Sex and Toilets – The Dirty World of the Horror MMORPG Revival

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 4 minutes

While gruesome undead creatures and fire-breathing dragons or axe-wielding orcs populate many MMORPG worlds, it usually isn’t that dirty and tough – that should change with Revival from Illfonic.

The developers want to deliver something new in the genre and therefore take every feature seriously, to completely reinvent it if necessary. Revival is supposed to be different.

Revival Screenshot 0

This is already noticeable in the scenario: The world is dirty and gloomy. No nice elves fly through colorful forests here. The streets are full of dirt, and the inhabitants are dirty. Those who can afford a bath already belong to the upper class. Revival aims to remind players of the “real” Middle Ages without foregoing fantasy elements.

Stories on a Rolling Basis

Also, when it comes to storytelling, the developers want to carve new paths with Revival. Each server has a live storytelling team that provides players with new quests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This can range from small stories to large wars. If a player misses a quest, they’re usually out of luck. Because the world keeps moving, even when players log out.

Revival Screenshot 04

Most quests will not repeat unless it makes sense. For example, if a player logs back into their account after a vacation, it’s quite possible that the town where they logged off has been burned down.

Death and NPCs

NPCs in the game can also die. However, they have the same chance to respawn as players. If you die in the world of Revival – whether player or NPC – you find yourself in the spirit world and must try to bring your soul back to the world of the living. If this doesn’t work for an NPC, they are permanently dead – even for other players.

Revival Screenshot 05

This is meant to make the world dynamic and lively, in contrast to many static worlds of other MMORPGs. Additionally, NPCs follow a daily routine so they won’t always be in the same place waiting for a player to interact with them.

Sex Gives Strength

Revival Screenshot 02

The developers at Illfonic want to create the world of Revival as realistic as possible. This means that NPCs and players also need to use toilets. Eating is equally important. It is even possible to have sex, either with other players or with NPCs.

[pullquote]Sleeping with a person grants temporary buffs.[/pullquote] Sex is not just something you can do. It also serves a purpose in the game. Sleeping with a person grants temporary buffs. If you overdo it, you get a debuff. Prostitutes can even be hired for longer periods, allowing you to take them on an adventure to “strengthen” yourself before descending into a dungeon.

Revival aims to offer a dark medieval world with many horror elements. Ritual magic, where body parts of people play a role or creatures that drive you mad, are on the agenda. This is intended to bring a fresh, albeit dark, wind into the genre.

Graphically, the title can already be seen thanks to Unreal Engine 4, but a release of Revival is not expected before 2016.

Revival Screenshot 01

[pullquote]In the Middle Ages, things weren’t as colorful and fun as one might know from other MMORPG worlds[/pullquote]Andreas says: Revival is different. It is dark and dirty. And that’s exactly what makes it appealing. A realistic medieval world is being attempted to be created, and in the Middle Ages, things weren’t as colorful and fun as one might know from other MMORPG worlds. The horror elements, sex, and brutality are clearly aimed at an adult audience. However, a good MMORPG requires more than just an extraordinary scenario and some new ideas.

How will combat play out? How is magic implemented? The PvP? Housing, crafting, exploration… all of this is part of a good MMO. Even if Illfonic claims that they will think of all this and want to offer a lot of new content here too, nothing has been seen yet. Therefore, one must wait to see how Revival develops further. However, it definitely piqued my interest and I will keep a close eye on it.

Revival Housing
There will also be housing, and this is allegedly how it will look.

More information can be found on the official website: https://www.revivalgame.com/

More articles about the game:

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

World of Warcraft: Quirky – Cult Shield as a Trendy Backpack

Nico Saborowski Nico Saborowski Reading time 2 minutes

Whether it’s Frostmourne from the printer, from the blacksmith, or the weapon Red Death from Destiny made with Lego bricks: Fans love to recreate their favorite weapons. Chinese WoW players don’t even have to put in the effort themselves, as soon the “Bulwark of Azzinoth” from World of Warcraft might be available as a backpack in the local Blizzard stores.

Crowdfunding for the Giant Shield

With a crowdfunding campaign in China, designer Teresa is trying to raise approximately 16,000 US dollars for the project. If successful, the backpack could soon make its way to the local Blizzard stores.

  • World of Warcraft Shield Azzinoth

As seen in the picture, the backpack can not only be worn classically on the back but also stylishly held like a shield – perfect for fending off unpopular classmates, colleagues, or fellow students.

World of Warcraft Shield Azzinoth

So if someone already has a Frostmourne from the printer or from the blacksmith, they should keep an eye out for the Bulwark of Azzinoth!

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

Destiny: Weekly Nightfall Strike on April 21st is colorful

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny, the weekly Nightfall strike starting from the week of April 21st takes place on Venus. Color is brought into the game.

In Destiny (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One), a new week begins on Tuesdays at 11:00 AM. The activities that can only be rewarding once a week start anew here. However, it is recommended not to perform a “fluid switch”, but rather to log out and back in before starting the new activities. Otherwise, you might end up with nothing at the end of a run.

