• BLOGS.NVIDIA.COM
    NieR Perfect: GeForce NOW Loops Square Enixs NieR:Automata and NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 Into the Cloud
    Stuck in a gaming rut? Get out of the loop this GFN Thursday with four new games joining the GeForce NOW library of over 2,000 supported games.Dive into Square Enixs mind-bending action role-playing games (RPGs) NieR:Automata and NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139, now streaming in the cloud. Plus, explore HoYoverses Zenless Zone Zero for an adrenaline-packed adventure, just in time for its 1.4 update.Check out GeForce Greats, which offers a look back at the biggest and best moments of PC gaming, from the launch of the GeForce 256 graphics card to the modern era. Follow the GeForce, GeForce NOW, NVIDIA Studio and NVIDIA AI PC channels on X, as well as #GeForceGreats, to join in on the nostalgic journey. Plus, participate in the GeForce LAN Missions from the cloud with GeForce NOW starting on Saturday, Jan. 4, for a chance to win in-game rewards, first come, first served.GeForce NOW members will also be able to launch a virtual stadium for a front-row seat to the CES opening keynote, to be delivered by NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang on Monday, Jan. 6. Stay tuned to GFN Thursday for more details.A Tale of Two NieRsNieR:Automata and NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 two captivating action RPGs from Square Enix delve into profound existential themes and are set in a distant, postapocalyptic future.Existence is futile, except in the cloud.Control androids 2B, 9S and A2 as they battle machine life-forms in a proxy war for human survival in NieR:Automata. The game explores complex philosophical concepts through its multiple endings and perspective shifts, blurring the lines between man and machine. It seamlessly mixes stylish and exhilarating combat with open-world exploration for a diverse gameplay experience.The heros journey leads to the cloud.NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139, an updated version of the original NieR game, follows a young mans quest to save his sister from a mysterious illness called the Black Scrawl. Uncover dark secrets about their world while encountering a cast of unforgettable characters and making heart-wrenching decisions.Unravel the layers of the emotionally charged world of NieR with each playthrough on GeForce NOW. Experience rich storytelling and intense combat without high-end hardware. Carefully explore every possible loop with extended gaming sessions for Performance and Ultimate members.Find Zen in the CloudDive into the Hollows.Zenless Zone Zero, the free-to-play action role-playing game from HoYoverse, is set in the post-apocalyptic metropolis of New Eridu. Take on the role of a Proxy and guide others through dangerous alternate dimensions to confront an interdimensional threat. The game features a fast-paced, combo-oriented combat system and offers a mix of intense action, character-driven storytelling and exploration of a unique futuristic world.The title comes to the cloud in time for the version 1.4 update, A Storm of Falling Stars, bringing additions to the game for new and experienced players alike. Joining the roster of playable characters are Frost Anomaly agent Hoshimi Miyabi and Electric Attack agent Asaba Harumasa. Plus, the revamped Decibel system allows individual characters to collect and use Decibels instead of sharing across the squad, offering a new layer of strategy. Explore two new areas, Port Elpis and Reverb Arena, and try out the new Hollow Zero-Lost Void mode.Experience the adventure on GeForce NOW and dive deeper into New Eridu across devices with a Performance or Ultimate membership. Snag some in-game loot by following the GeForce NOW social channels (X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads) and be on the lookout for for a limited-quantity redemption code for a free reward package including 20,000 Dennies, three Official Investigator Logs and three W-Engine Power Supplies.Fresh ArrivalsLook for the following games available to stream in the cloud this week:NieR:Automata (Steam)NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 (Steam)Replikant Chat (Steam)Zenless Zone Zero v1.4 (HoYoverse)What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.
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  • BLOGS.NVIDIA.COM
    AIs in Style: Ulta Beauty Helps Shoppers Virtually Try New Hairstyles
    Shoppers pondering a new hairstyle can now try styles before committing to curls or a new color. An AI app by Ulta Beauty, the largest specialty beauty retailer in the U.S., uses selfies to show near-instant, highly realistic previews of desired hairstyles.GLAMlab Hair Try On is a digital experience that lets users take a photo, upload a headshot or use a models picture to experiment with different hair colors and styles. Used by thousands of web and mobile app users daily, the experience is powered by the NVIDIA StyleGAN2 generative AI model.Hair color try-ons feature links to Ulta Beauty products so shoppers can achieve the look in real life. The company, which has more than 1,400 stores across the U.S., has found that people who use the virtual tool are more likely to purchase a product than those who dont.Shoppers need to try out hair and makeup styles before they purchase, said Juan Cardelino, director of the computer vision and digital innovation department at Ulta Beauty. As one of the first cosmetics companies to integrate makeup testers in stores, offering try-ons is part of Ulta Beautys DNA whether in physical or digital retail environments.https://blogs.nvidia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hair-final-Nvidia-2024.12.18.mp4Adding Ulta Beautys Flair to StyleGAN2GLAMlab is Ulta Beautys first generative AI application, developed by its digital innovation team.To build its AI pipeline, the team turned to StyleGAN2, a style-based neural network architecture for generative adversarial networks, aka GANs. StyleGAN2, developed by NVIDIA Research, uses transfer learning to generate infinite images in a variety of styles.StyleGAN2 is one of the most well-regarded models in the tech community, and, since the source code was available for experimentation, it was the right choice for our application, Cardelino said. For our hairstyle try-on use case, we had to license the model for commercial use, retrain it and put guardrails around it to ensure the AI was only modifying pixels related to hair not distorting any feature of the users face.Available on the Ulta Beauty website and mobile app, the hair style and color try-ons rely on NVIDIA Tensor Core GPUs in the cloud to run AI inference, which takes around 5 seconds to compute the first style and about a second each for subsequent styles.The company next plans to incorporate virtual trials for additional hair categories like wigs and is exploring how the virtual hairstyle try-ons could be connected to in-store styling services.Stylists could use the tool to show our guests how certain hairstyles will look on them, giving them more confidence to try new looks, Cardelino said.Beyond giving customers a new way to interact with Ulta Beautys products, these AI-powered virtual try-ons give users a chance to be creative and explore new possibilities for their personal styles.Hair and makeup are playful categories, Cardelino said. Virtual try-ons are a way to explore options that may be out of a customers comfort zone without needing to commit to a physical change.See the latest work from NVIDIA Research, which has hundreds of scientists and engineers worldwide, with teams focused on topics including AI, computer graphics, computer vision, self-driving cars and robotics.
