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raven-at-the-writing-desk · 4 years

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Okay so I have this idea of the boys in the modern world! Like what kind of profession/ college course would Azul, Malleus, Leona, Lilia, and Idia would take? Some modern au headcanons with them please!

Curiouser and Curiouser...

Idia Shroud...

...would be an e-girl Twitch streamer that sells his bath water a famous video game let’s player or streamer, maybe even a professional gamer.

But the type that doesn’t show his face, or uses some kind of prop to censor his face whenever he happens to be on camera.

His online personality and his real life personality are so different...! Idia turns down invitations to conventions and fan meets because he worries about how his followers and fellow content creators. will perceive those very different sides to him.

He still makes bank off of his merch though.

I can see him taking college courses for tech-related things so he always has an excuse to hole up in his room and avoid normies. Computer science, video game design, etc.

He does well in school, but if he ever needs to give a speech/presentation or do a group assignment, well...Idia’s gonna bomb it. Thanks a lot, crippling social anxiety.

Disturbs his room mates and his neighbors constantly because of his video game raging late into the night.

The type to show up to lectures in his pajamas if he shows up at all.

Looks like he has gotten zero sleep all the time even if he slept for a full day and then some.

Wears headphones everywhere in public and blasts music at maximum volume so everyone around him can hear it and knows that he doesn’t want to be disturbed.

Llilia Vanrouge...

...is a child daycare worker or a teacher. On weekends, he moonlights as the lead guitarist and vocalist for a death metal band (though he never brings this up in parent-teacher conferences)

He studied history in college, but he discovered his love for childcare when he was tutoring high school students in history as part of a volunteering program...so Lilia changed career paths!

Don’t get him wrong, he still loves history and he’ll tell the little tots under his care all about the most interesting tidbits of it.

But everyone loves him, from his coworkers to the parents to the children under his care. Lilia is just loads of fun--but he knows when he needs to dial back and be serious, too.

Back in school, he was always getting into trouble for small pranks. Spooking the other students, drawing on school property with chalk, etc.--nothing that would get him expelled.

Kind of an easy-going student. If he did well, that’s great. If he did’t do well, that’s also fine! He goes with the flow and doesn’t sweat the details.

Lilia worked really hard for his degree though, especially since he changed it abruptly into something so different.

He volunteered a lot during his studies, wishing to give back to the community and to be with the children even before he had his degree.

Leona Kingscholar...

...is an unemployed rich kid living off of daddy’s money. He’s the second son to some big business or even actual real life royalty.

Have you see how lazy this man is? Of course he doesn’t have a job.

Leona only attends college because his parents threatened to completely cut him off if he didn’t. (”Your older brother Farena went to college, found himself a nice girl, and got himself a stable job that pays well; why don’t you too?”)

Probably got in on an athletic scholarship. What a chad.

He studies liberal arts, English literature, or women’s studies (because he thinks those subjects are easiest to pass with minimum effort and because he respects women).

Very sleepy boi. Falls asleep during the first few seconds of every single lecture (if he’s even there on time), and it is impossible to wake him up.

Shows up late to class. Like...five minutes before the end of class late.

He falls asleep in the most random public places all over campus.

The master at pulling all-nighters.

Most likely sleeps around (both literally and metaphorically).

Popular with the ladies, even if he doesn’t go out of his way to pursue many. Leona won’t force himself onto them, but he won’t say no if they proposition him and he’s feeling bored enough. Might as well have some fun while he’s forced to be here, right?

Has zero idea where he is going in life. Don’t we all?

Malleus Draconia...

...studies architecture, or art history.

He’s so fascinated by the design of buildings and how styles have changed so much over time.

Tends to daydream. This, paired with his resting bitch face and inimidating aura, makes everyone fear him.

Malleus likes to walk around town and the college campus just to enjoy the buildings. Because of this, his peers think of him as “the local scary-looking weirdo”.

Comments like that hurt him, but Malleus tends to bottle up his emotions and be sad about it in the comfort of his personal quarters.

Malleus tries showing up to publicized college events and every club meeting he can think of, but people tend to keep their distance from him.

Probably phones up his family every other night just to check on them and hear their voices. He’s very lonely...

Has a hard time finding a job because many people are intimidated by how he looks. Ends up overwhelming many interviewers.

Probably works part-time at a discreet WcDonald’s location. Nothing glamorous or high-paying, but Malleus doesn’t expect anything like that while he’s still a student. Plus, he is still thankful for the job experience.

Lands a job at a big building firm after college; quickly rises through the ranks and becomes the CEO. All of his haters must be jealous now, huh?

Still, Malleus feels no ill will towards them. He hopes he can be friends with them at the college reunions.

Azul Ashengrotto...

...works as a drug dealer barista and manager of a coffee shop or cafe. If you want to get darker, he runs a casino (where everything is rigged in his favor) and/or is a mafia lord (just look at Octavinelle’s aesthetic) by night.

He dual-majors in business and law because his brain is just that large.

Straight A student, in the honors program, and a teacher’s pet. Most likely a full ride scholarship as well.

Also the president of student government or the head of a club--Azul has stacked his resume with achievements and titles. Employers will be tripping over themselves to hire him.

Azul applies what he’s studying in college into his business (albeit in less-than-savory ways) to maximize his profits and to scare of unruly customers.

He has a lot of friends in college, but he’s not particularly close to any of them.

Binge eats when he’s stressed.

Do not bring up school prior to college life to him; Azul will get war flashbacks to the time when he was bullied. He refuses to talk about his past, and if you keep persisting, he will get back at you.

Despises group projects; he ends up doing all of the hard work. He’s super passive aggressive about it.

Snitches on anyone that crosses him, even slightly. Azul is very petty. Oh, you forgot to return that pencil that he so generously lent you for the exam? Well, prepare to have your embarrassing photos from that one crazy party leaked to the college newspaper.

#twst #disney twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland #Azul Ashengrotto #Leona Kingscholar #Idia Shroud #Malleus Draconia #Lilia Vanrouge #twisted wonderland headcanons #twisted wonderland imagines #twisted wonderland requests #twisted wonderland scenarios #curiouser and curiouser

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droneseco · 3 years

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Atari VCS Review: An Incredible Nostalgia Hit With Gaming and Productivity in Equal Measure

Atari VCS

7.50 / 10

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Atari bills the 2021 iteration of its VCS as a perfectly capable mini PC and a game console in one; a computer console hybrid. The launch games work well and there are some lovely indie titles in there, and you can stay productive with Chrome's browser-based apps. In all, despite a couple of expected teething problems, the Atari VCS is a great console capable of streaming media, running games, and with a selection of apps allowing users to make use of the computer console's features.

Key Features

Console computer hybrid

Multiple controllers

Up to 4K resolution

Atari app store

Gaming and productivity

Specifications

Operating System: Atari Custom Linux OS

Storage: 32 GB flash (upgradeable M.2 SSD slot))

VR Support: Not at present

Resolution: Up to 4K

App Store: Yes

Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4/5GHz

Ports: HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, 4x USB 3.1

HDR Support: No

Pros

Nice selection of launch games

Excellent for nostalgic gaming

Can connect other Bluetooth devices

Chrome browser works a charm

Great for media playback

Cons

PC Mode currently has issues

Fan can be noisy

Buy This Product

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At last, the Atari VCS computer console has arrived. With four years in the making, you'd certainly expect the console to be more than just a heavy nostalgia trip. And it is, with one or two small caveats.

With so much hype leading up to its release (and somehow miraculously weathering the COVID storm despite electronic component shortages and logistics issues plaguing the tech industry), let's look at whether the Atari VCS lives up to expectation.

What's in the Box?

When you open the Atari VCS box, you'll find:

The Atari VCS 800 computer console

HDMI cable

Power supply unit

And that is it. You don't actually get any controllers with the device as they need to be purchased separately. Each both the Atari Modern controller and the Classic Joystick come with a micro-USB charging cable in the box.

The console retails for $299.99, while both controllers retail at $59.99 each. You can also get a bundle, with the console and both controllers, for $399.99.

What About the Atari VCS Specs?

The Atari VCS comes with specs that, as Atari says, make it "a solid mini PC". We'll come to whether the specs do indeed make it so later, but for now, here's what we're looking at:

Operating system: Atari Custom Linux OS (Debian based)

APU: AMD Raven Ridge 2 (RG1606G)

GPU: AMD Ryzen

Storage: 32GB eMMC fixed internal; internal M.2 SSD slot; unlimited external USB HD/stick; cloud (subscription required)

RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM (upgradable)

Compatible Operating Systems: Linux, Windows, Steam OS, Chrome OS

Wireless Connections: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4/5GHz, Bluetooth 4.0

Wired Connections: HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, 4x USB 3.1

Mouse/Keyboard Support: Yes, USB or Bluetooth

4K video with HDCP 2.2 Integration: Supported

A Familiar Face

We'd forgive you for thinking you've seen the Atari VCS before. That is because Atari bases the console's appearance on the original Atari VCS, which later became the Atari 2600 in 1982.

Not familiar with the original VCS/2600? OK, let's take a tour around the device's aesthetics first.

We reviewed the Onyx version. This is all black (save for the back panel), with a ridged, contoured top surface that replicates the original device. Note that the faceplate is also black, although you can also get the Black Walnut version, which features a real wood faceplate, further mimicking the first iteration of the console.

To the front of the device we have the iconic Atari Fuji logo. This lights up with a white glow when the device in operation, and pulses with the same hue when you put the VCS into standby mode.

There are also two USB ports, which you can use to connect the controllers to charge, or to insert a USB drive if you need to use the device in PC Mode.

Spin the VCS round and the back comes in a recognizable Atari red. The back panel houses the power button, power input, an Ethernet port, and two further USB ports.

Anyway, now you know what the console looks like, lets see what the controllers have to say for themselves.

Atari VCS Controllers

As mentioned, you can get two controllers for the VCS. One is a modern joypad style controller, while the other is a very recognizable joystick. Both are wireless, but work with a wired connection too, should you wish.

The Wireless Modern Controller will have a familiar form-factor for anyone who plays Xbox, uses a Switch Pro control pad, or the official Stadia pad.

Crafted by PowerA, the joypad's buttons have the same configuration as those mentioned above in terms of the thumbstick, action buttons, triggers, and directional buttons/pad. The center houses a home button that features the Atari Fuji logo and lights up white. Below this is a strip of LEDs that indicate remaining battery power.

PowerA also designs the joystick controller. This looks pretty much identical to the joysticks that shipped with the 2600, save for a couple of extra buttons to add functionality, such as a home button and (curiously) a trigger button around the side of the device.

Personally, I find the stick component of the joystick to be a little flimsy. However, my memories of playing with a joystick (pre-1995) involve the Powerplay Cruiser.

Retro gamers will remember this stick. Not only because of its bright colors but also because of the adjustable torque control. This was a collar at the bottom of the stick, which made it harder or easier to manipulate the directional controls.

