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thevalleyisjolly · 3 years

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Hi there! If you feel up to it, would you be willing to expand a bit more on the idea of white creators creating poc characters who are ‘internally white’, especially in a post-racialized or racism-free setting & how to avoid it? It’s something I’m very concerned about but I haven’t encountered a lot of info about it outside of stories set in real world settings. Thanks & have a good day!

Hey, thanks for asking, anon! It’s a pretty nuanced topic, and different people will have different takes on it. I’ll share my thoughts on it, but do keep in mind that other people of colour may have different thoughts on the matter, and this is by no means definitive! These are things I’ve observed through research, trial and error, my own experiences, or just learning from other writers.

The first thing I guess I want to clarify is that I personally am not opposed to a society without racism in fiction. It’s exhausting and frankly boring when the only stories that characters of colour get are about racism! So it’s a relief sometimes to just get to see characters of colour exist in a story without dealing with racism. That being said, I feel like a lot of the time when creators establish their settings as “post-racial,” they avoid racism but they also avoid race altogether. Not aesthetically -they may have a few or even many characters with dark skin- but the way the characters act and talk and relate to the world are “race-less” (which tends to end up as default white American/British or whatever place the creator comes from). Which I have complicated thoughts on, but the most obvious thing that springs to mind is how such an approach implies (deliberately or not) that racism is all there is to the way POC navigate the world. It’s definitely a significant factor, particularly for POC in Western countries, but it’s not the only thing! There’s so much more to our experiences than just racial discrimination, and it’s a shame that a lot of “post-racial” or “racism-free” settings seem to overlook that in their eagerness to not have racism (or race) in their stories.

A quick go-to question I ask when I look at characters of colour written/played by white creators is: if this was a story or transcript I was reading, with no art or actors or what have you, would I be able to tell that this character is a character of colour? How does the creator signal to the audience that this is a character of colour? A lot of the time, this signal stops after the physical description - “X has dark skin” and then that’s all! (We will not discuss the issue of racial stereotypes in depth, but it should be clear that those are absolutely the wrong way to indicate a character of colour).

This expands to a wider issue of using dark skin as a be-all-end-all indication of diversity, which is what I mean by “aesthetic” characters of colour (I used the term “internally white” originally but upon further reflection, it has some very loaded implications, many of which I’m personally familiar with, so I apologize for the usage). Yes, the character may not “look” white, but how do they interact with the world? Where do they come from? What is their background, their family? A note: this can be challenging with diaspora stories in the real world and people being disconnected (forcibly or otherwise) from their heritage (in which case, those are definitely stories that outsiders should not tell). So let’s look at fantasy. Even the most original writer in the world bases their world building off existing things in the real world. So what cultures are you basing your races off of? If you have a dark skinned character in your fantasy story, what are the real world inspirations and equivalents that you drew from, and how do you acknowledge that in a respectful, non-stereotyped way?

(Gonna quickly digress here and say that there are already so many stories about characters of colour disconnected from their heritage because ‘They didn’t grow up around other people from that culture’ or ‘They moved somewhere else and grew up in that dominant culture’ or ‘It just wasn’t important to them growing up’ and so on. These are valid stories, and important to many people! But when told by (usually) white creators, they’re also used, intentionally or not, as a sort of cop-out to avoid having to research or think about the character’s ethnicity and how that influences who they are. So another point of advice: avoid always situating characters outside of their heritage. Once or twice explored with enough nuance and it can be an interesting narrative, all the time and it starts being a problem)

Another thing I want to clarify at this point is that it’s a contentious issue about whether creators should tell stories that aren’t theirs, and different people will have different opinions. For me personally, I definitely don’t think it’s inherently bad for creators to have diverse characters in their work, and no creator can live every experience there is. That being said, there are caveats for how such characters are handled. For me personally, I follow a few rules of thumb which are:

Is this story one that is appropriate for this creator to tell? Some experiences are unique and lived with a meaningful or complex history and context behind them and the people to whom those experiences belong do not want outsiders to tell those stories.

To what extent is the creator telling this story? Is it something mentioned as part of the narrative but not significantly explored or developed upon? Does it form a core part of the story or character? There are some stories that translate across cultures and it’s (tentatively) ok to explore more in depth, like immigration or intergenerational differences. There are some stories that don’t, and shouldn’t be explored in detail (or even at all) by people outside those cultures.

How is the creator approaching this story and the people who live it? To what extent have they done their research? What discussions have they had with sensitivity consultants/readers? What kind of respect are they bringing to their work? Do they default to stereotypes and folk knowledge when they reach the limits of their research? How do they respond to feedback or criticism when audiences point things that they will inevitably get wrong?

Going back to the “race-less” point, I think that creators need to be careful that they’re (respectfully) portraying characters of colour as obvious persons of colour. With a very definite ‘no’ on stereotyping, of course, so that’s where the research comes in (which should comprise of more than a ten minute Google search). If your setting is in the real world, what is the background your character comes from and how might that influence the way they act or talk or see the world? If your setting is in a fantasy world, same question! Obviously, avoid depicting things which are closed/exclusive to that culture (such as religious beliefs, practices, etc) and again, avoid stereotyping (which I cannot stress enough), but think about how characters might live their lives and experience the world differently based on the culture or the background they come from.