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  • BLOG.PLAYSTATION.COM
    The Holiday Sale promotion comes to PlayStation Store
    Undecided on your gaming plans for the holidays? Let PlayStation Store help with a sleigh-full of discounted delights!Were rounding off 2024 with one of the biggest promotions of the year, featuring numerous games and DLC, all reduced for a limited time*. That includes the likes of EA Sports FC 25, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, NBA 2K25 and God of War Ragnark.And there are many more. So many, in fact, we cant fit the entire list here. Preview a selection of the offers below, then, when the promotion starts on December 20, head to PlayStation Store to find out your regional discount.A Plague Tale: InnocenceA Plague Tale: RequiemAEW: Fight ForeverAfter the Fall Complete EditionAfterimage PS4 & PS5Agatha Christie Murder on the Orient ExpressAge of Wonders 4AkimbotAmong Us VRAngry Birds VR: Isle of PigsAnno 1800 Console Edition StandardAnother Crabs TreasureArizona Sunshine 2Arizona Sunshine RemakeARK: Survival AscendedARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON Deluxe Edition PS4&PS5ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON PS4&PS5Arranger: A Role-Puzzling AdventureAssassins Creed Mirage & Assassins Creed Valhalla BundleAssassins Creed Mirage Master Assassin EditionAssassins Creed ValhallaAssassins Creed Valhalla Complete EditionAssassins Creed MirageAssetto Corsa CompetizioneASTRO BOTASTRO BOT Digital Deluxe EditionAtari 50: The Anniversary CelebrationAtelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (PS4 & PS5)Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key Ultimate Edition (PS4 & PS5)Atlas Fallen: Reign of SandAtomic Heart Premium Edition (PS4 & PS5)Atomic Heart (PS4 & PS5)Avatar The Last Airbender: Quest for BalanceAvatar: Frontiers of PandoraAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora Ultimate EditionBack 4 Blood: Standard Edition PS4 & PS5Back 4 Blood: Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5Baldurs Gate 3Baldurs Gate 3 Digital Deluxe EditionBanishers: Ghosts of New EdenBarbie Project FriendshipBassmaster Fishing PS4 and PS5Battlefield 2042 PS5Beyond Galaxyland (PS4 & PS5)Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary EditionBleak Faith: ForsakenBloodRayne 2: ReVampedBloomtown: A Different StoryBluey: The VideogameBorderlands 3 PS4 & PS5Borderlands 3: Super Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5Borderlands Collection: Pandoras BoxBraid, Anniversary EditionBramble: The Mountain KingBratz: Flaunt Your FashionBreachersBrotato PS4 & PS5Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons RemakeCall of Duty: Black Ops 6 Cross-Gen BundleCall of Duty: Black Ops 6 Vault EditionCall of Duty: Vanguard Cross-Gen BundleCaravan SandWitchCARRIONCATAN Console Edition Super DeluxeChernobylite Complete EditionChivalry 2 Kings Edition PS4 & PS5Cities: Skylines RemasteredClock Tower: RewindCOCOONCONSCRIPT Digital Deluxe EditionConstruction Simulator Gold EditionContra: Operation Galuga PS4 & PS5Core KeeperCreature LabCricket 24Crime Boss: Rockay CityCRISIS CORE -FINAL FANTASY VII- REUNION DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION PS4 & PS5CRISIS CORE -FINAL FANTASY VII- REUNION PS4 & PS5Crown Wars Sacred EditionCrusader Kings III: Royal EditionCult of the LambCult of the Lamb: Unholy EditionCYGNI: All Guns BlazingDarkwoodDaymare: 1994 SandcastleDead by Daylight PS4 & PS5Dead Island 2Dead Rising Deluxe RemasterDead SpaceDEATHLOOP Deluxe EditionDeep Rock Galactic PS4 & PS5DemeoDemon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles PS4 & PS5Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles Ultimate EditionDestroy All Humans! 2 Reprobed: Dressed to Skill EditionDevil May Cry 5 Special EditionDiablo IV Expansion BundleDiablo IV Standard EditionDouble Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the DragonsDragon Age: The VeilguardDRAGON BALL FighterZ PS4 & PS5DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROTDRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT Legendary EditionDragons Dogma 2 Deluxe EditionDREDGE Digital Deluxe EditionDungeons 4Dying Light 2 Stay Human PS4&PS5DYNASTY WARRIORS 9 EmpiresDYNASTY WARRIORS 9 Empires Deluxe EditionDYSMANTLEEA SPORTS FC 25 Standard Edition PS4 & PS5EA SPORTS College Football 25EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25EA SPORTS MVP Bundle (Madden NFL 25 Deluxe Edition & College Football 25 Deluxe Edition)EA SPORTS PGA TOUREA SPORTS WRC 24EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 6 DELUXE EDITION PS4 & PS5EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: WORLD BROTHERS 2 PS4 & PS5Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred HeroesEmpire of the AntsEnotria: The Last Song Deluxe editionEscape AcademyEvil WestExoprimal PS4 & PS5Expeditions: A MudRunner Game Supreme Edition (PS4 & PS5)Expeditions: A MudRunner Game (PS4 & PS5)FabledomFallout 4Far Cry 6 Game of the Year EditionFAR CRY6 Standard Edition PS4 & PS5FATAL FRAME: Maiden of Black Water PS4 & PS5FATAL FRAME: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse (PS4 & PS5)Fate/Samurai Remnant Digital Deluxe Edition(PS4 & PS5)Fate/Samurai Remnant(PS4 & PS5)Fernbus Coach SimulatorFINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTHFINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Digital Deluxe EditionFINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE & REBIRTH Twin PackFINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADEFINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE Digital Deluxe EditionFINAL FANTASY XVIFINAL FANTASY XVI COMPLETE EDITIONFirst Responder Simulation Bundle: Police FirefightingForspokenFort SolisFunko FusionGhostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Ecto EditionGhostrunnerGhostrunner 2Ghostrunner 2 Brutal EditionGhostwire: Tokyo Deluxe EditionGloomhaven Gold EditionGoat Simulator 3God of War RagnarkGotham KnightsGranblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Deluxe EditionGranblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Standard EditionGranblue Fantasy: Relink Digital Deluxe EditionGranblue Fantasy: Relink Special EditionGranblue Fantasy: Relink Standard EditionGrand Rush VR Highway Car Traffic Racing SimulatorGrand Theft Auto V (PlayStation5)Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy The Definitive Edition (PS5 & PS4)GreedFall Standard EditionGreyhill IncidentGrocery Market Simulator ManagerGrounded PS4 & PS5Guilty Gear -Strive-Gun Club VRGUNDAM BREAKER 4 PS4 & PS5GUNDAM BREAKER 4 Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5GYLTHarold HalibutHarry Potter: Quidditch Champions Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5HavenHazelight BundleHell Let LooseHELLDIVERS 2Hellsweeper VRHigh On LifeHITMAN World of Assassination Deluxe EditionHogwarts Legacy + Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions Deluxe Editions BundleHogwarts Legacy PS5 VersionHome Safety HotlineHorizon Forbidden WestHOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2 Turbocharged Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2 Turbocharged Legendary Edition PS4 & PS5HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2 Turbocharged PS4 & PS5Hotel Renovator Five Star EditionHUMANKIND Heritage Edition PS4 & PS5Hunt: Showdown 1896 Premium EditionHunt: Showdown 1896 Starter EditionHunting Simulator 2 Elite EditionIMMORTALS FENYX RISING GOLD EDITION PS4 & PS5Insurgency: Sandstorm Gold Edition [PS4 & PS5]Insurgency: Sandstorm [PS4 & PS5]Into the RadiusIron Harvest Complete EditionIsonzoJoJos Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash PS4 & PS5Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5Jurassic World Aftermath Collection PS4 & PS5JusantJust Dance 2025 EditionJust Dance 2025 Ultimate EditionKeyWeKingdoms and CastlesKong: Survivor InstinctKunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess PS4 & PS5Lake PS4 & PS5Lakeview Cabin CollectionLEGO Harry Potter CollectionLEGO 2K Drive Cross-Gen Standard EditionLEGO Horizon AdventuresLEGO Horizon Adventures Digital Deluxe EditionLEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Galactic EditionLEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga PS4 & PS5Lies of PLife is Strange: Double ExposureLife is Strange: Double Exposure Ultimate EditionLife is Strange: True Colors Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth PS4 & PS5Like a Dragon: Ishin! Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5Little Nightmares II PS4 & PS5Lords of the Fallen Deluxe EditionMADiSONMADiSON VRManeater Apex EditionMarvels Guardians of the Galaxy PS4 & PS5Marvels Midnight Suns Enhanced EditionMarvels Midnight Suns Legendary Edition for PS5Marvels Spider-Man 2Marvels Spider-Man 2 Digital Deluxe EditionMarvels Spider-Man RemasteredMedieval DynastyMEGATON MUSASHI W: WIRED Deluxe EditionMEGATON MUSASHI W: WIRED Standard EditionMETAL GEAR SOLID Master Collection Version PS4 & PS5METAL GEAR SOLID 2: Sons of Liberty Master Collection Version PS4 & PS5Metaphor: ReFantazio PS4 & PS5Metro AwakeningMetro ExodusMinecraft LegendsMLB The Show 24 Digital Deluxe Edition PS5 and PS4MLB The Show 24 PS5MONOPOLYMonster Energy Supercross The Official Videogame 6 PS4 & PS5Monster Hunter Rise + SunbreakMonster Hunter Rise PS4 & PS5Monster Jam Showdown Big Air Edition PS4 & PS5Monster Jam Showdown PS4 & PS5Morbid: The Lords of IreMORDHAUMortal Kombat 11Mortal Kombat 1Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns KollectionMossMotoGP24 PS4 & PS5Mount & Blade II: BannerlordMoving Out 2Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Quest of MemoriesMX vs ATV Legends 2024 Monster Energy Supercross EditionMXGP 2021 The Official Motocross VideogameMY LITTLE PONY: A Maretime Bay AdventureMy Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights MysteryNARUTO X BORUTO Ultimate Ninja STORM CONNECTIONS Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5NBA 2K25 All-Star EditionNBA 2K25 Standard EditionNeed for Speed UnboundNeed for Speed Unbound Ultimate CollectionNeon WhiteNEW WORLD: AETERNUMNew World: Aeternum Deluxe EditionNHL 25 Standard EditionNHRA Championship Drag Racing: Speed For AllNickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 Ultimate EditionNickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway Turbo EditionNikoderiko: The Magical WorldNo Mans Sky PS4 & PS5Nobody Wants to DieOCTOPATH TRAVELER II PS4&PS5OCTOPATH TRAVELER PS4&PS5ON THE ROAD The Truck SimulatorONE PIECE ODYSSEY Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5Outcast A New BeginningOuter WildsOuter Wilds: Archaeologist EditionOutward Definitive EditionOvercooked! All You Can EatPacific Drive: Deluxe EditionPAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC PS4 & PS5Paleo Pines PS4 & PS5PalworldPAW Patrol WorldPAW Patrol: Grand PrixPAYDAY 3PAYDAY 3: Year 1 EditionPersona 3 Reload Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5Persona 5 Tactica PS4 & PS5PGA 2K23 Cross-Gen EditionPGA TOUR 2K23 Tiger Woods EditionPhasmophobiaPistol Whip PS4 & PS5Planet Coaster 2Planet of LanaPneumataPolice Simulator: Patrol Officers: Gold EditionPotion Craft: Alchemist SimulatorPotion PermitPowerWash SimulatorPrince of Persia The Lost CrownProject Wingman: Frontline 59Propagation: Paradise HotelQuake IIRailway Empire 2Rain WorldRed Matter CollectionRemnant II Deluxe EditionRESIDENT EVIL 2RESIDENT EVIL 3Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition PS4 & PS5RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazardResident Evil 7 Gold Edition & Village Gold Edition PS4 & PS5Resident Evil Village PS4 & PS5Rewind or DieREYNATIS Digital Deluxe EditionRez InfiniteRIDE 5RIDE 5 Special EditionRiders Republic PS4 & PS5Riders Republic Complete EditionRisk of Rain 2RoboCop: Rogue CityRogue Legacy 2RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures DeluxeRomancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven PS4&PS5Rugby 22SaGa Emerald Beyond PS4&PS5Saints Row PS4&PS5Saints Row: The Third RemasteredSCARLET NEXUS Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5Scars AboveScornSea of StarsSea of Thieves: Deluxe EditionSea of Thieves: Premium EditionShadows of DoubtShreddersShredders 540INDY EditionSifuSILENT HILL 2Sker RitualSker Ritual: Digital Deluxe EditionSKULL AND BONESSlime Rancher 2SlitterheadSmalland: Survive the WildsSniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2SnowRunner 2-Year Anniversary EditionSnowRunner 4-Year Anniversary EditionSon and BoneSonic Frontiers Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5SONIC SUPERSTARS Digital Deluxe Edition featuring LEGO PS4 & PS5SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5SOUTH PARK: SNOW DAY!SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star GameSPYANYA: Operation Memories Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5Squirrel with a GunSTAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R PS4 & PS5STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen OrderStar Wars OutlawsStar Wars Outlaws Ultimate EditionSTAR WARS Battlefront Classic CollectionSTAR WARS: Dark Forces RemasterStay Out of the House PS4 & PS5SteamWorld Heist IISTRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5Street Fighter 6Street Fighter 6 Ultimate EditionStreet Outlaws 2: Winner Takes AllSTRIDE: FatesSunnySideSurvival: Fountain of Youth Captains EditionSword and Fairy: Together Forever PS4 & PS5SWORD ART ONLINE Fractured DaydreamSWORD ART ONLINE Fractured Daydream Premium EditionSWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection PS4 & PS5Swordsman VRSynapseSystem ShockTactics Ogre: RebornTales of Arise Beyond the Dawn Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5Taxi Life Supporter EditionTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed Digital Deluxe EditionTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredders RevengeTEKKEN 8TEKKEN 8 Ultimate EditionTerminator: Resistance EnhancedTest Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Gold EditionTest Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Silver Streets EditionTetris Effect: ConnectedTetris ForeverThat Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI ChroniclesThe 7th Guest VRThe Casting of Frank StoneThe Crew Motorfest Cross-Gen BundleThe Crew Motorfest Ultimate EditionThe Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes PS4 & PS5The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me PS4 & PS5The Dark Pictures: Switchback VRThe Elder Scrolls OnlineThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition PS5 & PS4The Grinch: Christmas AdventuresThe Karate Kid: Street RumbleTHE KING OF FIGHTERS XV Standard Edition PS4 & PS5The Last Stand: AftermathThe Legend of Heroes: Trails into ReverieThe Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie Ultimate EditionThe Outer Worlds: Spacers Choice EditionThe Pathless PS4 & PS5The Quarry for PS5The Room VR: A Dark MatterThe Sinking City PS5 Deluxe EditionThe Smurfs Dreams PS4 & PS5The Smurfs Village PartyThe Texas Chain Saw MassacreThe Walking Dead: DestiniesThis Bed We MadeTIEBREAK Ace EditionTimeSplittersTimeSplitters 2TimeSplitters: Future PerfectTiny Tinas Wonderlands: Chaotic Great EditionTom Clancys Rainbow Six Siege Operator EditionTom Clancys Rainbow Six Siege Ultimate EditionTomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara CroftTopSpin 2K25 Cross-Gen Digital EditionTopSpin 2K25 Grand Slam EditionTowers of AghasbaTownsmen VRTrailmakersTrain Sim World 5: Standard Edition PS4 & PS5Transformers Beyond RealityTRANSFORMERS: Galactic TrialsTrepang2Tropico 6 Next Gen EditionTruck and Logistics SimulatorTwelve MinutesTwo Point CampusUFC 5UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:CelesUndisputedUnknown 9: AwakeningUNOUntil ThenVALKYRIE ELYSIUM PS4&PS5VALKYRIE PROFILE: LENNETHVampire Hunters PS4 & PS5Vampire: The Masquerade JusticeVENDETTA FOREVERVertigo 2ViewfinderVISAGEVisions of Mana Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5Visions of Mana PS4 & PS5Waltz of the WizardWarhammer 40,000: Boltgun (PS4 & PS5)Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate Daemonhunters PS4 & PS5Warhammer 40,000: Rogue TraderWarhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader Voidfarer EditionWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Ultra EditionWarhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin Ultimate EditionWatch Dogs: Legion Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5Watch Dogs: Legion PS4 & PS5WayfinderWe Love Katamari REROLL+ Royal Reverie Special Edition PS4 & PS5Welcome to ParadiZeWelcome to ParadiZe Zombot EditionWhat Remains of Edith FinchWhite Day 2: The Flower That Tells Lies Complete EditionWho Wants to Be a Millionaire? New Edition PS5WILD HEARTS Karakuri EditionWithering RoomsWizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad OverlordWo Long: Fallen Dynasty (PS4 & PS5)Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition (PS4 & PS5)Worms Armageddon: Anniversary EditionWWE 2K24 40 Years of WrestleMania EditionWWE 2K24 Bray Wyatt EditionWWE 2K24 Cross-Gen Digital EditionXIIIYakuza: Like a Dragon Legendary Hero Edition PS4 & PS5Yakuza: Like a Dragon PS4 & PS5Ys IX: Monstrum NoxYs VIII: Lacrimosa of DANAYs X: Nordics Digital Deluxe EditionYs X: Nordics Digital Ultimate Edition*The Holiday Sale promotion runs from Friday, December 20 00.00am PST/GMT/JST until Friday, January 17 11:59 PM PST/GMT/JST. Some titles in the promotion are only discounted until January 6. Please check the individual product pages on PlayStation Store for more information.
