#ui analysis

[redonionlover]

whatever. go my art dumps

[iteratorsex]

NGL I think Chasing Wind is the gossipy one.

They were the one who said that UI sending the images was an attempt to be mean, but that's only because they assumed it to be that way.

They're also the one who went to Suns and told them that Pebbles had rot,

and also the one to snitch about someone nearby trying to achieve personal ascension

[pixelizes]

How AI & Machine Learning Are Changing UI/UX Design

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are revolutionizing UI/UX design by making digital experiences more intelligent, adaptive, and user-centric. From personalized interfaces to automated design processes, AI is reshaping how designers create and enhance user experiences. In this blog, we explore the key ways AI and ML are transforming UI/UX design and what the future holds.

For more UI/UX trends and insights, visit Pixelizes Blog.

AI-Driven Personalization

One of the biggest changes AI has brought to UI/UX design is hyper-personalization. By analyzing user behavior, AI can tailor content, recommendations, and layouts to individual preferences, creating a more engaging experience.

How It Works:

AI analyzes user interactions, including clicks, time spent, and preferences.

Dynamic UI adjustments ensure users see what’s most relevant to them.

Personalized recommendations, like Netflix suggesting shows or e-commerce platforms curating product lists.

Smart Chatbots & Conversational UI

AI-powered chatbots have revolutionized customer interactions by offering real-time, intelligent responses. They enhance UX by providing 24/7 support, answering FAQs, and guiding users seamlessly through applications or websites.

Examples:

Virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.

AI chatbots in banking, e-commerce, and healthcare.

NLP-powered bots that understand user intent and sentiment.

Predictive UX: Anticipating User Needs

Predictive UX leverages ML algorithms to anticipate user actions before they happen, streamlining interactions and reducing friction.

Real-World Applications:

Smart search suggestions (e.g., Google, Amazon, Spotify).

AI-powered auto-fill forms that reduce typing effort.

Anticipatory design like Google Maps estimating destinations.

AI-Powered UI Design Automation

AI is streamlining design workflows by automating repetitive tasks, allowing designers to focus on creativity and innovation.

Key AI-Powered Tools:

Adobe Sensei: Automates image editing, tagging, and design suggestions.

Figma AI Plugins & Sketch: Generate elements based on user input.

UX Writing Assistants that enhance microcopy with NLP.

Voice & Gesture-Based Interactions

With AI advancements, voice and gesture control are becoming standard features in UI/UX design, offering more intuitive, hands-free interactions.

Examples:

Voice commands via Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa.

Gesture-based UI on smart TVs, AR/VR devices.

Facial recognition & biometric authentication for secure logins.

AI in Accessibility & Inclusive Design

AI is making digital products more accessible to users with disabilities by enabling assistive technologies and improving UX for all.

How AI Enhances Accessibility:

Voice-to-text and text-to-speech via Google Accessibility.

Alt-text generation for visually impaired users.

Automated color contrast adjustments for better readability.

Sentiment Analysis for Improved UX

AI-powered sentiment analysis tools track user emotions through feedback, reviews, and interactions, helping designers refine UX strategies.

Uses of Sentiment Analysis:

Detecting frustration points in customer feedback.

Optimizing UI elements based on emotional responses.

Enhancing A/B testing insights with AI-driven analytics.

Future of AI in UI/UX: What’s Next?

As AI and ML continue to evolve, UI/UX design will become more intuitive, adaptive, and human-centric. Future trends include:

AI-generated UI designs with minimal manual input.

Real-time, emotion-based UX adaptations.

Brain-computer interface (BCI) integrations for immersive experiences.

Final Thoughts

AI and ML are not replacing designers—they are empowering them to deliver smarter, faster, and more engaging experiences. As we move into a future dominated by intelligent interfaces, UI/UX designers must embrace AI-powered design methodologies to create more personalized, accessible, and user-friendly digital products.

Explore more at Pixelizes.com for cutting-edge design insights, AI tools, and UX trends.

[aaamike]

Kenjaku out here striking the hardest pose just to pay Mei-Mei to fuck off.

[charile0]

Enhance Your Digital Strategy with Expert Web Traffic and UX Design Services from Infozzle

In today’s digital age, a strong online presence is essential for any business looking to grow. However, simply having a website isn’t enough. To succeed, businesses need a comprehensive understanding of their website’s performance, user experience (UX), and digital strategy. At Infozzle, we offer a range of services, including web traffic analysis services and web analytics services in Mumbai, to help you make informed decisions and optimize your website for better results.

Our web traffic analysis services allow you to gain valuable insights into your website’s visitors, including where they come from, what they engage with, and how they interact with your content. By understanding this data, you can make smarter decisions to improve your website’s performance and drive more traffic. Along with web analytics services, our team helps you fine-tune your strategy for better user engagement and higher conversion rates.

Additionally, Infozzle is known for its UX design services in Mumbai, which focus on improving the usability and accessibility of your website. A seamless user experience leads to higher satisfaction and increased customer loyalty. As a leading UI/UX design agency in Mumbai, we specialize in creating interfaces that are not only visually appealing but also intuitive and user-friendly, ensuring that your customers have the best experience when navigating your site.

For businesses looking to enhance their digital presence, Infozzle also provides expert digital strategy consultants to help you design and execute a robust digital marketing plan. Whether you’re in need of web development jobs in Mumbai or digital marketing jobs in Mumbai, Infozzle is your go-to agency to elevate your digital efforts and achieve your business goals.

Partner with Infozzle today and leverage our digital strategy consultants and UX design services to boost your website’s performance and grow your online presence.

[arushmehta043]

Boost Your Business with Infozzle: Leading Internet Marketing Company in Mumbai

Infozzle, a premier internet marketing company in Mumbai, specializes in delivering result-driven strategies to enhance your brand's online presence. As one of the top digital marketing firms in Mumbai, we offer comprehensive internet marketing services including SEO, social media management, and web traffic analysis services. We also excel in ecommerce development solutions to streamline your online sales process. Our skilled team, also recognized as a leading UI/UX design agency in Mumbai, ensures seamless user experiences across all digital platforms. Partner with Infozzle to elevate your business and achieve measurable success in the digital world.

