• WoW's Plunderstorm Battle Royale Mode Returns Today, Now With Less Grinding
    www.gamespot.com
    World of Warcraft's pirate-themed battle royale Plunderstorm is back for a limited time, this time with a revamped progression system and new rewards to fight over. The mode, which does require a WoW subscription but not the game's latest expansion, will be playable January 14 through February 18.Blizzard first introduced the experimental PvP mode last spring. It stood out thanks to how it played nothing like the genre-defining MMORPG players have come to know. Players create a class-less character, drop into the game's Arathi Highlands map, and then scrounge for new abilities and gear upgrades while battling both NPCs and players alike to level up and become more powerful. Combat is all skill-based, requiring proper position and timing rather than simply right-clicking on enemies and having attacks automatically hit. According to a datamine by Wowhead, it seems there will be some new abilities for players to experiment with this time around, with two new offensive and utility abilities. On the offensive side, there is Aura of Zealotry, which looks to mimic the iconic Paladin ability Consecration, while another, Celestial Barrage, calls down beams of moonlight to damage and reveal enemies. The new utility spells include Call Galefeather, which pushes enemies back, and the G.R.A.V. Glove: a spell that allows players to place a mark and then instantly teleport back to it.Continue Reading at GameSpot
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  • How To Unlock All AMR Mod 4 Camos & Attachments in Black Ops 6
    gamerant.com
    Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone take players on a wild ride, delivering high-octane action, whether its diving into 6v6 Multiplayer or competing in Warzone Resurgence. Beyond the fast-paced gameplay, both titles also offer a wide array of unlocks, with some requiring players to complete unique challenges to obtain them.
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  • HorrorCore: Maze and Pools of Horror
    gamedev.net
    THE GAME CONTAINS FLASHING LIGHTS AND VISUAL EFFECTS (E.G., CAMERA FLASH SIMULATIONS) THAT MAY CAUSE DISCOMFORT OR SEIZURES FOR PEOPLE SENSITIVE TO LIGHT FLASHING OR WITH PHOTOEPILEPSY. IT IS ADVISED TO EXERCISE CAUTION DURING PLAY AND CONSIDER TRYING THE DEMO BEFORE PURCHASING.Welco
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  • GOG joins Europes largest game preservation coalition
    www.polygon.com
    Games marketplace GOG has joined the ranks of theEuropean Federation of Video Game Archives, Museums, and Preservation. This follows the November 2024 announcement of the GOG Preservation Program, the platforms independent effort to ensure that games remain playable on modern hardware, even if the titles can no longer be officially sold on GOG or other marketplaces. So far, this program includes more than 100 DRM-free titles (which means you dont need a separate license to play them), with new games added every day.The EFGAMP is a nonprofit entity founded in 2012 with the mission of physical and digital media preservation. This is accomplished with the help of a broad spectrum of institutions like The Royal Library of Denmark, Germanys Computerspielemuseum, The National Videogame Museum in the UK, and The Video Game History Foundation in the United States. GOG and other member organizations are able to pool resources and benefit from each others work as outlined in the EFGAMP member statute.Games preservation remains a vital but relatively thankless endeavor, but it is more important than ever. In the past year alone, dozens of titles have become unattainable, with even more games dying off due to a lack of developer support. This is only exacerbated by the continuing epidemic of studio closures and layoffs, which often lead to the loss of legacy or in-development assets that could otherwise benefit future developers.The cooperation between EFGAMP and GOG presents some interesting opportunities considering GOG is the first games distributor to join the organization. Its possible GOG could try to make some of its archived titles playable, for example, but thats solely speculation and its unlikely wed see things of that nature anytime soon if they were in the works. While you cant support the efforts of EFGAMP with direct donations, its associated organizations, including the Video Game History Foundation, always welcome monetary donations if youd like to pledge your support.
