Survival, MMO and dinos! ARK will make player dreams come true

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 3 minutes

Those who didn’t play with toy dinos as a child were uncool. And rightly so, because dinosaurs are just cool. If these appear in an MMORPG where the survival aspect is in focus, then the inner child cheers with joy.

The developers at Studio Wildcard want to offer such a mix with ARK: Survival Evolved. You are stranded on a mysterious island where dinos roam. Completely naked, you have no chance against these giants. So survival is the order of the day.

You start by crafting your first useful equipment by gathering and processing the necessary raw materials. From stones and wood, you can make spears or axes, for example, to defend yourself, at least rudimentarily, against smaller dinosaurs. Later, you’ll mine ores that you can use to create more powerful weapons. However, you will quickly realize that you will have no chance alone against the larger representatives like the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Ark Graphics

Pretty hardcore

Fortunately, there are other people on the island with whom you can team up. With these other players, you form tribes, build huts and palisades, and support each other. However, not everyone may be friendly, as PvP plays a role. In raids, it is possible to wipe out entire villages and steal the items produced there. This is interesting as your character does not disappear when you log out of the game. He merely sleeps, which means that his items are still available and can be stolen.

Ark Hut

Your pets also remain in the game, but they can be taken over and commanded by your friends during your absence. These “hardcore” gameplay elements go a step further. Your character needs food to avoid dying, so you must ensure that edible plants are available that you can grow yourself. Weather conditions like rain and snow also affect your health. Permadeath and the possibility of capturing players and using their feces as fertilizer or their blood for rituals are also included in the game. Through rituals, it is possible to summon special, god-like beings that fight for you.

Survival of the fittest?

Ark MMO

There will be slightly more than 100 players online per server. That sounds like a small number, but it emphasizes the aspect that there are only a few survivors on the island. Moreover, it requires tactical decisions about whether it’s wise to fight each other or better to cooperate against the dinos. Traveling between servers will also be possible. The developers even want to support modding so that players can help shape the world. The Unreal Engine 4 is being used, which provides excellent graphics, as can be seen from the first screenshots and the trailer. The Early Access version of Ark is expected to be available on Steam next month. It is being developed for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. By the way: Virtual reality support is also planned.

Ark Mounts

Andreas says: Wow! I didn’t expect that at all. An online game with hardcore elements and dinos. I think I need a vacation in June urgently. Of course, one needs to wait and see how it all plays out and whether all elements mesh well. I find permadeath, especially if your character remains in the game after logging out, quite problematic with open PvP and full loot. Nevertheless, ARK: Survival Evolved seems to be a highly interesting online game that should definitely be kept an eye on.

Recommended editorial content

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

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. steamcommunity.com

Complaint Wednesday: When Zeit.de has too much time

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

Yes, I occasionally make mistakes. Sometimes they are small errors in spelling or grammar, but occasionally there are also larger mistakes regarding research. I get quite annoyed about that, believe me. Nevertheless, I at least have a few principles that I try to adhere to strictly.

For example, I don’t like overly sensational headlines, and I don’t like attempts to make a small mosquito into an elephant. But maybe I just need to spend more time on my work? (Yes, a few puns are coming your way…)

Good Times, Bad Times…

You probably remember our little news about ArenaNet’s actions against a known cheater. The corresponding character was stripped of his equipment, subsequently jumped to his virtual death due to the operators’ actions, and finally, the account was banned. A very commendable behavior, I think. Because on the one hand, an example was made, and on the other hand, honest players finally gained the impression that something is being done against cheaters.

Recommended editorial content

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

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

But we wouldn’t be Germany if we didn’t constantly have to put video games on trial again, would we? So let’s let a dear gentleman from “Zeit” loose on this topic, and lo and behold: Suddenly, developers forced a character to commit suicide (zeit.de)! Not only that, through the “evidence video,” the so-called Werther effect could occur, and real people could be encouraged to choose suicide in real life. Not to mention that player characters in Guild Wars 2 cannot actually “die” but only get defeated and respawn at the next waypoint.

The user’s character DarkSide was forced into suicide in the game “Guild Wars 2”. – Zeit.de

Turning Back Time

I had actually come to the conviction that gaming has more or less arrived in the middle of society and that this society no longer sees games as a medium to be demonized. Exactly this was done again this time, playing the role of the pseudo-moralizer and asking: Could the public display of a “suicide” in a computer game lead to real imitators?

Leaving aside the fact that sensationalism produced dramatic expressions like “the character’s death rattle,” which simply do not exist in Guild Wars 2.

