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The Lake House is a welcome return to Alan Wake 2

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The Lake House is a welcome return to Alan Wake 2

After a year, Finnish studio Remedy Entertainment has opened the gates to a mysterious location in the 2023 third-person horror hit Alan Wake 2, known as The Lake House. In this short DLC, released just in time for Halloween, players step into the shoes of Kiran Estevez, the long-suffering agent of the mysterious Federal Bureau of Control we meet in the main game, who allies with Alan Wake 2’s protagonists, Alan Wake and Saga Anderson. Set before the events of Alan Wake 2, The Lake House sees Kiran recounting a horrifying event at the titular location to Saga, yet the plot is almost firmly removed from the main game itself.

This is both a boon and a curse, depending on what you were looking for. But as a bridge to the continuation of Remedy’s grand connected universe narrative — which also includes the supernatural thriller Control — it’s ideal. Instead of waving goodbye to Alan and Saga, Remedy is extending a hand to take us on its next weird journey.

Kiran is investigating a research station, where FBC researchers, doctors Jules and Diana Marmont and their teams, are looking into the effects of Cauldron Lake. In Remedy’s lore, there is a connection between the power of creating “art” and the power of otherworldly forces to misuse such gifts.

The Marmonts are experimenting on a painter, Rudolf Lane, who some might remember from the main game. Lane’s creativity has a tendency to illustrate — and possibly create — the future, much as Alan’s writing did. (God forbid those two ever make a comic book together.) I won’t spoil what the Marmonts did, save to say they were monsters long before any otherworldly forces came into the frame. Regardless, the Lake House is suddenly cut off and unresponsive to FBC HQ, resulting in Kiran investigating with a small team. 

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Image: Remedy Entertainment

Remedy has been playing with a connected universe since Control, and the Lake House is a firm bridge backward and forward to that story. Of course, being an Alan Wake DLC, players can expect the solid third-person survival horror of the main game. 

The Lake House, as a setting, is as unnerving as most of the spaces in Alan Wake 2. However, there’s more of a focus on the brutalist and office-space aesthetics from Control, without the outside or natural environments that dominated about half of the main game. In the eerily quiet office spaces, there are visual wonders like looping hallways and rooms of infinite typewriters, which have been programmed to “write” like Alan Wake. 

That last quirk appears to be a clear jab by Remedy’s writers at AI slop, with a page of Alan’s real writing saying, “The art was not art. Just content for the experiment.” Indeed, the whole thesis of The Lake House is the misuse of art for the acquisition of some end product, rather than relishing in the beauty art can create. This is all the more obvious when you figure out who the villain is and who has created the new terrifying humanoid paint beasts that slither out of the walls. Remedy is not subtle in its disdain for the corporatization of creativity, the reconfiguration of art into a harvest field of bland capitalistic fervor. There’s no love lost and much hate gained in the Lake House’s story, outlining the interaction between artistic freedom and corporate control: a golden hand wrapped around imagination’s throat.

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Image: Remedy Entertainment

To say too much about this already short game would spoil it, so I won’t go into detail about the clever set pieces that would feel right at home in Control. Let’s just say, light switches and motels make a welcome return, as does a familiar and powerful character. 

Kiran, unfortunately, does not mechanically demonstrate any prowess fighting otherworldly beings, despite her years as an FBC agent. She plays no different to Saga or Alan Wake, once again using a flashlight to whittle down enemies’ shadowy armor before unloading a satisfying number of bullets into their bodies. There is also only one new enemy type: the aforementioned long-limbed painting creatures who can only be destroyed with a new weapon Kiran discovers late in the story. 

I would’ve liked some new ability or mechanic that demonstrates her years of experience in dealing with the weird. Instead, this is relegated to her interactions with the odd object / entity, being able to quickly control her fear, and knowing how to deal with recurring “items” Control veterans like myself know all too well. 

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Much of the joy of the Lake House is discovering what occurred and experiencing the few floors for yourself. The DLC takes about two hours to complete. But in that short span of time, it made for not only a satisfying send-off of one of my favorite recent games but also a bridge back into the world of Control.

All signs seem to indicate Remedy will be taking the grand plot of this connected universe to an almost apocalyptic level. We can probably expect to see plenty of returning characters, including Kiran herself, as Remedy steers us through its creepy weird lake of stories.

The Lake House expansion for Alan Wake 2 is available now.

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Meta AI gains access to Reuters news content in multi-year deal

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Meta AI gains access to Reuters news content in multi-year deal

Another day, another publication contributes to the rise of AI. First, the likes of Time and Dotdash Meredith partnered with OpenAI to license their property, now Reuters is giving Meta’s AI chatbot access to its news content for responses to current events and news questions, Axios first reported.

