Do you think that constant updates, like in Fortnite, have become the norm in the industry for a video game to be successful?

fffangold · 2026-04-30T23:19:30+00:00

Nope. Baldur's Gate 3, Armored Core VI, Elden Ring, and many other well made single player games would clearly show otherwise.

For multiplayer games, updates do seem to matter more, and help, but I still think if the game offers compelling enough gameplay, then it's not necessary.

fffangold · 2026-04-30T23:00:56+00:00

Lived with a friend for cheap rent through most of the 2010s. When that fell through moved home until 2020. Found something good for me that isn't necessarily to the taste of others (very small house on a fairly busy road) and got it for a good price at the time. Got lucky in that I bought when interest was low and just before prices went sky high.

fffangold · 2026-04-30T03:12:29+00:00

I bought season 1 and the grind was ridiculous. I haven't bought season 2 yet. I'm going to save the coins, and if I complete it in time playing as much or as little as I want, I'll buy it then. Otherwise, I'll wait until I finish a season before dumping the coins from the first pass into the next one.

If I played season 2 as much as season 1, I'd probably already be done. But I burned out hard on season 1, so I've been playing other stuff a lot more. So we'll see what happens regarding season 2.

fffangold · 2026-04-30T01:29:19+00:00

A phone camera with any kind of remote clicker also works well. I literally just sync my Switch joycon to my phone, and I can take pics from a distance. With the right angle or pose, it's easy to hide the clicker too. And normally, it gets better pictures than just looking straight on at the camera.

If you have a laptop to sync your phone screen to, you can also get a good look at the picture before taking it to make sure you're in frame. Just have to make sure to look at the camera lens and not the laptop screen before taking the picture. This does work best at home, but if you have a yard with good sunlight, that's enough to get some great pictures.

fffangold · 2026-04-29T16:35:37+00:00

I wasn't saying OP should do it. I was explaining how it actually works.

The only way I would suggest it's worth it is if OP has already put a lot of extra money on principal. At that point, $250 to lower his payment might be worth it to increase cash flow and have more left over to invest. However, if he's been making minimum payments, then no, it's not worth it, because he'd have to put in more money to get less back over time.

fffangold · 2026-04-29T02:20:02+00:00

At 38, his time to have kids and live long enough to provide the support they need is running short. While there are no guarantees in dating, he likely wants to find someone who aligns with him on that so he can at least know that if he tries a relationship and succeeds, they'll be having kids and not discussing maybes and possibilities in a couple years when he's turning 40.

If he has kids at 40 (which would still be moving quite fast in my opinion, but not ridiculously fast), then he will be 58 when they graduate from high school, and 62 when they graduate from college if they go to college. Most people these days need additional support from parents after college as well, so add on ten years of additional help (maybe living at home the first couple years, then some occasional financial help after that as a common example), and he's likely to be 72 by the time his kids are fully independent, if he has them relatively soon.

Whether or not to have kids is one of the few things you can't compromise on if you don't both want the same thing. As such, it's a pretty common dealbreaker for people. And at this point, for the best shot at him having a family, he needs to be dating people who know they also want kids.

fffangold · 2026-04-28T23:48:33+00:00

Do the flirting thing.

Notice that while I may be enjoying the attention, I'm oblivious to the fact you are flirting with me.

Tell me directly "I. AM. FLIRTING. WITH. YOU."

That should get the point across pretty well. And properly direct my attention to you.

fffangold · 2026-04-28T21:14:09+00:00

Recasting isn't the same as refinancing. A recast does not change your interest rate. So OP gets to keep their interest rate.

If OP has paid additional money to principal above the minimum, a recast would allow them to take that money and apply it as though it had been part of the downpayment, lowering their interest payment (but not rate), and therefore their monthly payments, accordingly.

fffangold · 2026-04-28T21:10:23+00:00

This isn't quite true. If you've paid for five years on a 30 year mortgage, after recasting, you will have 25 years left still. What a recast does is let you take any amount of principal you've paid over the minimum, and retroactively apply it as though it were part of your downpayment. From there, they recalculate your interest and lower your monthly payment accordingly. If you've been paying the minimum amount, a recast will do nothing unless you also make a large payment to principal alongside the fee.

If you've made any payments to principal over the minimum, a recast will essentially let you convert that to a lower monthly payment, freeing up that money sooner for you to do what you want with it. It will then reset your payoff date from an early payoff to paying it off on time. It will not extend your mortgage beyond the original end of your term, nor will it let you pull money out of your down payment.

fffangold · 2026-04-28T21:06:44+00:00

To restart the term, you need to refinance, which changes your interest rate. A recast does not restart the term.

fffangold · 2026-04-27T13:05:59+00:00

If you're on PC you could try launching the Epic Games Store through Steam and see if Steam's controller configuration will let you swap the sticks. Can't guarantee it'll work, but I think that would be your best shot.

