The colorful online role-playing game WildStar offers real challenges again. With the latest update, you can struggle through “Overwhelming” difficulty raids and show how hardcore you really are.
WildStar advertised itself upon release as being the “hardcore” MMO that brings back intense 40-man raids like in the good old WoW Classic. Ultimately, that wasn’t such a good idea, and many players found the endgame too “hardcore”, leading WildStar to become somewhat more accessible.
However, Carbine doesn’t quite want to part ways with hardcore raiding just yet, as the latest update 1.7.2 brings the first raid in “Overwhelming 1” difficulty.
WildStar – New Raid in Extra Hard!
The raid Y-83 was already present in “Hard” difficulty, and now the even tougher Overwhelming Mode is added. And if that’s not enough, you can play the raid in both hard AND overwhelming!
The overwhelming mode fundamentally increases the damage and health points of the enemies in the raid. The hard mode increases these values further and unlocks new combat techniques and boss mechanics. So, really hardcore!
Overwhelming Raids – It gets even harder!
As a reward, there are significantly better items and resources like Progenitor Access Particles. So far, there is only the raid Y-83 in the overwhelming mode of level 1. The developers plan to unlock more raids for this mode in the future.
Once all raids in the new difficulty level are available, the rotation will start again in future updates, and gradually raids of level “Overwhelming 2”, then 3, and so on will be introduced. Each time, the raid will become even harder and the loot even more epic.
You can ideally fill your raid schedule this way, as each difficulty level has its own lockout timer. So you can now complete and loot Y-83 four times a week. Provided you are hardcore enough!
It seems that the Korean MMORPG Bless no longer has a publisher for a port to Europe and the USA. The release here in Germany is therefore at high risk.
It is even worse: Bless is apparently completely dead
Bless Online did not meet the quality standards of Neowiz and Gamigo Games. It is added: In Bless there are technical difficulties that could not be overcome.
Therefore, they do not want to complete Bless for the respective markets.
Actually, Neowiz wanted to thoroughly revise Bless – but the statement can also be interpreted as if the further development of Bless is completely finished. That would be bad – and would mean the end for the MMORPG Bless: Not only in Europe, but worldwide. Currently, however, fans still hope that another publisher will release Bless in North America and Europe.
Original report:
Since Whit Monday, a rumor has been circulating on the US side MMORPG.com that Aeria Games has exited as a publisher for Bless Online. This came from an anonymous source.
The US site has already reported on this and was waiting for a confirmation from Aeria Games. This did not come. Even the calls from the Bless fan site Bless-Source, which usually has a close connection to Aeria Games, went unanswered.
We at Mein MMO also inquired with Aeria Games about the rumor. Since no confirmation or any other comment came, we did not report on this rumor.
Planned Germany release of Bless is canceled
So far, by Wednesday morning, there had been no confirmation, but now it is here. As reported by MMO Culture, various Korean websites have confirmed that Neowiz and Aeria Games have terminated the publishing contract. Thus, the Europe release of Bless is highly at risk: Bless has no publisher for Europe and North America. Consequently, no release is planned anymore in Germany.
The exact details regarding the termination of the contractual relationship are still unclear.
Long Backstory – Bless is considered an AAA MMORPG
Bless belongs to the same MMORPG generation as Black Desert – it was developed with great effort over the years. It was intended to be a more western-oriented, classic MMORPG – with two factions, PvE and PvP.
The MMORPG Bless has also been released in Korea but was not a big success there. It lies between worlds – while the production values are high, graphics and sound are excellent, the gameplay seems to be lacking. The combat system is described as difficult – and the game systems are still questionable.
Therefore, Bless is currently being thoroughly revised by Neowiz in South Korea – the “new revised version” was supposed to be released here in Europe and North America. Aeria Games reported that the localization of such a large game will take time.
Fans were already worried at the end of 2016 that there could be difficulties because it was so quiet around the port of Bless. Rumors could then be dispelled. This time, it does not look that way.
Now fans need to hope that Bless finds a new publisher for a port to Europe and North America. We will keep you informed about Bless Online’s further fate at Mein MMO.
