My husband and I have owned a summer camp for 10 years. It can be stressful for parents to sign up for summer camps in January. Parents should consider their kids' interests when choosing camps. Many parents are already stressing about what they will endure in January and February: summer camp registrations. There's no way around it; camp registration season is a headache.My husband and I have owned and operated a summer day camp in Northern California for nearly 10 years. We have seen it all: campers forgetting their lunch on the kitchen counter, sibling arguments that start in the car and continue throughout the day, and protests about sharing camp materials. What sticks out the most about each camp season is the stress parents experience: coordinating multiple camp schedules, arranging carpools, and facing unexpected hiccups that throw a wrench into your carefully planned logistics. Not every camp week will be smooth sailing, but there are ways to navigate the bumps in the road to ease your worries. Here is the advice I share with parents as a summer camp owner.Determine what camp is a good fit for your childAn easy way to narrow down your camp choices is to first consider your child's emotional and academic needs and favorite pastimes. If your child is neurodivergent, for example, they may benefit from attending a camp that provides a high number of staff to camper ratio. If you want your child to focus on academics outside the classroom, there are STEM camps that offer programs that camouflage science and math as creative free play with peers. Also, consider your child's interests. Rather than signing up your sports enthusiast for a generalized sports camp, consider registering them for a specialized soccer, baseball, golf, or football camp.Make a budget before signing upOnce you determine your child's needs for the summer, outline your budget. Tuition for day camps can range from $250 to $700 a week. A camp with a large price tag doesn't guarantee it will meet your camper's needs. Many "parks and rec" camps and the YMCA offer a wide range of budget-friendly programs. Many families map out how many weeks of childcare they will need to help shape their budget. Many camp families will splurge on one or two specialized camps and use the remainder of their budget for more budget-friendly programs.Eliminate the stress by checking what date and time each camp starts their registration unfortunately, each camp tends to have different registration dates. Adding your camper to several waitlists will provide many options if your summer plans should change. Don't be shy to ask camps about the status of their waitlists.Build a morning routine to avoid meltdownsMeltdowns are more likely to happen at the beginning of the camp session because each week presents a new environment and a group of unfamiliar faces. Familiarizing your child with what to expect at camp will help them feel more confident. For example, contact your camp to ask who will manage sign-in at camp drop-off. Telling your camper, "Camp director Matt will be welcoming us today at drop-off," or "You will be doing a science experiment before lunch today," can help kids feel self-assured. To ease your guilt, remember campers usually bounce back from a meltdown five to 10 minutes after you leave.A rushed morning routine can make campers feel anxious and stressed before a camp day resulting in a meltdown at camp. Involve your camper in building your morning routine for example, build a "camp lunch menu" with your child, have them prepare their backpack, or pick out their clothes the night before each camp day. They won't love every campEach camp has different logistics, teaching styles, and campers with various needs. These factors shape the vibe of each camp week. As much as camp staff prepare for the week, unknown factors that don't present themselves until Monday morning can throw a wrench into camp plans.Most of our 500 campers attend an average of five to eight camps over the summer. Expecting each camp week to be better than the previous one is setting yourself up for disappointment. The reality is that not every camp week will be amazing, and that's okay.If your child declares they're bored by day one keep open communication with camp directors to share your questions and concerns. The first day of camp often involves many introductions to acquaint campers with camp staff, rules, and schedules. The activities outlined on a camp's website take place throughout the week to rule out a camp based on its Monday schedule is selling the camp short. Camps are a wonderful opportunity for your child to explore and determine what pastimes they like and dislike and, in turn, strengthen their natural abilities and positive qualities. Their character is built not by being in environments that cater to them but by challenging them.