Basically, the multi-year deal allows users in the US to now receive real-time news details from Meta’s AI chatbot tool, with these answers citing and linking out to Reuters’ relevant stories.

This deal marks Meta’s first AI news deal, but Reuter’s has worked with the company as a fact-checking partner since 2020. “We’re always iterating and working to improve our products, and through Meta’s partnership with Reuters, Meta AI can respond to news-related questions with summaries and links to Reuters content,” a Meta spokesperson said.

The pair have not disclosed whether Meta will get access to Reuters’ library to train its learning language model, Llama. The exact figures of the deal also aren’t clear, but sources report that Reuters is receiving compensation for this access. Money isn’t the only form of payment companies have made in such deals with the devil — *coughs* AI (Lionsgate receives a custom AI model for production and editing in its agreement with Runway).

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JRPG developer Falcom contemplating AI for localization efficiency

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JRPG developer Falcom contemplating AI for localization efficiency

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Non-English game developers may soon be looking toward AI as a means to shorten localization times.

In an interview with 4Gamer (translated by Siliconera) at Tokyo Game Show, Nihon Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo posited the idea of using artificial intelligence to more quickly localize games developed in the Japanese language. Kondo took the stage after a demonstration of ELLA, software created for the purpose of localizing a game’s text in multiple languages, using it in a hypothetical instance for Nihon Falcom’s Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki, another Falcom game known for immense scripts.

Kondo stated that he believed this process of AI translation would speed up translating games into multiple languages, though he thought that a human still needed to make a final pass on the script before it gets applied to the games. He also acknowledged that there’s cultural pushback to using AI in game development and that it could cost jobs.

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He also added that even Falcom staff in non-localization divisions, such as designers and artists, push back against using AI. There is a fear from artists that their illustrations will be used for AI learning that they do not consent to. Kondo is hoping these objections can be solved in the future, as he believes that localization AI will be a benefit.

Nihon Falcom, as Kondo notes, does indeed take a lot of time between Japanese-language releases and localizations. The upcoming Ys X: Nordics released in Japan over one year ago but will only release in America in late October. On the other hand, the release of Ys VIII in 2018 required localization company NISA to formally apologize and redo the entire game’s script due to a messy and fast translation, so acting in the name of expediency has proven negative for Falcom games in the past.

Still, localization through AI has been feeling inevitable for the translation industry for some time, so perhaps Kondo is thinking ahead of the curve.


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I won’t consider a Bluetooth speaker since getting an iPhone

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iPhone 15 review images

I recently started using an iPhone 15 after five years away from Apple smartphones, and as my prior pieces on the iPhone’s lackluster 60Hz screen and satisfyingly nostalgic form factor may have let on, coming back to iOS has been a bit of a rollercoaster.

There is one thing about the iPhone that I’m unreservedly happy about, though, a feature that I’m happy to call the best in its class.

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13th-edition-of-bengaluru-india-nano-event-all-you-need-to-know

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13th-edition-of-bengaluru-india-nano-event-all-you-need-to-know

The 13th edition of ‘Bengaluru INDIA NANO’, the country’s flagship event in the Nanotech sector, will have the theme Nanotechnology for Sustainability: Climate, Energy, and Healthcare. The three-day event which will take place from August 1st – 3rd, 2024 in Bengaluru is expected to attract 25 sessions, more than 75 speakers, over 700 delegates and 3,500 attendees. The event is being organised by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, Karnataka Science and Technology Promotion Society (KSTePS) and Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR). 

 

“Sustainability is now an impending necessity. The impacts of climate change are increasingly visible, manifesting in rising temperatures, natural calamities, and widespread displacement. Simultaneously, the world is grappling with severe economic and environmental consequences of energy crises. While industries are striving to develop green and clean energy solutions, these efforts alone may not be sufficient to achieve true sustainability. Health challenges, highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, have exposed critical vulnerabilities in healthcare systems globally. This pandemic was neither the first nor will it be the last; thus, our preparedness and resilience are of utmost importance,” observed N. S. Boseraju, Minister of Minor Irrigation and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka. 

 

Nanotechnology has the promise to deliver small-sized but high-impact solutions, which can potentially revolutionise our approach to these global issues, he added. 

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The event will have speeches and engaging panel discussions by eminent experts from around the globe and the conference will address cutting-edge developments in nanotechnology and its applications in climate, energy, healthcare, electronics and semiconductors. 

 

Professor Pulickel Ajayan – Chair, Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Balajee Sowrirajan – Managing Director, SSIR;  Professor Neetu Singh – Professor & Head, Center of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi; Professor Dhirendra Katti – Director, Indian Institute of Technology Goa; Professor Nitash Balsara – The Charles W. Tobias professor in Electrochemistry, University of California, Berkeley besides others will be the main speakers at the conference. 

