The card chaos of Hearthstone repeats the battle at the crossroads – with a few small updates!
Because randomness is just great…
Right at 5 PM today, on December 9th, 2015, it was time. The card chaos of Blizzard’s card game Hearthstone started its next round! This week, an “already known” version of the Tavern Brawl is waiting, as the “Encounter at the Crossroads” returns. However, this has been updated to the latest version and now also includes the recently released cards from “The Explorers’ League”.
If the mode is unfamiliar to you, let me explain it briefly, as it is quite simple: Each player chooses a class, and the game itself takes care of building the deck. Your deck is different each time, so no match is the same as the previous one! If you have bad luck with the cards for one round, just try again.
Remember that the first win in this mode is rewarded with a free classic card pack. It can be worth double, as it either contains new cards that are still missing in your collection, or the surplus cards can be converted into Arcane Dust. From this, wish cards can then be crafted – a match is worthwhile for both newcomers and veterans alike.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
And Armored Warfare has another unique feature: Depending on the tier level of the tanks, they range from the 1960s to a near future. So, you are not just limited to military history like the competition, but can also look into future scenarios, such as a world with crumbling governments. The player takes on the role of a mercenary, who offers firepower for hire with his deployment team. The new Tier-9 tank Challenger 2 is a good example of this dystopian storytelling option, as seen in the trailer.
The voxel MMO Trove now has a PvP mode, and of course you can build your own, as dictated by voxel honor.
Cynics would say: Cute, the little one is even copying the big ones in PvP. But we’re not that mean. The quirky Trove doesn’t deserve that. The voxel MMO enjoys a fanbase and has achieved noteworthy successes in between. Not bad for a game that started as a mini-project until Trion Worlds recognized its potential.
In the PvP section of Trove, two 5-player teams must compete against each other; these are “Capture the Flag” matches that last only 5 minutes.
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If you only want short action, you can play one of the pre-made maps – or create one like a true Trovian. As the Game Lead Developer states, such things are important, as they want to give players the opportunity to create something in every aspect of the game.
In League of Legends (LoL), the champion selection is changing. This is intended to help eliminate potential conflicts and toxicity from the game.
As we reported in the article on the update of the League of Legends client, developer RiotGames is fundamentally changing the champion selection in LoL in 2016.
Recently, the game celebrated its 6th birthday, which was one reason to make some fundamental changes to League of Legends.
The current champion selection is not only outdated but also often the source of negativity in the game, says Jeffrey Lin (Riot’s Lead Game Designer of social Systems). “Games where players had to play a role they originally didn’t want to play were on average 15% more negative than games where players could play their desired role.”
The difference to the Team Builder in League of Legends
With the “Team Builder,” where you sign up for a specific role with a specific champion before the start of a game, Riot already tried to counter this source of negativity. Initially, it worked very well, but unfortunately, there are also some problems with the current Team Builder. For example, there are long waiting times for certain popular roles. This high waiting time is already a reason for many players to return to the “Blind Pick” or “Draft Pick” methods to find teammates for the game.
Often, multiple players want to play the same role. You may recognize the following chat:
Player A: “Hi, mid”
Player B: “No I am mid, sorry”
Player A: “:/”
Player C: “I am firstpick, I go mid”
This conversation could be elaborated further. The fact is, someone is forced to play a different role in this case. If you combine this problem with the current Team Builder and leave the result for 42 days with Heimerdinger in a basement, the solution comes out as the new champion selection.
Here, you choose 2 roles right from the start. This has the advantage of shortening waiting times and also improving your understanding of the game, as you will practice on 2 roles instead of just focusing on one function.
More communication in the pre-match of LoL
There should no longer be a situation where, as the 5th pick in the champion selection, you say, “Okay, I’ll just go to the bathroom first and be back in 5 minutes – I don’t care what my teammates do…”.
For this reason, the ban and selection system has also been revised.
With the new champion selection, Riot is trying to give players more time for communication while assembling a team. The lost time that was spent discussing who plays on which lane can now be used to create a strong team combination with a lot of synergy. For example, you can build a “knock-up combo” when you have a Yasuo player on your team.
The goal of the new selection is to ensure that players do not have a bad experience with LoL because they were forced to fulfill a specific role.
Jeffrey Lin concludes: “League of Legends has been around for 6 years now… We asked ourselves what we would do differently if we had a second chance to design the champion selection. If our update to this selection means that the majority of players feel ‘This is how League of Legends should be’ or ‘This is how I have always wanted the champion selection to be’, then I would consider it a success.”