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  • The DSKY Moonwatch Is Apollo Instruments Ode to Space Travel
    design-milk.com
    The space race could well be considered the golden age of American innovation, but along with the very idea of sending the first human to the moon, the era also represented early computer and other technological designs. From the oversized buttons to the monochrome displays, theres just something about the look and its a look that Apollo Instruments is capitalizing on for its new space-themed smartwatch, the DSKY Moonwatch.The DSKY Moonwatch is such a love letter to space travel that its actually a miniaturized recreation of the Apollo Guidance Computer, or AGC, which played an important role in every Apollo launch that NASA conducted.So, what does that mean? Well, it has a glowing green monochrome display with an oversized number pad taking up the bottom third of the device. Through those buttons, it can perform a number of functions, including serving as a calculator.On top of being useful as a calculator, the watch offers configurable time zones, a stopwatch, a timer, and alarm features, as youd expect from any watch. It also has a GPS built into it, along with cool touches like a lights and display test and a power-down routine.Its designed for durability too. The watch is built from a CNC-machined, ceramic-coated stainless steel case, coupled with a leather strap thats available in either black or brown.The DSKY Moonwatch is now available for pre-order via apollo-instruments.com for 649 and is expected to ship in the first quarter of 2025.
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  • The future of design systems is decentralized
    uxdesign.cc
    Lessons from nature and technologyImagine a design system that evolves organically, free from the constraints of centralized control. A system where updates and patterns emerge naturally from its users, where collaboration isnt just encouraged but woven into its fundamental architecture. This isnt just about democratizing design decisionsits about creating systems that grow and adapt as naturally as the organizations theyserve.The challenges that design systems aim to solvecohesion, efficiency, and qualityarent unique to our field. Other domains, from natural systems like ant colonies to technological innovations like blockchain networks, have tackled similar problems through innovative approaches to decentralization. These systems have demonstrated how to build networks that are transparent, collaborative, and community-driven. Their methods of aligning participants around shared goals offer valuable lessons for reimagining how design systems operate. Their methods of aligning participants around shared goals offer valuable lessons for reimagining how design systemsoperate.While decentralization in design systems isnt a new concept, previous attempts have often fallen short due to flawed implementation and insufficient support. This exploration draws inspiration from decentralized networks to propose practical strategies for building more adaptable, inclusive, and scalable design systemsones that truly serve the needs of both their users and the broader organization.The challenge of centralizationDesign Systems teams often operate as centralized units tasked with making product teams faster while ensuring quality and cohesion across experiences. While these responsibilities naturally gravitate towards centralization, and we measure success accordingly, we should ask ourselves: arent efficiency, quality, and cohesion actually shared responsibilities across all product team membersfrom designers to PMs to engineers?The typical Design Systems story might sound familiar: a dedicated team develops foundational elements and primitivescolors, typography, iconsalong with core components like buttons, inputs, and modals. They create usage guidelines, and product teams use these building blocks to craft user experiences.This model works initially, but products and user needs arent staticthey continuously evolve. Product designers, being closer to end users than Systems designers, frequently encounter scenarios where existing components or guidelines dont quite fit new requirements. In these moments, designers face three uncomfortable options:Follow the design system strictly, potentially delivering a suboptimal user experienceWait for guidance from the Design Systems team, often delaying project timelinesCreate custom solutions outside the system to meet immediate userneedsThe third option usually winsits faster and addresses immediate needs. But this choice, multiplied across teams and projects, creates problems. The centralized governance model, while intended to maintain quality, often slows the systems ability to adapt. Even minor updates require multiple approvals, compete with other priorities, and face intense scrutiny to justify ROI and maintain consistency.This slow pace of change frustrates product teams, dampens innovation, and ultimately