Releasing just prior to the PlayStation 5 Pro hardware launch, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 features a set of unique enhancements over base PS5 - where we have equally unique insights thanks to a recent trip to meet the series' Principal Rendering Engineer, Michal Drobot, and the talented team at Infinity Ward Poland. Black Ops 6 is developed by multiple studios chiefly Treyarch and Raven Software - but at IW's Poland office I was able to get a behind-the-scenes tour of the tools used to make the game. So in essence, this piece serves two purposes: to discuss the Pro upgrades with input from the developers - and to talk about some of the wider enhancements made to the engine.PlayStation 5 Pro's update has been out in the wild for a good month already, and it's clear that Black Ops 6's upgrades run deeper than most. Some tweaks are subtle, while others make a more evident difference to frame-rate performance. In summary, PS5 Pro users get improved visual settings while running at 60Hz, plus the adoption of PSSR to boost image quality with 4K as the target output. An anti-lag VRR feature is also added only on PS5 Pro - letting us run at above 60fps while using that default graphics mode. Beyond that, there's a broad performance boost with the 120Hz mode enabled, where PS5 Pro reverts to base PS5 visual settings to deliver a higher frame-rate.Starting with the 60Hz mode, there are four improved visual settings, starting with a 2-4x increase in shadow resolution, depending on the shadow type and your distance to it. This primarily affects environmental shadow maps, where quality is boosted across near and far shadows streaking across walls. The improvement is a subtle, but often welcome reduction in stair-stepping across hard shadow lines. Next along, and more remarkably, there's the improved global illumination. Specifically, a screen-space GI method is added just for PS5 Pro, simulating light bounce between surfaces. Again it's subtle in some areas - and demands switching between base PS5 and Pro in full screen to truly appreciate - but the pay-off is a much more accurate light interaction between a character and nearby, brightly lit surface.This SSGI setting is something the team is especially proud of, as a rasterised technique that attempts to mimic the quality of path tracing. It's calibrated to create as comparable a result to the team's internal, path traced reference, though obviously at a fraction of the cost. This also extends to the way ambient shade is implemented. With the improved SSAO on Pro, there's a richer bed of shade added to the scene - and most interior shots like the headquarters - creating a more life-like final frame.This look into the technical make-up of Black Ops 6 on PS5 Pro is somewhat special, featuring a wealth of behind-the-scenes material from our trip to the Infinity Ward tech hub in Krakow, Poland.Watch on YouTubeScreen-space reflections - SSR - are also improved pm Pro, where the ambition is to once again match the team's internal, path-traced reference as closely as possible. In comparing it with base PS5, the main difference on Pro is in the accuracy of how reflections are occluded by objects in the scene. Switching back and forth on the Skyline map, PS5 Pro greatly reduces the 'light leak' around geometry - walls, tables - thanks to the updated SSGI, all of which has a domino effect in the accuracy of the reflection as well. Everything combined, we get a change that might not scream at you in the heat of Black Ops 6's rapid action, but it does make a sensible use of Sony's mid-gen machine to refine the game's visuals.The other big change for PS5 Pro is the move to its native upscaler: PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution. PSSR only engages in the default 60fps mode, and in terms of the raw metrics, runs at 2560x1440 internally, before being upscaled to 4K. This is a dynamic resolution too, with adjustments made horizontally to 1280x1440 lowest in more extreme cases, to keep a stable frame-rate. In terms of the perceptual pay-off, the result is a clean one, but also at times more artefact-prone than engine's own custom TAA - as still used on base PS5. There are teething issues, where PSSR introduces white, flickering pixels in very specific scenes. This noise tends to appear more-so in darkened, shaded areas. And in comparing the presentation of ultra fine detail - like cloth - there is also a slight smearing to the result next to the TAA on base PS5.Speaking to Michal Drobot directly, he confirms a fix is already in the pipeline for these PSSR artefacts - one that should roll out soon once the relevant patch passes through QA. The cause, it turns out, is simply down to PSSR not being fine-tuned for denoising the image in its current state. The team's own TAA still has its advantages here: it's substantially faster for a start. Plus, the team's own TAA is custom-tailored for denoising the specific type of output this engine generates. PSSR, it seems, works well in anti-aliasing the image, but less so in denoising the flicker created by the game's shadows, variable rate shading, and especially its SSR.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Thankfully PSSR still works well in most scenes with the software-based variable rate shading in place. For every group of pixels the game can render at full, half, a third, or quarter resolution. Edges or hard points in geometry are rendered at full res, for example. A form of foveated rendering is in place here too, putting a priority on details at the screen's centre, while there is a fall-off in quality towards the edges, or flatter, simpler surfaces. VRS only just made the cut five days before Black Ops 6 released, I'm told, and it does ultimately help squeeze the best results from each frame - while boosting performance.Speaking of which, in terms of frame-rate testing on Pro hardware, the result is a good one. Black Ops 6 already ran optimally at 60fps on base PS5 in the campaign mode, and despite PS5 Pro's visual upgrades to SSGI, SSR, AO and shadows - and the taxing PSSR upscale - we maintain a 60fps lock here. The good news is, no mission goes below the mark based on my testing. That being said, there's one way to stress test base PS5 - to force a repeatable drop - in the form of its split-screen mode. Using the Derelict multiplayer map, and fixing a second player's viewpoint across the action, base PS5 suffers constant drops to the 50fps line. Switching to PS5 Pro in the same spot, though - and keeping that