Baldur’s Gate 3 – but completely as a cat. Is that possible? A YouTuber wanted to find out and dedicated over 40 hours to the challenge.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is an action role-playing game that gives players plenty of freedom. Whether it’s about choosing weapons, morality, or allies – almost everything is possible. But is it also possible to complete the whole game not as a humanoid, but as a cat?
The YouTuber “Proxy Gate Tactician” took on this challenge and attempted to complete the entire game as a cat.
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Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to PS5 – Trailer prepares for console release
What rules were there? The rules were quite clearly defined:
The entire gameplay must take place in a cat-like form.
If he loses the animal form, for example, due to taking damage, he must transform back immediately.
If he loses the animal form automatically due to a cutscene, that’s fine – but he must transform back immediately afterward.
How did he manage fights? Especially in the first half of the game, fights were quite cumbersome. Until level 6, druids only have the normal cat form – and that is nearly useless. While most humanoids ignore you as a cat and you can lure enemies away with loud meowing, a cat can deal almost no damage with attacks.
The solution was to lure enemies to a favorable location with loud meowing and then kill them – either through coordinated claw attacks or by dropping an alchemist’s fire from a height onto a box of explosives.
From level 6, this changes drastically – because then there is a new cat form that is also suitable for combat and can hit harder. The fights from this point on were relatively easy.
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What problems arose? Once the fights became easier, other problems arose.
Especially in the shadow-cursed lands, movement was extremely annoying. Since cats cannot hold torches and are not a source of light themselves, a torch had to be dragged along the ground at all times, constantly moved a few meters. This later also applied to the moon lantern and was referred to as “the most annoying part of this run.”
The lack of dialogues with NPCs did not turn into a weakness as expected – but rather the inability to open doors. Cats cannot interact with most doors, and if a door is massive and indestructible, it was nearly impossible to progress. By using various tricks, it ultimately worked: Towers were built from boxes stacked high enough to glitch “over” the door.
Can you complete Baldur’s Gate 3 entirely as a cat? The answer to that is a clear no. For a long time, the attempt went well, but at the end of Act 2, there is an insurmountable barrier. The passage leading to the city of Baldur’s Gate cannot be used by animals. There is no known glitch or exploit that can bypass this problem. Here, the character had to manually cancel the animal form for the first time in order to continue the game.
Baldur’s Gate 3 was clearly not designed with the thought that one could run around permanently as an animal – but much of the journey is indeed possible if one is creative and persistent.
Have you also started a rather absurd run in Baldur’s Gate 3?
The PvE MMORPG “Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen” currently has a tough time. The MMORPG aimed to be a classic old-school PvE MMORPG like Everquest, but has been in pre-alpha since 2017 and has faced several setbacks. Now, it is attempting a reboot with an adventurous-sounding funding model but has to endure a lot of criticism.
Pantheon wants to bring back the classic PvE MMORPG, where you need a group for every PvE challenge. Players should not rush through dungeons but approach them tactically, with crowd control and brains.
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen shows the art update in the trailer
This is the latest idea: The developers have announced a shift to “seasonal development” as a big announcement. This is intended to make it cheaper for players to gain access to the current pre-alpha, but it will be time-limited, and you can’t play all the time.
They now plan to bring a new season every 6 weeks, with a “significant update” that backers can test.
Previously, only the backers who paid the most had access. Now, those backers who purchased smaller packages will also get access. It is said that now “even with $50” you can access the game for the first time.
MMORPG has little to show, demands high prices
What does this mean in practice?
Those who pay $50 can play for 1 of the 6 weeks.
Those who pay $250 can participate for 2 of the 6 weeks.
Those who pay $750 can play for all 6 weeks.
By the way, these are minimum prices – the packages go up to $10,000 (via pantheon).
Players are frustrated that the MMORPG has so little after 10 years
What are the reactions? Pantheon recently announced to change the graphic style, which had already met with mixed reactions.
In the MMORPG community on massivelyop and mmorpg.com, the “Pay only $50 to check out the game” approach now seems absurd: After all, the game has been announced for 10 years, 7 years in pre-alpha, and the gameplay looks difficult so far.
On MMORPG sites, there are scathing comments:
“Without leadership, I seriously doubt a proper game will ever come out.”
“As someone who doesn’t closely follow the game, I feel like they spend more time courting the community than on the current development.”
“What are the clowns thinking next?”
“These games dream too big. They should start small and build up later. You don’t start as big as WoW or Everquest. You only get there after 20 years.”
“Don’t buy access. After 10 years, they have only one race and one zone. Don’t let yourself be fooled like we were 10 years ago.”
Meanwhile, not even the obvious question is raised: how in the world does a Kickstarter MMORPG seriously plan to bring a new season with a significant update “every 6 weeks”?
Are there positive voices as well? At least one user on a general MMORPG site says it sounds good for existing backers. At least they are now getting access to the game.
But paying $50 just to peek into a game once every 6 weeks is hard to justify. For 2 weeks you have to pay $250, and for the full 6 weeks, it’s $750.
That’s not exactly the price to make those waiting at the pool’s edge jump into the pool.
On February 6, the second event in Diablo 4 started: The Lunar Awakening. Besides the event rewards, you can also secure a hidden title. Here’s how to unlock it.
What can you expect in the Lunar Awakening? The Lunar Awakening is inspired by the Chinese New Year. During the event, you can earn the new currency Favor of the Ancestors and exchange it for rewards at the NPC Ying-Yue in the north of Ked Bardu.
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Diablo 4: Lunar Awakening – All new content of the event
In addition, the shrines scattered throughout the world have been transformed into Lunar Shrines. When activated, you receive random bonuses, including a 50% XP bonus.
What hidden title can you unlock? During the Lunar Awakening, you can receive the hidden title Awoken, Celebrant (in English Awakened, Celebrant). The title is only unlockable during the Lunar Awakening from February 6 to 20.
How do you unlock the title? To receive the title, you must activate all Lunar Shrines during the event. There are a total of seven, each giving you its own bonus:
Artillery Shrine
Wave Pressure Shrine
Channeling Shrine
Connection Shrine
Greed Shrine
Deadly Shrine
Protection Shrine
In addition to the title, you also receive an additional individual bonus for each shrine.
The RTX 4090 is currently the fastest gaming graphics card, but it cannot be sold in China. Merchants are using a trick to still sell this graphics card for a lot of money.
The RTX 4090 is one of the most sought-after graphics cards in China, but US authorities have banned the export of graphics cards to China. Now merchants and gamers are looking for other ways to get their hands on the coveted graphics card.
One option now is to buy complete PCs and resell the graphics card. It sounds crazy, but the merchants are still making profit from it. The RTX 4090 is in such high demand that it is even worth it to sell gaming PCs for a lot of money. This inadvertently reminds of times when scalpers sold graphics cards for thousands of euros on eBay.
RTX 4090 is in high demand, prices and demand have exploded in the last few months
Why is the graphics card so sought after? There are various reasons for this. On the one hand, it is considered the fastest graphics card you can buy in 2024. On the other hand, the RTX 4090 is a coveted alternative to Nvidia’s official AI graphics cards: The H100 and A100 GPUs are also restricted and cost a fortune due to high demand. In the AI sector, there is currently “only” one graphics card from AMD as an alternative, but AMD and Nvidia have been arguing for a long time about who has the fastest graphics card on offer.
