John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorMay 20, 20255 Min ReadTecha Tungateja via Alamy Stock PhotoAI-generated code may sound like a career-killer, yet a growing number of IT leaders are now turning to AI to generate various types of routine code, freeing human coders to focus on more complex and rewarding tasks. AI can significantly accelerate software development, says Prasad Sankaran, president, software and platform engineering, at IT consulting firm Cognizant. "Based on natural-language prompts, AI can write code and test scripts across a range of programming languages, frameworks, libraries, and more," he states in an online interview. Sankaran notes that AI can also generate synthetic test data, limiting the need to use sensitive live data sets. "At Cognizant, 20% to 30% of our code is now written by machines -- that's productivity we can pass along to our clients." Multiple Benefits AI-generated code's benefits are clear: more output, better quality in shorter timeframes, and an improved ability to navigate talent constraints, Sankaran says. "All of that translates into business productivity, agility, and effectiveness." He believes that AI-enabled coding allows team members to work faster and with greater focus on higher value, creative activities such as feature relevance, user experience, security, resilience, and performance. Related:Enterprises with large development organizations should expect substantial gains in productivity, says David Menninger, executive director at ISG Software Research. "Organizations that rely on service providers to create applications for them should expect to see rate reductions as a result of the increased efficiencies associated with AI-generated code," he states in an online discussion. Getting Started As is the case with many new technologies, it's best to start simple, Menninger recommends. He suggests beginning with a prototyping exercise. "In this scenario, the quality of the code is less critical, and it will afford an opportunity to learn about AI's capabilities." Another good starting point is code conversion, since the final result can be compared against existing working software. Devansh Agarwal, a machine learning engineer at Amazon Web Services, says AI is particularly adept at writing standard boilerplate code. "For example, if I want to create an API client for calling a particular API, AI can generate the boilerplate code for it," he explains in an email interview. "If a developer writes this same code, it will take a few hours." AI can generate the identical code almost instantly. "Since this is a very standard piece of code, which is already present on the Internet, it will most likely be correct." Related:Getting started can be surprisingly easy, Agarwal says. "My mom, who has never written a line of code, managed to do it," he states. "The process is simple: Decide what you want to build, prompt the LLM to generate the code, and keep asking it to fix errors until it finally works." Despite its relative simplicity, Sankaran stresses the need to train team members on the most effective use of AI coding assistants while dealing with its inherent risks and limitations. Menninger recommends that AI-generated code should always be reviewed and tested -- just like any other code. View AI in the same light as a junior developer. "You can give it an assignment, but you certainly want to check the results and probably add some refinements or ask it to make some revisions." Potential Roadblocks Sankaran says enterprises need to recognize AI technology's inherent limitations, including the risk of team members relying too heavily on AI-produced code. Meanwhile, generated outputs can be inconsistent and error prone, so there's still a need for human oversight. A combination of predefined plans and templates, as well as automated enforcement of quality gates, baking in organization policies and guardrails, can help tackle this challenge by ensuring predictable, consistent, and compliant results within preset boundaries. Related:The biggest potential drawback is fostering a growing overreliance on AI-generated code, Menninger says. "There can be a tendency to trust the code simply because it has been generated by a machine," he explains. "The good news is that you can also use AI to test code both for quality and security purposes so, hopefully, you can end up with even higher quality code than manually-generated and manually-tested code." Parting Thoughts AI code assistants have come a long way and are continuously improving and delivering a superior developer experience, with more purpose-built and holistically-integrated solutions, driving automation and lead productivity across the software development lifecycle, Sankaran says. Looking ahead, agentic AI has the potential to make software development easier, more autonomous, and orchestrated, Sankaran states. "For example, specialized agents for understanding requirements, writing code, reviewing code, testing, deployment and more, all working together in an autonomous manner under human oversight," he says. "We're moving closer to the day when we can simply describe the functionality we want ... and have the system do the rest." About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorMay 20, 20255 Min ReadTecha Tungateja via Alamy Stock PhotoAI-generated code may sound like a career-killer, yet a growing number of IT leaders are now turning to AI to generate various types of routine code, freeing human coders to focus on more complex and rewarding tasks. AI can significantly accelerate software development, says Prasad Sankaran, president, software and platform engineering, at IT consulting firm Cognizant. "Based on natural-language prompts, AI can write code and test scripts across a range of programming languages, frameworks, libraries, and more," he states in an online interview. Sankaran notes that AI can also generate synthetic test data, limiting the need to use sensitive live data sets. "At Cognizant, 20% to 30% of our code is now written by machines -- that's productivity we can pass along to our clients." Multiple Benefits AI-generated code's benefits are clear: more output, better quality in shorter timeframes, and an improved ability to navigate talent constraints, Sankaran says. "All of that translates into business productivity, agility, and effectiveness." He believes that AI-enabled coding allows team members to work faster and with greater focus on higher value, creative activities such as feature relevance, user experience, security, resilience, and performance. Related:Enterprises with large development organizations should expect substantial gains in productivity, says David Menninger, executive director at ISG Software Research. "Organizations that rely on service providers to create applications for them should expect to see rate reductions as a result of the increased efficiencies associated with AI-generated code," he states in an online discussion. Getting Started As is the case with many new technologies, it's best to start simple, Menninger recommends. He suggests beginning with a prototyping exercise. "In