Image: SEGASonic Boom was one of the most ambitious projects Sega has ever undertaken with Sonic the Hedgehog. It was a full-throttle attempt at creating a brand-new sub-franchise for the blue blur, complete with new world, radically different character designs, and an accompanying animated series.Nintendo fans certainly had a lot to be excited about; the games would be Nintendo exclusives!But what was supposed to be a third pillar for the franchise crumbled to dust quicker than anyone could have anticipated. After a meagre three games, Sonic Boom was unceremoniously abandoned, leaving a black mark on the series and a legacy as one of Sonics biggest missteps.Believe it or not, 10 years have passed since Sonic Boom first hit store shelves. Has time been kind to the short-lived series? Are any aspects of the franchise worth revisiting today? Lets look back at the good, bad, and ugly of Sonic Boom.Boom times Images: SEGATrouble keeps you running fasterThe concept behind Sonic Boom wasnt terribly different than what weve seen elsewhere from the blue hedgehog.Sonic was still the snarky speedster hed always been, zipping around the world and thwarting Dr. Eggmans plans for world domination. Series mainstays Tails, Knuckles, and Amy were there too, though the personalities of the latter two were slightly tweaked from their game counterpartsfor better or worse.Amys annoyingly overbearing crush on Sonic was greatly reduced, making for a far more levelheaded character who typically acted as the voice of reason for the group. Knuckles undoubtedly underwent the biggest changes, both physically and mentally. His naivety and gullibility, traits that had become more and more pronounced for comedic effect over the years, shifted into full-blown stupidity. He was also given the most drastic redesign, with a new beefed-up body to match his more meatheaded personality.Rounding out the team was Sticks, an eccentric, boomerang-wielding jungle badger who acts as the wild card of the groupbrash, outspoken, and maybe a bit off her nut.Sonic Boom marked the first time Sega sought to create a branch of the franchise specifically for Western audiences, so much so that there was initially no intention to bring it to Japan at all (until they changed their minds). With Western sensibilities in mind, it only made sense for Western developers to tackle the new games. Who better, then, to take on the job than Big Red Button and Sanzaru Games, two companies well-versed in character-driven adventure games?Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube784kBetween them, the teams had worked on the Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, Ratchet and Clank, and Sly Cooper series. Big Red Button would handle the Wii U title, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, and Sanzaru would develop the 3DS game, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal.With such a pedigree behind them, fans were cautiously optimistic. Similar to games like Jak and Daxter and Uncharted, Rise of Lyric was given a much stronger emphasis on exploration and combat, allowing the characters individual personalities to shine more, with high-speed sections thrown in for good measure. Shattered Crystal placed a similar emphasis on exploration in a 2D sidescrolling space, which gave it a slightly more traditional feel than its 3D counterpart.The Ugly, the Bad & the GoodTape fear Image: SEGASo why did Sonic Boom stumble right out of the gate?The lions share of fans vitriol can be placed on Rise of Lyric. The Wii U game suffered from an incredibly rocky development cycle. It was planned for release on the latest consoles, but due to the aforementioned exclusivity deal with Nintendo, was shuffled over to Wii U. Unfortunately, Nintendos console was incompatible with the games engine, so significant changes needed to be made so that the game could even run properly on the system. The final result, while certainly playable, was a mishmash of hastily retooled ideas, unnecessary bloat, sluggish gameplay, and game-breaking bugs.Shattered Crystal fared better (Nintendo Life gave it a solid 6/10 back in 2014), but still failed to resonate with audiences due to its equally sluggish pace and bland gameplay. Ultimately, both games were colossal bombs, becoming the worst-selling titles in the franchises history.But hey, thats enough of the ugly and the bad. Sonic Boom had its good moments too, some of which still stand the test of time today.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube784kRunning alongside the games was an animated series that opted for a more comedic approach to Sonics adventures, showcasing various slice-of-life stories with action sprinkled in.Unlike the first two games, which are rarely, if ever, looked back on with fondness (or without), the Sonic Boom animated series is still regularly quoted and discussed today. Dont believe us? Search YouTube for Sonic Boom and see just how many compilations of the shows funny moments exist with well over a million views. The show even got a well-deserved complete series SteelBook release in 2022.A Sonic of Fire & Ice Image: SEGADespite the abysmal reception of the games, however, Sega wasnt ready to abandon the franchise quite yet. Instead, it looked at what worked and what didnt. With the 3DS title being the better received of the two, it was decided to use that as a basis for a follow-up, Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, in 2016. Sanzaru Games tweaked the gameplay formula, cutting back the exploration aspects and giving this third game a much stronger emphasis on speed and platforming.It wasnt enough. Even with a surprisingly high-quality sophomore effort and a delightful TV show, Sonic Boom was quickly swept under the rug by Sega. The bold experiment was deemed a failure, casting a dark cloud over the franchise that would take years to dissipate.Not unlike the Sonic series as a whole, the quality of the Sonic Boom series fluctuated wildly from one product to the next. Rise of Lyric was a near unredeemable mess. Shattered Crystal was a mediocre slog, but had potential. Fire and Ice realised that potential with a much truer Sonic experience worth playing. And the TV show was just plain fun, quality entertainment.One cant help but wonder if Boom would have eventually found its footing had Sega given it more time to grow and learn from its missteps, especially with the franchises most recent well-received course corrections. But no sense dwelling on what could have been.If youll excuse us, we suddenly feel the urge to binge-watch some Sonic Boom funniest moments cartoon compilations on YouTube. Theyll be just as funny another 10 years from now.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube784k

