Civilization 7, one of the most highly anticipated games of 2025, will include a slew of significant changes, perhaps most notably the new Ages mechanic. A game of Civ 7 will span three different Ages Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern but players will maintain the same leader throughout. In 2024, Polygon had a hands-on preview of the game at Gamescom as well as the opportunity to talk to some of the team at Firaxis Games, such as executive producer Dennis Shirk. According to Shirk, Civ 7 creative director Ed Beach didnt want to make a Civ 6.5; he wanted to do something that would make our fans have to start over. The old strategies arent gonna work. They have to open up and look at it with fresh eyes to understand how to play this game.Now, we have an interview with Ed Beach about those decisions, as well as how the process of designing Civilization games has changed over the years. A lot has changed since Civ 6 came out in 2016, and Civ 7 is going to be a whole new experience. Polygon: How do you choose the civs? And the leaders? Has that process changed over the years?Ed Beach: As the Civ franchise has grown over the years, so too has the process of selecting which civs and leaders to include in the game.Early on, if a designer thought a civ could be fun or interesting to play as, that might have been enough to add them. However, as the Civ community has grown and more players from around the world become Civ fans, we have both the desire and opportunity to be more thoughtful about who gets represented on the world stage.Generally, civs and leaders are selected when they have the right combination of a few things: their prominence in history, how well they represent our playerbase, and the gameplay opportunities they offer.For Civilization VII, this process has evolved further. Civs and leaders can now be selected separately from each other, and your choice of civ no longer persists across the entire game but instead is tied to a specific Age.For leaders, being able to select them independently means that we can actually explore figures from history beyond traditional heads-of-states. We still have kings and queens and emperors, but we now have renowned figures such as Harriet Tubman or Machiavelli, neither of whom led a nation but both left lasting impacts in history.For civs, because they are tied to specific Ages, were able to dig deeper into historical time periods and select empires that may not be as well-known overall but were incredibly important and powerful during these periods in history. And with multiple Ages, were even able to represent the evolution of some empires such as India, from Maurya to Chola to Mughal.What is the research process like when integrating new civs? Are there cultural consultants and/or historian teams you work with to ensure the information is accurate?The research process for integrating civs is a lot of fun and a good amount of work. Many developers at Firaxis Games are as you might guess naturally interested in history, and we do our best to authentically represent cultures, whether its the language they speak, to the clothing they wear, and more.During the development of Civilization VII, we had two resident historians at Firaxis Games one specializing in East Asian history and the other specializing in Scandinavian and Medieval Studies. Both were essential in not just helping us represent cultures with care, but also crafting the Age experience and figuring out which civilizations were good candidates to explore.As some might be aware, we also did directly consult with the Shawnee for their inclusion in Civilization VII. Its been a really wonderful partnership.In terms of researching these civs, have you discovered anything unexpected about any of them that proved to be challenging to adapt?We have always had huge problems representing cultures without any written records. Weve always wanted to include an early North American native culture such as the Mississippians, but never had any idea how to create a leader for such a civilization that left no documentation on specific people. Thankfully, our new Civ VII approach to loosely couple leaders with civs has solved that problem. Now any leader can be paired with the Mississippians, though other indigenous North American leaders such as Tecumseh and Pachacuti are especially recommended.Are there civilizations/leaders/time periods youve always wanted to include but havent had the chance yet or perhaps havent because they would be too difficult to adapt?Because of the original structure of Civ, where you play as the same civilization from start to finish, weve always had a creative challenge of trying to figure out which version of an empire to choose as representative throughout all of history. This gets further complicated when you have civilizations who werent around in 4000 BC, such as America.This is what Ages helps us solve by splitting history into distinct playable chapters and making each Age rooted in particular parts of history, we can select civilizations that exist during the Age and show how empires rise, fall, grow and evolve. A civilization such as Songhai, who may not be as well-known in popular culture today, was enormously influential during its time and fits perfectly for the Exploration Age as a representative then from West Africa.Did the team ever consider the reverse of what they settled on with the new leader mechanic change? (This would entail playing as multiple leaders but with the same civilization.)We did consider this approach, but quickly ran into a few issues. If we were to have different leaders across Ages but you keep the same civilization, we would be limiting ourselves to only selecting civs who have clear representation across all three Ages like China or India. If you were to select America, for example, which leader would lead America in 4000 BC? Or the Inca today?Were also conscious that with so many things changing from Age to Age, its important for you to have a cohesive experience. Weve found that most players understanding of what goes on in a game of Civ tends to focus on the leaders Gilgamesh was your friend, as opposed to the Sumerians. Having the leader stay the same across Ages lets you develop a narrative about your opponents since they remain constant.Will there be any mechanics tied to ideology? Or will that be relegated to civics like in Civ 6?Yes! We recently revealed in our Modern Age livestream that Ideologies play a critical role during that Age. Essentially, after you study the Political Theory civic, you can choose an ideology to pursue which youll be locked into for the rest of the game. This has a major impact on how diplomatic relationships with other leaders proceed; shared ideologies strengthen alliances, while conflicting ones create friction. Ideology also plays a big role in the Modern Ages Military legacy path, one of the routes you can pursue to unlock the final victory conditions for the game.Since the launch of Civ 6, weve seen a pair of games attempt to challenge that 4X mantle (Humanity and Millennia). Is there anything specific the Civ team may have learned from those titles, or perhaps from other titles over the years that have taken inspiration from Civ?Its been very interesting to see how other games in the 4X space tackle some of the same questions we look at, and see how players react to their solutions. For Civilization VII, we have the unique benefit of having a very long history of games within our own franchise, and thus our efforts in Civilization VII are really focused on finding ways we can improve on some of the weaknesses we identified with our own titles. Hopefully, we create another Civ game that can stand the test of time.Is there anything you wish someone would ask about, but no one ever does?I think maybe the question Whats the regular part of your work week that is the most fun while developing a Civ game? And Id have to answer with our Tuesday afternoon multiplayer sessions. Weve been holding those regularly throughout the project and with our new Ages system, multiplayer matches can be wrapped up within a 2-3 hour period. Thats made these sessions even more interesting as you can imagine!Civilization 7 will be released on Feb. 11 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC .

When it comes down between choosing a seat thats hard and a seat thats cushioned, the answer is pretty obvious lifes too hard to sit on something thats just as hard. Oftentimes though, we dont have that choice, but with the Slim collection by Madrid-based interior and product design studio Stone Designs for Bln, we can defer uncomfortable seating to another day. Designed to function as an individual cushion or attached to different bases, Slim makes uncomfortable seats a thing of the past.Slim is made out of Flexyskin, Blns proprietary technology that uses plant waste to create soft, plush polyurethane foam. Certified by REDcert, this innovative material is eco-friendly, recyclable, and energy-efficient in manufacturing. Slims most basic form is a simple, ergonomic seat that can be used wherever a cushion would be appropriate, such as bleachers, benches, or hard ground. Because of the lightweight material, Slim is effortlessly portable.For spaces that need more of an installation, Slim can be modularly configured and attached to various bases: a stool, a two-seater bench, a two-seater bench with a table surface attached at seat level, a two-seater with an elevated table surface, a three-seater bench, and a three-seater curved bench. These structures are ideal in public settings like waiting rooms, auditoriums, and work lounges. With 14 colors available, Slim can be customized in a monochromatic version or multi-colored mosaics.The beauty of Slim is in its minimalist design, which embraces the essence of simplicity while offering maximum versatility. Using only a small number of structural elements and a single Flexyskin mold, Slim enables endless customization. Its a testament to the power of simplicity, showing that great design doesnt need embellishment to leave a lasting impression. Whether you need just a single seat or a full room of seating, Slim makes it easy to sit in comfort wherever you are.To learn more about the Slim collection by Bln, visit boln.eu.

