My-MMO asks: Microtransactions in full-priced titles – The new bad habit?

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time 3 minutes

Microtransactions are an accepted practice in Free2Play games nowadays, but what about full-price titles? Is it okay to spend more money for a game that has already been paid for?

Overwatch by Blizzard is the latest example of a development that concerns many gamers. It is about microtransactions. But not in Free2Play games, rather in full-price titles. So games that already cost between 30 and 60 Euros and should ideally be complete.

Where is the problem?

This development is worrisome because the main argument for a Buy2Play game like Overwatch should actually be: “Buy me once and play me without restrictions!” Unlike a Free2Play game, which is naturally free at the outset, classic full-price games rely solely on the purchase price for their funding. “Pay once, play forever” is the motto.

Overwatch Reinhardt Bundeswehr
If you want the cool Bundeswehr skin for Knight Reinhardt, you may have to open a lot of loot boxes, as the skin is very rare.

However, if suddenly a cash shop is offering various goodies for just a few euros, this argument becomes absurd. Because apparently, I am not getting the complete game even for my purchase price! If I really want everything, I will probably have to pay again.

It’s just cosmetic stuff?

Well, especially with Overwatch, only the loot boxes are affected by microtransactions, and they only contain skins, emotes, lines, and spray logos , which are just harmless cosmetic items. Nevertheless, there is a bitter aftertaste, because even if I also receive loot boxes through level-ups, it could take me a very long time to get exactly the one skin or line of my choice. This makes reaching for the credit card increasingly tempting. At the same time, it often leads to frustration because the randomness of loot boxes means anything could be inside.

Black Desert Costume Korea
In Black Desert Online, you can find nice outfits only for real money, while the outfits in the game are often less appealing. The costumes also provide bonuses!

But well, you don’t really need the cosmetic items. The situation is different for games like Black Desert Online. This sandbox MMO is also a Buy2Play game, which you have to purchase before playing. And yet it has a huge cash shop with outrageously high prices. However, that alone is not the problem; rather, the elaborately designed costumes provide real bonuses in the game, and pets that act as auto-loot functions are also only available for real money. The unpleasant smell of Pay2Win is in the air…

Season Pass instead of microtransactions?

Another approach is taken by Battleborn. The hero shooter from Gearbox explicitly offers no microtransactions (so far), but rather a Season Pass that is supposed to provide plenty of new heroes, maps, and PvE missions in the coming months. The thing costs 20 euros once, which now – after the massive price reduction – almost matches the value of the original game.

Battleborn-Orendi
Battleborn offers all costumes and taunts – like Orendi’s eye-picking – only through gameplay progress.

So how do you see it? Are small transactions in full-price games okay as long as they don’t promise advantages in the game? Or is it simply outrageous to be asked to pay twice? Let us know in the comments!

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

LoL: New game mode “Definitely not Dominion” – Here´s how to play it

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 3 minutes

On the weekend, a well-known yet refreshed game mode starts in League of Legends – Here’s how to play the revamped Dominion!

The original Dominion game mode was designed to be permanently available in LoL. Unfortunately, the mode was received so poorly by players that it was removed as a permanent mode. For the game mode rotation, changes have now been made to the mode so that it sets itself apart more from the “old” Dominion, while still remaining a point-capture mode.

This is “definitely not Dominion” in LoL

Changed Map: The two bottom towers have been removed – this now gives a total of 3 capture points on the map. Additionally, each team constantly has at least 1 tower from which the minions spawn due to this change.

LoL Map Definitely not Dominion
Changed map with 2 immune towers

The Storm Altar: The runes in the middle of the map have been removed and replaced with an altar that can be captured. Once you capture the altar, you gain a Nimbus Storm Buff. With this buff, you have 3 charges that deal 4%/5%/6% of the target’s maximum health as additional true damage. While you control the altar, your teammates also generate a Nimbus Storm charge every 4 seconds (in combat).

LoL Definitely not Dominion Buff
Nimbus Storm Buff / Altar

Ultra Minions: Near the 2 protected towers at the bottom of the map, there are 2 points for Ultra Minion relics – 1 for each team. If you capture this relic from the opponents, an Ultra Minion will appear in your next minion wave. An Ultra Minion captures points faster than a single player, hits hard and can absorb a lot of damage!

LoL Definitely not Dominion Relic
An Ultra Minion in action!

Here “backdooring” plays a big role again, as you gain a significant advantage with an Ultra Minion. However, this point does not need to be reclaimed, as it is not an altar being captured but a buff that reappears after a short time.

LoL Definitely not Dominion Buff capture
Capturing the relic buff for the Ultra Minion

Item Changes: Each player now has a “Seer Stone” that reveals a target area for a short time (similar to the blue item in the Summoner’s Rift). Since the Crystal Scar has many bushes to hide in and face-checking usually hurts, these items provide more safety.

LoL Definitely not Dominion Item
Seer Stone

Minion Spawn and their Pathways: In the old Dominion mode, it was often frustrating to “push” because the minions disappeared after capturing a point. Minions now spawn exclusively from the bottom 2 towers and move clockwise or counterclockwise across the map. After they capture a point, they continue on to the next point. This makes pushing much more relaxed and less frustrating.

When does “Definitely not Dominion” start?

The game mode weekend usually starts today on Friday afternoon, between 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM. You then have until Monday morning to play the game mode.

What do you think of the changes? Would the mode have been more popular had these changes been implemented earlier?

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

The Division: These issues that came with 1.2 are on Massive’s radar

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 3 minutes

In The Division, the developers discuss some new issues following update 1.2.

With the “Conflict” update, a new Dark Zone class for agents with a Gear Score of 201+ has been introduced. However, many players with a lower equipment value are currently wondering why they are also being classified in this class. How can that be?

According to Yannick Banchereau, the community developer at Massive, the assignment works as intended. However, there is currently a lack of transparency: There are actually two Gear Scores:

  • One is the value that is always visible to you. This is determined by your equipped items.
  • Additionally, there is the “theoretical Gear Score”: This is the best possible score you could achieve with all your items; even those in storage are taken into account. This is responsible for the assignment in the Dark Zone class.
division-circle-columbus

With this, they want to prevent agents with a high score from entering lower DZ classes and “terrorizing” other, seemingly weaker agents. In the future, however, Massive intends to make the theoretical Gear Score more transparent to agents.

Current Issue Report After Update 1.2

During the last maintenance, the issue with the missing daily missions was resolved. However, there are still many other bugs that Massive is aware of and is currently investigating. These are presented in a list in the Ubi forum. The following issues currently have the highest priority:

  • Double User Interface: The UI is currently causing problems for many agents: it is generated twice and overlaps, disrupting the gaming experience. A client patch is already in progress for this: it is expected to be deployed this week on PS4 and PC, and early next week on Xbox One. No server downtime is expected. You just need to download the patch and can restart immediately.
  • The marking of items to destroy them is not functioning for some agents. This issue is being investigated.
  • At the merchants in the Dark Zone, some items are only available starting from a DZ rank of 80. This is a bug. They should be available from level 50.
  • One is None: The previous issue with this talent has been fixed. However, a new bug has occurred: if you reload exactly when the effect of the talent is triggered, the weapon still blocks. The issue is being further investigated.
    division-kugel-sniper
  • DZ06 Teleport: If you enter a specific spot in the DZ06 underground, you will be teleported to a checkpoint. A server fix for this is coming in 1-2 weeks.
  • Search and Destroy: The critical areas of the “Search and Destroy” missions occasionally are missing. This issue seems to be very random and requires further investigation.
  • Daily High-Ranked Targets: If a “new” daily target is available on a day that was already part of the mission the previous day and you completed it the day before, you cannot undertake this mission. It will be displayed as already “completed”.

What is the ISAC mission this week? Find out more here.

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

Destiny: Xur on 27.5. – Where is he today and what does he have?

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny, Xur, the Agent of the Nine, arrives on May 27. What does he have this weekend?

Phew! Last week was quite eventful in Destiny. The “Rocket Crisis” wreaked havoc, leading to the complete cancellation of Osiris and the temporary suspension of the Iron Banner. On Wednesday, a hotfix addressed this issue, the Iron Banner was spontaneously activated, and a livestream about the Crucible took place. Yesterday’s “This Week at Bungie” discussed these events and was titled: “When everything happens at once”.

Otherwise, after these turbulent days, we can cautiously look towards the middle of next month: the E3 will take place then, where we expect official information and announcements about the fall expansion of Destiny. Perhaps we will also see the poster of the leak for “Rise of Iron” again.

destiny-tower

But today is first Xur Day. What does this vendor have?

All about Xur in Destiny on May 27, 28, and 29 on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360

When does Xur come and when does he leave again?

Xur, the Agent of the Nine, arrives on Friday, May 27, at 11:00 AM for the Guardians. He will be around for 48 hours until he departs again on Sunday, May 29, at 11:00 AM.

Where is Xur? What is his position this weekend?

Xur is located today at the Vestian Outpost, in the Reef. Our friends from ProNDC show you the exact way there:

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What does Xur have in Destiny? What is his offer today?

Destiny Bad Karma Pulse Rifle

This week there is no Year 2 Engram. As a weapon, Xur has Bad Karma in stock. This costs 23 strange coins.

Destiny No Plan B Gauntlets

For Titans, there are stylish gauntlets: No Plan B with strength 56.

Destiny ATS 8 Arachnoid Helm

Hunters may acquire the helm ATS/8 Arachnoid with 60 intellect.

Destiny Starfire Protocol Chest

For Warlocks, the chest piece Starfire Protocol is available: 48 Discipline and 46 Strength.

All armor pieces cost 13 strange coins.

As a Legacy Engram, you can receive gauntlets. For this, you need to pay 29 coins.

Is there something for you?

 

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

Escape from Tarkov: Zu Hardcore und realistisch, um es mit The Division zu vergleichen

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In an interview with us, Battlestate Games, the developers of Escape from Tarkov, contradict a comparison with the MMO shooter The Division. They claim to be much more realistic.

Our author Andreas Bertits had the opportunity for an interview with Battlestate Games. He also asked:

Some people start comparing Escape from Tarkov (EFT) with The Division. Can these two games even be compared? What do you think are the biggest differences?

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The answer emphasizes this point!

It makes no sense to compare EFT and The Division. They are completely different games. The Division is an arcade-like MMO action RPG without realistic hardcore elements. There are neither advanced weapon mechanics, their customizations, nor an extensive inventory. However, the game offers a solid quest system, but EFT also has enough to offer in this area.

The Russian developers of the shooter seem to be confident. They have clearly stated “hardcore” and “realism” as their goals.

You can read the entire interview here with us:

Escape from Tarkov: The big Mein-MMO interview

 
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The Division: Server down am 27.5. – Nächster Hotfix kommt

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time < 1 minutes

Maintenance work is taking place today, May 27, in The Division. The servers on PS4, Xbox One, and PC will be offline during this time. A hotfix is coming.

After update 1.2, numerous new features have been integrated into the game, but also a few annoying bugs and issues. But: Massive is reacting quickly!

Today marks the third server downtime of the week. At 11 AM our time, the servers will be shut down. The maintenance work is expected to last two hours, so you can get back to gaming at 1 PM.

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What changes during the downtime

As part of the work, the following issue will be fixed: Some agents received rewards from High-Ranking Targets even though they could not complete the mission successfully. This should no longer happen once the servers are back online.

In the meantime, feel free to explore our The Division guide collection, which is continuously updated.

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

Destiny: Bungie fixes Super Exploit before it becomes public

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny , Bungie has fixed a known exploit and an unknown one.

In a letter to the community, Bungie talked this time about how much happened all at once on Wednesday: Hotfix came, a live stream took place simultaneously, and then also Iron Banner. We reported on all of this yesterday.

One detail that stood out in the patch notes: Not only was the rocket glitch fixed, but a bug that gave players “infinite Supers” was also fixed. This one had not been known before.

Destiny-Rise-of-Iron
No, there was no word about the leak. Not even a hint.

Community manager DeeJ writes satisfied: We fixed this before it became public. You will never find out which class missed a chance to initiate a reign of terror. Thanks are extended to players who alerted us to the bug through non-public channels. They are the true heroes.

On Friday, the Trials of Osiris are supposed to start normally. And Xur is coming too. We will be there on Friday, May 27th, to report on all of this.

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

Overwatch: “Shot around corners” and how to fix it

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

“Netcode” and “Tickrate” are two important terms for shooters – but many players have a problem with Overwatch, as it is better managed in other games.

Low Hz rates affect the responsiveness of Overwatch

Have you ever died in Overwatch even though you thought a protective ability was still activated? If so, you are not alone. According to gamespot, this is due to the low tickrate at which information from clients is synchronized with those on the server. While shooters like Counter Strike have a tickrate of 60 Hz, Overwatch has “only” a tickrate of 20.8 Hz, significantly lower. This can lead to minimal delays and the feeling that players are shot “around corners”.

The YouTuber battle(non)sense analyzed the problem in his video a few months ago.

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This issue was already known during the beta, and Blizzard discussed in a detailed video changes for the future about how to improve the tickrate and also how to reduce the annoying “shooting around corners”.

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So far, these changes have not been implemented in the game; according to gamespot, the Hz rate remains at 20.8 – however, there is an option to increase the tickrate to 60 in “custom games”.

Meanwhile, gamespot also received a somewhat vague response from Blizzard that reveals little about the future:

“The tickrate is a very important topic for the team. We introduced a 60Hz rate in the “custom games” mode late during the beta. We continue to monitor the feature closely and would like to receive more feedback from players. We encourage players to try this feature themselves so that we can gather more data and continue to improve it.”

You can find more news and articles about Blizzard’s hero shooter on our Overwatch game page.

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

Destiny: These secrets were revealed by the developers in the stream

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 4 minutes

In Destiny the developers shared background information about the Crucible in a livestream and presented some concept arts.

Yesterday the last livestream in May took place. In these Twitch broadcasts, various officials along with the community manager DeeJ discussed the development of the game and provided insights into early sketches and designs.

destiny-schmelztiegel-pvp

The last livestream focused on the creation of the Crucible maps. For this, the “World Artists” Mick Buckmiller, Coolie Calihan, and Adam Williams were present and had fun with DeeJ in the Crucible.

Ideas and Concepts for the Crucible in Destiny

To ensure that the “Crucible ride” did not become stressful, the developers played in a developer area – that is, without other Guardians. They specifically addressed three PvP maps.

rusted-lands-konzept
Designs for the “Rusted Lands”

The map “Rusted Lands” was one of the first designs in Destiny. According to DeeJ, this map was one of the first things he saw from Destiny. The setting is supposed to represent an old factory in Russia and allow various playstyles: both melee fighters and snipers will find what they need here. This map is therefore excellent as a “test area” for sandbox tests.

What Guardians cannot see in the Rusted Lands: The map has been changed many times in layout. Numerous revision processes must take place before a PvP map takes its final form.

destiny-fabrik
Sketch of the “Rusted Lands” factory

A major problem was: When the landscape was designed, it was not known exactly how the gameplay mechanics of Destiny would ultimately look. How high can the Guardians jump? Can they even jump? What types of weapons will there be? These are all factors that significantly influence map design.

If you simply place an object in open space, the game changes completely. Can the item be used as cover? Can you jump onto it? The following structure was, for example, integrated late into the Rusted Lands:

destiny-gebilde
This rust pillar was not initially planned

The map must not only allow specific gameplay mechanics but also feel good: The atmosphere must fit. The map must not become boring quickly. Therefore, care was always taken to ensure that it allows many possibilities for how it can be played.

Destiny-Anomalie
destiny-anomalie-technologien
destiny-anomalie-cover

Furthermore, an important aspect of landscape design is the creation of landmarks. Guardians must be able to orient themselves by certain objects and communicate these clearly to their team members. After all, communication is essential in various game modes. Another presented map is The Anomaly. This map has a clear structure with a pronounced center. It is mainly a map for close combat – for shotgun battles. Here you will find a variety of technologies from the Golden Age: In developing a PvP map, there is initially a detail-poor concept. Subsequently, the artists think about design elements. Now, many revision steps follow. Bungie has several testers available who intensely test the maps and provide improvement suggestions. In the following image, for example, you can see the note that there are no options to take cover:

destiny-twilight-konzept

The Twilight is a map that has also been revised often. An early concept looked like this: On this map, your parkour skills are put to the test: Those Guardians who can move skillfully have advantages here, for example, to escape enemies. The maps must also take such demands into account.

The number 1 priority for all maps is: They must feel great.

You can see more concept arts below. We embed the entire stream:

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What do you think of this background information?

These were the previous streams:

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WildStar: Steam release as early as June?

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

WildStar could celebrate its release on Steam as early as next week if the rumors prove true.

Is WildStar’s Steam release coming on June 1st?

WildStar Protobucks

The fans of WildStar have been speculating for a while about when the game will finally be released on Steam. This date is important not only for the fans, but also for WildStar, as it could be an opportunity to generate a significant player base again, given the recent negative reports.

As reported by massivelyoverpowered, the release date “June 1st” was briefly visible on WildStar’s Steam page. When inquired with Carbine, the response was that the announcement of a date is still pending – in the meantime, this error has also been corrected on Steam. Whether there is any truth to this date or if it was merely a mistake from Steam will likely be revealed when the game starts on June 1st – or not.

With the release on Steam, some new features are also coming to WildStar, as they will phase out NCoin and offer players the chance to convert it to “Protobucks”. You can find more about this in this article.

You can find more news and articles about the SciFi MMORPG on our WildStar game page.

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

Pokemon Go – Pokemon in der echten Welt gesichtet (Screenshots)

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 3 minutes

The Pokemon Go beta has started and there are already some promising screenshots of the gameplay!

The basic idea of Pokemon Go – Walk around the world with your phone, look for a Pokemon and catch it!

For us in Germany, the beta of the long-awaited mobile Pokemon game has unfortunately not yet started, but we can already get an idea of what will come our way with the help of the screenshots.

http://youtu.be/aeGE8a_WQMc

Gameplay, different Pokemon and Pokemon battles

These screenshots show you all the important features of Pokemon Go, from character customization to the map overview. You’ll also see what it’s like when you encounter a wild Pokemon and how the in-app shop is set up.

You can navigate the gallery with the arrow keys!

  • Pokemon Go battles
  • Pokemon Go normal battles
  • Pokemon Go multiplayer battles
  • Pokemon Go map
  • Pokemon Go finding
  • Pokemon Go evolving 3
  • Pokemon Go evolving 4
  • Pokemon Go evolving 5

Additionally, the developers of Pokemon Go shared more information about what players can expect from the app. There will be more than 100 Pokemon that players can catch. Your phone will vibrate when you walk through the “real world” and Pokemon are hiding nearby. You can then catch these Pokemon by throwing a Pokeball with your phone’s touchscreen.

This is how battles are fought in Pokemon Go!

The Pokemon you catch can be used to gain control over a gym. You not only use your Pokemon’s attacks to battle, but you can also dodge opposing attacks by swiping left or right. Gyms are player-controlled, and you can take them over by reducing the gym’s prestige to 0. After that, the gym belongs to you, and you can select one of your Pokemon to defend it.

Pokemon Go is set to be released later this year for iOS and Android. It is a free game with in-app purchase options!

More articles about Pokemon Go from us:

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Source(s):
  1. Gamespot

Funcom: MMO specialist is financially rescued – The Secret World, Conan Exiles

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The struggling MMO specialist Funcom is back in liquidity after a major investment.

Last year things looked bad for Funcom. After a financial flop with “LEGO – Minifigures Online”, it seemed for a long time that the Norwegian company was heading towards closure.

Things hadn’t gone smoothly in the years prior either – since The Secret World had an unfortunate launch, the company had been keeping afloat with “aging MMOs” that were still profitable, but not enough to fund new projects. And as Age of Conan, Anarchy Online, and The Secret World generated less income year by year, it was clear that after the LEGO flop, which they likely financed on credit, an end was in sight. They cut costs year after year, but revenues also declined.

Now they have adopted a new strategy, aiming to release more titles, including smaller games, and wanting to experiment and market them differently. With “The Park” they began in 2015. Currently, hopes are resting on the survival MMO “Conan Exiles.”

Conan face

And they have good news to announce: There is a private investment of 6.3 million US dollars. Additionally, they have reduced their liabilities by 7.7 million US dollars – this happened through a “conversion process.” As a result, they are no longer in the red by 10,000,000 US dollars, but back to being liquid with 4 million dollars.

The CEO of Funcom speaks of a “significant turning point” in the company’s history. The financial recovery now allows the company to get back on the right track and fully implement the new strategy. They also assure that they will continue to maintain existing MMOs.

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Source(s):
  1. funcom

The Division Guide: Hochrangige Ziele und Hochrisiko-Ziele – So schnappt Ihr Euch Top-Loot

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 4 minutes

In The Division, there are new tasks in the Open World since update 1.2 that drop delicious loot: High-Value Targets and High-Risk Targets. We tell you what you need to know about it.

After the agents have completed the story and reached max level 30, they had very little to do in the Open World. While they could search for collectibles and repeatedly complete daily missions, most of them lost motivation to explore the post-apocalypse after just a few days.

division-High Value Targets_250892

With update 1.2, the Open World is revived: “Search and Destroy” missions and High-Value Targets in The Division take you to places in this world that you probably haven’t been to often or maybe even never. These new tasks are not just fillers: You can grab the best loot in the game here!

What “Search and Destroy” missions in The Division are about

Before you can eliminate High-Value Targets, you must first locate them. “Search and Destroy” missions serve this purpose:

  • These missions are only available once your agent reaches level 30 and you have completed all side missions and fights in a district.
  • If this is the case, you can go to the corresponding safehouse and visit the mission board for the “Search and Destroy” missions. By interacting with it, you will receive three missions which you can complete in any order.
    division-suchen-zerstören
  • Now head out into the Open World for these three missions and eliminate a certain number of enemies. As a reward, you will receive target data.
  • You need the target data to unlock the quests for High-Value Targets. You can view how much data you have collected so far in your inventory under the “Backpacks” tab.
  • Once you have completed the three “Search and Destroy” missions, return to the safehouse at the mission board. There you will now receive a reward.
  • For additional missions, you can activate new ones in the same safehouse or travel to another safehouse to eliminate enemies there.
  • On the map, an area is marked as “critical”. Complete missions here to gain bonus target data.
division-feind

According to Massive, these missions are well-suited for a fresh “level 30” agent to efficiently increase their gear score. Primarily, you need to complete these quests so you can focus on the High-Value Targets.

How to eliminate High-Value Targets

Once you have collected enough target data, you can take on the High-Value Targets:

  • To do this, head to the operations base and turn into the security wing. There you will meet the “Officer for daily High-Value Targets” and the “Officer for weekly High-Value Targets”. They are waiting with 6 daily and four weekly HVT missions for you.
    division-hvt-officers
  • At these new vendors, you can now invest the target data you have collected. A mission costs between 5 and 40 data. The more expensive it is, the harder it will be, but the better the rewards.
  • The missions come with additional info: Along with a short description, the recommended gear score and the level of the enemies are provided. It is usually recommended that you proceed in a group.
  • If you are doing the missions with a team, it is sufficient if only one member invests the target data.
  • You can only have one High-Value Target active at a time. If you die, you must return to the base and pick up the mission again. The target may now be located in a different area.
    division-tägliche-ziele

These are the High-Risk Targets

The officer for the weekly high-value targets has two missions for High-Risk Targets. These offer you the best loot in the game!

  • However, the High-Risk Targets cost the most target data and are not easy to master.
  • If you fail, this mission will expire, and you will have to gather the necessary target data again. Additionally, you have only a limited time for these targets. After that, the mission expires.
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This is what the loot from High-Value Targets looks like

You don’t have all this fun for nothing: Items await as rewards. They look as follows:

Daily HVT:

  • 1x 182 Highend or 214 Gear Set
  • Chance for 1x 191 Gear Set

Weekly HVT:

  • 1x 182 Highend or 214 Gear Set
  • Chance for 1x 214 Gear Set

Weekly “High-Risk Targets”:

  • 1x 204 Highend or 1x 214 Gear Set
  • Chance for 1x 240 Gear Set

What is toughness in The Division and how is it calculated? Learn more here.

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

LoL: Watching a League of Legends game with Virtual Reality – This is possible!

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time < 1 minutes

Wow! Have we arrived in the future of League of Legends?

After the Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04 bought a LoL team a few days ago, the popular MOBA is taking another step forward. A fan has now developed a program that provides a whole different perspective on a LoL match using virtual reality.

If you’re just learning the game: Here is our League of Legends Beginner’s Guide!

The LoL Spectator Mode with VR

Of course, the program still has its weaknesses and is not fully refined. Currently, it resembles ant fights happening on the map – Only if you look closely can you see which champions are battling each other. The developer aimed to present his concept and show that it works.

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In response to a question on the League of Legends Reddit about why he didn’t set 200% more zoom, he said that the image in the VR headset is significantly larger. However, the software has problems displaying the image as it appears in the VR headset.

I personally am very curious to see how the program works once some of the weaknesses have been addressed. It certainly looks promising. Were you able to recognize all 10 champions in the video? Would you use a spectator mode with a VR headset?

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

Overwatch: Background story of Widowmaker, Tracer, Winston

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 4 minutes

We are dealing with the lore of the Overwatch heroes. What is hidden in the past of Widowmaker, Tracer, and Winston?

After we illuminated the background story of Soldier: 76, Reaper, and Mercy last time, we are now focusing on the next three heroes on the long list: Widowmaker, Tracer, and Winston.

Anyone who hasn’t engaged with the lore of Overwatch should first check out our article on the general story of Overwatch to better understand the following sections.

Widowmaker – Amélie Lacroix
Overwatch widowmaker Screenshot huge

Amélie Lacroix was the wife of Gérard Lacroix, a high-ranking agent of Overwatch. Gérard was mainly known for investigating the terrorist organization Talon and posed strong problems for them. After several failed attempts by Talon to kill Gérard directly, they changed their strategy and targeted his wife.

Amélie was kidnapped by Talon, and her mind was broken after prolonged torture until her personality was suppressed and she was trained as a sleeper agent. She was then released and returned to her husband. No one suspected what had happened to her until she murdered her husband in his sleep two weeks later. By the way, this is how she got her name: Widowmaker. Not because she made other women widows, but because she made herself a widow.

Widowmaker Overwatch Closeup

After completing her mission, she returned to Talon, where her transformation was completed: She was reformed into a living weapon. Eventually, her physiology was even adjusted, and her heartbeat was reduced. This caused the blue discoloration of her skin and ultimately led to her inability to perceive human emotions.

Today, Widowmaker is one of Talon’s best assassins and is responsible for many assassinations. Perhaps the “most famous” is her murder of Tekharta Mondatta on the King’s Row map in the Cinematic “Alive”.

Tracer – Lena Oxton
Overwatch Tracer Screenshot Huge

Lena Oxton was the youngest person ever accepted into Overwatch’s flight program. However, something went wrong on the first flight of the experimental aircraft “Slipstream,” which was equipped with a novel teleportation technology. The plane disappeared along with Lena and reappeared only months later. However, the teleportation had changed Lena so much that she could no longer maintain a physical form – she was doomed to constantly shift back and forth through time without being able to retain a physical body for long.

Overwatch Tracer full small

For a long time, attempts to save Lena were in vain, but it was only the scientist Winston who managed to build a chronoboost that could bind her to space and time. But even better: Lena, who now called herself “Tracer,” could use this device to speed up, slow down, or even completely rewind her own time. Through this ability, she became one of Overwatch’s most effective agents.

Even today, long after the end of Overwatch, Tracer still seeks opportunities to stand up for good and uses her gift to protect people and omnics from harm – even if that doesn’t always succeed.

Winston – Just Winston
Overwatch Winston Screenshot

As humanity once again embarked on the exploration of space, the moon colony Horizon was one of the first scientific centers away from the Earth’s surface. In Horizon, several gorillas were genetically altered, and one stood out in particular, as his brain developed especially well. This gorilla was taken in by Dr. Harold Winston, who taught the primate a lot about human society and the seemingly infinite potential of this species. Dr. Harold took the gorilla as his assistant in various experiments, which further increased the animal’s urge for science.

Overwatch Winston junior Lore

One day, there was a rebellion of the gorillas on Horizon, which ended with all the human scientists on the base being killed. “Winston” took the name of his former mentor and built a rocket under his own guidance to fly from the moon base to Earth. Overwatch was immediately impressed by the talent of the scientist gorilla, and Winston found what he had longed for: an organization that does good.

After the fall of Overwatch, Winston withdrew and led a quiet life as a scientist – until the events of the short film “Recall” began.

For more news and articles about Blizzard’s hero shooter, you can find them on our Overwatch game page. Be sure to check out our overview article on all heroes as well.

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

No Man’s Sky: Release-Termin wurde verschoben (Gerücht)

Tom Rothstein Tom Rothstein Reading time 2 minutes

According to two sources, the release of the space simulation No Man’s Sky has been delayed.

No Man’s Sky is an ambitious space simulation by Hello Games that has been making waves since its reveal. Many fans have been eagerly awaiting this game with seemingly limitless possibilities for months and have already marked June 22 thick in their calendars: Because then No Man’s Sky is set to release for PS4 and PC. Or?

No-Mans-Sky-rot

Kotaku reports that two sources confirm a delay of the release date. Accordingly, the game will be released later in 2016. Do we now have to erase the date from the calendar?

Is the release of No Man’s Sky delayed?

According to a “reliable Kotaku source,” No Man’s Sky is said to be postponed. What the exact date will be is currently unknown. But one cannot expect it before July or August.

The second source refers to an employee at GameStop: Apparently, marketing materials were handed out that show the previous release date. However, stores were informed that this date is no longer correct and that they should cover it with a “Coming Soon” label.

no-mans-sky-coming-soon
Source: Kotaku

However, there are no official statements from Sony or Hello Games yet.

What is No Man’s Sky? Find out here.

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

The Elder Scrolls Online: Zusätzliche Charakterslots kommen – per Cash-Shop

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 2 minutes

Finally! This is something many of you have surely been waiting for: With the DLC Dark Brotherhood, you will receive additional character slots in the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online.

If you enjoy playing with multiple characters, you will be pleased to know that the DLC “Dark Brotherhood” allows you to purchase four additional character slots. This means you can have a total of twelve slots. Each slot will cost 1,500 crowns. In the character selection screen, you will find all the necessary information about the additional character slots after installing the DLC. For each character slot, you can create one additional hero.

the elder scrolls online khajitt
Check out your crafting styles in advance

Also new is the preview for crafting styles. Directly from the crown shop, you can view the styles and get an idea before making a purchase. You will see in advance how this style looks on your character. If you like it, you buy it; if you don’t like it, you choose another one.

If you like hats, you can look forward to the Bycoket of the Silvenars and the Kissme-not cap of a Z’en-vengeful oath in June. With the Dark Brotherhood, Cadwell’s Helm of Heroism and the ceremonial mask of the Vosh Rakh will also be introduced, which were previously only part of a costume.

The useful crafting bag

elder scrolls online grabmal

If you are an ESO Plus member, you can acquire the crafting bag. This contains an almost unlimited amount of crafting materials. These materials do not take up inventory space and are also available to all your characters.

If your membership with ESO Plus ends, you will still be able to access the items stored in the crafting bag. However, it will no longer be possible to store new items.

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

Blade and Soul: Pets – Das können die neuen Haustiere

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time < 1 minutes

In Blade & Soul, the latest update Vengeance introduces pets to the game. The pets are not just cute companions; they also provide defensive buffs.

The upcoming update “Vengeance” for Blade and Soul will bring new story chapters and dungeons along with a system for pets. These little companions can be obtained as rewards from heroic dungeons or in the cash shop in pet boxes.

blade-and-soul-pets

These little rascals are not just decorative, and even though they do not fight, they can provide defensive bonuses when you feed them certain pet treats. To maintain the buff, you will need to pack more of the food, otherwise, you might lose a valuable buff right before the boss in the dungeon.

Pets can be upgraded by integrating lower tier pets, just like we upgrade all equipment in Blade and Soul. The update “Vengeance” and the pets will be released on June 1st.

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

Shroud of the Avatar: Vom innovativen RPG-Mix zum Standard-MMO

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 3 minutes

At the end of July, the online game known as Selective Multiplayer RPG Shroud of the Avatar will go live. However, it is far from finished.

Today, May 26, Release 30 kicks off, which brings several new features. Among them is another revision of the combat system. While Release 29 already reworked the fights and introduced active targeting, they are now backtracking due to some criticism from the community.

Target Locking is being reintroduced – but only optionally. So if you don’t want to aim actively, you select your target and keep it in sight permanently, just as is known from other MMOs – and this development seems to be indicative of the whole game.

Shroud of the Avatar Combat and PvP
How a game can change

Let’s look back at the Kickstarter campaign from 2013. During this campaign, Shroud of the Avatar was announced. The description promised an epic story that could also be experienced offline. Quests were supposed to have an impact on the hero and the game world. Those who wished could experience the story together with friends or even play in an open online mode where Shroud of the Avatar would be played similar to a sandbox MMORPG. The 3D overworld map was supposed to offer many encounters with wandering NPCs and monsters. The user interface was minimal in the first videos and seemed innovative.

Fast forward to 2016, just before the game goes live. Shroud of the Avatar plays like a social hub. Players build their houses and decorate them. They own their own towns that they can manage. They can hold Gustball tournaments, dance, and grind – all online. The offline mode mentioned so prominently in 2013 offers the same as the online mode, only that you are alone in the world. Quests are standard and revolve around bringing things from A to B or finding NPCs and talking to them. The missions are not particularly complex, which is partly due to the fact that many players complained when, in one of the early quests, they had to search for a key to the city gate, and found it too complicated.

Shroud of the Avatar World Map

Tasks also have no impact on the game world. Everything plays out as one knows it from other theme park MMORPGs. Everyone completes the same quests. Everyone saves the missing girl. The 3D overworld map offers no encounters with wandering NPCs or monsters. The user interface, with its many windows, floating texts, numbers, and bars, resembles that of many other MMOs.

Shroud of the Avatar has changed. The original innovative concept is increasingly transforming into that of a standard MMORPG. But do we still need an MMO that plays like every other one?

It is still being developed

The online game is not “finished” yet, and according to the developers, it won’t be for a long time. However, the live operation is for many the beginning of the game, as there will be no more wipes. The release of Episode 1 is planned for the end of the year. Can so much still be improved and changed in the remaining months, when even now the combat system is being continually revised?

Perhaps the changes that the game has undergone since the Kickstarter campaign are exactly what the players want. Because Shroud of the Avatar is being developed together with the community. There seems to be a strong interest in making the game a standard MMORPG. Perhaps the original concept was too ambitious. Because many game mechanics of an MMORPG are not compatible with those of a single player RPG, and vice versa. How can the feeling of a single player RPG arise if the game plays and feels like an MMORPG? The question can be turned around as well.

Shroud of the Avatar Brittanny
Success with the MMO aspect

Shroud of the Avatar has never had an easy stand, solely because of its innovative and ambitious concept. It seems to be becoming clear that this idea is anything but easy to implement and the developers are faced with a problem. Other magazines see it this way now too, as skepticism is slowly growing whether the game can truly be successful. And perhaps it can only be if they focus on a specific aspect and do not try to cater to everyone. And that could be the MMO aspect, as Shroud of the Avatar currently plays exactly like that, and it apparently resonates well with the fans.

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

Battleborn – Neuer Charakter – Pendles, die fiese Schlange

Jürgen Horn Jürgen Horn Reading time < 1 minutes

Battleborn expands its hero selection. After the water nymph Alani comes her buddy Pendles, a humanoid snake.

Battleborn is known for its wacky characters, as we can play ninja mushrooms, living ice blocks, four-armed anarchists, self-absorbed eagles with rocket launchers, and sociopathic robot bosses. And soon also a humanoid assassin snake with gold fangs!

battleborn-pendles
Looks kind of mean!

Just shortly after the release of the new heroine Alani, the next hero for Battleborn was already announced. It is Pendles, a serpentine creature from the world Akopos, the same planet that once offered Alani a home.

Snake Assassin

However, unlike the more peace-loving Alani, Pendles is a true rogue and therefore belongs to the anarcho-faction of the Rouges (defectors). There, he works as a deadly assassin, striking from the shadows with two sickles. What exactly Pendles can do is still unknown.

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The release is expected to happen “sometime in the next months.” Pendles is supposed to cost 47,000 credits – like Alani. Alternatively, we can also unlock him with the Hero Key if we currently have the all-purpose key available.

Haven’t tried Battleborn yet? Thanks to a massive price reduction, the hero shooter is now available for just about 30 euros!

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