Do you want to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 together on the couch? You can! Because Black Ops 4 offers split-screen – but only on PS4 and Xbox One.
What many players do not know: Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has a split-screen feature – and that for all included multiplayer modes.
Prior to the release of the current Call of Duty title, the developers at Treyarch did not make a big deal about it. But now that the game is out, players have discovered the split-screen function.
Play Black Ops 4 in split-screen together from the couch
This is what the split-screen feature for Black Ops 4 offers: On PS4 and Xbox One, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 offers split-screen.
With two players, you can set in the options whether you want to split the screen horizontally or vertically. In competitive multiplayer, all players must be logged in with their own PSN account. At least one must have an active PS Plus subscription or a valid Xbox Live membership.
Blackout also has split-screen: Although split-screen also works in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s proprietary battle royale mode, performance in Blackout leaves much to be desired. The frame rate is noticeably lower, there are graphics issues at times, and the game feels generally very sluggish compared to the regular experience.
By the way: All important information about Blackout can be found here:
No split-screen for PC: To the surprise of some fans, this feature is missing on the platform that could probably handle the split-screen mode best – on PC. Why Treyarch has decided against split-screen on PC is unknown.
In Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, the split-screen feature was still available on PC and presented an important buying argument for many fans, as comments on Reddit testify. On PC, players could even split the multiplayer across two monitors.
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The split-screen mode in Black Ops 4 is very easy to start: When you are in the main menu of Black Ops 4, you will see an overview of the active players in the upper right corner.
Simply follow this on-screen instruction to start the split-screen mode
Press the indicated button with another controller (up to 4 depending on the mode) and log in with the appropriate profile. Then you automatically join the group. Depending on the number of players and mode, the screen will then be split automatically.
On Twitter, Pokémon GO shared two images showing the first Pokémon of Generation 4.
Mysterious Tweets: Pokémon GO released two posts on Twitter in the last two days, reporting on Pokémon that were sighted for the first time in the Sinnoh Region.
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Countdown for Release: Some trainers believe that Pokémon GO introduces a new starter each day and will then release the first Pokémon of Generation 4 the following day. After the tweet about Piplup was published on Friday, the tweet about Chimchar followed on Saturday. If a tweet about Turtwig, the last starter, follows today, then a release could be expected on Monday. At least that is the speculation of some trainers.
The Reddit user Spotty2012 also believes in this theory: “The release on Monday now seems very likely.”
Release not a big effort: According to this theory, a release next week seems plausible. Niantic announced the 4th generation some time ago, and the Pokémon have already been found in the code. Releasing the Pokémon is therefore not a huge effort anymore.
However, Niantic stated that they want to re-balance the values of the Pokémon in preparation for Generation 4. So it is still unclear if we can really expect a countdown ending on Monday.
What the new starters can do
Besides Piplup and Chimchar, there is also the Grass starter Pokémon Turtwig. We will show you what the final evolutions of the starter Pokémon can do and compare them to other starters from previous generations.
No certain values yet: In an announcement, Niantic made it clear that they want to adjust the values of many Pokémon . This means that the formula used to calculate the Pokémon’s values so far will soon no longer be valid. Therefore, the mentioned values are only benchmarks and highly likely not the exact values of the Pokémon.
The Water family will not attract too much interest. Empoleon’s values are quite decent, but it has major competition among Water Pokémon.
Max CP according to current formula: 2900
Notable values: Its attack value is the best of all Water starters, but its HP value is below average.
Comparison to other starters: Empoleon will likely be among the best Water starters. Blastoise will overshadow it like every other starter. The other Water starters are about equally strong.
The Fire family is unfortunately the weakest of the new starters. Infernape faces too much competition among Fire Pokémon.
Max CP according to current formula: 2683
Notable values: Its attack value is decent, while its other values are below average.
Comparison to other starters: Infernape will likely be the worst Fire starter. Its CP is the lowest, and its combat values are worse than those of the other starters.
The Grass family is probably the best starter family of Generation 4. Torterra could become one of the best Grass Pokémon in the game.
Max CP according to current formula: 2934
Notable values: All values are solid. Its attack value is above average, and it also scores well with its very good HP value.
Comparison to other starters: Torterra could indeed take the first place. Sceptile has a higher attack value, but it also has about 200 CP less. Furthermore, Torterra stands out with its high HP value. It therefore deals well and takes quite a bit of damage.
In Destiny 2, a strange bug is currently causing a stir: Guardians who are supposed to go to the Titan are instead shown Saturn and the Dreadnought upon approach. The “bug” can be relatively easily replicated and is currently causing an uproar among players.
Players in Destiny 2 currently report a strange phenomenon: When they join a friend who is completing a heroic adventure on the Titan, they do not fly to the moon of Saturn, but to the Dreadnought of Oryx. Guardians are completely beside themselves and are sharing funny videos of their reactions.
Will the Guardians return to the Dreadnought soon?
What is the Dreadnought? The Dreadnought was the setting for the Destiny 1 expansion The Taken King. It is the ship of the Taken King Oryx, which also houses the entrance to his Throne World.
What does the bug do? Several players in the Destiny subreddit report that they see Saturn and the Dreadnought when trying to join a friend’s heroic adventure on the Titan. Additionally, the music from The Taken King plays during this.
The interior of Oryx’s Dreadnought
How does the bug occur? Players have identified two methods to easily replicate the bug. However, a bit of luck is needed to actually have the approach to Saturn displayed. If you still only fly to the Titan, you can hear the music of the Dreadnought there.
Method 1: Have a friend start and begin the heroic adventure. In the meantime, you fly to the Tower. Once you arrive at the Tower, join your friend in the heroic adventure on the Titan.
Method 2: Land on the Titan and then return to orbit. Your friend should now start and begin the heroic adventure. Now join your friend in the heroic adventure.
What do the players say? Some Guardians have already posted their own reaction videos in the Destiny subreddit. There are also ongoing compilations of guides on how to replicate the bug.
Although many Guardians are looking forward to returning to the Dreadnought, most believe it will be a while before that happens. After all, a reappearance of the ship was already hinted at at the end of Destiny 2.
