ActuGaming.net The Outer Worlds 2 : Narration, univers, gameplay… On fait le point sur tout ce qu’il faut savoir à propos de l’action-RPG SF d’Obsidian Fin 2019, Obsidian Entertainment a commercialisé The Outer Worlds, un action-RP

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You’ve drawn fifty versions of the same screen — and you still hate every one of them. Begrudgingly, you pick three, show them to your product manager, and hear: “Looks cool, but the idea doesn’t work.” Sound familiar? In this article, I’ll unpack why designers fall into detail work at the wrong moment, examining both process pitfalls and the underlying psychological reasons, as understanding these traps is the first step to overcoming them. I’ll also share tactics I use to climb out of that trap. Reason #1 You’re Afraid To Show Rough Work We designers worship detail. We’re taught that true craft equals razor‑sharp typography, perfect grids, and pixel precision. So the minute a task arrives, we pop open Figma and start polishing long before polish is needed. I’ve skipped the sketch phase more times than I care to admit. I told myself it would be faster, yet I always ended up spending hours producing a tidy mock‑up when a scribbled thumbnail would have sparked a five‑minute chat with my product manager. Rough sketches felt “unprofessional,” so I hid them. The cost? Lost time, wasted energy — and, by the third redo, teammates were quietly wondering if I even understood the brief. The real problem here is the habit: we open Figma and start perfecting the UI before we’ve even solved the problem. So why do we hide these rough sketches? It’s not just a bad habit or plain silly. There are solid psychological reasons behind it. We often just call it perfectionism, but it’s deeper than wanting things neat. Digging into the psychology (like the research by Hewitt and Flett) shows there are a couple of flavors driving this: Socially prescribed perfectionismIt’s that nagging feeling that everyone else expects perfect work from you, which makes showing anything rough feel like walking into the lion’s den. Self-oriented perfectionismWhere you’re the one setting impossibly high standards for yourself, leading to brutal self-criticism if anything looks slightly off. Either way, the result’s the same: showing unfinished work feels wrong, and you miss out on that vital early feedback. Back to the design side, remember that clients rarely see architects’ first pencil sketches, but these sketches still exist; they guide structural choices before the 3D render. Treat your thumbnails the same way — artifacts meant to collapse uncertainty, not portfolio pieces. Once stakeholders see the upside, roughness becomes a badge of speed, not sloppiness. So, the key is to consciously make that shift: Treat early sketches as disposable tools for thinking and actively share them to get feedback faster. Reason #2: You Fix The Symptom, Not The Cause Before tackling any task, we need to understand what business outcome we’re aiming for. Product managers might come to us asking to enlarge the payment button in the shopping cart because users aren’t noticing it. The suggested solution itself isn’t necessarily bad, but before redesigning the button, we should ask, “What data suggests they aren’t noticing it?” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you shouldn’t trust your product manager. On the contrary, these questions help ensure you’re on the same page and working with the same data. From my experience, here are several reasons why users might not be clicking that coveted button: Users don’t understand that this step is for payment. They understand it’s about payment but expect order confirmation first. Due to incorrect translation, users don’t understand what the button means. Lack of trust signals (no security icons, unclear seller information). Unexpected additional costs (hidden fees, shipping) that appear at this stage. Technical issues (inactive button, page freezing). Now, imagine you simply did what the manager suggested. Would you have solved the problem? Hardly. Moreover, the responsibility for the unresolved issue would fall on you, as the interface solution lies within the design domain. The product manager actually did their job correctly by identifying a problem: suspiciously, few users are clicking the button. Psychologically, taking on this bigger role isn’t easy. It means overcoming the fear of making mistakes and the discomfort of exploring unclear problems rather than just doing tasks. This shift means seeing ourselves as partners who create value — even if it means fighting a hesitation to question product managers (which might come from a fear of speaking up or a desire to avoid challenging authority) — and understanding that using our product logic expertise proactively is crucial for modern designers. There’s another critical reason why we, designers, need to be a bit like product managers: the rise of AI. I deliberately used a simple example about enlarging a button, but I’m confident that in the near future, AI will easily handle routine design tasks. This worries me, but at the same time, I’m already gladly stepping into the product manager’s territory: understanding product and business metrics, formulating hypotheses, conducting research, and so on. It might sound like I’m taking work away from PMs, but believe me, they undoubtedly have enough on their plates and are usually more than happy to delegate some responsibilities to designers. Reason #3: You’re Solving The Wrong Problem Before solving anything, ask whether the problem even deserves your attention. During a major home‑screen redesign, our goal was to drive more users into paid services. The initial hypothesis — making service buttons bigger and brighter might help returning users — seemed reasonable enough to test. However, even when A/B tests (a method of comparing two versions of a design to determine which performs better) showed minimal impact, we continued to tweak those buttons. Only later did it click: the home screen isn’t the place to sell; visitors open the app to start, not to buy. We removed that promo block, and nothing broke. Contextual entry points deeper into the journey performed brilliantly. Lesson learned: Without the right context, any visual tweak is lipstick on a pig. Why did we get stuck polishing buttons instead of stopping sooner? It’s easy to get tunnel vision. Psychologically, it’s likely the good old sunk cost fallacy kicking in: we’d already invested time in the buttons, so stopping felt like wasting that effort, even though the data wasn’t promising. It’s just easier to keep fiddling with something familiar than to admit we need a new plan. Perhaps the simple question I should have asked myself when results stalled was: “Are we optimizing the right thing or just polishing