AI art doesn't make good training data.

The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey $27 (was $30) See at Amazon Amazon Prime Video's The Expanse is one of the best sci-fi shows of this century, and as they always say, the books are even better. If you like science fiction and haven't read them, James S.A. Corey's series is definitely worth the time commitment required to read nine novels. But if you're here, chances are you already like The Expanse, so you'll be pleased to hear that Corey's new series, The Captive's War, kicked off this week. The Mercy of Gods, the first novel in Corey's latest space opera, is available now in hardcover for $27 (was $30) at Amazon.Alternatively, you can get the Kindle ebook version for $15 or the Audible audiobook for $12 (was $17) or with an Audible Credit if you're a Premium Plus subscriber.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Winter Wyvern is perhaps one of the most versatile heroes in Dota 2s current roster. When the hero was first released, it was obvious that this was a support hero with a strong healing ability, a powerful nuke, and two different disables. But somewhere down the line, people started running her as a core in the middle lane.

Editors note: This post is part of our In the NVIDIA Studio series, which celebrates featured artists, offers creative tips and tricks, and demonstrates how NVIDIA Studio technology improves creative workflows. Were also deep diving on new GeForce RTX GPU features, technologies and resources, and how they dramatically accelerate content creation.Every month brings new creative app updates and optimizations powered by the NVIDIA Studio platform supercharging creative processes with NVIDIA RTX and AI.RTX-powered video editing app CyberLink PowerDirector now has a setting for high-efficiency video encoding (HEVC). 3D artists can access new features and faster workflows in Adobe Substance 3D Modeler and SideFX: Houdini. And content creators using Topaz Video AI Pro can now scale their photo and video touchups faster with NVIDIA TensorRT acceleration.The August Studio Driver is ready to install via the NVIDIA app beta the essential companion for creators and gamers to keep GeForce RTX PCs up to date with the latest NVIDIA drivers and technology.And this weeks featured In the NVIDIA Studio artist Stavros Liaskos is creating physically accurate 3D digital replicas of Greek Orthodox churches, holy temples, monasteries and other buildings using the NVIDIA Omniverse platform for building and connecting Universal Scene Description (OpenUSD) apps.Discover the latest breakthroughs in graphics and generative AI by watching the replay of NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huangs firechat chats with Lauren Goode, senior writer at WIRED, and Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg at SIGGRAPH.Theres a Creative App for ThatThe NVIDIA NVENC video encoder is built into every RTX graphics card, offloading the compute-intensive task of video encoding from the CPU to a dedicated part of the GPU.CyberLink PowerDirector, a popular video editing program that recently added support for RTX Video HDR, now has a setting to increase HEVC with NVIDIA NVENC HEVC Ultra-High-Quality mode.The new functionality reduces bit rates and improves encoding efficiency by 10%, significantly boosting video quality. Using the custom setting, content creators can offer audiences superior viewing experiences.Encoding efficiency jumps by 55% with just a few clicks.Alpha exporting allows users to add overlay effects to videos by exporting HEVC video with an alpha channel. This technique can be used to create transparent backgrounds and rapidly process animated overlays, making it ideal for creating social media content.With an alpha channel, users can export HEVC videos up to 8x faster compared with run-length encoding supported by other processors, and with a 100x reduction in file size.Adobe Substance 3D Modeler, a multisurface 3D sculpting tool for artists, virtual effects specialists and designers, released Block to Stock, an AI-powered, geometry-based feature for accelerating the prototyping of complex shapes.It allows rough 3D shapes to be quickly replaced with pre-existing, similarly