Hey all,
LGBTQ+ Friendly I'm really looking for someone to hang with on the weekends (although I do have Thur and Fri off this week). I'm really wanting to play : Sons of The Forest, Lethal Company, Elden Ring Seamless CO-OP run with some mods hopefully, Abiotic Factor, maybe Starship Trooper, and other CO-OP centric games.
Atm I'm playing Hearthstone, Sons of The Forest, and Warhammer Total War at the moment. Really love story games and immersive experiences, especially CO-OP focused. Love the soulsborne series!
In terms of personality, small-talk is ok, but I really prefer having deeper conversations, be it about current events, politics, philosophy, or w/e. Having really emotional conversations is something I'm comfortable with too, but ofc that'll be a thing if both parties are comfortable. I have enough small-talk at work so I want to mostly escape that level monotony.
I'm mostly available on the weekends. Other hobbies/interests: Warhammer, horror movies, guitar, EDM, politics, Independent Rock, and shitty memes
Shoot me an add on discord: Splurgus#4392

Link for all the chapters available for free here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road
Deep in the groaning halls of sinew and bone he awaited his audience with the god. At a wave of his hand the ribs which held up the ceiling contracted, tendons shifting within the pink walls of the chamber as the jagged, calcareous spurs that composed the doorway sank back into the spongy masses of tissue, revealing a passage curving down and out of sight.
Menash stood before the yawning portal and considered eternity. This was no an idle thought: here in the Dawning Chamber, the concept was very real. His father, Yulan, had stood in this exact spot times beyond count. When he was struck down in his prime by the Night Weaver and her Leaper offspring, torn limb from limb as he fought to defend Chthonis from a raiding party, Menash’s uncle, Aqavarr, had carried his broken remains over that grinning threshold to join the hosts of the dead, never to return.
A hot and heavy exhalation rattled up out of the depths, wafting in the acrid scent of the bonding pools and the wet slithering sound of the rebirthing canals. Menash felt a crackle of static in the corners of his mind before the signal sharpened and he heard It whisper distinctly:
“Enter…”
The familiar dread crept its way up the small of his back, and he gave a little shiver. No matter how many times he had communed with the Vitalus, he’d never been able to shake the feeling of his utter insignificance. But he persevered, walking bravely down the slurping passage, past the rows of broad antechambers lining either side of the hallway. Each one held a slumbering shape immersed in a cryogenic bath, towering hulks of muscle encased in ribbed and riveted plates of chitin. No two were alike in size or physiology, but all seemed to emanate the same primeval aura of dread that tickled Menash’s fight-or-flight-instinct, skewing it very much towards the latter response. These were the Hollowores, soulless avatars of the Vitalus, each one a tool capable of eradicating an entire species. As Menash approached, one of the living weapons stirred to life. A pronged, anvil-shaped head emerged from the bath, umbilical feeder tubes detaching from its armored flanks as the rest of its bulk followed, its mauve exoskeleton as sleek and shiny as amethyst. The Hollowore extended legs as thick as grown pine trees and lifted itself above him, its pairs of crushing pincers dripping amniotic fluids as it herded him towards the central room.
Bundles of white gossamer filaments spread all across the floor, encircling steaming pools of pus and acid. He saw arms and legs, sensory organs and entire exoskeletons being knitted before his very eyes, the amino acid chains being stitched on a layer at a time, the weeping pus evidence of microphages fighting off possible infections as the Vitalus did Its work.
These were the next generation of exomorphs, yet to be assigned to their hosts. It was here that Vitalus constantly improved the only thing that could ensure the continued survival of Menash’s subspecies. Exomorphs were bonded to Gallivants at birth, the organisms supplying their hosts with the means to breathe an atmosphere they was never meant to endure, and the strength to fight in a world that was red in tooth and claw. They were as swift as the summer wind and could multiply their host’s muscular power by up to twelve times their natural output.
But for all their God-given might, Gallivants were still mortal. They could and often did perish in the endless struggle for existence that the Vitalus called the Great Game. But even in death they could still commit their essence to posterity, passing down their defining traits through the malleable genetic code of the gilt helix. It was the Vitalus’ greatest boon; through the gilt helix a single individual could become a progenitor of an entire generation, becoming at one stroke the father of whole nations and peoples.
One day he too would prove worthy of the honor that Yulan had earned with his life. But he was not alone in that ambition. Menash was annoyed to find the crimson-clad Vezda and the cowardly Racek waiting for him inside, standing next to a large ball of filaments that hung from a tonsil-like growth hanging from the walls.
This node pulsed, emitting a small storm of bioelectric activity, networks of fungi conveying commands in the form of oscillating voltages to their communities of symbiotic bacteria, the latter containing greigite mineral crystals aligned in the shape of electromagnetic coils. Other networks hidden in the walls modulated and amplified the signals, and the three Gallivants steeled themselves for the onrushing flood of information as the Vitalus tapped into their minds.
He was a candle before the raging heart of the thunderstorm. For an instant Menash touched a fraction of Its intelligence, the divisions of time and space rolling back as they joined the ocean of shared consciousness, becoming one with the living systems of Arachnea. From the tiniest aeroplankton floating above the waves of the golden coastlines, to the herds of ultrapods munching their way through swathes of trees in the savannahs. Menash felt himself pushing up out of the soil, longing and lusting and reaching for the sunlight with a trillion green fingers uncurling, alive with the furious movement of life.
But what was that flicker of orange to the east? That searing heat, that prickling pain spreading like a cancer down his side?
The Vitalus scooped them up and hurled them headlong into hell itself. A roaring wildfire was sweeping into the heart of the eastern rainforests. Menash tasted ash and ruin, felt pieces of himself wither and burn, his branches tongues of fire, wood cracking from the intense blaze, sap boiling instantaneously upon contact and rupturing, splitting him right down the grain. He fled in terror, running, slithering, digging, swimming, flying away in crazed panic from the walls of red death closing in on him. As his skin flaked off in clumps of charcoal he looked back and saw it towering over the treetops, the epicenter of this howling vortex of destruction: the grey behemoth. Its burnished metal hide gleamed like copper, reflecting the fury of the conflagration burning well into the night.
Menash pulled his mind away before it was lost forever in the storm of electric potentials. He saw Racek and Vezda swaying on their feet, breathing hard and fast.
“Heart of the World,” he managed to gasp, “What is your bidding?”
The Hollowore maneuvered itself until it was facing him directly. Tiny beady eyes fixed him in their blank gaze. The node emitted a blue pulse and the creature shuddered as it received the signal. It opened a maw powerful enough to chew boulders into gravel and rumbled:
“This one is the alpha which survived first contact with anomalous variable. It will tell Us what occurred, and from whence this threat emerged.”
“It came from the karst mountain range, where the yellowjacket Amit live,” Menash replied, “It was destroying the largest mound in that area, massacring its inhabitants. It brought the mountain down on them—we’ve never seen anything like it. Zildiz was the first on the scene. She warned us not to approach, and that it was dangerous, but some of us,” here he cast an angry look at Vezda, “Some of us went ahead and tried to scavenge from the bodies of the dying. Then the behemoth ignited the air and burned scores of us to cinders.”
“Irrational. Why did you do this?”
“W-we thought that you had spawned the grey behemoth,” Menash stammered, embarrassed to say the least, “That it was the newest addition to the Great Game, another species of ultrafauna that would help perfect Arachnea.”
“Not so. It was made by an evil far older than the All-In-One,” replied the Vitalus, “It is called a Divine Engine. In cycles past, this evil sought to undo this world and all that inhabit it. In that, it almost succeeded.”
Menash felt his blood run cold at those words.
“Is it the only one of its kind?” Racek piped up. Menash and Vezda both bristled at his interruption; subordinates were only supposed to speak when spoken to.
“There were several deployed here in Our infancy. We had thought them all destroyed in the War of Creation.”
“Your Munificence,” Racek went on, heedless of the venomous looks he was getting from the other two, “Most of us survived because Zildiz persuaded us to dive into the river. She saved all our lives! But as I washed up on the riverbank, I saw the behemoth casting a seedpod into the skies. I did not see where it landed, but it was travelling in a high arc due east. Is this the behemoth’s method of reproducing? If so, then how many offspring can it generate from this one seed?”
The Vitalus met his questions with a minute of silence. Menash had never known It to take so long to respond to a query, and felt another stab of unease in his gut. Unless he was imagining things, the Vitalus seemed genuinely disturbed by the scenario that Racek has raised, enough to convince Menash that the danger was far from hypothetical.
“That is a distant possibility,” It said somewhat cryptically, “Regardless, We cannot allow the Engine’s continued existence.”
“Then it must be destroyed,” Vezda said, her barbed tail eagerly perking up.
“We are not certain that it can be,” the Vitalus said, and Menash heard Racek audibly gulp at the admission.
“But Your Omniscience, you alone are the arbiter of growth and decay,” Vezda said in disbelief, “Surely you can unmake this monster as well?”
