Iain M. Banks wrote a succession of best-selling science fiction storiesJoseph Branston/SFX Magazine/Future via Getty ImagesThe Culture seriesIain M. Banks (Orbit Books)Iain M. Banks died more than 11 years ago, but remains a titan of modern science fiction. He wrote literary works under the name Iain Banks, but added the M for his 14 sci-fi offerings, which are known for an audacious, ground-breaking take on the space opera that transformed the genre.If you have never read any of these books but love hard sci-fi, is it worth diving in now?Short answer: yes. Longer answer:

Housing inventory could improve as boomers age and pass on their homes, Zillow says.Rust Belt markets are poised to benefit the most from this trend.Here are the top 5 markets that are ripe for a so-called silver tsunami.In what's been dubbed a silver tsunami, there's an $84 trillion generational wealth transfer that's slated to happen in the next two decades as boomers age and pass on their assets.That could seriously shake up a housing market where home ownership is heavily skewed toward older Americans. Boomers, who comprise 20% of the overall US population, owned 36% of all homes in 2024, according to Freddie Mac. They're also sitting on over $17 trillion, or roughly half, of the total home equity in the US.The silver tsunami might not be a silver bullet for the housing crisis at a national level, according to Orphe Divougny, a senior economist at Zillow.But certain markets throughout the country have a particularly high concentration of empty-nest homes, which are expected to come on to the market as their boomer owners either downsize or pass away, according to Zillow. If you're looking to buy a home but have been discouraged by the lack of supply on the market, these areas could provide an easier entry point.Boomer-heavy metro areas don't have much overlap with the expensive markets popular with Gen Z and millennials such as San Jose, Austin, and Denver, according to Zillow. That means inventory in those hot spots won't see much of a boost from empty-nester houses coming onto the market. Rather, many of the markets that have a high concentration of empty-nest households are located in the Rust Belt.But Gen Z and millennials are proving that they're increasingly willing to relocate out of expensive metro areas and seek affordability, thanks to the flexibility of remote and hybrid work. In fact, there's been a recent trend of younger Americans moving out of cities and into suburban or exurban communities. Some are going even further into rural areas.For homeowners willing to look outside the popular housing markets, there are deals to be found where the boomers are located."When these homes hit the market as owners downsize or otherwise move on, that extra supply should benefit buyers," Divougny said.Listed below are the top five housing markets that'll benefit from the silver tsunami and the percentage of empty-nest households in each, according to Zillow. For context, the average empty-nester share of households in 2022 nationwide was 16%.5 housing markets ripe for a silver tsunami