shaped 3D models that have greater detail. The result is a highly detailed shape crafted in no time.The recently released version 20.5 of SideFX: Houdini, a 3D procedural software for modeling, animation and lighting, introduced NVIDIA OptiX 8 and NVIDIAs Shader Execution Reordering feature to its Karma XPU renderer exclusively on NVIDIA RTX GPUs.With these additions, computationally intensive tasks can now be executed up to 4x faster on RTX GPUs.Topaz Video AI Pro, a photo and video enhancement software for noise reduction, sharpening and upscaling, added TensorRT acceleration for multi-GPU configurations, enabling parallelization across multiple GPUs for supercharged rendering speeds up to 2x faster with two GPUs over a single GPU system, with further acceleration in systems with additional GPUs.Virtual Cultural Sites to G(r)eek Out AboutAnyone can now explore over 30 Greek cultural sites in virtual reality, thanks to the immersive work of Stavros Liaskos, managing director of visual communications company Reyelise.Many historical and religious sites are at risk due to environmental conditions, neglect and socio-political issues, he said. By creating detailed 3D replicas, were helping to ensure their architectural splendor is preserved digitally for future generations.Liaskos dedicated the project to his father, who passed away last year.He taught me the value of patience and instilled in me the belief that nothing is unattainable, he said. His wisdom and guidance continue to inspire me every day.Churches are architecturally complex structures. To create physically accurate 3D models of them, Liaskos used the advanced real-time rendering capabilities of Omniverse, connected with a slew of content-creation apps.The OpenUSD framework enabled a seamless workflow across the various apps Liaskos used. For example, after using Trimble X7 for highly accurate 3D scanning of structures, Liaskos easily moved to Autodesk 3ds Max and Blender for modeling and animation.Then, with ZBrush, he sculpted intricate architectural details on the models and refined textures with Adobe Photoshop and Substance 3D. It was all brought together in Omniverse for real-time lighting and rendering.Interior rendering of the Panagia Xrysospiliotissa Church in Nicosia, Cyprus.For post-production work, like adding visual effects and compiling rendered scenes, Liaskos used OpenUSD to transfer his projects to Adobe After Effects, where he finalized the video output. Nearly every element of his creative workflow was accelerated by his NVIDIA RTX A4500 GPU.Interior scene of the Church of Saint Basil on Metsovou Street in Athens.Liaskos also explored developing extended reality (XR) applications that allow users to navigate his 3D projects in real time in virtual reality (VR).https://blogs.nvidia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/studio-itns-stavros-liaskos-wk121-agios-eleftherios-2-1280w.mp4First, he used laser scanning and photogrammetry to capture the detailed geometries and textures of the churches.https://blogs.nvidia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/studio-itns-stavros-liaskos-wk121-agios-eleftherios-1-1280w.mp4Then, he tapped Autodesk 3ds Max and Maxon ZBrush for retopology, ensuring the models were optimized for real-time rendering without compromising detail.After importing them into NVIDIA Omniverse with OpenUSD, Liaskos packaged the XR scenes so they could be streamed to VR headsets using either the NVIDIA Omniverse Create XR spatial computing app or Unity Engine, enabling immersive viewing experiences.This approach will even more strikingly showcase the architectural beauty and cultural significance of these sites, Liaskos said. The simulation must be as good as possible to recreate the overwhelming, impactful feeling of calm and safety that comes with visiting a deeply spiritual space.Creator Stavros Liaskos.Follow NVIDIA Studio on Instagram, X and Facebook. Access tutorials on the Studio YouTube channel and get updates directly in your inbox by subscribing to the Studio newsletter.Stay up to date on NVIDIA Omniverse with Instagram, Medium and X. For more, join the Omniverse community and check out the Omniverse forums, Discord server, Twitch and YouTube channels.