In April, the Russian publisher pushed Bless back into development:
Blizzard is slightly cheating with the skill rating in Overwatch . You will be intentionally ranked lower than you really are!
A few days ago, Season 5 started in Overwatch, which means that most players are currently struggling through their placement matches. Based on performance, a skill rating is then assigned. Players are currently storming the forums – as they do every season. Many believe that they are actually much better than what the skill rating suggests. And for the first time, they seem to be right!
The colleagues from Kotaku spoke with Overwatch developer Scott Mercer, who admitted that the estimation of the skill rating is adjusted slightly downward. While Mercer did not provide exact numbers, players assume that they are typically ranked about 200 points lower than the “actual” skill rating.
The reason for this is player motivation: they want players to celebrate some successes with their first games after the placement matches. Within the first 40-50 rounds, the skill rating usually normalizes back to the actual value.
Another factor is the MMR (Match Making Rating). This is an invisible value that only the developers can see. This value exists in addition to the skill rating and is used to determine suitable opponents. If the MMR value deviates significantly from the skill rating, winning and losing streaks will cause a faster rise or fall of the skill rating.
Cortyn says: I don’t think much of this “distortion.” It’s a nice thought that they want to give players a few successes after the placement matches, but for me, that contradicts the purpose of a ranked mode. In a ranked mode, I expect hard facts. How good am I? What is my skill? What are my limits? I don’t want to be coddled and ranked lower so that I feel good about climbing afterward. I would prefer to have my skill rating exactly as the game calculates it. I can live with getting “trashed” more often at the beginning.
The developers of Pokémon GO have just confirmed the suspicions about the Fire and Ice event in the game and announced changes to arenas.
The one-year anniversary of Pokémon GO is just around the corner and brings cool new content. The developers are also excited about 750 million global downloads and invite players to celebrate both milestones. First, there is the already leaked Fire and Ice event that rewards you with XP bonuses, special Pokémon, and other extras. Later, the arenas will be temporarily deactivated to prepare the game for the new cooperative features.
Fire and Ice event starting June 13
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Pokémon GO, there will be the Fire and Ice event starting on June 13, 2017. A date for the end of the event has not been announced yet. During this event, there will be a higher spawn rate of Fire and Ice Pokémon in the game.
In addition, there will be huge XP bonuses for accurately throwing Poké Balls. In the in-game shop of Pokémon GO, you can get Lucky Eggs at a discount.This special Pokémon GO event was revealed a few days ago in a leak. It mentioned more Charmander, Magmar, Cloyster, and other Pokémon of the respective types.
More detailed information about the start and end of the Fire and Ice event will likely be announced shortly before the start.
Arenas will be deactivated
The announcement about the one-year anniversary also states that the arenas will be temporarily deactivated. Shortly after the event, there should be an update that focuses on cooperative gameplay and introduces group play to the game. To prepare for these new features, the arenas will then be temporarily deactivated. A specific date for the deactivation has not been given yet.
Trainers have been waiting a long time for such an arena reset. In combination with more group gameplay, we should look forward to a summer filled with Pokémon fun.
Hello Games, the developer studio behind the space exploration game No Man’s Sky, sent mysterious tapes to moderators on Reddit.
The tapes contain a code. This code is 706s7274616p. Those who use a ROT13 converter will get the hexadecimal string 706f7274616c from this code. When processed by an ASCII converter, it yields the word “Portal”. Now the community speculates about what this could mean.
A Cryptic Message
In the game No Man’s Sky, there are portals that currently have no function. It may be that Hello Games is working on a new update for the game that will activate the portals. But what function could the portals have? It is conceivable that they connect distant places in the galaxy, providing players a new, fast travel option to explore the galaxy.
It is also possible that the portals are threatening. Perhaps spaceships will emerge and start a war. At this point, these are all speculations, as Hello Games has not yet officially commented on what this is all about. However, it seems that fans of No Man’s Sky have something to look forward to.
Hello Games has expanded the game, which was heavily criticized after its release, with several updates and has managed to regain the trust of some fans. Therefore, many are eager to see what the next update will bring.