[mysticdragon3md3]

The Bizarre World of Fake Video Games by Super Eyepatch Wolf

[kickrtechnology1]

Kickr Technology, Your Go-To UI/UX Design Agency

In the era of web design and digital solutions, Kickr Technology stands out as an impactful stage of innovation and creativity. As a premier UI/UX design company located in the thriving tech hub of Noida, Delhi, we specialise in crafting digital experiences that resemble users' needs and drive business success. Our expertise as a top UX design company has positioned us as a leader in the industry, consistently delivering exceptional UI and UX solutions.

The Vital Role of UI/UX Design in Today's Digital Landscape

In an era where digital presence is important, UI/UX design forms the cornerstone of any successful online platform. At Kickr Technology, we understand that effective UI/UX design is not just about aesthetic appeal but about creating an interactive experience that is intuitive, engaging, and user-centric. Our designs aim to simplify and enhance the user journey, ensuring that every interaction with your digital product is meaningful and memorable.

Kickr Technology’s Unique Approach to UI/UX Design

Deep User Insight: Our design process starts with a deep dive into understanding the user’s world. We employ various research methodologies to gather insights about user behaviours, needs, and motivations. This user-centred approach helps us create designs that are not only visually appealing but also highly functional and user-friendly.

Innovative Design Solutions: We believe in breaking the mould and pushing boundaries. Our design team is always exploring innovative solutions, ensuring that our clients stand out in the digital marketplace. Whether it’s a mobile app, website, or enterprise software, our designs are tailored to meet the unique challenges and objectives of each project.

Agile and Adaptive Design Process: We adopt an agile approach to design, characterised by flexibility and responsiveness to change. This process allows us to adapt quickly to feedback and evolving project requirements, ensuring the final product is optimised for the best possible user experience.

Collaboration and Communication: Our collaborative approach sets us apart. We work closely with clients, stakeholders, and end-users, ensuring that every aspect of the design aligns with the vision and goals of the project. This collaborative process fosters creativity and ensures a final product that truly resonates with users.

Our Edge as a Leading UI/UX Design Agency

Expertise and Experience: Our team of designers, strategists, and developers bring years of experience and a wealth of knowledge to each project. This expertise is crucial in navigating the complexities of digital design and delivering top-notch solutions.

Focus on ROI: We understand that good design is not just about aesthetics; it’s about results. Our designs are crafted to drive user engagement, improve conversion rates, and enhance overall business performance.

Cutting-Edge Technology: We leverage the latest tools and technologies in the UI/UX space, ensuring that our designs are not only current but also future-ready.

Global and Local Insights: With a diverse client base, we bring a unique blend of global trends and local insights to our designs, making them globally appealing yet locally relevant.

Portfolio and Success Stories

Our portfolio is a testament to our versatility and expertise in the field of UI/UX design. It showcases a wide range of projects, from dynamic websites to intuitive mobile apps, each reflecting our commitment to excellence. Our success stories include collaborations with startups, SMEs, and large corporations, each presenting unique challenges and opportunities.

Partnering with Kickr Technology

Choosing Kickr Technology means partnering with a UI/UX design company that is deeply committed to your success. We go beyond just delivering a service; we strive to be a partner in your digital transformation journey. With Kickr Technology, you can be assured of a design solution that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also strategically sound and aligned with your business goals.

Conclusion In the fast-paced digital world, exceptional UI/UX design is not just a luxury but a necessity. At Kickr Technology, we are passionate about creating digital experiences that are not just usable but delightful. As a leading UI/UX designing company in Noida, Delhi, we are dedicated to helping businesses thrive in the digital arena. Connect with us, and let’s create digital magic together!

[thespaceyvoid]

Not sure if anyone has already done this, but here's my take. But the whole day, I spent...

Analyzing Discord versions based on the UI and MY Preferences.

Here's a little list I made!

203.10 Stable (ReactNative) • Android +7.0 🟢 use hashtags to change text size • image/video placeholder thumbnail is gray-colored ❌ unsuitable video UI; when on full screen, the background is not a SOLID black (video repeats video when full screen) 🟢 present call activities 🟢 use voice message feature 175.16 Stable (ReactNative) • Android +6.0 🟢 use hashtags to change text size • image/video placeholder thumbnail is gray (repeats video when full screen) 🔵 video UI decent; solid black background (video repeats when full screen) 🟢 swipe-able members tab 🟢 pins button shows full content 🟢 present call activities 🟢 use forum tags 🟢 use voice message feature 170.14 Stable (ReactNative) • Android +6.0 ❌ no hashtag text size changing feature • image/video placeholder thumbnail is colored gray ➖ call activities take long to load 🟢 use voice message feature 162.10 Stable (ReactNative) • Android +6.0 ❌ no hashtag text size changing feature • image/video placeholder thumbnail has the discord logo ➖ call activities take long to load ❌ no voice message feature 158.16 Stable (ReactNative) • Android +5.0 ❌ no hashtag text size changing feature • image/video placeholder thumbnail has the discord logo 🔵 video UI decent; solid black background 🟢 swipe-able members tab 🟢 pins button shows full content ➖ call activities take long to load 🟢 use forum tags ❌ use voice message feature 137.11 Stable (ReactNative) • start of ReactiveNative UI (UI used on iOS years before) ❌ use call activities 🟢 use forum tags ❌ use voice message feature 🐛 buggy message edit 126.21 Stable (Classic Discord) ❌ use call activities ❌ use forum tags ❌ use voice message feature 81.7 Beta (Classic Discord) ❌ use call activities ❌ use forums ❌ use voice message feature ❌ use threads • decent bugs

I want to point out I'm not overall familiar with technical terms, I'm just an ICT student who likes Discord a lot, so I apologize for the misuse in the list. Feel free to correct me and ask for any clarifications! I'm only choosing a suitable version for my phone and share my insights with all of you.

If you want to experience new features but not stray away from the classic Android UI of Discord, 175.16 Stable covers it. Still under the ReactNative UI. (The new UI that has been transferred to Android when iOS has been using this UI for years now.)

Conclusion:

126.21 Stable is where everything stopped basically, and 137.11 Stable was the new beginning, introducing ReactNative. The latest versions of today, 210↑ and above... well, based on my experience, they're quite laggy. Basically becoming a carbon copy of Messenger. It doesn't tie a lot with people who have been using Discord for a long time considering the muscle memory to navigate through this app quickly and such. The swipe to reply, the settings hidden by tapping/clicking instead of sliding from the right, and separate tabs for DMs.

