NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)is shutting down after more than 20 years of hosting its annual challenge for writers. In a video and an email sent to community members, the nonprofit organization explains that it can no longer continue after years of financial struggles.Before officially becoming a nonprofit in 2006, NaNoWriMo started out with just 21 writers in 1999. More than 400,000 writers participated in NaNoWriMos programs that challenged people to finish writing a novel within the month of November in 2022.In 2023, many writers abandoned NaNoWriMo after it refused to take a stand against the use of AI tools in writing. Around the same time, one of its moderators faced child grooming accusations, leading to more criticism from the community.As shown in the video, NaNoWriMo interim executive director Kilby Blades details how participation and fundraising in the program have decreased in recent years. The NaNoWriMo site will remain online for as long as possible, though it will no longer formally host its writing challenges.We recognize that the closure of NaNoWriMo represents a huge loss to the writing community, and that grief over this outcome will be exacerbated by the challenges of the past sixteen months, NaNoWriMos email to the community says. This is not the ending that anybody wanted or planned. Andbelieve usif we could hit the delete button and rewrite this last chapter, we would. But we do have hope for the epilogue.Even with the closure of NaNoWriMo, writers can still challenge themselves to write a novel during November. Or, they can try out an alternative.

LLMs have significantly advanced NLP, demonstrating strong text generation, comprehension, and reasoning capabilities. These models have been successfully applied across various domains, including education, intelligent decision-making, and gaming. LLMs serve as interactive tutors in education, aiding personalized learning and improving students reading and writing skills. In decision-making, they analyze large datasets to generate insights for complex problems. LLMs enhance player experiences by generating dynamic content and facilitating strategy development within gaming. However, despite these successes, their application to intricate tasks such as strategic gameplay in Gomoku remains challenging. Gomoku, a classic board game known for its simple rules yet deep strategic complexity, presents difficulties for both traditional search-based methods, which are computationally expensive, and machine learning approaches, which often struggle with efficiency. This has led researchers to explore how LLMs can be integrated with deep learning and reinforcement learning to develop an AI capable of making rational strategic decisions in Gomoku.Research on LLM applications in gaming has taken multiple directions, including evaluating model competency in simple deterministic games like Tic-Tac-Toe and assessing their strategic reasoning in more complex environments. Studies suggest that LLMs perform better in probabilistic games than in deterministic, complete-information settings, which presents challenges for games like Gomoku that demand deep spatial reasoning. Theoretical insights from game theory have examined LLMs ability to engage in strategic decision-making, while empirical studies emphasize the importance of prompt engineering in shaping their gameplay strategies. Despite advancements in multi-game evaluations, a notable gap persists between LLMs and human-level strategic reasoning. Addressing this limitation requires refining reinforcement learning frameworks to improve decision-making efficiency, ultimately bridging the gap between LLM-based agents and expert human players in strategic board games like Gomoku.Researchers from Peking University have developed a Gomoku AI system based on LLMs that mimics human learning to enhance strategic decision-making. The system enables the model to interpret the board state, understand the game rules, select strategies, and evaluate positions. By incorporating self-play and reinforcement learning, the AI refines its move selection, avoids illegal moves, and improves efficiency through parallel position evaluation. Extensive training has significantly enhanced its gameplay, allowing it to adapt strategies dynamically. This approach demonstrates that LLMs can effectively learn and apply complex game strategies, making them valuable tools for strategic gameplay development.The implementation of the Gomoku AI system is structured into five key components: prompt design, strategy selection, position evaluation, self-play, and reinforcement learning. A specialized prompt template enables LLMs to simulate human decision-making by incorporating board state, game rules, and strategic logic. The model selects from 52 strategies and nine analytical methods to refine its gameplay. To prevent illegal