Black Desert: Das Ende der Cheater?

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

A patch from Black Desert has changed some features of the game. Apparently, hackers now stand no chance.

Skill queries in Black Desert are now server-sided

After a long wait, it seems that Black Desert has successfully dealt a significant blow against hackers and cheaters. As several players report, the number of hackers and cheaters encountered has drastically decreased. The reason for this is likely the patch from last week, which has moved the handling of skills and cooldowns to the server, preventing software from dubious third parties from manipulating these values.

But what has actually changed? In MMORPGs, servers and game clients are in constant communication with each other. Some data is processed by the server, while others are handled by individual clients, so each side only “accepts” what comes as input from the other side. Skills and cooldowns were previously calculated by the respective client, meaning one only had to “simply” manipulate the local game data to gain an advantage. Apparently, these calculations are now “server-sided,” meaning they are performed directly by the server and are thus secure against manipulation.

Black Desert Warrior Awakening

This has not yet been confirmed by Daum, and there is currently no official statement regarding these changes; however, the success of this measure speaks for itself.

Just last week, there was also a new banwave, during which offenders were permanently expelled from the game.

The only issue that still seems really “acute” is the use of bots. The use of such programs was not curbed by the patch, and players are urged to continue reporting suspicious behavior.

For more news, articles, and guides related to the game, you can find them on our Black Desert Online game page.

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

The Lord of the Rings Online is getting a new raid after almost 3 years again

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The long-lasting Free2Play MMORPG Lord of the Rings Online is receiving the raid “Throne of the Horror Lord” with patch 18.2.

There was a long time of intense discussion at Lord of the Rings Online – “Is there going to be another raid? How many players want that?” It was heatedly discussed in the forums: Is the raid community still large enough? Or are they now only doing things for casual players to get rid of cash shop items? These were accusations that could be heard and read.

Overall, in recent years, there has been a vibe of “Let’s see how long this lasts? Will the license be extended again or is it ending in 2017?” regarding Lord of the Rings Online. The negative comments are piling up, even on our articles about Lord of the Rings Online. The peak of the game, it is often said, was reached with “The Mines of Moria” many years ago, and since then the quality of new game content has been declining.

Interesting: Lord of the Rings Online: Alleged insider reveals juicy Turbine internals from 2.5 years

Patch 18.2. brings raid “Throne of the Horror Lord” to Lord of the Rings Online

Therefore, this is an important sign now that the new raid “Throne of the Horror Lord” is being opened with patch 18.2.

Nazgul-Lord-of-the-Rings

Content designer Ryan Plenk has shared insights in a developer diary, explaining the background to the raid. We are now switching back from the instance cluster model, which has been frequently used since 2012, to this content format that has many fans among the players of Lord of the Rings Online. The diary is also available in German.

It is clear that this is intended to be a classic raid for 12 players. 6 boss fights await the companions.

The update 18.2. with the raid is supposed to be released “soon”.

What do you think of this new old direction that the Free2Play classic Lord of the Rings Online is taking?

Lord of the Rings Online is among our Top 11 Free2Play MMORPGs.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. HdRO 18.2.

Steam Summer Sale: Unsere 5 Favoriten der Daily-Highlights vom 26.06

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

The 4th day of the Steam Summer Sale has cool highlights for you!

Offers on various game genres attract many gamers to the Steam Summer Sale 2016. The selection includes everything from action, adventure, simulation, strategy, and also MMOs. In today’s highlight rotation, there are both classics and newer games to choose from. Also on Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 there were many cool games where we listed our favorites.

Our 5 Highlights from June 26

Patrick’s personal recommendation from June 26: 

Bioshock

My recommendation today is a single-player adventure with lots of action and beautiful graphics. With the special atmosphere created by music, environment, and story, Bioshock Infinite quickly captivated me. Paying attention to the small details in the game world often surprises you with how much attention the developers paid to small nuances and how much love was put into this game.

At a high difficulty level, you will often struggle in battles – boredom is an absolute foreign concept in this game!

You can find our selection of MMO offers in the Steam Summer Sale 2016 here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLHW78X1XeE
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

ARK: The largest dinosaur that ever existed – “Titanosaurus”

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

In ARK there is a “huge” update. The Titanosaurus, the largest creature in the game world, has been added – fitting for the low price on Steam.

Titanosaurus – A walking main base

Since Friday (24.06.2016) the latest patch of ARK: Survival Evolved is available for the PC version of the game. The unmistakable main attraction of the latest version is the Titanosaurus, the largest dinosaur that strolls across the island. In fact, the creature is so big that you can easily fit an entire main base on it, bringing the war right to the doorstep of the rival tribes. You can get a first impression of this in the trailer for the dinos.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Of course, there are also some new items and constructions. Those who like to hunt in a primitive but effective way can now equip ballistae with chain bolas and bind even large creatures to the ground.

We have already reported about the new feature that allows you to be informed about certain events (such as triggering an alarm or the birth of a juvenile) even outside the game, we have already reported.

By the way: ARK: Survival Evolved is currently on sale at this year’s Steam Summer Sales and can be snagged for just €15.39. If you haven’t been able to bring yourself to spend a few hours on “the island” of ARK yet, now is the time to seize the opportunity. The offer is valid until July 4.

Find more news and articles about the dino game on our ARK: Survival Evolved game page.

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

WoW: Legion – Players’ Outcry! Camera distance will be reduced

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

In World of Warcraft: Legion, the camera distance to the character is reduced. Many players are not pleased with this.

New Zoom Level at Camera Distance Causes Outcry

The latest beta patch for the upcoming expansion World of Warcraft: Legion has caused discontent among some players. Blizzard has disabled a feature that players have relied on for years – the maximum camera distance is being reduced. Players have always been able to adjust how far they could “zoom out” in the options menu, and this will still be possible. However, for those who found this distance inadequate, they could use the console command “/console CameraDistanceMaxFactor 4” to significantly increase it. That is now over. The camera distance has received a new cap (1.9 instead of the previous 3.4), which is precisely where Blizzard intended it to be in the options.

  • WoW Beta Zoom 2
  • WoW Beta Zoom 1

Particularly raid leaders, who prefer to have a larger overview of everything, have played almost exclusively with this setting over the past few years. Therefore, the outcry in the official forum was quite significant.

Blizzard Feels the Decision Is Correct

Ion Hazzikostas, better known in the forum as “Watcher”, wrote a long post about this change. He cites several reasons why the value is being capped for all players. First, it is a significant advantage: those who can see more of the game world have more information and are better prepared for everything. In many action RPGs and strategy games, this is something that would often be achieved through hacks. Finally, Watcher posts a new screenshot of the maximum distance and says:

WoW Camera Distance Hazzikostas

“I am not sure it is fair to claim that at this zoom level, the character obscures the entire image and removes all player perception of threats.”

Meanwhile, the thread is over 26 pages long, and the complaints from fans show no signs of stopping.

“And once again, you think you know how your game is best played. Let the players decide that already.”

Or as the user Shamler writes in the forum: “This is stupid. I would think if so many players are using a feature, it would be simply added to the settings instead of completely removing the feature.”

Why Is the Change Coming so Late?

Hazzikostas also explains that the change was actually supposed to be implemented in a very early alpha version of Legion. However, while deactivating the various variables for players, one was overlooked, and this bug was only fixed last week.

“At this point, our development team is fixing about 2000 bugs per week, and it is not always possible to foresee which bug fixes will go live with the next update. This was definitely not a change we thought we could just overlook.”

That definitely did not work out.

For more information about what else is changing with the new addon, visit our Legions overview page.

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

Destiny: Iron Banner in June – All signs point to green

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny the Iron Banner starts in a few days – or?

Lord Saladin has already planned his journey to the Tower for the upcoming Tuesday – the only question is whether Bungie will put a stop to it again. Because the June Iron Banner was actually supposed to begin on June 21. However, a frustrating problem made a fair PvP event impossible, which is why it had to be canceled last week.

Now Bungie has resolved this problem. The Trials of Osiris are ongoing, and so far without major complaints. Whether the Iron Banner will take place depends largely on the feedback regarding whether the hotfix was truly successful. So far, things are looking good. Bungie has not yet communicated that the Iron Banner will be canceled again.

On the contrary, this tweet can certainly be interpreted as an official confirmation that the June Iron Banner will start on Tuesday as scheduled:

The Iron Banner in June

If everything goes as planned, the Iron Banner will start on Tuesday, June 28, at 7 PM. It will end on Tuesday, July 5, at 11 AM.

The game mode is Conflict.

psexklusiv-eisenbanner-destiny

The rewards are the same as last week: In addition to class-specific and PlayStation-exclusive armor pieces, you can score the Scout Rifle and Machine Gun. While these items won’t make you an Iron Lord, they show that you prove yourself worthy to herald “The Wrath of the Iron Lords” with Lord Saladin this fall.

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

Battlefield 1: Details zu Flugzeugen und Panzern – setzt man auf ein realistisches Schadensmodell?

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 3 minutes

In the upcoming shooter Battlefield 1, Electronic Arts and DICE present details about the various vehicles.

In Battlefield 1, warfare occurs on land, sea, and air. An exciting topic here are the vehicles you can use in different areas to dominate.

battlefield-1-artwork

On the ground, you will roar across the battlefield with light tanks, land cruisers, and motorcycles. You navigate the seas with landing and torpedo boats, and dominate the air with fighter planes, two-seater bombers, and bombers. There are said to be many different vehicles in Battlefield 1, including big behemoths like airships that have already been seen in trailers. In Battlefield 1, the focus is not only on variety in vehicles and aircraft but also on realistic destruction. When a vehicle takes heavy damage, the effects become apparent: For example, aircraft wings crack, and materials splinter off, affecting aerodynamics. Destroyed weapons can be repaired.

Senior designer Patrick O’Shaughnessy shares details about the vehicles and the vehicle system of the “World War I” shooter.

Details about the airplanes in Battlefield 1

battlefield1-flugzeug

As O’Shaughnessy points out, airplanes during World War I were a new technology. The machines had to do a lot of work to defy gravity. Therefore, the developers tried to make the feeling of weight and resistance in the airplanes as noticeable as possible. The aerodynamics model is becoming more nuanced and complex.

Compared to previous Battlefield iterations, guided missiles and countermeasures will be absent. Aerial combat is set to change significantly. Regarding this, O’Shaughnessy says:

In the jets [of previous Battlefield iterations], aerial combat was about pressing a button when you hear a sound, but here it’s about flight maneuvers, speed, and directly shooting at your target with bullets.

battlefield1-geschütz

This targeting occurs in two-seaters, with the rear soldier operating a machine gun mounted on a 360-degree swiveling ring mount.

Bombers also feature a rear gunner, who must manage with a limited, rear-facing action radius. Additionally, bombers have a third position with a slightly heavier weapon in the nose of the aircraft. This one is forward-facing and again has a limited action radius.

Battlefield 1 Conquest

The equipment of the airplane classes is also effective against various enemies: Some are guaranteed to be effective against ground vehicles according to the senior designer, while others are better suited for aerial combat or against infantry units – or against “other targets”. This addresses diverse strategic needs and playstyles.

Tank teams in BF1

O’Shaughnessy briefly addresses whether tanks are designed for multiple players, or if the driver can also use weapons. It entirely depends on the tank:

In the case of the land cruiser, for example, the firepower comes from two manned guns on both sides of the vehicle. This is quite different from previous tanks in Battlefield games, where the driver also operated the central main gun. For us, this tank was the perfect opportunity to introduce a tank vehicle for tank teams, something we had never done before.

What do you think of this information? And have you read this yet? Battlefield 1: This is how realistic weapon reloading looks.

Here we present the classes and some game modes in Battlefield 1.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Battlefield
  2. GameStar
  3. 4players

The Division: Which SMG dominates after Update 1.3?

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 3 minutes

In The Division the balance of power among submachine guns is greatly shaken up after update 1.3.

Since the launch in March, Division agents have sworn by a strong SMG as their primary weapon. The Vector and AUG models are preferred, with the AUG submachine guns leading the pack.

division-aug-182

Update 1.3 now introduces extensive weapon balance changes, particularly targeting these two SMGs. In addition to the altered bonus, both the Vector and the AUG will be weakened by 10% in base damage. The other SMGs will not receive any damage reduction.

What impact will this have on the power dynamics in 1.3? Will the Vector and the AUG remain the best submachine guns? Or will others emerge?

The best submachine gun after update 1.3

division-smgsbeste

YouTuber Skill Up has explored this question in more detail and created the following graphic: It shows all submachine gun categories and lists some interesting values. From left to right: Rate of fire, magazine size, reload time in seconds, scaling, base damage in 1.2, and base damage after update 1.3.

“Scaling” here refers to a complex value that indicates how much damage increases based on the weapon attribute. Here, both the AUG and Vector have the best values.

It can also be seen that the AUG and Vector had outstanding damage values before update 1.3 – an important reason why they are favored by agents. After 1.3, however, the values will be reduced by over 600 damage points, making them no longer overwhelmingly superior to the other SMGs. From now on, the T821 will have the highest base damage.

division-cleaner

However, the T821 has a significantly lower rate of fire than the AUG and the Vector, which is why these two weapons will likely remain preferable over the T821. Another submachine gun is, however, pushing itself more into the foreground: The MP7. Its base damage is only slightly lower, but its rate of fire of 950 is extremely high. The magazine size is lower than that of the AUG, but it is identical to that of the Vector.

Therefore, Skill Up believes that the MP7 will be the best SMG after update 1.3.

But: With the MP7, one has to reload more frequently and the high rate of fire must also be brought under control. Nevertheless, the base values are convincing.

If you have extremely high weapon values, the Vector and the AUG remain favorites for the throne due to the “scaling.” Otherwise, the MP7 now leaves a better overall impression.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Conclusion: Vector and AUG remain strong submachine guns despite the nerf. However, they now face strong competition from the MP7 for the title of “best submachine gun”.

Which weapons the majority of agents will use after the balance changes will only become clear after the launch of 1.3.

What do you think? Which weapons will dominate after 1.3?

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

Destiny: A Night with Wolves – Bungie Pulls Out All the Stops

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time < 1 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny, wolves will appear in the upcoming “The Rise of Iron” expansion. This does not refer to the Fallen wolves, with which we were already acquainted in the second DLC, but real wolves. To ensure they come across as realistic and authentic, Bungie has spared no expense.

Bungie – or: He Who Sleeps with Wolves

destiny_rise_of_iron.0.0

In an interview with Destructoid, Scott Taylor, the executive producer of the autumn expansion, discussed the wolves in the game. Players will not be fighting alongside them in any form, as Taylor makes clear from the beginning. For many Guardians, who are already imagining charging into battle with their own wolf pack, this is disappointing news. We will likely only see the wolves in the trailer, in the new social space, and possibly in cutscenes. Despite this subordinate role of the pack animals, Bungie has spared no expense to portray these creatures as authentically as possible.

Taylor reveals that they sent people to a wolf sanctuary to record the wolves. The “raw” sound and footage are powerful and amazing, which is why they are handling it carefully and wanted to depict the wolves in Destiny with all due respect.

On September 20, you can see for yourself how authentic the pack animals will appear. Then “The Rise of Iron” will be released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

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

Overwatch: Torbjörn will be nerfed – but only on PS4 and Xbox One

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

Torbjörn’s reign of terror in Overwatch on consoles is coming to an end. A nerf is coming.

Torbjörn is too strong on consoles. The turrets are believed to be too hard to aim and take down for players using controllers. Therefore, in an upcoming patch, the damage of Torbjörn’s turrets will be reduced by 30% on Xbox One and PS4. However, the damage will remain the same on PC. This was stated by Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan on reddit.

The patch is expected to arrive mid to late July, depending on how certification goes with Sony and Microsoft. So it’s about a month away.

Overwatch Torbjörn Ultimate

Console players aim less accurately than PC players with mouse and keyboard. However, the turrets always hit precisely, so a different balancing is needed on consoles compared to PC, according to general consensus.

How to deal with Torbjörn until the nerf finally comes, you can read in this article:

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

Overwatch: The penalties in the Ranked System will be stricter

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

In ranked game mode of Overwatch harder penalties will apply. Those who leave games early will face more severe sanctions.

Overwatch is fun. At least when all players are actually present during the round and do not leave the game prematurely. Fortunately, in Blizzard’s hero shooter, there are already some penalties to sanction such behavior. Those who regularly leave their teammates hanging in “Quick Play” will first receive a warning and then must endure a penalty of 75% on the experience points earned, which consequently means fewer loot boxes.

Overwatch Symmetra Fist
With an iron fist against “rage quitters”.

You will be excluded faster from the Ranked System

For the ranked game mode, which is expected to be released next Wednesday with the Ranked System, these penalties are still too lenient. Since it is about “more” than in Quick Play, Blizzard will impose harsher penalties here. The limit of how many games you can leave without being punished is significantly lower. In addition to the reduction of XP, repeat offenders will also face additional penalties. This ranges from a temporary exclusion from the ranked game mode and gradually takes on longer periods, up to a complete ban for the whole season.

Overwatch Winston Primal Rage

Mein-MMO says: The penalties sound quite good so far. The 75% less experience is not a massive deterrent for many players, so it’s only good if the penalties are a bit harsher in ranked game mode.

All the better if repeat offenders are then punished with timeouts or even banned from the Ranked System for the rest of the season – this should at least temporarily reduce the pool of players and ensure that only those remain who compete in a match until the bitter (or sweet) end.

However, the best insurance against such behavior is still playing with friends. They rarely let each other down.