A Timeless Issue

But I find this passage particularly hypocritical:

“But media are required to adhere to a guideline when reporting on suicides to avoid triggering the so-called Werther effect – meaning: not to encourage anyone to imitate through sensational and simplistic reporting. Whether a game studio should also adhere to this is at least debatable.”

Honestly: No, that cannot be debated. No one saw a “suicide” here, except for Zeit. And why? Because it makes a wonderful headline. So far, it was just the punishment of a cheater in an online game. The entire suicide part was fabricated. If you want to avoid the Werther effect, as it is beautifully written, you should report sensitively on the topic of suicide. A first step might be to write only about suicides when they actually happened, and that was not the case here. It also doesn’t help to fill a third of the article with self-help addresses and research on suicide causes to present oneself as sensitive.

A Note from the Author

In the meantime, the author of the original text has spoken out again, likely triggered by the countless negative comments that the article has received. Anyone who reads this addendum quickly recognizes the intention: to soften. To mitigate reactions and articulate one’s own thoughts without admitting a mistake. After all, it was the foolish readers who found a headline to be sensational.

Guild Wars 2

That the authors of Zeit now see video games as a cultural asset is commendable, but also quite brazenly dishonest. Because why don’t they act accordingly? Why don’t I read an article every time a new book is published when characters commit suicide? Because video games are still not seen as equivalent cultural assets by some people. I would be happy if some people would finally move with the times.

What do you think about it? Has this topic been exaggerated and twisted? Or does the original author even have a point? However, I will pack myself into the demonic summer sleep and will be at the RPC in Cologne this weekend – where you all should also be. Until next Wednesday!

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

Destiny: The final prediction for Xur on May 15th is here, Megaman bids farewell

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In Destiny there is a final prediction for Xur. His inventory for Friday, May 15th, is known.

Slowly, our reports about Xur’s predictions for next Friday are slipping into “Howard Carpendale announces his retirement” territory. For weeks, we’ve been announcing that it’s over, and then something happens again, and there is new information for next Friday.

The dataminer Megaman is stepping down

Yesterday, Megamanexe4, the first and probably most well-known “dataminer,” who provided players with the information that Bungie wanted to keep secret, officially announced his “retirement.” The Japanese community isn’t functioning, and he won’t do it anymore. He probably wouldn’t have been able to do it anymore either. Since some changes from Bungie, there haven’t been any predictions; the last ones were from the past.

In any case, Megaman didn’t leave without leaving the players a gift. He posted all the inventories of Xur that he had datamined back then. Among them is also the last one for May 15th.

Therefore, we have this article with the Xur prediction one last time. However, it must be noted: This prediction is not 100% certain. The last one was 50% correct: The weapon and one piece of armor were right. It could be similar this time.

Destiny-Xur-155-Prediction

The prediction for Xur’s inventory on May 15th

As a weapon, there should be the exotic auto rifle Suros Regime. It would cost 23 strange coins.

Destiny-Suros-104

For Warlocks, he would have the Voidfang Vestments on offer.

Destiny-Voidfang Vestments-174

For Hunters, the helmet ATS/8 Arachnoid. However, the stats for the armor pieces are still unknown; these are archive pictures.

Destiny-ATS8-085

And for Titans, a Crest of Alpha Lupi.

Destiny-Crest of Alpha Lupi-Titans-202

Well, somehow this is anticlimactic. Last week with Thunderlord was the highlight of the “Megaman era,” definitely the best inventory from Xur. What else can come after that?

Update: What Xur really has on May 15th can be found in this article.

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

Skyforge says a quiet “God Bye”, wipes Beta characters

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the god MMO Skyforge the third closed beta phase ends, the next ones will not be experienced by the gods created so far.

Finally a good template for a bad pun! The creators of Skyforge, the Allods team, thank the participants of the third closed beta phase for their efforts and contributions. This has provided important data that is now to be utilized to refine and adapt the western version of Skyforge.

This will take some time: Therefore, it will take a while until the next beta phase. These changes also required a wipe of the beta characters. The third closed beta is now over. Since Skyforge is relatively grindy, this wipe may hit some players, who have already invested a lot of time in their avatars, quite hard.

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

Destiny: Patch 1.2.0 is no longer coming tonight [Update]

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny, a patch was scheduled for this evening, Tuesday, May 12th. The update 1.2.0 was supposed to be activated. That will not happen now.

People were already wondering why it was so quiet today. An update was actually announced for this evening “sometime after 7 PM”. That will not happen, as Bungie tweets. The plans have changed, and they will reveal more soon. If that is the case, we will of course inform you.

