Creatively Squared is a visual content production platform for modern marketing teams. Companies like P&G, Unilever, Heineken and Google use our platform to maximise their content budget and create original photos and videos at scale. As an alternative to traditional agencies, we satisfy always-on photo and video needs for any market, delivering authentic visuals in half the time and at a fraction of the cost. Unlike influencer platforms we focus solely on high quality content production for marketers to use across your owned and paid media, vetting our content creators on their creative skills rather than follower counts. Our customers use Creatively Squared to: - Increase social engagement by 2-4x with authentic content that's relevant to each channel - Improve their e-commerce conversions with engaging lifestyle visuals - Provide performance marketing teams with a wide variety of creative assets to optimise results - Create localised campaigns across multiple cities and countries - Increase the diversity of their visual marketing by working with a global network of creators - Produce custom image banks for less than the cost of stock providers Creatively Squared simplifies your content production process through our easy to use platform and global network of talented creators. We’ve helped our customers: - Cut production time from months to weeks - Save time with our full service, simple to brief content creation solution - Generate 15x more content with their existing production budgets Creatively Squared was founded in Australia in 2017 and now supports hundreds of brands across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific. Our purpose is to turn creative passion into opportunity. We never ask anyone to work for free, nor will we pay in exposure, products or anything else that doesn’t pay the bills. When our creatives succeed, our customers succeed and we are committed to enabling independent creators around the world to make a living doing what they love.

Creatively Squared

The spaceport was nearly empty. In fact, Jack was not 100% sure there was any other organic life currently at this spaceport. Jack was way out in the Oort Cloud prospecting. There was not a lot out here but robots. In this kind of desolation, automation was the way to make a profit. There were robot guards everywhere, but also customer service bots of every stripe. Jack was not shocked to see he could actually get a very expensive massage from a robot. Jack shook his head on that one and paid for a ticket to Uranus. This spaceport was almost half a parsec from Earth, but the Oort Cloud was now well-trafficked. Ever since the Asteroid Belt had petered out, prospectors had made their way to the Oort Cloud. Fortunes in exotic metals and ores were just floating about waiting to be mined. This meant there were prospectors and miners crisscrossing the vastness in search of that one asteroid that could change their lives. A nuclear-powered spaceport was profitable even this far out. The incredible draw of mineral wealth was irresistible. Gold fever was never in short supply. It meant customers for the spaceport. Jack was just happy there was a shuttle passing by some time in the near future. He felt quite lucky to have gotten to the spaceport in such a timely fashion. The shuttle’s arrival was actually within a few hours. Jack wandered over to the Automat to get some unappetizing but nutritious sustenance. Though there was some amount of atmosphere in the spaceport, it was really not sufficient to breathe. A space suit providing general environmental protection and air to breathe was necessary when prospecting in the Oort Cloud. He also got some fresh water for himself and the suit. “Hey, Earther. You are far from home.” Jack felt a heavy touch on his shoulder. “What the …!” There before him was a squid in a spacesuit. A really big squid in an iridescent suit encasing a large head and ten arms. It was a Europan. The Europans originated on the Jovian moon, Europa. However, their largest population center was actually on Jack’s home planet Earth. The Europans had colonized the planet after the Great Cataclysm that had ravaged the solar system over ten thousand years ago. Humans had not even known the Europans were there for most of those ten thousand years. The Europans being from an ocean planet like Europa had colonized the sea floor. It was only when humans were on the verge of completely destroying the planet that the Europans were forced to reveal themselves. Like Jack, the Europan wore a spacesuit. It was odd to imagine the Europan’s suit being filled with seawater. It was fairly tight but it was filled with seawater. If Jack did not know the Europans lived underwater, it would not have been obvious the suit was filled with water. It was just a different kind of atmosphere. “A game Earther?” asked the giant squid through his translator voice box. He pointed to a table where a chess board was set up. Europans loved the Earth game of chess. Jack looked at the Europan and then the chess board. He had played many games over the years. It annoyed him that Europans tended to be better at a game the human race had invented. “Best two out of three Earther?” The Europan dropped several gold nuggets onto the table. “How has the prospecting been Earther? Can you match this?” Jack thought for a moment. The prospecting had not been good. If he lost the match, going home was much less attractive. “You have a clock?” After a moment he added, “…squid.” The Europan eyes glowed a bit at being called a squid. “My name is Xlatn and I do have a clock.” He extended a tentacle and then added, “…dirt-boy.” Jack smiled. He took no great offense. He had started it after all. The Europans slang for Earthers stemmed from their amusement at the humans naming their planet after a synonym for dirt. The Europans had an unpronounceable name for the planet Earth which translated to New Europa. Well if there was a clock then Jack thought he might have a chance. The Europans tended to be smarter on average than Earthers but not super quick thinkers. Jack’s experience told him he could goad the Europan into a fast time control to give himself a chance. He was going to need every advantage he could get. He reached into his pocket and matched the three gold nuggets the Europan had placed on the table. “My name is Jack and it is nice to meet you Xlatn.” He shook the squid’s tentacle. “Five minutes a side”, said Jack but the Europan had a counter offer. “No Jack, I would prefer one twenty-fourth of your planet’s rotation.” At least that was how the voice translator relayed it to Jack but he understood this to mean one hour for each side. Jack knew he needed to win this match or he would barely have enough gold to get home on the shuttle. In fact, if he lost he might as well turn around and go back out. “No, I need 1/48th of Earth’s rotation to be lured into this match. Take it or leave it.” Jack said firmly “Fine!” Jack asked, “Xlatn, am I white or black?” Knowing it was generally done by holding pawns of each color in closed hands and offering them to the opponent to choose. Jack wanted to portray himself as an inexperienced player. “I’ll give you a break, dirt-boy. You can be white.” He pushed a button and started Jack’s clock. Jack played a little-known variation on the white side of the Sicilian. He was able to take the Europan out of the opening book in only five moves. At move fifteen Jackson began a pawn push on his queenside to draw the squid’s pieces to that side of the board. The Europan responded by taking Jackson’s king knight on f6. Jack considered a recapture with his queen, though it was obvious the Europan would now be able to harass her with its minor pieces. Jack could see that it would take several moves to protect his queen. To make the situation worse, it looked as if the Europan would be able to force the trading of several pieces. With fewer pieces on the board, Jackson felt sure the squid’s superior number-crunching ability would end his chance at winning this game. Instead, Jack chose to double his pawns on the f-file by retaking with his g-pawn. Jack’s king’s position was now weakened by the opening of the file right in front of the monarch. Theoretically, this was bad, but Jackson had launched many successful kingside attacks during his childhood through this opening in his own castled position. The Europan continued to put pressure on Jackson’s queenside. Rather than protect his queenside pawns, Jackson played his king to h1, so he could place his kingside rook on the open g-file. As the Europan gobbled up pawns on his queenside, Jack doubled his rooks on the g-file. By move 23 it was apparent to Jack that despite being down three pawns he would be able to force checkmate in four moves. The Europan offered up his tentacle, “Good game, dirt-boy.” Jack shook his tentacle and with a wry smile said, “Rack’em up again squid” The Europan chose the non-committal move, Nf3, to open the next game. Jackson had no great love for the black side of a Queen’s Gambit, but he invited the Europan into a pseudo-Queen’s Gambit. Jackson’s answer was d5. The squid quickly played c4, offering the gambit pawn without the preparatory move d4. Jack snatched up the proffered pawn with barely a moment’s thought. The squid responded with a shocking move, Na3. The white knight on the side of the board looked very ugly, but it was theoretically playable. Jack considered the implications of the knight move. Though ugly, the move was effective. The knight attacked Black’s extra pawn. The knight was only one move away from one of two potential outposts. Jack thought he might wish to trade his dark-squared bishop for the pugnacious white knight. By offering his own king pawn to white’s king knight, Jack could remove white’s queen knight. Many great players have believed that bishops are inherently better than knights, because of their ability to cover large areas of the board. Just enough good knight players are born every generation to keep this from being proven irrefutably over the board. The squid snatched up Jack’s king pawn. Jack traded his dark-squared bishop for one of the Europan’s knights. This led to a wide-open crazy position. Jack had created a number of long-term weaknesses just to stay even on material. The position was rife with danger. Combinations rose and fell in Jackson’s mind. There would be no need to worry about long-term problems because this promised to be a short decisive struggle. There were so many tactical options that Jackson had a hard time concentrating on just one at a time. “Queen to g3,” said the Europan. The white queen slid across the board. The squid smiled confidently from across the other side of the table. Jack’s rook was in danger of capture. It did not look like he could not save it without being checkmated in five forced moves. In fact, to prevent checkmate, Jack would have to trade his queen for the Europan’s advanced knight. The outcome was certain now. A queen for a knight and pawn was an overwhelming advantage. Jack reached his hand across the table. At the same time, he toppled his King with his other hand. “Well done Europan” said Jack. “I hope I can give you a better game in the finale.” The Europan smiled broadly and shook his hand. The Europan had played well in the last game. Jack knew he would have to play more creatively in the third game if he wanted to win. Jack opened with the Scandinavian Gambit. His experience with it had convinced him the opening was playable. Theoretically, it was not the best opening but it took the Europan out of its normal opening repertoire fairly early. The Europan was forced to expend more than the usual amount of time for the first ten moves. Well into the middle-game both the Europan and Jack had time problems. The time control was approaching and the position was wild. Jack’s king had not been able to castle and the Europan’s queenside pawn structure was a disaster. Technically though, material was even. Jack felt like it would be advantageous to trade down into the endgame, because of his superior pawn structure. The time control was fast approaching. Jack was determined to not lose the game on time. Jack had timed the squid’s last few moves. If it continued at its current calculation rate there was a good chance it would not make the time control. Of course, Jackson himself was in the same boat. He had to make ten moves in the next three minutes. The position was too complex to feel confident about anything. Jackson zipped his bishop one square back to a1. It accomplished nothing, but he put the time pressure back on the Europan. The squid started thinking. Jackson scanned the board trying to use the other’s clock time. He could try to anticipate the squid’s response and be working on his own. Suddenly, he thought he saw a very powerful move for the Europan. It looked like a single pawn push in the center would cause Jack’s position to implode. He felt sick. The squid moved and quickly hit Jack’s clock. Jack did not understand why the squid did not push that pawn. Before making another move, Jackson tried to see if the pawn move was as dangerous as he had originally thought. After nearly two minutes ran off his clock he saw why the Europan had not pushed the pawn. It was the linchpin of the squid’s kingside defense. Once moved, the pawn opened up the long diagonal for Jackson’s light-squared bishop. Jack could force checkmate in three after the pawn push. Jack had less than a minute left now, but he felt better now that he knew the situation. He quickly moved his bishop up one square on the same diagonal. The squid was really “sweating” now. The Europan had seconds left. Jack sat smiling from the other side of the board. The seconds were ticking by. Jackson looked at the readout on the clock. The clock displayed all zeroes. There was a loud beep. The Europan slammed the table with his tentacles. He chipped off part of the table onto the floor. Europans were quite strong when not under the constraints of many thousands of feet of water pressure. Jack started to wonder if he was going to get paid. “Good game, dirt boy.” The squid extended a tentacle. Jack smiled. The Europan collected the gold nuggets from the floor and pushed them toward Jack. “I don’t get beat often and certainly not by a dirt-boy…errr… Earther.” “I was quite lucky. I only had two seconds left myself. I think you would have beat me if there were a few more minutes on the clocks. I was saved by my Mother-in-Law’s Tongue.” Jack grinned. “What does this mean? There are so many colorful idioms of Earthers. The translator box does not always make sense.” The Europan gave him a quizzical look and appeared to shrug all ten arms. “For example, what is this Cold as a Witch’s Tit or When Hell Freezes Over.” Jack laughed. He laughed heartily too. He had a pocketful of gold and this Europan was friendly and funny AND a good chess player. “What is this Saved by My Mother’s-in-Law Tongue? What does this mean?” The Europan gave him a weird look and said, “ The translator makes it sounds somehow sexual. How is your Mother-in-Law’s Tongue lucky? Does she speak for you in some positive way or this is some Earther sexual more?” Jack was really laughing now. “No, No! See those plants over there in the glass cases.” Jack pointed to walls of glassed-in leathery-leaved plants enclosed behind large glass panes. “Those are Snake plants also known as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue.” “So?” replied the Europan. “Well in the early days of human asteroid prospecting there were a lot of accidents. A lot of people who should not have been operating spacecraft were trying to find the next golden asteroid. The unfortunate fellow who found the next golden asteroid also crashed on it. He had no oxygen when his tanks exploded on impact.” “So this Earther died?” asked the Europan. “Nope, he survived because his daughter had given him a little bit of Mother-in-Law’s Tongue. She had read they were good at helping clean the dirty atmosphere inside a prospecting spacecraft. Actually many early prospectors had carried them for this very reason. When he crashed the Snake Plant or Mother-in-Law’s Tongue was trapped with him in a small crash pod which was only partially damaged. “ Jack continued with more details. He loved this story of extraordinary luck. It seemed like humans did have a bit more luck than other races in the Solar System. “The damage to the pod allowed dirt from the asteroid to be forced into one side of the pod. Both the pilot and the plant also landed there. This was how it was discovered there was a whole race of flora in the Solar System which react to a lack of atmosphere by further exhalation from their leaves. There are plants that can survive the vacuum of space to spread through panspermia. If they have sunlight, water, and gold-laden soil to create their own mini-atmospheres.” “Gold is so necessary for everything we do here in space, isn’t it?” said the Europan. “It is strange that it is so important but it makes us money.” The Europan’s whole body shook as if he was having a hearty laugh. He reached into a pocket of his suit and showed the human he had many more gold nuggets. “Yes, I do not care why gold is important, just that it is.” “Yes, and it saved this young prospector’s neck. In the presence of the exhalations of a human, the process is incredibly fast. By the time the pilot’s personal oxygen ran out the snake plant had grown exponentially and created a livable environment. Hence the term Saved By My Mothers-in-Law Tongue means to escape certain death or defeat by the narrowest margins or simply pure luck.” “Awww, I see” The Europan smiled and pointed out to the darkness of space. “There is our ride my friend.” Jack looked out toward the extended tentacle and saw the shuttle approaching. He jiggled the gold nuggets in his pocket. He wondered if the Europan played poker. “Yes my friend, it is a long ride to Earth but at least it’s all downhill from here.” Jack laughed as he made his way to board.