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The MMORPG Crowfall mostly operates under the radar. News and announcements rarely manage to reach players looking for a new MMORPG. Nevertheless, Crowfall promises to be the next big hit. But how?
Crowfall has evolved from a small project by renowned developers into a much larger endeavor over time. Although development is progressing slowly, Crowfall has good prerequisites to become very big.
[toc]
Crowfall solves the problem of MMORPGs
Again and again, MMORPGs have tried to become “the next big game” or “the next WoW killer” in recent years. Some of them have suffered a fate like WildStar, which now faces its end.
Crowfall aims to avoid such a future through its unusual approach.
The biggest problem with MMORPGs is that players must invest a lot of time to progress. Even if players have not played for a while, much can have changed in the MMORPG.
It is hardly possible to invest just a few hours in an MMORPG and then leave it for a few days or weeks. Progress is therefore hardly made or not at all. Players need time to catch up on everything they have missed.
That’s why time is a problem: MMORPGs struggle to fit into today’s lifestyle. Everything tends to cater to “short gaming sessions”. Other game genres like MOBAs or Battle Royale focus precisely on that. MMORPGs are at a disadvantage.
Market leaders like WoW still manage to hold on due to their sheer mass of players:
There is still interest in MMORPGs.
There seems to be merely a lack of playable alternatives.
Crowfall does many things differently than the MMORPGs currently available on the market. What it does differently is precisely what the genre may lack to help it gain more popularity.
Interesting fact:A data analysis of Final Fantasy XIV recently confirmed that many gamers, even in MMORPGs, now prefer quick and short entertainment. The head Naoki Yoshida explained this shift as a new era in FFXIV adapted to today’s gamers.
Crowfall’s solution
Crowfall relies on numerous small events that continuously change gameplay and provide new, quick challenges. This allows players to jump back in even after a break.
There is also a kind of “meta-plot”, a progression driven by smaller events that represents long-term motivation. This addresses two types of players simultaneously:
Hardcore players have the opportunity to keep expanding their kingdom.
Casual players can join and leave through campaigns and still experience the entire game as vassals.
Crowfall captures the current zeitgeist better: This event structure could resolve a problem that many MMORPGs have: they are not suitable for being watched. Crowfall does it differently. According to the developers, Crowfall plays “like a season of Game of Thrones”.
This also eliminates the issue of time. Because the campaigns are constantly changing, and players can enjoy themselves as vassals of hardcore players, not as much time needs to be invested to achieve success.
Exactly this episodic structure could give the game high viewer value. Because something is always happening in Crowfall, it could achieve significantly more success on Twitch than its “big brother” WoW.
This is what Crowfall does differently
Crowfall has a different approach as an MMORPG than most other games in the genre. Although there are classic systems like Classes and Races, the process differs from that of MMORPG giants like WoW.
Kingdoms
The world of Crowfall is in constant flux. The core features of the game are Player Kingdoms. You have the opportunity to build your own realm, your “Eternal Kingdom”.
In your kingdom, which consists of plots, you can build and expand various buildings. You can buy land to enlarge your kingdom and position it as cleverly as possible to avoid wasting space.
To grow, your kingdom needs resources that you must continually gather. To avoid hitting your limits eventually, you can manage kingdoms together with other players.
Crowfall offers a Vassal System within the kingdoms. Invite friends to support you and build your own hierarchy where you can determine who has what rights in your kingdom.
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Campaigns are your main source of resources. Campaigns are separate, closed worlds. They are subject to their own rules. Up to 1000 players can fight for resources simultaneously here.
Campaigns are time-limited worlds. They go through seasons, during which resources become increasingly scarce, and the environment becomes harsher. At the end, the world dies, and the campaign is over.
Seasons impact the area. In spring and summer, you have easier access to resources. In autumn and winter, it becomes increasingly difficult to find anything useful.
The seasons also offer seasonal events that affect gameplay. Thunderstorms increase lightning damage taken; snowstorms make players more susceptible to cold. Seasons also impact the day-night cycle.
The “Hunger” – Winter is coming
While you are in a campaign, the “Hunger” takes hold. The Hunger is a form of plague or disease. It afflicts areas.
Areas affected by Hunger are engulfed in winter.
Resources in the area of Hunger are frozen and inaccessible. Monsters and opponents are stronger due to their contamination and pose greater dangers. Even peaceful animals turn into beasts at night during Hunger – but can be killed in daylight.
By destroying the plague sources of hunger, you can liberate an area again. However, this doesn’t work in the long run. Hunger spreads faster than you can stop it, and soon the world will be lost to it.
A PvP MMORPG with some PvE content
Through campaigns and the own kingdoms, Crowfall places a strong focus on PvP. Players fight each other to expand their own kingdom and become stronger.
Thus, there are relatively few PvE contents. Raids and dungeons, as are standard in most MMORPGs, have no place in Crowfall. The PvE is limited to the open world.
In campaigns, you will repeatedly encounter groups of monsters and enemies that can occupy areas. They claim a part of the world and pose a permanent threat there.
These monster groups can also roam freely through the world, like packs of wolves or hordes of centaurs. Larger groups may also contain boss monsters that you can fight. However, you are constantly at risk of being ambushed by other players.
Crowfall has a promising development
Crowfall has been in development for many years. As early as 2015, we reported on the new MMO, which “wants to revolutionize the genre”. Back then, Crowfall was a small indie project aiming to raise 800,000 dollars for a kickstart.
The developers of the game are legends of the MMORPG genre. The studio ArtCraft was founded by J. Todd Coleman (Shadowbane, Wizard 101) and among others by Gordon Walton (Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies, SWTOR).
Crowfall quickly became a beacon of hope for MMORPG fans and raised 1.7 million dollars with over 17,000 supporters by the end of the backing. Later, the crowdfunding amount even grew to 3 million.
The studio did not stop here. Over time, ArtCraft has found more and more backers, partners, and investors, increasing the budget to over 20 million dollars. Crowfall is thus one of the largest crowdfunding MMORPGs of all time.
