Crowfall: „Wir machen Pay2Lose“ – Gamescom-Interview zum Wirtschaftssystem, Housing und Gameplay

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 3 minutes

At Gamescom 2016, we had an extensive conversation with Crowfall developer Jess Mulligan about the unusual throne war PvP MMO and received some interesting information. For example, that they might want to let players “lose” for real money.

Crowfall is an ambitious MMO project where players play short campaigns instead of in an open world, which are expected to last only three months. Only the housing aspect of the game, the so-called “Eternal Kingdom”, remains as a refuge for the characters between the campaigns. We had some questions about this unusual game approach, and at Gamescom 2016, we were able to extract some interesting answers from game director Jess Mulligan.

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Campaign Multiverse

The campaign worlds of Crowfall have unique rules, so it may be that there is no magic in one world, while in another all players are wizards, and in yet another campaign brutal friendly fire applies, and ongoing sieges turn into bloodbaths. While a campaign is running (developers currently plan for about three months each), the deployed hero is firmly bound to this world.

If we no longer enjoy the respective world, we cannot leave and must wait out the remaining time. However, this is not in the interest of all players, and since they still do not want players to constantly jump in and out of the campaign as they please, the “Pay2Lose” concept has been proposed.

crowfall-jess-mulligan-gamescom2016
At Gamescom 2016, we were able to talk to Jess Mulligan.

Accordingly, one should only be able to drop out of the campaign (thus failing the campaign goal and leaving the battle for dominance) if they pay real money. Then the character would be free for new worlds again, but since it costs money, most players would probably remain in the world and not cause unnecessary chaos. However, whether the “Pay2Lose” system will actually be implemented is still not final.

Crowfall is expected to have a Buy2Play game model, while an optional subscription only offers time savings by allowing us to train the skills of up to 3 heroes offline and have more space in housing. Additionally, there will also be microtransactions, but explicitly only cosmetic items and comfort features like the mentioned “Pay2Lose”.

Housing and Gestures

As already mentioned, our heroes can spend time in the Eternal Kingdom between the campaigns to manufacture items and train. The Kingdom is similar to the housing plot in Wildstar, only much larger and completely customizable, even in terms of terrain. Jess described it as a kind of “streamlined Minecraft”, where you can build everything to your heart’s content like with Lego bricks. Particularly cool: Guilds can combine the individual kingdoms of their members into a huge empire!

Crowfall_Male Confessor Concept

Regarding Crowfall’s combat system, Jess said that we can start PvP right from the beginning, as the actual game is already the endgame. Therefore, you need a lot of skill to do well, and since – for example with magic – the telegraphs for area effects can only be seen once the attack has already occurred, we need to pay special attention to the gestures of the opposing wizard! If he swings wide, he is probably planning a “fire tornado” and we should quickly leave the area in front of him.

If you want to try Crowfall for free, you’ll have to wait a bit, as the open beta will only start next year. However, this year the closed beta starts at the end of the year, and you can still purchase access packs on the Crowfall homepage and participate.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Destiny: Screenshots zur neuen Rüstung und den ersten Story-Missionen von “Rise of Iron”

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 6 minutes

In Destiny we take a look at some screenshots of “The Rise of Iron”. The new armor and the first two story missions can be seen.

At Gamescom 2016, a large batch of screenshots for the upcoming autumn expansion was released. “Rise of Iron” is becoming more concrete, as the Guardians get to read and see some details about what to expect in Destiny in mid-September.

destiny-hüter-rise

After we recently presented 14 new weapon screenshots, now it’s the armor pieces’ turn. Additionally, we show many images from the first two story missions. In total, there are over 50 screenshots that you can view on the following pages.

But note: Some images may contain spoilers. So decide for yourself if you want to click through the next pages. Also, remember that not all new armor pieces from RoI are shown here. Only those for which there are already screenshots.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. vg247
  2. vg247
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

ArcheAge: Ein neues Zeitalter beginnt – im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

At ArcheAge , there are finally event times that Europeans will also enjoy – at least if one has time in the afternoon.

Separate event times in Europe and America

ArcheAge Party

A problem with the servers of ArcheAge was that the events took place at a specific time – completely independent of the time zone of the actual player. For example, those in Europe wanting to participate in the “Nation Construction Quest” (or wanting to prevent it) were left in the dark because it started in the very early morning hours. Now Community Manager Celestrata has published new times that differ for Europe and America.

In general, it can now be said that long-lasting events, lasting several hours, start around lunchtime. Shorter events begin in the afternoon or early evening when a large portion of players also have the opportunity to participate.

A complete list of the start of all events and activities can be found in our sources.

For more news and articles related to the MMORPG, you can find our ArcheAge game page.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. massivelyop.com
  2. forums.archagegame.com

Thanks to Pokémon GO, the sales figures of the Nintendo 3DS have increased

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

Pokémon GO gives a boost to the Nintendo 3DS.

The main contributors to Pokémon GO are the developer Niantic and The Pokémon Company, who represent the brand rights. Nevertheless, Nintendo also benefits from the “Augmented Reality” mobile game – this is evident, for example, in the sales of the Nintendo 3DS.