I Was Saved by My Mother-in-Law's Tongue

Fui salvado por la lengua de mi suegra

Note: After writing this initial draft, I came across Andy Brombergs post from July that I think is a great complement to the concepts I delve into here.. The link to his article is here . Introduction A central claim of this piece is that the idiosyncrasies of the ICO bubble and dApp network architectures, in general, make the market value add of mergers particularly potent when compared with traditional takeovers / M&A in the equity market. As a result, the rapid development of a systematic decentralized network token merging approach appears all the more urgent. Metcalfe’s law as demonstrated generally by telephone networks It is important to emphasize that any merger between two competing token projects if at all possible should be an amicable one. The value gained by combining networks, a figure classically derived from Metcalfe’s law, is roughly equal to the number of people participating in the network _squared (_particularly as n gets very large). It follows that the attrition rate of the users in the merging network may in large part be contingent on the merger itself being amicable. There is little space for classic hostile takeovers in this paradigm given the fragility of communities and the low barriers to entry in an industry defined by a commitment to open source. A critical, as well as obvious feature of the ICO bubble period, was the correlation between the price of Ethereum and Bitcoin with the US dollar equivalent size of ICOs. It is important to highlight this positive correlation because funds raised originally in crypto by ICOs during the peak valuation period were t. As a result, this subsequent and often immediate conversion by many (but not all) ICO teams served as a de-facto cryptocurrency market short sell. by and large subsequently sold for fia Source: Bitmex blog Since the volume of ICO funding is highly correlated with the price of Bitcoin and Ethereum, the magnitude of these “shorts” were determined causally by their proximity to the optimal time to execute a short (i.e. at the very top of the market). For rational ICO contributors, it is necessary to assume that at the time of their contribution to an ICO they believed the following to be true: The token generated by the ICO contract served as an effective proxy for the value of the network it represented. ICO proceed spending would drive more value to the network (i.e. to the value of the token) relative to the amount spent. In other words, for every $1 spent, the ICO contributors had to feel confident they would realize at least a $1 gain in net present value token market cap valuation on average. Based on these assumptions, a central characteristic of a quality merger candidate is a high ratio of liquid asset value (which typically consists entirely of ICO proceeds) to the current token market valuation. In other words, an ICO that raised $30 million dollars in June 2018 but as of November had a token valuation of just $3 million dollars would have a ratio of 10 (technically just under 10 after factoring in 5 months of capital burn). As a general rule, a higher ratio is preferable (monotonic) when it comes to selecting merger candidates. Economically, this ratio describes the degree to which token holders have lost faith in the efficacy of capital to drive network growth since the date of the ICO. Adding in the appropriate controls, such as whether the team did, in fact, convert to fiat subsequent to raising; the degree to which the ratio is greater than “1” gives a sense of how much the market has lost faith in the networks ability to grow in value relative to capital input based on their post ICO observation of the networks response to capital input. In most cases, this is a reflection of the teams themselves and the markets belief in their ability to grow the network. This is particularly true at the pre-launch phase where the team is entirely responsible for development. actual Given this setup, if we take two networks competing in the same vertical where one has a significantly higher ratio than the other, it follows the higher ratio team is best served by merging with the lower ratio team. The actual mechanism of the merging is described in detail below and the theoretical results imply an enormous net benefit for every group involved in the transaction. In Numbers: The Magnitude of the ICO Bubble Global angel and seed stage investing by comparison totaled $9 billion for the same period spread across over 13,000 deals, or just under $700k a check. In contrast, the average ICO deal size came out to roughly $20 million. Q4 of 2017 through Q2 of 2018 saw a total capital allocation to ICOs (initial coin offerings) of $10 billion. Source: Coindesk data To get one's head around these numbers, it helps to take the quotient of the per deal sizes of ICOs vs traditional angel or seed ($20,000,000 ÷ $700,000), and multiply by a hundred to convert to a percent. As a result, we see the following: Early stage startup raising via token sale ended up nearly 3000 % over capitalized when compared with a startup that raised via traditional early stage equity financing. Shockingly, this doesn’t even factor in the reality that many startups who conducted ICOs raised equity capital to the proceeds from their token offering. in addition Source: Coindesk data Controlling for founder dilution level, stage of development (or lack thereof), and experience of the founding team, there is very little reason why companies raising with a token deserved a valuation nearly 3000 % greater than that of a company without a token. Retrospectively, it seems clear this 3000 % difference in per deal financing was the result of an enormous investment bubble resulting in a short but vicious period of misallocation of investment capital to teams who had no business renting a wework let alone 50th-floor office space on Madison Avenue. . That being said, there are some fundamental differences in the valuation models for tokens as opposed to equity that at least partially explains the discrepancy, bubble aside Most importantly, the value of a token economy is subject to a winner-take-all effect due to the exponential nature of returns to network growth mentioned in the introduction. The relatively tiny number of successful ICOs (~500) vs. successful seed offerings (~13,000) over this period implies valuations for ICOs reflected the markets expected value of a given token economy capturing the entirety of a massive, say, 5-billion dollar token market with a relatively low probability of success, say, 1 %. Assuming the average percentage of total tokens sold in the ICO was 40% this backs out our $20 million average deal size number cited earlier. This methodology is reasonable considering the winner-take-all property of tokenized applications described above since in the long term only one token economy will win for any given vertical. The below graphic serves as a rather crude but still effective illustration of some key verticals and the current state of competition in each. As is clear, substantial consolidation remains to occur due to the degree of competition remaining intra-use case. Key verticals in the decentralized application space Why now? Since the end of Q2 of 2018, the rate of ICO funding has dropped off a cliff. In October, the market saw a mere $105 million raised via ICO, down from $1.5 billion in January of this year. A 90+ % decline on a per month basis in less than a year. This decline in new capital allocation closely parallels the decline in existing token valuations, many falling by over 90% with some down as much as 99% from their winter highs. This dramatic drop in valuation following a period of extravagant fundraising designed to cover long-term needs leaves literally hundreds of companies with token economies valued at a fraction of the financial assets of the company itself. Source: Bitmex Let’s take a theoretical example: Earlier this year, company raised $30 million at a $75 million total valuation. Just 6 months later the value of “ ” tokens have fallen to under 8 % of their initial offering price. Resulting in a total valuation of just $6 million for the entire token economy ($69 million in lost value in 6 months). A A Let’s say company employs about 15 full-time people, only half of which are engineers making 6-figure salaries with some portion of their compensation coming via tokens, reducing the cash burn rate. Given labor is their main operating expense, we can conservatively assume they burned through $2 million of the $30 million it raised 8-months ago. Let’s assume company sold 60 % of their tokens in their ICO. If we take the cash added together with the value of the 60 % of the total token supply they retained, the value of their overall financial assets comes to around $32 million, $28 million of which is in cash. A A The value of company _A_s cash alone is nearly 500 % greater than the value of the entire “ ” token economy! An absolute gap of $29 million when considering the value of the token circulating supply, which is valued at just under $3 million. A Company is not an idiosyncratic case. Running the numbers, there are over 150 ICO teams with cash balances greater than 300 % in excess their token economy market value. When considering circulating supply alone the asset value ratio increases still further. A total Source: Bitmex Given the tentative legal nature of tokens, the pervasive presence of large ratios of company assets to their respective token economy valuations is not abrasively unintuitive. Tokens are not in and of themselves an express right to a pro-rata portion of the issuing entity resources. The token value is, however, a literal prediction market indicator of the likelihood that the decentralized application using said token will capture 100 % of its given market share. Given the nature of networks described earlier, token value is a prediction on a networks future, with possible outcomes defined binarily (there are only two options): Capture 100% of the market Lose completely resulting in worthless tokens. High Level Strategy Description and Rationale Given the early state of token powered decentralized applications (dApps), there are still many teams with dApps competing in the same market. Inevitably, consolidation will occur as clear winners emerge among competitors with similar use cases. This consolidation could play out in a couple of ways: 1. Teams drop out of the competition by simply running out of money or abandoning their efforts, often far later than would have been rational due to cognitive confirmation bias of team members. 2. Teams engage in converting the cash reserve of the inferior project to an equivalent value of the token share in the formerly competing token. Investors in the inferior project are allocated the pro-rata cash reserve equivalent value of their original holdings denominated in the superior projects token. As long as the cash reserves of the inferior project at the time the buyout occurs exceeds their corresponding circulating token valuation, all four groups end up better off. buyout mergers Source: Linkedin The central thesis of the merger approach is to optimize network effects across competitors improving financial outcomes for both teams and both investor groups. This results in a pareto-optimal outcome, in effect, an economic “no-brainer”. Econometrics I will now define a general indicator that will estimate in general the degree to which a given team is overcapitalized vs. its actual likelihood of winning in its market. This indicator will serve as one important way of identifying good candidates for merging with a competitor. To calculate this indicator: 1. We will define a variable that indicates whether the ICO was conducted at or near the top of the speculative bubble in crypto asset prices (we can call this the “pump” index). The pump index is a dummy variable value with a value of 1 if the ICO occurred in December of 2017 or Q1 (Jan. 1 → March 31st) of 2018, pump is equal to 0 otherwise. Each of these months had at least $1B in ICO investment. 2. We calculate the ratio of each company’s current liquid financial capital with their circulating token economy valuation. This will be our dependent variable (we can call this the “value” index), or in other words, this is the variable we are interested in as a basis for a merger candidate. 3. We create a variable to calculate the effect on the Value indicator of the length of time since the ICO occurred (we can call this “burn” (which is an integer value equal to the number of months since the ICO)). Burn has a negative connotation of money spent, but it is also an indicator of the time spent on development and/or app user growth. “Burn” should have a slight negative covariance with “pump” since more ICOs occurred following January 1st resulting in some multicollinearity. But this only increases the variances slightly and shouldn’t affect results significantly (need to test to verify, would be good to creatively combine these indicators). 4. Define the variable “dilution” to be the percentage of the tokens the team sold in their offering. This is an integer value between 0 and 100 (a value of 100 indicates that 100 % of tokens were sold to investors in the ICO). 5. Define the variable “major” to be a dummy var with value = 1 if raise exceeded $20mn and 0 if the amount raised was under $20mn. We then run an OLS regression with the Value indicator as our dependent variable and with “i” = individual companies. If we wish to control for company market type (i.e. control for company’s that aren’t competing directly), we can do so by adding a dummy variable for each market group, with the dummy variable for “i”s market group set to 1 and all others set to 0. Finally, we omit the constant term because all companies in dataset conducted ICOs so dillution_i and burn_i will never equal zero. There are obviously many variables omitted, such as the location of the team, size of the raise itself, team factors, high profile investors, etc etc. These are important but omitted for now for brevity. The betas in the below equation will be capturing omitted variable effects and so will overrepresent their actual, direct effect as a result of the OVB. The regression equation: Value_i = Beta_0*burn_i + Beta_1*dilution_i + Beta_2*pump_i + Beta_3*major_i + error_i Breaking this down in English, what Value_i tells us is the ratio of cash reserves to the circulating token economy valuation for company “i”, Explanation of variables The Beta coefficients are important for distinguishing between the companies with equal or similar Value indicators and provide quantitative evidence for the relative effect of various idiosyncratic company factors on the Value variable. What Beta_0 tells us is the percentage point difference that one can expect in the Value ratio when the length of development / additional month of cash burn is incremented for a given company “i”. A positive Beta_0 tells us that for any company, the monthly rate at which their token economy is losing valuation relative to burning cash on an absolute basis (may be useful to look at relative rates also). One way of looking at this is if burn_i is a low number and Beta0 is very large and positive, then the ICO may be ripe for acquisition because it has not gone through much of its ICO proceeds and yet it is clear that the project is not meeting investor expectations and is losing token valuation rapidly. Beta_1 tells us the relative effect of a greater percentage of tokens sold in company i’s ICO on its Value index. A positive Beta_1 indicates that a marginal increase in the percentage of tokens sold in the ICO also increases the ratio of cash reserves to circulating token valuation. As dillution_i increases, we can expect cash to go up (more tokens sold) and relative token valuation should also increase (for non-zero token value since more tokens are now circulating). A large magnitude positive Beta_1 tells us that a large drop occurred in the token valuation relative to the cash reserves. Beta1 is a key variable of interest here because it is essentially a relative indicator of how overvalued the company was at the time it raised vs. now (which is arguably an indirect measure of the execution ability of the team, particularly since we control for “pump_i”). Beta_2 is our indicator of how conducting the ICO during the top of the market affects the current value ratio. Beta2 tells us the percentage point change in Value_i if pump = 1 vs. when pump = 0. Or the percentage point effect on Value_i of conducting an ICO at the top of the bubble. Essentially, Beta_2 is the premium investors paid during the peak bubble months, holding the all other vars constant, isolating the collective psychology and sentiment effect. Beta_2 may also pick up some variation in the types of projects that raised during pump months not controlled for in the rest of the independent variables. Beta_3 represents the effect that raising a large amount of money in the ICO has on cash reserve divided by circulating token valuation (the same Value_i variable), Beta_3 will be positive if ICOs that raised greater than $20mn performed worse vs. amount spent than ICOs that didn’t and the magnitude of Beta_3 will tell us the effect size of the difference in performance relative to the amount spent by the team following the ICO. Another way to look at it is Beta_3 captures the “effectiveness of funds spent by the team into actual token valuation” by small vs. large ICO teams. Beta_3 is the return on invested capital back to investors effect for large vs. small teams. Conclusion First off, congrats for making it this far! I really appreciate anyone who takes an interest in anything I write, so thank you. To close, I want to reiterate that the goal of this piece is to highlight the potential upsides of amicable mergers in the token space. Further research needs to be done in terms of working through the mechanical steps for executing the merger. Inevitable issues such as a split occurring within an organizations founding team, alongside a whole host of messiness that invariably arises when egos and human systems try to work out complex deals. Much remains to be seen, but I am very optimistic about the role mergers can play in rapidly accelerating the rate of innovation in the space. Ultimately, my goal is to do everything I can to drive real value-added use cases that are founded on the principles and technical infrastructure of blockchain technology, I believe this is one facet that can move us all towards that realizing goal much faster.