As an example of a POC character written/played well by a white person, I personally like Jackson Wei and Cindy Wong from Dimension 20’s The Unsleeping City, an urban fantasy D&D campaign. Jackson and Cindy are NPCs played by the DM, Brennan Lee Mulligan, who did a good job acknowledging their ethnicity without resorting to stereotypes and while giving them their own unique characters and personalities. The first time he acted as Cindy, I leapt up from my chair because she was exactly like so many old Chinese aunties and grandmothers I’ve met. The way Jackson and Cindy speak and act and think is very Chinese (without being stereotyped), but at the same time, there’s more to their characters than being Chinese, they have unique and important roles in the story that have nothing to do with their ethnicity. So it’s obvious that they’re people of colour, that they’re Chinese, but at the same time, the DM isn’t overstepping and trying to tell stories that aren’t his to tell. All while not having the characters face any racism, as so many “post-racialized” settings aim for, because there are quite enough stories about that!

There a couple factors that contribute to the positive example I gave above. The DM is particularly conscientious about representation and doing his research (not to say that he never messes up, but he puts in a lot more effort than the average creator), and the show also works with a lot of sensitivity consultants. Which takes me to the next point - the best way to portray characters of colour in your story is to interact with people from that community. Make some new friends, reach out to people! Consume media by creators of colour! In my experience so far, the most authentic Chinese characters have almost universally been created/written/played by Chinese creators. Read books, listen to podcasts, watch shows created by people of colour. Apart from supporting marginalized creators, you also start to pick up how people from that culture or heritage see themselves and the world, what kind of stories they have to tell, and just as importantly, what kind of stories they want being told or shared. In other words, the best way to portray an authentic character of colour that is more than just the colour of their skin is to learn from actual people of colour (without, of course, treating them just as a resource and, of course, with proper credit and acknowledgement).

Most importantly, this isn’t easy, and you will absolutely make mistakes. I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that you will mess up. No matter how well researched you are, how much respect you have for other cultures, how earnestly you want to do this right, you will at some point do something that makes your POC audience uncomfortable or even offends them. Then, your responsibility comes with your response. Yes, you’ve done something wrong. How do you respond to the people who are hurt or disappointed? Do you ignore them, or double down on your words, or try to defend yourself? Just as importantly, what are you planning to do about it in the future? If you have a second chance, what are you going to do differently? You will make mistakes at some point. So what are you going to do about them? That, I think, is an even more important question than “How can I do this right?” You may or may not portray something accurately, but when you get something wrong, how are you going to respond?

Essentially, it all comes down to your responsibility as a creator. As a creator, you have a responsibility to do your due diligence in research, to remain respectful to your work and to your audience, and to be careful and conscientious about how you choose to create things. It’s not about getting things absolutely perfect or being the most socially conscious creator out there, it’s about recognizing your responsibilities as a creator with a platform, no matter how big or small, and taking responsibility for your work.

In summary:

Research, research, research

Avoid the obvious no-no’s (stereotypes, tokenization, fetishization, straight up stealing from other cultures, etc) and think critically about what creative choices you’re making and why

Do what you’re doing now, and reach out to people (who have put themselves out there as a resource). There are tons of resources out there by people of colour, reach out when you’re not sure about something or would like some advice!

Responsibility, responsibility, responsibility

Thank you for reaching out! Good luck with your work!

#the valley is posting #thanks anon!#writing advice #hope this helps! if another POC has something to add - please go ahead!

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adriansmithcarslove · 7 years

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It’s Time for Congressional Action on Autonomous Vehicles, Think Tank Says

Ever since self-driving vehicles leapt from the pages of science fiction and into the realm of reality, transportation experts and industry officials have warned that government regulation might prevent autonomous technology from reaching the road. Even when their intentions have been to encourage the adoption of autonomous vehicles, those concerns have only grown more pronounced. Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia have proposed or enacted their own laws governing autonomous testing and deployment, resulting in a tangle of state-by-state laws and executive orders that could hinder deployment of the new technologies.

A federal regulatory structure—one set of rules to apply nationwide—could help unravel this burgeoning patchwork of laws, but so far, there’s been none forthcoming. A new report from the Eno Center for Transportation, a nonpartisan think tank, argues that it’s time for Congress to enact legislation that expands the federal government’s role in preparing public roads for self-driving cars.

“Every state legislator, after riding in a Waymo car or Uber car, they have big ideas when they come back to the state legislature in January, and we have a flurry of proposed bills,” said Greg Rogers, co-author of the report. “But one of the problems from all this excitement is we need to have a more solid foundation of how autonomous vehicles will impact public policy, and one of the recurring issues is that definitions keep changing.”

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) prepares to test-drive the new Tesla Model S 90D during a 2016 exhibition of self-driving cars in Washington, D.C.