discourages system adoption. The result? Fragmented user experiences and accumulated design debt that typically only gets addressed during major redesignsessentially a forced reset of thesystem.Ironically, centralization in large organizations often undermines the core goals of Design Systemsinstead of increasing efficiency, quality, and cohesion, it can hinderthem.The decentralization spectrumIn her book Thinking in Systems, Donella Meadows emphasizes that a systems outcomesgood or badare primarily shaped by its structural design, not external factors. For Design Systems, this insight suggests we should focus as much on organizational structure and design as we do on defining color tokens or button variants.The balance between centralization and decentralization isnt a binary choiceits a spectrum that shifts with network scale and complexity. Each organization must find its optimal position along this continuum based on its unique needs and challenges.In smaller teams, centralization often proves effective. Decision-making is swift, feedback loops remain tight, and teams maintain their agility. However, as networks grow, decentralization becomes not just beneficial but necessary. Large-scale centralized governance inevitably creates bottlenecks, slows decision-making, and struggles with scalability. This challenge becomes particularly acute in organizations with multiple product lines, diverse user needs, and teams spread across different time zones and contexts.Design Systems can follow a similar evolution. Starting with centralization provides the necessary foundationestablishing core principles, shared vocabulary, and baseline components. But successful growth requires a gradual shift toward decentralization through well-defined roles, clear protocols, and robust collaboration mechanisms. Yet many Design Systems teams overlook this crucial transition, constrained by concerns about maintaining quality and consistency or limited by ineffective funding models. This hesitation leads to missed opportunities to build more scalable and resilient systems.The key lies not in abandoning centralized control entirely, but in thoughtfully redistributing responsibility and decision-making power across thenetwork.What makes a great decentralized system?A decentralized systems strength lies in its resilience. By distributing decision-making and action across a network, it eliminates single points of failure that often plague centralized structures. However, this resilience doesnt emerge automaticallyit must be carefully architected through thoughtful rules, clear processes, and aligned incentives.Both nature and technology offer compelling examples of successful decentralization. Ant colonies make complex decisions, such as choosing a new nest location, through a democratic process of independent exploration and collective consensus-building. Their scouts investigate options, evaluate against criteria, and use pheromone trails to vote for suitable sites. Without central control, colonies consistently make optimal choices through clear protocols and distributed intelligence.For design systems to achieve similar success, they need to establish clear foundations for how participants interact, make decisions, and stay accountable. Essentially, they must address three fundamental questions:How do participants interact? The system needs clear, efficient channels for collaboration and knowledge sharing.How are decisions made? Effective consensus protocols must balance speed withquality.How are incentives structured? The system should encourage meaningful contributions while maintaining accountability.Furthermore, looking at successful decentralized networks, from blockchain projects to natural systems, we can identify four essential characteristics that most of themshare:Clear incentivescontributions must have visible impact and recognition. In design systems, this might mean highlighting widely-adopted patterns or celebrating improvements that measurably enhance user experience.Distributed expertisedifferent decisions require different types of knowledge. The system should delegate specialized decisions, like accessibility or motion design, to subject matter experts while maintaining inclusive participation.Transparent processestrust grows from transparency, with every decision, discussion, and change being traceable and understood by the community.Communal ownershiplong-term success depends on participants feeling genuine ownership of the system through shared governance and collective decision-making.The challenges of decentralizationLike any system design, decentralization isnt without its drawbacks. Even when teams successfully establish robust protocols and scalable networks, they face inherent tensions. The most significant is the trilemma between speed, scalability, and decentralizationimproving any one aspect often requires compromising another.Some networks have found creative ways to address these challenges. One approach involves breaking the system into