“Paladins deal no damage!” it is often said in WoW Classic. However, these 40 paladins have cleared the Molten Core in 2 hours …
Most notable achievements in World of Warcraft Classic have been secured by players by now. Whether it is the record for the fastest raid clear or defeating a raid with a group consisting of only one class. However, paladins have not achieved this success until now.
A group of 40 paladins managed to complete the raid “Molten Core” without the help of other classes.
This is what happened: A total of 40 paladins of all specializations (Protection, Retribution, and Holy) ventured into the Molten Core. This was the first major raid of World of Warcraft. In reality, you need a group with different classes to have as many buffs and diversity as possible. Paladins are known (somewhat mockingly) for dealing rather little damage, which prolongs the fights.
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But the group did not actually take that long. It only took a little over 2 hours to defeat all bosses in the Molten Core. A “normal” group usually needs about 2 to 4 hours for this raid. The paladin players did well.
Where did this take place? The raid took place on the PTR of World of Warcraft, where the AQ event is currently being tested. Although the PTR does not have special bonuses, such as vendors for gear, it allowed paladins to recruit players from all possible realms.
After all, players from all realms can recruit their character on the PTR. Thus, it was easy to find 40 paladins with very strong gear who were capable of this achievement.
Even Ragnaros had no chance…
How good was the gear? Pretty good. Therefore, the group also had quite a wide arsenal of legendary weapons – there were 14 of them. Among them were 13 Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros and one Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windshear.
With this, the encounters became significantly easier, and the paladins were easily able to defeat all the bosses of the Molten Core. Even though the curses of some enemies remained for a very long time…
In any case, this likely meant very, very many buffs in the form of blessings.
Both ADCs in this team fight from League of Legends come out with a Pentakill. Watch the clip to see how Aphelios and Xayah pulled it off.
This is the video: A LoL player recorded this special team fight featuring 2 Pentakills and shared it with the reddit community. What’s special about this encounter of the 10 players is that each team’s ADC player defeats all 5 opponents. Thus, both ADCs kill 4 enemies and also each other.
Both ADC players receive a Pentakill in the same team fight.
A crazy scene that probably happens only very rarely to this extent.
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This is how the fight went: As is often the case in League of Legends, this fight also took place in front of the coveted Dragon that waits in its pit. Just seconds after the team fight started, several abilities and ultimates were already flying around.
Xayah from Team Red quickly took out the enemy champions Lulu and Quinn.
Aphelios from Team Blue showcased his micro-skills while kiting the enemy Riven slowly away, finishing her off. With a well-placed ultimate, he simultaneously eliminated the health points of three opponents.
In the meantime, Xayah from Team Blue took down her opponents one by one until only Aphelios was left standing. However, he didn’t make it easy for Xayah.
Aphelios eliminated Shyvanna and Xayah from Team Red, earning himself a Pentakill. However, Aphelios took damage even after his opponents’ deaths, which ultimately brought him down and secured Xayah the Pentakill as well.
What do the players say about it? The clip is really well-received on Reddit. Over 23,000 upvotes and more than 700 comments can be found under the video. One player notes: “This is one of the rarest things in LoL” (via reddit).
Others joke: “And then both teams respawned at the same time and ran to the dragon to do it again.” Another player adds, “Legends say they’re still doing it now.”
Malzahar in LoL fights with a dot spell
Pentakills in League of Legends are something very special. You take out the entire enemy team, or at least give each of the 5 opponents the death blow.
The action RPG Dauntless is set to become more of an MMO in the future. To this end, the developers are currently planning a very exciting game mode.
What have the developers presented? The new roadmap for Dauntless (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch) mentions another hunt game mode, where you will no longer only be traveling in groups of four on the islands to hunt the Behemoth monsters.
In Dauntless, you will soon be traveling with more players in an open world.
How Dauntless could become more of an MMO
What changes with the mode? So far, you have traveled to the floating islands in the action RPG with a maximum of three other players to hunt the Behemoths. After a victory, the island was reset and you took on the next quest.
With the upcoming mode, the developers will introduce open game areas that are persistent. This means they will always remain available to you and will change over time.
Behemoths spawn repeatedly at certain locations and in varying degrees of difficulty. You wander around the island looking for new opponents.
And not just in groups of four. Additional players can join and also leave. How many players that can be is not yet determined.
How does this change Dauntless? The online game could develop more towards an MMO. Persistent areas where new opponents appear repeatedly and that you can defeat with more players strongly resemble an MMORPG.
At the very least, Dauntless is approaching the principle of Monster Hunter World, where you are also roaming around in an open game world.
When will there be more information on this? The developers of Dauntless are currently working on providing more details. As soon as there are more details, they will communicate this. When that will be remains uncertain at this time.
Soon you will be adventuring with more friends in Dauntless.
Players are excited for the update
How do players react to this announcement? Discussions about this new feature are already taking place on reddit. Overall, the idea is very well received by the players. However, there are also concerns.
SpecificFail says: “Longer hunts are good. However, the developers really need to look at how players are trying to exploit the new systems to minimize the extent to which this negatively affects regular players.”
jiffyb333 writes: “I love the idea, but I fear the reality. When Warframe first unveiled the open world, I was so excited. Unfortunately, the reality turned out to be poor performance, long loading times, repetitive missions, and annoying travel times.”
blastbinary explains: “Solving the social problem in the game would be a big win.”
HiCracked believes: “We are going after Monster Hunter with the open world, and I am totally excited about it!”
For Call of Duty: Warzone, there are numerous theories about how the map is evolving or whether there might soon be a completely new map. MeinMMO author Maik Schneider can hardly wait to see how the Battle Royale continues after the recent statements from a developer.
What were those statements? During a charity stream for “Juneteenth” last Friday, June 19, two employees of Call of Duty: Warzone talked a bit about the future of the Battle Royale. Present were:
Taylor Kurosaki – Narrative Director at Infinity Ward
Jeff Leach – Voice actor for Ghost
Together with some streamers, they played a few rounds in the new realism mode, casually discussing the BR map Verdansk and also confirming the release of the cult operator Soap.
Especially interesting were the statements of “Narrative Director” Kurosaki, who explicitly rejected a new map in Warzone. But still, I am more curious than ever about how Warzone will continue.
Because aside from the new map “Urzikstan”, many of the speculations currently circulating could indeed become reality – Kurosaki: “You just have to wait, […] we have some big changes and big surprises on the horizon”.
Here are two English gameplay videos from the stream, where Kurosaki chats with Leach about the future of Warzone:
What can be seen in the videos? In the first, short clip, you can hear the two talk about the completion of the legendary “Modern Warfare” unit “Task Force 141”. Leach suggests that Soap would be coming soon, and Kurosaki adds: “He is definitely on the way”.
The second video is about 2 minutes long, and Leach asks several questions about Verdansk and the development of the game. Kurosaki provides some interesting answers and clarifies: “We are not done with Verdansk yet”.
