On November 14, the MMO Game of Thrones Winter is Coming was released on Steam. This free-to-play strategy game uses the official licenses of the fantasy world, but heavily relies on real money in the end.
What kind of MMO is this? The MMO Game of Thrones Winter is Coming is a free-to-play strategy game where you are the owner of a castle, leading battles and exploring the surroundings from there.
The game offers various quests, PvE battles to expand your castle, a mission board, and combat against other players’ castles. All of this is adorned with a small story narrated by the character Melisandre.
What sounds not so bad at first glance gradually reveals itself mainly as a place to spend money. In its basic idea, Game of Thrones Winter is Coming resembles browser games like OGame or DieStämme, which is not surprising since it was released as such in March 2019.
However, the Pay2Win aspect seems to be even more pronounced here compared to the above examples.
What is the problem with the game? The Game of Thrones MMO uses many characters and ideas from the fantasy world. Your troops are commanded by Robb Stark or other well-known characters, Varys scouts for you, and as a player, you want to support Daenerys in her plans for the Iron Throne.
But as sweet as the idea of the game is, it quickly becomes clear that it’s mainly about money. Expanding your castle and the associated buildings and units takes a lot of time or a lot of money. Everything can not only be accelerated with real money but also be completed immediately.
The game does not hide this fact, as it continually shows you pop-ups for purchasing diamonds and improving your castle with real money. Although at the beginning everything goes quickly and you can upgrade a lot for free, this noticeably changes the longer you play.
What do the Steam reviews say? On November 19 at 11:40 AM, the reviews were mixed. Out of 70 opinions, 36 are positive and 34 negative. However, the critiques of the negative reviews are very clear.
This pay-to-win cash grab was released months before this Steam version. You can either read the bland reviews of new players talking about how cool the Game of Thrones game is, or you could continue reading and get a detailed analysis of the game from someone who has spent time with it.
The first question one must ask is: “Do I want to spend 20,000 USD to still be a small fish in this game?” If you answered no, do yourself a favor and skip the game. [..]
The justification for the high expenditure of real money, according to Gaettusk, primarily lies in the need to buy loot boxes to obtain the best equipment, which is not guaranteed. As a free-to-play player, he argues that you have no chance of survival and will repeatedly lose your troops.
Other negative users also primarily discuss the pay-to-win aspect.
What do the positive voices say? Many positive voices, on the other hand, say that you don’t necessarily have to invest money to have fun. For instance, the user Trumpalot writes:
It is a mix of Stronghold Kingdoms and Total War Kingdoms in the GoT universe. It features RPG, base building, and strategy elements, but these are kept very simple.
Yes, it is a pay-to-win browser game, but you can easily make progress without spending money. Here are a few hysterical reviews about spending thousands of dollars, but if you really need that, you deserve the loss.
Other reviewers also report that they simply enjoy playing a browser game set in the world of Game of Thrones on the side.
Simulation of a battle in the GoT MMO
Pretty browser game with its own client
What is the conclusion? If you are interested in a pretty browser game that even offers its own client on Steam, you can take a look at the Game of Thrones MMO. However, only the brand can really convince, not the game itself.
Based on initial impressions and the Steam reviews, you will not belong to the best players if you do not also invest some real money. Whether the game is worth it is something everyone must decide for themselves in the end.
What does the game remind you of? At first glance, Project Arena looks like MapleStory 2. Not only does the same graphic style come into play, but the block-based world also reminds of Nexon’s MMORPG.
What kind of game is this? Judging by the gameplay video, Project Arena doesn’t seem to have much in common gameplay-wise with MapleStory 2. It looks more like a dungeon crawler where you fight your way through a maze.
The video shows the character moving from room to room. In each room, dangers lie in wait. These include monsters to defeat and traps to avoid. If you conquer a room, rewards in the form of items that presumably upgrade your character await.
Furthermore, PvP is expected to play an important role. According to current information, PvE and PvP are separate game modes.
Crossplay between PC and mobile
What is special about the game? Project Arena supports crossplay. The MMORPG will be released for both PC and smartphones. No matter what device you play on, you will be with players using all platforms.
When will Project Arena be released? The MMORPG has been announced for a release in 2020. However, it will initially be available only in Korea. When an international version will follow is still unclear. Nevertheless, the developers definitely want to release Project Arena in other countries as well.
Who is developing the game? The MMORPG is developed by NGel Games, a relatively new studio. The game utilizes Unreal Engine 4.
What do you think? Do you like Project Arena? Is this something you would play together with your friends?
The online shooter Battlefield 5 will receive the major update 5.2 in December, featuring a new map, private servers, and a plethora of changes. However, players are not pleased with the adjustments to the Time-to-Kill (TTK). Here is a list of the changes.
What’s coming in December for BF5? Since early October, the Pacific War has been raging in Battlefield 5; another map was announced at that time.
Now the release of update 5.2 has been confirmed for December, including the remake of the popular map, Wake Island. Additionally, the long-awaited private servers are expected to arrive.
The update will be even bigger and will bring several gameplay changes: These changes are not well received by some players.
Weapons with update 5.2 weaker – TTK increased
What will be changed? A large portion of the weapons will receive a revision, especially at range. The developers have released some statistics to illustrate the changes.
The graphic compares “bullets for kill” and “distance”. The blue line shows the required bullets with update 5.2 and the yellow line with 5.0. The red line shows the average kill distance in BF5 according to EA – 22 meters.
The statistics show a decreasing damage for all example weapons at almost every range, or in other words – the increased bullet count extends the player’s Time-to-Kill.
Overall, Battlefield 5 will become slower.
Not all weapon classes are affected. Due to previous changes to the weapon classes of bolt-action rifles, sniper rifles, and anti-material rifles, these weapons will remain untouched with update 5.2.
TTK is fine as it is. I can take quite a bit of hits and do not understand why it should be increased even further. I cannot understand why they are conducting such huge meta changes now, when everyone is finally happy with it. Why DICE, why?
For “Countdown3”, it is absolutely incomprehensible why the developers have to make such significant adjustments to the weapons now, when everyone is satisfied with them.
The gunplay is great right now, changes are not needed. Continue your small nerfs and buffs on weapons you think are necessary – but this total overhaul of TTK will not be good for the game
The statements regarding TTK are being moved to a large mega-thread on reddit, which is already filling up. “Wesman0615” also thinks these revisions will not help the game.
What’s happening with the most popular weapons? These statistics have been released for some of the so-called most popular weapons according to EA. They show how many bullets are needed for a kill at a certain distance.
Here are examples for 100 meters distance
StG 44 – Assault Soldier
5.0 – 6 bullets
5.2 – 8 bullets
MG42 – Support
5.0 – 6 bullets
5.2 – 13 bullets
Trench Carbine – Scout
5.0 – 7 bullets
5.2 – 9 bullets
M1A1 Carbine – Assault Soldier
5.0 – 5 bullets
5.2 – 7 bullets
Thompson (M1928A1) – Medic
5.0 – 8 bullets
5.2 – 13 bullets
Many changes with the patch in December
What are the further contents of the update? The expansion includes the already announced map and now comes with the long-awaited private servers, which EA now calls Community Servers.
Here is a list of the most important 5.2 contents:
Community Games
The long-promised private servers are called Community Games in Battlefield 5 and will be released with update 5.2.
