^{Warning! This will be a long ass post that goes deep into the subject, so proceed with caution. Thanks in advance to those that'll read the whole thing.}
New player onboarding is arguably one of the biggest issues plaguing the game right now, especially on the back of three deep sales over the past 5 months.
It's clear that the old system of using the existing playerbase to do the onboarding just doesn't cut it as the situation only deteriorates as the playerbase grows.
The unfortunate thing is that the tutorial is outdated (virtually unchanged from 2019), poorly structured and ultimately provides only minimal help in understanding the game. Let's take a closer look.
What does it actually teach you? In order of appearance:

• Move orders and use of compass
• Basic movement and adjacent mechanics (buddy boost). Also indirectly suppression in the crawling sequence.
• Recognizing bleeds, bandaging yourself and others.

So far so good. After that your enter an open area, where you can walk up to different stations that explain

• Shooting various guns and associated mechanics (ranging, bipods, grenades, launchers)
• HAB/FOB/Ammo crate/Rally points
• Communication and map reading
• Vehicle identification with notes on weak points
• Forces identification

After you finish you get to pick your kit off an ammo crate and walk up to a logi, load it up with ammo and build, then drive off to a FOB, drop them and build a HAB.
After that you get to "suppress" emplaced weapons, reach and clear a capture point, cap it and then destroy the enemy radio.
Looks good right? On the surface it seems like a perfect introduction to the game, but unfortunately it isn't because there's many things that it doesn't teach or explain. Let's remember, this is from a perspective of a new player who doesn't know what he doesn't know. I'm not here do discuss how much research one should have when checking the game out, that's irrelevant in this case. It's purely about how does the game explain itself to newcomers, regardless of external sources.

What's wrong with it?

Problem #1 is a disorganized structure of everything when you enter the motherbase. The open area approach doesn't provide enough structure to highlight the importance of every aspect covered in this area, making them roughly equal, when they arent. I remember that I spent way more time at the shooting range than the other stations combined, because I just didn't know any better.
It's evident on the first and most important station in the tutorial - spawn points. You have a HAB, Radio, Rally Point and Ammo crate all clumped in one place.

• Are they pre-placed? Or are they created by players? No explanation on the entire paradigm of the game irrespective of the game mode!
• Who can place them? No explanation that it's exclusive to SL's
• Where can you place them?
• How close to one another can you place them? No explanation about the exclusion radius
• Can you just build X? "Heart of the FOB" is as vague as it gets
• What do you need to place them? No explanation about the proximity to a logi or heli with build or having a teammate nearby
• How can you do that ? No explanation of the SL radial menu
• Can you place them alone or do you need teammates? No explanation about the need for teammates with shovels

Some of that is implied later in the tutorial but never explicitly mentioned. In preparation to this post, I ran the tutorial a few times and only after the third time did I realize that when you get up close to a radio or a HAB it shows you a tooltip with details about it, and unfortunately this isn't obvious. When you stand beside the loudspeaker, you get the tooltip only for the rally point.
Next station tackles communication and map reading. This is mostly fine, although the grid subdivision station is a bit redundant as few people actually use it. That said, it could be handled better.
The adjacent station detailing vehicles and forces is probably the weakest one.
It does contain a lot of information about the vehicles, but it's presented in a very undigestable way for a new player. Being outdated is one thing, but if you look at the board the problem is that there's way too many issues bundled up into one.
First, vehicles are presented as a flat sideview on a board, where it's difficult to judge the size, scale and the sillhouette of a vehicle at different angles. When you walk up to it you get explanations of different types o vehicles, but in the forms of icons placed on the tactical map without a solid way to marry the two pieces of information together. It's a good piece of knowledge overall, once you have a footing in the game.
The billboard showing off uniforms also misses the mark because it's not how you see them in the game. It's almost impossible to discern the differences in uniforms as you only see them as a series of flat desaturated pictures. The pre deployment screen does a way better job at showing the differences between forces uniforms.
The shooting range is fine, but at the same time it's nothing beyond standard fps tropes so hard to fuck that up.
After you do all of that, you're asked to change to a rifleman kit before going out for a logi run. This is generally ok, however my only nitpick is that the selection is limited to only 3 kits. In game when you approach the ammo box you have way more options to choose from, which was quite confusing the first time I started. I think it would be better if you had all the kits available, but everything aside from rifleman greyed out.
After that you have an extremely important section of the map where you get to do a logi run, get to build a hab, push a capture point, clear it out, capture it and take down a radio after which the tutorial concludes. Again, surface level it might seem ok, but it has a whole host of gaps, things that are implied at best and stuff that isn't even explained.

• Where do I get the supplies from? No explicit mentioning of the concept main or the ability to resupply from another FOB.
• Where do I get the supplies to? Ok, I have a move marker that I follow and a mentioning that the FOB needs supplies, but often you don't have that and you're asked to bring supplies to the FOB at E8 for example. There's no mentioning of the build/supply radius.
• The order of events is backwards - you arrive to a FOB that already has the radio put down and the stakes for the HAB on the ground. That gives you the impression that you can put the HAB and Radio down and have the supplies later. But we all know if the stakes are there, the supplies have been consumed already. Who put down the HAB and radio if the logi wasn't there? Does it have to be right next to the radio?

By the time you have internalized everything, you are earraped by gunfire and are hurried to capture a point. I know it's supposed to simulate putting down a hab under duress, but at such an important topic that's illadvised.
Pushing a capzone is mostly fine, although I don't think the tutorial makes a strong enugh indication that capzones come in many shapes and forms and they are areas, rather than landmarks. At least I didn't understant that first.
Then comes the last confusing part - you destroy a lone radio with C4. Again so many questions.

• Is the radio always next to the cap zone? No HAB next to it?
• Is that the typical sequence of events? First you capture a point and then take down the radio?
• Why give C4 which is only given to the combat engineer? I was shouted on the first time I got to a radio becase I was confused where is my C4 as I couldn't find it in my inventory. Only once I saw someone else shovel it down I did the same.
• No explanation of the radio bleedout mechanic. (outdated)

