Soldier 0 Anby's backstory.

By CHRIS McGOWANImages courtesy of Miagui and Netflix, except where noted.For Overall VFX Supervisor Marcelo Siqueira, Netflixs mini-series Senna was a chance both to pay tribute to the Brazilian Formula 1 racing legend Ayrton Senna and to put Brazil on the global VFX map. The $170 million production was reportedly the most expensive series in the nations history and involved 2,089 visual effects shots across six episodes and six different VFX vendors.The industry had been buzzing about this project for years, Siqueira says. After all, were talking about Brazils greatest icon, recognized worldwide, and one of Netflixs biggest bets in Latin America. Recreating the most emblematic races of the greatest Formula 1 driver, set in racetracks around the globe, was a dream for any VFX professional. The mini-series was produced by Netflix and Brazils Gullane Entretenimento. Gabriel Leone stars as Senna, a three-time Formula 1 champion, who passed away at 34 in a 1994 race crash. Vicente Amorim and Julia Rezende directed.For the mini-series Senna, Brazilian creative production studio Miagui helped re-create Ayrton Sennas Monaco Grand Prix races with CGI.Siqueira notes, As the project advanced, Scanline came on board as a creative and management partner, and they, along with Gullane, chose the collaborating vendors. In the end, we were delighted to see that three of the six [VFX] companies that contributed to the project were Brazilian, delivering work on a par with international vendors like Scanline [VFX] and NetFX. Craig Wentworth, Scanline Overall VFX Supervisor, explains, Our largest vendor was actually NetFX, a global network of talent working under the Netflix umbrella. That team contributed 725 shots to the series, focusing on set extensions, burn-ins, clean-ups and makeup fixes. Scanline completed 390 shots, most of which involved racing sequences at Suzuka, Japan and Interlagos, Brazil.Brazilian racing champion Ayrton Senna (Gabriel Leone) was the focus of VFX work by Scanline VFX, NetFX and Eyeline Studios along with Brazilian studios Miagui, Quanta and Picma Post.Quanta, Picma Post and Miagui were the three Brazilian vendors, Wentworth explains, Quantas contribution covered virtual production, online and color services and [they] also provided 488 shots, handling the majority of burn-ins and full-screen FIA footage restoration. Picma Post provided 279 shots of Formula Ford and F3 races in Episodes 1 and 2, and pit lane set extensions for Imola, Italy, in Episode 6. Siqueira notes, Picma Post was tasked with the iconic 1994 Imola race, tragically marked by Ayrton Sennas fatal accident. Picmas set extensions added elements such as additional cars and digital audiences to the filmed scenes, ensuring a faithful and impactful recreation of these historic moments. Miagui had 94 shots and was the primary vendor for the Monaco 84 and 88 races.Eyeline Studios was a key consultation partner for our virtual production effort and was responsible for scanning our production vehicles for 3D recreation. They also created several all-CG racing shots in Unreal Engine for us, a first in Scanline and Eyelines long history, says Wentworth.Monaco Grand Prix 84 and 88The two Monaco Grand Prix races in 1984, marked by torrential rain, when Senna drove a Formula 1 car for the first time, and 1988, when he collided with the guard rail at the tunnel entrance, were assigned to Miagui. Siqueira comments, The company was responsible for fully recreating the track scenes in full CGI. We knew that the work on Monaco 1984 would build upon the foundation set for Monaco 1988. Everything constructed for M88, including buildings, grandstands, props and crowds, would be repurposed for M84, with an added layer of complexity due to the rain. This included advanced fluid simulations for wet conditions and reanimating the cars to reflect their distinct behavior on a slippery track compared to a dry surface.Produced by Netflix and Brazils Gullane Entretenimento, Senna recreated the most emblematic races of the great Formula 1 driver, set in racetracks around the world. The mini-series utilized 2,089 VFX shots.Continues Siqueira, Miagui used a simplified model of the 1984 Monaco circuit as the base for their work, as the track layout back then differed significantly from the modern version. A dedicated team focused exclusively on constructing the circuit environment, continuously referencing archival footage and photographs from the era. Their meticulous attention to detail enabled them to recreate the historic Monaco circuit with stunning accuracy, ensuring it authentically reflected the time and atmosphere of Sennas legendary performances.Archival FootageQuanta Post was responsible for a significant volume of burn-ins, the restoration of archival footage from the era and the virtual production content. The series historical foundation relied heavily on FIA archival footage, which needed to be seamlessly integrated into the visual language in an organic and authentic manner. Siqueira explains, To achieve this, the treatment of the footage displayed on each monitor or TV accounted for the broadcast year, whether the transmission was over-the-air or via cable, and the type of monitor used at the time. This approach enabled the precise recreation of the conditions in which each character experienced the races, whether at home, in bars or within pit boxes and broadcast booths. Over 400 burn-in shots were meticulously crafted, ensuring historical accuracy and visual cohesion throughout the series narrative.Miagui was responsible for recreating the track scenes in full CGI. The two Monaco Grand Prix races in 1984 and again in 1988 were marked by torrential rain, soaking the track. Advanced fluid simulations for wet conditions and reanimating the cars were used to reflect their distinct behavior on a slippery track.Miagui used a simplified model of the 1984 Monaco circuit as the base for their work, as the track layout back then differed significantly from the modern version. A dedicated team focused exclusively on constructing the circuit environment, continuously referencing archival footage and photographs from the era. Their meticulous attention to detail enabled them to recreate the historic Monaco circuit with stunning accuracy, ensuring it authentically reflected the time and atmosphere of Sennas legendary performances.Marcelo Siqueira, Overall VFX SupervisorSuzuka and Interlagos RacesScanline was tasked with recreating the iconic races at Suzuka (1988, 1989 and 