This makes a gaming graphics card with corresponding AI performance quite appealing for many.
Is this type of resale worth it? Yes, very much so. The colleagues from WCCFTech report that in one case a buyer purchased 20 complete gaming PCs with RTX 4090. For each system, he had to pay 32,000 Chinese Yuan, which is approximately 4,190 euros per system. But just with reselling, the merchants make a huge profit.
This is mainly because the customers of these merchants often come from the professional sector and are interested in the AI capabilities of the GPUs. And for many of these customers, the price they have to pay for an RTX 4090 is almost irrelevant.
Just for comparison: For an RTX 4090, you pay around 1,800 euros in Germany. The price in China is more than double that.
What are the developments in China? In China, they are trying, not surprisingly, to become less dependent on exports from the United States. In the largest country in Asia, a lot of money has been invested for months in the development of processors, graphics cards, and other components. The goal is to free themselves from dependence on Western technologies and sanctions.
One such development is the KX-7000 series. This is a processor that the Chinese company Zhaoxin has introduced for consumers and gamers. And this processor looks really promising. While it still doesn’t surpass AMD and Intel, it could become a hidden gem:
In Fortnite, the servers are going down today, February 7th, on all platforms (PC, Mac, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, Android). The maintenance work will be used to load update 28.20 onto the servers.
Update, 1:13 PM: The servers are back online and you can log in. We have listed all known patch notes for you.
All patch notes for patch 28.20
New racetracks for Platinum 1 players:
Festive Cases 2
Drifter Dreams 2
New missions and drift smoke colors: Epic Games has provided new missions for Rocket Racing. If you complete them, numerous colors for your drift smoke await you, which you can attach to your vehicles.
Important improvements and bug fixes for Rocket Racing:
Collisions have now been adjusted.
If you hit an obstacle, the accelerator pedal will no longer be disabled for the duration of the obstacle effect. A higher speed reduction is now applied, and acceleration is decreased to ensure drifts are not affected.
An option for name tags has been added that contains only symbols.
A issue has been fixed where spectators were sometimes removed because they were inactive during the race.
A issue has been fixed where you could not gain as much speed as intended after a boost or drafting.
The display quality on the screen after the race has also been improved.
LEGO Fortnite introduces the hunting dagger: A new item in LEGO Fortnite is meant to secure your survival. The hunting dagger. With this item, you can take down distracted enemies more easily. There are four rarity levels that are stronger depending on the level.
Important improvements, adjustments, and bug fixes in LEGO Fortnite:
GAMEPLAY
You can fly faster in sandbox worlds!
It’s easier to place buildings closer together.
Interact while mobile – You can now talk to villagers while on moving objects, including dynamic foundations.
Items are returned to your inventory after changing a recipe at a workbench.
Logs remain between game sessions.
Village plazas can no longer be placed on things that are not anchored to the ground, as this resulted in village plazas being destroyed.
Upgrading a workbench being used by another player now works correctly. (So you won’t waste your resources anymore!)
A bug has been fixed that caused the options “Deposit” or “Stack deposit” when planting seeds to make the seeds disappear.
A bug has been fixed that prevented recipes from unlocking when receiving resources from chests.
A bug has been fixed that sometimes caused the building limit system to report that there wasn’t enough space to build in an area, even when there was.
A bug has been fixed that caused the cold status to persist if eliminated under its influence.
A bug has been fixed that caused wolves to sometimes run away from players for no reason.
The probability of the same villager spawning twice has been reduced.
The grass is always greener on the other side… and apparently the storms are louder there too. Storms in grasslands no longer scare villagers in other biomes.
STABILITY AND PERFORMANCE
The frame rate near shadows has been improved.
Stability has been improved, reducing the likelihood of crashes.
PHYSICS
A bug has been fixed that could cause dynamic foundations to disappear when covering large distances at high speed.
A bug has been fixed that caused toys to disappear after something built on a nearby dynamic foundation broke.
A bug has been fixed that allowed some collapsed buildings to be moved by players.
USER INTERFACE
A “Take all” option has been added to chests. This allows you to quickly take all the same stored resources!
All leaks for patch 28.20
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What is happening today in Fortnite? Epic Games is bringing down the servers of Chapter 5 Season 1 to upload a new update. According to some teasers from leakers, a collaboration with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is set to happen, with many new skins and a possible event pass.
If you missed the trailer for Chapter 5 Season 1, here is the video:
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Fortnite: Launch trailer for Chapter 5 shows new weapons and improved parkour
Fortnite: Server down – When and how long are they offline?
This is the downtime in the morning: The servers are expected to go down around 10:00 AM German time, according to Epic Games. Matchmaking has already been disabled 30 minutes beforehand, so you won’t be able to search for new rounds after 9:30 AM.
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When can you play again? This is a larger update. It is likely that Epic Games could restart the servers at 12:00 PM or even at 1:00 PM. However, this is not confirmed.
When will the patch notes be released? Epic Games usually releases a brief list of patch notes on their page after the update. If that happens, we will list them for you here briefly and clearly.
What contents could be released with update 28.20?
Epic Games reveals little to no new information about upcoming content before a new update. However, this time it is a larger patch that has already been described by leakers (via x.com). You can expect the following adjustments:
New cosmetic items
TMNT event skins
Mythic items from the TMNT and map changes
Added shop tabs
Possible new collaborations
The “Pizza Party” item could come out of the vault
Years after the release of the game, the actors reveal how terrible a scene in The Last of Us Part II truly was – they even had to cry while shooting.
The Last of Us Part II made a huge impact in 2020. Although there were many controversial discussions surrounding the game’s plot, there was ultimately agreement: This game would go down in history as one of the greatest video games of all time – especially because of its bold and extremely emotional story.
It was therefore not surprising that The Last of Us Part II was showered with numerous awards – the game alone won 7 awards at “The Game Awards.” We also found the game fantastic.
However, the actors of the characters revealed that they did not need to act for some scenes – it was pure emotion.
Spoiler Warning: If you haven’t played The Last of Us Part II yet, there are some major spoilers in this article.
Ellie experiences something terrible – this sets the events of the game in motion.
Nearly 4 years after the release of The Last of Us Part II, developer Naughty Dog has now released a documentary that followed the development process of the game. Originally, the documentary was supposed to be released years ago, but due to the corona pandemic, work on it was halted and resumed only in 2023.
A few days ago, the documentary was released on YouTube and provides some exciting insights into the development and the problems faced by the artists – not only the developers but also the actors of the main characters.
Which scene is being discussed? It refers to perhaps the most emotional and important scene in the first half of the game. Joe Miller, the main character from Part 1, is cold-bloodedly and brutally murdered by Abby before Ellie’s eyes. For Ellie, Joel is somewhat of a father figure, and they have supported each other over the years – both likely would not be alive if they hadn’t stuck together. This scene triggers a cycle of hate and revenge that defines the rest of the game.
What did the actors say about it? The scene was not only emotional for the players – but also for the actors who had to portray it. Troy Baker (the actor who plays Joel) explained about this scene:
The worst part for me was watching Ashley. […] There was no acting. It was pure, raw emotion – and I stared at that.
Ashley Johnson (the actress who plays Ellie) also seems to have been quite affected by the scene:
I lost a bit of my voice during it. I just couldn’t scream as loud and frustrated as I wanted to.
