Half-Life 3 rumours continue thanks to newest Valve dataminesMichael BeckwithPublished November 25, 2024 1:12pmUpdated November 25, 2024 1:12pm It was Half-Life 2s 20th anniversary recently and Valve didnt so much as tease a sequel (Valve)Yet another Half-Life 3 rumour is making waves amongst fans, but there remains no sign of any actual announcement.You can typically expect rumours of Half-Life 3s existence to crop up at least once a year, especially after the release of Half-Life: Alyx proved Valve hadnt completely forgotten or abandoned the series.However, things really ratcheted up this past August, thanks to a voice actors CV referencing a Project White Sands and datamined information from other Valve games that pointed towards real movement on a new game.While the 20th anniversary of Half-Life 2 came and went last week with no big announcements (besides some behind the scenes info on Valves plans for Half-Life 2: Episode Three), YouTuber Tyler McVicker has put out a new video with what he believes is further evidence of Half-Life 3s existence.McVicker has made frequent claims regarding Half-Life 3 in the past, such as a cancelled build of the game from 2015, but he was among the first to leak details on Valves upcoming multiplayer shooter Deadlock (or Citadel as it was originally known).According to McVicker, recent updates to Valves current titles Deadlock, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike 2 include details and files he is convinced are related to a new Half-Life game.These include systems that have been lifted from Half-Life 2 but have been slightly amended, such as types of sounds that non-player characters (like enemies) can react to.An entirely new shotgun sound was also found in Valves Source 2 engine, which McVicker theorises means Valve is running gun testing at a very low level.Perhaps the biggest discovery is that, in the latest Dota 2 update, datamining uncovered references to something called Arty. McVicker explains Arty was a cancelled project that would have allowed for procedural destruction.Given how many Arty files were found, McVicker calls it as close as you can get to source code without it being source code. He also feels confident that its being used for Half-Life 3 since there was some speculation that similar files found previously in the Source 2 engine would be used in Deadlock, but that wound up not being the case.Assuming McVicker is correct, Valve seems to be prioritising innovating Half-Life 3s gameplay over its graphics. Half-Life 2 already featured incredibly detailed physics, which were praised at the time, so itd make sense for Valve to focus on building upon that aspect for a sequel. Half-Life 2: Episode Two was not the end (Valve)Plus, Valve president Gabe Newell himself has admitted Half-Life 2: Episode Three didnt happen because he didnt think it was worth it unless they could come up with new gameplay features that could push things forward.With the datamined files pointing to enhanced interactivity between non-player characters and procedural destruction, McVicker suggests Half-Life 3 could have *immersive sim* elements (we hate that term but think games like Arkanes Dishonored and Deathloop).However, McVicker doesnt think this means Half-Life 3 will be a full immersive sim. He also doesnt think it will be open world, like some have speculated, and instead claims itll be more akin to Uncharted 4 (or indeed Half-Life 2), and feature linear levels with smaller open areas.More TrendingWhile theres no telling if or when Valve will lift the lid on any new Half-Life projects, it feels like the series is set to continue thanks to the success of Half-Life: Alyx.After its release, Valve designer Phil Co even expressed optimism for Half-Lifes future: This ice has been broken, now were hoping to smash through the ice completely. Were not afraid of Half-Life no more.The problem with Half-Life rumours is not that theyre not true McVicker is a reliable and conscientious source but that Valve constantly experiments with new ideas, starts a new project, and then abandons it after a few months or years.So while they may be making Half-Life 3 now, theres no guarantee they still will be by next year before they then get a new idea and begin an entirely new experiment. Maybe one day Valve will actually finish and realise a new game but its been 20 years so far and they still havent got there yet. Any Half-Life 3 probably wouldnt be in VR, but we wouldnt say no to another Half-Life: Alyx (Valve)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.GameCentralExclusive 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

While Black Friday isnt officially here until next weekend, Amazon has decided to publish a whole bunch of deals labeled Black Friday way ahead of schedule. Tons of home goods, appliances, electronics, and gadgets are are seeing huge discounts, with some particularly good options for PC parts. If youre looking to get your holiday shopping done ahead of time for the gamer in your life or if youre just trying to treat yourself to some new parts for your PC gamin rigweve got you covered. The Samsung 990 Pro SSD heavily discounted at the moment over at Amazon. The savings range from 36% to 42% off depending on the exact version you get, be it 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB. It had been discounted last week but only around 30%. If you waited, youve been reward with a larger discount.See 1TB at AmazonSee 2TB at AmazonSee 4TB at AmazonDesigned for superior performance with fast speeds while maintaining power efficiency, the