Another week has passed and so it is once again time to express my discontent. Once again, my frustration is directed at WildStar, because the developer behind the cooking system of this game should urgently invite me to dinner, I have a lot to discuss with him!
If the bug has no bug meat…
In retrospect, I can’t say exactly why I decided to level the hobby “cooking” in WildStar to the maximum rank, probably to fulfill my “completionist craving” – back then I didn’t know what was in store for me. To briefly explain the system to the uninitiated: You master cooking by crafting each recipe in the game at least once. That sounds simple at first, but is complicated by the fact that almost half of all recipes must first be discovered on a coordinate system, as is common with professions in WildStar.
Every arrow is a failed attempt…!
However, every attempt already costs the crafting materials, so it can happen that theoretically you should only have to craft “seasoned Girrok Kebab” one more time, but in reality you still need to find 20 Girrok meat to really discover that last recipe. That would have been manageable if not for the fact that some types of meat have a drop chance of under 3% – and this as a survivalist, who should actually be acquiring more cooking utensils. The real kicker, however, is a very special type of meat, the “Hookfoot Meat”, which can only be obtained from exactly one enemy in the open world. No, don’t get me wrong, not from a type of enemy. One single elite opponent with a 10-minute respawn timer drops it at around 15%. This means about one item per hour. As you can imagine, there were many long nights, thanks to the semester break.
The Kitchen of the Enemy
Halfway to my goal, I wondered why certain recipes seemed impossible to obtain – a little internet searching revealed to me that a handful of recipes are only accessible to the Dominion, which made completing the cooking profession impossible. One must positively note that Carbine reacted to this issue, but negatively how it was handled.
[quote_right]The cooking exiled community is being ripped off![/quote_right]
Under the radar, without it being mentioned in the patch notes, the missing recipes were made tradable: The first Dominion players who noticed it could list the cooking textbooks in the auction house by the hundreds and rip off the cooking exiled community (I’m a little proud of the wordplay!) that depended on the goodwill of the opposing faction.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love WildStar like I did on day one, but probably because I invest so much passion in this game, I can get so wonderfully worked up about it. Especially since I suspect that in one to two patches, the drop rates for meat will be revised so much that the whole thing can be completed in one evening. But don’t worry, then I will surely get worked up again. I simply enjoy doing that too much.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Perfect World, a company specializing in Free2Play MMOs, is in the black. Responsible for this are not only strong licenses and mobile titles in the Asian market, but also the two MMO games playable in the West, Swordsman Online and Neverwinter.
Perfect World is making solid profits, as indicated by the financial report of the last quarter. The April/May/June quarter went well and stayed at the upper end of expectations, says Robert Xiao, the CEO of the publisher. The new “flagship” title Swordsman Online has been highlighted as a pillar of success. The extremely lucrative license for Dota 2 in the Chinese market was also explicitly mentioned.
Big plans for Neverwinter
Interesting for European players: Neverwinter, developed by Cryptic Studios, is also mentioned positively in the financial report. The title is particularly interesting for Perfect World as they plan to port it to Xbox One by the end of the year. This extension of the portfolio is an important step for Perfect World to position itself more broadly. Furthermore, Neverwinter, being an originally western title, is set to make its way to Asia, while most of PW’s games follow the reverse path.
In recent months, PW launched and established its own platform called “Arc” for their Free2Play games. The individual titles under the umbrella of the Chinese manufacturer often face accusations of being too focused on monetization and having the players’ wallets in mind. The term “Pay2Win” frequently comes up in fan forums and discussions regarding PW. Recently, there was outrage over the Free2Play MMO “Neverwinter”, which introduced the “Dragonborn”, a new prestige race that can only be purchased in a package at a price for which one would normally get full-price titles. Local players mostly deal with the North American branch of the company, Perfect World Entertainment (PWE).
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the aftermath of Gamescom, some reflective words from Blizzard’s Tom Chilton emerge. It is important not to discourage new players with ever-increasing expansions for World of Warcraft. Belief in growth is probably not very strong anymore. With a shift away from cute pandas, towards the blood and sweat of earlier days, they aim to win back former players. Is World of Warcraft (WoW) taking a new old direction?
“With each expansion,” Chilton said to MVUK, “the threshold that new players need to overcome to return to the game rises.” Therefore, they have now offered players an instant start at level 90 to break down these barriers.
However, Chilton probably does not really believe in growth anymore. While it is not ruled out that World of Warcraft might grow again, it is not something they expect urgently. But that is not the point; much more, Blizzard is focused on delivering the best content that is possible.
World of Warcraft gives away Mists of Pandaria or at least sells it cheaply
Chilton’s statements also align with reports from the USA, where former WoW players are offered the chance to receive MoP for free if they reactivate their account. A fan site reported this. The news was hotly debated. Especially since some currently active players resented why they weren’t given something like this. They felt they deserved it much more because of their loyalty. While calmer heads wisely said that this is simply clever behavior by Blizzard. Former players might buy one expansion, but it would be difficult with two. The likelihood of a WoW veteran finding their way back to Azeroth decreases with each missed expansion.
Whether this “We’re giving away Mists of Pandaria” action will also appear in Europe is currently unclear. But it is known that the price for Mists of Pandaria has been permanently reduced to just under ten euros. Meanwhile, in an unrelated turn of events, the British now have to pay a few more pounds per month – their subscription expenses are nearing ours.
