Star Wars: Battlefront Review – The Mild Star Wars War

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 5 minutes

Star Wars: Battlefront is here and we have spent many hours with the PC version since its release to bring you our review.

One thing to mention: There are currently reports online that Electronic Arts is apparently paying for positive coverage of Star Wars: Battlefront. We have not received such an offer and tested the game completely unbiased!

Star Wars: Battlefront – after many hours of play, I wondered how to approach this review. So much has already been written about it, all modes presented, and currently, the game is not seen in the light that Electronic Arts would prefer. The essential question is: Is it fun? And that is exactly what I want to address.

Battle in the Star Wars

Star Wars Battlefront Endor Review
How great is the fun in Star Wars Battlefront? Let’s delve in the woods of Endor…

As a Rebel soldier, I hide behind the large trunk of a tree on the forest moon of Endor. The shots from the Imperial blasters can be heard from afar. My comrades are engaged in heated battles with the enemy. An explosion shakes the forest floor. I remain calm, as I have my mission. Even when Imperial Scout Troopers whiz past me on their speeder bikes, I do not leave my post. There, the mechanical stomping reveals that my target is approaching. The oversized “head” of the AT-ST comes into view. Stay calm now.

Star Wars Battlefront Cargo
In the middle of it all, instead of just being there. At some points, it feels as if you are right in a Star Wars movie.

I take aim with the rocket launcher. Now! Clear shot! The explosive projectile races towards the walker. The explosion makes it stagger, but the armor is too strong. I quickly reload, as I have only a few seconds before I’m discovered. One more shot… A massive explosion knocks me off my feet and throws me into the bushes. The AT-AT, which had approached from behind, should have caught my attention… Now it’s up to the others to stop the Empire – at least until I respawn and can take on a new role in the fight.

Amazing Graphics

Star Wars: Battlefront immerses you in the battles from the original Star Wars trilogy like no other Star Wars game has done before. This is due to the presentation. Visually, it offers almost photorealism.

Star Wars Battlefront System Requirements
There’s nothing to criticize about the graphics, on the contrary. They are very well done.

The models, animations, textures, and lighting effects make the game look like a playable movie in some situations. Added to this are the iconic sound effects and the captivating music. In terms of presentation and atmosphere, Electronic Arts and DICE have done a great job.

The ground battles also showcase the shooter-typical controls, which work excellently with mouse and keyboard. The aerial battles are a bit different, which I will address later. Star Wars: Battlefront plays very fast and intuitively, leading to brisk fights. These take place on various maps, including the desert planet Tatooine, the forest moon Endor, the ice planet Hoth, and the volcanic planet Sullust. Each map has its quirks that can be tactically utilized in battles – just as one is used to from other online shooters.

Star Wars Atmosphere on a Standard Shooter Framework

And that’s exactly what carries the game. Unfortunately, one might even say too much. Because a game should actually be supported by mechanics, gameplay, and long-term motivation, but that’s where Star Wars: Battlefront falters. The individual game modes are too interchangeable. There is too little long-term motivation offered.

Star Wars Battlefront Gameplay
Would a slightly more complex gameplay have been beneficial?

There’s also a clear focus on casual players. Because those expecting complex mechanics are wrong here. Characters don’t level up, there are no spawn points that can be tactically chosen, and there are no battles over specific territories. Star Wars: Battlefront is designed to offer fast battles in entertaining modes. And they are entertaining.

Star Wars Battlefront Domination Large-Scale Battles
Domination creates a feeling of Star Wars typical large-scale battles: It’s fun.

Cargo is a nice capture-the-flag alternative, in Droid Alarm you ensure that all droids on the map move to your base. Combat is the classic deathmatch, and Fighter Squadron lets you engage in battles in spaceships high above the planet surfaces. In Drop Zone, you fight for crashed escape pods. These modes are fun and enjoyable, but they simply do not motivate in the long run. This is where the modes Walker Assault and Domination come into play. In these, more players are involved, which creates a feeling of a larger battle, and they last longer due to the larger maps.

Heroes vs. Villains and Hero Hunt stand out only because you can step into the shoes of well-known Star Wars heroes and villains who have special abilities. These heroes can also be featured briefly in the other modes if you pick up special power-ups.

Quite Fast

Speaking of power-ups: Especially through the weapons, objects, and star cards, through which you can combine various objects, Star Wars: Battlefront feels somewhat arcade-like. When a power-up appears, team play goes out the window and everyone wants to grab it… It’s no longer about quickly taking out the enemy, but about snagging the power-up. It also feels arcade-like when you pilot a spaceship, either in the Fighter Squadron mode or by picking up the corresponding power-up. The controls on PC with mouse and keyboard are extremely unfamiliar.

Star Wars Battlefront Space Battles
The space battles can’t quite convince. Opportunities have been missed there.

The aerial battles play out extremely quickly, almost too quickly. However, they also offer a certain variety, especially when you combine ground and air fights. And that’s when you notice what the game actually lacks: Imagine if there were a star map with several planets where fights on the ground, in the air, and in space take place constantly, with rebels and the Empire waging a war over these planets. That would probably have been what Star Wars fans would have desired…

Conclusion

Star Wars Battlefront Luke Hero
Hero battles are fun. But ultimately, there could have been more, especially in terms of long-term motivation.

Andreas says: Star Wars: Battlefront is a game for the moment. This was already evident during the beta and is now confirmed. The fast-paced battles are indeed fun, and especially the large battles like those on Hoth or Endor provide a real Star Wars feeling. Playing briefly as a hero like Luke Skywalker or a villain like the Emperor is also fun.