The start of E3 2017 is approaching! We are looking forward to these 10 game highlights at the press conferences.
From June 13 to June 15, E3 2017 will take place at the “Los Angeles Convention Center”. The days before will also be exciting, as the major publishers will hold their press conferences, which gaming fans from around the world can follow either on-site or via livestream.
These press conferences are large-scale shows where publishers and developers light one highlight after another, present impressive trailers, and then step onto the big stage for a few minutes to introduce their latest hardware and software products.
The press conferences are entertainingly staged – with stars, light spectacles, or even large orchestras. The E3 is considered a celebration for all gamers. What the organizers are planning this year – one can already look forward to that.
At the forefront of E3 are the games. What are the development studios working on? What can we look forward to feeding our consoles or our PCs with soon? Which games can trigger a huge hype in the gaming world this year?
Here are our 10 game highlights that we are eagerly looking forward to and from which we hope for new information.
Destiny 2
Those who know Mein-MMO.de know that we occasionally report on this MMO shooter called Destiny. For three years, we have covered Destiny like no other gaming site in Germany, which is why the sequel Destiny 2 is right at the top of our list of game highlights for E3 2017.
The developers from Bungie have already announced that they will definitely be present at E3. We know that people on-site can play the new Guardian subclass of the Arcstriders, but that certainly will not be all that Destiny 2 will have to offer at E3.
We expect at least one new trailer that will further ramp up the hype. And we would also welcome an official launch date for the beta. Since Activision does not have its own press conference, the information about Destiny 2 will most likely be shared during the Sony conference.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Destiny 2 will be the sequel to Destiny and will be released on September 8, 2017. It will continue the story of the Guardians. There will be numerous new weapons, armor pieces, and Exotics, as well as new worlds, an extensive story, and a new raid.
Destiny 2 will be available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Since Battleborn recently switched to (partially) Free2Play, a similar increase could be expected there. However, that seems not to be the case.
Battleborn – Player numbers multiplied – still not a hit
Battleborn has been partially Free2Play since June 6. This is called “unlimited trial version” and includes a weekly rotating selection of 6 playable heroes that you can enjoy in PvP mode as you please. The PvE mode remains reserved for paying customers.
Nevertheless, one would expect players to flock to the Battleborn servers to play the MOBA shooter. However, the numbers from the Steam charts look different: Only 1,522 players have been online at the same time since the Free2Play launch.
While this is a significant increase compared to the nearly 100 fans who previously played Battleborn simultaneously, you certainly can’t speak of success with just about 1,500 players. One can only hope that more free players will show up over the coming weekend and improve the numbers somewhat.
But what do you think about all this? Is Battleborn really dead now, and should Gearbox let the game go and instead focus completely on the next Borderlands? Or do you think it is too early, and the numbers will improve soon? Let us know in the comments!
It seems that the long wait is finally coming to an end. Three years after WildStar was the last new AAA MMORPG released in the West, a new one is in development: Magic – The Gathering. This will be an MMORPG, but the publisher is marketing it as an RPG, while fans see it as a card game.
The “great MMORPG hopes” Titan and Everquest Next have been canceled in recent years. Since then, the major studios have retreated, leaving the MMORPG field to Asians and indie studios.
But indeed: Cryptic Studios, the creators behind Star Trek Online and Neverwinter, are daring to develop a AAA action MMORPG based on the Magic: The Gathering license.
However: It has not been presented as an MMORPG but rather as a modern, complete RPG.
Most fans have also ignored that and are just happy that a new card game is coming.
It seems as if the publisher is a bit ashamed of developing an MMORPG.
But: The new Magic will not be a card game. The new game is supposed to “only” take place in the world of Magic. At its core, it is a AAA free-to-play action MMORPG. They place importance on “AAA”: The high production values affect graphics and gameplay.
New AAA MMORPG for PC and probably PS4 and Xbox One
The free-to-play MMORPG is set to be released for PC and “consoles” – usually referring to PS4 and Xbox One.
After PC players have been experiencing the new adventures of Season 13 of the MMORPG Star Trek Online, it is now the turn of PS4 and Xbox One.
