Massive presented its plans for the future of The Division. In addition to a sequel, a roadmap for Year 3 was introduced, which includes the new feature “Shields.” This will allow players in The Division 2 to prove that they are veterans from Part 1. Furthermore, players will have missions to complete in The Division 1.
With the announcement of The Division 2 and the plans for Year 3, Massive dropped a big bombshell during the State Of The Game on March 8. Besides the two new patches 1.8.1 and 1.8.2, which are set to release in April and June, the “Shields” feature was announced as part of the second patch.
What are Shields?
According to Massive, Shields are special achievements that give you the opportunity to unlock rewards for The Division 2 in The Division 1. These are supposed to
be released monthly
provide agents with plenty of engagement
unlock rewards for The Division 2
Concrete information on how this will play out in The Division is not yet available. However, some solutions seem likely.
How could Shields look like?
There are many possible variations. They could be structured like the commendations that you can already unlock in the game. These come with a variety of tasks, whether you have to kill enemies in a certain way or complete missions without dying. Similar to the commendations.
Similar tasks like the daily and weekly assignments are also conceivable. These always follow the same pattern. “Collect 30 tools,” “Kill 50 LMB mercenaries” are common objectives, but something completely new is also possible.
Is The Division inspired by Destiny?
With a likely similar system like the Shields, Bungie managed the transition from Destiny 1 to Destiny 2. They relied on a “seal book.” Players unlocked milestones and then received emblems in Destiny 2 that signified what they had achieved in Destiny 1.
This is roughly how the system in The Division could look as well.
What could the rewards for The Division 2 look like?
There are several possibilities: Equipment, such as weapons and armor, but also weapon skins, patches, and unique outfits are always popular. Especially cosmetic items can give veterans the feeling of standing out from new players in The Division 2.
Equipment and weapons are problematic since this could give an advantage over newcomers. Therefore, cosmetic items are the more likely and less controversial solution.
A reward in the form of crafting materials and Cypher keys is also possible. However, we still do not know whether and in what form there will be crafting or a real-money shop in The Division 2.
So we have to wait for Massive to provide more information.
What do you think about this feature? Will you try to unlock the upcoming rewards?
You are into pain, loot, and hordes of enemies? You feel most comfortable in a dark world full of black magic, dark powers, and little chance for good? Then Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is the game you have been waiting for!
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is the successor to the popular title Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide. The gameplay is simple: Four heroes are sent on a mission where they must chop their way through massive amounts of enemies and bosses.
Sounds familiar, Left 4 Dead works in the same way. However, in Vermintide, you are not fighting against zombies but against ratmen (Skaven) and evil people from the North, followers of the dark chaos gods.
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Warhammer is a world where constant war prevails. There is always some power to fight against, or one that starts a war by itself. Warhammer is not a classic “good vs evil” but more of a “we against all.”
Somewhat more familiar to gamers may be Warhammer 40,000, which is set nearly 40,000 years in the future. The world and the conflicts are the same. Broadly speaking: The Empire of Man against everything else that exists in the universe.
In Vermintide, you find yourself in the scenario of Warhammer: Fantasy. Here, there are no spaceships and ‘the Emperor’, but castles and Sigmar, in whose name battles are fought. Instead of aliens (Xenos), the enemies are mainly ratmen, the Skaven.
Unique Characters with Level System
In Vermintide 2, just like in its predecessor, there are five characters that you can play as.
The further you progress, the more you can develop your characters. Each character has three subclasses, called careers, the second of which is unlocked at level 7 and the third at level 12. There is also a talent point at every five levels. This creates dynamics. The classes have the opportunity to specialize in such a way that they can take on roles in a group.
Extremely Difficult Missions with Lots of Blood
Before a mission, the group meets in a decaying castle to prepare for the upcoming task. In the pre-order beta, there were four campaign missions; in the finished game, there will be more. A group always consists of four characters. If a player is missing, a bot takes over.
The first part of Vermintide was known for its difficulty. When four people charge into battle against hundreds of enemies, it is clear that this cannot be easy.
A relatively small group of enemies with Rat Ogre.
If you’re not careful, you’ll quickly get surrounded and overrun. Items for healing and replenishing ammunition are rare and often widely scattered throughout the missions. Quickly replenishing arrows or health is not an option.
If that’s not enough, there are special enemies that attack you with unique abilities like Gatling guns, gas bombs, or as an assassin. These special enemies require coordination and markings so that they do not take out a group member. Teamwork is key.
Vermintide 2 raises the ante even further. Even the first steps are tough, and beginners are likely to be picked up off the ground more than once by their teammates. But that’s what friends are for. Without cooperation, nothing works.
If the missions are not difficult enough for you yet, you can make them even harder while playing. In the beta, you could choose whether to play the mission on “Recruit”, “Veteran” or “Champion” difficulty.
Recruit: Starter difficulty, which gives the least loot chests. Everyone starts with a healing potion.
Veteran: Available from 120 power. Enemies are tougher, and players have no healing potions at the start.
Champion: Available from 220 power. Enemies take significantly more damage and hit harder. Additionally, friendly fire for ranged attacks is always active.
In the finished game, an additional difficulty, “Lord,” will be added, which will be a bit harder.
In every mission, there are also three tomes and two grimoires to find. Tomes take the place of healing items for a character – he can no longer carry a healing potion or bandages. Unless he uses them immediately and then picks up the tome again.
A grimoire blocks the slot for buff potions. Additionally, carrying a grimoire reduces the maximum health of all group members by 30% per grimoire! However, it is worth collecting these books to upgrade the loot chest at the end of the mission and to obtain stronger weapons and trinkets.
If 1 against 7 still seems unfair to you …
Why Play Vermintide 2?
Vermintide 2 stands out with rounds that you can quickly and easily jump into. A mission lasts between 20 and 40 minutes and can be completed easily depending on the group and plan. They always remain challenging and reward with loot and experience.
Furthermore, the game has a unique charm. The entire world and each character has a deeper story, which unravels slowly even for newcomers while playing. The dialogues are often sharp and entertaining, enhancing the picture of the rough and dark world.
A PvP mode is not planned, but even in the “4 against Many” co-op, Vermintide 2 is challenging enough. Anyone who wants to level every character to the end has plenty to do. But those who only want to play their favorite to perfection will also enjoy it.
