The next mini-expansion for Hearthstone has been announced. Lady Onyxia is a core aspect of the set “Onyxia’s Lair”.
It’s been exactly two months since the release of the expansion “Divided in Alterac Valley” and players are craving new cards. Now is the time, as Blizzard has unveiled the next “mini-set” for Hearthstone: Onyxia’s Lair.
What has been revealed? The new mini-set Onyxia’s Lair consists of 35 different cards – including duplicates, that makes 66 cards. Most of them will have a thematic connection to dragons and the well-known abilities related to Onyxia that players have known for almost 20 years from World of Warcraft.
The cards will be revealed over the coming days and should all be published by the release date.
Of course, a new trailer is also included, in which the expansion is thematically sung. In the best “Disney villain style”, Lady Katrana Prestor – Onyxia’s human form – dances through her lair and recounts her sinister plans:
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How much does the mini-set cost? As is now usual, you can purchase the mini-set in several ways.
The most affordable option for many players is to buy it with earned in-game gold. You need to put down 2,000 gold coins to acquire all 66 cards.
If you’d rather pay with real money, you can shell out €15 and also receive all 66 cards.
If you currently have excess money and want the entire set in golden edition, you can instead pay a whopping €70. For that, you will get all 66 cards in a golden, animated version.
More about Blizzard and Hearthstone can be found here:
When does the mini-set come out? The mini-set “Onyxia’s Lair” will be released on February 15, in less than a week. As usual, this will likely happen in the early evening hours between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM. You should restart your game then to make the set available.
What do you think of the trailer? Does it look promising? Or do you want to see all the cards first?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Lost Ark, there will be a longer maintenance and server downtime today, February 11th. A patch will be implemented that fixes several bugs. The maintenance will last throughout the afternoon and players fear download issues and queues.
When does the maintenance start? The new patch will be implemented at 2:00 PM. The servers are expected to be offline for four hours. They should be back online by 6:00 PM, just in time for the launch of the Free2Play version.
What changes with the patch? A total of 13 bugs will be fixed by the update, including adjustments to the area chat, the quest log UI, and the world bosses, which sometimes did not drop the correct rewards.
A known bug where the Sorceress had no sounds when using a language other than English will also be adjusted.
Players fear chaos at the Free2Play launch
How is the patch received? Although the patch itself brings some useful changes, some players fear that the maintenance will lead to chaos.
During the last two days, preorder players were able to log in very spread out, and yet there were long queues, today at 6:00 PM many players want to log in simultaneously to avoid the long queues.
Additionally, at 6:00 PM, Free2Play players can enter Lost Ark for the first time. Buyers of Founders Packs will not have any advantages today and will log in at the same time as the Free2Play players.
Since all players must also download a new patch, similar, if not worse, scenes could occur as during the launch on Tuesday.
On reddit, user LordKamienneSerce fears “mega queues,” while user InsertDisc11 complains that he, as an EU player, is losing an entire afternoon. User Michalkey2 states: “I expect a big chaos, maybe even bigger than on Tuesday. Queues from hell.”
Lost Ark has already launched for many fans on February 8. However, if you did not want to spend any money, the game starts today on February 11 for everyone via Steam. We at MeinMMO have the most important information for you.
When does the game start? AT 6:00 PM (6 pm CET) you can access the servers of the European version of Lost Ark. Then you can launch the game via Steam and select a world you like.
The problem that many players had on February 8, namely that they had to decrypt the data on Steam first, should no longer be an issue. However, we recommend being quick, as there are likely to be queues.
When can you download? Even if you did not purchase the game, you could already download it since February 7, so nothing stands in the way of starting directly at 6:00 PM.
If you haven’t done so yet, you should quickly start downloading it to avoid possible queues. Theoretically, you can also still purchase pre-order packages and start a bit earlier.
How long are the queues? On some servers, you should expect queues starting at 4:00 PM, which can bring waiting times of up to six hours in the evening. However, there is already a hurdle for new players.
The problem is said to exist only “for the foreseeable future”, but starting on Asta tomorrow to play with your friends who are already there will not be possible.
If you have no preference about which server to choose, because friends are already playing on it, it’s best to take one of the new servers.
Start video
Everything you need to know about Lost Ark’s endgame – in the video
Tips for the start
What do you need to know at launch? Right from the start, you can currently gain some advantages through the Legends of Lost Ark event. We at MeinMMO have also prepared more guides to make your start into the game easier and to introduce you to the basics of the new MMORPG.
What do you think of Lost Ark? Have you already played, or are you waiting for the release this evening? Are you concerned or afraid of queues and can’t play with your friends who have already started? Feel free to write it in the comments here at MeinMMO.
Lost Ark launched on February 8 for pre-order players. Today, on February 11, Free2Play players can also explore the world of Arkesia. However, new players can only create their characters on certain servers for now. Particularly, the server Asta, where many German communities gather, cannot be selected.
Update from February 12: During the night, the developers announced that they will partially reopen the servers. They are paying close attention to the queues. What you need to know about the server openings in Lost Ark, you can find out on MeinMMO.
Update: The developers have now announced that many contents of the Founders Packs can be taken to another server as a one-time additional package. Also, 6 new servers for Europe have been announced for the Free2Play launch (via Lost Ark Forum).
What is happening with the servers? In a forum post, developer Sandovall stated that there will be restrictions on server choice.
Since February 10, at 10:45 PM, players can no longer create new characters on some servers. This applies only if you have not previously had at least one character on that server. You can continue to have up to 12 characters on that server.
This is particularly frustrating for players who want to start with Lost Ark on February 11 at 6:00 PM. Because at that time, the game opens for all Free2Play players. They cannot create characters on the servers.
Where can new players go? In Europe, there are still 6 more servers where players can spread out. Additionally, another server will be opened at night: Beatrice.
The developers also emphasized that there could be further server openings around the Free2Play release.
However, the situation with new servers is complicated.
How bad are the queues? In recent days, it has been nearly impossible to join the queue for the server Asta after 6:00 PM and be able to play before 11:00 PM. It has reportedly been similar on Zinnervale and Kadan.
However, it seems that Amazon is also planning something in this regard. They stated:
While the restrictions on character creation and opening new servers are just a small part of managing this complex situation, we will provide additional information throughout the day regarding the numerous steps we are taking for you, the players. We thank you for your patience as we work to resolve this situation.
In Destiny 2 the new expansion Witch Queen is just around the corner. To warm up, Bungie has released a new special trailer full of story tidbits almost 2 weeks before the release.
This is the situation:
On February 22, 2022, the new expansion The Witch Queen for Destiny 2 will be released.
What kind of trailer is this? In the new trailer, you are explained where the Witch Queen Savathûn and her Hive actually come from and what your mission will be in Witch Queen. The special thing about the trailer is that you can interact with it.
Small Engram symbols keep popping up that you can click on. Then the trailer is briefly interrupted and you get background information on something you are currently seeing in the moving image.
You can find the trailer on the official website. Since it is interactive, we unfortunately cannot embed it here easily.
On one hand, you can extract more information from the trailer through the interactivity. On the other hand, you have to keep interrupting, which may cause you to lose track. Additionally, much of what is shown may be hard to understand for those who are not deeply familiar with the lore. For a refresher, you can find the entire story of Destiny up to Witch Queen summarized on MeinMMO.
However, one piece of information stands out and is emphasized: in Witch Queen, a new, previously unknown ability apparently plays a significant role.
Start video
New trailer of Destiny 2 shows how good the new Throne World of the Witch Queen looks
The story of Savathûn and a new, secret ability
The “Deepsight” is an ability that derives directly from the Darkness. Through this, the user should be able to see through the illusions in Savathûn’s Throne World. The description states: “Although the use is necessary, some Guardians are afraid of it.”
When opening the door to darkness in Europe, another dark power is said to have been invited. And it is questionable whether the Guardians will ever be able to fully close this door again.