If you're a neophobe when it comes to apps and the like (similar to me), 126.21 Stable is always available. (It's also the most modern version of the classic Android UI of Discord.)

Beta version 81.7 Beta if you want to timetravel to 2022. The rest below this are really outdated and I don't think I'd recommend them.

Thanks for giving this a read! It was fun writing out and figuring out which version suited me. Feel free to let me know what you think and some things you want to clarify! This was all for fun!

[tbonechessor]

I think titanfall's first-person perspective helps drive a lot of aesthetic UI elements. Titans also mostly move in 2 dimensions as opposed to an AC or even a pilot. You notice most of the cluttering happens near the top corners where there isn't likely to be alot of threats besides maybe a Northstar or a pilot. The overlays are there to imply scale and weight while hunting for good sightlines.

AC6 has a lot of its enemies use 3D attacks that require perceiving a lot of depth and windup. When Balteus gets ready to swing that fire sword, it's nice to know what angle it's coming from so you can move opposite to it in whatever 3d direction serves you best. I think a clean UI helps serve the kind of frenetic mech ducking n weaving. Let's you put a lot of different kind of attacks in to keep up the pressure too since the Player can always see where they ended up after a move and where to go next. Informed gameplay n all that.

Its almost strange how clean the UI for AC6 is while on mission. Like really strange when you consider how many games in the genre are obsessed with having their UI as bloated as possible.

Not that i mind lots of information at a glance, its just hard to do right sometimes (titanfall1/2 are good examples)

I think it really comes down to making room for the spectacle that is ac6 to explain why the ui is so simplistic.

Thoughts?

[ryoskuna]

Be the Light: Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Davrin - A Character Study/Analysis & Appreciation Post

Hi, my name is Leia, and I’m a Master’s degree candidate in Children’s Literature and Library & Information Science. I’m also a Black woman who loves consuming media, which is not limited to playing video games, reading books, and watching TV shows/movies. 

To my friends who have put up with me rambling about this game for the last three(?)-ish weeks, thank you for entertaining me, putting up with all my thoughts, and pushing me to make this post.

I completed my first playthrough of Dragon Age: The Veilguard on January 6th (and cried twice), and while there is so much that can be said for the storytelling (it’s not perfect; there’s no such thing as perfection since that’s an objective notion), but in my opinion, I believe DATV makes for an excellent and conclusive end to the Dragon Age franchise in regards to lore and the world of Thedas on the best attempts of the developers and writing team. Especially considering it was a game that lingered in development purgatory for 8+ years, and there was such an intense fight to make sure it got released, I will contently take what I received (with some admitted bias as a Solavellen, and someone who does like Solas as a character though there is much to say about him as well but not here!).  When I completed the game, my immediate response was very similar to the way I reacted when I finished my first playthrough of Final Fantasy 15 (another game that I found emotionally compelling- I sobbed for approximately 30-45 minutes straight while on a voice call with a friend during the final cutscene sequences, as well as the credits playing Stand by Me by Florence + the Machine) — I wanted to make a video essay talking about the storytelling and my experience with all of the characters, content, and everything that made me absolutely enamored with the game. (Side note: DATV has the best combat gameplay in any of the DA games, and I will stand by that. Like if they remastered Inquisition and the other two games with the Character Creation from Veilguard and upgraded the combat mechanics/gameplay/UI, I would be first in line to buy the remastered versions.)

(It’s also ironic this is getting posted when it’s been announced that the entire Bioware team for DA has been let go, left, or released to industry, which is a loss of some wonderful storytellers and creatives.)

But I lack the video equipment to make video essays/vlogs talking about my interests like this, and I also don’t know if anyone would watch it. I also generally do not see a lot of Black women engaging in content that would fall into this category or dialogues with media and games, although I wish I did see more of it!

However, this is not intended to be a critique of the game; this is solely meant to be a character study and appreciation post for one of the companions, Davrin, who was the standout companion for me during my initial playthrough and continues to be in my consecutive playthroughs. Davrin is arguably a fantastic character, not only because of his companion quests (which have some of the strongest and most emotional storytelling, in my opinion, whether you romance him or not), but also because of his personality and how he is a love letter to the history and future of Thedas. 

(Additional side note: all of the companions are fantastic, especially the seven that are newly introduced within DATV. Harding is a great connection to DAI, the references to the Inquisition at large, and some additional history of the world of Thedas.)

This is also why I mention my race in my introductory statement, as my analysis of him is based on my experience and understanding as a Black woman. While I am not a Black man, I do have a brother, and my father is a Black man who comes from a military background, and this absolutely does affect my perspective and understanding of Davrin as a character.

This way of analysis in literature is called reader-response, in which the reader has a transaction with the text, i.e., the reader reads the material, and out comes their interpretation of the text (see: here, and Mingshui Cai’s “Transactional Theory and the Study of Multicultural Literature.” Language Arts, vol. 85, no. 3, 2008, pp. 212–20, if you’re looking for more intellectual writings on reader-response.). Reader-response allows for a unique interpretation based on the reader or in this case, the player’s individual experience. 

Lastly, I’d like to preface that this post will reference the game, the podcast - Vows & Vengeance, that was released prior to Veilguard’s release - and some of the books, primarily Last Flight, for additional narrative context. I’ll flag spoilers the best I can but will state that this post is not spoiler-free. 

First, for this to make sense, I feel like we have to discuss why representation in media matters.  So, why? Why does representation matter? 

Well, there is power in seeing someone who resembles yourself or your story on a screen or largely consumed content. It challenges stereotypes (or what one can be), introduces people to cultural exchange, and engages in cultivating a sense of belonging (here’s a wonderful TED talk if you’re interested, but also see this article from PBS, APA (American Psychology Association), here, and here).

Another one of my favorite TED talks about storytelling also touches on why representation matters. It matters when we engage in dialogue when we try to understand our friends and when we seek to build community with welcoming, inclusive people. It is why people seek to build accommodating spaces, and it is one of our greatest acts of resistance to systemic oppression that allows discriminatory stereotypes to flourish. Being in community is an act of resistance. This is also why it matters when people are so excited to see a character be undoubtedly and explicitly a part of a specific affinity group or identity.  There can be a whole essay or book written on why representation matters (and there are, plenty), so I do not want to get to into the weeds with why representation is a valuable contribution in a time where DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice) is being challenged so heavily. 