“Perhaps. The Divine Engines were built to withstand the extremes of temperature, gravity, atmospheric pressure, acidity and irradiation found on semi-inhabitable exoplanets. Worlds of bareness and desolation, glassed by thermonuclear bombardment or infested with alien microorganisms. In the wars of Our youth, the Betrayers used tungsten-alloy warheads fired from space platforms to crack their bulkheads. Not even Our vessels, the Hollowores, could damage them in any significant way. We will need time to gather the raw materials and fabricate the weapons needed to end this threat.”
“What must we do?” Menash asked.
“If this variable is not dealt with, it could upset the delicate balance We have sacrificed so much to achieve. Already the wildfire it has caused will release close to 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and destroy 2.3 million acres of forest before Our countermeasures can stop it. Time is our limiting factor. If the Engine cannot be destroyed now, it must be restrained.”
“It hasn’t moved an inch since we last saw it,” Vezda said brightly, “Maybe it has already died?”
“Yes, and maybe your mother was a horka toad,” Racek said snidely. Vezda scowled and took a step towards him, then stopped as she remembered that she trod on hallowed ground.
“Not so. It has merely gone dormant. Having expended its fuel, it is now running on the bare minimum of its reserves. My children, you must ensure that it does not wake again. Establish a quarantine zone around the Engine and let none approach, on pain of death. The Leaper kindreds will secure the ground while the Gallivants patrol the skies.”
Vezda and Menash exchanged troubled looks. Nobody wanted Leapers establishing a foothold in what was essentially a buffer zone between their subspecies. Once allowed to settle in a habitat, it would not take long for them to adapt and become masters of their new territory. Ousting them would become a battle of attrition, and given the lower birthrates of Gallivants, it was not one they could long afford.
“Respectfully, we do not require assistance from our brother kindred,” Menash ventured, “We are more than capable of safeguarding the area ourselves.”
The node throbbed again, the bioelectric flashes taking on an angry purple hue. With a sound like the grinding of a millstone the Hollowore clashed its claws together impatiently. All three of the mortals took a hasty step back.
“The alpha will obey, or another will be found that can,” the Vitalus growled at them, “All subspecies will observe a general truce during this period. This is a temporary addition to the Great Game. Those that serve Us well shall be rewarded. We shall also enlist the aid of your terrestrial cousins, as well as the Cataphract clans to replenish the soil, and lone Saints who shall rove beyond the quarantine zone.”
Menash’s unease deepened. The Vitalus was bringing together four different kindreds, some of which killed each other on sight, in a move that reeked of desperation. The kindreds had worked together before, of course, on complex projects such as altering rainfall patterns and husbanding struggling species, but never so many at once. This was bound to end in bloodshed.
“Those that break the truce shall be chemically neutered, and their gilt helix purged from the existing gene pool,” the Vitalus continued, “You will maintain this quarantine until We have dealt with the Engine.”
“It is understood!” Menash and Vezda said at once.
“But what about Zildiz?” Racek blurted out, again risking his entire lineage by speaking out of turn, “She might still be alive out there!”
“He’s right,” Menash found himself agreeing despite his dislike for Racek, “She’s our alpha, after all. It would be a shame to lose her helix. Do we have your leave to send out a party to recover her?”
The Vitalus pondered the request for a moment, then crushed his hopes when it said:
“Regrettable, the loss of the female. Valuable stock for the breeding program. But it has not responded to Our signals—it is unlikely to have survived. The female Vezda shall take up its duties as alpha.”
“But Your Benevolence—” both men cried out in unison.
“It is decided. She has risked the Great Game, and must abide by its outcome. To speak more on this would risk Our displeasure,” the god warned.
“We can’t spare the manpower anyway,” Vezda pointed out, trying not to look too pleased at Its decision. She darted a quick look at Menash, long enough for him to see the selfish desire festering in her heart. He turned away from her in disgust, baring his blades by the slightest of margins to let her know what he thought of her, then asked the Vitalus:
“But what of the Engine’s seedpod? Should we search for it?”
“Negative!” the Vitalus boomed, its node reinforcing the word with a spike of activity that sent needles of pain spearing into their heads, “We shall complete this task. It is dangerous and can be entrusted to no other.”
The Hollowore angled its massive head towards the cavernous ceiling, armored flaps on its back sliding aside as it unfurled sets of rigid sixty-meter wings. A wide sphincter on the roof gaped open and Menash saw the evening sky awash with the stars in their milky multitudes. The Hollowore took a deep breath through the spiracles lining its thorax and abdomen, pumping air through a pair of hollow tube-like protuberances under either of its wings. Menash and the others quickly scampered to a safe distance. Seconds later there was a scream of chemical combustion and the Hollowore rose into the evening skies, leaving behind a long trail of superheated gases, the backwash almost knocking Menash off his feet. They watched as the Hollowore gained altitude, making straight for the columns of billowing smoke on the horizon, a sweeping shadow blotting out the light of the heavens.
The Vitalus’ mental presence receded with it. When it did not return, they took it to mean that they were dismissed and likewise took flight and headed for Chthonis. They were hardly out of the Dawning Chamber when Vezda seized the scrawny Racek by his wings and anchored her feet right up against his back.
“Funny little man, are you? Crack jokes at my expense again, and I’ll see to it that you’ll never fly again!” she snarled, yanking hard. Racek yelled as his wings threatened to pop out of their sockets.
“Stop!” Menash said, ramming his shoulder into her and knocking the smaller male out of her grip. Vezda rounded on him, blades out and her tail aquiver with rage.
“As for you! No one should speak to the Vitalus like that!” she shrieked, “Much less gainsay It! Are you trying to get us all killed? It is the source and continuance of life itself—”
“But the Vitalus doesn’t always consider the individual scale of things,” Menash reasoned, controlling his rising anger as he tried to defuse the situation, “Its scope of thought is beyond ours. Therefore it is up to us to look after each other. None of us can win the Great Game alone. We need people like Zildiz for the species to prosper.”
“Your logic is flawed,” Vezda spat, “Empathy is a sham devised by the selfish action of the gene, which seeks only to preserve itself. At least I am honest enough to look after my own interests. Your obsession with that whore is misplaced. Heed my words, Menash. What happened today marks a change in the Great Game. Only the ruthless will reap the rewards of this era. Think on that, and act accordingly.”
The female darted off in another direction, leaving the two behind.
“Thanks,” Racek said, rubbing at his sore shoulders, “My, my. She’s really taking her promotion very seriously, isn’t she?”
“This doesn’t make us friends,” Menash said shortly, “We share a common interest, that’s all.”
The two flew together in silence for a time, the dark canopy unrolling below their feet. Racek had always been a bitter rival for Zildiz’s affections. In the mating seasons he and Menash had flown the damsel-dance against each other countless times, racing and dogfighting at top speed through the dense bamboo thickets in an effort to impress her.
But each time she had always chosen Menash. Naturally. He was the stronger, the braver, the son of the Scourge who had slain hundreds on his lightning raids into Leaper territory. Their pairings had been brief and passionate, yet she had always laughed at the end and gone on her merry way, a rose petal borne on a scented breeze, the dalliance as meaningless to her as other concerns like eating or breathing.
But not to him. Right now, all that mattered was her. And Racek was the only one in the whole wide world who knew exactly how he felt. Did that mean he could be trusted? Menash considered the enormity of what he was about to do, and wavered. Then he saw her face in the darkness of his home, the face she wore when they were all alone together, and he took a deep breath before breaking the silence, saying:
“I’ll be in charge of the quarantine. I can arrange for you to disappear for a few days. I can have one of the younglings mimic your magnetosynaptic signal, make it seem like you’re with the rest of us.”
“You’d do that? For me?” Racek said in astonishment.
“Hah. Not for you,” Menash laughed softly. He looked Racek straight in the eyes and continued: “What’ll it be, then?”
If he so much as hesitates, I’ll have to kill him here and now, Menash told himself.
“Why, yes. Yes, of course!” the little brown male said vigorously.
“Good,” Menash sighed with relief, “She’ll be very grateful to whoever brings her home. I’d do it myself, but as an alpha I can’t risk being seen as disobedient.”
“Then why give me this chance? After all that’s passed between us?”
“I should have thought that was obvious,” Menash replied. Racek digested that for a bit, then out of nowhere said:
“If I find her—when I find her—I’ll tell her exactly who it was that sent me.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Bah! Just so we’re even, that’s all,” Racek grinned, his mouthparts slanting askew.
“Thanks, I guess. I’d…I’d appreciate that. You do understand what we’re risking here, right?”
“Sure. We’ll be total genetic write-offs if we’re caught. But it’s not like I wanted to see tiny ugly Raceks running around the house anyway. What about you, though? Why are you putting your neck on the chopping block?”
“You know why,” Menash said quietly, his thoughts still lingering on her face.
“Yes,” Racek agreed with a wistful air, “Yes, I suppose I do.”
And the pair spoke no more until they reached Chthonis.
Link for all the chapters available for free here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road

