#Algorithmic constraints

[krissym72]

Where Does AI Art Get Its Images?

AI-generated art stands at the intersection of technology and creativity, captivating audiences with its mesmerizing visuals and thought-provoking concepts. Yet, beneath the surface of these digital masterpieces lies a fundamental question that resonates with both artists and enthusiasts alike: where do these creations derive their imagery from? Delving into the origins of AI art unveils a…

[rioblitzle]

i guess im not too involved in the zelda fandom cause seeing a post about rabid totk defenders is wild to me. from my perspective people were singing that game's praises for 2 months total before it fell to the "popular game bad actually" criticism wave and i don't think i've seen anyone say positive things about totk since then lmfao

[prokopetz]

Don't forget that you specifically want the unlocalised Japanese ROM so that you can apply a fan-made English translation patch published in 1998 by a guy with a dick joke for a screen handle because the official localisation was delayed for 20 years due to licensing issues and totally butchers the script by removing all the late 1990s pop culture references.

whenever you ask your friend who’s really into JRPGs “hey which one do i start with is the newest one fine” they always go “no, what you gotta do is head on over to ebay and look up the entry that completely bombed commercially. You’ll see that it goes for $800. Close ebay. Download an emulator for a console no younger than 17 years old. Download the ROM, and also this laundry list of various tweaks, retextures, and QoL tweaks. Pull up this exact spoiler-free guide put up a decade ago from GameFAQs, and you’ll experience the best game this series has to offer.” Like???

[uzairmansoor1]

what is Non-linear machine learning optimization

Non-linear machine learning optimization focuses on finding optimal parameters for models with complex, non-linear relationships between inputs and outputs. It uses techniques like gradient descent, genetic algorithms, and simulated annealing. These methods are vital for tasks like image recognition and natural language processing, ensuring improved model performance and accuracy.

[improbable-implosions]

The funny thing about this video is, it's a reveal of a big bad who's game has just completely dissolved! I actually really enjoy doing solo ttrpg set in Camellia, my d&d homebrew, but I do have concerns on occasion, that without the background understanding of the world at large, some of the reveals and choices I'm making lack the proper weight!

(Also, surprise, I'm gonna be posting some short video clips from my streams! You get one a day, and this is what we're starting with! Enjoy!)

[clonewarsahsoka]

I'm slowly becoming interested in computer science >.<

[erisweekofficial]

Another week done! Tonight let's unwind by giving @ceoofyearning all our love 🧡

Check out her Mafia AU fic half algorithm, half deity! It's the perfet combo of smutty and angsty. We're taking notes over here!!

Read on to learn more about Mira's thought's on the Vanserras and what reality show Eris is participating in 👀

What drew you to Eris x OC as opposed to other Eris ships?

The main appeal of Eris x OC/Reader, for me at least, is the creative freedom. With an OC, I can explore different character dynamics and backstories without the constraint of lore or fan expectations. Also, I’m still new to the fandom, and I get a bit anxious about whether I’m interpreting the characters well. Character x OC is closer to my comfort zone and the immersive quality of these stories is a fun little bonus. But I’m also a fan of other ships with Eris, particularly Azris and Neris! I’d definitely love to write for these ships in the future.

How do you interpret Eris's relationships with his family?

There is still a lot we don’t know about Eris and much of his relationship with his family has been left as subtext. I’m definitely no expert and this is just my personal interpretation of their dynamic. I imagine living in that household is a constant balancing act. Beron has been cast in a cruel light, and I suspect he would be an even crueler father. He’s uncompromising, unforgiving, and the only traits he tolerates in his children are those that mirror his own. Eris resents him and fears him, but his father’s approval and being indispensable to Beron are necessary for continued survival. In a culture where sibling rivalry is encouraged and fratricide is expected, it would be near impossible for Eris to build a deep and meaningful relationship with his siblings. Whether they’ve inherited their father’s sadistic tendencies or are just reluctant participants, these siblings can never truly trust each other. They’re all in survival mode. I don’t believe that Eris would hurt any of his siblings unprovoked, but as the eldest living son and prospective heir, he has to maintain their respect - even if that means keeping them at arm's length and constantly keeping himself in check. Despite all that, I suspect Eris has a soft spot for his mother and Lucien. He would try to protect them in his subtle way.

