Destiny: Weekly Nightfall Strike on March 10th goes against the Archon Priest

In the MMO shooter Destiny , the weekly Nightfall strike occurs on March 10th against the Archon Priest in the Winter Storm strike. In our article, we provide you with tips, advice, and introduce the strike with videos and guides.

In the week from March 10th to March 17th, the Nightfall, the weekly strike, will take place on Venus, facing Aksor, the Archon Priest. All three damage bonuses are active this week.

To confuse you for no reason, here’s some information: In the USA, Daylight Saving Time has already started, and the ID change occurs on the West Coast there at 2 AM instead of the usual 1 AM. However, this does not affect us; we switch to Daylight Saving Time at the end of March. Then the ID change (and also Xur) will shift from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Not yet, though.

Back to the Nightfall: It will take place on Venus this week as announced by mysterious prophets. All three burns are active. It is a “rainbow” strike. A successful completion of the Nightfall gives a nice effect around your head, so everyone can see you’ve accomplished it, and a bonus of 24.5% on all experience and reputation earned this week.

Destiny-Nightfall-083

These are the modifiers for the Nightfall on March 10th.

  • Nightfall – If the devil (that is, Xur in his second job) wants all guardians to die, it goes back to orbit and the strike restarts
  • Epic – makes the strike significantly harder than it should be
  • Solar Burn – all solar damage is increased
  • Void Burn – void damage is significantly increased, both yours and that of the enemies
  • Arc Damage – and arc damage is more dangerous than usual

The heroic Weekly has the modifier Void Burn active.

Destiny-Fang-of-Ir-Yut

What arsenal is recommended for the Nightfall against the Archon Priest?

The modifiers for the strike have been known for a while thanks to constant leaks. Therefore, we already have some recommendations from our readers on which weapons to prefer.

Primary Weapon: Reaching for the hand cannon Crota’s Word could turn out to be a good idea. The new arc scout Ir Yûts Fang can also prove useful here with the many long-range spots.

Special Weapons: One of the strong sniper rifles is in demand. Perhaps Icebreaker or the Black Hammer or a variation of Efrideet’s Spear. Winter Storm has many elevated sniper positions. The sniper heart rejoices.

Heavy Weapons: Gjallarhorn is the dream. Ideal if the rocket launcher is complemented as a Titan with Ruin Wings.

Destiny-Word-of-Crota

Tips, guides, safe spots for the Nightfall against Askor this week?

Winter Storm is mainly a strike for long-range fighters. There are often positions from which you can shoot at enemies fighting each other below. Caution is advised if you go in alone. With a full team, it can be accelerated. You should especially make sure to fight the enemy captains with arc damage. And keep an eye on the Hobgoblin snipers.

Throughout the day, we will compile videos of successful runs. In the meantime, you can inform yourself in this article. It revolves around the last time Aksor, the Archon Priest, had three burns active. Here, you can already find videos, tips, and also indications of a safe spot for Aksor, the Archon Priest himself.

Directly into the fray with the German-speaking YouTubers from Nexxos Gaming. Equipment is Fatebringer, Black Hammer, Gjallarhorn. And it’s easy to go through as a trio. Tips include: Void weapons against the Praetorians, solar damage against the Floaters, and arc damage against the captains. Towards the end, there is a cheese spot against Askor.

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A safe spot for advanced players can be admired here. It’s not easy, there are many things to watch out for from the zone boundary to the drop-ship, but if it works out with Black Hammer like this, it looks fantastic.

http://youtu.be/RkpXWMFelm8

Here’s a solo run as a Hunter without commentary: Ir Yûts Fang, Black Hammer, Gjallarhorn and solo through. A tight performance. You can especially see how strong Ir Yûts Fang and the enemy Hobgoblins are.

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The Nightfall is a group activity. If you are looking for support or just companionship, check out our article, how to find German-speaking players in Destiny.

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Star Trek Online offers 7 weeks of turbo bonuses and bonus rewards for new captains

The SF-MMO Star Trek Online is launching an initiative to attract newcomers. For 7 weeks, players will receive bonuses.

The “Delta Recruitment” is a seven-week event in Star Trek Online. Characters created during this time are “Delta recruits.” They enjoy luxurious benefits that veterans would do anything for (number of fingers may vary by species).

Delta recruits play a parallel story of their faction, receive their own tutorial, and along their journey, they are rewarded with Dilithium ore (the premium currency), experience bonuses, special treasures, and numerous other bonuses. There will also be items that benefit the entire account.

Star-Trek-Online-Uniform

“Veterans” who have filled all character slots do not have to stare at an inactive holodeck. When the event begins, they will also receive a free character slot to create a Delta recruit.

In the game, it is explained that all factions will be recruiting like crazy for 7 weeks to prepare for the conflict with the Iconians.

Outside the game, it is clear that this event is planned to offer returning players and newcomers an incentive to advance into the endgame and to present them with the new expansion Delta Rising – and to provide regular players with some variety. With a similar tactic, Star Wars: The Old Republic had great success last year.

The “Delta Offensive” will take place from April 2 to May 21.

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Source(s):
  1. Arc Games

WildStar: Half-naked Aurin bring life to the club

At the moment, it is relatively quiet around WildStar. The Protospiele Initiative is running, and the future is still uncertain. In order to fulfill our reporting duty on the topic of WildStar once again (as long as it’s not Destiny, right?), we will take a little look at the American server “Entity” today.