Image: Prime Video Game producer says the show gets Kamurocho right maybe even better than the video games Continue reading

Effective strategies for addressing stakeholder skepticism and ensuring user-centered design decisions.Photo by JESHOOTS.COM onUnsplashAs a UX researcher, youre well acquainted with the hard work: youve carefully planned and executed research, discovered valuable insights, and developed recommendations that could greatly enhance the user experience. Yet, when its time to present your findings to stakeholders, you might face the following resistance:Questions about the validity of thesample.Critique of the research methodology.Doubts about the researchers qualifications.These excuses are listed in order of frequency, with the first two being the go-to moves. The third one? Thats the nuclear option, a scorched-earth tactic that questions your very right to be in the room. Its typically used when all else fails, and stakeholders are desperate to avoid acting on your recommendations.Sure, there are legitimate reasons for not adopting research recommendationslike shifts in business strategy, budgetary constraints, and time limitations. But lets be real: if a company wants to call itself design-led, it must prioritize the voice of theuser.How I view the relationship of data evolutionsResearchers specialize in transforming data into findings, findings into insights, and insights into recommendations. The movement up the pyramid of analysis results in increases in action-orientation as well as usefulness. However, decisions to act on recommendations are not solely based on data; they can also be swayed by emotions. The first step is to recognize the potential challenges you may encounter. The next step is to prepare to address these challenges effectively. This article will offer strategies to counter each type of resistance and improve the likelihood of getting the outcome usersdeserve.Questions About the Validity of theSampleLets talk about the Sample Shamers.These folks love to throw around phrases like The sample size was too small, or The participants werent the right type of users. Heres some ways to address thisconcern:Clarify SamplingStrategyIts time to explain your sampling strategy clearly. Show why the chosen participants are great representatives of the user base. Whenever possible, use demographic data or user personas to align your sample with the broader user population. For instance, if youre questioned about a study with a small sample of users, demonstrate how these individuals were carefully selected to reflect the key demographics and user personas of the target audience. Its like casting the perfect actors to bring a story to life onstage.Highlight the Significance of a Single ObservationSometimes, one users struggle can reveal a world of pain. For example, if during a usability test, one participant encounters difficulty locating the checkout button on an e-commerce site, this could call for a deeper dive. Should this deeper dive reveal that the buttons placement is unintuitive for most users, a redesign to improve the overall user experience would be justified. Its like finding a single cockroach in your kitchenwhere theres one, there are probablymore.Focus on Meaningful InsightsWhen the size of your sample is questioned, its useful to focus on the quality and relevance of the insights gained. Highlight how a carefully chosen, small sample can still result in highly valuable feedback. For instance, in a project with a limited number of participants, you could explain that a small, targeted group can provide profound insights if they represent key user segments. Conducting tests with a select group of power users for a sophisticated software tool, for example, can elicit critical feedback that is instrumental for implementing vital improvements.Incorporate Supplementary DataWherever possible, bolster qualitative insights with quantitative data. If user feedback from a focus group is dismissed by stakeholders, reinforce the qualitative findings with quantitative data from user surveys and website analytics. For example, if a focus group reveals that users find a particular feature confusing, you can support this insight by showing that the same feature has a high drop-off rate in your website analytics and low satisfaction scores in user surveys. This approach can reveal consistent patterns across different data sets, thereby strengthening the case for your recommendations and making them more difficult to refute. Its like having both the receipts and the videofootage.Addressing Doubts About the ResearchMethodNow come the Method Meddlers.These folks love to swoop in with their The method you used isnt reliable or doesnt fit our situation line, as if theyre the gatekeepers of all research wisdom. A few approaches to deal with this concerninclude:Educate on MethodologyStart by explaining the rationale behind selecting the method and its alignment with the research question. Emphasize the strengths of this methodology and offer examples of its effective application in scenarios like yours. For instance, if stakeholders question the reliability of qualitative user interviews, clarify how these interviews yield in-depth, detailed data that surveys might miss. You could illustrate this with an example where interviews revealed subtle user frustrations, leading to a key redesign.Triangulate