When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Windows 11-like AnduinOS 1.4 and 1.5 LTS plans revealed Paul Hill Neowin @ziks_99 · May 24, 2025 07:46 EDT The sole developer behind AnduinOS, a Windows-like Linux distribution, has revealed the path forward in terms of the upcoming releases. Anduin Xue revealed that AnduinOS 1.4 will be based on Ubuntu 25.10 and will arrive in late-October, while AnduinOS 1.5 will be based on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and arrive in late April 2026. This Linux distribution has caught some significant attention recently. With the impending death of Windows 10, users that want to keep older devices running may choose to switch to Linux. With AnduinOS, they get a distribution that looks similar to Windows 11, reducing the learning curve. AnduinOS 1.4, just like version 1.3, will not be an LTS, but AnduinOS 1.5 will be, so that’s going to be the best for people who don’t want to keep reinstalling the operating system. The developer said that he’s aware of the issues people have with AnduinOS, such as the inability to smoothly update from AnduinOS 1.2 to 1.3, but said resources are limited, though, we can expect improvements in the future. This year, the project has extensive improvements planned, with the primary goal being to establish its own apt software repository that can manage all changes directly through dpkg. By doing this, it will simplify the process of using apt for system updates and will give users the option to smoothly transition to future AnduinOS releases. It’s expected that this will be available experimentally in AnduinOS 1.4 and fully implemented in AnduinOS 1.5. AnduinOS is not only trying to become just another Linux distribution, it has ambitions to set itself apart too. One of its objectives is to modularize and consolidate system components so that users can pick to add or remove features such as app stores, GNOME Shell, professional tools, container technologies, and WSL through “layered combinations.” It will also compile more of the system core components to give users more customization options. By the time of AnduinOS 1.5, it’s expected that there will be a Server and Lite Edition of AnduinOS. The Lite Edition will provide a basic GNOME Shell environment with only a little bit of pre-installed software so that it’s not bloated. There are no plans to charge for any of these editions and they’ll remain under the GPLv3 license. Another feature AnduinOS could offer in the future is a versatile customization tool and builder for Linux distributions. It said that this could cater to users looking for an ISO that meets all their personal requirements within a Live environment; Live environments are run directly from the installation media without Linux being installed on your computer. Regarding AI features, Anduin Xue said that they could be selectively integrated in future versions to give users more functionality. He specifically mentioned system-level MCP, which Microsoft recently added to Windows 11. For users who do not like artificial intelligence, AnduinOS says these features will be easily removable. Due to the fact that Anduin Xue is based in China, some people have raised concerns about whether the project is linked to the Chinese government in any way. Here’s what he had to say about transparency: “We are aware of concerns that AnduinOS might become influenced or controlled by particular governments or institutions. Therefore, transparency remains a top priority in our development process. We commit to fully disclosing all source code, development progress, planning, and even details about our team composition. Efforts will be made to establish a diverse, globally distributed team communicating primarily in English to foster open collaboration and community building.” If this is the first time you’ve heard about AnduinOS, be sure to check out Neowin’s coverage of the latest version, AnduinOS 1.3. Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed #windows #11like #anduinos #lts #plans

As longtime Unity creators know, we regularly share updates and feature improvements, alongside tips and best practices, across multiple channels: on our blog, in the forums, and at events. This open, multichannel dialogue is a central part of our community’s roots.Sometimes, however, it’s nice to have a complete overview, or inventory, of what’s available for your specific expertise or area of interest. That’s what our new e-book, Unity for technical artists: Key toolsets and workflows, aims to provide for experienced and technical artists alike. While the original version of the e-book was based on the 2020 LTS, this latest iteration reflects what’s available in 2021 LTS.The first of its kind, this new guide compiles detailed summaries of all Unity systems, features, and workflows for experienced technical artists. Use it as both a source of inspiration and a reference for accessing more advanced creator content to expand your skill set.Through compact yet visually rich sections, Unity for technical artists highlights the vast possibilities for graphical quality and breadth of style that you can realize with Unity.But inspiration is not our only goal here. Each section includes links to instructional, in-depth resources, so you can learn how to use the toolsets that are most important to you, your work, and career path.Based on feedback from individual creators and professional teams we’ve worked with, technical artists are expected to have a broad understanding of what’s possible to achieve on various target platforms with the Digital Content Creationtools and game engine they’re using. In light of this knowledge, they inform the art director and other artists of any limitations and opportunities surrounding the target hardware.Many technical artists address their team’s most complex artistic needs, from character rigging to writing shaders, or proposing new workflows and creation tools to accelerate their processes. Overall, they play a critical role in ensuring that the visual quality of a game or other application meets the standard set by their team.Unity for technical artists spans a multitude of toolsets, pipelines, and workflows, reflecting this range of expertise required of technical artists.The e-book serves as