Paleontologists and volunteers excavate dinosaur trackways in Oxfordshire, England, uncovering the biggest find of its kind in the United Kingdom. University of BirminghamAbout 166 million years ago, dinosaurs ambled across a shallow lagoon in modern-day Britain. Some of the Jurassic giants took their sweet time, moving in fits and starts; others might have skulked more urgently. All made the mud squelch beneath their toes as they tromped here.At the time, such an occurrence was just a mundane event of dinosaurs on the march. But the terrain preserved these fleeting crossingsthough the dinosaurs are long gone, the impressions they left behind remain. Now, researchers and volunteers have uncovered the entire trackway where these Mesozoic monsters came and went. Containing around 200 marks in total, the site is the largest collection of fossilized footprints to have been discovered in the United Kingdom.This is one of the most impressive track sites Ive ever seen, in terms of scale, in terms of the size of the tracks, Kirsty Edgar, a micropaleontologist from the University of Birmingham in England, tells Rebecca Morelle and Alison Francis of BBC News. You can step back in time and get an idea of what it would have been like, these massive creatures just roaming around, going about their own business.The dinosaur stomping ground was first discovered by quarry worker Gary Johnson while he was operating a mechanical digger. As he stripped back the clay from the ground, he felt unusual bumps underneath his machine. These might not usually be anything to gape at, but it was their repetition that caught Johnsons attention. Every ten feet or so, he would find a similar hump.Johnson had historical precedent to suspect that the regular impressions could be of paleontological significance: In 1997, a dinosaur crossing with 40 footprints was discovered nearby. He wondered if the holes on the ground could be another hotspot for dinosaur traffic. To find out for sure, he called in the experts.I thought, Im the first person to see them. And it was so surreala bit of a tingling moment, really, he tells BBC News.Last June, researchers from Oxford University and the University of Birmingham led a week-long excavation at the quarry site. More than 100 or so students and volunteers searched the ground for the footprints, then liberated them with brushes.The team uncovered five trackways in the rock, each made by a different dinosaur. Four of them came from the footfalls of some herbivorous sauropod, likely a Cetiosaurus. These behemoths grew up to 59 feet in length. The final set of footprints were tellingly three-toed, belonging to a fearsome predator: the more than 20-foot-long Megalosaurus. As a species, Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur fossil to ever be named and described, and its study in 1824 kickstarted modern-day paleontology. A three-toed track left by Megalosaurus, a Jurassic predator. Dr. Luke Meade, University of BirminghamThe longest of the sauropod trackways spans 490 feet in length. But the footprints disappear under a cliff at the edge of the quarry, which has yet to be fully excavated. So, according to a statement from Oxford University, the series of tracks could extend much farther.Dinosaur footprints are an uncommon sight, and for good reasonit takes very specific circumstances to maintain them. The recent find was in one of the lucky areas. Its rare to find them so numerous in one place and its rare to find such extensive trackways as well, Emma Nicholls, a paleontologist at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, tells the Agence France-Presse. The research team suspects a storm piled sediment on top of the footprints and protected them from erosion.The tracks preservation is so exquisite that scientists were able to cobble together snapshots of dinosaur behavior. One set of the sauropod tracks intersects with those of the Megalosaurus. From the shapes in the ground, the researchers conclude that the sauropod came by before the carnivore. Perhaps the predator was tracking its potential target, they suggest, though its impossible to say for sure. Elsewhere, one of the footprints on the largest sauropod track is out of sequence; researchers think the behemoth could have paused to look back over its shoulder.The preservation is so detailed that we can see how the mud was deformed as the dinosaurs feet squelched in and out, says Duncan Murdock, an Earth scientist at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, in another statement. Along with other fossils like burrows, shells and plants, we can bring to life the muddy lagoon environment the dinosaurs walked through.Modern analytical tools and digital recording equipment will help scientists glean more insights about the dinosaurs day-to-day lives. During the dig, the team created molds from individual footprints and took more than 20,000 photos. These will help researchers create 3D models of the individual markings, as well as the terrain. The data will help inform scientists about the makers size, gait and walking speed, as well as how they might have interacted. Using computer models, the researchers can potentially recreate the scenes of dinosaurs on the move.Prehistoric footprints might not be as glamorous as a dinosaur skeleton, but they give beholders a different kind of view into history. Bones provide largely static informationlike shape and anatomybut footprints are records of life, when the dinosaurs were still moving.To me, dinosaur trackways are much more alive than fossilized bones, which can only be from dead animals, says Emily Howard, an Oxford University earth sciences undergraduate student, in the statement. She was involved in the efforts to excavate the tracks last summer. Similar to when you see human footprints on a path ahead of you, a dinosaur track gives the impression that the creature could be miles away in the direction the tracks march on but was here only a moment ago.Taken together with the bones, howeverand with some help from modern technologythese earthen imprints give a holistic picture of the prehistoric creatures that sashayed along in their heyday, oblivious to the puny mammals of the future who would gawk at their footprints millions of years later.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Cool Finds, Dinosaurs, Discoveries, England, Fossils, Paleontology

