You still play on the PlayStation 4 and want to know how to make the PS4 faster? MeinMMO presents you a handful of tips.
You still play on your PS4, but you feel that the console doesn’t run as fast and smoothly as it did at the beginning? MeinMMO presents you a series of tips.
We have sorted the tips for you by difficulty. First the easy ones, then the slightly more complicated tips.
Check if you have enough free storage space
Requirements: No special items needed | Time required: 10 minutes | Cost: none | Difficulty: Easy
One of the most common causes of declining performance on the PS4 is the lack of storage space on the hard drive. It is recommended to keep about 10% of your storage free to avoid performance issues. Game consoles need a certain part of the hard drive for virtual memory.
With the size of modern games and saved video recordings, available storage can quickly run out. Therefore, regularly check how many games you have installed and how much storage space you still have left.
If you want to check your storage space, go to the settings and then to “Storage” and then to the sub-point “System Storage”. The PS4 will take a moment and then you will see all your installed apps and games in a clear diagram.
Elden Ring: Redistributing Attributes & Finding Larval Tears – Here’s How
In Elden Ring attributes and how you distribute your skill points for your build play a central role. Things can go wrong or plans can change. We’ll tell you how to reset them and what you need for that.
To receive a level-up and thus a skill point, you must first gather runes, which are both EXP and currency. You obtain them by killing enemies. The further you progress, the longer it takes to increase your attributes further.
They determine what qualities your character has and which equipment you can use. It’s all the more frustrating if, after many hours, you find that you have misallocated your points or want to try a different build.
That’s why we’re here to explain how you can reset your attributes in case of emergency, informally known as “Respec”.
Update, April 5: We have updated the article and added some details.
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Here’s how you can redistribute your attributes in Elden Ring
To reset your skill points in Elden Ring, you must go to the second large area of the Lands Between, Liurnia, the Lake Land. In its center is also the second Legacy Dungeon, the Academy of Raya Lucaria, where the second main boss of the story awaits you.
This is Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. If the name sounds familiar, you may have already encountered an important NPC, who you meet early in the game.
If you manage to defeat her, she will still be found in the room, but from now on she will be peaceful and can even be useful to you.
You can now select the option “Rebirth” with her – this is the function for resetting your attributes. However, that’s only possible if you have a Larval Tear in your inventory.
Early locations for Larval Tears in Elden Ring
At these locations, you can find the item: Currently, not all locations for Larval Tears are known. However, we will give you a few known examples.
Larval Tear on the south side of Lake Agheel
- Travel to the Site of Grace “South Side” and turn around. Before you should now be a path, behind it a high rock wall.
- Walk to the foot of the rock wall and climb upward at the nearest point.
- There awaits a foe who still looks quite human. Defeat him.
- Once you’ve taken him down, the thing transforms into a giant bear that you must eliminate.
- If you’ve succeeded, the Larval Tear will land in your inventory.
Larval Tear at the Fallen Ruins
- South of the Site of Grace “Fallen Ruins of Lake Land”, you will find a huge lobster monster.
- When you kill it, it transforms into a Plant Sprout.
- Defeat the sprout and you’ll have the next Larval Tear.
Larval Tear in the Village of the Albinaurics
- You need to travel southwest from the Site of Grace “Madness on the Lake”. Cross the mist until you land in a cave.
- There you will find the Village of the Albinaurics. Follow the upward path and defeat some enemies.
- At the end of the path, you will find a coffin behind which the item is located.
Larval Tear in Siofra, at the Isolated Merchant
- First, you need to find the entrance to Siofra. It is located in the Mistwood of Limgrave, not far from the foot of the huge tree there.
- You must venture relatively deep into Siofra until you can find the isolated merchant there in a hidden area.
- The Larval Tear costs you 3000 runes.
You can also find numerous Larval Tears in the areas of Nokron and Nokstella, which you visit during Ranni’s quest.
How exactly you do this is shown in the video by Arekkz Gaming, in which he also shows the other locations:
How often can you actually respec? This is possible as long as you have Larval Tears. Per game run, you can respec at least 16 times; at least, according to the location list on the Elden Ring Wiki Fextralife, no further locations are known.
However, it is very possible that more will be found.
This is how the attributes of Elden Ring work: Overall, there are 8 different attributes that you can level up. With each level-up, you can distribute a new point.
The attributes not only affect your stats but also which weapons, shields, spells, and summons you can use. Most weapons scale with attributes like Strength or Dexterity, while some also benefit from Intelligence, which is especially advantageous for spells.
Others scale with Faith and are more suitable for builds that rely on summons.
Here you can find all main attributes at a glance.
- Vigor: Vitality influences your health points and affects fire resistance and poison immunity.
- Mind: Mind influences FP (Mana) and focus-related resistance. Important for magic and sorcery builds.
- Endurance: Increases your character’s stamina and also increases physical defense. Especially important for melee fighters as stamina enables dodging and blocking.
- Strength: Required to wield heavy weapons. It also increases the attack power of strength-scaling weapons.
- Dexterity: Required to wield advanced weapons. It also increases the attack power of weapons that scale with agility. Reduces casting time of spells, mitigates fall damage, and makes it harder to fall off your horse.
- Intelligence: Increases the spell power of intelligence-scaling spells and improves magic resistance. Also increases how often you can use spells.
- Faith: Required for casting summons. It also enhances summons that scale with faith.
- Arcane: Affects death resistance and certain spells and summons.
There are also other ways to increase your attributes. Through talismans and Great Runes, you can also gain some additional points.
However, in both cases there is a catch. The talismans reduce your resistances like focus in exchange.
The Great Runes, on the other hand, only work if you have an active Rune Arc. These are items you can find in the world of Elden Ring. They increase your health points and ability points, and they also activate the effects of the Great Runes you equip.
Have you discovered more Larval Tears? Have you had to respec your character? Or do you prefer not to use such options? What builds do you want to try in Elden Ring? Feel free to share your plans with us in the comments.
Maybe you want to try a mage build? Here is our beginner’s guide for mages in Elden Ring: How to find a staff and learn spells
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In the MMORPG Lost Ark, you can expect years of new content – We will show you what is still to come
The MMORPG Lost Ark made a big splash at release. But the game offers you more than just a fantastic start, as it has content ready for many more years. We at MeinMMO give you a preview of everything that awaits you in Lost Ark.
What is Lost Ark? The new free-to-play MMORPG Lost Ark just launched in early February in the West. It features action-packed combat in an isometric perspective, delivering a kind of Diablo experience. However, it blends this experience with true MMORPG elements like relationships with NPCs, housing, and life skills.
It launched on Steam with over 1.3 million concurrent players and exceeded even the developers’ and publishers’ expectations by a long shot. And not without reason, as even around 2 months after the release of Lost Ark, not a single player has reached the maximum level of 60.
The MMORPG already offers a wealth of content, hundreds of islands with exciting stories and quests, and a lot to do. Lost Ark is also always keen to deliver new content. One of the biggest points of criticism from the community has been that new content was coming too fast into the game.
After Amazon apologized and promised to adjust the roadmap for future content, we want to look further into the future than just a few months.
Lost Ark has been running successfully in Korea since 2018 and brings many contents that we currently do not have in our version. Additionally, there is already a roadmap for most of the content that is slated for release in 2022 for the Korean version of the MMORPG.
While many of you already know what there is to do in Lost Ark, we want to discuss in this article what content awaits you in the upcoming months and years and why it should be your next game.
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A ton of new, crazy classes
What else can you play? Although Lost Ark already launched with 15 different classes, which is quite a large selection for an MMORPG, there are still over seven more waiting for you. Furthermore, teasers for two completely new classes and ideas for many others have been announced, as Game Director Gold River reported in an interview with MeinMMO.
In the roadmap for April and May, Amazon recently announced that the next classes to be introduced in the Western version of the RPG will be the Lance bearer and the Destroyer. Both classes are among the most popular classes in the MMORPG in Korea. There is no exact date yet, but the Lance bearer is expected to appear in April and the Destroyer in May.
What are these classes about? We would like to introduce you a little more to the next two classes so that you can gain insight into their mechanics and know what to look forward to soon.
The Lance bearer – High-speed to top DPS
What can the Lance bearer do? The Lance bearer is one of the subclasses of the martial artist and is the only one among them that wields a real weapon. And not just one: the new Lance bearer charges into battle with spear and glaive, offering her a high level of versatility.
Depending on which of the two weapons she currently has equipped, she focuses more on area damage or damage against single targets. With her identity ability, you can, similar to martial artists and death shooters, switch between the two weapons. This gives you access to a different palette of skills.
The Lance bearer relies on speed and agility. She forgives you many mistakes because she can get out of situations well. Her swiftness is already close to that of the Deathblade. Therefore, the Lance bearer is considered one of the fastest classes in the game and is also feared in PvP.
The Lance bearer is also one of the lighter classes in Lost Ark. You are well equipped for every situation, and if not, there is usually a quick way out again. You can still deal substantial damage. All of this has made the Lance bearer a long-time favorite among fans.
What are her advantages? Thanks to her speed, the Lance bearer shines primarily as a DPS character, even though she has buffs for her teammates in her repertoire. However, these often cannot compete with those of other classes, which is why you primarily bear the responsibility for damage in your group.
In the DPS area, the strengths of the Lance bearer lie in short burst phases, as she can deliver a lot of damage very quickly. Thanks to the two weapons she has access to, she can handle this well against both single targets and groups of enemies. This adaptability and her speed allow her to stand well not only in PvP but also in raids.
In this video, you can see what the Lance bearer is capable of:
The Destroyer – Slow but brutally powerful
What can the Destroyer do? The Destroyer is a subclass of the Warrior and is one of the slowest classes in Lost Ark. He brings a massive war hammer to battle and literally pounds his enemies into the ground. He relies not only on a slow attack speed but also does not move particularly quickly. The Destroyer doesn’t need to due to his sheer force.
With his identity ability, he slowly charges energy, which you can see on the bottom of the screen. Once fully charged, the Destroyer can enter a kind of rage, which is considered one of the most feared attacks in PvP.
During this ability, the Destroyer can only perform normal auto-hits. However, these are significantly enhanced and also faster than usual. As an added bonus, all enemies in your vicinity receive significant debuffs to attack and movement speed. Perfect for supporting your team or chasing down slow foes.
