Next week, the new heroine Tracer will arrive in the Nexus of Heroes of the Storm. Today, she is receiving her own video.
Tracer – the time-jumping agent from Overwatch
Although Overwatch has not yet been released, the heroine Tracer has a particular fascination with time travel. So it’s not surprising that the Brit appears in Heroes of the Storm even before her big debut in the shooter. Blizzard has made an effort to transfer most of her abilities from the shooter to the MOBA. Tracer can teleport three times in quick succession, throw her Pulse Grenade, and then rewind time at the push of a button. Let’s take a look at her abilities:
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.
Her trait Reload manages her ammunition. Automatic attacks consume ammunition and must be regularly reloaded. This happens automatically when the magazine is empty or manually at the push of a button. Additionally, Tracer can fire while moving.
With Warp, Tracer can quickly move across the battlefield and teleport short distances. The ability has 3 charges.
Close Combat Attack is, as the name suggests, a melee attack that deals damage to a single target and selects the next target in line. Hitting heroes increases the charge of the Pulse Bomb more than hitting minions.
With Time Loop, Tracer can rewind time and travel to the spot where she was 3 seconds ago. Her weapons are reloaded and negative status effects are removed. Unlike in Overwatch, her health points are not restored in this process.
The heroic ability Pulse Bomb is thrown at a target and deals area damage. If only a single target is hit, the damage is doubled. This ability has no cooldown but is charged by damage dealt – just like an Ultimate in Overwatch.
With the Pulse Bomb, enemies learn to fly.
The launch for Tracer starts on the night of April 19th to 20th – at least for those who have pre-ordered Overwatch by then. Afterwards, Tracer will be available exclusively to these players for a week before she can be purchased normally in the game’s shop exactly one week later, on April 27th.
In The Division, the offer from the vendors is refilled today. Let’s see what is available this week, starting from 16.4.
On the night from Friday to Saturday, the Dark Zone specialist vendor, also known as “Dark Xur”, and the special equipment vendor change their offers, including the prices of their goods. While you can find the latter in the tech wing of the Operations Base, “Dark Xur” is waiting for you in the safe room in DZ06, right in the north of the Dark Zone.
Since the update, checking the goods of the Dark Zone weapon vendor is also exciting. You can find him in the safe room in DZ03. His offer also changes weekly.
What the Dark Zone specialist vendor has on 16.4.
You can obtain the goods from “Dark Xur” in exchange for DZ currency – before the update, you had to spend Phoenix Credits. For his items, you must have at least DZ rank 30, and for his blueprints rank 50. The offer has been modest since the update; he only has items from the equipment sets. We include the gear score. Compared to the previous week, the prices have changed slightly:
Blueprints that the Dark Zone specialist vendor had before the update can now be found with the special equipment vendor.
This is the offer of the special equipment vendor on 16.4.
The special equipment vendor in the Operations Base gives out items only in exchange for Phoenix Credits; this has not changed since update 1.1. However, he now offers only high-end items, two jackets, and a large selection of blueprints. We include the equipment value of the items.
Weapons:
SCAR-L (Assault Rifle) 939 PCs – Value 204
L86 LSW – Military version (Light Machine Gun) 825 PCs – Value 204
AK-74 – Black Market version (Assault Rifle) 236 PCs – Value 182
Furthermore, this week there are two high-end armor vests and backpacks each. The two purely cosmetic jackets, the Jacket – Sand color and the Ranger Jacket, are available for 322 PCs.
Blueprints from the special equipment vendor:
Since the “Incursions” update, the vendor has blueprints for the equipment set parts in stock. All have a value of 214. However, compared to the previous week, the prices have changed slightly:
“Tactician’s Authority” Kneepads 334 PCs
“Shield’s Call” Mask 389 PCs
Assault Mask 389 PCs
Assault Kneepads 337 PCs
“Shield’s Call” Kneepads 333 PCs
“Tactician’s Authority” Mask 392 PCs
Many high-end blueprints are still available, all with a value of 182, which mods can be purchased with level 30. In addition to numerous mods and armor parts, there are also blueprints for the following weapons:
RPK-74 M – Military version (Light Machine Gun) 153 PCs
M9 A1 – Officer version (Pistol) 124 PCs
M44 – Custom build (Sniper Rifle) 166 PCs
Vector 45 ACP (Submachine Gun) 153 PCs
M249 Para – Tactic (Light Machine Gun) 154 PCs
SA-58 – Military version (Assault Rifle) 182 PCs
Px4 Storm Type T (Pistol) 126 PCs
Navy MP-5 N (Submachine Gun) 152 PCs
Sawed-off Double-barrel Shotgun 166 PCs
Offer from the Dark Zone weapon vendor on 16.4.
The Dark Zone weapon vendor in the safe room of DZ03 has high-end weapons and blueprints available that you can acquire at various DZ ranks. He wants DZ currency from you.
High-end Weapons:
586 Magnum (Pistol) 42378 DZ currency – Value 182 (Rank 40 required)
AUG A3 Para XS (Submachine Gun) 18347 DZ currency – Value 163 (Rank 25)
Rumors are increasing about a Red Dead Redemption 2 in development. A leaked and allegedly authentic map of the setting for the new Western-GTA recently appeared in a forum.
