Daily Archives: February 15, 2020

The Benefits of Online Gambling – The Boca Raton Tribune

Posted: February 15, 2020 at 11:00 pm

The benefits that one can get from gambling on online platforms are various and manifold. In this article, we highlight some of the advantages that users can expect to get when gambling online.

High Returns

The gaming titles on casino platforms appear deceptively simple, so much so that users begin to believe that there arent many returns associated with them. However, the reality is quite different. In fact, there isnt much of a difference between the profits that one can reap from online platforms and traditional casinos. Users can expect to win anything from a few thousands to even millions of dollars. With the addition of the cryptocurrencies, they can even take advantage of the fluctuations in the price of the tokens, which further allows them to increase the value of their returns.

Pay-out Ratios

There is fierce competition between casino platforms which ultimately works in favour of the users. In order to attract customers their pay-out rates reach up to 95% or even more. Needless to say, these are much higher than traditional casino which makes up much of the lure of the online casinos. Furthermore, the casinos are not required to build or maintain lavish buildings, which allows them to bump up the pay-out rates further. Many of the UK online casino have ultra-high pay-out rates for these reasons. One would do well to check out these casinos and start winning huge sums today.

Anonymity

Another benefit of these platforms is the anonymous gameplay that users can engage in. Instead of loitering in a traditional casino trying to figure out which gaming titles to gamble on, one can quite easily select their favourite titles and game from ones home.

Promotional Offers

There are numerous promotional offers available on these platforms as well which are non-existent in traditional casinos. These can double the amount recharged and increase ones bankroll. This, in turn, allows one to increase ones play-time and get additional opportunities to hit that much coveted jackpot.

Convenience

The convenience that these platforms provide is truly unparalleled. Users can cosy up in their beds and start gambling without having to worry about casino regulations. The flexibility of game-play allows one to play at ones own pace and get comfortable without having to answer to anybody.

Size of the Bets

There can be tight restrictions placed in traditional casinos regarding the size of the wagers. However, the minimum wager that online platforms allow is quite low chiefly because the cost of maintaining these platforms is minimal. This allows users to get the most out of their budgets and play for longer hours.

Gaming Catalogues

Though traditional casino platforms have quite an extensive gaming repertoire, they are nevertheless restricted by the titles that they have. This problem however doesnt plague online casino platforms. The reason for this is that there is no limit to the number of games that an online catalogue can contain which allows them to ever expand their gaming list.

All the popular gaming titles that software developers come up with are included in the catalogue on a regular basis much to the delight of the users, thereby ensuring that every gambler has something or the other to satisfy their tastes. With the current technology there has been an unprecedented rise in the quality of these gaming titles and the opportunity to try out some unique titles.

Visit link:

The Benefits of Online Gambling - The Boca Raton Tribune

Posted in Gambling | Comments Off on The Benefits of Online Gambling – The Boca Raton Tribune

Writing Yourself Checks From A Firm Account And Lying About Gambling Addiction Isn’t Okay, Even For Biglaw Partners – Above the Law

Posted: at 11:00 pm

Last month, former Biglaw partner Kym Cushing was suspended from the practice of law by the Supreme Court of Nevada for nine months. The courts suspension comes after serious concerns about Cushings addiction issues and honesty.

According tothe courts opinion, Cushing, who worked at Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker from 2005 to 2018, wrote three checks to himself from the firms operating account. When confronted about the checks, Cushing first told the firm they were to reimburse expert witness outlays, naming a friend (and pro bono client) as the expert. However, Cushing later told the firm the checks were to cover gambling losses. As a result, the firm asked him to resign.

After being forced out at Wilson Elser, he rebounded with a position at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith. However, during the lateral move, Cushing failed to disclose why he left his old firm. This was rectified by Wilson Elser, who reportedly shared with Lewis Brisbois the circumstances surrounding Cushings departure. Cushing no longer works at Lewis Brisbois.

Cushing later rescinded his gambling losses explanation for his behavior, saying in a demand letter to the law firm seeking $5 million in compensation for alleged age and disability discrimination and retaliation that he claimed a gambling problem to save his job. He now claims he actually wrote the checks in a drunken stupor. Additionally, he claimed he turned to alcohol to deal with the stress of the go-to attorney for difficult cases.

