Humbling findings Trust in scientists hasnt recovered from COVID. Some humility could help. Intellectual humility could win back much-needed trust in science, study finds Beth Mole Nov 18, 2024 4:52 pm | 110 Illustration of a scientist speaking in front of an audience. Credit: Getty | BRO Vector Illustration of a scientist speaking in front of an audience. Credit: Getty | BRO Vector Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreScientists could win back trust lost during the COVID-19 pandemic if they just showed a little intellectual humility, according to a study published Monday in Nature Human Behavior.It's no secret that scientistsand the science generallytook a hit during the health crisis. Public confidence in scientists fell from 87 percent in April 2000 to a low of 73 percent in October 2023, according to survey data from the Pew Research Center. And the latest Pew data released last week suggests it will be an uphill battle to regain what was lost, with confidence in scientists only rebounding three percentage points, to 76 percent in a poll from October.Building trustThe new study in Nature Human Behavior may guide the way forward, though. The study encompasses five smaller studies probing the perceptions of scientists' trustworthiness, which previous research has linked to willingness to follow research-based recommendations."These are anxiety-provoking times for people, and they feel uncertain about who to trust and which recommendations to follow," said study co-author Karina Schumann, a psychology professor at the University of Pittsburgh. "We wanted to know what can help people feel more confident putting their faith in scientists working to find solutions to some of the complex global challenges we are facing."Schumann and her colleagues homed in on the role of intellectual humility. Unlike general humility, intellectual humility focuses on the limitations of one's knowledge. Specifically, a scientist with high intellectual humility would show a willingness to admit gaps in their knowledge, listen to input from others, and update their views based on new evidence. These characteristics may be viewed by the public as particularly critical among scientists, given that science is rife with uncertainties and lacks complete and unequivocal conclusions, especially from individual studies.There's also good reason to think that scientists may be doing a poor job of displaying intellectual humility. The latest survey data from Pew found that 47 percent of Americans perceive scientists as feeling superior to others, and 52 percent indicated that scientists communicate poorly.Study seriesFor a look into how intellectual humility could help, Schumann and her colleagues first surveyed 298 people and looked to see if there was a link between viewing scientists as intellectually humble and believing in scientific topics considered polarizing. The sub-studystudy 1found strong links between the perceived intellectual humility of scientists, trustworthiness, and support for human-driven climate change, lifesaving vaccinations, and genetically modified foods.In studies 2 through 4, the researchers experimentally tested expressions of intellectual humility (IH)either high or low levelsand how they affected perceived trustworthiness. In study 2, for instance, 317 participants read one of three articles involving a fictional scientist named Susan Moore, who was researching treatments for long COVID. There was a neutral article that functioned as a control, and articles with cues that Dr. Moore had either high or low IH. The cues for high IH included text such as: "Dr. Moore is not afraid to admit when she doesnt yet know something." For low IH, the article included statements such as: "Dr. Moore is not afraid to assert what she knows."The high IH article spurred significantly more trust in Dr. Moore than the low IH articles, the researchers found. However, there wasn't a statistically significant difference in trust between the control and high IH groups. This might suggest that people may have a default assumption of high IH in scientists without other cuesor they are especially annoyed by low IH or arrogance among scientists.Study 3 essentially replicated study 2, but with the tweak that the articles varied whether the fictional scientist was male or female, in case gendered expectations affected how people perceived humility and trustworthiness. The results from 369 participants indicated that gender didn't affect the link between IH and trust. Similarly, in study 4, with 371 participants, the researchers varied the race/ethnicity of the scientist, finding again that the link between IH and trust remained."Together, these four studies offer compelling evidence that perceptions of scientists IH play an important role in both trust in scientists and willingness to follow their research-based recommendations," the authors concluded.Next stepsIn the final study involving 679 participants, researchers examined different ways that scientists might express IH, including whether the IH was expressed as a personal trait, limitations of research methods, or as limitations of research results. Unexpectedly, the strategies to express IH by highlighting limitations in the methods and results of research both increased perceptions of IH, but shook trust in the research. Only personal IH successfully boosted perceptions of IH without backfiring, the authors report.The finding suggests that more research is needed to guide scientists on how best to express high IH. But, it's clear that low IH is not good. "[W]e encourage scientists to be particularly mindful of displaying low IH, such as by expressing overconfidence, being unwilling to course correct or disrespecting others views," the researchers caution.Overall, Schumann said she was encouraged by the team's findings. "They suggest that the public understands that science isnt about having all the answers; it's about asking the right questions, admitting what we dont yet understand, and learning as we go. Although we still have much to discover about how scientists can authentically convey intellectual humility, we now know people sense that a lack of intellectual humility undermines the very aspects of science that make it valuable and rigorous. This is a great place to build from."Beth MoleSenior Health ReporterBeth MoleSenior Health Reporter Beth is Ars Technicas Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes. 110 Comments