Destiny Chill

One of the interesting activities of the week is the Nightfall strike. A system-selected strike out of six is chosen: that counts for everyone. The selected strike then receives 5 modifiers, 2 of which are always the same. Completing it successfully grants a special bonus: players who complete the Nightfall receive 24.5% more experience and reputation for the rest of the week.

And there are lucrative rewards at the end, but usually not … This week it leads to Venus, where you face Aksor, the Archon Priest. It is a so-called Rainbow strike, all burns are active.

Destiny-Askor

The modifiers for the Nightfall strike in the week of April 21st.

  • Nightfall: If the whole team dies (1-3 Guardians), it goes back to orbit, the strike resets and must be started over.
  • Epic: Like Tabasco on pizza, the Epic difficulty modifier gives the strike the necessary kick.
  • Solar Burn: Everything that deals solar damage deals significantly more solar damage.
  • Arc Burn: Arc damage is significantly increased.
  • Void Burn: And the Void damage is more voidy than usual.

In the heroic Weekly, the little sister of the Nightfalls, Void Burn is active.

Destiny-Black-Hammer

Are there tips for loadout?

  • Primary Weapons: This might be a chance to use extraordinary weapons, dusting off the old solar favorites. For example, one could go for the Vex Mythoclast. Or you can rely on a Hand Cannon or another popular weapon with elemental damage.
  • Special Weapons: Icebreaker or Black Hammer work well here. In Winter’s Run, there are some elevated sniper spots; these weapons are ideal for that.
  • Heavy Weapons: The xxx-Horn or a worthy replacement like Crota’s Hunger could clean up here.
Destiny-Gjallarhorn

Are there safe spots or guides? What do you need to know about Aksor?

Throughout the day, we will present videos of particularly beautiful or interesting runs through Winter’s Run. Until then, you can find inspiration from our February article.

NexxosGaming navigates through Winter’s Run in a duo team. Relaxed, calm run, the important spots are explained, very pleasant to watch. For Aksor, there are the safe spots under the stairs and a warning about the ship.

http://youtu.be/lyp4EVjbVpI
And here is another 3-man run, without commentary. You can see that a generous use of heavy ammo synths with the rocket launcher whose name cannot be mentioned can bypass some game mechanics and also fix major mistakes by teammates.
http://youtu.be/scHyYdAIO2E

Since some changes, the Nightfall has become extremely difficult for solo players, so we recommend looking for teammates. This article can help you with finding players.

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

Star Wars Battlefront: “Capturing the Wonder of the First Time” – spectacular images in the Dev Diary

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

For the upcoming multiplayer shooter Star Wars Battlefront, there is now a developer video diary with a clearly promotional nature. It shows how much effort Dice is putting into giving players the “Star Wars feeling”.

In the video, there is a moment when the Design Director of Dice, Niklas Fegraeus, says they want to capture the wonder they felt when they first saw the Star Wars films. This is probably the key moment in the video. It otherwise shows the immense resources and possibilities they have and apply to “capture” that feeling.

http://youtu.be/OMvoqKGZbms

They were at the original filming locations of the movies, had access to the Star Wars archives, and dealt with the original music. Everything in Star Wars Battlefront, according to the message, is supposed to fulfill the childhood dream: finally diving into the movies. The lightsaber in the game has to sound and feel just like it did in front of the TV or in the cinema when they first heard about that ominous power everyone is talking about again.

Star Wars Battlefront, an online shooter, is set to be released in mid-November for PC, Playstation 4, and Xbox One, about a month before Episode 7 will usher in a new Star Wars era in theaters. Here are our other news about the game.

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

MMO Trends in March: Heroes of the Storm and War Thunder rise up

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In the most played PC games in March, Heroes of the Storm and the war simulation War Thunder are on the rise.

Every month, Raptr evaluates user numbers and gives us an overview of what PC gamers using their program do with their gaming hours. These are not “universally valid” numbers, such a thing simply does not exist, but they at least outline a trend of what PC players are currently playing.

The figures do not represent an actual “Top 20” but should rather be seen as a trend barometer indicating whether the playtime for a particular game is increasing or decreasing.

Heroes of the Storm was a big winner even in beta

Heroes of the Storm Screenshot

Overall, March was a weaker month compared to February. Playtime decreased by 4.85%.

The big winner in March was Blizzard’s MOBA “Heroes of the Storm.” It increased by 48.5% and is still in Closed Beta. However, Blizzard is doing everything possible to get as many players as possible to try out their MOBA and is handing out keys endlessly. The trend could still increase in May and June. Then the MOBA will first enter Open Beta, then the release.

At the moment, Raptr players’ PCs have almost reached the playtime of Hearthstone. However, Blizzard’s card game is also likely to receive a boost in April, as the Blackrock Mountain adventure is in full swing.