A proprietary engine just for the game
The studio has developed its own engine for the creation of Crowfall: the Artisan Engine. The development tool is intended to be a kind of kit for creating characters, equipment, monsters, and other MMORPG-typical content.
With its own engine, Crowfall should be better supported, developed, and further developed:
The Artisan Engine includes a down-to-earth feature set that can master the entire spectrum of challenges that arise when a world needs to support thousands of players simultaneously. – Crowfall press release
ArtCraft has already started selling licenses for the engine. The revenue from these sales will likely benefit the development of Crowfall.
Players have great interest
Crowfall relies heavily on the help of players and backers during development. Those who financially support the game gain access to testing at a certain value and can help shape and improve Crowfall.
According to the developers, players are an important aspect of the creation of Crowfall. The constant communication and close collaboration with testers allows them to become an “extension of the development team”.
The more players play and the sooner they are involved, the more they understand the development process, it says. Their feedback helps developers make Crowfall the game players want.
Users of the PlayStation 4 on Reddit warn others about a malicious message that causes the console to stop functioning properly. However, there seems to be a way to protect oneself from this glitch.
As some Reddit users report, there is currently a malicious private message circulating that automatically “bricks” the corresponding PS4 console when viewed, rendering it unusable.
What is “Bricking”? Bricking essentially means that the device in question is turned into a brick – a worthless block. The firmware on an expensive electronic device such as a mobile phone, PC, or gaming console can be rendered unusable by a code exploiting a vulnerability in the respective software.
The device then fails to start or simply freezes. In this state, the hardware serves as nothing more than a dust collector. Often, this state cannot be resolved using normal methods, such as by using a backup.
Glitch forces numerous PS4 users to factory reset
Glitch forces console reset: According to the affected Reddit users, this state cannot currently be resolved by restarting or clearing the cache and forces PS4 players into a factory reset.
Resetting the console to factory settings is currently the only way to get an affected PS4 running again.
Receiving the message may already be enough: Compounding the issue is that one apparently does not even necessarily have to open the message for it to unleash its malicious effect.
Reports suggest that in some cases it suffices to receive the notification of a new message on the console – depending on how much of the malicious code is displayed. Even deleting the message later with the mobile PlayStation app seems to be ineffective.
How PS4 users can protect themselves from the malicious glitch
The glitch has already been reported to Sony by numerous users – an official statement and solution to the problem is still pending.
How to protect your PS4: The only known way to currently protect oneself from receiving this message seems to be setting the message settings of your PSN account to private. While this will prevent you from receiving messages from unknown users, it will also stop the receipt of the malicious message.
As a PS4 user reported on Reddit, this message crashed all PS4 consoles of his entire team while playing Rainbow Six: Siege – except for one player whose message settings were set to private. According to the user’s account, the message came from one of the opponents.
How to set your messages to private: Message settings are buried deep in the settings options. Here’s how to access them:
Go to the Settings menu on your PS4
Then select Account Management
Next, go to Privacy Settings
There, select Personal Info / Messaging
Finally, select Messages
Choose “Friends Only” or, if you want to be completely safe, “No One” and confirm your choice
The mystery MMO Secret World Legends is getting a new Halloween event this year. This is celebrated by many players.
What is Secret World Legends? This MMO (or Shared World RPG) has an unusual setting. It takes place in our modern world, where mysterious creatures and powers pull the strings behind the scenes. Your job is to uncover these secrets and fight gruesome monsters.
A game like a horror novel: Highlights of Secret World Legends are the extremely atmospheric quests and missions that often present you with complex puzzles, as well as the unique creepy atmosphere.
What is new this year? In 2018, Secret World Legends received new content for the first time. This also applies to the Halloween events, which are named after the ancient Celtic festival “Samhain”.
Broadcast event: This year, the event is called “The Broadcast” and lets you search the world for number puzzles from a mysterious radio transmission. The difficulty scales for experienced players.
Rotting horse as a login reward: If you simply log into the game, you will receive a rotten zombie horse for free. On additional days, there are more goodies in the form of pumpkin lanterns.
Jack-o’-lantern raid: Additionally, there will be a special event. Every hour, a portal opens in the central quest hub Agartha. Behind it, you will find a level 40 raid against the notorious supervillain Jack O’Lantern.
As a reward, there is the opportunity to open a special pumpkin that contains unique loot. You will also receive the loot pumpkin through daily logins.
How long does the Samhain event in Secret World Legends last? You can experience the spooky Halloween adventures from October 11 to November 01, 2018.
Continuously, you will encounter creepy myths, like here “Jack O’Lantern”.
Players are excited: The news about new Halloween actions has brought joy to the players of Secret World Legends. Because the game thrives primarily on its stories and events, in which the horror and mystery atmosphere comes across particularly well.
In Fortnite, a weapon is no longer in the game but has been disabled. The Guided Missile caused serious issues. It made players invisible under certain conditions.
This is the problem: Players could become invisible when using a Shadow Stone while repeatedly pressing the fire button with a guided missile equipped.
Players are simply “invisible”; however, they can run around, pick up weapons, heal themselves, or kill opponents.
Such a bug requires immediate action once it becomes known. Otherwise, it spreads extremely quickly and causes frustration and annoyance like “Hey, who just killed me and why couldn’t I see him?”
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This is how Epic responds: The Fortnite developers have temporarily removed the guided missile from the game. It will not appear in Fortnite again until the cause has been fixed.
Epic does not specifically state what the exact problem with the missile is, but it can only be the invisibility glitch.
These problems have occurred before: Ironically, both components involved in the bug had caused issues before:
Disabling items has now become a tradition in Fortnite. The game’s patch pace is rapid – a small patch comes out at least every week, a larger one every two weeks, and every 10 weeks the big “Season Patch.” There are often difficulties, to which Epic usually reacts quickly.
One can already wonder what stress the next new items will cause, like the Quad Rocket Launcher or this new monstrosity:
Today, on October 11, another State of the Game for The Division aired. The main topic was weapons and weapon talents in The Division 2, and a new Shield is active. The most important point is: The Division 2 seems to model its Exotics on Destiny.
