths that meet this criterion.**Step 1: Identify Single-Colored Paths**Single-colored paths are those where all edges belong to a single color. In this context, a path is considered single-colored if it consists entirely of red edges.**Step 2: Count Distinct Red Edges from A to C**From point A to point C, there are two distinct red edges that form a direct path:- One edge connects A directly to C.- Another set of edges forms a longer path through intermediate nodes but ultimately leads back to the same conclusion regarding single-color paths.**Step 3: Consideration of Alternative Paths**Upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that while there are multiple paths from A to C, only two of these paths consist entirely of red edges. This is because any path involving more than one color would not be considered "single-colored."**Conclusion**Given the analysis above, the correct answer reflects the count of single-colored paths (all red) from point A to point C. {Answer:2}Success rate > 60%Both GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet failed in this task.After playing with this model for a while, I dont see a significant difference; it can be compared to GPT-4o and Sonnet-3. However, its still not as good as Gemini-1.5 Pro, which I believe might be the best VLM right now. Keep in mind that this is just the 11B version of the model. If you have enough resources to test the 90B version, simply replace 11B with 90B in the following code.Try it yourselfInstall Ollama!curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | shStart ollamaimport osget_ipython().system = os.system!ollama serve &Pull the model!ollama pull llama3.2-vision Try itimport ollamadef extract_document_info(image_path): response = ollama.chat( model='llama3.2-vision', messages=[{ 'role': 'user', 'content': "your question about the image" ), 'images': [image_path] }] ) return response#exampleimage_path ="/kaggle/input/image.jpg"result = extract_document_info(image_path)print(result["message"]["content"])Thats it! This was a quick review of LLaMA 3.2 Vision (11B version). Its actually good at OCR too, I tested it on some really challenging images. The 90B version is better, of course, but it requires substantial resources to run. Once I find a good resource, Ill attach it!llama3.2-vision:90bLlama 3.2 Vision is a collection of instruction-tuned image reasoning generative models in 11B and 90B sizes.ollama.comVLMs are BlindResearch showing that vision language models (VLMs) fail on simple visual tasks that are easy for humans.vlmsareblind.github.ioJoin thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AI

Best Buy just kicked off an Early Black Friday Sale lasting through Sunday, November 10. There are hundreds of products listed but only a handful of them are what I would consider "Black Friday" caliber. Some of these show the lowest prices we've seen all year and are unlikely to drop further on Black Friday. We've sorted them by category and broken out individual deals that we think are the cream of the crop so you can browse in one place. It's also worth noting Best Buy offers free shipping on most orders over $35, and there's usually an option to pick up in-store. And, since you'd be shopping ahead of Black Friday, you'll avoid the crowds.What's the top deal so far from Best Buy?SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless HeadsetIf you're looking for a wireless gaming headset with swappable batteries, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless gaming headset is your best bet now at the lowest price you'll find. Best Buy just dropped 50% off this headset, now only $139.99 shipped. The packaging mentions only PS4 and PC compatibility, however SteelSeries has confirmed PS5 compatibility. The only other wireless headset with swappable batteries is the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, and we've never seen that model sell for under $250.Early Black Friday LEGO DealsAt Best Buy, there are also LEGO sets on sale, but most LEGO deals are reserved for Best Buy Plus and Total members. The Plus and Total memberships are paid subscriptions, so unless you're already a member, I'd recommend waiting for these deals until Black Friday because Best Buy will eventually make them available to everyone.However, we did find the deals which don't require a membership and are worth buying ahead of time, especially if you're anxious to shop now. The LEGO Icons Corvette is only on sale at Best Buy and it's set to retire very soon. The LEGO Advent Calendars are also worth buying sooner than later before they sell out, and to secure them in-hand before December 1. They are popular gifts and go out of stock quickly (the LEGO Star Wars and LEGO City Advent Calenders are gone).LEGO Icons Corvette 10321LEGO Harry Potter 2024 Advent Calendar 76438LEGO Disney 2024 Advent Calendar 43253LEGO Marvel Spider-Man 2024 Advent Calendar 76293Original 2021 Release Set.LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Luigi Starter Course 71387Original 2021 Release Set.LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Princess Starter Course 71403LEGO Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance 42158For more LEGO Black Friday deals, check out Target's own Early Black Friday sale, with some discounts on different LEGO sets. Target's exclusive Shadow the Hedgehog is already on sale even though it was released very recently.Early Black Friday Gaming Peripheral DealsThere are a couple of Best Buy exclusive deals on SteelSeries gaming headsets, some higher end gaming monitors from LG and Samsung, and the Logitech G923 gaming wheels for both the PS5 and Xbox Series X.PS5, PS4, PCSteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless HeadsetPS5, PCSteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless Gaming Headset45" LG UltraGear OLED WQHD 240Hz Gaming Monitor49" Samsung Odyssey G9 Dual QHD 240Hz Gaming Monitor43" Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 43" 4K 144Hz Mini-LED Gaming MonitorXbox Series X|S, PCLogitech G923 Racing Wheel and PedalsPS5, PCLogitech G923 Racing Wheel and PedalsEarly Black Friday Sony Headphone DealsThe Sony headphone and earbud deals have started early for Black Friday. These are manufacturer discounts, so the discounted pricing should be available at other retailers if you prefer them, like Amazon, Walmart, or Target. The Sony WH1000XM5 is currently our favorite noise cancelling headphone. In our IGN 9/10 rated Sony WH-1000XM5 review, Kevin Lee wrote that "the Sony WH-1000XM5 is hands down the best sounding and most impressive noise-canceling headphones around. They demand a high premium but the cost of audio excellence is well worth it."Sony WH1000XM5 Wireless Noise-Canceling HeadphonesSony WH1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Cancelling HeadphonesSony WHCH720N Wireless Noise Canceling HeadphonesSony WF1000XM5 True Wireless Noise Cancelling EarbudsSony WF-C700N Truly Wireless Noise Canceling EarbudsSony LinkBuds S True Wireless Noise Canceling EarbudsEarly Black Friday Gaming Laptops and PCsThere are already some great deals on gaming laptops and PCs at Best Buy. These are prebuilt systems that ship out immediately. Score an RTX 4070 gaming laptop for as low as $1199.99 or an RTX 4070 Super gaming PC for only $1499.99.16GB RAM, 1TB SSDMSI Katana 15" Ryzen 9 8945HS RTX 4070 Gaming Laptop32GB RAM, 2TB SSDiBUYPOWER Y40 i7-14700KF RTX 4070 Super Gaming PC32GB RAM, 2TB SSDiBUYPOWER Y60 Ryzen 7 7700X RTX 4060Ti Gaming PC16GB RAM, 1TB SSDMSI Codex Z2 Ryzen 5 8400F RTX 4060 Ti Gaming PC32GB RAM, 1TB SSDAcer Predator Helios 18" QHD+ i9-14900HX RTX 4080 Gaming PC16GB RAM, 512GB SSDMSI THIN 15" Core i5-13420H RTX 4050 Gaming Laptop16GB RAM, 1TB SSDASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 16" QHD+ OLED Core Ultra 9 RTX 4070 Gaming Laptop16GB RAM, 1TB SSDAcer Predator Helios Neo 16" QHD+ Core i9-14900HX RTX 4070 Gaming Laptop16GB RAM, 512GB SSDAcer Nitro 15" Core i7-13620H RTX 4060 Gaming Laptop16GB RAM, 1TB SSDMSI Vector 16" Core i9-13980HX RTX 4080 Gaming LaptopFor more early Black Friday deals on gaming laptops and PCs, check out both the Dell Early Black Friday Sale and the HP Early Black Friday Sale for a greater selection and potentially deeper discounts. These computers are made-to-order and usually take longer to ship out, but the consistency in build quality and customer service makes them worth it.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Hearthstone can be a fragile game. Despite celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024a remarkable achievementthe CCG often lives and dies based on the quality of its most recent expansion. When a new expansion offers an incredible collection of cards that enable exciting new strategies, Hearthstone feels as alive as ever. When a new expansion falters, it forces people to rely on old cards in ways that make Hearthstone feel older than ever. Progress is difficult. Going back is far too easy.Released earlier this week, Hearthstones Great Dark Beyond expansion already feels like the refresh the game so often needs. More than just a compelling collection of cards, The Great Dark Beyond generated excitement early on thanks to its striking sci-fi themes and notable Warcraft lore ties. There was a sense that this expansion was fueled by a strong dose of creative inspiration and the desire to accommodate fan requests. It turns out those early hopes may have been more than a feeling.We recently had the chance to speak to Hearthstones senior game designer Leo Robles Gonzalez and senior VFX artist Luke Mason. Here is what they had to say about The Great Dark Beyonds themes, its biggest problem cards, and what this expansion means for the future of Hearthstone.Sci-Fi and DraeneiThematically, Hearthstone expansions have been based on everything from music festivals to gang warfare. By comparison, The Great Dark Beyonds sci-fi and spacefaring themes must seem humble. Yet, this expansions card art, effects, and character concepts showcase levels of creativity we rarely see in even Hearthstones