Samsung 990 Pro Gen 4 SSD has read speeds of up to 7,450 MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,900 MB/s so you can say goodbye to long load times in the games you play. This generation 4 SSD from Samsung will help you achieve this high performance while using less power overall. Compared to the 980 Pro, the 990 Pro is capable of up to 50% improved performance per watt. Great for not just gaming, but any intensive workflows like video editing, 3D modeling, or working with large datasets.PlayStation 5 Players, Listen UpStorage isnt just a hot commodity for PCs. Gaming consoles need the space too. The original PlayStation 5 comes with only 825 GB of internal storage. With the ballooning size of AAA games on the market, youll be lucky if you can have more than three games downloaded onto your system at a time.Good news, though. The PS5s storage can be expanded by installing a compatible M.2 solid state drive. The Samsung 990 is compatible, but with a catch. Youre going to want the heatsink option to prevent overheating. The heatsink also has futuristic RGB LED lights because of course it does. Right now, you can get the 1TB version of the 990 Pro with a heatsink for $120. The 2TB version goes for $180 while the 4TB version goes for $308.Thats just for the console players though. If you yourself or the loved one youre buying for is gaming on PC, then the non-heatsink version will work out just fine. Get the Samsung 990 Pro starting at $98 for the 1TB version ($62 off), $160 for the 2TB version ($90 off), or $270 for the 4TB version ($195 off)the best option is 4TB which is 42% off now.See 1TB at AmazonSee 2TB at AmazonSee 4TB at Amazon

Were still a full week out from Black Friday, but whats this? Amazon has published a ton of Black Friday deals seven days ahead of schedule. Anyone who was holding out for the big saving weekend, weve got good news. You can start your holiday shopping now and save as much as you would have next weekend. Lots of products across home goods and electronics are all seeing huge discounts. Take this Vitamix Propel 510 blender. Normally, youd see this going for a full $500. Right now, as part of the early Black Friday deals, its been discounted by 44%. That brings the price to just $280. Its a great time to upgrade your kitchen or gift it to a loved one.See at AmazonThe Vitamix Propel 510 blender has a container with a capacity of 48 ounces and is ideal for full size blends or individual servingswhichever the situation calls for. The blender has three different pre-set programs to work from. Smoothie for smoothies, Hot Soup for hot soup, and Frozen Dessert forand youre not going to believe thisfrozen dessert. Pretty crazy, right? Each program setting ensure ideal, consistent blending results. The Hot Soup function seems pretty nifty as it can make your soup steaming hot without a stove. The friction from the blades alone can bring the soup to serving temperature. Just pour right into your bowl when ready.Professional-GradeThe blender has 10 variable speeds which allow for either the smoothest of smoothies and pures or the heartiest of soups and chunky salsas. The Pulse feature layers coarse chops over smooth blends, great for chunky pasta sauces or soups. Get a professional-grade blend for the type of meal or drink youre preparing. The stainless steel blades are laser-cut and are guaranteed to deliver the same quality of blending from its first use to its last, as they are resistant to dulling or bending.Clean up is a breeze. Just add a drop of dish soap and some warm water. Let it run for about 30 to 60 seconds and watch it clean itself. If thats not enough, the container and its lid are both dishwasher safe so dont be afraid to toss them in there for a nice, thorough cleaning.The Vitamix Propel 510 blender is protected by a full manufacturers warranty, giving your coverage for the first five years of use.Right now, as part of Amazon early Black Friday deals, you can save a full $220 on the Vitamix Propel 510 blender. Thats down from $500 with a 44% discount. Get it today for just $280.See at Amazon

Moselle and Madon Community Headquarters / StudioladaSave this picture! Ludmilla CervenyCommunity Center, SustainabilityNeuve-Maison, FranceArchitects: StudioladaAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:2000 mPhotographsPhotographs:Ludmilla Cerveny, Nathan IllyManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: Alfred Klein, Apic, Avenna, Drouot Bat, Europ Revtements, Lift N Co, Maddalon, Wucher Lead Architects: Benoit Sindt & Aurlie Husson Engineering: Roofing: Vosges CharpenteInterior Carpentry: WucherPlastering: GalloisElevator: Lift N CoMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Repair/transform an old industrial siteThe project aims to bring together all the services of the community of municipalities on one site, as well as the bus terminal for the community. The redevelopment of a former industrial site along the canal is achieved through various means: the creation of an office building extending from the existing technical center, the reintroduction of greenery, the reuse and relocation of old hangars on the plot, and soil decontamination. Transforming this artisanal and commercial area, located in a region in decline, is a current challenge for our territories. It involves initiating an urban and landscape transformation of an outdated commercial area through a contemporary intervention.Save this picture!De-artificialize/decontaminate the soil and infiltrate rainwaterThe previously paved soil has been partially uncovered. A rain