With Warlords of Draenor, Chris Metzen made it clear during the trailer presentation that they want to take World of Warcraft in a different and harder direction again. To focus more on the “War” in “World of Warcraft”. They have had enough of cuddly pandas.
The strategy probably looks like this: they want to spare players who felt discouraged by pandas and the peaceful scenario in Pandaria (with farming, zen talk, and Pokémon pets) from this now. Instead, they want to win them back with Old-School Warcraft. The first images of the animated series “Lords of War” confirm this impression.
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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The fantasy MMO Final Fantasy XIV focuses on the newly introduced hunting mechanics in the latest patch and makes life easier for crafters with new daily quests.
Final Fantasy addresses with patch 2.35 the two basic principles that have provided us humans with saber-toothed tigers and the associated vegetables for thousands of years: hunting and gathering. Or rather, what one makes from the gathered stuff through crafting.
The new daily quests of the Ixal tribe do not revolve around the usual “find and kill” things, which quest givers seem to be so obsessed with. Instead, it will be about hauling crafting materials. This will also allow leveling of the jobs that have been neglected while focusing on finally leveling that damned caster class X to obtain the coveted skill Z with the main class Y, whose absence always annoys one in raids.
Additionally, patch 2.35 deals with the hunting licenses that were recently introduced and have faced some criticism. This concerns mainly respawn timers and more lucrative rewards when taking down such a beast.
New information has surfaced about the fate of the PlayStation 4 version of H1Z1. It will come out later than the PC version. At the moment, no one is working on the PlayStation 4 version because the technical work needs to be done for the Planetside 2 port to the PlayStation 4. They want to save that for H1Z1.
The H1Z1 boys let the Planetside 2 boys do the work for them
Gamezone had a brief chat with studio boss John Smedley on the sidelines of SOE Live in Las Vegas. He explained why the PlayStation 4 version of H1Z1 will come after the PC version and why no one is currently working on the PS4 version: “H1Z1 and Planetside 2 both use the Forgelight engine. 80% of our work for H1Z1 is therefore done when Planetside 2 is first released for the PlayStation 4. Then the entire technical aspect of a PlayStation 4 port is finished. The remaining work will take a few months.” However, a date for Planetside 2 for the PS4 is still unknown. They are still planning for 2014.
Planetside 2 – an MMO shooter from Sony.
Smedley’s statement clarifies the confusion caused by a recent interview with another H1Z1 designer. Adam Clegg stated in a conversation with gamingbolt that no one is currently working on the H1Z1 version for the PS4. Now we know why. This information caused a stir because the PlayStation 4 is from Sony, and some gaming fans assumed that SOE was developing H1Z1 exclusively for the PS4. That is not the case.
Most of the staff working on H1Z1 actually come from the Planetside 2 team at Sony Online Entertainment and are therefore well acquainted with the Forgelight engine. This also explains the rapid progress that H1Z1 is making. The idea for the survival MMO was conceived only in December while they were actually working on a World War FPS MOBA.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
During GamesCom last week, the new intro cinematic of “World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor” was released. As usual, the sequence is outstanding and perfectly sets the stage for the upcoming expansion: A whole bunch of Orcs, a lot of warmachines, a big demon exploding, and a large portal.
Anyone familiar with the story will now have furrowed their brow a bit, and those who have played the old strategy classics Warcraft 1-3 will also be confused. Has Blizzard thrown the existing lore out the window and replaced it?
Of course, they haven’t, but the developers are playing a bit with the timelines, so clarification is needed. Don’t despair, ask a succubus! I will explain the connections of the story and tell you why one should not drink demon blood.
The “old” story
For the explanation, you should momentarily forget the trailer, and we will start right from the beginning, even before “Warcraft 1”.
Thirty-five years ago, the leaders of the Orc clans gathered on Draenor – they had conquered this world and apart from fights among themselves, there was nothing left worth fighting for. But Gul’dan, a former shaman and now the first orc warlock, had learned from the voices from the Nether that there were other worlds to conquer. If the Orcs drank the blood of the demonic pit lord Mannoroth, they would become incredibly strong and be able to open portals to other worlds to conquer them.
This exact thing happened, but the consumption of demon blood had further side effects: From now on, the Orcs were tormented by a demonic blood frenzy that further enhanced their wild nature, and their skin color changed from brown to a shade of green. Furthermore, they were now little more than pawns of the Burning Legion (the demons) and could be wonderfully abused as war tools.
As Mannoroth planned, the Horde invaded Azeroth shortly after the opening of the Dark Portal and caused the great wars (Warcraft 1&2), although they were split into many clans. Only a few Orcs remained untouched by the corruption and stayed back on Draenor, including the son of Grommash Hellscream: Garrosh. But Draenor was changed by the opening of the portals, the magic of the Nether caused the world to shatter, and the once beautiful place was henceforth called “Shattered World”.
Many years later (Warcraft 3), the Orcs, under the leadership of Warchief Thrall, crossed from Azeroth to Kalimdor in search of a new homeland, but were once again confronted by Mannoroth. Thrall and his good friend Grommash (short “Grom”) rebelled against the command of the oppressor and faced him in battle. Although Grom succeeded in killing the pit lord, he was gravely wounded in the final explosion of the demon and died – however, he had freed his people from the blood frenzy and returned their freedom.