The details are still unclear, but the release has now been confirmed.
Fliegerfaust
The explosion radius of the projectiles from this anti-aircraft weapon will be smaller, but almost all other values of the portable flak, such as range, reload speed, or salvo size will improve.
Further information on this is expected at the end of this month.
Soldier Recognition
Enemy soldiers will be easier to recognize and will have a red icon above their head at a distance of 28 meters or less when the crosshair is aimed directly at them.
At 15 meters, soldiers in the field of view will directly have an icon.
These markings can only be seen by the player and are not shared with the team or displayed on the mini-map.
The video shows the new system
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The hit angles of projectiles on vehicles like tanks will play a larger role and will impact damage more significantly.
This way, anti-tank players can achieve more for the team with more precise hits.
Critical hits deal significant damage to tanks but are also hard to land.
Additionally, the number of mines a Support player can carry will be increased – from 3 to 6. In return, the explosive gadgets will deal less damage.
Developers want to strengthen sandbox feel
What is behind all the changes? The developers have also discussed in the large blog post regarding December content what motivation lies behind the recent updates’ changes.
Improving the sandbox
We hope you have enjoyed the changes from the last series of updates designed to improve and restore the Battlefield sandbox you love. We want to continue this trend with update 5.2 next month […]
The developers emphasize the sandbox experience in the improvements. However, what exactly this means remains unclear. It likely refers to a unique Battlefield feel, which wants to differentiate itself from the CoD competition.
Is there more to come? The Community Manager “PartWelsh” posts in the Battlefield Forum and on reddit about the planned changes and addresses user questions and comments.
He notes that the currently published changes are by no means everything that update 5.2 will offer. More information is expected throughout the month.
Chapter 5 is doing a seriously good job for many BF5 players so far; let’s hope the developers know exactly what they are doing. We do not want to see another apology like after chapter 4.
What do you think about the announced changes? Do you also think the TTK is fine as it is?
Our author Eilyn plays Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 5 and has long suspected that there are great similarities between the two games. PC modders have found hints as to why the two mega hits might be so similar.
What have the PC modders found? A PC modder community found evidence in the files of Red Dead Redemption 2 that the assets from GTA 5 were copied. The same mechanics were found in both games.
This would explain a significant similarity in gameplay.
These files were found:
Here you can see references to Michael, Franklin, and Trevor in the data of RDR 2 Source: unknowncheats.me
Here you can see that some mechanics from GTA 5 have been adopted, such as character creation, which shows a connection to Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. These are the story characters from GTA 5.
Now that RDR 2 is also available on PC, these files have been found in the data of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Parallels between GTA 5 and RDR 2
What similarities do the two games have? Those who play the two games online may notice several similarities. Especially game mechanics from Red Dead Online are known from GTA 5.
I, Eilyn, play both games online and have noticed some similarities. When I played RDR 2, I always thought: RDR is actually like GTA, just in a different time period!
These similarities stood out to me while playing:
Means of Transportation
In Grand Theft Auto V, you get in a car and race from one place to another. Although you have means of transportation in Red Dead Redemption, they are noticeably slower.
However, both games offer the possibility of owning a means of transportation:
In GTA 5, you can order your dream car online, which will be delivered nicely to your home.
In RDR 2, you go to the nearest stable and buy a horse of your choice.
In both games, you can easily call or have your means of transportation brought to you.
Source: Reddit
The Story Missions
In both games, there is the possibility to play story missions:
In GTA 5 online, there is a bank robbery or an apocalypse scenario.
In Red Dead Online, there is a train robbery or also a bank robbery.
These story missions are usually completed with other players, and rewards are given. Although the mechanics of the missions are quite similar, they are adapted to the corresponding time periods.
The Character Creation
Here, the mechanics between RDR 2 and GTA 5 are quite similar. You can customize your character in detail. In both games, you start from scratch when creating a new character. However, in RDR 2, you can only delete the existing character and cannot revert back to it.
What differs is the resources. In GTA 5, you have many more options to customize your character accordingly.
In RDR 2, the selection is rather small and limited. This is also adapted to the time period, in which there weren’t as many options to individualize.
Taking Selfies
If you want to take a selfie, both games offer you the chance:
In Grand Theft Auto V, you can simply grab your phone and take a selfie with the camera.
In Red Dead Redemption 2, you take your camera out of the inventory, place it, choose a pose, and then take a picture.
These pictures are then saved and can be shared in the Rockstar Games Social Club for everyone to see. It’s worth it to create a particularly cool selfie.
Map and Markings
In the games, there is a map and a mini-map that you can access to determine your location. If you want to embark on a journey, you can simply mark the travel destination on the map, and the route will be displayed on the map.
This is especially convenient, as you can see on the mini-map which direction you should go or ride. This mechanic is quite identical in both games.
Forming Groups
If you want to form a group, both GTA 5 and Red Dead Online offer options for that.
In GTA 5, you have the options to hire employees as a CEO or invite members into the biker business.
In Red Dead Online, you can form a posse and invite different players. There is also the option to make the posse public, allowing players to join voluntarily.
These assets are similarly structured, but with the difference that in Red Dead Online, you can set the group to public, and everyone can then decide freely whether to join.
So, it is evident that there are many similarities in the gameplay mechanics of these two games.
The PC modder hints could indicate why these games play so similarly, as parts were taken from GTA 5 and incorporated into RDR 2.
Have you also tried both games? Have you noticed these similarities as well?
What about a continuation of the MMORPG TERA? Currently, there are rumors swirling around a mysterious project being developed by the studio Bluehole.What is behind it?
What is Bluehole currently working on? The developer studio behind the MMORPG TERA and the battle royale shooter Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) is currently working on at least two MMORPGs.
One of them is Project W, which turned out to be A:IR – Ascent: Infinite Realm
The other is referred to by the project name Project EXA and is said to be the continuation of a well-known game
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However, later the company secured the trademark rights for TERA 2 – but for a mobile game.
So, no TERA 2? However, the current hints clearly point towards TERA. The Elin as a race, the game is supposed to be a continuation… All of this speaks for TERA 2.
However, it could be that Project EXA is only a quasi-sequel. So, a game that is not called TERA 2 but is still set in the world and continues the story. It could rather be a kind of modern spin-off.
Or Bluehole takes the path of the Final Fantasy series. The individual parts are set in different worlds and are basically unrelated. However, the same races always appear. Maybe a new TERA would go in a similar direction.
The third possibility is quite simple: Bluehole could have simply decided differently and now wants to make a TERA 2.
In Project EXA, apparently the Elin from TERA appear.
What is Project EXA anyway?
What is known about Project EXA? Aside from the fact that apparently Elin will appear, the game is supposed to have a novel combat system. TERA relied on active action combat. A:IR, on the other hand, will offer a kind of hybrid combat of tab-targeting and action. It is likely that Project EXA will orient itself towards the battles of A:IR.
The game has also been in production since at least 2015. However, in the four years, not much has been heard about it. Bluehole is currently focusing on the release of A:IR, which is probably happening in 2020. Perhaps we will learn more about Project EXA then.
It will likely still take some time before this game is released. Whether it will be TERA 2 or something else will be revealed once the MMORPG is officially announced.
What is behind the rumors? Essentially, it is a summary of all the hints that have been around for TERA 2 over the years. The fact is, alongside A:IR, another MMORPG has been in development at Bluehole for at least four years. However, there has been very little information about it, and there is a chance that it could be TERA 2.
