Google is quietly dropping Pixel 11 discounts directly in the Google Play Store app.
Platinum members get up to $175 off select Pixel hardware. That includes $150 off the Pixel 11 series, $175 off the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and $75 off the Pixel Watch 5.
This offer is an instant upfront discount, meaning you can stack it on top of a standard phone trade-in to double down on savings.
Google has another Pixel 11 discount, but it is not sitting on the main Google Store page. Instead, the company is discreetly offering Play Points members an instant discount through the Google Play app, and you might be able to combine it with a trade-in.
It appears that the offer depends on your Google Play Points status. For example, the folks over at Droid Life have found that Platinum members can currently get $150 off the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Pixel 11 Pro XL. The discount also applies to other new hardware, with $175 off the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and $75 off the Pixel Watch 5.
Note that this isn’t a trade-in credit. It’s an upfront discount, so you could potentially stack it on top of a trade-in to increase your overall savings. In other words, your Play Points perk becomes more useful if you were already planning to upgrade.
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The offer is a little less obvious than it should be. Open Google Play and tap your profile or the Play Points icon. Tap the Perks tab. If your account is eligible, you should see your Pixel offer there.
It’s not entirely new, as Google has used Play Points for discounts on Pixels before. But, with Pixel 11 preorders now open, you might want to check your Play Points before you pay to save a significant amount of money.
There’s another option you might want to consider. AT&T is selling the Pixel 11 Pro for $0 if you trade in any previous Pixel you have, though the deal does require an eligible service plan.
At the moment, the Play Points discount is just another reason to check out all the offers available before you pay. More importantly, look at the final price after trade-in, gift cards and plan requirements and not just the headline discount.
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A slew of new phones and gadgets were revealed at the Made by Google event on Wednesday, including new Pixel phones, a foldable, a smartwatch and a personal item tracker. Following industry trends, most of these are pricier than their predecessors.
Like every other corner of the broader tech industry, phone makers have had to grapple with the RAM shortage and subsequent increased prices for memory and other components. Google acknowledged the shortage, noting that its pricing reflects that current reality. For the record, Samsung said much the same, citing the RAM shortage to justify the price increase for its foldables that launched last month.
The Pixel 11 fronts Google’s new phone lineup and starts at $899, a $100 bump over last year’s Pixel 10 — though it also comes with 256GB of storage, which is twice the minimum of its predecessor. In short, Google scrubbed the 128GB option and is forcing everyone to buy a higher tier as the new entry point. That will probably dim the chances of Google’s latest baseline flagship from living up to being a “feature-packed value monster,” as CNET Director of Content Patrick Holland described the Pixel 10.
While the Pixel 11 and 11 Pro more or less kept their predecessors’ prices the same, the Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold both got flat $100 price hikes across all their storage options.
The Google Pixel 11 Pro.Andrew Lanxon/CNET
But another sign of the shortage’s increased toll is a reduction in RAM. Last year’s Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL both came with 16GB of memory, which you’ll still get in the 512GB and 1TB versions of the new Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL — but the starting 256GB versions come with only 12GB of RAM. In a briefing ahead of the event, Google said that its 2026 Pro phones are faster and smoother than last year’s thanks to optimizations in silicon and software. We’ll have to wait for our full reviews to test that claim.
All four phones can be preordered now, with a full release on Aug. 20. We’ve assembled a list of preorder offers from different retailers and carriers, or you can click below to secure one directly from Google.
The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold.Rene Ramos/CNET
Prices for the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold
The Pixel 11 starts at $899 for 256GB of storage, which is the new entry point. While there’s no 128GB option, there is a higher 512GB option that’s new for this year, priced at $1,019, over $100 more.
The Pixel 11 Pro also got rid of its 128GB option, but kept the others at mostly the same prices as on the 10 Pro. The phone starts at $1,099 for 256GB, goes up to $1,219 for 512GB and tops out at $1,499 for 1TB ($50 higher than its predecessor).
The Pixel 11 Pro XL, Google’s priciest flat phone, suffered a $100 price bump across the board even though its storage options didn’t change. The phone now starts at $1,299 for 256GB, goes to $1,419 for 512GB and maxes out at $1,649 for 1TB.
Similarly, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold got a $100 price hike across all its storage options. The foldable starts at $1,899 for 256GB, rises to $2,019 for 512GB and peaks at $2,249 for 1TB.
Colors for the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold
The Pixel 11 comes in four colors: frost, pistachio, hibiscus and obsidian (black).
