In The Elder Scrolls Online, players can become werewolves. In a short video guide, we show you how to become a werewolf, how to level up quickly, and then bite others.
In the console era, it’s a different story: Here, the werewolf is an attractive addition for players who want to play a stamina build. After all, the wolf in man (or the wood elf) grants 15% increased stamina regeneration.
But how does one become a werewolf? How can one level the talent tree up to 6 as quickly as possible? And how can one bite other players? All that is included in the short video guide from our friends at ProNDC, who also reveal a strong leveling spot for wolves.
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Nice werewolves bite in The Elder Scrolls Online for free
By the way: At the release on PC, just like now at the launch of the console version, players offer the “bite” at inflated prices and even rip off their “customers” by collecting the money and then saying “Uh, bite limitation, jaw dislocated, need to go offline quickly, better luck next time, you noob.“
Then the particularly clever ones also camp the spawn points to make the bite from NPCs impossible and inflate their own. So, these aren’t trolls, but businessmen doing this.
On the PC version, this subsided over time as more and more became wolves. In general, you shouldn’t pay for this bite, and especially not so much that it’s worth a scam. It is known: Nice werewolves bite for free or at most for some blood money. While there are some who like to tell otherwise, it is still a lucrative source of income for many players.
In the MMO shooter Destiny , pulse rifles are categorized as primary weapons. We present the top five and provide tips on how to reforge them for maximum impact in the Crucible.
You want it, you get it. Following our reforge guide for shotguns in House of Wolves, we now offer you tips and hints on how to transform the new pulse rifles into true killing machines in the Crucible. We show you which pulse rifles you absolutely need, where to get them, and which perks to look out for when rerolling.
Are you tired of the Crucible being dominated mostly by the three exotic hand cannons Dorn, Falkenmond and the Last Word? If you can answer this question with “Yes”, we may have the solution for you: pulse rifles. This weapon class can compete with exotic hand cannons in the Crucible when equipped with the right perks.
With the new DLC, the option has also arrived to reroll every weapon from the House of Wolves expansion with the Gunsmith. This was previously exclusive to the Iron Banner weapons. To reforge weapons, you need the following materials:
The weapon you want to reroll
1x Light Particle
3x Weapon Parts
250 Glimmer
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Pulse rifles do not fire individual rounds but rather three-shot bursts. Unlike shotguns, where range is the most important attribute, other properties play a significantly larger role with pulse rifles. The base range of pulse rifles is greater than that of other weapon classes, making them suitable for medium to long distances.
However, the main attribute is stability. Stability determines the spread of the burst. The higher the stability, the less spread there is, and thus more rounds from the burst potentially hit the target. Consequently, the target will be eliminated faster. And that’s exactly what you want.
Which pulse rifles do I need?
Pulse rifles can fundamentally be divided into three categories:
High rate of fire, low impact
Medium rate of fire, medium impact
Low rate of fire, high impact
A higher rate of fire leads to quicker bursts, but the damage output decreases. Pulse rifles with a low rate of fire but high impact can also forgive a miss. Ultimately, it depends on which type you perform better with. Just try all three versions out. Since primarily the last two mentioned variants are truly competitive in the Crucible, we will skip examples of pulse rifles with high rate of fire and low impact.
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We present to you pulse rifles that you can reforge, as well as two special weapons that cannot be rerolled but have fantastic stats from the get-go.
Look out for the following pulse rifles in the category medium rate of fire / medium impact:
55A-allFATE
This really well-balanced weapon can be purchased directly from the Vanguard Weaponsmith for 150 Vanguard Marks, once you reach rank 3 in the Vanguard.
Red Death
The exotic representative on our list. Even though you cannot reforge the Red Death, it’s worth a second look. Its namesake main perk ensures that you are completely healed after a kill, every time. You can obtain the weapon from Xûr when he has it, or as a random drop in raids or during Nightfall.
Keep an eye out for the following pulse rifles in the category low rate of fire / high impact:
Heaven-and-Hell Pilgrim
You can acquire this beauty as a random drop in the Vanguard Strike playlist “Dragon” or when playing the Prison of Elders on level 28.
Pocket Change .25
The Pocket Change .25 drops randomly in the Crucible. Your placement does not matter here.
