How The Secret World Stopped Being Evil and Learned to Love Players

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The dark fantasy MMORPG The Secret World has implemented long-held plans to become easier and more accessible. The patch went smoothly without major issues.

The Buy2Play MMO The Secret World is now indeed easier, more logical, and the rewards are better as well. Everything that was intended, to improve the experience for “newcomers”, has been implemented in the game since yesterday with Game Update 1.11. In principle, they have:

    • weakened all enemies except those in Tokyo, as they now deal less damage and can take less damage
The Secret World Machine Tyrant
    • introduced fast travel
    • reconsidered the rewards, making them feel stronger and better
    • revised the starter decks
    • nerfed AE damage so that single-target abilities are also worthwhile
    • rethought the elite abilities (players can only carry one active and one passive)
    • revised the starting quests and introduced more tutorials
The Secret World Mansion Shield
  • revised and clarified the map with more information and generally more MMO-like map characteristics
  • introduced a kind of item score so that players can see at a glance which item is better
  • better separated group content from solo player areas
  • and also turned a lot of other things around. The question that was always at the forefront was: How can we reduce player frustration?

In an interview with mmorpg.com, the lead designer of The Secret World, Romain Amiel, said he had been calling for these changes for 3 years. And no one wanted to hear it anymore. With each patch, the list of necessary changes grew longer. Now it was time. According to Amiel, everything went smoothly with the patch. Next, they will focus on release #11.

Oops, unfortunately this affiliate widget is no longer available.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Patch-Notizen (Englisch)
  2. MMORPG Interview

Destiny: Analyst Pachter believes that House of Wolves is coming in May; Comet will be an expansion like in WoW

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

Analyst Michael Pachter comments on the MMO shooter Destiny and shares his assessment of the situation, touching on questions such as when the next DLC House of Wolves will be released, what to expect from the major expansion Comet, how frequently new content will arrive, and what Activision’s master plan looks like.

Michael Pachter is a well-known gaming analyst, specializing in explaining to readers what goes on “behind the scenes” and what developers might be thinking economically when making decisions. Pachter is somewhat controversial, as his accuracy rate is too low, yet he is often consulted for advice and his assessment.

The website gamingbolt recently interviewed him about Destiny. Pachter has also spoken with Activision and weaves in “insider” information into his opinion and assessment of the situation.

Destiny Targets

Pachter believes:

  • The larger expansion this year (Comet) will be as expansive as a WoW expansion, meaning more of a $40 affair with a 10-level cap higher than the current $20 DLCs offering 2 new levels.
  • New DLC content should come every 4 months, which would mean three expansions a year, two of those for $20, one large for $40.
  • Activision has learned from WoW how not to do it: if you only release a new expansion every two years, you lose players. Thus, they want to offer Destiny players something more frequently to keep them engaged.
  • A good schedule for releasing DLCs, according to Pachter, would be April, August, November; a release had already occurred in December this year. Thus, it might come down to December, May, November. Activision’s goal is to always give players something to do in Destiny.
  • Activision intends to generate approximately $60 each year from expansions for Destiny. This is roughly akin to players buying a new Call of Duty every year. It seems to lead towards introducing a “quasi-subscription model.” All major franchises are currently striving to convert the MMO subscription model into a “pay-to-go” model while not giving up the revenue from the initial box sale. Electronic Arts has been following this policy for a long time, for example, with FIFA Ultimate Team.
  • Activision wants to gradually increase the player base; they had 3.5 million in November and later reached 5 million daily. By the end of the year, they aim for perhaps 7 million active players per day, by the end of 2016, 9 million, by the end of 2017, 11 million, and then Destiny 2 will be released and sell 20 million units. This is, according to Pachter, Activision’s master plan.
Destiny Art

Mein MMO says: Pachter’s assessments align with what we know or at least what the leaks have indicated. It indeed appears that “Comet” will be some sort of Destiny 1.5 with 10 new levels, new weapon types, and plenty of new gameplay content. It is intriguing that Pachter sees a release for Destiny 2 only in 2018. Given the current pace, a September 2016 release seemed imminent, but with 10 years, that hardly fits. There are also indications that House of Wolves may indeed release in May, especially given that there currently seems to be little to do in Destiny.

