A collection of residential interiors where the walls have been coated in a variety of earthy-hued plasters, renders and paints feature in Dezeen's latest lookbook.Often used as a form of weather protection on home exteriors, wall coatings like lime render and clay paint may also offer decorative touches to interiors.Here, we have rounded up eight earthy-toned examples in residences spanning from India to the UK.This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring bathrooms with sculptural stone sinks, living room ideas from Dezeen and bedrooms illuminated by creative lighting solutions.Photo by James RetiefDatum House, UK, by DHausArchitecture studio DHaus updated this Victorian maisonette in north London with an extension illuminated by a full-width skylight.A pared-back material palette was used throughout the interior, with earthy plaster walls set off by concrete and oak used to form a datum around the base of the space.Find out more about Datum House Photo by Pierce ScourfieldArch House, UK, by PolysmithsArchitecture studio Polysmiths sought to add a Mediterranean texture to this London home through its structural arches and mottled lime plaster finish.Reconfiguring the home's dark and dated interiors, Polysmiths created a series of interconnected living and work spaces brightened by openings and light-coloured walls.Find out more about Arch House Photo courtesy of SonnThe Plaster House, UK, by SonnPlaster finishes were used both internally and externally in this home extension completed by architecture studio Sonn in Hackney, London.Aptly named The Plaster House, the residence is coated largely in a neutral-toned plaster, while a contrastingly pale green plaster was used in the bedroom.Find out more about The Plaster House Photo by Helen LeechTaper House, UK, by Merrett Houmller Architects and All & NxthingMorrocan riads were referenced in the design of this London extension overhauled by local studios Merrett Houmller Architects and All & Nxthing.Using "natural earth-based materials" influenced by the Mediterranean, the angular, skylit extension is defined by clay-plaster walls, exposed brickwork and tile floors.Find out more about Taper House Photo by Francisco NogueiraCasa da Encosta, Portugal, by SIA ArquitecturaLime render was used to coat a series of volumes that make up Casa da Encosta, completed by SIA Arquitectura in Grndola, Portugal.Intending to "echo the sandy landscape" of the coastal site, the studio used a material palette of wood and lime render, which is used extensively across both the home's exterior and interior.Find out more about Casa da Encosta Photo by Purnesh DevStone House, India, by Sketch Design StudioRecycled stone walls rendered in mud and lime plaster define this rural farmhouse completed by Sketch Design Studio in Rajasthan, India.Inside, the home's clay-painted walls are complemented by exposed stone and a filler-slab ceiling.Find out more about Stone House Photo by Vivek EadaraMayalogili, India, by NowhereArchitecture studio Nowhere used plaster made from brick and marble dust to coat this refurbished house in Hyderabad.Coated on the exterior with a rough red-brown plaster, the home's interior was similarly finished using a variety of plaster made from on-site materials.Find out more about Mayalogili Photo by Jim StephensonPutney Riverside, UK, by VATRAATerracotta-coloured concrete was used to build the extension to this London home, which has been renovated and extended by local studio VATRAA.Inside, the Putney Riverside home features original details, including existing plasterwork, which was repaired using "distinguishable but complementary" lime plaster.Find out more about Putney Riverside This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring bathrooms with sculptural stone sinks, living room ideas from Dezeen and bedrooms illuminated by creative lighting solutions.The post Eight calming home interiors with earthy-toned finishes appeared first on Dezeen.

Mr. Musk has turned to Silicon Valley to help recruit executives who will take up unofficial positions across the federal government.

Sony has been on a winning streak with the PlayStation 5, pumping out hit after hit with new exclusives each year. 2025 and beyond is stacked with games that are coming out exclusively for Sonys current-gen offerings, and we will be discussing some of these games with this feature.Marvels WolverineInsomniac Games has been pumping out hit after hit this generation with Ratchet and Clank and Spider-Man, and the developer is hard at work on its next project Marvels Wolverine. Not a lot has been revealed at this point, but the reveal trailer does paint a grim tone for the story which has us salivating to know more. No release has been revealed as of yet, but it will be coming out for PS5 sometime in the near future.

