WoW Classic sparks many discussions. But how do you want your “Vanilla” WoW?
At BlizzCon 2017, the long-awaited “World of Warcraft: Classic” was officially announced. It will likely take many months before the MMORPG is released in its original form. One reason is that the developers want to gather feedback from the community before implementing the plan.
In the past days, we have repeatedly reported that the topic of “Classic WoW” is being passionately discussed in the forums – sometimes even with harsh insults.
World of Warcraft had a lot of bugs and errors in its classic version. This ranges from enemies that were mysteriously “pulled through walls” to the popular “Wall-Walking,” which allowed players to climb nearly any wall in the game and access otherwise unreachable places.
Should WoW: Classic have current comfort features? Discussions are not only about things like dungeon finders but also more trivial matters. In classic WoW, players couldn’t set raid markers! With bosses having up to 8 adds, it was always a huge effort to assign each player their target.
The balancing in Classic was quite dreadful back then. Especially hybrid classes like the Druid often had no proper role in raids, aside from “when called upon, you give the Priest mana.” Certain classes were even forced into specific specializations due to the T-set bonuses.
That’s why we are now asking you: How do you want “WoW Classic”? Should the game be exactly as it was back then, with all its bugs and quirks? Or should there be balance patches to make “useless” builds more viable?
(You can only select one answer.)
Do you have other suggestions than those in the survey? Then leave a comment and explain what your personal “WoW: Classic” should look like!
For EA Dice and their criticized offspring Star Wars Battlefront 2, executive producer John Wasilczyk, associate design director Dennis Brannvall, and producer Paul Keslin faced the “Ask me Anything” on Reddit yesterday. The outcome is a good example of how not to do it.
While hundreds of questions were asked, only about 30 were answered – and not always thoroughly, but rather vaguely and disappointingly for the questioner. Many downvotes and sarcastic comments reflect this on one hand, but on the other hand, they also show how entrenched many Reddit users are in their antipathy.
The developers’ responses often follow a pattern: Listen to the complaints, evaluate them, and improve deficiencies if necessary. However, no specifics can be said yet. This type of response is not very satisfying and did not necessitate an AMA in this form.
The Lootbox Problem
When it comes to the now definitely discredited loot boxes, the developers show understanding. However, there are no new insights. In response to the remark that loot boxes should generally be removed, that Battlefront 2 currently feels more like a free mobile game than a AAA title, and that microtransactions are neither fair nor desirable, Brannvall responded briefly:
“I believe that loot boxes are a fun addition. As long as players do not feel that they are essential for game progress, it’s fine. I think that is currently the problem for us. We will change it as soon as possible. We are looking into whether we can find other ways for you to upgrade your favorite hero or class. Without dropping the loot boxes because some players enjoy them.”
Questions about the cosmetic content in loot boxes and whether one will find such in Battlefront 2 unfortunately remained unanswered.
The Eternal Path to Completing the Game…
Of course, it was also asked whether the developers are aware that the average player would need about six years to “complete” the game as it stands now. For many, 4,500 hours of grinding is simply too much. It was rightly pointed out that these values are based only on the initial estimates and figures. EA will indeed conduct evaluations once a larger mass of players is involved.
Ultimately, however, they again defer to later and state that the developers will stay on top of it and evaluate. In the end, a solution that is satisfactory for as many players as possible should be achieved. For the individual player – whether casual or professional – nothing should appear unreachable.
An answer to the question of how long it should actually take according to the developers’ estimates, without spending money, remains absent.
Developers Ask for Patience
Most answers remain vague. A lot is promised, but to what extent everything will be implemented remains to be seen. Much is, according to Brannvall, “on the list of things we look at daily and therefore constantly on our radar. Stay tuned!”
Ultimately, the AMA fell short of expectations. Most aspects had already been discussed in advance, and new insights remain owed to us by the developers. Accordingly, the responsible parties also appeared regretful at the end of the “Ask me Anything”. After the polite “thank you,” they leave us with a friendly greeting fittingly from the Star Wars universe and the promise that further changes and corresponding announcements will follow.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
However, it is inexplicable: Why does the Guardian never speak to Zavala, Cayde-6, and Co.? Why does the Ghost always take over the talking? Why does the Guardian never talk to his Ghost?
Many players believe that this mute Guardian, who apparently has no opinion of his own, rather harms immersion. The relationship between Guardian and Ghost does not come out at all. Bungie is accused of leaving many opportunities to give the game more “depth”.
And as the Osiris cinematic now shows, amusing conversations between Ghost and Guardian during all missions and activities in Destiny 2 would indeed have been possible. Dialogues that would have given them more character, more personality.
Currently, numerous users are writing on reddit that after this cinematic, it now really annoys them that the Guardian in Destiny 2 doesn’t speak up.
Who knows, maybe our Guardians will talk again one day. Would you welcome that? Or do you think it’s better if the Guardians remain silent characters?
By the way: In Destiny 1, Guardians rarely spoke, like in this cinematic:
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This cinematic about Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris shows how cool the relationship between Guardian and Ghost can be.
As part of the first livestream for Curse of Osiris, Bungie presented a new cinematic video. Already in the reveal trailer for the first DLC, excerpts from it were shown, now the complete cinematic is known.
We embed it here:
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In this cinematic, you start by seeing a fireteam seemingly fighting against the Vex in the Glass Chamber. After a few seconds, the Guardians and the enemies “freeze” – they are trapped in time.
