Tucked away in a leafy part of south London, the historic Oval cricket stadium peeking above nearby houses, some 30 developers at Ustwo Games have been striving to solve one of the defining creative conundrums of modern entertainment: how do you balance the familiarity of a beloved franchise with freshness? The problem is exaggerated with Monument Valley, the acclaimed puzzle series that debuted in 2014. The architectural puzzles of the first entry already felt crystalline; the minimalist aesthetic was already fully formed. Can such a refined formula even be evolved?
Technology
Fox News AI Newsletter: AI catches cancer that mammogram misses
Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– AI detects woman’s breast cancer after routine screening missed it: ‘Deeply grateful’
– OpenAI CEO Sam Altman looking forward to working with Trump admin, says US must build best AI infrastructure
– Robots perform like human surgeons by just watching videos
MAMMO MISHAP: A U.K. woman is thanking artificial intelligence for saving her life. The technology picked up cancer cells in the patient’s screening that were undetectable by the human eye, according to SWNS.
READY AND WILLING: Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, on Sunday said he is looking forward to working with the incoming Trump administration, adding that he thinks President-elect Trump will succeed at helping to make America a world-leading force in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
SEEING IS REPEATING: In a groundbreaking development, researchers at Johns Hopkins University and Stanford University have successfully trained a robotic surgical system to perform complex tasks with the skill of human doctors.
‘TERRIFYING’: Katherine Waterston isn’t a big fan of artificial intelligence.
“Like all technology, there’s the potential for incredible innovation and a real threat and obviously needs to be highly regulated,” she told Fox News Digital.
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Technology
Monument Valley 3 comes to Netflix with an iconoclastic edge
Monument Valley 3, which arrives on mobile devices via Netflix on December 10th, answers that question confidently: yes, and then some.
In hindsight, 2017’s Monument Valley 2, an undeniably beautiful iteration of the era-defining original, didn’t push the envelope far enough. For the third entry, game director Jennifer Estaris says, “we knew we wanted to do a major change. We wanted to make a splash.” Estaris’ use of the word “splash” is instructive: at various points during Monument Valley 3, water begins to rise, submerging the looping staircases and Moorish towers that have defined the series. Elsewhere, players explore long stretches of open water on a boat, sailing along beautifully tessellated waves. Both offer a clue as to the more irreverent personality of this threequel — a desire to break with the past.
Nature and — most importantly — unruly, winding vegetative shapes, feature prominently in Monument Valley 3. It is a game about ecosystems. Genuine peril causes the game’s inhabitants to scatter. In a sense, they become refugees. An allegory for the climate crisis presents itself. But it’s not wholly accurate to think of Monument Valley 3 as growing directly out of The Lost Forest, a DLC add-on for Monument Valley 2, or that the expansion was a proof of concept for this wilder take.
Initially, a smaller team experimented with abandon. “We had a first-person version,” says Estaris. “We had a multiplayer version. We had one where you could create your own architecture. People could create their own levels.”
Slowly, themes began to emerge. The idea of found family became an anchor for the game’s developers, many of whom have migrant parents or, like Estaris, are new to the UK (she moved from Denmark). Lead designer Emily Brown, who grew up in the Middle East, remembers the team wanting to make a “more personal, people-oriented” experience — a counterpoint to the franchise’s, at times, coldly monolithic architecture. She recalls one scene that summed up the new direction: “a little hillside with little buildings on it, and a puzzle that takes place on a much smaller scale.” It became clear to Brown that Ustwo wasn’t making a “solitary” Monument Valley game. “It’s about bringing people together,” she says.
The first Monument Valley defined an era of premium mobile titles. It was the killer app for the iPad and iPhone, a game whose design-oriented ethos perfectly matched the form, function, and elegance of those devices. In the Ustwo studio, a chic, warehouse-type space with walls covered in colorful artworks, there is a shelf where a BAFTA award for Monument Valley sits. A dollhouse-sized model of Monument Valley is positioned on a table a handful of meters away, a physical ode to the franchise that has reached more than 150 million players. The series looms large in the studio’s psyche and occupies an important place in its finances.