Destiny PC

If Comet were really to come out in November 2015 and “House of Wolves” were only a relatively small content expansion, it seems extremely questionable whether Destiny can actually meet its ambitious plans. Four months between DLC – perhaps with part of the content arriving 6 weeks later, as it is now, seems like a reasonable idea. Had they stuck to that, “House of Wolves” would be due at the beginning of April, and the situation would be much more relaxed.

It’s unfortunate that Pachter does not comment on a possible PC port of Destiny. This does not seem to have been a topic at Activision at all in recent months.

What Pachter says about how major publishers are looking for means to continuously monetize their MMO games aligns completely with our assessment.

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

The Division: How to create realistic “… Orcs?”

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The MMO shooter The Division introduces an exceptional group of enemies called the “Cleaners”.

Every MMO needs its foes, its villains, the minions you fight against. In fantasy and science-fiction scenarios, it’s easy to pull these bad guys from a whole host of archetypal and established enemies. Their motivation usually boils down to “I’m just evil!” or even simpler “Look at me, I didn’t get these fangs because I’m a vegetarian, but because I love human flesh!” But where do villains come from in a scenario that is so focused on realism and authenticity as Tom Clancy’s The Division?

In The Division, you are given a glimpse behind the scenes and see what was considered when designing the “Cleaners”. They serve as one of many factions that represent population and interest groups in a New York after a bio-attack. And at a time when the crisis is still ongoing.

The-Division-Flammenwerfer

In The Division, factions must:

  • be plausible
  • be fun or cool
  • support a range of gameplay mechanics
  • pose a threat to The Division and the players’ goals
  • fit the overall look and style of the game
The-Division-Waffe

The Cleaners check all these boxes. They are a group clad in protective suits with flamethrowers. They are out to burn everything that looks like it has been contaminated by the virus. And even just a quiet suspicion is enough.

As they burn both innocent civilians and valuable resources, players quickly find themselves in conflict with them.

The team at Ubisoft explains that in “The Division”, of course, you need enemies, but you cannot rely on long-established foes. You can’t just give the factions in The Division helmets with horns or shoulder pads. Everything needs to make sense and fit the realistic setting.

The-Division-Cleaner-Rücken

The “Cleaners” have a clear goal: to contain the virus and prevent its spread. They have a well-defined look. And they control certain zones but also patrol others, with their motivation clearly conflicting with that of the players.

It seems like The Division has found the perfect realistic orcs. Even if one would never phrase it that way.

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

Evolve: PC patch is now live, balance patch will come later

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

A patch has been released for the team shooter Evolve that fixes issues on PC. The balance patch will take longer to arrive.

Evolve wants to address the “technical issues” first before tackling the balance issues. Although the solutions and ideas, which have been announced for a long time, Turtle Rock Studios prioritizes polishing the technical aspects of the PC version.

The balance patch is already in the internal testing phase. It is known how much players are demanding it, and they are working to deliver it as quickly as possible. Besides the balance changes, fans are currently requesting a different matchmaking system, which seems to have considerable conflict potential.

Evolve Goliath Leap Attack

The PC patch 1.1 is already live (since around 7 PM on Tuesday, March 11th) and brings these changes:

  • Added FOV slider to the options menu
  • Improved 21:9 monitor support
  • Improved support for shared memory GPUs
  • Various progression/mastery balance changes
  • Improved DirectX stability
  • Fixed a windows timer issue that may have caused FPS problems on some systems
  • Fix for a shadow rendering bug
  • Fixed five Hunter bug
  • Fix for disappearing/persisting mouse cursor

The “balance changes” for progression and mastery are not the originally announced balance changes and are therefore unrelated. Prior to the PC patch, an Xbox patch already addressed serious issues on the console.

More about the 4vs1 co-op shooter can be found on our Evolve topic page.

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

Everyone gets Blade & Soul – except us

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

NCSoft’s Asia hit Blade & Soul is still pending. Meanwhile, other regions of the world receive new patches and versions, and NCSoft is now announcing a localization of Tree of Savior for the West.

There is still nothing new about a West port of Blade & Soul – it has been nearly two months since the last sign of life was heard, which was merely a thin one: We definitely want to bring Blade and Soul to the West, we still need to fill some positions.

Meanwhile, Blade and Soul is alive and well in other regions. In Taiwan, the major expansion White and Blue Mountain is coming and will be celebrated there with a trailer and a new title song.