If you are starting with Vermintide, it’s best to play with friends or use the game’s voice chat. Communication is extremely important, and if you don’t know what to do, ask for help. Players are usually very helpful, after all, they are just as dependent on you as you are on them – even if it’s just as a holder of healing items or books.
Don’t reach too high! The game is hard, and that’s exactly how it wants to be. You will benefit more from slowly easing into it and achieving the missions, learning secret paths and positions, than by going all in immediately. The hardest part usually comes just before the end, and if you are not prepared there, the entire mission was for nothing.
Unlike in Left 4 Dead, you do not trigger hordes and bosses through noise. They just appear, often at inconvenient moments. Always be vigilant and stay together to avoid being overwhelmed. If it gets tight, always remember one thing: Burn the heretics and fight for the Emperor!
Warhammer Vermintide 2 is released today for PC. A release for PS4 and Xbox One is expected later in 2018.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
If you are a real athlete, you also need the right nutrition. This applies to gamers as well. Runtime offers alternatives to pizza and chips with “Nextlevel Meals” and “Performance Drinks”. We tested what eSports nutrition can do.
[toc]
Those who play professionally must also pay attention to what they eat. eSports athletes generally have a similar diet to “real” athletes. This ensures that they are in peak condition and can improve their reaction times.
The typical “nerd food” is unsuitable for this purpose. Pizza, chips, and soft drinks make you sluggish and negatively affect performance in the long term. As a professional gamer, you should therefore avoid such things.
The company Runtime from Berlin has developed a powdered food especially for eSports athletes, students, and anyone who needs to perform consistently.
The special thing: The products contain no conventional sugar, but isomaltulose. Our authors Patrick and Benedict received a package with six meals + shaker, two drinks, and a chocolate bar and tested it!
What is it like to eat eSports nutrition for a week?
Runtime’s Promise: A High Without a Low
Runtime’s products claim to provide energy quickly and yet over a longer period. Being able to stay awake and work (or play) longer and more effectively sounds promising. However, we were skeptical if such a powder could really deliver.
On the other hand, energy drinks have this effect too. Runtime further promises that after the energy boost, there won’t be a slump where you become sluggish. The “sugar crash” is not supposed to occur, meaning the body won’t weaken after the energy is burned off.
These are promises that sound overreaching at first and are difficult to fulfill. The company relies on a special substance, isomaltulose.
Runtime’s Promise: Gaming Without a Sugar Low.
What is Isomaltulose?
The special feature of Runtime’s products is the sugar that the company uses to replace regular household sugar in the products. The sugar is supposed to be suitable for diabetics and even tooth-friendly.
Isomaltulose is supposed to decompose slower in the body, thus suppressing the craving for unhealthy food for longer — which has worked at least for our testers. Runtime also claims that this substance does not cause a “sugar crash,” as too much household sugar does.
The “Nextlevel Meals” – 606kcal per serving!
For the test, we received 6 bags of powdered food in various flavors:
Original
Chocolate
Christmas Edition
Strawberry
Coconut
Marzipan
First of all, it should be said: The “Nextlevel Meals” are not a supplement to a meal or a snack. Each bag has a caloric value of about 606kcal.
They are intended as a substitute for a whole meal and for people who need to perform a lot! Such a bag is not a snack and not suitable for diets. Furthermore, no more than one meal a day should be replaced with one meal.
How are the Meals prepared?
The handling of the “Nextlevel Meals” is quite simple. Rip open the bag, fill the powder into the included shaker, pour in 300ml of water, add the spring ball into the cup, and shake well for about 30 seconds.
The powder does not completely dissolve in water, but only distributes. It becomes drinkable, making it easier to consume than spooning dry powder. Accordingly, a slightly floury consistency is to be expected — but that is normal.
A little note: When preparing, make sure that the included shaker is properly closed. The cap on the lid is difficult to close and can best be secured with a firm slap of the flat hand. Benedict didn’t do this twice…
How did the Meals affect us? Do they keep their promise?
It is not necessary to supplement a bag with additional snacks. After consuming the powder, both of our authors felt full for over 4 hours and had no appetite for snacks or other food.
Both also observed that during this time, the craving for greasy food or sweets had disappeared. According to the manufacturer, this is due to the sugar isomaltulose, which decomposes slower and thus covers the sugar needs over a longer period.
In short: Yes, the manufacturer’s promise is kept. Even though we were initially skeptical, neither of us felt the urge to eat or snack. However, the work during this time was neither harder nor easier. Whether the food keeps you awake was hard to judge since we were already awake.
Gaming and working with Runtime: Not worse than without, but not necessarily better. We were awake anyway.
What do nutrition experts say about it?
To obtain a professionally competent opinion on the products, the colleagues from Giga consulted nutrition expert Dr. Sigrid Röchter from the Consumer Center NRW. She said:
“Dietary supplements, as the name suggests, should complement food. These are vitamins, minerals, or other substances sold in dosed form, such as capsules, tablets, pills, powdered bags, or liquid ampoules.”
The effect of isomaltulose has been scientifically confirmed by the European Food Safety Authority. However, the “Nextlevel Meals” lack secondary ingredients and other fibers, making them not balanced meals.
The active ingredients in the performance drinks that are supposed to deliver energy are based solely on a Swedish study. Further research and evidence are still lacking.
In general, it is advised that minors refrain from consuming these products!
How did the “Nextlevel Meals” taste?
Taste-wise, it can be debated whether the meals really taste good or not. All the powders we tested tasted a bit like cookie dough or baby food. Not bad, but unusual.
The flavors themselves did not differ as much as expected, but enough to distinguish them. We all agreed that the strawberry flavor was not to our liking and didn’t really fit into the repertoire.
We preferred the other flavors. Patrick’s favorite is coconut, closely followed by marzipan. For Benedict, the order is reversed: first marzipan, then coconut.
Chocolate tasted almost like “original” and only slightly of cocoa, while the “Christmas Edition” had a bit of an acquired taste of gingerbread and spices. Benedict liked it, Patrick is unsure.
All in all, none of the meals disappointed taste-wise except strawberry. We found them much more enjoyable to drink than similar products.