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Rocksteady cut further jobs at the end of 2024It's unclear how many people were impacted by this second redundancy round in just three months News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 7, 2025 Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League developer Rocksteady made another round of layoffs just before the close of 2024.It marks the second round of job cuts in just three months.As reported by Eurogamer, half a dozen developers impacted by the cuts confirmed to our sister site that they had lost their jobs, including employees working in the programming, artistry, and QA teams.The cuts came just weeks after the Warner Bros. subsidiary Rocksteady Studios laid off a separate round of staff in September 2024.It's unclear how many people were impacted by the layoffs and as yet, Warner Bros. has not responded to press requests for comments.Warner Bros acknowledged shortly after launch that Suicide Squad "[fell] short of expectations]," added to the tough comparison with the launch of Hogwarts Legacy in the same window the previous year.Shortly thereafter came reports detailing various problems during Suicide Squad's development, including frequent changes in vision, perfectionist leadership, and Rocksteady's lack of experience with both multiplayer and live service games.

Justin Carter, Contributing EditorJanuary 7, 20252 Min ReadImage via Jar of Sparks/NetEase.At a GlanceJar of Sparks was founded in 2022 by 343 Industries alum Jerry Hook, with the intent of making narrative-driven action games.Jar of Sparks, an indie developer spun up in 2022, is pausing development on its debut project as it searches for funding.On LinkedIn, founder Jerry Hook explained current staff would be allowed to look for new opportunities during this process. "If youre searching for exceptional professionals who are driven and think outside the box, please reach out," he wrote. "Wed be more than happy to connect you with some of the best developers I have had the pleasure of working beside."Jar of Sparks was founded as a NetEase subsidiary, and Hook said in 2022 the studio intended to make "a new generation of narrative-driven action games." This marks one of the first developers to cease operations and cut staff in 2025.Throughout 2022 and 2023, NetEase courted veterans from developers like Ubisoft, Riot Games, and Cryptic Studios to spin up their own teams. As of last year, the status of those other studios is unknown. By December, the tech giant was reportedly preparing to shut down Ouka Studios, which had released Visions of Mana in August.Roadblocks for other new studios from veteran developersBefore 2024 ended, two other developers were in similar positions as Jar of Sparks. Worlds Unknown, a studio headed up by BioWare alum Mac Walters, also ceased operations to hunt for a new publishing partner. Similarly, Tales of Kenzera creator Surgent Studios paused activities and offered a public first look at its current project, 'Uso,' to lure prospective partners.Of Jar's first game, Hook said the team "strived to create something truly new and exciting for the industry. We couldnt be prouder of the groundwork weve laid together. [...] From the day we formed to this very moment, this team has accomplished remarkable featsproving that a small, focused, and dedicated group can achieve great results. We thank each of them for their courage, skill, and friendship.""Thank you to everyone who supported us throughout our journey here at Jar of Sparks," he concluded, "and we look forward to updating you all with our next step in our journey."Read more about:LayoffsAbout the AuthorJustin CarterContributing Editor, GameDeveloper.comA Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.See more from Justin CarterDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Private Division, the indie game label from Take-Two, has been reportedly acquired by staff from last year's mass exodus at Annapurna Interactive.Per Bloomberg, the new, still-unnamed studio will inherit games and franchises previously published under the Private Division banner. The titles that will fall under this new developer's purview include the Kerbal Space Program series, and an unannounced project from Pokmon developer Game Freak.Last November, it was reported Take-Two had sold the label to a then-unknown company. According to Bloomberg, the buyer was the Austin-based private equity firm Haveli, which reportedly struck a deal to fund the Annapurna alums' studio. As a result of this purchase, some of the near-20 Private Division staffers will be laid off.What happened with Private Division and Annapurna InteractiveLast summer, the Grand Theft Auto publisher planned to either close (or shut down) Private Division. That was preceded by the full closure of Roll7 (Rollerdrome, OlliOlli) and layoffs at Kerbal creator Intercept Games. Yellow Brick Games and Bloober Team, two developers whose projects were to be published by Private Division, respectively switched to self-publishing or had their deal with the label fully dissolved.Over at Annapurna Interactive, an alleged power struggle primarily between studio leadership led to a resignation wave among staff. Among its many issues, the video game division of the popular film studio was reportedly set to launch its own offshoot called Verset, which would handle current and future Annapurna Interactive deals, and indie work of its own.Instead, discussions between Verset's planned leaders, James Masi and Nathan Gary, and Interactive co-founder Megan Ellison hit a standstill. Despite attempted negotiations, the 25-person Interactive staff all departed. The reported plan at the time for the staff was to launch its own publisher. What remains of Annapurna Interactive began hiring staff so it could make good on pre-existing deals.Bloomberg's full report on Private Division's new situation can be read here.