Now that we’ve covered that, let’s get to the real reason you’re probably here. This is split into two parts, the character study/analysis, and the appreciation. Not that these two things aren’t similar in nature, but I wanted to make it separate in a way in case anyone wanted to specifically comment on anything, came for a specific portion, or please feel free to use in your fanfiction writing if you’d like.  Just know if you’re going to engage with this post, please be respectful. If I am wrong on something, please feel free to DM me and let me know!

Character Study/Analysis

We meet Davrin initially in the announcement trailer for DATV, but we don’t really see a finalized formation of his character outside of visuals until Vows and Vengence, where they’ve switched from using a British accent of his voice to an American accent. I think this is a neat transition from the whole “all elves are british-accented/welsh-accented” we saw in the 2010s, but for me, this truly emphasizes a correlation to a Black American experience — however, I’ll touch upon this later. When Davrin is introduced to us in V&V, he comes off as a character with a strong sense of responsibility and duty — and he’s already involved with the Griffons as he wants to investigate the rumors of their reemergence instead of investigating the earthquakes occurring in the Anderfels. He chooses to fall into a sinkhole to rescue the protagonist of V&V, Nadia, and two additional characters. When Nadia mentions that the only reason she’s in the predicament she’s in is due to someone called “The Dread Wolf”, Davrin immediately wants to investigate as the involvement of Fen’Harel is a bad omen, and the Grey Wardens should be investigating. There is also the mention of darkspawn, which is more compulsion for Grey Wardens to investigate. 

Additionally, he has a partner at the time named Goff(?) who he later nearly has to to amputate a limb from and argues to carry the man out as he won’t leave him against Goff’s orders; when he does leave him it is reluctantly. He cannot accompany Drayden and Nadia and continues to investigate the Blight, and by extension, what the elven ruins have to do with the Blight, committed to his duty as a Grey Warden.

Which leads us somewhat into how we find him again in Veilguard, where we are referred to a monster hunter named Davrin by Evka and Antoine (they will be another important reference and guide into how the role of the Grey Wardens is changing towards the betterment or future of Thedas). 

I have to appreciate Davrin’s complexity as a character. While the game, in my opinion, is more ambiguous on his standing or practice of the elven religion, he never leaves room to deny his roots and where he comes from. In V&V, he’s familiar with reading ancient elven, and wishes Nadia and Drayden that Andruil guides them on their adventure. Davrin’s vallasin is also dual-sided, which in a reference to the sun and moon quote in V&V (“Guide me on the path that splits the land between sun and moon”) on the mirror mosaic, you can argue that his vallasin is a reference to Ghilan’nain or you can argue that it is for Andruil.  However, I raise that his vallasin is for both goddesses, as Andruil is the reason that Ghilan’nain ascended to “godhood”, and with Davrin’s title as a monster hunter, it would be fitting considering Andruil is the goddess of the hunt.  

He also names Assan after the elven word for ‘arrow’, which is referenced in two of Andruil’s three ways - Vir Assan - or the Way of the Arrow - and Vir Bor’assan - or the Way of the Bow - which the former refers to ‘fly straight and never waver’, the latter being ‘bend but never break’. It makes sense that he names Assan this, as it is almost him speaking blessings over the young Griffon, to fly straight, never waver, to bend (or endure turmoil) but never break (or fail).  To me, it is a blessing from a father to a child, but it is also a reminder to himself everytime he calls the Griffon’s name to himself. 

[Note: all the other griffons presumably have names, he mentions a few of them if you walk to their cages during the first part of his companion quest/adding him to the Veilguard, but they’re a little silly in my opinion. Assan is the only one who is known to have an elven name, and noted to be the only one Davrin himself named.]

Having a vallasin that represents Ghilan’nain is also fitting (and ironic considering Ghilan’nain’s position through Veilguard), because not only was Ghilan’nain one of the people, but as a “goddess” she was dedicated to guidance and navigation. For someone like Davrin, who struggled fitting in with his clan and wanting to go on a different path than solely staying with his clan, he could’ve been asking for all the guidance he would be fortunate enough to get. Additionally, she is called the mother of the Halla, creatures that Davrin was gentle enough to care for, hence where we get the line where we find out that he used to sing to the Halla, and he’s attentive enough to identify when they’re ill, and the best methodologies to feed them successfully.  (Halla are extremely sacred creatures, considered noble, and the Dalish ask for the Halla to accompany them instead of forcing them.  Ghilan’nain is stated to be the first Halla. )

As we go throughout the playthrough of the game, Davrin’s role transitions from being a monster hunter, to a Grey Warden, to a bodyguard for the newly hatched baby Griffons, and then, upon joining Rook, and encountering the Gloom Howler, he becomes something else. Like Ghilan’nain, Davrin has ascended to a more important position than solely being a Grey Warden or a monster hunter. He is now the keeper of the future of the last of the Griffons, hence his urgency in rescuing them, and why the decision of their path (to stay with the Wardens or to live in Arlathan Forest) weighs so heavily upon him. 

This is why I propose that his vallasin is left to be ambiguous or a combination of the two goddesses because of the duality of his nature as a character, but the two sides (or the sun & moon) of the path he’s chosen to live by.  I also think there is an irony that the blight is what corrupted the Evanuris, and he fights it now - especially noting that Ghilan'nain also has the capacity for pulling out some wicked horrors when Solas calls her the "most sensitive of us" (referring to the Ancient Elves).

I would have loved to see something where Davrin and maybe even Bellara discuss their vallasin, and their viewpoint on it, now that they are in a predicament where their myths about their gods have now changed drastically, and is reflected in their lived experience.

However, I also acknowledge that Davrin does not particularly hold any signficant reverence towards the Gods, at least not in the same way Bellara does. He states he thought of them as “myths” and now that they’re real, he has to process that. He also states that he knows the gods being blighted and trying to take over isn’t going to do the elven people any favors in terms of “popularity” with the rest of Thedas, which leads me into my next point. 

He is always mindful of his people. Whether this is the Grey Wardens, who we see him mourn and wish to honor; or the elven people, even if they’re not apart of his clan, he cares deeply for them. (By extension, he cares about the Veilguard and the Griffons, of course.)  During the fight against Elger’nan and the Venatori to rescue the Veil Jumpers, you can hear him state, “These are my people” in a protective manner (much like Bellara can say, as well as an elven Rook). He thinks about how Thedas is going to see the elven people if they find out that the elven gods are behind the Blight, the archdemons, and the issue of the Golden/Black City & the “Tevinter Gods”. 