“The Villa” opens its doors

Anyone who has the opportunity to stop by the American server should do so primarily on a Tuesday or Friday between 21:00 and 24:00, because at this time the dance club “The Villa” is open. In addition to plenty of good vibes, a music livestream, roleplay staff, and between 2 and 200 almost nude Aurin, guests can expect a quite nicely decorated house. The operators of “The Villa” rightly call themselves “The hottest Exile’s Danceclub,” which is definitely worth checking out for non-roleplayers as well, to get inspiration for their own housing project or simply to experience a bit of roleplay atmosphere. But what good are nice words when this video can show what is meant much better:

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Destiny: Player manages to complete a no-gun solo run, Crota alone without weapons

In Destiny, players impose increasingly absurd handicaps on themselves; one has now defeated the raid Crota’s End without firing a shot.

There is an old McDonald’s commercial: Larry Bird and Michael Jordan are playing for a Big Mac, challenging each other to increasingly bizarre shots at a basketball hoop. Since both are such legendary basketball players, they would normally make “simple” shots anyway, and there would never be a winner, the shots become more and more absurd. In the end, they throw the ball from outside the hall through a skylight and over hundreds of meters with “all net” into the hoop.

That’s probably similar to the current scene in Destiny, where players have soloed the raid Crota’s End alone already; already done alone while using the weakest exotic weapon and there are already 6 Titan teams that have steamrolled through it without firing a shot.

Destiny-Jumpy-Spring

Now, a player in normal mode has taken it even further and has tackled Crota’s End solo and unarmed. By the way, this was not achieved, as one might think, as a Titan, but as a Warlock using as many special abilities as possible. Every bit of discipline and every grenade was necessary here.

Next, there will probably be handicaps in the real world, maybe blind or only with one hand or something. Or everything on hardcore. The actual crazy peak achievement, defeating Crota in hard mode alone, has already been done by someone and secured the king title for this expansion. That was probably the last “serious, real” challenge that remained. Now, such handicap runs are in vogue. But of course, they also require a tremendous amount of effort and timing until everything works out as it looks in the finished videos.

Here is the raid in (let’s also do a handicap) reverse order – Ha!, you didn’t see that coming:

http://youtu.be/CfUsQYUL55o
http://youtu.be/z2HTOV1hmeA
http://youtu.be/QQnjlKQBbQs
http://youtu.be/NpUmrYXy3PE
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The Secret World: Beginner friendliness and release 11 are progressing, Game Director is leaving

With The Secret World, Game Director Joel Bylos is stepping down, but Update 11 is still on the way. The beginner-friendliness is also set to improve.

The Game Director of The Secret World, Joe Bylos, is moving to a different position within the Norwegian software studio Funcom. He does not specify what this role is, only that The Secret World is better than ever before.

However, there is no timeline for the next major changes yet, despite these bold words. With the next major patch, TSW will become easier and more beginner-friendly. Shortly after this patch, the next content expansion, Update 11, is set to arrive. This will be the farewell to Tokyo, as players tackle the Orochi Tower.

For 2015, more releases in new locations, a long-awaited scenario update, dungeons, and a little bit of PvP are planned.

Whether The Secret World is truly as rosy as the letter suggests is somewhat debatable in light of the recent numbers.

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  1. TSW

Destiny: Is the Companion App eating valuable items? Let’s take a look at this

In Destiny, a press release is causing a stir. Allegedly, the new mobile vault sometimes eats items. Usually, however, the Guardians just misplace them.

These are headlines that editors love and readers fear: “The mobile vault eats items!” But there isn’t much to it.

What happened? Recently, with the “Companion App” for Destiny, there is now the option to access the vault on mobile. Guardians store their treasures, coveted armor, weapons, and supplies there. This mobile app is said to make things disappear. Primarily the really strong exotic weapons like Gjallarhorn or Thunderlord.

Destiny-Omnigul

Guardians report lost items

In the last Weekly Update for Destiny on Thursday evening, there was news from Bungie that there were complaints. Players reported difficulties with the Companion App. They allegedly lost items during transfer. Bungie promised to look into it. And in the meantime advised to check more closely whether they really lost the items or just misplaced them. They warned against transferring items while maps are loading or when missions are expiring. This was a topic and a warning that was not exactly prominently placed but rather hidden away in the Weekly Update. Today, you read on German gaming sites: “Errors in Companion App lead to loss of items.” Below are comments from horrified Destiny players: Oh my God! My Gjallarhorn is in danger.

Briefly: So far, the “bug” has not been officially confirmed. There are only complaints from players that they are losing items, an investigation by Bungie, and a warning not to use the app in typical “something could go wrong” moments.

Destiny Weapons Trade

We took a look at it: Most of the threads we found on the topic went something like this: “Oh my God. A weapon is missing! Has anyone else lost weapons in the Companion App?” To which the reaction was about: “Um… no.”

Twenty minutes later, it was stated: Oh,… I found it. The app just got messed up. I forgot which character it’s on – or something similar.

In other threads, it is noted that the Companion App seems to have trouble displaying the current inventory. In the game, in the vault itself, the items were still there.

Destiny-Gjallarhorn
It was just in my vault… and now it’s gone… can I get it back?

“The Gjallarhorn is gone and I want a replacement? How Grimoire card proves that I never had it?”

There is an official large thread in the Destiny forum. Bungie is asking players if they have ever lost items through the Companion App. Here, some are indeed reporting, although that is still a small number compared to the massive player base, that plays Destiny. However, there are also cases where players suddenly lost a Gjallarhorn they never owned. This should be taken with caution, similar to when people claim they were wrongfully banned.