Now Osiris appears together with his Ghost “Sagira” through a portal. As Bungie explained after the cinematic, they are not actually in the Glass Chamber but in the Infinite Forest. This is a place inside Mercury where the Vex simulate different realities.
Osiris is searching for something, using three strange dice to open the portals. Then followed action-packed battle scenes. In the end, Osiris sees a mysterious red light above him, which contains a bright, white light. This probably means nothing good, as heroically he throws Sagira through a portal and stays behind to hold off the Vex. However, Sagira gets shot, lands on Mercury, and “dies” (or maybe not).
For the first time, a Guardian communicates with his Ghost
Throughout the entire cinematic, Osiris talks with Sagira, his female, apparently very talkative Ghost, who likes to share her opinion. Both of them chat – especially Sagira – casually with each other, which is both amusing and shows the close relationship between Osiris and Sagira. By the way, it is the first time we hear another Ghost speaking in Destiny 2.
An example: When Osiris tries to arrange the three dice correctly and curses under his breath, Sagira cheekily asks, “Do you need help … again?” And when Osiris succeeds on his own, he replies, “I did it, thank you.”.
Many players miss such scenes in Destiny. Because your Guardian does not say a single word in Destiny 2. One might argue that this increases immersion, as it would be strange for the Guardian to constantly say things one wouldn’t say oneself.
However, it is inexplicable: Why does the Guardian never speak to Zavala, Cayde-6, and Co.? Why does the Ghost always take over the talking? Why does the Guardian never talk to his Ghost?
Many players believe that this mute Guardian, who apparently has no opinion of his own, rather harms immersion. The relationship between Guardian and Ghost does not come out at all. Bungie is accused of leaving many opportunities to give the game more “depth”.
And as the Osiris cinematic now shows, amusing conversations between Ghost and Guardian during all missions and activities in Destiny 2 would indeed have been possible. Dialogues that would have given them more character, more personality.
Currently, numerous users are writing on reddit that after this cinematic, it now really annoys them that the Guardian in Destiny 2 doesn’t speak up.
Who knows, maybe our Guardians will talk again one day. Would you welcome that? Or do you think it’s better if the Guardians remain silent characters?
By the way: In Destiny 1, Guardians rarely spoke, like in this cinematic:
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The trainers are eagerly waiting for the Thanksgiving event 2017 in Pokémon GO. When is it coming? What can we expect, and what do you wish for?
Events in Pokémon GO are a welcome change for trainers. Often, there are special bonuses during events that help players. These can be additional experience points, increased egg rewards, or other useful prizes.
Currently, everyone is waiting for the Thanksgiving event announcement for Pokémon GO. What are you hoping for from this event?
Thanksgiving 2017 – Start?
Last year, there was a special event for Thanksgiving in Pokémon GO. For this reason, trainers are also expecting a celebration in the game this year. But when will it start?
This year, Thanksgiving is celebrated in the USA on November 23. The Thanksgiving event 2016 started in Pokémon GO on November 23 and lasted a week. We expect that the event will also start around the same time this year (likely around November 23). However, there has not yet been any official confirmation from Niantic.
What bonuses do you wish for?
There is plenty of choice for possible rewards in Pokémon GO. Previous events have included:
Double experience points for all actions in the game
Double the amount of stardust for catching Pokémon or hatching eggs
Special 2km eggs with unique Pokémon like Chansey, Larvitar, and so on
Discount packages in the shop
Increased chance of encountering a specific type of Pokémon
Double candy
Last year, there were double experience points for Thanksgiving (quadruple with a lucky egg) and double the amount of stardust for completing in-game actions. Do you think we can expect the same this year?
In our survey, we want to know from you which bonus would make you happiest.
Funcom’s barbarian survival game Conan Exiles has primarily been about the harsh struggle for survival in the wasteland. However, according to the developers, there will soon be a story featuring even the chief barbarian, Conan himself.
The survival MMO Conan Exiles recently received update 31 on PC. This brought a fix for the latest dupe exploit, new repair tools, new building pieces, and finally the ability to equip your slaves individually through an inventory. Additionally, some of the official servers had to be completely or partially wiped to correct the damage from the dupe exploit.
Furthermore, an update is also coming soon for the Xbox One version of the game to align the console’s features with those of the PC.
But even more exciting is that a story for the barbarian game is currently in development!
Meet Conan in his own game!
Joel Bylos, the creative director of Conan Exiles, is personally working with his team on a story! He wants to come up with something truly “Conan-esque” for the structure and plot of the narrative. Therefore, you can expect an epic story that takes you through the deadly wasteland.
Additionally, according to Bylos, you might even encounter Conan himself on your journey. This would be absolutely fitting, as the grim barbarian saved you from death on the cross at the beginning of the game and then left you alone in the wasteland. It will be exciting to see how the barbarian reacts when he meets you again later.
A new biome, new armor, and improved animals coming soon
In a newsletter, the developers mentioned further planned innovations for Conan Exiles:
They are currently working on a new biome with a volcano
The behavior of animals and monsters in the wasteland is set to be improved. The game should feel more realistic and natural.
The new “Hyrkanian Armor Set” will soon make its way into the game.
Vivian is the latest champion in Paladins and belongs to the Damage class. She has special sensor drones that allow her to see through walls. Additionally, she has a few hunter drones that assist Vivian in shooting.
