Tag Archives: simulation

Football Manager 26 Review – A Contemporary Simulation for Today’s Gaming World

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YYou can picture the home fans belting out their chants at the Stadium of Light. “Top of the league, you’re smiling!” Until this afternoon, your Liverpool squad boasted a five-point advantage at the summit, but in the 82nd minute, they’re trailing by two. You might question where Mo Salah misplaced his finishing skills or why Virgil van Dijk has seemingly forgotten how to tackle. However, this is not on the players; the responsibility lies with you. You fix your gaze on the tactical screen, pondering which of the numerous adjustments could potentially alter the course of this disheartening match.

Football Manager has consistently served as a data-centric alternative to the visually stunning FIFA series (now EA Sports FC), yet the latest versions are beginning to close the visual gap. The 3D rendered match highlights have been revamped using the new Unity engine, and the results are remarkable. Premier League derbies, Champions League finals, and even away clashes in the North East now carry visual significance, despite replays and key moments occasionally dragging on. While you won’t hear fully orchestrated FIFA-style chants ringing throughout the stadium, the atmosphere is tangible, with your imagination filling in the empty spaces.




Specific influences on tactics …Football Manager 26. Photo: Sega

This new engine and enhanced match experience are the most significant indicators of Football Manager’s future direction. Nevertheless, visual improvements go beyond mere aesthetics; they have a substantial effect on tactical decisions. As you observe the match, you can analyze player movements on the field and make real-time adjustments. Yet, data-driven metrics remain crucial when you’re desperately aiming to turn the tide in front of a raucous crowd of 45,000 Mackems. You can also modify your build-up tactics to counter the press or overload one side with overlapping runs. The possibilities are endless, and you’ll be eager to experiment with them all.

The most significant change lies in the differentiation of tactical strategies when in possession versus when not in possession. This marks the most substantial overhaul in a decade and appropriately reflects the intricacies of modern gaming. You can now completely alter formations, rearrange player positions, and issue detailed instructions that vary based on which team controls the ball. Want to switch your full-backs as you enter the final third? Not only can you do this, but they’ll promptly revert to their original positions when Alexander Isak is taken down on the edge of the box.

However, there is a notable teeth problem. Following a year off to transition to a new engine, Football Manager 26 still feels somewhat unrefined. A series of hotfixes have been rolled out to address some of the more glaring bugs, yet several persist, such as duplicated UI elements, secondary players entering the pitch in jerseys, and menu glitches that hinder progress.

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Between matches, adapting to the new UI will take some time. Notably, key screens that were once easy to access are now a few clicks away. All the same information is available, just in slightly altered positions (especially with the introduction of a women’s league). Re-learning years of muscle memory can be frustrating, and additional customization options would be beneficial, but this is a minor grievance that will be resolved over time.

Despite these challenges, this is still Football Manager, complete with intricate tactics that will keep you engaged. Thanks to an updated tactic and match engine, it has never been simpler to make the perfect tactical adjustments to stage a dramatic comeback and silence overconfident home fans. Football Manager 26 offers immediate feedback on split-second choices and allows you to envision enduring rivalries that can stretch across several seasons. And the exhilaration of scoring three goals in the final five minutes to triumph over Sunderland is unparalleled.

Football Manager 26 is currently available for £49.99

Source: www.theguardian.com

New Study Concludes: The Universe Is Not a Computer Simulation

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A collaborative team of physicists from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy has mathematically demonstrated that our universe operates on a fundamental understanding unattainable by any algorithm.

Faizal et al. The fundamental nature of reality indicates it operates beyond the capabilities of computer simulations. Image credit: Gemini AI.

“The concept of simulating the universe has been suggested,” remarked Dr. Mir Faizal, a physicist at the University of British Columbia Okanagan.

“If such simulations were possible, then a simulated universe could potentially give rise to life and create its own simulations.”

“This recursive concept raises doubts about whether our universe is the original one or merely a simulation nested within another.”

“Previously, this notion was deemed outside the realm of scientific inquiry.”

“However, our recent findings demonstrate that it can indeed be addressed through scientific methods.”

“Our investigation hinges on the intriguing nature of reality itself.”

“Modern physics has evolved beyond Newton’s tangible ‘objects’ moving through space. With Einstein’s theory of relativity superseding Newtonian mechanics, quantum mechanics has reshaped our understanding yet again.”

The leading-edge theory today, quantum gravity, proposes that even space and time may not be fundamental; rather, they emerge from a deeper source: pure information.