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Many years later, Thrall encounters Grom’s son, Garrosh, in the Shattered World, leads him to Azeroth, and ultimately appoints him as the new Warchief of the Horde, dedicating himself to shamanism. During “World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria”, Garrosh evolves from an assertive conqueror to a tyrant, turning even the other races of the Horde against him. The current expansion ends with his imprisonment – but he vows revenge. Revenge on his enemies and also on his former allies, whom he now sees as nothing but weaklings.
Back to the film…
The cinematic of “World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor” shows the crucial point in the story of the Orcs, as they drink the blood of the demon – but this time, something is different. The Orc leaders were warned of the consequences, and Grom chooses to refuse the blood. Mannoroth obviously does not tolerate this, and a battle ensues. The demon is struck down much earlier this time, but it does not cost the Orc his life – he is saved by his son, Garrosh. How does everything fit together now?
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It sounds more complicated than it is: The deposed Warchief of the Orcs, Garrosh Hellscream, travels to the past with the help of a dragon. In Draenor, he prevents the Orcs from being corrupted by the demon blood, saves his own father from death, and brings plans for warmachines from the future. He succeeds in convincing the many Orc clans to act as one – he forms the Iron Horde. These Orcs are weaker, not driven by blood frenzy, but their numbers are significantly higher, and their martial knowledge from the future makes them a serious threat. And this Iron Horde is what Garrosh now wants to invade the Azeroth of present day through the Dark Portal, seeking revenge on both the Alliance and the Horde.
It is important to mention that this change of the past does not affect the overall timeline; they essentially live on a different timeline but are now set to invade “our” world.
And what do we learn from this? Well, not much, except that one should not drink demon blood if one does not want to be saved by their own son, who is older than oneself. However, if a nice succubus offers you to drink her blood, you should accept. If anything is still unclear, let me know in the comments – you should all go to bed smart!
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online, further details about the upcoming patch have now become known. TESO raises the maximum level once again and addresses the phasing issues.
There is more in the next update than previously thought
A few days ago, Zenimax indicated that with the new patch, which is now being played on the test server, they will take care of the groups. They showed in an early trailer three new group attractions where something will be happening: The “Upper Kargstein” will be the setting for these new group dungeons and raids. The highlights there will be set by the Trial of the Snake: Sanctum Ophidia and the Dragonstar Arena.
Additionally, some existing dungeons in Bangkorai, Rift, and the Shivering Isles will be expanded. As it is said, this is part of the efforts to enlarge all dungeons in the game.
The Elder Scrolls Online raises the maximum level from VR 12 to 14
This has been known for a while. Now it becomes clear from the patch notes that they will also increase the veteran rank level from the previous 12 to 14. They say in the patch notes that this is done to account for the new dungeons. And so that it feels better to be successful there. The last time the veteran rank was increased was with the first major update, which also brought Kargstein. That was at the end of May.
TESO is addressing group issues: Phasing and Particles
Additionally, they are tackling the annoying phasing issues that have often torn groups apart in the past. The worst of these problems should be a thing of the past after 1.4. It is said that these cases should be “dramatically reduced”. Furthermore, The Elder Scrolls Online is adjusting the combat system and tuning the particle effects so that players in the group can always see the most important effects, ensuring they are not distracted by unimportant effects.
And as if that weren’t enough, Zenimax is introducing new enchantments and a new crafting trait.
All details can be found in the patch notes. We have included them in the source. It is expected that the patch will go live in September.
Mein MMO says: It now looks like the next update is much larger and fuller than the trailer suggested. Although none of the major features that TESO has been talking about in recent weeks will be delivered. However, just fixing the group issues should alleviate the chronic pains of PvE fans. Zenimax proves that they are listening to the community – or at least to their rumbling stomachs.
It would not be well received at the moment if only new content came to Tamriel without addressing the structural problems that The Elder Scrolls Online has. The phasing issues were a fun killer at all levels. They annoyed both professionals and newcomers. And the fact that there will be something new for characters at the maximum level after almost six months will not be complained about. Especially since this should be of short duration anyway: In the medium term, The Elder Scrolls Online wants to eliminate the veteran system altogether.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At SOE Live, a marketing specialist from SOE was asked why the survival MMO H1Z1 was progressing so quickly and had so much information, while Everquest Next was taking so much longer. After all, Everquest Next is quite a bit older.
H1Z1 heavily relies on Planetside 2
At SOE Live in Las Vegas, the focus was on all games in the now-rich repertoire of the MMO specialists from Sony Online Entertainment. The magazine CVG asked marketing vice president Laura Naviaux why SOE had decided to present H1Z1 to the public at such an early stage, while there was so little fuss and so few revelations about Everquest Next, the great MMO hope.
In response, Naviaux stated that H1Z1 could rely on the existing technology from Planetside 2. The Forgelight engine is ready, players can take over vehicles, and the shooter mechanics are also in place. The path from the initial idea to the release is clearly marked for H1Z1.
