.@mrinalfreestyle unveiled this amazing animation of an extinct marine reptile crafted for the dinosaur survival game INSTINCTION.More animations of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures: https://80.lv/articles/check-out-this-smooth-marine-reptile-animation-from-a-dinosaur-game/

.@SupergiantGames issued a statement to confirm that no voice actors have been recast in Hades II during the SAG-AFTRA strike.The studio would offer the strongest AI protections to its talent: https://80.lv/articles/supergiant-games-denies-the-rumor-of-recasting-hades-2-voice-actors/

BethesdaMany years after its release, we still find out something new about Skyrim. Sometimes, the best decisions, especially about such a cult game, are made at the last possible moment. As Bethesdas former producer Jeff Gardiner revealed, he had to rebalance Skyrims combat about 2 weeks before its launch.I had this fight with the designers at the time, he said (via PC Gamer). They wanted to do things through data and simulations. And I was like, But the player does things, like backs up and double taps. And they would run AI simulations, where an NPC and a monster would fight each other, and if over 10 times the simulated player won more than 50%, then it was balanced. But I was like, Theyre not backing up. The AI only does so many things.'Naturally, a human has more ideas for maneuvers than an AI bot, so this would not be balanced for them at all. Moreover, a similar issue Gardiner met in Oblivion, so he knew what he was talking about.There, fighting Clannfear, youd get into stun locks, and AI, when stun-locked, would behave differently, not as a real person.So on Skyrim, I came in and I went through and I played the game with all these different archetypes, and then would tweak the creatures and the weapons and stuff. Right before it shipped I spent two weeks doing that and was like, Well, I hope this is good.'BethesdaAnd perhaps it is since players are still playing and praising it.As you can tell, the development wasnt all a bed of roses, some things would surely infuriate players if they were not caught on time.When people compare the recently released Avowed with Skyrim, they point out the formers lack of reactivity in the world around the protagonist something the TES game is famous for. However, this interactivity could cause more issues than it was worth at times.They put butterflies in Skyrim, and they put a system in where the butterflies would smell flowers in your inventory and start following you around the game. But it was very expensive by this I mean there was a lot of processing that had to happen, because all the butterflies in the game had to detect whether or not the player had flowers. And we were like, Why is the game running slow? And then you spend hours figuring out, Oh, its because so-and-so put the script in the game that makes it so, if youre carrying flowers, butterflies are attracted to you.'Other pesky creatures were ants. Apparently, one developer made them cast shadows, the most expensive thing in the rendering, at the time, so the lighting had to compute them all and pressure the system. Thousands of ants that you can barely see, casting little tiny shadows, Gardiner recalled.While, yes, these were problems that needed fixing, the producer remembers them fondly:Thats the fun of it, he said. The beauty of Bethesda was, because of the success of our games, our parent company, Zenimax, basically left us alone. We set our own internal milestones, our own goals, and as long as we earned the trust of them, they left us alone. Which is so important as a creative.Which is your favorite Skyrim moment? 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 Skyrim Producer Rebalanced Fighting Two Weeks Before It Was Released appeared first on CG SHARES.

StayAtHomeDev, a developer known for his expertise in Godot Engine and educational game development videos, seems to be working on a new project, a first-person shooter inspired by classic titles. In this demo, featuring gravity-manipulating platforms, this game brings to mind the vibe of Serious Sam Classic or 2006s Prey, but the prototype has also drawn comparisons to Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II and Quake 2.It looks like StayAtHomeDev will be sharing in-depth video tutorials on the mechanics of this project through Patreon, making it a great resource for fellow developers looking to create similar projects. Check it out here and see more demos below:Also, check out StayAtHomeDevs YouTube channel and his site for more Godot-focused content:Follow him on X/Twitter to stay updated on the latest news and join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us on Instagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Gravity-Based Mechanics For Retro-Inspired FPS Made With Godot appeared first on CG SHARES.

CoolMarc Benioff:Consistently getting more accurate results with Grokimpressive.

CoolPhilip K:Grok 3 is insanely good. There was an Arduino coding thing I was stuck on for a couple days, I tried 100 ways of asking ChatGPT and Claude and never got it working. Grok literally solved it on the first tryand turns out the bug it discovered was in a totally different part of

Don't miss the official announcement trailer for Unblock, an isometric platformer developed by 906 Games.