The update to the champion selection is one of the most significant changes in League of Legends that we can expect in 2016.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Destiny this week, Banshee-44 has participated in the weapon day on December 9th.
Banshee-44 – with all the commotion around the new patch, his appearance isn’t as important as usual. We’ll show you what he has and what you should pick up. We’ve already talked enough about Banshee’s bonus features like First Curse or Tlaloc, so let’s get started.
This week, these test weapons are available at the gunsmith in Destiny
Banshee-44 sends you off with these 5 prototypes to fulfill specific missions. This earns you reputation points with him.
A Suros auto rifle must achieve precision kills.
With a Häkke hand cannon, you need to get double kills.
A Häkke pulse rifle wants to achieve precision hits.
A Suros pulse rifle is meant to be used against the Vex.
And a Häkke sniper rifle must have a face-to-face chat with Cabal Centurions.
This week, these weapons can be ordered
You can order these 5 weapons anew this week. Clicking on one of the weapons takes you to the Bungie Armory, where you can find the exact values and all the attributes that this weapon can have.
The auto rifle Zarinea-D is relatively fast with high stability and a mediocre magazine – it’s not exactly the ideal setup.
The auto rifle Ari-41 has almost the same values. So far, it hasn’t really earned a great reputation either. But auto rifles are on the rise. For example, it could come with balance compensation – that would be quite an exciting weapon.
The pulse rifle PDX-45 from Suros is back this week. This is the one everyone has been drooling over due to its great stability. After the patch with changes to weapon balance, it likely won’t be the super killer anymore.
From Häkke, there is a sniper rifle Aiofe Rua-D – high range, medium impact, low stability. No one was really waiting for this.
The sniper rifle Uzume RR4 can come with interesting Omolon perks like Fireball or Roulette (although Roulette is probably not the first choice anymore). However, it’s difficult for sniper rifles to compete with other weapons like Eirene or Empty Gaze. But this week, it’s definitely one of the more interesting assignments you can give to Banshee.
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Overall, no one is really excited about anything right now. People are more focused on sparrows and some “new secrets”; some suspect a new hidden exotic in the game – thus, Banshee isn’t that interesting.
In this video by Mesa-Sean (above), we have the rolls for last week’s weapons.
This is the Arminius-D (no strong rolls),
Zarinea-D (Braced Frame and Glass-Half-Full in roll #1 are reasonable);
Suros Dis-43 (nothing really strong)
Thesan FR4 (no strong rolls)
and also the shotgun Jungoku-D has no noteworthy perks.
So there’s nothing “optimal” this time; of course, some reasonable combinations are present, but for the 5 from last week, you might as well wait for next week. If we still have wonderful rolls of “older weapons” that were available in previous weeks, we’ll pass them on.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Heroes of the Storm will attract new players. However, this is not done by yourself, but rather by letting the existing players handle it.
More heroes needed for the Nexus
In recent weeks, Heroes of the Storm has been expanded with more and more heroes. Most recently, the unusual concept of Cho’Gall was introduced, and soon Lunara and Greymane will follow. To accommodate the increasing number of characters, Blizzard is increasing the number of heroes that are in the “rotation”, meaning they can be played for free. Instead of having access to 7 free heroes, this has been expanded to a whopping 10 heroes. 6 of these are immediately available for newcomers, while the other four slots are unlocked at account levels 5, 7, 12, and 15.
The new hero rotation – bigger than before!
Recruit a (new) friend!
Generally popular in MOBAs is the classic “Recruit a Friend” feature, which is now also making its way into HotS. Through a new website, players receive a personal invitation link and can encourage friends and acquaintances to play. As the recruited player gains levels, both receive rewards! If the recruited player reaches level 10, the recruiter is rewarded with a special portrait. If a player successfully recruits 4 friends (and helps them reach level 10), there is a special mount, the “Eagle Hoverbike” from Raynor in Starcraft 1.
“Recruit a Friend” offers delicious rewards.
The recruited player receives the hero Raynor and a 5-day booster immediately after their first login to get started right away. At level 10, the “Recruit a Friend” portrait and Sylvanas as a free character await.
At level 10, the Banshee Queen Sylvanas awaits.
The bad news to finish: The system does not work retroactively. Those who have already brought their friends to play in recent months will be disappointed. Recruited players may have reached a maximum of level 5 in the game, which will likely lead to all players creating numerous “smurf” accounts to grab the rewards.
Mein-MMO says: Fundamentally a sensible system to attract new players to the game – but it comes much too late. The same will happen that happened with all MOBAs that introduced such a system later: veterans will revolt. All players who have already motivated friends, relatives, acquaintances, complete strangers, and the neighbor’s dog to play will be disappointed, especially since they likely attracted more players than anyone before.