The “new” Pokémon fans

Due to the hype that Pokémon GO has generated, not only have old fans returned to the game. The Pokémon GO phenomenon has gone through all kinds of media and has generated a lot of attention. As a result, players have also encountered the Pokémon series, who previously had nothing to do with the game.

Those who were previously unfamiliar with the games or had never played them may have been encouraged by Pokémon GO to try the older games as well. This also applies to players who were already familiar with the series but got their enthusiasm for the game series back through Pokémon GO. Since the older Pokémon titles are not (officially) available for smartphones, this is where the connection to the Nintendo 3DS comes in. For Nintendo’s handheld, there are many more versions of Pokémon that offer a completely new gaming experience compared to Pokémon GO.

pokemon-go-pika

As TheVerge reports, the sales of the Nintendo 3DS and the corresponding games have increased significantly. According to information from the market research institute NPD Group, the 3DS was at the top of hardware sales in the USA in July. The Pokémon games from 2014, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, saw a sales increase of 80%. Pokémon X and Y from 2013 were also sold significantly more often – there was a 200% increase in sales for these games.

It is clear to Nintendo that the positive reaction to Pokémon GO has significantly increased interest in the core Pokémon games on Nintendo systems.

Did you also start playing other Pokémon titles again due to the Pokémon boom?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. TheVerge
  2. Winfuture

LoL: Yorick rework? Riot’s new teaser gives hope

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

Fans have long waited for League of Legends – Is this the long-awaited rework of the grave digger?

A new teaser for League of Legends may announce the rework of the hero “Yorick”. In a rework, the abilities of a hero are overhauled to better fit the current game. Often, the reason is that the playstyle, compared to other champions, is too “boring” or “monotonous”. Yorick has been in the game since 22.06.2011 and has “gathered dust” with his abilities. Many players have long called for a rework of the champion – now it might soon be time.

A new shovel for the grave digger?

On the various social media channels of Riot Games, a picture can be seen since yesterday that likely announces the rework of Yorick. The champion in the grave digger style is known for carrying a shovel as a weapon. Such a shovel can be seen in the image teaser.

League of Legends Yorick Champion Teaser

There were many discussions about the picture on Reddit. One user said: “They will probably just delete Yorick, they buried him with his own shovel – how cruel!”. A response from a Riot employee was, “You might want to take a closer look…”.

Upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that the thing behind the shovel is not a house or random drawing at all. It is Yorick approaching the shovel. Additionally, things that look like hands are coming out of the ground. This is most likely a reference to the rework of Yorick, as further emphasized by the hashtags used on Instagram. The image description states: “You will not forget.#leagueoflegends #leaks #abouttime#whodat”

After the major Taric rework, the “new” Yorick could also bring fresh air to League of Legends. What skills do you think the new Yorick should have?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Paragon: The new hero Narbash – Now the attack is being drummed up

Pascal Pascal Reading time < 1 minutes

For a few days now, the MOBA Paragon is in the open beta phase. Now it literally goes blow for blow in the fight with the new hero Narbash.

The Crazy Drummer

In the third-person MOBA Paragon, a different rhythm will prevail starting next Tuesday, August 23. Then, the newcomer to the heroes’ roster, named “Narbash,” will drum the attack and support his teammates with invigorating beats.

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Narbash possesses both crowd control and support abilities. For example, he can root a single target in place if a frightened enemy wanted to take flight and escape certain death. To quickly reach that position, he and nearby heroes gain a temporary movement speed buff.

paragon2

And if other enemy team members suddenly rush in to help, Narbash drums the health regeneration of nearby heroes up, while slowing enemies with his ultimate, ultimately blasting them into the air with a thundering blow.

The wild Mohawk drummer with a cowbell around his neck will be playable for free, like all other heroes. So take up the clubs and give your team the rhythm for victory.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Black Desert Online: Awakening Weapons and new Ocean Update announced at Gamescom

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 3 minutes

We learned some new information about Black Desert Online at Gamescom 2016. The long-awaited Awakening weapons finally have a release date, and there’s a huge update planned for the end of the year around the ocean, including ships and marine life.

We were at Gamescom and also visited the Black Desert Online booth. We were not impressed for long by the strange “buttface dolls” on the counter (no one could explain to me what they represented and why they were there), but preferred to go with Community Manager Mathias Pletschacher into a presentation room where we immediately got to admire some cool new features of the sandbox MMO.

kakao-games-figures
WTF? No one knew why these dolls were there.

Autumn Awakening

The presentation began with the Awakening weapons. These cool new items significantly expand our hero’s playstyle and allow for a more offensive gameplay for the Warrior or area attacks for the Sorceress. And they look really awesome, especially the Scythe of the Sorceress!

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Lastly, it was mentioned that they wanted to introduce the new weapons “very soon after Gamescom,” so still in the summer. However, at Gamescom, it was clearly stated: “The Awakening weapons will not come until October.” So we will not be able to enjoy cool new weapons and playstyles for at least a month.

