A backup led to a complete collapse of PS4 servers 225 – 228 in Ark Survival Evolved. All data from the servers were lost.
It seems there is something wrong at Studio Wildcard. Just recently, some players of Ark Survival Evolved suffered severe losses. Due to a failure of Amazon Web Services, the studio was forced to perform a rollback of its official servers. This cost survivors valuable time, dinos, and items.
Shortly after, the second digital blow came for the survival MMO. This time, the official PS4 servers 225 – 228 were affected and lost all their data. At the beginning of the week, the servers were undergoing a backup process. During the process, there was a critical hardware failure, preventing the developers from accessing the corresponding box for a while.
Errors with a 0.00001% Chance Destroy Official PS4 Servers
Studio Wildcard spoke with the server hosts and identified the problem. The hardware failure occurred during the writing of the backups. This shattered both the data of the main server and the data that was currently being written for the backup.
This means that the data is irretrievably lost. According to the developers, the chance of such an occurrence is a “one-in-a-million” chance. Wildcard now wants to analyze the situation further and think about ways to prevent this problem in the future.
Wildcard Apologizes to Players
Wildcard apologizes to the affected players. The box remains offline for the time being. It will only be put back into use once it has been set up with completely new hardware and is ready to be part of the “Official-Ark-Networks.” This could take a while. When the box goes online again, it will have a complete restart with empty slots.
It seems Wildcard is haunted by digital misfortune. Let’s hope that this nightmare comes to an end and the survivors no longer have to suffer losses.
Today, starting March 9th, Massive is celebrating the birthday of the MMO shooter with agents in The Division. There are events and in-game rewards.
Update: There is also a new ISAC mission live! You will find the mission objective in the south of the map. You need to take out Asher while he is searching for Esmay in the subway station under Union Square. The reward is 3 Division Tech and two cosmetic items. We have summarized all the information about the ISAC missions here. In short: Asher is the bad guy, Esmay is an ally. Ubisoft usually releases a video about it, but this one is missing (for now).
If you defeat Asher, he drops several items, among which can be Exotics.
Original message:
In yesterday’s special report on the anniversary of The Division, gifts and in-game events for all players of The Division were announced. It starts today, March 9th. The festivities will last for a week, until March 16th.
These gifts are available for the “Year 1” celebration
During this week, you will receive a free gesture, where your agent raises their fist in the air. Additionally, the developers are giving you 200 Premium Credits. This is a new currency introduced with 1.6 that usually needs to be purchased with real money. With this, you can buy cosmetic items at the premium vendor in the terminal.
You can pick up these gifts starting today, March 9th, at 2 PM. They will be available until March 16th at 11 AM.
Update: You can find the gesture at the premium vendor, where it costs 0 Premium Credits. It is called “Celebration”. You have Premium Credits directly in your inventory upon login.
Events start today
Additionally, two events are starting where you will receive double rewards:
From March 9th (2 PM) to March 11th (7 PM), there are double rewards for HVTs, at high-value targets.
From March 11th (7 PM) to March 16th (11 AM), you will get twice as many performance containers when you fill your experience points bar.
Months ago, back before update 1.4, such multi-day events were tested. Back then, it was discussed about weekends where double experience points could be earned. Now, in mid-March 2017, the first events are starting where you can earn more rewards.
4K duel to Ghost Recon Wildlands. Who has the edge in the graphics comparison: PC or PS4 Pro?
For a few days now, you can officially play the new tactical shooter Ghost Recon Wildlands. The fun of the game is not only due to a wide range of weapons and the co-op mode, but also to the graphic details of the characters, environments, weapons, and weather conditions. But which platform performs better in the direct 4K comparison: the PC or the PS4 Pro? Decide for yourself with the help of this comparison video.
PC and PS4 Pro in graphics comparison
The tested PC is set to maximum graphic details and runs at native 2160p. The PS4 Pro runs at a native resolution of 1440p, which is upscaled to 2160p. It’s noticeable in the video that the PC, despite good hardware (i7 6700K, 16 GB DDR4 Ram, and a GTX 1080), does not always achieve the targeted 30 FPS.
You also see that the lighting conditions in some scenes are not 100% the same. This is due to the dynamic weather system that is active in Ghost Recon Wildlands. However, the test by Candyland ensured similar weather conditions and in-game time.
Ghost Recon Wildlands is the first game to use Nvidia’s Turf Effects technology on PC. This technology is used to depict grass realistically.
“NVIDIA Turf Effects simulates and renders massive grasslands and their physically accurate interaction with the environment. The new technology allows for a complete geometric representation of grass. The individual blades consist of at least three or up to several hundred triangles, enabling seamless detail levels to be displayed.”
The visibility and details are significantly higher at Ultra graphics on the PC. The differences in the representation of distant objects are striking. As you can see in the video at around 58 seconds, the PC displays the power plant more clearly than the PlayStation 4 Pro. Check out the video here:
The cartel market of SWTOR reaches new dimensions. A single lightsaber costs a whopping 50€!
