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kremlin · 8 months

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could you explain for the "it makes the game go faster" idiots like myself what a GPU actually is? what's up with those multi thousand dollar "workstation" ones?

ya, ya. i will try and keep this one as approachable as possible

starting from raw reality. so, you have probably dealt with a graphics card before, right, stick in it, connects to motherboard, ass end sticks out of case & has display connectors, your vga/hdmi/displayport/whatever. clearly, it is providing pixel information to your monitor. before trying to figure out what's going on there, let's see what that entails. these are not really simple devices, the best way i can think to explain them would start with "why can't this be handled by a normal cpu"

a bog standard 1080p monitor has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, each comprised of 3 bytes (for red, blue, & green), which are updated 60 times a second:

~3 gigs a second is sort of a lot. on the higher end, with a 4k monitor updating 144 times a second:

17 gigs a second is definitely a lot. so this would be a good "first clue" there is some specialized hardware handling that throughput unrelated the cpu. the gpu. this would make sense, since your cpu is wholly unfit for dealing with this. if you've ever tried to play some computer game, with fancy 3D graphics, without any kind of video acceleration (e.g. without any kind of gpu [1]) you'd quickly see this, it'd run pretty slowly and bog down the rest of your system, the same way having a constantly-running program that is copying around 3-17GB/s in ram

it's worth remembering that displays operate isochronously -- they need to be fed pixel data at specific, very tight time timings. your monitor does not buffer pixel information, whatever goes down the wire is displayed immediately. not only do you have to transmit pixel data in realtime, you have to also send accompanying control data (e.g. data that bookends the pixel data, that says "oh this is the end of the frame", "this is the begining of the frame, etc", "i'm changing resolutions", etc) within very narrow timing tolerances otherwise the display won't work at all

3-17GB/s may not be a lot in the context of something like a bulk transfer, but it is a lot in an isochronous context, from the perspective of the cpu -- these transfers can't occur opportunistically when a core is idle, they have to occur now, and any core that is assigned to transmit pixel data has stop and drop whatever its doing immediately, switch contexts, and do the transfer. this sort of constant pre-empting would really hamstring the performance of everything else running, like your userspace programs, the kernel, etc.

so for a long list of reasons, there has to be some kind of special hardware doing this job. gpu.

instead of calculating every pixel value manually, the cpu just needs to give a high-level geometric overview of what it wants rendered, and does this with vertices. a vertex is very simple, it's just a point in 3D space, for example (5,2,3). just like a coordinate grid on paper with an extra dimension. with just a few vertices, you can have models like this:

where each dot at the intersection of lines in the above image, would be a vertex. gpus essentially handle huge number of vertices.

in the context of, like, a 3D video game, you have to render these vertex-based models conditionally. you're viewing it at some distance, at some angle, and the model is lit from some light source, and has perhaps some shadows cast across it, etc -- all of this requires a huge amount of vertex math that has to be calculated within the same timeframes as i described before -- and that is what a gpu is doing, taking a vertex-defined 3D environment, and running this large amount of computation in parallel. unlike your cpu which may only have, idk, 4-32 execution cores, your gpu has thousands -- they're nowhere near as featureful as your cpu cores, they can only do very specific simple math with vertices, but there's a ton of them, and they run alongside each other.

so that is what a gpu "does", in as few words as i can write

the things in the post you're referring to (V100/A100/H100 tensor "gpus") are called gpus because they are also periperal hardware that does a specific kind of math, massively, in parallel, they are just designed and fabricated by the same companies that make gpus so they're called gpus (annoyingly). they don't have any video output, and would probably be pretty bad at doing that kind of work. regular gpus excel at calculating vertices, tensor gpus operate on tensors, which are like matrixes, but with arbitrary numbers of dimensions. try not to think about it visually. they also use a weirder float. they're used for things like "artificial intelligence", training LLMs and whatever, but also for real things, like scientific weather/economy/particle models or simulations

they're very expensive because they cost the same, if not more, than what it cost to design & fabricate regular video gpus, but with a trillionth of the customer base. for every ten million rat gamers that will buy a gpu there is going to be one business buying one A100 or whatever.

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#frequently questioned answers

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wheelsgoroundincircles · 3 months

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1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2

It is often said that racing improves the breed, and the move by Formula One to a hybrid drivetrain has seen the equivalent technology in road cars evolve at an unprecedented pace. Manufacturers will always seek what is commonly called “an unfair advantage,” exploiting the rule book to its outer limits to extract greater speed from their racing models. It was against this backdrop that Pontiac released its 1986 Grand Prix 2+2. It was developed as a homologation special for NASCAR competition and only graced showrooms for one year.

NASCAR competition has evolved into a sport featuring control underpinnings and exterior panels that are almost identical across all participating brands. Today’s cars share little with their predecessors, and the term “stock car” has a reasonably loose meaning. Earlier generations were based upon showroom models, and it was against this backdrop that cars like the Chevrolet Monte Carlo Aerocoupe and the Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 emerged. General Motors sought aerodynamic and downforce improvements for their participating models, and smoothing the airflow across the body and rear spoiler achieved this without introducing additional drag. Wholesale sheetmetal changes weren’t warranted, but adding a fastback-style back window achieved the goal at a reasonable cost. The cars weren’t the most elegant on the planet, and the reduced trunk opening to accommodate the changes reduced practicality. Still, the Aerocoupe and 2+2 proved effective on superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega. Pontiac released 1,118 examples of the Grand Prix 2+2 to qualify for NASCAR competition, with all finished in a combination of Silver and Gray. The history of this car is unclear, but it presents exceptionally well for its age. The paint retains a healthy shine, while the plastic and graphics are excellent. Dealers sold the 2+2 at a premium price, but the extra cost didn’t guarantee that these classics would lead an easy life. Many owners drove them hard and fast, and it is common to see dilapidated and rusty examples appearing in the classic market. This car has avoided that fate and would turn more heads today than in 1986.

