The Digital Insider | Month: April 2024

Bridging the Digital Divide: The Role of AI-Powered, Platform-Centric Strategies in Crafting Future-Ready Enterprises

As the shift towards a blend of traditional and remote work models becomes more pronounced, and consumer expectations exceed the capacities of legacy systems, executives are in pursuit of adaptable digital infrastructures capable of immediate reaction. However, this quest for digital progression uncovers a significant rift:…

The Rise of Time-Series Foundation Models for Data Analysis and Forecasting

Time series forecasting plays a vital role in crucial decision-making processes across various industries such as retail, finance, manufacturing, and healthcare. However, compared to domains like natural language processing and image recognition, the integration of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) techniques into time series forecasting has been…

Why data quality is critical for marketing in the age of GenAI

A recent survey reveals that CMOs around the world are optimistic and confident about GenAI’s future ability to enhance productivity and create competitive advantage. Seventy per cent are already using GenAI and 19 per cent are testing it. And the main areas they’re exploring are personalisation…

New Palworld Update Includes First Raid Boss, Pal And Base Changes, And More

Developer Pocketpair has released a new Palworld update that introduces the game’s first raid boss, makes changes to pals, U.I., and bases, and more. Dubbed v0.2.0.6, the Steam version of this update for PC players is already live; the Xbox version will be released when it’s ready, according to Pocketpair.

As for what to expect, today’s update is one of Palworld’s biggest. But chief among the additions is the game’s first raid boss, a heavily anticipated aspect of the survival game’s endgame. Let’s break it all down:

Raid Boss

The first Palworld raid boss is now live
You can summon raid boss pals by using slabs at new Summoning Altars
These pals are extremely powerful and cannot be captured.
Pal eggs can drop after defeating raid boss pals.
There is an “extreme” version of the first raid boss that Pocketpair says “is incredibly powerful and difficult to defeat.”

Pals

Palworld Pokemon With Guns Survival Game Steam Millions Players Sales

Kelpsea can now produce Pal Fluids at the ranch
Dumud can now produce High-Quality Pal Oil at the ranch
You can now reduce the weight of metal ore while riding Surfent Terra
Increased the amount of ore dropped while riding Astegon
You can now raise Pal’s rank to the maximum with a single synthesis using the Pal Essence Condenser (Condensation progress is now accumulated in the individual Pal)
Negative Pal status will now be resolved after spending some time in the Pal Box

UI

While aiming a sphere, it will now display how many of the target Pal has already been captured
You can now check the cooldowns on partner skills for all your Pals on the main screen
Equipment and item stats are now visible on the technology screen, even if you have not unlocked them first
The tutorial has been improved and renamed to “Journey”
You can now show/hide the “Journey” in the game options
Damage number display size can be changed in the game options. (In Raid Boss battles, the damage numbers tend to overlap a lot and it may be difficult to see, so we recommend adjusting the size)

Player

Items dropped by players after death on a dedicated server can now be picked up by anyone after 24 hours of real-time have passed
Added a new “sleeping” player emote (edited)

Bases

You can now allow/disallow certain work for base Pals at the Monitoring Stand
Chest filters have been added. Select item types to allow or disallow inside chests
Crafted items are now transported from crafting facilities. Selecting “allow transport” when crafting will result in Pals transporting those items to chests when finished
You can now edit your character’s appearance at any time by using the “Antique Dresser”
Building and building piece placement rules have been relaxed (you can now connect stairs facing upward; roof pieces can now directly connect to foundations; triangular walls can now be connected to stairs)
You can now force a Pal to work and cancel their break by picking them up and throwing them towards a facility (Pals recover their SAN while taking a break, so be careful!)
Fixed assignments remain fixed, even after bad events occur. Previously, some assignments would change due to certain conditions, but now they will remain fixed unless the Pal is placed inside the Pal Box