We cannot yet say how the Deepsight will function in Witch Queen. However, it sounds likely that, for example, new players will have to earn it in a quest line to be able to play the expansion.
What do you think about the trailer? Discuss with us in the comments!
The new ability is not the only news that Destiny 2 fans are currently puzzling over:
The huge deal between Microsoft and publisher Activision Blizzard attracted a lot of attention, but also concerns. PlayStation players feared exclusives. A statement from Microsoft’s Brad Smith should bring relief.
Who is speaking? Brad Smith is one of the bosses at Microsoft and holds the position of “President and Vice Chair” there. He has now spoken out in a blog post on the Microsoft homepage.
There it was primarily about principles concerning app stores and Windows – but gaming was also discussed. More specifically: about the effect of Microsoft’s purchase of Activision.
After the deal was announced, many PlayStation fans expressed concerns that exciting games from the publisher might not land on their console anymore but could become Xbox-exclusive. This included games like the Call of Duty series or also Overwatch and Diablo sequels.
Now, Smith has clearly addressed the topic.
New titles “beyond the existing agreement”
This is what Brad Smith says about the topic: In the post, Smith explains that it is fundamentally Microsoft’s vision that players can play across platforms.
Specifically regarding Call of Duty, Smith says, they have heard the question about Call of Duty and potential exclusivity: “The obvious concern is that Microsoft could make this title available exclusively on the Xbox console, undermining opportunities for Sony PlayStation users,” Smith said.
To clarify: Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular titles from Activision Blizzard available for PlayStation as long as the existing agreement with Activision is in place. And we have committed to Sony that we will make these titles available on PlayStation even beyond the existing agreement and in the future, so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love.
So it seems that PlayStation players do not have to worry about possible exclusive titles. Already in January Sony also addressed the concerns and at least explained that there was no reason for concern within the framework of existing agreements – what it would look like afterwards, however, was unclear until now.
More about the deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard:
However, Smith is not only talking about PlayStation: “We are also interested in taking similar steps to support Nintendo’s successful platform. We believe this is the right thing for the industry, for the players, and for our company.”
It is possible that the Switch will also be supplied with more games – a Call of Duty has not yet been released for the Nintendo hybrid console, for example.
In Lost Ark there is the so-called Fortress. This is the housing system of the game. However, it is not limited to just one building. Instead, you can customize an entire island according to your wishes. We at MeinMMO reveal what awaits you.
What can you do in the housing of Lost Ark? Your own island offers a variety of content:
You can unlock passive bonuses
There is a crafting station and an account-wide storage
In the expedition station, you can send NPCs on journeys, who then bring you rewards
Through the training ground and knowledge transfer, you can passively level up other characters
There are NPC merchants where you can exchange materials and currencies
You can design your island according to your wishes
Your fortress works server-wide. So, if you have built it with your main character, any other character can visit it after reaching the story milestone.
When is housing unlocked? You will receive your own island at level 26. To unlock it, all you need to do is follow the main story. In the quest “Song of Home and Hearth,” you will then visit your island for the first time.
The unlocking of your own fortress costs nothing.
How does the action energy work? The housing of Lost Ark relies on action energy. You start with 15,000. This energy is consumed when you send characters on missions, research recipes, or engage in crafting.
Through upgrades, the amount of energy and the recharge rate will improve over time.
[toc]
The main features of the island explained in detail
At the start of your own island, the most important buildings and features are already available to you. We reveal what exactly they are.
The Estate
The estate gives you a passive bonus on the island, such as faster crafting or a higher chance of perfect rewards in crafting. Here, you should choose the bonus that best suits your playstyle.
Additionally, you can choose an outfit to wear on the island that also provides a bonus.
At the beginning, you only have one buff; later, it will be significantly more.
The Laboratory
One of the most important buildings at the start is the laboratory. There, you can commission research to unlock new parts of the island or new recipes. Upgrading existing content also takes place through this laboratory.
Commissioning research costs materials like ore or wood that you need to collect beforehand, as well as currencies like silver or gold. Each commission also costs work points and some time until it is fully researched. The time depends on the content being researched. Smaller recipes cost less than an hour, while larger innovations can take over 8 hours.
It is important that you do not have to research all available recipes and content to level up your island. Some things can be ignored if they are not relevant to you.
You can research hundreds of things.
The Workshop
Crafting takes place in the workshop. However, you cannot create armor and weapons there, but mainly useful gadgets, buff food, and furniture.
To use the contents of the workshop, you need items from the gathering professions, such as lumberjack, mining, hunting, fishing, and excavation. You can then further develop these in the workshop. For this, you will also need to learn recipes that you obtain through the laboratory.
The workshop is especially suitable for the potions that you can only use in dungeons and raids. Also gadgets like a scarecrow that taunts the boss, or grenades that slow down enemies or even hold them in one place.
The workshop is the place for crafting.
The Naval Expeditions
In this station, you can send NPCs on various missions. You can select these missions through the interface. They cost energy and time but provide fortress expedition experience as well as pirate coins and seals that you can use as currency.
You should use these missions every day to generate progress for your fortress. However, you must manually collect the rewards of the missions. At the beginning, you can only send one ship; over time, you can send several ships. To do so, you need to level up the expedition station. You can also hire more crew members with the seals.
Each mission has a chance of failure. A failed mission, however, only rewards you with fewer rewards. It is not possible for a mission to fail completely, and you receive nothing. Therefore, it is also worth selecting missions with a high chance of failure.
It is important to note, however, that you should rather ignore the special missions. Although your NPCs will be sent on guardian raids and cube dungeons, they are not very profitable regarding energy consumption compared to the rewards gained.
Here you send your crew to embark on adventures for you.
Training Grounds and Knowledge Transfer
In the training grounds, you can level up characters from your account that are on the same server. All characters that are at least level 50 and are at least two levels below the character with the highest level are eligible.
If you have a character at level 60, you can passively level your other characters from 50 up to level 58.
For this, you only need to send the character to training. There are no costs.
Characters can train for a maximum of 7 days in a row and earn a certain amount of X XP per hour.
In an example we saw in the video, the character gathered about 40 million XP in 7 days, which corresponds to just under one level after level 50.
It is important to note that you can still play the character even if they are currently in training.
On your island, in a specific corner, there are various NPCs with whom you can trade. Some of them are permanently located on the island and trade for the pirate tokens that you can earn through the naval missions.
What about decorations? Another highlight on the island is decorating. You can place both buildings and furniture as well as bring NPCs to your island.
You can place furniture and buildings through the “Placement” menu. You open it with CTRL+2.
The NPCs, on the other hand, you can bring to the island through the flirt system. Correspondingly, there is also a wardrobe system that allows you to visually change the NPCs.
Additionally, you can also place every character that you own on the server on the island.
Furniture of various kinds can be placed on the island.
Housing and the real money shop: The housing system of Lost Ark is indirectly connected to the real money shop. You can buy various furniture and buildings for your island there. Additionally, you can shorten some times during research with blue crystals. These are available for gold (in-game) or royal crystals (real money).
What do you think about Lost Ark’s housing system? Do the contents appeal to you? Where did you have difficulties understanding?
All guides to Lost Ark on MeinMMO can be found here:
The wait for Patch 9.2 in World of Warcraft is over. The update will come in just a few weeks.
The current content drought in World of Warcraft is hard to bear for many players. Korthia is exhausted even on the tenth alt, Sylvanas has been defeated dozens of times, and all covenants have been played through. New content has been a long time coming, but now the waiting is over. Blizzard has announced the release date for Patch 9.2: Eternity’s End.
When does Patch 9.2 come out? Patch 9.2: Eternity’s End officially releases on February 23, 2022, for us. On the American realms, as usual, it will be one day earlier, on February 22.
This means that in less than 2 weeks, the new content will be available.