this scenario, the quality of the code is less critical, and it will afford an opportunity to learn about AI's capabilities." Another good starting point is code conversion, since the final result can be compared against existing working software. Devansh Agarwal, a machine learning engineer at Amazon Web Services, says AI is particularly adept at writing standard boilerplate code. "For example, if I want to create an API client for calling a particular API, AI can generate the boilerplate code for it," he explains in an email interview. "If a developer writes this same code, it will take a few hours." AI can generate the identical code almost instantly. "Since this is a very standard piece of code, which is already present on the Internet, it will most likely be correct." Related:Getting started can be surprisingly easy, Agarwal says. "My mom, who has never written a line of code, managed to do it," he states. "The process is simple: Decide what you want to build, prompt the LLM to generate the code, and keep asking it to fix errors until it finally works." Despite its relative simplicity, Sankaran stresses the need to train team members on the most effective use of AI coding assistants while dealing with its inherent risks and limitations. Menninger recommends that AI-generated code should always be reviewed and tested -- just like any other code. View AI in the same light as a junior developer. "You can give it an assignment, but you certainly want to check the results and probably add some refinements or ask it to make some revisions." Potential Roadblocks Sankaran says enterprises need to recognize AI technology's inherent limitations, including the risk of team members relying too heavily on AI-produced code. Meanwhile, generated outputs can be inconsistent and error prone, so there's still a need for human oversight. A combination of predefined plans and templates, as well as automated enforcement of quality gates, baking in organization policies and guardrails, can help tackle this challenge by ensuring predictable, consistent, and compliant results within preset boundaries. Related:The biggest potential drawback is fostering a growing overreliance on AI-generated code, Menninger says. "There can be a tendency to trust the code simply because it has been generated by a machine," he explains. "The good news is that you can also use AI to test code both for quality and security purposes so, hopefully, you can end up with even higher quality code than manually-generated and manually-tested code." Parting Thoughts AI code assistants have come a long way and are continuously improving and delivering a superior developer experience, with more purpose-built and holistically-integrated solutions, driving automation and lead productivity across the software development lifecycle, Sankaran says. Looking ahead, agentic AI has the potential to make software development easier, more autonomous, and orchestrated, Sankaran states. "For example, specialized agents for understanding requirements, writing code, reviewing code, testing, deployment and more, all working together in an autonomous manner under human oversight," he says. "We're moving closer to the day when we can simply describe the functionality we want ... and have the system do the rest." About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

CSS grid with Galaxy layout: now available in FigmaHow I used Grid on a client website sometime ago, and share creative ideas to spark your imagination, whether you’re a designer, developer, or both.1. The history of CSS gridBack in 2005, Bert Bos published the CSS3 Advanced Layout draft. After nearly two decades of work by the CSS Working Group and passionate advocates, CSS Grid has evolved into one of the most powerful layout systems for the web and developers have been using it in production for years.Now, in 2025, designers can finally experience CSS Grid directly in Figma. Hopefully, Figma will continue evolving to support all CSS properties, functions, data types, and values, so design and code can align even more seamlessly. 🤝✨2. Observe: bringing installation Art to the webTo show what’s possible, I will show you through how I used CSS Grid to recreate a large scale installation artwork on the web from concept to implementation. Galaxy (2016) is one of the signature works by Korean contemporary artist Kim Eull, consisting of 1,450 individual drawings. The moment I saw it, I knew it could be reimagined with CSS Grid.Galaxy, Installation, Kim Eull, 2016Galaxy, Installation, Kim Eull, 2016When I saw it, I thought it could be quite easy to re-create and visualise it using CSS Grid. 😎In summer © 2023 Disney and related entities. All Rights Reserved.But it was more complicated than I expected making the Galaxy layout in CSS Grid with 1,450 drawings 😅.The first draft grid drawingMy first draft involved sketching a rough grid layout inspired by the installation. From there, I defined the following design goals:🎯 Design GoalsThe grid container should resemble the Galaxy installation.It should be flexible and responsive across screen sizes.Each grid item should have a hover effect and link to its own content page.Each item must match the exact shape ratio (vertical, horizontal, square) of the original artwork.Specified properties and values for each grid item in WordPress so the client can easily choose and upload artwork for each grid item if he wishes to change it.⚙️ Image configurations in WordPressImage size: small, medium, largeShape: vertical rectangle, horizontal rectangle, square3. Research: CSS grid capabilities① Understand the CSS grid structureLet me briefly explain the basics of CSS Grid. Think of CSS Grid like an IKEA IVAR shelf: the container is the outer frame, and the items are the individual cells. Define the frame, decide the rows and columns, and then neatly arrange your content, just like organising your favourite shelf.IKEA IVAR © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1999–2023I hope this cheat sheet I made for this article helps you understand the CSS grid structure. 🧙🏻CSS Grid container and itemIVAR outer frame = grid container = parentEach cell = grid item = childCSS Grid TerminologyLine: horizontal or vertical divider (used to position items)Cell: the smallest unit of the gridTrack: the space between two lines (a row or a column)Area: a group of cells defined using grid-area② Find suitable propertiesAs you can see from the CSS Grid cheatsheet below, CSS Grid has many properties and values as well as various features. It was important to find suitable properties and values of CSS Grid for the Galaxy layout. I tried all properties and found grid-template containers and grid-area items worked best for the Galaxy layout.CSS Grid properties4. Make: Prototyping & Iterating① Sketch the layout by hand (now in Figma!)CSS Grid prototypingTo define grid-area values visually, I printed a grid and sketched the Galaxy layout by hand. Back then, Figma didn’t support grid layouts like it does now so I had to draw by hand. But now, thanks to Figma’s new Grid feature, you can map and plan layouts much more easily 🙌CSS Grid prototyping in FigmaThat said, while I really enjoyed using Figma Grid, I noticed a few limitations that made it tricky to recreate the Galaxy layout precisely.