Process and inspect packages in Dansan Digital's Parcel Simulator, which lets players build a business empire. See the official gameplay trailer here.

The A Dazzling Aria Masterwork Research is your opportunity to get a shiny Meloetta in Pokmon Go.Debuting alongside Go Tour: Unova, you have between Monday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. and Sunday, March 2, at 8 p.m. local time to purchase a ticket for $5 (or the local currency equivalent.)You can then find the Masterwork Research in the Special Research tab, where you can take as much time as you need to complete every task which, giving the nature of the challenges, makes it a necessity.As such, not every step has been revealed to players but here is the A Dazzling Aria research steps available so far, as well as whether purchasing A Dazzling Aria is worth it.A Dazzling Aria Masterwork Research stepsOnce youve started the A Dazzling Aria Masterwork Research, there is no time limit to completing the following steps:A Dazzling Aria step 1 of 7Catch 151 Pokmon originally discovered in the Kanto region (648 XP)Catch 151 Pokmon originally discovered in the Johto region (648 XP)Catch 151 Pokmon originally discovered in the Hoenn region (648 XP)Catch 151 Pokmon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region (648 XP)Catch 151 Pokmon originally discovered in the Unova region (648 XP)Rewards: 10x Reshiram candy, 10x Zekrom candy, Shiny Meloetta avatar T-shirtA Dazzling Aria step 2 of 7The community has yet to discover the second step for the A Dazzling Aria research, and well update this guide with more information as it becomes available.Is the A Dazzling Aria Masterwork Research ticket worth it?Though we dont know the exact structure of the Masterwork Research, the following has been confirmed by Niantic as being part of the ticket:Encounters: Shiny Meloetta (Aria Forme)Candy: 30 Meloetta, 15 Snivy, 15 Tepig, 15 Oshawott, 10 Darumaka, 10 Reshiram, 10 ZekromItems: 60 Ultra Balls, 5 Golden Razz Berries, 5 Silver Pinap Berries, 3 Unova Stones, 2 Incense, 1 Lure Module, and moreRare Candy: 2 XL and 3 regular for level 31 trainers and up, 5 candy for trainers belowXP: 14,640Stardust: 6,480Avatar item: Shiny Meloetta T-shirtThough its hard to put a shop value on many of the above items as they arent for sale, for $5 (or the local currency equivalent) this ticket seems like good value when broken down theres a shiny mythical and related avatar item youre unlikely to get anywhere else, the reward of legendary Pokmon candy, some XL candy, and a handful of rare items that, for us, justify the price of entry.The stumbling block, however, is the steep requirements to completing the Masterwork Research. These tickets are renowned for having challenges which are designed to take days, weeks, and even months to complete whether its because they are time gated, or have steps which are designed to be chipped away at over a long period of time so know you wont get the above rewards quickly.For players who will check in daily, however, this shouldnt be a problem, and the marathon requirements to complete the ticket could actually be attractive for those looking a goal to work towards long since Go Tour: Unova has concluded.Either way, you only have a week to purchase the ticket and start the quest so be sure to make a decision sooner than later!