a useful resource for users who want to expand their skills in Unity. Maybe you’re a programmer looking to specialize in graphics programming, a designer who wants to refine game content by scripting interactivity in Unity, or an artist learning to create shaders either through scripting or with the Shader Graph.Keep this e-book handy for onboarding new team members – those who have worked with Unity in a limited way previously, or those who’ve worked with a different engine entirely. This guide will help them pinpoint the Unity tools and related learning resources that can benefit their creative work.Let’s take a look at some of the major sections in the e-book.The chapters on assets cover topics such as building a non-destructive asset pipeline, importing assets, roundtripping with DCC tools, and the Asset Database.In this guide, we review the latest capabilities of the Universal Render Pipelineand the High Definition Render Pipeline, as well as pointers on how to choose the best rendering path for your particular project. Other topics covered include dynamic resolution and upscaling methods.Additionally, we unpack the lighting workflows used to simulate Global Illuminationwith the Progressive, CPU, and GPU Lightmappers, as well as differences between Real-time GI, Ray-traced GI, and Enlighten.Unity provides a complete set of tools for building and designing rich and scalable 3D and 2D worlds. These chapters dive into key workflows for grey-boxing levels with ProBuilder and Polybrush, while showcasing the latest iteration of the Terrain sculpting tools, and sharing details on how to create sky, cloud, and fog visuals in URP and HDRP.Visual Scripting comprises visual, node-based graphs that non-programmers can use to design final logic and create quick prototypes. An introduction to Unity’s Visual Scripting system explains how you can use it to define game logic for your Unity projects without writing traditional code.An extensive appendix outlines the process of creating digital humans for the Unity demos The Heretic and Enemies. From data capture and processing to creating the skin, eyes, and hair visuals, this section discloses how such effects were achieved.There’s much more to discover in the e-book, including sections on the animation system, creating cutscenes and cinematics, and the 2D toolset.We hope that you enjoy this latest technical guide. We encourage you to share your feedback on the forum.For more advanced content, you can browse our recently published How-to hub, which gathers Unity e-books, instructional articles, documentation, and more, all in one place. #its #here #complete #overview #unity

Cult of the Lamb was a breakout success this summer, selling more than a million copies in its first week. Through its unique premise, Massive Monster’s dungeon-crawling, base-building, rogue-lite hybrid casts you in the role of a possessed, cult-leading lamb.Your mission? Indoctrinate woodland creatures, perform dark rituals, and hunt down bosses – all to appease an eldritch being, The One Who Waits, and become leader of “the one true cult.” A major factor in the game’s success is its compelling gameplay loop, which reviewers have described as “addictive,” “satisfying,” and even “perfect.”We sat down with Jay Armstrong, Massive Monster’s design director and lead programmer, to discuss how the team chose which genres to combine, what they did to balance a two-genres-in-one-game approach, and their top tips for overcoming challenges to keep development focused.The Massive Monster team – Jay Armstrong, Julian Wilton, and James “Jimp” Pearmain– is spread out across Singapore, Australia, and the UK. How did you all meet and start making games together?We all started making Flash games individually. We first met through the Flash game scene, forums, and events. We all worked together on different games, and when Flash games fell away, we decided to team up and make games for desktop and console.The first game that Julian and I created together was called Super Adventure Pals, and almost exactly 10 years later, we released Cult of the Lamb. So the three of us have been collaborating together for a long time.What was your source of inspiration for Cult of the Lamb? How did you develop the idea?Funny enough, the cult stuff didn’t come until much later. The game actually started with the idea of combining the genres of a roguelike with a colony sim/base builder. I noticed that games like RimWorld and Enter the Gungeon created so many interesting emergent narratives – stories that spring out of the game’s mechanics – that made it so everyone’s experience with the game was unique. I was excited about the idea of combining those two genres to create something that would become more than the sum of its parts, so I created a prototype that I planned to show to the other guys at an upcoming PAX.When I took it to Jimp and Julian, they loved it, but we immediately found that it was a really hard game to pitch when talking to publishers. At this point we still hadn’t come up with the cult theme. We knew we had to figure out a way to market the game in one sentence. We needed a player fantasy we could explain easily and that people would immediately understand. It took around nine months of experimenting with different themes before we finally landed on the idea of the cult.Once we had that, everything for the next three years was about making sure we kept hitting the “promise” the game’s theme created. The game had to feel like you were leading a cult, which meant we had to have rituals and sermons. But figuring out how to make those game mechanics took a lot of iteration and experimentation. We got very used to cutting ideas that didn’t achieve that goal, and “listening” to what the game wanted to be. Having a clear goal for what we wanted the experience to be meant we were all on the same page, and it was obvious when something was or wasn’t working.Cult of the Lamb is your first Unity project. Why did you choose Unity to develop it?Yes, Cult of the Lamb is our first Unity project. We chose it because of the great tools it offers for iterating, quick testing, and allowing designers to lay out levels. In the past, we’ve created our own editors, but the tools that are available for Unity and on the Asset Store are