The Pixel 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold come in four colors as well: canyon, fog, olive and obsidian (matte black). Last year’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 got a new olive hue to match.
David Lumb
Managing Editor, Mobile
David Lumb is a managing editor for the mobile team, covering mobile and gaming spaces. Before CNET, he covered tech, gaming, and culture for TechRadar, Engadget, Popular Mechanics, NBC Asian America, Increment, Fast Company and others. As a true Californian, he lives for coffee, beaches and burritos.
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For many years, the only GameCube emulator available has been Dolphin, a program that allows you to enjoy both GameCube and Wii games in 1080p resolution alongside enhancements like expanded controller compatibility and online multiplayer. Recently, however, a new emulator has been picking up steam and challenging Dolphin’s monopoly: Gecko.
How is the Gecko emulator different from Dolphin?
Created by GitHub user Layle, Gecko is designed to cater to “homebrew development and reverse engineering” while simultaneously providing an authentic experience for the average player. Its creation stems from a singular desire: playing the Wii title Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers on an emulator they made themselves. It’s far from Layle’s first foray into emulation, as they’ve previously developed open-source emulators for the Game Boy, PlayStation 1, Game Gear and more.
Is Gecko that different from Dolphin? When asked on X what features Gecko offers that Dolphin doesn’t, Layle simply stated, “Probably none.” That said, Gecko is still a promising new emulation endeavor to keep an eye on. Dolphin has been in development since 2003, so there’s been much more time to iron out kinks. Gecko could go much further once given time to cook.
Perhaps the biggest current difference between Gecko and Dolphin is the latter’s superior compatibility. Dolphin’s playable games tracker currently lists zero percent of GameCube titles as completely broken. Conversely, the Gecko GitHub states that while many games are already running well, “most will likely have varying degrees of visual glitches or will be outright broken.” There’s now a communal compatibility database for Gecko that aims to combat this problem. Like a lot of open-source software, the community at large will likely help Gecko grow over time.
Are these emulators legal?
Jonathan Sippel/Shutterstock
Emulators are not illegal to use; it’s how you acquire games for them that can create problems. Technically, the only software you’re legally allowed to play on an emulator is something you’ve developed, or physical games you’ve purchased and then converted for emulator use via a process called ripping or dumping.
The game data you extract through this process is broadly referred to as a ROM, though for disc-based systems, it’s technically an ISO file. Dolphin’s FAQ section about where to download ROMs plainly states: “You don’t. Buy games and dump them with a Wii.” Any other method of acquiring ROMs violates copyright laws, including the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act), and is considered piracy.
Because of this, many companies have tightened restrictions or even taken legal action against emulators, with Nintendo being one of the biggest players in the fight against emulation. In 2024, the company filed a $2.4 million lawsuit against the creator of Yuzu, a Nintendo Switch emulator, which Nintendo said created “piracy at a colossal scale.” A year prior, when the Dolphin emulator was set to be released on Steam, Nintendo served Valve with a DMCA notice, indefinitely postponing the release. And further, Nintendo’s page on intellectual property makes it clear how the company views the matter.
With this kind of precedent set for Nintendo-focused emulators, it’s possible Gecko could run into trouble down the road. However, much like Dolphin, so long as the importance of legal ROMs is emphasized, issues are only likely to arise if the emulator is offered for download in a marketplace like the Steam Store.
The many ways to give your pics the high-res makeover
Andrii__Ivaniuk/Shutterstock
On the surface, upscaling a photo seems like a simple enough task. You open your photo editing tool of choice, find the size adjustment menu, enter the new size for your photo and the app does the rest. Forget photo editing tools. Even the default photo viewer on your Mac or Windows PC can do it.
But the results of upscaling are often inconsistent. It can be annoying to see an old family photo look even blurrier after running it through an image upscaler. It’s even worse with pixel art, which becomes a paint splotch with a vague outline after you upscale it 4x. Fortunately, these issues can be minimized if you use the correct method for the kind of photo you’re upscaling.
Format is another consideration, which is determined by whether you’ll edit it, the composition of the photo and its overall purpose.
How traditonal upscaling works
Conventional upscaling methods work on the basic principle of adding new pixels that are an average of those surrounding them. The difference is how many pixels are being factored into that average and the weight assigned to each. For this reason, traditional upscaling won’t magically make your photos more detailed.