The gun course in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is mainly meant to train your skills. However, some players set incredible records. Can you be faster?
What is the gun course? The gun course is part of the challenges, and you have to complete it as fast as possible. You must shoot at wooden signs that show enemies. But be careful of innocent targets that you should not hit.
This is mainly for training so that you can eliminate real opponents faster on the battlefield. But even here, players want to outdo each other. On reddit, they proudly show their records.
Over the gun course in 25 seconds
These are the records: On reddit, there are two times that stand out. It seems that one can be a bit faster on PC. There, the player “yungnutlord” managed it in 25.6 seconds:
Are these really the records? It’s hard to say because you need to record your gameplay and then share it. There could have been faster players who just haven’t made a video of it. There is no official leaderboard here.
What’s remarkable: Whether record or not, the speed of the players is enormous. They know exactly where the targets are and almost run through this course. There must have been many attempts here.
You then receive 3 tickets and can take on the course. Each attempt is rated from 0-3 stars.
The unofficial record could therefore be broken again soon. After all, more and more players are reaching the officer ranks and thus gaining access to the gun course.
In Destiny 2 today, on November 19, the last officially known content of Season 8 launches – the final assault of the Vex Offensive. But not much is known about it. What can the Guardians expect there?
What is coming today in Destiny 2? The Season 8 is slowly coming to an end. But before it finally arrives on December 10, in three weeks, Destiny 2 will receive content one last time in the Season of the Undying.
This new content is called Vex Offensive: Final Assault and will be introduced with the Weekly Reset on November 19. There, the Guardians are supposed to take down a powerful Vex Hydra, the Undying Mind. But what do we actually know about the final assault and the Undying Mind?
What is the Undying Mind and the final assault all about?
What is the final assault? Currently, very little is officially known about the new content, the studio is still largely keeping it under wraps. However, Bungie announced before Season 8 that something is supposed to happen during every future season that will be resolved again at the end of the season.
In the currently ongoing Season of the Undying, this refers to the invasion of the Vex. The Vex Offensive: The final assault will likely resolve the seasonal story around the Vex or at least lead the Guardians story-wise towards the end of the season.
What is it about? It basically revolves around the Vex. The Undying Mind, a powerful Vex opponent, is back and is likely responsible for the increased Vex activity on the Moon. Its goal is to reclaim the Black Garden from the Guardians. The top directive apparently is: our total extermination.
Ikora Rey, Warlock and one of the Vanguard leaders, has a plan against the Undying Mind. The goal of the Guardians is to intercept the Vex attacks and disrupt the Black Garden, which should buy us time for the true goal – the Vex Portal, which is being expanded week by week behind Ikora.
The plan is to use this portal to attack the Undying Mind – in every timeline where it has hidden itself. If this succeeds, it would once again save humanity from extermination.
But apparently, the danger is still not completely eliminated. Season 9, the Season of Dawn, is supposed to focus on “correcting the timeline.” So if we defeat the Undying Mind, something appears to go wrong elsewhere.
What is the Undying Mind anyway? The Undying Mind is a Vex Hydra that many Destiny veterans from the first game might recognize. It was used by the Sol Divisive – a faction of Vex that worshiped Darkness – to reclaim the Black Garden from the Guardians.
The Undying Mind
However, the Guardians actually defeated this opponent in the Strike “The Undying Mind.” But apparently not completely. Because it was resurrected after the Sol Divisive detected the return of Darkness (likely the Pyramid ship beneath the surface) on the Moon.
What could the Guardians expect?
We will likely find out exactly later today. But there have already been numerous speculations and theories beforehand.
A new Strike: The Undying Mind is already known from a Strike in Destiny 1. Therefore, some believe it’s possible that we could encounter this Vex creature in a new Strike – especially since only 2 new Strikes were introduced with Shadowkeep.
The Strike with the Undying Mind in Destiny 1
New mission or arena: Some also consider a new ongoing mission to be possible. A kind of arena, which can be accessed through the teleporter, where the Guardians can then directly confront the Undying Mind, is also being considered.
New Boss or new version of Vex Offensive: However, a hint from the Triumphs suggests that it will likely just be the Vex Offensive activity and simply a new boss. It says in the Triumphs: Defeat the Undying Mind in the Vex Offensive. For 50 points, you must achieve this 3 times.
So it currently looks like there will be either a new final boss, the Undying Mind, or perhaps a slightly modified version of the Vex Offensive, which can be started through the portal in the Tower. A new Strike or an arena seem rather unlikely.
Since Ikora essentially says that we should kill the Undying Mind in every timeline it is hiding in, it could lead to a similar event where the community is supposed to annihilate the Vex boss and its minions millions of times.
What do you think? What is the final confrontation all about? How will Season 8 come to an end?
A website has collected data on played multiplayer matches in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Its statistics show, among other things, which weapons are particularly popular.
These are the 3 most popular weapons: According to data from the CoDStats Website, the three most popular weapons at the moment are two assault rifles and a submachine gun. Specifically,
22.8% of players use the M4A1
11% of players use the Kilo 141
8.9% of players use the MP5
The annoying 725, which despite nerfs is not really weaker, ranks 4th with 5.1% usage. The powerful shotgun has been frustrating players for a long time because many consider it to be too strong.
How is this measured? CoDStats has analyzed over 650,000 games in multiplayer and created this statistic (via Dexerto). However, not all played games are covered, so a certain margin of error should be taken into account.
What makes the weapons so strong? The M4A1 is considered a strong all-rounder. It is highly modifiable and therefore flexible for most situations. It also has a low TTK and useful attachments like a grenade launcher.
These are the most popular weapons by category: What is also striking about the statistics is that the most popular weapons are almost always the strongest weapons in their category:
Assault Rifle: M4A1
Submachine Gun: MP5
Shotgun: 725
Sniper Rifle: AX-50
LMG: PKM
Launcher: Pila
DMR: Mk2 Carbine
All weapons ranked by popularity. Source: Dexerto.
The statistics also show: As can be seen from the overview, some weapons such as launchers, pistols, the riot shield, and the combat knife are hardly represented at all. This is due to them being situational.
Players tend to use launchers more when they need to take out vehicles or killstreaks in Ground War. They are not suitable as standard deployment weapons in all multiplayer modes.
Launchers are intended more for taking out vehicles.
Pistols are also mainly emergency weapons. Shields and knives are meant for support or for players who want to experience CoD in a completely different way. Exactly this combination has already caused problems:
In Pokémon GO there are news from data miners. The update 0.161.1 is being rolled out and mainly brings a bunch of new Crypto Pokémon.
What’s included in the update: Really a lot of new things does not bring the update, but the new Crypto Pokémon stand out here. In total, there are 458 that have been found.
Besides the Cryptos, there is also news about the mysterious Pokémon Genesect. Interesting details have also been discovered there.
458 Cryptos found – Will they all come now?
What the find means: The 458 Crypto Pokémon are practically all the missing Cryptos. So far, the Crypto Pokémon came in small waves in the game files, but now Niantic just merged the remaining ones.
But that doesn’t mean that all the Cryptos will come into the game at once. Niantic probably just doesn’t want to show their cards anymore and surprise players with new Cryptos. Until now, one could always predict pretty well which new Cryptos would come into the game based on the waves of additions.
