In February, WildStar will receive a new update. This will introduce the Primal Matrix system, a so-called “Alternative Progression” system, allowing players to become stronger without raising the level cap.
Similar models have been implemented in The Elder Scrolls Online with the Champion Point system or in Diablo 3 with the Paragon Level.
Players will be able to collect Uressences in PvE, PvP, or from daily tasks, starting at level 50. The essences will be collected account-wide.
With the points in the Primal Matrix, players can increase values or unlock new abilities. The “Hero Rating” allows players to see at a glance how strong the hero is.
Currently, Carbine states that the entire system is not yet completely revealed, as it is too complex. However, more information will follow.
Scalable Instances in WildStar
To ensure that such power can be utilized somewhere, WildStar will introduce a scalable difficulty level. Players will then be able to set how challenging they want it to be.
Two new instances, Kaltblutzitadelle (Dungeon) and “Trouble from the Nether” (Expedition), will feature variable difficulty settings. Additionally, there will be two classic dungeons and two classic expeditions.
This aims to make instances challenging – it sounds similar to the “Torment” level in Diablo or the World Ranks in The Division. The difficulty level “Overwhelming 0” will replace the current “Experienced”, and from there, it goes up.
Conversely, instances will be downscaled to the level of the lowest hero. This will allow high-level characters to assist their lower-level friends. The received items will also scale. This sounds similar to the concept of One Tamriel in The Elder Scrolls Online, or a “One Nexus.”
In the coming weeks, Carbine plans to further present the update. It is expected to reach the PTR next week. Carbine hopes that as many players as possible will test it.
The update is likely to be the beginning of major changes in 2017:
The Korean MMORPG Bless is set to come to the West. Now there are first pieces of information.
Nothing has been heard from the West publisher for Bless, Aeria Games, for some time. Some even thought that they had already given up on Bless, but that is not the case. They were just quite busy, as mentioned in a recent interview with a US site.
On the one hand, the merger with Gamigo kept people at Aeria Games on their toes. In addition, they have also released Twin Saga. The Gamigo group has a lot of projects in the pipeline, but Bless is a very important one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5d_Ybvh500
Bless: No release date for the West yet
And at the moment, there is not much to report because many things are still in flux. Some aspects of Bless are still being changed. They are frequently talking to Neowiz, the developers, about how they want to adjust Bless and how they will launch Bless in the West.
The whole project is impressively large. At this stage, they do not want to disclose every little piece of information because everything can still change.
Therefore, they do not want to announce a release date for the Western version of Bless at the moment. They will do so when they are ready.
This is what the cash shop is supposed to look like
Even though there is still a lot to do, Bless has already been designed with the West as a market in mind, so not as many features will need to be changed as with other titles.
The cash shop is supposed to be optional, offering only convenience and vanity items. Convenience items refer to items that make playing easier and faster. Vanity items encompass cosmetic items.
More information about Bless and why it could become one of the most important MMORPGs in 2017 can be found here:
Cortyn is currently playing too much Dead by Daylight. No wonder a killer attracts wrath.
Once again, a nice Wednesday in our beautiful, new year! Or as a colleague of mine said, “with January begins a brand new year” – as a good resolution, I also want to continue complaining a bit every week. I have to start somewhere, so I’ll do that right away with the game that currently occupies me the most: Dead by Daylight.
And what can I say? I hate Michael Myers. He is by far the most boring “no skill” character I’ve ever seen in a game. Sure, I’m still quite new to the game, so anyone can explain to me why I have no idea – but let me elaborate.
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Dead by Daylight is an asymmetrical survival game. One player plays the killer and four others play the survivors, who must hide and fulfill objectives to escape the map alive. “Hiding” is fundamentally a core mechanic.
Although there are some perks of the killers that allow one to see survivors as an aura (for example, when they are healing or already downed), generally one can hide in the environment. Additionally, the heartbeat of one’s character becomes louder when the killer is nearby.
But not so with Michael Myers (or “The Shape”). He simply makes both mechanics irrelevant. The mask-wearer with the sharp kitchen knife just presses the right mouse button and holds it down, and he sees all players who are hiding somewhere in his line of sight as bright white dots light up. And because that alone is not overpowered enough, Michael Myers doesn’t generate a heartbeat at the start.
If Michael Myers stares at a player long enough, he enters “Enrage” mode and can knock down players with one hit – all other killers need two. Oh, and he can also run faster then.
Mr. Boring.
Sure, this gives him the “abilities” he had in the Halloween movies – and that’s kind of cool. But it undermines the entire game principle of Dead by Daylight. The rounds against Myers are simply not fun. I’ve reached the point where I almost immediately want to leave the match when I hear that stupid breathing or see the ridiculous mask flash in the distance.
The “jump scares” are nice when you turn around and suddenly Myers is there – but it still doesn’t generate fun.
What about you other “Dead by Daylight” players? Do you also have a hate killer or a particularly hated perk among the survivors? Or is your main problem the popular “face camping”?
Between the years, Chronicles of Elyria takes some time to look back on the year and look ahead.