Let’s take a look at the featured weapons in comparison:
Name
Rate of Fire
Impact
Range
Stability
Reload
Magazine
55A-allFATE
66
14
47
65
62
27
Red Death
66
26
33
37
76
27
Heaven-and-Hell Pilgrim
59
30
45
68
62
30
Pocket Change .25
59
30
63
44
58
24
The Messenger
59
30
59
59
53
24
At first glance, the exotic rifle Red Death seems overpowered. Medium rate of fire, but close to the high impact of other pulse rifles. Unfortunately, the main attribute, stability, is not very pronounced and can only be slightly improved (44) with the available perks. The weapon is deadly in the right hands that can correctly gauge recoil and spread; however, it also occupies the exotic slot in your arsenal. In the following chapter, you will also find reasons why legendary pulse rifles with the right perks are just as deadly.
Which perks are helpful in the Crucible?
In this section, we will show you which perks are particularly helpful for the Crucible. The perks are divided into four columns:
Column 1 – determines the sight properties of the rifle
Column 2 – first unlockable main perk
Column 3 – auxiliary perk that improves certain properties
Column 4 – second unlockable main perk
Look out for the following perks in Column 1 when reforging:
Property
Zoom
Range
Stability
Reload
Red Dot OAS
x0.2
—
+14
—
Red Dot ORES
x0.3
+6
+9
+4
For pulse rifles with medium stability, the Red Dot OAS sight is recommended, while for rifles with inherently high stability, you can vary the values with the Red Dot ORES. All other possible sights are not recommended.
Look out for the following perks in Column 2:
Outlaw – Precisely getting kills with this weapon greatly enhances reload speed
Third Eye – While using the aiming device of this weapon, the radar remains active
Melee Madness – Kills with this weapon temporarily boost reload speed
Hip Fire – This weapon has extra precision when firing from the hip
The selection here is not particularly large. Third Eye is a matter of personal taste. Perks that increase reload speed are always practical. Hip Fire is somewhat situational. Generally, you want to aim at medium to long distances.
The following auxiliary perks in Column 3 are interesting when reforging:
Hand-Laid Stock – Increased stability, decreased range
Smallbore – Increased range and stability, slower reload, reduced magazine size
Forget all other possible perks you can get here. You want maximum stability, nothing more and nothing less.
And finally, the best perks for Column 4:
Hidden Hand – This weapon improves target acquisition
Snap Shot – Aiming with this weapon increases its effectiveness
Headseeker – Body shots with this weapon temporarily increase precision damage (approx. +10%)
Reactive Reload – Reloading the weapon after a kill grants bonus damage for a short time.
Headseeker is only suitable for the low rate of fire / high impact category, as the bonus damage is not overwhelmingly high. With Snap Shot, your range will be increased. With this perk, pulse rifles can only be beaten by sniper rifles in terms of range. Hidden Hand is an impossible perk for many since it does not visibly enhance stats. What does the perk actually do? Each of your enemies has a corresponding “hitbox” depending on their size. If you hit this hitbox, you deal damage. The perk Hidden Hand ensures that you still hit the hitbox, even if you are not aiming perfectly. The tolerance for errors in aiming is increased. Sounds great, and it is.
What perk combinations create the ultimate pulse rifle?
Since you primarily want to max out the stability of your pulse rifle, we won’t differentiate among the various types in the following tips. You can swap the suggested perk in Column 4 for something like Headseeker depending on your preference.
With the following combinations, you will forge the ultimate laser pulse rifle:
Perk Column
Combination 1
Combination 2
Combination 3
Column 1
Red Dot OAS
Red Dot OAS
Red Dot OAS
Column 2
Outlaw
Melee Madness
Outlaw
Column 3
Hand-Laid Stock
Reinforced Frame
Smallbore
Column 4
Snap Shot
Headseeker
Hidden Hand
With Combination 1 (red), you will achieve a stability value of 99 with the 55A-allFATE, and with the Heaven-and-Hell Pilgrim, even a full 100. This will allow you to hit exactly what you want to hit. With a bit of practice, you can instill fear into the Dorn carriers in the Crucible.
This powerful guest contribution comes from our reader Shin25_HH – that’s his PSN ID. Great work, Guardian
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On the test server of The Lord of the Rings Online, there is currently a new PvP map to try out. After almost 8 years, this is the first new battleground and is intended to keep PvP fans engaged.
The Battle for Osgiliath
Osgiliath should be a name that immediately sets alarm bells ringing for all “The Lord of the Rings” fans. And this fortress is where the latest conflict will revolve! As typical for HdRO, players will again be divided into two factions – one faction fights on the side of the free peoples of Middle-earth, while the other half dives into battle as representatives of the monsters. The new PvP area is, after more than 8 years, the first real expansion for fans of player-versus-(monster)player skirmishes.