What can be said now: New Crypto Pokémon can come into the game at any time now and it can no longer be predicted which specimens might be in the new update.
This is also fitting because currently Team Rocket, thanks to the new bosses, is being fought a lot. New Crypto Pokémon are likely to be a good change for many trainers.
What’s still in update 0.161.1
News about Genesect: The mysterious Pokémon Genesect is not yet in the game, but there is now something new about the monster. In the last update, data miners found some assets that could not be assigned.
Now it is known: These belong to Genesect. They are the modules that the Pokémon can carry. With these modules, it could change its type in the console games and was, depending on the module, of the type Water, Electric, Fire, or Ice.
This could also work in Pokémon GO. Data miners suspect that this might allow for form changes. You give Genesect the desired module and it changes its type. However, these are just speculations and not confirmed.
In 2018, Trion Worlds was dissolved – the rights to the games were transferred to the German company Gamigo. They focused on ArcheAge – Rift seemed to play only a minor role.
What’s happening right now with Rift? Not much. Essentially, the biggest innovation this year was the introduction of the Battle Pass, which, however, received mixed reactions.
How is the mood in the community? Rift still has loyal fans who wish for more to happen. They want new content that leads the MMORPG to a flourishing future. Many are emotionally attached to the game.
However, currently the mood seems rather bleak. Simply too little has happened in 2019.
A part of the community fears that Gamigo is merely operating Rift in a kind of maintenance mode, keeping it running without significantly developing the MMORPG.
Player Challengere writes that the negative feedback and the gloomy mood in the forum have led Gamigo to halt the development of the MMORPG. The player base would have scared off the developers, which is why the game is now effectively running on low flame.
When asked where he got this information from, Challengere only stated that he did not want to reveal his sources. However, players are to blame for the current state of Rift.
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What does Gamigo say about this? Community manager Taerentym has commented on the statement. He wrote: “The development of Rift has not been halted due to player criticism – constructive or otherwise. While our development team is working hard and reading your feedback, we ask that you do not spread false information like this. Your thread has been closed.”
Gamigo thus denies the accusations. According to the community manager, it is not true that development has been stopped because the community criticized the MMORPG so harshly.
What does this mean now? However, this does not change the fundamental problem. Simply too little is happening with Rift. This is also the reason for the criticism. Even the future of the MMORPG does not look very good with only events and small updates. Players simply feel neglected, which is also understandable.
However, the situation does not mean that Rift is no longer supported at all. According to Taerentym, the developers are looking at player feedback, which means that it is likely addressed in updates. We simply have to wait and see what 2020 brings for Rift.
The new models from Warcraft III: Reforged look really good. Even the MMORPG WoW has to shy away from them …
Currently, the beta test of Warcraft III: Reforged is running. This is a remake of the strategy classic, which gets a completely new graphical overhaul and is supposed to offer a real treat for the eyes. However, it leads to a somewhat absurd situation, as many of the models from Warcraft III: Reforged look significantly better than their counterparts in World of Warcraft.
A video from YouTuber Arcane compares many models from WoW with those from Warcraft 3: Reforged:
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Why is this a strange situation? While it is logical that newer games have better graphics than older games, there is an additional peculiarity with WoW and WC3: Reforged. After all, WoW is an MMORPG where you are quite “close to the action” and thus perceive much more detail of individual creatures. Warcraft 3, on the other hand, is a strategy game where most units are only seen from a distance and many details simply get lost as you zoom out far from the action.
The oldest models are affected the most: Especially some of the first models from World of Warcraft, such as the centaurs or gnolls, look outdated today. While many creatures look great, such as the players or creatures from the latest expansions, gnolls, kobolds, and centaurs have aged quite poorly. They now appear out of place and stand in stark contrast to the rest of the game, which is refined a bit more with each expansion.
Moreover, “Reforged” aims for a slightly more realistic graphic style than the original Warcraft 3. Therefore, many creatures have a somewhat darker look.
Even though WoW doesn’t really have perfect graphics as its flagship, it would still be nice if some of the ancient models of the MMORPG slowly got an upgrade.
Or how do you see it? Should the models remain as they are? Or is it time to bring all enemy types up to the current (WoW) technology?
Google Stadia is launching soon. What are the key details and considerations you need to have before making a purchase, and what do the initial tests say about Stadia?
Google Stadia will officially launch on November 19, 2019. We present eight things you should know before making a purchase.
1. How Google Stadia Works
Google Stadia is a streaming service by Google that officially launches on November 19, 2019. With Google Stadia, players can stream games on compatible smartphones, PCs, laptops, tablets, or TVs. This all happens on Google’s server architecture. No installation or download is required. Therefore, a fast internet connection is essential for making the most out of Stadia.
Important: It is a standalone platform, and currently, no crossplay is offered.
Google Stadia
Cloud gaming service by Google
Price
129 euros for the Premiere Edition 9.99 euros for the Stadia Pro subscription
This is Stadia Pro: The Pro subscription costs 9.99 €.
There will be a selection of free games in Stadia Pro, to which you will have full access as long as the subscription is active.
Games you have purchased can still be used in the free Stadia Base version – but only at a maximum resolution of 1080p and with stereo sound. For higher resolutions up to 4K, you need Stadia Pro – and also an internet connection with at least 35 Mbps.
Stadia Base from 2020: The free version Stadia Base is expected to be available only from 2020 onwards.
Games that you purchased for Google Stadia can be played any time with Stadia Base. However, only a Full HD resolution is possible.
Stadia
Pro:
Stadia
Base:
Available from
Part of the
Founder’s Edition
available from 2020
Resolution
up to 4K
up to 1080p
Frame Rate
60 FPS
60 FPS
Sound
5.1 Surround Sound
Stereo
Games can be purchased anytime
Yes
Yes
Free games are regularly released
Yes, starting with “Destiny 2: The Collection“
No
Exclusive Stadia Pro offers
Yes
No
3. How Good Does My Internet Need to Be?
If you want to buy and use Google Stadia, you should check beforehand whether your internet connection is fast enough:
Minimum: For Google Stadia, a minimum of 10 Mbps is required. This allows for a resolution of 720p.
Recommended: 20 Mbps is recommended. This enables playing at a resolution of 1080p and 60fps. Google even recommends a minimum bandwidth of 25 Mbps if you want to play smoothly in 1080p and 60fps.
Maximum: For maximum performance and 4K resolution, you need a bandwidth of at least 30 Mbps.
Check My Internet Connection: If you are unsure about how fast your internet is and whether it is sufficient for Google Stadia, then check your connection using Google’s test.
4. Not Netflix for Gamers
In contrast to PlayStation Plus or Microsoft Game Pass, Google Stadia does not offer players a wide range of free games to play with the Stadia Pro subscription. It is not Netflix for gamers.
Instead, the Stadia Pro subscription currently offers two free titles: The Collection of Destiny 2 and Samurai Showdown.
You do not pay for a number of games, as with other subscription services, but for the hardware provided by Google. While you save on the high initial costs of a powerful gaming PC, Google wants its performance to be compensated as well.
5. How Many Games Are Available?
Google has recently expanded its lineup by 10 additional games. Google Stadia currently offers 22 games for purchase and play at launch. You can play Destiny 2 and Samurai Showdown for free and without purchase. The following games are available at launch (in alphabetical order):
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle
Destiny 2: The Collection
Final Fantasy XV
Football Manager 2020
GRID
Gylt
Just Dance 2020
Kine
Farming Simulator 19
Metro Exodus
Mortal Kombat 11
NBA 2K20
RAGE 2
Red Dead Redemption 2
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Samurai Shodown
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
Thumper
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
Trials Rising
Wolfenstein: Youngblood
6. Which Controllers Are Compatible?
This is what the Stadia controller looks like. It hardly differs in appearance from other controllers, but the Stadia button between the joysticks is prominent.
The Stadia Controller: Google has designed its own controller for Google Stadia, the Stadia controller. It looks simple and offers the basic functions of a gaming controller, with modern connections like USB-C and Wi-Fi. Many testers find the Stadia controller to be quite good. Whether the Stadia Controller is worth it is summarized in our article.
Can I Use My Old Controller? You do not necessarily need a Stadia controller for Google Stadia.
Google has made it clear that users can also use their own controllers for PlayStation and Xbox with Google Stadia.
Currently, there is only one limitation: If you want to play wirelessly, then you will need both the Stadia Controller and a Chromecast Ultra when launching Google Stadia on November 19, 2019.
7. Stadia Still Feels Like a Beta
For tech enthusiasts and early adopters interested in new hardware and technology, it is definitely worth a look. However, it should be noted that many still perceive Google Stadia as a beta: Many features are still missing or promised but have not yet been delivered. As The Verge states:
“There’s no reason to buy Stadia right away. Google offers too little at launch and makes buyers pay three times (for hardware, for service, for games) just to be early adopters.”
8. Initial Tests of Google Stadia – What Do the Reviews Say?
There are now initial tests of Google Stadia. Below we have summarized results for you (in alphabetical order):
„A Solid Foundation for the Future” – GamePro
The testers from GamePro view Google Stadia mostly positively. There are no general issues or latency problems, the biggest hurdle testers see is the insufficient amount of exclusive titles.
„Overall, we are very pleased with the launch of the new cloud gaming platform. We did not experience major issues with streaming quality or significant latency problems. The Stadia controller feels well-made and fits nicely in the hand. The selection of games is also quite respectable. However, we see the biggest problem due to the lack of exclusives in the target audience that Google is currently addressing with the launch of Stadia.”
„Stadia is (Still) Not a PC or Console Killer” – Golem
Golem had fun with the platform, but is still unsure whether Google can succeed in the end – even if the foundation is good, there are many elements that are missing. Like many other testers, occasional slight blurriness in the graphics is noticeable.
If you meet the hardware and internet requirements, you will find Stadia to be a practical platform for your gaming hobby. During testing, we quickly forgot that the games come to the monitor in a way that is somewhat different than usual. (…) The occasional slight blurriness is the clearest way we see the difference – but you have to look closely.
(…) Setting all that aside, there are approximately a thousand reasons for or against Stadia. The service is far from finished, and it is unclear how committed Google will remain and how competitive its game offerings will be in the long run, given the increasing number of exclusive titles from Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and other manufacturers.
„Amazing Directness, but Far from Perfect” – GameStar
Google Stadia manages to impress GameStar. Games start quickly and run smoothly, yet the tester believes that cloud gaming will not be resilient against disturbances compared to PCs in the long term.
„However, if you just have to open the browser to start a 112 GB game like RDR2 within a very short time without waiting for the download, and can seamlessly switch from PC to smartphone or TV, then that is indeed an impressive experience. (…) And although some statements from Google or developers sound different, I do not believe that cloud gaming will ever truly reach the same level of reliability in terms of susceptibility to interruptions and directness of inputs as playing locally on my own PC.”
GameStar tested Google Stadia. How well they liked it, you can find out in their video.
Google Stadia: A Technical, Conceptual Disaster
Forbes gives a harsh verdict against Google Stadia. The tester struggled with lags, missed many features, and found the graphics to be very inconsistent. For him, it was a catastrophic start, leaving a lasting bad aftertaste.
I may have been skeptical from the beginning of this Stadia test, but I was ready to give it a chance. But from start to finish of my testing period, it was a catastrophe, and the problem is that even if it worked perfectly, which it absolutely does not, the entire model seemed destined to fail from the start. This is a massive failure by Google, and I truly wonder what the consequences of this poorly thought-out early launch will be.
„At Launch, It’s Just a Little Revolution” – Spiegel
For Spiegel Online, Google Stadia offers many good ideas but still feels like a beta product to the testers. Many features are missing or only announced, and the number of game titles is small, but Stadia reduces costs for high-end gaming.
„So far, the service is not a killer for Switch, Playstation, or Xbox, but particularly interesting for owners of 4K TVs without any gaming equipment. However, if the service becomes more open to more iOS and Android devices, gains new features, and sheds some controller restrictions, it could indeed serve as an alternative to gaming PCs or consoles – including announced blockbusters like “Cyberpunk 2077” and “Watch Dogs: Legion.”
„In the First Test, Stadia Still Impresses – At Least Technically” – Welt
„But a major problem lies where many others have already failed: At launch, the catalog of supported game titles is relatively small, with only 22 games available. (…) Nevertheless, Google’s model has the potential to revolutionize the gaming market. With the Stadia subscription, the entry barrier for high-end games drops enormously. There is no need to buy consoles or keep gaming PCs up to date with the latest technology.”
Conclusion: Testers evaluate Google Stadia mixedly. There are hardly any issues, and the technical foundation is quite decent, but unfortunately, it remains just a foundation: Some testers complain that Google Stadia feels more like a beta than a fully-fledged cloud gaming service.
Pro
A stable, good foundation for the future for most
Strong partner in Google
Simple, good controller
Contra
Too few games and missing exclusives
Graphics sometimes with blurriness
Feels like a beta with still few functions, and some testers had problems
What else do I need to know? If you still lack important information, check out our extensive overview on Stadia. Here you will find all important information about Google’s new streaming platform:
Only a few days left until the start of Season 19 in Diablo 3. But which class should you play? The Wheel of Fate will help you with your choice.
What’s happening in Diablo 3? After Season 18 was active in Diablo 3 for a few weeks, Season 19 starts in just a few days. As always, players are now wondering which class they should start with.
What has changed? The new patch 2.6.7 brought some content changes. New sets for Monk and Crusader are included. They reward different play styles than before. Is that already a reason to start with a Monk or Crusader in S19?
If you don’t find much to enjoy in these two classes, you might consider the Barbarian. The feedback on patch 2.6.7 led the developers to tweak a few gears for the Barb and buff this class. Especially the WW/Rend Barbarians are happy about this.
If you’re purely focused on mechanics, you should read the linked patch notes thoroughly and then decide what your class for Season 19 will be.
Which class are you playing?
Vote! We want to know from you which class you want to start with in Season 19. We will embed a survey here for you. You will have a choice.
If you want to play multiple classes in S19, simply choose the one you want to start with or the one you are most excited about in the survey.
No idea what you want to play? If you can’t or don’t want to make up your mind and would rather let fate chance decide, you should spin the Wheel of Fate. All classes for Season 19 are listed on it.
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In Pokémon GO, a trainer has reached an insane milestone: He has apparently caught 1 million Pokémon. However, some players doubt this achievement, as these numbers are pretty crazy.