Red Dead Redemption was a huge success back then, and fans of the Western GTA have been waiting for a sequel for many years. It seems that one is now concretely in the works. Recently, a detailed map surfaced on the forum Neogaf, which, according to the message author, is a leaked map of the game world of the next Red Dead game.
Soon after, the news and the map disappeared, but – as is common on the internet – other users had long copied the file and re-uploaded it. In the meantime, the site techradar has taken up the matter and received confirmation from an anonymous source allegedly close to the developers that it actually appears to be the setting of the Red Dead Redemption sequel.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Release – Prequel instead of Sequel?
Interestingly, the map – which depicts the west and south of the USA – shows no railroad networks. Therefore, the authors at techradar assume that the next installment of the series is more likely to be a prequel than a sequel. This makes sense, as the setting of Red Dead Redemption took place at the end of the Wild West era. Therefore, the new installment will probably be set at the beginning of the westward expansion.
Red Dead Redemption 2? Shut up and take my money
Furthermore, there will be a city called New Bordeaux, located where New Orleans is. Possibly a crossover point with the upcoming Mafia 2, which is supposed to take place in the same city and is also published by the same publisher, Take Two? Additionally, several islands are marked off the coast, possibly an indicator that swimming and sailing will be possible in the upcoming game.
In the MMO shooter The Division, there will be a hotfix on Friday evening. The servers will be taken down.
Update 11:36 PM: The servers are live again across all platforms. Thanks for your patience during this server downtime.
Update 11:00 PM: PS4 and PC servers are live again. The Xbox servers are still down to fix the issue with missing characters.
When a hotfix is announced on Friday evening, something must be going on. At the moment, the hotfix is only announced; there is no exact information or patches circulating about what exactly is to be fixed.
Most assume that Massive wants to work on the glitch in “Falcon Lost”, the new raid. This is the currently most lucrative content. Players bypass a good portion of the game content with buggy skills and the abuse of certain abilities.
We will let you know as soon as further details are known about what Massive is currently fixing. The hotfix is expected around 10:45 PM.
Update: Patch notes are now available. They are indeed fixing an exploit that allowed the armored personnel carrier to be attacked without new waves of enemies appearing. Additionally, they are fixing an issue in the raid where players did not receive the correct weekly reward.
They have also resolved issues that caused Xbox players to not see their agents. The characters of the affected players are being rolled back a few days to the state of April 12.
Images of some outfits from other Ubisoft games have appeared in The Division. You can also snag the “Rainbow Six Siege” outfit.
With the Incursions update, Ubisoft Massive introduced new content and features, such as the endgame activity “Lost Falcon” or the Gear Score. Now, screenshots have surfaced that are said to show new clothing items for the Division agents. Or is this just a hoax?
Assassin through Manhattan
The reddit user Wooleyful reported that after updating to 1.1, he started his Xbox and played The Division. He noticed that some of his clothing items were missing. A look into his inventory amazed him: he supposedly found some new items, including outfits from Ubisoft games Assassin’s Creed, Splinter Cell, and Watch Dogs. You can see the “evidence images” below:
Assassin’s Creed:Watch Dogs:
Splinter Cell:
Considering that Massive’s MMO shooter has suffered numerous bugs and glitches since the 1.1 update, it wouldn’t be too surprising if future outfits accidentally appeared.
We remain skeptical about these images. For one, this user seems to be the only player who has “randomly” received these outfit packs, as there are no further images of them online. On the other hand, it is no longer a big challenge today to assemble something like this using image editing software. This matter should be treated with utmost caution.
The “Rainbow Six Siege” outfit is currently free
However, we can report with certainty that agents can currently acquire the “Rainbow Six Siege” outfit for free. Here’s how to get it:
Download the Uplay app on your PC, log in, and add Rainbow Six Siege to your library. You don’t even have to start the download of the game. Currently, a free “Rainbow Six Siege” weekend is ongoing on PC, allowing you to do this at no additional cost.
You can also get the outfit this way on consoles. Afterwards, you need to select and unlock the reward in the Ubisoft Club for free. Now visit the reward vendor in the Operations Base in The Division and grab the outfit.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Destiny , the Trials of Osiris will be active starting April 15.
Compared to the last few weeks, there will be several changes in the Trials of Osiris.
This week, the matches will take place on the map “Black Shield.” The Trials will run until Tuesday at 11:00 AM.
Players will now start with special ammo again, and Bungie has significantly weakened the reviving mechanics. Players will take longer to revive each other, and revived players are somewhat weaker than before. Also, the standard exotics that accelerated revives are no longer functioning as well as they did last week, such as “Light Behind Nemesis” or “The Mark of Alpha-Lupi.”
That and the balance changes to weapons should lead to a new meta.
No more fixed rewards for 5 and 7 victories – instead random parts up to 335 Light
The rewards have also been adjusted – the chest on Mercury should now be even more valuable. It will no longer only yield weapons but also Trials armor. The rewards you get in the Trials should range up to 335. Probably, the new philosophy applies here as well, and the value of the rewards you receive depends on your light level; try to be above it, but also not too far above (usually within 5 points).
The bulk of the rewards will still come through the loot that Brother Vance distributes.
If you want to reach Mercury, remember to activate the bonuses on your passes.
The rewards for 5 and 7 victories are currently still unclear. We will note them down once we have learned more.