In 2018, Cushings behavior was first brought to the Supreme Court of Nevada. Then Cushing agreed to treatment with the Nevada Lawyers Assistance Program to avoid suspension. Unfortunately, Cushing did not follow through with the program and lied about his reasons for doing so.

All of which brings us to the instant case. Asreported by Bloomberg Law, the court felt this history was enough to warrant the nine-month suspension:

Substantial evidence supports the disciplinary panels findings that Cushings mental state was intentional and that his misconduct harmed the public and the legal profession and potentially harmed his pro bono client, the court said in determining the sanction. It conceded, however, that there were mitigating factors including his emotional problems and lack of prior discipline.

Cushing, who says he is extremely disappointed with the decision, can apply for reinstatement, provided he completes the Nevada Lawyers Assistance Program, an anger management program, and an additional 10 hours of CLE credits, five hours of which must be on the subject of substance abuse.

Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email herwith any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

Continued here:

Writing Yourself Checks From A Firm Account And Lying About Gambling Addiction Isn't Okay, Even For Biglaw Partners - Above the Law

Posted in Gambling | Comments Off on Writing Yourself Checks From A Firm Account And Lying About Gambling Addiction Isn’t Okay, Even For Biglaw Partners – Above the Law

Trance (2020 film) – Wikipedia

Posted: at 10:59 pm

2020 Indian Malayalam language film directed by Anwar Rasheed, released on 20 February 2020

Trance is an upcoming Indian Malayalam language film directed and produced by Anwar Rasheed and written by Vincent Vadakkan.[1] It features Fahadh Faasil in the lead role, playing five stages of his character's life, along with an ensemble supporting cast of Nazriya Nazim, Soubin Shahir, Vinayakan and Gautham Menon.[2][3] Amal Neerad was the cinematographer, while newcomer Jackson Vijayan composed the songs for the film. Resul Pookkutty was the sound designer.[4][5]

Filming was completed on 1 September 2019. The film is now set to release on 20 February 2020[6].

Trance was produced by Anwar Rasheed himself. The film marks the debut of Vincent Vadakkan as screenwriter. Rasheed was earlier supposed to direct a short in 5 Sundarikal (2013) based on the screenplay by Vadakkan. But it did not work out as he did not got the right cast. Later, Vadakkan narrated the story of Trance, but then he was not ready to produce the film because of its high production cost. Rasheed had Fahadh Faasil in mind for the lead role then itself. Later, Fahadh happened to hear the story from Vadakkan and insisted Rasheed to reconsider the project. By then, the storyline had changed and bankability of Fahadh had also grown and Rasheed was confident in producing the film.[7]

The first look poster of Trance was released by Anwar Rasheed. A week-long first schedule of filming was completed in December 2017 in Mumbai.[8] For the first time in Malayalam cinema, Bolt High Speed Cinebot cameras were used to shoot some scenes in the film.[9] The film is shot with sync sound. The film was shot mainly in coastal Kanyakumari, across various locations in India and Dubai, and the climax was shot in Amsterdam. In July 2019, it as reported that Trance is expected to cost close to 20 crore when it completes production.[10] Filming was completed on 1 September 2019.[11]

Its release was postponed multiple times. The film was initially scheduled to be released on 22 March 2019.[12] Then there were plans to release the film during Eid al-Fitr (June) but was later shifted to Onam (September) due to pending visual effects work.[10] Release date was again scheduled for 20 December 2019 before postponing to February 2020 due to delay in post-production work.[13] Then it was scheduled to 14 February 2020 on Valentine's Day.[6] But the regional Central Board of Film Certification in Thiruvananthapuram referred the film to a revising committee in Mumbai since Rasheed was not willing to cut a 8-minute long sequence that could hurt religious sentiments.[14] Now the film is all set to release on 20 February 2020.[15]

Follow this link:

Trance (2020 film) - Wikipedia

Posted in Trance | Comments Off on Trance (2020 film) – Wikipedia

Bryan Kearney Holds No Restraints With His Varied Trance Projects [Interview] – EDM.com

Posted: at 10:59 pm

Sporadically throughout the evening, a faint chant could be heard across the venue. As enthusiasm built, fan engagement increased the chant's volume before it eventually consumed the room. At its climax, the mantra was unavoidable and permeated the audience in a way rarely seen in trance shows.