What inspired you to tackle a Mafia AU featuring Eris?

I've always been a big fan of AUs since it gives us a chance to explore our favorite characters outside canon. I feel like Eris, with his cunning and moral ambiguity, would be fun to see in the dark and cutthroat world of a Mafia AU.

If you could cast Eris on a reality tv show, which one would it be and why?

I want to see Eris and Az or Eris and Nesta in The Amazing Race. They’d either beat everyone in record time or end up at each other's throats.

[approximateknowledge]

had the most belated realisation

ok so, we know that the GGO character generator is "random", but that in practice it has a real knack to give people the avatar that fits them best (see: ggo spinoff). we also know from the LN that this *does* in fact also involve transing people's gender inside the game on rare occasions

^but notice that *almost*? (from volume 5)

well turns out this *doesn't* apply to ALO!

^see that: chose (from volume 3)

and here's the thing: the GGO avatar is directly converted from the ALO one, with stats and stuff getting transferred over with it. including avatar gender

so what's a poor egg-dar character generation algorithm to do in such a situation?

why you make the avatar as girl as possible within the constraints of course!

the only reason the GGO avatar isn't fully a girl is because it's a converted account her dense egg ass forcibly locked out of it

thank you for coming to my ted-talk

[good-to-drive]

I'm writing a linear programming algorithm to create the optimal beatles playlist under various constraints (this is for school I'm not just doing it for the hell of it) and I think it's about damn time someone admitted the best possible Beatles playlist is 69 plays of Wild Honey Pie followed by 0.15 plays of Her Majesty

[starshipqstar]

On a supportive queer fandom, community, and making our first ever animation

Making the Starship Q Star animation has largely been wonderful - we got to make a show we love and learnt a LOT. As two writers new to producing the format (Lauren had only written for kids animation) - it was a huge learning curve. A learning cliff if you will. Whilst we had to cut a lot out for time and budget, we're really proud of how they turned out within the constraints. And by the end? Lauren and I coloured most of the final episode and I did all the compositing and VFX myself (all in Toon Boom Harmony - a program neither of us had used a few months before).

Animation is also still a bit of a boys club - so we committed to finding a design and animation team that was diverse as possible, and reflected what the project was about. I'm proud to say that we managed that (out of our cast & crew of 24, only 3 were cis-men - and most were queer). We also gave opportunities to diverse creatives who hadn't had jobs in the industry before - and have since seen some of them use the experience to get more paid work. You simply love to see it! All of the cast and crew are incredibly special and brought amazing things to the show - an absolute dream team.

It hasn't been easy at all - animation is a LOT of work, and the budget didn't allow for all the support we probably needed, so it was months of unpaid work for the two if us, and a number of weeks working 15-20 hour days to get it done. But we bloody well did it!

But since the show has been out, it's been a bit of a... reality check? Having been immersed in the audio drama community with Starship thus far - we perhaps got a little too used to how incredible supportive (and perhaps queer?) everyone is.

Another animation project is part of the same initiative as we are, and it was one of the first projects released. The creator is a really lovely and talented guy who has made a special show we really enjoyed. His show went kind of viral - which is AWESOME! It's great! However due to his experience on certain other projects... some of the fans of his show... aren't necessarily our audience? And the nature of the initiative means only some projects get chosen to make more.

The first comment on YouTube a few minutes after the Ep 1 of Starship Q Star was published was "make more [the other show]". Then our socials started getting homophobic and really negative comments (and trust me I have spent a long time curating that tiktok algorithm lol). At first I thought it was weird or maybe it was just because we were being shared by a third party so the wrong audience were finding us - but then they also included comments like "[the other show] is better".