This mindset also tends to cultivate his self-sacrificing viewpoint (he is willing to be the Warden responsible for killing Ghilan’nain’s archdemon); it’s not only what he’s trained to do, but it is about protecting his proclaimed and declared people (not to mention the innocents he morally is willing to protect). 

I propose that he was not filled with the “spirit” of the archdemon for two reasons: 1) because what they considered to be the “spirit” was the ancient elven magic seeking an out (it’s known and stated in-lore that the ancient elves were immortal because their magic was constantly engaging and adapting to the world) and 2) because Ghilan’nain was right there instead, thus performing a ‘return to sender’ (“Maybe the Gods changed things and the old rules don’t apply”).  He states he wasn’t expecting to live because he had embraced the fact that Grey Wardens have an expiration date, and that pushed him. Now that he survived (and processing survivor’s guilt, as well as the stages of grief), he now has to find a purpose outside of being a Grey Warden and a monster hunter. 

His seeking a purpose is a reminder, to me as a Black person, how we are taught that just being ourselves and contributing to what others contribute is not good enough. Giving 100 percent is not good enough - you must be outstanding. (There’s a quote from Scandal that’s applicable here - watch here; “You have to be twice as good as them to get half of what they have”). In that, being just a Grey Warden isn’t enough, nor is being just a monster hunter. 

What makes him relevant? Outstanding? 

I propose that’s his transition from bodyguard to parent and keeper of the Griffons. It’s this reasoning that also answers his question on why he gets to live. He’s got to be the one to tell the story of the Griffons, of Isseya, of the past of the Wardens he knew, and the future of the Wardens as they move forward and away from slaying darkspawn and hunting the Blights. The fall of Weisshaupt is the metaphorical fall of the old order of the Wardens, with all their secrets, lies, and damage. Davrin’s emphasized bond with the Griffons speaks to how the new order of the Grey Wardens is healing. 

Now, we absolutely should discuss Assan as he relates to Davrin, and I propose that Assan is an extension of Davrin — meaning the way Davrin cares for Assan is how Davrin learns to care for himself. It’s how he learns to hope, to recognize he is capable of being more than just the blade the Grey Wardens made him; that while he’s questioning his future and his path, that he has the freedom to choose.  Davrin states he feels like “a blade sharpened all these years to confront the worst darkness in the world” and when his blade “[strikes] true”, he asks “what now?”

Davrin’s commentary on calling himself a blade is a parellel in how he describes how Assan, as a Griffon, by nature are inclined to fight Darkspawn like a wolf hunting a deer. Davrin’s nature has been to fight, to hunt; just as Assan’s nature is to hunt Darkspawn. But like Assan, during another companion quest, their nature is also to care. To be gentle — Assan, who brings food to the sick Halla — and Davrin, whose nature of care is extended to Rook and the team, and the thoughtfulness that he uses to care for the future of the Griffons, the future of Thedas, and all the areas encountered by the Gods, the Blight, and the Archdemons. 

Davrin adapts.  He’s very rough and tumble (the guy fought a hurlock, broke four ribs and cracked his jaw, got up and then drove a blade through the thing’s skull), but he also comes from places of care, hence why he makes his whittled figures of monsters and is working on an accurate bestiary as a warrior and hunter, not a mage. 

It is also important to note another title Davrin not only earns but self-proclaims, is that of a parent. He states that “parent” is a scary word. (“I’m supposed to be his bodyguard”), but I’m inclined to go with Varric’s advice - if the decision isn’t easy, it means you’re taking it seriously.  He then later proclaims himself, with confidence, that “I’m his (Assan)’s father.”  Davrin’s proclamation as a parent, and a good one at that, strays away from the absent Black father stereotype that is prominent in media, which is rooted in system practices during enslavement where the father was removed to divide up and destroy the Black family.  

Davrin is confident in hunting the darker things in the world, but he doubts how well he can care for a Griffon. It’s the questions asked by a first-time parent, with no manual, and the only thing that a child, or in this case, a Griffon, asks for is to be loved and embraced. 

This is something that we learn that Davrin experienced through Eldrin, who taught him to appreciate nature, embraced Davrin’s desire to leave the clan to find his place in the world, and who reminded him to embrace the light as much as Davrin fights the darkness (to find balance).  In turn, Davrin is reminded by Rook and states himself that he’ll “raise Assan to create a world where the light outshines the dark”. Eldrin told this to a younger Davrin (Eldrin being his uncle figure), and now Davrin tells this to his son, Assan. 

Additionally, Davrin reminds me of my father, a Black man who has a military background, especially when Davrin states, “I can’t be soft on Assan, because the world won’t.” I cannot express how many times I have heard this from my father to my brother, even though my father, like Davrin learned over time that it is alright for them to be soft. 

(Be protective of your child, but also be a safe haven for your child — firm when required, gentle when needed.)

Davrin breaks a form of behavior (the tough father - generational curse seen in Black and POC communities) by allowing Assan to grow and learn in an environment of love and care. Davrin would die for Assan, and he makes that very clear, both in action and dialogue.  In turn, it’s clear Assan loves and is loyal to Davrin (he lays at his feet, always cuddles up to Davrin, and even attacks the Gloom Howler/Isseya to protect Davrin). Davrin even tells Rook to hug Assan for him. This, to me, is the embodiment of the notion of “turlum” - a form of unity. There is respect and love shared by Davrin and Assan, which forms their loyalty to one another and their ability to work as one. 

Davrin fights and becomes more than just the objectification/weaponzation (of the metaphorical blade - of trying to martyr himself to be useful or worth something) and evolves to embrace his personhood, to embracing the unknown, and that his path and development is solely, 100 percent, his own. He goes away from that philosophy mentioned in that one tumblr post from wonderland-mp3: “if U cannot be wanted, I will be needed and if I cannot be needed, let me be used until there’s nothing left of me”.

Appreciation

There’s a lot of reasons to enjoy Davrin, whether it is his handsomeness, his chest, or his nose (his nose is so unapologetically Black; it’s a standout and prominent feature of his, and it is absolutely beautiful) - he was certainly given plenty. However, one of my reasons that I enjoy him is because of the duality of his nature. He is both fierce warrior and gentle spirit. He whittles. That’s a skill that requires an exceptional amount of dedication, patience, and caution, as if you cut too deep, you can splinter the wood, especially for the figures that he makes of the fallen Grey Wardens and of the attention to detail he puts in the ones of the monsters he has fought because he cares about capturing their accuracy for others.  He chops wood when he’s stressed or to clear his head. But every piece of wood he uses, he creates something with. He isn’t wasteful, he makes the wood useful. He puts out his frustration and feelings into the things he creates.

