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.
Rank 5 in Destiny’s Iron Banner is not that far away
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.
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.
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.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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”.
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.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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.
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.
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?
Wrapping up now. Wonder why they didn’t show what happens when you rack up nine wins on a single Passage. Oh, well. Thanks for tuning in!
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.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In the MMO shooter Destiny, the DLC “House of Wolves” is coming, and since January there have been supposed details about the exotic items that are set to arrive. But are these really the right ones?
There were supposed to be 9 exotic armor pieces, three for each class. The first characteristics were already known. YouTubers immediately jumped on the data, releasing video series about it back in January: These are the exotic helmets, weapons, chest armors, boots, and gloves for Warlock, Titan, and Hunter.
http://youtu.be/THqgHxnt5io
The problem is and was: We have no idea whether these items will actually appear. The “legendary items” visible in the picture have not yet appeared in any of the demonstration videos. Players have seen completely different weapons here at Trials of Osiris, in the Prison of Elders, and also with the vendors of the Vanguard and Crucible than those shown in the January screen.
One thing spoke in favor of the leaks being correct so far. The Warlock helmet that was in the database is named: “The Ram” – Ram. And indeed, an exotic helmet from Bungie looked exactly like one would imagine a ram – with the curved horns. So it was thought: “Well, the exotic items seem to be correct.”
Last night, the Creative Director of Bungie introduced a new exotic helmet via his Twitter account, which is also set to come for “House of Wolves”: The Celestial Nighthawk.
There’s no better way to give someone “the bird” in the Crucible. House of Wolves exotic helmet: Celestial Nighthawk. pic.twitter.com/Lkzz8GdnIn
The problem: The name of this helmet does not appear in the “old” leaks, but the design resembles the then Hunter helmet “ExoTac Angel Hunter.” At least if one can say that from the small exo pic in comparison to the finished design.
Top right.
It seems then that there might really be something to those exotic items from back then, even though the details are not completely clear. It remains exciting.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At the fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online, players are currently mainly troubled that there will be no text chat in the console version for Xbox One and Playstation 4.
The players’ problem is especially evident on the battlefield Cyrodiil: “How are we supposed to call for help when a fortress is under attack?” Because if TESO operates via voice on consoles, it is certainly useful in smaller groups and nearby, strategic instructions or calls for help across the entire map are unlikely to be possible. In every other area of TESO, like instances or quests, only players within direct call range are really interesting. Not in Cyrodiil.
Emotes probably not a solution, but maybe a quick chat system?
In the last ESO Live, an emote system was introduced, allowing players to pull some universally understood emotional expressions onto the quick bar. With these emotes, players who do not want to use voice chat, whether they do not want to talk or cannot talk, should be able to manage. For Cyrodiil, this is probably not a solution, as such emotes are also only limitedly visible.
Now, Game Director Matt Firor stated to Eurogamer.net that while they mainly focus on voice chat, they are also currently looking into the possibility of implementing a “quick chat” system. Perhaps this could be a viable solution for The Elder Scrolls Online, depending on how the system turns out.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The eagerly awaited Asia MMORPG Echo of Soul will enter closed beta next week. We had the opportunity to take an early look at the localized version.
Over a hundred developers have been working on Echo of Soul for more than four years. A large part of this hundred has previously worked on perhaps the largest MMO franchise in Korea: Lineage. For those who are not familiar with the series: it holds a similar status in Korea as World of Warcraft does here. The conditions for success are theoretically in place.
Thus, the developers at Nvius also claim in a video that Echo of Soul is the best MMORPG in a long time. This could be inferred from player feedback.
However, whether Echo of Soul is really the next big MMORPG that many have been waiting for years, we reveal in our first impression of the spiritual successor to Lineage 2.
The “next big thing”? The beginning doesn’t necessarily suggest that
As an MMO veteran, the beginning feels familiar: some will say “run-of-the-mill,” while others shout, “Let’s rush through this; I’m not interested in tutorials anyway.”
At the start, one has the choice between 5 classes. You can choose a rogue, mage, warrior, guardian, or ranger – there’s something for every playstyle. The selection screen already hints that each class can rely on specializations over the course of the game. For instance, the rogue can become a duelist focusing on damage-over-time attacks, or choose the path of an assassin: which is characterized by chain attacks and high mobility.
The talent trees thus bring more individualization options to the game, which is also necessary with only 5 classes. By the way, there is a gender lock. While that may be normal in Asia, the enthusiasm for it is limited in the West.