Update: For 5 victories, there is an armor piece, and for 7 victories, there is a weapon. It is no longer fixed which piece you get exactly, but it is randomly determined. The items are “light level” dependent and can go up to 335, provided that the guardians already have a high light level. This has been confirmed by the first players.
A special highlight that many are eagerly anticipating is the new emblem of the Trials. Many will surely want to obtain it and are willing to go over corpses for it. Make sure you’re not one of those corpses!
A special gimmick is that tonight from 8:00 PM on PlayStation 4, a Bungie Bounty will take place. Those lucky enough to be randomly matched against a team of 2 Bungie employees and one community member and take them down will receive a special emblem. The spectacle is scheduled to run until 10 PM.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In SMITE there is a new, cute goddess. The huntress Jing Wei enters the battlefield.
Jing Wei – The Oath Keeper
Since Wednesday, April 13, 2016, the new patch 3.6 for SMITE is live. It brought with it a new goddess. The huntress Jing Wei joins the fight of the pantheons and can now be purchased for 11,000 favor or 200 gems.
Jing Wei is also known as “the Oath Keeper”, as she has – who would have thought – made an oath. Unfortunately, a very absurd one, as she has been tempted to throw stones into the sea until it is completely filled, so that no one can drown in it anymore. Well… she looks cute. So we can forgive her.
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.
The passive ability Rapid Reincarnation allows Jing Wei to fly at increased speed for 5 seconds when leaving her base, allowing her to cover a large distance on the battlefield quickly.
With Persistent Gust, she can summon a small whirlwind that lasts for 6 seconds. The whirlwind lifts enemies into the air and deals minor damage. If Jing herself is caught in the wind, she is briefly lifted as well, but afterwards has an increased attack speed for a few seconds.
Explosive Bolts enhances the next 3 basic attacks of the goddess. They have an increased critical hit chance and explode in a small area. Items with “On Hit” effects distribute their effects to all targets hit.
For pursuit or escape, Agility is well-suited. Jing Wei dashes a few meters forward in a straight line and is then immune to effects that would reduce her attack speed for 5 seconds. Agility can also be used while Jing Wei is already in the air to generate additional range.
Her Ultimate Air Strike allows Jing Wei to take off and deal area damage in a large area in front of her. Afterwards, she hovers for 2 seconds and can choose a location for landing.
Skins and Balancing Changes – The Underworld Calls
The new patch also brought numerous new skins that can now be purchased for gems. A large part of the skins belongs to the ongoing “Underworld” event.
Odin has watched just a bit too much Kung-Fu Panda and has fully embraced his animal side with his costume Pandamonium. Guan Yu now probably belongs to the apocalyptic riders, as his Grim Horseman outfit makes him quite dark. Similarly dark is Hades, the boss of the current event: Grim Wraith looks quite creepy.
Aside from that, there are also small changes to the balance, here are the most important points in brief:
Scylla now scales a bit better with Magical Power.
Sylvanus has lower cooldowns and mana costs for the spell “Nature’s Grasp”
Apollo’s mana costs have been reduced
Agni receives a higher attack speed for basic attacks.
A comprehensive list of all changes can be found in our sources.
In May, TERA will receive a new class. The Ninjas will arrive in the USA in May, but when will they be available for us?
Ninjas – Elin with oversized Shurikens
EnMasse, the American publisher for TERA, has announced that the next class, the Ninja, will be released in May. The exclusive class for Elin primarily fights with a large shuriken and performs fast, hard attacks, but is also fragile in return. There is already a first trailer for the new class available.
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.
As only Elin are able to become a Ninja, this class is again gender-locked. So if someone cannot relate to the cute girls with a big heart for nature, they will probably not be happy with the new class.
Currently, there is no fixed date for the Ninja’s release in Europe. However, fans expect a release in May here as well. But that is merely speculation. Since TERA will soon celebrate its 4th anniversary, it would fit perfectly.
The corresponding patch includes more content as well. Three new dungeons for the endgame are added, and players can now move in a new way: flying mounts are coming to the world of TERA.
A look at Korea – Cyber Weapons
In Korea, the game’s country of origin, different topics are currently being addressed. New weapons are in focus, which are visually impressive. The new weapon models have a futuristic touch and combine bright neon colors with modern technology.
You can find more news and articles about the MMORPG with the sexy characters on our TERA topic page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter The Division, an exploit in the raid “Falcon Lost” is spreading within the community. This allows agents to destroy the MTW without resistance.
Hardly had the raid update gone live, when the first exploits and glitches in Falcon Lost were discovered. Agents can “glitch” through a wall to reach the MTW without being attacked.
Meanwhile, the “big” English-speaking gaming sites are reporting with step-by-step guides about this exploit. It can definitely no longer be kept a secret. But we also ask the question: Is this exploit even worth it?
With the “Falcon Lost Exploit” through the wall
According to reports from the community on reddit, this glitch works in both the Hard and Challenging modes of “Falcon Lost”. The exploit occurs in such a way that agents can glitch through a wall with the skill Mobile Cover to reach the MTW safely. Mobile Cover has been used several times to trick the physics of the game.
Subsequently, agents can increase their electronics value, pull out the sticky grenade, and heat the armored vehicle together. Since the sticky grenade deals Exotic Damage, and apparently the bombs also cause this damage, you can destroy the MTW in this way.
However, this exploit is not that easy, which raises the question of whether it is even worth it for agents: It takes a very long time to destroy the boss with the sticky grenades, even if you are using consumables. In Challenge Mode, it takes even longer.