Vivian is also known as the cunning one and is quite clever. She uses modern technologies that support her in battle. Vivian possesses sophisticated drones that can protect her and give her better visibility on the map.
Moreover, Vivian projects a shield through which she can fire herself, while the opponents’ bullets bounce off the shield. Perfect for winning duels.
Vivian’s Skills: Her abilities give her substantial firepower
Vivian has 2300 HP and fights with a machine gun. Here are her skills:
Light Machine Gun
Fires every 0.14s a shot that deals 200 damage. Efficient up to medium range. While firing, you move 50% slower.
Precision Sight
Aim your rifle to shoot more accurately. You move 50% slower, but firing the weapon does not slow you down further.
Deflector Shield
Project a shield that absorbs 1800 damage from the front for 6s. You can fire while the shield is active.
Sensor Drone
Throw a sensor that reveals enemies in a large circular area.
Reinforcements
Call for reinforcements from two hunter drones that fire energy orbs while you fire your rifle. Each hunter drone fires once per second, dealing 250 damage. The hunter drones persist until they are destroyed or you are killed.
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Vivian is now available with patch OB63 on PC. On PS4 and Xbox One, updates usually follow 1-2 weeks later. Vivian is the 14th new champ in Paladins this year.
You can find the complete patch notes for OB65 in our source reference.
In Destiny 2, Bungie shows new gear from Curse of Osiris. The “Dark Future” is also visible.
Yesterday, on 15.11., the first livestream for Curse of Osiris aired. Bungie talked about the new story of this expansion revolving around Osiris, the Vex, and Mercury.
Meanwhile, they showcased a variety of images for the first DLC. In this article, we summarize all the new pictures shown during the livestream.
New Gear, Osiris and the Dark Future
During the stream, Community Manager DeeJ grabbed a controller and ran with two other Guardians through the Lighthouse and the Patrol Zone on Mercury. He showcased new gear that the Guardians wore and that you can obtain in Curse of Osiris.
Here is the Warlock gear:
The Hunter gear:
The Titan gear, which also features a new hand cannon utilizing Vex technology:
In this Imgur gallery, you can see the gear from different perspectives. Click through:
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From the first-person perspective, it looks like this on Mercury: Now comes two interesting concept images. These show the “Dark Future”. These images illustrate how Mercury transforms when the Vex take everything. In the Dark Future, the sun is “dead” and the entire Mercury is bathed in the red glow of Vex eyes: The tower in the upper image is, by the way, the destroyed Lighthouse. Here is a close-up in the destroyed Lighthouse:
In the livestream, brief scenes from the Everforest were shown. This is a Vex area inside Mercury where present, past, and future blur. From there, one can travel to a beautiful past, an alternative version of the present, or a terrible future (Dark Future). Here is a picture of the entrance to the Everforest:
Here we are in the Everforest. Through the pillars, one can travel through different times: Concept art for the Everforest:
You still have iOS devices with an old operating system? Then you should update it for Pokémon GO now.
In a few days, the mobile game “Pokémon GO” will separate from devices with older operating systems. This primarily affects Apple users. They will be forced to use a newer operating system to continue catching monsters in Pokémon GO and spinning PokéStops.
Pokémon GO iOS 8 support ended
On the official Pokémon GO website, the team announces that support for the outdated iOS 8 will soon be terminated. Devices running this operating system will no longer be able to start or access Pokémon GO after 20.11.2017.
If you are using this operating system, you should at least update to iOS version 9 to continue playing Pokémon GO.
The developers explain that this action allows them to optimize their development process. Additionally, the freed resources will be used to develop new technologies.
The vast majority of Apple users have already transitioned to iOS 9 and higher. As players of older operating systems move to newer ones, we regularly update our requirements for supported devices so that we can focus on the devices our players are using.
Android support and iOS 9+ continues
Trainers using Android devices or Apple devices with iOS version 9 or higher are not affected by these changes. You can continue playing as usual. For Android, the minimum version is 4.4.
Are you unsure which iOS version you are currently using? On your Apple device, select “Settings”, then “General”, and then “About”. Next to “Version”, you will find the installed operating system.
How do I update my iOS device?
To update your device, go back to Settings and select “General”. In the list, choose “Software Update”. Your device will then check if updates are available or if the software is already up to date.
Source: Support.Apple.com
If an update is available, you can start the download and installation there. For further help on updating Apple devices, visit the Apple support website. iOS update instructions on support.apple.com
Fans of World of Warcraft are worried. Why is outdated technology being used again in Battle for Azeroth?
The anticipation for Battle for Azeroth is high among most fans of World of Warcraft. However, after the initial hype surrounding the cinematic and the announced features has somewhat faded, doubts about the story and logic of the plot are starting to arise.
One particular criticism keeps coming up: the vanished technology.
In Patch 7.3 Return to Argus, the Lightforged Draenei possess a functioning spaceship called Vindikaar and even control powerful combat machines known as warframes.
It seems strange that the Alliance in the cinematic trailer now has to rely on trebuchets and night elf archers again.
Sure – this fits much better with the times of Warcraft 3, when technology was almost exclusively from goblins, gnomes, and dwarves. But it does seem out of place for the factions to fall back from “pew pew laser ships” to “foot soldiers and catapults.”
WoW – From Spaceships to Sticks
It is quite possible that Blizzard will reveal in Patch 7.3.5 or at the start of Battle for Azeroth why this technology has disappeared. However, that would not explain why both Horde and Alliance completely forgo their flying units. Especially Sylvanas’ plague bombers or the Alliance’s gyrocopters could have made a significant difference in such a siege.