Performance Drinks and MEGABITE Bars
The other products in the package at a glance:
Performance Drink Orange: also contains grapefruit, which is what it tastes more like. Strong taste of sweetener and a little artificial, reminiscent of sugar-free orange soda.
Performance Drink Berry: tastes significantly fruitier and somewhat like sweet berry soda. The taste of berries overshadows the sweetener.
In terms of effect, there are hardly any differences in the Performance Drinks compared to other energy drinks. Only the restlessness that one sometimes experiences after too much sugar and caffeine was absent. Otherwise, in terms of taste, not the first choice.The MEGABITE tastes more like cocoa and less like chocolate, but above all it is not as sweet as other bars – rather bitter. It is suitable as a snack when hunger strikes. With over 246kcal, however, it is not a light snack.
Price and Summary
In summary, it can be said that the food made a good impression on us. In terms of taste, the meals are “okay” – an acquired taste and special.
The price of the food (18.40€ for 7 meals on sale) seems a bit steep to us.
The drinks could be an alternative to conventional energy drinks if one is willing to accept the taste. The MEGABITE made a good impression on us.
Anyone looking for a food alternative (or supplement) can definitely give Runtime a chance. However, our testers Benedict and Patrick do not want to prefer the products to their usual food in the long run.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
We asked you who the strongest monster in Monster Hunter World is, and you voted. Here we present to you 5 monsters in Monster Hunter World that you have chosen as the toughest opponents!
Which monsters give the Mein-MMO community the most nightmares? Here is your top 5.
Rank 5: Bazelgeuse – The Boeing B-52
Monster type: Flying Wyvern
Habitat: Forcefully intrudes into any habitat!
Element: Fire
Weakness: Thunder
Description: The Bazelgeuse rains its explosive scales down on its victims like a carpet of bombs! This trait has also earned it the nickname Bomber-52 among hunters. The Boeing B-52 is an eight-engine long-range bomber of the US Air Force.
The scales then lie inactive on the ground like mines and react sensitively to friction, causing them to explode immediately. In rage mode, the scales explode even at the slightest contact.
The Bazelgeuse has no fixed habitat and seeks out fights in every area! Once hunters turn their attention to another large monster, the Flying Wyvern just can’t help itself and charges straight into the battle.
Quick combat tips: The Bazelgeuse’s legs are its weak points. Hunters should only attack its legs when the Bazelgeuse is not dropping its explosive scales. If it interrupts the fight with another monster, hunters can scare it away with dung bombs.
Rank 4: Black Diablos – The Black Horn
Monster type: Flying Wyvern
Habitat: Wildspire Wastes
Element: None
Weakness: Water, Ice
Description: The Black Diablos is the female version of Diablos. She has an increased amount of hormones, which darkens her armor and makes her even more aggressive than her male counterpart.
She has the same attack patterns as the regular Diablos, only that she can deal even more damage. The Black Diablos burrows into the ground just like the normal Diablos and attacks from there.
Quick combat tips: The head, chest, and wings are the weak points of the Black Diablos, and her tail can be severed. The Black Horned also has a weakness to paralysis, making traps effective against her. Since the Black Diablos is so aggressive, she chases her opponents for a long time. So watch out if you want to retreat from the fight.
Description: The Nergigante is an Elder Dragon and can regenerate incredibly fast. He is extremely aggressive and attacks everything in his path. When the spikes on his arms or back break off, they grow back immediately. Once the spikes have regrown and hardened, they deal more damage. The spikes also make it easier for attacks to bounce off.
Furthermore, the Nergigante is swift and agile despite his size. He rushes at his opponents faster than one would expect. He attacks with claws, teeth, horns, and jumping attacks.
Quick combat tips: To defeat the Nergigante, hunters need to closely watch his spikes. The spikes are located on his wings, forelegs, head, and tail. When the spikes are just starting to regrow, they will have a yellow to white color. In this stage, the spikes are breakable and the Nergigante is vulnerable.
Once the spikes are black, they are fully hardened and hunters can no longer break them. When the spikes have regrown, the Nergigante will rear up on his hind legs, roar, take to the air, and perform a dangerous jumping attack. You should better dodge that.
Description: Teostra is also known as the Fanged Sun and possesses a fiery breath. The Elder Dragon can unleash a concentrated beam of fire and even creates a supernova in rage mode, dealing devastating damage.
Teostra spreads a highly flammable scale powder around him with his wings. If he grinds his teeth together, a spark ignites the powder. The resulting fire aura continuously drains health from hunters who stay near the monster.
With his strong legs and wings, Teostra is agile and nimble. He often performs powerful jumps and can leap onto hunters even from a great distance.
Quick combat tips: The head of Teostra is particularly vulnerable, and its horns can be broken. Once the horns are destroyed, the Elder Dragon loses the ability to activate its fire aura. When Teostra ignites and takes to the air, it’s time to run! Teostra will then cause a large explosion that deals damage from a great distance. Hunters should keep their distance once Teostra begins to take to the skies.
Rank 1: Kirin – The Phantom
Monster type: Elder Dragon
Habitat: Coral Highlands
Element: Thunder
Weakness: Fire
Description: ThisElder Dragon resembles a unicorn and commands electricity. The Kirin is fast and agile and constantly surrounded by lightning. With its powerful horn, the unicorn charges at its opponents and tries to impale them. Hunters should not be deceived by its delicate-looking fur. When the creature is enraged, its skin becomes extremely hard, causing weapons to bounce off.
The Kirin possesses various lightning attacks that can paralyze hunters. The lightning strikes from the side or comes crashing down from the sky. If the unicorn is left undisturbed, it will not attack and has a peaceful nature.
Kirin Guide: Since the Kirin is your number 1 and the unicorn of your nightmares, we have created a detailed guide.
In the guide, you will find:
Weaknesses of the Kirin
Location and loot
All attack patterns of the Kirin explained with images
Tips and tricks to defeat the Kirin
A suggested armor set to defeat the hardened Kirin
The complete evaluation of your strongest monsters
Now that your top 5 has been presented, you certainly don’t want to miss the complete evaluation of the survey. Here you will find the percentage listing of the monsters that cost you the most tears and sweat.
Epic has revealed what is coming next week for players in Fortnite: Battle Royale. It’s Llamas. In exchange, Smoke Grenades are being removed. There’s also an image of the jetpacks.