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The patch is currently on the test server and will bring, alongside the battleground, several other improvements, such as the ability to respec your talents anywhere in the world.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In “The Secret World”, the 3rd anniversary is already being celebrated since July 1st. As in the previous year, the Guardians of Gaia are on the attack again, but a lot of other rewards are waiting for the players …
Hippies as far as the eye can see
Colorful clothes and a big bike – who would expect anything else?
Because The Secret World is a bit weirder in everything, you have to make your own birthday more memorable as well. From July 1st to July 15th, huge golems invade the game world and must be defeated during the “Guardians of Gaia” event – a task for larger teams. There are two types of event bags: The bohemian surprise bag contains a single item, while the bohemian party sack gives you and up to 20 other players a random item. They may again include brightly colored hippie outfits or the new hippie bicycle.
In the first week of the event (until July 8th), players will receive additional bonuses, as the gain of power points and black bars is doubled. Anyone who attracts a new customer to the game during the celebrations will be rewarded with an additional membership month and one of the aforementioned bohemian party sacks.
The Future: Patch number 12 is being prepared
But even in the future, new content will continue to be delivered to players. With the already twelfth update, a new instance will be introduced: the factory under the Orochi tower. A total of 3 bosses and 3 mini-bosses will await brave players and stand in their way (as it should be). Not much has been revealed about the story, except that “some familiar characters will return.”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Destiny, the weekend event Trials of Osiris is active. It takes place on the map “Burning Shrine.”
Outside, the sun beats down mercilessly on a groaning Germany, and on PlayStation or Xbox, the next round of Trials of Osiris or Dark Age of Thorn-a-lot, as some call the PvP event in Destiny, is underway. Okay, we just made up that last name.
The “Burning Shrine” is back. This is also the map that started the event back then. It is a relatively balanced map. Tactics with shotguns and hand cannons work well for teams that want to push aggressively and set the pace. But snipers also get their fair share, especially when the fight moves outside.
This is what the Burning Shrine looks like
Here we have a map of the Burning Shrine with terms you can use to coordinate tactically:
And on this heat map, you can see where the Guardians were located when the map was active for the first time in the Trials in Destiny.
Tips on the Trials of Osiris map from top players in the video
For the map, our friend Nexxoss provides another guide video on how he succeeded on Mercury. He and his team prefer an aggressive tactic, attacking opponents from multiple directions, flanking them, taking the initiative, applying pressure, and aiming for the first kill, which is quickly followed by more.
It looks damn much like a “Thorn” week in this video as well.
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One of the strongest players in Destiny overall, at least in PvE, scSlayerAge has also posted a video explaining tips and tricks in English. This includes how to use the rotating doors to your advantage.
He also has a few nasty tricks up his sleeve, suggesting that once you have taken down 2 opponents, you should prolong the round as long as possible, because then 3 members of your own team build Super energy, while only one member of the opposing team does. Sneaky … – Normally, players in this situation try to end the match quickly. SlayerAge advises to wait it out and take advantage of the situation.
scSlayerAge is one of the players who has earned respect and recognition in Destiny through spectacular actions in raids. And he swears by the despised combination of Thorn and shotgun. Because, as he points out, even if both should be nerfed, it’s part of being a pro player to use what is objectively the strongest. Whether frowned upon or not, it doesn’t matter.
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The fantasy MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV is experiencing issues with the Mac version of the game and is now responding to it. They had published the wrong system requirements.
The mastermind behind Final Fantasy XIV, Naoki Yoshida, acknowledges difficulties with the Mac version, which have gone so far that they are guaranteeing customers a full refund, regardless of whether they purchased directly from Square Enix or through a retailer. Additionally, they are temporarily suspending sales of the Mac version.
Incorrect system requirements were circulating
The issue is primarily seen in that they did not clearly communicate the system requirements beforehand, resulting in some Mac owners purchasing Final Fantasy XIV, only to find that it did not run properly.
The problem arose because they had been working on performance improvements until the client release and therefore prepared several versions of the system requirements. They intended to decide at the last moment which system requirements to officially release.
In the chaos of the release of Heavensward , they then published the wrong ones, causing some players to purchase Final Fantasy XIV under the assumption it would run on their systems, only to be disappointed.
Yoshida took responsibility for this, apologized to the buyers, and has now assured refunds. Additionally, they are temporarily suspending sales. Sales of the Mac version will resume as soon as they are satisfied with the product information and details about the system requirements.