What are his advantages? The bulky warrior class is one of the strongest damage dealers in Lost Ark and lives up to its name. With his hefty hammer, you can literally annihilate your enemies and even sweep away normal mobs with a single hit.
His role is clearly assigned to the DPS classes, and he performs well in both PvE and PvP. However, the class truly shines in PvP, as his identity ability can put entire teams in precarious situations. Additionally, he can take a lot of hits and deliver substantial crowd control, making him a feared opponent in any PvP arena.
This video shows the Destroyer in action:
Five more classes will follow soon
What classes are coming next? In addition to the Destroyer and the Lance bearer, five more classes are waiting for you that will appear relatively quickly in our version. One of them even belongs to a completely new base class that does not currently exist in the West: the Specialist. This base class is modeled after a young girl and looks very childlike.
The other classes that await you in Lost Ark consist of:
- The Scout – A subclass of the Shooter, who uses a combat drone and a submachine gun and can even transform into a kind of Iron Man.
- The Reaper – This variation of the Assassin class dives into the fray with daggers and dark magic. She is even faster than her class colleagues.
- The Summoner – She belongs to the Mage classes and was already playable in the beta. She defeats her opponents with temporary elemental summons with significant area damage.
- The Arcanist – As a subclass of the Sorceress, she uses a deck of tarot cards as her weapon. She is powerful but very challenging, as her ability often depends on chance.
- The Painter – As the first class of the new Specialists, the Painter wields a large brush in battle. She switches between black ink for damage and white ink for support abilities.
For the later future, two more classes have already been announced, but they do not exist in Korea yet. This includes a kind of weather mage, which is also supposed to belong to the Specialists. Additionally, a female version of the Berserker class is expected to come to the MMORPG at the end of 2022 or early 2023 to further lift the gender lock.
We have also prepared a detailed overview of all classes that will still come. There you can learn more information about the remaining five classes.
When will the new classes arrive? So far, there are no exact dates for the releases of the upcoming classes. In an interview, Gold River, the head of Lost Ark at Smilegate, mentioned, that a new class should come to the Western version of Lost Ark about every 2 to 3 months.
At this pace, Lost Ark would provide more content for at least 1.5 years, if not even longer. He also confirmed that the team still has ideas for numerous other classes. Lost Ark should hardly run out of steam that quickly.
But there is even more content than just new classes waiting for you in the MMORPG.
The best content is yet to come
What can you expect in terms of content? The endgame of Lost Ark is continuously being expanded, not only in Korea but also in the West. While we were already able to play the first Abyss Raid Argos in March, many more challenges are yet to come. Primarily those that make the game what it is.
Because not only new stories and continents can be expected but also numerous Guardian raids, dungeons, and really nasty boss enemies. The latter culminate in the so-called Legion Raids, which according to Gold River are among the best content in the entire MMORPG.
Legion Raids ramp up the difficulty
What exactly are Legion Raids? Admittedly, Lost Ark follows a strange naming convention with its endgame content. Between Abyssal, Guardian, and Legion Raids, one can get quite confused quickly. However, the Legion Raids are supposed to be the standout feature, according to the Game Director.
They not only increase the difficulty of the content but also augment the mechanical elements to a high standard, delivering the most spectacular battles in Lost Ark, which can stretch over an hour in 6 phases.
After the mistakenly published roadmap, Amazon also stated that they want to bring the first of these Legion Raids to the Western version of the MMORPG as soon as possible, as they would fundamentally change the experience of Lost Ark.
The Legion Raids get their name because you fight against the Legion Commanders known from the story, each leading their own army of demons. These bosses are particularly challenging to defeat and often split into several phases. Most of them will be tackled with two groups, meaning eight players.
They are characterized by requiring you to master complex mechanics and quick reactions to bring them down. They are the most difficult and, according to the developers, the best content available in Lost Ark. Of course, you will be well rewarded for this. Accordingly, they already belong to the endgame in Korea and are celebrated by fans.
When will Legion Raids arrive? When we can expect the first of the Legion Raids is still unclear. Amazon stated that they need to revise the roadmap regarding player speed. It is therefore conceivable that the first of these raids will take several weeks or even months to arrive.
However, most of you will probably need some time for this, as the first of these raids is accessible only from a gear score of 1,415. This is Valtan, whom you should already know from the story. You fight him for the first time in Luterra Castle shortly before Thirain becomes king.
The new version of Valtan, however, is far more challenging than the story boss who irritates you at level 28. Expect demanding mechanics and three phases you must master to bring down the Legion Commander.
The most recent of the Legion Raids, Abrelshud, is among the hardest content in the MMORPG and is even accessible only from a gear score of 1,470. Even a successful fight against this commander can last over 45 minutes.
In this video, you can see the complete fight against Abrelshud, which lasts 57 minutes:
For 2022, Lost Ark has already announced the next two Legion Raids, at least in the Korean version. What they will look like is still unknown. So it remains exciting.
The great sea will get even bigger
What else belongs to the best content? In an interview with Gold River, the Game Director told us that aside from the Legion Raids, the islands are also among his absolute favorite content in Lost Ark. More of these are supposed to be added to the game in 2022, but what makes the islands so great?
While many contents in Lost Ark often repeat after a certain point, the over 100 islands in the MMORPG are all unique. They tell exciting, funny, and sad stories and even introduce new mechanics.
Mechanics that would not work on a large continent and therefore on a truly grand scale find their place on the islands. Thus, you will often be pleasantly surprised when stumbling across the various islands in the ocean.
But the many islands in Arkesia are not only for fun; they also offer you a wealth of loot and provide you with unique mounts, skins, and other items. Additionally, you collect the valuable island hearts that bring new rewards across accounts.
What will the new islands bring? Smilegate is currently keeping this under wraps. However, we can assume that new stories and possibly new mechanics will await you once again. It is particularly exciting whether there will finally be tier 3 islands.
This is a frequently requested feature from the community, as all islands currently in our version are tier 2 in the game, which means in a gear score range between 802 and 1,100. Furthermore, the island quests provide players with tons of upgrade materials, which is exactly what tier 3 players are currently most wishing for.
If you already can’t get enough of the islands, you don’t have to worry about running out of content anytime soon. After all, the game director of Lost Ark loves the islands just as much as you do.
More fun for story and PvP fans – How does that fit together?
Story and PvP come together: After our version has already received new story content with the story of the Sideral Kadan, Lost Ark will really ramp up and even combine this with the PvP content of the game.
Don’t worry, story fans don’t have to constantly fight with other players, but a new continent holds an exciting twist. How this fits together and what you can expect will be shared without spoiling in this section.
New continents with more story
What continents are coming next? The story of Lost Ark is mostly told across the various continents. Currently, the story in Arkesia is far from complete, as a fan who speaks Korean reports that the developers of Lost Ark have indicated that we currently have only about 20% of the total story in the game (via reddit).
Korea itself is also not much further along in terms of the main story than we are. What awaits us next is the continent of South Vern, which naturally lies south of North Vern on the map. South Vern is part of the tier 3 content of the game and is accessible to you from a gear score of 1,340. The adventure in this region is also expected in April.
We certainly don’t want to spoil what the story in South Vern revolves around at this point. We can only say that the continent again stands out strongly, much like the previous ones, and sets its own setting to tell its story.
What is in store for the long term? In Korea, the new continent of Elgacia is set to arrive in 2022. Moreover, the continent of Voldaik is to be released in Korea later this year or early next year.
They are supposed to meaningfully continue the main story of Lost Ark, but much more is not yet known about the two continents. Whether the release of future islands will coincide with the continents is still a big question mark.
How does this fit with PvP? The most recent continent in Korea is called Rowen and is located in Northern Arkesia, left of Shushire. Rowen experiments with a system that you only know from islands and in a smaller framework: open-world PvP.
In icy Rowen, you can attack and kill other players without their consent. This is surprisingly well received in the Korean community, even though the PvP community there is still smaller than in the Western version. Additionally, Rowen brings some mechanics to prevent targeted camping and gang attacks, ensuring that no one has a disadvantage on the northern continent.
When Rowen will find its way to us is currently still uncertain. However, South Vern should be coming to the Western version of the MMORPG soon and continue the story of the lost Arks.
New PvP modes bring massive battles
What can you expect in PvP? Currently, player versus player in Lost Ark is limited to duels among friends and three different arena modes that can be accessed normally in every city. However, this is not where it ends; Gold River announced this at LOA ON, a Lost Ark event in December.
We can expect exciting guild versus guild battles in the West, where you will compete as two guilds in a 20 vs. 20 format. The same rules apply as in duels with friends – combat items can be used, and healing potions will also work.
A siege battle mode, where a total of 96 players compete against each other on the battlefield, is also in development. In this mode, you and 47 other team members must capture certain points on a larger map. The longer you hold them, the more points you overall collect. After 20 minutes, the team with the most points wins the fight.
Speed and skill are also required in Lost Ark’s PvP, as this small clip shows:
Battle Royale in the MMORPG: Gold River also announced a kind of battle royale mode in Lost Ark’s PvP at the event. In this mode, each player is assigned a random class with an equally random build and must survive with it.
You don’t play with your own character, allowing you an introduction to the endgame of other classes, while you can have fun fighting with others, who are likely also overwhelmed. However, we don’t yet know how this will work in detail.
I also believe that the PvP in Lost Ark is a highlight that many simply overlook.
For the Horde! .. or another faction. The exact names of the two announced factions are currently unknown. However, there will soon be two factions in Lost Ark that will fight against each other. Gold River has not gone into detail about this yet.
This mechanic could possibly be a sensible addition, especially for the continent of Rowen, to make open-world PvP fairer for everyone and to support weaker players at the same time.
Little things that enhance the gaming experience
What else is there? In addition to the numerous major improvements and content that we have already announced, there will also be many smaller features that can and will significantly enhance the gaming experience.
One of them already exists in Korea, and fans in the West can hardly wait for it. Naturally, we’re talking about the direction indicator for various bosses. In Lost Ark, many attacks cause more damage when attacking from behind, from the front, or the side. However, it is often difficult to keep track.
