Destiny: Thunderlord – What can the only weapon that Xur has never had do?

In the MMO shooter Destiny , the exotic machine gun Thunderlord has never been available from the vendor Xur. What can the exotic machine gun with Arc damage do in PvP and PvE?

Xur has had every weapon and every armor piece he can offer at least once. Every? Not quite. A small, probably Gallic machine gun resists the trend. But for how long? And is it worth the wait?

Destiny-Thunderlord

The exotic machine gun “Thunderlord” is considered one of the best weapons in PvE of Destiny. It is the top choice for Arc damage modifiers in Nightfall. For many proud owners, it actually competes with the “Gjallarhorn“, at least if one is more into bullet spray than rocket massage. And Thunderlord has some prominent fans: It is, for example, the favorite weapon of Community Manager DeeJ and played a key role in early video presentations of Destiny.

What makes the Thunderlord so strong in PvE

The special thing, when you look at the Thunderlord at first glance, are already the stats. They are strong across the board. There is really no weak point in the weapon. Damage is okay, range is good, stability is manageable, and the magazine holds 38 rounds, which is okay, but can be further expanded. The only drawback in the stats seems to be the lengthy reload, which can, however, be circumvented by the perk Rampage: This increases reload speed after a kill.

YouTuber Puzzles specializes in weapon reviews. For him, the Thunderlord performs excellently.

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He recommends the perks “Field Choke” for a little extra kick in between. The experts from Planetdestiny recommend “Field Flattener”, which gives lower bonuses but makes recoil more predictable. For the second selectable perk, the experts agree: Field Scout it should be, the magazine must be increased to 60 rounds. This is due to the weapon’s unique trait, as for every 16 shots fired consecutively, the weapon fires faster and becomes more accurate, with the increased fire rate requiring some experience to manage the recoil.

As Puzzles notes, Thunderlord also has the strongest aim assist in Destiny. In terms of sound, style, handling, and sound again (yes, it is that good), Thunderlord is among the absolute top in the game. It also tears apart enemies with Arc shields. In the last voting about exotic weapons in PvE, Thunderlord ranked in 7th place, some fans believe it should be much higher on the list. And from Lego, it also looks quite impressive.

Destiny-Rocket Launcher
Will this thing be a worthy successor with House of Wolves?

And what can Thunderlord do in PvP?

In PvP, the weapon has its advantages and can deal significant damage with its immense power. The recent changes to PvP, however, severely cut heavy ammunition, so one should consider putting an exotic item in the slot for heavy weapons. Especially one that shines only when firing continuously. In the last voting about exotic PvP weapons, Thunderlord ranked in the upper midfield in 10th place.

There are alternatives like a custom-made machine gun Jolders Hammer or you can opt for other legendary MGs like The Swarm or Deviant Gravity-A.

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Where can you get the Thunderlord?

Destiny-Xur

The Thunderlord, like many other exotic weapons, can only be obtained randomly in the game. With an increased chance as a reward in Nightfall, in the exotic chest in “The Glassed Chamber”, from Atheon, Crota and Ir Yût, or from Xur. Although he hasn’t had it available yet, but… what isn’t there yet, can still happen. Maybe as soon as this Friday. It would cost 17 strange coins. If you want the weapon, you should set those aside. The Thunderlord is worth it like hardly any other exotic weapon in Destiny.

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H1Z1 loses its face (or at least half a face)

H1Z1-Stream

The survival MMO H1Z1 will have to do without the services of Jimmy Whisenhunt in the future. He was responsible for the combat system of the game and one of the two faces in public.

Together with level designer Adam Clegg, ex-Counter-Strike pro Jimmy Whisenhunt formed something like the “moderation duo” for H1Z1. He hosted live streams, presented innovations, and was perhaps the most prominent figure for fans both before and after Early Access: active in social networks like Twitter, Twitch, or Reddit. In his actual job, he handled the combat system, weapon physics, and other things.

Whisenhunt is leaving H1Z1 because he is taking an “exciting opportunity” to work at Twitch.tv in San Francisco, but he wants to remain connected to H1Z1 and stream the game. He thanks SOE/DGC for the chance to establish himself in the industry. He also promises players that a crossbow, a Kalashnikov, and a Magnum are on their way. That’s quite a farewell gift.

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Source(s):
  1. reddit h1z1

Echo of Soul: The Classes of the MMORPG

Today marks the start of the Closed Beta for the MMORPG Echo of Soul, which is considered the spiritual successor to the cult MMO Lineage 2. For this occasion, we are presenting all classes.

Every player has their preferences for which class they like to embody in an MMORPG. In team play, this becomes even more important, as different classes enable a good and tactical collaboration. This is also true in Echo of Soul – although there is no classic Holy Trinity, as each class can heal itself, there are still roles in combat. Each class can pursue two paths, each with its own skill trees that significantly change the playstyle. We present to you the classes with their specializations that you can embody in EoS.

Ranger

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The Ranger represents a ranged character in Echo of Soul. She is part of a nomadic tribe and uses both bow and arrow as well as music in combat. With her quick arrow attacks, she keeps enemies at bay in the role of the Archer or buffs her allies as a Minstrel with a song or debuffs enemies.

