Halloween is around the corner and many MMORPGs host numerous events for it. But does horror even work in an MMORPG?
The hero cautiously sneaks through the graveyard, mist makes the shadows dance unrealistically in the moonlight. Somewhere an owl hoots. Suddenly, the hero hears a groan: a shuffling figure staggers toward the hero.
The hero draws his sword, preparing for a fight against this spawn of hell, when suddenly a player jumps in wearing a pink pig costume and takes down the zombie with a swing of his pumpkin sword. “There are more around the corner and the boss lurks up ahead, a giant demon!” he shouts as he disappears into the mist.
Horror and MMORPG – it can work
Incorporating horror elements into an MMORPG is not easy, especially if one wants to avoid instances. But especially at Halloween, horror is naturally an element that players love. Therefore, developers need to come up with something different. Horror elements that work in a group and are still fun. Because an MMORPG thrives on the interaction between players. That’s why horror elements, as seen in single-player games, are not easy to implement.
Unless one does it like in The Secret World. There are certainly creepy quests, but they work only because the adventures are designed for instances and smaller groups. In an open world, however, a player can always interfere. Horror events, such as a haunted castle where a group of players dressed as undead fights the heroes, come closer to the concept of an MMORPG.
Scary moments always work
The size of the game world is also important. Where many players gather, no horror atmosphere can arise. But in a place far away in the gigantic world, where hardly anyone comes, even regular scary moments would be possible. An abandoned tower on a cliff. There, where regular players find little because few resources grow or few monsters roam. A Halloween event could take place there. A ghost lures players into a crypt that is usually empty and where a terrifying adventure awaits.
A horror party suddenly crashed by a demon summoning a horde of skeletons would surely provide a fright. Or in the dungeon where only orcs usually lurk, zombies roam during Halloween.
Such things can be well implemented in an MMORPG and also lead to a certain degree of eeriness. Nevertheless, the truly atmospheric horror elements will probably remain exclusive to single-player games and MMOs that rely heavily on instances.
Could you imagine horror in an MMORPG that does not rely on instances?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Halloween in Pokémon GO is already eagerly awaited by many trainers. The code has now revealed spooky music that you can listen to here. There is also a new Pikachu with a (magical) hat.
Soon we will celebrate the Halloween event in Pokémon GO, but we still don’t know exactly what bonuses to expect. A promotion in the App Store has revealed a new variant of Pikachu that is likely to be part of the Halloween event. Additionally, data miners found spooky music in the code that fits the event.
Halloween Event 2017 with Special Pikachu
An advertisement for Pokémon GO recently appeared in the App Store for the Apple Watch, providing new hints about the Halloween event. The image shows the spooky Pokémon Shuppet and Sableye together with Drifloon and Gengar, which are apparently expected for Halloween.
The image also shows a Pikachu wearing a special hat again. These hats are already known from other events when Pichu, Pikachu, and Raichu wore Santa hats or Ash Ketchum’s cap. It seems that a headpiece is also essential for Halloween – this time Pikachu is wearing a wizard hat.
In a recent data mine, experts from TheSilphRoad noted that sounds from the 3rd generation monsters are now present in the game. This means that we are one step closer to a release of these new monsters in Pokémon GO.
A special wallpaper also suggests that there will be new monsters for the Halloween event. Whether we will unlock the entire 3rd Gen for Halloween or just a handful of spooky Gen 3 monsters will find their way into the game is still unclear.
Lavender Music in Pokémon GO
The experts from PokémonGOHub have managed to extract and share the recently found Lavender music from the code. The music is a new version of the well-known Lavender theme that trainers were already able to experience in older Pokémon editions.
This music may appear in the evening hours during the Halloween event.
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It is still unclear when the Halloween event in Pokémon GO will start. We are awaiting official information from Niantic about this event.
Since Halloween takes place on October 31, it is currently assumed that the event will start next week (from October 23). Keep an eye on our Facebook page for Pokémon GO for further information.
In Destiny 2, the Weekly Reset takes place today, on October 17th. What new activities will come, what is the Nightfall strike this week?
This is the second to last Weekly Reset in 2017, which will occur on Tuesdays at 11 AM. Because at the end of October, on October 29th, the clocks will change. In the winter time, the weekly reset will therefore take place at 10 AM – so one hour earlier.
With today’s reset, the first Iron Banner in Destiny 2 comes to an end. Xur will also make his way home and the Trials of the Nine will conclude as well. New activities will come that drop weekly loot, bringing you to the maximum power level, such as the Nightfall strike or the Flashpoint.
Let’s see what the new week brings.
Nightfall strike on October 17th on PS4 and Xbox One
As Nightfall, this week Exodus Crash is up. You will face Fallen.
The modifiers:
Prism: Attacks matching the element deal increased damage. Other elemental damage is reduced. Incoming damage and kinetic damage are not affected. The element changes.
Timewarp: Rings: Pass through Vex time gates to extend the mission timer.
The challenges in the Nightfall strike:
Complete the Nightfall with at least 5 minutes remaining.
Complete the Nightfall with less than 3 deaths.
Defeat 9 Shanks as a fireteam with melee attacks before defeating Thaviks.
Flashpoint, treasure maps, meditations, raid order
The Flashpoint is on Titan. Master public events there.
Cayde-6 has treasure maps for Titan.
Ikora Rey has the missions Six, Wrath, and Heresy as meditations.
The raid order is Circus, Dogs, Baths, Calus.
Next week marks the PC launch of Destiny 2. Here’s everything you need to know in overview:
Final Fantasy XIV brings in the current update “The Legend Returns” a new raid called “The Royal City of Rabanastre”. In it, the stories of Final Fantasy XIV, XII, and Final Fantasy Tactics are intertwined.
Under the title “The Legend Returns”, the update 4.1 for Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood was recently released. The highlight, besides the continuation of the story, is the new raid “The Royal City of Rabanastre”.