He also is open and unabashed about his feelings. His ability to communicate his feelings is powerful, and deters from the emotionally constipated black man stereotype.  Even when you flirt with him once or twice, he immediately gets the heart and Thrill of the Chase. In my opinion, you earn this status with him faster than the other companions. He makes it very clear that he can be romantically invested in Rook. Even if you don’t choose to pursue him romantically, he is still a devoted and caring friend towards Rook. The walks he takes Rook on are moments in which he pulls them away from the Lighthouse or from some intense moment to reconnect to nature. He may use Assan as an “excuse” but he and Rook need those walks just as much.  

He trusts and befriends his team. He comforts Bellara and her grief (on top of the fact that Davrin and Bellara (and an elven Rook) are trying to process this whole revamped narrative of their “gods”, their myths, and place in the world when the entire society has historically mistreated elves) - and their relationship to me, becomes akin to siblings, or close friends.  He bonds with Taash and takes their advice on making sure Assan is getting the nutrients he needs.  Emmrich and Davrin exchange parenting advice. Lucanis and Davrin become drinking buddies. 

Davrin makes people feel seen. 

Now, when you romance him, he is even more transparent about his feelings. He affirms that there’s more than passing glances between him and Rook, that they spend time together at an increasing rate, and he admits that he’s been thinking of a future with them.  He expresses fear and worry - even a bit of anger of all the difficult decisions that Rook has had to do (his anger is not with them, I believe, but with the fact they have the burden) - over Rook. 

He’s good with children - he offers Mila payment in the form of Griffon Kisses post-Weisshaupt.  He’s also funny and silly (this man tells that the Gingerwort Truffle tea made Rook pee for the rest of the day).

He’s also mindful, tactical and intentional. While hunting the Gloom Howler, during the second part of the quest, aka The Cauldron, Rook may suggest they go after the Gloom Howler/or that she got away. However, you see Davrin state that it is okay, they’re not in a position to hunt her as they don’t truly know what she is, and it is dangerous to hunt something whose nature is not known.  He then solicits help in finding out what or who the Gloom Howler is after allowing Emmrich to discern the nature of the cloth that Assan managed to tear from the Gloom Howler. 

[Spoilers will continue in the next paragraph.] 

(Spoilers: they find out that it is an elf, a former Grey Warden.) 

In his pursuit of knowledge,  Davrin discovers that the Gloom Howler is actually a former elven Grey Warden named Isseya who, during the 4th Blight, was ordered to blight the griffons so that they could not be useful to anyone else after going rabid on the Wardens who were using them to fight in the 4th Blight. (If you want to know more about Isseya, please read Dragon Age: Last Flight).  

Even when he’s mad at the Gloom Howler for kidnapping the Griffons, he takes time to find out who or what she is— and then reminds her of her own humanity as an appeal to try and get her to stop before he puts her out of her misery because she’s basically been blighted and immortal for 500 years and living with that horror of her orders which has driven her mad. 

[SPOILERS OVER.]

He is socially and emotionally intelligent. If you take him on Harding’s companion quest to Kal-Sharok, he is able to greet Stalgard in dwarven, after Stalgard greets him as well. I also consider his ability to place his personal feelings aside in how he reviews Solas’s memories during the quest Regrets of the Dread Wolf, and to empathize where Solas was coming from in some of his decision making as a sign of emotional intelligence.  He states that if he had an opportunity to forever end the blight like Solas did, or even though he did - he would take it, just as Solas had. (This is a paraphrasing, please don’t eat me alive.) Then, reviewing Solas’s regrets, 

Davrin also can acknowledge when he’s wrong. He grows. He has strong opinions on Lucanis, granted, these are emphasized by the incident at Weisshaupt when he is in mourning, processing, and going through the stages of grief of arguably one of the only places he’s considered home since he’s left his clan. However, if you check on him after the argument - he states that Rook should check on Lucanis, and that the shot Lucanis took at Ghilan’nain was “incredible”. He then later tells Lucanis that no one can do what Lucanis can do in regards to taking down Ghilan’nain. 

He’s a man of action. If you romance him, during the romance scene, he reassures Rook through physical touch - they’ve been stuck in a place alone for 2-3 weeks - and then follows up his physical reassurances with verbal affirmations.   He says “I love you” first to Rook, and while this is probably intentional by the programming - for him to continue being transparent enough to admit I love you in a high tension situation speaks volumes. 

Davrin, in the way that he is written is such a dynamic character and his character growth and arc is arguably one of the more long-lasting ones that I think about from DATV. While I’m not sure the ethnicity of his writer(s), they did a fantastic job embodying this man as an unapologetically and explicitly Black man, with all the nuance and roundness that avoided stereotypical behavior and tropes associated with Black men. 

Final Notes

Davrin was my first romance in DATV, and arguably, if I could romance him every time, I absolutely would (however, I’m curious about the other romances, but I am planning another playthrough with my original Rook, Zen, and she will be romancing that man again).  The way he loves is so big. He is the embodiment of to be loved is to be seen (and romancing him and then choosing him for that ending (which in my opinion, shouldn’t have been an option) is absolutely emotionally devastating. But, it confirms what I say: “You saw me, and I saw you”). His devotion (because that man is locked in) is phrased in “wherever you are, there I am”. 

The AMA erasing him and saying that it is Assan that makes the ending so devastating on a level that equates to Harding is a very bad take. Not because it erases his personhood (which is the purpose of his entire companion quest), but also because Assan is a part of him, but he is what you are offered first, Assan is the added bonus.  Additionally, reducing his character to “just the jock” is also in poor taste because a) the jock character is obviously Taash (they literally have weight-lifting equipment in their room) and b) he is so much more than just that, and he is a very gentle character. 

[ MORE SPOILERS BTW ]

(Also, arguably, his scene as a result of leading the second team is so much more worse than Harding’s, in my opinion, because he didn’t even get a fighting chance, and Harding’s status is different than his (MIA vs. Fallen Hero with the disclosure they couldn’t find his remains)

[ SPOILERS OVER ] 

I loved my experience romancing him and playing as a Veil Jumper Rook because he gives banter like “Not bad for a Veil Jumper” even without romancing him. It’s funny, it’s comradery, it is warmth. He jokes with Neve about her assessment on Rook.  