This small quality-of-life feature will, upon request, equip the bosses with two large arrows that indicate to you at all times where the front and back of the enemy you are currently fighting are. In Korea, this small change is celebrated, and it will surely find great appeal among us here.
Additionally, you can expect the following smaller changes and additions:
- More skins in the cash shop
- Even more options for daily quests
- Further expansion options for your own island
- Many exciting events and mini-games in the style of Mario Party
- Regular balance adjustments to keep the game fair
- More user interface improvements
- More Guardian Raids and Abyssal Dungeons
- Existing raids and Abyssal Dungeons in multiple difficulty levels
- Smaller stories revolving around known characters from the story
Lost Ark can accompany you for many hundreds of hours if you can handle the grind
After over 400 hours in Lost Ark, I am still having a great time every day. The emphasis is on the end of the previous sentence because if you really want to keep up, you need a lot of time.
Lost Ark is not an MMORPG that you can play well casually. Although it treats your time well and with respect, you need a lot of it to be able to compete. If you want to play the latest content, you will certainly need to invest 20 to 50 hours a month to keep your gear score current.
However, if you don’t mind that and have as much fun in this MMORPG as I do, you can expect content for the next years that will become better and more challenging with every update. Lost Ark has developed extremely well in the last 4 years in Korea, and we can assume that it will continue to improve in the coming years. In any case, I am looking forward to the further updates, and you might be as well.
Mark Sellner
MMORPG author at MeinMMO
What do you think of the outlook on the changes and additions in Lost Ark? Will this MMORPG be your next game, or would you rather wait until the content is actually here? Feel free to write it in the comments here on MeinMMO.
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Lost Ark finally reveals its roadmap – new class coming this month
For some time now, the roadmap has been one of the biggest topics in the community surrounding the MMORPG Lost Ark. Now the developers are finally showing what awaits you in April and May. We at MeinMMO summarize.
The new class in April: Some of the announced content aligns with the roadmap that surfaced online a few weeks ago. However, this was later confirmed to be incorrect and withdrawn by Amazon.
But especially in the classes, there is a difference from the previously shown roadmap. Lost Ark is bringing a fan favorite as the first new class: the Lance Master, or as it will be called here, the Lance Bearer. In its place, the Arcana class, which was announced in the original timeline, must give way.
The Lance Bearer is expected to come to our version of Lost Ark sometime this month, April, and is the 5th advanced class of the martial artists. And the only one that wields a real weapon. She switches between a spear and a glaive, both of which have different abilities. The Lance Bearer has been highly requested by fans and is one of the most popular classes in Lost Ark. We have summarized more details about the classes in a large overview.
Here you can see the Lance Bearer in action:
A new continent awaits you in April
But that’s not all that awaits you in April:
- The new continent South Vern will be the second Tier 3 area in our version of Lost Ark. You can enter it at Gearscore 1,340. Queen Ealyn of North Vern suspects that something is wrong in the south of the continent and sends you and Knight Commander Avele to look into it.
- New login rewards.
- New in-game events.
- Some new skins and other shop updates.
- A Feiton Power Pass, which pushes a new character directly to Gearscore 960 as soon as you use it. However, this only works if one of your characters has already completed the Feiton story.
- Various quality-of-life improvements affecting chat and cooperative gameplay.
It is expected that the new events in the game will provide some upgrade materials. Although this is not officially confirmed, the developers write in the introduction of the roadmap that horizontal progression should still be the focus. They also want to find easier ways for characters to reach the desired Gearscore areas.
The Destroyer follows in May
What awaits you in May? The second new class coming to our version of Lost Ark is the Destroyer. This advanced class of warriors was previously promised in the first roadmap and is now actually making its way to the West.
The Destroyer is slow and swings a large war hammer into battle. He continuously fills his identity ability to ultimately slow down and weaken all opponents in his vicinity, only to literally destroy them.
However, the team behind Lost Ark is a bit vague about the other announcements for May, especially regarding the new raids. But first, let’s go to what is definitely coming to the game in May:
- Introduction of the Trial Guardian Raids – Each week, 3 different guardians will be the focus that you need to defeat. These three special bosses will also offer special loot and will be adjusted to your Gearscore. However, note that you can only kill each of the three once per account per week. Overall, this means 3 loot opportunities each week.
- Even more quality-of-life improvements, including an overview of already completed daily and weekly tasks, some UI updates, and new features for the marketplace and auction house, as well as new hairstyles for your characters.
- The ability to summon a random mount so you don’t have to decide on one of the many different options.
Here you can see the Destroyer in action:
What might await you in May? Amazon and Smilegate are still not completely sure about two special announcements for May. They pertain to the Guardian Raid Deskaluda (Gearscore 1,415) and the Legion Raid Valtan (Gearscore 1,415).
Previously, Lost Ark was criticized for the rapid release of new raid bosses like Argos. Many fans felt pressured and compelled to spend money on the free-to-play title. Amazon states in the roadmap that they want to curb that feeling. They want to allow everyone to play new content when it comes out.
Thus, they announced the two bosses under condition. According to the publisher, players should be sufficiently prepared to face these bosses in May. If this is not the case, the two raid opponents will be postponed again. A statement that should be well received in the community.
A look at the next roadmap
What comes next? Amazon emphasizes in the roadmap for the next two months that these are not all the contents waiting for you in Arkesia. They want to keep some surprises for the weekly updates, which will still occur every Thursday.
Another roadmap is expected to be released in June, once the contents of this announcement have been launched. Until then, Amazon wants to keep a close eye on player progress and analyze how the majority of fans continue to evolve in Arkesia, regarding both horizontal and vertical progression.
Furthermore, they want to collect player feedback to be even more flexible and responsive to fan wishes and events in the community.
What do you think of the roadmap for Lost Ark? Are you excited about the Lance Bearer or are you among those players who would have preferred the originally announced Arcana? What is your opinion on the two raids starting from 1,415? What do you think of the quality-of-life features? Feel free to let us know in the comments here at MeinMMO.
MeinMMO author Mark Sellner also says about the game: After 15 years with MMORPGs, Lost Ark feels like my first
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Twitch streamer Tanzverbot clashes with “fan” – “Treat me like a normal person!”
The Twitch streamer Kilian “Tanzverbot” Heinrich was on April 2 at the boxing event “The Great Fight Night”, where German livestreamers competed against each other in a boxing match. However, during the event, there was also a confrontation outside the ring between Tanzverbot and a “fan” of his.
How did the confrontation arise? It is not entirely clear. According to Tanzverbot, he was asked by drunk people at the boxing event if he wanted to take a photo with them. The streamer declined.
He was then apparently heckled, kicked, and shoved by the “fans”. Tanzverbot reported this in a tweet two days later.
A “fan” recorded how he asked Heinrich for a photo, which he declined and turned away. The person then insulted Tanzverbot several times. At some point, Heinrich turned back and pushed the “fan”.
After that, the two continued to confront each other, and the escalation was captured on video by an outside person. You can see the video and the clip of the “fan” here on Twitter:
In the clip, you can see how the “fan” was cornered while Tanzverbot pushed him against the fence behind him. He shouted: “Treat me like a normal human (…).”
Additionally, both exchanged various insults before security intervened and separated them.
The community largely stands behind Tanzverbot
What does the community say about the situation? While Tanzverbot notes in his tweet that he is now being criticized, most respondents are people who agree with the streamer and understand his reaction:
- Hey Stan says: “Dirty internet, as always. You took selfies everywhere for hours and were always nice to everyone, but that doesn’t mean you have to stand ready for every jerk when you’re being heckled. Just look at the bigger picture.”
- sech probably wouldn’t have stayed so “calm”: “What I would have done to that guy if I were you”
- Mupf05 says: “No one who can think rationally criticizes you now. I think everyone should understand that.”
- Haptic supports Tanzverbot: “You did everything right, most people will agree with you.”
Of course, there were also a few people who argued that he shouldn’t stoop to the same “gutter language” and should have just called security directly. Others think it would have been better if Tanzverbot had just walked away from the situation and not let himself be provoked further.
In the end, it seems that no one was injured during the altercation, as security arrived in time.
A different Twitch streamer also escalated, who came away with a black eye. However, her colleagues are not celebrating this at all: Twitch unbans a streamer who threatened with a rampage – Creators speak of “double standards”
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New World gains players on Steam for the first time since release – Current player numbers
New World has had a difficult time. For months, the MMORPG recorded declining player numbers on Steam. At the end of March, the largest update since release, “Heart of Madness,” was released. This has a positive effect. MeinMMO shows you the current player numbers, which for the first time since release report an increase.
What does the trend look like? For months, New World lost thousands of players. As early as November 2021, the MMORPG recorded a loss of 62 % and approximately 255,000 players on Steam.
In the following months from December 2021 to March 2022, an additional 134,000 players turned their backs on New World. However, the current players, benefiting from the “Heart of Madness” release, are finally green.
With 21,379 (as of April 4, 2022, 15:45) average active players, an upward trend is evident. Compared to the previous month, approximately 340 players joined, representing a percentage increase of 1.62 % (via steamcharts.com).
Are the new contents responsible for the increase?
Why the increase? With “Heart of Madness,” the largest New World update to date was released at the end of March 2022. In addition to several new contents in the open world, there was also a new weapon, the thunder rifle, and a new dungeon.
The new contents seem to be a good incentive for players to consider returning to New World or giving the game a first chance. MeinMMO shows you how the community reacted to the current player numbers:
- u/HavucSquad via Reddit: “The perfect combination of a new weapon, expedition, and double XP for a quick boost. I play New World, so I would be happy if the numbers hold, but I’m not sure if that will be the case.”
- u/Existence-ispain via Reddit: “[…] Maybe I’ll try it when the price drops. It’s nice to see the player count increasing.”
- u/Mark_Knigh via Reddit: “In its current state, it’s not my thing, but for the industry’s sake, I really hope they can achieve a “Realm Reborn”-like turnaround.”
- u/Elguan via Reddit: “Honestly, I came back this weekend at level 43 and am now almost 50. It’s not perfect and not really lively, but it feels better.”
The MMORPG New World was released by Amazon Games in September 2021. In the early days, it impressed with high player numbers. The record for New World stands at 913,027 active players on Steam.
With a peak of over 37,000 players active on Steam within the last 30 days, the outlook appears positive for the first time in months. Do you expect another increase in New World’s player numbers?