In everyday life, the view of the big picture often gets overlooked. Between the years, some MMORPGs take the time to look at this “big picture.” In the indie MMORPG Chronicles of Elyria, the game’s head Jeremy Walsh, Caspian, compares the situation at the end of 2016 with the state at the end of 2015. He notes significant differences.
At the end of 2015, there were still four people working in the basement
Back then, they were cramped in a small room, with only 3 people who had to do everything at once. The three had just transitioned into self-employment, leaving their regular jobs behind. They worked with the first animator out of Walsh’s basement.
They were diligent and full of great ideas: As a team of four, they had already developed over 100 pages of design ideas and concepts.
Back then they were still working in the basement on Chronicles of Elyria.
Now there’s an office, but it won’t be enough for long
Throughout the year, Chronicles of Elyria has grown significantly. They moved from the basement to an office. There were workstations, known as “cubicles,” pre-installed for 10 people. The team hired technicians, artists, designers, a community manager, and many more. They removed the cubicles and renovated the office, so that 20 people could work there. Soulbound Studios currently has 16 employees. Even the new space won’t last long.
For 2017, they plan to increase staff to over 20 employees and move to another office. It is expected to be an “incredibly productive year.”
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Land sold for the dream house, Kickstarter launched with dream game
Financially, the situation is now completely different. At the end of 2015, Walsh had 50,000 US dollars. That was the founder’s savings, and he also took out a loan of over 100,000 dollars. The future of the four employees rested on those 150,000 US dollars back then. “We were pretty crazy,” says Walsh in retrospect.
After realizing how well the project was received, Walsh decided together with his wife to sell the property that was actually intended for the dream house. This led to a total budget of 500,000 US dollars, which allowed them to polish the game to the point where it went on Kickstarter.
They then raised 1.36 million dollars. Later, another 675,000 dollars came in, bringing the total to 2 million.
At Chronicles of Elyria, those who belong together grow together
But not only have the circumstances changed, the workflow and the game have grown significantly from 2015 to 2016.
At the end of 2015, Chronicles of Elyria consisted of individual projects, problems that needed to be solved. Today, everything is integrated into clients, with the goals clearly ahead of the team. Today they have videos, concept arts, and even regular playthroughs. The work processes have been completely changed – from paper to digital.
Even the office will soon be too small.
What exactly will happen in 2017 is hard to say, Caspian believes. But several publishers and investors have already knocked on the door. They are in a good position and have more money available than they could have expected. In 2017, there will be enough space to complete the development and transition to testing and publishing.
At Soulbound Studios, they are fully motivated to continue the journey with the fans’ support, and before they know it, they will finally be together in Elyria.
The hardware manufacturer Hori, known for its high-quality fighting game controllers, is set to conquer the PC market with the mechanical keyboard Edge 201 and the accompanying mouse Edge 101. Will they succeed?
The Japanese company Hori was known until recently mainly among fighting game enthusiasts, as the company’s fight sticks were among the top devices on the market, featuring high-quality microswitches and a robust construction. They are also attempting to branch out into console peripherals, like the TAC Pro.
Since early 2016, the Japanese have been pushing into the PC market, and have introduced their first models, the mechanical keyboard Edge 201 and the mouse Edge 101, which are also supposed to meet high demands. But is Hori’s first venture into the PC market worth it?
Edge 201 – No-nonsense Keyboard
The Edge 201 keyboard is a real eye-catcher! It is wrapped in aluminum, making it robust and durable. Also positive: The keyboard is compact and thanks to the slimline keys (known from laptops), it is flat.
Despite the metal surface, the Edge 201 is lightweight, weighing only 950 grams. The keyboard’s microswitches are custom-developed by Hori and are of similar high quality to those used in the fight sticks. Pleasantly, the key presses are audible – as is typical for mechanical keyboards – but overall quiet enough not to be bothersome.
The key microswitches are embedded directly in the metal surface, so they seem to float above the aluminum, depending on the viewing angle. For cleaning, the keycaps can be removed from the switch and easily replaced. A blue LED under each key provides illumination, but does not fully light up the entire word for larger keys like “Enter” or “Ctrl”.
You can also only adjust the brightness of the keys; unfortunately, other colors are not possible. Additionally, the keyboard is limited to the typical keys of a PC keyboard. Extra buttons, such as multimedia keys, are absent. The keyboard also has no USB or headphone connections.
The Features of the Edge 201 Keyboard
Massive construction, yet lightweight
High-quality microswitches from proprietary development with flat slimline keycaps
Completely programmable
Blue backlighting
No extra keys
No USB or audio ports
Edge 101 – The Mouse for Real Men!
The Edge 101 mouse is a solid chunk. It is designed for large men’s hands and is appropriately sized. The buttons are nicely big and can be color-customized. Overall, the wired optical mouse features 11 buttons and a scroll wheel. The buttons are programmable. A special button allows for different DPI settings.
Praiseworthy: The mouse has a symmetrical design, making all buttons accessible for both right- and left-handed users. The mouse is solidly constructed and heavy. Weighing 130 grams, it sits comfortably in hand. If that feels too bulky, you can remove a metal plate on the bottom and reduce the weight by about 25 grams.