In the developer live stream, the focus was mainly on weapons in The Division 2. There were new details about the Exotics, which will likely function similarly to those in Destiny.
Additionally, a few details were shared about the new weapon class, the rifles, and the weapon talents. In The Division 2, players receive passive bonuses through weapon talents.
Here are the most important details.
Exotic Equipment Works Similar to Destiny
According to Massive, a lot of work is being put into developing new exotic weapons. These are intended to become more important in The Division 2.
How will they achieve this? They want to focus even more on uniqueness with the exotic weapons.
The stories behind the Exotics are planned to be much better developed
In The Division 2, you will only be able to equip one exotic weapon
The Exotic talents will become even more specific
Exotic weapons that you receive at low levels can apparently be carried into the endgame
No Recycling: There will be no exotic weapons from the predecessor, The Division 1.
At least some of the weapon models, such as the exotic submachine gun The House, or the Devil & Fist, are making it into the game as standard weapons.
Will there be exotic equipment? It was only mentioned in passing, but confirmed nonetheless. There will be exotic gear pieces in The Division 2. However, Massive remained tight-lipped about this and did not disclose any details.
Snipers will be pleased: In The Division 2, there will finally be an exotic bolt-action sniper rifle.
Another weapon has also been confirmed for The Division 2. Apparently, the P90, a submachine gun, will be a new weapon model. Whether this will come as a standard or exotic weapon is not known.
Which weapons will belong to this category? This weapon class will include all semi-automatic rifles, some of which were already present in The Division 1.
Which rifles are currently known? Officially, it has only been confirmed that the M1A, which was previously a sniper rifle, will now belong to the rifles. However, it can be assumed that it includes all similar weapons.
This is how weapon talents are structured in The Division 2: Although High-End weapons will still have three different talents, these will be more specific in The Division 2.
Every weapon now has
a primary talent that increases your damage when the enemy is below a status threshold,
a “characteristic” talent that influences stats like stability
and a talent that is only active when you have stowed the weapon.
Thus, weapons in The Division 2 have multiple categories and can now influence your builds passively.
What about sidearms? Sidearms are intended to be significantly more useful in The Division 2 and will also receive a passive talent. Thus, you can gain a total of two passive talents through your weapons.
This is supposed to enhance build diversity and make your weapon choice even more important.
New Shield “Rebel” Available in The Division 1
The new Shield “Rebel” has been available since October 11. It sends you into Resistance mode, where you must fight waves of enemies.
What are Shields? These are in-game achievements that unlock rewards for The Division 1 and 2. The total of 12 Shields will appear monthly and give you different tasks each time.
What you need to do for the new Shield: You must reach wave 15 in Resistance mode. This Shield is not retroactive, so you must definitely reach wave 15 again.
What else is happening in October:
From October 19 to October 22, you will receive double operation performance containers
The developer of the indie space game Evolvation initially aimed to block illegally resold keys. However, with this click, he triggered a chain reaction.
What is Evolvation? Evolvation is a space arena shooter with spaceships. The indie game has been hardly known on Steam so far. Therefore, one of the developers released a batch of Steam keys to attract players. Unfortunately, these keys were illegally resold by some individuals.
What did the developer do? This redistribution did not sit well with the developer. He decided to block them outright. However, he did not handle it particularly well. Instead of just blocking the illegally redistributed keys, he also blocked many legally purchased access codes.
Honest customers lash out: What happened next was not surprising. Many players were suddenly excluded from the game and vented their anger on Steam. Some even referred to the developer as a “money-hungry monkey”.
Game goes free2play and crashes
How did the developer want to make amends? Meanwhile, the developer was trying to mitigate the damage, as the bad publicity could otherwise be the death of his game. However, Steam could and would not reverse the key blocking.
Instead, they recommended the developer to offer his game for free for the time being until he could devise a better solution.
Players flood the servers: What happened next, however, was unexpected. The news about the free game spread virally and many curious players downloaded it. As a result, Evolvation suddenly reached a peak of 172,870 players online at the same time!
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This brought the servers to their knees, which were never designed for such an onslaught. There were massive lags, ships were not loading from the database, and many players could not even enter the game.
This is how the player count of Evolvation exploded.
The game is still in danger: Therefore, the developer now has to upgrade the servers and hopes that the players will remain loyal to him. Unfortunately, the game was never designed for a free2play model and contains no monetization options. So the developer is slowly running out of money and is currently not earning a cent from the game.
One can only hope that Evolvation manages to turn things around and survives this crisis.
Several months ago, Bungie sought help from the community to improve Destiny 2 Forsaken. They chose YouTuber Holtzmann. We looked into what happened with the initiative.
In spring 2018, Destiny 2 had hit quite a low point. The job posting was met with suspicion: Was Bungie seriously looking for help, or was this a PR stunt to smooth over tensions?
The vibe was ultimately something like: Who will save Bungie? Which of the community heroes would step up to take the position in Seattle.
Names like
My Name is Byf
Datto
or SC_Slayerage
quickly circulated.
YouTuber Stefan “Datto” Jonke. He did not take the job at Bungie.
Ultimately, Bungie chose Patrick Casey, known as Holtzmann. He was previously the figurehead of the fan site “Planetdestiny” and has become a popular YouTuber.
Bungie hired Holtzmann for three months – after that, nothing was heard from the initiative. Holtzmann didn’t post any new videos for a long time. It became quiet around him.
This is what came of the initiative: Holtzmann explained in a video what actually happened. His contract at Bungie ended on August 31. He wasn’t the only community expert; Bungie brought in an entire fireteam of three Guardians to improve Forsaken.
Alongside Holtzmann, the following were involved:
Mercules, a well-known theorycrafter for Destiny. As Mercules904, he had been posting extensive analyses on weapons and God Rolls: the Breakdowns on reddit and at planetdestiny for years. We have presented his work to you for years.
This is what the 3 did: The three specialists acted as a test fireteam for Destiny 2. They played the freshly developed content and provided detailed feedback to Bungie.
