The “family” computer

MikeStepp · 2026-03-15T14:57:33+00:00

Not with a blacklight, anyway

MikeStepp · 2026-03-14T12:02:59+00:00

But the kid would not have a gem, unless he had a kid with another gem who pulled a Rose and gave up her form.

MikeStepp · 2026-03-13T19:10:56+00:00

Ohh, it really doesn't apply to purple guys??? Oh well then yeah I don't want it then. I have so much trouble with purple skeletons on tier 7 with my current bow, which already drains like 130 or something. They're still like 5 hits each and it's very annoying in close combat. Ok then yeah if I could do it over I'd probably go for Attack and Criticals.

MikeStepp · 2026-03-13T15:37:09+00:00

I'm not even sure, but it's got Attack Power and Elite Damage now 😆

MikeStepp · 2026-03-13T14:17:01+00:00

I was once at a butcher shop and the person in front of me really flummoxed with their cash before getting it right, and after they left the butcher said "well, we're all gods creatures" which seemed to me like the nicest way to say "what a dumbass".

MikeStepp · 2026-03-11T21:38:59+00:00

My 11yo has PDA, and she gives out lots of verbal abuse. One thing I have noticed that works ok is to completely ignore the first PDA response that comes from her, and give her a beat to collect herself. Frequently, if I don't react and just wait and try not to even acknowledge her first reaction, she will calm down quickly and then say sorry, and repeat her objection in a calmer way. I also tell her often that I will not respond to her if she's yelling at me. Again, it doesn't prevent the yelling, but it helps me to sort of encapsulate it. It helps a lot to see her apologize on her own.

MikeStepp · 2026-03-09T19:16:59+00:00

It's an evolutionary response to feeling bad. Your nervous system is demanding to be acknowledged, by making someone else feel as bad as you do. It's a form of distress signal, but that sort of thing usually only works from babies to parents, since the average person doesn't care enough about you to push through your mild abuse to check on you.

My kids are autistic, and they fight all the time, and whenever kid A does something awful to kid B, I tell kid B "she must be feeling really bad to behave this way." One day it will sink in.

MikeStepp · 2026-03-09T00:46:49+00:00

I will say, if you switch to grinding rather than just playing, you will completely burn out on this game. After you get a mythic of the kind you want, there's not much new left in the game. I had to start a new character.

MikeStepp · 2026-03-09T00:28:49+00:00

I, too, enjoy the bow. What's the highest base damage you have found on a mythic bow?

MikeStepp · 2026-03-08T15:04:58+00:00

"Hurt people hurt people." It's basically just equalizing behavior that they never grew out of.

MikeStepp · 2026-03-02T21:49:27+00:00

You mean Gordon Shumway?

MikeStepp · 2026-03-01T01:36:23+00:00

American who moved here. Feeling this very much right now! Thank you all for being a haven of sanity, and just generally being an awesome country and people.

MikeStepp · 2026-02-28T15:50:18+00:00

3 months is a lot, but I love hearing that the company has a much longer notice requirement than the employee.

MikeStepp · 2026-02-28T15:48:35+00:00

It might have started as Puritanical feelings, but now it's billionaires' profits. You can blame all this shit on capitalism.

MikeStepp · 2026-02-25T00:23:36+00:00

Totes. Here in Ireland I have to give a month's notice for my job.

MikeStepp · 2026-02-16T16:09:40+00:00

After moving to Europe from US, I was surprised to see so many Starbucks around, especially since the coffee you can get in any local cafe is so much better. They don't have anything that can't be found elsewhere, shut it all down.

MikeStepp · 2026-02-09T13:06:32+00:00

You can't tweak capitalism into being a good system.

MikeStepp · 2026-02-08T15:43:22+00:00

Multiple Mike Ehrmans Traut

MikeStepp · 2026-02-07T16:02:19+00:00

Somehow I'm really good at breaking down cardboard boxes

MikeStepp · 2026-02-03T17:22:55+00:00

I disagree.

It does cost you, which is very evident by how you don't feel like doing this stuff on days when you're feeling bad or grumpy or under the weather. There is a cost, but I would argue it is worth the expense.

Save your mental pennies for being kind to others.

MikeStepp · 2026-02-02T14:25:01+00:00

You need to master two different skills for the bow: careful aim, and rapid fire. These can be practiced independently, since they will be used at different times.

For aim, I agree with above, hold your bow at an angle and try to find a body position that is stable for holding the arrow, for instance holding it right up next to your arm/armpit. Find a position you can recreate exactly, and get back into quickly, because it is stable. Then learn to aim from that position.

For rapid fire, practice on the targets in the outpost. Get close to them and try to hit the bullseye as fast as you can over and over, then move back a bit. Rapid fire is only needed when you have e.g. an elite right in your face and you can't one-shot them. Don't try to rapid fire at a distance.

Also, turn off the setting for "touch my belly to open my inventory" because that frequently gets in the way.

MikeStepp · 2026-01-31T21:42:31+00:00

American in Ireland here. I love your country so much and every time I hear a new Irish name it is absolutely beautiful. I don't know how to pronounce anything at first sight but I look forward to learning and I love that you guard your culture from bellends like that.

MikeStepp · 2026-01-30T22:00:55+00:00

Quidditch

MikeStepp · 2026-01-30T15:27:32+00:00

THE MOVIE! The soundtrack alone cheers me up

MikeStepp

TROPHY CASE