Because of this resistance, I guess my muscle memory expects the Atari wireless joystick to behave in the same way. A little more resistance would have been nice with the wireless joystick, personally, I find it isn't firm enough when I'm using it.

Saying that, it works perfectly for some of the retro games I have been playing from my younger days (more on those later).

Simple, User-Friendly Set-Up

The first thing you need to do, when you get any console, is set it up. This is a simple process. Just hook it up to a power source, connect to a display with the included HDMI cable, and you're ready to switch it on.

Doing so presents you with a lovely Asteroids animation, which then takes you to the sign-in page. At this stage, you'll need to connect the controller to the console, or you won't be able to input any details for account set-up. This is simply a case of holding down the home button, which puts the controller into pairing mode and connects it to the console.

Setting up your account is as easy as defining your user name and selecting a password.

Given that I received the Atari VCS prior to general release (in order to test it), for the first time in my life, I could choose Ste Knight as my user name and wasn't greeted by a "This username is unavailable" message. Sorry, SteKnight_1.

Note that you can set up different user accounts on the VCS, which is great if you want to have an account for the grown-ups and a separate one for the kids.

With the Atari VCS running and the account set up, now it is time to check out the VCS software.

An Easy to Navigate User Interface

The first thing that struck me about the Atari VCS was its simple user interface (UI). This comprises several pages; Home, Games, Apps, Store, and System.

When you first see it, the Home page will be fairly unpopulated, save for Google Chrome and the Atari VCS Companion launcher. As you use the apps and games you add to the device, the home page will populate, with your most recently used app appearing first in the list.

The Games page will also be unpopulated. This (obviously) fills up with titles as you add them from the Store. As you do, it presents each game in its own box, and you just select it to launch the game, as with any other console carrying digital titles.

In the Store, you'll find Featured Apps and Games, plus a section for all Games and all Apps. Selecting one will present you with a description of the game, with screenshots, and the option to buy it (along with the price).

System is where you deal with the Atari VCS settings. You'll find the following options in here:

Account: Here you can alter account settings and remove an account.

General Settings: Here you can change display settings, change your console preferences such as Sleep time, find out how the controller operates, perform System and BIOS updates, and factory reset the VCS.

Network: This is where you connect to the internet, wirelessly or via ethernet cable.

Devices: Toggling Bluetooth, checking out your connected devices, and adding new controllers. You also update your controller firmware here.

Storage: You can manage internal storage and connected storage media here.

At the top right of the screen, you'll see your avatar. Navigating to this will allow you to switch accounts and turn the console off.

With menus out of the way, let's get to the meat on the Atari VCS' bones.

Gaming on the Atari VCS

Being a nostalgia freak, I absolutely love any gaming system that lets me play games I loved growing up, like the Evercade handheld games console. With this in mind, the Atari VCS provides an excellent platform for me to get all misty-eyed over.

Including Antstream Arcade on the store is a real boon for Atari and for its retro game loving fans. I've been hammering the likes of Sensible World of Soccer, GODS, and Chaos Engine, along with many other titles from my youth. The VCS copes well with these games (as you would expect; it is significantly more advanced than the original game platforms).

The Atari VCS Store currently features a modest selection of games. These are indie titles, and you'll recognize some of them from other platforms, like Sir Lovelot, Something Ate My Alien, and Jetboard Joust.

One exciting title (currently in public beta on the VCS and Steam) is a remake of 1993 shooter Utopos. This is an arena-based game, in which contestants fly space ships around an enclosed zone, blasting each other deathmatch style. Oh yeah, and no spawn camping in this one. Brill! As it is in beta, though, you're likely to only play against AI for now.

Atari promised the VCS would create a platform for indie developers to shine, and it has so far. It just needs to grow the collection of titles available in the store. But, hey, the PS5 had few titles at launch and it still relies heavily on indie titles, so who are we to talk?

Most of these games run smoothly on the VCS. The only exception is Missile Command Recharged, which seems to hate the Wireless Classic Joystick. This doesn't work at all with the game, seemingly taking on a mind of its own and dragging the cross-hair to the bottom left of the screen, so you can't defend your base. It is pretty hard to play with the Modern Controller.

Hopefully, as the Atari VCS grows in popularity, the game store will expand to feature some bigger titles alongside its loveable indie games.

Productivity on the Atari VCS

In terms of productivity, I must start with a caveat. I couldn't test the PC Mode, as the VCS wouldn't boot the UbuntuOS drive I had created on external storage. I reached out to Atari for help with this matter, and I'm told that it will resolve the issue in the next software update. Fingers crossed because I would actually like to use the VCS as a living room PC, as Atari marketed the device.

You should also note that PC Mode also currently only works with a signed OS (when it works). So platforms like ChromeOS, Windows, and Ubuntu. I tried to boot Chromium, but this isn't a signed OS, so the VCS displayed a security warning and refused to launch it, sadly.

However, if you're having a similar issue, you do have Google Chrome pre-installed on the VCS. So you can still make use of Google's suite of browser-based applications such as Docs, Sheets, and so on. Therefore, if you need to get productive with your VCS, you still can, just not with PC Mode at the time of writing.

Browsing the web on my Sony Bravia TV, via the VCS was a pleasant experience (MUO looked particularly resplendent). I have connected a wireless keyboard and mouse to the device, which makes using it for productivity even easier.

Note that you can download an app for your smartphone or tablet called the Atari VCS Companion. This acts as a wireless keyboard and mouse, so you don't actually need any extra peripherals if you're in a pinch and need to browse the internet on your VCS. It works very well with the console and I noticed very little latency between executing a command and the VCS performing it.

TV, Movies, and Music on the Atari VCS

You can access a range of SVOD services on the Atari VCS. This includes the current "big three"; Disney+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. You can also access further services (sadly geo-locked to the US, sorry non-US readers), including Showtime, ESPN, and Peacock, among others.

I installed Netflix and found no issue with playback, even with UHD movies and TV series'. Likewise, Amazon Prime Video works as it does on my PS5 or my Fire TV stick. So, all is well in this respect. I noticed no lagging or juddering, no buffering, and it perfectly syncs audio with video.

I also installed Plex, meaning I can access all of my owned media directly from my server upstairs and play it via the VCS (although I don't really need to, as I also have Plex on about a million other devices). However, it handles Plex really well, streaming my music collection faultlessly.

Related: Features That Make Plex the Perfect All-In-One Media Streaming Platform

So, as with games, we're all good regarding media playback.

Should You Buy the Atari VCS?

That all depends on what you want from it. If you want it so that you have a central hub to play retro and indie titles, then that is one box ticked. If you would like to use it for streaming media and accessing your owned media, there is another box ticked.

The only area that I felt a little let down on was the PC Mode. Productivity is still achievable, and don't forget, almost every device you buy now requires updates and so on as developers address bugs. The Atari VCS is no different in this respect. Hopefully, Atari will resolve the PC Mode issues with the next update.

Some might sneer at the price and compare it to the PS5 or the Xbox Series X. However, how much work can you do on those? None. Atari doesn't want to draw comparisons between the VCS and new-gen consoles, and for good reason, they're totally different things.

Once Atari sorts the above-mentioned teething issues out, I am confident that I for one will use the device not just to play myriad games, but also to write my reviews here on MUO while I'm relaxing on my sumptuous sofa, and that can't be a bad thing at all.

Atari VCS Review: An Incredible Nostalgia Hit With Gaming and Productivity in Equal Measure published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

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michaelandy101-blog · 4 years

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9 Pointers for Distinctive Internet Design, Usability, and Person Expertise

New Post has been published on https://tiptopreview.com/9-guidelines-for-exceptional-web-design-usability-and-user-experience/

9 Pointers for Distinctive Internet Design, Usability, and Person Expertise

In relation to designing or redesigning an internet site, it’s straightforward to get hung up on the aesthetics.

That shade of blue would not look proper…

Would not or not it’s cool to have the brand on the proper facet of the display screen?

How about we put a large animated GIF in the course of the web page?

Nonetheless, in the event you’re really attempting to perform one thing along with your online enterprise (e.g., model consciousness, lead technology, and many others.), you will have to give attention to extra than simply how your web site seems to be.

In a world the place of us have more than a billion websites they will probably land on, you might want to make sure that yours is designed for usability, how straightforward your web site is to make use of, and consumer expertise (UX), how gratifying it’s to work together along with your web site.

Now, you possibly can spend years learning the ins and outs of usability and UX. However for the sake of providing you with a jumping-off level, we have assembled an inventory of the basic tips you may apply to your subsequent web site redesign or web site launch. Then, we’ll evaluate 10 options you’ll want in your web site to place these suggestions into apply. Let’s dive in.

Web site Design Pointers

Simplicity

Visible Hierarchy

Navigability

Consistency

Responsivity

Accessibility

Conventionality

Credibility

Person-Centricity

1. Simplicity

Whereas the looks of your web site is actually necessary, most individuals aren’t coming to your web site to judge how slick the design is. They need to full some motion, or to seek out some particular piece of data.

Due to this fact, pointless design components (i.e., these which serve no practical function) will solely overwhelm and make it tougher for guests to perform what they’re attempting to perform.

From a usability and UX perspective, simplicity is your finest pal. If in case you have all the mandatory web page components, it’s laborious to get too easy. You’ll be able to make use of this precept in quite a lot of totally different kinds, corresponding to:

Colours: Mainly, do not use loads. The Handbook of Computer-Human Interaction recommends utilizing a most of 5 (plus or minus two) totally different colours in your design.

Typefaces: The typefaces you select needs to be extremely legible, so nothing too artsy and really minimal script fonts, if any. For textual content colour, once more, maintain it minimal and at all times make sure that it contrasts with the background colour. A common recommendation is to make use of a most of three totally different typefaces in a most of three totally different sizes.

Graphics: Solely use graphics if they assist a consumer full a process or carry out a selected perform (do not simply add graphics willy-nilly).

Here is a fantastic instance of a easy however efficient homepage design from HERoines Inc:

Image Source

2. Visible Hierarchy

Intently tied to the precept of simplicity, visible hierarchy means arranging and organizing web site components in order that guests naturally gravitate towards crucial components first.

Keep in mind, in terms of optimizing for usability and UX, the aim is to steer guests to finish a desired motion, however in a manner that feels pure and gratifying. By adjusting the place, colour, or dimension of sure components, you may construction your web site in such a manner that viewers will probably be drawn to these components first.

Within the instance under from Spotify, you may see that the primary header “Listening is everything” sits atop the visible hierarchy with its dimension and web page place. It attracts your eye to their mission earlier than anything. That is adopted by the “Get Spotify Free” CTA, which prompts motion. Customers can click on this CTA, or scan the menu gadgets above for extra actions.

Image Source

Three. Navigability

Planning out intuitive navigation in your web site is essential to assist guests discover what they’re in search of. Ideally, a customer ought to land in your web site and never must assume extensively about the place to click on subsequent. Shifting from level A to level B needs to be as frictionless as attainable.

Listed here are just a few suggestions for optimizing your web site’s navigation:

Hold the construction of your major navigation easy (and close to the highest of your web page).