The idea was likely to have experts from the community as quality control in-house. The three were not supposed to contribute their own ideas or actively participate in a design role but provide feedback to the team to allow for the best possible Forsaken experience.
Holtzmann explains that they weren’t specifically told to look for bugs, but it often turned out that what they didn’t like during testing was a bug after all.
Holtzmann says he essentially did what he does as a YouTuber, but on a wider scope. He not only looked at individual weapons or the sandbox but the entire game.
It was interesting to see cutscenes or individual processes in an early and raw state. The NPCs often made confusing faces, and you could tell that a lot was still missing.
How long Holtzmann was at Bungie: Holtzmann cannot tell much about the exact time and tasks at Bungie. Only that it was, of course, a “paid job”. The original contract for three months was extended by another month, so Holtzmann worked a total of four months for Bungie.
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What’s next? Holtzmann is back to being a YouTuber, Mercules is posting again on reddit after months of silence. And it’s likely that the third member of the team has also returned to her “normal Destiny” life.
In fact, the content creators will only be able to fully engage again when the other players have caught up to them. It would be unfair to join the race for the World First at “Last Wish” now, knowing the raid already, Holtzmann says. He also wants to stay out of the podcasts for a while. Otherwise, he would have to sit silently in on them for weeks.
Holtzmann considers the experience of having worked for Bungie fantastic. The atmosphere at Bungie is incredibly good.
With colleagues, one can talk about anything – from details in WoW dungeons to other topics. He was able to work daily with people he normally only sees in ViDocs. Plus, he says the snacks were excellent, and he gained some pounds in Seattle.
Destiny YouTuber Patrick Casey, better known as “Holtzmann.”
Holtzmann says: “For years people have accused me of being on Bungie’s payroll. For 4 months, it was even true.”
How much the testing runs of the YouTubers ultimately contributed to the success of Destiny 2 Forsaken, we will probably never know. So far, it seems they did their job well:
In the new Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, there are issues with sneaky peekers. The “peeking” through emotes is now set to be prevented. Treyarch will introduce a second camera system in a patch.
This is the problem: Players have found a way to trick the gesture system in Black Ops 4 to gain an advantage.
When they use emotes that are executed in the third-person perspective, the camera pulls back a bit. The camera is then movable and can be controlled. Players can peek around corners like this.
This becomes a problem especially in the “Blackout” mode when opponents are hiding behind trees and think they are safe, but are then discovered and eliminated by gesturing players.
Examples of emote peeking: Here in the video, a player uses the emote “Sitting Bull” to see what’s going on around him.
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With the next patch, a second camera system is coming
This is how Treyarch plans to solve the problem: The developer of Black Ops 4 already responded on Friday on Reddit and stated that they will address “emote peeking” with one of the upcoming patches.
Treyarch says: “We are working on an update to create two systems for the gestures. The system we have now, and a second system for competitive modes.”
In competitive mode, the “free camera view” will then be turned off, and different camera perspectives will be used to solve the problem:
The camera mode, as it is now, will then be active in the preliminary round of Blackout, where players can send emotes to each other.
The new mode will be used where gestures could otherwise negatively impact gameplay.
Treyarch continues: “We want our players to enjoy the gestures as intended, but not at the expense of gameplay.”
However, it is still unclear when the first patch will arrive. The system is currently in development and is expected to go live along with some other bug fixes.
Android users can finally enjoy the AR+ mode in Pokémon GO. We will show you how it works here.
What is AR+? The AR+ mode is a variant for catching Pokémon. Unlike the normal AR mode, Pokémon appear even more lifelike in AR+ mode and adapt to the environment.
iOS users know the mode: This mode is not new for Apple users. For almost a year, iOS users have been able to use this mode and catch Pokémon even more realistically.
Download the latest update of Pokémon GO. It should be at least version 0.123.1
Then start Pokémon GO. When you find the next monster, select the AR+ mode in the top right corner of the catch screen.
AR+ not working on Android? Known issues and solutions
AR+ mode does not start: Many players complain that despite following the instructions above, the AR+ mode does not work. We will provide you with possible solutions.
Log out of your account. You can do this in the settings. Then log back in, and AR+ should work. Note: You may need to re-enter your login details. If you no longer have them, please proceed with caution!
If logging out doesn’t work, try uninstalling the app and then reinstalling it. Again, have your login details ready!
I see no background: You activate AR mode, and yet you see the Pokémon not at all or only against a black background.
You may not have granted Pokémon GO access to your camera. The app is not allowed to access your camera. Go to your phone settings and grant Pokémon GO the necessary permissions.
AR+ works quite simply. Follow the steps below, and you will catch every Pokémon with AR+
Look for a Pokémon in the wild.
Change the catch mode in the top right corner to AR+.
Search for the Pokémon using your camera in your surroundings.
If a larger bush appears on your screen, click on it.
The Pokémon appears.
Approach the Pokémon slowly. If the bar with the exclamation mark fills up, you are getting too close too fast.
When the bar decreases again, you can approach it again.
Continue approaching until an “Expert” appears above the Pokémon.
You can now catch the Pokémon. You just need to throw the ball right in front of you.
When catching, you will also receive an “Expert Handler Bonus”. This rewards you with extra stardust and experience points.
AR+ is great for photographers
Great photo opportunities: Many Pokémon GO players use this mode to take great photos. For example, a Lugia flies into the sunset or an Entei guards a train station.
Photographers around the world have already used this feature. Now, Android users can finally access this mode too.
Only with another app: The AR+ mode can only be used on Android if you have the ARCore app installed on your phone. Not every operating system supports this app. Therefore, not all Android users can utilize the service.
What do you think of the AR+ mode? Is it a cool feature or do you not use it?
Rockstar has now presented some of the weapons from Red Dead Redemption 2. You can modify these to increase damage or range.
Fans of Red Dead Redemption 2 eagerly await the release on October 26. Piece by piece, Rockstar Games feeds the community with new details they can expect in the vast Western world.
What has been presented now? The developers now went into more detail on weapon and ammunition types as well as the Dead Eye system.