Update: In an interview with the US site IGN, the developers announced that the first Awakening weapon for the Warrior will be introduced during the normal maintenance on August 31. Other classes are expected to receive the Awakening weapons weekly or bi-weekly. So maybe that was miscommunicated to us.

Ahoy, Sailors!

In addition to the Awakening weapons, another major update called “Margoria” is expected at the end of the year, which will focus on the oceans of the Black Desert Online world. Because on the one hand, we can dive into the depths of the sea and fight sea monsters, retrieve treasures, and hunt fish. On the other hand, anyone who doesn’t like to get wet but still wants to breathe in the sea air can also build really large warships soon. These ships are brimming with cannons, and anyone who wants to man a ship needs a guild to provide the crew.

black-desert-online-margoria-update-gamescom2016
Community Manager Mathias Pletschacher explains the naval battles to us.

Since the ships consume quite a lot of resources to build, a guild is also essential for ship construction. The developers hope for guild fleets that can engage in thrilling naval battles on the high seas and compete for maritime trade routes. If a ship is sunk, it doesn’t mean you have to start completely over. You can probably salvage the wreck and repair it.

Mein-MMO says: That the new Awakening weapons are not released immediately after Gamescom, but only in October, is certainly a downside, but on the other hand, players of Black Desert Online are already used to delays, and it’s better for content to come later than unfinished. The naval battles looked very impressive in the shown material and could really enrich the game. What do you think of Black Desert Online so far? Let us know and write it in the comments!

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Destiny: 14 new weapons in “Rise of Iron” – Here are the screenshots

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 3 minutes

In Destiny we look at 14 weapons that are used in “The Rise of Iron”.

The Gamescom 2016 is currently in full swing. At this gaming convention, Bungie lifted the curtain and presented the Private Matches, the new strike “The Abysmal Eye” and a lot of footage that we will see again in the autumn expansion.

In recent days, numerous screenshots have been released, some of which we have already presented. Now we look at 14 images of weapons that we will encounter in “Rise of Iron”. Three of these weapons we have already seen: The Gjallarhorn (should be known), the Khvostov 7G-0X and the machine gun Nemesis Star. The other weapons are completely new.

Unfortunately, nothing is known about the new weapons except for their appearance and names. No perks are indicated in the screenshots. See for yourself:

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_burning_eye

Burning Eye

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_but_not_forgotten

But Not Forgotten

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_each_new_day

Each New Day

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_first_citizen_ix

First Citizen IX

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_occams_razor

Occams Razor

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_saladins_vigil

Saladins Vigil

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_the_lingering_song

The Lingering Song

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_the_titanium_orchid

The Titanium Orchid

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_the_unbent_tree

The Unbent Tree

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_trespasser

Trespasser

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_winters_end

Winters End

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_nemesis_star

Nemesis Star

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_khvostov_7g-0x

Khvostov 7G-0X

destiny_rise_of_iron_new_weapons_gjallarhorn

GjallarhornWhat do you think of these cool weapons?

Here we present a new ship and a new ghost shell in Destiny.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. vg247

Star Wars: Battlefront – Finally, there are space battles

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

In the near future, Battlefront will finally feature space battles – the “Death Star” DLC fulfills the wishes of the players.

The Rebels Attack the Death Star

With the release of Star Wars: Battlefront, there were some long faces among fans. Especially because the game did not offer extensive space battles, many fans were rather disappointed with the shooter. EA is correcting this mistake with the upcoming “Death Star” DLC, which includes the iconic battle over the Empire’s destructive fortress.

In the new game mode “Battle Station”, the Imperials are permanently on defense to protect their ships and ultimately the massive Death Star from the Rebels’ attacks. The Rebels, on the other hand, have the opposite in mind and want to destroy the Imperials along with the megastructure.

Battlefront Death Star Title

But the battle doesn’t end there: In the second phase, the Rebels land and must secure a droid. Here, the new hero (Chewbacca) and the new villain (Bossk) come into play, each wanting to defend their respective objective.

In the third phase, players will again swing into the vacuum of space to destroy the Death Star – or to defend it. This battle is particularly reminiscent of Episode 6.

There is no fixed date for the “Death Star” expansion yet. However, “September” has been targeted as a rough timeframe.

Battlefront Bespin DLC Title

Apart from that, there is also an event occurring this weekend, where all players can try out the Bespin DLC for free. If you wish, you simply have to log into the game and can try the DLC content for free until Sunday evening (August 21, 2016).

For more information and news about the sci-fi shooter, you can visit our Star Wars: Battlefront game page.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. vg247.com
  2. polygon.com

WoW Legion: Stress for the Alliance – Drama around the “High King” (Spoiler)

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The Alliance in World of Warcraft is causing a stir in the forums. Some are very dissatisfied with the title of “High King”.

Who is actually leading the Alliance?

Spoiler alert: If you haven’t checked out the current pre-event of World of Warcraft, you might want to stop reading. Because there are some story spoilers.

The High King of the Alliance – nothing more than a Warchief 2.0?