"BRYAN. BRYAN. BRYAN FUCKING KEARNEY."

The chant has developed into a sort of hymn for fans of Bryan Kearney. The Irish DJ and producer has garnered an extensive following within the trance community, primarily due to his ability to transcend the genre with his many projects.

A fan of dance music himself, Kearney, alongside fellow trance DJ John O'Callaghan,was an avid clubgoer as a teenager. The Irishmen recalled their youthful ventures through various Dublin nightclubs in the mini-documentary,Tales From The Temple.

Apart from depicting how Kearney took his first steps in turning his DJ hobby into a full-time career, thefilm also shed light on the inception of his successful project with O'Callaghan, Key4050.

Derived from the access code from the Dublin apartment O'Callaghan stayed in, Key4050 has been showcased in music festivals around the world including Dreamstate SoCal. The enterprise generated plenty of new material, the majority of which ended up on their debut album, also named Tales From The Temple.

As label head of Kearnage Recordings, Kearney is preparing to deliver plenty of new music in 2020. His first release of the new decade is"Snarl,"a club banger that has been reverberating through speakers since last spring.

We caught up with Kearney on the heels of his four-hour-long set at Academy LA. As his first time back in Southern California since his two performances at Dreamstate, Kearney spoke on the hectic times leading up to the trance festival.

EDM.COM: This was your first time in Los Angeles since Dreamstate SoCal back in November. Take us back, how was that experience for you?

Bryan Kearney: It was a great experience. Dreamstate is always one of the standout events of the year. The lead up to the event was quite intense with a huge amount of time spent in the studio in preparation for both my solo performance as Karney and as Key4050 alongside John O'Callaghan.

What kind of preparation was needed for your two Dreamstate performances?

September to November were intensive months of touring with shows all across the world on a weekly basis. It was a real challenge to balance the touring, studio and personal life during this period.

It was during this time where I stopped drinking alcohol at my shows in order to give my body and mind the best opportunity to focus on the tasks at hand. I tend to work better when I have something to focus on, such as a Karney set where the intention is to play as many new tracks as possible, the same with Key4050. John and I are continuously working on new material to introduce to our live shows.

And how did those two very different sets turn out for you?

I was really happy with how the Key4050 set went. We played a lot of new tracks for the first time and the crowd seemed to enjoy it, which is always the most important thing. We finished our set on the main stage and I then had my Karney performance on the Vision Stage an hour later. I really enjoyed that set. The crowd was really up for it, the area was packed and full of people that really knew their music, the diehards.

I had put a huge amount of work and effort into that 60 minutes of music, especially on the brand-new dark dub of "By My Side." That was a track that I spent an abnormal amount of time on. It was a very intensive day but it was all worthwhile in the end.

It can feel quite surreal at times to fly halfway across the world and then to be onstage playing in front of 10,000 people in a matter of hours, trying your best to process everything that is going on and to give the best performance you can.

How was the fan reaction to both of those unique performances?

I don't read comments on Facebook, Instagram, or Soundcloud and I haven't looked at my Twitter mentions in over two years. The only thing that I look at in terms of direct feedback is DMs on Instagram. I'll check the stats of a post but I won't get distracted by the comments attached to it.

At the end of the day, I have absolutely no control over what people think about me or my music. All I can do is perform to the best of my ability in the studio and onstage and the people can then make their choice based on their own subjective opinion.

Not everyone is into the techier side of dance music and that's fine. I am and I always have been. The Karney project allows me to showcase my darker creative side. Some people will prefer the trancey or vocal stuff, etc., but this sound is equally as important to me. I'm excited at how the project has developed over the past couple of years and I'm sure the music will continue to improve. It's a constant learning process.

How have you seen the Key4050 project grow?