The patch 1.2.0 is expected to bring changes to the Crucible. However, we will only know for sure when the patch notes are available. It is assumed that it will increase Crucible rewards and make the three Darkness-lurks maps playable for everyone.

One thing has already changed this evening; the new cinematic for House of Wolves is visible.

For now, it seems: You can play in peace and enjoy the new weekly reset. It does not appear that interruptions are to be expected here.

Update May 13th, 7:00 PM: There is now more information from Bungie. Apparently, there was a bug, a “technical difficulty,” which could have had severe impacts. Currently, Bungie is working on fixing this bug. There is still no timeline for when patch 1.2.0 will come. The community manager wants to at least update the situation once a day until it is resolved.

It does not look like it will come today, Wednesday, May 13th.

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

The Division: MMO shooter officially postponed to the 1st quarter of 2016

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The MMO shooter “Tom Clancy’s The Division” (PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4) will no longer be released in 2015, Ubisoft has now announced.

There has been little news about The Division and it has simply remained quiet. After a bombastic announcement two years ago, further information about the game has been scarce. It was repeatedly assured that The Division would still be released in the calendar year 2015, but now this promise has been rescinded and the release is moved to 2016.

Division-Launch

In a statement, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said: The Division is an online RPG. They take longer to complete. They want to ensure that there is enough time to gather and incorporate alpha and beta feedback. They want to deliver The Division in the best possible state.

As stated in another statement, “The Division” was actually planned for the Christmas season of 2015, but it is now being moved to the first quarter of 2016, i.e., January, February, or March.

The Division has already been postponed once. Originally, it was even scheduled for 2014. This led to a mini-scandal when a developer from Massive anonymously told the press that the 2014 release date set by Ubisoft was ridiculous; they would need much more time. Up until that point, work had primarily been on the Snowdrop engine.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Eurogamer
  2. Ubisoft Releasedate Division

H1Z1: Plans for May include broken tires, crossbows, and walkie-talkies

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The survival MMO H1Z1 has presented its plans for May. There is ongoing work to make the virtual world look as much like a zombie movie as possible.

H1Z1 Clan

The April roadmap has largely been worked on by DGC: Among other things, women, the virus, and handcuffs were added to H1Z1. Now DGC is turning its gaze to May and gives a rough outline of what players can expect in the month of joy. Patches are expected to be released on Thursdays. However, they have recently been shifting to Fridays.

  • For May 14, there are plans to integrate vehicles more into the game. Players should be able to shoot at the tires and kick passengers out of the vehicle. In addition, the crafting interface is to be improved, and different shoes should have different properties.
  • With the 21st of May, the crossbow will be introduced in H1Z1. There are plans to revise base building, the big, old problem of H1Z1, and provide more options here. Zombies are also expected to react to sound, and certain substances should affect players’ vision – like the narcotic Sizzles or the progression of the H1Z1 virus.
  • With the patch on May 28, the Magnum .44 will come to H1Z1, along with radios and walkie-talkies. It will be interesting to see how these will affect the game. We are slowly entering territory that has not been mapped out before the release.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. H1Z1 Roadmap

The Elder Scrolls Online: News from Tamriel – Riding Lessons and the Imperial City

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online, players will be able to speed up their horse’s training with riding lessons.

Feeding the horse was a running gag in the early days of The Elder Scrolls Online. At every server downtime, players would seriously complain at first, and later jokingly, that they still needed to feed their horse. Because a horse needs a lot of care in The Elder Scrolls Online and can be painstakingly improved in small increments until it reaches maximum values of 60 in 3 areas.

TESO-Reiten

In the future, there will be an item in the cash shop that accelerates this “upgrade”. Dataminers have found this with the patch. At Zenimax, they stated: Datamining information should always be taken with caution and can change, but: Yes, that’s correct, we really intend to do this. Please give us feedback.

It will be a typical “convenience” item. Things will be easier and faster, but not beyond the limits that could also be reached without spending crowns.

Kaiserstadt-bloodworks

This is probably not the big news that many have hoped for. The question remains: What’s next for TESO? When will new content come? It seems that we will have to wait a little longer. At E3 in mid-June, we will likely receive more information about the next planned DLC, the Imperial City. This was hinted at by the German Community Manager Kai Schober elsewhere in the official forum.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. TESO Forum Statement Reitstunden
  2. Forum TESO Kaiserstadt/E3-Andeutung

PvP MMORPG The Valley will be funded via Kickstarter

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 3 minutes

The German development studio Fairytale Distillery is currently working on the ambitious PvP MMORPG “The Valley” and wants to finance the game’s development now with a Kickstarter campaign.

