#cache module

[lilyblackdrawside]

Catherine overview

Catherine's devices grant a Barrier equal to a certain percentage of her own Max HP to the operator you attach them to. This works for all operators, melee and ranged. Without module it's 22% and 30% with it. Here are some numbers:

E2L50: 2476 +module = 2674 -> barrier = 545/802 E2L80: 2680 +module = 2880 -> barrier = 590/864

With S2: E2L50: 4209 +module = 4546 -> barrier = 926/1364 E2L80: 4556 +module = 4896 -> barrier = 1002/1469

The Barrier passively replenishes at a fast rate of 6% of Catherine's Max HP per second once the targeted operator hasn't been attacked for 5 seconds. This unfortunately includes receiving ambient damage, such as from Haze berating you Poison Haze, so her Barrier will never replenish in such environments.

Her S1 gives Catherine a small, passive ATK and DEF buff which is also given to "other operators who have a Barrier granted by her Device(s)". But if you attach a device to an operator who generates a Barrier of their own or through other means, like RA2's Wasteland Cache: Remote Shield Controller or IS' Living Woodplate, this buff will still apply. As long as any Barrier is active.

^ Operators who I invited to try out Catherine's devices and who left with a good impression of them. Now you too can keep your favourite idol safe in the field! Wow!

Catherine's S2 increases her Max HP by 70%, which also raises the Barrier cap, and causes the Barrier to regenerate at all times. 6% of Catherine's Max HP comes out as 149/160/161/173 BPS or 253/273/273/294 with S2 active on up to two targets at a time. For comparison, a fully-powered Sussuro (<11 Cost <50% hp target) with S2 active has ~1200 HPS and she's like the best raw healing Medic out there. Catherine does half of that, if we count two targets, with unlimited duration, flexible positioning and even on Medic-immune operators like Soloblades and Juggernauts. Additionally, this isn't just healing but a Barrier, so it gives them an increased buffer for big hits, like the Londinium Secondary Defense Artillery's 3000 True damage. With her maximum Barrier of 1469, even a lot of ranged operators can survive a blast and her 864 off-skill is also quite formidable in this regard.

Attaching a device to an operator will instantly grant them the maximum Barrier possible, so holding one until a critical point is a worthwhile thought to have, though you may want to look towards Roberta for this specifical use-case, since she gives a Shield instead, which is specifically designed to block big, single instances of damage. But even then, Roberta has some restrictions that Catherine doesn't. Roberta's devices only work on melee operators and once they're used up or expire, that's that. Deploying an operator on a tile that one of her devices is pointed at will also immediately grant them the full Barrier so should you decide to redeploy someone benefitting from a device, you can have someone else take the now vacant spot and enjoy its protection right away.

You might find particularly good use for Catherine's devices with operators who rely on having a Barrier to activate certain effects, like Humus who gets 8% DEF and likes to be at high HP for his S2 or Penance, who has retaliation damage while a Barrier is active. Penance apparently may struggle with getting it up when you want to use her S3, since it leaves her notably vulnerable while she's loading it and the extra Barrier given to her by Catherine's assistance might just be the pickup she needs to keep her stamina up.

The Geeks' and Fiammetta's persistent health decay is not absorbed by her Barrier devices. Evidently not even Catherine can halt the gnawing tooth of time, but that too is one of her charming aspects. However, operators other than Fiammetta who enjoy Vigor effects (a buff of some kind that is active only when above a certain health threshold) will also benefit more from her devices than others might, as it gives them a bigger buffer zone to keep their Vigor intact. Opposite, yet similar, operators with Tenacity effects (a buff of some kind that is active only when below a certain health threshold), mainly seen on Soloblade Guards but also Morgan, will enjoy a Barrier that allows them to more safely live on the edge.

Overall I'd recommend not to overlook this old lady, as she is a versatile defensive support in the field and may charm you that way if she hasn't already with her good looks and pleasant voice.

[td1sims]

Mod Updates - 8 May 25

Hi all, it's been quite a while, but I've been busy jumping from one game to another, ahem, Metaphor Refantazio to now Balatro, Oblivion Remastered and Blue Prince.

Anyways, with more free time means I can try to return back to modding (give or take hopefully 4 months or more).

Ok, onto the mod updates.

Occult Hybrid Unlocker & Stabilizer [Version 1.12]

This update adds the following features:

Auto-Add Occults upon Post CAS

Secondary Form Picker

Revamped Spellcaster and Fury Orb Motive Viewing - Motive Orb Update

And additionally, fix these issues:

Ghost Stamina Need in Motive Panel

Auto-Add Occults upon Post CAS

With this implementation, upon exiting CAS and on loading screen finished, removed occults will be readded back to the sim and cached occult maps will be added back. This will eliminate the need to use the Post CAS Interaction. (I will not remove it in case there is a need to use it.)

Secondary Form Picker

This picker can be used to easily switch between secondary forms of the sim without needing to go through the animations and pie menu, useful for testing. This feature is the same to the module found in DevAccessPanel albeit a different execution method. 

Spellcaster & Fury Orb Motive Viewing

With the new update, you will no longer need to use the "Show Spellcaster Charge/Show Werewolf Fury" option for Spellcaster Werewolf Hybrids, as the orb motive will update to show the relevant motives as per this test scenario: Werewolf Form or viewing Werewolf Motive Panel - Show Fury, blacklist Spellcaster Charge All other forms - Show Spellcaster Charge, blacklist Werewolf Fury 

Have finally gotten around to re-inspect on IcedCream's code. 

Fixes

Ghost Stamina Need should not appear in the Motive Panel, cause of its appearance is that the Hybrid mod processes the motives to appear in the motive panel with no blacklist.

Also on MTS, I've updated the mod description. CurseForge is currently pending approval, sit tight.

Download: [MTS] [CurseForge - Pending]

Teleport Memory System [Version 2.20]

This update adds:

[EP17: L&D] TMS Support for Spectral Ghost Teleport + Always Enable Option

[EP18: B&H] TMS Support for Spacebend Teleport + Always Enable Option

Download: [MTS] [Patreon: Public] [CurseForge - Pending]

[cyber-sec]

Poisoned Go programming language package lay undetected for 3 years

Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/04/golang_supply_chain_attack/

More info: https://socket.dev/blog/malicious-package-exploits-go-module-proxy-caching-for-persistence

[this-week-in-rust]

This Week in Rust 595

Hello and welcome to another issue of This Week in Rust! Rust is a programming language empowering everyone to build reliable and efficient software. This is a weekly summary of its progress and community. Want something mentioned? Tag us at @thisweekinrust.bsky.social on Bluesky or @ThisWeekinRust on mastodon.social, or send us a pull request. Want to get involved? We love contributions.

This Week in Rust is openly developed on GitHub and archives can be viewed at this-week-in-rust.org. If you find any errors in this week's issue, please submit a PR.

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Updates from Rust Community

Official

March Project Goals Update

Newsletters

The Embedded Rustacean Issue #43

Project/Tooling Updates

Shadertoys ported to Rust GPU

Meilisearch 1.14 - composite embedders, embedding cache, granular filterable attributes, and batch document retrieval by ID

rust-query 0.4: structural types and other new features

Observations/Thoughts

Rebuilding Prime Video UI with Rust and WebAssembly

ALP Rust is faster than C++

what if the poison were rust?

A surprising enum size optimization in the Rust compiler

Two Years of Rust

An ECS lite architecture

A 2025 Survey of Rust GUI Libraries

BTrees, Inverted Indices, and a Model for Full Text Search

Cutting Down Rust Compile Times From 30 to 2 Minutes With One Thousand Crates

SIMD in zlib-rs (part 1): Autovectorization and target features

Avoiding memory fragmentation in Rust with jemalloc

[video] Bevy Basics: Who Observes the Observer

Rust Walkthroughs

Rust Type System Deep Dive From GATs to Type Erasure

Async from scratch 1: What's in a Future, anyway? | natkr's ramblings

Async from scratch 2: Wake me maybe | natkr's ramblings

Building a search engine from scratch, in Rust: part 4

Pretty State Machine Patterns in Rust

[video] Build with Naz : Declarative macros in Rust

Miscellaneous

March 2025 Jobs Report

Rust resources

Crate of the Week

This week's crate is wgpu, a cross-platform graphics and compute library based on WebGPU.

Despite a lack of suggestions, llogiq is pleased with his choice.

Please submit your suggestions and votes for next week!