The special thing about it: Rabanastre is not located in the FF-14 world of Hydaelyn but in the world of Ivalice. There, the games Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics once took place.
And these two titles play a significant role in the raid and influence the world of FF 14.
Are the heroes from Final Fantasy Tactics returning?
Anyone familiar with Final Fantasy Tactics should immediately notice a few curious events in the new raid “The Royal City of Rabanastre”. It starts with the actors on board the newly arrived airship “The Prima Vista” performing a play called “The Zodiac Brave Story”.
The Zodiac Braves and their story are an important part of the plot of Final Fantasy Tactics. But it gets even crazier: on the ship, you meet the siblings Alma and Ramza bas Lexentale, who are searching for their father Jenomis. Your hero in Final Fantasy Tactics was also named Ramza and had a sister named Alma.
Only the last name was Beoulve. So, are you dealing with the heroes from the other game?
Raid “The Royal City of Rabanastre” features a whole range of bosses from Final Fantasy XII & Tactics
To help the siblings, you continue into the city of Rabanastre, which is already located in Ivalice and belongs to the Kingdom of Dalmasca. There you will encounter the reptilian beings of the Bangaa people known from Final Fantasy XII.
Then the cutscenes are finally over, and the action begins. With 24 players, you will challenge 4 bosses from Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics in the raid:
The first boss is “Mateus the Corrupt”, an ice esper from FF XII
Boss number two is also an esper, this time the earth esper “Hashmal, Bringer of Order”
The third boss is Rofocale, who is inspired by the Lucavi demons. These beings were mentioned in Final Fantasy Tactics but did not appear directly. Rofocale is a repurposing of a concept that was unused back then
As the final boss, fans of Final Fantasy can expect a particularly disgusting boss. This is the foul young noble Argath Thadalfus, one of the most hated villains in the entire series.
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If the known bosses are not enough content from Final Fantasy XII & Tactics for you, you can look forward to more revelations in the final cutscene after the final boss, which we do not want to reveal here. Have fun replaying!
Loot boxes are officially not considered gambling. But is this really a wise decision? Shouldn’t children be protected from this? A petition in the UK is now demanding an answer from the government.
Many games no longer finance themselves through the actual purchase price. This is completely absent in free-to-play games. Games today rely on microtransactions or follow the most popular trend: loot boxes.
For a few euros, players can acquire these virtual boxes, which may contain all sorts of digital gear depending on the game. In some games (like Overwatch), these are just cosmetic items. However, other games offer in-game advantages, such as stronger weapons or better ammo types.
Recent debates around Star Wars Battlefront 2, Shadow of War, and Destiny 2 have recently heated up discussions. Now it reaches a new peak.
No cash prize = no gambling?
USK and ESRB have recently stated that from their perspective, loot boxes are not considered gambling.
The reason for this is that in gambling, there must be a chance of actual cash winnings. This is not the case with loot boxes, which is why gambling laws do not apply.
If loot boxes were considered gambling, they would be taxed much more heavily (which would increase the price) and the games would have to receive age ratings of “18+” or at least disable these mechanics for underage players.
In the UK, a change in legislation is sought
At least in the UK, this decision is not taken lightly. A petition has already been started to the government stating that loot boxes should be considered gambling. The change is primarily desired for the protection of children. Currently, the petition has already gathered 12,000 signatures.
Loot boxes exploit the same addictive factors that are prevalent in gambling. Game developers skillfully target children, teenagers, and “vulnerable” adults. Since loot boxes are essentially “a wager in which one usually receives items of lower value and rarely items of higher value, they are considered gambling.”
Cortyn argues: In my opinion, the mere element of chance cannot be a decisive factor for classification as gambling and thereby as “18+.” Because that would also apply to many other areas of life, such as Magic trading cards or real “loot boxes” or even surprise bags.
Moreover, the “addictive components” are rather difficult to define, since unboxing items always produces feelings of happiness. And it would probably also have to be made punishable to open a Big Mac at McDonald’s.
A purchase ban or at least drastic monthly limits for individuals under 18 would be a good step.
The classification of loot boxes as gambling is something that can be debated for a long time. What do you think? Should loot boxes for money be completely banned or just “18+”? Or is it already acceptable since parents should keep an eye on their children’s actions?
Freddy Krueger is soon to slash his way through Dead by Daylight. The killer from A Nightmare on Elm Street joins the slasher game.
In Dead by Daylight, things can get quite brutal. In this horror game, four survivors face off against a merciless killer who sacrifices their opponents to the mysterious Entity.
However, alongside the killer creations by the developers of Dead by Daylight, such as the Trapper or the Nurse, there are also a few licensed characters. Last year, for Halloween, Michael Myers from the Halloween film series was introduced, and just last month Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was added.
Freddy Krueger hopefully returns to kill teenagers this Halloween
This trend seems to continue, as it appears that the developers at Behaviour Interactive have managed to obtain the license forA Nightmare on Elm Street. At least this little teaser suggests that Freddy Krueger will soon be hunting down survivors. Take a look for yourself:
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In the films, Freddy Krueger kills in various ways, but there is always one condition: The teenage victims must fall asleep. Because Freddy hunts in dreams, and whoever dies there also meets their end in the real world.
This fits perfectly with the story of Dead by Daylight, as the game worlds of the strange Entity are basically nothing more than dreamlike projections of the real world.
Fans firmly believe that Freddy Krueger will join the killers at the end of the month, exactly on Halloween, and shake things up in Dead by Daylight. Speculation about his abilities is currently rampant. Since he doesn’t have a “preferred” method of killing, there’s a lot of room for the developers to create something exciting.
One, two – Freddy’s coming for you. Three, four – lock your door …
There’s a lot to see now: fails, double double kills, and a speed painting in the videos of the week from Destiny 2.