The other actors were quite impressed and touched by it. Laura Bailey (the actress who plays Abby) even had to cry during the scene’s filming and said:
Ashley was already beyond crying and … knowing that Abby would take that away from her, that was pretty difficult. That’s why I was even crying when we shot this scene. Yes, it was quite emotional.
You can see the corresponding passage at 53:50 in the documentary:
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But even beyond this small detail, the 2-hour documentary is interesting not only for fans of The Last of Us. Because the developers also discuss many exciting details that one would hardly notice otherwise in the video game industry.
In this case, one of the biggest points is likely the incidents surrounding the leaks prior to the release. A “fan” managed to copy video material from the servers and then post it online. This also included the scene shown above with Joel’s death.
This led to death threats against the developers, story writers, and voice actors, as well as a lot of hostility and hate messages, which is collectively referred to as “the low point of their lives.”
Anyone who likes The Last of Us and hopes for a third part will also be positively surprised. Because “there is a concept” Druckmann shares in the last section of the video.
In CS:GO and now in Counter-Strike 2 there is a vibrant market for skins on Steam. The ugly brother of the legal skin trading are gambling sites that openly advertise and hire influencers for promotion. A YouTuber did not want to participate and is facing the consequences.
“Skin Gambling” involves online casinos where you can bet, lose, and win skins. The skins in CS:GO are used in these casinos like chips or money in a regular casino.
For a long time, Valve took action against this skin gambling; the notorious Faze Clan operated from Antigua back then – this has changed now and “Skin Gambling” has become more mainstream. The sites look increasingly professional and attract high visitor numbers.
Start video
Counter-Strike 2: Valve once again impresses with the launch trailer
Difficult casino sites are buying advertising from many big streamers
What is “Skin Gambling” like today? As the British Guardian reports, the providers of such casinos are much more open today than before. The companies are formally based in countries such as Cyprus, Singapore, or Belize, yet they are active in the UK without a valid license from the regulatory authorities.
Therefore, it is also not guaranteed that reliable gambling mechanisms are in place or that youth protection is maintained.
To promote their business, they often hire streamers. As the Guardian reports, more than 200 of the 300 largest streamers for CS:GO are sponsored by the gambling industry.
YouTuber rejects immoral offer of over €260,000 for little work
Who stood up? The Guardian tells the story of Jeff, a YouTuber with about 750,000 subscribers who focuses on CS:GO.
He says that he was offered $280,000, which is over €260,000, by the company KeyDrop to promote the company for two months. It would have been enough to show a few 30-second clips during his videos.
But Jeff was the wrong person for the company. He decided against the money and wanted to make a statement:
“I wanted to show how unregulated gambling rots the brains of young people.”
Instead of taking the money, he published a multi-part documentary on his YouTube channel titled “The Dark Reality Behind CS:GO (Illegal Gambling, Lies, and Addiction)” which has since received 356,000 views for the first part in the 6 months since it was released.
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This happened to him: As the Guardian reports, Jeff became a kind of whistleblower and a pariah. Although the reactions from regular users have been positive, he has also received threats and attempts were made to intimidate him.
An anonymous person wrote to him: “I know where you live.”
What do the parties involved say? The Guardian has contacted various companies. Three casinos made official statements. It was said, for example, that they pursue a strict “18+” business policy or explained that there are Steam regulations like a 7-day lock on skins. One company even stated that they do not operate any gambling at all.
However, the casino that offered Jeff the deal did not respond to the journalists’ inquiries, nor did Steam itself.
Part of the responsibility is sought with the governments, but also with Valve. Because the operators of the powerful PC platform Steam earn so much money with the skins in CS:GO that the motivation to intervene seems rather low.
Although microtransactions are usually frowned upon among gamers, since Valve (Half Life 2, CS:GO, DOTA 2) has such a good reputation and the microtransactions are purely cosmetic, loot boxes in CS:GO seem to be acceptable to many, while they were considered outrageous in other games like Star Wars Battlefront 2.
The issue of “Skin Gambling” has now entered the brighter part of the gray area to the extent that even major e-sport organizations openly advertise gambling, yet they still resist.
The strategy game “Crusader Kings 3” (PC, Xbox Series, PS5) has been engaging MeinMMO author Schuhmann since its release in September 2020. By now, he has spent 1,200 hours on the strategy role-playing epic on Steam. However, in the new year, a nightmare returns after 20 years: the Black Death, the plague.
This is the announcement: Paradox introduced yesterday the new expansions planned for Crusader Kings 3 in 2024. They are selling it as a season pass collected for €44.
The main gameplay DLC is “Legends of the Dead” – it is supposed to bring plagues into the game, but also emphasize the heroic deeds of early heroes more strongly. The release is already on March 4.
“Roads to Power” is the long-awaited Byzantium DLC – many people love the Eastern Roman Empire in Crusader Kings 3. This is supposed to be released in Q3 2024.
“Wandering Nobles” is expected to enhance the travel and adventure mechanics by the end of the year. Additionally, there will be a cosmetic France DLC that Paradox is giving away.
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Crusader Kings III: Legends of the Dead – Announcement Trailer
The Black Death – The End is Near
What scares me so much? In the first Crusader Kings, 20 years ago, there was already the “Black Death”, the plague, and it was brutal. After all these years, I still have many memories of this cruel game mechanic that suddenly appeared, completely changed the game, and then persisted for years.
In Crusader Kings, you build a dynasty over centuries, plan genetic bloodlines to breed the Kwisatz Haderach, the Overman, and create a complex web of vassals and family members: You conquer the icy Iceland from some Viking witch, give the island to your third-born son, who passes it on to his sons, the house splits off, and so on.
In the process, you usually want every part of the family to stay in its duchy or at least in the kingdom, so that some distant cousin does not come up with the idea 60 years later to snatch half of England and plan a rebellion while you are just reconquering Spain from the Moors. Moreover, it just looks ridiculous if the Duke of Iceland holds two provinces in France and three in Norway.
However, the Black Death in Crusader Kings 1 was a dynasty killer that could wipe out half of your family tree and plunge every well-built realm into chaos within a few years.
Back then, 20 years ago, my strategy was to conquer Ireland and invade England after the Black Death had sent every noble there to the afterlife and the land was sinking into chaos. Still, it was a nightmare to watch the plague simply erase entire bloodlines, how branches of the family tree disappeared.
Paradox has announced that the “Black Death” will return brutally and while you can prepare for it, you cannot escape it – anyone who has played Crusader Kings 1 knows that they mean it seriously. The only worse thing back then were the Mongol hordes from the East.
The developers say:
“The Black Death will destroy the world. It will destroy developments, it will kill so many rulers and characters. […] The Black Death is terrifying and, like in history, will bring the world to the brink.”
But it is also said: This is an “endgame threat” that will appear around the year 1300 – unless something changes. Those who prefer an early start will therefore be able to evade the Black Death for many, many hours of gameplay and may only have to deal with cholera.
What are many looking forward to? The “Byzantium” DLC is the big announcement for 2024 for many fans: The Empire has numerous friends among the players, who have already complained that Paradox has first thought of the Vikings, then Spain, and finally Persia with their own DLCs before getting to Byzantium.
While it has been possible to play the Byzantine Empire for 4 years, it still had no special rules like in previous installments.
Paradox now wants to make up for this – it seems to have been the wish of many to build the vast empire centered around present-day Istanbul. The €30 DLC is supposed to make this possible now.