The conflict with the Tzenkethi escalates and the aliens are seemingly attacking planets in the Alpha Quadrant at random.
You will be sent out in the new season of Star Trek Online to discover a pattern in the attacks. The latest episode “Sound and Smoke” leads you together with the Lukari, with whom you investigate a mysterious fog that holds some secret.
A Small Event
At the launch of Escalation on PS4 and Xbox One, you can look forward to a special promotion until June 13. Once per account, you will receive the following items for free:
A single-use XP boost that takes you from Level 50 to Level 60. For captains over Level 50, excess experience is converted into specialization points.
An XP boost trait that grants bonus XP until you reach Level 60.
An equipment box that grants new equipment every 10 levels between Level 10 and 50.
A Ferengi Nandi Warship [K6]
Additionally, you can find a Husnock Warship, a Privateer Outfit, the Miradorn Raider, and new items in the new Privateer Lockboxes. With the launch of the episode “Sound and Smoke,” a new patch for the console version of Star Trek Online has also been released, bringing many optimizations and adjustments.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Quality doesn’t always bring joy. In Overwatch fans are angry because they will not receive their beloved dances. In just a few days, the event will end and then the dances will no longer be available.
Although the Anniversary event for the first anniversary of the hero shooter is currently taking place in Overwatch, not every player can be happy. A storm has been brewing on social media and the official Overwatch forums for days.
The cause of the annoyance is the dances – a new form of emotes that were introduced for all heroes with the anniversary. These are so popular that fans are already getting angry and dissatisfied because they cannot earn all the desired dances and presumably will have to invest several hundred euros in loot boxes just to obtain the necessary credits.
The problem: The dances are tied to the Anniversary loot boxes – and they will no longer be available when the event ends on June 12.
This is exacerbated by the general loot box system. The more items are in the game, the smaller the probability of obtaining one of the truly sought-after items. In addition, the number of duplicates is also increasing, and especially veterans are happy when they actually receive an item that is not duplicated.
The dances are too good to miss out on
There are several suggestions from the community on how to solve the problem. For example, it could be possible to increase the number of guaranteed event items in the loot boxes from 1 to 2. Another proposal suggests doubling the number of credits received from event duplicates, making them particularly valuable. Both would lead to players having more items or more credits in their pockets, thereby increasing the chance of snagging the sought-after dances.
Blizzard has not yet made a definitive statement about whether the dances will remain tied to the event. However, the “Double XP Weekend” seems to be a step in the right direction. This way, players receive double the amount of loot boxes for a few days and thus have a higher chance of snagging a few coveted items in the “final sprint”.
What do you think about all this? Do you wish that the dances are permanently accessible and no longer just part of the anniversary boxes? Or do you think it’s good that such content is only available at certain times?
Actually, SMITE is a MOBA. But now it wants to be more like an RPG and introduces its own dungeon-crawler mode!
SMITE likes to break the conventional conditions of the MOBA genre. It is one of the few games played from a third-person perspective rather than an isometric view, like League of Legends or Heroes of the Storm. But SMITE has another aspect that distinguishes the game from other representatives of the genre – pretty crazy developers! They design not only wild skins but also a new game mode now.
In the “Trials of King Hercules,” you do not play against a team of other players but experience a classic RPG in dungeon-crawler style. Together with other players, you can choose your team from all gods and then take on the trials. You must slay hydras and other monsters that are inspired by the trials of Hercules. During the battles, you earn gold, which can be exchanged in the shop for special items, making your hero stronger.
If you have chosen a “wrong” hero, you can transfer your items to another hero – no progress is lost.
This RPG mode is available for only a few weeks (during patch 4.10 and 4.11). So if you want to play it, you should patch the game in the coming days, grab a few friends, and start playing.
Besides the pure fun of the game, there are also some rewards to grab, like crates with exclusive skins – but for that, you must master the higher difficulties. The “Trials of King Hercules” thus provides game content for several hours – and it’s completely free.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
Cortyn says: SMITE is currently taking some pretty interesting paths and continually manages to introduce new game modes that are quirky and varied. After the recent “Mario Kart” clone, there is now an RPG. For me, that’s definitely a nice reason to keep checking out HiRez’s MOBA. So: more of this, please! That is a truly unique feature of SMITE.