Let’s see how the rise of Heroes of the Storm will affect the playtime of League of Legends, Dota 2, and Smite. Dota 2 has lost its solid third place behind the fixed star League of Legends and the marathon game World of Warcraft this month. The shooter CS:Go has taken that spot now.

MMORPGs relatively stable, but not enough for TESO yet

In the classic MMORPGs, there were few fluctuations in March. WoW is quite stable like a rock, and there could be a surprising upward spike in April due to the WoW token. The system invites former players to resume their old career for free, provided they had saved enough gold back then.

Final Fantasy XIV - Dragon Mount

Final Fantasy XIV and Guild Wars 2 remain stable at 11 and 12. The MMORPGs will have their big moments in the coming months. Both are expecting expansions.

The downward trend for ArcheAge continues steadily, as has been observable in recent months. There was little going on with Star Wars: The Old Republic in March, losing two places.

War Thunder Screenshot

There was some speculation about whether The Elder Scrolls Online would make it back into the top 20 of the month with the Buy2Play transition mid-March. However, that did not happen. Position 20 is still held by Spider Solitaire.

War Thunder makes a big leap

On the other hand, War Thunder has gained ground; it is an MMO that stands in the shadow of the big rival “World of Tanks” (place 10), but has developed a strong fan base among connoisseurs. In March, the game gained 4 places and now stands at 13. According to the Raptr blog, this was due to some improvements and events.

Also, the MMO shooter Warframe, the PC alternative to Destiny, has maintained its three well-made places from February and even moves up another rank.

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

World of Warcraft: WoW Token available in Europe starting tomorrow!

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

… and then it suddenly goes faster than expected! Starting tomorrow, April 21st, the “WoW Token” will also be available for purchase in World of Warcraft in Europe.

Players can then either purchase a token in the shop for €20 and sell it for gold in the auction house or alternatively save on their subscription fees and buy tokens with gold from the auction house. A token grants the user 30 days of game time – normally incurred subscription fees are paused for the month when game time is added in this way.

The actual gold price that the token achieves in the auction house cannot be determined by individual players; Blizzard sets a price based on the current supply and demand situation. If the token is as successful as it is in America, then the price will range between 20,000 and 30,000 gold in the first weeks and will thus be significantly more affordable than initially assumed. In Europe, the coin starts at 35,000 gold.

Additionally, Blizzard has released a small video for which they even hired a German speaker:

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Source(s):
  1. eu.battle.net

Destiny: Where is the April Iron Banner? Bungie responds

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny, players are waiting for the overdue monthly event “Iron Banner.” But they will have to be patient.

Where is the Iron Banner in April? The monthly PvP event in Destiny is overdue. It has always been on the third Tuesday of the month, but it has never been this late. Therefore, gamers expected that it would start on April 14.

The timeline on the Bungie homepage, which usually announces the event four or five days in advance, is silent on the date. Perhaps, some speculated, Bungie would keep the start a secret this time, to bypass the Iron Banner glitch.

No Iron Banner tomorrow, but Inferno Control

If players didn’t know that the Iron Banner was coming, they wouldn’t be able to apply it. Because they would have to circle in orbit like vultures before they could shoot down the poor Lord Saladin. So the theory, which sounded super plausible, was refuted by reality: Nothing happened on April 14.

Destiny-Fireteam-Iron-Banner

No Iron Banner has been announced for tomorrow either. The inquiries have piled up. Destiny’s community manager, DeeJ, has now confirmed the fears: There will also be no Iron Banner tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21. Lord Saladin will return “soon.” However, another round of Inferno Control will start tomorrow.

The Iron Banner is an opportunity for Guardians to score armor that brings them up to the current maximum light level of 32. There is also the opportunity, to create exceptionally good weapons. The Iron Banner also wins over with an “alternative look” to the standard raid armors. And for next time, the precious helmet that would complete the new look was expected. Annoying.

Is the absence of the Iron Banner a sign of new events in Destiny?

Destiny-TrialsofOsiris

The current developments regarding the Iron Banner could indicate that Bungie is changing its event schedule. Admittedly, it has mostly consisted of the Iron Banner over the past months. With House of Wolves, at least “Trials of Osiris“ is supposed to be added, although it is still unclear whether this will be another monthly event as previously assumed, or something entirely different. We should find out next week on Wednesday, April 29.

Destiny-Queen-Vendor

Also, the only PvE event of this magnitude “Wrath of the Queen“ could make a return with House of Wolves. After all, it would fit with the story. However, there is still no information from Bungie on this. The event had gone “back into the oven” more than half a year ago. Since then, there has been no statement regarding it.

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

Tera: New Class – Bride with a Big Gun Coming to Us at the Beginning of May

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The fantasy MMORPG TERA will get the new class in Europe in a few weeks. This is the Arcane Engineer, who resembles a mix between Arnold Schwarzenegger and a supermodel.

