In the fantasy MMORPG Echo of Soul the lights are going out in its homeland Korea, and the servers are shutting down. However, this will not affect the version we play here in Germany, assures publisher Aeriagames.
This also caused unrest among local players. The concern: If the home version is coming to an end, it will surely affect us in Europe soon.
The local publisher wants to dispel doubts about the end of Echo of Soul
EU publisher Aera-Games reached out to the fans and tried to dispel the doubts. The game itself and the developer Nvius are doing well, it says in a message to the players. The closure is merely a result of internal proceedings at the Korean publisher.
In Europe, Echo of Soul will continue to be supported, bringing forth the game content developed for other regions, as well as additional elements crafted specifically for Europe by Nvius. Like the Oktoberfest coming soon. Moreover, there are hints that the new class Warlock might arrive soon.
They assure that Echo of Soul will continue to bring joy to players for a long time.
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We at Mein MMO have contacted Aeriagames in recent days and requested a statement. It is available today:
“Shutting down the operation of Echo of Soul in Korea is a local decision by the publisher there. The future of Echo of Soul in Europe and North America is unaffected. Aeria Games and the developer Nvius are also working on new content for the game and will continue to provide the best gaming experience to all fans. Currently, the release of a long-awaited update by the community is imminent. Further information will be disclosed later in September.”
Our assessment
Mein MMO believes: There is certainly some truth to this. According to our information, it is indeed the case that a closure of Echo of Soul in Korea fits into the strategic realignment of the publisher there. They want to withdraw from the PC market and enter the booming mobile market. For these reasons, they recently parted ways with Devilian. So far, so good.
However, it was also reported in news messages from Korea that the weak content patches of Echo of Soul were the reason for the separation.
Whether it truly has no impact on Echo of Soul when the base in Korea crumbles seems questionable. The development studio will surely lose income and will have to restructure.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Warriors in Hearthstone love their armor. When love goes a little too far, the numbers skyrocket…
1 damage taken, 6188 armor gained
We all hate warriors. Admit it, you do too. How often have you lost a game in Hearthstone when the enemy Garrosh’s health was already down to 1 or 2? It’s not uncommon for the opponent to seemingly suddenly gain so much armor with the armor smith that the tide often turns. As with all values in Hearthstone, one can certainly exaggerate here with a little effort. So take a look at how the warrior HysteriA gains 6188 armor points in a single turn.
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Although the scene is staged and required a lot of setup from both players, it is amusing to see where the limits of the possible lie in Hearthstone. By the way, without the last card chaos, this would not have been possible, as it caused all dying gasp effects to trigger twice.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At Star Wars Battlefront a beta for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 will be available at the beginning of October. It will also have an offline mode.
In a large community post from Star Wars Battlefront, a single new piece of information about the upcoming beta was provided: Once downloaded, players will be able to play the “Survival Missions”, one of three modes, offline. On consoles, this can also be done in the so-called couch co-op mode, in split-screen.
Yesterday, the first binding data about the new elite specialization of the Engineer from Guild Wars 2 was revealed: The Scrapper wields the hammer …
This will be totally awesome
Like all classes, the Engineer in Guild Wars 2 receives a brand new elite specialization with the expansion Heart of Thorns. The colleagues from mmorpg.com were allowed to take a first look at the tinkering Scrapper and reveal some of his abilities. The design goal was quite clear: The Scrapper is supposed to expand the Engineer with strong melee options, which is why he gets a powerful hammer. To give him additional penetration, he also receives new abilities with the function belt and can enjoy flying gyro drones.
A glimpse at his abilities
The Thunderclap hits many enemies at once and immobilizes them.
Although the Engineer already has relatively solid melee options with his flamethrower, he never felt like he could truly withstand a face-to-face encounter. This should change now with the hammer as a new weapon! Three of the associated abilities have already been introduced:
Rocket Charge is the third ability of the hammer. The Scrapper repeatedly jumps forward and smashes his hammer onto the target with each jump. This provides advantages especially in PvP, where many classes can still escape the Engineer too quickly.
The fourth ability is the Shock Shield, which massively increases the melee compatibility of the Scrapper: The hammer becomes magnetically overcharged, dealing damage to all enemies in the vicinity and blocking some incoming attacks.
The Thunderclap is the fifth ability and lets you summon lightning from the sky like Thor. A lightning strike occurs at the target location, stunning affected enemies and dealing damage over time. The lightning field remains for several seconds, thus posing a persistent threat.
Little helpers in the sky
The gyros stay in the air and support in various ways.
In addition to the hammer, the Scrapper also has small bots to assist him and his allies. Although many details are still unclear, the information is enough for a first impression:
The Scrapper can have multiple gyro bots active at the same time and each of them has its own function belt ability.
The gyros benefit from the Engineer’s buffs (such as swiftness).
The Purge Gyro flies around the Scrapper and cleanses negative effects regularly from both his creator and his allies.
In the coming days, there will surely be another detailed post from ArenaNet that brings more details about the new elite specialization and should answer any remaining questions.
For more information on the Heart of Thorns expansion or the elite specializations, you can find it on our Guild Wars 2 topic page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In an MMORPG, you want to have something to do, even if it is a sandbox. Therefore, the MMO Albion Online offers a mission system and various factions.