something that fundamentally doesn’t fit the user’s primary goal here?” That alone might have saved hours. Reason #4: You’re Drowning In Unactionable Feedback We all discuss our work with colleagues. But here’s a crucial point: what kind of question do you pose to kick off that discussion? If your go-to is “What do you think?” well, that question might lead you down a rabbit hole of personal opinions rather than actionable insights. While experienced colleagues will cut through the noise, others, unsure what to evaluate, might comment on anything and everything — fonts, button colors, even when you desperately need to discuss a user flow. What matters here are two things: The question you ask, The context you give. That means clearly stating the problem, what you’ve learned, and how your idea aims to fix it. For instance: “The problem is our payment conversion rate has dropped by X%. I’ve interviewed users and found they abandon payment because they don’t understand how the total amount is calculated. My solution is to show a detailed cost breakdown. Do you think this actually solves the problem for them?” Here, you’ve stated the problem (conversion drop), shared your insight (user confusion), explained your solution (cost breakdown), and asked a direct question. It’s even better if you prepare a list of specific sub-questions. For instance: “Are all items in the cost breakdown clear?” or “Does the placement of this breakdown feel intuitive within the payment flow?” Another good habit is to keep your rough sketches and previous iterations handy. Some of your colleagues’ suggestions might be things you’ve already tried. It’s great if you can discuss them immediately to either revisit those ideas or definitively set them aside. I’m not a psychologist, but experience tells me that, psychologically, the reluctance to be this specific often stems from a fear of our solution being rejected. We tend to internalize feedback: a seemingly innocent comment like, “Have you considered other ways to organize this section?” or “Perhaps explore a different structure for this part?” can instantly morph in our minds into “You completely messed up the structure. You’re a bad designer.” Imposter syndrome, in all its glory. So, to wrap up this point, here are two recommendations: Prepare for every design discussion.A couple of focused questions will yield far more valuable input than a vague “So, what do you think?”. Actively work on separating feedback on your design from your self-worth.If a mistake is pointed out, acknowledge it, learn from it, and you’ll be less likely to repeat it. This is often easier said than done. For me, it took years of working with a psychotherapist. If you struggle with this, I sincerely wish you strength in overcoming it. Reason #5 You’re Just Tired Sometimes, the issue isn’t strategic at all — it’s fatigue. Fussing over icon corners can feel like a cozy bunker when your brain is fried. There’s a name for this: decision fatigue. Basically, your brain’s battery for hard thinking is low, so it hides out in the easy, comfy zone of pixel-pushing. A striking example comes from a New York Times article titled “Do You Suffer From Decision Fatigue?.” It described how judges deciding on release requests were far more likely to grant release early in the day (about 70% of cases) compared to late in the day (less than 10%) simply because their decision-making energy was depleted. Luckily, designers rarely hold someone’s freedom in their hands, but the example dramatically shows how fatigue can impact our judgment and productivity. What helps here: Swap tasks.Trade tickets with another designer; novelty resets your focus. Talk to another designer.If NDA permits, ask peers outside the team for a sanity check. Step away.Even a ten‑minute walk can do more than a double‑shot espresso. By the way, I came up with these ideas while walking around my office. I was lucky to work near a river, and those short walks quickly turned into a helpful habit. And one more trick that helps me snap out of detail mode early: if I catch myself making around 20 little tweaks — changing font weight, color, border radius — I just stop. Over time, it turned into a habit. I have a similar one with Instagram: by the third reel, my brain quietly asks, “Wait, weren’t we working?” Funny how that kind of nudge saves a ton of time. Four Steps I Use to Avoid Drowning In Detail Knowing these potential traps, here’s the practical process I use to stay on track: 1. Define the Core Problem & Business Goal Before anything, dig deep: what’s the actual problem we’re solving, not just the requested task or a surface-level symptom? Ask ‘why’ repeatedly. What user pain or business need are we addressing? Then, state the clear business goal: “What metric am I moving, and do we have data to prove this is the right lever?” If retention is the goal, decide whether push reminders, gamification, or personalised content is the best route. The wrong lever, or tackling a symptom instead of the cause, dooms everything downstream. 2. Choose the Mechanic (Solution Principle) Once the core problem and goal are clear, lock the solution principle or ‘mechanic’ first. Going with a game layer? Decide if it’s leaderboards, streaks, or badges. Write it down. Then move on. No UI yet. This keeps the focus high-level before diving into pixels. 3. Wireframe the Flow & Get Focused Feedback Now open Figma. Map screens, layout, and transitions. Boxes and arrows are enough. Keep the fidelity low so the discussion stays on the flow, not colour. Crucially, when you share these early wires, ask specific questions and provide clear context (as discussed in ‘Reason #4’) to get actionable feedback, not just vague opinions. 4. Polish the Visuals (Mindfully) I only let myself tweak grids, type scales, and shadows after the flow is validated. If progress stalls, or before a major polish effort, I surface the work in a design critique — again using targeted questions and clear context — instead of hiding in version 47. This ensures detailing serves the now-validated solution. Even for something as small as a single button, running these four checkpoints takes about ten minutes and saves hours of decorative dithering. Wrapping Up Next time you feel the pull to vanish into mock‑ups before the problem is nailed down, pause and ask what you might be avoiding. Yes, that can expose an uncomfortable truth. But pausing to ask what you might be avoiding — maybe the fuzzy core problem, or just asking for tough feedback — gives you the power to face the real issue head-on. It keeps the project focused on solving the right problem, not just perfecting a flawed solution. Attention to detail is a superpower when used at the right moment. Obsessing over pixels too soon, though, is a bad habit and a warning light telling us the process needs a rethink.