The Guardian community is undoubtedly one of the most creative gaming communities in the world: Every week, countless videos are submitted to the Bungie studios, from which community manager Cozmo selects the best and awards them as the “Videos of the Week.”
All players who participated in the works receive a nice in-game badge as a reward: Usually, three videos land in the “Movie of the Week” section every week. This time, there are only two.
The MOTW title was taken by a fail compilationof Destiny 2 – a compilation of failed actions and bad luck. For example, in this video, the Guardians are crushed by falling objects or accidentally fall into the abyss. Enjoy:
https://youtu.be/OplBaD5qAfw
Additionally, Bungie presents this short clip as an “honorable mention.” In it, you can see a double double kill. Especially in the 4v4 crucible, it’s an achievement that doesn’t happen every day:
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The last video we present to you here, which is also my personal highlight, is not from the Bungie selection, but from our Mein-MMO readership. NFS Vinyls showcases an impressive speed painting, where he gives an NFS car an extremely cool design in the Destiny 2 and Cayde-6 look. It’s definitely worth watching:
https://youtu.be/8IXTC7j9-R4
According to his own statements, he worked three hours on this masterpiece. I wouldn’t be able to do it even in three days.
That’s it for this week’s videos. Which one do you like the best?
Now you’ve watched enough – get active yourself! If you want to show your videos to our readership, upload them to YouTube and send us the link. The best way to reach us is on Facebook at “Destiny 2 Mein MMO.” Just send us a private message there. We’ll take a look at everything you send us. However, we cannot guarantee that the videos will make it into the article.
Paladins (PC, PS4, Xbox One) receives a new update that shakes up the hero shooter. In patch OB61, there is the new champ Terminus and a third-person toggle. Additionally, a rework of the item Wrecker and shields is currently being tested: This could turn the 2-tank meta in Paladins on its head.
The new Paladins patch OB61 is quite significant:
there’s a new tank: Terminus, the Fallen
a third-person toggle is being introduced.
the yield law system is being revised – as a result, bonus attributes for movement speed or damage reduction will change
a testing phase is underway for a strong change to the item Wrecker and consequently the tanks
New champ Terminus comes to life with necromantic energy
Terminus belongs to the frontline and uses necromantic energy to sustain himself. Terminus is stony and belongs to the same people as Inara.
As a main weapon, the tank uses a massive battle axe and is thus the first melee fighter in Paladins. As a secondary weapon, Terminus can shoot a projectile from medium range and enhance it with misery charges. The charges are obtained by Terminus absorbing damage from opponents, thereby siphoning their power.
With his ultimate ability Reanimation, Terminus comes back to life when he dies on the battlefield. Upon resurrection, Terminus generates a wave of energy, necromantic energy, which inflicts devastating damage on enemies.
OB61 Bug Fixes & General Adjustments: Third-Person Toggle is Coming
In update OB61, some sound issues are being fixed, thus the cursed Evie can now be heard better. However, the most impactful adjustment is likely to be the third-person toggle.
Excerpt of bug fixes:
Champions now load with their weapons again
The rarity shimmer has been fixed for cards and cosmetics when drawn from the Radiant Chest
The volume of Cursed Evie, Scream Androxus, and chat notifications has been corrected
Voice lines are no longer played twice
Excerpt of adjustments:
Third-Person Toggle: You can now switch between first-person and third-person view. The toggle only applies to casual rounds and not competitive or eSports. Hi-Rez wants to test the toggle this way and warns that it may be removed or changed.
In the loading screen, Paladins Premier League matches and game mode tips will soon be displayed.
Cooldowns for cards are now displayed in the HUD
Paladins is now also available in third-person
New Skins for Drogoz & Talus – Feudal Chest Brings Asia to Paladins
In patch OB61, there are again new cosmetic items for the heroes of Paladins.
DZ-03 Draco-Drogoz can be unlocked for 20,000 VIP points in the VIP shop.
Oni-Talus can be found (along with Kunoichi-Skye and Ronin-Ash) in the Feudal Chest. The chest costs 100 crystals.
Possible Movement Speed Greatly Increased by New System
In update OB61, the developers are tackling the calculations of attributes like slowdowns, healing reduction, or crowd control. Previously, individual statistics were calculated separately. With the new system in OB61, the calculations for all attributes are unified.
This is important because in Paladins, attributes can be increased or decreased through skills and cards.
Studio Hi-Rez employs the law of diminishing returns: The relationship of input and output when one factor is changed while all others remain constant.
The following attributes are affected by the changes:
Movement Speed
Slow
Reduced Damage
Increased Damage
Reduced Healing
Reduced Crowd Control
Reduced Knockback
Reduced Cooldown
Life Steal
Movement Speed now has a maximum increase of 150%
The other attributes now have a maximum increase of 95%
The effect of diminishing returns will only take place when 30% of an attribute is changed. Therefore, players will always receive the full value of the highest individual bonus of an attribute. The other bonuses above that will diminish.
If a player has, for example, 4 different bonuses on movement speed: 30%, 20%, 15%, and 10%, they will definitely receive the value of the 30% bonus. The other bonuses will then decrease. In this example, the total bonus on movement speed would be 55%
Due to these changes, the champs can be made significantly faster in the future.
Wrecker Item Rework Being Tested – Could Have Major Impact on Tank Meta
In Paladins, a strong 2-tank meta has developed. A match is considered almost lost if a team has fewer than two tanks. The frontline is sturdy and dishes out well.
Now, Studio Hi-Rez wants to experiment with a rework of the item Wrecker. The testing phase of the rework is currently only taking place on the test server. It is therefore uncertain when this rework will go live – if it ever comes to the hero shooter.
However, if Hi-Rez decides to adjust Wrecker, the shields of the tanks will also be adjusted, which would have a major impact on the meta.