But it simply lacks long-term motivation. If you took Star Wars out of the game, you would hardly play Battlefront. There’s too little new content, too little that addresses core gamers. Thus, Star Wars: Battlefront is largely supported by the Star Wars atmosphere, which is at least insufficient if a game aims to be a real hit with a wow effect.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content


Oops, unfortunately this affiliate widget is no longer available.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Destiny: Weapon Day at Banshee-44 on 25.11.: The Suros Pulse Rifle is back

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny ‘s weapon day, Banshee-44 will bring some surprises on Wednesday, November 25th.

The weapons master Banshee-44 needs to be pampered. He wants you to take his weapons for a walk and will fulfill a few wishes in return. Almost like a robot djinn. What does he want from us on November 25th? What weapons can we order? What wishes will he fulfill?

matt-lichy-ar3-omolon-2-Destiny

These are the test weapons on November 25th at Destiny

Banshee asks to test these 5 weapons and rewards you with reputation and a cold robot handshake in Destiny, you must do this:

  • With the pulse rifle SUROS TSP-10, Vex must be eliminated.
  • The shotgun from Häkke wants to defeat Hive enemies.
  • With an automatic rifle from Suros, it’s into the Crucible.
  • A rocket launcher from Suros should also be tested in the Crucible.
  • And a sniper rifle from Omolon wants to decimate the Fallen Captains. Well, these weapons have their own will.
Destiny-Hakke

These weapons can be ordered at Banshee-44 this week

This week, there are 3 weapons from Omolon, but the two SUROS offers are more interesting:

  • The scout rifle SUROS Dis-47 is on offer. It belongs to the fast-firing scouts, not for everyone’s taste. Can come with Full Auto or Triple. An interesting weapon.
  • The scout rifle from Omolon is the Tuonela SR4 with very high stability. The Omolon weapon can have special effects as perks. The same is true for the Tuonela. Fireball, Lightweight, all the nice perks are possible, although rare. Definitely worth ordering.
  • The hand cannon Kumakatok HC4 has an extremely short range, but otherwise good stats. Perks like Roulette, Third Eye or Fireball are also present in this Omolon creation. But you will feel the short range one way or another.
  • The hand cannon Uffern HC4 is somewhat better balanced, with high impact, but has a very small magazine of 7 shots, yet high stability. The Uffern is also a difficult hand cannon, the entire weapon category is currently struggling. Strong Omolon perks like Fireball don’t help much here.
  • The pulse rifle SUROS PDX-45 can be ordered again this week. That’s basically the “mandatory order” and the star of the offer. Pulse rifles are currently extremely strong anyway, the SUROS PDX-45 has high stats in stability and rate of fire, can come with Full Auto. Definitely a recommendation for purchase.

This video shows the rolls for the Zarinea-D, the two Suros rocket launchers, and the shotgun Strongbow-D. These are 4 of the 5 weapons that were available last week.

http://youtu.be/uPJX4pzVJfI

What weapons can be picked up this week?

This week, you can also pick up all the weapons you ordered from the weapons master Banshee-44. He will present you with up to 3 variants of each weapon with different perks. You can seize this opportunity, but you don’t have to. We will present you with especially “recommended combinations” throughout the day.

The best roll for the Suros PDX-45 has, according to initial reports, Hammer Forged and Smallbore this week. Nothing crazy, but solid.

The Tuonela SR4 is available this week with Triple and Fireball.

The Uffern HC4 comes with Roulette and Fireball in the second roll.

The automatic rifle SUROS Ari-45 comes in a roll with Balanced, Perfect Balance, and Increased Range.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

LoL: This is the new Poppy

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 4 minutes

In the MOBA League of Legends (LoL) , the champion Poppy has been completely overhauled – visually and in terms of abilities.

It is a time of changes in League of Legends. Just recently, the Marksmen were revamped, so that each of these champions can fulfill a specific role within a team. Additionally, the Masteries have been changed to better suit the Marksmen and generally bring more variety into the game.

In the current patch (5.23), the Minions have also been overhauled, so teams can better exploit their advantages.

Now, developer Riot Games has unveiled a project that is nearing completion and that players have been looking forward to for years.

Blacksmith Poppy

The Overhaul of the Champion “Poppy” in LoL

After months and years of fans only being told “Soon”, they finally get the long-awaited overhaul of the little Yordle.

Battle Regalia Poppy

Visually, Poppy has been significantly modernized and adapted to the “new style” of League of Legends. This was, alongside the abilities, a major wish of the community – because Poppy visually looked simply “outdated” and could no longer keep up with the new champions. This is mainly because she is one of the older champions (released in 2010).

But no worries, if you don’t like Poppy’s new skin, you will also get a batch of new and overhauled skins with the champion overhaul that adapt to the different tastes of LoL players.

These are the abilities of the new Poppy in League of Legends

But first, let’s look at the abilities of the revamped Poppy:

Poppy's Abilities

Passive: Iron Ambassador

Poppy can throw her buckler, which is her shield, as an automatic attack every few seconds. This means that she gets a higher range and deals additional magic damage. After the throw, the buckler falls to the ground. If she picks it up after the automatic attack, she gains a shield (based on her health points). Opponents can, however, temporarily destroy this buckler by moving over it. If a target is destroyed by the buckler throw, it returns directly to Poppy without falling to the ground.

Q: Hammer Shock

Poppy deals damage in an area and slows enemies by striking the ground with her hammer. After a short delay, the same damage is dealt again at that location.