Once you arrive in the fantasy world of Albion, you will notice that other people have already settled there. They have founded various factions. Among them is the Royal Faction, which is further divided into the Royal Military, the Royal Wagoners, and the Royal Artisans. In addition, there are the Keepers, an ancient group made up of various races. The Cult of Morgana consists of dark figures who want to resurrect an evil sorceress and conquer the world with her.
The last faction consists of the undead, who roam the world. They represent the remnants of a previous, tremendous war. The undead consist of knights who still want to fight a war that they actually lost thousands of years ago.
Quests that are not quests? The Missions and Faction System
As part of the mission system, players in the MMORPG Albion Online can interact with all factions. The missions are somewhat comparable to the quests from other MMOs. One faction has a task for you to complete. These include transport missions, crafting specific items, or eliminating opponents. On the other hand, the missions function in a slightly different way than in other MMORPGs. Each faction has only a limited amount of silver. They cannot give every player every mission because they do not have enough money available. Thus, you compete with other players for the opportunity to complete missions.
The reason for this is that they do not want to disrupt the game economy by circulating infinite amounts of money through quests. The more tasks you complete for a faction, the more they trust you, and you receive more demanding contracts that are also more lucrative. However, if you work for other factions as well, you can lose that trust. Therefore, you should carefully consider whether you want to work for multiple factions. The higher-level missions also yield so-called tokens that can be exchanged with the faction for particularly powerful and faction-specific equipment. This system is meant to encourage more tactical considerations in the game.
The MMORPG Albion Online is currently in alpha status. Alpha events are regularly held where “backers” can test the latest versions for a while and provide feedback to the developers.
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In Destiny it is now known how players can obtain the legendary and exotic swords. Farming Hadium Flakes is just the beginning.
The guy on the right had a sword on his back, which drove many people crazy …
Despite the great efforts of a sincere gaming journalist (#NoSwordHype), there has been an outbreak of true sword fever leading up to “The Taken King.” Swords are a new weapon class; they count as heavy weapons. With them, Guardians can attack their opponents, block their attacks, and look incredibly cool.
With open eyes and mouths, players watched the official streams as the presenters swung the swords. And that even though the eye-catcher was actually the streamer Laced Up Lauren. When she grabbed the sword … Not so important.
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Now “The Taken King” is here and one question looms large: How do I get my exotic sword in Destiny? How do I obtain the Cleaver, the Arc Bow, and the Dark Drinker?
The weapons will not simply drop anywhere. Xur will not sell them either. They are part of a long and quite exhausting quest line. The first Destiny players, who probably did not even blink in the last 2 days, have already come a long way. One of them, WhatisARyan, has already published a guide on reddit that we will refer to.
On the following pages, we will guide you step by step to the exotic sword. And yes, it’s all pretty intense.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At ArcheAge , the issues from last weekend and the “Hero Awakening” patch have now been explained. Compensation packages have also been introduced.
Scott Hartsman, the head of Trion Worlds, discussed the background of the chaos over the weekend in an interview. The relaunch planned for Saturday did not work. The login servers crashed. 90% of players could not access the servers, and would not have been able to participate in the important relaunch and distribution of building plots.
The team turned to the emergency plan, took the servers down, performed a rollback, and reset the servers. The relaunch had to be postponed in Europe by 16 hours and in the United States by 24 hours. What was the reason for this?
ArcheAge likely victim of an external attack
Hartsman stated:
The preparation went absolutely smoothly, it was a huge effort, over 6 months of work, a 50-point checklist was worked through, a team from Korea was there – everything went perfectly. Everything was done to ensure that this launch worked. All problems that could arise in such a complex game like ArcheAge and such a comprehensive operation had been identified and addressed beforehand.
At the start, “anomalies” were noticed that turned out to be more serious than initially thought. They caused the launch to fail.
Hartsman suggests that he believes this could be an “attack” from outside. He refers to it as “external load.” But he is not yet ready to make that official. Investigations and confirmations are needed for that.
However, Hartsman admits that it was “too ambitious” to launch US and EU at the same time and then all servers at once. They wanted to create fair conditions for everyone, but it was more than they could handle.
Hartsman assures that they have learned from the events. They are now better prepared for “external Load.”
Part of the compensation.
And here’s how ArcheAge compensates players
Meanwhile, ArcheAge has introduced compensation for everyone. These are:
1x Pure New Year Activewear
1x Scroll: Winged Love Paddleboat
3x Bound Worker’s Compensation: 1000
50x Bound Tax Certificates
3x Superior White Regrade Charms (Guaranteed regrade success on Rare gear only)
10x Bound Greedy Goblin Gummies
10x Bound Frakenflavor Jawbreakers
30x Bound Tyrenos’s Index
30x Warrior Medals
Images of the swan and the outfit can also be found in our article.
Players can claim these through the Glyph account system. The compensation package is available for 0 credits.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At Zenimax, they gritted their teeth, set to work on addressing the issues, introducing features, refining and polishing the game. Observers noted early on, somewhat impressed, with what dedication Zenimax worked on the game. A rather mediocre launch was followed in 2014 by exemplary development with regular, massive updates.
Now the Japanese internet giant DMM (Digital Media Mart) has hinted that The Elder Scrolls Online could also be released in Japan. For now, only for Windows and Mac. The announcement came via a website with a teaser image (we have included it in the title image.