such timesavers. We also have the flexibility of building whatever tools we want for ourselves.How did Unity enable you to manage the game’s combination of 2D and 3D assets to create a 2.5D look?One of the reasons we picked the 2.5D look was because we were moving to Unity and it was our first time using a 3D engine. It felt like a waste if we just stuck to normal 2D, so we decided to take advantage of that extra axis!It was great being able to move the sprites around and create faux-3D structures; to use the Editor to decide on the best angles for our characters and the camera.Why did you choose the top-down perspective? What were some challenges you encountered during implementation and how did you solve them?The main problem with our perspective was that we had to keep the camera relatively fixed, which restricted our options for combat and the placement of things in the world. While it is sort of top-down, we had to arrange things so that the important stuff was all at the top/back of the screen. It was fine once we got the hang of it: Creating restrictions forces you to come up with creative solutions.What benefit did Unity’s lighting provide for creating the look of Cult of the Lamb?The lighting is such a big part of what makes Cult of the Lamb look so cool! We had some support from our extremely talented friend Jonathan Swanson, who helped us set up all the lighting. Because of our 2.5D setup, we had to create some custom solutions. But once we got it all up and running, it really elevated the game massively.Did your artists work directly in Unity?Yes, everyone was working directly on the project at once, which saved us huge amounts of time. Having an artist or designer implement something directly is so great. This not only saves the programmers time, it also allows the artist or designer to get it looking exactly how they want it to.Back when we started in Flash, everything had to be implemented into the project by one person, and we’d send assets over email. This created a huge bottleneck. It’s such a relief to be able to put the tools in the hands of talented artists and let them do their thing!How did you iterate on what are essentially two different game concepts, while maintaining the scope of your project?It was definitely a challenge. Cult of the Lamb only works when both sides of the game feed into the other – when one side is broken or not as good as it should be, the whole game falls apart. It really didn’t come together until quite soon before the release. We just kept working as hard as we could and dragged the game kicking and screaming over the finish line.We still have loads of ideas for the game – but it just came to a point where we had to stop adding new stuff and focus on making it as cohesive as possible and the game loop itself as compelling as it could be. That’s where the real magic of the game is. We plan to keep adding more stuff to the game post release.How did you test features as you added them?Everyone on the team would do regular playtests. Later in development, our publisher helped us to connect with a focus group who gave us feedback. Ordinarily we would have exhibited the game to get player feedback, but due to COVID, we were essentially making this game alone in the dark. We had no idea what people would think of it!Thinking about the roguelike elements, how did you implement randomization? What was most difficult to balance here?Our team has a huge range of skill levels when it comes to gaming. We balanced “easy” to Julian, “medium” to me, and “hard” to Jimp.The other nice thing about dungeon crawlers is that you don’t really need the randomization to be very balanced. It’s actually more fun when you have a run where you get lucky, and sometimes you get really unlucky. It’s that variety that makes it fun!Balancing was mostly focused on enemy and boss HP against the level of your character’s starting weapon. Then there was experimentation with faith and hunger levels.We also have a lot of things under the hood of the game that adjust to the player if you’re struggling. For example, if you’re low on health, you’re much more likely to find a heart in the grass or to loot one from a chest.During our Twitch stream at GDC, you and the team talked about how taking advantage of the cult members is central to the game. How did you ensure that your players would feel like they were making difficult yet impactful choices when managing the cult?That was a decision we made very early on, and it pervades the entire DNA of the game. Really, it was part of almost every design decision we made.One thing that took us a while to figure out was how to make sacrificing a follower feel valuable. You originally just got gold for it, but it never felt valuable enough, so we knew we needed to make it more tempting for a player. That’s why we changed it to an instant level-up. Suddenly we found players were sacrificing their followers all the time!Another idea that we had from almost the beginning was being able to consume a follower to bring yourself back to life. That was originally a core mechanic of the game, but we decided to bring it in a bit later instead. Making leveled-up followers give more hearts is a great example – the cult members you care about more, and have invested in more, we make more tempting to kill. Basically, anything you care about, we try to make it tempting for you to do something horrible to it.What are the most important things you learned during the making of Cult of the Lamb that will impact how you approach your next project?Pick a theme and then create three design pillars; that will be how you fulfill the promise that the theme creates. For example, if it’s a game about cults, then you need a sacrifice ritual – even if you don’t yet know how it will be used mechanically.Once you have those pillars, absolutely every design decision must directly feed back into them. You might come up with a really cool idea, but if it doesn’t support that pillar, then you have to scrap it or your game will become unfocused.Start with a concept – it’s X meets Y – don’t just make another metroidvania or Stardew Valley clone. Even if you do decide to make another metroidvania, do something to elevate it so that you’re offering something new and exciting. It will make things much easier to get your foot in the door with publishers, socials, and press. Plus, while it might be more demanding, it’s incredibly rewarding to challenge yourself.Cult of the Lamb is available now on Nintendo Switch™, PC, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Follow @MassiveMonsters on Twitter for updates and visit our Indie Innovation hub for more stories featuring Unity creators making waves in the games industry.Answers attributed to Jay Armstrong.Nintendo Switch is a registered trademark of Nintendo. #creepy #cute #compelling #recipe #smash