W: Stalwart Presence

Passive: Poppy’s armor and magic resistance are increased. The increase in armor and magic resistance is doubled when Poppy has less than 40% health.

Active: By activating Stalwart Presence, Poppy gains increased movement speed. While this presence is active, she also has a type of barrier around her that blocks charging opponents and deals magic damage. Champions like Yasuo will have a hard time with the new Poppy.

Hammer Poppy

E: Heroic Charge

As known from the “old” Poppy, she charges towards an enemy, dragging them with her and dealing physical damage. If she collides with a wall while dragging an enemy, the opponent is stunned, and Poppy deals additional physical damage.

R: Keeper’s Verdict

Poppy spins her hammer around and charges it for a powerful strike – during this, she moves slowly. If this ability is triggered again, Poppy performs a very strong attack with her hammer that creates a chasm in the ground and damages opponents. Additionally, enemy champions standing within a small radius around Poppy are catapulted a significant distance toward their base by this powerful attack. The longer the hammer spin is channeled, the longer the chasm becomes, and the farther the opponents are catapulted.

These abilities feel fresh and fit very well into the current game.

Here you can see the abilities and also Poppy’s new skins:

http://youtu.be/p-3Zahq431M

With this overhaul, it is possible to play Poppy in a solo lane or in the jungle. Actually, anywhere there are walls gives her a “stunning” advantage. I also don’t want to rule out the role of the supporter here… although that will probably be very… “interesting”.

The overhaul definitely makes Poppy “more useful” for her team. With her ultimate ability, she can effectively protect her team members when they are being chased. On the other hand, she can also use this ability to isolate enemies from team fights that may pose a significant threat.

This is what the new Poppy looks like in LoL

For true fans of the “best Poppy skin in the world” (as many players called it, because the artwork was very unique), there is also a small Easter egg. Somewhere in the new splash art of Lollypoppy, you will find a “small” reference to this “best skin”.

Lolly-Poppy

But the other skins are also quite impressive. Riot has put a lot of love into the overhaul to make the skins look fresher and more modern. Additionally, new splash art has been made for each skin.

Poppy-Much

 Now we just have to wait for these changes to go “live” in LoL so we can catapult the enemy champions across the map like “mini-Thors”.

Then let’s hop on the hype train – … Choo Choo …

For the background of the Poppy overhaul, we have written an article here: The Poppy Problem

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

World of Warcraft: The 5 coolest Legendaries from Legion!

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

World of Warcraft: Legion brings many new legendaries into the game – we show you the top 5 coolest effects.

When the piglet drops the legendary cloak …

Reading the game files of Legion has revealed many new items that will be introduced with the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion. In contrast to previous versions of the game, legendary items are not awarded through special questlines, but instead dropped randomly in the world.

Legendary items drop randomly - and they are impressive!
Legendary items drop randomly – and they are impressive!

Blizzard wants to revive a feeling from Classic. Back then, there were random drops, although these were “only” of epic quality. However, they often had unique effects, such as triggering frost novas or a thorn aura.

Since epic items in the current World of Warcraft do not represent any special quality anymore, they had to raise the bar a bit. We present to you our top 5 new legendaries.

Rank 5: Grovewalkers – Endless Healing?

WoW Legendary Grovewalkersjpg

In last place on this list are the Grovewalkers because I suspect there is still an error. These agility/strength shoes for leather wearers grant the player a healing effect as long as the character does not move. The buff starts at 50,000 healing every 3 seconds and stacks up to 10 times. That would be 500,000 healing for a stationary tank; I can only imagine this is an error in the files – otherwise, healers will be jobless soon and everyone will only want druids.

Rank 4: Mantle of Ashildir – Mind Control for Dummies

WoW Legendary Mantle of Ashildir

The Mantle of Ashildir works like the classic gnome mind control cap; it allows you to control an enemy with fewer hit points than you. This enemy then serves you for a specific duration, and you can use their abilities. Essentially a temporary pet for all classes that do not yet have companions.

Rank 3: Helzstone – Limited Invincibility

WoW Legendary Helzstone

The Helzstone has a certain RNG factor, but it is extremely exciting. The ring has a 10% chance to avoid all damage on every attack. Yes, this also applies to a 20-second boss cast that would normally one-hit any player. Even if you look at it more soberly and do not rely on RNG, the ring reduces the damage taken by an average of 10% – every tank will appreciate that.

Rank 2: Wilfred’s Hood of Superior Summoning – Advanced Demon Summoning

WoW Legendary Wilfreds Hood of Superior Summoning

The hat of the legendary gnome Wilfred Fizzlebang, who summoned the Eredarlord Jaraxxus during the Argent Tournament. A clear warlock item, as it removes the casting time of all demons and increases their damage by a whopping 20%.

Rank 1: Soulweave – The Instant Soulstone for All Players

WoW Legendary Soulweave

Healers will be fighting over Soulweave. All healing spells create a buff named “Eternal Warrior” on the players. If affected players should die during this time, 20% of the healer’s maximum mana will be deducted instead, and the dying player will be healed to their full HP value.

What do you think of these legendaries? Exciting idea or too short-sighted?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. wowhead.com

Star Wars Battlefront announces new 40-player mode “Turning Point”

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In Star Wars Battlefront, the first free DLC “Battle of Jakku” will introduce a new 40-player mode. This represents a turning point in the eternal struggle between the Rebellion and the Empire.

The “Turning Point Mode” showcases the Rebel effort to finally defeat the Empire. In this mode, the Empire controls a makeshift base and has set up some positions. The Rebels must find, attack, and capture the bases.