Nearest-neighbor upscaling is an exception to the pixel-averaging principle because it simply copies the nearest pixel wholesale. This makes it perfect for pixel art, diagrams and solid geometric shapes, as it retains their blocky appearance. But on regular photos and anything with a gradient, nearest-neighbor introduces aliasing, which makes the edges look pixelated.
A step up from nearest-neighbor is bilinear upscaling, which creates a new pixel by taking an average of its four surrounding pixels. This method doesn’t produce a blocky look but can often make images overly soft, as if they’re slightly out of focus. Use it for images that aren’t sharp to begin with. Avoid it for upscaling close-up shots and anything else with fine details.
Bicubic upscaling strikes a good balance between resource usage and image quality. Instead of four pixels, it considers the surrounding 16 pixels, with more weight given to the closest ones. Thanks to this, it produces sharper images than bilinear upscaling, all without the jagged edges seen in nearest-neighbor upscaling. It’s a safe bet for most types of photos, but know that it can introduce halos unlike the previous two methods.
There are other more sophisticated upscaling algorithms such as the Lanczos method. But these take up more processing power, and I didn’t find the results that much better than bicubic upscaling. Try Lanczos only if you’re dissatisfied with bicubic upscaling.
What about AI upscaling?
Where traditional upscaling methods add new pixels based on the surrounding ones, AI upscaling uses prediction. It works by creating a new image, which, when shrunk down, would most closely resemble the one that you asked it to upscale. And it can do so because AI models are trained on millions of high-resolution images.
Images upscaled using AI often look noticeably cleaner and more saturated. This makes a big difference when the source images are degraded, and you want the gaps filled in without too much focus on accuracy. Say you have an old, grainy photo taken in 2001: Traditional upscaling would make the image more high-res, but it won’t remove the grain. An AI upscaler will make the image bigger while removing the grain too.
But these AI upscalers can have unintended effects too. For example, I ran the album art of Boards of Canada’s album, Music Has The Right To Children, through PicsArt’s AI image upscaler. It added eyes to a face that was blurred out in the original album art. This happened because faces usually have eyes, and it assumed this one does too. It wasn’t extrapolating based on the source image but creating a new, larger image. The takeaway here is to not use AI upscaling on photos where accuracy is of utmost importance.
Don’t forget the image format
Pashaignatov/Getty Images
Image formats play an important role in deciding what you can do with an image. JPEG is the most widely compatible photo format. Your camera, phone and computer can all open it. Since it’s a lossy format, the file sizes are small too, making it ideal for storing large photo libraries. However, it doesn’t support transparency, so avoid using JPEG for stuff like logos or text.
For a good mix of quality and editing support, the PNG format is a solid choice. PNG images can be edited in almost all image editing programs and support an optional alpha channel, which adds transparency. Unlike JPEGs, PNG images don’t lose quality when they’re decoded and encoded during editing. This makes the format perfect for logos, illustrations and screenshots where detail is paramount. Using it for regular photos may be overkill considering it’s a lossless format with a much larger file size than JPEG.
While you can get away with using the JPEG format for images you’ll use on a website, a better format is Google’s own WebP, which has been around since 2010. WebP images are about a quarter the size of PNG, and anywhere between 25 and 34 percent that of JPEG. This directly translates to faster loading times for your website.
If your primary devices are an iPhone and a Mac, stick with the default HEIC format. According to Apple, they’re about half the size of standard JPEG images and store the same amount of detail. They also retain their editing history when you edit them using the Photos app on iPhone. However, HEIC has limited compatibility outside the Apple ecosystem: You will need to download third-party extensions and image viewers to view HEIC photos on a Windows system.
Mandate Order is an ancient war simulation and city-building game set in ancient China, combining construction, management, and tactical strategy. Survival Log
The game features free-form city-state construction, a retainer system inspired by the Hundred Schools of Thought, dynamic seasonal and weather changes, and large-scale real-time tactical battles. Under the constant threat of enemy invasion, you will build and manage an ancient military stronghold that integrates production, defense, and warfare.
Mandate Order Gameplay
1. “Build” City-State Construction, Free Planning, Seasonal Farming, Spring Plowing and Summer Cultivation
A gridless free-building system allows you to construct everything from residences and farms to workshops and barracks, forming a complete urban production chain. The game features rich farming, building, gathering, and production systems. A full annual production cycle brings seasonal changes that affect not only the visual atmosphere, but also city management and the rhythm of marching and warfare.