The mouse feet are also metal. This allows it to glide smoothly and precisely over common mousepads. However, the surface of the mouse is made of plastic and is not rubberized, so it can become slippery when hands are moist.
The Features of the Edge 101
50 to 6,400 DPI – adjustable via DPI button
11 freely programmable buttons including scroll wheel
High weight can be reduced with removable metal plate
Large mouse for large hands
Thanks to symmetry, also usable for left-handed people
Solid construction
Edge 201 and 101: Keyboard and Mouse in Practical Testing
The Edge 201 is aimed primarily at gamers and heavy typers with its robust construction and quick key presses. It succeeds in this regard. The typing comfort on the mechanical Edge 201 is significantly better than on a typical rubber dome keyboard.
The key presses are precise and due to the compact and flat design, they are also pleasantly reachable. Given its robust design, the Edge 201 should also last a long time. The manufacturer claims a lifespan of at least 75 million presses per key before it gives out.
In gaming, the Edge 201 scores by allowing you to press almost all 109 keys simultaneously, and all are registered by the system. Thus, the so-called “ghosting” – the loss of signals with too many simultaneous presses – is not a concern with the Edge 201.
While we couldn’t verify if the Hori microswitches behind the keys are indeed 25% faster than those from Cherry or Kailh, these little guys are definitely fast! The keys are easy to press and, thanks to the slimline design, have a short actuation distance, allowing for quicker actions from agile fingers than on a larger dimensioned keyboard.
The Edge 101 mouse impressed us in testing with its high-quality construction and weight. The high weight ensured that this hefty piece sits well in the hand and with its metal feet, the mouse glides precisely over the mousepad.
The DPI goes up to a value of 6,400 and can be adjusted in four stages via a special switch even during gameplay. Ideal for shooter gamers, who need different DPI for sniping than when dashing from cover to cover. However, due to the lack of rubberization, the mouse can indeed slip at times. This flaw is even more pronounced given the otherwise high-quality manufacturing.
Software Provides Variety
The Edge 201 has only 109 keys but can be easily programmed using the straightforward Hori software. Most keys can also be assigned double functions, and macros are not a problem.
The missing media keys can also easily and conveniently be assigned to the F-keys, which already have an appropriate preset for this purpose. Additionally, you can set various user profiles and activate and switch them any time using the “FN key”. There is also suitable software for the Edge 101. The mouse can likewise be freely programmed, and the general DPI and the intervals of the DPI switch are adjustable.
In the software for the keyboard, you can program all keys.
If you are worried about the closely spaced and “floating” keys, you can rest assured. The keycaps can be easily pulled off the switch with light force, and the underlying switch is well made, making it easy to clean.
Edge 201 Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
High-quality aluminum construction
No additional keys
Futuristic design
No USB ports
Easy to clean
No audio ports
109 freely programmable keys
Only blue backlighting available, no color spectrum
Precise microswitches with tactile feedback and high durability
Illumination on large keys not optimal
Slimline keys with shallow actuation depth for fast presses
Expensive
Various user profiles and macros
Lightweight
Non-slip
Edge 101 Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Large and heavy
Missing rubberization can lead to slipping
Can be made lighter by removing the plate
Only 6,400 DPI maximum
Sits well in large hands
Possibly too large for small hands
Ideal for left-handed users
Only side buttons are illuminated
11 freely programmable keys
DPI adjustable during gameplay
Fast and precise
Jürgen’s Conclusion
Both devices pleased me in testing and stood out due to their high-quality construction and precision. Compared to my old keyboard, the Edge 201 was vastly superior. I could type faster, and the precise keys were a significant advantage while gaming.
However, the high quality comes at a price, as the elegant aluminum piece costs a hefty 139 euros. For this high price, I would have appreciated a few additional features, such as an audio or USB port. After all, you can never have enough USB ports! What really bothers me, however, are the lack of lighting options. Couldn’t Hori easily have included LEDs of different colors, rather than just the blue ones?
Nevertheless, I am completely satisfied with the Edge 201, and anyone looking for a high-quality, durable, and powerful mechanical keyboard without frills will get just that! The same goes for the Edge 101 mouse. In my opinion, it deserves more color customization options as well, but for 59 euros, you get a massive mouse that fits well in the hands of left-handed and large users, and with its 11 buttons, it leaves little to be desired. If Hori had added a rubberized coating, it would be even better!
The Edge 201 keyboard and the Edge 101 mouse are available via the provided links on Amazon.
In Iran, the popular browser game Clash of Clans is now blocked.
According to the BBC, the Iranian government has imposed a nationwide ban on Clash of Clans. The game allegedly promotes the conflict between tribes.
In Iran, Clash of Clans plays an important role. The local operator Cafe Bazaar determined that Clash of Clans has a market share of 64% according to a survey. In Clash of Clans, players build towns, join clans, raid other players, and distribute the loot.
The Iranian censors cracked down after a group of psychologists concluded that the game promotes violence and tribal conflicts. Moreover, it drives families apart when children become addicted to the game.