The Department of Transportation revealed a much anticipated Federal Automated Vehicles Policy last September, which provided some needed guideposts for the industry. But the policy is ultimately voluntary guidance, which the autonomous-vehicle industry is free to sidestep.

In February, Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) announced their intention to pursue bipartisan legislation to address autonomous vehicles and advanced transportation, seeking ways to keep federal regulations flexible enough for innovators while maintaining road-safety standards.

“Left on its own, the slow pace of regulation could become a significant obstacle to the development of new and safer vehicle technology,” the two wrote in a joint statement. They intend to put forth legislation at some point in 2017.

“

“We need to have a strong understanding of what the capabilities are when we put these [vehicles] on the road.”

– Greg Rogers, Eno Center for Transportation

”

The Eno report, Beyond Speculation: Automated Vehicles and Public Policy, calls on Congress to give the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the authority to issue systems certifications to the technology in self-driving vehicles. Certifications should be correlated to the levels of automation written by SAE International and adopted by NHTSA earlier this year, the report asserts.

With such certifications, the federal government could set appropriate standards of licensing, liability, and insurance for both human drivers and self-driving systems at each level of automation. In the event of a collision, the standards could correspond directly to the liable party that is ultimately in control, according to the report.

Moving beyond the physical body of a vehicle and into certifying capabilities would be an expansion of regulatory responsibility; traditionally, the NHTSA has set design and construction standards through the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and has been the conductor of enforcement activity.

A Paradigm Shift for NHTSA -

“NHTSA is going to experience a paradigm shift in regulation, to performance-based standards, in how we look at autonomous-vehicle safety,” Rogers said. “That’s why we’re looking at having NHTSA certify levels of automation rather than prescriptive rules like ‘This vehicle turns right at the stop sign properly.’ It’s about when the vehicle is responsible and not responsible.”

That’s easy enough to discern at either end of the autonomous spectrum. At Level 1, for example, an automated system may sometimes assist in driving, but humans remain responsible at all times. At the other end, Level 5 describes operations in which a self-driving system is fully responsible for all driving under all conditions.

It’s in the middle where it gets muddy. At Level 3, an automated system can conduct entire parts of the driving task and monitor the environment, but humans are required to keep tabs on the systems and retake control if necessary. It takes an average motorist 17 seconds to refocus on driving after he or she has focused attention away from the road, according to an earlier NHTSA study, and Eno’s report suggests that the agency take a role in determining a timeframe that assures the vehicles remain safe during exchanges of control.

Because of complications involving that handoff, which include concerns about the human/machine interface and liability, manufacturers might be inclined to market some driver-assistance and self-driving features at levels lower than they actually operate, essentially pinning responsibility squarely on humans. But that’s equally problematic.

“This is one of the reasons we’re suggesting NHTSA do the defined designations,” Rogers said. “It certainly is easier from a marketing perspective to say, ‘This is Level 2, and the person should have had their eyes on the road,’ but I think we need to have a strong understanding of what the capabilities are when we put these [vehicles] on the road. It provides some certainty into what it is and guards against false advertising.”

Lyft to NHTSA: Help States Work Together on Autonomous Cars

Federal Government Issues New Automated-Vehicle Policy

Feds Make Connected-Car Projects a Priority with Major Grants

Beyond certification, the Eno report urges Congress to direct NHTSA to address further aspects of the new automotive environment, including the need for stronger privacy protections, guidelines for data ownership, and the looming issue of workforce disruption should automated driving technologies displace the jobs of many of the nation’s 2-million-plus truckers (not to mention all those Uber drivers who could find themselves replaced by robots).

On issues both technical and broad, the report’s overriding push is that the federal government must take a more active role in shaping the new rules of the road.

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jobsearchtips02 · 4 years

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Dow climbs 691 points as health care firms make progress towards coronavirus treatment

Reuters

US stocks rose Monday as investors digested a slew of updates around the coronavirus pandemic.

Health care stocks led gains, rallying on developments in fast screening and a potential vaccine for COVID-19

President Donald Trump on Sunday extended federal social-distancing standards to April 30, deserting earlier hopes the United States economy could reopen by Easter.

Validated worldwide cases of COVID-19 have actually risen past 735,000, and the death toll continues to increase.

Read more on Organisation Insider

United States stocks increased Monday as financiers weighed expanded efforts in the United States to fight the novel coronavirus, along with increased expect fast screening and a possible vaccine. Healthcare stocks were notable outperformers.

Abbott Laboratories leapt as much as 13% after it received emergency-use approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration. The business developed a COVID-19 test that delivers positive lead to 5 minutes and negative ones in 13 minutes.

Johnson & Johnson also got as much as 8?ter it stated that it has actually chosen a lead prospect for a coronavirus vaccine and prepares to begin testing in September.

Here’s where the major United States indexes stood at the market close on Monday:

S&P 500: 2,62665 up 3.4%

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 22,32748, up 3.2%(691 points)

Nasdaq composite: 7,77415, up 3.6%

Find Out More: 200- plus cash managers pay thousands to see what stocks are on Jim Osman’s buy list. Here are 3 he says are set to skyrocket ‘a minimum of 50%’ from their coronavirus-stricken levels.