more conceptually ambitious adventures. As it turns out, the broadness of that sci-fi theme enabled the team to explore a galaxy of ideas theyve been thinking about for quite some time.If I were to walk up to any person and say space theme, their brains immediately pull a bunch of stuff from sci-fi media theyre familiar with. The people on the team did that as well, Gonzalez says. Weve never really gone into space this in-depth in Warcraft. When we said, Its time to work on The Great Dark Beyond, and were going to space, everyone was like, Ive got so many ideas! Do this, do this, do this. I think that shines through.The clearest connection between Warcraft/Hearthstone and the realm of science fiction are the Draenei, a Warcraft race that traveled through the cosmos before crashing on Azeroth. While the Draenei are one of Warcrafts oldest and most prominent races, the Warcraft games have only offered glimpses of their sci-fi technology and the cosmos they once called home. The chance to explore those elements in depth proved to be both an opportunity and a responsibility.The art team understood that this isnt going to just be any space story; its going to be the Draenei space story, Mason explains. There was a lot of free rein for what could be possible. The challenge became How do we make sure this reads as if its not on Azeroth, Argus, or any planet that players would be familiar with?The answers to that question ended up coming from many different sources.We were pulling from art nouveau, we were pulling from 80s early kind of sci-fi, but the one that Im most proud of is Drew Struzan, Mason says, invoking the artist behind the legendary posters for movies like Star Wars, Blade Runner, and The Thing. [Struzans work] is kind of an abstract scene. It gives the impression of a larger story One of the first solutions that we found a lot of success with was in the sky behind all of the card artwork. The skies are always vibrant and have this kind of cosmic look. When you see it all together at a glance, you instantly think, Okay, thats the space expansion.Of course, that freedom to explore so many influences was tempered by the expectations that come when you are tasked with showcasing a previously mysterious part of the Warcraft universe. The team was aware of that responsibility, though Gonzalez doesnt see it as a burden.I hope I speak for many people on the team when I say that its been super exciting, Gonzalez says of the freedom offered by this largely unexplored terrain. The coolness of a job like this comes from surprising people and pushing the envelope Its exciting, especially as a designer, when we get to explore new ideas that we havent really tapped into.Few of those ideas new ideas stand out more than the Great Dark Beyonds marquee new mechanic: Starships. As it turns out, the inspiration for that mechanic can be found in the games past rather than in the stars.Origins of The Starship MechanicMost Hearthstone expansions introduce at least one major card mechanic that opens the game up to entirely new possibilities. Great Dark Beyonds Starship mechanic certainly fulfills that expectation.What is the Starship mechanic? Well, various Great Beyond minions double as Starship Pieces. When they die, they combine with any previously killed pieces and stay on the board to form a powerful Starship that can be launched multiple ways. That launched Starship is essentially a new minion with all the stats and effects of the pieces that went into it. Its a relatively complex idea that speaks to the trust the team has in new and veteran players to figure things out. Its also an idea the team has been kicking around for quite some time.Starship started two expansions ago in the Whizbangs Workshop miniset, Gonzalez reveals. The original description of that set was misfit toys. Id thought it be cool to have a toy Old God, and I really liked the CThun gameplay from the Whispers of the Old Gods expansion.Gonzalez is referring to a previous mechanic in which cultist cards were played throughout the game to increase the power of a CThun card in players decks. Gonzalez wanted to revisit that idea for a toy version of CThun in Whizbangs Workshop.What if you could also add a bunch of different effects to make this amalgamated giant minion? Gonzalez theorizes. Youre building up to this giant Old God toy by sacrificing toy cultists that plug themselves into the sockets of CThun. Ultimately, we knew we didnt have enough time or enough space to do that mechanic justice. Once I was slated to lead The Great Dark Beyond, I was like, I want to do this. The work had already gone into it. We can re-flavor it to be Starships.Starships arent the only idea the Hearthstone team pulled from the past. There is one legendary World of Warcraft character theyve been waiting to bring into the game who finally appears in The Great Dark Beyond. However, it turns out that summoning them to Hearthstone was anything but easy.Kiljaeden and Great Dark Beyonds Biggest Problem CardsThe Warcraft universe is filled with powerful and feared villains, but few are as beloved as revered as the Eredar demon lord Kiljaeden. Among other things, Kiljaeden is known for his war against the Draenei. So, while the Hearthstone team knew Kiljaeden would be a perfect fit for this Draenei-focused expansion, they still had to find a way to make the iconic character feel unique within their game. The eventual solution came from a strange place.In [Hearthstones] Battlegrounds Duos mode, I had so much fun fiddling with the portal that lets me interact with my partners board, Gonzalez recalls. It was so tactile,magical, simple, and cool that I was like, Alright, I want to steal that and put it in the constructed game mode.That inspiration led to Kiljaedens incredible new effect. When played, Kiljaeden replaces your deck with a portal that offers an endless stream of increasingly powerful Demon minions. According to Gonzalez, the idea was to invoke the classic demonic idea of inevitability. Play against Kiljaeden long enough, and you probably wont survive against what comes out of that portal.However, Kiljaeden not only destroys your deck; he effectively upends nearly every other mechanic that a game like Hearthstone relies on. Its a problem the VFX team is all too familiar with.Even as Leo was pitching it to us, we were like, Theres no way, Mason recalls. We literally had to change how card draws work. We found many bugs once we messed with the concept of drawing cards in a game about drawing cards. It was very much a back-and-forth between the engineering team, the UI team, and the design team Its a lot of smoke and mirrors, and Im certain this will be a thing well be keeping an eye on.While the team fully expects that players will use Kiljaeden in unintended ways, the demon lord wasnt the biggest problem child of the expansion. That title belongs to a card that few players are talking about at the moment: the Druid Legendary Uluu, The Everdrifter.Im the person to blame for why that card exists, Gonzalez confesses. I was talking to my producer and hes like, Oh, Ive got a couple of nicknames for Uluu. Theres Uluu. I hate you. Theres Uluu, the Everbuggyhe had just a whole list. And its like, what, what have I done?It turns out that Uluus effect (which generates a stream of the Druid class Choose One card effects as long as it is in your hand) isnt necessarily a problem at the moment. However, when it comes to planning future expansions, Gonzalez may have created much more work for everyone than he intended.Its always a matter of setting us up for minimal work in the future by making sure we are future-proofing everything we can, Gonzalez says. With Uluu, the reason why it took so much work is that if a Choose One card is added at any time after Uluus creation, Uluu is going to have to be able to use those. At least as long as theyre not super, giga, omega, weird.In a strange way, the problem with Uluu represents the difficulty of making a live-service game like Hearthstone: the need to constantly think about the future. The future is, much like Kiljaedens effect, a potentially frightening inevitability. So how is the Hearthstone team preparing for what comes next?What Is Next For Hearthstone in 2025?The Great Dark Beyond represents the end of a strange year for Hearthstone, developer Blizzard, the video game industry, andwell, humanity as a whole, for that matter. At the end of it all, what was the Hearthstone teams biggest takeaway from 2024 that they hope to apply to 2025?I think it is something weve been doing and try our hardest to do: making sure to keep what our players want in mind, Gonzalez says. This year especially, weve been seeing feedback and comments about Hearthstone getting a little more silly. With Great Dark Beyond, it was important to bring in a lot of those Warcraft elements that we can add our Hearthstone sprinkles to.Its a sentiment that Mason echoes on behalf of the art team.Weve literally had graphs of the silliness-to-tone ratio, Mason reveals. [With Great Dark Beyond] we went into more high epicness without leaking into the kind of silly nature of the game As far as the art team and the things that weve kind of taken from this past year, I think surprise and delight has always been the name of the game for us. I think its still looking up and up, especially for the surprise and delight category.Perhaps its better not to know exactly what comes next. When it comes to life or Hearthstone, maybe that knowledge would come at the cost of future surprises and delights. The trick, one supposes, is to contribute to the world youd like to live in so that you can maintain your faith that it is still capable of occasionally delivering such wonders.With The Great Dark Beyond, Hearthstone once again seems to be in a good position to surprise and delight. If you really want to know whats coming next, then Gonzalez has at least a tease to offer.I think for people who love like very iconic Warcraft things, theres a lot to look forward to in the future.Hearthstone: The Great Dark Beyond is out now.

