The MMO shooter Destiny wants to know once more in the Christmas business. With a trailer and juicy discounts, they want to make an impact this Christmas season. They are selling Destiny at affordable prices – even in Germany.
40$ and excellent critic reviews, these are the arguments for Destiny in the Christmas business of 2015. The game, long derided by critics, now boasts a few press superlatives and argues: If you had bought the games like this, you would have paid 140€. That’s the value. We offer this to you for 40$.
http://youtu.be/NkYqttzX90M
40 US dollars – that is the price for the Legendary Edition with all previously released game content: The base game, the DLC The Dark Below, the DLC House of Wolves, and the expansion “The Taken King.” At the launch of “The Taken King,” Bungie wanted to sell the package for nearly 60 euros.
Bargain hunters beware: Destiny will also be available at particularly low prices in Germany
Prices for Destiny are also dropping significantly in Europe. The Legendary Edition is currently at 45€. On November 30th at 8:00 PM, shipping giant Amazon plans to lower the price again as part of its Cyber Week. But only as long as supplies last.
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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Due to the Thanksgiving holidays, City State Entertainment (CSE) is currently busy, and two class trios have been introduced in rapid succession: the Spirit Mages (pet class) and the Healers (healer class) for Camelot Unchained (RvR MMORPG).
We will take a look at the former here, while we will examine the Healers more closely in the coming days.
The Spirit Mages are divided into the following three distinct classes:
Slaughterwolves
The Slaughterwolves (Viking) are a group of mages capable of summoning the spirits of wolves while simultaneously controlling multiple elemental beings (ice, fire, etc.). Depending on the element of the wolves, they have different types of damage and debuffs. Each animal may possess a different element; however, multiple wolves of the same type can group together autonomously and act as a unit within the entire pack. The summoners can only give commands to the spirits when they simultaneously summon a new animal of the same element, whose command then applies to all animals of the elemental group.
A summoner of the Slaughterwolves with his pack on the hunt
This enormous number of possible companions is both the strength of the Slaughterwolves and a significant challenge. The spirit wolves begin to disintegrate immediately after summoning, and this process can only be delayed by the spirit wolves feeding on the bodies of fallen enemies. However, only one wolf can feed at a time, making a large pack constantly reliant on new supplies. The summoners must also always monitor the individual animals of the group, similar to a pack leader, as the mental control over the wolves has a limited range. If this range is exceeded, the wolves will become autonomous until they either disintegrate or a new summoner of the Slaughterwolves is nearby, to whom they will then voluntarily join.
Like real wolves, the summons of the Slaughterwolves can hunt specific – chosen by the summoner – opponents. Generally, there is a close symbiosis between spirit wolves and real wolves, whose strength and energy can absorb the spirits when they meet. Considering all these points, the Spiritwolves, with their almost RTS-like gameplay (control of the wolves), seem to be one of the most skill-intensive and complex classes in the game.
Morrigan
The Morrigan (Tuatha Dé Danann) are master summoners who can summon three different types of spirits: a wolf spirit, a raven spirit, and a bull spirit. Additionally, skilled Morrigan are capable of regularly changing the form of the spirit into that of another animal when needed.
Through the portals of the Morrigan, opponents never know where the attack will come from in time
This and their ability to open portals, which the spirit can then use to quickly and unexpectedly attack, make the Morrigan dangerous opponents. Their victims usually only realize what is happening to them when it is too late. The spirits operate less as pets accompanying the Morrigan and more as a kind of magical projectile causing direct damage. Examples include the “Spectral Bull” spell, which causes significant ram damage and can interrupt enemies, as well as the “Spectral Crow” spell, which not only provides the Morrigan with a speed buff but also regenerates hit points through life leech.
The Morrigan must pay close attention to their energy pool (Blood / Stamina) during casting. Like the Wisps (scouts of the TDD), the time of day plays a vital role, as their energy regeneration at night is much better than during the day. Furthermore, the death of an opponent also temporarily positively affects the regeneration time of the Morrigan.
The Morrigan is thus the perfect complement to the Druid of the Tuatha Dé Danann, which we recently introduced to you. Whereas the Druid, in contrast to the mages of the two other realms, has hardly any direct spells with single target damage and focuses entirely on AoE damage, the powers of the Morrigan represent the complete opposite. The long range of their abilities, the element of surprise, and the fact that the spirits, thanks to the portals, are hard to stop before reaching their target, round off the overall package.