garden collects water from the roofs, enabling on-site water management. Tanks collect part of this water to supply the bus washing station and restrooms. Plant species are used for the phytoremediation of polluted soils.Save this picture!Location/architecture and building cultureThe project for the headquarters of the Moselle and Madon community of municipalities reflects a quest for an architecture that aims for several objectives: to produce a design that is intelligible, sober, aesthetic, and functional, to reduce the environmental impact of construction, and finally, to open the site to initiate the process of community ownership.Save this picture!The vast terracotta and zinc roof, which conveys the idea of a single protective covering, forms an overhang to protect the facades. By showcasing its structure, with wooden framing and raw earth brick walls, the community headquarters tells a story: that of a project drawing on what already exists, a building culture inspired by the vernacular, locally available materials, and the skills present or emerging in the region.Save this picture!This project is informed by research carried out at Studiolada over several years, focusing on supply chains, materials, construction processes, and user involvement. Thanks to an architecture that reveals the materials and structural systems, the building becomes a distinctive architectural expression and a medium for communicating this narrative to the public.Save this picture!Build/transition towards ecological and climatic adaptationThe building was designed with architectural and technical features aimed at reducing its carbon footprint. The layout organizes spaces around a central atrium punctuated by "flamandes," providing natural light and ventilation to the atrium. The building consists of a wooden structure (Vosges spruce), insulated with wood wool, and partition walls in a mixed wood and unstabilized earth structure. These heavy walls provide the building with thermal inertia, eliminating the need for air conditioning.Save this picture!Source/anchoring the project with local actors and resourcesThe use of earth as a building material became a natural choice for constructing two internal partition walls alongside a wooden structure. The client quickly expressed a preference for using local earth with strong symbolic value. The aesthetic appeal of uncoated earth and its ability to provide mass for improving the building's thermal performance were the main arguments. The earth project was initiated following architect training at Grands Ateliers (Amco), followed by an on-site collaboration.Save this picture!Two sources of earth were identified within a 5 and 20-kilometer radius, analyzed and tested to determine a suitable formulation. A simple, natural, and local manufacturing method was used, which also anticipates the deconstruction phase: a mixture of clay, sand, chopped straw, and water, molded and dried to make bricks.Save this picture!Train/support for local craftsmanshipSince the earth-building sector is nearly nonexistent in the region, it was decided to create a training program in advance, aimed at the local economic fabric (artisans, reintegration associations, etc.). This on-site training, delivered by Amaco and financed by the Community of Municipalities under a budget for "training local economic actors," allowed local, non-specialized actors to gain expertise in earth construction.Save this picture!Collaborate/a temporary citizen brickworksLater, a participatory workshop was organized on-site under a large existing hall to produce the 18,000 bricks needed for the project.Save this picture!Supervised by Amco and led daily by someone holding a "DSA in Earth Construction" employed by the Community of Municipalities, this temporary brickworks attracted more than 300 people from all backgrounds (schoolchildren, students, local residents, self-builders, elected officials, inhabitants) trained in earth construction in exchange for their contribution to brick production.Save this picture!After a drying period of several months, the bricks were finally laid by one of the companies trained as part of the support for local craftsmanship, which was thus able to demonstrate this skill during the work tendering process.Save this picture!This was a beautiful civic adventure, enhancing the local economy and uncovering untapped resources to drive the ecological transition.Save this picture!Raise awareness/the project house The educational model intended for the future "Project House" will help explain the different phases of the project to all (elected officials, local residents, schoolchildren, businesses), from the implementation of the primary structure to the final finishes. It fits into a rich mediation context: school workshops, mediation in primary schools, partnerships with the school of architecture, round tables, and contributions to professional structuring via the building federation.Save this picture!It demonstrates the virtuous mutual influence between a global mediation process with the public and a readable architectural design.Save this picture!This model was presented at the exhibition organized by the Maison de l'architecture le-de-France: "What models do for architecture #2" at the Chapel of the former Recollets convent in Paris.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Neuve-Maison, FranceLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeStudioladaOfficeMaterialsWoodBrickMaterials and TagsPublished on November 25, 2024Cite: "Moselle and Madon Community Headquarters / Studiolada" 25 Nov 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1023885/moselle-and-madon-community-headquarters-studiolada&gt ISSN 0719-8884