How UX inflexibility stalls progress, frustrates teams, and creates unnecessary roadblocksPhoto by Jacek Dylag onUnsplashThe UX process is a lot like navigating traffic merges its about balancing efficiency with empathy. Letting a driver in is usually the right thing to do. But then you let another one in. And another. Suddenly, youre ushering an endless procession of grateful commuters while the guy behind you is laying on his horn, questioning your life choices. What started as a small act of kindness has now made you the villain of rushhour.The same effect can happen in UX. It starts with good intentionsmaking products smoother, more intuitive, and aligned with user needs. But at some point, the effort to accommodate every preference starts working against both the product and theteam.Instead of helping, UX advocacy becomes a bottleneck. Timelines stretch, stress rises, and teams that just want to ship a functional product get stuck in a loop of over-validation.When the process takes priority over practicality, when research never seems to end, and when no one will make a decision without another round of testing, UX stops being a tool for progressit becomes a roadblock.The UX Ideal vs. BusinessRealityUX is built on the foundation of empathy. Designers spend countless hours advocating for users, ensuring every interaction is smooth and intuitive. But heres a fundamental questionwhat about empathy for the people building theproduct?Developers waiting for finalized wire-frames. Product managers scrambling to keep timelines intact. Executives wondering why a simple feature update has turned into a three-month process.If UX truly values empathy, it shouldnt just extend to end usersit should include the entire team working to bring the product to life and the business thats investing to doso.When UX Turns IntoGridlockResearch is usually where things start to break down. Theres a fine line between gathering insights and drowning in data, and some UX teams fall into the trap of over-researching.Instead of making informed decisions based on reasonable assumptions, they run endless user interviews and tests, postponing development until they have definitive proof that every choice is correct. But in most cases, perfect data doesnt exist. At a certain point, decisions need to be made, and good UX teams know when to move forward with the information theyhave.Wireframing and prototyping can be just as problematic. Instead of quickly iterating and handing off something workable to developers, some teams get stuck in revision loops. They tweak spacing, adjust button sizes, and debate the best label for a menu itemmeanwhile, the development team is sitting idle, waiting for final specs. While these details matter, they rarely justify weeks ofdelays.Then theres the issue of perfectionism in UI design. Some UX designers obsess over pixel-perfect mockups, crafting detailed animations and transitions before the basic functionality is even locked in. But without real user interaction, these refinements are meaningless.The ProcessParadoxMany believe that structured methodologiesAgile, Lean UX, or Design Thinkingsolve these bottlenecks. And in theory, they do. Agile encourages fast iteration, Lean UX minimizes wasted effort, and Design Thinking ensures problem-solving remains human-centered.But process alone isnt the solution. When teams follow Agile rituals mechanically or treat research as a box-checking exercise rather than a strategic tool, they fall into the same trapsdelays, over-validation, and friction between teams. Instead of enabling innovation, rigid adherence to process can stifle it, turning what should be a flexible system into a bureaucratic obstacle.Hypothetical Case StudyThe Delayed CheckoutRedesignA mid-sized e-commerce company decides to redesign its checkout process to reduce cart abandonment. The product manager estimates a three-week timeline, assuming that UX will refine the flow, development will build it, and theyll launchquickly.The UX team, however, has other plans. They propose a full competitor analysis, a deep-dive user research study, and multiple rounds of usability testing before even starting on design. What was supposed to be a quick fix turns into a three-month ordeal.By the time development begins, market conditions have changed, executive patience has worn thin, and the product team is left scrambling to adjust. This is how UX, when mismanaged, turns into a liability rather than an asset. Instead of helping the team make smarter decisions faster, it drags out the process, adding stress and frustration across theboard.While research has its place, iterative improvements often benefit from speed. A leaner approachlaunching with a strong hypothesis and refining from real user behaviorcould have kept the team aligned and avoided costlydelays.Finding a SmarterApproachUX should support the product as much as it advocates for the user. The best UX teams master the balance between research and execution, validation and intuition. Not every decision requires exhaustive testing, and not every design must be flawless before development begins.The solution isnt to abandon UX but to make it more adaptable. Timeboxing research, prioritizing high-impact decisions, and involving developers early can keep things moving without sacrificing quality. The goal isnt perfectionits progress. A UX team that understands this will be far more effective than one stuck in endless loops of validation and revision.And it all starts with having an honest conversation. If UX is becoming a bottleneck, teams need to openly discuss where the process is slowing things down and why. Is it excessive research? Reluctance to make decisions? A lack of alignment with business goals? Identifying the root cause allows teams to recalibrate their approach, ensuring UX is a driver of efficiency rather than an obstacle.Yield When Necessary, Drive WhenNeededUX is supposed to reduce friction, not create it. When the process becomes too rigid, when designers refuse to make decisions without a mountain of data, and when teams are left waiting for approval instead of building, UX becomes counterproductive.The best UX professionals know when to push, when to adapt, and when to move forwardbecause in the end, a good user experience isnt just about reducing friction for users. Its about working in sync with those around you to deliver solutions seamlessly. Because a product that never ships is the worst user experience ofall.Dont miss out! Join my email list and receive the latestcontent.When empathy becomes the enemy of productivity was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.