TechXbox can now make games using AI here's why that's a problemOPINION: Xbox training its AI model to help create gameplay sounds nifty, but it leads to a slippery slope that makes me fear for the future of the medium, and the artists withindailystarBookmarkShareTechByLloyd CoombesGaming Editor06:30, 21 FEB 2025BookmarkXbox's new AI-focused direction worries me (Image: Future via Getty Images)Whats your favourite game in the world? Or your favourite piece of music, or movie? Whatever the answer, and for whatever reason that piece of art stands alone in your mind, Id wager it has something to do with painstaking commitment from the artist, be they developers, musicians, directors, actors, or anything else. I mention this because Microsoft, the company that not so long ago laid off thousands of employees across multiple departments but many within its Xbox gaming division, now has an AI model that can create video game visuals and actions. The new model, called Muse (an irony that is not lost on me), was developed in coordination with Ninja Theory, and was supposedly trained not on its breakout hit Hellblade Senuas Saga or its sequel, but on the teams hero shooter Bleeding Edge which didnt last very long at all. Xbox is in a strange spot right now (Image: Getty Images) And thats where we are now. Were at a point where, despite owning studios responsible for Call of Duty, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Dishonored, Halo, Gears of War, and even Crash bloody Bandicoot, Microsoft is cutting out the middle of the process and research ways to develop games without any of the artistry. In a world where Sony is shooting itself in the foot with a focus on games as a service titles, and Microsoft is gearing up for one of the biggest years in its gaming divisions history, this is how a trillion dollar company is choosing to push on. For goodness sakes, Avowed launched last week to barely any marketing, and it was great. If youre looking for a detailed rundown of the model, you can find that with nature, but Im far more concerned about what the ramifications are. The idea is that, by feeding a snippet of gameplay, it can generate follow-up frames as it sees fit. And yet, Muse does not inspire confidence because it itself is inspired by the works of others. Bleeding Edge was certainly a game of our time, but the team at Ninja Theory crafted it themselves likely not to be bastardised into a machine that, by Microsofts admission, has been allowed to access seven years of human gameplay taken from Microsoft first-party games. And yet, its not all that surprising. While Microsoft says it wont be used to replace developers, the proof will be in the pudding, so to speak. The company laid off a huge number of employees last year, closing entire studios, and now this? Its hard not to feel a little salty as our own industry (journalism) is fed into every LLM going. Phil Spencer is keen on the AI future, but I'm not so sure (Image: Getty Images) I really enjoyed Rock Paper Shotguns coverage of Xbox head honcho Phil Spencer chatting to the XboxEra podcast recently. While Spencer bemoans the way writers, like yours truly, have to make keyword soup to be recognised by search engines like, say, Microsofts own Bing, RPS' News Editor Edwin Evans-Thirlwell puts it better than I ever could: PHIL! Phil. I too miss the days when people paid for video games journalism, regularly or irregularly. I too dislike writing headlines such as What Is Doom: The Dark Skyrim For Fortnite Fans Free Horses Fast. But Phil, this is the equivalent of the high school bully asking us why we are hitting ourselves. Your company makes billions from Search! Those friends in the industry you allude to have been trying to steal Googles pie for decades and now, theyre devising software that turns searching for websites into a process of auto-regurgitating cliffnotes from those websites and cutting off whatever ad revenue we have! There is nothing you could do to convince me a game built by AI can rival anything handcrafted by humans, and I acknowledge that Microsoft isnt alone in this push one look at Wall Street will show you that AI will be running just about everything soon enough. This isnt me punching down on the use of AI in games, either. I was very vocal in my support of NVIDIAs DLSS tech which generates additional frames on PC, and I can see how it makes for better games in use cases like helping generate more realistic faces in the likes of EA FC. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said "Artificial intelligence is an oxymoron, theres no such thing. "Machine learning, machines dont learn. Those are convenient ways to explain to human beings what looks like magic,' he continued. The bottom line is that these are digital tools and weve used digital tools forever. I have no doubt that what is considered AI today will help make our business more efficient and help us do better work, but it wont reduce employment. I certainly hope hes right, because its starting to look more and more like games will be reduced to slop the same way my field has in the last couple of years, pilfering good and bad ideas alike to hit a quota for shareholders. For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters. Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.More On