For further reasons behind the issues of the Mac version and detailed explanations on technical specifics, you can read Yoshida’s statement here. The statement is in English.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In ARK: Survival Evolved, a new landscape, the swamp, will be introduced later this month. Players can also look forward to a snowy area and more surprises.
Slush in Summer
The Plesiosaurus is already roaming the waters.
While players are roasting in front of their screens during the summer temperatures, they want to at least provide their virtual avatars with a bit of cooling. A new biome that adds a swamp landscape to the dino world is expected to be released later this month. Later this year, they also plan to create an icy snow landscape that will cover about a quarter of the known map with snow, frost, and ice. These new living conditions will, of course, also introduce completely new dinosaurs that want to conquer the land.
Just a few days ago, they added two new aquatic residents, the Plesiosaurus and Ichthyosaurus, who are already stirring up the waters.
A small alpha is currently taking place for the multiplayer shooter Star Wars Battlefront. The non-disclosure agreement seems to be seen by participants as a loose “might” provision.
Expectations are high for Star Wars: Battlefront in November. It is set to release on Playstation 4, XBox One, and PC, and a limited alpha is currently taking place for the title on PC. Players participating are technically obligated to confidentiality, but that seems to be of little concern to some.
Note the “Stick to NDA, Kid” note on this leaked screen.
Within a short time, lists of weapons and ships found in the alpha’s database were online, which can be found in the Neogaf forum.
There are numerous screenshots and some videos already. Electronic Arts is trying to rein it in by taking down videos from the internet, and a live stream from the alpha was, as Pc Gamer knows, interrupted in the middle.
But what do the leaks tell us? So far, participants have mainly noticed clear menu structures. Everything looks clean and stylish, they praise. The graphics and performance are also strong. However, the title still lacks that certain soul and the “Star-Wars je ne sais quoi,” that is often mentioned in interviews. But it is still an alpha.
German sites are also leaking: This screen is from PcGamesHardware.
Leaks from the Alpha
These are the weapons
E11
A280
DH17
DL44
DLT19
DLT20a
EE3(most likely for Boba Fett Only)
Rocket Launcher
SE14c
T21
These are the ships:
T-65 X-wing
Tie Fighter
Lambda Shuttle
Y-wing
Tie-Bomber
Corellian Corvette
Nebulon B Frigate
ISD (Imperial Star Destroyer)
Mon Calamari Capital Ship
Home One (Admiral Ackbar’s Ship)
ATST
AT-AT
Tie Interceptor (so far only found as a link, likely not in the Closed Alpha)
74-Z Speeder Bike (so far only found as a link, likely not in the Closed Alpha)
It probably would have been better if Electronic Arts had marked the client with a “water stamp” that allows tracing the material back to a specific client. Then such things usually don’t happen. But well, at least there’s something to watch.
The MMO shooter Tom Clancy’s The Division outlines the story of the Dark Zones in a trailer. The MMO is connected to the scenarios of thriller and apocalypse specialist Tom Clancy.
The Dark Zones have been dominating the discussion around “The Division” for several weeks. It seems clear: material has been prepared, a demo has been made, this is a gameplay aspect and trust, adrenaline, and betrayal, which other games do not have and from which much is expected. Ubisoft wants to talk about it as much as possible..
How the PvE zones with a touch of PvP have emerged in the “world of Division” is now revealed to us by a story trailer that shows why the army had to abandon these zones and leave behind valuable equipment.
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Story based on Tom Clancy, the master of apocalyptic scenarios
The entire story of “The Division” is based on the plots of the novelist Tom Clancy. Some of his works have also been adapted into films. The now-deceased thriller author often conjured global disasters in his novels that resonated with the general mood of the time. In the 80s, it was the threat of a nuclear strike by a submarine of the crumbling Soviet Union (The Hunt for Red October). In the 90s, an attack on a sporting event by a dirty bomb (“The Sum of All Fears”).
In our time, the threat of a virus that crumbles civilization, disrupts social structures, halts civilian life, and pulls us out of the comfort of the 21st century seems fitting.
The latest movie based on Tom Clancy, [Spoiler, Spoiler], plays with the idea of a global financial catastrophe caused by terrorists: probably more modern, but as an MMO probably not a million-dollar idea.
Last week, a server wipe was actually scheduled for the survival MMO H1Z1 , but it has been postponed.
