Destiny: The loot is a lie, or is it not? – Is there really better gear from the Cryptarch after 1.02?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

With Destiny, the first results from the changes of the last patch are now appearing, regarding what they might have brought in terms of loot.

Last week, the loot distribution in Destiny changed with 1.02. But can you feel it in the actual gameplay of Destiny?

Diligently: 55 times Tiger Strike before the patch, 55 times after

A player on reddit has now completed a strike from the Tiger playlist 55 times and compared his results with the 55 last strikes from this list that he completed before the patch.

The result: Hrmpf, not much has changed. On one hand, there is indeed better loot from the legendary Engrams now – but they drop much less frequently. Before the patch, he found two, but after the patch not a single one.

However, the reward from the strikes has become better upon completion, as promised: With rare Engrams, the Guardian can now probably overwhelm the Cryptarch. He received 83 from the 55 strikes. In contrast to 27 from the 55 strikes before the patch. Additionally, there was one exotic item among the rewards and a single legendary Engram. Before the patch, he found neither one nor the other.

Destiny

Loot remains the same, mood gets better?

As a result of the statistics, a heated discussion broke out among the Guardians. Players discussed their successes and compared loot. As it always is: one swears that he is the unluckiest man in the universe and that he never gets anything from the damn Cryptarch. Other Guardians seem to have gotten a sunshine account and just have to step outside, before the Purple Rain sets in.

In the discussion, a picture slowly emerged that little has effectively changed. Legendary items remain desirable in Destiny.

Logically, otherwise, people would finish the game too quickly. After all, before the patch there were legendary Engrams in abundance, they were just often duds. If the frequency of legendary Engrams had been maintained, everyone would have been quickly covered in purple and had no reason to go on a loot hunt.

But the perception of the players has at least changed. They no longer have as many legendary Engrams, that turn out to be “duds” like before. That was the main source of frustration. Now it is more common that a player opens a blue Engram, from which he expects nothing, only to be surprised by a legendary item. A legendary Engram, on the other hand, tends to offer upgrade materials surprisingly often.

Destiny-Suros-Regime

Legendary Engrams in Destiny now more valuable, but also rarer

However, the numbers are still changing and too small at the moment to draw any definitive conclusions. Before the patch, players opened hundreds of Engrams and calculated specific probabilities on drops. That is currently missing. But it looks like Bungie did not just change the contents of the Engrams, but also adjusted their drop rate. The legendary Engrams now seem not only to be more valuable than before patch 1.02, but also rarer.

More about Destiny on our topic page.

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

MMO Culture: Free2Play in Singapore soon illegal? – What is Gashapon?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In Singapore, Free2Play MMOs could soon be facing significant challenges. A proposal to expand the definition of gambling could now also affect popular Free2Play MMOs.

“Gashapon”: We know the system from Asian-themed games like Neverwinter Online, ArcheAge, or partly from Guild Wars 2. The player has found a “lockbox,” a closed chest, in the game and can buy the key to such a chest for real money. They hope that an item they need – or at least want – is contained within.

The model falls under the general term “Freemium” here: The player has the option to play the MMO for free. Those who pay enjoy advantages.

In principle, it’s nothing more than a gamble, one might say regarding these chests: You pay real money to buy the chance for a value in return. This is no different from roulette or lottery.

According to Games in Asia, there is currently a legislative proposal in Singapore that would change the legal situation, making the freemium model subject to strict gambling laws. According to the local law firm “Stanford Law”, the proposed change would lead to the illegalization of the “Gashapon” elements in games. If the law passes through Parliament, the police and authorities could also search the offices of developer studios against which there is reasonable suspicion. Foreign companies would also be affected by the regulation.

It will be interesting to see how the situation develops.

Do you know those gumball machines that usually give out gum but sometimes also dispense a ring? Then you know the basic principle of Gashapon. The dimensions it takes in Asia can be seen in this video:

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

DC Universe Online: Super Interface for Superheroes

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The superhero/supervillain MMO DC Universe Online is set to receive a streamlined, faster, and generally more super user interface.

The user interface is a bit like the superhero’s girlfriend: it only stands out when it has problems. But for developers, it’s something they tinker and optimize with as soon as they don’t pay attention for three minutes.

Significant changes to the user interface are now on the horizon for DC Universe Online. The new menu is intended to be more logical, faster, and more streamlined. With transparent menus and all the bells and whistles. (Why does transparent bells and whistles make me think of Wonder Woman? Oh right, invisible jet.)

Since DC Universe Online is one of the first MMOs for consoles and takes a pioneering role here, the way MMO menu navigation works in DCUO could set a trend for the genre. Final Fantasy XIV is also paving the way here.

In a video, SOE employees present the interface of the future.

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Information about the action MMO can be found on our DC Universe Online theme page.

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

Swordsman Online: Expansion of the F2P MMO will lead to the Gobi Desert

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

For the Free2Play martial arts MMO Swordsman Online, the first expansion is on the horizon. The new zones are expected to be based on the geography of China. A level cap increase is also planned.