Conclusion: Caution is always better than regret, but there isn’t much to it

Destiny-Aiming

It is, of course, possible that there are isolated issues and that items may be lost in the mobile vault. But it could also be that the ceiling above you collapses or that you get struck by lightning. It seems to be the case that players are still having trouble adapting to the mobile vault and… well, occasionally misplacing an item. Or that the app is having difficulties, but that doesn’t affect the game at all, even though it can give players a huge scare.

In any case, it seems not to be a widespread problem. Maybe Bungie will provide reassurance soon. Until then, everyone cautious can view the app with skepticism and forgo the convenience it offers. However, there is no reason for real alarm, at least according to our research.

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Star Citizen gets a new damage model and upcoming FPS launch

When I think of successful crowdfunding campaigns, the first project that comes to mind is: Star Citizen. The Wing Commander creator Chris Roberts has managed to polarize fans long before the release of Star Citizen. Now, there is some movement again in the development.

New, Realistic Damage Model

Star Citizen is fundamentally similar to the genre leader EVE Online. However, one thing Star Citizen wants to have over the CCP game is a comprehensive damage model. The team around Chris Roberts has presented the upcoming Damage System in a blog post. The different stages of destruction are clearly distinguishable and reflect the current state of the ship. It will be particularly tragic for the player when the hard-earned ship is suddenly shot apart piece by piece. The damage system with the different degrees of destruction can be admired in the official video.

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FPS Module Coming Soon

At PAX Australia last November, the Star Citizen developers announced another FPS release for spring 2015. Now, nearly 5 months later at PAX East, the launch of the FPS module is imminent. In the near future, the module should finally reach the live servers. The FPS module sends players to space stations. There, opponents can shoot it out in a destructible environment. Several game modes, as well as battles in zero gravity, promise a lot of action. By the way, a first alpha version of the solo campaign Squadron 42 was also announced for this spring at Pax Australia. However, it seems that the campaign will only be playable in the fall. Therefore, we are cautious regarding a first alpha of the complete game by the end of the year – it’s about time!

If you don’t want to miss space battles, you can also pass the time with EVE Online. In our comparison of the space simulations Star Citizen and EVE Online, we compare the two games.

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Destiny: New Trend Weapon in PvP – the 3 best Pulse Rifles

In Destiny, the last patch has made a previously overlooked weapon type suddenly popular. Especially in PvP, after the nerfs to other weapons, pulse rifles with relatively high penetration like Red Death, three little words, or the “Stranger’s Rifle” are now in vogue.

The patch 1.1.1 has significantly adjusted the balance. Previously, it was often said “Either you take the Suros in PvP or you’re doing it wrong.” But automatic rifles were nerfed. Even the popular hand cannons like the stylish “The Last Word” or the efficient Hawkmoon have suffered slight losses after balance changes, while still being deadly in the hands of skilled players.

This gallery showcases the former stars of PvP:

Another weapon type benefited enormously from the last patch: The pulse rifles. The damage was simply increased by 9.7%. And the previously almost overlooked weapons (only 2% used them in PvP at all) are now performing at their best. Especially pulse rifles, which already have relatively high penetration, are shining. One could say: If shotguns are the big winners in PvE, then pulse rifles are the new stars in the Crucible. And in mixed use, both weapons work great together – just like bacon and eggs.

Pulse rifles are supposed to shine as mid-range weapons and especially be ready to use quickly without requiring much aiming. For everything that comes into close range, you prefer a shotgun; for anything that is too far away, a sniper rifle is better. However, the pulse rifle also works at longer ranges. Many players therefore run with a combination of pulse rifle and shotgun.

The best pulse rifles in the Crucible and how to get them

Destiny-Roter-Tod

Red Death: With Healing Effect

Leading the pack is “Red Death,” an exotic pulse rifle that was already in demand before the patch due to its healing effect. Players sought it for the hard mode of Crota. It counts in that sense, even though it has low penetration (26), it is considered one of the powerful pulse rifles since the “impact” value for that weapon type is naturally so low.

The weapon was already decent before, with 9.7% more damage, it kills with two shots in the Crucible, if aimed well.

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As an exotic weapon, you need a bit of luck to get it, Xur hasn’t had it available for ages. In the fourth week, it was available. Here it helps to open chests in the raids, diligently complete the Nightfall, and… well, engaging in very strange rituals certainly doesn’t hurt.

 

Three Little Words: I Kill You
Destiny-3-little-words

The “three little words” (normally this means in English: I love you) is a pulse rifle that is much easier to obtain than Red Death. The three little words can be found at the Crucible Quartermaster for 150 Crucible tokens and one Crucible commendation.

The three little words were already considered an underrated Crucible weapon. Before the patch, you needed three bursts to clear opponents from the way. This has further reduced with 1.1.1., and the “time to kill” is now very low.

http://youtu.be/25wBO0kfCAQ

One could say: You really don’t want to hear these three little words.

The Stranger’s Rifle: Basic Equipment

Destiny-Strangers-Rifle

It is even easier to obtain the “Stranger’s Rifle.” This is a quest reward that everyone should eventually receive; it’s just a matter of whether they kept it. The Stranger’s Rifle is a pulse rifle and has a penetration of 30. As the “pure stats” don’t matter in the Crucible and get normalized, this thing hits like a horse. And it is currently considered a real hidden gem.

http://youtu.be/pf4ueMtGCQw
No one expected that such a seemingly standard weapon could have such an impact. And those who discovered it first can feel like pioneers and pat themselves on the back for keeping it for so long.