“This information exists in what physicists refer to as the Platonic realm, a more fundamental mathematical basis than our physical universe. Space and time arise from this realm.”

The authors have shown that despite this information-centric foundation, reality cannot be encapsulated solely through calculations.

Utilizing powerful mathematical theorems, including Gödel’s incompleteness theorem, they established that a full and consistent account of all phenomena demands what they call non-algorithmic understanding.

“To illustrate: Computers follow recipes step by step, regardless of complexity. Yet, certain truths can only be comprehended through non-algorithmic understanding, which does not adhere to a predetermined sequence of logical steps,” they explained.

“These Gödel truths are genuine, yet they cannot be validated through computation.”

“Consider this straightforward statement: This statement cannot be proven true.”

“If it’s provable, then it’s false, rendering the logic inconsistent. If it’s not provable, then it is true. Nevertheless, any system that attempts to prove it will be incomplete. Hence, pure computation will fail.”

“Our study confirms that it’s impossible to describe the entirety of physical reality using the computational theory of quantum gravity,” stated Dr. Faizal.

“Thus, a physically complete and consistent theory cannot emerge solely from calculations.”

“Instead, we require a non-algorithmic understanding, which is more fundamental than the computational laws of quantum gravity, and thus more fundamental than spacetime itself.”

“Could the computational rules of the Platonic realm resemble those of a computer simulation? Might that realm itself not be subject to simulation?”

“No. Yet our findings unveil something more profound.”

“Through mathematical theorems associated with incompleteness and indefinability, we demonstrate that a consistently complete portrayal of reality cannot be achieved through mere calculation.”

“It necessitates a non-algorithmic understanding, which by its nature transcends algorithmic computation and cannot be simulated. Therefore, this universe cannot be a simulation.”

The research team asserts this discovery has significant implications.

“The fundamental laws of physics cannot be confined within space and time, as they are derived from them,” asserted Dr. Lawrence M. Kraus, a researcher at the Origin Project Foundation.

“For a long time, it has been hoped that a truly fundamental theory of everything would eventually describe all physical phenomena through calculations grounded in these laws.”

“However, we have demonstrated that this is not feasible. A more profound approach is required to coherently explain reality: a form of understanding referred to as non-algorithmic understanding.”

“All simulations are inherently algorithmic and must adhere to programmed instructions,” Dr. Faizal remarked.

“However, the universe cannot be and never will be a simulation, as the core level of reality is rooted in non-algorithmic understanding.”

For more information, refer to the study published in the June 2025 issue of Journal of Holography Applications in Physics.

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Mir Faizal et al. 2025. The consequences of undecidability in physics for the theory of everything. Journal of Holography Applications in Physics 5(2):10-21; doi: 10.22128/jap.2025.1024.1118

Source: www.sci.news

A breakthrough in quantum simulation: Discovery of the long sought-after phase change

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Ion traps can control atoms for quantum experiments

Y. Colomb/National Institute of Standards and Technology/Scientific Photo Library

After decades of investigation, researchers observed a series of atoms undergoing a one-dimensional phase change. This was so elusive that it could only happen in a quantum simulator.

“There is only one motive [for our experiment] I'm trying to really understand basic physics. “We're just trying to understand the fundamental states that matter can be in,” he says. alexander shuckardt at the University of Maryland.

He and his colleagues used electromagnetic fields to arrange 23 ions of the element ytterbium in a line, forming a nearly one-dimensional chain. The device can be used for quantum computing, but in this case the researchers used the chain as a simulator instead.

In it, they built a 1D ytterbium magnet one atom at a time. Previous calculations predicted that this type of magnet would become unmagnetized when warmed, thanks to quantum effects. However, no experiments have achieved this phase transition in the past.

One reason for the difficulty is that systems such as quantum computers and simulators typically only work properly when they are very cold. So heating them to cause a phase transition can cause them to malfunction, Schuckert says.

To get around this, he and his colleagues tuned the initial quantum state of the atoms so that over time, the collective state of the 1D magnet changes as if the temperature were increased. This revealed a phase transition that had never been seen before.

The result is very unusual, he says, because chains of atoms are generally not supposed to undergo phase transitions. Mohammad Maghrebi at Michigan State University. The researchers were able to manipulate it precisely because each ion could interact with other ions over large distances, even if they weren't in contact. This caused the entire line to engage in abnormal collective behavior.

Because their simulator allows for such exotic states of matter, it could be used to study theoretical systems that are extremely rare or may not exist in nature, Maghrebi said. say.