Halo Flashpoint: the best Halo game at launch in years Readers FeatureGameCentralPublished January 26, 2025 1:00am Not a video game (Mantic Games)A reader explains why they think board game adaptation Halo Flashpoint is the better than any of the recent video game entries.Halos had a rough time of it for at least a decade now, with unstable and sparse launches and one campaign taking the focus off of John Halo himself. But recently a new Halo game dropped that has a lot of different modes to try out and there are plans to implement more as the year progresses.It youve seen the title, you know Im referring to Halo Flashpoint, the new board game from Mantic Games. Flashpoint is based on the multiplayer skirmishes of Halo, rather than anything to do with the campaign, so dont expect any kind of story with this; its just classic Red vs. Blue action. Or Elites if you opt for the bigger starter boxset.The boxsets come with a set of red and blue Spartan models, with various different weapons from the classic BR55 battle rifle to the Cindershot. These models look nice as is, but they can be painted to add some extra flair to the game. The boxsets also have a lot of terrain which you can set up in whatever way you want, which really helps keep things varied from game to game since youre not limited to the same few maps, like Halo Infinite at launch.For just being cardboard the terrain looks really good and feels stable; the bulky resin models can stand on crates without fear that everything will collapse. The game is played on a board made up of an 88 grid and you move around the grid at various different speeds, depending on how nippy your model is, picking up weapons and items as you go along. Then you can shoot your opponent, so long as you can see them and your weapon has enough range a shotgun wont make it halfway across the board but rifles will.This is where things get really fun and tactical, as initially when taking a shot you and your opponent have three dice each, but if nothing blocks your line of sight you get two extra dice and if you have the high ground you get one extra dice, so position really becomes key to taking out the enemy.And then, of course, you can take the fight straight to the enemy and start hitting them, not just with the trusty combat knife but also the energy sword or gravity hammer if youve managed to pick one of those up which, just like in the game, can do a lot of damage in no time at all.When you start playing youll probably want to stick to Slayer initially, just so you get a feeling for how everything works. Officially games are meant to be played up to four, eight or 12 kills, but Ive been playing to six kills, as I find this is the perfect middle ground of feeling neither too long nor too short. Then, once youre into it, theres Stockpile, Strongholds, Griffball, and Capture the Flag to mess around with, each making you concentrate on the objective while still slaughtering your opponent.More TrendingAlso, while this is in no way official, if you assign weapons at random, rather than stick with the default, you can make any game a Fiesta, which just adds to the chaos of it all. If the above sounds like Im explaining typical games of Halo multiplayer thats because in many ways I am. The guys at Mantic have done a great job at bringing the action off of the console and onto the table, so if any of the above appeals to you then I cant recommend the game enough.By reader Sunny Halo Flashpoint better than the video games? (Mantic Games)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

The Morior Invictus Grand Regalia is a Unique body armor in Path of Exile 2, with the potential to be a game-changing item for a lot of builds in the game. A properly rolled Morior Invictus is considered one of the most sought-after uniques in the game, outshining most gear with the proper setup.

Horror games can be a hard sell for players who don't want to be scared out of their wits. However, the immersive nature of these games, coupled with their tense atmosphere, made the best horror titles a blast to play through for all the right reasons.

Apple says CarPlay 2 is still in development but has conceded that the system is delayed.

ChatGPT o3-mini is coming, and Sam Altman just confirmed it will be free to use.