Currently, the following Wrecker rework can be found on the test server:
Wrecker: Increases damage dealt to frontline champs by 10/20/30%
Currently, Wrecker increases damage on shields. The rework would therefore ensure that Wrecker directly attacks the class of tanks and be independent of shields. If this happens, Hi-Rez would simultaneously significantly lower the health points of the tanks’ shields.
Champion Adjustments – Buck Receives More Damage, Less Health
The biggest champion adjustment in OB61 is for the flanker Buck:
Buck’s health is reduced from 2800 to 2300 points
Buck’s shotgun
Damage increases from 570 to 800
Ammunition decreases from 6 to 4
Reload speed is increased
In conjunction with these adjustments, Buck’s cards have also been modified.
You can find the full patch notes in our source reference. Here you can also find the exact formula of the attribute bonuses and all champion adjustments. The patch OB61 is expected to be available on PC from October 18. The PS4 and Xbox One will follow one to two weeks later.
The launch trailer for the PC version of Destiny 2 has been released! It shows how great the MMO shooter is!
Next week it will be here! On October 24, 2017, Destiny 2 will be released on PC. Finally, PC gamers can become Guardians, as the Destiny universe was previously console-exclusive.
To celebrate this moment in advance, Bungie has now released a PC launch trailer. We’ve embedded it here for you:
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What can be seen in the PC launch trailer of Destiny 2?
The gameplay footage shown in the trailer was captured directly from the PC.
Initially, lofty quotes from various magazines are listed that want to present Destiny 2 in a particularly favorable light. The MMO shooter is referred to as “the biggest shooter of the year,” a “technical marvel on PC,” or “the best PC game of E3 2017.”
The technical advantages of the PC version over the console version are also highlighted – 4K and unlimited FPS are possible. Only on PC can you play Destiny 2 at 60 frames per second or significantly more.
Leviathan Raid
Otherwise, you’ll see a lot of gameplay from the PvE content of the game in the trailer. At the end, the Leviathan Raid, the “ultimate PvE challenge,” is teased. The PvP content is shown very briefly in the trailer – only about in the middle of the trailer are the “Guardian vs. Guardian” battles seen for a few seconds.
Important: You start Destiny 2 on PC via Blizzard’s battle.net. Destiny 2 is not available on other launchers, like Steam.
All information you need to know about the PC version is compactly summarized here. From the specific start time to system requirements to beginner tips:
In PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds you need to quickly gather loot like weapons, vehicles, and gear. Only then do you have a good chance at the chicken dinner. Learn here in an interactive loot map where the best loot is located.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds drops you in true battle royale style over a lonely Eastern Bloc island. There you get to see where you stand while 99 other players are out to kill you all. Only if you find good loot faster than the others do you have a fair chance in this epic slaughter. It certainly helps if you already know where the best gear on the map is.
The big loot map in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Resourceful players have meticulously explored the map “Erangel” of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and analyzed all known spawn points. For example, Imgur user ShatterNL created an extremely detailed map of all loot locations.
The map includes:
Garages with high vehicle spawn probability
Places where vehicles generally spawn
Places where boats can generally spawn
Areas with a chance of medium loot
Areas with a chance of good loot
Areas where military equipment could spawn
We have embedded the current map v0.8 from September 2017 here for you. Have fun looting!
Interactive loot map with always up-to-date content
If you just want to know where specific loot points are located, the interactive map from pubgmap.io is recommended. The map allows for dynamic zooming, is detailed, and lets you hide individual contents. So, if you just want to know where vehicles spawn, you can simply hide the rest. The interactive map is regularly updated and is also available in German. It can show on demand:
If you want to optimally grab the good loot, there are a few useful tips:
Remember that you can glide with the parachute, depending on your drop height, up to 1 to 2 kilometers. Each square on the two maps corresponds to one square kilometer.
Look right after starting a session at the map to see where your plane is going. It always moves in a straight line. Then consider carefully whether you want to jump right over the big, popular loot spawn points. It’s expected to be very hot there.
Sometimes it makes sense to jump in a remote location where vehicles are likely to be. Then you can gear up peacefully and quickly get back into the fray thanks to the vehicle and avoid the forcefield. Additionally, by then, a number of other players will be dead, and you will have survived longer and earned more points.
If you are playing in a team, you should use the right mouse button to mark locations on the map and show your teammates where you want to go and where to search for loot.
The MMO shooters Destiny 1 and Destiny 2 are undergoing maintenance tonight.
As Bungie announced on Twitter, maintenance for Destiny 1 and Destiny 2 will take place tonight starting at 6:00 PM our time.
No details have been provided on what is happening there. It is only stated that the “backend” will be maintained. This is the part of the system on Bungie’s side, not the part users get to see.
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If all goes according to plan, players should not notice that something is happening in the background.
Hey, Bungie, patch the endgame in!
In recent weeks, there have been maintenance works on Mondays or Tuesdays lasting several hours, which took place during European prime time. We Germans could not play despite finishing work. Many were annoyed by this.
This time, the forced break seems to be out. Should difficulties arise, we will update the post.
A patch today on 16.10. for Destiny 2 is probably not to be expected, although many players of Destiny 2 would wish for it. In response to Bungie’s tweet, users are asking Bungie to deliver the missing endgame.
Bungie is struggling with the Anteater in Destiny 2
Update 8:20 PM: Apparently, it is not as cool as thought. Around 8:00 PM our time, Bungie reported they are investigating issues with the “ANTEATER” error.
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Blizzard’s Overwatch has reached another milestone. The hero shooter has more than 35 million players.
The hero shooter Overwatch is a success story that neither Blizzard nor the fan community could have dreamed of. After already boasting a proud player base of 7 million shortly after the launch of the game on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, the community quickly grew. Just in April of this year – almost a year after the launch – the number of players rose to a whopping 30 million.
Now Blizzard announced the next milestone via Twitter. Overwatch has surpassed the mark of 35,000,000 players and continues to grow!