Calls for Testing

An important step for RFC implementation is for people to experiment with the implementation and give feedback, especially before stabilization.

If you are a feature implementer and would like your RFC to appear in this list, add a call-for-testing label to your RFC along with a comment providing testing instructions and/or guidance on which aspect(s) of the feature need testing.

No calls for testing were issued this week by Rust, Rust language RFCs or Rustup.*

Let us know if you would like your feature to be tracked as a part of this list.

RFCs

Rust

Rustup

If you are a feature implementer and would like your RFC to appear on the above list, add the new call-for-testing label to your RFC along with a comment providing testing instructions and/or guidance on which aspect(s) of the feature need testing.

Call for Participation; projects and speakers

CFP - Projects

Always wanted to contribute to open-source projects but did not know where to start? Every week we highlight some tasks from the Rust community for you to pick and get started!

Some of these tasks may also have mentors available, visit the task page for more information.

rama - add serve command to rama-cli

rama - add support for include_dir for to ServeDir and related

rama - add curl module to rama-http-types

If you are a Rust project owner and are looking for contributors, please submit tasks here or through a PR to TWiR or by reaching out on X (formerly Twitter) or Mastodon!

CFP - Events

Are you a new or experienced speaker looking for a place to share something cool? This section highlights events that are being planned and are accepting submissions to join their event as a speaker.

If you are an event organizer hoping to expand the reach of your event, please submit a link to the website through a PR to TWiR or by reaching out on X (formerly Twitter) or Mastodon!

Updates from the Rust Project

480 pull requests were merged in the last week

Compiler

detect and provide suggestion for &raw EXPR

don't suggest the use of impl Trait in closure parameter

make the compiler suggest actual paths instead of visible paths if the visible paths are through any doc hidden path

tell LLVM about impossible niche tags

remove Nonterminal and TokenKind::Interpolated

re-use Sized fast-path

Library

add core::intrinsics::simd::{simd_extract_dyn, simd_insert_dyn}

initial UnsafePinned implementation (Part 1: Libs)

polymorphize array::IntoIter's iterator impl

speed up String::push and String::insert

std: add Output::exit_ok

Cargo

added symlink resolution for workspace-path-hash

improved error message when build-dir template var is invalid

Rustdoc

search: add unbox flag to Result aliases

enable Markdown extensions when looking for doctests

Clippy

arbitrary_source_item_ordering should ignore test modules

implicit_return: better handling of asynchronous code

accept self.cmp(other).into() as canonical PartialOrd impl

add manual_abs_diff lint

consecutive returns dont decrease cognitive Complexity level anymore

consider nested lifetimes in mut_from_ref

correctly handle bracketed type in default_constructed_unit_struct

deprecate match_on_vec_items lint

do not propose to auto-derive Clone in presence of unsafe fields

fix: iter_cloned_collect false positive with custom From/IntoIterator impl

fix: map_entry: don't emit lint before checks have been performed

fix: redundant_clone false positive in overlapping lifetime

various fixes for manual_is_power_of_two

Rust-Analyzer

ast: return correct types for make::expr_* methods

add children modules feature

add normalizeDriveLetter

distribute x64 and aarch64 Linux builds with PGO optimizations

fix dyn compatibility code bypassing callable_item_signature query

fix a small bug with catastrophic effects

fix an incorrect ExpressionStore that was passed

prevent panics when there is a cyclic dependency between closures

shadow type by module

ignore errors from rustfmt which may trigger error notification

port closure inference from rustc

Rust Compiler Performance Triage

Relatively small changes this week, nothing terribly impactful (positive or negative).

Triage done by @simulacrum. Revision range: e643f59f..15f58c46

1 Regressions, 3 Improvements, 3 Mixed; 2 of them in rollups 35 artifact comparisons made in total

Full report here

Approved RFCs

Changes to Rust follow the Rust RFC (request for comments) process. These are the RFCs that were approved for implementation this week:

No RFCs were approved this week.

Final Comment Period

Every week, the team announces the 'final comment period' for RFCs and key PRs which are reaching a decision. Express your opinions now.

Tracking Issues & PRs

Rust

Split elided_lifetime_in_paths into tied and untied

check types of const param defaults

Stabilize flags for doctest cross compilation

Do not remove trivial SwitchInt in analysis MIR

Implement a lint for implicit autoref of raw pointer dereference - take 2

Implement Default for raw pointers

make abi_unsupported_vector_types a hard error

Stabilize let chains in the 2024 edition

Make closure capturing have consistent and correct behaviour around patterns

Stabilize the cell_update feature

Other Areas

*No Items entered Final Comment Period this week for Rust RFCs, Cargo, Language Team, Language Reference or Unsafe Code Guidelines.

Let us know if you would like your PRs, Tracking Issues or RFCs to be tracked as a part of this list.

New and Updated RFCs

No New or Updated RFCs were created this week.

Upcoming Events

Rusty Events between 2025-04-16 - 2025-05-14 🦀

Virtual

2025-04-16 | Virtual (Vancouver, BC, CA) | Vancouver Rust

Rust Study/Hack/Hang-out

2025-04-17 | Virtual and In-Person (Redmond, WA, US) | Seattle Rust User Group

April, 2025 SRUG (Seattle Rust User Group) Meetup

2025-04-22 | Virtual (Dallas, TX, US) | Dallas Rust User Meetup

Fourth Tuesday

2025-04-23 | Virtual (Cardiff, UK) | Rust and C++ Cardiff

Beyond embedded - OS development in Rust

2025-04-24 | Virtual (Berlin, DE) | Rust Berlin

Rust Hack and Learn

2025-04-24 | Virtual (Charlottesville, VA, US) | Charlottesville Rust Meetup

Part 2: Quantum Computers Can’t Rust-Proof This!"

2025-05-03 | Virtual (Kampala, UG) | Rust Circle Meetup

Rust Circle Meetup

2025-05-05 | Virtual (Tel Aviv-Yafo, IL) | Rust 🦀 TLV

Tauri: Cross-Platform desktop applications with Rust and web technologies

2025-05-07 | Virtual (Indianapolis, IN, US) | Indy Rust

Indy.rs - with Social Distancing

2025-05-08 | Virtual (Berlin, DE) | Rust Berlin

Rust Hack and Learn

2025-05-13 | Virtual (Dallas, TX, US) | Dallas Rust User Meetup

Second Tuesday

Asia

2025-04-22 | Tel Aviv-Yafo, IL | Rust 🦀 TLV

In person Rust April 2025 at Braavos in Tel Aviv in collaboration with StarkWare

Europe

2025-04-19 | Istanbul, TR | Türkiye Rust Community

Rust Konf Türkiye

2025-04-23 | London, UK | London Rust Project Group

Fusing Python with Rust using raw C bindings

2025-04-24 | Aarhus, DK | Rust Aarhus

Talk Night at MFT Energy

2025-04-24 | Edinburgh, UK | Rust and Friends

Rust and Friends (evening pub)

2025-04-24 | Manchester, UK | Rust Manchester

Rust Manchester April Code Night

2025-04-25 | Edinburgh, UK | Rust and Friends

Rust and Friends (daytime coffee)

2025-04-26 | Stockholm, SE | Stockholm Rust

Ferris' Fika Forum #11

2025-04-29 | London, UK | Rust London User Group

LDN Talks April 2025 Community Showcase

2025-04-29 | Paris, FR | Rust Paris

Rust meetup #76

2025-04-30 | Frankfurt, DE | Rust Rhein-Main

Kubernetes Operator in Rust

2025-05-01 | Nürnberg, DE | Rust Nuremberg

Hackers Hike 0x0

2025-05-06 - 2025-05-07 | Paris, FR | WebAssembly and Rust Meetup

GOSIM AI Paris 2025

2025-05-06 | Paris, FR | WebAssembly and Rust Meetup (Wasm Empowering AI)

GOSIM AI Paris 2025 (Discount available)

2025-05-07 | Madrid, ES | MadRust

VII Lenguajes, VII Perspectivas, I Problema

2025-05-07 | Oxford, UK | Oxford Rust Meetup Group

Oxford Rust and C++ social

2025-05-08 | Gdansk, PL | Rust Gdansk

Rust Gdansk Meetup #8

2025-05-08 | London, UK | London Rust Project Group

Adopting Rust (Hosted by Lloyds bank)

2025-05-13 | Amsterdam, NL | RustNL

RustWeek 2025 announcement

2025-05-13 - 2025-05-17 | Utrecht, NL | Rust NL

RustWeek 2025

2025-05-14 | Reading, UK | Reading Rust Workshop

Reading Rust Meetup

North America

2025-04-17 | Mountain View, CA, US | Hacker Dojo

RUST MEETUP at HACKER DOJO

2025-04-17 | Nashville, TN, US | Music City Rust Developers

Using Rust For Web Series 1 : Why HTMX Is Bad

2025-04-17 | Redmond, WA, US | Seattle Rust User Group

April, 2025 SRUG (Seattle Rust User Group) Meetup

2025-04-22 | Detroit, MI, US | Detroit Rust

Rust Community Meet and Conference Report - Ann Arbor

2025-04-23 | Austin, TX, US | Rust ATX

Rust Lunch - Fareground

2025-04-23 | Austin, TX, US | Rust ATX

Rust Lunch - Fareground 2025-04-23 | Spokane, WA, US | Spokane Rust

Community Show & Tell at Fuel Coworking

2025-04-24 | Atlanta, GA, US | Rust Atlanta

3rd 3RD TIME OMG YES!