Embrace navigation within the footer of your web site.

Think about using breadcrumbs on each web page (besides your homepage) so customers bear in mind their navigation path.

Embrace a search bar close to the highest of your web site so guests can search by key phrases.

Do not provide too many navigation choices per web page. Once more, simplicity!

Embrace hyperlinks inside your web page copy, and make it clear the place these hyperlinks go.

Do not make customers dig too deep. Strive making a fundamental wireframe map of all of your web site pages organized like a pyramid: Your homepage is on the prime, and every linked web page from the earlier kinds the subsequent layer. Most often, it’s finest to maintain your map not more than three ranges deep. Take HubSpot’s web site map, for instance.

Picture Supply

Yet another pointer: As soon as you’ve got settled on what your web site’s predominant (prime) navigation will probably be, maintain it constant. The labels and placement of your navigation ought to stay the identical on each web page.

This leads us properly into our subsequent precept…

Four. Consistency

Along with protecting your navigation constant, the general feel and appear of your web site needs to be comparable throughout your whole web site’s pages. Backgrounds, colour schemes, typefaces, and even the tone of your writing are all areas the place consistency has a constructive affect on usability and UX.

That is to not say each web page ought to comply with the identical format. As a substitute, create totally different layouts for particular forms of pages (e.g., touchdown pages, informational pages, and many others.). By utilizing these layouts constantly, you will make it simpler for guests to grasp what kind of data they’re more likely to discover on a given web page.

Within the instance under, you may see that Airbnb makes use of the identical format for all of its “Help” pages, a typical apply. Think about what it might be like from a customer’s perspective if each “Help” web page had its personal, distinctive format. There would in all probability be a variety of shoulder shrugging.

Image Source

5. Responsivity

According to Statista, 48% of web page international views had been from cell units like smartphones and tablets. And in line with our analysis, 93% of individuals have left an internet site as a result of it didn’t show correctly on their gadget.

The takeaway right here: To offer a really nice consumer expertise, your web site needs to be appropriate with the various totally different units that your guests are utilizing. Within the tech world, this is called responsive design.

Responsive design means investing in a extremely versatile web site construction. On a responsive web site, content material is robotically resized and reshuffled to suit the scale of whichever gadget a customer occurs to be utilizing. This may be achieved with mobile-friendly HTML templates, or by making a particular cell web site.

In the end, it is extra necessary to offer a fantastic expertise throughout totally different units than look equivalent throughout these units.

Image Source

Alongside mobile-friendliness, it’s price your whereas to check your web site’s cross-cross browser compatibility. In all probability, you’ve solely seen your web site on one net browser, be it Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or one thing else.

Now’s the time to open your pages on every of those browsers and consider how your components seem. Ideally, there gained’t be a lot distinction in presentation, however you may’t know for positive till you see for your self.

6. Accessibility

The aim of net accessibility is to make an internet site that anybody can use, together with individuals with disabilities or limitations that have an effect on their looking expertise. As an internet site designer, it’s your job to consider these customers in your UX plan.

Like responsiveness, accessibility applies to your total web site: construction, web page format, visuals, and each written and visible content material. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed by the Internet Accessibility Initiative and the World Extensive Internet Consortium, set the rules for net accessibility. In a broad sense, these tips state that web sites should be:

Perceivable: Guests are conscious of the content material in your web site.

Operable: The performance of your web site needs to be attainable in several methods.

Comprehensible: All content material and alerts might be simply understood.

Sturdy: Your web site is usable throughout totally different assistive applied sciences, units, and browsers.

For a deeper dive into this subject, see our Final Information to Internet Accessibility.

7. Conventionality

An enormous problem in net design is balancing originality along with your expectations. Most of us are professional web customers, and there are particular conventions we’ve grown accustomed to over time. Such conventions embody:

Putting the primary navigation on the prime (or left facet) of a web page.

Putting a brand on the prime left (or middle) of a web page.

Making the brand clickable, so it at all times brings a customer again to the homepage.

Having hyperlinks and buttons that change colour/look while you hover over them.

Utilizing a procuring cart icon on an ecommerce web site. The icon additionally has a quantity badge signifying the variety of gadgets within the cart.

Making certain picture sliders have buttons customers can click on to manually rotate slides.

Whereas some would possibly choose to throw these out the window for the sake of uniqueness, it is a mistake. There’s nonetheless loads of room for creativity inside the constraints of net conventionality.

Let’s briefly take into account one other discipline of design, structure. Constructing codes are put in place so that folk can simply and safely inhabit areas. An architect doesn’t complain about these codes or violate them as a result of, except for authorized repercussions, they guarantee security and luxury of visitors. It doesn’t matter how dazzling the constructing seems to be — in the event you journey on uneven stairs or you may’t get out in a fireplace, you would possibly favor to remain exterior.

In the identical manner, you may craft a memorable expertise whereas assembly consumer expectations. For those who violate what customers anticipate, they might really feel uncomfortable and even pissed off along with your web site.

eight. Credibility

Sticking to net conventions lends your web site credibility. In different phrases, it will increase the extent of belief your web site conveys. And in the event you’re striving to construct a web site that gives the most effective consumer expertise attainable, credibility goes a good distance.

Top-of-the-line strategies to enhance your credibility is to be clear and sincere concerning the services or products you are promoting. Do not make guests dig by means of dozens of pages to seek out what it’s you do. Be up-front in your homepage, and dedicate some actual property to explaining the worth behind what you do.

One other credibility tip: Have a pricing web page, additionally linked on the homepage. Reasonably than power individuals to contact you to study extra about pricing, checklist your costs clearly in your web site. This makes your online business seem extra reliable and bonafide.

Here is an instance of an efficient pricing page from the Box website:

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9. Person-Centricity

On the finish of the day, usability and consumer expertise hinge on the preferences of the end-users. In any case, in the event you’re not designing for them, who’re you designing for?

So, whereas the ideas detailed on this checklist are a fantastic place to begin, the ultimate key to enhancing the design of your web site is to conduct consumer testing, collect suggestions, and implement adjustments primarily based on what you’ve got realized.

And don’t hassle testing usability by your self. You’ve already invested a variety of time into your design, which brings your individual biases into the equation. Get testers who’ve by no means seen your web site earlier than, the identical as any first-time customer.

Listed here are just a few consumer testing instruments to get you began:

Website Grader: Our free device evaluates your web site primarily based on a number of components: cell, design, efficiency, search engine marketing, and safety. It then presents tailor-made strategies for enchancment. You’ll be able to study extra about Web site Grader in our devoted weblog put up.

Crazy Egg: Monitor a number of domains below one account and uncover insights about your web site’s efficiency utilizing 4 totally different intelligence instruments — warmth map, scroll map, overlay, and confetti.

Loop11: Use this device to simply create usability exams — even when you haven’t any HTML expertise.

The Person Is Drunk: Pay Richard Littauer to get drunk and evaluate your web site. Do not imagine me? We tried it.

For much more useful choices, see our checklist of the most effective consumer testing instruments.

Hopefully, these tips are helpful in informing the construction of your net pages and web site as a complete. However, how does one put these tips into apply? Within the subsequent part, I’ll run down the important web page components that you must strongly take into account together with in your design plan.

Web site Design Necessities

Header and Footer

Menu Navigation

Search Bar

Branding

Colour Palette

Headers

Clear Labels

Visuals and Media

Calls to Motion (CTAs)

Whitespace

1. Header and Footer

The header and footer are a staple of nearly each fashionable web site. Attempt to embody them on most of your pages, out of your homepage, to your weblog posts, and even your “No results found” web page.

Your header ought to include your branding within the type of a brand and group title, menu navigation, and perhaps a CTA, and/or a search bar if well-spaced and minimal. On the opposite finish, your footer is the place many customers will instinctively scroll for important info. In your footer, place contact info, a signup type, hyperlinks to your widespread pages, authorized and privateness insurance policies, hyperlinks to translated variations of your web site, and social media hyperlinks.

2. Menu Navigation

Whether or not it’s an inventory of hyperlinks throughout the header or a tidy and compact hamburger button within the nook, each web site wants a information for navigation positioned on the prime of at the very least your homepage and different necessary pages. A very good menu limits the variety of clicks to achieve any a part of your web site to just some.

To scale back muddle, you would possibly take into account making some or all menu choices a dropdown menu with hyperlinks inside it, as might be seen on HubSpot’s homepage.

Three. Search Bar

Along with menu navigation, strongly take into account putting a search bar on the prime of your pages, so customers can browse your web site for content material by key phrase. If incorporating this performance, make sure that your outcomes are related, forgiving of typos, and able to approximate key phrase matching. Most of us use a high-quality search engine each day, be it Google, Amazon, YouTube, or elsewhere. These all set the usual on your personal web site search.

Four. Branding

Keep in mind the conventions we’ve mentioned? One that you just see virtually in every single place is a brand within the prime left nook. On first touchdown, many guests’ eyes will instinctively shift to this area to test they’re in the proper place. Don’t go away them hanging.

To strengthen this notion, incorporate your organization branding into each factor you add, piece of content material you put up, and colour scheme you create. That’s why we suggest establishing model tips in the event you haven’t already — take a look at our style guide for a reference.

5. Colour Palette

Colour selection performs a significant position in your web site’s usability and UX as properly. This determination tends to be extra subjective than different necessities on this checklist. However, like every little thing else we’ve mentioned, attempt to simplify — restrict your colour choice to Three-Four distinguished colours at most.

Beginning a colour palette from scratch might be surprisingly troublesome the primary time. We appear to intuitively choose up on which colours work properly collectively and which don’t, however we stumble when attempting to choose from the infinite mixtures out there.

The answer? Strive a colour palette that’s been proven to work on different web sites. Take affect out of your favourite websites, and see our checklist of our favourite web site colour schemes to get began.

6. Headers

Headers are key to establishing the visible hierarchy we mentioned earlier, particularly on text-heavy pages. As customers skim your pages what you want, a transparent and to-the-point header alerts readers to cease scrolling after discovering what they need. Use solely as many headers as there are distinct sections of your web page, as an excessive amount of blown-up and bolded textual content will dampen this impact.

7. Clear Labels

Each time a consumer takes an motion in your web site, it should be apparent precisely what they’re doing and/or the place they’re going. All buttons ought to have clear textual content or an icon to exactly and concisely sign their function. The identical goes for in-text hyperlinks and widgets (easy interactive components, like dropdowns and textual content kinds).

For instance, a button linking to a pricing web page ought to simply learn “Pricing” — something past that (e.g., “See our prices”, “Check out the pricing page for a deal”) is superfluous. A search bar/button solely wants a search glass icon (🔍), and maybe additionally the phrase “Search”, to indicate its function.

Person testing generally is a main assist right here. When you your self know what your whole interactive web page components do, the identical can’t be mentioned for a brand new consumer. Testing will give beneficial perception into what customers assume your labels imply past your individual perspective.

eight. Visuals and Media

When incorporating static pictures, gifs, movies, and different media into your pages, bear in mind to be constant and intentional in your decisions. These components will draw consideration over most different textual content and can seemingly keep in customers’ minds, so select properly.