On Twitter, complaints have already been made, hoping that the decision will be reconsidered. Dustin Bowder has rejected this but apologized briefly. The feature is “healthy for the game in the long run.”
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The fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online (TESO) invites players on Xbox One and PC to play over the weekend.
Starting Thursday at 9:00 AM, players on Xbox One can download TESO and play until Monday at 9:00 AM our time.
The same offer is available for PC, but a code is needed, which can be found on various websites, or that friends can also distribute.
During this time, PC and Xbox One players are offered: If you decide to purchase TESO during this time, there is a 60% discount and you can continue playing your started account.
Players on PS4 are missing out a bit – Zenimax says, we are working with Sony to provide something similar for them. But at the moment, nothing in sight.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
For most fans, it came as quite a surprise that Overwatch will end the beta in a few days. I am also quite sure now that this was not the original plan. Currently, almost all Blizzard games seem to be at a standstill. Starcraft 2 is finished, WoW is still a long way off, the Hearthstone add-on is also ending next week and the meta will slowly start to fade away. So, what could have been nicer than letting fans play the new shooter in beta over Christmas to sweeten the holidays a bit? But nothing of the sort.
The reason for this is – at least for me, the paranoid demon – quite obvious. Overwatch has lost a lot of interest in recent weeks. While it skyrocketed in the Twitch streams in the first days, interest has almost fallen as quickly as it did for the WildStar free-to-play version (and that’s “Ferrari” quick). At the time of writing, it is sitting somewhere in the 50s, ahead of FIFA 16 and behind “Gaming Talk Shows”.
Is there hope for a revival of the hype with the open beta? Probably.
Therefore, I come to my thesis that the Overwatch beta has fallen significantly short of expectations in terms of attention. “Overwatch” is thus a bit “underwatched”. To ensure this interest doesn’t completely fade away before launch, they are now simply tightening it up to host an open beta in January or February – I am sure of that – in which they will just invite everyone.
Maybe I was just misinformed all along. Perhaps it was planned from the start to run the beta in several phases. Maybe I’m just a bit annoyed because I wasn’t allowed in the beta. Well. They don’t know what incredibly valuable feedback they are missing out on!
What do you think? Could the dwindling interest in Overwatch be a reason for the “pause” of the beta?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Sony offers PlayStation 4 players an online weekend, allowing them to play games like TESO, Star Wars Battlefront, or Destiny online in multiplayer.
For PlayStation 4, you need PS+ to play the games online in multiplayer. As Sony announces on the US blog, they are gifting a round of online multiplayer for everyone. They temporarily remove the “Members Only” banner from the offer.
The free service starts on Friday morning (December 11) at 9:00 AM our time and ends Monday morning at 9 as well.
This allows players who own games with an online component to try them out, possibly complete a trophy or two, and do something different. Sony is particularly focusing on the new Battlefront DLC Battle of Jakku, saying: This is definitely a weekend activity!
The offer is being discussed controversially. One person complains that the PSN will crash again. Another asks, who owns Battlefront and doesn’t have PS+? But a gift horse, and so on. And maybe someone let their PS+ subscription expire, but now feels like playing Battlefront, TESO, or Destiny again.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Cloud Imperium Games lets everyone test the Arena Commander module of Star Citizen for free for a limited time.
Star Citizen – the ambitious project by Cloud Imperium Games has faced as much criticism as praise in the past. It was said that the game would never release as promised, that the money would run out, and that fans would be disappointed …
Star Citizen sounds just too good to be true. A single-player game like Wing Commander, an MMO in a massive persistent universe, ships that can be controlled by multiple players, and even shooter segments… A dream for science fiction fans. Of course, jealousy from other developers also plays a role, who want to badmouth the game.
Play Arena Commander for free!
At least a small glimpse of the game can be obtained until December 14th. Until that date, it is possible to view the Arena Commander module of Star Citizen for free. To do this, you create an account on the official website of the game and can then download the module and engage in some space battles with the ships Aurora MR, Mustang Alpha, and Gladius. Available single-player modes include “Free Flight”, “Murray Cup Racing”, and “Vanduul Swarm” as well as multiplayer modes “Battle Royale”, “Squadron Battle”, “Capture the Core”, as well as the multiplayer versions of “Vanduul Swarm” and “Murray Cup Racing”.