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  • WWW.POLYGON.COM
    Check Cyberpunk 2077s latest patch for a secret TTRPG surprise
    In a secret pre-holiday update to Cyberpunk 2077, developer CD Projekt Red added a little tabletop-shaped gift. A spokesperson from Cyberpunk publisher R. Talsorian Games told Polygon that any person who owns Cyberpunk 2077 and can access their Bonus Content folder can now find Cyberpunk RED: Easy Mode in there, of course for free.Without mention, Cyberpunk 2077s update 2.2 quietly offered up the quick start guide to the tabletop role-playing game. Easy Mode has abridged rules and an introductory mission to onboard new players quickly to using dice pools instead of controllers and keyboards. Players will be able to act as one of five pre-generated characters in the quick start: the charismatic Rockerboy, the lethal Solo, the inventive Tech, the lifesaving Medtech, and the hard-hitting Media. Though the guide includes a brief dive into the history and landscape of Night City, fans of the video game should feel intimately familiar with the prequel world of Cyberpunk RED.Though the preview was released at Gen Con in 2019, the full version of Cyberpunk RED originally released alongside Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020. The tabletop game is latest edition of the original Cyberpunk 2020 RPG (which was released in 1989). The franchise explores the gritty sci-fi fiction of an end-stage capitalist technofuture where, according to the games description, corporations control the world from their skyscraper fortresses. Perhaps a little on the nose. Set in 2045, Cyberpunk RED takes place midway between the events of Cyberpunk 2020 and Cyberpunk 2077.Polygon has confirmed the gift is available to PC users. To check for your copy of the PDF on PC, navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\music\Cyberpunk 2077 Bonus Content. Polygon has not been able to verify how to get the PDF on Xbox or PlayStation, though the spokesperson said it should have been confirmed for those platforms as well.If you catch the bug and want more Cyberpunk TTRPGs, the bonus content available on Steam also includes the original Cyberpunk 2020 core rulebook. The full Cyberpunk Red core rulebook is available at R Talsorian Games for $60.
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  • WWW.POLYGON.COM
    The next World of Warcraft patch is a neon-soaked goblin paradise
    World of Warcraft is renowned for its expansive set of locations, from barren deserts to lush forests, but some of the most interesting zones are densely inhabited, like Suramar or Tiragarde Sound. The first major patch for The War Within expansion adds another such area with Undermine, the goblin capital and a massive urban center thats not quite like anything else seen on Azeroth.On Thursday, Blizzard released a video of Undermine detailing what to expect from the goblin capital. The goblins have been underserved by World of Warcraft; since their introduction all the way back in 2010s Cataclysm, theyve mostly served as goofy comic relief for the Horde. The goblin starting zone in Cataclysm is similarly advanced, with cars, highways, and even a personal assistant for the player but it was destroyed by the emergence of Deathwing.Some of the goblin collectives in Patch 1.1 (which is cleverly titled Undermined) have been enemies in past patches. Luckily, theyre interested in working with the heroes of Azeroth, and they wont hold past transgressions against you so if youre the kind of player who slaughtered guards in Booty Bay and racked up a terrible reputation with the Blackwater cartel, Baron Revilgaz wont be hostile towards you.Undermined includes a car, which you can upgrade by collaborating with the goblin cartels. Blizzard is introducing the D.R.I.V.E. (Dynamic Revolutionary Improvements to Vehicular Experiences) mechanic alongside these goblin cars; theyre much faster than a ground mount and even a little bit faster than a flying mount in the air. For anyone who wishes World of Warcraft had more drifting, this is the patch for you.Undermined will also include new Delves (one of which has an alarming amount of Void constructs hidden away), a new Arena, and a new dungeon called Operation Floodgate. Raiders can look forward to the Liberation of Undermine, an eight-boss raid. Here, players finally get to beat up Gallywix, the ultra-capitalist goblin who betrayed his people during the Cataclysm yet somehow managed to fail upward to leading the faction. Gallywix is, true to form, inside a giant mech that has been build to look like his face.Blizzard hasnt announced a release date for Undermined quite yet, but it looks like an interesting spin on The War Withins zones so far. The goblin antics will tie back into the greater plot with Xalatath, so there will be some interesting mysteries in store.