smaller, semi-autonomous units where trade-offs can be managed more effectively. Another strategy employs layered architectures, as demonstrated by Ethereums two-layer model: a foundational layer maintaining core standards and consensus, with a second layer enabling flexibility and scalability for specificneeds.This layered approach offers a particularly relevant blueprint for design systems. Rather than attempting complete decentralization, it suggests thoughtfully distributing control where it makes sense while maintaining strong core principles. The goal isnt to decentralize everything, but to find the right balance between centralized stability and decentralized innovation.Suggested designDrawing from the two-layer model, we can reimagine how design systems operate. Layer 1 serves as the foundationthe core design system with its style guides, UI kits, and usage guidelines. This layer, maintained by a central team, provides the stability and clarity essential for any scalablesystem.The magic happens in Layer 2, where decentralization takes root. Here, Design Systems team members transform from gatekeepers into delegates embedded within product teams. These delegates dont just relay informationthey become bridges, facilitating dialogue between teams and ensuring the core system evolves with real-world needs.This shift fundamentally changes the role of the Design Systems team. Rather than acting as creators and enforcers, they become facilitators and connectors. They guide the community toward consensus without dictating solutions. Decisions emerge from collective experience and needs, with the Design Systems team orchestrating the process rather than controlling it. Creation and maintenance of assets (components, patterns, tokens, etc.) happen communally.In this model, the true measure of success shifts. The Design Systems teams focus moves from policing outcomes to nurturing the health of the network itself. Their primary concern becomes the quality of connections and exchanges between teams, ensuring the right voices are heard and the right conversations happen. They maintain the protocols that enable effective collaboration, stepping back from prescribing specific solutions.Like a well-functioning ecosystem, the system becomes self-sustainingnot through rigid control, but through healthy interaction patterns and clear protocols that enable organic growth and adaptation.Pragmatic realismAs our organizations grow and user needs evolve, we face a choice: continue with centralized models that create bottlenecks, or evolve toward systems that scale more naturally with ourteams.The solution isnt radical decentralization, but rather thoughtful evolution towards it. Of course, this is easier said than done. However, by building strong foundations and clear protocols, we can create systems that maintain quality while enabling teams to move at the speed of userneeds.This shift requires us to rethink our rolefrom gatekeepers to facilitators, from rule-makers to community builders. The future of design systems isnt in perfecting our components or creating amazing documentation. Instead, it lies in creating environments where teams can effectively solve user problems together, guided by shared principles and protocols rather than rigidrules.The first step is acknowledging that our current approach isnt scaling with our needs. The next is having the courage to evolveit.Stay safe,Oscar.The future of design systems is decentralized was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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  • 14 Things Every Home Gym Needs
    lifehacker.com
    We may earn a commission from links on this page.Theres a little game I like to play sometimes, and it seems to be popular with other folks who tend to work out at home: What equipment would I buy if I were starting a new home gym from scratch? Or you can play the advanced version: If you already have (insert common items here), what would you buy next?What follow are my picks for anybody starting a new home gym or looking to expand the one they havewhether that means a corner of your bedroom or a full-on garage-based weightlifting paradise. I'll start with space- and budget-friendly items, then move on to some bigger-ticket buys. Kettlebells If I had to put together a home gym from scratch, I think I would start with two kettlebells: one light enough to strict press or snatch, and one heavy enough to make swings and goblet squats challenging. For a beginner, that might be a 25 pound kettlebell and a 50 pound kettlebell; if you're stronger, obviously go heavier. The basic cast iron type is usually cheapest, while the colorful competition style kettlebells feel a bit nicer. If I had a smidge of extra cash, Id buy them as adjustable kettlebells, like this one from Bells of Steel, so they could get heavier as I got stronger. Competition-style adjustables are by far the best kind, since they keep the same, smooth shape no matter what weight you load them to. This lets you do cleans, presses, and snatches, rather than limiting you to swings. Adjustable Kettlebell [Bells of Steel] Upgraded Version Kettlebell Adjustable | Steel Shell, Internally-Loaded for Full Body Workouts | Competition Standard 35mm Handle, 12-20.5kg $249.