In an interview with mmorpg.com, Wang Peng, the Overseas Development Manager of Swordsman Online, discussed details of the planned expansion. There will be a level cap increase, new raids, dungeons, PvP modes, and gear systems. For newcomers, it will become easier to catch up with the veterans, the leveling curve will be adjusted.

Swordsman Gilded Wasteland 2

The new expansion will lead players north of the Great Wall of China into the steppes and prairies. In designing the zones, inspiration was drawn from the Gobi Desert and the Mongolian Steppe. According to Peng, Swordsman Online places great importance on creating a symbiosis of fantasy and reality.

In terms of gameplay, the role of companions will be revised to make them more useful in PvP. Additionally, with the “Celestial Weapons,” a new weapon class will be introduced, which will be hard to obtain but worth the effort.

A beta phase for the expansion is not planned, but the Twitch channel will showcase some of the new content in October.

Asia is significantly ahead of us. This trailer from the beginning of the year introduced one of the numerous China expansions of Swordsman Online:

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Swordsman Play for Free


More about the free martial arts MMO can be found on our Swordsman Online topic page. Anyone who wants to test the game can use the banner to go to the official website and create an account.

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

H1Z1 Crafting: Using Duct Tape Against Decay

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the survival MMO H1Z1, crafting is one of the most important pillars. Players can build what they need to survive in the post-apocalyptic world.

Do you want to see my awesome wooden shack in H1Z1?

It feels a bit like Robinson Crusoe on Zombie Island when you look at the crafting system in H1Z1. From humble beginnings, hunting meal to meal, it evolves to a hut with an adjoining farm, providing the essentials for survival, up to a veritable fortress. However, in H1Z1 everything looks intentionally a bit shabbier than you might imagine. Paul Carrico, a Senior Game Designer at SOE, is responsible for this and has now given us insight into the intricacies of the crafting system.

For Carrico, it is important that everything fits the mood. The self-sufficient hut does not look like a postcard idyll, but rather like a dirty utility item. And when we think of “fortress,” most of us probably have something different in mind than a wooden shack with shooting slots.

H1Z1-Shack

The world of H1Z1 is getting dirty, that’s already clear.

You take some time away from reality while crafting

As with the combat system, the motto also applies to crafting: “Fun over realism.” The idea that you can boil water in a plastic bottle until it becomes germ-free probably only works in the world of H1Z1. The alternative, Carrico says, would be to make players carry a cooking pot around. Instead, they prefer heat-resistant plastic. Probably only in the world of H1Z1 will it be possible to bake a blueberry pie over a grill fire.

Diversity of recipes is impressive

The impressive part of the crafting system in H1Z1 is the variety of recipes and the directions they can take: Besides classic survival tools and “basebuilding” elements, players will later also be able to craft their own firearms. However, these should not look as if they just came off an assembly line from a weapons company, but rather have a “handmade” and improvised appearance, just as they really are. Provisions that either work or don’t.

Even after early access, more recipes will continually be introduced into the game. They won’t always be noted in the patch notes. The thrill of the game lies in the exploratory mentality of a Robinson Crusoe. Back then, he built a world rather than trying to hold together the remnants of civilization with duct tape and prevent it from complete decay.

H1Z1-Fortress

With duct tape against decay – Nothing lasts forever

Decay is a big theme in H1Z1: Everything goes to hell. Axes, the basic tools of the player, wear down slowly when players chop wood. And quickly, when they strike against metal or even concrete. Firearms also have a limited lifespan, and the painstakingly built wooden shack requires regular maintenance. Everything needs to be replaced.

In the world of H1Z1, nothing lasts forever.

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  1. Dev Blog

The Elder Scrolls Online: Remodeling in TESO

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 5 minutes

In the fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, TESO, extensive renovations are taking place. The game is set to move more towards the successful single-player series. The plans for the coming months are now clear.

A true flood of information descended on the participants of the Guild Summit for two days. Zenimax invited representatives from 20 guilds and communities to the headquarters and presented, in hours-long presentations, the changes that will come to The Elder Scrolls Online in the next months and perhaps years. The developers’ vision for TESO is now clearer to see.

The Elder Scrolls Online - Trial of the Serpent

The Future in Keywords

We summarize the most important of the planned changes for you:

  • After level 50, players will continue to develop with the Champion System. New passive skill trees will be introduced, into which up to 2100 Champion points can be invested. A Champion point should be earnable in approximately one hour in the game.
  • The Justice System will be extensive and should bring a kind of “Cops and Robbers” open-world PvP along with new skill lines.
  • The Imperial City will be a huge PvE zone (with enabled PvP) in the midst of Cyrodiil, where the factions will compete for dominance.
  • The Crafting System will become more logical and clearer. With two new crafting styles and a treasure map system, a lot is planned.
  • The Combat System will be made smoother and more exciting.
  • For the dungeons, there will soon be daily quests and reward levels.
  • For the future, more trials, a hard mode for raids, solo arenas, and new dungeons are planned.
  • The world is set to become more interactive, with even more things to interact with in the world – it should make logical sense, for example, apples should come from a basket of apples, not pears.
  • In new systems, among other things, spell weaving, poison mixing, and horse racing will be introduced.