2. “Stratagem” Retainers, the Hundred Schools of Thought, Diplomacy, National Policies, Alliances and Rivalries
Rule like a city lord or feudal ruler: integrate different schools of thought, formulate diplomatic strategies, and shape your own philosophy of governance. Make choices such as forming alliances, declaring ceasefires, opening trade, or joining forces against powerful enemies. A nine-grid national policy system works together with court debates, while the schools of your retainers influence the direction of policy. Recruit retainers from Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism, Militarism, Agriculturalism, and other schools.
3. “Conquer” Strategy Before Battle, Thousand-Unit Warfare, Line-Drawing Formations, and Physical Siege Combat
Use simple mouse line-drawing commands to quickly deploy formations, enabling tactics such as encirclement, breakthrough, siege assault, and defense. Chariot charges, fortress warfare, thousand-unit battlefields, and a pseudo-physics knockback system create an immersive ancient warfare experience.
Screenshots
SystemRequirements
Minimum
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core Core i7-9700 / Ryzen 5 3600
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660(6G) / AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT(6G)/Arc A750
DirectX: Version 12
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 20 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
InstallationGuide
TurnOff Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
One could wonder how structures are made and considered safe and stable. Structural engineering ensures that the structures to be built can perform as expected. It makes sure that the structures are durable, safe, and can perform long-term. It takes into consideration affecting factors in real-time and comes up with solutions backed by engineering principles, experiences, and validation. The structures have to pass the standard building code and requirements. It is the structural engineers who design the elements of the building in a way that they are capable of withstanding all the loads that may act on them. They are responsible for structural modeling and how the results will be interpreted. It supports architectural complexities and identifies inconsistencies to correct them.
Architectural projects definitely benefit from structural engineering since it gives confidence to the project that it is safe and stable. Companies and project management often look for a structural engineer to validate their models for safety and stability. Cad Crowd links the companies to professional structural engineers to assist in applying structural engineering principles and improving the architectural projects with confidence that its structural integrity is maintained.
Why error detection matters in structural engineering
There are errors in the structural analysis that are sometimes irreversible and hard to recover from. It could cause costly rework to the construction and may lead to further delays. Early detection is important in order to avoid mistakes and conflicts in construction design. It improves the accuracy of the model while remaining structurally compliant with building codes and standards.
Reviewing the structural model setup
To review, structural engineers look for the structural model first before checking the structural analysis. This way, they can verify if the model has conflicts that have been overlooked. In structural models, geometry, element connections, and members are examined. It should be ensured that the model is accurate before proceeding to the results, so that they’d know if the results can be reliable.
Checking structural geometry accuracy
One of the most common overlooked mistakes is incorrect geometry. This means that the structural elements should be correctly aligned with architectural plans. It should match the elevations, sections, and schedules. Structural engineers ensure that the model reflected is accurate to prevent miscalculation in load distribution.
The loads added in the calculations should be aligned with real-world forces that act on the structure. Engineering firmwould have to break down and review loads, which include dead loads, live loads, wind, and seismic loads. Knowing this makes the calculation more accurate.
Confirming load combinations
There are load combinations that are aligned with a specific scenario that the structure is in. Confirming that the combination matches the analysis and the software used. There would be an error in the result if the load combination used is strong. It could result in unstable or stressed structural elements.
Identifying missing loads
When making a structural analysis, it is important that all loads are defined and considered. In some calculations, there are loads that are overlooked, like equipment loads, external façade, or some mechanical systems. It is crucial to cross-check the structural model against all the drawings to ensure that all loads are considered in the structural analysis.
Checking boundary conditions
Structural modelsand calculations have to align the right supports for it to be accurate. Engineers must clearly define how the elements interact, whether it is fixed, pinned, roller-restrained, or a combination of them. The support conditions influence the results and their structural behavior, so they have to be accurate.
Materials are part of the calculations as well, so they have to be correctly defined. In calculations, material properties such as concrete strength, steel grade, significant weight, and modulus of elasticity are used. Miscalculations can lead to stress errors and can affect the structural analysis.
Reviewing structural element assignments
Structural elements, after structural calculations, have specific dimensions and sizes. In some cases, there could be errors in matching the element to its schedule, which may lead to unrealistic results.
Detecting duplicate structural elements
One of the errors that happens in calculations is duplicate elements. It could be unintentionally duplicated and may have inaccurate results of load capacity for the members. Structural engineers can check and review overlapped elements to correct them.
Reviewing structural analysis warnings
When using a structural software, there are warning prompts when there’s an inconsistency or error in the structural models, and it’s important not to ignore them. These could help identify and verify the issues that the model is facing. It is best to examine what’s causing this warning prompt and correct it early on.
