• My new game on Steam
    gamedev.net
    Hello GameDev.net Community!As an independent developer, Im thrilled to share my latest project, Fast Fingers, with all of you! This game is a fast-paced typing skill game designed to be both fun and educational. Players earn points by correctly typing words that fall from above, all while facing increasingly challenging speeds as they progress through the levels.Fast Fingers is more than just an entertaining e
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  • The weakest Donkey Kong Country is still pretty great
    www.polygon.com
    Donkey Kong Country Returns just wont stop returning.Players may recall the games initial launch for the Wii in 2010 and perhaps even the updated Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D for the 3DS from 2013, but thats just the tip of the banana hoard. Returns was also reissued for both Wii and 3DS as part of the discount Nintendo Selects line, launched as a digital-only offering on the Wii U eShop, and even released for the Nvidia Shield in China as recently as 2019 (in 1080p and 60 frames per second, no less).Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for the Nintendo Switch takes aspects of each of these rereleases motion controls, bonus levels, enhanced visuals and packages them into the ultimate experience. Its easily the best the game has ever looked and felt, but with so many quality Donkey Kong Country outings (literally all of them) available on Switch, Returns HD often has a hard time measuring up.Its obvious from the start that the makers of Donkey Kong Country Returns, and by extension Returns HD, were attempting to revive the magic of 1994s original faux-3D adventure, while still putting a fresh twist on its environments, enemies and collectibles. The games soundtrack follows suit, with many of David Wises fan-favorite tracks, such as Forest Frenzy and Aquatic Ambience, getting remixed alongside new offerings by veteran Nintendo composer Kenji Yamamoto. The resulting game is an interesting blend of nostalgia and new ideas, but thematically it all feels a bit too tame. The Donkey Kong Country series is at its best and most memorable when things get weird, and while Returns HD does have its notable moments, theyre few and far between.While the settings arent particularly awe-inspiring, the variety and quality of level design across Returns HDs roughly 12-hour adventure is impressive. Though it stumbles at times due to difficulty (more on that in a bit), new level mechanics like clingy grass walls, crumbling platforms, and beautiful sunsets casting silhouettes add some much-needed gameplay diversity to the classic hop-n-bop formula. Each level is brimming with bananas, coins, hearts, and the K-O-N-G letters Donkey Kong fans know all too well. Players will be hard-pressed to find all Returns HD has to offer on their initial playthrough, inspiring completionists to revisit every nook and cranny in search of bonus barrels and hidden puzzle pieces.Like in the original Donkey Kong Country, the titular ape is joined by the versatile Diddy Kong. With the Switchs HD rumble, controlling the pairs ground-pounding, high-flying antics feels as good as ever. Though Diddy is unplayable in single-player outings, his presence gives Donkey Kong an endless roll attack and, drawing inspiration from Donkey Kong 64, an extended hover jump via his jetpack. In two-player mode, the chimp can perform his own acrobatics and even brandishes his iconic peanut popgun at times. Its easy for multiplayer platformers to get a bit hectic, but Returns HD handles it well, allowing Diddy the ability to go solo or latch onto Donkey Kongs back for a tag-team approach.In its intended form, dubbed Original Mode, Returns HD can be brutally difficult. With only two hit points (four with Diddy along for the ride) and instant death from falls, ocean waves, and various vehicle collisions, players are forced to jump, swing, and roll with near perfection to survive, let alone discover and collect all the secrets the game has to offer. This isnt necessarily a bad thing, as 2D platformers that play it too safe can feel stale, but with sudden difficulty spikes, Returns HD can instead feel unfair and poorly paced at times.To combat past complaints of sudden surges in primate proficiency, Returns HD introduces Modern Mode, an updated take on what was called New Mode in the games release on the 3DS. Players who choose Modern Mode are privy to an extra heart per Kong, as well as the ability to equip items bought from Cranky Kongs store. Extra lives, momentary invincibility, and backup barrels are all available, and at discounted prices no less. Modern Mode allows players to equip up to nine of these items before jumping into any