Balance Adjustments

Minimum heat and cold resistance have been added to various armour. You will no longer need to take off your heat-resistance armour when it is cold at night in the starting areas!
Reduce the button press time in the egg incubator
Change the pattern for Jormuntide Ignis to something more unique
Added legendary blueprints for some firearms (Dropped from specific enemies)
Corrected the selling price of diamonds
In single-player, it is no longer possible to select the initial spawn point for multiplayer
Blocked the back of the starting area with rocks to prevent players from getting lost or stuck
The increased attack power multiplier of partner skills that increase the player’s attack power while riding has been uniformly reduced from 2.0 to 1.2
Eggs now have a small chance to produce Alpha Pals
Flying and floating Pals are now immune to falling damage
Shop price adjustments

Elsewhere in today’s update, Pocketpair has listed a handful of bugs it fixed alongside other changes like improved Pal models and textures, and more. For the full breakdown of those changes, head here.

For more about the game, head to Game Informer’s Palworld tag to watch trailers, gameplay, and read in-depth features.

Are you still playing Palworld? Let us know what you think of it in the comments below!

Edge 384: Inside Genie: Google DeepMind’s Astonishing Model that can Build 2D Games from Text and Images

The model represents a new category in generative AI….

Stability AI Unveils Stable Audio 2.0: Empowering Creators with Advanced AI-Generated Audio

Stability AI has once again pushed the boundaries of innovation with the release of Stable Audio 2.0. This cutting-edge model builds upon the success of its predecessor, introducing a host of groundbreaking features that promise to revolutionize the way artists and musicians create and manipulate audio…

20+ Best Free Brush Sets for Affinity Designer

Affinity Designer is a popular graphics editor that allows artists and designers to work on vector and raster projects within one application. This makes it perfect for most design and digital art tasks, from logo creation to complex illustrations.

One of the key features that makes Affinity Designer so valuable is its support for brush sets. As most designers will know, having a variety of brushes on hand is crucial for adding depth and texture to your digital artwork.

They allow for the creation of detailed and professional artwork. They can imitate everything from watercolor textures to fine pencil lines, allowing you to bring your creativity to life with precision and flair.

Whether working on a digital painting, designing a character, or crafting a logo design, the right brush set can make all the difference in achieving that perfect finish.

Ink & Painting Affinity Brushes

These Affinity Designer brushes bring traditional ink and paint textures to your artwork. They’re ideal for artists looking to emulate classic techniques digitally.

inkBrush Vector Paint Affinity Brushes (Free, 30 Brushes)

Offering various textures and stroke styles, this set of 30 free brushes is for digital artists who want to emulate traditional ink painting techniques.

Painted Canvas Affinity Brushes (Free, 67 Brushes)

This free set of Affinity Designer brushes allows you to replicate the texture and feel of painting on canvas. It includes standard, angled, narrow, messy, and light vector canvas brushes.

Pencil & Pen Affinity Brushes

Designed to replicate the precision of pencil and pen sketches, these brushes provide a range of line weights and textures, perfect for drafting, sketching, and detailed illustration work.

Pencil Affinity Designer Brushes (25 Brushes)

This brush set is ideal for designers who want to create digital art with the nuanced textures and shading capabilities of traditional pencil drawing. The set includes 25 brushes.

Textured Pencils & Ink Affinity Brushes (Free, 65 Brushes)

These free ink and pencil brushes will add subtle depth, texture, and a hand-drawn feel to your digital illustrations. This set includes 30 pencil and 35 ink brushes.

Vector Marker Brushes for Affinity Designer (Free, 9 Brushes)

Created using real Prismacolor marker pens, this free vector brush set can be used to achieve a hand-drawn, marker-like appearance in your artwork. You will also get a Prismacolor-inspired swatches library.

Artista Affinity Designer Brushes (60 Brushes & 10 Textures)

Artista is the perfect brush set for any Affinity digital artist. It includes sketch, spray, hatch, textured, pencil brushes, and also comes with ten grunge textures as a bonus.