And what other pulse rifles are in Destiny?

Also useful is the “Oversoul’s Lament,” but like other raid weapons, it shines more in PvE. In PvP, some of its attributes are useless. Useful, but somewhat outside the theme of “high penetration” is the exotic “Bad Juju.” It requires more bursts for kills, but it also charges up the super faster. The weapon requires and encourages a different playstyle.

One could say that Bungie succeeded with 1.1.1 in transforming the unloved Cinderella pulse rifle into a little princess. Players have already started training this very special weapon type again. And even if it may not really be dominant and some lament their automatic rifle or hand cannon, the patch did bring some movement into the somewhat stagnant Destiny, and that’s a good thing.

What is your favorite pulse rifle in PvP?

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ArcheAge: Preview video for tomorrow’s Lvl-55 patch leads to a new dungeon

ArcheAge-Obsidian weapons

At Pax East in Boston, the team from ArcheAge now presented the latest patch, which will be implemented on the servers on Tuesday, March 10th.

The people from mmorpg.com had the opportunity to talk with the new producer of ArcheAge “Khorlan” and the community manager “Scapes” at Pax East in Boston. The discussion mainly focused on the new patch, coming tomorrow, and the bear mount’s rear, which continuously fascinated everyone in a relaxed atmosphere.

In a video, the two Trion Worlds employees showcase the new housing area on the Diamond Coast and take a look inside the library, the new dungeon in ArcheAge. By the way, this is not instanced: multiple groups can have their adventures here at the same time. There are supposed to be around 200 rooms full of mobs here.

Only half as much EXP needed to reach 55 as in Korea

ArcheAge-Library

Compared to Korea, the “G-word” (the grind) has been significantly reduced. You will need only half as much experience to reach the new maximum level as in Korea. In the dungeon, the Library, PvP is disabled, but it is enabled in the Diamond Coast zone. However, there will be no battle for zone control. In the Diamond Coast, everything revolves around the new dungeon and the opportunity to reach level 55 and to grab new powerful gear.

In the eyes of the ArcheAge employees, the content expansion is now the ideal time to jump back into the game, especially for players who have missed PvE content.

When is the patch coming and why will the ArcheAge servers be down on Tuesday, March 10th?

The patch is supposed to come to Europe tomorrow, on Tuesday, March 10th. The servers are set to shut down at 12:00 PM and will not be up again before 4:00 PM.

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Black Desert: 3 cats at the same time! And they are even useful when they are not napping

The MMORPG Black Desert is really into cats. Three of the sometimes napping, four-legged loot collectors should be able to be held as pets by players simultaneously.

According to mmosite, players in the Korea MMORPG Black Desert can have three cats “out” at the same time, meaning actively carrying them around. This makes the game not only, as we once wrote, the “MMORPG for all cat lovers“, but even for cat hoarders, like the crazy cat lady from The Simpsons, who might throw her cats at annoying teenagers.

Well, they aren’t suitable as projectile weapons in Black Desert, but the sometimes lazy cat bunch is quite useful. They can collect loot from foes and just look fluffy. At the moment, there are three different cats that are distinctly different from each other.

They level up when fed. And occasionally they take a nap when they’re not busy fishing around in the pockets of slain foes.

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Final Fantasy XIV: Video shows what is new with Heavensward and the audience’s reaction

Final Fantasy XIV made a big appearance at Pax East in Boston and introduced the new expansion Heavensward. A video summarizes the highlights from the presentation.

Admittedly, not much new information was revealed in Boston. There’s a release date for the expansion (June 23), otherwise an incredible amount of images and videos. So far, only a brief walkthrough of the new zones has been revealed. The colleagues at dualshockers have now summarized all the videos from the presentation.

Here you can also see that “Flying” will really be the big theme of the expansion. Just like in WoW, the new zones are supposed to be fully “flyable”. This will be the next big thing in FF XIV.

Also visible in the video: The new race Au Ra, the three new classes Dark Knight, Astrologian, and Machinist, and the 60s outfits of all 21 jobs and crafting professions.

Our favorite moments were the reactions from the audience to the individual sequences. Right at the beginning, when it comes to the flying mounts, the reaction from the audience was enthusiastic. The images of the individual classes in their new outfits then drew applause. The highlight, in our eyes, was the solitary cheer from the blacksmith: “Yeeeeah! Blacksmith!” The most laughs were garnered by the eccentric angler outfit.

By the way, the last minute of the video shows a new benchmark that is supposed to come in April. It already looks extremely impressive.

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Destiny: Philosophy instead of Story – Hope, Light, even more Hope

In Destiny , Pete Parsons, the Chief Operating Officer, explains the philosophy behind the Destiny universe in a nearly half-hour interview.

It’s a bit like if the otherwise pastoral Peter Hahne were to interview a game developer in his Sunday show, ignoring the whole thing about “And 16-year-olds are shooting each other with automatic rifles and aliens?” and just focusing on the positives of shooters. In fact, it’s not just a bit, but precisely that.

Instead of a serious host on television only talking about how shooter games are the original sin and a breeding ground for future rampage killers who can’t cope with life, here they chat casually about the positive sides of gaming.

