Just in time for Christmas, due to the warmth, there are some Easter Eggs from Hearthstone. Which ones did you already know about?
Easter Eggs in Winter
As part of the Warcraft universe, Hearthstone is full of hidden humor and numerous references. Anyone who has looked at the card comments in the collection must have grinned several times. But even during the ongoing matches, you can discover some hidden lines from cards repeatedly.
Cairne Bloodhoof reacts particularly when you play him against Garrosh. Even the latest expansion “The League of Explorers” is full of such hidden references. The YouTuber Disguised Toast has taken the time to uncover some of the best Easter Eggs.
Some of them are just amusing in nature, while others reveal a bit about the lore and the relationships between different characters. You should check out the video for yourself.
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Particularly amusing were the minions that you cannot actually obtain. Only through cards with control effects (e.g., Mind Control or Sylvanas) can you control these minions, and therefore you hear their lines when played and attacked rather rarely.
Which of these Easter Eggs did you already know?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Hearthstone is certainly a well-known game to many. However, it is not the only representative of this genre. Some more will be presented to you below. For this reason, here are the 5 best CCGs of this year.
Spellweaver TCG
Spellweaver takes a lot from the competition but also brings its own aspects. The combat system looks very similar to Magic, but the gameplay feels completely different. Creatures have a speed value. Faster units cannot attack or block slower ones. Since high-speed minions are usually weaker than slower ones, you need to think carefully about your priorities when building your deck.
Those who want to attack must make the same decisions. Should I attack the opponent’s creature or hero with my fastest creature or not? If it has attacked, it cannot block during the opponent’s turn. However, thanks to its high speed, it would be well-suited for that.
There is only one phase in which the opponent can intervene in your turn: the combat phase. This makes it a good compromise between a complex game and a pleasant, fluid gameplay.
The release is planned for January 2016, but the Open Beta already plays very well. And as is common with other titles, everything can be earned without spending money.
Card Hunter differs significantly from the classic representatives of this genre. You can already see this in the visuals but also in the fact that it emphasizes the single-player campaign or cooperative mode. The classic PvP gameplay, in which you are usually thrown into a very short tutorial, is not the sole focus of this game. But, of course, it remains an important aspect.
Nevertheless, the aspects that you would expect from a TCG/CCG are present at their core. However, it is presented as an RPG. There are various heroes from which you form your party. Each character has its own deck, which is determined by the items you equip it with. Each item adds several cards. Although you don’t have complete control over deck building, it is still very exciting. You may have to decide between a weapon with 3 weak and 3 normal attacks and one with 4 weak and 2 strong attacks.
The combat system thus plays out like a turn-based RPG. There are no banal slaughters but tactically challenging battles. The item shop is as fair as usual.
Duelyst
Duelyst brings refreshing variety to the genre. For both the player hero and the units are figures on the tiled game board. The goal is thus to kill the opponent’s general and protect your own. At the same time, your general is one of the strongest, at least when upgraded with appropriate cards. Furthermore, some units receive bonuses when near it. This means you actually want to participate actively in the combat with your hero but must be careful not to get surrounded by the opponent.
Additionally, many units have special effects similar to Hearthstone. For example, there are battle cries, or abilities that are triggered upon summoning. And of course, there are traits that would not be possible in Blizzard’s spin-off due to the playing field. Being able to attack in a row or damage bonuses when the attack is executed from behind. All in all, this adds immense tactical depth to the gameplay.
The matches themselves play relatively quickly. The resource system will be familiar to many, as it corresponds to Hearthstone. The difference is that you draw two cards per round and can exchange one.
A deck editor is certainly available, as well as quests and seasons. Due to numerous rewards, the free-to-play system is very fair.
Magic Duels
Every year, a new version of the game appears for the computer. Now with Magic Duels, they want to create something more durable. Fundamentally, it is a very good game. And if you enjoyed the Planeswalker series at all, you will have fun here.
Magic Duels has great potential. With new cards being released regularly for the TCG, the online version would have constant updates. Unfortunately, they are currently released very delayed. And when an edition is added, not all cards are available online.
Quests are also available through which you can earn gold for new boosters. However, you must play with a specific deck type. You are not allowed to use the deck editor but must use a deck-building helper. Anyone who has used the one from Hearthstone can guess that nothing good comes from this. And with these bad decks, you have to complete the quests.