second player view in the same position - we're now almost entirely at the 60fps line, barring a few single dropped frames. In other words, we get the visual improvements, and where the GPU is stressed, Pro is also able to hand in better performance.There's one other technical advance for PS5 Pro, in the form of an 'anti-lag' VRR technology on this 60fps mode. This engages so long as you have a 120Hz VRR display connected, but specifically keep the 120Hz mode disabled in the game menu. Developed in conjunction with Sony, an extra API call is made on PS5 Pro this way, to predict the upcoming frame-time. In this case, rather than VRR being used to hide drops under 60fps - as is common in so many games - Black Ops 6's VRR is instead used to render frames faster, and go above 60fps where there's budget for it. This is achieved through logical prediction. Based on multiple previous frames, the engine is essentially able to recognise where there's 'slop' - or, a dependable chunk of frame-time that is repeatedly not being used within a 16.7ms budget for 60fps. And by using that slop, it's able to generate a frame earlier, decreasing latency in the process, from the controller input to a displayed frame. PS5 Pro adds upgrades in shadows, screen space reflections (SSR), screen space global illumination (SSGI), and screen space ambient occlusion (SSAO). Here's how a single frame breaks down into its constituent parts, in particular showing the direct impact of the SSGI light bounce between characters and the environment. The result is more frames per second than would otherwise be possible. In most scenarios on my own VRR display, frames are actually output at anywhere between 60-120fps, but typically performance hangs between 80-90fps during the opening mission. Only one major drop, briefly under 60fps, is recorded while exploding a planted C4 on the open world missions. Beyond this, the VRR mode genuinely works, and the team claim it to be more responsive than running the game unlocked with the game's actual 120Hz output mode active.The actual 120Hz mode on PS5 Pro, conversely, removes all of the new features: the visual upgrades, the PSSR, and also that anti-lag VRR technology. In its place, Pro hardware instead runs at 1440p internally with the team's in-house TAA, using the same quality settings as base PS5's 60Hz mode. In direct comparison between base and Pro consoles, we're seeing an uptick in performance by as much as 35 percent here too. Spots where the game suffered from dips to 95fps previously, like the initial walk forward on the first mission, now run at mostly 120fps. We do not have a perfect lock on PS5 Pro however - and drops to 100fps are still very possible - but the margin is tightened now.As an aside, the reason PSSR is unused here it seems is in part the frame-time cost: it takes up 2.1ms of the frame-time, which in its current form is too great a chunk of the required 8.3ms frame-time required to run at 120fps. Later, improved versions of PSSR might speed this up, but for now the TAA is better suited for 120Hz. In a similar vein, I'm told the idea of using PSSR to allow for a theoretical 8K resolution mode in Black Ops 6 poses a similar challenge. In short, an 8K frame is four times the pixel output of a 4K one, which for PSSR's reconstruction, equates to a four times increase in the frame-time cost. It's base PS5 versus PS5 Pro - but with a twist. Here's how the render cost per frame breaks down on each while targeting 60fps. Each visual feature is budgeted to fit within a 16.7ms total frame-time on the top line, where PS5 Pro often has enough excess frame-time to enable a unique 'anti-lag' VRR mode to go above 60fps.Beyond PS5 Pro, there are a great many new engine features making a debut in Black Ops 6. To demonstrate each, Michal booted up a so-called 'white room', a neatly labeled test suite that lets us see each aspect of the engine running in isolation. From material lighting to volumetric fog, particle effects, or terrain streaming - all parts of Call of Duty's tech has its own small torture chamber. It presents as a science experiment in this way; a means for the development team to zero in on new technologies, for Black Ops 6 and beyond, before they actually ship.Among the many new additions to the game is weather grade volumes - or WGVs. In a nutshell, WGVs allow mud, water, oil, or snow to leave a persistent mark on a player's body - with only the specific body part coming into contact being affected. It's best shown off in third person view, though in practise you'll see it on enemies during gameplay. One great dev footage example sent by the team has a player stood next to a 4x4 vehicle; the acceleration of the rear wheels causes mud to spray upwards, where the momentum of the car, and the velocity of the spray is simulated by large spherical volumes. These WGVs constantly adjust and change based on the position, and then, to measure the point of that mud's impact on the player, a 3D voxel-based system is used on the player.An grid of voxels cover the player rig with each one individually triggering based on contact with mud, water or snow. It's a way to sample the impact of effects, or even weather conditions. Put in our own example, looking at the oil fires of mission one, the way oil droplets build up on our fatigues adds a note of realism - while in multiplayer it gives a hint as to where the enemy player has last been. 1 of 6 Caption Attribution Engine features are put through their paces in a white room area, a test bed that lets Call of Duty's development team experiment with material lighting, volumetric fog, particle effects - and technologies intended for future titles. Another highlight of recent games is the handling of terrain, which breaks down into multiple layers. First we have the virtual texturing system - or 'super terrain'. This was debuted in Warzone, and fine tuned in 2021's Vanguard, allowing a giant, detailed texture map to be generated procedurally ahead of the player. We're talking virtual acres of landscape that adjusts its detail based on proximity and player view. This is helpfully put in example using the dev tools, which show how the overall texture map is filled out in tiles - crucially helping to manage system memory.Next, running on top of that, is the grass. For Call of Duty, the presentation of grass across multiple consoles is carefully balanced - to ensure visibility stays the same for online, cross-gen matchmaking. Density and draw distance are matched to avoid a competitive advantage for