Warrior

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The Warrior is a strong melee fighter who was once an elite soldier in the service of His Majesty but now roams the lands as a mercenary. He deals a lot of damage with powerful attacks in the role of the Berserker and becomes even stronger with increasing rage, but he also acts as a Protector and can defend his companions in battle. You can play him as a damage dealer or tank.

Sorceress

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The Sorceress is a being that one should not trust too easily and is avoided and feared by many. In this class, you cast powerful spells. A Sorceress can either take the path of the Pyromancer or the Cryomancer. As a Pyromancer, you use area-of-effect fire spells that deal significant damage, while as a Cryomancer, you can exert crowd control and slow enemies with frost spells.

Guardian

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A Guardian communicates with the spirits of nature and can control the wind as a Stormcaller to deal area damage. As an alternative path, she can take the path of an Earthcaller, who can use powerful earthquakes to serve as an offensive defender, protecting the group and destabilizing waves of enemies.

Rogue

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The last class is the Rogue, trained in the dark arts of stealthy combat. He can also take two paths: As a Duelist, he uses his high agility to quickly defeat opponents with critical hits and explosives, while as an Assassin he specializes in incapacitating his enemies with poisoned attacks that deal damage over time.

So in EoS, you don’t just choose a class but also how it evolves. But don’t worry: as you progress through the game, you will be able to switch between specializations (the first at level 10 and the second at level 20). Which class will you choose in Echo of Souls?

By the way: Here you can find recommended builds for the individual classes of Echo of Soul.


Those who have access to the Closed Beta of Echo of Soul can try out this system today at the launch of the testing phase. If you didn’t get a key, you can sign up for the Beta on the official website or buy one of the founder packs that include guaranteed access to the Beta. Learn more about the upcoming MMO in our first impression of Echo of Soul.

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Heroes of the Storm: Starter pack available soon, with exclusive mount

Although Heroes of the Storm (HotS) will be a free online strategy game, Blizzard will not hesitate to bring a purchasable version to the market. For €19.99 you will receive a starter pack with heroes, an exclusive mount, and a skin.

One Month Until Release

Not much longer, and you can compete with Diablo, Thrall, Raynor, and many other Blizzard characters on the various battlefields of Heroes of the Storm. The 02.06.2015 has already been named as the release date. Two weeks earlier, on 20.05.2015, everyone will already have access to the open beta.

What Does the Starter Pack Include?

To ease new players into the upcoming free-to-play MOBA, Blizzard is releasing a special bundle. The starter pack is available for €19.99 and includes:

  • The heroes: Zagara (€6.49), Sonya (€6.49), Zeratul (€9.99), Jaina (€9.99), and Li Li (€3.99)
  • The skin “Zeratul the Ronin” (€9.99)
  • The Golden Tiger as a mount (only available in the starter pack)

The pack is thus worth the price. Additionally, each item in this pack comes with a code – for example, duplicate heroes and skins can be shared with friends. The starter pack is expected to hit the markets shortly before the release and can already be pre-ordered from retailers like Amazon. It will officially be available starting from 02.06.2015. Here you can read our first impression of HotS.

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Destiny: The most beautiful moment in an unloved raid

In the MMO shooter Destiny , the last raid Crota’s End has received some criticism, but one moment is beyond reproach.

Atheon-Glas.-Destiny

If Crota could read and hear what the guardians think of his raid. It can basically be summarized in one sentence: “Everything was better back then!” The Glass Chamber: big, spacious, full of supposed secrets and challenging game mechanics was the guardian’s first love. “That had soul. Everything was different then. You had to have skills!” they say.

Crota’s End, on the other hand, is more of a “tunnel” raid, a linear affair that became difficult, as players complained, because the enemies had more HP and a higher level. At first, many were impressed by the atmosphere: being chased blindly through corridors by merciless hordes or later a strategic forward battle across the bridge. But over time, the enthusiasm waned and was replaced by much criticism of the simplistic, often unfair and partly faulty battles.

Destiny

However, one moment stands above the criticism. When the sword bearer picks up the weapon to finish off the villain, a “heroic” melody begins. It has snuck into the hearts of the players. Some wish for it as a ringtone, can hum it in their sleep, or hear their blood rush when the melody swells in Destiny: For that is the sign that the sword is about to fade, Crota will rise again, and it is high time to make oneself scarce.

In numerous videos, the melody has been heard, often accompanied by the sound of hissing Wolf Pack Rounds. On our site, there are some videos capturing special Crota kills that are popular among Destiny players. Especially due to this special melody. A guardian has now recorded it “clean”.
http://youtu.be/hGlVRjn89rM

Crota would surely wish that when House of Wolves appears in 2 weeks and his raid threatens to be forgotten, we remember him because of this melody and not because of any other things. But who cares what the rogue from yesterday wants.

What will you remember from Crota’s End?

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Blade and Soul: Hardcore fans find clues about west release

In the fantasy MMORPG Blade and Soul, there is little new from the official side, which some fans passionately take over.

On the Blade and Soul fan site “Dojo” it seems there are two hobbies:

  • Complaining about NCSoft West, who have already postponed the release of the game multiple times and whose information policy is, well… non-existent
  • And observing LinkedIn profiles of NCSoft employees to get hints on whether localization is being worked on. On the “LinkedIn” page, people in the digital age keep their resume publicly fresh to recommend themselves for new projects or employers.