Everquest Next builds on nothing, SOE must first create its own tools
Everquest Next, on the other hand, aims to turn the whole genre on its head. A comparison to H1Z1 is therefore like comparing apples to oranges. For Everquest Next, the developers needed new technology, a new AI had to be developed. The voxel world needs to be created. The challenges to the infrastructure and technology are completely different. However, they are eager and have firmly resolved to be just as open and transparent with Everquest Next as they currently are with H1Z1.
At the moment, both projects have a completely different focus. H1Z1 will soon enter Early Access, while there are no such plans for Everquest Next.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The fantasy/SF/god MMO Skyforge, designed as a free-to-play MMO, made its first full presentation to the Western audience at Gamescom in Cologne.
The main chatter was not taken over by one of the direct developers of Skyforge, but by one of their cooperation partners from Obsidian Entertainment. The Allods team, which primarily works on Skyforge, consists of Russian developers who, as noted in other interviews, struggle a bit with English. However, the guys from Obsidian (the minds behind Fallout: New Vegas) can at least say without self-praise into the Twitch cameras how fantastic the collaboration with the Allods team is and what talented employees have gathered there under the flag of mail.ru.
A first look at the world map of Skyforge may have surprised many. Although it is known that Skyforge is an eclectic mix (so quite a jumble) of various titles: the class system seems inspired by Final Fantasy XIV, the quest system took hints from Guild Wars 2, and the combat system resembles DC Universe Online. However, it was still surprising that there would be a world map like in X-Com. The developers explained that this “global geo view” encompasses all PvE content of the individual zones. Players could also see which events are happening where and beam themselves there via fast travel (as mentioned… Guild Wars 2).
Game looks good, skill system complex
Informed fans were already familiar with the next part of the demo, but it was different to see it in full action. Skyforge’s combat system is heavily inspired by console action MMOs (e.g., DCUO or Asian MMOs like Tera). It runs on a custom-engine developed for the game and looks excellent. The relatively complex “on-the-fly” class system allows players to switch to a different role almost as soon as they are out of combat.
Furthermore, the demo also presented the skill system of the game, a kind of star map where the individual nodes unlock specific abilities and ultimately new classes. It looks complex and far-reaching in the demo. It is certainly necessary to get familiar with the game firsthand before getting a feel for it.
The two new classes for Skyforge: Archer and Slayer
Skyforge is set to launch with over ten classes. Five have been known for some time. At Gamescom, two new classes were introduced, the Archer and the Slayer. The Archer (who would have guessed it) is a ranged DD class, along with the Gunner and the Cryomancer, the third in the game.
The Slayer will be a kind of light and nimble melee fighter with interesting combos, specialized in taking out vulnerable enemies. In the melee DD area, the “Berserker” was previously the only option.
The combat in Skyforge looks fluid and mainly consists of chaining combos, as is common in Asian MMOs. Battles in Skyforge seem to run quite like Asian arcade games: there are “ultimates”, energy systems that charge during combat, and healing crystals that players can collect in the world – for a little HP hunger in between.
Call the nice god from your friend list for help
The coolest feature from the demo appeared during a developer instance run. It will be possible for a low-level player to summon a real god for help if they have one on their friend list. In Skyforge, the highest-ranking players ascend to god status and can then assist their lower-level friends. This is not just a favor; they receive “faith” for it.
The moment when the developer team calls in a three-head taller steel god for help is undoubtedly the highlight of the demo. This god, and this is intentional, has overpowered abilities. According to the developers, he should also feel like an “absolute bad-ass” and “over-the-top.” So roughly like a mix of Wolverine, Gandalf, and Salvador from Borderlands.
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In the sandbox MMO ArcheAge, the beta phase only lasts four days, and the closed beta will start again on Friday. It is expected to be twice as large as the last one and will be playable in German for the first time.
Monday evening marked the end of the third beta, and the fourth will already begin on Friday evening. Trion Worlds announced this on the ArcheAge website. The fourth beta will make it possible to play ArcheAge with a French or German client for the first time. Trion Worlds had announced before the first beta that the initial translations in ArcheAge would still be rough. Over the course of the beta events, the localization is expected to be refined and improved further, reaching a standard that meets the Triple-A MMO requirements that Trion Worlds sets for ArcheAge by the head start.
The fourth ArcheAge beta is expected to be twice as large as the third
The beta is expected to be twice as large as the last one. Invitations for the last, third closed beta phase do not apply to this one – only to founder package buyers and alpha players is access guaranteed. New invitations can be received either by registering on the ArcheAge website or through one of the many partners of ArcheAge – you can find them in the sources. The gift code promotions from these sites are expected to start on Wednesday.
The fourth beta of ArcheAge will start on Friday evening, August 22, at 7:00 PM our time and will last until Wednesday, August 27.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The launch of The Elder Scrolls Online on consoles XBox One and Playstation 4 in 2014 seems to be becoming increasingly unlikely.
With Gamescom behind us and many changes ahead, which Zenimax wants to bring to their fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, it seems increasingly unlikely that we will see TESO on XBox One and Playstation 4 this year. Fans had hoped to hear some sign of life, some statement regarding the consoles at Gamescom in Cologne. This was not the case.
At Quakecon in Dallas or at E3, the other major trade fairs, there was likewise no news about the important and long-delayed console port. Now, there are only four and a half months left until the end of the year. It does not look like Zenimax will be able to meet the deadline. In fact, they have not confirmed it recently.
Which version will The Elder Scrolls Online even launch on XBox One and Playstation 4?