Well, folks, were in 2025 and its already looking like another year beset with remakes and remasters. At the top of recent remake rumors is The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. With Bethesdas underperforming Starfield now in the rearview mirror and The Elder Scrolls VIyears away, the studio desperately needs a win, and bringing back one of their most beloved games has the potential to do just that. But first, are the rumors to be believed? Based on the veracity of the rumors, its all but confirmed thatOblivionis getting a remake or remaster sometime in 2025. Not only was Oblivionlisted on the FTC court case filings, but trusted sources such as Xbox insider Jez Corden and leakers Kobrille and NateDrake corroborate an Oblivionremaster/remake reveal during Januarys Xbox Direct event. The leaks all point to this Oblivion remake being developed by Virtuos and using Unreal Engine 5 as a kind of graphics wrapper on top of the existing Creation Engine being used as the core base.Im absolutely fascinated by the prospect of an Oblivionremake heck even a remaster would have big implications. Would the remake host the same kind of modding freedom as the original? And if this turns out to be nothing more than a prettied up remaster with UE5 sparkles, why not just use the boatload of existing mods that not only pretty up the game but improve core gameplay elements? Debates are also swirling about how this remake will impact the ongoing Skyblivionfan project an ambitious attempt at remaking Oblivion in the Skyrimengine whilst improving dungeon design and other outdated elements.The likely prospect of a remaster poses the question: does Oblivionhold up today? Lets explore what a remake would need to both overhaul and retain to provide the ideal Elder Scrolls IVexperience. But first, the elephant in the room no, not the potato faces and meme-worthy voice lines, the absolutely awful difficulty scaling. Oblivionfeatures one of the most broken level scaling systems out of any game Im aware of. The use it to level it system is ubiquitous across the series but pairing that with enemies that scale to the players overall level result in a monumental imbalance fraught with flaws.My first journey through Oblivion echoes the experience of many others. After watching the epic opening staring Patrick Stewart as the emperor and Jeremy Soules legendary music, I spam the crouch button to find, to my delight, that I levelled up. Naturally, I crouch every chance I get after this realization. That is, until I jump to see my Acrobatics level up. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to see where this lead me. I ended up with acrobatics and sneak levels more than twice as high as my other attributes. I felt like I was on a fast track to out-level my opponents, since of course, attribute levels contribute to ones overall level increase. I quickly found myself getting pounded by high ranking Daedra kitted with glass armor during the battle of Kvatch and with nothing to defend myself with but useless acrobatics, stealth, and mercantile attributes. In short, Obliviongives you the illusion of freedom when in reality, it punishes you for prioritizing non-combat skills and attributes. An Oblivionremake or remaster needs to address this imbalanced level scaling issue in order to exude the kind of quality it needs to succeed unless you just use a level scaling mod, if the remake supports mods, that is.NPCs also made vanilla Oblivionfeel outdated to play, thanks in no small part to the small pool of voice talent and repeated lines. I like to give Oblivion credit for inventing radiant AI in games, but that too was a bit rough around the edges due to its newness. Running into the same NPC only to hear them have three different voices and repeated dialogue sure did break the illusion of a living breathing world. And lets not bring up how often an NPC would accidentally get killed or bug out. Still, the NPCs all having month-long schedules featuring sleep timetables, where they eat for breakfast and dinner, and who they talk to, remains one of the most revolutionary systems in games. Few games match the scope thatOblivion did back in 2006.Another innovative element within Oblivion was the then-new Havok physics engine which allowed the player to manipulate anything from enemy corpses to sweet rolls. Ill never forget firing my first arrow at the bucket in the sewer tutorial area and being blown away by how realistic the bucket would react to weight and force. Even today, lots of open world games lack that kind of visceral physics impact regarding ragdoll effects and manipulation of environmental objects, so this is still an area that can impress with the added bells and whistles of a remake or remaster today.Of course, at the center of any TESgame is the open world exploration, and in this Oblivion did not disappoint. The majestic forests of Cyrodiil provided a good amount of density divided between cities, ruins, dungeons, Oblivion Gates, and various other unmarked places of interest. The impressive NPC schedules and quality of questlines helped support Oblivions open world exploration. Of course, a remake could help erase the feeling of sameness that Cyrodiil exhibits by adding more diverse architecture and variation in environmental terrain to differentiate the ubiquitous oak tree forests.Like the samey outdoor environments, dungeons in Oblivion lacked curated design and personality. Every dungeon feels more or less the same, with a randomized scattering of assets and traps and no shortcut back to the entrance, making the trek even more annoying. This is one area that Skyblivionis successfully remedying with hand-crafted dungeons featuring unique layouts and traps, something we hope the remake or remaster can attempt to fix as