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What’s included in the new update? Patch 9.2 is rather traditional and expands World of Warcraft: Shadowlands as one expects from a patch. It includes:
A new zone: Zereth Mortis, which explains the origins of the Shadowlands
A new raid: Tomb of the First, where you fight against Anduin and the Jailer
New campaign quests that lead Shadowlands to the finish line
Plenty of new cosmetic rewards
A new season in PvE and PvP
The return of tier sets with corresponding set bonuses and class-specific appearances
What happens next? Patch 9.2 is the last “major” patch of Shadowlands. Afterwards, only Update 9.2.5 will follow, which will bring a series of smaller features and a highlight – Cross-Faction Play, where Horde and Alliance can undertake dungeons, raids, and PvP battles together.
Shortly thereafter, there should be first information about Patch 10.0, the next expansion, which players hopefully leads back to Azeroth – at least that’s what many hope. An initial leak already suggests that it will be a dragon-themed expansion:
A gaming headset on Amazon receives many top ratings. MeinMMO has reviewed the EKSA 900 Pro for you and reveals how the device performs in direct comparison with the competition.
The most important points at a glance:
The EKSA 900 Pro is a wired gaming headset that you can connect via USB or jack. The microphone is detachable.
The price for the device is 39.99 Euros, placing it in the entry-level category.
In USB mode, the headset additionally offers virtual surround sound (7.1). This has both advantages and disadvantages in testing.
In testing, the device primarily offers excellent ergonomics. However, the headset can impress in other areas as well.
What kind of gaming headset is this? The device presented here is the EKSA 900 Pro. On Amazon, the device has around 5,000 5-star ratings out of more than 7,000 reviews (as of February 10, 2022). The gaming headset is very well received by users.
We at MeinMMO have reviewed the device because we wanted to know how good it really is. In our test, we also compared the device with similarly priced options.
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How did we test? The headset was used for about 4 weeks in total. We mainly played games with it and used the device on the computer. We also tried it on the PS4.
The EKSA 900 Pro was provided to us by the manufacturer as a test sample free of charge.
Features and technical details:
Design
Over-ear/Closed
Connection type
Wired (USB-A or 3.5mm jack)
Frequencies
20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
Compatibility
PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox
Weight
250 grams
Scope of delivery
Headset, detachable microphone, 3.5mm jack cable, 3.5mm Y cable, USB-A cable, manual, carrying bag
EKSA E900 Pro in detail
In this section, we discuss the general aspects of the headset. We will look at the design of the device and its construction. We will also take a brief look at the software.
Design and construction
What does the headset look like? The headset features a black design with red accents. When the device is used via USB, there is even RGB lighting on the outer sides of the ear cups.
How does the device sit? The EKSA 900 Pro is a closed gaming headset. The cushions of the headset completely surround the ears and do not just rest on them. The microphone is detachable.
Scope of delivery and close-up view of the EKSA 900 Pro
Build Quality
What we like: The gaming headset is well made. There are no sharp edges or spots. The memory foam is well stitched, and there are no gaps or uneven areas between the band and ear cups. The headset itself does not make noise when stretched or pulled, when placed on the head.
What we dislike: The gaming headset does not offer a sleeved or fabric-covered cable. This normally ensures that the cable wears out slower or does not get tangled. The headset is completely made of plastic, and there is no metallic reinforcement in the headband. All controls are also made of plastic, and the mute button for the microphone rattles slightly when not pressed.
Software
The software is very clear and does not offer any additional features aside from the basic functionalities. The volume can be increased, and the microphone can also be easily adjusted; however, the software does not provide more functions. It is not even possible to turn off the RGB lighting of the headset.
The software seems somewhat outdated, resembling the layout and design of Windows Vista and Windows 7. While it is far from modern, it serves its purpose.
On the next page, we will show you how the EKSA 900 Pro performs in practical tests. We will discuss comfort, sound quality, and microphone, and compare the device with its direct competitors.
Finally, you can read in our conclusion how good the device is and for whom the EKSA 900 Pro might be worthwhile.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
What determines how many revives, berries, and TMs you receive as rewards in Pokémon GO raids? We will show you the most important factors. The professionals from TheSilphRoad have now shed light on these.
As Pokémon trainers, we have probably all asked ourselves after a raid how the rewards are actually chosen. Why do I get a certain number of revives for one raid, but different rewards for another?
With the evaluation of nearly 3000 raids, TheSilphRoad can now bring light to the darkness and explain how the hidden factors behind raid rewards work.
Raid Loot in Pokémon GO
The team from TheSilphRoad consists of many trainers from around the world who work together to uncover the secrets of Pokémon GO. One of these secrets has now been revealed. After evaluating 2973 raids, three factors have been established that are used to calculate raid rewards:
The raid level
How many Premier Balls you receive
A bit of luck
This study was completed one day before the release of the new Potion rewards in Pokémon GO. These are not yet included in the results but will be updated later. The mechanics for calculating the rewards are expected to remain the same.
1. Multiplier – Reward Packages
You may have noticed that raid rewards consist of multiple instances of the same items. The rewards are assigned into item groups called “reward packages.” For example, revives are distributed in a five-item reward package in level 5 raids. This is illustrated in the table.
TMs for fast and charged attacks are always distributed individually in single reward packages. However, revives, golden raspberries, rare candies, and now also potions are distributed in larger quantities in reward packages. The number of items depends on the raid level and can be seen in the following table:
Source: TheSilphRoad
Some of you may look at the table and say, “But I have also received 20 revives before. That can’t be true.” Yes, it is true. And this brings us to the second factor.
Multiplier 2 – The Number of Reward Packages
This factor has led TheSilphRoad’s team to an interesting discovery. The number of reward packages you receive depends entirely on the raid level and the number of Premier Balls received.
If you successfully complete a raid and thus receive the minimum number of 6 Premier Balls, you will receive reward packages based on the raid level (6 Premier Balls and raid level 1 = 1 reward package. 6 Premier Balls and raid level 3 = 3 reward packages, and so on).
By controlling the arena, self-inflicted damage, and team damage, you can receive up to 14 Premier Balls. This also increases the number of reward packages. The following table clearly shows how the number of reward packages depends on the raid level and Premier Balls. A “bundle” is a reward package in this case.
So check how many balls were there and then go to the correct column of the raid levels in that row. With 10 balls and difficulty level 4, there would be 6 packages.
Source: TheSilphRoad
Since August 16, 2017, there have also been potions as rewards in raids. The team from TheSilphRoad suspects that level 5 raids were weakened on that day and now reflect the reward category of level 4.
Note: An additional Premier Ball has been part of the rewards since August 8 to compensate for a bug with the last Premier Ball. This additional ball has not changed the results. For clarity, this extra ball has been added to the display in the table.
3. Factor – Luck and Probability
It is now clear that the number of items in a reward package depends on the raid level. How many packages you receive is then determined by the received Premier Balls and the raid level.
Factor three is related to probability. We now know how many packages we receive, but not what is inside.
Each reward package is assigned to an item group. According to TheSilphRoad, these are only dependent on the raid level. It is noticeable that the distribution of revives, golden raspberries, and rare candies is roughly equal.
The chance of receiving TMs for fast moves and charged attacks increases with higher raid levels. It is also worth noting that in raids of level 1-4, significantly more Fast TMs were distributed than Charged TMs. Raids of level 5 rewarded trainers with a similar number of Charged TMs as Fast TMs.
During the analysis, additional data was also included and their influence on the distributed items was controlled. It was found that trainer level, gym badge level, the number of reward packages, and the anniversary event have no impact on the items in the packages.
These three shown factors, raid level, Premier Balls, and probability are crucial for determining what rewards you receive from Pokémon GO raids.
Work on the Update is Already Underway
As explained, TheSilphRoad is already working on assigning potions to these reward tables. This will take some time. Once new information is available, we will update this article for you.