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The new co-op mode is exactly what Solasta needs on Steam – A real RPG tip
2021 saw the release of a true gem for RPG fans on Steam with Solasta: Crown of the Magister. The indie title is largely based on the famous Dungeons & Dragons. Now, the RPG is getting a multiplayer mode. MeinMMO had the opportunity to try it out and tells you as part of Find Your Next Game, why Solasta is exactly the right choice for you in co-op.
If you enjoy role-playing games, you’ll find a wide selection on Steam and other platforms. However, only a few games rely on famous templates or the pen-and-paper system upon which the RPG genre is actually based. Solasta was created specifically for such fans.
When Solasta was released in May 2021, the game was a pure single-player title. The community has since repeatedly asked for a co-op implementation. However, the indie studio behind Solasta, Tactical Adventures, was not yet ready to attempt the complex mode.
Until now. On April 14, 2022, the free co-op update will be released alongside the paid DLC “Lost Valley.” After Solasta already conducted a first but limited test for multiplayer, we were now able to get a Germany-exclusive look at the co-op and the new DLC together with the developers.
An RPG based on ancient models
What is Solasta actually? As a tactical RPG, you play Solasta mostly in turn-based mode. In each battle, the order of combatants is determined by rolling dice. One by one, you then use abilities, attacks, or spells.
The entire game is based on the 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons, similar to the upcoming Baldur’s Gate 3. Dungeons & Dragons is a so-called “pen and paper” game, meaning it is an analog role-playing game enjoyed together with friends at the table.
Successes and failures are determined by dice rolls and corresponding bonuses. The available classes like wizard and barbarian mostly come from the rulebook, although some of the specializations are original creations from the developers.
However, Solasta is not just about combat; it features its own story that you can experience. You assemble a party of 4 adventurers and complete quests. You explore numerous areas or use your skills to persuade, seduce, or steal from NPCs.
A party without a party
What is the problem with Solasta? The RPG focuses fully on the principle that an adventuring party travels together. The developers emphasized this point during discussions: You play a party, not individual heroes who come together – as seen in Divinity.
This should also be reflected in the game. Decisions are always made as a group, and as a player, you typically control all characters. While this corresponds to the D&D model, it does take away a bit of dynamism.
Competitors like Pathfinder or Divinity shine through the deep backstories of individual characters. This is lacking in Solasta and has been one of the criticisms so far.
However, the co-op mode completely eliminates this problem. You still play an adventuring party, but since there is a player behind each character, their role is suddenly filled with life.
Multiplayer feels like sitting at the table with friends
This is how multiplayer works: In multiplayer, everyone controls one or more characters – just as it would be in a tabletop RPG session. For example, when playing as a duo, each player creates 2 characters; when playing as a group of four, each creates one character.
You explore and fight together. Each person can largely decide where to go or what to do.
While the lawful good players of the group might be helping an old lady, the rogue could be attempting to meddle with her jewelry box. This is, of course, a purely hypothetical scenario…
Certain decisions like resting or fast traveling are made collectively. Either the entire group needs to come together, or the host makes the decision.
Cutscenes are also experienced together, so everyone can get involved in the story equally.
Why is the co-op so good now? In co-op, Solasta develops its own dynamic. Since you no longer control the entire group alone, each character logically has their own will.
Everyone decides for themselves whether they want to stay with the group, go explore alone, or split up tasks that everyone has to complete. Most prominently, this leads to chaos in battles.
If you play alone, you can plan a battle exactly as you envision it. However, as a group, you need coordination and communication. If this is lacking or a command is misunderstood, it can quickly happen that the wizard in the back row is suddenly overwhelmed by enemies because the fighters and barbarians all rushed forward at the same time.
Additionally, there is friendly fire in Solasta. A fireball hits ALL creatures in the target area, and certain abilities also affect both friend and foe. Those with particularly mischievous ideas can create quite a mess here and provide some laughs.
By the way, the developers are planning a sort of democracy system for conversation options, similar to Dying Light 2. Players will be able to vote on how to interact with NPCs. However, this was not yet available in our test.
You can see the gameplay from our session neatly summarized in this video:
Compatible with the entire game
What can I play in co-op? The entire game is supposed to be compatible with the new mode. Both the main story and any current and upcoming DLC can be played with friends starting April 14.
During discussions, developers revealed that even old save files can be used. So if you want to invite someone or need help, you can simply load your save file and open it for the co-op mode.
Solasta even offers the possibility to create your own dungeons and thus create your own stories. The mode is ideal for any “Dungeon Master” who wants to make their game a bit more interactive.
New DLC brings at least 20 hours more gameplay
The co-op mode of Solasta will be released along with the “Lost Valley” DLC. Here, you experience a story that runs parallel to the main story of the game, and you can start at level 1. The DLC features include:
- a complete campaign, independent of the main story
- various endings depending on your choices in the campaign
- new areas and enemies
- 9 new subclasses
- new environments for the dungeon maker
The biggest difference is the size of the map. You have vast areas to explore, filled with secrets and new enemies. You will also encounter various factions that you can support – and even must, if you want to survive.
According to the developers, the campaign is expected to take about 20 hours. Since you can experience various endings, replayability is also intended.
Only the “Master” needs the material
A major advantage of the co-op system is that only the host needs all the materials. This means: If you want to play a save file that includes DLC classes or stories, you do not need to purchase the respective DLCs separately.
The game master will provide you with their save file and all content used for it. You only need the base game to actually start Solasta.
If you enjoy playing games cooperatively with friends, you should take a closer look at Solasta starting April 14 at the latest. As someone who has been playing pen-and-paper for over 10 years and mostly D&D, I am really looking forward to the co-op mode.
Solasta has done a really good job implementing the rule set, and creations like the new sub-classes provide variety. I will definitely try to encourage my role-playing group to give the game a chance.
However, if you are among the lucky ones who still have a few people for meetups, a completely different genre may interest you: Board games. There are cooperative versions of those as well:
Gaming without the internet: The best co-op games can be played with friends at the table
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How do modern shooters play with antique gaming mice? A YouTuber tried it out
Many gamers use a gaming mouse on their PC. But is a 20-year-old mouse worth it? A well-known YouTuber gave it a try.
Most users game on their gaming PC with a gaming mouse. Manufacturers regularly release new products to improve their devices or equip them with new features. You can also find the best current gaming mice on MeinMMO.
But can you still game smoothly with old hardware today? A YouTuber bought a 20-year-old mouse and compared it to a top mouse from 2022.
YouTuber compares 20-year-old gaming mouse with top mouse
What did the YouTuber test? YouTuber Linus Sebastian from Linus Tech Tips compared the well-known G Pro Wireless from Logitech with the Razer Boomslang in his video.
- The G Pro Wireless was among the most popular gaming mice among professionals in 2022. It is very lightweight, works wirelessly, and uses Logitech’s current top sensor, which delivers up to 25,000 DPI.
- The Boomslang 2000 was released at the end of 1999 and uses a ball inside. This ball helps transmit movement to the computer. With a resolution of 2000 DPI, the mouse is far behind the G Pro Wireless.
How does it feel to play with both mice? Linus tests both mice using the Aimlab program. Here he must hit targets at a distance with a pistol within a certain time. He conducts the test sequentially with both mice:
- With the G Pro Wireless, Linus hits 114 out of 159 shots, achieving an accuracy of 71%.
- With the Boomslang 2000, Linus hits a total of 79 out of 132 shots, achieving an accuracy of 59%.
While he can hit numerous targets easily with the G Pro Wireless, Linus has greater difficulties with the Boomslang 2000. Overall, he is not very enthusiastic, which you can also see in his video:
He explains that the gaming mouse is extremely uncomfortable. After a short time, his arm, shoulder, and wrist hurt. He can only imagine how his arm would feel after two weeks.
With the ball, there is another problem: If you move the mouse strongly with the ball, you cannot control the movement of the ball properly because it keeps rolling a bit further. In everyday life, there is also a slight drift to the right.
Because of the ball, the entire mouse is also very heavy. While the Logitech G Pro weighs only 81 grams, the Razer Boomslang 2000 weighs 141 grams.
Of course, you can still game with an old mouse in 2022. However, Linus does not want to recommend the old mouse because there are simply too many good alternatives available in 2022.
Today you won’t find a ball in any mouse
What is used today? Today, all manufacturers use optical sensors in mice. Ball mice were prone to dirt, and you had to regularly clean the ball and the inside of the mouse.
Big manufacturers like Razer, Roccat, or Logitech now rely on their own developments in sensor technology or on well-known solutions from PixArt, which is one of the largest manufacturers in the sensor field.
More mouse stories: You can also read on MeinMMO how the gaming mouse got its name. Here we explain why the mouse is called that and tell you the story behind it:
Why is a mouse for the PC called a mouse?
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WoW: Deep Star Polyp – How to Get the Cool Mount and Summon Hirukon
A particularly fancy mount in World of Warcraft is easy to obtain. We will reveal how to unlock the noble jellyfish “Deepstar Aurelid” as a flying mount.
Zereth Mortis is full of mysteries, many of which remain unsolved to this day. However, some of the more obvious “Secrets” are the mounts that can be found there. Not only can you craft fancy mounts through the Protogenesis, but you can also earn a particularly beautiful jellyfish relatively easily. It’s the Deepstar Aurelid from Hirukon – but how do you get it?
Who is Hirukon? Hirukon is a rare mob in Zereth Mortis. Though calling him “Rare” is somewhat of an exaggeration, as he respawns approximately every 30 minutes after being defeated. The problem is, he cannot just be easily smacked down like other rare enemies. Instead, he sits deep in the water at coordinates 52 / 75 and is untargetable there.
The trick to lure him out of his hiding place is a special bait called “Aurelid bait.” We will tell you how to get it.
Farming Aurelid bait for Hirukon – Here’s how
The first step of the task is incredibly simple yet probably the most time-consuming matter: Fishing.
Everywhere in the pond where Hirukon resides, you can cast your line and catch various fish. The goal is to reel in a “Strange Slime,” which can appear as additional loot with every fishing cast.
The chance of getting the “Strange Slime” is roughly 1 / 1500. So you should plan to spend a lot of time fishing – or just watch a series on a second monitor in the meantime. Generally, it also helps to pass the time with other players on Discord or simply fish together.