moves, a local position evaluation method scores legal positions for optimal selection. Self-play enhances strategic adaptability, while reinforcement learning with Deep Q-networks introduces per-turn rewards to accelerate learning efficiency. This integrated approach significantly improves Gomoku AIs decision-making and performance.A parallel framework using Ray accelerates local position evaluation to enhance efficiency, reducing move time from 150 to 28 seconds. A state-action-reward database preserves self-play data, preventing progress loss due to API failures. A visualization module graphically represents moves and strategies for clarity. The model, trained through 1,046 self-play games with a Deep Q-Network, significantly outperforms Zero-shot, Few-shot, and Chain-of-Thought methods. Performance evaluation includes human assessment and survival step testing against AlphaZero, showing improved strategic accuracy and gameplay durability. Training over 1,000 episodes leads to notable performance gains, demonstrating the methods effectiveness.In conclusion, despite its success, the model faces challenges such as slow self-play learning and limited strategy depth due to selecting only one strategy and analytical logic per move. Future improvements include combining multiple strategies for deeper analysis, leveraging advanced reinforcement learning methods like Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient, and incorporating multi-agent systems. Using AlphaZeros results may further refine decision-making. The study demonstrates how LLMs can effectively play Gomoku through strategic reasoning and reinforcement learning, improving decision speed and accuracy. Future research will focus on optimizing strategy selection and integrating vision-language models for enhanced performance.Check outthe Paper.All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,feel free to follow us onTwitterand dont forget to join our85k+ ML SubReddit. Sana HassanSana Hassan, a consulting intern at Marktechpost and dual-degree student at IIT Madras, is passionate about applying technology and AI to address real-world challenges. With a keen interest in solving practical problems, he brings a fresh perspective to the intersection of AI and real-life solutions.Sana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/Mitigating Hallucinations in Large Vision-Language Models: A Latent Space Steering ApproachSana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/A Comprehensive Guide to LLM Routing: Tools and FrameworksSana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/Understanding AI Agent Memory: Building Blocks for Intelligent SystemsSana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/Advancing Medical Reasoning with Reinforcement Learning from Verifiable Rewards (RLVR): Insights from MED-RLVR

After the latest Switch 2-focused Nintendo Direct, we now have all of the details about the upcoming console. Unfortunately, preorders for the Switch 2 still aren't officially becoming available until April 9. Until that day arrives, Nintendo fans are stuck looking for retailer listings to start showing up across all major retailers so they can bookmark the specific pages.Alongside Best Buy, Walmart has dropped its specific Switch 2 listings that you can check out now. The Switch 2 console, Switch 2 Mario Kart World Bundle, and more Switch 2 games listings are now live. Below we've listed out all of the current game pages you can bookmark ahead of the April 9 preorder date. You can also check out the full landing page here for all of the details at once.Get notified when a Nintendo Switch 2 console, game, or accessory preorder listing goes live by following IGN Deals on Twitter/X or Bluesky. When anything go live, we'll post links the moment they become available.Nintendo Switch 2 Game Preorder Listing Live NowPreorders start on April 9Mario Kart WorldPreorders start on April 9Donkey Kong BananzaPreorders start on April 9Kirby and The Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star Crossed World$79.99 at WalmartPreorders start on April 9Street Fighter 6 Year 1-2 Fighters Edition$59.99 at WalmartPreorders start on April 9The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition$69.99 at WalmartPreorders start on April 9Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV$79.99 at WalmartPreorders start on April 9The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch 2 Edition$79.99 at WalmartPreorders start on April 9Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster$39.99 at WalmartThe games that are featured in these listings are a mix of brand-new and Switch 2 upgrades. The most popular new games like Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World are listed here, but there's also the Switch 2 edition of Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. Some of these games will arrive on