The work of TheSilphRoad shows how dedicated they are to playing and researching Pokémon GO. Great praise for the hardworking trainers!
Lost Ark has many different systems to represent a character’s progress. One way to improve is through Engravings, which initially seem very complicated. We at MeinMMO explain the system.
What are Engravings? With Engravings, you can improve certain aspects of your character, but there is always the risk of negatively impacting others. Basically, they serve as an upgrade for your set, but they can completely upend your character:
For the Death Shooter, for example, there is an Engraving that completely disables weapon switching while greatly increasing the damage of both pistols.
The Sorceress, on the other hand, can either enhance or turn off her Identity ability completely.
You first encounter the system when you are in Luterra Castle and the first major city finally opens up to you. A purple quest will then slowly guide you into the system, but it leaves many questions unanswered.
Obtaining and Improving Engravings
How do Engravings work? Basically, there is a distinction between Combat Engravings and Class Engravings. While Combat Engravings are identical and can be used across all classes, the two Class Engravings are only available to their respective subclasses.
While Combat Engravings can be activated everywhere, the others are class-bound
How do you obtain Engravings? During a tutorial quest in Luterra – around level 26 to 28 – you will first receive 5 Stones of Birth as a gift. You can then use these to improve and activate your first Engravings.
These stones always have two positive and one negative effect. Each of them has 5 possible points, and you must roll a total of 15 times to fill or destroy each slot.
The chances of success and failure are recalculated after each attempt. Ideally, you want to achieve as many successes as possible with the positive, blue aspects while hoping that the negative, red points do not activate.
Once you have altered the stone 15 times in total, you can equip it and unlock the actual Engravings.
Only after all 15 upgrades does the stone awaken, and you can use it
How do Engravings work? Once you have equipped the stone you want, you can see in a new window which Engravings you have unlocked. From 5 points, an Engraving or an Engraving level is active; anything below that is irrelevant.
So you want to ensure that you have as many blue activations as possible and that you keep the red ones below 4 as much as possible, so that the negative aspect of the Engraving does not activate.
In addition to countless positive effects, the possibilities for negative effects are limited. They either reduce your damage, movement speed, attack speed, or resistances.
If all 15 stones are active, you then have a Mali between 6 and 15% on the respective value. So be careful that your negative effects are never too high. It’s better to forgo a positive than to take on a nasty negative.
How to improve Engravings? In addition to luck, the collection aspect also contributes to how good you actually are. For certain Engravings, you can also find books to upgrade them specifically.
If you can find 20 books of the same Engraving, you unlock a new level of that Engraving. This will give you between +3 to +12 points on that Engraving.
If you now have a stone equipped that gives you +3 on the Engraving Drops of Ether, you can collect 20 books of this Engraving, giving you a total of +6 Drops of Ether. This activates the Engraving without having actually unlocked it on the stone.
You can obtain these books from the following sources:
By purchasing them with a currency obtained from Chaos Dungeons
Buying them from other players
Side quests
Chaos dungeons
Drops of Ether and Master Brawler are active here, the others are not yet
What’s next? You should ideally inform yourself about which Engravings are strong for your class. The Engravings in Lost Ark are rare and require a good deal of investment. You will regret it if you waste silver and Engraving books that you do not need.
After unlocking the Engravings, you will also get more Engraving books as quest rewards. It’s now even more worthwhile to check which rewards a side quest offers.
Have you already gained experience with Engravings or have you ignored the mechanics so far? Perhaps you have tips and tricks that could complement this guide? Feel free to share them in the comments here at MeinMMO so that all readers can benefit from your knowledge.
In about 2 weeks, the latest game from developer FromSoftware, Elden Ring, will be released. Our author Tarek, a veteran of the Soulsborne games, got to check out this action RPG from the creators of Dark Souls and shares how it plays.
Just 15 more sleeps until Elden Ring comes out. This calculation of how many days are left has become one of my first thoughts when I wake up in the morning. Well, it’s not that bad yet. But after all this long wait, Elden Ring is finally at the door. It will be released on February 25th as the open-world RPG from FromSoftware.
Then came the opportunity to try Elden Ring in advance. Unfortunately, I couldn’t play the closed network test myself, as it only took place on consoles and left PC out.
However, back then, MeinMMO author Max Handwerk, who is a complete Souls newbie, was able to participate. If you are also new, I recommend reading his impression report.
Here, you’ll mostly get the perspective of a long-time Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro player. A heads up: Unfortunately, we cannot show you our own gameplay from the preview. We have only new screenshots available.
Who is writing here? Tarek has been a passionate fan of Soulsborne games for over 10 years. Since then, he has played every game from Dark Souls to Sekiro multiple times, investing hundreds of hours. He loves the challenging gameplay, the mysterious worlds, and the stories you have to uncover yourself. What he finds particularly interesting about Elden Ring is that the game takes the leap into a completely open world.
The first 6 hours in Elden Ring
What exactly could I play? Unlike the network test, our preview build was an early version of the game that you could play indefinitely.
However, I only had 6 hours to try out Elden Ring myself. Therefore, I didn’t get beyond the starting area of Limgrave. The actual game world is significantly larger. If you have already thoroughly investigated the contents of the network test, you should not expect any major revelations.
I can also only provide a limited impression of the technical performance, as I played via Remote Play, effectively only able to play a streamed version.
That’s why I focus on gameplay elements like the combat system. Given the tight timeframe, I didn’t even try to progress as fast as possible, but rather wanted to engage with the mechanics.
Nevertheless, in these 6 hours, I managed to complete the tutorial, explore a good portion of the first area, and take down a mini-boss.
I’ll start with the combat system because that is the core of the gameplay and motivation. How does it perform?
Combat System Mixes the Best of Dark Souls, Sekiro, and Bloodborne
At first, it can be said that not much has changed in the fundamental mechanics you know from Dark Souls or Bloodborne.
Elden Ring features light and heavy attacks, you can dodge, and you can block attacks with weapons and shields to varying degrees. Counterattacks are also included.
From the first moment, you feel right at home. However, there are subtle and also larger changes that, in my view, give the combat system even more depth.
Firstly, the most significant change for me: Elden Ring finally makes heavy attacks useful.
What was the problem? Heavy attacks (using R2/RT) were mostly rarely used in Dark Souls and Bloodborne. The reason: The animations are significantly slower than for light attacks, which means you take a higher risk of being interrupted.
Moreover, the increased risk was hardly rewarded with higher damage. Heavy attacks deal more damage, but not enough to justify the disadvantages. This made them rather situational options often used just for style.
Elden Ring fixes this at last.
Heavy attacks not only deal significantly more damage, but they can also break an opponent’s posture.
This mechanic was introduced in Sekiro and is also partially present in Elden Ring.
If you’ve broken an opponent’s posture, you can perform a critical attack that deals massive damage.
Often, an opponent’s posture cannot be broken with normal attacks, especially with bosses.
So, you rely on the proper use of heavy attacks if you want to deal significantly more damage.
The risk of these attacks remains, but in Elden Ring, it is rewarded much more substantially. This brings more depth to the combat system and allows for additional approaches. Thanks to the new jumping mechanic, you can even initiate heavy jump attacks at any time.
Elden Ring thus offers the basic combat system of Dark Souls while adding in posture and jump mechanics.
Ultimately, it feels like a natural evolution that began with Demon’s Souls, expanded with Dark Souls and Bloodborne, gained new facets with Sekiro, and now culminates in Elden Ring by bringing together all the good aspects.
Significantly More Freedom with Weapon Skills
One element from Elden Ring that reminded me of Bloodborne is the handling of weapon skills. In Dark Souls, they were often more nice than really useful, whereas Elden Ring offers a much larger number of abilities that are also useful.
Additionally, weapon skills can be found and even purchased. Then you can attach them to certain weapons of the right category and shape your attack patterns.
This frequently reminded me while playing of the trick weapons from Bloodborne, where each weapon had two different modes with different attack patterns.