The in-game shop of Star Wars: The Old Republic has become a double-edged sword. While there are plenty of small upgrades available for purchase, such as additional character slots, more bank slots, or new hairstyles, a large part of the truly “cool” rewards is hidden in crates with random loot.
When purchasing such crates, players can invest many hundreds of euros in the cartel market without ever really getting “the one” item they desire. And for exactly these players, a solution is now at hand, and a test run is being made with the Unstable Lightsaber.
The Unstable Lightsaber of the Territories is classified as Platinum rarity, the rarest tier. Those who wish can now not only obtain the lightsaber from the crates but also purchase it directly from the in-game shop. The price is a staggering 7,600 cartel coins – which corresponds quite exactly to 50€!
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The lightsaber is particularly sought after by players as it has a unique effect reminiscent of Kylo Ren’s saber from Episode VII.
However, the offer is limited in time and can only be purchased until March 14, 2017. After that, the Unstable Lightsaber of the Territories will disappear from the cartel market.
The community’s reactions are mixed. Some welcome being able to buy the item directly, while others regret spending so much money back then to pull it from a crate.
Cortyn says: Holy moly, the developers of SWTOR are treading on thin ice. The cries in the forums are already loud that the game is once again “on the brink” and that the cartel market is “no longer making enough money.” Ultimately, this is a one-time opportunity for frustrated players to grab a highly coveted item – but is it worth the price that would otherwise buy a completely new game? You must be a very big SWTOR fan… or have money like hay.
The MMO shooter The Division has presented its plans for Year 2 yesterday. They sound like Destiny “Year 2” and that frustrates the fans.
Yesterday was the big reveal day. At The Division, developer Massive presented its plans for Year 2 on the first anniversary. And they sounded damn similar to the plans Bungie sold to its players in 2015 for Destiny “Year 2”:
No more DLCs, but free content
Updates and events are coming
Along with some features like loadouts
The fans reacted to the announcement mostly critically. They had wished for an expansion of the map and more story content. The fans long for “big expansions” that can also cost something, especially a development of the story from the main game and new regions are highly popular.
Although the new content is now supposed to be free, it does not protect it from occasionally harsh criticism.
“The live team takes over”, already led to disappointments in Destiny
In Destiny, the announcement to rely on events and “live team content” in Year 2 also came about a year after the release. This resulted in a continuous content drought: the events and updates that still came were far apart and could no longer match the quality of the DLCs from the first year. Since fall 2015, not much has happened in Destiny.
The players of The Division know this of course. And after yesterday, it looks like The Division is now threatened by the same fate as Destiny: After the first year, the powder is shot.
Ubisoft was surprised by the success of The Division and apparently had no plan for how to continue The Division, says a much-discussed thread. Therefore, The Division will go down in gaming history as one of the “greatest missed opportunities”.
What do you think? Are you disappointed with the plans for The Division Year 2 or do you want to wait and see?
The release for system software update 4.50 on PS4 is known. It is now available for download. Furthermore, we have an overview of all the new features here.
Update: 9.3.: The system update 4.50 is now live.
The next system software update for PlayStation 4 is coming. The new features could already be tested in a beta version beforehand. Sony thanks all participants.
Now nothing stands in the way of the official release:
The update will be released on March 9, 2017. It will be available for download and installation throughout the day.
Key New Features of 4.50 – PS4 System Software Update
This video explains the key new features, including support for external hard drives and personalized backgrounds:
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The most important new feature is that with 4.50, you can download and store PS4 games and apps on an external hard drive. To do this, connect the HDD (with USB 3.0) to your console, select “USB Storage Devices” under Settings in “Devices,” and format the hard drive. It is now ready to use. However, all previously stored data on the hard drive will be erased.
This way, you can move downloads directly to the hard drive or transfer data back and forth between the internal storage.
Note on Compatibility of External Hard Drives: USB 3.0 or higher, between 250 GB (minimum) and 8 TB (maximum).
If you have a PlayStation VR at home, this device also benefits from the update. On the one hand, the resolution on the TV will be better when you return to the home screen while playing VR. There was previously a problem that led to a low resolution. On the other hand, image quality in cinematic mode of PSVR is optimized: at “Medium” and “Small,” the frame rate increases from 90 Hz to 120 Hz.
Furthermore, PSVR now also supports Blu-ray 3D discs. You can now watch these in stereoscopic 3D through your headset.
Other New Features:
Personalized Backgrounds (Wallpapers) and Profile Colors: Choose any screenshots as a new background for your PS4 home screen
Voice chat for Remote Play
Console-independent Availability: If you are online with the PlayStation app (and not on the console), this will now be indicated with a separate icon (looks like a smartphone):
In “News,” you can now share your activities – texts, screenshots, tags. In the activity feed, you also have privacy settings for individual posts.
Shortcut for data saving
You can now go directly from the capture gallery to Sharefactory
GIF support
Boost Mode for PS4 Pro: When you activate this mode, the performance for older titles that have not yet been patched will be increased. The games benefit from the faster CPU and the faster and twice as large GPU of the PS4 Pro. The frame rate is expected to be more stable. In some cases, this boost can also lead to shorter load times. However, there is no guarantee that this boost mode works with all games.