For The Elder Scrolls Online, the console port is already a critical issue. The launch on PC was mixed. Now the consoles are supposed to save the day – especially since the market seems ripe for large console MMOs. Who would be better suited than The Elder Scrolls? After all, the The Elder Scrolls series, at least since Skyrim, is also a console franchise. Skyrim sold exceptionally well on XBox 360.
Since there is already such a large gap between the launch for PC and the launch for XBox One and Playstation 4, it makes sense to turn this into an opportunity and also rejuvenate the PC version with the marketing campaign that will undoubtedly be launched.
However, that is easier said than done; the reality is complicated. The question is how many new features The Elder Scrolls Online wants to introduce into the game before they attempt to reach PC fans a second time with this “restart”. A lot has been announced. But the promised changes do not come overnight; they require a lot of time. The current patch rhythm suggests the following: every six weeks, Zenimax plans to introduce a new patch to the game. The 1.4 update, the next content patch, is set to arrive on the test server this week and will remain there for several weeks. It probably won’t go live until late September.
TESO still far from the ideal form
And this patch will indeed bring new dungeons, but none of the announced new features. The wish list remains untouched. In the next 6 weeks, none of the major to-do points on the list will be addressed. By the end of the year, and the console deadline, only two or three patches remain after 1.4. Considering the list of features that Zenimax wants to introduce into the game (Imperial City, justice system, spell weaving, and many others) – and noting that so far, if at all, there has only been one feature per patch, it is hard to imagine that the list will be completed by the end of the year. Not even significantly shorter before Santa Claus comes knocking. TESO is currently still far from the form that Zenimax wants for the game.
Moreover, it would not be wise to launch an unstable version on the consoles. It would also be wrong to field against strong competition on the consoles or to deliver the game without the features that one now believes are urgently needed.
A hasty launch on the consoles, just to keep a vague deadline, could have disastrous consequences, not just for the game, but for the franchise as well.
Amazon has already pushed back the date for TESO on XBox One and PS 4
The situation is tricky for Zenimax one way or another. And no one has made a sound about how to handle it. Nobody knows how the porting to the consoles is progressing or how much capacity the current major changes to the PC game are taking away from the console port.
The online retailer Amazon has already set the provisional release date for both consoles to March 31, 2015. Amazon has adjusted the forecast and considers the first quarter of 2015 to be more likely than the last quarter of 2014. We are starting to think so too. Therefore, in our opinion, console fans should prepare for the fact that TESO will not be available on XBox One or Playstation 4 by Christmas.
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Guild Wars 2 has a perspective issue in the eyes of some fans: It is not possible to look at the world from the perspective of one’s own character. Two developers explain why this is the case in an interview.
Matt Wuerfell and Devon Carver, two developers at ArenaNet’s MMO Guild Wars 2, faced the questions from the fan site GuildMag in a long interview. One question that concerns the aesthetics in the GW2 community: “Why is there actually no first-person perspective?”
While Wuerfell somewhat evaded the question and explained that it is not something they are excluding, but also not something they confirm (this was their response to most questions), Carver shed light on the issue from another side. They invested a lot of time to make the combat in Guild Wars 2 understandable and immersive: “Position is everything.”
In PvE, it might not be a big problem to look at the world from the character’s eyes, but in WvWvW or PvP, it is different. Here, players would then miss important information and would not even be able to understand what is happening around them.
Similar statements were made by the developers when asked why the field of view could not be changed through any sliders or controls.
ArenaNet takes great pride in the work they put into the design of the world and the individual details. They want to ensure that players perceive these details and that the crucial immersion (the feeling of being in the world) is not lost with a shifted perspective.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Blizzard’s free online CCG Hearthstone, the last wing of the Scourge’s Necropolis Naxxramas opened on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. In the Frostwyrm Lair, Saphiron and Kel’Thuzad await the heroes of Hearthstone.
It has begun. On the night from Tuesday to Wednesday at 11:59 PM, the last wing in Naxxramas opened. After the Construct Quarter with four bosses, there are only two opponents left in the Frostwyrm Lair, who will unleash four cards. Let’s take a look at the bosses and the cards.
Saphiron and Kel’Thuzad: Is it cold in here or is it just me?
Update: This was speculation before the release of the last wing. For precise information, jump to the end of the article. We leave this unchanged so you can see how wrong we were.
Saphiron, the Ice Dragon, guards the access to his master here, as in the two WoW versions of Naxxramas for all time, forever, Amen. As a hero power, he can destroy all enemy minions that are not frozen for 2 mana. This ability remains unchanged in heroic mode. In normal mode, he has 30 health points, and in heroic mode, he has 45. Little is known about the course of the fight; apparently, a kind of trick fight is coming for the players. Many of the Naxxramas challenges are seen by the designers more as puzzles.
Kel’Thuzad, also a cat person and misanthrope in Hearthstone, has 30 health points in normal and 45 in heroic mode. Allegedly, his 8-mana hero power can take control of a randomly selected enemy minion. Because this ability is unusually expensive, he likely has a second hero power, Frost Blast, which he autocasts for 0 mana. It deals 2 damage to the hero and – hunters, warriors, rogues must be strong now – freezes the hero. But this is all not official yet. There is still hope. Hearthpwn attributes this ability to Saphiron. Since “Frost Blast” was one of Kel’Thuzad’s abilities in WoW, we rather suspect that the boss possesses the second hero ability and not his pet dragon.