2025-04-25 | Boston, MA, US | Boston Rust Meetup

Ball Square Rust Lunch, Apr 25

2025-05-01 | Saint Louis, MO, US | STL Rust

SIUE Capstone Project reflections on Rust

2025-05-03 | Boston, MA, US | Boston Rust Meetup

Boston Common Rust Lunch, May 3

2025-05-08 | México City, MX | Rust MX

Calculando con el compilador: Compiler time vs Run time

2025-05-08 | Portland, OR, US | PDXRust

Apache DataFusion: A Fast, Extensible, Modular Analytic Query Engine in Rust

2025-05-11 | Boston, MA, US | Boston Rust Meetup

Porter Square Rust Lunch, May 11

Oceania

2025-04-22 | Barton, AC, AU | Canberra Rust User Group

April Meetup

If you are running a Rust event please add it to the calendar to get it mentioned here. Please remember to add a link to the event too. Email the Rust Community Team for access.

Jobs

Please see the latest Who's Hiring thread on r/rust

Quote of the Week

IEEE 754 floating point, proudly providing counterexamples since 1985!

– Johannes Dahlström on rust-internals

Thanks to Ralf Jung for the suggestion!

Please submit quotes and vote for next week!

This Week in Rust is edited by: nellshamrell, llogiq, cdmistman, ericseppanen, extrawurst, U007D, joelmarcey, mariannegoldin, bennyvasquez, bdillo

Email list hosting is sponsored by The Rust Foundation

Discuss on r/rust

[ericvanderburg]

Malicious Go Package Exploits Module Mirror Caching for Persistent Remote Access

http://i.securitythinkingcap.com/THmxtq

[birgittesilverbae]

in a wn subnautica au it could be really cool if ava usually needs like a mobility device above water BUT due to the fact that subnautica is literally underwater AND you can fabricate a little powered water propulsion device, ava actually can get along quite well solo. idk i just think the environment allows for a neat acknowledgement of avas disability in a way that doesn't immediately fix it with a halo ex machina yknow?

yeah exactly that's what I was angling at with the first ask. an Ava who's used to using the Aurora's drones as her eyes and ears in places she's unable to access because her chair doesn't fit, an Ava who would have thrived in low- and no-grav if she hadn't been stuck in the halls of the ship, who looked on with longing every time she passed the Vehicle Bay and saw the PRAWN Suits hanging in their rigging. The rumours in the caf and in the bunkrooms about modules for pilots with limited mobility that she ate up with far more relish than the nutrient blocks

the thrill of it when she realizes the seaglide works perfectly for her, lets her legs drift behind her in a streamline as she rockets through the water. entering and exiting the seamoth can feel at times like the learning curve of those first few days after she'd gotten a new chair, getting into the rhythm of mount and dismount, the movements working muscles in her arms and shoulders and upper back that weren't used to that specific pattern of recruitment. the vast majority of the controls there are hand-worked as well.

the PRAWN Suit doesn't even require a separate module, she realizes once she's deep in sub-menus and staring at commands for reassigning inputs. she could have been using one this whole time, if she had only had the blueprints from the outset, if she hadn't had to drag herself through miles and miles of the Aurora's burning corpse to find them in the wreckage of the vehicle bay

she unearths blueprints for the Cyclops and examines them on her PDA, spins the holograph of the ship this way and that with frank disgust. this so-called mobile base, this one-stop shop for everything she'd need to make what seems like the final run through the depths she needs to save herself, is completely inaccessible to her. instead, she builds herself microbase after microbase to keep caches of supplies in helpful places, takes the prawn deeper and deeper and deeper and fears the day she pitches over a blind cliff she can't pull herself back out of.

in the end, she always finds herself trending back towards the surface, towards her first base in those safe shallow waters, where she'd laid platforms just beneath the surface that she could move amongst with ease, accessing planter beds and solar panels and basking in the sun

[acorgiirl]

Project Euler #2

Welcome back to my series on Project Euler problems. HackerRank Lets get into it.

Links:

Project Euler: https://projecteuler.net/problem=2 HackerRank: https://www.hackerrank.com/contests/projecteuler/challenges/euler002

Each new term in the Fibonacci sequence is generated by adding the previous two terms. By starting with 1 and 2, the first 10 terms will be: 1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,… By considering the terms in the Fibonacci sequence whose values do not exceed N, find the sum of the even-valued terms.

So first thing to note is just how odds and evens work. This starts with 1 and 2 so Odd + Even = Odd, then the next term would just be Even + Odd = Odd. It isn't until the 3rd addition that we get Odd + Odd = Even. After that this cycle will repeat.

So really what this is asking for is, starting at index 2, what is the sum of every 3rd term less than N.

F(2) + F(5) + ... + F(3k + 2)

(Where F(N) is the Nth Fibonacci number)

Now, computing Fibonacci numbers notoriously sucks to do, with the naive way of doing it causing you to compute from just F(20) would require computing F(3) like hundreds if not thousands of times over. So the best way to do it is to create either a hash or a cache to store it. I'm going to be utilizing something built into Python, "lru_cache" from the "functools" module. It'll just store the answers for me so I don't have to recompute what F(10) is thousands of times.

Here's my HackerRank code:

import sys from functools import lru_cache @lru_cache def fibonacci(N: int) -> int: if N < 0: return 0 if N <= 1: return 1 return fibonacci(N-1) + fibonacci(N-2) t = int(input().strip()) for a0 in range(t): n = int(input().strip()) x = 2 f = fibonacci(x) total = 0 while f <= n: total += f x += 3 f = fibonacci(x) print(total)

So as you can see, I just start at 2 and keep incrementing by fibonacci number by 3 each time. Then the loop will stop when my fibonacci number exceeds N.

And that's all tests passed! Onto the next one!

[thesims3help]

The Sims 3 - optimize the game, lessen lag, improve performance, reduce loading time, prevent corruption and file bloat.

In this section, we will compile tips and tricks in optimizing your game for a much better gameplay experience. Post is divided into following categories: clearing cache, essential mods, saving, cleaning saves, in-game tweaks + tips & tricks.

Before starting, we wholeheartedly recommend a thorough reading of the Steam community's Guide on the game's performance below:

Steam Community :: Guide :: The Sims 3 Performance & Bug Fix Guide 2023

Steam Community :: Guide :: The Sims 3 Enhanced Vanilla Graphics

Steam Community :: Guide :: The Sims 3 Enhanced Vanilla Game-Play

WARNING: Before attempting anything, we suggest backing up your The Sims 3 folder somewhere safe, in case of irreversible actions. Backing up is performed by copying your The Sims 3 folder, and pasting it somewhere safe (Desktop, another drive, external drive, etc.). Carl's Tutorial on Backup & Restore.

1. Clearing cache in The Sims 3 folder.

Caches are temporary files and folders created by the game, which contain the information to help your game load faster. Their accumulation over the time can be attributed to slower loading times and/or gameplay. These files are regenerated each time the game is started, so it is absolutely safe and normal to delete them.

In the following post, we thoroughly explained which files and folders are cache, and can be deleted:

Clearing cache

2. Essential mods for better gameplay

With the amount of official game packs, store and other custom content, a laggier & slower gameplay is inevitable. If you do not have a Mods folder, please refer to Carl's Guide on making Mods folder.

