In Destiny 2 today, on 29.9., Xur arrives. Where is Xur, what items does he have for sale, what are his location and inventory this week?
Destiny 2 is now slowly entering the “everyday phase”. Not everything is completely new and exciting as it was in the initial weeks. We have experienced the Weekly Reset, the Trials of the Nine, and the arrival of Xur multiple times already. By now, we know how these weekly rituals work in Destiny 2.
So, Xur in Destiny 2 now only brings four items: one weapon and one armor piece for each of the three Guardian classes. All his items are exotic and can be purchased for Legendary Shards.
The exciting question remains what the Agent of the Nine is bringing this week. Is it worth visiting him? Let’s receive him together.
All infos about Xur in Destiny 2 on 29.9. on PS4 and Xbox One
The times – When does Xur come?
Xur, the old noodle baker, appears on Fridays at 11 am. He will depart on Tuesday, October 3rd, at 11 am. In the meantime, he spends his days with the Guardians, showing them his inventory and is happy to take your Legendary Shards.
Where is Xur? Location today
Xur has his specific positions where he likes to spend the weekend. This time he is located on Io – in “The Giant’s Scar”! He is in a cave there. Nexxoss Gaming will lead you there:
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Jeff Kaplan leaves the Overwatch community puzzled once again. He drops a new name “by the way” – is it the next hero?
The Overwatch community craves every little piece of information they can find about the game and the lore of the world. No matter how trivial or absurd the question may seem at first glance, there are guaranteed to be some players interested in the smallest details.
Jeff Kaplan, the Game Director of Overwatch, is known for answering various questions in the forum. Sometimes very elaborately, occasionally just briefly with a single word.
In the official forum, the user SomebodyElse wanted to know who flies the landing ships of Overwatch that are used in the control point maps (Lijiang Tower, Ilios, etc.).
It didn’t take long for Jeff Kaplan to seize the opportunity and simply tossed a name into the room: “Ray“.
As expected, the thread has exploded and speculation is going in all directions.
Some particularly motivated players assume that Ray could be the name of the next hero that Kaplan “dropped in passing”. After all, one can’t do much with just a name, right? Such a significant announcement seems unlikely.
Other players assume that Ray is a future alternative announcer. Many fans think that the omnic lady “Athena” will soon be implemented as a hero in the game. But this would only be possible if the current announcer, Athena, has an alternative, as otherwise, the voicelines could lead to confusion.
However, it could also be that Kaplan was just making a joke, since “Ray” is a relatively common name.
Wrestle with Jeff, Prepare for Death.
Presumably, Kaplan is currently sitting in front of the screen in his office with his extra-large cup of coffee, enjoying himself.
What do you think, who or what could be hiding behind the name “Ray”? Is it an actual character or just a troll from the Overwatch chief?
Next week, the servers for Destiny 2 will go down – again at an inconvenient time for German Guardians.
On the upcoming Tuesday, October 3rd, the Day of German Unity will be celebrated here. Many of you might have planned to use this holiday to play some Destiny 2. However, Bungie now says: “The servers will be down for several hours on this day!”
Here are the important dates for October 3rd:
At 5 PM our time, preparations for maintenance will begin. You will no longer be able to log in.
At 6 PM the servers will go offline. If you are still in the game, you will be removed abruptly.
Bungie expects the servers to be back online around 9 PM.
After the maintenance, you may find yourself in a queue. Additionally, you will need to download a new update: The hotfix 1.0.3.1.
What changes on October 3rd?
The hotfix 1.0.3.1 includes several bug fixes. Bungie provides a brief preview of the changes:
A problem will be fixed that causes players to lose access to the veteran teleport effect through character deletion.
A problem will be fixed that makes clan engrams contain only 10 power for the “Trials of the Nine” and raid rewards.
A problem will be fixed where the quest step “The Seal of His Majesty” does not progress correctly. The quest progress will still increase by 1, but only 10 seals are needed for the quest step.
A problem will be fixed where raid milestones do not show for some players after the weekly reset (the raid rewards are not affected).
A problem will be fixed where players are continuously eliminated or cannot be revived when completion and failure occur in a encounter simultaneously
It was also announced that the winning faction of the team fights will sell the special winning weapon on Tuesday, October 3rd, at 7 PM. However, maintenance will be taking place at that time.
Bungie now informs that the winning faction will be announced directly after the maintenance. From then on, you can buy the winning weapon. You have one week, until the next weekly reset, to do this. After that, the weapon will not be available.
The faction rally will become a new, regular ritual. Meaning, this event will take place repeatedly.
Once a team fight is over, no faction tokens can be earned anymore. However, you can still redeem them with the factions during the “Winning Week” (when the winning weapon is sold). Redeem all your tokens by the end of the winning week at the latest, as they will be reset before the next faction rally.
There is new information about a port for PlayStation 4 for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. The PS4 release is not confirmed yet, but Bluehole is in talks with Sony.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is currently the biggest PC game on Steam. The battle royale shooter has broken all records, even though it still carries the status of “Early Access.”
The game is already announced for Xbox One. It is considered the “hottest exclusive title” of this year and is scheduled to be released on Xbox by the end of 2017. Microsoft has announced that they will help the developer Bluehole to become even more successful.
It seems that it’s actually not so clear, as long thought. Earlier this year, in an interview with the Korean gaming site Inven it was announced that they were planning a version for PlayStation 4. Since then, however, nothing more has been heard on that. The developers have stubbornly refused any information regarding a PS4 port in recent months. Until now.
Bluehole in talks with Sony about the port of PUBG to PS4
In a conversation with the financial site Bloomberg, it was mentioned: “The Korean developer Bluehole is in talks with Sony about a PUBG version for PlayStation” – but only after PUBG is released for Xbox One.