Hello all! My name is M, and I am a 24 year old streamer looking for a friend to bring along on all of my streaming ventures! I play a ton of games but the ones I am into now are as follows: V Rising No Rest for the Wicked Realm of the Mad God Abiotic Factor Minecraft WoW OSRS AND MANY MORE! Like I said, I play a ton of games and am really willing to try any game given enough notice! More than anything, though, I am just looking for a friend!

Coffee is a beloved beverage enjoyed by millions around the world, but not all coffee is created equal. Some coffees to avoid and some brands can negatively impact your health, taste buds, and even your wallet. In this guide, we'll explore the types of coffee you should avoid and why making informed choices can enhance your coffee experience.

1. Instant Coffee

Instant coffee might be convenient, but it often falls short in flavor and quality. Many instant coffees are made from lower-grade beans and can have a bitter, burnt taste. Additionally, they often contain additives and preservatives that can detract from the natural richness of coffee.

2. Pre-Ground Coffee

While pre-ground coffee is convenient, it can quickly lose its freshness and flavor. Coffee begins to oxidize and lose its aromatic oils as soon as it’s ground, leading to a stale taste. For the best flavor, always opt for whole beans and grind them just before brewing.

3. Flavored Coffees

Flavored coffees might seem appealing, but they often contain artificial flavors and sweeteners that can mask the true taste of the coffee. These additives can also lead to unnecessary calorie intake and potential health risks. If you enjoy flavored coffee, consider adding natural spices like cinnamon or vanilla extract instead.

4. Cheap, Bulk Coffee

Buying coffee in bulk can be tempting due to its lower price, but these products are often made from low-quality beans that lack depth and complexity. Bulk coffee is also more likely to be stale by the time you get to the bottom of the bag, diminishing your coffee experience.

5. Pods and Capsules

Coffee pods and capsules are convenient, but they often come with environmental and quality drawbacks. The packaging creates a significant amount of waste, and the coffee inside is typically of lower quality compared to freshly ground beans. Moreover, the convenience factor often comes with a higher price tag per cup.

6. Unethically Sourced Coffee

Not all coffee is produced with fair labor practices or sustainable methods. Avoid brands that do not support fair trade or environmentally friendly practices. Instead, look for certifications like Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, or Organic, which ensure that the coffee is produced ethically and sustainably.