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $249.99 at Amazon A pull-up barPulling exercises are some of the hardest to improvise outside of a gym (although if you took my advice about kettlebells, you could do rows with those). A doorway pull-up bar like this one barely takes up any space, but it opens up a ton of possibilities. If your doorframes don't allow you to wedge in a doorframe bar, try a pull-up tower like this one. ALLY PEAKS Pull Up Bar Thickened Steel Pipe Super Heavy Duty Steel Frame Upper Workout Bar| Multi-Grip Strength for Doorway | Indoor Chin-Up Bar Fitness Trainer for Home Gym Portable (silver2) $27.99 at Amazon $31.89 Save $3.90 Get Deal Get Deal $27.99 at Amazon $31.89 Save $3.90 A spin bikeCardio is good for you. I keep telling myself this, and Im almost starting to believe it. With a spin bike, you can do intervals or steady state work while staying comfortably indoors when the road outside is dark, or wet, or icy. The price range of options here is wide. You can splurge on a top-of-the-line Peloton (see this guide to decide between the Bike and the Bike+, and this rundown of power zone training, which is hands down the best way to use a Peloton). Or you can go for one of the budget bikes (like a Sunny) that are less than a fifth of the price. Sunny Health & Fitness Endurance Magnetic Belt Drive Indoor Cycling Exercise Bike $189.49 at Amazon $379.00 Save $189.51 Get Deal Get Deal $189.49 at Amazon $379.00 Save $189.51 A rowing machineMy first choice for a cardio machine is the bike, as mentioned earlier. But if you want another device, Id vote for a rower. Rowers involve your full body, and theyre great for interval training. The Concept 2 is probably the best-known (and, many would say, the best) brand in this space. (Not a rower person? My third choice would be a treadmill.) Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine $1,290.00 at Walmart $946.41 Save 0.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,290.00 at Walmart $946.41 Save 0.00 DumbbellsDumbbells are a great way to lift weights at home. Theyre smaller than a barbell, less specialized than a set of kettlebells, and you can do a ton of different workouts with them. As with kettlebells, youll need to decide if you want to get a few pairs at specific fixed weights (cheaper to start), or go for a pricier adjustable set. Rubber hex dumbbells are the best bet if you want a selection of dumbbells you can just grab and use without adjusting. But if space is at a premium, Powerblock and Bowflex make quick-adjusting options that stacked up well against the competition in our adjustable dumbbell roundup. POWERBLOCK Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbell (2020 Model) $149.99 at Walmart $449.00 Save $299.01 Get Deal Get Deal $149.99 at Walmart $449.00 Save $299.01 A benchIf you have dumbbells or want to do any sort of bro workout, youre going to need a bench. Im more of a barbell person, so I just got a flat bench that can fit in my rack when I want to bench press. But people who do more dumbbell work often prefer a sturdy adjustable bench that can be configured for incline or upright seated work.A barbellIf youre into powerlifting or weightlifting, or just want to go heavy in your general strength workouts, theres really no substitute for a good ol barbell. Standard bars with a one-inch hole are common in budget sets, but your purchase will have more longevity if you opt for an Olympic style bar with two-inch collars. Get a 45-pound or 20-kilogram bar like this one unless you have a specific reason to get something else. (Women who do Crossfit or Olympic weightlifting may prefer the 15-kilogram women's bar that is used in competitions.)Iron weight platesYouve got a few options for plateswell discuss another in a minutebut iron plates are the classic choice. Theyre sturdy, appropriately heavy, and up to almost any job. Get any kind that appeals to you: regular metal plates, plastic-coated ones, vintage-style deep dish. Anything but hex plates. Cast Iron Weight Plates, 45 lbs $49.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $49.99 at Amazon Bumper platesNot everyone needs bumper plates, but if youre one of those people who does, skip the iron plates entirely and go for the good stuff. Bumper plates are essential for Olympic lifts (the snatch and the clean and jerk) and theyre also nice to have for other lifts, like deadlifts. In general, the cheapest kind are made of black rubber and are labeled in pounds; expect to pay a premium if you want them in kilos with international standard color-coding.A squat rack or cageYou know youve Made It as a home gym owner when you have your own squat rack. Consider the amount of space you have available, since some racks require tall ceilings and all require a good bit of space around the sides so you can get to the bar to change the plates. There are folding racks, half racks, and full racks. You can also go the DIY route with one of those concrete-bucket-and-lumber squat stands everyone was using during lockdown. (Mine held up great for years, and only broke down when the buckets got too much UV damage from being in the sunlight so long.) Signature Fitness Squat Rack $499.