The collapse of Builder.ai exposes the growing threat of “FOMO investing,” according to an expert in tech growth intelligence. Builder had become one of Britain’s best-funded startups, but is now filing for bankruptcy due to financial problems. The insolvency comes after enormous sums were invested into the business. Big-name backers including Microsoft and Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund had poured a total of over mn into the startup, which aimed to simplify software development with AI. The funding gave Builder a coveted unicorn status, with a valuation exceeding bn. But the eye-watering sums couldn’t keep the business afloat. Builder blamed the downfall on “historic challenges and past decisions” that strained its financial position.The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! The company has been accused of inflating sales figures under the leadership of Sachin Dev Duggal, the startup’s founder. Duggal stepped down as CEO in February, but retained the role of “chief wizard.” His replacement as chief executive, Manpreet Ratia, told employees this week that the company was filing for bankruptcy. Ratia said “unexpected and irreversible action” from lenders had triggered the company’s collapse.   Carrie Osman, CEO of growth intelligence firm Cruxy, highlighted another cause: “FOMO investing.” “Technology like GenAI has been massively overhyped in recent years and investors and boards are under increasing pressure to find the latest, sexiest uses for AI,” she said. “Driven by FOMO rather than fundamentals, investors are rushing into deals with minimal scrutiny, inflating valuations and sidelining due diligence.” Her warning comes amid an extended “AI gold rush.” Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, investors have heavily focused their funds on artificial intelligence companies. Approximately 40% of last year’s US venture cash came from funds that “list AI as a focus,” according to a report released this week by Silicon Valley Bank. In 2021, the proportion was just 10%. SVB also discovered a growing number of “zombiecorns” — unicorns with poor revenue growth and unit economics. Builder has become another member of the injured flock. Osman warned that more of them are set to emerge. “Microsoft and others failed to capture the true value and ROI from Builder’s product and didn’t dig below the headlines and hype,” she said. “This isn’t the first case of disastrous FOMO we’ve seen over the years, either — Zymergen, Frank, and Theranos are all famous examples. And as AI washing continues, this won’t be the last case.” The future of AI will be a hot topic at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he eThomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chessand the guitar. Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with #builderai #collapse #exposes #dangers #fomo

The collapse of Builder.ai exposes the growing threat of “FOMO investing,” according to an expert in tech growth intelligence. Builder had become one of Britain’s best-funded startups, but is now filing for bankruptcy due to financial problems. The insolvency comes after enormous sums were invested into the business. Big-name backers including Microsoft and Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund had poured a total of over mn into the startup, which aimed to simplify software development with AI. The funding gave Builder a coveted unicorn status, with a valuation exceeding bn. But the eye-watering sums couldn’t keep the business afloat. Builder blamed the downfall on “historic challenges and past decisions” that strained its financial position.The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! The company has been accused of inflating sales figures under the leadership of Sachin Dev Duggal, the startup’s founder. Duggal stepped down as CEO in February, but retained the role of “chief wizard.” His replacement as chief executive, Manpreet Ratia, told employees this week that the company was filing for bankruptcy. Ratia said “unexpected and irreversible action” from lenders had triggered the company’s collapse.   Carrie Osman, CEO of growth intelligence firm Cruxy, highlighted another cause: “FOMO investing.” “Technology like GenAI has been massively overhyped in recent years and investors and boards are under increasing pressure to find the latest, sexiest uses for AI,” she said. “Driven by FOMO rather than fundamentals, investors are rushing into deals with minimal scrutiny, inflating valuations and sidelining due diligence.” Her warning comes amid an extended “AI gold rush.” Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, investors have heavily focused their funds on artificial intelligence companies. Approximately 40% of last year’s US venture cash came from funds that “list AI as a focus,” according to a report released this week by Silicon Valley Bank. In 2021, the proportion was just 10%. SVB also discovered a growing number of “zombiecorns” — unicorns with poor revenue growth and unit economics. Builder has become another member of the injured flock. Osman warned that more of them are set to emerge. “Microsoft and others failed to capture the true value and ROI from Builder’s product and didn’t dig below the headlines and hype,” she said. “This isn’t the first case of disastrous FOMO we’ve seen over the years, either — Zymergen, Frank, and Theranos are all famous examples. And as AI washing continues, this won’t be the last case.” The future of AI will be a hot topic at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he eThomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chessand the guitar. Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with #builderai #collapse #exposes #dangers #fomo