With the update 4.50, the PS Messages and Communities apps are also improved. You can find out more in the PlayStation Blog.
In Destiny we provide an overview of all milestones of the Triumphs book of Age of Triumph. Requirements and rewards.
The upcoming and final content update of Destiny 1, the Age of Triumph, introduces the largest triumphs book in the history of the MMO shooter. This triumphs book lists numerous milestones in 13 pages that you can complete in the coming months to unlock unique rewards.
The new triumphs book is meant to capture all your heroic deeds, so they are never forgotten.
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When you master a success, a “milestone”, in the triumphs book, you will earn XP for this book. With this XP, you will rank up, with exclusive badges available from Rank 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. These are:
Traveler’s Eclipse
Citywatch
Comet’s Heart
Logical Conclusion
All In All
From Rank 7, you will receive a reward from the Bungie Store: a personalized T-shirt, which must then be purchased for real money. The price is supposed to be “fair”.
Important: To reach Rank 7 and receive all book rank rewards, you do not need to complete all milestones of the book. It is enough if you achieve a majority of the successes.
Additionally, you will receive an emblem as a reward for some milestones, for example, if you complete an activity between the Destiny release and “Darkness Looms”. This way, you can show the Guardians in the game that you were there from the beginning.
Commemoration – The remembrance of past deeds
On page 1, the rewards are located, and on page 2, the first milestones are listed. The theme of this page 2 is “Commemoration”. You have a long journey full of adventures behind you, and this page shows since when you have been a Guardian.
Most of these milestones cannot be completed “retroactively”. You must have been present during the respective expansions.
From the Beginning – Complete an activity between the release of Destiny and Darkness Looms – Reward: From Principio Emblem
Lunar Veteran – This milestone and its requirement have not yet been shown. You likely need to have played between Darkness Looms and House of Wolves.
Wolf Breaker – Complete an activity between House of Wolves and Taken King – Lupi Reginae Emblem
Year of Triumph – Still unknown – This is likely about the Year 1 triumph moments
Doom of Oryx – Complete an activity between Taken King and Rise of Iron – Clades Orygis Emblem
Rising Light – Unknown – You may need to have completed an activity from the April update 2016. The symbol is that of the Elder Challenge.
Second Year of Triumph – Complete an activity during the Year 2 triumph moments – Insignia of Triumphs Emblem
Reign of Iron – Unknown – Has to do with Rise of Iron
You have already completed these milestones if you have been with Vanilla Destiny. You can collect the rewards for them on 28.3. – at the release of Age of Triumph – directly.
If you have been very active in Destiny in recent months and years, you may have already completed about half of the entire book. The other half of the milestones can only be tackled after 28.3.
If you want to play online games on the PlayStation 4 optimally, a headset with a microphone is essential. This is the only way to ensure proper communication with your teammates. But which PS4 headsets are suitable for Sony’s console and how do you connect them to the PS4?
No matter if you’re playing multiplayer shooters like Ghost Recon Wildlands or Battlefield 1 or immersing yourself in MMORGs like Star Trek Online or The Elder Scrolls Online: Without a headset, you face significant disadvantages in communicating with your team. And if you don’t have bulky speakers or can’t use them due to noise-sensitive roommates or partners, you can still enjoy amazing sound directly in your ears via 7.1 surround headsets.
Headsets PlayStation 4 – Wireless, Closed, 5.1 or 7.1 Surround? What should I consider when buying?
Not all headsets are created equal; there are many differences. In the following list, you will learn, among other things, the advantages and disadvantages of wireless headsets and what the deal is with closed ear cups.
Wired headsets are cheaper and more reliable than wireless devices. However, there’s always an unsightly cable in the way.
Wireless headsets have no annoying cord, but they draw their power from internal batteries. These don’t last forever and need to be charged regularly. It’s frustrating when you’re in the middle of a game and suddenly run out of power. Additionally, wireless headsets are usually more expensive and heavier than their wired counterparts. Some wireless headsets may experience delays in sound playback.
Surround headsets are usually better than regular stereo headphones since they play sounds in relation to their source, allowing you to hear when a sneaky enemy approaches from behind or when gunshots come from the right. However, be advised: 5.1 or 7.1 in headphones is purely a marketing tactic. Unlike a high-quality surround system that distributes a corresponding number of speakers throughout the room, surround headsets merely simulate surround sound; 5.1 and 7.1 refer to the number of audio channels used.
Very important is the wearing comfort, especially for long-term use. Because no matter how great the headset is technically, if your head or ears hurt after half an hour, it’s pointless. Ideal headsets should generously enclose the ear, thus shielding outside noises and preventing the game sound from escaping and disturbing your partner, roommates, or pets.
The microphone is an important selection factor for headsets. It should be adjustable and deliver good quality. Ideally, the headset has a mute button so you can quickly turn it off if, for example, your partner barges into the room yelling, and you don’t want your gamer friends to witness the drama.
Darn, where do I connect a PC headset to the PS4?