You know the scene: someone reaches for a suspiciously dusty book in a stately library, the bookshelf creaks, and boom—a hidden passage swings open. Maybe it’s a secret tunnel, maybe it’s a villain’s lair, maybe it’s just where they keep the good snacks. Either way, it’s drama. It’s mystery. It’s very extra. And guess what? That magic is no longer reserved for Scooby-Doo or Sherlock Holmes.Thanks to interior designers’ customization offerings, as well as hidden-door-specific brands such as Murphy Door and Creative Home Engineering, those secret swings and sneaky reveals are showing up in real-life homes—and homeowners are absolutely obsessed. Like, “I’ll take three, please and thank you” obsessed.Designer Lynn Kloythanomsup of Landed Interiors and Home installed a Murphy Door to conceal a hallway bathroom in a San Francisco home.Haris KenjarTa-da! With a push of the shelf a pretty powder room is revealed.Haris KenjarThese cleverly disguised doors are popping up everywhere, from kitchens and closets to home offices and bedrooms, proving that the only thing better than good design is a good surprise. “There’s nothing better than a hidden surprise,” says interior designer Maria Vassiliou of Maria Zoe Designs. Shock value aside, Murphy doors can also have practical benefits as well. “Hidden doors often come with features like shelving, allowing for better organization and use of space,” says Vassiliou. They can also be designed to blend seamlessly with cabinetry.”Translation: not only do hidden doors look cool, they can actually do something. (Imagine that!) Here’s everything you need to know about hidden doors.A built in bookcase with a secret tucked within a modern mountain barn by A Classical Studio. Heidi HarrisA little push is all it takes to reveal a secret passageway behind the shelf. Heidi HarrisWhat, Exactly, Is a Murphy Door?There’s a difference between a well-disguised door and a hidden one. You can flush-mount a jib door into the wall, wrap it in wallpaper, and remove the hardware to make it nearly invisible. These minimalist doors are scattered throughout design-forward interiors. But a Murphy Door is something entirely different. It’s not invisible—it’s intentionally integrated. It could be a bookshelf, a staircase, or even a wine rack. It’s meant to be lived with, decorated, and admired. But here’s the catch: you’d never guess it’s also a door. HEIDI GELDHAUSER HARRISIn this dining room, designer Clary Bosbyshell used the same mural wallpaper to create a seamless transition on a jib door.Of course, the thrill factor is still alive and well. If you’ve ever walked through the fridge to get into Good Times at Davey Wayne’s in L.A., or slipped through the vending machine into Basement in NYC’s Chinatown, or snuck behind the bookshelf at Eatapas in Fort Lauderdale, then you know: a hidden entrance makes everything instantly cooler. And yes, your house deserves to be that cool. Take this Central Texas home designed by Sarah Stacey of Sarah Stacey Interior Design. She cleverly utilized an iconic British telephone booth as the secret entrance between the home’s garage-turned-speakeasy and dance hall. Then there’s the Grandpa who created his own version of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia by enclosing a secret room within his bedroom wardrobe. STEPHEN KARLISCHDesigner Sarah Stacey brought on a contractor to remove the back of the booth to recast it as a hidden door.What Styles of Murphy Doors Are Available?Murphy Door’s lineup is basically a choose-your-own-adventure of hidden access points. Want a full-length Mirror Door that’s secretly a portal to your glam room? Done. Need a Pantry Door to hide your cereal stash and your coffee machine? There’s a Murphy Door for that too. Or you can do your own custom built-in like Vassiliou did in her clients’ home below. “The hidden door allows the homeowners to hide away items that might otherwise seem cluttered, such as small appliances like coffee machines and toaster ovens and extra pantry items like fruit, vegetables and snacks,” she says.This seems to be just another display cabinet in this butler's pantry designed by Marie Zoe Designs.Linda Pordon PhotographyThis opens up to reveal additional storage and even tucked away appliances. Linda Pordon Photography“A Murphy Door isn’t just a door—it’s a gateway to possibility,” says Jeremy Barker, Founder and CEO at Murphy Door. “Homeowners are drawn to the idea that behind what looks like an ordinary bookcase or cabinet is something deeply personal: a wine cellar, a hidden study, a secure space, or even a walk-in pantry.”Murphy Door’s newest launches—debuted at the 2025 NAHB International Builders Show—include the Archway Bookcase Door for that Beauty and the Beast library moment, the Speakeasy Door if you want to relive the thrill of the prohibition, and let’s not forget the Tactical Murphy Door, which sounds like it moonlights as a Marvel superhero but is actually just a very secure place to keep your valuables. They also offer a number of these doors in a French Door style making way for double the drama and mystery.Courtesy of Murphy DoorOne of Murphy Door’s newest additions, the Archway Bookcase Door, in green. Where Can I Install a Murphy Door?These doors are as functional as they are fun. But the best part? Hidden doors can be installed in a variety of places. According to Steve Humble, president of Creative Home Engineering, the world’s premier designer and manufacturer of motorized and high-security secret passageways, “location is the first thing you must consider when installing a hidden door in your home. It determines which door