What did Kurosaki say about the current map? In his statement, he commits to Verdansk and makes it clear that we will be on the BR map for a while longer. Specifically, he said:
“Verdansk has just begun to reveal its secrets”
“There are still many places to discover and mysteries to solve”
“The story [of Verdansk] is right here, it’s everywhere on the map, it’s under your feet”
“Verdansk still has many stories to tell”
“You just have to wait, […] we have some big changes and big surprises on the horizon”
The in-game trailer for Season 4 showed Urzikstan. However, the fictional state will probably not come as a new map.
Why is this so exciting? The way Call of Duty drives the story of Warzone forward is something very special. Several factors come together that hype me:
The complexity of the previous adjustments
Countless players investing a lot of time into discovering the secrets
The connection of story and gameplay
All you have to do is look at the developments around the bunkers.
Inside the bunkers, there are more secrets and locked doors
They connect story with new gameplay, a significant Easter egg involving nuclear bombs, and there’s even a blueprint as a reward when you solve the puzzle around bunker 11. They also leave plenty of secrets open for further speculation and fuel the rumors with their cutscenes.
What I previously absolutely did not want to believe was, by the way, the timely introduction of a new map. And exactly this seems to be off the table for now after Kurosaki’s statements. I am really curious about what crazy changes are coming our way in the next weeks and months.
Do you see it the same way, or does it annoy you that we actually only know what’s coming through leaks and vague statements from the developers?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Fractured, we can expect an exciting sandbox MMORPG with an interesting PvP concept. MeinMMO was able to speak with Jacopo Pietro Gallelli, CEO of Dynamight Studios, about the online game.
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Dynamight Studios | Platform: PC | Release: Spring 2022
MeinMMO editor Leya Jankowski asked Jacopo Pietro Gallelli some exciting questions about the sandbox MMORPG Fractured, including the SpatialOS technology used to create the game.
You will also learn more about the exciting PvP principle with the three worlds and how you can plan cities and conduct sieges.
This is Fractured: Fractured is a sandbox MMORPG in which you choose one of three worlds. The Beastmen primarily engage in PvE. The Demons, on the other hand, are all about PvP, and those who play as Humans can mix PvE and PvP under strict rules. In addition, you can expect a lot of crafting, exploring the three worlds, fighting many monsters, great freedom in designing your virtual life, and a lot of teamwork.
SpatialOS – What is that?
MeinMMO: We hear a lot about the SpatialOS technology and how it helps create more complex worlds for MMORPGs. But it’s hard to understand. You work with SpatialOS, could you perhaps enlighten us a bit?
What exactly is possible with this technology? How does it help you create Fractured and how do players benefit from it?
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: Well, I think you know that creating the backend for an MMORPG is extremely complex and requires a team of senior engineers. And of course, it depends on the ambitions you have for an MMO. If you want to create a game where the entire world is divided into two or more areas with only a limited number of players in each area, then it’s not that complex. It’s still complex, but not extreme.
But if you want to make an open world, like in Fractured … Well, I mean, there are also regions in Fractured. But each continent is an open world, for example 60 square kilometers in size. For us, that is very, very complex. I don’t want to get too technical, as that would be quite boring. However, the best thing about SpatialOS is that it uses a cloud-based system. There are specialized controls, different processes on the server that manage different areas of the world. That’s how it works.
For example, when we conducted our last test, our stress test, we had this one map. There are 60 square kilometers in the world with 48 separate processes managing this map on the server side. But on the client side, you wouldn’t notice it. Players could walk from one side of the island to the other. That takes about two hours. And they wouldn’t notice that they were switching from one server to another state.
Players could also be on one server and see another player on a different server in front of them and shoot an arrow at them and hit them. They actually interact as if they are on the same server, but they are on two different ones. That’s a super simplified way to express it. It’s extraordinary. It would not have been possible for us to develop a game with the ambitions of Fractured if we couldn’t work with SpatialOS. And I don’t know of any competing product that allows for such a thing.
Learning the technology takes a while. Right now, developers don’t really know much about this technology because it’s so new. Whoever is assigned to it must learn to work with SpatialOS. However, that doesn’t take long. I think it’s similar to any other technology of this kind.
When we started working on it, we saw SpatialOS in the prototype phase; the system was admittedly still in alpha. It was still quite unpolished at the time. But we recognized the potential and were among the first developers to use SpatialOS.
There were a few other projects that failed. I think you might want to ask me about that because people usually do. We have always maintained a good relationship with the developers of SpatialOS. They have allowed us to use their service for free so far. The technology is great. The support is great. So it’s really cool stuff.
The vast world of the MMORPG Fractured is being created with the help of SpatialOS technology.
Loot differently
MeinMMO: Our author, who wrote the article on Fractured, took a look at the game and noticed a few things. He wondered: In many MMORPGs, equipment like better weapons or armor is essential to become better than others. However, in the description of Fractured, it states: “Defeat your enemies through your own skills and cleverness, not through equipment or level.”
What role do loot (and items) play in the game exactly, without focusing on better equipment? Don’t you think a major aspect of playing MMORPGs will be missing?
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: Well, it’s still important to get equipment in Fractured, but in a slightly different way. Progression is horizontal. Your character gets stronger, gains more skills, and over time becomes better suited for our different scenarios. You also acquire knowledge that you can spend on your skills. Basically, it’s about the power gap between players.
Someone might play for three days, but someone who has played for three months might actually be weaker compared to the other. The equipment works the same way. You have many different types of weapons and armor and various types of materials, cross-class and so on. But none of this is frequently stronger than the other, it’s just better suited for different areas and challenges.
We therefore expect that professional players who have been min-maxing for years will actually use many weapons for the different challenges. They play and spend a lot of time obtaining everything. Also because it’s not that easy; there are also some rules. No one will lose equipment items. I think it’s possible to lose materials and reagents and sometimes gold and so on. But you don’t lose weapons.
Everything is crafted, and some of that is to produce certain types of items. Materials are not easily found in the world. So if players want to be really competitive, they definitely have to make an effort to get the good stuff. It’s not something they can do in two days.
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This is how Fractured played out in the previous alpha tests.
MeinMMO: What exactly do you mean by the challenge you have to face and that you need skill and cleverness?
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: In general, there are many areas of the world where you need to have certain skills. There are monsters that can kill you immediately or almost immediately if you don’t possess that specific item. So there are many cases where if you want to progress, you first need to have the right build and the right equipment. And to get that, you sometimes have to go to another place in the world. Sometimes it’s a bit like a puzzle. You find a challenge; you can’t defeat that monster until you find the thing you need to achieve your goal.
So again, it’s not really linear, is it? Even as a new player, you could encounter something you absolutely cannot defeat if you don’t have the skills you need.
MeinMMO: Okay. You also said that all equipment revolves around crafting. Can you, for instance, find epic or common pieces to build your items? Or how does that work?
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: Some materials are better than others. Enchanting your items significantly contributes to making them better than others.
But considering how the system works, it’s quite complex. Seeing it in practice is easier than explaining it. Sometimes you need that special ingredient, that type of material, to combine it with many others to achieve different results. And that material might be very rare. It’s not that it’s more powerful than the others. But you have to get it. There is this drive to improve the quality of the items you have crafted to play safely with your friends. But we’re talking about pretty small differences.