In The Division, there is a server downtime today, on 8th June. Bug fixes are coming.
The developers at Massive are still very busy fixing bugs and issues in their shared-world shooter. The update 1.6.1 was supposed to eliminate numerous frustrations and significantly improve the agents’ experience; however, new problems have arisen that dampen the general mood surrounding The Division.
Today, Thursday, the regular maintenance work is taking place. Massive continues the mission to eliminate bugs.
At 9:30 AM our time, the servers will be shut down. The expected downtime is three hours. Around 12:30 PM, you can return to the game.
What is changing today? – Changelog
During the maintenance, three bug fixes will be deployed:
In the underground missions, there was the problem that agents sometimes did not receive rewards
For the talents Specialist, Competent, and Capable, there was the issue that their buffs did not expire when seeking cover behind mobile cover
Additionally, the talent Specialist could be stacked up to 5 times when repeatedly seeking cover behind mobile cover
State of the Game today
We expect today’s State of the Game from Massive around 5 PM. Last week, the developers could not talk about update 1.7 – the time had not yet come. Perhaps we will learn in detail today what is coming for the agents.
However, it is also conceivable that the developers will wait until a nearby major event to talk about the future of The Division. E3 2017 is approaching, where Ubisoft will hold its own press conference.
Last year, they looked far into the future at E3 – there were not only news about the underground DLC, but also a trailer for Survival. Let’s see if they will be present this year as well.
The Japanese MMORPG Atelier Online features sweet graphics and a world reminiscent of a mix between Hogwarts from Harry Potter and a Japanese high school.
Schoolyard dramas are a popular theme in many anime and manga works. This ranges from mundane schools to magical academies where students learn magic and alchemy. It sounds a bit like Hogwarts from Harry Potter, but here we are talking about the Japanese online role-playing game Atelier Online: Alchemists of Bresier.
Atelier Online – Fight Monsters and Brew Potions
Atelier Online is a full-fledged MMO that is set to be released in winter 2017 on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. A PC release will follow later. The game will be free-to-play.
Atelier Online offers a wide variety of character generation options, group play, and costumes.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
In the game, you run through the academy and wilderness with your alchemy student, where you beat up all sorts of monsters. You also gather ingredients for new potions. This way, you continuously develop your skills as an alchemist. We have embedded a trailer of Atelier Online that showcases the cute game and its gameplay. Have fun!
From Rebellion comes a new co-op adventure for PS4, Xbox One, and PC called Strange Brigade.
You already know the developers of “Rebellion” from games like Sniper Elite or Zombie Army. Today, the team announced a new title that will be showcased in more detail at E3. It’s a co-op shooter for up to four players set in the 1930s. The game is played from a third-person perspective. You can already see some early images in the reveal trailer:
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
As one of four British explorers, you will experience your adventures in Strange Brigade. In addition to weapons, each of the four also has supernatural powers that can be used in the fight against the nasty monsters. During your explorations, you will encounter zombies and other unsightly creatures. The dangerous foes are summoned by an Egyptian witch queen who is apparently not pleased with your presence.
The developers have not yet named a release date for Strange Brigade other than the usual “soon.” We know that the game is set to be released for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The gameplay reveal will take place during E3 2017.
We are looking forward to the new co-op shooter – What do you think of the trailer?
Magic: The Gathering is a still-successful collectible card game that founded the entire genre. After some hints and rumors, it has now been officially confirmed that developer Cryptic (Neverwinter, Star Trek Online) is working on a Magic RPG.
Now it’s finally official: Magic will indeed be developed as a fantasy RPG by Cryptic and publisher Perfect World.
Magic: The Gathering – MMO or Solo RPG?
According to Cryptic CEO Stephen D’Angelo, the game will be called Magic: The Gathering and will be an AAA RPG. It is being built from the ground up and aims to be high-quality both graphically and in gameplay. According to the CEO of Perfect World, Bryan Huang, they are very excited about the direction Cryptic is taking in the game’s development. It will be Magic like you’ve never experienced before.