Restelo MGR House / Joo Tiago Aguiar, ArquitectosSave this picture! Francisco NogueiraPortugalArchitects: Joo Tiago Aguiar, ArquitectosAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:6458 ftYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Francisco NogueiraManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: AutoDesk, Enscape, JUNG, CLIMAR, Azulcer, CARPINTARIA MATEUS, CIN, Cevica, FIMARBER, FRANCOMETAL, Hormann, KCBerry, Koklatt, MUKALI, Microsoft Office, PADIMAT, Sosoares, Trimble Navigation, U-DECK Lead Architect: Joo Tiago Aguiar More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Save this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The refurbishment and extension of a late 1950s twin house in Restelo is a measured architectural intervention that combines mid-century modernist sensibilities with contemporary design principles. Situated on an unassuming urban plot, the project reconfigures the property to maximize spatial efficiency, natural light, and connections to the surrounding environment while preserving key elements of its original character.Save this picture!The intervention included the addition of a new attic level to the existing basement and two-story structure, enhancing vertical functionality and opening the home to panoramic views. To distinguish the new extension from the original structure while maintaining harmony, the extended parts of the house were clad with slatted white lacquered aluminium sliding panels. These panels integrate functional elements such as louvers and railings into a cohesive and streamlined design, creating a modern contrast to the original faade and establishing a thoughtful dialogue between past and present.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Noble materials, including natural wood, natural stone, and semi-handmade tiles, were carefully selected throughout the project to give the house a distinctive character. These materials imbue the spaces with warmth and texture while ensuring a timeless design that respects the homes heritage and elevates its modern aspirations.Save this picture!Save this picture!The basement underwent a complete transformation, introducing a blend of practical and leisure-focused spaces. Alongside parking for two vehicles, a technical room, and a laundry area, the level now includes a maids ensuite bedroom, an indoor counter-current swimming pool, and a guest ensuite bedroom. Leisure spaces include a cinema and pool table area, complemented by a temperature-controlled wine cellara nod to both luxury and practicality.Save this picture!The ground floor is designed to emphasize spatial openness and seamless functionality while incorporating subtle transitions between distinct areas. Upon entering the large entrance hall, visitors are greeted by a bespoke piece of furniture that serves as both a welcoming feature and a practical surface for everyday items such as keys, wallet, etc. The hall also provides direct but discreet access to the kitchen, with its entrance cleverly integrated within the surrounding cabinetry. Additional concealed elements include a wardrobe and a guest toilet, ensuring that utility remains unobtrusive.Save this picture!Save this picture!The kitchen itself combines functionality with a sense of conviviality. It features an island and an informal dining area, complemented by a concealed storage compartment for added practicality. Adjacent to the dining room is an open office, outfitted with a few shelves and its own fireplace, which uses pallets for a more rustic and sustainable touch. The dining area is anchored by a large table and flanked by integrated shelving and storage, creating a balance between aesthetics and utility. This space transitions into the main living area, which is separated by a striking suspended fireplace. Positioned in the southwest corner of the house, the living area maximizes natural light and takes full advantage of the sweeping views over the Tagus River estuary. Large pocket windows blur the boundary between the indoors and the surrounding landscape, while a preserved rear veranda enhances the connection to the garden, extending the social and living areas outdoors.Save this picture!Originally, the first floor housed three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The redesign restructured this level into two ensuite bedrooms and a spacious master suite. The master suite occupies much of the expanded footprint, offering a walk-in closet and large southwest-facing windows to capitalize on the scenic vistas. A new veranda mirrors the outdoor connection established on the ground floor, emphasizing continuity in the vertical arrangement.Save this picture!The newly added attic level serves as a versatile retreat, housing a small office, a multipurpose room, storage areas, a bathroom, and a compact kitchenette. The kitchenette is thoughtfully positioned to serve drinks and snacks on the expansive terrace, making it an ideal space for relaxation or entertaining, especially at sunset when the panoramic views are at their most striking.Save this picture!Outdoor spaces were meticulously curated to enhance the overall experience. A swimming pool clad in green handmade tiles harmonizes with the surrounding lawn, while additional features such as a BBQ area, exterior toilet, and storage for gardening tools and furniture are seamlessly integrated.Save this picture!This architectural transformation aimed to strike a careful balance between respecting the structures mid-century origins and introducing bold contemporary interventions. Through the thoughtful use of noble materials and a harmonious blend of heritage and modernity, the design tried to achieve a distinctive and timeless vision for modern residential living.