As special cards, Kel’Thuzad has the nerubian guardians (3/3 for 4 mana or 5/5 in heroic). Little is still known about the fight. The leak that served us so well gave up after the patch last week. Kel’Thuzad has been tormenting the heroes of Hearthstone since they took their first steps in Naxxramas. It should therefore be a special delight to throw a few damage abilities “in his face,” as is beautifully put in Hearthstone language.
As a little joke: If a hunter summons their pet companion, they can expect a surprise in this fight. And if someone wants to be particularly clever, they might try to give the newly summoned minion taunt. Hearthstone knows its World of Warcraft lore.
The four new Hearthstone cards – The Slime is the star
Echo Slime, a 1/2 minion for 2 mana, whose battle cry brings an exact copy of itself into play at the end of its own turn. That would already be a decent card without dirty tricks, as you get two minions for just one slot that the opponent has to clear out first with tempo loss. It gets really nasty in decks with strong buffs, as with the Paladin, for example. Because the slime copies itself “exactly at that moment” and not with its base values. This means that some will face a nasty surprise in the early game when instead of a buffed opponent, which one can sweep off the board with a removal, suddenly two are standing there.
Shades of Naxxramas, a 2/2 minion for 3 mana, which is stealth and gets +1/+1 at the end of each of its own turns. Looks like a great idea until you realize that the opponent can wipe it off the table with any board clear. It’s certainly an interesting card, but it also takes a lot of tempo out of your own game. The later you draw it in a match, the weaker it becomes.
Kel’Thuzad, a 6/8 minion for 8 mana, who resurrects all friendly minions that died in the turn at the end of each round. Experts are not as thrilled about Kel’Thuzad as one might think because there are other cards in the price category that are “likely” or “equal” to winning a game. Kel’Thuzad is of course a strong card when you have it in hand and play it in a deck that has many minions. For 8 mana, you have to expect that from him, and he is vulnerable to removals. Even though 6/8 is definitely a big deal.
In the class challenges, this time it’s the Paladin (and still the only one left). He receives the 1-mana secret Vindicator. When one of your own minions dies, the secret gives another friendly minion +3/+2. A pretty average card. Certainly usable for 1 mana, appropriate for the playstyle of the Paladin, and should primarily be played when one has control of the board and can decide when the secret triggers – and preferably also which minion it hits. It definitely can’t make a big difference in every match, and it doesn’t have to for 1 mana. It’s rather about whether one finds space for the card in the deck.
Update 1:00 AM: The official English name of the last wing is not “Frostwyrm Lair,” but “The Summit of the Necropolis.” Mister Bigglesworth knows why.
Update 2:00 AM: Ah, okay, the first confirmed boss descriptions are coming in (applies to the heroic bosses). Saphiron is as terrible in heroic as expected. Minions are only useful if they have Charge or passive abilities. He has already been defeated with extremely spell- and secret-heavy decks. One can hardly rely on minions here. (And Alexstrasza doesn’t work again.)
Kel’Thuzad starts the fight with 20 armor. When the armor is gone, he uses his chain hero power and takes over minions. Until then, he deals 3 damage with autocast and creates the freeze effect. The moment the armor is gone, he also brings the two nerubian minions onto the field with 5/5 stats. Against Kel, Zoo seems to have worked well to quickly get rid of the armor and not give him anything hard to take.
The Paladin class challenge is pretty cool. The echo slime introduces itself as a buff target here. Blizzard is already introducing the Paladin to its new favorite minion.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The survival MMO H1Z1 is constantly facing accusations that it is Pay2Win. Meanwhile, the developers wash their hands in innocence.
The zombie MMO H1Z1 and the studio Sony Online Entertainment can emphasize as often as they want that players cannot buy anything directly in the cash shop that impacts their survival; the media suspects the worst. Now there is a report from the site VG 24/7, claiming such a “money for better chances” Pay2Win system exists. German gaming sites also refer to the source and quote it.
Accusations that Air-Drops are clearly Pay2Win
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What is the accusation? The Air-Drops we introduced on Friday would appear regularly and drop their package. There would then be a bloodbath around the package. The winner of the battle, the one who gets to the box first, can only loot the package if he pays for it. That would be Pay2Win in the purest sense, which VG 24/7 wants to sell to us here – it brings to mind the worst excesses of mobile games. The concept stands in stark contrast to everything the H1Z1 team has said about the game and the payment model.
How good that there’s nothing to it. And how good that such an idea was not mentioned at all during the presentation of the Air-Drops in the live stream.
As made clear in an interview on YouTube, the Air-Drops are still in an extremely early stage. They were only finished just in time for SOE Live at the beginning of last week. No one knows how the process will be in the finished game in a few months, as H1Z1 is not even in Early Access yet. Every system is still in flux.
Instead of spending money, better “get really good.”
At the moment, as made clear in the interview, it is exactly the opposite of what the media reports: Players can order the plane with the Air-Drop, and it drops the package after a while in the approximate vicinity of the player. However, they have no guarantee that they can reach the box. Because every player in the area can see the Air-Drop and set out to seize the precious equipment. The developers see the Air-Drop as a way to bring chaos into the game. A kind of “Hunger Games” gift table with extreme time pressure, creating a sense of urgency.