More than these statements from the two leaders is not known. Not even whether Magic: The Gathering will be an MMO or a “regular” RPG. However, the term “RPG” at least strongly suggests that Magic will not be another Hearthstone clone.
It may be a hybrid of card and role-playing game. The chances of it being an MMO are also not bad, as Cryptic has been successfully developing online role-playing games like Star Trek Online or Neverwinter for years. If Magic were to become an MMO, it would be the first new western AAA online role-playing game since WildStar in 2014.
Update: There is now a statement from Cryptic. It is indeed an MMORPG, an AAA MMORPG, as it has been added. According to the official website, which is now offline again, it is supposed to be a “Free2Play action-MMMORPG” based on Magic: The Gathering.
What do you think of the idea of a Magic RPG? How do you envision the game? And do you hope for a card game hybrid or rather a classic (online) RPG? Or should Magic simply be a card game like Hearthstone instead of any RPG gimmicks? Let us know in the comments!
The developers of the highly interesting western MMORPG Wild West Online have revealed new details about their game.
Many are currently waiting to finally play the western online game Wild West Online. According to the developers, it won’t be long until it’s ready. In an interview with Gamespot, 612 Games CEO Stephen Bugaj stated that the alpha will start this summer.
During this testing phase, the server infrastructure and the core gameplay will mainly be tested. There will be little content available at that time, and only about 25 percent of the game world will be accessible.
Release is still planned for this year
Gradually, more content will be introduced and more parts of the world will be opened up, until approximately in the autumn the Closed Beta starts. A release is still planned for the end of the year.
However, this also depends on how the testing phases go. The content will revolve around group quests that you receive from NPCs, as well as PvP activities like duels. Solo players will not find a solo mode, but many quests you will be able to complete alone.
Train robberies are not part of the release version but will come with the first addon. You must get on the train at stations and then defend it against attackers. Attackers can ambush at predefined locations and stop the locomotive there. This will lead to intense shootouts where attackers try to gain control of the train and steal gold and cargo.
Read Dead Redemption 2 is not competition
Wild West Online is set to be released for around 40 dollars via Steam. It is likely a Buy2Play game. A console version is not planned at this time. There are no fears of competition from Read Dead Redemption 2. Rockstar Games is said to focus more on the single-player part, console players, and on a story. Moreover, the western genre is not currently overcrowded, allowing for two games on this theme to coexist in the market.
Here in the video from MMOHQ, there is some footage and several screenshots of the Wild West MMORPG:
FIFA 18 is on the horizon! At the end of September 2017, the 25th installment of the FIFA series from EA Sports will be released. Cristiano Ronaldo is on the cover and an innovation for the “Ultimate Team” mode is already known: The Icons. So we don’t have to worry about refreshing FUT 18.
But what about the “Pro Clubs” mode? Many fans have complained for years that this mode is neglected. Does the Club Mode in FIFA 18 also receive improvements, or will it remain neglected?
We present 5 innovations that would suit the Club Mode well.
For many players, Pro Clubs is the most interesting mode in FIFA. In it, you found a club, create your own characters, the so-called “Pros”, and try to rise through the ranks together. Every player takes on a position, allowing for 11v11 matches. In practice, however, the number of players is significantly lower, such as 4v4. Nevertheless: Teamplay and communication are at the forefront in the Club Mode.
This seems to be the fascination of Pro Clubs: It offers the most intense online experience in FIFA – a mode where truly a team of players steps onto the field. Together you win and together you lose. Egoists or lone wolves will not find happiness in this mode.
One aspect has caused frustration for years: The CPU players. Because every position not occupied by a human player is controlled by AI. And this repeatedly leads to “adventurous” moments. Defenders do not mark opponents or open spaces for the opponents. In sprints, they suddenly stop, causing passes to go astray. Every club player can tell lengthy stories about the “CPUs”.
To counter this annoyance, a player can take the “Any” position, which is referred to as “Any” in the German-speaking community. Then this player controls all remaining field players not occupied by human players.