Recommended editorial content

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

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

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

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

With unease, Blade&Soul fans waiting for a West release must consider a new development. NCSoft is asking for the help of fans to translate the new project Tree of Savior into English. In the past, fans blamed WildStar for taking precedence over Blade&Soul in the West. Hopefully, the impression that there can only be one is not confirmed.

Meanwhile, NCSoft likely has completely different worries in Korea.

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

Black Desert: April will be the month of the Valkyrie

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the Korean MMORPG Black Desert, the next new class is set to be released in April. This should sound familiar to us Germans: it is the Valkyrie.

Black Desert launched in open beta with four classes from Daum, and two more have been added. The Beast Master in January and the Blader in February. In March, they will take a break from new classes before the Valkyrie (Valkyrie) becomes the 7th and penultimate class to be introduced in April.

The Valkyrie will – as has been heard beforehand – be a tank, but unlike the warrior, it will focus more on support abilities.

Black-Desert-Irgendwie-zickige-Frau-wartet

In Norse mythology, Valkyries were female spirits who brought fallen warriors whom they deemed worthy to Valhalla. In MMORPG mythology, it is somewhat jokingly said that Valkyries are now used when one wants another female melee class and does not want to opt for Amazons. In the West, this is a rather rare class; we prefer classes that can function as both male and female. In Korea, a “gender-lock” is common, with classes being fixed to their gender.

In our language, the term “Valkyrie” has actually persisted as a designation for an energetic, assertive, and usually somewhat voluminous and robust woman. But a warning: This is information you better not apply.

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

Warframe: Tombs of the Sentient brings new content

Nico Saborowski Nico Saborowski Reading time 2 minutes

Content, Content, Content – otherwise an MMO becomes boring quickly. The creators of Warframe thought the same and announced at PAX East this year content in the form of Tombs of the Sentient. There’s also a new parkour system and fresh weapons for all in-game ninjas.

Trailer for the Content Patch Tombs of the Sentient

A bit of variety is what Warframe will get with one of the upcoming content patches. Tombs of the Sentient – this is the new threat in the Warframe universe. What you can expect from it is revealed in a short trailer. However, Digital Extremes has not yet disclosed a specific release date. Tombs of the Sentient is expected to be released later this year.

Recommended editorial content

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

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

More Boom Boom

As a hobby ninja, you can also look forward to new weapons. A total of three new guns are coming your way soon. In addition to the weapons Mios, Puncture Glaive, and Dark Dakra, there are also brand new Warframes: Volt and Chroma. You can immediately test them in the new parkour system called Parkour 2.0, which is supposed to significantly improve the dynamics within Warframe battles. Thus, acrobatic moves, such as wall-running, are also manageable for beginners and enhance the gameplay flow. Unfortunately, Digital Extremes did not reveal a specific release date here either.

Warframe Orbital Relay

The “Destiny for PC” is constantly evolving. I’m already looking forward to the new content, as well as the revised parkour system. That Digital Extremes is more active than ever in developing Warframe is not only evident from these announcements but also from the recently released patch. Here, Warframe has been made more social and now resembles the console hit Destiny more and more.

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

Destiny: New app Packmule increases clarity in the vault and facilitates item transfer

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In Destiny, there are now new apps that allow for a more streamlined item transfer.

Our friends from the YouTube channel ProNDC are really excited about the new app Packmule and want to introduce it to you. It is available as a Chrome extension and as an Android app. The special feature is the improved clarity when using it, and you no longer have to awkwardly go through the vault when transferring items from one character to another.

Check out the video about the app:

Recommended editorial content

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

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

Providing a substitute for the now improved “Companion App” from Bungie seems to be becoming popular, as it has also become significantly more useful after the changes to the vault. Alongside Packmule, other providers are also emerging. Perhaps a new trend. Since the release, there have been apps for Destiny that compensate for some “weaknesses” in the interface, such as displaying timers for events or making group searches easier.

Disclaimer: We have no connection with any of the app developers or have any associations with them. Apps are a sensitive topic, as anyone who walks through the virtual world with open eyes should know. Guardian’s honor: Nothing to do with it.

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

Skyforge: Closed beta start delayed, 1 million players are registered

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

There are some minor issues with the launch of the Closed Beta for Skyforge. It was scheduled for 15:00, but the servers are still down.