level, an exuberant amount of safety nets that seem sure to get even the most inexpert player to the end of most levels or boss fights.Even with safety nets in place, when it comes to eliciting frustration, Returns HDs minecart and rocket barrel gauntlets are the worst offenders. These levels, sprinkled throughout the games eight main worlds, introduce new obstacles and enemies so quickly that theyre nearly impossible to overcome on a first attempt. Suddenly a mole with a bomb appears, a boulder made of diamond spikes falls, or a giant bat lurches on screen from below and youre dead. Whats worse is that even when you know whats coming, the simplest mistake will always result in failure. Timing is everything, and while veteran players will be able to traverse most of these challenges after a handful of attempts, the average player is bound to find these sections unbearable. Bless the unfortunately named Tutorial Pig, who pops up multiple times per level to give players a much-needed point of return.Players who just cant hack it (and have lost enough lives) are offered the services of the legendary Super Kong. This white-haired Donkey Klone will auto-run perilous levels from start to finish, avoiding every possible collectible along the way. Its another great option for less confident Kongs who simply want to move on to the next challenge, though Super Kongs sluggish pace can certainly be a chore to behold.Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a solid game its just far from the best primate platforming experience on the Switch. The original Super Nintendo trilogy remains timeless (yes, even the one with Kiddy Kong), and 2018s port of Tropical Freeze is both thematically and creatively superior, with an entire cast of Kongs along for the ride. That being said, fans of 2D platforming will still find plenty to love in Returns HDs 80-plus levels and oodles of collectibles. And with plenty of padding for newcomers in the form of Modern Mode, equippable items, and Super Kong, Returns HD is easily the most accessible entry in the Donkey Kong Country lineup to date.Just try not to get too mad when you miss that minecart jump for the seventh time in a row.Donkey Kong Country Returns HDwill be released Jan. 16 on Nintendo Switch. The game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch using a pre-release download code provided by Nintendo. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can findadditional information about Polygons ethics policy here.
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  • From Factory Discards to Modern Decor, Cast Molds Get a Second Life
    design-milk.com
    Who knew industrial leftovers could look so stunning in your home? The OUTLINE series by SAND PRODUCT, founded by interior designer Rikiya Toyoshima and product designer Shomu Taki, takes a creatively bold leap, transforming core molds a behind-the-scenes hero in sand casting into striking furniture and decor pieces. By making the raw, carbonized sand the featured material, one that typically gets discarded during the manufacturing process, theyve uncovered a new kind of beauty in the industrial design.Sand casting is a popular method for crafting hollow metal components for cars and planes, with core molds playing a key role in shaping these intricate designs. Once the metal cools and solidifies, vibrations are used to separate the core mold from the finished piece. However, during the process, the molds carbonize, turning into black sand that can contaminate subsequent productions. As a result, these molds are discarded after a single use. SAND PRODUCT breathes new life into these molds, transforming them from mere tools of production into the final desired objects themselves.A core mold that was used to form pencils is now converted into a clock, with the pencils shape used as hour markers.What used to create the outline of a bowl is now transformed into a tray with multiple curves and ridges.Multiple core molds that would form test tubes become flower vases when aligned together. Similarly, a mold for making pens now becomes a stand for the pen itself.In a more complex design, core molds originally used to form the inner contours of bathtubs are repurposed into stools or tables, incorporating the bathtubs distinctive shape into the seat or base.Each piece in the OUTLINE series tells a story of reinvention, transforming industrial remnants into functional decor. Beyond aesthetics, the collection inspires makers and designers to rethink how we can use or reuse objects that are typically discarded, encouraging a more sustainable and creative approach to design.To learn more about the OUTLINE series by SAND PROJECT, visit rkystudio.studio.site and shomutaki.com.Photography by Asuka Nagai.