Investors were likewise motivated by indications the United States government is taking coronavirus-containment efforts seriously. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that federal social-distancing measures in the US would continue through April 30, casting aside earlier declarations he made about relieving coronavirus limitations and reopening the United States economy by April 12.

Global cases of COVID-19 surged to more than 735,500 and deaths rose to nearly 35,000

Oil plunged Monday, closing at an 18- year low, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to weigh on demand, which has actually halted travel and slowing economic activity all over the world. A cost war in between Russia and Saudi Arabia has actually threatened to develop a record supply excess.

” We should anticipate volatility, and the marketplace to retest lows for awhile,” Ed Campbell, portfolio manager and managing director at QMA informed Service Insider. “We are going to be in the midst of this procedure for some time.”

Learn More: UBS lays out 3 major investing styles the coronavirus crisis is forming today – and breaks down they’ll play out in the years to come

Investors are looking ahead for signs that lockdowns are operating in nations beyond Asia, according to Campbell. A peak in new cases and ultimate decline might be an important inflection point for markets due to the fact that it would produce the sense that the lockdown succeeded in containing the infection in other Western economies, he said.Â

” At that point we ‘d be on the road to going back to some form of normalcy,” Campbell said.Â

In addition, Congress might be dealing with extra stimulus relief, Reuters reported The expense would be the 4th legislative-aid bundle indicated to boost the US economy in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump signed aÂ historic $2 trillion expense into law last week.

” Financiers are likely assuming that in a matter of numerous weeks or a couple of months, we might go back to typical, but that might show to be a very dangerous bet,” Hussein Sayed, the chief market strategist at FXTM, informed Organisation Expert. Up until financiers see a “significant decline” in the number of COVID-19 cases, “any rally in danger properties might prove to be temporary,” he said.

Financiers will be up against more economic data this week that will show the effect of the coronavirus break out on the US.

Find Out More: Stocks are trading like they did early in the financial crisis – and it’s proof to one Wall Street equity chief that the coronavirus crash will intensify

%%.

from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/dow-climbs-691-points-as-health-care-firms-make-progress-towards-coronavirus-treatment/

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buddyrabrahams · 6 years

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10 young NBA players ready for a breakout season

The 2017-18 NBA season featured breakout performances from a number of talented young players: Victor Oladipo, Devin Booker, Fred VanVleet, and Jamal Murray, among others. Though at this point most attention is (understandably) focused on the key stars and title contenders for this coming season, we’re wondering which young players could go up a level in 2018-19.

Some of the following players just haven’t found the right fit. Others have stayed with one team, gradually improved, and seem poised to really emerge this season. Here are 10 breakout candidates we’ll be keeping an eye on.

10. Doug McDermott, Indiana Pacers

McDermott has bounced around since the Denver Nuggets selected the Creighton star No. 11 in the 2014 draft. He’s now on his fifth NBA team. McDermott’s shooting has never been an issue, but it became a major asset last season; after joining Dallas, he hit nearly 50 percent (!) of his outside attempts. His defense has gradually improved throughout his career, and he’s no longer a liability on that end. Indiana strikes me as the perfect fit for McBuckets. He should shine playing off of Victor Oladipo in Nate McMillan’s shooter-friendly system, much like Bojan Bogdanovic broke out last season.

9. Justise Winslow, Miami Heat

They say the secret to happiness is low expectations, and the opposite – high expectations – have plagued Winslow. Hype for the Duke product reached a crescendo on draft night, as Danny Ainge attempted to trade four future first-round picks so he could move up to pick Winslow. Winslow, 22, had his most efficient season as a pro in 2017-18 after missing most of 2016-17 with a shoulder injury. He’s always been an outstanding defender, and his offensive game is coming along. With Winslow heading into the fourth year of his rookie contract, the Heat haven’t yet decided whether to commit to him long-term. His uncertain contract should be all the motivation he needs to level up in 2018-19.

8. Norman Powell, Toronto Raptors

The Bucks selected Powell No. 46 on 2015 draft night and dealt him to the Raptors for Greivis Vasquez, who quickly exited the league. Powell bounced between the NBA and D-League as a rookie, but by the end of the season he was putting up big numbers in the pros. After a solid second season, he signed a four-year extension with Toronto, but his 2017-18 campaign left much to be desired. As a result, he played only 15.2 minutes per game. A strong athlete with high basketball IQ, Powell needs to focus on improving his jumper this offseason. If he develops a consistent shot, he could blossom into a longtime NBA starter.