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However, these numbers should be taken with a grain of caution. It is not entirely clear how these were counted. It is quite possible that even the test players from the free weekend were included. So, it is most likely that these are registered game accounts.
Are you an Overwatch player from the very beginning? Or did you decide to give the game a chance only in the course of the last year? Or do you not care for the game at all and prefer to play similar games like Paladins?
The reason for this is that Hearthstone processes steps sorted by areas. First, all actions on the battlefield are resolved, then the actions in the player’s hand, and finally, those in the player’s deck.
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The change now provides that Hearthstone internally creates a “list” of where cards and effects were before an action. If such overlaps occur, an effect (like Bolvar’s) will no longer be triggered.
According to the developers, these changes may seem small on the surface, and the typical “casual player” probably won’t notice them. Pros and frequent players will now have to prepare for many interactions to work differently than they have for the past few years.
In the forums and on Reddit, these changes are received with mixed feelings. Some are happy that the game is becoming a bit more predictable and logical. Others criticize that many of the “cool” moments that Hearthstone was previously praised for are being destroyed. After all, the “crazy” moments were often the most memorable.
Cortyn says: To be honest, I am not thrilled about these changes. The first case has repeatedly led to funny complications. Randomly playing a Wild Pyromancer or another minion with lingering mechanics was a great appeal of these spells. If these fun moments are now gone, it takes a lot of the Hearthstone fascination for me – even if this is probably an important step from an eSports perspective.
What do you think of these changes to the gameplay mechanics? Are they wise steps that result in fewer strange moments? Or should the game be left as it is?
Hearthstone is making some changes to the gameplay mechanics. We ask ourselves: Is it necessary?
In a game with so many different cards like Hearthstone, there can be some strange interactions. Many card effects interact with each other, sometimes in frustrating ways. Blizzard is tweaking the gameplay mechanics in the October update and has released a video that explains most of the changes clearly. But is this necessary? Is it really essential to change some of the core mechanics after many years?
But let’s first address the two changes:
Card effects will only be activated if the card is already in play at the time the effect is triggered.
What sounds complicated has been illustrated by Blizzard with a clear example. The Priest spell “Mind Games” summons a minion from the opponent’s deck. If that minion is the “Wild Pyromancer”, then the effect is also triggered: “Deal 1 damage to ALL minions after you cast a spell.”
This will change in the future. A card effect, like that of the Pyromancer, will only be triggered if it was already in play at the time of the effect. Thus, the described example will no longer deal 1 damage to all minions.
This makes the effects of such spells more predictable and removes at least some of the “random factor” from the game.
Each game zone will be handled individually
The second rule change applies to fewer cases but always felt a bit “strange”.
Cards can no longer “trigger” in multiple game areas at the same time
As an example, Blizzard mentioned Bolvar Fordragon. This minion gains +1 attack whenever a minion dies, as long as Bolvar is in hand. However, if you miss Bolvar’s “Deathrattle: Return this minion to your hand”, it led to a strange interaction. Bolvar died, returned to hand, and gave himself +1 attack – even though he was not in hand at the time of his own death.
The reason for this is that Hearthstone processes steps sorted by areas. First, all actions on the battlefield are resolved, then the actions in the player’s hand, and finally, those in the player’s deck.
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The change now provides that Hearthstone internally creates a “list” of where cards and effects were before an action. If such overlaps occur, an effect (like Bolvar’s) will no longer be triggered.
According to the developers, these changes may seem small on the surface, and the typical “casual player” probably won’t notice them. Pros and frequent players will now have to prepare for many interactions to work differently than they have for the past few years.
In the forums and on Reddit, these changes are received with mixed feelings. Some are happy that the game is becoming a bit more predictable and logical. Others criticize that many of the “cool” moments that Hearthstone was previously praised for are being destroyed. After all, the “crazy” moments were often the most memorable.
Cortyn says: To be honest, I am not thrilled about these changes. The first case has repeatedly led to funny complications. Randomly playing a Wild Pyromancer or another minion with lingering mechanics was a great appeal of these spells. If these fun moments are now gone, it takes a lot of the Hearthstone fascination for me – even if this is probably an important step from an eSports perspective.
What do you think of these changes to the gameplay mechanics? Are they wise steps that result in fewer strange moments? Or should the game be left as it is?
PUBG is receiving its likely final live server patch before the big launch of version 1.0. In the patch, the developers address the weapon distribution, which they find too unbalanced. Additionally, there are a few bug fixes that affect, for example, the burning plane at the start of a match. You can find out what changes in the patch notes.
PUBG Update Patch Notes in October
The developers of the battle royale shooter PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds are working hard to release the PC version 1.0 and the Xbox Game Preview later this year. For this reason, no further patches for the live servers are expected in the near future. At least, that is how the developers plan it.
Meanwhile, important features such as climbing and diving are being tested extensively on the test servers. However, there is still one last live patch, which is already on the test servers. It is planned to go live in a few days and will bring the following changes to the game:
Gameplay
Decreased item spawns on the “starting island” to adjust the item balance in the northeast of Erangel.
Bug Fixes
The fire animation from the starting plane has been removed. This occurred when a player entered the plane who had been set on fire by a Molotov cocktail.
A bug was fixed that allowed players to hold a primary weapon and the frying pan at the same time.
A bug in spectator mode was fixed that caused weapon UI icons to flicker.
Better Loot in the Northeast?
The decreased item spawns on the starting island explained briefly: These changes to the starting island refer to the island after the countdown has ended. So when the match actually starts and you jump out of the plane.
It is possible to reach the starting island in the northeast of the map after the match begins. While there aren’t tables full of weapons, there is still loot. This loot or its quality has now decreased and has been adjusted on the main island in the northeast. So you can probably find more useful stuff after the patch.
The subscription was once the common payment method for MMORPGs, but nowadays very few games use it. We take a look at the remaining subscription MMOs.