Fractured will not be a copy of Ultima Online
MeinMMO: Okay. When we looked at Fractured as a team and discussed it a bit, we thought it looks like Ultima Online. What do you think about this comparison?
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: Well, we are of course flattered because Ultima Online is a game I loved as a child. I played it for many years. But I don’t think there are as many similarities between Fractured and Ultima Online, to be honest. I mean, isometric view, sandbox of course, but Ultima Online feels enormously clunky today. When you play today, it feels like a game that is 20 years old. In terms of controls, interaction, features, and so on. It’s a great game, but it feels noticeably old.
Making a copy of Ultima Online was not very interesting for us. It doesn’t make sense to develop a copy today. Some systems in Fractured are very profound and complex, which is also quite old-fashioned. Aside from that part of the game, the controls, the menus, and the user interface, we tried to make everything as modern as possible and user-friendly. Fractured can present an old-school atmosphere if you are old-school players. But it is also accessible to young people or players who have not played Ultima Online.
Even if Fractured has many similarities to the classic Ultima Online, it is not a copy.
MeinMMO: We also thought about the fact that the player can lead a kind of second life. And we think Fractured is going in that direction. And here, we also draw the comparison to Ultima Online.
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: Yes, I think we try to do more than Ultima Online in a way to give players a second home because it is a game that players can also enjoy alone. It doesn’t rely solely on group content. I could go through the game without any problems on my own. However, there is a significant part of the game that one will miss if playing alone. For example, we allow you to place a house in the middle of nowhere without it having a real significance or impact on the world of Fractured.
But it can have a huge impact on society if you work together in a community. It’s about building and maintaining a real settlement with your friends or with other people, which is new for the genre.
Three Worlds – One for Every Playstyle
MeinMMO: How do PvE and PvP work with the three worlds in Fractured? Will it be possible to switch between the worlds all the time?
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: Right now, we only have one world. The way it will work is that you choose your people – one of three races: The Beastmen, the Humans, and the Demons. The PvP varies along with the races’ abilities. In other MMORPGs, however, the choice of race doesn’t really make a difference. Only your abilities and your class make a difference. That has always been the case.
When you choose a race in Fractured, you also choose a planet. And each planet has different rules. In the world of Beastmen, there are only a few areas where it is possible to be attacked. But it’s super unlikely to engage in combat with other players. So if you want to play there, there are no sieges and no conquests.
If you want that kind of experience, that is PvP, you would play on the demon planet. In this planet, open PvP exists. There is no justice system. It looks more like a survival game like Rust, including full loot. It’s super competitive, super wild.
Then there are the Humans, where the game works like classic sandbox gaming. There are some small areas that are protected. However, most of the planet is not. It is possible to attack other players, but there is a karma system. It’s possible to become an assassin, but you will receive penalties for it. Militias and factions exist. And there are sieges between cities. So there is this whole competitive aspect. But we have tried to implement it in a way that makes it wrong to kill a random player.
You are a resident of a planet, but you can visit the other planets. You may take your character to close friends. But there are many rules that make this not easy. For example, if you are a Human and a good-aligned character, you can travel to the planet of Beastmen. But you cannot attack anyone there.
However, if you are playing as a Demon, then you are evil. Then it becomes very complex to travel to another world. You can more or less only stay for a few minutes. After that, you will be sent home. So it is really challenging and difficult. Actually, you need to have a goal in mind. For instance: I want to go back to learn those two special abilities. Then I travel back.
So we are allowing interaction between the three communities. But it’s a kind of timed interaction that has to be justified.
If you play as the Demons in Fractured, then the focus is on PvP battles.
MeinMMO: If I understand correctly, you have three planets. One for PvE players, one for PvP players, and one for those who want the classic experience. I can just choose which world I want to play in. If I say I’m a pure PvE player and want nothing else, I go straight to that planet.
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: Yes, exactly. And that is one of the reasons we offer many players in our community exactly that because they are particularly waiting for PvE. Some other games use the formula where the lower-level content is PvE. So initially, there is no PvP. Only at the high-level content or some regions of the world does PvP exist. Then, if you want to progress, you have to opt for PvP.
With Fractured, you can bring a character from zero to 100 percent without having to travel to the other planets. But with the Demons, it is possible to play PvP. But no one really has to do that. You can play your character completely without PvP. Just stay on your PvE planet.
Build and Siege Cities
MeinMMO: Theoretically, it sounds like heaven. I have the game, where I can simply choose my playstyle and then travel to the corresponding planet. But it also sounds like this is not so easy to develop. Mainly because it almost sounds like you are creating three different types of MMOs in one game.
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: In terms of programming, it’s not a big variety. There are just three different rules. The problem is the many assets needed for the three planets as they each have a special climate and geography. For example, we could compare it to Germany. The Humans primarily have forests and mountains, but the planet of the Beastmen is South America. So it’s very warm, tropical, and we need different assets for that. Also for architectures like buildings. They are completely different. And then, of course, there are the character models, which are different again, as well as all the other models and so on.
And if you travel to the Demon planet, it’s the same story. The world of Demons is more comparable to the Arabian desert. Some areas resemble the Middle East. Some places look like desert regions of the USA. So we also need the architecture to reflect this. Therefore, we have to produce a lot of assets. And that is the biggest problem we will face when we start working on the other planets – if we can’t manage to expand the team. Because right now the team consists of eight people. For an MMO, that’s a very, very small team.
But maybe you also want to know more about the city system? To found a city, you need to find a suitable place on the continent. There are about 30 spots on the current continent suitable for large cities and 94 for smaller ones. You can become the governor of a city if you have enough money to run for election. In a small city, you need 14 players to support you, then you become the governor. Your supporters then become citizens of the city.
Fights in Fractured happen quickly and action-packed.
From the town hall, you can plan your city. It is possible to appoint a fellow player as the master builder to define the layout of the city. You plan the city with blueprints for the buildings from a bird’s-eye view. You determine the streets and lay a blueprint where maybe a forge should stand. Then you assign other players the tasks to construct the buildings. Players can also volunteer for this. Over time, you unlock additional buildings and technologies by spending points on them. You also unlock new decorations.
Your city can even level up. You need prestige for that, which you earn by building ever nicer buildings or by constructing a cobblestone street instead of a sand road. 100 or 200 people can live in a city, and you decide in which direction it develops. There is a complete city planning aspect.
For the PvP part, it is possible to build fortifications as well as walls and reinforced gates. On the PvE planet, however, you mainly take care of city planning. Cities can be connected. On the PvP planet, you attack and besiege neighboring cities. But that is very costly. You need to spend a lot of resources for it. A siege also requires a preparation time of about three days.
The defense must also be planned, including timing. The attackers must produce siege weapons. You need camps and weapons. When a siege starts, it lasts about one to two hours. First, you must destroy the towers and then work through further steps. Anyone involved is located in the city and the surroundings. All others cannot get in.
Every city is also connected to a resource source, such as mining for ore or sand to produce glass. There are four resource sources. Each city can only control the adjacent nodes to allow the battles to take place. This creates constant competition, which can become very complex.
