The wait is almost over: On November 8, 2023, the American developer studio Rockstar Games announced that the reveal of their next game is imminent. A first trailer is expected to be released in early December. To shorten the wait, Rockstar decided to share a playlist featuring the most iconic songs from past installments.
What’s the situation? The hype for the next installment of the legendary GTA series is immense. No wonder, as the release of the last main game was ten years ago. That’s right, GTA 5 was released on September 17, 2013, for PS3 and Xbox 360, with the PC version following two years late. Since then, every piece of information has been closely analyzed by players. Just in September, we reported on a video leak that caused excitement.
Those who want to catch up on Part 3, “Vice City” and “San Andreas” can do so with “GTA: The Trilogy”:
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GTA: The Trilogy – Trailer finally shows how the remaster will look – graphics comparison
You can already get in the mood
A hallmark of the GTA series is the radio stations that musically accompany a drive through the various cities of Los Santos, Vice City, or San Andreas. Almost all tastes are catered to. From hip-hop to rock, jazz, funk, or reggae, many different genres are included. And for those who want more, you can at least import your own music into the game on PC.
Rockstar knows about the popularity of their radio stations. Probably for this reason, the developer studio has now released a Spotify playlist with 100 songs from past games. According to Rockstar, the selection of songs is based on one’s own Spotify listening preferences, so it may not look exactly the same for all players. Through the link in the official X post, you can go directly to your personal playlist:
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In my case, I can shorten the wait for the trailer with classics like “Tainted Love,” “Five to One,” or “Personal Jesus.” And there are also some forgotten gems included. Although the full 100 songs won’t quite fill the remaining days until the release of the trailer, at least around seven hours will pass.
The trailer, which is expected to be released in early December, is just the beginning. The more pressing question is about the actual release of the game. There are no official statements from Rockstar regarding this. Only a statement from the publisher Take Two raises eyebrows: According to the company, they expect a revenue of $8 billion by the fiscal year 2025, meaning the period between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. This incredible number can hardly be achieved with any game other than GTA 6.
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 there are many attachments that players can equip. However, one modification is so unfair that players have little chance against it in battles. They are annoyed and do not want such things in the game.
Which attachment is it? In Modern Warfare 3, there is a modification you have probably encountered in one match or another, and that is the hollow point ammunition. If the term means nothing to you, you probably know about its effects, as it blinds and slows you down when you are hit by it.
It sounds powerful and in the right hands, it is. Players feel helpless when facing such an enemy, and frustration quickly turns to anger, which is vented on social networks like Reddit. Players even demand a nerf, but is the modification really that bad?
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The new CoD MW3 presents itself with shooter action in the new multiplayer trailer
A small flash grenade in every shot
Why is the attachment so unfair? The hollow point ammunition has two functions:
Slow down the opponent
Blind the opponent
So if you are hit by the bullet, the hit acts like a small flash grenade that robs you of your orientation and makes you easier prey. A Reddit user shows in a video how bad the effect actually is:
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However, there is one thing you need to pay attention to, and that is how you activate the effect of the ammunition: It is only triggered when you shoot your enemy in the legs first. So if a skilled player uses this ammunition with tactical approach, you are definitely at a disadvantage in the fight.
Is a nerf possible? Although the ammunition is annoying and has a much too strong effect, a nerf is very unlikely. Even in multiplayer matches, there are too few players using this ammunition in a 6vs.6 match, so they are mostly isolated cases for good reason.
The ammunition reduces your penetration power and also makes you feel like there’s a much stronger recoil, which could determine life and death in a fight. It is therefore advisable to use recoil-reducing attachments and rely on meta builds.
Moreover, activating the effect is far too cumbersome. In heated battles, hardly anyone sits down and tries to shoot the legs first. That would take time and increase your TTK, which poses a much too great risk in combat. One might think that the ammunition is a secret tip for players who still need to work on their aiming accuracy.
What do you think of the ammunition? Have you already been taken out by it, or do you use it yourself? Let us know in the comments!
The new, legendary axe in World of Warcraft is quite powerful. But one class is likely to benefit from it much more than others.
With the end of the “World First Race” in World of Warcraft, a new legendary weapon has also been revealed. “Fyr’alath the Dreamrender” is a two-handed axe designed for strength characters – namely warriors, paladins, and death knights. Although a few details about the weapon are still uncertain, it already seems clear that one specialization will particularly benefit from the weapon: the blood death knight.
Here you see the trailer for the current patch:
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WoW: Guardians of the Dream – Launch Trailer
What makes the weapon so powerful? Fyr’alath not only has extremely high stats, but also devastating bonus effects. The weapon applies an additional damage-over-time effect to all targets hit, which ticks on the target for 15 seconds. These effects can be consumed to further increase the damage of the usage ability, which already deals around 500,000 damage.
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Why is the legendary so good for death knight tanks? The fact that blood death knights will benefit massively from Fyr’alath is due to the fact that blood death knights are the only tanks that can use Fyr’alath – all other tank classes use one-handed weapons and thus cannot use the axe for tanking at all.
At the same time, Fyr’alath helps mitigate a weakness of the death knight, namely its low mobility. The “usage” abilities of Fyr’alath allow it to allegedly “rush towards a target and deal massive damage over a duration of 3 seconds.” Although the exact extent (such as distance) of this charge attack is not yet known, it is likely to mean a clear boost for death knights.
What does this mean for other tanks? Even though most tanks currently stand quite solidly in the season, this could lead to a change in perception in the long term. In the past, individual tanks have repeatedly been neglected by the community and, for example, found it hard to find groups in high-level “M+” dungeons.
Since only one tank class is able to use the new legendary and benefit massively from it, blood death knights probably don’t have to worry – all others will likely hope that they won’t fall out of favor with players as the season progresses.
What is your opinion on the new legendary axe? A cool thing? Or unfair that only one tank can have it?