Some also mock: A few more years and Crusader Kings 3 will come close to Crusader Kings 2.
It is indeed the case that Paradox games in their well-known strategy series do seem relatively weak at release and only regain many special functions and features known from previous installments over the years.
When a Boar Becomes a Dragon Over Centuries
What I am looking forward to: For me, the “Legends part” sounds the most exciting. I enjoy playing dynasties over centuries.
With the Legends DLC, which also brings the plague, it will be possible for the legends of the game characters you play at the beginning of a game to change over the centuries to become mythical giants by the end of the game, who have slain not a boar, but a dragon.
This sounds like a lot of fun to me, if after the centuries, someone from my dynasty is still left who hasn’t been taken by the Grim Reaper.
If you accidentally fathered two or three bastards on a Tuesday night, only to read on Thursday that the character you were playing at the time is now venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church in Rome – that’s something.
In Palworld, you can trade with black market merchants. Or alternatively, diabolically relieve them of their gold.
In the world of Palworld, there are not only Pals. In addition to hostile NPCs trying to defeat you, against whom some players have already discovered curious tricks, there are also friendly NPCs, for example in the form of merchants. One type of merchant is the so-called black market merchants. Here you can buy and sell various Pals, including some very rare specimens.
That black market merchants can earn gold not only by selling Pals has now been proven by a player on Reddit. He found another method that is both profitable and very, very evil.
Start video
Palworld: How you can level up quickly
Easily defeat black market merchants and collect loot
How does the trick work? As the player demonstrates in a video on Reddit, he first captured the black market merchant using a snare trap. He placed it directly on the black market merchant, so it was triggered immediately, capturing the merchant.
Next, the player built a campfire underneath the suspended black market merchant. This continuously exposes the merchant to fire, dealing ongoing damage, which gradually drains his health points.
To ensure that the player can also get to the merchant’s loot with this method, he deals damage to him with his musket. If he only let the merchant be defeated by the campfire without dealing any damage, he wouldn’t gain access to the loot.
What does the player say about this? The player himself notes that the black market merchant is certainly not too pleased with this technique. He comments on the video with the words: The black market merchant was not particularly happy about my technique to farm gold.
What do you think of this trick? Do you find it diabolical and reprehensible, or will you quickly try it out yourself to refill your gold reserves? If you are looking for more tips and tricks for your adventure in Palworld, feel free to check out our overview of guides for Palworld.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Iron is one of the most important resources in Palworld. We explain to you how to best position the farm for mining in order to efficiently obtain iron.
What is iron used for? By level 10 at the latest, iron becomes an indispensable resource. For the remainder of the game, it is extremely important as it is needed for the production of tools, weapons, or armor.
Before you dive into crafting, however, the ore must first be found and mined.
Where can iron ore be found? Iron ore can be found in many places in the game world. Initially in regular rocks, but that is not particularly effective. It works better with shiny chunks that shimmer golden yellow. Here you need to have a pickaxe with you to mine the resource. You can find more information about this in a separate article.
However, using the automated iron farm is much more practical. We will explain where to set it up best in the next section.
Start video
Palworld showcases the small monsters in massive action in the early access trailer
How to automatically farm iron
Where should you build the iron farm? The exact location of your farm should depend on various factors.
Resource availability: It is important that there is enough iron ore available on site to mine. After all, you don’t want to just dig a little in the ground once, but automate iron mining for a longer time.
Accessibility: This is also important. You should choose a location that you can easily reach and where you are as safe as possible from the various dangers of the Palworld universe.
Safety: This brings us to the next point. Your iron farm should be well protected. Ensure sufficient defense so that no wild Pals endanger the work on the farm.
Which locations are suitable? Especially good for the location of your iron farm are the following places: Mountain Haven, Sunken Glade, Crystal Shores, Hidden Oasis, and Whispering Woods. Ore respawns, which means you can farm the same vein over and over again.
We have revised the article after publication and corrected errors regarding the recommended Pals.
To ensure that the automatic mining of the resource goes smoothly, you should deploy suitable Pals. For example, Digtoise (Mining Level 3), Dumut (Mining Level 2), Astegon (Mining Level 4), or Anubis (Mining Level 3).
It is also important that your Pals are well taken care of. There should be enough sleeping spaces and sufficient food available, such as a feeding trough and berries. For comfort, it’s best to deploy Pengullet (watering the garden) and Lifmunk (planting and harvesting).
What do you do with iron ore? The ore can be processed into bars. However, you first need a furnace, which you can build starting at level 10. Invest two technology points and catch a Pal with which you can ignite the furnace. For example, Rooby or Foxparks.
Once the furnace is burning, you can create iron bars in it. Just throw in 2x ore and let it melt. You will receive 1x iron bar as a result.
If you want an improved version, combine 2x ore with 1x coal. This will give you an improved iron bar.
The Twitch streamer Imane “Pokimane” Anys has already had an impressive career as a content creator at the age of 27. However, all the gaming takes its toll.
Who is this about? The 27-year-old Imane “Pokimane” Anys was long regarded as the undisputed queen of Twitch. During her 10-year career on the streaming platform, she primarily showcased games like League of Legends and Valorant, or entertained her viewers in Just Chatting (via TwitchTracker).
But even during the hype around Among Us during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pokimane was right there and on the personal side, she also enjoys a mobile game. Now the 27-year-old reports on the effects that all the gaming is having on her body.
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Whether on Madeira or at the mixing console – These are 5 of the biggest German Twitch streamers
Broken ears and arms are not uncommon among professional gamers
What kind of health issues are we talking about? On X, formerly Twitter, Pokimane asks if others also feel they have developed health issues from too much gaming. She is sure that her tinnitus and jaw problems – a craniomandibular dysfunction, short CMD – stem from the constant wearing of a headset.
In the comments below her post, the 27-year-old also writes that she has often battled repetitive strain injuries (RSI) – in German, this is known as “the secretary’s disease” or the notorious “mouse arm” – in her wrists so much that she has needed physiotherapy and weeks of rest.
In the comments under Pokimane’s post, many content creators report similar issues, which they attribute to wearing headsets. Others describe headaches and ear infections, which are also said to stem from headphones.
Furthermore, the extensive sitting and often unhealthy posture seem to take their toll, manifested as loud cracking of the joints in the neck, back pain, and knee problems.
As a gaming journalist who enjoys playing a few rounds after work, you also end up spending a lot of time at the desk and in front of the screen. The MeinMMO editorial team has some recommendations for you if you have similar complaints:
Antonia “Reved” Staab even took it a step further and completely withdrew from Twitch for an indefinite period. Previously, the 23-year-old had long been the biggest German streamer, essentially “our” Pokimane. However, she had been struggling with health issues for years: Reved speaks about her Twitch break, saying she feels “at 23 like a 70-year-old”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Sam Rockwell originally wanted to play Tony Stark. But after the role of the Marvel hero went to Robert Downey Jr., the actor had another idea: he could simply become the new villain in Iron Man 2.
In an interview with GQ on February 6, 2024, Sam Rockwell talked about the most iconic roles of his film career so far.
Besides The Green Mile, Argyle, and Moon, he also mentioned the Marvel movie Iron Man 2, in which he played an adversary of Tony Stark, and shared how he got the role.