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In Overwatch‘s 3v3 mode, players have discovered an ice wall glitch and are exploiting it ruthlessly. However, most are annoyed by the ice wall, making 3v3 unfair.
For the past few weeks, a glitch has crept into Overwatch that some players are now coldly exploiting. The glitch allows players to step out of the level with Mei’s ice wall and shoot at opponents from there. What’s particularly nasty is, that opponents cannot shoot back.
Recently, players have discovered this “trick” and primarily use it in the most popular Arcade mode: 3v3, on the Antarctica map.
This is how Mei’s ice wall glitch works
In this video by YouTuber “Hey Charlie,” you can see how the glitch works. As soon as you deploy the ice wall at a specific point on the map, it brings you into the outer area of the map, and you can even take your entire team with you.
https://youtu.be/y3ehxhaTYNA
Once the team is lifted up with the ice wall, they are untouchable for the opposing team. If you try to attack the players outside the map, you will die anyway. Of course, you can just wait it out, but then you will be bored to death.
Some people even go so far as to consider the ice wall a new 3v3 meta, and there are already posts on Reddit about how to counter the glitch.
How to counter the Mei glitch
These strategies have been devised by players to put an end to Mei’s wall of terror.
Kill Mei before she and her team can even reach the roof. This can be done, for example, with a Lucio speed boost and a Tracer.
Use Hanzo’s dragons. Nothing can damage Mei and her team on the roof, except for Hanzo’s dragon. However, it takes a while for the ultimate to be ready, and Mei can simply hide in her ice block…
Just pretend to be AFK. If Mei and her team see that you are not moving, they will try to come to you and kill you. React quickly and kill Mei.
Bore the other team. Let Mei rot on her roof and use the map to ride a bit on the walls with Lucio or practice other things with the champs.
Select Mei first. Just try to be quick and select Mei before the others can.
The community is angry at Blizzard
Despite this glitch annoying and tormenting players for weeks, Blizzard remains silent. Many had hoped, that Blizzard would fix the ice wall issue with the last update, which brought the long-awaited Oasis map. And to top it all off, players have already discovered that the glitch also works here. This is shown in this video by YouTuber “Clapinator”:
The forums are now filling up with complaints and frustrated players who simply do not understand why this glitch is being ignored by Blizzard. The posts mainly express confusion over why Blizzard has not commented on this issue, even though many are diligently reporting this glitch.
The situation around the ice wall is not the best right now and is being exploited by many players and even presented as a legitimate strategy. As if cold-hearted Mei wasn’t annoying enough…
The Treasure Goblin can currently be found in various locations in WoW. We show you where to find him and what loot is available in this event.
Diablo has turned 20 years old and celebrates its birthday in the various titles of Blizzard. In World of Warcraft, you can currently find Treasure Goblins in certain locations, which can open a portal to the Cow Level for you. However, you can only go through this portal if you kill the Goblin quickly enough. We will show you where to find the Treasure Goblins in WoW and what loot is available in this event for you.
WoW – Find Treasure Goblin and Enter Cow Level
There are various places in World of Warcraft where you can encounter the Treasure Goblins. So far, confirmed locations include the Broken Isles and the Dalaran Sewers. Additionally, at the end of each Legion dungeon, there is a chance that a Goblin will spawn there. The difficulty of the dungeon does not matter.
You must kill the Treasure Goblin before he can complete his retreat portal spell. If you fail to do so, the Goblin will escape. Since the Treasure Goblin has a lot of HP, it’s best to attack him with multiple players. If you kill him before the spell is completed, he will open a magical portal that teleports you to the Cow Level.
Source: Wowhead
The Cow Level is located in the instanced Duskwood. There, you can expect not only a high number of cows but also the Cow King. He gives you loot once per day. As loot, you will receive special Diablo-themed items. Like other event bosses, this special loot is only available once per day per character.
Treasure Goblin and Cow King Loot
The event is ongoing in World of Warcraft until January 11. Until then, you have the chance to obtain various toys and rewards from the Cow King and the Treasure Goblins.
Both the Cow King and Treasure Goblins can drop the following items:
Blank Diabolic Tome:Combine this item with 10 Town Portal Scrolls to create a Tome of Town Portal.
Amulets with stats like Life or Dexterity: With these amulets, you can buff your characters without equipping them. You receive the stat boost from these amulets just by having them in your inventory. They likely only work as long as the event is active, it seems.
12-String Guitar: You get this cool guitar from the Cow King, which plays the melody of New Tristram from Diablo III. The cooldown of this toy is 66 minutes and 6 seconds.
Additionally, there should be a Horadric Satchel available in this event. This is a 28-slot bag where you have enough space for the various amulets and other loot.
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In the MMO shooter Destiny, today, on January 4th, is weapons day. Banshee-44 brings the orders from last week and takes new ones.
Even in 2017, the gunsmith is consistently at your service. Every Wednesday he brings the orders from last week and accepts new forging requests. He also has telemetry, synthesis, weapon parts, and armor materials.
Many Guardians wish for an upgrade to the gunsmith in 2017 from Bungie. “Rise of Iron” did not bring new weapons for him. A fresh inventory would definitely benefit him and the interest in the gunsmith.