I honestly find it odd that some fans take it upon themselves to do stuff like this. Making art is hard! And liking one thing better than something else doesn't mean you have to actively hate that something else! There's room for us all to succeed (well, once we take care of that pesky thing called capitalism). And maybe remember that when it's an indie project the people who made the thing are usually the ones running the socials lol.

We are so grateful to have had so many incredible people love and champion the show in both audio and animated format. And we feel so lucky to be a part of both the queer and audio drama community (yes I know that venn diagram is a circle) - it truly is such a special supportive environment that lifts one other up.

Anyway, I'll probably delete this (way too earnest - eww) but thanks to all the lovely ones out there. We really love and appreciate all of you and all the nice comments and messages and shares. Means the world!

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Hi. I hope you don't find this weird. I've never met you before. But your words about kpop and BTS has always brought me comfort and clarity. I've been reading your blog for the last few days looking to see if you will clearly address it. You haven't written about your own view about Jimin's mistreatment and sabotage since it happened. But you have acknowledged it happened. You also reiterate how yoonmin is still in control. I respect you for that. But can you share your own view and feelings about this issue more? Billboard is clearly anti-BTS and hedging their actions by using Bang PD who it seems was interviewed by them long before the Jimin thing happened. You've said this before. You've also said BTS have said they won't play the music game the conventional way. But you haven't said how you feel about it. I want to ask for your genuine opinion.

***

Hi Anon,

Last night, I was finishing up some work I'd brought forward because of Agust D's tour. Set Me Free Pt 2 was playing on my speakers and I thought how good it would sound on radio. Alone, too. It's a crime that with the kind of music BTS makes, people are deprived of hearing it simply because the middle men of the US music industry refuse to renege on their mandatory cut.

Fifty Fifty is a group with good and extremely marketable songs. Their agency's co-founder stated he intends to make the female BTS, and he said he sold his car to make the dream of Fifty Fifty happen. It all sounds wonderful until you learn the CEO and other co-founder is the COO of Beyond Music - the largest music IP investment firm in Korea. It is bigger than HYBE's department for that. Not only that, the CEO sits on the executive board of Warner Music Korea, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. He also runs an actors agency that manages several high profile k-drama actors in Korea. Basically, Fifty Fifty has been partnered and owned by some of the biggest entertainment companies not just in Korea, but globally. The group broke out on TikTok with Cupid and enjoyed organic success, much like NewJeans. As a result it was added to several Spotify-curated playlists that run on a proprietary algorithm, and like NewJeans' songs, Cupid climbed up the charts because it's an easy-listening poppy tune. The difference between NewJeans and Fifty Fifty though, is that Warner Group has now adopted formal co-management of Fifty Fifty and Cupid will be officially sent to radio. Warner artists get a stupid amount of radioplay. It's going to be a wonderful thing for Fifty Fifty, and it's very likely that with that sort of support, they get a Billboard Hot 100 #1 win.

There are many times BigHit fucks up with BTS. The issues of insulting subtitles (in Korean) towards Jimin and Yoongi occasionally piss me off; Jimin's stolen mail, the weirdo stalking Jungkook; how inconsistent shipping is (if there's a production bottleneck with a sub-contractor they should quickly change it), are all annoying; it's very possible some members of staff are anti several members because weird shit has been happening since HYBE's massive hiring of ex-Big 3 staff in 2020; and so on. But unfortunately many of those things are to be expected. I too wish Jimin had longer time to promote FACE, but both he and Yoongi had initially planned to release their albums late last year, but neither of them met their deadlines and instead moved it to Spring. The timing for their albums was always going to be close, and I'm sure booking tour venues as well as meeting enlistment deadlines only added to their constraints. I quickly got over my initial annoyance because it's clear both Jimin and Yoongi have accepted it. Plus the bigger problem is the industry's response to BTS.