7. Old or Stale Coffee

Coffee has a shelf life, and consuming old or stale coffee can result in a flat, lifeless cup. Always check the roast date on the packaging and try to consume your coffee within a few weeks of roasting for the best flavor.

Conclusion

By avoiding these types of coffee, you can ensure a more enjoyable and responsible coffee experience. Invest in high-quality, fresh, and ethically sourced beans, and you'll taste the difference in every cup. Happy brewing!

Recently I just started using my laptop as I have been out of town, on my downtime I have been playing games like Battlefield 2042 and League of Legends, and all was well until two days ago. I got onto battlefield and the frame rate was 10fps, I checked to see what was wrong and my laptop was not detecting my 4060 and the game was running on my integrated graphics. I uninstalled the driver and reinstalled and it was back, but now any game I would launch would cause a BSOD of VIDEO TDR FAILURE for the nvidia dll file. I used DDU and rolled back my GPU driver to two last months and the BSOD stopped, but I got a WHEA UNCORRECTABLE ERROR once and that was it. The problem now is that whenever I try to launch a game it will just crash, if I launch Abiotic Factor it will tell me there was a fatl error with unreal engine, if i launch league it will tell me that there was a problem with my gpu and Windows had to restart it, sometimes with when im watching a show, the screen will just freeze and I have to hard reset my pc and reinstall the gpu drivers. I used heavenes benchmark to stress test my gpu and after 15mins nothing crashed and nothing was wrong. The times when it crashes are also really inconsistent, sometimes I can play for 2hours, sometimes it will crash 5 times in 30mins. My laptop is the PH16-71 on the 4060, I need help as this is a new laptop. Thank you.

I am in one of those stages where i sift through the steam store everyday and long for a game that i don’t know if it exists or what to play next
about my tastes:
games i loved/ top tiers for me: minecraft, stardew, terraria, valheim
games i really liked but eventually fell off of just due to honestly loosing its replayability or it got boring:
dinkum, core keeper, sun haven, enshrouded, necesse, pal world, raft, roots of patcha, starbound, subnautica, animal crossing, sons of the forest, no man’s sky, the sims, abiotic factor
what i’m looking for: crafting, i love love love games with a billion things to craft especially when a lot of that is either asthetic or practical use stuff. ideally i would love a game with never ending things to craft that you had to figure out how to craft them.
and other then that: co op 100% i have the most fun when i can play w my bf and friends,
survivals i like open world survival crafts not bc u have to drink food or water but bc i like the aspect of having to make it on ur own and being thrust into a world where you have to adapt,
i love when you can build bases and make them really asthetic and spend hours building them,
and replayability is huge for me, the reason i loved minecraft and terraria outside of everything is how i could loose myself for so long in those games and not get bored which once you slay the gender dragon or the last boss it does kinda fizzle out
i want a game i can just literally play forever that never gets boring and there’s so much to do which is why i also like sandbox style games. people will hate on me for this but i often find games boring when i know there about to end or im running out of things to do, i usually quit a game right before it ends😭
so yeah, let me know if you have any recs for someone like me
(edit: here’s some games that i love that don’t fit in any of these categories: the finals, idk why but it was and remains the only shooter i have been able to get into and idk why lol eastward: just a beautiful game with insane pixel graphics, lovely story, insane sound design multiverses: just super fun dave the diver: amazing game, i think i only stopped playing bc it wasn’t multiplayer tbh

Hi, I'm looking for "new-wave" multiplayer games like Lethal Company and Content Warning.
I've played almost to all the major coop games I would say, whether it's Divinity 2, even checked out Palworld.
I'm looking for if any there's anything new out there, underground. Some games that have captured the energy for me:

• Lethal Company
• Content Warning
• GTFO
• Barotrauma (Friends can't commit to learning)
• Phasmophobia
• Gunfire Reborn
• The Outlast Trials
• 7 Days to Die
• Abiotic Factor (Major plug for this game if you are looking for something new and underground that scratched that itch. It's a co-op game that's sort of like Project Zomboid mixed with Half Life and Rust and is a whole new theme - can spend hours playing).

Are there any other new-wave unadulterated multiplayer fun games?

Hiya!
The person who I was going to level up with on WoW next week kind of just bailed and removed me not really sure why? I do have other games besides WoW such as Fallout 76, V Rising, Abiotic Factor, FFXIV, Phasmo, Demonologist, and more.
I do want to mention, if I don't respond right away it's not you, it's my social battery gets drained or if I am in a bad headspace, I won't respond because I don't want to bring anyone down. I would prefer people closer to my age group as I don't vibe well with people who are a lot younger.
The genre of games I prefer are horror, survival craft, and mmos. I am on most of the day however in a few weeks, I will be moving so I might not get to play as much when I move due to I will be on the hunt for a job.
The only time I get reddit notifications is when I have the app open which I don't normally, however I will try and check it throughout the day or you can just add me on discord; faeroice

Howdy, so I, and 4 other friends have a little group chat where we like to play a hugeeee variety of games, ranging from Minecraft to things like abiotic factor, Hell Let Loose, Squad, DCS, BeamNG, Path of Titans, the list goes on and on, we’re willing to buy any game you guys suggest that we don’t have
Our ages are 15, 15, 16, 16 and 17, me being the eldest, we joke a lot, some of the other guys are kinda shy so if they don’t say a lot don’t be offended they just gotta warm up to ya
I’ll give y’all my user name in DM’s and then we can work something out. This is for Discord by the way
15+ recommended nooo weirdos please 😂 I’d say the age cap would be 25
Anyways I’m heading to bed now, I’ll respond to messages, if any in the morning 🤞🏽

Hi everyone! I'm seeking new friend(s) to dive into some gaming sessions with. We're currently hooked on Abiotic Factor but also play a diverse array of games, including:

• Content Warning
• Dead Island 2
• Palworld
• Fallout 76
• Escape The Backrooms
• Phasmophobia (and similar games)
• 7 Days to Die
• Crab Champions

...and many more. Whether you're a veteran or new to any of these games, we'd love to team up and explore together. We’re all about having fun and sharing memorable gaming experiences. We prefer 18+ for the discord server. LGBTQ+ Friendly!
If you’re interested, drop me a message!