ideas are feasible.” Humble recommends primary bedrooms, bathrooms, libraries, wardrobes, and basements as the top five locations to install a secret passthrough. With staircases as a very close runner up. No matter where you install them, they save space. They hide mess. They make you feel like you’re living in your own secret lair—but in a more chic versus villainous way.SARAH HEBENSTREITDesigner Regan Baker installed a bookshelf Murphy Door under a staircase to add function to an underused space. In a world where everyone’s trying to declutter, hide the chaos, and add personality to their space, hidden doors offer the perfect triple threat: style, storage, and just the right amount of sass. Because honestly, who doesn’t want to feel like they're in a Bond movie while grabbing a protein bar? “The appeal is emotional and functional,” says Barker. “They’re not just entrances, they’re the first step into an experience tailored to your vision.”Bottom line: Hidden doors aren’t just a trend—they’re a (secret) lifestyle. So go ahead, pull that book, press that panel, and swing open the possibilities. Your home’s next best-kept secret is just a hinge away. Shop Murphy DoorsSpice Rack Door$2,282 at Murphy DoorsCredit: Murphy DoorsArchway Bookcase Door$2,762 at Murphy DoorCredit: CREDIT: MURPHY DOORMirror Door$2,092 at Murphy DoorCredit: CREDIT: MURPHY DOORHamper Door$2,569 at Murphy DoorCredit: Murphy Doors

We may earn a commission from links on this page.If you have a workshop in your house or enjoy doing DIY projects, you probably know that tools were already expensive way before tariffs entered the picture. Anyone who works with tools on a regular basis is generally happy to pay a bit more for something that doesn’t fall apart after a few uses, so defaulting to a major brand that’s still in the low- to mid-budget range like Black and Decker (Stanley Black and Decker also owns the Craftsman and DeWalt brands) always made sense.As predicted, the company just announced higher prices in response to the tariff situation, which means buying tools from Stanley Black and Decker may now be beyond a lot of people’s budgets. If that’s you, it’s time to investigate some of the more affordable tool brands that can still get the job done for you. It’s important to note that almost all the major tool brands manufacture most, if not all, of their tools overseas, and so will be subject to some amount of tariffs—but if you’re starting at a lower price point to begin with, an additional tax in the form of a tariff may not price you out. Here are your best affordable alternatives to Black and Decker tools.BauerIf you buy tools regularly, you know that Harbor Freight is a company known for tools that are often suspiciously cheap. The mystery of Harbor Freight is that sometimes its tools seem to turn into their component atoms right before your eyes the moment you use them, but sometimes its tools are surprisingly robust. Bauer is one of Harbor Freight’s in-house tool brands that gets decent reviews for longevity and usefulness, but Bauer tools are almost always much cheaper than Black and Decker tools and other competing brands. For example, as of this writing I found this 6-amp B&D Hammer Drill for $85, whereas a slightly more powerful one from Bauer is just $45.RidgidRidgid tools are exclusively sold at physical Home Depot stores, though you can buy them online from a variety of places. It’s long been considered a solid mid-tier brand—you’re not passing a Ridgid tool down to your children, maybe, but you’re probably going to get a lot of use out of them, and they’re generally good enough for most jobs. Plus, they’re significantly cheaper than most Stanley Black and Decker brands. Ridgid and Black and Decker tools have generally been in the same price category, but with Stanley Black and Decker raising prices, Ridgid might be a cheaper buy—for now.SkilSkill is the budget-friendly offshoot of the more professional-oriented Skilsaw brand. Most of its tools have solid reputations for quality, but are typically cheaper than Black & Decker tools. A 15-amp, 7-1/4 inch circular saw like this one, for example, goes for about $70, whereas a comparable Black and Decker version was listed for about $80. That’s not a huge difference, but with tariff price increases, you can expect that gap to widen a bit.HartHart is Walmart’s exclusive power tool brand—and as you might imagine, anything sold in Walmart is going to be relatively affordable. You can pick up this cordless 4.5-inch angle grinder for just $50, for example—about half the price of this DeWalt version. One thing to consider when buying Hart power tools is that most of its tools don’t come with batteries, so that’s an added cost—and they aren’t compatible with any other brand’s batteries, so you’re not going to be able to use them interchangeably. But Hart’s quality and performance are pretty decent for the price, making them a great alternative to Black and Decker.WENThis brand always comes up in conversations about affordable tools (it’s normal to have those conversations frequently, yes?). If you’re finding Black and Decker tools to no longer be the budget win they once were, WEN is a solid alternative. Its tools are considered well-built, with acceptable performance for the price—and they tend to be cheaper than comparable B&D products. For example, this variable speed jigsaw from WEN will get the job done for less money than this Black and Decker offering.If your main consideration when buying tools is price, tariffs are going to cause some chaos—but if Black and Decker is pricing you out, you have a few options to look into.