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officePublished on February 21, 2025Cite: "Restelo MGR House / Joo Tiago Aguiar, Arquitectos" [Moradia Restelo MGR / Joo Tiago Aguiar, Arquitectos] 21 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026939/restelo-mgr-house-joao-tiago-aguiar-arquitectos&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Memory of A Storehouse / Negishi Kenchiku StudioSave this picture! Shinsuke HayakawaArchitects: Negishi Kenchiku StudioAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:58 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Shinsuke Hayakawa Lead Architects: Akira Negishi More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. This project is a renovation of an old storehouse in a town at the foot of Mount Akagi, which is surrounded by farmland. The client acquired the storehouse, which was left on the site as an attachment to a used house, and plans to use it as an office for his own business.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The existing building has been repeatedly expanded and remodeled, and although it is covered with galvanized iron sheets, the shape of the storehouse was maintained by the large roof that floats above the building. Now that it has completed its role as a storehouse, the memory of the storehouse fades day by day along with the changing environment. The former storehouse, which has continued to stand without being destroyed even after being left out of human hands, is a valuable source of knowledge about the history of the area. We positioned the renovation of the storehouse as a work to pass on the flow of time connected from this place's past to the future.Save this picture!The roof of the storehouse, which is the symbol of the building, remains unchanged, and the outer walls have been renovated. Storage and a toilet were added to the previous extension, and the interior of the storehouse was given the function of an office. The doors and concrete block walls that give a sense of the building's era were left intact, and openings were installed to let in natural light.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!By preserving the history of architecture, we are able to connect with the past and pass on memories to the future. As time continues to pass, the plants and trees in the garden change. The silver exterior walls blend in with the color of the sky and ground at any given time, reflecting the presence of this place as if floating through time.Save this picture!If we can expand our imagination for the future through renovations, renovations that connect the past and present will continue depending on the owners from time to time, and the memory of the storehouse will be passed down to the next generation.Save this picture!Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Kiryu city, Gunma prefecture, JapanLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePublished on February 21, 2025Cite: "Memory of A Storehouse / Negishi Kenchiku Studio" 21 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027075/memory-of-a-storehouse-negishi-kenchiku-studio&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Project Files: https://www.patreon.com/posts/122757290 . This is the 157th episode of the new tutorial series on Action RPG game using Gameplay Ability System. Here we are going to work on a method to do a callback to the attacker when the hit target character is killed as a result of the attack within the gameplay ability system. This is important for multiple reasons. In case we have a experience collection system or skill point granting system when player kill an enemy, we need an even to notify that. Another case would be, if we need to do some special effects such as slow down and add a force to the killed enemy to give some cinematic effect for the fight. This is what we are going to work on today. Animations are sponsored by: https://www.ramsterzanimations.com/ https://www2.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/greatsword-anims Full Playlist : Action RPG series with gameplay ability system: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNTm9yU0zou7XnRx5MfBbZnfMZJqC6ixz // ! 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 #ue4 #indiegamedev