However, these are things that can certainly be improved. And if you look past that, you have a very good game in front of you. The duels are as exciting as usual, and if you want, you can try the two-headed giant mode. In this mode, four players play, two of whom share life points. And since you only draw cards from boosters that you don’t already have in maximum quantity, it offers a nice free-to-play model.
Hearthstone
Of course, Hearthstone cannot be missing here. After all, it made the genre mainstream. Before that, they lived a lonely existence as niche titles.
Fast dynamic duels and simple yet understandable mechanics make the game perfectly suitable for newcomers. Although critics constantly claim otherwise, the game is anything but simple. Many cards have additional abilities and allow for numerous synergies. With control decks, some games resemble a chess match. And yet, it plays at a pleasant pace.
With loving details and visual effects, Hearthstone can also impress graphically. Regular expansions and variety thanks to the card chaos and adventures are guaranteed. And through quest and season rewards, you can also earn a lot without spending money.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
It has been a few months distracted from the problems of MMO worlds, and another year has already passed. There was a lot to report in 2015 and many questions about difficulties, preferences, and opinions. As the last “Mein-MMO asks” this year, we want to take a look into the future and ask you: What are you most looking forward to gaming-wise in 2016? Is it a special title, such as Black Desert, World of Warcraft: Legion, or Overwatch? Or are you hoping for a certain technology, like gaming glasses, to finally achieve a technological breakthrough?
Tell us what you’re most looking forward to in 2016!
Cortyn says: Honestly, I don’t really know where to start with 2016. There are so many games that I am incredibly excited about. After giving up the thought of ever completely leaving World of Warcraft, I am of course burning with anticipation for the new expansion “Legion”, but also for the movie – as long as it doesn’t get postponed again.
At the same time, I get excited when I think about the release of Final Fantasy XV – there will be at least three days when I will chain myself to the Playstation and shut out all contact with the outside world. Likewise, I hope that Detroit: Become Human, the indirect successor to “Heavy Rain” and “Beyond: Two Souls”, will be released next year. One should still be allowed to dream, right?
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For other games, the hype has already dulled a bit, so Overwatch – at least for the moment – can stay out of my mind. Many other games leave me cold, personally I find Black Desert and Gigantic relatively indifferent. But perhaps these titles can still manage to increase my anticipation.
But enough about me! What are you looking forward to in the next year? Let us know in the comments (bonus points for explanations)!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Today, on the 1st holiday, we present a mini edition of our Xur article, without much fuss, so you can check if visiting Xur and logging in is worth it, or if you can just enjoy the feast and spend the rest of the day in a state of food coma.
All about Xur in Destiny on December 25th, 26th, and 27th.
When does Xur arrive and when does he leave?
Xur, the Agent of the Nine, arrives on December 25th at 10:00 AM in the Tower, and he leaves on December 27th at 10:00 AM.
Where is Xur?
Xur is in the Tower, opposite the Speaker. Our friends from ProNDC show you the way. Also, a big thank you to our YouTube partners from last year!
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MIDA Multi-Tool is available as a weapon. The exotic scout rifle costs 23 strange coins. It is considered a weapon for enthusiasts. Here is a little aim assistance.The Widder for Warlocks – the helmet was considered last year as …. a pest for all opponents and a joy for Warlocks in PvP.
The Bones of EAO for Hunters. The boots are also known as EAO Jordan – they enhance jump height.
And a healing armor for Titans. This is the all-purpose armor – the chest armor has been popular among Titan players since the early days.
As a legacy engram, Xur has heavy weapons – Year 1 weapons with Year 1 stats can drop from this. They cost 31 strange coins, making them more of a collector’s item.
No one can complain today, right? Merry Xurmas!
There will surely be some new players starting with Destiny for Christmas, so be nice to them – today’s beginners are tomorrow’s fireteam members. You can recommend them our guide collection for Destiny !
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Before the developers go on vacation, there is a new Paladins patch with 2 (almost) fresh game modes.
Two Half Modes – Better Than One Full?
So that the fans of the hero shooter Paladins: Champions of the Realm have enough to do during the holidays, they have released a new update just in time. Patch 11 includes several bug fixes and improvements, but especially two new game modes.
Assault & Capture Point
Although it might be a bit of an exaggeration to call them entirely “new” game modes, HiRez is once again venturing one of its popular experiments. In the new “Casual” queue, two game modes alternate, namely “Assault” and “Capture Point.”
In the new “Assault” mode, there are permanent siege machines – capturing points is out of the question.
In Assault, a siege weapon spawns alternately for each team, without having to capture a point beforehand. The match continues until one side manages to destroy the enemy fortress.