Japan is not an MMO import nation
This is particularly interesting, as in Japan, they cannot really make much of “MMOs” aside from their own Final Fantasy XIV and Phantasy Star Online 2.
In contrast to South Korea, there is a completely different gaming culture. On the one hand, they prefer mobile devices, on the other hand, they do not know the term “MMO” in Japan, but rather use one term for all online games from Final Fantasy XIV to typical browser or Facebook games.
They also have difficulties with “western games” in general, which is partly due to the fact that English is not widely spoken, and the games are considered too niche for companies to commission an expensive localization. Additionally, a PC culture is not really established in Japan. They prefer consoles and mobile devices. It seems more logical to release TESO on the PlayStation 4 version in Japan.
Skyrim was once again the key for The Elder Scrolls Online
But why is DMM doing this? Why bring “The Elder Scrolls Online” to the country?
While they struggle with western imports in Japan, there is one game they hold dear: Skyrim. It was the first western game to receive a perfect score from the important Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu in 2011 and sold strongly on both PS3 and Xbox 360.
Whether it will work on PC seems questionable at the moment. But it wouldn’t be the first time The Elder Scrolls Online silences doubters and critics.
Update: Now officially
The teaser has now become reality. The Elder Scrolls Online is set to be released in Japan in spring 2016. Here is the trailer for it
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With GEMFX, both single-player and multiplayer titles can be graphically enhanced. Using Guild Wars 2 as an example, we want to introduce you to GEMFX.
GEM stands for Graphic Enhancement Mod and aims to improve graphics. This includes adjusting colors or contrasts and enhancing light sources. This software can be applied to almost any game, and we will explain it here for Guild Wars 2. If the game does not start or crashes immediately, it may be due to a faulty setting. Therefore, we recommend that when using the shader, you only make a few adjustments at a time and test it afterwards.
Can the account be banned?
Probably not, but there is never a guarantee. The reason is that no developer or publisher will grant permission to use external programs. Because then they would have to regularly monitor the application and check comparable software. Therefore, everyone is responsible for themselves and acts at their own risk. In general, such software is allowed as long as it does not provide an advantage.
The only advantage that this software provides is a manipulation of the gamma value. This can be quite relevant in a PvP game. However, this option is already available in Guild Wars 2, so at least for this game, GemFX does not provide any advantages.
Furthermore, this topic is freely discussed in the official English forums. If the program were banned, such threads would likely be deleted or closed. However, regulations can change at any time. What is allowed today may be banned tomorrow. A certain risk remains.
On the internet, you can certainly find stories of people who were banned shortly after using the shader. You should not be overly alarmed by this. Especially with very recent bans, there is usually another reason. After all, there are ban waves, precisely so that you do not recognize why you are affected. Additionally, it is easier in the forum to claim that one was banned due to the shader rather than due to bots or gold buying. Therefore, such texts should only be read with a certain degree of skepticism.
Installation
First, the shader must be installed. This is quite simple. The program is downloaded from twcenter.net. Then the installer is started, and the “bin” folder is selected as the directory. So, for example, “C:ProgramsGuild Wars 2bin”. Afterwards, Guild Wars 2 must be restarted.
In the stated bin folder, there is a file named “GEMFX_Configurator,” which is needed to adjust the shader. We activate it in the game. In the directory “..Guild Wars 2binGEMFXPresetscurrent,” the currently used settings are stored. If you want to test something new, it’s better to make a backup copy.
Now let’s focus on the application itself. First, the top tab “SweetFX” should be selected to adjust the key settings. Toggle is the most critical here because with the key there, you can (de)activate the shader in-game. The key is specified in the keyCode. The key “A,” for example, has 65. On mediaevent.de, you can find an input field further down where you can enter the key and output the keyCode.
Once that is done, everything must be saved using “Save Configuration.” By now, you should also start the game to experience changes in real time. Perhaps you will notice a difference, just don’t forget to press the toggle key. However, since this appearance is designed for the TW games, some further adjustments should be made.
SweetFX
With the software, we receive two shaders: GemFX and SweetFX. For starters, we recommend that you disable everything under GemFX by selecting “No GEM Shader” and remove all checkmarks under Additional Shader. This way, you can initially test SweetFX in peace.
SweetFX also has several shaders to choose from (tab SweetFX – General “Select Shader”). It is important that a checkmark is also set there if the corresponding shader is being affected. It only makes sense to change something under “Bloom” if the Bloom Shader has been activated under “General” beforehand. The settings are abundant and invite experimentation, and changes are not always predictable; for example, increasing the Brightness level can lead to the brightness being reduced instead of increased.
SplitScreen: The image is divided into an area with and one without the shader. This way, you don’t have to constantly use the toggle key to see differences. The splitscreen is very noticeable, especially in connection with TechniColor.
Explosion: All pixels are scattered. At low values, it makes it look as if you are looking through a frozen pane.
Cartoon: Thick, black borders lead to a Borderlands-like style. For maximum cartoon effect, Power should be high and Edge low, around 1.
Bloom: Bright areas become brighter, while dark areas remain as dark as possible. So it is more than just an increase in gamma. It is not very easy to see the difference using SplitScreen. The snowy windows in Hoelbrak, surrounded by dark wood, are suitable for this purpose. You can see that the windows are significantly brighter while the wood remains almost the same as without the shader.