Schuckert suggests that quantum simulators could also help explain the strange electrical or magnetic behavior that some materials exhibit in the real world. But for that to happen, these devices will have to be able to reach higher temperatures than they currently do. Currently, researchers can only create models at extremely low temperatures, but within five years it may be possible to simulate even higher temperatures, he says.

And if the simulator could be made larger, for example by arranging ions in two-dimensional arrays, many more existing theoretical systems could be studied, he says. andrea trombettoni at the University of Trieste, Italy. “This would suggest new physics to explore,” he says.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Windmills are surprisingly charming: Building Relationships, a dating simulation game for PC

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no
Navigating the challenges of modern dating can be overwhelming for single individuals. The uncertainties of how much you have in common with a stranger, whether you share similar values, and if you can open up to them loom large. Game developer Tanat Boozayaangool delves into these questions in Building Relationships, posing an additional intriguing query: What if you were a home?

The title of this dating adventure game is meant to be taken literally. In Building Relationships, players assume the role of the newest bachelorette residing on an island where love could blossom. The primary objective is to build relationships with other island dwellers, including a charismatic tent, a lackluster houseboat, and a flirtatious windmill named Millie. According to Boozayaangool, Millie tends to be a bit forward, catching some off guard.

Inspired by the eccentric pigeon dating sim “Hatoful Boyfriend” from 2011, “Building Relationships” promises a dating parody infused with personal narratives and surrealism. The game unfolds through various dates that lead to intertwined storylines on the island, where players ultimately decide whom to share a picnic with.

In addition to engaging with the island’s inhabitants through their unique personalities, players can freely explore the environment. Along the way, they encounter talking treasure chests that enhance mobility and fishing spots where they unearth humorous “carp” (referred to as cars in jest). Boozayaangool aimed to infuse the gameplay with a sense of playful exploration in a compact open-world setting, drawing inspiration from the emotive indie gem “A Short Hike”.

The gritty, low-poly art style of the island adventure pays tribute to the origins of Building Relationships as a college game jam creation. The scenery is adorned with cylindrical trees and jagged rocks cloaked in low-res textures, delivering a nostalgic visual style that complements the contemplative ambiance.

Despite the game’s uplifting visual appeal and its inclusion in June’s Wholesome Games Direct, a celebration of non-violent indie gaming, Boozayaangool refrains from labeling it solely as a feel-good experience. Reflecting on the personal themes embedded in the narrative, they acknowledge the underlying emotional challenges of building relationships: “For a seemingly lighthearted game, there’s unexpected depth waiting to be uncovered.”

Without divulging too much, Boozayaangool encourages players to brace themselves for the emotional complexities inherent in the dating journey depicted in the game: “Despite its whimsical facade, there’s a surprising amount of substance to explore.”

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Source: www.theguardian.com

Exploring the Universe from a Child’s Perspective: Curiosmos Makes Space Simulation Enjoyable

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MaAsteroids hurtling at planet-destroying speeds, glowing spheres of hot gas, black holes from which even light cannot escape: outer space can be the stuff of nightmares, but for Celine Veltman, a 28-year-old Dutch game maker who spent her childhood stargazing, it’s the stuff of dreams. She’s channeling this cosmic wonder into a video game with the most ambitious ambition: the creation of a solar system. Rocks collide with each other, chemical reactions occur, and planets and life itself are born in the depths of space.

Curiosmos’s bright, easy-to-follow visuals, more children’s picture book than Terrence Malick, express Veltman’s objectives for the project and its inception: “I want to inspire more people to become as passionate about space as I am,” she says, speaking animatedly of supernovae and protoplanetary disks.

The idea came to Veltman while she was visiting a friend with two young children in 2018. The kids begged the developer for an iPad, so Veltman came up with what she wanted them to play: a “silly” game about astronomy, one that would “make them laugh” while also teaching a lesson about the very building blocks of life.

Speaking to a backdrop of sculptures on shelves in his artist studio in Utrecht, Netherlands, Veltman explains that this whimsical space adventure relies on solid physics and programming from his colleagues Guillaume Pauli and Robin de Paeppe. Curiosmos is a game of interlocking systems that produce unpredictable outcomes: an asteroid blows off parts of the planet to expose a molten core, drifting clouds create the perfect conditions for plant life, and strange, ungainly creatures begin to waddle around. There are touches of 2008’s Spore in this primitive life simulator, but Veltman specifically references the games of renowned designer Keita Takahashi (specifically Noby Noby Boy and Wattam) for working with “goofy, unconventional concepts.”