Hand-Drawn Affinity Brushes

Capture the spontaneity and charm of hand-drawn art with brushes that offer irregular lines and textures. These brushes are great for adding a personal touch to your designs.

Hand-Drawn Brushes for Affinity Designer (20 Brushes)

This hand-drawn brush set will enhance your illustrations by giving you unique textures, line work, and artistic effects. They allow you to infuse your work with a more organic, handcrafted feel.

Scribble & Scrawl Affinity Brushes (Free, 44 Brushes)

The Scribble & Scrawl free brush set has been designed for creating hand-drawn, scribbled, or scrawled effects in your digital art. This free set includes standard, long, squared, and messy scribble brushes.

Vintage Affinity Brushes

Add a touch of nostalgia to projects with brushes that offer textures and patterns from bygone eras. They are perfect for retro-themed artwork and designs that require an aged look.

Vintage Lines for Affinity Designer (Free, 4 Brushes)

These free brushes will add intricate linework and decorative elements, perfect for projects that require a touch of nostalgia or elegance.

Vintage Banner Affinity Brushes (Free, 19 Brushes)

This free collection of brushes will allow you to easily add retro or vintage-style banners to your artwork. They can be particularly useful for creating nostalgic designs.

Stamp Brushes for Affinity Designer

These stamp brushes offer crisp, predefined shapes and motifs that can be easily applied to projects. They’re ideal for creating patterns, decorative elements, or themed designs.

Auto Car Supply Stamp Brushes (15 Brushes)

This brush set includes 15 brushes of car and tool stamps and is perfect for logo or branding design. A Procreate version is also available for download.

BadOia’s Repeating Pattern Brushes (Free, 200 Brushes)

This massive set includes over 200 vector shape brushes. And, as a bonus, they are also all repeating patterns. They’re a must-download for anyone who uses Affinity Designer.

Bunting Brushes for Affinity Designer (Free, 12 Brushes)

This one-click bunting allows you to add banner-style decorations to your design projects. It is particularly useful for adding festive, celebratory elements to your designs.

Magical Girl Stars Affinity Designer Brushes (Free, 6 Brushes)

This free Affinity Designer set includes stamp and scatter brushes for adding ‘magical’ cartoon-style stars and halos to your artwork.

Line Brushes for Affinity Designer

These Affinity Designer brushes focus on delivering clean, varied line work. They’re essential for projects that rely on strong, consistent linework, such as technical drawings or minimalist designs.

Lighthouse Liner Affinity Brushes (80 Brushes & 20 Patterns)

The Lighthouse brush set allows you to add detailed linework to your illustrations, sketches, or any project that requires precision. This set includes 80 Affinity Designer brushes and 20 seamless patterns.

Outline Brushes for Affinity Designer (Free, 58 Brushes)

The Outline brush set is helpful for varied-thickness linework or adding a lifelike look to the edges of objects in your artwork. This free set includes dashed, fat, thin, round, short, and abstract outlined brushes.

Dollar Store Fineliner Affinity Designer Brushes (Free, 7 Brushes)

Comic & Cartoon Affinity Brushes

These brushes, tailored for comic artists and cartoonists, support expressive drawing styles with options for outlines and fill textures.

DAUB Comics Basic Brush Set (Free, 12 Brushes)

This free brush set includes a selection of brushes tailored for comic book artists and illustrators. It offers a range of textures and stroke styles ideal for creating dynamic and expressive comic artwork.

Chalk Toon Painter Affinity Designer Brushes (Free, 100 Brushes)

Texture Brushes for Affinity

These textured brushes imbue surfaces with lifelike qualities, from rough paper to fabric, and are ideal for adding realism to your digital work.

Wax Crayon Texture Affinity Brushes (Free, 40 Brushes)

These free brushes will add the textured, dynamic effects of wax crayons to your digital artwork. This set can be particularly useful for adding a playful, handcrafted touch to your illustrations.