Structural analysis and results can determine deflections. This way, structural engineers know how the structure behaves when the loads are applied to it. Errors and inconsistencies could be identified if the deflections are unrealistically small or large. Structural engineers know if these numbers are real or may be caused by an error in the data.
Checking reaction forces at supports
Engineers know a way to check errors by balancing an equation involving support reactions and the loads acting on it. The support reactions should be equal to the total applied loads, and once they are not balanced, there could be an error in the model, or the design is insufficient to carry loads.
Reviewing internal force diagrams
The patterns in the structural diagram can determine the structure’s behavior. The diagram shows bending moment or momentum, shear forces, and axial forces as well. Software shows this diagram, and engineers can interpret it and find out if there’s something wrong with it.
Comparing hand calculations with software results
Software-generated results can be verified and validated by simple hand calculations and equations. This helps in checking reactions and magnitudes to see if it all makes sense. Comparison of the calculations to the results can be done to know where it could go wrong, as there could be a discrepancy.
Load paths show how the forces are distributed throughout the structural elements. From the roof to the foundation system, load paths can be checked if there is a disruption. Inconsistent load paths could mean there’s a problem with connections.
Reviewing member utilization ratios
Every structural member has a certain capacity it utilizes and has safe limits. Structural software generates the ratios, and these numbers can determine if there are design errors. Engineers review this data to know if the ratios make sense or not.
Checking stability and structural instability warnings
Structural stability is important, and engineers can check and validate if the model has lacking supports and a framing system. Unstable models can lead to unreliable structural analysis. Software can detect some and prompt warnings. It is important that it is thoroughly reviewed and assessed to interpret design outputs.
Reviewing slab and floor system behavior
The floor system distributes loads, and it is important that it is modeled correctly in the software so it can accurately show the distribution throughout the elements. An inaccurate diaphragm can cause errors and may affect beam and column forces.
The engineers can validate the earthquake load response and analyze the behavior of the structure towards it. Having a safe structural design is important, especially in areas prone to earthquakes. Engineers will tend to review the historical data of the area and apply safe constants to ensure that it can withstand the loads.
Cross-checking architectural and structural drawings
Mismatched details between architectural and structural drawings are common. But this inconsistency leads to errors in structural models. Aligning both scopes helps make the model and calculations accurate. Cross-checking both drawings would be a great help to reduce discrepancies and conflicts later on.
Detecting modeling assumptions that may cause errors
In cases where assumptions were made for a certain material or element, risks may arise if the assumptions are not realistic. Engineers review the assumptions being made, ensuring that they show realistic outcomes for the building. It shouldn’t be exaggerated nor underestimating. It should still come close to the realistic value so the results can be reliable.
Verifying units and measurement systems
Sometimes unit conversions are overlooked and can be a common mistake in calculations. Professional engineers have to make sure that the units used throughout the calculations are correct, including the weight, the dimensions, the material properties, and the loads. It has to have proper unit conversions. Incorrect units may lead to drastic errors.
Every structure has a distinct symmetrical attribute, and this is how engineers interpret results. It can indicate whether there’s an inconsistency with it or there could be an uneven load distribution that has to be addressed. Reviewing the structural responses can be helpful to detect errors during the design stage.
Reviewing structural member orientation
Member orientation matters as it determines the pathway of the loads. Incorrect orientation could disrupt the load transfer and bending motions. It is important to correct this in order to produce its capacity and limits.
Verifying structural releases and constraints
Structural engineers verify the member releases whether it’s correctly assigned or if it performs as intended. Releases control how forces will be transferred throughout the members, and it’s important that these are checked to ensure that they maintain a realistic structural behavior. Verifying avoids errors in the analysis, ensuring that the structure is safe and stable.
Checking structural load transfer between systems
A building design or a structure runs on multiple structural systems. This included beams, columns, slabs, and other load-bearing elements. The engineers make sure that, despite different structural systems, the loads will be transferred seamlessly without causing stress to other members. It should lead to a realistic analysis and outcome.
Comparing results between different analysis methods
Cross-checking different analysis methods verifies and validates results. Discrepancies could be reviewed and analyzed to know what could be wrong in the calculation. Doing this increases reliability in results and adds confidence to its accuracy.
Reviewing structural design code compliance
A structure or a building has to comply with the necessary building code and standards. Load combinations are present to comply with it, and the structural engineers can verify compliance with these codes. They can review and set safety factors and design limits according to the codes.