Right here’s only one instance of efficient media on a homepage. Discover how each picture enhances the web page aesthetic and helps the provide of customized health coaching with outcomes.

Image Source

Additionally, all pictures and movies needs to be optimized for search engines and embody descriptive alt textual content for accessibility.

9. Calls to Motion (CTAs)

Having a satisfying web site is nice, however how have you learnt whether or not your guests are literally doing what you need? Are they partaking along with your content material? That is the place CTAs come into play.

A CTA is any web page factor that prompts consumer motion. The motion might be including a product to a card, downloading a content material provide, or signing up for an electronic mail checklist. Make your CTA components distinguished within the visible hierarchy (bear in mind our Spotify instance), however not intrusive or distracting like many click-through adverts are usually.

For those who want concepts for smooth CTAs that drive extra conversions, see our CTA examples checklist.

10. Whitespace

That’s proper, generally it’s concerning the components you don’t embody. After studying these tips and necessities, it’s possible you’ll really feel tempted to stuff your pages with all the ins and outs wanted for a flawless UX. Don’t overlook that your viewers want room to digest all this new information, so give your components room to breathe.

However, how a lot whitespace ought to you have got? That’s one other private name, and varies from web site to web site. So, consumer testing is useful right here as properly. What are individuals specializing in? Do they really feel overwhelmed with the density of content material? As soon as once more, all of it ties again to our first guideline, simplicity.

Design that Places Customers First

Certainly, net design is basically subjective — your web site’s look and expertise isn’t going to please everybody. Nonetheless, there are additionally tried-and-true UX ideas that, when fastidiously thought of and integrated, assist guests really feel extra at house.

In keeping with Amazon Web Services, 88% of web site guests are much less more likely to return to an internet site after a poor expertise. And the way might you blame them? We’ve absolutely all been there.

So, as a ultimate little bit of usability/UX knowledge, begin caring extra! Think about your self into the sneakers (or, extra precisely, browser home windows) of your guests, and maintain them in thoughts each step of the design course of.

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shelleyseale · 5 years

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8 Style Finds for an Elevated Spring Season

As springtime rolls back around, so too does the opportunity for fresh beginnings as days stretch and the weather warms. With the season spurring sentiments of rejuvenation and reassurance, now is a great time to spearhead a renewed effort to feel and look your best. To achieve this worthy goal, you’ll want to spruce up your seasonal style—whether that means your clothes, accessories, beauty and wellness regime ... or all of the above! Toward this end, below are a few fab finds for our top spring style picks that can give you more panache this spring.

NOVICA Artisan Fair-Trade Marketplace

Photo courtesy of NOVICA If you crave distinctive style, worldly sophistication and enjoy shopping for a cause, then NOVICA—the largest online fair-trade marketplace featuring beautiful hand-crafted products from all over the globe—is for you. Their curated cache of artisans is hand-selected, with many having overcome amazing odds by selling their goods. For example, the Blue Jasmine Batik Silk Scarf, designed by Java artisan Yuni Kristina, has expanded business into a global marketplace thanks to the help of NOVICA’s team. Originating in Indonesia, batik is a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to whole cloth, or cloth made using this technique. Kristina hand-stamps the blue patterns on the ivory textile and adds red and black designs in batik. Also noteworthy are glass-blowing artists Javier Gutiérrez and Efrén Canteras, who have worked together to preserve Mexico's blown glass artistry. They work with lead-free, un-tempered and recycled glass, which is melted at very high temperatures and formed into beautiful wares. NOVICA features many other authentic crafts from around the globe and the company has sent more than $89.9 million back to their artisans to date.

Lebody Face & Body Enhancing Devices

Spring is a great time to amp up that self-care regime and here’s an innovative tech-driven way to do exactly that. With Lebody you can get spa-level results in the comfort of your own home, enhancing both your face and your body. This leading Korean beauty-technology company just launched in the United States this past December, offering two devices that bring professional-level advances directly to the consumer. The ‘Lebody Face’ is a compact, travel-friendly beauty device that uses electrical ionization and micro-currents to stimulate elastin in the skin for an instant lifting effect, while absorbing active ingredients, rearranging collagen and improving skin elasticity. The ‘Lebody Form’ uses EMS mid-frequency to strengthen muscles and increase energy consumption to burn fat components around the body by directly stimulating and activating the muscles for a slimming effect. Use its Slim or Gym modes at up to six varying strength levels to build or trim your abdomen, legs, glutes, chest, back, shoulders and arms without having to drive to the fitness center. Indeed, Lebody products allow consumers to use advanced, cutting-edge technology right at home.

Find U Rings Online Jewelry Store

Photo Courtesy FindURings.com To help amp up your fashion accessory game—especially on the engagement and wedding ring front—is FindURings.com, an online jewelry store allowing consumers to benefit from its deep industry knowledge about the modern-day ring marketplace. They have their own processing plants and offer tailor-made services to ensure whichever wedding, engagement or fashion ring design you select meets your distinct needs and desires. Plus, all of their rings are made at their own factory with no outside agent, so prices will be more favorable to a budget-conscious shopper. Whether you’re seeking unique tungsten wedding bands; titanium, sterling silver, stainless steel or ceramic rings, FindURings.com has fashionable styles for both men and women, alike. They are also one of the few brands that offers free engravings of meaningful words, phrases and even fingerprints, adding even more meaning to your personalized design. One of my favorite rings on the site is the “Sterling Silver Cris Cross Ring,” which is billed as an “Eternity Engagement Band” although I like wearing this blingy bauble daily as a fashion ring. This standard, silver, horizontal ring is made from 925 sterling silver and shiny white cut AAA cubic zirconia. The cross loop is reportedly one of their most popular rings of the year. If you are buying this design for romantic reasons, its exquisite sheen and simple, stylish "X" design are stunning and a symbol of eternal love. For men, I really dig the “Flat Deer Antler Titanium Wedding Band”—a wide flat titanium deer antler-adorned ring. At 8mm wide and 2.0-2.5mm thick, the inside of the ring is made of high-quality titanium and the outside is made of authentic deer antlers. So, each ring is truly unique. Plus, all of their rings are offered with free shipping and a lifetime warranty, with no minimum spend required. Each one has a lifetime guarantee for size exchange and any damage.

Pop Bag USA Customizable Handbags

Handbag purveyor Pop Bag USA was born in Tuscany and produced in Florence, Italy by local craftsmen whose unique and unparalleled workmanship ensure the utmost standards with the highest quality pebbled and Saffiano leather options. As the movement toward sustainable fashion–and awareness of the negative effects of fast fashion–grows, Pop Bag is an ideal purse for longevity. This is because the bag, itself, is custom-buildable with different components allowing you to mix, match and exchange each front and back panel to achieve your desired (and ever-evolving) look. With four customizable components—a front, back, strap, and interior pouch—a choice of leather, and a multitude of modern finishes for you to choose from, the possibilities for expression are endless.

Photo courtesy of Pop Bag Pop Bag provides the materials, but the panels and pieces you select and the ways you customize your Pop Bag make each a reflection of your own unique style and personality. Design the bags based on your destination, mood or the season. Change colors, materials and hardware. It’s a fun and fulfilling process. Or, if you want it done for you, there are ready-to-wear bags from totes, mini-bags and backpacks to phone bags and envelopes. With locations all around the world, from France and Germany to Hong Kong and beyond, Pop Bag has now opened its first United States location. Americans can now also enjoy building their own brag-worthy Pop Bag.

Dooney & Bourke ‘Caldwell’ Design Handbags

Photo courtesy of Dooney & Bourke The Caldwell Collection from Dooney & Bourke exemplifies understated elegance. These chic, structured bags created from python-embossed leather are refined but with a touch of glam courtesy of the gold-plated hardware embellishment. The collection of products has also been treated to repel some moisture, so those spring showers are nary a worry. One option from the line is the Caldwell Flynn Handbag, which features rich textures of that python-embossed leather that elevates the fashion-forward bag. Soft pleats and a gold logo round out the look on the exterior, while inside there’s a light, twill lining—a bright pop of red juxtaposing my choice of the deep espresso brown option. Aside for its aesthetics, what I adore about this handbag is that it’s extremely roomy, with the main compartment holding an abundant amount, while also keeping you organized courtesy of deep-set pockets galore. Another piece that I especially like for when I only need to carry essentials is the Caldwell Zip Clutch. The exotic texture of python is once again artfully imprinted in leather, making this eye-catching clutch an instant outfit changer. Its classic, timeless shape makes it a perfect companion. It can also be used as a coordinating wallet with the Flynn Handbag. For an effortless polish, day or night, Caldwell bags are a great choice for the season.

Skin Actives’ ‘Double Action Hair Serum'

For those unhappy with their thinning or grey hair, the Double Action Hair Serum from Skin Actives may just be the answer. This serum is specifically formulated to help replenish thinning and grey hair to give it more youthful flare. The product’s key ingredients, Keratinocyte Growth Factor (KGF), Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase (MSR) and nourishing actives work together to create hair that looks thicker, stronger and healthier while also maintaining its natural color in the process. For this and all of its products, Skin Actives constantly reviews scientific and industry literature to stay at the very front of effective ingredients and innovative approaches. Their formulators use techniques developed over decades of research to manufacture specialty proteins and push the cutting edge of skin care technology. For the most optimal results with the Double Action Hair Serum, specifically, Skin Actives recommends using the product nightly by dampening the scalp area and applying the serum directly to it using the product’s pointed applicator. From there you just have to gently massage it into the area and then rinse or cleanse it out in the morning. It’s as simple as that. Skin Actives says that users begin to see results in just two to six months. Now that’ll put a spring in your step!

Dr. med. Christine Schrammek Skincare Line

Blemish Balm - photo courtesy of Dr. med. Christine Schrammek Skincare For those focusing on skin health and wealth this spring season, next are medically-inspired skin care products from the Dr. med. Christine Schrammek collection by Kosmetik, an elite, 60-year-old German skincare company. Dermatologist, allergologist and anti-aging expert Dr. med. Christine Schrammek-Drusio’s professional occupation as a doctor with her own practice strengthened her desire to create a connection between cosmetics and dermatology. Today, thousands of aestheticians and users worldwide take advantage of the Dr. med. Christine Schrammek Kosmetik skin care products. Each item in this highly effective product line was specially designed for all skin types. The company offers a skin care portfolio with seven product lines addressing different skin types and concerns, with each combining innovative and proven ingredients to optimize skin health. All products are dermatologically tested, and many clinically tested, for best efficacy. Thanks to their high ingredient concentration in combination with dermatological knowledge and high-end quality, Dr. Schrammek products are known to achieve excellent results, having received rave reviews from women across the globe.