And surprise: It seems that work is being done on the Western release of Blade&Soul, but everything is quite mysterious. Sometimes “Blade and Soul” disappears as a name and turns into “Unannounced MMO Project”. Perhaps because the employee noticed that everything is still “strictly confidential”.

Blade and Soul

If we believe all the profiles and data here, NCSoft West has been working on the localization of “Blade and Soul” since at least 2014 and doing so with considerable dedication. A particularly dedicated employee has ensured in the side project that the localization is “culturally sensitive” – also in sexual matters.

Blade and Soul Wallpaper

Authors have the localization in their resume, among Sales Managers from NCSoft, Blade&Soul is mentioned. So it seems safe, even though we hear so little from the official side. A nightmare scenario would be if they decided last minute to stop the advanced localization and therefore announced nothing, but that would be painting the devil on the wall.

Fans are expecting a big announcement for the Western release at E3 in Los Angeles. NCSoft has rented a booth there. They hope that they will finally announce Blade and Soul for the West here. Admittedly, 10 months ago we thought it would happen at Gamescom in August, but at least there were infos, even if they weren’t exactly super-official. E3 takes place from June 16 to June 18.


Find out more about the game and its tumultuous history on our topic page about Blade and Soul. Despite all the problems, delays, and difficulties, it has made it into our list of the 5 top MMORPGs in 2015/2016.

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Shroud of the Avatar: From Spoiler Skeletons and “Nausea-inducing Cameras”

Last Thursday, the new Pre-Alpha Release 17 of the (MMO)RPG Shroud of the Avatar launched, bringing with it several new features that are now being heavily discussed in the community.

One new feature is that players now leave behind transparent skeletons at the spot of their virtual demise. Many find this feature good as it allows them to see where other players have been and died. However, this also brings some problems. Not only are the skeletons visible even in single-player mode – which doesn’t make much sense – but there is also the risk of spoilers.

SotA Skeletons

Surprise attacks from monsters or traps in dungeons could be spoiled by the scattered transparent skeletons. Therefore, it might be sensible to integrate an option to display these skeletons or not. Those who don’t care about spoilers could continue to see the skeletons, but when engaging in the story and entering a new location, they could “turn off” the skeletons and face the surprises.

Another issue with the new version is a newly introduced camera on the overworld map. While it used to be seen from an isometric perspective, allowing you to rotate the view and zoom in a bit, the new camera now behaves like it does in the adventure scenes. You can now play from a third-person perspective and also look at the sky. This was introduced by the developers so that players are closer to the action, have better orientation, and can watch the sky where events can occur.

SotA Pre-Alpha Camera

However, the new camera also leads to feelings of nausea. Objects that are between the camera and the player character are not rendered transparently. Instead, the camera zooms automatically and quickly close to the character, so that it is not obscured by the object. On the overworld map, this leads to a constant zooming effect. The camera repeatedly rushes forward and suddenly back again.

Still problematic with the new camera control is that the size ratios between the player character and the landscape become much clearer. The hero appears as a giant. This isn’t as pronounced from the isometric view and doesn’t weigh as heavily, as you look down from above. However, when looking straight at the character or even looking up from below, the size differences appear almost ridiculous. It will be interesting to see how the developers of Shroud of the Avatar plan to solve these problems.

http://youtu.be/x9bbW4VgyOU
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The Elder Scrolls Online: Content drought on PC, waiting for console release

The fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online initially claimed to deliver new game content every 4 to 6 weeks. Currently, that seems far from the truth. Everyone is waiting for the launch of TESO on Playstation4 and Xbox One.

TESO was supposed to deliver every 4 to 6 weeks

TESO Begging

The TESO fan site Tamriel Foundry has extensively discussed how quickly The Elder Scrolls Online has brought new game content and what the reasons for the current content drought are in an insightful article.

Still hanging above the release is the statement from TESO head Matt Firor, they plan to deliver new game content every 4 to 6 weeks. This dates back to August 2013. In the first months, they indeed adhered to this approach: two new zones, six dungeons and raids, and numerous new features, which Tamriel Foundry lists on the plus side of the game.

Compared to other games, The Elder Scrolls Online stands solid but not exceptional

Compared to other games, it performs decently overall, but not exceptionally (FF XIV is leading here, WoW stands strong due to the expansion, and Guild Wars 2 gets praised for the Living Story and numerous features). Of course, there can be debate on how to evaluate this, whether they should have mentioned more things or omitted certain aspects from other games.

The fact is: They have indeed delivered in the first three quarters after the release.

TESO-FF Comparison
GW2-WoW

So is TESO on track? Not quite.

The problem is that not much has happened in 2015 so far. Although the massive Update 6 was released with some delay in January 2015, since then there has been a drought, and worse still: no game content is visible on the horizon. And that was announced. Firor later mentioned that Zenimax is currently focusing on the console launch in June and is temporarily holding back new content to let the game breathe.

Not much happened in 2015: Content drought has arrived

Tamriel Foundry has the following theory: The people working on the port of TESO for PS4 and Xbox One are likely in a different team from those creating new raids or trials. Therefore, there are two possibilities:

  • Either they’ve pulled the “Content” people from their team to work on the console release.
  • Or they are currently holding back content to bring it after the console launch for greater revenue. It is said that everything PC players have, console players will also receive.
TESO PS4 Xbox One

People feel mixed about this: On one hand, they feel somewhat left behind as PC players. On the other hand, they believe that a successful console launch could secure the future of the game and thus be good for PC as well.