X House / Estudio GeyaSave this picture! Luis BarandarinHousesItuzaing, ArgentinaArchitects: Estudio GeyaAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:730 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2022 PhotographsPhotographs:Luis Barandarin Lead Architect: Lucas Geya More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. A form that initially seems whimsical, a house with an X-shaped footprint on a single level, resulting from an analysis of the land, its neighbors, and the program.Save this picture!Save this picture!The lot where the house is situated is within a country club, measuring 31 meters in front and 77 meters in length, without any trees inside; both neighboring lots are already built, and the back has a direct view of the golf course.Save this picture!The request was to design a single-family home with a typical program, but with the sole condition that it be developed only on the ground floor.Save this picture!The neighborhood regulations required us to set back 4 meters from each side boundary, which, combined with the length needed for the house to fulfill the program on one level, created a large area that is normally denied within the home; this is true for both neighbors. For us, it was essential to enhance this "residual" space.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!We organized the program into four groups: a private family area, a common family area, a social area, and the garage and service sector. Each of these forms a leg of the X, articulated by an interior patio that organizes their relationships and circulation. The different angles of opening allow each environment to expand directly into the garden, according to its condition and need for privacy. Thus, the bedrooms open to contained spaces with protected views, the kitchen to a landscaped area of intermediate scale without direct views of the neighbor, and the dining room, living room, and barbecue area open to large green spaces with views of the pool and golf.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The search for privacy and continuous connection with vegetation and sky is emphasized in the journey. From the entrance, one walks over large stone slabs, through dense vegetation, and between two blind walls of different materials. Upon passing through the door, we find the articulating internal patio, once again with a tree, plants, and the sky; and as we move towards any of the home's spaces, this condition repeats, with all areas directly connected to the outside, seeking that the limits are never a wall, but rather nature.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The chosen materials were concrete, wood, and stone, all in their natural state, which, along with the vegetation, light, and reflections, enhance the architecture of the house.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeEstudio GeyaOfficeMaterialConcreteMaterials and TagsPublished on November 25, 2024Cite: "X House / Estudio Geya" [Casa X / Estudio Geya] 25 Nov 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1023809/x-house-estudio-geya&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Nvidia has faced scrutiny this month because some servers with a whopping 72 Blackwell processors were overheating. The issue arose because some initial OEM deployments were not properly water-cooled, which Lenovo aggressively identified and mitigated with its Neptune warm water-cooling solutions.As AI advances, well need more highly dense, incredibly powerful AI processors, which suggests that air cooling in server rooms may become obsolete.Lets talk about Blackwell, water cooling, and why Lenovos Neptune solution stands out at the moment. Well close with my Product of the Week: Microsofts Windows 365 Link, which could be the missing link between PCs and terminals that could forever change desktop computing.BlackwellBlackwell is Nvidias premier, AI-focused GPU. When it was announced, it was so far over what most would have thought practical that it almost seemed more like a pipe dream than a solution. But it works, and there is nothing close to its class right now. However, it is massively dense in terms of technology and generates a lot of heat.Some argue it is a potential ecological disaster. Dont get me wrong, it does pull a lot of power and generate a tremendous amount of heat. But its performance is so high compared to the kind of load that youd typically get with more conventional parts that it is relatively economical to run.Its like comparing a semi-truck with three trailers to a U-Haul van. Yes, the semi will get comparatively crappy gas mileage, but it will also hold more cargo than 10 U-Haul vans and use a lot less gas than those 10 vans, making it more ecologically friendly. The same is true of Blackwell. It is so far beyond its competition in terms of performance that its relatively high energy use is below what otherwise would be required for a competitive AI server.But Blackwell chips do run hot, and most servers today are air-cooled. So, it shouldnt be surprising that some Blackwell servers were configured with air cooling and those with 72 or more Blackwell processors on a rack overheated. While 72 Blackwells in a rack is unusual today, as AI advances, it will become more common, given Nvidia is currently the king of AI.You can only go so far with air-cooled technology in terms of performance before you have to move to liquid cooling. While Nvidia did