NIVEA Crème Limited Edition City Tins

Earlier this year NIVEA launched its first limited edition collection nationwide in the United States: the NIVEA Crème Limited Edition City Tins featuring cityscapes inspired by some of the country’s top destinations like Miami and San Francisco. Now, these stunning skylines are emblazoned on the iconic NIVEA Crème’s travel-friendly one-ounce tins priced around $1. Of course, inside the tiny, travel-friendly tins is the NIVEA Crème, which gives skin the care it needs by nourishing and giving it a protective layer that prevents moisture loss throughout the day. Enriched with Provitamin B5, the rich and creamy formula moisturizes all day and nourishes to protect all skin types. Simply apply to your face, hands and body to enjoy soft, smooth skin any time. For an extra level of care, apply to the roughest areas such as knees, feet and elbows to intensively moisturize. ~~~ ***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided or arranged at no cost to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.*** Read the full article

#luxelist #artisan #brands #décorgifts #fairtrade #giftideas #giftsformen #giftsforthehome #handbags #holidaygifts #productreviews #review #skincare #techgifts #travel #vacation

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hollywoodjuliorivas · 7 years

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EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Tech’s Damaging Myth of the Loner Genius Nerd Claire Cain Miller @clairecm AUG. 12, 2017 Continue reading the main storyShare This Page Share Tweet Email More Save 155 Photo Credit Abbey Lossing The Google engineer who was fired last week over his memo wrote that most women were biologically unsuited to working in tech because they were more focused on “feelings and aesthetics than ideas” and had “a stronger interest in people rather than things.” Many scientists have said he got the biology wrong. But the job requirements of today’s programmers show he was also wrong about working in tech. In fact, interpersonal skills like collaboration, communication, empathy and emotional intelligence are essential to the job. The myth that programming is done by loner men who think only rationally and communicate only with their computers harms the tech industry in ways that cut straight to the bottom line. The loner stereotype can deter talented people from the industry — not just women, but anyone who thinks that sounds like an unattractive job description. It can also result in dysfunctional teams and poorly performing products. Empathy, after all, is crucial to understanding consumers’ desires, and its absence leads to product mistakes. Take digital assistants, like Google Home or Amazon Echo. Their programmers need to be able to imagine a huge variety of home situations, whether households with roommates or abusive spouses or children — as made clear when a child ordered a $160 dollhouse and four pounds of sugar cookies on the Echo. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story “Basically every step is very collaborative,” said Tracy Chou, who was an engineer at Pinterest and Quora and is now working on start-ups. “Building a big software system, you could have dozens or hundreds or thousands of engineers working on the same code base, and everything still has to work together.” She added, “But not everyone is the same, and that’s where empathy and broader diversity really help.” The memo distinguished between empathizing with other people’s feelings and analyzing and constructing systems, and said coding is about the latter. But it requires both, as do most of the jobs that are growing in number and in wages, according to economic research. Jobs that require a combination of math and social skills — like computer science, financial management and nursing — have fared best in the modern economy, found David Deming, a professor at Harvard. It’s true that programming can be a solitary activity in college computer science classes or entry-level positions. But soon after, it’s impossible to avoid teamwork — with the business or legal departments, but also with other engineers. There’s a joke in computer science that one of the hardest tasks is naming things in code. It’s funny because it’s a nontechnical task. But it involves something that can be even harder than technical work: communicating with other people and intuiting what they might need and understand. Computer programming was originally considered a woman’s job. They were programmers of the Eniac during World War II and at NASA, as shown in the film “Hidden Figures.” That began to change when programming professionalized in the 1960s. The stereotype of an eccentric genius who would rather work with machines than people was born, according to Nathan Ensmenger, a historian at Indiana University who studies the cultural history of the software industry. Yet that was never an accurate description of the job. It was social from the beginning, in university computer labs and, later, Silicon Valley garages, he said. The social circle just didn’t include women. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story “For a lot of these young men, a certain computer culture becomes an expression of masculinity,” he said. “These are people who aren’t doing physical labor, aren’t playing professional sports. But they can express their masculinity by intense competition, playing pranks on one another, demonstrating their technical prowess, in ways that don’t translate well to mixed-gender environments.” The mythology of the antisocial programmer is self-perpetuating, said Yonatan Zunger, a senior engineering leader at Google until this month, when he joined Humu, a start-up. Early on, children who are less comfortable with social interaction — particularly boys, who are more likely to be socialized that way — are channeled toward science and engineering, he said. Teachers generally focus on the technical aspects and not the interpersonal ones. The result is a field filled with people who dislike social interactions and have been rewarded for it. Silicon Valley culture encourages it. Google calls engineers who aren’t managers “individual contributors.” Technical skills are valued above soft skills or business skills. “Anyone who deals with a human being is considered less intelligent,” said Ellen Ullman, a software programmer and author of a new book, “Life in Code.” “You would think it would be the other way around, but the more your work is just talking to the machine, the more valuable it is.” Photo Google Glass, worn in 2013 by Sergey Brin of Google, was a technical feat but landed flat with consumers. Credit Robert Galbraith/Reuters One example is the distinction between front-end engineers, who build the parts of a product that users interact with, and back-end engineers, who work on behind-the-scenes systems, like data storage or scaling. There is a bias that front-end engineering, which generally pays less and has more women, is less technically difficult. People who have done both say the skills are different, but equally challenging and valuable. Problems arise when engineers get to a point in their careers when they’re required to demonstrate social skills, Mr. Zunger said, like understanding diverse points of view, building consensus and reading people’s subtle cues. “Suddenly they’re told that these skills that are their weak point might be really important,” he said. “Their own value is in question.” In the tech industry, the lack of interpersonal skills has become a weakness and a liability. Edmond Lau runs an engineering coaching business with many clients like Google and Facebook called The Effective Engineer. His work can sound like touchy-feely therapy sessions. Newsletter Sign UpContinue reading the main story The Upshot Get the best of The Upshot’s news, analysis and graphics about politics, policy and everyday life. Sign Up You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. SEE SAMPLE MANAGE EMAIL PREFERENCES PRIVACY POLICY OPT OUT OR CONTACT US ANYTIME For example, he said, a senior engineer spots a bug and fixes the code, trying to be helpful. But the person who wrote it thinks the person overstepped onto his territory, or was sending a passive-aggressive message. At Quip, a workplace productivity company where Mr. Lau is an engineering leader, he leads circles in which engineers talk about how to work together or ask for help. “You might have ideas in your head, but unless you communicate them, no one’s going to understand,” he said. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Technical skills without empathy have resulted in products that have bombed in the market, because a vital step to building a product is the ability to imagine how someone else might think and feel. “The failure rate in software development is enormous, but it almost never means the code doesn’t work,” Mr. Ensmenger said. “It doesn’t solve the problem that actually exists, or it imagines a user completely different from actual users.” With Google Glass, for example, it was a technical feat to make a tiny computer you could wear as a pair of glasses. But the product wasn’t one that typical people needed, or wanted. When Apple introduced its Health app, it tracked sleep, exercise, food, medications and heart rate, but not menstrual cycle. Yet period trackers are one of the most used health tools for women. (The app now includes it.) Google Plus, the company’s social network, initially required that users make public their name, photo and gender. There was a technical argument for including gender — to construct sentences like “She shared a photo with you” — but it also exposed women to online harassment. “The team that made this decision was entirely male,” said Mr. Zunger, who was the chief architect of social networking at Google at the time. “It was a really clear case of getting things wrong, for the simple reason that the people in the room weren’t diverse enough to notice an obvious problem.” Less visible, but highly influential, are the judgments that go into building algorithms that determine the news you read, the loans you get or the people you date. Facebook has been criticized for showing people only news stories that align with their political views, for example. Research has found that ads for arrest records are more likely to show up on searches for black fraternities. Empathy also affects which products are built in the first place — why, for example, Silicon Valley has spent more time building apps for expensive food delivery than for decreasing hunger. Some people in the industry say computer science students would benefit from more liberal arts courses. “We need future adults to be able to discern what it makes sense for machines to make decisions about, and is the code base fair and equal, and do they have a basis to even judge that,” said Amy Webb, founder of the Future Today Institute, a technology forecasting firm. “There’s no cool technology toy that teaches that there are different religions around the world and it’s O.K. to be tolerant.” ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story When engineers build products with empathy, it can seem like magic: Technology seems to predict what people want before they know they want it. That was part of Steve Jobs’s genius. Just look at the number of people connected to their phones, or a child using an iPhone for the first time. One way to develop empathy at companies is by hiring diverse teams, because people bring different perspectives and life experiences. But the more widespread the stereotypes like those in the Google memo, the harder it becomes. When people hear negative stereotypes about the skills of a group to which they belong, they are less likely to pursue those skills, according to a variety of research. In a study by Shelley Correll, a sociologist at Stanford, when participants were told that men had a higher ability to complete a task, women said they were less competent at the task and less likely to enter a field that required it. When they were told that men and women were equally good at it, those differences disappeared. “That nerd identity is really damaging to women,” Mr. Ensmenger said, “but it’s also damaging to minorities and to a lot of men who don’t want to subsume their identity in that.” That’s why the consequences of the Google memo could reach far beyond the particular case, influencing which young people choose to go into technology, and which products they make that affect every aspect of our lives.

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velkynkarma · 7 years

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Okay. So. I’ve had some time to come down off the mind-is-screaming-internally S2 high and think about a lot of stuff that I saw on my first playthrough. I still intend to go through and re-watch more closely for details. And I have NOT hit that level of ‘instantly knowing when and where scenes and tiny minuscule important details happen’ yet like I have for S1, so some thoughts might be jumbled or more explainable on a second pass. But for now, my reactions, my pros, my cons, my thoughts, and whether or not I’ll still be writing for this series.

Buckle up ‘cause like everything else I write this is gonna get long.

So as I mentioned last night, there were things I liked about this season, and there were things I didn’t. Let’s start with those. PROS:

Everyone gets a moment of sheer badassery. Everyone. Both in their Lion and on their own. Shiro’s combat scenes, Keith’s fights, Lance’s sharpshooting, Allura’s staff fight, I mean the list goes on.

One of my favorites was Hunk when mind controlled, though. Because holy crap—did you see how brutal he was when he had no inhibitions holding him back? He went to town and he messed Lance up pretty good. This says quite a lot about his character that I thought was really interesting. Hunk has has a lot of combat ability and potential, but he holds himself back, partly out of anxiety or that he doesn’t really believe he can do it, and partly because he doesn’t prefer the fighting method when there are other options. Hunk can absolutely fuck you up if he really wants to. He chooses not to. That’s big.

In general, just...absolutely gorgeous fight scenes. The choreography and movement of the characters was superb. As someone who studied animation I was blown away. Beautiful work.

All the Lions got an upgrade of some kind, some kind of special weapon. It kind of bothered me in S1 when the Red Lion got its giant super-gun at the last minute because it felt kind of deus ex machina, but I am glad at least that it’s become more established this is a thing all the Lions can do as long as you connect with them enough.

The Black Bayard has been recovered. Hell. Fucking. Yes.

