Destiny: Master Thrower on the Go

In Destiny a player has perfected the mastery of throwing a deadly knife as a Hunter.

Destiny-Bladedancer-Dunkelheit-lauert

In just five or six matches in the Crucible, YouTuber Mike Dash wants to gather enough material for this video. It shows him with the Falkenmond and a knife (or rather with a knife set) in the Crucible of Destiny. The tactic is simple yet effective: first somehow hit with the Falkenmond and then the thing takes off.

Many kills in the video are sequenced and show a corresponding dynamism; otherwise, the experts would surely say again: So what? Anyone can do that.

The “knife throwing” in Destiny is considered one of the most beautiful game mechanics, even among critics. There is simply something satisfying about running around in a world of pulse rifles and fusion grenades like a carnival performer from a bygone millennium, albeit as a somewhat bloodthirsty one.

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

Evolve: Release times are here – When does Evolve start in Germany? On PC, Xbox One and PS 4

The asymmetrical MOBA Evolve is starting in a few hours in Germany.

The release times are now known. They have been published on the community page of Steam.

When does Evolve launch in Germany on PC, XBox One, and Playstation 4?

In Germany, it looks like this:

  • On XBox One, Evolve starts at 23:01 on Monday, February 9th – so today
  • On PC, it is set to begin at 0:01.
  • The exact start time for Playstation 4 is not yet known and will be added later. It seems like it will be a release around midnight.
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Hearthstone: Swarm intelligence finds highly complex 16-mana lethal

Hearthstone-Gallywix

In Hearthstone there was an unusual lethal in an extremely tricky board situation. The player didn’t see it, but his fans did.

Hearthstone, as you know, is designed to provide a “story” after each match. And the more new cards with extraordinary abilities come into play, the more opportunities there are to tell a story.

The situation looks so bare and stark: The druid player has no cards on the board, the opponent is heavily equipped, his legendary shredder has spat out a trade prince Gallywix. The streamer Savjz is lounging a bit in his gaming chair and is deep in thought.

But while the player is still mulling over the situation, the stream chat is already going wild: “Lethal,” they write, yes spam. A combination that leads directly to the opponent’s death and thus to victory.

Pause the video after 40 seconds. Would you have seen the situation as well?

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

World of Warcraft: World record in the Fire Trial – 198 rounds completed

WoW Dancing

In World of Warcraft, there is a new world record in the Trial of Fire for tanks. One player endured for 198 rounds.

For many, gold is still far away, as it shakes in the Endless mode quite vigorously. A player has now completed 198 of the endless waves. One has to be quite Zen to maintain that level of concentration (3 hours, 18 minutes) for so long. It was – as many can imagine – a tank monk, a Brewmaster, who made it so far in the Trial of Fire Tank.

The Trials of Fire in World of Warcraft are actually designed to demonstrate the players’ capability to at least show a fundamental understanding of roles (DD, tank, healer) in heroic instances. In Endless mode with increasingly difficult waves, it then becomes a kind of high score chase.

Here is the Battle.Net link for the Draenei Brewmaster.

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Source(s):
  1. reddit

No World of Warcraft and LoL on the Crimea – Obama is to blame

At the moment, there is no legal way to play World of Warcraft on the Crimean Peninsula.

It may seem like a trifle to many compared to the misery currently unfolding and brewing in this part of the world, but: According to a presidential decree from Barack Obama, Blizzard cannot offer services for the online MMORPG World of Warcraft on the Crimea, which was annexed by Russia, and players cannot even be compensated for it.

Blizzard-Ban-WoW

The decree from the US government imposes a sanction that prohibits the import of American “Tech Products and Services” to the Crimean Peninsula. As Blizzard’s Customer Support indicates, this embargo must be adhered to.

The banning of World of Warcraft on the Crimea was discussed in the WoW subreddit, where an employee from Riot (League of Legends) stated: Yes, it is due to this presidential directive. It is also binding for us.

If this embargo expires, Blizzard intends to resume support.

We previously reported on a similar incident where war affects a “War” game last August: regarding the MMO “War Thunder,” which is so popular in Ukraine.

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

MMO Culture: Dispute between Nexon (MapleStory) and NCSoft (Guild Wars 2, WildStar)

A conflict is brewing in South Korea between rivals Nexon (Maple Story, Atlantica Online) and NCSoft (Guild Wars 2, WildStar).

In South Korea, there is trouble, as mmoculture reports. It has a bit of a Greek drama feel to it. The two heads of the software giants Nexon and NCSoft were formerly friends until their careers drove them in different directions.

In 2012, Nexon became a shareholder in NCSoft, acquiring 15% of the company, also to counter the pressure that companies like Riot Games (League of Legends) and Blizzard (StarCraft) suddenly exerted in Korea. Nexon remained quiet for three years and did not exert influence on NCSoft. That has now changed. Nexon wants to have a say in the management of NCSoft, apparently disappointed with the direction NCSoft is heading. The results are considered too weak.

NCSoft rejects this, stating that they have a different philosophy and such unilateral interference would lead to being less competitive in the market. As mmoculture reports, the Korean antitrust office (or its equivalent) is also watching Nexon closely.

Meanwhile, Nexon has made public what the “interference” is supposed to look like, as there is an open letter outlining the demands. NCSoft should collaborate more with other companies (including Nexon), involve shareholders and investors more, liquidate concrete assets, and disclose the compensations of certain managers when they exceed 500 million Korean Won (about 400,000 Euros).

Nexon-vs-NCsoft-proposal1

This is probably what one would call a “power play” in such circles. It will be interesting to see how things develop.

Nexon has relatively few well-known “big MMOs” in the West; the more recognized are: Maple Story, Atlantica Online, Vindictus, and Dragon Nest.

NCSoft includes Guild Wars 2, WildStar, Lineage 1 and 2, or Blade and Soul.

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Destiny: It is official, a major expansion is coming this fall

A major expansion for Destiny has now also been officially confirmed by Activision for the fall.

With Destiny, there are now so many leaks that it’s hard to distinguish what is officially confirmed and what seems so logical that everyone assumes it’s already official. Bungie hasn’t said anything about it yet.

We all experienced this with House of Wolves: It seemed logical to expect it to come in March. But no such luck: At the earliest in April.

What is suspected and what is known: The future of Destiny

The same goes for the “larger expansion” that doesn’t have an official name yet. It seems that one knows when it will come, what it will be called, and what it will include. However, officially and confirmed, nearly nothing is known yet.

So far, there have only been confirmed statements before the release that Destiny is designed for 10 years and that several installments are planned (Destiny 2, etc.). Additionally, there are plans to release a larger expansion for each of these installments, alongside smaller DLCs.

Destiny Leak Schedule
Unofficial and probably outdated. This is allegedly a screenshot from a Bungie presentation.

So far, it wasn’t known when this “large expansion” is supposed to come. There was only a “leak” in early January, that named September as the date for this expansion. The leak also mentioned that the expansion “Comet” would raise the base level to 30, would appear as a “standalone” box, and would bring much more content than the previous DLCs. However, the leak also dated the 2nd DLC House of Wolves to mid-March – which has since turned out to be incorrect.

This is not particularly surprising: The “leak” comes, if it is indeed authentic, from October 2014. Timelines tend to get mixed up.

Destiny House of Wolves
Start screen House of Wolves: Somewhere hidden in the depths of the Destiny CD, it has been lurking since its release, during which quite a lot may have changed.

A large expansion is supposed to come in the fall

Now, Activision CEO Erik Hirshberg has actually confirmed “something on the scale” of Comet. He stated that a second expansion for Destiny is on the way (by which he means House of Wolves), and for the fall, they are planning “a major release of additional game content.”

With this content update, it’s likely to refer to “Comet,” or an expansion of this magnitude. Hirshberg did not mention any further details of any kind.

For the time thereafter, Hirshberg speaks of a “robust pipeline,” stating that there is still much planned for Destiny. These comments came late last week when Activision presented the impressive numbers for Destiny.

By the way: The fall officially begins on September 23 and ends on December 21. A release “early in September” doesn’t seem very likely.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. vg247.com

Evolve Press Review: Test and Review – what are the first critiques?

The asymmetric team shooter Evolve is released today. A review embargo expired at 6:00 AM German time. We summarize the tests and reviews from various magazines for you.

Evolve is one of the first  shakes in the gaming market in 2015. A good sign so far: The press had access to the servers beforehand, and at 6:00 AM this morning
an embargo expired and major US sites published their tests and reviews. We have tracked them down for you and summarized them. These are often just “provisional judgments” or “first impressions” from the press servers after 20-30 hours, but they paint an initial picture.

Polygon: Yes, but …

Polygon (8/10): The Polygon tester spent 25 hours with the pre-release version and repeatedly calls Evolve “ambitious.” A game with big goals. But like all “big endeavors,” it needs refinement. When entering new territory, one encounters new challenges.

Classic “Hunt” matches are often one-sided and it is clear from the start who will win. The balance is also not yet harmonious; some hunter abilities and the monster “Wraith” are too strong (Note from mein-mmo.de: This should be fixed in a Day One Patch ). The tester also struggles with unlocking and upgrading the monsters and hunters. It feels sluggish and presents an artificial hurdle.

On the plus side, Evolve is a hell of a lot of fun, especially in a team. It has a kind of “party” factor, and the additional modes provide variety. In particular, the Defense mode has captured the tester’s interest; these are longer matches that develop more slowly and allow for mistakes.

Evolve-Caira

The Escapist: Co-Op Fun with minor flaws

The Escapist (9/10) enjoys the co-op shooter and the team play it offers. Evolve is a game that presents players with challenges, a variety of them. Teamwork is especially important. When everything comes together and you have a strong team, it becomes an incredibly “satisfying game.”

The Escapist points out the complicated DLC plan and the frustration that arises when you end up on the wrong side of a one-sided match.

Evolve

Gamespot: Intense

Gamespot (8/10) highlights the atmosphere in its critique. It is exciting and intense. Sometimes Evolve is the Blair Witch Project among shooters: you wander aimlessly, there are eerie sounds, a sense of an imminent threat, and you wait for something exciting to happen. And when it does, when it comes to battle, the clashes between hunters and monsters are intense.

For Gamespot, the game is best when playing with friends.

Evolve Goliath Trick

And what else is there?

Several more reviews have been published. The consensus is quite clear: Evolve shines in co-op mode; solo it is difficult to not fun at all. Most have played around 20-30 hours and are curious about what the community will make of the game. Criticism arises regarding the test servers, where some “bad matches” were found with one-sided outcomes; especially the “typical” Hunt mode can quickly become one-sided.

Much positive feedback is given regarding the sound, the atmosphere, and the varied missions. It looks very positive at first glance, as one would expect.


More about Evolve from us can be found here. If you want to prepare for the launch, we recommend Cortyn’s guides: For hunters and for Goliath.

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Destiny Crucible: Super success thanks to “infinite super” tactic: Exploit or clever?

In Destiny guardians have now found a way to dominate the Crucible. Through a class synergy with Titans, incredible stats are achieved.

Currently, a video from the Crucible is circulating in Destiny, promising incredible stats and values.

Guide to being IMBA in Destiny’s Crucible

The tactic goes, according to the video creator:

  1. Form a team of 4 Titans and fill the remaining spots with Warlocks or Hunters.
  2. The four Titans ideally wear the exotic chest piece “Mark of Alpha Lupi,” then they generate 3 Orbs of Light per bubble instead of 2. With four Titans, that means 12 Orbs of Light per bubble round if the others collect them, leading to a Super.
  3. Now enter the Crucible and wait for everyone to have their Super ready.
  4. Find a spot and let the Titans start bubbling.
  5. Warlocks and Hunters begin to annihilate everything in the area with infinite Supers.
  6. Done
Destiny-Alpha-Lupi

The tactic works quite similarly to the system with the “one-sword” Crota kill. It was developed by the group around the guy who set the speedrun at Crota.

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Exploit or Super Trick?

In the forums, there is discussion about whether this tactic is “legitimate” or just completely unfair.

On one hand, these “infinite Supers” are certainly a killer. On the other hand, a bit of skill is required to achieve these kills. Since Destiny is not a “eSport” and coordinated groups are rarely found in the Crucible, the issue doesn’t seem too urgent. After all, it requires coordinated action and a special group composition.

As the community manager said in a stream: “Most who see opponents with the same emblems or clan tags in the Crucible leave the match immediately anyway.”

Let’s see if countermeasures can be found for this “tactic.” Otherwise, it’s a matter of waiting.

There is already a Crucible planned with the Inferno mode, in which Supers will not play a role. When and if it comes, however, is still open. Some expect a release during House of Wolves.

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More Candy Crush than Everquest Next or H1Z1? Why did Sony part ways with SOE?

The sale of Sony Online Entertainment, the studio behind MMOs like Everquest, PlanetSide 2, H1Z1, or Everquest Next, surprised many. Analysts believe they have found an explanation.

On Monday, Sony unexpectedly sold the MMO studio Sony Online Entertainment, which was founded in 1996. The Fortune magazine dealt with the sale and asked some analysts what explanation model they have.

According to Fortune, SOE was founded in the late 90s to develop subscription-based MMOs. In recent years, however, the market has shifted toward free-to-play MMOs. Only Blizzard still makes money with World of Warcraft the “old way”. The crux seems to be that SOE is focusing on a free-to-play model, but on the wrong platform.

Free-to-Play grows strongest on Mobile

SOE Logo
Did SOE not fit Sony’s corporate strategy?

According to analyst Michael Pachter, the sale of SOE should be understood as Sony not seeing the future of free-to-play games on PC, but rather in the mobile market. The free-to-play market is growing strongest on tablets and smartphones. SOE, with its focus on PC games, could not contribute anything here.

According to Pachter’s assessment, the investment group Columbus Nova contacted Sony and made an offer for SOE. They did not have to put SOE up for sale on the open market.

Sony retreats from PC

According to another analyst, Sartori Bernbeck, the sale of SOE shows that Sony wants to focus even more on Playstation as a primary platform in the future.
A year ago, Sony already abandoned the PC hardware division Sony Vaio, which Fortune sees as a sign that Sony is distancing itself from the PC market.

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

Skyforge: Gods to Build Yourself – Video Shows Character Creation from the Beta

The upcoming MMO Skyforge is currently in beta in Russia, and a video shows the character creation process.

We have reported a lot about Skyforge in the last few months, seen many screenshots, but the current game and moving images are relatively rare. This is slowly changing now as the game continues to progress and mature. In Russia, they are already a bit further along, while the western localization is lagging behind (but not too far). In any case, today we have a current video of the character creation for you and take this opportunity to summarize what is known about Skyforge.

Skyforge-russische-beta2

The features of Skyforge at a glance

Skyforge is set to be a Free2Play action MMO for PC with:

Skyforge-Character-Creation

The character creation of Skyforge in video

The Russian developers place great value on aesthetics. They adopt a model similar to The Secret World and do not let new items appear on the character; rather, the wardrobe is equipment-independent. As is usual with games with this design decision, great emphasis is placed on character creation.

Character creation is important anyway in MMOs with Asian influence; and Russian games strongly emphasize this, being an interesting mix of Asian and Western design ideas in MMOs. Skyforge is being developed not only by the Russian team from Allods but also by some developers from the West. They are supposed to ensure it resonates here as well. The chances for this are not bad at all, as the developers are from Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind Fallout: New Vegas. They have explained to the Russians that gender locking is not a good idea.

Here is a video of the character creation from the beta. As starter classes, there are the Paladin (Tank), the Lightbinder (Support), and the Cryomancer (DPS).

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H1Z1: The 3 Biggest Problems and Why the Game is Much More Fun After a Reset

The zombie survival MMO H1Z1 is a hit on Steam, but three issues continue to plague it: the loot distribution is problematic, zombies are too dumb, and player structures lack fine-tuning.

H1Z1 Firepower

H1Z1 is a hit: it competes with DayZ on Steam, streamers have discovered it, and the banned hackers constantly buy new Russian keys. But there are at least three major issues in H1Z1 that the game suffers from in this early version. We present them.

The loot – sometimes good, sometimes bad

The loot in H1Z1, how often players find something, is a persistent and recurring problem. In the beginning, there was almost nothing, then suddenly too much, now the loot has been reduced again and now the gamers find it too little.

H1Z1 in the Dark

The problem: After a server restart, everything works. Once the containers have been looted, respawning often does not happen. The H1Z1 devs must not only find a solution for the “full servers” that run with 200 players, but also for the smaller servers during non-peak times. That seems to still be an issue at the moment.

Zombies are still too dumb

Originally, the zombies in H1Z1 were intended to be “the great threat.” This was emphasized in every stream before: We are the zombie game with dangerous zombies. The game is designed around this idea, zombies should be a permanent danger that makes it difficult for players to “shoot at each other.” Without zombies: lots of kill-on-sight, much player-killing, a lot of overkill with wasted ammunition and more of a “shooter” than a survival simulation.

However, the server frame rate is a problem. There is not enough “brainpower” for the zombies. Thus, instead of becoming a ferocious beast, the zombie becomes a mere pole. This changes the dynamics of the game. Work is being done on these problems. Only once they are solved will there be real zombie hordes.

Here too, it shows: after a server down, players rave about the voracious, dangerous hordes and how much more exciting the game becomes because of it. Having this state permanently would please many and solve some subsequent problems.

H1Z1 Base

Player structures block loot, are too easy to break

Another major feature is the player structures, small enclosures that gamers can build in the world. From the beginning, they offered too little protection, were too easy to break and raid. Players stacked various items on top of each other and used them as a ladder for entry.

At the moment, there is another problem: players use structures to “block loot,” such as building them in police stations or supermarkets, thereby blocking other players’ access.

Even if they have quite amusing effects:

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These player structures are a complex system into which a lot of work and brainpower will likely need to be invested during development. Moreover, they create static elements in a sandbox. But it is exactly these basebuilding elements that can set H1Z1 apart from the competition. Surely, player structures will be the element that the developers will have to deal with the longest.


What do you think? Do you see these as the three biggest problems? Or are there other issues that you want to see addressed more urgently?

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Evolve: Goliath Monster Guide for Beginners

Most monster players avoid this ability due to the immobility; I personally consider it underestimated. It is just too much fun to never select it – but it is definitely not for beginners.

Leap Smash

Evolve Goliath Leap Smash
Evolve Goliath Leap Smash

The monster jumps to a target area, causing damage upon impact and knocking back all affected hunters. For opponents, it is often hard to tell whether you are executing a “normal” jump or this attack.

It is excellent for starting a fight but can also be used to escape – just use it like one of your normal jumps to quickly cover a large distance.

Fire Breath

Evolve Goliath Fire Breath

What would a nasty monster be without fire breath? Boring, right?

Evolve Guide Fire Breath

The damage of this attack is not outstanding, but the attack comes with several other advantages. On one hand, the fire obscures a significant portion of the view and can disorient the hunters. Then, the affected targets continue to burn for several seconds, suffering from a dot effect. However, the most useful aspect is that fire breath reveals cloaked enemies! Because even if the hunters activate their cloaking – you still see the flames on their bodies.What many do not know: During fire breath, you can use all other abilities! So you do not have to wait; just continue to pummel your enemies. Especially in combination with “Charge”, you can often take out several hunters in seconds.

Charge

Evolve Goliath Charge

Goliath charges forward, causing damage and knocking back all affected hunters.

This ability is absolutely worth its weight in gold. With it, individual hunters can be separated from the group. This is particularly useful when the Support Hank is protecting someone with the shield stream – just carry the affected away, and he is defenseless against your attacks.

It works especially well when you toss enemies over a cliff with “Charge” and then dive down on them with the “Leap Smash” from above – that knocks most hunters off their feet.

Evolve Screenshot 2

Always remember that you can also use “Charge” as a traveling ability to quickly cover a large distance. Use it to save some of your jumps for more important situations.

Special Tips to Conclude

The Fight Against Lazarus

If there’s a Lazarus on the enemy team, then he is your most important target! Normally, killed hunters only return to the game after 2 minutes with the drop ship, but Lazarus can bring them back from the dead. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the respective hunters do not even have reduced HP.

Evolve - Goliath vs Lazarus

In summary: As long as Lazarus is alive, you can inflict no permanent damage on the hunters. Bring him down, keep your fire breath active on him (as he has a personal cloak), and wait for the hunters to help him – then rush back in and finish him off again. A Lazarus with 2 “strikes” (i.e., 2x reduced maximum HP) can be killed with a single leap smash.

If that is no option, just make sure to immediately devour killed hunters – because Lazarus can only revive them if the corpses are still intact.

Setting a False Trail

Especially at the beginning, it is important to confuse the hunters. A false trail can be laid quickly: Take a few steps in one direction, then switch to stealth mode, turn around bluntly, and follow a different path. The hunters will hardly know what to do now.

Evolve Screenshot

Of course, your opponents also learn over time, so sometimes you should bluff and just walk along the first way in stealth mode. It’s purely a psychological game – unless the hunters have Daisy with them, then save yourself the trouble. Daisy always sniffs out your direction, regardless of stealth. If you want, you can also draw funny messages on the ground with your tracks, like an arrow in the direction where the monster is waiting (most hunters never believe that anyway – and then go in a different direction).

Be Nice to Birds!

Birds are primarily annoying. You often startle them accidentally, or they appear when you’ve just devoured a tasty wild animal. They immediately inform the hunters of where the monster is. Use that to confuse them! If a flock has been startled, sprint in one direction and startle a second flock.

Evolve Goliath Monster

The hunters will usually draw an imaginary line between the first flock and the second to guess in which direction the monster is moving. If the monster turns back (i.e., moves toward the first flock), you can often avoid an encounter.

HELP! I’m Stage 1 and in the Dome!

Don’t throw in the towel! Look around. Which area is exactly affected by the dome? Are there bushes or other hiding spots nearby? Can you walk around pillars? Especially important: Do the hunters definitely know they have trapped you? Often it is not so clear with a “small” stage-1 monster.

You would laugh at how often during the beta I simply stood in a bush and waited. Those who do not believe it can check out this video (the first 2 minutes are enough):

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If you can’t avoid a fight, then find the Trapper. Bring him down at all costs! Once he is on the ground, the dome collapses upon itself, and you should flee.

Priorities in Combat

During the fight, always know who poses the greatest threat, so here’s this simple calculation: The Assault deals 50% of the damage, Support 25%, Medic and Trapper each 12.5%.

For the monster: If you do not give the Assault a moment’s peace and he never gets the chance to unload his weapons on you, you will easily survive most fights in Phase 2 and 3. If the Assault is dead, do not hesitate to hunt the remaining hunters (except in Stage 1). If the Support also falls, they effectively deal no damage.

Evolve Monster Stage Goliath

So… I hope the guide has been enjoyable for all readers. It has turned out to be a bit longer than initially planned, but I have covered a lot of gaming situations. Critiques, suggestions, and opinions are welcome in the comments. Oh, and compliments. I love compliments. Bring it on. Have fun destroying the hunters!

After dedicating our last guide to the 4 starter hunters of the last guide from Evolve, we will now cover the first monster, Goliath, and provide valuable tips to ensure you emerge victorious after a short acclimatization period.

Since playing the monsters requires much more attention than playing the individual hunters, it will be a bit more extensive. It is, of course, not possible to include all tactics and strategies here – feel free to add your own ideas in the comments. As before, all points here are not set in stone.

There are certainly ways to play this monster better, but the following Goliath guide should be a significant help for newcomers.

Basics of the Monster

Goliath Guide Evolve

Currently, Goliath is the monster with the most health points and the highest mobility. All his abilities are based on power, sheer brutality, and require no greater understanding, but I will still list a few tricks.

The Stealth Mode

By pressing the CTRL key, you enter stealth mode. The monster moves significantly slower but leaves no footprints! This takes away one of the hunters’ tracking options. Birds will not be startled unless you walk right through them.

At the same time, you can perform stealth attacks: Hold down the left mouse button and look around. Once a red glow appears around your target, release the button. The target will be attacked and hit until it either dies or Goliath takes damage. The target cannot defend itself! A perfect way to kill lone hunters or quickly and cleanly take down creatures to then gorge yourself on.

Use stealth mode wisely! Those who always sneak around will never be able to build up enough distance, and those who never sneak give the hunters too many clues as to where to move.

Smelling

The “Smell” function (right mouse button) is your radar. Within a 50-meter radius, ALL creatures will be displayed – even the hunters! You can see them even through walls. Use the function as often as possible. There is practically no reason not to constantly sniff and scan the surroundings. However, note that cloaked hunters will not be displayed – but their footprints will be (please do not question this logic…).

There is only one situation where you should not be constantly sniffing: Goliath wants to hide and hopes that the hunters will walk past him. Sniffing indeed produces a very distinctive sound that can also be heard by the hunters.

Tips for Stage 1

Recommended point distribution: 1 each in Leap Smash, Fire Breath, and Charge
Monster Goliath Guide

At the beginning of a “Hunt” round, you are weak. The hunters are mercilessly superior to you, so do not give yourself the illusion of being able to win a fight.

You have about 20 seconds of head start before the hunters land on the map – use this time to cover a lot of ground! Particularly with your jumps, you can bridge huge distances, make good use of that.

And then it’s: Eat, Smell, Eat, Smell. The only goal is to evade the hunters and reach Stage 2.

Fortunately, this process is quite fast; after about 2 minutes, you should be able to evolve Goliath, often even before the hunters know which direction you fled.

Tips for Stage 2

Recommended point distribution: 2 in Leap Smash, 1 in Charge
Goliath Evolve Stage

From now on, the fun begins. As you evolve, the hunters will know exactly where Goliath is located because the evolution roar can be heard across the entire map.

Devour new armor as quickly as possible; it is completely lost when evolving. Then you have to make a decision: Do you want to fight the hunters or keep devouring until you reach Stage 3?

If you want to fight: Lure the hunters to a location that is advantageous for you! A narrow cave where no one can avoid with the jetpack, or a very rocky environment where you can push the hunters around. Startle a few birds or draw attention to yourself in other ways. You do not necessarily have to win in this phase of the game, but it can be worthwhile to take down the hunters a few times so that your maximum HP value is reduced.

If the battle luck turns against you, just flee and eat until you reach Stage 3.

Tips for Stage 3

Recommended point distribution: 2 in Fire Breath, 1 in Charge
Evolve Goliath against Hunters

Congratulations, you are virtually unstoppable. Regain your armor and dive into the hunters. If you have already inflicted a few strikes on them during the game, you should easily be able to win as they will all die from a fire breath-charge combo.

Alternatively, you can now attack the map’s generator – it takes about 30 seconds, is interrupted by damage (but your progress on the generator remains) and makes the monster player the immediate winner upon success. As long as you have armor, you no longer have to fear the hunters.

Goliath is the king of close combat – show that to the hunters and squeeze the life out of their bodies.

The Abilities in Detail:

Rock Throw

Evolve Goliath Rock Throw

Goliath reaches into the ground and pulls out a rock, which he can then throw in a direction of his choice. The ability has a whole range of advantages but also significant disadvantages.

Evolve

Let’s start with the negative aspects: While he tears the rock from the ground, Goliath cannot move. Although it only takes less than 2 seconds, that can be enough to cause you exactly the damage that ruins victory. So use the rock only if you are sure you can handle the 2 seconds!Now for the advantages: You can hold the rock as long as you want. As long as you keep the “1” button pressed, the Goliath is ready to throw. This is excellent for preparing an ambush. You see the hunters turning a corner towards you? Want to engage them in battle?

Wait with the rock in hand and greet them with a stone in their surprised faces! Additionally, you can also wonderfully bring down hunters from the air who think they are safe with the jetpack. If one hunter wants to assist another and you do not arrive in time? Send a rock flying and with a bit of luck, they will both be lying on the ground.

Most monster players avoid this ability due to the immobility; I personally consider it underestimated. It is just too much fun to never select it – but it is definitely not for beginners.

Leap Smash

Evolve Goliath Leap Smash
Evolve Goliath Leap Smash

The monster jumps to a target area, causing damage upon impact and knocking back all affected hunters. For opponents, it is often hard to tell whether you are executing a “normal” jump or this attack.

It is excellent for starting a fight but can also be used to escape – just use it like one of your normal jumps to quickly cover a large distance.

Fire Breath

Evolve Goliath Fire Breath

What would a nasty monster be without fire breath? Boring, right?

Evolve Guide Fire Breath

The damage of this attack is not outstanding, but the attack comes with several other advantages. On one hand, the fire obscures a significant portion of the view and can disorient the hunters. Then, the affected targets continue to burn for several seconds, suffering from a dot effect. However, the most useful aspect is that fire breath reveals cloaked enemies! Because even if the hunters activate their cloaking – you still see the flames on their bodies.What many do not know: During fire breath, you can use all other abilities! So you do not have to wait; just continue to pummel your enemies. Especially in combination with “Charge”, you can often take out several hunters in seconds.

Charge

Evolve Goliath Charge

Goliath charges forward, causing damage and knocking back all affected hunters.

This ability is absolutely worth its weight in gold. With it, individual hunters can be separated from the group. This is particularly useful when the Support Hank is protecting someone with the shield stream – just carry the affected away, and he is defenseless against your attacks.

It works especially well when you toss enemies over a cliff with “Charge” and then dive down on them with the “Leap Smash” from above – that knocks most hunters off their feet.

Evolve Screenshot 2

Always remember that you can also use “Charge” as a traveling ability to quickly cover a large distance. Use it to save some of your jumps for more important situations.

Special Tips to Conclude

The Fight Against Lazarus

If there’s a Lazarus on the enemy team, then he is your most important target! Normally, killed hunters only return to the game after 2 minutes with the drop ship, but Lazarus can bring them back from the dead. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the respective hunters do not even have reduced HP.

Evolve - Goliath vs Lazarus

In summary: As long as Lazarus is alive, you can inflict no permanent damage on the hunters. Bring him down, keep your fire breath active on him (as he has a personal cloak), and wait for the hunters to help him – then rush back in and finish him off again. A Lazarus with 2 “strikes” (i.e., 2x reduced maximum HP) can be killed with a single leap smash.

If that is no option, just make sure to immediately devour killed hunters – because Lazarus can only revive them if the corpses are still intact.

Setting a False Trail

Especially at the beginning, it is important to confuse the hunters. A false trail can be laid quickly: Take a few steps in one direction, then switch to stealth mode, turn around bluntly, and follow a different path. The hunters will hardly know what to do now.

Evolve Screenshot

Of course, your opponents also learn over time, so sometimes you should bluff and just walk along the first way in stealth mode. It’s purely a psychological game – unless the hunters have Daisy with them, then save yourself the trouble. Daisy always sniffs out your direction, regardless of stealth. If you want, you can also draw funny messages on the ground with your tracks, like an arrow in the direction where the monster is waiting (most hunters never believe that anyway – and then go in a different direction).

Be Nice to Birds!

Birds are primarily annoying. You often startle them accidentally, or they appear when you’ve just devoured a tasty wild animal. They immediately inform the hunters of where the monster is. Use that to confuse them! If a flock has been startled, sprint in one direction and startle a second flock.

Evolve Goliath Monster

The hunters will usually draw an imaginary line between the first flock and the second to guess in which direction the monster is moving. If the monster turns back (i.e., moves toward the first flock), you can often avoid an encounter.

HELP! I’m Stage 1 and in the Dome!

Don’t throw in the towel! Look around. Which area is exactly affected by the dome? Are there bushes or other hiding spots nearby? Can you walk around pillars? Especially important: Do the hunters definitely know they have trapped you? Often it is not so clear with a “small” stage-1 monster.

You would laugh at how often during the beta I simply stood in a bush and waited. Those who do not believe it can check out this video (the first 2 minutes are enough):

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If you can’t avoid a fight, then find the Trapper. Bring him down at all costs! Once he is on the ground, the dome collapses upon itself, and you should flee.

Priorities in Combat

During the fight, always know who poses the greatest threat, so here’s this simple calculation: The Assault deals 50% of the damage, Support 25%, Medic and Trapper each 12.5%.

For the monster: If you do not give the Assault a moment’s peace and he never gets the chance to unload his weapons on you, you will easily survive most fights in Phase 2 and 3. If the Assault is dead, do not hesitate to hunt the remaining hunters (except in Stage 1). If the Support also falls, they effectively deal no damage.

Evolve Monster Stage Goliath

So… I hope the guide has been enjoyable for all readers. It has turned out to be a bit longer than initially planned, but I have covered a lot of gaming situations. Critiques, suggestions, and opinions are welcome in the comments. Oh, and compliments. I love compliments. Bring it on. Have fun destroying the hunters!

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

Honest Trailer tackles Hearthstone

For Blizzard’s online card game Hearthstone a biting Honest Trailer has been released.

The Honest Trailers have become an institution on YouTube. The narrator always dives into a topic and gleefully fillets it, pointing out its absurdities and peculiarities. He uses the bombastic aesthetics of hype trailers and the typical “In a land” style of delivering a trailer.

This time it’s Blizzard’s Hearthstone: The game where you spend hours building your own deck that perfectly fits your playstyle… and then you play it until you want to win, then you just copy a working deck from reddit. Also amusing is the depiction of the different types of streamers and what they do all day: act like a contestant on “The Price is Right” (Amaz), complain (Reynad), or just do nothing (Trump).

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

Destiny: Speed Record! The hardest raid beaten in under 15 minutes

The hardest raid in Destiny, Crota’s End (Hard), has now been completed in 14 minutes and 42 seconds. We have the video for it.

“I can’t even do it on normal, and you guys did it in under 15 minutes after we spent 6 hours in yesterday.”

“We wiped on Crota 6 times yesterday and you guys did it so quickly.”

“And I was proud that our raids are over in under an hour.”

Those were roughly the reactions to the Destiny video in which Guardians showcase their “speed record” from the Crota run.

Raid group in Destiny is experienced

But this is really impressive. You can see in the video that it’s not about looking good, but about going fast. The goal is always – without regard for losses – to reach the next checkpoint, everyone knows exactly what to do, and each fulfills their role in Destiny with precision.

It’s often not very elegant, but damn effective. And when the next checkpoint is reached, they might send the survivor into the water to shoot themselves. This is, for some unknown reason, possible in Destiny: Anyone standing in the water can shoot themselves.

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Light Double Jump and heavy ammo trick during the speed record in Crota’s End

A “world record” in that sense is not because some players have utilized “cheese”, exploiting game mechanics that are not intended. In speed runs, that is generally okay by common gaming etiquette, but not for “world records”. However, nothing too severe happens, no one pulls a cable or anything.

For example, if you’re wondering why they suddenly switch to “No Land Beyond” and seemingly empties the magazines for no reason: That’s a “trick” that players use to ensure that a lot of heavy ammo drops.

In a video by ProNDC, this is explained:

http://youtu.be/naVaV-VyeX8

And even in the lamp section, the players took a little “exploit”, as they also write.

At the end of the video, the winners discuss how it all went. “Perfect, perfect, that was perfect,” shouts one.

The other: “No one will beat this. Who can beat this?”

And the third is a perfectionist and says: “We can definitely be 10 seconds faster.”

Here is another video of the run from another player’s perspective:

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More on kills directly from Crota can be found here with the “foolproof” tactic, an unusual Crota run completely without weapons can be seen here and an impressive two-man run we also have.

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

ArcheAge: Sweet! The full Asia Attack for Valentine’s Day

Sandpark-MMO ArcheAge emphasizes its Korean roots for Valentine’s Day and brings players a pet, the Naranya Plushie Pet.

We simply have to show you the new Valentine’s Day pet in ArcheAge. It’s kind of … a meme brought to life. According to Trion Worlds, this plush toy will unlock new “cute” emotes as it levels up.

The pet is available in a new shop package for 3,550 credits (about 15-18€, depending on the credit package), along with a “White Romance Table,” which also includes a romantic emote, and a customization for the glider, “Ruby Wings.”

Also new in the shop: A single-seater rowboat with a barrel of rum. According to Trion Worlds, the perfect opportunity for romance skeptics to escape all the cuddling in ArcheAge.

ARcheAge-Pet

And this is how you celebrate Valentine’s Day in World of Warcraft or Blade and Soul.

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

Destiny: Old raid armor with 42 light? Trials of Osiris Sparrow? Bungie employees sighted again

At Destiny, Bungie employees have been sighted and observed again in the Tower. They were wearing old “The Vault of Glass” raid gear with a light level of 42, weapons that go up to 365 damage, and a Sparrow that hints at the Trials of Osiris event.

Destiny-Lightbearer
Trials of Osiris Sparrow

This has happened before, and every time it feels like a Yeti sighting: For a brief moment, a Guardian catches sight of a “test” account, snaps pictures like crazy, and later what is captured is analyzed and dissected by a thousand pairs of eyes. Because these test accounts have items that are not yet available in Destiny.

Right at the beginning, at the release, Guardians were already seen above level 20 (which was insane back then). Before the release of “Darkness Awaits,” Dr. Crispy, with new raid gear, stumbled through the forums as a kind of promotional gag, and now Bungie employees have been discovered in the Tower and managed to be seen briefly – this must point to the next DLC House of Wolves and what armor and weapon strengths to expect in Destiny:
http://youtu.be/7_79Wt7TxeE

What the mysterious figures in Destiny were wearing

They had:

  • old raid gear from the raid “The Vault of Glass” with a light level of 42. This is probably the new theoretical maximum in “House of Wolves,” allowing a level of 34 to be reached. But of all things at the “old” VoG raid, which Bungie says is frozen in time?
  • old legendary weapons (Shadow-Prince, Unfriendly Giant) with a damage value of 365, probably the new maximum damage with House of Wolves.
  • an exotic weapon with a maximum damage of 347, which is totally strange because this number would result in a “lvl 33” weapon in Destiny
  • new legendary vendor gear that goes up to a light level of 39 – which it shouldn’t.
  • a Sparrow, which will be available at the Trials of Osiris event, a new PvP event that is not yet in the game.

Destiny-Zealot-Greaves

And what does this mean now?

Users on reddit are discussing and talking themselves into a frenzy. What does this mean? There are two theories:

  • Theory 1: These are Bungie testers, and they are really testing these new items, which will be added to the game. We will get old raid gear with a light level of 42, the old raids count again and Trials of Osiris is starting soon.
  • Theory 2: These are Bungie testers, but they are only wearing placeholder items and what is seen there has no impact on how it will actually be; instead, testers want to test items that have not yet been implemented in a live environment, and adjust their old gear accordingly.

Our friends at ProNDC are dealing with this sighting.

http://youtu.be/LrMSNAU0cOE

Mysterious, although one probably shouldn’t read too much into it. What do you think?

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

Overwatch: The kitschy-sympathetic locations of Blizzard’s comic shoot-em-up

The first three maps have been introduced with artwork in Overwatch. 

Ah, it’s a bit like in a Bond film. In London, red buses drive, in Egypt there’s no Arab Spring, but the Sphinx, and in Japan they don’t worry about Fukushima, the economic crisis or the Yakuza, but there are cherry blossoms.

The world is fine in Overwatch, the new shooter from Blizzard. It doesn’t take place in a fantasy world, but in the future of our Earth, well, “future” and “our.”

We have images of the artwork of the three maps for you, which already give a taste of the aesthetics that Blizzard envisions here.

Overwatch-Hanamura3

Hanamura will be the map in Japan. It’s a “remote retreat” far from the hustle and bustle of the technized metropolis. It is played here in the well-known point control mode. Known to Blizzard veterans as “At least we have the stables!”-Arathi Basin.

OVerwatch-Hanamura1
Overwatch-Hanamura2
Overwatch-Anubis1


The Temple of Anubis in Egypt serves as the backdrop for the second control map in Overwatch. Players fight for control of the temple and there are “secrets” lurking here.

Overwatch-Anubis2
OVerwatch-Anubis3
Overwatch-London2


In terms of game mode, King’s Row in London stands out. In “payload escort mode,” one team must try to get the “payload” to a destination. The other team must try to prevent it.

Overwatch-London3

Here you can read more about Overwatch, Blizzard’s new shooter, and what they had in mind.

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Rift: Robo-dragons and Mechs – the Tyranny Forge raid is open

In the dark fantasy MMO Rift, the Tyranny Forge is now open for an hour. Three bosses are awaiting the heroes, well-oiled.

Since Thursday, February 5th, on the new island Tyrant’s Throne, which came with patch 3.1 last week, now also in the new raid “Tyranny Forge.”

Three bosses are waiting for the raiders here: the monstrosity Johann has a shock collar implanted in its fur.

Rift-Johann

Here is a kill video of Johann:
http://youtu.be/PmjYWYGekpo

GOLDEN BOY is a giant mech that needs to be cleared out of the way.

Rift-GOLDJUNGE

Here is a kill video of Golden Boy:
http://youtu.be/UjHIHVNN-i8

And in the end, the chosen ones face the Robo-Dragon Crucia, the mistress of the Tyranny Forge. A reunion with an old acquaintance, so to speak.

Rift-Crucia
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Source(s):
  1. Rift

Hearthstone: 25 million players, record revenue in December and the iPhone is still missing

Blizzard’s online card game Hearthstone now has 25 million registered accounts and recorded its highest revenue month in December. However, the port to the iPhone is still missing, which many have high hopes for.

Hearthstone on Tablet
Reason for success 1: Hearthstone came to the tablet.

20 million registered players – that was the last number heard from Blizzard in September. It has now risen to 25 million. Thanks to the expansion “Goblins vs Gnomes” and the release for Android tablets, December 2014 was the strongest month for Hearthstone so far.

Hearthstone cards Goblins vs Gnomes
Reason for success 2: Goblins vs Gnomes.

Together with Destiny, the other new franchise at Activision, Hearthstone has generated 850 million USD.

In 2015, more Hearthstone content is expected, including new expansions and adventures. The port for the iPhones and Android phones is also still pending. Blizzard expects a lot from this.

And they are also winning awards

And as a bonus: At the DICE Awards in Vegas, a kind of video game Oscar, they also won the award for the best Mobile Game and the best Strategy/Simulation Game of the year on Thursday night.

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