Debating about the best and worst Star Trek moments is a geek pastime that will endure until our sun grows cold or to the point where human beings have simply entered into a parallel universe in which Star Trek is real. But the extremes of best and worst lists sometimes exclude the more interesting truth about Star Trek stories; the moments that are just fine. Neither overtly bad nor exceedingly good, the majority of Trek, when you include most of the films, is merely okay. And perhaps the most okay-est of the okay Star Trek movies is the 1994 film Star Trek Generations.In a way, Generations was the first franchise film of its kind: an event movie at the epicenter of a franchise that boasted three distinct TV series airing different seasons within one year. While by November 1994 it had been three years since a Trek movie had been in the theaters, the Trek brand which greeted Generations release was massive. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had just launched its third season in September; Star Trek: Voyager Season 1 was waiting in the wings for January 1995; and the mainstream public had just completed The Next Generations seven-year run in May. This meant only six months separated that TV finale and the TNG casts feature film debut.Yet while looking back at this moment, one could argue that these two storylines should have been swapped. What Im saying is that TNG Season 7 should have ended with a storyline in the vein of Generations, in which William Shatners Captain Kirk dies, and the Enterprise-D is destroyed, and the first TNG film should have been more like the two-part finale, All Good ThingsBoth scripts were written by the same dynamite Trek duo Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga, and its utterly unfair to saddle them with this weird observation three decades later. Nonetheless, when you watch the chronological adventures of the Enterprise-D crew, it really feels as though Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) saving all of humanity from an anti-time paradox should have been the start of a film franchise, and maybe Shatner should have just been a guest star on the TV series. Heres why today, All Good Things feels more like a movie, and Generations feels more like a long episode. Spoilers ahead.First of all, I just want to get this out of the way: pretending like pop culture history could have unfolded differently is a barely credible thought experiment in most cases and is only mildly viable in this case for the simple fact that All Good Things and Generations were written by the same people around the same time. In fact, to suggest that All Good Things and Generations should have been released in reverse order would strangely fit the real-life order in which they were written. Because the film had a longer pre-production timeline, and that timeline was concurrent with the creation of TNG Season 7, the script for Generations was written before the script for The Next Generation finale, even though the releases were the other way around.Ron and I were working on the movie for a year, Braga said in The Fifty-Year Mission, Ed Gross and Mark A. Altmans oral history of Star Trek. The script All Good Things we cranked out in three weeks. According to producer Rick Berman in the same book, Brannon and Ron and I had just written the movie, and they were absolutely wiped out. And then they came up with this wacky idea of the show taking place in three time periods and seeing our characters in the sort of [a] collision of time. It was amazing.Most fans agree. All Good Things is generally considered the best Star Trek series finale of all time, and also, according to fans like Marvel boss Kevin Feige, one of the best TV finales in the history of television. When Star Trek: Picard Season 3 staged a reunion for the TNG crew in 2023, an iconic scene in which Picard and the crew play poker together ended the show, just as it had in 1994. The story found Picard moving through the past, the present, and one possible future, and coming face-to-face with longtime nemesis Q (John de Lancie) in an epic showdown about life, the universe, and everything.Generations also dealt with some timey-wimey action, but interestingly, like All Good Things, sans an actual time machine. While All Good Things suggested that Picard narrowly avoided an anti-time paradox by destroying three versions of the Enterprise in the past, present, and future, Generations found Captain Kirk and Captain Picard teaming up to stop one mad scientist, Dr. Soren (Malcolm McDowell), from destroying one star, which would have wiped out one planet full of 230 million people. In the process of saving the Veridian system, Captain Kirk is killed and the Enterprise-D is half-destroyed and half-crashed.Lets look at the numbers: In Generations, one version of the Enterprise is destroyed, but part of it seems kinda salvageable. In All Good Things, three versions of the Enterprise are totally destroyed, one by one. In Generations, Picard and Kirk are trying to save one planet, full of people we never see in the movie, not once. In All Good Things, Q makes Picard realize that the anti-time anomaly will wipe out all of humanity and pretty much the entirety of life everywhere. On paper, clearly, All Good Things has much bigger stakes while Generations feels like a smaller episode. From a certain point-of-view, Its only the medium that makes Generations a film and All Good Things a TV episode.Now, the idea that certain Star Trek movies are less-than-great because they just feel like extra-long episodes is a fairly cold take and not unique to Generations. (See: The Final Frontier, Insurrection, The Motion Picture, and Beyond for other examples.)But, when you start to really unpack a topsy-turvy hypothetical world in which these stories were released in the order they were written, suddenly, a slightly cooler version of the TNG film era emerges. Lets pretend, just for fun, that Shatner agreed to do The Next Generation finale, and that finale was fairly close to the plot of Generations, but this time, its a big TV episode. In a way, this would have been history repeating itself. In 1991, Leonard Nimoy guest starred as Spock on The Next Generation in the episodes Unification I & II, which was partially done to promote Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country later that year. Shatner doing a TV spot in the TNG finale could have been the passing of the torch moment, which could have made the first TNG film feel like their own adventure.Plus, if you crash the Enterprise-D for real in the TNG finale, then suddenly, you can have a version of All Good Thingsthis time a movie with a different namein which Picard and the crew have just started on a brand-new Enterprise. Yes, the time-spanning story of All Good Things may not have been a mainstream kill-the-bad-guy movie like Generations, but it could have started the TNG film franchise out with an intellectual bang. For one thing, imagine Q on the big screen, and then ask yourself why Q was never on the big screen. Seriously. Why?But its more than just the cool gee-whiz awesomeness of imagining a big-screen version of All Good Things to consider here. The themes of All Good Things feel more suited for a movie, at least in contrast with the themes of Generations. The film is about death. Its about Picard losing his family in a fire. Its about Kirk dying, twice. And its about Soren and Guinan having been part of something that reflects the nature of time and mortality. Generations also kills the main character of the original Star Trek TV series in addition to the TNG Enterprise herself, a starship that has appeared in more actual hours of Trek than any other version of the ship, ever. In short, Generations feels like the end of something.Read more By contrast, All Good Things is a story about new beginnings. Crusher and Picard think about admitting their feelings to each other. Riker and Worf vow to make sure their friendship doesnt become toxic, and famously, Picard ends the show by doing what hed never done before, sit down and play poker with his crew. Arguably, these themes are too intimate for a film, at least a film that was designed to attract viewers who werent interested in The Next Generation. But in retrospect, Id argue that leaning into worldwide love for TNG was worth the risk. At its peak, The Next Generation had 20 million households watching every week, a figure that so-called successful shows today would kill for. We were lucky to get a series finale as good as All Good Things back then. But looking at it now, next to Generations, it feels much bigger and more momentous.In 1996, with First Contact, the Trek film franchise totally embraced a film that was actually about the TNG crewand only the TNG crewand it worked. Before the J.J. Abrams reboots, First Contact made $92 million in 1996, making it, at that time, the second most financially successful Trek movie ever, right behind The Voyage Home. But in 1994, Generations only made $75 million, making it about as successful at the box office as The Undiscovered Country, but not nearly as well reviewed.Nobody sold tickets to All Good Things in 1994, because it aired on the small screen. But when you consider the strong viewing figures for TNG at that time, a Next Generation movie that seemed more like The Next Generation might have done wonders. Generations is by no means a bad Star Trek movie. But had it switched places with All Good Things, the first Trek movie starring Picard and the crew might have gone down as not just one of the best Trek movies of all time, but maybe, one of the best sci-fi movies of the 1990s.