Since the pre-event of World of Warcraft: Legion, the power dynamics within the Horde and Alliance have changed significantly. While the Horde has to do without Vol’jin and declares Sylvanas as their Warchief, the Alliance has lost Varian Wrynn. Players even have to personally hand over the letter (from the cinematic intro) to his son Anduin Wrynn.

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In the official Blizzard forums, there is now a thread that has reached the maximum of 26 pages (and is already being continued in a part 2). Players are asking: What is this “High King” nonsense? According to fans, the Alliance is a union of different races that all exist – more or less – equally in this alliance.

The idea of a High King would undermine this equality and make one race more important than the others. Additionally, that would just make them a “Warchief 2.0”, similar to the Horde. According to the comic “Son of the Wolf”, Anduin will one day be the High King when he leads the “Army of the Light” into battle alongside Velen – many players think the appointment of the High King is already imminent.

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The discussion has become so heated that even Blizzard has intervened in the form of Community Manager Ornyx. His statement (in excerpts) reads:

“The title ‘High King’ is more comparable to the ‘Commander-in-Chief’, as held by Anduin Lothar, the commander of the forces of the great Alliance. It does not imply that one can ‘rule’, has ‘special legal authority’, or any faction-wide political control over the civilians of the Alliance (Varian was an exception here as he was also the King of Stormwind and thus ruled over Stormwind). (…)”

“Like the Warchief in the Horde, the High King has a military role to coordinate the armed forces (members of the Alliance can refuse to fall under military command). This does not mean that the whole group always agrees with the High King, but only acknowledges and understands that organized military intervention is sometimes necessary. (…)”

“It is also important to mention that the military strength of humans is significantly greater – particularly that of Stormwind – than that of the other members of the Alliance, granting a certain priority in deciding on a military leader.”

There we see what players are getting worked up about.

For more news and articles about Blizzard’s MMORPG, you can find them on our World of Warcraft game page.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. us.battle.net/forums/en/
  2. mmo-champion.com

The Division: Vendor Reset on 20.8. – The Offer This Week

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

In The Division, we look at the offers from the vendors for high-quality items. Today, on August 20th, is the reset.

On the night from Friday to Saturday, the inventory and offers of the vendors change. Agents can wander into the Operations Base and the Dark Zone to exchange their saved currencies for good items.

The offer from the special equipment vendor on August 20th.

This vendor is located in the Technology Wing of the Operations Base. You need Phoenix Credits.

  • Historian (sniper rifle): 671 PCs – value 204
  • G36C (assault rifle): 715 PCs – value 204
    (Prepared, Predator, Concentrated)
  • SASG-12 (shotgun): 672 PCs – value 204
    (Stable, Expert, Resentful)
division-dunes-jacket

With high-end quality and a score of 204, you can buy a backpack and knee pads. With 191, you can get knee pads from the “Predator’s Mark” set and the “Hunter’s Faith” set. The ranger jacket and the jacket – sand color are must-haves.

The special equipment vendor in the terminal

Go down the stairs to buy items from this special equipment vendor.

  • Historian (sniper rifle): 679 PCs – value 204
  • MK46 – Military version (LMG): 632 PCs – value 204
    (Destructive, Gifted, Predator)
  • M870 MCS – Custom version (shotgun): 669 PCs – value 204
    (Receptive, Capable, Destructive)

Additionally, there are high-end gloves and holsters with 204 and with 191 a “Hunter’s Faith” mask and “Predator’s Mark” gloves. Both jackets cost 321 PCs each.

What the dark zone weapon vendor has on August 20th

If you are currently in the Dark Zone, you can visit the safe room in DZ03. There you will find the DZ weapon vendor, who releases his weapons for DZ currency and at certain DZ ranks:

  • Double-barreled shotgun: 102412 DZW – value 204 (Rank 80)
    (Restored, Bitter, Predator)
  • Super 90 – Marine version (shotgun): 102380 DZW – value 204 (Rank 80)
    (Stable, Enduring, Brutal)
  • Double-barreled shotgun: 257139 DZW – value 229 (Rank 90)
    (Bitter, Deadly, Trained)

Blueprints from the weapon vendor:

  • Valkyria (submachine gun): 255884 DZW – value 204 (Rank 90)
  • M870 MCS – Custom version (shotgun): 211857 DZW – value 204 (Rank 75)
  • ACR Tactical (assault rifle): 212690 DZW – value 204 (Rank 75)
    division-dark-zone

The inventory of the DZ mod vendor

This vendor is stationed in DZ05 in the safe room. He has exciting mods with an energy level of 32. You need DZ rank 50 for these items:

  • Osprey 45 suppressor: 143655 DZW – bonus for reduced threat and any bonus
  • Quick-change magazine: 141493 DZW – reload speed and any bonus

The goods of the underground vendor

If you go down to the tactical operations center, the underground vendor is waiting for you. Phoenix Credits and certain underground ranks are required:

  • Surplus SVD (sniper rifle): 941 PCs – value 229 (Rank 40)
    (Swift, Experienced, Decisive)
  • G36, Military version (assault rifle): 710 PCs – value 204 (Rank 20)
    (Swift, Frugal, Concentrated)

Additionally, he has high-value knee pads from the B.L.I.N.D. set and from the FireCrest set.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Shroud of the Avatar: Spieler sollen zum PvP gezwungen werden

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 3 minutes

We received the update notes for the upcoming release 33 of the selective multiplayer RPG Shroud of the Avatar. This version will introduce mandatory PvP for players.