any player - and, you'll notice, rather than grass blades popping in abruptly, they are in fact simply lowered beneath the ground to ease the transition.Rounding out, there's the deformable terrain. The campaign modes of recent Call of Duty titles include clutter, or deformable grass, which leaves a trail as you crawl through. It's perhaps best shown off in the white room footage, in a unique 'vertex deform' area that lets the player paint their route through a small garden patch. Likewise, we have deformable snow for levels that need it - achieved via tessellation. Weather grade volumes (WGVs) are another engine highlight, allowing the game to track persistent mud, snow and oil marks across the player body using a voxel based system. It's another tool in the box for developers to use. Again vertex deformation is a relatively new feature for the series, letting thick layers of snow capture player movement at a high resolution - the result being a persistent trail. All of this helps players leave a tangible mark on the world, especially in the campaign. Last but not least, we have the addition of advanced glass. This is used even across Black Ops 6's multiplayer maps today, to simulate the gradual fracturing and structural breakdown of a glass pane. The integrity of the glass breaks down with each shot, which even factors in the glass pane's thickness, while lighting from behind the glass is realistically simulated as it hits the pane.The number of additions made to the series, and Black Ops 6 especially, are too numerous to fully cover here. There are improvements to the game's fog effect - with screen-space fog gathering used more extensively across each map, after being introduced in Modern Warfare 3. There are also improvements to water caustic simulation - in select moments - adding reflections and refractions from the lit water surface. All of these points are huge labours of love for the team, and given the rapid nature of the series' action, don't always get the credit they deserve - the key takeaway being that every Call of Duty title pushes the technical envelope in myriad ways.Black Ops 6 continues that evolution, in some respects building on the technologies and ideas in Vanguard, Warzone, and Modern Warfare 3, while also pioneering new ones. With the launch of PS5 Pro in particular though, the team seized a chance to add some new features: the anti-lag VRR mode, the adoption of PSSR, the improved global illumination and reflections. It's a culmination of years of work, where PS5 Pro is powerful enough to at last facilitate each feature in the console space.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereAnother day, another Helldivers 2 leak, this one revealing new details of the games in-development weapon attachments system. As players continue battling the rising threat of the Illuminate faction across the universe, the games most renowned leaker has shared even more details about unfinished goodies resting within Helldivers game files.Shared by leaker IronS1ghts, suppressed weaponry has been discovered within Helldivers 2 files. This means that players who want to takeor try to takea stealthy approach to missions may be able to with the arrival of suppressors for a number of weapons.Helldivers 2 silencers and moreShared on Twitter, IronS1ghts revealed that there are working silencer attachments for weapons in the current game files of Helldivers 2. In their unfinished state, a silencer can be attached to a number of weapons and used properly, allowing players to perform silent kills.At the time of writing, silenced weapon shots dont result in a sound. However, the leaker does note that there are sound files for silenced weapons within the game files, they just arent properly linked to the weapon firing yet.In the current version of Helldivers 2, there is a degree of stealth to be found. However, the games stealth system is largely based on sight lines, although some weapons are quiet enough to allow for a few stealth kills.Nevertheless, stealth in the game is fairly rudimentary with items like smoke grenades allowing you to quickly disappear from Automatons. Well, at least they should. As many fans have noted since release, stealth is not the most polished aspect of the game right now.Hopefully, if silenced weapons do release in the near future, Arrowhead will also bring a huge retooling of stealth systems to the game alongside them. With some extremely dark missions set during an eclipse allegedly in the works, some night vision goggles would make for an awesome sci-fi Splinter Cell.After the release of the Illuminate, a slew of leaks have revealed a host of new ideas that could, one day, come to the game. For example, fans have discovered evidence of an in-development Wildlife System, and Arrowhead has teased potential propaganda radio stations for the game. For more Helldivers 2 coverage, check out Arrowheads thoughts on converting the game into its own sequel.Helldivers 2Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 5Genre(s):Action, Shooter, Third Person8VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereFortnite has established itself as a hub for incredible collaborations, transforming the battle royale experience into a vibrant fusion of pop culture elements. With a lineup that spans Marvel superheroes, Star Wars legends, anime icons, and global music superstars, Fortnites skin roster truly embodies the ultimate dream team.In 2023, Fortnite expanded its impressive roster of crossovers by teaming up with Invincible. Fans of the beloved comic series and popular animated show were ecstatic to witness Mark Grayson, known as Invincible, and Omni-Man take flight in the game.However, now it seems like Epic has no plans of slowing down as swirling rumors indicate that 2025 is set to deliver a fresh wave of Invincible-themed skins for Fortnite players.Fortnite x Invincible Wave 2 skins leaked to arrive in 2025Fortnites ongoing collaborations showcase the expansive nature of its island, and in 2025, the Invincible universe is set to leave an even more significant mark. According to leakers like Loolo, one of the Invincible creators, Ryan Ottley has commented the following when asked about Wave 2 of Invincible skins in Fortnite: Now that would be cool. But I cant spoil anything if it even was true. I have taken a vow of silence, an unbreakable blood oath!There are three Invincible collab skins currently in the game. Image by Epic Games.Currently, three skins in the Invincible x Fortnite collab were last available