Because of the sort of group BTS is, they will always have enemies. Their status as the biggest group in the world has only complicated things in many ways, especially when it comes to BigHit publicly and corporately addressing unfair treatment towards them. People already think BTS do not deserve their status and goodluck, do you think those people give a fuck if Billboard and Western music industry is screwing BTS over? No, they don't. And every party in this equation knows that. BTS has also said, since as early as 2017, that if they wanted to become massively successful sooner, they could've done so. Those opportunities came to them. In 2018 when BTS made history with Fake Love on the Billboard Hot 100, they could've signed with an American company like Warner, gotten carried by radio, and you and I would be having a very different discussion right now.

*

I don't know what the future will hold. Maybe BTS has in fact peaked and when they return after enlistment the world would've moved on to a better, hotter, more marketable artist. Maybe their bodies, interests, and priorities would have changed irreversibly. Maybe...

But I look at a group like BTS, and I don't care about any of that.

(The boys all signed Yoongi's guitar. It's his solo concert tour debut and they're all with him. He's taking comfort in them all being with him, and sharing some of that comfort with us.)

Anyway, I've rambled. You asked me what my feelings are about the whole thing?

I feel pride. That's what I feel looking at this whole situation. A NCTzen friend asked my opinion about it too, I told her the same thing, and she said this is probably one trait I share with my biases, that's shining through. I feel such a strong sense of pride looking at Jimin, at Yoongi, at BTS. Even if they eventually decide to play the industry's game with their rules, my respect for them won't change. Who they are as people, and as artists, make tolerating the hellscape that is stan environments much more palatable. They make putting up with bullshit from this industry, much more doable.

When I first learned about Jimin's week 2 sales being deleted, I checked US stock exchanges to see if Billboard's parent company was listed. I was prepared to short the stock. The minute I realized it was owned by a private company, and when I saw the owner, I knew we were fucked. I continued donating for the sales though. I'm not American so I couldn't buy, so the donations were the next most direct way to support.

BTS could very well never reach again the heights they reached before enlistment. But I don't care. I've been listening to some of the best music I've ever heard in my life since July 2022. Yoongi in Valentino, Hobi in Louis Vuitton, Joon in Bottega Veneta, Jimin in Dior, Jungkook in Calvin Klein - it's been a feast. Jikook are jikooking harder than ever before like I still haven't gotten over the birthday video JK made for Jimin. Like what the fuck was that?

BTS are some of the most incredible people to ever exist. They say they trust each other and their team. I'm keeping my eyes wide open to assess the situation for myself always, while never losing sight of why I'm here in the first place: to enjoy myself with them and the art they make. I'll try Jungkook's recipes sometime soon, and neither Jimin nor Yoongi's music has left my current rotation. I'm going to see Yoongi soon. With all that's happening in the world, it feels like a priviledge to have the means to enjoy being a fan of BTS. Not many people get to experience this, to not just hear their music but to have this connection with them. If you doubt that just watch the Amygdala music video. With BTS there's a trust that can be felt, and I don't take it for granted.

That's how I feel Anon.

[boopiddyboop]

Jeong Yunho Natal Chart Reading

Well well well look what the cat dragged in… It’s me. I’m cat. I meant to have this out by the time Bouncy dropped, but considering promotions just wrapped yesterday (Correction: My power went out as I was typing this, so now it’s two days), it’s fair to say I missed that mark by a bit. I’m excited to get to Aries #2, who is a whole different flavor than Seonghwa is.

Full Disclaimer: Most of my knowledge is by traditional astrology, which involves but is not limited to: using whole signs, excluding Uranus-Pluto for natal charts, different sign rulers, and different planetary interpretations.  Astrology is subjective by nature; I do not think my way is best, simply that this is the version of interpretation that makes the most sense to me. This is not a professional service, simply a hobby meant for entertainment purposes only.  Feel free to disagree with or question my conclusions.