Proposing a Framework for Friendly Crypto Token Mergers

Bryan Cranston turned mosaic (original image: ) http://www.iso1200.com/2016/06/a-portrait-for-wall-street-journal-with.html A documentation of my side project’s step by step trial and error. I was walking around with my fiancee and entered a room with a massive awe inspiring mosaic. Jaw dropping. San Francisco MoMA This thing was massive. It covered just about the entire wall. The image grew in detail the further you walked away from it, but broke up into intricate abstract shapes as you approached. I wondered how I’d look like in a mosaic. Vain thought, I know. But why stop there, how would your loved one, pet, car, even food look like if it was drawn in such a fashion? Is it possible to create something similar with an ? Can we abstract a similar process and apply it to arbitrary subjects? I wanted to create something that could produce images I could hang on my wall but for others to utilize creatively for themselves as well. Whether it’s creating a mosaic selfie or putting an artistic spin on their favorite photo that they took. Bring a process to the hands of a wider audience. algorithm I’m going to beat around the bush and not mention the artist’s name that was the source of inspiration because I’ve found articles online claiming he does not want his name referenced in personal projects, so I’ll respect their wishes. However, you astute readers should know the source of my inspiration. Let’s hop into some nitty gritty. With the recent leaps and bounds of machine , particularly deep neural networks, I figure I start there. Let’s use a deep neural network to extract the style of an artist’s painting and then apply those features to an arbitrary photo. In my case, I chose a random selfie taken during a cold afternoon. I used a popular open source based off . The end results were interesting albeit disappointing. learning project neural-style Neural Style portrait I welcome others to try. Perhaps you’ll have better results and I used improper parameters. I also don’t own a GPU (or bothered to lease servers in the cloud). Training the neural networks using my MacBook Pro on a low resolution image took half an afternoon before I was able to see results. Aint nobody got time for that! Instead of utilizing machine learning, let’s try to define an algorithm. Grid the picture, average the cell’s colors, then draw a bunch of nested shapes with various colors that are formulated from the average of the cell’s colors. This won’t be too bad (famous last words). I’ve been coding just shy of two decades and I still need to slap myself because it’s still too often that I take things for granted. I litter some code throughout the article that I use within my project. If you’re not interested in them, skip and ignore them. Understanding them is not imperative. Although those with coding backgrounds may find interesting (or not). On my first iteration, I split the image into a grid and using , I draw nested circles. Each nested circle, is either red green or blue (RGB). The shade of RGB was generated from the average color of the cell. Pillow distorted When the red, green, blue nested circles are drawn together, we get the appearance of an average that is close to the color of the original cell. The distortion / waviness of the circles was getting ahead of myself by focusing on the details than the big picture. First iteration. Averaging colors and drawing with squiggly circles Not too pretty, and very blurry. Okay, how about if I randomize the drawing of each nested circle, but still base it off the average of the original cell? Iteration 2. Experimenting with colors. A smidgen more interesting, but still disappointing. You can still make out the picture, but still blurry. We need to sharpen the outlines to give some clarity to the picture. What if we stretch the circles and orient it with the slope of the outline? This will mimic an outline even though we’re still drawing circles. To get edges and outlines of an image we can use . canny edge detection To find the slope we can use to get the first order polynomial. Now that we have the edges in a 2d array, we can get the slope of these edges. We are attempting to find the coefficient m in y=mx+b. numpy’s polyfit A quick test: >>> cell = np.array([[0,0,1],[0,1,0],[1,0,0]])>>> cellarray([[0, 0, 1],[0, 1, 0],[1, 0, 0]])>>> get_slope(cell)0.99999999999999978 Iteration 3 12/9/2016 7:22 AM For easy eye-spotting debugging purposes, I highlighted the circles as red to indicate a positive slope and green being a negative slope. We can see that the circles roughly follow the slope of the edges. However, integrating the directional circles didn’t help much (as you can see below on the far left image). The below set of images of Bill Murray’s portrait (I was watching Lost in Translation during the holidays which is why I chose his image) shows some attempts and experimentations. Nothing really stuck. From left to right testing and experimentations with: directional circles, averaging CMYK colors, color palettes, shades in a grid Okay, back to the drawing board. Let’s take a different approach. Keep it simple, none of these squiggly circles and rotated circles that match the slope of outlines. Let’s draw nested rectangles and triangles. When we encounter an outline / edge, we draw the shape with two colors instead of only one color of the cell’s average color. This will give the effect of an outline. Left: squares and triangles. Middle: more shapes and combining joining cells. Right: Diamond layout and tweaks to parameters to merge cells or draw single cells. The above images displays the progress as we get closer and closer to the end goal. We have the glasses clearly outlined that almost gratifyingly fit together like puzzle pieces. To determine which shape to draw in each cell, we try various shapes and measure how similar this shape is to representing the original image. “Likeness” is quantified with the . The shape with the lowest difference gets drawn. root-mean-squared difference What about color? Like various tints of our average color, we can select a variety of colors that when juxtaposed should give the perception of our original color. Let’s explore the usage of and colors. A lot of experimentation was done with online color wheels ( ). analogous complementary paletton.com paletton.com color wheel Using the average color of a cell, we can generate additional colors to use for our nested shapes. Left: analogous colors only. Middle: analogous + complementary Right: custom analogous + complementary I learned that although colors whose RGB summed to equivalent values will be perceived with different brightness levels because our eyes aren’t sensitive to colors equally. This is known as . We can see from the middle image above that certain colors (ex. green) tend to overwhelm others. relative luminance To offset this over powering color, we tint the complementary colors to the luminance of our original color. Alright, we have some base algorithms going. Let’s apply this to a few images. It’s worth noting that the original images by themselves are https://www.lonelyplanet.com/taiwan/taipei https://www.reddit.com/r/itookapicture/comments/3qmwbb/itap_of_a_man_in_mask/ (Can’t remember where I found this one) https://digital-photography-school.com/getting-your-portrait-photography-to-the-next-level-%E2%80%93-part-i/ There’s some additional creative things like combining multiple frames with various settings to create gifs: Rebel Scum ( ) https://www.reddit.com/r/wallpapers/comments/5jybyk/rebel_scum_1920x1080/ Looking forward More experimentations with colors and color palettes. I am pretty happy with the shapes being drawn. The next step is to continue experimenting with various colors and perhaps generate preset palettes. By converting an image into a mosaic you naturally remove detail from the photo. Thus, what holds up an image is usually going to be a dynamic range of colors and contrast. It would be great if given an image that doesn’t have such ranges that I can provide the user a set of color palettes to enhance the image prior to applying the mosaic effect. snakeviz for profiling Python code ( ) https://jiffyclub.github.io/snakeviz/ Performance updates. has been invaluable in profiling functions. The initial implementation took 3–5 minutes to process a 3000x3000 px image. It is now brought down to a rough 30–60 seconds dependent on the size of the grid. This is always an ongoing effort. snakeviz Retrospective learnings from the project How master artists are able to intuitively select colors and do this by hand is nothing short of amazing. Mind blowing, really. Now the shameless plug. Like what you see and want to create your own mosaics? Download on the . Mosaic Shapes macOS store or Get the (still rough) Python code on github

Appreciating Art with Algorithms

Ever feel like your phone knows you better than your best friend? Does your newsfeed seem less like a window to the world and more like some weird fun-house mirror? Mine too. They may even be a little too good. And they’re only going to get better. But here's the secret: you can opt-out. A growing cadre of tech gurus, renegade artists and unstoppable activists are throwing a wrench in the system. Big Tech's algorithms are good. There was no escape. Breathe, eat, and sleep. That was all there was to life in the machine." - Aldous Huxley, Brave New World is not a word commonly used by the masses. The idea of independence feels like a betrayal. Talking about “freedom” sets off triggers. But autonomy is a dynamic force. Today it’s making a global comeback.  