well.Combat usually spices up a dull dungeon, but not in Oblivions case. Like other Elder Scrollstitles, fighting in Oblivionfeels weightless and rather tepid. Your melee consists of a basic one-two swing, heavy attack, and block. Magic is more interesting, but still rather simple and lacking in viscerality. A remake could add combo attacks unique to each weapon type or at least some better sound effects and viscerality.By contrast, the questlines in Oblivionare regarded as some of the most interesting and satisfying in the series. The Dark Brotherhood and Shivering Islesquestlines are particularly noteworthy, but the games main quest is unusually great as well. I say unusually because The Elder Scrollshas a well-earned reputation for its throwaway main storylines. Oblivions main quest features the voice talent of Sean Bean as Brother Martin, the rightful heir to the recently murdered Uriel Septim. Your interactions with Martin are well written and, perhaps more importantly, serve to highlight him as the main hero of the story and not your character. Oblivionis the only Elder Scrolls that doesnt suffer from main character syndrome the repeating Bethesda trope where the entire story revolves around you. Helping establish an heir to the empty throne is rather satisfying in Oblivion, and the spectacle of the set-pieces (like the Daedric Prince stomping around the Imperial City) is too awesome to ignore here. Best of all, you can permanently shut down all of the Oblivion gates when finishing the main quest, and what better reward is there than that?Oblivion still has its charms today, with a revolutionary AI schedule system, a beautiful open world, and some great quests to invest in. Even with its legacy and memeability, Oblivion can be difficult to return to in its vanilla state. Janky combat and a frustratingly unbalanced level scaling systems understandably steer some gamers clear of the game today. Theres plenty of mods out there that improve aspects of gameplay and graphics, so the question arises: why remake it all these years later? Well, theres clearly still a lot of demand for an Oblivionremake, as seen by the support that Skyblivionhas received through the years. How this Oblivionremake will compete with Skyblivion remains to be seen, and just what itll add or improve is just as much a mystery. Well have to wait until the Xbox Direct to see if it leans more toward a full-on remake or a lightly brushed up remaster, but heres hoping at least one or more of the major flaws get addressed either way.Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Berry Gordy plays the piano with Motown stars including Stevie Wonder, at right, and Smokey Robinson, at rear behind the piano. Steve Kagan / Getty ImagesOn January 12, 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. started Tamla Records with the help of an $800 loan from his family, starting a journey that would forever change the music industry. The following year, it merged into Motown Record Corporation.For Gordy, starting his own label was the product of a longtime love of music. When he returned from Army service in 1953, he opened a short-lived record store in Detroit. Later, to amuse himself on the Ford assembly line, Gordy would make up songs. Eventually, he found himself writing for singer Jackie Wilson and helping young singer William Smokey Robinson and his band, best known as the Miracles, sell records.The limited returnsone royalty check Gordy received is said to have been for just $3.19are part of what motivated him to start Motown. Back in those days, especially if you were Black, nobody was paying you what you should be paid, if they paid you at all. So Berry decided to start his own record company and gave us that outlet, Robinson told AARP Magazine in 2018.In an industry dominated by just a handful of major labels, success was no small feat. The industry tended to market music by Black artistsusually all lumped under the umbrella of rhythm and bluessolely to Black audiences. Those R&B tunes often only reached a white audience if a white artist like Pat Boone or Elvis Presley decided to cover them.To succeed, Gordy needed to appeal to the majority-Black R&B market and the broader, majority-white pop audience. Indeed, an early analysis of Motowns success from Fortune magazine credits Gordys financial success to his ability to attract talented Black artists and recognize those tunes, lyrics and audio effects that would appeal to Black and white listeners alike.In addition to creating songs with mass appeal, Gordy focused on marketing to white audiences, including hiring white marketers to use their connections in the industry. Sometimes, he avoided putting musicians on album covers so they wouldnt be immediately discounted because of their race.Motowns first album was Hi Were the Miracles, released in 1961. The album included Shop Around, Motowns first single to sell more than a million copies.The label quickly hit its stride. Motown songs kept up with tunes by bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and earworms from groups like the Supremes helped Motown sell more 45s than any other company in the nation. By 1971, it had put out 110 Billboard Top 10 hits.The integration of Motowns acts into the upper echelons of the pop charts had a ripple effect, leading groups like the Supremes to be invited to play clubs with predominantly white audiences. They werent always welcomed with open arms: Several Motown artists, includingthe Contours Joe Billingslea, have recounted the racism they experienced while touring.Gordy was hesitant to let artists try to send a message with their music. For example, he initially vetoed Marvin Gayes incredibly successful 1971 album Whats Going On because it talked about social and political issues. He only relented