1990) and the historic 1991 Interlagos race, where Senna claimed his first victory in Brazil. These sequences required a blend of advanced techniques to authentically capture the emotion and realism of these legendary moments. Siqueira comments, NetFX and other vendors focused on clean-up tasks and simpler compositions, ensuring visual consistency and supporting the finalization of scenes that complemented the main narrative.Wentworth recalls, I was first introduced to the production team in February 2023 as a representative of Scanline VFX. Our earliest conversations centered around the challenges the show faced in world-building specifically, the several racetracks that would need to be created digitally, either in full or as set extensions and the unique challenge of visualizing what Vicente described as Sennas superpower. Given Scanlines long history in producing complex and creative visual effects, we seemed like a great fit for the series as a whole. In May that year, I began consulting with Sica [Siqueira] on many aspects of the VFX production. Later, as Scanlines relationship with the production evolved, my [VFX] Producer partner, Vero Lauzon, and I assumed responsibility for the distribution and execution of the final VFX in the show. We also supported the LED shoot planned for early December with support from our counterparts at Eyeline Studios.Several racetracks that were landmarks in Sennas career were re-created digitally, either in full or as set extensions. A dedicated team focused on constructing the circuit environment, referencing archival footage and photographs from the era to help recreate the historic Monaco Grand Prix circuit in detail. (Images courtesy of Scanline VFX and Netflix)The treatment of the footage displayed on each monitor or TV accounted for the broadcast year, whether the transmission was over-the-air or via cable, and the type of monitor used at the time. This approach enabled the precise recreation of the conditions in which each character experienced the races, whether at home, in bars or within pit boxes and broadcast booths. Over 400 burn-in shots were meticulously crafted, ensuring historical accuracy and visual cohesion throughout the series narrative.Marcelo Siqueira, Overall VFX SupervisorSubtle EffectsSenna was not a series that sought flashy or noticeable visual effects. Siqueira comments, The entire cinematic language was carefully planned to avoid the risk of distracting the audience and making them wonder how a particular scene was filmed or created. We conducted numerous tests with lenses, speeds and depths of field to establish a unique visual standard for the series. The goal was to ensure that regardless of the scenes origin whether shot with our real cars or created by vendors like Miagui or Scanline all shared the same camera movements and framing characteristics. This uniformity was essential to maintaining immersion and aesthetic consistency.Grand Prix raceway shots with CGI extensions. (Images courtesy of Picma Post and Netflix)Wentworth adds, Beyond the racing, which can certainly be considered the VFX highlight of the series, there are a lot of visual effects in Senna that people will not know are VFX. One of my favorite shots is something as innocuous as a newspaper insert where we had to add a photograph to it later, but it is so perfectly executed that you cannot tell it was done in post. And we have hundreds of other examples just like that, of things that were added after the fact because they werent quite ready for the shoot but were essential to the narrative.Race TechniquesSeveral techniques were used for the race shots. Siqueira remarks, In January 2023, during the third month of preparation, I presented a proposal for producing the race sequences using four distinct techniques. Given that we had 22 faithful replicas of cars and access to real tracks, the primary technique was set extension, which became the most widely used. The cinematography required shallow depth of field on the characters, making close-ups essential. Inside helmets and balaclavas, the actors had only their eyes to convey emotion, which made the use of virtual production indispensable. For wide shots, the solution was to work with full CGI. The fourth technique addressed the cars themselves: although we had 22 replicas, each race featured only two complete cars, usually Sennas and his main rivals. For all other vehicles, digital creations would be necessary.We animated very specific vehicle action around our hero car so it really felt like Senna was in the middle of a race. To really enhance that feeling, our cars were mounted to a motion base that added movement to the vehicle based on its track position. In some respects, we created the ultimate racing simulator for those few weeks.Craig Wentworth, Overall VFX Supervisor, ScanlineTestsSiqueira adds, With this plan in hand, we moved on to a proof of concept. I traveled to Argentina with Cinematographer Azul Serra and Executive Producer Caique Ferreira for two days of filming in Balcarce [Argentina]. There, we collaborated with the team from Crespi [sports car manufacturer], responsible for constructing and piloting the cars, to test the possibilities and validate the proposed strategies. Wentworth adds, In the end, for racing scenes, we knew we would need to employ every trick in the book. The physical cars were filmed by a performance unit, led by [second-unit] directors Rodrigo Monte and Cory Geryak. They captured countless hours of these cars racing around three different tracks in Argentina and Uruguay. Depending on what footage was used in what section of a race, our job in VFX was to ensure continuity to the action by adding appropriate race-track set extensions in the background.Numerous set extensions were used throughout the Senna mini-series. (Images courtesy of Netflix)Naked Carsand 3D EnvironmentsSome of the physical cars filmed had no bodies. Wentworth explains, These naked cars, as we called them, were designed to stand in for any vehicle for which Crespi had not built a body. For example, in the Suzuka 88 race, Senna makes a spectacular maneuver at the circuits hairpin turn, passing two cars in quick succession. Only Sennas McLaren was 100% practical. The other four cars in that sequence of shots were just chassis that Scanline 3D-tracked and added car bodies to in CG, along with the requisite set extensions in background.Several full CG shots covered action that had been missed or felt missing in editorial, or that could not be filmed by the performance