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There’s still some time before the release of the MMORPG Fractured.
Release set for 2022 as Buy2Play MMORPG
MeinMMO: Do you already know when the release window will be?
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: 2022, in spring. However, we want to start the beta by the end of this year [2020].
MeinMMO: Do you already know what the monetization model of the game will look like?
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: Yes, the game will be Buy2Play and the price will be around 20 to 30 euros. You can then play forever. There is no Pay2Win. However, you can also buy skins for items that only change the appearance. There are other cosmetic things or mounts, and so on. This gives you many options for customization. But that means we still need more assets.
MeinMMO: Will you also release Fractured on Steam?
Jacopo Pietro Gallelli: That’s a good question. It depends on whether we find a publisher. If we publish the game ourselves, there will also be a launch on Steam. But only with the beta. We want to release an optimized game.
MeinMMO: Thank you very much for the conversation.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A leaker has already found a playable version of a new sniper in CoD Warzone and Modern Warfare in the game files. The Rytec AMR could even become quite powerful.
What’s happening: The Call of Duty leaker BKTOOR has found something interesting in the game files and shared the first gameplay scenes of the upcoming sniper Rytec AMR via Twitter. This will be added during the ongoing Season 4 in Warzone and Modern Warfare.
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We could already take a first look at the Rytec AMR in the released roadmap. BKTOOR has now revealed further details with his gameplay.
This is what makes the Rytec AMR so powerful: In appearance, it is similar to the AX-50 and the HDR, and even in gameplay, it currently still carries the name AX-50.
Unlike the AX-50, the Rytec is a semi-automatic sniper rifle. In the video, it has a 5-round magazine and surprisingly low recoil. Fans suspect that this weapon may be related to the Barrett .50cal from older Call of Duty titles.
The fast rate of fire and low recoil could make the Rytec AMR a quick fan favorite in Warzone and Modern Warfare.
Is this final yet? Since the name in the game files is still incorrect, Activision is likely still working on the weapon. In the comments under BKTOOR’s video on Twitter, fans are excited about the Rytec AMR, but they also believe that the recoil is still being adjusted.
When will the Rytec AMR come? There is no official release date yet. However, it is speculated that the Rytec AMR could arrive with the mid-season update, likely in July. It has already been confirmed that some weapons will be adjusted with this update. So probably also the Grau, which according to professionals is way too strong. How the Rytec AMR ultimately comes into the game will be revealed in the coming weeks.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Valorant is likely to receive the new update 1.02 soon. The new patch should offer, alongside the long-awaited ranked system, an option that allows you to abort lost games early.
What is included in Patch 1.02? Valorant is expected to bring two features that the community has long wished for, in addition to the usual adjustments, balance changes, and hotfixes:
When is Patch 1.02 coming? Game Director Joe Ziegler, who previously spoke with our MeinMMO author Leya Jankowski in an interview, tweeted on June 15, 2020, that Patch 1.02 should be released in the coming week. That would be the current week, from June 22 to June 28, 2020.
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Why is it so important to have a surrender option? A round in Valorant can often last a long time. 40 to 50 minutes is not uncommon. This is not a problem if the game is balanced and one team leads by only a few points. However, when one team is heavily leading, the losing team often has little desire to be farmed for another half hour.
It’s even worse when the losing team can practically no longer win because one or more players are AFK or have rage-quit. In such cases, it would be very convenient to just abort the game and start a new round.
How does surrender work? Riot has not announced anything about that yet. Interesting questions regarding this are:
How will it be decided to surrender?
Can you request a surrender at any time, or do you have to be significantly behind or have missing players first?
Are there still (reduced) match rewards for winners and losers?
What is the Ranked Mode? The ranked mode was already in the game during the beta and is expected to come in the current week according to Ziegler, as long as nothing goes wrong. In the ranked system, players are sorted into ranks and levels so that players of similar skill levels preferably meet.
However, the ranked mode of Valorant in its previous form from the beta did not come without criticism. Former professional player and top streamer Shroud remarked that the ranked mode is useless and would obstruct a career as a professional gamer. So, anyone looking to achieve something as a pro-gamer in Valorant should not even start with ranked.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The PR expert Omeed Dariani is known to fans of MMORPGs. From 2012 to 2014, he was brand manager for MMORPGs such as Everquest. Later, he played a central role in the launch of Blade and Soul and the free-to-play launch of WildStar. Now, he is stepping down from his position as head of a streaming agency following allegations from an Overwatch employee.
How do MMORPG fans know Omeed Dariani? He was the “Director of Community and Social” at NCSoft in California from March 2015 to November 2016. During that time, he regularly appeared in MMORPG news:
He led PR for the West launch of Blade and Soul
He was responsible as PR head for the free-to-play launch of WildStar
Before that, he was the “Senior Brand Manager” for Sony Online Entertainment, which was also an MMORPG company. In that position, he introduced Everquest Next and explained how great it would all be.
Dariani (right) at a panel on WildStar from 2015. (Source: gamergirlconfessions)
This is what Dariani actually does: During his time at NCSoft and afterwards, Dariani built a streaming agency that manages many major Twitch streamers, including CohhCarnage.
He is the CEO of the “Online Performers Group”.
As a woman, you have to sleep your way up or end up on the blacklist
This is what he is being accused of: On June 20, Molly Ayala, Overwatch Community Lead, published her experiences with Omeed Dariani (via Twitlonger).
Ayala met him in 2014 at Pax Prime. At that time, he was in an important position at Sony Online Entertainment, the company behind Everquest.
Dariani allegedly told her in 2014 at Pax Prime that in the gaming industry, a woman gets ahead best by sleeping her way up. Dariani reportedly said: He knows women who have succeeded this way, but there are also women who ended up on a blacklist because they “didn’t do the right thing.”
Dariani then allegedly tried to persuade her to have a threesome with him and his wife. Ayala did not agree to this.
She states: She kept silent about the incident for 6 years, out of fear that she would “end up on a blacklist.” At that time, she was 24 and a young woman wanting to make a name for herself in the gaming industry. Now she no longer fears for her career, but is worried about the many young women in the industry.
She also learned of another incident in which a young woman almost experienced the same thing as she did in 2015.
Dariani would manipulate young women. Therefore, she is now going public with her story.
Dariani gives tips before he addresses the incident.
Dariani responds with tweet storm, gives general tips
This is what Dariani says about it: Even before Dariani directly addressed the allegations, he published 16 tweets talking about what it is like to work as a man in the gaming industry. How important it is to be considerate of women, and how “harmless jokes” can inflict deep wounds on women.
He even gives advice to men on how they should behave towards women:
Don’t want to sleep with them – that solves all problems
Don’t give gifts they don’t deserve – because they create obligations
Treat them more respectfully the more powerful you are yourself
Only over an hour later did he then comment on the allegations from the Overwatch employee. He then said that this would be a good example. It seems improbable to him that he suggested to her to have a threesome with his wife, but – however – he probably communicated that in some form and unfortunately traumatized her for years.
The reactions to this tweet were disastrous. Some Twitter users commented that it was quite outrageous to first pretend to offer general tips, only to then come up with something like that and dismiss the accusations in such a manner.