DataAim to use a variety of research methods to answer the same question whenever feasible. By triangulating datagathering information from different sourcesyou can compile a more comprehensive and convincing set of findings. Triangulation becomes more important when the risk of getting the recommendations wrong increases.Image source Kathryn WhitentonKathryn Whitenton explains the need for triangulation in her article Triangulation: Get Better Research Results by Using Multiple UX Methods bywriting:All research methods are limited in some way. But the solution to overcoming these limitations is not to throw up our hands and quit doing research. Instead, the best approach is to use multiple research methods, so the limitations of one method are mitigated by data from anothersource.For example, if theres skepticism about the results from usability testing for a mobile app redesign, supplement those results with A/B testing and analytics data. This additional evidence can validate the usability testing outcomes and reinforce your argument.Preemptively Justify Your MethodologyWhen you first present your findings, be proactive in addressing any potential critiques of your methodology. Demonstrate that you have considered these critiques and provide a reasoned explanation as to why the method remains appropriate. For example, if theres a likelihood of criticism for employing remote usability testing, explain in advance that this approach enables a wider range of participants, captures more authentic user behavior, and facilitates a more global representation in the sample, thereby enriching the research findings. Think of it as saying, Ive already built the safety net, so lets take the leap together.Addressing Concerns About Researcher ExpertiseMeet the Qualification Quizzers.These folks love to swoop in with their The researcher lacks the necessary experience or expertise line, as if theyre the gatekeepers on required qualifications. Here are some ways to respond to thisconcern:1. Showcase Your CredentialsTime to flex those academic muscles and industry chops. Emphasize your qualifications, detailing your educational background, relevant industry experience, and past project successes. For instance, when a researchers expertise was questioned by a new stakeholder, they underscored their comprehensive experience, including a masters degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), ten years of industry experience, and a portfolio of successful projects, thereby affirming their credibility. If youre relatively new to the UX research profession, highlight your recent education, certifications, and any relevant projects or internships.2. Cite Third-Party ValidationBring in the big guns. Cite studies or findings from respected external researchers in the field, or inside your company, that align with your own results. This can lend additional credibility to your research. When faced with doubt about your teams findings, you might reference corroborating studies from authoritative sources like the Nielsen Norman Group, MeasuringU, Drill Bit Labs, or others providing external validation that bolsters stakeholder confidence. Its like saying, Dont just take my word for it; even the expertsagree.3. Highlight Continuous LearningShow that youre not just resting on your laurels. Highlight your ongoing commitment to professional growth. Mention any recent training, conference participation, or newly acquired certifications that contribute to your expertise. For example, to address concerns about keeping up with industry trends, you could share that you recently completed an advanced UX methodology course and attended a prominent UX conference, showcasing your commitment to staying at the forefront of thefield.Building Stakeholder ConfidenceHeres how to turn those skeptical stakeholders into your biggest fans. Here are some strategies to layer onto the responses articulated earlier to build a foundation of trust and collaboration:1. Engage Stakeholders EarlyGet stakeholders involved from the get-go. This can involve collaborative discussions about the research approach, choice of methods, and even direct observation of research sessions. Early engagement can foster a sense of ownership and trust in the research outcomes. Laura Faulkner PhD makes the case in her article Two Critical Philosophies for Sharing UX Research Results that trust is best built through transparency with stakeholders:But stakeholders will only act on your findings if they believe that you understand their goals and can deliver what they need. To build this highly necessary trust and credibility, get comfortable with transparency in your research processes.For a significant redesign initiative, you might invite stakeholders to observe user testing sessions, providing them with direct insight into user pain points and fostering greater acceptance of the recommendations.2. Communicate ClearlyDeliver research findings in a straightforward, engaging manner. Utilize visuals, storytelling, and direct quotes from users to make the data resonate and leave a lasting impact. In a project with complex findings, employing infographics, user testimonials, and narrative techniques can help stakeholders grasp and embrace the recommendations more readily. Think of it as turning your research into a blockbuster moviecomplete with plot twists and a happyending.3. Present