MMO fans want to engage with an online role-playing game for a long time, so MMORPGs need a constant stream of new content. This has to be funded: A subscription model ensures a steady flow of money for the developers. However, such a model is hardly used today.
The advantages of a subscription
Operating the servers, customer support, and developing new content costs money. With a Buy2Play game, where customers only pay the purchase price, the studio would not be able to cover ongoing costs. A subscription, on the other hand, provides a steady stream of revenue.
Players pay the monthly fee and can play for it and receive updates. Previously, when there were no in-game shops, players were completely satisfied with such a subscription. Pay once a month, and you could play as carefreely as you wanted.
A subscription also has disadvantages
However, a subscription also comes with disadvantages. For example, the pressure one feels to play as much as possible, so it is worth paying the subscription fees. This “must” can detract from the enjoyment of the game. Moreover, you do not want to subscribe to every online game that you would like to play.
However, you don’t want to limit yourself in the titles you want to play. With Free2Play games or Buy2Play titles, it is different. Here, you simply enjoy a bit more freedom. Hence, the subscription has become increasingly unpopular in games over time and is now only used in a few MMOs. We show you which ones.
The currently largest subscription MMORPGs
Even if the subscription is no longer as popular in the MMORPG sector today as it once was, some high-profile games still use this model. And it works very well for them.
World of Warcraft
Blizzard’s MMORPG still relies on subscriptions. Although there is a free trial through which you can try the MMO, this trial version has many limitations. So if you want to enjoy the full game, you must subscribe at a rate of 12.99 per month.
Additionally, there is a relatively low purchase price for WoW. This gives players access to almost everything in WoW. However, the currently active add-ons, currently Legion, must be purchased separately.
There has been an optional in-game shop for some time, where you can buy pets or a boost to level 100, for example. However, this is not strictly necessary to enjoy the game. WoW was released at a time when the majority of players were accustomed to this payment model. Since WoW was able to gain a very large and loyal player base, the subscription is still accepted by fans today.
World of Warcraft transports you to the fantasy world of Azeroth, where you can experience adventures with friends across multiple continents. PvP takes place in special battlefields. The quest and story aspect is central to WoW.
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InWarframe, you need a lot of credits in addition to other resources. Only then can you keep your weapons and equipment up to date. How to quickly get a lot of in-game money is explained in our guide on farming credits.
In Warframe, it is primarily about the constant hunt for loot. In missions, you receive resources and blueprints, from which you then build new Warframe suits and weapons. However, the universal currency of credits is also sorely needed if you want to fully develop in Warframe.
How to get a lot of credits
You can find credits pretty much everywhere, but the yield varies greatly. Therefore, there are good credit-farming missions and not-so-good ones. Here you will learn how to get credits particularly quickly and with relatively little effort.
Keep in mind that there are certain Warframes and weapons that give you more credits. These are:
The weapon “Secura Lecta” makes enemies drop more credits. You get Secura Lecta if you maintain a good standing with the Syndicate “Perrin Sequence”.
The skill “Effigy” from the Warframe Chroma, which makes dead enemies drop more credits
The upgrade “Stealing Swarm” for the skill “Tentacle Swarm” from Hydroid, which also makes enemies drop more loot, including credits
In the following paragraphs, you will learn in which three missions you get the most credits.
A good method to farm credits is the mission in the region of Akkad on the planet Eris. It is a Dark Sector defense mission against the Infestation at levels 35-45:
For the mission, you receive 4,400 credits upon success, plus the Dark Sector bonus of 18,000
You can complete the mission with some skill and the right setup in 3 to 3.5 minutes. This way, you can easily get half a million credits an hour.
If you farm the mission solo, it is enough to hold the mission objective for 5 waves and then extract
Your setup is pretty much irrelevant, but you can get through the fastest and most profitably with Nova and Secura Lecta or Banshee.
With Nova, make sure you have a negative power rating, then the enemies will be faster and can be quickly chopped up with Secura Lecta. You’ll be swimming in credits!
Also cool and even faster is a setup with Banshee. Here you can deal massive area damage with the skill “Soundquake” and complete the mission in just under 3 minutes. However, keep in mind that you will then get fewer credits, as you usually won’t knock out enemies with Secura Lecta.
Another big advantage of this map is the useful tile set. This makes the map very small and the enemies’ paths to you are always direct. Ideal for quickly taking them out and farming their credits
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Another good farming spot for credits is the mission Hieracon on Pluto. It is a Dark Sector excavation mission against the Infestation at levels 35-45:
For the mission, you receive 4,400 credits upon success, plus the Dark Sector bonus of 20,000
You can complete the mission with some skill and the right setup in 3 to 3.5 minutes. This way, you can usually get around 540,000 credits an hour, possibly even more if you’re lucky with the drops.
If you farm the mission solo, it is enough to complete the first excavator and then leave. This way, you can finish the mission in about 3 minutes.
Basically, all setups that you can handle are okay. But there are a few particularly useful builds:
The combo of Chroma and Secura Lecta brings many bonus credits
Frost with Secura Lecta and focus on the skill “Snow Globe” (this way, he can take a lot of damage and calmly take out enemies)
Vauban with focus on the skill “Bastille”. This captures and restrains enemies. This noticeably relieves you when defending the excavator.
Make sure that if possible, you use excavator A, which often drops additional credit boxes for up to 3,000 additional credits!
The map throws a lot of enemies at you in a small space. Ideal for farming massive credit drops with Secura Lecta.