A particularly high fishing skill is not required, nor is a special rod.
A nice side effect: In Hirukon’s pond, you will regularly catch “Ursaplacoderm.” These fish are the most efficient way to create a Stone Soup for the raid and are therefore very useful.
If you have pulled the “Strange Slime” out of the water at some point, you have already mastered the hardest part of the task – after that, it becomes significantly easier.
You now need to collect 3 more items that are scattered throughout the world of WoW. You can find all 3 in locations that hold special significance for Lady Vashj.
Travel to the Zangarmarsh (The Burning Crusade) and swim into the Lizards’ Cauldron. Before the instance portals, where you leave the water, you should see a special swarm. Fish here to obtain a “Stinking Blobfish” – this should succeed right after the first cast of your line.
Now travel to Nazjatar (Battle for Azeroth) and head to coordinates 73 / 24. There you should see a swarm of Finfish. Fish here as well. But beware! Once you catch the fish, it will “jump” out of your inventory and try to escape. You must click on it again in the game world to catch it permanently.
For the last item, travel to the Shimmering Expanse in Vash’jir (Cataclysm). At coordinates 35 / 75, you can click on a small green root to obtain the Spiralclaw Tentacle. This task is quite tricky since Vash’jir has multiple layers. You need to be on a sort of “balcony” on the middle level of the large palace. Above you is still a ceiling, and below you is not yet the ocean floor. Since the green root is on green ground, the search may take a little while.
Crafting the Aurelid bait
Once you have the “Strange Slime,” “Stinking Blobfish,” “Finfish,” and “Spiralclaw Tentacle” in your inventory, you can travel to Maldraxxus. Fly to coordinates 58 / 92 there.
The Naga lady stands by a pond and is fishing. Once you have collected all the items for her, she will exchange the Aurelid bait with you.
Now travel back to Zereth Mortis and to the pond where Hirukon is waiting. Use the Aurelid bait, and you will be able to see a special swarm called the “Aurelid swarm” for 15 minutes. Cast your line, and as soon as a fish bites within the swarm, Hirukon should emerge from his hiding place. This will be announced with an emote throughout the area, so expect that other players will join as well.
If you were the one who used the Aurelid bait, Hirukon will drop the mount Deepstar Aurelid for you 100% of the time. If you just participate in the kill without using the bait, there’s only a small chance that you will get the mount.
Although the Deepstar Aurelid is a jellyfish, it also serves as a pretty cool flying mount!
By the way: You can collect the Aurelid bait from Vashj once a week. You do not have to fish for the items again. So if you still need loot from Hirukon or want to give your friends a chance at the mount, make sure to regularly collect the bait to summon Hirukon again.
Can you also get it without fishing? Yes, it’s possible. You have a chance to get the mount every time Hirukon is killed – even if you don’t possess or use the bait. It’s worth being present at a Hirukon kill daily if you still don’t have the mount and just have no luck with the bait.
This is also interesting for all sword-wielders, as Hirukon can drop one of the colorful energy swords, which are among the most beautiful weapons Patch 9.2 has to offer.
Have you farmed the bait for Hirukon yet?
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Crazy game modes in CoD Warzone show fans what the game is currently missing: “I had tears in my eyes”
On April 1st, Call of Duty: Warzone suddenly changed completely. On the day of the pranksters, the developers changed the rules in the main modes of the Battle Royale, which hit the mark for many players. MeinMMO shows you reactions to the nonsense.
What happened on April 1st in Warzone? The free Battle Royale Call of Duty: Warzone took itself and its players lightly on April 1st with ridiculous game modes.
In the normal Battle Royale, there were no parachutes and, accordingly, no fall damage. Additionally, explosives and incendiary grenades caused bouncy flight sessions.
On the smaller map Rebirth Island, however, there were crazy bonuses at the start of the match and a furious end. At the beginning, all players had the extremely strong specialist bonus and a free loadout crate.
Moreover, the “respawn timer” did not end, and both friends and foes kept coming back into the game as long as one team member was left.
The modes displaced the normal modes on April 1st, and Warzone players had to deal with it one way or another. Overall, this was very well received, but it also highlighted the problems with Battle Royale, which does not dare enough.
Pranksters went to Caldera, Sweat players to Rebirth Island
What were the players’ reactions? If you look at the subreddit for Warzone, you can find many positive thoughts about the April Fool’s prank of Warzone.
Users had a lot of fun with the following clip: “The update on the first of April is killing me” – reddit.com.
In the clip, a squad is having a great time with the crazy mechanics. The bouncy effect was also triggered by incendiary ammunition, and players could shoot enemies across half the map. The contagious laughter of the player in the clip kept the momentum going.
Many Warzone soldiers tested the limits of the mechanics, using grenades for vertical flights or just messing around with their teammates:
- Equivalent_Minimum94 in the reddit thread: “I almost fell out of my chair last night. My friend and I were in a very small room and threw Molotovs on the floor. We bounced off the walls like rabbits on drugs. I had tears in my eyes.”
For those who found the outrageous rules on Caldera too crazy, Rebirth Island offered relief. Due to the strong bonuses at the start of the match and the lax rules on respawning, it was a sweat-fest like no other, catering to a different audience.
- PM_Me_Frosted_Tits: “I played so damn aggressively. That’s why it was so much fun.” (via reddit)
- BuddyBaja: “I’ve never had so much fun on Rebirth Island. Played for 10 – 12 hours straight yesterday.” (via reddit)
There were also some players who did not like all these rule changes. But most commentators at least liked one thing: the madness on Caldera or the insanity on Rebirth Island.
New game modes don’t have to be that complicated
Why does it highlight a problem of Warzone? The Battle Royale took a risk on April 1st and suddenly brought in 2 totally wacky modes, which provided a lot of variety.
User “JadrianInc” summed it up well with his comment on reddit: “We don’t get enough limited-time ‘out of the box’ modes. Party modes in a Battle Royale are such a great fun!”
Special modes with crazy rules have actually only taken place regularly in Warzone during Halloween. However, many players believe that it doesn’t always have to be that complicated.
Just shake things up a bit, try out nonsense, force players to adapt to a different dynamic – that worked really well, provided variety and gave people something to talk about.
If Warzone becomes a little more relaxed in this direction, it would be a win for the free Battle Royale. One may also look at competitor Fortnite.
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Twitch unbans streamer who threatened to go on a rampage – creators talk about ‘double standards’
When the former biggest speedrunner Narcissa “NarcissaWright” Wright was banned from Twitch, she threatened on March 22 to shoot people at the livestream platform’s headquarters. After she spammed Twitter wildly and showed remorse, Twitch decided to lift the permanent ban and unban her after 22 days. “Classic double standards from Twitch,” say other content creators who find the handling unfair.
Warning: This article addresses the topics of mass shootings and suicidal thoughts. If such topics are uncomfortable for you, you should avoid this article.
This is the situation: After NarcissaWright was banned and threatened on Twitter to kill other people and herself, she wrote at least 40 more tweets, expressing her thoughts and stating that she urgently wanted to talk to Twitch about the “incident.”
Apparently she was successful and shared on Twitter that she was grateful. Below is a screenshot from the email from Twitch, which informed her that the ban would end after 22 days since Narcissa expressed clear remorse:
Her streamer colleagues and YouTuber Optimus find this “special treatment” anything but fair and believe that Twitch clearly has favorites on their platform.
“Twitch shows its double standards once again”
What do her streamer colleagues say about it? Streamer JiDion expressed that he wishes the streaming service would apply the same rules for all users on the platform. There are too many “special cases” that almost make the guidelines on Twitch unnecessary.
“Sometimes they follow their guidelines for one and sometimes they don’t for another,” JiDion said (via YouTube).
He himself was also permanently banned from Twitch and remains so to this day. JiDion was banned for sending a hate raid to streamer Pokimane and instructing his viewers to spam “L + Ratio” in her chat. The message was thus a form of “booing.” In the meantime, the two have even reconciled, but this did not change JiDion’s permanent ban.
This is what the big Twitch streamer Mizkif says: Mizkif could hardly believe that the tweet along with the screenshot of the email from NarcissaWright was real (via Twitch). “This can’t be real,” he said in disbelief, comparing her ban to the permanent ban of streamer Destiny, who was apparently banned due to an inappropriate statement about a transgender streamer.
Mizkif further argues that Destiny has never said anything as bad as Wright. It is simply unfair. He compared the banning decisions at Twitch to darts: One would simply throw a dart at a dartboard at Twitch and the hit field would decide the ban.
What does opinion YouTuber Optimus say? In his YouTube video titled “Twitch shows its double standards once again,” he criticizes that many streamers are treated completely differently. He cited a past permanent ban where a streamer was banned because a weapon was visible while he was being robbed in his car.
The streamer had no control over the violation of the guidelines prohibiting weapons from being shown in livestreams, yet he was permanently banished from the platform.
Furthermore, he mentions the double standards between men and women on Twitch. According to Optimus, women are treated differently on Twitch and their penalties are not as severe as those for men.
He claims: “My butt would be in jail, I would lose my career and be permanently banned from Twitch” and continued: “Someone they like – a woman – did this, so that’s okay.”
What does the community say about the change in NarcissaWright’s ban?
Under the tweet from Wright, many users are gathering who cannot comprehend Twitch’s decision. They write:
- iFantomeN says: “Imagine threatening to shoot people and getting off with a light punishment. @TwitchSupport you should keep her permanently banned and take legal action due to the death threats.”
- vvvvvictoria_ says: “Absolutely disgusting that they let you back on the platform.”
- Sley addresses the double standards: “Terrible decision from Twitch. Nothing personal against you, but they have obviously acted biased.”
- verne finds it unfair: “Meanwhile, my account that I created in 2013 is still banned because the username is ‘offensive.'”
Few voices support NarcissaWright’s unbanning and state that she acted out of impulse. Some say she deserves to express her opinion freely.
If Twitch’s decision does not change, NarcissaWright may go live again from April 12.
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Lost Ark: How do I get to Rohendel?
At a certain point in Lost Ark, you reach the quest in the main story that sends you to Rohendel. But how do you actually get there? We at MeinMMO will explain it to you.