Actionable InsightsPresent recommendations that are feasible and directly applicable. To be clear, feasible in the sense that they can eventually be done, not that they are immediately or easily done. Stakeholders are more inclined to implement suggestions that have a clear connection to business objectives and user benefits. Sarah Soha makes a similar argument in her article Prioritize Design Solutions or Research Recommendations to Get Buy-in when shewrites:If the feature you are proposing doesnt impact what the business cares about, it wont get the buy-in from the stakeholders.To ensure your insights lead to action, directly link each recommendation to a specific business goal, such as demonstrating how usability enhancements could lead to increased conversion rates, thereby highlighting the tangible business benefits.It is also important to show the linkage between data, findings, insights, and recommendations that creates the chain of evidence.By using these strategies, youll not only build stakeholder confidence but also turn them into advocates. Or at the very least, theyll stop questioning your every move and start seeing the value you bring to thetable.Overcoming stakeholder resistance to UX research recommendations requires a proactive approach. The goal is to ensure that those golden nuggets of user insights are transformed into meaningful improvements.UX research isnt just about finding problems; its about convincing others to care and act onthem.Its crucial for stakeholders to recognize that while data from research is critical, the researchers ability to contextualize and interpret this data, drawing on years of experience, is equally important for accurate analysis. Think of it as the difference between reading a recipe and cooking a gourmetmeal.The objective is to guide stakeholders from skepticism to advocacy, prompting them to act on the recommendations provided by research. If theres no progress despite using the strategies mentioned, this may indicate deeper issues that require escalation to address or, alternatively, suggest the need to reposition the researcher in a more conducive environment forimpact.In other words, if youre still hitting a brick wall, it might be time to bring in the wrecking ball or find a new construction site altogether.So, move forward with confidence and remember that collaboration doesnt mean you have to speak softly. Research and data-inspired recommendations are essential for driving meaningful change and improving user experiences. Dont back down from your findings, communicate clearly, and trust in the value you bring to thetable.Overcoming UX recommendation resistance was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

If youre looking for the Wordle answer for August 7, 2024 read on. Well share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Todays puzzle is harder; I got it in five. Beware, there are spoilers below for August 7, Wordle #1,145! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to todays Wordle game.How to play WordleWordle lives here on the New York Times website. A new puzzle goes live every day at midnight, your local time.Start by guessing a five-letter word. The letters of the word will turn green if theyre correct, yellow if you have the right letter in the wrong place, or gray if the letter isnt in the days secret word at all. For more, check out our guide to playing Wordle here, and my strategy guide here for more advanced tips. (We also have more information at the bottom of this post, after the hints and answers.)Ready for the hints? Lets go!Does todays Wordle have any unusual letters?Well define common letters as those that appear in the old typesetters phrase ETAOIN SHRDLU. (Memorize this! Pronounce it Edwin Shirdloo, like a name, and pretend hes a friend of yours.)There's only one common letter from our mnemonic today (but it's used twice). Two letters are fairly common, and one is uncommon. Can you give me a hint for todays Wordle?A colorful bird. Does todays Wordle have any double or repeated letters?There is one repeated letter today.How many vowels are in todays Wordle?There is one vowel, used twice. What letter does todays Wordle start with?Todays word starts with M.What letter does todays Wordle end with?Todays word ends with W.What is the solution to todays Wordle?Ready? Todays word is MACAW.How I solved todays WordleI started with RAISE and TOUCH, then guessed BLAND to eliminate remaining common consonants. This left a handful of possible solutions: I guessed WACKY first, which left MACAW as the only answer. Wordle 1,145 5/6Yesterdays Wordle answerYesterdays Wordle was harder. The hint was a metal object that sometimes falls on cartoon characters' heads and the answer contained four common letters and one uncommon letter. The answer to yesterdays Wordle was ANVIL. A primer on Wordle basicsThe idea of Wordle is to guess the days secret word. When you first open the Wordle game, youll see an empty grid of letters. Its up to you to make the first move: type in any five-letter word.Now, you can use the colors that are revealed to get clues about the word:Green means you correctly guessed a letter, and its in the correct position. (For example, if you guess PARTY, and the word is actually PURSE, the P and R will be green.)Yellow means the letter is somewhere in the word, but not in the position you guessed it. (For example, if