Pontiac considered the Grand Prix 2+2 to be a muscle car, although the 165hp and 245 ft/lbs of torque produced by its 305ci V8 doesn’t hint at anything special. Buyers received a four-speed 200-4R automatic transmission and a 3.08 rear end as standard fare, with no manual option to improve performance. The ¼-mile ET of 17 seconds perfectly demonstrates the depths of The Malaise Era. While that figure looks modest by modern standards, it was what buyers expected during that period. The situation would improve in the future, but it is sobering to consider that you can drive a four-cylinder family sedan or hatchback off the showroom floor today that could show this Grand Prix a clean set of heels.

The Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 was a one-year-only model sold in limited numbers. I don’t find these the most attractive cars on the planet, with Chevrolet achieving better aesthetic results with its Aerocoupe. However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and you might find yourself irresistibly drawn to this classic. I respect that if it is the case because it is a car that would still draw crowds thirty-eight years after it rolled off the line. Evolving racing rules mean we will probably never see similar vehicles in the future, and owning this Grand Prix would be a link to the company’s motorsport heritage.

#pontiac grand prix #pontiac #Grand Prix #car #cars #muscle car #american muscle

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itcars · 6 months

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First Look: The Ford Mustang GT California Special

Standing out on the road has been a hallmark of the Mustang for 59 years. And now, as Mustang prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary, Ford is putting a modernspin on the California Special.

The California Special package features Rave Blue details. The signature color appears on the nostril intakes, which flank a new horizontal-slat grille complete with low gloss black strakes. The headlights are surrounded by black bezels while Mustang GT California Special-specific graphics in Medium Light Rave Blue and High- and Low-Gloss Black appear on the lower body sides.

The California Special package is available with two 19.0-inch wheel options. The standard Carbonized Gray wheels have a GT/CS pad-printed logo in Rave Blue, while the optional Performance Pack wheel combines a machined face with Rave Blue pockets. The 5.0-liter engine badge on the front fenders and the GT badge at the back add Rave Blue outlines to black centers – like the GT Performance Package, there is a Performance Pack-specific badge. The GT/CS badge in the grille is also finished in Rave Blue.

Blue accents are prominent throughout the California Special package’s interior, where perforated Navy Pier upholstery and Ebony Black leather covers the seats. Further elevating its style is dual-color contrast stitching with Raptor Blue and Metal Gray threads that extend to the dash and doors. The same stitching is also available for the steering wheel and center console. A California Special IP badge and GT/CS floor mats round out the interior changes.

The California Special package adds $1,995 to the price of a Mustang GT Premium and is available in Coupe and Convertible body styles with either the six-speed manual gearbox or the optional 10-speed automatic transmission.

The 2024 Mustang GT California Special makes its public debut on November 16 at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show.

#Ford Mustang GT California Special #ford #first look #cars #mustang #Mustang GT California Special #mustang gt #news

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horseslur · 4 months

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Someone else can link the tumblr post/reddit link in the replies under this, I'm mostly here to elaborate on uh. How SSE Fucked Up This Time (possibly illegal version).

Disclaimer: Not an actual expert on this stuff, but i am an economics major. and i literally took a class on this sort of thing this semester.

What is SSE doing?

TLDR: as of roughly today (dec 21st 2023) but possibly earlier, you have a chance of, when trying to buy starrider, getting not just the "regular" discount packages that we know, where you pay once and get a bunch of seasonal goodies and the weekly sc, but also a "special" "Discounted" option where you get the goodies and starrider and *no weekly sc*. Meaning you will have to manually buy starcoins if you ever want any beyond the initial 2k or whatever.

Why is this possibly illegal?

I'm not diving too deep into A/B testing, because I know the least amount about it, but essentially it is literally up to chance which option you get, the regular set or the "cheap" option.

Combined with the fact that they sneakily removed the "receive a weekly starcoin allowance" from the starrider page from one day to another, and the fact that a slight graphical change (that being the +100sc not being in the image of the cheap option) are the only acknowledgements of this change, it basically sets them up for a lawsuit in any location they roll out these options.

Trade, market and consumer authorities (the FTC in the US, the European Commission in Europe, Konsumentverket in Sweden for example) have as one of their main and foremost goals the protection of consumers in the country where a product is sold. They're the reason why you can get your money back if you order something online and it doesn't arrive, or something distinctly different from what you ordered arrives instead. Rule number 1 for any company or seller is do not mislead your consumers.

Does removing the sc allowance directly break said rule? No. But doing so in a shady, hidden way that leads people to believe they should be receiving starcoins onto to be told by customer support to suck it up, they bought the wrong thing, and to do so unannounced and randomly throughout multiple regions, Definitely sets up a case against them.