RCA has announced a new line of bright QLED TVs designed to be installed and blend into outdoor settings with bezels finished in a spirit of wilderness and Mossy Oak camouflage design. Theyre dust and water-resistant, and will work in temperatures ranging from minus 22 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.The company hasnt announced when its new outdoor TV lineup will be available. When they are, the TVs will be offered in four sizes: a $3,999 43-inch model, a $4,999 55-inch model, a $5,999 65-inch model, and the largest, a 75-inch model for $7,999.Why does RCAs 43-inch quantum dot TV cost almost four grand when similarly-sized alternatives can be found for less than $300? The TV in your living room almost certainly doesnt come with an IP55 rating. The RCAs are built with a scratch-resistant aluminum case that can withstand dust and moisture ingress. You wont want to leave them out in a downpour, but they can survive being sprayed with a hose or pummeled with wind-blown rain.Other features include up to 2,000 nits of brightness that helps keep the TVs viewable in bright sunlight, Dolby Atmos support, and Google TV to provide access to various streaming apps.

At CES this week, Savant Systems announced Savant Smart Budget, a feature of its Smart Power system of modular relays and equipment that integrates with your existing circuit breaker box.If youre already at the limits of your breaker boxs capacity, Smart Budget lets you get around that with automated control of individual circuits. That way, you can add more high-draw connections, like appliances or EV chargers, than your electrical box can supply at once. For instance, you could set it so that power only goes to your EV overnight after youre done using your oven. That sort of control can also be useful if youre using a house battery or running on solar power.Savants Smart Budget software. Image: SavantSavant says its system, which starts at $1,500 and requires installation by a licensed electrician, is more affordable than the alternative of working with your electric utility provider to upgrade to higher amperage service, which could cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. Those parts fit into most major electrical panels that standardize on 1 breaker spacing, company CMO J.C. Murphy tells The Verge, including panels from Schneider, Eaton, GE, ABB, Siemens, and others.The Smart Budget kit will include two 30-amp single-pole circuit breakers, which Savant calls Power Modules, along with a double-pole 60-amp one and a current tracker for circuits you only want to monitor, according to Murphy. It also includes a Savant Director hub and sensors. The company sells additional Power Modules that cost $120 for dual 20-amp or single-pole 30-amp versions and $240 for a 60-amp double-pole module.

SteamOS was always supposed to be bigger than Valves own Steam Deck, and 2025 is the year it finally expands. Not only will Lenovo ship the first third-party SteamOS handheld this May, Valve has now revealed it will let you install a working copy of SteamOS on other handhelds even sooner than that. Pierre-Loup Griffais, one of the lead designers on the Steam Deck and SteamOS, tells me a beta for other handhelds is slated to ship after March sometime, and that you might discover the OS just starts working properly after that happens! Griffais and his co-designer Lawrence Yang would not confirm which handhelds might just start working, though there are some obvious candidates: the company confirmed to us in August that it had been adding support for the Asus ROG Allys controls. Also, quite a few PC gamers have also discovered that Bazzite, a fork of Valves Steam Deck experience that I loved testing on an Ally X and vastly preferred to Windows, also works wonderfully on the Lenovo Legion Go. There still arent that many handhelds out there at the end of the day, and I would think Valve would take advantage of work the Linux gaming community has already done on both.RelatedSpeaking of Bazzite, Valve seems to be flattered! We have nothing against it, says Yang. Its a great community project that delivers a lot of value to people that want a similar experience on devices right now, says Griffais, adding later In a lot of ways Bazzite is a good way to kind of get the latest and greatest of what weve been working on, and test it. But he says Bazzite isnt yet in a state where a hardware manufacturer could preload it on a handheld, nor would Valve allow that. While users can freely download and install the SteamOS image onto their own devices, companies arent allowed to sell it or modify it, and must partner with Valve first.There are some non-selfish reasons for that. Among other things, Griffais explains that the Lenovo Legion Go S will run the same SteamOS image as the Steam Deck itself, taking advantage of the same software updates and the same precached shaders that let games load and run more smoothly, just with added hardware compatibility tweaks. Valve wants to make sure SteamOS is a single platform, not a fragmented one.In general, we just want to make sure we have a good pathway to work together on things like firmware updates and you can get to things like the boot manager and the BIOS and things like that in a semi-standardized fashion, right? says Griffais, regarding what Valve needs to see in a partnership that would officially ship SteamOS on other devices.Valve isnt currently partnered with any other companies beyond Lenovo to do that collaboration Yang tells me the company is not working with GPD on official SteamOS support, despite that manufacturers claim. Valves also not promising that whichever Windows handheld you have will necessarily run SteamOS perfectly in a new blog post, Valve only confirms that a beta will ship before Lenovos Legion Go S, that it should improve the experience on other devices, and that users can download and test this themselves.As far as other form factors, like possible SteamOS living room boxes, Valve says you might have a good experience trying that. And partnerships are a possibility there too: if someone wants to bring that to the market and preload SteamOS on it, wed be happy to talk to them.Valve wouldnt tell me anything about the rumors that its developing its own Steam Controller 2, VR headset with wands, and possibly its own living room box, but did tell me that we might expect more Steam Input compatible controllers in the future.