The Pokémon community has probably been creating their own monsters since the beginning of the game series. However, a new legendary Pokémon arose from a TikTok video full of swim rings, which has captured the hearts of fans.
What is Regitube? In a TikTok video, the company The Tube Shack posts a video showing a person putting on many blue swim rings and moving in the homemade armor. The video, with 3.8 million views, is a viral hit, and the comments are full of comparisons to Pokémon, especially to the Regis.
The legendary Regis have been part of the games since Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and have irregularly gained new additions. Most recently in Pokémon Sword and Shield with Regieleki and Regidrago. The video inspired the community to a new addition named Regitube.
In the community, the new Pokémon has been warmly received, and artworks in classic Pokémon style were created. The Pokémon has even been modeled by fans for a Pokémon game and transported into the remakes of Diamond and Pearl, with its own boss music and a Regi-typical scream:
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If many fans are already dissatisfied with the official Pokémon designs, then community-created fake Pokémon brighten the everyday life for many and stimulate fans’ imagination. Regitube shows how the community collaborates even on silly stories like the creation of a swim ring Pokémon.
However, among fans of the trading card game, no harmony is guaranteed when it comes to rare specimens:
An English Twitch streamer completed the Player of the Month SBC for Kylian Mbappe, only to shortly after pull an even better version of the Frenchman in FC 24. However, the pack from the Ultimate Team shop had another surprise in store, turning the few minutes into an emotional rollercoaster.
This is the situation:
Kylian Mbappe received a POTM (Player of the Month) card with improved stats due to his outstanding performances in the French Ligue 1. The special version has been available since November 22 in FC 24 Ultimate Team.
The content creator RubanACR completed the SBC for the PSG star, which is the most expensive one of the year at around 3.85 million, live on Twitch.
Shortly after, the Englishman opened a promo pack from the shop and was horrified to pull an untradeable Trailblazer version of Kylian Mbappe, which is even slightly stronger due to the better playstyle. This rendered the nearly four million coins previously invested obsolete.
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EA Sports FC 24: Update teaser for the UEFA Euro 2024
Ruban could hardly believe what happened and humorously recapped the “Mbappe incident” on platform X in a short clip. The video quickly gained attention and became a viral hit within the FC 24 community.
Streamer pleads before opening: Just no second Mbappe
How did the opening go? The video showcases even more facets of the already incredible event due to probabilities, making the situation even more absurd.
On one hand, the content creator was already thinking about the consequences of a possible second Mbappe before opening the pack. In fact, he even prayed to EA Sports not to send him a second Mbappe. Instead, he hoped for a Trailblazer Ronaldo.
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The pack itself seemed to want to heighten the tension further. Based on the large preview board, it could be guessed that both a Trailblazer and a PSG card would be included – or in the case of Mbappe Trailblazer, perhaps both together.
But instead of showing the French superstar, the pack revealed the Thunderstruck promo card of the player Katoto, who is under contract with PSG Female.
With the words “Oh my God, oh my God, I just had a heart attack”, Ruban initially commented on his relief, only to then be caught by reality. Because shortly after, Mbappe also strolled across the screen.
The emotional rollercoaster had reached its peak, and the four million coins seemed completely wasted.
Anyone still looking to keep the chance for the Trailblazer version of Kylian Mbappe has until next Friday to pull him during the Black Friday promo. A good opportunity for this is the 83+ x10 pack.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The developers of Baldur’s Gate 3 have announced the new Patch 5. This is supposed to finally fix a bug that has been preventing players from finishing the game since the last patch. However, fans are demanding more; they really want a romance with a dark Drow.
This is the new patch:
Larian Studios has announced on X, formerly Twitter, the Patch 5 for “this week”. A specific date is still pending.
The core content is supposed to be fixing a bug that has hindered players mainly in Act 3. Since Patch 4 from early November, there have been lags that have completely stalled the game.
What was the problem? Larian shared a statement explaining exactly what happened in Patch 4 (via Reddit). A change was introduced there that causes you to be immediately caught stealing in Act 2.
Certain enemies in Act 2 could catch you while stealing and committing other crimes, even if you were supposed to be hidden. The fix tried to keep track of exactly what you were stealing or where you were vandalizing – everything that guards would normally hold you accountable for.
The problem here was that these observations kept piling up like a book that’s continuously filling up. Ultimately, it simply led to a flood, around the middle of Act 3 – from there, the game just couldn’t handle it anymore.
The overloaded memory caused companions to not follow you, saves to not work, and actions to not be executed. Baldur’s Gate 3 was not completable for many players.
If you still don’t want to stop stealing, here are some tips on carrying capacity:
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3 Tips to Reduce Your Carrying Weight in Baldur’s Gate 3
“When will the fix for Minthara finally come?”
Users on Reddit are amused that the punishment for stealing is being unable to finish the game. Apparently, almost every player in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a thief, as nearly everyone has been affected by the bug.
However, there are calls for further bug fixes on both X and Reddit under the respective posts about the patch. Frequently mentioned: the still buggy romance with the evil Drow Minthara.
Minthara is one of the possible companions, but most of you will never see her. Because unless you are evil, you can hardly recruit her. And in any case, you have to forgo Halsin.
At the moment, it’s not worth pursuing a romance with Minthara. Because her affection and dialogues are still incomplete. Players are even waiting with their “Dark Urge” runs until they finally want to flirt with the Drow.
Currently, there is still no information about what other bugs will be fixed. The patch notes are not yet complete. However, it is unlikely that Larian would communicate a fix for Minthara directly.
Users remind that you should disable all mods on Steam on patch day until they have been updated. Otherwise, there could be issues.
The developers have already revealed that they are working on new features for Baldur’s Gate 3. However, we do not yet know what exactly is planned; information on this will come in the next community update. Until then, you can already look forward to a new RPG:
Cornucopias is a new MMO that showcases some images from its Pre-Alpha development in a new trailer. In addition to beautiful landscapes, players can now also see the first character models and a bit of gameplay.