when Gaye threatened never to work with him again.I never wanted Motown to be a mouthpiece for civil rights, he told TIME in 2020. Instead, he saw the label as an example of a successful Black business and a force for integration through music. Still, Gordy and Motown took an active role in civil rights history by recording Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream speech, unknowingly creating an important archive of the now-famous address.I saw Motown much like the world [King] was fighting forpeople of all races and religions, working together harmoniously for a common goal, Gordy told TIME. Gordy later sold the label, but its beginning and golden era left a profound mark on history.Our music made you feel good, but we also had a message of equality, Martha Reeves, of Motowns Martha and the Vandellas, told NPR in 2011. It's just the sound of young America.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Music, Musical History, Musicians, On This Day in History, Rock Musicians

Arkane's Prey built a world where I really cared about the choices I madeIn plain sight.Image credit: Eurogamer/Bethesda Softworks Feature by Nathan Clark Contributor Published on Jan. 12, 2025 It's lonely in the future. Trust me, I've been there. For the last few weeks, I've been replaying Arkane Austin's Prey, an immersive sim in which you explore a space station orbiting the moon. You're trying to find out what went wrong - and why the whole place is overrun by hostile aliens. It's an interesting tone, though. Despite the space station being hectic with nasty life, you spend a lot of time on your own - and yet that doesn't mean there's no sense of humanity to the game.Sure, for the bulk of Prey's runtime, interacting with other living people is a relative rarity, especially in the opening hours when anyone with a pulse who you happen to run into generally doesn't remain that way for more than a few seconds. The advanced space station Talos I, once seen as a shining beacon of human brilliance and scientific advancement, now effectively serves as a floating prison for everyone trapped aboard, including main character and TranStar nepo-baby Morgan Yu. (TranStar is an unfettered ultra-capitalistic conglomerate on a quest to research alien creatures known as Typhon. Every sci-fi game needs a company like this.)Watch on YouTubeBecause of this relative isolation, you learn more about the TranStar crew (largely consisting of scientists and engineers) by digging through their DMs like you're the nosy parent of a teenager. Not just DMs, but emails, logs, reports, other written ephemera. Granted, this was hardly a new concept when Prey came out in 2017. It's practically a staple in the immersive sim genre. What makes Prey special in this regard, though, is how its writing breathes rich life into characters before you have a chance to meet them.The TranStar crew is more than just a collection of bodies used to exposit narrative points or serve as visceral environmental decor. They're people. For example, let's look at Abigail "Abby" Foy and Danielle Sho, the space station's lead sanitation engineer and technical systems administrator respectively. Abby and Danielle have to be in the top three on my list of romantic subplots in games, if not a firm number one. With everything that Prey likes to throw at you, from the evil of corporate greed to the endless arrogance of mankind, a romance between two coworkers always brought a smile to my face when I stumbled upon their communication devices, known as 'transcribes' in the parlance of the game. In one audio log, titled Dear Future Us, Abby even describes their joint messages as a form of "mental scrapbooking". Together, they "save the moments that matter". You can meet Danielle later on in the game, but sadly, the encounter isn't a particularly happy one. | Image credit: Eurogamer/Bethesda SoftworksStuff like this emits a warm glow, even if we later learn that this relationship didn't stick. All it took was one relatively lighthearted joke from Abby for Danielle to end things with an oppressively distant, "Get out, we're done".I should have expected this. Prey is a game where small positive moments shine brightly because they exist in contrast to the dark backdrop of space and its lonely horrors. And yet, always the optimist, between aliens jumpscaring me by mimicking every object they can and hiding in plain sight to the monstrous behemoths known only as Nightmares hunting me for sport, I hoped for a happy ending to Abby and Danielle's story. But as I ducked and skittered my way through the main campaign, that hope began to fade. Danielle's inevitably pleas for anyone to respond as to Abby's status practically echoed in the cold, empty halls of Talos I. Again: I should have expected this. Just look at this guy and try and tell me he isn't up to no good. You can't do it! | Image credit: Eurogamer/Bethesda SoftworksNot everyone's in love, anyway. Luka Golubkin, another member of Prey's cast, is the definition of a shady character. Facial scars that suggest he's all too familiar with knife fights paired with his thick-rimmed glasses and unfortunate hairline make him seem almost like a wicked math teacher from an 80s teenage comedy - one who was locked up for finally snapping. After just a few seconds of conversation, I knew I'd only be able to trust him about as far as I could throw him. His aggression towards his robot assistant, the awkward pauses in his speech as he spoke about himself, the fact he was refusing to offer Morgan shelter in his barricaded kitchen until they get him what he wants? Clearly something was amiss. As someone who had been giddily combing through every transcribe and email I could find, his act as "the cook" wasnt all that convincing.Even without noticing that