Even in the official forum, people are wondering why Zenimax is so quiet about future content. On May 1st, a Zenimax employee replied that Zenimax is focusing on the console launch. After that, they would start a “deeper” discussion about the Imperial City.

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World of Tanks reveals details about XBox One version

The Free2Play MMO World of Tanks is set to arrive on Xbox One in the second half of 2015. In an interview, a developer reveals details.

World-of-Tanks-XBoxOne

The Xbox 360 version of World of Tanks was and is a hit with 5.4 million downloads and 34 million matches. In contrast to the PC version, Xbox World of Tanks is more action-oriented. In a conversation with GamingBolt, Wargaming Creative Director TJ Wagner reveals some details about the planned release on Xbox One in Q3 2015. They have taken some time with the port, as a pioneer in the Free2Play market, it is important to have a broad player base on consoles.

Here is what’s new about World of Tanks on Xbox One:

  • Players will be able to use their Xbox 360 account on Xbox One and vice versa
  • There will “definitely” be new game content and features on Xbox One
  • Wargaming aims for 1080p but hints that 60 FPS is not as important for the game as it is for a first-person shooter
  • The Creative Director mentions “massive” 30-tank battles and promises “amazing graphics”
  • Creative Director Wagner did not want to specify an exact date, otherwise, the PR department would lynch him, but it will definitely be in 2015
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Source(s):
  1. Gaming Bolt

WoW: Introduction of the new zone Tanaan Jungle

In addition to the new raid instance, the upcoming Patch 6.2 for World of Warcraft will also bring the new level 100 zone “Tanaan Jungle”, which was originally planned for the release of “Warlords of Draenor“. To prepare players accordingly, a small presentation page has now been published.

Continuation of the Story – Gul’dan loves green

WoW Tanaan Jungle Story

The decimated remnants of the Iron Horde have taken refuge in the Tanaan Jungle, where the Hellfire Citadel towers in the center. Since the “Iron Pact” has evidently failed, Gul’dan is now using warlock magic and begins to feed his brothers and sisters demon blood. This makes them big and strong, but also corrupts their souls and the entire environment.

WoW Tanaan Jungle Forest

As a result, the jungle is naturally beautiful and green with lush vegetation; however, another part is already corrupted – still green, but not as healthy. Nature has been altered by magical influences, and the wildlife in the region has also suffered.

By Ship to Battle

Also belonging to the Tanaan Jungle is the shipyard that you can build in your garrison. Similar to the previous follower missions, ships will be commanded from there to gradually bring the seas of Draenor under the control of the Horde or Alliance.

The necessary questline must be completed quite early in the jungle, and the follow-up tasks will provide you with additional resources to further strengthen your shipyard.

Much to Discover

In addition to the numerous quest zones, there are also other things to discover: A lot of treasures can be found, and pet battlers will also enjoy new, challenging fights. Anyone who wants to read everything in detail can do so here on battle.net.

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Destiny: Why the Iron Banner is worth it now and in the future

In the MMO shooter Destiny the PvP event Iron Banner is running until Tuesday. Is it worth it this month? Why will it always be worthwhile to reach Rank 3 and 5 in the future? And what attributes should one forge Efrideet’s Spear and Timur’s Lash into?

The Iron Banner event will be “guaranteed” more rewarding than before. That has been clear for a few days now. Because Lord Saladin will sell two “Etheric Light” with “House of Wolves”. Once at Rank 3 and once at Rank 5. Players who have reached these ranks can then guaranteed reap them. This was corrected by Bungie on Twitter, after something different was stated in the last Weekly Update. There it was only mentioned as a chance, but it is guaranteed.

The “Etheric Light” can be used to bring any legendary armor piece and any legendary weapon to the “maximum values” of 365 damage or 42 light level. The Etheric Lights are likely to be quite rare and therefore in demand. Depending on how rare they will be found in other drop locations (the Nightfall, the Trials of Osiris, and the Prison of Elders) the Iron Banner could therefore become a mandatory event for everyone, even for PvP haters, if they want to quickly upgrade many legendary items.

Destiny-Iron-Banner

Rank 5 in Destiny’s Iron Banner is not that far away

Destiny-Iron-Banner-Helmet-Hunter

Reaching Rank 3 and Rank 5 is not as tough as it sounds at first. In Iron Banner, unlike the Trials of Osiris, winning is not what matters. Losses give almost as many points as wins indirectly. Droughts just shouldn’t become too long. With the buff “Hardened” and the 3 reputation items, only relatively few wins are necessary late in the week to gather reputation.

Thus, on Saturday, 112% reputation can already be earned, on Sundays 166%, and on Mondays even 232% with all bonuses. But even then, players have to invest quite a bit of time in Destiny to reach Rank 5.

The special features in Iron Banner this time

The helmets are more for style

In April, Iron Banner introduced helmets from the Iron Banner sets for the first time, in addition to chest armors. They come with a light level of 36 and bring guardians to light level 32 – however, their attributes are not optimal. Our friends from PRO NDC analyze the entire inventory and show for which situations the armors are suited.

We have introduced the inventory itself to you here.