He doesn’t forget his roots and where he comes from, and this is why I propose that Davrin, the Grey Warden, but also the man that he is, is the proclimaiton of the future and change of Thedas at large. He knows he’s an elf (but he states, I’m not a spirit (like the ancient elves), he grows to represent the change of the Grey Wardens. We see this in the flowers found by Rook, Evka, and Antoine under all the Blight that begin to grow in the Wetlands. We see this in how Flynn, the healer from Lavendel, uses the Blight to sense it in their patients; we see it in the changes of the Calling and how for some Wardens in the midst of their hearing the call - it stopped. We see it in the narrative end of the Blight (“the Blight to End all Blights” because no more archdemons = no more gods = no more elven god related blight); we hear it from Antoine who says the song of the Blight is changing and healing. 

This man is built up to be a narrative parallel of the light and hope that comes with the changes in the Grey Wardens, the Elves, and the world of Thedas at large (without the Blight), and I stand by that. Not only do the Griffons represent change, and the Grey Wardens changing their purpose, but Davrin is the light that leads the way for a greater and more positive future for Thedas, in all of his parts that make him whole, connecting Thedas’s past and flaws, to the prospects of a better future.  And for that, DATV told an incredibly powerful story through him (and his beautiful brown eyes).

If you managed to read all of this, I appreciate you. <3 If you liked this, I yap a lot on twitter, bluesky, and elsewhere, and draw doodles and things of my ocs (including my rook zen, davrin, and my solavellen) plus gladio from FFXV (and my oc, persephone). Please feel free to drop into my DMs or inbox!!

[aibafiles]

Deciphering the invaders' language in the Hundred Line demo

After playing the hundred line demo recently, I gathered up any screenshots I could of the script the invaders use and I believe I've managed to decode all of it so far, so I wanted to share my findings here! I'll put the rest under the cut for anyone who wants to avoid it—I don't think anything I've translated so far would reveal any huge plot twists, but the game certainly doesn't expect you to be able to understand it.

Note: I'm aware that the demo has been datamined and there is plaintext of these lines, but I do not want corrections or confirmation based on this. I like piecing this together based on what the game has presented, nothing more!

Below the cut: translations of dialogue and UI text, character charts and other observations, and an analysis of the spoken language as well! (warning: long)

First things first, this language is a very straightforward kana-only Japanese in a different script. I started with the text under each main menu option, so let's look at these:

"Press any button" はじめる Hajimeru Start

The : mark next to the second character functions just like dakuten—the base character is し (shi), which becomes voiced to make じ (ji).

"New Game" はじめから Hajime kara From start

"Continue" つづきから Tsuzuki kara From next

"Load" きろくから Kiroku kara From

Pretty straightforward—I got stuck here for way too long because I thought these were -masu verbs and then nothing else made sense, oops.

"Gallery" せってい Settei Settings

"Settings" がろう Garou Gallery

"End Game" しゅうりょう Shuuryou End

Another sticking point here—the text on settings and gallery are actually switched. One danger of putting a fake language in your game is that you risk not being able to read it and messing it up in places (hi Metaphor), and though it's not really critical, this is not the only goof so far. (EDIT: This has been patched!)

Note that the smaller characters here are are reflected in the script as well, like the っ in せってい.

Cutscene dialogue

The subtitles for our commander's transformation cutscene, and a rough translation:

いだいなほしのかみよ… Idai na hoshi no kami yo... God of a great star(/planet)...

われにちからをあたえよ…！ Ware ni chikara wo atae yo...! Grant me power...!

むげんたい…！！ Mugentai...!! Eternal body...!!

ぼくは…「ちつじょのけしん」むゔゔむ… Boku wa... [Chitsujo no Keshin] Muvuvumu... I am... the [Avatar of Order] Muvuvumu... (MVVM?)

This was the section I struggled the most with, so there could be inaccuracies, but I'm reasonably confident in most of it.

Post-Battle Dialogue

Here's the very straightforward part:

こ、ころさないで… Ko-korosanaide... D-Don't kill me...

ゆるしてください Yurushite kudasai... Please forgive me...

おねがい…たすけて… Onegai... tasukete... Please... spare me... (or help me, but spare felt most fitting in this context)

And that's about everything we have so far! Here are my very janky kana charts, one for the script and one for the spoken language:

The most obvious observation is that the general shape seems to indicate the vowel sound, and the extra swoopy bits indicate the consonant, though some vowels are more consistent than others.

There's a general pattern among each consonants as well—N-shapes have loops or curls, S-shapes have angular lines that hook over the vowel shape, pure vowels have tiny loops, etc, but there aren't clear-cut enough patterns to extrapolate the rest of the language yet. Luckily I think there's enough so far that any remaining characters won't be too hard to place.

Let's talk about the spoken component as well! Notably, the commander is dubbed differently in English and Japanese, but both voice actors seem to be reading the same set of syllables, which gave me more sample data to work with, because they inflect their vowels a little differently. Like the written language, each kana has a 1:1 replacement syllable, but the nature of these syllables changes the cadence of the sentences when spoken.

The above chart is transcribed to the best of my ability, but it's possible I got a few sounds wrong, and I can't quite make out what the tsu in chitsujo is through the voice filter. I'm considering replaying the demo with the music and sound effects off to pick these voice lines out, and if I do, I'll edit this post and drop a reply noting it! There are also some unsubbed battle voice lines I'm curious about.

What's really interesting to me is how these new syllables interact with dakuten. Plenty of unvoiced consonants are replaced with voiced ones, or the other way around—but there are a few, like ta (now tu) and te (now se). When the Japanese script uses dakuten, the new syllables get voiced too, becoming du and ze. This tripped me up a bit, and it does cause some confusing duplicates (ku is already pronounced du), but it's fascinating that it bleeds through into the new pronunciation.

One other thing I noticed when analyzing these voice lines is that the English dub of the transformation cutscene straight up uses the wrong audio clip for the final line. The Japanese audio matches the syllable count, and those syllables match up with the ones we've heard in the other voice lines, but the English line seems to have too many syllables, and doesn't match at all. JP starts with "diduwa..." and EN starts with something like "mozoku en." I'm wondering if it's possible to reverse engineer this to figure out the original line, but that's another thing that would need scrutiny from a voice-only recording.