7. Terry Rozier, Boston Celtics

“Scary Terry” made a name for himself in Kyrie Irving’s stead in this year’s postseason, but the 2017-18 campaign as a whole was a resounding success for Rozier, whom the Celtics selected in 2015 because they were unable to move up and pick Winslow. Rozier averaged career-bests in points (11.3), rebounds (4.7), and assists (2.9), in addition to putting up the best three-point percentage (38.1) of his career. Rozier isn’t afraid of big moments or of competing with the league’s best. Though he’ll have to jockey for minutes in Boston’s loaded backcourt (especially now that Marcus Smart is officially back), Rozier should continue to improve in 2018-19. If he has a strong first half of the season, look for Boston to ship him to another team – where he’ll have a bigger role – before the trade deadline.

6. De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings

Fox and Jayson Tatum were my favorite prospects in the 2017 draft. As rookies, Tatum made me look like a genius, whereas it became clear Fox was on a slower timetable. He put up decent numbers in Year One in Sacramento – 11.6 points and 4.4 assists per game – but his shooting splits (41.2 percent from the field, 30.7 percent from three-point range) were abysmal. Additionally, he’ll have to compete for minutes this season with both Frank Mason and Yogi Ferrell. Still, I’m looking for the former Kentucky guard to have a big season. The 20-year-old lives for clutch moments and is already an exceptional finisher at the rim. The additions of young big men Marvin Bagley III and Harry Giles should help the lightning-quick Fox create.

5. Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers

Turner, the No. 11 pick in 2015, has been a consistent producer since he entered the league. He’s always seemed right on the cusp of becoming a star, but he hasn’t quite gotten there. Many expected he’d be Indiana’s No. 1 option in 2017-18, but Victor Oladipo stepped up and filled that role, while Turner dealt with elbow injuries. Turner’s outside shooting continues to improve, and this summer he’s focused on transforming his body. Turner, like Winslow, is entering a key contract year, and he’s hoping for numbers similar to those which Clint Capela recently received. If he can stay healthy and stay in shape, Turner could compete for an All-Star spot in a depleted Eastern Conference.

4. Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic

In addition to landing his first Hollywood role – as Casper in the Uncle Drew movie – Gordon signed a big extension this offseason: four years and $84 million. In his fourth NBA season, he averaged his most minutes (32.9), points (17.6), rebounds (7.9), assists (2.3), steals (1.0), and blocks (0.8) per game. Gordon has always had the athletic ability to shine, as evidenced by his jaw-dropping performances in the Dunk Contest, but the rest of his game is starting to come along nicely. With this deal, the Magic have committed to him as the face – or one of the main faces – of the franchise. As he continues to develop and expand his outside-of-the-paint repertoire, Gordon will look to lead Orlando to its first postseason appearance since 2011-12.

3. Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs

Murray was the Spurs’ starter at point guard for the majority of this season, and his minutes per game leapt from 8.5 as a rookie to 21.5. His other numbers made significant leaps as well: points (3.4 to 8.1), rebounds (1.1 to 5.7), assists (1.3 to 2.9), and steals (0.2 to 1.2). Now that Tony Parker has moved on, joining the Hornets, Murray’s role should continue to expand. Expect him to focus on that assist number in particular, in addition to getting to the free throw line more often. It’s clear he needs to become a better shooter, but he also needs to improve at the rim. Murray is still only 21 years old, and he should benefit from playing alongside the offensively gifted DeMar DeRozan. The Spurs believe in this young guy, so I do too.

2. Dennis Schroder, Oklahoma City Thunder

Schroder put up good numbers in Atlanta, but by the end of his time with the Hawks, the team was more than ready to move on (which they did by drafting Trae Young). Schroder was noted as a locker room cancer – a reputation he’ll look to shed now that he’s in Oklahoma City. Schroder’s talent has never been a question mark. Last season, he put up 19.4 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game. He’s also a solid defender; Schroder added 1.1 steals per game. The 24-year-old German will be the best backup Russell Westbrook has had since Reggie Jackson, and he should fit nicely with Westbrook and Paul George. With the scoring load and pressure off of him, and his natural gifts in isolation settings, Schroder should have a big comeback season for Billy Donovan’s squad.

1. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls

Like the Gordon situation in Orlando, the Bulls this summer committed to LaVine as one of the team’s key pieces of the future, giving him $78 million over four years. Now, the UCLA product has to prove he deserved that money — a mission he seems to be embracing. LaVine is a likable guy with athleticism to spare, and last season he came back nicely after tearing his ACL. Additionally, he’s spent a full year adjusting to Chicago and Fred Hoiberg’s system, and he’s continued to develop his already-impressive offensive skillset. The young Bulls are in an interesting place with Lauri Markkanen entering Year Two, the additions of Jabari Parker and Wendell Carter, and 24-year-old Kris Dunn looking to earn an extension. With expectations for the team low and a weakened Eastern Conference, this is the perfect year for LaVine to prove he can be a go-to guy.

Aaron Mansfield is a freelance sports writer whose work has appeared in Complex, USA Today, and the New York Times. You can reach him via email at [email protected].