in the Item Shop on September 4, 2024. They are Invincible, Omni Man, and Atom Eve. The bundle tied to the collab is called the Guardians of the Globe bundle that costs 2,800 V-Bucks and players can get all three skins from it.Ever since the leak fans of the animated series and Fortnite players have been showing excitement in the comments, wondering about the characters that will appear. One such user wrote, Allen, Rex, robot, black and blue suit mark. Another chimed in, I mean these sold well, makes sense. Would be cool if the existing outfits got edit styles but its been over a year since theyve done that for a collab. Really hope collabs getting new edit styles isnt gone for good.While you wait for Invincible to arrive in Fortnite, players already have a game-changing suggestion for one aspect of the game that gives them access to more skins than they already have. FortnitePlatform(s):Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter9VideoGamerRelated TopicsSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Previous experiments with lava stone inspired her firepits organic form. The intricate stoneware creation also features a gradient that augments light from the flames. We did this hot-cool effect where the glaze crackles and you put some black stain into it, so that makes it a bit more volcanic, Cognet says.Indeed, the melting effect the ceramic expresses empowers Lava Flow to speak for itself as a sculpture when unlit. I thought it was super interesting to mimic something like melting, Cognet adds. Its like a mini volcano in your garden.A sculptural firepit designed by OrcaBack across the Atlantic, in San Francisco, AD PRO Directorylisted studio Orca is creating firepits in the forms of concentric circles, or stitched-together sculptures. Founder Molly Sedlacek sources her metals from within the Bay Areaand at the moment, she says, demand is high. Almost 80% of our projects want a firepit, she notes. Humans want fire.Orcas vessels share a rustic color story but vary in composition, featuring stainless steel or brass. They were an obvious choice, Sedlacek says, either for their reflectivity or the oxidation they earn with age. Theyre black and silver and then, after the first rain, they become rust in this wonderful matte silver tone, she says. Its truly the natural elements that patina. The actual fire itself doesnt have an impact on it.Join NowNew Year's Sale: Become an AD PRO member for only $20 $12 per monthArrowA handful of evergreen principles still inform the typology, but an intimate knowledge of materiality and ventilation is principal for newer designers. Theres a whole science to airflow and also choosing materials that are correct, Sedlacek says. Its understanding the heat rate and combustion of materials, and also knowing the size of the burner.Considering the airflow is critical, Wiseman adds. Thinking of it in terms of a collaboration with the firehow does it activate it when the fire is [burning]?I think is a really exciting way to design.Smokes impact on both comfort and the environment remains perhaps the largest factor of all. Sedlacek is already seeing an uptick in more alternative models. I could see a world where we go to more electric starters, she says. When we first started, we were just doing wood-burning and now weve switched to gas and we also have an electric starter that you can modify.For Wiseman, however, the primeval poetry of building a fire remains his muse. Theres something about the ritual of creating the fire, of putting the logs on, and creating the kindling, and then the natural process of it burning through as opposed to just pressing a button, Wiseman says. It takes away the magic.The Best Fire Pits to Cozy Up to This WinterEnjoying your backyard should be a year-round thing, after all

Over the years, interior designer Annalise Taft-Gersten and her husband James Gersten, principal at Silver Street Hospitality, have weathered their share of renovationsa 1900s Connecticut farmhouse where they channeled London charm, a midcentury gem designed for entertaining, and two New York City apartments in historic buildings. This past year the couple decided to pivot and simplify. They sold off their real estate and transformed a Hamptons investment property in Sag Harbor into a forever home.We didnt want all the responsibilities, says Taft-Gersten. Add to that an empty nesta daughter in college and a son at boarding schoolwhich made the timing ideal.The summer cottage in the Hamptons is clad in wood shingles and was gut renovated to make it ready for year-round residency. Outdoor dining and sitting areas, like the firepit surrounded by Loll Adirondack lounge chairs from Design Within Reach, stretch the square footage with indoor outdoor living.Built in the 1950s, the wood shingled house was more of a summer cottage than a year-round residence. Taft-Gersten leaned into the cottage aesthetic but elevated it into her own Scandinavian interpretation, driven by Long Islands magical light, which has inspired artists like Leslie Sokolow, David Salle, Jackson Pollock, and Lee Krasner. In his 1972 poem called In the Hamptons, John N Morris aptly described it as clear as gin.The light and the privacy of the property captivated us, she explains. As Taft-Gersten began to chase the sun, she ended up doing a total gut renovation for a downsize that strategically used every inch of the 2,200-square-foot-home. It feels lighter, and less wasteful, says the designer, who also runs the ALT for Living showrooms. Youre not filling up rooms because they need to be filled; you end up living only with the things you love. The permanent move to the Hamptons also allowed Taft-Gersten proximity to her Sag Harbor interior design business and AD PRO Directory firm the 1818 Collective, which she cofounded with Kristin Fine.Shop out the look of the house hereA vintage Castiglioni light fixture and two vintage Pascal Boyer Pin Stools welcome guests in the entry. In the adjacent living room, two graphic pieces burnished black ink by Sam Still pop off the wall painted in Benjamin Moore Silver Satin.The interior designer worked with Rimland Construction to add windows, enlarge the ones that already existed, open the floor plan, and create a palette different from the more traditional Sag Harbor style. I wanted it to feel a little dreamy and capture the colors of the sun rays as they change throughout the day in shades of gold and cream. At the same time, I layered it all with different textures and fabrics, in soft flesh tones and grays.ALT