Yes, there is the happy press release that 1 million players have registered for the Closed Beta and that it starts today at 15:00, and the reality is that you can’t access the servers at 15:50.

As Team Allods tweets, there are still last-minute fixes being made to the realms before everything can kick off. At the moment, players can’t even authenticate. There seem to be some difficulties with that as well.

Recommended editorial content

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

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

The interest in the Free2Play MMO Skyforge seems to be quite high: 1 million registered players for the Beta is quite a number. Especially since Skyforge is a fresh brand. Those who are currently waiting for the Closed Beta to start can pass the time with this new Dev Diary. Skyforge presents the plans for their raids here. The special thing is: As there are no healers, everyone is responsible for their own HP. And if certain classes are missing, other players can easily take their place thanks to the class switch at the push of a button. And for those who are still waiting on the servers: Here is our preview of Skyforge. Update 16:00: The authentication seems to be working now and you can access the servers. The next issue is the error message 107, as that seems to be a dead end.


Update 16:37: Now the servers are working, and some users are already in (and by that I mean myself). While others still have problems with server authentication. The first two impressions from the beta: The “Alpha” still appears in the top right, and the texts are in German, but the voice output is in perfect Russian.

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

Final Fantasy XIV: Everything in the Collector’s Edition of Heavensward

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The fantasy MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV is on the verge of its first expansion “Heavensward.” Now the contents of the Collector’s Edition have been revealed.

Initial details about the Collector’s Edition of the expansion “Heavensward.” Prices have also been provided, albeit only in yen for the time being. According to this, the Collector’s Edition will cost 14800 yen, which is approximately 120 euros. The “digital” Collector’s Edition is significantly cheaper, priced at 5800 yen (45 euros), the same goes for the “All-in-one” Collection, which includes the digital base game and Heavensward in one box. The standard digital edition is priced at 3800 yen, just under 30 euros.

The tangible contents of the CE will include:

  • A dragon figure (cover image)
  • An art book
  • and various discs with trailers and videos.

The digital content has been compiled into a gallery for you. There’s a Griffin mount, a helm designed after Final Fantasy IV’s Dark Knight Cecil, and a Kain minion:

FF14-Cecil-Baron
FF14-Kain
FF14-Greif


Pre-order customers can look forward to these two gifts: a special circlet and a flying Chocobo chick as a pet.

  • FF14-Circlet
  • FF-Choco-Kit


This weekend, a producer letter is expected to be released, after which we will probably have certainty. The pre-sale of Final Fantasy XIV begins on March 16, and the launch of Heavensward is then on June 23, with pre-order customers able to start on June 19.

More on Final Fantasy XIV can be found on our FFXIV topic page.

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

Black Desert: Korean PvE is far too easy, adjustments are being made for Russia

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The Korean MMORPG Black Desert features light PvE content. The large world bosses can be tackled solo, while the raid bosses lack gameplay mechanics. It is expected to be different in Russia. Will it also be a model for Europe?

As a Black Desert fan site writes, the PvE content in the Korean version of Black Desert is heavily geared towards single players. Even the largest callable world bosses can be comfortably defeated by a single player with strong equipment. After one of the recent patches, one wouldn’t even have to pay attention to tactics but could simply overpower the boss and stand within its abilities. The world bosses are basically just normal enemies with a ton of health points.

It is unknown, the fan site continues, whether the Korean community agrees with this. However, the Western and Russian player base reacts negatively to such things. Therefore, the Russian publisher of Black Desert, GameNet, has already announced that changes will be made here. The world bosses should be more challenging and not just a callable loot piñata.

Korea-Raid-Bosse

Black Desert Raid bosses currently just tank and spank

The question remains whether the Korean publisher Daum, who will alsomanage the Western version, will make changes here and whether the PvE in the “original” game will remain as it is now. After all, the game is still in a beta phase, even if it is treated like a release as is common with F2P titles.

Korean MMORPGs are known for placing the focus more on PvP. Other reports from Black Desert suggest that the PvE content does not align with our expectations in the West. While here, we expect diverse boss fights with various phases and mechanics centered around WoW, in Korea it is noticeably grittier.

From the Open Beta of Black Desert, the Asia expert steparu also reports that the callable guild raid boss leads to a pure tank and spank encounter. This is what is referred to in MMORPG terminology as a boss that has no mechanics that require effort from the player. And where it is enough for a tank to keep his focus (tank), while the rest beat him up (spank).