Spirit pets come in various forms and elements
Dread Caller
The Dread Caller (Arthurian) stand out a bit, as they summon the spirits of deceased humans who have done something wrong in their lives, rather than animal spirits, similar to a necromancer. These damned souls of warriors, mages, and rogues can now pay their debt by bringing their special abilities to the service of the Dread Caller. Depending on the need, the summoners can summon a different spirit with suitable abilities.
Some of the companions of the Dread Caller include a “Traitorous Soldier” who can deal considerable damage with his two-handed weapons and a “Corrupted Cultist” who uses his mind and shadow magic against the enemies, as well as a heavily armored tank who protects his master from harm. The Dread Caller, similar to some of the scouts of Camelot Unchained, can gain control over the body of the summoned spirit while his own body remains in place.
But even without creatures, the Dread Caller makes a good impression. They love to be in the midst of the fray and therefore have a wide repertoire of melee skills. And to survive the battle at the front unscathed, they have suitable advantages (boons) available. One of these options, for example, ensures that the Dread Caller is healed by the damage dealt by the spirit. This, along with the fact that the summoned spirits remain in the fight even after the death of the Dread Caller, makes him and his creatures true nuisances.
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There are fresh images and videos of the class or order halls from World of Warcraft: Legion – check out where your hero will soon spend their time!
What do the order halls bring?
With the upcoming expansion Legion for World of Warcraft, there are numerous new contents that all players can look forward to. Important components of daily gameplay are the order halls, which are supposed to be the counterpart to the garrison of Warlords of Draenor. Unlike before, however, the class halls are accessible to all players of both factions, allowing, for example, all mages to meet in the same place.
Here, the artifact weapon can be upgraded and various tasks accepted. The goal is to reduce the statics and loneliness of the garrisons and create a new sense of community for each class – with a sanctum where only members of their own class have access.
Check out the different class halls on the next pages!
Although Blizzard has already roughly presented some class halls in the past, there are now fresh screenshots that convey a real impression of what the atmosphere in the respective halls looks like for the first time.
Unfortunately, we only have a short video for the Death Knight (Acherus) and Demon Hunter (Mardum). Both class halls are still in an early stage of development.
Check out how the different class halls in WoW: Legion look on the next pages, and let us know your opinion. Do you already feel at home in the halls? Or would you have wished for something different?
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Paladin – Sanctum of Light, Eastern Plaguelands
The hall of all paladins is the Chapel of Hopeful Light in the Eastern Plaguelands. For a long time, it was the only remaining bastion against the Scourge in the Eastern Kingdoms. Here, the attacks on Naxxramas were coordinated, and the Lich King was repelled with his death knights. If there is a sign of hope in the darkest hour, then it is this little chapel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsd4d2YXouo
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online is struggling to transition from a veteran rank system to a more flexible champion point system.
The progress system in The Elder Scrolls Online continues to cause headaches for the developers.
Because the current system, the “veteran ranks” in The Elder Scrolls Online (the level after level), was supposed to serve only as a transitional solution until the champion point system was implemented.
However, it was then found that the veteran ranks are connected to so many systems that they could not be removed without risking “blowing up the whole game.” This was explained by Creative Director Rich Lambert of TESO in the stream show ESO Live.
Transitional solution has been replaced by transitional solution
When the champion point system was completed, another interim solution had to be found, and since then, champion points and veteran ranks have been active simultaneously. Quite complicated – and this system is also just a transition until they can finally get rid of the veteran ranks. However, this proves to be complicated.
At the moment, not much concrete can be said because everything is in progress and could still change. But the champion points are no reason for concern. You won’t suddenly have 500 champion points to continue using the VR-18 gear. Just because the first cap is there, it doesn’t mean that the best gear will be hung there; rather, they will “take it slowly.”
This is Lambert’s current message: They intend to proceed very carefully and slowly until they can finally get rid of the veteran ranks.
The Elder Scrolls Online would transition from a twink-unfriendly to a twink-friendly MMORPG
Mein MMO says: It sounds so trivial, but the transition frightens players and presents great challenges for developers, yet the potential is enormous.
An MMORPG faces problems when it switches to another system after (probably) two years.
The veteran ranks have always been nonsense in that form. Leveling to 50 felt good, but with the transition to veteran ranks, the gaming experience suddenly became sluggish; level-ups took forever and yielded little benefit. In retrospect, it was a nonsensical concept: They could have just gone to level 80 and kept the progress curve relatively constant, instead of building in such a steep “stair” increase. This decision, along with the Cadwell’s Silver/Gold story, likely dampened the enthusiasm for TESO for many players after the initial months.
The champion system, in contrast, has several advantages and sounds significantly better. Especially the idea that every character above level 50 “is as strong as the main character” and can wear equally strong gear is likely to make TESO a much more twink-friendly game. You can see how hard developers and games suffer under such “interim solutions.” If the champion system had been completed in 2014, a lot of anger could have been avoided.
Evolve is hosting a new weekend challenge and offers two skins that hunters and monsters can earn together.
United in Bird Hunting
Evolve is also joining the loudly steaming train of Thanksgiving events and is hosting a new community challenge this weekend. Since the turkey population on Shear is nonexistent, other birds must serve as victims.
On Shear, this likely corresponds to the Mammoth Birds, which have little to do with flying creatures, but electric shock tentacles are also something like wings, right? The goal of the challenge is to kill a total of 750,000 Mammoth Birds. It doesn’t matter whether you do this as a hunter or monster, you can basically play “as usual”, but you should focus a bit more on hunting the walking Tesla coils.
The challenge is active until noon on November 30th. Anyone who has taken down at least one of the quirky birds qualifies for the two skins “Goliath Poison Frog” and “Hyde Union Jack”.
For the first time, it is now possible to track progress live online, so that all players always have a rough idea of how far they have progressed in the challenge.
For more about the game and the new character “Blitz-Markov”, check out our Evolve topic page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The racing MMO Need for Speed Edge presents a new gameplay video and has entered closed beta.
Made for the Asian market, the new MMO from EA “Need for Speed” Edge impresses in gameplay videos. A closed beta has been running in South Korea for a few days.
In the PvP mode “Speed-Battle,” players can use a speed boost to catapult themselves in front of the other players’ vehicles when the energy is charged. In the video, however, you won’t see the typical sports cars, but rather cars that you might encounter on South Korean streets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zex-kjJG6NQ
In a second mode “Item Battle,” players can scrape items off the road and then use them.
“Need for Speed Edge” belongs to the MMO releases of well-known Western franchises like Civilization Online or Call of Duty Online, with which Western companies aim to conquer the market in Asia. Consoles are hardly prevalent there; everything is centered around PC or mobile. Need for Speed Edge runs on the Frostbite Engine 3, which is also used by Star Wars Battlefront.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
From the very beginning, Destiny had a roadmap. At the release in September, a “Season Pass” was already announced, stating: We will bring two major content expansions. And hardly had “House of Wolves” been released, Bungie announced the major expansion “The Taken King” at E3.
Although “The Dark Below” and “House of Wolves” were somewhat disappointing, the roadmap was always clear. The Guardians knew from September 2014 to September 2015 what to look forward to and what to prepare for.
But now everything is different. For “The Taken King” there was no further Season Pass as expected. Also, Bungie remains tight-lipped about the future, so for the first time Destiny players have to truly ask: “What comes next?”
The Near Future
The near future of Destiny is clear. Either on December 8 or December 15 a new patch will be released. It will:
However, based on everything we know, no new gameplay content will come: no new zone, no strike. Therefore, the December patch will likely not be something that keeps Destiny players occupied for a long time. It lacks the wow factor; while it will bring new content for those who still play, it is not an “expansion.”
Previously, there were patches that also changed the balance, but in no patch were new Exotics introduced, as this was always reserved for paid DLCs. The question, therefore, is: Is this going to be the new standard? Will such patches be the only thing in Year 2?
Well, we don’t know, and that’s exactly what unsettles many. The patch marks at least “the end” of The Taken King for this content cycle. Perhaps this is why we feel uneasy about the question: What comes next?
The Distant Future
It seems that the distant future of Destiny is also clear. There are many indications that in September 2016 Destiny 2 will be presented. It is assumed that this will not be a classic sequel but will operate similarly to “The Taken King,” perhaps with even more significant changes. For existing players, it will continue seamlessly, while “newcomers” will have an opportunity to start and join the hordes of Destiny players.
By the way, there are models that refer to early contracts between Bungie and Activision, suggesting that Destiny 2 will be released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Old consoles will no longer be supported. This could also indicate how significantly different Destiny 2 could be from the first part.
However, that is still far off, and there is little known about what Bungie is working on. Most players are much more preoccupied with the question of what will happen from January onwards.
This is exactly the question we will be addressing on the next page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
ARK gives Thanksgiving a new twist – catch small birds and sacrifice them to a large one to spread chaos and terror!
All hail the DodoRex!
In the dino hit ARK: Survival Evolved, Thanksgiving is celebrated in a very special way. The developers have temporarily added a new game mode where players must catch special turkeys to sacrifice to their big Dodo. This sounds not only absurd but is also incredibly fun. Once you’ve satisfied the DodoRex, you can mount it and cause death and destruction.
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Because humans are simply too easy a target on this mount and perish quickly when fire breathing, it’s best to seek out a competitor that has gained the same powers. However, there is nothing wrong with spreading a little terror. Those who do not want to save up for a gigantic DodoRex can also use the materials obtained from the turkeys to craft new headgear.
This event is only active until December 1 – so anyone wanting to participate should hurry!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Not much is known about the cash shop of Black Desert – now there are a few new details.
No Pay2Win, just cosmetics and quality of life
An increasingly prominent topic in MMORPGs is the integrated cash shop, without which no representative of the genre can do without today. While other countries have come to terms with these additional offerings, skepticism remains high among us. What will the shop contain? Will the game potentially be Pay2Win, allowing players to purchase unfair advantages, such as better armor or weapons? Our colleagues from 2p had the opportunity to speak with PR manager Rick van Beem to extract some answers.
More power for hard euros? Rather unlikely.
The overall direction and transparency
When asked whether the shop items would be cheaper because the game is being released as a Buy2Play version with us, they only replied: “The cash shop will focus on cosmetic items and quality of life. The exact prices of individual items have not yet been discussed. However, we want to be as transparent as possible and will disclose everything as soon as it approaches a final stage.”
Subsequently, it was asked what would be done to minimize the fear of Pay-to-Win. “Players should not worry. The cash shop will not diminish their enjoyment of the game.” This is a bold statement considering how many players in Europe regularly complain about the existence of such an offering.
Whether sexy clothing and game advantages is up to each individual to decide …
Even the answer to the question of whether all items from the Korean version would make it into the shop of the American and European version could only be answered vaguely. “Many items in Korea are fan favorites, and they contribute to the version there. However, we can’t say anything concrete yet, as many things are still in development.”
In summary, unfortunately these are not very concrete statements, but they clearly set the direction of “Not Pay2Win.”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Destiny , the hardest PvP players can prove what they’re made of in the Trials of Osiris.
Until next Tuesday at 10:00 AM, the Trials of Osiris are active in Destiny. The most important thing in the 3v3 matches is to keep your teammates alive and to prevent the opponents from reviving their fallen comrades.
The most loot comes from the bounties, the quests, from Brother Vance. Those who achieve 9 wins without a loss go to Mercury. There, a treasure chest awaits them in the Lighthouse and a primary weapon with an attack value of 310 or higher.
With 5 wins on a ticket, all players also receive boots.
With 7 wins, players receive the machine gun.
The map of Bungie’s choice this week is “Anomaly.” A relatively small map on the Moon, in the tight corridors close-combat weapons like shotguns have the advantage. Perhaps a good opportunity to try out Xur’s offer today or to pull out the Chaperone. However, sniper rifles are also a force on the map.
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The Hamburg-based Goodgame Studios are known for browser and free-to-play games. However, the company is now facing criticism for laying off some employees, and there are allegations that this is intended to prevent the establishment of a works council.
In companies, restructuring and layoffs happen from time to time. Therefore, the dismissal of 28 employees at Goodgame Studios would not be unusual. If it weren’t for a former employee coming forward, who now claims that of these 28 employees, 15 wanted to establish a works council. The works council was supposed to be installed in December 2015/January 2016. It is quite surprising that these layoffs occurred just now. Furthermore, the ex-employee claims that among the dismissed employees there are those who had expressed criticism towards the company.
Do the Goodgame Studios not want a works council?
The studio’s most well-known game: Goodgame Empire
This could of course just be the statement of a disgruntled former employee wanting to get back at their ex-employer. However, looking at the reviews of Goodgame Studios on the platform Kununu, one gets the impression that there might be some truth to the story. For on Kununu, one reads the opinions of many dissatisfied employees of the company who wish for a works council. The big question is why there isn’t one. There is no obligation to establish a works council, yet it would show respect towards employees to install one in the company.
Company Statement
The premises will likely be emptier for now.
The Goodgame Studios have commented on the layoffs but do not address the allegation of undermining the establishment of a works council, stating only: “After thorough examination, the company has decided to separate from 28 employees from different departments with immediate effect for operational reasons, such as performance deficits.” Is there more to this?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
New details about the artifact weapons from World of Warcraft: Legion have been extracted from the game data – what do the talents look like?
Dataminers at Work
As the dataminers slowly but surely sift through the game files of World of Warcraft: Legion, more and more subtleties and details are coming to light. A major breakthrough has now been achieved, as the various talents and properties of the artifact weapons have been extracted. Please note that many of the details are still preliminary and should therefore be taken with caution.
Half-phenomenal, Almost Cosmic Powers …
Each artifact weapon has a small web of abilities (strongly reminiscent of the sphero board from Final Fantasy X), all interconnected. Characters always start with a core ability of their weapon, so Retribution Paladins with the Ashbringer gain the ability “Ashes to Ashes,” which gives Judgments a chance to create magical copies of the weapon that additionally damage the enemy.
From these starting abilities, one unlocks new abilities piece by piece across the board until progressing to the truly big abilities (those with golden dragon frames). These are essentially the elite properties, the real specialties of a weapon. Fire mages can obtain a passive ability with “Pyretic Incantation” that increases the damage of consecutive critical hits by 15%. Anyone who scores two to three critical hits in a row will likely see their damage skyrocket.
… and Clichéd Percent Increases
The much larger portion of the various slots are percentage increases in the damage of certain abilities. “Increases the damage of Shadow Word: Pain by 6/12/18%” is indeed a noticeable increase in practice, but hardly provides the feeling of uniqueness that one wanted to achieve with the artifacts.
More than half of the abilities are simple “Do so much more damage” talents.
There are certainly some absurdly funny combinations. Mages, for example, can, with relics (essentially “sockets” for artifacts) and the talent “Everywhere at Once,” reduce the cooldown of Blink by up to 12 seconds – meaning in practice they can teleport around every 3 seconds if they want to.
By analyzing the data, another pattern was unearthed that includes talents for a special fishing rod. This rod then increases, in line with the profession, the chance to catch certain fish, boosts your damage against water creatures, or even allows you to walk on water when you’ve unlocked the corresponding talents. I would bet my angler’s hat that Nat Pagle has his fingers in this …
Mein-MMO says: If the various talents of the artifacts actually go live as described, then it feels a bit underwhelming. Many abilities are simply boring “Increase the damage of ability X by amount Y” and remind one of the classic talent system that had been intended to be left behind.
The truly special elite abilities seem exciting in this regard but could also easily fit into the existing talent system. It remains to be seen whether the gameplay of the artifact weapons will truly be a worthwhile and exciting expansion, or just an outsourced talent system. We are currently skeptical about the extracted data – let’s see what further beta brings.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
WildStar lowers the prices of some shop items for a limited time – and tempts players with double experience points for a weekend.
ProtoStar – Capitalists with a Heart?
When everyone is losing their minds over pricing to entice their customers with offers, the capitalist corporation of Nexus is no exception. As part of the “second annual Proto clearance sale by Protostar”, there are some massive discounts that will make life easier for WildStar players.
Log in now to receive two gifts for free.
Login Bonus and 1-NCoin Offers
Even those who don’t want to spend a penny should consider logging into WildStar at least once currently. If you log in by 9 AM on December 1st, you will receive the complete Combatant costume set for free. As a bonus, you will also receive a Bottle of Progress, which grants one of your characters 50% additional experience points for 3 hours. This is the perfect opportunity to level up another twink to the maximum level.
However, when you are already in the game, it may happen that you end up spending a few euros in the real money shop. There are currently a handful of toys available for only 1 NCoin – which translates to only a few cents. Among the highlights are the Pestilence Cauldron or the Spider Egg, which envelops your character in a creepy, swirling cocoon – the hit at any Halloween event.
The Double XP Event
From November 27 (11 AM) to November 30 (9 AM) there will be another in-game event with the somewhat questionable name “double XP event”. During this time, all characters will receive double experience points – this applies not only to players with a subscription but also to all free-to-play enthusiasts.
For more information about the free-to-play version of the game, you can visit our WildStar theme page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The genre mix Civilization Online enters the open beta phase in Asia.
Developed by XL Games and published by 2k Games, Civilization Online is now ready to enter the open beta in South Korea. On December 2nd, it will take place. They have prepared another trailer: It showcases “modern warfare,” albeit with somewhat outdated military leaders. Typical Civilization.
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Civ Online is not just a “Civilization game about multiplayer,” but a different variation of the core idea: civilizations compete with each other over centuries and millennia for dominance and coexistence.
But instead of entrusting the fate of an entire civilization to one player, they are a cog in the wheel, working together with many other members of their civilization towards victory in this game.
Now, the results are presented in Star Trek Online: It is a carrier of the Jupiter class. This is a class 6 spaceship and it will also have a fleet version. Carrier ships are behemoths in Star Trek Online from whose hangars fighters launch. The carrier ships themselves support the fighters, making them even more deadly: The Jupiter will come with the ability “As if to mock” and thus grant additional firepower to the hangar ships. This is similar to a warlock buffing its demon army in an MMORPG.
A ship of the Jupiter class can be created through the cash shop. In STO, players can exchange resources earned in-game for cash shop currency. Furthermore, three different types of “Callisto” escort ships can be acquired, which will then launch from the Jupiter class.
How exactly the Jupiter class is supposed to cause a stir in Star Trek Online, read in this dev blog. It is also available in German and describes the statistics and characteristics of the Jupiter and its fleet version.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Blade & Soul a shitstorm is brewing – serious censorship allegations are in the air.
Where does censorship begin and where does localization end?
Blade & Soul is currently experiencing a significant shitstorm on Reddit and in the forums. The localization of the game is currently underway, as the release is scheduled for the beginning of next year. However, it seems more is being done than just translating – entire passages are likely being cut, and even plotlines of quests are being completely replaced if they do not meet moral standards.
The necessity for adjustments
Before we get into the critical points, we should say a few words about localization in general. It is not – as often assumed – simply the direct translation of texts in a game, but often involves a high degree of adjustments. For example, there are certain word plays in Japanese or Korean that have no suitable counterpart in German. Instead of leaving a quest completely humorless, a slightly modified joke is incorporated that works better in the respective language.
Always a brave hero? Controversies are being cut.
Certain cultural differences, such as “general knowledge” on certain topics can vary widely from country to country. While a Chinese person might immediately understand the deep meaning of a “Lotus Warrior of the 52nd Quick Cut Unit” (completely made up), we are left with only question marks above our heads. To ensure that players do not lose interest due to a lack of prior knowledge, sections or simplifications can also take place in such cases. In general, it can be said: Localization often means adjustment, not just translation.
The Good and the Bad – No Shades of Gray Allowed
The good are good and the bad are bad. It’s that simple.
Exactly here lies the root of the issue. According to a user in the official forum, quoting a member of the localization team, parts of the story are being rewritten. The villains are portrayed as “stereotypical comic book villains” and lose all shades of gray in order to conform to a stereotypical antagonist.
In the same way, the actions of the player characters have been adjusted, who are now supposed to feel much more like a “hero” without flaws or even moral doubts. Some cutscenes, which are supposed to be dramatic or sad, are lightened up with additional memes, giving them a more humorous character.
The accusations in this area sound particularly harsh, as tinkering with the personalities of the main characters can easily scratch at the “soul” of a game and ruin it.
No Peeping, No Viagra!
The changes become even clearer in a questline that is unmistakably considered “problematic”. The quest “A Scholarly Path” revolves around a misogynistic skirt chaser who has spent many years in prison for continued adultery and has also lost his lust in the process. He offers the player a quest where they are to help him restore his virility. To that end, the player is to steal women’s clothing and indulge a group of ladies at the bathhouse (a very typical Asian scenario …).
The reason for this is that the quest giver thinks the women are nymphs, and according to a legend, a nymph must marry the man who steals her clothing. Exactly that happens, the guy is unhappy with his wife, finds her unattractive, and complains to the player that they have ruined his life.
Virtue knows no bounds.
This questline is undoubtedly questionable in several areas, but contains essentially nothing we wouldn’t expect from “Game of Thrones” or similar.
In the English version, not much of this is left. Instead of forcing a woman into marriage, the NPC there just wants to explore the Lycandi (that’s what these women are called) better. The peeping scene has been completely cut.
Criticism Forbidden, Sexy Underwear Too!
But the problems do not end there. According to first images, the game is also being cut in other places. While Koreans can assess the ladies in sexy outfits during character creation, the English version opted for more modest sports underwear (which ironically shows even more skin). But as there is always room for more, the black lingerie has been banished to the cash shop. Well, the community is thrilled …
Underwear is subject to strict rules. Here: Real money.
Anyone who voices criticism of the localization in the official forum is – according to the allegations – having their posts deleted. This does not earn a game any points.
Whether these massive cuts occur only in the American version or also in the European version remains to be seen.
Blade & Soul has many strong women – so why the censorship?
Mein-MMOCortyn says: Censorship is always terrible because it gives players the impression of being patronized. My opinion on the topic is quite clear; if these “adjustments” really come in this form, it would be an absolute pity.
Even if a game includes sexism, misogyny, or even forms of forced marriage, that is absolutely no reason to fanatically cut them out. After all, we are playing a fantasy game where it can get a bit tougher – moreover, Blade & Soul is a game with many strong women, which makes this even more ridiculous. Even worse is the stereotyping of the main characters – I can have one-dimensional characters in afternoon programming, I don’t need an MMO to play for that.
What do you think of these adjustments? Is this all just usual work within the framework of localization or is it blatant censorship?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
What condition is Ubisoft’s MMO shooter The Division in? Is there nothing standing in the way of a release early next year? According to industry insider Tidux, the online game is said to be in poor condition.
How much one can trust the statements of industry insiders is always a matter of debate. According to relevant media reports, Tidux seems to know what he is talking about, as he was the first to uncover the differences in resolutions of Star Wars: Battlefront on Xbox One and Playstation 4. Additionally, he accurately predicted the release of the new firmware version for the PS4. Therefore, there might be some truth to his claims this time as well.
Does The Division need to be delayed?
Tidux explained via Twitter that The Division is in very bad shape and he hopes that a release delay could help improve the game. When asked for clarification, he specified: The Division runs poorly on consoles, has little gameplay content, and is simply not fun.
What I’m hearing, running bad on consoles, low on content and not fun 2 play. Makes me sad. But I hope they fix it!
The Division caused jaws to drop during its first presentation at E3 2013. An MMO set in a contemporary environment with fantastic graphics had many gamers drooling. Then followed a delay of the next installment, and the later presented scenes gave the impression that the graphics had visibly been toned down.
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With Tidux’s current claim, it seems the online game is once again under a bad star. Ubisoft has not yet commented on these statements. For the company, it will also be difficult to provide a statement, as a further delay of the release date would unofficially confirm Tidux’s statements…
Is there really something to this whole issue? It could be, as described above. However, there are a few other things to consider: on one hand, Tidux has often been wrong with his claims in the past. His statement regarding the resolution of Star Wars: Battlefront on consoles could have been made by anyone. Therefore, this should definitely be approached with caution. Furthermore, one should ask why only German media are reporting on this “scandal” so far. Is there an attempt to generate news where there might be nothing to report, and someone just wants to get into the media?
One must be skeptical. Is someone just trying to gain attention?
However, it is not that simple. Many players are also skeptical of Ubisoft. The graphic downgrade of the action game Watch Dogs and especially the bug disaster at the release of Assassin’s Creed Unity have left their mark. Additionally, despite a release in March 2016, there has been little of The Division presented so far. The same scenes are usually shown in presentations.
The Division is an extremely ambitious game, where developers should definitely take their time to release it in the best possible condition.
It’s a double-edged sword. Does someone want to gain media attention with vague statements? Does someone know more but cannot say due to an NDA? How much truth is there in the story?
One can only be sure when the beta of The Division starts this December, and one can see for oneself in what condition the game is at that time. Until then, all rumors are just that: rumors.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
You might dismiss it as: “I would say that too if I couldn’t tell a story or draw characters to save my life!”, but there’s some truth to it, isn’t there?
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If we know the player only fleetingly, play with them once, and never see them again, we quickly forget them.
But if we spend time with them more often, see them almost daily, and they belong to our raid group, to our guild, then the healer becomes a part of our life. A fantasy character becomes a person, someone with whom we can talk not only about tactics and strategies, but over the years also learn what they do for a living, how their relationship is, what kind of person they are. We learn just as much or even more about them than we do about colleagues; classmates, acquaintances from “real” life.
The healer becomes our online friend. Our question this time: How important are such acquaintances to you? Have you experienced this yourself? Are you playing with an entire clique? Or are you primarily interacting online with friends you know from real life?
By the way, his name is Björn and he’s currently training to be a car mechanic!
I Didn’t Want to Hear Other Players Back Then
Schuhmann says:When I started with MMORPGs, it was actually important to me to maintain the “immersion.” I didn’t like TeamSpeak, I didn’t want to know that the guy I was hanging out with every day wasn’t a “noble bard” but someone with a heavy Saxon accent who can’t pronounce “ch” and turns everything into “sch.” Or that the cool chick with the huge scythe was actually an annoying 15-year-old who probably has ADHD.
As long as they were only in the “chat,” just writing, I could somehow ignore that; with TeamSpeak, that no longer worked. It appealed to a different “sense”, the people became “real” – that’s what I wanted to avoid at the beginning.
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Even After Years, I Will Never Tell Them My Real Name!
However, this has changed over the years, and I have made acquaintances and friendships. However, I no longer keep in touch with people from the early days, but later joined a guild in WoW , met “new people” who, in turn, knew each other from real life because they are neighbors or childhood friends. And I have been in contact with them for years and, of course, learn a lot about their lives.
These are indeed people who are important to me. Although none of those folks will ever learn my real name!
How about you?
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In response to a question about possible new legendaries for engineers, the leading developer Colin Johanson spoke up.
“I myself play an engineer as my main character, so I would love it if we could do something in this direction soon. The truth is, however, that we are currently gathering our own engineers (programmers) to focus on things like the major WvW overhaul that we’ve been working on for over a year. That is a much higher priority [than the engineer legendaries] for the game as a whole.”
While no concrete plans have been disclosed, if the developer team has indeed been working on an update for over a year, it should be nearing completion.
With the expansion Heart of Thorns, some changes were already made to WvW battles, and some areas of the cross-server war were revamped.
However, the really big problems have not yet been addressed, as the “Night Cappings” are particularly bothersome for players and developers. These nightly raids usually take place when a large part of the players are in bed, dreaming of the past victories of the battle. The next day, the group then captures all map objectives and collects a lot of points for their own server. Although this is completely legitimate under the current system, it hinders the concept of exciting battles.
The coming weeks will surely reveal new information on this topic.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Destiny on November 27, Xur will arrive as a vendor for exotic items. What does he have with him this time?
In the USA, today is “Black Friday.” It’s like mixing winter clearance sales, summer clearance sales, and that day when a new iPhone comes out, adding a bit of LSD, stirring it well, sprinkling with ground leprechaun liver and shredded unicorn horn, and baking it golden brown: super special discounts everywhere.
The Guardians in Destiny only have one thought about this: Loot!
Maybe! Maybe! The cold Xur can be swayed by this and brings a particularly tasty offer today. However, last Christmas he had the “No Land Beyond” with him. It was like he was giving all Guardians socks. And rather scratchy ones, which smell like feet.
It seems that Xur not only looks like a fish but is just as cold as one.
All about Xur, the Agent of the Nine, on November 27, 28, 29 in Destiny
When does Xur arrive in the Tower?
Xur will arrive on Friday, November 27, “Black Friday” in the Tower or in the Reef. It will be at 10:00 AM. He will leave on Sunday, November 29, also at 10:00 AM. Then Xur is gone.
Where is Xur in Destiny?
Xur is in the hall with the Vanguard vendors.
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