Some of the weapon skills in Elden Ring have similar effects; for example, a long sword suddenly becomes a ranged weapon.
How exactly does this work?
If you’ve found a weapon skill, it will be added to your repertoire.
You can then equip it on a suitable weapon at a checkpoint.
You can undo this at any time and distribute and try out your skills as you see fit.
Some weapons already come with their own abilities.
In Elden Ring, you also fight on the back of a spirit horse
This is what it’s about: One of the biggest innovations is your spirit horse “Torrent”. You receive it shortly after the beginning of the story and it serves you not only as a means of transportation but is also very useful in combat.
Because besides the high speed at which you move, you can also launch attacks from Torrent’s back. This is especially useful against large and heavy opponents that can hardly hit you if you’re quick enough.
But you can also accomplish quite a bit against groups of enemies from your horse’s back. Just be careful not to take too much damage. Otherwise, you’ll fall off Torrent’s back and be exposed to attacks for a while.
Indeed, my careless approach while on horseback probably cost me my life the most during the preview. After some adjustment, it quickly becomes second nature, and I think I wouldn’t want to go without a horse in Dark Souls 3 in the future.
How hard is Elden Ring still?
Some veterans might be worried about how hard the game will actually be. The developers have repeatedly emphasized that they are doing everything to make the game more accessible.
After the preview, I can clearly say: More accessible does not mean easier. While Elden Ring explains more and partially guides you more than before,
this is rather due to the newly added massive open world. The actual difficulty level was just right for me. I died a few times due to typical foolishness or because I engaged enemies that were still too strong or simply outnumbered me.
It also felt to me while playing that the enemy AI was significantly smarter than in previous games. Especially in groups, they behave much more intelligently and even sometimes take tactical approaches.
So, you should avoid large groups as much as possible if you don’t want to be overwhelmed. It remains to be seen how it will play in coop, but at first glance, Elden Ring will once again provide a challenge.
Elden Ring will become more accessible in other areas. For example, you can craft useful items with easily found materials that will help you in combat.
By the way, I didn’t try the multiplayer at all. However, if you want to know how coop and PvP work in Elden Ring, you can find an overview on the topic with us.
What does the game world of Elden Ring bring? The most enjoyable part of the preview was exploring the Lands Between. The first area is called Limgrave and many may already be familiar with it from the network test.
Although I had seen much material on it beforehand, I had a lot of fun on my exploration tour. This is partly because you are not bombarded with quest markers and POIs but must find your way on your own. Only a small golden veil in the air indicates where you need to go if you want to continue the story.
Besides that, there is so much to discover that I was sometimes amazed. Although the first area is already expansive, something to do or discover can be found at almost every corner. So, if you’ve always dreamed of a real open-world Dark Souls: Here it is.
Start video
19 Minutes of Gameplay from Elden Ring – With Coop
Fortunately, FromSoftware has only slightly drawn inspiration from other games here and has rather transferred its known level design into the open world. Limgrave felt like a Dark Souls level but on a significantly larger scale.
Hidden treasures, skills, as well as sneaky boss enemies and other threats await you everywhere. I also came across some of the weirdest enemies known from Elden Ring during my tour.
Additionally, there’s once again the fantastic art style of the FromSoftware game. The Lands Between emanates the flair of the anime Berserk and already stands out from many other similar game worlds.
For me, the concept and the transition work perfectly, and I can hardly wait to further explore this game world. I had previously expressed some concerns about the open world.
Conclusion after the preview: Even now, I am fully hyped about Elden Ring. If anything, it’s precisely because I enjoyed the preview so much. While I was optimistic before, the 6 hours with the game ultimately completely convinced me.
Elden Ring expands on some mechanics from previous FromSoftware games, mixes elements, and combines them into something new. Looking at the story of their games and how they evolved, Elden Ring is likely the product of all these previous successes.
I am curious to see what the rest of the game looks like, how the multiplayer works, which areas we will be able to explore later, what cool weapons and armors we can acquire, and which great monsters I will later get to slay. Until I burn the Elden Ring in the fire of the mountain of fate… ah no, stop, that was something else.
But all jokes aside: Elden Ring is likely going to be my game of the year, and I am quite sure that every veteran of the previous games will also be thrilled, as long as they liked them.
If you wished for major innovations, you also get them with the spirit horse and the crafting system. In everything else, it’s more of an evolution of the strengths of previous games.
I am excited to see what else the game has to offer. Because so far, we only know a small part of the game world, and there may be some surprises and new features waiting for us.
Tarek Zehrer
Freelance author at MeinMMO
Let’s hope that by release, the issues surrounding the Dark Souls multiplayer will be resolved and that they won’t affect Elden Ring.
Recently, there have been some issues regarding the servers. Hackers discovered a massive exploit that could have given users control over other players’ PCs.
In the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online, there’s a funny yet deadly bug that shoves players through a dungeon door, revealing entirely new facets of the ESO world. However, this bug doesn’t come without consequences. We at MeinMMO tell you everything about the strange game error in ESO.
What exactly does the bug do? In a post on reddit, the user drdoom shows a video where he actually just wants to leave a vault and enter the open world of Eastmarch. However, he is stopped by a hostile NPC who attacks him. The player turns around and to his surprise receives a heavy blow from close range.
But as if that weren’t enough of an unpleasant surprise, this NPC actually manages to shove him through the door of the vault, which can typically only be passed by selecting it and going through a short loading screen. As his character straightens up after the heavy blow and turns back around, he suddenly finds himself at an abyss.
The surroundings, aside from the ground around him, have vanished. In the distance, he still sees the NPC who has thrust him into this situation running away as if nothing had happened. His companion Mirri loyally follows him. Even as he approaches the abyss and ultimately falls to his death, she follows him step by step.
You can also check out the strange event yourself:
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The player remains trapped in the eerie world for a long time
But what is seen in the video is not everything. In the comments, the user mentions that he barely managed to escape from this strange world. He tried to stand up, wandered around, and subsequently fell from the edge of the map for 3 hours.
With the command /stuck, one can usually free their character from such a predicament, but our user is not playing ESO on PC, but on a console. After trying a few things to free himself, he asked the community for help and was ultimately able to escape this creepy world.
How did the player free himself? If you ever find yourself in this situation and can’t leave a location, try this trick: Join a campaign for Cyrodiil or the Imperial City in the Alliance War and hope to get in quickly. That’s how the user drdoom managed to free himself from the predicament.
Other users also seem just as surprised about the part of the world the player ended up in the video. Under the video, you can find numerous comments about the strange event:
UnclassyEarthMuffin: “That dude slapped you out of the game” – “The dude slapped you out of the game.
PR0T0TYPER0ZE: “This is the craziest I’ve seen a glitch happen” – “This is the craziest glitch I’ve ever seen.”
Wild234: “You have entered the void beyond!” – “You have entered the void beyond!”
Mr-Reanimator: “What fucking plane of Oblivion did that punch send you to?? xD” – “What fucking plane of Oblivion did that punch send you to?”
When thinking about it with a laugh, user Mr-Reanimator might not be so wrong. Because to Elder Scrolls fans, the realm of the Realm of Oblivion is no stranger. It is the realm of the villain Molag Bal.
Molag Bal is a fearsome opponent in ESO.
Hanging in an eternal fall into death for over three hours sounds almost like one of Molag Bal’s cruel ideas of torturing man and mer.
If you’re interested in more about ESO, this might also interest you:
Molag Bal is the final boss of the main quest in the ESO base game. You can also encounter him in the middle of the sewers beneath the Imperial City. But prepare yourself or bring reinforcement if you wish to confront him.
In ESO, there are always bugs that either frighten or even excite the fans. A funny bug was investigated last year by my colleague Jürgen Horn and me. This bug lets you ride around on loot boxes.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the community of Pokémon GO, there seems to be a winter slump. We asked you how often you still play, and over 1,400 people voted. See the results and reasons here.