It can absolutely be argued that after a decade of having a premium currency allowance as the Standard in their starrider subscriptions, to remove it unannounced and present it to customers as a regular discount is deliberately misleading consumers to buy a product that is not what they intended to buy. Both new customers and returning customers buying alternate accounts step into this process expecting to pay once for a starrider bundle that, given the ongoing seasonal festival, includes the seasonal cosmetic options, in addition to the "regular" premium currency allowance. This is especially more obvious once you realise that (presumably since implementing this system), you have to have created an account on their site and logged into it to even see which starrider bundles are available to you, which makes people unlikely to ever realise that the offers they are getting might be different from other people in their same region, with one version being significantly worse/different from what they might expect.

TLDR: it's really fucking shady of them to just Suddenly shove a bundle without the weekly allowance in people's faces when people are expecting to have them, especially because they're clearly trying to hide the fact that it's an option at all or different from the regular bundle.

What now?

If you or someone you know is getting this bundle or has bought it and felt surprised/betrayed by the fact that it lacks the allowance, take it to your local consumer protection authority (after you've contacted customer support). If you're uncertain what to tell them, try and add the following points:

You bought an online product to be used inside the game, which turned out to be something different from what you thought it was.

When you contacted customer support over this, they told you that the version you bought does not contain the allowance, but offer no way to correct this mistake. (Unless the customer support script ends up changing. In that case simply add what they did tell you.)

The discounted bundle did not clearly state that it lacks the allowance, nor is it distinctly different from other bundles, and is in fact the first option you were given.

To see what bundles are offered to you at all requires logging into an account on their website, making it difficult for you to compare offers to what other people might be getting, and making it unlikely for you to realise that you got something different from others at all until after you have bought it.

At worst, SSE will be reprimanded and made to add more clearly on their website what the bundle contains and what you're missing out on.

At best they actually go to court and go bankrupt over said costs and we'll finally be truly free

#calamity be upon ye #sso #star stable #star stable online

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cosmonautroger · 6 months

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NASA Graphics Standards Manual (1976)

#NASA

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game-boy-pocket · 3 months

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I'm going to die on the hill that video games don't age poorly, or age at all. It's more that there's an epidemic of attention span erosion, and older games require more patience and learning curve, and since most of the games require you to read the manual to fully understand things. There's games out there where not even the manual helps, but those games didn't age bad, they were always bad ( same for games with racist content. Bad then, bad now. ).

You also got people that just won't give a game a fair chance purely on the basis of it being old. Like people who dismiss a vintage movie because it's not a high budget CGI filled crowd pleaser.

And on top of this, a lot of people's standards are just way too damn high after mostly playing a bunch of triple A slop. It just feels like nothing is ever good enough anymore if it doesn't have 10/10 story, graphics, gameplay, immersion, voice acting, muisc, even a game that could be very close to a 10 is usually given a 7/10 by today's standards, fuck.

I think the only really valid excuse for dismissing older games is that you're really busy with limited time for gaming, so you don't want a game that might require spending a lot of time figuring out what to do to progress. But that's not the games fault, and it's certainly not something exclusive to older games.

I know i've gone on similar rants before but man, sometimes I see or read something that just sets me off.

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searchsystem · 9 months

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Atio Studio / The North Face / Standard Manual / Typography / 2023

#atio studio #the north face #standard manual #typography #2023 #graphics #retail

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stra-tek · 2 years

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U.S.S. Bozeman NCC-1941 Deep Dive

Seen only once in "Cause and Effect", the U.S.S. Bozeman is one of my favourite Trek ship designs. It takes the U.S.S. Reliant/Miranda class design seen first in Wrath of Khan and bolts 4 giant forward facing gun turrets on, pops new TOS-style domes on top and beneath the saucer and adds a third shuttlebay in the rear. And Fraiser Crane himself is her captain.

A rare look at the entire Bozeman bridge set, from @trekcore

The bridge was the standard TNG guest ship set, which with minor or major adjustments stood in for everything from the Enterprise-D battle bridge to the Stargazer, the U.S.S. Hathaway, the Enterprise-C and with non-Starfleet graphics, Picard's "Gambit" pirate ship. As the Bozeman, and to go with her TOS-style bridge dome, the railing along the back is painted the same red as on the TOS bridge, and the rear consoles are all modified to look like a mix of the classic movie and TOS panels.

Of course, a novel was written to flesh out the backstory of Captain Morgan Bateson and the U.S.S. Bozeman. Written by Diane Carey and published in 1997, Ship of the Line gives the Bozeman a crew, a squidlike pet/mascot thing and a rich backstory. And it has lots of colourful details about the ship itself:

She's not an exploration starship like 90% of Trek ships, she's an armed-to-the-teeth border patrol cutter, answering not to Starfleet Command but the Starfleet Border Service. She even had flashing red and yellow police lights!

The novel does have some pretty noticable continuity issues with "Cause and Effect", most notably an all-male crew when the episode itself shows Bateson on the bridge with two women, but it's still one I am very fond of.

One of Jackill's Star Fleet Reference Manuals (unofficial publications, note "Star Fleet" as two words), calls the Bozeman an "attack frigate" and runs wild, calling those huge canons "multi-phasic mega phasers", and the turrets on the lower dome "particle accelerators". Don't mess with the Bozeman, she'll fuck your shit up real good.

The recent Eaglemoss publication Star Trek Starships 2151-2293 (2018) covered the Bozeman, and took a far more conservative approach, calling those turrets "sensor pods" which according to old BTS interviews was always their intended function, much to my disappointment.

