Hearthstone: New expansion comes in its own packs

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

Blizzard’s free card game Hearthstone will release the next expansion in a different format. Cards will be available in their own booster packs.

In the Hearthstone expert talk “Value Town”, host Chanman and his co-host Trump had senior designer Mike Donais, a former Magic: The Gathering specialist, who is well-versed in Hearthstone, especially regarding balance issues, as their guest in the last episode, which will also be the final one.

A lot of new cards, but no adventure

For the new expansion, according to Donais, there is no release date yet, but everyone is working hard to complete it. When the hosts asked if Blizzcon would be a great date for the announcement, Donais shrugged and smiled. He probably meant he wouldn’t let that slip casually. The expansion will have “Lots of Cards,” not exactly 100 but around that number, was the consensus.

This time, cards will not be introduced to players through an adventure like Naxxramas, but Hearthstone players will be able to buy them in separate booster packs. Thus, the current cards will remain in the “classic card packs,” while the new ones will be available in different packs. Whether these new packs can also be purchased with gold was not clarified in “Value Town.” There were also no questions regarding the theme of the expansion. Some suspect the Icecrown Citadel or the Sunwell, but Donais would probably have just smiled at such a question anyway.

Aside from the Paladin class challenge, Blizzard is satisfied with Naxxramas

Hearthstone - Naxxramas adventure

As Donais’s reaction suggested, Blizzard is satisfied with the current meta-game in Hearthstone and the course of Naxxramas. Only the last class challenge, that of the Paladin, would perhaps have been designed somewhat differently in retrospect. A few more Blessings of Kings would have probably enhanced the impact of the Echo slime.

Blizzard wants to provide answers to questions in Hearthstone, whether they are current or not

Naxxramas card Loatheb

At Blizzard, Hearthstone is designed so that as many answers as possible can be provided to players, whether the question is currently relevant or not. If a player loses against a deck with many spells, they should find cards in their collection that serve as answers to such decks – such as Loatheb, the Anti-Mage, or the Spectral Knight. And if the meta-game changes and therefore the questions change, then they should also find answers in their collection.

Blizzard prefers, as seen now in Naxxramas, a game where minions are present and not everything disappears every turn: “We find the game more fun when minions are on the board,” says Donais.

Blizzard says no to many things, yes to iPhone and Android

Later in Value Town, Trump and Chanman threw around some ideas, which Donais shook his head at dismissively. Blizzard is not working on a “2 versus 2” mode, nor on new character classes (no Death Knight and no Monk). The current focus is on the Observer mode, where players can watch others play, and on the expansion. They will not hype the next expansion before the current one has been released.

However, there was a repeated “yes” to Hearthstone on iPhone and Android. That is planned to come out this year as expected.

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ArcheAge: Longer open beta and release in October?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 5 minutes

The sandbox MMO ArcheAge has answered various open questions regarding the Closed Beta, the Open Beta, and the release. Now, we know almost everything except for a release date.

In the weekly livestream of ArcheAge, the staff of Trion Worlds answer all imaginable questions from fans. This time, it was noticeable that the questions clearly targeted the Open Beta and release. Currently, the fourth closed Beta is taking place in ArcheAge. It will last until Wednesday. According to Trion Worlds, they have sent out invitations in the 7-digit range (over a million). This magnitude suggests that it could very well be the last closed Beta. However, nothing was said about that.

ArcheAge Glider

At the moment, everything is clear except for the length and date of the Open Beta and thus the final release date. We speculate on a longer Open Beta phase and a release in October. At the end of the article, we will give you the reasons for this.

Since the livestream touched on almost all topics, we decided to present you with the most important statements in bullet points.

The facts about ArcheAge in detail:

No rest for the weary: ArcheAge developers are working overtime

  • With the course of the third Beta, Trion Worlds was generally very satisfied. There was only one server crash, which was considered positive. Above all, the stability of the interface proved to be improved.
  • At the moment, everyone at Trion Worlds is working at full throttle and putting in overtime. Between the third and fourth betas, the employees had hardly any time to relax. Sleep is out of the question. They joked that this is noticeable in the faces of the staff.

Player-written music fully convinces

  • Currently, a lot revolves around a tricky piece of software on which the entire payment and patron system depends. This piece of “core software,” developed for the Korean system, must harmonize with all the processes at Trion Worlds. This is the biggest focus at the moment.
  • In the livestream, fans got a taste of what the “music composition” system can do. A fan who devoted himself to this was able to play “Let it Go” from the Disney movie “Frozen” in ArcheAge. A commendable achievement, in our opinion (timestamp 14:46 in the livestream).

Alpha ends with the Open Beta, characters persist on test servers

  • The Alpha will end with the start of the Open Beta. From then on, the servers will be needed for something else. The characters from the Alpha are to be saved and might resurface on a test server if one is needed later. Players who are still considering getting a founder’s pack should probably do so not for access to the Alpha, but for the glider or other bonuses. Because the Alpha could end soon. It was mentioned in the stream that it would be shut down a few days before the start of the Open Beta.