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loudcreationsublime · 6 years

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Divinity: Original Sin released on Xbox One in 2016 to important praise and also lots of awards in addition to nominations, yet as we obtain closer to the release of Divinity: Original

Sin 2 – Definitive Edition let’s

speak about some of the differences – and enhancements – between the 2. Extra pals, even more chaos, more fun DOS EE saw an event of two join forces as well as clean Rivellon of wickedness, today the hijinks is increased by 2. In Divinity: Original Sin 2, as much as four players use up the job of restoring confidence and also handling The Divine Order. It’s the only RPG of its type to provide co-op, not to mention four-player co-op. How does this job? Well, decrease into a players video game or develop brand-new personalities and begin with each other. A new party inventory system makes it a whole lot easier to handle your uses, as well as you’ll be able to incorporate your wits with the new journal to milestone your journeys and fix puzzles as a group. Or, more probable, breast that one buddy out of prison for pointlessly stealing egg-shells from that one guard they simply couldn’t let alone. Or leave them there. They most likely deserved it.

Undead, and Lizards, as well as Dwarves, oh my! It’s enjoyable to roleplay humans, as a human you’re doing it now. Me too, as it occurs. Regardless, Rivellon is a rich as well as swarming world, with a great deal of races to play in D: OS 2. Now, you can develop a Lizard, Elf, Human, Dwarf, as well as an Undead variant of each. We’ve 6 Origin personalities to pick from, each with their own tales as well as dialogue options. These brand-new races (DOS EE only allowed you to play as a human)each have their own racial attributes. The Undead can select locks with their bony fingers. Fairies could eat the flesh of dropped opponents as well as absorb their memories and also discover new skills, and so on. D: OS 2 takes area in a world that responds to who you are, and also exactly what you do. Again, much like real life! However I do not advise consuming deteriorating human flesh out in London or whatever.

You could still speak to animals, however allowed’s have a conversation with a ghost

D: OS EE introduced trans-species conversational stories into the globe of video gaming, if you had the Pet-Pal ability. Certainly, this remains in the follow up. This time, you could additionally chat to ghosts! With no spoilers, there’s a minute in the game where you might mistakenly(?) produce a whole lot of them. If you do, have a chat and also learn how they feel regarding that. It’s the least you can do. As a fairy, if aerial beings aren’t your thing, you’re more than welcome to obtain insights from a cut head. Two heads are much better than one, afterall.

Dynamic songs that alters with you The music in D: OS 2 is specified by you. The soundtrack to your journey adjusts based upon a couple of things: the tool you choose in personality creation, as well as the actions you take throughout the game. From 4 instruments, the music in fight will adjust heroically or depressingly depending on the activities you take. Brave battle? The celebration will certainly know. That cello will certainly appear more predominant, and your good friends will certainly know it was you that electrocuted that one man into the netherrealm. Losing a fight? You’ll hear it prior to the final blow lands. The instruments dynamically weave in as well as out of the music perfectly. Currently, in the Definitive Edition the Lady Vengeance ship will certainly play your personal song.

A brand-new video game engine improves everything from visuals to auto mechanics

D: OS 2 leapt to an entirely new engine, consisting of the new trademarked (most likely, maybe) A.I 2.0. Adversaries in D: OS 2 know all the tricks. They can be as innovative as you are. The Definitive Edition boosts even further on this, with a brand-new version of the physics engine bringing a lot more disorder to the video game. Currently, appreciate points like height benefits in combat, in addition to PBR (Physically-Based Rendering) bringing the Divinity series right into the next-gen for best-in-class visuals on the Xbox One, with HDR as well as 4K.

< img course ="alignnone size-full wp-image-97787"src="https://news.xbox.com/en-us/wp-content/uploads/DOS_03.jpg"alt=" Divinity Original Sin II Screenshot"width= “1440”elevation= “810 “/ > These are simply 5 of the significant changes between Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition, and also the new Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition. Not only are there dozens of other significant adjustments in between the two, there are thousands of changes between the initial release of D: OS 2 and its new Definitive Edition variation you’ll be getting your practical. At Larian, we’ve striven to enhance the game based upon gamer responses despite its universal essential praise, in hopes that you completely enjoy this, the extremely essentially named Definitive Edition of Divinity: Original Sin 2. Seethe remainder of the story on Xbox Wire Connected: This Week on Xbox: July 20, 2018 Soulcalibur VI 101 New Preview Alpha and also Alpha Skip Ahead 1810 Update– 7/20/18

#Xbox

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of-mice-and-dungeons-blog · 7 years

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The Master’s Vault

The first campaign in what I hope to be many was aptly named ‘The Master’s Vault’, in reference to the main goal of our quest. Our party consists of a brash and somewhat arrogant halfing monk named Scrum, a wood elf ranger named Dontos, who has made first contact with civilization in his 100 year life, and myself, Alvar, a reclusive human druid who removed himself from society to live in the woods.