If you look closely you can spot it in  tech, art and activism. Autonomy It adapts and evolves with our ever-changing world. It’s a mindset that says “ ” I’m not going to be controlled by outside forces and external interests. Here’s some non-breaking news. The traditional work compact, in which employees traded hard work and loyalty in exchange for job security is shattered. Thought so. How many times have you gone job-hunting in your life? But consider this. boasts . He remixed the for the most recent Super Bowl in Las Vegas. DJ Steve Aoki more than 3 billion music streams NFL on CBS theme Here’s what he said at Gala Music: “In the 10 years I’ve been making music … six albums, and all those advances … in one drop last year in NFTs, I made more money.” - Steve Aoki Want to opt-out and join the revolution? Connect with techs and developers building a . Why give your personal information to some faceless corporation? web where you are in control Learn from artists minting their creations as . For the first time, it’s possible to cut out the middleman and take ownership of your work. Discover how activists bypass the financial gatekeepers. Now you can use crowdfunding to fuel your movements directly from the people. NFTs Keep reading to see how the coolest tools and platforms are putting you back in control. Let’s get this show on the road. Get ready for an empowered future. The Rise of Autonomy Early in my entrepreneurial journey, a millionaire mentor gave me some advice on autonomy. He said, “ How often are your decisions based on your own values and goals? Norm whoever controls your time controls your income. I suggest it be you who does it.” The concept drove my parents. “Get an education. Get a good job. Retire there.” In their day people often stayed with the same company for their entire career. They were even called “a company man” or “company gal.” Life goals consisted of building deep connections with colleagues and a strong sense of pride in your work. company loyalty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4F9u8Z84YI&embedable=true Back then companies invested in their employees through training programs and full benefits. When I started in sales my big tech employer had a “no-layoff” policy (it ended while I was there). The global creator economy is projected to reach $104.2 billion by 2028, reflecting the increasing number of individuals leveraging online platforms to express themselves creatively and generate income independently. - Creator Economy Over the course of several decades, cracks began to appear in the model. Tech advancements led to increased job insecurity. One of the first job killers I remember was voicemail. Yep. It eliminated the need for receptionists to answer phones, take messages, and write them down on those little pink slips for salespeople returning to the office. Wage freezes and layoffs increased and the "good job" became less common. As the internet took hold in the 90’s globalization became sexy. The social contract between employer and employee collapsed, Companies chased cheap labor and maximum profits for shareholders -  wherever they could find them. But in public, they sought to maintain the illusion of the Golden Age. Their corporate PR departments were quite busy. Today despite the perception of freedom your autonomy is limited. own social media networks. They control the search engines and video production platforms. Their TOS and centralization secure their dominance. Maximize profits for the few. Sound familiar? This traditional model locks out millions of creators worldwide. Big tech giants “The goal of most people for the last half century was to get the good job that paid well with benefits..” - Anthony Spadafore, Director Pathfinders Autonomy Success Story My friend Sarah is a graphic designer with six years of experience. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she lost her job at a big ad agency. After chasing hundreds of job posts she decided to be her own boss. Now she works remotely as a freelance designer. Instead of being assigned clients, she sets her own schedule. Her boring projects got replaced by gigs that aligned with her interests. She earns more on her own than she did going into the office. And now she finds personal meaning in her work. The Back-to-Office Push and the Autonomy Challenge A remote work revolution is sweeping around the world. Set free from the confines of the physical office, employees are discovering a newfound sense of autonomy. Do you thrive in an environment tailored to your work style? Can you manage your schedule and responsibilities better with more flexibility? For most of us, the answer is YES! This newfound control increases productivity and boosts morale. Many companies are actively encouraging, some even demanding, a return to “in-office” work. Their  push-back against remote work poses a challenge to employee autonomy. But big business CEOs, government bureaucrats, and even Elon Musk don’t like it. Here's why: :  Remote work helps employees manage their work schedules around personal needs and responsibilities. If your productivity is solid and profits are up why poke the bear? A forced return to the office disrupts this balance and increases stress. Goodbye Flexibility, Hello Frustration : It’s the time and money stupid. We all have 24 hours in our day. Having to commute to the office, pay to park, and upgrade your wardrobe eats into personal time and monthly budgets. The impact on working parents or people with long commutes is huge. The Commute Crisis : Most employees I speak with enjoy the flexibility and convenience of working from home. Some never had this opportunity before COVID-19. Now they realize they can do their job more conveniently. Forcing them back into the office feels like a slap in the face. Morale Killer I think companies that are inflexible with remote work options will lose valuable talent. The job market is competitive. The creator economy allows people like my friend Sarah to level up their skills and create jobs for themselves. The pull of autonomy is strong. Collaboration: Tech, Art and Activism Disruption accelerates when tech, art and activism come together. From interactive installations to digital art platforms, technology has enabled artists to reach wider audiences. You can also spark important conversations about social issues and reform. Techpreneurs are launching tools that empower artists and activists. Modern artists are wielding technology to create art that raises awareness for social causes. Activist groups are reaching a global audience with every social media post. This is the future we're building. A world where creative expression meets social justice. And the power of technology is at the core. - Norm Bond Tech Creators Build Worlds Beyond Reality Tech developers and creators are building alternative platforms to traditional activities. Can you imagine stepping into a painting instead of just looking at it in a museum? You can with . Van Gogh Exhibit: The Immersive Experience The exhibition has been ! This blend of art and cutting-edge technology ranks among the 12 best immersive experiences in the world by CNN. touring since 2017 with +5,000,000 visitors Take a walk alongside Van Gogh during a visually rich journey. It’s a 20,000 square feet sound and light spectacular. The two-story projections leave visitors in awe. You discover the inspiration behind eight of Van Gogh’s iconic works. is one of my favorites. The Starry Night Artists Go Indie with Tech Blockchain technology provides innovative tools for artists to monetize their work through smart contracts, NFTs and crypto. This strategy allows creators to sell their work directly to collectors . Artists are creating digital art and minting it as NFTs. without the need for traditional galleries or intermediaries London's glitchy artist , averaging over $23,000 per sale and topping the charts. His work captivates collectors and redefines the limits of digital art. His signature style is a mesmerizing blend of flashing visuals and dark themes (his website includes a flashing media warning). XCOPY is minting millions with his dystopian NFTs Here’s the thing. XCOPY’s work isn't just visually arresting. Sure there are lots of flashy NFTs and dystopian styles. But his NFT’s spark conversations. He challenges the status quo in the art world. He’s using his creativity to provide a unique commentary on our digital age. . Is a sign of a future where artists control their destinies, or a blip in a system that still favors the powerful? Don’t just wait to see what happens. Take action on YOUR dream. Telling your own story and controlling distribution is an expression of autonomy XCOPY How Activists Use Tech to Win The murder of George Floyd was recorded and spread virally across social media. It ignited Black Lives Matter like a rocket. This wasn't just a tragic event. It was a spark that . The case study reveals how activists can use social media to amplify their message. Consider this. lit the fuse of a movement already simmering online In the month Floyd’s murder, was tweeted more than 400 thousand times. But in the month , the . before #BlackLivesMatter after hashtag spiked and was shared more than 100 million times Nordstrom posted #BlackLivesMatter to Facebook and received more than 5-million likes. The from the brand. engagement was nearly 90 times the level of typical posts Colleges and universities joined in. More than 107 shared . Healthcare systems, nonprofits, corporations, and sports teams also climbed on the #BlackLivesMatter juggernaut. #BlackLivesMatter The entire internet was ablaze with social posts, videos, CEO statements, and brand platitudes to support this trending social movement. It shook the system. The Future of Autonomy The dream of dumping the 9-to-5 and living life on your terms is more than just a hashtag. It’s a call to action. One fueled by a deep desire for autonomy – the freedom to create, work, and live by your own rules. Don’t let it just be a pipe dream. The total value locked (TVL) in DeFi protocols surpassed $300 billion in 2023, demonstrating the growing interest in alternative financial systems that promote individual control over assets and transactions. - DeFi Pulse Revolutionary art movements, tech-driven innovation, and modern activism are converging. This shift provides a path to an exciting future. Break free from traditional structures. Now is your chance to build something empowering. It's a world where you can set the pace, call the shots, and shape your days around your passions. There are lots of challenges ahead. Working together is often necessary for maximum impact. Finding the right balance between maintaining individual artistic vision and working within a collective - can be difficult. But let's keep it real. Breaking free from traditional structures means leaving the financial security that these systems can provide. Artists, activists and techs still have bills to pay. Do you have alternative means of funding your work in place? With the rise of new technologies, there’s a need to ensure that ethical practices are followed. You need to address concerns regarding data privacy. There are questions regarding intellectual property rights to be sorted. The environmental impact of tech-driven projects like crypto and NFTs are a dealbreaker for some people. These challenges will have to be met to increase adoption and scale. They require innovative solutions, resilience and funding. To build a more equitable and creative future demands continuous learning and adaptation. Conclusion We’ve covered a lot. You know the journey toward autonomy is an exciting yet challenging one. This trend in tech, art and activism is attracting more people looking for a way out. The digital age provides new tools to take control of your life. It has never been easier to express yourself and reach a target audience. Artists can leverage blockchain technology. Tech creators can build alternative platforms. Activists can fuel movements without traditional limits. Working collectively can exponentially grow results for both individuals and organizations. But the road ahead is not all roses and sunshine. Challenges include navigating concerns about the environment. Ethical considerations riddle the increased use of AI and ML. Building tools that engage marginalized communities is critical in a market-based economy. Long-established traditional systems are not going to just roll over and embrace change. So take the long view if you want to embrace this autonomy trend. If you’re an artist, technologist or activist it’s time to redefine the possible. I’m in. Let’s create and cause the change you want to see. right here on HN to connect. Visit my profile