the Switch 2 launch date of June 5 if you preorder them, but there are more to come at a later date. Donkey Kong Bananza doesn't come out until July 17, about a month after the launch of the new console.Are any games getting free Switch 2 upgrades?With Switch 2 versions of games popping up in these listings, you may be wondering if any of your regular Switch games will be eligible for free upgrades. The answer is yes! Nintendo has released a transfer guide that lists out various games that will be eligble for an upgrade. The list includes Pokemon Scarlet and Violet as well as Mario Odyssey.What Comes With the Switch 2 Console?Unless you're planning on snagging the Mario Kart Bundle to save some money, the new console doesn't come with any games. You do however get a few of the newer Switch 2 accessories in the box.Nintendo Switch 2 consoleJoy-Con 2 controllers (L+R)Joy-Con 2 GripJoy-Con 2 StrapsNintendo Switch 2 DockUltra High-Speed HDMI CableNintendo Switch 2 AC AdapterUSB-C Charging CableNintendo Switch 2 Direct April 2025 GamesEvery game shown in Nintendo's April 2 Nintendo Switch 2 reveal direct event.See All

If your phone battery is the kind of drama queen that dies at 40%, todays INIU power bank deals on Amazon are going to feel like a much-needed intervention. Im talking real savings on chargers that actually do what they claim. No overheating, no slow trickle charging, and no clunky bricks taking up half your bag.Extra 15% Off Dell Precision Fixed & Mobile Workstations with Nvidia Graphics Cards OnlySee it at Dell Small BusinessINIU Power Bank SaleINIU Portable Charger, Slimmest 10000mAh 5V/3A Power BankINIU Power Bank, 20000mAh 65W USB C Laptop Portable ChargerGreat On The Go Humble SaleSee it at HumbleINIU Portable Charger, 22.5W 20000mAhMetaphor ReFantazio - Gallica - Statue$129.99 at IGN StoreINIU Power Bank, 25000mAh 100W USB C Laptop Portable ChargerINIU Portable Charger, Smallest 22.5W 10000mAh Power BankIve rounded up the best picks from INIUs lineup, including the thinnest 10,000mAh power bank Ive seen, a laptop-grade 100W beast, and everything in between. These are well-rated, fast-charging, and surprisingly affordable today. And yes, they all come with a 3-year warranty, because INIU apparently believes in accountability (what a concept).INIU Portable Charger, Slimmest 10000mAh 5V/3A Power BankINIU Portable Charger, Slimmest 10000mAh 5V/3A Power BankThis is the one Id keep in my bag daily. Its half an inch thick and can charge an iPhone 8 about 3.6 times or a Galaxy S22 almost twice. The USB-C port handles both input and output (a rarity at this price), and the dual USB-A ports mean you can charge multiple devices without carrying five bricks. Its cheap, sleek, and has a literal paw print on it. Adorable and useful? Yes, please.INIU Power Bank, 20000mAh 65W USB C Laptop Portable ChargerINIU Power Bank, 20000mAh 65W USB C Laptop Portable ChargerI think this is the sweet spot if you bounce between devices. You get three outputs, including one thatll fast-charge a MacBook Pro 14" or your Steam Deck while youre multitasking. Theres even a pop-out phone stand built in. Its like if your power bank also respected your time and your binge-watching habits. At under $40, it feels like a steal.Great On The Go Humble SaleGreat On The Go Humble SaleOver 90% offSee it at HumbleI picked up Deaths Door for five bucks and didnt even hesitate. The Humble Stores latest sale is packed with portable-friendly gems, perfect for a Steam Deck or travel laptop situation. Highlights include Dead Cells: Road to the Sea Bundle for $16.49 (50% off), Detroit: Become Human for just $11.99, and Dying Light Definitive Edition at $14.99. If your backlog needs more chaos, this is how you feed it on a budget.INIU Portable Charger, 22.5W 20000mAhINIU Portable Charger, 22.5W 20000mAhThis is my pick for weekend trips or carry-on duty. Its got solid charging speed, a clean LED display that shows exactly how much juice is left, and enough capacity to last through a few full phone charges. 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Its a bit of a tank, but in the way you want when you're relying on it to keep everything alive.INIU Portable Charger, Smallest 22.5W 10000mAh Power BankINIU Portable Charger, Smallest 22.5W 10000mAh Power BankIf I had to pick a favorite just for everyday carry, it might be this one. Its compact, fast, and charges three devices at once. I love the built-in phone stand, especially for killing time in waiting rooms or pretending Im not watching TikTok in public. For $20, its a little charger that does a lot.Pokmon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks Booster BundlePokmon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks Booster Bundle$45.02 at AmazonI dont need six booster packs, but these are usually in and out of stock. This Surging Sparks Booster Bundle has some fantastic chase