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  • WWW.POLYGON.COM
    The best characters in Marvel Rivals season 0
    There are 33 different characters in Marvel Rivals, but not every hero (or villain) is equal. In the competitive shooters season 0, which is called Dooms Rise and is significantly shorter than a regular season, every character is viable but there are some who are obviously more powerful than the rest.Below, weve compiled a breakdown of the current Marvel Rivals meta by noting the nine best characters (three from each role: duelist, vanguard, and strategist) who are performing very well in season 0. And while the meta will of course continue to shift, with new heroes rising to the top, all of these are great characters you can take into any match once youve mastered them in order to increase your chances of winning.In this Marvel Rivals guide, well walk you through the best characters in Marvel Rivals, tell you what makes each of them so powerful, and how you should (ideally) build your team with them. Weve also listed out all currently available heroes in a table below.The best characters in Marvel Rivals season 0 metaThe best characters in Marvel Rivals right now (in alphabetical order) are:Cloak & Dagger (Strategist)Doctor Strange (Vanguard)Iron Fist (Duelist)Jeff the Land Shark (Strategist)Mantis (Strategist)Moon Knight (Duelist)Thor (Vanguard)Venom (Vanguard)Winter Soldier (Duelist)After testing out each hero in the game, weve put together the above list of best heroes based on the power of each characters kit (their active and passive abilities), their consistency, their ease of use, and their ability to carry a team. There are some other incredible heroes in Marvel Rivals that will likely make it onto this list in the future, but they are currently only really dominating at higher levels, and are therefore higher skill floor heroes that are difficult to recommend unless youre an incredible shot (such as Hawkeye and Hela).As far as how these characters fit into a team, lets take a quick look at the current composition meta in season 0.The best team comp seems to be that solid 2-2-2 two of each class which gives you a nice balance of everything. This allows you to have a beefy main tank like Doctor Strange and an off-tank like Thor, a powerful throughput healer like Jeff the Land Shark paired with a healer that also increases damage like Mantis, and a group damage dealer like Moon Knight paired with an assassin like Iron Fist. The 2-2-2 seems to be the most consistent composition because it offers the broadest coverage in terms of what a team generally needs. And before we get the meta settles with a season 1 balance patch, you need to be prepared for anything. This comp will do it for you.The one alternative team composition that weve seen do well is the 1-3-2 comp, with just one tank, three damage-dealers, and two healers. This forces you to dedicate a healer almost entirely to your one tank to keep them alive, but gives you the flexibility of a bonus damage dealer to deal with a problem player on the other team, like a sneaky Scarlet Witch or a sniping Hawkeye. This team composition does rely heavily on the duelists to capitalize on opportunities quickly, and will likely fall off at higher ranks when teams are coordinated enough to just burn the one tank down as quickly as possible, giving them a lot of room to navigate objectives.Below, weve broken down what makes each of the nine best heroes in the game so good. Cloak & Dagger (Strategist)Cloak & Dagger are two very simple heroes in one, making them more complex to play than either Jeff or Mantis. However, Cloak & Daggers abilities when woven together can create a very powerful storm of healing and damage, which can be difficult to overcome for most enemies. What makes Cloak & Dagger a stellar support, however, isnt even their ultimate ability, but Cloaks Dark Teleportation ability, which makes allies briefly invisible and untargetable. This single ability can negate ultimates like Jeffs Its Jeff! or even Scarlet Witchs Reality Erasure. Even better, it requires nothing from Cloaks allies other than to be close to him, so its a potentially game-saving ability that you can pull off without any voice chat or coordination.Doctor Strange (Vanguard)Doctor Strange is a tank who seems weak on an initial look, but is actually extremely powerful in the right hands. Where Thor and Venom allow you to drag your team to victory by killing squishier characters, Doctor Strange is able to lead the team where he wants them to go with his powerful shield and massive stun ultimate.But the real power of Doctor Strange especially when youre playing with friends over voice is the Pentagram of Farallah portal. This thing allows your entire team to move to another area of the map in seconds, allowing for a powerful flank. You can even shoot powerful attacks like Iron Mans ultimate through the portal and onto an unsuspecting team below.Doctor Strange is a very high-skill tank, but if you know how to play him, you can lead your team to victory without much effort.Iron Fist (Duelist)Iron Fist is a damage-dealing machine, specifically very good at diving into the backlines of enemy teams and wiping squishy duelists and strategists off the map. This is usually due to his Yat Jee Chung Kuen enhanced melee attacks, which deal extremely high damage in a short amount of time.His triple jump, kick, and wall-run abilities also make him very difficult to escape for most characters, and impossible to catch for most vanguards.Jeff the Land Shark (Strategist)In season 0, Jeff the Land Shark is the best character in Marvel Rivals, largely due to his ease of play. His Joyful Splash healing waters have unlimited range and can heal multiple characters at once if theyre stacked up, making Jeff one of the most efficient healers out there. His Aqua Burst primary attack also does very high damage for a strategist, making him difficult to take on solo if you cant get the drop on him.But the reason most people hate playing against Jeff and what makes a Jeff with good map knowledge so dangerous is his Its Jeff! ultimate, which sees the shark swallow everyone in a small area. Jeff can then safely spit out his allies before carrying everyone from the enemy team off a cliff. This is a potentially game-winning ultimate that is very difficult for you and your teammates to counter or escape.Mantis (Strategist)Mantis is a potent healer in Marvel Rivals, capable of enabling both herself and her allies to deal high amounts of damage. Her kit is relatively straightforward, as she uses healing orbs to either heal allies or significantly boost ally damage. But those two abilities paired with her powerful stun give you incredible tools to work through almost any situation.On top of her raw healing throughout and damage capabilities, Mantis ult essentially makes your allies invulnerable with how powerful its healing is, and the bonus health it brings can help counter many other powerful ultimate abilities if timed correctly.Moon Knight (Duelist)Moon Knights sheer ability to deal damage in a large group of heroes makes him extremely potent in the current meta. A well-thrown Ankh paired with an accurate Moon Blade and some Crescent Darts can eliminate entire teams of low-health characters in seconds. Moon Knight users who are able to hide their Ankhs in unpredictable or difficult-to-reach spots can create a kill box that is very difficult to avoid for strategists, and can make incoming damage unpredictable.Moon Knights Hand of Khonshu ult also charges very quickly, does a ton of damage, and can be difficult to escape for slow-moving characters.Thor (Vanguard)Thor is an absolute powerhouse of a tank, capable of soloing squishy targets in seconds while using his Awakening Rune ability. But Thor is a lot more than just his awakened state, and all of his abilities can generate team wins very regularly if you know what youre doing.All of his tools make him significantly more complex than a tank like Venom, so not every Thor on your team means a free win. But a Thor on a rampage is capable of diving into a team, eliminating strategists, and diving back to their allies without even getting close to going down.Venom (Vanguard)Venom gets the award for simple but powerful. Just by being in the fray, hes a massive threat, and learning the timing on his Symbiotic Resilience ability which gives him a massive bonus health shield based on his missing health takes very little practice to master.Beyond just being easy to get online, Venom has a decently high skill ceiling with his swing and ground pound, and hes capable of acting as both frontline tank and surprise backline assassin depending on what you need in the moment.Winter Soldier (Duelist)Winter Solider has a lot of things going for him, which makes him both difficult to master, and extremely powerful. His primary attack deals so much damage that it can kill several low-health strategists and DPS in two shots. His hook ability also makes him great for surprise eliminating characters like Adam Warlock or Mantis. But what really makes Winter Soldier scary is his Kraken Impact ultimate, which not only enables a powerful execute that can make all heroes easier to take down, but resets on each kill. An effective Winter Soldier can chain ultimate after ultimate until the entire team is eliminated, allowing you to clean up the objective and win the match.All characters list in Marvel RivalsBelow is the full roster of 33 Marvel Rivals heroes as of season 0.CharacterRoleDescriptionAdam WarlockStrategist A healer who specializes in reviving himself and allies with his powerful ultimate.Black PantherDuelistA diving duelist able to assassinate squishy characters with ranged spear attacks and melee claws.Black WidowDuelistA sniper character whos able to scope in and deal with squishy characters in the backline.Bruce Banner (Hulk)VanguardA transforming tank whos able to leverage massive health bars and multiple lives to stay in the battle.Captain AmericaVanguardA dueling tank whos able to go toe-to-toe