Reallusion combines Vicon technology with industry-standard timecode support in iClone. Reallusion announces its official partnership with Vicon, enabling direct motion capture support for iClone. For the first time, Vicon systems can seamlessly connect with Motion LIVE, offering full integration of real-time, high-fidelity body capture, along with facial and hand mocap, all within one unified platform. Jeff Sheetz, founder of Monkey Chow Animation Studio, shares his experience with this powerful iClone-Vicon suite, which he believes delivers studio-quality results faster than ever before. Jeff Scheetz, Motion Capture Orlando Since leaving his role as co-founder of The Digital Animation & Visual EffectSchool, Jeff Scheetz, alongside his wife Anne, has been running Monkey Chow Animation Studio in Orlando, Florida. In 2021, they expanded into motion capture with the launch of Motion Capture Orlando, serving the theme park industry. Their work can be seen at Universal Studios and Walt Disney World, and they’ve also produced various motion capture packs for iClone and ActorCore, such as Run for Your Life, Bank Heist, and Avenging Warriors. Jeff’s team also collaborated with Actor Capture on the Netflix movie The Electric State. Key team members include senior mocap technicians Kaszmere Messbarger and Nelson Escobar. iClone and Vicon—The New Dynamic Duo One of the most exciting aspects of Jeff’s relationship with Reallusion is getting to test out cutting-edge technology before it’s officially released. When he was informed that iClone would soon support Vicon integration and timecode synchronization, it was a game-changer. Motion Capture Orlando has been using Vicon’s cameras and software since they started investing in mocap gear, but they were unable to integrate Vicon data directly into Motion LIVE until now. This breakthrough is especially significant for Jeff, as the previous workflow involved streaming Vicon data into Motion Builder for retargeting, and then moving that data into Unreal Engine. The integration of facial data, hand motion, and the inherent latency in this multi-step process presented challenges. Now, with iClone’s Motion LIVE, Vicon streams directly into iClone, allowing for seamless integration of face, body, and hand all within the platform. This streamlined approach reduces complexity, making it easier to execute live shows and set up production workflows. Record, Edit, and Render Previz in iClone When it comes to previz, speed and cost-effectiveness are essential. Traditional mocap workflows can be time-consuming due to the necessary exports and imports between different software tools. However, by recording directly into iClone, you can immediately start blocking shots, working out camera moves, and rendering previews. Jeff’s team recorded a few assassin chase scenes on their stage, using Motion LIVE to capture data, and the resulting iProject files served as the foundation for their productions. The quality of the capture was impressive due to starting with Vicon data. This allowed them to present high-quality previz to a director quickly. The renders included vital data on the edges, such as version info, lens used, and notes for feedback, helping the team stay organized throughout the process. From Previz to Polished Video: Cleaning and Syncing with Timecode After capturing mocap for the previz, the team performed proper data cleaning using Shogun Post, and motion edits were carried out in iClone. They identified the best takes—approximately 20% of what was shot—and cleaned only those pieces. One major challenge was syncing the cleaned data, but the introduction of timecode has made this process much easier. Using the new Timecode Plugin, Jeff could instantly sync the cleaned motion data with the original timeline. By dropping the new motiononto their character and selecting “Align Clip to Embedded Timecode”, iClone automatically aligned it with the original recording. This feature works not only for motion data but also for facial capture, hand data, audio, and video. Seamless Mocap Sync with Live Action This seamless integration was especially useful when creating a sitcom scene for Life with Bob! in which a live actress performed against a CGI character. Mocap actors, placed just out of frame, could improvise and interact with the CGI character. The use of a Tentacle Sync device transmitted timecode across all systems: Vicon, the Live Face app, the video camera, and sound recording devices. This made it incredibly easy to sync everything once the master shot was completed. Reshooting and Updating with Motion LIVE One of Jeff’s favorite features of this new workflow is the ability to quickly make adjustments, such as reshooting facial animation without the need for a full reshoot. Using his iPhone, he could capture just the parts that needed improvement, like the lips, while leaving other aspects of the face intact. The flexibility to isolate and reshoot specific elements is a major time-saver and enhances the overall efficiency of the production process. The New Workflow: Speed, Efficiency, and Creativity For creators using Reallusion products, the integration of Vicon with iClone opens up new possibilities for creating high-quality animated content in a fraction of the time previously required. For a more detailed insight into the workflow, please find the full article here. The new workflow allows for fast, professional results with minimal overhead. With the addition of the Timecode plugin, keeping everything aligned and organized is simple. Motion LIVE, combined with Vicon’s mocap system, empowers creators to focus on what matters most: creativity and storytelling. And after all, that’s why many of us got into animation in the first place. Brought to you by Reallusion: This article is part of the befores & afters VFX Insight series. If you’d like to promote your VFX/animation/CG tech or service, you can find out more about the VFX Insight series here. The post Pro-Level Mocap Sync: Stream Vicon in iClone for Real-Time Animation appeared first on befores & afters. #prolevel #mocap #sync #stream #vicon