Dariani steps down as head of agency – Twitch streamers flee from him
This is the consequence: A few hours later, Dariani stepped down from his position as CEO of the streaming agency. He also requested that his company not be punished immediately, as a lot of work and passion had gone into it.
However, many streamers subsequently left the agency, including Cohh Carnage.
Accusations against him now trigger further allegations against men in the gaming industry.
#MeToo reaches gaming and streaming
What’s going on in the USA right now? Currently, numerous accusations from women against men who allegedly sexually harassed them in the past are surfacing in the gaming and streaming sector.
This seems to have been triggered by allegations against the Destiny 2 streamer “SayNoToRage”. In the last few hours, more and more accusations against well-known “powerful” figures in the gaming and streaming scene have emerged. This will apparently keep us occupied for some time.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Fortnite there is now the Loserfruit skin! This outfit is meant to remind you of the streamer Kathleen “Loserfruit” Belsten and is already the 2nd skin that comes from the Icon series and concerns content creators. We provide information on the price and release here.
Since when is the skin available? Since last night at 2:00 AM German time, the Loserfruit skin has been available in the shop. How long it will stay there is still unclear. If you want the skin, you should act quickly.
How much does the Loserfruit skin cost? The skin is available in 2 variants:
The single skin costs 1500 V-Bucks
The skin in a package with an emote, a back accessory, and a pickaxe costs 1800 V-Bucks
What does the skin look like? In terms of appearance, Epic has adhered to the streamer. The skin is intended to resemble her. The skin wears a sweater with colorful sleeves and a cap.
What is the story behind this skin? The skin appears as part of Fortnite’s Icon series. In this context, the skin of Ninja has also been released, which is extremely popular.
Epic has already announced that more skins will be released that remind of content creators. As an example, they named “TheGrefg” – a YouTuber with over 14 million subscribers.
When exactly the other skins are supposed to be released is not known. Among the rarest skins in Fortnite, the streamer outfits probably do not belong, but nevertheless, they are certainly a real highlight for fans of the creators that one shouldn’t miss.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In autumn, players can expect the first new element ever in Destiny 2. With Stasis, we harness the darkness and gain brand new subclasses with more freedom for customization.
This new element is coming: When Bungie revealed the future of the Destiny franchise, they also introduced a completely new element. With the Stasis element, our Guardians will be able to actively use the darkness for the first time – Warlocks, Hunters, and Titans will even receive entirely new, dark Stasis subclasses.
Despite some leaks, few players expected that a completely new element and fresh subclasses would actually be coming soon. Thus, Destiny will have, with “Beyond Light“, the first new element in its six-year history.
These are the three existing elements:
Arc: Essentially the Destiny version of electricity – damage often jumps between enemies and creates sparks
Void: Is what has come closest to a dark element so far – disintegrates enemies, renders invisible, absorbs health points, or weakens enemies
Solar: Essentially the fire element from other games. Deals damage over time or buffs the team with cleansing flames
MeinMMO takes a look at the new abilities of the dark Stasis element in this article and tells you why the new subclasses are supposed to be more customizable than ever.
From minute 1:00, you can see about 30 seconds of action with the new Stasis element
This is known about the new Stasis subclasses
From the short gameplay clips, you can already get a first impression of our new power:
The abilities resemble the ice element from other games
You can see enemies freezing or weapons made of ice crystals
The ice theme also fits with the new location Europe – the icy moon of Jupiter
We can probably create Stasis traps that slow down enemies – with this, we finally pay the Fallen back in their own coin
The enemies seem to break apart or shatter under fire – you can also see flying shards throughout the trailer
Bungie (via Bungie.net) describes the new ability this way:
As the new threat emerges, a new, mysterious power – Stasis – arises. […] Titans, Warlocks, and Hunters utilize Stasis in different ways by slowing down enemies with Stasis fields, encasing them in destructive power, and shattering them.
The Stasis Hunter
The Hunter spins ice sickles – Source Polygon
This is what we know about the new Hunter class: We see in the trailer how the Hunter summons two axe or sickle-like weapons made of ice. The character throws one of the weapons into a group of enemies after some cool swirling animations, causing an ice explosion.
With their weapons, the new subclass resembles typical Hunter classes like the Blade Dancer or the Spectral Blade. However, whether it is indeed a roaming super is uncertain. It is also not known whether both weapons can be thrown and if this ends the super prematurely.
The Stasis Warlock
The Stasis Warlock blows for a cold attack – Source Polygon
This is what we know about the new Warlock class: The new Warlock focus also relies on an ice weapon. We see that he carries a scepter or spear and performs a ranged attack with it. The spell seems to freeze enemies, subsequent attacks cause them to shatter.
Again, it is unknown whether the spear can only be used once or how the Dawnblade can fire multiple projectiles until the super expires.
It is speculated that the Warlock might regain his self-revive. He is shot down right before the introduction of the Stasis element and then clenches his fists and prepares for the new ice attack.
The Stasis Titan
Is this the Stasis Titan with a new defense ability?
This is what we know about the new Titan class: The Titan is not showcased as prominently as the other two classes. We see him briefly with an icy shield or a frozen claw (see right in the title image).
Some players believe (via reddit) that the Titan might be granted a feature from another Bungie game: the Armor Lock from Halo. At minute 1:10 in the trailer, you can see a figure kneeling and apparently freezing, with a crystal sphere surrounding the area.
This is how we will receive the new Stasis ability: The Stasis element will be the first super that is not granted to us by the Traveler. We can see that a Fallen leader named Eramis has created the new element from ancient darkness. And she presents it to us with the words “I give the Guardians the destruction they love so much.”
Here we see Eramis, the presumed creator of the Stasis element
The new subclasses are supposed to offer more freedom
This is known about the Stasis skill trees:Luke Smith revealed that an experiment is to be conducted with the ability trees of the new subclasses. Skills are supposed to not follow the strict order of the other 9 focuses.
Additionally, the system is supposed to differ from the skill nodes of Destiny 1. However, it has not yet been shown how the new flexibility will look in detail. It remains questionable whether the Stasis element will differ in 3 skill trees per class or offer one highly customizable path each.
Smith was also asked whether they would like to give the existing focuses a new design or more freedom. He responded: “We want to see where it goes” but stated that the system is currently planned only as an experiment for the Stasis abilities.
What do you think of the first new element in the Destiny universe? Is a dream coming true for you because you have always wanted to play with darkness?
In Pokémon GO, we might soon encounter the balloon from Team GO Rocket. Dataminers have found corresponding hints that the balloon will soon be introduced into the game.
What discovery are we talking about? Dataminers have found numerous new pieces of information in the code of Pokémon GO. In addition to new information about raid invitations, there is also the discovery of the Rocket balloon.
In this regard, there are already quite a few details that can be mentioned. For instance, you should track the balloon and then challenge it to a battle.
Is the Rocket Balloon coming to the GO Fest?