🚧 A Few Limitations in Figma GridRow and column gapsNo variable support for row/column gapsFigma only allows fixed px values for grid gaps, but I need to use primitive values from our design system library to ensure consistency across components and patterns. It would be great if Figma supported variables or design tokens for this.⚠️ Note: Gaps in CSS can use any length unit or percentage — but not fr.No visible line numbers in FigmaNo visible line numbersWhen placing images based on grid-area, it’s hard to know the exact row/column without indicators. This made it difficult to match my CSS layout precisely.Elements shift randomly when adding new imagesEvery time I added a new image, other elements jumped around unexpectedly. I had to manually re-align everything — bug or feature?Limited support for CSS grid propertiesEspecially for parent-level properties like justify-items, align-items, place-content, etc. Figma currently only supports basic alignment and fixed units. This limits the full expressive potential of CSS Grid.🙏 If you’ve found any tricks or tips for these challenges, I’d truly appreciate it if you shared them!Despite these challenges, I believe Figma will continue to evolve and support more CSS properties, functions, data types, and values, aligning design and code even more seamlessly. If you have tips for that, please share!Now, let’s go back to the process of building the Galaxy layout.② Numbering the grid linesI labeled each row and column in the sketch, these line numbers help define each grid item’s position using the grid-area shorthand.Numbering the grid linesAlso, we can inspect these numbers in the Chrome DevTools like below.CSS grid in Chrome DevTools③ Set the grid containerSet the grid container using grid-templateHere is the CSS code for the container. I used the repeat CSS function to create a certain number of columns and rows, grid-template shorthand with repeat() to create a 25×21 grid..container { display: grid; grid-template: repeat(25, 1fr) / repeat(21, 1fr);}Set the Grid Container: Repeat CSS function④ Define Grid ItemsNow I had 525 grid cells. To specify the grid item’s size and location for the Galaxy layout, I defined grid-area shorthand property for 29 items.grid-area value: row-start / column-start / row-end / column-endDefine grid itemsHere is the CSS code for the 29 items.//item position.item1 { grid-area: 2/6/8/9;}.item2 { grid-area: 3/9/6/11;}.item3 { grid-area: 1/11/6/14;}.......item27 { grid-area: 22/18/24/19;}.item28 { grid-area: 7/4/12/6;}.item29 { grid-area: 21/7/25/10;}Responsive CSS Grid test on CodePenThe grid-area CSS shorthand property specifies a grid item’s size and location within a grid by contributing a line, a span, or nothing (automatic) to its grid placement, thereby specifying the edges of its grid area. -MDNgrid-area - CSS: Cascading Style Sheets | MDN⑤ Insert Images into HTMLAs the final step, I selected artwork images that matched each grid item’s shape to avoid awkward cropping. One day, I hope we’ll have a CSS algorithm smart enough to auto-pick image ratios. 😉https://medium.com/media/7ffea08b5878827140665a540845a2e3/href5. Reflect: 3 Key LearningsAfter building the Galaxy layout with CSS Grid, I took a moment to reflect, just like in any good design process. Looking back helped me identify what worked, what surprised me, and what I’d do differently next time. Here are three insights that stood out:① Implicit grid vs Explicit gridAn implicit grid is automatically generated by the browser when items extend beyond the defined structure.An explicit grid is one you define manually using grid-template-columns and grid-template-rows.Understanding the difference helps you take full control of your layout.Comparing implicit and explicit grids in CSShttps://medium.com/media/25b574bf51ba75b81f31a1435d74c649/href👉 Watch: Wes Bos — Implicit vs Explicit Tracks② How height works in CSSThe height CSS property specifies the height of an element. By default, the property defines the height of the content area. -MDNThe height property controls an element’s vertical size.By default, it matches the height of the content inside.No content = no height100px content = 100px heighthttps://medium.com/media/2cf58e34fbb0c76baaee2454c9cc9c46/href③ fr units need explicit height💡 Height doesn’t update automatically like width does.Unlike columns, which adjust to screen width, rows using fr units don’t respond the same way. If the container has no defined height, the browser can’t calculate row heights, causing layout issues like the one shown below.fr units need explicit heightThe browser can’t calculate row heights, which can cause the layout to break unexpectedly, as shown bwhelow.The browser can’t calculate row heightsHeight doesn’t get updated automaticallyWhereas, even if there is no explicit width value in the block-level element specified, the browser automatically calculates the width value of the element by the browser size.Width gets updated automaticallyFor this reason, if you wanted to use fr unit in the grid-templage-rows property and takes up the entire height of the screen, you should put an explicit height on the container.Use fr unit in the grid-templage-rows property and takes up the entire height of the screen.container { height: 100vh; grid-template-row: repeat(6, 1fr);}https://medium.com/media/0d0238775bbfbe8ae34cf66acc89bcff/hrefEven now, I often forget CSS Grid properties when revisiting projects 😅. That’s why I created a CSS Grid Cheatsheet, a quick reference to help me remember and apply the right values fast.CSS Grid cheatsheet6. Resources to spark your imaginationDisclaimer: Parody of “I Can Be Anything” by Shinsuke Yoshitake, created by @nanacodesign for non-commercial, educational use. Original artwork © Shinsuke Yoshitake and/or its publishers.CSS Grid is far more powerful than just card layouts. Developers have explored it for years to create animations, 3D effects, and interactive designs with ease.To help you see what’s possible, I’ve collected some brilliant CodePen demos that show CSS Grid in action. These are real examples that you can explore, learn from, or adapt directly into your own projects:🕹️ CSS grid codepen collectionCSS grid codepen collection3D CSS Grid Exploding Stack by JheyIsometric eCommerce CSS Grid by Andy BarefootLayout Demo #10 — Rounded grid layout stacked: Rainbow by Mandy MichaelGenerative Kong Summit Patterns by Adam KuhnCountdown with grid css By Sergio AndradeKALEIDOSCOPE by LiamCSS Grid Ribbon layout by Andy BarefootAnimated CSS Grid (grid-template-rows / grid-template-columns) by BramusCSS Grid: Monopoly (Harry Potter Edition) by Olivia NgCSS Grid Responsive Perspective layout by Andy BarefootTriangle Grid with nth-child #CodePenChallenge by Stephen LeeResponsive Mondrian Art with CSS Grid by Ryan Yu📚 ResourcesConfig 2025: Structure your designs with Figma Grid, a new way to use auto layoutFigma’s new grid — you must understand CSS Grid as a designer by Christine VallaureA Complete Guide to CSS Grid | CSS-Tricks by Chris HouseCSS Grid Course by Wes BosGrid by example by Rachel AndrewCSS Grid Basics by Jen SimmonsWeb.dev > Learn CSS > GridMozilla > CSS Grid LayoutInspect CSS grid layoutsResponsive Card Grid Layout by Ryan YuInteresting Layouts with CSS Grid by Miriam SuzanneBuild a Classic Layout FAST in CSS Grid by Miriam SuzanneAn Interactive Guide to CSS Grid by Josh Comeau🙏 A huge thank you to all the creators and advocates who’ve shared these valuable resources. Your work continues to inspire and empower the community.💌 Any feedback or just say Hi!I’d love to hear how I can improve this article for everyone. Drop me a comment below, or reach out on Bluesky or LinkedIn.If you enjoyed it, feel free to show some love (👏) and stay tuned for more. Thank you!💜 🧙🏻‍♀️CSS Grid with Galaxy layout: now available in Figma was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