Destiny-Concept-Art

Destiny reflects the personality of the players. Communication and collaboration are at the forefront. Even lone wolves are converted to team play. The story is hopeful and positive. There are deep philosophical references and insights everywhere. Everything is somehow good and okay.

Destiny = Bungie; Darkness = Microsoft

In a 26-minute television interview, one of Bungie’s key figures, COO Pete Parsons, speaks with a philosophically interested host about the foundations of the world. The words “hope” and “light” come up repeatedly. And it’s an interesting thought: What if you take these words literally when you look at Destiny not just as a game mechanic? What if you believe the “light” is not just another word for “level”? What if you hear more in the cutscenes than just “This is the next content.”

For Bungie itself, it seems to be more than that. Destiny reflects Bungie’s own journey. Back in 2010, they were a studio with a glorious past (Halo) and an uncertain future, longing for independence after splitting from Microsoft, while the Guardians began rebuilding a world in ruins. In this context, the past glitters far more brightly than the uncertain present.

Destiny-Speaker

And that’s exactly what’s so important for Bungie, that moving from darkness to light means that tomorrow’s world is a little more beautiful and hopeful than today’s world. That’s where, according to Parsons, they draw their motivation. Time and again during the game’s development, they paused and looked forward to the fantastic world they were creating for players.

It sounds like Destiny is planned to be brighter rather than darker in the already planned future installments, while darkness has generally gone in the opposite direction with the claustrophobic Crota’s End.

“While my son blows things up, I think about things”

The host’s son is apparently an avid gamer, and the father watched him with interest: “While he was blowing things up, I thought about the philosophical foundations behind the game.” Parsons is sometimes visibly surprised by the ideas his conversation partner comes up with. For instance, he seems pleased about individual lines in the Grimoire cards.

Destiny-Fate-of-all-Fools-Stats
The weapon text of the Fate of all Fools is one of Parsons’ favorites: The wise man knows his fate, the fool merely finds it.

And well: If you watch the half-hour interview, the story told in cutscenes, which has been criticized as incoherent and inadequate, forms quite a coherent concept. Maybe Destiny is less a story and more of a feeling, a concept? And you can also understand the host when he calls the Grimoire not as a manual but as a kind of “handbook like for a footballer.” Or maybe it’s also because the cutscenes are cut into the interview at will and then feel “appropriate”?

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What do you think? Is there something to the “light” and “hope” story? Does this positive mindset appeal to you more than if you were playing something dark that gets worse and worse? Or do you not care and are still angry that there wasn’t a decent story?

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Hearthstone: card backs only for cash customers

As announced recently at PAX East, starting March 20th, the new Hearthstone adventure “Blackrock Mountain” will be available for pre-order. Those who decide to make such a purchase will get access to all wings early, as well as an exclusive card back.

However, it has now been revealed that the pre-order cannot be made with Gold. This means that the card back will only be exclusively available to players who reach for real money instead of virtual currency for the latest addon. Many players have been saving up numerous Gold coins since the “Goblins vs. Gnomes” expansion to unlock the wings for free with Gold. This lightly kicks those loyal frequent players in the shin, as who would want to spend €22 just for a card back when the actual content can already be paid for with in-game currency?

Hearthstone Blackrock Prices
“Purchases with Gold not possible.”

All further news and information about Blizzard’s card game can be found on our Hearthstone topic page.

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Hearthstone: The first new boss has a drunken army

More and more is being revealed about the third expansion and thus the second adventure “Blackrock Mountain” for Blizzard’s card game Hearthstone. Some people have now been able to play a preview version, where they got to take on the first boss, Coren Direbrew, in both normal and heroic mode.

In normal mode: Easy to counter

Since Coren is the first boss of the expansion, they didn’t want to make him too difficult. This is reflected in his hero power, which triggers at the beginning of each of his turns: Both players summon a random minion from their decks into play. The solution to this is, of course, relatively simple: You fill your deck exclusively with expensive minions. In particular, Ragnaros, the various giants, and various other cards with mana costs between 7 and 10 should lead to a quick victory. Most likely, you won’t even have to change the current decks – after all, it is supposed to be just an easy introduction fight.

In heroic mode: Difficult and challenging
Hearthstone Boss Coren

As soon as you want to face the dark iron dwarf and his bar in heroic mode, you will be confronted with a real problem. Coren’s hero power now summons two random minions from his deck and only one from your own. Even relatively strong cards could quickly be overwhelmed by the sheer number of opponents. As if that weren’t bad enough, the boss also has 15 additional armor points, which will probably stifle any quick “rush down” attempt. There will surely be numerous strategies to overcome this challenge – in my mind, a mage deck is already forming, aimed at the simple “fatigue” of the boss. Because anyone who plays two random minions each turn and draws another card should have no cards left in their deck after about 9 turns.

If Blizzard adheres to the relatively young tradition of the Naxxramas bosses, we will probably have a lot of fun with the heroic bosses, and even Hearthstone experts will be pushed to their limits. At least until one searches for a functional deck from the internet.

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  1. polygon.com

H1Z1: Female player models and more options for men are coming

In the zombie MMO H1Z1, there is currently only one player model available in Early Access that everyone has to make do with. That is set to change drastically in the coming months.

h1z1-ivan
Clone warrior Ivan.

There is a mediocre science fiction movie where humans send their consciousness into a robot body to travel long distances. The cheapest model looks like one of the Baldwin brothers, and many in the film look like the actor. What we are getting at is understood by everyone who has played H1Z1. Essentially, there is only one model, and players differ only minimally through weapons, helmets, or shirts.