This was discovered: There is already some information available regarding the balloon:
The balloon hovers in the air and moves – as a result, it can also fly out of your vicinity
You will likely need to track the balloon to interact with it
The balloon carries its own balloon grunts, which you can battle
PokéStops and gyms likely do not influence the balloon
It appears that there will soon be a new form of interaction with Team GO Rocket. You will need to track them in the balloon to challenge them.
The Rocket Balloon at the GO Fest 2019 in Dortmund. Source: reddit
What is still unclear: So far, it is not clear how battles against the balloon grunts will differ from battles against the standard grunts.
It is quite possible that the balloon grunts are stronger or use different Pokémon. However, the data found so far is not sufficient for this.
Additionally, we can expect a surprise on the second day of this year’s GO Fest. The appearance of the Rocket Balloon would definitely be such a surprise.
If you want more information about the GO Fest, be sure to check out our interview about the GO Fest. There, Michael Steranka from Niantic revealed several details about the big event.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Valorant is the reason why some Overwatch professionals have turned their backs on Blizzard’s hero shooter. Therefore, another Overwatch professional is currently facing accusations of skipping games in the league to play Valorant in peace.
Who is it about? Gui-un “Decay” Jang is a 19-year-old Overwatch pro gamer from the Dallas Fuel team. In an otherwise rather average team, he is the star. However, he recently missed a match on June 20 against the weakest team in the league, the Vancouver Titans.
Why did Decay miss? According to Aaron “Aero” Atkins, the coach of Dallas Fuel, Decay needed to rest. Since the Titans were not a strong opponent, newcomer Stefan “Onigod” Fiskerstrand was put in his place to prove himself in the team.
However, Brad Rajani, the coach of the Atlanta Reigns team, has a different theory. He spread the rumor on reddit that Decay had voluntarily withdrawn to the bench, but not to rest. Rather, Rajani suggested that Decay had been playing Riot’s team shooter and Overwatch competitor Valorant all along.
What is the truth behind the rumors of “skipping league games”?
What supports the accusation? In fact, the accusation from the Atlanta coach has fertile ground. Because many Overwatch professionals have already left Overwatch for Valorant in the middle of the league. A professional eSports scene is currently forming in Valorant.
Even Seetoth “JohnGalt” Jian Qing, the assistant coach of the Los Angeles Gladiators, confirms this trend:
“It’s true, there are a lot of Overwatch players who switch directly to Valorant after the warm-up rounds. So really a lot!”
Valorant appeals to many dissatisfied Overwatch players with its tactical gameplay, which is still influenced by heroes and their abilities. Even top streamer Summit1g sees Valorant as 10 times better than Overwatch. So, has Decay simply lost his passion for Overwatch, like many of his professional colleagues before him?
In Valorant there are heroes and skills, but they are not as game-defining as in Overwatch.
What speaks against the accusation? At least the last point can probably be crossed off the list, as Decay is apparently also actively playing Overwatch outside of tournaments and streams this as well. In his stream, there is nothing to indicate a lack of enthusiasm and fatigue for Overwatch.
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Rather, his coach maintains that it is completely normal to rest the team’s top star when facing weaker opponents. However, it may well be that he will face the Toronto Defiants in the next round. However, the coach did not provide more information about the line-up for tactical reasons.
What else is there on the topic? The issue of “Valorant vs. Overwatch” has been current since the beta of Riot’s team shooter. Recently, former Overwatch professional Daniel “Dafran” Francesco switched to Valorant, where he promptly caused a scandal. At first, he did not show up for a tournament match, then he insulted the organizers and other players violently and was subsequently banned from Twitch.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Where are all the police cars in Fortnite? Players are searching for them in Battle Royale and Creative mode, but they cannot find them. Developer Epic Games has now commented.
What’s new in Fortnite? The new Season 3 of Chapter 2 has recently launched in Fortnite: Battle Royale. Such a season change brings about changes on the map. It is now largely submerged in water.
This means that some vehicles that were previously found are now in the water. They are not usable. However, as Kotaku reports, one specific type of vehicle is completely missing: police cars.
Update from June 22, 2020: Meanwhile, Epic Games has commented to Wall Street Journal about the missing police cars. They explain that this is not a “political statement”. Instead, they are “sensitive to [current] issues”.
Continuing with the original article from June 20.
Police cars are turning into regular cars
Where are the cars? Normally, the police cars equipped with sirens could be found in various places on the map. Just like trucks or ice cream vans. In creative mode, players could also use these vehicles.
Now, the police cars cannot be found anymore. Not in Battle Royale, not in Creative mode. Reddit user Ovaqc reports that the police cars spawn in Creative mode from the junk rifts but immediately turn into regular cars.
The missing vehicles are being actively discussed on reddit:
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This is what players believe: There is no official explanation from Epic Games regarding these events. Therefore, it is unclear why the vehicles are really missing.
Players suspect that the removal of the cars is related to the current events in the USA. Following the death of George Floyd, the “Black Lives Matter” movement has been making headlines. The topic of “police brutality” is also being intensely discussed.
Players suspect a connection. “You could drive around with the cars and I don’t think they [Epic Games] want us running people over with police cars,” writes Igntr_Fyrus on reddit.
“It probably has to do with the protests in America,” writes fishy5062 on reddit. “I believe Epic doesn’t want to start anything.”
“Because later in the season players can drive cars. And if someone shoots you from a police car (if they can do that), that’s a bad thing and would cause all kinds of controversies,” suspects africkinfrick on reddit.
MeinMMO, GameStar, and GamePro stand in solidarity with the “Black Lives Matter” movement and tolerate no discrimination. And we sincerely thank everyone who advocates for respectful interaction in our communities. Our thoughts are with all those affected. Take care.
The director of the Warcraft movie revealed which films were still planned and which story he would have pursued with the trilogy.
The Warcraft movie is now a few years old, and most fans have come to terms with the fact that there will be no sequel. There are many reasons for this – the biggest one is probably the lack of success in American theaters.
The films were supposed to be a trilogy: The original plan was for the Warcraft movies to be released as a trilogy. Had the first film been a success, there would have been parts 2 and 3. However, that is not the case. In response to a fan’s inquiry, director Duncan Jones answered on Twitter and explained what he had planned for the other two films.
Part 2 would have centered around Thrall: In the first film, Thrall played only a minor role. He was born and later kept alive by Gul’dan through demonic magic before he was later abandoned.
In the second film, we would have seen Thrall growing up as an orc slave in Blackmoore’s gladiator camp. He would have met a tauren here who told him about a land to the west (Kalimdor). There, Thrall could travel to find potential allies or perhaps even establish a new homeland.
Interestingly, Taretha is not mentioned. She is a human girl who meets Thrall in the original story of World of Warcraft and later experiences her death. Whether she would have had no role or only a very small one in the film is unknown. However, since her backstory also involves sexual violence, it is easy to understand why this would not have appeared in a film aimed at a younger audience.
Part 3 would have been the founding of Orgrimmar: In the last film, there would have been a gathering of the Horde’s troops. The orcs would have freed their brothers and sisters from the internment camps throughout the eastern kingdoms (similar to the in-game lore). It would have ended with a dangerous journey across the sea, after which the orcs would arrive in Kalimdor to establish their first real city on Azeroth: Orgrimmar.