Allergic to "3" Valve developers discuss why Half Life 2: Episode 3 was abandoned Anniversary doc also includes footage of unused ice gun, blob enemies. Kyle Orland Nov 18, 2024 4:06 pm | 32 The ice gun would have been the main mechanical gimmick in Half-Life 2: Episode 3. Credit: Valve The ice gun would have been the main mechanical gimmick in Half-Life 2: Episode 3. Credit: Valve Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAfter Ars spent Half-Life 2's 20th anniversary week looking back at the game's history and impact, Valve marked the occasion with a meaty two-hour YouTube documentary featuring insider memories from the team behind the game itself. Near the end of that documentary, longtime Valve watchers also get a chance to see footage of the long-promised but never-delivered Half-Life 2: Episode 3and hear more about what led the project to be abandoned.The Episode 3 footage included in the documentary focuses heavily on a new ice gun that would have served as the episode's main new feature. Players would have been able to use that gun to freeze enemies, set up ice walls as makeshift cover, or construct icy ledges to make their way down sheer cliff faces. The developers also describe a so-called "Silver Surfer mode" that would have let players extrude a line of ice in their path then slide along it at slippery speeds.The Episode 3 developers were also working on a new, blob-like enemy that could absorb other blobs to grow or split into segments to get around small barriers or pass through grates.Missing the momentAccording to the documentary, Valve spent about six months working on Episode 3 before deciding to pull all hands in to work on Left 4 Dead. At that point, the Episode 3 project was still an unordered set of playable levels set in the Arctic, with few story beats and concepts between them. Developers quoted in the documentary said it would have taken years of more work to get the episode into a releasable state.By the time work on Left 4 Dead was wrapping up in 2008, Valve was still publicly saying that it hoped Episode 3 would be ready by 2010. But after so much time spent away from the Episode 3 project, developers found it was hard to restart the momentum for a prototype that now felt somewhat dated. The technology behind these blob-like enemies ended up being reused for the paint in Portal 2. Credit: Valve Looking back, Valve Engineer David Speyrer said it was "tragic and almost comical" that "by the time we considered going back to Episode 3, the argument was made like, 'Well, we missed it. It's too late now. And we really need to make a new engine to continue the Half-Life series and all that.' And now that just seems, in hindsight, so wrong. We could have definitely gone back and spent two years to make Episode 3."Despite the new weapons and mechanics that were already in the works for Episode 3, many developers quoted in the documentary cite a kind of fatigue that had set in after so much time and effort focused on a single franchise. "A lot of us had been doing Half-Life for eight-plus years" designer and composer Kelly Bailey noted.That lengthy focus on a single franchise helps explain why some Valve developers were eager to work on anything else by that time in their careers. "I think everybody that worked on Half-Life misses working on that thing," Engineer Scott Dalton said. "But it's also hard not to be like, 'Man, I've kind of seen every way that you can fight an Antlion,' or whatever. And so you wanna get some space away from it until you can come back to it with fresh eyes."After the first two Half-Life 2 episodes were received less well than the base game itself, many developers cited in the documentary also said they felt pressure to go "much bigger" for Episode 3. Living up to that pressure, and doing justice to the fan expectations for the conclusion of the three-episode saga, proved to be too much for the team."You cant get lazy and say, 'Oh, were moving the story forward,' Valve co-founder Gabe Newell said of the pressure. "Thats copping out of your obligation to gamers, right? Yes, of course they love the story. They love many, many aspects of it. But sort of saying that your reason to do it is because people want to know what happens next... you know, we couldve shipped it, like, it wouldnt have been that hard."You know, the failure wasmy personal failure was being stumped," Newell continued. "Like, I couldnt figure out why doing Episode 3 was pushing anything forward."Kyle OrlandSenior Gaming EditorKyle OrlandSenior Gaming Editor Kyle Orland has been the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica since 2012, writing primarily about the business, tech, and culture behind video games. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He once wrote a whole book about Minesweeper. 32 Comments Prev story

It can be hard to keep weight offTero Vesalainen/Getty ImagesPeople with obesity who lose weight often put it back on, which may partly be driven by lasting changes to the DNA within their fat cells, a discovery that could one day lead to new treatments.Around 85 per cent of people with overweight or obesity who lose at least a tenth of their body weight regain it within a year. AdvertisementThat is partly because it is hard to maintain low-calorie diets for a long period of time, though that probably plays a relatively small role, says Laura Catharina Hinte at the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich in Switzerland. It cant be that we all dont have enough willpower to maintain lost weight.Studies have also shown that the brain interprets a sharp drop in body fat as dangerous and responds by making the body burn less energy.To learn more about this process, Hinte and her colleagues analysed fat tissue collected from 20 people with obesity just before they had bariatric surgery, which shrinks the stomach to make people feel fuller sooner, and again two years later, when they had lost at least a quarter of their initial body weight. They also looked at fat tissue from 18 people with a healthy weight. Get the most essential health and fitness news in your inbox every Saturday.Sign up to newsletterThe researchers sequenced a type of genetic molecule called RNA, which encodes proteins, in fat cells. They found that people with obesity had increased or decreased levels of more than 100 RNA molecules compared with people of a healthy weight, and these differences persisted at two years after weight loss.These changes seem to ramp up inflammation and disrupt how fat cells store and burn fat, both of which raise the risk of future weight gain, says team member Ferdinand von Meyenn, also at the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich.To explore whether these RNA changes might drive rebound weight gain, the researchers first confirmed that similar changes persisted after obese mice lost weight. They then fed these mice and mice of a healthy weight a high-fat diet for one month. While the previously obese mice gained 14 grams of weight, on average, the other mice gained just 5 grams.The team also found that fat cells from the previously obese mice took up more fat and sugar when grown in a lab dish than those from the other mice. Together, the results show how obesity-linked RNA changes may increase future weight gain, says von Meyenn.Finally, the team found that molecular tags, or epigenetic marks, on DNA in the fat cells seemed to drive the obesity-linked RNA changes. These alter RNA levels by changing the structure of the DNA that encodes them.While the study didnt look for these molecular tags in the people they studied, or examine whether they regained the weight they lost, the findings probably translate from mice to humans, says Henriette Kirchner at the University of Lbeck in Germany.This is based on similarities between the physiology of these species and how the environment can change the way their genes work, known as epigenetics, she says. In the decades to come, drugs that target epigenetics could help treat obesity, says Kirchner.Journal reference:Nature DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08165-7Topics:obesity