This article contains Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning spoilers. Before Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning earned its latest title, it was previously called Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 2. Considering Part 1’s muted box office reception in 2023 (back when it had the unenviable task of opening sans IMAX screens a week before Barbenheimer), Paramount was probably wise to change it. And yet, as late as November of last year, the still untitled Mission: Impossible 8 was apparently at the center of competing marketing visions between the studio and its star/producer/living manifestation of destiny: Tom Cruise. According to a THRFinal Reckoning moniker that came to pass, plus all the callbacks and cameos that were spoiled in the film before release (I for one wish I hadn’t known that Rolfe Saxon’s delightful reprisal of the CIA analyst who had the worst day of his life in the original 1996 Mission: Impossible was returning). Yet while the film put “final” in the title, and the word was dropped heavily throughout the script—including by Shea Wingham when he promised Ethan Hunt that they were going to have “a reckoning”—the creative loggerheads over whether this really was the end seems to have bedeviled M:I8 all the way to the closing sequence. For deep in London’s busy Trafalgar Square, a retinue of familiar faces gather in the crowds beneath Nelson’s Column. Cruise’s Ethan is there, of course, as is Hayley Atwell’s Grace and Simon Pegg’s Benji. Even Pom Klementieff seems locked in as a permanent IMF fixture, which is impressive since canonically she was trying to kill all these folks only a month earlier. In many ways it gives closure to the adventure we just watched… but only to a point. In fact, like so much else of The Final Reckoning, the ending feels like a variation of scenes we’ve already seen in this series, such as the surviving members of the team gathering for a victory drink in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, or having a celebratory stroll through the London evening streets (which is the original deleted ending to Mission: Impossible – Fallout). Ultimately much of Final Reckoning feels like a retread of something the series has done relatively recently, and often better, including an ending that refuses to say goodbye to anyone—except maybe Ving Rhames’ fan favorite Luther, who like Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa in the last movie discovered that the only way for their actor to retire from the series was by being killed off by a pretty underwhelming villain named Gabriel (Esai Morales). Otherwise though, this is the conclusion of almost any other Mission flick, and one that feels faintly tinkered with. It is easy to speculate, for instance, whether that scene was a reshoot since none of the stars are seen in the same shot together. Even the setting beneath Nelson’s Column looks like an untied thread after we previously spied the statue of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson at the beginning of the film right before our first shot of Ethan in London. The historical Nelson died ostensibly saving the world (at least from the British perspective) at the Battle of Trafalgar where he led the Royal Navy in a rout of Napoleon Bonaparte’s ships, cementing British supremacy of the seas for the next hundred years. The subtext of beginning the movie with Nelson, therefore, would seem to be that we were about to see another great man give his life to save the world from a megalomaniac. Instead Ethan not only survived The Final Reckoning, but pretty much went through the exact same ending he experienced in Mission: Impossible – Fallout where Cruise’s hero was forced to commandeer one flying contraption (a biplane now instead of a helicopter) in order to hijack another with his enemy, all so he can snap some MacGuffin into place at a great height while the rest of the team disarms the proverbial ticking bomb that is about to destroy the world. This in no way is meant to undercut the pure spectacle thrill of The Final Reckoning’s climax. Seeing Tom Cruise cling from a biplane that is doing barrel rolls in IMAX is worth the price of admission alone. However, the repetitive nature of it suspiciously resembles a compromise. The Mission films during Christopher McQuarrie’s superb tenure as writer-director—beginning with Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation 10 years ago—are famous for their playing the story by ear on the set. Yet despite Dead Reckoning and even the first act of Final Reckoning inserting some pretty major setups meant to confront Ethan’s past (including with the man who apparently killed a great love of his life 35 years ago and sent him into the IMF) nothing significantly is resolved. We never learn exactly who Ethan was before the IMF, what Gabriel meant to him, or how much this film is about him living with the losses of Ilsa and Luther. Furthermore, even Shea Wigham’s threat that they would have “a reckoning” when this is all over—which comes after the limp reveal that Agent Briggs is actually Jim Phelps Jr.—culminates in nothing more than a handshake and hug. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! The ending of “the Final Reckoning” is treated like an afterthought. In one sense, this is no dealbreaker. Even the best Mission films, which I count Cruise and McQ’s partnership on Fallout and Rogue Nation as the pinnacle of, have never been “plot movies.” With the exception of maybe the first film’s techno thriller elements, every M:I flick is about the spectacle and/or the fun of the team dynamics. They are affirmations of Cruise’s movie stardom achieving an almost religious apotheosis. Yet by marketing the eighth film as the last one, Final Reckoning set expectations its star clearly had no intention of meeting. In retrospect, we should have believed Cruise back in 2023 when he said “I hope to keep making Mission: Impossible movies until I’m [Harrison Ford’s] age.” So the end of Final Reckoning is no ending at all for the franchise, which which becomes a problem when it fitfully attempts to emulate the gravity of franchise closers like The Dark Knight Rises, No Time to Die, and Avengers: Endgame (at least in terms of Iron Man and Black Widow). There are no real goodbyes in Final Reckoning, but the movie is still almost certainly a farewell of sorts—to this iteration of the franchise which began a decade ago. McQuarrie is, again, the greatest collaborator Cruise has ever found on this series. They