SummaryThe No Mans Sky Cross-Save Update enables players to continue their journey across a wide range of supported devices.Link your accounts for different platforms on a dedicated website to access and launch your saves in-game.In celebration of Mass Effects annual N7 celebrations, we are bringing back the iconic and much-sought-after SSV Normandy SR1 as a limited-time expedition reward.Hello,This year has already been a very busy one for No Mans Sky, with six updates already this year, including the huge Worlds Update. Our last one, The Cursed, dropped just a couple of weeks ago, and players have been loving the spooky Halloween vibe.In game development some features take weeks or months, and others take years. Today we are releasing some features that have been years in the making.Cross-Save Support on All PlatformsStarting from today we are rolling out Cross-Save support on all platforms including PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and more. This has been a huge undertaking and is one of most requested features.Being able to jump seamlessly between platforms is transformative. Players can play from the comfort of their sofa on console, continue an Expedition on the move with Switch or Steam Deck, build an incredible base on their beefy PC rig, and view it in incredibly immersive Virtual Reality.Adding the ability to transfer saves between platforms via a server is especially difficult for No Mans Sky, as the work involved increases with each platform supported and how long folks have already been playing for. Both those numbers are large for our tiny team.Its very common for players to rack up thousands of hours of saves exploring across space, building elaborate bases and cataloguing their discoveries, with incredibly detailed saves. Adding Cross-Save for us is a little bit like moving house, the longer people have lived there the more complicated it is to move them! We also have players who played once at launch, eight years ago, suddenly loading up that save on a platform that didnt even exist back then!For these reasons we have secretly been introducing the technology for this update for over six months. We are now ready to start rolling Cross-Save out to a small number of players. From today, all No Mans Sky players can link their different accounts together at No Mans Sky: Cross-Save website. A subset of players will be enabled to then select their saves from multiple devices on the in-game save screen. In the coming weeks all players will be invited to do so.The Normandy ReturnsEveryone here at Hello Games is a huge sci-fi nerd. One of our absolute favorite series is the incredible Mass Effect games. To join in Mass Effects annual N7 celebrations, we are pleased to welcome the legendary SSV Normandy SR1 back into No Mans Sky!It was in 2021 that the Normandy made its first appearance in one of the first expeditions we ever ran. The limited-time expedition culminated in players being able to claim the Normandy for their fleet.In the intervening years since that event, we have welcomed a huge number of Travellers, not least a whole new cohort of Switch players and an increasingly large number of Chinese fans. Many of these new players have envied those who proudly displayed their Normandy in their frigate collection.Mass Effect fans know that this legendary freighter only appears when it is most needed! Today, and for the next two weeks, as a love-letter from one science fiction game to another, we are giving everyone another chance to encounter the Normandy in an overhauled version of the original mission and add it to their collection.Huge thanks to our friends at EA and Bioware for helping make this happen.It has been a momentous year for No Mans Sky in several ways. Were so grateful to be able to continue this journey with you.

In Destiny 2, dungeons are designed to be self-contained experiences often relating to a wider narrative branch of the Destiny universe, but built with their own gameplay mechanics, boss encounters and, most importantly for many, themed loot. The challenges faced within a dungeon require wits and a coordinated fireteam (although the most seasoned players can try to complete it solo), and conquering a piece of high-level content like this is one of the most rewarding Destiny 2 experiences.With that in mind, theyre also a marvel of game design. When you first enter a dungeon, almost everything is a mystery. Theres no waypoint, no guidance even finding the right way to go is a test of your intuition, and thats before youve encountered any puzzles, enemies, or high-octane boss encounters.Destiny 2s newest dungeon, Vespers Host, was introduced at the start ofRevenant earlier this month and is an exciting continuation of the dungeon entries. Vespers Host takes Guardians into the depths of an abandoned Braytech space station being damaged by a mysterious anomaly, and the setting takes an unnerving horror turn as you uncover its depths.Inside this atmospheric new environment, you may come across a new set of armor, as well as a fresh pool of weapons that are exclusive to this dungeon. Among them is the returning Exotic Sniper Rifle Ice Breaker, an original Destiny weapon that has finally returned to the game with a set of updated perks that complement the current Destiny 2 experience. With plenty of brand new and returning treats up for grabs, its the perfect time to drop in and test your mettle against what lurks in Vespers Host, and if youve not been following the evolution of Destiny 2s dungeons, youre in a for a pleasant surprise.We spoke to several key designers and developers on the Destiny 2 team to break down some of the core elements of Vespers Host, discuss what goes into drafting and crafting the dungeon experience, and ask about some of Vespers Host unique additions that make it the most mechanically unique dungeon yet.Delving InBefore a dungeon can enter its granular planning stages, several high-level decisions need to be made about its setting, and how it slots into the catalogue of existing dungeons, according to Destiny 2 Design Lead Brian Frank. The team intentionally seeks to create contrast from one dungeons theme and setting to the next. The last dungeon, Warlords Ruin, took place in a brisk, fantasy-style arena, full of snow-capped medieval architecture a starkly different setting to the hard sci-fi design of Vespers Host.Guardians have explored Braytech facilities before, and while previously its felt very clean and sterile, a big environmental goal was to take something familiar and twist it into a new context that felt fresh and exciting, explains Ryan Baker, Senior Environment Artist on Destiny 2. Theres a theme of space madness with the Fallen spinning this web compelled by an alien mind, something has broken containment and swept through the station.We really wanted Guardians to step onto the station and feel like finding an old crime scene after something terrible happened.Destiny 2 also shines in its ability to show Guardians the way with environmental nods and intuitive level design, a shrouded ledge or a well-placed light that alludes to a correct path. However, this aptitude is not always used for good players are often tricked by what appears to be the way forward, only to meet a quick end in a trap or down a hole. The peril is short-lived and of no consequence (unless youre aiming for a flawless run with zero deaths) but laying out believable paths to send players the wrong way also encourages exploration and quick thinking.Using Revenants horror theme, we can run with a film analogy [in Vespers Host], Baker tells us. Our approach is like writing a script. Thinking of the environment as the player journey, we need to identify where to create tension or provide a moment of respite to take in the scenery and get your bearings. The same peaks and valleys come with a good horror movie, and too many traps, like jump scares, could become stale or even tedious. Within the context of the entire dungeon experience, including the surrounding encounters and major emotional beats, we can space traps out appropriately to always feel warranted.A good example: The second encounter is frantic and intense. After clutching the win, Guardians will begin a spacewalk for the second traversal. It is a quieter moment to breathe and absorb the new environmental storytelling. Just as they get comfortable, we start raining down lightning bolts, ramping up the tension by introducing a new environmental hazard spewing from the anomaly.A New EncounterOnce youve made your way through the winding, haunting corridors of the station, chewed through waves of smaller enemies and familiarized yourself with the dungeons mechanics, youll land at a boss room. Boss encounters are