When it comes to patch dates for H1Z1, it’s a bit like the German train service during a strike: the times are more like general statements of intent, and the exception becomes the norm.
“Normally,” the live servers are patched on Tuesdays and the test server on Thursdays. Last week, a “wipe” was planned, as the new patch with the military bases would change the map so significantly that the development team deemed a map wipe necessary. It was initially supposed to be released on Tuesday, but then a decision was made for Thursday. And now it was said: This is too tight for us, problems have arisen on the test server, and the Independence Day weekend is approaching: “You know what, let’s do this next week instead.” But really this time.
They simply did not want to risk releasing a version that was unplayable – especially during a holiday weekend in the USA, when many H1Z1 fans have time to play.
This is the pre-patch stream for the patch originally scheduled for Thursday, which among other things presents the new team mode for Battle Royale:
http://youtu.be/GFBNaqsVojw?t=1m28s
The survival MMO H1Z1 is currently in early access on Steam for PC; upon release, it is expected to become a free-to-play title, which will also be released on PlayStation 4.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Destiny , the developers want to present on Tuesday how they plan to honor veterans. They will also explain why the July Iron Banner had a shaky start.
In recent weeks a dominant theme around Destiny: How does one treat newcomers, and how veterans with “The Taken King?” Players who buy the “All-in-One” Collector’s Edition will receive emotes, exotic class items, and shaders. Bungie said that when veterans felt disadvantaged: “You will get something better!”
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So far, there has been no mention of what the “better” will actually entail. On Tuesday, July 7th, Bungie celebrates its annual “Community Day” and wants to explain how veterans will receive “exclusive, permanent legend status” for this occasion.
An image of an emblem has also been posted.
Is a revision of the Iron Banner coming, or did Saladin stutter because of maintenance?
Bungie responds somewhat cryptically to these problems. They say they are working with the future in mind and have “moved some furniture behind the scenes” and unexpectedly bumped into the ten.
Then they reset Saladin back to an earlier state of generosity and solved the problem.
Mein MMO says: Whether this “moving of furniture behind the scenes” has any gameplay impacts for the Iron Banner or whether it was work on other areas of the game that affected Saladin is not known. A revision of the Iron Banner would currently be quite sensible. To put it bluntly: The July Iron Banner is currently quite inferior to the Trials of Osiris.
However, it is most likely that during the last several hours of maintenance something happened that negatively affected Saladin, and Bungie only realized it when the event went live.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The next Free2Play MMO from Asia, Cabal 2, has gone live a few days ago. What are the first impressions of the title?
Cabal 2 is a Free2Play MMO with action elements. Cabal 2 has been on the market in Korea for several years, and is now playable here in the West for two days. Apparently, there was a rush for the Free2Play title at launch, and the publisher here in the West has already increased the server capacity.
Officially, the game is in an open beta; as long as no severe exploits appear, no wipe is planned during this phase.
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The reactions to the game are rather muted on Western-oriented MMO sites. In the comments, the poor translation into English is criticized, especially. Fans of the Asia MMO genre in the Free2Play sector usually do not find themselves on such sites – the game does have a community on Facebook, who looked forward to the launch in the last months with joy. Although they surely would have wished it had come to Europe much earlier.
The YouTuber TheHiveLeader briefly discussed the MMO in a video, likening it strongly to Echo of Soul or a number of other recent Asia titles… it’s a bit biting and borders on satire, but it gives an impression of the game and at least praises the combat system a bit:
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For the makers of LEGO Minifigures, switching from Free2Play to Buy2Play was an important step. In the interview, it is even referred to as a kind of redemption that makes the developers’ work more enjoyable.
It’s easier to make a good B2P game
Most MMORPGs take the – unfortunately now – traditional route from Pay2Play to Free2Play once the initial hype has faded. In the child-friendly MMO LEGO Minifigures, a different way has been taken and the Free2Play payment model has been turned into a “purchase model.” The game has been on sale on Steam for a few days now. In an interview, several interesting points were raised that could provide insights for other games as well.
New content no longer needs to be hidden behind “paywalls.”
“You feel dirty when you develop a game based on microtransactions,” is one of the most striking statements. One must place content behind certain hurdles, because you want to earn money with the game. After the switch, this would no longer be a problem, as one can simply focus on developing “outstanding content” without having to think about new funding options.
Moreover, it is significantly easier to develop a good B2P game than a good F2P game. It is only understandable if you do not have to categorize customers into first-class (paying) and second-class (free).