What is it about? The surface of the Earth has become almost uninhabitable for humans in the future.
Through newly discovered technology that allows the use of “anti-gravity,” the idea for “Sky Domes” was born. These float above the Earth’s atmosphere, and within them, 12 different zones were created, inspired by various cultures and periods of world history.
In Cornucopias, you can casually engage in the activities that this new world has to offer.
In the latest trailer, you not only get to see beautiful landscapes but also some first characters and a bit of gameplay:
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Cornucopia’s Trailer with Gameplay
What does the trailer show? The latest trailer is a beautiful mix of the graphically really impressive landscapes, a bit of gameplay, and the developers themselves playing their game.
You get a really good impression of the different areas that await you in Cornucopias. In addition to vibrant areas with large forests, rivers, and lakes, you can expect desert areas, mountains, a big city, and mines.
When is it coming out? There is no release date for Cornucopias yet. Since the game is in the Pre-Alpha development phase, this likely means that it will take some time.
Cornucopias showcases first character models in small gameplay snippets
For the first time, the character models of the game can be seen in a trailer. They are also quite recognizable and visually fit well into the realistically designed world.
What the small gameplay snippets also show is that you can work in these mines to gather materials and resources. Because even though not much is revealed in the trailer, the new MMO promises many popular features.
You should have the opportunity to gather resources, build, fish, explore the open world, fly around, or plant things.
The developers also promise PvE and PvP battles. However, how these will look remains unclear from the current trailer.
However, the trailer gives a first glimpse of one of the main features of the game. In space races, you can compete against other players. For this, you either control a small shuttle or, as seen in the trailer, a flying motorcycle.
Today, on November 28, 2023, the Spotlight Hour featuring Ferkuli starts in Pokémon GO. We will show you everything about Shiny, bonuses, and times for the event.
What kind of event is this? Tuesday is the day in Pokémon GO when a Spotlight Hour always takes place. In the evening, the event is active for 60 minutes and puts a Pokémon selected by Niantic in the spotlight along with a bonus. The combination of monster and bonus changes every week.
During today’s Spotlight Hour, you will encounter the Pokémon Ferkuli from the ninth generation. It is a Normal type and can evolve into Fragrunz.
Spotlight Hour on November 28 – Start, Shiny, and Bonuses
When does it start? As always, the Spotlight Hour begins at 6:00 PM. The event will last for one hour, and by 7:00 PM, everything should return to normal.
What bonuses are there? During the event time, you will find the Pokémon Ferkuli significantly more often in the wild. It will encounter you at nearly every corner.
In addition, you will earn double experience points for catching Pokémon.
Today marks the last Spotlight Hour in November. You can see which Pokémon appeared there so far:
Can you catch Shiny Ferkuli? Yes, the shiny version of Ferkuli is already active in the game and can be caught by you. However, be aware that the chances are not increased during Spotlight Hours. So, you will need a lot of luck if you want to encounter the shiny version of Ferkuli.
Is the Spotlight Hour worth it today? Unfortunately, Ferkuli and its evolution Fragrunz are not suitable as fighters. They are more for filling your PokéDex or collection. Practically, the Spotlight Hour today is useful if you want to earn experience points quickly, as there will be many Pokémon to catch in the wild.
That this is “more than just a game” for everyone involved can clearly be heard in the screams that erupt when the boss is finally taken down.
These so-called “Nerd Screams” are always a popular conclusion to the race. After all, the professionals often play at full concentration for days or weeks, deep into the night, to snag the first place – just like this time.
Fyrakk falls and 25 people go wild
You can watch how the players “escalate” when Fyrakk is finally defeated after over 300 attempts and thus secures the title of “World First” in the “Room Reaction” below:
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Generally, this race is likely to go down in the history of World of Warcraft as one of the most exciting. Both Echo and the American competitors from Team Liquid had previously achieved a wipe at 1.7% of the remaining hit points on Fyrakk – just about 15-20 seconds away from the actual kill. Therefore, the victory could have gone to either of the two guilds at any moment.
Not only the active players themselves but also the commentators and the crew in the production room are passionately invested. Here, headsets are ripped off heads, people jump on each other, and they scream uncontrollably – but beware, it’s very loud:
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Even though it may remain hard for some to understand how one can get so worked up “over a video game,” it is simply beautiful to see the energy and passion with which all the involved guilds participate in this race.
Albus Dumbledore, primarily known as Harry’s headmaster, is undoubtedly one of the most powerful wizards in the magical world of Harry Potter. Throughout his long life, he accomplished many extraordinary things. But what were Dumbledore’s greatest achievements?
Spoiler Warning: This section naturally contains a lot of spoilers for all parts of Harry Potter.
Who is Albus Dumbledore?
The half-blood wizard with the full name Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was the headmaster of Hogwarts during Harry’s time and is regarded as one of the greatest wizards of modern times.
He faced losses early on. When he was very young, his father died in the wizard prison Azkaban. Later, he also lost his mother and sister.
At the time of his death, Dumbledore was already 115 years old.
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Here you can see the trailer for the mobile game “Harry Potter: Magic Awakened”
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Harry Potter: Magic Awakened – Official Gameplay Trailer
6. Extraordinary Alliances
Albus Dumbledore was not only skilled at forming alliances among wizards (more on that later). He also earned the respect of some magical “creatures”.
The proud centaurs, who have the upper body of a human and the body of a horse, are not particularly fond of wizards. This is also true for the herd living in the Forbidden Forest next to Hogwarts. However, they respected Dumbledore and even appeared at his funeral.
He also maintained a good relationship with the quirky merpeople living in the lake on the Hogwarts grounds. He mastered their language – Mermish – and collaborated with the lake inhabitants for the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. They too paid tribute to the headmaster after his passing.
5. Work at the Ministry of Magic
The extraordinary power and wisdom of Dumbledore did not go unnoticed by the Ministry of Magic.