Problem #3 - none of the game modes are explained in any detail
Even though the game modes are fairly straightforward, they're not explained anywhere in the game, beyond the one sentence description on the deploy screen.
When I started playing I got into a logi, looked at the map and saw the SL place a random move marker. And I was wondering - why is he going there particularly? I don't even see the flags yet.
Because here is the biggest deficiency with the game - there's no explanation of the gameplay loop. In the most basic scenario, the game doesn't even explain it's main unique feature - the fact you build your own spawns.
And on top of that we have the whole ticket system that drives a unique pseudo-economy of meta-appropriate activities.
Then there's micro level mechanics like - speed capture scaling, proximity HAB disable, proximity HAB disable scaling, HAB activation timer, rules for caping neutral flags, rules for capping enemy flags, double neutral and how to break it up, radio bleedout vs HAB proxy, radio bleedout time, digging down friendly radios, etc etc.
The mechanics themselves are not complicated, but all together, at game speed and in context of an ongoing match it’s quite a complex web of interdependencies.
The key to better gameplay is better understanding of the gameplay loop, which is severely lacking in the playerbase.
Problem #4 - There is no onboarding for Squad Leads
This ties in with the previous point but this time specifically towards SL’s. What are you supposed to do? Where are you supposed to go?
Oh what’s this notification? Someone wants a vehicle, yeah, sure go ahead buddy. What’s that? Someone is shouting that they have "claim" for it? Huh? I dunno man, Oh, I’ve been kicked for “vehi steal”?
Being a good SL is knowing the gameplay loop and reacting accordingly, but it’s also knowing the responsibilities and limitations of the role. Putting down a rally point is easy enough, but a HAB is a bit more complex and requires a specific sequence of events that’s not explained in the game. There isn’t even a tooltip anywhere to point you that it’s under the T button.
And I dare you to ask 10 random SL’s how does the build refund mechanic work and tell me how many know the right answer.
How many people forget that there’s still a buddy rally mechanic on Insurgents and they can build 2 HABs that only cost 100 build?
Problem #5 - Jensens Range is just a big sandbox without guidance.
Yes, you can run around and play around with the toys, it has a whole host of underutilized features that can enhance learning, but needs guidance. It's just "dump everything on a map and have people figure it out". It’s a good tool to experiment once you have a solid footing in the game, but not before really.
Problem #6 – There is no official, in game, definitive source / manual for game mechanics
Since OWI updated their webpage, you can’t even check patchnotes older than V7 (sic!). So if you want to have an argument how long is the radio bleedout timer, then your only source is the community driven wiki / fandom. But still an external resource. Not to mention common community myths like the need to dig the radio back up before digging it down. I could go on, but the gist of it is the same – lack of an official, accessible in game, field manual explaining everything in game.
How to make it better? Well, I have some ideas, but that’s for a whole other topic that I will probably address in a separate thread. Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

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In today’s dynamic digital landscape, staying ahead of the curve is paramount for businesses. In 2024, key digital trends such as advertising & digital marketing innovations, digital transformationIn today’s dynamic digital landscape, staying ahead of the curve is paramount for businesses. In 2024, key digital trends such as advertising & digital marketing innovations, digital transformation, and technology advancements are set to redefine how brands connect with their audience. The focus on digital trends that are currently trending on Instagram and other social media platforms underscores the importance of adapting to the changing digital climate to maintain relevancy and engage effectively with consumers.
How to Navigate through Digital Marketing Trends
As we navigate through these digital trends, it’s crucial to understand their broader impact on marketing strategies. These trends signal a transformative phase in advertising & digital marketing. This blog aims to explore these key digital trends, offering insights into how businesses can leverage technology advancements to stay ahead in the competitive landscape.

A. The Dominance of Personalization and AI- Digital Trend that will shape the future

In 2024, the interplay between personalization and artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to dominate digital marketing strategies, significantly enhancing how businesses interact with their customers. Here are some key points illustrating the impact of AI on marketing personalization:

1. Enhanced Customer Insights: AI-powered tools like predictive analytics and social listening are revolutionizing how marketers gather and interpret vast amounts of consumer data. This allows for more targeted marketing strategies that can predict consumer behavior and preferences with remarkable accuracy.
2. Real-Time Personalization: Through AI, companies can deliver personalized customer experiences in real-time. Customizing product recommendations and dynamically adjusting ad content to individual consumer behavior and preferences are part of this, significantly boosting engagement and conversion rates.
3. Automation of Repetitive Tasks: AI excels in handling time-consuming, repetitive tasks such as customer segmentation and campaign analysis. This automation frees up marketers to focus on more strategic and creative aspects of their jobs, enhancing productivity and innovation.
4. AI in Content Creation: Generative AI tools are being used to craft personalized content, from initial drafts to final marketing materials. These tools help in maintaining a consistent brand voice across various platforms while adapting the messaging to suit different audience segments.
5. Ethical Considerations: As AI integrates deeper into personalization strategies, it brings forth ethical challenges, particularly concerning consumer privacy. Marketers must navigate these issues carefully to maintain trust and comply with increasing regulatory standards on data usage.

B. Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is becoming indispensable in digital marketing strategies due to its growing usage and integration into daily routines. As of recent data, over 1 billion voice searches occur each month, with a significant portion of these searches focusing on local content and businesses. This trend is supported by the fact that 72% of voice-activated speaker owners use their devices to find information on local businesses, highlighting the importance of optimizing for local SEO.
Emergence of voice search

Key Statistics and Digital Trends

1. Prevalence of Voice-Activated Devices: Approximately 35% of U.S. adults own a smart speaker, and the usage spans across various devices including smartphones, TVs, and even cars. This widespread adoption highlights the need for businesses to optimize their digital content for voice search to reach a broader audience.
2. Consumer Behavior and Voice Search: About 20% of mobile searches are voice-based, and these are not just for information but increasingly for local queries and shopping.
3. Impact on Marketing: Brands that effectively integrate voice search can enhance user engagement and loyalty. For example, 66% of smart speaker owners view brands that advertise through these devices as innovative.

Optimization Strategies

1. Local SEO: Since many voice searches are local, businesses should focus on local SEO strategies like optimizing for “near me” searches and ensuring their local listings are accurate and comprehensive.
2. Conversational Keywords: Voice search queries tend to be more conversational. Brands should adapt their content to include these natural speech patterns to improve their visibility in voice search results.
3. Content for Quick Answers: Google often pulls answers for voice searches from featured snippets. Brands should structure their content to provide clear, concise answers that are likely to be featured in these snippets.

C. Shift Towards Influencer and Micro-Influencer Marketing- Just going with the digital trend!

The influencer marketing landscape is rapidly evolving, with significant growth projected in the coming years. The industry is expected to reach approximately $69.92 billion, by 2029. Growing at a CAGR of 32.50% from 2022 to 2029. This growth is driven by a shift towards more authentic, diverse, and long-term partnerships between brands and influencers.

Key Trends in Influencer and Micro-Influencer Marketing

1. Emphasis on Diversity and Representation: Brands are increasingly focusing on inclusivity. Partnering with influencers from diverse backgrounds to enhance authenticity and connect with broader audiences.
2. Long-Term Partnerships Over One-Off Campaigns: Companies are moving away from single campaign deals. And are preferring ongoing relationships with influencers to build stronger ties and maintain consistency in messaging.
3. Rise of Performance-Based Deals: There is a growing trend towards agreements where compensation is tied directly to the results. This ensures better returns on investment.
4. Professionalization of Influencers: Influencers are becoming more specialized, adopting more professional approaches to content creation. Making this a professional job.

D. Emergence of Augmented Reality in Marketing- The New Digital Trend

Augmented Reality (AR) is revolutionizing the marketing landscape by merging digital elements with the physical world, enhancing consumer engagement and interaction. Here’s how AR is reshaping marketing strategies:
Transforming Consumer Experiences

1. Immersive Interactions: AR introduces digital components into our everyday environments, making brand interactions more engaging and memorable.
2. Virtual Try-Ons: Consumers can visualize products in their own space, from clothing to furniture, ensuring what they buy fits their needs and tastes.
3. Interactive Advertising: Brands are leveraging AR to create dynamic advertising campaigns that captivate and entertain, increasing consumer interest and interaction.