Now, Tencent is considered an interesting partner. The talks are promising.
From Vagabond to Millionaire
In addition, the life story of PlayerUnknown has been highlighted. Brendan Greene, born in Ireland, moved to Brazil for love. However, the love did not last long, and Greene found himself stranded without money near São Paulo. At that time, he earned just over €300 a month by designing websites and shooting wedding photos.
Since then, a lot has happened
His current partner in Korea, Chang Byung-gu, wants to give him shares in Bluehole to secure a long-term partnership. Chang refers to Greene as a “gypsy who became a millionaire overnight.“
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
New details about the last boss of World of Warcraft: Legion raise hope. Is Sargeras fighting the heroes directly?
Currently, Patch 7.3.2 is being tested on the World of Warcraft test server. This mainly concerns final adjustments for the raid bosses in Antorus, the Burning Throne.
Especially the final boss fight against Argus, the Titan of the same planet, should be interesting. Because it seems that the fight will play out differently across the various difficulty levels, and it might even involve a fight against Sargeras, the leader of the Burning Legion.
The first two phases are likely largely the same across all difficulty levels – significantly easier on LFR difficulty than on normal, heroic, or mythic. Players fight against Argus and slowly weaken him, with help from the other Titans.
But after that (Phase 3), the description in the dungeon journal changes depending on the difficulty. Aman’thul tries to subjugate Argus, which succeeds on the “lower” difficulty levels – but not on mythic. Here it adds “… or so it seems.”
Phase 4 is described only for LFR, normal, and heroic, suggesting that the fight will be very different on mythic.
Does Sargeras appear personally?
Players suspect that Sargeras himself only appears in the mythic difficulty. It is quite possible that the dark Titan takes over Argus’ body and that players have to fight against Sargeras himself in the last phase (albeit in a weakened form) before the fight (presumably) ends with his imprisonment by Illidan.
This is supported by new spells that have been found in the game files. Spells like “Sargeras’ Fear”, “Sargeras’ Wrath”, and “Judgment of Sargeras” suggest that the master of the Burning Legion has a personal appearance.
Exact details about the possible last phase of the fight, which only occurs in mythic difficulty, are still obscured. This was also the case in the past, for example, in the fight against Gul’dan in the Night Fortress. Only when the professional guilds reached this boss were the corresponding entries in the adventure guide added later.
Are you hoping for a direct fight against Sargeras, even if it is only in mythic mode? Or should the Dark Titan be untouchable for players, as he is actually too powerful?
Fortnite’s battle royale mode is now available for free on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. In recent days, there has been much discussion about whether this mode is just a clone of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG). Our author Leya played Fortnite Battle Royale and finds that the two games have significant differences.
Those who have been following gaming news in recent days will undoubtedly have come across the controversy between Fortnite Battle Royale and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds where the creators of PUBG (Bluehole) expressed their frustration over Epic Games, the developers of Fortnite, allegedly copying the successful model of PUBG.
However, Bluehole’s complaints have actually increased the interest in Fortnite’s battle royale mode for many. I felt the same way, and I decided to test Epic Games’ new battle royale mode in a live stream. I wanted to find out whether Fortnite Battle Royale was indeed just a cheap copy of PUBG. Since the stream, I have played a few more rounds and here I will share my impressions.
Fortnite’s battle royale & PUBG are fundamentally similar
In both games, you jump from a flying object at the start of a round. In Fortnite, it’s a colorful party bus hanging from a balloon, while in PUBG it’s a serious airplane. With a parachute, you land safely on an island and must quickly gather weapons and equipment.
In both games, a death zone appears as a circle that continuously closes in towards the center. This forces all participants to eventually confront each other in a small area. It doesn’t work to hide forever.
In the battle royale genre, the focus is on the hard fight for survival. Players kill each other until only one man or woman remains – the “last man standing” principle.
Fortnite’s battle royale is by no means just a cheap copy of PUBG, even though the similarities are strong.
Fortnite combines building & destroying with battle royale – adds a new level to the genre
Fortnite’s battle royale has a special twist: just like in its PvE mode, you can also act as a builder in Fortnite’s battle royale. Right at the start, you will be equipped with a pickaxe that you can use to gather materials. Trees, cars, mushrooms, walls, roofs – everything can be destroyed in Fortnite.
From the materials, you can build walls, stairs, or traps. You can even create your own little house from where you wait with a sniper for other players. The downside: Building is quite loud, and gathering materials is too. You can easily get caught and be murdered from behind.
Especially at the beginning of the match, building seems rather pointless to me. Because of the death storm, which effectively reduces the area, you gain little from a hut that stands at the edge. You have to leave it anyway. Building stairs was still most useful to me because it allowed me to take a quick shortcut to some roofs. Often, loot boxes with special rifles and armor awaited me there.
Overall, however, I encountered very few players – especially in the single-player mode – who took full advantage of building. Being alone is often too risky to give up your cover and build something. In multiplayer, I used building more often with my group. One person can focus on building while the others protect the builder.
However, smashing everything you come across is quite useful. No one is safe behind their wall. Fear the pickaxe!
Even if the building system is not fully developed in battle royale mode, it adds something new to the genre. This definitely sets Fortnite apart from other battle royale games like PUBG.
I am very curious to see what strategies will emerge and to what extent Epic Games will develop building in Fortnite’s battle royale.
Colorful comic graphics give Fortnite’s battle royale a casual atmosphere
Fortnite’s battle royale, like its PvE mode, adheres to a colorful comic graphic style. This gives the dark genre a rather cheerful atmosphere. This contrast is something you have to appreciate.
