November 14, 20247 min readNew Bird Flu Spread Patterns Are Revealed in WastewaterWastewater in several Californian cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, recently tested positive for bird flu. But understanding disease risk and exposure to humans isnt so straightforwardBy Lauren J. YoungRecent wastewater measurements have detected the H5N1 bird flu virus in several cities in California. Amanda Montaez; Source: WastewaterSCANSince the first avian influenza outbreaks hit the U.S. early this year, health and agriculture experts have struggled to track the viruss spotty path as it spreads in dairy cow herds and an unknown number of humans. Infection risk still seems low for most people, but dairy workers and others directly exposed to cows have been getting sick. Canadas first human case was just reported, in a teenager who is in critical condition. To get a better handle on the unsettling situation, scientists are picking up a pathogen-hunting tool thats been powerful in the past: wastewater surveillance.In the past couple of weeks, wastewater samples in several locations mostly scattered around Californiaincluding the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and San Josetested positive for genetic material from the bird flu virus, H5N1. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Wastewater Surveillance System reported detections at 14 sites in California during a collection period that ended on November 2. As of November 13, across the U.S., 15 sites monitored by WastewaterSCAN, a project run by Stanford University and Emory University researchers, reported positive samples this month. But finding H5N1 material in wastewater doesnt necessarily mean theres a risk to human health, says WastewaterSCANs co-director Alexandria Boehm, a civil and environmental engineer at Stanford University.Analyzing trace amounts of viral genetic material, often shed by fecal matter in sewers, can alert scientists and public health experts to a possible increase in community infections. Wastewater sampling became instrumental in forecasting COVID cases across the U.S., for instance. But the way H5N1 affects both animal and human populations complicates identifying sources and understanding disease risk. H5N1 can be deadly in poultry. Cattle usually recover from symptomssuch as fever, dehydration and reduced milk productionbut veterinarians and farmers are reporting that cows have been dying at higher rates in California than in other affected states. Cats that drink raw milk from infected cows can develop deadly neurological symptoms. The current cases in humans havent caused any known deaths (most people have flulike symptoms, although some develop eye infections), but past major outbreaks outside of the U.S. have resulted in fatalities.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Scientific American spoke with Boehm about the latest bird flu detections in wastewater and the ways that scientists are using these data to better track and understand disease prevalence and exposureamong animals and humans both.Amanda Montaez; Source: WastewaterSCAN[An edited transcript of the interview follows.]When did WastewaterSCAN start tracking H5N1?We noticed something very unusual in Amarillo, Tex. [In the spring of 2024,] after flu season, we saw really high levels of influenza A [one of the four flu virus types that infect humans] RNA nucleic acids in their wastewater. This was surprising because we know influenza A in wastewater tracks with cases in the communitybut there were not very many cases in the community, and it was after flu season. We also then heard on the news that they had discovered cattle infected with avian influenza in the same area in Texas. So we worked in collaboration with the local wastewater treatment plants and public health officers to test the wastewater. And we found that, indeed, it was H5 [a subtype of avian influenza A virus] in their waste stream. We determined that most of that H5 was coming from legal discharges into the sanitary sewer from milk processing plants.Then when we scaled the H5 assay across the country, we were finding it in locations where, shortly thereafter, cattle were being identified as being infected [with the virus]. In June the CDC actually sent memos to the states asking them to try to measure H5 in wastewater, recognizing that the measurements can help to understand the extent and duration of the outbreak in the U.S.Has wastewater analysis been able to trace cases to any sources?We cant always rule out that its wild birds or poultry or humans, but overall the preponderance of evidence suggests most of the inputs are likely from cow milk. That cow milk is getting into consumer homes, where people are disposing of it down the drain. Im sure you have poured out milk down your sinkI know I have. Its also coming from permitted operations where people are making cheese or yogurt or ice cream, and they might be starting with a milk product that has the avian influenza nucleic acids in it.I want to stress that the milk in peoples homes that might have the avian influenza RNA is not infectious or a threat to human health. Its just a marker that some milk got into the food chain that originally had the virus in it. Its killed because milk products are pasteurizedand thats, by the way, why drinking raw milk or eating raw cheeses right now is not really recommended. The RNA that makes up the genome of these viruses is extremely stable in wastewater. Its even stable after pasteurization. So you pasteurize the raw milk, and the RNA is still present at about the same concentrations.Detecting it in the wastewater does not mean theres a risk to human health. What it does mean is that there are still infected cattle that are around the vicinity, and work still needs to be done to identify those cattle and remove their products from the food chain, which is the goal of the officials that are in charge of that aspect of the outbreak.How might we be able to better determine where the viral genetic material is coming from and assess human infection rates?It is very difficult because genetically the virus is not different [between sources]. Its not like we can