So there's your exhaustive guide to the U.S.S. Bozeman NCC-1941. She was also mentioned in radio chatter in the movie Star Trek: First Contact and appeared briefly in a few other novels, comics and games.

#star trek #deep lore #star trek the next generation #cause and effect #uss bozeman #star trek ships #star trek novelverse #star trek novels #star trek books #star trek book #star trek novel #diane carey #star trek starships #starship design

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vignellicenter · 1 month

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Please join us for our next Open Houses! March 20-21, 2024 10am-4pm.

The NYC subway map that never was. Or at least it was never implemented.

The NYC Subway graphics are some of the most requested artifacts from the Vignelli archives. We acquired this unique “verbal map” aka “The Directory” aka the “How to get there” map in 2022. Our archivist put it on display for the first time in 50 years at our Open Houses in September 2022!

“The Verbal Map described how to reach a destination, which train to get, where to change, and when to get out.” – Massimo Vignelli [comment on Michael Bierut’s essay “Mr. Vignelli Map” for Design Observer]

Printed on very glossy paper in full color, this map is large like the station size maps. Printed in two parts [top and bottom] each half measuring 29.5” x 47.5”.

In the Graphic Standards Manual on Page 3 “Diagram of Basic Sign Distribution” it describes the various maps to be installed:

Maps: System maps (implemented, the famous one),

neighborhood map (not implemented),

‘How to get there’ map (not implemented but we have the prototype!)

From the Graphics Standards Manual on page 75, “The Directory”:

“The directory is designed to help a passenger find his “Destination” and “How to get there” quickly and easily. Each station will have its own directory listing all other station alphabetically and numerically. Each station will be followed by the color disc designating he trains that stop there. If there is no direct train, transfer information will follow the station name. This directory will be placed at all important points in the subways station both inside and outside the turnstiles.”

We also have the Dekalb Av Signage Study “analyzed and completed by Joan Charysyn and Virginia Macintosh” for Unimark International in 1971 which shows a mockup of the various maps and states “A directory and three maps will eventually be in use in all subway stations.”

Be sure to join us for our next Open Houses and see what other surprises you can discover! Learn more opn our events page: https://www.rit.edu/events/vignelli-center-spring-open-house

Image descriptions:

Detail of “verbal map” aka “The Directory” aka the “How to get there” map

image of entire map

Video clip of map

Photo of Open Houses with logo

vintage 35mm slide of detail of “verbal map”

NYCTA Graphics Standards Manual pg. 75 “The Directory”

Slideshow of Dekalb St study: coversheet, Directory from Grand Central, System Map, Neighborhood map, and 5 Boroughs map

Vintage 35mm slide of 57th Street station signage

Vintage 35mm slides of 57th Street station signage

#vignelli #design #design archives #archives #graphic design #1970s #subway map #nyc subway

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p3ski · 4 months

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Pairing: RK900/Gavin Reed

Tags: Post Pacifist Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Eventual Smut, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Masterlist

Read on AO3 here:

Summary: A lot has changed since the revolution. Crimes against androids are now punished in the same way as crimes against humans. A reluctant Gavin Reed and his new partner RK900 have been assigned to investigate a string of disturbing murders. Despite the shift in Detroit's social climate, Gavin still holds reservations about whether or not androids are truly alive. Will his developing feelings for 'Nines' be the thing to change this?

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Depression/Self Destructive Behaviour, Eventual Smut

Word Count: 3.9K

Gavin didn't take his garbage out nearly as often as he should. His apartment was on the fourth floor, and the communal trash cans were on the opposite end of the building - down several flights of stairs. It never really occurred to him how much junk had amassed until he was literally wading through it, unable to see his floors.

It was odd how his sudden compulsion to clean coincided perfectly with Nines' visit. After all, the android was already acquainted with his usual living standards. He had hardly concerned himself with making a good impression before. After securing the ties on two weighty trash bags, he surveyed his progress, feeling satisfied. That was until he heard a gentle rapping at his door.

" Fuck. " Cursing under his breath, his watch informed him that it was 8 pm exactly. He should have known Nines would be the punctual sort. Attempting to slip the trash bags inconspicuously onto his fire escape, the bottom of one started to rip. He cursed again, louder this time, as the persistent rapping continued.

Abandoning the bags in the centre of his kitchen, Gavin wiped his grubby hands on the front of his jeans. Once they were sufficiently clean, he navigated the cramped walkway through the living room, and went to answer the door:

"Give me a second, Jesus Christ - " Swinging it open, he readied himself to continue his tirade when his words caught in his throat.

Nines stood on the mat, so broad and tall that it was partially obscured by the doorway. Its hair had been rinsed of its usual product, giving it an uncharacteristically soft and bouncy appearance. Its CyberLife attire was absent, replaced by a grey turtleneck sweater and straight-leg black pants. The style and colour complemented its features, and Gavin couldn't help but notice just how well everything seemed to fit.

"Good evening, Detective."

He had completely zoned out, staring vacantly without sense or purpose. Upon realising this, he forced himself to look away, thoroughly unnerved. "Come on in'', he said reluctantly, trying to swallow the traitorous lump that had formed in his throat.

Passing the threshold in silence, the android studied the living space, eyes darting between the uncharacteristically clear floors and surfaces. "I had not expected you to clean on my behalf."

"It needed it anyway", he quickly excused, "Was getting out of control."

"The gesture is appreciated."