Which player is it? The account “kyarorina” from Japan is meant. A screenshot surfaced on reddit, documenting the 1 million catches.
The Japanese player would thus be the first documented trainer to have achieved such a number of catches.
1 Million Catches in Pokémon GO – Is it Possible?
These numbers are impressive: When you break down the catches to a day, that would be about 800 catches per day since release. An enormous number that kyarorina must reach daily for over 3 years.
How credible is the image? The screenshot was shared by the YouTuber Reversal. He is a partner of Niantic and is considered credible. He has often shared information that has all been accurate.
On his Twitter account, Reversal also shared further images. There is a screenshot of the catch medal and a picture of the stardust.
According to the images, kyarorina has over 185 million stardust and almost 200,000 Rattata candies.
On reddit, Reversal also mentions that the Japanese player reaches the catch cap, which is the maximum number of Pokémon that can be caught per day, almost every day. He is also said to have a job that he attends to.
What supports this: Kyarorina lives in Japan. The major cities of the country are considered a paradise for Pokémon GO trainers. There are PokéStops everywhere, and there are endless spawns. If you can achieve such a goal in one place, it is definitely Japan.
Are there opposing voices? Some players believe that this goal cannot really be achieved. There is also no confirmation that the trainer played completely without cheats.
One should therefore be skeptical about whether it was actually achieved completely without cheating. However, many points speak for it.
On November 19, 2019, Google Stadia will be released. By now, games, prices, and controllers are known, but some remain skeptical before the release. We explain why and look at what our community thinks.
This is Google Stadia: Google Stadia is Google’s new streaming service, which officially launches on November 19, 2019. Instead of installing or downloading games, they are streamed directly to a smartphone or TV screen via the cloud.
By now, there are many opinions around Stadia and the upcoming release. We have collected arguments from both sides from various forums and present them here.
These problems players see with Google Stadia
There are many critics and skeptics. We now present the most important opinions and thoughts in an organized manner.
No Cross-Play
Games like Destiny 2 will not offer cross-play with other platforms, but will have the cross-save feature. In the official FAQ for Destiny 2, it says “Crossplay will not be available on any platform in 2019.”
Games like Destiny 2 will not offer cross-play with other platforms. You cannot play together with different devices like PC and PS4.
However, Bungie did not want to comment further on whether this feature might come in the future.
Bungie also explained in an interview (via PCGamer) that Destiny 2 on Stadia will be a closed system, and cross-play is probably not possible.
This is criticized: Many users criticize the closed system. For example, Mein-MMO reader Hempelchen says that many users would not leave their existing platforms just for Stadia: “There is a risk that you will often stand alone in the Strike because the critical mass of players is not reached.”
Too few games at launch
Many complain about the limited selection of games. Only 12 games including Destiny 2 were originally planned for launch on Google Stadia. These include strong titles like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Rise of the Tomb Raider, or Red Dead Redemption 2, but many feel the current selection is insufficient.
Mein-MMO reader Luriup says he would not pre-order the Farming Simulator 2019 on Stadia, as he already owns the other games. Rather, “[Stadia] needs a flagship for me, like Rebel Assault was for the CD-ROM drive back in the day.”
Long-awaited titles like Borderlands 3 or Metro Exodus will still be released in 2019 for Google Stadia.
Other users criticize the limited offerings in the Google Stadia Pro subscription. Those who subscribe to Google Stadia Pro get access to a range of free games. However, only one free title is currently known: Destiny 2.
Many gamers expected a Netflix for gamers with Google Stadia, similar to PlayStation Plus or Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass.
Many prefer to buy games physically
Many Europeans especially prefer to buy their games physically. ISFE and Ipsos Mori’s GameTrack conducted a survey (via Gamesindustry) asking players in Spain, the UK, France, and Germany how and where they prefer to buy their games.
They found that about 75% of all AAA titles continue to be sold primarily through Amazon, Gamestop, and other specialty retailers. Only 23% of respondents would buy purely digital titles without a disc or other goodies.
Many wonder whether Google Stadia can really compete in an still strong retail market.
Online-DRM and always online
What happens if Google suddenly shuts down its system? The online magazine Wired points to the shutdown of Microsoft’s ebook store (via Wired.com). People who purchased their books or magazines digitally lost access and can no longer reach them. However, Microsoft fully reimbursed all purchases made in the ebook store.
On Reddit, users like davthom wish that Google Stadia would provide an offline option like Apple Arcade. With a streaming service like the one Google has announced, this is highly unlikely since Google promotes that nothing needs to be downloaded.
No mod support
If you have a game installed on your own hard drive, you usually have no trouble making mods or other changes to your game. However, on Google Stadia, the games are in Google Cloud and are streamed. Many fear that there will not be proper mod support.
The head editor of Eurogamer.de even sees the creativity of players at risk. He writes:
“What I am also worried about is that Stadia threatens the creativity of player communities. A quick glance at the Steam Workshop for Skyrim shows dozens of categories with tens of thousands of entries. (…) And then The Elder Scrolls 7 comes out, and the fans … well, the fans are then sitting there, playing through it, and that’s it.”
Although Google promised to work with developers and the community on mod support, there is no set date for this yet.
Google shuts down unprofitable services
Google shuts down services; in 2019, Google+ was discontinued.
Microsoft is not the only developer shutting down services. On Reddit, user DarknessDragon88 notes that Google is known for shutting down old projects or services when they are not performing well or no longer fit the provider’s portfolio.
“Anything can fail. Google is known for just killing off services, so they may just decide to pull the plug at some point.”
Web developer Naeem Nur from Bahrain thus collects all dead Google projects on his website – which also includes hardware like Chromebooks or Nexus smartphones.
These concerns developers have: Developers also have similar thoughts. Gwen Frey, developer of Kine, explains in an interview with Gamesindustry.biz:
“The biggest concern most developers have with Stadia is that Google might just shut it down. No one claims that ‘it doesn’t work’ or ‘streaming has no future.'”
Google describes the system as “negative latency”, addressing latency issues. Google anticipates latency proactively, assuming it exists even when it doesn’t.
How well this will work can only be determined at the launch of Google Stadia.
Thus, TNB from our Mein-MMO community says there will always be input lags; “This cannot be prevented at all, because even Google cannot defy the laws of physics. These are simply technical limitations that are exacerbated through streaming.”
How can I test my internet connection? Those who want to test whether their internet connection is sufficient for Google Stadia can do so on a special page from Google. There, one can see the quality at which they can play.
Buddy Pass and Google Assistant come much later
Google explained in a Q&A on Reddit that the Buddy Pass for friends will only be available several weeks after the launch of Google Stadia.
The promised Google Assistant, which is supposed to help players in-game, will also only be available later. At the launch of Stadia, Google Assistant will only be able to start games.
Google and data protection
Google tracks and collects data about users through various services. With Stadia, the company receives additional opportunities to analyze data or inputs from users that run through their servers.
Not everyone is pleased with this. Mein-MMO reader Frystrike criticizes: “With Stadia, Google gets everything they want… names, addresses, bank details, player profiles, and tons of terms and conditions which grant Google access to everything it can read from the machine you are playing on…”
What players like about Google Stadia
Despite the criticism, many believe in the success of Google’s new streaming platform.