say, Oh, the one in humans is going to be like this, and so lets look for that. Were working really closely with public health departments that are really proactive in sequencing positive influenza cases. If we do start seeing it in [more] people, we will likely know it because well see differences in the wastewater.I dont want to be alarmist because right now the risk of getting H5N1 is very minimal, and the symptoms are really mild. But I think one of the concerns is that the virus could mutate during this influenza season coming up. Somebody whos infected with [seasonal influenza] could also get infected with H5N1, and then it could maybe create a new strain that could be more severe. Were hoping that the wastewater data, along with all the other data that people and agencies are collecting, will together help figure out whats going on and protect public health better.What are trends are you seeing in your surveillance right now?Most recently, California is just lighting up. A lot of the wastewater samples in California are coming back as positive, even in locations that are very urbansuch as the Bay Area and in Los Angeles. The question is: Why? In some of these locations, there actually are small operations where people are making dairy products with milk. But another explanation, like I mentioned earlier, is just the wasting of milk products.How do H5N1 levels in wastewater correlate to infections in animals?Were sort of seeing it as an early indicator, or concurrent indicator, of cattle in the vicinity being infected with avian influenza. The first detections were in Texas, and we saw a lot of detections in Michigan for a while, and now the hot spot is California. As scientists, were going to analyze all this in the future. But anecdotally, the H5 detections in wastewater are following along with when herds are identified, and then once its sort of under control, we stop seeing it.Public health officials are using the data to say, Okay, we got a positive in this location. What are the different sources that could account for it? Have we tested all the cattle that are contributing milk products to industries in this sewer shed? Have we gotten rid of all the infected herds in our state, because now were not getting any positives in the wastewater?How else are scientists and officials staying on top of cases and spread?The [U.S. Department of Agriculture] and different entities around the country are pursuing it from an animal health perspective and a food safety perspective. So there is testing of cattle herds and milk products. Theres also testing of poultry, and then theres testing of workers that are in contact with infected herds and infected poultry. On the clinical side, there is a push to get influenza-positive samples sequenced to understand what kind of influenza it is, as sort of a safety net to see if there might be some avian influenza circulating in people. So far, cases have been in people who are actually exposed to infected animals, who are working on farms, and perhaps in some of their family members.How has tracking H5N1 been different from or similar to COVID or other pathogens?All the other pathogens that we track have been conceptually similar to COVID, where humans are the source [of pathogenic material in wastewater]. We know that the occurrence of the viral or fungal material in wastewater match the cases. Bird flu is the first example where were using wastewater to track something that is primarily not, at least right now, from a human source but has potential human health implications for different reasons. Its been a really great case study of how wastewater can be used not only for tracking human illness but also zoonotic pathogenspathogens that affect animals. So now were thinking about what else wastewater could be used for. What other kinds of animal byproducts end up in the waste stream that might contain biomarkers of infectious disease? H5 is our first example, and Im sure there will be more.

Games of Thrones' Sophie Turner reportedly in talks to play Lara Croft in Amazon's Tomb Raider TV seriesFollowing recent tests.Image credit: Aspyr News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 14, 2024 Amazon's live-action Tomb Raider TV series might have found its Lara Croft. Following reports last month that Sophie Turner was in the running to play the iconic character, it's now being claimed the Game of Thrones' actor has reached the negotiating stage.A live-action Tomb Raider series (not to be confused with Netflix's animated adaptation) was first reported back in January 2023, with Fleabag and Killing Eve's Phoebe Waller-Bridge attached as writer. It wasn't until May this year, however, that Amazon made the series official, confirming Waller-Bridge's involvement and not much else.Since then, curious minds have started pondering the obvious question: who might Amazon cast as Lara Croft following Angelina Jolie's memorable live-action turn as the jet-setting archaeologist in the early 2000s and, later, Alicia Vikander's more grounded approach to the role. Then, last month, it seems like an answer could be near, with Deadline reporting Sophie Turner (perhaps best known as Game Of Thrones's Sansa Stark) and Lucy Boynton (Mary Austin in Bohemian Rhapsody) were both poised to test for the part.The recently announced Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered arrives next year.Watch on YouTubeAnd it looks like Turner may have clinched it; Deadline has followed its earlier story with claims the actor is now "in negotiations to star as Lara Croft". So assuming all goes well, Turner could soon be joining the elite club of actors who've played the iconic role either on or off camera.The Tomb Raider TV series - which Amazon has previously referred to as "epic" and "globe-trotting" - doesn't have anything close to a release date yet, but it'll air on Prime Video when it eventually shows up. In addition to the series, Amazon is also set to publish Crystal Dynamics' next Tomb Raider game and is even planning a new movie instalment. And if that's still not enough Lara for you, Apsyr is releasing Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered next year.