How do you get to Rohendel? The more important question is rather when than how. Because “how” is easy to answer – you take your ship and sail to Rohendel. You can find the continent on the left side of the world map, above Yorn and below Feiton.
As a destination, you should keep an eye on the harbor of “Lake Shiverwave”. It appears on the world map with a small yellow anchor at the bottom side of Rohendel. There you can set your waypoint and sails.
But first, try to see if you can actually set your waypoint to Rohendel; if you cannot and an error message appears, the way to the continent of the elves is still blocked.
When can you go to Rohendel? In order to set out to Rohendel, you need to complete some preparatory work first. First, you have to accomplish the following:
- Level 50
- Completion of the continents Arthetine, North Vern, and Shushire
- Reaching a gear score of 460 by upgrading your equipment
- Completion of the quests “A New Journey” and “Wall of Procyon”
- A conversation with the queen of North Vern
Once you have completed everything in this order, the way to Rohendel will be open to you, and you can continue your search for the Arks. If you need some help with the quests, just keep reading.
Completion: A New Journey
How does the quest work? Once you reach a gear score of 460, you automatically unlock the purple guide quest “A New Journey”. It can only be accepted by a character in your roster, and your future heroes will not need to go through this effort again but can head directly to Rohendel.
The new journey sends you to the Island of Wisdom, which you might already know from Neria’s rapport quest. You will find the island south of East Luterra and west of South Rimeria.
Upon arriving on the island, follow the path into the big house and speak with the fairy Minerva, who will send you to look for the book “Sea of Balance”. It is located in the same house in the lower left corner.
Once you have found the book, you must speak with Minerva again; she mentions the Wall of Procyon, which is preventing you from reaching Rohendel. Then, you will go back to Vern to speak with Queen Ealyn. This is where the quest “A New Journey” ends.
Completion: Wall of Procyon
How does the quest work? If you have already upgraded your ship a bit, it might be the case that you overlook this quest. Queen Ealyn gives you the task of improving your ship so that you can survive the stormy seas of Procyon. It is much rougher there than in the previous waters.
If you own an Estoque, a White Wind, or a Stormbreaker of level 2, the quest is considered complete, and you can set sail for Rohendel. If not, you will first need to go to a harbor and upgrade one of the three ships before you can speak with Ealyn again.
Once that is done, you can head to the harbor and set sails towards Rohendel. Try to circumvent the dangerous waters if possible, or make use of repair options at sea. The journey is perilous and will take a toll on your ship.
Have you already reached Rohendel yourself? What did you think of the quest line to get there? And how long did it take you to reach gear score 460? Feel free to tell us in the comments here at MeinMMO.
This is how you can farm gold the fastest in Lost Ark – 5 tips for beginners.
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Publisher of World of Tanks completely leaves Russia: “Expect significant revenue losses”
Wargaming, the developer and publisher of World of Tanks and World of Warships, has announced that it will leave Russia and Belarus. The reason is “a strategic review of global business operations.”
In a new statement, Wargaming mentions that as of March 31, 2022, the management for the live service in Russia and Belarus has already been transferred to Lesta Studio. The publisher will no longer be responsible for its games in these two countries.
The goal is “to have no businesses in Russia or Belarus anymore.”
During the transition period, the products will still be available through the new owner. However, Lesta Studio has no connection to Wargaming. Therefore, no profits will flow from Lesta Studio to Wargaming.
It is therefore expected that there will be “significant revenue losses.” Additionally, the studio in Minsk is currently being dissolved. Affected employees are promised “the highest level of support” from Wargaming.
MeinMMO has contacted Wargaming. However, at this time, the studio is not providing any further statements.
Wargaming was originally founded in Belarus’ Minsk. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there have been conflicts surrounding the studio and its games. A creative director supported the war and was subsequently fired.
– Ukraine Live Blog (via Zeit)
– War in Ukraine (via nzz)
– Solidarity with Ukraine (via foreign-office)
Important note: If you are struggling with dark thoughts due to the current situation: You are not alone. Please seek help. For example, at the telephone counseling service at 0800/111 0 111 or the online counseling, where you can also use a chat. This is free of charge and applies nationwide.
Publisher leaves Russia after war in Ukraine
Wargaming is known for its war games and simulations as well as for accurate details. For this reason, World of Tanks has been controversially discussed since the beginning of the war. Some of the most well-known streamers of the game used this to raise donations:
Wargaming’s withdrawal from Russia and Belarus is likely a consequence of these events.
The topic of the Ukraine war is omnipresent and continues to concern the gaming community.
Gaming streamers and influencers are currently using their reach to call for action or to draw attention to fundraising campaigns:
Streamers and influencers raise over €820,000 for Ukraine – This is 2GETHER4UKR
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Pacifist completes Elden Ring without attacking once – Shows the strongest tricks in the game
YouTuber Iron Pinapple attempted a pacifist run in Elden Ring. He originally just wanted to see how far he could go, but surprised himself by completing it without making any attacks. MeinMMO tells you how.
Iron Pineapple has become one of the biggest YouTubers around FromSoftware games in recent years. Especially the videos where he plays lesser-known “Souls-likes” are very popular.
For Elden Ring, he specialized in challenge runs and tip videos. His latest video is an incredibly exciting combination of both.
In his pacifist run, he uses the best weapons, strongest tricks, and best tactics in the game – but only to benefit his NPC helpers. He himself, with his terribly looking character with a mustache, was not allowed to deal any damage whatsoever. And he actually managed to do that.
Pacifist run shows how many strong tactics are in Elden Ring
What were the rules? This is how Iron Pineapple’s pacifist run went:
- His class was the Prophet for healing magic, which was particularly aimed at his helpers.
- As a keepsake he chose the ashes of the Vampire Ladies to have immediate access to NPC helpers.
- The golden rule for the run was that he may never deal a single point of damage himself.
- NPC helpers were allowed, but no multiplayer summons.
- Enemies that died from forced fall damage were “killed by gravity”.
- Teleport glitches were allowed as an exception.
- Not all bosses had to be killed, only the necessary ones.
With this extreme limitation of not being allowed to deal damage, Iron Pineapple had to delve deep into his bag of tricks. That he was still able to complete Elden Ring lies also in the many strong tactics he utilized flexibly.
He uses them cleverly and strategically to handle every situation in the game. While not everything goes smoothly, the video shows how you can overcome every hurdle in Elden Ring, even with the most unnecessary restrictions of your own play style.
The highlights from the run can be admired in Iron Pineapple’s video:
How did the player succeed? Because he was not allowed to deal any damage himself, Iron Pineapple had to rely heavily on spirit summons. With the ashes of various NPCs, you can summon them as spirits in your world to fight for you. Depending on the boss, he called upon different helpers:
- Against the tough boss Margit, he used the first ash you can utilize in the game. The Vampire Ladies easily take care of the boss with their strong bleed damage.
- On the way to the capital, he relied on a dog that inflicted rot damage, slowly but surely finishing off the enemies.
- Later in the game, he also trusted the powerful Mimic Tear.
This impressively shows Iron Pineapple how many options you have in Elden Ring to cope with difficult situations. Even though the action RPG is known for its notorious high difficulty, the developers have packed an incredible amount of options and tools into the game.
With a little creativity, willingness to experiment, attentiveness, and patience, you can tackle the toughest opponents. The result can be a crazy Superman build, a crazy sniper tactic, or just a new build thanks to the respec function.
Ash summons were not the only successful strategy
What other tricks were used? Since you cannot use ashes everywhere in the game, he also had to rely on other tricks. You can replicate these if you are stuck in your non-pacifist run.
- He uses a variation of the strong Blood Build so that his Mimic Tear can make use of it. Non-pacifists also benefit from the meta weapons Uchigatana and Nagakiba that the YouTuber uses.
- He positions himself cleverly so that bosses like Radahn stumble to their deaths.
- The actually bad talisman Shabriris Woe is also used to draw attention to himself.
- Iron Pineapple also shows a strong trick that allows him to glitch into absolute endgame regions and thereby bypass difficult bosses like Niall.
Throughout the run, he also showcased strong farming routes. One of them was an early path to the endgame area Mohgwyn Palace thanks to Varré’s quest. However, he could not perform the farming trick with the half-dead dragon due to his self-imposed rules.
Despite success, not everything went smoothly in the run. He had significant troubles with Ranni’s quest. He wanted to get the powerful ash at the end of the quest – only to find out that he couldn’t complete the last step.
If you want to complete this quest yourself, here’s how to do it:
Elden Ring: Complete Ranni’s quest – This is what you need to do
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Controversial YouTuber spends over 4.4 million euros on a Pokémon card, wears it as a necklace
YouTuber Logan Paul made his WrestleMania debut on Sunday, April 3, 2022, wearing a Pokémon card worth 4.4 million euros as a necklace. The Pikachu Illustrator card of the 27-year-old holds the record for the most expensive Pokémon card sold in a private auction.
How did Logan Paul stand out? The controversial YouTuber Logan Paul has once again managed to polarize. Dressed in a yellow and black coat, with a Pokémon card hanging around his neck, the 27-year-old made his debut at WWE’s wrestling event “WrestleMania.”
But rather than his fight, it was the YouTuber’s accessory that drew attention: the Pokémon card worn as a necklace has a record value of 5.4 million euros. However, the auction price paid by Paul of over 4.4 million euros is a world record as well.
This is the world record: After Logan Paul and “The Miz” won the encounter with Rey and Dominik Mysterio, the controversial YouTuber received a certificate from Guinness in his locker room.
The certificate issued by “Guinness World Records” and presented to Logan Paul certifies the 27-year-old with the record for the most expensive Pokémon card sold in a private auction. According to Guinness, the auction price was around 4,477,146 euros.
The title image of this article shows Paul and his card and comes from his Twitter account.
The Rarest Pokémon Card in the World?
Why is the card so expensive? As if it wasn’t already enough to stand out by decorating a wrestling outfit with a Pokémon card, it also has to be the most expensive Pokémon card in the world. But what makes the card so special?
Logan Paul’s Pokémon card is a “Pikachu Illustrator.” This was allegedly issued only 39 times by CoroCoro Comic during the “1998 Illustration Contest” in Japan. According to Heritage Auctions, only 10 copies of this card have been graded as “in the best condition.”