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Efrideet’s Spear sniper rifle becomes the “one-shot killer”

It’s different with the sniper rifle Efrideet’s Spear. It comes directly from the vendor with such strong values that it hardly needs to be forged. Only if you absolutely want a sniper rifle with “Void-Explosion” or “Arc-Explosion” is rolling worthwhile. This only applies to PvE.

Our friend Nexxos-Gaming, a Destiny specialist, has other plans: He is throwing away the PvE version of the vendor with Firefly, swearing by “Last Round” as the crucial perk. Because the weapon only has 3 rounds in the magazine, the “last shot” often occurs and the bonus damage hits hard. In PvP, Efrideet’s Spear thus becomes the “one-shot killer”, no matter where you hit.

You can find his tips for forging here, and what he says about what to do with Jolder’s Hammer in this article.

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Hand cannon Timur’s Lash should reload faster

A tough case awaits the players with the hand cannon “Timur’s Lash”. Nexxos-Gaming has some tips on how to roll it. For him, “Timur’s Lash” is a pure PvP weapon that can be quite useful with the right attributes: Including again “Last Round” and additional perks that let the shooter reload faster. But Nexxos also knows alternatives for the revolver. However, “Timur’s Lash” probably isn’t as effective in the strong competition in the primary slot.

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We know that the question plagues you: When does the Iron Banner end in April? There is no official answer from Bungie. To be on the safe side, you should assume it ends on Tuesday at 11:00 AM. Relying on it running for the full 7 days and thus until Tuesday at 7:00 PM could backfire. Trouble would be guaranteed.

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Star Wars Battlefront: “It will sell anyway because Grandma doesn’t know Halo”

There are some controversies surrounding the multiplayer shooter Star Wars Battlefront. According to analyst Michael Pachter, this will not hinder the success of the game. The reason is already the widespread recognition of the name “Star Wars”.

Fan frustration about Star Wars Battlefront and the relatively sparse features is unlikely, according to analyst Michael Pachter, to have much impact on the financial success of the title. This is reported by Fortune magazine, which interviewed the controversial analyst focused on the gaming sector for his opinion and assessment .

Star Wars Battlefront

According to Pachter, the old Battlefront console games from 2004 and 2005 sold approximately 8 million copies. He forecasts 10 million sales for the new title. And this, despite Star Wars Battlefront facing strong competition in the Christmas sales period. Here, Halo 5 and Call of Duty: Black Ops III are also contenders.
The reason is, according to Pachter, that Star Wars has such a high level of recognition that Grandma will buy the title as a Christmas gift for her grandchild, preferring it over the other two competing titles: “Grandma knows Star Wars, but not Halo.”

Pachter also sees strong synergy effects between the film and the game: “Players will want to jump into X-Wings and Tie Fighters after seeing the 3D movie.” Not only is a Star Wars film planned for Christmas, but also a “spin-off” film will be released in 2016: Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One. Star Wars will therefore remain current.

According to another analyst, Peter Warman, Star Wars Battlefront will be a success, as players are always looking forward to major AAA releases. In the past, the developers at DICE have distinguished themselves with quality work. Warman believes that Electronic Arts will benefit financially in the long run from the revenue that the planned DLC is sure to generate.

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Source(s):
  1. Fortune

What is going on with Warlords of Draenor in World of Warcraft? Is 6.2 already the last patch?

In Blizzard’s World of Warcraft, the next patch might actually be the last one if only two raid tiers are planned.

Currently, there are indications that the next raid in World of Warcraft, the Hellfire Citadel, could also be the last of the expansion. Before the expansion, Blizzard mentioned wanting to lessen the “gap” between expansions. Last time there were challenges; many newcomers were on the team, stuff had to be done twice, and time was running out.

http://youtu.be/6mydjaH_HIE?t=3m41s

This time they want to leave less time between expansions. This could also indicate that they are planning only three raids in two raid tiers. The second raid tier could then take place about 6 or 7 months after the launch, as was mentioned back at Gamescom 2014. To make a raid tier work, it takes about 4 or 5 months. Otherwise, it feels too rushed  . If they want to move forward quickly with the next expansion, there might not be any time for three raid tiers.

In this case, a raid tier refers to: several raids that are approximately equal in gear level, share epic sets, and are released relatively close together.

WoW-Raid-Tier

What took time in development this time is charmingly hidden in the game. In the garrison, there is a tombstone that reads “Ray D. Tear,” buried as the third raid tier. A wink-and-nod hint: The garrison took so much time that we would normally have made a third raid tier. How seriously that is meant is hard to say.

If you calculate now, you will see that indeed: In November Warlords of Draenor launched; a bit later, the first raid Highmaul began. The second raid, the Blackrock Foundry (also in the first raid tier), followed in February. Currently, the third raid is on the test server: The Hellfire Citadel. It might be released in June/July.

What should come afterward?

Experts from Blizzard fan sites like Blizzardwatch believe: It could really be that this is already the end. After the Hellfire Citadel, the majority of the “big villains” of the expansion will probably be dealt with. But maybe not all will be caught.

The Tanaan Jungle is the last free zone on the continent. The legendary quest has come to an end. What should come afterward, one wonders?

Even at the release, it was noticeable that the so-called supervillains of Warlords of Draenor were taken out remarkably quickly. Former stars of the Warcraft universe ended up as snacks at the end of a 5-man instance or as warm-up bosses in a raid.