a core component of dungeons and there are usually three very different encounters throughout each.As a basic overview, players will typically be presented with a one large enemy that is immune to damage, and engaging with a set of mechanics or goals will unlock a limited-time phase to deal as much pain as possible before the immunity returns. The aim is to repeat these steps until the threat is taken care of, which sounds easy enough, but on a first run, its a tough battle.We start all encounter designs by defining an experience statement, which describes the player fantasy for the encounter in one sentence, explains Chris Manprin, Design Lead on Destiny 2. They are guideposts to help drive a number of key design decisions, including narrative, boss behaviors, puzzle mechanics, and map layouts.With that in mind, Vespers Host features a particularly interesting encounter Raneiks, a Servitor that can shift its form between one large sphere and nine smaller ones. Its the first dungeon boss that places a premium on area of effect damage that can hurt several smaller targets at once, rather than solely hitting big enemy as much as possible, which is a first for Destiny 2s dungeons.In the Raneiks Unified encounter, being swarmed was a core part of the experience statement, Manprin adds. This theme resonates throughout many elements of the encounter design. Players are trapped in a confined space, filled with enemies, then when teleported outside they are immediately surrounded by Shanks. Raneiks bombards players with bombs, and even in death, Raneiks multiplies tenfold. Almost every element of this encounter swarms the player.The unique design of Raneiks also in turn inspires versatility in how Guardians choose to conquer it, which, for a game that features over 1000 unique weapons and countless perk possibilities, is always extremely welcoming. With multiple targets to damage, theres much more room to get creative with those high-level loadouts.Were always looking for ways to react to the evolving meta and create experiences that feel unlike anything players have encountered before, explains Julia Condemi, Designer on Destiny 2. With Raneiks, we wanted to build a boss that would reward players for using their knowledge of the games sandbox and their collection of weapons in a way they hadnt thought about previously.Youre welcome to use your old reliable favourites, but this boss says, Hey, that Grenade Launcher you havent used since you got it? Those Heavy weapons with the One for All perk you have collecting dust in your vault? Those might be great here!A Worthy ContestThe Destiny team also had another first to consider during the launch of Vespers Host. This is the first dungeon launch to include Contest Mode which challenges players to complete the dungeon at a heightened difficulty within the first 48 hours of it being live. This mode has typically been reserved for Destinys raids endgame content that challenges a full fireteam of six to complete. That said, the community is still extremely enthusiastic about dungeon completion at launch seasoned players will still race to be the first to beat it, and the introduction of Contest Mode to Vespers Host is an official acknowledgement of such and adds that necessary extra hurdle for Destiny 2s most practiced Guardians.We wanted to reinforce and amplify what was already happening in the community when a new dungeon launched, says Frank. Given historical completion times for dungeons without Contest Mode, we knew the difficulty would need to be increased to make the event worthy of the caliber of teams making day one attempts. The pressure of competition and a limited time to earn rewards sees these players rapidly develop and refine strategies for overcoming Vespers Hosts unique puzzle mechanics, but its worth nothing that unlike Destiny 2s raids, dungeons are designed to be completable solo. This is an incredibly aspirational achievement, the most difficult thing to do in the game by a significant margin, but possible.Every encounter is designed with the intent that a single player with mastery over the encounters, sandbox, and buildcrafting can complete it, says Manprin. Mechanics that lean too far into coordination or complexity are modified with consideration for the solo experience.The addition of Contest Mode came with systemic changes to support it. We branched the difficulty settings for normal and contest, which allowed for tuning boss health independently between the two versions.Breaking the IceDungeons are not built to be completed once theyre designed to be run multiple times and contain a varied loot pool of armour and weapons, as well as one Exotic weapon with a rare chance to drop when the dungeon is completed. In Vespers Host, the Exotic drop is Ice Breaker, a reintroduction of an Exotic Sniper Rifle that dates all the way back to 2014s Destiny.Longtime fans of the franchise have been eagerly awaiting the return of the weapon, but the team felt Vespers Hosts final encounter made for the perfect place to finally earn it back.With us coming into Destinys 10th Anniversary year weve been looking at Destiny weapons players remember most fondly, and Ice Breaker is right at the top of that list, says Chris Proctor, Senior Design Lead. Given how strong the weapon is in endgame PvE content, its fitting it come from a challenging PvE source, and so Vespers Host made a ton of sense.We put some time into updating the design of the weapon to match the Destiny 2 sandbox, trying to retain the feel of the original, but making the loop more interesting and giving it the Exotic 2.0 treatment to bring it up to our Destiny 2 Exotic weapon quality bar. At the end of this design process, we had something we were excited to ship, incorporating high ammo uptime and a Solar and Stasis tie-in.If youre itching for a new Destiny 2 challenge or youre a seasoned Guardian thats due another run to score the coveted Ice Breaker Exotic, Vespers Host is available to play in Destiny 2: Revenant now.Destiny 2Bungie2001Get it nowXbox One X EnhancedDive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian's look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.AN IMMERSIVE STORYYou are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.GUARDIAN CLASSESChoose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter. Disciplined and proud, Titans are capable of both aggressive assaults and stalwart defenses. Set your hammer ablaze, crack the sky with lightning, and go toe-to-toe with any opponent. Your team will stand tall behind the strength of your shield. Warlocks weaponize the mysteries of the universe to sustain themselves and destroy their foes. Rain devastation on the battlefield and clear hordes of enemies in the blink of an eye. Those who stand with you will know the true power of the Light. Agile and daring, Hunters are quick on their feet and quicker on the draw. Fan the hammer of your golden gun, flow through enemies like the wind, or strike from the darkness. Find the enemy, take aim, and end the fight before it starts.COOPERATIVE AND COMPETITIVE MULTIPLAYERPlay with or against your friends and other Guardians in various PvE and PvP game modes. Exciting co-op adventures teeming await with rare and powerful rewards. Dive into the story with missions, quests, and patrols. Put together a small fireteam and secure the chest at the end of a quick Strike. Or test your team's skill with countless hours of raid progression the ultimate challenge for any fireteam. You decide where your legend begins. Face off against other players in fast-paced free-for-all skirmishes, team arenas, and PvE/PvP hybrid competitions. Mark special competitions like Iron Banner on your calendar and collect limited-time rewards before they're gone.EXOTIC WEAPONS AND ARMORThousands of weapons, millions of options. Discover new gear combinations and define your own personal style. The hunt for the perfect arsenal begins.105 GB hard drive storage space required as of November 10, 2020. Subject to change. Requires broadband internet. After November 10, 2020 see www.destinythegame.com/size-requirements for current requirements prior to purchase. Destiny 2 may contain flashing patterns and images that may produce adverse effects for a small percentage of people sensitive to them.Bungie, Inc. makes no guarantee regarding the availability of online play or features and may modify or discontinue online services with reasonable notice at any time. Using the software constitutes acceptance of the Destiny Software License Agreement available at www.bungie.net/sla. 2023 Bungie, Inc. All rights reserved. Destiny, the Destiny Logo, Bungie and the Bungie Logo are trademarks of Bungie, Inc. Published and distributed by Bungie, Inc.