"I'm gonna finish - that", Gavin gestured vaguely to the kitchen and the abandoned bags on the floor. "Make yourself home, or whatever. Tiff is in the bathtub, don't know how much luck you'll have in coaxing her out."

Returning to the kitchen and creating a comfortable distance between them, Gavin attempted to tie off the damage he had done to the split bag. This only worsened matters, as the tear nearly doubled in size. Admitting defeat, he went to his cupboard and retrieved a second bag, slipping it over the first and manually gathering the loose remnants. Upon exiting the room, his houseguest was nowhere to be seen. Presumably, it had gone to the bathroom, searching for Tiffany. He seized the opportunity to drag his overstuffed bags out of the apartment, heading in the direction of the stairs.

On the way down, he cursed himself for not sticking to his earlier convictions. Inviting Nines over had been a terrible idea. One that he was already coming to regret. The only person he had allowed to stay in his current apartment had been Tina - a tenuous arrangement in itself, given her vendetta with Tiffany. Hosting Nines felt…different. It couldn't be so easily categorised. They weren't friends, nor were there any romantic or sexual pretences. It was the sort of dissonance that could only be quelled by a drink. Or six.

Making his way back up his stairs, he reasoned he should be upfront, telling Nines that he'd changed his mind. Writing the experience off as a lapse in judgement would be much easier than enduring an evening of painful awkwardness. This changed, however, when he made his way back into the apartment and saw it standing in the living room. Cradling Tiffany in its arms.

The usually fractious cat was surprisingly calm, purring appreciatively as the android scratched behind her ear. "She seems more affectionate than usual." As if on cue, the cat's head lolled back, tucking into the crook of its elbow. "I suspect it is due to the change in her hormones."

Gavin had never seen his pet look so peaceful nor his partner so content. There was no way he could ask it to leave now, he was trapped.

Having made a swift break for his kitchen - and, more specifically, the beers in his fridge - the bottles clinked together as he rustled to grab one. "I, uh, don't have anything you can drink," he loudly excused, pulling out a beer and using the magnetised bottle opener on his fridge to crack the lid. "Sorry."

"No need to apologise. Although I wouldn't think it the most opportune time to be consuming alcohol," The disembodied voice was calm and distant, but with the subtle air of judgement. "When did you last eat?"

Gavin pursed his lips as he stared haplessly into his fridge. It was devoid of contents save for the remaining bottles and a half-eaten yoghurt. "I'll order something later."

"I really would advise against drinking until you have compensated for -"

Slamming the fridge door shut, he returned to the living room, annoyed. "Can you stop making me feel like I'm on trial?" he snapped, pointing forcefully to his couch. "Sit down. I told you to make yourself at home."

"I rarely sit down when I am home", Nines reasoned, combing its fingers through the expanse of Tiffany's back, "I prefer to stand."

"Well, I'd prefer it if you didn't. It's fucking creepy."

His companion stirred at the insult but quickly grounded itself, shrugging dismissively, "If it makes you feel more at ease, Detective, then I suppose I can sit."

"Do it then - and stop calling me ‘Detective'. We're off duty; Gavin is fine."

"Alright then…Gavin." The words sounded stiff as it tested the name on its tongue. As requested, it sat itself onto the couch, shifting Tiffany into its lap. The cat remained docile during this, never once stirring.

Gavin busied himself with his television. The set was a relic - early 2010s, with limited functionality, save actually switching on. The remote had to be smacked several times before it would even respond. Still, it was one of the rare models to have a DVD player built into the screen, which paired nicely with his expansive collection.

"It's still early. Thought we could watch something." Running a finger across the boxes, he wondered what, if anything, would be the best choice for entertaining an android houseguest. "So dipshit…what's your favourite scary movie?"

The reference flew directly over Nines' head. It looked back at him with a blank stare before shrugging its shoulders. "I am unfamiliar with the horror genre. I do not believe I have seen any films that fit the criteria."

"We'll be starting with the classics then." After some deliberation, he selected two DVDs from his collection and held them up to his partner. "Take your pick: A or B."

Its eyes narrowed, carefully scrutinising the box art of both choices. Its LED whirred yellow briefly before it let out a gentle hum. "I find the synopsis of A more compelling. It would be my preferred option."

Realising what it had done, Gavin allowed his arms to fall limply to his sides. "I told you to pick a movie, not read the Wikipedia."

"Should I not inform myself of the plot of a film before I watch it?"

"It's more fun if you go in blind." He popped the disc into the side of the TV, and the old mechanism whirred to life. Remote in hand, he slumped himself into the space on the left side of the couch.

Once the menu had booted up and the movie started, Gavin tried to get comfortable, picking up his beer and sinking further into the cushions. Nines sat in silence, intently focused on the scene playing in front of it. As ominous music played, a young girl walked alone through a boiler room. This continued for quite some time until she was loudly accosted by a deformed-looking man in a striped sweater.

Much to Gavin's delight, Nines reeled back at this, visibly startled. Tiffany, who had been stirred from her nap, yowled and scampered away - but only made it as far as their feet before settling down again.

"Don't tell me that actually got you?" Gavin snorted before breaking out into a fit of cackles. "Big scary Robocop can't handle a jumpscare."

"I wasn't scared. It was an involuntary reaction to what my central processor perceived as a threat."

"Sure, I believe you," his laughter tapered off as he took a generous swig of his drink, "Want me to hold your hand in case there's another one?"

"That won't be necessary", The android fired back. It clearly did not appreciate the mockery, jaw hardening defensively. "I know what to expect now, and I shall be more prepared next time."