For a better performance and a long lasting save file, we're going to list absolutely necessary mods + what they do:

nraas - ErrorTrap - a core-mod intended to catch and correct data corruption errors that can render a save-game unloadable.

nraas - Overwatch - performs periodical clean up, usually around 3am in-game. Turns off unnecessary electronics, clears up inactive cars piling up, recovers missing Sims and wandering toddlers, checks stuck age-up problems and more.

nraas - MasterController - allows more advanced functions in-game. MasterController Cheats module is necessary for the ability to reset town in longer game sessions (City Hall > NRAAS > Master Controller > Town > Reset Everything). Action takes 5-10 minutes and resets every Sim and every object in town, contributes to resetting anything (or anyone) glitchy. We recommend once-a-Sim-week reset, and saving after such reset.

nraas - Register - allows the player to disable certain NPCs (service and role Sims) in the town. We suggest it for the ability to disable paparazzis, tourists, homeless Sims, stray animals, unicorns, wild horses, etc.

nraas - Traffic - ability to control (and reduce) the traffic (taxis, limos) and special trucks (Food truck, ice cream truck, pet ice cream truck).

nraas - Traveler - created in purpose of catching and correcting bugs and problems in EA's travel code. Allows the possibility of traveling between worlds players have installed.

nraas - Saver - a Saving prompt that comes up every 30 minutes by default. More explained in the Saving section below.

Mod The Sims - Smooth Patch 2.1 - created with intentions of smoother gameplay, less lag, shorter loading and smooth UI. IMPORTANT NOTE: SP versions 2.0 and up are NOT COMPATIBLE with NRAAS mods! For those who wish to use both, we recommend using SP versions 1.x with NRAAS mods + compatibility file provided by LazyDuchess.

Optional mods:

Mod The Sims - No (or fewer) automatic memories - Memories cause a huge amount of save-file bloat. There are three options to combat them: completely disabling memories in-game (below in in-game tips), using a flavor of this mod. Or using NRAAS Master Controller with Cheats (City Hall > NRAAS > Master Controller > Sim > Intermediate > Remove Memories).

Mod The Sims - simler90's Gameplay Core Mod - a core mod set to fix numerous in-game bugs. However, this mod IS NOT COMPATIBLE with several NRAAS mods such as: StoryProgression, GoHere, Traffic, Tagger, Careers, Traveler. To make CoreMOD work with NRAAS Overwatch, players need to follow (Step 4 of this guide) and properly edit the compatibility file.

3. Saving the game

Continuous use of the option Save over the same save-file (overwriting the data) quickly leads into file bloat and eventual corruption, and can help invoke ill-fated "error-code 12". Helping prevent these issues can be combatted by retorting to usage of Save As every often, and changing the save-file name. A way to do it is by writing (Town Name)(Household Name)(Number of save in order) - eg. Sunset Valley Smith 1. This also allows players to keep specific saves they deem important. nraas - Saver is a handy mod that prompts users to save the game under a new name every 30 minutes by default.

On another note - keeping the Saves folder (within TS3 folder) under 4GB is crucial for game performance. Our advice is to keep a minimum of saves in that folder. Others need to be transferred onto a hosting site, or an external device. All saves ending in .bad should be immediately deleted.

4. Cleaning save files

Cleaning save files is a step that should come after all of the previous ones. It's crucial to clean a file every now and then to rid it of unnecessary data, and prevent error-code 12 & 16 and/or corruption.

Mod The Sims - Regul Save Cleaner is currently the fastest, most reliable cleaner. After downloading it, unzip it and open the program. Within the program, open your Save file, check which boxes you wish to clean and click Clear. IMPORTANT NOTE: Back up your Saves before messing with any data within it. Step-by-Step cleaning is also described in step 10 of Steam Guide.

Another, albeit experimental, mean to clean your game using s3pe (from simlogical.com). This heavily detailed nraas - How to use S3PE to clean up your save-game guide shows you how to remove excess data piled by photographs, paintings, memories in-game. We repeat to back-up your save-files before doing anything to them.

5. In-game tweaks and settings

Settings and configurations in-game have a big impact on the gameplay. Depending on player's gaming system, tweaking their settings could speed up their performance. These can be found in game's menu (three dots) > Options. There are several tabs which have adjustable settings.

Graphics - this tab is meant for visual representation of the game. For faster, smoother playback, we recommend keeping the options to Medium (lower if the system can't handle it). Enabling Advanced Rendering, Enabling Animation Smoothing and High Detail Lots being set to a higher number can cause slower playback - adjust the boxes and number to your system's performance.

Sounds - audio options that entirely depend on the player.

General Settings - Things like edge scrolling, 12-hour clock and types of camera are player's choice. But we advise to disable shop mode, usage sharing, memories, lessons and Interactive Loading Screen. Latter can take up double-digit minutes of time in loading.

Game Options - in-game Sim & Pet autonomy and lifespans. All are player's choice.

Video Options - entirely dependent on the player and if they wish to capture anything in-game.

Music Options - list of in-game music.

Online - options to log in the game's website online and connect with other players. We recommend disabling online notifications and disabling Keep Me Logged In option.

Season & Environment - depending on which packs players have, this tab shows configurations for Seasons and Supernatural lunar cycle. The number of days per season can be changed, so can certain Seasons be disabled. Weather can be in Celsius or Fahrenheit. There are four types of weather offered - rain, hail, fog and snow. All but fog have a big impact on the game's performance, so players should disable them, or adjust them accordingly. Active Lunar cycle doesn't have much impact on the gameplay... except for those pesky Zombies during the Full Moon. That's why there's an ability to set the Lunar Cycle to one phase of player's choice, or keep it active per number of selected days.

Advanced Demographics Options - offer the ability to enable or disable built-in EA Story Porgression. Underneath that, depending on which packs player has, there are different categories to enable or disable. Vampires, Witches, Werewolves, Fairies, Pets, Horses and Celebrities. We recommend the player disables what they don't need in their current gameplay, or eventually everything if these Sim types are unneeded. Another option below is to Opt Active Household out of Celebrity System, which doesn't allow active household to gain celebrity points.

Guides we found useful to follow:

Sims 3 Options Overview (carls-sims-4-guide.com)

The Sims 3: Graphics and Performance Guide | Asilee Sims (wordpress.com)

Steam Community :: Guide :: The Sims 3 Performance & Bug Fix Guide 2023 (Bonus Step: In-game Options - Optional)

6. In-game tips & tricks

Many issues can also be combatted from the gameplay.

Frequent town reset with NRAAS Master Controller + Cheats,

Keeping less to no items in personal inventory + frequent clearing out of townies' inventory with NRAAS MC (City Hall > NRAAS > Master Controller > Town > Object Stats > Inventory).

With rewards like Collections Helper, Tears of Horus, it's best to keep their selector to None.

Items like Sultan's Tabernacle, Axe of Pangu and random relics are known to be stuck in inventory, and cause traveling issues. It's best to not purchase the items, or delete or sell them before traveling.

Speaking of travel, any trip to World Adventure countries, the Future or any other world with twallan's Traveler, it's best to pack light! Less to no items in personal inventory that could cause corruption.

Should your Sim visit a WA country once and never go back - you could remove the .nhd file, remembering you'll lose everything you had related to that country (relationships, etc) - back-up your save before doing this.

Gameplays should not last longer than a couple of hours. After at least two hours, it's time to save as, then quit. Clear your cache, remove unnecessary save files and leave the last one in. Restart the game.

Never go from one save into main menu and then open another save. This is a fertile ground for memory leak and early corruption.

Clearing saved Styles and Presets should also be done for faster loading of CAS/CASt, but back-up your previous files before this.

Regularly check and remove/uninstall custom content you don't need anymore.

Regularly re-download mods and replace them in the Mods folder, in case of possible corruption.

Move your Saved Sims from same-named folder to somewhere safe, then delete the originals.

Captured media (screenshots, videos) should be removed from their respective files to somewhere safe often.

Too much custom music can slow down the game. Files should be in .mp3, no more than 320kbps and in limited amount.

Save files and content files from Downloads folder should be backed up on external drives and cleared from The Sims 3 folder.

Some tips taken from nraas - TIPS FOR BETTER GAME PERFORMANCE, but we recommend reading it all through - they connect The Sims 3 folder, in-game options, your device options and how your device can be affected to cause problematic gameplay.