The graphics alone gave me the impression that Fortnite’s battle royale is very “casual-friendly” and invites you to some light rounds in the evening. The extreme tension and heart racing, as I experience in PUBG, are absent in Fortnite. Everything feels too colorful and too cheerful, which I find pleasant.
Due to the different styles both titles exhibit, different people might be drawn to the two games. PUBG or other titles of the genre often focus on strong realism. The pure fight for survival feels “more real” and results in adrenaline rushes.
Fortnite’s battle royale is especially fun in groups
Fortnite’s PvP mode has already given me a lot of joy when played alone. I had the most fun later on in a group. I dived into battles with groups of 2 to 4 friends.
In a team, I could make better use of the building function and take my time to look around. It’s simply enjoyable to play a few light rounds with friends and to help each other out.
Currently, it is still not possible for teams of two to compete against other two-man groups. In the two-man group, there were frequent unfair matches as others were playing with four players, and being two can quickly result in being outnumbered.
This “duo mode” is, however, supposed to be introduced. The feeling of “playing at a disadvantage” is thus only a temporary problem.
Fortnite’s battle royale is not a cheap copy – it (hopefully) follows its own path
Fortnite’s battle royale looks like a colorful copy of PUBG at first glance. But PUBG is itself not a copy of countless other battle royale games/modes.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel all the time. Fortnite’s battle royale takes an existing recipe and adds its own twist. I hope Epic Games will continue on its own path with Fortnite’s battle royale in the future. Through the wonderfully outrageous comic world, they create their own charm in a bizarre battle for survival.
The building elements add something to the genre that players can still experiment with. Epic Games should focus on deepening exactly these aspects and turn its battle royale mode into a personal dish.
The advantages of Fortnite over PUBG I currently see in three things:
Fortnite’s battle royale is free. PUBG currently costs 30 euros.
Fortnite’s battle royale is already available on PS4 and Xbox One. PUBG is only available for PC, and an announcement for PS4 is not yet in sight.
Fortnite’s battle royale has a smooth performance. PUBG still struggles with lags and crashes, even though it has improved.
However, the games are so different in their appearance that they will attract different people. I see the two titles more as friendly competing products that can coexist. After all, Fortnite’s battle royale is simply ideal for light and quick rounds in between. This is also supported by the third-person view, which is more suitable for casual gameplay.
PUBG seems to focus more on the hardcore competition and will attract serious PvP gamers. For the passionate PUBG player, Fortnite could be a fun and nice addition to see something different.
It remains to be seen whether Fortnite’s battle royale will win over the console players on its own. Depending on how the game develops, they could certainly take advantage of being the first to be playable on PS4 and Xbox One.
However, there will also be some players who see Fortnite’s PvP mode merely as a stopgap until PUBG comes out and then switch.
In The Division, it will take another two weeks until the PTS for Update 1.8 starts on PS4 and Xbox One. Additionally, a Halloween event has been announced.
The testing phase for Update 1.8 on PC has been running since last week. Agents can try out upcoming content on the PTS, the public test servers, and provide feedback to the developers.
The PTS for 1.8 will also come to the consoles PS4 and Xbox One, but with a significant delay. In today’s State of the Game (on September 28), Massive provided more details.
Console PTS and PTS Phase 2
The PTS Phase 2 on PC will start next week. This means Massive will implement some adjustments and activate additional content.
A week later (sometime after October 9, probably on October 10), the PTS on PS4 and Xbox One will begin. These will start directly with the content of PTS Phase 2. At that point, the consoles and PC will be on the same page. By the way, invitations for the console PTS will be sent out soon.
No specific dates were mentioned for the PTS Phase 2 on PC or for the console PTS.
It is unfortunate that this event takes place at the same time as PTS Phase 2. However, the PTS will last longer than the event. Therefore, play the event this week instead.
The Global Event brings new masks and secret gear sets from Striker, from the Call of the Watch and from Recovery.
Next Monday, on October 2, maintenance will be performed.
The loot table for the Dark Zone will be reworked. All exotics will be available there.
The ADS healing issue has been identified as a bug and is being investigated.
And: In October, special events are to take place. You can look forward to a Halloween event.
No further details about the Halloween event are currently available. Whether there will be more than “This activity has double loot” remains to be seen.
Dauntless is an online action RPG that aims to combine elements from Monster Hunter World, Dark Souls, and WoW. Our author Leya will take a look at Dauntless today at 6:00 PM in the stream and provide a live gameplay report.
In Dauntless, everything revolves around hunting monsters known as “Behemoths.” These are creatures that feed on a magical substance called Aether. The Aether is what allows the home of the people to exist, as they live on floating islands. If the Behemoths consume too much Aether, the islands and the people will fall.
To prevent this, you take on the role of a “Slayer” and take down the monsters. You can form a group of up to 4 players or hunt alone.
Thus, Dauntless is quite similar to the “Monster Hunter” franchise. In this franchise, you also engage in epic monster battles with up to 4 players. The monster fights are structured like boss encounters in an MMORPG. They consist of different phases and can take a long time.
I myself am a fan of the “Monster Hunter” franchise and can hardly wait for the new installment “World” to be released. Monster Hunter World, however, will not be released until January 2018. That’s why I decided to take a look at Dauntless early and invite you to join me in the stream starting at 6:00 PM.
A new trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4, Xbox One) is now available. Watch it here!
Western fans eagerly awaited today. Last week, Rockstar announced that something regarding Red Dead Redemption 2 was supposed to happen. No details, just today’s date, September 28, and a time (5:00 PM) were given by the developers.
We were surprised with a new video for the upcoming Western game: Here is the new trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2.