To take down the armored vehicle in this way, you need not only high electronics values but also patience. For a while, you will have to engage in the tedious repetition of the same action: firing sticky grenades and waiting for them to recharge. In the following video, Gamespot reports that it takes them 30-45 minutes for two people, and that’s “only” on Hard!
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.
If you are four people, this action doesn’t take as long, but you have to consider whether it wouldn’t be more sensible to tackle the raid through the “normal” way and experience fun and a challenge. Moreover, it is reported that there are issues with loot regarding the exploit. But even here, there are already suggested solutions in the depths of the internet.
The challenge of the Challenge Mode, which some agents still find too difficult, can be easily bypassed in this way. With our “Falcon Lost” guide for the Challenge Mode, you can also manage this challenge in a decent manner. It is better to check that out than to misuse the exploit.
When Massive will respond to the “Falcon Lost Glitch” is still unknown.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
With Battleborn being a hero shooter in open beta for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. How does the hero shooter play? An impression from the beta.
Since April 13, it is finally here: Battleborn is now open to the public on PC. The developers of the Borderlands series have put in a lot of effort and are sending a wide and very varied roster of heroes into the race for the hearts of buyers. You won’t be alone: direct competitors like Overwatch by Blizzard or Paladins by Hi-Rez all want a piece of the pie in the mob shooter genre.
The roster of heroes: From the four-armed girl to the French gentleman robot
Who has not always wanted to see what happens when you put a little penguin into a battle robot? Or how a sword-swinging space ronin plays?
Battleborn covers a large part of the general madness with its 25 heroes. From the crazy professor to the eagle with a jetpack, everything can be found that you’ve never seen in Borderlands because it was too over-the-top. Or as a friend aptly put it yesterday: “The developers thought that people had gotten so used to Borderlands that they could push it even further.”
The PVP modes: A big bucket of MOBA and a pinch of first-person shooter
In the open beta, you can choose between the mode “Heist” and “Meltdown.” The former also leads to the map “Overgrown” where the goal is to take out the two opposing spider druids and protect your own.
In this, minions and mercenaries support you, which you need to defeat so that they fight for you. Heroes of the Storm greets you. Additionally, you can build and upgrade turrets at fixed points for crystals you collect throughout the map. It is also possible to summon especially strong minions or build support towers. However, due to the sheer number of units, things can quickly become chaotic on the screen.
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.
In the latter mode, the goal is to escort your minions to a smelting furnace. At the destination, the robots plunge into the flames and are turned into scrap metal. The team that gathers a certain amount first wins the match.
Every hero is unique, every player is responsible for themselves
During a match (in PVP or PVE), your character levels up and you unlock new talents that modify existing abilities or your equipment. Additionally, at level 5 you gain access to your ultimate ability. When using abilities, just pay attention to the cooldowns, as there is no mana. Each hero plays completely differently.
Some rely on “normal” equipment like rifles or pistols and must reload their weapons. Others use swords, magic, or rely on sophisticated technology.
Since everyone in the team is responsible for themselves, it can happen that the levels of the individual heroes on the team are different. I like the experience point pool of Heroes of the Storm much better. A little communism is not so bad sometimes.
This owl can kill.
The missions: 30 – 50 minutes of pure screen chaos
In addition to the normal PVP modes, Battleborn also features the option to team up with up to four other players in story-driven episodes against waves of enemies. Each episode has its own little story to tell. Even special treasure chests sometimes drop from enemies that may contain rare gear. You can combine these into sets of up to three items, enhancing your characters with increased reload speed, health regeneration, or similar perks.
Battleborn fully embraces the popular (or hated) humor from the Borderlands series. Everything is very bright and exaggerated, the characters all have their quirks, and each boss is typically introduced by a short video. Unfortunately, the funny text additions are missing. We only learn the name of the boss.
From Borderlands: Beautiful information snippets like with Nine-Toes (He has 9 toes and 3 eggs) are unfortunately missing.
I grabbed a friend just in time for the beta’s start, and together, supported by three other players, we tackled the two episodes that are playable in the open beta. In the first mission, “The Algorithm,” the group faced a powerful AI. Therefore, the opposing hordes consisted entirely of robots. First doubts about the variety of enemies arose, as both of us felt very reminded of the hordes of robots from Borderlands 2.
During the roughly 45 minutes we needed for the episode, we had to face several bosses. And I’m not exaggerating when I say that I was really positively surprised by the boss mechanics and the layout of the map.
At the beginning, we started in an industrial complex, then went outside into the icy cold full of snow, and finally entered an ancient temple full of lava. And all of that in just 30 minutes. Definitely the more varied of the two episodes. For the final battle, we even found ourselves in a huge, blue hall, where we had to defeat a giant, four-legged robot.
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.
The second episode called “Edge of Oblivion,” on the other hand, threw two other kinds of enemies at us. First, we fought against hordes of gray-skinned beasts. Later, we faced black phantoms that clearly originated from another spatial dimension. During the mission, we had to protect a giant robot and escort it to its destination. Towards the end, we faced a skyscraper-sized boss that even teleported us to another dimension during the battle.
Those who enjoyed the missions and boss fights of the Borderlands series will find everything here in compressed form, and it is wonderful. You just have to get used to the sheer volume of effects. Right from the start, I was nearly overwhelmed by the explosions and light effects.