Perhaps Blizzard will provide enough answers to these questions. Or the developers will simply let the technology “fall under the table” and focus more on the medieval-influenced fantasy elements.
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In any case, fans are waiting for meaningful explanations and hope that these will be delivered in the upcoming patches.
What do you think of this sudden loss of technology? Despite the illogic, is it a good decision? Or do you believe that Blizzard surely has a response prepared for it?
The Paolumu is probably the fluffiest creature wandering in Monster Hunter World – and you can even craft armor from the fluff! Capcom spoke about how the furry bat balloon was created and what hunters need to pay attention to in combat against it.
In Monster Hunter World, you dive into a fantastic universe filled with the strangest creatures.
Many of them resemble prehistoric creatures with long claws, scales, and fangs. There are also giant chameleons that spray various poisons based on their diet.
And then there’s this weird bat fluff: The Paolumu.
The Paolumu is a weaker monster – but has exciting tricks up its sleeve
In an interview with Gameinformer the developers at Capcom revealed how the Paolumu was created. The studio wanted to create a monster for the Coral Highlands that belongs to the medium food chain.
The Paolumu is not the strongest monster. The bat fluff, however, has tricky tricks that a knowledgeable monster hunter should be aware of.
The mechanics of the bat hybrid are laid out like the Coral Highlands on slopes. Warm winds glide upwards on the map, on which the Paolumu rides with its inflatable collar and wings.
Director Kaname Fujioka, about the design of the Paolumu: “We thought that the aspect of inflating was really exciting, as we have never had monsters with body parts that could inflate. We were inspired by animals like squirrels and their cheek pouches.
We thought this furry concept would be interesting for a monster. After seeing and working out all the various designs, we decided to follow the concept of the furry, inflatable cheek pouch.”
Who would have thought that such a little guy would become the template for a bat fluff in an action RPG:
The Paolumu attacks with its beaver tail and air bursts
Most creatures in Monster Hunter World are a colorful mix of animals from our world – this also applies to the Paolumu. In addition to the traits of a squirrel, further animals can be recognized. The head of the Paolumu resembles a bat and the tail is like that of a beaver, while the legs could belong to an ostrich.
The inflatable pouch on the neck gives the animal its fluffy and goofy appearance.
This is how the Paolumu uses all its characteristics for combat:
The Paolumu uses its air-filled pouch to move easily in the warm updrafts. This gives it the ability to easily dodge the hunters’ attacks.
The pouch can also be used for defense like a shield
The Paolumu can shoot air with force out of the pouch and blow opponents away with air bursts.
The beaver tail can be used for two types of attacks:
The tail is rolled up and used for a precise strike – Like a fist strike
The Paolumu attacks with the entire surface of its tail – Like a slap
Hunters could have looked like mascots from a Palico amusement park!
When the creatures in Monster Hunter World are done designed, the design of the armor follows. Hunters craft new weapons and equipment from the body parts of the monsters.
Director Kaname Fujioka, about the design of the armors: “When we have completed the complete design of a monster, the next step is the design of the armor that hunters can craft from the monsters.
The most obvious part to start with seemed to us the fur, as you would be able to cut the fur from this creature. At first, we thought about the guards at Buckingham Palace with their fur hats. That was almost too cool, and then we realized that we could create pretty cool armors from the Paolumu.
The Paolumu generally has a funny silhouette, so we wanted to incorporate the funny aspect into the armor design as well.”
The developer admitted that they had exaggerated a bit with the first concept of the Paolumu armor. The first variant looked like they had stuffed the hunters into a costume for a Palico amusement park.
Ultimately, the developers decided on armor that focuses on the white fur and fluffiness of the Paolumu – without making the armor look ridiculous.
It is so … FLUFFY! – I love the Paolumu
Leya says: The Paolumu catapulted into my heart at first sight. When I first saw the fluffy bat in a trailer, I could hardly wait to face it.
I particularly like that the Paolumu has an extremely creative design, looks unusual, and seems somewhat real. If there were an environment like the Coral Highlands in our world, I could easily imagine that such a creature could exist – with inflatable cheeks for floating.
The entire design of the creature harmonizes with the nature in which it grew up, and its attacks and lifestyle seem logical. The Paolumu would be the first creature I would show someone to explain the intelligence of the design of Monster Hunter World.
Furthermore, the Paolumu is just really damn cute, and I would love to see the exaggerated armor that resembles a Palico amusement park.
The Paolumu and the Coral Highlands made their first appearance in this trailer:
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Now we know what the raid content for “Destiny 2”: Curse of Osiris will look like and what other raid activities we can expect in the coming months. The community is divided on what to think about it.
When “Curse of Osiris” was officially revealed, Bungie and Activision talked about a new raid content, a new raid activity that this expansion will introduce.
The guardians speculated diligently about what the term “raid content” could mean. It probably won’t be an entirely new raid, otherwise the officials would be talking about “new raid”. Maybe it refers to additional content in the Leviathan raid or possibly an arena mode similar to the Prison of Elders?
Now Bungie has lifted the curtain and explained what is meant by raid content: Curse of Osiris introduces a “raid lair”.
Leviathan raid
What is a Raid Lair in Destiny 2?
“Raid Lair” can be roughly translated as “raid cave” and means that the existing raid will be expanded. The Leviathan raid will be enhanced with new content in Curse of Osiris.