Recommended editorial content

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

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

The MMORPG Black Desert, despite this news, is one of the most promising MMORPGs for the next two years, in ourdetailed preview we have already introduced BD.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Black Desert Fanseite
  2. Steparu

Complaining Wednesday: Indie Early Access Alpha Waste

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Welcome to a new edition of my absolutely irrational, contrived, and completely unthoughtout rant on Wednesday! Please welcome my two main guests: Steam and the long list of games that would have been better off never seeing the light of the internet – or haven’t quite done so yet!

The Glorious Era of Indie Games

A few years ago, indie games were considered the great hope of the games industry. Where the big players like EA or Activision had little room for new impulses, games like “Minecraft” or “Juniper’s Knot” made it painfully clear to me that a huge development studio is not necessarily required.

Individual people or very small teams have created games in which I have spent more playtime than in many AAA titles. And in general, I consider it one of the greatest achievements of our time that anyone who develops something is now theoretically able to share it with the world. However, I find the developments of recent years more than just a bit alarming.

We are so different and yet so alike

Fortress Evolved Steam
Fortress Evolved – the 100th Minecraft clone?

When you browse through the Steam store today and finally give in to the audaciously intrusive “personal queue”, I get shivers down my spine every time. A large part of the games is now from indie developers.

Don’t get me wrong, dear indies! If you have great ideas, please implement them! But when alongside the 100 Minecraft clones, which all claim to be “something completely different” simply because instead of a pickaxe you now mine with a trident or instead of dirt, the moon, then I get “the cold vomit” in German, to put it mildly. And if anyone tries to convince me that they “started at the same time as Minecraft, but just finished now”, I feel compelled to misuse my keyboard for things that would be immediately censored due to increased violence depiction by youth protection.

Early Access, Early Exploitation

Stomping Land
…and suddenly the dino game “The Stomping Land” was history. Silently.

An even larger portion tries to sell itself to me as “Early Access”. While I certainly see the benefits of such a model from a sober perspective, the safeguards for the customer are simply too low. More and more games appear that are offered as “Early Access” and then quietly buried after a few months.

Where have all the nice, finished games gone, where you don’t run into bugs every ten meters? What has led to this drastic change? I can easily imagine some developers counting their money: We made only half a game, but we already cashed in. Bye with a smile and thanks for your trust, you gullible gamers!

Ah… that felt good again. See you next time. Feel free to get a bit worked up, it can be very liberating!

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

Destiny: Xur Prediction – What will he disappoint us with on Friday the 13th?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny, there is a prediction of what Xur, the Agent of the Nine, will have on Friday, the 13th of March. The last three were correct, but this time it could be the last one.

The prophets are in agreement. One has gotten the exact inventory, while the other, who always gives only cryptic hints, has nodded and confirmed it. However, it might be that these will be the last prophecies we receive for Xur.

An end to the admittedly quite precise fortune-telling

The Japanese, cryptic prophet Megaman has become more silent in recent weeks. He fears that if he says it too early, Bungie might react and change Xur’s inventory. All he provides are vague: “He will bring this within the next weeks among other things” announcements.

Destiny-Hotfix
Does this end the fortune-telling?

The other, much more talkative prophet maimonguy doesn’t want to do it anymore because he received too much hate and was confronted with accusations that he was already revealing what Santa Claus has in store and thus ruining the surprise for everyone.

And the third reason could be quite simple: Yesterday a hotfix was released, primarily concerning the databases. It might be possible that Bungie is tired of the fortune-telling and has put a stop to it. However, we will only find out on Friday.

Are the predictions for Destiny meaningful?

Even though the predictions were correct in the last three weeks, one might again place a question mark over this week, Friday, the 13th of March. If the hotfix on Tuesday evening really aimed at Xur, it is quite possible that the inventory was modified for Friday. Therefore, it is not necessary for the predictions to be correct again. And for that inventory, many would certainly wish so.

What is Xur predicted to have on Friday, the 13th of March?

Xur brings the shotgun “The Universal Remote“, which can also be used in the primary slot and is currently popular. It would have been much cooler if he hadn’t had it just two weeks ago. The Universal Remote fits in the primary slot (such weapons usually cost 23 strange coins), but it only costs 17 strange coins. By the way, with this glimmer farm spot is recommended.