In Capture Point, you have to – as the name suggests – capture multiple control points. The enemy fortress cannot be destroyed. The first team to control 5 points wins the match.
The developers emphasize that these are clearly experimental game modes and they want to see if players enjoy them.
Easy Friend Bashing
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Especially streamers and larger groups of friends can now have significantly more fun in Paladins than before. A menu option has been introduced that allows complete 5-player teams to compete against other 5-player teams – but only by invitation. This is still not quite a lobby for “custom games,” but it is a first step in the right direction. Although this feature was previously available, it was only accessible through rather cumbersome console commands – now it is easily understandable in the menu.
Paladins is currently in closed beta. However, anyone who wants to can get in now by purchasing a founder’s pack for €20. After its release, the game will be free to play.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In H1Z1 they came up with something special for Christmas: 100 naked players against a fully equipped team.
This is a special “Battle Royale” match that Twitch streamer CDNThe3rd came up with: He sent 100 “Naked” (or at least approximately 100), without the ability to pick up anything other than a handmade bow, against a fully geared team that was in the next room and could converse.
A real spectacle.
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H1Z1 spent its entire 2015 in Early Access. While they quickly released new game content at the beginning of the year, that slowed down over time. More emphasis was placed on polish, and the development shifted from the survival MMO aspect to the arena-like battle royale module – which promised more attention from Twitch viewers and thus more interested players. The fans of the “Walking Dead”-like survival game are not pleased with this direction.
A new study claims to have found connections between gaming and altered brain activities. The findings are not only positive.
Faster reactions and better thinking skills – but at what cost?
When it comes to gaming and its effects on our brain, there have been many horror stories in recent years. Most of these frightening theses, such as desensitization or social deficits, have not been proven so far. Now there is a new study that even attests positive effects for us gamers – at least that’s one side of the coin.
Genius or insane? What does gaming do to our brain?
We think better …
A university from Utah, together with a university from South Korea, examined the brains of 200 boys aged 5 to 15 years and aimed to determine how long-term consumption of video games affects various connections in the brain.
The study suggests that regular gaming is responsible for some enhanced connections (“hyperconnectivity”) of various brain areas. For example, gamers can process new information quickly and analyze new circumstances and can (at least temporarily) focus intensely on a goal. Or broken down to one sentence: Gamers can think more effectively.
Gamers react to new situations faster on average than other people.
… but not for very long.
On the other hand, this connectivity also seems to have disadvantages. Because at the same time, connections are formed that can drastically affect our attention span. According to the study, gamers are significantly more easily distracted and cannot focus long on the same task (roughly like watching an anime while writing the article – which, of course, is not the case!). The comparisons drawn even sound a bit frightening.
Gamers are more easily distracted.
The changes are strongly reminiscent of those experienced by patients with neuropsychological disorders, such as in the case of schizophrenia, Down syndrome, or autism. This also comes with decreased impulse control – for example, short “outbursts” when throwing the gamepad against the wall.
The researchers now want to pursue further studies to further validate – or refute – the previous results.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Have vampires reached their peak? The crowdfunding campaign of the dark MMORPG Dogma: Eternal Night is in danger of failing.
Vampires were once “in”, even if they sparkled in the sun and were more into cuddling than bloodsucking. But now it seems this trend is fading. Witches and zombies seem to be more in line with mainstream tastes.
An MMORPG with vampires!
In the MMORPG fan community, there were constant discussions about wanting a dark online role-playing game centered around the children of the night. That CCP Games discontinued the MMO based on World of Darkness was a bitter blow for many. An online game based on the vampire principle should have been a smash hit. But it wasn’t. Dogma: Eternal Night was supposed to allow players to experience adventures as vampires in a dark world. The developers aimed to raise $100,000 through Kickstarter to develop the game that fans of World of Darkness apparently wanted.
The developers want to continue
Now the crowdfunding campaign is on the brink of failure. It ends on December 24, and just $35,000 has been raised four hours before the end. A significant disappointment for developers and fans alike. Without a Christmas miracle, the $100,000 goal will never be met. The team is already preparing for failure and stated in the comments on the Kickstarter page that they will consider their next steps afterward.
However, failure also means a lot of problems for the team that they will need to address initially. But they do not want to give up. Perhaps the developers will raise money through the game’s official website or hire even more volunteers. Dogma: Eternal Night is definitely set to be released, Kickstarter or not – let’s hope it really happens.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Santa Claus will soon bring his gifts. 2015 is coming to an end. On this occasion, the entire Mein-MMO.de editorial team wishes all readers a Merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year!