sillyGecko Member Mar 14, 2025 1,403 View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVWkOx4Cj6g&ab_channel=GSCGameWorld https://x.com/wario64/status/1922640117723787480?s=46 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Enhanced Edition is a free upgrade to all existing owners of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone collection on consoles Click to expand... Click to shrink... https://x.com/wario64/status/1922640947340251343?s=46   Last edited: Wednesday at 9:38 AM Patitoloco Member Oct 27, 2017 28,151 wait what Hasn't been this been available for months now?  Reflecting Sky Member Mar 17, 2024 2,634 Patitoloco said: wait what Hasn't been this been available for months now? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Not the Enhanced Edition.  AgentStrange Member Oct 25, 2017 5,009 Slava   Iwao Member Oct 25, 2017 13,671 Patitoloco said: Hasn't been this been available for months now? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Original release was PS4/XB1/Switch.   Rover_ Member Jun 2, 2020 5,421 Very cool! Hoping that this means Stalker 2 for Ps5 soon.  ProdigyZA Member Jun 9, 2024 1,493 "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation will receive a free upgrade to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Enhanced Edition on May 20, 2025. New shaders, lighting, textures, gamepad support, Steam Deck, Steam Workshop, and more." https://www.stalker-game.com/en/faq   YuSuzzune Member Nov 21, 2018 5,693 Italy I think this should be also free for owners of the original games?   Dest Has seen more 10s than EA ever will Coward Jun 4, 2018 16,019 Work Oh, nice! I was just getting the itch to finally boot these up.   Condwiramurs Member Nov 10, 2020 1,807 Finally on pc, can now do achievements while waiting for stalker2 to get fixed 🥳   Polk Avenger Oct 26, 2017 6,009 YuSuzzune said: I think this should be also free for owners of the original games? Click to expand... Click to shrink... It is.   ThereAreFourNaan Member Nov 8, 2017 15,058 Iwao said: Original release was PS4/XB1/Switch. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I believe it wasn't on PC. Obviously you could buy the original version on pc, but you didn't get controller support / new ui etc.  ProdigyZA Member Jun 9, 2024 1,493 Condwiramurs said: Finally on pc, can now do achievements while waiting for stalker2 to get fixed 🥳 Click to expand... Click to shrink... Achievements are in this release. Edit: sorry read your post wrong.  Nameless Member Oct 25, 2017 17,246 Glad it's free on PC, but hopefully it doesn't completely replace the originals with over a decade of insane mod support.   Duffking Member Oct 27, 2017 6,717 Nice. Controller support will mean I can get CoP on my Deck. Best STALKER.   disgraciau Member Oct 27, 2017 2,078 Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain Nameless said: Glad it's free on PC, but hopefully it doesn't completely replace the originals with over a decade of insane mod support. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Originals will still be available  Wollan Mostly Positive Member Oct 25, 2017 9,929 Norway but living in France Forgot it was a PS4 game I was playing last year, game was greatly restored for gamepad and console. Looking forward to this free enhanced upgrade.   Jedi2016 Member Oct 27, 2017 20,043 Nameless said: Glad it's free on PC, but hopefully it doesn't completely replace the originals with over a decade of insane mod support. Click to expand... Click to shrink... They do show up as unique titles, not just DLC for the existing ones. But there's no price on them, just says it'll release next week.   YuSuzzune Member Nov 21, 2018 5,693 Italy Nameless said: Glad it's free on PC, but hopefully it doesn't completely replace the originals with over a decade of insane mod support. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Nah in the faqs they state those are new skus   texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,418 Indonesia Gamepad support on PC! Oh my god..   Mafro Member Oct 25, 2017 9,109 Dual Sense support! I was hoping for that.   bloopland33 Member Mar 4, 2020 3,633 I really hope they update the games for Switch 2 as well   Nameless Member Oct 25, 2017 17,246 disgraciau said: Originals will still be available Click to expand... Click to shrink... Jedi2016 said: They do show up as unique titles, not just DLC for the existing ones. But there's no price on them, just says it'll release next week. Click to expand... Click to shrink... YuSuzzune said: Nah in the faqs they state those are new skus Click to expand... Click to shrink... Glad to hear it. Thanks for confirming.  Stallion Free Member Oct 29, 2017 1,402 So pumped this is happening. Really hope there is solid ultrawide support.   Threadmarks FAQ and system requirements New Index OP OP sillyGecko Member Mar 14, 2025 1,403 New Index Nacery Member Jul 11, 2018 1,828 Damn this is good! Also is this free for existing PC owners? (I wouldn't mind paying for supporting the developers).   OP OP sillyGecko Member Mar 14, 2025 1,403 Nacery said: Damn this is good! Also is this free for existing PC owners? (I wouldn't mind paying for supporting the developers). Click to expand... Click to shrink... Only a free upgrade on consoles if I read correctly   RoboPlato Member Oct 25, 2017 8,373 Damn, lots of visual modes on console. Very cool Yes, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Enhanced Edition on consoles will feature different graphical and performance modes to suit player preferences, including a Quality Balanced mode, a Performance mode, and an Ultra Performance mode. Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro: Quality (native 4K/30 FPS), Balanced (upscaled 4K/40 FPS), Performance (upscaled 4K/60 FPS), Ultra Performance (upscaled 2K/120 FPS). Xbox Series S: Quality (native 2K/30 FPS), Balanced (upscaled 2K/40 FPS), Performance (1080p/60 FPS). However, it is important to note that both the Quality Balanced mode and the Ultra Performance mode are exclusively available when using VRR compatible displays Click to expand... Click to shrink...   The Praiseworthy Member Oct 30, 2017 10,409 Good. I bought this last year and was waiting for a native PS5 version to give it another chance.  