cards, we're talking $400+ chase cards that could be in this Booster Bundle. Its under $50, which in Pokmon terms is basically a clearance sticker. I'm not saying it'll change your life, but it might improve your afternoon.Insignia - 55" Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TVInsignia - 55" Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TVThis is the TV Id buy if I wanted something that works without having to pretend I care about specs. It turns on, the pictures 4K, it has Alexa so I dont have to get off the couch, and it costs less than my last grocery run. Honestly, thats more than enough.Outright Games Game On! BundleOutright Games Game On! BundlePay less to get fewer items, or pay extra to give more to publishers, Humble, and charity Naomi House & Jacksplace.I dont usually gravitate toward games based on cartoons, but this bundle is stacked if youve got kids or just want a break from games that scream at you. Bluey, PAW Patrol, My Little Pony the whole crews here, and honestly, theyre better made than half the AAA titles Ive rage-quit. Pay $20 or more, get a pile of games, and support charity. Seems like a win for everyone except your free time.Insignia - 65" Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TVInsignia - 65" Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TVI like this one because it feels unnecessarily large in the best way. You get Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and it still costs less than a concert ticket and a hoodie. If you want to make movie night feel intentional without spending your life savings, this does the job.Death Stranding 2 - DHV Magellan - Model KitDeath Stranding 2 - DHV Magellan - Model KitAvailable to preorder$69.99 at IGN StoreI want this on my shelf mostly so people ask what it is and I can pretend I understand Death Stranding 2. Its a 1/350 scale model of a massive mobile base from a game that hasnt even released yet, and I respect the level of commitment required to care this much. Its $69.99, which is fair for something this weirdly specific and detailed and yes, the railgun is included.LG - 65 Class UT70 Series LED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV (2024)LG - 65 Class UT70 Series LED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV (2024)This is the kind of TV Id get if I wanted it to last longer than my attention span. Its a 2024 model, has LGs updated processor, and handles all the streaming stuff without having to download three extra apps just to log in. Feels like someone at LG actually thought it through.Samsung - Galaxy Watch Ultra Titanium Smartwatch 47mm LTESamsung - Galaxy Watch Ultra Titanium Smartwatch 47mm LTEI think this is what happens when Samsung realizes not everyone wants to spend $650 to track their steps. The titanium build is overkill in a good way, and the battery life means I dont have to charge it every time I blink. It finally dropped to a price where it makes sense to buy one without feeling like Im auditioning for a tech influencer role.Pokmon TCG: Scarlet & VioletJourney Together Elite Trainer BoxPokmon TCG: Scarlet & VioletJourney Together Elite Trainer Boxive been watching the Journey Together Elite Trainer Box like a hawk, and somehow its actually in stock at Amazon for $70.31. Thats 30% off apparantly, but it's not at all. It includes nine booster packs, a full-art Ns Zorua promo, sleeves, and the usual accessories, Most people just want the packs and the promo. If its gone when you check, keep trying. Ive seen stock randomly reappear in the mornings and lunch time, just like Target's Journey Together stock.Pokmon TCG: Scarlet & VioletPaldean Fates Booster BundlePokmon TCG: Scarlet & VioletPaldean Fates Booster Bundle$69.77 at AmazonThen theres the Paldean Fates Booster Bundle at $69.77. Six packs inside, and the draw here is the return of shiny Pokmon. I like that it cuts straight to the good stuff no sleeves, no dice, no cardboard fluff, just a clean bundle of packs ready to be cracked open. If youre chasing shinies, this is where the hunt begins.Best of Boomer Shooters 4: Badda Bing Badda BoomBest of Boomer Shooters 4: Badda Bing Badda BoomPay extra to give more to publishers, Humble, and charities The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) + Cool EffectHumble Bundles Best of Boomer Shooters 4 is live right now, and I love how chaotic it is. For $16, you get $174 worth of retro-inspired FPS games like Turbo Overkill and Forgive Me Father 2. I think of it as therapy, just with more blood and less talking about my feelings. You also support some good causes, so now your nostalgia trip is technically altruism. You're welcome.Pokmon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer BoxPokmon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box$54.96 at AmazonShrouded Fable ETB is holding steady at $54.96, and I think its slept on. It has nine packs, a