Standard headphones, like the shabby included in-ear mono devices, simply plug into the 3.5 mm jack on your controller. However, most headsets have two plugs, one for the headphones and one for the microphone. But you can only connect one of them to the DualShock. Does that mean you can either only talk or listen and have to keep switching?
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By no means, as a simple adapter plug for just under 5 euros can solve the issue. Just make sure that the adapter plug has three and not two notches. Otherwise, your microphone won’t work. Alternatively, you can also connect the headset directly to the console via USB dongle.
Especially wireless headphones utilize this technology. But no matter how you do it, thanks to the 3.5 mm jack or USB port, you can connect all PC-compatible headsets to your console.
Top 10 Headsets for PlayStation 4 in 2018
The following list shows the ten currently most popular headsets for the PlayStation 4 on Amazon. Enjoy browsing!
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Recommendation from our readers: Astro Gaming Headset for PS4
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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The sharpshooters among you can use a total of 17 sniper rifles in Ghost Recon Wildlands. We will show you how to unlock them.
The large open world in Ubisoft’s new tactical shooter offers situations where you can kill enemies from a great distance. Sniper rifles are particularly well suited for this, thanks to their high range and precision. In this article, we show you all sniper rifles from Ghost Recon Wildlands and the requirements to unlock these weapons.
Unlock new weapons
Weapons are rewards for exploring areas or defeating specific enemies. While you can pick up and use weapons from “normal” enemies, they do not remain permanently in your inventory. Wildlands offers you a selection of various weapon types such as:
In Ghost Recon Wildlands, not only do you have many different types of weapons to choose from, but you also have a large selection of different models within each category. Currently, there are 17 sniper rifles available in Ghost Recon Wildlands. You can read their strengths and weaknesses on the following displays:
Damage
Precision
Handling
Range
Rate of fire
Noise reduction
Piercing
We show you each sniper model and its unlock requirements:
M40A5
Unlock M40A5: You can find this weapon in the Itacua Echo camp. Right after the liberation mission with the helicopter at the beginning of the game.
M1891
Unlock M1891: Explore La Cruz or unlock this weapon in the shop.
SR-25
Unlock SR-25: Explore Caimanes or unlock this weapon in the store.
Dragunov (SVD)
Unlock Dragunov (SVD): Explore Villa Verde or unlock this weapon in the shop.
G28
Unlock G28: Explore San Mateo or unlock this weapon in the shop.
SRS-A1
Unlock SRS-A1: Explore Moyocoyo or unlock this weapon in the shop.
SR-1
Unlock SR-1: Explore Koani to unlock this weapon.
HTI
Unlock HTI: Explore Monuyoc Santo or unlock this weapon in the shop.
L115A3
Unlock L115A3: Explore Puncu or unlock this weapon in the shop.
Mk 14
Unlock Mk 14: Explore Koani or unlock this weapon in the shop.
MSR
Unlock MSR: Explore Monuyoc Santo or unlock this weapon in the shop.
MSR Thermite
Unlock MSR Thermite: Visit the shop to unlock this weapon.
Charge
Unlock Charge: Visit the shop to unlock this weapon.
SRS-A1 Black Widow
Unlock SRS-A1 Black Widow: Visit the shop to unlock this weapon.
Lanza Sagrada
Unlock Lanza Sagrada: Defeat La Santera to unlock this weapon.
The Warhawk
Unlock The Warhawk: Defeat Boyer “Boston” Reed to unlock this weapon.
Chica Mala
Unlock Chica Mala: Defeat La Cabra to unlock this weapon.
The locations of the sniper rifles / Sniper-Rifles
To find the shown weapons, the YouTube channel INFsleeper has released a video. There you can see the locations of the sniper rifles and listen to their sound with and without a silencer.
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Games from South Korea may face difficulties entering the Chinese market in the future. This could lead to the western market becoming more important for South Korean publishers, and games like Lost Ark arriving earlier to us.
The South Korean MMO giant Nexon (Vindictus, Elsword) saw a drop of 7% at the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Tuesday, writes Nikkei Asian. This is because China has frozen the issuance of new licenses for South Korean games.
In order to distribute a game in China, a license is needed, which is tied to certain conditions: Publishers need the “okay” from the Chinese government if they want to make money in China.
This has already led to various conflicts. For example, Blizzard had to cover “bones” of the undead in Diablo 3 because displaying bare bones is considered taboo in China.
In general, it is believed that the freezing of new licenses is China’s response to South Korea installing a U.S. Army missile defense system: the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, abbreviated THAAD. According to the South Korean government, it is being deployed to protect against North Korean nuclear and weapons of mass destruction. China believes that the installation of this system could jeopardize stability on the Korean Peninsula.
These “licensing issues” affect games that are developed in South Korea and are intended for export to China. Games that already have such a license are not affected.
China bans South Korean games due to military conflict – What does this mean?
Due to China’s decision, there could also be some shifts in the MMO market. Recently, the West has slipped further down the priority list for South Korean publishers and has become less important.