unit. For these, it was necessary to create full 3D environments; for example, at Suzuka and Monaco, incorporating crowds, marshals, signage, every historically accurate detail you could think of, and, in some cases, a full field of CG cars.Onboard ShotsWentworth says, All of this was combined with onboard shots of our actors filmed on an LED stage over a two-week period at the end of main unit photography, footage that really became the backbone of racing scenes in editorial. Onboard driving shots were filmed at Quanta in So Paulo. Wentworth continues, With Scanlines guidance, the Quanta team put a lot of effort into leveling up our previs environments, which had been created in Unreal Engine. That meant adding lots of model detail to match what the art department had created on location for all of our races, as well as an overall lookdev pass at track level. Wentworth adds, We animated very specific vehicle action around our hero car so it really felt like Senna was in the middle of a race. To really enhance that feeling, our cars were mounted to a motion base that added movement to the vehicle based on its track position. In some respects, we created the ultimate racing simulator for those few weeks. It was all CG around Senna when we were close up with him, particularly in the Formula 1 races, continues Wentworth. But that CG was very cleverly filmed and, with the exception of adding camera shake in online, not a single VP shot was touched by VFX, so we got real value for money from that material and that filming approach.Onboard shots of the drivers were filmed on an LED stage for two weeks at the end of main-unit photography. (Image courtesy of Picma Post and Netflix)AccuracyOne of the most inspired choices made by Vicente Amorim, our director and Showrunner, was to intercut our version of events with actual footage provided to us from the FIA, Wentworth says. That meant, at any given moment, our VFX would be intercut with footage of what really happened, typically in a television broadcast, 30 years ago. So, in terms of maintaining historical accuracy, there was really nowhere for us to hide in VFX. To that end, the production itself and all our vendors spent countless hours scouring the FIA material for reference to how sets should be dressed, what people were wearing, what advertising signage was on display at what corner of a track, and so on. Our virtual environments reflected that effort.Monaco represented a unique challenge. Wentworth states, Due in part to time and practical constraints, we made the decision very early in the process to commit to creating the Monaco races in CG. The team at Miagui put exhaustive effort into recreating Monaco based on photographic and filmed reference. Fortunately, we knew, based on the extensive previs Sica and his team had created for the series, exactly which sections of the track were going to be filmed the most, and so modeling and lookdev efforts were concentrated there and kicked off early to give us plenty of time to bring that world to a very photoreal level. Miagui also created digital versions of our production cars so that our CG twins would look and feel just like the practical cars, which was important for visual consistency.22 faithful replicas of cars were driven by Senna and his rivals, but each race only featured two cars at a time. (Image courtesy of Crespi and Netflix)AssetsIn addition to the extensive CGI construction of elements surrounding the tracks, hundreds of assets were created, including cars, cranes, guardrails and characters, according to Siqueira. For the crowd elements, we developed an extensive sprite library during filming. Over 500 extras were captured in 12 different positions using six cameras, performing various actions. This process generated more than 36,000 unique options, enabling vendors to request and utilize these resources as needed. To manage this material, we built a comprehensive database that was continuously updated by all departments throughout the project. This system became an essential tool in post-production, ensuring that everyone had access to the necessary information and resources to meet the precise demands of each scene efficiently and effectively.[A]t any given moment, our VFX would be intercut with [with actual footage provided by the FIA] of what really happened, typically in a television broadcast, 30 years ago. So, in terms of maintaining historical accuracy, there was really nowhere for us to hide in VFX. To that end, the production itself and all our vendors spent countless hours scouring the FIA material for reference to how sets should be dressed, what people were wearing, what advertising signage was on display at what corner of a track, and so on. Our virtual environments reflected that effort.Craig Wentworth, Overall VFX Supervisor, ScanlineLiving Up to LegacyIt wasnt easy, but it was the most rewarding project of my career, Siqueira says. We spent eight months in preparation because we were recreating scenes that millions of people were familiar with, including a legion of fans who know every curve and detail by heart. Absolute fidelity was crucial, from the shape of each car, with its branding and sponsors, to the billboards around the tracks and iconic elements like the Casio Chicane at Suzuka, the Marlboro building at Imola and the water tower at Interlagos. These recreations had to seamlessly integrate with FIAs original footage, making historical accuracy even more critical.The drama of the race was reflected in close-ups of Sennas eyes. (Image courtesy of Netflix)Wentworth says, Speaking very personally, this project was a very new experience for me. It was the first time I have been creatively responsible for such a large volume of work. My VFX Producer, Vero Lauzon, and I not only had to manage the distribution and execution of the work but also forge new partnerships with international vendors we had never worked with before, guiding them through the process of producing high-value content of enormous scale.Wentworth adds, Senna is the most ambitious project to have come out of Brazil, and just by virtue of its subject matter, it came with its own built-in level of gravitas. Protecting and honoring Sennas legacy was very important to everyone involved in the VFX process, which in and of itself became its own challenge: Do we does the work live up to standards set by the man himself? I think we, our partners, our vendors and the entire team from Brazil ultimately surpassed expectations, and I am very proud of everyones work.