The Rebels, the attacking faction, are fighting not only against the Empire but also against the clock. They have only a limited time available. If time runs out, the guys who always bump their heads win. If the Rebels capture a control point, their time is extended, and they receive bonus time.

Star-Wars-Battlefront-Jakku

In Turning Point, air speeders and AT-STs are on the move, with AT-STs being used defensively by the Empire compared to “Walker Assault.” Air speeders, on the other hand, are offensive vehicles.

The battle takes place on the map “Giant’s Graveyard” and during the combat, a Super Star Destroyer even crashes.

The Battle of Jakku will be available as a free download on December 1 for everyone who pre-ordered Battlefront. For non-pre-order players, the Battle of Jakku is also free, but it starts on December 8.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. EA

Devilian: New Free Action MMORPG has Release Date

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The action MMORPG Devilian now has its release date. It starts in December.

Last week we had the final closed beta phase, now Devilian is approaching the finish line, it seems there is a rush.

DEVILIAN Dualist

On Wednesday, December 2nd, at 7:00 PM the Open Beta starts. Then everyone can try the action MMORPG with Korean roots.

Players who purchased a founder’s package can already explore the world of Nala on Tuesday, December 8th, at 7:00 PM. This marks the start of release. This is the early access date, the headstart for the privileged.

For everyone else, for the common folk, Devilian officially starts on December 10th at 9:00 PM our time. This is when the free-to-play game launches for players without a founder’s package.

This is Devilian

Devilian is the latest game that Trion Worlds has included and published in its portfolio. It is an action MMORPG that resembles a mix of Diablo 3 and Tera. The special twist: For special challenging fights, players can take on the form of the devil that lies dormant within them.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

In Korea, its home country, it could not establish a significant presence and was shut down a few months ago as the Korean publisher wanted to focus on the mobile market. The developers Ginno Games are optimistic about finding a new publisher in Korea.

News, articles, and reports about Devilian can be found on our topic page.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

WoW Legion: Here’s what your Demon Hunter can look like!

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

The demon hunters in World of Warcraft: Legion will be a real eye-catcher – here are the customization options!

Sexy or monstrous?

With the upcoming addon for World of Warcraft “Legion”, the new hero class demon hunter will be introduced. This is exclusively available to Blood and Night Elves, as they have been the only ones technically able to follow Illidan’s path in the past.

The colleagues at blizzardwatch have created a video that includes the various customization options for the two races for the demon hunter. Check out the different combinations directly:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Attentive observers will notice that demon hunters have particularly many settings options. While other races can only set “piercings” or “beard”, Illidan’s minions have a significantly larger selection.

In addition to facial tattoos, demonic runes for the body can also be determined. There is a whole range of different horns, and finally the eye patch – which one can even completely forgo, although that contradicts every lore (and we don’t want that, right?).

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. blizzardwatch.com

Destiny: A lot of criticism of the ‘Refer a Friend’ program by Year 1 players

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

The new program at Destiny, a “Refer a Friend” campaign, is receiving a lot of criticism. It is considered unfair and does not adequately honor the veterans.

Destiny has experienced several controversies this year. The latest initiative is once again not well received by the community.

Nearly unanimously, the step is criticized: Those who introduce a friend to Destiny and embark on some “easy” adventures with them receive rewards. But this only applies to “newly referred players” – those who have done it before get nothing.

Destiny-Team

Sherpas feel insulted

Especially the announcement beforehand that “Sherpas” would be rewarded for helping others raised different expectations.

These two sentences from the Weekly Update on November 12th are causing anger, stating that they want to reward Sherpas among the Guardians; those who help the “Kinderguardians” to the mountaintop will receive new rewards:

We’re planning something new to recognize and reward the Sherpas among you. […]  If you intend to show them the way to the mountaintop, we’ll have new rewards aimed at recognizing your service to the Kinderguardian.

Zwietracht-Destiny

Those who see themselves as “Sherpas”, meaning helping “newcomers” through the raid, now feel insulted by this purely commercial program.

They have helped others selflessly in the spirit of the community, just for the sake of helping, according to a current top post on reddit. The Destiny community coined the term “Sherpa” in the first year, ensuring it had a good connotation. Now it is being misused for something commercial, for a “money grab,” a trick to get more cash.

The least they could have done was to give “real Sherpas” a small token of appreciation. Rewarding veterans who guide other players through a raid for the first time. Perhaps an emblem, a sign of appreciation.

Destiny-Concept-Markt

Destiny players seem to care more about principles

The three currently “most important” posts in the subreddit, the heart of the community, revolve around this issue. It’s always difficult to say what the “silent majority” thinks, but the opinion of those who express themselves is quite clear.

Many say: Hello, Bungie? I infected all my friends with the Destiny virus last year? And now I get nothing for it? Should I have waited a year? That is unfair. I can’t access the rewards now because all my friends are already playing. So I’m being punished for being one of the most loyal fans. Introducing such a program after 14 months is simply unfair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wyQzqQe9I4

Mein MMO says: It seems that most people here care less “about the rewards themselves”, even if some would like to have one of the swords, but more about the principle: The loyal fans feel once again “undervalued”, as Bungie’s love seems to be directed primarily towards “new customers”.

The same conflict caused a lot of friction in the unfortunate “money for monitor” story regarding the emotes. Even then, players who played from the start felt insufficiently appreciated. It seems the mistake has been made once again.