you guessed PARTY, but the word is actually ROAST, the R, A and T will all be yellow.)Gray means the letter is not in the solution word at all. (If you guessed PARTY and everything is gray, then the solution cannot be PURSE or ROAST.)With all that in mind, guess another word, and then another, trying to land on the correct word before you run out of chances. You get six guesses, and then its game over.The best starter words for WordleWhat should you play for that first guess? The best starters tend to contain common letters, to increase the chances of getting yellow and green squares to guide your guessing. (And if you get all grays when guessing common letters, thats still excellent information to help you rule out possibilities.) There isnt a single best starting word, but the New York Timess Wordle analysis bot has suggested starting with one of these:CRANETRACESLANTCRATECARTEMeanwhile, an MIT analysis found that youll eliminate the most possibilities in the first round by starting with one of these:SALETREASTTRACECRATESLATEOther good picks might be ARISE or ROUND. Words like ADIEU and AUDIO get more vowels in play, but you could argue that its better to start with an emphasis on consonants, using a starter like RENTS or CLAMP. Choose your strategy, and see how it plays out.How to win at WordleWe have a few guides to Wordle strategy, which you might like to read over if youre a serious student of the game. This one covers how to use consonants to your advantage, while this one focuses on a strategy that uses the most common letters. In this advanced guide, we detail a three-pronged approach for fishing for hints while maximizing your chances of winning quickly.The biggest thing that separates Wordle winners from Wordle losers is that winners use their guesses to gather information about what letters are in the word. If you know that the word must end in -OUND, dont waste four guesses on MOUND, ROUND, SOUND, and HOUND; combine those consonants and guess MARSH. If the H lights up in yellow, you know the solution.One more note on strategy: the original Wordle used a list of about 2,300 solution words, but after the game was bought by the NYT, the game now has an editor who hand-picks the solutions. Sometimes they are slightly tricky words that wouldnt have made the original list, and sometimes they are topical. For example, FEAST was the solution one Thanksgiving. So keep in mind that there may be a theme.Wordle alternativesIf you cant get enough of five-letter guessing games and their kin, the best Wordle alternatives, ranked by difficulty, include:Wheeldle, which lets you play one puzzle after anotherDordle and Quordle, which ask you to play two (Dordle) or four (Quordle) puzzles at the same time, with the same guesses. There is also Octordle, with eight puzzles, and Sedecordle, with 16.Waffle, which shows you several five-letter words, scrambled in a grid; you play by swapping the letters around until you solve.Absurdle, which changes the solution after each guess, but needs to stay consistent with its previous feedback. You have to strategically back it into a corner until there is only one possible word left; then you guess it, and win.Squabble, in which you play Wordle against other people with a timer running. You take damage if you spend too much time between guesses; winner is the last one standing.Antiwordle, in which you are trying not to guess the days solution. Youre required to reuse any letters that you (oops) guessed correctly, so the longer it takes you, the better you are at the game.

macOS Sequoia will require regular permissions updates to use screen recording and screen-sharing capabilities. The software is in its public beta, and the new Apple operating system has added pop-up notifications that will ask users to confirm that software has access to the device's video and audio. For now, there doesn't appear to be a way to permanently grant permissions to third-party apps. Developers confirmed with 9to5Mac that this is a feature, not a bug. We've reached out to Apple for more information and will update this post with any additional details we receive.These permissions alerts in Sequoia will pop up weekly, as well as the first time a relevant app is opened after a reboot. This security feature will be triggered by both third-party apps focused on screen recording and general programs that have screen-sharing capabilities, such as Zoom, Slack or Discord.This feature might remind you of the User Account Controls from the Windows Vista days. We haven't run into this permissions issue in our time with the beta version of macOS Sequoia, so it's hard to say if the Apple version will be quite as infuriating as the Microsoft pop-ups.macOS Sequoia does bring other useful updates to the computing experience. As well as introducing AI features with Apple Intelligence, the update will let users see their iPhone screen mirrored on their Macbooks, and can block distracting pop-ups in Safari.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/macos-sequoia-may-require-weekly-permissions-for-screen-recording-apps-215854870.html?src=rss

Check out M83's VFX breakdown of the crazy mutated monsters and city destruction sequences from South Korean apocalyptic horror series Sweet Home ()Watch the full videos on the M83 YouTube channel (separate breakdowns for Season 2 and 3): https://www.youtube.com/@M83_STUDIO