The character creation in Echo of Soul, while not bad, does not blow one away. Compared to the competitor Aion, known for its endless, sometimes exotic character variations, the significantly younger EoS looks old. Nevertheless, you can certainly create an alter ego that didn’t come from a clone army. EoS exceeds the MMO minimum standard when you can choose between several accessories or determine body and facial proportions. A few additional hairstyles would have been nice, but it’s definitely enough for a grade of “satisfactory to good.” It has certainly more to offer than World of Warcraft.
Tutorial – You can quickly rush through the standard fare
The first levels of EoS are unremarkable, if you are familiar with the whole MMO circus. Basic systems are explained while you slaughter wolves and other monsters. The story is also introduced to you during this phase of the game. Interestingly, the lore sometimes connects with Norse mythology. A good insight into the story is offered by the following video.
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The first 10 levels, and thus the tutorial, pass faster than the shadow of your soul guardian. As an MMO veteran, one may sigh “thank goodness” to oneself, but one has to think of the new players too. At least it’s not very grindy. You don’t have to kill creatures 20 times, but a few times, yes. At Level 10, there comes the first small challenge, especially for ranged fighters. A “brutally difficult” boss is waiting to be defeated.
Before the young soul guardian leaves the nest, a decision must still be made: With which specialization do you want to face new challenges? But there’s no need to fear a hard decision: starting at level 20, it’s also possible to fill another talent tree to try out the other path.
First glimmers appear
The first points may sound harsh, as there is basically a good game behind it, which one gradually becomes aware of – if one is allowed to say such a thing after a first impression.
I liked the interface from the start. I didn’t waste a second thinking about whether an addon might not be useful here. It looks tidy, is appealingly designed, and even features an integrated DPS meter that represents combat statistics. I know, a controversial topic: I find such information helpful to optimize my character. For others, it’s a horror.
Overall, I increasingly appreciate the graphics as the game progresses, leveling goes fast, and with the added skills, you slowly recognize the core of Echo of Soul: the combat system, which presumably has a lot of development time invested in it.
Wow, the combat really packs a punch
The combat impressed me the most in Echo of Soul. All classes have a high replay value and feel completely different. You can feel the force with which a warrior berserker shreds opponents. I can’t remember an MMO where the combat convinced me right off the bat so much. However, I must note that I quickly slipped into endgame characters, so it can’t be compared to a normal first impression.
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The combat system is action-oriented. Like other modern MMOs, there is an active dodge skill that is particularly useful against hostile void zones (red areas from enemies that deal damage). However, the attacks resemble a semi-turn-based combat system, where opponents are targeted either by pressing the Tab key or by clicking.
The skill system
Each skill has its own impressive animation with consistently smooth transitions. The fights feel direct and fun, the “flow” is right. Chain attacks add extra spice: skills that must be executed in a specific order to unleash an even stronger effect.
The skills are assembled from a talent tree, where in several stages, you can choose one skill from three possible ones – until it comes to the choice of the ultimates at the end, a powerful ability. Each class has two completely different talent trees that significantly change the playstyle.
No classic Holy Trinity
Speaking of roles: Echo of Soul does not rely on the classic Holy Trinity consisting of tank, damage dealer, and healer. It’s more akin to Guild Wars 2: every class can heal itself. But it is a bit different. The tank and support roles that can be chosen have a greater impact in demanding dungeons than is the case in GW2. You definitely don’t want to miss a warrior who becomes a tank with the “protector specialization” and can pull more aggro as a result. Fans of healers at least have the option with the bard, a talent tree of the ranger, to effectively support their group with melodic sounds and support skills.
By the way: most ranged skills must be performed from a standing position. This balances the gameplay better between melee and ranged fighters, but it can also reduce the dynamics and enjoyment of the game, depending on preferences.
This place is nice!
There is hardly anything to complain about regarding the graphics and atmosphere. Players who have played Archlord II, Runes of Magic, Aion, or TERA and liked the Asian style will feel at home here. The quality is somewhere between Aion and TERA, the textures are relatively high quality, and the effects are impressive – also measured by today’s MMO standards, Echo of Soul does not need to hide.
The areas, of which there are more than 60, are designed to be diverse, with great attention to detail. The same goes for characters, equipment, and mounts, whose animations are convincing. Everything has been extracted from Unreal Engine 2.5. It is also positive that I did not notice any recycling of locations and monsters during my numerous excursions.