He was Chief Warlock of the “Wizarding Court,” the highest court within the wizarding community. The Chief Warlock presides over this court and leads all proceedings.
He also worked as a “very important person.” This somewhat odd-sounding title describes the chair of the “Council of Wizards.” This council, in turn, is the board of the “International Confederation of Wizards,” a sort of international umbrella organization for magical nations.
In short, Dumbledore was also very prominent on an international level.
He could have further expanded his political career. He was offered the position of Minister of Magic three times but always declined.
4. Magical Research
Dragon’s blood is an important substance in Dumbledore’s research.
Dumbledore enriched the wizarding community multiple times with his inventiveness.
Probably best known is his discovery of the twelve uses of dragon’s blood. This substance is particularly good for use as an oven cleaner, stain remover, and for wart healing.
One invention that later played a significant role in the story of Harry Potter is the Deluminator. This device, which resembles a lighter, can remove light and later return it to its source.
Additionally, Dumbledore developed a way to use the “Patronus Charm” as a means of communication. This allowed for secure communication during the war against Voldemort.
Last but not least, Dumbledore was also very gifted in the field of alchemy and made significant contributions to the advancement of the field. He even worked with Nicolas Flamel, a true legend. Flamel is considered the only wizard who successfully created the Philosopher’s Stone and achieved immortality.
3. Founding the “Order of the Phoenix”
The Order of the Phoenix on a joint mission.
During the “First Wizarding War,” Voldemort recruited an army of Death Eaters to seize power. To prevent this, Dumbledore decided to form a counter-movement and founded the “Order of the Phoenix.”
Without this group of witches and wizards under the leadership of Albus Dumbledore, Voldemort would likely never have been stopped.
2. Work at Hogwarts
Starting as a professor for “Defense Against the Dark Arts,” later for Transfiguration, and finally as headmaster of Hogwarts – especially in his later years, Dumbledore’s passion was particularly focused on the education of young witches and wizards.
Thanks to his presence, Hogwarts was long considered the safest place of all. Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort ever truly feared.
For many, Dumbledore was the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen. His work at the wizarding school is undoubtedly one of the greatest achievements of his life.
1. Victory over Grindelwald
Grindelwald, portrayed here by Mads Mikkelsen, was a close friend of Dumbledore’s.
Few duels are as legendary as the confrontation between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald in 1945. With his victory, through which he also obtained the Elder Wand, Dumbledore entered wizarding history.
This required not only extraordinary power. He also had to overcome his personal conflicts, as the two had once shared a close friendship.
For his extraordinary victory, Dumbledore received the “Order of Merlin, First Class,” an award for significant acts of bravery.
Bonus: Chocolate Frog Card
With all these great achievements, it is only right that Dumbledore also received his own chocolate frog card. The popular collectible cards feature the most famous and legendary witches and wizards in the world of Harry Potter.
When the Ministry of Magic considered withdrawing the “Order of Merlin” to discredit Dumbledore, his only concern was that they might also remove his chocolate frog card.
For him, his sweets were simply more important than any honor the Ministry could bestow upon him.
When one thinks of powerful families in Harry Potter, the Weasleys are probably not the first that come to mind. The redheads are primarily known for their courage and loving family life.
But some of the Weasleys should not be underestimated. In the power ranking, we considered which family member is the most powerful:
After insider information has already caused unrest in the Destiny 2 community, Bungie has now officially confirmed that the original release date for the upcoming DLC The Final Shape cannot be met. MeinMMO tells you what has been announcedand how they plan to bridge the time.
This is now official: At the end of October, there were reports from insider gaming journalist Jason Schreier that Bungie will likely have to postpone its last DLC of the “Light and Darkness” saga by several months. What was initially just a rumor has now been officially confirmed by the developer.
Instead of releasing on February 27, 2024, the DLC The Final Shape will now be released in June 2024.
Bungie shared the following with players:
The Final Shape is the final chord of the first ten years of the Destiny story and the countless hours that Guardians have spent together. We want to honor this journey and thus take the time we need to realize an even greater and bolder vision that will hopefully remain in memory for many years to come.
In doing so, Bungie confirmed what many players had already hoped. They will take more time for The Final Shape to ensure that they meet the expectations that the Destiny 2 community deserves.
However, written communication was not the only method used. Game Director Joe Blackburn also personally addressed the Guardians in a video to directly inform them about the postponement. He also revealed details about what the team will be working on from now until June.
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This is the roadmap until June 2024: For the Guardians, the postponement means not only a longer wait for the last DLC of the saga about the Traveler and Darkness. It also means that a long period is now ahead, during which there will probably be little to do.
However, Bungie has already shared a rough roadmap of what will happen in these months.
The Season of Wishes will begin as planned on November 28, 2023, and will last until June when The Final Shape is released.
The majority of the seasonal content and story in the Season of Wishes will run as planned from late November to late February.
Starting in February 2024, there will be new weekly quests based on your progress, called Wishes, as well as the introduction of Triumph moments with unique rewards.
The Guardian Games will be moved to March 2024 and will focus more on the competition class versus class.
In April, there will be a two-month content update called Destiny 2: Into the Light to prepare all Guardians for the journey to the Traveler.
In May 2024, as planned, the PvP strike team update will also be released, which will include three new PvP maps for players to discover.
What awaits in The Final Shape you can see here:
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Destiny 2: The Final Shape – The last DLC of the first saga
The developers conclude their message with a thank you to the community, as well as a request to continue supporting them during this delay. The journey may take longer than expected, but Bungie assures the Guardians that the wait will be worth it when The Final Shape finally sees the light of day in June 2024.
In April 2024, the Guardians will get their first look at brand new gameplay for the DLC when Bungie presents the new content that is still in development.