If you are interested in which Pokémon cards are also really valuable, our colleagues from GamePro have presented 6 Pokémon trading cards that are now really valuable.
The card is additionally made more expensive because collectors believe that there are now only about 20 copies of the collectible item left. Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator, meanwhile, has been graded a 10 (PSA 10) by the “Professional Sports Authenticator” and is listed there with the record value of 5.4 million euros.
The high quality rating in connection with the general scarcity of the card makes the YouTuber’s Pikachu Illustrator perhaps the rarest Pokémon card in the world.
Collecting Pokémon cards is no longer a hobby just for kids. The cards of the cuddly companions have become a source of investment in recent years. The value of a card depends on its condition and rarity.
Do you also have some Pokémon cards in your collection and can you perhaps even look at a valuable specimen?
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Destiny 2 launches the hardest PvE endgame – Here’s how you conquer the Nightfalls on Grandmasters
On Tuesday, April 5th, the Winners return to Destiny 2. This is a particularly difficult variant of the Nightfall Strikes for Season 16. The challenge for the corresponding title ” conqueror ” is therefore not without reason considered the ultimate test for PvE players. MeinMMO tells you everything you need to know to be there and what to look out for.
What is a “Winners Nightfall”? This difficulty level is a particularly difficult variant of the six Nightfall Strikes from the current Season 16. Bungie makes no compromises when it comes to the fight for the title ” conqueror “.
No PvE challenge is tougher in Destiny 2: At the Nightfall difficulty level “Winners”, the strongest enemies await with enormous health and resistant shields. On top of that, there are over 10 negative modifiers testing you, your team, and your gear.
In Season 16, the following Winners Strikes are available:
- The Scarlet Fortress, Moon
- The Arms Dealer, European Dead Zone, Earth
- The Light Blade, Savathun’s Throne World
- The Glassway, Jupiter’s Moon Europa
- Fallen S.A.B.E.R, Cosmodrome, Earth
- Birthplace of Evil, Savathun’s Throne World
Even a high Power level will not help you in the challenge, because the Winners Nightfall is played in competitive mode. This means the Power level requirement for the activity is regularly 1,600, but every player is capped at 1,575 Power level. A downside that represents a considerable challenge for most players, because one is a one-shot from almost everything.
In addition, there are other hurdles on the way to victory:
- Enemies can take more hits, deal more damage, and are much more aggressive.
- You will encounter the maximum number of relentless Champions, and your loadout is locked.
- Revives are limited, and automatic re-entry is disabled.
- Additional revives are awarded only when you take down Champions.
- The final boss encounter allows for little to no mistakes and requires team coordination.
- Additionally, darkness will slowly take away your ability to revive teammates. After 45 minutes, all the lives earned will be lost.
These Master rewards await you: If you are victorious, a great performance in the Winners will, of course, also reward you with loot. On the one hand, you will receive the Nightfall weapons as Master variants and have an increased chance of exotic armor, as well as masterwork materials. In the Winners, coveted Master mods also drop, just like in trials.
At the start, you can expect these two weapons:
- The Palindrome – 140 Hand cannon
- Plug-One.1 – Arc Fusion rifle
In Winners Nightfalls of Season 16, you can also earn the following Nightfall weapons as Master versions:
- The Comedian, Void Shotgun
- The Hothead, Arc Rocket Launcher
- Duty Bound – 600 Kinetic Auto rifle
- Silicon Neuroma – 72 Kinetic Sniper rifle
Title Triumph “Conqueror” – Here’s How to Get It
If you want to claim the title “Conqueror”, which you receive for completing 6 Nightfall: The Trial by Fire at the “Winners” difficulty, seize the opportunity. Bungie has already changed the requirement for the title last season.
What has changed with the Conqueror title: Previously, it was necessary to complete all six Winners Nightfalls in one season, that is, within three months, to obtain the title. However, Bungie has changed this and made the title accessible to more players.
From now on, it is sufficient for players to complete a total of six Strikes at the “Winners” difficulty over several seasons. Only the gilding of the title must still be completed within a season.
You’ll also need a different tactic and possibly different weapons for each Winners Nightfall. If you’re playing in a fireteam, strategic play with coordinated mods and weapons is therefore helpful. You should also have a solid weapon selection to remain flexible.
Those who regularly play the Nightfall Trial, either in a team or solo at Grandmaster, already have good knowledge that can be excellently utilized and expanded for Winners.
Otherwise, it’s important to save or generate special and power ammo to take out specific targets quickly, if necessary. Keep your teammates alive with Supers. Don’t forget to use the mods to generate orbs of power, to quickly regain your abilities and thus counter enemies strongly.
What do you think? Are you ready for the hardest PvE mode of Destiny 2? Do you want to prove yourself again and become a “Conqueror” and gild the title? Or is the activity too difficult for you? Let us know in the comments.
Many titles that had hard challenges have been softened. “Unbroken” will also be replaced soon:
Here’s how to gild the title “Conqueror”: If you have already earned the title “Conqueror”, a special selection node will be available to you right at the start of the tough PvE mode. It allows you to start any of the six Nightfall Strikes immediately at the “Winners” difficulty.
You no longer have to wait until the end of the season and can immediately tackle the challenges associated with the gilding.
Is there a secret recipe for victory in the Winners?
Not really. Since every shot from your opponents can mean death, you will often need to use cover and work together to eliminate all enemies.
Especially since Bungie has already announced that the particularly aggressive Scorn Sniper, with their crossbow, cannot currently be fixed for technical reasons. Therefore, defeating them will be especially crucial in Winners Nightfalls, such as the Light Blade.
You’ll also need a different tactic and possibly different weapons for each Winners Nightfall. If you’re playing in a fireteam, strategic play with coordinated mods and weapons is therefore helpful. You should also have a solid weapon selection to remain flexible.
Those who regularly play the Nightfall Trial, either in a team or solo at Grandmaster, already have good knowledge that can be excellently utilized and expanded for Winners.
Otherwise, it’s important to save or generate special and power ammo to take out specific targets quickly, if necessary. Keep your teammates alive with Supers. Don’t forget to use the mods to generate orbs of power, to quickly regain your abilities and thus counter enemies strongly.
What do you think? Are you ready for the hardest PvE mode of Destiny 2? Do you want to prove yourself again and become a “Conqueror” and gild the title? Or is the activity too difficult for you? Let us know in the comments.
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For LoL you now get 650 RP and a skin worth 1350 RP with Prime Gaming
For LoL you can now grab free bonuses as an Amazon Prime customer. You can receive 650 RP at your disposal, plus a skin worth 1350 RP, essences, champion shards, eternal series shards, and an XP boost.
What is this offer? Every month you can pick up these gifts for League of Legends. This is one of the benefits you unlock when you are an Amazon Prime customer and link your accounts.
Loot from March 31 to April 28
What’s included? Right after redeeming, you will receive:
- 650 RP to spend as you wish
- A permanent skin worth 1350 RP that you do not already own
- 200 orange essences
- 5 champion shards
- 2 shards of the 1st series of “Eternals”
- A 30-day XP boost
How to redeem the loot? First, go to the Amazon Gaming website and log in there. You must be an Amazon Prime customer to receive the loot. Then link your Amazon Gaming account with your Riot account on the website. Now click on redeem on the loot page.
If you had LoL open at the time, restart the game just to be safe. You will find the Prime Gaming capsule in your loot overview. If you open it, you will gradually receive the champion shards, RP, essences, the skin, and the rest of the package.
Tip: If you do not have a Prime membership but do not want to miss out on the loot, you can sign up for a 30-day free Prime subscription and test the service during that period.
When is the next bundle available? You can redeem the next loot for May 2022 starting April 28. Then there will be another capsule with these contents.
It’s quite possible that LoL will bring some players back to the MOBA with this action. Unlike other PvP games, LoL has no hackers – what is the reason for that?
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Lost Ark: Where can I exchange Unas Tokens and how do I earn the most Gold?
In Lost Ark there are daily quests called “Unas Tasks”. In doing so, you can earn your own currency: Unas Tokens. Where to exchange them and what you need to consider when exchanging, we at MeinMMO reveal in this guide.
How do you get Unas Tokens? Unas Tokens are a currency that you can earn for completing Unas’s daily and weekly tasks. To do this, you need to earn points each week:
- For each daily quest, you get two points
- For each weekly quest, you get 12 points
Depending on the number of points, you receive different amounts of Tokens. For 25 points, for example, you get 30 Tokens, at 35 points another 30, at 45 points even 42, and so on. However, note that the number of Unas Tokens scales with the item level and collected points are reset every week (every Thursday).
You can then exchange the collected Tokens at a gold trader.
Where can you find the gold traders? The gold traders are located in every major city. You can find the first trader in Castle Luterra.
Earn gold through Unas Tokens, but only with the right pouch
What does the trader offer? At the gold traders, you can exchange Unas Tokens for various items:
- Bulging Gold Sack – 80 Unas Tokens
- Small Safe – 200 Unas Tokens
- Large Gold Chest – 500 Unas Tokens
However, there are significant differences in gold rewards per Token:
- The bulging gold sack gives you at least 200 gold and then, with luck, either 100 or 1,000 gold. You get the 200 gold for 80 Tokens for sure. So, one Token reliably earns you 2.5 gold.
- The small safe reliably brings 600 gold for 200 Tokens. So, each Token is worth 3 gold. Additionally, you have a chance to receive another 100 or 1,000 gold.
- From the large gold chest, you will definitely receive 1,250 gold for 500 Tokens, which again gives you a reliable 2.5 gold per Token. However, you also have a chance for 100, 1,000, or even 10,000 gold. If you pull the 10,000 gold, you will definitely have a much better yield.
Which chest is worthwhile? If you want to take the best offer, you should go for the small safe. Here you get the most gold per Token. If you are a player, you can go for the large gold chest and hope for the grand prize.
The bulging gold sack is overall the least attractive offer.
Can you exchange Unas Tokens for something else? No, Unas Tokens can only be exchanged for gold. However, you can earn silver and enhancement materials through daily and weekly quests.