However, there are also problems here: Many users report that these non-human players are hardly controllable: It takes forever for them to react – passing and shooting is something they cannot do anyway. Gameplay in the other modes feels significantly more dynamic. If you don’t have a top “Any” player in your ranks, this causes even more frustration.
In short: Gameplay is an aspect in FIFA – especially in the Club Mode – that can be further improved.
A more exciting progress system in Pro Clubs
Until FIFA 16, there were so-called “Achievements” in the Club Mode. Upon completion of the requirements for an achievement, your Pro received a bonus to their attributes.
In FIFA 17, these achievements were replaced by a new progress system which allowed the Pro to earn skill points through completed matches, which can be used to acquire certain abilities, as well as points for their overall rating.
Since the former achievements required many “selfish” actions, one goal of the new progress system in FIFA 17 was to bring teamplay more to the forefront. Depending on the match rating, players now earn points.
However, there are several issues: The maximum skill points are reached after just a few games and in the overall rating, there are no concrete goals to aim for. In other words, monotony sets in early. You only conclude one game after another to gain a few percentage points to the overall rating.
Here EA Sports could bring a more exciting progress system for the Pro. For example, unlockable cosmetic items. Or varied “achievements” that require teamplay. There should be more goals to foster long-term motivation.
More customization options for Pro Clubs in FIFA 18
Since FIFA 17, you can create your own kits and crests in “Pro Clubs” for the first time. However, the customization options are quite limited. We hope that the aspect of individualization will be further expanded:
More options for customizing the Pros (more hairstyles, tattoos, etc.)
More customization options for kits and crests
Build and manage your own stadiums
Additionally, it would be useful to set the takers for set pieces before a match. Also, the captain.
Training arena and skill games
In “Pro Clubs”, you can do two things:
Compete against other clubs with your club
Spontaneous games, where you are matched up with other Pros
However, this mode still has much more potential. Why is there no training arena or skill games where users can play against each other or together? While they wait for other players to come online.
In Pro Clubs, many players gather with their Pros. Amusing mini-games and a greater focus on the social component would surely benefit the mode.
Spectator mode – Join in
If club members have already started a game and you happen to arrive one or two minutes late, you have no options to join the match or watch the gameplay. A spectator mode or the option to join later is missing.
The “joining in” is a tricky subject. If you are playing a 2v2 match and suddenly 5 players join the opponents’ team, that is an unfair advantage for the opponents.
But a spectator mode should not pose problems here. Also, concerning “eSports”, it would certainly be interesting. A spectator mode where you can freely choose the cameras to follow the action from all possible perspectives. How about that?
A look at social networks shows that many gamers enjoy playing this mode and organize themselves in groups to find new members or to join a club themselves. It offers a unique online experience that can be improved and expanded in FIFA 18. We are excited about what is to come in “Pro Clubs” in FIFA 18.
Last year, there was first information on the Pro Club of FIFA 17 during Gamescom. If EA Sports sticks to this schedule again this year, there are still a good two months to speculate on possible innovations.
Leveling up Twinks is now significantly faster in World of Warcraft, at least when you have actively played with your main character.
A major criticism at the launch of World of Warcraft: Legion was that you could hardly play Twinks and alternative characters effectively because you had to invest too much time in them. The main problem was the Artifact Knowledge, which had to be painstakingly researched over weeks and months and was only gradually unlocked.
Artifact Knowledge is important because it multiplies the rate at which characters gain Artifact Power for their artifact weapon, thus significantly increasing their strength.
Already with Patch 7.1.5, Blizzard implemented a way to significantly boost the Artifact Knowledge of Twinks in one go. For this, you had to buy a Compendium of Artifact Research in your main character’s class hall and send it to the Twink, who would then use it – done.
Artifact Knowledge Level 40 with just one click
Anyone who has played since the release of Patch 7.2 without major interruptions should have developed their Artifact Knowledge to Level 40 with their main character by today (June 7, 2017). This means that the most powerful compendium, the “Compendium of Artifact Research: Volume I-VII,” is now available. When used, a Twink’s Artifact Knowledge level automatically increases to the current maximum value – 40.