The field test weapons this week
To increase your reputation, you need to carry out the test weapons in practice. This week there are these:
A auto rifle from Häkke wants to be used against Fallen.
A hand cannon from Häkke wants to achieve double kills.
An pulse rifle from Häkke wants to land precision shots.
A rocket launcher from Suros wants to defeat high-ranked enemies.
A sniper rifle from Omolon wants to draw in the crucible.
These 5 weapons can be ordered
For 2500 Glimmer, these forging requests are available:
Starting with the auto rifle SUROS ARI-45. Impact 28.
Now the Redditor DocCannerts3 presents his findings: Apparently, not only a Conquest mode is in the files, but also additional PvP modes. The lines include terms like Team Deathmatch, Domination, King of the Hill, Kill Confirmed, and Scavenge.
It seems that the designated PvP area could be more extensive than expected. However, we want to raise our finger in warning at this point: So far, nothing is officially confirmed. These are just findings that some users find in the current game data. So far, only the DZ leaderboards for Update 1.6 as a new feature have been confirmed.
A new raid on the USS Intrepid?
Interesting are a few lines that could relate to a new raid or a new mission: The former aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, which now serves as a museum ship in New York, is mentioned:
“Intrepid off the grid and non-operational. Bratva presence reported in the area, District supplies at risk. No current JTF presence.”
This ship could serve as an LMB base, as the following lines are related to it. There seem to be mission objectives:
Break through the LMB front
Get to the flight deck
Secure the flight deck
Download LMB data
Interestingly: As early as March, some players glitched to places outside the map and found a large ship on the west side that was already quite detailed. A user recognized it directly as the Intrepid museum ship:
Furthermore, these lines can be found in the data:
Supply Drop: Intrepid (There might be supply drops there)
in West Side Piers (where the Intrepid is located)
Phoenix Credits for money?
The data miner found another line that is being widely discussed in the comments:
Phoenix Credit Pack […] Unlocks a pack of 1000 Phoenix Credits for use in Tom Clancy’s The Division®.
Apparently, there could be a possibility in the future to purchase 1000 Phoenix Credits for real money.
However, as always: This is all still unconfirmed. Yesterday, some Massive employees returned from their winter vacation. In the coming weeks, there will surely be concrete information.
The next hero for Heroes of the Storm is on the way. The troll Zul’Jin is entering the Nexus sooner than expected.
In Heroes of the Storm, they apparently want to quickly usher in the new year with some innovations. Therefore, the next hero, the legendary troll Zul’jin, will already be released this week – presumably in the night from Wednesday to Thursday, that is, on 05.01.2017. This means Zul’jin would be in the game even before he was actually on the PTR. Obviously, Blizzard is very confident about the hero’s balance.
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Zul’jin has an exciting gameplay mechanic, as he becomes stronger the fewer hit points he has. Let’s take another look at his abilities:
His trait is the troll ability Berserker. Once activated, each auto attack deals 25% more damage, but consumes 2% of Zul’jin’s maximum hit points. Passively, his attack speed increases by 1% for every 1% of missing hit points.
Devastating Throw hurls an axe in the target direction, hitting the first two enemies, dealing damage and marking them for 8 seconds. Zul’jin’s next 3 auto attacks against marked targets deal 50% more damage.
Twin Axes throws 2 axes in a circular arc. Hit enemies take damage and are slowed by 15% per hit.
With Regeneration, Zul’jin heals for 25% of his hit points over 4 seconds. The spell is channeled, and damage taken interrupts the spell.
The first heroic ability is Taz’Dingo! The hero becomes immortal for 4 seconds, and his hit points cannot fall below 1.
Guillotine is the second heroic ability. Zul’jin throws an axe into the target area and deals damage. The fewer hit points Zul’jin currently has, the more damage is dealt.
20 years of Diablo is also being celebrated in World of Warcraft. A secret cow level holds plenty of rewards.
It has been exactly 20 years since the first Diablo was released and excited hack & slash players. Blizzard is celebrating this significant event in various ways, including in the parallel world of World of Warcraft.
The cow level has always been a joke known to Diablo players. At one point, there was even a tip on the loading screen in WoW that said “There is no secret cow level” – and as of today, that tip is a blatant lie. Because to celebrate Diablo’s 20th birthday, there are now plenty of festivities and hidden features in World of Warcraft – such as the legendary cow level!
To enter the cow level, you must first locate a Treasure Goblin. This can appear in several places in the game world, known locations so far include the shadow side of Dalaran (the sewers), the Broken Isles, and at the end of instances of all difficulty levels. Once the Treasure Goblin appears, you must beat it down as quickly as possible, because it tries to escape through a portal. If successful, a portal to the secret cow level will appear instead! This is located in an instanced version of Duskwood, and – as expected – you must kill cows in the form of Tauren and other creatures there, including the Cow King.
As a reward, there is the toy “Twelve-String Guitar”, but also plenty of other things. Not all details of the event are known yet, but players are discovering every secret.