There were just so many great character interactions and bonding moments. I love that we had a variety of different team-ups to see how different characters interacted with each other, especially in cases where they hadn’t previously. Hunk and Keith, Lance and Pidge, Lance and Shiro, Keith and Shiro, Lance and Hunk...just a lot of great interactions

There were so many “what the actual fuck am I watching” moments for me but I was laughing through all of them, so no complaints there. (Space mall. Just. Space. Mall).

Lots of moments when I laughed out loud or grinned wildly

Shiro losing his fucking cool because he’s human, yeah, I like seeing that haha

Slav. I just. As a person with obsessive compulsive disorder I related with this guy on a fundamental level. I’m not quite as bad as Slav is but man do I get what it’s like to have to do really stupid shit to just progress on a day to day level. (Also, he’s funny).

Zarkon and Haggar’s relationship was explored a lot more, which I really found interesting. In S1 they were a well-oiled machine and worked together perfectly. They also clearly trusted each other. S2 changed that up with Zarkon’s Lion obsession and Haggar wanting to focus on the internal spy and finishing off Allura. I’m curious to see where this will go and if it will form a rift.

Also: Haggar can be tricked. Her magic is not infallible. I suspect the Blade of Marmora has a technique or something to resist druid magic, otherwise they’d have been hardcore fucked centuries ago, but I find this intriguing all the same.

Blade of Marmora: “Come unarmed.” Haha but okay unless you literally disarm Shiro you can’t disarm Shiro and they know that so I’m genuinely surprised they didn’t throw more of a hissy fit over this one.

Not gonna lie I actually really liked the design of Zarkon’s armor-mech. Almost more than Voltron. Dem wings, man. Dem wings. Also, on that note, why the heck does he even need Voltron or the black lion when he’s got his own single-person mech that he can control without having to recruit four other people to work with him?

They basically confirmed false memories are entirely possible for Shiro since Hunk gives us a breakdown of how that arm actually works a little better. The Blade of Marmora may have been real but there is still so much fic potential here I’m foaming at the mouth over it.

CONS:

I’ve got a few cons, but well, let’s get the big one out of the way first. Galra Keith. (And since I know this can be a controversial topic and my feelings on this one are complicated, let me first preface this with an assurance that I have zero shade towards anyone who liked the Galra!Keith theory in S1 or likes the canonization of it in S2. This is just my opinion and in no way does it invalidate yours).

Okay, unpopular opinion time: I’ve never really been on board with the Galra!Keith theory (which I guess is no longer a theory, but yeah). I’ve never really made a big deal of it though because frankly it’s not my place to lecture others on what they want to like or not. I mean, hey, it’s fandom. Like what you like, just don’t cram it in my face. I was content to ignore Galra!Keith tags and go about my business. But the reason I was never really fond of the theory is I could never make it work, with the details presented in S1. And lord knows I tried, anyone who knows me at this point knows I love theorizing and analyzing this stuff. But it just felt so circumstantial. Most of the “evidence” people would point out in S1 could have supported a dozen different kinds of theories. The only real unexplained piece was Keith’s inexplicable draw to the Blue Lion at the beginning, but even then, I didn’t consider this an immediate indication of Galra blood per se. The show also has magic in it, after all; he could have also had some kind of sixth sense or other ability. It just wasn’t enough to go on. And above all I simply could not reconcile any kind of Galra presence on Earth when in S1 they were fully presented as devourers and conquerors. There was no way Zarkon could have known about Earth, especially if the Blue Lion was also on his radar, and not shown up to just take what he wanted and blast it out of orbit. Zarkon takes. He doesn’t have patience for stealth and subtlety when he owns half of the known universe, and I couldn’t see him having a single soldier on Earth without immediately taking advantage of it. Whether that was Keith, or some parent/ancestor of his, didn’t really matter. It just didn’t mesh with Zarkon.

S2 drops a few new details that flesh this out a little better. The existence of a stealth-oriented resistance certainly would justify how some Galra individuals could theoretically have been to Earth without immediately summoning a full fleet to blow it out of space. If they knew the Blue Lion was there they might even have a reason to target Earth specifically, if only to keep it hidden for as long as possible. I am mollified by this, at least, since it does provide some possible answers to the big plot hole issue I had with this theory. But I don’t know. Galra!Keith still feels too…contrived. Too convenient. It just doesn’t feel natural to me, in a series and plot that has otherwise put a lot of focus on naturally developing story as it goes. Each episode drops details that lead to the next episode, smoothly and subtly, but something about Galra Keith just feels very ham-handed. I’m having a little trouble coming to grips with it. Maybe they’ll drop more information in season 3 that will smooth this out more, but right now I’m just…really not a fan of this piece. On the plus side, while I am not really a fan of Keith having Galra heritage, I do kinda like that most people on the ship are just like ‘oh okay you’re part alien whatever.’ Like it isn’t drawn out into a huge drama spectacle. When it’s first officially revealed only Shiro is actually present and I half expected Keith to beg Shiro not to tell anyone because he’s scared of their reactions, just because they’d want to play up the reveal drama for a few episodes, but there wasn’t any. Everyone just knew. Learned off screen even, other than for Shiro, because there is no scene when Keith comes forward and says ‘hey so yeah, turns out I’m part Galra?’ to the team. And with the exception of Allura, nobody really reacted. Hell, there wasn’t a “reaction episode” like you would have expected with a theme like this. It almost felt underplayed. Or, treated as not-really-that-weird-a-thing, like in Keith and Hunk’s episode together, in which Hunk continually draws attention to the Galra heritage but not really in a hateful way. And I kind of liked that, because while Galra!Keith feels a little on the cliche side, at least that kind of response shook that up a little. And, not gonna lie, on a completely aesthetic reaction, I am just super fucking glad that Keith didn’t like…hulk out Galra style. I’m not a fan of Galra designs in general, I’m glad Keith didn’t just magically turn purple and all that. (Though this really does beg the question of how much his biology is affected by that Galra heritage. We know it’s affected his sixth sense at least somewhat since he appears able to sense and interact with all the Lions, and we know it lets him interact with Galra tech which is…weirdly convenient…but otherwise he looks perfectly human). Anyway. That’s my thoughts on Galra Keith, which was the biggest con for me. The rest are less controversial. OTHER CONS:

Pidge and Lance didn’t get to use their bayards to create new solo weaponry for Voltron. This makes me sad as I really wanted to see Voltron get a badass sniper rifle or a chain-whip thing like Zarkon had. I did like that everyone got to work together to make the super huge-ass sword, but I would’ve liked seeing some new weaponry too.

Thace. I just wasn’t feeling it with this guy. I know we’re supposed to feel sad when he dies, but honestly? They didn’t give us any chance to bond with this character or establish anything to really connect to him with. We see him resisting the Galra and tricking Haggar which is cool and all, but it just kinda felt like he was there. There was no emotion there, no connection. When he makes his heroic sacrifice I didn’t feel any kind of heartache because it was just like ‘oh...that NPC died. Eh, that sucks.’

We only got 1 Shiro flashback. Granted it was a big one, but like Shiro said, I still have so many fucking questions.

Hunk and Lance kinda got a little flanderized. I get that Hunk likes food, and I get that Lance is kind of the obnoxious-hormonal-teenager trope, but I think it got pushed a little too far in some scenes. They also got less development this season than the others, which wouldn’t really bother me as much if it had been fairly even across the board, except it wasn’t. Half the story was about Keith. Look, writers, I know we asked for more character development for Keith because he needed it pretty bad, but whipping it to the other extreme end of the spectrum wasn’t quite the solution?

The Red Lion’s abrupt change in attitude just seems…strange to me. I’m not sure how I feel about it. This is a Lion that you really have to work to get to like you and it’s ‘very unstable.’ It’s rather abrupt about face to the point when it just randomly keeps rescuing Keith was…well. The first time was awesome, but after a while it kinda felt overused. *flat sarcastic voice* “Oh boy. Keith is in trouble. I wonder how he’ll get out of this one.” On the other hand, I almost wonder if this is in part a reaction to Keith piloting the Black Lion, if only for a short while. I wonder if Red is trying to do the same thing right back—prove itself to its partner? I don’t know. I’m conflicted on this one. But to me it lacked subtlety in the same vein as Keith’s story.

That cliffhanger. Just. That cliffhanger.

RANDOM THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, AND WISHLIST ITEMS

Okay. The final plan. Cool and all, but like...the fuck didn’t they just wormhole Zarkon’s ship into a sun or black hole? Like. C’mon. Even corrupted-Alfor-thoughts thought of that plan. They didn’t even have to re-imagine it. They had precedence. They were ultimately planning to destroy the ship anyway, and at the time they made their plan they hadn’t even considered trying to recover the black bayard, which were the only things they’d lose. They could have saved so much hassle. (The answer is of course that there wouldn’t be much of a show after that, but still).

As stated I’m not really a huge fan of Galra Keith but man, if I am being asked to accept this as canon, I fucking demand that he gets to dual-wield his Blade of Marmora with the Red Bayard. Because we already know he’s ambidextrous in with his sword. And that would be too fucking cool.

Okay so Matt’s not a prisoner anymore. He got rescued by rebels or something. Cool. Uh. Where’s the love for Sam Holt though? Where the fuck is Pidge’s dad? Please tell me somebody rescued him too? The man just wanted to find existence of life outside Earth he didn’t sign up to be a fucking war prisoner give the guy a break.

Also I kind of laughed when Shiro was all “hey Pidge don’t worry it’s okay Matt’s a survivor like you” because this is literally the same guy who was like “yeah Matt you gonna die unless I fight this guy for you since you have zero combat survival capability and both of us know you’ll be dead in like ten seconds.” And now he’s with rebels. Escaping. In a violent situation. I wonder how that’ll work.

They were really pushing Multiverse theory in this season and I find that very intriguing. I wonder if anything will come of that.

Okay but the presence of a human-themed shop on a random space mall really both intrigues and puzzles me. ‘Cause this means there are regular visitors to Earth, or at least people know about it outside our solar system, when previously it sounded like we were in the space boonies and no one had ever heard of us (which is why it was a great place to hide a Lion). Earth obviously did not have robust inter-planetary trading since the Kerberos mission was all about discovering life outside Earth, and Lance thinks Pidge is crazy for believing in aliens waaaay back in S1Ep1. So. What gives? How?

The insane animation style change happened again for Shiro using his bayard and then everyone screaming. I guess they have a 1-pivotal-moment-per-season rule with that.

So we knew Altean Haggar was coming, that one just seemed kinda obvious. What I actually find more intriguing is that Haggar’s hair is white. Now granted we only have a few Alteans to work off of (Alfor, Allura, Coran, and now Haggar), but Coran has repeatedly implied Allura has extra abilities and has referred to her (or other Alteans who did the Balmera ceremony) as “sacred Alteans.” Presumably, this is something linked to the royal line, and so far every royal Altean we’ve seen has had white hair. I’m wondering if Haggar is a relative. Of course, this is all circumstantial evidence and pure conjecture. It’s also possible that hair color can be shapeshifted, or white hair isn’t associated with the royal line, or a dozen other things. I’m not holding my breath, but I am curious how Haggar fits into the planet destruction.