for Living Veil cashmere drapery in the living room gently illuminates the texture of an oak Charlotte Perriand coffee table, and a pop of cognac ALT for Living performance mohair on the vintage Fritz Hansen armchairs gives the creamy room some grounding. Taft-Gersten installed wood paneling throughout the house and painted it while maintaining the warmth of the grain. The original ceiling beams, bolted with steel support cladding, highlight the architecture and add a punch of grit.A vintage Camaleonda sofa in Liege Pumice fabric from ALT for Living, sits atop a custom Dhurrie rug. An ivory and clay mural by Olivia Cognet hangs above an Egg Collective Landry bookcase.Most PopularArchitecture + DesignAD100 2025: See the Full List of HonoreesBy The Editors of ADArchitecture + DesignBrandin Cooks: Inside the NFL Players Modern Pacific Northwest HomeBy Juliet IzonCulture + LifestyleThe 47 Most Beautiful Beaches in the WorldBy Katherine McLaughlinTo make room for a primary suite that occupies the second level, Taft-Gersten added a dormer at the back of the house to accommodate ample closets, a sitting area, and a deluxe bathroom. The latter, with a cascading marble tub, casement brass detailing on the shower and lots of natural light, is a nod to her husbands experience working with luxury hotel brands like the Six Senses and Auberge Resorts.The couples bedroomawash in ivory tones and soft texturesis an oasis, though not devoid of function. Taft-Gersten can conduct Zoom meetings with privacy while sitting by a window in a favorite Marco Zanuso vintage armchair. Beside her a pair of ceramic side tables by designer Olivia Cognet are lively companions.Gray streaked marble from Bas Stone adds warmth and a bit of drama to the kitchen, outfitted with a Blue Star Range. Custom cabinets by Coastal Cabinet Works feature brass finger pulls by Studio Henry Wilson.But like with most homes, the heart is in the kitchen. And for a couple who entertains almost every weekend, a lot of care went into designing the public spaces. We found wed always be sitting around the table most convenient to the kitchen, Taft-Gersten says. So instead of carving out space for a formal room, they created a dining area with a Guillerme et Chambron table and Charlotte Perriand chairs that can seat an intimate party and also comfortably accommodate 12 people.Most PopularArchitecture + DesignAD100 2025: See the Full List of HonoreesBy The Editors of ADArchitecture + DesignBrandin Cooks: Inside the NFL Players Modern Pacific Northwest HomeBy Juliet IzonCulture + LifestyleThe 47 Most Beautiful Beaches in the WorldBy Katherine McLaughlinThe couple, who entertains often, eschewed a formal dining room for an inviting banquette. I love a banquette, says James Gersten. Im from the restaurant world, and every VIP wants a banquette.A custom banquette covered in cork, a natural performance upholstery option that can be cleaned with a damp sponge, has the feel and look of leather without the concern for precious care. Cocktails are served using the crystal, and the fine China can be accessed easily in the storage space under the banquette.Living with less has been liberating. We painstakingly restored the house and designed it with a lot of intentionality, says James Gersten. And the house has all our touch points: a fireplace, a firepit, a pool, a sitting room outside, a beautiful primary suite, and a place we can both work. It has everything we need.James Gersten (left) and Annalise Taft-Gersten sit outside with their two dogs.Most PopularArchitecture + DesignAD100 2025: See the Full List of HonoreesBy The Editors of ADArchitecture + DesignBrandin Cooks: Inside the NFL Players Modern Pacific Northwest HomeBy Juliet IzonCulture + LifestyleThe 47 Most Beautiful Beaches in the WorldBy Katherine McLaughlinThe warm greens and creams of the office create a productive retreat. A Restoration Hardware Belgian Classic Slope Arm Premium Sleeper Sofa covered in ALT for Living mohair and an Egg Collective Martie Desk anchor the room so flourishes like the Charlotte Perriand 528 Indochine Swivel Chair, and a vintage table lamp and stool from the Paris Flea Market can shine.A pair of Dumais Eyvind stoneware lamps handcrafted with slab construction sit atop Ritter nightstands from Egg Collective. An ALT for Living custom alpaca boucle rug covers the oak plank floors for a soft look and feel.Most PopularArchitecture + DesignAD100 2025: See the Full List of HonoreesBy The Editors of ADArchitecture + DesignBrandin Cooks: Inside the NFL Players Modern Pacific Northwest HomeBy Juliet IzonCulture + LifestyleThe 47 Most Beautiful Beaches in the WorldBy Katherine McLaughlinTo accommodate the primary bath and its luxurious tub, Taft-Gersten added a dormer to the back of the house that allowed her to create a primary suite on the second floor with a sitting area and ample closets.The primary bath features Waterworks Ludlow brass fixtures, a custom white oak vanity, Robern medicine cabinets, and a Glass Up Down sconce from the 1818 Collective.Most PopularArchitecture + DesignAD100 2025: See the Full List of HonoreesBy The Editors of ADArchitecture + DesignBrandin Cooks: Inside the NFL Players Modern Pacific Northwest HomeBy Juliet IzonCulture + LifestyleThe 47 Most Beautiful Beaches in the WorldBy Katherine McLaughlinThe walls throughout the house are painted in Taft-Gerstens favorite white Benjamin Moore Silver Satin and the ceilings in another preferred shade, Decorators White. The Bubble Mirrors in this guest bedroom are from the 1818 Collection and add some whimsy and spark to the muted palette.A casual outdoor dining area continues the outdoor entertaining flow especially in the evenings lit with Rejuvenation Carson Gooseneck Outdoor Lights and Dumais Large Signature Hurricane lamps from the 1818 Collective atop the table.Shop it out:Custom Made 1940's Style Shearling Lounge Chair"Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine" by Ren RedzepiLes Arcs Chair by Dal VeraThe 1818 Collective Le Voyage VaseALT for Living Cobble PillowDumais Made Eyvind LampBernhardt Ritter NightstandDumais Made Monaco Wall MirrorOlivia Cognet Apartamento Side TableFrette Classic Sheet Set

