War Thunder: Pay2Provoke

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The military MMO War Thunder is removing country markings on the aircraft and putting them behind a paywall. Apparently, some pilots used them provocatively.

Aircraft can carry “decals”. These are basically images on the wings, identification marks. Now some pilots in War Thunder used this feature to display “patriotic” flags. They applied the colors of a country’s flag on their wings.

That was apparently okay for a long time, but now the Ukraine crisis is causing trouble: The Russian and Ukrainian colors are being used and understood as a kind of “political statement”. According to PcGamesN, this has resulted in players with these flags even being shot at by their own team.

According to developer Gaijin, this is causing discord in War Thunder. Furthermore, others are unhappy that these national colors are being used outside of their historical context.

Therefore, Gaijin has now decided to take the flag decals away from players and place them in the in-game store. There, players can then purchase them for 500 Golden Eagles (3€).

War Thunder Cockpit

We know many of you love your flags as decals, but right now unfortunately, we are seeing too many players using them in ways that instigate national argument and obviously some players are not happy with the flags being used outside the game’s historical period or that many didn’t even exist there. But since we do not want to remove these opportunities from players who do want them, we decided to implement a procedure that will require more responsibility from a player who wants to make use of them.

From today, the 10th February, all National Flags listed in the flags directory of your decals will be re-set and removed from your inventory in game, they will be available from now on in a similar way as the rest of the decals via purchasing using GE.

Mein MMO says: So … doesn’t that send the wrong signal? It is said that these flags annoy people and that they are obviously being abused. They find that unacceptable – unless someone pays 3€ for it, then they have surely thought about it and show that they really want it?

War Thunder is popular like World of Tanks in the states of the former Eastern Bloc, why that is, we will try to explore in this article.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. War Thunder
  2. PcGamesN

H1Z1 patch brings better lighting, even more problems with the bases

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

A new patch has been applied to H1Z1, changing the balance of weapons, fixing numerous issues, but still presenting problems for player bases.

The today’s patch in H1Z1 brings some quality-of-life improvements to the harsh world of survivors. Now you can freely assign keys. Additionally, the announced improvement of lighting conditions has been implemented.

The rewards for the Battle Royale have been weakened. The winner still receives 2 event tickets, while places 2 to 4 each receive one ticket, thus effectively covering their costs. They also claim to have resolved a loot problem that caused respawn issues with loot.

Changes were made to the weapons: The 1911 revolver has been weakened, and the shotgun should now no longer be quite so deadly. The landmine now has a different look when it is “armed”, so players trying to loot it do not … well … See for yourself:

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Especially in base building, the devs made more changes. They removed some fixes and potential exploits from the game. It should no longer be possible to stack multiple objects on top of each other. Players used to construct a kind of “pyramid scheme” and climbed into the enemy bases.

  • Objects will retain their orientation during placement mode when they change what surface they are being placed on.
  • Free placed objects (ie, campfires, furnaces, animal traps, etc) cannot be stacked on top of each other.
  • All placed objects can no longer collide with other objects, including player placed objects and static designer placed objects. This means that foundations cannot interpenetrate with other foundations, shacks, buildings, vehicles, roads, or anything else. Free placed objects also can’t interpenetrate with the same objects, excluding the object they are being placed on (ie, still be placed on a road, but not when colliding with a destroyed car).
  • Fixed a bug with socket bound placement objects (ie, stairs on a foundation, barricade on a window, or anything that snaps to a fixed position) that allowed multiple of these objects to interpenetrate each other (a common case was stairs overlapping stairs).
H1Z1 Base

The bases in H1Z1 are still considered extremely insecure

In a thread on reddit, the impacts of these changes are discussed. Base builders are still, and especially now, dissatisfied with the status quo. By exploiting such bugs, they were previously able to somewhat secure their bases against breaches (they stacked odd things to block access). That is no longer possible. The lingering feeling remains that building bases in H1Z1 provides little security when every “guy with a stick” can break in within minutes.

As always: It is early access and especially regarding bases, a lot is still amiss. Those who engage in this playstyle will likely experience frustration more often at the moment.

Here are the patch notes in English.

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

WildStar: For returnees and newcomers 10 days free

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The SF MMO WildStar invites veterans and newcomers to a 10-day free trial on Nexus.

It has been announced for some time: Once WildStar is “ready” to present itself to a large audience again, a trial event will be launched. Now it is time, they are ready to show themselves anew…

Surprisingly, the scope of this free trial is now: Anyone, whether veteran or newcomer, can book a 10-day vacation on Nexus.

The “typical” restrictions for such a trial apply: Level 20 is the limit, there is a gold limit and chat restrictions. But that should still be enough incentive to pay WildStar a second or first visit.