Russias plan to reach net zero by 2060 relies on existing forests to absorb ongoing carbon emissionsVarnakovR/ShutterstockCountries are taking a shortcut to net-zero emissions by including forests and other passive carbon sinks in their climate plans, in a tactic that will thwart global efforts to halt climate change, leading researchers have warned.Relying on natural carbon sinks to soak up ongoing carbon emissions from human activity will condemn the world to continued warming. That is according to the researchers who first developed the science behind net-zero emissions, and who have today launched a highly unusual intervention to call out nations and companies for misusing the concept. AdvertisementThis paper is a call to clarify to people what was originally meant by net zero, Myles Allen at the University of Oxford told a press briefing on 14 November.Natural sinks such as forests and peat bogs play a vital role in Earths natural carbon cycle by absorbing some of the carbon in the atmosphere. But existing sinks cannot be relied upon to offset ongoing greenhouse gas emissions.If they are used in this way, global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide will remain stable once net zero is reached, and warming will continue for centuries because of the way the oceans absorb heat, Allen warned. You could think you are on a path of 1.5C, and end up with warming of well over 2C, he said. This ambiguity could, in effect, cost us the goals of the Paris Agreement. Get a dose of climate optimism delivered straight to your inbox every month.Sign up to newsletterTo stop global temperatures rising, emissions need to reach net zero without relying on passive uptake by the land and oceans. This allows existing natural sinks to continue absorbing excess CO2, bringing down atmospheric concentrations of the gas and offsetting ongoing warming from the deep ocean.However, many countries already count passive land sinks such as forests as greenhouse gas removal in their national carbon accounts. Some, including Bhutan, Gabon and Suriname, have even declared themselves to be already net zero, thanks to their existing extensive forest cover.Others have set long-term net-zero targets based on this approach. Russia, for example, has promised to reach net-zero emissions by 2060, but the plan relies heavily on using its existing forests to absorb ongoing carbon emissions.Maybe you will get some countries deliberately using this in a mischievous way, Glen Peters at the CICERO Center for International Climate Research in Oslo, Norway, told the briefing. This is going to be more problematic in countries with large forest areas as a share of their total land.The team fears this issue will become more acute as carbon markets develop and the pressure on nations to decarbonise intensifies. As carbon becomes more valuable, the pressure to define any removal you can as a negative emission, in order potentially to be able to sell it on the carbon offset markets, will become much stronger, said Allen.Nations and companies with net-zero targets in place should revise their approach to exclude passive carbon uptake from their account, the team says.Natural sinks can count as carbon removal if they are additional to what already exists: for example, a new forest is planted or a peat bog is rewetted. However, these kinds of natural carbon sinks are vulnerable to climate impacts such as wildfires, droughts and the spread of invasive species, making them unreliable for long-term sequestration.This hasnt stopped nations from leaning heavily on these natural sinks in their net-zero strategies. One 2022 study found many countries, including the US, France, Cambodia and Costa Rica, plan to rely on forest carbon or other nature-based removal to balance out ongoing emissions. Many national strategies bet on the increase of carbon sinks in forests and soils as a means of achieving long-term targets, the studys authors wrote.Natural carbon sinks must be preserved, but should not be relied on to balance out ongoing emissions, stressed Allen. Instead, he urges nations to aim for geological net zero, which would ensure that all ongoing carbon emissions are balanced with long-term carbon sequestration in underground stores.Countries need to acknowledge the need for geological net zero, he said. Which means if you are still generating carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels by mid-century, you need to have a plan to put the carbon dioxide they generate back into the ground.Geological net zero seems a sensible global goal for countries to aim for, says Harry Smith at the University of East Anglia, UK. It helps clarify a lot of the ambiguity that plagues the way countries currently account for removals on land.But that could have knock-on consequences for climate ambition, he warns. What might the new politics of geological net zero be? How might this impact the climate ambitions of governments if geological net zero moves the goalposts on their climate strategy?Journal reference:Nature DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08326-8Topics:

Many major companies are asking employees to return to the office full or part-time.In-person work can aid mentoring, communication, and camaraderie among staff.But problems in these areas may persist if bosses lack key skills and don't focus on the future.Companies are betting that asking employees to return to the office will help boost creativity. HR pros say that's only the start.While being physically present may boost collaboration and the flow of ideas, workplace specialists told Business Insider that RTO mandates alone might not be the answer.To get the rest of the way, companies need bosses and a culture that fosters creativity."You can have a fully in-person organization and still not optimize those things because your culture and your leadership don't bring them out in their people," said Leena Rinne, the vice president of coaching at the corporate training platform Skillsoft."If you have a really stifling and unsafe culture, but you're trying to get more creativity, bringing people back together is not going to get you there."'Water cooler effect'Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently told all corporate employees they had to be in the office five days a week. Goldman Sachs, Salesforce, and JPMorgan have done the same.Bosses want "the water cooler effect" of spontaneous collaboration, said Cary Cooper, a professor of organizational psychology and health at the Manchester Business School.Whether they get it is another question research on RTO benefits has been inconclusive.Some studies found that returning to the office doesn't really improve employee performance and may drive them to quit. Others suggest it can improve collaboration and strengthen bonds between employees.Alongside any office-return rules, employers should "rethink the role of the manager," Cooper said. He recommended prioritizing soft skills that will help leaders motivate their teams, particularly Gen Zers new to the workplace."We've been recruiting the wrong kind of manager for this generation," he said.Those staff "want a better work-life balance," Cooper said."And they want a good quality of working life. That means somebody has to create that, and that somebody has to have good social skills."Workers often don't love being asked to return to the office. At Dell, almost half of US staff rejected the back-to-office call. At Amazon, some employees have joked that they would rather be fired than comply.Jeri Doris, the SVP of people at the HR and payroll platform Justworks, said companies need to justify the working setup they choose, not just mandate it."We need to treat people like adults," Doris said. The goal should be "creating an environment where people can grow, thrive, and feel seen."Doris recommended tying office attendance to particular tasks, like coming in for particular meetings.The pull of 'executive nostalgia'Rinne, the workplace-coaching pro, cautioned against an "executive nostalgia" that pushes old-school bosses to want workers where they can see them."We're not going back to the workplace of yesteryear," she said. "It's different now. We feel different. We have different skills."She said that creativity and personal resilience at work both proliferated with the rise of remote work. Poorly-executed returns can erode them."If we want more collaboration, what do our people and our leaders need to be doing to accelerate collaboration?" Rinne said. "Because it's not just me and you sitting in the same room that makes us collaborate."Overall, strategy isn't what gets results, Rinne said. "It's your people who get your results," she said."How I show up to work every day drives what I accomplish and how I contribute to this organization," she added. "If I'm leaning in and excited about it, that's very different from leaning out and doing the bare minimum."

The Biden administration is trying to finalize CHIPS Act agreements before Donald Trump takes office.The president-elect has criticized the CHIPS Act and supported tariffs as an alternative.Locking in agreements could make it more difficult for the Trump administration if it decides to change course.The Biden administration is running out of time to finalize agreements that would secure billions in funding for US chipmakers.In 2022, President Joe Biden signed the CHIPS Act into law, which included $39 billion in manufacturing incentives for chip production in the US along with $13.2 billion for semiconductor research and workforce development. In addition to creating US jobs, the administration hoped to secure supply chains and make the US less reliant on advanced chips from Taiwan.Over 90% of the subsidies have been allocated, Bloomberg reported. But that money hasn't been fully secured yet. Of the 24 semiconductor manufacturers and suppliers that have beenThe Biden administration is working to finalize agreements before president-elect Donald Trump who has criticized the CHIPS Act takes office in January. In April, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told CNBC that the administration would allocate all $39 billion of the subsidies before the end of the year. The administration is also expected to finalize at least a couple more agreements in the coming months, Reuters reported.The most recent update came on November 15, when the Commerce Department announced that it had finalized a $6.6 billion subsidy for the Taiwan-based chipmaker TSMC.$1 billion of this funding by the end of the year.Locking in CHIPS Act agreements could make it more difficult for the Trump administration to slow down the funding process if it chooses to shift semiconductor policy from subsidies to tariffs. A Commerce Department spokesperson told BI that finalized CHIPS Act agreements are binding contracts: After an agreement is finalized, the funding can't be rescinded unless the company fails to comply with the terms of the deal. Absent that, they said rescinding funding would require an act of Congress.In an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan in October, Trump said tariffs would have been a better way to motivate chipmakers to invest in the US. And in November, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans may try to modify the CHIPS Actcostly regulations" and environmental requirements.Trump "will implement the promises he made on the campaign trail," Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman, told BI. However, she did not answer questions about whether Trump's approach to CHIPS Act funding could differ from that of the Biden Administration.Jeff Koch, an analyst at the semiconductor research and consulting firm SemiAnalysis, told Business Insider that the Trump administration is likely to favor trade restrictions like tariffs over subsidies for chipmakers when trying to boost domestic chip manufacturing.While Koch thinks an outright appeal of the CHIPS Act is unlikely, he said the Trump administration could slow down the funding process, which is among the reasons the Biden administration is trying to get the ball rolling now."This had the ancillary benefit of pushing the Biden administration to cut through red tape and disburse CHIPS Act funds while still in power, and it appears they are trying," Koch said.A variety of factors arereported in October."We are disappointed by how long and how slow the dispensing of funds has been and it's well over two years at this point," Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger told Bloomberg on October 31.Do you work in the US semiconductor industry? Reach out to this reporter at jzinkula@businessinsider.com