Via Twitter, Epic shared a small developer update for Fortnite: Battle Royale. They briefly look at the new mode and introduce what’s in store for next week’s update.
Jetpacks have to wait
To start, they briefly mention the jetpacks. They were supposed to actually arrive in Fortnite Battle Royale, but the arrival of the jetpacks was postponed due to issues in internal gameplay tests.
Epic hasn’t announced exactly when they will come, but at least there is a screenshot of the jetpack.
New 20-player mode aims to bridge the gap between Team and 50-player modes
This is one of the Limited Time modes, so it will be disappearing from Fortnite soon.
Gold-Llama in PvE
What the new patch 3.3 brings
For next week, likely Thursday, March 15, Epic has prepared the next patch. This is update 3.3.
Here they are bringing the “Llamas” known from PvE. They will likely function similarly to treasure chests and ammo crates: as loot containers.
You can find the Llamas randomly on the island. They should help players right away, it is said. The more detailed information about what is inside the Llamas will likely be revealed in the next patch notes.
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Smoke Grenades are being removed from Fortnite: BR with 3.3 and are going back to the workshop. Player feedback led Epic to decide to remove these from Fortnite: Battle Royale – just like the submachine gun. The smoke grenades were apparently used too little and are scheduled for rework.
Around Destiny 2 is in turmoil. Fans are dissatisfied. Many are turning their backs on the game. Bungie is trying to get the game back on track with extensive changes and constantly emphasizes that they listen to the wishes and concerns of the community. But is Bungie really listening?
On Friday, March 9, Bungie released the long-awaited details on the sandbox adjustments as part of the upcoming Update 1.1.4 for the troubled Destiny 2. And as feared, the forums and comment sections of many fan sites are ablaze; the community is once again in an uproar.
The reason for this is some announced changes that the sandbox update will bring. Many of them will certainly do good for the game. However, others seem to be developed without considering the desires of the fans.
Some adjustments were never requested. They seem pointless or even exacerbate existing problems instead of resolving them. There is the impression that some essential parts of player feedback go unheard. The community feels overlooked – even though Bungie does not tire of emphasizing how much they hear the community.
So the question arises: Is Bungie really listening to the community?
Bungie’s handling of feedback – the root of all evil
Although Bungie recently promised to expand communication and make it more transparent, Bungie’s behavior in dealing with fan criticism has not significantly changed since Destiny 1. Bungie tends to fall into this pattern when processing feedback:
The community identifies a feature in need of improvement or parameters that could be better and provides constructive and thoughtful feedback: “Mode X is currently unattractive for reasons Y and Z. Bungie, here’s how you can solve the problem: Solution A, Solution B.”
Bungie reviews the feedback, works on it themselves, and responds afterwards: “We hear you! Your opinion is very important to us! We see that you want Solution A or B. But you don’t really want that. What you REALLY want is Solution C. So, we present you Solution C!”
The community looks at Solution C and says: “Okay, some aspects of Solution C are actually good, but Solution C does not ultimately solve problems Y and Z and may even introduce more new problems. Solution A or B would have eliminated all the problems.”
In response, Bungie says: “We hear you. Your feedback is of great value to us. But first, play Solution C; it will be really great. You will see.”
This pattern was also evident in the implementation of significant parts of player feedback in the already released Update 1.1.3 and the upcoming Update 1.1.4 for Destiny 2.
The community had already clearly and constructively communicated several times to Bungie where the most significant weaknesses of Destiny 2 currently lie and how these can be specifically addressed. “Finally remove the timer in the Nightfall strike. Lower the time to kill in the Crucible. This is the reason for many inconsistencies in the problem-plagued PvP of Destiny 2” – this was the prevailing sentiment within the Guardian community.
In response, Bungie’s developers presented changes that caused head-shaking, frustration, and confusion among fans. For instance, while the timer was removed in the Nightfall strike, Bungie instead installed a new timer – this time only hidden. At the same time, they quickly removed all modifiers from the normal version of the Nightfalls – a change that nobody asked for and that shocked the community.
Also, some recently announced changes that will come to the game with the next update at the end of March 2018 caused general astonishment. While Bungie also recognized that the time to kill is too high as one of the biggest problems, instead of merely optimizing this one parameter, Bungie adjusted a multitude of other factors, which could now lead to new problem areas in PvP.
Meanwhile, the actual problem – the high time to kill – apparently remains unresolved. When asked why they didn’t just lower the time to kill, Bungie responded that players should first play the update; it will be a fantastic experience.
Here, once again, the typical Bungie pattern becomes clearly visible.
Does Bungie listen to its fans?
This systematic approach reveals some fundamental issues in Bungie’s feedback processing and simultaneously answers the initial question of whether Bungie truly listens to the community.
Bungie hears the discussions within the community and collects feedback for potential optimizations – that much is clear. However, the feedback that developers receive does not only consist of criticism from players. A massive amount of further data, which Bungie casually collects from players in-game, also flows into the optimization process of Destiny 2.
This data provides developers with important additional insights into various parameters and problem areas of the game. Thus, developers have a completely different view of issues in Destiny 2. Consequently, they also have a different approach to solving these problems during the optimization process.
The mistake Bungie makes here is that they only involve the community once in the optimization process. They listen to the players – but only once and only at the beginning.
After that, players are completely left out. During the actual optimization phase, they do not engage in a much-needed dialogue with them. They do not present any of the developed solution approaches or ask the Guardians for their opinions on which solution approach is better and whether anything could still be improved.
They do not seek further feedback from the Guardians. The player community receives the final result of the optimization work in the form of an update and has no way to influence it further. There remains only the once listening from Bungie – but that is simply not enough!
And that is precisely the main reason why many in the community feel that their feedback falls on deaf ears at Bungie.
Is Bungie solely to blame?
Although Bungie itself determines the structures and processes of its optimization procedures, the approach chosen by Bungie to only involve the community once is not only attributable to the studio itself and its “evil intentions” – especially since such an approach embodies the common standard in the industry.
Bungie’s approach is, to a certain extent, even understandable. Because Bungie has already experienced firsthand where the unrestricted implementation of feedback from the community without a clear direction can lead to, as evidenced by the nerf issue with the predecessor. Certain parts of the community also vigorously contributed to the current situation back during the days of Destiny 1.