The new raid area is called “Leviathan, Eater of Worlds” and takes place beneath the previous raid encounters. It goes into the “belly” of the Leviathan. After all, this gigantic ship is a “world eater” and therefore offers an incredible amount of space for further challenges.
The raid lair will be shorter than the current raid. While it offers new activities and new locations with unique encounters, puzzles, and a new final boss, the new raid content will not be as extensive as the current Leviathan raid. However, there are said to be many opportunities to die. It is said to be more challenging than the current raid.
As a reward, there will be new loot in the form of weapons, armor pieces, and cosmetic items.
The entrance to the new raid lair is located in the area where you also start the normal Leviathan raid. Behind this gate, it goes down into “Leviathan, Eater of Worlds”: This is what it looks like behind the gate – no more footage has been shown:
More info about the raid lair in Destiny 2:
The recommended power level is 300 (normal mode).
There will be a prestige mode.
The raid lair will be played in a fireteam of up to 6 players.
The raid lair will not be available immediately at the launch of Curse of Osiris on December 5. It will be unlocked shortly after.
The second expansion also brings a new raid lair
In the navigator, this will be the new raid overview:
The activity in the middle, marked with a Calus head, is the standard Leviathan raid. This can still be played in Curse of Osiris. The recommended power level will be increased to 300.
To the left is a symbol with which you can start the raid lair from Curse of Osiris. By the way, it is not necessary to complete the “normal” Leviathan raid in order to play the lair.
It is noticeable that there is still a grayed-out symbol on the right side. Bungie confirmed that this is a second raid lair that will be introduced with the second expansion in spring 2018.
This suggests that the second expansion will also not bring a new, standalone raid, but will simply further expand the Leviathan raid.
When this was announced in the livestream, numerous guardians immediately expressed their disappointment in the chat. This would mean that throughout Year 1 of Destiny 2, there would be no new raid. Many wrote that they regret buying the season pass. People want completely new raid experiences – after all, these are the highlight of Destiny for many. And the raid lairs sound like they cannot replace the player experience of a completely new and extensive raid.
After the initial frustration comments, counterarguments also began to appear in the Reddit forum. This content plan for the raids is brilliant and very exciting, writes a user and receives thousands of upvotes for it. He believes that the Leviathan would have been a huge waste if they didn’t expand the existing raid. There are so many doors and so much space in this ship that he is glad to see more than just a few rooms in the palace on the ship.
Another user emphasizes that the Crota raid from the first DLC of Destiny 1 wasn’t fundamentally larger than what the raid lair is now described to be. Crota also had only a few phases and a boss at the end. With this, he wants to refute the arguments that even Destiny 1 had more raid content.
We will see how extensive the raid lair from Curse of Osiris will ultimately be. What do you think of the plan to expand the Leviathan raid twice?
The situation regarding loot boxes in Overwatch and Star Wars Battlefront 2 has now prompted the Belgian authorities to take action.
The Gaming Commission in Belgium, led by Director General Peter Naessens, is investigating whether the purchase of loot boxes constitutes gambling. After all, you don’t know what’s in the box that you buy.
This is especially problematic when a game targets children and adolescents in its marketing – and that is exactly what Overwatch and Star Wars Battlefront 2 do.
Loot boxes are said to be harmful to children
Peter Naessens believes that such loot boxes have a harmful effect on children and adolescents because they exert a certain social pressure to feel the need to buy them in order to keep up in the game. Should it turn out that loot boxes are to be regarded as gambling, then a license for game developers and publishers will be necessary to distribute the games in Belgium.
Moreover, it is quite possible that fines could be imposed that can amount to several hundred thousand euros. Similarly, the games could be removed from circulation. If loot boxes are thus considered gambling in Belgium, this could set a precedent that affects all publishers and developers who would need to reconsider the loot box mechanics in the future.
Overwatch more affected than Star Wars Battlefront 2
Overwatch would be even more affected than Star Wars Battlefront 2 because Blizzard’s online shooter has been on the market significantly longer, and any potential fine for Blizzard could therefore be higher than for EA. In China, this has already had repercussions, as loot boxes there are classified as gambling.
There, a loophole had to be found. In China, you no longer purchase loot boxes directly in games; instead, you receive them as a “gift” when purchasing in-game currency.
When a decision will be made regarding loot boxes in Belgium is currently still undecided.
The controversially discussed Western MMO Wild West Online launches today in Early Access. The developers confidently call their game “Multiplayer Red Dead.” However, many players are skeptical whether the game can live up to all the promises.
The Western MMO Wild West Online is often compared to the upcoming game Red Dead Redemption II – especially by the developers themselves. Both games have the Wild West as a backdrop and are supposed to offer multiplayer modes. However, details about the multiplayer mode of Red Dead II are still unclear.
Wild West Online will definitely be a survival MMO and therefore confidently refers to itself as “Multiplayer Red Dead” in press releases.
Early Access is supposed to bring more content – players are skeptical
Wild West Online is thus seeking closeness to the legendary Red Dead series from Rockstar. However, not everything is going smoothly with Wild West Online. The last planned alpha was canceled because, according to player feedback, too much content was still missing.
On November 15, 2017, the Early Access version started. It is supposed to contain the long-awaited content. Wild West Online has recently been criticized sharply for having too little content.
