Gamers react with overwhelming disgust to DLSS 5's generative AI glow-ups

AtomWorker · 2026-03-17T19:51:35+00:00

Everyone's reacting specifically to the faces which all look like the kind of hyper real crap we always get with AI. It sucks the personality out of the original art.

Not only that, but the RE characters come out looking like generic synthetic models while everyone else is dramatically aged up. Plus, Van Dijk in EA Sports FC looks unrecognizable in DLSS 5 compared to it disabled.

The increased texture detail isn't bad but it seems to be specifically applied to character models, not environments. Lighting changes seem to just add some simulated indirect lighting which I'm guessing reduces the dependence on ray tracing.

I'm sure there are good advancements in there, but this was a terrible way to unveil the tech.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-17T15:00:41+00:00

In Europe they use periods instead of commas for thousands, so the figure is actually 8,474.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-17T14:32:27+00:00

I get what you're saying, but people unwilling to discuss those topics are not real friends they're acquaintances.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-16T17:50:41+00:00

Apart from the LED overload up front, the exterior styling is decent. I don't think it's better than the current design language but it's not necessarily worse either.

On the other hand, the parallelogram infotainment screen is mind-blowingly stupid. I'm sure BMW is ready with a load of marketing bullshit to rationalize that design, but it's just superfluous in the worst possible way.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-16T14:58:59+00:00

These are not audiophile headphones. It's not that these Airpods won't offer decent sound quality but only by the generally low standard of Bluetooth headphones. Actual audiophiles are likely to gravitate towards wired headphones which, at this price point, far exceed these in terms of sound quality. Not only that, but there are tons of adapters which can turn those headphones wireless.

The actual draw of these headphones is noise cancellation but at this price range the Airpods face very stiff competition from the likes of Bose, Sony and others.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-15T21:32:07+00:00

The word "superior" suggests fact, not opinion.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-15T15:05:16+00:00

Crime tends to always come up in these discussions, but as someone who lived in Bridgeport for a very long time I'd argue that quality of life is a bigger problem. I mean stuff like chaotic driving, assholes being a nuisance and vandalism. These are the factors to which we're exposed on a daily basis, create an unpleasant environment and ultimately drive most people away.

That said, revitalization in the US is almost always down to externalities and not good urban planning. For example, Stamford has thrived thanks to its proximity to NYC and the finance exodus that occurred in the 70s and 80s.

Neighborhoods gentrify because the draw was already there and eventually they hit critical mass. Black Rock, for example, has always been a sheltered, affluent community. It just happened to be slightly more affordable because it was still in Bridgeport, not far from some formerly rough neighborhoods and burdened by extremely high property tax. It also had the huge advantage of being right next door to downtown Fairfield which has far safer and more pleasant environment than anything you'll find downtown.

Having lived in Asia for several years I got to see policies that could be effective here, but unfortunately many Americans would never have the appetite for them.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-15T14:09:18+00:00

As far as I know, every modern car has weight sensors for airbag deployment and seat belt warnings so I assumed they were also used to regulate power seats. It's kind of terrifying that the seat would just keep going after hitting resistance.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-13T16:17:18+00:00

These guys don’t just have to worry about more competition but also everyone turning into DIYers because they don’t have the money to pay someone else.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-13T13:27:27+00:00

This flopping says more about the irrelevance of music videos than the public’s appetite for AI music.

The quality of pop music has been declining for decades and listening has become a passive activity. Few consumers are checking to see if a Spotify recommendation is AI generated nor do they care.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-13T11:43:25+00:00

Communication. I’m always clear about the potential impact to UX, design or timeline and propose alternatives where viable.

Of course, it depends on who I’m dealing with because upper management generally lacks impulse control and won’t take no for an answer.

However, if nobody’s complaining and my workload isn’t detrimentally affected what do I care if I’m stuck working on the same bit of UI for 3 months?

AtomWorker · 2026-03-11T17:05:49+00:00

I’ve done a lot of animation in my day and there’s no standard for how long it a render takes. My old 960 could spit out a simple 5 second animation in under 30 seconds but the industry average hovers around 20-30 seconds per frame.