How can such problems be avoided?
If Bungie sticks to its existing concept for feedback processing and game optimization, it is unlikely that the current situation will change. However, a course change is not in sight.
A prime example of how it can be done differently is provided by the developers of The Division.
They entered history with their famous statement “Our game is not fun“. After this admission, Massive Entertainment worked hand in hand with the community. They invited selected players to the studio and ensured that wishes and thoughtful concepts from the fan community flowed directly into the optimization process.
This substantially contributed to The Division ultimately being able to offer a conciliatory gaming experience and currently standing strong as a result.
What do you think about this issue? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments.
Epic is diligent and now brings new items to Fortnite: Battle Royale weekly. With so many weapons and items, it’s easy to lose track. However, with only 5 equipment slots, you must weigh your options carefully. Thanks to our item guide, you’ll only take the most useful weapons and items into Fortnite!
In Fortnite: Battle Royale, you can find an increasing variety of weapons, healing items, and shield potions. The grenade arsenal is also constantly expanding. With only five inventory slots, you need to carefully consider which items you want to carry with you.
Although Epic recently removed a category of weapons (standard submachine guns), the selection is still enormous – and is likely to continue growing.
We categorize all weapons and items, and which items you should carry in each category.
Standard Weapons in Fortnite: Battle Royale
THE standard weapon in Fortnite: Battle Royale is the assault rifle. You should always have an assault rifle on hand, as it is the best all-round weapon. However, at the start of a round, you are likely to come across another weapon more frequently: the pistol (or the revolver or the hand cannon).
As long as you don’t find an assault rifle, take the pistol with you. Skilled shooters can deal significant damage even with the common variant. Depending on personal preferences, the burst assault rifle is also an extremely strong alternative.
The following ranking applies to standard weapons (the weapon at the top should be ideally included):
Assault Rifle
Burst Assault Rifle
Hand Cannon
Standard Pistol
Revolver
A blue rarity burst assault rifle might be preferred by some players over the assault rifle. Take what feels better for you!
With the nerf of the double pump shotgun, new options have opened up in the melee category. The shotgun is still powerful (especially with critical hits), but the double version has become useless.
A proper boost has conversely been given to tactical submachine guns. The magazine has been enlarged. Since the weapon can also be found in epic quality, it is a strong alternative to shotguns in close combat.
Since the fire rate of tactical shotguns is higher than that of pump shotguns, they should be preferred starting from the rare rarity (blue).
You should always have a melee weapon with you. The crucial question now is whether you
want to use only a shotgun or submachine gun, or
want a combination of pump shotgun / shotgun / submachine gun
This depends on your personal preferences, but also on your available slots. A combination of pump shotgun and tactical submachine gun is brutal, but requires two inventory slots.
By the way: The tactical submachine gun is always preferred over the suppressed variant. It offers a larger magazine and kills more reliably than the suppressed SMG.
If you like, you can also use a suppressed pistol for close combat. Critical hits deal devastating damage.
The weapon or combination you use depends on several factors. How many inventory slots do you have available? How well can you aim with the weapons? Are you aggressive or more passive players?
Ranged Weapons in Fortnite: Battle Royale
Ranged weapons in Fortnite: Battle Royale include the crossbow, the hunting rifle, and the sniper rifles. While the crossbow primarily uses its strengths in infinite ammo and suppression, the hunting rifle is also excellent for medium distances.
However, the best ranged weapons are still the sniper rifles. The bolt-action sniper rifle stands unchallenged at the top. Even the rare variant kills any player with a critical hit, regardless of the opponent’s shield and health points.
If you find a ranged weapon, you can use the following ranking to determine whether you should take it with you – or leave it behind:
Heavy weapons are extremely rare in Fortnite: Battle Royale. If luck is on your side and gifts you a grenade or rocket launcher – take it! Especially in the endgame, heavy weapons will serve you well!
Furthermore, rocket launchers are considered the rarest weapons in Fortnite: Battle Royale – and there’s a good reason for that. Whether you want to smoke out enemy fortifications or take your enemies out from above, the rocket launcher is a true all-rounder.
Since standard grenades are also considered explosive weapons, they also appear in the ranking:
Rocket Launcher
Grenade Launcher
Minigun
Grenades
Even though the minigun looks good on paper, it is rarely used. If you shoot at a fortress with the minigun, you often present an easy target. The damage against mobile opponents is also poor. The rocket launcher offers more options here.
Healing Items and Shield Potions in Fortnite: Battle Royale
You also have a wide selection of bandages, medkits, and shield potions at your disposal among other items. The slurp juice is the ultimate item in the game – the slurp juice heals your entire health and fully restores shields to the maximum.
Ideally, you should carry items that restore your health as well as reserve shield potions that can replenish your shield after a fight. At the beginning of each round, make sure to maximize your shield. You can then take any excess items with you.
Your shield is full? Then the ranking provides a good indication of which items you should take with you:
Slurp Juice (Maximum: 1) – Fully restores health and shields
Medkit (Maximum: 2) – Regenerates up to 100 health points
Shield Potion (Maximum: 2) – Restores 25 health and shield points each
Mini Shield Potions (Maximum: 10) – Provide 25 shield points per piece up to a maximum of 50
Shield Potions (Maximum: 2) – 50 shield points upon use
Bandages (Maximum 15) – Restore 15 health points up to a maximum of 75
Mini Shield Potions are excellent for regenerating shield points in short combat breaks. If you find two large reserve shield potions, take them with you. With Mini Shield Potions, shield points can only be built up to a maximum of 50.
If you haven’t found a slurp juice yet, it makes sense to reserve one item slot for shield potions and one for medkits.
So what does the best loadout look like in Fortnite: Battle Royale?
Ideally, you should have the following weapons and items with you:
An all-round weapon like the assault rifle
A melee weapon like the tactical shotgun / submachine gun
A ranged weapon like the sniper rifle
An explosive weapon like the rocket launcher
A slurp juice for complete healing after a fight
Depending on your personal playstyle, you may also choose to skip an explosive weapon and opt for two melee weapons instead. If you haven’t found a slurp juice, take one item for shield healing and one for health regeneration with you.