Until June 10, interested gamers have time to participate in the funding. The developers want to raise 50,000 euros through crowdfunding to realize their vision of the game, which looks as follows:

You are criminals who are banished to a valley. There is no escape from it, which makes it the ideal prison. But you are not alone, as other criminals are also lingering in the valley. You decide who you team up with and whom you want to fight. Because in The Valley, things are anything but gentle. Open PvP and Full Loot are the order of the day. This means you can be attacked anywhere and anytime, and all your items can be taken from you. This is intended to simulate a constant threat and bring excitement to the game.

The Valley PvP

A Sandbox Adventure

The Valley is a sandbox MMORPG. You mine resources – the locations where the resources are found will always be hotly contested – craft your weapons and armor yourself, and build settlements together with other players that you also need to defend. There is a timer, as each world eventually “ends” with a big event, and you have to try to achieve as much as possible within this time. Afterwards, the maps are reshuffled, and the game starts over.

The Valley Settlement

Grinding will be minimized, as you can level up your hero in a short time to the highest level. As a result, the focus is on PvP battles and building and defending your settlement. The fights are active, which is why your reaction time also matters. In addition, you should always be careful where you aim, as friendly fire can injure friends. Sneaking, hiding, and attacking from ambush is also possible.

Recommended editorial content

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

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

You create your hero in the game using a dual-class system. Your class is determined by the weapon and armor you use. A total of 64 class combinations will be possible. As you level up, your character gains new abilities that make him more powerful. However, you always have to decide on eight that you can use simultaneously. This is intended to bring a tactical component to the game. The Valley is scheduled to be released in mid-2016. Those who feel addressed by the concept can support the young development team in the Kickstarter campaign.

Andreas says: The Valley is an interesting MMO that specifically caters to fans of Open PvP and Full Loot. Here, you will not be handled with kid gloves. Anyone looking for light fare, quests, and a lot of lore will likely not be happy. Those who like to take risks and compete with other players should take a look at The Valley. The fact that it comes from a young, ambitious German team should ensure that you take a second look, as such projects deserve support.

Recommended: Did you know that one of the first interviews conducted here was with the creators of The Valley? Mein MMO interview: “The Valley” – Sandbox PvP from Munich.

Recommended editorial content

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

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Offizielle Website: das-tal-game.com

Destiny: Weekly Nightfall Strike on 12.5. against Omnigul

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny , the weekly Nightfall Strike, takes place on the week starting May 12th against Omnigul in the Will of Crota. It will be the last Nightfall Strike before the DLC “House of Wolves”.

Destiny-Omnigul

One last time, we will go into the Nightfall Strike in Destiny, before the next DLC “House of Wolves” comes out and changes everything. Next week, the new strike “Shadow Thief” will likely be the center of attention. Although it is not confirmed yet, there are many indications that this strike will be the new Nightfall starting at 7:00 PM. Before that, the activities on the patch day will be locked. We introduced “Shadow Thief” yesterday.

Destiny-Concept-Art-Mech

This week, the Nightfall is: Will of Crota with Omnigul and Arc Burn. The strike from the current DLC was the first in early December and will now be the last in this cycle mid-May. Bungie has once again outsmarted us. That’s how it is in a world without predictions.

Modifiers for the Nightfall on May 12th

  • Nightfall – This ensures that players must return to orbit if the entire fireteam dies
  • Epic – The difficulty modifier Epic is the hardest in the game, and the enemies are accordingly tough
  • Lightswitch – Enemies deal double melee damage.
  • Juggler: Kills do not drop ammunition for the weapon used.
  • Arc Burn: Arc damage is significantly increased

In the heroic Weekly the following modifier is active: Juggler

From next week, Weekly and Nightfall will lead into two different strikes.

Destiny-Drei-Hueter

The arsenal for the weekly Nightfall Strike on May 12th

As for weaponry, this time it is recommended:

  • For primary weapons: Perhaps the God’s Hand or “Decree of the Soul“; and for Omnigul herself then “Abyss Defier.“
  • For special weapons: A sniper rifle like Patience and Time is recommended. Or perhaps other Arc special weapons: With Arc shotguns and a Titan bubble, you can quickly silence Omnigul.
  • For heavy weapons: The Thunder Lord can be fully utilized. If you do not own that or have planned the exotic slot differently: Ir Yût’s Song.

Destiny Bild

Tips, tricks, and guides for Omnigul

Throughout the day, we will present videos of successful and interesting runs through this week’s Nightfall. Until we and the guardians are ready, you can take a look at this article. That was the last time it was active.