Here you can see a German trailer for Iron Man 2:
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German trailer for Iron Man 2
“Write me a role as a villain”
How did Sam Rockwell get the role? He explained that he was in touch with Jon Favreau, the director of Iron Man, and was actually in talks for the role of Tony Stark.
However, that went to Robert Downey Jr. But since his partner Leslie Bibb also acted in Iron Man, he knew the people behind the film and dined with them before the opening night.
Later, Sam Rockwell used the connection he had with the project’s officials to finally appear in the Marvel film.
And then my friend Justin Theroux was supposed to write the script [for Iron Man 2] … and I went over to his house and asked, “What’s going on with this Iron Man 2?” He said, “I’m flying off to help Favreau write the script.”
And I said, “Great, let me be a part of it. I want to be in the movie. Write me a role as a villain.”
They talked to Mickey Rourke and decided to split the villain into two villains.
Who did Sam Rockwell play in Iron Man 2? In the end, Sam Rockwell did not get the role of Tony Stark but was allowed to play the slimy millionaire Justin Hammer. He is an arms dealer, businessman, and CEO of Hammer Industries, a competing company to Stark Industries.
Justin Hammer constantly tries to outdo Tony Stark, both in terms of technology and charisma – but continuously comes up short.
For instance, in court. There, Justin Hammer tries to make the hero look bad – in the end, however, it is he who gets humiliated on camera.
The next patch of WoW Dragonflight is a big mystery. The developers say this is intentional. They have learned from WoW Classic.
The roadmap for 2024 in World of Warcraft was released some time ago. Even though the major details are already known, there is still an entire patch that remains a mystery. The Patch 10.2.6 has already sparked much discussion, as it is represented on the roadmap only with a skull symbol and without a description.
Now the WoW developers have spoken about the patch – and only created more puzzles.
The current patch has been live for a few weeks:
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WoW: Patch 10.2.5 – Release trailer for the Seed of Renewal
What have the developers said? In a blog post on the WoW website, Holly Longdale talked about the upcoming Patch 10.2.6. The patch is supposed to represent a new kind of event, inspired by past events.
For Dragonflight’s Patch 10.2.6, we have created what we believe is a unique event, inspired by past ideas from the community. What we can say is that it will be open to all players with a WoW subscription, provided they want to participate (regardless of whether they have Dragonflight or Classic). We won’t reveal more for now. Sorry, but also not sorry? Our goal is to keep it secret – and safe. The speculations are great! We have been keeping an eye on the reactions to the surprises of the Season of Discovery and thought we would try a similar, yet still new approach for Dragonflight.
In contrast to just about all other patches of Dragonflight, there will be no opportunity to test the update in advance. This is unusual, but follows the idea that was also present in the Season of Discovery. The community is to be presented with something fresh that has not already been completely discovered through datamining.
This means that, unlike usual, there will be no PTR (Public Test Realm) for part of the next content update. What we can say is that it will be ready in March. […]
Why are we doing this? We like the idea of releasing content that holds some surprises that are not revealed in advance through datamining or other means. We also enjoy seeing the joy the community derives from uncovering these secrets while diving into the game together. […] It’s a risky experiment that could go a bit rocky, but we are committed to making it a success.
What does this mean? This announcement has sparked wild discussions and speculations in the community – and also high expectations in some cases. Some hope that there will be a new mini-raid that tells a small story. A possible enemy is the Gnoll Chief Faultriarchin Zornauge, which we have highlighted here.
Others believe that we might get to try one or two features from the upcoming expansion “The War Within” – such as a preview version of the “Delves”, a new endgame feature from the next addon.
However, there is still no clarity – and that is exactly what Blizzard wanted to achieve. Whether this “special event” will ultimately be just small mini-changes or actually something very special that marks the transition from Dragonflight to The War Within remains to be seen.
We will probably only find out what Patch 10.2.6 is about in March when it goes live. However, it seems that the developers still have one or two surprises in store. Let’s just hope that in the end they are not ruined by bugs and the lack of a public testing phase.
Currently, everyone can test a new 4x strategy game for free on Steam for 60 turns: Millennia. It’s a really clever variation of the tried-and-true formula behind Civilization, says MeinMMO author Schuhmann. It could even solve some issues of the genre.
The game is currently playable as a demo on Steam during the one-week “Steam Next” event: The free-to-play demo covers the first 60 turns (via steam). It is only available in English; at launch, Millennia will also offer a German interface.
The game does not have a fixed release date or price tag yet. A release in 2024 is expected.
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Announcement Teaser Trailer to Millennia
Who’s behind Millennia? The game is being developed by a new studio, C Prompt. The studio consists of well-known developers who have worked on games like Age of Empires II, System Shock 2, or Starcraft.
The game is published by Paradox, the strategy experts, who are responsible for hits like Crusader Kings 3 or Stellaris.
Less Micromanagement – More Dynamics
These are the deviations from the formula: There are some clever deviations from the Civilization formula that make the game more dynamic and exciting, similar to Humankind:
There are no “workers” to micromanage, but improvements on individual tiles in the world appear conveniently at the push of a button: You use a limited resource for this.
The micromanagement with 15 cities is also eliminated – you personally develop only your capital – everything else are vassals that pay tribute. When you conquer a new city, you decide whether to make it a vassal or forcibly relocate the inhabitants to your capital.
In Millennia, you collect not only normal resources (wood, bones, meat) but also meta-resources like points in diplomacy, exploration, or combat, which you can redeem for immediate effects, such as summoning new troops, further developing cities, or obtaining a research boost.
Battles take place automatically, in small cutscenes, which you can watch or skip.
This allows for more active responses to threats or changes in the situation.
This is the special twist: The game starts off like Civilization as well, in historical ages, but depending on how an age plays out, you can switch to a different one.
If you fight many opponents early on, the “Age of Blood” might dawn, a famine could trigger the “Age of Plague.”
The ages only include a handful of research options each, so they are relatively short-lived.
Millennia has the potential to solve some problems of the genre
This is our first impression: Anyone who knows Civilization knows that 60 turns at the start of a game are actually nothing; just a taste. But this really makes you want more in Millennia.
Anyone who has ever played Civilization and enjoyed it should definitely spend half an hour or 60 minutes with Millennia, then they will surely know if the game is right for them and if they want to whitelist it on Steam or quickly ignore it.
The 2 games I have played so far have indeed made me crave more. Especially in the endgame, Civilization, like almost every strategy game, becomes very micromanagement-heavy, and individual turns increasingly feel like a tedious task, with the number of important and meaningful decisions per hour decreasing.
Here, Millennia could truly solve some long-standing issues of the genre. However, I wouldn’t bet my hand on it: Evaluating a 4x game after 60 turns is like judging a 7-course meal after the soup or an marriage after the wedding night.
For those who have gotten tired of Civilization and are already looking for something new, we recommend Humankind:
Love is an important part of the story of Baldur’s Gate 3. Gaining the initial approval of wizard Gale is quite simple. However, to solidify the relationship and bring it to a safe romance harbor, we have a guide with tips for Acts 1 to 3 for you.
Depending on your playstyle, you have a more or less extensive selection of companions. By increasing their approval, you unlock new cutscenes and love scenes. We already wrote a detailed Romance Guide for Vampire Astarion. In this article, you will read how to win Gale’s heart from Waterdeep.
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Gale’s approval for your character increases relatively quickly, although not as fast as before. A bug increased his approval for you exponentially when it was released. This often unintentionally triggered his breakup cutscene. That was a bug that has since been fixed.