11 Bit Studios' This War of Mine marks 10th anniversary with new Forget Celebrations charity DLC"With the world bleeding, we believe it is vital to keep pushing for change."Image credit: 11 Bit Studios News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 14, 2024 11 Bit Studios' harrowing side-scrolling survival game This War of Mine is ten years old today. And to mark the occasion, 11 Bit has unveiled Forget Celebrations, a new charity DLC being released as part of the game's continuing "mission to shed light on the civilian cost of war"."Innocent lives are still being lost on battlefields, new conflicts are erupting, arms production escalates to feed war's demand, and civilians and soldiers continue to face unimaginable brutality," the studio writes in its announcement of Forget Celebrations. "With the world bleeding, we believe it is vital to keep pushing for change."In Forget Celebrations, 11 Bit once again returns to the fictional war-torn city of Pogoren, this time to tell the story of Katia, a seasoned war correspondent. "While struggling to write a book on the brutal realities of war," the studio explains, "a missile attack devastates her home, forcing her into an even harsher fight for survival and the recovery of her gathered material."This War of Mine in Polish schools.Watch on YouTube11 Bit hasn't announced a release date or price for This War of Mine's Forget Celebrations DLC as yet (and it's so far only confirmed for Steam), but it says all studio proceeds will be donated to its charity partners - War Child, Amnesty International, Liberty Ukraine, and Indie Games Poland - in the "hopes of helping those affected by today's ongoing wars".This War of Mine has been met with significant acclaim since its release back in 2014, appearing in London's Imperial War Museum and New York's Museum of Modern Art. It was officially added to the Polish school curriculum in 2022, and was even awarded a Special Recognition Award by Amnesty International earlier this year for its "continued relevance in portraying the harsh realities faced by civilians in conflict zones" and as a "powerful reminder of the crucial importance of international humanitarian law in protecting civilian lives in areas of armed conflict, citing current situations in various regions of the world."In his review of This War of Mine back in 2015, former Eurogamer editor-in-chief Martin Robinson wrote, "[Its] simple message - that war is hell, and that we're all capable of being sucked into its moral depths - might be slightly compromised by its strengths as a game, but at least it's a message carried with a great deal more conviction than other, more bombastic portrayals of conflict. That, for certain, is something to be thankful for."