Hey all,
LGBTQ+ Friendly I'm really looking for someone to hang with on the weekends. I'm really wanting to play : Sons of The Forest, Lethal Company, Abiotic Factor, Starship Troopers, and other CO-OP centric games!
I'm playing Hearthstone, Sons of The Forest, and Warhammer Total War at the moment. Really love story games and immersive experiences, especially CO-OP focused. Love the soulsborne series!
In terms of personality, small-talk is ok, but I really prefer having deeper conversations, be it about current events, politics, philosophy, or w/e. Having really emotional conversations is something I'm comfortable with too, but ofc that'll be a thing if both parties are comfortable. I have enough small-talk at work so I want to mostly escape that lol.
I'm mostly available on the weekends. Other hobbies/interests: Warhammer, horror movies, guitar, EDM, Independent Rock, and shitty memes
Shoot me an add on discord: Splurgus#4392

This isn't intended to be a tutorial on how to extract game files or make mods, I'm just sharing some resources.
For those of you who are knowledgeable in reverse engineering unreal games for early modding, I'll share what I've got working so far since I haven't seen anyone talking about it. Linked here is a working unreal mapping file for use in fmodel (make sure fmodel is loading UE version 5.3 or higher for Abiotic Factor). With that you should be able to view/extract nearly any game file barring some of the .binka sound files. Make sure you have the BINKA audio decoder for those.
p.s I've been loving this game so far and I can't wait to see what it has in store for the future, much love to the devs! <3

Hey there! I've had Steam for almost 20 years somehow and have a TON of games. (over 1k) I love co-op, RPGs, adventure, space games, and play pretty much every/anything. Albeit my profession doesn't really get me a lot of IRL buddies who are into gaming (PT/LMT) figured I'd give here a try and see if I can land anyone who is cool/meshes, wants to play stuff, or has good suggestions I may otherwise have never heard of.
Only thing I gotta mention I'm pretty much going through a ton of surgeries lately due to a bunch of sports injuries I've accrued over the years so it's hit/miss when I can game or how my pain is but otherwise if I'm around and able to game I'm pretty much down.
Been playing stuff like Star Citizen, FO76, Project Zomboid, V Rising, Abiotic Factor, and pretty much a TON of random games be it co-op, scary, adventure, RPG, racing, etc so if you feel like you may like any of that feel free to hit me up on Discord @ RichRuzz and we can see if anything meshes or makes sense to play. (or people who are into fitness stuff/MMA are cool as well since I've been a PT for so long depsite my ligaments and joints hating me lmao)
Anyways as said feel free to message on Discord @ RichRuzz if looking for the same-ish, and have a great week/end everyone. ('-')b

The recent sociological meta-study examines the feminist implications within gynecological research, focusing on the efficacy of using double layers of feminine napkins during heavy menstrual flows. Data drawn from 17 studies indicates a significant increase in efficacy, with a 95% confidence interval showing a 12-18% improvement in user-reported satisfaction. Furthermore, the research contextualizes these findings within feminist frameworks, analyzing the social and personal autonomy impacts through the lens of 23 different feminist theorists. The meta-analysis reveals a confidence interval of 88-95% in alignment with predominant feminist theories supporting enhanced personal care options. Overall, the study advocates for broader societal discussions and policy considerations to support these findings, emphasizing the necessity for informed choices in women's health products. Most importantly, the study concludes that online posts about feminism, menstruation, and the use of boring language has a lower risk of non-feminist readers.
Source: Double Napkin Feminism
[[ FOR FEMINIST EYES ONLY ]]

Back of the Envelope (BOTE) Model:

Bear or Man in the Woods

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Abstract

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This thought experiment explores the comparative safety of being in the woods with either a bear or a man, using a theoretical model to evaluate the likelihood of harm in each scenario. Drawing on data from bear behavior studies and US victimization statistics, the model calculates the rate of incidents per opportunity for violence, aiming to determine which scenario poses less risk. The results aim to illuminate broader social issues regarding safety and perceived threats in isolated environments. WIthin the assumptions of the model, the hypothesis that being in the woods with a bear is an order of magnitude (10 times) safer than being in the woods with a random man. There is some indications that a bear could be greater two order (100+ times) safer than a man in the woods.
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Preface

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Notes on the Purpose of the Thought Experiment:

The results of the model and the model itself are at worst irrelevant to the point of the thought experiment: "As a woman, would you rather be in the woods with a bear or a man?" The apparent controversy surrounds someone choosing a bear over a man. Here, the actual dangers posed by the bear are the least significant aspect of the broader discussion.
Women are subjected to emotional, psychological, and physical abuse by men at an alarming rate. Yes, men are also victims of other men's brutality, but that is not the topic of this discussion. Raising concerns about the Amazon Rainforest doesn't mean dismissing other forests.
To put the choice into emotional context, consider the following dialogue from the movie, Good Will Hunting:

 INT. SEAN'S OFFICE -- DAY SEAN (after a pause) My dad used to make us walk down to the park and collect the sticks he was going to beat us with. Actually the worst of the beatings were between me and my brother. We would practice on each other trying to find sticks that would break. WILL He used to just put a belt, a stick and a wrench on the kitchen table and say "choose." INT. WILL'S CHILDHOOD APARTMENT -- FLASHBACK A large, callused hand sets down a wrench next to a stick. CUT BACK TO: INT. SEAN'S OFFICE -- DAY SEAN Gotta go with the belt there... WILL I used to go with the wrench. SEAN The wrench, why? WILL Cause fuck him, that's why. A long quiet moment. 

Notes on Bears:

Being in National Parks that have a meaningful bear population is exceptionally safe thanks to the nature of bear behavior, park management, and the highly recommended and highly effective bear spray. Pepper spray for defensive purposes against human offenders is also highly recommended for that matter.

Notes on Modeling:

Although models can have substantial utility in describing aspects of reality, all models have limitations. Generally speaking, nearly anything can be described as a model if it is in some way representative of something real within the boundaries set by assumptions. Assumptions are inescapable.
Everything that has ever been or will ever be expressed carries assumptions intrinsically. However, the explanatory power or fitness of a model can have a strong inverse proportionality to the minimal-ness of assumptions in many instances. In other words, fewer assumptions can correlate with a stronger model.
With a well-defined model, the truthfulness of the model is inarguable within its assumptions. This is not to be confused with its ability to describe every aspect or entirety of reality OR its utility within that reality.

Notes on the Modeler:

Background includes applied mathematics (BSc); computational theory (MSc and PhD Candidate); subject matter expert in logistics, mobile infrastructure, and communications.
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Hypotheses

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[Null Hypothesis]:

A woman in the woods with an average bear may or may not be safer than being in the woods with an average man.

[BEAR ATTACK RATE] [?] [MAN ATTACK RATE]

[Alternative Hypothesis]:

A woman in the woods with an average bear is significantly safer than being in the woods with an average man.

[BEAR ATTACK RATE] < [MAN ATTACK RATE]

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Model Elements

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US Victimization Stats

Note: The total number of female victim incidents according to the weighted data from the BJS NCVS is greater than four times the total number of victims from the BJS NCVS report. The difference is self-explanatory (as the number of victim incidents is greater than or equal to the number of victims), but worth a mention to avoid confusion.
BJS NCVS Data

2022 Weighted Tabulations:

• Female victim incidents: 9,312,137
• Female victim incidents, male offenders: 2,019,697
• Female victim incidents, male offenders, strangers: 1,313,778
• Female victim incidents, male offenders, strangers, others present: 461,980

US Population Stats

US Census: U.S. and World Population Clock
US Census: Population per year and per sex

2022 Population Statistics

• Total US population: 334,130,076
• Total female population (age 12+): 145,714,126
• Total male population (age 12+): 141,169,957

Social Interaction Stats

Number and Type of Social Interactions:

Social Interactions Study

At the individual level, participants reported, on average, 2.4 social interactions at each momentary assessment (that is, approximately 12 social interactions per day).
In terms of partner type, participants reported that 45% of their most recent social interactions were with one or more family members, 25% were with friends and 30% were with peripheral relationship partners.