Google establishes its own studio
With the announcement of Google Stadia, Google also founded a studio for Stadia games. Jade Raymond leads the studio. Raymond worked for Ubisoft Toronto and Motive Studios (a subsidiary of EA) and is primarily known for the Assassin’s Creed games. Since 2019, she has been at the forefront of Google’s new game studio.
This certainly shows that Google wants to provide long-term support for Stadia. Exclusive titles have also been a real draw on the Nintendo Switch.
Many developers are excited about Google Stadia
Baldur’s Gate 3 is announced for Google Stadia. The head of Larian Studios, which is developing the game, is convinced of Google Stadia.
Many developers, including Swen Vincke, head of Larian Studios, are excited about Google Stadia and its possibilities. For Baldur’s Gate 3, he is working closely with Google Stadia and is accordingly impressed by its capabilities. He believes that many gamers cannot yet recognize its potential.
Destiny 2 is also an example of how closely a developer has worked with Google for Stadia. A lot of effort is being invested to ensure players end up with a great experience.
Independence from hardware
You should be able to play anywhere with Google Stadia – whether on smartphone, tablet, or desktop PC.
Google Stadia only requires a streaming-capable device. Users do not need a high-end PC to play games in high resolution, as Google “lends” players a PC in the form of the cloud. Many hope to avoid having to buy expensive PC hardware in the future.
Mein-MMO reader Peacebob calculates, for example, that if he buys a new graphics card for €250-500 every 3 to 5 years and a new processor every 5 years, he would spend between €500 and €900:
As a PC gamer, this would roughly translate to about €8.33-15 per month to maintain a decent gaming PC.
The €9 monthly fee for Stadia is thus a significantly smaller burden compared to constantly needing to buy a new graphics card or PC every two years.
No binding to an operating system
Google Stadia is intended to work everywhere. You should be able to play with Stadia on smartphones, Windows PCs, and even on Macs or Linux. Therefore, you are not tied to a specific operating system, as is often still the case.
In games like Anthem, players complain about very long loading times. Will Google Stadia solve this? At least no or only very short loading times are promised.
All games streamed via Google Stadia are up to date and do not require updates. Therefore, you do not need to install large updates and can start playing right away. Google promises gamers very short loading times.
Andrey Doronichev, Director of Product for Stadia explains on Reddit: “We offer all basic features at launch – play anywhere, no waiting for downloads or updates, social features, and the store. But not all promised features will be available from day one.”
The target audience is the broad mass, not hardcore gamers
There are proponents who believe that players are setting the wrong expectations for Stadia. Although Stadia initially does not offer many games, titles like Assassins Creed or Destiny 2 offer more than enough content. Reddit user ViveMind notes:
“Seriously, who plays more than 65 hours a month? That’s A LOT of gameplay. If you’re a hardcore gamer, then you’re probably not the target audience for Stadia.”
There are already initial complete reviews of Google Stadia. Nils Raettig from GameStar says:
Google Stadia is proving to be, in my experience, the technically best solution for cloud gaming so far. However, it still shows in all respects that it was designed more for the future than for the here and now.
This is particularly evident from the still limited selection of games and the long list of features that are expected to come next year, contributing to this impression. The initial launch phase should be seen more as a beta test that is meant to prepare Google for the release of the free variant Stadia Base. The technical foundation already presents a surprisingly good impression.
(…) The very low latency while playing Destiny 2 with mouse and keyboard, and Mortal Kombat 11 with the gamepad, convinced me in the test. In principle, you can have a lot of fun playing via the cloud.
Editor Dennis Michel of GamePro is optimistic but doubts whether the target audience will bite right away:
Overall, we are very pleased with the launch of the new cloud gaming platform. We did not encounter significant problems with streaming quality or severe latency issues. The Stadia controller feels high-quality and fits well in the hand. The selection of games is also quite impressive.
However, we see the biggest problem in the lack of exclusives, which poses a challenge for the target audience that Google is currently addressing at Stadia’s launch.
There are plenty of NPCs in Borderlands 3 aboard Sanctuary. They can’t really be harmed. However, Moxxi’s Slot Machine achieved the seemingly impossible.
This is what distinguishes the NPCs aboard Sanctuary: The mostly nameless population of Sanctuary is primarily busy standing around, sitting on crates, or often babbling nonsensically.
Colleagues like him can often be found aboard the ship
Unbeatable NPC gets too close to the machine
Actually no harm: In the community, the nameless NPCs in Sanctuary are rather mediocre in popularity. This is primarily because they tend to stand around immobile and block paths. Also, the endlessly repeated lines annoy some.
If an NPC is standing in the doorframe, it is extremely hard to get them out of the way. Because: The NPCs are basically unbeatable. They don’t take weapon damage, anyway.
This gentleman calls himself “Lizard King” and apparently isn’t particularly interested in bullets
NPC caught at the machine: However, the unbeatable NPCs seem to not be so invulnerable after all. At least they appear to have a major weakness: gambling.
Specifically, that of the player. It may happen that instead of a nice reward, you pull a sharp grenade from a machine. This also happened to reddit user “noretehs“. Thankfully, he was at a safe distance when the machine unexpectedly spat out a bomb instead of a lot of money. Unfortunately, this didn’t apply to a “Crimson Raider” standing around.
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In the video, the seemingly impossible happens: The bomb goes off and pulverizes the NPC. He disappears in a reddish cloud of dust and remains gone. Thus, the only weakness of the NPCs is revealed – and it amuses the community: “He knew the risk,” comments “chipotles_my_life“. “He will come back, stronger than ever,” suspects “LeKramsch” – and is probably right.
Borderlands 3 offers plenty of curiosities. But also on the content side, things will continue to be entertaining soon:
In FIFA 20 Ultimate Team, reaching the next ranks sometimes seems simply impossible. However, small adjustments can help you move to the next level.
Promotion is not automatic: It is well-known. At some point, you reach that one point where things just don’t seem to progress anymore. This applies to Division Rivals as well as to the Weekend League: Many players reach Gold 3 or 2, for example, but simply can’t achieve the required number of wins to rise higher and get the best rewards.
However, this does not necessarily mean the end. Even small changes can ultimately make the difference, leading to a sudden improvement in performance. Here we summarize some tips for you.
Simple Tips for Promotion
1. Stay Calm
That’s why staying calm is important: The first tip is also the most important one. Especially during a Weekend League, defeats can be quite demoralizing. It’s crucial not to play with anger.
When playing angrily, one tends to make mistakes in FIFA 20 and can easily be influenced. This means: If in doubt, put the controller down for a few minutes before attempting the next match. Only those who play with concentration will manage to reach the next level.
Frustration is a poor advisor in FIFA
2. Don’t Underestimate Build-Up Play
This is what build-up play brings: Often, one is tempted to launch a quick counterattack after gaining possession. However, this is not always worthwhile. The risk of quickly giving the ball away is high.
Therefore, it might be the right tactic to let the ball move around cleverly. Especially during goal kicks with the goalkeeper, one should be careful not to throw the ball directly to the opponent, but rather find an open player. Take your time in your own half and look for the right gaps.
Goals often result from unfortunate turnovers
In doubt, the radar can help find good options in attack, which are not visible on the pitch. Especially on the wings, players often present opportunities that one does not notice during a quick counterattack.
It’s crucial not to lose the ball because of a hasty mistake. This also includes properly orienting the player. Passes made from a turn are significantly less effective this year than those that go directly in the line of sight.
