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A new Dark Souls 3 lighting tool is giving modders the power to make next-gen facelifts of the FromSoft classic
FromSoftserve on YouTube posted a preview of his upcoming Dark Souls 3 lighting engine mod on July 6, showcasing an in-depth look at DS3 re-imagined with vastly improved lighting and textures.
FromSoftserve's mod is built on top of the DS3LightingEngine, which allows for deep customization of light mechanics. DS3LightingEngine is also a work in progress, but the modder, Ragevitamins, said in an update that it will be finished in Q4 of this year.
FromSoftserve's mod isn't available just yet, but they previously released several other mods for the Souls games, including an extensive Dark Souls: Remastered overhaul and a similar visual overhaul for Dark Souls 3. Each has garnered thousands of unique downloads on NexusMods.
If those are anything to go on, FromSoftserve's next DS3 mod is sure to impress. At least, the near 40-minute demo of it does. The mod also features upscaled textures with models that have been manually updated for improved reflections and shadows.
FromSoftserve also revised Dark Souls 3's level of detail (LOD) system, noting that they "basically just turned it off" so the game loads high detail models by default. The use of LOD may have made more sense when DS3 launched nearly 10 years ago since it helped improve performance (at the expense of graphics quality), but, as FromSoftserve points out, graphics cards have improved enough that it isn't really necessary anymore unless you're using an older GPU.
The demo looks great so far, but it's still a work in progress. FromSoftserve noted in the video that there's still work to do fixing bugs (like the player lantern, which currently doesn't show up) and getting the improved lighting to mesh well with the game's built-in lighting mechanics, among other things. The mod doesn't even have a name yet. So, you may be in for a wait if you're itching to try it out.
FromSoftserve mentioned in the video that they are working on mods full-time, so you can support them on Patreon or Ko-Fi if you want to contribute to this project. In the meantime, you can also check out their other Dark Souls mods on NexusMods.
2025 games: This year's upcoming releasesBest PC games: Our all-time favoritesFree PC games: Freebie festBest FPS games: Finest gunplayBest RPGs: Grand adventuresBest co-op games: Better together
From PCGamer latest via this RSS feed
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/a-new-dark-souls-3-lighting-tool-is-giving-modders-the-power-to-make-next-gen-facelifts-of-the-fromsoft-classic/Open linkView original on rss.ponder.cat
2025 One Hertz Challenge: Ham Radio Foxhunt Transmitter
[Jim Matthews] submitted their Ham Radio foxhunt transmitter project for the 2025 One Hertz Challenge.
This is a clever Spartan build. In order to create a radio beacon for use in a “fox hunt” [Jim] combined a SR-T300 walkie talkie module with a phototransistor and oscillating LED circuit. The phototransistor and oscillating LED are secured face-to-face inside heat shrink tubing which isolates them from ambient light. When the LED flashes on the phototransistor powers the radio which transmits a tone in the UHF band.
A fox hunt is a game played by radio enthusiasts in which players use radio signals to triangulate and find a hidden beacon. [Jim]’s circuit is the beacon, and when it’s powered by a three volt CR2032 battery, it transmits a strong signal over several hundred yards at 433.5 MHz, within the amateur radio UHF band.
If you’re interested in radio beacons you might like to read about the WSPR beacon.
From Blog – Hackaday via this RSS feed
https://hackaday.com/2025/07/13/2025-one-hertz-challenge-ham-radio-foxhunt-transmitter/Open linkView original on rss.ponder.cat
Species at 30 makes for a great guilty pleasure
Earlier this month, Hollywood mourned the passing of Michael Madsen, a gifted actor best known for his critically acclaimed roles in Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, and Donnie Brasco, among others. Few obituaries have mentioned one of his lesser-known roles: a black ops mercenary hired to help hunt down an escaped human/alien hybrid in 1995's Species. The sci-fi thriller turns 30 this year and while it garnered decidedly mixed reviews upon release, the film holds up quite well as a not-quite-campy B monster movie that makes for a great guilty pleasure.
(Many spoilers below.)
Screenwriter Dennis Feldman (The Golden Child) was partially inspired by an Arthur C. Clarke article discussing how the odds were slim that an extraterrestrial craft would ever visit Earth, given the great distances that would need to be traversed (assuming that traveling faster than the speed of light would be highly unlikely). Feldman was intrigued by the prospect of making extraterrestrial contact via information: specifically, alien instructions on how to build an instrument that could talk to terrestrial humans.
From Ars Technica - All content via this RSS feed
https://arstechnica.com/culture/2025/07/species-at-30-makes-for-a-great-guilty-pleasure/Open linkView original on rss.ponder.cat
Sunday thought: On being a warrior
Friends,
With the national and international news bringing anguish almost every day, I think it’s important to keep a tally of what is still good and beautiful in our lives and in the world, lest we succumb to despair.
A major part of not submitting to Trump’s tyranny is living our lives to the fullest — hopefully and cheerfully, in the face of him and his regime.
I had breakfast recently with a friend who defends immigrants.
I expected her to be overcome with anger and sadness. Instead, she was as happy as I’ve ever seen her.
“What gives?” I asked her. “You seem almost, well, joyful.”
“Not exactly joyful,” she laughed. “But I’m in a good place.”
“How can you be when you’re surrounded every day by people whose lives are being ruined by the orange menace?”
She gave me a long, intense look.
“Because,” she said slowly, “I’m fighting on the front line.”
“And that puts you in a good place?”
“The very best place.” She smiled.
I was beginning to understand. “You’re a warrior!” I said.
“Yes. And I’m so thankful to be doing this now, at this moment in history.” Her smile broadened.
Exactly.
Those of us who have the time, energy, stamina, and courage to stand up against this regime’s brutality are among the most fortunate of people.
I think about the joy I felt in demonstrating with thousands of others on June 14. Maybe you felt it, too. The connections to others. The feeling of doing something. Of having agency. Of exercising our power.
Others of you engage in boycotts. Or nonviolent civil disobedience. Or you make so many phone calls to members of Congress you jam the switchboards.
You attend your senators’ and representatives’ town halls, yelling your questions. You don’t take BS for answers.
You’re organizing and mobilizing voters for the 2026 midterms, as well as more immediate elections.
You’re doing whatever you can to protect immigrants, public servants, judges, candidates for office, LGBTQ+ people, and anyone else endangered by Trump and his lackeys.
In all these ways, being a warrior for democracy enables us to remain hopeful and strong in these cynical times.
Being a warrior for justice — for the rule of law, for equal political rights, for human rights — enables us to find meaning and purpose in these dark times.
Being a warrior against brutality, bigotry, and cruelty enables us to lead honorable lives in these dishonorable times.
Being a warrior against tyranny enables us to be on the right side of history.
From Robert Reich via this RSS feed
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/sunday-thought-7e8Open linkView original on rss.ponder.cat
Extra! Extra! 7/13
Chart: The world is now investing twice as much in clean energy as in fossil fuels. From Canary Media
Hi, all, and happy Sunday!
It’s been an absolutely brutal week, but we’ve still got good news to celebrate—in fact quite a lot of it. So take a break from doomscrolling and spend some time reveling in the wins we saw both here and in other countries over the last seven days.
Remember, what we focus on tends to grow, so let’s spend at least a bit of time focussing on progress, success, and goodness. It’s still out there!
Have a lovely Sunday, and please share this good news widely.
Read This
We Do What We Can. Gorgeous.
Celebrate This! 🎉
Senator Chris Van Hollen’s amendment in the Senate Appropriations Committee to "retain, preserve and compile" any records related to Jeffrey Epstein passed unanimously. On that note, the Epstein files are proving to be a real thorn in Trump’s shoe, and I’m here for it.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials in Germany have discovered a new, low-carbon way to source nickel using hydrogen plasma—instead of coal-derived coke—to extract it from ore.
Former state officials from Montana have launched an ambitious effort to ban dark money and corporate spending from local politics in the state.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass has signed an executive order to provide cash cards worth several hundred dollars—funded by philanthropy—to undocumented immigrants who miss work due to fear of ICE raids.
A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from defunding Planned Parenthood.
US District Court Judge Nina Wang has fined two of Mike Lindell's attorneys $3,000 apiece for their error-riddled AI-generated legal brief. Lindell, of My Pillow, lost the defamation case and is on the hook for $2.3M in damages.
Amazon’s first day traffic on Amazon Prime Day was down 41%.
A federal appeals court in New York officially affirmed the jury verdict that found President Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll and fined him 5M.
The DNC launched an automated account on Twitter that updates the public about Trump's refusal to release the Epstein files.
Linda Yaccarino announced she is stepping down from her role as CEO of X.
Mahmoud Khalil filed a claim for $20 million in damages against the Trump administration for wrongful imprisonment.
Poland generated more power from clean energy sources than coal for the first time in June.
Michael Jordan opened his fourth free clinic for people who are uninsured or underserved in North Carolina, his home state.
Pattie Gonia became the first drag queen to make the Time 100 list.
Over 20 scientists from research institutions across the nation whose grants have been canceled by the Trump administration showed up to Capitol Hill to hold an old-fashioned science fair titled “The Things We’ll Never Know: A Science Fair of Canceled Grants.”
Mexico sent water rescue teams and firefighters to help in Texas after the holiday weekend floods.
A new Gallup poll taken over the month of June shows Trump support on “handling the immigration issue” now stands at 35% with 62% opposing.
The California Department of Education and California Interscholastic Federation leaders refused to sign a pledge to ban transgender athletes from competition, defying the Trump administration.
Gavin Newsom did a two-day tour of South Carolina, calling on voters across rural areas to exercise their “moral authority” in standing up to Trump and Republicans in next year’s midterm elections.
The former Librarian of Congress abruptly fired by President Donald Trump has found a new position with the country’s largest philanthropic supporter of the arts.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has cleared the way for a ban on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy, deciding that a Republican-controlled legislative committee rule blocking bans on the practice was unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to revive an aggressive Florida immigration law that had been blocked by lower courts. The law would let state officials prosecute unauthorized migrants who enter the state.
The White House is backing away from plans to abolish FEMA.
A prominent Georgia Republican was charged by the feds with running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded 300 investors of at least $140 million.
Ken Paxton’s wife announced she is divorcing him— “on Biblical grounds.”
Rhode Island expanded access to their permanent mail ballot application list to all voters AND established new election worker protections.
New Mexico’s automatic voter registration law officially went into effect.1
Americans who think global warming is happening now outnumber those who think it is not by a ratio of more than 4 to 1 (69% versus 15%).
Pope Leo XIV held a special Mass in the gardens of the Vatican’s new ecological educational center, calling on people to change their mind about what is causing “the world to burn” and urging Catholics to “hear the cry of the poor.”
Larry David is returning to HBO with an American history sketch show produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company.
The Catholic Church's approval of blessings of couples in same-sex relationships "will remain" under Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Vatican's doctrine office told an Italian reporter in a brief interview.
In a searing ruling against the Trump administration, a federal judge temporarily blocked federal agents from using racial profiling to carry out indiscriminate immigration arrests that advocates say have terrorized Los Angelenos, forced people into hiding and damaged L.A.’s local economy.
Texas clarified the definition of consent in its sexual assault laws in the last minutes of state lawmakers’ latest legislative session. This was a direct result of the activism of one woman, Summer Willis.
The River Seine in Paris reopened to public swimming for the first time in a century.
Lisbon, Portugal launched a citywide reusable cup scheme to reduce plastic waste.
TSA changed its “shoe rule” and will no longer require airline passengers to remove their shoes at security.
Saudi Arabia is building “an entire industrial ecosystem” around electric vehicles.
A newly completed investigation by Wyoming’s largest county found no evidence of noncitizen voting in the 2024 elections, undercutting claims used to justify the state’s controversial proof of citizenship law.
U.S. charitable giving increased 3.3% to $593 billion in 2024.
After decades of conservation efforts, Maryland is now home to one of the biggest populations of bald eagles in the U.S.
A federal judge AGAIN blocked the Trump administration from enforcing his executive order ending birthright citizenship.
In 2024, men spent an average of 100 minutes per day doing household activities like laundry and cleaning, a record-high amount as captured by the American Time Use Survey.
A city workers’ union struck a deal with the Philadelphia government to end a strike that had paused garbage pickup for over a week.
Minnesota legislators committed more than $800,000 in grant money to fund outdoor learning experiences for students in grades 4 through 12.
A three-judge panel of the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s ruling that election officials must certify election results by the legal deadline.
Governor Josh Stein signed a bill to strengthen North Carolina’s Medicaid program.
Shares in Tesla are heading for a sharp fall in the US as investors fear Elon Musk’s launch of a new political party will present further problems for the electric carmaker.
French prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into X over allegations that the company manipulated its algorithms for the puepose of “froreign interference.”
Atlanta passed a ordinance updating the city’s building code to require reflective roofing materials on new buildings, a move aimed at cutting down heat trapped by traditional dark roofs.
Colorado, Connecticut, and Maine all passed legislation in June tightening requirements on companies offering recurring billing, including clearer disclosures, timely renewal reminders, and easier cancellation options.
A lawsuit alleging that Workday, one of the largest recruiting software platforms, uses discriminatory job applicant screening technology was recently granted collective action status by a California judge. This marks the first time a class-action challenge to the use of artificial intelligence in applicant screening and hiring has been allowed to move forward.
30 Indigenous Amazonian communities just won a historic court case against a gold mine in Colombia.
A coalition of eight countries has pledged to tax so-called premium fliers as a way to raise funds for climate action.
Watch This! 👀
By @chaseejamess on Instagram.
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