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Top credit farming spot – Index farming on Neptune
The most effective method to get credits is the Index arena on Neptune. However, unlike the missions mentioned above, you cannot simply enter the Index. To participate, you must first complete the quests “The War Within” and “Glast Gambit”. However, to enter the arena, you must first invest money and choose a risk level:
Low risk allows you to invest 45,000 credits and offers a profit of 75,000
Medium risk allows you to invest 60,000 credits and offers a profit of 135,000
High risk allows you to invest 75,000 credits and offers a profit of 200,000
However, to reap this sweet profit, you must collect points in the arena and defend them against enemies. Each point reduces your health and shields. If you carry too many points, you will eventually be one-shot. Luckily, there are two Warframes that can be well fortified through upgrades:
Rhino: The skill “Iron Skin” increases your health and armor. These values are not reduced by the point debuff in the arena. So upgrade these skills and you will have a tanky Warframe that easily rocks the Index mission.
Nezha: This nimble Warframe can excellently protect against damage with the skill “Defensive Halo”. The health points of the summoned fire ring are also not affected by the debuff. Therefore, with Nezha, you can absorb damage and still deal decent damage.
With the Warframes described above, you can easily farm the low risk level solo and complete a mission for 75,000 credits in about 5-6 minutes. Do that about 10 times and you’ll get at least 750,000 credits per hour.
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With some skill, you can also solo a mission in the medium risk area. Then you can earn over a million credits an hour! However, make sure you have a well-built Warframe and a solid weapon that can kill level 60 enemies.
High-risk missions yield even more loot but are actually only intended for well-coordinated groups.
Important moves like jumping over fences and climbing into houses are coming to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG). The testing phase for this will begin soon.
There are only eleven weeks left until the end of 2017. The development team is now presenting the roadmap for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds that they want to implement over the next eleven weeks. They are discussing the launch of PUBG, climbing features, and plans for the test servers.
PUBG Launch and Test Server Plans
The team from PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is working hard to finalize the implementation of PC Version 1.0 and the Xbox Game Preview by the end of this year. They are currently internally testing new parkour features like climbing. Testing will also include the new desert map, new vehicles, and a 3D replay function.
In addition, they are working on optimizing and stabilizing the game. The poor optimization is frequently criticized by the community.
The Path to PUBG Launch
The developers are focusing on creating the builds for PC 1.0 and Xbox Game Preview. Therefore, there will be no more patches for the PC in the coming weeks (except for this week’s update). The team explains:
“On PC, we are focusing on creating a stable launch build. We are not planning any patches for the live servers, except for this week.”
However, features like climbing will soon be available, which will have a significant impact on PUBG. Therefore, they want to test the climbing function for at least a month. The team is providing test servers that will be active three times in phases. They will test content and features that are not yet on the live servers. This is intended to provide a solid foundation for the official launch.
Test Server Plans – When Will Climbing Be Available?
So far, the team assumes there will be about three test phases, each with the following focuses:
Phase 1: The focus here is on testing climbing and diving features
Phase 2: Further tests for climbing and diving. In addition, tests for new contents and features are planned.
Phase 3: New contents and features like the desert map will be tested.
The contents and features on the test servers are to be tested for at least 2-4 weeks. It would be difficult to provide a stable platform if the contents are quickly transferred to the live servers. To allow the team to test these contents thoroughly, they will not be available on the live servers for now. The time will be used for extended testing.
You will then be able to try out the new climbing and diving features at the end of October or the beginning of November. The developers will share more information regarding the schedule later.
PUBG Season Start Delayed Again
The team has worked longer than planned on optimizing the leaderboards. This means that the start of the new season has now been moved to October 20. The start was recently scheduled for October 17 but apparently needs a bit more time.
Once again, the pink gnomes in WoW ran against breast cancer. This time, the fundraising goal was exceeded fourfold!
In World of Warcraft, there is a lovely tradition on the American server Scarlet Crusade that captures attention year after year. The “Running of the Gnomes” event is being held for the 8th time and aims to raise awareness about a serious issue: breast cancer.
The whole thing works like a charity run in the real world – you create a small gnome and run the predefined route together with many other players. At the end, you make a donation that is then sent to the Cleveland Clinic and benefits research on the Tuohy Vaccine.
This year, the goal was to raise at least $4,000 – that was the target for the event. Last year, they achieved impressive earnings of $5,500. However, the actual result this year was much higher! With $16,295, they set a new record.
The number of participants also increased drastically. In 2016, there were “only” around 2,900 gnomes who embarked on the pilgrimage, while in 2017, the number jumped to more than 7,000 pink heroes from Gnomeregan. This also caused the server Scarlet Crusade to experience temporary outages – so many players in such a small space was simply not planned.
In 2017, the event was honored by Blizzard for the first time. The developers turned the event into a micro-holiday that could be experienced on all servers. Like in the original, there were several checkpoints leading from Dun Morogh down into the Stranglethorn Vale. This was accompanied by hundreds of NPCs standing along the way cheering on the runners. However, there were no actual “in-game rewards” for this – as is the case with almost all micro-holidays.
Did you participate in the Gnome run, even if it was just at the micro-holiday? And what do you think of such events? A good thing or does it have no place in games?
Finally, the Xbox chief comments on the upcoming PC version of Destiny 2. He is upset that Bungie does not allow him to play his Destiny 2 character on PC now.
Note: We cannot verify the statement that Spencer played over 700 hours of Destiny. According to “Time Wasted on Destiny,” it is 323 hours, which is still considerable. It is also quite possible that Spencer plays Destiny on multiple accounts.
Phil Spencer is a big Destiny fan who enjoys playing with the community. However, his power level keeps him awake at night.
“The ultimate Destiny experience is only on PlayStation!”
With such statements, Sony and Activision advertise when it comes to the PlayStation exclusive content. Due to a marketing deal, content was added to every major Destiny release that only PS Guardians have limited-time access to. Xbox users (and now PC users) have been and continue to be disadvantaged.
That Destiny is still fun on Xbox is personally proven by Xbox chief Phil Spencer. Months ago, he revealed that he spent over 700 hours in Destiny. As he now states in an interview with GameSpot, he also regularly logs into Destiny 2.
What is Xbox chief’s power level and what weapon does he covet?