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereSilent Hill 2 Remake is already one of the scariest games of the modern generation, but one gamer has gone above and beyond, turning the game into a VR nightmare. Armed with full immersive controls, a new Silent Hill 2 VR mod might just be the most terrifying game available on PC.Silent Hill 2 VR can go join MaryCreated by prolific VR modder PrayDog, Silent Hill 2 VR cleverly uses the modders UEVR tool to bring six degrees of movement to the game. Alongside being fully immersed via a VR first-person perspective, the mod also brings full movement controls to the game.This means that players now have to physically swing their wooden planks and rusty pipes at enemies and manually peak around corners to pop a nurse in the shin with a pistol. While the game doesnt have the full manual reloading of actual VR games, at least for now, its the most realistic SH2 experience yet.Due to the amazing gameplay of Silent Hill 2 on a flatscreen, the UEVR version is perfectly suited for virtual reality. As enemies react depending on where the player hits them, you can actually use your makeshift bat to sweep enemies in the legs to knock them down, a move previously only available with the power of a gunshot.While we have yet to try out the VR mod, and were not sure we want to, Praydogs UEVR turns an already terrifying game into an absolute nightmare. Do you want to delve into the prison in virtual reality? I sure as Hell dont. Im better off beating up goons in Batman: Arkham Shadow.For more SH2 coverage, check out the mod that turns protagonist James Sunderlund into an atrocious blob, or read about the hidden bonus ending only available on PlayStation 5. Or just go and play the game in VR.Silent Hill 2 (Remake)Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 5Genre(s):Action, Adventure, Survival HorrorSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide The new Spiritborn class is overtaking Diablo 4 after the release of Vessel of Hatred. While the class has been slightly nerfed since release, the extremely powerful class has overtaken the RPG with 60% of players fighting as the new warrior.In a recent Campfire Q&A, Blizzard revealed that it wont be nuking Spiritborn in response to fan feedback on social media. However, every other class will see huge buffs to keep in line with the current king of the games meta.Diablo 4 gets huge buffsIn the latest Campfire chat, Blizzard confirmed that Diablo 4 is set to bring a host of buffs to every other class in the game. Every class damage output will be substantially increased to level the playing field, making it so that gamers arent too attracted to the new class.Releasing in a new mid-season patch, this update will significantly raise the floor of power for D4 players. While the patch focuses on providing satisfying power upgrades for other classes, Spiritborn will also see just a few buffs coming just to make sure it doesnt fall too flat.In Season 7, were going to be fixing all the unintended interactions we found with Spiritborn, explained class designer Adam Jackson in the latest Campfire stream. You can expect a lot of changes there [but] until then, enjoy what you have.While Spiritborn launched with some rather hilarious and game-changing bugs and exploits, huge patches have already made the class more stable, as well as ravmping rewards across the board. With most exploits fixed, the true balancing comes, and buffing every class is a clever way of making sure everything feels right.When does it arrive?The mid-season patch is quickly approaching with Blizzard set to launch the changes on November 15. Furthermore, the studio will be releasing another update specifically targeting Spiritborn sometime after November 18, but this will launch in a private test realm first before releasing for all players.After the launch of VoH, Blizzard has rapidly moved to address Diablo 4 issues, although some still remain. Currently, the games PC version is still plagued with crashing issues, causing some players to be unable to play the title without a band-aid fix. Furthermore, co-op issues are still so broken the studio has no idea how to fix them.Diablo 4 is available right now for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series and PC.Diablo 4Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Action RPG, RPGSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

While I hate having an app for literally every device in my home, installing the Dyson Link app really did make installation a snap. And I love being able to check in on the air stats (temperature, particle level, humidity level, etc) whenever I want. You can also control the fan speed, oscillation range, and set timers from the app.As for specific features I appreciate, filling the water tank from the top is a huge plus and its large enough that it doesnt have to be refilled every day. I also appreciate the night mode setting, which makes everything a little quieter and less bright.What I would change: This may be a misconception about the purpose of a humidifier, but I am used to really intense humidifiers that emit visible plumes of moist steam all night long. This is not that. The humidity that the Dyson model generates in the house is definitely a healthy and reasonable level (most sources recommend 3050% humidity, and the Dyson, at its max humidity setting, hovers around 60%), but if you are like me and want more targeted humidity in the super dry winter months, this is not the machine for you and you might want to stick to separate devices for purifying, humidifying, and cooling.The bottom line: Aside from the note above, this is a really expensive device, coming in at more than $800. That said, it might actually save you money in the long run if you dont want to buy a purifier, a fan, and a humidifier individually and you want a powerful device for each activity. Id recommend it if you have deep pockets and not a ton of challenging air pollution situations to combat on the regular.Best Budget Pick: Clorox Smart Medium Room Air PurifierAndrea LewisAndrea LewisClorox Smart Air PurifierTester: Andrea Lewis, Assistant to the Global Editorial DirectorMy space: I have allergies and live in an old building that generates dust easily, so I am very sensitive to air quality. This makes me particularly focused on reducing allergens and dust in my living space; especially in my bedroom, which is smaller and where the air is noticeably less fresh.Area coverage: The Clorox Smart Medium Room Air Purifier is designed for medium-sized rooms. It works best in spaces up to 1,000 square feet, but it can clean the air up to five times per hour in a room as small as 225 square feet, which is ideal for my needs.