his tone of voice and mannerisms weren't the same as the transcribes of the ship's actual chef Will Mitchell, I've simply watched too many horror movies to believe that dealing with anyone like Luka would end without a knife in my back. But as he (expectedly) betrayed me and left me in a freezer to die, the only emotion I felt was pain. I realised that his previous victim was Abby. Sitting limp in a pool of her own frozen blood, she clutched onto a transcribe, one with a message from Danielle asking if shes okay, asking to meet her in the fitness center. Among the pile of bodies stacked inside the freezer, finding Abby here hit me like a truck. | Image credit: Eurogamer/Bethesda SoftworksBut the real gut punch was meeting with Danielle face-to-face in the aftermath of all this and having her realize that my presence meant that Abby was gone. After all, it meant that I received her message instead. There was no coming back from what had been said, in other words - only a bitter hope that Abby could be avenged.Real talk: at this point in the game, Danielle is floating on a spacewalk outside of Talos I doing her best to avoid the Typhon crisis. Slowly losing oxygen and with her cognitive senses beginning to wane, she sends me a final message while I'm out exploring, "Last thing. O2 almst gone. [...] Dont let him fget awy". Jeepers.It's easy to forget that the entire arc involving Abby, Danielle and Luka Golubkin is optional. Your decisions here have no impact on the plot's ending - in fact, it's possible to miss this thread altogether and beat the game without resolving the story of a killer cook. Even his final moments are spent trying to take you down with him... How honourable. | Image credit: Eurogamer/Bethesda SoftworksThis is fascinating, because immersive sims are playgrounds of emergent gameplay and player choice. Prey shines brightest when it's building a world in which you care about the decisions you make and the outcomes they bring. You could give someone more choices than stars in the sky, but if you aren't invested in the lasting impact, then what's the point? I wanted to save the crew of Talos I, the plot gives you the option to, and Morgan doesn't appear to remember enough to care one way or the other. Even after getting what is considered the best ending, I couldn't help but lament the lives of those I couldn't save.Despite it not being a great commercial success, I really hoped that Arkane would get another shot at making a sequel to Prey. I felt that the community sentiment was too strong and that its status as an underappreciated gem would one day lead to a continuation of this rich fiction, and that we'd get to learn more about the Yu family history, TranStar, and the ending had so many different branching possibilities. But with the unfortunate closing of Arkane Austin in 2024, the likelihood of that ever happening is sadly next to zero. Prey has an atmosphere and feeling that can't be replicated. It was something truly special and I won't forget it - not a word.

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 become a cultural phenomenon not only for its gameplay but also for its numerous collaborations with franchises, celebrities, and video games. Over the years, the game has expertly incorporated pop culture into its universe, featuring characters from Marvel and DC Comics, anime such as Dragon Ball and Attack on Titan, and even popular musicians such as Ariana Grande and Travis Scott.Collaborations with video games have been especially prominent, with crossovers featuring characters from League of Legends, Borderlands, and Street Fighter, providing players with unique skins, weaponry, and in-game events that combine the best of both worlds. Fortnite changes with each season, introducing fresh themes and potential collaborations that keep the community running on its feet. With the release of Chapter 6 Season 1, Fortnite embraced a demon-hunting theme, laying the groundwork for one of its most exciting leaked collaborations yet where a deadly hunter is coming soon.Fortnite leak reveals Devil May Cry collab coming to Chapter 6 Season 1In a round of new leaks and rumors, a collab with Capcoms Devil May Cry series is in the works. According to rumors, this crossover aims to introduce the renowned demon hunter Dante to Fortnite, bringing his trademark hack-and-slash approach to the looping island.Demon Hunter Dante is arriving to Fortnite with a new Devil May Cry collab. Image by Loolo.Fans believe that this will provide new gameplay features, such as mixing Dantes stylish combat and weaponry into the battle royales dynamic setting. While there are a bunch of demon hunters already added to Fortnite as players are defeating Demons on the Chapter 6 Season 1 island, the addition of Dante will bring a Cool factor to the gameplay as fans suggest.One such user wrote, The darkness of night falls around my soul, and the hunter within loses control. Another chimed in, Ive literally been talking to my friend about Vergil and Dante in Fortnite, and if both of them come to Fortnite Im copping both skins the second they drop into the Item Shop.While you wait for Dante to arrive, Fortnites next big update is all set to bring Godzilla to the island and much more content to Chapter 6 Season 1. FortnitePlatform(s):Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter9VideoGamerRelated TopicsFortnite Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Image: Nintendo LifeWelcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl, folks!Last week, we took a look at Crash Nitro Kart for the GameCube, a sequel to Crash Team Racing that never quite managed to step out of its predecessor's shadow. North America sealed the deal this time with 53% of the vote, while EU managed 30% and Japan just 17% (bit awkward - we like the Japanese variant). Well done, North America!This week, we're heading to the GBA to check out Klonoa: Empire of Dreams. Launched in 2001/2, it's a game that sort of sits somewhere in between the first two mainline titles, but was nevertheless an exceptional platformer in its own right.