In The Division, the blunt statement of an official Ubisoft moderator has caused a stir.
Tempers are high in the Ubisoft forum and on reddit: DigitalHitman, a moderator in the official Ubi forum, currently sees the community as the biggest problem in The Division. Toxic tensions have arisen due to the imbalance among agents.
People are upset because those agents who invested more or less a lot of time into the game pre-patch and thus reached a high rank and top-tier gear early are superior to others. There is also the accusation that some agents ruthlessly exploited the early glitches and exploits in the game, allowing them to quickly upgrade their character.
The moderator responds to a forum post by a user: this user accused Massive of not adequately addressing the concerns of the players.
Update 1.2 aims to address many concerns of the agents
DigitalHitman continues to write that The Division is accessible for both core and casual gamers. Since the game is an MMO, it is perfectly natural that casual players lag behind other users in progress. He himself has clocked nearly 20 hours in the game, having painstakingly earned everything himself. However, he still has some goals to achieve.
The development team cannot address the concerns of every player individually, as everyone has different experiences in the game. But he firmly believes that with the upcoming Update 1.2, many issues will be resolved in The Division.
In the future, the team wants to become more transparent and communicative. But even now, they are trying to listen to the community and their opinions in the comments. The moderator himself would do everything in his power to meet the wishes of the players. He asks for a little more patience.
Even though he finds conciliatory words at the end of his post: the statement that the toxic community is currently the biggest problem in the game does not sit well with users – which is directly reflected in the comments. The reference that the game is still plagued by numerous bugs and cheats belongs to the friendlier sort.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
BioWare gives a first impression of the upcoming chapter of SWTOR “Mandalore’s Revenge”. Check out the teaser trailer here.
The Great Mandalore … is a Woman!
The story of the current expansion “Knights of the Fallen Empire” of SWTOR is starting to pick up pace. After chapter 13 had a rather humorous tone, chapter 14 will be much more serious again. “Mandalore’s Revenge” revolves around the bounty hunter Shae Vizla, who players may already know from the previous expansion.
She is none other than the famous Mandalore and thus the current leader of the Mandalorians – an organization of bounty hunters who were hired by the Empire in the last war to block important trade routes. Once you have secured the help of the somewhat hot-headed lady, it is time to confront the common enemy on the desert world of Darvannis: Arcann and the Eternal Empire.
To get fans excited for the new episode, BioWare has released a new teaser trailer.
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Chapter 14 “Mandalore’s Revenge” will be released on June 3, but active subscribers will enjoy early access a day earlier. As an additional incentive, the “Eternal Empire Patrol Ship” glider awaits all who have an active subscription on June 2.
We present the exotic Hunter helmet Achlyophage Symbiont in the MMO shooter Destiny.
This weekend, the Agent of the Nine with the shaggy facial hair has a dark Hunter helmet on offer: He wants to charge you 13 Strange Coins for the “Achlyophage Symbiont.” But is this investment worth it?
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What makes the helmet “Achlyophage Symbiont” in Destiny stand out?
“Achlyophage Symbiont” is designed for the Gunslinger subclass of the Hunter, as it specifically impacts their super. There was a version of this helmet in year 1 of Destiny that had fixed perks. The “Year 2” version, however, has several random perks:
The Last Man: The Golden Gun receives an additional shot per use. This is the only fixed perk of this helmet.
In a random selection, you have the chance for Innervation (bonus grenade energy when picking up orbs), Strengthening (bonus melee energy when picking up orbs), Better Already (shields recharge immediately upon picking up an orb) and Infusion (health is restored when picking up a Light Orb).
For the available extras, you have the chance for Reaping Shadow (increased super energy when defeating minions of darkness), From the Ashes (bonus super energy on grenade hits), Practically Inclined (bonus super energy when eliminating minions of darkness with melee kills), Sensory Shift (bonus super energy when finishing enemies with special weapons) and Hard Work, which gives you bonus super energy when you blast enemies with heavy weapons.
Additionally, you can increase Intellect, Strength, or Discipline with further perks.
The Year 1 version of this Hunter helmet focused on enhancing grenades along with the bonus for the Golden Gun. In Year 2, the helmet is no longer specialized in that, but you can still use Innervation and From the Ashes to boost the grenades.
If you want to acquire the “Achlyophage Symbiont” from Xur this weekend, you will receive it with 56 intellect and the following perks:
Strengthening
Practically Inclined
Hard Work
Strength or Intellect can be increased
The Last Man
How does the “Achlyophage Symbiont” perform in PvE and PvP?
In Year 1, this helmet was among the best Hunter helmets and was very popular in the community. Compared to this version, the “Achlyophage Symbiont” was significantly weakened in the second year – which is not immediately noticeable.
The nerf affects the “The Last Man” perk, which still grants an additional shot with the Golden Gun, but the duration for which the super is active is significantly reduced. Now, the exotic item “Achlyophage Symbiont” brings not only an advantage but also a significant disadvantage, which is especially noticeable in PvP.
The YouTuber Unknown Player pulled out the stopwatch and found out: Without the helmet, you have 11 seconds for three shots, with the helmet you have only 7 seconds for four shots. In PvE, this is not a huge limitation in many situations, as you might unload all four shots quickly in a strike against the big boss.
In PvP, however, the 7 seconds are tight. It won’t happen too often that you get to face four opponents in such a short time to deal with them. And if you’re not calling out “Hey, this is something I constantly find myself in!”, then there’s really no reason why you should choose this helmet in PvP. Here, three shots, which you have 11 seconds for, are likely to be more valuable.
Of course, a fourth shot while running can also be useful if you occasionally have problems aiming and the first three bullets fly past the target. Then you still have an ace up your sleeve and can pull out as a shining winner at the end of the day.
Numerous opinions from the community indicate that the Year 2 version of the “Achlyophage Symbiont” is significantly worse than the Year 1 version – especially in the Crucible. A clear recommendation cannot be issued at this point.
Below you can watch the review of our friend Nexxoss Gaming about the “better” version of the exotic helmet:
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Big discounts on military vehicles and heavy weapons in GTA 5 Online – Check out all the benefits of the combat week now!
How can you have even more fun stomping on other players? Of course, by spending significantly less for it! Your friends at Merryweather and Ammu-Nation are offering you decent discounts over the next few days, which you can combine with the cheaper vehicles from Warstock to frustrate other players. So that you have enough money for your purchases, you will earn double GTA$ and RP for playing In and Out.
Discounts Overview for GTA 5 Online
In addition to the 25% discount on all Warstock vehicles (Oh yes, ALL Warstock vehicles) and the 50% discount on Merryweather services, Ammu-Nation also offers you special prices that you simply must take advantage of when playing GTA 5 Online.
All rifles 25% cheaper!
All sniper rifles 25% cheaper!
Throwables – 25% cheaper!
Ammunition types of all kinds – 25% off!
Armors – A massive 50% cheaper!
In the In and Out event, where 2 teams play against each other (1 team defends several cases with heavy weapons while the attacking team is outnumbered but has weaker weapons), you can let loose on 3 new maps. Additionally, you will receive double GTA$ and RP as a reward on all maps in this mode.
Double RP is also available for all Deathmatches, Last Team Standings, Capture Jobs, and Opponent Modes that are available in GTA 5 Online.
Bonus GTA$ and RP also in GTA 5 Online playlists
So you can quickly get cash and points without having to search too much, you can start the playlists directly from the main menu of the game. The following playlists will be available from May 13 to May 19:
May 13 – May 15 The 3 new In and Out maps! Reward: Double GTA$ and RP
May 16 – May 17 Behind Enemy Lines 1, Come Out To Play 5 and Till Death Do Us Part 2! Reward: Double RP
May 18 – May 19 Extraction 5, Beast vs. Slasher 4 and State of Siege 1! Reward: Double RP
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The fantasy MMORPG Black Desert has significant EXP bonuses active over the Whitsun holiday.
In recent days, Black Desert has had some bumps, with several server restarts. As compensation for these “bumps”, Black Desert is offering a 30% increase in combat experience points from last night until Tuesday afternoon. Those looking to gain a few levels have the advantage.
We will run a compensation event for the little bumps in the road lately from 13.05 16:00 UTC until 17.05 08:00 UTC! 30% Bonus Combat EXP!
Yesterday, on Friday the 13th, a smaller patch was also deployed, which made some adjustments to the Maehwa and implemented several changes to game mechanics and monsters. There were some “Quality of Life” improvements, nothing groundbreaking.
In FIFA 16: FUT you can obtain the TOTS card of a German talent only through the Bundesliga tournament – if you win it.
Yesterday, the Team of the Season of the Bundesliga in FIFA 16 was unveiled. A real highlight here: Robert Lewandowski has received a card with an overall rating of 98! This TOTS will be available in packs for one week. At the same time, a special TOTS tournament is running: The Bundesliga Tournament.