Shroud of the Avatar is a selective multiplayer RPG. This means that the original idea was that you could either play alone in single-player mode, only with friends in friends-only mode, or similar to an MMORPG in an open online mode. This way, every player could play the online game as they wish. However, the PvP community was not very pleased that they had to give consent for PvP and that there was no open PvP introduced, or at least that players were not forced to participate in player-versus-player battles in certain areas. That is now changing.

Shroud of the Avatar combat in the dungeon
PvP becomes mandatory in Shroud of the Avatar!

According to the current update notes, which can only be accessed by Dev+ members and were provided to us, with release 33 there will be mandatory PvP in specific areas designed for PvP battles. Anyone who wants to explore these areas will automatically be “flagged” for PvP and must participate, whether they want to or not. Basically, this is only a minor problem, as everyone can avoid these areas if they wish. However, this is only partially true. Because as part of the game’s story, players will be led into these areas. Anyone who does not want to engage in PvP and would avoid these areas will be forced to participate in PvP if they want to follow the story.

The development team explains that they are now adjusting the areas and plan to introduce secret paths so that players who do not want to participate in PvP can take these paths. But won’t that just gather all the “griefers” there to ambush those who want nothing to do with PvP? With this new regulation, they are responding to a very vocal faction in the forum that wants to turn Shroud of the Avatar into an Ultima Online 2 with open PvP and full loot. However, this is exactly what led to players fleeing UO in droves, and now they are repeating this “mistake”?

Player freedoms are being restricted

Shroud of the Avatar character

This regulation significantly restricts the ways gamers can play. Anyone who just wants to explore will be forced into PvP. Anyone who wants to follow the story will be forced into PvP. Anyone who wants to explore the backstory of the game world with the shardfalls and control points will be forced into PvP. Whether this was a wise decision remains to be seen. Restricting player freedoms and forcing them into things they do not want to do has never been particularly well received.

Currently, there is already heated discussion in the official SotA forum about whether players should be forced to always play in open online mode, as in single-player and friends-only mode, they could farm and grind faster because they do not have to share resources and monsters with other players. This would destroy the in-game economy. Who knows, maybe they will phase out these modes and turn Shroud of the Avatar – contrary to the announcement and the Kickstarter campaign – into a pure MMORPG after all.

What are you doing?

Andreas says:

andreas_bertits_autoren_im_web

Portalarium, what are you doing? Shroud of the Avatar sounded so good at the beginning. It was such an interesting and unique concept that aimed to combine single-player and multiplayer. Yet, because apparently some UO fans think that SotA should be a better MMORPG with open PvP, you are capitulating to this handful of vocal individuals and changing the entire concept of the game? You are introducing mandatory PvP, even though this ended in disaster for Ultima Online?

I am greatly disappointed by this decision, which simply shows that the priorities in the development of the game have obviously changed significantly. Away from a story-driven selective multiplayer RPG with offline mode (of which we hear almost nothing anymore) and towards an MMORPG that is becoming an UO clone. Many did not back this project in the Kickstarter campaign for that!

More articles on Shroud of the Avatar:

Shroud of the Avatar: Players prefer to be alone

Final wipe in Shroud of the Avatar – Today the persistent world arrives

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Destiny: Trials of Osiris – The map starting from 19.8.

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time < 1 minutes

In Destiny, the Trials of Osiris begin today, on August 19th. What map will be played?

Experienced Guardians know: On Friday evening at 7 PM, the Trials kick off. Bold Guardians are drawn to this weekly PvP event, where they can prove their skills and earn great rewards. They end with the weekly reset on Tuesday.

The big goal is: The Lighthouse on Mercury. You can only get there with a “flawless” ticket. Therefore, some Guardians may never personally see the chest with the nice loot that is located there.

frontier-destiny

Every week, the question arises: “What map will be played?” This weekend, the map Frontier is up.

In the Trials of Osiris, you compete in teams of three in the elimination mode. Besides the big treasure in the Lighthouse, there are rewards from Osiris’s stash for 5 and 7 wins. Also, remember to check the bounties from Brother Vance for additional loot.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

WoW: “At the end of Legion there will be no content drought”

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Blizzard is making a course change. There should no longer be content droughts in World of Warcraft, but another target is being sacrificed for it.

WoW expansions take longer than a year

For many years, Blizzard has tried to maintain the high goal of one expansion for World of Warcraft per year – and almost every time it has failed. In order to fulfill this goal as best as possible, players often had to wait long periods for fresh content, such as just with the Hellfire Citadel, which players were allowed to consider as “current” raid content for well over a year.