The first thing to consider in any dungeons and dragons campaign is simply; where and why? Where have our characters met, and for what reason are they traveling together? If the all the players at the table wish to role play their character seriously, there needs to be a reasonable explanation for their gathering, lest arguments break out over who wishes to do what. All to often I have began campaigns in a generic tavern or inn, only to have a series of ideologically opposed traveling mercenaries at each others throats before the DM has even had an opportunity to introduce a plot. The Master’s Vault tackles this issue well by placing the group of strangers together at the manor house of Elaria, an elven survivalist and combat instructor. Though each character will have their own reasons for attending her academy, the players will be able to forgo the need to justify their mistrust, instead being told that they have spent the past six months together training as peers. Though this may not appeal too more veteran players who would prefer to develop organic relationships with their party, it helps to make the game accessible to newer players, or people who struggle to role play in general.

The first challenge thrown at us was a simple warm up exercise in the basement of Elaria’s mansion. Six, giant rats had made their home in the store room, and we were responsible for getting rid of them. Before we could reach the rats however, we were faced with a locked door. We battered through the door with assistance of the DM controlled Kholgrim (a generic dwarf fighter), not thinking to check for traps. Immediately, poor Scrum had his lungs filled with a noxious, poison gas, much to our amusement. This did not stop us from making short work of the rats, and we quickly returned to our tutor, who congratulated us on a job well done.

Now that our ‘tutorial’ fight was over, we were ready to go out into the world. We graduated from the school, and headed over into the centre of town in hopes we would find some quest or adventure, as we were still uncertain how the titular vault would factor into the story. We were told that after three days had passed, a sobbing gnome woman was approaching us, bearing unfortunate news. As it happened, our master Elaria had died, and named us her heirs. We proceeded to follow the gnome, curious to see what was in store for us. As it happened, Elaria’s will contained instructions on how to enter her treasure vault and claim our inheritance. This plot hook was enticing enough that the party all immediately agreed to search for the components necessary to open the vault, whilst open ended enough to create the feeling of freedom. That is to say, no one felt that the DM was forcing the story upon us. Though rather simplistic, it was well done and interesting enough for a first quest.

The vault door required a set of nine tiles to open, spread across the land in groups of three. Fortunately, none of the tiles were too far from each other, and the whole journey took us almost a week in game, and only three sessions ranging between 2-4 hours each.

The first stop on our journey was the grave of one of Elaria’s pupils, whose restless soul now guarded three of the tiles. Unfortunately, the handbook for this event specified a series of class based challenges to complete, that did not extend to the classes we were playing. I feel that the campaign would have benefited from more vague challenges that could be offered out to any class, though it was not difficult for the DM to simply improvise a task for us. That being said, we failed the task completely. In order to test our survival skills, the specter asked that our monk climb to the top of a tall tree in under a minute. Poor dice rolling instead led to Scrum struggling up the tree rather pathetically, drawing snide remarks from the spirit. Failing to do as we were asked, we tried diplomacy. The ghost was convinced by our fantastic role play (lucky rolls) and granted us the first three tiles. Oh, I forgot to mention, I was mauled into unconsciousness by a pack of wolves along the way. Typical.

Next, we traveled to a waterfall, which hid behind its rushing waters a medium sized cave. However, while attempting to climb into the cave, Kholgrim, the fearless dwarf, lost his footing and fell backwards onto the rocks, breaking his back. He fell into the river and was swept away, screaming for help. Though we tried to save him, the water was too strong and our dear friend was lost. Given the fact that he was never an actual player to begin with, the whole ordeal was rather amusing.

We were told the cave was home to a large spider, and soon discovered that a group of Kobolds made their home here too. After quickly dispatching the small lizardmen, we were confronted by the spider. Over 11ft in length, the spider filled a good portion of the cavern we were in. Having had our practice battles, we were now ready for a challenge. We threw our first series of attacks at the beast, all of us hitting our mark, something unprecedented in my experience playing D&D. The spider struck back, biting hard into Scrum, and dealing significant damage to him. One more round of well placed hits and the beast was dead. We retrieved the next three tiles and leveled up, which is always the most exciting part of the game.

Though over quickly and not all together challenging, the spider seemed like an appropriate first ‘boss’ for us to face, as it served as a good tool for our DM to measure our strength with.

The final stop on our journey lay on a plateau up the side of a small mountain. In order to reach the mountain however, we first had to navigate an enchanted valley, constantly muddling our minds and sense of direction. Within this magical mountain pass, we met a friendly wizard whose cart had broken down. After fixing his cart, we were rewarded with a small puzzle box with a large skull on the lid. Needless to say, after spending the better part of an hour cracking the code, we opened the box to discover evil living within. The lid flung open, and a great, green cloud flew out and killed the kindly wizard immediately. Oops. Once we had vanquished the evil spirit of disease, we claimed the magical ring from the box, buried the poor wizard and continued on our way. The canyon provided us with a solid hour of confusion before we were able to escape, and was a refreshing change of pace from combat.