This high five backfired.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. reddit "Sherpa"
  2. reddit "14 Monate draußen"

The Elder Scrolls Online: Housing, 64-Bit Client and more – What 2016 brings for TESO

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

At The Elder Scrolls Online, it has now been confirmed that work is being done on many of the important features that have been promised over the years. However, the timelines do not look good.

The Elder Scrolls Online (PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One) maintains a fairly open information policy. Many changes and ideas are discussed by Zenimax with players and presented. This happens long before they become final. In an “Ask me anything” on reddit, many of these topics that were previously touched upon were discussed.

It can be summarized: There are incredibly many features planned and in the works for The Elder Scrolls Online – only with concrete timelines, Zenimax is struggling.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Housing is planned for The Elder Scrolls Online, but it will take some time

So a “Housing” is still planned. This means that players will receive their own “houses” that they can furnish and decorate. Game Director Matt Firor confirmed this on reddit. However, they are cautious with a timeline. First, they want to focus on the first two DLCs in 2016, the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood. Only after that, in the second half of 2016, can we expect information about Housing.

The “quarterly” cadence for content expansions will be maintained, assures Firor. Some patches will be larger than others. And in some, the ratio between “system changes” and “game content” may be different than before. Orsinium has set the bar high with its quality, and they are confident they can achieve that.

TESO-Leiter

Veteran Ranks going away, 64-bit client coming

The veteran ranks, as confirmed by Creative Director Rich Lambert, will not be raised anymore before they are completely removed. Information about this is expected next year, by then they will have ironed out the details and be ready to present them. One of the interesting advantages of the new Champion Point system: If you have a Twink at level 50, it will be as strong as the “main” character in The Elder Scrolls Online due to the Champion Points.

A 64-bit client is expected with the next DLC. Firor promises “dramatic performance increases.”

DX12 support, another developer explains, players should not expect just yet. They hope to finish the optimization of the DX-11 code early in 2016 and then be able to address DX12, but cannot promise anything yet.

Bär-TESO

Next DLC looks even better than Orsinium

Rich Lambert stated on reddit that they are working on a “crafting bag” that should resolve the space issue for crafters. There are no details yet. This will probably be tied to ESO Plus, the premium subscription of the game.

The next DLC, the Thieves Guild is reportedly progressing well according to Firor: It looks even better graphically than Orsinium. They want to maintain the “auto-leveling” for the expansion.

In PvP, the focus at the moment is on improving server performance in Cyrodiil. They have apparently identified a problem with the “physics engine”, but must proceed with caution when tinkering with one of the core systems of the game, Firor reveals.

TESO-Ogrim

Regarding the trials, they want to move away from the strong “leaderboard” orientation and open them up more for all players. There will be a “normal” version and one for “veterans”, only the veteran version will be tied to a leaderboard. The next trial will come in the first quarter of 2016.

The Barber, where players can significantly change their character’s appearance, is still planned. However, there is still no date for it.

There are also topics that have not been heard from for a long time, such as poison brewing, spell weaving, or jewel crafting, that are still on the developers’ list. Just like zones like Murkmire, Abah’s Landing, Gold Coast, Clockwork City, and Mephala’s Realm. Abah’s Landing will probably appear in the Thieves Guild, while the Gold Coast will play a role in the Dark Brotherhood.

These were probably the most important topics for the next 7 months for The Elder Scrolls Online in a nutshell. For those who want to know more about the individual topics, our TESO page has news, articles, and columns.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. reddit

Overwatch: 129 years of gameplay in 3 days?!

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 1 minutes

During the beta weekend of Overwatch, players gamed enthusiastically – so much that several gamer lives could be filled with it.

Until the fingers bleed

Last weekend, particularly many players briefly had access to the closed beta of Overwatch. For three days, all players who received an invitation could dive into Blizzard’s first shooter, gain valuable experience, and get a first impression of how the game feels.

Overwatch Reaper

This offer was also widely utilized – in total, players accumulated over 129 years of gameplay time over the three days of the weekend. Converted, this corresponds to a total of 1,130,000 hours – from this, the team surely gained some insights.

The goal of the beta weekend was to test the limits of the servers. For this purpose, there were temporary lags and disconnections, but overall the weekend went smoothly.

Despite the high gameplay time, relatively few players still had access to the beta weekend. Particularly on reddit and other social media, Blizzard has been criticized more intensively in recent days for the rarity of beta accesses. Many players claim to already be losing interest in Overwatch or to boycott the game if larger numbers of players do not gain access soon. This frustration is also reflected in the streaming area, where Overwatch has lost numerous viewers in recent days.

For more about the game, such as the new heroes D.Va, Mei, and Genji, you can find on our Overwatch topic page.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. us.battle.net/overwatch/
  2. pcgamesn.com

Planetside 2 announces base building for 2016

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the MMO shooter Planetside 2, you will be hammering at your own base in the year 2016.

As PcGamesN reports, the air in Planetside 2 will no longer be filled only with blaster fire and attacking aircraft, but also with the hammering and sawing of futuristic tools there. For in 2016, Planetside 2 is set to receive “base building” – players will be able to construct their own fortifications. Base building will go beyond simply placing turrets, as they plan to start with a “handful” of placeable items and release new sets in the months following.

Additionally, the developer team DGC will be overhauling the continent Indar, the AI-controlled turrets, there will be changes to resources, and a new victory point system.

All this was presented in the live stream for the 3rd anniversary. You can watch the stream in full length here, and we will include a summary from a YouTuber:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

The changes presented in the live stream were originally expected for September . During that time, the then-president of the studio, John Smedley, announced extensive changes. However, nothing has been heard since Smedley’s departure.