In a $19 million deal, hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin has sold two of his four units at luxury Chicago high-rise condominium No. 9 Walton, the Wall Street Journal reports. The sale marks a 44% loss for the Citadel founder, who paid over $34 million for the penthouse residences in 2017. Though he spent a total of $58.75 million for the four unitsbreaking the record for the citys priciest home sale that yearthe Florida native reportedly never lived on the premises.Griffins purchase, which included a deal with the buildings developer to expand the penthouses, was delivered as a shell so that it could be fully customized to the hedge fund managers preferences, per the WSJ. Griffin never began renovations, however, and the four units still sit empty and unfinished. Griffins other two units in the 38-story building have yet to sell.Spanning roughly 15,000 square feet in total, the two recently-sold units feature 16-foot-tall windows, four terraces, a rooftop swimming pool, and a private elevator connecting them. Their new owner, who was not named, now has a blank canvas to make the penthouse duplex of their dreams. They also have access to some luxe amenities, which include a gym, a house car and driver, a golf simulator, a sauna, and a dining room with a catering kitchen.Register TodayAD PRO's 2025 Interior Design Forecast is almost hereArrowThe sale comes two years after Griffin announced that he was moving Citadels headquarters from Chicago to Miami. I am excited to have recently moved to Miami with my family and look forward to rapidly expanding Citadel in a city so rich in diversity and abounding with energy, the businessman reportedly said in a statement to the hedge funds employees. Griffin owns numerous plots on Miamis ultra-exclusive Star Island and is building a tower in the citys Brickell neighborhood to house Citadels offices as well as a luxury hotel, spa, restaurants, and retail space.

Behind the Scenes: The Windrunner By Alina Khan on November 14, 2024 Behind the Scenes Discover the imagination of Andri Stefanus, an Indonesian self-taught artist, as he details the techniques of bringing a fantastic creature to life.INTRODUCTIONHi, my name is Andri Stefanus, and I'm from Indonesia. I majored in Informatic System Specific Website Application Programming, but it didn't work for me, so I decided to make a turn to become a 3D artist.I am self-taught with mixed training in 3D from YouTube channel tutorials. The majority of YouTube 3D tutorials are just basic, so I just had to explore the rest myself, and it was not a pleasant journey. I made multiple failed personal projects, but here I am, getting better and better.INSPIRATIONI want to show you how I created a 3D dragon model. I named it, The Windrunner. No doubt I'm a big fan of the HBO series Game of Thrones; thats why I was motivated and inspired to create my own dragon.Another reason to make this model is that I had an invitation from this platform to write an article about my artwork, so I enhanced it especially for this.PROCESSMy workflow requires multiple software: ZBrush Substance 3D Painter Blender 4.2 LTS Adobe Photoshop (optional for post-processing) SculptingThe first step is to do research for a basic head. I spent two days searching Google for a lizard-head shape. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't create a dragon head that already existed.So I came across this site to grab this image, and sculpt it in ZBrush, making several changes to the head including the spike and smaller eyes just like the image below. I spent my time shaping the head since a dragon is a unique creature.After I was done and satisfied with the shape of the head, I then continued with the shape of the body (keep in mind that at this point, I was still sculpting with dynamesh until I reached the ZBrush polygon limit).This is the body from the topnotice that the wing is stretched wide open. Most 3D models have a goal to be rigged, so I stretched it wide to control the spread through the rig.This is from the side.Now that I was finished with the basic shape, it was time to make inflated support scales for the chest and support spikes (non-subtool details, i.e., I made spikes and scales subtools as well as support spikes and scales to enhance the details) like the image below.I created custom brushes for the scales and spikes. I used this VDM brush to make the support scales, and dragged the stroke on the surface of the mesh just like the picture above.The same process was used to make the support spikes, which were placed on the back of the dragon like this image below.Now its time for retopology using ZRemesher. This is not a game-res model nor for the movie CGI but for portfolio purposes, so I decided to ZRemesh this. I separated the head and body because of my computer limitation; it couldnt comprehend ultra detail smoothly at 100+ million vertices, and I wanted both the head and body to have the same weight of detail. Most dragon CGI models have close shots of the head, and the head has more details that if I joined it with the body as a whole mesh, it just would not work for me because of my PCs limit to process. If my CPU (Ryzen 7 5700G) can process high poly above 100 million polys smoothly, I wouldn't have to split the head and body, but the rigging would unite them both.Here is the low-res body and head.Okay, now that I have reached the point of an established base model, its time to make details, like claws, scales, spikes, teeth, tongue, eye, gum, and fins.I