Especially for a game for children, the switch seems to have been sensible. Many parents do not want to pay monthly fees or provide their credit card information for an online game.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
About 40 minutes ago, around 8:10 PM, US sites reported that the PSN network service has gone down. This comes just in time for the 3-day weekend in the USA. Tomorrow, July 4th, is the national holiday ‘Independence Day’, known from film and television, featuring aliens and Will Smith. Typically, it is celebrated much more peacefully with festivities, national pride, barbecues, fireworks, picnics, and a summer atmosphere.
Starting July 8, the open beta of SMITE will begin on Xbox One. Anyone who has played on PC so far can merge their accounts, but should grab a few free skins beforehand to save some effort.
4 Skins Available for Free
Smite-News schreiben sich quasi von selber.
Currently, there are a total of 4 skins in Smite that don’t require much effort to obtain. Since all skins will be transferred during a “Merge” of the PC and Xbox accounts, the alternative god designs should be unlocked as early as possible. One of the four skins can only be obtained with the PC version and is – as of now – permanently lost if not activated before the merge.
Acquiring the skins is very simple; almost always, you just need to follow the various social media channels of SMITE.
This Apollo skin can currently only be obtained on the PC version.
For Water Dancer Nu Wa, it’s enough to subscribe to the official SMITE-YouTube channel. The Solar Eclipse Ra awaits those who give a like on SMITE’s Facebook, and Stalker Artemis is available if you follow the game on Twitter.
Only the Curse Apollo can no longer be obtained on Xbox afterward. To get it, you need to complete 5 games on PC, while the “Curse Voice” program is active.
SMITE is a MOBA that is played from a third-person perspective, unlike other representatives of the genre. More about the gods’ brawling on our SMITE topic page.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A few little birds have chirped: The next expansion for Blizzard’s card game “Hearthstone” is already in the works and will be unveiled in just a few weeks. As usual, the manufacturers keep fans somewhat in the dark.
The Fanfare of the Crusade
Some journalists received a very special package from Blizzard in the last few days: An ancient scroll, whose packaging also played a knightly fanfare upon opening. The message reads like an invitation to a chivalric tournament – and there is only one that has gained great fame in World of Warcraft: The Tournament of the Argent Crusade in Northrend.
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The rumor mill is churning and many fans are already speculating on what the new expansion might include. If Blizzard follows the previous model, a big card expansion is now on the way, as was the case nearly half a year ago with “Goblins vs. Gnomes.” Thematically, a tournament – and especially the Argent Tournament – offers many new possibilities; for example, “Knights” could be introduced as a new card type. Together with all the antagonists, such as the Black Knight or the Val’kyr sisters, this could offer the potential for many cards.
Whether there is any truth to this theory will be revealed in the coming weeks. We will of course keep you updated as soon as there are new details – at the latest on July 22, because according to the scroll the announcement is supposed to take place then.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Destiny , it has now become publicly known how players can obtain the “exclusive” codes from the Red Bull cans without opening the can.
Currently, there is an “exclusive promotion” from Red Bull and Destiny in the USA. If you buy a can of the energy drink at the supermarket chain 7-Eleven, you can pull the tab off the can, read your code, sip the energy drink, go online, enter the code at Bungie, and receive an EXP bonus or access to an exclusive quest in the virtual world of Destiny. These special cans are actually only available in the USA, and for European players, it’s nearly impossible to get such codes. Unless through giveaways or any promotions from North Americans.
It’s such a simple code … you don’t need to be a mathematician for that
However, the code on these cans seems to be so simply composed that after just a few hours on reddit, the first “ideas” emerged on how to “manually” generate this code. The idea being: There are this many digits, these and these must occur, and then you enter this and the code works.
Shortly thereafter, the first reported: “I got 5 right away!”
This trick was deleted on reddit. But as everyone knows: You can’t erase something like that from the world. On the contrary: Such things become “secret,” “forbidden,” and “a hot trick,” and spread just as quickly as smut magazines on a schoolyard.
Therefore, the “trick” or references to it have been read time and again in the German-speaking area over the past days. In various Facebook groups or even on our site.
We have deleted it a few times, but not because we are party poopers, but because there are also losers in the action.
The problem is: Whoever buys such a can and enters a code that another player “coincidentally” generated themselves will not receive a code, but will look into the can. Because their code has already been redeemed. So essentially, this is a “manual” key generator, through which one steals codes from other people. People who bought a can of Red Bull for that.