At the end of 2015, base building was supposed to hit the test server, going live in 2016. Recently, Planetside 2 has been more known for financial troubles.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Planetside 2

WoW Legion: Story Spoilers! The Fate of the Powerful

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

What happens to the great characters of World of Warcraft? First spoilers from Legion reveal dark details about Varian and Sylvanas …

Everything has an end

A few hours ago, the first beta version of the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion “Legion” went online, and data mining has already caused some surprises. Warning, massive story spoilers ahead, you have been warned!

When leaders fall …

Let’s get straight to the dark truths. King Varian Wrynn dies, his death is confirmed. His son, Anduin Wrynn, takes over the throne and is the new king of Stormwind.

Sylvi ascends the throne as Warchief - even if only temporarily.
Sylvi ascends the throne as Warchief – even if only temporarily.

The situation looks slightly darker for the Horde. The Warchief Vol’jin is considered “missing in battle” (which essentially means “he will turn up again”). The really exciting part about this fact is that Sylvanas seizes the opportunity and takes over his representation in Vol’jin’s absence. This makes her – at least temporarily – the Warchief of the Horde! Along with her is the undead (and only “human”) ranger Nathanos Blightcaller, who might still be familiar to Classic players …

… and legends return!

However, Legion has a few other characters in store, who at least have a short appearance, but hopefully fulfill more important roles. There are already NPC data on Magni Bronzebeard, who will likely be freed from his diamond form.

Bolvar returns - is he still a friend?
Bolvar returns – is he still a friend?

But real legends like Broxigar, Calia Menethil (Arthas’ sister) and an “image of Aegwynn” also appear. Also intriguing is the NPC “Grom Hellscream“, who is classified as “undead” – something must have gone wrong in the defense of Azeroth.

Since we are already talking about great legends, The Lich King Bolvar Fordragon also appears – perhaps he is even responsible for the resurrection of Grom? Now is the right time to come up with wild theories!

It is also possible that these NPCs only appear in the course of a version or even in the Emerald Nightmare – until the areas are playable, this will likely remain a mystery.

The next few days will surely reveal many more details.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. mmo-champion.com

Evolve: Blitz-Markov as a free character for everyone!

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

Evolve expands the number of playable characters – all receive a new adaptation of Markov for free!

Blitz finds it cool!

After starting with Rogue-Val a few weeks ago to equip existing hunters with so-called “adaptations” that distinguish them from their normal form, this step is now also being taken with an Assault.

Evolve Blitz Markov
Likes electric shocks – the Blitz-Markov.

As the newest addition, Blitz-Markov awaits players; although he has retained his original weaponry, he still receives some modifications to enforce a different approach to monster hunting.

  • The assault rifle fires faster but has a smaller magazine.
  • The Tesla gun does little damage at first, but the longer it remains active on its target, the stronger it becomes.
  • The Tesla mines cause more damage the longer they remain active before detonation.

These changes make Blitz-Markov an exciting addition, as he does very little damage at first, but the longer he stays on his target, the more powerful he becomes.

Blitz-Markov is free for all players, regardless of which version of the game they purchased. He can now be used in all game modes.

More info about the game, such as about the new monster Gorgon, can be found on our Evolve topic page.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. evolvegame.com

LoL: Patch 5.23 changes minions and thus the match structure of League of Legends

Patrick Freese Patrick Freese Reading time 4 minutes

The MOBA League of Legends (LoL) is changing its minions with today’s patch. This is intended to make one-sided matches end faster than before.

In the fresh patch 5.23, which is live on the servers since today (24.11.2015), developer Riot Games is not only adjusting some numbers for champion abilities, but is also introducing the previously mentioned new minion system. It should be noted that the new system is not activated immediately with the “go live” of the patch, but will be activated during the course of the patch.

The Minions in LoL – Snowball Effect in One-Sided Games

Overall, the changes aim to provide the team that is “ahead in the game” with stronger minions that should lead to victory.

Minion Damage Bonus This means: If your team has a higher average level than the opposing team, your minions deal 10% more damage to enemy minions.

If your team has also destroyed more towers than the opposing team, the damage is further increased by 10% per tower (that you have destroyed more).

Minion Rage: If your team’s average level is 3 levels above that of the opponents AND you have destroyed 2 or more towers in a specific lane, the minions in that lane deal 90% more damage against other minions.

Zilean-Lol-Splash

Minion Damage Reduction: If your team has a higher average level than the opposing team, your minions take less damage. The formula for this is:

(Tower Difference x Level Difference) +1

This number cannot fall below 1.

Minion Iron Skin: If your team’s average level is 3 levels above that of the opponents AND you have destroyed 2 or more towers in a specific lane, the minions in that lane take 7 less damage from other minions.

League of Legends Screenshot 8

Gold Values of the Minions:

Melee Minions

Initial Gold Value: 18.5 Gold → 20 Gold

Gold Value Increase: 0.17 Gold per Minute  → 0.125 Gold per Minute

Spell Minions

Initial Gold Value: 13.8 Gold → 17 Gold

Gold Value Increase: 0.17 Gold per Minute → 0.125 Gold per Minute

Cannon Minions

Initial Gold Value: 36.8 Gold → 45 Gold

Gold Value Increase: 0.425 Gold per Minute → 0.35 Gold per Minute

Lol-Mordekai

Other Changes in Patch 5.23

In addition to the changes to minions, other important things are also being modified:

Boot Enchantment “Homeguard”:

This enchantment can no longer be purchased from this patch. However, it remains in the game, as every player now automatically receives this enchantment starting from the 20th minute when returning to base.