Our friend Nexxos is once again taking the lead, as he probably knows Omnigul by heart now. They are three: Nexxos plays with Ir Yût’s Bite, Plan C, and his specially crafted Jolder’s Hammer. The initial phase is tricky due to lightswitch; one should not let a thrall get too close. Particularly well-executed is the middle segment with strong grenade throws. In the end, Omnigul is dealt with confidently. A nice, smooth run. Let’s see if next week will be just as easy.

Recommended editorial content

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

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

And for those who want to see it without audio commentary, they can watch another team at work. The perspective holder has God’s Hand, Patience and Time, and a special Arc launcher. They proceed quickly. With Omnigul, they struggle a bit.

http://youtu.be/8cerr_dWSoo

In this short video, the “Bubble tactic” is outlined, which allows you to defeat Omnigul in 20 seconds. You need a Defender Titan with the Helm of the 14th Saint, whose bubble blinds Omnigul. And 3 guardians with Arc shotguns then get to work.

http://youtu.be/Sp0h2d2eGqA

The Nightfall is not for lone wolves; if you are looking for members for your pack, we recommend this article about finding teammates.

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

Star Wars Battlefront: New controllable spaceships and vehicles confirmed

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the multiplayer shooter Star Wars Battlefront, the developers have now confirmed another controllable spaceship and two vehicles. They are also discussing the difficulty level in aerial combat.

In Star Wars Battlefront, it is currently the player’s highest duty to extract any information from the developers, of any kind, while they want to reveal as little as possible and save material for E3 and other announcements.

There is now further information. Three new “vehicle types” have been confirmed:

  • As a “spaceship”, in addition to the two confirmed X-Wings and Tie Fighters, there will also be the opportunity to control the Millennium Falcon. That’s the thing from the movies with the hairy guy and the Wookiee at the controls. While it doesn’t go into space, there will be opportunities to hunt each other over the battlefields.
  • As for the “vehicles”, players will have the chance to control, in addition to the already confirmed AT-ST, also “Speeder Bikes”, “Snow Speeders”, and more. Those are the land vehicles that Stormtroopers fall off so nicely.

The spaceships are intended to be “padawan-friendly”, i.e., beginner-friendly, compared to the old Battlefront. But they are also supposed to be masterable, meaning they have a certain skill ceiling so that good pilots can gain more than weaker ones.

StarWarsBattlefront-Sallust

A statement was made regarding the “missing sights.” It was an aesthetic decision to equip some weapons without such iron sights. This has no impact on the gameplay.

Speaking of gameplay. When will there finally be a showcase? is a hot question among fans. The answer: In the near future.

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

Hearthstone: This is why you get 2 free card packs

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In Blizzard’s online card game Hearthstone , almost all players are now being gifted two free card packs. Why is that?

If you’re like us and you quickly squeeze in a game of “Hearthstone” between brushing your teeth and breakfast in the morning, you’ve probably noticed: When logging in, you received two free card packs just like that. And they are of the “classic” variety.

This is no happy accident, and you don’t need to look around sheepishly to see if everything is above board or if someone caught you pulling 2.79€ out of your pocket for Blizzard like a goblin. Rather, this is a compensation from Blizzard for the connection issues European players experienced last week.

Everything is perfectly legitimate. You’ve rightfully earned the two Hearthstone packs because you had an account before May 3rd. Great job! Hopefully, there’s something better in your two packs than in ours …

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

Destiny: Are the raids getting a new difficulty level with HdW? Bungie responds

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny , we now know what happened to the old raids “Crota’s End” and “The Vault of Glass”.

A few days ago, on the last Saturday, we captured an article about the old raids in Destiny and wondered what will happen to them when “House of Wolves” goes live on May 19.

We asked,

  • whether the new exotics that come with HoW can drop in The Vault of Glass and Crota’s End?
  • what level the exotics will reach that drop there starting May 19?
  • whether the raids will receive a new difficulty level or remain at 30 and 33?
Atheon-Glas.-Destiny

At that time, we only knew that the exotics dropping there would have the new “HoW” level, meaning they could reach 365 damage and 42 light level.

Now there are answers to the other two questions:

  • The raids will NOT receive a new difficulty level.
  • And the new exotics CANNOT drop in the old raids, there will be no change to the loot table.

Bungie shared these answers with the US site IGN. Whether story missions will take place in “The Vault of Glass” is still unknown.