Destiny-Universalgerät272

For Titans, he is supposed to have the gloves “No Backup Plans” (77/83 strength). He had them the last time two weeks ago. Like all armor pieces, they cost 13 strange coins.

Destiny-Kein-Plan-B-272

Hunters can get a Seal of Alpha Lupi (extremely strong 157/169, only 1 below the absolute maximum). It was last available four weeks ago.

Destiny-Wappen-von-Alpha-Lupi132-Jäger

And for Warlocks, there is the helm “Light Beyond Nemesis” (108/115). This item was also available four weeks ago.

Destiny-Licht-Hinter-Nemesis132

Xur is supposed to have an exotic glove engram, but no heavy ammo synthesis.

This is likely to be a rather disappointing Xur day for most, as almost all items were already available for sale in February. Therefore, many hope that Bungie has made some changes with the hotfix. We will find out what it will ultimately be on Friday, the 13th of March, at 10:00 AM. We will report on it again.

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

Project Hon: NCSoft has uncovered 3 corrupt developers in Mech-Shooter

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

Recently, there has been as much drama surrounding the Korean developer NCSoft as there is in a US series. Now, corrupt employees have been exposed and dismissed.

NCSoft operates here as “the suits” behind Guild Wars 2 and WildStar. The Korean publisher decides on whether developers will be laid off and how the flow of money looks. Furthermore, NCSoft is known as the publisher that doesn’t hesitate long when things look bad, having shut down “City of Heroes” prematurely. They are also known as the company that simply does not bring Blade & Soul to the West.

NCSoft itself has some irons in the fire in Korea and is one of the largest MMO studios there. In the past two months, they have become embroiled in a complicated power struggle with the number one in Korea, Nexon and are currently securing themselves against the potential for minority shareholders to take over their own company. The two big games that NCSoft has in the pipeline are Lineage Eternal and Project Hon. Project Hon is a legitimate mech shooter that is supposed to run on both mobile platforms and PCs thanks to cloud technology.

NCSoft-Terminator-Aesthetics

They have now dismissed three developers because they enriched themselves. They allegedly hired a company with which they have personal contacts to develop the graphics for Project Hon. As a result, they are said to have embezzled eight-digit sums in Korean Won (10 million Won is approximately 8200 Euros).

They are even considering taking legal action against the three former employees. Project Hon is to be further developed and remain unaffected by the difficulties.

Recommended editorial content

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

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

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

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

Overwatch: According to the developer, not a mix of shooter and MOBA

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

At PAX East, the folks from PlayersCut TV had the opportunity to conduct a quick Q&A with Overwatch developer Jeff Kaplan. Since he could only respond with “Yes”, “No”, or in case of doubt “I don’t know”, the whole process went fairly quickly. We have summarized the most interesting statements here for you.

  • Contrary to many claims, Kaplan sees Overwatch as neither a mix of shooter and MOBA.
  • There are still no plans for a single-player campaign.
  • All heroes will be assigned a difficulty level, which can be viewed in the hero selection menu.
  • The damage from melee and ranged heroes should not differ.
  • They continue to strive to cover a wide range of nations and personalities with the heroes to represent players around the world.
  • “Widowmaker” was not created due to inspiration from the two Starcraft ghosts Kerrigan and Nova.

If you want to see the entire interview, which also includes a lot of “nonsense” questions, you should check out this video:

Recommended editorial content

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

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

For all further information, including the beta launch, you can find it on our Overwatch theme page.

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

WildStar: 10 days free trial – also valid for old players!

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

Yesterday, we complained that it has been a bit quiet around Carbines Sci-Fi MMO, and today we have good news for you: Everyone can try out WildStar for ten days for free!

Returnees and newcomers are welcome

The offer of ten days is not only aimed at newcomers, but also former players who have turned their backs on WildStar can embark on another journey to Nexus.

But not only your friends, drinking buddies, and neighbors who have never played WildStar can take advantage of this offer. Former players can also activate their 10-day trial directly through the account management !

Complete newcomers must, however, live with the genre-typical restrictions: A maximum of 3 characters can be created, character level 20 and path level 12 cannot be exceeded, and there is a cap of 5000 for the PvP currency. There are also some limits on social interaction, as one cannot write in global channels or designate any roommates/neighbors for their house. Nevertheless, this is more than enough content to at least get a first impression of WildStar. Veterans, by the way, receive 10 days with no restrictions as a gift and can enjoy everything to the fullest.