There are also other small references to the birthday. Warlocks currently cannot summon wild imps, but instead a horde of mini-Diablo.
The screenshots used are from wowhead (see source).
As promised, we now have more info about the event:
In Destiny, Bungie discusses the near future of the MMO shooter.
The Bungie team returns from winter break. Community Manager Cozmo reached out to the Guardians a few hours ago, wishing everyone a happy new year and revealing that the developers are trickling back into the studio one by one.
Cozmo shares that Bungie is now preparing for another year of Destiny. They have planned a year full of adventures for the Guardians.
For some Guardians, hope is growing: There won’t be a content drought until the release of Destiny 2. It is expected that the Destiny sequel will be released in fall 2017 – but what will be offered in the MMO shooter until then remains uncertain.
When does the January Iron Banner start?
Yesterday, on January 3rd, the gate to the back tower area opened with the weekly reset. Some players hoped that this could be a hint at the return of the Iron Banner. In the meantime, DeeJ mentioned that the gate is open for you to grab the spirit. So, the Iron Banner did not start yesterday.
Cozmo has now announced that the next “This Week at Bungie” community letter will be released on January 12. However, there won’t be any major revelations on that day. So, we should not expect to learn about “the adventures” in 2017 just yet.
However, they will discuss the rituals that occur weekly and monthly in Destiny. The monthly “ritual” can only refer to the Iron Banner. If Bungie talks about it on January 12, the January Iron Banner would start on January 17.
Which weekly ritual they will talk about remains to be seen. On Reddit, some Guardians speculate that the Trials of Osiris could be involved and that Bungie will slam the guidelines for a balance patch. However, this can only be speculated about at the moment.
The multiplayer shooter Overwatch has been enriched with a map set in the Arab world. The new map “Oasis” is located in a futuristic desert city in Iraq and comes with some curious features…
The highlight: The maps have real “life” because the streets are full of traffic – which is deadly upon contact. Insane game situations caused by cars pushing players to their death are guaranteed. Additionally, the developers have implemented a genuine “jumppad“, reminiscent of those from the old Quake or Unreal Tournament games. Heroes, even those without flight abilities, can view the map from above.
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Similar to Lijiang Tower, Ilios, or Nepal, it is a control point map. As usual, only one point is played on at a time, and both teams must try to capture the point.
Oasis is set in the Arab deserts and is a city full of scientists. Since science often has legal boundaries, this city was specifically built for researchers to pursue their endeavors almost without restrictions. From now on, you can try Oasis on the live servers of all platforms (PC, PS4, and Xbox One).
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In Patch 2.4.3 of Diablo 3, there will be some changes to items. Additionally, the new Darkness in Tristram dungeon will be activated.
The new Patch 2.4.3 is on the way and will bring new content to the game. Among other things, the Darkness in Tristram dungeon will be available, played in the style of Diablo 1. Furthermore, the developers have revised some class and set items.
In Greater Nephalem Rifts, you have the chance to get another attempt for leveling up a gem. Also, various monsters have been worked on so that they, for example, no longer burrow for such a long time. We will show you what changes the new Patch 2.4.3 brings.
Darkness in Tristram
During BlizzCon, the developers of Diablo III announced this dungeon in the style of Diablo I. The Darkness in Tristram event is intended to give players the opportunity to return to the dungeon where the game began. If you go to Old Tristram and enter the portal by the well, you will enter the world of Diablo I.
A pixel filter provides a retro look in this dungeon. In addition, camera movements and animations are different. While you are playing the event, you should interact with all possible objects and persons to find references to Diablo I. In the video, the Blizzard team tells you how this event came to be in the game.
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You can play this event throughout January. In the depths of the pixelated dungeon, you will find transmogrifications, achievements, and more surprises.
Changes to Greater Nephalem Rifts
If you want to compete with other players in Diablo III, you often do so in Greater Nephalem Rifts. Here, there are now some changes intended to improve the gaming experience. The developers have made the distribution of monsters and the sizes of various levels more uniform. On average, it should now take two to four levels to complete a Nephalem Rift.
Additionally, the areas will now change more frequently, so you won’t see the same terrain multiple times in a row. Another bonus is for the Survivors among you. If you manage to not die during a Greater Nephalem Rift, you will get an extra chance to upgrade a legendary gem.
Revised Set Items in Season 9
Various items from Diablo III have been changed. For example, Akkhan’s Talisman has been added as the seventh set piece of Akkhan’s armor. The Barbarian enhances his damage through the saffron-colored bandage and Crusaders increase the damage of Blessed Hammer with the help of a two-handed sword. Additionally, there is a new gem in the game that regularly adds 12,500% weapon damage to enemies.
Many players did not enjoy playing against certain monsters in Diablo III, as it took a long time to kill them. This was not necessarily due to their high hit points, but because they would burrow to delay their death. There have now been some changes:
Enemies that jump at you (for example, burrowing stompers or assassins) can now be killed in mid-air.
Enemies that temporarily become invulnerable (for example, sand sharks or rockworms) no longer burrow for such a long time.