Breaking Rules: Autonomy in Tech, Art and Activism

নিয়ম ভাঙা: প্রযুক্তি, শিল্প এবং সক্রিয়তায় স্বায়ত্তশাসন

Regeln brechen: Autonomie in Technologie, Kunst und Aktivismus

Rompiendo reglas: autonomía en tecnología, arte y activismo

Briser les règles : autonomie dans la technologie, l'art et l'activisme

नियम तोड़ना: तकनीक, कला और सक्रियता में स्वायत्तता

ルールの破り: テクノロジー、アート、アクティビズムにおける自律性

규칙 위반: 기술, 예술 및 행동주의의 자율성

Quebrando regras: autonomia em tecnologia, arte e ativismo

Нарушение правил: автономия в технологиях, искусстве и активизме

Kuralları Çiğnemek: Teknolojide, Sanatta ve Aktivizmde Özerklik

Phá vỡ các quy tắc: Quyền tự chủ trong công nghệ, nghệ thuật và hoạt động

打破规则：科技、艺术和行动主义的自主性

So far, most of my playing with Generative AI has been on the prompt side, with no real look at the various settings you can tweak in your calls. As I'm still very new to this, I'm trying my best to take things slowly. But every time I open and see the settings on the right, I keep nagging myself to take a deeper look. Google AI Studio You can also see the various settings options in the default code Studio spits out: const generationConfig = {
	temperature: 0.9,
	topK: 1,
	topP: 1,
	maxOutputTokens: 2048,
};

const safetySettings = [
	{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_HARASSMENT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
	{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_HATE_SPEECH,	threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
	{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_SEXUALLY_EXPLICIT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
	{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_DANGEROUS_CONTENT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
]; I thought today I'd take a look at , as I had a rough idea of what it implied. Temperature, at a high level, refers to how 'varied' a particular generated response can be. As an example, if I were to say, "I like ____", then you could make a list of what the next word would be, rated by how likely it is: temperature very Cats (VERY LIKELY) Star Wars (LIKELY) Books (LIKELY) Vegetables (UNLIKELY) At the highest temperature value, there will be a of variety. At the lowest level, no variety. Now, from what I know, that does mean that every response will be the same. Just very similar. This post, , does a great job explaining temperature (and other settings). lot not "Creatively Deterministic: What are Temperature and Top_P in Generative AI?" While it's relatively easy in AI Studio to adjust the temperature setting you see above, what I really wanted was a tool to help me see multiple results at once. So, I built one. :) Temperature Testing Tool My tool begins with a simple prompt: This is pretty vanilla HTML, so I won't share the code here (I've got a link to everything down below). Upon hitting the button, that's where the magic begins. Here's the JavaScript: // Testing ranges for temperature
const tempRanges = [0, 0.3, 0.6, 1];

// How many times to test per temp.
const perTemp = 2;

let $status, $results;

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', init, false);
async function init() {
	document.querySelector('#submitBtn').addEventListener('click', handleSubmit, false);
	$status = document.querySelector('#status i');
	$results = document.querySelector('#results');
} I begin with some variable declarations and a listener for . The first two variable sections are the crucial ones. Temperature values go from 0 (focus on only the highest probable response) to 1 (be more creative), and I decided to test four values in that range. DOMContentLoaded For each range in the array of temperatures, I do two tests. My thinking was that two results would be enough to see the variance in one particular temperature value. Carrying on... async function handleSubmit(e) {
	e.preventDefault();
	$results.innerHTML = '';

	let prompt = document.querySelector('#prompt').value.trim();
	if(prompt === '') return;

	/*
	We are going to loop perTemp times for each tempRange. In order to not
	get stopped by Gemini for too many requests, and to provide feedback to the user, 
	I'll report after each tempRange
	*/
	for(temp of tempRanges) {
		$status.innerText = `Getting results for temperature ${temp}.`;
		let promises = [];
		for(let i=0; i<perTemp; i++) {
			promises.push(getResult(prompt, temp));
		}

		let results = await Promise.all(promises);
		let html = `<h2>Temperature ${temp}</h2>`;
		for(let i=0; i < results.length; i++) {
			html += `
<p>
Result #${i+1}:<br/>
${results[i]}
</p>`;
		}
		$results.innerHTML += html;
		console.log(results);
	}

	$status.innerText = ``;
	