respond to this issue with a water-cooled rack specification that Dell is now using, Lenovo was way ahead of the curve with its Neptune water-cooling solution.Lenovo NeptuneLenovo was the first to realize this, mainly because it is currently the market leader in its class in terms of water cooling a technology initially acquired from IBM, which has been doing water cooling for decades.What is important with water cooling isnt just the technology but the knowledge of how to deploy it safely. Mixing water and high-amperage electronics can be a disaster if you dont know what youre doing. As a result of the IBM server acquisition, Lenovo has decades of water cooling experience that it calls Neptune.Given Nvidia has specified a water-cooled rack, what makes Neptune better? The answer is experience. Most that will use the Nvidia-specified solution, including Nvidia, dont often deploy water-cooled solutions. As a result, particularly with these high-end Blackwell implementations, theyll essentially be learning on the job.It can be really dangerous when you mix water with high-amperage electronics. Water and electricity dont mix. Not only can a leak fry an expensive part or even an entire rack, but if a person is present, it can fry them, too, if the breakers dont set in. In a raised-floor environment, unless it has been designed with leaks in mind, terrible things can happen. I observed this myself decades ago when I was at IBM, and it turned out they hadnt stress-tested the water-cooling system for our massive (for the time) data center. The site lost a transformer that shut off the water-cooling system, which hadnt been stress-tested for a sudden stop. The pipes burst, and the data center became a dangerous swimming pool. Most of the hardware, costing hundreds of millions of dollars, was lost, and the building was flooded, doing additional damage.Through experiences like this, IBM became the leading OEM for safe water cooling, and Lenovo acquired that knowledge and experience when it bought the IBM x86 server group. Now, Lenovo, along with IBM, knows how to do water cooling better than most, which means that you can rest assured that a Lenovo Blackwell server wont overheat or suddenly begin to leak.Plus, Lenovos expertise is in warm water cooling, a far safer and far less expensive way to cool servers than cold water cooling, which requires huge, inefficient evaporators or chillers.Implementing this technology is no trivial task. Unlike automobiles or PCs that are water-cooled, servers have to have hot swapping capabilities, which means you need exceptional and highly tested drip-free connections, aggressive alerting, preventive maintenance schedules based on past knowledge of components, and technicians experienced with working with this level of water-cooling tech.Wrapping Up: A Future of Warm-Water-Cooled Data CentersBlackwell is only the first of these incredibly powerful processors to hit the market because as AI pushes the envelope, Nvidias competitors will also have to push into something similar, suggesting all servers may eventually need to be warm water cooled.As warm-water cooling moves into the market more aggressively, these data centers will quiet down, making them far more pleasant places to work. That will make many of us who have to work in them very happy.Windows 365 LinkImage Credit: MicrosoftEver since we replaced terminals with PCs, IT has wanted the terminal experience back. Terminals were like pre-smart TVs in that you didnt have to do patches or OS upgrades or deal with the blue screen of death. If the thing broke, it was pretty easy to fix or was relatively inexpensive to replace. From an IT perspective, terminals were a ton better than PCs.But on the PC side, terminals sucked. You couldnt run what you wanted to run without getting IT support, and it could take months for IT to respond to a request.Terminals were connected to aging mainframes that couldnt run modern applications at the time (they can now). New applications were usually custom-built, but a gap in communication between users and IT frequently led to problems. Users struggled to articulate their needs, and IT often failed to probe for better specifications, resulting in frequently unusable applications.Well at Microsoft Ignite last week, Microsoft announced the Windows 365 Link which may be the closest thing to a perfect wired (theres no laptop solution yet) terminal with PC-like features and performance.While we call the class a thin client, Microsoft calls this a Cloud PC. At $349 and the size of a micro-PC, it appears to have the closest weve seen in terms of a near-perfect PC/terminal blend.Windows 365 Link will be more reliable, cheaper, secure, and far smaller than most desktop PCs, making it very attractive for IT. At the same time, it connects to a Cloud PC instance, providing the user with a very PC-like experience.It only targets enterprise accounts right now, mainly because they have the greatest need and the necessary infrastructure. I see this moving to markets like travel, education, government, manufacturing, and other vertical markets with similar needs. Although it doesnt yet address mobile users, fully deployed 5G and the coming 6G specification should allow future mobile implementations.Given Microsoft was one of the companies that launched the PC and made terminals obsolete, it seems ironic and poetic that Microsoft takes the lead in making them obsolete, eventually. Well see if that happens. For now, the Windows 365 Link is my Product of the Week.

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