What’s going on in Pokémon GO? In winter, fewer people play Pokémon GO than in summer, as expected. The temperatures only draw trainers outside when it’s really worth it: This is an observation we make at MeinMMO in direct player circles, and it is confirmed by the community.
In our Facebook group for Pokémon GO, we asked how often you currently play the game. You voted diligently and also provided reasons why you are currently playing less or what is bothering you. We show you the results here.
Over 700 of you are currently playing less than usual
These are the results: We started the survey in the Facebook group on February 9 at 6:30 PM. By February 10 at 2:23 PM, 1,435 people had participated. The voting went as follows:
Question: How much Pokémon GO are you currently playing?
729 votes for “Less than usual”
297 votes for “Normal”
215 votes for “Not at all anymore”
113 votes for “Daily”
39 votes for “Very rarely”
28 votes for “More than usual”
14 votes for “Too much”
A very large part of the voters plays less than usual, very rarely, or even not at all Pokémon GO.
Why are fewer people playing? Pokémon GO is a game that rewards you for being outside. When walking, you find more Pokémon, can receive items at PokéStops and gyms, and battle legendary Pokémon in raids. However, at lower temperatures, the game has always struggled with motivating trainers to go outside.
In summer, when people are out anyway and have their phones with them, trainers play Pokémon GO more often. This is the typical picture for the community. But in your responses to the survey, more reasons come to light:
Florian F. writes: “In summer, the desire to play Pokémon GO comes back more strongly”
Günni P. writes: “I have only been doing the bare minimum for the daily stamp for a long time, but unfortunately, the weekly rewards have been very meager for a long time”
Kevin W. writes: “Less than usual. I get every event Pokémon from home in just minutes.”
Michael W. writes: “A lot less than before. I have been playing since the beginning, and it has become boring. In the past: A bunch of Pokémon appeared, some of which were easier to find, while others required a real search. Today: A new Pokémon appears in the game, and within five minutes, I have caught it 20 times. In the past: Almost always new raid bosses and ex-raids came. Today: The raid bosses are constantly the same; I’ve seen them X times already. Events are resolved in no time, or the story continues, like currently, outside the game. The same Pokémon keep appearing, which I can almost no longer see. I am aware that new players may not have some of them yet. But players who have been playing for a long time are falling behind. Many players in my environment have stopped for this reason, among others. Maybe Niantic should come up with a two-pronged strategy or take less consideration for potential new players.”
One often reads that there is a certain fatigue regarding the events. Players are slowly getting too much of it and wish for Pokémon GO to start fewer events. Do you feel the same way? Let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments how your current mood about the game is.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The streamer DrDisrespect is known for his high entertainment value, his powerful mustache, and his shooter skills in games like PUBG or CoD: Warzone. However, he can’t relate to MMORPGs like Lost Ark , as he recently made clear to the dismay of his friend TimTheTatman.
Dhis is DrDisrespect:
The two-meter man was for years the self-proclaimed “face of Twitch”. Especially with his escapades in PUBG, he made a name for himself and secured a lucrative exclusive deal with Twitch.
In 2020, however, “the Doctor” was banned from Twitch under mysterious circumstances and has since been streaming in exile on YouTube.
The 5 biggest Twitch bans that caused a lot of commotion
“But where is the skill?”
This is what he says about MMOs like Lost Ark: DrDisrespect talks with his buddy TimTheTatman, who is also a successful streamer on YouTube. TimTheTatman explains what he likes about MMOs like Lost Ark: You can level up your character, find rare loot, and compete against other players.
But DrDisrespect simply asks:
“Where is the skill? I mean skill that can actually be recognized. How do players differ from each other? When I watch shroud and look at you – in MMOs I can’t see a damned difference in who is the better player.”
In other games or activities, you can often see from the movements who has what it takes. In MMOs, this is not the case.
The part where DrDisrespect expresses his opinion on Lost Ark begins at 2:44:25.
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What is wrong with this man? For hardcore MMO fans, DrDisrespect’s view seems questionable. Because MMO players know that especially in demanding activities like PvP or raids, every millisecond of reaction time matters, and there is a significant difference between Flaschy McFlasche, who stands in every fire and constantly messes up his rotation, and Dupy McSupertoll, who masters every boss fight and is always at the top of the DPS meter.
DrDisrespect even complained that if all of Twitch streams this crap, it could end up making all streamers unemployed, because it would be impossible for anyone to watch it.
TimTheTatman seems to be despairing at DrDisrespect’s ignorance. He refuses to explain to DrDisrespect what is so great about Lost Ark. He says that he simply doesn’t like MMOs and his opinion is therefore not relevant.
The divide between shooter fans and MMORPG players runs deep. Many gamers are firmly connected to one genre and can’t understand or engage with the other, often not even willing to truly analyze it. However, that Lost Ark still finds many fans in the West is evident:
The first two major releases in February are here: Dying Light 2 and Lost Ark. Both games have been highly anticipated by many. How have they performed so far? We discuss this in the current episode of the MeinMMO Podcast.
This is the topic: The month of February is packed with major releases and big games, and two of them have already been released.
With Dying Light 2 came a survival horror game that is played from the first-person perspective. You navigate through a zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic open world where you must resolve conflicts among the surviving humans and make decisions that impact the ending.
Lost Ark, on the other hand, is an MMORPG that has been awaited in the West for many years. The Korean free-to-play game is played in an isometric perspective reminiscent of action RPGs like Diablo. It has all the features of a true MMORPG, such as raids, life skills, housing, and even romances with NPCs.
In the current episode of the podcast, Alexander Leitsch, Gerd Schuhmann, and Benedict Grothaus talk about how the launch of these games went.
You can listen here:
At this point, a small disclaimer: This is our weekly episode of the podcast. It is released earlier than usual due to release dates. This means there will not be another episode on Sunday.
This is how you can participate: You can actively contribute to the improvement of the podcast. If you have feedback such as suggestions or criticism, or simply want to submit a cool topic proposal that should definitely be discussed, then feel free to visit our Discord server.
Alternatively, you can also write an email directly to [email protected] and share your thoughts with us. Share your opinion in the comments.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Lost Ark has finally released in the West and MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch is already busy playing. Since the release nearly 40 hours ago, he has already spent 12 hours in the game. However, he is not really happy with the MMORPG.
Lost Ark is here and for me, the release is going exactly as I expected. Minor problems, long queues and the same areas through which I have already battled multiple times in the beta.
Several gaming sites awarded scores beyond 90 based on their experience during the press event, even the top score of 100 was given. Our German colleagues from GameStar also issued a preliminary score of 78-88 (via GameStar).
On the one hand, it pleases my MMO heart. There haven’t been so many tests and so much positive feedback for an MMORPG in a long time. On the other hand, I am surprised that this is happening specifically with Lost Ark. Because I have some issues with the game.
My Problems with Lost Ark
In essence, there are five things that bother me about Lost Ark:
The Introduction
The Areas
The Combat System
The Key Mapping
Work Points and Crafting
Some of these problems can be relatively easily solved. Others, however, are so fundamental that I probably won’t get used to Lost Ark in the long run. But let’s take it step by step.
An Absurd Start
One problem I have stumbled over repeatedly in the last 40 hours is the entry into the game. It is incredibly exhausting. The first problem lies in the class selection because I have to choose from one of the basic classes at the start. Two dialogues later, I decide on a specialization. An unnecessary step.
I am aware that the beginning is a remnant of the old class tutorials. But then the system could have been completely removed.
It even happened to me that I chose the wrong basic class and had to delete my character. One stumbling block is the fact that they have separated the basic classes Gunner and Huntress. So I needed two attempts right away to create an Artillerist, my new main in the game.
And yes, there is a hint about the specializations in the character selection, but anyone who has no idea about the game won’t immediately understand what to do with the button “Preview (advanced class)”.