What weapons and items are you using in Fortnite: Battle Royale?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the Overwatch League, disciplinary measures are raining down. There are even repeat offenders who have been punished multiple times for violations. The hothead xQc is caught, and it will be costly.
Blizzard is trying to establish the hero shooter as an eSport with the Overwatch League, elevating it to the level of traditional sports. This also includes the professionals taking on a role model function and presenting and behaving accordingly. Anyone who expresses themselves derogatorily or even racially has no place in the Overwatch League and must expect penalties that can be severe.
The hardest punishment, however, likely falls on Félix Lengyel, better known as xQc from the Dallas Fuel team. He received a hefty fine of $4000 and is also suspended for 4 matches starting March 12.
Repeated racism leads to hefty fine
As justification, the Overwatch League states that “xQc used emotes in a racially derogatory manner multiple times during the League’s stream and on social media. Additionally, he used derogatory terms towards the League’s casters and fellow players in both social media and his private stream.”
Although the League does not specify the exact incidents, it is assumed to involve spamming the “TriHard 7” emote when the host Malik Forte was visible on stream. Forte is Black, and the emote depicts a Black person.
xQc denies any racist intentions, pointing out that it is a normal emote on Twitch and refers to Malik Forte as “a good friend.” He had previously made similar positive remarks, but this was interpreted as irony.
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He suspects that the accusations are part of a campaign against him because he and other players have used the emote for ages without any penalties.
However, there have already been several incidents involving xQc that week, as he declared on Twitter that “casting the League has given him cancer” – so the punishment could also be related to that.
The Overwatch League itself seems to take it with humor and mocks xQc during the stream. Because xQc supposedly stands for “x-tremely questionable conduct.” The scene starts at minute 26:15.
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Defiance 2050 will be a reboot of the online shooter Defiance. Through the Valor system, it is possible to transfer some of your achievements from the original to the reboot. However, your character and its items will remain in the old game.
The Valor system allows you to transfer some of your achievements to Defiance 2050. These include:
Unique titles you earned in Defiance
Account upgrades like loadout slots and character slots
Additionally, it is possible to earn so-called “Valor Commendations” in Defiance. These allow you to:
Unlock boosts
Earn cosmetic items, including outfits, titles, and vehicle skins
However, the character and its items will remain in the old Defiance and cannot be transferred.
Complete Pursuits to earn Valor Commendations
These items will then be available to you in the reboot Defiance 2050. To receive these rewards, you must complete so-called “Pursuits,” new ones of which will be introduced in Defiance this coming summer with an update. Pursuits are the achievements in Defiance.
Pursuits already exist in the game, but they do not yet earn you Valor Commendations. With the June update, not only will further Pursuits be introduced, but the existing ones will also be expanded with the new system.
The open beta of the action MMORPG TERA has started on the consoles Xbox One and PlayStation 4. If you complete challenges diligently, you will receive funny masks for the release version on PS4 and Xbox One.
Play with En-Masse staff and win masks for the release version on PS4 and Xbox One
To keep you busy, the developers have devised 24 challenges. Upon completing eight of them, everyone will unlock a mask for their hero. In total, there are 3 masks to earn. You will receive them at the launch of the full version of TERA on consoles, but only within the first two weeks after the launch.
But what do you actually have to do? Here are the 24 challenges that you can ONLY complete during the beta weekend on the consoles.
Weekend Challenges
Post 100 screenshots under #TERAconsole on Twitter or Facebook
Create 25 Xbox Communities with TERA in the title or description
Create 25 PS4 Communities with TERA in the title or description
Collect 500 Simple Salts from “Big Blue Boxes” in the game
Each of these challenges will be expanded by two levels when the previous target is reached. And of course, the challenges apply not to individual players, but to the entire community as a whole.
Daily challenges that you can complete every day
Complete every dungeon in a group with a staff member of the publisher En Masse
Fill up a EU server between 17:00 and 19:00 so that there is a queue
Fill up a US server between 23:00 and 01:00 so that there is a queue
You can find enthusiastic En-Masse staff between 14:00 and 05:00 our time. Check out this Discord channel and form groups. You should be able to speak English, as the company is based in the USA.
This didn’t last long. Story writer Drew Karpyshyn is leaving BioWare and the Anthem team after less than two years.
When Drew Karpyshyn returned to BioWare in 2016, fans were delighted. After all, Karpyshyn is considered one of the brilliant minds behind many of the cool stories that we got to experience in the first parts of the “Mass Effect” series. When “Anthem” was later announced, fans could also be reassured. Anthem would surely be more than a “soulless MMO shooter” and would feature an exciting story.
This trust is now wavering, as Drew Karpyshyn has announced that he is leaving BioWare again. After less than 2 years, his last day at BioWare was on March 2, 2018. Although he does not provide explicit reasons, he implies in his farewell post on his blog that BioWare simply took too much time, leaving all his other projects behind. In addition to his work on video games, he has also published several sci-fi novels.
However, Karpyshyn is not completely withdrawing from the game industry. He will work at Fogbank Entertainment and FoxNext Games in the future, although he is not yet allowed to reveal anything about the projects there.
Lastly, he points out that there would be “no dirty laundry” – so no disputes or anything that would have led him to stop at BioWare. He will also not talk about Anthem just because he no longer works at BioWare – fans will have to wait for official announcements and the release of the game.
Whether this means that the story writing for Anthem is already finished cannot be said at this time. We can only follow Karpyshyn’s advice: wait and drink tea.
What suits a MMORPG where you can fly on brooms particularly well? Of course, a kind of Quidditch, the sport known from Harry Potter. This is now offered by the MMORPG Citadel: Forge with Fire.
On March 7, the MMORPG Citadel: Forge with Fire received a major update. This introduced the Broomstick League, a new sport in which you fly on brooms like in Quidditch and try to score points as a team. The developers integrated a new arena where the matches take place.
In the presentation, the developers of the MMO avoid any mention of Quidditch or Harry Potter, but the intention is clear.
Experience intense matches on flying brooms
The Broomstick League allows you exciting sports duels:
You fly on a broom over an arena
Your task is to shoot balls into goals
Matches are played in teams consisting of five players each
Use tactics in the team to make passes
The team with the most points wins
Each match lasts five minutes
As a reward, you have the opportunity to create your own arenas
Create your own arenas
The Broomstick League thus introduces a fun way to compete with each other in a fun and unusual sport. If you unlock the “Net and Ball Dispenser” items through the matches, you will even have the opportunity to create your own arenas.