Your PC should meet these requirements:
– Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (64 bit) or Windows 8 (64 bit) – DirectX 11 graphics card with 1GB video RAM – Quad-core CPU – 8GB RAM
Many cooks improve the porridge
Additionally, Tech Director Derek Senior talked about what it’s like when four teams are working on a game. The individual tasks are divided among the studios Cloud Imperium LA, Austin, Frankfurt, and Wilmslow, England. The work is passed back and forth between the various studios and many Skype calls take place. He can understand if one gets the impression that not much progress can be seen in some areas, because much of what is being developed for the game takes place only in the background, including streaming or the coordination of the game world.
In the end, he hopes that everyone will simply be excited. What this will look like can be seen with the Star Citizen Alpha 2.0, which already combines shooter elements with space travel and allows traveling to various locations. All this in a multiplayer mode with other players. The Alpha 2.0 of Star Citizen will be gradually released to supporters. So, it is not easy to develop such an ambitious game, but in the end, it could definitely be worth it.
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In the MMO shooter Destiny, the future is seen in free patches and events, not in DLCs. But what does that mean?
It’s strange what is currently happening with Destiny. The simplest and most obvious question simply remains unanswered: What happens next? Are paid DLCs coming or not?
Now players are waiting: Will there be any new game content at all, apart from events and balance changes?
Players can expect events and content in Year 2 of Destiny
Now Derek Caroll, an important man at Destiny, has essentially confirmed what was thought three months ago. Bungie has changed the model. They prefer to bring events that surprise players instead of “monolithic, gigantic DLCs.” This way, they can offer something to all players who purchased The Taken King.
Because events will be free. The cash shop will strictly offer “cosmetic items” and they are also working on the issue of “emote slots.” They seem to want to completely change how gestures work.
One detail in his response is particularly interesting. Caroll says players can expect new events and new content throughout the year.
This could mean: Destiny players will also receive “quests, zones, and shooter content” in Year 2. But it doesn’t have to be. The term “content” can encompass anything from a new raid zone to “old” exotic items or funny disguises in the Tower.
The interview only tells us that they are no longer planning these paid DLCs, but not “what exactly to expect.” Carroll speaks of “surprising players.” Not planning the year out in advance for them.
What does that mean now?
According to Kotaku, they feel completely confirmed by Carroll’s statements. They shout: It took three months, now they confirm our story. So there will be no new raid or new zones until September. An insider reportedly said that it was impossible for Bungie to deliver game content for DLCs while working on the next expansion for Destiny. That carries the codename “Destiny 2” and is set to be released next autumn. They believe: In the long run, this can be good, then Destiny 2 will be really strong.
How strange the situation is can be seen in a statement from publisher Activision to the magazine Polygon. Activision seriously said on December 8: “We are not bringing any expansions this year. And we have not announced our plans for 2016 yet.” Great answer Activision.
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The three stages of content – what can be expected?
Mein MMO thinks: One can only conclude that the 20-euro DLCs are a thing of the past. And this can indeed benefit “Destiny 2.” Especially if an additional studio is working on it.
The question is simple: Will anything come in 2016 until September that players can accept as “new content”?
One can classify “content” for this purpose into three stages:
Stage I: Events, changes to weapon balance, new/old exotics, and so on – that will surely come. That just happened yesterday.
Stage II: The “next stage” with gear that has higher light values. New items, new missions are coming. Maybe a strike or crucible maps? What was roughly in House of Wolves and The Dark Below – minus the Prison of Elders and Crota’s End. Whether Bungie is working on something in category II, one simply does not know. However, it is strongly hoped so, otherwise the nine months until autumn 2016 may become surprisingly long.
Stage III: The outlook is bleak for hopes towards “new zones, new raids” – if they had something like that in store, they could have probably stuck with the DLC system. There will likely only be Stage III content again with the expansion.
More information, news, and stories can be found on our Destiny page. You will also find information about the gunsmith Banshee-44 today in a few hours.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Senior Game Designer reveals the benefits of the bad cards from Hearthstone – and why they should not be buffed.
An Extra Portion Time
At more or less regular intervals, Ben Brode, the Senior Game Designer of Hearthstone, talks about the team’s thoughts and the current state of the game. In his latest video, he discussed in detail the phenomenon of “Power Creep” – the situation in which old cards are simply replaced by significantly better “new” cards.
Last time in early September, he clearly stated that it would not be a problem for the team if certain cards are stronger than others. The video sparked quite a discussion, prompting Brode to take another 10 minutes to explain precisely what he actually meant.
The Purpose of Basic Cards
According to Brode, basic cards can be bad for several reasons. On one hand, basic cards should be simple and easy to understand. They usually have very simple abilities, like the Fireball or minions with straightforward texts – Taunt is often as complex as they get.
