Latest news with #AustinWalker
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Microsoft releases AI-generated Quake II demo, but admits ‘limitations'
Microsoft has released a browser-based, playable level of the classic video game Quake II. This functions as a tech demo for the gaming capabilities of Microsoft's Copilot AI platform — though by the company's own admission, the experience isn't quite the same as playing a well-made game. You can try it out for yourself, using your keyboard to navigate a single level of Quake II for a couple minutes before you hit the time limit. In a blog post describing their work, Microsoft researchers said their Muse family of AI models for video games allows users to 'interact with the model through keyboard/controller actions and see the effects of your actions immediately, essentially allowing you to play inside the model.' To show off these capabilities, the researchers trained their model on a Quake II level (which Microsoft owns through its acquisition of ZeniMax). 'Much to our initial delight we were able to play inside the world that the model was simulating,' they wrote. 'We could wander around, move the camera, jump, crouch, shoot, and even blow-up barrels similar to the original game.' At the same time, the researchers emphasized that this is meant to be 'a research exploration' and should be thought of as 'playing the model as opposed to playing the game.' More specifically, they acknowledged 'limitations and shortcomings,' like the fact that enemies are fuzzy, the damage and health counters can be inaccurate, and most strikingly, the model struggles with object permanence, forgetting about things that are out of view for 0.9 seconds or longer. In the researchers' view, this can 'also be a source of fun, whereby you can defeat or spawn enemies by looking at the floor for a second and then looking back up,' or even 'teleport around the map by looking up at the sky and then back down.' Writer and game designer Austin Walker was less impressed by this approach, posting a gameplay video in which he spent most of his time trapped in a dark room. (This also happened to me both times I tried to play the demo, though I'll admit I'm extremely bad at first-person shooters.) Referring to a Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer's recent statements that AI models could help with game preservation by making classic games 'portable to any platform,' Walker argued this reveals 'a fundamental misunderstanding of not only this tech but how games WORK.' 'The internal workings of games like Quake — code, design, 3d art, audio — produce specific cases of play, including surprising edge cases,' Walker wrote. 'That is a big part of what makes games good. If you aren't actually able to rebuild the key inner workings, then you lose access to those unpredictable edge cases.' This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Microsoft releases AI-generated Quake II demo, but admits ‘limitations'
Microsoft has released a browser-based, playable level of the classic video game Quake II. This functions as a tech demo for the gaming capabilities of Microsoft's Copilot AI platform — though by the company's own admission, the experience isn't quite the same as playing a well-made game. You can try it out for yourself, using your keyboard to navigate a single level of Quake II for a couple minutes before you hit the time limit. In a blog post describing their work, Microsoft researchers said their Muse family of AI models for video games allows users to 'interact with the model through keyboard/controller actions and see the effects of your actions immediately, essentially allowing you to play inside the model.' To show off these capabilities, the researchers trained their model on a Quake II level (which Microsoft owns through its acquisition of ZeniMax). 'Much to our initial delight we were able to play inside the world that the model was simulating,' they wrote. 'We could wander around, move the camera, jump, crouch, shoot, and even blow-up barrels similar to the original game.' At the same time, the researchers emphasized that this is meant to be 'a research exploration' and should be thought of as 'playing the model as opposed to playing the game.' More specifically, they acknowledged 'limitations and shortcomings,' like the fact that enemies are fuzzy, the damage and health counters can be inaccurate, and most strikingly, the model struggles with object permanence, forgetting about things that are out of view for 0.9 seconds or longer. In the researchers' view, this can 'also be a source of fun, whereby you can defeat or spawn enemies by looking at the floor for a second and then looking back up,' or even 'teleport around the map by looking up at the sky and then back down.' Writer and game designer Austin Walker was less impressed by this approach, posting a gameplay video in which he spent most of his time trapped in a dark room. (This also happened to me both times I tried to play the demo, though I'll admit I'm extremely bad at first-person shooters.) Referring to a Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer's recent statements that AI models could help with game preservation by making classic games 'portable to any platform,' Walker argued this reveals 'a fundamental misunderstanding of not only this tech but how games WORK.' 'The internal workings of games like Quake — code, design, 3d art, audio — produce specific cases of play, including surprising edge cases,' Walker wrote. 'That is a big part of what makes games good. If you aren't actually able to rebuild the key inner workings, then you lose access to those unpredictable edge cases.'