OP OP sillyGecko Member Mar 14, 2025 1,403 Nacery said: Damn this is good! Also is this free for existing PC owners? (I wouldn't mind paying for supporting the developers). Click to expand... Click to shrink... I did misread, free for PC as well https://x.com/stalker_thegame/status/1922640668674900242?s=46 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation will receive a free upgrade to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Enhanced Edition on May 20, 2025. New shaders, lighting, textures, gamepad support, Steam Deck, Steam Workshop, and more. Click to expand... Click to shrink...   Kadzork Has got mad skills!! Member Oct 27, 2017 24,119 Oh awesome! I didn't get very far at all in the first game from the PS4 release so will 100% start over with this new version.  Henrar Member Nov 27, 2017 2,504 texhnolyze said: Gamepad support on PC! Oh my god.. Click to expand... Click to shrink... And keyboard support on consoles :P   astroturfing Member Nov 1, 2017 7,556 Suomi Finland so awesome, cant wait to see how the games look and feel on the Pro. 40fps FTW. i still havent actually played a single second of a Stalker game even though i've always wanted to, and i even own a physical PC copy of Call of Pripyat lol. goddamn fucking ridiculous backlog...  Stop It Bad Cat Member Oct 25, 2017 6,767 Day 0, can't wait to get back into the OG games.   Zaro Member Nov 13, 2017 1,786 I'll probably get this on GOG but i hope for Switch 2 in the future.   Bede-x Member Oct 25, 2017 12,006 Finally controller and Steam Deck support on PC. Never wanted to play the original games, because that was lacking.   Randam Member Oct 27, 2017 8,805 Germany is this Stalker 1, 2 or 3?   SweetBellic Member Oct 28, 2017 4,878 Wonder how this free upgrade works if I only have Shadow of Chernobyl on PC. I'd be happy to support the devs and just buy this new trilogy release in any event.   Western Yokai Member Feb 14, 2025 132 This is only for the entire colletion? I only have Shadow of Chornobyl on Steam.   Grimminski Member Oct 27, 2017 11,043 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Randam said: is this Stalker 1, 2 or 3? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yes   Jedi2016 Member Oct 27, 2017 20,043 Western Yokai said: This is only for the entire colletion? I only have Shadow of Chornobyl on Steam. Click to expand... Click to shrink... On PC, they're three separate "Enhanced Editions", there is no "Lengenday collection" or whatever, they've always been three separate titles.   dstarMDA Member Dec 22, 2017 5,243 Randam said: is this Stalker 1, 2 or 3? Click to expand... Click to shrink... This is Stalker 1 and its two follow-ups. Not Stalker 2. Think of it roughly like Assassin's Creed 2, Brotherhood and Revelations, which differ from proper AC3.   Nacery Member Jul 11, 2018 1,828 Stallion Free said: So pumped this is happening. Really hope there is solid ultrawide support. Click to expand... Click to shrink... From the steam FAQ Will the remasters support ultra-wide monitors on PC? Yes, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Enhanced Edition will feature support for ultra-wide monitors on PC. Click to expand... Click to shrink...   Stallion Free Member Oct 29, 2017 1,402 Nacery said: From the steam FAQ Click to expand... Click to shrink... Oh hell yes! Awesome that they called that out specifically.   texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,418 Indonesia Jedi2016 said: On PC, they're three separate "Enhanced Editions", there is no "Lengenday collection" or whatever, they've always been three separate titles. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Huh, interesting. So they will be a free upgrade for each game you own. Like I have shadow and clear sky but not prypiat, so I guess I still have to buy the last one. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl - Enhanced Edition on Steam S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl, the first chapter of the Legends of the Zone Trilogy, which started it all. store.steampowered.com S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky - Enhanced Edition on Steam S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is the prequel chapter of the Legends of the Zone Trilogy. With the ability to directly influence the balance of power through Faction Wars, step into the boots of Scar — a seasoned mercenary, able to somehow survive deadly Emissions. store.steampowered.com S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Prypiat - Enhanced Edition on Steam S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Prypiat follows the story of special service agent Major Degtyarev as he investigates the fate of a lost expedition. store.steampowered.com   Jedi2016 Member Oct 27, 2017 20,043 I actually do have all of them, but I've only ever played the original. I picked up all of them over the years in random sales for like $2 apiece.   BizzyBum Member Oct 26, 2017 10,444 New York Condwiramurs said: Finally on pc, can now do achievements while waiting for stalker2 to get fixed 🥳 Click to expand... Click to shrink... Man, what even happened to 2? It had so much hype pre-launch, then it came out pretty buggy which everyone was expecting, and now I feel like I haven't seen or heard anyone talk about it for months. Feels like it disappeared.  texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,418 Indonesia BizzyBum said: Man, what even happened to 2? It had so much hype pre-launch, then it came out pretty buggy which everyone was expecting, and now I feel like I haven't seen or heard anyone talk about it for months. Feels like it disappeared. Click to expand... Click to shrink... They're still fixing the game with wall of text of patch notes every month. They've also just released their roadmap of fixes and improvements for Q2 2025, so there's little to no reason to play it in the current state. The game is still in early access in all but name.  XmarsMayflowerX Member Feb 2, 2025 261 Hell yea. Back to the zone on PC with controller!   ascagnel Member Mar 29, 2018 2,616 BizzyBum said: Man, what even happened to 2? It had so much hype pre-launch, then it came out pretty buggy which everyone was expecting, and now I feel like I haven't seen or heard anyone talk about it for months. Feels like it disappeared. Click to expand... Click to shrink... They're doing major work to the AI systems, because that was the highlight of the old games and fairly lackluster on S2.  