The only criticism is the sometimes static NPCs, who resemble bouncers more than free adventurers. The world itself is lively, with flying airships and more.
Here we go again: The standard quests
As indicated in the tutorial, the tasks in Asia-MMO are mostly characterized by genre-typical kill quests. Occasionally, more interesting quests arise, where, for example, you save a burning village, but overall the quest system is rather sobering.
EoS cannot distinguish itself from other genre representatives and may have to grapple with the dubious label of “Asia grinder” – even if the story sounds interesting in principle, occasional cutscenes appear, and leveling proceeds quite quickly.
Others who are not bothered by kill quests will have fun here because of the combat and some motivational game elements. It is also worth mentioning that you can level up alternatively with PvP.
What do I do in the endgame of Echo of Soul at level 60?
In PvP, there are guild wars, 5vs5 arenas, 15vs15 battlegrounds
GvGvG in Valhalla: A large PvPvE map that can accommodate up to 1000 players and fight for their guilds. Here, bosses must be defeated and valuable resources collected. This mode is expected to open twice a day at specific times. Sounds like a camping paradise, right?
In PvE, there are mainly solo and group dungeons in several difficulty levels. Later, 10- and 20-man raids will be added.
Infinity dungeon: constantly changing, areas and monsters are randomly generated
A hunt daily (in other words: grinding for rewards)
Crafting: 5 professions (gatherer, jeweler, alchemist, soul crafting, and cooking)
In both PvP and PvE: the classic hunt for better equipment. You can also upgrade your gear with runes and with gems up to +10.
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The endgame looks solid on paper. Other AAA MMOs had less at release. However, what will be crucial is how the content plays. A few more side activities, like housing features, might have been nice. It remains questionable whether achievements, companions, and mounts, as well as PvE and PvP leaderboards, can compensate for that. There is anticipation for the infinity dungeon and Valhalla.
Core topic of the community: Is Echo of Soul Pay2Win?
During conversations with the people responsible at Aeria Games, I already felt that they want Echo of Soul to allow players to finally say: Yes, this is a fair free-to-play model.
They are aware of the issues in the community and, especially with the latest addition in the fire, Echo of Soul, are particularly willing to engage with the players. Regular events are also planned, during which players will receive shop items. Jérôme Van Long, the producer of EoS, provided us with the following statement:
Free-to-play games are often accused of pursuing a pay-to-win strategy and differentiating between paying and non-paying players. Our aim is for players who choose to use the item shop to make that decision out of fun for the game, not because they see it as a necessity. For this reason, items in the EoS shop are mainly available for convenience, a faster progression in the game, or cosmetic improvements. For example, our players can purchase costumes or mounts, from which we have deliberately removed power boosts. Alternatively, consumables can be bought that provide costumes with an experience boost.
On the way to the maximum level, players will have the opportunity to earn most paid items for free, for example as a reward for successfully completed quests or while leveling. So it is up to them to decide how useful they consider these items.
In most MMOs, players can additionally acquire available items via the auction house or directly from other players. In doing so, they must, of course, decide to spend the in-game currency either on items or other activities. For this reason, we decided to implement a completely new system in EoS, which does not even exist in the Asian version. Players can find magical eggs that can be exchanged for paid items.
In the end, we want to provide both paying and non-paying players with a balanced, fair, and the best possible gaming experience.
– Jérôme Van Long, Producer Echo of Soul
That all sounds believable. Ultimately, actions must follow. If the game is enjoyable and the shop is fair, players might reward it with purchases of cosmetic items and similar. Otherwise, it will also be difficult for the operators to maintain a fair system. After all, they won’t be able to please everyone.
Some expressed concerns about the dungeon tickets. Aeria Games wants to look into the situation. You can only run a certain number of group dungeons in a week, as you would expect from other MMOs. However, with dungeon tickets, high-frequency players can go in more often and thus possibly obtain their PvE gear faster, similar to TERA.
Few innovations, but there is the soul system…
If one can speak of “innovations” in the rather conventional Echo of Soul, it is most likely the “soul system,” which gives combat a turbo boost and, due to its design, could provide long-term motivation. Essentially the second cornerstone of progression alongside the traditional item hunt.
It’s actually quite simple: by killing monsters, the character gains unclean souls. These can be “purified” by other players or an NPC and transformed into useful powers of courage, innocence, peace, or hopes. These appear twice: once as general, very powerful buffs and then as enhancements to the ultimate skills. The kicker is that the four powers can each also be leveled and improved further. This will take a long time but promises motivation to get the most out of the character: the journey is the goal, right?