}

async function getResult(prompt, temperature) {
	console.log(`Calling getResult with prompt ${prompt} and ${temperature}`);
	let body = {
		prompt, 
		temperature
	};
	let req = await fetch('/api', { method: 'POST', body: JSON.stringify(body)});
	return await req.json();
} In this code, I loop over the range of temperatures and then make my two sample calls. When done, I render it out to the screen. The last function simply passes my prompt and temperature to the backend API. I'll share a screenshot, but it's a wall of text. This is only a small portion: long The backend is a lightweight Node.js server that basically handles outputting my HTML and responding to the request by the client-side JavaScript. Let's take a look at that, specifically the portion handling the Google Gemini call: POST import { GoogleGenerativeAI, HarmCategory, HarmBlockThreshold } from '@google/generative-ai';

const MODEL_NAME = "gemini-pro";
const API_KEY = process.env.GOOGLE_AI_KEY;

const genAI = new GoogleGenerativeAI(API_KEY);
const model = genAI.getGenerativeModel({ model: MODEL_NAME });

async function callGemini(text, temperature) {

	const generationConfig = {
		temperature,
		topK: 1,
		topP: 1,
		maxOutputTokens: 2048,
	};

	const safetySettings = [
		{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_HARASSMENT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
		{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_HATE_SPEECH,	threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
		{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_SEXUALLY_EXPLICIT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
		{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_DANGEROUS_CONTENT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
	];

	const parts = [
    	{text},
  	];

	const result = await model.generateContent({
		contents: [{ role: "user", parts }],
		generationConfig,
		safetySettings,
	});

	const response = result.response.candidates[0].content.parts[0].text;
	
	return response;
} This is pretty much the exact code spit out by Studio but wrapped into a function where the prompt and temperature can be passed in. This function has error handling, and that absolutely bit me in the butt. I'm going to be taking a look at those errors, and how to handle them, in a future blog post. no So what did I find? Results Here are the results of using the prompt: "Tell me a story about cats." First, temperature 0. Result 1 Once upon a time, in a quaint little town nestled amidst rolling hills, there lived a mischievous cat named Mittens. Mittens was known throughout the neighborhood for her playful antics and her insatiable curiosity. One sunny afternoon, as Mittens was basking in the warmth of the sunbeam that streamed through the window, she noticed a peculiar sound coming from the kitchen. Intrigued, she hopped off the window sill and tiptoed towards the source of the noise. Upon entering the kitchen, Mittens discovered a group of kittens huddled around a bowl of milk. Their tiny paws were eagerly reaching for the sweet liquid, and their eyes sparkled with delight. Mittens, being the adventurous cat she was, couldn't resist joining in on the fun. With a playful leap, Mittens landed gracefully in the midst of the kittens. She purred loudly, her tail swishing back and forth as she rubbed against their soft fur. The kittens, initially startled by the sudden intrusion, soon warmed up to Mittens' friendly presence. Together, they formed a circle around the bowl of milk, their whiskers twitching as they lapped up the delicious treat. Mittens, being the eldest and most experienced cat, took it upon herself to teach the kittens proper table manners. She showed them how to take turns and how to avoid spilling the milk. As the kittens learned and grew, they developed a deep bond with Mittens. They looked up to her as their mentor and protector. Mittens, in turn, cherished her role as the leader of the pack. She spent her days playing with the kittens, teaching them valuable life lessons and keeping them safe from harm. Word of Mittens' extraordinary kindness and wisdom spread throughout the town. People would often bring their cats to her, seeking her advice and guidance. Mittens welcomed each and every cat with open paws, offering them comfort, support, and a sense of belonging. And so, Mittens became known as the "Guardian Cat" of the town. She was loved and respected by all, both humans and cats alike. Her legacy lived on for generations, inspiring countless cats to follow in her paw prints and spread joy and kindness wherever they went. Result 2 Once upon a time, in a quaint little town nestled amidst rolling hills, there lived a mischievous cat named Mittens. Mittens was known throughout the neighborhood for her playful antics and her insatiable curiosity. One sunny afternoon, as Mittens was basking in the warmth of the sunbeam that streamed through the window, she noticed a peculiar sound coming from the kitchen. Intrigued, she hopped off the window sill and tiptoed towards the source of the noise. Upon entering the kitchen, Mittens discovered a group of kittens huddled around a bowl of milk. Their tiny paws were eagerly lapping up the delicious liquid, their whiskers quivering with delight. Mittens, unable to resist the temptation, joined the kittens and began to partake in the feast. As they drank, Mittens couldn't help but notice that one of the kittens was smaller and weaker than the others. It struggled to keep up with its siblings, and its eyes held a look of longing. Mittens, being the compassionate cat that she was, decided to help the little kitten. With a gentle nudge, Mittens pushed the other kittens aside and made room for the weaker one. She then curled her tail around the kitten, providing it with warmth and comfort. The little kitten, grateful for Mittens' kindness, nuzzled against her fur and began to purr softly. As the kittens continued to drink their milk, Mittens couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment. She had not only satisfied her own hunger but had also brought joy and comfort to a fellow creature. From that day forward, Mittens became known as the neighborhood's guardian angel. She would often be seen playing with the kittens, teaching them how to climb trees and chase butterflies. She would also bring them food and shelter when they were in need. The kittens, in turn, adored Mittens and would follow her everywhere she went. They would purr and rub against her legs, showing their affection and gratitude. And so, Mittens lived a long and happy life, surrounded by the love and companionship of her feline friends. She taught the town's residents the importance of kindness and compassion, and her legacy lived on long after she was gone. Notice that both start off the same and then diverge. To save on space, I'll skip to temperature 1 next. Result 1 Once upon a time, in a bustling city called Willow Brook, there lived a calico cat named Mittens. Mittens had a reputation for being a fearless explorer, always curious and eager for adventure. One day, Mittens embarked on her biggest expedition yet. She had heard rumors of a secret garden hidden deep within the city park, and she was determined to find it. When nightfall came, Mittens began her adventure, carefully sneaking out of her home and into the park. The park was silent, illuminated only by the soft glow of the moon. As she tiptoed through the winding paths, a faint scent of flowers carried by the wind caught her attention. Mittens followed the scent until she stumbled upon a large tree. Its branches were laden with bountiful blooms, and a gentle breeze sent petals raining down on her. Suddenly, a soft voice whispered, "Welcome, little traveler." Mittens looked around, her eyes widening in astonishment. Sitting on a branch was a beautiful cat; its fur shimmered like the night sky. "I am Esmerelda," the cat said, "and you are Mittens, the brave calico." Mittens was amazed. She had heard stories about Esmerelda, a magical cat said to hold the secret to unlocking the hidden garden. "Yes, Mittens," Esmerelda continued, "you have found the Enchanted Garden. But to enter, you must pass three challenges." Without hesitation, Mittens agreed. Her first challenge was to find a golden key hidden within the roots of an oak tree. With her sharp claws and determined spirit, Mittens discovered the key, its surface glowing brightly. Next, Esmerelda asked Mittens to gather dewdrops from the heart of a moonflower blossom. As Mittens gracefully leaped and climbed the tall stems, she carefully collected the sparkling dew in a tiny seashell. Finally, Mittens' last challenge was to sing a song that would make the trees sway and the flowers bloom. As Mittens lifted her voice, her melodious' tune enchanted the garden, which sprang to life with vibrant colors and dazzling lights. Esmeralda smiled, "Well done, little traveler. You have passed the challenges." With a gentle paw, Esmerelda touched the large oak tree, causing it to slowly open like a door, revealing an awe-inspiring paradise. Inside the Enchanted Garden, Mittens found lush meadows, sparkling fountains, and exotic creatures playing among the trees. It was a place of wonder and joy as if every storybook she had ever heard had come true. Mittens spent the entire night exploring the magical realm, amazed by its beauty. As dawn broke, she turned to Esmerelda and said, " Thank you for sharing this incredible place with me. Esmerelda purred softly. "You are welcome, Mittens. As long as you believe in magic, the garden will always be here for you to explore." From that day forward, Mittens became the guardian of the Enchanted Garden, a place where she could always find solace, friendship, and a sense of belonging among the natural beauty of Willow Brook. And so, the legend of the brave calico and the Enchanting Garden lived on, brought to life of the belief in magic and the wonders that can be found when one dares to explore beyond the ordinary. Result 2 Once upon a time, in a small and charming town called Willow Creek, nestled amidst rolling hills and blooming meadows, there lived two extraordinary cats. One was a sleek and graceful Siamese named Luna, whose shimmering white fur and piercing blue eyes radiated elegance and mystique. Her every movement exuded nimbleness, gliding through the streets of Willow Creek with an air of regal composure. Meet the second cat, a tabby by the name of Max, a playful and mischievous soul adorned with a coat of orange and black stripes. His sparkling green eyes twinkled with a mischievous glint; ears always perked, ever alert to the adventures that awaited him. His playful antics had become a legend among the townspeople, who were often greeted by his friendly antics and joyful meows. The companionship between Luna and Max was a sight to behold. They were inseparable, roaming the cobblestone streets together, their playful pursuits leading them to alleyways and secret paths known only to them. Their friendship was a true testament to the unwavering spirit and unbreakable bond between cats. During the day, they would bask lazily in the warm sunlight that bathed the town square, absorbing the melody of children playing and the laughter of friends sharing stories. At night, under the velvet sky adorned with shimmering stars, they would chase elusive fireflies and embark on daring expeditions, exploring the town's hidden nooks and crannies, their soft paw steps barely disturbing the tranquil silence. Many a local came to rely on the presence of Luna and Max, knowing that their playful chases and affectionate purrs brought an unexplainable joy and warmth to the heart. The elderly, feeling isolated, found solace in their presence, witnessing a simple yet profound beauty in their interactions. Children were captivated by their antics, watching in delight as they climbed trees or chased each other through the flowerbeds. One day, a traveling circus arrived in Willow Creek, filled with fanfare and vibrant colors. Luna and Max, captivated by the excitement, couldn't resist exploring the wonders this circus held. As they ventured into the largest tent, they were greeted with the mesmerising spectacle of trained cats, performing incredible feats of agility and balance. Inspired by their newfound passion, Luna and Max made a daring decision - they ran away to join the circus! They honed their skills tirelessly, practicing their balancing acts and performing stunning leaps. Their dedication and unwavering friendship caught the attention of the ringmaster, who recognized their talent and potential. Finally, the moment arrived when Luna and Max took center stage, their hearts pounding with excitement and anticipation. The audience, holding their breath in anticipation, witnessed an extraordinary performance, a mesmerizing ballet of agility and grace. Luna's elegant poise and Max's playful energy combined to create a symphony of motion that left the spectators awe-inspired. News of Luna and Max's incredible talents spread like wildfire, and they became stars of the circus, sharing their joy and laughter with audiences of all ages. Their unwavering friendship remained the heart of their performances, a symbol of the magical bond between cats that touched the hearts of all who witnessed their amazing journey. And so, Luna and Max, once ordinary cats roaming the streets of Willow Creek, found their destined path in the spotlight of the circus ring, leaving behind a legacy of a friendship that defied the ordinary and inspired the extraordinary in others. As you can tell, even if you only skimmed it, these are much more varied. I found having all these variations on screen at once, from the same prompt, a easy way to help me understand the impact of temperature. If you want to try this yourself, you can grab the bits here: real https://github.com/cfjedimaster/ai-testingzone/tree/main/temp_tester Download the code, the required bits, and set an environment variable for your Google API key. Run the script ( ) and it will open up a web server on port 3000. Lastly, just open that up with your browser. npm i node script.js As always, let me know what you think. I've got some ideas for other tools like this as a way of learning generative AI! Also published . here