Hello dear readers,
we send you Christmas greetings from the editorial team and take the opportunity to look back at the year 2015 and into the future.
The 1st year with useless promotional gifts!
In the meantime, we have completed 2 years. During this time, we have built a site from scratch that we are honestly proud of and that brings us (and hopefully also you) a lot of fun. What makes it special for us: We achieved this without any financial support, with our own efforts. That makes it twice as nice for us.
And we can tell you: things are looking up – the site is doing very well. 2016 will be a year in which we will continue to evolve.
And we owe this success to you. You discuss actively, visit the site regularly, recommend it to your friends… and many of you have even turned off the ad blocker, which is rare in today’s time – in our area. All this helps us create the best possible platform for MMO fans here. Thank you very much!
In the last Mein-MMO asks, you could choose games for coverage. As you can see, we have already implemented some of your ideas. And since today is Christmas, you have the opportunity to wish for something again. This time not just games, but everything that relates to the site. Go ahead, Santa is listening. Your word matters.
Have a wonderful time with your families and of course while gaming! There should be enough time for that now.
P.S.: You are welcome to continue visiting our site. We have ensured there is reading material, even over the holidays.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
One of the fathers of the shooter genre has now commented on Destiny and called it an FPS-MMO. He also believes in games as the ultimate art form.
John Romero, one of the fathers of the shooter genre with Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein, is likely a fan of Destiny. Together with John D. Carmack, Romero popularized and shaped the first-person shooter genre in the 90s at id Software.
Romero held a kind of “Q&A” on Quora. Many questions were directed at his career, his time in the 90s, or his ideas on game development. Some of the questioners dream of a career as a game designer and hoped for tips from Romero. He provided plenty. Additionally, Romero defended the idea that video games are the ultimate art form because video games combine design, animations, models, and writing, uniting other art forms.
Whether games are even art is an important topic for some cultural journalists on an abstract level. The famous film critic Roger Ebert sparked a discussion about this 10 years ago. He was completely unable to connect with video games. Well, most players will only be peripherally affected by whether they are playing art or a product.
Little innovation due to high budgets – Destiny an exception
As one of the fathers of the shooter genre, Romero was also asked for his thoughts on the current shooter market. According to Romero, shooters are not at risk of disappearing. At the moment, several have been completed or are currently in production. Since the 90s he has seen few crazy innovations. With the rise in budgets, the willingness to take risks has decreased. But it is great to see an FPS-MMO like Destiny on the market. We have been waiting a long time for it.
The question of whether Destiny is an MMO or not is hotly debated among fans and non-fans alike. Purists complain that the first “M” in MMO, which stands for “Massive”, is too weak. This is a criticism not only directed at Destiny; almost every new game labeled an MMO comes under fire, as the games often only allow 16-32 players simultaneously in an instance of the world instead of “huge worlds”.
Romero also seems to hold Blizzard and World of Warcraft in high regard. He names WoW among his favorite games – alongside Chrono Trigger and Ghost Recon – and places it on a list of 10 games that an aspiring game designer should check out, alongside titles like Super Mario World, Minecraft, or Half Life 2.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Just before Christmas, ARK: Survival Evolved is releasing a Christmas event in the latest patch – it brings numerous gifts!
Not a Raptor Jesus, but at least the Christmas Dino
In ARK, everything is a bit different. This is reflected in the latest patch that brings the Christmas spirit to the mysterious island. The most notable change is – quite contrary to the real world – the snow that now covers every area of the island. But there is more than just this visual gimmick: During the night hours, one can hear strange laughter as Raptor Claus rides the skies with his reindeer to gift the players.
Those who have been nice will receive really useful things, such as new blueprints or even gift codes that can be passed on. However, those who have not been so nice will receive pieces of coal. But even those are not completely useless, as collecting enough can summon a winter version of the DodoRex.
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Unfortunately, Xbox One players have to miss out on this event. But there is good news there too! According to the developers at Wildcard, they are working on a massive improvement in server performance, which should soon alleviate some frustration for all console owners.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
While the beta is running for us, Black Desert is constantly being developed in Korea – the continent Valencia is expanding!
Disciplinary Work or Prison Break?