The Nintendo Switch 2 reveal was bad but the console will be massive Readers FeatureGameCentralPublished January 18, 2025 9:00am Everyone loves the Nintendo Switch 2? (YouTube)A reader is surprised at just how positive the response has been to the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal and asks what that means for the consoles success.So that was all a bit of a letdown, eh? I know its the leakers fault for spoiling everything ahead of time but not even the biggest Nintendo fan could claim the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal was anything other than anticlimactic to put things politely.Dont get me wrong, nothing looked bad, not even Mario Kart 9, but the whole thing seemed designed to show the absolute bare minimum to count as a reveal. Whether thats because it was a rushed response to all the leaks or not I couldnt say but it made one thing very clear: Nintendo dont want to talk about it right now, so quit asking them about it.However, theres something I didnt realise until reading GCs overview of the teaser trailer and thats just how popular its been. Gamers basically hate everything and Nintendo has no shortage of loud-mouthed enemies online, so youd expect the reveal video to be downvoted to hell and back. But it hasnt been. Out of 15 million views its had 950,000 upvotes and just 25,000 downvotes.That is really surprising to me. Read the comments on YouTube and instead of the vipers nest of angry complaints youd expect its instead filled with polite approval and lots of joking about Nintendo being Nintendo. Or as the top-voted comment says: That was the most get off my back energy Ive ever seen in a teaser.And remember, this is all hardcore gamers. Nobody else is going to be clicking on reveal trailers for consoles this far out or would know what Nintendo is like as a company. Thats just not how casual gamers are. The only conclusion you can make is that even the people known for being irrationally angry about everything are actually perfectly happy with the reveal.Ive seen more anger about the redesign of Donkey Kong (even though it was announced over two years ago) than I have the actual reveal, which at worst has been mild disappointment that it didnt show more. Announcing when the next Nintendo Direct will be helped here, I think, because now we know exactly when therell be more info.To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a webbrowser thatsupports HTML5videoUp NextThere just seems to be a genuine hunger and excitement for the Nintendo Switch 2, that I didnt necessarily expect. I imagine thats in part because Sony and Microsoft have been so useless so far this generation. Not just useless but incompetent to a degree theyre actually damaging the games industry at large, as well as their own reputation.While all thats been going on, Nintendo has just been trucking along selling one of the worlds most successful consoles ever. Perhaps the most successful, when it finally retries. Nintendo might be weird but theyre not stupid, which is not how Id describe their supposed competitors. They make weird decisions and take wild risks but theyre always back with a winner pretty soon after and I think gamers are seeing them as a safe pair of hands in these difficult times.If they follow up the reveal with more revelations (the mystery button!) and a Nintendo Direct with multiple exciting games I dont see what could possibly go wrong. The Nintendo Switch is going to be massive and Nintendos security is going to be settled for another generation.Do I want Nintendo to have unchallenged control of the games industry? No, thats not good for anybody or any company. If it has to happen though, would I rather it be them sitting on the throne rather than Sony or Microsoft? Absolutely yes.Nintendo is run by businesspeople, just like Xbox and PlayStation, but businesspeople that seem to understand and respect what video games are. They dont stop making them the second they think theyd make more money with something else. They dont sack thousands of people the first chance they get, and they dont leave their release schedules barren for months on end due to poor management and trying to jump on the latest bandwagon (and immediately falling off).More TrendingBased on this week they dont make particularly exciting console reveals either but considering how hyped I am for the Nintendo Switch 2 on so little information maybe they dont need to.By reader Tacle Nintendo seems to be in the driving seat (YouTube)The readers features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you wont need to send an email.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Free hires cement wall textures.Shops:blendermarket.com/creators/blenderguppygumroad.com/blenderguppyPatreon:patreon.com/blenderguppy#b3d #patreon #textures #freetexture #3dmodeling

Welcome to "Master Real-Time VFX in Unreal Engine Niagara: From Basics to Advanced", the ultimate guide for creating stunning visual effects in Unreal Engine. This series covers everything you need to know about Niagara VFX, helping you master a wide range of effects used in modern game development.Explore step-by-step tutorials to create professional-grade real-time VFX, from simple particle systems to advanced visual effects that elevate your game projects. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned artist, you'll find valuable insights to enhance your skills.What You'll Learn:Fire Effects: Master fire simulations and dynamic flames.Smoke Effects: Create realistic smoke trails and fog.Explosion Effects: Design powerful and impactful explosions.Water Effects: Generate splashes, ripples, and waterfalls.Energy Effects: Build glowing energy blasts, lasers, and power fields.Lightning Effects: Craft electrifying lightning bolts and storms.Magic Effects: Design magical spells, auras, and enchantments.Shield Effects: Create protective barriers and dynamic shields.Teleportation Effects: Build seamless and eye-catching teleport effects.Weapon Effects: Add muzzle flashes, bullet trails, and impact effects.Wind Effects: Simulate wind with leaves, debris, and atmospheric effects.Ice Effects: Design frosty, icy visuals for games.Trail Effects: Create mesmerizing motion trails for characters and objects.Environment Effects: Enhance scenes with rain, snow, and dust particles.Goo Effects: Build slime or sticky, organic visuals.Unlock the secrets of Unreal Engines Niagara system and transform your VFX game! These tutorials are perfect for aspiring game developers, VFX artists, and Unreal Engine enthusiasts.Channel Ashif - http://bit.ly/3aYaniw Support me on - https://www.patreon.com/Ashif Support me on - paypal.me/9953280644 #cghow #UE5 #UE4Niagara #gamefx #ue4vfx #ue4fx #niagara #ue4niagara #unrealengineniagara #unrealenginevfxtutorialsUpload Your Tutorials/Work - https://cghow.com/ Purchase Effect Package From Unreal engine Marketplace -Unreal Engine Niagara Effects in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/DF4Lb_btEus Niagara Effects Pack in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/g6_k8T7FqHA Trail Effects (UE5 & UE4) Unreal Engine Advanced Magical Effects in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/0Dn3GLIzhMo Smoke in UE4 Niagara Pack01 in Unreal Engine Marketplace - https://youtu.be/38BPA_9yqJ8 UE4 Niagara Fire Pack 01 in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/PW5FL-zZoP4 UE4 Niagara Fire Pack 02 in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/fdLXPlUEzxM UE4 Niagara Explosions Pack 02 in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/dj-XX9he4aE Unreal Engine Niagara Effects Pack 03 in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/0kKon43I-Og Slow Motion Explosion in UE4 Niagara Pack 04 in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/lUK1eW5zRP0 Unreal Engine Niagara Effects pack 04 in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/MihWYB31Gi4 Slow Motion Explosion in UE4 Niagara Pack 04 in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/lUK1eW5zRP0 UE4.25 Niagara Effects Pack 05 in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/sn1HIENVTDI UE4.25 Niagara Effects Pack 06 in Marketplace - https://youtu.be/pvH_xGQ5jvs Explosions Package in Unreal Engine Niagara Particle System - https://youtu.be/1mbqWscjUJ4 Follow FB Page - https://www.facebook.com/cghow0/ Join FB Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/cghow/ Android App - http://bit.ly/2XUnhoR Playlists-Unreal Engine Niagara Tutorials - http://bit.ly/2SmPEuT Unreal engine VFX Tutorials -http://bit.ly/2JNXyJZ Unity VFX Tutorials - http://bit.ly/2XNGlKz