News Release 16-Dec-2024 Human civilization at a critical junction between authoritarian collapse and superabundance Systems theorist who foresaw 2008 financial crash, clean energy growth, and Brexit says human species is on brink of next giant leap in evolution to networked superabundance. But nationalist populism could stop this Peer-Reviewed PublicationSystem Shift LabA new scientific study published in the journal Foresight concludes that human civilisation is on the brink of the next giant leap in evolution. However, progress could be thwarted by centralised far-right political projects such as the incoming Donald Trump administration."Industrial civilisation is facing 'inevitable'decline as it is replaced by what could turn out to be a far more advanced postmaterialist civilisation based on distributed superabundant clean energy. The main challenge is that industrial civilisation is facing such rapid decline that this could derail the emergence of a new and superior 'life-cycle'for the human species", commented Dr Nafeez Ahmed, author of the paper, member of The Club of Rome, member of the Earth4All Transformational Economics Commission and Distinguished Fellow at the Schumacher Institute for Sustainable Systems.The new paper synthesizes a vast body of scientific literature across the natural and social sciences to offer a new theory of the rise and fall of civilizations in history. It finds that civilizations evolve through a four-stage life-cycle of growth, stability, decline and transformation, encompassing both material-technological as well as cultural-organisational change. Industrial civilisation today, the paper concludes, is moving through the final stages of its life-cycle - decline - which also means it is on the cusp of transformation. The paper examines a wide range of empirical data showing that a whole new material-technological system is emerging on a planetary scale as the old industrial order declines.The paper demonstrates that the increase in authoritarian politics, including reactionary efforts to protect fossil fuels, is among the factors that could jeopardize civilisation. Central to this decline is the global decrease in Energy Return On Investment (EROI) for oil, gas, and coal a challenge that can be mitigated by transitioning to clean energy sources, where EROI is exponentially improving.Major technological innovations such as clean energy, cellular agriculture, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and 3D printing are set to massively upgrade the material capabilities of human civilisation between the2030s through to 2060. Combined, and if carefully designed, these new material capabilities could create new forms of 'networked superabundance' that protect earth systems. While they could create unparalleled prosperity, these technologies are inherently distributed and decentralised, and cannot be governed by old centralised industrial hierarchies. This is creating a widening gulf between what the paper calls the industrial operating system and the emerging new system which is leading to major political and cultural disruptions in world affairs. Rising authoritarianism, the paper warns, could fatally disrupt the emergence of a new life-cycle for civilization.Ahmed concludes: An amazing new possibilityspace is emerging, where humanity could provide itself superabundant energy, transport, food and knowledge without hurting the earth. This could be the next giant leap in human evolution. But if we fail to genuinely evolve as humans by rewiring how we govern these emerging capabilities responsibly and for the benefit of all, they could be our undoing. Instead of evolving, we would regress if not collapse. The rise in authoritarian and far-right governments around the world, increases this grave risk of collapse. The incoming Donald Trump administration, with its commitment to elevating fossil fuels while gutting clean energy as well as its focus on centralising power along ethnonationalist lines could prevent us successfully moving through the planetary phase shift to the next stage of human evolution.Nafeez Ahmed is a renowned systems theorist and forecaster who has predicted some of the most significant events of the last 20 years. Ahmed originally launched his research at the UN Summit of the Future in August, where he spoke at the UN Headquarters about his findings at an event sponsored by the Governments of Panama and Antigua & Barbuda.NOTES FOR EDITORSPublication The new paper, Planetary phase shift as a new systems framework to navigate the evolutionary transformation of human civilisation has just been released in November in the double-blind peer-reviewed journal Foresight: The Journal of Futures Studies, published by the global science publisher Emerald. Foresight is one of the most respected journals in the field of futures studies.Synthesising a vast body of data from across the natural and social sciences including physics, climate, energy, food, transport, materials, information, geopolitics, history and beyond the new paper by Dr Nafeez Ahmed creates a breakthrough multidisciplinary systems framework called Planetary Phase Shift theory.CitationAhmed, N.(2024), "Planetary phase shift as a new systems framework to navigate the evolutionary transformation of human civilisation",Foresight, Vol. ahead-of-print https://doi.org/10.1108/FS-02-2024-0025Core findingThe theory is the first time that earth system crises, societal change and technology disruptions have been examined together in a single systems framework to understand how they are driving large-scale civilisational transformation.The paper concludes that: multiple global crises across both earth and human systems are symptoms of the last stages of the life-cycle of global industrialisation civilisation, which is the potential precursor either for collapse, or for a new civilisational life-cycle that may represent a new stage in the biological and cultural evolution of the human species.About the authorDr Nafeez Ahmed is an award-winning systems theorist and bestselling author of eight books. He is Director of the Futures Lab at Unitas Global Advisory, Executive Director of the System Shift Lab and creator of the AgeofTransformation.org newsletter on systems thinking.He was previously Director of Global Research Communications at technology forecasting think-tank RethinkX which has accurately predicted the rise of solar, wind and batteries, electric vehicles, and precision fermentation. Ahmed also accurately predicted some of the most significant events of the last two decades including the war in Afghanistan, the 2008 financial crisis, the exponential growth of clean energy, the break-up of Europe and the mainstreaming of the far-right among many other trends. Nafeez has twice been featured in the Evening Standards list of the top 1,000 most influential Londoners.Ahmed is a Full Member