HDR: Bright and dark colors are represented better. Colors appear more intense. You can again play with the sliders; Radius should be less than Power. However, if you increase Power, you also need to increase the Radius. If you don’t, the image will become darker. Ideally, the Radius is at 0.8 to 0.9 and Power around 0.4-0.5 higher.
LumaSharpen: The image becomes sharper and the details improve. However, this effect is hardly noticeable on its own.
TechniColor: This creates the Technicolor effect used in early color films. If all sliders are around the middle, the image looks significantly bleached. RNegAmnt should always stay over 0 if the shader is active. Otherwise, the game will crash.
DPX: The alternative to TechniColor. The advantage of DPX is that there are many settings, such as color and saturation. Especially in combination with the other shaders, this leads to very good results.
MonoChrome: Black and white will be the dominant colors. Brightness can also be adjusted for this.
LiftGammaGain: This allows for a detailed adjustment of the gamma value. Lift is for dark areas, Gamma for mid-tones, and Gain for bright areas.
ToneMap: Numerous general image settings, such as saturation and gamma, are available. It is suitable for only minor changes.
Vibrance: This allows the saturation of the 3 colors to be increased or decreased individually. Setting Amount to 0.4 and the Balance values to 1 makes the game particularly colorful. Definitely combine with HDR for even better graphics.
Sepia: Saturation is reduced, and the image resembles old photos – under normal circumstances. Playing with the sliders gives the image a turquoise hue instead of yellow. All of this can also be combined very well with monochrome.
Vignette: This adds rounded edges. Depending on the setting, it can look like you are looking through a hole.
Border: It also adds edges; color and whether left/right or top/bottom can be chosen. The resolution is not changed, meaning parts of the image are simply covered.
A significantly more detailed explanation of the settings can be found on this page.
GemFX
Next, we turn to GemFX. The settings from SweetFX remain in place. Unfortunately, SplitScreen does not work for this; it does not show you all the changes. For almost every setting, you receive a tooltip in the black box at the bottom. Many adjustments are made with each shader, all of which can be modified in the further tabs.
Base Shader: Allows for basic settings for RealisticColor and TrueColor: Brightness, saturation, etc.
Additional Shader: This includes HBO, Gaussian, and Blur. HBO creates the color variations of HBO films. Gaussian provides numerous settings for Blur.
FilmGrain: This is meant to make the image grainier. However, it seems that it does not work, as there are no visual effects.
Lightning: GodRays, AmbientLight, AnamorphicFlares, and LensFlares can be found here. AmbientLight must be active to use the other lightning shaders. This improves light sources. To see an effect, intensity and limit need to be significantly increased.
DirtLens: DirtLens is clearer. When looking at a light source through it, it appears as though you are looking through a dirty lens. The light refracts and brings slight color deviations.
MotionBlur: This is the corresponding motion blur effect for quickly moving objects.
Your creativity is required
Now that all shaders have been addressed, you can start right away. Begin with small steps to make the changes manageable. Start with SweetFX, as it offers significantly more settings. Finally, you can use some of the additional shaders from GemFX, such as the lens effects.
Have fun testing!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Free2Play MMO Allods Online has received ranked arena battles with patch 6.2.
Allods Online introduced arena battles with patch 6.0.2. “Thunder of Victory” a few weeks ago. The season is now in full swing. To participate in the 3v3 or 6v6 battles, teams need members who must be level 65 and belong to different classes.
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In the MMO shooter Destiny , only a few exotic weapons from Year 1 still have full strength in Year 2. They can be upgraded to new versions, but not all of them. Which old exotic weapons made it into Year 2? And which ones are still to come?
While players can theoretically use all Year 1 exotic weapons in Year 2, those in their Year 1 versions are no longer as strong. New exotic weapons can reach a power level of 280 and higher, while the old ones are significantly lower and thus not very valuable for PvE activities and most PvP activities where stats count.
These exotic weapons from Year 1 are already available
The Year 1 weapons that can be converted to a Year 2 version right at the start of “The Taken King” are:
In a post on Eurogamer, Luke Smith is quoted about other exotic weapons and what their chances are of getting a Year 2 version in the future:
Basically, they want to bring back some Year 1 weapons but are currently focusing on the new exotic weapons in Year 2.
Which weapons received a version directly and which did not depends on numerous factors. The former PS-exclusive ones were all retained. Weapons that negatively affected the overall game, like Icebreaker or Gjallarhorn, were not.
When making the decision, they also considered what new Year 2 exotics came in, to avoid having too many exotic weapons in one category.
These 3 weapons could soon rest in the hands of the Guardians.
The same does not apparently apply to the Raid weapons Necrochasm and Vex Mythoclast.
Regarding the MIDA Multi-Tool, Smith has already received a lot of feedback, with fans strongly demanding the Scout Rifle back. It will stay in the vault for a while and then return to the arsenal.
The military MMO World of Tanks is coming soon to Playstation 4. The announcement was preceded by a bit of a clumsy button press.
At the moment, a major software fair is taking place in Tokyo, where the developers are showcasing their games. Apparently, something went wrong during a presentation by Wargaming yesterday: A wrong button press made a homepage appear, which accidentally announced a Playstation 4 version.