With Legion, everything is supposed to change and dry spells are to be a thing of the past. The community does not believe this at first. In the official forum, fans state:

“No content drought at the end of Legion? I don’t believe you. You can say it won’t happen, but how many times has that been the case… 3 times? Actions speak louder than words.”

WoW Legion Suramar Thalyssra Nightborne
Hunger for content. Some players are already trembling at the thought of withdrawal.

Blizzard didn’t take long to respond (in the form of Community Manager Ornyx).

“Actions do indeed speak louder than words. I believe we all see this as a fact and know that it takes more than just words for the community’s trust. As Watcher [Ion Hazzikostas] explained yesterday, there was a time when our main focus was on new expansions. In light of this goal, we sacrificed some things, which made the player experience worse for everyone.

We are focusing on a steady flow of new content and want to ensure that we advance the story and fill the time between expansions. We really hope you notice the difference in Legion, and our goal is to avoid situations in which there is no new significant content for 14 months.”

WoW Legion ActionCam Erelya Manawyrm

Whether Blizzard keeps its promises will only time tell. But as often as it has emphasized this in recent weeks, it would be a massive loss of image if no actions followed these words.

At least right at the start of Legion, players should not have to wait long for new content. Patch 7.1 “Return to Karazhan” is already in the works.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. mmo-champion.com
  2. us.battle.net/forums/

FIFA 17: FUT Champions and the Weekend League – Grab the best rewards

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 3 minutes

In FIFA 17, we take a closer look at the new “FUT Champions” mode.

The “Ultimate Team” mode in FIFA 17 is equipped with new features that are meant to bring fresh air into this successful mode that has been around for years. The biggest innovation is probably the Squad-Building Challenges, a completely new way for you to earn delicious rewards.

Especially for the best FIFA players among you, another new mode will be particularly interesting: FUT Champions. Here you can grab the most lucrative rewards in FUT 17 – if you can assert yourself against other players.

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FUT Champions – The Best Rewards for the Best Players

FUT Champions is a fresh online competition mode in FIFA 17: FUT. You can play it on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Essentially, the mode consists of the following steps:

  • Qualify
  • Advance
  • Claim Rewards
  • And start all over again
fifa-17-champions-daily

If you consistently perform well in FUT Champions and climb the monthly leaderboards, you will receive “fantastic in-game rewards” and possibly even the chance to prove yourself on the big stage.

Step 1: Qualification for the Weekend League

To even get close to the big prizes in FUT Champions, you first need to qualify for the so-called Weekend League. EA Sports provides two ways for you to gain access:

  • Daily Knock-Out Tournaments: During the week, you have a daily chance to win an online tournament. For winning, you receive in-game rewards along with eligibility for the Weekend League. To keep these tournaments from getting boring quickly, there are dynamic team participation requirements (like certain team chemistry, team rating, or number of different nations) and unique prizes. In the video embedded above, it can be seen that you have two or three attempts for a tournament each day. So there is a restriction.
  • FUT Online Seasons: If you achieve weekly successes at the highest level in the Online Seasons mode, you automatically gain access to the Weekend League. However, these “highest-level successes” are not defined more precisely.
    fifa-weekend-league

Now the Weekend Can Begin

fifa-17-champions-rating

Once the weekend begins and you are allowed to participate in the league, you need to achieve as many victories as possible within a certain number of games over the weekend. This way, you rank up and secure better rewards. The Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Elite ranks are divided into several tiers. The Top 100 wave down from the very top.

The video mentions 40 games available each weekend.

fifa-17-fut-champion-belohnung
This reward is impressive

Staying in the Game Pays Off

If you have a strong performance one weekend and notice: “Aha, there is potential here!”, it is worth staying in the game for the upcoming weekends as well. This way, you can climb up the monthly leaderboards, allowing you to scoop the very best rewards in FUT. In addition to coin rewards, there are also special kits and unique “FUT Champions” player items.

By the way: The crème de la crème of you can win tickets to real tournaments and prizes through FUT Champions.

In this article, we present all (provisional) stadiums in FIFA 17.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. EA Sports

World of Warcraft – Gamescom-Interview zu Artefaktwaffen, Housing und dem Ende von Legion

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 4 minutes

World of Warcraft: Legion was also a major topic at Gamescom 2016. Therefore, we also caught up with Game Director Tom Chilton at the fair and asked him a few questions about the upcoming expansion. In doing so, we discovered some exciting new features.

World of Warcraft: Legion is almost here, but there are still some questions that concern us and many other players of Blizzard’s giant MMORPG. For example, how will the great battle against the Legion turn out, or why can’t we keep the artifact weapons forever? And what’s the deal with Wrathion and the black dragonflight? We asked Game Director Tom Chilton all these questions – and a few more – at Gamescom.

[iframe id=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/eYNCCu0y-Is” align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no”]

On to the counterattack?

WoW Legion Illidan raw

The Burning Legion is no joke; it is a massive and well-established threat in the lore, against which the Iron Horde or the old Lich King look like mere rookie villains. Therefore, it would be quite cheap if the demon invasion were over after just one update. And it won’t be that simple, as Chilton has indicated that Legion is going to be truly massive!