Pecharunt foil, some sharp sleeves, and a players guide that youll absolutely ignore until you pull something weird and have to look it up. This set's all about the Legendary trioOkidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipitiand if youre into building themed decks or hoarding off-meta cards, this one hits.Street Fighter TCG Alpha Warriors Dreams PreorderStreet Fighter Alpha Warriors Dreams - Series OneCollectors box, Inner Case and Master Case available for pre orderSee it at IGN StoreFinally, if your card obsession extends beyond Pikachu, the Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors Dreams trading cards are now up for pre-order on the IGN Store, starting at $20. I already pre-ordered a box because the idea of serial-numbered Chun-Li cards is somehow more exciting to me than it should be. Rare pulls, killer art, and a chance to relive the 90s one Hadouken at a time Im in.Pokmon TCG: Paradox Clash tin: Iron Leaves ex or Walking Wake exPokmonTCG: Paradox Clash tin: Iron Leaves ex or Walking Wake ex$39.96 at AmazonI picked up one of the Paradox Clash tins just for fun and honestly, no regrets. For $39.96, you get five booster packs and either a Walking Wake EX or Iron Leaves EX promo, chosen completely at random. Its a bit of a gamble, but opening tins is half the fun anyway. The promos are clean, the packaging is slick, and I think it makes a solid gift for anyone getting into the gamePokmon TCG: 3 Booster Packs & 1 Random FoilPokmon TCG: 3 Booster Packs & 1 Random FoilFor a cheaper fix, Id go for the $12.25 blister pack with three random boosters and a foil promo. Its 39% off, which is honestly kind of wild, and its one of those no-risk purchases you can talk yourself into without too much guilt. The listing shows Silver Tempest Boosters, so there's a good chance of pulling some Sword and Shield chase cards here.This ones for the people who want it all: QLED, anti-reflection, studio-calibrated modes, and picture quality so good I paused a show just to stare at a lamp. I think my eyes are spoiled now.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.

Teslareleased some terrible news about sales this morning, but then a funny thing happened: after an initial crash, its stock started to rise significantly.Why? Well, it seems a lot like it has to do with aPolitico story reporting,per three unnamed insiders, that president Donald Trump had been telling confidantes of Musk's upcoming departure in a few months purportedly to focus on his many businesses, and not because he can't get security clearance due to drug use.Though both the White House and Musk himself have spun the reporting as "garbage" and "fake news," the writing was nevertheless on the wall. By the time the markets closed, Tesla was trading for about $282 a share,in a 5.3 percent increase from the $254 price per share it held when markets opened this morning.The stock jump is all the more telling in context, considering that just 48 hours ago, Musk's electric vehicle company was trading at $259 per share right after the multi-hyphenate himself admitted that his government work was hurting Tesla's stock price.Just a few weeks ago, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors that Musk needed to "change the narrative" to save his EV company. Its brand image, the longtime Tesla bull wrote, was suffering from a "tornado crisis" due to massive backlash against the billionaire's draconian politicking and the only way out of it was to "formally announce Musk is going to balance DOGE and being Tesla CEO."Obviously, Musk isn't exactly following that advice by insisting thatPolitico's reporting, which was later corroborated byNBC, is somehow false. Regardless, the markets have spoken and it seems like even they think he's full of crap.For months now, Tesla has been shaken not only by anti-Musk protests, but also by investor anxiety about whether or not the company's figurehead is asleep at the wheel.In an obvious reference to DOGE's cruel attempt at getting government employees to justify their jobs, Tesla investor and celebrity photographer Jerry Avenaim jokingly tweeted, "Please share five things you did for Tesla shareholders this week.""Or are you working remotely?" Avenaim continued. "Asking for all of us."Is Musk gonna get his eye back on the ball after all? Or will he dig his heels in for more culture warring?It's impossible to tell right now, but Tesla shareholders may be in for a nasty surprise in the morning: after a White House event announcing draconian new tariffs, Tesla's stock is again getting hammered in after-hours trading.Share This Article

The next-gen Switch console has many physical changes, but that doesn't mean you'll have to get rid of all your gear for the original Switch.

The $450 console will get Mario Kart World at launch, 4K gaming when docked, Switch 2 Edition game enhancements and new mouse controls.