Key Takeaways Maxsun unveiled the new Intel Arc Pro B60 Dual GPU video card, featuring two 24GB Pro B60 GPUs. It features a blower-style fan, ideal for building complex workstations with multiple cards. Although the pricing isn’t made public yet, we expect it to be around which can be a competition-killer. Remember the good old CrossFire days when you could hook up multiple AMD GPUs to achieve higher performance? Well, those days might be returning thanks to the new Intel Arc Pro B60 Dual GPU launched by Maxsun at Computex. It PCIe features two 24GB GPUs in a single card, meaning you can get 48 GB of GPU memory. What’s incredible here is that the Arc Pro B60 only needs 8 PCIe lanes, unlike some high-end GPUs that need 16. However, you’ll need an X16 motherboard/CPU combo that supports PCIe bifurcation. In that case, the entire x16 slot can be split into two x8 connections. Interestingly, the Arc Pro B60 isn’t marketed as a gaming GPU – it’s meant primarily for workstations that require high computing power for tasks such as rendering, animations, moderate AI development, 3D modelling, etc. This is why it features a unique blower-like fan instead of the typical open-air fan we see in gaming CPUs. Unlike open-air fans that spread the heat out inside the case, a blower-style fan works like a hairdryer by pushing the heat out from the inside of the case. While the cooling efficiency of a blower fan might be lower on a single GPU, they turn out to be more effective in stacks, which is exactly what the Arc Pro B60 is meant for. So, if you’re building a workstation with 3 Arc Pro B60s, a blower-style fan ensures all 6 GPUs can be cooled without overwhelming the entire setup, making it better for ‘stacking.’ Comeback of Multi-GPU Setups Multi-GPU setups were quite the thing back in the day. We’re sure that a couple of die-hard builders in our team would serve up puppy eyes thinking about hooking up two 16GB GPUs to get more power. However, despite the widespread belief that you would get double the performance, memory was only enhanced by 30-50%. Still, these CrossFire setups served the purpose, i.e., gamers could play resource-intensive games. It’s worth noting that such dual-GPU setups faded away with the rapid development of newer GPUs. In short, single GPUs became powerful enough to overshadow dual GPUs. Eventually, a lot of applications and games stopped supporting CrossFire setups. With the new Intel Arc Pro B60, dual GPUs might make a mini-comeback. They’re not returning to the gaming arena, but to data centers, workstations, and AI setups. NVIDIA hasn’t promoted this in a long time, pushing its expensive GPUs into the market instead. This is also precisely where Intel wants to punch harder – the price point. Although we’re still waiting for the exact details on the Intel Arc Pro B60 dual GPU setup price, experts believe it could be priced around -To get the same 48 GB of VRAM, you might have to spend -6,000 with models like the NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada. Of course, there will be performance differences between the two, too, but getting at-par VRAM is the first step of the process. Honestly, if power-intensive workspaces are able to get 48 GB of VRAM at 70-80% less cost, this dual GPU setup can become a market killer. In other news, Intel has also announced Project Battlematrix – a solution that supports AI workloads that can combine up to eight Intel Arc Pro GPUs in a system, with 192 GB of VRAM. The company seems to be working hard on the workstation and data processing industry – something NVIDIA and AMD haven’t catered to explicitly yet. This could give Intel a first-mover advantage. If it can achieve comparable performance with some modern NVIDIA chips, the new Intel Arc Pro B60 can revive the Blue team. : Nvidia’s downgraded H20 chips might not be enough to stop China’s Ai ambitions Krishi is a seasoned tech journalist with over four years of experience writing about PC hardware, consumer technology, and artificial intelligence.  Clarity and accessibility are at the core of Krishi’s writing style. He believes technology writing should empower readers—not confuse them—and he’s committed to ensuring his content is always easy to understand without sacrificing accuracy or depth. Over the years, Krishi has contributed to some of the most reputable names in the industry, including Techopedia, TechRadar, and Tom’s Guide. A man of many talents, Krishi has also proven his mettle as a crypto writer, tackling complex topics with both ease and zeal. His work spans various formats—from in-depth explainers and news coverage to feature pieces and buying guides.  Behind the scenes, Krishi operates from a dual-monitor setupthat’s always buzzing with news feeds, technical documentation, and research notes, as well as the occasional gaming sessions that keep him fresh.  Krishi thrives on staying current, always ready to dive into the latest announcements, industry shifts, and their far-reaching impacts.  When he's not deep into research on the latest PC hardware news, Krishi would love to chat with you about day trading and the financial markets—oh! And cricket, as well. View all articles by Krishi Chowdhary Our editorial process The Tech Report editorial policy is centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written by real authors. #intels #arc #pro #b60 #dual

The room was packed for Ori Inbar's keynote. Athena Demos Augmented World Exporeturns to Long Beach from June 10 to 12, 2025, with its most expansive and ambitious edition to date. Now in its 16th year, the XR industry’s flagship conference will host over 5,000 attendees, 250 exhibitors, and a speaker lineup that reads like a who’s who of immersive tech. As the spatial computing and AI worlds collide, AWE 2025 promises to be a milestone event in the evolution of real-world XR adoption. Ori Inbar, AWE co-founder and CEO, celebrates his 15th annual keynote on stage at AWE 2024. AWE This year’s theme: XR is going mainstream. “The hardware is good enough, the tools are mature, and AI has lowered the barrier to entry,” AWE co-founder Ori Inbar said during a recent interview on the AI/XR Podcast. “There’s no excuse now. It’s a call to builders to create content for every person on this planet.” Collage of people on the Expo floor. AWE AWE 2025 reflects that shift with expanded programming across the board. For the first time, both the conference and expo floor will run for a full