This was also announced for resource reasons. At the time, it was said by gunsmith Whisenhunt that a new player model would cost the same resources as dozens of weapons. And “a standard model for everyone” was considered acceptable as a stopgap for Early Access. The first months were spent on other things; they initially updated the base model. But now they are focusing on “Customization”. And this is what the blog post from the H1Z1 creators at DGC is about.

h1z1-vor-und-nachher

How can characters in H1Z1 differ from each other?

Players in H1Z1 initially differ from each other through their equipment: there should be at least six different slots for “wearable items”. In design, they want to orient themselves on outfits that survivors might find in a store and might think: It would be a good idea to have some fabric between my skin and zombie teeth! This includes BMX protective gear, football padding, and even crazier outfits.

Additionally, they are currently working on making equipped weapons recognizable on the character. That will soon find its way into the game.

H1Z1-Outfits

Customization options in other MMOs as well

And then players should also differ (as in the character creation of other MMOs) through the following:

  • Hair
  • Head shape
  • Facial features (like beard or scars)
  • Skin color/tone
  • In the future perhaps different body shapes
  • and maybe also tattoos

At the beginning, you will be able to choose from various pre-made options.

New models are coming to H1Z1: Second man, first woman

In the coming weeks, there will also be a second male model in addition to the base model “Ivan” (the guy with the angular chin that everyone walks around with). This one looks significantly dreamier.

H1Z1-Neues-Männermodell

In March/April, the grill party comes to an end: female characters will be added to H1Z1. And at DGC, they believe in emancipation: so that they do not provide an advantage for power gamers (women are smaller and much harder to hit, that’s why I only play them!), they will simply be the same size as their male counterparts.

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More about the zombie fun can be found on our H1Z1 topic page.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. h1z1 devblog

Final Fantasy XIV: The 60s outfits of all 21 classes and professions with Heavensward

In Final Fantasy XIV clothes make the man. Each class and profession has its own set. With the Heavensward expansion, everyone gets their new job outfit.

Final Fantasy XIV is loved for its depth of play , but it also has a flair for aesthetics. It may not appeal to everyone, as is common with Asian games, but those who like it, really like it.

The complicated multiclass system of FF XIV (the crafting professions also count as classes) makes it necessary to create a separate outfit for each “skill tree”. They were seen at PAX East. We have compiled them into a gallery for you. They will come along with many other features with the Heavensward expansion.

The tough guys of FF XIV: Warrior, Paladin
FFXIV-Krieger

FFIX-Paladin

In the front lines and having fun: Dragoon, Monk, Ninja

FFXIV-Dragoon
FFIX-Ninja
FFIX-Moench

These FF-XIV heroes prefer to stay in the second row: Scholar, Summoner, Bard, White Mage, Black Mage

FFIV-Blackmage

FFIX-Gelehrter
FFIV-Beschwoerer
FFIX-Barde
FFIX-Weissmagier

The metal boys in their new outfits: Armorer, Goldsmith, Blacksmith

FFIX-Plattner
FFIX-Goldschmied

FFIX-Grobschmied

The craftsmen of FF XIV: Carpenter, Tanner, Weaver

FFIX-Zimmerer
FFIX-Gerber
FFIX-Weber

Here it cooks and sizzles: Alchemist and Gourmet

FFIX-Alchemist
FFIX-Gourmet

The gathering professions: The 60s outfits of miners, gardeners, and fishermen

FFIX-Minenarbeiter
FFIX-Gärtner
FFIV-Angler
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. kotaku

Destiny: The Multi-Culti Tower

Destiny should become a game for the whole world and not just feel like a second home for the English and Americans. Bungie explained how they wanted to achieve this at GDC.

The Tower Building at Bungie

When Bungie was still exclusively developing for the Xbox, they were little concerned about things like “the world”. The Xbox is particularly significant in North America. At that time, they did not have a “localization” team. This changed with the move to Activision and a huge franchise like Destiny: It should, of course, work worldwide.

What used to be called “translation” is now referred to as “localization”, because it has been recognized that there is more to it than simply translating everything “English” into the local language, cultural differences must be taken into account. This becomes more challenging the more languages there are to consider.

Destiny, for example, is available in:

  • German
  • English
  • French
  • Italian
  • Spanish
  • Japanese
  • and the Brazilian version of Portuguese

Destiny Venus Story

The Problem: Textures and Languages Don’t Really Like Each Other

And Bungie’s goal was for all these different cultural groups to feel like Destiny and especially the “Tower”, the central place of the game, felt like a “home” and not like a trip to an English-speaking, foreign country. The future is foreign enough.

Initially, they had signs and indicators in the Tower only in English. Everything in the game was covered in English text. They wanted to remodel and translate that for the international versions. But it didn’t work out.

It didn’t look good. What is just a few characters in English was significantly more in other languages. Much more than could fit on the simple sign in the Tower or on the body of an automatic rifle or a handgun.

Destiny Art
The one on the left is Japanese, the one in the middle is American and the Warlock is Brazilian. Or something like that?

The Solution: Multi-Culti, Everyone Just Doesn’t Understand Something

Therefore, they changed the strategy: Instead of focusing on words in one language, they relied on symbols and universally understandable indicators. For weapons or industrial goods, for example, they used “Techno-Speak” as inscriptions: letters and designations that were hoped to be understood or equally misunderstood everywhere. Only with the logo of the “Future War Cults” did they overlook this: It’s a stylized “F”, which somehow seems illogical in German because they call it “Kriegskult der Zukunft” – so one would need a “Z”.