Upon leaving the mysterious maze, we faced the most dangerous enemy yet; cliffs. Scrum and Dontos made their way to the top with ease, though I was not to be so lucky. Three times I lost my footing and slip, though on all occasions I was able to save myself from the full fall. Eventually we arrived at the top and claimed the next three pieces of the puzzle from the solitary dragonborn who lived there. He was a friendly chap, and he provided us with dinner and a place to sleep. The next morning, as we prepared to make our descent, Dontos explained to us that he believed he could survive the forty foot drop by executing a well timed combat role before he hit the ground. Despite telling him that he was a misguided ass, he leapt anyway. He did survive, though he snapped both of his legs. Our dragonborn host ran to his aid, but also fell down the cliff, breaking his back. Making our way down, Scrum and I were able to save both of them with a combination of medicine and magic.

With the nine tiles in hand, we returned to the manor house to claim our reward. Along the way we met an oafish bridge troll who demanded that we pay his toll. I felt the toll to be extortionate, and decided I would find another crossing. Before I could suggest this to the group, Scrum squared up to the troll, belted out some weak threats, before unleashing a torrent of fists against his portly body. In all honesty, the only thing that surprised me is that he landed three out of four hits. Dontos and I jumped to his aid, though over the course of the fight, Dontos landed only two blows, and I mysef landed none. In the end, it was basically a one on one between the biggest and smallest of men. For his arrogance, Scrum was brought to deaths door not once, but twice during the fight. The encounter challenged the party sufficiently, and had it not been for the healing of Dontos, we may have lost one of our own.

Finally we returned to Elaria’s manor and opened the vault, claiming our reward.

Overall Rating

New players 7/10.

Experienced players 5/10.

For a new player, it offers the chance to role play your character, and at least one challenging encounter. The story is simple and straight forward, and there is little room for intrigue, but that’s fine, as it can be quite daunting for someone without any experience in role playing games to be thrown into a complicated political mess or at the helm of an army. More veteran players may find the campaign a tad too simplistic, though inoffensive, as it does not challenge your ability to think laterally very much.

Spoilers beyond this point!

If you are a DM yourself, keep reading to see how the campaign ends, if you are a player and you feel like you might like to introduce this to a group of friends, stop here.

Upon opening the vault, a magical prerecorded message from Elaria explains that she was murdered by a cult of necromancers seeking the location of a dangerous artifact that she had hidden long ago. The vault contains a few magical items for the party, as well as the location of the artifact. She entrusts the party with this knowledge, and asks that you protect from the necromancers.

The campaign then ends with one final battle, as a necromancer follows you into the vault and summons four skeleton warriors to aid him. Though not a particularly difficult fight, it is a nice way to tie off the campaign.

Our DM decided to use the magical artifact as an overarching plot point for our characters. We shall continue to play through various campaigns, such as the the lost mines of Phandelver and the curse of Strahd, whilst we travel from land to land seeking the artifact described by Elaria. In this regard, the Master’s Vault serves as an excellent introductory campaign for newer players and more experienced players alike.

Thank you for reading my first post, the next campaign we play will be the Lost mines of Phandelvar, thought I shan’t have a review up any time soon.

#dungeons #and #dragons #dungeons and dragons #the master's vault

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robertvasquez763 · 7 years

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It’s Time for Congressional Action on Autonomous Vehicles, Think Tank Says

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Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) prepares to test-drive the new Tesla Model S 90D during a 2016 exhibition of self-driving cars in Washington, D.C.

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“

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“We need to have a strong understanding of what the capabilities are when we put these [vehicles] on the road.”

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– Greg Rogers, Eno Center for Transportation

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”

–

A Paradigm Shift for NHTSA –

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Lyft to NHTSA: Help States Work Together on Autonomous Cars

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Federal Government Issues New Automated-Vehicle Policy

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Feds Make Connected-Car Projects a Priority with Major Grants

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On issues both technical and broad, the report’s overriding push is that the federal government must take a more active role in shaping the new rules of the road.

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from remotecar http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/iCVBCQ2QoIw/

via WordPress https://robertvasquez123.wordpress.com/2017/05/10/its-time-for-congressional-action-on-autonomous-vehicles-think-tank-says-2/

#Engines #car #engines #It’s Time for Congressional Action on Autonomous Vehicles #motor #remotecar

0 notes

robertvasquez763 · 7 years

Text

It’s Time for Congressional Action on Autonomous Vehicles, Think Tank Says

–

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) prepares to test-drive the new Tesla Model S 90D during a 2016 exhibition of self-driving cars in Washington, D.C.

–

“

–

“We need to have a strong understanding of what the capabilities are when we put these [vehicles] on the road.”

–

– Greg Rogers, Eno Center for Transportation

–

”

–

A Paradigm Shift for NHTSA –

–

Lyft to NHTSA: Help States Work Together on Autonomous Cars

–

Federal Government Issues New Automated-Vehicle Policy

–

Feds Make Connected-Car Projects a Priority with Major Grants

–

On issues both technical and broad, the report’s overriding push is that the federal government must take a more active role in shaping the new rules of the road.

–

from remotecar http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/iCVBCQ2QoIw/

via WordPress https://robertvasquez123.wordpress.com/2017/05/10/its-time-for-congressional-action-on-autonomous-vehicles-think-tank-says/

#Engines #car #engines #It’s Time for Congressional Action on Autonomous Vehicles #motor #remotecar

0 notes