Testing Generative AI Temperature Settings with Some Cat Stories

237 Stories To Learn About Innovation

The modern gaming industry is booming. However, as capitalization increases, major companies frequently stick to safer routes. This has a direct impact on game design, especially its creativity. Today, we'll discuss how game design has changed in the past few years and why many gamers argue that creativity has died. The Changing Landscape of Game Design Over the past five years, the gaming industry has witnessed explosive growth. Studios have generated tens of billions of dollars more than was forecasted. The market has expanded both horizontally and vertically. Although there was a temporary revenue drop of around 4% in 2022 due to an overall economic downturn, the future of the gaming market looks quite promising in terms of profit growth. It's predicted to grow from $179 billion in 2020 to $211 billion by 2025. That's about 3.5% growth each year! Here are some : statistics Let's look at all the AAA releases from recent years. A vast majority belong either to the sequel category (like God of War, Horizon, Far Cry 6, Hitman 3, etc.) or to the category of remakes, remasters, and re-releases (like Resident Evil, Final Fantasy 7, Demon's Souls, The Last of Us, Halo, you name it.). There are still brilliants like Cyberpunk 2077 or Elden Ring, but these quickly become exceptions rather than the rule. The abundance of sequels, remakes, remasters, and re-releases tells us that significant developers have changed their approach. They're not looking for originality or new franchises, but rather a way to generate revenue quickly and safely. This mindset also spills over into game design. Developers either carry over old game mechanics or upgrade them. As a result of these changes, the gaming community is placing a stronger emphasis on graphics over gameplay. The demand for better graphics has been steadily rising since 2017. According to recent studies, say their main motivation to upgrade is to enhance their gaming experience. More powerful hardware not only improves their current gaming experience but also provides many players access to games with higher requirements. Over 60% of gamers consistently upgrade their equipment. This is a significant shift from , where only 10% of players invested in high-performance computers. nearly three-quarters of dedicated PC gamers 2016 stats Developing video games is a unique endeavor. Games offer players an experience that no other art form can replicate. You can't just broadcast a game playthrough on TV and expect it to evoke the same emotions as playing it yourself. Yet, modern AAA studios are so fixated on graphic realism, crafted by teams of thousands, that they shy away from game mechanics. Games today are trying hard to be like movies. But in doing that, they lose the special touch that makes them unique. The Role of Boredom in Game Design Researchers from William & Mary University say that our society is facing a so-called " ," where levels of creative thinking continue to decline. This is attributed to the constant stimulation of the brain and the lack of boredom. Interestingly, boredom is a key element in . And you might not know this, but it's often used as a game design tool. creative crisis nurturing imagination While it may sound odd, moments of calm, stillness, and even boredom can boost player engagement and enrich the gaming experience. In game design, pacing is as crucial as in storytelling. Downtimes or less exciting tasks give players time to think, strategize, and anticipate what's coming next. Consider survival games: players frequently engage in mundane tasks like resource gathering and crafting. The main goal of introducing "boredom" in games is to allow users to be creative, experiment, and interact with the game world in unique ways. This leads to fresh gaming moments that not only enhance the experience but also evolve the genre. For instance, if you compare the open world of Elden Ring, which I believe is excellent, with that of Assassin's Creed Odyssey or Valhalla, you'll spot a key difference. It highlights the contrast between a more traditional game design and a newer approach. Elden Ring opens a world that allows for long travels without significant events or encounters. If you wish, you can explore for hours without fighting or engaging in any activities. The game lets you set your own pace. But when you're ready, it offers layers upon layers of worlds. The occasional monotony of exploration amplifies the anticipation of the next discovery, stimulates imagination, and lets you fill in the lore. In contrast, Assassin's Creed Valhalla crams its spaces with endless activities. You can't stroll through a location without being sidetracked by another point of interest. Even when sailing, new markers keep popping up on your screen. When creating Dark Souls and Elden Ring, Miyazaki . Bored, he often read books he couldn't fully comprehend as a child, filling in the gaps with his imagination. This is the experience he aims to convey to his players. Similar game design decisions are seen in games like . If you pause, the world freezes with you. Most of the gameplay revolves around moving across the map and collecting resources. This repetitive task starkly contrasts the strategic depth of battles or city management. drew from his childhood experiences Heroes of Might and Magic III Modern game design tends to . Cyberpunk 2077 certainly plays with narrative pacing, but its primary goal is to ensure the player is never bored, not even for a second. Calls from NPCs, on-screen notifications, and blinking interface elements - all keep the player stimulated. When planning to clear an area in the game, chances are you're testing a new augmentation or skill rather than approaching it creatively. Although to give credit where it's due, the game does offer several ways to tackle a challenge. minimize elements of boredom Large studios are so fearful that players might get bored with their new releases that they often opt for one of two paths: either inundate their games with a surplus of secondary content or tap into nostalgia. The New York Times published an on how vintage tech is selling ever-increasingly, with prices of items considered junk skyrocketing just a few years ago. People are reverting to using Polaroids and playing with Tamagotchis. Filmmakers are reviving old characters, and game studios heavily invest in remakes. extensive piece Even players are terrified of getting bored. According to a psychological study conducted by the University of Virginia, most contemporary individuals would rather self-harm than be left alone with their thoughts. Hence, the modernization of game design in such a manner seems inevitable. Forces Shaping Modern Game Development The new generation of gamers has grown up in this evolved game design paradigm and are mostly unaware of how it has transformed. To them, elements of boredom don’t just evoke existential dread but are also associated with mobile game design tools. Mobile games, by the way, generate more revenue than PC and console games combined. Mobile game design often weaponizes boredom as a monetization tool and as pressure on the player. Free-to-play projects craft slow progression periods as a tactic to encourage in-app purchases. For instance, players might be offered an item or currency to expedite a task that would take a long time. A prime example of this strategy is " ." To fully level up a character squad to level 90, maximize their talents and weapons, and obtain the necessary artifacts without using any in-game purchases can easily stretch out for more than a year. Genshin Impact But it’s not just the overabundance of secondary content that characterizes the declining dynamics of creativity in modern game design. There is a more destructive reason. And this reason is money. The sandbox game is a quintessential example of contemporary game design. These are vast, open worlds where the task of entertainment falls squarely on the player, often through mechanics that repeat those found in mobile gaming. The exhaustive grind for resources, the real-time crafting, and the independent search for crafting recipes are all elements that stretch the gameplay experience, making each stage more labor-intensive. Titles such as " ," " ," and the initial release of " " could easily frustrate players who grew up with a different kind of creativity from developers—one that didn't require such monotonous repetition. Conan Exiles V Rising No Man's Sky This trend isn't confined to sandbox games. It became increasingly common to see the launch of bare-bones games in content, relying on basic, repetitive mechanics that are refined over years post-release. This approach has become so normalized that it no longer raises eyebrows, but it does raise questions about the evolution of game design and the expectations set for both developers and players. The transformation of game design from a creative pursuit to a monetization strategy is a significant factor in the evolution of modern gaming. Here is the elephant in the room: . In the early days of gaming, the transaction was straightforward: you paid for a game and got the full experience. There were no hidden fees or additional purchases necessary to unlock the game's full potential. This model was simple and consumer-friendly, but as the industry grew, so did its ambition for profit. the financial incentives that have reshaped the game design landscape Initially, these were seen as ways to extend the life of a game, offering new adventures and experiences beyond the original scope. However, as these monetization strategies became more sophisticated, they began to influence the very core of game design. Introducing microtransactions and DLC marked the beginning of a new era. Today, games are not uncommon to be designed with monetization as a primary focus. From the get-go, developers are considering integrating loot boxes, time gates, and in-game currencies to encourage players to spend more. This shift has given rise to games intentionally designed to be grind-heavy, leveraging the psychology of reward to increase players towards making purchases that offer a shortcut. The strategies employed by modern games are not just about extracting money; they're about understanding and influencing player behavior. Let's take the example of " " mode. Here, players are encouraged to build their dream team, but the catch is that the best players are often locked behind loot boxes—randomized packs that may or may not contain the desired characters. This system taps into the same psychological triggers as gambling: the thrill of chance and the allure of a potential reward. It's designed to keep players returning, spending more money hoping to strike it lucky. FIFA Ultimate Team Games like " " implement fatigue systems that limit how much a player can do within a specific timeframe, nudging them towards microtransactions to bypass these . This design preys on the player's impatience and the fear of missing out, creating a sense of urgency that can lead to unplanned spending. he psychological impact of these strategies is significant. They can lead to , where the satisfaction of playing is replaced by the . Games are no longer just a form of entertainment; they become a loop of investment and return, where the return is not guaranteed, and the investment is not just financial but emotional. Moreover, these tactics can create an uneven playing field, where players who spend more money gain a competitive edge. This undermines the skill-based nature of gaming, where success is supposed to be determined by mastery of the game rather than the depth of one's pockets. V Rising artificial barriers T addictive behaviors compulsion to spend Understanding why the gaming industry has leaned so heavily into aggressive monetization tactics requires a look behind the curtain at the forces shaping game development. The reasons are multifaceted, involving economic pressures, player expectations, and the very nature of the digital marketplace. Let’s go back again. Games like "FIFA Ultimate Team" have demonstrated that players are willing to spend vast amounts of money on in-game items, mainly when those items give status or competitive advantages. This has not gone unnoticed by industry executives, constantly pressured to maximize shareholder value and quarterly profits. The result is a business model that prioritizes recurrent user spending over one-time sales. One of the primary drivers is the sheer profitability of microtransactions and loot boxes. Another reason is the increasing . According to the CMA's report, a . As games become more complex and the expectations for high-quality graphics and content rise, so does the cost of producing them. This has led developers to seek additional revenue streams to recoup their investments and fund future projects. Microtransactions offer a solution by providing a steady income long after the initial game purchase. cost of game development modern AAA game with a recently approved development budget and a launch window of 2024–2025 typically costs $200 million or more The transition to digital distribution has also played a role. With games being sold through online platforms rather than physical stores, publishers have more control over pricing and sales strategies. This has led to the normalization of in-game stores and the gradual acceptance of ongoing spending as part of the gaming experience. Now, we have a situation where to help design game mechanics that encourage habitual play and spending. This clearly indicates the industry's shift towards a model that views players not just as consumers but as ongoing sources of revenue. developers employ psychologists The must also be addressed. With thousands of games released yearly, developers are under immense pressure to make them stand out. Monetization tactics such as exclusive content, early access, and special editions are ways to create buzz and incentivize purchases. competitive nature of the gaming market Lastly, the rise of free-to-play games has significantly impacted monetization strategies. These games rely entirely on microtransactions for revenue, which has led to the refinement of techniques to convert free users into paying customers. As these tactics become more sophisticated, they inevitably spill over into paid games, further blurring the lines between revenue models. The aggressive monetization strategies infiltrating modern gaming have not gone without their share of drama and community backlash. This tension between profit-driven game design and player satisfaction has led to several controversies, which serve as cautionary tales for the industry. A notable example is the uproar surrounding " " at its launch. The game featured a progression system heavily criticized for its reliance on loot boxes, which many players felt was a pay-to-win. The backlash was so severe that it caught the attention of lawmakers worldwide, leading to discussions about the regulation of loot boxes and microtransactions in games. This incident, while not covered in the videos we've discussed, is emblematic of the kind of drama that can be born when players feel a game's monetization is unfair. Star Wars Battlefront II Moreover, the industry's reputation has suffered due to these practices. The perception that games are becoming less about fun and more about profit has led to a growing disillusionment among players. This, in turn, can block innovation, as developers may hesitate to take creative risks for fear of failing to meet monetization targets. In conclusion, we must face the somber reality that the relentless pursuit of monetization in gaming casts a long shadow over the industry's creative spirit. Many modern games stand as a testament to this troubling trend. The game's mechanics, which heavily stimulate time or financial investments, indicate a broader movement away from creativity. The game's design, while it could be engaging, is marred by the specter of monetization that looms over the player's experience, subtly coercing them into a cycle of spend or grind. This shift towards monetization at the expense of creativity is not just a business model but a cultural shift within the industry. In this darker narrative of gaming's future, the challenge for the industry is profound. It must navigate the treacherous waters of financial necessity while keeping creativity alight. But I stay with the hope that the future game industry can be a place where creativity and player experience will be based on the joy of discovery.