“The first Monument Valley is a time capsule of 2013 / 2014 graphic design,” says lead artist Lili Ibrahim, referencing the clean lines of its perfectly crafted, impossible architecture and brain-massaging, soft-pastel color blends. Ibrahim wondered, “What can Monument Valley 3 be influenced by to create a time capsule of graphic design today?” She immersed herself in magazines, websites, and art exhibitions. Of particular resonance were “destructive” and “deconstructive” fashion editorials with paint splodges over the top of them and images butchered by gaping cut-out holes. Ibrahim attended a retrospective on the UK artist Cornelia Parker and saw the famous 1991 installation Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View — essentially a freeze-frame of a garden shed at the moment of its obliteration. “Seeing this was so freeing to me,” she says. “I could imagine the buildings in Monument Valley doing this.”
This is precisely what happens in some of Monument Valley 3’s more visually striking puzzles. One origami-inspired stage, which is textured to evoke Japanese washi paper, sees architecture unfurl and unfold like a deconstructed 3D net. Another sees you literally exploding architecture in slow motion so that it comes to resemble a kind of blooming cubic flowerhead.
There is an ornateness to Monument Valley 3 that breaks with the restraint of previous entries. The curves of nature threaten to overwhelm the clean lines of the people-made structures; the colors are deep, rich, and at times, foreboding. Monument Valley 3 is a visually lusher, busier game than what came before. The level select screen sees the protagonist, Noor, standing in a lighthouse and rotating intricate stained glass panels. Diffuse light cascades through each resplendent image. The result is breathtakingly opulent.
An even bigger surprise is what’s happening to Monument Valley 3 after release. Ustwo is pivoting to a live-service model, albeit in a way that eschews the “grind” and “addictive, compulsive loops” of some free-to-play titles, says Estaris. Additional content will be released for at least a year after launch in the form of seasonal puzzles and storied chapters, a move that fits Netflix’s subscription model well. It presumably also makes solid business sense.
Estaris, who worked on the endless runner behemoth Subway Surfers before joining Ustwo in 2020, compares the base game to a piece of orchestral “classical music.” The additional content, meanwhile, is closer to “jazz” — looser, freer, and more experimental mechanically and visually. Estaris hopes players will develop a “healthy habit” with Monument Valley 3, akin to completing the “Sunday crossword puzzle.”
Monument Valley 3 arrives just over a decade after the original, and a lot more has changed than the decline of premium mobile and the rise of subscriptions. In 2014, users were still in their honeymoon period with smartphones and tablets. Now, the relationship has soured for many, who are reexamining their relationships with these devices. Short-form video has exploded thanks to TikTok, and there are concerns about the link between excessive screen time, social media use, and what some research groups call a “loneliness epidemic.” A common critique is that the extractive, capitalist logic of tech and digital media has intensified, finding newly vampiric ways of bleeding users’ attention dry.
Danny Gray, Ustwo’s chief creative officer, once called the original Monument Valley a “sanctuary in your pocket.” He emphasized that you could pull out your smartphone anywhere — the bus, the toilet, the airport — and enter into a chill Zen-like space. You feel this sensibility even more acutely playing Monument Valley 3. For all the various ways it moves with the times — the live-service pivot, newly embellished visuals, and freeform gameplay — its meditative core remains intact. This is no mean feat in an era when most digital media and, crucially, the act of interfacing with it, feels defined by a kind of anxiety and restlessness.
“I’m not saying Monument Valley 3 is a perfect corrective to all that,” says lead producer John Lau. “But it is made in the spirit of something that is not disposable — something that you can cherish and take with you as a memory.”
Technology
Protecting yourself from Microsoft tech support scams
Tech support scammers are modern-day con artists, preying on our deepest technological fears and vulnerabilities. Tammy of Flagler Beach, Florida, recently reached out to us with a concerning email:
“I think we may have been hacked by Microsoft Windows…we turned off computer after calling the Microsoft number blaring at us telling us to not touch the computer. What do we do???”
We’re sorry to hear that you’re experiencing this issue. Tammy’s experience is a classic example of a prevalent tech support scam that has been targeting unsuspecting users. It’s important to note that Microsoft will never proactively reach out to you to provide unsolicited PC or technical support. These criminals have evolved their tactics to easily convince you that your computer has a critical problem needing immediate attention.
Any communication they have with you must be initiated by you. If you receive a phone call or pop-up window from someone claiming to be from Microsoft, and they tell you that your computer has a problem or has been hacked, it’s likely a scam.