In the Tower, they introduced multiple languages, so in addition to English, there are now Japanese signs and those from Brazilian Portuguese. And a lot of Latin. As Tom Slattery, who was responsible for localization, said: “Looks cool, nobody understands anyway.”

Destiny-Xur
Do you speak German, Noodlegesicht? I need ze Gjallarhorn! Hoast mi?

They actually wanted to translate the intro with the astronauts on the moon into 7 languages, but that would simply overwhelm the storage space on the discs. So they left the intro international: “Maybe one of the astronauts is Japanese, the other Brazilian, the third American?” Slattery said.

Actually a nice idea.

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

Lost Ark Special: Diablo 3 in beautiful and better?

Lost Ark – the Hack&Slash MMORPG that looks like a dressed-up version of Diablo 3. Admittedly, when I first delved into the action RPG from South Korea, I initially thought it was just another boring Asia hack’n’slay.

But in this article, I want to show you that there is more to Lost Ark than meets the eye.

When Dragons Emerge from the Ground…

Sentrys, Whirlwind, or Hydras – yes, the Diablo 3 skills can quickly become boring. In contrast, the skills you can see in the first Lost Ark videos are something else. Suddenly, a giant dragon’s head emerges from the ground and lunges at the enemy, or fire chains launch everything in the vicinity into the air. Even the “normal” attacks, for example, the simple strike with the giant sword, are packed with effects.

Other scenes from the trailer are also impressive: A giant mech suit? No problem! Riding a dragon like in Skyrim? Sure … and the enemies are roasted. The diverse skills that come with the 18 classes (oh yes, more on that shortly) are not merely bland fillers during the monster slaughter but impress with slightly exaggerated animations.

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Can My PC Handle It?

I hinted at it before: The effects look very good! Lost Ark owes its stunning graphics to the famous Unreal Engine 3. Of course, the western eye finds many typical Asia MMO nuances here, but they are kept within limits. Explosions, burning ground, ice landscapes, oversized weapons, and boss opponents – everything looks epic. Let’s hope it holds up to the final version without unpleasant surprises.

Lost Ark Dungeon

By the way, in Lost Ark, the environment plays an important role not just for the eye but also in gameplay. Enemies destroy the ice we walk on and make the battle more challenging.

Replay Value times 18

The mention of 18 classes was no typo. Not all hero types have been released yet, but with such a sheer number, other games can only surrender. The rumor that the classes are supposed to be gender-locked is of little concern. Fortunately, the classes introduced so far differ significantly in their gameplay. In the style of the LoL champ Twisted Fate, for example, Arcana throws playing cards at enemies, which then trigger a random effect. Meanwhile, the Warlord foregoes magic and brings out a lance armed with a rocket launcher.

Lost Ark Berserker

As if 18 classes weren’t enough, the developer Smilegate also gives players the Tripod skill system. It works like the Diablo 3 rune system but with an additional layer. This increases the combination options. You can decide, for example, whether a skill should explode in several small bursts or one large explosion. The gameplay can thus be individually tailored to the opponents.

Big World, Big Bosses

Unlike typical action RPGs, the world is supposed to be structured differently. Jumping from bounty to bounty is no longer viable. Instead, you should be able to explore the world and experience adventures. You travel through the open world, for example, on a ship at sea. You should also be able to meet other players along the way. Despite all the anticipation: Smilegate has yet to reveal how big the world and the individual regions ultimately are.

Lost Ark Crafting

Moreover, Lost Ark is not just a simple RPG, thanks to its crafting system. In the trailer, the warrior suddenly stands with a huge saw at a tree and collects wood. This system resembles more WoW than D3. What can also be seen in the trailer are the massive bosses that we will face in epic battles. Another unique feature is the use of siege weapons. One of the enemies has to be harpooned first, so he doesn’t jump around like a crazed chicken. Pure action RPG? Not at all!

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Speaking of MMORPG

Lost Ark Minigames
Minigames such as drinking or card games will also be available. Thanks to taverns.

The group play of Lost Ark is supposed to go far beyond the previous action RPG experience. From the interviews, it becomes clear that Smilegate places great importance on interactions between players, which should even be interdependent. The open world is just one point that transforms mindless slaughter into an exciting journey. Raids or dynamic events modeled after Guild Wars 2 should also be possible in Lost Ark. However, how many people can participate in such a raid remains to be seen. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Aside from the fact that, for example, 10 classes with different skills are hammering on a boss, causing an effect overflow, the idea is solid.

If the raids are implemented, Lost Ark will distinguish itself not only from the crafting system but also from the genre leader Diablo 3 and bring a new aspect to the ARPG scene with the expanded group gameplay.

Lost Ark MMORPG

One Should Look Forward to It

Am I the only one who is really excited about Lost Ark? Even though the gameplay, skill and class possibilities, graphics, and open world sound like a really great title, one thing could still dampen the mood: the game studio Smilegate. They are, as some may know, responsible for the free-to-play shooter Crossfire. Sorry, when I say free-to-play, in this context I mean pay-to-win. If you want the good weapons in Crossfire, you have to dig deep into your pockets. Let’s hope that Smilegate won’t apply this model at least to the western market. Initially, Lost Ark is set to be released in South Korea before making its way to Europe and the U.S.

Lost Ark – Will It Be Great?