created the platonic ideal of what a Mission film should be in Rogue Nation and then elevated it to rarified, god tier levels within the action genre in Fallout. But it would seem McQuarrie has pushed his messianic interpretation of Ethan to a breaking point. That becomes more pronounced, too, when considering the latest entry began production during COVID and ended it on the other side of the labor strikes of 2023, causing its budget to reach a reported $400 million zenith. That is a record no studio Still, I suspect if anyone can convince a studio to invest in a franchise even after that kind of budget explosion, it’s Cruise. And until relatively recently he has kept the Mission films healthy and exciting by bringing in new directors who radically reinvent it in terms of tone, aesthetics, and even interpretations of the central character. Cruise’s all-American farmboy turned spy in Brian De Palma’s original film is not the Kung fu-kicking rebel in John Woo’s M:I2, and neither are convincingly J.J. Abrams’ familiar schtick of a suburban everyman (or woman) who has an espionage secret in the closet. McQuarrie’s version of Ethan is my favorite: the reckless gambler with a heart so big that it will redeem all mankind of its sins one insane stunt at a time. But between the 63-year-old movie star getting older and Final Reckoning arguably missing the highs of Fallout in spite its bigger budget, it is likely time to soft reboot the series again. Which might explain the non-ending of Ethan Hunt drifting into the crowd, heading toward his next reinvention.

Buying online furniture is not for the faint of heart. Photos lie. Descriptions are vague. And reviews—while occasionally helpful—often read like dramatic short fiction. (One person’s “cloud-like cocoon” is another’s “uncomfortable nightmare.”) Add Amazon to the mix, and things can get even dicier. Can you really find a well-made, good-looking accent chair on a site better known for used books and fast fashion? Surprisingly: yes.Amazon has become a solid source for design-forward furniture, if you know where to look. Between the endless scroll of stock photos and suspiciously affordable listings, you can surface some real gems. We’re talking sherpa-clad statement pieces, curvy velvet shells, and midcentury silhouettes—pieces that make you feel like you finally figured out what your space is missing. And many that even ship within two days.We combed through hundreds of listings to find the standouts. Whether you’re channeling Parisian salon energy or just need a comfy spot to throw your bag, these are the best accent chairs on Amazon to add to your cart.Our Top Picks for the Best Accent Chairs on AmazonBest Swivel Chair: HomePop Barrel Back Swivel Chair, $371Best Sling Style: Zinus Aidan Sling Chair, $139Best Ottoman Set: Colamy Accent Chair With Storage Ottoman, $300 $230Best Armchair: Tov Furniture Marla Velvet Accent Chair, $404Best Living Room Set: Chita Swivel Accent Chair Set, $1,159 $1,099HomePop Barrel Back Swivel ChairSpecsMaterials: Bouclé fabric, woodDimensions: 33.5 x 29.5 x 32 inchesThere’s something satisfyingly sculptural about this chair with a 360° swivel—the barrel shape, the neat tailoring, the continuous curves. But then you get up close and realize it’s also absurdly cozy, thanks to thick cushioning and nubby bouclé fabric for added texture and warmth. Above all, it’s compact enough for city apartments, cozy home offices, or tucking into that weird empty corner that’s just begging for a glow-up.Tov Furniture Marla Velvet Accent ChairSpecsMaterials: Velvet, pine woodDimensions: 28.5 x 29.9 x 28.2 inchesThe Marla chair doesn’t need flashy hardware or oversized proportions to make a point. It’s all about curves, color, and texture. The warm cognac hue seen here adds a touch of earth-toned elegance, playing nicely with neutrals and contrasting beautifully with bold tones. The kiln-dried pine frame also ensures durability, while the plush foam cushioning offers comfort that doesn’t skimp on style.ZINUS Aidan Sling Accent ChairSpecsMaterials: Steel, fabricDimensions: 30.71 x 30.71 x 35.15 inchesThis chair knows how to mix materials without making a scene. With its sleek metal frame and generously stuffed cushions, it offers the perfect blend of industrial lines and cozy comfort. It works beautifully in a minimalist living room, but also shines in a home office or den where you want a seat that feels relaxed, not rigid.Christopher Knight Home Evete Tufted Club ChairSpecsMaterials: Polyester fabric, birchDimensions: 28.75 x 32.00 x 34.50 inchesIf your space could use some tasteful prints, but you’re not quite ready to commit to wallpaper, this chair is a perfect entry point. With its bold black-and-cream buffalo check upholstery, it walks that line with confidence. Tufted details and nailhead trim add additional visual accents, and the turned birch wood legs lend it just the right amount of polish. Place it in an entry hall for immediate impact or use two as conversational anchors flanking a fireplace or bookshelf.CHITA Swivel Accent ChairSpecsMaterials: Velvet, pine wood, metalDimensions: 31.1 x 31.1 x 28.3 inchesWith its graceful silhouette, featuring sloped arms and a curved back, this accent chair offers a modern twist on the classic club chair design. The 360-degree swivel base adds functionality, while the velvet upholstery brings a hint of drama. Think of it as your living room’s new focal point—one that plays well with both natural light and evening mood lighting.Signature Design by Ashley Puckman Leather Accent ChairSpecsMaterials: Leather, metalDimensions: 29 x 32 x 34 inchesWith its black metal frame and rich, tobacco-brown leather cushions, the Puckman Chair strikes a balance between raw industrial edge and classic comfort. Even the arms have been considered, with inset padding wrapped in matching leather for a balanced look and added coziness. We’d use it to ground a minimalist loft space, or to add structure to a more layered, eclectic room.COLAMY Velvet Barrel Chair with Storage OttomanSpecsMaterials: Velvet, rubberwoodDimensions: 25.59 x 29.72 x 29.53 inchesTalk about thoughtful design. Not only can the matching ottoman be tucked under the chair itself, but it also offers the holy grail of small-space living: hidden storage. Better yet, its compact footprint doesn't sacrifice comfort, thanks to the barrel back and padded armrests. Use it in a bedroom corner with a moody floor lamp or float it near a bay window for an afternoon reading perch that doubles as a secret spot for throw blankets.