Project Files: https://www.patreon.com/CodeLikeMe/shop/shootlikeme-unreal-engine-third-person-258727 . In this episode of my third person shooter series, I am going to continue with the aim assist system. Here we will look into how to make the reticle stick to the target. That means, when we aim down, the aim assist system will automatically focus on the enemy closer to the reticle and if the enemy move, the players controller will follow the enemy to keep the focus/reticle on enemy for a short time to allow player to easily shoot at the target. CodeLikeMe Third-Person shooter series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNTm9yU0zou4HL7SAyIQoCqJRJ5QeQAl8 // ! https://www.patreon.com/codelikeme Patrons will have access to project files of all the stuff I do in the channel and other extra benefitsJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClb6Jh9EBV7a_Nm52Ipll_Q/join Like my facebook page for more content : https://www.facebook.com/gamedevelopersclub/ Follow me on twitter : https://twitter.com/CodeLikeMe2 Follow me on reddit : https://www.reddit.com/user/codelikeme #CodeLikeMe #unrealengine #ue5 #indiegamedev

Nature, Published online: 15 January 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08414-9In macaques, motor cortex activity associated with motor learning tasks is reactivated during brief breaks between learning blocks and predicts subsequent performance gains.

Plate tectonics give Earth its mountains, earthquakes, continental drift and maybe even helped give rise to life itself. But do other planets in the solar system have them too?

3D Environment Artist @Leo_Nexus6 shared details of creating a storytelling street corner environment based on a 2D concept, using Maya, ZBrush, Substance 3D, and Unreal Engine, and discussed methods to make the environment more dramatic and dynamic.Read the interview: https://80.lv/articles/creating-a-storytelling-street-corner-scene-with-painterly-effects/#maya #zbrush #substance3d #unrealengine

Fortnite's collaboration with the Legendary Pictures' MonsterVerse has brought Godzilla and King Kong skins to Fortnite, but this event isn't just about cosmetics--it's also adding the chance that one player each round of battle royale will get to play as Godzilla. And by "play as Godzilla," I mean you will be taller than the tallest building in Seaport City, and will have the ability to crush every building and build on the map by stepping on it or firing off Godzilla's laser breath.It's similar to how the playable Doctor Doom worked during Chapter 5 Season 4, except you'll be even taller than the giant Doom was. But the way this works can be a little bit confusing the first few times you encounter it--while there have been past Fortnite events that were in a similar vein to this Godzilla event, the way it actually functions is all new. So let's break it down piece by piece.You too can become Godzilla in Fortnite right now.How the playable Godzilla mechanic works in FortniteRight now, every game of battle royale and Zero Build has a 40% chance of spawning a rift that will allow the first player through to turn into a gigantic Godzilla that can do a big roar, a big stomp, and a big (and likely pungent) blast of laser breath. The rift will spawn about three minutes or so into the match and will add an icon to everyone's map announcing the location. You can't go into it immediately, however. All players are told that it's coming a minute or so before it can actually be used. This is so that the Godzilla role won't just automatically go to whoever is closest when it spawns--gotta give others a chance, too.Continue Reading at GameSpot