I think we sort of take for granted how much the project has grown over the past few years, but I think that's always going to happen when you're so deeply involved in something. It's only when you step back and take a breath that you can see how much has been achieved in such a short amount of time.

Key4050 started out as a bit of fun in the old Music First studio. There was no plan or anything in place. I had a mess about on Cubase, got some rough ideas down and went home. I came back in the next day and John was after transforming the track into the final version of "Dinklebot."

From there we just kept on adding to a growing discography of Key4050 music. We released an album containing 32 tracks around this time last year, and we embarked on a worldwide tour throughout 2019. We now have a huge amount of original music and we are adding to it all the time.

We made our first vocal track in September 2019 called"I Love You" with Plumb, and this has been our biggest track to date. That track is set for release very soon.

Speaking of Key4050, about a year ago you released the YouTube mini-documentary Tales From The Temple. What inspired you guys to take viewers on a trip down memory lane?

We wanted to give people an insight into the project and a detailed backstory of Key4050. We wanted to show people where we came from, the people that inspired us, the experiences we had, and the part that they played in the project.

We were both clubbers and lovers of dance music and were always obsessed with music and everything to do with it. Key4050 draws inspiration from all of our past experiences but is produced in a modern-day production style. The documentary gives a detailed account of the Key4050 story, the venues that we attended, the DJs and producers we idolized, and how we took our first steps in turning a hobby into a full-time career.

Social Media is usually all about presenting this perfected, idealized version of yourself to the world. This documentary cut out all that and gave the viewer a proper insight into the history and story behind Key4050.

If you come from the same era of music as us I think it will resonate with you, but it can appeal to people only new to the scene as well.

The latest release out of your label is "Snarl." What can we expect from that track?

"Snarl" is a track that I've been playing in my sets since April of last year after its debut at Subculture Belfast. It's a simple enough track, to be honest, designed for impact in a club. It's out now on Kearnage Recordings. It's the first of a number of Karney tracks that will be released in 2020.

You indicated online that there are a number of new releases for 2020 out of Kearnage. Are there any that we should keep an eye out for?

I don't look too far ahead when it comes to releases on the label. I've recently signed a couple of great tracks from Will Rees and Paul Denton and they will be released over the next couple of months. I have a number of Karney tracks to put out this year and there will be a number of Key4050 tunes released on the label, too.

You had a great kickoff to 2020 with your extended, four-hour set Academy LA. Out of all of your upcoming 2020 gigs, do you have any that you're looking forward to?

The show at Academy was unreal, I'd probably put that as my favorite U.S. club show to date. I suppose the main show that I'm looking forward to at the moment is A State of Trance 950 in Utrecht where we are playing as Key4050 for the first time. ASOT is the springboard for the rest of the year in terms of new music. I'm really excited about that show.

Finally, what is your favorite subgenre of trance?

I don't believe in genres. I don't believe in limitations when it comes to music.

Facebook:facebook.com/bryankearneyofficialTwitter:twitter.com/bryankearneyInstagram:instagram.com/bryankearneySoundCloud:soundcloud.com/bryankearney

View post:

Bryan Kearney Holds No Restraints With His Varied Trance Projects [Interview] - EDM.com

Posted in Trance | Comments Off on Bryan Kearney Holds No Restraints With His Varied Trance Projects [Interview] – EDM.com

Paul Van Dyk’s ‘Duality’ Is a Thumping Trance Mood Made For the Club: Exclusive – Billboard

Posted: at 10:59 pm

For nearly 30 years, German DJ and producer Paul van Dyk has been a purveyor of the truest trance sounds. He was one of the first international superstar DJs, and he remains aforce on and off the decks.

Case in point: "Duality," hisfirst official release for 2020, perfectly bridges the gap between the thumping beats of his early days and the limitless techniques of the future.

"Duality" is straight up for the club. It rips open with a hard dance floor beat, but as all good trance will do, a stirring synth melody washes over bringing with it a river of emotion. A rush of thoughts and feelings, the single captures the yin and yang within us all.

Duality is a state of mind you find yourself in," van Dyk tellsBillboardDance."The brain is still echoing the strongest signals of how youve become used to seeing yourself: completely fit and vital and able to do everything. The truth is that your body is not currently capable of doing all those things, putting you in a surreal existence. This track is about starting to resolve that duality.