Red Dead Redemption 2 – Trailer Number 2
So far, we had to settle for little information about Rockstar’s upcoming title “Red Dead Redemption 2”. The original release was postponed to the year 2018, likely not before April.
Then it was said, “In summer we will give you more information”. Now the developers chose the last day of summer for the new information.
We are even more excited about the new Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer, which you can see here:
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There is a glimpse into the story of the outlaw Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang, who steal, fight, and raid their way through the vast and wild heart of America to survive.
Release date of Red Dead Redemption 2 in spring 2018 for PS4 and Xbox One – Nothing yet for PC
The game is announced for PS4 and Xbox One. The release date is said to be spring 2018. There is still no word on a PC version.
Red Dead Redemption 2 could also get an online mode, which would make the game one of the competitors to Destiny 2. However, nothing is currently known about this mode. The trailer seems to focus on the single-player campaign of Red Dead Redemption 2:
In the final version of the MMORPG Crowfall, you can assemble your hero from many races: This includes Half-Elves.
Half-Elves are the children that arise from a partnership between humans and elves. Accordingly, they are endowed with the best traits of these races.
However, Half-Elves are regarded with suspicion. Many stories circulate about them living in the woods, stealing children, and being nothing but a bunch of criminals. Half-Elves do not receive the second passive slot of humans nor the stealth ability of elves, to prevent Half-Elves from becoming too powerful.
Half-Elves receive interesting bonuses
For this, Half-Elves enjoy an attribute bonus in Dexterity, Intellect, and Spirit, as well as an additional power slot and a passive Bloodline Power. The Bloodline Powers are a “free” additional passive ability that varies from race to race.
For Half-Elves, this is Trailblazer, which grants the player a 15 percent speed boost when the ability is kept in the Survival tray.
As a class, a Half-Elf can choose between Ranger, Assassin, and Druid at the start of Crowfall. It is also possible to play both a female and a male Half-Elf. Currently, it is still unclear when the Half-Elf will be introduced as a playable race in the MMORPG.
Good chances for many more Stops and Gyms in Pokémon GO – Ingress players are reporting surprisingly many portals in the game.
For a few days now, Ingress players have been able to propose new portals in the OPR project, which will then be added to the game. The good thing about it is that the Stops and Gyms in Pokémon GO are partly based on these portal locations.
As the number of reported portals is skyrocketing, we should soon be able to find many new Stops, Gyms, or even nests in Pokémon GO.
New PokéStops through Ingress Portals
Recently, Niantic gave the “green light” for portal proposals in Ingress again. Ingress is also developed by Niantic and was released long before Pokémon GO. The basic elements of the game can also be found in Pokémon GO. For example, PokéStops, Gyms, and nests are located in areas that are already important in Ingress.
The OPR (Operation Portal Recon) project is a community tool from Niantic where new portals can be approved or rejected. Now many players are reporting portals in Ingress to benefit from them in Pokémon GO as well. Because in many places, especially in rural areas, there are still far too few PokéStops and Gyms.
The following image shows how significantly OPR activity has increased in the past few days.
Source: PokémonGOHub
Not every portal will be implemented in Pokémon GO
While these many reports are a cause for joy, you should not assume that soon there will be a PokéStop at every street corner.
As Niantic’s Community Manager “Andrew Krug” explained, not every new portal will become a new Stop, a new Gym, or anything else in Pokémon GO. However, a large part of the data will be transferred to Pokémon GO.
Trainers criticize the system – Should also be possible in Pokémon GO
Alongside many positive reactions, trainers are also dissatisfied with the system. Because the prerequisite to have reached a certain level in Ingress makes reporting difficult. Players in rural areas need active Ingress players in their vicinity to create and propose these portals.
This is difficult in rural areas, where often there are fewer players than in the city. For this reason, trainers wish for a dedicated reporting system in Pokémon GO. When that will come is currently unclear.
Mercy’s rework is causing headaches for the Overwatch pros. Mercy is now more powerful than ever.
A few days ago, the latest Overwatch patch was implemented, which has completely revamped the healer Mercy in Overwatch. Once a mostly passive healer who kept away from the action only to rush in with a massive resurrection, she has become a strong and more active healer.
Too strong, as a large part of the community believes. Extensive discussions about Mercy’s increased skill cap, meaning it’s now harder to master, are constantly ignited in the official forums and on Reddit. However, this effectiveness is seen by some as far too high – a match without Mercy is hardly thinkable.
Resurrection nerf was a buff
The main problem for most players seems to be the resurrection. Although there was a big outcry a few weeks ago that Mercy would lose her mass resurrection, the change has turned out to be a buff. The targeted single resurrection can now be used much more frequently.
Mercy is still the only character who can undo a good play by the opponent while all other healers have to act preventively. This is also reflected in her pick rate – no supporter is chosen even remotely as often as dear Angela Ziegler.
On the analysis site OmnicMeta, Switch writes that the changes to Mercy’s resurrection were clearly a buff, even if this was not seen before. On average, Mercy players resurrect almost twice as many characters as before.
This is hardly surprising, as the cooldown time of 30 seconds (10 seconds during Valkyrie) significantly lowers the threshold to immediately revive someone.
Mercy is an “overachiever”
Another problem Mercy currently faces in ranked play is that she benefits from a significantly increased skill rating gain. In the past, the opposite was the case, but that has changed: While other characters gain 15 to 20 skill rating points for good performance, Mercy usually goes home with 30 – and loses less in a defeat than her colleagues.