Textured Dots Affinity Designer Brushes (Free, 120 Brushes)

These textured dot brushes can be used for various creative purposes, such as adding depth and texture to your illustrations or enhancing the detail in characters or objects.

Texture Brushes for Affinity Designer (Free, 5 Brushes)

Sourced from various real-life textures, this free brush set will allow you to enhance the visual depth and interest in your illustrations, giving you a range of effects from rough surfaces to fine, detailed patterns.

Shader Affinity Brushes (Free, 12 Vector & Raster Brushes)

This free Affinity Designer brush set includes textures and effects designed to add depth and realism to your artwork. They will help you create more engaging and visually rich designs by offering a variety of shading options.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I install new brushes in Affinity Designer?

To install new brushes, download the brush file, open Affinity Designer, go to the Brushes Panel, click on the menu, and select Import Brushes.
Can I use these brushes for commercial projects?

Many free brushes are available for both personal and commercial use, but check the license provided by the creator to be sure.
Can I use Photoshop brushes in Affinity Designer?

Yes, you can use Photoshop brushes in Affinity Designer by importing the .abr files. You can find a huge selection of free Photoshop brushes here.
Can I use Illustrator or Procreate brushes in Affinity Designer?

Illustrator or Procreate brushes are not directly usable in Affinity Designer due to differences in file formats and brush engines. They would need to be converted into a compatible format, though this may not perfectly preserve the original brush’s properties.
How can I create my own brushes in Affinity Designer?

You can create custom brushes by selecting new brush categories in the Brushes Panel and clicking the New Brush option. This allows you to customize settings like width, opacity, and texture to suit your specific needs.

These Affinity Designer brushes offer the flexibility and precision needed to bring your creative visions to life, whether through delicate linework or bold textural effects.

By using these free resources, artists of all skill levels can expand their repertoire, experiment with new styles, and achieve professional-level results.

Streamlining supply chains | The impact of IoT on transportation and logistics

By Antoinette Hodes, a Check Point Global Solutions Architect and Evangelist with the Check Point Office of the CTO.

IoT is reshaping the way that businesses navigate the complexities of supply chain management. In today’s interconnected world, where speed, accuracy and sustainability are immensely important, traditional operational modalities are no longer sufficient.

To start, let’s take a look a look at fleet management. Fleet management refers to the process of overseeing, coordinating and managing an organization’s fleet of vehicles — think trucks, vans, cars, ships or even aircraft — to ensure efficient and effective operations.

Now, combine fleet management with smart transportation and logistics. Imagine that a pallet, parcel, and vehicle are infused with artificial intelligence, constantly communicating their whereabouts, condition and performance — all in real-time. This allows organizations to make well informed decisions based on data-driven insights provided by internet connected goods and an internet connected fleet. We are in the era of the “smart supply chain”.

Instant efficiency at your fingertips

IoT has revolutionized fleet management, bringing efficiency and control to logistics operations. By equipping assets like that pallet, parcel or vehicle with smart sensors and connectivity, businesses can now monitor and manage their fleets and goods in real-time.

With smart fleet management, organizations can track vehicle locations and fuel consumption, optimize routes, and manage driver performance. Further, IoT offers enhanced safety by providing alerts about specific driver behaviors, resulting in improved driver safety and an overall reduction in accidents. Plus, maintenance optimization will yield reduced downtime and increased vehicle lifespan. IoT-powered fleet management systems have become instrumental in enhancing organizational productivity and in reducing costs.

The road to smart logistics

Gone are the days when people mistakenly lost track of assets. With IoT-enabled asset tracking, businesses can keep a watchful eye on valuable goods as they move through the supply chain. Another benefit of attaching smart sensors to shipments is that companies can monitor factors like temperature, humidity, condition, location and utilization in real-time. Think of so-called ‘cold chain’ management; IoT sensors monitoring refrigerated containers and trucks. IoT sensors ensure the integrity of perishable goods, reducing spoilage and making sure that organizations comply with food safety standards.

Another huge benefit of smart logistics consists of alert notifications from the asset itself. Let’s use the example of smart, internet connected container. It can send alerts about unauthorized movement (i.e. theft).

Supply chain optimization drives business excellence

IoT is also providing data analytics and actionable insights around inventory levels. Armed with this information, organizations can make well informed decisions, minimize out-of-stock events and limit overstock situations.

Predictive analytics improves the overall supply chain. An example of this is warehouse automation via robotics, which reduces labor costs and minimizes errors in tasks like inventory management, order picking and packaging. Beyond that, IoT empowers organizations to meet customer demands faster and more effectively than they would be able to otherwise.

The key to operational reliability, predictive maintenance

Unplanned downtime can be a logistics nightmare. IoT and internet connected assets (fleet, machinery and goods) give organizations the opportunity to collect and analyze data. With the corresponding knowledge, organizations can proactively identify potential maintenance issues before they escalate into costly breakdowns. Real-time monitoring of engine performance, tire pressure, engine data and other critical parameters allow for timely maintenance interventions.

Logistics 2.0, IoT’s smart way forward

Here are some specific examples of how IoT is being used in the logistics and transportation sector:

Maersk implements IoT sensors and predictive analytics for fleet management. By collecting data on engine performance, fuel consumption, and other metrics in real-time, Maersk can anticipate maintenance needs and schedule preventive measures to minimize downtime and reduce costs.
UPS is using IoT to track the location of its delivery trucks in real-time. This information is used to optimize the delivery routes and reduce fuel costs.
FedEx is using IoT to track the temperature of its packages in transit. This information is used to ensure that the packages are not damaged during shipping. More information here.
DHL is using real-time inventory tracking to monitor the movement of goods throughout the supply chain, enabling precise tracking of stock levels and locations.
The Port of Los Angeles is using IoT to track the movement of cargo ships. This information is used to improve the efficiency of the port operations.
Amazon employs IoT-enabled warehouse management systems for smart logistics. These smart warehousing solutions utilize automated guided vehicles (AGVs), drones, sensors and cameras to optimize storage space, monitor inventory levels and streamline operations, ensuring efficient order fulfillment.

For more cyber security insights from expert Antoinette Hodes, please click here. Lastly, subscribe to the CyberTalk.org newsletter for timely insights, cutting-edge analyses and more, delivered straight to your inbox each week.

Star Wars: Galaxy Of Heroes Is Coming To PC With A Better Framerate And Higher Resolution

Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, the popular free-to-play Star Wars collectible turn-based strategy RPG mobile game, is coming to PC with cross-save functionality and improved performance. Speaking with the developer over e-mail, the team says, “We have been able to double the frame rate to 60 fps, added anti-aliasing, and implemented higher resolution settings so that players can take advantage of the power of a high-end PC.” The game’s layout has also been adjusted for the PC version.

Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes originally launched for mobile devices back in 2015, and has amassed a following over the years. In that time, players have figured out ways to emulate the game on PC, but this will be an official release. Along with improved visuals, the game will also support mouse and keyboard as well as keybinds (unfortunately “there is no controller support at this time”). Longtime players will also be able to bring all their progress over by linking their mobile account to their EA account when playing on PC for the first time, and all future updates will release on both mobile and PC platforms simultaneously. The teams says, “The PC and mobile version will always be in lockstep and release updates at the same time.”

Beta access for the PC version will be available for current mobile players in May before expanding to a larger audience. From the developer: “For those interested, they can head to the Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes website, sign up for the EA App, link their account, and they are now ready to register. There’s a dedicated registration page that can be found on the website the day registration begins! For those selected, you will be receiving an invite via email for access to the Closed Beta.” You can learn more here.

Tech policy is only frustrating 90% of the time

That’s what makes it worthwhile…