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  • What You Get With Apple One, and How Much It'll Cost You
    lifehacker.com
    Introduced in 2019, Apple combined its services into three convenient subscription packages called Apple One. If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem like me, it can be a money-saving option. Here's what the plan costs, and what each service separately will cost you. Apple One pricingThe Individual plan ($19.95 per month) includes 50GB of storage on iCloud+ and subscriptions to Apple TV+, Apple Music, and Apple Arcade. The Family plan ($25.95 per month) adds 200GB of storage and allows you to share the four services offered in the individual plan with five people. The Premier plan ($37.95 per month) offers 2TB of storage and adds Apple Fitness+ and Apple News+ to the mix.Below is a breakdown of each of the six services available on Apple One, which can help you determine which plan is right for you.Apple MusicUnlike Spotify Premium, Apple Music's library offers music mastered for Spatial Audio featuring Dolby Atmos, which mimics a 3D surround-sound experience without an additional cost (with the right headphones or equipment, of course). Additionally, users can download music onto their iPhone for offline listening and access exclusive radio programsincluding The Zane Lowe Show, known for the host's insightful artist interviewsand the Apple Music Classical app, which features a deep classical music catalog.Apple Music pricing without Apple One:Students: $5.99/monthIndividual: $10.99/monthFamily (share with up to five people): $16.99/monthiCloud+Many companies have capped how much you can store on their cloud service. If you frequently take pictures and videos with your iPhone or work with huge files, it makes sense to upgrade your file storage. For iCloud+, space depends on the package you purchase, and users who subscribe to the Family or Premier plans can share with up to five family members. Upgrading also simplifies the syncing process. You can also use iCloud+ to store videos from your security cameras, protect your browsing on Safari by utilizing the Private Relay feature, and create an iCloud email address with a custom domain.iCloud+ pricing without Apple One:50GB: $0.99/month200GB: $2.99/month2TB: $9.99/month6TB: $29.99/month12TB: $59.99/monthApple TV+With the sci-fi thriller Severance and workplace comedy Mythic Quest returning for new seasons this month, Apple TV+ is one of the better streaming services. (If you have kids, the service also features great children's programming.) What you might not know is that Apple produces top-notch podcasts, such as the true-crime series Scamtown from the team behind the documentary series McMillion$ and Magnificent Jerk, which follows an investigative reporter's journey to find out about her actor uncle's criminal past. If you subscribe to Apple TV+, you can access all podcast episodes simultaneously. Otherwise, you have to wait each week for new episodes.Apple TV+ pricing without Apple One:Student plan: free$9.99/month after a week trialApple News+Upgrading to Apple News+ provides subscribers access to over 200 publications ranging from Men's Health to Vanity Fair that can be downloaded for offline reading. Users can also access audio versions of long-form articles and daily puzzles, including sudoku, crossword puzzles, and a word game called Quartiles. Apple News+ is one of the most well-rounded aggregate apps out therethe only drawback is there are still ads throughout the app when you upgrade.Apple News+ pricing without Apple One Premier:$12.99/month after a month trial Apple ArcadeAn Apple Arcade subscription gives you access to over 200 ad-free games without in-app purchases that you can play on your iPad, iPhone, Apple Vision Pro, Apple TV, and Mac, which means you can let the kids can play the Apple Arcade edition of Angry Birds without running up your credit card to get a power up. The library of games continues to improve, with high-profile games like Final Fantasy+ and NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition, as well as hidden gems like Mini Motorways, a strategy game similar to Sim City, and the card game Balatro+.Apple Arcade pricing without Apple One:$6.99/month after a month trial$49.99/yearApple Fitness+I've been with Fitness+ since the beginning. If you have an Apple Watch, all the calories you burn during a workout are recorded and go toward your goal for the day. As of 2022, the device is no longer required for the service. You can choose from a dozen workout types from HIIT to Pilates, or create your own custom plan. One of the aspects I love about Fitness+ is it continues to expand its offerings, such as exercises for runners, led by ultramarathoner Scott Jurek, and instructor-led meditation sessions. Recently, Fitness+ added progressive strength training, new courses centered around yoga and pickleball, and the ability to upload workouts on the Strava app. However, my favorite feature is Time to Walk, where celebrities share stories while you take a stroll.Apple Fitness+ pricing without Apple One Premier:$9.99/month after a month trial$79.99/a yearThe number of Apple products you have, how much you use them, and your appreciation for shows like Ted Lasso will be a factor if you want to go la carte with some Apple subscriptions or go for the Premier plan or just an Individual subscription. For someone like me who doesn't want to spend a lot of time jumping from app to app for storing photos or keeping track of my health stats, I've found Apple One to be a great investment.