Another criticism is the ultimate Valkyrie. This gives Mercy massive freedom for 20 seconds, such as the ability to fly or zip to allies much faster. With this, Mercy temporarily becomes a solid offensive character who can attack from all directions and also gets a significant boost to her healing and enhancement abilities. Especially Orisa players are wondering what their ultimate is still good for when Mercy can do almost the same – only that she can switch to healing when needed.
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The PvP mode of Ghost Recon Wildlands is called “Ghost War” and is about to be released. Soon there will be 4v4 matches!
In March 2017, the tactical shooter “Ghost Recon Wildlands” was released, inviting many players to play in cooperative mode. In teams, you will face off against the Santa Blanca drug cartel, which has gained too much power in a fictional Bolivia. If you don’t feel like playing the story, grab a few teammates and start shooting in the PvP mode.
The Ghost War mode will be released in October 2017.
PvP mode for Wildlands in October
In a beta phase, you could already try out the PvP mode “Ghost War.” In this mode, two teams of four players each face off against each other. Through a free update, this game mode will soon be available to all players.
The official release date for Ghost War is October 10, 2017.
In the new 4v4 mode, you can look forward to best-of-three encounters. A round lasts 10 minutes.
At launch, you can expect eight different maps and twelve classes that specialize in specific playstyles. In the trailer, Ubisoft introduced three more classes for Ghost War that will be available at launch. Distraction Specialist, Assassin, and Guardian:
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At launch, you’ll play Ghost War in a deathmatch mode where revives are allowed. Later, there will be regular updates that will provide us with more game modes, classes, and maps. What changes may occur later are not yet known. Possible game modes based on objectives to capture could be expected.
If you bought Ghost Recon Wildlands at release and have since completed the story, Ghost War gives you a new reason to play. Many players have been looking forward to the PvP mode since the beginning of GRW. In October, we will see what the developers have improved after the beta and whether the mode can rekindle the excitement for Wildlands.
Bungie has promised exciting ideas to keep players of Destiny 2 engaged even without random weapon rolls. Why Destiny 2 still does not reach the long-term motivation of its predecessor, you can find out here.
How much time have you spent on Destiny 1? According to the website Wasted Time on Destiny, I have accumulated a remarkable 1403 hours. As I approach the 100-hour mark in Destiny 2, I have asked myself why Destiny 2 feels so fundamentally different in terms of long-term motivation compared to its predecessor.
Because essentially, I have seen everything in Destiny 2. I have participated in the Trials of the Nine, played the Leviathan raid, and mastered every adventure and every lost sector on each planet. Admittedly, Destiny 1 offered significantly less content at launch than Destiny 2. And yet, Destiny 1 kept me engaged for much longer.
The Weapons – Only God Rolls Left
Bungie has removed random perks from weapons. The intention behind this is quite understandable. Bungie wants to be able to adjust individual weapons more easily if they turn out to be too strong or too weak.
The coveted Engrams of Destiny
The main problem: Bungie has removed thousands of firearms from the game by eliminating random weapon rolls. Thousands of weapon combinations that are no longer possible. It is only now becoming evident how few – especially usable – weapons there really are.
In Destiny 1, even an average weapon could shine with a God roll. Guardians tried multiple combinations and rolls for this reason alone. In Destiny 2, there is a selection of about 10-15 weapons that are very well suited for both PvE and PvP content.
Since most of these weapons are also easy to obtain, there is no incentive to play or try other weapons. The best scout rifle MIDA Multi-Tool is available after a quest, while the second-best scout rifle Midnight without a Name is even gifted to you by Commander Zavala.
The legendary scout rifle Midnight without a Name
The psychological effect cannot be neglected. When Omnigul finally dropped a Grip of Malok in Destiny 1, the excitement was great. “Is the weapon rolled with balance compensation? What sight is on it? And please no reduced range.” In Destiny 2, it looks like this: “Yep, another Better Devil.”
The excitement around Destiny’s biggest aspect – the loot – has faded. As understandable as Bungie’s approach is, it is detrimental to the long-term motivation of players.
Can you still remember your first exotic piece of gear in Destiny 1? And do you remember how you got it? I was the first to hold the Icebreaker back then. At that time, I received one or a maximum of two exotic items per week.
Quite different is Destiny 2, here exotic weapons and armors are thrown at me even during the campaign. I have now gotten a large portion of the exotic weapons and all the exotic armor for my Titan.
An exotic Engram in Destiny 2
Was there too little opportunity to earn exotic gear at the start of Destiny 1? Yes, this was only possible if the Cryptarch was generous and converted a legendary engram (which were also very rare) into an exotic. With a lot of luck, you might have snagged an exotic in the Glass Chamber.
The possibilities to earn exotic gear were strictly limited – this approach kept players engaged. Many exotic armors and weapons were worth earning. In Destiny 2, exotic engrams are found significantly more often. And that in every content! Why should I play strikes or the raid when I get exotic engrams from public events that take only 2-3 minutes?
Xur symbolizes the transformation that Bungie has undergone for Destiny 2. In the early days of Destiny 1, Xur posed extremely high hurdles for acquiring his goods. The currency at the time, “Strange Coins”, was hard to come by, which lent a certain exclusivity to his offers.
Xur – the merchant of rare goods
Xur often had exciting items on Fridays that I couldn’t afford. The thrill of collecting enough strange coins by Sunday to give them to Xur for his noodles sometimes kept me farming for hours.
In Destiny 2, Xur requires legendary shards. These are obtained by dismantling legendary and exotic gear. And already at his first appearance (which was also shown on the map), it was clear that I would always be able to afford everything Xur has to offer. Because legendary shards are far too easy and plentiful to acquire.
If it is no longer necessary to farm items or currencies for the supposedly best gear in the game, a large piece of long-term motivation is lost here. Not least because Bungie has restricted Xur’s offerings – and thus the possibilities to invest the currency.