Nevertheless, it is relatively easy to win Gale over, especially at the beginning. It becomes challenging in Act 2 and if you are not careful in Act 3, he will leave you at the end of the game.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible without spoilers – You have been warned. While we try to avoid specific dialogue options, there are places where it can’t be avoided. Generally, we recommend saving at the beginning of an interaction with him. The author of this article, MeinMMO editor Sophia, romanced Gale herself. The tips and tricks outlined here also worked for her.
If you are looking for information on the romance with another character, you can check our comprehensive guide:
Gale Romance Guide – General Tips for Increased Approval
Gale is one of the companions like Karlach and Wyll, who do not particularly approve of you taking an evil path. It may be possible for him to continue to accompany you – provided you choose the right dialogue options.
A good run simplifies the romance with him immensely, as Gale has very strong and traditionally good moral values. To make everything work, here are some general tips.
First of all: You must start the romance with Gale in Act 1. Unlike Astarion and Lae’zel, there are still no intimate moments, but you need to unlock at least one personal scene with Gale.
Gale’s Character in Brief
Similar to Astarion, Gale is traumatized, although it’s not so obvious. As a highly talented young wizard, he made a name for himself in his hometown Waterdeep. This caught the attention of the goddess of magic, Mystra, who took him on as a protege and later even as a lover.
In the relationship with his goddess, Gale tries his best to live up to her attention. He constantly feels the need to earn his place beside her and in life. From his perspective, he never feels enough.
Accordingly, Gale always tries to be helpful. Whether through unsolicited explanations or by making himself useful to the player character. Even when he talks to you, he will always ask if you need anything or if he can help.
How do I increase Gale’s approval? Gale’s moral compass is clearly aligned with good. Selfish decisions, unwarranted violence, and fundamentally bad behavior will decrease his approval.
So it’s best to simply be nice and polite to everyone and everything you encounter. For example, help the refugees, do not actively demand rewards for favors, and stand up for the weak. The more you play a heroic character, the faster Gale will warm up to you.
The more arrogant, selfish, and brutal you act, the less respect Gale will have for you. However, this does not mean that you cannot say no to unwanted tasks. As long as you are fundamentally good, his approval increases faster than you can lower it.
If you always have Gale in your active group, you should be able to start the romance without any problems.
Gale really puts in a lot of effort for his love. Here he has transformed the dark Shadowlands into a romantic forest glade through an illusion.
Gale Romance Guide Act 1: Longing for the Past
In the first act of Baldur’s Gate 3, there are still no intimate scenes with Gale. However, you must already lay the foundation for your later relationship starting in Act 2 for the romance to take place.
It’s best to always be helpful and choose peaceful solutions for conflicts. Here are a few concrete tips for more approval:
Ask Astarion during the first meeting for more than just an apology and calm the frightened wild boar.
Save Lae’zel.
Prevent Aradin and Zevlor from arguing in the Emerald Grove.
Stand by the gnomes if you have rescued True Soul Nere.
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Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to PS5 – Trailer prepares for console release
Gale and Mystra: If you have sufficiently increased Gale’s approval, a scene in your camp will be triggered. Once Gale stands there with an exclamation mark over his head and a projection in hand, talk to him.
Allow yourself to be taken into the weave by Gale and play the scene until the end. Praising Mystra will earn you points with him. When you can choose what you want to imagine, choose one of the following options:
Imagine kissing him.
Imagine taking a romantic walk with him.
Both options will start the romance. If you imagine kissing, his approval will increase even more.
Warning: If you do not trigger this scene and choose one of the two options given above, you will not be able to continue the romance in Act 2.
The goddess Mystra is Gale’s curse.
Gale’s Ailment: During your journey through Act 1, Gale will unexpectedly start groaning somewhere in the overworld. Once he has an exclamation mark over his head, you can talk to him. He will now tell you about the Netherese orb in his chest.
Do not judge him for the orb. Be understanding and supportive. And if Gale asks for magical items, give them to him – you just need to spare three and each one gives you a good boost in approval with him.
But do not ignore him: If Gale does not receive an item for too long, he will simply leave your party.
The Party: Since Gale is attracted to good characters, you will probably celebrate with the tieflings. Talk to Gale and he will tell you about quiet nights in his tower. Ask if he means Mystra or his cat Tara.
As the conversation continues, you can suggest to him that you like him in a romantic way. He will initially be pleased and engage, but then pull back: Gale will want to postpone this conversation to another day. He does not want to commit because the orb inside him is too unstable.
The conversation must end that way. If you also have an interest in another character and receive an invitation for an intimate encounter, you can take it without any problem. Candidates for this could be Astarion and Lae’zel.
At the end of Act 1, you will encounter the wizard Elminster in the mountain pass. He will temporarily defuse Gale’s situation and clear the way for closer conversations.
Gale Romance Guide Act 2: Starry Nights in the Shadow of Shar
If you chose the romantic weave options in Act 1 and flirted with him at the party, Act 2 gets serious with Gale. However, it is also important to increase his approval as best as possible:
Free the pixie Dolly from the moon lantern.
Warn Isobel about Marcus.
Offer Halsin your support, protect him during his quest, and recruit him.
Drink with Thisobald Thorm and tell him stories.
Convince Malus Thorm that his nurses should practice on each other or on him.
Distract Z’rell in the towers of the Moonrise with romantic thoughts about Gale.
Fighting Together is Hot: As soon as you are in the Shadowlands and everything was done correctly in Act 1, your first victorious battle will trigger a conversation. You can choose one of four responses during the conversation. If you take one of the first three, he will hint that he feels attracted to you.
Gale is quite a special case. You will fight your way through the Shadowlands and he will fall in love.
Intimate Under the Stars: Gale’s first intimate offer takes some time, but if you have the scene mentioned above, it will definitely come. However, it will only trigger once you have passed the teleportation point at the entrance to the towers of the Moonrise heading towards the towers. For our author, it was enough to enter the protective circle around the towers.
During your next long rest, you will not find Gale, but a projection of himself. This will guide you to a special place. There you will find the real wizard and can experience one of two very different love scenes with him.
Once you have completed the scene, you are officially in a committed relationship with him.
Gale would almost sacrifice himself for the salvation of the world and for his goddess. You can stop him from doing so.
Gale Romance Guide Act 3: Divine Ambitions
If Gale did not blow himself up at the end of Act 2, you will start Act 3 as a couple. Of course, it’s still about increasing Gale’s approval for you. Thus, here are a few situations that will help you:
Help the girl Yenna in Rivington.
Suggest a companion that is not Gale for Dribble’s clown show.
Decline the quest from Manip Falcäo, where you are supposed to take care of the gnomes.
When you meet the drow twins in Sharess’ Caress, tell Gale that his body looks great if he has doubts about the arrangement.
Convince him to join the orgy with the twins.
Do not undress for Haarlep and do not sleep with him.
Zethino, Master of Love: In the circus of the last days, you can let a dryad test your love. For maximum romance, it’s best to take Gale with you.
If you want to make sure to get all the answers right, you can read them here:
These are Gale’s Answers
A shiny red apple.
On his balcony in Waterdeep.
He believes he and the world would be better off if he were dead.
The Crown of Karsus: In Act 3, Gale appears driven: He has learned that the elder brain is controlled by the Crown of Karsus. He could use this crown to become a god. The thought of it constantly drives him.