The EA version is now supposed to include the following features:
100 quests
20 weapons
Two public events, “Artifact Hunt” & “Golden Road”
Valve is trying to establish a new matchmaking system for CS:GO through Steam. And this takes data from the entire Steam account of the player.
Valve is taking new approaches with its platform Steam when it comes to matchmaking in games. The starting signal is now given for Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). Previously, there was already “Prime Matchmaking” – those who linked their account with their phone number were assigned “more appropriate” matches. Usually, other members from Prime Matchmaking, as phone numbers could only be assigned to one account once.
Now a new step is being taken and the “Trust” system is being introduced. Here, many other factors are taken into account to improve player matchmaking. Valve not only accesses the player’s rank in CS:GO but also their total playtime.
But even more! Valve also checks the entire Steam profile and verifies whether the corresponding player has generally been a “positive member of the community”. This probably means that sanctions in other games will also have an impact on the Trust rating in CS:GO.
The basic idea behind this matchmaking is not just a balanced match but also to bring players with the same mindset together. Positive players, who do not stand out due to insults and the like, will primarily meet other positive community members.
However, there are also some concerns about the system. Players who received a sanction back in 2009 are concerned that this could still have an impact on their matchmaking. Since Valve does not provide precise information on what data is collected, most players can only guess what constitutes their Trust rating. Apart from that, one cannot view their Trust rating anyway; it is simply an invisible value in the background.
In summary, the system is therefore opaque but also more protected against targeted manipulation.
Cortyn says: My first thought was: Cool! Those who behave like idiots in Dead by Daylight will also be matched with similarly minded players in CS:GO! But since the exact details are unknown, the system has a bitter aftertaste. Generally, I could also imagine such a system for Battle.net. Blizzard, I hope you’re taking notes!
What do you think about the Trust system in CS:GO? A good idea to get a better impression of players and match them with “suitable people”? Or do you think it’s going too far?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Destiny 2, gameplay material for the first story mission of Curse of Osiris has surfaced. Additionally, there are some new details regarding the 1st DLC.
Last week, a handful of YouTubers were invited to Seattle to take an in-depth look at the first expansion “Curse of Osiris” with Bungie employees. They were able to record gameplay footage, which was allowed to be released after the first livestream of Destiny 2 Curse of Osiris.
One of these YouTubers is Arekkz Gaming, who not only shows a video of the first story mission of the DLC but also has some exciting information to share. We embed the video here and summarize the details.
Warning: Heavy spoilers ahead!
Here you see 10 minutes of gameplay from the first story mission:
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The video lacks cutscenes at both the beginning and the end of the story mission. You will only see these when Curse of Osiris is released.
In the first cutscene, it is about us trying to revive Sagira, Osiris’ Ghost. In the mission, we then arrive on Mercury, where we need to find and open the entrance to the Lighthouse. You fight against the Vex – also against the Vex variant that previously existed only in the Vault of Glass.
The goal of the mission is to bring Sagira to Brother Vance in the Lighthouse. Once this is done, he tells us that there is a hidden Osiris Temple on Earth, where we are supposed to take Sagira. Guardians will likely head there in the next story mission.
More information from Arekkz:
There are expected to be 7 story missions in Curse of Osiris.
Throughout the entire campaign, you will visit many “cool areas”. Things will happen that can be expected, but also things that are completely unexpected.
Few players, an irritated community, poor reviews on Steam, and many negative comments on various internet sites – this can make a developer lose their good mood. The launch of the Russian language version a few weeks ago also didn’t go well. On the large Russian community site goha.ru, players do not speak particularly positively about the MMO.
Is the community made up of trolls?
In the official SotA forum, strict moderation is enforced. Here, the game is intended to be presented as positively as possible, making the forum a sort of beacon in the dark, evil night of negativity. However, there is still some criticism from time to time. One thread made fun of the strict moderation. The thread is titled “We are the Avatars”. In SotA, players are referred to as Avatars in the world.
Starr Long, producer of the game, responded to the thread and stated that the title was incorrect. It should be “We are the Trolls”. Whether this was meant as a joke is unclear, as there is no smiley in the post.
This did not sit well with many. Some took it as a joke, while others were perplexed that a developer would stoop to such a remark and essentially (since there was no smiley) insult the community.
A survey on satisfaction
Meanwhile, a survey about the game is currently taking place, conducted by publisher Travian Games in collaboration with developer Portalarium. This survey focuses on player satisfaction with SotA. It revolves around quests, the story, dialogue, and combat. Anyone can participate in the survey. However, will player satisfaction still be positive now, after the statement that community members are trolls…?
Do you want to know why so many are criticizing Shroud of the Avatar and why there is so much criticism? We explain the situation to you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The World of Warcraft has turned one year older again. This time, there are special world bosses and a cool new pair of glasses!
In Azeroth, there is a special event again, as Blizzard’s MMORPG World of Warcraft has turned one year older once more. However, instead of just sending a small item in the game, there are several special challenges that the heroes can face. We provide you with a quick overview.
From November 16, 2017, to the early morning of November 30, 2017, World of Warcraft officially celebrates its 13th birthday.
As in the previous year, during this time, there will be a handful of items available for Timeworn Badges. The items from last year (like the corgi pet, an “Inflatable Thunderfury Dummy” or the “Edwin VanCleef Costume”) will be complemented this year by the Bronze-tinted Sunglasses (see title image), which no collector should miss.
As a priest Thunderfury on your back? For a few days, it’s finally no longer a dream!