Is Destiny 2 Becoming a Fashion Showcase?
A significant aspect of Destiny is the aesthetics. One might say that the eye is also part of the shoot. In times of missing weapon rolls, many players believe that the endgame of Destiny 2 is simply about which Guardian looks the best.
The second New Tower Fashion Show has started!
Because changing armor in Destiny 2 actually only has an aesthetic effect. The classes dictate which status value will be the highest. A Hunter will never have top recovery – that’s not what Hunter armor provides. Should the endgame really be limited to which shader I put on my armor? Well, there would be one advantage – shaders have to be farmed in Destiny 2.
Summary: Bungie has made Destiny 2 more beginner-friendly than its predecessor. So far, so good. However, this comes with what I see as significant losses in long-term motivation. No more hunt for the perfect weapon roll, no more search for strange coins, or the excitement of having received a rare exotic armor piece.
In the end, Bungie will have to explain itself to the hardcore players – the players who remained loyal to the predecessor when there was a months-long content drought. By that time, the casuals will already be playing a completely different game.
What do you think? Do you believe that Destiny 2 will keep you engaged for a long time? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In this penalty tutorial for FIFA 18, we show you how to take and save penalties in the game. You can directly mimic and practice these tips and tricks.
In FIFA 18, it happens repeatedly that the referee blows the whistle and points to the spot. Now it’s time for a penalty shootout.
Compared to FIFA 17, the penalty mechanics have changed slightly. To avoid embarrassment from the spot, you will find all the information you need about penalties in FIFA 18 here.
How to take penalties in FIFA 18 – PS4, Xbox One
When you approach a penalty, you need to execute three steps correctly.
Step 1 – Determine starting position
With the right stick, you determine how the penalty taker should stand to the ball. You can take a few steps to the left, to the right, or backward. For example, take a few steps back so that you have more time when running up to the ball.
The starting position also determines the angle at which you hit the ball.
Step 2 – Shot power and aiming – With or without arrow
Once you’ve chosen your starting position, you need to determine the shot direction and shot power. The process is different from FIFA 17.
Here’s how it works in FIFA 18:
You can now calmly choose the shot direction while standing still. You do this with the left stick. Push it forward, move it a little to the left or right at the front edge, and thereby determine how far to the left or right you want to shoot. But be careful: If you aim too far outside, you will miss. A delicate touch is required here!
You determine the shot power and the height of the shot by holding down the shoot button. If you quickly tap the button, the player will shoot low with little power. If you hold the button down a bit longer, you will shoot higher and with more power. As soon as you release the shoot button, the player will run up.
Important: With the up arrow key, you can turn the help arrow on and off. This arrow shows you the direction and power with which you shoot.
The arrow is divided into four segments indicating the power. You hit the ball just below the crossbar by completely filling three segments and just grazing the fourth segment. If you fill the fourth segment beyond half, you will definitely shoot over the goal. It takes a lot of practice to get a feel for how long you can hold down the shoot button to fill the arrow correctly.
Step 3 – Running up, delaying the penalty
Once you have determined the shot power, the player will run up.
Now you can still change the shot direction by pressing the left stick in the desired direction. You can also influence the running speed:
Delay: Press L2 or LT during the run-up to reduce your running speed.
Run faster: Press R2 or RT during the run-up to increase your speed.
If you, for example, feign a quick run-up at first and then delay, you may confuse the opposing goalkeeper.
More tips and tricks for penalty shooting – Chip shot, Curved shot, Arena Mode
Before you execute the three steps, you can switch the penalty taker with R2 (PS4) or RT (Xbox One).
Press only the shoot button for a standard penalty while adjusting the shot power.
Press the shoot button and simultaneously L1 / LB for a chip shot.
Press the shoot button and simultaneously R1 / RB for a curved shot for more spin.
To practice penalties, you can perform one penalty after another in Arena Mode. Just play the ball into the penalty area and then press an arrow key. The penalty shootout will start.
In this video, you will see some penalties in FIFA 18:
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Are MMORPGs out in 2017? Do WoW, Guild Wars 2, or The Elder Scrolls Online no longer want new players?
It’s a strange situation for classic MMORPGs. The top games of 2017 rely on typical MMORPG elements and gain a ton of new players.
But the MMORPGs themselves are going in a different direction and seem to be focusing on bringing back former players.
What are the trends in gaming?
Currently, we have two major multiplayer trends that can be identified in gaming, and have been for several years:
Fast multiplayer games in match format
These are fast multiplayer games that are played in individual matches of 10-20 minutes and are highly attractive to streamers and their viewers. There is no story in focus here; rather, the individual matches resemble sports games and are restarted each time.
Examples include PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, LoL, Overwatch, Hearthstone, Dota 2, and similar games. Event games like Friday the 13th: The Game fit into this category and fully capitalize on Twitch and their streamability.
These are the games that dominate on Twitch and frequently determine the news. Something funny happens in a stream – the gaming press writes about it. Large US sites like Kotaku or Polygon have specialized in this by now.
The second trend is cooperative action games with RPG elements. Here, teamwork and continuous character improvement, along with the search for better loot, take center stage.
An example of this trend is a game like Destiny 2. Upcoming games like Monster Hunter World or Anthem will also go in this direction.
These are games that are at the forefront of revenue. Games like Destiny, The Division, or GTA V Online make a lot of money even years after their release.
It is surprising that MMORPGs, which were actually the inspiration for both types of games, are now going in a different direction.
Currently, 5 major paid MMORPGs share the market in the West, each with a decent player base. But the number of players who have played the MMORPG at least once and are no longer playing is even higher.