Rocketz Prophet of Truth Member Oct 25, 2017 8,604 Metro Detroit Ubisoft has release a gameplay showcase of what to expect in Anno 117: Pax Romana. Get a chance to see the new roads and land armies. Release still set for 2025. Looks like content creators have videos and impressions as well if you choose to seek them out. View: https://youtu.be/GBXNl88yeW4?si=dR8qywUrXnks3ver  Firebricks Member Jan 27, 2018 2,438 This is my most anticipated game of the year, and it looks great.   PapaJustify Member Nov 3, 2017 1,318 Germany Incredible. It's all I wanted and more. I cannot wait.   OP OP Rocketz Prophet of Truth Member Oct 25, 2017 8,604 Metro Detroit Saw as well you get a choice now of what food you want to start your first group of citizens with.   MacReady Member Jan 21, 2024 476 Looks really good.   MacheteSquadSteve Member Jan 6, 2025 276 Going to spend a lot of time with this. As gorgeous as Manor Lords is, I'm looking forward to a more pleasant climate to build in.   strudelkuchen Member Oct 25, 2017 13,387 Looks good. Anno 1800 is the best one since 1404, I have high hopes!   ProdigyZA Member Jun 9, 2024 1,491 Looking great.   Nacho Papi Member Oct 27, 2017 3,270 Looks gorgeous!   Squirrel09 Member Nov 4, 2017 1,909 What's the combat like in these games? My impression was that they were themed city builders, are they more like RTS with a city building focus?   cabelhigh Member Nov 2, 2017 1,917 Visually looks good, but just that trailer gameplay wise looks a LOT like 1800...seems like the streams have more unique gameplay tho, but I dont have the time to watch them   Shahadan Member Oct 27, 2017 5,565 So apparently you can choose which foods to supply to houses? wow Not sure I like stuff being locked behind a tech tree however  Majora's Mask Member Oct 26, 2017 2,028 Will watch when I get home, but really hope M+KB is implemented on consoles.   attic Member Jun 28, 2024 383 wow so this is by far the earliest setting in the series so far, that's so cool. antiquity-heads are eating good   Xando Member Oct 28, 2017 37,600 There is a lot of footage out there. Seems like some german influencers got a lot of time with it   Potterson Member Oct 28, 2017 7,227 Looking at influencers' videos, it looks like Anno 1800 (chains of production, how you handle citizens and their needs etc, missions) with small changes. And... It's great. 1800 is amazing.  FliX Master of the Reality Stone Moderator Oct 25, 2017 10,928 Metro Detroit Awww yiss, been waiting for this!   Anno Member Oct 25, 2017 7,876 Columbus, Ohio idk that I need ground combat to return. But otherwise it looks amazing, unsurprisingly.   GTAce Member Oct 27, 2017 4,601 Bonn, Germany Anno 1800 with a (for me) entirely uninteresting setting. Love 1800, but I hoped for a game with a generally bigger scope, maybe even multiple eras.   FliX Master of the Reality Stone Moderator Oct 25, 2017 10,928 Metro Detroit Squirrel09 said: What's the combat like in these games? My impression was that they were themed city builders, are they more like RTS with a city building focus? Click to expand... Click to shrink... The focus has historically been on production chains and trade. But looks like more combat options in this one than in 1800.  Bucca Member Oct 25, 2017 5,506 Beautiful   strudelkuchen Member Oct 25, 2017 13,387 monketron Member Oct 27, 2017 4,112 Hype levels at max. Cannot wait for this and also to see where they go with the DLC over the years. Shame we don't have a proper release date yet.   MegaSackman Member Oct 27, 2017 20,674 Argentina Only watched the trailer which didn't say much but I'll watch the rest later. Regardless, this is a day one for me. Thank god it's coming on consoles day one.   Shairi Member Aug 27, 2018 10,175 Oh damn, this looks sooo good. I'm so excited.   Splinky Member Jul 12, 2023 133 It makes sense to go straight to the Romans, those guys were way ahead of the curve in their love of grid layouts.   shoal Member Dec 27, 2020 753 Wow, I loved 1404 and didn't know this was coming out!   Genesius Member Nov 2, 2018 20,542 I'm excited for this but also a bit intimidated, especially since I'd be on console for this. I wonder if you'll be limited to Roman gods or if they would do something like incorporate early Christianity.  mavericktopgun Member Oct 27, 2017 5,435 Do we know if this comes to Switch 2? Mouse mode is perfect for this   strudelkuchen Member Oct 25, 2017 13,387 Genesius said: I'm excited for this but also a bit intimidated, especially since I'd be on console for this. I wonder if you'll be limited to Roman gods or if they would do something like incorporate early Christianity. Click to expand... Click to shrink... You are not limited to Roman gods.   Lightsong Member Nov 11, 2022 9,385 I'm so glad we went back so far in history. I loved 1800 but something even more modern is just not working well for this franchise.   Sec0nd The Fallen Oct 27, 2017 6,952 Looks nice. Anno 1800 was so wonderful and I've spent ridiculous amounts of hours in that game last summer. Don't feel like I'm ready for another Anno game yet, but I'll keep my eyes open for this one for sure.  FliX Master of the Reality Stone Moderator Oct 25, 2017 10,928 Metro Detroit Genesius said: I'm excited for this but also a bit intimidated, especially since I'd be on console for this. wonder if you'll be limited to Roman gods or if they would do something like incorporate early Christianity. Click to expand... Click to shrink... The console version of 1800 is wonderfully realised. Plays great with a controller.   SofNascimento cursed Member Oct 28, 2017 24,883 São Paulo - Brazil Give me all Roman games.   Lightsong Member Nov 11, 2022 9,385 My favourite Anno is still 1602, that had land combat too (controlled terribly, lol), so I'm totally on board with this.   Morten88 Member Dec 22, 2019 2,391 This looks really fucking good   Dmax3901 Member Oct 25, 2017 8,554 Looks so good, the tease of Romanising other provinces sounds super interesting, I wonder how extensive that will be. Would certainly be a good avenue for Season Passes to go down.   Smokey_Run The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 5,077 Can't wait to play it. It looks great. Hopefully a date gets announced soon.   MegaSackman Member Oct 27, 2017 20,674 Argentina I watched the IGN preview with distractions and didn't find anything truly different from 1800 outside of minor stuff. Not that it matters to me, 1800 was my first full Anno game (I played a FTP one a long time ago) and I'm ready for a new one, doesn't matter to me if it's more of the same.   FliX Master of the Reality Stone Moderator Oct 25, 2017 10,928 Metro Detroit Honestly 1800 is like the perfect game for me. More of the same is good in my book.   Aangster Member Oct 27, 2017 3,016 Looking forward to this, the universal UI being the console version of 1800 is my main concern though, because I don't think it'll work well for PC players and could end up being a bit of a disaster like Civ 7's.   Dmax3901 Member Oct 25, 2017 8,554 What do we think the chances are for this to get pushed to 2026?   Tmespe Member Oct 27, 2017 3,758 Dmax3901 said: What do we think the chances are for this to get pushed to 2026? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Medium since we don't have a release date yet. Then again the press preview is looking quite polished already.   Lucreto Member Oct 25, 2017 7,273 Dmax3901 said: What do we think the chances are for this to get pushed to 2026? Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's possible but they are still saying 2025, so it's still there target. There is a developer commentary livestream Wednesday so they might mention a date there.  finaljedi Member Jul 15, 2018 629 Cincinnati, OH I wonder when they run out of titles that add up to 9.   eonden Member Oct 25, 2017 17,557 That looks class.  

After pictures of in-hand copies of Wizkids’ new pre-painted Baldur’s Gate 3 miniatures emerged and were promptly ridiculed last week, the toymaker has announced plans to offer complete refunds to players disappointed by the horrifying paint jobs that turned Faerun’s finest into eldritch abominations. The controversy around Wizkids’ new $50 Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3D&D video game found them arriving with almost comically bad paint applications—significantly worse than the production images used to sell the set promoted, which were themselves already significantly worse than the images used for the highly anticipated set’s reveal last year. Although no one expected seven mass-market miniatures to hit the quality of, say, a Golden Demon entrant, when Karlach’s eyes start slipping halfway down her face, Lae’zel’s hair is half Githyanki-skintone colored, and Gale looks more like a Dollar Tree Matt Berry, something has gone clearly wrong. Thankfully, Wizkids agrees. In a statement released to the company’s official website today, Wizkids offered an apology for the quality of its Baldur’s Gate 3 minis. “As a company, WizKids seeks to create products that enhance and add to the enjoyment of game play. We want our customers to build long-lasting, fond memories around game nights with friends and family using our products,” the statement opens. “Unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal with the D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Boxed Set.” Wizkids will offer complete refunds to anyone who purchased the set directly from the company, but also offered that anyone who purchased the box set through their local game store can return it to point of purchase for a complete refund as well. Should anyone be brave enough to want a replacement instead, they can also fill out an online form to receive a set that Wizkids will “ensure that it meets the standards expected.” Wizkids has also removed the Icons of the Realm set from its webstore, so anyone looking to try and buy a questionable piece of Baldur’s Gate 3 history might find themselves out of luck. “Please accept our sincerest apologies for the frustration and disappointment these quality issues caused our customers. We, too, feel the same as the final product did not meet our expectations or that of our Wizards of the Coast partner,” the statement concluded. “Our teams are working to find the best solutions to resolve this for all involved and to work with you, our customers, to fix this.” Hasbro’s broader stewardship of Baldur’s Gate 3 in the wake of Larian officially moving on from the game after its latest patch has been marked by a series of unfortunate public mishaps as it seeks to capitalize on the immense success of the 2023 smash hit. In a much less funny situation than badly painted miniatures, earlier this year Wizards of the Coast scrapped its much-vaunted virtual tabletop project Sigil, which had extensively leveraged the ability to use characters like Baldur’s Gate‘s Karlach and Astarion in promotional material. Hopefully we get a few more critical hits rather than natural 1s, whatever the company decides to do with BG3 next. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

ASUS is updating both its ProArt laptop and its Chromebooks with the latest internals for Computex 2025, and giving both families of laptops a more premium look, with new colors and tasteful finishes. The ASUS ProArt A16 stands out as the most premium pick, with a black aluminum body, "stealth" hinge that bring the top half of the laptop nearly flush with the bottom and a smudge-resistant finish that should hopefully avoid fingerprints. Inside, ASUS is offering an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX processor and a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU, both of which qualify the new ProArt as a Copilot+ PC. That means you'll get access to Windows' growing list of AI features, and ASUS is also including to apps — StoryCube and MuseTree — that can run generative AI models entirely locally. All packed into a laptop that's around half-an-inch thick and has a 16-inch 4K OLED. Asus In terms of Chromebooks, ASUS is offering both normal models and Chromebook Plus versions that support Google's AI tools. The ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 has a 14-inch display that can fold flat and a 1080p webcam, alongside up to an Intel Core i5 and 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM. That's enough to offer Gemini features locally, and you'll get priority access to Gemini Advanced. The only real disadvantage is the giant ASUS logo that still looks awkward next to the similarly prominent Chromebook logo, and the limited color options: You can only pick between white or grey. Asus The ASUS Chromebook CX14 and CX15 come with up to an Intel Core N355 processor, put to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of storage. If you're curious about Google's AI features, you can also purchase a Plus version of the CX14. Whether you get the 14-inch or 15-inch model, both come with a respectable selection of ports, including HDMI for connecting to external displays. Either size also gets a variety of color options: blue, and a sliver-y grey or a greenish-grey in a either a matte or textured finish. Asus The ASUS Chromebook CX34 is available now starting at $400 from both Walmart and Best Buy. Meanwhile, the rest of the above laptops won't be available until Q2 2025. The ProArt A16 starts at $2,500 from ASUS' online store and Best Buy. The Chromebook CX14 starts at $279 from Best Buy or Costco. The Chromebook Plus CX14 will be available for $429 from Best Buy. And finally the Chromebook CX15 starts at $220 and will be able to be purchased from Best Buy and Amazon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/the-asus-proart-a16-laptop-gets-you-the-latest-from-amd-and-a-giant-screen-013037587.html?src=rss

Genshin Impact’s overwhelming presence in the gacha space has been nearly uncontested for five years now, occupying an enviable position as one of the most popular gacha games of all time. Many games, referred to as Genshin clones, have tried and failed to recreate miHoYo’s success, but none have come as close as Wuthering Waves, an open-world action RPG that isn’t content to simply copy Genshin’s formula, but rather takes it further. With Wuthering Waves’ success, developers would be wise to take notes and understand what made this Genshin Impact clone different from all the rest. Wuthering Waves has proven that Genshin’s position isn’t unassailable, and there is room for more games like it in the industry.

The MSI Claw series of Steam Deck-style handheld gaming PCs is the only one from a major manufacturer that goes with Intel chips instead of the much more popular (at least in this segment) AMD APUs. Well, it looks like MSI decided to go with the flow. There’s a new version of the Claw 8, and it’s using an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme. That’s the same chip that’s allegedly inside that new Asus ROG Ally 2, a more powerful version than the first generation, and not to be confused with the disappointing Ryzen Z2 Go. This new AMD flavor is christened the Claw A8 BZ2EM, which is only slightly less terrible than the top-end Claw 8 AI+ with Intel chips. The new model is notably more angular, with a two-tone paint job that doesn’t stretch onto the main panel and what looks like larger speaker grilles built into the grips. msi This new AMD-powered Claw comes with an 8-inch, 1200P LCD screen with 120Hz refresh, “up to 24GB” of DDR5x-8000 RAM, one M.2 slot for storage (no capacity given currently), and double USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports. You also get a MicroSD card reader for expansion, a beefy 80-watt hour battery, and a weight of 765 grams 1.6 pounds), which is still slightly lighter than the Intel version. Speaking of which, there’s a refreshed model of the Claw 8 AI+ as well. It’s using the same hardware as the existing model, topping out at an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage. This “Polar Tempest Edition” gets a “glittering UV coating,” according to the press release. Strangely, the press release states that both devices will be available in “a range of color options,” but it does not provide specific prices or release dates. The Claw A AI+ has been very difficult to find in the US since launch but is currently listed at $1000 on Best Buy and B&H Photo, with neither actually shipping the hardware. Other announcements from MSI at Computex showcase new OLED monitors, with the MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 being the most intriguing. If that alphabet soup doesn’t perk up your ears, try this: 500Hz eSports OLED monitor for $850. It has all the other usual gaming bells and whistles, like QHD (2560×1440) resolution at 27 inches, .03ms response time, variable refresh rate support for consoles, and some fancy stuff like support for resizing and custom aspect ratios. It’s using a Samsung panel, probably the same one as this monitor, for quite a bit less. MSI But that price at that refresh rate is really something. As my editor, Brad Chacos, said, you’d expect to pay somewhere in that ballpark for a conventional LCD panel at 500Hz. Upgrading to an OLED, while also offering fantastic speeds for gaming, is really something. Connection options aren’t fully spelled out in the PR material, but it has a USB-C port, hopefully with enough wattage output for a gaming laptop. The MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 (oh my god MSI, you are just begging for returns here) has that same 500Hz 27-inch panel, but builds in some more advanced features. The headliner is the new AI Care Sensor and its accompanying panel protection features. It only needs a mandatory OLED care refresh cycle once every 24 hours instead of 16, thanks to a local “AI” chip presence detection and automatic dimming. Surprisingly, all these extra features only raise the price a little, up to $899 USD. The cheaper MAG monitor is scheduled to go on sale starting July 5th, and the more advanced MPG on July 17th. Precise location availability was not shared.