The Elder Scrolls Online Dye Station

What’s Behind It? Zenimax Focuses on Three Pillars

If you let the information sink in and look for a common thread, it becomes clear that Zenimax is focusing on the strengths of the single-player series and mixing that with "that certain something" that ensures players find no end in MMOs.

Pillar 1 – That Certain Something: A Touch of MMO

Thus, they want to loosen the initially very tight item limits so that players find the motivation to search for better armors and weapons. With daily quests and more activities in the world, players should always have something to do. These are the classic MMO mechanisms that TESO initially wanted to avoid, but Zenimax now seems to believe belong in an MMO.

Along with the Champion System, there’s another incentive for players to feel like they are "advancing in the world," even if they do not experience a single "hurrah" moment in one day like finding a new item.

Pillar 2 – Learning from Skyrim Means Exciting Players

On the other hand, the game is clearly steering towards the single-player parts. The world is set to become more interactive, and individual heroes are meant to differ more strongly in their alignment. Here, the Justice System is certainly the decisive factor.

Pillar 3 – Building on the Existing, Completing the Missing

The third pillar is the logical development of what one already has. The Imperial City is a central component in the PvP concept of The Elder Scrolls Online, which is known to be based on Dark Age of Camelot. Even in the MMO classic DAOC, it required a chaotic element like “Darkness Falls” back then to keep the action moving and prevent a standstill at the front lines. That is now to be delivered with the Imperial City.

Additions of an arena mode will surely please some.

The Elder Scrolls Online in Kargstein

The Elder Scrolls Online Impresses with Determination

The impressive thing about the upheaval is how determined and clearly it has been executed and communicated. Even in the first months after the launch, when everything was still chaotic, the foundations for the current decisions must have been laid. No time was wasted. Nothing remained sacred, even the initially tight item limits are currently being loosened. Arenas, which were previously avoided, are being introduced.

The current Guild Summit shows that they are ready to lay all cards on the table and tell the players exactly what they plan. This reflects a trust in the plans and the ability to actually implement them. There must have been a transformation in the philosophy. Hardly any developer company is as transparent and open as this. Zenimax previously appeared rather reclusive and tight-lipped before and shortly after the release.

The Elder Scrolls Online

What Does the Timeline Look Like?

It will be crucial when the three key elements of the upheaval will be introduced. The Champion System may start things off and might debut in Update 5 or 6, towards the end of the year. Perhaps by February/March next year, it will be time for the Imperial City. And in the summer of 2015, it may finally be time for the Justice System.

If these three core elements were to come into the game over the next six to nine months, a lot would already be accomplished. After all, these would be features of a scope that would be spread out over two paid expansions in other games. And not even mentioning some “It would be nice if … but well” systems like spell weaving yet. That would be for later.

And When Will The Elder Scrolls Online Go to Consoles?

The big trump card of TESO is certainly the potential port to consoles, which would be akin to a kind of relaunch. Looking at what The Elder Scrolls Online still intends to do, it is nearly impossible that TESO will still release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as planned this year. They are basically just waiting for an official statement that they will not be able to meet the deadline.

Also, a port in the first quarter of 2015 – as suggested by Amazon – now seems rather unlikely.

If you want to dive deeper into the topic, we recommend the following articles:

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. ESO Guild Summit Coverage TF
  2. Guild Summit Day 2

Dragon’s Prophet: Infernum has filed for bankruptcy, what happens next?

Dawid Hallmann Dawid Hallmann Reading time 3 minutes

The board of Infernum Productions AG filed for insolvency with the court on September 18, 2014, which was published by the accompanying law firm PKL. In other words: The German publisher, founded by former Frogster employees, is insolvent.

What will happen to the publisher of Dragon’s Prophet, Brick Force, and Hazard Ops is not yet fully clarified as of the current state. Business operations will continue unrestricted until the opening of the proceedings, which starts on December 1, 2014.

The initiation of insolvency proceedings does not always equate to the end of a company. It is not so far-fetched that it may succeed in restoring the solvency of the business within the framework of the insolvency plan. That is obviously the goal here. Whether rehabilitation is realistic will likely be examined by the responsible trustee in the coming weeks.

Update, October 6, 2014, 5 PM: A press release has just arrived with a statement. According to Infernum CEO Andreas Weidenhaupt, they are confident that everything will turn out well:

“We are looking positively toward the future, as the restructuring within the framework of the plan insolvency under self-administration offers us new opportunities. Our goal is very clear: to maintain the operation of our games and continue to provide our community with a great gaming experience.” Furthermore, Thomas Illy from the “pkl Rechtsanwälte” law firm assumes, “that the insolvency can be overcome within a very short timeframe.”

Update, October 6, 2014, 8 PM: In the official Dragon’s Prophet Forum there is another post that mainly addresses the players. Among other things, it reveals how players can support Infernum and the games during this difficult phase, and that players currently have nothing to fear: It will go on, so the general tenor of the message.

Update, March 7, 2015: Infernum Production has succeeded and is solvent again, so no longer insolvent. Congratulations.

Mein MMO thinks: Okay, this is not a pleasant message, which will certainly reach the players shortly. This will likely be quite a shock for those affected. The forums of Dragon’s Prophet, Brick Force, and Hazard Ops will now become very restless, as many players have invested countless hours in their characters and have sometimes even left money in the item shop. We expect a clarifying statement from Infernum in the coming days on how this situation will be handled (already happened, see update).

But is all this so surprising? The insolvency application could also explain why a more aggressive sales policy has been pursued lately. Generally, before filing, every effort is made to avert this step as much as possible.

For the internal project “Project Theralon“, a sandbox MMO based on CryEngine 3, rumors about a shutdown already surfaced last year. Since then, total silence has prevailed here.

Dragon's Prophet Free-to-play: Play for free

Dragon’s Prophet – many share this opinion – was published, in our view, at least six months too early. I know, you often hear this, but here it was already very extreme. However, it is not unlikely that the developer, Runewaker Entertainment, pushed for an early release. That would be annoying, especially since Infernum invested a lot of money in numerous advertising campaigns in the beginning.

In the meantime, the game has matured and is certainly one of the better MMORPGs on the market, but you don’t quickly forget the botched start. Particularly free-to-play games struggle to regain attention afterwards. In the dragon MMO, which boasts a very extensive companion system, there would probably still be an alternative with Sony Entertainment Online. Because SOE is currently operating the dragon MMO from the Runes of Magic developers in America. In the case of an orderly dissolution of Infernum, SOE could certainly step in, especially since they have increasingly been caring for the European market for some time. However, as can be inferred from the update, it seems that Infernum and the players will likely continue. It would be nice.

We wish the employees and responsible parties at Infernum that it turns out well for them and that they emerge stronger from this delicate phase.

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

WildStar: PvP according to lead designer on the right track

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 3 minutes

Our colleagues from TenTonHammer recently had the opportunity to conduct an extensive interview in English with the leading PvP developer of WildStar, Kevin Lee, and we summarize the key points for you here – in easily understandable English.

PvP in General: Daily Quests and the Right Path

WildStar Sabotage PvP

Overall, Lee is quite satisfied with the PvP in WildStar; he believes it is quite solid and, above all, a lot of fun, which is largely thanks to the telegraph system.

However, he is aware that there are smaller and larger issues and asks the player community for the necessary time to resolve them – everything is on the right path, but one must be able to see it through to the end.

To attract more players to the PvP, there will soon be daily and weekly quests, similar to those already known from other MMOs. This is expected to encourage especially players who have not yet taken a look at the cheerful telegraph skirmishes to at least be tempted to play a round or two, and if they like it, to engage more with it.

Arena – 2vs2 in High Demand, the Rest is Just for Cheating

There is still a lot of room for improvement in the arenas, as they are only partially utilized. Most players are found in the 2vs2 battles, while the 3-player and 5-player variants remain mostly untouched. Here, again, the lack of drive is the decisive factor, as there are no better rewards for larger groups. In the future, they want to create more incentives to fill all arenas equally.

WildStar Arena

Even though nothing concrete has been decided yet, Lee mentions here, for example, exclusive colors, housing items, or titles that can be earned in the different modes. They also want to make it impossible for players to queue for the arenas if there aren’t enough other participants. Especially in the 3-player and 5-player arenas, there are regularly “win-trading” incidents, meaning pre-arranged wins and losses to artificially inflate one’s rankings. This, of course, is something they want to put a stop to.

Warplots – Those Who Cannot Win, Do Not Dare to Take Risks

One of WildStar’s biggest concerns are the Warplots (“War Bases”), as although they are technically flawless and absolutely fun, they are rarely used. They have already reduced the size of these battlefields from 40 to 30 people per team (a more significant reduction would not be possible without enormous additional effort), but this type of PvP is still not really appealing.

WIldStar War Base

The main criticism lies in the fact that there are no meaningful rewards for the War Bases, as the PvP sets that can be earned can be obtained much more easily through arenas or regular battlefields. Consequently, in the future, they will improve the rewards so that certain equipment in the War Bases provides specific advantages. It will also soon be possible to queue as a mercenary even if you are already in a war party. Ultimately, battles consisting entirely of mercenaries will be possible, just like the previous “Random BGs”.

You can find the complete English interview as usual in our source.

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

Planetside 2: This is how bugs are treated in PS2

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The team from Planetside 2 gives fans a behind-the-scenes look: This is how bugs are analyzed and eliminated in the shooter MMO.

Even if boss Matt Higby protests: “Bugs? There are no bugs here!”, bugs are part of everyday life for game developers like the team from Planetside 2, much to the dismay of gamers.

In a video, the SOE team now shows who is involved and what steps are needed to make the little pest leave its desk and disappear: There are build managers, quality assurance, and programmers involved, all because one doesn’t want to be as invisible as initially expected.

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

Destiny Iron Banner: New legendary items for PvP players *Update*

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In Destiny, next Tuesday, the endgame event for PvP players, Iron Banner, will start. Here, PvP players might find the items they need to reach level 30.

This is where the Champions of Destiny are born

Destiny-Saladin

The “Iron Banner” event will start on October 7 and will run for a week until October 14. This is the first time this endgame event for PvP players will start in the live version of Destiny. Information is still scarce. It has already been tested in the beta.

The special feature of this PvP mode in Destiny is that the level and the equipment of the Guardians WILL NOT be balanced. Each participant is as strong as their gear and light level allows. This means that higher-level players with the best armor pieces and weapons will have an advantage.

What rewards will there be and how will you obtain them?

Currently, the details of the reward system for the mode are not yet set. Based on the beta, regarding how the “The Witch Queen” event was conducted, and from Bungie’s announcement a few weeks ago, it seems very likely that a range of new legendary items will be introduced into the game.

In the beta events, these were mostly legendary weapons of all types. The “The Witch Queen” event notably introduced two legendary armor pieces for the chest and helmet. Some players are still missing legendary weapons.

Destiny-Jolder'sHammer
This is what Jolder’s Hammer looked like in the beta. If the legendary machine gun returns, it will have different stats.

The “Iron Banner” will likely give out Bounty missions that players can only complete in this specific endgame mode, which will only be active for 7 days.

In addition to the rewards for these bounties and possible rewards directly after completing a round, there will also be a reputation vendor for the event, most likely Lord Saladin. Here, “top” items might await players who increase their reputation: Alongside legendary weapons, there should be emblems, shaders, and a legendary ship.

This legendary jump ship “Birth of History” was given to a few lucky players as an Iron Banner reward in the beta.

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Will light level 30 armor come to PvP?

On reddit, some players suspect that through the “Iron Banner” event, armor pieces with a maximum light value of 30 could now be available for Crucible fans. Currently, there are legendary items with a light value of 30 only in the raid “The Vault of Glass” – other legendary items max out at a light value of 27.

Destiny_Erster_30er

Those who do not participate in this raid will only reach level 29 or stay below. For this, it would be necessary that alongside legendary weapons, legendary armor pieces are also introduced to the game since only helmets, chest pieces, legs, or boots currently hold the light values.

Since the new event for PvP players is positioned at the upper end of the scale, just like the raid for PvE players, it is likely that armor pieces with this increased light value will be available next week. The exciting question is: How will they be obtained and will the performance of the Guardians play a role? Currently, in the Crucible, the item distribution is mainly criticized for being random. Performance plays only a secondary role. There are higher expectations from the “Iron Banner” in Destiny now.

Anyway: For all Crucible fans, Destiny truly begins this Tuesday.

This was the loot in the beta – uncertain if everything will return:

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Update Monday 10:30: A list of drops from the beta has appeared on reddit:

The exciting question for PvP players is: Will the armor pieces return, what stats will they have, and will they go to light level 30?

Update Tuesday 11 AM: Event has started, in this article we will deal with it.

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

Why I Play: Juniper’s Knot

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

Hello and welcome back to one of my columns. After my Whining Wednesday has unfortunately fallen victim to censorship this week (just because I wanted to throw a flash mob party for my boss!), I decided to touch on another topic as well.

I want to introduce games here that, in my opinion, fundamentally differ from others and provide a unique experience, or are true exemplars of their genre. You probably haven’t heard of most of these games here – but that’s precisely the point, I want to draw your attention to real gems that have definitely received far too little recognition so far.

I’ll start with a game that was recommended to me by a friend, namely “Juniper’s Knot”. Talking about it as a game might underestimate it, as it is technically a “Visual Novel”, a story primarily told through text and images.

You read that right, there are no choices and the gameplay consists of nerve-wrackingly clicking “Continue” to view the next line of text – so if you’re only after hardcore, skill-based action, you can confidently leave this one behind.

What makes this game so great that I absolutely praise it to the sky?

In short: the story. I want to briefly explain the basic setting here without giving away too much of the plot, as that of course adds the most appeal.

Juniper's Knot Visual Novel

“Juniper’s Knot” is told alternately from the perspective of two characters. One is a demoness who has been trapped for a while in the ruins of a decaying city by a protective circle.

The second character is a young man who has lost his way and accidentally stumbles into this demoness’s prison. From then on, you experience the dialogues between the two characters while also gaining insights into their thoughts. The texts are brilliantly written, the characters feel incredibly alive, relatable, and without making a secret of it, I shed quite a few tears during the story because it is incredibly well staged – the graphics and sound effects are a true enrichment.

With its relatively short “playtime” of two hours, “Juniper’s Knot” is perfect for server maintenance. However, I would recommend experiencing this story at night or in dim light – not because it is extremely scary, but because it simply fits wonderfully with the atmosphere. This “game” made me sad and at the same time happy and reminded me why I love video games in general so much – it is a time in which I am simply thoroughly happy and content, even when a game brings me to tears.

If you want to take a short (read: 2-hour) look at the Visual Novel, you can download it completely for free here.

I recommend the English version; I found the German one rather mediocre, but before completely missing out on it, it should be good enough as well.

Do you know of any games that you think receive far too little attention? And what do you think of Juniper’s Knot? Let me know in the comments!

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

Guild Wars 2 receives an epic Domino tribute from an 8-year-old fan

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The fantasy MMO Guild Wars 2 has now been honored with a wobbly but highly impressive tribute made of dominoes.

The 8-year-old son of a Guild Wars 2 fan is a total domino enthusiast and builds the wildest structures with the pieces, only to – as is customary – bring them crashing down. This has now resulted in an impressive video paying tribute to Guild Wars 2 with dominoes.

While the initial designs are relatively straightforward: a Guild Wars 2 logo and the dragon logo collapsing, the constructions and ideas throughout the clip become increasingly extraordinary, culminating in a spectacular finale. The designs are inspired by in-game motifs. Truly impressive!

A few weeks ago, a fan clip for GW2 was released that received a lot of attention. Now the domino madness. GW2 seems to have particularly creative fans. Hopefully, ArenaNet sends them all that toaster that can engrave the dragon head logo into the toast, which we consider an absolute fan dream at mein-mmo!

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  1. reddit

WildStar cancels Christmas

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The SF-MMO WildStar is focusing on its major updates, the content drops, and is canceling events for Halloween and Christmas.

“And cancel Christmas!” is the punchline of a legendary outburst by the Sheriff of Nottingham in the movie Robin Hood starring Kevin Costner. It’s not meant to be that harsh in WildStar. Instead, the decision to forgo an in-game Christmas event is a consequence of a new direction for the MMO.

Less is supposed to be more, WildStar’s calendar still packed

WildStar

Before the release, it was announced, new content would be delivered every month. Therefore, team members were already working on content that wouldn’t be released until a year later. And so, events like Christmas or a small Halloween scare are already “almost” finished. But this “almost finished” is no longer sufficient for Carbine. They miscalculated.

With the first patches, too many bugs entered the game, the quality assurance was too thin, spread over too many projects, and just a few days for testing were simply not enough. The fans were frustrated.

Now they have pulled the emergency brake, given up on smaller events, and want to ensure that the “big” changes are done well. In the last Nexus Report, we saw Mike Donatelli with over 100 pages of DinA4 paper: All bug fixes and changes.

The schedule for WildStar is tight:

  • In mid-October, the mega servers should arrive.
  • In November, the next drop will come with numerous bug fixes, balance changes, new features, and the end of the prologue.
  • And in January, there will be a major update with daily dungeon missions, the new Protostar Arena (with tutorial dungeon), and a second arena map.

The discovery of slowness

With this packed schedule, there simply wasn’t time to make Christmas happen in a way that could have been presented to the players. In the beginning, we often talked about how WildStar would face the same questions as Blizzard at the end of Vanilla World of Warcraft. Apparently, similar answers are now being found.

Blizzard is known for only releasing truly “polished” content. And taking their time – sometimes too much. The recent changes in WildStar indicate that they have now also discovered these solutions and are willing to take the drawbacks, even if it means a canceled Christmas event.

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Source(s):
  1. mmorpg.com

Destiny Honest Trailer: Bitter and surprisingly benevolent

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

A biting yet surprisingly benevolent Honest Trailer has emerged for Destiny. It is said to be the hottest “7 out of 10” of the year.

The Honest Trailers by Smoshgames have gained cult status on YouTube. With deep bass and cutting humor, a narrator rushes through movies and games, parodying excessive industry trailers that hype their product with an epic voice and background music. In contrast, the Honest Trailers show more how the games really are, often satirically and biting.

Surprisingly gently (at least compared to other major titles), the MMO shooter Destiny comes off. Although Smoshgames also notes that much in the game feels like it will come later in a DLC and that Bungie keeps players waiting for more, but “Border Halo-Lands of Warcraft Online” already has its appeal. Because despite all the complaining and the average reviews, so many simply couldn’t stop playing it. However, getting off lightly in an Honest Trailer still means being biting and occasionally a bit harsh: Many will surely resonate with the trailer when it comes to the loot system in Destiny, the lack of trading options, or the troll attempts of the Cryptarch.

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ArcheAge: Do Hacks Give Cheaters the First Right to Expiring Properties?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

In ArcheAge, hacks cause frustration. Apparently, players can secure early access to the coveted expiring plots through them.

This morning, we learned from one of our readers on Facebook that there are probably issues with hacks in ArcheAge. Apparently, it is always the same users who manage to claim new land for themselves. This is scarce in ArcheAge and only becomes available when the rent for existing buildings has not been paid for an extended period. Then eviction looms. Since the building site is so sought after, entire crowds of players gather at threatened buildings to quickly place their scarecrow there and secure the spot.

So how is it possible that the same players succeed? Quite simply, they cheat, according to a post on reddit. This is causing a stir. At the moment, one player on Kyprosa is particularly in the spotlight. He has several threads dedicated to him in the official forum, and he also plays a leading role in some videos.

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The hack that came from the East

ArcheAge queues

According to the user on reddit, there have been tricks and hacks in Russian forums for a long time on how to gain an unfair advantage – the Russian version was playable well before the Western one. Hacks that allowed teleporting directly to the dealer with the cumbersome trade packs originated from these forums. Also, bots, it is said on reddit, rolled out of these forums like on an assembly line. And also a hack that allows securing the building plot while the building is still being demolished. As the user on reddit explains, hackers exploited packet spoofing.

What might be even more concerning: According to the user, the hacks are currently being translated into English. Then they could appear even more violently.

ArcheAge particularly vulnerable due to crafting and trading focus

ArcheAge glider

MMOs, especially in their beginnings, are often plagued by hacks and cheats. Both WildStar and The Elder Scrolls Online struggled in their initial months with a true flood of bots. They prefer games that they see potential for significant economic success. With ArcheAge, it was actually assumed that the ability to buy gold from other players for APEX, which indirectly means exchanging euros for gold, could deter hackers and gold sellers. Apparently, this is not the case.

Since the economy in ArcheAge is strongly in the foreground and resources like gold or land are the most valuable goods and indirectly also determine a player’s power, ArcheAge is even more vulnerable than other games. Because while in most MMORPGs gold can only buy a limited advantage, that is not the case in ArcheAge.

A lure of the sandbox that also makes the game extremely vulnerable to those who unscrupulously gain an advantage.

Official statement from Trion Worlds: They are investigating

There is also an official statement from Trion Worlds: They are monitoring the situation but do not yet have enough evidence to prove real “foul play”. The fact that one player frequently succeeds in building first is possible but suspicious. They have already contacted XLGames to investigate whether there are other methods to claim land.

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Source(s):
  1. ArcheAge Forums
  2. reddit

The Secret World: The user interface should be free, Tokyo hard, Halloween scary

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the conspiracy and horror MMO The Secret World, a buy-to-play game, the user interface is set to become freely configurable.

In the September letter from the producer, alongside some announcements about the Halloween event, there is also news about the user interface. With a click on the lock in the upper right, the components of the menu can soon be unlocked. These parts can then – like a mosaic – be freely moved around the screen. This change is said to come with release #10 – what they call larger content updates in The Secret World.

Release 10 will also feature nightmare mobs that will take over part of the docks in Tokyo and pose a tough challenge for solo players. However, the previously planned next side weapon has been removed from release #10. The mission associated with it turned out to be too complex to complete on time.

With Halloween comes – typical for TSW – new and returning missions for players. Besides the Cat God event and the spooky stories from Solomon Island, a conspiracy theorist will reach out to players, whose ideas and stories will soon sound less absurd … Although, anyone who is surprised by any bizarre twist in The Secret World or thinks something is impossible simply hasn’t played long enough.

This is how the Halloween event was announced two years ago.

http://youtu.be/791JvAn_y-Y
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Source(s):
  1. TSW

Skyforge: Gods versus Aliens – Third Kind Invasions as Event

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In Skyforge, players can become gods and deal with alien invasions.

Not “Cowboys vs. Aliens”, but “Gods versus Aliens” – this is what the upcoming MMO Skyforge will be about, which is set to enter beta at the end of the year. Much has already been revealed about the action MMO, and now we also know how the creators at Team Allods envision large events: as alien invasions.

The players of Skyforge are Immortals in the world of Aelion, whose main god has disappeared, making them a coveted target for alien invasions. They want to increase their influence on this world. Other worlds also have nasty gods, so to speak.

Skyforge Invasions

In MMO terms, the invasions mean: alien invasions are server-wide events that occur periodically, progress in multiple stages, and promise greater rewards for participating players. The final parts of this event then take on a raid format, leading to the opponents’ ship, and after a conclusion, the “best” players can even enter a kind of “hard mode”.

How exactly the invasions will function in gameplay, whether it will result in server-wide mass battles like in Guild Wars 2 or instanced group action like in World of Warcraft – or perhaps a mix where the initial stages are more buffet-style “free for all” and then become more exclusive later on, is not entirely decipherable from the dev blog post. It definitely sounds like an interesting concept.

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More about the god MMO on our Skyforge theme page.

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Source(s):
  1. SY.my

Elder Scrolls Online: Theft, Burglary, Homicide – Details about the Justice System

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In the fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, the announced justice system has now been detailed.

The justice system is probably what the “Elder Scrolls” series has and what the online spin-off TESO lacks the most. While in the single-player games the supposed heroes can fully indulge their kleptomaniac tendencies, that hasn’t been possible in The Elder Scrolls Online until now. However, that is set to change, as we have known for a few months.

Now further details about the so-called justice system have become known. There are to be three crimes:

  • Theft – Either one robs NPCs directly through pickpocketing or takes their possessions in the world. With the new changes, Tamriel is set to become significantly more interactive, with even more clickable objects.
  • Burglary or unauthorized entry – In every city, there should be NPC homes that can be robbed and plundered. To do so, one must first gain access and should better not get caught in the process.
  • Murder – Currently, the plans foresee that players can attack any NPC, but can only kill almost everyone. Merchants, quest NPCs, and those responsible for travel cannot be killed.
The Elder Scrolls Online

And how do NPCs in The Elder Scrolls Online react to these crimes?

For these crimes to have consequences, TESO is introducing a series of systems. NPCs are to react to criminals according to their nature. Some flee, while others will defend themselves. Surprises are planned: A seemingly easy target could turn out to be a veritable werewolf. This is intended to make the world more vibrant and unpredictable.

Moreover, the city guards will initiate the pursuit, and nearby guards should also respond when their comrades chase a fleeing criminal. This “heat,” or the attention generated after a fresh crime that attracts the guards, is expected to fade relatively quickly. However, a criminal accumulates a sort of bounty, which then “Enforcers,” other players in the service of the law, can hunt.
Players can sign up for this service for justice by putting on a tabard – this will also mark them for open world PvP.

The system is not only intended to be a pure “cat and mouse” game between criminals and law enforcers, but it is planned to be more complex – with a “capture the flag” mechanic (the return of stolen goods) or tracking down thieves’ hideouts.

Furthermore, criminals and law enforcers are to receive their own skill lines.

In recent days, a guild summit took place at the headquarters of Zenimax, where the developers of The Elder Scrolls Online laid their cards on the table and discussed plans for the coming months and perhaps even years. This article is part of our coverage of it. More about the MMO TESO can be found on our topic page.

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Source(s):
  1. TF

Hearthstone: Blizzard opens up to iPhone and Android after N64 debacle 14 years ago

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The online card game Hearthstone is on top. During development, that wasn’t always the case. It was said that it was the hardest to convince the leading minds at Blizzard themselves about the game. Furthermore, after a rather unsuccessful port of Starcraft to the N64, there were long-standing reservations against other platforms at Blizzard.

Holy Shit – It worked!

In an interview with Chris Metzen by Polygon about Blizzard’s journey, a chapter is also dedicated to the card game Hearthstone, which causes huge viewer numbers on Twitch and now has 20 million players. This was not planned, as Chris Metzen says: “We did not expect a worldwide success. It was just a little thing that we made with a lot of love. But holy shit, it worked!”

Hearthstone Board in World of Warcraft


Hearthstone was developed by Team 5 at Blizzard. Team 1 takes care of Starcraft, Team 2 takes care of World of Warcraft, and Team 3 is dedicated to the Diablo franchise. Team 4 dealt with Titan, the planned next-gen MMORPG, and the “Team 5” – significantly smaller than the others – wanted to develop something that emerged from Blizzard’s enthusiasm for Magic: The Gathering.

That, Metzen recounts, was something they played almost excessively during the still modest early days of Blizzard. The company grew larger when Starcraft hit in Asia, and later again when World of Warcraft developed into the giant we all know today.

“What the hell are you doing?”

When the idea of Hearthstone emerged and circulated in the now larger Blizzard, the project was not welcomed everywhere with open arms: “I really can’t say that everyone here was excited about the project. Some asked what the hell we were actually doing – and why?” They could never convey to the colleagues with words what the appeal of Hearthstone was. Only when it made the rounds in a playable state did the critics fall silent.

Hearthstone Rogue


Hearthstone, it was clear, would work well on the new platforms for games, on iPhone and Android. However, there were initial reservations at Blizzard based on the company’s history. In 2000 they ported Starcraft to the N64, which didn’t go so well. After that, they kept their distance from anything that was not playable with mouse and keyboard.

Hearthstone on Android, iPad, and iPhone also a concession to the new world

However, they have now recognized the signs of the times and reopened: “At my home, most gaming now takes place on tablets. I can hardly get them out of the hands of my children. We are very skilled developers for PC. But just as the world has changed, we need to be open-minded about what is right for our games.”

This change in thinking at Blizzard is likely what has also led to Hearthstone’s port to iPad and the upcoming one to iPhone and Android. An announcement for this is expected at Blizzcon in the second week of November.

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

Destiny: Popular rumors and myths examined – Mythbusters-style video

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the MMO shooter Destiny, there are numerous myths, rumors, and legends. A video in the style of “Mythbusters” tackles the most popular Tower Legends.

“DefendTheHouse” has previously taken on popular video game myths to test their validity. Mirroring the template of the TV show “Mythbusters”, two amateur pyrotechnicians regularly examine so-called “Urban Legends” like: “If you consume fizzy powder and cola simultaneously, will your stomach really bloat and will you explode?” or “If you jump just before hitting the ground in a falling elevator, will you really be unharmed?”

Now, “DefendTheHouse” in Destiny is addressing quite different questions such as: “Can I really run someone over with my Sparrow?” or “Can I dodge a Warlock’s Axion Bolt if I crouch?”

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If it’s too slow for you to kill enemies with the Sparrow trick, you can also try this variant that circulates under “Dinklebot, I Choose you” on reddit. It’s also a pop culture hat trick showing how to combine Destiny, Pokemon, and Peter Dinklage (and indirectly Game of Thrones) into a meme.

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