Theres always been a saying, an expression of exaggerated exasperation, thats irked me: What do you get for the person who has everything? The fundamental flaw of that question is that it ignores a very important fact: The person who has everything is probably rich, and you should never feel all that burdened about what to get them. If you told me that youre agonizing over what to get a rich person, I would ask you to reevaluate your priorities. Rich people have enough money that they can buy whatever they want.But since the rich are people, and people celebrate birthdays, holidays, and milestones with presents, there will sometimes be a rare occasion when someone needs to get them a gift. And the exasperation goes from imaginary frustration to real annoyance. Thats when people, mostly rich ones, call The Gifterie, a bespoke gifting concierge that helps clients choose the perfect gift for the most affluent, famous, and picky people in the world. The Gifterie is the creation of Elise Nach and Min Polley. They came to me highly recommended by a few celebrity personal assistants. Whether the recipient is an avid golfer or a newborn nepo baby, Nach and Polley will find just the thing. I spoke with Nach about the difference between good and bad gifts, what theyve learned from gifting the hardest people to buy for, how we normies can translate that to the presents we give this holiday season, and, of course, the most absurd celebrity request theyve ever taken. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.Alex Abad-Santos: I asked one of my friends who works as a celebritys personal assistant to ask his colleagues and they all recommended The Gifterie. And now Im here to ask you, the experts, what to get people like celebrities who have everything.Elise Nach: As a company were used to working with a variety of requests, whether it is very specific, like, Blake Lively is having another baby. We need to send something she doesnt have, to [working with] Amazon, when theyre launching a new series and they want to send something fun to all their press and talent. When it comes to either the celebrity gifting or higher-end clientele that really have everything, we always say its more about making something feel special [showing] that you put thought into it. Because they have a thousand scarves or they have a thousand different baby toys. Whether its etching a babys name on a gift or stitching someones initials on something, things like that seem to make a bigger impact with the recipient than just another Herms scarf. Which again, lovely. Who doesnt want to get that? If anyone is reading this, I would not turn down a Herms scarf. Of course, I wouldnt either. But the key to successful gift-giving is really personalizing it. That doesnt necessarily mean it has to have their name on it, but just knowing the recipient well enough to say, Okay, this person really loves X.That could be golf, or travel, or something like, We know theyre going on a huge press tour, so we want to get them something to carry their stuff. Its something you can home in on think about the conversations youve had with this person and what theyre about. Its just so much more thoughtful. How much do you need to know about the recipient to feel like you have the confidence that you can give a good gift? Youre getting great gifts for people you might never even meet.Theres a couple of our clients that we work with on a continuous basis, and they just email us and theyll say, so and so typically, an actor or a director or somebody that works on one of their shows is having a birthday or having a baby, and we want to send something.Whether the budget is $150 or $5,000, our team will dig in and do a little deep dive on the internet on these people, and see if we can figure out something that they like or are interested in. Well do a little sleuthing and figure out, like, Okay, this person seems to really love backpacking. And we would recommend outdoorsy things. Were really trying to stay on the pulse of whats cool, what brands are trendy, quality brands in all different kinds of categories. It isnt necessarily that we have to know a certain amount of information about the people that were gifting, its just the more we know, the better, right? If you receive a thoughtful gift, its because somebody really thought of you and took the time to think, What would this person like? I think what youre getting at and maybe this is the key to all gift-giving is that it just comes down to thoughtfulness. Showing someone that youve thought about them. We have this quote on our website: Happiness doesnt result from what you get, but from what you give. Thats basically our motto. Whether theyre going through something rough or theyre celebrating an amazing milestone, giving people something that has thought behind it and brings them joy is always the best direction. When it comes from someone else, its that extra level of excitement that somebody else got it for you. You didnt buy it for yourself; someone took the time to think of you. Its just a lovely feeling. If you receive a thoughtful gift, its because somebody really thought of you and took the time to think, What would this person like? I know were talking about high-end clientele and very rich people, but do you need a big budget to get people thoughtful presents?Its not so much how much something costs, but how much you put the thought into it and made it feel special. Presentation is also a big component. How we gift wrap things adding dried flowers, the kind of ribbon you use, the paper, etc. we really think about taking it to another level of not just sticking it in a box. We get a lot of feedback from recipients that the gift was just so beautifully gift-wrapped that they didnt even want to open it. And then to open it and find something so pretty inside is also a really nice touch. So for people that are gifting who dont have a big celebrity budget, you can still wrap it in a really beautiful way and make it feel elevated and special. You can get stuff at Michaels. It doesnt have to be from fancy places online. And when you receive a gift like that, it feels like somebody put extra thought into it. Are there any gift ideas people should avoid? Ice cream.But thats a wonderful gift!Have you tried shipping it? Weve done it, but its a nightmare and very stressful. I would also avoid anything super perishable. That would definitely be number one. If you know youre not going to overnight it, if its something that isnt going to be locally given, then I would probably avoid food.Are there polarizing foods that are a no-go? Raisins? I hate raisins. No, we dont usually include raisins. I mean, how do I say this? Probably avoid cheese that is you know more potent. But really, avoid things that are perishable. With gifts that are very breakable, make sure theyre padded and packaged