In The Division today, on March 10th, the big vendor reset is happening. These items are particularly worthwhile.
There’s a lot happening in The Division. On March 8th, Massive confirmed the ongoing development of The Division 2, and the plans for Year 3 were announced.
This weekend, the Global Event “Raid” is also running with the secret sets Striker, Reclaimer, and Watchman’s Call.
If you’ve been farming for this reason, you can check out the new vendor offerings in between, as the weekly vendor reset takes place from Friday night to Saturday. We’ll show you what’s recommended after the vendor reset in The Division.
Recommended Weapons since March 10th
Special Equipment Vendor, Terminal: Historian with Disciplined and Prepared
Camp Clinton: Liberator with Demanding, Resolute and Careful
Camp Clinton: G36 with Malevolent, Vindictive and Focused
Camp Hudson: Navy MP5 with Talented, Devious and Expert
The Mods after the Vendor Reset
Special Equipment Vendor, Terminal: Stamina Mod with Crit Chance
Special Equipment Vendor, Terminal: Assault Rifle Suppressor Omega with Headshot Damage, Optimal Range, Stability and Reduced Threat
Equipment Vendor, Terminal: Purple Firearms Mod with Damage against Elites
Dark Zone Vendor, Terminal: Performance Mod with Sticky Bomb Damage
E 31st St: Performance Mod with Seeker Mine Damage
W 31 St: Firearms Mod with Skill Power
E 64th St: Performance Mod with Ballistic Shield Damage Reduction
The Offers of the Special Blueprint Vendors
The vendor at the terminal offers blueprints for these items:
Crusaders of Light is a mobile MMORPG reminiscent of World of Warcraft. After achieving great success on Android and iOS, the “mobile WoW” is now coming to Steam. There is even crossplay between smartphone and PC!
Normally, successful online role-playing games on PC eventually get a mobile version. Therefore, there are games like Lineage 2 Revolution or planned projects like Blade & Soul M or Black Desert Mobile.
And then there’s Crusaders of Light, which is coming from mobile to PC on Steam!
Steam launch and new update with additional class!
Crusaders of Light is a mobile game that, in terms of design and gameplay, resembles the classic World of Warcraft (WoW). You can complete quests alone and in groups. Even 40-player raids, a battle royale mode, and PvP battles are possible.
Crusaders of Light offers raids for up to 40 players
With the Steam version, the update “Surge of Elements” and a new class are being added. With the Elementalist, there are now 5 classes, alongside the existing Warriors, Paladins, Rangers, and Mystics. The Elementalist is particularly notorious for fire, water, earth, and ice magic.
Also interesting: You will get a new raid and a new dungeon.
Crossplay between PC and mobile
At the launch of the Steam version, there is an additional server named “Ferroc Camp”. But the best is yet to come: Crusaders of Light supports crossplay between PC and mobile devices.
You can play a little on PC in the morning, and then on the way to work by train, you can pull out your phone and just continue where you left off on Steam.
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Saturn is now offering Microsoft deals during brand weeks. This includes the Xbox One X, the Surface Pro, and the Surface Laptop.
With the brand week, Saturn repeatedly offers products from various brands at particularly low prices. Now it’s Microsoft’s turn. Here you can get the Xbox One X bundled with a second wireless controller and three months of Xbox Game Pass for 499 euros until Saturday at 9 AM CET or while supplies last.
With the Game Pass, you gain access to over 100 games for the console. Among other things, you can play Sea of Thieves right at release, as it will be part of the pass from the very beginning.
Additionally, you can get the Surface Pro with 128 GB storage, an Intel Core m3, 4 GB RAM, and a 12.3-inch display for 699 euros. The original price of 799 euros will be automatically reduced by 100 euros as an immediate discount in the shopping cart. Of course, Windows 10 Pro is the operating system used.
Brand week offers The offers presented here are equipped with so-called affiliate links. If you purchase via one of these links, we receive a small commission from the respective provider. This does not affect the price.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
There will soon be fresh competition in the market for sci-fi MMOs. “Project C” aims to grab a big piece of the pie. Influences include Bungie and Pixar. The staff have experience from games like Half-Life 2 and Thief. And they also have the MMO wonder technology SpatialOS on board.
Those who complain that there is little movement in the MMO market can now breathe a sigh of relief. The developers at Darewise have announced a new sci-fi MMO under the name “Project C”.
Darewise consists of a lot of “old hands” in the genre. Darewise was founded by designer Randy Smith, who worked on the Thief series. Victor Antonov from the former Half-Life 2 team is also on board.
As inspiration, companies like Bungie and Pixar are mentioned, who have “stood for quality since day one”.
Little information, big ideas
So far, there is only little information about the mysterious Project C. It will be the debut project of Darewise and is supposed to represent “the first step of an ambitious journey” to offer truly innovative experiences in the realm of “AAA titles” – at least the plans sound grandiose. There is still no information about the story or gameplay, which likely indicates that the whole thing is still in a early planning phase.
What is known is that there will be a huge, interconnected world in which players can permanently influence their actions, which also includes an extensive ecosystem.
However, it is known that development will take place with SpatialOS – we have reported on this technology several times before. It should enable entirely new dimensions for MMOs, connecting multiple servers and worlds. This should allow for sizes that were previously impossible with conventional technologies.
In November, there was already the first “Path to Glory” (PTG) team in FIFA 18 Ultimate Team. Now EA has released the second batch of World Cup player cards.
The first “Path to Glory” fall cards, known as “Path to Glory” (PTG) in English, were available in November last year. There were 25 players who must fight for their spot in the national team until the World Cup.
They behave similarly to the “One’s to Watch” players. If the player receives a special card, such as an Inform or a “Man of the Match” card, the rating of the PTG card automatically increases.
“Path to Glory” Spring Edition
This is the “Path to Glory” team in the Spring Edition. Another 23 players from various nationalities, who want to earn their spot in the World Cup, will now be available in packs. You can obtain them from March 9 at 7 PM until March 16 in sets with rare players or purchase them from other players on the transfer market.