A Celebration for Transmog Collectors thanks to “new old” World Bosses
New in 2017 with the 13th WoW Anniversary is a quest that you can take from Historian Llore in Stormwind (coordinates: 85, 25) or Historian Ju’pa in Orgrimmar (coordinates: 35, 75). The quest “The Originals” requires players to defeat three world bosses that were present in the classic World of Warcraft.
You heard that right: For the duration of the event, the ancient world bosses are available again!
Lord Kazzak in the Blasted Lands
Azuregos in Azshara
The Nightmare Dragons in Feralas, Duskwood, Hinterlands, and Ashenvale
These bosses drop equipment with an item level of 900 and also leave behind some special items that are no longer available otherwise. If you want to spruce up your wardrobe, you should definitely visit all these bosses.
The completion of the quest is rewarded with some Timeworn Badges, which can also be exchanged for the aforementioned rewards.
What do you think of this birthday event? A cool preview of “Classic” WoW? Or not your thing at all?
The discussions in the forums surrounding WoW Classic are tense. Blizzard is considering drastic measures.
Since the announcement of WoW Classic, that is, special servers where World of Warcraft runs only in its original version until shortly before “The Burning Crusade”, there has been much discussion. The fans’ opinions on what such a Classic server should look like are widely divergent.
A large part of the players believes that nothing should be changed about Classic – that is, no adjustments to the classes and all the errors and bugs from back then would simply be part of the game.
However, these players were not good at articulating their opinions objectively. Numerous insults and hostilities can be found in the relevant forum posts.
Classic fans are cutting themselves
In the end, Community Manager Ornyx had enough. As the discussions continued to escalate and the comments became more personal insults and less about objective debate, Ornyx pulled the emergency brake. The thread was closed and an indirect warning was issued:
“We are seeing a significant increase in necessary forum moderation and sanctions for insults and toxicity from players participating in the forum without an active subscription. (…) If it is the best decision for our community, I am not averse to flipping the switch back and making this forum available only for subscribers.”
Ornyx emphasizes that he knows that many Classic fans may not be playing “Legion” at the moment, but since a large part of the inappropriate posts came from “non-subscribers”, he felt forced to take this step – the burden of forum moderation and account penalties became too great.
Classic is definitely a passionate topic that is being debated heatedly. But here, many players probably did not see the boundaries and have now cut themselves. Because if they do not behave and are excluded from the discussion, “Classic” could indeed become what they did not want.
Tonight there will be the first live stream about the future of Destiny 2 and the DLC “Curse of Osiris” on Twitch. We will be live-ticking in German.
Curse of Osiris is the first DLC for Destiny 2 and is expected to release simultaneously for PS4, Xbox One and PC on December 5th. Likely in the evening around the Weekly Reset, which Bungie is moving from morning to evening. December 5th is Tuesday in three weeks.
Until that time, there will be a live stream from Bungie about Curse of Osiris every Wednesday. But: Next week, the live stream will already be on Tuesday. Bungie wants to avoid Thanksgiving on November 23rd, when Americans traditionally eat turkey. For whatever reason?
Today marks the beginning of the trilogy of live streams for Destiny 2 with “New Ways to play”.
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19:45: It is mid-November. It is cold. Thousands have the flu and Destiny 2 has an endgame problem. Great conditions for another live ticker at Mein MMO.
19:57: Just before the stream starts, about 22,000 people are watching – let’s see how high that goes.
20:02: The live stream will probably focus mainly on the new locations of “Curse of Osiris.” The new social space “The Lighthouse.” Soon everyone can go there – in Destiny 1 you had to follow a streamer and successfully beg to get pulled through the Trials. By the way, the viewer count is almost 69,000. That’s quite remarkable.
Live ticker for the 1st Twitch stream “Curse of Osiris”
20:07: Community Manager DeeJ with beanie. Christine Thompson, the lady, is an author, was previously the Chief Writer for Star Trek Online, and for the DLC she is the “Narrative Lead,” something like Story Chief. Dave Matthews has been with Bungie for 8 years and is the Art Director of Curse of Osiris.
20:10: Small cinematic. It seems to, as expected, focus against the Vex and revolves around time travel. The place “The Infinite Forest,” which is the focus, looks quite similar to “The Glass Chamber.” The Vex are searching for something there, and Osiris wants to stop them.
DLC takes place months after Destiny 2 – Vex in focus
20:14: The expansion is meant to be a journey, turning around secrets. It will provide players with background information and delve deeper into the Vex: What do the Vex want, what are their plans? The DLC takes place “some months” after the defeat of Ghaul.
20:16: The idea is that the awakening of the Traveler has triggered a wave of light, which the Vex have been waiting for on Mercury. This sets in motion the events that will lead the player Guardian to Mercury.
20:18: Osiris comes from the Middle East, so he is Arab and is voiced by Oded Fehr, an Israeli actor. Osiris uses Vex technology that he has tailored to himself.
20:20: A significant role is played by Osiris’ ghost Sagira. She is the first ghost that players hear. She has her own personality and opinions: She believes that Guardians take themselves too seriously. Morena Baccarin voices the ghost – we already had an article about that. Team comment: Bungie has a Firefly fetish. They want to collect all the actors. Baccarin played, just like the original voice actors of Cayde-6 and Ikora, in the short-lived sci-fi series Firefly.