Intudo, the Indonesia-only venture capital firm, said it has raised $125 million across two investment funds $75 million for Intudo Ventures IV, and $50 million for another fund that will invest in downstream natural resources and renewable energy.Intudo said Fund IV will invest in Indonesian startups that take advantage of the countrys location, digital advancements, and expanding middle-class population essentially those playing to the countrys strengths in consumer products, aquaculture and horticulture, as well as commercial distribution, regulatory, and deep tech startups. The other fund will be its first attempt to leverage Indonesias strong position in the global nickel and cobalt market to invest in natural resources and renewable energy.Identifying areas where Indonesia is competitive is essential for the country on a global scale, founding partner of Intudo, Eddy Chan, told TechCrunch.In Taiwan, its semiconductors going to the world. In Japan, electronics used to be prevalent. In Israel, its cybersecurity. SaaS in India. South Korea has K-pop. In Indonesia, we need to find more gold in aquaculture shrimp [farming], Chan said.Intudo typically writes checks between $1 million and $10 million, and is targeting a portfolio of 14-18 Indonesian companies, aiming to buy large stakes in each via Intudo Ventures IV, Chan said. He explained that in a typical Series A round, the firm will invest $3 million to $5 million for stakes of 20% to 30%.I think winning in Southeast Asia [requires] a small fund size and significant ownership In contrast, the market is currently dominated by many peers with $200 million or $300 million funds, but with ownership targets of only 10% to 15%, he said.Image credits: Induto VenturesMany of the funds in the market are Indonesia-focused, but we make the distinction that were Indonesia only. 100% of our funds investment is in Indonesia, said Patrick Yip, a founding partner at Intudo. The firm is finalizing a number of deals that it will disclose in the coming months, Yip added.Intudo said it caps each limited partners investment at 10% of the total fund size to ensure equitable treatment for all LPs and maintain its independent investment thesis.The new fund comes three years after the firm closed its third fund at $115 million. The firm seems to have broadened its LP base since then, receiving investments from institutions and family offices from the United States, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, including Netherlands-based Orient Growth Ventures and Singapore-based Black Kite Capital. More than 20 global funds and managing partners, 15 billionaires listed in Forbes and their related businesses, and over 30 influential families in Indonesia also invested, the firm said.Eighty percent of our deals are followed by our global LP base from Korea, Silicon Valley, Europe, the Middle East, Chan said.Before founding Intudo in 2017, Yip worked for a private equity firm, while Eddy Chan was a lawyer and ran his own startup. The firm has a team of 12 and more than $350 million in assets under management.Out of the new natural resources fund, Intudo has invested in CarbonEthics, an Indonesia-based developer of tech-enabled natural climate solutions.