Included are stars like Gonzalo Higuain, Thiago Alcantara, Mauro Icardi, and Isco. German PTG Spring cards are Leon Goretzka, Ilkay Gündogan, and Marvin Plattenhardt.
Many popular Weekend League players have made it into the selection. They include:
With the “Path to Glory” event, special Squad Building Challenges (SBC’s) and weekly objectives are released.
The following “Path to Glory” SBC’s are available:
“Path to Glory” Fall (untradeable): For an 81 rated team with a “Path to Glory” card, you will receive a random, untradeable “Path to Glory” fall player
“Path to Glory” Fall (tradeable): For an 83 rated team with a “Path to Glory” card and a “Team of the Week” player, you will receive a random, tradeable “Path to Glory” fall player
“Path to Glory” Spring (untradeable): For an 82 rated team with a “Path to Glory” card, you will receive a random, untradeable “Path to Glory” spring player
“Path to Glory” Spring (tradeable): For an 84 rated team with a “Path to Glory” card and a “Team of the Week” player, you will receive a random, tradeable “Path to Glory” spring player
Improved Gold Upgrade (untradeable):For a gold player team with at least 5 rare cards, you will receive two rare, untradeable gold players – one with a rating of 81 or higher
Daily SBCs: These are SBC’s with different conditions for which you receive smaller sets. The first daily SBC is called “3 National Trios” and rewards a gold player set.
The weekly objectives require scoring a goal with players from different nations on their debut for your club. The rewards are unknown, but they are likely smaller player sets.
What is special about the “Path to Glory” cards?
These special cards behave like “One’s to Watch” cards, meaning they are dynamic and can change their rating.
If the “Path to Glory” player receives a TOTW card, a Man of the Match card, a Hero card, or a Record Breaker card during the FUT-18 season, the “Path to Glory” card will automatically be upgraded to this enhanced card. Only special cards from the “Team of the Year” or “Team of the Season” will not provide an upgrade.
EA has also announced that the PTG cards can receive upgrades during the World Cup. Thus, they will be upgraded beyond the normal season.
In other words: If the player performs strongly in real life, your “Path to Glory” card will get better.
The MMORPG Skyforge has been expanded with a new update. This allows you to investigate the disappearance of the goddess Tessa, among other things, and introduces some new features.
The developers of the MMORPG Skyforge are tirelessly working on the game and regularly release updates. These can be minor bug fixes or adjustments to arena fights or the Hall of Trophies. But also content updates, like the recently released update, which revolves around the disappearance of the goddess Tessa.
Where is Tessa?
Tessa is the goddess of flowers, but she was never really taken seriously by the others. At least, until she came across Ether Resonators in her research and opened portals to all the resonators of the planet in her temple. This granted the immortals access to endless hunting grounds to obtain valuable artifacts.
But one day, when the energy ran out and the temple stood empty, the others wondered what had happened to Tessa. You are to find out now. A new challenge awaits you to bring back the goddess.
In addition, the update brings a number of changes and new features. These include, among other things:
UI overhauls
Bug fixes
Collector packs are now available on the market
New generations of artifacts are now sold in the Hall of Trophies
Adjustments to time runes
Preview of new items on your hero before you acquire the item
Skyforge receives regular support
The MMORPG Skyforge continues to be supported, and the developers regularly release interesting updates to keep the game current.
The next season of the competitive PvP mode FEAST in Final Fantasy XIV is starting soon and the winners will receive exclusive prizes, including this new mount.
It has been several weeks since the release of content patch 4.2, which brought some changes to the PvP system of FEAST.
The icons on the battlefield have been improved, the rules have been adjusted, and there is a new mode and a map, the Crystal Tower.
Developers respond to feedback
First of all, the development team thanked everyone for the many suggestions and feedback on the new system and shared that the implementation of this is already in progress.
Some of these, such as adjustments to certain PvP abilities, will already go live with patch 4.25 on March 13.
Larger changes, such as adjustments to the layout of the maps, will unfortunately have to wait until content patch 4.3.
Project Manager Moriguchi emphasized that the changes to the layout will be significant.
Fly “Like a Boss”
Final Fantasy XIV players will recognize this flying chair: it’s the same one the mad Garlean scientist Aulus Mal Asina uses during the boss fight in the dungeon Ala Mhigo.
All players who manage to stay in the top 100 at the end of the season will receive this chair as a mount as a reward.
As a consolation prize, there are special “Wolf Collars” that can later be exchanged for an exclusive weapon of their choice. What these weapons look like was not disclosed in the blog post.
And for the top players who manage to take first place in their data center, they will receive a trophy that they can place in their private or guild house.
In Monster Hunter World there is currently the event quest “Apple of My Eye,” with which you can unlock a new armor piece: the Shadow Sunglasses. How to get the stylish sunglasses and what their status values are, you will find out here.
A new rotation of event quests has begun in Monster Hunter World, with time-limited tasks returning. For the quest “Apple of My Eye,” you can unlock a new armor piece that adorns your hunter with stylish sunglasses. The sunglasses have their own status values and a skill.
“Apple of My Eye” unlocks the Shadow Sunglasses
From now on, you can take on the 6-star event quest “Apple of My Eye,” for which you…
Hunting a monster means that it doesn’t matter whether you capture or kill the beast.
“Black Crystal Ticket” needed as crafting material
For successfully completing the quest, you will receive as a reward among other things the “Black Crystal Ticket.” With that, you will need to go to the forge, and the option to craft the sunglasses will appear. How many tickets you receive for the mission is random.
These base values are possessed by the Shadow Sunglasses:
Rarity: 5
Defense: 46
Slots: 1 x 3
Against Fire: 4
Against Water: 0
Against Thunder: 4
Against Ice: 2
Against Dragon: 0
Skills: Stun Resistance 1 (Reduces stun duration by 30%)
The Tzitzi-Ya-Ku at a glance
Monster type: Bird Wyvern
Element: None
Weakness: Thunder and Ice
Description: Tzitzi-Ya-Ku uses strong hind legs for attack and delivers powerful kicks. The fans on its head can create a blinding flash. Anyone who sees the flash will become dizzy for a while and unable to move.
Combat tip: If you attack the fans on its head, you limit the range of the flash. The head of the creature is breakable.