What do you think about Bungie’s decision to postpone The Final Shape to June 2024? Are you ready to wait longer for a high-quality gaming experience? Or is the official confirmation now a valid reason for you to leave the game for good? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
A computer science student has managed to make an ancient scroll readable. He used a 6-year-old Nvidia graphics card for this. This GTX 1070 can currently be purchased second-hand for around 100 euros. The prize money for his work amounts to a hefty 36,500 euros.
Through the discovery of millennia-old treasures, we learn a lot about life in the ancient era. In 1750, there was such a find in Italy. However, at that time, some of the discovered scrolls were carelessly opened and forever destroyed. Now, those that were not opened back then are being examined.
The scrolls were completely carbonized due to a volcanic eruption. Only a few years ago, with today’s technology, an X-ray method was developed to digitize the scrolls. Words, let alone entire texts, could not be deciphered using this method.
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Nvidia GTX 1070 and AI technology make student 36,500 euros richer
What is it about? In the Vesuvius Challenge, participants have been invited to decipher ancient scrolls from the Roman Empire. These 2000-year-old scrolls were heavily carbonized during a volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. In the attempt to open the parchment, they would be completely destroyed. The only way to read the content is to digitize them.
This has now been achieved by Luke Farritor, a 21-year-old computer science student. He used the computing power of an old Nvidia GTX 1070 graphics card for this. The card was originally released in 2016 and is currently traded second-hand for around 100 euros.
How did the student go about it? The student used an X-ray scan of the scroll as a basis. To make the ink on the papyrus visible, he employed an AI-based learning model. The calculations were in turn carried out by the graphics card.
In this way, he was able to identify the word ‘πορφυρας’. This means something like ‘purple dye’ or ‘violet cloths’. Luke Farritor submitted the results of his work for verification. After successful confirmation by a team of developers and papyrologists, he was rewarded with a prize of about 36,500 euros.
Why is there this competition? X-ray scans of the scrolls have already been created. The ink on the scrolls is carbon-based, just like the papyrus used. This means that the ink provides too low an X-ray contrast. The words written with the ink cannot be deciphered.
Under the leadership of Nat Friedman, the former CEO of GitHub, the Vesuvius Challenge was launched. The competition is funded through private donations. The prize money is structured in different tiers. The more words are discovered, the greater the reward for the discoverer. Details can be found on scrollprize.org.
Are there other winners? Yes, in the meantime, other participants have also been successful. They were able to read individual words using other digital methods. The prize money paid out here was significantly lower, at around 9,100 euros, compared to Luke Farritor’s total.
The grand prize of nearly 640,000 euros has, however, still not been claimed by anyone. To do so, at least four separate passages with continuous and plausible text must be deciphered. Each passage must also be at least 140 characters long.
Tom Cruise is one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Some even see him as one of the last great Hollywood actors. Not least due to his membership in Scientology, he is also often criticized.
What is the situation? Both are stars in their own leagues: Tom Cruise is currently one of the most popular actors worldwide. Especially due to his great passion and dedication to projects like the action spectacle “Top Gun 2: Maverick,” he is considered alongside directors like Christopher Nolan a savior of cinema in its classic form. However, he is best known for his involvement in the “Mission Impossible” series, whose latest installment can already be streamed.
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German trailer for Mission Impossible 7 – Dead Reckoning Part One
Lisa Marie Presley, on the other hand, initially became known through her famous father, the “King” Elvis himself, before she made a name for herself as a singer. Throughout her career, she released three studio albums and a number of singles and was also charitable for the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation. Lisa Marie Presley passed away in January 2023 after a cardiac arrest.
The two met 20 years ago
Both Cruise and Presley are or were members of Scientology. The movement is discussed very critically internationally. In Germany, it has been monitored by the Constitutional Protection Agency since 1997, with a report from 2016 stating:
The SO (Scientology Organization) aims for a society without general and equal elections and rejects the democratic legal system.
Nevertheless, several renowned stars are still members of Scientology today, some of whom do not make it a secret. Just like Lisa Marie Presley or Tom Cruise.
In an interview shortly before her death, Presley spoke about a meeting with Cruise that took place about twenty years ago. Although she did not explain what exactly happened at the meeting, she drew an unmistakable conclusion:
I really hate Tom. I met him 20 years ago. I said that I never want to be in a room with him again.
So there must have been a clash between the two stars. However, Presley got along much better with John Travolta, another very well-known Scientology member. It was he who allegedly persuaded Lisa Marie and her mother to join the organization.
However, Presley left Scientology in 2014. She believed that her widely famous name, as well as her fortune, were being used by the organization’s leadership for self-promotion.
Even Tom Cruise seems to be a report by the Mirror indicates a member no longer as loyal. He had been absent from the British Scientology headquarters for almost three years. This circumstance led to the assumption that he was slowly distancing himself from the organization. He would not be the first. Other celebrities like Brad Pitt or Will Smith have left Scientology after years of membership.
In his latest “Reaction” to the making-of of 7 vs. Wild Season 3, format founder Fritz Meinecke (34) voices sharp criticism. In the “Behind the Scenes,” things are misrepresented and beautified.
Which format is being discussed? Even before the YouTube launch of Season 3 of 7 vs. Wild, there is the series “Behind the Scenes” where fans get insights behind the scenes. In the current episode of the format, it is about the arrival of the participants and the crisis that almost led to the cancellation of Season 3.
On the weekend, the inventor of the series, Fritz Meinecke, released his React to the behind-the-scenes look. However, he disagrees with the representation.
One of the participants in Season 3 is Twitch streamer Jens “Knossi” Knossalla. You can see more about him in our video.
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From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi
Fritz Meinecke: “That’s just factually a lie”
What did Fritz Meinecke claim was misrepresented? Fritz Meinecke states in his React that he was told from the very beginning that the participating teams could make a campfire there normally. A permit from the First Nations, who own the land where the shooting took place, was supposedly available.
In the making-of for Season 3, however, it was stated that they always wanted to use a so-called Bush Box. A Bush Box is a type of fire bowl that makes a controlled fire easier.