Recently, the latest patch for the Korean version of Black Desert was released. This brings a new desert region (who could have guessed that with a game called “Black Desert”?) to Valencia, which is supposed to provide players with a completely new gaming experience. A large part of this is due to the changed PvP rules that apply in this area.
Just let loose – now possible in Valencia.
Thus, PvP kills are subject to significantly less penalties, which is supposed to provide much more motivation to misbehave a little. However, those who are defeated after long slaughters will find themselves in prison. Here, it’s either swinging the pickaxe in the sulfur mines or making a run for it!
The patch and the desert have even more to offer. There are also new towns and four open world dungeons waiting for brave players.
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In the MMO shooter Destiny , players are given a few gifts for Christmas – albeit with a delay.
Even on the west coast of the USA, people prefer to be with family rather than in the office during these days. Therefore, Bungie has moved the Weekly Update one day earlier. This was already done on Wednesday evening.
The content includes, among many warm words, the gifts that are available for the players. The small tokens will not be available “for Christmas”, but rather some time afterwards. On January 7th. The rewards include:
15 Strange Coins
15 Light Particles
Anyone who logs in between January 7th and January 10th and completes an activity will also receive an exclusive emblem, which is not being revealed yet. It will be available on January 12th.
In the MMO shooter Destiny , a conversation was held about weapon balance. The chaos surrounding the patch notes from early December, the lack of a buff for automatic rifles, and why super weapons are often not that super were explained.
The two Bungie developers Jon Weisnewski and Sage Merill appeared in a podcast. They are part of the team responsible for balancing: Weisnewski works on weapons, Merill takes care of class skills.
Incorrect Patch Notes were wrong in the wrong way
Topic: Number 1 – the scandal surrounding the patch notes: The December patch was supposed to significantly strengthen automatic rifles, but in practice, they only became slightly stronger. The patch notes simply contained incorrect numbers.
Weisnewski, who was pointed out as the culprit, said: The problem was that the “wrong patch notes” were also wrong in the wrong way. They promised a huge buff that did not come. If they had promised a nerf that was later not implemented in the Destiny patch, they would have been celebrated as heroes, according to Weisnewski.
The topic was then discussed again. According to the Bungie developers, it was simply a mistake that resulted from too little attention. The developers were focused on patches and did not give “patch notes” the importance fans out there do. They simply did not double-check it properly; it was “a fuck-up, totally our mistake,” the developers admitted.
Regarding the tiny changes to automatic rifles, they said: That was just the value they came up with. And they communicate every change. If they had concealed the changes, that would have been the reason for the next shitstorm.
With automatic rifles, even “tiny changes” could make a big difference. This is due to the high rate of fire. Even the small change to automatic rifles had some impact, but that is not represented because players are only given “round numbers”; however, the minimal change flows in behind the scenes and has effects.
Which weapon is really “too strong”?
There was also interesting information about balancing. Many “top weapons” in the game do not cause the destruction that one believes. “Blank Stare” is considered a killer weapon. However, players come with the sniper only to an average K/D ratio of 1.0.
Was in der letzten Woche
Many “popular meta weapons” arise from recommendations or word-of-mouth or simply because they are easy to obtain. However, they rarely give players a significant advantage in Year 2.
With other combinations like shotgun+blink, where nerfs are indeed implemented, player skill comes into play. Very skilled players could be so good with shotgun+blink that it really disrupted the balance. Here, action had to be taken. It is not about whether a tactic or weapon is “popular”, but whether it provides players with advantages that put the balance in danger.
They are also thinking internally about this skill gap and how much player skill should matter in Destiny. At the moment, they feel that the game is a bit too fast in one-on-one situations, the time-to-kill is too low, the chaos is a bit too high, and the skill of the individual player is somewhat underrepresented. However, this is being controversially discussed internally.
In general, Bungie wants every playstyle to be viable. If it gets to the point where everyone in the Crucible just hides behind their snipers, they will also take measures against this playstyle. Whenever it comes down to “Either you play this weapon this way, or you are doing it wrong”, they want to intervene. Such a situation existed in Year 1 with blink and shotguns.
That is why Bungie also sees a warning sign when someone says: “Oh, the patch is amazing!”, because that probably means that a certain playstyle is too strong and the balance is in danger.
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Nerfs of individual weapons would anger players, so a whole area is addressed
In the podcast, they also reveal that at Bungie, they rarely nerf just one weapon or weapon category to avoid making fans of that weapon feel singled out. Therefore, instead of making “quick small and targeted changes”, they prefer “rarer and therefore larger changes.” You have to imagine, if your favorite weapon, the MIDA, were nerfed, only that one weapon specifically. That would upset the fans of that weapon, so it is important that a whole area is changed, not just a single aspect. Usually, a single change would make so much other things change that they would also have to do more.