Blizzard has long admitted that Warlords of Draenor offered far too little content and wants to deliver a lot more in Legion. “Significantly larger than Draenor” should be the content patches. And once the dust has settled from the initial demon invasion, there should be entirely new areas, possibly outside of Azeroth, where we can venture.

It’s quite possible that our heroes will launch a massive counterattack and bring the war to the Legion. This would fit Chilton’s statement: “In Legion, the conflict will escalate further, and by the end of the expansion, the Legion will still be a threat, but it will have suffered noticeable losses.”

More of the best!

The new region Suramar not only pleases our house demon Cortyn, but is also very dear to the developers. Thus, there will also be continuations of the Suramar questline in upcoming patches, and new areas with a similar concept are already planned.

WoW Legion Suramar Husk

Moreover, Legion is supposed to offer tons of content for all types of players, whether you prefer to explore the open world, get lost in the questline around Suramar and Co., or prefer to tackle dungeons and raids. Dungeons, in particular, should not play second fiddle to the raids in Legion, and the developers are already planning a gigantic dungeon with a total of nine bosses as well as a smaller, challenging raid for update 7.1.

Artifact weapons remain?

So far, it has been said that we can only use our cool artifact weapons in Legion and not in future expansions. While this may make gameplay sense, from a role-playing perspective, it’s hard to imagine why our hero would, for example, hang up the legendary weapon Ashbringer at the end and pull out a silly green standard sword instead.

WoW Legion Artifact Paladin Ashbringer

When we asked Chilton this question, he said, “We don’t yet know how we want to solve it definitively.” Therefore, Blizzard wants to wait the next six to twelve months to see how players receive the artifact weapons and whether they want new weapons. Perhaps we will ultimately be allowed to keep the weapons, and there might soon be a similar weapon upgrade system in World of Warcraft like in Blade & Soul?

More lore!

As the lore of World of Warcraft is already well portrayed due to numerous in-game events, comics, and the cool Harbingers series, we wanted to know how Blizzard plans to continue in this regard. And we have good news for Cortyn and all other lore fans, as Blizzard wants to continue concepts like Harbingers and further develop the potential for storytelling.

[iframe id=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/zDZZdrjjBCc” align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no”]

Additionally, several well-known characters from WoW will find their end during the expansion. Although Blizzard does not want to wipe out beloved NPC heroes one after another, there will definitely be some sad losses. And the world will not be the same once the Legion has arrived. We may not get a new Cataclysm, and most of the devastation will occur on the islands, but the effects of the invasion will be felt more or less strongly elsewhere.

And for those wondering what’s up with the black dragonflight and Wrathion: He will still be a topic, but not in Legion (or at least not at the beginning). Unfortunately, housing is also not a topic for Legion! Because Blizzard still hasn’t found a groundbreaking idea for it. However, they are likely planning to revisit the garrisons concept in future expansions and provide noticeably more customization options.

Mein-MMO says: I am really curious about how the conflict with the Legion will turn out and whether the demon squad will be gone after our counterattack (which will definitely happen) or if Legion is just the start of a whole series of future expansions that revolve around the ongoing conflict with the demons. And I really like the idea that we might be able to keep the artifact weapons in the end. But how do you see all this? Write it in the comments and let us know! More info about World of Warcraft: Legion can be found on our overview page for the game.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Full footage of Battlefield 1: over an hour of gameplay in 1080p/60fps

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time < 1 minutes

In Battlefield 1 we show you over an hour of delicious gameplay material – in strong picture quality.

Battlefield 1 is one of the biggest games at the currently ongoing Gamescom 2016. As part of the gaming fair, EA presented a new map, horses, armored trains, new weapons and much more in a livestream.

On YouTube, when searching for footage of this stream, you’ll quickly find a lot. However, these are mostly re-uploads of low quality. While you can see what’s new – you can’t really enjoy the battle.

Now the YouTuber LevelCapGaming has uploaded a video showcasing the map “The Sinai Desert” and gameplay in high resolution. You’ll see weapons, armor, airplanes, and also gameplay scenes with horses:

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What do you think of the shown gameplay?

Information about the open beta of Battlefield 1 can be found here.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. vg247

Pokémon GO hat 5 Guiness-World-Records gebrochen

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

The first month at Pokémon GO has been impressive – Several records have been set.

Although Pokémon GO was only released about a month ago, it has already won the hearts of many fans. In this first month, several records have already been set. The millions of fans around the world ensure that the augmented reality game achieves these records. According to information from SuperData (one of the leading providers of game data and statistics), the Guinness Book can now officially confirm that Pokémon GO has already broken 5 records since its launch in July.

1. Pokémon GO achieved the highest revenue in the first month

Pokémon GO generated an impressive $206.5 million in its first month since release. It should be noted that the game was not released simultaneously in all countries. The game was gradually released for specific countries – but even that was too much strain for the servers of Pokémon GO. Countries with a strong gaming culture like China or Korea are still waiting for the game’s release. A release in these countries will likely boost Pokémon GO’s statistics even further.