More tips for farming gold in Lost Ark can be found here:
Here’s how to farm gold fastest in Lost Ark – 5 tips for beginners
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Gaming without Internet: The best co-op games you can play with friends at the table
As part of Find Your Next Game, we want to introduce you to games you can spend many hours on that you might not have considered. They just have to fit your preferences. MyMMO editor Benedict Grothaus thought he would present you with 2 of his favorite games that have nothing to do with online gaming and that you surely don’t know.
Can you imagine playing together with friends without being separated by a screen? And no, this is not about offline games and couch co-op games. I’m talking about board games.
Yes, exactly what your parents played back in the day and what seemed terribly boring to you as a kid. But board games have evolved. Today, there are a variety of board games that are quite different from what you might expect.
Cooperative board games allow you to play with your friends instead of against them. No competitive thoughts, no ruined friendships, but a joyful evening together with a game board, dice, and figures.
Two of them have turned out to be our favorites in my circle of friends: Arkham Horror and Mansions of Madness, both published in Germany by Asmodee. Today, I want to introduce you to two of my favorite games, explain why they are so good, and what they are doing on an MMO website.
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Board games are like analog MMOs
Why should I care about this? Arkham Horror, Mansions of Madness, and many other cooperative board games fulfill the same criteria as online co-op games and MMOs:
- you can play them with friends
- it’s about teamwork, not competition
- coordination and communication lead to success
- they have a high replay value
There are even mechanics like classes, character sheets, and loot in the games. Strictly speaking, these features stem from the “tabletop” genre. Board games therefore appeal to the same interests as online co-op games.
I don’t just say that they are the “best” co-op games casually. If I had to choose between Arkham Horror and an online co-op game with the same players, I would always reach for the board game.
What makes the games better? You simply play them in a different atmosphere. Instead of sitting alone in front of your computer or staring at a screen, you sit across from your fellow players. This creates closeness and provides a more intimate atmosphere.
Facing great dangers brings people together, and you can laugh about mistakes much better when you see how the other person is ashamed of their error. No reason to go “tilting” right away.
Board games are simply less toxic, especially with the right players. After all, you tend to choose your friends in “real life” more carefully than in an ad-hoc online group.
Board games against the game – Not against the players
What kinds of games are these? Mansions of Madness and Arkham Horror both take place within the Cthulhu Mythos by American author H.P. Lovecraft. Together with friends, or even alone, you as investigators must unveil secrets and solve puzzles.
You will be sent to the dark city of Arkham and other areas at the beginning of the 20th century to confront dark powers and the “Great Old Ones”.
However, they have a problem: either they sleep and dream, or they are not really among us yet. Cults often form that try to wake the gods from their slumber or bring them into our world. You are to prevent that in the board games.
To play, you choose a character with special traits and abilities. Ideally, your team has a good mix of muscle and brains. But any combination brings variety to the game and ensures a new dynamic.
As a group, you then look for clues in a previously selected adventure and try to solve a given task. In the process, you interact with NPCs, fulfill side quests, and defeat enemies in combat.
Mansions of Madness changes while playing
How does a round in Mansions of Madness work? You start in a single room in a mansion, a museum, or another location you have been invited to. Someone asks you for help with a problem that you must solve as investigators – a missing person, a murder, or something similar.
Your goal is to explore the surroundings and find clues to solve the mystery. You have various actions available, such as:
- Movement and exploration
- Picking up and trading items
- Combat with various weapons and even magic
Your actions per round are limited, so you must coordinate exactly who should do what. At the end of each round, the game takes its turn, and something happens. Enemies may appear, or you experience horror episodes. If it feels like insects are suddenly crawling under your skin, it affects your mental health.
Fights and other “tests” are decided with special dice. These indicate whether you succeed or not. The values of your character in traits like agility or arcane knowledge help you with corresponding tests. Everyone is a specialist in at least one area.
What makes Mansions of Madness so special? As a special feature, Mansions of Madness relies on a companion app that you run on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. This narrates the story, determines the events in the round, and even provides musical accompaniment.
What’s even more important: the app determines what your game board looks like. Because in Mansions, you start with a single component of the plan and build from that continuously. You discover the map while playing.
There may even be instances where rooms get blocked or fires spread. Depending on the adventure, individual rooms or even the entire map may shift or realign. This way, you can approach an adventure differently every time and play it again.
Mansions of Madness also offers plenty of expansions. Most of them come with new investigators and adventures, some with new components. Through the app, you can also buy new adventures as DLC if you’ve completed everything else.
The base game and the expansions come with detailed plastic figures that you can move around the game board. This makes the world more tangible and allows you to dive deeper into the story.
Arkham Horror plays like a co-op strategy game
How does a round in Arkham Horror work? After selecting an adventure, you set up the game board according to the plan. After the start, you read the story cards. This explains what exactly is happening. However, you have to guess your mission – after all, you are investigators and should figure out what’s really going on in the city.
The story develops continuously and the world becomes increasingly dangerous. Even if you seem to be on the right track, luck can turn in a round, and you may find yourself close to defeat.
The goal is to find “clues” and prevent “corruption”. The story evolves depending on how many clues you find or how far the corruption progresses. Like in Mansions of Madness, you can perform various actions during your turn:
- Movement through the city
- Collecting money and trading items
- Fighting monsters and opponents
After your turn, you have the opportunity to interact with the location you are in. If you are in a shop, you can shop. If you are near a clue, you can try to obtain it.
At the end of a round, “event markers” are drawn, determining what happens next. The events can include:
- clues that appear
- corruption that spreads
- monsters appearing
- “headlines” that usually drive you all crazier
What makes Arkham Horror so special? Unlike Mansions of Madness, Arkham Horror features a “larger” game board. While you need less space and fewer components, you are playing in a entire city rather than just in a single house, temple, or similar.
You must always keep an eye on the entire city and coordinate who covers which area. Decide who has the task of defeating enemies, eliminating corruption, or collecting clues.
Even losing is fun
The games sound complicated and they are. Only by playing will you understand how exactly they work, but that’s part of the game principle. This also means: you will often lose.
In our 40 game sessions, we have perhaps won 10 times. Even after over 60 hours, we rarely complete a new adventure on the first try, at least not without cheating.
You can lose the game by not finding all clues in time. Each round is under time pressure, even if you can only estimate the time running out. This creates a constant feeling of urgency that complements the horror scenario.
Additionally, your investigators can die if they lose health points or “mental health”. What’s particularly interesting: if you go “insane” in Mansions of Madness, your victory condition may change.
You might get the urge to rob your fellow players or set fires. These are new situations that the entire group must adapt to. They usually lead to defeat for the team, but that’s the challenge of the games.
Ideal for fans of co-op and horror
Who are the games interesting for? Anyone who enjoys co-op games online and has a solid group for such activities should persuade their friends to have a board game night. Especially if you enjoy games with a lot of communication and joint planning, like Left 4 Dead, GTFO, or even raids and dungeons in MMOs, it’s worth a look.
Due to the setting, fans of oppressive horror games are also addressed. While you have less dark atmosphere and no “jump scares” due to the lack of graphical effects. Still, those who enjoy reading books like the Cthulhu saga will also find happiness with the games.
For a start, Arkham Horror is probably better suited, as it is a bit simpler to play. However, Mansions of Madness offers more variety and replay value. It is also more complex. The downside to the games is that they can be quite expensive:
- Mansions of Madness costs around €70 depending on the offer
- Arkham Horror costs about €55 depending on the offer
Here, only the base games are included. Personally, I own (almost) all the expansions and have probably paid over 400 euros for my entire collection.
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MMORPG secret tip from 2022 receives its first major update
Broken Ranks is a new MMORPG that was released in January 2022 and is considered more of a niche game. However, it impresses fans mainly with its graphics and turn-based combat system. The game has now received its first major update, bringing new quests and content for guilds.
What does the big update include? The patch brought several major innovations for Broken Ranks:
- Guilds can now buy their own land and build structures and warehouses there, as well as unlock special buffs.
- A new quest for players at level 35 has been introduced, telling the story of a special bear from a dungeon. Just before, there were already two new quests for levels 75 and 83.
- New crafting recipes and new zones for gathering materials have been added to the game.
- For female characters, 20 new accessories and skins have been implemented in the character editor.
- Some NPC models and mob avatars have been revamped.
- There are new premium skins available in the shop.
- Over 40 bugs have been fixed and some balance adjustments have been made.
The patch was deployed on March 31 and has been positively received by the admittedly small community.
What’s next for the MMORPG? The developers have already shared a detailed roadmap for 2022. Planned are new instances, an Easter event, new quests and story content, an achievement system, new maps, and a PvP arena with tournament mode in the third quarter of 2022.
You can find the complete roadmap on the official website (via BrokenRanks).
Broken Ranks impresses with combat system and unique graphics
Why is Broken Ranks a hidden gem? The MMORPG has never reached the big mainstream. At release, the game had nearly 90,000 registered players, of which about 9,000 were from Germany. It is particularly popular in Poland, where over 21,000 registered players came from (via BrokenRanks).
The low interest might be due to the graphic style and the unusual combat system. Because in Broken Ranks, you fight in a turn-based manner. At the beginning of each round, you can decide which attacks and defenses will be executed:
- You have 12 action points available.
- There are five abilities and three defense options (melee, ranged, mental) to which you can allocate the points. Each attack can receive up to 5 points, and each point increases the chance of a hit.
- The attacks are executed in the order of magic, ranged, melee, which simultaneously determines which side and which players open the fight.
This combat system is also the reason why I can only recommend Broken Ranks after over 40 hours of gameplay.
What else characterizes the MMORPG? Broken Ranks is a free-to-play MMORPG that you can download from the official game website. A version on Steam is currently not planned.
Content-wise, the game offers you:
- A dark story
- Numerous quests that you can complete
- A 2.5D graphics style where the landscapes resemble paintings
- Group content like dungeons and raids
- Crafting and trading between players
- A shop without pay-to-win content and with a special premium currency that you can also exchange or give away in-game
- A German localization
So if you are currently looking for a new MMORPG and are not averse to the setting, you should definitely give Broken Ranks a try.
Have you already played Broken Ranks? If so, what do you like about it and what don’t you? Can you recommend it to our readers?
Several new MMORPGs are planned for 2022. A major highlight could be the upcoming Throne and Liberty:
New “€75 million” MMORPG showcases massive boss battles – Looks stunning
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