The Dying Art of Boredom in Game Design: The Toll of Monetization on Creativity 

দ্য ডাইং আর্ট অফ বোরডম ইন গেম ডিজাইন: দ্য টোল অফ মনিটাইজেশন অন ক্রিয়েটিভিটি

Die sterbende Kunst der Langeweile im Spieledesign: Der Tribut der Monetarisierung an der Kreativität

El arte moribundo del aburrimiento en el diseño de juegos: el costo de la monetización en la creatividad

L’art mourant de l’ennui dans la conception de jeux : le bilan de la monétisation sur la créativité

गेम डिज़ाइन में बोरियत की ख़त्म होती कला: रचनात्मकता पर मुद्रीकरण का प्रभाव

ゲームデザインにおける死につつある退屈の芸術: クリエイティビティに対する収益化の代償

게임 디자인에서 죽어가는 지루함의 기술: 창의성에 대한 수익 창출의 대가

A arte moribunda do tédio no design de jogos: o preço da monetização na criatividade

Умирающее искусство скуки в игровом дизайне: плата за монетизацию творчества

Oyun Tasarımında Ölen Sıkıntı Sanatı: Para Kazanmanın Yaratıcılığa Etkisi

Nghệ thuật chết dần của sự nhàm chán trong thiết kế trò chơi: Tác hại của việc kiếm tiền đối với sự sáng tạo

游戏设计中无聊的消亡艺术：货币化对创造力的影响

In the current digital era of rapidly evolving designs, every minor detail can significantly affect the overall User Experience (UX). Icons, for instance, can notably enhance a product's visual appeal. What began as an effort to diminish our reliance on third-party resources has turned into a more significant venture. We're excited to introduce “ ” to the community. The Pixel Icon Library by HackerNoon This open-source collection of was designed using a 24px grid for perfect alignment and consistency, thereby enriching your web/app/product/page/life experience. Inspired by HackerNoon’s retro design vibe, these icons encapsulate the essence of the internet's golden era. Pixelated Icons The Concept Behind Our Pixel Icon Library As designers, we often seek solutions to streamline our processes. At HackerNoon, we initially turned to Font Awesome icons to add the necessary functionality and aesthetics to the site. These icons served us well by offering consistency and a wide range of options. However, by relying on a pre-existing library, we could no longer service our brand identity as it evolved. Our founders, and , initially proposed the idea of transitioning to an in-house Icon Library during one of our product meetings. The first phase focused on replacing the existing Font Awesome icons on HackerNoon with our very own. The latter focused on sharing these icons as an Icon Library for the community. David Linh This transition allowed us to challenge ourselves creatively. While the journey was not without its challenges, each pixelated icon we crafted allowed our brand's personality to shine through. These pixelated icons have become more than mere visual elements; they are now a reflection of HackerNoon. Designing Our In-House Icons: From Concept to Creation Creating an icon library was an exhilarating journey through creativity, precision, and problem-solving. Here’s a peek into the process behind crafting these pixelated icons, imbued with HackerNoon’s essence. Defining the Design Language Ideation & Sketching Designing & Bringing Ideas to Life Preparing for Community Publishing: Figma & GitHub Defining the Design Language Our journey began by defining a cohesive design language. This involved deciding on the level of detail, illustration style, and mood we wanted our icons to convey. Establishing this foundation ensured consistency throughout the library. For the level of detail, we opted for a minimalist approach and aimed for clean icons. We ensured the icons would not create visual clutter when scaled, which helped us eliminate unnecessary details. Our Illustration Style was particularly inspired by the . The retro, 80s-inspired pixel block design style is perfectly in line with our brand. This ensured the design language was consistent with the overall visual identity. We call them the Pixelated Icons. HackerNoon logo To maintain consistency, we opted for a 24px grid. (A 24px grid is considered ideal when designing icons since most system icons are displayed at 24x24). This enabled us to create icons for viewing at 100% scale with pixel-perfect accuracy by providing us with: A 22px live area for icon content And 1px of padding surrounding the live area Ideation & Sketching The ideation process began with listing the functions represented by the current icons and their respective use cases. We then brainstormed how we could redesign icons for these functionalities. And then followed up with quick doodles and sketches. These rough sketches helped us visualize the icons on a smaller scale, allowing for faster iterations and discarding of ideas that didn't fit. Designing the Pixelated Icons The next crucial step was converting these hand-drawn concepts into pixelated icons. This phase primarily involved using Adobe Illustrator to create these pixelated icons and subsequently exporting them in different formats and sizes to test scalability. We began by importing these rough sketches into Illustrator. We then created a 24px grid using the Grid Tool to begin the pixelation process. We utilized the Live Paint Tool and filled out each square that had >50% of space occupied. Once we were satisfied with the design, we expanded the Live Paint (Object Menu → Expand) to form shapes. Next, we utilized the Shape Builder Tool to simplify these shapes, and voilà! Our pixelated icon was ready. We then exported the icon as SVG, PNG at 12px, 16px, 24px, and 48px. (We selected these sizes based on the use cases we listed during the ideation phase) Moreover, we documented specific details about the icons, such as their type. Currently, we have three types: (Fill), , and Icons. There is another type for those icons that don't fall under the first three, namely the . (Documenting icons helps maintain design consistency and facilitates future updates) Solid Regular Light Brand Logos Preparing for Community Publishing: Figma & GitHub Once we had exported all the icons in the desired formats, we organized these icons and prepared them for community publishing. We chose Figma Community File and a GitHub Repository for this purpose. Here’s how we prepared everything: We organized the icons into four sets based on their type: Solid, Regular, Light, and Brand Logos, making it easier for users to search for specific icons. Grouping and Organizing: We established a clear and descriptive naming convention to make it easier for users to identify icons. For the GitHub Repo, we opted for a folder structure as follows: (e.g.: and ) Naming Convention & Folder Structure: file-type/color-theme(if any)/size/icon-type/icon-name.file-extension PNG/For Dark Mode/24px/Solid/Ad.png SVG/Solid/Ad.svg Figma's component system allowed us to create master components for each icon. We created size variants for every icon, enabling users to scale the icons directly through instances without any hassle. This streamlined the process of updating icons and ensured consistency across different design files. Creating Component Library & Defining Variants in Figma: We created a dedicated GitHub repository for our Pixel Icon Library, allowing us to manage and share our icons with the wider design and development community. Setting Up GitHub Repository: We crafted a comprehensive README file in our GitHub Repo. This included an introduction to the Pixel Icon Library, information on all possible methods to use these pixelated icons in your project, licensing details, well-defined contributing guidelines, and other special considerations. Documentation on Github: For Figma, we created a separate About Page, which included an in-depth introduction to the Pixel Icon Library and a tutorial on using the component library and variants. We also included a list of icons with their names for easy reference. Documentation on Figma: We clearly defined the licensing terms for our icon library. The Pixel Icon Library GitHub Repo & Figma File are licensed under the CC BY 4.0 License, which allows usage with proper attribution to HackerNoon. Licensing: The Finished Product: Our journey to create the Pixel Icon Library has been filled with creative exploration, challenges, and growth. From our humble beginnings using Font Awesome icons to using In-House icons site-wide and, finally, the creation of our very own Pixel Icon Library. This process has taught us that icons are not merely symbols but are storytellers in their own right. Join us on this creative journey and be among the first to try out the Pixel Icon Library by HackerNoon. Now available on and . Figma Community GitHub Stay Creative, Stay Iconic.

On Building HackerNoon's Pixel Icon Library

হ্যাকারনুনের পিক্সেল আইকন লাইব্রেরি তৈরিতে

Über den Aufbau der Pixel-Icon-Bibliothek von HackerNoon

Sobre la construcción de la biblioteca de iconos de píxeles de HackerNoon

Sur la création de la bibliothèque d'icônes Pixel de HackerNoon

हैकरनून की पिक्सेल आइकन लाइब्रेरी के निर्माण पर

CREATIVELY SQUARED

creativelysquared.com

11-50 employees

Since 2017

COMPANY RANKING

CREATIVELY SQUARED

EVERGREEN INDEX #2867

Representing this company? Click here to claim and customize this page!

Creatively Squared WIKI

Apply to get your Tech Company News Page live on HackerNoon.com today!

CREATIVELY SQUARED

creativelysquared.com

11-50 employees

Since 2017

COMPANY RANKING

CREATIVELY SQUARED

EVERGREEN INDEX #2867

RELATED COMPANIESRANK

STORIES ABOUT CREATIVELY SQUARED

Representing this company? Click here to claim and customize this page!

Creatively Squared WIKI

Apply to get your Tech Company News Page live on HackerNoon.com today!