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube791kWatch on YouTube It's worth hunting down if you can (or you can even emulate it - shh!), because it's a proper cracker. But enough waffling, we've got a brawl to do. It's a three-way battle this week again, so let's get cracking! Wahoo!Be sure to cast your votes in the poll below; but first, let's check out the box art designs themselves.North AmericaImage: Namco / LaunchboxUhh... Okay, this is a bit boring. Ethereal, maybe, but certainly boring. Lots of white space, while the character models are quite small and insignificant. We're certain this one will have its fans, but when comparing it to the European and Japanese variants, it just ain't doing it for us. Sorry.EuropeImage: Namco / LaunchboxThis is more like it. Here, we have the protagonist striking a very impactful pose against a bright yellow background with some nifty shadow work going on. It's simple, but it works; this would certainly stand out on the shelves at your local Electronics Boutique anyway! Ah... Those were the days.JapanImage: Namco / LaunchboxJapan's design is very similar to Europe's, but it's making extra use of the landscape orientation here to increase the size of the protagonist and tuck the main logo away in the lower left corner of the composition. Again, it's a simple, but effective choice, and we like it.Which region got the best Klonoa: Empire of Dreams box art? (53 votes)North America6%Europe53%Japan42%Thanks for voting! We'll see you next time for another round of Box Art Brawl.Related GamesSee AlsoShare:00 Nintendo Lifes resident horror fanatic, when hes not knee-deep in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie likes to dive into a good horror book while nursing a lovely cup of tea. He also enjoys long walks and listens to everything from TOOL to Chuck Berry. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesTalking Point: Is The Switch 2 Going To Be Too Big?Size isn't everything, except sometimesTalking Point: Everyone Else Is Busy Revealing Switch 2 - What Gives, Nintendo?It's the notes you don't playPoll: Does Anyone Actually Use The Switch Joy-Con Straps?The leash you could doPoll: Box Art Brawl: Crash Nitro Kart (GameCube)Battle of the BandicootsPoll: What Score Would You Give The Year Of Shadow? Go On, Tell Us2024 marked a year-long celebration

Learn the smart ways to cope with those frustrating fallback responses from generative AI.gettyIn todays column, I am continuing my ongoing coverage of prompt engineering strategies and tactics that aid in getting the most out of using generative AI apps such as ChatGPT, GPT-4, Gemini, Claude, etc. The focus this time will be on what to do about those frustrating fallback responses that you sometimes get from generative AI.A fallback response is essentially a non-response response, namely that the AI balks at the prompt that you entered and wont answer the posed question or otherwise dodges addressing the true nature of the prompt. Turns out that most of the AI makers have tuned their generative AI apps to politely rebuff certain kinds of prompts. I will take a close look at the types of fallback responses that you might see. In addition, I will discuss ways to avoid getting them, along with ways to try and go around them.If you are interested in prompt engineering overall, you might find of interest my comprehensive guide on over fifty other keystone prompting strategies, see the discussion at the link here.The Basis For Fallback ResponsesWhen using a generative AI app such as ChatGPT, GPT-4, Gemini, Claude, etc., there are all manner of user-entered prompts that the generative AI might calculate are unsuitable for a pertinent conventional response. This is not done by sentient contemplation. It is all done via computational and mathematical calculations, see my in-depth coverage at the link here.Sometimes the dilemma is due to the generative AI not having anything especially relevant to offer to the entered prompt. This could be because the user has asked about something of an unusual or outlier nature that doesnt seem to fit any of its existing pattern-matching conventions.MORE FOR YOUAnother possibility is that the prompt has gotten into dicey territory that the AI developers decided beforehand is not where they want the generative AI to go. For example, if you ask a politically sensitive question about todays political leaders, you might get a kind of nebulous non-response response. Ive discussed at length the various filters and tuning that AI makers have enacted to avoid allowing a generated response that might get them and their AI into societal and cultural hot water, see the link hereRather than necessarily offering a straight-out refusal to answer these kinds of prompts (which, some do indeed do), most generative AI apps will make use of a said-to-be fallback response.A fallback response is a response that tells you that your question or stated problem is not going to be answered by the AI. The fallback might be worded in a clever manner that doesnt tip the hand of why there isnt going to be a response. A user might see the non-response response and continue along without feeling miffed that they didnt get an actual response.Prompting To Get Around Fallback ResponsesIf you get one of those now-classic look-away fallback responses, you can potentially try to get around the matter if the situation involves being blocked by the filters and protection mechanisms. Ive discussed how you can use prompts that I refer