Could you please share a few words about yourself and your artistic background?Is This a 3D Model?: I think the best word to describe myself is "Teapot," because that is what I am, but I'd also say I'm a "3D model lover," because I am also that. I am a self-taught professional 3D Artist, and I am most proficient in ZBrush and 3ds Max. Have I mentioned I love 3D models? I just think they're so neat!Back when the so-called "AI-boom" kicked off in mid-2022, many artists were initially optimistic about the concept, what was your reaction when the first text-to-image AIs started popping up?Is This a 3D Model?: My first reaction to the "AI-boom" was, "These are not 3D models, so who even cares?" But I tried many tools such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, DALL-E, and was consistently underwhelmed by the results. I found much better inspiration and ideas by looking up artists' work online. I've tried many times to "adapt AI into my workflow," but I often found it made my workflow worse, both quality and productivity-wise. So now I call it out for what it is – stinky!Were you among those whose opinion on generative artificial intelligence changed over time, or were you anti-AI from the beginning? When would you say most creators started to recognize the unfair practices and overall shady behavior of AI companies and their language models?Is This a 3D Model?: I always hated how companies collected people's work without permission, and I always laughed at AI bros who pretended to be fine artists because they typed a prompt! But in the beginning, I thought the tech had more promise and potential.As time went on, I tried it more and didn't see much value in it. To this day, there is very little it can actually help me with (and I still try). I also observed many instances of shady behavior from AI companies, they act very sus on Twitter. And can you believe, some of these gen-3D companies have the nerve to call a model "high quality" when it looks terrible? Like, c'mon man, have you looked at a 3D model at any point in the last few years? Totally embarrassing!I might be mistaken here, but I think the first instance of mass protests against AI took place in December 2022 with the "Say No to AI Images" movement on ArtStation. What were your thoughts as that protest unfolded? In your opinion, are such online campaigns effective or not?Is This a 3D Model?: I thought the protest was rad! I even uploaded a "No AI" Image on my personal portfolio when it happened. I don't know if banning AI entirely will ever be possible, but ArtStation was being a total butt and could have done a better job allowing users to filter AI out or report people who are misrepresenting their skill sets. It is a professional portfolio site after all.Let's talk about Is This a 3D Model?, when was the page created? What first inspired you to start it? What goal do you ultimately want to achieve with your work?Is This a 3D Model?: This Twitter page started as a joke about a year ago. Whenever I would post negative comments on AI on my main 3D art account, AI bros would show up in my comments with some weird Midjourney images and try to tell me "give up, bro, it's over for you!" However, because AI bros don't know much about art, technology, or, well, anything, I would politely inform them that what they posted was not a 3D model.Over time, this became very frequent for people to post "3D modeling workflows of the future," where the final result was not a 3D model. I decided someone needed to take a stand for all the poor, defenseless 3D models out there!As the page grew, I decided I wanted to use it more to highlight the great work 3D Artists are doing and trying to make more "yes" posts than "no" posts. I hope to call out a lot more of these bad workflows that AI accounts are trying to promote as "the future" and encourage more 3D Artists to stay on the course and learn valuable skills. There are a lot of forces discouraging people from creating art these days. But I truly think genAI is not as capable as it's being made out to be, and all this does is prevent more people from discovering the joy of creation. And that is lame!How do you make sure you're answering the "Is this a 3D model?" question correctly for dozens of projects each week?Is This a 3D Model?: It's actually a lot easier than you think in most cases! I usually check the source, if the poster has an art portfolio, pretty safe bet it's a 3D model – AI bros don't have art portfolios. Also, when you've looked at 3D work for a long time, sometimes you can just develop the eye and tell! Can you see the faceted edges around the shape? Does it look suspiciously overly polished with no attention to literally any details? Are they calling it 3D but posting a Midjourney SREF? I think some of the ones I've classified that are the most surprising are ones that try to create the vibe of N64 games, and I suspect people are either too young to know what N64 games actually look like or just forgot.Based on your experience running the Is This a 3D Model? page, could you please share a brief guide our readers can use to confidently tell whether a given project is truly 3D? What specific signs should we look out for to be sure?Is This a 3D Model?: We implement something called the SIP method (Get it? Like sipping tea? I didn't just make this up for this interview, I promise):Source: Who is posting it? Do they look like a 3D Artist? Do they have a portfolio? Or do they mostly post Midjourney images or 3-second video clips of people talking with robot voices and