4 of these 5 games seem to be primarily focused on retaining existing players or winning back old ones. To do this, they rely on “nostalgia”:
WoW brings back old storylines and characters with Illidan and the Legion in 2016, clearly aiming to bring back former players. The focus is on storylines that originate from the strategy games of the 90s.
In The Elder Scrolls Online, the target audience in 2017 consists of players who played Morrowind 15 years ago and want to attract them to ESO, after attracting Skyrim players on PS4 and Xbox One. Zenimax aims to attract people who played Morrowind in 2002 to The Elder Scrolls Online. At the same time, they want to introduce a new generation to this classic.
Guild Wars 2 only markets internally, and in the new expansion “Path of Fire,” it almost completely avoids addressing new players. Guild Wars barely appears in the media for the new addon, relying on YouTubers and its own channels to promote the expansion. The content of the “Path of Fire” expansion is more aimed at Guild Wars 1.
In Final Fantasy XIV, Square Enix continues the course set with Stormblood, wanting to retain existing players or win back old ones. They tell an epic story with hundreds of internal connections – anyone wanting to join must catch up on the previous story, as Final Fantasy XIV Stormblood is story-locked.With a “Level Boost,” the Jumping Potion, Square Enix aims to simplify re-entry. However, this is only available for real money.
The only major MMORPG that seems to be looking towards the future is Black Desert. Here, the Korean developers plan a remastering of graphics and audio, a port to PS4 and Xbox One. Numerous new features are to come – of which little has been seen in 2017.
Former players as the largest target group – the MMORPG pool of players
For the other MMORPGs, it seems that they have almost given up on exciting new players for the genre. There is no longer a search for competition with games like LoL or Overwatch.
For years, it seems to have been accepted that the new generation of players leans towards MOBAs or action games – not MMORPGs.
Rather, MMORPG studios seem to be focused on regaining former players rather than bringing in new ones. Or they attempt to lure players away from MMORPGs or wait for the old MMORPGs to fade away.
This is a self-fulfilling prophecy. When the game content itself is “backward-looking,” refers to previous storylines, or even refers to earlier games, it becomes difficult to attract new players. One might feel: I’m starting with the 4th book without having read the first 3.
With innovations and new features, MMORPGs are sparse and cautious: they don’t want to scare away existing players with too much change. Everywhere it is said: This is now a “content” expansion. All expansions in 2017 from ESO, Final Fantasy, and Guild Wars 2 lacked real, new game features. Instead, they pride themselves on remaining the game they are and are happy to emphasize that.
All MMORPG addons in 2017 aimed to tell a new story based on the old, familiar rules.
No MMORPG currently truly wants to excite new people for the genre. Instead, it seems as if the existing pool of MMORPG players is swaying back and forth between the games without really new players joining. The MMORPG with the new content is the one that gets played.
The studios seem to specialize in wanting to regain former players. They then make offers with “instant leveling up” or similar deals.
It will be interesting to observe the role of Black Desert. There has been relatively little going on in 2017 thus far – but the plans of the Korean MMORPG are aimed towards the future. Particularly, a port to PS4 and Xbox One is targeted. Older Asian MMORPGs like Tera or Blade and Soul are also planning this. This could then bring “new players” into the genre.
MMORPGs are not dead but a bit “out”
There is probably no expectation of “new MMORPGs in the AAA sector” in the coming years. The current MMORPGs are doing relatively well, and the pool of MMORPG players is still filled.
However, the danger is that players from the ebbing and flowing player pool will completely drop out. Moreover, new indie MMORPGs are also targeting genre veterans, wanting to offer them what MMORPGs “used to” offer. Games like Camelot Unchained, Crowfall, or Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen are fully on the nostalgia trip. The behavior of the “big 5” could still play into their hands.
MMORPGs are therefore not dead yet, there are still enough fans to maintain the existing MMORPGs. However, MMORPGs are not currently trending in gaming, and it seems the gaming industry has come to terms with that. Who knows how long this will last?
From speculation comes certainty. The BlizzCon reveals the next addon of World of Warcraft.
Until now, there have only been cheerful speculations about the future of World of Warcraft. After all, the current patch 7.3 has only been active on the live servers for a few weeks and the next update (7.3.2) is already being tested on the PTR. Do the developers even have enough time to work properly on the next expansion?
Apparently they do! In the annual review of World of Warcraft, the Game Director Ion Hazzikostas spoke about the past months and highlighted the development of the game.
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In the last seconds of the video, Hazzikostas gives a sneak peek into the future and explains that they are already hard at work preparing for BlizzCon 2017. We can hardly wait to finally talk about all the things they have been working on for quite some time.
This confirms what most have already suspected: At BlizzCon 2017, the seventh expansion of World of Warcraft will be revealed!
They are particularly satisfied with the way the ongoing story has been implemented into the game. Weekly unlocks of the major campaigns and plenty of cool stories with old and new Warcraft heroes are expected to remain an important theme in the future and seamlessly carry through to the next expansion.
BlizzCon 2017 will take place on November 3 and 4, 2017. So it’s still a good 5 weeks until hints become concrete information, if no unfortunate leak reveals everything before then.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds leads to absurd and funny situations time and again. For example, when players agree to a gigantic death race.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds usually revolves around the brutal struggle for survival of individual players or small teams against the rest of the world. Those who remain at the end can look forward to a chicken dinner and reward points. For those who find the brutal gunfire and slaughter for the chicken meal too boring, they simply invent new game modes, such as “Death Race”.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds as a deadly car race
The YouTuber StoneMountain64 captured such a death race during a stream. Teams of players gathered with all kinds of stolen cars, buggies, and motorcycles at the eastern bridge on the island with the military base in the south. The goal is to drive completely around the island and cross the western bridge at the end.