Important: Do not agree to a deal with Raphael. Otherwise, follow the quest line until Elminster invites you to chat with Mystra.
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Middle finger to the AAA industry: Baldur’s Gate 3 was no coincidence
The End: There is now a conversation between Gale and Mystra as well as between you two. Theoretically, nothing should get in the way of your relationship now. It’s mainly about what kind of ending you want for Gale, but also for your character.
Anyone who wants to be guided by the game can stop reading here. However, those who want to know all the details about the ending of Baldur’s Gate 3 are welcome to stay. Just be warned that we will go into great detail about the ending.
Gale has several different romantic endings:
He dies.
He ascends to godhood.
He abandons his ambitions.
Gale can die if he lets the orb in his chest explode as Mystra wishes. This way, you can end the game relatively easily, but also with the loss of your romance partner. Alternatively, Gale could also die while attempting to retrieve the Crown of Karsus.
Gale is almost begging for your approval to become a god.
Below you will read how to make Gale a god – or not – and what that means for your character.
How to Help Gale Become a God: For an ending with God-Gale, you need to actively support him in his quest for the crown. Always encourage him. Reassure him. If he retrieves the Crown of Karsus after the battle, he will not return it to Mystra.
In this ending, Gale will likely break up with your character shortly before the final battle. In the new epilogue with Lazarus party, Gale will be present. He has never forgotten you and offers to make your character a god as well. Ultimately, you would be reunited as gods.
How to Prevent Gale from Becoming a God: If you want to keep Gale as he is, just enough, you need to be skeptical of his godly ambitions. Before he visits Mystra, tell him to seek forgiveness. All other options will lead to him attempting to attain divinity.
After the conversation with Mystra, he will try to convince you to support his plan in a second romance cutscene. Use these dialogue options to convince him to remain human:
I don’t need the stars, Gale. I have you.
Silence him with a kiss.
What your character thinks about his plans is important to Gale. If you show him that Gale, the human, is good enough, he will give up his ambitions.
After these conversations, Gale will retrieve the crown, but return it to his goddess. After the finale, there will be an additional cutscene with your couple, and you will also appear together at Lazarus’ party.
With this, you have all the knowledge we can provide you for your perfect Gale romance. Have you already put a character into a relationship with Gale? Or do you mostly break his heart in your runs?
MeinMMO editor Sophia struggled with Gale’s romance for a long time. He simply wouldn’t come through for her in Act 2. In the process, she even rejected two of the hottest companions to romance him.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Recently, several new features were tested in Pokémon GO, and the first of them is now apparently available for everyone. But you need the latest update.
What kind of function is this? This function is the Quick Snack Button, which you can now find on the screen with your buddy Pokémon.
When you click on it, you will simply see a white background screen featuring your buddy. Now you can feed berries to earn hearts and bring your buddy onto the map.
This is what the button and screen look like
This saves you a bit of time and definitely one click: Previously, you had to either place and feed the buddy in AR mode, which takes a little longer and requires handling the camera. There was also an alternative Quick Feed Function, but that required going into a menu first. Now you can skip that.
How do I get the function? If you don’t see the function yet, check your respective app stores to see if you can download a newer version of Pokémon GO. This is not a forced update, so you may have to download it manually. Once you have version 0.299.1, the button should also appear for you.
Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
Which functions is Pokémon GO still testing?
Recently, several functions were started in a testing phase that make the game more practical or stylish. The quick feed button was one of them, and the others are as follows.
Some trainers reported on the “Revive/Heal All” button that they can test. This allows you to heal all monsters that are injured or defeated at once, provided you have the necessary items.
Additionally, there is a visual update for the catch screens, which some players can already test. This makes the game more visually appealing and apparently adapts to the surroundings.
Furthermore, some have already been able to test the “Solo Raid Ready Button”. This allows you to shorten the timer in the raid lobby by clicking on “Ready”. This is already possible for everyone when in a group, but the solo option has not been available until now – unless you are one of the testers.
Finally, the game gives tips on which attacks are particularly effective or, conversely, rather weak when selecting attackers. This helps when assembling raid teams.
You can read more about the tested features here. However, it is still unclear if, when, and in what form these features will be rolled out to all trainers. For now, it’s simply a matter of waiting. But with the quick feed button, at least one of the features is now available, which gives hope that other functions will come for everyone soon.
What do you think of the new features? Tell us in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Those who enjoy playing auto-battlers might have heard of Backpack Battles. In line with the Steam Next Fest, the German development team released a new update. MeinMMO author Linda B. reports why she is already excited about the demo.
What game are we talking about? Backpack Battles is a strategy auto-battler. You buy powerful items and place them as cleverly as possible in your expandable backpack to deal as much damage as possible in automatic battles.
Currently, you can test the game in a demo version with two playable characters. The early access is set to start on March 8th, adding two more classes.
The latest update added a German translation along with two items. Since the development studio PlayWithFurcifer is also from Germany, the translation was done in-house.
The trailer for Backpack Battlesshows the new features of the early access version
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Backpack Battles: Trailer for the Early Access of the Inventory Autobattler
The Tetris principle is as simple as it is brilliant
A round of Backpack Battles basically consists of two phases that repeat continuously:
Buy items and organize inventory
Automatic battle against another player
If you achieve 10 victories in battles, you have won the game. If you lose for the fifth time, it’s game over.
In the shop, you need to manage your gold wisely.In battle, it’s revealed how well you’ve planned.
What is the strategic twist? The actual game takes place in the first phase. With gold, you can buy various items in the shop, which then need to be placed in the backpack.
By rotating and moving the items, it feels like a Tetris-like puzzle. However, your goal is not only to fill the backpack as much as possible. It’s also important where exactly the items are placed.
Some items receive bonuses when placed next to certain other items.
Some parts of your backpack provide specific bonuses.
If you place matching items next to each other, they merge into a more powerful item in the next round.
You can also enhance weapons and armor with gemstones – and much more. Optimization enthusiasts will definitely find satisfaction in crafting the perfect inventory.
With the golden star, you can instantly see if a bonus is active.
What classes are available? Currently, there are two playable characters to choose from:
Ranger: specializes in critical damage
Reaper: specializes in poison
In the early access version, two more characters are set to be added:
Berserker: has a combat frenzy that increases damage and attack speed
Pyromaniac: specializes in burning everything down
Each character has class-specific items that enable new strategies.
Just one more round!
Who is speaking here? When MeinMMO author Linda B. is not exploring vast open worlds, she is also a fan of small games that can be played in between. Her favorites especially include action rogue-likes such as Vampire Survivors or Brotato.
What do I like? Backpack Battles strikes the perfect balance between strategy and luck for me, keeping me glued to the PC round after round.
The basic principle is easy to learn. However, I quickly want to try out all possible strategies. Should I focus on life steal, critical damage, high armor, or poison? Which items synergize particularly well with each other?
Yet even when I think I have the supposedly perfect strategy planned out, there is still the factor of luck. Will I even get the items I need? Which items are particularly cheap in the “sale” right now?
This combination often leads me to think, “Oh, next time it will surely work out! One more round, I’ll try again.” Five games later, I’m still refining the perfect build – and I love it.
It’s often the same with games like TFT, Brotato, or even Magic: The Gathering. However, the fact that even a demo can trigger this game flow in me really surprised me. If you’re looking for quick games that can still hook you, I can highly recommend Backpack Battles!
Who else has played it? YouTuber and streamer HandOfBlood had a similar experience as me. In no time he played his way up to diamond rank and describes the game as “maximally addictive.”
On his YouTube channel HandOfUncut, he dedicates nine videos to Backpack Battles.
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What do I not like as much? Even in games played in separate rounds, I’m personally always a big fan of meta-progress. By that, I mean some kind of progress that I can achieve permanently.
Currently, Backpack Battles looks like this:
In ranked games, you can collect points to increase your rank number.
Skins for the characters can be purchased.
An overview of items that have already been found.
An overview of recipes (i.e., combined items) that have already been found.
That’s already great. However, for long-term motivation, I would wish for a little more to be added here. I’m thinking of achievements that might even unlock new items – or something similar.
All in all, Backpack Battles is already an entertaining game that leaves you wanting more. After my first sessions, the game actually ignited a true obsession in me to find comparable inventory management games, as I was so intrigued by the game mechanics.
Many players are currently waiting for Hades 2. But a new game on Steam is also inspired by the indie hit and might be worth a look for fans. Realm of Ink has a detailed demo that allows you to check out some mechanics.
What is Realm of Ink? The game is a roguelite in the style of the indie hit Hades. Like the original, you will meet characters presented in small dialogues with character portraits. Additionally, you will receive support from gods during combat – unlike Hades, they come from Chinese mythology instead of Greek.
As in classic roguelites, each run is different. In Realm of Ink, there are various weapons, abilities, and buffs that provide variety.
The game has, as the name suggests, an ink style. Everything has black outlines, and even the characters are designed in this style.
You can take a first look at the demo trailer:
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Realm of Ink – Trailer for the roguelite in Chinese folklore
The Steam Next Fest live on Twitch! To present some of the most exciting games from the Steam Next Fest in detail, we will be streaming live daily from February 5th to 9th at 5:15 PM on Twitch GameStar and we would be thrilled if you could join us for our Steam Next Week.
Hades, but with pets
How does the game work? Anyone who has played a lot of Hades will feel at home in Realm of Ink. The combat feels good and smooth.
Unlike Hades, you will find buffs in a run that not only affect your melee combat but also give you active abilities. You can equip up to 2 of these.
The abilities are associated with an element and influence a new mechanic that sets itself apart from Hades. You have a companion with you, which changes depending on the element combination.
The companion has a passive ability that you can play around with, but also an active one that he uses now and then. This way, you can build a strategy around your combat during a run, and you can also include the pet in your build creation.
The effects and boss abilities are simple, but nicely staged, and the pretty environment provides a pleasant look that also distinguishes itself from models like Hades.
Visually, Realm of Ink is oriented towards ink drawings and Chinese folklore
What is known about the release? When the game will be released is still unclear, but you can currently play the demo on Steam. This offers several extended features during the Steam Next Fest:
High-tier gems with strong skills
High-tier pets with different abilities
The introduction of meta-progression
2 difficulty levels
A new map and an endless mode
MeinMMO author Nikolas Hernes checked out the demo of Realm of Ink and finds what he played very promising.
Who should try the demo? Anyone waiting for Hades 2 should definitely check out the Steam demo of Realm of Ink. You will feel right at home. The gameplay is very similar to the game, but that is fundamentally not a bad thing. I was thrilled by the first hours and look forward to the release.
With the pets and the 3 weapons, you can already experiment with different builds in the demo. However, the dialogues between the characters do not yet convince in the demo and are hardly on par with the quality of Hades.
For a demo, the game already feels really good, and if you miss the gameplay of Hades, you can bridge the time until the sequel with Realm of Ink. How well the full game can hold up against the indie hit will be shown with the still unknown release. If you are a fan of shooters, you can also check out Project Quarantine during the Steam Next Week: New shooter on Steam is like Escape from Tarkov, with a special difference
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
How you redeem the codes depends on whether you are using an iOS or Android device. With Android, you can easily redeem it in-game, while with iOS you have to take a detour.
On iOS: Since there is no corresponding field, you need to go through Niantic’s redemption website. You can now find it in the web store.
Log in with your account that you use for Pokémon GO
Enter the code
On Android: Here you simply need to switch to the shop section in the game. There, scroll down until you reach the “Promos” field. You can enter and redeem the code there.
Note: Some players report that it took a while for the items to arrive after redemption. So don’t be surprised if it doesn’t land directly with you. If you want to check whether the code has worked for you, look in your journal in Pokémon GO – it will be listed there.
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Pokémon GO shows the new season “Timeless Travels” in the trailer
What’s else going on in Pokémon GO? February has begun, bringing the first major event date in the event calendar with the Lunar New Year event. This revolves around dragon Pokémon and a global challenge that is still ongoing.
Here, all trainers worldwide need to collect one billion good throws to unlock further bonuses. When this will happen remains to be seen – just over 800 million good throws have been made so far. And if you want to know what else is upcoming: You can find all events in February 2024 for Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In MMORPGs conflicts arise repeatedly. A player in WoW is now venting his frustration, as he feels treated unfairly after 19 years, and this only happened because Blizzard fired all Game Masters in World of Warcraft in the last wave of layoffs.
What is the player proud of?
On reddit a player shares that he is autistic, has Asperger’s and is extremely mindful to be as nice as possible in every video game he plays and to behave appropriately to everyone.
He has been playing WoW since 2005 and it is his favorite game in the world. He has never had any trouble in any game ever, not even a warning. You can tell how important his clean record is to him.
But now it has received a stain and he finds that unacceptable.
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WoW: Where does the Murloc gurgle come from?
Raid leader called healer “retarded” – The proud player did not tolerate this
Why did he get in trouble? The player recounts that he was in a raid for Heroic Fyrakk and was helping a guild there.
The second healer messed up the boss fight multiple times and was publicly berated by the raid and guild leader. His own guild leader even called the second healer “retarded” – in English, that is a taboo word.
Our healer felt personally attacked by this, refused to press “Ready” for the next pull, called the raid leader an asshole, and told the second healer to leave and not to put up with such treatment.
Guild leader abused automated system for a warning
This was the consequence: Suddenly, a pop-up appeared for our healer, saying he had been warned by Blizzard for “bad behavior” and that this could lead to a ban.
As the healer later found out, the raid leader had encouraged all members to report the healer because it would be “funny.”
All good Game Masters replaced by a terrible system
This is what the player says: He is beside himself on reddit about the warning, this stain on his clean record. He himself wrote a ticket and also spoke with a support staff member, who explained to him that he was rightly warned for calling the raid leader an asshole.
In hindsight, the hero of our story feels a bit sorry for that – just a tiny bit. But it is still not fair.
He is very disappointed with the current state of affairs and says: Blizzard should get their game in order. In all these 19 years as a player, this has never happened to him, and he has met many toxic players.
With the new system, toxicity has completely spiraled out of control. In the past, during the Cataclysm times, this never happened. But Blizzard decided to fire all the good Game Masters and replace them with a terrible automated system just to save money.
How is this being commented on? With a lot of sympathy. Players apparently understand him immediately, confirming him to be a “good guy” with integrity, who has clearly experienced an injustice. The raid members who reported him are also considered assholes. Such people deserve to be banned.
Players then directly recommend that he contact one of the showcases at Blizzard, who they trust to clarify the situation.