At Bungie, they are aware of how much balance changes affect player satisfaction.
Fusion rifles. Strange situations
Fusion rifles should reward players for predicting opponent movements. Even though the community struggles with the weapons, they are “on paper” very good. And they also have developers internally who can handle them excellently, so they are hesitant to strengthen fusion rifles.
A tip was given at Bungie: Try Plan C! We have some data.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Hey, what’s that that has appeared? Paradox Interactive surprisingly released a video that teases World of Darkness.
After Paradox Interactive acquired the license to World of Darkness from CCP Games, the chances for an MMORPG in this interesting and dark universe seemed quite low. Just a few days ago, the company announced that they might use the assets of the canceled MMORPG. And now they have released a teaser trailer that apparently turns words into action.
What is World of Darkness?
The teaser is very short and shows that humans are apparently the evil ones, who have dedicated themselves to machines and turned against Mother Nature. Monsters and humans are now trapped in a world of darkness. Wild speculation is going on about what this might mean. Is Paradox actually working on an MMORPG?
The name suggests it. However, there is also the possibility that it could just be a teaser for the entire World of Darkness series, simply introducing the “new” universe, which also includes novels and the pen-and-paper RPG. At the moment, we can only speculate.
The community assumes that Paradox might first focus on a single-player RPG. Resuming work on the World of Darkness MMO wouldn’t be easy, as a new team would need to get acquainted with it. Creating an entirely new MMO from scratch would also not be so easy, as development costs for an MMO are very high. Additionally, they know single-player RPGs somewhat better, as they publish the successful RPG Pillars of Eternity from Obsidian Entertainment, for example.
We can be curious to see what this means. 2016 is likely to be very interesting for fans of the World of Darkness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wewNseVo24
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Depending on the play style, a different item composition is advisable. Those who prefer to carry a pistol might carry a ballistic shield. In this case, they would be in the “face of the opponents,” drawing fire to themselves, so they need additional equipment that enhances this play style: for instance, increases their pistol damage or improves their health.
In the endgame, it is a real puzzle with min-maxing, to get the best out of one’s equipment, the developers promise.
Items have levels and quality tiers
Equipment in The Division will have a level ranging from 1 up to the maximum level (which has not yet been revealed). Additionally, equipment has a quality tier ranging from common (gray) – uncommon (green) – rare (blue) – epic (purple) – legendary (orange): So you want to see it blinking orange.
Depending on how strong an item is (both in level and quality), it grants more “bonuses.” These are intended as percentage increases for effects: like “better hitting, dealing more damage, etc.”
It is “random” what bonuses, for example, a bulletproof vest grants. Two “identical” armors of the same level and quality could grant completely different bonuses. The same applies to the “magnitude of the bonuses.”
Therefore, you might set out to find exactly the same vest you are wearing, with the same bonuses, but with higher “rolls.”
The armor pieces have all “approximately” an idea of what the values depend on, as an example they mentioned:
The vest has a protective function
The knee pads are for “survival”
The backpack enhances skills. Since the abilities are related to the backpack, its appearance also changes depending on which skills you select.
Other equipment includes boots and gloves.
In addition to these items, there will also be a “gas mask,” whose strength (level 1-4) determines which contaminated areas you can enter. If the gas mask is too weak, you must remove yourself from the area within 10 seconds.
There will be 6 weapon types in The Division
The various weapon types in The Division will be as follows:
Sniper rifles,
Assault rifles,
Submachine guns,
Shotguns,
and pistols
Weapons and equipment do not need to be repaired in The Division.
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The higher the player’s level, the better the quality of loot
Players must have reached a certain level in The Division to find gear of a certain quality (meaning a certain color). Once in the endgame, it’s all about being completely orange. Those who are clad in orange have fully geared themselves with legendary items.
The three main attributes: Weapons, Stamina, Electronics
In addition to the various bonuses (percentage increases), equipment also brings higher attributes. There are three:
Weapons – increases total damage with weapons
Stamina increases health
Electronics increases skill power
If you convert this into “classic RPG stats”, then weapons would be strength, stamina would be constitution, and electronics would be intelligence. For solo play, a relatively balanced distribution of stats is advisable. For group play, someone who is a “tank” might focus entirely on stamina while the others play as “glass-cannons,” only increasing weapon damage.