Overall I did like the theme they were going for this season, which is that your blood does not define you or decide what “side” you’re on. We had some good Galra (or just neutral ones, like the restaurant owner, or ones that just did not fit the ‘cull the weak, be the best warrior’ mentality we were largely led to believe the Galra were in S1). And we have Bad Alteans, although honestly I’m sure everyone saw that coming already.

I feel like there were a LOT of subtle nods to or jabs at the fandom in S2 too. Lots of theories came true of course, but there was also a lot of dialogue that seemed to deliberately poke fun at some theories or fan favorites. Sometimes it was funny and sometimes it felt kind of insulting or trollish. But this is hardly a surprise, I guess, considering how much they played with us right before S2 dropped.

ON WRITING:

So am I still planning on writing for Voltron? Well. I’d like to. I liked the majority of this season, it was fun, my heart was pounding through most of it, and it left my mind a screaming wreck by the end. It was intense. But it was mostly good. I enjoyed it. There are a few problems I need to figure out though.

Galra Keith is probably the biggest wrench in my fic-writing plans at the moment. I’m not…really sure how to process this. Characterization is the most important part to me when I write, and I always try to stay as true to the characters as possible based off the canon material we’re given. To me it is absolutely vital to do that character justice. I feel that is what a responsible writer should do. So even if I write stuff that isn’t centric to his heritage, or even to Keith, it’s now still a core part of his character that needs to be considered when determining his actions, thoughts, goals and motivations, especially considering some of his actions in S2 as a direct result of that. It’s something I need to keep in mind when I write him, but it’s also not really a theme I’m a fan of. I am certainly not petty enough to write it out of existence because I don’t like it—that’s not fair to the character either, and I detest that kind of blatant disregard for a character’s core traits, it’s not responsible writing. It’s leaving me a bit puzzled as to how to proceed. I’ll need some time to think on it. I need to figure out how to get on board with Galra!Keith in a way that still leaves me comfortable writing it.

(Plus, not gonna lie, it totally tanked an idea I had in mind where I was intending to use Keith as the main POV. Okay, I may be a tad bitter about that. I liked this idea. Oh well). That cliffie is another issue. At least we can work with the S1 cliffhanger. What do you do when a character has disappeared? Are we gonna have to establish they got him back every time? Or set it at an indeterminable point somewhere between all the action? Except there wasn’t really any point during which they slowed down. Just. Gonna need to think on that one. And as previously mentioned in this post, I’ve got a nasty case of the obsessive compulsive disorder, mixed with being an insane perfectionist, and it’s driving me bonkers now that some of my fics are canon inaccurate. I’ll get over it but man. It bothers the hell out of me.

ANYWAY. There’s my thoughts. In one long, super post. If you read through all that, congrats.

#voltron #voltron spoilers #voltron season 2 #velkynkarma thoughts

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aurelliocheek · 4 years

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World of Warship: Legends – Remaster or Remake?

Port or remake? This was the big question once it became obvious that the PC game is successful and a console version imminent.

After a great launch of »World of Warships«, Wargaming Saint Petersburg made a decision that naval battles should come to the consoles too. Head of development Kirill Peskov, together with Art Team Lead Evgeny Zaitsev and UI/UX team lead Vasily Pugovkin told us more about bringing the experience over to the consoles.

Mastering the peculiarities of consoles The idea of porting the existing game was shelved pretty quickly. The current PC approach would not work for consoles and several elements required a complete rework. The main areas of interest included controls and user interface. When it comes to battles – players have to get rid of their mice and keyboards, so their accuracy will decrease. Players can‘t set their sights as fast as they do it with a mouse, so we came up with a way to improve this process. Many things had to be adapted to be comfortably attainable using a gamepad. Same goes for the UI.

Usually console interfaces are significantly simpler and more user-friendly. They are also more of a step-by-step entity, so the predictability of users‘ focus and movement is paramount. That‘s why in the end we decided that making a different or even a completely new game would be best.

While working on WoWS: Legends, the team took the chance to improve the game significantly.

»Even though it is a new game, it is still a game about big ships and sea battles,« says Head of Development Kirill Peskov. »Players deserve to have huge ships on huge screens with great picture quality. That is what we‘re aiming for, since warships on big screens are simply impressive. One salvo with your main battery on a 60 inch display with a subwoofer is undeniably powerful. This game is also a great opportunity for us not to repeat the mistakes we‘ve made before.«

Although these digital gaming platforms exist for quite a long time, this is the first console project for Wargaming Saint Petersburg. Wargaming Chicago, the studio behind World of Tanks: Mercenaries, helped us a lot in getting up to speed in the console world by sharing their knowledge and experience.

Exploring the Technology The technological stack of WoWs PC version was chosen as the starting point for the console version’s development. With that decision, there was no reason to create new content from scratch, and it has provided massive opportunities for exchanging knowledge and experience between the PC and Console teams.

In order to get the desired result, the team had to investigate consoles’ specs thoroughly. Console architecture is built on the use of multiple processor cores, which are significantly weaker than PC specifications. Because of that, our team had to solve several tasks:

Optimize the application to use as few process cores, as possible, and parallelize the load on these cores; Reduce and optimize the CPU time in Main Thread; Use GPU capabilities efficiently to improve the visual.

One of the maps of World of Warships: Legends, still »Work in Progress«.

When the team conducted the first performance test on Xbox One X in emulation mode, everything went smoothly. But when the original Xbox One devkits arrived at the studio, it turned out that many aspects hadn’t been taken into account, and the real framerate dropped to 20 FPS. The next task was to bring it back to steady 30 FPS, which was completed successfully.

The reason for that was the specs of the console‘s architecture. The Xbox One X’s VRAM is faster than previous generation. It is easy to access this memory, and because of that the application performs well. Xbox One S’s VRAM is slow, but it has built-in 32 MB of ESRAM, with the help of which you can effectively optimize GPU use. The next task was to decide what to put into ESRAM for the game to perform well.

Changing the Gameplay Even though the combat mechanic is the same on both PC and Consoles, the game went through significant gameplay changes. The first and most visible one is the reduction of the number of ship tiers from 10 to 7. The reason for that is so players could proceed through tiers much faster, as the console audience is naturally less patient. The second change is the move from our traditional »12 vs. 12« to »9 vs. 9« battles. The Console team thinks of this as an optimal balance for ship classes to fulfill their potential. The third change is matchmaking – it‘s now based on a »plus/minus one tier« system. The number of tiers has been reduced, and it is easier for the matchmaker to match teams. Lots of attention was paid to the beginning of battles, to ensure each would start in a minute or less.

Commanders will go through changes as well. The PC version has a lot of micromanagement: large number of commanders, reserves, retraining, etc. The team wants to simplify this – redesign the perk tree and provide players with a selection of personalized commanders per nation that players can use on any ship.

PvE now plays a significant role at the starting point of the game and has been developed independently from the PC version. Starting from tier 2-3, players will have an option to form small teams with friends, complete PvE missions, build up their skill and study the game mechanics. There are also plans for a hardcore PvE mode with a higher difficulty, for the most dedicated fans.

Aircraft carriers – one of the most complex classes in the game – will go through a total redesign. More details on that will come in the future.

The Team of Wargaming St. Petersburg during their work on concepts for World of Warships: Legends.

Adapting the UI »The control paradigm has changed significantly,« Vasily Pugovkin, UI/UX Team Lead at Wargaming St. Petersburg, explains. »Instead of mouse and keyboard there‘s a gamepad, which has particular limitations when it comes to aiming. That‘s why every aspect of the controls had to be subjected to optimization while some parts were automated. The camera was modified as well: it‘s pulled further away from the ship and its field of view was corrected for console standards. UI elements themselves became larger, yet the information presented is less abundant which makes it easier to digest for the player. Both general and battle interfaces were significantly streamlined and don‘t draw your attention away from the battle. Some parts of the UI became simply better and some just better optimized. We took this step, as we don‘t expect our console players to significantly crossover with their PC counterparts.«

From the very beginning of development, World of Warships PC had its own UI technology which has evolved over a long period of time. However, at some point, before there was any talk of consoles, we understood that another version would eventually be needed. One that would be created from scratch in C++ and one that accounted for all of the experience gathered while developing the PC version. At that point we started developing it as a background task – one person took the bulk of the work, as he was the one who created the core concept. Development progressed, but we couldn‘t find an application for it since the project was too established by that time to implement such a drastic change.

Legends became a fertile grounds for trying out things, where we could push this tech to a working implementation. It would allow us to create a whole new UI set – this piece of technology is called »Unbound«. The main idea behind it is that designers can implement their ideas without needing to use help from coders. It is basically a library that allows to significantly speed up the prototyping process for complex UI systems. Currently our team has this tech working and it enables us to apply changes in real time just by pressing the Ctrl+S combination, foregoing the need to relaunch.

One of the least demanding, yet non-trivial tasks was to move ships in the port to the side. This change is made to accommodate the interface elements on the left. After enlarging the UI elements they started to cover ships. This became an issue, since you cannot minimize pop-ups in the console UI. Therefore, those elements need to always occupy a part of the screen one way or another. The initial result was less than desirable: ships occupied two thirds of the screen‘s real estate but should you try to rotate that ship, parts of it would be covered by the screen and interface borders. The camera rotation angles had to be corrected as well: while it seems that the camera simply goes around the ship, in reality it follows a complex elliptical trajectory that supports the side shift.

It’s self-explainatory, that the game’s water aesthetics is one of the most important key-components and therefore requires a lot of time during development.

To make the overall controls more comfortable special focus has been put on aiming. Salvos can be fired from third person view, but that is an unlikely case, as most of the firing is done in binocular mode. When switching into that mode there is a slight shift of camera towards the target that‘s being aimed at. Basically the game takes your crosshairs to the general area where you will perform all of the fine adjustments of your aim. We‘ve also added adaptive speed for the camera movement and non-linear acceleration. Camera rotation velocity is indirectly bound to the stick angle over time that the angle is being held. This is needed for general comfort as well as for wide turns and micro-rotations. Sensitivity is automatically decreased when the player focuses his aim on an enemy ship, making fine aiming at ships‘ particular extremities and modules easier.

The zoom system wasn‘t left untouched either. Depending on a ship‘s speed, size, class and other parameters the camera zooms in or out in a way that lets a player see both the ship and the target. It is a flexible and seamless system that doesn‘t make you feel like someone is controlling the camera for you. This attains two goals: it involves the player more and allows us to forego having any extra buttons. And this doesn‘t mean that there are no buttons, of course there are, but players won‘t need to push them all the time.

The tactical map also received a rework. Functionally it is now both tactical map and stats screen from the PC version. Battle statistics together with the player/ship list are displayed on the left, as well as the rules of the battle and the points. On the right we have the tactical map that shows ship movement in real time. It works like this: the camera »flies up« just like in the PC version, and then shifts to the right. There you can see other ships, smoke screens, etc. The team expanded on the notion that to display statistics and tactical map we would either need two buttons or separate tabs, but there was no need to over-complicate things so the more elegant solution with one combined display was chosen, since conceptually both screens are fairly close.