These weapons are in Red Dead Redemption 2
While exploring the open world of the impressive locations of RDR 2 and talking to interesting NPCs, you also have to grab a firearm sometimes. Of course, that’s how it is for a real cowboy. That you have different guns to choose from was to be expected. Now there are more details about that.
This is known about the weapons: You have a selection of 50 unique weapons in RDR2. These can be customized with modifications like woods or paint jobs. In addition, there is a wide range of ammunition that affects range, accuracy, or damage.
Customize your weapon: Not everyone is satisfied with the standard weapon handed to them by the dealer. You can customize it to your tastes and preferences.
Visual changes: You can change the following visual aspects of the guns:
Metals
Woods
Paint jobs
Engravings
Performance improvements: Not everything is cosmetic. To ensure a weapon functions well in your hands, you can adjust the functionality. Attach the following parts to the firearms:
Barrels
Grips
Sights
Scopes
How do the weapons differ? The performance of the firearms differs in terms of damage, range, fire rate, precision, and reload speed.
Sawed-Off Shotgun: Looking for more stopping power? Then take this one-handed shotgun.
Varmint Rifle: Due to its small caliber, it’s good for hunting wildlife. This does not negatively affect the quality of the skin or the meat of the animals. With over 200 animal species in RDR 2, there’s plenty to shoot!
Springfield Rifle: A good choice when you have only a few enemies in front of you. The damage is high, but the fire rate is low.
Which weapon for distant enemies? For long distances, a sniper rifle is recommended, as usual. However, you can equip all types of rifles with scopes and switch between the sight and the scope at any time.
With videos, Rockstar showcased the new weapons in action.
Bolt-Action Rifle: Has a capacity of 5 rounds and is the ideal choice against multiple targets at long range.
Carbine: Reliable repeating rifle with good fire rate and low reload time.
Cattleman Revolver: Holds 6 rounds and is the all-rounder among revolvers. Balanced between damage, accuracy, and fire rate.
Pump-Action Shotgun: Powerful weapon for fighting wild animals or enemies in close combat.
The Dead Eye system
What is the Dead Eye? It is a feature that temporarily slows down time during combat. This gives you more calm when aiming with your weapons and allows you to hit opponents in vulnerable spots.
Dead Eye develops over the story: The further you progress in the game, the better Dead Eye becomes. Initially, targets in your crosshairs are selected automatically. Later, you can aim for specific hits on enemies. It highlights the opponents’ weak spots.
Bungie has now decided that the unpopular Year 1 DLCs for Destiny 2 no longer need to be purchased to play Forsaken. The community reactions range from “disgrace” to “you’re just looking for something to complain about.”
They say: A month after the release, Bungie now sees what went well and what didn’t. It is too complicated to start with Forsaken because Guardians need the base game Destiny 2 and the first two expansions “Curse of Osiris” and “Warmind.”
Therefore, starting October 16, the two expansions will be tied to the purchase of Forsaken. They no longer need to be purchased separately.
Guardians who were able to play Forsaken before October 16 and therefore own the DLCs will receive a veteran package. This is scheduled to arrive in early December.
Joy on reddit, more criticism on MeinMMO
How the community reacts: In the forum reddit, the community mostly reacts positively to the change. They don’t even make particularly high waves there.
The majority is happy about the shaders and generally considers this a right and reasonable decision. Only a few voices of discontent emerge.
€40 wound and 10-cent ointment
On our site, Mein MMO, the community views this significantly more critically. The post about the change has 370 comments and 41 direct reactions. Of those, 21 are “angry,” 4 “sad,” and 7 “funny.” Only 4 reactions are “good” and 2 “awesome.” 3 are apparently surprised.
What the opposition says:
Marki Wolle says: “The shader and the tiger emblem are a remake from D1 – these little devils. Yeah, but the €40 pain can be well tolerated with this 10-cent ointment on top.”
Even harder, HansWurschd: “Logical step. It was clear it would come to this. However, I didn’t expect it this early.” and in a second comment “[…], absolutely calculated and fundamentally disgraceful. What I just wanted to say: I’m not surprised. But it doesn’t make it any better.”
vvV AmNesiA Vvv says: “Smells of desperation and bad numbers. But the principle behind it seems very cheeky and brazen to me.”
“I don’t understand the excitement”
But even on MeinMMO, other users view the directional change positively. They consider Bungie’s decision a “discount,” which is common. In some form, games always become cheaper after release – that’s how Destiny 2 also becomes cheaper.
What the pro-people say
Paulo De Jesus says: “When you have nothing to complain about, you just look for something. I wish the people who are now buying the DLC well. I could have waited until it got cheaper. But I didn’t, because I wanted to be there from the start.”
Patrick BELCEL says: “For my part, I really don’t understand the excitement. Forsaken has been out for over a month now on October 16. Discounts always happen when a game has been on the market for a while.”
Who is hardly affected by the change and who is particularly hit?
The best-case scenario: Many users might actually not care about the change because they already purchased a “big” edition for Destiny 2 at release and therefore have owned the DLCs since 2017. The purchase decision was long ago. For them, this change has hardly any impact, except that they will receive some shaders and exotic emotes at the beginning of December.
The worst-case scenario: The worst-case is a user who bought Destiny 2 at release in the Standard Edition but was disappointed and skipped the two DLCs.
If he has now been drawn back to Destiny 2 through the strong September, he might have purchased the two DLCs for expensive money in the last few weeks and now feels he could have saved €40 if he had waited just a few more days.
What should Bungie have done to ensure no one complains?
The best solution: Some developers go so far as to offer to refund the purchase “retroactively” when they make such a decision.
They then say: Okay, if you’ve bought the DLCs in the last 30 days, you’ll get your money back.
This would certainly have been a graceful solution for Destiny 2, but probably would have involved a lot of effort.
But it leaves a sour aftertaste: It’s definitely the right decision to tie the DLCs to Forsaken. But Bungie could have made this a lot smoother – ideally, they should have made this decision already at release.
It is clear, however, that currently, this is really a criticism at a very high level regarding Destiny 2. A year ago, there were entirely different accusations against Bungie. They were stumbling from problem to problem.