Enthusiastically, I would say: Yes, the Hack&Slash MMORPG will be great! As long as the promises made in the trailer are kept and the depicted scenes aren’t complete fakes. My only concern is Smilegate, who have shown no scruples in charging horrendous amounts for their pay-to-win model in Crossfire. If Smilegate holds back, Diablo 3, Path of Exile, and others could soon face serious competition that elevates the action RPG genre to a new level.

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

Working for Activision Blizzard on WoW is great; working for Riot on LoL is even better

Fortune magazine has created a list of the 100 best companies to work for. Activision Blizzard and Riot Games, the companies behind World of Warcraft and League of Legends, made the list. Both companies are fully invested in gaming, even in the workplace.

Forbes magazine is known for its list of the richest people in the world; this year, Valve icon Gabe Newell and Minecraft guru Markus “Notch” Persson made it into that list. The competing Fortune magazine releases a list of the “Best Companies to work for,” the preferred workplaces. This refers to surveys conducted by “Great Rated” with the companies, and when looking at how high the scores are at Riot and Blizzard, one can imagine how high the bar is that must be cleared to be included in this top 100. These are all dream jobs at dream companies.

Great-Rated-Lol-WoW

Typically, software companies have a hard time: because after a project is completed, a lot of firings happen. Employees do not stay long. The sword of Damocles of layoffs hangs over their heads. When a project ends, only a skeleton crew is needed to lay the groundwork for the next big game. The now “redundant” employees were fired in the business between projects for years, and this practice continues today. Not a great atmosphere to feel comfortable.

Therefore, two software studios made the list, whose business is not necessarily the development of games but rather their continued development and constant maintenance.

Blizzard_Pic

Activision Blizzard: Gaming is part of the company culture

Blizzard

Activision Blizzard is the company behind Hearthstone, Diablo, and World of Warcraft. As a publisher, they also release works from other studios like Destiny, Skylanders, or Call of Duty.
Over 11,000 people work for the industry giant. So it’s certainly more than just the “development studio Blizzard,” as they also have a unique company culture with swords and shields and such. More than 1000 employees filled out a questionnaire to rate the company. They made it to 93rd place in the top 100.
Employees particularly enjoy that they are given a lot of responsibility and get to work on video games for which they are passionate.

In daily life, one doesn’t forget that they make games. There are “gaming zones,” it’s okay to dress a bit more casually, and one can even bring their dog to work. The atmosphere is relaxed, although everyone works seriously and hard on their respective projects.

The majority of employees have been with Activision for a relatively long time. 38% between 2 and 5 years, 28% between 6 and 10. For a gaming company, this is unusual. 50% of the surveyed employees are between 26 and 34. 55% are older, with very few seniors. It likely helps the statistics that it’s not just a “software studio” but also a publisher.

League of Legends Header

Riot Games: Gaming is the company culture

Riot Games is not as much of an industry giant as Activision. They have 1400 employees and only one topic: “League of Legends.” Everyone there plays it, works on it, breathes and thinks about it, according to the more than 500 survey responses that were analyzed.

The ranking reflects how great it must be to work at Riot. They achieved 13th place. That is truly an absolute top place, even before Twitter (24) and the world leaders of Goldman Sachs (50). For those wondering who is in first place: Google.

League of Legends

At Riot, there is an incredible identification with the company and with the MOBA League of Legends. Players are truly seen as players and not as customers, as it is said. And since the employees at Riot consider themselves players, they feel connected.

The corporate culture is open: employees can also approach their supervisors directly with personal problems and adjust their schedules. In the event of a death in the family, employees are given as much time as they need. Overall, it seems to be easy at Riot to take a few days off if they feel they need them.

Riot is significantly younger compared to Activision. 73% of employees are younger than 34 years. 60% of the 500 surveyed have only been there for two years. 40% are between two and five years. Clearly: Riot is also a much younger company compared to Activision.

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

Final Fantasy XIV: Dark Knight would have almost become a Samurai, but … Ninjas!

In Final Fantasy XIV, Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida opens up about his ideas during the development of the new jobs.

Final Fantasy is part of one of the most popular franchises in video game history. The Roman numeral for 14 is a subtle hint at that. Therefore, the MMO can be sure that fans have a clear opinion on which new classes should be added to the game and how they should aesthetically relate to their predecessors. And they have no hesitation in enthusiastically expressing that opinion.

Final-Fantasy-XIV-Drachenkampf
Heavensward-Astrologe

In an interview with Game Informer, Naoki Yoshida discusses how the three new jobs in the FF XIV expansion “Heavensward” came to be. The absolute fan favorite, the Samurai, was long considered. Calls for him simply would not stop. However, the “Samurai” would not have fit well into the class structure of FF XIV. It was simply too similar to the newly introduced Ninja job.
Therefore, they decided on the Dark Knight, who is intended to find a niche as a magic-based tank alongside the Warrior (AE tanking) and the Paladin (single-target tank). Furthermore, the Dark Knight, with its magic orientation, fits better into the high-fantasy setting that they maintain with Heavensward.

And why did the Machinist make it into the game? Yoshida’s answer to that is significantly shorter: Fans wanted firearms. So they gave them firearms. One of the most important features of any new class is indeed the class-specific individual weapon.

With the last of the new classes, the Astrologian, they struggled for a long time; tried various card tricks and ideas until they finally decided on the Space Orb.


This article contains everything about the FF-14 expansion Heavensward.

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