This means that fans are currently waiting much longer for the “great games” because they come to China and Russia first rather than to us in Europe and North America.
Even Kingdom under Fire II, the most expensive Korea MMO, comes to China first, then to Russia, and only then to the West.
The Chinese market has become increasingly important for Korea MMOs. Games like the highly anticipated Lost Ark have recently targeted the Chinese market as their primary focus; imports to the West have not been prioritized and, in the case of Lost Ark, have not even been announced. This may change with this shift in China. If China becomes unavailable as a market for South Korea, the West may come back into focus.
The new WoW faction in Patch 7.2 has many rewards. The Armies of Legionfall have some goodies for diligent players.
With the next patch, there will be plenty to do in World of Warcraft again. A large part of the action takes place on the Broken Shore, the island where the Tomb of Sargeras stands. However, it won’t be straight into the raid from day one; instead, some time must be spent questing for the “Armies of Legionfall” to conquer the island piece by piece.
As is common in WoW, this happens in the form of a new reputation faction, where the affection of the NPCs must be earned.
All classes are represented on the Legionfall banner.
The colleagues at wowhead have created a small preview showing the reputation rewards and prices that are set for the individual items.
From friendly:
Cauterizing Void Shard (5,000 Nether Shards) – A reusable item that heals the player for a large amount and then deals moderate damage over 12 seconds.
Legionfall Banner (4,000 Nether Shards) – A decorative banner of the Armies of Legionfall.
From revered:
Legion Pocket Portal (7,500 Nether Shards) – A toy that creates a “dangerous portal of the Legion”.
Repurposed Fel Focuser (7,500 Nether Shards) – A reusable item that increases all attributes by 500 and acts like a potion.
From exalted:
Legion Invasion Simulator (25,000 Nether Shards) – A toy that allows you to control a miniature version of a Legion invasion ship.
Legion Fall Tabard (10,000 Nether Shards) – The matching tabard of the Armies of Legionfall.
The Nether Shards are likely to remind some players of the invasions from the pre-event of Legion. They are now available for various activities on the Broken Shore – quite similar to the way Apex Shards were in the Tanaan Jungle back then.
Aside from that, the faction is also important for completing the achievement “Pathfinder of the Broken Isles (Part 2)”, which ultimately allows flying on the Broken Isles.
Please note that the costs and rewards are still tentative. Patch 7.2 “The Tomb of Sargeras” is currently still being tested.
In For Honor, Ubisoft discusses upcoming measures against AFK players and leavers. Additionally, gear and gear stats adjustments are on the horizon.
Days after the launch of For Honor, initial complaints about the endgame appeared in the forums, gradually growing louder: The high-level armor pieces were deemed too powerful and led to extremely unbalanced battles.
Especially the revenge builds are under criticism: With the right gear, you only have to block a few hits before you can trigger the revenge boost. According to dissatisfied players, this has nothing to do with the actual combat system; when revenge kicks in every few seconds – even in 1v1 matches – it’s no fun.
Balance adjustments are planned
In a recent livestream, the developers acknowledged that some of the gear stats are more powerful than they should be. They have started the work of rebalancing the gear and gear stats. However, internal tests are necessary before the changes can go live.
Furthermore, in the future, the equipment stats will be considered in matchmaking. When these changes will be implemented is still unknown. Ubisoft mentions “soon”.
AFK detection and penalties for leavers
In the fight against AFK players, the developers plan to implement better “detection protocols” – that is, better ways to identify players who seek to gain unfair advantages and impair the experience of others. The new AFK detection should be able to recognize whether players are actually playing or not. We have already reported on the penalties that AFK farmers receive.
In addition to AFK detection, the developers are introducing penalties for leavers. So if you leave a match early in For Honor, there will be consequences, although details are not yet available. The penalties for leavers will only be implemented once the AFK detection is functioning properly.
Just a few hours ago, an “Easy AntiCheat” update was deployed, which included better detection of key scripts (autoblock cheats).
Farming experience points on “AFK servers” of Overwatch became too much. Now Kaplan is speaking clear, harsh words.
Just yesterday we reported that some players in Overwatch tend to find lobbies in “Custom Games” where all the players are afk. The goal of these matches is not the game itself, but just to earn experience points without actually playing. Until today, we speculated whether Blizzard tolerates this behavior, now Game Director Jeff Kaplan gave a clear statement about it.
The answer is clear: Those who want to obtain afk experience points risk hefty account penalties!
In a long post in the official forum, Kaplan states:
“We knew there was the potential to abuse this feature, but we wanted to give everyone a fair chance before we became too restrictive with the system. It is very disappointing for us that some players have exploited the system to collect inactive experience points.”
In response, a hotfix was deployed that now marks players as afk in “Skirmish” matches after a while and exits the game. But Kaplan writes even more:
“I have seen some discussions in the community under the assumption that this is a gray area. Is it forbidden or okay? Well, let me take this gray area and color it clearly black and white. Exploiting Custom Games or any other game mode to accumulate experience points while being inactive is NOT okay. I say this very clearly because we will now start implementing disciplinary measures against people who exploit this. If you create your own game and encourage players in any way to collect experience points through inactivity, you risk having your account suspended.”