Detecting overly stiff or flexible members
Elements show behavior, and engineers can identify or interpret it. Correcting a member’s stiffness or flexibility helps design accurately. It reduces distortion and excessive deflection of the member. Discrepancies could be minimized to reflect more reliable data that reflects the realistic performance of the structure.
Buckling analysisresults help determine whether compression members, like columns, braces, or beams, lose stability under applied forces and loads. This helps structural engineers determine if the members are safe and stable under compression loads. Once incorrectly calculated, adjustments can be made to make it more stable.
Reviewing structural dynamic behavior
Structural engineers review unusual vibration patterns, and frequency could show issues and conditions in the structural model. The vibrations are also reviewed to check if the behavior is aligned with appropriate responses, whether it satisfies the building code limits, or not. It shows if the building or structure can withstand time-dependent forces.
Verifying floor diaphragm behavior
Transferring lateral loads from the floor to the roof can be done with a correctly defined model and design. Lateral loads have to be realistically distributed throughout to align with the design intent. Engineers make sure that the models are correctly identified, whether they are rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible, depending on their design intent.
Evaluating structural foundation reactions
The structural foundation shows if the load transfer from the structure to the ground is consistent with the reaction forces. Engineers can review this and check for discrepancies, if any, and assess where it went wrong. There could be incorrect load assignments or unrealistic stress concentrations that have to be corrected to support stability.
Engineers make use of the trends and patterns all throughout and across multiple members to check unusual behavior, as there could be inconsistent member properties and improper load assignments. If it is examined and found that there is more than one member who has an anomaly, then there is a problem with the system. Doing this ensures that all members are acting in a safe and efficient manner.
Checking structural model simplifications
Engineers review and assess models by simplifying the analysis to make it more manageable. This way, engineers could accurately reflect realistic building performance and check with architectural and structural drawings. Simplified calculations and analysis would help in checking more efficiently.
Comparing results with similar projects
Comparing historical datato present models can show patterns. There could be deflection patterns and behaviors that could help evaluate the model’s stress patterns. By cross-checking with similar past projects, benchmarking can gain context for evaluating the model’s behavior.
There could be data that can influence the results. Engineers make use of sensitivity analysis to observe some behavioral patterns that could significantly affect the structural performance. Identifying this could show errors that could be adjusted upon early detection.
Performing independent model checks
Conducting a sense check or independent model checks by another structural engineer ensures that there are no errors overlooked. Doing this strengthens confidence in values and could actually help engineers pinpoint and check flaws and validate assumptions.
Reviewing software version and settings
The software is constantly updated, and so are the calculation algorithm methods. The engineers have to verify which version is compatible and make sure that the settings are not outdated to provide accurate data and results.
Inspecting structural result visualization
Visualization processcan help analyze the shown deformation and shapes. Engineers can examine and inspect the graphical data to identify unusual patterns, if any. From this, errors can be revealed, and the data can be validated. What’s shown in the graph can be symmetry or irregularity; this will help narrow down observations.
The loads act in a way that the real world does. It has to be correctly placed with the right directions, whether acting downwards, upwards, left, or right. It should be aligned with whatever load it represents. Knowing this can ensure correct and balanced equations. It reflects realistic reactions and represents real-world forces.
Checking structural member overlaps
An overlap structural member can be overlooked during the design of structural models, and engineers can ensure reviewing deliberately to check where it could overlap. Removing this can drastically alter the outcome to more accurate and reliable data.
Verifying structural construction stages
There is a project that has multiple phases or stages. Structural engineers make sure that each phase and stage reflect the realistic sequence of the timeline in the model appropriately. It must undergo whatever load and stress development it has to show a realistic outcome. From this, it ensures realistic force distributions and prevents inconsistent deflections.
Evaluating long-term structural effects
It is important to know material properties to add them to the considerations during the analysis. Factors such as creep, shrinkage, sagging, and relaxation can affect the material and may be overlooked during the design phase. If not considered, predictions of its structural performance can be unreliable and inaccurate.
It is definitely important to do a check-in of the structural drawings with the structural results. Engineers can understand and interpret this and cross-check data and alignment if it matches the design intent. It is essential that there is consistency between the drawings and the calculations to ensure that there are no discrepancies or conflicts.
Conducting peer review in engineering teams
Peer review is done to ensure that there are no overlooked errors. This is often done in major projects. Assumptions and considerations were carefully reviewed and examined to validate. This process adds confidence to the results.