with some duelists and strategists, making him an effective assassin who can also defend his allies.Cloak & DaggerStrategist A duel support whos able to swap between a damage-dealing character and a pure healer mid-battle.Doctor StrangeVanguardA shield-first tank, whos able to protect allies and carry them around the map quickly via portals.GrootVanguardA wall-focused tank, able to build massive barriers that protect himself and his allies.HawkeyeDuelistA sniper with the capability to one-shot squishy heroes with well-placed arrows.HelaDuelistA long-range precision character whose able to quickly destroy foes with knives to the head and explosives from the air.Iron FistDuelistA diving assassin whose able to quickly push his way behind tanks and eliminate duelists and strategists in seconds.Iron ManDuelistAn aerial damage dealer able to rain down explosive shots and powerful lasers on unsuspecting enemies.Jeff the Land SharkStrategist A healer whose able to give allies health and movement speed boosts while swallowing enemies whole.LokiStrategist A trickster healer whos able to dish out decent damage while being very difficult to track down.Luna SnowStrategist A popstar healer whos able to freeze enemies, and both heal and damage boost allies with her powerful ultimate.MagikDuelistA melee duelist who uses portals to slide in and out of the enemy backline and assassinate squishy characters.MagnetoVanguardA powerful tank that uses shields to block damage, which he can then redirect at his enemies.MantisStrategist A support that is able to heal allies as well as boost their damage for long periods of time.Moon KnightDuelistA damage dealer that specializes in area of effect attacks, and is able to ricochet boomerangs between enemies.NamorDuelistA pet-focused duelist whose able to throw out octopuses to do his bidding and take down powerful enemies from afar.Peni ParkerVanguardA defensive tank whos able to lock down an area with mines and healing webs.PsylockeDuelistA swift duelist whose able to use her ranged attacks to deal damage from afar, while also dashing into the backline.Rocket RaccoonStrategist A gadget-focused support who can deal decent damage and has the power to resurrect allies.Scarlet WitchDuelistAn up-close duelist whose able to drain the life from enemies before disintegrating them with her one-shot ultimate.Spider-ManDuelistA mobile duelist whos able to weave in and out of the enemy team, getting quick kills before retreating to safety.Squirrel GirlDuelistAn area-damage focused duelist, whos able to launch explosive nuts into the enemy team and rack up big damage.Star-LordDuelistA mobile duelist whos able to fly around the battlefield dealing consistent damage with his duel pistols.StormDuelistA damage dealer who brings some support-like bonuses to her team and is able to fly around the battlefield at will.The PunisherDuelistA more traditional shooter character whos able to use his powerful arsenal of weapons to take enemies down.ThorVanguardA high-damage tank whos able to weave his abilities together to quickly kill enemies while keeping himself alive.VenomVanguardA highly mobile tank whos able to dive into the enemy backline and live to get back to his team.Winter SoldierDuelistA high-damage character whos able to use his ultimate multiple times in a row to secure kill after kill.WolverineDuelistA tank-busting duelist whos able to survive for long periods of time and shred the health of bigger targets.For moreMarvel Rivalsguides, heres a list of all knowncodes, allTeam-Up abilities, allmaps and modes, and a look at the gamesroadmap.
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    Fantastical Hungarian Folklore Enchants at Budapests Kimpton BEM Hotel
    In an ode to his practice, noted Dutch designer Marcel Wanders modestly declares: Sometimes, when I think of design and interiors, and I trash the ignorant, the unthoughtful, the lazy and the tired use of white walls and under-inspired minimalism, I hallucinate and dream of a world, a design, a philosophy that truly builds on love, that builds on creativity, that builds on fantasy, and when I fail to explain my plan and try to express the urgency of my vision, I will proclaim vigorously that every square centimeter deserves our love, that every square centimeter deserves our thought, that every square centimeter should be kissed and deserves our attention, that large and little, pink and yellow, empty and full are sisters, that cannot live without each others love, that divine is in the creation of new unseen, unexperienced, remarkable and inspiring relationships.This thinking is perhaps best evidence in his recently outfitted brand-new Kimpton BEM hotel in Budapest, Hungarys historically-entrenched capital. The 127-room boutique hotel occupies the decidedly grand and emphatically Neoclassical Radetsky Barracks building in the quieter Buda side of the city; on a perch overlooking the mighty Danube River that traverses the metropolis.The Amsterdam-based polymath perhaps most famous for establishing eclectic furniture brand Moooi and driving the influential early 2000s Dutch Design scene imbued the stately address with a scheme thats equal parts fantastical and site-responsive, both in terms of cultural and environmental cues.References and symbols from Hungarian folklore abound in explicit representations and abstracted articulations throughout, especially in the hotels three idiosyncratically staged hospitality venues: the main lobby, AGOS restaurant, and Bar Huso. To say Wanderss intervention was comprehensive would be an understatement. For this project the talent delved deep into research and pulled out elements he deemed the most compelling.The revered maverick and his team introduced a grid-pattern coffered wall motif throughout these slightly vaulted, double height-spaces. Beveled corners and concave reliefs serve as a slightly neotenic and playful backdrop. Everything else is far more maximalist and expressive, especially when it comes to decorative patterning and coloring, Decipherable and somewhat skewed depictions of mythological creatures and native flora such as poppies and tulips are found throughout and to vibrant effect.As with any of Wanders endeavors over the past 30 years, experiential storytelling and the human touch are essential components. These considerations are manifested in everything from custom furnishings to high-quality finishes and the unlikely application of certain materials. Regardless, he still aims for a level of efficiency; ensuring his outfits can easily be refurbished and dont produce too much waste.While Essential collection guest rooms are covered in almost trompe-loeil carpet to wall murals of magnified flowers and adjoining bathrooms are fully clad in tone-matched glazed green tile, the Premium Danube Room carries a similar scheme but in water blue; the enlarged representation of crashing waves. Though Dutch Design can sometimes be thought of as kitschy or gimmicky, those qualities are always backed by some degree of ironic irreverence or innovative conceptual ideation.Bar Huso takes on a similar all-encompassing under-the-sea or in this case, under-the-river aesthetic with dramatic fern-topped illuminated columns and port-hole-like compositions of creatures with exaggerated features. Huso Huso is the beluga sturgeon that reappears in numerous fables and legends. An oversized golden stag statue no, not the somewhat controversial Moooi Horse Lamp takes pride within a stained-glass atrium. The AGOS restaurant is watched over by a mural of the ever-resilient Turul bird and is bisected by larger collage-like and totemic columns.What: Kimpton BEM BudapestWhere: Budapest, HungaryHow much: Guest rooms starting from $197Design draw: A Neoclassical building on the quieter Buda side of Budapest entirely transformed into a swanky 127-room hotel by the bad boy of Dutch design Marcel Wanders, who translated local folklore and flora in maximalist details.Book it: Kimpton BEW BudapestGo virtually on vacation withmore design destinations right here.Photography provided by Kimpton BEM Budapest.
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    Tiptoe + Yves Klein Archives Unite for a New Klein Blue Series
    Tiptoe and the Yves Klein Archives are back with an encore performance with a new collection Tiptoe x Klein Blue featuring the vibrant, ultramarine blue that has become an iconic hue in fashion, art, and design. After a stellar debut in 2023, the two brands have come together once again to reimagine some of Tiptoes most beloved designs in the unmistakable International Klein Blue (IKB), a color as legendary as the artist himself.This limited-edition collection includes the PLI shelf, DUKE bench, BRACKETS wall hooks, LOU stool, SSD chair, round coffee table, and Tiptoes signature table legs in 75cm and 43cm heights. Each piece pays homage to Yves Kleins IKB, which he described as the most perfect expression of blue and became the basis for his exploration of the immaterial and the infinite. Many of his monochromatic works are characterized by this intense color.The collection goes beyond just making furniture in a new hue. Getting the color perfectly right is of the utmost importance in a collaboration like this. Tiptoe worked closely with the Yves Klein Archives, whose mission is to protect and promote the artists work, to ensure every shade of blue matched the artists original intent. Two distinct formulas had to be made for wood and steel to ensure seamless continuity across materials.Every piece in the collection is stamped or silk-screened by French artisans and made using sustainable, durable materials sourced and crafted in Europe. As a B Corp-certified pioneer in eco-design, Tiptoe continues to prove that furniture can be equal parts artful, functional, and environmentally responsible.The Tiptoe x Yves Klein Archives collaboration celebrates the timeless allure of this historic shade of ultramarine, while offering a vibrant pop of color for your home.To learn more about the Tiptoe x Klein Blue collection, visit tipetoe.fr.