Destiny-Gjallarhorn

What do the old exotic weapons look like with House of Wolves? The first Gjallarhorn has been rediscovered

One of the YouTubers who has already been able to play Destiny brought back images of a newly dropped Gjallarhorn. This way, we now know what it will look like with House of Wolves. The “old” exotics that are rediscovered start with 334 damage points. The old ones only reached 331 when fully upgraded. And the “old” exotics still have the three damage nodes on the right side, so they still need to be upgraded “like before”.

However, they won’t have an “Ascend” node: you can upgrade them without Etheric Light, as we already knew. You only need an “exotic shard” to unlock the last damage node on the right, assuming everything goes live as seen in the video.

Recommended editorial content

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

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. IGN

Heroes of the Storm and Hearthstone plan cross-promotion rewards for each other

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

At Blizzard, there is a plan for a cross-promotion between the online card game Hearthstone and the MOBA Heroes of the Storm. Those who play one will receive some rewards in the other.

If you reach level 12 in Heroes of the Storm, you will soon be able to enjoy this card back in Hearthstone:

Hearthstone-HotS-Kartenruecken

Level 12 is already quite decent, but it’s not an insane marathon that Hearthstone players will face when they go for this back and want nothing to do with HotS. The back will probably be available when Heroes of the Storm officially releases on June 2. Before that, there will already be an open beta.

In Heroes of the Storm, players will also get to see something from Hearthstone. New mounts planned are “card backs.” You will probably receive this if you win 100 matches in Hearthstone. It’s not a Herculean task, but it does require some effort. These mounts, reminiscent of flying carpets, should be available starting June 2.

Recommended editorial content

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

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

This information is not super official yet, as it was found in a beta patch by data miners. However, it all seems plausible and would fit Blizzard.

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

World of Warcraft: Death Knights do not need you

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In World of Warcraft (WoW) ten Death Knights have defeated the Blackrock Foundry on Heroic, and next they want to find ten others to tackle Mythic.

Previously, Druids performed such stunts; the versatile weapons of the Alliance and Horde could slip into any role: tanking, healing, dealing melee damage, and ranged attacks. As a gag, “All-Druid” teams used to ravage opponents (And heaven help if leather dropped!). Now, Death Knights who specialize in “Blood” are trying this. The basic tactic is relatively simple: One tanks; if he takes too much damage, the next one takes over; and the first tank heals himself through their own damage. Blood DKs have a kind of built-in “lifesteal.”

Recommended editorial content

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

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

Ten of them fought through the Blackrock Foundry, especially the fight against the final boss, Blackhand, was tough for them. Since they had no healers or DPS with them, anyone could get hit by the “Impale.” This created pure chaos, and like in jazz, everyone had to improvise. In the end, it was relatively easy, as the leader of the dark horde writes under the video. It was due to the quality of his teammates, the Deathnerds.

Next, they want to look for ten allies and then move up to the higher weight class “Mythic”.

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

Destiny: Check out the new strike “Shadow Thief”

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

A new DLC “House of Wolves” will be released for the MMO shooter Destiny in a good week. It will bring a fresh Strike for three players: Shadow Thief. We will take a look at it in the video.

In addition to the Crucible maps, Trials of Osiris, and Prison of Elders with “House of Wolves” comes a new Strike. It is called “Shadow Thief” and is expected to be relatively short. Experts estimate it should last about 10 minutes. We have a video from you, where YouTuber Datto tackled the Strike with 2 buddies during his visit to Bungie:

Recommended editorial content

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

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

The three players are playing the “normal variant”, so it is not extremely challenging. However, the Strike could become the new “Nightfall” as early as next week. That is at least the expectation. And then it will probably be tougher. Whether it is also the new “Heroic Weekly”, by the way, is still unknown. From next week on, they are supposed to be separate from each other. One Strike will be Nightfall, another “Heroic Weekly.”

  • It looks like Dinklebot also has no text for this expansion; the announcements are made by Variks, who also commented on the “Prison of Elders”, but Variks only has a few lines of text and then a pause, the communication is disrupted – typical Starship Enterprise problem.
  • In the Strike, you will encounter Taniks several times, the final boss, similar to Omnigul, who appears multiple times along the way to the end. He engages in shootouts with the Guardians and challenges them. The life energy you take from him during the first encounters is missing at the end.
  • In the first passage of “Shadow Thief”, there is a reunion with the Hive, the dominant enemies from the first Destiny DLC; the rest of the way, Fallen appear as opponents.
Destiny-Blue-Walker
  • The first boss battle is against a blue Walker, the ones with the design flaw: The legs are Monday models. During the fight, exploding Shanks will also appear for the first time, a type of suicide drone.
  • The final boss is just as you would imagine: While you have to fend off waves of enemies, you also get the chance to chip away at the HP of Taniks, who is shooting rockets, after his demise, you will have a brief moment to play with his Scorch Cannon, the relic weapon.

All in all, according to the experts, it is a normal, action-oriented, typical Destiny Strike that is fun but doesn’t blow you away. Maybe it will be different with modifiers. By the way, there will most likely be no “PlayStation-exclusive” Strike this time.

The new DLC House of Wolves is set to shine on May 19 at 7:00 PM. There are now crazy amounts of news about Destiny. If you want to stay up to date, check out our Destiny theme page, so you won’t miss anything.

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

Heroes of the Storm: Data miners find the next heroes

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Not long ago, we also expressed doubts about whether Blizzard would “take it seriously” and stick to the plans for more regular releases of new heroes in “Heroes of the Storm“. Blizzard usually works on the principle of “good things take time”, but now data miners have read the near future of HotS and found: A new hero every month could be possible!

Kael’thas Sunstrider – the Sun King

We already reported about Kael’thas in the last few days, and just before his release, his remaining abilities are now also known. As expected, it will be fiery. In addition to his already introduced heroic abilities, he has the well-known mage spell “Flamestrike”, the dreaded “living bomb”, and the “Gravitational Pull” known from his WoW encounters, which briefly stuns opponents. The infamous green spheres that float around Kael will also have a significance. He can activate them at will and significantly enhance his next spell with them.

His release date has been read as “12.05.2015” – whether that’s true, we will probably find out tomorrow!

Recommended editorial content

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

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

Johanna – Crusader of Zakarum

The next hero to join the Nexus will again be a woman, this time from the Diablo universe. “Johanna” represents the Crusader class from Diablo. Her appearance and abilities suggest that she is a steadfast warrior who clearly focuses on controlling enemies. Her abilities slow down, pull all nearby opponents closer, or cause them to miss their next basic attacks. Similar applies to her heroic abilities: She chooses between a leaping stun or an area attack that briefly launches hit opponents into the air.

Her release date has also been filtered from the files. If it proves to be true, the good lady will appear on 2.06.2015 – coinciding with the release of the game!

Recommended editorial content

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

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

Developer Video introduces new content

A few days ago, Blizzard also released a video showcasing the new heroes and skins that will be released soon.

We are currently working on many colorful new skins and fearsome mounts, and today we let you take a look at Stormpunk Kael’thas, Crusader Johanna, Little in a bikini, Super Sonya, the Gazlowe and much more!

Recommended editorial content

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

I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy.
Link to the YouTube content
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. heroesnexus.com
  2. eu.battle.net

The Division: “What do we retreat to when civilization fails?”

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the upcoming MMO shooter Tom Clancy’s “The Division,” chaos in a collapsing situation will take center stage, including the music.

The developers at Massive give us another glimpse into their work. In the latest dev blog, a sound artist talks about his daily work on the sound and music of “The Division.” Six months before E3 2013, he started working on the soundtrack and is still at it. It’s not about overwhelming players with a full orchestra, but rather supporting what can be seen and experienced as effectively as possible through music and sounds. The soundtrack that accompanies the game is sometimes reduced to percussion only, as he says.

The focus of the video, however, revolves around the “sound sources” in the game itself, as survivors play on improvised instruments. This has particularly moved Ola Strandh: “What do we retreat to when civilization fails?” he asks at the end. How would we then make music?

Recommended editorial content

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

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

Apparently, these thought experiments dominate the team. The aesthetics are geared towards exactly this question. It’s no coincidence that they chose a high-tech, densely populated metropolis like New York and wonder: What if everything here were to collapse?

Many other games and works that tell their stories in a post-apocalyptic setting are located in the countryside. Players, as we know, are meant to act as a kind of “last bastion against chaos” and in this world try to protect the weak and prevent the worst. And what they hear in that process is up to Ola Strandh. You can find out more about his work in this article.

Tom Clancy’s The Division is set to be released in 2015 for PC, Playstation 4, and Xbox One. You can find more about the game on our The Division topic page.

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

Column: Hotbar Combat Systems in MMORPGs – A Necessity or Overused?

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 3 minutes

MMORPGs often utilize very similar combat systems – but are these still up to date?

A bar at the bottom of the screen shows the abilities that can be used in battles depending on time. Meanwhile, the character usually also attacks automatically with standard attacks, while only the learned special attacks and spells are in the so-called “hotbar”. The system works, no question about it. And yet many gamers turn up their noses these days when a new MMO is announced that relies on a traditional hotbar combat system.