Nothing more was said for a while. Gavin finished his beer, setting the empty bottle in front of him. He was about to fetch another when his stomach let out a thunderous growl. This did not go unnoticed by his guest, whose attention snapped from the movie over to the source of the noise.

"You are hungry," It said matter of factly. "It is getting late, you should consider acquiring food."

Gavin tensed, resenting the fact that the machine was calling him out. He honestly couldn't afford to order another takeout despite his previous assertion. Perhaps some beans would be enough to quell the lingering pain in his gut, as well as to keep the android off his case.

"You are partial to pizza, correct? I recall several empty boxes the last time I visited."

"You mean the last time you tried to break in?" There had been little point deflecting the question. Nines was frustratingly astute with details, and there was no convincing it to drop something once it had committed. "I'm not feeling pizza tonight. Might just see what I've got in."

"That is unfortunate, given the fact I have already placed an order."

Gavin shot up, thrown by the statement, "Are you being serious? When did you -" He cut himself short, catching sight of the LED that spun on his partner's forehead. He held his breath, exhaling deeply before he continued. "You're not supposed to buy me dinner. I'm the damn host."

"I do not need to eat, and you do - As you could not be trusted to make arrangements, I took it upon myself to do so."

Ignoring the backhanded nature of Nines' remark, he pushed himself up from his seat, muttering under his breath. "You better not have got me trash. Any olives or pineapple, and I'll fucking end you."

"I made an order based on your established preferences."

It had been a while since someone had thought to buy him dinner - and even longer without an ulterior motive. The conflict of emotions it left him with made his stomach twist. He grabbed two bottles from the fridge, one for enjoyment and the other for assurance, before pocketing the bottle opener.

Gavin returned just in time to catch one of his favourite scenes. Upon witnessing the comedic extension of the killer's arms, his shoulders shook with involuntary giggles. "Good old Stretch Armstrong. Just wait until he starts running at her. It's fucking hilarious."

Nines seemed perplexed by this statement, "I thought the intention of this film was to frighten, not to amuse?"

"Ehh, it's a bit of both with this franchise." He opened one of his beers before sitting back on the couch. Propping his elbow onto the armrest, he leant his head on his hand as he gently sipped the foam. "The later movies get really stupid. Freddy's Dead is a straight-up comedy."

"For a series you hold in such high regard, you seem rather critical of it."

"Nah, that's the beauty of these old movies. Sure, the effects are goofy and outdated, but that's part of what makes them fun."

Nines looked away, tuning in to a series of loud, pained screams emanating from the television. "...I can see how you might find it entertaining, although the logistics of this scene are rather questionable."

"That's because it's a dream, dumbass", he chided, rolling his eyes. "Dream rules means no rules. Get used to it."

It wasn't long until a knock could be heard on the door, disturbing what was building into a suspensefully quiet scene. Before Gavin had a chance to stand up, Nines had already done so and was answering the door with a polite greeting. A few muttered words were exchanged, after which the android returned with a large paper bag, handing it to its partner. "Here you go."

Tiffany, who had been curled up asleep on the floor, abruptly stirred at the new sounds and smells. Her head peered up at the bag, nose upturned curiously. She let out a small yowl as her owner pulled it open.

"No. Not for you. Fuck off", he said, firmly waving her away. "You've got food in the kitchen that you've barely touched."

Retrieving the pizza box from the bag, he scrutinised the label. "Double pepperoni with stuffed crust. Very nice." Digging further into the bag, he noticed an unlabelled polystyrene container sandwiched at the bottom. Opening the container, he was hit with an abrupt wave of disappointment and confusion. "Did you order a fucking side salad?"

"Given your affinity for calorie-dense, processed foods, I felt some nutrients would not go amiss."

"I'm not eating the salad."

"You may find it agreeable", it argued, the corner of its lips pulling upwards. "Surely I don't have to feed you?"

Gavin pulled a face, smacking his hand open and closed to mock the nagging tone. Setting the unwelcome salad down at the table's edge, he cleared space for the pizza. Not long after he'd pried the box open, he dug into the food like a hungry animal. Slurping at the cheese and tomato shamelessly, licking up remnants from his fingertips. Tiffany was still skulking around their feet, groaning and growling, to which the Nines picked her up and settled her back into its lap.

"I must admit, I am enjoying this more than I anticipated", it said. "Lieutenant Anderson and RK800's taste in films leaves much to be desired."

"Oh yeah? What sort of garbage have they got you watching?"

"The Lieutenant is partial to action films, whereas RK800 leans more towards romantic comedies."

Gavin set down a half-eaten slice of pizza, pointing to his throat in a gagging gesture. "Figures Connor would be into chick flicks. Remind me never to come round on movie night."

"Fortunately, they are both equally partial to animals, so we find some compromise there. I must say, though, I found the last film we watched to be…distressing."

"What was so distressing about it?"

Nines looked on, a little forlornly, "It is about a couple who adopt a Labrador, and it follows their life as the dog grows up. Towards the end of the film -"

Oh no. The detective cursed his curiosity as a wave of unpleasant memories swiftly assaulted him. "Let me guess. Marley and Me? "

"I take it you've seen it before."

"Once, when I was six. That movie was why I wasn't allowed pets growing up. It took me a week to emotionally recover."

"I imagine that came as a disappointment," it said with a look of solidarity. "You seem very fond of animals."

