Valve is handing Team Fortress 2 modders the keys to the kingdom, as long as they don't try to make any money from it. The company has added the client and server game code to the Source software development kit (SDK), allowing fans to create new games and experiences based on TF2."Unlike the Steam Workshop or local content mods, this SDK gives mod makers the ability to change, extend or rewrite TF2, making anything from small tweaks to complete conversions possible," Valve explained. Modders will be able to publish their creations as new games on Steam if they wish.The main catch is that Valve is offering the TF2 source code on a non-commercial basis, so any mods or content therein that are based on the SDK have to be available for free. The company also notes that much of the content that's in players' inventories most of the in-game items, in fact were created by the Steam Workshop community. "To respect that, we're asking TF2 mod makers continue to respect that connection, and to not make mods that have the purpose of trying to profit off Workshop contributors' efforts," Valve said. "We're hoping that many mods will continue to allow players access their TF2 inventory, if this makes sense for the mod."On top of adding the TF2 source code to the SDK, Valve is making other updates to its other multiplayer games that run on Source, its old game engine. Those include 64-bit binary support, a scalable heads-up display/user interface and prediction fixes for the likes of Day of Defeat: Source, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life Deathmatch: Source and Counter-Strike: Source.It's not too surprising that Valve is handing over the TF2 source code at this point. The game has largely been in maintenance mode for a long time as the company focused on other projects. It took the company years to remedy a major bot invasion, indicating just how low TF2 is on its list of priorities. Giving fans the client and server code could be a sign that Valve is ready to wind down official support for the game.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/valve-hands-the-team-fortress-2-source-code-to-modders-183223667.html?src=rss

Google is introducing two small but meaningful enhancements to its Lens technology. To start, Chrome and Google app users on iPhone can now draw, highlight or tap on text and images to carry out a visual search of what they see in front of them. If this sounds familiar, its because Google is basically bringing over an interface paradigm it debuted last year with Circle to Search on Android to iPhone. While the implementation is different and more limited due to the constraints of iOS, the idea is the same: Google wants to save you the trouble of opening a new Chrome tab or saving a screenshot when you want to find more information about an image you see.For now, Google says you can access the new feature, whether youre using Chrome or the Google app, by opening the three-dot menu and selecting "Search Screen with Google Lens." In the future, the company will add a dedicated Lens shortcut to the address bar in Chrome.Separately, the next time you use Lens, youll be more likely to encounter Googles AI Overviews, particularly when you use the software to find information on more unique or novel images. In those instances, you wont need to prompt Lens with a question about the image you just snapped for the software to try and offer a helpful explanation of what youre seeing. Instead, it will do that automatically.Ahead of todays announcement, Harsh Kharbanda, director of product management for Google Lens, gave me a preview of the feature. Kharbanda used Lens to scan a photo of a car with an usual surface on its hood. An AI Overview automatically popped up explaining that the car had a carbon vinyl wrap, which it further said people use for both protection and to give their rides a more sporty appearance. According to Kharbanda, Google will roll out this update to all English-language users in countries where AI Overviews are available, with the feature first appearing in the Google app for Android and iOS, and arriving soon on Chrome for desktop and mobile devices.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-lens-for-iphone-now-lets-you-draw-to-do-visual-searches-170055399.html?src=rss

Photoshop 1.0 hit the scene in 199035 years later, the tools have changed, but the passion for creating hasnt. Whats your earliest Photoshop memory? Read more: https://adobe.ly/4i6zsbI

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Texturing/Modeling Artist Elena Desailly kicks off her portfolio with a bang, presenting an absolutely astonishing 3D recreation of actress Maisie Williams as seen on the cover of the Autumn/Winter 2019/2020 edition of the Metal magazine.Created in collaboration with Melie Morice and following the workflows outlined in efki Ibrahims character art course, this project marks Elenas first-ever attempt at a 3D portrait, with the goal of faithfully reproducing a real photograph.As for the software, the model was sculpted in ZBrush, textured with Mari and TexturingXYZs materials, and rendered in Arnold, with Houdini and Maya employed for grooming and groom shading, respectively.For comparison, heres the original magazine cover the artwork was inspired by:Follow Elena on LinkedIn and ArtStation so as not to miss any of her upcoming works and dont forget to join our 80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Artist Presents a Realistic 3D Take on Maisie Williams Made in ZBrush & Mari appeared first on CG SHARES.

SonyShuhei Yoshida, former Sony Interactive Entertainments Head of Indies Initiative, shared why PlayStations Japan Studio was closed, saying that it was the market conditions that led to the shutdown.In a recent episode of the Sacred Symbols+ podcast, Yoshida said (via VGC): During my time, people give me credit, but one of the things I was not successful at was having a successful service game, and the other thing is I was not able to have amazingly successful games made in Japan. He shared that they didnt have many triple AAA-level successful products. The market has been changing, and the role of indie games has become more significant: That became more and more important as the big games became bigger the indies filled the gap and the double-A market seems to have disappeared.According to the executive, promotion of AA-games became more complex: Most of the IPs that Japan Studio had were in that smaller double-A sized group and the market became really difficult for these kinds of games. As an example, he told that Keiichiro Toyama, the director of Gravity Rush 2, tried to pitch a new concept, but they were not able to greenlight any of his new ideas, even though they were really interesting.Japan Studio, best known for titles such as Ape Escape, the Knack series, and Gravity Rush, was closed in April 2021.Shuhei Yoshida, who worked at PlayStation since 1993, left the company this January. Before the retirement, his job was Head of Indies Initiative, and recently, the executive shared that he had no other choice than to take this role.Dont forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Shuhei Yoshida Said Japan Studio Was Closed As AA-Market Disappeared appeared first on CG SHARES.