Implementing quality assurance procedures
Quality assurance is an important standard process to review and validate the structural model and calculations. It involves cross-checking documents and drawings, checklists, verification processes, and reviews. Sometimes an independent checker is added to the team to ensure accountability. This process improves the reliability of the data.
Using engineering judgment
The software-generated result must always be counter-checked. Engineers can use their expertise backed by engineering judgment. This makes them have sound decisions and analysis. They can sense if there’s an abnormality with the results or some inconsistency in them. Once detected, a more thorough investigation can be done, and corrective measures will be applied.
In engineering, there is always an evolution of processes, materials, building codes and standards, and technologies. Engineers continuously adapt to the changes and update their expertise, making sure that they can keep up with the updated tools, software, and engineering methodologies. This helps them be more efficient in modeling accurately.
Conclusion
Knowing how to detect and identify errors in design and analysis is an essential part of a structural engineer’s role in the project. Through different systematic approaches, they ensure that the results generated are reliable and verified.
The engineers make sure that the models and designs are compliant with the codes and standards. It improves the whole project by adding confidence that the structure is safe, stable, and durable. Companies often hire structural engineers to conduct structural analysis to check if their designs are safe and compliant, especially if the project is on a more complex side.
Cad Crowd lets businesses connect with professionals who are specialized in structural analysis review and data validation. They can help by sharing their experience and knowledge to improve design and technical accuracy in architectural projects.
Detecting errors in structural analysis and design is essential for creating safe, code-compliant, and reliable buildings. If your project requires expert review, structural analysis, or design validation, Cad Crowd can connect you with experienced structural engineers who specialize in identifying issues before they become costly construction problems. Whether you need assistance with structural modeling, load analysis, engineering calculations, or design verification, our network of professionals can help improve the accuracy and reliability of your project. Contact Cad Crowd today for a free quote and find the right structural engineering expert for your next project.
MacKenzie Brown is the founder and CEO of Cad Crowd. With over 18 years of experience in launching and scaling platforms specializing in CAD services, product design, manufacturing, hardware, and software development, MacKenzie is a recognized authority in the engineering industry. Under his leadership, Cad Crowd serves esteemed clients like NASA, JPL, the U.S. Navy, and Fortune 500 companies, empowering innovators with access to high-quality design and engineering talent.
Kinetic Games is expanding into the games publishing business. Before today, Kinetic has only been known for Phasmophobia, its four-player ghost-hunting game that first exploded during the COVID pandemic and has remained a favorite since then. It has apparently done well enough to allow the team to expand its business into publishing, as it’s announced a group of five games that make up its initial publishing efforts.
The lineup includes one horror title–and man, is it a big one–and also features other kinds of games, including a punky racing game starring witches on broomsticks, a super-tense Papers, Please-like experience in space, a cozy game inspired by Spiritfarer, and a metroidvania game that does something even Hollow Knight didn’t think of. Here’s what’s coming from Kinetic Publishing.
Precognition
Developed by Half Mermaid
In terms of name recognition, Sam Barlow’s team at Half Mermaid is the biggest one attached to the new label. Project C, Half Mermaid’s previously announced working-title project with Brandon Cronenberg (of the Cronenberg body-horror film dynasty), has officially been revealed as Precognition.
The team behind Immortality, Her Story, and Telling Lies is back again with another blend of full-motion-video gameplay, non-linear storytelling, and a deep rabbit hole for players to fall into.
In Precognition, you’ll play as Diana, who discovers she can see the future after receiving an experimental brain implant. As players explore these visions, they’ll commit some to Diana’s memory based on choices they make. In turn, they will alter the course of the story, which is being co-developed with Cronenberg.
All three of Barlow’s games to date have earned widespread acclaim, so suffice it to say this is a big get for Kinetic.
Precognition is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 in Spring 2028.
Fans of cozy games such as Spiritfarer and Stardew Valley will want to keep an eye on Aether Wizard Life from Vonder Games. In it, you’ll create your own mage and live out your life in a customizable castle that resembles Spiritfarer’s boat-building tools very closely. You can tend to animals, cook meals, grow crops, and work jobs around different towns.
All the while, you’ll be exploring a story with a touch of darkness to it, as a secret organization is endangering the lives of mages all over, and you’ll need to get to the bottom of the situation.
Aether will feature romanceable characters, a wide variety of activities to perform outside of story missions, and 30+ skills to learn and master.