While Indias urban population is shifting from mom-and-pop stores to quick commerce platforms, its rural side home to more than 800 million people still heavily relies on offline businesses for daily consumption. Wheelocity aims to transform that untapped market to let people living beyond the top 200 cities of the country easily shop online.The Chennai-headquartered startup, founded in September 2021, has pivoted from the earlier B2B supply chain business for quick commerce platforms into building a platform to solve e-commerce access for people living in semi-urban. and rural areas, commonly referred to as Bharat.For a long time, e-commerce giants Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart have tried to tap rural India to get deeper into the worlds second-biggest internet market after China. The region has also attracted startups including Meesho and Rozana. However, Wheelocity founder and CEO Selvam VMS told TechCrunch that none of them could crack that space due to the access problem.Our approach to solving this problem is extremely unique, he said in an interview. We are focused on building a 100x better alternative for our consumers.Wheelocity has begun the shift by providing freshly produced goods including vegetables and fruits and groceries through its app. However, unlike traditional e-commerce platforms that sell products online, the startup has taken a phygital approach. This includes electric three-wheelers to let the startup take its products into villages physically daily to help gain the trust of consumers. These vehicles let consumers place orders using Wheelocitys app and get deliveries on their doorstep.Once they get used to it, consumers will start using the Wheelocity app at home, VMS predicted.The executive added that, unlike Wheelocity, which offers doorstep deliveries daily, other e-commerce platforms use their take as long as a week to get products delivered in the same region. This makes it a challenge to deliver fresh consumable items and groceries.Wheelocity uses its existing supply chain, built for the earlier B2B business, to offer customers freshly produced goods and groceries faster. After procuring them from third parties including farmers, the products reach consumers with Wheelocitys branding.VMS sees the shift, which silently started in October 2023, as a $1 trillion-plus opportunity. He didnt disclose the business-related figures but said the startup had a very, very good retention.The startup currently offers its e-commerce platform in 3,500 villages in central Tamil Nadu and owns 1,000 electric vehicles to allow physical order-placing and deliveries. It has already established an operations office in Tamil Nadus tier-II city of Trichy to understand consumers buying behavior better and get their feedback. Next, it plans to scale the business to 20,000 towns and villages and expand it to all five southern states of India within the next 12 months, taking its platform to 10 million consumers.Lightspeed, Wheelocitys existing investor, has backed the latest move by leading its Series A2 round of $15 million. In July 2022, the VC fund had led the startups $12 million Series A round.Alteria Capital, Anicut Capital, and VMS also participated in Wheelocitys fresh round. Further, the round includes an undisclosed amount of debt, primarily to fuel the financing of its electric fleet.Lightspeed partner Rahul Taneja told TechCrunch that the VC fund decided to reinvest into Wheelocity as the market size was significantly large and untapped and the startup created a unique business model, which allows profitable coverage of the areas which were historically not possible.The founders quality and passion for building a profit-making business before pivoting also helped convince Lightspeed to close the deal, Taneja said.Moving focus to smaller towns and villages in India has been an emerging trend in the VC market, as consumers in those areas often have disposable income and intent to buy. Earlier this year, Accel also started looking at the region to hunt for future unicorns.

The former Facebook Global Creative Product Lead for Immersive will lead and develop client relationships for new projects as the company expands its footprint in the immersive market.

Florence Pugh stars as the down in the dumps assassin leader of the MCUs most unlikely band of misfits in the Jake Schreier film, hitting theaters May 2, 2025.

Movie & Games TrailersCaptain America: Brave New WorldBy Vincent Frei - 11/11/2024 The shield is back in action! Captain America: Brave New World promises epic battles, new enemies, and a fight for justice like never before. Check out the new trailer and gear up for the ultimate Marvel experience!The VFX are made by:Weta FXDigital DomainUPPOPSISThe Production VFX Supervisor is Alessandro Ongaro.The Production VFX Producer is Yasamin Ismaili.Director: Julius OnahRelease Date: February 14, 2025 (USA) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2024

Movie & Games TrailersMission: Impossible The Final ReckoningBy Vincent Frei - 11/11/2024 Your mission, should you choose to accept it: watch the trailer for Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoningwhere the stakes have never been higher, and the action never more explosive!The VFX are made by:ILMbeloFX (VFX Supervisor: Joel Green)The Production VFX Supervisor isAlex Wuttke.The Production VFX Producer is Robin Saxen.Director: Christopher McQuarrieRelease Date: May 23, 2025 (USA) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2024