The team plans to improve the concept of the »port« and make it not just another location, but rather an interactive scene with cinematic scenes, camera flyovers and a focus on different objects. There is already a prototype that allows to tune the camera in port. Using it we can create camera waypoints to fly over and we can edit them dynamically with the gamepad.

Beautifying Art »The development team got a unique opportunity to release WoWS on consoles having reworked and fixed the majority of visual issues. The lighting system needed to be literally recreated from scratch. We started with the basics by changing the material system and lighting in locations first,« said Evgeny Zaitsev, the project’s Art Director.

When working on lighting one of the key tasks was to get rid of areas of deep contrast which caused shadows that were too dark along with ships and islands that appeared pitch-black when looking at the sun. A lot of technical groundwork was done using modern techniques, including refining the tone mapping, improving the indirect lighting from the sky, as well as Advanced Color Grading to achieve a much more photo realistic result.

With the help of new technology, the WoWS art team reworked game maps, refined landscape details and improved texture quality to get a picture that is rich in detail. Changing the material system required converting all objects such as ships, islands, rocks, mountains, buildings and many other models. Some of this content was converted automatically based on the engine capabilities; however other objects are converted manually for the best possible quality; first of all it concerns big models such as islands and ships.

World of Warships: Legends aims at addressing a wider audience and therefore more players. The game is planned to release in 2019.

Modern image compression formats (e.g. BC7, BC6H) were added to the game allowing us to compress object textures with virtually no loss in quality. This reduced graphic artifacts as well as increasing the sharpness of model details. Apart from a higher sharpness of model details, multi-detail technology was also added. This allows varying object textures thus increasing texture density where necessary, for instance, on ship hulls or islands. It also allows us to create holes and dents on the armor, chipping and other flaws on the paint, as well as a natural coastal area for the sandy shores.

Effects underwent changes as well; first of all, we revamped water effects such as shell hits, splashes, explosions on the water surface and ship wakes. These were improved both in terms of their performance and visual quality, giving a much richer, more vivid experience. The next batch of effects in line for change are related to fire, namely, burning, explosions, shell hits to ships and islands. A lot needs to be optimized here as now fire effects are one of the bottlenecks in terms of the game‘s performance on consoles. When the battle is calm it’s all fine, but as soon as a player gets into an intensive battle with lots of exploding ships, shelling and fires, then performance can degrade because of these effects.

We also paid attention to reworking water, as we wanted to make it more realistic and less jelly-like. Initial changes were made to the wave shape and dynamics, bringing natural movement and ripples to the ocean surface. The next updates will concern its optical qualities, lighting and variations on the map. As a further improvement we will model changes in water movement and roughness around islands to create a more compelling visual effect as well as more accurately modelling color variation due to water depth. The ocean is one of the key visual components of the game so a lot of effort is going into making it as realistic and compelling as possible.

This is just a handful of the changes required in the game to get it transferred to the modern generation of consoles. The team still has a lot of work to do before the official release in 2019. »WoWS Legends is not just WoWS for consoles. It is a different game with a different level system and different balance settings, targeting a different audience. Therefore, instead of porting a well-established game process we had to redefine it for a new audience. The alpha test will show if we have coped with this task,« said Kirill Peskov.

Vasily Pugovkin is UI/UX Team Lead at Wargaming St. Petersburg

Vasily joined WG team back in 2013 and was working in the PC ships UX team. Console ships required unique knowledge, deep passion for UI design and Vasily was the best candidate to lead UI/UX team in WoWS Legends.

Evgeny Zaitsev is Art Director at Wargaming St. Petersburg

Evgeny has been working in WG since 2011 on various positions – 3D artist, art department RnD, and finally joined WoWS Legends as an Art Director. According to Evgeny, constant visual improvement supported by technology background is a key success factor for the game.

Kirill Peskov is Development Director at Wargaming St. Petersburg

Having joined WG in 2015, Kirill was responsible for technology delivery & successfully worked as a Head of Technology Dpt. Kirill’s fully dedicated to bringing the warships experience to consoles, and believes in its unique ability to bring people together, from history buffs to casual gamers, most will find something for themselves in WoWS Legends.

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velmaemyers88 · 5 years

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Online Bra Retailer ThirdLove Opens Concept Store in New York

Watch out, Victoria’s Secret: digital competitor ThirdLove is entering the in-real-life retail space. The direct-to-consumer lingerie brand’s first concept store is set to open in New York City’s trendy SoHo.

ThirdLove, based in San Francisco, exists at the intersection of fashion and tech, using a data-first and body-inclusivity approach for women, as well as non-binary people, to find the best bra for their bodies. Since founding the company in 2013, Heidi Zak and her co-CEO husband, David Spector, have raised $68.6 million in venture capital, including $55 million in a Series B round in February 2019. The company wouldn’t provide Fortune with sales figures, but published reports peg its growth at 180% over the last four years.

The store—intended to be temporary—allows ThirdLove to fine-tune its business, gleaning customer feedback about bra shopping and fit, as it builds on information from the brand’s online Fit Finder quiz.

While it’s too early to measure ThirdLove’s impact on the bra market—there are other companies pursuing the body-positivity underwear space—it’s certainly disrupting the idea of fitting rooms, which cover 60% of ThirdLove’s 2,000-square-foot concept store.

Brooklyn architecture and design firm Alda Ly developed different kinds of fitting rooms in order to address varying privacy concerns and needs of shoppers. (Among Alda Ly’s retail clients are Rent the Runway and feminist boutique Bulletin, as well as the women’s co-working space The Wing.)

“The typical fitting room experience—in particular for bras—is not the most compelling and comfortable,” Zak tells Fortune. “It can also be awkward depending on your interactions with sales associates and the level of privacy you may or may not want.”

One fitting room has a drawer so customers and salespeople can pass bras back and forth without seeing each other. Another has a double curtain so you can change in privacy and then ask for feedback from fit stylists. The third is a larger fitting room that has enough room for a fit stylist, too.

Data-First Approach

Like elsewhere in the economy, especially for consumer product companies, the intimate apparel industry is driven and shaped by data.

Before Zak co-founded ThirdLove she worked for fashion retailer Aeropostale. From her experience, she thought reams of consumer data weren’t being leveraged in day-to-day decision making. Zak also had a Google marketing stint. At ThirdLove, she manages a 20-person data team.

The company is perhaps best known for its Fit Finder quiz, a data nerve center. Zak tells Fortune that 14 million women have taken the quiz to date, and the machine-learning algorithm that powers it gets smarter with every new submission.

“We’ve collected over a billion data points as it relates to not just the Fit Finder, but also browsing data, customer journeys, interactions with fit stylists, and many more aspects of the business,” Zak said. “So we really try to use the data to be smarter in everything we do.” Data analysis can influence something as seemingly mundane as ThirdLove’s messaging in emails, or larger concerns as product development or its concept store.

Size Inclusivity

Across all coverage, ThirdLove credits itself with inventing the “half-size” cup for a more custom bra fit. As a result, there are 78 sizes available, from 30 inches to 48 inches and cups AA to I. Colors also match several skin tones.

The concept store will stock seven types of bras (T-Shirt, Perfect Coverage, Classic Plunge, Strapless, Wireless, Lace Balconette, and Lace Plunge) in all the retailer’s bra sizes. Although every bra style will be available to try on in every size, only certain styles—like the strapless bra, which is usually purchased for time-sensitive, special occasions—will be available for in-store purchase; everything else can be shipped in two days.

It hasn’t been decided how long the concept store will exist after its Wednesday opening. Going forward, Zak said there are no plans for permanent bricks-and-mortar stores.

A lingerie industry evolution

ThirdLove’s attention to the spectrum of bra-wearing bodies is part of the cutting edge in lingerie, which in its own way reflects a growing cultural awareness of diversity in its multitude.

“The lingerie industry has changed drastically in the past few years as a function of how the culture’s view of womanhood has changed,” said Lauren Chan, the founder and CEO of Henning, a plus-size womenswear brand launching this fall.

As a former plus model and Glamour fashion editor, she covered the plus fashion beat for the magazine from 2015-2018. She noted imagery around lingerie has become less perfect and more relatable, and until recently, plus-size women and women of color could only find what they needed among brands geared toward older women, sold at department, off-price, and speciality stores. “It’s no surprise that women have been leading the charge on both the shift in the zeitgeist and this market,” Chan said.

Cora Harrington, founder and editor-in-chief of The Lingerie Addict, an influential lingerie blog, says she buys most of her bras online.

“It is not possible for me to buy a nude bra in my skin tone from a brick-and-mortar store,” she said. “Most shops simply don’t carry it.” When she looks for brands doing well in terms of being “progressive,” she looks for age diversity, racial and ethnic diversity, and an effort to use gender-neutral language.

“Not all customers are cis[gender], heterosexual, or women,” she said. “I’m also looking for continuity. A one-off, special campaign is far less impressive to me than, say, consistently using trans models, models of color, and plus-size models in your marketing,” she said.

Qualitative feedback and social media impact

Megan Grassell, the founder and CEO of direct-to-consumer youth underwear company Yellowberry, thinks social media has been a game-changer for the lingerie industry.

Thanks to customer feedback online, she said, “We’re very aware of what people want to buy and what they expect from brands, which is not just about a product anymore. The way a brand makes you feel is why people identify so deeply with different companies.”

Grassell solicits feedback from girls and their mothers on product development and branding, because she wants them to feel represented. “Ten years ago, you bought what was sold to you, you didn’t really have an opportunity to give feedback in a meaningful way and I think people have that today, and it’s made a big impact,” she said.

As Grassell noted, brands listening to their customers have the strongest chance of staying in the game. “The lingerie brands that have disrupted the industry in a meaningful way are not the brands getting the most press for being disruptive,” said Harrington. “The industry determines if you’re disruptive by altering the way they do things after you.”

Harrington said Nubian Skin is a good example of a truly disruptive brand, citing their product color range. “While they were not the first brand to offer a range of deeper-toned nudes, they did have the biggest impact. After their debut, suddenly dozens of deeper-toned nudes appeared on the market and stayed in the market. This was a permanent change instigated by a single brand. “

Zak says when she launched ThirdLove in 2013, the phrase “direct-to-consumer” didn’t exist. “Ten years ago, you had department stores, specialty stores like Victoria’s Secret, and mass merchant stores,” she said. “Even today that still exists. The vast majority of sales are still coming from a Victoria’s Secret, even though they’ve been on the decline.”

It’s all about a change in perspective. “But I think, really, what you’ve seen in the evolution is a focus in selling products to women instead of selling products to men, and understanding women’s needs and wants as it relates to bras and underwear,” Zak said.

“Ten years ago, hardly anyone was making bras beyond a DD cup or a 36 band, and the companies that were didn’t care much about aesthetics,” Harrington said. “I often say there has never been a better time than right now to become interested in lingerie, and I mean that. Our options and our ability to access those options is better than at any point before.”