Some of the enemy affixes have been changed. These include Shielded, Reflected Damage, and Electrified. Additionally, there is a new affix called Steamroller. Enemies with the Steamroller affix are immune to control loss effects but move slower and take more damage.
Dyes Now Available with Myriam
Players among you who regularly dyed their clothing can breathe a sigh of relief. The dyes are now collected in a different location. Myriam the Mystic now has all colors in stock and allows you to conveniently dye your equipment without having to take long detours.
How do you like the announced changes for Patch 2.4.3?
The capital of the people from World of Warcraft as an amusement park? A player is already implementing this.
When one thinks of World of Warcraft and wants to recall the most memorable city, it is undoubtedly Stormwind, the city in the Elwynn forest and the center of the human race. Fans even got to see a bit more of it in the recent Warcraft movie, which largely took place in the city that has grown so dear to them.
What could be more obvious than an entire amusement park modeled after Stormwind?
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The user “TheSteeldrake” has set himself the goal of exactly this and has faithfully recreated Stormwind – at least in the game Planet Coaster. Those who look closely at the images can clearly see the parallels and similarities of the city. Any WoW player would probably find their way around his park without any problems.
This year, the MMORPG Albion Online will feature, among other things – provided everything goes well – the official release.
But before these very steps can be taken, updates are still needed. The next major update for Albion Online is named Galahad and is set to be released in the first quarter of this year.
Galahad will bring a lot of changes, including a server wipe and a completely new layout of the game world. Additionally, extensive improvements to PvE will make their way into the MMO. Because Albion Online aims to be attractive not only for PvP fans but also for those who enjoy PvE.
The next update is already in the starting blocks
Galahad is an important update for Albion Online, as it is a major step towards release. The team is excited to walk this last stretch to launch together with the players. The developers thank the fans and players for their great support. While the year 2015 ended with around 60,000 backers, there were already more than 200,000 by the end of 2016. This allows the team to expand, which benefits the development of Albion Online.
Fans of the MMO can look forward to what else this year will bring. If the developers maintain the pace they set in 2016, then nothing stands in the way of an official release of the game this year. The Albion Online team wishes all fans a Happy New Year and looks forward to the coming months and of course the launch of the MMORPG.
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Season 9 in Diablo 3 starts this week. Here you will find everything you need to know about the new season journey and other content.
New adventures in Diablo III will begin in just a few days. Friday, January 6 is the start date for the new season. From that day on, the new season will be active in Europe, allowing you to create new season characters and conquer the leaderboards with them. To ensure you are well-prepared for the new season, we will show you the most important information for the coming months.
Start and End of Season 9
Season 9 in Diablo III starts on Friday at 5:00 PM. Since seasons are usually active for about three months, Season 9 should end in April. However, a specific end date is not yet determined.
At the start of the new season, you can create a season character, starting again from square one. This character is level 1 and has no gold or other loot from the last season. Once you reach the maximum level with the new character, you can compete with other players in the leaderboards of Greater Nephalem Rifts and improve your best times with new loot.
If you successfully played the eighth season, you received certain rewards. For reaching level 70 in the last season, you were rewarded with transmogrifications for pants and boots. A special portrait and exclusive wings were awarded for reaching certain chapters of the season journey. You can now use these rewards in the new season.
Do you have too little space for the many items dropping for you? In the new season, you can also unlock additional loot stash slots. To do this, you need to complete the following season journey tasks:
Killing greed on difficulty XIII
Completing a Greater Nephalem Rift level 60 Solo
Upgrading an ancient item with a legendary gem of 50 or higher
Completing two achievements
Achievements include, for example:
Speed Demon – Complete a Nephalem Rift on Torment VI difficulty with a maximum level character in under 2 minutes.
Cursed and Sealed – Kill 300 or more monsters at maximum level during an event from a cursed chest on Torment VI difficulty.
It Would Be Too Easy Otherwise – Reach a Greater Nephalem Rift level 45 without your hero equipped with set items.
Sets as gifts: If you complete certain milestone goals of the season journey, you will receive set pieces as gifts. This way, you quickly get the set bonuses of a certain set, with which you can then fight in Nephalem Rifts. The set gifts change with each season for different classes.
During BlizzCon, the developers announced that seasons will soon be available on consoles. However, no specific date was mentioned, but it was said that it is planned for early 2017. Previously, console players had to do without seasons in Diablo and could only play with non-seasonal characters. Soon, you will be able to create season characters on PS4 or Xbox One and compete with other players in the exclusive season leaderboards.
Season 9 – Best Classes on PTR Patch 2.4.3
Players have been able to test Patch 2.4.3 on the Public Test Realm for several days now. The leaderboards of the test servers show which classes are performing well in the current patch. In Patch 2.4.3, many Crusaders and Wizards appear in the top 20.
PTR Leaderboard Patch 2.4.3 – Top 10
Crusader – GR Level 94
Wizard – GR Level 92
Crusader – GR Level 88
Crusader – GR Level 87
Witch Doctor – GR Level 87
Wizard – GR Level 87
Monk – GR Level 86
Crusader – GR Level 85
Crusader – GR Level 85
Wizard – GR Level 85
The top ten spots are dominated by Crusaders and Wizards. In 15th place, a Demon Hunter follows with a Greater Rift level of 83. The first Barbarian player can be found in 18th place, who also completed a Greater Rift of level 83. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on the PTR.