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In the video interview after about 3 minutes, the H1Z1 designer Jimmy Whisenhunt is asked: “And what do I do if I spend the money and then someone takes the box from me?” The answer is simple: “Just get really good.”
Fuss about “Morgenlatte” even before SOE Live
Even before SOE Live, the accusation had arisen among excited fans that the game was Pay2Win. Visitors to the events would receive a special club with nails, which is surely much better than a regular club. This club – endearingly nicknamed “Morgenlatte” by the developers – was merely a reskin and did not change the values at all.
My MMO thinks: We are not saying that H1Z1 will never introduce Pay2Win elements. We are just saying: At the moment, there are no signs in that direction, and it is irritating that accusations arise, even though Smedley and his men keep emphasizing that they do not want this at all. It says a lot about the current state and reputation of Free2Play games that one automatically thinks of a Pay2Win scam when hearing Free2Play.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
On the outskirts of Gamescom, Bioware promised a new expansion for 2015 for the Free2Play MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic, SWTOR. A console port was ruled out for the near future.
The Creative Director of Shadow Realms, Jeff Ohlsen, also dropped some information about the Free2Play MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic. It proves to be a long-lasting and successful title. Last month, it appeared in the Top-5 of the most profitable MMOs with a quasi-subscription model, and on Raptr, it belongs to the top 20 most popular games in July overall, and recently SWTOR made it to the throne of our list of Top Free2Play MMOs (probably it was welcomed with decreasing ecstasy over these accolades).
While many newer MMOs take the leap to consoles and become cross-platform titles, like the MMOs from SOE or Final Fantasy XIV, such a thing is unthinkable for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Every time, Ohlsen says, when he brings the suggestion to his technicians, they declare him crazy. The engine poses significant difficulties for a console port; it simply wasn’t designed for that. And switching the controls is a nightmare for the technicians. SWTOR was clearly designed with mouse and keyboard in mind.
But Ohlsen also has good news for Star Wars fans. They have already speculated that SWTOR would be treated with neglect after being removed from the official canon. But not at all: For 2015, they are planning an as-yet-unannounced expansion. Bioware has a lot in store for Star Wars: The Old Republic in 2015; with the launch of the new films, they hope for an increase in interest in the franchise.
Speaking of expansions: Tomorrow, the free-to-play digital expansion “Galactic Strongholds” will be deployed to the live servers. Initially, only subscribers will have access to player accommodations, guild flagships, and more.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The fantasy MMO Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is just waiting for the green light from Microsoft, then the game will be brought to the Xbox One as well. However, Square Enix expects this only after the holiday season.
Naoki Yoshida, the mastermind behind Final Fantasy XIV, was at Gamescom and gave numerous interviews. Among others, he spoke to dualshockers. They asked him how things looked for a port to the Xbox One. The answer is sobering but not hopeless. He is ready to start working on an Xbox One version as soon as Microsoft accepts the possibility of cross-platform servers, Yoshida said.
Here we have photographed Naoki Yoshida: He also signed many autographs at Gamescom. The fans were ecstatic.
At the moment, Microsoft is very focused on exclusive titles and the holiday season. Once that is over, they might reconsider, predicts Yoshida. Probably, they will finish the Mac version of Final Fantasy XIV even earlier than the Xbox version.
Yoshida even suggested a compromise, asking whether it would at least be possible to put Xbox One players on a server with PC players, but this was also rejected by Microsoft.
The MMO Final Fantasy XIV only released a version of the game for PlayStation 4 last year, which was very well received on Metacritic. The PlayStation 3 is also supported by FF XIV.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A trend that also caught the attention of visitors at Gamescom: The two tank and war simulation games World of Tanks and War Thunder are present and popular. Especially in Russia and former Soviet republics, the genre is growing massively.
Tanks and Uniformed Ladies at Gamescom
An article from the Sydney Morning Herald discusses the reasons for the popularity of the tank battle genre in the states of the former Eastern Bloc. The Australian journalist must find it strange that in Cologne young women in the service of War Thunder stand around a real tank and pose in uniforms from that time. The Herald also cites a German programmer who is tapping on a tank and is excited to be so close to history.
The Numbers Are Exploding
World of Tanks: A resounding success!
The growth figures for online wargaming are huge, the times are rosy. World of Tanks, along with its sister games World of Warships and World of Warplanes, has broken the 100-million-player mark. In the last two years, the number has tripled. The competitor War Thunder also reports record growth: The number of players playing free-to-play war simulations has doubled in recent years and continues to grow.
And the target audience is affluent and willing to pay. According to Gaijin Entertainment, 20% of all War Thunder players spend money in-game. Those who pay spend an average of $10 per month. World of Tanks is so successful that it serves as a shining example for the monetization model of a free-to-play title when explaining to League of Legends that it is too generous.
What Do the Russians Have to Do with World War II?
We from Mein MMO were also at Gamescom. The booths of War Thunder and Wargaming left a lasting impression. It was impressive.
Particularly pressing is the question: Why is the new genre so incredibly successful and growing in former Eastern Bloc states? According to Wargaming, 3% of all people in former Soviet states are regular players of these games.
The Russian representative of an investment firm suggests as a possible reason that the former Soviet republics witnessed the victorious superiority of their war tanks during World War II. This has become part of their cultural identity. This experience is lacking in the West. The memory of World War II evokes in the East a kind of “pride in the sacrifices and willingness to endure” of that time.
War Thunder or World of Tanks: Who Is Tougher? Representatives of the affected game industry steer the focus, especially before an international audience, in a different direction. The representative of Wargaming (World of Tanks) says: “Four years ago, when we started, we primarily targeted history fans. But as it turns out, our games are also popular among those who want to compete like in eSports – or who simply enjoy blowing things up.”
Anton Yudintsev, the head of Gaijin Software (War Thunder), sees World War II as an opportunity to view war with a certain nostalgia. In war simulations with modern weapons, this is lacking. “With modern military vehicles, it’s just not fun. You destroy objects at such great distances that you can’t even see what you’re shooting at.”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Korean MMO Blade and Soul, one of the biggest titles in China, is expected to come to North America and Europe at the end of 2015, according to a fan site of the game.
The head of a major fan site on the web, Bladeandsouldojo, reports in a forum post that she spoke with a Product Manager of Blade&Soul for the West at Gamescom in Cologne. The information is currently unofficial and not set in stone. According to the fan site, the claims should be taken with caution. Allegedly, an official statement from NCSoft is planned for September.
The key facts from the conversation with the Product Manager in summary:
Blade and Soul is not expected to come to Europe and North America until the end of 2015.
The Chinese client serves as the basis for the porting.
It is likely that they will start with PvE and PvP servers.
The model is supposed to be “Free-to-Play, but not entirely Free-to-Play.” What the Product Manager means by this is also puzzling the fan site operator. She suspects that it could be Buy2Play. Maybe it is simply a Free2Play, as is common in the industry, with numerous incentives to spend money in-game. At the moment, it is probably advisable to assume that the payment model is not yet finalized.
Reasons for the delay are mentioned to be slow European internet
Regarding the reasons for the delay, the NCSoft employee states that they want to prevent technical difficulties. In Korea, the internet is significantly faster than in Europe, and they know how important a good ping is for MMO players. As an example, the Product Manager mentioned Tera, which suffers from FPS and latency issues in the West.
At Gamescom, Blade and Soul was not officially presented yet because they simply were not ready. A beta is planned for early 2015.
Blade&Soul Release: Better late than never? Better never than late?
Mein MMO thinks: The source is unofficial, but seems credible to us. It cannot be said for sure. We had already speculated before Gamescom that perhaps Blade&Soul will be announced for the West. The MMO seems too attractive to us, and the West is an interesting market for NCSoft to let this opportunity pass.
However, this opportunity may have already passed if one assumes the end of 2015 as the release date. The sentiment from Asia MMO fans that is most often heard sounds something like this: “Blade&Soul would have been a huge deal if it had come out 2 years ago. Now the time window has been missed, other games look just as good or better. The hype has faded.” Also, the fact that the Chinese client is to serve as the basis for the porting is already criticized. Many fans would probably have preferred the Korean version.
In the Free2Play fantasy MMO Dragon’s Prophet, players will soon be able to breed their own dragons. Sony Online Entertainment introduced the new “Dragon Hatch” system at SOE Live in Las Vegas.
At SOE Live in Las Vegas, all games in SOE’s portfolio have their 15 minutes of fame – or rather their 40-400 minutes. Dragon’s Prophet was also part of it – Sony Online Entertainment is the game’s publisher in North America. Last night our time, it was announced that Dragon’s Prophet would be included in its All-Access program, allowing US players to receive bonuses for other SOE titles like Everquest II, DCUO, or Planetside 2 – unfortunately, we in Germany will miss out on this.
The egg-hatching system is a bit reminiscent of Pokémon
Players of Dragon’s Prophet only know eggs in the game from Easter so far.
What we benefit from is the new egg-hatching system. This will allow players to hatch dragon eggs themselves. The quality of the dragon that hatches from the egg depends on the quality of care. Soon, more details about the system will be revealed. At SOE, they also boasted about the revamped first hours of gameplay, where they have polished the quests with new mechanics and better cutscenes. Additionally, now more tutorials will introduce the diverse gameplay. This is expected to make the start easier for newcomers. Furthermore, the different classes are now overall more clearly defined and thus divided into roles. We last reported on the major update that has also been applied in Europe: Dragon’s Prophet changes core mechanics and takes a fresh start.
According to a SOE producer, they are also considering fulfilling a fan request: They had demanded to bring dragons from the recently discontinued Vanguard into the game.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the flight simulation War Thunder, the war-like conditions in Ukraine are also reflected in the player numbers.
In an interview with the Australian Sydney Morning Herald at the sidelines of Gamescom, Anton Yudinstev, the CEO of Gaijin Entertainment, spoke about the current situation in Ukraine. The unrest there has led to a decline in player numbers for War Thunder: “People are fleeing from the fighting in the east and there are regular power outages across the country, making online access difficult even in rather calm areas.”
They have lost a large portion of their Ukrainian player base, Yudinstev said. “Honestly, they just have more important things on their minds than a computer game. I would much prefer if people were playing instead of experiencing actual wars.”
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Warlords of Draenor: What went down in the cinematic?