I say this every year because it deserves to be said buying a good case for your flagship phone is just like buying insurance for your car. Nobody buys a car and just goes to town on it, right? You insure it against damage because thats the sensible thing to do cases and screen protectors are physical insurances for your smartphones, protecting the expensive tech inside from potential damage because sometimes life just happens. As Samsung announced its latest Galaxy S25 Ultra series, the folks at TORRAS unveiled their latest insurance package, featuring cases, screen protectors, and one of the coolest chargers weve ever seen.The collection includes three standout products: a versatile case with a built-in 360 grip (which we got a teaser of at CES), a tough screen protector that does proper justice to the S25 Ultras gorgeous display, and a wireless charger that literally has a built-in semiconducting cooler to keep your phone cool while it charges or while youre gaming. We truly live in exciting times.The Ostand 360 Spin Case: The Everyday MultitaskerThe Ostand 360 Spin Case remains one of TORRAS most uniquely brilliant cases. We got a look at a variant of the case last year at CES, with its slim yet immaculately engineered design, but the company has upped the game with an even slimmer, stronger design that protects your phone, while letting you grip it and prop it up at any angle. The back features a 360 rotating hinge with a slim metal ring that you can hold so that your phone doesnt slip while you use it. Rotate the ring and you can dock your phone vertically or horizontally, turning your case into a makeshift tripod for hands-free use!The case itself is built to last. It features an 8-layer design that absorbs shock and provides extra grip, thanks to its textured backplate. Raised edges protect the screen and corners from accidental drops. 18 built-in airbags provide further reinforcement for impact protection. The case is also compatible with Samsungs S Pen, so you dont lose functionality.Why We Recommend ItThe Ostand is a tried-and-tested favorite, and TORRAS has somehow managed to perfect something that was already pretty good to begin with. The rotating ring has a hinge located at the bottom, which makes propping the phone vertically much more easy. Outer air-bags help absorb any impact, and an ergonomic design integrates the S Pen while still making it easy to remove. Meanwhile, an anti-magnetic plate minimizes interference with the S Pen while enhancing its magnetic strength.Click Here to Buy Now: $42.99GlassGo X Screen Protector: Where Strength Meets ClarityA screen protector should enhance your phone, not hinder it GlassGo X does just that. Its military-grade glass offers excellent durability, protecting your screen from impacts and scratches. Its slim enough to maintain touch sensitivity, so you wont notice its there. Narrow black borders enhance the screen size, creating a seamless viewing experience. Whether youre gaming, browsing, or streaming, the protector ensures your display remains clear and functional.The anti-fingerprint coating keeps smudges at bay, while 97% transparency preserves vibrant colors and sharp details. Installation is quick and hassle-free, with an adhesive that eliminates air gaps for a bubble-free finish. Its also compatible with most cases, so you dont have to compromise on protection or style. If you value clarity, durability, and convenience, this screen protector is an excellent companion for your Galaxy S25 Ultra.Why We Recommend ItThe GlassGo X Screen Protector gets our vote of confidence for its balance of durability and clarity. Its military-grade, meaning your phones screen is safe from drops and scratches without feeling bulky. Ive struggled with screen protectors that blur the display or leave bubbles during installation, but GlassGo X solves both issues. The adhesive ensures a smooth, bubble-free finish, and 97% transparency keeps colors sharp. Dont settle for anything less for the S25 Ultras gorgeous displayClick Here to Buy Now: $29.99 $49.99 (40% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!Ostand Polar Circle Charger: Wireless Charging meets Air ConditioningWireless chargers often live in the shadow of their wired counterparts, but the Ostand Polar Circle Charger may just change that. Featuring TORRAS Tora-Ice cooling technology (from its wearable air-conditioners), this device ensures that your phone stays cool while delivering a Qi2-certified 15W charge. Its quite literally a phase-change material or PCM attached to the back of your phone, cooling it dramatically to bring down your devices working temperature.Think of it as your phones own personal AC. Phones usually tend to heat up during wireless charging (the process of transferring energy through magnetic coils unavoidably causes some heat), but the Ostand Polar Circle Charger overcomes this by rapidly cooling down. That makes the charger perfect for gaming too, cooling your phone while running processor-intensive games. At only 3.21 ounces, the charger is lightweight and travel-friendly, slipping easily into a bag. Its 360 rotating stand is the icing on the cake, allowing users to switch seamlessly between portrait and landscape modes while their phone powers up.Why We Recommend ItI got a hands-on demo at CES and it literally felt like touching the inner metal lining of a refrigerator. The PCM surface of the charger can help drop your phones temperature by as much as 20C (68F), which overall improves battery health and keeps your phone lasting longer. Of all the things I saw at CES this year, the Ostand Polar Circle Charger just might be the one piece of tech I genuinely hope becomes mainstream.Click Here to Buy Now: $49.99 $59.99 (17% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!The post Content Creators Dream: TORRAS Galaxy S25 Accessories Include a Tripod-inspired 360 Spin Case first appeared on Yanko Design.