Looking at the schedule, some calculate that it looks favorable for the “This is the last raid” theory. In June/July, the last patch for Warlords of Draenor, then perhaps an announcement of the next big WoW expansion at Gamescom in August. 6-7 months of planning, and then you would be done around March 2016. By then, the WoW movie is also expected to come out.

World of Warcraft - Guldan

Then there would be approximately 17-18 months between Warlords of Draenor and the next expansion. Between the last raid of the old expansion and the new expansion, approximately 9 months. That would still fit into Blizzard’s plan with some grumbling. They recently admitted that 13 months, like with Draenor, is definitely too long. Depending on how big the last raid will be, 6-7 months is already fine. And the Hellfire Citadel is expected to be quite large.

The date for the movie has now been postponed. We will see whether and how this affects Blizzard’s plans. Currently, some fear that Warlords of Draenor could become a “mid-expansion” while Blizzard shifts to a faster 18-month rhythm for expansions.

Or will there still be a fourth raid for the Warlords of Draenor?

Spoiler Warning: Those who want to be surprised by the next raid should stop reading here.

The alternative schedule would foresee a third raid tier at the end of 2015, which solves the last remaining threads left by 6.2 and gives players something to do. In the past, however, there have been such hopes before: Blizzard can’t really keep us waiting so long without new content … but we know how that ended. Yes, they could. However, there are also examples of “closure raids,” a kind of final stone for the expansions, which were not expected. But these are actually relics from the early days of WoW.

Grommash Hellscream - World of Warcraft

However, it is still speculation until we know more. Once 6.2 is deployed, it will be evident whether new questions arise or if this will be a conclusion to the story of the Warlords of Draenor. There is a glimmer of hope: The announced final boss Grommash Hellscream does not appear in the description for the Hellfire Citadel (though his fate is uncertain anyway). The puppeteer Gul’Dan in the background is also not intended as a boss. However, there are theories that he could be dealt with “off-screen” during the boss fight against Archimonde.

The question remains: What should come after 6.2? What do you think?

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

Smite: Win Bastet, Serqet or Ah Puch

Because we know that you are all opportunistic penny-pinchers who like to grab something for free, we have the latest Smite skins ready for you, which have been available since the last patch . In total, we want to distribute nine codes, so there should be a suitable skin for everyone!

Kawaii Pop Bastet

Japanese clichés can never be fulfilled enough. Those who are convinced of this have probably never taken a look at “Kawaii Pop” Bastet, who has an incredibly cute voice in addition to her brightly colored appearance and simply taps on her smartphone when she gets bored. The Japanophile outfit is certainly not for everyone – but you all have that one anime nerd on your friend list whom you’ve definitely wanted to excite for Smite, right?

SMITE Anime and Executioner Woman
Desert Queen Serqet

The goddess of poisons received a new “Tier 2” skin, meaning an optical upgrade to her original outfit. As usual, this primarily means more impressive headgear and a bit more armor. Her long sleeves have been replaced with poisonous emerald green plating, further enhancing the impression of a true warrior.

Ah Puch – Death Mask

The newcomer of the Mayan pantheon is the first true necromancer in Smite. Like Scylla, he is a complete “burst” mage who survives enemy fire for only a few seconds, but also delivers quite a punch.

Somehow everything revolves around the masked man and corpses: throwing corpses, making corpses explode, and devouring corpses. If you want to live out your secret necrophilic side, then Ah Puch with his alternative skin “Death Mask” would be the perfect god for you!

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Do you want to win one of these three skins? No problem! Just leave a comment under this post and tell us which of these three skins you would like to have. But I haven’t revealed the best part yet! Every code we raffle off also unlocks the standard version of the god – so come on! Who is still missing from your divine collection? Multiple entries are of course prohibited. The deadline for participation is May 6, 2015, at 8 PM. Good luck!

Giveaway ended!

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Destiny: Speculations, Facts, and the Fate of All Fools – The Win Levels in Trials of Osiris

In the MMO shooter Destiny, the new event “Trials of Osiris” is coming with the next DLC “House of Wolves.” There are now hints about the winning tiers.

In the videos there was little to see, but in the interview with IGN, Bungie revealed more about the winning tiers. As we know, players can buy items from the vendor with the yellow hood (Brother Vance) in the Reef, depending on how many wins they achieve in a single “Trials of Osiris” round during the extended weekend (Friday evening to Tuesday morning).

For a win, you get a golden point on your entry ticket. Guardians can collect golden points until they lose for the third time. Then they go to Brother Vance with this ticket after being eliminated and can buy all items up to the maximum tier they have reached, depending on how many golden points they have collected.

The reward tiers known in Trials of Osiris are:

  • With two wins, there is the Stone-Tier: A package with light particles and Passage Coins, with the coins players can buy the Trials of Osiris buffs, which make it easier for Guardians to reach higher winning tiers.
  • With three wins, you reach the Bronze-Tier: Here, there are probably similar rewards as in the Stone-Tier.
  • With five wins, you receive a piece of armor. In the stream, this was one of the items in the “Egyptian” look. The set starts at a light value of 42, so it doesn’t need to be leveled up. Probably this item changes from week to week. It appears that each class can only purchase its own class armor.
Destiny-Hood-of-the-Exile
  • With six wins, you reach the Silver-Tier: Bungie hasn’t revealed anything about this yet.
  • With seven wins, there is a weapon. In the stream, it was the auto rifle “The Summoner.” This one probably changes regularly (from week to week), but it will be the same for each class in a week.
Destiny-The-Summoner
  • With eight wins, you reach the “Golden-Tier“, which probably has a package as well. The content is still unknown.

The ninth win

Bungie has remained silent about what happens when one achieves the “ninth win.” They even made a puzzle out of it on their Twitter account, drawing attention to it and asking: Why was nothing said about the “ninth win” in the stream?

Fans theorized that the rank 9 might be connected to the exotic scout rifle “Fate of All Fools.” Some speculate that rank 9 might lead to this mysterious social space, a secret new location. Here, one would presumably start the quest for the “Fate of All Fools.”

This social space “Halls of Amenet” already has the addition in the database that it is meant only for true champions who have proven themselves in the Trials of Osiris. So this sounds quite plausible based on the available facts.

But there is currently, as so often, no confirmed information about it. We will probably only find out on Friday evening after the release of House of Wolves, when the first players in Destiny have collected nine golden points.

Destiny-Fate-of-Fools
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H1Z1: Developers Invite Huge EVE Clan for the Invasion – Controversial Decision

The zombie MMO H1Z1 has made a deal with a large EvE clan. Now, other players fear an “invasion.”

The clan/community is said to have several thousand players. The number 40,000 is circulating. It is a multi-gamer clan that has made a name for itself in EVE Online : as “Goonswarm.” In H1Z1, they refer to themselves as “The Empire” [IMPE]. Their headquarters is a news site that primarily covers EvE: TheMittani, named after their leader.

Apparently, DGC offered them a special deal to enter their survival MMO H1Z1. The specifics of this deal, and whether there are any financial benefits involved, are unknown to us.

In light of this “invasion,” there are three items: a T-shirt, a helmet, and a machete. To get them, you don’t have to be a clan member, but you must be registered on their website. We have included the link to this offer in the sources.

H1Z1-Mittani-Welcome-Paket

In the reddit forum, the other players are currently heavily debating whether it is a good or not so good thing that such a potentially strong alliance is invading their game. Some welcome the action and see it as a good sign for the future of H1Z1, which currently still has enough space for newcomers and offers a chaotic element with its many servers. Plus, hackers wouldn’t have a chance either.

Others see the “newcomers” as a significant threat who operate with “kill on sight” methods and could disrupt the balance of the game and take away the fun due to their numerical advantage. The “special treatment” also disturbs some.

Even if allegedly 40,000 players are associated with the clan, only a fraction of them has participated in H1Z1 and the free offer so far. The clan leader speaks of several hundred.

H1Z1-TMC

Clan explicitly geared towards chaos, explains strategy

Goonswarm has already declared war on all other players in H1Z1 beforehand. They are excited over their Twitter account: H1Z1 is like EVE in 2005: An untouched source full of tears. No one expected such an organized force from outside.

In a video, the clan leader states in his explanation for why they are doing this: We were bribed. We got a lot for free. Items that are permanently bound to the account. H1Z1 needs “villains” and they will teach players what a sandbox game is. Currently, players are running around in groups of 2 or 3. Goonswarm operates in different dimensions.

The strategy aims to occupy the server “Antidote” and then send players in large groups to other servers and into the battle royales to ignite chaos.

http://youtu.be/r4g75POBQNw

Mein MMO says: This has a lot of conflict potential. It will surely explode in the coming days or weeks, depending on how long it takes. The problem is that most current H1Z1 players will not understand what is going on, as that does not correspond to their play style. Most will be proud to manage on their own. They are proud of their skill and equipment.

Goonswarm does not operate on the basis of individual success but on the basis of massive numerical superiority or “teamwork,” if you want to look at it positively. This will cause much frustration and annoyance. Because the current players maintain a very different play style in H1Z1 than the invading clan. The clan will force them to play the game by their rules if they want to have a chance.

Whether this strategy really fits into a zombie game is definitely questionable. It usually attracts more lone wolves who want to succeed on their own. In any case, it is a risky strategy that DGC and its president John Smedley are pursuing here. It seems that the idea can be attributed to Smedley, who had already expressed a desire for a “harder” approach with H1Z1 earlier.

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

You can now storm the Reichstag in War Thunder

The Free2Play military MMO focused on aircraft, War Thunder, has released a new patch that mainly focuses on the end of World War II.

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, a new patch is available in War Thunder. It brings three fresh maps: “Normandy”, “Hürtgen Forest”, and “Berlin”. All of them focus on ground combat in “difficult terrain.”

In Normandy, there are numerous ambush opportunities. The Hürtgen Forest near Düren was historically the site of the longest battle of World War II. The opposing parties engaged in a protracted and grueling positional battle here from October ’44 to February ’45. Thanks to War Thunder, players can now relive this. The map Berlin is supposed to depict, according to the developers, “the last battle of Nazi Germany in front of the Reichstag.”

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In addition to the maps, 40 new vehicles and aircraft are coming to War Thunder. These include specific vehicles associated with certain battalions or war heroes of World War II, primarily ace pilots. War Thunder refers to these as “legendary.”

Get more details about update 1.70.1945 here on the War Thunder homepage.

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Destiny: Reactions to “PvP Week” are mixed – This is why so many hate PvP

This week the PvP for House of Wolves was introduced in the MMO shooter Destiny. But the mode has many enemies.

This week was all about the Crucible

This week in Destiny was all about “PvP”, the player versus player combat.

However, the interest in our articles about the PvP mode is much lower than in the PvE part of the game. Even in a chart from Bungie, showing how players spend their time in Destiny, the PvP part is relatively weak.

Destiny-Pie-Chart
Image: Kotaku

Interest in PvP lower than in Co-Op; reactions critical

The comments on social media or in the forums reflect this picture. It’s not about what was specifically presented this week, but that it was indeed about PvP. “I play Destiny for the Co-Op, especially the raids, not for PvP, I can also play Call of Duty“, some write, although not all. Some are passionate fans of the action in the Crucible or have made their peace with the mode and have come to terms with it after initial skepticism. The community is large, opinions differ, but the criticism of the Crucible is clear.

But what ruins the fun for players in the Crucible in Destiny? It should be clear, given Bungie’s past with the Halo series, that this is supposed to be a highlight of the game?

Well, it is not only the overall direction that players dislike, but that one simply plays Destiny for the sake of Co-Op and has already had enough of player versus player shooters. No, it is primarily connection issues that plague Guardians. A YouTuber summed this up in a delightful video:
http://youtu.be/7PYddYQ0dxA

Does Trials of Osiris bring relief now?

Destiny-Trials-of-Osiris

Although, with Trials of Osiris, the matchmaking is to be arranged so that it pairs players who then have a “good” connection. Given such images and the experiences of the players, one can only hope that this will eventually change in other modes as well. Bungie seems to be putting a lot of effort into increasing the appeal of the Crucible: they are now doubling the rewards and offering another mode with Trials of Osiris.

They have also heard the criticism of many fans: the best players should now be rewarded more frequently.

For PvE fans, so much love for the unloved mode is an affront: “There is no time for a raid, but they do PvP, or what?”, has been read often in recent days.

As a mood booster for PvP haters: The Crucible revelations about “Trials of Osiris” have been taken care of for now. Next week, we should receive a lot of new information about the PvE part of House of Wolves starting Wednesday evening: about the new endgame activity “Prison of Elders“, the fresh House of Wolves Strike, and perhaps we will also see one or the other exotic.

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

TERA: Gameforge lends mount for birthday

Exactly 3 years ago, on May 3rd, the F2P MMO TERA was released in Europe. A lot has happened during this time, foremost the switch to the F2P model, which gave the action-packed visual delight a significant boost. Gameforge takes this opportunity to throw a big celebration and gift the community.

Legendary Nightmare TERA

By entering the birthday code “Happy_3rd_Bday” in account management, players will receive three gifts that they can then collect from the item distribution:

  • Golden Christmas Star
  • Golden Sequin Glasses
  • Legendary Nightmare

Curiously, while the decorations are permanently bound to the character, the mount is more of an invitation for a test ride. After 30 days of use, the Nightmare will disappear from the mount inventory. There is still a little treat: The special thing about the burning horse is that it generates HP while riding.

TERA Decorations
The head decorations remain permanently bound.

As part of these celebrations, the European publisher has also released a new video that is meant to tune players in for the class “Arcane Engineer” which will be available in the coming days. You know, the heavy metal girl with the big gun. For those who have no more space for new heroes, we explain here how to get a free additional character slot.

http://youtu.be/VWoJ2Q7qPiE

By the way, players who have not had an account yet can also access the items. If you are interested in trying out TERA and grabbing free items as an introduction, you can register on the official website here. The code can only be redeemed until May 17, 2015.

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

World of Tanks: New XXL Mode “Domination” in Patch 9.8.?

In World of Tanks, a mysterious new game mode has been announced. Fan sites claim to have figured out that it will be a 15v15 Capture-the-Flag mode.

A few days ago, the Twitter account of World of Tanks posted this image:

This looked almost MOBA-like due to the symmetrical arrangement of the lines. On a New Zealand blog about World of Tanks, a fan claims to have found out more details about this mode. It is said to come with 9.8 and will be called “Domination”.

It will be a 15v15 player mode, they say. The game will be played until 150 points or until time runs out. There are 6 flags to capture and bring back to the home base. Each flag gives 5 points. For kills, one point. Players can only participate in the mode with special event tanks. If your tank is destroyed, it respawns and you can switch to another vehicle.

World-of-Tanks-Domination

Balance and New Tanks – What Else We Know About World of Tanks 9.8.

According to the blog, World of Tanks will also change a lot regarding tank balance with 9.8. This is being heavily discussed. Especially a buff to the B1 is currently causing excitement in the WoT forum on Reddit, and the already strong Russian IS-7 is also said to be getting buffed.

Furthermore, the following tanks are expected to debut in World of Tanks: Gun Tank Destroyer, Tiger I, IS-3 with autoloader, BT-7A, 121B, 59 Patton.

Some tanks are also expected to receive their HD versions, including the IS-3 (image) and the following: Wolverine, Type T-34, Leopard 1, Hummel, M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo, M48A1 Patton, Type 58, SU-85, Cromwell, T26E4 SuperPershing, T32, Pershing, AMX 50 120.

World-of-Tanks-IS3

But none of this is confirmed at the moment and can naturally still change.

Just a few days ago, the 9.7 update was officially rolled out, so it may still take a while until 9.8 arrives and we find out whether everything happens as described here.


You can find more about World of Tanks on our topic page.

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