What ultimately remains to be said about the open beta of Battleborn?
Battleborn really surprised me positively during the open beta. I didn’t expect much from the MOBA shooter, and my expectations were accordingly low. The episodes (there are said to be 9 in the finished game) amazed me during my first playthrough. In comparison with Destiny, when it came out, these missions are leagues better.
The bosses are not just boring sponges that soak up too many bullets, and the environment is much more varied.
Even the PVP mode plays fun. Where I spent most time was in the mode “Heist.” This one reminds me a lot of Heroes of the Storm in its setup, and I like that.
However, there is a catch: €50 is personally too much for a game that has over 9 episodes, several multiplayer maps, and 25 heroes. But I can truly only recommend that everyone checks out Battleborn by April 18.
If you are interested in first-person shooters or MOBAs and enjoyed the strikes from Destiny, you’ll have a lot of fun. Best with a companion.
This report from the beta of Battleborn comes from our reader Lucas Kaczynski.
If you are now tempted to play a round of Battleborn, this article has everything you need to sign up for the open beta!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Rust, there is a push for the enforcement of gender roles. The lead developer has taken a stand.
After Rust recently faced criticism from many fans for randomly assigning players a gender, lead designer Garry Newman has elaborated in a lengthy blog post. If you think he is backtracking and regrets his decision: think again!
“It does not improve the game if you can choose the gender of your character!”
Newman is quite clear and direct in his blog post. He does not shy away from criticism. He states: “Rust is not a game about identity. The goal in Rust is to survive. This is made difficult by the threats of starvation, dehydration, radiation, weather, or bear attacks.”
However, there are also very good reasons why players cannot freely determine the appearance of their character. In Rust, like in almost all survival games, trust among players plays a large role. “A survivor should not be able to rob other players and then return in a different form and with a different gender to ingratiate themselves into the group.” This means: Anyone who misbehaves in the game must live with the consequences of being recognized in the future and cannot escape into a new avatar.
Criticism has also come from some transgender individuals who view such forced gender roles negatively; one described the system as “frightening and uncomfortable.” Other players feel harassed because they believe they are being forced into “feminist ideals.”
Women have reportedly reacted very positively to the new system. Allegedly, several female players welcomed the changes, even if they still had to play as a male character.
In conclusion, Newman reinforces the decision once again:
“We do not believe that it improves the game if we allow you to freely choose gender and skin color. On the other hand, all our needs as developers are met if we randomly assign you gender and skin color.”
They are like fire and water, like dog and cat, like beer and wine. We are talking about theme park and sandbox MMOs. It seems that every online role-playing game falls into one of these two categories more or less. But what do the terms actually mean?
What is a Sandbox, actually?
By a sandbox, we usually understand a game principle that is supposed to offer players maximum freedom in as open a world as possible. So a game in which players are allowed to craft most or even all items, trade with each other, and explore the world freely. There is usually also a comprehensive housing system in which players can create their dream home along with interior design. Only a few quests, if there are any at all, guide players through the game world. It relies on grinding.
Instead of a predetermined plot, players write their own stories against the backdrop of the game world by interacting with other players and experiencing more or less exciting adventures. Just like in the namesake sandbox, where only the imagination of the children playing in it sets the limits of what is possible. Games like the old Ultima Online, EVE Online and Black Desert Online are typical sandboxes.
Theme Park?
The opposite of an open sandbox is the theme park. Here, instead of a freely accessible, open world, we usually have a pre-fabricated system of locations that guide us through the world with a continuous story and numerous quests.
It’s like when we go to Disneyland and obediently follow the path through the attractions. Free exploration is neither desired nor necessary in most theme parks. Because everything our heroes need to see is presented to them at the appropriate time.
Often, special events take place in instanced areas where only one’s own group exists. A good example is SWTOR, where every planet becomes a location at some point in the story, and a clear thread of quests guides us completely from A to B across the respective world.
Although many theme parks have a crafting system, crafting is often only trivial decoration: trading among players is not very relevant.
However, theme parks excel with excitingly staged stories and scenarios that would have no place in a rather generically handled sandbox MMO. Games like SWTOR and The Secret World are therefore particularly typical representatives of the theme park genre.
Can’t both exist?
Numerous games do not entirely fall into either of the two categories. For instance, ArcheAge has long been referred to as a “sandpark” game. Not as player-driven as a sandbox, but certainly more free than a theme park.
Even the hardest sandbox games usually have a tutorial where players are guided in a more structured manner; there is occasionally a plot – and one moves from the beginner zone A through the advanced zone B into the endgame zone C in games like Black Desert or ArcheAge.
And not every theme park game has crafting that is complete nonsense or exploration of the world that is pointless. A Final Fantasy XIV or Guild Wars 2 places significant value on crafting. Guild Wars 2 has also committed to exploring the world, and The Elder Scrolls Online often has that in mind.
One of the best housing systems can be found in WildStar, otherwise a typical representative of the theme park genre. Even in the prototypical theme park World of Warcraft, trading is left to players, allowing some to create their own economic simulation.
But fundamentally, every MMO can be found somewhere between the two extremes of “sandbox” and “theme park”.
Jürgen thinks: I am actually pretty much on the side of theme park MMOs. This is mainly because I am a fan of good stories and prefer a well-staged plot in every game. That’s why I was also very impressed by SWTOR and TESO. But on the other hand, the MMO genre is not ideally suited for such stagings.
Especially in SWTOR, it quickly became silly when several heroes in the group instances suddenly were the great hero of the Republic or the feared new Sith Lord. Solo RPGs like The Witcher handle that much better. Nevertheless, a game becomes more appealing to me when I can optimally identify with my character and the world. And theme parks achieve this – at least for me – better than sandboxes, where I am just a generic Joe among many.
But that’s just my humble opinion. I would like to know how you feel about this topic? Are you more of a theme park visitor or a dedicated sandbox player? Do the current titles actually meet your expectations?
[intense_blockquote color=”#f0f0f0″] Do you want to learn more about this topic? Then read these articles:
In Diablo 3, the new Patch 2.4.1 is just around the corner, and it has some nice surprises in store for the players.
New companions, new items for transmutation, as well as portrait frames and accessories can be obtained in this patch. The developers at Blizzard are particularly focused on the aesthetics in the new season of Diablo 3. After all, you want to look good while slaughtering hordes of monsters – a stained fine-ribbed undershirt is simply not enough to stand out.
An overview of the new transmutation items in Diablo 3
Transmutation items – Click to enlarge.
To obtain these new transmutations, you need to complete various tasks scattered throughout the world of Sanctuary. Sometimes you have to kill enemies with special names or open rare chests hidden on the map. The items in the picture are, of course, just a small taste of what you can expect with the new patch in Diablo 3.
New companions for your Diablo 3 characters
If you’re looking for new companions that will accompany your heroes as non-combat creatures, then the guy in the picture will be your new best friend. These companions will now not only be available through promotions or seasonal rewards, but this companion will be available to everyone. That’s why this Goblin has a selection of companions hidden in his bag that you can obtain.
The “dangerous” companions. Click to enlarge.
As you can see, these companions are very different. Some are particularly frightening… the others… not.
New accessories will also be available in Diablo 3 – but they are not easy to obtain
The new accessories are said to be particularly rare and also to be found scattered throughout the entire world of Sanctuary. Some are harder to find than others, but none of these rewards are supposed to be easy to acquire. Only players with strong ambition will be able to obtain these accessories. From portrait frames to special wings, there are many innovations in this patch for Season 6 of Diablo 3.
Rare, new accessories. Click to enlarge.
What new items or accessories are you most looking forward to?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In The Division, the Incursion “Falcon Lost” poses significant challenges for many agents in Challenging Mode. We provide tips on how to tackle this challenge.
Since the 1.1 update, the Incursion “Falcon Lost” in Challenge Mode is the biggest challenge in The Division. However, stylish rewards await you at the end. YouTuber Arekkz Gaming shows in the video how to complete this Incursion on Challenging.
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.
This is what to expect in the Incursion “Falcon Lost” in The Division
Before you complete this Incursion in Challenge Mode, you must first understand the basics:
In “Falcon Lost,” you face waves of enemies. Your goal is to destroy an armored personnel carrier (APC). You need to place bombs on its rear to inflict damage.
In total, you must fight through 15 waves of enemies. Specific enemies will appear carrying the required bombs. You can recognize them by an orange diamond above their heads. Kill them and pick up the bomb, which is shown with a yellow beam, similar to high-end drops.
You need to damage the APC four times with bombs. You can acquire the bombs during the 4th, 8th, 11th, and 15th waves. Before you can place the bombs, you must deactivate two turrets.
It is advisable to designate one player in advance who will handle the bomb. This way, it is clear during the Incursion who is responsible for it.
How to prepare for the Incursion in Challenge Mode
The second skill should be responsible for crowd control: You need to be able to control hordes of enemies. The Turret with the Flamethrower or Taser mod is suitable for this. However, the Sticky Grenade with flash effect is more recommended, as hackers will come during the Incursion who can access your turret. A member can also use the Tactical Scanner to mark enemies and deal more damage to them.
How to proceed in “Falcon Lost” in Challenge Mode
Below, we outline how you can proceed in this Incursion to survive and claim the rewards.
Start by descending into the channel, where you will immediately face some tough enemies at level 34. You can quickly get used to these tough brutes because all enemies in Challenge Mode are elite at level 34. You will then encounter drones, which you can temporarily paralyze with the flash effect of the Sticky Grenade. Take them out.
Continue and enter a large room where the Incursion truly begins. Jump through the window and head to the right. For orientation, see the following graphic from Arekkz:
Here, you will receive visits from some enemies. Keep the rushers under control with your turrets and sticky grenades. Don’t forget to use your Support Stations. Stay together and defeat the enemies as a team.
Once the majority of the wave is defeated, you can rush to the “Trench” in the middle of the map, marked as “Trench” in the graphic. Here you will spend the rest of the fight: The bridges above you protect against the APC’s mortar attacks, there are ammo crates, and you can systematically eliminate the enemies.
Here, the highest priority is to kill the rushers first. You can detect them with the pulse before they cause you damage. Then position yourself near the stairs to kill the other enemies.
From the third wave, prepare for flying drones. Again, use the sticky grenade with the flash effect.
From the fourth wave, the first enemy carrying a bomb will appear. Kill him and the majority of the other enemies before your “bomb specialist” picks up the bomb. However, don’t take too long, as more enemies will spawn otherwise. So, deal with the rushers and snipers first and then focus on the bomb.