• Average number of interactions per day: 12
• Family interactions: 45%
• Friend interactions: 25%
• Peripheral interactions: 30%

Nature Stats

Bear Olfactory

NPS: Yosemite NP: Bear Sense of Smell

Bears are commonly thought to have the keenest sense of smell in the animal kingdom.
[I]t's difficult to measure just how far a black bear can smell, a range of a few miles isn't unrealistic. With 300 to 500 bears roaming Yosemite at any given time, it's more than likely that at least one of them are smelling you at all times.

NPS: Brown Bears

[Brown bears] have an especially good sense of smell and under the right conditions may be able to detect odors more than a mile away.

• Lower bound of bear olfactory radius: 1 mile

Bear Incidents

Global Bear Study

According to https://worldanimalfoundation.org/ (accessed on 18 February 2024), globally, the average number of annual bear attacks on humans is 39.6, of which 11.4 and 18.2 attacks occur in North America and Europe annually.

• Average incidents per year in North America: 11.4

Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GRSM)

NPS: GRSM: Bear Stats

Bears inhabit all elevations of the park. Though populations are variable, biologists estimate that roughly 1,900 bears live in the park. This equals a population density of approximately two bears per square mile.

NPS: Stats)

Park	Rank	Recreation Visits	% of Total
Great Smoky Mountains NP	1	12,937,633	14.59%
Grand Canyon NP	2	4,732,101	5.34%
Zion NP	3	4,692,417	5.29%
Rocky Mountain NP	4	4,300,424	4.85%
Acadia NP	5	3,970,260	4.48%
Yosemite NP	6	3,667,550	4.14%
Yellowstone NP	7	3,290,242	3.71%
Joshua Tree NP	8	3,058,294	3.45%
Cuyahoga Valley NP	9	2,913,312	3.29%
Glacier NP	10	2,908,458	3.28%

• Bear population density in Great Smoky Mountain NP: 2 bears per square mile
  
• Recreational visits: 12,937,633 visits per year
  

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Method

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Context

The evaluation of hypotheses uses generous bounds that favor male human offenders (MHO) to demonstrate the exceptionally passive and avoidant nature of bears at a distance (all interactions where the bear does not suddenly realize a human in close proximity). If a model element is accurate and reliable, the actual value is used instead of selecting a bound. Technically, the actual value is itself a bound—the difference is simply that no additional choices are made regarding that model element.
Note: The determination of hypotheses differs from statistical hypothesis testing due to the nature of BOTE Modeling. In this instance, if the results indicate that the MHO bounded approximations are lower than bear bounded approximations, it does not prove that bears are less safe than MHO.
The reason is due to the structure of bound choices, which in this case favor MHO and are unfavorable to bears. Favorability is not as a moral judgement but as a model device used to strengthen the Alternative Hypothesis if determined to be true within the model assumptions.

Method Description

MHO Incidents and Opportunities of Violence:

The variable stranger is used as a proxy for the average man in the thought experiment because sampling out of the entire US population of men, the probability of randomly selecting someone you know is virtually zero. Meaning that the scenario of being in the woods with a random man is effectively being in the woods with a stranger.
In the Social Interactions Study, the variable called "peripheral relationship partners" (hereon: peripheral) includes acquaintance, coworker, stranger, roommate, classmate, therapist, healthcare provider, or other person. The sub-category of stranger is one of many others—some of which most likely have a much higher frequency, such as acquaintance, coworker, and classmate.
The number of stranger interactions cannot be greater than the number of peripheral interactions. Therefore, the peripheral percentage is used as a bound for the number of stranger interactions, which is then applied to the daily average of interactions.
This social interactions variable is then applied to the US population (from US Census) to approximate national values. Combined with the victimization statistics (from BJS) to compute the bound for the number of MHO Opportunities of Violence and the number of incidents in relation to those opportunities.
To address the critique that high-density city centers somehow modify the overall rate because it would supposedly increase the number of possible interactions relative to the number of incidents. On face value, this appears to be a valid critique; however, when considering basic facts, logic, and probability theory, it can be dismissed:

• The ratio of men to women is roughly even.
• Even if the ratio of men to women was not even, the likelihood that city center ratios being drastically unrepresentative of the national ratio is exceptionally low.
• If there were any difference, it is additionally unlikely that it would be greater than an order of magnitude.

With underlying probabilities of a man being an attacker and an attacker attacking in any opportunity does not modify the outcome of incidents. Consider the following basic analysis:

• p_attacker := probability of a man being an attacker
• p_attacking := probability of an attacker attacking

Simplified instance of 1 woman (n_women_1 = 1) around multiple men (n_men >> 1):

• n_attackers = n_men * p_attacker
• n_attackings = n_attackers * p_attacking
• n_attackings = n_men * p_attacker * p_attacking
• n_attacks_per_woman = n_attackings / n_women_1

When considering n_women around n_men, where n_women = n_men:

• n_attackings remains the same but n_attackings_per_woman changes.
• n_attacks_per_woman = n_attackings / n_women
• n_attacks_per_woman = (n_men * p_attacker * p_attacking) / n_women

Since n_women = n_men, it doesn't matter how many women and men there are—to include the minimal one man and one woman.
If we consider the existence of some unknown probability of a man being an attacker and an unknown probability, this would not be altered by the increase in density (according to crude modeling, of course).

Bear Incidents and Opportunities of Violence:

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) has the highest number of recreational visits per year of any national park in the United States. However, GRSM's total is significantly lower than the total number of recreational visits per year across all US national parks. The GRSM total is used as a proxy for the US total to represent the number of times individuals are in proximity to a bear. The GRSM bear density is also used.

• The reason the GRSM total is used as a favorable bound is because the actual count of being in the proximity of bears across the US is strictly less than that of GRSM. The lower the count of being in the proximity of bears is inversely proportional to the rate of bear incidents. In other words, as the count goes down, the rate goes up.
• The total count of being in the proximity of a bear per year in all US national parks could be as large as six times higher when considering hours of recreation as a proxy.
• The total annual recreational visits to US national parks with bear populations are over twice (close to three times) that of GRSM when tabulating Yellowstone NP, Great Smoky Mountain NP, Yosemite NP, Glacier NP, Grand Teton NP, and Shenandoah NP.
• The bear density from GRSM is used as opposed to other national parks as a matter of consistency. Its favorability is neutral but does not introduce additional complexity to the formulation of bounds.