Thus, the trilogy would have been wrapped around Durotan’s promise to find a homeland for his people.
No one left at Blizzard who worked on the film: In another tweet, Duncan Jones responds to the question of whether there is still a chance for the films. He replies with: “I have no idea, and no one I worked with on the film is still at Blizzard.”
Since the release of Pokémon GO, there has been a maximum level that can be reached. More and more trainers are reaching this level and MyMMO editor Noah Struthoff has long wished for an increase.
This is the situation regarding the maximum level: Once you reach level 40 in Pokémon GO, you can no longer level up. Since its release in the summer of 2016, this level has remained the same as the maximum. In total, 20 million XP are required to reach it.
More and more trainers are reaching this maximum level and at least in my city, almost every player who has been playing since the beginning is now level 40. Many trainers who started only a few months ago have also already reached the maximum level.
The level increase will therefore take place, but no one knows when. I would like to mention a few reasons why this increase should happen sooner rather than later.
Level 40 is the current maximum in Pokémon GO
Reason 1 – So far unchanged maximum level: For now, level 40 has been the maximum in Pokémon GO for 4 years. Once you’ve reached this level, you can completely stop collecting XP.
I completely understand that there are casual players and hardcore players, but anyone who has caught a few Pokémon daily and participated in raids here and there for 4 years is certainly level 40. So why wait so long to raise the level?
Reason 2 – Earning XP is getting easier: Collecting XP is no longer comparable to the start of Pokémon GO. Back then, you earned the most XP when you evolved Pokémon. Then came raids that provide 10,000 XP in one go, and then friendships that can yield up to 200,000 XP at once.
The collecting of XP has become significantly easier over time. The 20 million XP for level 40 was quite a huge number in 2016, but now you can quickly collect over a million XP in half an hour with the help of a few friends, making it seem much easier to reach level 40.
The fact that you can now earn XP so easily is also shown by the top players of Pokémon GO. More and more trainers are reaching 1 billion XP – in comparison, 20 million for the maximum level seems quite small.
You can earn an incredible amount of XP through friends in Pokémon GO.
Reason 3 – No noticeable differences between trainers: If you look in gyms, you see numerous trainers at level 40. But can you tell how long they’ve been at this level and how strong that trainer really is? Unfortunately not.
The calculation is rather simple. If you have “only” caught 20,000 Pokémon, you naturally have significantly less stardust than a player who has caught 200,000 Pokémon. With less stardust, you also have fewer Pokémon at maximum level and usually a weaker team.
The maximum level should not be a reason to show off. It should rather show a difference between a hardcore player with a really strong team and a player who has occasionally caught Pokémon over 4 years.
This is also important for raids, where you don’t know your teammates. You can immediately recognize whether you can successfully complete the raids with the existing players, as you can at least roughly estimate the strength of the team.
Reason 4 – You finally have a goal again: One of the biggest goals in Pokémon GO is reaching level 40. Once that is achieved, you have to set many goals for yourself. This can get really tiring over time.
I myself have been at level 40 since the summer of 2017 and would be thrilled to collect XP again with a purpose. While I do continue to collect actively, there would be a huge hype if a bar finally fills under my level again.
Reason 5 – The competition among friends starts again: Currently, there are only a few opportunities to really compete in Pokémon GO – the PvP league is the exception.
If every player had a new goal in sight again, then competition would begin: Who can reach the new maximum level first? A task that would be a lot of fun for me at least.
However, until the increase in the maximum level, you can still enjoy numerous events. For example, there are still 2 events planned in June and in July the big GO Fest starts.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The upcoming space shooter Star Wars: Squadrons is said to provide a great “space battle” experience in the Star Wars universe, according to the gameplay trailer. A US site spoke with Creative Director Ian Frazier and uncovered more details about the 5vs5 spectacle.
It has been a long time since there has been a Star Wars game that focuses solely on space battles. Recently, Battlefront 2 catered to players’ needs for space battles in the Star Wars universe with the Starfighter Assault game mode.
Now, a full game is set to be released in 2020 with Squadrons, which according to Electronic Arts will offer a “definitive experience.”.
5vs5 Space Battles with Star Wars Feel
This is Star Wars: Squadrons: Star Wars: Squadrons is a space shooter with a single-player campaign and currently two known multiplayer modes. While you take on the roles of the Rebels or the Empire in the single-player campaign, you fight alongside your friends or NPCs in 5v5 battles in multiplayer. The entire game can also be played in VR.
The official gameplay trailer for Star Wars: Squadrons
The US magazine Polygon managed to speak with Creative Director Ian Frazier. We learn more from the interview about the game’s inspiration, as well as the strong modification possibilities for your ships and the VR mode.
Aerial battles of World War II are an important inspiration for Star Wars: Squadrons
As Creative Director Ian Frazier says in the interview with Polygon, there are some sources of inspiration and influences for Squadrons.
The entire team consists of Star Wars fans from various generations. Therefore, it is no wonder that not only the films – mainly the classics, but also the old and new games of the franchise served as inspiration.
They also looked at other franchises and asked what makes Star Wars unique compared to Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica.
This is how Star Wars: Squadrons distinguishes itself: What sets Star Wars apart from other franchises is that Star Wars does not focus on lengthy large battles but rather on smaller, fast-paced dogfights. And here they take a significant cue from the aerial battles of World War II.
Primarily, Star Wars is inspired by aerial combat footage from World War II. You can see that in the original films, even to the fact that the TIEs have green lasers and the Rebels have red lasers. This is because those are the colors of the marking fires in World War II for the Axis powers and the Allies. Therefore, we try to maintain the same theme.
Creative Director Ian Frazier
The developers looked at aerial battles and mainly adapted the control of the ships in all of this. Thus, the ships are not sluggish but agile and can be maneuvered well in space.
Because the ships in Star Wars do not move like real ships in space, they never have.
We tried to start with something that felt like a simulation of World War II, in terms of how the ships are actually controlled and how they can be moved. When we started to deal with things like energy management, we said, “Okay, how do we use things like energy management to take this type of base from World War II but then amplify it? What does the accelerated version of that look like?”
Creative Director Ian Frazier
In the gameplay trailer, it is already apparent that they have managed to capture this Star Wars feeling. The ships are agile, fast, and can perform cool maneuvers.
Here Frazier gives an example of how they tried to elevate the core feeling of World War II aerial battles to a new level. You can completely turn off your boost while in flight to drift for a moment. During this time, you can perform a U-turn and shoot down your opponents or just steer sharply and ignite the boost again.
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The maneuvers in Squadrons are something special. via GIPHY
The ships are highly customizable
Star Wars: Squadrons offers 8 ships at the beginning. From the fast and agile TIE Fighter to the bomber. Each of these ships can be controlled differently but each offers 3 main stats:
Firepower
Speed
Toughness
Several ships are available to choose from
Throughout the game, you will have the opportunity to optimize your ships. For example, you can channel all energy into the shields and generate a second shield. However, if all the energy goes into speed, you have an additional booster to maneuver out of tight situations. The firepower gives you extra energy for your laser weapons.