Semiconductor and fiber laser specialist nLight will launch its new Corona AFX-2000 two-kilowatt beam shaping laser at Formnext 2024. Designed to enhance laser powder bed fusion 3D printing, nLight claims that its new laser will significantly boost the productivity of metal additive manufacturing.Featuring dynamic laser beam shaping technology, the new AFX-2000 can reportedly deliver double the power of other lasers while maintaining a stable production process. According to nLight, this elevated power unlocks higher productivity and lower production costs for high-quality parts.The new beam-shaping laser system has already undergone successful commercial validation with an undisclosed customer supporting the aerospace, defense, and automotive markets. This customer has reportedly used the AFX-2000 to 3D print aluminum components three times faster than leading large-format 3D printers.The exclusive beam profiles of the AFX-2000 have brought L-PBF print speeds to exciting new levels while maintaining precision, control and material quality for laser powder bed fusion, explained nLights Chief Technology Officer, Rob Martinsen. He calls the AFX-2000 the most versatile and efficient laser available for metal AM.Visitors to Formnext 2024 in Frankfurt can experience the AFX-2000 first-hand at the nLight booth (hall 12.0, E102).Read all the news from Formnext 2024.During the show, nLight will also host a multi-day seminar series called Powered by Beam Shaping. This will feature insights from industrial 3D printer manufacturers including 3D Systems, Aconity3D, AMCM, DMG Mori USA, EOS, and Nikon SLM Solutions. According to nLight, the series will highlight new applications being unlocked by nLights Corona AFX beam shaping technology.A render of a ring-shaped laser beam profile. Image via nLight.New AFX-2000 beam-shaping laser The Gaussian profile of conventional 3D printing lasers poses challenges for industrial 3D printing. In an interview with 3D Printing Industry, Philipp Kohlwes, the Head of L-PBF at Fraunhofer IAPT, explained that their high-power concentration creates uneven energy distribution. With too much energy in the middle, this profile can vaporize material or create pressure gradients around the melt pool which causes spatter and damages part quality.Laser beam shaping in metal 3D printing overcomes these issues by manipulating the laser beam profile into different shapes before sintering the metal powder. These shapes unlock more even energy distribution in the melt pool. According to Kohlwes, this can improve 3D printing process stability by 40%.Martinsen explained that the dynamic beam-shaping technology in the new AFX-2000 lasers unlocks productivity-optimized switching between ring beam profiles. These donut-shaped profiles are reportedly optimized for fine-scale features and contour exposures, enabling impressive build rates and part reproducibility.The AFX-2000 is currently in production and will be offered in nLights modulus platform. This integrated multi-laser system is designed to facilitate high-productivity LPBF 3D printing. It reportedly simplifies the integration, control and serviceability of multi-laser 3D printers, while maximizing machine utilization and reproducibility.nLight is confident that the AFX-2000 will be widely adopted by those 3D printing with highly reflective alloys like aluminum and copper. These materials benefit from stable, high-brightness laser processing. The AFX-2000 will enable our customers to meaningfully reduce part costs for high-volume manufacturing, added Martinsen.Different laser beam profiles of an nLight AFX-1000 measured at Fraunhofer IAPT. Image via Fraunhofer IAPT.Beam shaping enhances metal 3D printingThanks to its value in enhancing LPBF 3D printing, beam-shaping has witnessed increased commercialization and adoption throughout the metal additive manufacturing industry. Earlier this year, nLight agreed to supply Munich-based 3D printer manufacturer EOS with its AFX programmable 3D printing beam-shaping lasers.Through the joint strategic cooperation, the lasers are available on EOS metal 3D printers. nLights programmable AFX lasers offer seven different donut-shaped beam profiles ranging from 85-micron spot size for precision contours to a 210-micron ring profile for enhanced process stability and reduced soot and spatter. These profiles are now accessible via EOS software and can be altered during 3D printing, with adjustments able to be made in under 30 ms.Additionally, Formnext 2024 will also see the German research organization Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT showcase its own new 3D printing beam shaping technology. Developed in collaboration with RWTH Aachen University, the new test system is designed for the investigation of complex laser beam profiles.It can create customized beam profiles for LPBF 3D printing to enhance part quality, process stability and productivity while minimizing material waste. Previously, the creation of complex profiles beyond ring or rectangle shapes has been limited by technological restraints. Fraunhofer IAPTs new platform reportedly overcomes these limitations, facilitating the creation of new beam profiles which meet specific application needs.Who are the leaders in additive manufacturing? Vote now in the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards!Want to share insights on key industry trends and the future 3D printing? Register now to be included in the 2025 3D Printing Industry Executive Survey.What does the future of 3D printing hold?What near-term 3D printing trends have been highlighted by industry experts?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows a render of a ring-shaped laser beam profile. Image via nLight.

Vote for your favorite submission by heading over to Sketch 64 - Re Lootbox : Click HereTake a look at each entrant, then press the vote button on the top left to vote for your favorites!(Scroll up to the first post)**Check the original prompt here : **September VFX Sketch[#43] : Re LootboxVote timeline:November 12th November 23thYou can vote on your own entry! We just ask you be honest when rating your own entry and others. Were all part of this small community and ask you to show respect and integrity at all times!Note: you must be trust level 2 or above to voteWell release the results on the 11th! (ish) Happy voting

One of the effects that I did during my studies, here I combined the explosive impact with the sword effect.See on Artstation https://www.artstation.com/artwork/GvknzW 1 post - 1 participant Read full topic