Placements:

Sun: Aries - 6th house

Moon: Gemini - 8th house

Mercury: Pisces - 5th house

Venus: Taurus - 7th house

Mars: Scorpio - 1st house

Jupiter: Aries - 6th house

Saturn: Taurus - 7th house

Ascendant: Scorpio

Midheaven: Leo - 10th house

North Node: Leo - 10th house

Starting strong, we have a Scorpio Ascendant be ruled by a Mars in Scorpio. I commented on my initial thoughts post that Yunho is the member I’d be most hesitant to piss off, and it’s mainly this placement. Scorpio Mars is a fighter, and in the first house, it's shining nice and loud. Complimenting this is his Sun in Aries. It's also an exalted placement- there’s just a lot working well here to give him a strong sense of identity.

Look at that warrior energy. Don't poke the bear, I swear.

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It’s an opposed Taurus in Venus! If Libra in Venus is all about arts and beauty, then Taurus in Venus is her domestic sister. And that’s an excellent word to describe how this is affecting Yunho- while those Scorpio placements might make him selfish, the Taurus, especially in the 7th, is balancing him back. Interestingly, his Saturn in Taurus is also placed here and conjunct Venus as well. Very much constraint in relationships, especially in expressing affection. The Taurus element helps it from being tsundere, but it’s no surprise looking at this that when one thinks of his interpersonal dynamics , it’s often the others expressing it verbally and him getting flustered/shy when they're more direct about it. 

Speaking of verbage, we segue now to his Mercury in Pisces. Pisces Mercuries tend to help misdirect that Aries Sun energy, which is why I think someone like Seonghwa comes off much more Martian in nature. It’s also square that Moon in Gemini he’s got in the 8th house. Seriously, he’s much more an “acts of service” guy, as opposed to “words of affirmation”, if you catch my drift. Or a good gift giver, with that Jupiter in Aries in the 6th house as well. (That Jupiter is also a good sign of his drive for success, as Aries is all go-getter, cardinal energy.)

Final thoughts: Taurus really saved this boy from being too imposing a figure. The energy across his chart seems rather balanced, although not always well, and if you can handle someone who’s a little more "show, don’t tell", then Yunho may be the bias for you.

Fun fact: my tiktok algorithm thinks I'm Yunho-biased. I'm holding out truly picking until K-Con

[4denthusiast]

There are several odd things I've heard or seen about the cybertruck: its low-poly design, lack of crumple zones, relatively flimsy construction, weird windshield shape, and of course its name (what's cyber about it?).

All of these can be neatly explained by the hypothesis that it was designed for use not reality, but in a low-quality virtual simulation.

Low poly? Reduces rendering time, simplifies collisions. Also aerodynamics don't matter if there's no air.

No crumple zones? Deformable objects are much more difficult to simulate than rigid ones.

Flimsy construction? If you're using rigid body physics already, this isn't a concern.

Weird windshield? This shape can be much better approximated by a convex shape than most cars, and some algorithms only work for convex bodies. Furthermore, the usual view angle constraints on windshield design can be avoided by just giving the driver a third-person view.

"Cybertruck"? Self explanatory.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Gravitational waves unveil previously unseen properties of neutron stars

A better understanding of the inner workings of neutron stars will lead to a greater knowledge of the dynamics that underpin the workings of the universe and also could help drive future technology, said the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign physics professor Nicolas Yunes. A new study led by Yunes details how new insights into how dissipative tidal forces within double — or binary — neutron star systems will inform our understanding of the universe.

“Neutron stars are the collapsed cores of stars and densest stable material objects in the universe, much denser and colder than conditions that particle colliders can even create,” said Yunes, who also is the founding director of the Illinois Center for Advanced Studies of the Universe. “The mere existence of neutron stars tells us that there are unseen properties related to astrophysics, gravitational physics and nuclear physics that play a critical role in the inner workings of our universe.”

However, many of these previously unseen properties became observable with the discovery of gravitational waves.

“The properties of neutron stars imprint onto the gravitational waves they emit. These waves then travel millions of light-years through space to detectors on Earth, like the advanced European Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and the Virgo Collaboration,” Yunes said. “By detecting and analyzing the waves, we can infer the properties of neutron stars and learn about their internal composition and the physics at play in their extreme environments.”