Bridging Virtual and Real Worlds

1. Confidence in Purchasing: By allowing customers to preview products realistically, AR reduces hesitation in purchasing decisions and minimizes returns.
2. Realistic Avatars: Technologies like Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta’s Codec Avatars are enhancing user engagement by providing lifelike virtual interactions.

AR in Everyday Technology

1. Mobile and Wearable Integration: AR is expanding beyond gaming into practical applications on mobile devices and wearables. Which enhances functions like navigation and remote assistance.
2. Web-Based AR: Platforms like WebAR and 8th Wall are making AR more accessible, allowing users to experience AR directly through web browsers without additional apps.

AR’s Role in Various Industries

1. Retail and E-commerce: From virtual fitting rooms to AR-driven product demos, AR is transforming how consumers shop online.
2. Real Estate and Healthcare: AR enables virtual property tours and assists in complex processes like surgery, offering unprecedented convenience and precision.

The Future of AR in Marketing

1. Market Growth: The AR market is projected to grow significantly, with revenues potentially reaching $39.8 billion by 2027.
2. Innovative Campaigns: Brands continue to integrate AR into marketing, using it for everything from enhanced storytelling to immersive consumer experiences.

E. The Growth of Video Content

Video content continues to dominate the digital marketing landscape in 2024, becoming an essential tool for brands aiming to engage their audiences effectively. Here’s a closer look at the evolving trends and strategies within video marketing:
Growth of Video Content
Short-Form and Long-Form Video Content

1. Prevalence of Short-Form Videos: Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts continue to popularize short-form content, which caters to the decreasing attention spans of digital consumers.
2. Renewed Focus on Long-Form Content: With platforms like TikTok extending video length limits, long-form content is gaining traction again, offering marketers a canvas for more detailed storytelling.

Advancements in Video Technology

1. CGI Integration: Cutting-edge CGI technology allows for the creation of visually stunning marketing materials that blend reality with fantasy, enhancing the visual appeal of campaigns.
2. Virtual Spokespersons: Brands are increasingly using CGI to create digital avatars or virtual spokespersons, adding a futuristic touch to digital marketing.

Video Marketing Efficacy-

1. Statistical Insights: According to recent studies, 88% of marketers recognize video as a crucial part of their marketing strategy. It is due to its effectiveness in engaging users and enhancing brand recall.
2. Educational Impact: Over half of the companies use video primarily to educate their audience, highlighting the role of video in informative and instructional content.

Strategic Video Marketing Approaches

1. Email Marketing Innovations: Incorporating short videos in emails increases click-through rates significantly. It demonstrates the power of videos to enhance digital marketing campaigns.
2. Humanizing Brands: More companies are choosing to feature real employees and partners in videos, fostering authenticity and trust among viewers.

By understanding these key digital trends and strategies, brands can effectively tailor their video content to meet the evolving demands of consumers and maintain a competitive edge in digital marketing.

Conclusion

As of 2024, the digital marketing landscape is reshaping by advanced technologies and evolving consumer behaviours. The changing trends emphasize the pivotal shift towards more interactive, personalized, and immersive marketing strategies. The emphasis on influencer and micro-influencer relationships, alongside the groundbreaking potential of augmented reality in marketing, illustrates the industry’s move towards creating more meaningful, engaging consumer experiences.
Acknowledging these developments, it’s clear that businesses poised to thrive are those that not only adapt to these digital trends but also innovate beyond them. The significance of these findings lies not just in their immediate impact but in their broader implications for the future of digital marketing. In this era of rapid digital change and competition, brands navigating this complex landscape should prioritize leveraging technology. This will allow them to strengthen consumer connections, ensure content relevancy, and ultimately foster brand loyalty. Businesses must embrace these trends to stay competitive and leave a lasting impact on consumers.

FAQs

What can we expect from digital marketing in 2024?

Digital marketing in 2024 is poised for a significant shift with a focus on defining optimal MarTech stacks. This shift positions email marketing as an essential tool, with projections indicating a surge in daily business and consumer email traffic.

What trends will be effective for digital marketing in 2024?

A key strategy for digital marketing in 2024 involves the integration of User-Generated Content (UGC) into advertising campaigns. UGC encompasses customer-created content such as photos, videos, blog posts, etc and is emerging as a potent asset for marketers.

What is the emerging digital trends in 2024?

AI-powered personalization is emerging as a trend in digital marketing. Algorithms capable of analyzing extensive customer data will transform the industry further. Thus providing highly personalized experiences.

How is the marketing environment changing in 2024?

The marketing environment in 2024 is shifting towards a more adaptable, creative, and technologically integrated approach. Key areas include multichannel marketing, hyper-personalization, Generative AI (GenAI), and immersive technologies. Embracing these trends will be vital for success in the marketing landscape of 2024, and technology advancements are set to redefine how brands connect with their audience. The focus on digital trends that are currently trending on Instagram and other social media platforms underscores the importance of adapting to the changing digital climate to maintain relevancy and engage effectively with consumers.

Hi everyone, I was considering to buy a 2nd-hand gaming PC to run X-Plane12. The PC has the following specs:
GPU Nvdia 2060RTX
CPU Intel i5 10400f 16gb RAM ddr4
ssd 250gb HD 1000gb
My goal is to use the sim for IFR training while pursuing my licenses. Therefore I don't really need 4k graphics with super-fancy details or complex sceneries, I'd run it in FULLHD with the highest possible details that allow at least 30 fps. I'll surely use some add-on to improve the faithfulness to real-world scenarios, so most likely a good A320 (maybe with a third-party FMC? not sure yet about what I'll need).
Do you see potential bottlenecks in this configuration?

In the dynamic landscape of automotive technology, efficient diagnostics are paramount for smooth operations and timely repairs. This is where diagnostics software emerges as a game-changer, offering a comprehensive solution to address complex vehicular issues swiftly and accurately. Whether you're a seasoned mechanic or an enthusiast tinkering with your car, having the right tools at your disposal can make all the difference.
At the heart of modern diagnostics lies sophisticated software that integrates seamlessly with diverse automotive systems. One such indispensable tool is Diagnostics Software, designed to provide real-time insights into a vehicle's health and performance. From detecting engine malfunctions to diagnosing electrical faults, this software serves as a virtual mechanic, empowering users to pinpoint issues with precision.