As someone who loves Spiritfarer so much that I got a tattoo commemorating it, I’m really looking forward to this one. While the home-building tools are familiar, a lot else stands apart, so it’s an enticing combination of what I’ve seen before next to new experiences.
Aether Wizard Life is due out in Fall 2028 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2.
I have a Hollow Knight-obsessed son at home, so I can’t wait to show him Shellbound. This metroidvania resembles the greats like Hollow Knight and Ori and the Blind Forest at first glance, but it adds a wrinkle that, to my knowledge, no game in the genre has had before.
The world of Shellbound exists on the back of a godlike snail, with the creature’s organs serving as the explorable map. But the team at Fake Lobster told me they wanted to make a metroidvania that gets away from some of the genre’s normally foundational characteristics, such as backtracking and gated progress.
Using an in-game mechanic called parasitizing, you can absorb the abilities of flora and fauna around you, allowing you to access pretty much any area whenever you want, provided you are willing to adopt the consequences that come with parasitizing.
As you kill more enemies to parasitize them, their class may grow stronger, so by seeking to “break” the world design, which the game fully welcomes, you’ll also be giving yourself more of a challenge. It sounds like a speedrunner’s dream. Giving players the chance to break progression is a fascinating shift in the metroidvania formula that could help shake up the whole genre.
Shellbound is set to arrive in Summer 2028 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2.
This one was making me sweat. Cold Zephyr’s Contact Protocol is like Papers, Please in space. You play as the captain of a starship interacting with others on the proverbial space superhighway. Some are corporate spies, others are smugglers, others may be totally innocent. What’s universal is a sense of distrust.
Contact Protocol exists in a world of fake news and disinformation. It’s a paranoia-inducing experience in which no one seems to trust each other, and you’ll often need to talk other ships down from blowing you up just because they don’t like how you answered one of their questions. You can destroy ships that prove to be threats, but you can also just annihilate anyone, provided you’re willing to live with the fallout.
The demo I saw was extremely tense and made me feel like the team is well on the right track, complete with an edgy art style that matches its seedy world.
Contact Protocol is launching on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 in Spring 2027.
Last but not least in my preview presentation of Kinetic’s debut publishing slate was Crescent County, a game that straps motors to witches’ broomsticks and sets players off in search of flow-state exploration around a vibrant world.
Recently moving to a new town, players take on the role of Lu as she navigates the crescent-shaped island of Mor aboard her motorbroom, delivering packages by day and racing when the sun goes down. The gorgeous world is inspired by the films Kiki’s Delivery Service and Akira, in naturally different but similarly apparent ways.
The gameplay demo I was shown had a beautiful look to it, enhanced by an energetic soundtrack with a punk edge. Putting it aptly and succinctly, the team at Electric Saint describes the game as being about “kissing, drifting, and being a mess in your 20s.”
Crescent County debuts in Summer 2027 on–you guessed it–PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2.
Hide the Voice Mode listening or barge-in placeholder in the chat input while you’re typing, and restore it once the input is cleared. #330288
Add a link to configure voice.md instructions to the Voice Mode onboarding banner, alongside the existing settings link. #328083
Fixed an issue where Voice Mode instructions in voice.md were not applied. #328860
August 10, 2026
Add support for associating HTML files with the integrated browser using the
workbench.editor.associations
setting, so they open directly in the browser instead of the text editor. #328545
Add subtitles and status indicators to the Chats picker in the Agents window, grouping regular, forked, and side chats separately from active subagents. #329176
Add support for selecting the unsaved editors count badge in the Open Editors view to jump to the first unsaved editor. #328907
Add a keybinding to reopen the most recently closed chat or session, mirroring how browsers reopen a closed tab. #329184
August 7, 2026
Add support for running Codex sessions in the agent host with an OpenAI, ChatGPT, or other configured model provider without requiring GitHub Copilot sign-in. #329668
We really appreciate people trying our new features as soon as they are ready, so check back here often and learn what’s new.
Manual pen tests take weeks to schedule. Attackers don’t wait that long.
Traditional network penetration testing is slow, expensive, and often treated as a once-a-year compliance checkbox. In the meantime, cybercriminals look for new ways into your network every day.
As IT environments grow more complex, security teams need a faster, more consistent way to find the gaps that vulnerability scans miss before someone else finds them first.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
How penetration testing differs from vulnerability scanning
Which testing type fits your security goals
What common findings scans can miss
How to assess your penetration testing needs
How W-Industries improved testing speed, cost and security posture