Therefore, we also say: Don’t do that.
On our own: That’s why we are only reporting about it now
Reporting on something like this is always tricky, because whoever reports on it ultimately also promotes it and indirectly encourages it. That’s why we decided not to report on the phenomenon until it was “generally” known – that is, appeared on “official” sites that one finds via Google. We have treated the “lan cable trick” with Crota in the same way. There is probably no ideal procedure for such difficult topics.
Last night, the US site “Kotaku” reported on this trick and linked to a corresponding post in a forum that explicitly explains how to generate the code. However, it was also stated that it is not viewed favorably if someone does such a thing.
This afternoon, the first large German gaming site reported on the Kotaku article. So we decided to bring the news as well.
We hope you understand our position.
At least one good thing is that it is now known: In the last days, posts have also circulated like: “Someone is selling Red Bull codes from the USA for 4 euros!” It may well be that with this method, some have already made money. Now at least everyone is on the same level of knowledge.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In World of Warcraft, Patch 6.2 was supposed to be the last of the expansion “Warlords of Draenor”. After 7 months, the AddOn is already out of story. At Blizzard, they believe players wanted it this way. Our author Schuhmann sees it differently.
That Blizzard can afford something like this as a “pay-to-play MMORPG”, while most others work hard to bring something new every 3 months, is already a peculiarity that can only be justified by the exceptional status of World of Warcraft. Most WoW players seem to know nothing else and expect nothing else.
But it annoys even them when nothing happens for 11 months, except running through Siege of Ogrimmar, Dragon Soul, or ICC for the 400th time until even the last twink has his gear together, which he sells to the crooked-smiling second-hand dealer in the second quest village of the third new zone for 13 gold at the start of the next expansion.
And hey, we don’t even want to get into the story about the Diablo annual pass and the “Buy a year of WoW subscription, and we’ll throw in Diablo III for free. And hey, check out the great pictures from Mists of Pandaria! We won’t say it’s coming in the next few months, but the pictures sure look like it’s almost finished, right?” – and then nothing comes for a year, and Mists of Pandaria only appears when the annual pass has already expired… so we really don’t want to comment on this story.
Thus, the big topic at World of Warcraft and player wish number one for years has been: More new stuff! Shorter content droughts. After the end of an “add-on”, the next one should start sooner. This has been promised for years.
Blizzard now fulfills this wish in the most unfriendly way imaginable to players: By simply significantly shortening the length of an add-on and then saying: Yes, you wished for this!
The second raid Blackrock Foundry, which still belonged to the first tier, had nothing to do with the patch, but was already finished and was just held back.
Patch 6.1 doesn’t count – 6.2 will remain the only content patch for Warlords of Draenor.
Blizzard’s logic: Content droughts end sooner if they start earlier!
The logic behind Blizzard’s new strategy: Yes, if players want new expansions faster, then we obviously have much less time to stay in one expansion and deliver game content there. Makes sense, right?
To that, I say: What?! People only wanted the next expansion because then nothing new came for a long time (in a pay-to-play MMO!). If two other content patches had come between Siege of Ogrimmar and the start of Warlords of Draenor, no one would have complained. By the way, Final Fantasy XIV shows how it’s done, as only three months lay between the last content patch of the base game and the first expansion. And neither the new expansion nor the base game suffered.
WoW players have always demanded “more content” per expansion and shorter breaks between new game content.
Now to say: Yes, the content drought remains, it just starts 7 months after the start of the expansion, not 13 months after it, but then the next add-on will already be finished in a year and a half, not after two. Yeah, hello? What kind of logic is that, and this amateur accounting? You somehow give the players what they want and then collect the next 40 euros for the expansion sooner, or what?
The length of phases without new game content has always been the problem, not the length of the expansions themselves.
But doesn’t that have a good side?
Sure, some hardened players can’t wait for the next 10 levels to be done and the story to move forward again. These are the players who only play for the leveling phase and the quests in a new expansion and who don’t care about the “content patches” in principle.
But who the hell says that it can’t be done within an expansion? What stops Blizzard from saying: With 6.3 we will create a new zone and advance the story properly? This is possible in other games too.
But above all: What stops Blizzard from saying: We know you’re bored for 10 months until the next expansion comes. Here we have assigned another team that made a raid tier out of the ordinary? And surprise: This time it’s not even trolls!
Players here uncritically accept arbitrarily set standards by Blizzard about what constitutes a content patch and what does not. One of the main arguments for a pay model is even that this way, new game content can be delivered faster and better. Exactly for these content patches, the 13 euros per month are there. Not for a team to toil over a new full-price expansion.