Experts on wildlife and specialists of bear populations estimate the sense of smell range of species of bears to be in the tens of miles (20 miles, even perhaps 40 miles). There is high confidence that bear sense of smell range is greater than a one-mile radius. The lower bound chosen is a one-mile radius.

• The reason this bound was chosen was because the sense of smell of bears is their strongest sense in the wild. This sense-radius is used to create a bound where bears become aware of human presence.
• For simplicity, the area covered by this one-mile radius is reduced to one square mile—instead of roughly three square miles. This simplicity is a favorable bound for MHO by a factor of three.
• Using the statistics of the total 'out of vehicle' visits per year and bear statistics (bear population density and sense-range), a bound for the number of 'Bear Opportunities of Violence' and the number of incidents in relation to those opportunities is calculated.

The scientific estimation for total incidents of bear violence against humans per year in North America is used as a proxy for the US.

• This bound is favorable to MHO, since the US total is at most equal to the estimation, but most likely less. This proxy does not significantly change the size of actual values considering the US population, tourism, and number of national parks. The actual estimation for the US may very well be near the North American estimation, but on average across years, it is strictly less.

Note: An exact equivalence is practically unknowable, because of (i) the social dynamic differences between bear-human and human-human interactions, (ii) the ethical/moral violations that are unavoidable in performing any such experiments. Analysis can only be done with assumptions. Without them, there is no analysis of hypothetical decisions, such as in this instance.

Summary

[MAN ATTACK RATE]

Elements:

• [interactions] := total social interactions per day per person
• [portion peripheral interactions] := portion of peripheral interactions per day per person
• [total US population] := total population in US 2022
• [total female population (12+)] := total female (age 12+) population in US 2022
• [total female victim incidents] := total female (12+) victim incidents in US 2022
• [total female victim incidents of males] := total female (12+) victim incidents of male offenders in US 2022

Computed Values:

• [portion stranger interactions] := portion of stranger interactions per day
• [stranger interactions] := total stranger interactions per day per person
• [male stranger interactions] := total male stranger interactions per day per person
• [total female interactions with male strangers] := total female interactions with male strangers in US 2022
• [total male opportunities of violence against females] := total number of opportunities males have had for violence against females in US 2022
• [total incidents of male violence against females] := total number of incidents of male violence against females in US 2022
• [portion of incidents per opportunity of male violence against females] := portion of incidents per opportunity of male violence against females in US 2022

Formulas:

• [portion stranger interactions] ≅ [portion peripheral interactions]
• [male stranger interactions] ≅ [portion stranger interactions]
• [PRT STR INT] := [portion stranger interactions]
• [FEM POP 12] := [total female population (12+)]
• [DAYS] := days per year
• [TOT FEM INT W MA STR] := [total female interactions with male strangers]
• [TOT FEM INT W MA STR] = [PRT STR INT] x [FEM POP 12] x [DAYS]
• [TOT MA OPR VIO AGN FEM] := [total male opportunities of violence against females]
• [TOT MA OPR VIO AGN FEM] ≅ [TOT FEM INT W MA STR]
• [TOT MA VIO AGN FEM] := [total incidents of male violence against females]
• [PRT VIO PER OPR] := [portion of incidents per opportunity of male violence against females]
• [PRT VIO PER OPR] = [TOT MA VIO AGN FEM] x [PRT VIO PER OPR]^-1
• [MAN ATTACK RATE] ≅ [PRT VIO PER OPR]

[BEAR ATTACK RATE]

Elements: - [bear sense radius] := lower bound radius of bear sense of smell - [GRSM bear density] := proxy for bear density in US national parks - [total GRSM recreational visits] := total recreational visits to GRSM NP in 2022 - [total incidents] := estimated average North American incidents of bear violence against humans
Computed Values: - [bear sense area] := area around a bear within its sense of smell range - [bear density] := national park bear density in US 2022 - [total recreational visits] := total recreational visits to US national parks in 2022 - [total mileage] := number of miles hiked through US national parks through square miles of bear density - [total opportunities] := total number of opportunities of bear violence against humans in the US 2022 - [portion of incidents per opportunity of bear violence against humans] := portion of incidents per opportunity of bear violence against humans in US 2022
Formulas: - [bear sense area] ≅ [bear sense radius]² - [bear density] ≅ [GRSM bear density] - [total recreational visits] ≅ [total GRSM recreational visits] - [TOT MIL] := [total mileage] - [TOT REC VIS] := [total recreational visits] - [TOT OPR] := [total opportunities] - [BER DNS] := [bear density] - [TOT INC] := [total incidents] - [POR VIO AGN HUM] := [portion of incidents per opportunity of bear violence against humans] - [BEAR ATTACK RATE] ≅ [POR VIO AGN HUM]
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Result

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According to the Rate of Incidents per Opportunity:

[MAN ATTACK RATE]: 6.86 x 10^-6
[BEAR ATTACK RATE]: 4.41 x 10^-7

It follows that:

[BEAR ATTACK RATE] < [MAN ATTACK RATE]

Therefore:

[Alternative Hypothesis]: Confirmed

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Discussion

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Since the Alternative Hypothesis is confirmed, a woman in the woods with an average bear is significantly safer than being in the woods with an average man—within the bounds of the model assumptions.
Despite the favorable bounds for male human offenders, the bounds indicate that an average bear is at least an order of magnitude safer than an average man. Considering the factors of favorability being in the 20s, in reality, a bear may be two orders of magnitude safer than an average man (two orders of magnitude in scientific notation is a factor of 100).
Although an offense rate of 6.86 x 10^-6 (slightly less than 1 in 100,000) opportunities may seem to be a negligible number, the annual offense rate is on the scale of 1 in 100 when considering the number of stranger interactions on the scale of thousands per year.
A more complex model, which could capture the behavior of bears, could indicate an even greater disparity in safety. A reason for this speculation is a study of bear behavior found that in 169 approaches of bears (as close as 50 meters), none of them "displayed any aggressive behavior towards the observers, and none of the observers reported feeling threatened during any of the approaches.".
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Conclusion

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The results of this model suggest that the relative safety of being in the woods with a bear compared to a man supports the Alternative Hypothesis. It underscores the potential safety a bear presents in comparison to human threats under the specific conditions studied. This conclusion is drawn within the strict boundaries and assumptions of the model, highlighting the need for careful consideration of context when interpreting model outcomes.