20:24: Brother Vance is looking forward to seeing Osiris. It’s like a disciple meeting his prophet. Osiris feels somewhat uncomfortable with the “I have disciples” thing.
20:26: Phew, this will be a PR stream. No signals that there has been any criticism of Destiny 2 so far. Now there’s concept art that has a strong Egyptian influence.
Higher replay value through combinations in the Infinite Forest
20:28: The activities in the Infinite Forest are designed to play out somewhat differently each time. Each time, the activities should consist of a combination of different, handcrafted elements.
20:30: A sort of “nightmare version” of the future – nothing left, except for Vex. The Lighthouse of the present looks more inhabitable and friendly than it did in Destiny 1. The Lighthouse will have secrets to pursue. It will also serve as a central location for accepting or turning in quests.
Power level rises to 330 – 335 with mods with Curse of Osiris in Destiny 2
20:34: First new gameplay info. The Power Level rises to 330 without mods, 335 with mods. Player level rises to 25. Brother Vance will have his own engrams.
20:36: In a side note, DeeJ mentions that Dan Miller – Game Director of Curse of Osiris will come to the stream next week and provide more information. I had thought until now that Chris Barret was the Game Director. He was the one who announced gameplay changes. Hopefully, that doesn’t mean that things will be significantly delayed.
New planet: Mercury
20:39: Light firefights against Cabal on Mercury. There is a new public event on Mercury. It is said to be the largest so far.
20:41: Lost sectors will not be marked on the map until the campaign has been completed. Then everyone will see them on the map as well.
Infinite Forest – the new zone
20:42: Now we are heading into the Infinite Forest. This is the Vex area inside the planet, a place where the present, past, and future blur together. For all the criticism: Destiny 2 looks good already. You can probably leap into a beautiful past, into an alternate version of present Mercury, or a terrible future. It aligns with the current general trend: Past super – future terrible.
Now come the changes: Heroic Strike playlist is coming back
20:46: Oh, surprise. There are indeed changes: The Heroic Strike playlist is returning. The question “What is new raid content?” is answered, and DeeJ is hovering the cursor over Leviathan. Looks like there was something to the rumors.
New raid wing for Leviathan
20:49: There is a new raid wing – it is called “Raid Lair” – Leviathan, Eater of Worlds. A new part of the raid with puzzles, bosses. The old raid will be scaled up to 300 power. The raid wing, the raid lair, will be shorter than a “normal raid” but will have one boss and challenges. As rewards: weapons, armor, and cosmetic items.
20:53: In the 2nd expansion there probably won’t be a “new raid” but another raid wing from the Leviathan raid. Yeah, that’s exactly what we speculated last week: DLCs do not bring new raids, nor do they bring back old ones, but they expand the existing only raid.
20:56: The new raid wing will not open immediately, but a little later than the launch.
20:59: Well, the stream is ending. A few questions were certainly answered – for a DLC it is relatively much that Bungie offers us compared to what was available in 2014. Nevertheless, many critics would probably have wished for different information and a different approach. At the end of the stream, there were over 100,000 people listening.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Marvel Heroes is closing. The action MMO for PC, PS4, and Xbox One no longer has a license from Marvel and must shut down. The game is dead.
In recent weeks, fans of Marvel Heroes have noticed: Something is up. The game has missed four weekly updates, which was otherwise known for its regular patches and events. Nothing came even for Halloween.
Overall, the action brawler has fallen into a crisis. PC players have dropped off since the focus shifted to PS4 and Xbox One. The free-to-play game was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One only in June this year.
Just now, the news from Marvel came via the US site Kotaku, that they are ending the collaboration with Gazillion Entertainment and that Marvel Heroes will be closed. Marvel does not provide reasons.
They thank the community for playing and announce that they will provide further information as soon as it becomes available. Marvel is a subsidiary of Disney.
Problems with the CEO of the company? Fans called for a boycott
We reported two weeks ago on the critical situation at Marvel Heroes. At that time, it was already noticeable that updates were missing, and problems were emerging.
Interestingly, the CEO of the company came under public scrutiny. He had a bad reputation for allegedly behaving inappropriately towards others, particularly women. It was heading towards “sexual harassment.”
These allegations were brought to light by a former high-ranking employee of the game. He stated that many in higher levels of the studio were aware of this but kept it quiet for fear of issues with Marvel. They were afraid they could lose their license.
Some fans had therefore called for Marvel to be informed about the problems. However, it is unclear whether this was truly the trigger for this drastic step. It may also be that strategic considerations are at play or some corporate decision. Perhaps the numbers had simply become too weak.
In any case, the problems seem to have become apparent in recent weeks. Now it is official: The action MMO is no more, yet everything seemed so good just a year ago. Marvel Heroes was considered a success story for a long time under the Diablo father David Brevik.
For fans, there is still a glimmer of hope: The US site Kotaku reportedly received the statement exclusively via email from a Disney official. So far, other sites have not been able to verify the accuracy of the information.
Other sites have since been able to verify the closure.
Update: On December 31, the servers of Marvel Heroes will be closed
Update 16.11.: It is now known when the servers of Marvel Heroes will close: On December 31, 2017, it will happen. Then the servers of Marvel Heroes on PS4, Xbox One, and PC will be closed forever. The possibility to spend money in the game will soon be removed.
Marvel Heroes will be completely free to play during the remaining time. Gazillion will announce when they switch to this “twilight period.”
We will report on the background at MeinMMO as soon as we have more information:
