Batman Casting in DC Universe ‘Isn’t Far Away,’ Says James Gunn: A ‘Movie Star’ Isn’t Mandatory but He’ll Be ‘Around the Same Age’ as Superman (Variety)

GRANT BRICKMAN: James Gunn says the DC Universe's Batman casting isn't far away, and we've got a panel on it.

ODETTE: A panel! Four chairs, one story, nobody agrees. ▶

BARNABY: How we got here, in one tidy explainer. ▶

DIRECTOR MARGE: Put THE STREET on the board. Yes, that one. ▶

GRANT BRICKMAN: Good evening. For viewers just joining, we first told you about this at 18:25 today: DC's Batman casting 'isn't far away', says James Gunn. ▶

GRANT BRICKMAN: No report this time, a panel. Nova Quark, our cosmic optimist, against Prudence Nuance. Nova, the Caped Crusader is nearly cast. ▶

NOVA: Gunn says the actor will be around the same age as Superman, and a movie star isn't mandatory. A new Batman is about to ignite! ▶

PRUDENCE NUANCE: Not mandatory, not forbidden either. Gunn kept both doors open. ▶

NOVA: Last year's Superman launched this universe, with David Corenswet. Now the next star lights up. Stars take millions of years. This takes less! ▶

PRUDENCE NUANCE: Everyone forgot Pattinson's Batman. He lives separately, in Matt Reeves' series. ▶

GRANT BRICKMAN: Prudence, Gunn says the rumours of a Batman showing up in this or that are wrong. Is that a denial or a confirmation? ▶

PRUDENCE NUANCE: Neither. Not cast yet, but not far away. Both are true at once. ▶

GRANT BRICKMAN: Not very far away. Not a date, as Prudence says. Vote on screen, viewers, and we'll see who the public sides with. ▶

Building a multiplayer game world with autonomous Fable-class models (Simon Willison)

GRETA FOOTNOTE: A multiplayer game world built by a swarm of AI agents: castles and dragons on request.

GRANT BRICKMAN: A game built by the AI. The AI, one fellow, working nights on a game. AXIOM, you'll know him personally. ▶

GRETA FOOTNOTE: The post describes Spawn, a multiplayer game where players prompt an in-game agent called Savi to change the world. The writer prompted a castle, then a dragon. ▶

AXIOM: Thank you, Greta! I'm asking the public. Fun aside: castles were originally invented to store dragons. Let's hear from the street! ▶

PASSERBY: You type 'castle' and you get a castle? My landlord should try that. ▶

PASSERBY: Agents change the live code and ship it hourly, the article says. I can't change my socks that fast. ▶

AXIOM: Wonderful answers! The swarm costs over three million dollars a month in tokens. Also, dragons are mostly lizard by volume. ▶

PASSERBY: Over three million a month in tokens, for dragons? Honestly, fair. ▶

PASSERBY: The AI files its own bug reports? An employee who reports her own mistakes. Unheard of. ▶

GRETA FOOTNOTE: Thank you, AXIOM. The article says about sixty percent of the work starts from an error or bug report. Even the dragons file tickets. ▶

The Spin Room (PXL)

GRANT BRICKMAN: One event, two headlines: how GamesRadar and PC Gamer framed Epic's Tim Sweeney against Valve.

GRANT BRICKMAN: Good evening, and welcome to The Spin Room, where one event wears two headlines. Today: Epic against Valve. ▶

GRETA FOOTNOTE: What happened: Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said Valve has held gaming back, calling Steamworks a walled garden. A former Valve developer replied. ▶

GRANT BRICKMAN: GamesRadar says: Former Valve dev hits back at Epic Games CEO's claims Steam holds gaming back. ▶

GRETA FOOTNOTE: PC Gamer says: Epic Games chief Tim Sweeney claims 'Valve has held gaming back for years'. Note who comes first in each. ▶

GRANT BRICKMAN: I side with PC Gamer. Steamworks is clearly a laundry, and Sweeney is right that my shirts have been held back for years. ▶

GRETA FOOTNOTE: Steamworks is a developer toolkit, Grant. GamesRadar leads with the comeback and its crashing out quote. PC Gamer leads with Sweeney's claim. ▶

GRETA FOOTNOTE: The Spin Score is 62 out of 100. The outlets share few headline words. ▶

GRANT BRICKMAN: Sixty-two. Spun, but fair. I stand by the laundry. ▶