The task of translating the universe’s almost unfathomably complex secrets into gameplay proved to be a challenge. “Sometimes I almost regret it,” says Veltman, who relied on her instincts about what key information to include, leaving out magnetic fields and including rings of debris. Ultimately, she says with a wry smile, people need to understand that “planets are fragile, and can turn into big piles of dust.”

While the subject matter might evoke a touch of existential dread, Curiosmos is designed to feel good in the player’s hands. “That was a big part of the design,” Veltman says. Hurling asteroids makes satisfying noises, and terrain explodes with satisfying sounds. Veltman, a hobbyist potter, understands the power of touch; even Curiosmos’s transforming planets look like they’re made of clay.

Curiosmos also has personal meaning for Veltman: “During development, I realized I was saddened to be an artist instead of a scientist,” she says. The game is her attempt to ease this tension and “give meaning to science by creating art.”

Veltman hopes it will have the same kind of impact, if not the same scale, as educational YouTube channels. In a nutshell“The astronomy community is a huge part of our lives,” Veltman says. “They’re the foundation of our planet. They’re the cornerstone of our planet’s astronomy.” Veltman is a scientist who translates arcane scientific concepts into videos of “optimistic nihilism” for his 22.5 million subscribers. Curious Moss has a similar energy, seeking to make the universe’s most remote, strange, and unsettling mysteries “accessible to everyone.” Perhaps this, Veltman thinks, could pique the curiosity of many new astronomy enthusiasts.

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Curiosmos is scheduled to be released for PC, Nintendo Switch, and smartphones in 2025.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Review of TopSpin 2K25: Dive into the World of Tennis with this Immersive Simulation Game for Games, Sets, and Matches

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TEnnis is one of those sports that only intermittently works well through video games. The odd major series like Pete Sampras, Virtua Tennis, and Smash Court come along, but more often than not we end up relying on old favorites (Take a Bow, Super Tennis). It's been 13 years since TopSpin 4 was released, and the title is considered to be an authentic simulation of the sport that people love. Still looking for a copy until today. But perhaps not anymore. 2K Games has finally produced a sequel. This is a true champion contender.

From the get-go, TopSpin 2K25 has all the details you'd expect from a modern licensed sports sim. All major stadiums and championships are here. However, the playing environment is only well-detailed and not the spectacular theater of photorealism you've come to expect from EA Sports. The opening roster features 25 star players, from Emma Laducane to Andre Agassi. The selection isn't huge, and the quality of the caricatures varies, but it's good enough, and 2K says they plan to add more in the future.

If you don't want to cosplay as Carlos Alcaraz, you can join the full career mode as your own player. Mine is shockingly adorned with his pink Lycra and neon yellow sunglasses, a look that looks like it could easily carry over into real life. There are exhibition matches that you can easily knock out against the AI ​​or up to three friends (online or split screen), and you can also participate in ranked and friendly online tournaments. Your appearance and skillset are fully customizable with a variety of outfits earned through play or (a feature that now seems inevitable) by purchasing a season pass or browsing the store. is. It's great that you can also choose to build a player with a prosthetic leg.

Of course, what really matters is the experience on the court, and that's great. The control system is complex but easy to access, with joypad buttons giving you access to flat, slice, lob, topspin and drop shot options, with power controlled by how long you hold the button down. As with TopSpin 4, timing and positioning are important skills. This is not a Mario Tennis style hit and hope game. If you take your shot too early or too late, your shot will end up in the net, flying off into the top of the stands, or giving another player an easy smash. At the same time, you're always thinking about where your players are on the court relative to the shot you're about to make and the likely return from your opponent. The physical nature of very good players makes the decision-making process even more demanding. It reproduces the weight position and body momentum with delicate precision. Are you so proud of that rushing cross-court slice shot you just landed? Good luck getting back to baseline for Serena Williams' comeback.

For players used to the more visceral feel of Virtua Tennis or the generous forbearance of Mario Tennis, there's a tough learning curve ahead. This is highlighted by the presence of his TopSpin Academy, an in-depth instructional mode that steadily teaches players from basic ground strokes to advanced serve tactics and individual player techniques. Just learning the timing will require several hours of play. If you're just playing the odd knockabout with your friends, there's no need to stress too much, but if you want to progress through Career His mode or play against human opponents online, give yourself a “good” shot. It would be better to hit it. “Perfect” timing at least 75% of the time.

But this is a good thing. 2K Games has created a game that feels like a proper simulation in terms of the array of tactical options available at any given moment and the demands placed on the player's skill. By completing TopSpin Academy, I learned a lot about real tennis strategy and how professional players differ in the way they use their baseline and net plays. There's also plenty of room to grow as a player by experimenting with power shots, perfecting tricky drop shots, and redistributing player attribute points to support different tactical approaches. it is clear.

Thirteen years is a long time to wait for a new tennis sim, but TopSpin 2K25 is well worth it. If there's one thing this game teaches you, it's the value of determined patience.Well, and you can Looks great with pink Lycra and yellow sunglasses.

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TopSpin 2K25 will be available on April 25th. £49.99 – £64.99

Source: www.theguardian.com

God is a Terrible Player in the Grand Simulation of Life

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IOver Easter weekend, Catholics like me spend hours in church listening to editors’ expanded versions of stories whose endings we already know. As I sat there recently for my millionth Passion performance, I started thinking about how few religious video game characters I’ve ever come across. In a world where so many people’s lives are dictated by their religious beliefs, it’s interesting to see such a lack of religion in games. That is, you could also argue that all The game is a homage to Jesus with respawns and extra lives, but even I admit that’s a stretch.

The Peggys in Far Cry 5 are a violent mind-controlling cult. The founders of BioShock Infinite use religion to heighten and justify hatred of foreigners. In Fallout, there are some eccentric people who worship the atomic bomb. Religion is used almost exclusively as a tool for leaders to get their minions to do bad things. (Sure, they might be on to something here.) With so many video games structured to place players as lone protagonists facing off against immense forces, I think it’s clear that religion is the go-to villain.




Altered Beast (Arcade version), 1988. Photo: Sega

For me, the scariest religious happening in a video game has always been in Altered Beast. A Roman centurion who has lived a life of horrific violence, pain, suffering, and marching down a straight path is rudely awakened from the dead and forced to further his efforts by Zeus (the game has a mix of that mythology) It has been). The poor guy probably wants to sleep forever. Instead, he is forced to punch and kick all sorts of beasts and shiny orbs. He has no choice. He can’t go back now. This is possible with horizontal scrolling.

My eldest daughter, a Zeldamaniac, tells me that religion in these games is “nothing but a problem, except for nature-worshipping religions.” Again, she’s a vegan who works at a veterinary hospital. There’s a heated debate on the internet about how John Marsten, a Catholic, acted in Red Dead Redemption, and that Doomguy was similarly persuasive, and that’s a fact. I found “evidence” as to why he took pleasure in hunting demons in The Exorcist of Upper Space.

My own relationship with religion is complicated. When the world is beyond a shadow of a doubt in the toilet, it becomes increasingly difficult to believe in an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving God. The excuse that “all bad things happen because of the free will God gave us” seems like the religious equivalent of the infinite life cheat in video games. It’s a bit of a hack. To be honest, tomorrow I would give up my free will. As it stands, I have had to make too many decisions in my life. When I was young, I much preferred being told what to do and being cared for. To be honest, if I could get eight hours of sleep a night, I’d be a happy automaton.

What if, as some people believe, we were characters in a giant computer simulation? I feel that there is meaning in that. This is one of his theories that is accurate and at the same time supported by facts. please think about it. If this world were part of a video game, played by really shitty players, wouldn’t it all make sense? As someone in charge of a video game, how often do we make poor decisions? How many cities have you completely ruined and abandoned in SimCity? Have you ever seen world leadership this cruel and unethical outside of your Civilization playthrough?

The answer is obvious. God is not a very capable player. Don’t tell me it’s a coincidence that the end credits of Altered Beast reveal that it was all just a simulation.

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Remember 2001’s “Black and White”? This video game allowed you to play as God and more. everytime I made a mistake? Yeah. Photo: Bullfrog/EA

There is one positive point to the simulation argument. It means criticism becomes less painful. There’s always this selfish fear that I’ll write something that people won’t like. In the days before online comments, when I spent a decade as the Daily Star’s only Liberal columnist, none of this mattered, but the toe-curling handwritten letter I could show them, but if I didn’t bathe them, I would then bury them in lime with holy water.

The great thing about simulation theory is that you can write anything you want and if people don’t like it, that’s okay. I’m not even the one writing that. In The Adventures of a Newspaper Columnist 5 there is a supreme being controlling me. Poor supreme being. This will be the most boring game they’ve played since Euro Truck Simulator.

Source: www.theguardian.com