Some fans of the add-on are now even happy: Finally Draenor is finished and we can start with the next expansion. Yeah, hello: But you paid for that? That’s like paying 15 euros for a horrible movie and saying at the end: At least it was short! Let’s go to the next one!
The cleaver solution
All these years, they thought: Blizzard would solve the content problem through more content. Not by a somewhat different division.
It’s as if a table of six complaints every Wednesday at “Happy Cow” that the innkeeper only has enough meat for 3 servings of steak, but they want 6. And the innkeeper solves the problem by chopping the 3 servings into 6 and serving them.
Yes, “somehow” the problem is solved, but now everyone only has half on their plate. The guests actually wanted the innkeeper to make more steaks!
The interview we are now talking about:
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Conclusion – as always: Blizzard gets away with everything, urgently needs competition
For every little thing in other games, there are agitated players shouting “rip-off! rip-off!” At Blizzard, this will likely not happen.
Nonetheless: An “intentional” misunderstanding of the players in the direction of: We bring content faster by making the expansions shorter.Most other publishers would not get away with that.
It must be said: Blizzard’s World of Warcraft has needed a strong competitor in the MMORPG genre for at least 6 years to motivate them and increase the pace. Competition sharpens business. Being unopposed at the top for such a long time is poison.
For years they have promised, “more game content, larger team, more developers.” Before each add-on, they say: We are so excited about this, it will be amazing, we will go into the future well-equipped.
And at the end of each add-on, there is disappointment: Where is the 50% larger team? What are they doing right now? Why aren’t they making a Patch 6.3 for September that blows us all away and makes us all remember Warlords of Draenor fondly and ensures we happily buy the next add-on?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Survival MMOs are currently in trend, and if you garnish them with dinosaurs, it seems you have generated a success, as evidenced by the one million sales in just under a month of the MMO Ark: Survival Evolved.
The early access version is very popular, even though the game isn’t even finished yet. Jesse Rapczak, one of the founders of Studio Wildcard and Co-Creative Director of Ark, explains that the launch of the movie Jurassic World surely contributed to this success. That was also intended. The fact that it also coincided with the Steam Summer Sale helped as well.
However, he believes that word of mouth has especially helped make Ark so popular. Many Let’s Players stream videos of the game and do many interesting things in the world. The fun they share with others in ARK via streaming is a very good way for the developers to get the game on everyone’s lips.
Community is Important
Doug Kennedy, Vice President of Business Development at Studio Wildcard, further elaborates that for the success of a game, it is also important to interact a lot with the community. They listen and take feedback to heart. If some players dislike something, they will try to change it. This interaction is very important for a healthy community.
Additionally, many fans of the failed dino-MMO The Stomping Lands Ark gave it a chance, even though there were concerns that the scorned customers would take out their anger on Ark. It was also noted that while there were frequent comparisons to Rust, this comparison was actually not accurate. Because Ark is not a pure survival game.
It is also very much about adventure and there are many solo contents that they aim to expand after the early access phase. Ark offers a somewhat deeper gaming experience than most survival games do. This also includes motivating players to cooperate and explore the world together, and that is often not the case in many survival games. All of this combined contributes to the current success of the game.
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With patch 6.2, it seems that the era of World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor is already coming to a sudden end. Cory Stockton, the Lead Game Designer, has now revealed that the Hellfire Citadel represents the finale of the expansion.
No patch 6.3?
With the introduction of the Tanaan Jungle, the map of Draenor has just been expanded to the state that was originally intended to be available at the launch of the expansion. Now it has been revealed in an interview: 6.2 is likely the end of Draenor.
The developers continue to pay attention to how quickly players work through the new content, and they keep the option open to possibly introduce a small interim patch. According to current plans, however, the Hellfire Citadel represents the conclusion of Draenor’s storyline. And this leaves many questions unanswered.
Now we also know where Khadgar disappears so quickly: On summer vacation.
The reasoning given for the relatively small number of patches is the efforts to develop new expansions faster. If expansions are to be released more quickly, it is understandably to have fewer patches between the individual expansions.
How players will react to this announcement remains to be seen. I am personally very disappointed by this statement and can only hope that behind the scenes, work is already being done on the next adventure of World of Warcraft. After all, only two patches in WoD, one of which brought barely any content and the other is a huge grind area, leaves a very bland aftertaste.