As a gravitational physicist, Yunes was interested in determining how gravitational waves encode information about the tidal forces that distort the shape of neutron stars and affect their orbital motion. This information also could tell physicists more about the dynamic material properties of the stars, such as internal friction or viscosity, “which might give us insight into out-of-equilibrium physical processes that result in the net transfer of energy into or out of a system,” Yunes said.

Using data from the gravitational wave event identified as GW170817, Yunes, along with Illinois researchers Justin Ripley, Abhishek Hegade and Rohit Chandramouli, used computer simulations, analytical models and sophisticated data analysis algorithms to verify that out-of-equilibrium tidal forces within binary neutron star systems are detectable via gravitational waves. The GW170817 event was not loud enough to yield a direct measurement of viscosity, but Yunes’ team was able to place the first observational constraints on how large viscosity can be inside neutron stars.

The study findings are published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

“This is an important advance, particularly for ICASU and the U. of I.,” Yunes said. “In the '70s, '80s and '90s, Illinois pioneered many of the leading theories behind nuclear physics, particularly those connected to neutron stars. This legacy can continue with access to data from the advanced LIGO and Virgo detectors, the collaborations made possible through ICASU and the decades of nuclear physics expertise already in place here.”

[freewifi-png-exe]

in my work with godot i often have to search up youtube videos to find tutorials on difficult parts of the engine, and as a result, i've got 'gamedev' youtube really pushed onto my recommendations and it is such an odd culture

the videos have that algorithm-optimized mr beast styling to them, and many are from verified channels with tens-to-hundreds of thousands of views. the titles and thumbnails almost never fail to mention money or time constraints, and easily half of the videos refer to "success" or "failure" as a central part of the message.

despite the independent atmosphere, it somehow maintains this commercialized culture of "productivity" and other corporate buzzwords, and its hard to look at. there's no art in sight, just get-rich-quick scheme after get-rich-quick scheme.

i don't mean to act like i'm all better than them, obviously i have no idea what it's like to create a game that tons of people want to play, but i look at the thousands of views on these videos and wonder sometimes: how many of those people are kids who really want to make a game and are being presented with this view that its all about the money? I can't blame anyone for wanting people to play their game, obviously, but I think there is a complete wrong approach being taken here. Down this path, the art loses its essence because 'for fun' and 'messing around' becomes 'making money' and 'being successful and productive' and at that point, you might as well just apply for a job at EA.

im saying all this at the huge risk of sounding pretentious, i know, but im just afraid so many impressionable middle schoolers with an addiction to video games (like i had) will feel pressured to turn their for-fun hobby of just playing games into a Productive, Successful use of time by this culture, and I hate that. If just sitting around playing games makes you happy, then do that! If you really want to get into making your own, do that, but have fun with it!

I don't know, sorry to post such a long ramble I hope it was kind coherent and i didn't come off all pretentious or whatever. I just feel like, as someone who makes bad art and has fun doing it, that's what it's all about! Nobody should be doodling on a paper in the hopes that they end up in the louvre, and for the same reason you shouldn't force commercialization on your other doodles (for me its music and Godot projects). If you make from your heart, I truly believe it is a win-win: other people will be far more interested in what you make, and if you "fail", you won't have any of your dreams shattered anyway, on to the next game; the next band; the next project! :D

[0crooked-arcade0]

Alright, this isn't organized but I just watched Nates video about where things are going from here.

And Honestly? Good for him.

I'm just a small potatoes hobby artist but the weight of feeling chained to algorithms and the court of public opinion, feeling obligated to stay on track with your genre of content despite having a whole slew of other project ideas is tiring.

So hearing that Nate is actually going to be able to step away from the current, brand, I guess? He has set up and actually have the time and ability to venture out and do things he wasn't able to before due to time constraints or whatever else is honestly great.

I've been here for a long time, and despite only now stepping out into having an actual blog and doing what I genuinely want to, starting creative projects and shitposting like nobody's business, it's nice to see creators I practically grew with be able to take time to do the things they want to.

So stay fresh, keep on what you wanna do, and throw yourself into a shelf, you too, have time to do the things you want to.