It's a rather quick tune, clocking in at just less than four minutes, and yet "Duality" opens your heart to a myriad of feelings.

It's out everywhere Friday, Feb. 14, the second single from van Dyk's forthcoming LPGuiding Light,but you can listen to it below on early exclusive onBillboardDance.

Read the original:

Paul Van Dyk's 'Duality' Is a Thumping Trance Mood Made For the Club: Exclusive - Billboard

Posted in Trance | Comments Off on Paul Van Dyk’s ‘Duality’ Is a Thumping Trance Mood Made For the Club: Exclusive – Billboard

Fahadh, Nazriya open up about acting together before and after marriage – Onmanorama

Posted: at 10:59 pm

It was on the sets of Bangalore Days that Fahadh Faasil and Nazriya met each other. Five years later, this star couple would be sharing screen space again with the upcoming movie Trance. The audience is eagerly awaiting the release of Trance directed by Anwar Rasheed, as this must be the first time that a husband and wife had played hero and heroine in a Malayalam cinema. Fahadh and Nazriya opens upabout Trance and their experiences of making the film together.

You are well connected with your fans, arent you?

Fahadh I dont try getting connected with anyone. I dont know how to use it to the advantage of my movies or my personal life.

Nazriya I am the one who is active on the social media. Fahadh is not at all active in such things. Fahadh gets connected to others with the posts and messages that I share on the social media.

Do you feel any difference acting together before and after marriage?

Fahadh I dont really feel any difference. Its been five years since Bangalore Days got released. We have been married for five years as well. We know most of the crew members of Trance from then onwards. The sets seemed like our home itself.

Nazriya We went to the sets together and came back together. That is the only change that I could see in Trance from Bangalore Days.

Do you discuss films at home?

Fahadh We dont discuss films at home at all. We never speak about how to do a character or approach a scene. I think about it only when I am shooting.

Nazriya I too am not interested to discuss movies at home.

How does Trance become a unique experience for Fahadh and Nazriya?

Fahadh Trance is not a movie that was easy to shoot or capture or even perform. We actually had very hard shooting days. I have played the most difficult character in my career, in Trance.

Nazriya My character in Trance wasnt that heavy. As the crew members were all familiar faces, filming too wasnt difficult for me.

What was the reason why Fahadh and Nazriya joined hands in Trance?

Fahadh It was in Trance that both of us were offered roles together after marriage. Moreover, Trance is the only movie that both us felt like doing together.

Nazriya We werent offered any other project that excited us like Trance. That is the reason why we didnt appear in any movie together after marriage.

Is there any advantage when a star couple becomes star producers as well?

Fahadh We dont actually do it very consciously. We hardly contemplate seriously about producing a movie. Donning the producers hat was something that happened quite unexpectedly.

Nazriya It was through the movie Varathan that I turned producer. I decided to co produce it only because we are friends with Amal Neerad.

Can you talk about your respective characters in Trance?

Fahadh I am not saying anything about my character as I am curious to know the audiences reaction when they watch it in theaters. However, I can assure that Trance and my character in it is fresh and exciting.

Nazriya My character in Trance hardly has any similarities with my life. I havent done a similar character in my career before.

After wrapping up Trance, where did you spend your holidays?

Fahadh We dont plan any trips in advance. If I unexpectedly get a break of one or two weeks, we go for vacations.

Nazriya We dont always go for trips after every movie. However, we do go for vacations once or twice a year. We had just been to a weeklong vacation in Bangkok.

Where did you spend you holidays in Bangkok?

Fahadh We went to the Koh Sanui island which is two hours away from Bangkok by airplane. It is one of the largest islands in Asia.

Nazriya I suggested this island. It is usually I who check out the places that I think would be great for a trip. I then tell Fahadh whenever we have holidays.

Did the number of journeys increase after marriage?

Fahadh I used to travel as part of my studies before getting married. I enjoyed local trips with my friends as well. However, it is after marriage that I began going for elaborate trips.