West Marches-style adventuring for the revised rulesetSince its inception, campaigns of Dungeons & Dragons have leveraged the hex-crawl play style. Thats where groups of players venture out into an unforgiving wilderness in search of adventure, only to stumble upon things like camps of brigands, monster lairs, and mysterious ruined keeps filled with magical treasure. Hex crawl is also at the core of Beyond the Woods, a new 5e-compatible setting inspired by Irish legends from Old Oak Games. Creator Emmet Byrne tells Polygon the approach results in campaigns that blend mystery, exploration, and danger in ways that modern gamers are likely unfamiliar with at the table. A crowdfunding campaign for Beyond the Woods goes live on Tuesday on Kickstarter.Byrne, previously of Cubicle 7, where he worked on Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound and Broken Weave, says that Beyond the Woods doesnt take place in a post-apocalyptic setting in the traditional sense. Instead, its more akin to something like Elden Ring or Attack on Titan an ancient and glorious realm that long ago fell into ruin. At the center of that world is a powerful, solitary city called Cad Darach [KAYD dar-ok], whose inhabitants are protected by the light of an ancient oak tree.It is the last bastion of humankind and other species-kind, Byrne says. People have been trapped in there for centuries, and youre going to be [among] the first groups to venture out outside of the city into this ancient land that has seen many different civilizations.The main enemy, at least at the start of the game, is a class of ravenous spirits known as Sluagh [SLOO-ah] that emerged into the relatively peaceful world many years ago. As they traveled across the land, much like the Wild Hunt in the Witcher series, they gobbled up souls and left behind fast-moving, zombie-like husks called Marvach [mar-vahk]. Marvach can pop up in the open world as solitary enemies or in groups large enough to kill the player party outright. But the world itself, a land called Tr Nascath [TEER nahs-kuhth], is Beyond the Woods true antagonist.Instead of a barren wasteland, Tr Nascath is depicted as endless overgrown forests with gargantuan trees, narrow game paths, and mysterious ancient ruins all inspired by classic depictions of ancient Ireland. Simply moving from place to place is a danger in and of itself. It will be up to the players to explore the place, to make sense of it, and to help save its people if they choose to do so.It gives you a chance to customize your map and build it out [during your explorations], Byrne says. [But moment to moment] youve got to go hunting. Youve got to go looking for water. [You take] long rests, you have to make a proper camp to get a long rest. Your HP doesnt magically come back. So its definitely much more challenging, and much more perilous than your typical D&D game. Its trying to bring that old-school vibe to 5e.Using the basic rules of 5th edition as a framework, Byrne has added in a number of novel systems to help make hex crawling even more fun. One of them is an inventory management system inspired by the Resident Evil video games. Rather than strictly using weight as the limiting factor, players have limited inventory slots. He says his take on inventory Tetris is actually much faster at the table than using weight alone, which involves lots of fiddly math. And, as in classic games like Oregon Trail, it also leads to some interesting decision making and storytelling.You have a grid on the back of your character sheet, Byrne says, and you have a number of slots in your inventory equal to your strength score. [] One of the first things that we do when were making characters is say, OK, you have your starting gear that takes up a certain amount of slots. You have a couple of slots left over. What are you taking with you?Without the convenience of a Bag of Holding, say, or even a nearby store to shop at and top off any healing potions, characters are left to plan ahead for their own needs. How much food they carry, how much water they plan to forage for, and what kinds of weapons and equipment they arm themselves with takes on new importance.We might need a trap for catching animals, Byrne says. We need rope. We need a crowbar. [But] how many arrows am I going to bring? Can I bring one bundle or two bundles? I like those tough choices. Thats where the meat of the game is for me, rather than it being in combat which you get, obviously, with a lot of D&D.Another way to play Beyond the Woods, though, is with more than one group of adventurers at the same time an approach known as a West Marches-style game. Popularized by Ben Robbins, a West Marches campaign has several unique conceits. Players organize themselves into parties on an ad hoc basis, and different groups of players can and will show up on a given night to play. These mixed groups, drawn from a large pool of players, arent focused on a main plot necessarily. Together and in the moment they decide where to go that night, what to do, and how to spend their time in the world. Their adventures open up new possibilities for the groups that come after.Using Beyond the Woods as a creative backstop, Byrne says a West Marches-style playthrough is very nearly ideal.With [Beyond the Woods], you have a map thats representative of what the world of Tr Nascath was before this great cataclysm, Byrne says. Theres some iconic landmarks, and you go out and explore from hex to hex. Then as you play you can customize your map. You can mark places that youve explored, and youll have stickers that you can pop on.For added flexibility, Beyond the Woods allows game masters to place quest locations in any location they like ideally ones that allow players to create a series of breadcrumbs that they can follow again and again over time.The adventure will say it needs to be near a forest, or a river, or a mountain range, or wherever [it needs to go], Byrne says. The GM can put them wherever they want on the map, and then you can try and make your way there, explore it, mark a little sticker down on it if youve done it, and make your way back.Like any good 5th edition setting book, Beyond the Woods also includes new and unique character classes. Byrnes favorite, he says, is a particularly Irish take on the bard called the Storyteller.Theyre very different to a bard, Byrne says, because they kind of weave stories together as you play them. Each round you might start a new story and you put a verse into it, and then in the next round you add another verse to it, and the next round you add another verse to it. They compound on each other, and it gives all your friends all your allies buffs, or debuffs to your enemies.The Kickstarter campaign for Beyond the Woods runs now through April 10. A free quickstart is available on DriveThruRPG.

The Clover Craze event is Black Ops 6s take on a St. Patricks Day event. It starts on Thursday, March 13.In Clover Craze, you eliminate enemies in Multiplayer and Zombies or open caches in Warzone to collect clovers and earn rewards like the Cloverleaf AMES Assault Rifle blueprint. The event follows a milestone system where you need to earn a certain amount of clovers to get rewards.With the release of Season 3 being delayed and the recent time change in the United States, the events timing is a bit more confusing than usual.Heres when the Black Ops 6 Clover Craze event starts in your time zone, and what you can expect from the event. What time does the Clover Craze event start in Black Ops 6?The Clover Craze event will start on Thursday, March 13, and run until Thursday, April 3, which is the end of Season 2 and the start of Season 3.There isnt an official start start time for the event, but Black Ops 6 updates typically release at 9 a.m. PDT. If the update cadence is the same here, the Clover Craze event will start around the same time. Heres when you can expect the event to start in your time zone:9 a.m. PDT for the West Coast of North America12 p.m. EDT for the East Coast of North America4 p.m. GMT for the U.K.5 p.m. CET for West Mainland Europe1 a.m. JST on Fri, March 14, for Japan3 a.m. AEDT on Fri, March 14, for the East Coast of AustraliaAnd well update this guide with the official times if and when developer Treyarch makes them available.What to expect in the Black Ops 6 Clover Craze eventThe Clover Craze event will provide Multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone players the same rewards, but each game mode will require you to complete different objectives. In Multiplayer and Zombies, players will need to eliminate enemies, while, in Warzone, players will need to open caches.Doing so will earn you clovers and unlock rewards like the Cloverleaf AMES AR blueprint. So far, the only official reward is the weapon blueprint, but you can also earn the usual rewards (spray, emblem, and weapon charm), the Flyswatter Wildcard, and Low Profile Warzone perk, according to Realityuk on X.Clover Craze event, beginning 13th March pic.twitter.com/0fd70FjF8v Reality (@realityuk_) February 20, 2025To earn your rewards, youll need to eliminate enemies and open caches to reach clover milestones. Once youve reached a milestone, youll receive its associated reward.

Is it a machine for living or a living gallery? A feat of engineering or fine art? Montral-based Atelier chelle resolves this line of inquiry with their design for a Lakeside Gallery Residence situated on the west banks of Lake Memphremagog in rural Qubec. The home is a contemporary interpretation of the traditional barn volume typical of vernacular in Magog, Canada, repeating the prototypical structure, which is parsed into four distinct programs, stitched together by cedar roofs, brick walls, and glass bridges. The exterior materiality acts as a neutral canvas to capture natural patination while the interior design is in service of the residents art collection.RepeatThe crux of the concept, or parti, is its form. Its like the Canadian barn. And we liked the appeal of that, because it was rudimentary as a shed for art and a shed for living, say, co-founders and principal architects of the atelier. And then to create the same shed, but with different intentions by giving it completely different programs, was something that also the client really enjoyed.Each of the four lengthy forms are oriented to maximize waterfront views while breaking up the sprawling 15,000-square-foot ground floor plan into manageable spaces to be used as needed: outdoor kitchen, dining, lounge, and water feature; indoor kitchen, dining, living, and music lounge; main quarters with en suite primary bedroom, adjacent office, and powder room; and guest quarters with four en suite bedrooms.And each comes with its own nuances. The summer terrace celebrates life on the lake al fresco with an all-encompassing 100-foot-long shelter. The fully enclosed winter home showcases a breathtaking open plan unobstructed by traditional mullions in the windows. The main living house is punctuated by clerestory windows to provide plenty of light and informal thresholds between each structure. Even the guest quarters are equipped with access to a private garage.Notable elements tucked neatly into the otherwise liminal spaces include a walk-in pantry and specialized wine storage modeled after a traditional wine cellar housing an excess of 1,200 bottles, specifically crafted according to the unique shape of a Bourgogne bottle and modeled after French caverns with the gravel on the floor. The basement comprises a smattering of secondary spaces including a private gym and guest lounge lined in a deep blue velvet corduroy curtain.While seemingly simple, this robust solution makes every volume its own microcosm within a larger system where independent dwellings are relatively autonomous and occupants have the agency to come and go as they please without disturbing their adjacencies.(Re)FrameThe architecture is articulate in communicating arts value to those who visit, and the ethos of homeowners who appreciate personal expression as much as they love to entertain. Its ability to reflect those intangibles is matched by its ability to inflect aesthetic concepts and function.The first viewport is established upon entry where guests are greeted by an 11-foot-tall wood door that opens into the main gallery while also hinting at scenes to come. Reinforced concrete, steel structuring, and brick walls create multiple frameworks for viewing the landscape, and in one condition secure a custom motorized glass system spanning 55 feet of unadulterated grooves of any kind. A shift from enclosed rooms to generous glazing marks the homes transition from focusing on the clients private collection to featuring the vista as the programming approaches the lake.RevealThe residence serves as the medium mitigating a shift in desire from expansive views to intimate moments with art. Strategically positioned surfaces pace movement through site, scale, and space. A series of gallery walls and in situ installations are seamlessly integrated into circulation and hallways with floor-to-ceiling windows elsewhere conspire to become viewports of the surrounding landscape and artful exterior.Interventions like niches between each of the four pseudo-dwellings break up architecture with the arts, or perhaps marry the two. When you build a house in brick, very often you almost dont see it from the inside, the designers say. You dont really look at the house when youre inside. So this way was also compelling to be able to see those very nice brick walls.Created by Simon Hughes, the powder room is fully lined with a custom mural depicting the four seasons and playful collages abstracting events plucked from the owners lives. An oil rubbed bronze vanity and lavatory stand in the center, lightly reflecting jewel tones cast off the walls. A second, more conceptual installation by the same artist graces the outdoor water feature, which depicts floating iceberg mosaics.Life Arts OnSite, space, surface, and scale. Few residential projects carefully consider these intricate complexities so deeply, or find themselves responsible for such a multiplicity of functions including cultural repository and dynamic domestic space.We designed the home with art most art has a place. But there were also some instances where the homeowner said, I know I want a sculpture here, but I dont know what it is yet. So theres this evolution with the house now that weve left, the designers add. The idea is that the house has It gets a life of its own even after weve gone, which I really like that the clients can make it their own.To see more of the studios work, visit atelierechelle.com.Photography by Maxime Brouillet.

Although skateboard culture often influences the fashion and art scene, it doesnt always get its accolades for shaping interiors. New York-based Blue Green Works new Wood collection changes that. Drawing inspiration from the smooth curves of skateboarding half-pipes, founder and creative director Peter B. Staples redefines the role of wood, elevating it from a supporting act to the star of the show.The Wood collection highlights the inherent beauty of White Oak and Black Walnut, with warm, diffused light that accentuates the natural grain and patterns of each piece. While the fixtures are undeniably modern, they are reminiscent of a 1970s aesthetic where pared back design and bold graphic shapes reigned supreme. Whether in an intimate interior or a large-scale environment, the designs bring a sense of movement and flow that feels both dynamic and timeless.To commemorate the launch, Blue Green Works debuted the collection in a temporary installation at Time Again, a stripped-down Italian-style apertivo bar in New York Citys Chinatown. Against the bars raw yet inviting backdrop of stainless steel tabletops and eclectic furnishings, the Wood pendants and sconces felt right at home. The earthy tones of the woods complement the warm, dimly lit interiors, while their graphic forms added a striking contrast to the bars casual, unpolished aesthetic. Its almost hard to believe the Wood collection wasnt part of the space from the start.The pendants are available in two sizes small (14 x 8.5 diameter) and large (23 x 8.5 diameter) and can be stacked for endless configurations. The sconces come in five shapes, with the Oval and Round versions making their debut at Time Again. Each piece is made to order, complete with dimmable lightbulbs that add versatility and warmth to any setting.The Wood collection by Blue Green Works brings skate-inspired elegance to lighting design, showing how even the most unexpected influences can shape spaces with warmth, style, and a touch of bold creativity.Peter B. Staples of Blue Green WorksTo learn more about the Wood collection by Blue Green Works, visit bluegreenworks.com.Photography by Matthew Gordon.

Apple, Google, and Samsung are competing on multiple frontsfrom phones, to health apps, to smartwatchesand that rivalry extends to AI tools as well. All of these tech giants offer AI-powered object removal features in their mobile photo editing apps, which ostensibly allow you get rid of an unwanted person, a tree, a hand, or anything else that's ruining your shot, with only a tap or two on the screen.However, just because Apple, Google, and Samsung all offer AI object removal doesn't mean the tools are of the same standard. There's been a fair bit of chatter online about how these features stack up against one another, so it feels as though a head-to-head object removal test is in order.These AI tools all work in the same way. Obviously, the tools don't know what's really behind the object being removedbut thanks to a combination of clues in the surrounding pixels and the image training built into their underlying models, they can make a reasonably good guess. How good that guess is then determines the quality of the end result.This test covers three tools: Clean Up (in Apple Photos on iOS), Magic Eraser (in Google Photos on Android), and Object Eraser (in the Samsung Gallery app on One UI). These tools all appear as options when you open images in the relevant apps. For testing purposes, I've borrowed some great photos from Taan Huyn, Tolga Ahmetler, and Marek Piwnicki.(A quick note on the comparison images: There's some variation in resolution because of how I saved them using various devices; it has nothing to do with the AI tools in question, so you can mostly ignore the sharpness of the pictures.)Which AI tool is best at removing a lamp from a photo? The original photo. Credit: Taan Huyn/Unsplash Our first photo challengeremoving the lamp in the image aboveis relatively simple in some ways, but complex in others. There are some useful guidelines for the AI in terms of the wall and the window, but there are also shadows to deal with (including the shadow of the lamp on the wall behind it, which AI isn't smart enough to know it needs to remove as well).First up was Apple Clean Up. The tool did a fine job of identifying the lamp as I scribbled over itI like the glow effectand once the removal process was complete, the back wall was filled in nicely. Most of the window pane work looked okay too, but there were a few weird artifacts left as evidence of an object removal.Next was Google Magic Eraser. The lamp wasn't identified as a suggestion for something to erase, but selecting it was pretty straightforward and accurate in terms of the boundaries. Unfortunately, while most of the job was done well, Magic Eraser left evidence of the lampshade up at the top, like a ghost of what had been there before.Finally, I tried Samsung Object Eraser. Here the object selection process was a bit more fiddlyit's more difficult to zoom and pan in Samsung Gallery, and the automatic selection was less accurate. However, the removal job was the best of the three, with both the wall and the windows accurately filled in. Apple on the left, Google in the middle, and Samsung on the right. Credit: Lifehacker Which AI photo tool does the best job removing a person from a photo? The original photo. Credit: Tolga Ahmetler/Unsplash Our second photo challenge is removing the walking man from this street scene, and it's a tricky onethe AI has to imagine most of the white car behind our primary subject, as well as fill in the road and its markings. What's more, it's a darker scene, with the foreground in focus and the background getting increasingly blurry.With Apple Clean Up, the tool's automatic selection wanted to clear away the cars in the background rather than the man in the foreground, but selecting him was easy enough. The AI fill results were patchy, and got worse further back in the scene, with the car at the back turning into a pixelated mess.Over to Google Magic Eraser, which also wanted to erase people in the background rather than the foreground. It had some trouble picking out the man against the dark and wet streetand it then had difficulty both removing all of the man and replacing the pixels properly. It borrowed pixels from the wrong part of the image on the whole, and the tool couldn't even carry on the yellow line consistently.As for Samsung Object Eraser, again the selection process was a bit awkward, but ultimately it did a perfect job of selecting the male figure against the background. It then did really well at removal: It was the only AI to actually end up with a realistic looking car and road after the man had gone. While it's not perfect, this would probably fool most people at first glance. Apple on the left, Google in the middle, and Samsung on the right. Credit: Lifehacker Which AI photo tool is best at removing a bicycle from a photo? The original photo. Credit: Marek Piwnicki/Unsplash This third photo challenge, removing the bicycle from this scene, offers a lot of information for the AI to use in terms of the surrounding field. The barely visible fencing behind the bike adds to the difficulty, so I was interested to see if these tools would try to continue the fence, or just ignore it and go with the grass.With this one, Apple Clean Up needed a few goes to get the whole of the bicycle selectedpossibly because it doesn't appear to be one single object. When that was done, Clean Up was reasonably proficient at filling in the blanks, though both the greenery and the fence it created showed inconsistencies.Google Magic Eraser also needed several attempts to get the entirety of the bike selected. It tried to fill in the fence as well as the field, and while the results weren't a disaster, there were obvious errorssome of the bike wheel spokes are still there, for example. It was maybe slightly better than Apple Clean Up, but not by much.As with the man in the street, Samsung Object Eraser was the best at making an accurate selection first time around, and better at putting something convincing in the space that was left. Both the field and the fence were filled in an accurate, realistic way, and this could easily pass as an unedited photo. Apple on the left, Google in the middle, and Samsung on the right. Credit: Lifehacker The final verdict: Samsung's tool performs bestThe first thing to say is that your mileage may vary with these sorts of tasksas you will see if you look at similar comparison challenges from around social media and the internet at large. Every photo has different characteristics, and every AI tool has its own approach in dealing with object removal.In terms of my tests, Galaxy AI and Samsung's Object Eraser are the clear winners. The tool seems to take more time over the replacement pixels, and does some actual image generation rather than just copying and pasting pixels from elsewhere in the imageas you can see with the car on the street. That's just an AI imagining of a car, not the actual car, but it makes for a photo that looks genuine.Apple and Google did okay, and were about on a par with one another. The selections are easy to make (easier than with the Samsung, actually), and some more straightforward removal tasks are handled perfectly well. However, these AI removal features do tend to struggle with complex operations where there are fewer clues about how the background should look.Ultimately, it's unlikely that anyone's going to change their phone solely because of the AI object removal tools it offers, but it's interesting to chart the progress these three companies have made with their AI offerings. It's also worth noting that Google Photos and its Magic Eraser are available on all Android and iOS devices, which puts pressure on Apple and Samsung to keep up (or stay ahead).

The following content is brought to you by Lifehacker partners. If you buy a product featured here, we may earn an affiliate commission or other compensation.Photoshop has been the industry standard in image-editing software for over 30 years, but up until now, creators have been limited to using it on their computers and tablets. The recent launch of the first Photoshop iPhone app has (finally) changed that.Now you can go to the App Store, search "Photoshop," and download the spanking-new Photoshop iPhone mobile app. Its available for free with an impressive feature set, but if youre a savvy Photoshop user, the $7.99 a month/$69.99 a year Photoshop Mobile and Web Plans unlocks a wider set of premium features. Adobe Photoshop Mobile and Web Plan With 100GB of cloud storage and 100 generative credits a month at Adobe Learn More Learn More at Adobe This rundown of the apps key offerings will help you choose whats right for you.The 'freemium' version is ideal for beginners Credit: Adobe The mobile apps free version is an excellent entry point for mobile creators who want to build their Photoshop skills.The free toolkit includes several Photoshop editing tools, including the Spot Healing Brush, unlimited layers and masks, and a new Tap Select tool that makes it a snap to edit photos on the small screen by tapping on the object you want to highlight, instead of having to wrestle with tools.The freebie also comes with the Firefly-poweredGenerative Fill andGenerative Expand AI tools, which let you fill in what's missing or remove unwanted elements from images in seconds.The premium plan has more tools, plus web Credit: Adobe If you have Photoshop experience, the Mobile and Web Plan unlocks full access to Photoshop for iPhone and iPad, plus Photoshop on the web. Add in 100GB storage and 100 generative credits a month, and youre ready to create from anywhere.Additional premium mobile tools include Object Select, Magic Wand, Remove Tool and Clone Stamp, plus the handy Content-Aware Fill, which allows you to fill portions of an image with content sampled from other parts of the image.All of your mobile files will automatically sync with your go-to Creative Cloud apps and Photoshop on the web, so you can work across all your devices.Exclusive AI webtools uplevel your content Credit: Adobe If you use AI to generate content, the premium plan also comes with exclusive access to next-gen Firefly AI web tools such as Reference Image, Generate Background, and Generate Similar, which lets you generate multiple variations of the same image.Adobes first-ever Photoshop iPhone app makes it easy to create on your phone and is a win for all skill levels. Download the free version or subscribe to the loaded Photoshop Mobile and Web Plan for just $7.99 a month.

I wish I could say that Im the type of person who has tried-and-true routines to carry me through all the things that need to be done in a day, but the reality is far from that. As someone with overlapping chronic illnesses trying to juggle a full-time job and a life outside of that, just getting out of bed often feels like a major feat. Im caught in the tug of war between perpetual exhaustion and lack of motivation, and whether Im able to cross anything off my to-do list is generally a gamble. A few months ago, though, a friend recommended that I try the Finch app to help me establish some gentle structure and get a little more of what I want out of each day. Id already been seeing ads for this self-care pet all over Instagram, and this was the tiny push I needed to actually give it a go. Now here we are, some four months later, and Im still using it consistently as if it were my own adorable life coach. Finch is a habit tracker, motivation app and virtual pet all in one. It gives you a little bird (okay, birb) to raise from an egg and look after as it grows up and learns about the world. But its not the kind of pet you need to worry about keeping alive, unlike my many needy Tamagotchis. Taking care of your bird consists of dressing it up in cute outfits, petting it, changing up the decor in its home and sending it on little adventures. In turn, your bird will check in on you throughout the day, offering words of encouragement and reminders to complete your goals, and celebrating your wins when you get stuff done. I use the free version of the app, which Ive found to be more than enough for my needs, but theres also a subscription-based version that unlocks more items, a full library of guided exercises and more. If you were to look at my goals list, it might at first seem extremely daunting; there are more than 20 tasks on there on any given day. But these vary in importance, and range from the bare minimum things I need to do to start my day like getting out of bed, brushing my teeth and taking my morning meds to those that require more commitment, like exercising or doing laundry. Finch doesnt take the guilt approach to goal-tracking, so you wont be scolded or shamed if you dont finish everything on your list. There arent really any consequences. Its more about highlighting what you did accomplish rather than focusing on what you didnt, and forming healthy habits in the process. Youre awarded rainbow stones for completing each of your goals, and those can be used as currency in the various shops to buy clothes, furniture and new colors for your bird. Over time, you can collect and raise cute micropets as companions for your bird too (kind of like the Petpets in Neopets). Sometimes its more helpful to look at the bigger picture, and you can group tasks together as Journeys to get a better sense of your overall progress in certain areas. Journeys are color-coded and come with tiered rewards, which youll earn as you level up by hitting certain milestones with the related goals. I might not manage to check off my Exercise for 30+ minutes goal every day in a week, but the three days I did exercise will count toward my Get moving, get healthy Journey. There, Ill also be able to see how many times Ive completed the relevant goals since I started tracking them. Just opening the app every day comes with some rewards as well. I like keeping up a streak, and I just recently got my longest one yet: 32 days! While I was a little bummed out when I finally messed it up by forgetting to check in on a really busy day, I still found myself more impressed at how many days in a row Id committed to showing up for myself. It only made me want to do better. Youll also be gifted themed items and rainbow stones as part of seasonal events and for tackling daily quests, like writing a reflection or sending good vibes to a friend. The latter in particular is a big part of what makes Finch so special. Theres a strong were in this together kind of energy to the whole thing, and thats backed up by features that allow you to actively support and receive support from other Finch users. You can add friends on the app using a code, and your birds can visit each others homes, bringing with them a little message or gift for the other user. My friend and I go back and forth randomly sending each other hugs, encouragement and other little tidbits of positivity from the list of options. Some users even exchange their codes with others online to make their support circles larger. And, you can gift the paid version of the app, Finch Plus, to users who may not be able to afford it, if you want to go a step further in doing a kindness for a stranger. The app provides constant reminders that someone is rooting for you, whether its a little bird acting as your personal cheerleader or another real Finch user. There are a bunch of built-in tools to help promote self-care, like guided breathing exercises, movement routines and prompts for written reflections. The app will ask you about your mood multiple times a day, and when you indicate that things arent going so great, itll present you with a little First Aid Kit offering some optional activities to help you work through your feelings or manage your anxiety in the moment (this is accessible in the menu at all times, too). It also links out to a website with helplines for confidential emotional support. Ive tried a few self-care and productivity apps over the years, but Finch is the first one Ive actually stuck with for an extended period of time. I like how it can be tailored to your specific needs, with both pre-set and custom goals, and the low-stakes virtual pet element makes it a joy to use. I love my little birb, Ripper Jr., and all the little micropets weve been accumulating together (even the blobs, for all you haters). Maybe I wont ever be a person who wakes up with the sunrise and accomplishes five things before 10AM, but me and lil Ripper Jr. are still getting stuff done.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/this-self-care-virtual-pet-is-helping-me-get-my-act-together-160027169.html?src=rss

Comcast boosts its Xfinity internet speeds at no extra cost for many users each year, and the company is now rolling out the 2025 upgrades. Many subscribers will have double the upload speeds they previously had, and others will see a 50 percent jump.While it's nice to see Comcast upgrading the upload speeds, fiber internet typically allows for matching downloads and uploads. Google Fiber and Verizon Fios, for instance, offer symmetrical (or near-symmetrical) speeds.Comcast's download speeds are also going up on most tiers. The top Gigabit x2 plan got a 100Mbps download speed boost to 2.1Gbps, but the download speed remains the same at 300Mbps.The company says more than 20 million customers are getting a free upgrade as part of this rollout. It's aiming to offer 2Gbps service to more than 50 million homes and businesses by the end of this year.Alongside the speed upgrades, new and existing Xfinity internet customers can snag a freebie. Those who subscribe to a plan with 400 Mbps or faster speeds can get a line of unlimited Xfinity Mobile at no extra cost for one year.Here's a breakdown of the speed boosts:Xfinity tierPrevious download/upload speed (Mbps)New download/upload speed (Mbps)NOW100/10100/20NOW200/10200/20Connect150/100150/150Connect More300/100400/150Fast500/100600/150Superfast800/100800/150Gigabit1,000/1501,100/300Gigabit x22,000/3002,100/300This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/comcast-rolls-out-its-free-annual-xfinity-internet-speed-boosts-160007781.html?src=rss