You dont have to live in the country to create the farmhouse kitchen of your dreams! As it turns out, the popular mainstream lookthanks largely to the likes of farmhouse style guru Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper fame and the explosion of modern farmhouse styleworks wherever you live. In fact, most tried-and-true, simple farmhouse kitchen ideas start with the charming characteristics of farmhouse style you already know and love. To bring nostalgic, been-around-forever comfort to the heart of your home, look to rustic farmhouse kitchen ideas like apron-front sinks, passed-down collected treasures, country color palettes (from neutral to bold), and of course, your family gathered around the kitchen island. Modern farmhouse kitchen ideas include vintage-inspired appliances, cool kitchen lighting, and well-worn wood accents (we are eternally obsessed with a vent hood wrapped in reclaimed wood!).Because the kitchen can be expensive to renovate, weve gathered farmhouse kitchen ideas on a budget, too. For example, swap upper cabinetry for casual, serve yourself open shelving. This trick saves money and is one of our favorite small farmhouse kitchen ideas, as upper cabinets can make a space feel closed in. Whatever your budget or space, were serving up all the best farmhouse country kitchen ideas and inspiration right here!Here are more genius ideas for creating your dream kitchen: 1Bring the Outside In Erin LittleWith a view like that, frame it up like artwork. Case in point: this airy barn kitchen by designer Christina Salway. She chose to leave this trio of large windows bare to celebrate the landscape beyond. Natural wood details on the cabinet fronts, statement-making ceiling beams, and raw wood window trim pair with calming creamy white walls for a quiet, rustic design.Get the Look:: Wall, Ceiling, and Cabinetry Paint ColorAll White by Farrow & Ball2Go Bold With a Tile BacksplashHelen NormanAlthough this bold galley kitchen is a departure from typical country farmhouse style, we just cant get enough of its authentic, pieced-together vibe. A statement-making tile backsplash offers a graphic backdrop to the handsome forest green range, deep blue workbench-turned-cabinetry, and copper vent hood. A vintage runner perfectly pulls together all the rooms elements.Get the Look: Backsplash Tile:Nostalgia by Lauren LiessGreen Range: Hallman Gas RangeRELATED: Tour More of This Virginia Mountain Cottage That Is Straight Out of a StorybookAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below3Fit In a Farmhouse TableNick JohnsonWhile not an antique, the new farmhouse table feels that way after designer Erica Harrison of Detroit-based design firm Hudson and Sterling had it sanded. The walnut bentwood chairs bring a European bistro look. Above, a midcentury Murano glass chandelier adds character without competing with the rooms light and bright palette. New Moroccan floor tile has an aged finish that brings in soft color and pattern, laying the groundwork for this kitchens entire design.Get the Look:Wall Paint Color: Mountain Peak White by Benjamin MooreCabinetry Paint Color: Olympic Mountains by Benjamin MooreRELATED: Tour This Renovated 100-Year-Old Farmhouse That Oozes Vintage Charm4Show Off Your CollectionsRikki SnyderPull out your prized collections, and put them on full display! Novelist Jean Hanff Korelitzs circa-1890s home came with most of the built-ins, including the kitchens tall cupboard that holds her extensive ironstone collection. Pink lustreware is stored in old cubbies stacked above the salvaged sink.Get the Look: Cabinetry Paint Color:Palm by Farrow & BallRELATED: Learn More About Collecting White IronstoneAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below5Pick a Sunny ShadeChaunte VaughnJust because your pantry is a workhorse part of your kitchen doesnt mean it cant also be pretty! This sunny space, designed by Meta Coleman, relies on stylish storage solutions like baskets and glass jars to keep everything in order and in style. RELATED: These Are the Chicest Yellow Paint Colors We Promise Youll Love6Add Industrial FlairSara Ligorria-TrampLean into the modern farmhouse feel with industrial details like seating. In this barn home kitchen, a mix of collected drafting stools serves as gather-round seating at the marble-topped antique island. RELATED: These Modern Farmhouse Decorating Ideas Work for Every Room in the HouseAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below7Skirt Your CabinetsMax Kim-BeeFor a farmhouse-meets-cottage look, forgo cabinets doors and opt for skirted fabric instead. The burlap used here in Fifi ONeills Florida home brings a farmhouse feel, while using a floral or other pattern would bring a more feminine, cottage look. RELATED: Tour More of This Charmingand Tiny!Florida Cottage 8Install Open ShelvingHelen NormanWith three levels of open shelving, photographer Helen Norman achieved a beautifully layered look that is ideal for her ever-growing ceramics collection. To be sure you have enough room for items on your countertop (think coffee maker, cutting boards, etc.) as well as things on your shelves (think pitchers and platters), measure your tallest pieces, add an inch or two, and space out shelves accordingly before installing. RELATED: Heres The Secret to Perfectly Styled Open Shelving Advertisement - Continue Reading Below9Stick to Shaker StyleALI HARPERNothing is more classic than Shaker-style cabinet fronts. In this coastal Alabama farmhouse, creamy white cabinetry with simple Shaker-style fronts adds classic charm to the serene cook space. RELATED: Tour More of This Alabama Home That Beckons You to Slow Down and Savor Every Minute10Add Interest With BeadboardAlpha SmootThis Connecticut farmhouse pantry, located just off the side of the kitchen, utilizes open, grab-and-go shelves for maximum storage. The silent star, though, is the beadboard paneling lining the backs that brings built-in country charm.Get the Look:For similar, Beadboard Paneling: True Bead Wainscot Paneling from Home DepotAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below11Contrast the Wood TonesBrie Williams, styling by Rachel RiversWhile the phrase cabin kitchen may evoke images of dark woods and ruddy hues, architect Ken Pursley wanted this North Carolina home to feel light and airy but still reflect the simple mountain aesthetic. Rough oak floors stained in a warm finish set a welcoming cabin tone, while a pine ceiling sourced from a nearby forest adds understated texture. Durable yet modern concrete countertops, a pair of oversize lanterns, and industrial-style drafting stools round out the ultimate rustic-meets-refined space.Get the Look: Wall Paint Color:Ashwood by Benjamin Moore12Get Creative With RepurposingBrie Williams, styling by Rachel RiversTo break up her small kitchens white cabinetry, homeowner Bambi Costanzo repurposed an old wood dry sink she found on Facebook Marketplace by taking it apart and installing the pieces under the window as a makeshift built-in. It was almost too perfect for the space, she says. Her dishware storage doubles as display courtesy of more DIY ingenuity. For the countertop rack, Bambi sanded down a wooden box and added dowel rods for plate separators. Striped skirted fabric hides the dishwasher.Get the Look: Farmhouse Sink:Whitehaus Fireclay SinkRELATED: See The Rest of Bambis Personality-Filled CottageAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below13Skirt the SinkDavid TsayTextile designer Heather Taylor complemented the yellow tones of the wood cabinets with sunflower-hued window treatments and a skirt beneath the 30-inch fireclay farmhouse sink. While small in stature, the cabin kitchen is chock-full of charm courtesy of high-impact updates, including an aged brass faucet, a vintage-style scalloped pendant light (adorable!), and petite flush-mount ceiling lights.Get the Look:Window Treatments: Heather Taylor Home for EverhemSee More of This Cozy, Charming California Cottage14Build a Bigger IslandAnnie SchlechterFamily and friends love to gather around this walnut-topped island thanks to its room-for-a-crowd size and quirky handmade counter stools. The natural stone wall is complemented by the moody Belgian bluestone backsplash behind the range and the rooms various woodsreclaimed barn boards on the ceiling, vintage French white oak on the floor, and band-sawn knotty white oak on the flush-inset cabinets. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below15Wrap a Vent Hood in Reclaimed WoodBrian WoodcockA unique salvaged wood hood, custom-built by the owner of this Mississippi farmhouse, and a vintage Turkish runner add warmth to the mostly white kitchen. We love the addition of a landscape painting floating above the range as an unexpected and budget-friendly alternative to a tile accent.RELATED: Tour More of This Mississippi Farmhouse That Adds Tons of Soul to A New Build16Checker the BacksplashErin LittleFor a statement-making backsplash, interior designer Christina Salway arranged two shades of green tiles in a checkerboard pattern. Warm wood tones, the natural jute rug, and a display of round baskets balance the greens and keep it rustic and cozy.Get the Look: Back Wall Cabinetry Color:Inchyra Blue by Farrow & BallTrim and Range Cabinetry Color: Vert De Terre by Farrow & BallSink Skirt Fabric: Trouville by Rogers and GoffigonAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below17Make Room for an Eat-In MomentTo make space for a small antique pedestal table and a scalloped banquette (smartly upholstered in performance fabric to hold up to spills), homeowner (and Country Living Design Director!) Maribeth Jones removed a bank of built-in cabinetry that wasnt worth saving. This set-up makes for the sweetest spot for breakfast, snacks, and activities for her growing girls.Get the Look: Banquette:Regina Banquette by One Kings LaneLighting: Vendome Sconce by Visual ComfortRELATED: You Wont Want to Miss A Single Detail of This Charming and Cheery British-Inspired Kitchen Reno18Use a Pine Table as an IslandRead McKendreeIn this time capsule of a cottage on Cape Cod, homeowner Stephenie Watts packed tons of charm into every square inch. In place of a built-in island, a pine farm table brings rustic texture, while unlacquered brass bistro-style shelving and a pull-down faucet add aged shine. The cabinets got a new coat of mossy green paint; the walls are lined in a pretty, light-reflecting tile.Get the Look: for similar, Cabinetry Paint Color:Down to Earth by BehrRELATED: Heres Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Painting Kitchen CabinetsAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below19Add Patina With Vintage LightingDAVID TSAY, styling by Becki GriffinIn this all-white kitchen, light gray concrete countertops, reclaimed beams and shelves, and ceramic tile laid in a graphic pattern add visual interest. But the real show-stopper is the pair of green antique French lanterns (from Sourced by Janet Wiebe) that lend a gorgeous pop of color and a perfect touch of patina.Get the Look: Wall Paint Color:Decorators White by Benjamin MooreRELATED: Take A Look Inside The Rest of This Dreamy Texas Farmhouse20Store Pots OverheadGridley + Graves PhotographersWhen storage is limited, look up! The iron pot rack here displays a collection of copper cookware. Rounding out the farmhouse vibe: a large coffee tin thats now a trash receptacle; a white subway tile backsplash; and an old butcher block on the work space side.Get the Look: Half-Wall Paint Color:Midsummer Night by Benjamin MooreRELATED: These Colors Go Perfectly With GrayAmy MitchellManaging EditorAmy Mitchell is the managing editor for VERANDA and Country Living, where she writes articles on a variety of topicsdecorating and design, gardens, and holidays. Amys experience in the shelter magazine category spans more than 20 years, as shes previously held positions at Coastal Living and Cottage Living. Her personal pursuits include cooking, gardening, and hunting her favorite tag sale spots for the next piece of Pyrex for her prized collection.Anna LoganSenior Homes & Style EditorAnna Logan is the Senior Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she covers design and decorating trends, home features, and gift guides. She also produces home features and styles content for the print magazine. When she isnt working, can often be found digging around antique shops for the perfect find. Follow her adventures on Instagram!