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Klipsch, a company more known for shelf speakers, towers and soundbars, is adding three more portable speakers to its Music City Party Speaker lineup. The original three speakers are the Austin, Nashville and Detroit models. At CES 2025, Klipsch is adding the Vegas, Miami and New York models.The Vegas is the smallest model among the three and has a single 5.25-inch woofer, while the Miami is larger and has two 5.25-inch woofers for more bass. The New York is the biggest one and has dual eight-inch woofers. Other differences include the Vegas and Miamis pole mounts for easy setup, which the New York doesnt have. However, the New York and Miami have trolley wheels due to their larger size and heavier weight. These wheels make it easier to take the speakers on the road.The new speakers all come with a karaoke microphone, handles for portability and some sound effects like audience cheering and an airhorn, along with RGB lighting for outdoor enjoyment. They also support Bluetooth 5.2 connections and have a Bass Boost mode if you think there isnt enough low end. Additionally, if you have more than one of these speakers, Party Mode can link them up for a more immersive experience.For sound customization, all three speakers work with the Klipsch Connect Plus app. The app supports EQ adjustments, RGB and light pattern changes and more. Klipsch says that the Vegas can last for eight hours of playing, while the Miami can reach 18 hours. The New York, despite being the largest of the trio, has a maximum battery life of 12 hours. Turning the lights on reduces battery life.All three speakers will be available in Spring 2025. The Vegas will cost $299, the Miami goes for $549 and the New York can be yours for $699. You may pre-order them starting January 7, 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/klipsch-introduces-the-newest-music-city-party-karaoke-focused-speakers-140018483.html?src=rss

Netgear just announced a new Wi-Fi 7 mesh router system called the Orbi 870, joining the pre-existing 970 and 770. The company says that the latest system offers the perfect balance of performance, coverage, and security. To that end, the Orbi 870 offers tri-band speeds up to 21Gbps and all kinds of modern bells and whistles. These include enhancements like support for the latest 320MHz bandwidth and 4K QAM, which squeezes more data into traditional transmissions. This looks to be a fairly future-proof router system. Netgear also touts the reliability of this device, thanks to an enhanced backhaul that combines 5GHz and 6GHz into a single band. Of course, there are plenty of wired connectivity options here. Theres a 10 gigabit internet port and four 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports on the router. Additionally, each satellite includes four Ethernet ports. Netgear Like most Netgear mesh systems, adjustments can be made via the Orbi app. This lets users pause the internet, run speed tests, track usage and set up separate networks for guests. This app also allows access to parental controls. The Netgear Orbi 870 system is available in black or white. A three-pack that includes the router and two satellites costs $1,300, while a two-pack costs $1,000. Additional satellites can be purchased for $550 each. This is expensive, to be sure, but an actual bargain when compared to the slightly higher-end Orbi 970 system. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/netgears-orbi-870-mesh-router-system-is-a-great-way-to-join-the-wi-fi-7-bandwagon-133031270.html?src=rss

Bad actors have created deepfakes to imitate celebrity endorsements, President Biden and employers. But, one of the most heinous uses is making sexually explicit deepfakes of real people. Now, the UK government is taking new steps to deter their creation, introducing new criminal offenses for producing or sharing sexually explicit deepfakes. Only sharing deepfakes is currently an offense under UK law."With these new measures, were sending an unequivocal message: creating or sharing these vile images is not only unacceptable but criminal," said Baroness Margaret Beryl Jones, minister for the future digital economy and online safety. "Tech companies need to step up too platforms hosting this content will face tougher scrutiny and significant penalties." The new offenses will be proposed in parliament under the Governments Crime and Policing Bill.A similar measure was proposed in April 2024 by the previous UK government under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. However, it only covered cases in which a person created the deepfake to "cause alarm, humiliation or distress to the victim," creating a loophole for perpetrators to argue their case. The law never progressed as Sunak called a general election just one month later. Notably, the new measure covers only adults, as it is already illegal to create or share any sexually explicit images of children.The UK government has also announced its intention to make it a criminal offense if a person takes intimate photos or video without consent. Additional offenses would look at whether it was created without consent and to cause alarm, distress, humiliation or sexual gratification for themselves or another. A person charged with one of these actions can face up to two years in custody.The US has attempted to create helpful measures or individuals impacted by deepfakes. In 2024, the Senate passed the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act (DEFIANCE Act), which would allow victims of sexually explicit deepfakes to sue the perpetrators. It would give the individual 10 years to sue for up to $150,000 or $250,000 if it relates to attempted sexual assault, stalking or harassment. However, it's fate is unclear, having sat in limbo in the House of Representatives since last July.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/new-uk-law-would-criminalize-creating-sexually-explicit-deepfakes-132155132.html?src=rss

MyGiftCardSupply was keeping sensitive data in an unprotected database, putting customers at risk.

PS5 owners are equally divided when choosing to turn their console off or putting it in Rest Mode.

Google has released its Timeline update, which recaps your 2024 journeys and compares your total travel distance to the circumference of the Earth.

Meta announces intent to "restore free expression" on its platforms