It is also important that no humor is allowed there. Anyone who names their server just “for fun” risks penalties as well.
It is already possible to report servers. If you discover such an afk server, you should do so immediately to help the support team.
At the end of his post, Kaplan even indirectly “threatens” and hopes that the community prevents Blizzard from having to turn off experience points in Custom Games again.
“We, just like the majority of people who use the feature as we intended, do not want experience points to disappear. Please help us here.”
Today, on March 9th, there is a server maintenance for The Division. The servers are down for several hours, with fixes and improvements coming in the “Last Stand” mode.
Regular maintenance is taking place today, Thursday. Every Thursday, the developers take the servers down, work in the background on the servers, and occasionally deploy bug fixes, balancing patches, and error corrections. Especially in the first weeks after a major update, problem resolutions come weekly. As is the case today.
At 9:30 AM our time, the servers will go offline. The estimated downtime is three hours. You can return to the fray around 12:30 PM.
Changelog on March 9th
What changes with today’s maintenance? Massive reports three new features, all related to the PvP mode “Last Stand”:
A bug is being fixed that allowed players to gain points through healing skills in Last Stand.
A bug is being addressed that sometimes placed you in full sessions in Last Stand.
The matchmaking in Last Stand is being improved: The priority for matching you with players from the same geographical region is being increased.
The first bug fix addresses a problem that agents have been complaining about for days. This concerns a glitch that granted users a ton of points and thus countless loot crates. Some claimed that “Last Stand” was unplayable because of this. Massive responded that a solution would come as soon as possible. Today, Thursday, it has arrived.
State of the Game on March 9th
Update: The SotG has just been canceled for today.
Today, the State of the Game is also taking place, the weekly report from Massive. This was confirmed in yesterday’s special report. You can watch this livestream on The Division’s Twitch channel from 5 PM. We will report on it in a timely manner.
Today, on March 8, 2017, the big Urmatrix update for Wildstar finally begins. To help you get started with the optimal hero, you receive a free level 50 hero.
The new Urmatrix update for Wildstar brings a whole new way to rebuild your hero in the endgame. Until now, level 50 was the limit, and you could only improve through better equipment. However, with the power of the Urmatrix, your heroes will recognize their true potential. Thanks to the help of Drusera, starting today, March 8, 2017, you can collect various essences of the Urmatrix in dungeons.
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You will receive the necessary essences from dungeons, from which regularly selected specimens are chosen to provide special bonuses of essences. Additionally, there are two new dungeons. To start, you will get a new expedition that leads you to a Mordesh ghost ship full of space zombies.
If you want to try all these innovations with a new hero, you can still create a new level 50 hero completely equipped for both specs for free until March 13 at 08:59 AM. This way you can play a new role without having to twink, or you can jump straight into the endgame if you’re new to Wildstar.
Dean Hall is well known as the developer behind the zombie online game DayZ. He no longer has any involvement with it, as he wanted to create a large space sandbox called Ion. However, that will not happen either.
Dean Hall apparently had enough of zombies when he left the developer studio Bohemia Interactive at the end of 2014 and founded the indie studio RocketWerkz. With a new team, he wanted to tackle an ambitious project. Ion was to become a space sandbox MMO, which aimed to offer players virtually endless possibilities. It was described as a mix between Minecraft and EVE Online with an isometric, Diablo-like perspective and organ simulation.
Without organs, no one can live
The characters’ organs were to have real functions. For example, if one’s brain was shot away, they should also not be able to do anything. Having only one lung would make breathing difficult, and so on. Apparently, it would have been possible to replace the organs.
The technology behind the game was supposed to be provided by the developer studio Improbable, which also provided the technology behind the MMO Worlds Adrift. Because a huge galaxy was supposed to be simulated that players could explore.
No one is working on Ion
But now no one is working on Ion anymore. Dan Hall and RocketWerkz are currently developing other games, and Improbable is no longer involved either. This apparently means the end of the project, as Dean Hall also confirmed that there are currently no works taking place on Ion. According to him, it is not possible to realize the ambitious game without the help of Improbable and their technology. However, he prefers when players are angry at him for not releasing a game than to release a game that neither he nor the fans are satisfied with.
It is simply normal that games are announced, paused, or canceled. That probably means we will not get to see the ambitious space MMO.
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Ghost Recon Wildlands did not exactly create enthusiasm during the beta. The good news is that the developers have made several improvements since then. Read here how the Day-One patches have changed the tactical shooter, especially on PC.
Ghost Recon Wildlands – Day-One patches brought many fixes
The reason for the better gameplay experience of the release version is two large Day-One patches of over 3 gigabytes that were implemented into the game on the release day. These patches were initially described only as performance and visual improvements for weather and climate. In reality, however, there is much more, although many of the changes only apply to PC for now.
This is because no one on PC prevents Ubisoft from releasing new content while developers on PS4 and Xbox One always have to subject new patches to a review process by Sony or Microsoft. But enough of the preamble, here are the patch notes for the Day-One updates of Ghost Recon Wildlands.