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Papers for Week 51, 2023

The medial entorhinal cortex is necessary for the stimulus control over hippocampal place fields by distal, but not proximal, landmarks. Allison, E. A. M. A., Moore, J. W., Arkell, D., Thomas, J., Dudchenko, P. A., & Wood, E. R. (2023). Hippocampus, 33(7), 811–829.

Gating of homeostatic regulation of intrinsic excitability produces cryptic long-term storage of prior perturbations. Alonso, L. M., Rue, M. C. P., & Marder, E. (2023). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(26), e2222016120.

An entorhinal-like region in food-caching birds. Applegate, M. C., Gutnichenko, K. S., Mackevicius, E. L., & Aronov, D. (2023). Current Biology, 33(12), 2465-2477.e7.

Stress degrades working memory-related frontostriatal circuit function. Berridge, C. W., Devilbiss, D. M., Martin, A. J., Spencer, R. C., & Jenison, R. L. (2023). Cerebral Cortex, 33(12), 7857–7869.

Distinct frequencies balance segregation with interaction between different memory types within a prefrontal circuit. Bracco, M., Mutanen, T. P., Veniero, D., Thut, G., & Robertson, E. M. (2023). Current Biology, 33(12), 2548-2556.e6.

Reward influences the allocation but not the availability of resources in visual working memory. Brissenden, J. A., Adkins, T. J., Hsu, Y. T., & Lee, T. G. (2023). Journal of Experimental Psychology. General, 152(7), 1825–1839.

Abstract Value Encoding in Neural Populations But Not Single Neurons. Fine, J. M., Maisson, D. J.-N., Yoo, S. B. M., Cash-Padgett, T. V, Wang, M. Z., Zimmermann, J., & Hayden, B. Y. (2023). Journal of Neuroscience, 43(25), 4650–4663.

The role of self-occluding contours in material perception. Marlow, P. J., Prior de Heer, B., & Anderson, B. L. (2023). Current Biology, 33(12), 2528-2534.e5.

Emergence of a predictive model in the hippocampus. Miller, A. M. P., Jacob, A. D., Ramsaran, A. I., De Snoo, M. L., Josselyn, S. A., & Frankland, P. W. (2023). Neuron, 111(12), 1952-1965.e5.

Implicit learning of the one-back reinforcement matching-mismatching task by pigeons. Peng, D. N., & Zentall, T. R. (2023). Current Biology, 33(12), 2582-2585.e2.

Neural correlates of visual and tactile path integration and their task related modulation. Rosenblum, L., Kreß, A., Arikan, B. E., Straube, B., & Bremmer, F. (2023). Scientific Reports, 13, 9913.

Meridional binocular rivalry reveals a trace of uncorrected oblique input during development in the adult brain. Serero, G., Lev, M., & Polat, U. (2023). Scientific Reports, 13, 9920.

Mice identify subgoal locations through an action-driven mapping process. Shamash, P., Lee, S., Saxe, A. M., & Branco, T. (2023). Neuron, 111(12), 1966-1978.e8.

Generalization of cognitive maps across space and time. Sherrill, K. R., Molitor, R. J., Karagoz, A. B., Atyam, M., Mack, M. L., & Preston, A. R. (2023). Cerebral Cortex, 33(12), 7971–7992.

The “curse of knowledge” when predicting others’ knowledge. Tullis, J. G., & Feder, B. (2023). Memory & Cognition, 51(5), 1214–1234.

Human orbitofrontal cortex signals decision outcomes to sensory cortex during behavioral adaptations. Wang, B. A., Veismann, M., Banerjee, A., & Pleger, B. (2023). Nature Communications, 14, 3552.

Detailed characterization of neural selectivity in free viewing primates. Yates, J. L., Coop, S. H., Sarch, G. H., Wu, R.-J., Butts, D. A., Rucci, M., & Mitchell, J. F. (2023). Nature Communications, 14, 3656.

Grid cell disruption in a mouse model of early Alzheimer’s disease reflects reduced integration of self-motion cues. Ying, J., Reboreda, A., Yoshida, M., & Brandon, M. P. (2023). Current Biology, 33(12), 2425-2437.e5.

Aperiodic neural activity reflects metacontrol. Zhang, C., Stock, A.-K., Mückschel, M., Hommel, B., & Beste, C. (2023). Cerebral Cortex, 33(12), 7941–7951.

Dyadic visual perceptual learning on orientation discrimination. Zhang, Y., Bi, K., Li, J., Wang, Y., & Fang, F. (2023). Current Biology, 33(12), 2407-2416.e4.

[townsenddecades]

WCIF / Mods and CC Overview

Disclaimer: I gathered the mods I use over months, if not years, and as such, this list likely won't be comprehensive. I'll add to it if I remember something I'd forgotten that I think should be on here.

Mods:

Worlds:

Praaven Reworked by @nornities

NRAS:

Master Controller

Story Progression

Woohooer

Overwatch

Shooless

Portrait Panel

Sleep Freedom

No Fridge Shopping

Careers (the School Module is especially important, for homeschooling purposes)

AntiMagicScroll

Pregnancy, Children and Toddlers:

More Pregnancy Interactions

Children Can (indispensable if you want your peasant children to help with farming)

Toddlers Extra Activities

Toddler Interactions

Biggest Little Mod for Toddlers

No Pregnancy Chime

Breastfeeding

Mixed Feelings about Pregnancy

Other:

Pose Player (mostly for family portraits)

A lot of mods by Ani’s Sims

Functioning Well

Functional Washboard

Knitting

CCLoader

Plantable Wheat

Jynx’ Rabbit Hole Mod; needed it to add the rabbit holes to Praaven, as the ones that were supposed to come with the world didn’t work

Default Replacements:                                        

Schoolbus Wagon (not relevant for playing in the roadless Praaven, but might interest you nontheless)

Little Whisps Hair

Cookware

Fishing Pole

Baby Blankets

Watering Can

Clothesline

Bowls and Plates

Spoon & Fork

I know I have replacement mods for writing with a quill, laundry and trash, but I can’t find it right now.

CC:

Various creators. I used Mod the Sims and The Sims Resource extensively, as well as tumblr and google, with various search terms. Some especially helpful creators on tumblr are:

@joojconverts

@danjaley

@melsts3cc

@blamseastore

@ts3history

Other than that, my cache of CC has grown over more than a year, and I haven’t organized and documented my finds very well. If you want to know where a specific piece comes from, write me a message or a comment, then I can try to find out. No promises though.  

[mudaship39]

Character bio of the Asian Pasifika demigod and Afro Latine Native alien hybrid superhero main character part 4

Wrist Mounted Arm Computer:

Attached to their left arm is a human and alien magical  and technological mechanical portable wrist computer. It is a personal information processor that is powered by steam, gas, & or electricity. It has knobs, dials, buttons, & switches on the top, bottom, left, & right sides for accessibility. It comes with a red, blue, green, silver, or gold light. It comes with a keyboard. Can function as any number of useful tools. Wrist computer uses include data storage, inventory management, topographical mapping, assisted targeting, medical diagnostics, radio receiver, video player, music player, and portable gaming console, a communicator, a light, a scanner, a smart phone, a smart watch, a portable computer, etc. 

It lets him/her/them stay in contact with their handlers and allies. It gives him/her/them mission-specific information. Including where weapon caches are. It keeps track of their credentials. Is also a handheld personal force shield generator. It has crime databases, wiretapping, evidence analysis, a lie detector, and monitors its wearer's heartbeat, blood pressure, & blood sugar to ensure that its use was authorized and to send help if the user is healthy or is in trouble. Can project 3d and 4d holograms. It provides internet access and cellular reception with clear reception and unlimited data anywhere on Earth. 

Has clear reception and cellular reception in terraformed and colonized planets, moons, comets, asteroids, & planetoids star systems and galaxies of the multiverse. It uses nanotechnology to physically reconfigure itself to prevent hacking. It also has GPS functionality. Has a hacking tool. Has a compact first aid kit. Is a wearable computer. Has an interface is a holographic 3d wrist-mounted computer complete with a miniature 4d holographic projector. 

The wrist communicator is based on an alien memory metal so when they take it off it can flex into a tablet shape. Can hack computers, machines, phones, tablets, robots, & artificial intelligences. It can dispense first-aid, repair and customize equipment, and send and receive phone calls. It can record audio sound and visual video footage for later playback. Using a simple but elegant form of sonar and satellite tracking this wrist mounted computer can map out areas where its user travels. 