There’s little to do with: “You saw nothing!” Had one needed a memory-erasing device. The news has begun its journey around the world.
Meanwhile, Wargaming has also officially confirmed the supposed coup: Yes, we are planning a Playstation 4 version.
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The PS4 version is expected to be free to play, and there will be a remote function via PS Vita; Playstation Plus will not be required.
Wargaming promises a version of World of Tanks that is tailored to the PS4, with unique gameplay content, tanks, and maps.
It’s not particularly surprising: After PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and even mobile devices, it seems only logical that Playstation 4 is the next landing platform for the free-to-play giant. Moreover, it was clearly stated more than a year ago to launch on as many platforms as possible.
How to sign up for the beta of World of Tanks on Playstation 4
As every week, a card chaos awaits all Hearthstone players today as well. However, this brings some problems…
When the spiders block the portals
According to the title image, the card chaos of Hearthstone was supposed to be “A Lot of Portals” today, but when players have chosen a deck, the surprising realization comes: The decks are full of webweavers. Whether this will change in a few hours, as it did in a previous card chaos, remains to be seen.
In any case, no custom deck can be assembled this time: players only choose their class and must then make do with the given cards – and those are some spells and otherwise a lot of spiders.
Portals… or rather spiders?
Keep in mind that this week again a free classic card pack awaits for the first victory in the card chaos. The cards obtained can be disenchanted into arcane dust, which can then serve as a basis for new “The Grand Tournament”-cards. So this mode is worthwhile for veterans and newbies alike.
Update: According to the Twitter account of Blizzard, they are working on the error. At the present time, however, the webweavers are still crawling through the decks.
Update 2: In the meantime, the error has been fixed and all webweavers have been replaced with portals as planned.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Whether it’s an expensive gaming mouse or an ergonomic one for office work, there are several things to consider when purchasing a mouse.
Cheap mice are as abundant as sand on the beach, and a model for €15 can also be found among our recommendations at the end of the article. With more expensive devices, it is definitely worthwhile to take a look at the manufacturer’s name. It’s important not to be blinded by the name. For example, Roccat offers high-quality devices, often at a better price than Razer.
Of course, there are also wireless variants that fortunately hardly differ from wired ones. And ergonomic models are also available. This article aims to help determine what kind of mouse one actually needs and wants to own. What should one consider when buying a mouse?
[toc]
Ergonomic Mouse
Source: ergo-online.de
As with keyboards, the conventional mouse causes the wrist to bend too much. Ideally, one should avoid both this bend and controlling the mouse solely with the wrist. Two options help: an ergonomic device or a wrist rest. There isn’t much to say about the latter, except that it should be avoided.
The vertical mouse reduces pressure on the pulse artery. Source: ergo-online.de
As can be seen in the image, the wrist rest usually presses against the pulse arteries. The absence of the unnatural position of the wrist comes at the cost of obstructing blood flow. Furthermore, it results in using the mouse solely from the wrist rather than the arm.
An ergonomic mouse leads to a slight rotation of the forearm and thus to better posture. One can imagine it as if one were writing something with a pen, which also requires a slight rotation of the arm. Accordingly, the appearance of such a device seems rather unusual.
Palm, Claw and Fingertip
This refers to the three types of grips generally used with a PC mouse. While this usually happens intuitively, it can also be forced depending on the design.
The Palm grip is the most commonly used. The hand rests entirely on the mouse and encloses it. This achieves maximum flexibility. With this grip, both slow and fast mice can be handled, light and heavy. Control is achieved from the forearm and the wrist. Ideally, the device is large and asymmetrical.
The Claw grip differs only slightly. Only the fingers touch the buttons, and the mouse is enclosed from the side. The palm itself has little contact with the device. The flexibility is also quite high, but it mainly works from the wrist. However, this grip does not offer any real advantages. It just allows for smaller and symmetrical mice to be used.
With the Fingertip grip, only the fingers touch the mouse, making it small, light, and symmetrical. Since the fine motor skills of the fingers are better than those of the arm, one can control it more precisely.
While all three grips are suitable for every game, they differ in detail. The Palm grip is very versatile but also the least accurate and slowest. The latter can be compensated for by higher dpi settings. It is thus suitable for games where precision is not that relevant, such as MMORPGs. Most abilities lie on keys, and the mouse is mainly used just to select items. The Claw grip is very similar. The movements are slightly faster and more precise. The Fingertip grip allows for extremely precise control. Here, a high dpi is also very practical. This grip is suitable for games where speed and precision are important: RTS games.
The differences are fluid, and in general, people tend to mix the grips slightly. For this reason, it is not advisable to forcefully adjust the grip, but rather to hold the mouse in the way that feels best.
Wireless or Wired?
Typically, this decision is not relevant. Wired mice are a few milliseconds faster. However, this only matters in the professional domain of shooters or similar games.
More information can be found in the corresponding sections of the Keyboard Guide.
Laser or LED?
Source: computer-bild.de
The optical mouse works with a light-emitting diode (LED). It really only operates well on certain surfaces, so usually a mousepad is necessary. For example, one would encounter problems on a glass table. In contrast, it is less susceptible to surface irregularities.
The laser mouse can be considered an advancement. It uses a laser diode, is significantly more precise, and works on many more surfaces. Additionally, it has a lower power consumption. For this reason, the laser is preferable. The LED variant is suitable for office tasks.