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  • DESIGN-MILK.COM
    Get in the Know: Does Sound Define Space?
    Can sound define space? If brooks can babble and the wind can whistle, whos to say walls cant talk? Curious co-hosts Faraz Shah and Ella Hazard pose this question in the fifth episode of their podcast Sense of Space where the duo explores the subtleties of architectures aural experience. Presented by Turf and the SURROUND Podcast Network, this conversation takes listeners on an oral journey to find the parallels between music and design.Shah and Hazard approach the subject with a deep reverence for music and wholistic design that regards architecture as an artistic practice. The two present the work of multi-hyphenate creative Bryan Black, also known as Black Asteroid, as a case study, whose from-scratch sounds are responses to visual stimuli that often inspires the production. Buildings, cities, and even skylines have a way of eliciting soundtracks or lyrical musings reflected in songs, which eventually inspire designers when scene building with tangible materials.The co-hosts celebrate connections within the shared heritage between architects, designers, and musicians pointing out a common thread through the visual media, music, or even fashion. No matter the genre, the goal is often to craft some kind of experience for someone else. Shah also draws connections between the devices that make music memorable in the same way interiors are made interesting.You use pattern in space, often with repetition to set expectations. And I think electronic music is the same way. But then you have to find ways to create these moments of surprise and delight, Shah says. You interrupt that pattern, you break it. And I think thats the thing thats so interesting about all of this its the same principles, different mediums.Hazard continues by building on the previous idea introducing the concept of tempo or pace, citing apps that match musical stylings to the speed of physical movement. How might segments of circulation through a building sound, and in what ways could a tune tempt listeners to explore new architectural territory?These points represent just a sliver of sound bites tackling the craft, creation, and spatial experiences cataloged in episode five leaving listeners a little more attuned to their surroundings are you ready to listen?Co-hosts Ella Hazard and Faraz ShahBlack Asteroid \\\ Photo: Matthew ReevesTo tune into Sense of Space, visit SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com or wherever you get your podcasts.Interior Renderings by Blaque
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  • UXDESIGN.CC
    Beyond procrastination: the cognitive reasons behind unfinished projects
    From impostor syndrome to cognitive overloadmastering the invisible forces that prevent projectsuccessSourceProgrammerHumor subredditRemember this sensation: in your mind, a new brilliant project idea sparks, youre burning with excitement and 200% engaged into work, until another project/framework/technology beckons. And I totally get itits always greener on the other side. Notebooks are filled with half-finished concepts, Github repos multiply with ambitious beginnings that wont ever reach their final stage. What starts as passionate creativity often transforms into a stockpile of unfinished potential, an accumulation of partially constructed projects. Sounds familiar, doesnt it? Well, its not just you. In fact, its quitecommon.Our relationship with incomplete work is far more nuanced than simple procrastination. Its a complex relationship of creativity, neurological reward systems, and the profound psychology of potential. When we understand how it works, we can transform seemingly scattered efforts into a powerful attribute of self-improvement.Look at this from a different angle: those arent graveyards of failed projects, but the living laboratories. Each unfinished activity represents a moment of intellectual curiosity frozen in time. Curious? Great! Lets dive into the complex psychological and neurological mechanisms driving technological exploration.Short track:Jump right to this chapterStrategies for Meaningful Project Development.The Neurological Roots of Project IncompletionTo try and reveal the roots of the new-projects-problem, well explore some ideas, backed up by psychological and neuroscientific works.Dopamine-Driven Novelty Seeking: The Neural Reward CircuitryOur brain is evolutionarily wired to seek novelty as a survival mechanism. Dr. Andrew Huberman explains in his neuroscience study that this novelty-seeking behavior stems from our brains dopamine reward system, which creates a powerful neurochemical response to new experiences.Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. It is involved in many brain functions and well-known for its role in movement, motivation, and addiction.Each new technological discovery triggers a dopamine release, creating a neurochemical reward that far exceeds the more mundane satisfaction of completing existing work. Our neural circuits are designed to anticipate and seek out potential rewards, constantly pushing us towards new and exciting possibilities.Dopamine reward pathway in a simple form. Sourceknowingneurons.comNaturally chasing neural circuits satisfaction, we tendto:alternate projects/technologies/frameworks/etc, driven by the brains reward prediction mechanismpursue bleeding-edge and freshly emerging libraries and languagesstart greenfield projects instead of maintaining existingreposimmediately hop on to the new technique after a workshop/conference/articleThis naturally applies beyond the hobby or side projects. Remember when half-way through refactoring of some legacy codebase you discover a new tech that supposedly speeds up your work and potentially grants your project 50% performance kick?Dr. David Eagleman and his bestseller book Incognito: The Secret Lives of TheBrainIn his book, Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain, Dr. David Eagleman describes a neural plasticity effect of activation of our brains novelty circuits. From developers perspective the new technology seems then more exciting and potentially more valuable than the current mundanework.Complexity Overwhelm and Cognitive LoadWhile novelty seeking tends to propagate positive experiences, their amount can become a challenge. Especially when work is paralleled and/or task-switching engaged. Our brain has limited working memory capacity, a concept extensively explored quite a while ago by John Sweller in his Cognitive Load Theory. Relatively recent famous work by Dr. Daniel KahnemanThinking, Fast and Slowfurther elaborates on how our cognitive resources become depleted when faced with complex problem-solving tasks.Dr. Daniel Kahneman and his bestseller Thinking Fast andSlowFor developers, this can be simply demonstrated as a progressive mental exhaustion. The brains working memory acts like a small workspace that becomes quickly overwhelmed by intricate technical challenges. As project complexity increases, cognitive load creates a psychological defense mechanism of avoidance and task-switching. And, unfortunately, weve often beenthere:initial excitement is replaced with cognitive exhaustionsome complex architectural decisions become paralyzingtechnical debt creates increasing mentalfrictionproject scope tends to become overestimatedThe prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive function, becomes progressively taxed. Stress and complexity directly impact our brains ability to maintain focus and execute complex tasks. While some of these statements look obvious, there are probably even more deeply rooted brain mechanisms worth exploring. Well touch them in the nextsection.Fear-Based Project Avoidance and Psychological BarriersFear is a primal emotion that shapes our most intimate professional decisions. Applied to our realm, fear transforms from a basic survival mechanism into a psychological barrier that can paralyze even the most talented developers. Here are just a couple of the most common patterns that we can experience.Perfectionism ParalysisDr. Pauline Rose Clances groundbreaking research on the Impostor Phenomenon provides insight into this challenge. The fear of imperfect implementation stems from a deep-seated psychological mechanism where developers:doubt their technical capabilitiesengage in constant reevaluation or refactoring without meaningful progresscompare potential output to an idealized mentalmodelImpostor SyndromeGoing further with the impostor syndrome, Mike Cannon-Brookes, in his influential TED Talk, describes it as a universal experience among high-achieving professionals. Often met between writers, artists, various creators, and of course developers this resultsin:persistent doubt about technical abilitiesfear of external judgment and following blockerspreventing project completion to avoid potential criticismMike Cannon-Brookes on the TED Talk Imposter SyndromeTechnology Obsolescence AnxietyDr. Cal Newports work on deep work and technological anxiety suggests that this fear is rooted in our rapidly changing technological landscape. Cobol, Perl and to the very recent time React.js developers are probably on the safe side in this regard. Nevertheless, jokes (?) aside, some of you can remember:constant worry about implementation becomingoutdatedperpetual desire to incorporate latest best practicesendless loop of one more optimizationThe Incompleteness AddictionThe quagmire of perpetual