Saturday, January 25th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerTutorial: Creating Runtime Cinematics in Unreal Engine 5html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The Gnomon Workshop has released Creating Runtime Cinematics in Unreal Engine 5, a guide to key tools and workflows in games animation, recorded by Animation Director Bill Buckley.The workshop provides over three hours of video training in Unreal Engine 5.Master key animation workflows for creating games cinematics in Unreal Engine 5In the workshop, Buckley guides artists through the process of integrating character animation into interactive gameplay in Unreal Engine 5 to create an in-game cinematic.He begins by explaining how to implement trigger planes, which act as interactive zones within the game world, activating animations or events when the player enters or interacts with them. From there, he explores using Level Sequences to create cinematic sequences that can be triggered in response to player actions, enhancing the storytelling experience. The tutorial also covers Animation Montages, enabling artists to synchronize complex character animations with gameplay actions. Buckley also dives into the Control Rig, a powerful new tool for authoring animations directly within Unreal Engine, speeding up iteration by enabling artists to adjust animations in real time.About the artistBill Buckley is Character/Animation Director at game developer Absurd Ventures.He previously worked for studios including THQ, Disney Interactive and Activision, on titles including Tony Hawks Proving Ground, Guitar Hero, and Call of Duty: Ghosts and Infinite Warfare.Pricing and availabilityCreating Runtime Cinematics in Unreal Engine 5 is available via a subscription to The Gnomon Workshop, which provides access to over 300 tutorials.Subscriptions cost $57/month or $519/year. Free trials are available.Read more about Creating Runtime Cinematics in Unreal Engine 5Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Full disclosure: CG Channel is owned by Gnomon.Latest NewsTutorial: Creating Runtime Cinematics in Unreal Engine 5Master key workflows for integrating character animation into interactive gameplay in UE5 with The Gnomon Workshop's new tutorial.Saturday, January 25th, 2025PhotoLine 25 now reads Cryptomatte dataCheck out the new features in the sub-$100 image editing app, including support for Cryptomatte data when retouching 3D renders.Friday, January 24th, 2025Polygonflow releases Dash 1.8.5Promising Unreal Engine 5 world building toolset gets new options for creating terrain and layering effects. Cost of subscriptions down, too.Thursday, January 23rd, 2025After Effects' latest beta lets you preview HDR compsCheck out the latest beta features in the compositing and motion graphics app, including the option to preview HLG and PQ video.Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025New version of iOS and Android scanning app Kiri EngineKiri Engine 3.13 improves the quality of 3D Gaussian Splatting in the app, sharpening scans and reducing 3DGS file sizes 'approximately 50%'.Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025RE:Vision Effects launches Twixtor StandaloneGPU-accelerated, AI-powered video retiming tool can now be used without a host app, for under half the price of a regular plugin license.Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025More NewsSee the new features due in Unreal Engine 5.6 and beyondLeft Angle releases Autograph 2025Check out this GPU-accelerated Houdini Skin Slide DeformerCheck out this free 2D Rim Light Tool for NukeCreate motion graphics in Nuke with the new Screen FX pluginMaster Cinematic Sand & Dust Simulations Using HoudiniGet the new free version of ZibraVDB for Unreal EngineChaos releases V-Ray 7 for Cinema 4DThese simple free tools convert Maya shaders to BlenderGet 75+ free modular shop assets for Unreal EngineAdobe releases Substance 3D Designer 14.1Adobe unveils Live Co-Editing in PhotoshopOlder Posts