Nazriya Before marriage, I used to travel mostly as part of shooting. However, it is only now that I began going for such holidays.

Originally posted here:

Fahadh, Nazriya open up about acting together before and after marriage - Onmanorama

Posted in Trance | Comments Off on Fahadh, Nazriya open up about acting together before and after marriage – Onmanorama

This tactical RPG mixes real-time combat and rewinding to make you a time traveling mage – PC Gamer

Posted: at 10:59 pm

My mage and rogue creep through a patch of tall wheat fields before stumbling into a gigantic steampunk soldier, who brutally cuts my team down in a hail of machine gun fire. Instead of grunting through a Game Over screen or reloading a save, I enter Trance Mode and slide back in time several seconds, just before my terrible blunder.

I take a slightly different path, only to barrel into a group of Northland soldiers who toss a grenade into the wheat field, setting my world on fire. This time when I enter Trance Mode I quickly move my party outside the fields, the grenade still sailing through the air. Back in real-time the enemy chases after me. I carefully time my retreat to bait them into the wheat fields at the exact right moment, catching them in a literal grenade blast of friendly fire.

"Its like Save Scumming: The Game," says Antti Kemppainen, game designer for Iron Danger. The tactical RPG, from Finnish developer Action Squad Studios, is built around a unique form of quick-loading that's more interactive than mashing F9, thanks to a little time magic. It's like editing a video of your game while you're playing it.

The fantasy steampunk world of Iron Danger is partially based on Finnish folklore and the story of Kalevala, with a dash of giant mechs and bear tanks. As the story begins, young villager Kipuna flees an invasion by the industrialized Northland army, only to fall into an underground chamber and impale herself on a glowing shard. Lucky for her, she becomes imbued with a shard of time magic, allowing her to avoid death by winding back several seconds. I can hit a button to enter Trance Mode, pausing the action and bringing up a mini timeline on the bottom of the screen. From there I can easily scrub backwardsjust like video editingand watch the action reverse, then queue up different moves and attacks as I experiment with the optimal strategy. My enemies are always fixated on my real-time positioning, letting me dodge attacks, set up traps, synergize my skills, or back away and try something else. It's sort of like bullet time for a strategy game.

"I love turn-based games. They give you lots of time to think about what you want to do and explore your surroundings and tactics," says Antti Kemppainen. "But theres also a lot of waiting around. We wanted to take turn-based gameplay and provide more active situations so youre in the middle of this cool battle. We came up with this idea of being able to rewind time whenever you want. You need to use it to outsmart enemies, bait them into traps, and use the environment."

Limited time travel during real-time tactical combat is a difficult concept to wrap my head around, but the video-editing UI is fun and easy to grasp. "The core loop is heavily inspired by the animation tools I used while working on various TV series," says Jussi Kemppainen, game director. "So the game is totally influenced by our background in animation. In a way, Iron Danger has flavors of an animation tool at its core, but gamified and made accessible and fun."

Every skill or attack I select in Trance Mode, like blocking with a weapon or shooting off a fireball, is added to the timeline, displaying exactly how long they take to execute. By swapping between my two characters I can easily combine abilities and attacks, like enchanting my blacksmith Topis warhammer with fire before he unleashes a powerful blow.

Ive enjoyed the recent renaissance of tactical RPGs, but Iron Danger manages to feel wholly unique

Action Squad experimented with how much time-travel to allow during Trance Mode. "Go back too far and it adds too much complexity for the player and for the AI," says Antti. Five seconds ended up being the sweet spot. The timeline is broken up into individual action points, called heartbeats, which represent about half a second in real-time. Each skill takes a certain number of heartbeats to wind up and execute, followed by a cooldown. With time as my primary tool, it makes sense that my only limitation is time itself.

Where many tactical RPGs make room for a four, five, or even a six-person party, I was disappointed to learn the max party size in Iron Danger was only two. Kipuna gains several allies throughout the linear campaign, including Topi and stealthy rogue Lemichen, but only one can accompany her in each mission. "We played around with more party members but it disrupted the gameflow. It was too chaotic and too much to manage," says Antti.