explosions?Investigate: Look at the image! Can you see weird AI artifacts that make no sense? Can you see faceted edges? Does it look like a consistent 3D model with a well-executed idea?Polygons: If all else fails, can you find a screenshot of the topology? It won't exist with AI images. And if you can, does it make any sense? Some people even make fake wireframes with AI, I've attached a great example of that below. While this may look like a 3D wireframe, if you look closely, the details don't make sense. Why is a simple cylindrical cup so messy? Why do the trucks on the shirt turn into a drawing? It's all because an AI Image generator made a JPG of a wireframe. How silly!Usually, using one or all of these techniques, you can determine pretty quickly if what you're looking at is a safe, lovely 3D model or gross, yucky AI.Regarding the digital art industry as a whole, who would you say are the worst offenders – be it AI developers, companies, individuals, art platforms, you name it – on the matter of AI?Is This a 3D Model?: A lot of companies have sadly succumbed to the AI fad, be it fearmongering or overhyping. The worst offenders by far are the companies developing these AI products. They often don't even pretend to be professional companies and do all sorts of weird things. There is one generative 3D company where the owner resorts to posting fake endorsement comments all over Reddit. Embarassing!The second worst are all the grifters on Twitter who just post "Hollywood is Dead Part 85" over and over again. If AI is so good, you all wouldn't need to post so much slop! For the Is This a 3D Model family personally, I have to say one of the biggest offenders is some guy who compared our account to nazis because I said "no" on one of their posts. Wild!AI is, unfortunately, everywhere, but artists are also everywhere. Seek out the many talented 2D and 3D Artists on all the platforms and fill your feed with them! The majority of artists don't use AI and for a good reason. Pretty soon, your feed will be full of lovely art and 3D models, and you'll have brief moments where you forget AI slop even exists!Lastly, what are your hopes for digital art going forward? How do you think the industry will look in, let's say, 5-10 years? What can we all do to combat the spread of generative AI?Is This a 3D Model?: I would like to end this on a message of hope. While a lot of jobs will be impacted in the short term, I think in 5-10 years, the limitations of AI tools will be much more well-known than they are today. I also think AI will plateau at a certain look and style that people are already getting sick of today. A lot of companies that rudely get rid of artists will quickly realize they got scammed by AI companies, and they still need those artists because AI will fall short in many ways. Plus, many companies simply won't want their video games or their commercials to look like the weird slop plaguing Facebook.The best thing we can do moving forward is to keep focusing on the skills that matter. Learn art fundamentals, drawing, sculpting, anatomy, color theory, and, of course, 3D modeling! Don't listen to "adapt or get left behind!" AI tools are designed for babies! If you spend your time grinding your art skills and developing your artistic eye, even if you are one day forced to use AI tools, you will be the most qualified to use them. Does anyone really think in 5-10 years, "prompt engineering skills" will still exist? Puh-LEASE. Using an AI is already as easy as googling, and it will just get easier. People will always want people who are competent and know what they're doing, and the best way you can do that is by showing you've got your own skills!Art is a historically challenging field for anyone. It always has been! The only way you'll make it is by working hard at it, challenging yourself, and not letting yourself get discouraged. I always recommend people to have backup plans and figure out what a viable career path is. This was important even before AI.I was one of those people who gave up on art jobs, I never thought I'd have one. Thought it was too competitive and focused on a different career entirely. But I kept doing 3D as a hobby because I LOVE POLYGONS. I would dedicate time every night to work in ZBrush for fun, and now I'm a professional 3D Artist! Part of why I run this account is that I know what it's like to be discouraged from pursuing art. And I know if I ever extinguished that flame, I wouldn't be living my dream right now. I hope one day in 5-10 years someone reading this today can say this motivated them to put in the time and effort to become an incredible artist, despite all the naysayers, and got one of those jobs that supposedly wasn't going to exist anymore!Is This a 3D Model, 3D ArtistInterview conducted by Theodore McKenzie

A display manufacturer called Aura has developed this Triple Boost 14" Pro, which adds three screens to any laptop. It requires only a single USB-C cable running from your laptop to power the thing, and an internal chipset—plus a software driver you need to install—runs the extra displays. A large kickstand at the rear supports the weight. The three 14" screens feature a 1920 x 1080 resolution and have matte screen surfaces. Housed in an aluminum frame, it folds into a briefcase form factor and weighs around 4.7 pounds. All three of the screens can be folded away from the laptop user, in a sort of presentation mode. Here's how you deploy the thing:The company's taking pre-orders now for the suspiciously low price of $469 and say it will ship later this month.