Friday, January 24th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerPhotoLine 25 now reads Cryptomatte datahtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Computerinsel has updated PhotoLine, its sub-$100 image-editing tool.PhotoLine 25.0 adds support for Cryptomatte data when retouching rendered images, and introduces real-time on-document previews of all of the painting tools, including for layer masks.Support for Cryptomatte ID matte data in rendered imagesAlthough overshadowed by the Affinity tools, PhotoLine is a versatile alternative to Photoshop for image editing, and comes with both vector design and page layout features.It can also be used in 3D workflows, made easier in PhotoLine 25.0 by Cryptomatte support.PhotoLine now reads Cryptomatte data in OpenEXR files rendered in DCC apps that support the ID matte generation system, including Arnold, OctaneRender, Redshift, RenderMan and V-Ray.The change makes it possible to generate masks from the data, and use them to selectively color correct or apply post effects to objects within the rendered image.On-document previews for all of the painting tools, not just the Copy brushThe other major change in PhotoLine 25.0 is that all of its painting tools now have on-document previews, making it possible to preview their effect in real time when mousing over the image.Previews were previously only available for the Copy brush, but have now been extended to all of the painting brushes, plus more complex tools like Stamp, Filter and Color Replacement.This post on the Blender Artists forum suggests that the workflow is particularly useful when painting layer masks.Other feature and workflow improvementsThere are also a lot of smaller improvements to existing features, including the text tools, gradient tools, Curve Creation Tool, and curve editor.Workflow improvements include the option to create custom groups within the Brushes and Colors lists, helping to keep large sets of brushes and color swatches organized.You can find a full list of changes via the link at the foot of the story.Pricing and availabilityPhotoLine 25.0 is available now for Windows 10+ and macOS 10.13+. It costs 79 (around $83).Read a full list of new features in PhotoLine 25 on the product websiteHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsTutorial: Creating Runtime Cinematics in Unreal Engine 5Master key workflows for integrating character animation into interactive gameplay in UE5 with The Gnomon Workshop's new tutorial.Saturday, January 25th, 2025PhotoLine 25 now reads Cryptomatte dataCheck out the new features in the sub-$100 image editing app, including support for Cryptomatte data when retouching 3D renders.Friday, January 24th, 2025Polygonflow releases Dash 1.8.5Promising Unreal Engine 5 world building toolset gets new options for creating terrain and layering effects. Cost of subscriptions down, too.Thursday, January 23rd, 2025After Effects' latest beta lets you preview HDR compsCheck out the latest beta features in the compositing and motion graphics app, including the option to preview HLG and PQ video.Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025New version of iOS and Android scanning app Kiri EngineKiri Engine 3.13 improves the quality of 3D Gaussian Splatting in the app, sharpening scans and reducing 3DGS file sizes 'approximately 50%'.Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025RE:Vision Effects launches Twixtor StandaloneGPU-accelerated, AI-powered video retiming tool can now be used without a host app, for under half the price of a regular plugin license.Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025More NewsSee the new features due in Unreal Engine 5.6 and beyondLeft Angle releases Autograph 2025Check out this GPU-accelerated Houdini Skin Slide DeformerCheck out this free 2D Rim Light Tool for NukeCreate motion graphics in Nuke with the new Screen FX pluginMaster Cinematic Sand & Dust Simulations Using HoudiniGet the new free version of ZibraVDB for Unreal EngineChaos releases V-Ray 7 for Cinema 4DThese simple free tools convert Maya shaders to BlenderGet 75+ free modular shop assets for Unreal EngineAdobe releases Substance 3D Designer 14.1Adobe unveils Live Co-Editing in PhotoshopOlder Posts

DeepSeek R1s Monday release has sent shockwaves through the AI community, disrupting assumptions about whats required to achieve cutting-edge AI performance. This story focuses on exactly how DeepSeek managed this feat, and what it means for the vast number of users of AI models. For enterprises developing AI-driven solutions, DeepSeeks breakthrough challenges assumptions of OpenAI's dominance -- and offers a blueprint for cost-efficient innovation.Read More