The new buzzword after WildStar: Accessibility – we want all MMO players
Aeria Games stated that they paid particular attention in development to appeal to a wider player base compared to Lineage 2. The goal was to create an MMO that is less cumbersome. With this statement, they are likely correct, as that was my impression as well. Everything seemed so accessible and intuitive that it gave the impression of being able to quickly find one’s way even in a Korean version…
Conclusion: Echo of Soul does not want to be any different, this quickly becomes clear. They do not aim to impress MMO players with revolutionary features, but rather want to score with proven content.
Players who favor a classic theme park MMO in the Asian style can probably be advised: Echo of Soul is among the most promising titles in 2015. The advantage is that the game has been on the market in Asia for 1-2 years and has thus matured; all game systems consequently seem polished, mature, and work well together. Since Blade & Soul is taking an eternity to arrive, this is probably the best alternative for fans of Asia MMOs seeking a new adventure.
Those who demand sandbox features or expect a game that revolutionizes the genre will find no savior in EoS and certainly not the best MMORPG in a long time.
There are still a few open questions: How good is the endgame, and does Echo of Soul engage players long-term? How much fun is the MMO with and against other players? The closed beta begins on May 4, then you might be able to answer some questions yourself. If you’re interested in participating in the closed beta of EoS, you can sign up here on the official website. There is currently no release date for the German version. We will take a closer look at the game as well.
What do you think? Echo of Soul may have its strengths and be among the top MMOs in Asia, but does the classic, if not outdated implementation suffice for success in Europe and North America?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the fantasy MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online, the saga continues next week. Update 16 now has a release date.
On Monday, May 4th, it is supposed to be released, according to a US site and the US Facebook account of LOTRO. Normally, this day is occupied by Star Wars (May the Fourth/Force be with you), but Update 16 for The Lord of the Rings Online has been long overdue. The date was announced in a live stream.
Update 16 brings three new instances in a cluster, focusing on the fallen city of Osgiliath. New zones in the east of Gondor and new quests are coming. The most important feature is probably a revamp of the legendary weapons. There is a developer diary in German about the relatively complex redesign of the legendary weapons that contains all the important information. Items declared as “inspired” will no longer need to be re-crafted.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Destiny , Bungie has launched a fundraising initiative for the earthquake victims in Nepal. They are selling a t-shirt, a special shader, and an emblem in a package – but the shipping costs are an annoyance for many players outside the USA.
Emergency relief is an important and challenging issue. Anyone who observes the world with open eyes knows this. Shipping costs for items from the USA overseas, however, are a matter that only a few deal with. Both topics have been linked together in the last few hours.
On reddit and elsewhere , people are discussing Bungie’s “Nepal T-shirt” with much sympathy, but also with criticism. The price of $25 is not the problem, nor is the design or anything else, but the high shipping costs. They do not benefit the earthquake victims, but the logistics companies. Anyone ordering the t-shirt with the emblem and the shader to Europe, for example, is expected to pay around $40 in shipping fees.
Therefore, some players have demanded in recent hours: Bungie should expand the offer. They should simply leave out the t-shirt and sell only the shader and the emblem digitally. Then 100% of the profits could go to Nepal, and the Guardians would receive the exclusive in-game rewards that some are keen on, and everyone would be satisfied.
A possible role model could be Blizzard, which has previously sold virtual items such as pets to raise money for Ebola (Agri), the Make-A-Wish Foundation, or other causes.
We will keep you updated on whether and how Bungie responds to the players’ initiative.
Mein MMO says: In earlier interviews, Bungie emphasized that they are now expanding into other regions of the world with Destiny and the PlayStation, whereas previously they were mainly at home in North America with Halo (the Xbox is primarily widespread there). Bungie should now learn from an international company like Blizzard and consider players outside the USA in such well-intentioned initiatives.
Of course, it should not be forgotten that the primary goal is to donate to Nepal. Therefore, it should be stated: Anyone who wants to help the earthquake victims in Nepal should consider direct options for assistance and contact their trusted donation organization.
Update Saturday, May 2, 12:30 PM: In the meantime, there is another shipping option: USPS First-Class International Service. A t-shirt will then cost $15.50 to ship, making it $20 cheaper than the previous cheapest option. Thanks to our reader ZeRo for the tip.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The action MMO Marvel Heroes 2015 is taking another step towards the MMO genre: It introduces a success system like World of Warcraft.