created 30 subtools for this model to support the details I mentioned above. Have a look at the GIF image below; you'll see that there are so many supporting meshes, like the neck dense with spikes, a fin on the back, and other spikes on the thighs and buttocks. If you notice the end of the neck close to the head, those spikes will mask the seam between the head and the neck.After I was finished with all the details, I put them all on a low-res mesh and exported all the subtools to make UV in Blender.As you can see in the image above, my model has 40 UDIM tiles because the even distribution of textures depends on the texel density. Have a look at this picture below; thats how you know if your UV is in even distribution.In the image above, the checkered texture has the same size across the entire mesh surface; this ensures that any details baked from the high-resolution mesh will be at the same resolution across 40 UV tiles.After I finished creating the UVs, its time for surface detailing. To do that, I re-imported the mesh with UVs into ZBrush and then replaced the old one with the new one that has UVs.Now, for surface detailing, I needed custom brushes. I created VDM brushes inspired by real-life lizards, crocodiles, alligators, and snakes.Same as the process with the scales in the previous explanation, I applied the drag method all over the body and head surface. Just to make sure it was in organic order, I analyzed real life animals, especially with scales like reptiles. Ill give you an example from the tail part. I replicated it like an alligator or crocodiles shape as in the image below.This is the how finished head part looks like:And the whole body:I spent more time, like two days, on surface detailing just to make sure no surface was left unsculpted.I need to tell you that the total vertice count is 254.71 Mil that's millions of total vertices for all subtools and thats how crazy I am about detail. If my PC could handle more, I would have.So, I'm done with this step. I exported both low-res and high-res, and then proceeded to the next step.TexturingThe second step is texturing using Adobe Substance 3D painter. In this step, I baked high-res mesh to low-res mesh first so that I have baked maps, which I will use for the second process when I start painting it again for more detail.I went through 2 processes; the first one is painting for the base color. Have a look at the images below.I contained a stack of multiple layers in this base color creation until I was satisfied and my PC could still handle it. I kept putting layers in the stack from painting layers to masking layers.Proceeding to the next process, I exported the base color and baked maps only, which I needed to paint extra, i.e., micro details, adjustment colors, roughness, and a masking map for the subsurface in the second process.In the second process, I created a new file, reimported low-res mesh, and baked maps, then reused the baked maps on the imported low-res, so I didnt have to rebake from high-res mesh all over again because it took almost an hour to bake it.Notice how I only have 5 baked textures and am missing world space normal and position map in the image above, because I don't need those to paint the model.So what to do with the exported base color textures? I create a new layer, then put the imported base color into the base color slot in that layer, just like this image below.Then I put the layer at the very bottom of the stack.Now I have smooth painting again with the created base color without worrying about lag in the first process that my PC struggled to handle caused by more than 15 paint layers.Here is the complete painting in the second process.Have a look at this side by side image from the first and second processes.As you can see in the image above, the second process adds roughness and the color is more organic when micro details are added.The last one is creating the masking for the subsurface map to be used in Blender Render, with only black and white value on the surface like the mouth area and wings, as in the image below.Finally, I exported all the necessary textures with 4K resolution. Base color textures Roughness textures Alpha textures Normal map textures You are probably wondering why the mesh in the painting is posed. That is because I posed for the sake of painting. Its just menothing is wrong with texturing in the base pose, I just wanted to see how cool the model was going to be.RiggingThe third step is rigging.The end goal of this artwork is to create still images and animation. First of all, I don't claim to be a professional rigger and animator, so what you are about to see is just basic rigging to unite all 30 of the meshes.Import the low res into Blender and start spawning the first bone, and just align it with the mode. Heres several pictures of all the bones covering the meshes.After that, I did the weight painting. I will not cover the weight painting here because it was difficult workbasically, weight paint the mesh part that is aligned with the bones just like the GIF clip below:I created controllers and inverse kinematics to control the arms and legs.To test if the rig was working, I posed it like this image below.Here is the tested animation:And now that I am finished with rigging and the meshes have become fully functionable 3D models to pose or even animate, I can finally render it in any pose I want.RenderingHere are the render results that I made with Cycles render engine and HDRI included in Blender. Post-processingI gave an extra