At the beginning of May, Gameforge announced that it will be ready: Then the “Arcane Engineer” will also arrive in the part of TERA they are responsible for. So the European TERA. The Arcane Engineer will start at level 1 and will only be available for Castanic and High Elf ladies.

She uses the Arcane Cannon as a weapon (pun alert), and for her armor, she prefers metal: chain mail, iron boots, and gauntlets. She is indeed a heavy metal chick.

In Korea, the class has been on the market for a while. It primarily relies on rifles and drones, drones and rifles: a classic range DPS class with a pet component that can also deploy turrets.

Here is a gameplay video from Korea

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And here is something more atmospheric, the official announcement trailer:

http://youtu.be/BlSgJ6c0_Ls
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Gameforge

SWTOR: Information about Patch 3.2 and 12x XP bonus

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

During the Cantina Tour, which made a stop in Anaheim at the big Star Wars Convention, more details about the near future of “Star Wars: The Old Republic” were revealed.

12x-EP-Boost Returns

SWTOR Missions

Those who pre-ordered “Shadow of Revan” back then could benefit from a 12 times XP boost during the class story for several weeks. This ensured that players could reach level 50 within just a few days through entertaining story missions. Since this experience was well received by players, this bonus is being brought back!

Starting from May 4th (the “Star Wars” day), the bonus will be active again for all subscribers and this time it will last significantly longer. In fact, the developers were not yet agreed on when to deactivate this extra XP again, so it can be assumed that it will last for several weeks at a minimum.

Patch 3.2: New Planet, New Stronghold, and Quality of Life Features

With the upcoming content update “Rise of the Emperor“, players in SWTOR can expect not only the new planet Ziost, where all residents now serve the Emperor, but also a handful of new features. Among other things, there will be the Monoliths, a new enemy type, and the introduction of the Jedi faction “Sixth Line”, who have slightly modified their Code (“There is only duty”).

SWTOR Ziost Empire

On Yavin 4, there will be a new stronghold for both factions, which can serve as a housing place and bring a bit more variety. Finally, a lot of quality of life features will be introduced, such as the already announced outfit designer. But new characters will also have it easier: As soon as a player reaches a planet, all speeder posts and quick travel points will be unlocked, and players can reduce the cooldown of fast travel to zero with new Legacy bonuses!

  • SWTOR Yavin4 Stronghold

Otherwise, the developers addressed some questions from the community, although the answers were rather opaque and mostly resulted in a “We can have a look at that.” As soon as there are more news about Patch 3.2, we will of course inform you. More information can be found on our thematic page for Star Wars: The Old Republic.

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

Heroes of the Storm: Release date confirmed

Nico Saborowski Nico Saborowski Reading time 2 minutes

It is time: Blizzard has announced the release date of Heroes of the Storm. The MOBA will officially be released on June 2. In line with this, Blizzard has also provided a short trailer for the upcoming release.

It’s almost here, Open Beta coming soon!

Players who have not yet gained access to the Closed Beta do not have to wait until June 2 but can already join the open beta test phase on May 20. So about 2 weeks before release.

Heroes of the Storm will be released with more than 30 playable heroes, over 130 skins, 14 steadfast mounts, and seven dynamic battlefields. And many more game contents, such as heroes, skins, mounts, and battlefields, are in the works!

Blizzard recently announced that they want to release heroes at a higher frequency. Unfortunately, it is still uncertain whether new ones will be added before the release – at least some players are hoping for that. It will be interesting to see. We will keep you updated on new heroes and more.

In the coming months, even more exciting developments await you in Heroes.

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No more account wipes

Players of the Closed and Open Beta no longer have to worry about possible wipes of their accounts. Blizzard categorically excludes this, as they announce on the HotS page.

HotS Release
Your heroes will be preserved!

If you want to celebrate the HotS release, you can travel to the official premiere party in London. However, you can also comfortably watch the event taking place on June 1 via livestream from home.

Not sure how the game is? Then we would like to recommend our beta test for HotS: Heroes of the Storm – Blizzard’s leftovers or an all-star team?  If you want to take an early look at the MOBA, you need to keep your eyes peeled: Some sites are also giving away Closed Beta keys.

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

Destiny Prediction: Will this be the Dawn Strike on April 21st? And what about the Iron Banner?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny , hints about the Nightfall strike on Tuesday, April 21, have emerged.

Destiny-Askor

Initially, it was thought that with the last patch 1.1.2, no more predictions would be possible. At least that was the statement from previous predictors like Megaman and others. Now a new “leaker” has emerged and announces what the Nightfall will be for tomorrow, April 21.

The weekly Nightfall strike is supposed to be the Archon Priest Aksor on Venus. Let’s see if they are right. It certainly looks credible.

The special thing: The strike Winter Storm is supposed to be a so-called Triple Burn this time. That means all 3 damage types would be significantly increased: including “Solar” damage. Guardians have been waiting for that for a while. These are always fun strikes because they can pull out their Gjallarhorn, Vex Mythoclast, and other solar beasts that otherwise don’t see much action in the Nightfall strikes of Destiny.

In the Weekly Heroic, if the prediction is correct, there would also be an Ignition active: the Void Ignition. This would mean a short and varied “mandatory” program for many Guardians in Destiny.

Destiny-Weekly-Nightfall

If it really is like that, we will have a corresponding article at the top tomorrow, Tuesday at 11:00 AM, which, as always, will provide you with weapon suggestions and videos.  And if it isn’t, and perhaps the Yoko Ono of Destiny shouts instead, you will also find out. Until then, you can take a look at what we had last time when the Archon Priest rode the rainbow. That was 6 weeks ago, in early February.

By the way: There is still no sign of the “Iron Banner”, which is now overdue this month. Instead, according to the leaker, another Inferno event is supposed to start: Skirmish again.

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

Shroud of the Avatar – More than just an MMORPG – Part 1

Andreas Bertits Andreas Bertits Reading time 4 minutes

Richard “Lord British” Garriott aims to celebrate his comeback with Shroud of the Avatar and has planned something big: an MMORPG similar to Ultima Online combined with a single-player experience in the style of the Ultima games 1 to 9.

When Richard Garriott announced his latest project Shroud of the Avatar on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter in early 2012, the excitement was great – but confusion followed closely behind. What is Shroud of the Avatar (SotA), fans wondered.

Is it an MMORPG? A quasi-sequel to the cult game Ultima Online or is it a single-player RPG?

Shroud of the Avatar MMORPG

The simple yet surprising answer: It is both. The game is now at Pre-Alpha version 16. On Thursday, April 23, version 17 will launch. We have been part of the game from the beginning and are experiencing adventures in the unusual fantasy world of New Britannia. Based on our player experiences, we want to explain what Shroud of the Avatar is, how it plays, and how the combination of MMORPG and single-player works.

Online, only friends, or even all alone? SotA offers many game modes

Shroud of the Avatar Community

At the beginning, you decide whether you want to play in an open online mode, a friends-only mode, or in one of two single-player modes. Open online is comparable to a classic MMORPG. You will encounter players from your friends list as well as strangers with whom you can experience adventures or fight them in PvP.

The friends-only mode will only show you players you have added to your friends list. Stranger players do not appear. In the single-player online mode, you are on your own but still in the online world – and on the same and only server. This means you will see player houses in both the single-player online and the friends-only modes, and you can interact with the NPC vendors of other players, for example. It is also possible to switch between modes at any time.

Shroud of the Avatar Combat

Finally, a single-player offline mode is available to you. For this, you must create a separate character, and it is not possible to switch to an online mode with this character. The offline mode will offer some additional features, including NPC companions with their own personalities who accompany you on your adventures. Additionally, the respawn rate of monsters is reduced and you will be able to entirely clear areas of enemies.

Thus, the offline mode is intended to focus on the game’s story and feel like a single-player RPG. Currently, however, only the open online and single-player online modes are available.

The Pre-Alpha is continuously evolving

Shroud of the Avatar World Map
The map perspective of SotA.

In the currently ongoing pre-alpha, it is possible to explore almost the entire continent of Novia and the island of Hidden Vale. You start in a village that has been attacked by undead and must fight your way through. The game is played in such scenes from a third-person perspective. However, when you switch to the wilderness, the game presents itself from a map-like perspective, in which you can explore the overworld.

SotA does not offer an open world like other MMORPGs. There are multiple reasons for this: on the one hand, the Unity engine used does not handle large, open game worlds well, and on the other hand, the developers can directly add new scenes or exchange existing ones – for example, when a village is attacked and burned down.

SotA Marketplace
Shroud of the Avatar Village Burning

With the release of Episode 1 “Forsaken Virtues”, expected to take place early next year, you can experience an exciting story through many quests. These will lead you across the continent. You will learn more about the mysterious “Tesla Technology”, which allows shields over cities, and you will uncover the secret of the Oracle and an undead army that threatens the land. This story will continue in four subsequent episodes. In addition, it is also possible to become a blacksmith or craftsman, create items, inhabit your own house or castle, and simply – similar to Ultima Online – live a second, virtual life in the world of New Britannia.

In the next part of our presentation of the online game Shroud of the Avatar, we will delve into the extraordinary card-based combat system and the PvP system.

Next page: Shroud of the Avatar – More than just an MMORPG Part 2

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The Early Access version of Shroud of the Avatar costs regularly €41.99 on Steam and offers immediate access to the pre-alpha. Currently, however, due to a promotion, the game is available for €31.49: Here’s the link to the Steam promotion.

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

Crowfall presents perhaps its coolest idea yet with the Thralls

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The MMO Crowfall proves to be a mixed bag. Now, the Thralls introduce a new idea that resembles a strategy RPG.

Crowfall is gearing up to bring new impulses to the MMO genre. This does not come as a surprise: They have made it a priority. Nevertheless, it is always a surprise what different ideas they include in the mix.

If they don’t work for us, they are doomed to damnation

Now they have introduced the “Thralls”, a type of “serfs” that players can recruit. In a FAQ, they explain why the “are not really slaves” (that would be politically incorrect), but rather why they are happy to work for the player and make sacrifices:

They are doomed and cursed spirits who must earn their ticket to the afterlife through forced labor; otherwise, they will remain stuck on a dying world that is being devoured by the “Hunger”. So the players are the good ones!

Crowfall Gameplay

Thralls in Crowfall have their own stats, can fulfill various tasks

Crowfall-Thralls

The special thing about Thralls: They were craftsmen or soldiers in their former lives. In the game, they can serve as merchants, guardians, or trainers, help bind spirits to weapons to enhance them, and seem to be the spice of the game. A kind of “servant NPC spirits”, through whose clever use, players can gain a decisive advantage.

The Thralls can be captured in the world with a soul gem, pardon, “bound”. They are said to frequent the places where they were found in life.

The catch: The Thralls will have different stats and will therefore be suited for specific tasks. A dream for MMORPG fans, who are as hot on stats as children at a birthday party are for pizza rolls. So: extremely hot.

Exact details on how the Thralls work are not yet available; it’s all still in the “paper” stage. They can probably be assigned to buildings and all those great things that fans of strategy RPGs have long desired.

More about Crowfall can be found here.

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Source(s):
  1. Crowfall

Destiny: Seventh Column – the holy grail of PvP medals

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny , the Seventh Column is a kind of inside joke from Bungie, but also one of the hardest medals to obtain. It’s a kind of Penta-Kill like in League of Legends – and then a little more.

Seventh-Column

“Seventh Column” is a kind of inside joke at Bungie that spans various games. The Halo Nation wiki, for example, talks about it describing the “7 Steps to World Domination.” However, the 7th step “take over the world” has been stuck for some time. The symbol for it (on the right) can be found in various Bungie titles as a hidden inside joke for those in the know.

Seventh-Column-Destiny

In Destiny, “Seventh Column” has brought some fame as a PvP medal (left). This is an achievement that most people may not even know of. To achieve it, you need to eliminate 7 enemy players in a short time. And that in a game where you play maximum 6 against 6.

The medal indeed requires you to kill 6 players and then also catch a freshly spawned enemy a second time. Only then are you worthy of the “Seventh Column.” Such performances are even rare for top players. But occasionally, it does happen:

Exceptional moments in Destiny grant particularly rare medals

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As you can see, the stars must align in a special way for it to work: Enemies should ideally not fight back, teammates should not steal kills, and then especially strong PvP weapons, heavy ammunition, and a charged super help with the details.

For such successes, skill is the basic requirement, and then special circumstances or a good portion of luck come into play. In any case, this medal is probably even rarer than the one for the flawless raiders. For absolute top players, earning this medal is equivalent to a moment of glory.

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

World of Warcraft: Will trailers for the WoW movie run before these two blockbusters?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

For the fantasy MMORPG World of Warcraft a movie is scheduled for 2016. However, in 2015 viewers will already be able to see trailers. Experts believe they have identified the two films for which trailers will be released.

The WoW movie is a major event planned for March 11, 2016. Such a “movie event” (or as Sat1 would say: an event-event-event) wants to be appropriately announced. With trailers that are visible months before the movie premieres. Experts have now identified two films that Blizzard might consider as vehicles for the trailers. And both are blockbusters with nerd appeal or, as people say today: with mass appeal.

Project-List

According to information from Blizzardwatch, which refers to a site specialized in this area, the next trailer could be aired in the pre-show of “Jurassic World“. It comes to theaters on June 12. This will be a teaser trailer, which means it will be quite short.

The next trailer after that will likely be significantly larger, and it might be released before Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 18. The information from Blizzardwatch has not been officially confirmed.

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

The Elder Scrolls Online: Neon Shield Disturbs Medieval Ideal

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online players are upset about a system message advertising a promotion in the cash shop.

Currently, the Senche-Leopard is being advertised in The Elder Scrolls Online crown store with yellow text in 3 languages in quick succession. Players are complaining in the forum that it disrupts the “atmosphere”, pulling them out of immersion. Furthermore, they fear this is just the beginning and TESO will misuse the system message for such promotions more frequently and become increasingly brazen. The system message should only be used for important information.

In a survey in the official forum, only 20% of about 630 players find the advertising acceptable, while 80% see it as unacceptable.

At TESO, they are not really aware of the fault. They want to ensure that everyone knows about the offer for the Senche-Leopard because it is only available for a short time, they say. They send this message only once a day, but in 3 languages. They have registered the criticism and will forward it.

The Elder Scrolls Online - Sencheleopard TESO
The cat is supported by product placement.

The German community manager also speaks up and asks to refrain from the wildly sprouting conspiracy theories.

Please refrain from crystal ball reading, exaggerations, and conspiracy theories. None of this is helpful.
No one has been spammed with messages, no one intends to send something like that hourly – on the contrary, today there was no in-game notification at all.

TESO Crafting

Mein MMO says: Interesting problem. TESO is currently praised for its atmosphere and the depth of quests, how immersive the game can be. Such “advertising insertions” can certainly be disruptive. Perhaps the advertisement for the leopard would be better placed upon logging into the client, i.e., in areas that the player still clearly perceives as “outside of Tamriel”.

On the other hand: TESO has switched to Buy2Play, and advertising for additional offers is one of the downsides that comes with it. It is certainly understandable that players react allergy-like to such changes and then take a “nip it in the bud” approach against possible future developments. However, compared to how Free2Play games repeatedly prompt players, even in the middle of action, to buy game content X or Y, it seems like they are making a mountain out of a molehill.

Even before, the most fervent fans of The Elder Scrolls Online feared that with the transition to Buy2Play certain bad habits would arise and advocated for remaining with the subscription model. They now feel confirmed by such incidents.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. TESO Forum (englisch)
  2. TESO Forum (Deutsch)

WildStar will be shorter and tougher – this refers to adventures

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

With the upcoming WildStar patch “Invasion on Nexus“, there will be a new adventure “Bay of Betrayal” that is supposed to differ somewhat from previous adventures.

As usual, this adventure is only a simulation, and everything happens only “virtually” in terms of story. The scenario is quickly explained: The leader of the Ascendents, Calidor Antevian, is looking for a new right hand and subjects his acolytes to an extensive test. To infiltrate the Ascendents, you disguise yourself as an acolyte and eliminate your fellow competitors. Since this somewhat fanatical organization relies on Eldan technology, players will also become Techempaths and will be able to control various machines and robots within the adventure.

Customized Difficulty – Faster and Harder

The Bay of Betrayal is supposed to have high replay value, as its difficulty adjusts to the group each time. If a number of your group members have only achieved “Bronze” in this adventure so far, the enemies will also be a bit more lenient and easier to defeat. However, if you are an elite group of “Gold” hunters, then it will be a gauntlet with a high stress factor! However, the mission will also be quicker to complete. No one should expect a lengthy caravan escort.

WildStar Bay of Betrayal Adventure

Fundamentally, the instance is supposed to be a bit more difficult than previous adventures, which is why the loot will also be better and can compete with that of experienced dungeons.

If you want, you can try out the new adventure on the public test realm already, while everyone else will have to wait a while until the release of the new content update. If you want to know more about the MMO, we recommend our themed page on WildStar.

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Source(s):
  1. www.wildstar-online.com

DC Universe Online: Halls of Power II is probably the last major DLC

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the superhero and supervillain MMO DC Universe Online (PC, PS3, PS4), the second part of the Halls of Power revolves around the New Gods.

The DC universe is vast: it has developed over decades. Many authors have added their own ideas and characters to the existing ones, some certainly influenced by the zeitgeist and what was financially successful for competitor Marvel at the time.

The associated MMO DC Universe Online strives to do justice to the dimensions of this narrative mosaic. Every 3 months, players jump into a different theme. For instance, in the latest DLC Amazon Fury II, the focus was on the mythologically influenced underworld, as Wonder Woman was in the spotlight. Before that, players could experience cosmic powers in a Green Lantern-themed content pack War of the Light II. In the next DLC “Halls of Power II,” it will be about the “New Gods,” a group of super beings that were first published in the 70s. The first part of this story was told in the summer of 2014.

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Super-villain Darkseid is somewhat of a counterpart to Marvel’s Thanatos, although making such a statement might get one stoned. In any case, it is necessary to stop Darkseid. A whole series of new characters will be introduced.

The DLC contains, as is customary for DC Universe Online, a range of new activities for solo players, duos, four-player teams, or even 8-man groups (operations and raids). After the DLC, the plan is to switch from the current quarterly rhythm to a monthly one, releasing three smaller DLCs per quarter instead of one “big” DLC. Additionally, there are already eyes on the major movie releases of the coming years and plans for collaborations here.

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

Cabal 2: Free2Play MMO from Asia starts closed beta in the West

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The Free2Play-MMO Cabal 2 is launching a Closed Beta in North America and Europe after a long time. The game has already been out for two and a half years in Korea.

Cabal 2 is a Free2Play-MMO with strong Asian influences. We introduced you to the 6 classes and the basics of the game a few months ago, which with its “flashy” gameplay might remind local players of TERA. By “flashy”, we mean in the genre an exaggerated look with numerous graphic effects and tremors, exaggerated strikes, and similar elements.

Since December 2012, Cabal 2 has been on the market in South Korea, and it took a relatively long time, as with some games from this region, to make its way to the West. In contrast to Blade&Soul, however, it is finally ready to present something: On April 30, it will at least start a Closed Beta. You can register for it through this link and hope for an invitation to the Closed Beta of Cabal 2.

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Star Wars Battlefront: Over 10 million viewers, first reactions

Dawid Hallmann Dawid Hallmann Reading time 5 minutes

Insiders had announced that the new trailer for “Star Wars Battlefront” would take the internet by storm. Well, it wasn’t that bad, as the internet still ran perfectly. Nevertheless, the numbers are impressive: The video is only one day old and has already garnered over 10 million views through the official channels.

The last few days have been all about the world-famous Star Wars universe. One highlight was the new Star Wars 7 trailer, but the gaming industry also took advantage of the ongoing franchise “Celebration” to show off. The talk is about the Star Wars Battlefront trailer and its information flood. But did the first impressions convince players or does skepticism prevail?

Most are jumping on the hype train from Dice

Star Wars Battlefront Character

When looking at the overall mood on YouTube, one answer seems to prevail: Most are excited for a new Star Wars game by the end of the year. But even though over 95% of those who voted gave it a thumbs up, the comments paint a mixed picture. Some are venting their frustrations. While it would be too much to say that the ratings distort the perception, it is true that dissatisfied users tend to express their discontent. Nevertheless, it is quite interesting to examine their motives more closely.

Therefore, we have filtered the most frequently mentioned critical voices. The following quotes come from the Mein MMO community. Perhaps someone will recognize themselves here.

  • Martin: “No space battles, only 4 planets, no campaign – EA messed up.
  • Michel: “As long as no real in-game material is shown, I assume it’s pre-rendered scenes. Because in reality, the game will never look that good“
  • and Andy: “Yes, on PC, it will look like that, but never on the PS4!”.
  • Jan: “Just a cheap Battlefield clone in Star Wars outfit… Not what I expected.“
  • Altmetall: “And for that certainly 60€ and just 4?! Maps and at most 40 players“
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Dawid states: It’s a shame that there will initially be no space battles – they are naturally part of Star Wars. The question remains whether it would have been too much to maintain a high quality across the board. A small consolation: There will be air battles in the X-Wing and Co. – though on a planetary basis, but perhaps they will make up for that. Dice explained that not everything could be done, even if they had tried – quality comes before quantity. Sounds plausible. However, they have now increased the pressure on themselves that the components of the current game must be even better.

Star Wars Battlefront X-Wing

Will the graphics really look like this? This must indeed be doubted given the graphic splendor shown, which at first glance rather resembles a cinematic trailer. It would be too good to be true, wouldn’t it? DICE has already addressed these concerns. They state clearly: This is the in-game graphics and how the game looks on PS4 at the moment. Producer Jesper Nielsen even goes further and says it could be the most beautiful game of all time:

What I can say though, as a personal prediction: I think this will be one of the most beautiful games, if not the most beautiful game, on all three platforms when it launches.

As a Star Wars fan, I am already impressed by the first images, but you can only be sure after the first “demo session”. Personally, I would have liked to see real gameplay. This, he says, will come with time. Well then… Until then, a certain skepticism is in order.

Star Wars Battlefront

That the largest mode can only accommodate 40 players is also a bit disappointing, especially since rumors beforehand had raised expectations. There was talk of a 64-player mode. This is probably due to Dice, as they recently revealed that they want to aim for 60 FPS on all platforms. Who knows, perhaps battles with fewer players than expected will still feel epic. The decisive factor will be how much the environment is incorporated into the gameplay. Some had wished for an MMO shooter in the style of Planetside 2, which allows over 1000 players on one map. Unfortunately, that will not be the case. Perhaps more Battlefield Star Wars?

It is not so absurd that some elements from the Battlefield series will seem familiar. This can be seen as good or bad. But how does one come to the conclusion that it will be a cheap Battlefield clone? So far, the signs for that are scarce. The developers at DICE emphasize that they are excited to do something new. Not Battlefield, but a true Star Wars Battlefront game:

We’re not just doing Star Wars Battlefield.

It would be desirable that they are truthful here and that it becomes much more than just a stripped-down Battlefield in a new guise.

By the way, the fact that there will only be 4 maps is constantly being reported. That is not entirely accurate: There will be 4 planets at launch, but at least 8 maps. So definitely more than one map per planet. I see the 4 planets less critically, especially since more will certainly come in the future. Please, more attention to detail! From a player’s perspective, I am more concerned about the DLC policy of EA, for which they don’t exactly earn praise.

Star Wars Battlefront Screenshot

Another topic that has also been frequently mentioned is the lack of a campaign. We must wait and see whether the announced solo and co-op challenges can keep up with the campaigns in the classical sense. Ultimately, it was marketed from the beginning as a multiplayer shooter, so that must be kept in mind. It will only have to compete with other high-profile multiplayer shooters, where campaigns have become the standard. However, no matter how you look at it, for those who expected a big story content, this news is probably a slap in the face.

For now, however, I am hopeful that I will have a lot of fun with the game. Given the numbers, interest seems to be huge.

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