of the Club of Rome, Commissioner on the Earth4All Transformational Economics Commission, Distinguished Fellow at the Schumacher Institute for Sustainable Systems, and Advisory Board member of the Biophysical Economics Institute. He was Systems Change Advisor to the United Nations COP26 Global Assembly representing the global population. He was also a contributor to the Club of Rome report, Earth4All: A Survival Guide for Humanity, launched at the UN General Assembly in 2022.Ahmed launched the Planetary Phase Shift framework in the UN Headquarters in New York at the UN Summit of the Future in August 2024. The previous year he delivered a keynote address on sustainable innovation at a Heads of State plenary at the UN COP28 summit in 2023.JournalforesightDOI10.1108/FS-02-2024-0025 Method of ResearchSystematic reviewSubject of ResearchNot applicableArticle TitlePlanetary phase shift as a new systems framework to navigate the evolutionary transformation of human civilisationArticle Publication Date26-Nov-2024Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Only OneWho will win February 2025's RPG Royal Rumble? Kingdom Come, Assassin's Creed, Avowed or Monster Hunter?With 4 huge RPGs launching back-to-back in February 2025, can any of them stand out from the crowd?Image credit: VG247 Article by James Billcliffe Guides Editor Published on Dec. 30, 2024 In recent years, some of gamings biggest breakout successes have been released during the post-Christmas lull between New Year and Spring. Traditionally, its supposed to be a quieter time on the calendar - where were all too full of turkey and trimmings and sated by games gifted over the holidays to have an appetite for anything new.But for the last ten years or so, its been publishers secret weapon to cut through the noise and score a solid hit with an underappreciated gem that would otherwise get beaten out by bigger-name competition.One of the first I can remember was Dying Light, a bone-creaking 10 years ago already, which broke records on release in 2015 as a new IP, perfectly pitched at the peak of both zombie and PS4-era open-world hype.After that, it felt like almost every year a well-funded indie or under-rated series would sneak into success by ditching the Christmas crush in Fall and landing on a clear runway when players were supposedly spent up.But the trend was further solidified year after year, like when Resident Evil reannounced itself as one of the dominant franchises in gaming with the imperious Resident Evil 2 Remake, an incredible game that grabbed the zeitgeist and popularised a trend were still seeing today.In 2025 though, the cat is most definitely out of the bag. In February alone, were now looking at 4 would-be huge releases from some of the worlds biggest publishers and plushest independent studios.Some stumbled into the slot through delays and development mishaps (like Assassins Creed and Avowed), while two games on this list (Monster Hunter and Kingdom Come) have benefitted from the magical launch spot before, and are surely looking to repeat the trick.However they got there, February 2025 is shaping up to be an RPG royal rumble of epic proportions. Many 100-hour RPGs can make a claim for your limited free time, but only one can reign supreme - lets meet the contenders.Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - February 4, 2025First up, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is stepping up to take the crown, literally. In some ways the most grounded of the 4 games, but the most ambitious in others, Kingdom Come: Deliverance works on the dungeons not dragons mantra to deliver authentic medieval role-playing thats one part ren-faire, one part sandbox adventure, and another part chaotic jank-fest.This is because Kingdom Come is developed in CryEngine, an FPS-focused engine designed to have a dozen characters on-screen at any given time, but stretched to accommodate the bustling towns and permanent world state demanded by an open-world RPG. The result, in the first game, was an incredible and beautifully realised world that was constantly teetering on the precipice.I played a huge amount of the first Kingdom Come and the series is full of novel role-play ideas that sound incredible in principle, but have mixed results in practice. For instance, rather than the traditional difficulty curve with skills getting more complex as you level them up, Kingdom Come tries to simulate your advancing knowledge by making things easier the more you do them. Image credit: Warhorse StudiosAn interesting thought, right? But it made things like lockpicking hilariously impossible at launch, and turned required story fights into a death loop if you prioritized stealth or speech. However, it also did really interesting things like scramble every book, recipe and roadsign until you found a monk and learnt how to read.Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a direct sequel to the original, again starring Henry of Skalitz as a supposedly low-born blacksmith elevated by happenstance and ingenuity to become a key player in the fight for the Holy Roman Empire. Im really interested to see how the new game handles this realistic progression with an existing character (who cant just be zapped by a Forget All Your Powers From The Last Game Beam like Ratchet or Kratos or somebody).Reportedly twice as big as the already sprawling and incredibly deep base game, with much better performance and some of the major pain-points sanded off, how Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 adapts to this increased scope will be key to its success, which could easily see it surprise some people in a month of heavy hitters.Assassins Creed Shadows - February 14, 2025Despite its setbacks, I have faith in the studio that came out with my personal favourite Assassins Creed game - 2018s galloping Grecian caper Assassins Creed Odyssey. But as one of gamings best-known franchises, Assassins Creed Shadows has the most to prove out of any game releasing in February, particularly in light of Ubisofts recent, expensive, missteps in Skull and Bones and Star Wars: Outlaws. Image credit: UbisoftJapan has been a dream location for the series since Assassins Creed started, but with Ghost of Tsushima and Rise of the Ronin beating Ubisoft to the punch on what an open-world feudal Japan can look like, its easy to wonder how fresh and engaging Ubisoft can make the landscape - especially without the familiar, but otherworldly touchstones of Ancient Greek and Norse mythology.However, mechanically at