More details about the event can be found on the WildStar website.

Warning: It only takes an innocent click on the yellow highlighted button in account management, and the 10 free Fridays begin. There will be no more prompt or anything.

http://youtu.be/Kitcsiyo7uE
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

World of Warcraft: Addictive or the best game of all time? – ZDF documentary on 10 years of WoW

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

Regarding the MMORPG World of Warcraft, a 40-minute documentary by ZDF has been released.

It was actually impossible to miss the premiere. After all, the best time slot for the documentary was reserved (01:10 AM on the Digital channel ZDF Info). Nevertheless, there is now the possibility to watch the 40-minute documentary about the internet phenomenon World of Warcraft online and completely free of charge. If you don’t have time right now: The link should still be good for a year, until 12.2.2016.

The topic is explored from various perspectives. Both fans and critics speak out. Here is the WoW documentary in the ZDF media library.

And for those who want to compare this with Blizzard’s self-presentation: Here is the “self-documentary” about the last ten years.

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

Black Desert: Cash shop generated almost 2 million dollars in a week

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The Korean MMO Black Desert is said to have earned nearly 2 million US dollars with its Cash Shop from Christmas to New Year’s Eve.

According to the site 2p.com, players purchased items worth 2.3 billion Korean won in the game’s Cash Shop during the second week of the Open Beta of Black Desert. That amounts to approximately 1.97 million US dollars. Black Desert started its Open Beta on December 17, with the second week falling between December 24 and December 31.

According to earlier reports, however, the enthusiasm of Korean players seems to have faded quite quickly after the initial hype.

According to current information from Daum, 1.5 million players have registered for the Open Beta, and the game is running in 15,000 internet cafes.

The Cash Shop offers mounts, armor colors, pets, furniture, and other cosmetic items for purchase. Additionally, typical MMO services are available, such as the option to buy more character slots or change the appearance of the hero.

The following videos from Asia MMO specialist steparu provide insight into the Cash Shop.

http://youtu.be/tVhlTjK36D0http://youtu.be/WiGbozPlHbI
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

Hearthstone: Dr. Boom could soon be nerfed; more “special races” decks

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In Hearthstone , the developers granted an interview to Chinese sites. The feared card Dr. Boom (in English: Dr. Boom) might soon face its end. In future expansions, “race” decks could play a role, and there might even be special “dragon” decks.

Hearthstone-Dr.Bumm
And it went Boom.

In a group interview with Chinese media, Hearthstone Executive Producer Hamilton Chu and his colleagues spoke about Dr. Boom among other topics. He may soon face the nerf hammer. At the beginning, not many players recognized how strong he was, but the longer it has been since the release of Goblins vs. Gnomes, the more frequently he is played.

Now the “Counter” phase has just begun: Hearthstone players are experimenting with ideas on how to defend against Dr. Boom; it is still early days. The outcome of this phase will be awaited. If Dr. Boom is still so strong afterwards, they will consider changing the card.

Here, the popular Hearthstone player Kripparrian explains in detail what “Dr. Balance” is all about:

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More Race Decks in Hearthstone in the Future?

Hearthstone-Siltfin-Spiritwalker

Race decks like Murlocs were already present in the base game. With “Goblins vs. Gnomes,” the “Mechs” were newly introduced. The question arose whether special race decks could be a direction to pursue in the future and whether more could be done here.

In response, they indicated, as far as the translation is correct, that this is a direction they could go and that they expect fun from it. At the moment, for example, they have nothing special with “dragons”; in future content expansions of Hearthstone, they could introduce something surprising so that the “races” could fully develop. They see Murloc decks not really as “tournament” decks but rather as “fun” decks.

Mein MMO says:

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. 17173 (chinesisch)
  2. 2p.com

Destiny: This is how Bungie plays and views the raid Crota’s End

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

Three Destiny employees were streaming last night, raiding “Crota’s End” with three community members. A comment towards the end reignited speculation about a secret chest in the Glass Chamber.

Once again, from our perspective at an ungodly hour, the stream ran. In the last week it was a PvP stream, this time it was the raid against Crota. Three Bungie employees were involved: The community and PR guy Eric Osborne (the redhead in the foreground of the picture, whose perspective you can also see in the stream), raid designer Gavin Irby (in the back) and Rob Adams, a Senior World Designer.