The advantages are obvious: On the one hand, it is a proven system that MMO fans know from World of Warcraft or The Lord of the Rings Online . Therefore, it is easy to find your way in a fresh game that relies on the familiar. Additionally, these combat systems allow for many tactics and good teamwork within the group. Hence, it is quite feasible to play effectively. Moreover, it is particularly suitable for online games, as these demand a system that does not depend on reaction speeds due to latency and possible lags.

Final Fantasy XIV Crystal Tower
In Final Fantasy XIV, which employs the traditional combat system, there are frequent discussions about whether a more modern combat system would have been better.

Overused Combat Systems?

Nevertheless, there is a lingering feeling that the system is outdated. It seems old-fashioned, worn out, with nothing new left to discover. Many RPGs use different character systems to give players something to delve into. Something new that they need to learn and master. Many also wish for something similar from a combat system.

If you are always presented with the same thing, it will eventually get boring. Some developers are trying to add more spice to the system. For example, by integrating a random component into the gameplay, like in the upcoming (MMO)RPG Shroud of the Avatar. The game mixes the familiar hotbar combat system with a collectible card game. This has sparked heated discussions in the community. Some find the system acceptable because it at least brings some fresh air, while others long for a classic hotbar system.

The Elder Scrolls Online Boss Battle
The latest installment of the series, The Elder Scrolls Online, has chosen an active combat system.

Active combat systems, where there are dodge rolls and each click of the mouse represents an attack – much like in the RPGs of The Elder Scrolls series – are interesting. However, this could cause latency issues. If you click and the action is delayed, the entire strategy could fall apart. Especially in MMORPGs that place great importance on competitive elements, it is crucial to maintain fairness and a certain balance.

That it can work is shown by Age of Conan, Vindictus, DC Universe Online, or TERA. Tactics may take a back seat in these games, but the action remains in focus, and you feel like you are genuinely participating in a battle.

Recommended editorial content

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

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

With WildStar a MMO has recently been released that continues on this path and, similar to its predecessors, focuses more on dynamic combat sequences and targeting, although attacks are not executed with the mouse button.

In a passive system, as offered by most MMORPGs, there is a feeling that you do not really embody the character, but rather just give commands that will eventually be executed. This detaches the player from their character. You are not a hero but merely an observer; giving a character commands instead of embodying it. However, there is no simple solution, as player preferences are too varied.

TERA Active Combat System
TERA is perhaps the most well-known representative of active combat systems, with a comparatively larger tactical component.

Andreas says: Combat systems in MMORPGs are a controversial topic. On one hand, hardcore gamers want as few changes as possible to play effectively. On the other hand, there is often the feeling of seeing the same game over and over again in different clothes. New, exciting combat systems bring a fresh wind to the genre, which it desperately needs. Because nobody wants to ride on a dead horse, and that applies to game systems that have been used for so long that they have simply become boring.

https://youtu.be/cm8AM8GHgVg
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Planetside 2: Patch 2.0 is expected to arrive in September, ushering in a golden future

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The MMO shooter Planetside 2 (PC, PS3, PS4) is expected to have a bright future. This is promised by studio president John Smedley in a letter to the players.

The Free2Play MMO Planetside 2 has the same problem as The Elder Scrolls Online currently. It seems that the company is mainly focused on the shiny, lucrative port to a new console. PC players feel neglected.

To counter this impression, Smedley states in a letter to fans on reddit: “The PC is our core business and will remain so.” And Planetside is one of the “core franchises” of the company. It will still be here in 10 years, and if the right decisions are made, Planetside will be 10 times bigger in 10 years than it is now.

We are ready to invest more. New or former employees for PS2 will be hired soon.

Planetside 2

The roadmap for Planetside 2 until September

Additionally, we want to get to work, tackle the important issues, and bring new features. For this year, Smedley announces the following ideas and changes:

  • Already this week, a new mode will be introduced, a kind of “battlefield” with a win condition and thus a set end. The mode is designed so that players can spend about an hour here and then jump back into the main game. Initially, the mode will be released in a preliminary beta version.
  • By September, the players will get an answer to the question “Why are we fighting, anyway?” The inability to provide a satisfactory answer to this question until now, is seen as the main problem of Planetside 2 – and this has been the case from the very beginning.
  • Primarily, the developers at DGC want to thoroughly fix the “meta-game” in a Patch 2.0. This is expected to come in September. DGC aims to change Planetside 2 so that players can farm resources in a fun way. They also want to bring outfits bases to new continents and simplify and improve the capture system.

More details about all these things will be announced in due time.

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