The reasoning behind this is also relatively easy to understand: These are the first cards new players encounter. On the other hand, all cards from the packs (both classic and GvG and DGT) should feel more powerful and like a tangible improvement.
When beginners join the game for the first time, they should immediately think “These were the starting cards, but there’s a lot more!” The feeling of gaining power should be preserved, which is why – at least for the basic cards – there is no problem if they are occasionally weaker.
The logic is obvious: Bad cards are bad so that good cards feel even better by standing out from the weak ones.
Finally, Brode emphasizes that there are many basic cards that are really good. Fireball from the Mage would be one such example, as would the Argent Commander from the Paladin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIpWnb4NyrM
Why Power Creep is not just Power Creep
Another criticism was the Power Creep, which became noticeably significant with the last expansions. Cards like “Dr. Boom” are much better than, for example, the “War Golem” for the same cost. In response, Brode flippantly stated that no one would play the War Golem anyway because it “is a bad card”. Dr. Boom did not replace the War Golem – no one played it anyway. The same applies to Magmaw and Frostwurm – although there are significant differences in power for the same mana, neither card is played.
However, one should not forget that such cards still appear in the game – cards like the “Unstable Portal” can occasionally bring them to light.
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Last night the patch for Destiny was released, but some things were not included in the patch notes. Bungie has loosened up the cash shop, but there is a new unpleasant bug.
The biggest surprise: Players report that a “mysterious bag” can drop in the Nightfall Strike: It contains the “old” emotes from the fall, at least one random one. Bungie has made items that were previously only available for real money “findable for free”. Players even report that they pulled the Carlton dance, everyone’s favorite emote, from the bag.
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However, there are problems with exotic leg engrams that Destiny players find through the Three of Coins. Some report that they dragged the engram to the cryptarch and received nothing in return. The dud is currently strong in Rahool. This is not always the case. But it seems best to hold onto leg engrams until Bungie gives the all-clear.
Ghost Fragment on the Moon and Trick for The Chaperone
And for the ghost hunters perhaps interesting: There is a new ghost fragment in the Ocean of Storms II on the Moon. This was newly added in 2.1.0.
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At the moment, you can see on the Grimoire cards that another ghost fragment is hidden, and there are still 2 other Grimoire cards hidden and 4 accessible through the Sparrow race. The ghost hunters are currently working on that.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the Sparrow race offers some features that players did not expect. Players can also use the Three of Coins here to have a chance at Exotics. And the quest “Johnny Halliday”, where you ultimately receive the Chaperone, can be advanced in the Sparrow race by equipping “The Last Word”.
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All fans of Star Wars: Battlefront can rejoice – the first DLC is now available for all players. EA is also releasing statistics about the battle Rebels vs Empire.
A DLC Snack in Between
Anyone who has exhausted themselves in Star Wars: Battlefront in recent weeks and has already shed the first tears of sorrow due to lack of content can now breathe a sigh of relief. The first DLC titled “Battle of Jakku” is now available for all players on PS4, Xbox One, and PC – and it’s completely free. Previously, the DLC had been accessible for a week to all pre-orderers of the Star Wars shooter.
The Battle of Jakku takes place story-wise 29 years before the new film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” bringing a new map and the new game mode “Turning Point,” where the Rebels must sequentially capture various control points, which the Empire will of course try to prevent. Especially the battles for the last point should be thrilling, as both sides must behave very strategically there to avoid losing or giving away a quick victory.
The domination creates a feeling of classic Star Wars mass battles: It’s fun.
But this is far from the end of content for the game. There will be numerous DLCs in the future as well. In 2016, a total of 4 packs are planned, which can already be pre-ordered through a Season Pass. In addition to these paid DLCs, EA will also regularly offer free expansions, which will enhance the game with new maps – these will then, like the Battle of Jakku, be accessible to all players.
The makers of Battleborn have revealed the pre-order bonuses and shared a few words about the recent technical test.
“The community is badass”
The colorful hero shooter “Battleborn” from the creators of Borderlands hosted its “Closed Technical Test” or CTT a few weeks ago. While the developers primarily wanted to test the server structure, they were also able to try out some other things. During the test, game balance was adjusted, and matchmaking was refined.
In Battleborn, the action is intense and colorful – a nod to Borderlands.
In a final internal interview regarding the CTT, the developers spoke extensively about their experiences and thanked the community. They were surprised by how engaged the community was in the forums and how quickly a “meta” established itself, prompting players to discuss counter-strategies for popular combinations.
Looking forward, they plan to focus on the “Meltdown” game mode, as matches there can quickly spiral out of control due to the snowball effect, making early successes almost always lead to victory – comebacks are hardly possible.