Open Beta and the details

  • The Open Beta (and probably also the release) will start initially without the area “Auroria”. This is where the keeps that players and guilds can secure are located. This decision is intended to prevent organized guilds from securing an early advantage and dominating a server while the rest are still getting started. The start signal for Auroria is expected to occur during prime time in the Open Beta – at a different time on the European servers than on the North American ones. Trion Worlds wants to remain flexible with the date and will only initiate the rush for the keeps when they feel the structures are ready. Since Trion Worlds has not revealed when the Open Beta for ArcheAge will start or how long it will last, it is difficult to categorize this information.
    ArcheAge PvP
  • APEX, the option to buy the patron status in-game, will be activated for the Open Beta. Players who purchase APEX with real money for the Open Beta will receive an Apex again at release. Thus, they can sell the same Apex in both the Open Beta and the release.
  • For the particularly adventurous: Trion Worlds is currently heavily hiring Game Masters. Being located near Austin, Texas, would be advantageous.
  • Close contact is maintained with the developers of XLGames, the creators of the Korean ArcheAge, to convey the wishes of the local players. One of the most important points at the moment: Players want there to be no consumables in the arena.

With the head start, it really gets going

  • Any rumors that the marketplace or other functions would be inactive during the head start were denied by the staff. In ArcheAge, the fun begins in full swing right with the head start. Founders will receive their items.
  • By the end of the stream, it was indirectly revealed what the costs for the patron status would be. “Check Rift,” they said. In Rift, the monthly premium status costs €12.99; 3 months cost €35.97, 6 months cost €59.94, and a year costs €107.88.

Is there a longer Open Beta phase, indicating a date in October?

ArcheAge Storm at Sea

Mein MMO says: We think that next week at Pax Prime in Seattle, the date for the Open Beta will be announced. The current Closed Beta with over a million invitations is already so large that a fifth beta phase would likely not bring much.

The information from the latest stream suggests that there may not be, as with WildStar or TESO, just a short open beta, but rather a longer phase. This would explain why they are introducing APEX and disabling the Auroria area. If an open beta were to be as short as the closed beta phases have been, this would probably be unnecessary. Thus, it could be that we are talking about an ArcheAge beta lasting two to four weeks, making a release date in September unlikely.

From the end of the Open Beta, a release date could also easily emerge. Because the Open Beta should run concurrently with the later release version. There will likely only be a few days between the end of the Open Beta and the head start.

Currently, September 16 is circulating on Steam as an alleged release date for ArcheAge. This would only apply if there were no further Open Beta phase, if Pax Prime immediately announces the Open Beta for the following week, if it consisted only of an extended weekend, and if only three or four days lay between the end of the Open Beta and the head start. This date is not entirely ruled out, but it would put a lot of stress on Trion Worlds. Publishers typically do not prefer that.

ArcheAge Zone

At the moment, this is speculation. ArcheAge does not indicate whether another Closed Beta phase will come or not. This is probably also because the packages they sell guarantee access to the Closed Beta or Alpha, and they do not want to diminish the value of these packages.

We will likely know more by the end of next week when Trion Worlds has concluded Pax Prime.

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

Destiny is doing games in, making fun of itself

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The MMO shooter Destiny is nearing the finish line, the games have been handed over, now humor is being showcased.

Gold is just one milestone of many for Destiny

The MMO shooter Destiny has reached the so-called “Gold” status. This means the game is now available in the versions that will be running on numerous PlayStation and Xbox consoles worldwide on September 9th. In a post on the Destiny homepage, the developers at Bungie stated: “Destiny is Gold. Discs are being pressed and boxed. It is finished in many ways. Even though it sometimes feels like we have just started.”

Achieving the “Gold” status is also just one of many milestones that Destiny has reached and aims to reach. Even now, “in the glow of Gold,” they already have the next milestones in their sights.

The next announcement will likely come at the end of next week, as Bungie will be present at PAX Prime in Seattle, the Penny Arcade Expo, a large gaming convention.

Destiny shows humor, reworks lines from “Game of Thrones” star Peter Dinklage

In the post, Bungie also shows humor. A few weeks ago, they had to listen to criticism from the internet, as Peter Dinklage, in his role as the voice of the A.I. companion “Ghost”, delivered some of his lines… not exactly credibly and appropriately for the threatening scenario. It particularly pertained to “wizards coming from the moon” – a line that the “Game of Thrones” star reportedly couldn’t say without rolling his eyes. In a short video where they tackle the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, they take this as an opportunity to make fun of themselves. After all, no wizard comes from the moon, but rather a bucket of ice…

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It is also noteworthy in the video the dreaded slow clap, which players immediately demanded must be brought into the game as an emote.

Destiny will be released on September 9th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. A PC version has not yet been definitively confirmed. However, all signs point to it being released a few months later.

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

World of Warcraft: Are only noobs starting with WoW?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

Why does the fantasy MMO World of Warcraft struggle to maintain its player base? The target audience seems to be exhausted. Now, mainly players who need to be shown how to move with WASD find their way into World of Warcraft.

In a conversation with pcgamesn, Blizzard’s Tom Chilton, the lead designer of WoW, provided a clear answer as to why World of Warcraft is having difficulty maintaining a stable base after ten years. In his response, he focused not on the loss of existing players but on the increasingly sparse influx of new ones.

Simply put, not as many new players are coming in as before. And those who do come in don’t necessarily stay. This was different in the past: In 2004, the so-called “conversion” rate was massive, as it is said. Players who tried World of Warcraft tended to stick around. That is no longer the case today.

World of Warcraft has now reached a point where the vast majority of players interested in an RPG have already tried World of Warcraft. Chilton: “So many players who are likely to enjoy a game like WoW have already played it, often for many years.”

Who even starts fresh with World of Warcraft today?

World of Warcraft beginners

Many veterans look at an MMO tutorial with furrowed brows. In the first minutes of gameplay, players are familiarized with the basics of an MMO, such as the WASD controls. MMO veterans, with many games under their belts, often think: This is unnecessary; everyone knows that.

However, such a system is essential for Blizzard today. They have found that newcomers need to familiarize themselves with WASD controls first, as Chilton puts it. This is new for them. Because the players who find their way to World of Warcraft are often players without any MMO experience.

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

H1Z1: Zombie-Minecraft surprised with crafting depth

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The survival MMO H1Z1 surprises in a longer Twitch stream with an amazing crafting depth.

Anyone who has followed the H1Z1 project has already seen various streams and countless hours of live gameplay. Normally, it goes like this: A streamer with a fan base, but without a clue about H1Z1, plays the game like a typical survival game. He chops down a tree, crafts a bow, shoots the first zombies, and then tries to survive and loot. Fans of the game, who are attentively following it, have thus seen the first 20 minutes of H1Z1 countless times, observing someone whittling a bow and aiming at poor deer. Most of the time, these streamers come from a FPS background, are Counter-Strike experts, or entertain an audience that thrives on fast action. Such as when they shoot an unsuspecting graphic designer from SOE in the back with an arrow.

Streamer Ellohime builds a base and dives deeper into the crafting system

That is all well and good, but up to now relatively little has been seen of the “deep” crafting system that H1Z1 advertises. This changed at SOE Live in Vegas. They invited some of the best streamers in the USA (with the help of sponsors) to take a closer look at the game. One of them, Ellohime, set out to pursue a different approach before his stream. He did not want to grind in zombie battles or hop around aimlessly looking for something that just popped into his mind like countless before him.

H1Z1 Base

Ellohime wanted to explore the crafting system of the game and reach recipes and regions that no one has shown to the public before. In just under two hours, he progresses a few “tiers” up and plays H1Z1, as some mockingly say, more like a “hoarder” than a survivor. In the highly recommended stream, developers from SOE also appear repeatedly, both Tom Schenk and Adam Clegg drop in and answer fans’ questions in the live chat.

Anyone who wants to be convinced that H1Z1 has more to offer than just chaos and atmosphere, and can also deliver in the “crafting” and “basebuilding” areas, should not miss this stream. You might want to skip ahead a bit because, of course, Ellohime has to first farm wood and iron to create the basics for his projects.

Spear fishing and electricity also make their way into H1Z1

By the way: At SOE Live, it was also hinted that there will be both “spear fishing” in the game as well as “electricity.” However, players will have to occupy a dam and get it running … and it certainly won’t be easy to follow the motto of H1Z1: “One Step ahead of Zed.”

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

Final Fantasy XIV invites ex-partners to try again

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The fantasy MMO Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has gotten a makeover in recent months and is now inviting former fans to dance again.

It somewhat resembles the call from an ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend who says they have gotten their life together, recognized the mistakes made in the past, and is asking for a second chance to try again. Or less dramatically: It’s like the grand reopening of a restaurant where the head chef, staff, and interior have all been changed.

Final Fantasy XIV Weddings
Maybe the second attempt will end with a happy ending?

Final Fantasy XIV gives players whose subscription has expired the opportunity to log in for free and with no strings attached from yesterday until Friday, September 1st, at 1 PM to take another look at the world of Eorzea. After all, a lot has been done in recent months, and the game truly has nothing to be ashamed of since its relaunch as “A Realm Reborn”.

Apparently, Square Enix believes that Final Fantasy XIV is now finally able to fulfill the hopes of many players who have once left the world of Final Fantasy. Additionally, there’s an offer for newcomers to try the MMO for 14 days for free, but you can only play up to level 20.

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

ArcheAge: What PR people do for their MMO

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the live stream of the Sandpark MMO ArcheAge, which is currently in the next open beta, the delicate question suddenly arose as to how far Community Manager Evan Berman is willing to go for ArcheAge.

During an information-packed Twitch livestream about Closed Beta, Open Beta, and the future of the game (we will report in detail tomorrow), the conversation also turned to what is probably the most feared topic among PR people. At least among those who promote a product in the gaming sector: “Hot Pepper Gaming.”

This is a popular YouTube format where representatives of a game or unfortunate journalists must highlight the strengths of a game or criticize it after eating ultra-hot chili peppers or other foods dipped in one of these treacherous sauces with a six-figure Scoville rating. The catch: Only images of the game are shown when they talk about the game and do not rant about the chili that then takes over their entire consciousness. The appearance lasts only as long as they can manage without the neutralizing milk. And they must refuse all “reliefs” offered to them. This form of “competitive eating” is common in certain parts of the USA and is not without a certain sadism.

Evan Berman Community Manager Trion
Community Manager Evan “Scapes” Berman: He might soon lose his laughter:

While the Product Manager of ArcheAge waved off at the mere mention of “Hot Pepper Gaming” and ducked out of the picture, it seems to affect Evan Berman. He is the Community Manager at ArcheAge and oversees the forum and social media there. As “Scapes,” he is the voice of Trion Worlds to the community. Berman seems to have already accepted his fate. The special honor of presenting ArcheAge at Hot Pepper Gaming will likely fall to him. Every day, according to Berman, he passes by a store that sells ultra-hot chilies and thinks, “So this is what awaits me in my future.”

His only hope is that the packed schedule of ArcheAge leaves no room for this painful promotional appointment. The schedule includes another Closed Beta until Wednesday, for which over a million invitations were sent out (as mentioned in the stream). After that, something special is planned to be announced at PAX Prime in Seattle, and then it could almost be time for the open beta, unless another closed beta event is planned beforehand. The Trion employees did not comment on this during the stream.

To give you an insight into this PR torture, we have picked a video of how Stephan Frost, one of the leading minds behind WildStar, tortures himself through an episode of “Hot Pepper Gaming” for his MMO.

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Mail.ru expects profit from Skyforge, World of Speed, and Armored Warfare

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the business report from mail.ru, a trio of MMOs appears as bearers of hope: Skyforge, World of Speed, and Armored Warfare are expected to deliver.

The Mail.ru Group reports, according to a report from the Russian site cnews.ru, good growth for the first half of 2014, but problems have arisen in the second quarter of the year. Here, growth has decreased. This is attributed to the difficult geopolitical situation and the economic development during this period.

Mail.ru aims to focus on gaining more “paying” customers

In the second half of the year, higher growth is expected in the MMO sector. Efforts are focused on gaining more paying customers. Here, more emphasis will be placed on the so-called “Community IVAS”, which stands for “Community Internet value-added services” (the rest of the industry refers to this as microtransactions, freemium offers, or an in-game cash shop).

From the future, mail.ru expects a lot from a new trio of MMOs. Skyforge, World of Speed, and Armored Warfare are all already in advanced stages of development and are expected to enter their respective open beta phases in the coming months. While open betas for Skyforge and World of Speed are planned for Q4 2014, the open beta for Armored Warfare is still expected to wait until Q1 2015.

  • World of Speed
  • Skyforge: Class Cryomancer
  • Armored Warfare

As a special success, mail.ru records their mail service “mymail”, which launched under the brand my.com in November 2013. The mail service has established itself as an alternative mail client on iPhone and Android. Most customers come from Germany, Brazil, France, and the United Kingdom.
Mail.ru expects growth of 12-18% for 2014. In 2013, the group recorded a growth of 29.6%.

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

Is WiLD perhaps an indie MMO? And what is indie today anyway?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

In the aftermath of Gamescom, some established designers commented on the “Indie” hype. Among them was Michel Ancel, whose presentation of the new PS4 MMO WiLD had caused quite a stir at Gamescom. Ancel is still working for Ubisoft but co-founded an indie studio called Wild Sheep.

According to the online site vg247, Ancel engaged in a conversation after the official Sony press conference, questioning what even constitutes Indie:

Can an indie studio have over 100 people? We shouldn’t say “indie” game anymore today, but rather talk about innovative games. It’s about more than just the price. An indie game is a game made by real people with passion and dedication. Indie means that developers have the freedom to pursue their artistic vision. That is indie.

Other established developers from big studios are reportedly supporting Ancel’s arguments, citing Nirvana from music as an example that “Indie” can also work with a big budget.

Mein MMO says: Apparently, every creative prefers to see themselves in the underdog role and insists on their creative freedom, regardless of how many people work on a project and how many marketing studies and authority opinions they must consider. Great commercial success, a big budget, innovation, and passionate fans are not mutually exclusive. However, they do not necessarily imply one another either. It is completely understandable if established designers feel that their creative contributions are not sufficiently appreciated when fans and the press rave about how innovative this 8-bit sandbox is. Surely, many indie developers would trade the applause and recognition of fewer fans for a regular paycheck.

Wild Playstation 4

For Michel Ancel, the topic is currently quite sensitive. In the past, he has created titles for a global audience with Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil for Ubisoft. For his new project WiLD, he co-founded a new indie studio called “Wild Sheep”. The graphics and production quality showcased in the trailer do not suggest a small team and budget. The trailer simply looked too good, and the dimensions of the title are too vast. In the coming months, we will surely learn more about the background of the game and Ancel’s situation.

MMOs are usually considered a death zone for indie developers due to their enormous production and ongoing costs. Therefore, the MMO sector remains relatively unaffected by the rampant indie movement. Some say that exactly these pushes and ideas from the indie scene are lacking in the rather sluggish MMO genre.

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

WildStar: What adventures await in the distance?

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

The developer responsible for the adventures in WildStar, Matt Tobiason, answered community questions on Tuesday during the weekly “Nexus Report”, and although he couldn’t answer everything, a few interesting details came to light that we want to share with you.

Firstly, it should be noted that there are no set dates for any of these announcements. They do not want to commit just to end up disappointing someone.

The upcoming adventures will definitely provide better loot to players than the current ones – they are intended to be, just like dungeons and solo content, a key part of the equipment acquisition for players. However, the old adventures will not become useless, as they want to give players incentives to revisit the original four adventures; whether this will take the form of a weekly quest or prestige rewards, such as housing items, has yet to be revealed.

We could also learn quite a bit of small information about upcoming adventures that are slowly but surely forming a complete picture: The next adventure will be significantly shorter but also noticeably harder than the previous ones and will be “soon” ready for testing – possibly already on the next PTR? In the medium term, one of the upcoming instances will thematically revolve around Wildrun and the Torine sisterhood based there.

WildStar Adventure Hycrest

Generally, players’ decisions in adventures are supposed to have a greater impact than they currently do, and the path choice should play an even stronger role than it does, for example, in “Trek through Jochgrab”.

“War of the Wilderness” is, by the way, the most popular instance among both players and developers, and plans for the future include more comparable group content.

One highly desired quality-of-life feature will also be making its way into the game, allowing players to “soon” view the current medal status of an adventure without having to memorize the various conditions or rely on an add-on to check them.

Finally, the announcement was made that there will only be one livestream per week from now on, instead of two. “WildStar Weekly” will be integrated into the “Nexus Report”, but will retain its length of about an hour. The reasons given were the high effort required for each stream and that they did not want to keep the various developers away from their actual work for so long anymore. There’s a bitter aftertaste that such an announcement comes shortly after the release of relatively disappointing player numbers.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. The Nexus Report: Adventures with Matt Tobiason

Destiny: Developers surprised with early release of the launch trailer

Dawid Hallmann Dawid Hallmann Reading time < 1 minutes

The MMO shooter Destiny is actually set to be released on September 9 on major consoles. The developers at Bungie demonstrate with the unusually early release of a launch trailer, just 3 weeks before release, that they are ready. Ready for the release of Destiny, a highly anticipated title that, according to an analyst’s estimates, will sell over 20 million copies.

In just two and a half minutes, the creators showcase the advantages of the sci-fi shooter, which they underscore in the video with praise from well-known magazines. Talks of an exciting new franchise, a forthcoming hit. No wonder: It is already known that Destiny has more pre-orders than any other game with a new IP before.

In just a few weeks, we’ll find out if Bungie and Activision’s online shooter meets the extremely high expectations. In the meantime, check out the impressive launch trailer, which at least shortens the waiting time a bit – exactly by 149 seconds.

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DDOS attack on Guild Wars 2

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The fantasy MMO Guild Wars 2 seems to be the victim of a DDOS attack right now. Since shortly before 5 PM, the servers have been unreachable, and the forum is down.

DDOS attacks are now part of the unpleasant reality of public life on the internet. A hacker group has apparently specialized in targeting large MMO providers and basking in the resulting public attention. While the servers are down, the group continues to make some comments on Twitter. In the forums for the MMOs, there’s a consensus to not give this hacker group additional publicity by naming them. We agree with that.

It seems there were attacks on Guild Wars 2 and the forum last night as well. This DDOS attacks resumed and intensified around 4:40 PM our time. Both the homepage of Guild Wars 2 and the servers were unreachable for about half an hour.

Update 5:20 PM: ArenaNet apparently quickly got the problem under control according to a tweet and has brought the servers back online.

Update 10:20 PM: The hackers are on the move again, boasting that they are attacking multiple MMOs simultaneously.

Update 10:30 PM: The official Twitter account of GW2 states that they are aware of the causes of the server issues and thank everyone for the numerous hints regarding what may be causing the servers to be down. The official technical term from Guild Wars is “Connectivity Issues.” ArenaNet goes a step further than we do, not only withholding the name of the hacker group but also that it is a targeted DDOS attack.

Update 11:30 PM: It apparently does not only concern Guild Wars 2 but also other NCSoft titles like WildStar. Also in the crosshairs of the hackers: Jagex with Runescape; and the Icelandic MMO EVE Online.

Update Friday 3:55 PM: Next DDOS attack is underway.

Update 5:30 PM: Yet again, NCSoft is hit with Aion, Guild Wars 2, WildStar, etc.

Update 9:50 PM: Again Guild Wars 2. This has been going on for long days now. The times when the servers are down are becoming shorter at NCSoft. Let’s just hope that the issue can be resolved long-term soon. Certainly a difficult situation for the technicians.

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

WildStar moves away from monthly updates: Is Carbine running out of steam?

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 3 minutes

The SF-MMO WildStar aimed to deliver new content every month. According to an interview with game designer Megan Starks, that is about to change soon. The next content patch “Corruption” may not be released at the beginning of September, but could take several months.

WildStar started with the promise of bringing new content every month in the form of a “drop.” They had planned 16 months in advance. The first patch in July introduced two new PvE zones, and the August patch included, among other things, a new PvP battleground. However, it seems that they will have to deviate from this plan. According to Starks, the overall planning will not change, only the schedule may need to be adjusted. It appears they no longer want to adhere to strict deadlines, but rather take more time to refine and polish the content.

WildStar wants to take more time, first polish the content

In an interview with mmorpglife at Gamescom, which can be found on YouTube, Sparks said:

Now that we have released two major patches, we have taken another look and rethought things. We are sticking to our plans. We still know exactly what we want to deliver and are working on it. But for example, with the next patch, which is on the test server, we are addressing bugs and evaluating the feedback from our players. Now it is important to polish and refine it before we truly bring it into the game. Therefore, we have decided to work on the patch until it has a quality that we are really satisfied with.

They plan to release the patch in the next few months. This is the better alternative than hitting a deadline and then delivering what they have at that moment, even if they are still dissatisfied with it. This applies not only to the current patch but also to future ones.

Will Carbine’s bold statements turn into a boomerang?

WildStar

Mein MMO says: This is quite a bombshell that has not yet made it public, even though the interview is a few days old. The video interview was conducted by a small site and seems to have been somewhat overlooked in the excitement of Gamescom. This will surely change in the coming days. It will be exciting to see if the interview gets commented on by those responsible when the topic – as expected – heats up in the WildStar forum, Reddit, and on the major gaming sites.

Just last week, NCSoft’s financial report revealed that WildStar’s sales figures were rather mediocre. A few days later, it was announced that one of the two weekly live streams would be closed. Now, it seems that moving away from the central promise of delivering new content monthly is feeding the critics and skeptics of WildStar.

The breakneck pace that Carbine promised for the continuous development of the game raised concerns from the beginning about whether they could maintain this speed over a longer period. After all, all theme park MMORPGs face the problem of not being able to deliver content quickly enough, resulting in players getting bored. The most prominent example is WoW, which requires content pauses of over a year between expansions to then deliver regularly.

However, fans repeatedly heard from Carbine to trust them. They had it under control and knew what they were doing. Several teams worked in parallel on the patches, and they would do everything possible to meet the deadlines. “No bullshit” was one of the mantras leading up to the launch. They would promise nothing they could not keep.

This deviation from one of Carbine’s central promises just three months in will be hard to sell, although initial reactions from fans do not appear to be so negative. After all, polished content does have its advantages.
The interview with senior game designer Megan Starks can be found below.

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Final Fantasy XIV: EU servers could soon come to Europe

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The European servers for the fantasy MMO Final Fantasy XIV are currently still in Montreal, Canada. That might change very soon.

In the aftermath of Gamescom, more and more scattered information about various games is gradually emerging. Magazines from all over the world had extensive discussions in Cologne, and occasionally there is still a hidden gem that is revealed a bit late. This is also the case here.

As Naoki Yoshida, the producer behind Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, said in an interview with a French site on the sidelines of Gamescom, European players might soon look forward to servers closer to home. When asked if FF XIV would follow the example of The Elder Scrolls Online—after all, European players of FF XIV were also demanding a move just as those of The Elder Scrolls Online had—Yoshida replied, “I have good news for your readers.”

They are currently in the cost analysis phase for moving the EU servers to Europe. At the moment, Final Fantasy XIV is consulting with all parties involved in such a decision.

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Source(s):
  1. www.jeuxonline.info

Hearthstone: The Hidden Star in the New Meta-Game

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The new Naxxramas cards bring movement to the metagame of Blizzard’s free card game Hearthstone. The dark horse is one that hardly anyone expected.

Hearthstone Card Mad Scientist

As the new cards of Hearthstone were gradually introduced, experts raved about several low-mana drops like the Deathlord, the Echoing Oozeling, or the Nerubian Egg. The Tomb Raider was also considered an early favorite for the title of the new MVP, Most Valuable Minion. However, it seems that an outsider has secured the inside lane and is passing the favorites. Of all cards, the “Mad Scientist,” dismissed by experts like Trump with a “Meh,” is rising to become the dark horse of the new meta game.

He shines in a Hunter deck. The Mad Scientist, a 2/2 minion for 2 mana, brings a secret from the player’s deck directly into play with his deathrattle. Many people think of secrets first in relation to the Paladin or the Mage. However, pro-gamer Reynad has devised a wicked Hunter deck and packed traps into it. With two Explosive and two Freezing Traps, which bring his Mad Scientists into hand for free and without tempo loss, he keeps the opponent’s side of the deck clean without tempo loss and converts his own tempo gain into dominance.

According to technologytell, the rankings are therefore full of Hunters. Reynad explains his “Mad Hunter” deck in this video, and we have also provided a detailed deck list in the sources.

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Star Trek Online: What do you think of “Fleet Admiral”?

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In the SF MMO Star Trek Online, Cryptic Studios has now revealed plans for the captain’s life after level 50. There are new titles, new abilities, some goodies, and still things to improve at level 60.

The journey from level 1 to 50 is far for every Starfleet officer, Romulan, or warrior in the service of the Klingon Empire. But it is worth it: With each level, the officer becomes a bit stronger, gains new skill points, gets promoted from time to time, and can still accumulate and invest expertise at level 50.

With the “Delta Rising” expansion announced for October, the maximum level is being raised for the first time. What is changing?

Star Trek Online raises the maximum level, introduces new titles and skill trees

At level 55 and again at 60, juicy promotions await. Federation members and Romulans will first be promoted to “Rear Admiral” and then to “Fleet Admiral.” In the Klingon Empire, the highest ranks are called “General” and “Dahar Master.”

Star Trek Online Level Up

For level advancements beyond 50, there are not only new abilities and packages awaiting instead of just a wet handshake. At level 55, a bridge officer awaits you, and at level 60, there is another trait slot for your captain. At 52, 54, and 57, STO presents you with the choice to improve certain skills.

The special twist: Every captain receives new specialization trees into which they can invest the points earned from level 51 to beyond level 60. The points that you would actually receive after reaching the maximum level do not go into the old skill tree but rather into the new one.

Star Trek Online Fleet Admiral

This form of “skill points after maximum level” has been adopted recently by some MMOs and is spreading further in the genre. The usual goal is not to make characters more powerful after reaching the maximum level, but rather more versatile.

Details on all changes can be found here on the official Star Trek Online site.

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ArcheAge: Is there a release date next week or is it about the Rift expansion?

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At the Penny Arcade Expo Prime (PAX Prime) in Seattle, Trion Worlds is planning a very special announcement. It is still unclear whether it will be about the release date for the sandbox MMO ArcheAge or the date for the Rift expansion “Nightmare Tides”.

As mmorpg.com reports, the folks at Trion Worlds are planning a special announcement for PAX Prime in Seattle. They invite attendees to drinks, food, and general festivities, promising exciting news. Allegedly, the teams from Trove, ArcheAge, Rift, and Defiance will be there to answer questions. There will be thrilling news about the games and a “very special announcement”.

It is still completely unclear what this could mean. The expansion “Nightmare Tides” for the fantasy MMO Rift is supposed to be released this year, the pre-patch is already live, and a date is due. A release date for the sandbox MMO ArcheAge is likely to be even hotter, as fans are currently flocking to its closed beta. However, ArcheAge still has an open beta pending. So this is certainly not something that could happen overnight, and it will definitely take a few weeks of lead time.

The PAX Prime will take place from August 29 to September 1. Speculations about an upcoming release date for ArcheAge are plentiful, especially since Steam listed September 16 as the date, and the fourth closed beta phase of ArcheAge began just a few days after the third. Nothing is confirmed at this moment.

Mein MMO says: Of course, it could also be something completely different. Trove, a voxel game, is currently in alpha and could then go into beta or early access… but that might not be as exciting. Everything is essentially settled with Defiance, and there should be nothing to announce at this point. It can really only come down to ArcheAge or Rift or both. ArcheAge will probably be released sometime in the fourth quarter, and “Nightmare Tides” will set sail as well, unless Trion Worlds wants to break its promise. A specific date could be learned as early as next week.

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Source(s):
  1. www.mmorpg.com

Guild Wars 2 responds to criticism, changes commander plans

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A major patch is coming for Guild Wars 2 in September, and GW2 is gradually unveiling the individual features. The commander system is now being addressed.

Guild Wars Commander Colors

We reported a few days ago that there will be several colors in the future with which commanders can mark themselves – in addition to blue, also green, yellow, and pink. The developers at ArenaNet had already revealed this at Gamescom. At that time, the plan was that players would have to choose one of the four colors, and the commander tags would be unlocked for the entire account, with each color costing 300 Gold. Additionally, it was said that existing commanders would be marked with the blue color, and if they wanted new colors, they would have to unlock them for 300 Gold.

The feedback was negative. In Guild Wars 2, Gold is a sensitive topic, as it can be purchased with real money through an indirect method – costly new features always have a certain taste, as we say in Swabia. The negative feedback seems to have led ArenaNet to rethink and change their plans. Now a “compendium” will be available for 300 Gold that contains all commander colors and is valid for the entire account. Anyone who is already a commander will not need this compendium, but will have account-wide access to all four colors.

In the GW2 community on Reddit, this change of plans is met with joy. Players feel that ArenaNet has responded to their feedback. They are pleased. Those who are not yet commanders, as the general consensus goes, should buy the commander title for 100 Gold now, before it becomes three times more expensive in September.

The feature patch is planned for September 9.

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Source(s):
  1. www.guildwars2.com
  2. www.reddit.com

The Elder Scrolls Online rewards loyalty, outlines plans beyond 2015

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Last night, the head of the fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, Matt Firor, released one of his letters to the fans. In it, he discusses the future and current development of The Elder Scrolls Online.

The approximate timeline of The Elder Scrolls Online extends beyond 2015 and outlines features

The most important thing is mentioned by Firor at the end. He organizes the major features that are planned and announced for the coming months on a rough timeline. He makes it clear that the plans will extend beyond the end of the year.

  • “Relatively soon,” says Firor, fans could expect an improvement in group formation and new facial animations. Additionally, issues that currently separate players in a shared group will be addressed.
  • “Soon” or “in a while,” the introduction of the Imperial City and the Champion System will be on the agenda.
  • “A bit later,” as Firor puts it, players could then engage with the justice system and spell weaving. The justice system, the ability to crouch and then steal or kill, received the biggest applause at Quake-Con.

For the fifth update, there are plans for a revision of the combat system. According to Firor, fights should become more responsive. The first step has already been taken with the new weapon switch. The head of The Elder Scrolls Online does not provide exact dates apart from the change in the combat system.

The Elder Scrolls Online - Prüfung der Schlange
Included in Update 4 is the Serpent’s Trial – designed for 12 players – and the final trial in this storyline.

Let’s think aloud for a moment: Since the Patch 1.4. is already on the test server and addresses some of the group issues, perhaps even the new facial animations could find their way into the game for 1.4. The fix for the “Madame Tussaud” syndrome looked so good at Quake-Con that not much polishing might be needed here.

By the end of the year, there would still be enough room for two more patches. For 1.5., perhaps the Champion System would be appropriate, and for 1.6., by the end of the year, the Imperial City, which might shake up PvP. But these are speculations. Equally sensible would be a thought process like: “1.4. was PvE, so we make 1.5. PvP and bring the Imperial City, and then return to PvE with 1.6.” Or with 1.5. there could be a more casual flavor patch, similar to 1.3, to buy time for significant changes later in the year. The content amount that the team is currently designing every 6 weeks is enormous.

The Elder Scrolls Online rewards loyal souls and resets the leaderboards

In new information, Firor announced that they want to introduce a kind of “loyalty bonus” to reward players who have an uninterrupted subscription. As the first gift, he promises an ice spirit. The loyalty system is set to be further developed. Players should recognize from afar: “A veteran is approaching me.”

Furthermore, they plan to reset the leaderboards for the trials. There have been exploits in the past that they have now identified. In the future, the group will presumably have to defeat all bosses in a trial to make it onto the leaderboard, as stated in Firor’s letter. This aims to exclude certain manipulations by Zenimax.

This was just a summary of part of the letter. We have only filtered out and compiled the new information. You can find the entire letter from Firor, in which he also discusses what has been done so far and what will come in 1.4., on the website of The Elder Scrolls Online.

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Darion’s first impression of ArcheAge

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Last weekend, publisher NC-Soft held the third Closed Beta Event of the upcoming fantasy MMO ArcheAge. I was invited again this time and was able to play the game myself. In this video, I would like to share my first impressions and talk a bit about the various mechanics. This ranges from simple movement to the combat system to the hotly debated item shop.

Basically, ArcheAge, which was already released on January 15, 2013, in Korea, is a free-to-play title once it comes to the European market. However, this did not stop the developers or the publisher from offering an item shop as well as a founders pack, which grants early access to the game and a few nice items (e.g., gliders) in the game.

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