Weapons have unlockable abilities in The Division
Weapons can have certain “locked” abilities, such as a strong damage bonus or regeneration effects. Some of these abilities include: damage bonus after using a medkit, for instance.
These “abilities” can only activate if you have a sufficiently high value in the attributes. Only if you meet the minimum requirement for weapons, stamina, or electronics can you benefit from the special weapon ability.
Since the attributes come from the equipment, but the abilities lie on the weapon, to benefit from certain weapons, you need equipment parts that are aligned with that.
You can carry two weapons and a pistol at the same time. In the endgame, players will likely want to find 3 weapons that harmonize with the equipment so that all 3 abilities are active. Otherwise, you switch to a weapon and cannot use its ability.
At the beginning, players will not have to deal with this. It will only be slowly introduced when they receive blue items. Gray and green items do not have any of these locked abilities yet.
Yeah, it’s a lot to digest in theory at the moment. But it sounds like nothing that should surprise players of MMOs or even from Destiny. The next beta, as hinted in the podcast, is supposed to come “soon.”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Gigantic discusses the plans for 2016 and entices with an exciting show match.
A Glimpse into the Future
In recent months, Moba Gigantic has had to endure some negative news. Not only was the release of the game postponed to next year, but the developer also laid off several employees shortly before Christmas. It is no surprise that these reports have caused concern and criticism among fans. To regain control of the situation, they are launching an information campaign and enticing with the plans they have for 2016.
Monthly Major Updates
One of the most ambitious goals is undoubtedly the release of monthly updates. This is explicitly about more than “bug fixes and skins”, but about real expansions in terms of new heroes, new maps, and game modes. “We agree that regular updates are important to keep a game fresh and to inject new energy into the community”, say the developers.
As a special appetizer for everyone who hasn’t engaged with the game yet, a video has now been released that shows a match (in shortened form). Communication and quick reaction are just as important as manual aiming. But you should take a look for yourself.
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Gigantic is set to be released next year and will come exclusively to PC and Xbox One. As a special feature, players on both platforms will be able to play together and against each other, creating a shared community.
Mein-MMO says: So far, I (Cortyn) have found it relatively difficult to comprehend the excitement surrounding Gigantic. However, after watching the match, I can understand much better what makes this game appealing. It blends classic Moba elements and enhances them with cool innovations, such as different levels, allowing battles to take place vertically as well. Gigantic seems to be a title to definitely keep an eye on in 2016.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Christmas is just around the corner, and so is the end of the year. Instead of looking back, I’m taking a look forward to the MMORPGs that I’m particularly excited about in 2016.
Shroud of the Avatar
By now, it should be clear that this is an absolute highlight for me. Yes, I complain a lot about certain game mechanics and I’m skeptical whether the Selective Multiplayer RPG can really deliver what it promises, but only because I expect so much from it. And that involves several things: On the one hand, I wish for a sandbox MMORPG in the style of Ultima Online; on the other hand, a single-player RPG that can connect to the classic Ultima 7.
2016 will be an interesting year for SotA, as the foundation is nearly complete, the game elements are set, and now flesh must be added to the bones. I’m especially curious about how the story plays out and how sandbox and narrative can be combined. Hopefully the game will also be released in 2016 – although I prefer that the developers take the time they need to do it right and well.
Chronicles of Elyria
A game that simply sounds too good to be true. Chronicles of Elyria aims to provide a sandbox world where players can enjoy a lot of freedom. Whether you are an adventurer or a trader, you will be able to sustainably influence the world and its history.
The permadeath system with your own family dynasty carrying on the works sounds very exciting. The dynamic story that develops based on the players’ actions, the interesting housing system, and the vibrant game world could keep me engaged for a long time – provided everything plays out as it sounds.
Revival
A dark world that is dirty and brutal. Revival by Ilfonic could offer players something that most colorful MMORPGs can’t – realism. As nice as it is to jump through colorful woods with elves, dwarves, and gnomes, sometimes it’s fun to explore the dark worlds. Revival aims to mix sandbox elements with quests and a story similar to Chronicles of Elyria.
The stories will be created around the clock by a team and will impact the world. Entire cities can be brought to the ground. Additionally, sex plays a role, allowing you to gain a temporary boost. Or you can hunt whales in the vast oceans of the game world.