Toby, the destructive penguin
Of the 25 characters that Battleborn will launch with, only a small part has been playable so far. The latest addition introduced is Toby, the destructive penguin. Since penguins are not known for their combat prowess alone, he has been placed in a battle robot. He is usually a calm guy, but ever since he was told he was “too cute to fight,” something snapped in him. Or as he puts it: “I am become death! Destroyer of worlds!”
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Battleborn will release as a full-price title for €50 and can now be pre-ordered for PS4. PC users can already buy the game in the Steam store for the same price. Those who invest early will receive the “Firstborn” skin pack as a bonus, which includes 5 gold colorings for the characters Thorn, Reyna, Montana, Marquis, and Rath.
For those who are still uncertain, it is advisable to wait a little longer, as there will be an open beta on Xbox One, PS4, and PC before the release next year – although a date has not yet been announced. Playstation players will receive an exclusive beta early in 2016.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
No one expected this: Otherside Entertainment announces the continuation of a cult RPG series with System Shock 3.
System Shock will certainly be familiar to older generations, as it combined horror with science fiction and role-playing elements upon its release in 1994. From a first-person perspective, players explored a space station where strange things were happening. Mutants and insane robots lurked everywhere, eager to attack. The supercomputer Shodan had taken control of the station and planned to eradicate humanity. As the only survivor on the station, players set out to destroy Shodan.
In 1999, System Shock 2 followed as a sequel, set on a spaceship whose crew had been wiped out and replaced by cyborgs and mutants. Although players believed they had defeated Shodan in the first game, the AI was once again behind the events. System Shock 2 highlighted the horror elements more prominently but still excelled in providing gameplay freedom and complex RPG mechanics.
System Shock 2 even offered a multiplayer mode, allowing up to four players to explore the abandoned spaceship together.
Two new System Shock games!
There was silence around the series for a long time. But a few weeks ago, Night Dive Studios announced that they had acquired the brand rights to System Shock from Electronic Arts. The studio is currently working on a remake of the first game. Now they seem to have teamed up with Otherside Studios to realize System Shock 3 as well. And they couldn’t have found a better partner. Otherside Entertainment was founded by former Looking-Glass developers who designed the two System Shock games.
So at least part of the old team is involved in developing System Shock 3. However, not much is currently known about the game, except that it will be released. Whether there will be a multiplayer mode this time remains uncertain – but since this mode was extremely popular in its predecessor, it can be assumed that the developers are at least considering integrating something similar.
In the coming weeks, more details about System Shock 3 are expected to be released. We hope to find out if Shodan will be part of it again, when it will be released, and if there will be a multiplayer mode. Otherside Entertainment is also currently working on the role-playing game Underworld Ascendant, which will be an unofficial successor to the Ultima Underworld series from 1992/1993.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Destiny today, December 8, the first major patch after The Taken King is arriving. What changes with the December update? What does the patch bring?
At 7:00 PM this evening, December 8, the major patch for Destiny is scheduled to be deployed. There should actually be no maintenance. After the download, players can continue right away. No one should miss significant gameplay if everything goes according to plan.
One of the highlights of the December update in Destiny:
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These 5 major changes are brought by the Destiny patch this evening
Bungie has been talking about the December update in Destiny for months. Although there are no exact patch notes yet regarding what is changing, we already know enough to provide you with a summary. Here are the 5 important things that will be different tomorrow compared to today:
15 exotic armors and weapons are coming in Year 2, of which 13 are known from Year 1, 2 are new – We have listed the 15 items here
These are the 5 essential changes. Now we wait for the patch notes and will update the article if the patch holds any surprises. But these 5 changes are likely the most important this evening.
Update 19:05: The patch is already here. Without maintenance or anything. Those who log out and close Destiny can install it. On the Xbox One, it should be about 700 MB. On the PlayStation, many are again seeing 18 GB, which is a known bug that has occurred frequently. Also, on PlayStation, the patch for Destiny is only about 600 MB.
What the patch 2.1.0 changes – Patch notes in English
Exotic class items from the Collector’s Edition can now be infused and can be used in addition to exotic armor pieces.
Issues with leg armor that prevented them from providing bonus ammo have been fixed.
On the Dreadnaught, some chests now give Hadium Flakes instead of Worm Spore.
A bug that caused Guardians to get stuck in a slow sprint has been eliminated.
The skull of the terrible Ahamkara has been added to the Exotic collection.
The Will of Crota Strike (Omnigul) is now in the Vanguard and Heroic Vanguard playlists.