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  • Motorola refreshes its Moto G and Moto G Power phones with slightly larger displays
    www.engadget.com
    Motorola has refreshed its budget Moto G and Moto G Power phones. The two 5G handsets have larger displays than last year's models with a 0.1-inch bump to 6.7 inches and 6.8 inches, respectively. Both have a high-brightness mode that reaches 1,000 nits to help make the screens more visible in bright daylight. They have a 120Hz refresh rate as well.The Moto G 2025 and Moto G Power 2025 each have Dolby Atmos support, along with bass boost tech and hi-res audio. What's more, they each have a 5,000 mAh battery and run on the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset.The Moto G starts at $200. It boasts a 50MP main camera and Gorilla Glass 3, along with an IP52-rated water-repellent design. The handset, which will be available in forest gray and sapphire blue, has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage (expandable up to 1TB via microSD) in its base configuration.MotorolaAs for the latest Moto G Power, that doubles the Moto G's RAM and base storage, while it has Gorilla Glass 5 instead of 3. It should be more robust as well, since it has IP68/69 water protection. The Moto G Power starts at $300 and will be available in leaf green and slate gray.The Moto G 2025 will arrive at select US retailers on January 30 and the Moto G Power will hit shelves one week later, on February 6. Folks in Canada will need to wait until May 2 for both handsets, which run Android 15 out of the box.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/motorola-refreshes-its-moto-g-and-moto-g-power-phones-with-slightly-larger-displays-140027125.html?src=rss
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  • Skeleton Crew's season 2 chances don't look great, but the Star Wars show's creators are 'happy to make more' if it is renewed
    www.techradar.com
    Skeleton Crew's creators are open to making a second season, but it's unclear if the show will be renewed.
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  • Biden opens federal land for AI data centers, sets rules for developers
    www.cnbc.com
    President Biden issued a new executive order Thursday aimed at speeding the construction of artificial intelligence data centers on federal sites.
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  • Los Angeles utility failed miserably, faces lawsuit over water shortage
    www.fastcompany.com
    A lawsuit filed against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power on Monday accuses the public utility of failing to properly manage water supplies critical to fighting the deadly Palisades Fire, a court filing showed.The complaint, filed on behalf of residents and others affected by the historic blaze that destroyed the wealthy Los Angeles community of Pacific Palisades last week, says LADWP should have maintained water in a nearby reservoir, which was dry at the time the flames erupted.The water supply system servicing Pacific Palisades failed miserably, leaving residents and firefighters with little to no water to fight the blaze, Roger Behle, one of the plaintiffs attorneys said in a statement.The LADWP, which is the largest U.S. municipal utility, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment outside of regular business hours.The Santa Ynez Reservoir, which can hold as much 117 million gallons (443 million liters) of water, had been empty since February 2024, the lawsuit said. The complaint, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by law firm Robertson & Associates and Foley Bezek Behle & Curtis, claimed LADWP delayed repair work on the water resource to cut costs.The Palisades Fire, which has killed at least eight people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, has burned more than 23,700 acres (96 square km) and continued to threaten neighborhoods as of late Monday.Officials have not released a cause for the fire.Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday called for an investigation into reports that firefighters struggled to get enough water, and water pressure, to battle the inferno.LADWP said earlier it appreciated the investigation and would conduct its own review of the incident.As we face the impacts of climate change and build climate resilience, we welcome a review and update of these codes and requirements if city water systems will be used to fight extreme wildfires, LADWP spokesperson Ellen Cheng said on Monday, before the lawsuit was filed.LADWP CEO Janisse Quinones last week said the demand to fight water at lower elevations was impeding the ability of the city to refill water tanks at higher elevations. LADWP said it had filled all available water tanks in the city ahead of the windstorm that perpetuated the rapid spread of the fires.Three water storage tanks were exhausted within a day of the fires starting, Quinones said last week in a press briefing.The suit follows other legal actions in connection with the California wildfires, which have been linked to the deaths of at least two dozen people and have burned tens of thousands of acres across Los Angeles in what is expected to be the most costly natural disaster in American history.A group of residents and business owners also recently sued Southern California Edison over the Eaton Fire, which is still raging near Pasadena.Laila Kearney, Reuters
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  • IM Pei's Museum of Islamic Art was the most significant building of 2008
    www.dezeen.com
    Next up in our 21st-Century Architecture: 25 Years 25 Buildings series is the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar, by IM Pei, the first "mega-museum in the Gulf".This austere stack of limestone-clad blocks perched atop its own man-made island was in many respects the original template for the now hugely familiar and multi-billion-pound narrative of starchitects designing museums in the Middle East.The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) was borne of a somewhat more optimistic era, before the lure of soft power gained through such buildings had escalated into a fully-fledged "cultural arms race", to borrow a term from the Guardian's Oliver Wainwright."It was a big bang," the MIA's former director Julia Gonnella told Al Jazeera. "It's a huge museum and, of course, it was an event because it was the first of these sort of mega-museums in the Gulf."The Museum of Islamic Art was the first "mega-museum in the Gulf"There is a strong sense that the museum's architect, the late Pei, knew what the legacy of this "big bang" meant for Doha's architectural landscape.Fearing the MIA would be crowded out by future developments, he demanded it occupy its own man-made island off the main waterfront, which has since become home to projects including the National Museum of Qatar by Jean Nouvel.Pei's instincts were certainly proven right. Writing in Al Jazeera, Hamid Dabashi called the museum "the singular grace of a landscape otherwise flooded with the rambunctious debris of the gaudiest specimen of architecture from around the world thrown at Doha."It is located on an artificial islandThe MIA project began as a competition organised by the Aga Khan Foundation in 1997 from which Indian architect Charles Correa and Palestinian-Jordanian architect Rasem Badran emerged as the frontrunners, with Badran eventually being awarded the project.These plans, however, never came to fruition, and Chinese-American architect Pei who famously deemed competitions a waste of his firm's time was instead directly approached by a jury member who had convinced Qatar's emir that he would be a good choice for the project.The design aimed to blend tradition and modernityPei, who was in his 80s at the time, had retired from full-time practice in 1990, but the MIA was one of several high-profile museums projects he took on in something of a late-career revival. He toldthe Architectural Record how he "started to get kind of antsy".Immediately, Pei made a defining change to the brief for the MIA. When offered several sites across the Doha Corniche, he rejected them all for fear that future developments would block out views to and from the museum as well as the movement of the sun.Read: Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall was the most significant building of 2003Instead, the MIA was to be constructed on its own man-made island off the Corniche, accessed via a long, dramatic promenade that includes a fountain, tree-lined boulevard and a small bridge over the water."There were not yet too many buildings nearby, but I feared that in the future, large structures might rise that would overshadow it," explained Pei in an interview with Philip Jodidio."I asked if it might not be possible to create my own site," he said. "This was very selfish of me of course, but I knew that in Qatar it is not too complicated to create landfill."A vast atrium is located at the centre of the museumConscious of his lack of knowledge of Islamic architecture, Pei embarked on a global tour in search of what he called its "essence", which