Success systems have been a trend in gaming for some time now, and they are spreading further and have even reached the economy as “Gamification”: Complete certain, sometimes somewhat arbitrary goals, which sometimes lie outside the “main plot”, and you will be rewarded for it. Now, the superhero brawler Marvel Heroes is also jumping on the “success” train. Over 11,000 points are to be earned, with 10 different categories. In short: A lot of AVs, goals, and entertainment for players who enjoy such things.
The achievements are not just for show, they also reflect in titles. There are rewards for certain achievements, and they have really come up with something and do not just want a mere skeleton in the game, but want to add substance. According to their statements, they have taken a “classic success system” and combined it with a “mission system”, which then comes with clear rewards.
In Hearthstone , the new May season starts on May 1st. The card back that players can earn this time is themed around the Ninja Ogre.
A famous ogre villain is already known from World of Warcraft: Dagg, a master of stealth. Many might not have found him as he is incredibly good at hiding. But not him, but the Ninja Ogre is the focus of Blizzard’s card back this May. Players must reach rank 20 in ranked mode to earn it at the end of the month: Not really challenging.
For a month, the Evolve players on PS4 and PC had to wait, but now there is finally new map content. The “Broken Hill Mine” and the “Broken Hill Foundry” have been unlocked through a micropatch. Previously, they were only available on Xbox One due to an exclusivity deal.
While the Mine is built deep within the cave complex as expected, the Foundry is the associated processing industrial area and offers a bit of variety from the previously wilder maps. Both maps are available in the regular “Hunt” mode as well as in the Evacuation campaign, where they even bring new campaign effects.
Lots to shoot this weekend
If you are not going on a May tour, you might want to participate in the weekend challenge. This time, it is required to land a total of 2,000,000 headshots with Assault Parnell to unlock the “Predator” skin for all participants. If the goal is exceeded and an impressive 2.8 million headshots on monsters are achieved, all Assaults will even get the complete “Predator” skin set. To qualify for obtaining the skins, it is sufficient to play one round during the weekend, regardless of which character you choose.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The survival MMO H1Z1 is getting a new patch today. This will wipe the servers and bring female player models. However, the survivors are most excited about the improvement of the base security.
With a one-day delay, the new patch for H1Z1 arrives. The servers are expected to be down between 12:00 and 14:00 today, May 1st. The planned connection to the Steam Marketplace has been postponed to next week. With the patch on May 7th, they aim to improve and repair existing features, rather than introduce new ones. The next one is supposed to be a so-called quality-of-life patch.
However, this does not apply to the update on May 1st. For today’s patch, the introduction of a female player model has been planned, along with a complete player and world wipe. The female models currently come with relatively few voice options, which the developers plan to improve later. Additionally, there will be melee weapons and a t-shirt for everyone after the restart.
The players on reddit are most excited about the changes to the base building. Here, the radius in which players cannot build anything around a base has been increased. Unless they are the owners of the foundation or in a group with the owner. In the past, attacking players had crafted items as a kind of “ladder” to bypass the owner’s defenses via such makeshift constructions.
If “homeowners” do not log in for 2 weeks or delete their character on the server, the base is considered “free” and can be claimed by others. Biofuel and ethanol now deal only half the damage to structures with the patch.
In the upcoming “Content Drop 5” for WildStar, also known by the title “INVASION: Nexus”, the new holo wardrobe feature will finally come into use. Colleague Kelzam from wildstar-core.com has taken the effort to thoroughly test the advanced fashion assistant.
Plenty of Space, Few Restrictions
So far, costumes in WildStar have always been a bit cumbersome. You had to acquire the respective armor pieces on each character and then trek over to the costume NPC in the capital.
The holo wardrobe will always be available and can be used from anywhere! Up to 350 different items can be stored, dyed, and exchanged there. To add an armor piece to the collection, you just have to click on it and pay a small fee (about 20 silver) and the item is unlocked – across the entire account! So, you can let all your twinks run around in the legendary armor of the main character, at least visually.
The only restriction exists for faction-dependent armor; otherwise, as usual, even a delicate Esper can wear the heavy armor of a Tech Pioneer. Dyeing also works smoothly through the new interface – colors are still unlocked for individual characters and not for the account. Nevertheless, this has once again made a Protostar employee redundant and made players’ lives easier.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