Misc. Observations

These little guys have the character for "o" on their faces! Also pronounced "ga" in the invaders' language.

I'm really intrigued by this graffiti on the walls when Takumi chases Karua into the abandoned school district, because this game is full of Japanese graphic text in the environments, so this can't be a case of generic unreadable background text—but it doesn't quite fit the invader script, either. A few shapes sort of match the characters if you rotate or invert them different ways, but I can't parse anything readable out of this. There are repeated shapes, like the topmost "word" in the first two images that appears to be the same, but written with slightly different strokes, so I have to assume there's meaning to it. Not sure what that is, but I wanted to include it in this post just in case.

Thanks for reading! this game is going to drive me insane

[artsekey]

I'd been seeing videos on Tiktok and Youtube about how younger Gen Z & Gen Alpha were demonstrating low computer literacy & below benchmark reading & writing skills, but-- like with many things on the internet-- I assumed most of what I read and watched was exaggerated. Hell, even if things were as bad as people were saying, it would be at least ~5 years before I started seeing the problem in higher education.

I was very wrong.

Of the many applications I've read this application season, only %6 percent demonstrated would I would consider a college-level mastery of language & grammar. The students writing these applications have been enrolled in university for at least two years, and have taken all fundamental courses. This means they've had classes dedicated to reading, writing, and literature analysis, and yet!

There are sentences I have to read over and over again to discern intent. Circular arguments that offer no actual substance. Errors in spelling and capitalization that spellcheck should've flagged.

At a glance, it's easy to trace this issue back to two things:

The state of education in the United States is abhorrent. Instructors are not paid enough, so schools-- particularly public schools-- take whatever instructors they can find.

COVID. The two year long gap in education, especially in high school, left many students struggling to keep up.

But I think there's a third culprit-- something I mentioned earlier in this post. A lack of computer literacy.

This subject has been covered extensively by multiple news outlets like the Washington Post and Raconteur, but as someone seeing it firsthand I wanted to add my voice to the rising chorus of concerned educators begging you to pay attention.

As the interface we use to engage with technology becomes more user friendly, the knowledge we need to access our files, photos, programs, & data becomes less and less important. Why do I need to know about directories if I can search my files in Windows (are you searching in Windows? Are you sure? Do you know what that bar you're typing into is part of? Where it's looking)? Maybe you don't have any files on your computer at all-- maybe they're on the cloud through OneDrive, or backed up through Google. Some of you reading this may know exactly where and how your files are stored. Many of you probably don't, and that's okay. For most people, being able to access a file in as short a time as possible is what they prioritize.

The problem is, when you as a consumer are only using a tool, you are intrinsically limited by the functions that tool is advertised to have. Worse yet, when the tool fails or is insufficient for what you need, you have no way of working outside of that tool. You'll need to consult an expert, which is usually expensive.

When you as a consumer understand a tool, your options are limitless. You can break it apart and put it back together in just the way you like, or you can identify what parts of the tool you need and search for more accessible or affordable options that focus more on your specific use-case.

The problem-- and to be clear, I do not blame Gen Z & Gen Alpha for what I'm about to outline-- is that this user-friendly interface has fostered a culture that no longer troubleshoots. If something on the computer doesn't work well, it's the computer's fault. It's UI should be more intuitive, and it it's not operating as expected, it's broken. What I'm seeing more and more of is that if something's broken, students stop there. They believe there's nothing they can do. They don't actively seek out solutions, they don't take to Google, they don't hop on Reddit to ask around; they just... stop. The gap in knowledge between where they stand and where they need to be to begin troubleshooting seems to wide and inaccessible (because the fundamental structure of files/directories is unknown to many) that they don't begin.

This isn't demonstrative of a lack of critical thinking, but without the drive to troubleshoot the number of opportunities to develop those critical thinking skills are greatly diminished. How do you communicate an issue to someone online? How do look for specific information? How do you determine whether that information is specifically helpful to you? If it isn't, what part of it is? This process fosters so many skills that I believe are at least partially linked to the ability to read and write effectively, and for so many of my students it feels like a complete non-starter.

We need basic computer classes back in schools. We need typing classes, we need digital media classes, we need classes that talk about computers outside of learning to code. Students need every opportunity to develop critical thinking skills and the ability to self-reflect & self correct, and in an age of misinformation & portable technology, it's more important now than ever.

[aaamike]

I didn’t notice it when I first read it and later watched it, but Yuji’s is the only person in the Jujutsu teams who is actually excited and motivated to help others. It small but it’s one of the MAAAAANY things that separate him from many other Jujutsu sorcerers.

[angst-and-fajitas]

Aside from the obvious Hatsune MISTku and blue-hair-and-pronouns jokes, I think there's actually some interesting analysis to be made around the peculiarity of MIST taking a humanoid form for her digital avatar when she's literally the only CI we see do that

I think there's something to be said about her gaining more connection to humanity through her connections to Maddie and Dave, and also digging through Caspian's memories, I personally believe her choice to adopt a humanoid avatar was in large part due to the political environment of the cloud.

As the very first CI ever, MIST is basically the representative for her entire people. And as we see from TAE-O (the big head UI) in the last two episodes, the attitude of the UIs towards the CIs is positively discriminatory. They don't value the CIs inputs nearly as much as those of UIs, they seemingly create billions of them on whim with no thought for caring for them or considering them family, and the CIs are aren't allotted the same processing power as UIs are, leaving billions on billions of them locked in stasis, effectively comatose, to give more processing power to the UIs.

When MIST talks to Caspian about the CI space program (lol), it's clear that she has a pretty bleak perspective on the CIs continuing to be treated as second-class citizens and "burdens" if they stay on earth, to the point that the CIs are planning to just start leaving Earth for good.

Faced with a cloud that refused to recognize them as full people, whether consciously or unconsciously, I believe that MIST chose a humanoid form to try and appeal to the UIs and UI admins as a political move--to try and make them see her as a person, not an alien being, to try and get them to respect her and take her more seriously.

Which is INTERESTING to me, because this also means that the UIs are treating the CIs a lot like the embodied humans treat/treated them. The UIs might think they're above the humans, more ethical, more evolved, but they're repeating the exact same mistakes--the endless struggle of "us VS them" that Olivia warned about.