Phil Spencer makes no secret of his gamertag on Xbox, which he shares from time to time on Twitter and other social media. He simply calls himself P3.
Spencer mentions that he has his fireteam open in Destiny 2 and his Xbox Live party open for everyone so that anyone can join him for some gaming. However, he also has to kick some players occasionally. The reason: His power level is still too low.
He himself has a power level of only 237, which is too low for some endgame activities, such as the raid. You have to be at least 260 for that. Regarding this, the Xbox chief jokes: That his power level is not high enough for the raid keeps him awake at night.
Currently, Spencer has a power level of 241 on his P3 account. That’s still not particularly high, but Spencer is also quite busy. In recent weeks, he was in Tokyo, Brazil, and on the East Coast of the USA, he reveals in the interview. By the way, he plays as an Awoken Titan.
The weapon that Spencer currently desires the most is the MIDA Multi-Tool. He liked this scout rifle very much in Destiny 1, which is why he wants it in the sequel as well.
Finally, the Xbox chief comments on the upcoming PC version of Destiny 2. He is upset that Bungie does not allow him to play his Destiny 2 character on PC now.
Note: We cannot verify the statement that Spencer played over 700 hours of Destiny. According to “Time Wasted on Destiny,” it is 323 hours, which is still considerable. It is also quite possible that Spencer plays Destiny on multiple accounts.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The upcoming MMORPG Crowfall is continuously receiving new content that needs to be tested. Now, developer ArtCraft has introduced the last three races of the game!
Crowfall is currently in the alpha phase and shows steady development, as new features are constantly being added. Backers at the appropriate level are allowed to participate in the 24/7 tests.
Now the developers have introduced the last three races that will be playable at launch: the Minotaurs, the Centaurs, and the Guinecean. This brings the total number of races in the game to 12.
The three new races are animal beings, some of which originate in mythology. Appropriately, the post on the website is titled “Meet the Monsters”.
In Crowfall, races are not simply assigned to characters. They have “rune stones” that symbolize the race (and also other things like class or discipline). All characteristics available through the choice of rune stone are listed on it.
Character creation thus proceeds in such a way that an amorphous mass becomes an avatar by adding rune stones. An extraordinary approach that, however, achieves the same effect as the conventional one.
As MMORPGs are becoming increasingly “diluted” in the view of the Crowfall developers, they are particularly proud of this system. It is intended to give the races more identity and make them something that clearly stands out from the others.
In addition to the rune stones, each race receives a so-called “passive bloodline”. This is a passive ability that belongs to the race and does not consume any of the three slots that would otherwise be used for them.
The Centaurs
The horse-people race is probably the most well-known of the three. They are represented in some form in almost every fantasy game – in Crowfall, the Centaurs will also be playable. The Centaurs are a warrior race, prepared for battle from birth, and have dominated most of the game world in their past.
The rune stone of the Centaurs grants:
a bonus to constitution.
an additional slot for horseshoes (essentially a second slot for shoes).
The Centaur bloodline grants:
Master of the Path: increases movement speed outside of combat by 25%.
Kickback: When attacked from behind, the Centaur has a chance to kick back, dealing damage to the enemy behind him.
In addition to the passive bonuses, Centaurs can choose from four active abilities to enhance their powers (Power Tray):
Dodge: Dodge in WASD direction with the right mouse button
Wild Charge: The Centaur charges forward, reducing the armor of each hit enemy, decreasing physical damage resistance by 20% for 15 seconds.
Strength of the Legion/Hippocratic Oath: Switchable powers. Only one of the two can be active. Strength of the Legion increases the attack value of group members by 75. Hippocratic Oath increases the support power of group members by 75.
Centaurs can become Knights, Champions, and Clerics.
Minotaurs
Minotaurs are represented just as frequently in MMORPGs and are often playable. The stocky people with bullheads are known for their brute strength and resilience. In Crowfall, they were held as slaves by the Elves.
In the “Celestial War”, they were able to gain their freedom. Since then, they live on the fringes of civilized society.
The rune stone of the Minotaurs grants:
a bonus to dexterity.
The Minotaur bloodline grants:
immunity to stuns from frontal attacks.
The active abilities of the Minotaurs:
Jump: Dodge with a jump in WASD direction.
Bloodthirst: For 6 seconds, all damage taken is healed. Afterward, 50% of this damage taken is inflicted again over 6 seconds. Shares a cooldown with the “Berserker” ability of the Myrmidon.
Minotaurs can become Hunters, Champions, and Myrmidons.
Guinecean
Guinecean represent an unusual race of anthropomorphic rodents. They are human-like giant guinea pigs. According to legend, the goddess Gaea granted the gift of logic and language to their purely animal ancestors at the moment of her death.
The people are characterized by their spirit of exploration, intelligence, and curiosity. They seek contact with foreign cultures and have founded an advanced civilization based on research and diplomacy, not aggression and conquest.
The rune stone of the Guinecean grants:
a bonus to dexterity and intellect.
an increase in the survivability stat (increases the value of consumed food).
an additional ring slot (thus a total of 3).
The Guinecean bloodline grants:
Jumping and using stamina does not consume food bar.
Double jump.
The active powers of the Guinecean:
Jump: Dodge with a jump in WASD direction.
Guinecean Burrow: Switchable power. Can be activated to make the survival table active. The character is considered hidden until deactivated. Consumes stamina. If the character takes damage, uses a power, runs, or exhausts stamina, the effect ends.
Gunpowder Bullets: The maximum range of all ranged powers increases by 5 meters for 30 seconds. All “pistol” powers additionally hold the target.
Guinecean can become Knights, Clerics, and Duelists.
Since all races were originally planned as monsters, initially only the male gender was intended for all. However, due to high demand and a Kickstarter goal, a female version for Centaurs is at least possible. For the other races, it may follow.
Do you like the races or do they not fit at all with Crowfall? Write us a comment!