Star Citizen
Okay, the chances are probably slim that Star Citizen will be released in 2016, but one should never lose hope. Chris Roberts’ space epic could be what fans of Freelancer or Wing Commander have always wanted. A huge galaxy full of adventures where you can travel as a pirate, mercenary, or trader, engage in space battles, explore abandoned stations or planets, and try to become living legends in space with your crew.
The Repopulation
While Star Wars: The Old Republic satisfies my hunger for science fiction in MMORPGs, sometimes I just want to do my own thing and not follow a predefined story. The sandbox elements of the online role-playing game The Repopulation sound simply enticing. Exploring a wild planet, building cities, and fighting against the aliens of a foreign world. That could be very appealing to me!
Whether the listed games will really be released in 2016 is of course uncertain – as is always the case with computer games. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the online games. And looking at this list, I don’t get the feeling that the genre has less and less to offer – on the contrary! 2016 can come!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Haedrig’s Gift instead of seasonal legendary items
There are no more “seasonal legendary items,” but instead the gift package “Haedrig’s Gift.” From Chapter 3 onward, you will be rewarded with one of these packages for achieving certain goals in the season journey. It contains two pieces from one of your class sets.
You will receive 3 times 2 pieces from a set that changes by season, and in the end, you will have a complete 6-piece class set for sure. But be careful: This is only available once per season – you should open the 3 gifts with the character you want the set for, and only at max level.
The removal of “seasonal items” does not mean that no new ones will come: Plenty are planned. However, they will no longer be season-exclusive.
In Season 5, these class sets are available through Haedrig’s Gift:
Barbarian: Might of the Earth
Crusader: Thorns of the Invoker
Demon Hunter: Mantle of the Shadow
Monk: Garb of the Zookeeper
Witch Doctor: Raiment of the Jade Harvest
Wizard: Splendor of the Firebird
New achievements
In Season 5 of Diablo 3, some achievements will be newly introduced or old ones will return. Through the “new set dungeons“, there will be achievements like “Game, Set, and Match” where you have to complete 8 different set portals. The “set dungeons” are a new feature. You can only enter them if you wear the corresponding set.
New cosmetic rewards
Those who complete the season journey can look forward to the Willow Man pet as a cosmetic reward. Additionally, there are exclusive portrait frames and parts of the transmog set “The Conqueror.”
The Reincarnation
A new feature is introduced with Season 5 – the “Reincarnation.” With this, you can transform a non-seasonal hero into a “season character.” Not much happens during this: The character will be downgraded to level 1, and their equipment will be sent to the other non-seasonal characters. So you won’t gain any real advantages from the feature.
Will seasons come to Xbox One and PS as well?
No, Blizzard has now denied that. Xbox One and Playstation 4 will not receive seasons. Diablo 3 is played more in isolation on consoles, and seasons do not fit in with that.
Welcome to the second last Whining Wednesday of this year. Luckily, there’s still a day left until Christmas, so I don’t have to hold back and can just complain freely. Because besides Santa Claus, “Last Christmas” (which you all now have in your ears) and the disappointment of the missing snowfall, something else is coming our way: The Steam Winter Sale. That’s actually pretty great!
If you want to continue thinking that, and can’t make sense of a little feminist, leftist, well-meaning criticism, you should rather quickly click away from here.
If you get paid for watching advertisements
To get straight to the point: Overall, I have nothing against the Steam sales. Some deals are really nice, and if you want to complete your game collection relatively cheaply, you will definitely find numerous options there. So far, there has always been a kind of mini-game corresponding to each “event” where you could earn “Steam Trading Cards”. Those are nothing more than real money, as you can directly sell them on the Steam Marketplace for some cents (which has already financed some of my games).
Click the ad for a card!
This time again, you can grab some cards, but not through a game or a vote, but much more clumsily: by watching ads. You have to click through your “personal queue”, which is a series of games that Steam thinks you might find interesting. Because anyone who likes demanding Visual Novels like “Hate Plus” will surely also like “Sakura Santa” and “Hatoful Boyfriend” … or not?
This method always reminds me of a (quite old) contribution from the cabaret artist Volker Pispers. He had a similar idea back then, suggesting that unemployed people could be forced to watch ads from private broadcasters so that they could earn money…
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Of course, the comparison is a bit far-fetched, I know that myself. But it’s not too far from Pispers’ thought.
Sure, now everyone could say “Oh, Cortyn. Just don’t click on it and leave it out.” Of course that’s true. But what should I complain about today then? But enough about me: I wish you happy holidays, may you be richly gifted, and complain again only when the relatives have left.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