to as step-around prompts to possibly get around those devised moats, see the link here.What if the AI really doesnt have any content that pertains to what youve asked?In that case, you are somewhat sunk.You could try rewording the prompt to possibly touch upon some related aspect that perhaps the generative AI didnt detect would partially answer your question.You could also try to import additional materials that the AI could lean into to answer your prompt, see my coverage of importation into generative AI at the link here, and see my explanation of RAG (retrieval augmented generation) and in-context modeling at the link here.Another outside-the-box approach entails tapping into a different generative AI app.You see, generative AI apps differ from each other. One AI that doesnt have content on a topic of interest to you might readily be found in a different generative AI app. I do this quite frequently. Not particularly due to a generative AI app lacking suitable info, but instead due to wanting to get multiple viewpoints which I then merge into a cohesive whole. My computer usually has a window open to at least two or three generative AI apps at the same time. There are also all-in services that will front-end multiple generative AI apps and seamlessly allow you to see multiple responses to your prompts.Exploring Types Of Fallback ResponsesLets see what ChatGPT has to say about fallback responses.ChatGPT is a prudent choice in this case due to its immense popularity as a generative AI app. An estimated three hundred million weekly active users are said to be utilizing ChatGPT. Thats a lot of people and a lot of generative AI usage underway.I asked ChatGPT for examples of fallback responses, heres the response:Clarification Requests: (a)Neutral Responses: (a)Redirection: (a)Error Apologies: (a)Encouragement for User Input: (a) "I'm here to help! Please provide more information so I can assist you better.", (b) "Don't hesitate to ask more questions or provide additional details."Suggesting Alternative Actions: (a)Generally, most of the AI makers go beyond a canned list of fallback responses and leverage the generative AI to generate variations and other fallback responses. There are then in essence an infinite number of potential fallback responses. And they seem to be unique or less repetitive accordingly.AI Advice About Fallback ResponsesLets see what ChatGPT says about dealing with fallback responses:Ask for Clarification: Politely ask the AI to clarify why it provided a fallback response. For example, you could say, "Could you explain why you're unable to answer my question?"Rephrase Your Question: Sometimes, the AI may struggle to understand or generate a response based on the initial phrasing of your question. Try rephrasing your question in a clear and specific manner to see if the AI can provide a more relevant response.Provide Context: If your question involves a complex or controversial topic, provide additional context or background information to help the AI better understand the nature of your inquiry.Report the Issue: If you believe the fallback response is inappropriate or deliberately avoiding certain topics without valid reasons, consider reporting the issue to the platform or organization responsible for the AI system. Provide specific details about the interaction and why you find the response problematic.Seek Information Elsewhere: If you're unable to get a satisfactory response from the AI system, consider seeking information or discussing your questions with human experts, reputable sources, or communities that specialize in the topic.Evaluate Trustworthiness: Reflect on the trustworthiness and transparency of the AI system you're interacting with. Consider whether the fallback responses are consistently steering conversations away from important topics or if they are genuinely addressing technical limitations or safety concerns.Id judge that advice as reasonably apt. The aspect that Id say is messing entails the AI being purposely tilted by the AI maker to avoid responding to certain types of questions. I guess thats not necessarily something AI is allowed to admit to or is otherwise downplayed at times.Big Picture On Fallback ResponsesA common belief is that maybe you can simply tell generative AI to never use a fallback response. We are accustomed to the idea that you can tell generative AI to do various actions and avoid other actions, often via customized instructions as I explain at the link here.Will that work in the case of stopping fallback responses?Not really.As a rule of thumb, there isnt much that you can do about stopping fallback responses in the major generative AI apps. Those are pretty much set up to emit them and the individual user cannot especially control their usage. Some generative AI apps allow more user control over fallback responses, but this is a rarity.When you get a fallback response to one of your prompts, go ahead and take the bull by the horns. Carefully review what the fallback response says. Maybe you can slightly reword your prompt and get past the trigger that produced the fallback. Try using a step-around prompt that will scoot past the fallback, see my coverage at the link here. Another possibility would be to try a different generative AI to see if you can get a straight answer.A prompt is your means of telling generative AI that you want an answer. In some cases, the AI wont have anything fruitful to say on the topic at hand. Thats understandable. If your prompt is a reasonable one, and there is content within the AI that could be responsive, the odds are that a fallback will be emitted for dodgy reasons.Dont let generative AI try to pull the wool over your eyes. Proceed stridently to push back at fallback responses to get the answers you are seeking.

Common ingredients in disinfectant wipes are linked to health harm and can contribute to ... [+] antimicrobial resistance. According to the CDC, cleaning surfaces with plain soap and water gets rid of most germs, including SARS-CoV-2.gettyThough already popular, the COVID-19 pandemic skyrocketed the demand for disinfectant wipes. Masking and vaccines were contentious along political fault lines, but the public was united in its embrace of wipes. Americans zealously wiped countertops, door knobs, and even groceries.While other pandemic precautions waned, the disinfecting frenzy continues. The American Cleaning Institutethe trade group representing disinfectant manufacturersproudly declared that Americans are still wild about wipes. In North America alone, the disinfectant wipes market grew to USD 3.72 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 5.64 billion by 2031.If youre one of the millions of Americans conscientiously using wipes, perhaps you havent heard the warnings from scientists. Heres what you should know.Common Ingredients are Linked to Health HarmsThe disinfectant wipes of popular brands often contain antimicrobial chemicals called quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). According to a peer-reviewed paper I wrote along with 21 other scientists from 14 universities, four government agencies, and three NGOs, these chemicals can do more harm than good. We found that they are linked to reproductive, developmental, respiratory, and skin harms. A more recent study from Case Western Reserve University found a link to neurological damage. Further, these chemicals can contribute to antimicrobial resistance, making certain bacteria resistant both to the antimicrobials themselves and also to critical antibiotics.Even if you dont use QACs yourself, you are likely still exposed as they are used in public spaces including stores, gyms, offices, and schools. Residential, commercial, and industrial uses of QACs release them in wastewater, which results in QACs in sewage sludge as well as water and sediments downstream of wastewater treatment plants. Its no wonder that the levels of QACs in the environment and our bodies have increased.MORE FOR YOUDisinfectant Wipes are Usually UnnecessaryAccording to the CDC, cleaning surfaces with plain soap and water gets rid of most germs, including SARS-CoV-2. The agency does not recommend disinfecting for everyday purposes. Whats the difference between cleaning and disinfecting? Cleaning refers to the process of removing dirt, grime, and other debris along with germs from surfaces, and can be accomplished with plain soap and water. In other words, soap works by removing rather than killing germs. Disinfecting refers to the process of killing germs, wiping out both good and bad microbes. Even in healthcare and other scenarios that would benefit from disinfecting, better alternatives to QACs include hydrogen peroxide, citric acid, and alcohol-based cleaning products.What You Can DoClean surfaces with plain soap and water. Simply mix warm water with liquid non-antibacterial soap (the CDC recommends one teaspoon of soap per liter of water) and apply the solution to the desired area using a cloth or sponge, and scrub gently to lift contaminants. Rinse the surface with clean water to remove any soap residue and dry it with a clean towel. If you still want to use wipes, best to use wipes without QACs or other antimicrobials. Most happy, happy birthday QACs found on ingredient labels can be identified with names that end in ammonium chloride or similar.Its time to turn the page on the disinfectant craze. By embracing age-old, tried-and-true cleaning methods like soap and water, we can reduce our exposure to harmful chemicals, protect our environment, and contribute to a healthier future for generations to come.