Do you know how happy I was when I bought a month of XBox GamePass and saw that Medal of Honor: Airborne was part of it (due to the EA Play integration)? I loved that game back in my early teens and played (on PC - with M&K controls!) through the campaign many many times. Until my steam version broke and now refuses to run without registry editing which I will never ever do. So I gave it a shot, giddy with anticipation because the game is great, right? 13 y.o. me loved it, so it has to be great, right?
I played through it during the last two days. This game has perhaps the worst PC control scheme I ever saw in an FPS game. EVER. Who got the bright idea to put the "lean" keys on the movement keys!? Normally when you go into ADS/aim your weapon and you press "A" for example, you strafe sideways (in this case to the left) while still aiming down your sights. In MoH:A you aim down your sights and when you press "A" you lean to the left without moving. You are standing out in the open, wiggling left and getting shot. To strafe while aiming you have to additionally hold down "SHIFT" while also holding down RMB and then press the respective movement key. Suffice to say I died a lot because my guy was doing the wiggles while an MG42 put holes into him...
Also the AI... either employing squad tactics against you and pinning you down without much chances to get out of their crossfire... or bum-rushing you and beating you to death with their rifle butts. There is no inbetween - only superbrains or neanderthals.
And then you get to the last two missions... "Operation Varsity" and "Der Flakturm". And you meet the "Nazi Sturm Elites"... armored SS troopers with gas masks (of course they need gas masks!), portable MG34's (because that makes them more evil duh!) and the HP pool of a Tiger I tank. Oh and also they focus almost exclusively on the player! Also the Panzergrenadiere with their gas masks (notice a pattern here?) and Panzerschrecks, which they will use inside (!) of buildings, also exclusively focusing the player. Remember please that a Panzerschreck is a portable anti-tank rocket launcher with a backblast that could kill everyone in an enclosed space. Why are these AT troops inside a bunker complex, blasting airborne infantry with their rocket launchers? Why do I have to escape through a sewer system with about six of these MG-wielding "Sturm Elites" spawning in my face? What is wrong with this game?
Anyways I made it through, I thoroughly ruined my memory about a "great game" I loved as a teen and I will from now on devolve into demented screeching whenever I see something resembling a gas mask... 11/10 would get rocket'ed to death inside a flak tower again.

Are you a student juggling multiple subjects, assignments, and exams, feeling the pressure of time ticking away? Don't worry; you're not alone. Many students find themselves in the same boat, seeking effective study methods to maximize their learning potential in a short period. Whether you're preparing for a pop quiz or a final exam, here are some tried-and-tested study techniques that can help you conquer your academic challenges efficiently.

• Don't Cram, Strategize: Ditch the all-night study marathon. Cramming overwhelms your brain and leads to short-term memory. Instead, focus on spaced repetition – studying smaller chunks of information over several days.
• Target Your Weaknesses: Don't waste time rereading everything. Identify your weakest areas from past quizzes, lectures, or practice problems. This laser focus ensures you maximize learning in limited time.
• Use the Power of Past Papers: Most professors love recycling exam questions. Track down past papers and practice tests. Analyze the format, common themes and tackle those topics first.
• Flashcards: Your Pocket-Sized Savior: Flashcards are a classic for a reason. Create your own or use existing ones to test yourself on key concepts, definitions, and formulas.
• SQ3R Study Method: SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review. It’s particularly useful for textbooks. Survey the chapter, generate questions, read actively, summarize, and review.
• Active Recall: It involves actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing notes. Quiz yourself, create flashcards, or explain concepts to someone else. This method strengthens your understanding and retention.
• The Feynman Technique: Imagine you're explaining the concept to someone who has never encountered it before. Can you break it down into simple terms? This process strengthens your understanding and reveals areas needing clarification.
• Practice Makes Perfect: Especially in subjects like math and science, hands-on practice is crucial. Focus on solving practice problems, explaining your thought process as you go.
• The Pomodoro Technique: Combat information overload with focused sprints. Set a timer for 25 minutes of uninterrupted study, followed by a short 5-minute break. This method helps maintain focus and prevents burnout.
• Find Your Flow State: Identify an environment that minimizes distractions and optimizes your focus. Whether it's a quiet corner in the library or a designated study space at home, create a space that promotes concentration.
• Take Care of Yourself: You can't pour from an empty cup. Ensure you're getting enough sleep (aim for 7-8 hours!), eating healthy foods to fuel your brain, and taking short breaks to recharge.

Bonus Hacks for Busy Students

• Find a Study Buddy: Partnering with a classmate can be a game-changer. Quiz each other, explain complex concepts to one another, and hold each other accountable.
• Embrace Technology: There are tons of free or budget-friendly study apps that offer flashcards, practice problems, and even timed quizzes. Leverage these tools to maximize your learning on the go.
• Teach What You Learn: One of the best ways to solidify understanding is by teaching someone else. Explain the concepts you just grasped to a friend or even an imaginary audience.

Remember:

• Focus on Quality, Not Quantity: A short, focused study session is far more effective than hours of passive reading.
• Reward Yourself: Set small goals and reward yourself for achieving them. This keeps you motivated and on track.
• Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help: If you're struggling with a specific concept, don't hesitate to reach out to your professor or teaching assistant.
• Believe in Yourself: A positive attitude goes a long way. Approach your studies with confidence and a willingness to learn, and you'll be surprised by how much you can achieve in a short period.

The pressure to perform well can be overwhelming, especially when time is limited. But with these methods in your arsenal, you can approach even the tightest deadline with confidence. So, put down the distractions, grab your study materials, and rock that exam!
In addition, you can also join our community at 911papers_homworkhelp for more tips or need help, and also to connect with other students who share similar academic experiences.
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The recent "FO76 is not something I expected to love" post inspired me to come out of the woodworks for FO76. I've always enjoyed patientgamers for it's nuanced discussion of certain games that often get lost in the emotional gaming hype/hate cycle like fo76 did.
The title may seem hyperbolic bc previous fallout and elder scrolls games did such a good job immersing the player with traditional smoke and mirrors that players may have not noticed the shift in FO76.

So why is FO76 one of the most technical and immersive gameplay accomplishments in gaming history?

Traditional recent Fallout 4 and Elder scrolls Skyrim SP games (among other similar open world games) have rich worlds because of the simulation of a "living world". NPCs are persistent, they have schedules, (sleep, eat, travel to some degree etc.) the world has conflict, you're another cog in the machine of your character's life fulfilling a story where choices somewhat matter. We all know by now that this isn't entirely true else our PC/consoles would explode. Game design 101 is to create illusions in a radius around the player in addition to some outside simulation/persistency. Conflicts and events either spawn randomly or from quest triggers etc., then despawn when the player is out of range (or maybe a weighted RNG didn't trigger but may trigger next time when you load a save). This is how many open world SP games work to some extent to create the illusion of a "living world".
FO76 is a core creation engine game. The first ever to be officially converted to include multiplayer for 24-32 players which I'll explain below why it's actually a very important game design decision (vs what many of the community wanted with a 4-player coop Skyrim game, including me until FO76).
FO76 could have used a "cheap multiplayer" peer-to-peer 4-player coop model where you and your friends are all essentially the "server". The general problem with this model is it gets complicated fast with no central authority and likely why it wasn't made bc the creation engine actually does simulate a lot of persistent entities that need to be tracked by a central authority (this would be too much for one PC/console to handle and too complex for p2p coop).
In comes the FO76 dedicated server model where players (clients) join a separate dedicated server (or central game logic authority) that physically resides in some datacenter and does most of the heavy lifting including AI logic, quests, playeitem world tracking and world persistency (a separate database server is used to save player progress, account info, and base placement in the world).

So why is this important for immersive gameplay?

The main reason is the game world no longer can "fake" the simulation as easily because the "living world" no longer revolves around a single player, but instead up to 32 players.
This means that when you approach an area/town/city where a player is or recently was, you're seeing a persistent interaction with the world regardless of if you participate or not (dead bodies, active fighting, items looted, etc). All the same ingredients of a SP game but you now mentally know that this wasn't just "generated for me" but is a real tangible interaction with the world. When you leave the area, parts of it will continue to be simulated without you so long as another player is in the general area (even without players, entities won't immediately "reset" and some will still stay persistent).
Now add in ALL the traditional creation engine persistency/simulation and fo76's specific unique mechanics including physical player bases (that have defenses and their own NPCs interacting with the world), you now have a much more legit "living world".
When you add it all together, it all can get really complex and adds some very unique interactions/gameplay. This is often a game dev nightmare and even why the servers tend to crash at times when there are a lot of players/server activity (or if it hasn't rebooted in some time).
Another thing to note is that even when you're playing solo, technically there is a lot of simulation still happening due to being on a server. Servers persistently simulate NPCs like world traders that are physically traversing the world. If you start a quest to assassinate or speak to a dude across the map, that NPC is actually across the map being simulated to some extent (more so if another player loads into the area, they can technically inadvertently interact with them).
The last thing I'll say is FO76 has a pretty long rendedraw distance (even on console). You can see and attack things from very long distances. This is really impressive for a multiplayer game given that 32 players can easily have 32 different battles around the world map with dozens of AI spawned simultaneously. This is likely why the game rewards group play else the server would get overloaded if 32 players spread around the map individually.
A few other notable games can do similar complex simulation/persistency in a dedicated multiplayer environment but FO76 does it very well (in its own old engine and universe) and is often not understood how technically difficult this feature is.
Next time you're seeing a large battle in the distance from a high viewpoint, bask in the glory of technical amazement!

I am a highly motivated and experienced game developedesigner with a passion for crafting engaging and immersive gaming experiences. I possess a diverse skillset spanning various game development disciplines, including:
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Contact: PM

"Billionaire Simulator", game on PC, XBOX and PS5
This might just be a game which lives up to its name and does not feel like an amateur creation.
A bit of background:
The game actually takes place in an alternate reality, in a nearby star system called Epsilon Eridani. Centauri City is on the planet Cosmo, an Earthlike planet populated by 14 billion humans and at a similar technological stage to current Earth society.
Centauri City is a sprawling megalopolis with a skyscraper-littered downtown area surrounded by "bright and airy" large-scale towns with large avenues and with large private gated communities with large detached mansions owned by UHNWIs, with enormous highways spanning it and a hi-tech "larger-than-average" multi-line monorail network.
Centauri City is exclusively for the rich...but due to a fear of a "robot uprising", humans still make up the majority of the service worker industry...and most service workers live outside the Centauri City limits in the low-to-mid income suburb of Dium (a large town with crumbling ageing Greco-Roman architecture, small single-family homes and towering apartment blocks built to tackle an overpopulation crisis). Dium can also be explored by Emmett from Chapter Five onwards.
The Mayor of Centauri City is Peter G. Hamilton III and during his tenure, crime across Centauri City has fallen by 34%.
Meet Emmett
Meet Emmett, the main character. Emmett G. Warner III is a rebellious unruly young twentysomething year old who is estranged from his father. When his grandfather - a multibillionaire - passes away, he is astonished to discover that he has inherited part of his grandfather's estate - a large slice worth the equivalent US$4.3 billion (currency in Centauri City is Plutonian Dollars and US$4.3 billion is 3.29 billion Plutonian dollars). The rest was inherited by his estranged father and estranged brothers.
Whilst Emmett is able to initially go on a spending spree, being this rich is apparently not that easy...not to mention that his late ailing grandfather...left a lot of projects unfinished and some of the employees of some of his holdings' subsidiaries were imvolved in class-action lawsuits against his grandfather's corporations; state and federal government tax authorities were also still chasing some of his companies which had been engulfed in an ongoing tax evasion dispute.
To top things off, Emmett, who "can't seem to keep his dick in his pants", admits that he's "fallen in love" with Willow Folis, a young bartender who works in a downtown bar who lives in Dium, but has four brothers who are hardened criminals involved in Dium's underworld.
Playing as Emmett, players can get involved in a multi-layered story campaign or just freeroam across the enormous map (it's roughly 307 square kilometers, so more than twice the size of The Witcher 3 map and nearly 2.5 times larger than the playable area in AC Odyssey). Whilst Centauri City and Dium make up the majority of the playable area, there is a large and complex highway system spanning the map, as well as roadside diners, truck stops, smaller, company towns and "motorcycle gang hives" dotted on the outskirts of the map. The outer regions of the map have been designated as "dangerous" by law enforcement, but Emmett has a thrill-seeking dangerous side to him, so...
The multilayered story campaign revolves around one of Emmett's grandfather's corporations, HoudiniTech, a tech and robotics company, whose R&D division has been engaging in some "questionable" research on the poorest in society, testing out cutting-edge dangerous cybernetic tech as well as secretly building "the robots of the future". But because Emmett's grandfather was pushed out, Emmett now barely has any voting power in HoudiniTech and there is a lack of oversight over what goes on in its R&D division. Whilst Emmett's ailing grandfather had been a majority shareholder, his enemy and former business partner Alton Hicks had held a large portion of the voting shares in HoudiniTech and was responsible for the day-to-day activities of the company.
Players can choose to embark on the campaign or just avoid it altogether.
In the game, there are 312 ownable and driveable vehicles, 31 aircraft, 7 airports and airfields and multiple entertainment venues. There is also a "game within a game" in Billionaire Simulator. Playing as Emmett, players can visit any of the 12 "ampitheatre pleasure domes called The Colosseums" which are dotted across the map where they can enter in-game VR combat competitions with paintballing-like matches set in computer-generated postapocalyptic settings where participants either play as "The Hunter" or "The Hunted".
It also helps to mention that there are three spaceports on the map: one is abandoned, another is owned by billionaire Rufus Van Hooten via his space company Van Hooten Space and the third is co-owned, co-managed and run by the state space agency, Austin State Space Agency and Centauri City's largest educational establishment, Austin State Institute of Technology, a college which has a multibillion dollar asset management company (ASIT Investment Management) with P$121 billion AUM.
Bear in mind, there is no space travel in the game (it's not a space game and this isn't Starfield, Star Citizen or Squadron 42) and no, you can't travel offworld or across Cosmo (the planet), but the presence of spaceports should give you an idea of the state of the society and at various points in the game, you can also watch regular space launches and in-game televised space launches.
After meeting Willow the bartender and hearing her talk about the issues faced by people in Dium, players can choose to ignore her...or make a decision to restart the Emmett Warner Foundation with an investment of P$20m, but doing so won't be easy as Warner discovers that his problems have been multiplied beyond recognition coupled with the fear of his associates and/or "trusted executives" embezzling funds.
Emmett also discovers that his grandfather funded the already-well-funded Austin State Patrol with an annual sum of P$6m, prompting a suspicious Emmett to investigate why and a decision can eventually made on whether to decrease, end or increase the funding...or do nothing.
One of the first assets Emmett decides to sell off is the San Fernando Regional Jetport. Although it allows Emmett the use of hangars and jetport facilities, his advisers warned him that it was "a black hole". The sale is mandatory early on in the game, but players can later come back and freely re-purchase it, should they wish to do so. In the game's lore, a 45-second "docuclip" reveals to players that an unnamed Star Wars movie was partly filmed on the grounds of the jetport.
Emmett's grandfather used to own a yacht, but he sold the 64m Ariadne to Rufus Van Hooten (an even wealthier and middle-aged billionaire who already owns another superyacht). Whilst Emmett can rent or purchase his own yacht, his advisers stress that owning a yacht outright is "dangerously expensive". Emmett would have to regularly pay the Captain and the crew and pay for the upkeep and maintenance of the yacht and the fuel costs and the bigger it is, the more expensive it is, so players are warned before buying a superyacht. Parties and X-rated events can also take place on the yacht which players van get involved in, but if it is rented, Emmett is liable to pay for any damage suffered or worse still, have his deposit and/collateral partially or completely confiscated. Although owning a superyacht seemed cool to Emmett at first, because he is in his twenties, he vocally considers owning a superyacht outright as "something for old rich men" and vocally says - during a cutscene - that he would "prefer to rent yachts and party and chill with friends".
(No, you won't need a NASA supercomputer to run the game.)
To be continued...

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"Billionaire Simulator", game on PC, XBOX and PS5
This might just be a game which lives up to its name and does not feel like an amateur creation.
A bit of background:
The game actually takes place in an alternate universe, in a nearby star system called Epsilon Eridani. Centauri City is on the planet Cosmo, an Earthlike planet populated by 14 billion humans and at a similar technological stage to current Earth society.
Centauri City is a sprawling megalopolis with a skyscraper-littered downtown area surrounded by "bright and airy" large-scale towns with large avenues and with large private gated communities with large detached mansions owned by UHNWIs, with enormous highways spanning it and a hi-tech "larger-than-average" multi-line monorail network.
Centauri City is exclusively for the rich...but due to a fear of a "robot uprising", humans still make up the majority of the service worker industry...and most service workers live outside the Centauri City limits in the low-to-mid income suburb of Dium (a large town with crumbling ageing Greco-Roman architecture, small single-family homes and towering apartment blocks built to tackle an overpopulation crisis). Dium can also be explored by Emmett from Chapter Five onwards.
The Mayor of Centauri City is Peter G. Hamilton III and during his tenure, crime across Centauri City has fallen by 34%.
Meet Emmett
Meet Emmett, the main character. Emmett G. Warner III is a rebellious unruly young twentysomething year old who is estranged from his father. When his grandfather - a multibillionaire - passes away, he is astonished to discover that he has inherited part of his grandfather's estate - a large slice worth the equivalent US$4.3 billion (currency in Centauri City is Plutonian Dollars and US$4.3 billion is 3.29 billion Plutonian dollars). The rest was inherited by his estranged father and estranged brothers.
Whilst Emmett is able to initially go on a spending spree, being this rich is apparently not that easy...not to mention that his late ailing grandfather...left a lot of projects unfinished and some of the employees of some of his holdings' subsidiaries were imvolved in class-action lawsuits against his grandfather's corporations; state and federal government tax authorities were also still chasing some of his companies which had been engulfed in a tax evasion dispute.
To top things off, Emmett, who "can't seem to keep his dick in his pants", admits that he's "fallen in love" with Willow Folis, a young bartender who works in a downtown bar who lives in Dium, but has four brothers who are hardened criminals involved in Dium's underworld.
Playing as Emmett, players can get involved in a multi-layered story campaign or just freeroam across the enormous map (it's roughly 307 square kilometers, so more than twice the size of The Witcher 3 map and nearly 2.5 times larger than the playable area in AC Odyssey). Whilst Centauri City and Dium make up the majority of the playable area, there is a large and complex highway system spanning the map, as well as roadside diners, truck stops, smaller, company towns and "motorcycle gang hives" dotted on the outskirts of the map. The outer regions of the map have been designated as "dangerous" by law enforcement, but Emmett has a thrill-seeking dangerous side to him, so...
The multilayered story campaign revolves around one of Emmett's grandfather's corporations, HoudiniTech, a tech and robotics company, whose R&D division has been engaging in some "questionable" research on the poorest in society, testing out cutting-edge dangerous cybernetic tech as well as secretly building "the robots of the future". But because Emmett's grandfather was pushed out, Emmett now barely has any voting power in HoudiniTech and there is a lack of oversight over what goes on in its R&D division. Whilst Emmett's ailing grandfather had been a majority shareholder, his enemy and former business partner Alton Hicks had held a large portion of the voting shares in HoudiniTech and was responsible for the day-to-day activities of the company.
Players can choose to embark on the campaign or just avoid it altogether.
In the game, there are 312 ownable and driveable vehicles, 31 aircraft, 7 airports and airfields and multiple entertainment venues. There is also a "game within a game" in Billionaire Simulator. Playing as Emmett, players can visit any of the 12 "ampitheatre pleasure domes called The Colosseums" which are dotted across the map where they can enter in-game VR combat competitions with paintballing-like matches set in computer-generated postapocalyptic settings where participants either play as "The Hunter" or "The Hunted".
It also helps to mention that there are three spaceports on the map: one is abandoned, another is owned by billionaire Rufus Van Hooten via his space company Van Hooten Space and the third is co-owned, co-managed and run by the state space agency, Austin State Space Agency and Centauri City's largest educational establishment, Austin State Institute of Technology, a college which has a multibillion dollar asset management company (ASIT Investment Management) with P$121 billion AUM.
Bear in mind, there is no space travel in the game (it's not a space game and this isn't Starfield, Star Citizen or Squadron 42) and no, you can't travel offworld or across Cosmo (the planet), but the presence of spaceports should give you an idea of the state of the society and at various points in the game, you can also watch regular space launches and in-game televised space launches.
After meeting Willow the bartender and hearing her talk about the issues faced by people in Dium, players can choose to ignore her...or make a decision to restart the Emmett Warner Foundation with an investment of P$20m, but doing so won't be easy as Warner discovers that his problems have been multiplied beyond recognition coupled with the fear of his associates and/or "trusted executives" embezzling funds.
Emmett also discovers that his grandfather funded the already-well-funded Austin State Patrol with an annual sum of P$6m, prompting a suspicious Emmett to investigate why and a decision can eventually made on whether to decrease, end or increase the funding...or do nothing.
One of the first assets Emmett decides to sell off is the San Fernando Regional Jetport. Although it allows Emmett the use of hangars and jetport facilities, his advisers warned him that it was "a black hole". The sale is mandatory early on in the game, but players can later come back and freely re-purchase it, should they wish to do so. In the game's lore, a 45-second "docuclip" reveals to players that an unnamed Star Wars movie was partly filmed on the grounds of the jetport.
Emmett's grandfather used to own a yacht, but he sold the 64m Ariadne to Rufus Van Hooten (an even wealthier and middle-aged billionaire who already owns another superyacht). Whilst Emmett can rent or purchase his own yacht, his advisers stress that owning a yacht outright is "dangerously expensive". Emmett would have to regularly pay the Captain and the crew and pay for the upkeep and maintenance of the yacht and fuel costs and the bigger it is, the more expensive it is, so players are warned before buying a superyacht. Parties and X-rated events can also take place on the yacht which players can get involved in, but if it is rented, Emmett is liable to pay for any damage suffered or worse still, have his deposit and/collateral partially or completely confiscated. Although owning a superyacht seemed cool to Emmett at first, because he is in his twenties, he vocally considers owning a superyacht outright as "something for old rich men" and vocally says - during a cutscene - that he would "prefer to rent yachts and party and chill with friends".
To be continued...

OP's original post: "For context, I dated a narcissist for almost 10 months. He cheated on me the whole time, was emotionally abusive, and an alcoholic. After I helped him move all weekend, he decided to dump me on the drive to his new place to drop off the remainder of his things and threatened to leave me on the side of a highway. All of my things were at his place and I didn’t even have my car keys. We also had a business intertwined together, and I got screwed out of money as well.
If you’ve ever been with a narcissist, there are signs that they suck from very early on. He’s one of those guys that claims all of his exes are crazy and loves to be the victim in any situation.
His ex-girlfriend of a couple of years lived in my same apartment complex, and we had a lot of mutual friends in common, so naturally I reached out to her because I needed to know the truth about him to validate my experiences and make sure I had the strength to never go back, as I knew he’d come back around.
It was worse than I thought. He cheated on her for five years, was physically and emotionally abusive, and screwed her out of close to $20,000 when she moved out. Whenever he was on vacation, she would have women from other states reaching out to her in her DM‘s saying that her boyfriend slept with their roommate. She is now one of my best friends.
For legal reasons, we still had to be in communication and I wanted to make sure that I got some of the money that I was owed. I played his game well enough to get some money.
After I went, no contact, things were okay for a couple of months. But after his roommates, ex-girlfriend reached out to me and told me more of the awful things that he did behind my back and the awful things that he was saying about me, I decided I didn’t want to keep quiet anymore.
The only thing men like him care about is his reputation, so I made it my personal responsibility to ruin that.
I put him on blast to a group of 50,000 women in this cities letting them know the kind of man that he is. That he is abusive, a cheater, a manipulative piece of shit, and that he’s had four STI‘s in less than six months.
I have him blocked on every platform imaginable, and he has been threatening to sue me through mutual friends for defamation for months lol
I had over two dozen women reach out to me after that post letting me know that they too also terrible experiences with him. Many of them dated him the same time that I did.
Every time I grab coffee or drinks with one of them, they post on their ig story and tag me in it to let him know that they know everything. After he freaks out and sends them some crazy message, they block him. I’ve been doing this for months so that way he knows that his reputation is still being slandered by me, simply telling the truth.
After I made that post, he decided to low-key stalk me. He appeared at the place that I worked out at at the exact same times I’d be there, and even showed up at the guy I was dating apartment complex the same time we were there.
So I told all my friends at the gym exactly what kind of man that he is and made the environment so uncomfortable for him that he no longer goes there. One of the girls that he dated when we were together is now a regular workout partner of mine.
At least he has great taste in women.
Another girl that I know came up to me crying at a bar because he SA’d her. I now have an army of women to support her case to make sure that she wins.
This man might have treated all of us horribly, but I have made amazing women friends in the process and none of us have to go through what he did to us all alone.
I ruined his reputation by telling the truth. Silence only protects men like him, so I decided to be as loud as possible about the kind of person that he is."
User: TermGeneral6456
Link: https://www.reddit.com/pettyrevenge/comments/1cliijt/i_slowly_ruined_my_exboyfriends_life/

Wind whistled between ancient sanded rocks and blackened pines. The gray sky shown above only approved of darkness, as the clouds refused to move and let the sun shine down on the land. Patches of dried grass stood tall and defiant where they could, braving the elements but barely surviving them. A tall figure casted his own shadow that protruded across the ridge he stands on, overlooking a barren chasm filled with dust and filth.
“Another hour, and I’ll go in there myself.” He was as tall as he was wide. But now he stood withered. Old. Dying.
“Another bad decision.” The woman behind him smiled. She was a stout one, hunched and aged too. She had a bit more youth in her eyes, though. “Every fifty years, Chet. This is the one rule you’d never break.” They were adorned in heavy furs, beneath lined in pre-war cottons and leathers. Chet wore his clothing loosely, though. As if threatening to break out of his cloak in a moment’s notice.
“I remember the last one.” He drew out eventually. The woman’s eyes snapped to attention, watching his dry lips. “I was just a boy then- but I remember.”
“I know you do.” She replied, letting him cling to the memory. It was so rare to see a man that stubborn and individualistic to be caught in the past. Chet looked back, confused. The woman swallowed a knot in her throat dryer than those pine barrens to the North. She let her hand slip against his wrist, and wove down until she was clutching his palm. He was shaky. “It’s me, it’s Dorra. I know you do.” His face was unreadable, but he eventually nodded in acknowledgement.
“I remember.” He managed.
Time passed before another howl overtook the shrill wind. The turning of complex gears, ancient metals doing their duty to spite the world that passed them by. Ground shook beneath their heels, disturbing the very roots that coiled beneath the ground. Chet stepped one foot further- nearly off the cliff as pebbles shifted away from him and fled into the canyon. The chasm seemed alive with new yellow light inside it, bouncing off the cavern walls. A siren flared, reminding the irradiated land of its stationary existence. “The vault…” He said breathlessly, craning his neck to see the magic, but the view was blocked by stone and dirt. “Go, go tell the others.” Chet whipped around and Dorra had already slipped away. No matter. Chet was then on his hands and knees, mouthing a mantra. “Praise be, to the Great Ones. Love to the Dweller!”
It was a short jaunt down from the hillside, before a broken web of highways could be seen. They could be seen from miles off, because nature was too meager to retake them. Dorra put a weak arm against the bark of a loosened tree. It seemed to tremble even at her touch. She had nearly taken a tumble downward, but her smile only doubled as she took a look at the road. Dotted along the highway were men, women, and some children. Some content, some armed, and some half dead. Most were leaned against their Brahmin or mechanical beasts of burden, like pulled wagons. The members of a mercenary company had their guns stowed as they either slyly chatted away, or remained silent and heavily browed. Despite her age and apparent wisdom, Dorra could hardly manage her excitement as she called to them.
“Friends! Travelers! Our harvest- it has arrived.”
Welcome to the Empire Wasteland, 2282.
No matter who you are, or how far you’ve traveled, you’ve ended up with a strange and eclectic group. They call themselves the Chimists, though you can’t say for certain what the groups cause. Asking around might’ve gotten you a few mumbles about Old World ideologies they ally themselves with. You honestly haven’t managed to get a read if they’re religious or political or… something else. Well, all they seem to be for now is a bunch of desperate wasters. They’ve traveled to collect a Vault Dweller, and along the way they’ve picked up a few desperates, traders, and mercs. All seem to be relying on each other in a symbiotic, if not slightly unsteady, relationship. Though you can’t blame them. That’s why you’re traveling with them after all.
New Jersey is a lonely, and desolate place. At least outside the settlements. Scorched rockies and jagged earth is most of the landscape. The Chimists are headed upstate, to their hometown they call ‘Woodbine’. Of course, you’re unsure if you’ll stick around for the journey.
I’m looking for four (or so) players for a PBP game. Timezones aren’t too much of a worry, just a chill small campaign where we post when we can. Themes and agendas are up to character creation, content warnings are up to the players themselves. Expect R rated movie territory, just a gritty Fallout story. Message me with character ideas, questions, and your Discord information. It will be my first time running a Fallout game so I’m sure we’ll all be learning at least a little.