The Nightfall strike grants 500 Vanguard reputation once per week with every Guardian.
Three of Coins can now provide bonus loot at the end of a Crucible match (according to initial reports, they also work in the Sparrow racing).
Wants your Etheric Light.
Petra Venj now accepts Etheric Light for reputation.
The vendors of the 3 factions and Eris now accept “certain planetary materials for reputation.” (that would be the Worm Spore, for example).
Year 1 ships can now be included in the reward packages of the 3 Tower factions.
And a lot of tweaks have been made to the Crucible maps and some existing exotic armors have been slightly changed: The duration of the Golden Gun’s activity has been reduced for the Achylophage Symbiote; the Handcuffs of Nothing have had the tracking of the Scatter grenades reduced, and in “No Plan B” the shotgun-activated barrier only works for Defender Titans.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the superhero MMORPG DC Universe Online (PlayStation 3 and PC), Episode 19 has been released. In a solo adventure, you fight against arch-demons, while the 4-player alert continues the story of Green Arrow.
December brings “double content” once again for DC Universe Online. A solo adventure “Deep Desires” continues the story of Raven and Trigon. Now that Trigon is out of the way, her brothers are struggling for dominance. Between envy and gluttony, the conflict is underway. Gluttony craves not only for food but also for power. In a 4-player alert, the action moves to Starling City, the setting for the adventures of “Green Arrow.” Ra’s al Ghul has taken control of the archer known from the TV series. Players can fight alongside Black Canary or Heat Wave against Ra’s al Ghul.
According to initial feedback from fans, the solo adventure is particularly well-received. Since last week, Episode 19 has been playable for members, and in the coming days, non-members will also be able to purchase it in the store.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A producer leans far out of the window and explains what makes the action RPG Lost Ark so different from, for example, Diablo 3.
Lost Ark and Diablo 3 – Similar yet Different
Those who enjoy action RPGs and like to take a look beyond the Western horizon have surely heard of the Korean Lost Ark. Anyone who casts an eye on the first images and screenshots inevitably comes up with the thought “That looks like Diablo 3”.
The head of Smilegate, Ji Won-gil, answered some questions in an interview with 17173.com and explained how the game would differ from Blizzard’s competitor.
All a Matter of Perspective
Won-gil addresses some differences between the two games. “Due to the similar camera angle, it is only natural that players compare Lost Ark to Diablo 3. However, once they have played a round of Lost Ark, they will realize that the games have major differences. Lost Ark is based on a target-less combat system where players can knock enemies down and push them back. They can also launch opponents into the air to unleash further combos.” Whether this aspect of gameplay really differs significantly from Diablo 3 remains to be seen.
“Aside from that, the camera is not static but dynamic, allowing players to experience the combat from multiple perspectives.”
How this dynamic camera looks in the game and how the environment is firmly integrated into the cinematic narrative is shown in the 8-minute trailer.
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“Last but not least, Lost Ark is not a dungeon game. It clearly emphasizes open-world adventure.” According to Won-gil, the game world will truly be “gigantic”.
“Combat is only a part of the game”
But Lost Ark wants to show even more differences. The combat system is only one part of the player experience, and it also aims to highlight a classic “adventure” feel. Here, the dynamic camera is particularly useful, as it whirls players through a collapsing dungeon where a dragon is systematically destroying the environment.
Easy to learn, hard to master – also a theme in Lost Ark.
A final similarity does emerge. The classes and the game as a whole are supposed to “offer a lot of depth while remaining easy to understand”. This is essentially just a variation of the popular “Easy to learn, hard to master”. For this, they want to “redefine familiarity” – Lost Ark aims to feel fresh, which is also reflected in the game world that spans multiple cultures and eras – featuring dragons, as well as robots and battle machines, sometimes in an Asian, sometimes in a Nordic setting.
Normally, we start our class articles by introducing the classes and then explain, if necessary, some of the associated game mechanics and ideas. However, the stealth system of this class is so different from the typical MMO genericness that we prefer to discuss it first this time.
We unveil the veil: The stealth system of the Veilwalker!
The topic of Stealther (rogue) has been a hotly debated subject in Camelot Unchained from the beginning and has been highlighted in several articles. The reason for this is summarized by Mark Jacob as follows:
As a player, I loved Stealther and played numerous stealth-based characters in MMORPGs. On the other hand, as a designer, especially in a RvR-focused MMORPG like Camelot Unchained, I am deeply concerned about them and their impact on the game. I do not want to add a class that drives away as many players as it attracts due to its actual or perceived power. Furthermore, I also do not want a class that constantly needs to be nerfed to find just the balance that satisfies non-stealthers.