It acts as a database for the wearer’s personal information and inventory. It is capable of tracking the wearer’s status and organizes the user’s inventory of apparel, junk, weapons, misc, armor, mods, aid, items, & equipment. An overlay of the data is also available. In addition, the device features a built-in radio module. It has an advanced compass. 

It has a virtual 3d and 4d map that displays discovered locations. It has a holographic map projector which shows a complete 3D or 4D scan of an area. It has a sonar and motion sensor system that highlights nearby allies, enemies, people, animals, beasts, creatures, and monsters. It is a communicator, a map, a flashlight, a compass, a scanner, a music player, a smart watch, & a portable computer.

It has lighting functionality. A holographic player, video tape, CD player, & DVD player is mounted beneath the display. It is capable of keeping tabs on the user’s health condition, ammo, weapons, armor, apparel, & food and water. It shows the user’s health bar as red, yellow, orange, & green. It has a blue, pink, and purple heath bar system to show laser, plasma, & hard light shields and force fields. It has a silver, gold, & obsidian health bar system to show combat armor, power armor, & mech suit armor condition. 

The wrist computer gauntlet’s uses include but are not limited to data storage, inventory management, topographical mapping, assisted targeting, telephone, medical diagnostics, computer, radio receiver, telegram, hacking, music (CD) player, & Video (Video and DVD) Player . It can map out areas. It can take and store notes and memos. It has a built-in radio. It has a geiger counter and toxic gauge for radiation, toxins, & poisons. It has a built-in flash light used to illuminate dark areas. 

It needs to be worn as a gauntlet which seals with a biometric lock. It utilizes a revamped 3d or 4d holographic display interface with animated images. It automatically updates using satellites. Additionally, it integrates with the onboard computers of power armor and mech suits allowing a user to access their wrist mounted computer from within the armor via a HUD visor display. The inventory menu is a system used for viewing and managing collected items. The menu also displays total currency and carry weight on the screen. 

It is sorted into several tabs. Weapons, Apparel, Aid, Misc, Junk, Mods, Ammo, & Money. All guns, melee weapons, grenades, and mines fall in this tab. Specs of weapons can be viewed and compared as well as equipped and unequipped weapons.  It shows their attachments such as silencers or suppressors, compensators or muzzles, grips, flashlights, scopes, red dot sight, red laser sight, or grenade launcher. Shows the damage effect it has on enemies. It shows the weapon’s stats such as range, damage, etc. It shows the weapons condition and shows if it is in need of maintenance and repair. 

All armor and clothing appear in this tab. Specs of armor and clothing can be viewed and compared as well as equipped and unequipped apparel.  All aid such as medicines, drugs, food, and drinks are sorted here and can be used and consumed in this tab. Miscellaneous items such as keys, cds, dvds, holographic tapes, notes, and items which fall under no other category are in this tab. Mod tab for weapon and armor modifications. Ammo lists all types of ammunition for guns, grenades, & mines currently in inventory. Currency shows all dollars and copper, bronze, brass, silver, gold, & platinum coins, cash, and credits. 

A unique feature of the Mark 20 Wrist Computer is an adapter plug attached to the underside of the device. This plug is used to perform diagnostics on power armor and mech suits. It can hack into computers. It has a lockpick module to pick the locks of doors, safes, etc. In addition, the plug is also used to gain control of robots, androids, artificial intelligences, automatons, mech suits. When wearing a power armor or mech suit the user does not interact with the wrist computer directly. Instead all the information is displayed through the suit’s integrated HUD but with a different HUD color. 

This implies that the Mark 20 is capable of interfacing with power armor or mech suits onboard systems to allow access to its functionality without having to directly operate the device. It is a wrist gauntlet, wrist bracer or wrist computer. It is a piece of wrist-worn technology. It houses several technologically advanced features.  The wrist gauntlet is a small computer device worn on the wrist and features numerous controls for various items of human and alien magic and technology. It has a digitized display. The gauntlet is linked directly into a metahuman and superhuman humanoid’s combat armor, combat helmet, power armor, power armor helmet, & mecha suit and governs many of their functions. 

The gauntlet also acts as a power source for these tools although it has only limited capacity and would become depleted with repeated use. However, despite the clearly advanced nature of the technology involved, the wrist gauntlet can be recharged from any common power source such as gas, steam, water, nuclear power, & electricity.  

The mark 20 is the most customizable model made. It was the epitome of technology. Each instrument is individually crafted and personally attuned to its recipient. The device is so personalized to its user that it could continuously monitor and report the vital signs of its assigned wearer in real time. It was the quintessential personal data assistant complete with a magical AI modeled after a female humanoid alien and female human. Complete with its own mapping system, navigation system, radio receiver, computer, video and music player, cellphone, & personal inventory tracking software. It’s a souped-up PDA complete with DNA biometric lock.

[cyber-sec]

Weekly Cybersecurity News Roundup | 03 Feb - 09 Feb 2025

Last week's cybersecurity news revealed key trends in malware targeting, critical flaws, supply chains, and ransomware:

Coyote malware expanded its targeting of financial institutions.

Critical flaws in AMD hardware and the Linux kernel are actively exploited.

Supply chain threats continue to grow, impacting Python and Go ecosystems.

Ransomware payments fell by 35%, showing increasing resistance to cybercriminal extortion.

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀:

1️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗬𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 Coyote malware now targets over 1,000 websites and 73 financial institutions. Source: https://www.fortinet.com/blog/threat-research/coyote-banking-trojan-a-stealthy-attack-via-lnk-files

2️⃣ 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗚𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝟯 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 A backdoored typosquat of BoltDB in the Go ecosystem exploited Go Module Proxy caching for three years. Source: https://socket.dev/blog/malicious-package-exploits-go-module-proxy-caching-for-persistence

3️⃣ 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗺𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝘆 𝟯𝟱% 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 Ransomware payments dropped 35% in 2024 while attackers adapted with faster, rebranded strains. Source: https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/crypto-crime-ransomware-victim-extortion-2025/

4️⃣ 𝗔𝗠𝗗 𝗦𝗘𝗩-𝗦𝗡𝗣 𝗩𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 A critical flaw in AMD SEV-SNP could enable microcode injection by an attacker with administrative privileges. Source: https://thehackernews.com/2025/02/amd-sev-snp-vulnerability-allows.html

5️⃣ 𝟳𝟲𝟴 𝗖𝗩𝗘𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 The number of CVEs exploited in 2024 increased by 20%. Source: https://vulncheck.com/blog/2024-exploitation-trends

𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:

🟢 𝗣𝘆𝗣𝗜 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀 PyPI now labels unmaintained Python packages with an archival status, aiming to improve developer awareness and mitigate risks. Source: https://blog.pypi.org/posts/2025-01-30-archival/

🟠 𝗢𝗖𝗥 𝗖𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿 Malicious apps in both Google Play and the App Store use OCR to extract cryptocurrency from users. Source: https://securelist.com/sparkcat-stealer-in-app-store-and-google-play/115385/

🔴 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝟯,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗦𝗣.𝗡𝗘𝗧 𝗞𝗲𝘆𝘀 Microsoft found attackers exploiting publicly disclosed ASP.NET keys for ViewState code injection. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/02/06/code-injection-attacks-using-publicly-disclosed-asp-net-machine-keys/

[thessalian]

Thess vs the Chorus

Well. I mean. Eventually. After I was done with the Open World Faffabout.

Hrm. Must have already got that piece of green shiny. I probably ought to actually make a login for that interactive map so I can tick off where I've been. I just dislike more people having my information than already do.

Right. Ancient ruins. Let's see. What do we have here?

So we have to release a ladder ... but it doesn't go all the way down so we have to climb too. Thaaaaaaaanks for that.

So there's a key module ... but it's up there. How do we get up there? Let's patrol the building.

No handholds ... but a ... train car? Of some kind? And that blue says "pullcaster". Okay, lemme see.

It doesn't ram right through the wall. Damn. Oh well, gives me a spot to climb up anyway.

Huh. I can get onto this awning and I can get the green shiny ... but I cannot get to the roof or anything. Investigating.

...Rail switch. Riiiiiiiiiiight. Going to yank the train car some more.

And switch to straight track aaaaaaaaaaaand ... off we go.

Wait. That said "grab cart". So ... I could have just ... walked it over? And not used the pullcaster the whole time? SONUVA--

Anyway, now I have the key module. Aaaaaaand I need a code. Hunting for data points.

And there's one. And it says ... the year the place was built. Right. Time to go outside and hunt. Of course I had to do this around in-game sunset.

(Also the Ancient Ones who left those data points had plants so I automatically like them.)

Ah! Okay. Heh; over a hundred years old here in the real. That's old for American buildings.

(YES I have to say that; I live in the UK. The saying goes, "for a Brit, 100 miles is a long way; for an American, 100 years is a long time". London still has remnants of structures built in 200 AD.)

And ... I'm basically back where I started from. Except with access to that zipline. Theoretically.

Oh. Right. Sprint for the zipline. And now I'm in a room wiiiiiiiiiith ... FIREGLEAM.

And there's tracks. And a cart outside. And handholds too high for me to reach. I see logistics puzzle builders had some hand in this.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand BOOM. Now, back to the cart, which I will actually drag by hand this time.

Aaaaaaaaand UP we go. And this one gives off ... little moons. Ancient Ones were weird.

So that's done. I think I'll at least get that Grazer site and then check out that question mark.

I could shoot those things for cover spores. Or I could just sit here and pick everything off from a mile a-whoa those are Clawstriders AIMING FOR THE TAIL NOW.

And the Grazers have moved. Yes, Aloy, I could override the Grazer and if you're so insistent--

DAMNIT my automatic response is the mouse. So I did Silent Strike instead of pressing E and this other one wants my face. BYE!

Okay. Question mark. That's ... okay, the map tells me I am currently in a cave. I am not in a cave but there must be one nearby.

Hrm. Sunken cavern. Not without a rebreather. It can wait.

Oh, hey, hunting grounds! I should at least see what they have available.

Hi, Tenakth lady. Yes, I will check out your hunting grounds. Just-- Oop, sorry to cut this short, but some Utaru are getting eaten by Clawstriders and Tenakth rebels so I'mma go deal with that now.

So that's dealt with; what kinds of challenges do you have for me--? Oh.

Is ... is it weird that I'm actually kind of into the fact that this whole thing is stealth mission? I swear, it's only this game I'm into it, but here at least? I am into it.

Damn. Couldn't get three stripes in the Silent Strike one. Only because the damn Burrowers weren't cooperating. I much prefer waiting, not hopping around the high ground like a lunatic. But I did get three stripes on the "raid all caches without anything seeing you" one, so hey!

Wait ... are those Clawstriders and rebel Tenakth after the same damn Utaru group?!? Oh for fuck's sake - here we go again.

Okay. NOW Plainsong. And yeah, I'm getting a Commander Shepard feel right now because a Council is being, collectively, a bunch of assholes. I will go check stuff and stock up before I face the assholes because it feels like there's going to be a Big Thing once the Cutscene Jamboree is over.

I FIGURED OUT HOW THE DYEING WORKS! And this means I can also get armour just for its looks, dye it to my specifications, and swap that look for armour that has the stats I want! (Okay, sometimes the cosmetics are my jam; sue me. I didn't crawl all over the walls like Spider-Man in rehearsal for dye plants just to let them sit unused.)

Okay, now time for Asshole Chorus.

Fane, I VERY MUCH DISLIKE YOU. Hang on, who voices you? Aaron Phillips - Wrathion in WoW, a bunch of anime dubs, and a hidden object game that's going on the wishlist. Huh. Okay.

So what's going to happen to make this a moot point? Because these guys aren't giving in and I as Aloy want to shake these people and flag up that shit like this? Is how the Ancient Ones brought themselves to their own deaths!

Alarms. Lemme guess; shit's going down at their stupid sacred cave-- yup.

"The time for permission is over." ...Varl? Dude? You wanna marry Zo? You have my blessing; I love this woman.

"The Utaru can defend themselves; we have to--" Lady, the Utaru can't defend themselves worth shit and I can shoot on the fly. Tell you what; I won't even loot.

Okay, I'mma loot the apex scavenger that I did not have time to scan (I'm sure there'll be more around later) and the Clawstriders but that's it.

...Okay, maybe I'll just pry this cache open-- SPIFFY armour! In fact, the Uncommon version of the stuff I bought in Plainsong because it suits my style so well! Can't wait to upgrade this!

But I will wait to upgrade this, I promise, because Sacred Cave, I know, I know, I get it already. But your world is going to have to go on pause for a moment because I haven't eaten all that much today and I still hurt and I need a break.

But before I go and ponder food and rest etc? A thing I noticed when I was doing that stupid jumping puzzle for Widemaws in Riverhymn. The only one among them who could work metal - and thus build the good weapons and stuff - was named Kue. Pronounced Q. As in, "What Fictional MI5 and James Bond calls the Quartermaster" Q. (Not "The bane of Jean-Luc Picard's existence" Q.) The writers will have their little jokes and I love it.

Now I should do something that involves food. I hvae gluten-free chicken dippers and I'm going to make Japanese curry, so I'll have Lazy Person's Chicken Katsu Curry. It's a late lunch, but it be like that sometimes.

[xtruss]

Russia's Typhoon-Class Missile Submarine Is Something the Navy Can't Match

Russia's Typhoon-Class nuclear submarines were a vessel the U.S. Navy could never match in terms of size and total tonnage. They carried a massive amount of Nuclear Missiles.

— By Peter Suciu | Monday January 22, 2024

Image: Shutterstock

A Big Deal: The Russian Navy's Typhoon-Class — Nearly a year ago, Russia decommissioned the Project 941 Akula (NATO reporting name Typhoon) heavy nuclear-powered missile-carrying submarine cruiser Dmitry Donskoy several years earlier than expected. In fact, it had been only three years ago that the Kremlin announced the boat would remain in service until at least 2026, even as its role was reportedly limited to that of a weapons test platform for the new Borei-, Borei-A-, Yasen-and Yasen-M-class submarines.

In February 2023, it was officially confirmed that Dmitry Donskoy was decommissioned in February due to cost considerations. The submarine had served for more than 40 years in the Northern Fleet.

Initially designated the TK-208, she was the lead vessel of the Soviet third-generation Akula-class (Russian for "Shark"). She entered service in 1981 with the Soviet Navy, and after a 12-year overhaul and refit that began in 1990, she reentered service in 2002 as the Dmitry Donskoy, named after the Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Donskoy (1359–1389), the reputed founder of Moscow.

According to Russian media, Dmitry Donskoy initially carried D-19 strategic intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as its basic armament. Following its upgrade under Project 941UM, it was involved in the tests of the seaborne Bulava ICBM.

Typhoon-Class: Project 941 Boats: The Sevmash Shipyard built six of a planned seven Project 941 submarines for the Russian Navy, and all were operational with the Northern Fleet. Though the oldest of the submarines, the Dmitriy Donskoy was also the last of the class to remain in service.

The TK-202, TK-12 – later renamed the Simbirsk – and T-13 were withdrawn from active service between 1996 and 2009, and scrapped with the financial support of the United States. Two other boats: the TK-17/Arkhangelsk and TK-20/Severstal remained in service until they were decommissioned circa 2013. A seventh boat, TK-210, was laid down but scrapped before completion.

With a displacement of 48,000 tons, a length of 175 meters (nearly 600 feet), a 23-meter beam, and a 12-meter draught, the Typhoon-class was the largest class of submarines ever built. Developed with multiple pressure hulls, including five inner hulls situated inside a superstructure of two parallel main hulls, the Typhoon-class was also wider than any other submarine ever built. The submarines were powered by OK-650 pressurized-water nuclear reactors, two 50,000 horsepower steam turbines, and four 3,200 KW turbogenerators and this provides the boat with the ability to sail at a speed of up to 22.2 knots on the surface and 27 knots whilst submerged.

Each contained nineteen compartments, including a strengthened module, which housed the main control room as well as an electronic equipment compartment above the main hulls and behind the missile launch tubes. It even was reported that there was a sauna on board as well as a small swimming pool for the crew. The sheer size of the submarines was likely welcomed by the approximately 160 sailors who called the submarine home on voyages lasting 120 days or longer, oftentimes without surfacing for months at a time.

The Typhoon-class subs were designed to counter the United States Navy's Ohio-class subs, which were capable of carrying up to 192 100-kiloton nuclear warheads. By contrast, the Soviet Typhoons could carry a primary cache of 20 RSM-52 SLBMs (submarine-launched ballistic missiles), each of which contained up to 10 MIRV (multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle) warheads.

Though the Dmitriry Donskoiy has been decommissioned, in 2021, a new sub of the Borei-class has already begun construction; and when launched, will bear the name of the legendary founder of Moscow.

— Peter Suciu is a Michigan-Based Writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs.

[nividawebsolutions]

20 Best Android Development Practices in 2023

Introduction: 

In today's competitive market, creating high-quality Android applications requires adherence to best development practices.  Android app development agencies in Vadodara (Gujarat, India) like Nivida Web Solutions Pvt. Ltd., play a crucial role in delivering exceptional applications.  This article presents the 20 best Android development practices to follow in 2023, ensuring the success of your app development projects.

1.     Define Clear Objectives:

Begin by defining clear objectives for your Android app development project.  Identify the target audience, the app's purpose, and the specific goals you aim to achieve.  This clarity will guide the development process and result in a more focused and effective application.

 2. Embrace the Material Design Guidelines:

Google's Material Design guidelines provide a comprehensive set of principles and guidelines for designing visually appealing and intuitive Android applications.  Adhering to these guidelines ensures consistency, enhances usability, and delivers an optimal user experience.

 3. Optimize App Performance:

Performance optimization is crucial for user satisfaction.  Focus on optimizing app loading times, minimizing network requests, and implementing efficient caching mechanisms.  Profiling tools like Android Profiler can help identify performance bottlenecks and improve overall app responsiveness.

 4. Follow a Modular Approach:

Adopting a modular approach allows for easier maintenance, scalability, and code reusability.  Breaking down your app into smaller, manageable modules promotes faster development, reduces dependencies, and enhances collaboration among developers.

 5. Implement Responsive UI Designs:

Designing a responsive user interface (UI) ensures that your app adapts seamlessly to various screen sizes and orientations.  Utilize Android’s resources, such as ConstraintLayout, to create dynamic and adaptive UIs that provide a consistent experience across different devices.

 6. Prioritize Security:

Android app security is of paramount importance.  Employ secure coding practices, authenticate user inputs, encrypt sensitive data, and regularly update libraries and dependencies to protect your app against vulnerabilities and potential attacks.

 7. Opt for Kotlin as the Preferred Language:

Kotlin has gained immense popularity among Android developers due to its conciseness, null safety, and enhanced interoperability with existing Java code.  Embrace Kotlin as the primary programming language for your Android app development projects to leverage its modern features and developer-friendly syntax.

 8. Conduct Thorough Testing:

Testing is crucial to ensure the reliability and stability of your Android applications.  Employ a combination of unit testing, integration testing, and automated UI testing using frameworks like Espresso to catch bugs early and deliver a robust app to your users.

 9. Optimize Battery Consumption:

Battery life is a significant concern for Android users.  Optimize your app's battery consumption by minimizing background processes, reducing network requests, and implementing efficient power management techniques.  Android's Battery Optimization APIs can help streamline power usage.

 10. Implement Continuous Integration and Delivery (CI/CD):

Adopting CI/CD practices facilitates frequent code integration, automated testing, and seamless deployment. Tools like Jenkins and Bitrise enable developers to automate build processes, run tests, and deploy app updates efficiently, resulting in faster time-to-market and improved quality.

 11. Leverage Cloud Technologies:

Integrating cloud technologies, such as cloud storage and backend services, can enhance your app's scalability, performance, and reliability.  Services like Firebase offer powerful tools for authentication, database management, push notifications, and analytics.

 12. Ensure Accessibility:

Make your Android app accessible to users with disabilities by adhering to accessibility guidelines.  Provide alternative text for images, support screen readers, and use colour contrast appropriately to ensure inclusivity and a positive user experience for all users.

 13. Optimize App Size:

Large app sizes can deter users from downloading and installing your application.  Optimize your app's size by eliminating unused resources, compressing images, and utilizing Android App Bundles to deliver optimized APKs based on device configurations.

 14. Implement Offline Support:

Provide offline capabilities in your app to ensure users can access essential features and content even when offline.  Implement local caching, synchronize data in the background, and notify users of limited or no connectivity to deliver a seamless user experience.

 15. Implement Analytics and Crash Reporting:

Integrate analytics and crash reporting tools, such as Google Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics, to gain insights into user behaviour, identify areas for improvement, and address crashes promptly. This data-driven approach helps in refining your app's performance and user engagement.

 16. Keep Up with Android OS Updates:

Stay up to date with the latest Android OS updates, new APIs, and platform features.  Regularly update your app to leverage new functionalities, enhance performance, and ensure compatibility with newer devices.

 17. Provide Localized Versions:

Cater to a global audience by providing localized versions of your app.  Translate your app's content, user interface, and notifications into different languages to expand your user base and increase user engagement.

 18. Ensure App Store Optimization (ASO):

Optimize your app's visibility and discoverability in the Google Play Store by utilizing appropriate keywords, engaging app descriptions, compelling screenshots, and positive user reviews.  ASO techniques can significantly impact your app's download and conversion rates.

 19. Follow Privacy Regulations and Guidelines:

Adhere to privacy regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, and ensure transparent data handling practices within your app. Obtain user consent for data collection, storage, and usage, and provide clear privacy policies to establish trust with your users.

 20. Regularly Update and Maintain Your App:

Continuously monitor user feedback, track app performance metrics, and release regular updates to address bugs, introduce new features, and enhance user experience.  Regular maintenance ensures that your app remains relevant, competitive, and secure.

 Conclusion:

 Adopting these 20 best Android development practices in 2023 will help Android app development companies in India, create exceptional applications.  By focusing on objectives, embracing Material Design, optimizing performance, and following modern development approaches, your Android apps will stand out in the market, delight users, and achieve long-term success.  Also by partnering with an Android App Development Company in India (Gujarat, Vadodara) you can leverage their expertise.

[govindhtech]

AMD Ryzen 7 8700G APU Zen 4 & Polaris Wonders!

AMD Ryzen 7 8700G APU The company formidable main processing unit (APU) with Zen 4 framework and Polaris designs, the AMD Ryzen 7 processor 8700G

The conclusions of the assessments for the Ryzen 5 processor from AMD 8600G had previously revealed this morning, and now some of the most recent measurements from the Ryzen 7 8700G APU graph G have been released made public. Among AMD’s Hawk A point generation of advanced processing units (APUs), the upcoming Ryzen 7 8700G APU will represent the top of the lineup of the The AM5 series desktops APU. That is going to have an identical blend of Zen 4 and RDNA 3 cores in a single monolithic package.

Featuring 16 MB of L3 memory cache and 8 megabytes of L2 cache, the aforementioned AMD Ryzen 7 8700G APU features a total of 8 CPU cores and a total of 16 threads built onto it. It is possible to quicken the clock to 5.10 GHz from its base frequency of 4.20 GHz. A Radeon 780M based on RDNA 3 with 12 compute units and a clock speed of 2.9 GHz is included in the integrated graphics processing unit (GPU). It is anticipated that future Hawk Point APUs would have support for 64GB DDR5 modules, which will allow for a maximum of 256GB of DRAM capacity to be used on the AM5 architecture.

The study ASUS TUF Extreme X670E-PLUS wireless internet chipset with 32GB of DDR5 4800 RAM was used for the performance tests that were carried out. Because of this design, it is anticipated that the performance would be somewhat reduced. The Hawk Point APUs and the AM5 platform are both compatible with faster memory modules, which may lead to improved performance. This is made possible by the greater bandwidth that is advantageous to the integrated graphics processing unit (iGPU).

The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G “Hawk Point” APU was able to reach a performance of 35,427 points in the Vulkan benchmark, while it earned 29,244 points in the OpenCL benchmark. With the Ryzen 5 8600G equipped with the Radeon 760M integrated graphics processing unit, this results in a 15% improvement in Vulkan and an 18% increase in OpenCL. The 760M integrated graphics processing unit (iGPU) has only 8 compute units, but the AMD 780M has 12 compute units.

In spite of the fact that the 760M integrated graphics processing unit (iGPU) has faster DDR5 6000 memory, performance does not seem to rise linearly whenever there are fifty percent more cores. It would seem that this is the maximum performance that the Radeon IGPs are capable of. The results of future testing, particularly those involving overclocking, will be fascinating. However, the Meteor Lake integrated graphics processing units (iGPUs) might be improved with better quality memory configurations (LPDDR5x).

With the debut of the AM5 “Hawk Point” APUs at the end of January, it is anticipated that the RDNA 3 chips would provide increased performance for the integrated graphics processing unit (iGPU). At AMD’s next CES 2024 event, it is anticipated that further details will be discussed and revealed.

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