Want to prepare for the ranked game mode? Then check out our various guides to Overwatch:

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

Battleborn spendiert extra Credits, wirft Euch Entwickler und Skins zum Fraß vor

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In Battleborn there is an event happening this weekend. However, you can secure two skins with this SHIFT code without participating.

In the hero shooter Battleborn, an event has been ongoing since Friday evening. Players can earn double credits in co-op and PvP until Monday evening. They can use these to grab loot packs. Gearbox recommends saving them for the  27th hero Pendles . This is that snake creature.

battleborn-pendles

You can also currently secure two skins for “Oscar Mike” and “Rath” if you enter this Shift code under Extras:

S5CBJ-KKCXK-SWCR3-XKX3J-5R3RW

This offer is valid for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. These gifted codes are valid until Tuesday morning, June 28th (this has been extended by a day compared to what you read in our title image).

Yesterday, Saturday, there was also the opportunity to play against individual developers on the North American servers.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Battleborn FB Code
  2. Battleborn News

Destiny: How does Bungie actually find the “Rise of Iron” leak?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

Before the big reveal, the central promo image has already been leaked for Destiny .

On the sidelines of E3, Chris Barrett, the head of “Rise of Iron”, made a statement about how he feels when important information gets leaked.

Barrett has mixed feelings: “It’s always a bit of a shock when things get leaked, but on the other hand, it’s really great to see how excited the fans are when they see the leak. It would be worse if no one cared.”

Other developers have a similar view on leaks. The narrative lead of CoD: Infinite Warfare sees it more critically, believing leaks are a “disservice to the fans.” They place great importance on what they show to the fans and when. Because hyping people up until the moment they can actually play it is part of the whole phenomenon, part of the experience.

Harvey Smith, the man behind Dishonored 2, takes it with a shrug. Leaks are okay; ultimately, they are insider things. How many people really see the leak compared to the millions who see a gameplay trailer?

What do you think about leaks? Do they ruin the “right” moment? Or are they themselves part of the “hype” culture?

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

ELOA: Update increased level cap to level 50

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

In ELOA (Elite Lord of Alliance) there was a major expansion that brought more levels, areas, and dungeons. Additionally, VIP status can be obtained as an event reward.

3 Dungeons, 2 Areas, 5 New Levels

As Webzen announced, a new update has been released for Elite Lord of Alliance (ELOA). The patch is called: “Epic 2: Outlaw’s Emperor” and raises the level cap for all players to level 50.

To ensure that players can make use of the additional experience levels, there are two new areas to explore: “Lost Plain” and “Black Curtain Plateau”. Dungeon fans can enjoy a total of 3 new instances, which are designed for level 50 – consequently, the experience bar needs to be filled several times first.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Until July 12, players can also participate in a special event where they can collect “Commemorative Coins”. These coins can, as is usual with such events, be exchanged later for special rewards. Among them are also some special items, such as 7 days of VIP status.

For more news and articles about the MMO, you can find them on our ELOA news page.

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

Black Desert: Sieges delayed again

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 2 minutes

Many fans of the MMORPG Black Desert were looking forward to finally being able to play the highly anticipated siege battles.

But that won’t happen for now. The developers have discovered some serious problems as the first testers were allowed to try the sieges. There are two severe bugs that need to be fixed before the update can officially be deployed. Additionally, they want to review and implement player feedback.

Black Desert PvP
Two severe bugs in the siege system

One of the two bugs prevents towers from taking damage during battles. The other bug prevents guilds from building their own towers quickly enough. Both are essential for the fights. Especially the timing issue with building could make the confrontations unfair. Therefore, the release of the update had to be postponed.

The team is well aware that this is not an ideal solution. However, the two mentioned issues urgently need to be resolved. For this reason, the testing phase of the siege system will even be interrupted.

No date for the update yet

Black-Desert-Pferd-ist-was-wert

The developers hope to have the test system back online by Saturday so that further tests can be conducted. Afterwards, a decision will be made on when the update for the MMORPG Black Desert Online will be deployed.

Currently, no estimates are being provided. Once it is known when that will be, the community will be informed. Until then, players of Black Desert Online will have to remain patient.

More articles on Black Desert Online:

Black Desert: Awakening – Ninja’s weapon – check out the wild carnage

Black Desert: Finally! Ghillie Suit nerfed and balance improvements

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

Steam Summer Sale: Unsere 5 Favoriten der Daily-Highlights vom 25.06

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 2 minutes

Strong discounts are waiting for you on Day 3 of the Steam Summer Sale 2016!

Today, Steam offers us more great deals in the highlight overview of this year’s Summer Sale. As on Day 1 and Day 2, we will also show you our 5 favorites from the highlight rotation today. You will find not only survival and tactical games among the highlights today, but also action games that require teamwork. So, there is something for (almost) every taste.

Our 5 Highlights from 25.06

Patrick’s personal recommendation from 25.06: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt

In a huge, open game world, you roam as a kind of monster slayer and fight exotic creatures using various fighting techniques. The combat mode requires, depending on the difficulty, good reflexes and a bit of skill. After you complete a job, you can invest your rewards in stronger weapons or armor to make the next battle with monsters less difficult. The game visually impresses and is probably a “must” for RPG genre fans. If you want to really dive in, you should check out the bundle with the expansions, because then you have everything complete. Cortyn took a detailed look at Witcher 3 in a comprehensive review.

Our MMO highlights in the Steam Summer Sale 2016 can be found here!

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

SWTOR: “Dark vs. Light” event offers rewards, determines the future of the MMORPG

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Star Wars: The Old Republic is hosting a “Light vs Dark” event, focusing on the future of the game and many rewards.

Light vs Dark – The Future of the Galaxy

In Star Wars: The Old Republic, a very special event is being held. The developers are calling on players to create new characters and reach various milestones in the game to enjoy numerous rewards. These include cartel packs, mounts, titles, and most importantly, a significant decision. Depending on whether players have made more “light” or more “dark” choices, the course of the game will change in the fall – although there are no details on that yet.

How does the “Light vs Dark” event work? What do you need to do?

Swtor Light Dark Side CHoice

The “Light vs Dark” event starts on June 28, 2016. For a character to participate, it must be created after the event starts! Only fresh level-1 characters created after June 28 are eligible to participate.

There are a total of 6 different “reward tiers” that you can earn in the game. The first tier is relatively easy to achieve, as it only requires reaching level 25 with the new character – this can be achieved easily in a few evenings. Just for that, you will already receive 5 “light vs dark tied packs” and the title “The Heroic Victor”.

From then on, the requirements will increase significantly: For the second tier, the character must have reached level 50 and completed 3 story flashpoints. This continues to ramp up, until the final tier, where you must have reached level 50 with all classes in the game and completed all flashpoints on hard mode. Additionally, both “Light 5” and “Dark 5” must also have been reached.

Swtor Dark Light Rewards

You can view the complete list of all requirements and rewards for the various tiers in our sources. On the official game site, you will also find guides on how to achieve the different tiers.

Mein-MMO states: While the core idea of this event is indeed exciting, the implementation does not seem very well thought out. It does not really seem to be about the players’ choices and whether they prefer “dark” or “light” – because to obtain all rewards, you must necessarily make both dark and light choices. Thus, it is not “the players’ choice” that is in the foreground, but the collection of rewards, where I must give “my vote” to both sides if I want to have it all.

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

Overwatch D.Va Guide: Flankings and Self-Destructions

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 5 minutes

In our guide, we reveal how you can protect your own team with D.Va from Overwatch while also instilling fear in your enemies.

Hana Song “D.Va” – Pro Gamer and Mech Pilot

In our series of Overwatch guides, we now turn to the next candidate. Up next is “D.Va”, whose real name is Hana Song and who is a Korean Pro Gamer. In Overwatch, she operates a battle mech, which allows her to protect her allies while also dealing significant damage. However, some mechanics of D.Va are not immediately clear to newcomers. We provide useful tips and tricks.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

D.Va in Raw Numbers

  • D.Va has 500 hit points (400 armor, 100 HP) in her mech. In her human form, she only has 150 HP.
  • The fusion cannons have infinite ammo. They fire 7 times per second with 7 bullets each, dealing 3 damage. Damage decreases to 0.5 at longer ranges, and weapon spread significantly increases.
  • Ram enemy players with “Boosters” causes 25 damage.
  • The light gun (human form) has 20 shots, each dealing 14 damage. It fires 6.66 bullets per second.
  • Requesting a new mech causes 50 damage to all enemies in the immediate vicinity.

Tank or Damage Dealer?

Overwatch Dva highrez

Although D.Va is classified as a “Tank” in the character breakdown, she plays quite differently than Reinhardt. She is not effective at holding a point head-on for extended periods. Instead, D.Va enjoys jumping across the battlefield with her boosters, attacking from the flanks, repositioning with the booster, and causing chaos among the enemy team.

Fusion Cannons – Blessing and Curse at the Same Time

  • Don’t hesitate to use the fusion cannons at long range. Overwatch communicates poorly how much damage you are taking. D.Va’s heavy fire, even at long distances, appears threatening to many players – even if you often only deal 1 or 2 damage points.
  • Even if the fusion cannons deal little damage at long range, their use prevents enemy shields from automatically regenerating. In certain situations, this can be the difference between victory and defeat.
  • In close combat, the fusion cannons are quite powerful. It’s best to sneak up on the enemy support from behind or the flank, get in close with the booster, and attack them. Even if you happen to die, taking out the enemy healer is usually worth your own death.
    Overwatch Dva shooting

Boosters – Full Speed Ahead

  • While using boosters, each enemy can only be rammed once. Even if you hit them multiple times in the 2 seconds, they will only be pushed back once.
  • Use boosters as often as possible. D.Va is large and mobile, enabling her to create confusion and panic among her enemies. If a skill has only a 6-second cooldown, you should definitely use it!

Defense Matrix – The Best Shield for the Team
Overwatch Dva Soldier76

  • D.Va’s only real protection mechanism is one of the most powerful in the game.
  • For many heroes using an ultimate, their ultimate percentage does not drop suddenly but gradually over the course of a few moments. Therefore, it’s often better to stop an ultimate with Defense Matrix than to interrupt it with another character using stun. This results in the ultimate being truly used up.
  • Defense Matrix can be used simultaneously with the boosters! Use this to engage close to Widowmaker, Hanzo, or Bastion.

Self-Destruct – Rarely a Multi-Kill

Overwatch Dva selfdestruct
Self-destruct is best paired with other ultimates – like Zarya’s.

In terms of pure damage potential, self-destruct is one of the most powerful abilities in the game, but due to its long preparation time, it’s rarely effective for securing kills.

  • You can combine boosters and self-destruct! If you use the ultimate while boosting, you eject, but the mech continues in the selected direction before it explodes.
  • A mech fired straight up can be enough to confuse the enemy team.
  • The explosion kills D.Va if she is too close, but not her own team! When your D.Va sends her mech ahead, it’s time to advance, not to hide with her.

D.Va Without Mech – Vulnerable? Not at All!

Many players tend to play very recklessly once they lose their mech. However, they shouldn’t, as D.Va’s human form comes with some advantages.

Overwatch Dva jump
Dva also looks good without her mech.
  • Without a mech, D.Va has one of the smallest hitboxes in the game and is hard to hit (unless you are Reinhardt).
  • D.Va has a precise, solid weapon in her human form! The light gun does not weaken at range and has 100% accuracy. You can frequently secure some kills this way.
  • Headshots recharge D.Va’s ultimate “Request Mech” very quickly. If you’re good, you should barely need to spend more than 10 seconds in human form.
  • Call for a new mech only when you need to be at the forefront again! Depending on the situation, a “small” D.Va can be more useful.

When is D.Va Useful?

Overwatch Dva serious

D.Va gains special advantages on all maps where you can throw players off edges near control points. This especially includes Ilios, Nepal, Lijiang Tower, and to some extent Watchpoint: Gibraltar and King’s Row. The psychological effect is significant. When enemies know that a D.Va is playing, they tend to avoid edges – if they don’t, you can directly punish them with a friendly shove into the abyss.

Overwatch Dva disco

Otherwise, D.Va is always a valuable addition when enemies try to force you into choke points. Don’t let that happen. Charge through the threatening areas with boosters + Defense Matrix and give your team the chance to move forward. Whenever the enemy forces you to fight at a specific location, D.Va excels at changing that.

In general, D.Va should be seen as a more “offensive” tank. Those who want to protect the team in the long run might be better off with Reinhardt. However, both heroes together create a relatively solid combination in any team.

You can find even more guides and tips in our overview article on Overwatch guides. Do you have any additional tips for D.Va? Then share your tips with us in the comments!

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

FIFA 17: The Journey – Story mode relies heavily on authenticity and realism

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 3 minutes

In FIFA 17, we take a look at how the story mode “The Journey” aims to depict football authentically.

The Journey will be the first narrative mode in the FIFA series, which is why it has generated a lot of buzz among fans. You step into the shoes of football talent Alex Hunter and experience his professional career, where all your decisions and performances on the pitch influence the story’s progression.

fifa17-journey-alex-büro

The Creative Director Matt Prior discusses the background of the development of The Journey and explains how they crafted this mode to be as realistic and authentic as possible.

The Journey – Frostbite makes it possible

According to Prior, such a mode had been planned for a long time. Players should experience the life of a professional footballer up close, on and off the pitch. For the first time, it will now be possible in FIFA 17 to “look behind the scenes” and discover entirely new football worlds.

In the age of social networks, fans get to see a lot of the lives of real football professionals – they are also interested in the private lives of their heroes. Therefore, FIFA 17 takes this innovative step and allows a glimpse into the life of a professional outside of the pitch through the story mode.

Without the Frostbite engine, The Journey wouldn’t have been possible with such an intense story. Only with it did EA Sports have the chance and tools to create scenes and game environments that are necessary for such a mode. To tell a story in FIFA, Frostbite was “simply perfect”.

fifa17-hunter

Concrete ideas for the story mode have apparently been around for over two years. Overall, The Journey has had a long production time, but EA is confident that it was an extremely rewarding process.

Alex Hunter and the Authenticity of a Football Career

In The Journey, you play as Alex Hunter, a 17-year-old youth player who grew up in humble circumstances in the London suburb of Clapham. He is the grandson of English football legend Jim Hunter. His father also aspired to a football career, which unfortunately ended early due to injury. Football is thus in young Alex’s blood.

The following image shows the actor of Alex Hunter during the recordings:

fifa17-motion-capturing
Source: EA Sports

To make the career of the youth talent appear authentic, EA Sports spared no expense and effort and conducted extensive research. They looked at real player stories and backgrounds of former and active professionals as well as fresh talents to create The Journey.

fifa17-trikots-hunter

Reece Oxford and Marcus Rashford were involved, who, according to Prior, stated that the gameplay feels authentic and corresponds to their own experiences in many cases. As an example, he mentions the importance of family support in the ups and downs of professional sports. They are happy to have “created something authentic”.EA Sports expects a lot from The Journey:

  • The characters should resonate with the players and provide intensive experiences.
  • Fans can discover new football worlds that are rarely seen and learn more about this sport at the professional level.
  • They want to excite newcomers and casual fans with the mode, both for the FIFA series and for the sport as a whole.
  • The Journey should not only provide an exciting gameplay experience but also improve “playing skills”. Your abilities on the virtual pitch should enhance as a result.

What do you expect from a story mode in FIFA 17?

Apparently, there’s an exclusive deal for FIFA 17 with the Spanish league BBVA.

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

The Division: Final Measure – The Tank Set for the Dark Zone and the Incursions

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

In The Division, we present the gear set “Final Measure”. It has good qualities in both PvE and PvP.

The “Final Measure” set is one of the four sets from the latest update called “Conflict”. It has quickly earned a reputation as an important component for any tank build. We briefly outline the advantages and disadvantages of this set.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

What makes “Final Measure” in The Division

This gear set consists of a total of six individual parts. You can obtain the parts through several means: In the Dark Zone, through named NPCs, and sealed containers, the set parts can be efficiently looted. The Dark Zone specialty vendor also has some items and blueprints of the Final Measure available.

Once you have collected and equipped multiple parts, bonuses are activated. With four armor pieces, the unique talent activates. Here are the benefits of the Final Measure:

  • 2 pieces: +50% resistance against Exotic Damage. This bonus is particularly impressive for tanks. Therefore, many agents decide to wear two “Final Measure” pieces in the Dark Zone. With resistance to Exotic Damage, for example, you can withstand sticky grenades and the insidious flamethrowers better. The Cleaners in the north of the Dark Zone cause a lot of trouble for many players.
  • 3 pieces: +15% protection against Elite. This helps you make a better impression against elite enemies.
  • 4 pieces: Talent “Final Measure”: If you damage an enemy with a grenade, you gain a “Disarm Buff”. If an enemy throws a grenade at you, you can run into the red circle of that grenade. This activates the buff. It will be consumed, disarms that grenade, and gives you a grenade in your inventory that you can use immediately.
division-finale-maßnahme-granate

When you enter the red circle of a grenade with an active buff, the circle turns green and “absorbs”:

How does “Final Measure” perform in PvE and PvP

This set provides interesting and unique benefits. Especially the bonus for two set pieces is often and gladly used, as it drastically increases your survival chances in PvE and especially in the Dark Zone. A must-have for PvP builds!

The talent, however, can be useful in PvE, especially in raids. However, it offers no advantage that would be considered extraordinarily valuable. In raids, the buff can also disarm mortar fire, which makes the whole situation more relaxed.

https://youtu.be/mvdy1lj3XC8

Although the “Final Measure” talent is unique, it is not outstanding. In that case, one prefers to use only two set pieces and look for another stylish set from which to use four pieces.

What do you think of this set?

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