What is an Indrik? Indriks are magical beings that you can fight against in Summerset and Wolfhunter, and their magic lies in their ability to change form.
How to get the cool stag: If you want to obtain the Indrik, you need to play ESO regularly in the coming months. The mount requires several feathers. This loot spans over four entire events and is a lengthy process.
What players think about the event: Players are looking forward to the form-changing mount. And the conditions for obtaining it suit them quite well. They appreciate that there is little pressure on them. They don’t have to log in for every event, but can also purchase the feathers later. This way, they don’t have to log in every day and can easily integrate ESO into their daily routine.
This is how you get the Indrik mount
This is what you need for Indrik: If you want to unlock Indrik, you need to collect four different feathers. During the upcoming events, there will be a special feather to catch each time.
This is how you obtain the feathers: During the upcoming events, you can earn event tickets, which you need to acquire feathers and berries. The way you get event tickets varies with each event. First up is the Witches Festival, where you can obtain the first feather.
When does the Witches Festival start? The big spookiness begins on October 18 at 4:00 PM and ends on November 1 at 3:00 PM.
This is how you get the first feather: During the Witches Festival, you can receive one event ticket per day when you open a Dremora plunder skull.
How do I get Dremora plunder skulls? You simply need to defeat a leader. These can be leaders from dungeons, powerful enemies in the open world, or leaders of Dark Anchors. The leaders in the Summerset geysers also drop plunder skulls.
Where can I get the feather? Once you’ve collected 10 event tickets, you can travel to the new merchant Impresaria and exchange the tickets for a feather. Note that you can only hold a maximum of 12 event tickets at a time. So be sure to buy a new feather if you have too many tickets.
How does Indrik change its form?
This is what must happen for the stag to change forms: To change form, you need berries. Unfortunately, it is currently only known that these berries can be purchased from the merchant Impresaria. Players suspect that berries are tied to specific events and can only be acquired during those times. Whether the Indrik will remain in one form permanently is still unknown.
Indrik also has several colors: The Indrik comes in shimmering green, gold, white, and black
Casual players can also obtain the Indrik
What happens if I miss an event? If you miss an event, you can still purchase the feather from the current event and all previous feathers from Impresaria. So you won’t miss anything if you join later. Keep in mind that you need a total of 40 event tickets for all four feathers.
This is how you obtain the other feathers
These are the upcoming events: A total of four different events are still coming up for ESO players throughout the year.
From November 15 to 26, the one-year anniversary of Clockwork City will take place. You will earn event tickets by completing daily quests in the DLC area.
The New Year celebrations will be held from November 29 to December 11. To earn event tickets, you must complete a dungeon. The final leader of the dungeon then drops event tickets.
Lastly, the New Year’s Festival awaits players. There, you can earn event tickets from December 13 to January 2 by completing any daily quest.
Blizzard enhances Island Expeditions in World of Warcraft from now on. We’ll tell you how exactly this works.
Island Expeditions in World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth are controversial. Some find them boring because they are mandatory, while others are annoyed that rewards are so hard to earn. At least regarding variety, Patch 8.1 Tides of Vengeance will bring some changes. However, fresh invasions with new loot are already available.
New invasions per week: For a while now, Blizzard has been adding a new type of invasion to the Island Expeditions each week. At the beginning, only pirates, Saurok, Naga, and a few others could attack, but now additional invasions have been added, such as earth or fire elementals. These offer chances for a new kind of cosmetic loot at the end of the Island Expedition.
What does the schedule look like? The new types of invasions will be added over the coming weeks. They will have a chance to reward new cosmetic items corresponding to the enemy type. For example, there is a dragon as a mount or elementals as pets, along with a variety of transmog sets.
10.10.2018: Water elementals (already active)
17.10.2018: Air elementals
24.10.2018: Black dragons
31.10.2018: Tol’vir
07.11.2018: Twilights dragons
14.11.2018: Old Gods
For Hozen toy, you should kill rare Hozen.
How do you get loot from Island Expeditions? If you want more than just the artifact power reward from the Island Expeditions, you must not only play “for victory,” but ideally defeat enemies from specific groups.
Do you want the pirate mount (the green parrot)? Then kill many pirates.
Do you want Vrykul weapons for transmog? Then kill Vrykul and open their treasures.
Do you want Murloc weapons? Then kill plenty of Murlocs.
However, if you kill “neutral” enemies (like crocodiles and Azerite elementals, for example) or mine Azerite ores, you will not increase your chance of loot.
Tip: Give the opponents some time. It is particularly important to give the opposing faction some time. Invasions begin at set times. For normal Island Expeditions, the rule of thumb is that invasions roughly start after 6000 Azerite (combined from both teams) have been collected. Since victory does not decide loot, you can comfortably give your enemies a few points.
Are you looking forward to the new types of invasions? Or are you fed up with Island Expeditions until Patch 8.1?
Russian players of Black Desert are left in the lurch. All of their character data has been deleted – presumably irretrievably.
For many MMO players, this represents a catastrophic failure: all characters and all gameplay data of the account have been deleted. This has now happened to players of Black Desert in Russia. The reason is likely a change of publisher.
What happened? In Russia, the publisher of Black Desert was previously “GameNet”. However, they will no longer be the publisher. Pearly Abyss, the game’s developer, wants to market Black Desert themselves in Russia.
Now, after this announcement, the Russian servers of Black Desert have gone offline, and Pearl Abyss has announced that they have no way of accessing user data – and thus the characters and account information.
GameNet is considered “shady”: The publisher GameNet is not well regarded among Russian players. Many consider the publisher to be “incompetent” and very short-sighted. Among players, there is suspicion that GameNet only wants to “squeeze as much money as possible from players”.
Fans suspect that Pearl Abyss did not want to extend the contract with GameNet and will henceforth market the game themselves in Russia.
Apparently, GameNet did not want to accept this and is now using a legal clause that allows them not to hand over user data (and therefore also the game data of the servers).
What does this mean for the players? Nothing good. So far, it appears that Russian players have lost all characters, playtime, and purchased items forever. Whether there will still be a concession from GameNet or an agreement between Pearl Abyss and GameNet remains doubtful.