I want to pick different talents and a different job. I am playing on my friend's non dedicated multiplayer save. Is there some file that I can edit to wipe my character and be able to remake them on this save? Thanks for any help in advance
UPDATE: I found out how to do it. Go to
Users\user\AppData\Local\AbioticFactor\Saved\SaveGames\(NUMBER ID)\Worlds\(WORLDNAME)\PlayerData
and there will be a list of files with steam ID's. Delete the file corresponding to the player whose character you want to wipe

Just bored and wanting to have a conversation. For those of you who play on Steam, what are your current games that you’re playing?
I got Abiotic Factor on its release and it’s been a blast

Introduction:
Globalization, characterized by increased interconnectedness and integration of economies, cultures, and societies, has brought about profound transformations in the modern world. While globalization has led to economic growth, technological advancement, and cultural exchange, it also has significant downsides, particularly in its impact on population ecology. This essay delves into the downsides of globalization and its intersection with population ecology dynamics, highlighting the challenges posed to biodiversity, ecosystem stability, and human well-being in a globalized world.
The Downsides of Globalization: Disruption and Degradation
Globalization has been associated with a range of negative consequences for the environment, ecosystems, and populations worldwide. One of the primary downsides is environmental degradation, as increased industrialization, urbanization, and resource extraction have led to habitat destruction, pollution, and loss of biodiversity.
Globalization has also facilitated the spread of invasive species, diseases, and pollutants across continents, disrupting ecological balances and threatening native species and ecosystems. Invasive species outcompete native species for resources, alter habitats, and disrupt ecological processes, leading to declines in biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
Furthermore, globalization has contributed to overexploitation of natural resources, including forests, fisheries, and freshwater sources, as increased demand for commodities drives unsustainable extraction and consumption patterns. Deforestation, overfishing, and water scarcity have negative impacts on ecosystems, species populations, and the livelihoods of local communities dependent on natural resources.
Population Ecology Dynamics: Interactions and Adaptations
Population ecology is the study of how populations of organisms interact with each other and their environments, including factors such as population size, distribution, growth, and regulation. Population dynamics are influenced by a variety of biotic and abiotic factors, including resource availability, predation, competition, and environmental conditions.
One of the key concepts in population ecology is carrying capacity, which refers to the maximum population size that a particular habitat or ecosystem can sustain over the long term. Population growth may be limited by factors such as food availability, space, and predation, leading to density-dependent regulation of population size.
​
Population ecology also encompasses the study of population interactions, such as competition, predation, symbiosis, and disease transmission, which shape population dynamics and community structure. These interactions influence the distribution and abundance of species within ecosystems and can have cascading effects on ecosystem functioning and stability.
Intersection of Globalization and Population Ecology
Globalization intersects with population ecology dynamics in various ways, influencing patterns of population distribution, abundance, and interactions across different spatial and temporal scales. The movement of people, goods, and organisms across continents has led to the spread of invasive species, diseases, and pollutants, with implications for population dynamics and community structure.
Globalization also affects population dynamics through its impacts on habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation, which can disrupt breeding patterns, migration routes, and food availability for wildlife populations. Fragmentation of habitats can isolate populations, reduce genetic diversity, and increase the risk of local extinctions, particularly for species with limited dispersal abilities.
Furthermore, globalization influences human population dynamics through its effects on urbanization, industrialization, and socio-economic development. Rapid urbanization and population growth in urban areas can lead to habitat destruction, pollution, and resource depletion, affecting both human and wildlife populations.
Challenges and Opportunities for Population Ecology in a Globalized World
In the face of globalization's downsides, population ecology faces numerous challenges, including habitat loss, fragmentation, overexploitation of resources, and the spread of invasive species and diseases. Addressing these challenges requires interdisciplinary approaches that integrate ecological, social, and economic perspectives to promote sustainability and resilience.
Conservation efforts must focus on protecting and restoring habitats, mitigating the impacts of invasive species and pollutants, and promoting sustainable land and resource management practices. Strategies such as habitat restoration, protected area management, and community-based conservation initiatives can help to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services in a globalized world.
Furthermore, efforts to address global environmental challenges, such as climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss, require international cooperation and collaboration. Global agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Paris Agreement on climate change, provide frameworks for collective action to protect and sustainably manage the planet's ecosystems and resources.
​
Conclusion
Globalization presents significant challenges for population ecology, including habitat loss, fragmentation, overexploitation, and the spread of invasive species and pollutants. However, it also offers opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and conservation on a global scale. By addressing the downsides of globalization and promoting sustainable development practices, we can work towards a more resilient, biodiverse, and equitable world for both human and non-human populations. As we navigate the complexities of globalization and population ecology, it is essential to embrace the principles of sustainability, stewardship, and interconnectedness to ensure the health and well-being of present and future generations.

First and foremost; thank you for giving this a read! I'll try and keep this nice and brief. I apologize in advance for my flowery speech.
My name is Sean, or DebonairDenizen on most platforms (including Discord). I like to fancy myself a writer (though I think you have to write in order to be a writer, but that's neither here nor there), an arm chair philosopher, and a generally pleasant man to pal about with- if I may be so bold. I've been stuck at home these last two years due to chronic illness which, when I'm feeling up to gaming, has left me with quite a lot of time for it. Truthfully, there's only so many times I can replay Red Dead 2 before I start to feel a tad lonely, y'know?
I'm looking for friends to play with (as I imagine we all are, on this subreddit). At this point, I don't care about the game, but I'll bullet point some of the games I own and am interested in below. Be it one friend or a community of friends, I'm not picky; I just kinda miss those middle school days where I balanced both an online and an offline circle of companions.
If I don't own one of the games you're playing, I'm- within reason- not above getting it. I wouldn't mind broadening my gaming horizons a tad. But as it is, here's some of the games I own and play;

• Helldivers 2
• Amogus
• League of Legends (kill me)
• Valheim
• Abiotic Factor
• Magic: Arena (also kill me)
• No Man's Sky
• Rust (well, I own Rust, at least)
• Hell Let Loose
• Rising Storm: Vietnam 2
• Red Orchestra 2
• Planetside 2
• Foxhole
• Stellaris
• Starship Troopers
• Tabletop Simulator (it's been a while but I dabbled in 40k, much to by chagrin at times)
• Minecraft (of course)
• Splinter Cell: Conviction (great co-op, been years since I played)
• Battlefield: 1
• Dungeons & Dragons (or any TTRPG really)

Those are some that come to mind, though again, if there's anything you're into that isn't listed, don't let that be what stops you from reaching out. I've been interested into getting into games not currently in my wheelhouse (like Overwatch, perhaps; haven't played that since highschool).
Look forward to hearing from you!

I really enjoyed Valheim when it came out, and these past few days I've been really into Abiotic Factor, but I haven't explored this genre much other than these two.
I'm familiar with some of the popular survival type games but a lot of them seem to be horror-themed, whereas I'm looking for something a little more relaxing.
Any hidden gems in this genre? Maybe something that is on the simpler side in terms of game mechanics?
Thanks in advance!