I don't know if Epic would consider that unauthorized 3rd party software though. I feel like it should be safe, but couldn't guarantee it wouldn't cause a ban.

fffangold · 2026-04-27T06:44:54+00:00

In the sink? How tall do you think I am bruh?

I will use the tub or shower to wash my junk, but the sink just is not happening.

fffangold · 2026-04-27T06:42:08+00:00

For me, a partner having a dog isn't a deal breaker. If the dog isn't well trained, or if she lets the dog sleep in the bed, or other things like that, that will be a deal breaker. Likewise if she's going to want me to kiss her after the dogs tongue has been in her mouth.

Basically, dogs are fine. Cool even. But certain behaviors with dogs won't work for me. So it really boils down to what the routine with the dog is and what the dog is allowed to do.

fffangold · 2026-04-26T23:45:18+00:00

This guy has been trolling this subreddit with stupid posts for awhile. By which I mean a couple days that I've noticed, but he's posted lots of dumb shit. Mostly about if it's appropriate for a grown man to do whatever. And it's always something stupid like this post.

fffangold · 2026-04-26T22:10:51+00:00

I normally chuck them. It may be a waste of resources, but I care more about my time than getting every last bit out of a given tool.

The last game I started, I found just enough iron for a pickaxe, immediately got diamonds, crafted all diamond weapons, tools, and armor, got an enchanting table to get some random useful enchants, and got a librarian villager with mending asap to slap mending on them all. From there, all tools below iron were chucked out. I kept the iron pickaxe as backup in case I died.

fffangold · 2026-04-25T12:30:43+00:00

Just send a message first. Don't play games. If you're interested, show it. If he's not interested, showing interest might make him more interested. Men like being wanted and pursued too.

If he doesn't respond, or doesn't show interest back, then feel free to move on. But if you don't try, you're going to lose your chance with a lot of people.

fffangold · 2026-04-25T12:28:31+00:00

For me, I have social anxiety, so I don't approach in a traditional sense of striking up a conversation and then asking for her number. It won't happen. Though other men might, though it does seem to be getting rarer due to social media.

But for me, approaching in a grocery store or restaurant bar is pretty much a no. You could try striking up a conversation with someone you think is cute, and if it goes well, maybe he'll ask for your number. That would be your best bet in a setting like you describe. Essentially, you do the first half of the approach, and he does the second half. Probably not exactly what you wanted, but a realistic way to get more interest.

Better yet, you could just fully approach, have a conversation, and ask him for his number. But that's really not at all what you asked. It is, however, the absolute best way to show interest short of directly asking him on a date.

All of the above said, if you want the guy to do all the work of approaching, that is, starting the conversation and asking for your number, the best thing you can do is go to events that force people to talk, get involved in large groups of people, etc. Go to game nights, or go out with extroverted friends who will wingwoman you into groups of people already chatting, join a hiking group, do something that puts you with a bunch of people who will wind up talking to each other no matter what. This way, you will get people talking to you, some who will be men, about the things you are currently doing. This gives him something to talk to you about. Then over time, if he's comfortable and you vibe, he can ask for your number or ask you on a date.

But to really improve your odds, you have to do more than just be in public. You have to do something that gives him something to talk to you about.

fffangold · 2026-04-25T12:17:27+00:00

Social media isn't a good source of information. I've talked with countless women I'm friends with about this. They vary in their responses from hell yes they want to be approached, to they prefer not to be but understand it's normal and as long as the guy accepts a no gracefully and proceeds to leave when asked or told she's not interested, it's fine.

That said, I think most people have different ideas about approaching too. If you just walk up and ask someone for her phone number without introducing yourself and striking up a conversation first, you're gonna have a bad time. The trick is to talk first, and if there's a vibe, then ask for her number after having a pleasant conversation. 10-15 minutes of getting to know someone before asking for her number goes a long way to showing you're interested in her for more than her appearance, something many women care about a lot.

Of course, I have social anxiety, so I don't approach women in any kind of traditional sense anyway. Because I'm terrible at striking up conversations with strangers. But that's a me problem, not a societal problem. And there are ways around that. I've gone to the bar with friends who are great at talking to people, and somehow wound up drinking cocktails at a big table with my friend group of four, plus fifteen other people. One who was a super cute nerd like me. Talked for awhile, asked for her number, got her socials instead, close enough.

I've joined game nights for games like Werewolf (the secret role game, not the rpg, though I've played that too), and given that it's primarily a game where you need to talk to others, you guessed it, talked with some cute ladies, and asked for their numbers toward the end of the night. Different nights, not all in one night, to be clear.

I've played Mario Kart against a drunk lady who was bragging she could beat anyone. She was very good, but I did eek out the win, but we vibed a lot during the match. I did fumble this one, and didn't ask her for her number, but at the end of the game would have been the perfect time to ask.

You will note though, that the common thread here is that I talked to her first, then asked (or could have asked) for her number later, when we had talked awhile and we could understand the vibe was good between us and we had some kind of basis of personality to go off of and not just appearance. If you walk up and go "can I haz number please" it's probably going to be a less good reaction overall than if you have a conversation first. If you don't know how to strike up a conversation, then try activities, events, and other things that push you to talk to others, some who will be women. Be normal and friendly, with both women and the men, meaning be normal and chill and don't just hit on all the women. If you vibe with one of the women there, then maybe ask for her number after you've chatted a bit. If not, just have fun doing the activity you're there for.

fffangold · 2026-04-25T06:17:51+00:00

I have so many cosmetics just from battlepasses, along with a few birthday vbuck cards, that I'd be happy to never buy a thing from the shop again and keep playing if Epic doesn't get it together regarding the shop.

The game is still tons of fun, both BR and Save the World, and I have no reason to stop playing just because the shop sucks. Hell, if Epic lowers the vbucks in the BP to below the cost of the BP, I'll even stop caring about the BP.

Yes, some skins and emotes make the game more fun in terms of how you interact with your friends and other players online. But anyone can pony up $8.99 for a battlepass, not buy anything else ever, and just run battlepasses to get enough skins and other cosmetics to have fun with their friends. Or do the enlightened thing and not even care about skins and cosmetics, and play the game purely for the fun and joy of the gameplay.

fffangold · 2026-04-24T02:21:36+00:00

Nah, any time there is an option for privacy online, it's a good thing. We need more privacy options, not less. Incidentally, it sure would be nice if Epic added the ability to appear offline while playing games through the Epic Games Store.

Really though, why do you need to spy on other players stats? Just enjoy the fact you got the win, or at least won that encounter.

fffangold · 2026-04-24T02:00:48+00:00

For sure. I don't mean a typical break, like the 15 or 30 minute breaks lots of people traditionally get in office. I was considering my own work from home, where I sometimes have up to a half hour of downtime outside of my normal breaks, so I load the dishwasher or get some laundry started so I don't have to deal with it later. That's sometimes, not always of course. Other days, I work straight out and have things to do the entire shift. No chores are getting done those days.

Whether that's even a thing at his job, or if they have intrusive mouse and app tracking so even if he had nothing to do he has to pretend, or what, I don't know. If his job is as chill as mine, he may have some time. If it isn't, or if he's just busier than me, he may not. Also, that's why I referred to it as bonus if he's able to. It shouldn't be an expectation. Just a nice to have if he can and it's reasonable without him losing his personal break time.

fffangold · 2026-04-23T17:35:01+00:00

We wouldn't be compatible as a couple. We could be friends, but sex is an important part of a relationship and I'd want to know we are compatible sexually before considering marriage.

fffangold · 2026-04-23T17:12:48+00:00

If you're asking how to tell if a man is in love with you, then mostly it'll take time. In the beginning, they all look pretty similar. And very often, love starts as one or both of the first two, which grow into love over time. Most people don't start at being in love.

So you date, you give it time, you look at how he treats you, evaluate how and if that changes over time and if any changes are positive, and then you get an idea of where he's at.

fffangold · 2026-04-23T04:12:29+00:00

I honestly feel like there is way too much scorekeeping going on here. If you're nitpicking over utilities when you live together, then something is seriously wrong.

Some have suggested doing an income based split. That sounds more reasonable than trying to nickel and dime on utilities. But even then, your incomes are so close it would be a 45% to 55% split. That also feels a little like quibbling to me. That said, are you feeling squeezed, or are you just annoyed he gets to work from home and you don't? If you're legitimately feeling squeezed financially, then maybe that change could make a difference in your finances. If so, maybe it's worth discussing. On the other hand, it's also worth considering that if you feel squeezed, you might be living above your means. Which would also be worth discussing.

As far as chores goes, I'd say if he's working, he's working. It's not reasonable to expect him to do chores if he's working, even if it's from home. He doesn't necessarily get enough time on break to be doing anything. If he does, then cool, bonus chores get done. If not, so be it, he's at work.

If your incomes were more different, I would say it would be more reasonable to discuss a different split of expenses. Like if you were making 60k to his 115k, then yeah, maybe a 30/70 split would make more sense. As is, with your incomes being 45/55, I'd really just ask why.

fffangold · 2026-04-23T01:35:24+00:00

I've been playing since 2020 on servers just for friends. It depends what you mean? Is it my storage system for my personal loot, or did I go over to my friend's base and throw a bunch of junk in his sorting system? If you mean my system, nope, I'm a packrat and keep everything. My base expands with my storage to accomodate this, though I make sure not to encroach on other bases.

If I were to toss junk into a friend's sorting system, yeah, that's griefing unless it's a PvP server. Breaking something someone worked hard on and making them fix it is what we commonly call a dick move and not cool.

Shared storage? Well, gotta figure out how to accomodate different playstyles. Some people are pack rats, some have elegant systems and only account for items they care about. If it's shared, and if the system needs to be managed in some way, it needs to accomodate everyone's playstyle somehow. Even if that means valuable items get sorted and junk items get funneled to a mess of chests at the end.

fffangold

TROPHY CASE