This article originally appeared in the March 2012 issue of ELLE DECOR. For more stories from our archive, subscribe to ELLE DECOR All Access.Federico de Veras life revolves around three-dimensional objects: a set of cut-steel Georgian shoe buckles, a polychrome santo figure, an array of Victorian mourning pins crafted in garnet, jet, seed pearls, and human hair. A jewelry designer and proprietor of two ethereal, eponymous Manhattan shops that are favorites with decorators and collectors, de Vera travels the world to find things that, he says, have absolutely nothing wrong with them, a task that is far more difficult than finding something thats simply beautiful. William WaldronIn the living area, a painting by Greta Frau hangs above a Maggie Wells side table and a sofa by Thomas OBrien for Hickory Chair; the Japanese lacquered cocktail table holds a collection of June Schwarcz vessels and a Svres bust by Jules Dalou, and the aluminum armchair is upholstered in wool. De Veras original store in San Francisco, which has since closed, was widely credited with inaugurating the boom in cabinets de curiosits in the 1990s. Today, he tends to confine his more avant-garde finds to his two-story store in SoHo, while his newer Upper East Side location is a feminine place, where, he says, Marie Antoinette might have shopped if she had an open mind. In 2010, two lavish books celebrated his twin obsessions: the jewelry he fashions from found gems and tiny curios, and the precious objects he has bought and sold over the years. William WaldronIn the dining and kitchen area, the steel-top table is by Gregor Jenkin, a 19th-century Louis XVstyle chair is upholstered in a Richard Saja embroidered toile de Jouy, and the chair on the left is in the style of Gerrit Rietveld; the cabinetry and countertops are by Armani/Casa, and the cooktop is by Miele.While his stores have always been temples of displayas much galleries as retail environmentshis 1,200-square-foot apartment is perhaps the ultimate expression of his unique eye, a living and lived-in testament to how arranging objects is as important as the things themselves. With its hundreds of rare finds often quite closely arrayed, the apartment still, almost impossibly, conveys a Zenlike sense of airiness. The space things live in is part of them, it sets them off and completes them, says de Vera, who was raised in the Philippines and started his career at Japonesque, the legendary San Francisco emporium of Japanese high design. William WaldronDe Vera designed the offices aluminum-and-nylon-rope chair and metal bookshelves; the table lamp is by Luceplan, and the artworks include, from left, a Darren Waterston painting, a David LaChapelle photograph, and a portrait by Cindy Sherman. It is no accident that the condo where he lives with his Chihuahua, Diego, is in a 1920s-era building in Manhattans financial district, a neighborhood that is nearly deserted at night. Despite its recent growth in residential development, the area, with its rambling streets and historic buildings, retains a certain spookiness after hours that dovetails with de Veras love of off-kilter antiquity. Originally, the draw for him was the buildings amenities, including a pool and Armani/Casa kitchens, but now he cant imagine living elsewhere. His schedule can seem franticwhen he is not searching the world for new pieces, hes conferring with clientsso its not surprising that de Vera craves silence. I need the isolation for my thoughts to flourish, he says. William WaldronA 1930s Czech light fixture and a 19th-century nickel display case in the dining area; a 17th-century Spanish sculpture sits atop an aluminum pedestal by Paul Smith. Inside, in addition to a sort of best of collection from his shops, including cabinets stocked with Venetian glass, Asian cloisonn, and enough religious artifacts to open his own monastery, he nurtures a taste for portraiture. His love of faces is vividly expressed on the dramatic, black-painted wall that dominates his living area. Not for him groovy abstracts: I always like things that are very realistic, figurative. He considers his passion for portraits a natural evolution of his interest in body partshis stores are known for their collections of wood and ivory limbs and appendages. I like all those sides of humanness, he explains. I would spend hours trying to find the absolutely most perfect rock, he recallsNevertheless, de Vera insists that his aesthetic has inanimate origins. As a child, he collected shells and driftwood on the beach near his parents weekend house. Later, he added rocks. I would spend hours trying to find the absolutely most perfect rock, he recalls, a habit he indulges even today whenever he is near an ocean. He glued the shells onto driftwood to create key chains, an early indication, he says, of his interest in jewelry design. Today, his own pieces, made of antique elements and often simultaneously organic and baroque, account for about half his sales. In his home, symmetry, a religion to many decorators, is virtually nonexistent. To me, relying on that artificial balanceone sconce there, and another on the other side of the fireplaceis very simpleminded, he says. If you understand each objects essential nature and how it speaks to the things around it, you will know how to create balance without needing everything to be a pair.In his home, symmetry, a religion to many decorators, is virtually nonexistent. For de Vera, chairs, those building blocks of decor, provide a perfect example of this ethos. In his dining area, a steel-top table is surrounded by mismatched seating, including a Rietveld-style chair and a Louis XVI covered in mohair. In his office, a chair he designed out of aluminum and nylon recalls the textiles of Anni Albers. As a shopkeeper searching high-end sources, he often has no choice but to buy chairs in pairs, but such sets bore him: I find them uncreative and very mechanical.William WaldronIn the primary bedroom, the bed is by e15, the cashmere cover is by Bryce & Co., and the 19th-century silk rug is Turkish; an antique Japanese sword chest holds terra-cotta busts and Asian cloisonn, and the artworks include a landscape by David Gremard Romero and two Czech nudes.While most of his objects are at least a century old, he throws in plenty of contemporary work too, such as a rug of woven silver-plated copper wire by Colombian design firm Hechizoo. Such pieces speak to his unwillingness to be confined to a single period, price, or milieu. To me, being alive means being able to transcend all that, he explains. De Vera isnt much for moving pieces around. Other designers may rearrange their possessions to keep the tableaux fresh, but aside from occasionally bringing in a new item, he mostly lets things stay put. When they find their proper place, their perfect place, the place where there is nothing at all wrong, he says, I never tire of seeing them there.Tour Federico De Veras uniquely curated Manhattan apartment This story originally appeared in the March 2012 issue of ELLE DECOR. SUBSCRIBE

It was the news heard around the world this week: After months of rallies on the campaign trail, Donald Trump was elected to become the 47th President of the United States. A new administration changes so many types of policiesforeign, domestic, economicbut how will it impact the real estate market? According to Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, it's unclear.Despite a strong mandate from voters, the impact on the housing market remains a toss-up, she says. The chief problem the housing market faces is a lack of supply, which we estimate is a shortage on the order of 2.5 to 7.2 million homes accumulated over the last decade. The Republican party's plan includes curbing unnecessary housing regulations, which Hale says could add up to approximately $90,000 to the price of a new home.Efforts to reduce regulation could make it easier for builders to add homes at lower price points, potentially accelerating a much-needed trend that is already underway, she adds. Expanded supply could also come from making federal lands available for housing development. So does this mean the election results are actually a good thing for the real estate market? Not so fast. Though Trump does plan to reduce inflation, Hale points out that the proposed tariffs and mass deportation policy could negatively impact the housing market. Reducing immigration could severely hurt the labor supply needed for new home building since up to a third of residential construction employment consists of foreign-born workers, Hale explains. The consequences of that could include a reduction in homeowners equity via falling home prices and a contraction of employment in the homebuilding sector, which could have spill-over effects to the broader economy.It will be some time until we understand the election's full influence on the real estate market, but some communities might notice change sooner. In a recent study conducted by Realtor.com, 23 percent of participants claim that politics influence where they ultimately decide to live. The report also found that the political sorting phenomenon is more common with millennial, liberal-leaning individuals, and more engaged voters. If you're looking to move in the upcoming monthsfor political reasons or otherwisethe house-hunting process can be downright daunting. To help, we're breaking down everything to need to know about finding (and buying) a home.Related StoriesFollow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