Uncertain future: Pearl Abyss is facing the difficult task of re-engaging fans in Russia.
Whether there will be special incentives for a fresh start on the Russian servers remains to be seen. However, most players are likely to turn their backs on the game after this massive loss.
Fortnite: Battle Royale has brought back the coveted skin “Skull Trooper” to the shop. This has led to it being worn by almost everyone now. Hardcore fans from the beginning are outraged.
Which skin are we talking about?We are talking about the Skull Trooper. This skin was released shortly after the launch of Fortnite: Battle Royale during Halloween 2017. Back then, the game was barely known and far from the popularity it enjoys today.
Why was the Skull Trooper so sought after? This was because only a small fraction of today’s players were around at that time, and not all of them bought the skin.
Thus, the Skull Trooper was super rare and a symbol for “OGs” (Original Gangster).
The return of the Skull Trooper: A year after the release of the first Skull Trooper, Epic has now brought the skin back and offered it in the shop for 15 Euros.
Masses of players probably bought the skin. The hype around the Skull Trooper was built up throughout the year, and its return was a tremendous success.
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Super skin goes mainstream: Now lobbies feel filled to half or more with Skull Troopers. What was once one of the rarest skins and regarded as a badge of honor for hardcore fans is now the new mainstream and “noob skin”.
Even the exclusive, purple special color that only the original Skull Trooper customers received stands out less with the current flood of Troopers.
The “OGs” are furious: Many players who previously basked in the glory of their super-rare skin are not happy at all. On Reddit, Twitter, and others, they are airing their grievances and complaining endlessly. Here are a few extracts from the current rant:
“As an OG player of Fortnite: Battle Royale, I can hardly believe you are bringing back the Skull Trooper. I will uninstall now. You guys disgust me!”
“[… ] I don’t care if you guys are making millions of dollars from it now. It’s just sad to see a horde of bad players have bought that wonderful skin.”
Epic has probably made millions
How much money has Epic actually made? Fortnite currently has about 78 million players. If only 1 percent of them (and it was likely more) bought the skin, it should already be over 11 million dollars in revenue.
And this with a skin that has been around for a year.
Epic will surely bring other rare skins: Since rare skins sell well, more outfits will probably come back to the shop at some point. The only question is whether Epic will do the same with skins from past Battle Passes.
What is your opinion on this? Do you think it’s okay for Epic to sell skins as they please, or should such rare skins remain a rarity?
With the Nintendo Switch, Diablo 3 will be released in November on what is now the seventh platform. Unfortunately, these cannot play together.
Update 14:10: As Blizzard now reports (via dualshockers), they love the idea of players being able to play across all platforms, but currently have no plans to implement crossplay for Diablo.
This can only mean: Apparently, the employee’s statement to Business Insider was not coordinated with the company, and they gave a personal opinion instead of representing Blizzard’s official position.
The original announcement:
Seven platforms chasing Diablo: In addition to PC, Mac, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4, Diablo 3 will also be available on the Nintendo Switch starting November 2 with an Eternal Collection. All these consoles remain currently isolated.
According to Blizzard, this is expected to change, as an employee revealed during a play session of the Nintendo Switch version in a conversation with Business Insider. Although there is no official announcement yet, they are supposedly “intensively working with partners Sony and Microsoft to enable crossplay between each other and with the Nintendo Switch.”
Wait, cross play between Microsoft and Sony? At first glance, this may sound trivial, but it is actually a pretty big deal. After all, console manufacturers have taken turns blocking cross-platform play in the past. The debate reached a tentative peak during the release of Fortnite on the Nintendo Switch.
Because Sony opposed cross play, accounts created on PlayStation 4 could also not be used on Nintendo’s console. After a major outcry from the gamer community, Sony eventually relented and not only allowed cross play, but work is also underway on the use of cross-platform accounts.
The fact that Blizzard is now pushing for cross play for Diablo 3 and wants to actively shape it suggests a profound change in the industry. Just a year ago, such considerations would have been unthinkable.
Whether more game developers will actively support and promote cross play in the future is still unclear. From the players’ perspective, it would certainly be desirable.
What do you think about Blizzard’s efforts to offer cross play for Diablo 3? For which games would you wish for this?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
When the Festival of the Lost begins in Destiny 2 on October 16, players will be able to visit an alternate version of the Infinite Forest from the Curse of Osiris expansion. This feature sounds suspiciously like something players have been wishing for a long time.
The Halloween event Festival of the Lost will be available in Destiny 2 from October 16 to November 6 and will bring new Triumphs, items, and features. Guardians will be led into a spooky version of the Infinite Forest, where they must progress as far as possible in 15 minutes. Will the event feature something that players have been wishing for since the Osiris DLC?
Will the Halloween event save the Infinite Forest from Curse of Osiris?
What was promised with the Infinite Forest? When Bungie introduced the Infinite Forest as part of the first DLC for Destiny 2, they promised an arena that is “infinitely” reassembled from various different parts. Players were supposed to encounter new terrain repeatedly and fight against ever-changing enemies in varied locations.
What did we get? The Infinite Forest was only used as a link between different level areas. Anyone hoping to enter the Vex simulation outside of a strike or quest was bitterly disappointed.
The Infinite Forest was also not as “infinite” as previously advertised: The area was repeatedly constructed from the same parts, which players already knew inside and out after a few visits. Instead of having special mechanics, the Infinite Forest was just another map where players fought against Hive, Vex, Taken, or Fallen.
What did players hope for? Shortly after the release of Curse of Osiris, players had already submitted their own suggestions for the Infinite Forest. The idea of an endless Vex simulation sparked the imagination of Guardians.
What the Halloween event brings: During the event, the Festival of the Lost will open the so-called Haunted Forest. This will be described as an alternative, spooky version of the Infinite Forest.
However, what is more interesting is the fact that the Haunted Forest seems to be a kind of Horde mode. Players can enter the area alone, in a fireteam, or with matchmaking, and must survive as far as they can in 15 minutes.
The further Guardians progress, the more difficult the activity is supposed to become.