“That’s a complete lie and misinformation.”
Fritz Meinecke
According to Meinecke, the changes in the laws are not the reason for the Bush Box. According to Meinecke, the production company did not obtain the said permit in writing, and the First Nations then changed their opinion.
Why are there so many problems with the production this year? According to an entry in the commercial register, Fritz Meinecke sold the brand 7 vs. Wild to “CaliVision”. This step, according to a statement video by Fritz Meinecke some time ago, was taken because the pressure and costs of production were no longer manageable.
To enable fans and himself to have a third season, he made this decision. Meinecke claims to be 99% a participant and has almost no decision-making power over the series. Fritz Meinecke is not the only one who expressed such negative views about the production; Papaplatte would also “under no circumstances” participate again in 7 vs. Wild.
Here you can watch the complete React to the “Behind the Scenes”
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This important moment is missing in the “Behind the Scenes” The “7 vs. Wild founder” is visibly astonished in the React about the representation of events and the timeline shown in the making-of. He misses the so-called fire briefing, which took place before the events shown in the video and was the actual trigger for the crisis.
“There is now the fire briefing. And then we are shown a gas grill. With gas cartridge, with orange tarp, is spread out to us and we are explained how it works.”
At this moment, Fritz and his teammate Survival Mattin thought it was all a joke. But the sobering realization came quickly, the gas grill was the only solution to make fire, as a grill is legally not an open flame.
How did the two-time 7 vs. Wild winner react to the gas grill? Fritz Meinecke was appalled, as he reveals in the React. He simply refused to start the new season with a gas grill. According to his statement, this led to the meeting shown in the video, where a postponement of the suspension by one day was suggested. During that time, they wanted to find an alternative solution.
Which item was not shown? Because open fire was not possible at the filming location, the teams ultimately received a set of items to ensure a safe fire. According to Fritz Meinecke, the making-of of the successful series, however, lacks fire starters, which all teams had in their fire kit without their prior knowledge. A solution was thus chosen bypassing the candidates, which diminishes the true character of the survival show.
The Realm Online delighted many fans of the MMORPG genre for 27 years, but the servers were shut down in June 2023. Now the game returns with a new team.
What is The Realm Online?
The Realm Online has been around since 1996 for PC. Even before the term MMORPG was established, the game was developed by Sierra Entertainment.
The servers were shut down in June 2023. At that time, the rights to the game were still held by Norseman Games. Realm Worlds LLC, which was responsible for development at that time, wanted to take over the IP, but negotiations failed.
Fortunately, another interested party has emerged: The IP was sold to Virtual World Holdings, who are now giving the game a second life. The servers were turned back on on November 24, 2023.
There are other MMORPGs that have been around for more than 20 years. MeinMMO introduces them to you in a video:
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3 MMORPGs that are still played a lot even 20 years after release
What changes are there? The biggest novelty is the new server (via realmserver.com). In addition to the Free-to-Play server Despothes Grove, there is also the server Mabons Gamble. For this server, you have to pay a monthly fee, which can be paid as follows:
1 month: 4.49 US Dollars
3 months: 12.74 US Dollars
6 months: 23.99 US Dollars
1 year: 44.99 US Dollars
On the server, there are some changes compared to the normal server. For example, there is a new system with ‘Mastery Points’. Using skills increases the ‘Precision Points’ related to the skill.
Furthermore, a new zone event system has been added. The event supports experience points, kills, and item collection for the entire community. You can imagine these events like the events from Guild Wars 2. In such an event, players attempted to lose.
Additionally, many balance adjustments have been made. The complete list can be found in the post from the responsible parties on November 20, 2023.
In future updates, an increase in the maximum level, a modification of the crafting system, and additional quality-of-life features are planned. For the development team, the pay-to-play server is intended to ensure the long-term existence of the MMORPG.
If you are a fan of old-school MMORPGs, you can initially test the free server to see if the game is for you. If you like the title, it is still possible to join the paid server and benefit from the new features.
Rebel Moon – Part 1: Child of Fire will soon premiere on Netflix, a massive sci-fi production by director Zack Snyder. In addition to a standard version, there will also be a more brutal version.
What is Rebel Moon – Part 1: Child of Fire about? The orphan Kora lives in an idyllic place on the edge of the galaxy until the colony is occupied one day by the ruler Balisarius and his soldiers.
Kora won’t sit idly by and embarks on a journey to hire fighters: she declares war on the Empire.
The project, with an estimated budget of $166 million, aims to establish a huge sci-fi franchise that will include not just films, but stories in all formats (via Vanity Fair). Series, books, comics, and games are planned.
Here you can see a trailer for Rebel Moon:
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Rebel Moon – Teil 1: Kind des Feuers | Offizieller Trailer von Netflix
“A R-rated sci-fi film of this scale should not exist”
The two parts of the sci-fi epic Rebel Moon are rated PG-13 in the United States, and in Germany, the films will likely be released with a rating of FSK 12. However, director Zack Snyder has always planned an additional version for both parts: an R-rated version.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the director spoke about the different versions and said:
“I am very proud of the version rated 13 and up, which is the version for a broader audience, because I would say it really covers a great, timeless, mythological framework.”
However, he also wants to ensure that audiences do not miss out on the more adult version, stating: “What we did with the other version is funny and subversive because a sci-fi film with a rating of this scale should not exist.”
In addition to more violence, the alternative version will also provide more insights into the film universe with additional scenes. It will last an hour longer than the standard version.
When does Rebel Moon premiere on Netflix? Starting December 22, 2023, you can watch the first part of the sci-fi series on Netflix. Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scar Maker will follow next year, on April 19, 2024.
When exactly the R-rated version of the two films will be released is still unknown.
Fantasy fans can also rejoice. Because on Netflix, not only is a new season of The Sandman coming, but also another series set in the same comic universe:
Higher, faster, further – this also applies in Pokémon GO. A player recently collected over 500,000 XP in one hour – without friendship level.