Nature, Published online: 19 February 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08508-4In a phase 1 trial, patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who were treated with surgery and bespoke neoantigen mRNA vaccines combined with anti-PD-L1 and chemotherapy exhibited marked long-lived persistence of neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cell clones, which correlated with prolonged recurrence-free survival at a 3.2-year follow-up.

Nature, Published online: 19 February 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08598-8A study describes the design of de novo ligand-binding transmembrane proteins, demonstrating their specific binding and activation of fluorogenic ligands.

CDPR Wants Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel to Have "Most Realistic Crowd System" EverIt's hard to compete with excitement for GTA 6, but it seems CD PROJEKT will try with innovation. The company's job listings for Cyberpunk 2077's sequel, codenamed Orion, suggest the game will have "the most realistic and reactive crowd system in any game to date."Its lead encounter designer should have experience working with "next-generation 3D level editors" and knowledge of video games.Sounds exciting, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the crowd system will compete with GTA 6's tech, which is rumored to include Take-Two Interactive's patents and result in smarted NPCs and AI-generated interiors.The Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, in turn, will reportedly boast crafting, seamless dialogues, open-world events, and even multiplayer elements.Aside from Orion, CDPR is working on The Witcher 4, which is now in full production, naming it the most advanced game in its portfolio. There is also a Witcher spin-off Project Sirius and a Witcher remake Canis Majoris.

Check out these 5 trends that will help game developers and publishers stay competitive into the future while delivering on the expectations of the global gaming community.Link: https://80.lv/articles/5-fast-growing-payment-trends-in-2025/#sponsored #ad #business #gameindustry #xsolla @Xsolla

NetEases Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter Marvel Rivals has now reached a new milestone, surpassing 40 million registered players, an achievement revealed in the companys Fiscal Year 2024 financial reports. That means 30 million more players played the game since the 10 million player record was achieved within three days since its launch.Thanks to the Season 1 update that was dropped in January, the game claimed the No. 1 spots on Steams top sellers and most-played charts worldwide. Although not specify the revenue it generates, the whole gaming section generated RMB21.2 billion (US$2.9 billion) net revenues in the last quart of 2024, which ends on December 31, and that is a 1.5% increase compared with the same period in 2023.Our new hit titles not only redefined gameplay but also set new industry benchmarks, while our legacy franchises gained fresh momentum through striking enhancements in design, storytelling and immersive content, said William Ding, Chief Executive Officer and Director of NetEase. NetEase GamesAs Marvel Rivals is getting growing attention and players worldwide, the report also shows that the company will be working with global talents in order to engage with global fans.Speaking of collaborating with top talent globally, recently, the Marvel Rivals development team has been criticized for laying off an estimated six staff members in NetEases US office, including Game Director Thaddeus Sasser. NetEase explained this action as organizational reasons and to optimize development efficiency for the game while assuring that the core development team, led by Lead Producer Weicong Wu and Game Creative Director Guangyun Chen in Guangzhou, China, remain unaffected.The gamers Season 1.5 (the second half of Season 1), which will bring New heroes, a new map, balance changes, competitive updates, and thrilling tournaments, is coming today. Guangyun Chen, along with Lead Combat Designer Zhiyong, explained the exciting content of this update in the video below. Their effort to try to explain things in English, although a bit stilted, has been appreciated by the global community:Dont forget to join our80 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 Marvel Rivals Now Has Over 40 million Registered Players appeared first on CG SHARES.

2D/3D Artist and Animator A$AP BERG has unveiled the final version of his rig of Marvel Rivals Invisible Woman, following a previously showcased WIP. This rig brings to life Sue Richards, one of Marvels most iconic characters.According to the artist, the final version of the characters rig features multiple skins, allowing for a variety of visual styles, and a version of his NPR Marvel Rivals-inspired shaders, which help achieve an appealing stylized look.This work was initially created in Blender 4.1 using Rigify, an add-on designed to streamline the workflow of rig creation, and is expected to be compatible with Blender 4.2 and 4.3.The artist shared some tips on using the rig and setting up lighting:The artist shared the stages of creating the rig, commenting on the technical details:A$AP BERG shared many fantastic works, recreating beloved characters and crafting the original ones:A Blender rig for a 3D model of Galacta linked with actions:A Tifa Lockhart 3D rig with only 30 deformation bones:You can get the Invisible Woman rig here. Also, 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 Check Out This Blender Rig of Marvel Rivals Invisible Woman appeared first on CG SHARES.