Initial Speed: 200% → 175%

Healing & Mana per Tick: 35% of missing health/mana → 12% of missing health/mana

Cooldown Duration for Combat Actions: 6 seconds → 8 seconds

Greetings to Karthus & Teemo: Damage to enemies that are more than 5000 range units away, i.e., basically outside the base, no longer triggers the blocking of Homeguard during combat actions.

TEEMO-League-of-lEgends

Changes in the Jungle:

These changes will help the mages in the jungle.

Both the “Big Brew”, “Gromp”, the “Blue Sentinel” and the “Red Sentinel” will have 5 magic resistance reduced. Additionally, both the “Red Sentinel” and “Blue Sentinel” will move significantly slower, making them easier to kite.

Minion Block

As previously mentioned, minions are now supposed to block melee champions less.

Numbers on that:

  • Increase in minion size upon contact with minions: +20 of the model size
  • Increase in minion size upon contact with champions: None
League of Legends Screenshot 6

“Promotion Aid” in Ranked Games

In short:

  • The promotion aid is only active if you are in a division below Gold 1 (where the ranked decay starts).
  • If you lose a promotion series, your next attempt in this series starts with a win bonus (which can be double for class series).
  • Demotion will nullify the win bonuses of the promotion aid.
  • The promotion aid always grants the maximum win bonus for the series you have already completed.
  • All bonuses from the promotion aid will reset at the beginning of the 2016 ranked season.
League Legends Theme Brawler Market

Change of Death Timers

To adapt to the new gameplay experience, death timers have been changed. These are now longer at the beginning of the game, but shorter later in the game.

Scaling of death timers = 2% every 30 seconds after 35 minutes → 0.5% every 30 seconds after 10 minutes.

Additionally, many new & beautiful skins will be released with this patch that we have already presented here

If you are interested in the exact balance changes of the individual champions and items, here are the detailed official patch notes: CLICK

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

SWTOR: How to make companions stronger!

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The developers of SWTOR responded to criticism and are adjusting the numbers for the companions – we have the specific details for you.

Much has been learned

In a rather extensive post in the official forum, Lead Designer Michael Backus directly addresses the players and apologized for the changes, that were made to the companions with the last patch. According to many players, the companions became too weak and were no longer a real help in completing missions.

Backus explains that there are many factors that need to be taken into account to keep a game exciting for as many players as possible. While player X perceives the gameplay as too difficult, player Y might struggle with the tasks and therefore doesn’t try certain content at all.

Fire at will - Companions are getting a significant boost again.
Fire at will – Companions are getting a significant boost again.

The new strength of the companions (Patch 4.0.0) led to many players completing hero missions solo and really enjoying it – that was taken away from them with Patch 4.0.2, and it was realized too late how important it had become for most.

Not as strong as before, but better than now

The specific changes are adjusting the numbers around the companions back up considerably. Here are the planned adjustments so far:

  • Channelled healing from companions will be increased by 61%.
  • Single-target healing from companions will be increased by 42%.
  • Healing over time from companions will be increased by 43%.
  • Base attributes of companions will be increased by 15%.

Keep in mind that the increase in base attributes also results in an increase in damage dealt (by about 15% as well).

However, there is still no fixed date for the next patch, it will likely take a few more weeks.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. swtor.com/community/

Destiny: The Weekly Nightfall Strike on 24th November

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The MMO shooter Destiny starts on 24th November with a new week. We present the weekly Nightfall strike and tell you who is waiting for you in Oryx’s courtyard.

Annoyance this morning for some: The Iron Banner did NOT end at 10:00 AM as originally scheduled (it always ended at that time in the past), but the Iron Banner actually ended an hour earlier.

At midnight US time, which is 9:00 AM our time. The news came late, only at night from our perspective. Certainly frustrating for anyone who was standing before closed gates. Some plan tightly, wanting to hand in everything in the last minutes, when it’s particularly worthwhile and the bonuses are high… this time was punished.

Destiny-Darkblade

The Nightfall strike in the week of 24th November

The Nightfall strike leads to the Darkblade, to Alak-Hul, into the Sunless Cell.

The modifiers are:

  • Specialist – The damage from special weapons is increased
  • Berserk – that’s the former “Angry”, the enemies do not stagger even under heavy damage
  • Chaff – The radar is disrupted, does not work
  • Fresh Troops – Some of the enemy groups have been reinforced with additional members

How combat in darkness without radar works… could become a challenge. But with the increased special weapon damage, it should also be manageable.

Thalnok-Destiny

The T3 boss in Oryx’s courtyard – how to defeat him

The T3 boss in Oryx’s courtyard this week is Thalnok, also known as the biggest Crota fan in the whole known multi-verse. The fight against Thalnok plays out like a mini-sized Crota fight. So to speak, like golf versus mini-golf, just without cheesy windmills or a miniaturized landmark of cities.

Guides, videos, tricks for the bosses?

Throughout the day we will present videos of successful runs here, showing how the Nightfall was defeated and how the T3 boss in Oryx’s courtyard works.

This is how the Nightfall strike against Alak-Hul, the Darkblade, works from 24th November in Destiny:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Here Nexxoss explains the fight against the current T3 boss Thalnok, Mini-Crota:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

There is no automated matchmaking for the Nightfall, you have to find friends yourselves. If you need help finding players for Destiny, check out this article. Who knows, maybe some of you will soon be out with the personal adjutant.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

World of Warcraft: The beta of Legion has started!