correctly. One of the worst things is sending someone a gift and something shows up broken.Just save your money. People would prefer a card or gift card, if youre not going to put thought into it. Is there such a thing as a bad gift?I just think being generic just shows that you didnt put any thought into it. You know what I mean? Just save your money. People would prefer a card or gift card, if youre not going to put thought into it. Do you have a go-to gift for someone thats just notoriously hard to buy for?Sometimes when its something celebratory, like someone just won an Emmy that can be a tough gift. For those kinds of gifts, well do a beautiful bottle of champagne and we will etch on the bottle, Congratulations on your Emmy win with their name or the date. Its something that they could drink, but they could also put it on a shelf and always see it as another trophy. Its a thoughtful way of enhancing a bottle of champagne or their favorite liquor. If you know that they love a certain whiskey, or a beautiful bottle of champagne, or a really expensive bottle of wine, and its for someone who has everything those seem to always go over well because youre getting them something they love, theyll definitely drink it at some point.Whats the most difficult request youve ever gotten?Okay, so not naming names. I totally want you to name names but I understand. We got a request from an assistant at a record label: So and so is coming in. Theyre really big. We really need a welcome or a thank you gift basket for them. Can you spend X amount and put all this stuff together? We said sure, and that we could do something beautiful a basket of wine, cheeses, and all these fresh goods. And the assistant was like, Can you get it here by 2 pm? And this was like 10:30 in the morning. From the valley to Santa Monica is not easy. Its about a 45-minute drive at 2 pm, and longer with traffic. We went to all of our favorite shops, curated this gorgeous present, but were running out of time to get it to the place. The assistant kept texting and emailing us, asking when we were going to get there. And he wound up meeting Min on the side of the 405, not like the actual freeway they exited and drove off the freeway but they met halfway, and she handed off the gift. The time constraint made it one of the craziest requests. We were just like chickens with our heads cut off trying to make it happen.We dont ever want to say no to anything we do once in a while but sometimes were like, Oh, this would be so fun.Getting something special every time seems incredibly stressful. I only have five friends and Im already fretting about Christmas. But youve turned that stress into a business. Its exciting because every single day were working on different things. We love answering weird requests and hard calls. We really love anything random and unique. We love figuring it all out. Were coming up with unique ideas, whether its for one person or for 100 people. Because if it was just the same thing, then we would just have an automated website, and people would pick from it, and that would be that. A website full of generic nonperishable cheese boards. Exactly.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Following a five-month delay, Football Manager fans have modded last year's game so that it includes everything Football Manager 25 could include when it launches

Half-Life 2 everything ages (Valve)The Tuesday letters page tries to predict The Game Awards winners, as one reader looks forward to all of the Nintendo Switch 2s third party support.To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.ukThe half-life of Half-LifeI was one of those thousands of people playing Half-Life 2 over the weekend. It was the first time Id played it since it first came out and can I be sacrilegious and say I didnt really enjoy it all that much? It was very clever, and surprisingly modern in many ways, but it also felt very badly paced and kind of boring.Everything seemed to go on for too long, from the open world vehicle bits to the Ravenholm section, the headcrabs bits, the stuff on the bridge and in the facility with the human opponents. Everything just stuck around for so long. Even the antlion section, which I remember as being amazing at the time seemed very repetitive and overly long.I also found it to be kind of a bad shooter. The gunplay isnt very good and the AI for the enemies isnt great. To be honest, I found all the dystopian stuff at the beginning, in the city, the most interesting and a lot of the action the worst bit.Not a snub on the game but the number of games which can stay fun for 20 years is very small. If youre not Tetris or Super Mario Bros. I dont think youve got a half-life (do you see?) of more than a decade. But thats fine, just one more reason to make Half-Life 3.TacleLate night revealEven as a great fan of Elden Ring Im not sure I agree with making Shadow Of The Erdtree eligible for Game of the Year at The Game Awards. I dont think itll win, but I feel it would be kind of silly if it did. My bet for the winner is Astro Bot. I feel that has more momentum and its more recent than Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, so fresher in peoples minds and has had less time for people to pick it apart.Personally, I think Rebirth is the better game, but a lot of people have complained about the open world being bloated and I think all those months of complaints are going to count against it. It is what it is though, and Id be happy for any of the three to win really (I havent played the other nominees).Not that Im staying up to watch it or anything. It always seems silly to me that its on so late. I know its for Americas sake but there has to be a better compromise than 3am in the morning.MogulA month of FridaysI think we may be looking at a good Black Friday this year. Weve had a cheap PS5 Pro, just weeks after it came out; some decent Switch bundles; and now Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom is cheap from Nintendo themselves. Bargain hunters are going to be eating good this month, if this is anything to go by.The problem is that were still two weeks away from Black Friday and I dont know whether things are going to get even cheaper when we get there. I dont think thats how it works but the problem with having this permanent Black Friday Month is that you never know when to pull the trigger and, for me at least, that puts you off. I cant imagine thats good for the companies either because the more you hesitate the less likely you are to do it.DansonGC: If it helps, it looks like its going to start in earnest this Thursday. But that doesnt preclude extra good deals on the day itself.Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukBlood feudSonys absolute hatred for Bloodborne is so strange to me. Either they loathe the game or this is the slowest build up to a remake reveal weve ever had. But the thing is, it didnt need a remake when the PlayStation 5 first came out, but theyve taken so long about it that now it kind of does.Upping the resolution is going to do nothing for anyone now, it has to be a full remake like Demons Souls. Thats my opinion anyway.I would bet everything that, based on their behaviour, Sony and From had a falling out, except Sony has shares in From, so is that even possible? Very strange, but Im excited to see what brand new game theyre working on too. They said no Elden Ring 2 and I cant imagine its Dark Souls 4, so that is very exciting to me.Pr0metheus Bloodborne has Sony forgot it exists? (Sony Interactive Entertainment)Look upInteresting new website design, no-one likes change but hey as long as GC still exists, Ill still be reading. Shame Metro still dont call it GameCentral but at least the names there on some articles!Anyway, onto my main question, will you be reviewing Loco Motive, which is out this week? It caught my attention and looks good but would love your verdict on it.StephenPS: With all that talk of Metro and locomotives, I was going to include some train-related puns, but I didnt want to go off trackGC: The GameCentral name and logo is right at the top of every page? Weve only just reviewed a detective game, but Loco Motive does look fun, so well try and take a look.Starting line-upI like the idea of a Dark Souls remaster collection for the Switch 2. Not because I particularly want the games again, but Id just be interested to see what kind of effort publishers are going to put into the new format. After the Wii U, everyone kind of ignored the Switch at launch, and for several years after, but I imagine thats not going to happen this time round.Publishers are going to want in from the start, so thats why Dark Souls makes sense. But it probably means EA and Ubisoft as well, and every Japanese publisher. Its got to be Microsoft too, who have been banging on about Call Of Duty on Switch all this time.This could be the Nintendo console with the best third party support since the SNES and I would love to see that. The terrible job Microsoft and Sony has done this generation doesnt deserve to be rewarded and I would love to see Nintendo become dominant.Of course, theyll then abuse that dominance, but Id rather worry about that nearer the time. A change is as good as a rest and all that.GastonExpensive projectSince I never had any intention of getting a PS5 Pro Im not too bothered about the reports of some games running worse but Im also not surprised that PSSR hasnt turned out to be very reliable. That sort of advanced AI/DLSS tech is not something Sony has any experience in, and I think its one area where theyre going to increasingly get overshadowed by Xbox.The more AI stuff we get in games, and when hardware is designed with it in mind, the more it favours Xbox. I guess you could say that PSSR is Sony trying to get their practice in but this, to me, is the sort of thing where money is all-important. Its one area where outspending Sony can definitely benefit Microsoft.ToecutterBig and uglyThat thing about the pizza warmer was so weird I realised Id never checked to see if the PlayStation 5 gets warm when its on. I dont know that Ill be cooking any food on it, but it definitely is hotter than I was expecting.But the thing that got me is how unstable and rocky it is, when sitting on its stand in horizontal mode. I did notice that when I first set it up but you dont really need to touch it again, so Id forgotten. Easily the worst designed console I have ever seen. Ugly, dangerous-seeming, and far too big.Im not in love with what the Xbox Series X looks like either but its a hundred times better than the PlayStation 5. Theyre both huge though, which is why I find it hard to believe the rumoured Xbox handheld is all that powerful I just dont think Microsoft has the expertise to squeeze everything into that little space.BensonInbox also-ransDoes anyone else think it odd that its been five years since Microsoft bought them and we havent heard a single thing about what Double Fine is working on next? They released Psychonauts 2 but that was almost finished before they got bought.FocusWhat I want to know is how did Rockstar find out there was a stretch of road in the desert that looks like VI. Maybe if theyd spent less time messing around with Google Earth and more time working GTA 6 would be out by now!ManningMore TrendingEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukThe small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Readers Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.You can also leave your comments below and dont forget to follow us on Twitter.Game CentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Are you happy with the list of nominees? (The Game Awards)Get ready to cheer and groan at the full list of nominees for this years The Game Awards, with two games in particular poised to take home seven trophies.This evening, Geoff Keighley took to social media to unveil the nominees for The Game Awards 2024, which are scheduled to take place in the early hours of Friday, December 13.Somewhat surprisingly, Elden Ring could once again steal the show this year. Despite already claiming Game of the Year in 2022, its been nominated once again thanks to the Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC, and is also up for Best Game Direction and Best Art Direction.The Game Awards already updated its website a couple of days ago, to say DLC could be eligible for nominations in any categories. So, expect that to be at the centre of this years discourse.However, two other games are leading the charge in terms of nominations. Both Sonys Astro Bot and Square Enixs Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth boast seven nominations each, which includes Game of the Year for both.Balatro also deservedly snagged a Game of the Year nomination, along with the excellent Metaphor: ReFantazio and the somewhat less deserving Black Myth: Wukong.You can find the full list of categories and nominees below. While we will be part of the judging panel this year, you can cast your own votes for each category on The Game Awards website.Nominees for the Players Voice award, which is determined entirely by a public vote, will be shared on December 2.Game of the YearAstro Bot(Team Asobi/SIE)Balatro(LocalThunk/Playstack)Black Myth: Wukong(Game Science)Elden Ring Shadow Of The Erdtree(FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth(Square Enix)Metaphor: ReFantazio(Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Best Game DirectionAstro Bot(Team Asobi/SIE)Balatro(LocalThunk/Playstack)Black Myth: Wukong(Game Science)Elden Ring Shadow Of The Erdtree(FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth(Square