Dots per Inch (dpi)
Technically, it is an incorrect term. After all, the PC does not have dots, but pixels. Nevertheless, the value is still reported in dpi for mice.
While the number is important, there are many misunderstandings. More dpi does not mean higher precision. It only increases the speed of the mouse cursor. This does not mean that one can simply change the mouse cursor speed in the Windows settings instead of increasing the dpi. This will only result in Windows skipping pixels, thus reducing precision.
How much dpi one actually needs is something everyone must decide for themselves. Sometimes a high speed is essential, while at other times a slower setting is recommended for better control. Since the value cannot really be increased, except for the aforementioned adjustment in Windows at the cost of precision, one should truly not have a value that is too low. There is no upper limit, as you can reduce the dpi afterwards.
1,600 dpi is a reference value. Anyone opting for 10,000 dpi or more should have a specific reason and not be blinded by the high number.
The Weight
Whether the mouse should be light or heavy is more of a personal decision. Some believe a heavier device can be guided more steadily. Lighter devices can be moved more quickly. A high weight requires more effort and thus increases strain on the hand. From this perspective, devices under 100g are therefore preferred.
Both the size and weight distribution are relevant. This affects which grip one can use. A particularly back-heavy mouse will not be suitable for the fingertip grip. And using tiny notebook mice with the palm grip is not very comfortable.
The Graphics Tablet
No, this subheading is not here by mistake. A tablet, like the one used for digital art, can serve as an excellent substitute for the PC mouse. A significant advantage is that it is used with a stylus, making it thus ergonomic.
While the tablet is slower, it is also more precise than a mouse could ever be. After all, precision is a fundamental requirement for painting programs and image editing. Only with precision can curved lines or similar be represented. Of course, a graphics tablet is hardly relevant for many games. But for those who don’t need high speed, this may be a tailored alternative.
Purchase Recommendations
As in other articles, this mouse buying guide consists of just a few recommendations. These devices are not suitable for everyone. One should be able to test them beforehand. After all, the size of one’s hand is very decisive. Each mouse has an indication of whether it is suitable for left-handed users.
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Anyone in need of a mousepad has virtually unlimited choices. Of course, it should be large enough and as non-slip as possible. Both requirements are met by this product.
Gigabyte GM-M6800
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For €15, one can’t go wrong here. 1,600 dpi is an average value and sufficient for most. Thanks to its asymmetrical shape, the mouse can be easily used with the palm grip. The only downside is that it is thus designed for right-handed users.
Sharkoon Drakonia Black or Green
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A good laser sensor, 11 programmable buttons, multiple weights, and a long lifespan await you with the Sharkoon Drakonia models. The black version is the successor, offering 8,200 dpi instead of 5,000. Both models are recommended here. However, these mice are very large and only suitable for right-handed users. They are among the most popular gaming mice.
Roccat Kova+
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Roccat is also a manufacturer of good products. It features 7 buttons that can be double-assigned. This is made possible by the Easy-Shift technology, where one simply holds down a specific button to select the secondary assignment of the others.
This model is a few years old but still stands out for its quality. The 3,200 dpi is more than sufficient. Furthermore, the mouse can be used with both the right and left hands.
Roccat Tyon
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8,400 dpi and 14 freely configurable buttons, which are also double-assigned, are offered. Macros and profiles are stored in the internal memory. It is asymmetrical and therefore not suitable for left-handed users.
SteelSeries Sensei Wireless
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8,200 dpi, 8 buttons, and a corresponding range of features for the price. This is a wireless mouse that is controlled wirelessly. Additionally, it can be used with both hands.
Hippus HandShoe
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This model offers ergonomics, but not much else. No numerous buttons or macros. It is available in 6 models, 3 sizes for right and left hands.
AirObig Quell
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2 models, one for each hand. There are no additional features expected here either. And for some hands, it might be too small. But for those who do not like the HandShoe mouse, this provides an alternative.
Roccat Nyth
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The new mouse from Roccat targets MMO players. It features 12 customizable thumb buttons that can be exchanged individually. The remaining technical specifications match its price range, making it a better choice than the Tyon. Alternative MMO mice, including the Razer Naga, can also be found here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
BioWare has released a new SWTOR teaser that, as expected, is about the story of Knights of the Fallen Empire.
Star Wars like players have never experienced before
In the latest teaser for Star Wars: The Old Republic, the Lead Writer Charles Boyd speaks up, who is primarily responsible for the storyline in Knights of the Fallen Empire.
What distinguishes KotFE from the previous expansions is not only that there are plenty of new story chapters, but also that subsequent chapters will appear in quick succession that will continue the story. The video shows some gameplay scenes and reveals what BioWare had in mind with the new expansion: Players are meant to be emotionally stirred and feel truly connected to the world of Star Wars – let’s hope that succeeds.
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I must say that the last sentence makes me a little skeptical. Does this perhaps mean that KotFE will be released “unfinished” and the main story will be told gradually without at least receiving a satisfying conclusion? Time will tell – very soon.
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With the next WildStar update, crafting will be fundamentally revamped – it should now be more understandable and cause less frustration.
In a new developer blog on the official WildStar website, Carbine speaks to the fans again, and Marc Chang explains what changes are being made in the crafting system with the WildStar: Reloaded update – and it’s a lot! The focus was on simplifying the system, as crafting armor should be more intuitive and thus more enjoyable than it has been before.