Therefore, the guys at CSE were sure from the beginning that if they were to introduce any form of stealth into the game, they would need to find an innovative and entertaining way to do so.
Concept art of a Veilstalker (Arthurian), Red Cap (TDD), and Shadow Walkers (Viking)
The designers’ idea was to create the so-called Veilwalkers, who can move through the Veil (veil) unlike other classes. This is an important component of the game’s background and also affects gameplay. It is a kind of magical plane, a living world that overlaps with the game world and causes chaos and destruction in the form of veil storms.
Veilwalkers can penetrate the “veil” to this world. As they do, the world around them begins to blur as if they are looking through fog. This can be compared to the Lord of the Rings when Frodo puts on the ring and enters another dimension, making him invisible to all normal mortals.
The veil and its deadly storms pose the greatest danger in Camelot Unchained
Inside the Veil, the walkers can move at normal and sometimes increased speed. But beware! For the Veil is alive and has its own defense mechanisms that it hurls at intruders. For example, the spirits of dead Veilwalkers, who crave the souls of their living brethren. Veilwalkers must always stay alert.
Moreover, passing through the veil causes pain and can alter the Veilwalkers over time. This pain intensifies the more stealthers from the same realm linger in an area with few opponents. Forming and maintaining a “gank group” will therefore not be an easy task and, according to the developers, should be less rewarding than playing solo. This is where the Veilwalkers differ significantly from most other familiar classes in the game, which are often quite group-oriented.
As compensation for all these risks, according to Mark Jacobs: “Power, movement speed, a game within a game, and a challenge like no other!”
Daggers are the preferred weapon of the Veilwalkers
But more on this in the following class descriptions:
Veilstalker
The Veilstalker (Arthurian) in the service of King Arthur take pride in being the first to gain access to the Veil, giving them the oldest tradition and therefore the most experience among all Veilwalkers in dealing with the hidden powers there. However, for these abilities, the Veilstalkers pay a high price, as their body is particularly affected each time they enter the Veil.
Veilstalkers enter the Veil through portals they can create between themselves and the Veil. The longer Veilstalkers spend in the Veil, the more “arcane charges” they accumulate, which they can use outside the Veil as a damage bonus and special damage effects for their attacks.
However, they should not hesitate to use their powers for too long, as the “charges” disappear more quickly the longer the Veilstalkers remain outside the Veil. Additionally, they are considered masters of interruption (magic, healing, and simple weapon attacks), making them a nightmare for mages. However, unlike the “stunlock” of other games, the interruption abilities of the classes in Camelot Unchained do not render them completely immobile and unable to act.
The focus of the Stalkers lies (unlike most classes in CU) more in the field of 1vs1, against ranged classes such as mages and archers, the “damage dealers” of the game. This brings them closest to classic rogue/assassin classes of other MMOs, at least within the limits set by Camelot Unchained.
Red Cap
The Red Cap (Tuatha Dé Danann) use their blood (energy type similar to mana). But don’t worry… their blood supply regenerates particularly quickly in the Veil. This pays off in two ways for them, as the amount of blood gained in the Veil can be converted into bonus damage. However, they need to be careful, as outside the Veil, especially in daylight, their blood supply slowly but continuously decreases and thus also the energy pool for using their abilities.
The Red Caps can hit hard and fast, and curse their enemies, allowing them to steal and utilize the blood of their foes and corpses (life-leech). And with their special daggers, they are able to penetrate even heavier armor. All in all, the Red Caps resemble more of a blood mage or “vampires” than a typical assassin.
Shadow Walker
The Shadow Walker (Viking) are not only skilled in traversing the Veil, but also the darkness of night. For this, they incur some disadvantages in the glaring light of the sun. This makes them especially a terror for some of the classes specialized in night TDD (e.g., the shapeshifter class of Morrigan).
Darkness also plays a special role when entering the Veil. While the walkers can do this anywhere, they succeed much faster if they are already hidden. Additionally, their running speed and damage are increased when they leave the Veil at night and can continue moving unseen in the normal world until they attack or are discovered through skills. They also gain a special ability that allows them to detect opposing Veilwalkers in the Veil and pull them into the real world from there.
They are not the strongest of all stealth classes when it comes to pure damage alone. This may also be due to the fact that their abilities do not work when they come into contact with metal (e.g., weapons). Therefore, the Shadow Walkers primarily carry special weapons made of bone. With these, they execute powerful interruption abilities, which, in combination with their special stealth in the Veil, as well as in the night, make them a feared class that can even panic other stealers.
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