Thrall Passage and Bridge Encounter in Crota’s End

During the stream, there was a rare opportunity to hear Bungie developers firsthand:

  • The first part of the raid, the passage with the Thralls, centers around “Survival.” Players must work together and fight forward. It was important to the developers that it’s easier when players stick together and leave no one behind. Those who are selfish and activate the lamps too early harm their team. The reduction of players’ mobility creates a feeling of constant panic. The holes in the ground and the atmosphere contribute to this.
  • The Bridge passage is the most tactically challenging encounter of the raid. It takes the longest to explain. The encounter is designed so that each team member has a chance to shine. Furthermore, everyone should learn how to handle the sword here.
Destiny-Geduld-und-Zeit-1912
Bungie gives the woman instead of flowers.

Sniper Rifle Instead of Flowers

  • Even the Bungie employees avoid saying the “G” word, they refer to “the thing with wolfpack rounds.”
  • Osborne plays Warlock, while his wife plays Hunter on an account. When he wants to make her happy, he leaves her a nice sniper rifle – Patience and Time or Praedyth’s Revenge: That’s like giving flowers.
  • Ir Yût is as close as you can get to a gear check in Destiny.
Destiny-Gjallarhorn
The “G” is silent.

Bungie is Working on the Sword Bug and Almost Everything Else

  • Bungie is working on the sword bug in Crota. Generally, the Bungie employees experience all the problems players encounter as equally bad or annoying, as the developers also spend so much time in Destiny and suffer from the same issues.
  • It’s not that Bungie is stopping work on the raid in Destiny or doing less here, because they are balancing weapons. Two different teams at Bungie are working on these issues.
  • The Wrath of the Queen event did not work. Bungie found other PvE activities more interesting. That’s why they pulled it back and will revise it. In this or another form, or something similar could come back. However, they remained tight-lipped about inquiries. They want to leave that to DeeJ and the Weekly Update. In the past, they have often burned their mouths. Now they only want to announce things that are ready. The silence is difficult for many, as they are excited about their work and would love to immediately tell and show everyone what they are working on.
Destiny-Russisch-Hive

In the aftermath of the raid, a small comment at the end of the stream made the biggest waves and was picked up multiple times on reddit within a few hours. It concerns a “possible secret chest” in the raid “The Glass Chamber.” They questioned the raid designer if all chests had been discovered. While it was said, “There are always more secrets” and after asking if there is another chest, someone said “Yes,” it’s not clear whether that was meant seriously and whether he really answered the question. So we are as wise as before.

Update: We don’t want to be the party pooper, but well … here we go anyway: In the last 12 hours, since the run ended, some posts popped up with “6th Chest!” that’s what he said in the stream … Let everyone look again!

Now it’s clear: Osborne meant it as a joke, as he clarifies in a tweet: He knows no secrets, Easter eggs, or chests. And if he did, he would never reveal them. He was just having fun.

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

Destiny: Hints about the next Iron Banner

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

Hints about the next Iron Banner have appeared in Destiny. The event could start as early as next week.

It seems that the PvP event Iron Banner is starting again next week. A timeline has been displayed on the Destiny homepage for a few weeks now. “Iron Banner” has been shown as the next event for a while, but without a date.

This has changed in the last few hours. Now it says “February 17th,” which is next Tuesday.

Destiny-Efrideets-Speer
Main prize of the last Iron Banner: Sniper rifle Efrideets Spear, which can be valuable as a Void variant in the Nightfall Strike.

February Iron Banner likely begins with the next ID in Destiny

The Iron Banner is a special Crucible mode. Here, the equipment of the Guardians counts at least to some extent and is not normalized like in the other Crucible.

Furthermore, Guardians have the opportunity to obtain weapons that are at “endgame” level. The special feature is legendary weapons, which can increase to a damage of 331, and that can be “restructured” repeatedly thanks to a reroll feature. This is in the hope of getting the ideal damage type and a combination of abilities that results in a weapon that is still missing in the arsenal.

Additionally, in the past, there have been high-quality armor pieces that helped Guardians reach the respective maximum level of pre-DLC 30 or now 32 .

Destiny-Timurs-Peitsche

What loot might there be in February’s Iron Banner from Destiny?

At the moment, there are no further details available: Which weapons will be available this time, which armor pieces Bungie will release – and what light level they can reach at maximum. All of that is still unknown at the moment. The info page about the Iron Banner shows the same data as last time. It is unlikely that February’s Iron Banner in Destiny will be exactly the same as January’s Iron Banner.

Two weapons that are still missing are the shotgun Felwinter’s Lie and the pulse rifle Skorri’s Revenge. Both weapon types are expected to be significantly strengthened in February – perhaps a good time to introduce them into the game.

It also seems likely, after the last time there were gloves with a light level of 36, that there will be again one or even two armor pieces with a light level of 36 this time. Last time, dis had to be upgraded without luminous fragments. One only needed Ascendant shards.

We will update this post as soon as we learn specifics. By the latest Weekly Update on the night from Thursday to Friday, it should get concrete.

If you want to participate in the event, it would be a good idea, to save some Glimmer and set aside some Light particles.

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

So it is – Layoffs at Ex-SOE: Among others, the Everquest chief has to go (Update)

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the Daybreak Gaming Company (H1Z1, Planetside 2, Everquest Next, Landmark, etc.) several employees were laid off on Wednesday morning US time. Among them was David Georgeson, the face behind Everquest, Everquest 2, Landmark, and Everquest Next.

Last week it was announced that Sony Online Entertainment is no longer part of Sony, but has been acquired by the investment firm Columbus Nova. At that time, it was still seen positively. They changed the name to “Daybreak Gaming Company” and aimed to continue independently with “more resources.” Studio head Smedley mentioned that he was excited to now also develop for the Xbox.

Today there were layoffs. As the Creative Director of Planetside 2 tweeted, it was quite a number:

Among those was also David Georgeson, the head and the figurehead of Everquest Next and Landmark.

According to a source that has come to the US magazine kotaku, the employees had already learned shortly after the acquisition that layoffs were forthcoming. Management, however, tried to keep morale high and motivate the employees.

The studio itself issued a press release in quite a cool manner. They speak of strategic decisions and the redistribution of resources. These are needed to be able to grow in the future. The current games are not supposed to be affected.

As part of a strategic decision to rationalize the business, Daybreak Game Company announced today that it will eliminate positions in both its San Diego and Austin studios. This alignment of resources better positions the newly independent studio for future growth opportunities and developments, including delivering on its legacy of making top online games and establishing a solid foundation for future multi-platform success. These reductions will not affect the operation of current games and the company will continue on its mission to partner with its player community to drive the future and push the boundaries of online gaming.

Update: More reports are coming in about who had to leave. The layoffs apparently hit the Everquest teams particularly hard. But some employees from H1Z1 are also affected.

Update 2/12, 11:00 AM: Some employees from H1Z1 and Planetside 2 were indeed affected. But the main concern is about the future of the Everquest franchise. Not only are dark clouds hanging over the future of Everquest Next. The already relatively small team of the Free2Play title Everquest 2 has been further reduced.

In the meantime, one of the laid-off producers from Planetside 2 addressed the community in a letter on reddit. He does not blame the investment firm Columbus Nova, but states: The numbers simply did not add up, and a “shake-up” was needed. He refers to Columbus Nova as the “White Knight.” This is a term from finance. It refers to a company that saves another from a hostile takeover or bankruptcy. This means that without the investment firm, SOE would no longer exist … That paints a bleak picture, much bleaker than analysts assumed a few days ago.

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

Play PS4 games like Destiny on your smartphone – Thanks to unofficial Remote Play porting

Marcel Heck Marcel Heck Reading time 2 minutes

With the official PS4 Remote App, only owners of a smartphone or tablet from the Xperia series were able to enjoy playing PlayStation games on a mobile device. Thanks to an unofficial port, all Android users can now install the app on the device of their choice. For example, the online shooter Destiny.

The official PS4 Remote Play app allows owners of a PlayStation 4 and an Xperia smartphone or tablet to connect the devices via the home network and then use PS4 games on the mobile device. This way, you can play blockbuster games like Destiny on your smartphone. However, unfortunately, Remote Play is only intended for Sony’s own Xperia smartphone series.

A developer from XDA named TheScriptedKitty has managed to port this Remote App for all Android devices. You can download the Android APK (installation application for Android) from the official XDA site. A root is not required for Remote Play on Android. You only need to allow installations from unknown sources in your smartphone or tablet settings and have Android 4.4 or higher.

Behind XDA lies an incredibly extensive portal dedicated to the development and modification of everything related to Android, mobile communication, and the corresponding hardware.
Destiny Remote Play PS4
It has become a reality: The PS4 version of Destiny on a Samsung smartphone.

Tip: Even if you have Android 4.4 or higher, your smartphone or tablet should not be too weak. Flagship devices with a decent processing power provide the best conditions – otherwise, it can be choppy!

Once you have installed the app on your smartphone or tablet, you can control the game with the touchscreen or a DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controller. The latter is recommended, especially for the sake of gaming comfort.

Destiny in Video on Smartphone

The YouTuber NightmareTacoGaming demonstrates in a video how the Remote App works and explains what to consider when installing.

But be careful: The application is officially not supported. Therefore, installation and use of the program is at your own risk.
http://youtu.be/pel59oHl0Po

Conclusion: Nice to have, but not a must. First of all, it is great that developers take the time to port applications like the PS4 Remote App. However, one should be somewhat familiar with the Android matter when installing such APKs. With countless different smartphones on the market, things might not go smoothly for everyone. And since the app is not officially supported, you’ll have to help yourself in the end.

But with the example of the PS4 Remote App, we see that it is possible to play big titles like Destiny on a small device like a smartphone. This works well with Final Fantasy XIV, for example, if you don’t want to go into raids. However, you should definitely use a controller; otherwise, the controls are anything but innovative. But if you’re already at home, why not just continue gaming on your 50″ TV in the living room?

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. polygon.com
  2. xda-developers.com (Installations-Anleitung)

Skyforge has 6 values, 5 of them revolve around damage

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The God MMO Skyforge now presents in an infographic how one thinks about values.

The value system today is actually just a “relic” from earlier Dungeons and Dragons days in many games. In World of Warcraft, it has been simplified to the point that only two “primary values” are needed: the class-relevant value of strength, agility, or intelligence, and the all-purpose value of stamina. The rest is found in secondary values.

Skyforge takes a relatively similar approach. In the world of Aelion, there are no “unnecessary” values that are important only for the warrior and irrelevant for the mage.

Skyforge infographic values

That would also be quite silly, as in Skyforge you will switch classes at the push of a button, so every stat must remain relevant for each class, or one would enter (as some games do) a gear-switching nightmare. Although the gear aspect seems not to be strongly pronounced in Skyforge, it only mentions different weapons that grant class-specific bonuses and rings. Both item types are supposed to be exclusively earned through adventures.

The values in Skyforge and what they mean

  • Stamina (Stamina): Stamina determines life energy, the health pool
  • Might (Might): Determines base damage
  • Strength (Strength): Increases maximum base damage, likely raising the damage variant, making it random instead of 1-8, then 1-12
  • Valor (Valor): Increases bonus damage; the healthier an opponent is, the more significant the bonus damage becomes
  • Luck (Luck): The more luck a hero has, the higher their crits are
  • Spirit (Spirit): The value determines the penetration power of charge attacks
Skyforge Paladin Sword

Depending on the class, certain properties may be more attractive than others. For example, the Berserker (an advanced DPS class) will be able to give themselves a strong crit buff, making luck an appealing value to increase the damage of these crits.

The hero’s values can be enhanced not just through equipment, but also through the Ascension Atlas (the far-reaching skill tree of the game). There, specific passive abilities can be unlocked. Additional bonuses are available through the browser game-like mini-game with the Adepts and the Cult, which the god is gradually building. A bonus can then be activated for each region.

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More about the ambitious Russian MMO can be found on our Skyforge topic page.

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

Complaining Wednesday: Evolve and the Monster Addiction

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Yes, I know. I’ve gone overboard again. The game has been out for less than 40 hours, and I feel like I’ve already spent at least 80 of those in Evolve. It’s just so much fun. Maybe even a bit too much fun. But still, there’s something here that bothers me immensely (ha, pun intended!)…

Everyone wants to be the monster

One has to admit that this was somewhat to be expected. Especially when you want to dive into battle alone, being a monster is certainly the better option. After all, you don’t have to consider anyone else or even communicate with a team. If you just want quick, “uncomplicated” fun, then being a monster is probably a good fit.

However, when a match requires a total of 5 players, and the feeling is that half of all evolution addicts only want to play as Goliath or Kraken, this leads to immediate problems that the game’s system doesn’t counter very well.

I’m in your game, idling around…

Evolve-Wraith

I personally enjoy playing the hunters too. Because only when you stand on the other side do you discover the strengths and weaknesses of all characters. Additionally, it is somehow very satisfying to push a “Stage 3” monster into the monster heaven with great effort.

Unfortunately, not all other players see it that way. Players regularly leave the lobby as soon as they see they are not the monster. Those who do will receive a harsh penalty of 60 seconds of waiting time before they can log back in (after all, the Wraith is female!).

60 seconds to grab a cola or simply read a rant Wednesday. In any case, this is a very minimal consequence. Even worse, however, are the bunch of people who simply go afk during the ongoing round and let a bot take over the control.

Heroes in the last second

Goliath Evolve Stage

The very special idiots then return to their afk state at the “last moment”, take back control over the hunter, and then celebrate themselves in the voice chat as the great hero who single-handedly took down the monster.

Especially in the higher “high-level” areas of level 25 and above, this behavior is particularly noticeable. I can only hope that players will be given more options to deal with such behavior – because unfortunately, it does not motivate me to continue taking up arms.

Why Evolve is still so good despite this little complaint that my eyes are now red, you will read next week in the detailed review. Until then: Don’t get eaten!

Perhaps most are simply overwhelmed with being the hunter and don’t want to let their team down. In that case, a look at our Evolve Hunter Guide might be worthwhile.

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

Guild Wars 2: New PvP mode “Stronghold” recalls MOBA and shows eSports ambitions again

Nico Saborowski Nico Saborowski Reading time 2 minutes

The upcoming addon Heart of Thorns for the MMO Guild Wars 2 is already making fans excited. With the introduction of a new PvP mode, the wait is getting worse. But what is hidden behind the Stronghold mode?

MMO meets MOBA

Guild Wars 2 Stronghold Minions

League of Legends and Dota 2 are well-known MOBA games where strategy wins… or so-called minions. With the Skrits, there are also minions in the new PvP mode of Guild Wars 2, constantly attacking the opponent and the enemy fortress. If you have an advantage in the number of your own Skrits, you will win the battle faster. The goal is to capture the enemy fortress (Stronghold). In an interview with pcgamer.com, John Corpening, the PvP team lead at GW2, confirmed influences from the predecessor Guild Wars and the MOBA genre:

They [the community] mentioned that it’d be cool if we had something that was like a condensed World vs World experience. They mentioned that we should try some more traditional game modes. People have been talking about their nostalgia for Guild Wars 1’s Guild vs Guild. People have suggested that we look at MOBAs, that sort of stuff. We took influences from all of those things (…)

John Corpening also states that the overview of the map will decide victory and defeat, not the specific experience of your own class. Nevertheless, every player in Stronghold will take on a specific role.

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Guild Wars 2 with Strategy

In addition to the Skrits, there are also siege weapons and special NPC heroes. These are depicted in the video as particularly large and, according to Corpening, aim to make the PvP mode even more strategic. According to the PvP team leader, player feedback during the development of the Stronghold map and all its mechanics was of great importance. Ultimately, they bundled the best ideas that could complement each other and fit into the game:

Really what we did was we took all that feedback, and we looked at the mechanics that we’ve seen have worked for our game mode, and the mechanics that didn’t work for our game mode, and really looked to make something that was right for Guild Wars 2 and the amazing combat we have.

We hope that the Stronghold mode will differ from the current World vs World mode. But the teasers promise exciting battles and make the anticipation for the upcoming addon even greater. It is obvious that ArenaNet continues to try to establish Guild Wars 2 in the eSports scene. No wonder, as this is a very attractive market. It is only logical to introduce a PvP mode with MOBA elements. Will it succeed this time?

We definitely see this being the future of PvP for Guild Wars 2.

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

The Elder Scrolls Online: Update 6 is set to arrive in 2 weeks

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In The Elder Scrolls Online, the last week of February has been targeted as the release date for the massive Update 6.

In the official forum of the soon-to-be Buy2Play-MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, there is now an initial assessment for the release of the huge Update 6 on the live servers. According to Jessica Folsom, the last week of February has been targeted. That would likely be the 24th or 25th of February.

We are aiming to get Update 6 out on the live megaservers the last week of February, yep. If that changes, we’ll let everyone know!

It’s about time for TESO as well. On March 17, they plan to switch to a Buy2Play-MMO as “Tamriel Unlimited” and want to have the patch on the live servers beforehand to allow for a bit of a buffer.

But it is also clear: It wouldn’t really surprise anyone if it took another week longer and it would only be ready on the 2nd or 3rd of March. Should the end-of-February date get postponed again, they will inform us at Zenimax.

The Elder Scrolls Online

Mein MMO thinks: This is already a significant patch. When you consider that some hoped it could come out as early as the end of December to stay within the “new content every 6 weeks” schedule, it also shows that Zenimax has made adjustments and will continue to adjust. One can only hope that the patch does not cause any issues.

In recent months, far smaller updates led to lengthy issues. They cannot afford that this time. On March 17, the MMO world (and parts of the gaming world) will be looking at TESO. They need to be polished and reasonably bug-free.

Here is a small insight into what lurks in the Crown Store, the new cash shop of TESO, and what Zenimax has planned for the Buy2Play model.

And here is the 23-minute supercut of the TESO cinematics:

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

World of Warcraft: Mount from Level 1?

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

With the upcoming Patch 6.1 for World of Warcraft, a dream will finally come true for everyone who has been complaining for years about why you can only use a mount so late – at level 20, which takes about 4 hours. This timely content update will introduce a mount for level 1 – but not for everyone.

35 Heirlooms to the Motorcycle

The “Chauffered Chopper” is an account-bound vehicle and can be used immediately after character creation. However, this is only possible if the account owner already has at least 35 heirlooms in their collection, which will also be added with the upcoming patch.

Because in Azeroth, you only get the driver’s license at level 20, the motorized two-wheeler, as the name suggests, comes with its own chauffeur. He will reliably maneuver you through Elwynn or Tirisfal from then on.

But a lot of time will probably pass before you can call this fine piece your own. It can take quite a while to obtain 35 heirlooms – but then twinks won’t have to worry about their training anymore.

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Source(s):
  1. mmosite.com

ArcheAge: Introduction of Diamond Coast and the first shitstorm in 2015, this time: Blue Dolphin

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In ArcheAge , the new zone Diamond Coast will soon be coming, meanwhile, players are upset with Trion Worlds and the cash shop policy. There they say: It is not always our decision.

Diamond Coast will be a PvP Zone

The official part first, the press release: Trion Worlds has today outlined the new zone “Diamond Coast” in Auroria in a post on the official site. Unlike the release on the Korean servers, PvP will be active here. However, not in the instances.

The library will probably become the main place where many players level up to 55. At least there they should have peace from others. When the Diamond Coast comes, more mobs in the surrounding area will also be leveled up.

Regarding the topic of “Diamond Coast”, there is an official blog entry, this time even in German. Therefore, we save all further details and send you directly there.

ArcheAge-Bibliothek

Issues with Cyanfin

The rather unofficial part of our ArcheAge news: There are issues. Peace lasted for 6 weeks in 2015, now some of the given promises are being retracted and restricted. The original plans probably pleased Trion Worlds better as well, but it seems that it has now been decided otherwise. Annoyingly, the plans had already been presented, creating a sense of “Now everything is changing”.

ArcheAge-Fusciafin
Fusciafin.

From Friday, players can obtain a new blue dolphin mount called “Cynafin”. This is a reskin of the world drop “Fusciafin” from the 10-man raid Sea of Drowned Love. It seems that this thing drops extremely rarely from the final boss Dahuta.

The blue dolphin mount will not be “Best-in-Slot”, but rather slower than the purple original. It can scout boats with the short sonar, sprint, and perform some tricks.

Why is there an issue with this? Well, Trion Worlds is putting it as a probably very rare reward in a new RNG box.

ArcheAge-Cynfin
Cyanfin.

Loud part of the ArcheAge community rejects RNG boxes

Players, at least those who express their views in the forum, hate these boxes. The arguments in bullet points:

  • It is a mystery what percentage of the mount is actually in there.
  • There are too many blanks.
  • The expenses are unpredictable.
  • They have made it clear multiple times how much they hate these boxes.
  • Trion Worlds promised to communicate more openly.
  • They should offer the mount for a fixed price in the shop, that’s how it’s done in Korea.

Here is the blue dolphin mount in the Korean version:

http://youtu.be/l7ZjOnwXlXU

Furthermore, theories are now emerging that the original dolphin was intentionally made so rare that now more players would long for the blue mount and spend money on it. The loud reaction is: “So it’s just like before.”

Trion Worlds says: It is not our decision

The new producer of ArcheAge is trying to calm the situation. They communicated this in advance to clarify what players can expect from Friday. They are aware that players reject the RNG boxes. But it is not always solely Trion Worlds’ decision how such items are released.

I realize that supply crates are probably the least favorite marketplace sales method. My goal in telling you about this now is to set expectations of how it’s going to be available this Friday. Regretfully, it’s not always solely our decision as to how these items are released.

ArcheAge-Exotisch

The original idea to reward coveted and rare items not only through “Supply Crates” (the RNG boxes), but also through loyalty points, has probably now been restricted. For items that also have other drop methods, this will not be possible, although the original concept was much better received by the fans.

Our original goal was to move forward with highly desired supply crate items also being available for LP. We saw a much more positive reaction from that concept. It was determined that the LP store shouldn’t be used for supply crate items that already have a secondary drop method, which the dolphin does.

Mein MMO says: There is a reason why the collaboration between Trion Worlds and the Korean developers of XLGames topped our list of MMO Fails in 2014.

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

Evolve: With a slightly different trailer (Honest Trailer)

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The asymmetrical MOBA Evolve has now received an Honest Trailer from Smosh Games.

Evolve Goliath Leap

The Honest Trailers by Smosh Games enjoy immense popularity. In the style of a Hollywood trailer, a game or movie is dissected.

This time it’s the fresh “Evolve”. And after yesterday’s official launch trailer , this one provides a nice contrast.

The narrator is clearly a fan of the monster. This seems to him the much more sensible alternative to working with “three strangers from the internet”, as one knows from LoL how well that works. Every “normal” person fulfills their childhood dream and becomes the monster.

Let’s see if Evolve actually joins Titanfall and Destiny in the lineup of games that we all play like crazy for a month and then forget that they even exist, as he says.

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

Black Desert: This is what the new zone Media looks like in the video

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes
Black Desert - All Under One Roof

The Korean MMO Black Desert is still in open beta and constantly evolving. Now, a new area called Media has been released.

5 out of 8 classes are already available in Black Desert, the sixth is expected to follow this month, and they are gradually completing the regions as well. An open beta for Asian MMOs is almost equivalent to a release, though it is still being developed. Now, with “Media,” a new zone has been added.

It offers 4 hunting grounds and 3 “regions”. 100 new monsters are expected to roam the area and will join the existing hordes of enemies already present in Black Desert. The 100 new monsters are in levels 51 to 55. They are also expected to require new combat dynamics.

You can find many screenshots about Media and what is happening there in this article.

For those who want to learn about the Korean MMO hope, we recommend our comprehensive Black Desert preview.

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

WildStar: NCSoft’s financial report paints a bleak picture; Guild Wars 2 stable

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The SF-MMO WildStar appears in the financial report of NCSoft, and the numbers look bad. The fantasy MMORPG Guild Wars 2, on the other hand, remains relatively stable.

Quarterly, the Korean software giant NCSoft publishes numbers that reveal how the publisher’s games are performing. Now the figures for the fourth quarter of 2014 are available.

The company itself is doing great. It’s been a record quarter, except for the fourth quarter of 2012 when Guild Wars 2 was released, as reported. Guild Wars 2 remains stable in sales compared to the third quarter. There has been little change. However, compared to 2013, they continue to struggle.

The big problem child is WildStar. In the fourth quarter, revenues have further declined. They now stand at one-third compared to the previous quarter. And that did not look good either.

WildStar-Problems

In the fourth quarter of 2014, WildStar only generated about 29% of what Guild Wars 2 brought in. And this, despite still being in the first year, which is usually the strongest for an MMO.

WildStar-Crisis2

Due to the weaker quarter for WildStar, the West represents even less of NCSoft’s revenue than in the last quarter. It now accounts for just over 10%. With a new president at the helm, that could change soon. She focuses on North America and Europe and studied in the USA.

NCSoft continues to generate significant revenue with so-called “legacy games,” meaning relatively old titles. In Korea, Lineage 1 continues to achieve record numbers. Aion is also performing well. Blade & Soul showed improvement compared to the previous quarter, attributed to its launch in Taiwan, as NCSoft reports.

Guild-Wars-2-Glider

This is the current state of Guild Wars 2, WildStar, and Blade & Soul

WildStar has already been affected by austerity measures in the past. However, Carbine states that NCSoft still believes in the game’s success and is allowing the studio time to further develop and restructure the game. For 2015, the SF-MMO plans a restructuring: WildStar aims to be more accessible and open.

At Guild Wars 2 and ArenaNet, the future looks somewhat rosier. In 2014, they remained stable throughout the year. In 2015, with Heart of Thorns, a new expansion is expected to give the game a boost.

Another MMO from NCSoft could soon be relevant for us in the West: In 2015, a Western release of Blade & Soul is expected. However, fans have been waiting for details on this for a long time. Apparently, NCSoft still lacks key employees for localization and distribution in the West.

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

The Division: New York in January during the Apocalypse

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the upcoming MMO shooter Tom Clancy’s The Division , New York will be at the center. In a blog post, one of the developers explains how he researches to capture this feeling.

New York will not only be the backdrop of the MMO shooter The Division, but will play a central role. Therefore, the Ubisoft team is currently spending a lot of time exploring the city and drawing inspiration from the “real” Big Apple for the virtual one they will create. To do justice to the dense verticality of the city alone, one must wander through the streets of the city that never sleeps, look up at its skyscrapers, and breathe in the city. This is what Martin Hultberg, the IP Developer of the team, believes.

In January they were in New York: “In a way, we were lucky. The weather at this time of year is similar to our game, and because of the upcoming Super Bowl, the security measures were strict. At some points, the city felt like it was under siege.”

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The-Division-Winter-Soldier

There are so many service providers and their vehicles in the city. Maintenance work must be carried out constantly. Police officers were managing traffic. Plumbers were taking care of water damage. What if these lifelines, these regulating forces, all disappeared? Most New Yorkers, according to Hultberg, live with an empty refrigerator. They are permanently in cafes, eating in restaurants. What if they all closed?

The first thing that struck him when he crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, he writes, is how small one feels in the face of so many skyscrapers: “I spent many hours thinking about disasters and how to survive them. And I can tell you: I do not want to be in a modern city when everything goes off the rails. So many places from which you can be attacked. So few places to hide.”

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Source(s):
  1. Ubisoft