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

Last night, World of Warcraft: Legion entered the beta phase – but who has been invited?

Friends and Family

Fans still have to wait at least six more months for the release of Legion, the next addon for World of Warcraft. However, it seems that progress is being made in the development process, as the first invitations for an early test were sent out yesterday.

Traditionally, Blizzard starts with a “Friends & Family” beta. As the name suggests, mainly family members of the developers and selected fan sites (such as wowhead) receive access.

Currently, you can only play the starting area of the Demon Hunters in the beta - this will surely change quickly.
Currently, you can only play the starting area of the Demon Hunters in the beta – this will surely change quickly.

According to initial reports, the beta is still in a very early stage and you can currently only view the starting areas of the Demon Hunter.

In the coming weeks and months, the “F&F Beta” will gradually transition into a closed beta, from which streamers, press members, and regular players will be selected through a lottery system.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. mmorpg.com

Destiny: The “Refer a Friend” campaign has started, attracting with emotes

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny , the “Refer a Friend” campaign has started, with rewards including emotes and much more, but you need to convince a friend to purchase the game.

Destiny Referral

Last week we already introduced it, and the “prizes” have already been mentioned. Now the campaign has started, which will culminate in the rewards of the “Story of Two Guardians”.

It’s all under “Referral Program“: You invite a friend via the promotion, who then purchases Destiny: The Taken King (you must be on the same platform), then you experience adventures together and earn rewards. Both players receive the “rewards”.

A downside: The promotion is only available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; it does not run on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

These are the rewards from the Story of Two Guardians and how to get them

What exactly Guardians need to accomplish, we have already introduced in an article – at the moment it’s still unofficial, but that’s how it will likely go.

These are “relatively normal tasks” at the beginning: completing patrols, story missions, crucible matches. Later, when the new Guardian reaches level 40, the second round of tasks will come for the two friends: heroic story missions, heroic strikes, and completing the Nightfall strike.

The connected friends will receive more EXP together. As a reward, there’s a special Sparrow, two emotes that can probably be performed in duet, an emblem, a special shader, and even “elemental swords” (Edge of Infinity) are waiting for the dynamic duo.

What this is about with the swords is still unknown at the moment. They are supposed to be “exclusive” – we will surely find out soon.

Vector of Infinity Sparrow

Here’s the link to the campaign, remember that “the newly recruited friend” must be invited through this feature for it to work. Players can be invited who are considered “newcomers” and have played Destiny for the first time within the last 7 days.

Here’s the (truly charming) German trailer for the promotion. Through it, one can almost forget the coolly calculated and clear commercial intention behind the action … almost:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wyQzqQe9I4
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Star Wars Battlefront: Easter egg causes headaches and chuckles

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the online shooter Star Wars Battlefront, the developers have hidden an Easter egg in the background of a cutscene.

Who knows how many people would have noticed it if some sites weren’t reporting on it now: In Star Wars Battlefront, an Easter egg has been hidden and by “hidden,” it really means “concealed in the background.” One could probably see the relevant spot a thousand times without noticing the detail.
But GamesRadar discovered the spot in a cutscene and made it known:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

The little mishap refers to a moment that probably everyone has seen a hundred times in the movie, but not everyone really registered it:

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Boink. Hand on the helmet. Would you have ever noticed something like that?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. GamesRadar

Firefall isn’t doing so well – 20% of the studio are reported to have been laid off

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The SF shooter Firefall seems to have serious problems. The launch in China does not seem to have met expectations. Layoffs are the consequence.

A few hours ago, rumors emerged that there had been large-scale layoffs at the software studio “Red 5”. These rumors have solidified over the past few hours. A community manager has now confirmed them in the forum.

The background apparently is the China launch of the only game Firefall in the middle of last week. There had been high hopes for the Chinese market. But the launch seems to have fizzled out.

Here in the West, the game was released in the summer of 2014, but remained under the radar of the mainstream for most of the time. It scores a meager 60 points on Metacritic. Common complaints about the game are that it develops too slowly and then tends to head in the wrong direction.

Recommended editorial content

At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content

Thank you for all the overtime

In an interview with mmorpg.com, one of the laid-off developers spoke out, seemingly confirming the suspicion that the reason for the layoffs was the botched launch in China.

The developer stated: It was as if the China launch had never taken place. They received no feedback, only the vague feeling that the game was not doing too well.

Firefall Screenshot

On Friday afternoon, about 40 people were called into an office, where after some back and forth about how difficult the decision was, it became clear: They would be laid off without severance pay, health insurance would end at the end of the month, thank you for all the overtime.

About 20%-25% of the studio lost their jobs, across the board and at all levels, said the developer, who wishes to remain anonymous.

He adds: “What did they expect? We were supposed to remake the game in a year, develop 22 instanced missions, overhaul every system, and use graphics from 2008. Everything that is going wrong with Firefall is not due to a lack of passion or talent from the team, but to mismanagement at the corporate level.“

Chris Whiteside, former Lead Producer of Guild Wars 2, also affected

Among those laid off is, according to initial reports, Chris Whiteside, an experienced man who joined from Guild Wars 2 just half a year ago. He was the Lead Producer there, one of the key figures.

Whiteside had been the face of Firefall in recent months and described an exciting future. The tough times had brought the team together. Now they were ready to present the game “remastered” once again. They were confident that players would like what they see.

In addition to the move to China, they are also aiming for a Playstation 4 port of Firefall.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. mmorpg.com
  2. Forum Firefall