9439 XP – per minute? That is the insane average that a Pokémon GO player achieved over 60 minutes, thus collecting the impressive amount of 566,340 XP in one hour.
How did he do it? Every Tuesday, between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM, a spotlight hour takes place in Pokémon GO. In this hour, there is a Pokémon that appears more frequently and an additional bonus is activated.
This can be, for example, double stardust for catching Pokémon or double candies for sending Pokémon – or even double XP for evolving Pokémon. As in this case.
This spotlight hour bonus was exploited by Reddit user Jimby_E to make a big step towards level 46. As he reports on Reddit, he had previously caught all Pokémon that can be evolved with a small amount of candies solely using Razz Berries.
As examples, he mentions monsters like Gastly, Pidgey, and Wurmple. He tagged all these Pokémon and saved them for this spotlight hour. He also tagged and saved Pokémon for which he had collected enough candies and that he had not yet evolved, in order to take advantage of the bonus for first-time evolving Pokémon.
He then activated a lucky egg at the start of the spotlight hour and after 30 minutes each time, to combine the experience bonus from the lucky eggs with that of the spotlight hour. With this double bonus, he evolved all tagged Pokémon, which earned him the impressive amount of 566,340 XP within 60 minutes.
According to his own statements, he now has 12,273,402 XP of the 15,500,000 XP required for level 46. So, he will still need one or two more spotlight hours to ultimately reach level 46.
What about you? Do you also use the spotlight hours with double experience in this way? And if so: what are your records within the 60 minutes?
This month there is still another spotlight hour upcoming: The one with Ferkuli, which thanks to the XP catch bonus is also a good chance to level up. All other events of November 2023 can be found here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The new survival game Nightingale is announced for early next year on Steam. In November, over 12,000 players explored the current version of the Victorian fantasy world in a closed playtest. Developer ‘Inflexion Games’ shares a recap with statistics and screenshots from the game.
What is Nightingale?
Nightingale is a survival crafting game in an open game world that can be played solo or with friends.
As a fearless ‘Realmwalker’, you explore the mysterious ‘Fae worlds’ presented in a Victorian style.
The game by ‘Inflexion Games’ is set to launch on February 22, 2024, on Steam.
Here you can see news about Nightingale from gamescom:
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Nightingale has good and bad news for you at gamescom
Who doesn’t love it? Character creation is essential for personal attachment to your own game character. The testers of Nightingale were pleased to have many options. In a blog post, “Inflexion Games” shares interesting numbers.
What do the statistics say?
On average, players spent almost 10 minutes in the character editor.
36 players took over 90 minutes.
One player managed to tinker with their character for over 8 hours.
The final balance showed: to create the over 11,500 characters, all players spent a whopping 2000 hours in the character editor.
Which heads were particularly popular is shown in an overview:
Statistics of character creation in Nightingale – https://playnightingale.com/news/playtest-summary-november-2023
What was particularly popular? Players spent the most time on the eyes. But an extraordinary detail was also very popular.
In Nightingale, it is indeed possible to give your character a metal tooth. A total of 3000 players used this feature. 309 ‘Realmwalkers’, as the adventurers in the world of Nightingale are called, went so far as to replace all their teeth with a shiny version.
The wild boars are on the loose
Of course, especially in the early stages of a game, bugs occur frequently. So it was in the current test of Nightingale.
Due to a bug, there were reportedly huge rushes of wild boars and wolves that players had to deal with. Over 60,000 animals were eliminated during the playtest, with wild boars being the most affected.
Due to a bug, players were surprised by hordes of wild boars.
However, most players fell victim to the wolves. Fortunately, you need not worry about being overwhelmed by unwanted wildlife at release. The bug has already been fixed.
What does the game look like otherwise? The game promises a visually impressive Victorian fantasy world. In screenshots, the test players show how they have experienced it.
‘Inflexion Games’ plans to release a video of the gameplay tests in November soon. Perhaps we will learn more about what to expect in Nightingale.
Even though you can spend a lot of time on character creation, in the end, it’s mainly about the actual gameplay.
In Nightingale, aside from the building system, the combat system is especially important. Here on MeinMMO, we show you what the gigantic boss fights look like:
A special axe in Baldur’s Gate 3 can only be obtained if Shadowheart does not accompany you. To even be able to see it, you must follow certain steps. For players, the axe Sethan is considered the “most missable weapon” in the entire game.
Spoiler warning: The unique axe is a hidden weapon that lies behind a small puzzle. If you want to puzzle it out yourself, you should not continue reading. Without a guide, the weapon is nearly impossible to find.
What kind of weapon is this?
Sethan is a +2 two-handed axe with corresponding damage: 1d12+2+Strength and the abilities you can execute with any axe.
In addition, there are special spells you learn by wielding the axe: Weapon of Faith (Axe) at level 6, as well as Reduce.
This is how you get Sethan: The axe is available only late in the game, in Act 3. There it is sold by Ferg Drogher in Rivington. He will only speak to you if you do not have Shadowheart in your party.
If the Shar cleric accompanies you, Ferg will immediately recognize her and want nothing to do with you. He disappears and does not reappear, making the weapon irretrievably lost. That alone is a hurdle since Shadowheart is one of the most popular companions.
On Reddit, the user Silver-Scion has outlined the exact steps you must follow to obtain Sethan:
As soon as you arrive in Rivington, send Shadowheart back to the camp, even if she complains.
Talk to Ferg and do not look at his goods. A bug may prevent you from seeing Sethan otherwise.
Ask Ferg where he gets his goods. You need to make a persuasion roll with DC 18 (which becomes a bit more difficult without Shadowheart).
Ask him to show you his (exotic) goods. You should now be able to buy Sethan.
In the comments, some users claim that you don’t necessarily have to send Shadowheart to the camp. It’s supposedly enough if she stands very, very far away. Furthermore, Ferg should also talk to you if you follow the “dark” path for Shadowheart and have let her ascend to the Dark Justiciar. If you want to be sure, you should still leave her in the camp.