"I made up for it as an adult." Gavin went to take a sip of his drink before realising it was empty. Picking up the bottle opener, he retrieved his third beer of the evening and gently pried off the cap. "Got my first dog straight out of college. Great Dane, called 'im Scoob. Was great until I realised what a fucking ball ache he was to take care of. After that, I got Dipshit, a rescue tabby. Been a cat man ever since."

"When did you purchase Tiffany?"

"I didn't. She was a gift from - " Gavin stopped himself, realising he didn't want to go there. At least not now. "Not important. I've had her for about four years."

They returned their attention to the movie just in time to witness one of the more iconic scenes. Nines tilted his head to the side, evidently struggling to process what was happening. The killer pulled a man into his bed before a geyser of blood erupted from the mattress. "Is this another instance of dream rules? Because there's far too much blood to realistically be contained in a single person."

"With this scene, I've got no fuckin' clue. I think they just wanted it to look cool."

"I find it surprising that as a child, you were so deeply traumatised by a fictional dog when this level of violence did not faze you."

Pausing for a moment, Gavin wondered how honestly he ought to respond. "That's not completely true", he confessed. "When I was little, my dad would stay up late watching movies every single night, but he never let me join 'im. I was a stubborn shit and kept sneaking peeks around the corner, so eventually, he sat me down to watch Child's Play . I was shitting my pants the entire time. Gave me all kinds of nightmares."

"If the films frightened you so much, why did you continue to watch them?"

Gavin knocked back his bottle, swilling the liquid around his mouth before swallowing heavily. "After my parents split up, I only ever saw my dad on weekends. I wasn't about to waste any of the time we had."

Nines said nothing but listened closely, its lips pursed tightly in thought.

"When he got sick, he couldn't do much of anything. Except watch his movies. We’d worked through his whole collection in months, and I was desperate to find something new we could watch together." He started to laugh. "One time, I convinced him to take me to see some shitty slasher movie, and I decided I'd make myself look older. In case the workers got funny about it. I wasn't very convincing, drew on stubble with my mom's eyebrow pencil."

"I'm sure your father found that amusing."

"Sure did, it was great. You should have seen his face" The laughter he had forced throughout the story promptly stopped. His chest felt heavy from the exertion, and he struggled to breathe. "It's weird. He's been gone for 23 years, but it still feels like yesterday that I was at his funeral. Grief like that never goes away; you just learn to live with it."

"...Gavin." He wasn't sure when Nines had moved, but the distance between them haf decreased massively. A hand slid out towards him, stopping just shy of grazing his fingers. "I know you may not appreciate me saying this, but I am genuinely sorry for your loss. I can't imagine the pain you must feel."

The detective bit his lip as his increasingly inebriated state threatened to breach his resolve. "You ever lose something, Nines? Something that tears you up until you feel like there's nothing left?"

Nines stilled, its LED shifting to red instantaneously. It opened its mouth, emitting a crackle of static. "Yes."

"Then you get it. To be honest, I think you get a lot more than I've given you credit for."

It raised a quizzical eyebrow as the corner of its mouth pulled into a faint half-smile. "If you didn't detest me, I might hesitate to call that a compliment."

"Don't get used to it. I won't be doing it again any time soon."

"A shame, really." Having turned its body away from the television, it was now staring directly at Gavin. "I would consider it a great honour to see more of this sincerity from you."

With only a dull light to guide him, Gavin struggled to make out the other’s expression. In his efforts, however, he picked up on something that had previously escaped his notice. He had always assumed Nines' skin formed part of its 'perfect' design - being smooth and entirely free of blemishes. However, on closer inspection, he noticed a faint dusting of freckles across its cheeks and nose. It leant its unusually stern face some much-needed softness.

His lips felt dry, and he subtly tried to wet them.

Why did they have to make him so fucking attractive?

The rogue thought slipped its way through, emboldened by the alcohol. As it began to sink in, Gavin felt overwhelmed by an abrupt sense of panic. Pulling back, he scurried to his feet.

"I need a piss."

Nines, confused by the abruptness of the statement, also inched back. Its mouth gaped open, but it was unable to say anything as Gavin made a hurried exit for the bathroom. Once inside, he took himself directly to the sink, running the tap until it was cold and splashing the water into his face. He tried to calm himself down as his mind worked over itself in a frenzied internal debate:

I mean, yeah. Objectively speaking, it’s hot. A lot of the androids are -

Exactly. It's an android. Have you lost your mind? What the hell is wrong with you?

Tina was right. His current dry spell had gone on for too long, and it was time to do something about it. He resolved to call her tomorrow. Right now, however, he faced a more pressing issue.

He had locked himself in his bathroom, with the machine he had made accidental eye sex with sitting feet away behind the door. Gavin knew he had to face it eventually, and after taking a long, steeling breath, he prepared himself to do so.

Inevitably, Nines was waiting for him as soon as he emerged. It followed his movements closely, face marred with a look of concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, all good", Gavin said smoothly, doing his best to avoid eye contact. "I'm really tired, think I'm gonna head to bed."

"Did you not want to finish the film? I imagine we are close to the end."

"Nah, it's fine. The ending kind of sucks, and I've seen it a million times."

The android was clearly unsatisfied with this response but relented in arguing back. Its concerned expression morphed into something more detached and neutral. "I understand. That was the purpose of my visit, after all. To ensure you got a good night's sleep."