My first encounter with different types of houses came through playing the The Game of Life. During the board game, when it was time to buy a home, I always hoped to choose the charming purple Victorian over the shabby split-level. Reflecting now, I wish I had hoped for house prices to match real-life real estate$200,000 for a house with a library, parlor, marble fireplaces, and a wraparound porch? Sign me up for a down payment!But life isn't a board game, and there are far more than nine different styles of houses to explore. There are myriad styles of houses across the U.S. For instance, the Ranch style is prevalent in the Midwest, Colonial Revival styles of houses are common on the East Coast, and Spanish Colonial styles thrive in California. The popularity of these types can vary by region, making it challenging to differentiate between styles.By examining architectural elements like trim, rooflines, the number of floors, and building materials, you can determine which types of houses you prefer and which ones don't appeal to you, once you're acquainted with all the styles available. To assist you, we've compiled a list of the most common types of houses, highlighting their defining features. Read on for our guide on types of houses from A to Zor V, so to speak.Additional copy from Caroline Picard and Hadley Keller.More real estate stories:1Townhousedeberarr//Getty ImagesWhen you picture a townhouse, you likely think of a brownstone in Brooklyn or the Painted Ladies of San Francisco. These types of homes are typically multistory, single-family homes that share at least one wall with neighboring townhouses. The style has European roots, specifically English and French, and it's often found in urban areas.2Split-Leveldavelogan//Getty ImagesA split-level is a multilevel, single-family home thats separated by half-flights of stairs. Theyre typically split into three or four levels meant to increase privacy within the home and make it feel more spacious. Garages are usually attached, the living rooms are quite large, and they feature low-pitched roofs. These types of homes were popular in the 1950s throughout the 1970s in the United States, but have fallen out of style in recent years.Advertisement - Continue Reading Below3Saltbox KenWiedemann//Getty ImagesDefined by the sharply slanted roof, saltbox houses are usually gable-roofed homes that have two stories in the front and only one in the back (due to the roof's steep angle). These types of homes are often found along the New England coastline.4Carriage HouseTom Sibley//Getty ImagesCarriage houses can be identified by their oversize and often arched center doorways. As the name suggests, wealthy families built these types of houses in the past as accommodations for their horses and carriages. You usually see them in urban areas next to or adjoined with a standard row house.Related Story: Elaine Santos and Windigo Architecture Converted a 19th-Century Carriage House Into a Warm, Modern HomeAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below5DuplexAshley Cooper//Getty ImagesKnown for its symmetry, a duplex is a standard, single-family home that has been split down the middle into two units. Each duplex has two fully equipped single-family homes, each with its own entrance. In urban settings, a duplex can also refer to a single apartment unit that spans two floors.6Tudororava//Getty ImagesYou can pick out Tudor homes easily thanks to their decorative half-timbering. This exterior accent is essentially a mock frame of thin boards with stucco or stone filling in the spaces between the boards. The rest of the exterior is usually brick. Tudors also tend to have a steeply pitched roof with multiple overlapping, front-facing gables (the triangular portion of the roof) of varying heights.Related Story: An Architect Explains Why Tudor-Style Houses Are So UniqueAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below7BrownstoneAlexander Spatari//Getty ImagesMost commonly seen in New York City, but also found in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and other urban areas, brownstones are defined not by their look but by their materials. The brown sandstone that was used to coat the exterior of these brick houses built in the early 19th century gives them their name.Related Story: How Designer James Jenkin Gave This Brooklyn Brownstone a Do-Over8A-FrameAdam and Kev//Getty ImagesAs the name suggests, A-frame homes are characterized by a triangular silhouette in the shape of a capital A. Most common in northern parts of the U.S., they're designed so that snow and rain side easily down the sloped roof. Related Story: BHDM Revitalizes a Quirky 1970s A-Frame in the Catskill MountainsAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below9Cape Codjhorrocks//Getty ImagesA standout example of both Colonial and Colonial Revival architecture, Cape Codstyle homes dot suburbs across New England. The low, single-story types of houses usually feature a large central chimney and little ornamentation.10American ColonialTetra Images//Getty ImagesTrue American Colonial architecture dates back to the Colonial era, from the 1720s to the 1780s. European settlers built these historic homes with steep roofs and symmetrical features in simple, rectangular shapes. True American Colonial homes will feature small-paned windows of wavy glass, a sign of the materials used at the time.Related Story: What You Should Know About American Colonial-Style HousesAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below11Colonial RevivalBarry Winiker//Getty ImagesInspired by 18th-century design, architects of the Colonial Revival style pay the same attention to symmetry but also borrow elements from other movements. Related Story: The Natural World Inspired Cecilia Casagrande in Restoring This Boston Colonial Revival12Cottage-StyleAriel Skelley//Getty ImagesEmbraced for its comfortable bridge of modern and traditional, cottage-style homes feature classic elements like small rooms, dormer windows, and porches but often take on contemporary finishes and decorations, like the double gable and mixed-material facade shown here. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below13American CraftsmanGetty ImagesAffiliated with the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th and early 20th century, these types of houses incorporate gabled roofs, deep eaves, exposed rafters, and special stone or woodwork. The Gamble House in Pasadena (which starred as Doc Brown's house in Back to the Future) is a perfect example.14FarmhouseFrankvandenBergh//Getty ImagesHarkening back to the United States' history as farmland, this style recalls the simple, function-forward architecture of barns and farm structures. Farmhouse homes are characterized by a symmetrical facade, simple gabled roof, and vertical-hung windows.Related Story: The Beginner's Guide to Farmhouse DesignAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below15Modern Farmhouse PC Photography//Getty ImagesAs its name suggests, this popular style is a combination of farmhouse elements with modern proportions, furniture, and decor. The marriage of rustic materials and modern lines is a favorite of Joanna Gaines, Leanne Ford, Lauren Leiss, and more.Related Story: Is the Modern Farmhouse Trend Dead?16French ProvincialNataliaCatalina//Getty ImagesBalanced proportion and brick or stone exteriors appear on these francophile homes inspired by 17th-century manors. They typically have steeply pitched and sloping roofs , tall arched windows, symmetrical designs, and at least two stories. It was a common choice in tony suburbs during the post-World War I era.Related Story: French Provincial Design Has Always Set the Bar for Casual EleganceAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below17GeorgianM. Lavender InteriorsPeaking between 1714 and 1830, Georgian architecture replaced ornate Baroque buildings with more pared-back designs. Most often executed in brick or stucco, Georgian homes feature symmetrical facades with large, shuttered sash windows and pedimented doors, gabled roofs with dormers, and over-window ornamentationall present in this home by M. Lavender Interiors. 18Gothic RevivalBarry Winiker//Getty ImagesThe return to this medieval architecture style in the late 19th century materialized in many churches and collegiate buildings, but homes from the period also sport pointed arches and steep gables. The Dibble House in Eldon, Iowa, inspired the famous Grant Wood painting American Gothic.Related Story: A Design Lover's Guide to Gothic ArchitectureAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below19ItalianateOlga Eremeeva//Getty ImagesWith origins tracing to early 19th century Britain, the Italianate style is a visual ode to the architecture of the Italian Renaissance, though swapping classical materials like marble for the wood and shingles more popular by the 1800s. Notable characteristics of these types of houses include low-pitched roofs, wide eaves with intricate ornamentation, and decorative window details. 20Midcentury ModernDelpixart//Getty ImagesOften confused with contemporary architecture, midcentury modern refers to homes built from the 1910s to 1980, when architects were pushing for function-first design and eschewing decorative features in favor of organic forms. Famous examples Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye and Philip Johnson's Glass House, which was associated with the International School of modernism.Related Story: 40 Midcentury Modern Living Rooms That Get the Retro Balance Right