The Values and Overloads
From the basic idea, not much is changing. Weapon smiths, armorers, tailors, and outfitters can still craft a variety of items as before, and they must imbue them with power cores to load them with various elemental stones afterward. Since each socket represents an element by color (red, for instance, indicates critical hit value), one should fill it with a corresponding elemental stone. However, for those who do not want to do that, there is good news: It is also possible to use color-inappropriate stones, but this slightly increases the failure chance. In short, this means: Just because the socket is red and actually indicates critical hit value, you can still fill it with another color (for example, green for more health).
As before, the chosen attribute’s amount can also be specified. But be careful! The more values an item has, the higher the failure chance becomes – and thus the risk of losing the entire piece of equipment during crafting.
New Talents and Energy Cores
The talent system for crafting has also been revamped and now offers new and interesting abilities. For instance, players can specialize in fine-tuning the charge, allowing a more precise adjustment of the charge. In the end, it can be decided exactly how much attack power or armor an item should have.
Crucial to the success of crafting is also the energy core used. This determines which level the final item will be. A level 50 blueprint can be used with a level 15 energy core to create a nice low-level item for a twink or friend. Conversely, this does not work: a lower-level blueprint cannot be improved by a higher energy core.
Tech Trees and Endgame Armor
The Tech Trees remain as they are.
Not much will change with the existing tech trees, but even here the whole thing is being streamlined a bit. Many players found it particularly absurd that they often had to craft numerous exotic weapons to build better weapons for themselves. It will no longer be necessary to craft Psychic Blades in order to build a new sword at the end of the day. However, it is still necessary to craft numerous items to earn the necessary talent points in crafting.
Lastly, Chang discusses the endgame armor. This is intended to be on par with experienced dungeons and the first raids and thus represents a meaningful addition for many players. However, a part of the necessary resources will only be found in the corresponding instances – you must be active in PvE or trade diligently, as the items are not bound.
For more about the game and the upcoming free-to-play transition, you can find them on our WildStar topic page.
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PvP fans and players of the MMORPG Neverwinter have been waiting for this for a long time, and now it’s finally here: With Stronghold Siege, the PvP guild battles around fortresses have been opened.
Previously, it was already possible to create your own fortresses in the MMORPG Neverwinter with the “Strongholds” module. These had to be built up and defended against NPC enemies like orcs. Now the Stronghold Siege update has been released, introducing PvP battles. Sieges are now at the center of attention. Your guild is allowed to attack another player’s fortress.
During the battle, you can reach the enemy through three lanes. You choose one of the lanes and must set up catapults there to attack the castle and destroy the guild hall. If you succeed, you have won the match. However, it is also your task to defend your own fortress.
Therefore, it is very important that you have a well-developed fortress that can be effectively defended. All buildings and upgrades are directly visible at your castle and can be utilized. This includes defense towers that are meant to stop enemies. You should not neglect the production buildings either, as they produce important supplies during the battle.
Fight until the dragon comes!
At some point during the fight, the dragon Cerasinax will appear. He will initially not intervene, but you should not let your guard down. There is a chance to persuade the dragon to join your side by bribing him with gold. You must acquire this from golems that roam the landscape. Alternatively, you can ignore the wurm and focus on destroying the opposing guild hall as quickly as possible before the dragon intervenes in the battle. With Stronghold Siege, the developers of the MMORPG Neverwinter target different types of players.
Whether you want to be a frontline fighter diving directly into the battle, a defender keeping an eye on the catapults, or if you prefer to search for gold for the dragon, everyone should be able to enjoy the new PvP mode.
If your guild is quite small, just invite members of other guilds to support you during the match. Whether you win or lose, you will be rewarded with fallen banners that you can trade for high-level equipment and resource vouchers to further improve your fortress.
That sounds interesting, doesn’t it?
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I wish you all, as often, a nice Wednesday afternoon or whenever you happen to drop by this column. You know, I have always been someone who had a lot of fun in beta tests. It was a nice privilege to be able to test future game content beforehand. Unfortunately, that has changed massively in recent years – because what could be closer than selling a free-to-play game for three times the price of an ordinary game?
150 bucks – basically free
Yeah, I know. Nobody is forced to buy so-called founder packages. Still, I find the prices they charge for it an outrageous sham in today’s times. By giving a game, like Devilian, a vote of confidence and paying for it even though the game will ultimately be F2P, you’re of course playing into the hands of the publishers. I find a founder package particularly disturbing in cases where the game is actually already launched – as in the case of Blade&Soul. The game has been running in Korea for years, so there can hardly be talk of a “founder package” for “players of the first hour” – unless, of course, one wants to squeeze a little more money out of the players. Long live capitalism!
Almost a gift – or is it?
Beta access – a privilege for fat wallets?
Beta access – once an honor, now a rip-off.
To quote Jochen Malmsheimer: Nothing was better in the past. It was just a lot earlier. Still, I think it’s a shame for the gaming industry when beta versions are sold as if they were a premium game in a gold version with 30 expansions and collector’s value that is also limited to 10 copies, all signed by the developers and hand-burned. But no, basically you get access to an unfinished game for exorbitant sums, serve as a tester (who is paid to be a tester – do you notice that?) and can then look forward to two titles and a pink sword in the live version, when you presumably no longer feel like the game. Yeha, if that wasn’t well-invested 150€, then I don’t know what is!