"Right." There was little else Gavin could think to say as he made his way to his bedroom. Before disappearing into the room completely, he spared his partner a quick backward glance. "See you tomorrow."

Nines watched after him, a little too intently, before letting out a gentle sigh. "Goodnight, Gavin. Sleep well."

#dbh #reed900 #dbh fanfiction #dbh gavin #dbh nines #dbh fanfic #dbh rk900 #detroit become human #gavin reed x rk900 #gavin900 #g9 #gavin x rk900

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alln64games · 4 months

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Super Mario 64

JP release: 23rd June 1996

NA release: 29th September 1996

PAL release: 1st March 1997

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

N64 Magazine Score: 96%

Starting off with a bang, one of the Nintendo 64’s launch titles just happens to be a revolutionary game that’s one of the best games on the system. It didn’t just show the world how platform games could work in 3D, but it set the standard for movement in 3D as well. Despite it’s legendary status, Nintendo have never given us the port that this game deserves. Super Mario 64 doesn’t need a full remake, just a little bit of sprucing, widescreen and an updated camera.

Luckily, fans of the game have done this themselves by fully recreating the game’s engine on PC, with lots of options to set it up the way you want. There’s some much more graphically impressive options than what I chose, but I wanted it to look similar to the original game, with just crisper textures and some of the 2D objects replaced with 3D ones.

The movement of Mario still feels amazing all these years later. His move set is brilliant with all of his moves (minus the special hats) available form the get-go, it’s just a case of learning it and figuring out the best way do move. Most people will start off ding taller jumps by doing the backflip, but then transition to the quick turn jump to get up to the tall platforms. Even now, it’s an absolute joy to control.

The camera from the original game is the main part of the game that now feels clunky. It was pretty amazing when the game came out, but it’s one aspect of games that has improved over time. Luckily, the version I played lets you turn on a more modern analogue camera, which (along with widescreen) is really all Super Mario 64 needs to feel modern.

The levels are small, but it’s a style that really suits the game. They’re packed full of secrets, with six stars to find in each one (plus an extra star for collecting 100 coins). Once you collect a star, you’re thrown out of the level, which does mean you have to re-do parts of levels multiple times, but there are sometimes changed to the level depending on which star you collect. There is a mod that lets you remain in levels, but I feel like this alters the game too much, and is itself fiddly as you need to work out when you need to manually leave the level.

Each level has a very distinct feel to it and I enjoyed every level in the game, with the exception of two of the water levels. While some have generic themes (lava, water and ice), the levels are still built in unique ways, and even matching themes (like the two snow levels) don’t feel like a reuse due to the level design.

Other than a couple of stars that include the wing, metal and invisible caps, you can also complete levels before moving on, or just do a couple of stars and try somewhere else. You only need 70 out of 120 stars to complete the game (far fewer if you choose to do glitches), but it’s enjoyable collecting them all.

To unlock different sections of the castle (and access more levels), you need to complete Bowser’s levels. There are three in total (the last one being to save Peach) and these are much more linear platform challenges, which creates a nice change of pace. At the end of these you have to face off against Bowser, grabbing his tail and spinning him to throw him into bombs, and I’m still absolutely dreadful at aiming my throws.

The final section of the game has some outstanding levels.

Wet-Dry World is the third water level of the game, but this one stands out much more due to the mechanic of raising and lowering the water levels. There are different ways to move upwards depending on the water level, and you��ll need to make use of these to collect all the stars.

Tiny-Huge Island has you using pipes to swap between a giant Mario and a mini Mario. You get to see cute tiny goombas or have to fight ones that are much larger than Mario. It’s not Mario’s size that actually changes, but the level itself. It’s an absolutely adorable level full of joy.

Tick Tock Clock is actually a lot smaller than I remember, but is focused on well timed jumps. The unique aspect of this level is that the level entrance is itself a clockface, and where the minute hand points alters the speed of the objects in the level, or even stops them completely. I have quite strong memories of trying to figure out what was happening when this happened as a kid.

The final main level, Rainbow Ride, is more linear than most levels, with different segments connected via magic carpets. You’ll need to jump off the carpets to avoid obstacles, but if you take too long, the carpets will vanish. This level requires you to have learnt how to master Mario’s moveset.

Super Mario 64 is still an absolute joy to play, especially so with an updated camera. I think a full remake would alter the game too much, as the level design and movement is integral to its identity. It just needs a bit of sprucing up, and I really hope we get an official version that does this at some point.

This was an amazing start for the Nintendo 64. Not only was this game integral to the development of 3D games as a whole, but the gameplay and levels still hold up today. Games keep trying to be bigger and better, but smaller and varies levels are also a great approach.

“The best game ever?” Possibly, but then it’s so far ahead of anything that comparisons seem meaningless.

- Zy Nicholson, N64 Magazine #1

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Remake or Remaster?

As the fan-made PC version shows, Super Mario 64 still holds up really well and just needs some basic improvements. A remastered Super Mario 64 would be perfect.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no way to buy a new copy of Super Mario 64, the only official way to play is to rent it via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pak.

Other versions

2004: Super Mario 64 DS. This version featured altered levels, more stars and extra playable characters. The extra content was well received, but forcing previous stars to certain characters was frustrating. The controls also don’t work very well on the DS. The touch screen minigames were a brand new addition and were well liked.

#n64 #n64 games #nintendo 64 #super mario 64 #sm64 #mario #retro games #retro gaming #gaming #super mario #mario bros

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