technological improvements goes arm-in-arm with another concept, hinted on previously. Unfinished projects represent infinite potential. Completion on the other hand means confronting actual versus imagined capabilities, which can be psychologically threatening.James Clear and his book Atomic Habits. Sourcepenguinrandomhouse.comJames Clear touches that aspect of human behaviour in the popular book Atomic Habits. He explores how our brains are wired to find comfort in potential rather than finality. This mechanism protects the developers self-image by maintaining the project in a state of perpetual promise, avoiding the potential disappointment of real-world constraints and limitations.If you find yourself in the place of endless proof-of-concept development or exploring theories over practical implementations or initializing multiple project versions without finalization you definitely know whats this is about. These neurological and psychological mechanisms arent weaknesses but sophisticated cognitive strategies.And you know what else? You are not alone struggling with fear of accomplishment, collecting numerous incomplete projects or hopping styles, genres and technologies. You are, in fact, in a legendary company.Great Minds and Unfinished SymphoniesConsider Leonardo da Vinci, whose notebooks were living documents of boundless intellectual exploration. He is known primarily as painter; but as a draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect he recorded 13000 pages of studies. Needless to say, majority of those works was unfinished. His approach reveals a critical insight: transformative developers are not those who persistently complete every project, but those who remain curious and adaptable.Franz Kafka was the writer and an existential experimenter. Kafka didnt write storieshe conducted psychological experiments. His fragmented manuscripts werent incompletethey were deliberate explorations of human uncertainty. The Dante and one of the greatest writers of the 20th century finished none of his full-length novels and burned around 90 percent of his work, leaving his dear friend Max Brod thousands of drafts after hisdeathIf you arent familiar with Sir Alfred Hitchcockthe film director and the technological innovator, you would certainly recognize his movie by the iconicscene.Shower killer scene from the movie Psycho (1960) by Alfred HitchcockFor Hitchcock, each film was an experimental ground. He didnt just create movies; he continuously reimagined the language and shape of modern cinema as we know it. And this next quote is particularly curious, Im sure it resonates in some ofyou:Once the screenplay is finished, Id just as soon not make the film at all. All the fun is over. <> When you finish the script, the film is perfect. But in shooting it you lose perhaps 40 per cent of your original conception.For Frida Kahlo, the personal technologist, art was a constant negotiation between personal narrative and technical exploration. She is famous for autobiographical paintings, where each painting was a technological and emotional experiment. Kahlos work has been celebrated internationally as emblematic of Mexican national and Indigenous traditions and by feminists for what is seen as its uncompromising depiction of the female experience andform.Some self-portraits of Frida Kahlo in a chronological orderIn every creative domain, in every country there are famous figures, known for their works and, incidentally, working methodology. We only met a fracture of a percent of them in this article and I invite you to study more for the unbelievable insights.While dopamine-driven novelty seeking and cognitive challenges are not obstacles, but intricate neural mechanisms that have driven human innovation, what if they really pose a problem of self-rumination cycles and blocking you from progression to the next level? Well now explore several critical strategies that can help you to channel your creative energy into meaningful outcomes.Strategies for Meaningful Project DevelopmentProgressive RenderingInspired by artistic techniques and incorporated in JPEG technology, progressive rendering is a methodological approach to project development that prioritizes incremental progress over perfection from the getgo.1. Draw the circles. 2. Draw the rest of theowlConsider the two practical phasessketch and layering.In the sketch phase you create the most viable version of the project, focusing on the core functionality and basic structure. You simply dont need anything else beyond fundamental architecture and primary usability. If its a UI library, forget rounding and line height alignmentfocus on API, build process and delivery. If its a landing page, dont mind the parallax effect and concentrate your efforts on the scalable accessible mobile-first layout.In the layering phase you progressively (layer by layer, iteration by iteration) add complexity and refinement, implementing features in order of priority and impact. At the end of each iteration you need to validate it against the final project vision to understand the scope of the next layer. This stage is crucial, as taking a larger scope into the next iteration (adding several features or underestimated chunk of work) can result in unexpected blockers following by scattered effort, losing focus, momentum, flow and satisfaction from the previously completed steps.The benefits of this technique are tremendous:it reduces cognitive overloadit provides early validation of the coreconceptit creates tangible progress that motivates toward further developmentit allows for flexible adaptation as project understanding hardensI foresee the silent questiondid you just reinvent Scrum?! interrobang, interrobang. Well, fair enough, its one of the key aspects. However, in practice working by Scrum doesnt always mean actually understanding it. Let alone personal projects management when you are working alone constantly changing hats of angel ventures, stakeholders, product owners, scrum masters AND developers. But if you master or at least exercise that, your personal workflow improvements will be mirrored and rewarded as you grow professionally.Intentional PruningContinuing with the efficient practices for project management, intentional pruning is a disciplined approach that involves deliberately limiting project scope to ensure meaningful completion. In simpletermsCut down everything enticing and shiny in favor of functional and achievable!In order to apply this practice, stick to the following:evaluate features based on the core objectivesprioritize functionalities with the highest uservalueruthlessly eliminate nice-to-have-sThe latter is probably the hardest, at least from a personal experienceHowever, once you push through this once or twice (practice makes perfect!), youll see immense benefit. Not only you will be able to finish current projects, but your planning and architecture skills will be honed again and again, creating a great working habit. Eventually, feature elimination will be recognized as strategic optimization, notfailure.Sometimes you need to let go to see the wood for thetrees.Graceful ProjectClosureLike not every story ends happily ever after, not every project is meant to reach full completion, and acknowledging this is a mark of personal and professional maturity. This is essentially letting go on a BIGGERscale.To employ this practice you should most probably find yourself in a place of supporting multiple projects in parallel and finding hard time to either complete them or switch to the newones.Tempered by the feature-culling experience you should be prepared to take the nextsteps:be honest with yourself, and conduct an objective project assessmentidentify and extract the learning opportunities from unfinished workdocument findings and salvage resources for the future applicationsIn order to drop the guilt and transform disappointment intro strategic insight, you will need to separate personal worth from project outcomes and view unfinished work as learning experience. Each proper project closure will be identified as another instrument in a toolbox of a professional, who values exploration and iteration.In ConclusionHaving multiple unfinished projects is way more nuanced than simple procrastination. It often seems as a professional shortcoming and understandably is self-joked upon. But as weve explored together this is both personal challenge and a fundamental aspect of human creative cognition.Source - ProgrammerHumor subredditThis sometimes poses a real issue for developers and creative minds, leading to professional stagnation, reduced productivity and personal frustration. However, by understanding the underlying psychological and neurological mechanisms, we can transform this pattern from a potential limitation into a strategic instrument of self development.Engage careful analysis, self-awareness and several targeted techniques, and it will help you to channel your creative impulses more effectively, balancing with meaningful execution. The goal is not about a perfect completion, but meaningful progress. Stay curious and systematic and you willsucceed!Thank you for reading! If you find article useful please support by share and (yes, you can do multiple). This significantly helps with the inspiration for new articles.Stay tuned formore!Beyond procrastination: the cognitive reasons behind unfinished projects was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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