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $499.99 at Amazon Resistance bandsThrow a band on your pullup bar and you have a way to do assisted pullups; hold a band in your hands instead and you can do band pull-aparts. Bands are also a great addition to your barbells if you dont have quite enough plates (or if youre a fan of conjugate training, in which case youre probably already putting bands and chains on everything that isnt nailed down.) If you want to use bands with barbells, look for the long loop type; if you want to use them on their own, look for the kind that clip to handles. SandbagsSandbags are the under-appreciated workhorses of many a home gym. Sand is dirt cheapalmost literallybut expect to pay a few bucks for a really quality fabric sandbag to put it in. (That said, you can DIY this, and we have instructions.) Start with a bag that weighs maybe half as much as you do, and practice picking it up, carrying it, and generally doing anything people do with weights. Yes, you can even press it overhead if youre careful. If thats all too easy, go for a bag that weighs as much as you do, or more.A plyo boxA box is a handy thing to have around, and one of the few things Ive always wanted in my home gym but never found the space for. With one box, you can do box jumps or box squats. With two, you can do dips or stand on top of them and set up a belt squat. The possibilities are endless.Specialty barsIf youre shopping for the person who has everything, Ill tell you what they dont have: another specialty bar. After a normal barbell, a typical next purchase is a safety squat bar. You could also go for an axle, which is great for practicing strongman events, or a cambered or duffalo bar (honestly, Im not sure why powerlifters love these so much, but they do). A dedicated deadlift bar is perfect for the deadlift specialist in your life, and a football bar or Swiss bar gives you lots of options for pressing. A log is great for the spoiled strongman or strongwoman in your life, or an EZ-curl bar for the bodybuilder. Or grab a trap bar to do deadlifts on easy mode.
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  • The new Witcher animated film finally has a legit trailer
    www.engadget.com
    Weve been hearing about the latest animated movie based on The Witcher franchise for a while now, but weve only ever gotten a short teaser and an equally short clip. Now, finally, theres a legit full-fledged trailer. This is opportune timing, as The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep hits Netflix on February 11.The big hook here? Geralt is voiced by Doug Cockle, reprising his role from the video games. Anya Chalotra and Joey Batey (Yennefer of Vengerberg and Jaskier in the live action show) are also reprising their roles. Its set in the universe of the TV show, surrounding events that occurred during the first season, but is based on a short story by franchise creator Andrzej Sapkowski.The original story, called A Little Sacrifice, involves Geralt investigating a series of attacks in a seaside village, leading to a conflict between humans and merpeople. Its generally considered one of the better short stories in the canon. Theres an underwater city, which is always a good time.The movie is directed by Kang Hei Chul. He was a storyboard artist for The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which was a prequel that followed Geralts mentor Vesemir. Studio Mir is on animation duties, the same South Korean studio that worked on Nightmare of the Wolf.This company has an absolutely amazing pedigree. It animated the hit cartoon X-Men 97, but also stuff like The Legend of Korra, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, My Adventures with Superman and Voltron: Legendary Defender, among many others. The studio is currently finishing up the upcoming Devil May Cry anime, also for Netflix.A fourth game in The Witcher franchise is coming, but this one stars Ciri instead of Geralt. The fifth and final season of The Witcher TV show is expected to premiere on Netflix in 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-new-witcher-animated-film-finally-has-a-legit-trailer-195457579.html?src=rss
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  • Microsoft pauses hiring in U.S. consulting unit as part of cost-cutting plan, memo says
    www.cnbc.com
    Microsoft plans to pause hiring in part of its consulting business in the U.S., according to an internal memo, as the company seeks ways to reel in expenses.
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