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Red flags scammers use to trick you into believing your computer is compromised
Tech support scammers have become master manipulators, using psychological tactics to exploit your fears and vulnerabilities. Here are the six most common warning signs that you’re being targeted by a sophisticated tech support scam:
Unsolicited contact: Be wary of unexpected calls, emails or pop-ups claiming your device is compromised.
Urgency and scare tactics: Scammers often create a sense of panic, claiming hackers could access your devices and data imminently.
Requests for remote access: A major red flag is if someone you didn’t contact asks to remotely access your computer.
Pressure for immediate payment: Be suspicious of demands for payment, especially via non-reversible methods like gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.
Impersonation of reputable companies: Scammers may claim to be from well-known tech companies like Microsoft or Apple.
Suspicious pop-up messages: Be cautious of pop-up warnings about viruses or system issues, especially those with countdown timers.
9 WAYS SCAMMERS CAN USE YOUR PHONE NUMBER TO TRY TO TRICK YOU
Immediate steps to take if you are targeted
To quickly secure your information and minimize potential damage, follow these steps.
1) Disengage immediately: Hang up the phone or close any suspicious pop-ups.
2) Disconnect from the internet: This can prevent potential remote access by scammers.
3) Do not provide remote access: Never give control of your device to unsolicited callers.
4) Run a security scan using strong antivirus software: Use reputable, up-to-date, strong antivirus software to check your system. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
5) Change critical passwords: Update passwords for important accounts, especially if you’ve shared any information. Make sure to create strong, unique passwords. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords.
6) Enable two-factor authentication: Where possible, enable multifactor authentication. This adds an extra layer of security to your accounts.
7) Monitor your accounts: Keep an eye on your financial accounts, email accounts and social media for any unusual activity. If you think scammers have stolen your identity, consider identity theft protection here.
Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.
One of the best parts of using some services is that they might include identity theft insurance of up to $1 million to cover losses and legal fees and a white-glove fraud resolution team where a U.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.
8) Invest in personal data removal services: Using a data removal service can be an effective additional step to protect your personal information after a potential tech support scam. These services locate and remove your personal information from various online platforms, databases and data brokers. By eliminating unnecessary or outdated information, data removal services minimize your online presence, making it harder for scammers to find and exploit your data.
While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.
9) Contact professionals: If you’re unsure about any steps or if the situation seems severe, consider reaching out to a professional IT service.
10) Report the incident: Report the scam to your local authorities and the Federal Trade Commission in the U.S. You can also report the scam to Microsoft directly.
Remember, it’s important to stay calm and take one step at a time.
SPOTIFY PLAYLISTS ARE BEING HIJACKED TO PROMOTE PIRATED SOFTWARE AND SCAMS
Kurt’s key takeaways
Tech support scams are designed to exploit fear and technical uncertainty. Remember that legitimate tech companies will never proactively contact you about computer issues. Always verify support through official channels, and when in doubt, consult with a trusted tech-savvy friend or professional.
Have you or someone you know ever been targeted by a tech support scam? Share your experiences and how you dealt with it by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
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Technology
Itch.io is currently offline due to a “trash AI-powered” phishing report
Indie game storefront Itch.io is currently offline because of what it describes as a bogus phishing report. While the game store’s servers are still online, the domain for the website is currently pointing towards IP addresses that itch.io doesn’t own — making it inaccessible for most people.
Itch.io blames pop culture collectibles company Funko for the issues in a post on X, “because they use some trash ‘AI-powered’ Brand Protection Software called Brand Shield that created some bogus Phishing report to our registrar.”
While the disputed page has been taken down, itch.io’s domain registrar, iwantmyname, still disabled the domain likely due to automated systems. According to a post on X, the indie game marketplace is now waiting on the domain registrar to respond and re-enable its domain.
If you know how to tweak your hosts file that maps hostnames to IP addresses then you can use the 45.33.107.166 IP address in the meantime, but you’ll need to remove the entry once the domain is restored. Itch.io is hoping the problems will be resolved in a matter of hours so it doesn’t have to deploy a new domain name instead.
The domain issues come just days after itch.io started allowing its users to use its domain name for Bluesky accounts. If you have spent $10 on the platform then you have the option to use your itch.io profile URL on Bluesky, but the current domain issues mean anyone who switched to the custom itch.io URLs has an “invalid handle” error on Bluesky until the main itch.io domain is back online.
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