Now you must split your team. Two agents go left to the turret terminal, while two go right to the turret terminal. You can see where they are in the graphic:
Once the turrets are deactivated, you have about 10 seconds to place the bomb on the APC. All agents should then sprint back to the “Trench” in the middle. Here you are safe from the APC’s mortar fire.
You must repeat this procedure during waves 8, 11, and 15. However, keep in mind that the enemies will increase in number and strength, but your tactics remain the same.
Important notes and tips:
Don’t forget to take out the rushers first in the “Trench” before they overwhelm you.
Make sure to stay together and revive each other quickly if one of you goes down. Work as a team and communicate with each other!
By wave 10, you should switch from turrets to sticky grenades as a skill since hackers will appear that want to use these turrets against you.
During wave 15, enemies will spawn relentlessly. In this case, just kill the enemies that cause the most problems (rushers, snipers, hackers). The entire team should then rush to the left turret terminal and deactivate it. Place the last bomb and quickly return to the “Trench.” Active individual skills can be a great help here. Once the armored APC is destroyed, you have completed the Incursion and can enjoy the loot.
In the video at the beginning of the article, you can see this tactic in Challenge Mode with moving images.
If you still have trouble with “Falcon Lost” on Hard, you can also check out the video from YouTuber Schorri TV. He gives some tips on how to stand against the LMB there:
The action MOBA Paragon by Epic Games takes stock after 4 weeks of Early Access and confirms free multiplayer weekends.
The Battle for Agora
Since March 18, Paragon has been in Early Access. It’s time for Epic Games’ Creative Director, Steve Superville, to take a brief overview. Additionally, there is an infographic with some numbers, supported by nice images:
The first month went well according to Superville, but there is still a long way to go until the final game. Some things will still be changed or even newly added. At the top of the list are bug fixes and quality improvements, along with balance changes for the heroes, improvements to deck composition, and player matchmaking.
However, more maps and new heroes are also on the travel plan until the release. For example, the new character Iggy & Scorch will be added to the game next Thursday. You can see the first gameplay of this fiery-crazy duo 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.
Anyone who has registered for the upcoming beta can also get an initial overview of the state of the MOBA in several free multiplayer weekends.
When you will receive your invitation has not yet been announced, but players shouldn’t have to wait much longer, according to Superville.
In closing, he also thanked the players for their active interest and the countless suggestions and information in their forum and on Reddit, which provide the team with good feedback to optimize the game in this early phase.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Today is the third round of the game mode rotation in League of Legends (LoL) – this weekend we are throwing Poros.
After “The Rise” last weekend kicked off the big game mode rotation, this afternoon, presumably around 4:00 PM (maybe earlier), we continue with a well-known game mode. “The Legend of the Poroking” was last seen in December 2015 during the Winter Joys event of League of Legends.
What do you need to do at the Poroking event in LoL?
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.
Good news right at the beginning: There aren’t many rules to follow.
The game mode is played on the ARAM map, the howling abyss. Similar rules apply that are also found in ARAM.
No random champions, ban phase win team fights, destroy towers, destroy nexus – almost everything as usual.
2 new Summoner Spells
Poro Throw: Similar to the snowball summoner spell, you throw a Poro at an opponent. If you hit an opponent, you can activate the spell again and teleport to the target. Each hit also gives your team a point.
To the King: If a team reaches 10 points through “Poro Throw,” the Poroking falls from the sky onto the map (similar to Pantheon’s ultimate ability). With the summoner spell “to the king,” you can teleport directly to the Poroking from any distance.
If the king appears for your team, you should definitely protect him. He offers you high siege potential, due to increased mana regeneration, area healing, and deals area damage to opponents.
If the king is fighting for the opposing team, you should quickly take him out.
So, make sure to use your Poro Throw ability as often as possible to quickly summon the Poroking.
In the MMO shooter Destiny Xur arrives today on April 15th in the Tower. Has anything changed after the patch?
Last Tuesday, the new patch for Destiny was released. Today, Xur makes his appearance. Bungie has not talked about Xur at all in the last few months. This could indicate that nothing has been changed about the man who established tentacles as fashionable facial hair. It could also mean that huge surprises are waiting that they simply did not want to spoil. But that seems rather unlikely if Destiny follows its tradition.
World quests will be a major component of the endgame of World of Warcraft: Legion. We have the details for you.
Something to do every day – everywhere in the world
With the upcoming expansion “Legion,” the endgame content of World of Warcraft aims to be significantly more diverse than it was with Warlords of Draenor. The latest patch of the Alpha of Legion allows players to climb up to level 110. Thus, the first real endgame content will also be unlocked. One of these new features will be the “world quests,” which will be available to all players at max level.
What exactly are world quests?
The times of daily missions are over. To participate in world quests, you simply need to open the world map and see different tasks at various locations on the shattered islands. The tasks are supposed to be quite varied and appeal to as many player types as possible. Those who want can simply kill mobs and collect objects in the usual manner. If that becomes too monotonous, they can complete various PvP objectives, engage in certain pet battles, or hunt rare mobs.
If you want to do PvP, you can also complete world quests with that.
Important: These missions do not rotate daily but have different cooldowns. Particularly extensive assignments remain for a week, while smaller tasks may be exchanged after just a few hours. The goal is to create a “constantly evolving map” where players always have something to do after a short time.
Envoys in the class halls
Additionally, each day an envoy visits the character’s class hall and has a specific request.
You do not have to fulfill the envoy’s tasks immediately – up to 3 envoys can “gather” in the class hall, so if you want to take them all, you only need to check the map once every 3 days. To complete these tasks, 4 world quests related to the envoy must be completed. Each time, the reward is a chest with substantial loot.
In general, the loot from world quests should not be trivial, but rather an important component of character development that remains relevant throughout the expansion. In addition to pure “power items” like armor and trinkets, there are also toys and pet battles – there is something for everyone.
Mein-MMO says: On paper, world quests sound quite good, but they also strongly remind of the events from Guild Wars 2 or the “bonus missions” that were already introduced in Warlords of Draenor. Since the activities are intended to differentiate more here and include everything from PvE to PvP to pet battles, the feature will likely appeal to more players than just mindlessly farming Apex crystals. However, it remains to be seen whether the rewards will truly remain worthwhile for a long time and that this does not just become a replacement for daily quests.
In The Division, buyers of the Season Pass can look forward to exclusive content. We show you what you will receive in April.
With the Season Pass for The Division, agents gain access to the upcoming paid expansions, which are set to be released in the first year of the MMO shooter. These include Underground (June), Survival (Summer), and Last Stand (Winter). You can view the Year-One content of The Division here.
Furthermore, buyers of the Season Pass receive exclusive monthly benefits. Massive has illustrated what these are for the month of April in the following graphic:
Accordingly, you will receive:
A weapon skin “Glitch – Crimson”
8 high-end crafting materials
Three each of all consumables
These contents are now available to Season Pass holders, as Massive reports.
The Season Pass costs 39.99 euros on all platforms and is required to access future content from The Division.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Blizzard has once again unveiled some cards from Hearthstone for “The Whispering of the Old Gods”. Check them out here.
The Return of Deathwing
It will take a few weeks until “The Whispering of the Old Gods”, the latest expansion for Hearthstone, is released. However, Blizzard is constantly releasing new cards through well-known streamers, which we will then feature separately here. Today, Shadow Priests and dragon fans can rejoice, as Deathwing is making his return.
The highlight of the reveals is definitely the legendary neutral minion Deathwing, Dragonlord. In his corrupted form (strictly speaking, he was already corrupted before – details, details!) he is a 12/12 minion for 10 mana and thus quite powerful on his own. However, he truly shines with his deathrattle: Put all dragons from your hand onto the battlefield. Those who have the other aspects in hand will have a pretty solid board that few enemies can contend with. I’m already diligently crafting a dragon deck in my mind…
Priests can rejoice over the card with the coolest artwork so far (no arguments allowed). Embrace the Shadow is a spell for 2 mana that converts all healing effects of the priest into damage abilities for the rest of the turn. Thus, “Flash Heal”, “Light of the Naaru”, and “Circle of Healing” become quite devastating spells. For the “pure effect”, the card is a cheaper version of the Auchenai Soulpriest, which also has the advantage of being active only in the current turn, allowing one to actually focus on healing in the next turn.
Mages are getting a new minion. The Faceless Summoner is a 5/5 creature for 6 mana. However, it becomes really strong due to its battlecry: Summon a random minion that costs 3 mana. Thus, you have an average of 8/8 in stats for only 6 mana on the field. In various forums, this card is already being called a “no-brainer” and an absolute must-have card, which will practically be the “new Dr. Boom for Mages”. Already, there is a great outcry that this card is too powerful.
Another minion for Mages is the Servant of Yogg-Saron. For 5 mana, you get a 5/4 minion that also has a battlecry with a high random factor: Cast a random spell that costs 5 or less (targets are chosen randomly). At first glance, this seems more like a card for fun decks, as the random factor is simply too high – who would want to get a fireball to the face themselves?
Also, Rogues can look forward to a new minion. The epic card Shadowcaster costs 5 mana and gives the Rogue a minion with 4/4 and the battlecry: Choose a friendly minion. Add a 1/1 copy of that minion to your hand, it costs 1. Two Shadowcasters could thus infinitely duplicate themselves – endless possibilities if you like 1/1 minions. Alternatively, one could also copy large minions with great effects, such as Ragnaros, for a 1-mana fireball.
Finally, Hunters are getting a rare minion, the Forlorn Hunter with solid stats of 4/2 for 3 mana. As a battlecry, it gives a special buff, as it grants all minions in the Hunter’s hand with deathrattle +1/+1. Now, it would just need Hunter decks that are based on deathrattle. For the “Wild” game mode, this is certainly an interesting card, but for “Standard” it is probably not, as many deathrattle cards from Naxxramas are disappearing 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.
All users of iOs devices can choose to purchase the new hero Khadgar until April 24th. He is a Mage (yes, the 3rd Mage now) and can be obtained for 5€. However, Blizzard does not keep this money for themselves, but 100% of the proceeds go to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Those who unlock the hero on their mobile device can also use it on other devices afterwards.
It is not yet known whether Khadgar will be offered at the “normal” price and also on other platforms afterwards.
You can find more news and articles about Blizzard’s card game on our Hearthstone topic page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
![The Division: Glitched – Hotfix comes Friday evening [Update]](https://images.mein-mmo.de/medien/2016/04/division-agent-rennen.jpg)
Do you want to learn more about this topic? Then read these articles:
