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There are two big problems. The first is the most obvious one. Every build only ever needs a very small amount of uniques out of a huge list of them (even with them dropping from the reputation grind), and having them randomly drop with better stats in another equipment slot makes for such a small chance that you'd probably end up decking out your character in all the mythic items you need well before you find a useful chaos unique (although I did find a Fists of Fate chest armor with an almost 400% damage range, which I ended up actually using to finish the season journey). The other one is that implicit modifiers that should be a base part of the item they're on get transferred as well. Meaning none of the boots that drop as chaos armor are really interesting because you automatically lose the boot's inherent evade modifiers unless you also have a boot unique item in some other slot and actually need it. Inverse it also makes amulets in other item slots much more interesting as they always come with very generous +all resistances, more than you could get on the item slot otherwise - and armor pieces that can roll defensive affixes seem to be set to having a 0% chance of actually dropping with a resist all affix. They also get a 50% bonus on the aspects painted on them, so moving an amulet slot around is almost always a huge boost.

The 20 points are very interesting and most seem achievable and require concessions on both sides Biggest hurdles are Hamas and the Israeli Far right ministers in Netanyahu's coalition accepting it Most of the Arab world are behind it and clearly a lot of meetings have been going on behind the scenes Its the best plan I have heard for ages unless someone can post another one I wouldnt worry about this specific point too much, the relevant ones would be these and some of these are not what Netanyahu has always stated which was the complete destruction of Hamas and then plans to annex Gaza. As I mentioned Israel is going to have to concede a lot as well Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.

First Palestinian member of the committee has been announced: Vidkun al Quisling. May pair up nicely with Bezazel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir, Benjamin Netanyahu and Tony Blair. Only caveat is that he may be a bit too liberal and namby pamby.

I do sometimes wonder if the MBA types expect AI to end up buying the games as well as making them. Can't wait for the Saudis to buy Intel.

Actually, that would be a good outcome as well

Apparently armed troops are being sent to Portland to protect the ICE building there with permission to use "full force". It has suffered some damage from protests and has windows boarded up with plywood, so typical left-wing protest tactic. Meanwhile, since January, 15 people have died while being detained by ICE. Narry a peep about that from the government though. So, long story short: protests and some physical damage to a building = war ravaged city requiring a full force response 15 dead in detention = crickets

So, King Donald I of Gaza just in case he can't quite make it as Donald I Whitehouse?

So nice to see my support department summarized

Just... uhm, turn on the subs.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/read-trumps-20-point-proposal-to-end-the-war-in-gaza "Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment."

This is all good. In five years they go bust and all their IPs end up at auction. No guarantee that everyone who acquires the IP will do something with it, but the odds are there.

"The investment is done with a 20B loan which they intent to recoup with cutting costs by using AI to replace visual and voice artists." Amazing. Never buy anything EA ever again.

Kushner is involved too, lol.

Because, from what I understand, they will go from public to private ownership, which might ease up pressure on development teams to release unfinished risk-averse slop. And based how Saudi investment into SNK helped them out to release better fighting games, there is a possibility, this might positively affect EA as well. Or I might just expect to many miracles happen in this ****ty greed driven universe

My rogue in D4 is maximum ADHD, with the unique helm that gives me 20% movement and uses health to sustain Flurry, Flurry modification to warp to nearest enemy and with a lot of lucky hit that grants energy, I just ping around the screen causing Chaos flashy orbs and a shockwave that comes from some ability I don't know. But at least I'm on T3 now. Chaos armour kind of sucks, though.

Mission impossible masks here we come.

Why would they under the new ownership ?

I noticed something interesting to me...we flew back from Mexico last weekend and this time O'Hare customs didnt even ask to see my wife and I passport! It turns out the process for US citizens has changed from a human being physically checking your passport and comparing it to you standing there, to completely biometric facial scanning. It was awesome and reduced what is normally around a 1.5 hour process to mere minutes! I was pretty impressed that it took the software less than one second to recognize me and put a little green check mark next to my picture.

https://www.axios.com/2025/09/26/trump-microsoft-lisa-monaco Loomer commands and Trump obeys

We just watched it too. While there were scenes that we enjoyed, overall it was kind of middling

Haven't tried Museum yet, but Hospital and Campus were good but somewhat limited games. By that I mean the core gameplay loop was solid, and the aesthetic and humour are well done for anyone looking for something like the old Bullfrog games. Definitely no regrets in buying the base games. However the limits become apparent once you consider the expansion model, where each new thing added isn't ever going to be truly "new". Any new disease they add in Hospital for example is functionally the same as any other disease, just with new graphics on the patients, and a matching new "new disease curing room" to go with it. Hopefully the reports on it improving on is predecessors is true. I get mentally tired already just thinking of the arbitrary "increase room value" goals from both Hospital and Campus, where the supposed challenge of the later levels just involves spamming decorative items inside each room.

^ I actually very much liked that scene.

Wow that is interesting, a massive development for the gaming industry

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250929186526/en/EA-Announces-Agreement-to-be-Acquired-by-PIF-Silver-Lake-and-Affinity-Partners-for-%2455-Billion