render and if you wonder how composition works or combining real captured images and CGI cycles render objects, I'll show you in brief how I did it.Here are some example pictures I downloaded from a wallpaper site through Google search to combine with the Blender render of the dragon.I posed the dragon model according to the reference images above the way I wanted it to be. Ill explain one with this reference:Analyze where the light is coming from.Then I posed the model like this.Then use the sunrise HDRI included in Blender for lighting so that it looks natural by rotating, using the world shader node map to match the direction of the light of the reference image.Then I rendered the model and noticed the result looked incomplete, even though its completed. This was because I rendered this with the holdout feature in Blender.I wanted the final image to look like the dragon was coming out of a fog or clouds, and the right arm and wings hidden behind the hill and trees. So, I used smoke textures with alpha like this as the holdout to mask the right arm and wings, which is how I created the illusion.Have a look at this image below and youll see what I'm talking about. I compiled both the pictures using Adobe Photoshop. The tricky part is to balance the color using color balance adjustment between two images without a lot of change.Here is the complete composited image in full resolution.Remember one thing that I didnt change the reference image except the color only for balancing purposes, so its basically an indestructible method to the reference image.For the rest of the images, its the same principle as shown below: And that was all! Below are the final renders, I hope you like them!RENDER: The Windrunner If you want to see how its done in a video format, here is the YouTube video:BonusThis is a simple dragon fire breath animation using particle sprite.See the full resolution video on YouTube:Thank you for reading! If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to share your thoughts.About the Artist Andri Stefanus is a 3D artist from Indonesia. Links

Verge3D 4.8 Brings 3D Audio and Improved Performance By Soft8Soft on November 14, 2024 3D News A fresh update of Blender-friendly WebGL creator tool is out.Here is what's new. spatial (3D) audio effects major shader optimizations for faster rendering and loading option to zoom with Ctrl + Scroll in a Google Maps fashion preserving materials swapped via Puzzles, crucial for 3D configurators Performance Profiler outputs more precise information better click detection for points, lines, and grids support for Blender 4.3 and 4.4 including new Metallic BSDF and Gabor Texture nodes See the full release notes here.*Ape model by Nikola Filipovic.

Posted on November 13, 2024 (November 14, 2024) Election ProtectionA group of computer security experts have written to Vice President Kamala Harris to alert her to the fact that voting systems were breached by Trump allies in 2021 and 2022 and to urge her to seek recounts in key states to ensure election verification.Following the 2020 election, operatives working with Trump attorneys accessed voting equipment in order to gain copies of the software that records and counts votes. The letter to Vice President Harris argues that this extraordinary and unprecedented breach in election system security merits conducting recounts of paper ballots in order to confirm computer-generated tallies. The letter also highlights the fact that the post-election audits in many key states will be conducted after certification and after the window to seek recounts closes, and that therefore recounts should be sought promptly.The letter states: Possessing copies of the voting system software enables bad actors to install it on electronic devices and to create their own working replicas of the voting systems, probe them, and develop exploits. Skilled adversaries can decompile the software to get a version of the source code, study it for vulnerabilities, and could even develop malware designed to be installed with minimal physical access to the voting equipment by unskilled accomplices to manipulate the vote counts. Attacks could also be launched by compromising the vendors responsible for programming systems before elections, enabling large-scale distribution of malware.In December 2022 and again in 2023, many of us, concerned by the security risks posed by these breaches, wrote to the Attorney General, FBI Director, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director outlining the security concerns and urging an investigation. Though there have been limited, localized investigations, there is no evidence of a federal investigation to determine what was done with the misappropriated voting software.The letter is signed by Professor Duncan Buell, Ph.D., Chair Emeritus NCR Chair in Computer Science and Engineering, Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Carolina*; David Jefferson Ph.D., Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory* (retired), Election Integrity Foundation*; Susan Greenhalgh, Senior Advisor for Election Security, Free Speech For People; Chris Klaus, Chief Executive Officer, Fusen World*; William John Malik, Malik Consulting, LLC*; Peter G. Neumann Ph.D., Chief Scientist, SRI International Computer Science Lab*; and Professor John E. Savage, Ph.D, An Wang Professor Emeritus of Computer Science, Brown University*.*Affiliations are listed for identification purposes only and do not imply institutional endorsement.The letter can be read here.