The new Patch 2.4.3 will likely be released tomorrow (Wednesday, January 4). Major patches are usually released when no season is active. Since the eighth season ended on December 30 and the ninth season starts on Friday, Wednesday would be the most likely date for the new patch.
With Patch 2.4.3 comes the Darkening of Tristram event into the game, where you can fight against the old bosses for Diablo’s birthday. In addition, the performance of the game has been improved. This includes a 64-bit client that supports DirectX 11 and aims to reduce loading times.
Additionally, some legendary items will be revamped in this patch. These include:
Crusader – Legacy of Blood: Each enemy you hit with Heaven’s Fury increases the damage of Blessed Hammer by 50-60% for 10 seconds.
Wizard – Manald Heal: Enemies that are paralyzed suffer an additional 13,000% to 14,000% weapon damage as lightning damage.
Barbarian – Safrangelb Wrapping Cloth: The damage of the next Overpower is increased by 40–50% per enemy hit, with a maximum of 20 enemies.
Blizzard announced the Necromancer for Diablo III during BlizzCon. By purchasing a DLC, you can unlock this class in the game. So far, there is no official release date for the Necromancer. However, it can be assumed that this DLC, similar to a major patch, will be released between seasons.
We may know more about the release of the Necromancer in Diablo 3 by Season 10 or 11.
A couple met online in Diablo and tied the knot, followed by a radiant wedding in shiny armor.
There are many ways to get to know your partner. Some meet in a bar or at a party with mutual friends, while others find true love through Tinder. Among us gamers, it’s not uncommon to log into your favorite game unsuspectingly and suddenly encounter your dream partner.
Something similar happened to Crusader Alvin Lau and Demon Hunter Alexis Loo, who met online in Diablo III. Their friendship started as a delicate little plant during shared missions and blossomed over time into a sturdy love tree, celebrated last year with a wedding.
The movie poster for the wedding. (Cosplay by Alvin & Alexis | Photo by Mezame)
When Demon Hunters and Crusaders fall in love, the right shoot is a must
The two thought that a photoshoot in Diablo cosplay would be appropriate for the occasion and opted for the armor of their Diablo characters instead of tuxedo and wedding dress. These photos are not from the wedding itself, but were taken before their big day together.
Alexis, Demon Hunter and bride. (Cosplay by Alexis | Photo by Mezame)
Thanks to Photoshop, the matching backgrounds are available
Alvin and Alexis are from Singapore, which made it quite challenging for them to set up this Diablo shoot. There aren’t many classic ruins and cemeteries in European style there. So the photography studio “Mezame” quickly took a green screen and added the backgrounds digitally later. The result is certainly impressive!
Alvin, Crusader and groom. (Cosplay by Alvin | Photo by Mezame)
This is how the photos were created
The video below is a making-of of the photoshoot and shows how the photographers worked with the couple. In the studio itself, a fog machine was used to create a mysterious atmosphere, and the bridal couple struck poses to the best of their ability. Later, the suitable backgrounds were digitally incorporated. Looks pretty cool, right?
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In Destiny, the back area of the Tower can be entered as of today. The question is: Why?
Update 7:10 PM: There is no Iron Banner active. However, the Sparrow Racing has been added to private matches.
This morning at 10 AM, the weekly reset in Destiny occurred. This ended the “The Dawning” event and removed the festive decorations in the Tower, so everything should be back to normal now. But it isn’t.
Because the back area of the Tower is open, the gate is no longer locked. In the months leading up to “Rise of Iron,” this meant: The Iron Banner is running. Lord Saladin was always in this area, giving you the Iron Banner bounties.
But this time the gate is open, even though Lord Saladin is not in the Tower. The community is currently speculating on reddit what this could mean. Because the entire area is empty. You cannot interact with any NPCs or objects there.
This is what the Tower looked like during the Dawning
Is today the start of the January Iron Banner?
Many users assume that Bungie merely opened this area so that Guardians can grab the dead Ghost that is located in the back area of the Tower. Those who have only been Guardians since “Rise of Iron” have not had a chance to get to this Ghost, as the gate has been locked since then.
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Other Guardians, on the other hand, think that the January Iron Banner might start today. Normally, this is announced by DeeJ in “This Week at Bungie” a week in advance; however, this announcement has been missed in recent weeks due to Bungie’s winter break.
We received this screenshot from our community from the iPhone app showing that Iron Banner bounties are already being displayed:
Nevertheless, it remains puzzling why the gate to the back area in the Tower is now open. After all, since RoI, Efrideet has been the contact person for the Iron Banner. And she appears regularly at the Felwinter Peak, which is why the back area of the Tower has been irrelevant since then. Therefore, some Guardians hope that this could be a precursor to a completely new event.
We probably have no choice but to wait and see what happens today at 7 PM. At this time, the Iron Banner usually starts. Perhaps Bungie will also come forward soon and clarify things for us.