All of this can also be further expanded or altered with additional upgrades. For example, you can swap your weapons, bring droids on board, improve your hull, deploy shields and much more. In an initial screenshot, Electronic Arts shows us 60 different modifications.
These mods are available to you
… But the developers stick to the canon, somewhat
This is what the Star Wars canon means for the game: If you’re thinking about equipping a TIE Fighter with a strong shield, you will be disappointed. The developers stick to the canon; in Star Wars, TIE Fighters have never had energy shields.
Squadrons takes place after Episode 6 “Return of the Jedi”, more specifically after the battles around Endor. Technologies that did not exist at that point in history are not used in the game.
The loophole for a bit of creativity: If the lore allows some room and a detail is not described in detail, the developers keep the option open to allow players their freedom in modifying the ships.
A good example of this can be seen in the reveal trailer: a TIE Bomber with a channeled laser. Fans reacted to this and said, “TIE Bombers can’t do that!” and normally they would be right. But in the canon, it’s not 100% clear, so players have the freedom to equip their TIE Bomber with a laser.
This is meant to provide players with a lot of variety. The fights won’t become monotonous quickly, as you can always experiment with the ships and the perfect setup. Especially in multiplayer, players should adapt to one another to support each other. With a tractor beam, enemy ships can, for example, be briefly stopped and then shot down by teammates.
“We are doing VR because we think it’s cool”
Star Wars: Squadrons offers full VR support for PC and PS4. Polygon rightly raises the question of why they are doing this. Implementing virtual reality is time-consuming, costly, and there aren’t too many players who have the corresponding setup yet.
Ian Frazier basically agrees with Polygon’s statement, but they still wanted to do it because they think it will be cool. Additionally, the challenges weren’t that great since the entire game design is well-suited for VR.
In the single-player campaign as well as in multiplayer, you experience the battles always from the perspective of your cockpit. There is no third-person view. The first playable demo was already finished after a week, and the following week Squadrons was running in VR.
The key elements in the cockpit
You sit in a cockpit, you have a fixed reference frame, and you are immersed in this role as a pilot on both sides, both factions. It’s a game that of course fits in VR. It doesn’t have to be ported to VR. It’s a game that is capable – and not every design is capable of that – but this design was capable of supporting both types from the beginning. And who wouldn’t want that?
Creative Director Ian Frazier
Therefore, it didn’t really take the developers much more work to prepare the title for VR. Anyone with the right setup at home can expect a high-quality experience, which is still rare in VR.
Titanfall 2 was first released about four years ago. The game is praised by fans primarily for its strong multiplayer. For the first time, it has also been playable on Steam for several days, attracting thousands of players.
What is Titanfall 2? On October 28, 2018, Titanfall 2 was released for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The game became well-known and famous for its massive mechs, crazy weapons, and the battles that could be fought with them.
Iconic for the game are also movement mechanics and parkour elements like wall running. On Metacritic, the PC version of Titanfall 2 received a score of 86 points.
Here in the video, some gameplay scenes and highlights from Titanfall 2 can be seen
Titanfall 2 on Steam stronger than all Battlefields combined
The Steam launch is this strong: Since Thursday, June 18, Titanfall 2 has been playable on Steam. Before that, it was only possible on PC via Origin. According to steamcharts, the game has already reached 9,211 players simultaneously, trending upwards (as of June 21, via steamcharts).
The reviews are “extremely positive.” 95% of the now 1,882 reviews are positive. Players particularly praise the campaign and the story, as well as the gunplay, parkour elements, and mechs as features.
This is how Battlefield compares: With the numbers, Titanfall 2 had more players at its Steam launch than all Battlefield titles combined (all data via steamcharts):
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – 1,414 players
Battlefield Hardline – 212 players
Battlefield 1 – 1,646 players
Battlefield 2 – 216 players
Battlefield 3 – 480 players
Battlefield 4 – 1,171 players
Battlefield V – 2,034 players
Total number of players at launch across all Battlefield titles: 7,173
Many of the Battlefield titles were released shortly before Titanfall 2 on Steam. EA is currently porting many of its games to Valve’s PC platform.
This is how Titanfall “takes revenge”: Titanfall 2 had the misfortune of being released right between Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, which led to significant criticism from players. Both Battlefield and Titanfall are published by EA.
Battlefield 1 probably stole the show from Titanfall 2 back then
EA announced back then that the expectations for Titanfall 2 were not met. Fans suspected that Battlefield 1 was to blame. There were even claims that EA was trying to “send Titanfall 2 to die” to make Battlefield 1 appear stronger (via gamerant).
The release of Titanfall 2 was therefore significantly overshadowed by Battlefield 1. The success on Steam is like a “delayed revenge” for that.
Steam revitalizes Titanfall 2’s multiplayer
The increase in players means for fans and former players as well as newcomers that the multiplayer is finally worth it again. On reddit, players are excited that interest in Titanfall 2 is rising and multiplayer matches are finally more lively again.
Anyone wanting to enjoy the Titanfall vibe but is not that into mechs can check out the battle royale Apex Legends. Season 5 started there on May 12 with a new heroine, a new battle pass, and other innovations. While Apex Legends does not offer parkour and mechs, it provides the same action and a similar gunplay as its shooter predecessor in the same universe.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
This kill of a ghost car is currently a hot topic in the community of GTA 5 Online. After the driver was taken out by another player, the vehicle simply runs over the killer by itself.
What happened? In the online world of GTA 5, PvP happens frequently. In public lobbies, players can run into each other on almost any street corner. And as is typical for GTA, most players carry weapons with them.
Reddit user mohithawelia shared a funny clip with the community. It shows an incident from one of his online sessions.
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With his car, he drifts across the street making donuts (he drives in circles with spinning tires leaving tracks on the road). In the process, he hits a player standing nearby on the sidewalk. After the hit player gets back up, he pulls out his shotgun and pumps a load of lead into mohithawelia’s body.
The driver dies from the shot, but the deceased online character remains with his foot on the gas pedal. Therefore, his car continues to spin in circles and, after the player’s death, hits the shooter with its rear and knocks him down.
This then leads to the shooter’s death. The ghost car, which was no longer driven manually, thus took its revenge.
What do the players say? On Reddit, the clip is well received. The video gathered over 14,000 upvotes in just 18 hours.
Players write:
“That is the chosen car”
“If I spend 5 million on a car, I expect that”
“Car killing is one of the most annoying things. No one wants to be [killed by a car]”
“That is loyalty”
Some players asked about the model of the car; they wanted to get it as well. Even though the Enus Windsor Cabrio is not among the fastest cars in GTA Online in 2020.
“I tried to buy a car and he ran me over”
On Reddit, user “Arnav2607” speaks up. He explains that he is the shooter in the shown clip. The players are friends and wanted to have a bit of fun. “I tried to buy a car and he ran me over while he was spinning donuts,” writes Arnav. Then he shot him in the head. “But I didn’t see the last part coming.” (via reddit)
If you’re now interested in the multiplayer of GTA 5, you should log in by Thursday. You can currently easily earn 200,000 GTA dollars in under 5 minutes. There are also 4 free vehicles available for you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