least, Assassins Creed Shadows looks to address some of the key issues that the series has been crying out for. First, the dual-protagonists, the shinobi Naoe and samurai Yasuke, seem to have a much more involved, diverse and interactive range of combat styles, making use of katana, tanto short swords, kanabo clubs and naginata bladed spears and many more.Next, something I truly cannot fathom why its taken so long, is a reworked stealth system. Will this finally be the Assassins Creed where the stealth game actually has stealth mechanics - huge, if true.But on that front, there also looks to be an interesting dynamic between the two main characters. Yasuke, tall and imposing, is not stealthy in the slightest - in gameplay videos people literally stop what theyre doing, turn and look at him wherever he goes. Naoe, conversely, embodies the stoic, scarfed stereotype of the silent assassin.Watch on YouTubeI felt that Assassins Creed Valhallas runtime was incredibly padded, not just in the side-activities, but the main story as well, where you did not much but spam combat abilities and press triangle to interact. From what weve seen, at least some of Shadows missions expand on the less guided approach weve seen in the last couple of Assassins Creed games, so, with a greater variety of more engaging and meaningful play mechanics across two characters thrown in, maybe this can be the Assassins Creed that turns the series around yet again?Avowed - February 18, 2025The cruel irony of a delay in a fluid and competitive release calendar means that even if you run away from other games, theres no guarantee they wont chase you. So after slipping into 2025 to avoid internal Game Pass competition from the likes of Stalker 2 and Indiana Jones, Obsidian Entertainments Avowed now finds itself slap-bang between two of the biggest releases of the year - but is the low barrier of entry just what it needs to succeed?If The Outer Worlds was Obsidians slimmed-down and sci-fi Fallout, then Avowed is Skyrim by way of Dragon Age, as you explore smaller, self-contained maps filled with loot, baddies and the twisty quests full of surprise, tough decisions and intrigue that the studio is known for.Watch on YouTubeAs a massive fan of pretty much every game Obsidian has ever released - obviously Fallout: New Vegas, but Alpha Protocol, Grounded and even South Park: The Stick of Truth as well - Avowed is the game Im personally most excited about in February, but also the one I think might get glossed over.Set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, with a dreamy, sparkling and swashbuckling fantasy art-style, Avoweds strengths will lie in the quality of its storytelling and good old-fashioned questing; but if it can provide the gameplay hooks to go with that narrative complexity, then it can definitely punch above its weight as likely the lowest budget game here by far.Monster Hunter Wilds - February 28, 2025The Monster Hunter franchise is in such a different place to when Monster Hunter World made full use of a free week back in February 2018. After threatening to break out in the West for a decade, with a clear schedule and the worlds attention, this revamped and expanded Monster Hunter finally clicked in a huge way.With numerous imitators now also looking for a slice of the monster hunting genre, from the free-to-play Dauntless (a recent major update to which went extremely badly), to the indie Fera: The Sundered Tribes and bigger budget EA Original Wild Hearts, Monster Hunter Wilds has returned to mark its territory as the best in the business. Image credit: CapcomWhile the Switch-first - and brilliant - Monster Hunter Rise was a big success, it was still a smaller scale game built for a smaller scale console. Wilds on the other hand, looks truly massive, with more interactive environments, difficult to traverse terrain, and greater variety and verticality across the different biomes.Monsters burst in-and-out of sand, slither along branches to reach high places in battle, and travel in packs to overwhelm impudent hunters, adding yet more personality to the dangerous and expressive roster of beasts thatre the true stars of every Monster Hunter game.Make no mistake, Monster Hunter is no longer niche and this is sure to be a big hit - well just have to see how many explorers hold back their supplies in preparation before the expedition kicks off at the end of the month.So, which are you going to pick up? Which are you going to play in four years when you finally get around to it? The choices are seemingly endless this month alone, and thats before you even get to new releases like Elden Ring: Nightreign, Borderlands 4, Death Stranding 2, Ghost of Yotei, Pokemon Legends Z-A, and, of course, the almighty GTA 6

I was there 30 years ago.Over the holiday season, we're republishing some of the best articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors as part of our Best of 2024 series. This article was originally published in October. Enjoy!If youre reading this on October 11th 2024, then 30 years ago today Final Fantasy 3 (aka VI) was released in North America. A lot of memorable games (Super Metroid, DKC, Earthworm Jim, Ridge Racer, and Doom II, to name a few) turn 30 this year, but Final Fantasy VI stands out to me because I was privileged to play and beat it a couple of months before its official release.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

In BriefPosted:7:58 AM PST December 30, 2024Image Credits:Akio Kon/Bloomberg / Getty ImagesNvidia completes acquisition of AI infrastructure startup Run:aiNvidia has completed its acquisition of Run:ai, an Israeli startup that helps manage and optimize AI hardware infrastructure.As part of the merger, Run:ai said its software, which currently only works with Nvidia products, will be open sourced, meaning Nvidia rivals like AMD and Intel will be able to adapt it for their hardware. We are eager to build on the achievements weve obtained until now, expand our talented team, and grow our product and market reach, Run:ai told Bloomberg in a statement. Open sourcing the software will enable it to extend its availability to the entire AI ecosystem.Nvidia announced its intent to acquire Run:ai in April. At the time, sources told TechCrunch that the price tag was $700 million. But the deal ran into regulatory hurdles. The European Commission and U.S. Department of Justice launched separate investigations into whether Nvidias purchase would harm competition.The European Commission approved the deal in December.Topics