Ghost Recon Wildlands – Improvements to the PC version
Improvements to vehicles
Debug and improvements in ramming
Debug in deconstruction
Graphic glitches have been fixed
Various multi-GPU graphics errors have been cleaned up
Stability has been improved
Performance and graphics have been optimized
Fewer crashes
Improved player experience:
Smoother gameplay
Weapon optimizations
Optimization of PC controls
Optimization of anti-cheat software
Improvements to gameplay and missions
Diverse obstacles to progress and disturbances of immersion have been fixed
Improvements to coop and connectivity
Various fixes in coop concerning mission synchronization and online mechanisms
Improvements to the player experience
Improvements to vehicles
Debug and improvements in ramming
Debug in deconstruction
Graphic glitches have been fixed
Weapon optimizations
Improvements to the lobby, the TacMap, and cartel overview
It is now official for The Division: There will be a Year 2! This brings three important innovations.
Recently, the livestream for the one-year anniversary of The Division took place. The Shared-World-Shooter was released on March 8, 2016. For the birthday celebration, Massive held a livestream, a special report where they spoke about the future: about Year 2!
Year 2 brings Events, Loadouts, and Feats
Right away, the most important information: All content coming in Year 2 will be free! It will be released on all platforms simultaneously. There is neither time exclusivity nor a season pass.
In total, two expansions will come this year. The first is expected to be released in the summer, likely in July or August. However, there will be further updates, bug fixes, and balance adjustments throughout the year.
The goal that the developers are pursuing in Year 2 is a fun and balanced gameplay experience for the agents. Generosity, fun, and “repeatability” are emphasized. They want to achieve this through three innovations.
Seasons – The Events in The Division Year 2
The events coming in Year 2 are referred to as “Seasons”. These are playlists of activities that are constantly modified with modifiers. For example, you have to eliminate enemies at close range to deal more damage to them. From a greater distance, you deal hardly any damage. The developers can also change the meta with the modifiers, so you have to rethink your builds each time and adjust them to the new challenges.
There are rewards just for participation, but also for your performance in these events. If you are particularly good, special rewards await you. There will be leaderboards.
Loadouts are coming
Loadouts are coming! With this, you can save your builds and switch between them with one click. In total, there will be 6 loadout slots that you can access through the inventory. These can be adjusted and revised at any time. Loadouts save your equipment, talents, and chosen skills.
The loadouts will appear with the first expansion in the summer.
Feats are coming
Additionally, a new feature provisionally called “Feats” is coming. These are in-game rewards that you receive when you achieve something absolutely great. You can then equip this reward to your character and show it off in-game to other players: Look, this is what I have already achieved!
These feats serve as a reward for great achievements, but also as a checklist. An example given: If you master all three missions on Legendary, there is a reward.
Information about the story in Year 2: The developers know that players are craving a continuation of the story. They are trying to incorporate as many narrative elements as possible into Year 2. The second expansion, in particular, is supposed to deliver this content.
Gifts for the Birthday
Additionally, the developers thank everyone who played The Division in Year 1 during the stream. The community has had an enormous influence on the developers, who have gone through a huge learning process. The agency is very passionate, and they are excited that there will be a Year 2.
For the birthday, there are also gifts. If you log in from March 9 to March 16, you will receive a free emote where you raise your fist in the air, and 200 premium credits.
Also, starting tomorrow, events will begin where you will receive double rewards for HVTs and double operational performance containers.
All Overwatch fans are waiting for the new hero Orisa. But she is not as ready as players would like.
The latest hero in Overwatch will be Orisa: an Omnic built from the remnants of an old OR-15 unit by the prodigy Efi Oladele. She has been available on the PTR for a while now, and many had hoped she would have already arrived on the live servers – but she has not.
In the past, new heroes in Overwatch – like Ana and Sombra – were always tested on the PTR for only a few days before being released to the larger player base. Orisa is an exception here, as the developers apparently are still not completely satisfied with the Omnic lady. The latest update from the PTR has caused her to undergo some nerfs. Her magazine size has been reduced, and the charge time for her ultimate ability has been increased.
In the official forum, Jeff Kaplan commented and explained that Orisa will likely be released “later this month”.
“Just to clarify, we are keeping Orisa on the PTR for a while longer. We are getting great feedback and fixing many issues. I know this feels longer than the other PTRs, but we believe this will lead to a better outcome. We know how much you are looking forward to Orisa joining the other heroes … and she will soon … but probably not until later this month and not early.”
No concrete release date for Orisa has been mentioned by Kaplan yet, but at least “March” is still on schedule.
At least players on PC can currently check out Orisa themselves and simply visit the PTR to get a first impression of the new tank. Gamers on PS4 and Xbox One, on the other hand, will have to wait further.
In the SF-MMO shooter Destiny, Bungie is presenting the Age of Triumph in a stream tonight, the new update. We will live-ticker in German.