Enix)Metaphor: ReFantazio(Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Best NarrativeFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth(Square Enix)Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth(Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega)Metaphor: ReFantanzio(Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Senuas Saga: Hellblade II(Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios)Silent Hill 2(Bloober Team/Konami)Best Art DirectionAstro Bot(Team Asobi/SIE)Black Myth: Wukong(Game Science)Elden Ring Shadow Of The Erdtree(FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)Metaphor: ReFantazio(Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Neva(Nomada Studio/Devolver)Best Score and MusicAstro Bot(Team Asobi/SIE)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth(Square Enix)Metaphor: ReFantazio(Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Silent Hill 2(Bloober Team/Konami)Stellar Blade(Shift Up/SIE)Best Audio DesignAstro Bot(Team Asobi/SIE)Call of Duty: Black Ops 6(Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth(Square Enix)Senuas Saga: Hellblade 2(Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios)Silent Hill 2(Bloober Team/Konami)Best PerformanceBriana White, Aerith Gainsborough in Final Fantasy VII RebirthHannah Telle, Max Caulfield in Life Is Strange: Double ExposureHumberly Gonzlez, Kay Vess in Star Wars OutlawsLuke Roberts, James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2Melina Juergens, Senua in Senuas Saga: Hellblade IIInnovation in AccessibilityCall Of Duty: Black Ops 6(Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)Diablo IV(Blizzard/Xbox)Dragon Age: The Veilguard(BioWare/EA)Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown (Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft)Star Wars Outlaws(Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft)Games for ImpactCloser The Distance(Osmotic Studios/Skybound Games)Indika(Odd Meter/11 Bit Studios)Life Is Strange: Double Exposure(Deck Nine/Square Enix)Neva(Nomada Studio/Devolver)Senuas Saga: Hellblade II(Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios)Tales Of Kenzera: Zau(Surgent Studios/EA)Best Ongoing GameDestiny 2(Bungie/SIE)Diablo IV(Blizzard/Xbox)Final Fantasy XIV(Square Enix)Fortnite(Epic Games)Helldivers 2(Arrowhead Game Studios/SIE)Best Community SupportBaldurs Gate 3(Larian)Final Fantasy XIV(Square Enix)Fortnite(Epic Games)Helldivers 2(Arrowhead Game Studios/SIE)No Mans Sky(Hello Games)Best Independent GameAnimal Well(Shared Memory/Bigmode)Balatro(LocalThunk/Playstack)Lorelei And The Laser Eyes(Simogo/Annapurna Interactive)Neva(Nomada Studio/Devolver)UFO 50(Mossmouth)Best Debut Indie GameAnimal Well(Shared Memory/Bigmode)Balatro(LocalThunk/Playstack)Manor Lords(Slavic Magic/Hooded Horse)Pacific Drive(Ironwood Studios/Kepler Interactive)The Plucky Squire(All Possible Futures/Devolver)Best Mobile GameAFK Journey(FARLIGHT/Lilith Games)Balatro(LocalThunk/Playstack)Pokmon Trading Card Game Pocket(Creatures Inc/TPCI)Wuthering Waves(Kuro Games)Zenless Zone Zero(miHoYo)Best VR/AR GameArizona Sunshine Remake(Vertigo Games)Asgards Wrath 2(Sanzaru Games/Oculus Studios)Batman: Arkham Shadow(Camouflaj/Oculus Studios)Metal: Hellsinger VR(Lab 42/The Outsiders/Funcom)Metro Awakening(Vertigo Games)Best Action GameBlack Myth: Wukong(Game Science)Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6(Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)Helldivers 2(Arrowhead Game Studios/SIE)Stellar Blade(Shift Up/SIE)Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2(Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment)Best Action/Adventure GameAstro Bot(Team Asobi/SIE)Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown(Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft)Silent Hill 2(Bloober Team/Konami)Star Wars Outlaws(Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft)The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom(Grezzo/Nintendo)Best Role-Playing GameDragons Dogma 2(Capcom)Elden Ring Shadow Of The Erdtree(FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth(Square Enix)Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth(Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega)Metaphor: ReFantazio(Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Best Fighting GameDragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO(Spike Chunsoft/Bandai Namco)Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising(Arc System Works/Cygames)Marvel Vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics(Capcom)MultiVersus(Player First Games/WB Games)Tekken 8(Bandai Namco)Best Family GameAstro Bot(Team Asobi/SIE)Princess Peach: Showtime!(Good-Feel/Nintendo)Super Mario Party Jamboree(Nintendo Cube/Nintendo)The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom(Grezzo/Nintendo)The Plucky Squire(All Possible Futures/Devolver)Best Sim/Strategy GameAge Of Mythology: Retold(Worlds Edge/Forgotten Empires/Xbox Game Studios)Frostpunk 2(11 Bit Studios)Kunitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess(Capcom)Manor Lords(Slavic Magic/Hooded Horse)Unicorn Overlord(Vanillaware/Sega/Atlus)Best Sports/Racing GameEA Sports FC 25(EA Vancouver/EA Romania/EA Sports)F1 24(Codemasters/EA Sports)NBA 2K25(Visual Concepts/2K)Top Spin 2K25(Hangar 13/2K)WWE 2K24(Visual Concepts/2K)Best Multiplayer GameCall Of Duty: Black Ops 6(Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)Helldivers 2(Arrow Game Studios/SIE)Super Mario Party Jamboree(Nintendo Cube/Nintendo)Tekken 8(Bandai Namco)Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2(Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment)Best AdaptationArcane(Riot/Fortiche/Netflix)Fallout(Bethesda/Kilter Films/Amazon MGM Studios)Knuckles(Sega/Paramount)Like a Dragon: Yakuza(Sega/Amazon MGM Studios)Tomb Raider: The Legend Of Lara Croft(Crystal Dynamics/Legendary/Netflix)Most Anticipated GameDeath Stranding 2: On the Beach(Kojima Productions/SIE)Ghost Of Ytei(Sucker Punch Productions/SIE)Grand Theft Auto VI(Rockstar Games)Metroid Prime 4: Beyond(Retro Studios/Nintendo)Monster Hunter Wilds(Capcom)Content Creator of the YearCaseOhIlloJuanTechno GamerzTypicalGamerUsada PekoraBest Esports GameCounter-Strike 2(Valve)DOTA 2(Valve)League Of Legends(Riot Games)Mobile Legends: Bang Bang(Moonton)Valorant(Riot Games)Best Esports Athlete33 Neta ShapiraAleksib Aleksi VirolainenChovy Jeong Ji-hoonFaker Lee Sang-hyeokZyWoO Mathieu HerbautZmjjKk Zheng YongkangBest Esports TeamBilibili Gaming(League Of Legends)Gen.G(League Of Legends)NAVI (Counter-Strike)T1(League Of Legends)Team Liquid(DOTA 2) Is Elden Ring deserving of another Game of the Year win? (Bandai Namco)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.Game CentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy