SMITE: Patch brings a new goddess and all remaining Odyssey items!

In the last few weeks, things have been a bit quieter regarding the third-person MOBA “Smite”, due to the developers only fixing minor bugs and the studio mostly being on vacation – now they are back just before Christmas, bringing a lot of new things into the game. Among other things, players can expect a new goddess, some new skins, and of course the usual balance changes; we have summarized the most important points for you.

New Goddess: Awilix, Goddess of the Moon

From the pantheon of the Maya, Awilix now joins the battle! The goddess of the moon is an assassin and the first character to truly have a mount. But Awilix has even more new mechanics, as she is primarily used as a counter-goddess to take out mobile gods like Neith or Odin. Her ultimate allows her to pull gods that are currently “in the jump” or “in the throw” towards her, dealing massive damage. Furthermore, she can summon her panther and ride on it, significantly increasing her movement speed, making her a fast threat across the battlefield.

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New Skins: Pirate Neith, Nerd-Rage Cabrakan, and Archangel Thanatos

The last items of the Odyssey will be released early, so they will all be available for gems with the arrival of the patch. Fans of the archer Neith can particularly look forward to this, as she will receive a pirate outfit, complete with a flintlock pistol and a monkey (and significantly more clothing than in all her other skins combined).

Thanatos Skin
The highlight: the new skin of Thanatos.

The big tank Cabrakan also gets an alternative look; the long-awaited “Nerd-Rage” skin finally makes its way into the game and comes with its own voice pack that will make many players chuckle.

The highlight is, of course, the new Thanatos skin, which you can only obtain if you purchase all 21 items of the Odyssey. The special feature: The higher Thanatos’ level in a match, the more impressive the skin becomes! At the beginning, he only has white wings, but with increasing level, a halo forms, his scythe grows larger, and he is adorned with an epic robe. Especially in his final form, the developers have truly outdone themselves in terms of detail – a fitting reward considering that all Odyssey items together cost nearly €80.

Nox Reworked: More Resilient and Now with 10% More Night!

Smite Goddess Nox

The biggest changes in this patch affect Nox, whose abilities have been completely overhauled for the most part. Her passive “Flames of the Night” now increases her damage reduction by 4% per candle, her “Shadow Barrier” now reduces the damage taken by 90% at each level, and the duration has been increased to 2 (previously 1) seconds. The silence duration of “Nightfall Raven” has increased from 1.5 to 2 seconds, but the damage is slightly adjusted downwards, as is that of “Siphon Darkness”.

Her ultimate has also been adjusted: it can now hit multiple targets, guarantees the damage twice, and stuns at the end of its duration for one second. Furthermore, Nox no longer has to maintain a “connection” to the enemies. All in all, these changes can be described as a strong buff that allows Nox to fight much more effectively.

Harsh Nerfs for Vulcan, Serqet, Vamana, and Ao Kuang

SMITE God AO Kuang

On the other hand, things look bleak for Ao Kuang, whose second activation of “Dragon Call” (that is, the ranged attack) will be nerfed by about 40%, which the developers justify by saying that Ao Kuang is supposed to be a melee mage – and therefore they want to make his ranged abilities less attractive. Vulcan is similarly hard hit; his “Magma Bomb” has been massively nerfed. While the damage values remain identical, the range of the ability has been reduced from 65 to 60 units, and hit targets are no longer stunned before they are launched. As if that weren’t enough, the same ability now gets a “target circle” on the ground, allowing enemies to see where the bomb will land.

Serqet, the goddess of poisons, loses some of her crowd control; her “Cobra’s Madness” now lasts only 1.4 seconds instead of the previous 2.

Finally, Vamana is also getting a (rather small) nerf; the 5th avatar of Vishnu is weakened in his avatar form, which now grants only 100 physical power at the highest level (previously 140), thus forcing the little warrior to focus more on one point in his item selection: damage or tank.

If there are no drastic errors or major balancing issues, the patch will reach the live servers on Wednesday – typically in the early afternoon our time.

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

Destiny: Hotfix introduces Raid helmet in Crota’s End, raises new Raid armor to Light 30/36

A hotfix was released for Destiny on Tuesday evening, December 16th, which allows a raid helmet to drop in the current raid “Crota’s End”.

A hotfix was just applied to Destiny, an update, as you might call it. The game now has the official version number 1.1.0.2. We have translated the patch notes for you into German.

The patch now introduces the raid helmet in the raid “Crota’s End”. Thus, all four armor pieces, that lead the Guardian up to level 32, are already available in the raid. The helmet drop is supposed to be relatively rare, with the “hard mode” appearing more frequently in January. They are not yet revealing which encounter exactly drops the helmet.

Destiny-Gravebreaker
This armor has a light level of 30 – even without upgrades.

Additionally, the raid gear now starts with a light level of 30, previously starting raid chest, raid boots, and raid gloves with lower light levels. This is likely to prevent Guardians from dropping in light level when they exchange their “fully upgraded” old armor for “fresh” new armor.

This also applies to the five raid weapons, which now have higher damage at the “not yet upgraded” levels than before. This means weapons like Black Hammer or Ir Yûts Song are now significantly stronger right after looting.

It is the same with exotic armors and weapons; the “new” ones start with a light level of 30 or a base damage of 302, thus starting where the “others” leave off – at least regarding their base values.

Destiny-Unendlichkeit

Additionally, specific issues with the exotic fusion rifle “Pocket Infinity/Infinity” are fixed (but this also reintroduces old problems), ensures that the “Dead Orbit” hunter cloak does not mistakenly grant Vanguard/Crucible reputation, fixes bugs with the shield penetration of the “Fallen” shields, and makes the first story mission in “Darkness Awaits”, Crota’s Fist, replayable again.

For us Germans, Bungie also has an extra hotfix: “Glowing Energy” is now called “Light Energy.” There was previously an extra syllable.

Mein MMO says: At first glance, one might think: Oh, Destiny fixes a raid; it must be about “The Glass Chamber,” but that is not the case. The current change to the raid armor is certainly reasonable, but now it doesn’t blow anyone away. But it probably has the “positive” effect that now some log in and are instantly at a higher light level or deal more damage.

From a psychological perspective, this is an effect MMOs want: players receive “fresh loot” and can use it immediately and feel stronger. This is a “more pleasant” feeling than: I get new loot and first have to jump through eighteen hoops before it is really better than what I previously had. World of Warcraft has spent the last few years trying to counter this feeling. Bungie seems to have recognized the danger now as well.

Update 9:55: In addition to the changes described here, there seems to have been one “undocumented” thing that the patch brought yesterday: Destiny: Husk of the Pit, precursor to the Necrochasm, sighted since yesterday in the game

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

TERA: Fate of Arun is now live, with launch trailer!

Since Thursday it has been playable in Europe, and today the largest expansion of “TERA” also goes online in America. The release is announced by the American publisher EnMasse with a launch day trailer.

In addition to the new maximum level of 65, the update also offers additional abilities for each class, which are much needed in the new environment. Characters are sent to the previously uncharted continent “northern Arun”, where an extensive story awaits to be told.

But even fans of PvP skirmishes will find something to enjoy with the content update (a strange term for a F2P MMO!), because things will heat up in the Colosseum and it’s not just because of the Castanic. Of course, there are also numerous dungeons to explore and a whole lot of bug fixes and improvements, such as a completely revamped enchanting system. Anyone interested in TERA and wanting to test it can register through the official site and get started. For a first taste, we also have the German story trailer for “TERA: Fate of Arun” here.

http://youtu.be/z8BM8aBYkdk

For more information about this update, you can find it here: Details about the Fate of Arun expansion.

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

Destiny Nightfall: Weekly Nightfall Strike against Phogoth

In Destiny, the goal of the weekly Nightfall strike for the week of December 16 is Phogoth the Untamed, an Ogre boss in the Summoning Pits on the Moon.

The Nightfall, the weekly Nightfall strike, has been raised to the new level of 30 and is quite tricky. This week, all Guardians in Destiny who feel called can take it on. Whether they can handle it is another question.

However, while last week only players with the “Darkness Rising” DLC had access to the Nightfall, now everyone can try it again.

Destiny-Fatebringer

The Nightfall is not only sought after for its chance at great loot but also because it grants a 24.5% bonus on earned experience and reputation. In times where you need to feed weapons with EXP, like a hungry pack of children with pizza rolls, the “smoking head” is even more desirable than usual.

The modifiers for the Nightfall strike on December 16 in the Summoning Pits

The modifiers for Phogoth and his buddies this time are:

  • Nightfall – after a complete wipe of the group, it’s back to orbit and start over
  • Epic – makes the level 30 Nightfall strike really tough
  • Angry – The enemies can hardly be stopped even by heavy damage
  • Lightswitch – The enemies deal significantly increased melee damage, making the lights go out quickly
  • Arc Burn – Arc damage, i.e., electrical damage, is increased by 300%, applicable to both Guardians and enemies
Destiny-LDR-5001

What weapons are recommended for the Nightfall strike?

This week’s tips are mainly for “old” gear:

Primary Weapon: Once again, the Fatebringer, a Hand Cannon that has risen to become one of the most popular weapons overall, is recommended as the primary weapon.

Special Weapon: The sniper rifle Patience and Time – Patience and Time. Range is always good in the Nightfall. However, there is now a valuable alternative available from the vendors in the Tower for Patience and Time. They offer it now. The LDR 5001 from the Vanguard. Experts say: If you buy one, make it this one. Also, the “Whisper” deals Arc damage and could prove useful.

Heavy Weapons: Thunderlord, if you have it. Otherwise, the new legendary weapons can also serve as alternatives. For example, the Arc machine gun Ir Yûts Song, affectionately known as Thunderlord Jr. Available from Crota in the raid.

Destiny-Song-of-Ir-Yût

Tips and tricks for the Summoning Pits?

Especially for Phogoth, there are some cheese spots, tricks, and tips. He is extremely dangerous, so a hit-and-run tactic is advisable. Overall, caution is the mother of successful smokes. Shoot, shoot, get hit, and then go into cover and regenerate.

Since the Nightfall has been made harder solo and the level raised to 30, it is advisable to only go in with friends.

We will upload videos and guides of successful runs throughout the day.

There are two quick walkthroughs here. The tactic is actually always: Retreat as far back as possible, for the Wizards it’s best to have a Solar weapon to get through the shield, while the rest can use Arc weapons. And here, the well-known spot for Phogoth is chosen: Just don’t go into the room, better stay in the hallway.
http://youtu.be/ZIZrP3HYAhY
http://youtu.be/2d9q5JiN7gM
Nexxos uses the well-known Arc duo Fatebringer and Patience and Time for his Nightfall solo run and has the DLC raid machine gun Ir Yûts Song as a “heavy weapon”. Naturally, this is a much more cautious and detailed video that can provide a valuable guide for lone wolves. And for Phogoth, he also has a safe method at play, a cheese spot on the cliffs.
http://youtu.be/2PPPiHb19AU

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

Destiny: Iron Banner event apparently requires DLC “Darkness Awaits”

There’s reason for trouble in Destiny. The current Iron Banner event apparently requires ownership of the DLC “Darkness Awaits”, although Bungie explicitly excluded this beforehand.

Last Tuesday there was a lot of trouble, because the weekly Nightfall strike was only playable for owners of the “Darkness Awaits” expansion. Non-buyers of the DLC were upset that they could do less this week than in previous weeks. And they expressed this.

Now it’s starting again this week: Apparently, Guardians without the DLC “Darkness Awaits” cannot participate in the Iron Banner, the monthly PvP event Iron Banner, Last Friday during the Weekly Update, they assured that the DLC would not be needed.

Therefore, it seems that there is a bug here. Which hopefully gets fixed quickly.

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

World of Warcraft: Hotfix buffs Rogues and two Hunter specs; weakens DD Monk further

In World of Warcraft, additional hotfixes were introduced on the night of Monday to Tuesday, December 15, that adjust class balance. This time, the Rogue is the big winner, while the Hunter’s Beast Mastery and Survival specs are strengthened, and the Monk suffers additional damage losses.

Last night, fresh hotfixes were released for World of Warcraft. The Rogue was apparently too low in the pecking order for Blizzard’s taste, although it was recently said that he is fine, players just need to get used to the new system.

The damage of the Rogue is being significantly adjusted, all three specs receive a damage bonus. For the Subtlety Rogue, for example, Ambush is increased by 20%, and Bloodbath by 30%.

For the Hunter, the Marksman Hunter remains as he is, while the two rather weaker specs, Beast Mastery and Survival, can look forward to bonuses. The BM Hunter is returning to the old machine gun times, and the Surv Hunter can again rely more on poison.

The DD Monk, on the other hand, suffers a 5% damage loss in his Tiger Stance. Where it previously granted a 10% bonus, it will now only provide a 5% increased damage once the hotfixes are active.

At the moment, they are still being tested.

World of Warcraft - Goren

Class Tuning Changes

  • Please note, the following class tuning changes are still undergoing testing and will be implemented as soon as possible.
  • Hunter
    • Beast Mastery
      • Improved Focus Fire now grants a 5% increase (up from 2%) to attack power for every stack of Frenzy that had been consumed.
    • Survival
      • Serpent Sting’s damage has increased by 60%.
  • Monk
    • General
      • Stance of the Fierce Tiger now increases all damage dealt by 5% (down from 10%).
  • Rogue
    • Assassination
      • Venomous Wounds’ damage has increased by 20%.
    • Combat
      • Blade Flurry now also strikes up to 4 additional nearby opponents for 35% of normal damage (up from 30%).
    • Subtlety
      • Backstab’s damage has increased by 20%.
      • Hemorrhage’s damage has increased by 30%.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. US.Battle.net

Hearthstone supports Android tablets starting from 6 inches, specifically including Amazon Kindle, Samsung Galaxy, Nvidia Shield

The Android version for tablets at Hearthstone was released overnight from Monday to Tuesday in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Android support for tablets in other regions is expected to follow in the coming days. There is also a new support article summarizing the recommended tablets, including the Amazon Kindle, Samsung Galaxy, and the Nvidia Shield Tablet.

It has been confirmed twice in recent days that the Android version for tablets of Hearthstone is expected to be released in December. On the night of Monday, December 15th, to Tuesday, December 16th, there was now an official announcement from Blizzard: In New Zealand, Canada, and Australia, it has already happened. The Android tablet version of Hearthstone has been released.

As a bonus, they are giving away: Anyone who starts a game on Android will receive a free pack of “Classic” cards.

The version is expected to be released for other regions in the coming days. Blizzard is already working on a variant for smartphones with iOS and Android, which is set to be released in 2015. All users should be able to compete against each other, no matter which device they are playing Hearthstone on.

At the same time, the support article has now also been officially updated. It was briefly online two weeks ago, but it wasn’t quite kosher back then.

Hearthstone-Android-Tablet

The minimum requirements for an Android tablet and which models Hearthstone definitely supports can be read here:

Hardware: 6-inch screen or better
Operating system: Android 4.0 or newer
RAM: 1 GB

Hearthstone has been successfully tested on the following devices:

  • Amazon Kindle Fire HD 6 (2014)
  • Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 (2014)
  • Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7 (2013)
  • Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7 (2014)
  • Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 (2014)
  • Asus Google Nexus 7 (2013)
  • Huawei MediaPad X1
  • NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet
  • Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 I9200
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0
  • Samsung Galaxy Note LTE 10.1 N8020
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014)
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4
  • Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet LTE

Note: The Asus Transformer Pad TF300T is not compatible with Hearthstone. Devices with PowerVR 540/544 graphics units may experience graphical issues. Please update your device to the current version of the operating system. Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and Fire OS 4.5.1 are recommended.

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

Beschreibung

From the Asura, tiny mystical scientists, to humans and the Charr, a wild race of ruthless conquerors. Starting with a character selection that couldn’t be more diverse. And anyone who thinks that a monotonous, unchangeable story of the individual races is told here is gravely mistaken. Through thousands of different variations of the gameplay, there is plenty of variety, even with additional characters.

Guild Wars 2 PvP Screenshot

The combat is thrilling, and timing is of great importance here. Evading, countering, and similar actions must be executed at exactly the right moment. In these combat situations, not only is the character trained, but also their skills with the weapon used in battle. These skills can be combined in countless ways with allies. For example, if a friend summons a wall of fire and you shoot an arrow through it, the arrow becomes stronger upon hitting the enemy, as it catches fire. These combat situations escalate to cross-server world vs. world battles, which are fought by hundreds of players.

It is a perfect game for MMO beginners, but also a tough challenge for any PvP veteran, and it operates completely without subscription fees. With its details, colorful characters, and action-packed combat, Guild Wars 2 is an enticing entry into the world of fantasy games.

In the vibrant world of Guild Wars 2 you can expect a high number of different events that influence the environment amidst the gameplay – you play an important role in this dynamic storyline.

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Destiny: The Iron Banner 3.0 starts today (Update)

In the MMO shooter, the start of the next major event is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, December 16. The Iron Banner is set to begin again.

In the hustle and bustle around the expansion “Darkness Awaits,” the event “Iron Banner” is almost overshadowed; however, it is supposed to take place tomorrow at 10:00 AM with the weekly reset: Lord Saladin will set up his tents. The PvP event will start anew.

So far, a precise announcement with the details is still pending. There isn’t much “mysterious” left anyway. Most of it is known.

Destiny-Ironbanner
This was the damage curve during the last Iron Banner.

This is likely to remain the same

Most of what is known about the Iron Banner, although at the moment the official confirmation is still missing that it will be “just like this”, but that is what everyone assumes. After the first event in October was nothing, Bungie fundamentally revised the concept and relaunched at the end of November with significantly more success. One can assume that the basic pillars of the concept will be retained:

  • Equipment counts, but not too much (the diagram above makes the curve clear).
  • For defeats, there will likely also be a coin that can be converted into reputation with a victory and is stackable up to 5 times. For a win, there were 50 reputation points, for a defeat coin 40.
  • A bonus ensures that Guardians receive much faster reputation at the end of the event. The bonus “Hardened” lasts for 12 hours and costs a strange coin. It can be redeemed multiple times. Last time, the bonus increased significantly towards the end of the event. While it was only 10% at the beginning, it continuously rose until it increased reputation gain in the Iron Banner by 150% on the last day.
  • On rank levels 1, 2, and 4, there are shaders, emblems, and class items that grant a 10% reputation bonus.
  • In the last Iron Banner, ranks 3 and 4 had the “new armor”, with even purchasable legendary weapons at higher ranks. These cost little marks, but a lot of glimmer.
  • The Iron Banner will not include any of the new maps that came with Darkness Awaits.
  • Last time you needed 100 reputation for rank 1, plus 1200 reputation for rank 2, plus 2400 (rank 3), plus 2400 (rank 4), and an additional 2400 reputation (rank 5) to rank up. This should remain the same this time.
Destiny-PerunsFire
Last November as a weapon: Perun’s Fire, if we see it again, then with more power.

This is likely to change

So far it is known that instead of the previous level-30 armor, there will be level-31 armor, so which has a light level of 33. This was significantly more spectacular when we did not know yet that light level-33 armor would also be available from the vendor. But at least that saves a bunch of marks.

There will also likely be new legendary weapons or at least new versions of the old ones that will go up to 331 damage – like the vendor weapons.

Last time there were only boots and gloves for armor; as “purchasable” weapons a fusion rifle and a scout rifle, whose “properties” could be rerolled. Whether these items will be available again is not currently known. That remains the only “real” surprise.

And this time, reputation in the Iron Banner will be reset to zero before it starts.

It is likely that we will also hear something officially by tomorrow morning. We will update the article accordingly.

Destiny-Gheleon's Demise
The scout rifle could also return as a 272/331.

How can you still prepare for the December Iron Banner in Destiny?

If you want to prepare at short notice: The Iron Banner costs money. Farming glimmer helps immensely: Here we have a guide to glimmer farming for you.

Last time, the “old” shaders, emblems, and class items from the Iron Banner could be reused. You could already pick them out and get them ready. Then you start with a bonus of 30%.

Well, and of course it would help if you already had a fully upgraded 331 weapon or were already at level 31, but … it would be somewhat cynical to recommend that to you, wouldn’t it?

Update 9:45: The official announcement came, the respective page is above. Everything appears just as expected. Level 31 armor pieces, and for the armors actually only boots and gloves.

The announcement also states that Guardians can retain their old ranks … but that looks like a Bungie error on the presentation side. They probably copy-pasted the old message and did not update this part.

http://youtu.be/DEPg1RlEln4

Update 10:30: As expected, the ranks have been reset, even though the message says otherwise. Much more importantly: Reports are surfacing that you can only play the Iron Banner if you have purchased and activated the DLC “Darkness Awaits.” This is likely to cause serious trouble. That is certainly not intended; in the last Weekly Update, it was explicitly stated that you do not need the expansion.

The rerolling of old Iron Banner items does not upgrade them to the new version! If you were hoping to cheaply obtain a 331 version of an old Iron Banner weapon, that is not possible.

The weapons that are available are new: The sniper rifle Efrideet’s Spear at rank 4, and the auto rifle Silimar’s Wrath at rank 5. The sniper rifle has a high impact and is already attracting interest.

Destiny-Efrideet's-Spear
Destiny-Silimar's-Wrath
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.

ArcheAge Look into the Future: In Korea, they get multi-story houses

ArcheAge-Multi-Story-Houses
ArcheAge-Duplex-House

The sand park MMO ArcheAge is getting multi-story houses and tree houses with version 1.8 in Korea.

While in Europe Christmas is celebrated soon and players are busy with a red dragon, information about patch 1.8 for the Korean ArcheAge has been released. 1.8 brings multi-story houses. This goes beyond an expansion of existing properties: with a cash shop item, certain types of houses can be further expanded, allowing players to transform their charming home into one of three possible variants.


In addition to these expansions, new types of houses are expected to be introduced to the game, such as tree houses.

ArcheAge-Tree-House

The US site massively also states that with 1.8, additional “exclusive” housing zones may be introduced to ArcheAge. However, they wouldn’t swear on it, as they do not have sufficient skills in Korean.

Whether and when this patch will arrive here in Europe is currently unknown.

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

Black Desert: Korean open beta with IP restriction for foreigners (that’s us)

The Korean MMO Black Desert has imposed an IP block for foreigners.

For those who are hardcore enough to play Korean MMOs in their original form, they will encounter IP barriers in Black Desert. As reported by playmassive, publisher Daum has imposed an IP ban, which is likely meant to prevent foreign influences from distorting the Open Beta.

One can certainly discuss the sense and nonsense of such an IP ban. Likewise, whether players are doing themselves a favor by playing an MMORPG in Korea that they cannot understand, suffering from poor ping, and relying on “basic” information from third parties to find their way.

We’ve found a video from Brainclubber on YouTube. You can see what it’s like when you only understand about one-eighth of what is actually happening in Black Desert.
http://youtu.be/V_j_LdYcaRU

For those who can still be patient: There should soon be a beta in Europe, likely in English. At least that is what is announced.

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

Landmark is coming to life, announces huge update for Wednesday evening – What does this mean for Everquest Next?

Landmark, so to speak the “Work in Progress” side project of Everquest Next, is getting started. A huge update is set to be released this week, bringing some key features back into play. A server downtime of between 4 and 48 hours is warned.

Why do we hear so little about Everquest Next? Isn’t that supposed to be the huge super project that will bring the MMO world crashing down in 2015 and later ensure that the golden age of sandbox games will break?

We hear so little about it because “Landmark”, previously known as Everquest Landmark, shows exactly what the devs of Everquest Next are currently working on. The “dig-and-build” simulation recently received a combat system and weapons, and this week the next level is expected to be launched.

Landmark

Developer SOE is therefore warning that the update will hit hard this week. Players should prepare for four to forty-eight hours of downtime. When it will start, they will announce on Twitter.
New features include new loot, monsters, changes to crafting, voice chat, item recycling, and numerous other changes.

It seems that Landmark, and thus also Everquest Next, is taking the next step by the end of 2014.

That just a year ago, some thought that Everquest Next might still be released in 2014, now seems quite cute in light of this development. Hopefully, they can make it with Everquest Next by 2015.

Anyone wanting a taste of whether this sandbox MMO will ignite for them in the future should take a look at Landmark.

However: Maybe not this week. Never play on a patch week.

Meanwhile, it’s also known when the update is supposed to come: it’s scheduled for Wednesday evening our time.

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

ArcheAge: It is snowing on the test server – and Christmas will be expensive

In ArcheAge, it’s going to be a reflective time, the new build for the test server brings Christmas. Trion World is already making it snow on the PTS to test how the snow affects performance.

“Is it Christmas already today?” some may wonder as they log into Trion Worlds’ Public Test Server (the PTS): The Christmas event (the Winter Maiden Event) is already active. Moreover, it has been snowing overnight, so to speak: The snow effects have been activated to test performance. This leads to many really successful screenshots.

Perhaps the snow will also cool the spirits of some ArcheAge players given the annoyances of recent weeks and months.

ArcheAge-Christmas2

And yes … there will also be new items in the cash shop for Christmas, which should be implemented on the test server in the next few days. Pay2Celebrate, so to speak, as there were already some complaints about Halloween.

The build on the test server also brings the announced content expansion featuring the red dragon and a potential fix for one of the most annoying problems in ArcheAge in recent months.

For those who want to learn more about the Christmas madness, there are the patch notes available.

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

Hearthstone: Version for Android tablets is likely coming this week

In Hearthstone , the Android version for tablets is likely coming out this week. This was mentioned in an interview with game designer Ben Brode.

The developers of Hearthstone were invited to an interview with Shacknews on Sunday. They discussed, among other things, the Android version for tablets. It is supposed to be released in December, but it might be quite tight. After all, the holidays are just around the corner.

Ben Brode, Senior Game Designer on Hearthstone, responded: “Yes, the plan is still December. We don’t have that many days left in December, so it should happen very soon. I don’t know the exact date yet.”

Yes, the plan is still December. We don’t have that many days left in December, so it should be sometime really soon. I don’t know the exact date.

It therefore looks like Hearthstone will be released this week for Android tablets, unless Blizzard really wants to deal with the stress between Christmas and New Year.

More deck slots? Not for now

Hearthstone

In the interview, the players’ desire for more space for storable decks was also discussed. Nine is too few for them. Especially since so many new cards have been added with “Goblins vs. Gnomes” that invite experimentation. However, players do not want to delete their “working decks” to make room for such an experimental deck.

Blizzard is cautious about fulfilling this request from advanced players. A more complex deck builder could be off-putting for newcomers. This is known from corresponding tests with beginners, who felt overwhelmed by a too complex interface and sought to leave. In the future, however, they might come up with something to fulfill the wishes of advanced players while not overwhelming newcomers.

 But during our original playtests for Hearthstone we brought in brand new players. What we saw over and over again was that they would look at the Collection Manager, and say “look, I’m not sure this game is for me. It’s much too complicated, I never want to build a deck, this is just too much.”

More randomness? Brings good stories

Hearthstone-Sneed's

In response to the accusation from pro players that too much randomness is entering the game with Goblins vs. Gnomes, the developers have a response. When you see the new cards in action, you notice how much fun players are having with them. Randomness and fun are often closely related and result in unique experiences and great stories.

Through randomness, new situations arise, players have to improvise, all of this brings fun and excitement to Hearthstone.


Recently, through a bug at Blizzard, a list of tablets surfaced, on which Hearthstone should run safely.

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Source(s):
  1. Shacknews

Elite Dangerous: Here’s what it looks like shortly before release at the Space MMO

The space MMO Elite: Dangerous releases tomorrow, on December 16th. It’s time to let an expert summarize the last weeks and months in the game.

We at mein-mmo.de have collaborated with YouTuber ShumbokLP for reporting on Elite: Dangerous. He is a veteran of the old Elite 2, is well-versed in strategy and indie games, and closely follows the development of Elite: Dangerous.

We have featured the following of his video contributions regarding the development of Elite: Dangerous so far:

Now, the official release is set for tomorrow, and Shumbok delivers a look at the last weeks and months, including the stress around the promised but then canceled offline mode:

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Destiny: First Level 32 Guardian spotted worldwide – Attack of the Clones

The first Guardian in Destiny has reached level 32, the new maximum level. To achieve this, he has an account full of Warlocks who can trade equipment among themselves.

He is probably the first Guardian to reach the new maximum Light Level of 32. 144 Light Points are required for this: Raid Chest, Raid Gloves, and Raid Boots from Crota’s End, plus an exotic helmet, and they all need to be fully upgraded.

And indeed: “EnormousTrash” wears the exotic helmet “Skull of Dire Ahamakara” and three pieces of the new raid armor “Deathsinger’s”, all already upgraded to the maximum.

And as if the envy of other Guardians was not already guaranteed, he also received the new sniper rifle “Black Hammer” from Crota.

But how can someone reach level 32 after just 5 days? Did the Guardian just have an incredible amount of luck, or is there more to it?

Destiny-32er-Hüter

No luck, but the “Trading System” and Twinks

To reach level 32, the Guardian would need an incredible amount of luck, needing all 3 raid armors in one run. This is nearly impossible. Most are happy to get just one piece of armor in a round of “Crota’s End”. So he must have – if our preliminary loot table is correct – received three items from two boss encounters…

Destiny Venus Gatelord

Additionally, the Guardian would also need a lot of “Light Energy” and “Light Shards” to upgrade the raid armor pieces accordingly. These are also only available from the raid, which can only be accessed once a week. So how did the player manage to achieve all this in a raid lockout when other Guardians in Destiny take weeks and months?

This is due to three design decisions by Bungie:

In practice, this means: A Warlock player can create a second and third Warlock, level them up to 20, and send them the armor and weapons of the “main character” via mail. The new Warlock equips this armor and levels up to the main character’s level. Then this character can go into the raid again with a fresh “ID” and fight for equipment.

Destiny SciFi Shooter

Questions mixed with congratulations

“Enormous Trash” probably did exactly that, as his account also contains the level 32 Warlock and two others, whose activities indicate that they raided this week as well.

Therefore, the congratulations to the player are mixed with questions about how many Warlocks he has deleted, leveled to 20, and recreated to now have the first level 32 Guardian worldwide.

The first 30 back then was characterized by not just having one Hunter on his account, but three.

It seems that the path to the top in Destiny goes through clones.

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Creative Cosplay at Blizzcon 2014 in Pictures and Video

The Blizzcon 2014 in Anaheim is quite some time ago. Blizzard now shines the spotlight on the cosplayers in a video recap.

Some of Blizzard’s characters have become icons, they are “larger than life.” Especially “Heroes of the Storm,” a sort of League of Legends with an all-star cast of characters from various Blizzard franchises, some in unusual costumes, is a treasure trove for dedicated and passionate cosplayers.

And dedicated and passionate are all cosplayers. Who would delve into a project like this with a fickle heart? Blizzard takes a look back in a captivating video at Blizzcon 2014 and presents three cosplayers and their elaborate costumes in short interviews.

We have already reported separately about the somewhat tragic winner of the best WoW cosplay at the convention.

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Destiny: Can Xur upgrade the Vex Mythoclast, Hawkmoon, and Monte Carlo?

In Destiny, Xur, the Agent of the Nine, can apparently upgrade the PlayStation-exclusive exotic weapons Hawkmoon and Monte Carlo. The Vex Mythoclast does not seem to be one of them.

Do you remember the Xur glitch? By manipulating the time display on PlayStation, players could see what Xur had in the past, even on days when Destiny was not online yet. This allowed players to find out what Xur can sell.

This trick apparently still works, and guardians have used it to find out which weapons and armor Xur can upgrade. He can sell all armor in Destiny, but not all weapons.

So far, Xur has not included the following exotic weapons in his offerings:

  • Weapons available from exotic loot pools like: Thorn, Bad Karma, Super Good Advice, Fate of All Fools (that should come with the Trials of Osiris event), Pocket Infinity, and Incentive.
  • The two PlayStation-exclusive weapons Hawkmoon and Monte Carlo.
  • The raid-only weapon Vex Mythoclast, a fusion rifle as a primary weapon with a fluctuating history in Destiny.
Destiny-Thorn

Whether Xur could really upgrade weapons that he cannot sell has been a tricky question. We now have the answers.

Can Xur upgrade the weapons from exotic loot pools?

Yes, he can. We definitely know this since Friday, when he had Thorn in his offering.

Can Xur upgrade the PlayStation-exclusive weapons Hawkmoon and Monte Carlo?

Yes, he can. Players have found this out thanks to the Xur glitch. In an image, Hawkmoon can be seen in his offer.

Destiny-Xur-Hawkmoon

Update 20.12.: Now we know for sure. On 19.12., Xur had the PlayStation-exclusive Monte Carlo. It was even available in an “extra” upgrade slot, allowing Xur to upgrade 7 weapons this week. However, only PlayStation players could see Monte Carlo.

Can Xur upgrade the Vex Mythoclast?

Destiny-Vex-Mythoclast

It does not seem so. The Vex Mythoclast, in its old version that was recently buffed, has a damage value of 323 when fully upgraded. The three new exotic weapons and also the “new” versions of the old exotics reach a value of 331. Legendary weapons from the vendors also reach that.

If any exotic weapon deserves a special status, it is the Necrochasm. Because it is likely to drop from the final boss of the current raid on “Hard” (at least indirectly). The Vex Mythoclast was available from the final boss of the old raid “The Glassed Chamber.” But whether the Necrochasm can exceed a damage value of 331, we do not know at the moment.

It seems that the “Vex Mythoclast” is excluded from upgrading, as it already received this with the last patch, and Xur has nothing more to do.

You can find more about upgrading with Xur in this article.

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Source(s):
  1. planetdestiny
  2. reddit

Gaming in school: “Level up” instead of school grades?

For quite a while now, there have been attempts to revolutionize the clearly outdated education system, but particularly in Germany, politics struggles to let go of old ideas.

However, if you look a bit beyond the borders of the country, you can see some interesting approaches. In Austria, a teacher has introduced a completely new grading system: It is based on quests and experience points!

The Issue of Transparency

The developer of the new grading system is Christian Haschek, who is, of course, a teacher himself. He often reflects on his time as a student, during which he was unmotivated and hardly eager to prepare for an exam or seminar. He sees the root of this lack of motivation in the absence of transparency in grading.

A student or pupil never truly knows how their grade stands halfway through the semester, and often, teachers can only provide vague statements. This results in the perception that one is somewhat at the mercy of arbitrary decisions and cannot guarantee their influence on their success. And it is precisely this issue that Haschek’s system addresses.

Haschek - Level system in school

Games + Grades = Full Motivation?

And here is what the solution looks like: At the beginning of the school year, all course content is divided into experience points, and thresholds are set that must be reached to obtain a corresponding grade. Of course, students can check at any time how they are currently doing and what they need to achieve to improve further. Haschek orientated himself on the leveling systems, as they appear in MMORPGs.

This way, once earned experience points (XP) cannot be lost again, as this would undermine one of the biggest motivators. A few simple examples to illustrate this: A constructive comment during class gives 5 XP, a particularly good homework assignment 20 XP, and a presentation maybe 35 XP. Those who do not complete their homework naturally miss out on some points.

XP awarded - Haschek

Problems and Concerns

A considerable number of older teachers criticize this approach, and a few negative aspects are quite hard to overlook. Such an extensive system, of course, requires knowledge of new media, and a classroom without comprehensive computer equipment will hardly have a chance – not to mention that many teachers still dread using computers.

WildStar Level Up

A second point of criticism is that students would have no incentive to put in effort if they had already earned the required experience points for a grade. However, Haschek reports the opposite: especially teenagers who find themselves “secure” with a good grade tend to help their classmates more actively; he has termed this phenomenon the “High-Level Syndrome.” Those who no longer need to worry about their own grade are happy to help others – he also compares this to online games where high-level characters like to assist lower ones.

Personal Opinion

I believe it is high time for new systems in schools. In this example, one takes something that young people enjoy in their free time and applies it to an area that is generally less favored. As a student, it must be incredibly motivating to have your current performance in front of you at all times and to know exactly what you need to do to reach the next “level.”

[pullquote]If I received 5 XP for doing the laundry every time, I could certainly motivate myself to do it more often.[/pullquote]

Primarily, such a system offers significantly more transparency, and situations where one thinks “Oh, the teacher just doesn’t like me” – whether justified or unjustified – would surely be a thing of the past. The concept certainly has a few weaknesses and cannot be applied everywhere – Haschek himself acknowledges this. Nonetheless, it is time to say goodbye to old concepts and try new things. And this is a good first step.

If I received 5 XP for doing the laundry every time, I could certainly motivate myself to do it more often… it’s amazing how much these games shape us.

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Guild Wars 2: “The Abjured” – the best PvP players in the world and 25,000 dollars richer

In the very first International Tournament Series of Guild Wars 2, the North American team The Abjured emerges victorious.

The final of the first International Tournament Series of Guild Wars 2 took place in Beijing. The best players from North America, Europe, and China competed in PvP against each other for a prize pool of $50,000. The tournament was organized by ArenaNet and their Chinese publishing partner KongZhong.

After Team Prime and Team SALA were defeated in the semifinals, The Abjured faced off against the European team The Civilized Gentlemen at the end of the tournament series.
In the final between TCG and The Abjured, the matches resulted as follows:

483-470 for The Abjured
501-397 for TCG
410-341 for The Abjured
500-370 for The Abjured

After three nerve-wracking matches, The Abjured, led by their team leader Phantaram, secured the final victory on the map “Temple of Silent Storm” and thus the first place at this international event event. Thunderous applause, loud music, and flashes intensified the smiles of the North Americans as they accepted the winners’ trophy and a $25,000 check.

The battle for third place was decisively won by Team SALA, with a clear 3:0 against Team Prime.

You can relive the final here:

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