Leroy Sané as a prize of the Bundesliga Tournament
The Bundesliga TOTS contains 23 players, who can now be found in the packs. EA Sports is adding one more: The German talent Leroy Sané from FC Schalke 04 is also receiving an upgraded player card. However, you can only obtain this through the Bundesliga Tournament – if you win it.
Requirements for the Bundesliga Tournament:
Exactly 18 players from the Bundesliga in the starting eleven and on the bench.
Currently, there is a phenomenon on the transfer market where even Bundesliga players with the poorest ratings are sold for several hundred coins. Apparently, many gamers have to fill their substitutes bench with any Bundesliga players. You need to be quick here: The cards at low prices are quickly sold out!
Online Prizes:
Win: TOTS card of Leroy Sané (cannot be listed on the transfer market)
Win: Rare Gold Pack (Contains cards that cannot be traded)
Further wins: Premium Coin Packs with at least 4000 coins
Offline Prizes:
Win: Premium Gold Pack (cards cannot be sold)
Further wins: Coin Packs with at least 2000 coins
The tournament runs from May 13 to May 20 at 7 PM.
The TOTS card of Leroy Sané comes with strong stats that a winger needs: Pace is excellent, the shooting stats and dribbling are also impressive. With his height of 1.84 meters, he also outperforms other speed dribblers.
This card cannot be purchased on the transfer market for coins. If you want to have the Bundesliga talent in your squad, you must win the tournament yourself.
Overwatch has already offered some really cool gameplay scenes during the beta. Check out some highlights here.
Multikills and Solo Fails – The Fun Factor in Overwatch
Although the closed beta of Overwatch lasted only a few days, there were many interesting scenes and moments that were fortunately captured by many players. Kotaku has compiled a small selection that we want to present to you here.
First, the German knight Reinhardt shows you how to take on four opponents at the same time. It requires a bit of willingness to sacrifice, but that’s certainly given with the hammer-swinging man.
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Pretty cool is also Genji’s ability to completely reflect enemy projectiles. This works not only against normal fire (which often drives Bastion to despair) but also against some ultimate abilities. When Mei throws out her Blizzard, it can also be reflected back by Genji, freezing the enemy team!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGH9oRBWdJ4
Lucio can not only slide along walls with the spacebar but can also fight his way back onto the field with several jumps. This led to this amusing scene on the Ilios map, where a quite surprised Zarya takes the place of the doomed musician.
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Mei consistently causes exciting rescue operations with her ice wall. Actually, the wall should not be able to truly imprison other players to immobility, but if the bug occurs, the opponent ends up looking quite foolish.
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A similarly great combination of ultimate abilities can be achieved with Zarya and Pharah . The Russian woman pulls all enemies together and Pharah rains a shower of rockets down on the helpless foes. Whoosh, clean field.
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In The Division, the vendors have new goods for agents on PS4, Xbox One, and PC starting today. We take a closer look at the offerings of the Special Equipment Vendor and the DZ Weapons Vendor.
Today marks the start of the new vendor week in The Division. If you still have some Phoenix Credits in your piggy bank, you can wander over to the Special Equipment Vendor at the Operation Base and buy his goods. If you are swimming in Dark Zone currency, you can throw the cash on the table of the DZ Weapons Vendor. But is it worth visiting the vendors?
What the Special Equipment Vendor has on offer starting May 14th
The Special Equipment Vendor has two cosmetic items and exclusively high-end items with a Gear Score of 204 and 182. Additionally, you will find numerous blueprints in this vendor’s offer, which you can check out here. This includes parts of the equipment sets. These remain the same every week; only the prices change a bit.
Weapons:
T821 – Police Version (Submachine Gun): 825 PCs – Value 204 (Talents: Deadly, Skilled, Malicious)
M60 E4 – Military Version (Light Machine Gun): 830 PCs – Value 204 (Talents: Restored, Destructive, Thieving)
Additionally, there are two high-end backpacks, a holster, and a pair of gloves. The Jacket – Sand Color and the Ranger Jacket must not be missing either.
These are the weapons of the Dark Zone Weapons Vendor starting May 14th
You will find this weapons vendor in DZ03 in the Safe Room. For his goods, you partially need extremely high DZ ranks; otherwise, he won’t sell them. Some of his blueprints change every week.
High-End Weapons:
M9 – Military Version (Pistol): 42051 DZC – Value 182 (Rank 40) (Talents: Expert, Durable)
RPK-74 M – Military Version (Light Machine Gun): 18177 DZC – Value 163 (Rank 25) (Talents: Connoisseur, Thieving, Resentful)
With the upcoming DLC Dark Brotherhood, some new skills will be introduced to the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online and you will complete new quests.
The Dark Brotherhood is a community of assassins who take contracts to eliminate certain residents of the fantasy continent Tamriel quietly and stealthily. For that, you will of course need a range of special skills that you can acquire as a member of the Dark Brotherhood.
New Skills for Assassins
These skills include six passive abilities that you have access to as long as you own the DLC Dark Brotherhood. The abilities include:
Blade of Passion, which allows you to kill your target with just one strike.
Scales of Justice, reduces notoriety and bounty if you are recognized as an assassin.
Padomaic Sprint allows you to run faster temporarily to escape from the scene of a murder.
Veiled Assistance enables you to contact another member of the Brotherhood who will provide you with useful items of your choice once a day.
Shadow Rider reduces the aggression radius by half while you are riding.
Spectral Assassin gives you a 15% chance to remain undetected when using “Blade of Passion”.
Face New Quests
In addition, you will take on contract quests that lead you across the continent to eliminate certain NPCs. In Sacrament quests, on the other hand, you will infiltrate secured underground locations to eliminate targets chosen through the completion of the Black Sacrament.
Sacrament quests still offer some side objectives for which you will receive bonuses upon completion. In the cities of Anwil and Kvatch, you can also expect daily bounty missions where you must delve into dungeons or compete against others in the arena.
Finally, you will dive into the special mission “Litany of Blood”. After completing the first Sacrament quest, you will receive the book “Litany of Blood”, which contains encrypted clues that lead you across Tamriel to eliminate various targets. You see, you will have a lot to do with the DLC Dark Brotherhood of the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Destiny the Trials of Osiris begin on Friday, May 13th. Where will they take place this time?
The Trials of Osiris are the weekly PvP event in Destiny. There is also a monthly event, the Iron Banner. However, that is expected to occur earliest on Tuesday, May 24th.
The Trials of Osiris begin on Fridays at 7:00 PM and end Tuesday morning at 11:00 AM with the start of a new week in Destiny.
Today, the map being played is Bannerfall.
Fights take place in best-of-9 matches and in 3-player teams. The mode is “Elimination.” If the opposing team is completely dead, you win a round. Fallen teammates can be revived. This makes it extremely important in the Trials to control the bodies of both opponents and your own teammates.
Rewards are usually given through the bounties from Brother Vance. With 5 and 7 wins, there are also “special items” from the Osiris pool, which are determined randomly. The strongest players attempt to reach Mercury with a flawless ticket and loot the chest.
Maybe Friday the 13th is your lucky day today, Guardians.
Before we reveal the Trials of Osiris map for this week, know that our Security Response Team just banned a bunch of cheaters. Play nice!
For some cheaters, it wasn’t a lucky day. Bungie announced before revealing the current map that the banhammer has struck again and some cheaters have been banned.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Kickstarter campaign for the MMORPG Chronicles of Elyria is going great, and now the developers have answered some questions about the game.
The desired funding amount of $900,000 should be reached this weekend. There will be no real stretch goals. They want to put all the money into polishing the game. New features – which the community can vote on – will be introduced after the release. Fans can then choose between mounted combat or the ability to dig tunnels.
How the quests work
Now the developers spoke mainly about the story and how the quests in the game will work. The specially programmed story engine enables individual and dynamic quests. While in other MMORPGs you experience static missions that everyone completes, the story engine will generate individual quests for each player.
In another MMO, you might be tasked with rescuing an NPC who is in danger of dying due to a landslide. However, nothing would happen if you didn’t help the NPC. In Chronicles of Elyria, the story engine will cause a landslide that buries some NPC, and then you, as a player, must react quickly, as the NPC can also die.
Survival is key
As Chronicles of Elyria is also a sandbox game, survival elements play an important role. The hero gets hungry and thirsty, must pay attention to temperatures to avoid freezing. You can become exhausted or poisoned. All of this must be kept in mind and counteracted if necessary, such as regularly eating and drinking and wearing warm clothing in cold areas.
The developers want to create a high level of transparency so that fans can be involved in every step of the MMO’s development. They will respond to feedback and want to test the game thoroughly so that there are as few bugs as possible – which probably can never be completely avoided. As it stands now, Chronicles of Elyria is expected to be released no earlier than the end of 2017.
Here are more interesting articles about the unusual MMORPG:
In Doom, an artist has recreated the demon “Revenant” out of wood. The special thing: he used a chainsaw as a tool!
Today, the shooter Doom is released for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. To celebrate this release, Bethesda has teamed up with Australian chainsaw artist Rob Bast to bring the most iconic demon of the series to life.
Bast “carved” the Revenant out of wood. This demon is known to players from the original Doom as a nasty, skeleton-like enemy that always drew attention with a shrill scream. For this, the artist likely used the favorite tool of every Doom fan: the chainsaw. You can watch the work process and the final result in the following video from Bethesda:
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It took nearly 150 hours to complete the approximately 2.4-meter tall sculpture. According to Bethesda, it was made entirely from recycled, sustainable cypress wood. If you want to see this masterpiece in person, you just need to take a flight to Melbourne: there, the Revenant will be exhibited from today at the “Australian Centre for the Moving Image” (ACMI).
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In FIFA 16, today the Bundesliga Team of the Season for the “Ultimate Team” mode has been revealed. Particularly strong: Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller!
Today is the day! Today we find out which Bundesliga stars, according to EA Sports, belong to the Team of the Season. In the TOTS, players who have consistently shown strong performances throughout the last season are awarded upgraded cards.
This is the “Bundesliga” TOTS in FIFA 16
Since last week, the championship trophy for FC Bayern Munich has been secured. Therefore, it is not too surprising that some players from the record champions made it into the TOTS of the first Bundesliga, such as Robert Lewandowski (Overall 98!) and Thomas Müller (94). But outstanding players with improved stats from many other clubs are also being rewarded, such as Hummels, Aubameyang, and Mkhitaryan.
These are the players of the Bundesliga TOTS:
Starting XI:
GK: Ralf Fährmann – FC Schalke 04
LB: Jonas Hector – 1.FC Köln
CB: Mats Hummels – Borussia Dortmund
CB: Jonathan Tah – Bayer 04 Leverkusen
RB: Mitchell Weiser – Hertha BSC
LM: Filip Kostic – VfB Stuttgart
RM: Henrikh Mkhitaryan – Borussia Dortmund
RM: Douglas Costa – FC Bayern München
CAM: Thomas Müller – FC Bayern München
ST: Robert Lewandowski – FC Bayern München
ST: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Borussia Dortmund
Substitutes:
GK: Loris Karius – 1. FSV Mainz 05
CB: Aytac Sulu – SV Darmstadt 98
CDM: Julian Baumgartlinger – 1. FSV Mainz 05
LM: Salomon Kalou – Hertha BSC
RM: Lukas Rupp – VfB Stuttgart
ST: Javier Hernandez – Bayer 04 Leverkusen
ST: Raffael – Borussia Mönchengladbach
Reserves:
CB: Andreas Christensen – Borussia Mönchengladbach
CB: Marvin Matip – FC Ingolstadt 04
LM: Emil Forsberg – RB Leipzig
CM: Mahmoud Dahoud – Borussia Mönchengladbach
ST: Sandro Wagner – SV Darmstadt 98
Ralf Fährmann is the best goalkeeper in this team. It seems that Manuel Neuer did not convince EA Sports this season.
Robert Lewandowski is the strongest TOTS player of the current Team of the Season in FIFA 16 with an overall rating of 98! This also makes him the highest-rated TOTS player in the entire FIFA series – together with the TOTS Cristiano Ronaldo from FIFA 15!
In Battlefront all players can test the “Outer Rim” DLC for free for three days. Read on to find out how it works.
A Weekend in the Outer Rim
To ensure the weekend doesn’t start with a bad Friday the 13th, EA has decided to allow all players of Star Wars: Battlefront to get a taste of the first of the 4 announced DLCs. The “Outer Rim” expansion was released last month for all Season Pass holders, but now all purchasers of the base game also have the opportunity to try out the new content.
From May 13 to May 15, all players on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One can try the DLC for free to get a feel for the new maps and the two heroes Greedo and Nien Nunb.
However, there are some limitations. Players can try out the free weapons from the Hutt contracts, but the specific weapons of the Outer Rim and the corresponding Star Cards can only be used by Season Pass holders or purchasers of the DLC.
Guild Wars 2 could not fully confirm the strong winter quarter with “Heart of Thorns” and lost a bit in the first quarter again.
For the struggling WildStar, the situation looks much bleaker at a significantly lower overall level. The Free2Play momentum from the last quarter of 2015 has fizzled out, and they are at a new record low.
Blade and Soul earned approximately 40 million euros worldwide in the first quarter of 2016. GW2 23 million and WildStar 960.000€.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In The Division, the official number of registered players is known. It stands at 9.5 million!
Yves Guillemot, the co-founder and CEO of the French publisher Ubisoft, has presented the figures for the 2016 fiscal year. According to him, the latest blockbuster games from Ubisoft, The Division and Far Cry Primal, had the most successful video game launches ever. The performances of both games exceeded Ubisoft’s expectations, according to the CEO.
The Division currently has 9.5 million registered users. Active players would average three hours a day playing the MMO shooter. Also, the Season Pass has been adopted by 20% of the agents so far.
The revenue that The Division must have generated for the publisher is highlighted by a look at the revenue from the last quarter: While just under 170 million euros were generated in the same three months of the previous year, in 2016 it is a staggering 624.9 million euros. That’s an increase of 267.7%!
The most successful console of the last quarter for all Ubisoft titles was, by the way, the PlayStation 4. Almost half of all sales went to Sony’s gaming console. The Xbox One (31%) and the PC (14%) were relegated to the back. The last-generation consoles each accounted for only one percent.
In an interview with YouTuber Jesse Cox, developer Ion Hazzikostas discussed many aspects of the upcoming expansion Legion, but also the leveling experience in the game’s Classic areas. Blizzard’s creators of WoW agree that the current leveling experience at low levels is not enjoyable. Enemies fall too quickly, and “you spend more time looking for objectives than actually fighting them.”
Leveling like a breeze – the only thing faster is the level boost.
The reason for this fast leveling was that new players should not take too long to experience the “cool, fresh content” of the latest expansion. Numerous changes to the classes, combined with a reduction in the required XP per level, have made reaching the maximum level a very boring experience. Enemies typically live for only 1-2 seconds, and often it takes just one keystroke to send foes to the ground. Worse yet: Anyone wishing to experience a zone’s storyline is usually so high-level after completing half the quests that the area poses no challenge anymore.
With the level boost that comes with purchasing each future expansion, it is no longer necessary to rush players through the old areas.
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A possible solution to the problem is the new scaling system, which is introduced with “Legion” for the Broken Isles. Here, the difficulty of enemies adapts to the character’s current level – you can go to any area at any time and always have challenging tasks (except Suramar, which is only for 110). According to the developers’ plans, the optimal combat time required for a single enemy should be between 12 and 15 seconds, says Hazzikostas. This would be a bit shorter than in Classic, but significantly longer than currently.
However, it is still uncertain whether this scaling would also apply to the old world. This will only become clear after Legion has been on the market for a while and players have been able to provide their feedback.
“As developers, we want to create a game we can be proud of. The game should provide an epic, fun experience at all times. Not just at level 100 or 110, but also at level 27. And at the moment, that’s not always the case.”
Future work will be done on “classic” content to make the old areas enjoyable again.
Mein-MMO says: It’s about time. Players have been complaining for years that they only rush through the old zones and that there is nothing left of the story and fun. Since the developers want to experience the effects of the scaling in Legion first, it remains to be seen when this issue will really be addressed. If they utilize the scaling, it could also anger some players, as “lowbie” areas would again be populated with mobs that permanently attack you. At least a few role-players would find that annoying. Let’s wait and see and beat up Legions.
For more news about Blizzard’s MMORPG and the upcoming expansion “Legion”, check out our World of Warcraft game page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
More and more information is being revealed about FIFA 17: This year’s football simulation is expected to make a significant leap in terms of gameplay depth.
FIFA 17 still does not have a fixed release date, but the upcoming football simulation is now finally officially confirmed – which should not surprise many: According to Electronic Arts’ annual financial report, FIFA 17 will be released on consoles and PC in the second business quarter, which runs from July to the end of September.
As FIFA 16 was released on September 22 and FIFA 15 on September 23, a similar date can also be predicted for FIFA 17. It is not yet known whether FIFA 17 will also be released on the last-gen consoles PS3 and Xbox 360, in addition to PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
As Andrew Wilson, CEO of Electronic Arts, reveals, FIFA 17 will make a significant leap forward regarding customization, gameplay depth, and the competitive aspect. This statement also applies to NFL 17 and NHL 17. However, Wilson did not go into detail.
These are already all the information that has been confirmed by the official sources. However, there are other hints regarding FIFA 17 in the vastness of the internet that are considered reliable.
FIFA 17 with “Buschi” and women’s national teams
Since FIFA 11, Frank Buschmann has been commenting alongside Manni Breuckmann (since FIFA 16 alongside Wolff-Christoph Fuss) on the events on the virtual pitch. Apparently, we will hear the voice of “Buschi” in FIFA 17: In a Twitter post, the cult commentator tweeted: “Practicing for #FIFA17 …” Thus, it seems that nothing will change in the duo “Buschmann/Fuß.”
A hint regarding FIFA 17 also came via Instagram: Norwegian national player Andrine Hegerberg posted a photo of herself during a shoot for FIFA 17, as she indicates via hashtag. So we can expect that Norway will become another women’s national team in the football simulation from EA Sports. This leads to the conclusion: Apparently, the FIFA series is sticking to the women’s teams that were first introduced in FIFA 16.
Is there a new cover star? Will the 3rd league finally come to FIFA 17?
From now on, we enter the realm of pure speculation regarding FIFA 17. According to several media reports, the expiring contract with Messi as cover star will not be extended. For the past four years, the Argentine magician has adorned the cover of the FIFA series. Who will be the successor is still unknown. Along with James Rodríguez, Jamie Vardy from the surprise BPL champion Leicester City is also in high demand. He had already made rapid progress with his teammates in FIFA 16.
Many fans wish for the 3rd league, which comprises several traditional clubs from Germany. However, the licenses for this league are held by the German Football Association, which EA still has to negotiate. A statement from EA producer Sebastian Enrique gives hope: “I always push our licensing team to get more. I can’t promise anything, but the 3rd league is on our list of things that our community wants.”
It also remains exciting to see whether the Chinese “Super League” will be included in FIFA 17. This league has recently drawn attention with mega-transfers. If EA wants to keep these top players in their football simulation, they will have to acquire these licenses.
Blizzard is not only an extremely successful developer studio but also the dream workplace for all nerds. We know this because we were invited there ourselves and convinced ourselves of it!
“Embrace your inner Geek” can be read on the floor in the center of the “Blizzard Campus” in Irvine (California). However, these wise words were not hastily scribbled by a mischievous employee; rather, the saying is elegantly stamped in bronze in a large circle consisting of eight company principles that surround the statue of a giant orc. And the fact that the call to wholeheartedly be a true geek stands alongside typical corporate values like “Think globally” or “Commit to Quality” says a lot about the atmosphere at Blizzard.
Outwardly Flawed, Inwardly Amazing
“In your face, Mannoroth!” Grommash Hellscream and his favorite trophy await us in the Blizzard lobby.
However, the entire company building looks nothing like a creative forge full of geeks and nerds from the outside. The Blizzard Campus – which we and other invited guests were allowed to visit at Blizzard’s invitation – is located in the middle of the Californian business enclave Irvine and is housed behind guarded walls in a trio of typical office buildings.
Anyone who cannot relate to the name “Blizzard” might just suspect another IT company behind the facade of the campus, of which there are dozens in California. For there are no griffin statues guarding the gates, no turrets and towers rising from the facade, and the banner of the Horde does not proudly fly over the complex.
However, this changes quickly as soon as you pass the security and enter the lobby of the entrance area. For there, right behind the reception, stands none other than Grommash Hellscream, triumphantly overlooking the severed (and quite dissatisfied-looking) head of the Pit Lord Mannoroth. The trailer for Warlords of Draenor sends its regards.
The Dream of Every Nerd
After the meeting with Grommash, one highlight follows another. Right next to the grim orc chieftain stands his oversized axe Gorehowl (nearly 5 meters!). This is indeed the same axe that Blizzard used last year as a PR stunt for the launch of World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor, which they slammed into an innocent taxi in Times Square, New York.
Next to the axe, we immediately move into the in-house museum. Yes, you read that right, Blizzard actually maintains its own museum with its own curator who regularly rearranges and expands the many exhibits – including numerous awards and trophies that Blizzard has won so far.
The Cross with the Circle – “When it’s done!”
Next, we headed out to the center of the campus, where the already mentioned giant orc stands with the eight core values of the company. We heard a funny story here, as Blizzard had to airlift the orc in separate parts from a foundry in the Far East, and unfortunately, they first painstakingly assembled the orc and then wanted to embed the circle with the eight values into the ground.
However, a complete circle with several meters in diameter is not as easy to construct as the people at Blizzard thought back then, and to make matters worse, the plaques with the values did not always fit optimally into their designated places. And since Blizzard always places great value on quality, the poor orc and circle had to be taken down and rebuilt multiple times.
No Boring Workplace
From the center, we were then able to enter the venerable halls of the developer offices in the second building of the campus. There we passed a donated cosplay outfit of Valla from Diablo 3 to the company cafeteria. Here, hungry employees can get all sorts of dishes for a symbolic price of one dollar.
We continued towards the offices and encountered a large wall with the Blizzard logo on the way. Hundreds of employees had immortalized themselves there during the last big company party, with Art Director Samwise Didier stylishly depicted with a grim orc visage.
Art Director Samwise Didier has immortalized himself with an orc on the current anniversary wall.
Next, we already entered the large open-plan offices, where we unfortunately were not allowed to take any photos. After all, they are actively working on games like Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and Heroes of the Storm, and Blizzard is reluctant to see trade secrets exposed in photos.
By the way, if you think of endless rows of gray cubicles where unenthusiastic wage slaves engage in soulless office tasks when hearing the term “open-plan office,” you couldn’t be more wrong. Because even if Blizzard, of course, has the obligatory “cubicles,” the entire workspace is always themed in a specific way.
For example, one open-plan office has a “Zombie Apocalypse” theme. Hence, the walls are “decorated” with (artificial) blood splatters, and on a fire door is the unmistakable warning never to open it, as zombies would come in if you did. Therefore, in the kitchen, besides the obligatory espresso machine, there is also a locker with axes, machetes, and a chainsaw. And, of course, the offices and cubicles are filled with nerdy stuff like Nerf blasters, action figures, and cosplay props.
The Perfect Refuge from the Zombie Apocalypse
During the tour through the offices, we especially noticed the numerous real swords and shields hanging on the walls of some employees’ offices. This weapon – our guide explained – is not just for decoration. Rather, Blizzard awards employees with it. Anyone who works for the company for five years receives a real sword for their anniversary, and each year a new design is used so that connoisseurs can immediately recognize in which year a specific employee started.
Such trophies are given after a total of 10 years at Blizzard.
The steel shield with the emblem of Lordaeron is available after 10 years, and anyone who has been there for fifteen years can adorn themselves with a noble ring. Veterans with 20 years of service receive the classy crown of the Lich King Arthas, and the upcoming anniversary celebrants, like company boss Mike Morhaime, who have already been there for 25 years, will soon be honored with a cool warhammer. “If a zombie apocalypse should break out here, you should take refuge with us. Because no company here has as many swords in stock,” advised us our tour guide at the end of the talk about the rewards.
The Blizzard University
Tracer is the latest statue in the Blizzard Campus.
After we passed through more offices and admired imposing statues of Illidan, Kerrigan, Tyrael, and Tracer, we went to the last of the three large buildings. There is the training center of the company where Blizzard trains its employees. It is indeed organized like a university and even has its own dean and a course catalog.
However, the highlight of the building lies behind a massive, iron-clad wooden door that creaks ominously when opened. For behind the portal lies a huge library full of games! From PC and console games to board games and pen & paper role-playing games, everything that the nerd heart desires can be found.
The dream of every role-player!
Another proof that at Blizzard one can fully be a geek without reservation. “I don’t have to hide that I’m an enthusiastic pen & paper role-player,” our guide says. “Rather, we have several lists hanging up and are constantly looking for new role-playing groups!“
Mein-MMO says:
The visit to Blizzard was thoroughly impressive, as the company seems to offer its employees a lot. But, of course, the company also expects a lot from its employees, and even though the offices are extremely nerdy and come across like the dream of every gamer, hard work is still done there.
The original soundtrack of a game is just one of the many options one can listen to while playing. Some find the calm background music rather annoying, turn off the sound, and turn up their chosen music instead. Others can hardly enjoy their time in games if they are not connected with their teammates via Skype or Teamspeak and are “constantly chatting”.
So in this edition of “Mein-MMO asks” we want to know from you: What do you listen to while gaming?
Cortyn says: I can’t imagine 90% of all games without the background music. When I wander through the areas in WoW or visit an old Eldan laboratory in WildStar , the music chosen by the developers fits so well and is for me an integral part of the gaming experience, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the game. In single-player games, the music is essential for me – without the right soundscape, there is no real joy in playing (this even applies to the Minecraft tunes).
However, this changes dramatically when it comes to team-based games, such as Heroes of the Storm or Overwatch. I can’t imagine spoken communication (at least with friends) being absent; some voice chat is therefore necessarily required. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have many beautiful, funny, and frustrating memories, and nothing alleviates the frustration of a defeat as well as laughing about it with others.
Only for really tedious tasks, such as fishing for hours or mindless grinding, can it also be something from the YouTube playlist or a good audiobook.
But enough about me, let’s talk about you! What do you listen to when you’re gaming? Cheerful chatting with others over Skype? Specific music, fitting to the game? Or do you let the “normal” sound of the game affect you? Let us know in the comments and actively discuss.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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