At Bungie, nothing happens without being presented in a live stream that is announced multiple times. And if they need a live stream for a simple balancing update, then there will be three for a “real” content update. If Bungie ever decides to present Destiny 2 in live streams, they will definitely stream every Wednesday for a quarter of a year. May the Traveler be with us.
But that is still a long way off; the spring update is just around the corner. It is expected on March 28.
Ryan Paradis. He is the lead designer of the live team, the team that is supposed to provide content “between the DLCs”. Paradis previously worked at Rockstar, contributing to Red Dead Redemption and GTA 5. He has been with Bungie since October 2013, designed the Patrol system at launch, and was then responsible for content such as the Festival of the Lost or the Prison of Elders, and the Spring update 2016.
The other guest is Joe Blackburn, a senior raid designer. He was already part of the live stream for “Wrath of the Machine”.
The whole thing will be moderated by Destiny’s announcement officer, a man named DeeJ.
We may also see a funny bunch of hobbits providing gameplay… but they usually remain nameless.
18:53: Welcome to Mein MMO. The site where the editor-in-chief works overtime on Wednesdays while the trainee returns from a cool event in England.
19:00: Starts around 19:06. About 50,000 people are currently in the Twitch stream.
Destiny: Old Raids Returning – at the Current Light Level
19:10: “All” raids are coming to the new light level. The goal is to bring all old raids to a “final light level.” Age of Triumph will be the last live update for Destiny 1.
19:14: The record book for Age of Triumph is being presented. It starts at rank 0. It is designed to guide players through the new content. DeeJ talks about the emblem. The community was right: the emblem had already hinted at what would come.The record book has 13 pages, and it is meant to accommodate 3 years of Destiny.
Day-One Players Will Receive a Special Emblem
19:16: The record book will show who is a “Day One Guardian.” Anyone who completed an activity before “Darkness Looms” will receive their own emblem. There should be something in the record book for every type of player that highlights and emphasizes their playstyle.
19:18: Even those who have completed everything up to this point will be able to fill half of the record book with new things. “Achievements” that they have already completed can be redeemed in the book with the content update and they will receive the reward for it.
When Will the New Update Release? Release Date Known
19:20: The release date for the update is indeed March 28. As everyone was already aware.
19:21: Oh, there are record pages for every single class. To fill the book, you will need to have actively played all 3 classes.
19:24: For hardcore players, the achievements so far all look like “Yeah, sure. I’ll do that before breakfast” – Nightfall under 30 minutes, 500 precision kills in Strikes. These are achievements that can only be approached after the launch of the update.
All 4 Old Raids Are Returning at Light Level 390 – Max Light Level for Guardians Remains
19:26: The new raids will come at light level 390. The 4 raids are: Glass Chamber, Crota’s End, King’s Fall, and Wrath of the Machine. For old raids that had no challenges, challenges will be added – such as Crota and Atheon.
19:27: The light level in Destiny will remain at 400 for Guardians. It will NOT increase.
Vex Mythoclast at Light 400
19:29: Vex Mythoclast is coming back. However, they want to talk about this and other rewards in two weeks.
19:31: You need 100 shaders and 75 ships for the respective achievements. 130 dead ghosts, 25 Siva fragments.
19:33: Rank 25 with the factions is enough. So everything is quite reasonable for avid players.
19:35: Once in the Guardian’s career, you should have been to Mercury, for a “Flawless Ticket” in Osiris. This is also part of the record book. To “complete” Osiris, you only need 6 out of 7 achievements.
If You Have Rank 7 in the Record Book, You Can Buy a T-Shirt in the Real World
19:38: As a reward for completing the record book, there are various emblems. At rank 7, there is something special from the Bungie Store: a customized T-shirt, but it must then be purchased for real money. It is said to be a “reasonable price.” Curious about how shipping costs to Europe will turn out…
19:41: Oh dear, with the T-shirt. I don’t know if they are doing themselves any favors. I already see the shitstorm on the horizon.
Raid of the Week
19:42: There will be a featured raid every week where all challenges are activated. In Glass Chamber: Templar and Atheon. As a reward, there is raid set gear. The Atheon challenge is said to be the toughest one Bungie has ever designed.
19:44: There are new rewards in the old raids when they are featured. New raid gear for Glass Chamber with two ornament slots.
19:46: The first new raid is Crota’s End. In the second week, Atheon will be the new raid of the week. Once a raid has been the raid of the week, the 390 mode is available. In the third week, Oryx comes, and in the fourth week, Wrath of the Machine will be the “raid of the week” with special rewards and all challenges activated.
19:50: Now there’s gameplay from the Glass Chamber with level 40 mobs. It is NOT going to be about taken or SIVA here.
19:52: They initially wanted to change the raids significantly – to disable “shortcuts” but then decided to keep the raids as close to their original feel as possible.
19:56: Destiny 1 is expected to stay online for the “foreseeable future.”
19:59: Each raid will receive two new armors with ornaments. Wrath of the Machine will also receive an alternative for those who already have it.
20:00: The stream is slowly winding down. Next week, on Wednesday, March 15th, at 7 PM, there will be the next round. We will be back here at Mein MMO with another live ticker.