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Pre-conference Tutorials will offer in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in various aspects of nanotechnology, catering to both beginners and seasoned professionals. The Pre-conference Tutorial will delve into topics such as Nano Fabrication and Nano Characterisation, The Poster Showcase at the event is expected to give an opportunity to more than 175 young researchers from academia and research institutions to display their research posters. The exhibition at the event will showcase the latest innovations, products, and technologies from leading companies, research institutions and startups in the field of nanotechnology. More than 50 organisations will also be showcasing their Nanotech products & services. 

 

It was announced that the event will also witness the bestowing of the  ‘Prof. C.N.R. Rao Bengaluru INDIA NANO Science Award’ for making meaningful contributions to Nanoscience. Additionally the ‘Bengaluru INDIA NANO Innovation Award’ will be presented for Innovative and Disruptive Technology Development in Nanotech. There will also be other awards such as the Nano Excellence Award- to the best researchers in the realm of Nanoscience; Best Poster- The Best Students for revolutionary research; and Exhibitor Awards- For the best showcase across various categories during the event. 

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There would also be the National Nanotech Quiz which will feature participation of students from across the country. The first 2 rounds of the Quiz will be held digitally while the final showdown will take place in person at the event for the first time. The event will also host an array of programmes such as NanoSparX- a startup pitching initiative, as well as B2B partnering meetings. 

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NYT Connections: hints and answers for Sunday, October 27

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NYT Connections: hints and answers for Monday, October 7
New York Times' Connection puzzle open in the NYT Games app on iOS.
Sam Hill / Digital Trends

Connections is the latest puzzle game from the New York Times. The game tasks you with categorizing a pool of 16 words into four secret (for now) groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. The puzzle resets every night at midnight and each new puzzle has a varying degree of difficulty. Just like Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare your scores with friends.

Some days are trickier than others. If you’re having a little trouble solving today’s Connections puzzle, check out our tips and hints below. And if you still can’t get it, we’ll tell you today’s answers at the very end.

How to play Connections

In Connections, you’ll be shown a grid containing 16 words — your objective is to organize these words into four sets of four by identifying the connections that link them. These sets could encompass concepts like titles of video game franchises, book series sequels, shades of red, names of chain restaurants, etc.

There are generally words that seem like they could fit multiple themes, but there’s only one 100% correct answer. You’re able to shuffle the grid of words and rearrange them to help better see the potential connections.

Each group is color-coded. The yellow group is the easiest to figure out, followed by the green, blue, and purple groups.

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Pick four words and hit Submit. If you’re correct, the four words will be removed from the grid and the theme connecting them will be revealed. Guess incorrectly and it’ll count as a mistake. You only have four mistakes available until the game ends.

Hints for today’s Connections

We can help you solve today’s Connection by telling you the four themes. If you need more assistance, we’ll also give you one word from each group below.

Today’s themes

  • SASSY
  • AMBIENCE
  • UNITS
  • THE LITTLE ___

One-answer reveals

  • SASSY – CUTE
  • AMBIENCE – AIR
  • UNITS – BAR
  • THE LITTLE ___ – MERMAID
New York Times Connection game logo.
New York Times

Today’s Connections answers

Still no luck? That’s OK. This puzzle is designed to be difficult.  If you just want to see today’s Connections answer, we’ve got you covered below:

Connections grids vary widely and change every day. If you couldn’t solve today’s puzzle, be sure to check back in tomorrow.






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Snag this 43-inch Pioneer Xumo TV for $130

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Snag this 43-inch Pioneer Xumo TV for $130

Right now Best Buy is offering a great deal on the 43-inch Pioneer Xumo TV that we think is a must-have pickup if you’re in the market for an affordable 4K TV option.

Normally this TV retails for $270 at its full retail price. However, Best Buy is currently offering it for just $130. This is the same TV that was on sale for $150 back in September. So Best Buy has knocked the price down by another $20 to make it cheaper than ever. This is also the all-time low price based on price history over the past year.

Pioneer 43 Xumo TV Price History

Now most people probably think of affordable TV that are this low-priced as being low quality but that simply isn’t the case. Not these days. This is simply a good deal on a decent TV that won’t break the bank. It has a 43-inch screen and it’s 4K so it’s perfect for either a secondary room or a TV for the kids. It’s even a decent option as your main TV if you don’t have one and aren’t looking to spend a lot.

In addition to being a 4K TV, this is a smart TV as well. What that means if you’re new to smart TVs is that you will have access to all kinds of apps for streaming content. Whether you want to stream music or stream movies or TV, you’ll have options. You can install apps from all kinds of services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Max, YouTube, and more.

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The Xumo TV is also compatible with Apple AirPlay and it supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Audio for better picture and sound quality. All-in-all, a great TV at a really great price.

Buy at Best Buy

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