With religion being so pervasive in the modern age, I think it's safe to say these ideas came from somewhere and the more I think about it the more i'm ok with the idea that we were visited by NHI and the ideas we were given were too advanced for us to comprehend at that time. Such concepts would have been watered down and simplified before being corrupted to the whim of those who'd wield power over others. Either way, if we were officially visited 2000(ish) years ago, what would be the main explosive talking points? The Afterlife is the main one I can think of.
These days we're starting to get to grips with other dimensions existing. Simulation theory and entanglement are all concepts we've been discussing for some time. What if this wasn't the only life we have? If you disregard god and heaven in this thought experiment and think of it from a more science-fiction standpoint - some of it starts to get scary.
Consider this: This isn't our only go at existence. There are planes higher than ours which we 'ascend' to once we've moved past this one. The type of existence we encounter in these higher enfolded realities is based upon the life we lived here in the real. Our brains are sufficiently complex enough to tap into the giant cosmic engine of existence and move through it from one state to the next, with its pattern ultimately being determined by how it conducted itself in the 3D universe. Thus, NHI telling us way back when that we need to be good to each other. Don't fuck about or it will corrupt your mind-pattern once you ascend.
So if all this was real and the next level is indescribably beautiful (or horrific depending on how you conducted yourself in the real), then that would spur on enormous parts of the world to die as soon as possible. Any good person in a sufficiently shitty situation would want to go to the next stage ASAP. It'd be the end of humanity as billions willingly pass over leaving just the deeply religious and power-hungry.
So the big secret? There IS an afterlife (although not really conceivable to a 3D brain) and it's better than this shit hole. Those in charge wouldn't have much t be in charge of if 90% of their populations committed suicide. Finding out existence is one giant game would be enough to collapse society even before the billions of suicides. This revelation is big enough for the power-players to do anything to stop it spreading. This in itself is enough to cause friction between NHI and the agencies which look after this secret. It also answers a lot of questions we currently have on the topic.

The last 3-4 years, I’ve played 40K a handful of times. 1 game in 9th, 2-3 in 10th. Both felt like they had the tactical nuance of candy crush, on a table size that felt far too small. I know it’s a “recommendation” but that means our beautiful tables are covered in green painters tape as the players locally are slaves to playing tournament standard.
But I have lots of friends who love the setting. Some play 10th, a lot don’t play unless I do. This is a problem as they love the setting as much as I do, but coming off of playing Infinity, Asymmetric Warfare, and Heresy, 10th feels like a game designed for zoomers and children. I can’t get into it.
As it stands now, I can convince a couple to play older editions. But I know the problem might lie in the fact that I’m very much set in my ways. I prefer complexity in rules, and 10th is literally a simplification I cannot stand. But 75% of my friends play it happily. It looks fun enough for them. But I can’t turn my brain off, and just enjoy it. It feels like a 40K “skin” over some other game then the game I knew and loved.
I mostly collect for now. The models are the best I’ve seen in years. The lore is pretty great I just wish we got more info. But the gameplay is keeping me away entirely. How can I learn the upsides this system has, if it has any at all? What can I do to make the game part bearable? Not for my sake, but so my friends can have me at game nights again.

I´m relatively new to the game (about 50h) and love the game so far. I still have a lot to learn and am looking forward to learning an trying the different systems of Dominions and want to look in the multiplayer side of the game. But i encountered one hurdle that i want to overcome before joining multiplayer games and that is turn structure. I noticed by about turn 20 i get very fast overwhelmed with taking turns and all that is going on at this point so far that i get an headache which annoys me a great deal. I other games like factorio where the longer the games go the complexity get´s overwhelming i´m able to break down and structure problems and problems.
In Dominions i have problems structuring my approach and am interested if other people had/have the same problem and how you approach your turns, to not get overwhelmed?

Integrated graphics have always been enough for me up to now. I do mostly programming and some very light gaming.
Now I want to be able to train AI models and my daughter is getting into Blender and is starting to get slow render times as she makes more complex things. I understand that NVidia is better for both of these use cases at the moment.
What is the most important thing to handle these two use cases? Should I be looking for higher speeds, or more VRAM, or something else?
I have a max budget of $500, but would be delighted to spend less.
It will be going into an existing system with:

• AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
• 64G RAM
• ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ax board
• Debian Linux

I know the game just hit but the Net is awash with information already, so...
I can't really remember what I did in Hades, but the systems look pretty complex in 2. Having to balance elemental affinities etc. I also noticed some things like you don't seem to be able to do big damage by wallslamming any more?

*throw away account for reasons, hopefully you can understand...
About the situation:
5 1/2 year relationship, both in their 20s
Somewhere in the 2nd year we had a huge argument that lasted a good 4-6 weeks where it was clear that the relationship was over for the partner, but not for me. During this break-up, my partner had an affair, which she "confessed" to me immediately after our reconciliation. I had a nervous breakdown, etc. The whole thing. During that time she had a "best friend" who I thought was deceitful from the start, and she was talked into it a bit by her.
After a long discussion, I somehow forgave her because, as mentioned in the first sentence, the end of the relationship was clear for her, but not for me. Somehow I could see that.
Similar game in year 4, but it wasn't clear to either side that the relationship was over, she "just" thought it would end there. Bags were already packed etc. But nobody moved out. This situation went on for maybe 2-3 weeks.
Now I don't know how to deal with the 2nd time. The first time the world collapsed for me. The second time I couldn't even force myself to cry, I was just angry and disappointed. She was apparently so convinced that there would be a break-up and that she was simply unhappy with everyone, but didn't know if it was because of the relationship etc.
Here too, a "good friend" said that she had already experienced something similar and had broken up with her then boyfriend after 2 years. And now she was feeling better. (The good friend has daddy issues with monthly changing affairs, regularly consumes drugs, is drunk every week and has never had a serious or long-term relationship herself).
My friend recently confessed the whole thing to me in tears and hyperventilating and had to throw up after we had a loud discussion about it.
She just said the usual things (I think), is ashamed of herself, can't explain it to herself, feels disgusting and so on.
I don't know how to deal with it. Our relationship is very intense and intimate, we feel like we are the same person with 90% of the same views etc., same background, upbringing etc.
I can't and don't want to separate from her.I also have the feeling that she won't be able to get her life under control, as she is very dependent on me (emotionally), has very strong complexes and I am more the part that takes care of all the important parts of being an adult and supports her. Work, education, finances, insurance etc. I don't know how to describe the last part here, I hope you can understand what I mean.
Does anyone have any tips or advice for me?
Thank you very much...