To prevent the death race from immediately descending into a violence orgy, there were rules:
All players may only use pistols
Only after crossing the first bridge can shooting commence
If you lose your vehicle, you can set up roadblocks and ambush other players to shoot them out of their vehicles and steal them
Roadblocks may block a maximum of half the road
PlayerUnknown’s Death-Race – A blast thanks to absurd vehicle physics!
In the video from stoneMountain64, you can clearly see what a blast this “Death Race” is. This is partly due to the absurd vehicle physics in the game. The cars and motorcycles in PUBG are notoriously sensitive and can flip even on relatively gentle curves, tumbling down slopes helplessly.
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Nevertheless, or especially because of the funny driving physics, such races are probably a lot of fun. So far, such antics have only been possible unofficially with a sworn player group. But who knows, maybe someday there will be a dedicated Death Race mode for racing and shooting enthusiasts in PUBG?
Would you want such a game mode with car racing and weapons in PUBG? Let us know in the comments!
My right, right place is free, I wish for a new gaming chair.
As for me, I spend a large part of the day at my desk. Either because I’m gaming or because I’m writing articles for you and the university. But those who sit long and much can quickly adopt a wrong posture, which in turn harms your back. The only remedy is either less gaming or a new gaming chair. And the first is hardly an option, right?
The best chair for around 100 Euros – Songmics OBG28B: Cheap, but awesome!
If you’re looking for a decent gaming chair for a small budget, this chair from Songmics might be for you. The chair is made of stylish PU leather and impresses at first with its robust construction. Therefore, it can withstand loads of up to 150 kilograms without any problems.
The seat height can be adjusted from 46.5 to 56 centimeters. The backrest is also adjustable and offers a rocking function as well. The OBG28B is therefore a good choice for all gamers who like to sit comfortably but don’t want to spend a lot of money. But beware: Some users described an unpleasant synthetic leather chemical smell that is said to linger for quite a while.
Pros: Stylish design, robust, and suitable for heavier users
Cons: Synthetic leather has an unpleasant chemical smell for sensitive noses
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The best chair for around 200 Euros – DX Racer 1: Price-Performance Winner
The gaming chairs from DXRacer have an excellent reputation and there are countless models for every taste and budget. In the budget segment, the Racer 1 stands out with an excellent price-performance ratio. The chair costs around 200 Euros and offers high comfort, high quality, and many adjustment options.
You can also use the chair with a body weight of 100 kilograms without any worries. Only more robust fellows might want to look for a sturdier chair. The height adjustment can be set from a minimum of 43 to 53 centimeters. The backrest allows you to lie almost flat in front of the screen at a maximum of 180 degrees. This is ideal if you also use your gaming space for watching TV. The chair is covered in durable fabric.
Pros: Stylish design, robust, many adjustments
Cons: Fabric surface not as luxurious as leather, rather unsuitable for heavyweights
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Top chair for around 350 Euros – Noblechairs EPIC: The Gaming Throne
The EPIC Gaming Chair from noblechairs is slightly more expensive than 300 Euros, but in many current tests, it is the clear winner. The mighty chair is described as a true throne by both the manufacturer and some users. It is robust and high-quality, covered with PU leather. The construction can easily withstand up to 120 kilograms and is therefore also suitable for sturdier individuals.
The chair can be adjusted at any angle between 90 and 135 degrees, and the seat height is adjustable by up to 10 centimeters. According to some reviews, the chair is quite high with at least 49.5 centimeters by default and therefore more suitable for taller people. The seating comfort is continuously described as very good.
Pros: Noble throne aesthetic, very comfortable, robust, loadable, and well processed
Cons: Quite expensive, mainly designed for tall people
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Note: This article was originally published in April 2015. We have supplemented and updated it.
You still need games that you can play from your new gaming chair? Here you can find promising MMOs on Steam.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
How long does it take to defeat a Guardian in the Destiny 2 Crucible? We compare the PvP of Destiny 2 with its predecessor. Here are tables for the TTK of the weapons.
In the beta of Destiny 2, players agreed: The time to defeat someone in the Crucible was far too high. Coupled with the slower cooldown times for abilities and reduced movement speed, many were disappointed with the PvP mode.
Bungie quickly responded to these criticisms, noting that the game in the beta was already an outdated build that was not representative of the final game.
We will now highlight how quickly Guardians fall with different weapons and compare these TTK values at the end with Destiny 1 as well as the beta of Destiny 2.
Note: The listings are missing the special weapons of the respective factions. We will add these as soon as the data for these weapons has been compiled.
[toc]
What is TTK – the Time-to-Kill?
TTK – or Time-To-Kill – refers in shooters to the time required to defeat another player under optimal conditions. In other words, the shorter the TTK, the better.
To establish comparability, the following rules apply for determining the TTK:
The opposing Guardian has an armor value of 9 = 200 health points
The weapons are fired at their optimal range without damage falloff
The opponent has no strengthening or weakening effects on their health points or shield
No perks are active that, for example, deal more damage after a kill
Only kinetic and energy weapons are listed, power weapons are considered “one-hit kill” weapons and are therefore not taken into account
With these rules (which have already been applied in Destiny 1 and the beta of Destiny 2 and with which spreadsheets have been created) all weapons in the kinetic and energy slots can be compared with one another.
Note: The TTK does not always indicate the suitability of a weapon. The MIDA Multi-Tool is not popular in Destiny 2 simply because of its low TTK (there’s even a better scout rifle), but because it compensates for many disadvantages in Destiny 2 (radar, movement speed). Furthermore, it is easy to obtain at a high power level.