You don’t have to become a dribbling master now. It’s enough to incorporate simple techniques into your game. Use the new L1 dribbling in tight spaces. Especially in the penalty area, opponents will find it hard to separate you from the ball.
Simple skill moves are already useful: It’s not so important to pull off the extremely complex button combinations. Use moves like the ball roll (right stick left or right) or the drag back (R1 + left stick in any direction) to create space and get into shooting positions.
4. Control Your Teammates
Controlling players with a button press: When you’re in possession of the ball, you can still control your teammates. It’s a simple command that perhaps not everyone knows: Use L1 to send the targeted player, and R1 to bring him closer. This can be used, for example, to create a new passing option.
Getting players to position is the quick way to the goal
5. Use Crosses Effectively
How effective are crosses in FIFA 20? Compared to earlier installments, crosses in FIFA 20 lead to success much less often. They are worthwhile when the opponent has drawn a defender out – but generally, crosses tend to result in the situation being cleared.
So observe the penalty area, instead of just blindly crossing the ball. If in doubt, try dribbling into the penalty area instead of crossing when it does not look very promising.
With patience, success comes
6. Anticipation Over Attack
How important it is to wait in defense: Defense can be decisive in FIFA 20. Those who let their defender loose too early on the opponent without getting the ball open up the entire space. This often leads to goals against.
Therefore, try to block paths and wait for the right moment. Use the L2 button to control your opponent and intercept when he approaches the goal. Additionally, one should avoid too much sliding. These can cost a lot of time if mistimed and often lead to fouls.
With these simple tips, you can slightly adjust your gameplay – and hopefully reach the next level.
Other players are currently trying to take the downward path. Find out why here:
For Call of Duty: Modern Warfare there is likely a battle royale mode coming that will be played with 200 players on a huge map. The initial reactions show: This is what shooter fans are waiting for.
What has been leaked? On Saturday, a major leak circulated on Reddit. In it, a data miner describes what interesting information he could read from the game’s code. He mentions a battle royale mode for up to 200 players. It will be played in solo, duo, or even with squads.
The map is said to be enormous. It is stitched together from known battlefields that you already know from other modes of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, resulting in a large playing field.
There will also be features that are already known from other successful battle royale games like Fortnite or Apex Legends. You should be able to revive fallen teammates with their token at an ambulance. Players who wish to participate in the match again must win a 1v1 against another player in the “Gulag.”
Overall, the reactions to the leak of the BR mode are positive. Some players would welcome such an innovation and see it as a positive conclusion to keep Modern Warfare interesting and relevant in the future.
The Reddit user i-like-winds summarizes, “This has the potential to be huge.” Another user responds that the map would already be large. “It includes the two original Ground War maps and that’s just a small part of the map.”
This is how well the map is received: Other players are diving into the leaked map and demonstrating that it will be a large playing area. User Kalinine published an image showing all Spec Ops operations and Ground War maps that have been incorporated into the BR map.
“Yeah, it’s probably 3 times the size of Blackout”
Is Modern Warfare able to compete with the others?
Better than PUBG and the like? Often, the various battle royale games on the market are compared with the new BR leak from Modern Warfare. And Modern Warfare could even perform better.
“Wow, this sounds fantastic. The map looks large and dense, filled with points of interest. Not just huge open fields like Blackout and PUBG. The 200 players are amazing. Gulag and the loot system will hopefully set this BR apart from the competition. They have adopted the fantastic ping feature from Apex Legends. The gunplay in MW is as good as ever in COD and would work really well in a BR. I really hope this gets released,” writes Maxo– on Reddit.
Apparently, the market is not yet saturated with BR games, as evidenced by the comment from tupac_amaru_IV on Reddit.
“In my opinion, there is still a market for a solid and ‘more realistic’ BR on consoles. PUBG is trash on PS4. Blackout was fun, but I still found it frustrating. Apex is a great game, but it still doesn’t fill the gap for a solid and military-oriented battle royale game. This has my attention.”
What do you think about the leak? Would this type of BR be what Modern Warfare needs?
In WoW: Classic there are some rare items. But the rarest of them might be one that you might not have on your radar…
Rare items are part of the daily life in World of Warcraft, just like in all other MMORPGs. Some items have an extremely low drop chance of 1% or less. This makes farming for these items particularly arduous. But no matter which item you are currently thinking of – it won’t be as hard to get as these cloth pants.
Which pants are we talking about? We are talking about the “Spellshock Leggings” or in German the “Zauberschock-Gamaschen.” These pants are extremely good for cloth classes for a long time and still quite solid at level 60. But they are perfect for PvP twinks around level 49. The pants have intelligence, stamina, and a solid amount of spell damage (and healing).
The YouTuber vaulty shows in his video the rarest items – including exactly these leggings:
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Why are they so rare? The pants are an absolute curiosity in World of Warcraft. Because although they are a “Bind on Equip” item, meaning they are only bound when worn, they can only drop from very few opponents in the Zul’Farrak instance – namely from the two bosses “Antu’sul” and “Häuptling Ukorz Sandscalp.” Each of them has only an extremely low chance to leave behind these pants – about 0.01%. In the entire dungeon, there are only 2 mobs that have a very low chance for the item.
In contrast, legendary items like the bindings of the Windseeker with 3% are almost common.
Many rumors surround the pants: The Spellshock Leggings are so rare that many rumors circulate about them. Even today, players are still not sure from which opponents exactly the leggings can drop. Some people claim to have gotten the leggings as a drop from trash mobs, but so far, only the two bosses have been confirmed. The item is simply too rare to be able to verify it.
If you manage to get your hands on these leggings, consider yourself lucky. They not only look stylish, but they are also among the most exclusive items in World of Warcraft.
By the way: In the “Retail” variant, the pants are no longer as rare. Due to many changes and scaling, the way loot is generated and distributed has changed. On regular WoW realms, these pants are therefore seen more frequently in the auction house.
Have you ever seen the Spellshock Leggings in WoW: Classic? Or are you hearing about them for the first time?
At an anime convention in New York, the artist Nina Yoshida accepted a unique currency: rare monsters from Pokémon GO.
This was shown: A picture of the artist is circulating on reddit. It shows the crazy payment method of the illustrator. Those who want to buy a piece of art from her can trade her a Pokémon. She has marked on the picture which monsters she accepts. It seems to be the specimens that she still needs.
Thousands of fans are celebrating this action, and she herself explains that she has already had success with it.
Artworks for rare Pokémon
What is being sold? The illustrator sells her painted artworks. These depict various characters from the anime world, including Pokémon. Those who want them must pay. But not solely with money.
What the artist offers: A large sign shows customers: “Pokémon GO trades are also accepted as payment.” Below is the list of Pokémon she is looking for. One can get a drawing for free if they trade particularly rare Pokémon, such as regional monsters or Shinys.
How is the action received by players? The response to this offer is tremendous. In a subreddit, the picture receives over 37,000 upvotes. Correspondingly, it was also written: “Who says that a Pokémon Master can’t pay the bills?”
Hundreds of fans write that they would love to be there and trade. However, there are also concerns about it: If you are not friends with the artist, then the trade costs a considerable amount of Stardust. Additionally, you can only make one special trade per day. If Yoshida has already made this, then this action can no longer be taken advantage of.
What do you think? Would you trade a Pokémon for a piece of art?