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rent Has Gone Down in These 6 Metro Areas — But Are They More Affordable?
A report released earlier this year by revealed that the median asking rent prices in the 50 largest metropolitan areas were down 0.2% annually in January. The Rental Market Competitiveness Report from RentCafe shared that the number of available apartments slightly went up, by 0.75%, at the start of the year. However, there still aren't enough units to meet demand, with seven tenants competing for every vacancy, which contributes to a high cost of living. Find Out: Try This: Here's a look at the metro areas where rent has dropped — including their median rents, year of year change for a zero to two-bedroom unit and the percentage of income people spend on rent — according to and why these locations may still be unaffordable to most renters. Median rent: $2,328 Year over year change: -1.90% Share of income spent on rent: 37.60% Learn More: Median rent: $2,736 Year over year change: -2.60% Share of income spent on rent: 35.90% Median rent: $2,695 Year over year change: -4.80% Share of income spent on rent: 31.40% Median rent: $2,065 Year over year change: -4.10% Share of income spent on rent: 28.80% Median rent: $1,710 Year over year change: -1.60% Share of income spent on rent: 28.10% Median rent: $1,611 Year over year change: -0.20% Share of income spent on rent: 26.10% A common guideline for housing affordability is the 30% rule, which states that no more than 30% of your gross monthly income should go toward housing expenses. Many of the locations on this list are above 30%, and the rest are close to this figure. Even though rent has decreased in these metros, here's why they are still among the least affordable markets for renters. 'The biggest reason most metros continue to face housing affordability issues is extreme supply and demand imbalance,' said Austin Walker, a housing industry and markets expert for A. Walker & Company. 'Housing starts in most cities are at all-time lows, coupled with lack of available land that can be freely entitled to multifamily by right per local zoning.' Reuters recently reported that the number of new housing starts decreased by 2.3% annually in February. The RentCafe report found that the limited supply has led to lease renewal rates increasing to 63.1% at the beginning of 2025, as renters face a more competitive market. This has all resulted in a lack of housing options, especially in the major metros that attract more potential renters. The lack of housing means that landlords can charge higher rates, and the renters are stuck with options that stretch their budgets. 'In cities like New York, Los Angeles and Miami, even a small drop in rent doesn't change the fact that most renters still spend well over 30% of their income on housing,' said Jonathan Campau, a real estate expert and founder of Luxuri. 'In my experience, it's all about the balance between supply and demand — these markets have a relentless pull due to job opportunities, cultural amenities and the overall lifestyle they offer.' It's important to point out that metro areas are known for attracting people due to work-related opportunities and social options. This means that even when the rent prices drop a bit, there's a chance that they won't go too far down, since there will likely be potential tenants open to moving. Campau added that even if rents ease a bit, the fundamental issues of limited supply and high demand mean that affordability remains a challenge. Only so many units are available, and potential tenants will always be looking to move into metro areas. 'While average rents have eased marginally, high-density urban centers remain in a longstanding state of disequilibrium between supply and demand; restrictive zoning laws, rising construction costs and the almost irresistible pull of city living up prices to levels that outpace wage growth by a wide margin,' said Tim Choate, a real estate expert and founder of In the 2024 Annual Rent Report from Zumper, it was noted that renters spent an average of 42% of their pre-tax income on their housing expenses, with only 50% of respondents feeling that they have a decent deal on their rent. The combination of higher living costs and wages not being able to keep up has resulted in rent being less affordable, especially in locations known for elevated expenses. Choate added, 'While some of the cities themselves may show some slight decrease in rent figures, the rent-to-income ratio remains steep for residents because of the limited availability.' With fewer housing options, continued demand for accommodations and higher living costs, it shouldn't be surprising that many major metros are still not considered more affordable. More From GOBankingRates Who Would Benefit the Most from Trump's Social Security Tax Plan 4 Housing Markets That Have Plummeted in Value Over the Past 5 Years7 Tax Loopholes the Rich Use To Pay Less and Build More Wealth This article originally appeared on Rent Has Gone Down in These 6 Metro Areas — But Are They More Affordable? Sign in to access your portfolio