three days, preceded by hackathons and a welcome party. Meta, Snap, Niantic, Google, Qualcomm, and XREAL are all sending top executives. Evan Spiegel, Nolan Bushnell, and Palmer Luckeyheadline a packed keynote slate. Shots from AWE Expo 2021. AWE The show will spotlight three subcommunities shaping the future of XR. The new “Builder’s Nexus” showcases top teams from this year’s global hackathons, many of whom are using generative AI tools to build spatial experiences. A dedicated “Gaming Hub” will feature trailers and live demos from 10 VR studios, plus appearances by top content creators like Nacy, Nathie, and SadlyItsBradley. Enterprise XR, which now represents 71% of the market, will be served by a bespoke VIP program tailored to verticals such as healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and defense. “We used to ask what the killer app for XR would be,” said Inbar. “Now we realize it’s AI itself—and vice versa. XR is the killer interface for AI.” Montage of attendees experiencing XR at AWE 2024. AWE The synergy is most visible on the show floor, where nearly every exhibitor will feature some AI integration. Over 20 eyewear companies will be demoing headsets, glasses, and AI assistants. Snap’s next-generation Spectacles will be out in force, worn by hundreds of developers. Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, which sold over 500,000 units in Q1 alone, signal a tipping point for mainstream wearable adoption. And as always, AWE’s Playground will serve as the festival’s beating heart. Larger-than-life installations and interactive demos, including an expanded version of Brett Bushnell’s “Dream Park,” will draw crowds eager to experience the next frontier of computing.Trying out the HoloLens at AWE 2017. AWE For newcomers and veterans alike, AWE remains the must-attend event for anyone working at the intersection of immersive media, AI, and real-world application. “You get a master’s degree in XR in three days,” said AR Insider’s Mike Boland . “There’s nothing else like it.” AWE 2025 may not mark the beginning of the XR era—but it might be remembered as the year it stopped being a niche. Here is a quick preview of some brands and experiences at the show this year.Niantic founder and CEO John Hanke. AWE Niantic Spatial, a newly created company spun out from Niantic Labs, is making a significant debut, with news of three important new partnerships, an invite-only geospatial AI agent and outdoor VPS demo. At its lounge area Niantic Spatial will offer 12 cutting-edge demos highlighting enterprise use cases for spatial technology in warehousing, spatial planning, and immersive entertainment. Brian McClendon will also be delivering a keynote. At Qualcomm’s booth, attendees can check out MR & AR demos spanning various sectors, including entertainment, education, fitness and more. In addition, Ziad Asghar, SVP & GM of XR at Qualcomm will present a keynote titled, Accelerating the Spatial Computing Revolution for Developers and Enterprise. He’ll showcase how Qualcomm is powering the AI smart glass revolution and driving the technology necessary for AI glasses to be a stand-alone product with processing done all on-device, and he’ll highlight and demonstrate its technology leadership across the spectrum of spatial computing, enabling the experiences accessible today and building future proof solutions for the future.Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Snap Inc Evan Spiegeland France's Secretary of State ... More for AI and Digital Technology Clara Chappazwear the Spectacle Augmented Reality glasses during the inauguration of the group's French headquarters in Paris on May 19, 2025.AFP via Getty Images AWE attendees are invited to explore the latest Snap Spectacles activations on the second floor of Long Beach Convention Center, available throughout the event. Snap CEO and Co-Founder Evan Spiegel will take to the Main Stage on Day 1 with exciting new announcements about Snap's AR developer platform, and there will be other Snap talks throughout the show.Xreal founder and CEO speaking at Augmented World Expo in Santa Clara, CA, June 2023. AWE XREAL Sony XYNwill unveil its latest immersive technology. Attendees will get an exclusive first look at its newest innovations designed to redefine the boundaries of XR experiences. From cutting-edge hardware including a glasses-free 3D display, motion capture system and XR headsets to groundbreaking software solutions such as Motion Studio and Spatial Capture, Sony XYN will showcase transformative tools that enable the future of spatial computing and immersive content creation. Auki Labs Cellid’s #curtain #raiser #awe #brings #into

“Everything I did and wrote was based in love and my desire to entertain and bring glee and creativity to young people and to everyone,” Paul Reubens says in the newly released Max docuseries, Pee-wee As Himself. Reubens ascended to cultural ubiquity in the 1980s with his smash hit character, Pee-wee Herman. First as a live show, then in the Tim Burton film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, and perhaps most lastingly, in the television series Pee-wee’s Playhouse that ran for five seasons, Reubens undeniably did just what he set out to. Visually, the show conveyed an off the wall giddiness that didn’t confine itself to typical television set design rules.The jagged-edged red door, the wagging-armed chair named Chairry, the beatnik jazz band’s brick wall alcove—an entire bustling world was contained in the walls of Pee-wee’s playhouse, from the very first episode. The walls and floor were painted with abstract patterns in a variety of colors, and tchotchkes abounded. From Chairry to the three flowers in the flowerbed to Magic Screen, the decorations were his friends and his friends were his decorations. His space was very much alive. “He’s a really imaginative person who doesn’t let other people make rules for him, so naturally his place would reflect his personality,’” Gary Panter, the show’s lead production designer, told the New York Times in a 1987 interview.Chairryand other Pee-wee’s Playhouse staples including Dirty Dog, Chicky Baby, and Cool Cat in the background. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesPanter was an alt comic artist who’d designed the original stage sets for Reubens before Pee-wee made his jump to the screen. He worked with two other then-comic artists, Wayne White and Ric Heitzman, to flesh out the world further for the television series. While in retrospect, people might lump the Playhouse in with the rest of the ’80s postmodern milieu, the team had rules to avoid fitting too cleanly into that aesthetic. “Jokingly, we said, ‘Okay, no more ’80s new wavy stuff,” White says. “No flying triangles and squiggly lines.” The result was a surrealist explosion of color and pattern, a Pop Art take on a ’50s sitcom set.Laurence Fishburne appeared as Cowboy Curtis on the show. Photo: John Kisch Archive/Getty ImagesGiven their punk-leaning backgrounds, their approach to creating the sets had a DIY sensibility. The first season of the show was filmed in a loft in SoHo, rather than on a soundstage in Los Angeles, and the team got crafty figuring out how to create the things they’d drawn up, rather than passing the designs off to fabricators to see them through. “We were downtown New York artists struggling to build the stuff in our apartments and little studios here and there,” White tells AD. “It was mostly sculptors and painters and cartoonists. It didn’t have that institutional network of showbiz builders like LA has, there were no scenic artists, no guys that build props, things like that.”This fact is surely part of what gives Pee-wee’s Playhouse its art-school-project sheen: despite its success, it truly was a passion project for those that worked on it. “Being trusted to do this stuff gave me just so much confidence and drive. It really supercharged my sense of being an artist,” says White. “I was 28 years old, and I was willing to do anything. We burned very brightly that first year.”Paul Reubens filming an episode of Pee-wee’s Playhouse. Photo: John Kisch Archive/Getty ImagesFrom the start, Reubens let the production design team explore their wildest ideas. White’s comic stripsfeatured anthropomorphized items, making the jump to Chairry and co. not too far of a leap. “I didn’t have to changeat all,” White says. “I stepped right into another medium and it was a big lesson for me. You could take a vision or an idea or your imagination through all these different mediums, and they’re all really just the same.”Gary Panter and Paul Reubens. Courtesy of HBOPanter, White, and Heitzman didn’t worry about notes or being penned in by the network or anyone else. They were free to explore, to create as many drawings and iterations of items as were needed, from which Reubens would pick the option that he thought worked best. Reubens was already a major star by the time that the show was picked up, so it was intimidating to work with him so loosely at first. Still, “Paul was so interested in what we're doing that he quickly just became a friend,” White explains. “It was easy to go along with quickly, because he was a weirdo artist like me.” Reubens’s comfortability with his own oddity is what made the show so spellbinding, even for the adults who were well outside of the target demographic. Each episode presented an opportunity to disappear into a world where strangeness was not only expected, but celebrated too. “I do remember being on set and that it was the most exciting thing I’d ever done,” Natasha Lyonne, who was in six episodes of the show as a child, says in the docuseries. “I think it felt like permission to be myself.”Paul Reubens and Chairry. Courtesy of HBOFor much of Pee-wee Herman’s heyday, Reubens exclusively gave interviews in character. Though the new documentary thoroughly punctures that facade, the glimpses it offers into the Hollywood home that Reubens lived in from the mid-80s onward show that his personal taste wasn’t all that distant from the wacky world of Pee-wee. There were certainly no talking chairs, but still, the space was filled with color, pattern, and oodles of nostalgic memorabilia. Reubens also nurtured the wildlife that lived in the hills surrounding his house, spreading seeds for deer and crows, growing plenty of plants, and welcoming even the coyotes, wolves, and skunks of the area too. Though Pee-wee’s open door policy with his neighbors is a stretch further than Reubens’s, the nurturing relationship with these creatures certainly feels Pee-wee-esque.The Pee-wee’s Playhouse set. Courtesy of HBODecades after the final episode of Pee-wee’s Playhouse aired, White cites the lasting brilliance of the sets to Reubens himself. “He is the nuclear reactor core of it all. Without him, none of this would have had the magic that it had,” White says. “The character of Pee-wee was so resonant with people and then it just radiated out from there. I give him most of the credit for creating the magic, and we just kind of floated along on it. It was such a strong character and such an enchanted world that it couldn't help and bring out the best of any artist.” #lets #talk #about #peewees #playhouse

The Switch 2's Joy-Con "mouse" has some competition. At least one launch game for Nintendo's new console includes USB mouse support. Nobunga's Ambition: Awakening CE lets you plug in a traditional pointing device and get down to business. According to developer Koei Tecmo, the mouse will "work seamlessly." Nobunga's Ambition will let you switch between controller and USB mouse on the fly. "Once you connect the USB mouse, a message will appear in the top left indicating that the mouse is connected," Michi Ryu said in a video. "When the USB mouse is connected, it takes priority over the Joy-Con 2. As you can see, you can switch instantly. It's very smooth." So, what does that mean for other mouse-friendly Switch 2 games? Civilization VII, another launch title, comes to mind. We emailed 2K Games to ask and will update this story if we hear back. To be fair, the Switch 2's Joy-Con mouse support is solid. Engadget's Sam Rutherford was pleasantly surprised with it in his hands-on. Still, it's nice to have options.Although it wasn't a well-known fact, the original Switch also supported USB mice. For example, Nintendo's visual programming tool Game Builder Garage worked with them. But the number of games supporting the Joy-Con mouse makes it a bigger deal on the Switch 2.This article originally appeared on Engadget at #nintendo #switch #will #support #regular