This not only saves time but also resources. The compendium only costs a one-time fee of 1,000 Order Resources, whereas the separate research consumes 500 Order Resources each time – and only a few players do World Quests with multiple characters to always have enough resources.
Anonymous sources are now reporting why Mass Effect: Andromeda did not become the game it intended to be.
Author Jason Schreier has researched the development history of Mass Effect: Andromeda for Kotaku. He has spoken with sources who worked on the game. The sources want to remain anonymous. Therefore, it is not officially confirmed. However, Schreier is considered credible; he has often explored the development history of games relying on anonymous sources, for example, with Destiny.
We summarize the key points of the development history:
Mass Effect: Andromeda has a turbulent development history. There were constant changes in direction and across all areas – this led to numerous problems. There is no single reason to pinpoint; rather, a multitude of issues arose over the years.
Originally, Mass Effect: Andromeda was planned as a prequel, but surveys revealed that fans wanted a sequel, so they restarted the project.
There were supposed to be countless worlds that were procedurally generated – like in No Man’s Sky. The dream was “No Man’s Sky with a Bioware story”, but that did not work. They agreed on the final concept relatively late in the development and provided handcrafted planets.
Although they had good technical prototypes, it never really clicked. It was not interesting enough to traverse a procedurally generated planet.
Changes to the story occurred frequently – even late in production, they were still working on the narrative. The story team was reportedly too focused on “High-Level Ideas”.
The Frostbite engine they switched to was unsuitable for RPGs and caused numerous problems.
The animation team was talented but understaffed.
There were political intrigues within Bioware and rivalries among different teams. Especially the team in Edmonton, which was behind the Mass Effect trilogy, had difficulties with Montreal, who believed their ideas and personnel were being taken by Edmonton.
There were leadership changes that hit the team hard.
They changed direction so often and delayed decisions, that a large portion of Mass Effect: Andromeda was developed in just 18 months instead of over the course of 5 years. During these 18 months, the developers worked overtime; they were in “crunch”.
Teams were in different studios and countries – there were difficulties in collaboration. BioWare did not have the experience or staff like Ubisoft to coordinate such efforts.
Additionally, there were revisions to tools that caused a lot of trouble.
Overall, the project was likely overambitious and failed due to these excessive ambitions – they repeatedly failed to agree on “final goals” – these pillars must be established for production to proceed smoothly.
The final result fell so far short of expectations that the studio has now been downsized and Mass Effect: Andromeda has been put on hold.
A study by the Federal Association of Interactive Entertainment Software (BIU) has revealed new statistics about the age of German gamers. According to the survey, the average age has noticeably increased over the past few years. Especially among those over 50, many gamers have joined.
Computer games have often been dismissed as pointless and silly children’s play. Only nerds and childish clowns would indulge in such things; real adults have serious and dignified hobbies or belong to respectable clubs!
However, if we can believe the study by the Federal Association of Interactive Entertainment Software, it is not only children and young adults who play games more often.
BIU Study – The average gamer is over 30
As recently as 2011, the average age of German players was 31 years. But just six years later, the average gamer in the Republic is already 35.5 years old. The reason for this is the significant increase in players over 50. They now make up a quarter of all players and represent 8.7 million gamers, the largest age group.
The reason for the high number of older gamers is, according to the BIU, that games have now firmly established themselves as everyday media. In addition, there are now simply many players from the early days who, as young people, played in the 80s and are now over 50 and often still gamers.
Gamers in Germany – More than half are female
A total of 34.1 million Germans reportedly play at least occasionally. This corresponds to 46 percent of the total population. Of the German players, 53 percent are male, 47 percent are female. All these figures resulted from a representative survey by the BIU of 25,000 surveyed citizens.
The large number of players is also fueling the market. In the past year, a total of 2.13 billion euros were generated in Germany from games for PC, console, handheld, smartphone, and tablet, as well as fees for online networks like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold.
What do you think of the BIU’s figures? Are you also one of the many over-50 gamers? And how do you think the increasing age of gamers will affect the game design of upcoming titles? Will there soon be special games for seniors? Let us know in the comments!