The Tadao Ando Malibu house that Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, previously owned and gutted, has already found a new buyer days after returning to the market, per the Wall Street Journal.The oceanfront compound, designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese starchitect, was up for grabs last week at $39 million. Belwood Investments, led by founder Steven Bo Belmont, has now revealed the firm has already accepted an all-cash offer between $30 to $34 million for the partially-restored property. The dwelling now reportedly is under contract with Andrew Mazella Ventures LLC, a Montana-based luxury home developer. The deal is set to close on May 1.The rear of the home faces the Pacific Ocean.Photo: The Oppenheim Group/RogerDaviesWest, who paid $57.3 million for the 4,000-square-foot structure in 2021, attempted to turn the architectural masterpieces into a modern bomb shelter. The disgraced musician and fashion mogul completely stripped and destroyed the famous property, leaving it as a concrete shell without plumbing, electricity, or a roof, and exposing it to debris and spray from the Pacific Ocean. The rapper listed the property in December 2023 for $53 million after failing to complete renovations and following an ongoing lawsuit with former constructors who worked on the project.The most recent owner, who purchased the home from West, made significant repairs.Photo: The Oppenheim Group/RogerDaviesJoin NowFlash Sale: Become an AD PRO member today and unlock your design potential.ArrowBelmont purchased the three-story house in September 2024 for $21 million with plans to restore the brutalist structure back to its original state. The entrepreneur hired architecture firm Marmol Radziner to oversee the $8.5 million project, and new roof, plumbing, electrical, and framing has since been added to the home. Mazzella, who tells WSJ that hes a fan of Andos work, has yet to announce when the houses restoration will be complete, or if he will continue to work with the same architects used by Belmont during the initial stages of the renovations.

Below, we revisit ADs 1998 tour of Kilmers Pueblo-style Santa Fe home, where he lived for over a decade. Katie SchultzThis article originally appeared in the April 1998 issue of Architectural Digest.To even have a chance of doing anything unique, you have to know who you are, says actor Val Kilmer. As a result, you should live where you feel most yourself.For the star of The Saint (1997) and At First Sight, that is Santa Fea place where the facts of land bump up against mysticism on a daily basis. Take the mountains in New Mexico, says Kilmer. There's something very hard and dangerous about the cliffs herethey're not solid granite, so rocks can move and you can die climbing. Yet in the midst of that jagged canvas you'll suddenly come upon this crazy, Barnum and Bailey burst of wildflowersDay-Glo orange sprinkled with purplethe perfect bouquet. He pauses, smiling. Theres irony herelike in life.For the classically trained actor who electrified Jim Morrison on-screen in The Doors (1991) and then went on to re-create the Caped Crusader in Batman Forever (1995), irony is familiar terrain. Known for his brilliant, often tempestuous talent, Kilmer has staked his claim in territory as unpredictable as the man himself. In New Mexico it's easier to understand that there's more than one absolute, says Kilmer, whose love affair with the Southwest dates back to his California boyhood and family camping trips to Arizona and New Mexico. (Kilmer grew up in the San Fernando Valley, next door to Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. When Trigger died, they stuffed himstanding on his hind legsand put him in the living room, he recalls. Then their dog Bullet died, and they did the same thing to him. We were always afraid that if Dale died, we'd walk in one day and find her, stuffed and holding a tray, in the kitchen.)Then there's the weather here, he continues. In the course of a day it can be clear, get cloudy and snow and then get sunny and the snow melts. You never know what to expect.Eighteen years ago the only thing the actor expected when he drove through Santa Fe on his way to New York and the Juilliard School, where hed been accepted as a drama student, was a couple of nights layover in Santa Fe. Three and a half months later he reluctantly drove out of town, beginning a commuter romance between Santa Fe and wherever he happened to be working at the time.Seven years ago he put down official roots by buying twenty-seven acres of prime property in Tesuque (home to Ali MacGraw and Gene Hackman, among others). Though the land was spectacular, the house on it wasn't, as Kilmer and his then wife, English actress Joanne Whalley, moved into what he describes as a seventies condominium-looking wreck with glass walls. (Albeit one with a colorful past: The former tenants left bullet holes scattered throughout a bedroom.)

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