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"La vie humaine commence de l'autre côté du désespoir" : Jan Walravens et Sartre. Note sur la première réception de l'existentialisme en Belgique (néerlandophone)
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Before and after: how do journalistic revelations about crunch reshape game developers’ communications?
No full textpeer reviewedThe issue of working conditions in the video game industry, and more specifically of "crunch" —periods of mandatory overtime required to meet production deadlines—, has in recent years been extensively highlighted by the gaming press and studied by academic scholars (Cote & Harris, 2021). Investigative journalist Jason Schreier, for example, became well-known primarily through his coverage of this topic (2018). The term has thus become a recurring feature within the media agenda, to the extent that development studios now incorporate it into their communication strategies—either assuring audiences they do not engage in crunch practices (Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Ubisoft), or openly acknowledging it (Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt).
This contribution examines how the revelation of crunch practices transforms the communication between developers and their communities (including journalists), with a focus on the strategies studios adopt to rebuild trust and balance accountability with public relations. This paper addresses the question: How have revelations of crunch practices reshaped communication strategies between video game developers and their communities?
The study aims to contribute to the ongoing conversation about the role of community-driven discourse in external communication by game development companies (McDaniel & Daer, 2016 ; Möller, 2020). Building on Consalvo’s concept of paratexts (2007), this paper will highlight how community and journalistic responses to crunch create a specific type of paratext, including social media discussions on social platforms such as Reddit.
Methodologically, this study employs a mixed-methods approach. A qualitative discourse analysis of developer statements and social media interactions before and after major crunch-related disclosures will reveal shifts in communication style and tone. We will focus on three major cases of game studios known for their crunch culture : Detroit:Become Human (Quantic Dream, 2018), Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games, 2018) and Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt Red, 2020) This analysis will be complemented by unstructured interviews (Fontana and Frey, 2005) - conducted during my PhD - with journalists who investigated crunch during the creation of these games and talked with developers. In an industry dominated by a culture of secrecy (O’Donnel, 2014), these journalists are an integral part of the gaming community, serving as the conduit through which players can uncover the often-problematic processes behind video game production.
Through this case study, the chapter will demonstrate that revelations about crunch practices do not necessarily lead to improved working conditions. Some studios deny facts grounded in hundreds of testimonies, while others openly acknowledge and continue to enforce overtime practices without significant changes. This evolving dialogue between developers and fans exemplifies the broader cultural shift toward ethical labor practices and corporate responsibility, which has begun to influence game design and player expectations. The study will contribute to existing scholarship on game communities as “assemblages” (Mukherjee, 2015) that influence not only gameplay but also the surrounding culture of production and consumption. Specifically, it will explore how community responses to crunch impact the ways developers approach transparency and ethics (Denoo et al., 2024). By examining this question, the study will analyze the interplay between community dynamics and the ethical pressures reshaping the game development landscape
Wideband Magnetic Component Modeling in Power Electronics via Finite Element-Derived Equivalent Circuits
No full textMagnetic components are essential in power electronic systems, where their behavior under
high-frequency excitation plays a critical role in overall system performance. However, ac-
curately modeling these components remains a challenge due to complex geometries, inter-
actions between electromagnetic phenomena and frequency-dependent loss mechanisms.
This thesis addresses the research problem of developing a general and robust methodology
to derive accurate equivalent circuit models of magnetic components from physical prin-
ciples, enabling fast and reliable simulations in frequency and time domains. The primary
objective is to generalize the modeling of magnetic components through localized equiva-
lent circuits across different levels of discretization, from the turn level to the winding level.
The approach allows to identify circuit parameters representing both magnetodynamic and
electrostatic behaviors by means of numerical resolutions. The method also makes an in-
tensive use of ladder-type circuits in order to equip the model with frequency dependent
behavior and still comply with the strong constraint of localized constant circuits. Data used
in the study include detailed material characterizations (permeability, permittivity, losses)
of ferrite cores and dielectric materials, as well as impedance measurements of various in-
ductor and transformer prototypes studied under diverse configurations. The finite element
method (FEM) is employed to extract local field quantities, which are then transformed into
global circuit parameters: resistances, inductances, capacitances, and conductances. The
method is first validated on inductors built with simple geometries (essentially exploiting
rotational symmetry) and made of the materials characterized beforehand. It is then applied
to multi-winding components with more complex geometries and design, such as industrial
transformers. Key findings demonstrate that the proposed method and equivalent circuits
can accurately predict the first few resonances. The tunable levels of discretization (by turn,
by section, by winding) offer great flexibility to the designer, providing a trade-off between
computational efficiency and model accuracy
Effects of Tissue-Specific Smoothing Approaches on Statistical Analysis in Quantitative MRI
No full textpeer reviewedQuantitative MRI (qMRI) provides interpretable maps of brain microstructural properties, such as myelination and iron content. However, standard Gaussian smoothing can compromise interpretability due to partial volume effects, particularly at grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) boundaries. To address this, we compared three tissue-specific smoothing (TSmoo) approaches: TSmoo-LC (linear and compensated), TSmoo-NC (non-linear and compensated) and TSmoo-NI (Non-linear, Intensity-weighted).
Using open-access qMRI data from 138 healthy participants (19–75 years), we reproduced Callaghan et al. (2014) to evaluate age-related changes. TSmoo-LC and TSmoo-NC yielded similar spatial patterns of age-related iron content increases and myelination decreases, but TSmoo-LC detected more significant voxels and clusters. In contrast, TSmoo-NI showed fewer significant voxels and clusters, reflecting lower effective smoothing and higher resel counts. Voxelwise log-likelihood (LL) maps revealed that TSmoo-NI provided a better model fit at GM-WM boundaries, while TSmoo-LC excelled in cortical GM and TSmoo-NC in deep WM.
These findings highlight the impact of smoothing strategies on statistical sensitivity and anatomical specificity. TSmoo-LC and TSmoo-NC are suitable for maximizing detection power, with TSmoo-LC better capturing small variations within cortical gray matter and TSmoo-NC performing better in the homogeneous core of deep white matter. TSmoo-NI preserves anatomical detail, particularly at tissue boundaries.
This study underscores the importance of selecting a TSmoo method based on the scientific objective: maximizing sensitivity or preserving anatomical specificity. This work provides insights into optimizing qMRI analyses for aging and neurodegenerative research
Vers une politique de la civilité. Penser la non-violence avec (et contre) Etienne Balibar
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