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Baldur’s Gate 3: How to sell items to merchants at a profit
The “most missable weapon” in the game – How powerful is Sethan?
In terms of pure stats, Sethan is rather mediocre. Generally, greatswords are stronger than great axes as they roll 2d6 and thus offer higher minimum damage. The advantage is that axes, due to their maneuvers, are particularly well-suited against groups of enemies.
Additionally, the special abilities alone can make Sethan one of the best weapons in the game:
Weapon of Faith is actually a level 2 spell that conjures a weapon dealing 1d8 damage plus spell modifier.
With Reduce, you shrink an opponent. His weapons deal less damage, and he becomes one size category smaller, which allows you to potentially throw him and thus directly kill him.
The weapon is best suited for Paladins who focus on Strength and Charisma, making them pure “hit-and-smash” characters. This way, you maximize both weapon damage and spells.
Shadowheart is also important for other weapons. However, you must choose between two extremely powerful weapons:
Halo Infinite has had a remarkable ups and downs. From an initial player exodus after the release, it even casts a shadow over the flagship Destiny 2 on Xbox after the launch of its latest Season 2023. Apparently, many frustrated Guardians found in the universe of Master Chief much of what one actually wishes for from Destiny.
What’s going on with Halo Infinite? After the release of Halo Infinite in 2021, the journey initially went rocky. The player numbers fell quickly and it seemed as if the fascination for the iconic franchise with multiplayer wouldn’t last long.
Technical problems, dissatisfaction with the progression system, and other issues led players to quickly leave the Halo universe again.
In 2023, after the launch of Season 5: Reckoning on October 17, however, this is different. Perhaps also because the current turbulence at Bungie and the current developments regarding Destiny 2 lead frustrated Guardians to seek equivalent substitutes.
Halo Infinite received a mountain of new content, such as new arena maps, the return of the popular Halo 4 mode “Extraction”, free content in the Battle Pass, and instead of events now “Operations”, which always offer 20 levels of free earnable rewards.
In addition, an AI was integrated into the Forge mode, which allows giving the gameplay its own creative touch.
Some players also emphasized on Reddit that onboarding is simpler than in Destiny 2, making it much easier for them to persuade their friends to try out Halo Infinite.
The developers at 343 Industries apparently listened to the community’s feedback and have continued working on improving the game to this day.
You want a first impression of Halo Infinite Season 5? Then check out this trailer:
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Halo Infinite Season 5 Trailer
“Exactly what I need.”
There is hardly an acceptable substitute for Destiny 2: The gameplay of Destiny 2 is special even after nearly 10 years. Overall, it’s the mix of deep lore with ongoing story, unique gameplay, long-term player engagement, and the strong social element that makes Destiny 2 an outstanding game. Even in 2023, it’s still difficult to find an equivalent substitute.
Some Destiny 2 players who quit the game out of frustration due to layoffs or the well-known lack of content at the end of Season 22, therefore, looked for a free alternative that’s not too far from Destiny.
Frustrated Destiny players who have tried Halo Infinite again report that they really enjoyed it in 2023. In recent days, the game even managed to surpass Destiny 2 on the list of most played Xbox games in the USA.
It was ranked 16th for several days, while Destiny was 17th.
In recent days, Halo Infinite has been played more on Xbox than Destiny 2.
Not Destiny 2 – but the perfect nostalgia along with it
That’s why the game was worth a look again: For one, Bungie developed the Halo series. So there are clear tendencies to Destiny 2.
On the other hand, some players apparently felt that with the new Season 5, it could be worthwhile to play the once nearly forgotten shooter again. After all, the game, just like Destiny 2, is free, aside from its premium content.
So writes the Guardian INTHEMIDSTOFLIONS: “I started playing the multiplayer mode of Halo Infinite last week, and I have to say, it’s really fun in 2023. I didn’t like it at all in 2021. But with the game modes and bug fixes in 2023, it’s really enjoyable now.”
Obviously, the efforts of the developers and the support of the community with constructive criticism have led to a small comeback.
Players also know such content previews from Destiny 2 – only, they no longer exist there.
Some players on Reddit also emphasized that onboarding in Halo Infinite is perceived to be easier compared to Destiny 2. This accessibility made it easy for them to persuade their friends to take a trip into Master Chief’s world.
CosmicOwl47 thinks: “A new player can easily start Halo Infinite and have a good time. I love Destiny, but it’s a nightmare to start as a new player. I don’t even try to get friends to play it.”
ImNotPostingMyself explains: “Yes, because 90% of the game is locked if you don’t have the expansions/DLCs [in Destiny 2]. It’s more of a free trial than free-to-play.”
MPGamer18 summarizes: “Halo is in much better shape than Destiny 2 and is simply much more fun to play, and it’s getting better all the time. When they released the Witch Queen DLC last year, that game was just great. But after a few seasons and no real improvement in PvP, I uninstalled it. Sony bought them for support with live service games, but it seems [Bungie] can’t even keep its own players engaged long-term. […]”
How long will this “lead” last? Probably not long. The two games are already trading places every now and then. Today is also the last day of Season 22 in Destiny 2. Tomorrow evening, fresh content for the Guardians is promised with the “Season of Wishes”, which will solve one of the biggest mysteries from Forsaken.
Nevertheless, it is impressive to see that Halo Infinite has managed to achieve this development on Xbox in the USA in 2023. Especially because the game seems to be doing quite a bit better now, as players can still buy and select old season passes for past seasons.
The question remains whether the positive trend for Halo Infinite will continue? The coming weeks will provide clarity. Until then, players can be pleased that Master Chief and his universe are still alive.
What experiences have you had with Halo Infinite, especially in comparison to Destiny 2? Did you also take a look at Season 5? Or did you not even hear about the improvement in Reckoning of Halo Infinite? Let us know in the comments.