Almost immediately I find two separate timelines more than enough to handle, especially with how deadly combat plays out. Even the lowliest enemy can easily drain a third of my hit points in a single blow, and if a character falls in battle, I can no longer progress in the timeline, though consumable healing items can be found in each level with a little exploration. Combat is a careful dance of blocks, dodges, and well-timed strikes, as well as properly manipulating the environment.

Nearly every combat situation I come across in the preview build has some interesting environmental hazards that I can use to my advantage, like spike wall-traps, falling log piles, and suspended weights. In a dungeon level I see a room full of rat-like creatures called Keyu. I can use Kipunas lure skill to bunch them up, then hit a nearby lever with Topi to send a conveniently placed crushing trap crashing down on them.

Alternatively an oil barrel I picked up earlier can be thrown, then lit on fire with Kipunas trusty fireball spell to create a fiery explosion, bringing back fond memories of Divinity: Original Sin 2s elemental synergies. "You reach a point where you realize its a puzzle game. Its about staying alive long enough to defeat the enemy," says Antti. My first boss battle, a gargantuan, angry chicken, destroys me time and again until I bait it into charging through another crushing trap, this time filled with fuel cans and oil barrels, along with a well-timed fireball.

Thankfully most of the fights, and the missions themselves, dont last very long, at least in the early levels. The campaign is divided into a linear series of missions in new locations. In between missions I can select additional skills and upgrades. Action Squad wanted to keep the levels fast-paced, with completion times around 30 minutes each. "We focused on keeping the length a bit shorter, making sure the game constantly feels fresh," says Heikki-Pekka Noronen, lead programmer. "Were aiming for something more linear and story-focused rather than a huge, open world with lots of grinding."

Ive enjoyed the recent renaissance of tactical RPGs, but Iron Danger manages to feel wholly unique, eschewing traditional RPG fiddliness like equipment management for pure tactical combat. "We wanted to do something that felt creative," says Antti Kemppainen. "We were super glad to be able to do this but its also scary to do a game with no benchmark. Nobody else has done anything like this." Iron Danger is due out March 25.

Read the original post:

This tactical RPG mixes real-time combat and rewinding to make you a time traveling mage - PC Gamer

Posted in Trance | Comments Off on This tactical RPG mixes real-time combat and rewinding to make you a time traveling mage – PC Gamer

South Movies Releasing This Friday: Vijay Deverakonda’s World Famous Lover to Fahadh Faasil’s Trance – PINKVILLA

Posted: at 10:59 pm

Vijay Deverakonda's World Famous Lover is among the South films that is releasing during Valentine's Day. Here's a list of films releasing this Friday:

This year began on a high note for moviegoers as three big films released during the same week in January. Rajinikanth's Darbar to Allu Arjun's Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo and Mahesh Babu starrer Sarileru Neekevvaru, 2020 kick-started on a huge note. Well, we have moved to the second month of the year. After Samantha Akkineni starrer Jaanu, moviegoers will witness another big Telugu film releasing this week. Vijay Deverakonda's World Famous Lover is among the South films that is releasing during Valentine's Day. Here's a list of films releasing this Friday:

World Famous Lover: Vijay Deverakonda's World Famous Lover is one of the biggest South films releasing this week. The film stars Raashi Khanna, Catherine, Izabelle Leite and Aishwarya Rajesh in the female lead roles. Directed by Kranthi Madhav, World Famous Lover is an anthology and will showcase four different stories. Music by Gopi Sundar, the upcoming romantic film is all set to release during Valentine's Day, February 14, 2020.

Naan Sirithal: Tamil film Naan Sirithal stars Hip-hop Tamizha and Iswarya Menon playing the lead roles. K. S. Ravikumar will be seen playing a villain role, while Badava Gopi, Eruma Saani Vijay are playing a supporting role.

Oh My Kadavule: The film Oh My Kadavule will see south actors Ashok Selvan and Ritika Singh playing the lead. The upcoming romantic drama, releasing this Friday is helmed by debutant director Ashwath Marimuthu. The film is bankrolled by Abinaya Selvam and actor Ashok Selvan under the banner, Happy High Pictures.