Unity is on a mission to empower more learners to become real-time 3D creators. We made our online learning platform, Unity Learn, free for all in 2020 to give everyone the opportunity to access high-quality education and achieve their dream careers.Unity Learn Pathways are intensive online courses designed to take you from complete beginner to career-ready. To demonstrate this better than we ever could, we recently sat down with Pathways graduate Robbie Coey to chat about his experience with starting his own studio and working toward releasing his first game after finishing the Junior Programmer Pathway.Robbie Coey (he/him) is a founder and director of HoloMoon Games, an indie game studio based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Robbie, K Andrews, and Michael McArdle founded Holomoon in September 2021 to create weird and wonderful narrative experiences. They’re currently working on Guitar Zeros, a narrative deck-builder about bringing a band from humble beginnings to the world stage.Keep reading to learn more about Robbie and the integral role Unity Learn has played in getting his career and studio off the ground.How did it feel when you completed the Junior Programmer Pathway?In a word, brilliant. It felt as though I finally had something that I was passionate about and could focus on. I could spend hours on various tutorials and building my own projects and it would feel as if no time had passed at all. The only other time I have that feeling is when playing games.How long did it take you to complete the course?It took around a month, and I completed it alongside part-time work. I advise anyone embarking on it to work little and often – you'll burn out if you try to do too much in a short time. It's easier to build the habit if you're able to work consistently over a long period, and if that means only doing half an hour every other day, that's what you do. Find a schedule that works for you and avoid burnout at all costs.What was your career before you started learning Unity?I had worked briefly in film and television in a range of roles on documentaries, dramas, and animations. I’d explored film and television a lot, and while there were things I enjoyed about working in that industry, I always felt a little out of place.What career challenges did you face?I felt as though I lacked hard skills. I was good at communicating and being a team player, but whether it was due to lack of confidence or something else, I always felt uncomfortable putting myself forward to do more technical work.What made you want to switch careers?The COVID-19 pandemic had dried up all opportunities in the industry I worked in previously. It was a move almost out of desperation. To even my older siblings, games were an idle pastime at most. Unity Pathways and the support from Unity really showed me how much of an opportunity there was in the games industry. I have met people and done things that I would never have dreamed of prior, as well as found a huge passion that continues to drive me to push myself further.“Unity Pathways and the support from Unity really showed me how much of an opportunity there was in the games industry.”Has the career change had an impact on your salary?It's a lot more stable, for one. I came from a work-for-hire industry, and immediately before learning Unity I was unemployed due to the pandemic. Having mostly done short contract work in the past, learning Unity has allowed me a lot more financial freedom and opportunities to increase my salary.“Learning Unity has allowed me a lot more financial freedom and opportunities to increase my salary.”Can you tell us about your new career?I’m now a director in my own studio. I was very lucky to receive funding from Northern Ireland Screen after completing my Unity Pathways course. With that initial investment I, along with two others, were able to start our own studio, HoloMoon Games. We want to make games that reflect our culture and make people laugh. We're currently working towards our first official release, Guitar Zeros, which will hopefully be on Steam sometime next year. And, I’ve recently become a BAFTA Connect member, which I never thought I could achieve. I keep wondering when they're going to realize and kick me out.“We're currently working towards our first official release.”Can you tell us how you secured funding for your project?We applied for an incubator scheme with Northern Ireland Screen called MiniGame, which involved written and in-person pitching. My advice for anyone looking to do the same would be to get comfortable talking about your game idea in front of others. One thing that helps is to ask three questions: Can I make this? Should I make this? And, do I want to make this? If I answer yes to all three, then I know I can comfortably pitch that idea. In general, I'd recommend keeping an eye out for funding opportunities, especially those provided by local organizations in your area. Without the support from Northern Ireland Screen, I wouldn't be in the position I am now.Why do you think learning real-time 3D and Unity is so important?For me, it unlocked so many ways in which I could express myself, and also allowed me to understand the digital world we live in. After I started learning Unity, I began to see it and real-time 3D technologies everywhere, from film and TV to the automotive industry. Real-time 3D is really becoming ubiquitous, and understanding how it works means you won't get left behind.“After I started learning Unity, I began to see it and real-time 3D technologies everywhere.”Has learning Unity had an impact on your life and career?It has completely changed the trajectory of my life and career, given me skills I never thought I had, and ignited a passion for games and programming that I didn't know was there. It made it possible for me to access a new industry which, to even my parents’ generation, seemed esoteric and mysterious. My life and career are infinitely more interesting since I completed the Unity Pathway.“My life and career are infinitely more interesting since I completed the Unity Pathway.”What are your plans for the future?I would like to continue running my own company, improve my craft, make interesting games that I can be proud of, and really try to push the storytelling of the medium forward. Games are unique in the way that they tell stories, and I feel there is still a lot to learn about what kind of experiences they are able to create.“Games are unique in the way that they tell stories, and I feel there is still a lot to learn about what kind of experiences they are able to create.”What advice would you give to anyone learning Unity?Rome wasn't built in a day. You won't learn everything about Unity overnight, but you also don't need to learn everything about Unity to get creative. In fact, I find setting yourself limitations can oftentimes make you more creative. You will get the knowledge you want with hard work and dedication, and there's no point rushing it. Also, network – find peers that are at your level and find others that are where you want to be in the future. There's a great community of people out there and they all want to lift each other up.You mentioned finding your peers. How did you go about doing this? Do you have any advice for anyone trying to find a community?The best source for me to find other game developers was through the Northern Ireland Game Developer Network. I would keep an eye out for local developer networks or more specific communities related to what you would like to do. Discord is a great meeting point for many of these groups, including Unity's own Discord server. Partaking in game jams is also a great way of meeting people. Itch.io has a terrific list of upcoming jams that suit all sorts of game developers, most of which will have some kind of forum to meet others who are participating.With Pathways, you can build all of the skills you need to master Unity and join the real-time 3D industry, just like Robbie. These free online courses cover everything from downloading and installing the Unity Editor to coding, VR development, lighting and shading, and more.Junior Programmer is designed for anyone interested in learning to code or obtaining an entry-level Unity role. In this free, fully virtual, self-guided course, you will learn about fundamental programming concepts such as variables, functions, and basic logic through two practical projects. You’ll also join a community of Unity learners enrolled in your Pathway where you can share your progress, get help, and interact with Unity's learning team.Follow HoloMoon Games’ progress on Twitter and don’t forget to wishlist Guitar Zeros on Steam. Did learning Unity help you achieve your dream career? If you’d be interested in sharing your story, please complete the following form for the chance to be featured: Share your Unity journey.