Why can’t I choose my specialization directly?
Every day the same linear level
What I have always appreciated about MMORPGs is the freedom to explore, the choice of my starting and leveling area. Guild Wars 2 has implemented this almost perfectly, where each race has its own area, but I can also travel to the areas of the other races right from the start. This way I can play with friends, but also discover different areas without having to switch races.
Lost Ark is the complete opposite. The leveling process up to 50 is almost linear. Each area is relatively small, and you are sent dryly from quest hub to quest hub. There are things to discover, such as Mokoko seeds, but I didn’t really feel a sense of exploration.
Instead, I run in each area from the bottom left to the top right, follow the story, and do a few side quests. Although my highest character is only Level 30 and the journey there was not even long, every level-up felt like chewing gum for me.
For me, this is partly due to the lack of soul in the game, something that has also bothered me in games like Elyon.
Three of the first maps differ little in their structure and look very similar.
I also see the quests as a mixed bag. There are small highlights now and then, such as when I need to use emotes or spy on a camp. But these highlights are too few and far between to really stand out. The developers are already in the process of deleting many of these quests, but many are still there.
Basically, I criticize Lost Ark for the same reason I did with Swords of Legends – leveling is not fun. But at least the developer Smilegate has come up with something:
This saves me the annoying process, but it is a shame that this process exists at all.
Action-packed fights yes, but with too little variety
The combat system. Here the testers rave about it. They talk about it being the “best combat system in the genre”. Personally, I can’t get into it. Objectively, I can say that the attacks are powerful, and some of the animations are beautifully executed.
However, I have four criticisms, entirely independent of the isometric perspective:
The animations are often too long and force me to stand in one place, especially on the Paladin. This destroys any feeling of action for me.
Dodging interrupts many, but not all actions. Therefore, sometimes I stood like an idiot in the boss’s AoE.
It looks just silly when I shoot up through a stairway and the enemies at the top take damage.
At least in the early levels, there are many classes that play very similarly. There are noticeable differences between melee, ranged, and assassins. But within these species, a lot feels too close together for me.
This may be nitpicking at a high level, but almost everywhere the combat system gets full marks. So I hoped for a bit more – both for myself and perhaps some readers of the tests.
Aside from this aspect, I personally have major issues with the perspective and the controls. I have never been a fan of hack and slash games and actually miss my third-person view. I lose a certain level of immersion for my character and the world around me.
Perhaps this is also why many areas simply feel completely the same.
Start video
Lost Ark delivers intense action with 15 classes – See here in the video what they look like
Why on earth is interaction mapped to “G”?
I have to interact with “G”. For me, it feels wrong. In some games, I interact with “F”, in others with “E”. It gets really crazy when I have to press Enter or Space. But the “G” key has never been offered by any MMORPG before.
I keep catching myself using a different key. Or I want to use “G” to open the guild window.
The annoying thing is that you cannot change the key for interaction. You can change it with almost any other key, but not for interaction.
By the way, I would also like the option to walk with WASD instead of the mouse. Thank you!
Work Points in Crafting
In this section, two points of criticism accumulate, which are partly related. In Lost Ark, there are work points that are consumed for various activities, such as gathering and crafting. Overall, you can have 10,500 work points, which apply to the entire account.
However, you only regenerate 4,320 points every 24 hours. So anyone who plays actively will find it difficult to return easily to 10,500 points after starting.
In crafting, I can only create “secondary items”, such as potions, bombs, items for my housing, or new gathering tools. Equipment or weapons are not part of crafting. And since I liked that aspect in New World, I miss it immediately in Lost Ark.
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In addition to the five mentioned problems, there are numerous little things that can be criticized. These include inappropriate animations for characters, sometimes weak dialogues, flowers that move in inns as if there was wind, sound issues, and a German dubbing that I personally do not find very successful.
But I can easily overlook these little things, even though I understand that some people might find them bothersome.
No problem for me, but Lost Ark has many Asian elements
Lost Ark is an Asian MMO. In my short check before release, I was even mocked in the comments when I claimed that Lost Ark has Asian elements.
But for me, it starts with the interface. Lost Ark throws an incredible number of menu options and content at me right at the start. However, it does it more discreetly than mobile MMORPGs like Lineage 2M, but I hardly notice a significant difference compared to classical Asian MMORPGs.
The menu with its many options and a character with a special perspective.
Another classic Asian aspect for me is the swapping of gear. In the inventory, there is a small blue arrow indicating when a piece of equipment is better than the previous one. Well, that’s at least half true because this arrow does not take into account the type of stats but only focuses on item level.
This fast swapping of equipment without really focusing on the item is an element that I first learned about in Asian MMOs.
Continuing on, for me, the overemphasis on women’s breast sizes is often prominently showcased, as seen in my screenshot above regarding the menu. Although the name Sputzeline is displayed, the portrait does not look at all like my character. And the perspective shown doesn’t add any value either.
If I look a bit beyond the horizon, for instance at upcoming skins and outfits, I also see lightly clothed characters, fishnet tights, wings, and oversized swords. The icing on the cake is the upcoming painter class, which has a very childish look. Oh, and there is gender lock for most classes as well.
Also, the sometimes oversized animations and the rather “smooth graphics” can certainly be labeled as “typically Asian”.
A possible outfit in the later game (via YouTube).
Also, the shop is a topic that some reviews fell short on. I would not classify it as pay-to-win, but there are things that can be bothersome, including:
Buying materials through Maris Secret Shop for real money
Daily quests that can simply be completed with real money
One can exchange real money for in-game currency. This is also possible in Guild Wars 2, but item level doesn’t play a major role there. Lost Ark, on the other hand, is a grinder, a game where equipment needs to be farmed hard.
These are all criticisms that can and must be mentioned. If you’re more interested in the shop, you can learn more about it here:
I personally don’t mind the Asian aspects at all. I enjoy playing Blade & Soul or Swords of Legends, where the dimensions are comparable. Only TERA is a bit too overboard for me with its costumes. Therefore, this aspect is not one of my criticisms. But I know of games that have been criticized much more for far fewer Asian elements.
Looking forward to endgame, even though I am skeptical
Is Lost Ark a bad MMORPG? Definitely not.
Do my criticisms now prevent me from playing Lost Ark? No. It’s just not my dream game.
Because there has never been a MMORPG release where I completed daily quests in Guild Wars 2 and ESO in the meantime, and even played a round of TFT while I could have been playing Lost Ark. I simply needed a change.
Because overall, Lost Ark feels too uniform in many aspects. The first time playing in beta until level 30 was okay. The second time now at launch was a torture with the Paladin because he is just incredibly slow. That’s why I switched to the Artillerist, my beta character. And I’m experiencing the same leveling content for the third time.
Still, I am looking forward. Looking forward to the first dungeons and raids, to my own island and sailing. Here I believe that Lost Ark truly has potential. Also, my guild with my friend Mark Sellner and his crazy friends motivates me because they are all really excited about the game.
But secretly, I play other MMORPGs on the side because I don’t believe that Lost Ark will remain my main game for long. It pulls me too strongly into other MMORPGs.
What do you think of Lost Ark? Are you as excited as most here on MeinMMO or do you see the game more critically, like I do? Feel free to share in the comments.
By the way, my colleague Mark Sellner has a completely different opinion. He loves Lost Ark and would even like to invest more money in the game:
Finally more Mario Kart! That was the first reaction of MeinMMO author Max Handwerk when the new DLC for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was announced for the Switch. But not everything about the announcement is great.
Cheerful music, colorful tracks, and roaring engine sounds – when this combination raced across the screen during the Nintendo Direct, I was immediately captivated. After all, like many others, I have been waiting forever for a new Mario Kart.
This time, it was quickly clear: it was neither about Mobile like in Mario Tour, nor about a toy AR hybrid like Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. No, this time a completely normal Mario Kart for the Nintendo Switch was in the spotlight.
But it wasn’t Mario Kart 9. Instead, it was just Mario Kart 8 Deluxe again.
The great thing about the new announcement for the Mario Kart 8 DLC
I really don’t want to complain too much. Because what Nintendo showed looks like a lot of fuel for the tank of Mario Kart fans like me, who have raced all tracks in the current game countless times.
After all, the new “Booster Course Pass” contains such a large amount of content that it could have sufficed for a completely new Mario Kart.
A total of 48 tracks from already known Mario Kart games will be newly released for the Switch. In the first wave, there is, for example, one of my favorite tracks, the Coconut Mall from the Wii, but also classics like the Chocolate Island from Mario Kart 64, which you can now enjoy in beautiful Mario Kart 8 style.
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So for nostalgics, the pass definitely has something in the trunk. In addition, tracks from the mobile game “Mario Kart Tour” or “Mario Kart 7” are included, which was released for the Nintendo 3DS. A platform I never owned, which is why I don’t know the seven tracks at all.
This whole package is supposed to
cost 24.99 euros
or be available as an extra with a Nintendo Online membership with an expansion pack.
This seems quite fair to me given the amount of tracks coming your way.
Furthermore, the gameplay in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still a lot of fun. That this will now simply be extended to even more tracks – that doesn’t sound too bad.
This thing is still selling like hotcakes. No wonder that there seems to be no rush regarding a successor.
Nevertheless: Overall, it’s already a great thing that there’s new content for Mario Kart fans. Because that means that some fun evenings with friends are ahead, who hopefully can endure when a blue shell bursts all dreams of victory just before the finish line. After all, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still one of the best couch co-op games on the Switch.
Waiting for Mario Kart 9 – well, one has gotten used to that by now.
What do you think of the DLC? Are you excited about the new tracks or would you have preferred to have a Mario Kart 9 instead? Tell us in the comments!
On the other hand, this exciting announcement also comes with a bitter pill.
Second gear instead of full throttle with Mario Kart 9
While I am definitely looking forward to racing on the new, old tracks, they ultimately remain just that: “old tracks.” Yes, I love the Coconut Mall. But I have already completed it countless times, just like many other tracks.
That’s why I’ve been waiting for a long time for a new game in the series – Mario Kart 9. Because you have to put it in perspective:
Mario Kart 8 was originally released in May 2014 for the WiiU – almost 8 years ago now.
In April 2017, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was released for the Nintendo Switch with additional tracks, drivers, and more content.
What is now being created with the DLC is essentially “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Deluxe”.
What’s particularly striking is that the 48 tracks are not released all at once, but in six waves. The first comes on March 18, 2022, bringing 8 tracks. The remaining five packs are scheduled to be released by the end of 2023.
End of 2023!
Mario Kart 8 will probably be around for a bit longer
This probably means not only more waiting for the additional content for Mario Kart 8: it seems extremely unlikely that a potential Mario Kart 9 will appear before this cycle is finished. And that also pushes additional drivers, fresh gameplay elements, a new look, or new mechanics even further into the future.
If we assume that Mario Kart 9 will then be released after the end of this Booster Pass – which is pure speculation – we are already talking about 2024. A full 10 years after the original release of Mario Kart 8.
On the other hand, this approach is also understandable. Because Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is at around 43 million units the best-selling Nintendo Switch game ever (via statistaa), ahead of Animal Crossing and Super Smash Bros.
This thing is still selling like hotcakes. No wonder that there seems to be no rush regarding a successor.
Nevertheless: Overall, it’s already a great thing that there’s new content for Mario Kart fans. Because that means that some fun evenings with friends are ahead, who hopefully can endure when a blue shell bursts all dreams of victory just before the finish line. After all, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still one of the best couch co-op games on the Switch.
Waiting for Mario Kart 9 – well, one has gotten used to that by now.
What do you think of the DLC? Are you excited about the new tracks or would you have preferred to have a Mario Kart 9 instead? Tell us in the comments!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
But another detail gives reason for excitement: Blizzard is looking for new employees, and at least one of them should be quite a Pen&Paper nerd.
What is it about? It’s about a new job posting from Blizzard. Apparently, they are not just working on a new survival game and an upcoming Warcraft mobile, but also on other unannounced projects. For this, they are currently looking for a “Lead Content Designer” who should take care of the story and mission design of a new game.
What is special about it? Some of the requirements and “bonus points” may seem a bit strange. Notably, Blizzard is looking for someone who has “experience in creating and running Pen&Paper RPG campaigns and/or live-action RPGs”.
In other words: If you spent your youth at LARP festivals or with elaborate DnD campaigns full of character sheets and D20 dice, you fit the pattern they are looking for.
So if you have always had a love for Pen&Paper role-playing games and have mastered one or another campaign as a game master, you should give it a try. At least if the other “little things,” like knowledge in programming languages and a lot of prior experience in game design are also present.
What kind of game could this be? Since the Lead Content Designer is explicitly required to have experience in designing quests and RPG mechanics, it seems likely that it is an RPG focused on solo content. However, as some of these contents are supposed to have “replayability” and also focus on a “shared world,” the game will likely also have coop components – but that is basically the case for all Blizzard titles.
Those expecting the next big MMORPG from Blizzard should temper their expectations a bit. According to their own statements, the development team is quite small – probably in a similar framework as the Hearthstone team was back then. Whether that remains the case is of course uncertain.
However, it is unlikely that the project is another mobile title. Typically, a focus on mobile content is additionally mentioned in Blizzard’s job descriptions. However, that was not the case with this description, leading to the assumption that it is a PC and console title.
But perhaps this is just a clever trick to get Blizzard employees a new Pen&Paper game master. After all, it is well known that many at Blizzard like to engage in this hobby in their free time.
It will probably take a few more years before we hear more extensively about this new game – but at least “classic” RPG fans seem to be at the center of the title.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In GTA Online a new bonus week has started, making the “Cayo Perico” heist even more valuable. Millions of GTA dollars await you. We will show you why the heist is worth it now.
What’s new? Today, on February 10, a new bonus week for GTA Online started. Until next Thursday, you can benefit from discounts and various bonuses.
We will show you which contents you should definitely take advantage of this week and where you can currently save money.
Higher chance of finding the diamond in Cayo Perico
This is what makes the heists better now: In line with the bonus week around Valentine’s Day, there is now a higher chance for you to get the pink diamond as loot in Cayo Perico. The diamond is one of the possible main targets on El Rubio’s estate and is located in the basement under his office.
If you scout the heist now with its loot, you should find the pink diamond more often. What the exact chance is now is unclear.
This gem is what you need to steal – For that you need the plasma cutter
How much money does this bring? The pink diamond is the second most valuable loot in the heist. It brings in 1.3 million GTA dollars on normal difficulty and 1.43 million GTA dollars if you play the heist on “hard”.
The only more valuable item is the panther statue, which is only activated during certain events in GTA Online. As long as these events are not running, the pink diamond is the most valuable loot. All heists and how much money they bring with their loot are shown on MeinMMO.
The bonuses: You will receive triple GTA dollars and RP in casino story missions, casino work, and the modes “Till Death Do Us Part” and “Shotgun Wedding”.
The offers: GTA Online is now selling content related to Valentine’s Day. When you log in, you will receive the “The Many Wifes Of Alfredo Smith” t-shirt for free.
20% discount
Casino Penthouse (30% discount on its furnishings)
30% discount
Drift Yosemite (now costs $686,700 to $915,600)
JB 700 (now costs $245,000)
JB 700W (now costs $1,029,000)
Peyote (now costs $26,600)
Peyote Gasser (now costs $563,500)
Retinue Mk II (now costs $850,500 to $1,134,000)
40% discount
Roosevelt Valor (now costs $589,200)
You can now grab these contents in the next few days. But hurry, because next Thursday there will be other discounts and bonuses for you.