Play WildStar for free

If you haven’t been able to motivate yourself until now, now is the time to create an Aurin and teach a few Chuas a lesson – just follow this link: www.wildstar-online.com/de/freetrial/

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. forums.wildstar-online.com

Rift: Get three gifts by March 15: Euli, title, glasses

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the Free2Play MMO Rift , there are three gifts to grab until March 15th, originally hidden in the infographic.

Rift is celebrating its birthday, but rewarding the players. In the infographic for the fourth anniversary recently, three codes were hidden that only the fastest could redeem – until now.

Now the codes are available for redemption for a limited time. Until Sunday morning our time, these three codes should provide you with goodies.

  • You can get the flying pet “Euli” with this code: T6NG-NP9N-HPPY-3CYJ-RM7E
  • The title “The Loyal” is available with this: RMJR-3EKZ-JZKD-LXGE-YQZG
  • And a Dwarven Smith’s Glasses as a costume can be claimed with: J3PN-NXKR-GRKQ-WYHN-2RNK

You enter the codes on your account page at Rift, accessed via the Glyph client. In the game, you can collect the gifts from the mailbox.

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

The Elder Scrolls Online: Information about the buy-to-play transition in the TESO-Cast

Gastbeitrag Gastbeitrag Reading time < 1 minutes

The most important thing first: Starting March 17, you no longer have to pay subscription fees for the fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online if you don’t want to. If you have purchased TESO, whether during the beta or a week ago, you can play for free starting March 17. As long as you want and for now without restrictions. All content currently in the game, including the recently released Update 6 is included and does not need to be purchased through a DLC.

Players will still have the option to pay monthly for the game. For this, ZeniMax has introduced “ESO-Plus,” a premium membership. Those who decide to subscribe will receive a few small time-saving benefits.

In addition to the base game, which does not require a subscription, and the premium membership, which is equivalent to a subscription, there will also be an item shop – the so-called Crown Store. There you can use the fantasy currency “Crowns” to purchase mainly cosmetic items.

– Darion

Recommended editorial content

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

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

Rift gets a fifth base class

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The Free2Play MMO Rift wants to make a comeback in its fifth year and announces a new base class.

In Rift, “new class” always sounds like there’s a new one every Tuesday and two every Friday. However, that’s not the case, as Rift has such a sophisticated class system that there are actually three different types: There are the four base classes, called callings (warrior, rogue, mage, cleric), which each have a whole range of skill lines, and these are mixed into builds that differ based on which three skill trees a class selects and how they distribute the points among them. In the past, individual classes usually received new skill trees so that each class can fill each of the four roles (Yes, in Rift mages can tank and rogues can heal.)

Rift

If you add a new base class to this mix, it’s definitely exciting.

Rift-Monster

What this base class is supposed to be is not revealed yet. In fact, they are still in an early planning stage, still experimenting. Speculation is wide open. Fans are currently pondering whether a new armor type will also be introduced. The classic quartet of cloth, leather, chain, and plate already exists, and actually, that’s where the MMORPG wisdom about what to wear ends. Perhaps furs or reinforced armor?

In the near future, they want to venture back into old content with “Echo of Madness” to give every player the opportunity to visit “Hammerhall.” There, new challenges will await the heroes.

More about the Free2Play MMO can be found on our Rift topic page.

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

ArcheAge: The launch trailer for the new content expansion Ayanad’s Secrets

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The Sandpark MMO ArcheAge finally received its long-awaited next update this afternoon. That’s worth a trailer for the creators at Trion Worlds.

ArcheAge-Crafting

This afternoon, the journey continues in ArcheAge. The fresh patch Ayanad’s Secrets brings a increase of the level cap to 55, along with 5 new skill points and 10 new level 55 talents. These are contents that you usually associate with an expansion in other MMORPGs. Additionally, there’s a chance to explore a new zone called Diamond Coast and to conquer the Library, a new XXL dungeon.

On this occasion, they did not hold back and provided a launch trailer that evocatively showcases the patch contents for ArcheAge. You can find the patch notes for version 1.2 build 5.0 (currently still in English) here.

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