Trance: Trance starring Fahadh Faasil and Nazriya Nazim in the lead roles is all set to hit the headlines on this Valentine's Day. Ahead of the release, the film has hit the headlines over an 8-minute long sequence, which might hurt religious sentiments. According to reports, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Trivandrum has sent the movie to Mumbai's revising committee. Hope things get sorted for the makers of the film as it is set to release this Friday.

Original post:

South Movies Releasing This Friday: Vijay Deverakonda's World Famous Lover to Fahadh Faasil's Trance - PINKVILLA

Posted in Trance | Comments Off on South Movies Releasing This Friday: Vijay Deverakonda’s World Famous Lover to Fahadh Faasil’s Trance – PINKVILLA

Artificial Intelligence What it is and why it matters | SAS

Posted: at 10:58 pm

The term artificial intelligence was coined in 1956, but AI has become more popular today thanks to increased data volumes, advanced algorithms, and improvements in computing power and storage.

Early AI research in the 1950s explored topics like problem solving and symbolic methods. In the 1960s, the US Department of Defense took interest in this type of work and began training computers to mimic basic human reasoning. For example, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) completed street mapping projects in the 1970s. And DARPA produced intelligent personal assistants in 2003, long before Siri, Alexa or Cortana were household names.

This early work paved the way for the automation and formal reasoning that we see in computers today, including decision support systems and smart search systems that can be designed to complement and augment human abilities.

While Hollywood movies and science fiction novels depict AI as human-like robots that take over the world, the current evolution of AI technologies isnt that scary or quite that smart. Instead, AI has evolved to provide many specific benefits in every industry. Keep reading for modern examples of artificial intelligence in health care, retail and more.

Why is artificial intelligence important?

Read the original here:

Artificial Intelligence What it is and why it matters | SAS

Posted in Artificial Intelligence | Comments Off on Artificial Intelligence What it is and why it matters | SAS

What is Artificial Intelligence? How Does AI Work? | Built In

Posted: at 10:58 pm

Can machines think? Alan Turing, 1950

Less than a decade after breaking the Nazi encryption machine Enigma and helping the Allied Forces win World War II, mathematician Alan Turing changed history a second time with a simple question: "Can machines think?"

Turing's paper "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" (1950), and it's subsequent Turing Test, established the fundamental goal and vision of artificial intelligence.

At it's core, AI is the branch of computer science that aims to answer Turing's question in the affirmative. It is the endeavor to replicate or simulate human intelligence in machines.

The expansive goal of artificial intelligence has given rise to manyquestions and debates. So much so, that no singular definition of the field is universally accepted.

The major limitation in defining AI as simply "building machines that are intelligent" is that it doesn't actually explain what artificial intelligence is? What makes a machine intelligent?

In their groundbreaking textbook Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, authors Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig approach the question by unifying their work around the theme of intelligent agents in machines. With this in mind, AI is "the study of agents that receive percepts from the environment and perform actions." (Russel and Norvig viii)

Norvig and Russell go on to explore four different approaches that have historically defined the field of AI:

The first two ideas concern thought processes and reasoning, while the others deal with behavior. Norvig and Russell focus particularly on rational agents that act to achieve the best outcome, noting "all the skills needed for the Turing Test also allow an agent to act rationally." (Russel and Norvig 4).

Patrick Winston, the Ford professor of artificial intelligence and computer science at MIT, defines AI as "algorithms enabled by constraints, exposed by representations that support models targeted at loops that tie thinking, perception and action together."

While these definitions may seem abstract to the average person, they help focus the field as an area of computer science and provide a blueprint for infusing machines and programs with machine learning and other subsets of artificial intelligence.

While addressing a crowd at the Japan AI Experience in 2017, DataRobot CEO Jeremy Achin began his speech by offering the following definition of how AI is used today:

"AI is a computer system able to perform tasks that ordinarily require human intelligence... Many of these artificial intelligence systems are powered by machine learning, some of them are powered by deep learning and some of them are powered by very boring things like rules."

Read the original:

What is Artificial Intelligence? How Does AI Work? | Built In

Posted in Artificial Intelligence | Comments Off on What is Artificial Intelligence? How Does AI Work? | Built In