Sure, not all founder packages are bad or pure rip-offs, but I can’t think of a single example from the last few months where I thought “That sounds like a really fair offer”. What do you think? Have you jumped at founder packages in the last few months? If so, why? If not – same question!
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Yesterday, the first major expansion “The Taken King” for Destiny went live. What are the reactions?
Destiny has become a familiar place for many players on Xbox and Playstation after a year. Most long-time Destiny players have spent hundreds of hours in the game.
Almost everyone is struggling with the game. They feel comfortable, but see weaknesses at every corner, thinking about how it could have been done better by Bungie. The story, in particular, has been identified as a major weak point from the very beginning.
This cutscene is seen as a symbol of Destiny’s problems.
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The scene hangs in the air, suggests a lot, finishes nothing, and somehow just stands in the game. The sentence “I don’t even have time to explain why I don’t have time for explanations” is considered by many as proof that there wasn’t even close to a story in the first year. As a flimsy excuse so that the developers don’t have to explain anything.
Destiny has established itself in the minds of many as a game with a notoriously weak story.
Why not do it this way from the start?
When several million are then unleashed on a new “version”, in the truest sense Destiny 2.0, it is exciting to observe the reactions.
And they are currently mostly positive. Whether in streams or in the Destiny subreddit, cheerful, happy tones dominate. The reaction of many is: “Why not do it this way from the start? That’s how Destiny should have been a year ago.”
More story in the first half hour than in the last year
It is noticeable how much players are enjoying the “new” story and its successful presentation. The ground had been parched. It feels like players would have applauded each story, but this one seems to be well-received on its own.
Especially the cutscenes have impressed many players. The otherwise stiff characters from the Tower suddenly come to life. They discuss, whisper, argue, have cool moments, and even seem to be enjoying the events.
On reddit, “Cayde-6” is particularly praised, voiced in the original by Nathan Fillion, who mostly just stood around in the first year of Destiny.
He suddenly gets a personality, becoming the focal point of events. He has a relaxed appearance in the early cutscenes and counterbalances the otherwise serious Destiny atmosphere with some highlights that make you smile. A genuine “bad-ass.” His conversations with the dark Cassandra of the Destiny universe, with Eris Morn, are especially well received.
Warning Spoiler Video: This is the second cutscene in the game
http://youtu.be/qal5HgLhPhg
The “more personal, also more humorous” approach that Bungie has chosen for The Taken King seems to be working. The forums are full of praise for the first hours.
But wait until the everyday life sets in…
However, in MMOs, the “everyday life” becomes crucial later on. The story is eventually played out and done; then the reward mechanics, the economy of the game, and the progression paths become more important. How long the shooter Destiny can keep players engaged this time and if The Taken King can also shine in everyday life – all of that can only be clarified in a few days and weeks.
The story phase of a game resembles filler weeks. Only when it’s over does normal, virtual life begin.
The next highlight will surely come to us on Friday at 7:00 PM. Then the new raid “King’s Fall” will open its doors. When the story and excitement make way for the “everyday life” again, that will depend on the game pace of each individual.
How do you like the first hours of “The Taken King” so far?
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In League of Legends, the champion Kindred has been introduced as a new champ. It is a jungler with a wild mix of abilities.
After cryptic hints Riot surprisingly revealed the new champ early: Kindred.
Most junglers in League of Legends are tough, resilient guys with burst potential, who spend a long time on their hunting trips in the jungle, then appear in a lane and strike hard.
The new hero “Kindred” is different in many ways. Kindred is a kind of “archer-lamb” accompanied by a (possibly psychopathic) wolf spirit that constantly flies around it. Kindred is equipped with a wild mix of abilities.
Will the lamb kill me? Or is it just bluffing?
It can mark champs “as Passive” across the entire map and sacrifice them to death. However, the marking only becomes active after a while, creating an announcement effect: I’m coming to get you. If it then actually kills the marked champ, there is a permanent bonus on auto-hits.
How will its opponents react when the mark appears over their heads? Or is Kindred just bluffing? Additionally, certain jungle camps may be marked as prey by the hungry wolf. Everyone can see on the map which camp would now grant bonus power to Kindred. That’s an interesting situation.
Arrows, wolf spirits, “No one dies on my watch” zone
The Q, W, E abilities are of mixed nature, allowing him both ganks and ensuring that he can handle stationary camps in the jungle.
The Q allows Kindred to hop forward and shoot three arrows.
The Passive of W grants, when Kindred is in motion for a longer period, the ability to siphon life from its next attack. An active W creates an AE zone, where the wolf attacks enemies, and the lamb can use Q more quickly.
E is a typical “gank ability”: the target is slowed. If Kindred hits it three times, it receives increased damage.
The ultimate ability “R” creates a zone where all units, including enemy champs, cannot drop below a certain health value. When the effect ends, all champs still in the zone are healed for a certain amount.
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Riot has clearly designated Kindred as a jungler with the “Passive Jungle” mechanic, who stays in the backline during team fights. Especially against tough counter-junglers like Lee Sin, it is supposed to be vulnerable while needing a stable frontline to shine in team fights.
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