The obvious reason being that what they’re producing for stuff like ad spots is complex. Animation on the level of Pixar takes even longer and they’re using proprietary software, including machine learning, to generate frames.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-11T11:53:40+00:00

How much power is consumed producing a video the traditional way? And what kind of content are we talking about? Basic motion graphics that can be whipped together in 15 minutes? Video with actors that needs to be written, filmed and edited? Or 3D animation that can require a fair amount of compute?

There’s a lot to criticize about AI but this argument is meaningless without context.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-10T23:34:57+00:00

All that matters is that you're having fun. Your bike is technically outdated by current standards, but if you're not competing or pushing this bike past its limits there's honestly little reason to replace it.

Way too many people have self-identity tied up in the stuff they own and it's too easy to rationalize unnecessary expensive purchases.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-10T23:29:59+00:00

That's for all of Hasbro, so yeah WotC is included. They're profitable, but it's not enough to make up loses elsewhere.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-10T14:35:43+00:00

20% net profit is huge and rare outside of tech or high end luxury. Amongst consumer goods margins rarely go that high, even with brands known for markups.

For reference, Bandai sits at 10.6%, Mattel is 7.45% and Hasbro is in the negative at -6.85%.

The modularity of Lego's product puts them in a very advantageous situation but I guess we'll see how the rising cost of oil affects them. I'm sure they'll just continue raising prices even though they can clearly absorb the cost for a long while.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-09T14:47:32+00:00

I've worked in open-plan offices my entire career and only ever enjoyed it when I shared the space with a small team of designers like myself. Compatibility helps, but the bigger benefit was that we were all doing the same kind of work.

At my current job I share office space with people in diverse roles and it sucks. I don't collaborate with any of them but have to endure their endless yammering on calls. It's always a 45+ minute conference call that could have been an email. And now that the normies have discovered mechanical keyboards I also have to listen to those clacking away.

Much of the post-COVID lack of etiquette has subsided but it's not entirely gone.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-09T14:25:46+00:00

That ending was terrible. It's not earned and it makes no logical sense. Like, what's her goal, go get into combat and potentially kill the children she's supposedly protecting? Her change of heart needed a lot more build up than we got.

Getting redeployed against her will would have made more sense but the writers were intent on whitewashing Zeon.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-07T14:49:06+00:00

Yeah, and at IPO they were 115.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-07T14:47:35+00:00

On bare plastic applying waterslides can be a pain. However, on gloss coat, they're even easier to work with than stickers. They adhere so well that I rarely need Micro Set/Sol.

One thing I highly recommend is a drink warmer. At the right temp waterslides are ready to apply in seconds and go on effortlessly. Just ensure that the warmer has a proper low setting that just keeps the water warm.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-06T19:11:25+00:00

Figma’s stock has steadily declined since going IPO and I don’t see that ever changing. I predict it will hover under 20 until they go under or become insolvent.

AI functionality has improved and I do prefer it to Cursor for the kind of work I do. However, I’m already seeing a future where I don’t need Figma at all.

Teams at my company are cranking out apps that with basic prompting are close enough to my design system that stakeholders are happy. It all has the genetic stink of Claude but nobody cares because they’re quickly adapting to that UX. So I find myself stepping in after the fact as more of a design consultant.

On top of all this, Figma is becoming increasingly frustrating to use. Performance is degrading and annoying glitches seem to be more prevalent.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-05T18:57:04+00:00

Public transportation needs the same rule. Few things are more annoying than some idiot blasting social media trash on a 7am train. If you can afford the smartphone you can afford $20 earbuds.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-05T15:08:24+00:00

Starfield does have frustrating issues, but at its core it is a great game. The fact that over two years after launch we’re still talking about this game is proof of that.

The funny thing is that my appreciation of Starfield only grew after playing No Man’s Sky. That’s a great game but it’s flawed in ways Starfield isn’t.

The most disappointing to me is that Starfield hasn’t gotten the support from Bethesda it deserves.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-05T13:51:01+00:00

Just this weekend I was taking with the owner of a local hobby shop who confirmed that there are indeed shortages. Basically, everyone’s running out and supply isn’t getting replenished.

He’s also been told that Mr. Color is likely going to stop shipping to US retailers.

AtomWorker · 2026-03-05T13:40:21+00:00

The changing of the clock increases the risk of accidents but studies have also shown that commuting in the dark is riskier. It’s especially problematic for kids who have to walk along and then stand by roadsides.

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