he believed he found most compellingly in the 9th-century Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo one of the oldest mosques in Egypt.This blending of tradition and modernity often termed neo-vernacular defined the later era of Pei's career. It is also visible in two similar museum projects he was working on at the same: a new wing at the Suzhou Museum in China and the MUDAM in Luxembourg.It features a double staircase and a circular chandelierThe austere forms of the Ibn Tulun Mosque informed the spartan stack of volumes that comprise the MIA, clad in cream-coloured limestone to emphasise the movement of sunlight across the building that Pei was so adamant be unobstructed by its surroundings.Such references led the New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ourousoff to describe the museum as a "temple of high art, placing culture on the same pedestal as religion".The museum has five floors of galleriesOnce inside, however, the MIA reveals itself as a true jewel box. Concealed by a blocky tower on the exterior is a faceted, skylit dome that shelters a vast atrium, which features a curved double staircase and ornate metalwork, including a large chandelier.On the ceiling, small domed coffers continue the play of light and shadow, while on the floors decorative tiling also adopts geometric patterns informed by traditional Islamic architecture.Around this central space, a total of 4,255 square metres of exhibition space are organised across five floors, with galleries designed by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte with darker stone and wood surfaces that contrast the limestone cladding.Read: Zaha Hadid's Bergisel Ski Jump was the most significant building of 2002While the stark exterior of the museum appears to feature almost no windows on approach, on its northern side a vast, 45-metre-tall glass tower looks out across the Gulf, as do a number of sheltered terraces on the museum's upper levels.To the east, across a large courtyard enclosed by high walls with arched openings another nod to the Ibn Tulun Mosque sits the museum's educational wing and library, housed in a simple rectilinear box clad in matching limestone.For all of the iconic architectural gestures that have followed in its wake, the Museum of Islamic Art remains perhaps the sole example that has achieved the rare feat of both standing out and blending in.Did we get it right? Was the Museum of Islamic Art the most significant building completed in 2008? Let us know in the comments. We will be running a poll once all 25 buildings are revealed to determine the most significant building of the 21st century so far.This article is part of Dezeen's21st-Century Architecture: 25 Years 25 Buildingsseries, which looks at the most significant architecture of the 21st century so far. For the series, we have selected the most influentialbuilding from each of the first 25 years of the century.The illustration is byJack Bedford and photography is courtesy of the Museum of Islamic Art, unless stated.21st-Century Architecture: 25 Years 25 Buildings2000: Tate Modern by Herzog & de Meuron2001: Gando Primary School by Dibdo Francis Kr2002: Bergisel Ski Jump by Zaha Hadid2003: Walt Disney Concert Hall by Frank Gehry2004: Quinta Monroy by Elemental2005: Moriyama House by Ryue Nishizawa2006: Madrid-Barajas airport by RSHP and Estudio Lamela2007: Oslo Opera House by Snhetta2008: Museum of Islamic Art by IM PeiThis list will be updated as the series progresses.The post IM Pei's Museum of Islamic Art was the most significant building of 2008 appeared first on Dezeen.
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  • Combo Furniture: LG Adds a Projector and Speakers to a Floor Lamp
    www.core77.com
    Angelo Lelii's classic Polifemo lamp, from 1956, was a torchiere that featured a secondary adjustable mood light. The feature was a flight of fancy on Lelii's part. Now, 68 years later, technology has advanced to the point where more sophisticated functions can be crammed into a floor lamp. LG has just unveiled their PF600U, a lamp that houses a 1,920 x 1,080 projector and stereo speakers.It's not a torchiere; the lighting is meant to be bounced off of a nearby wall. Users can select from nine colors and five brightness levels. The head tilts on a pivot to go into projector mode. You stream content to the thing via OTT, using LG's webOS. You can get a closer look at the lamp, and see the projection quality, in the video below:LG says they'll release it this year, price TBD.
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