2. Pokémon GO has the most downloads in the first month

So far, the popular Pokémon game for mobile devices has been downloaded over 130 million times since July 6. To put this into perspective: Russia currently has about 146 million inhabitants.

Pomeon go All Pokémon Pikachu

3. The most simultaneous top rankings (international) in the download charts in the first month

Pokémon GO has generated such a huge hype that it has reached #1 in the download charts in several countries. At its peak, Pokémon GO was at the top of the download charts in 70 countries simultaneously! The free game attracted so many fans that other games were pushed out of the top rankings.

4. The most simultaneous top rankings (international) in the revenue charts in the first month

Although Pokémon GO is available for free to play, it offers various items in the in-game shop that can be purchased with real money. This includes items like Poké Balls or lures to attract wild Pokémon to a PokéStop. In addition to download charts, app stores also offer rankings for the highest-grossing games. Pokémon GO was the highest-grossing game in 55 countries simultaneously across various app stores.

Pokémon GO Coins Coin

5. Pokémon GO made $100 million in record time

It only took 20 days for Pokémon GO to generate $100 million in revenue. This is the shortest time ever for a game to achieve such revenue in the first month after release. On July 26, Pokémon GO reached this milestone.

Maybe the game will also break a record for banning cheaters. Even though the feature comes “too late” for many players, the developers are now increasingly starting to ban players. The first waves of bans are already reaching many players who have gained unfair advantages in the game.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Guinnesworldrecords

LoL: Im Nemesis Draft mischt Ihr die Karten selbst

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

In the game mode rotation of League of Legends, the Nemesis Draft is available from today.

Every weekend, a temporary game mode is provided to players in League of Legends. For the entire weekend, summoners can play this mode, which brings variety to the “normal” game modes. This weekend, the mode is called Nemesis Draft. We will explain how this fun mode works here.

This is how Nemesis Draft works in LoL

LoL Teemo happy elf

Nemesis Draft or Nemesis Selection is a 5v5 game mode in League of Legends where you choose the champions of the opponents. This means that in the champion selection, you determine which champions the opponents must face you with. You have access to the entire champion pool of your teammates. For example, if only player 3 from your team has the unbeatable Teemo, players 1, 2, 4, or 5 can allocate this great, cute, strong hero to an opposing player.

When assigning champions, it doesn’t matter if you own the assigned champion. If you are assigned Yorick, even if you haven’t unlocked the hero on your account, you still have to play him. This can lead to hilarious fights when both teams have players who are playing their hero for the first time. So, pay attention when banning which champions you do not want to play. If necessary, you can also swap champions among each other after the assignment.

In this game mode rotation, you can earn keys or chests for Hextech Crafting through S-ranks from you (or your premades). However, it is not possible to obtain tokens for mastery 6 and 7.

The following game modes await you in the upcoming weekends:

LoL game mode rotation Nemesis
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. LoL

Destiny: New ship, new ghost shell and a new loading screen in “Rise of Iron”

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

In Destiny we take a look at fresh items that will come with “The Rise of Iron”.

The upcoming autumn expansion will provide plenty of new toys in the form of weapons, armor pieces, unique artifacts, and other items. Some of them were already seen in the ViDoc a few days ago, others will likely only be seen by Guardians from the launch. And yet others are currently being discovered by Guardians at Gamescom.

For instance, the YouTuber Arekkz Gaming played at the RoI gaming fair and discovered two items that can be associated with the new Iron Banner.

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Ghost Shell and Ship of the New Iron Banner

destiny-rise-eisenbanner-hülle

The Ghost Shell is called “Ironwolf Shell” and features a white-gold design:

The perks shown in the video are:

  • Titan Bounty: You receive additional Glimmer when you eliminate Titans in the Crucible.
  • Wormspore Sensor: Detects and marks Wormspores nearby.
  • Wormspore Extractor: A chance for additional Wormspores when you loot engrams on the Dreadnaught.
  • Additionally, you can increase intellect or discipline.
destiny-rise-schiff

The ship is named “Once and Future” and is also white-gold. Its shape resembles the first jump ship we all had:

destiny-rise-eisenbanner

For completeness – here is the new Iron Banner armor that we already introduced yesterday:

Arekkz found out that there will be no ornaments for the Iron Banner armor at the launch of RoI. Armor ornaments will only be available for the Trials of Osiris gear, the Raid (SIVA), and those of the Iron Lords for the time being. This means that the gear from the Archon Forge and that of the factions cannot be cosmetically changed with ornaments.

destiny-trials-jäger-rise

In line with this info, Bungie recently released this graphic regarding the Trials gear of the Hunter, adorned with ornaments. This is waiting for you in the Lighthouse:

Via Twitter, the Community Manager DeeJ was asked whether the original launch screen will return with “The Rise of Iron”. And he answered succinctly:

New launch screen. New music. New story.

However, what it will look like is still unknown.

Here we present the artifact of Timur in Destiny.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.