In Blizzard’s free card game Hearthstone, the influence of new cards from Naxxramas is noticeable. A player has now achieved one of the most wicked combinations in the history of the game: the sixfold Leeroy.
It was clear that the new cards would shake up the meta-game. However, experts like Trump saw the influence in the meta-game more in the direction that decks would shift even more towards minions and thus towards Zoo. At the level of game to game, completely different cards suddenly influence the match progression and create exciting game situations.
Thus, the magazine Polygon presented a video under the headline “Is this the most powerful combo in Hearthstone?”, showcasing brand new cards from the wings of Naxxramas in full action. They form a synergy with two existing cards, one of which has previously lived a shadowy existence.
The key cards of the combination are Baron Rivendare, who doubles deathrattle effects; the minion Leeroy Jenkins and two shaman class spells. With a double Spirit of the Ancients, Leeroy receives deathrattle twice, which resurrects the minion after death. The Baron doubles this effect. With the new shaman spell “Reincarnation”, Leeroy dies and is summoned back to the game with full abilities. Consequently, the original Leeroy has attacked normally during the turn, his death creates four clones, and he himself stands alive again on the board. Together with his 4 companions, he is immediately ready for battle thanks to Charge. The sixfold Leeroy is thus capable of dealing 36 damage across the entire turn. But see the video (of course with Epic Sax music) for yourself:
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The nasty thing about the combination is the 36 damage that hits the opponent in 6 small bites. So there’s still enough room to clear a pretty large spotter out of the way. But Polygon reassures: A very special hand is needed for the combination, and a lot of mana is required as well.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the SF MMO EVE Online, the rigid power structure between massive alliances becomes a problem. Is the universe heading towards stagnation without wars and conflicts?
Wars might actually be good for something …
The SF MMO EVE Online usually delivers some fantastic story on a quarterly basis that must seem like a report from a foreign world to uninitiated readers. Once, an alliance forgot to pay the rent for their star system – the resulting battles involved thousands of players who shot to pieces their ships that they had assembled over long weeks and months. In another story, the pilot of a giant space titan mistypes, enters the wrong course, and ends up with the valuable ship right in a space region claimed by another alliance: they do not invite him for tea but gather the troops. The unfortunate pilot is soon aided by his allies. A massive space battle soon sets the void ablaze.
There are other stories in which a band of space pirates tracks the behavior of a player for years, suspecting that he has hidden a valuable ship somewhere and will eventually have to log in there to cash it in. Then they would wait there, ready, no matter how long it takes. And there are intrigues, tales of misinformation, false accounts, spies in the enemy alliance, who – after years as a double agent reaching the top of the hierarchy – can finally fulfill their mole mission and severely damage the opposing alliance.
Is the universe of EVE Online heading towards stagnation?
But such stories have become rare lately. Instead, one reads thoughtful analyses of what could be the reason for the sudden lack of activity in the world of EVE Online. In a column by massively, the author addresses what seems to be the consensus of many observers: In null sec, the sandbox arena of the game, two such large power blocks have formed with N3/PL and CFC that no one can fight wars against each other anymore, lest they be crushed like a fly by their own alliance. And taking action against the opponent would trigger an unfathomably large conflict that no one wants, as they have too much to lose and too little to gain.
According to the observer, what used to be an anarchy with many skirmishes has become a rigid affair. He attributes this to capital ships and an excessive mobility of individual fleets. This has made it possible today to wage war at the other end of the universe without making oneself vulnerable.
The situation is particularly poignant as CCP, the developers of EVE Online, have repeatedly emphasized that they want to leave storytelling in their universe to the players and not interfere in these processes. So what to do when the situation seems so entrenched?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The fantasy MMO TERA has entered open beta in China. The numbers are good, and the developer even claims to be targeting the dominance of Blade&Soul.
200,000 players were reportedly logged in simultaneously at peak times on the first day, according to the Chinese publisher Kunlun. TERA also uses the established Free2Play system in China. They are actively promoting the game across all social channels. According to a report by mmoculture, social media is filled with TERA, relevant keywords, and hashtags.
The game’s developer, Bluehole Studios, even speaks of challenging the supremacy of Blade&Soul in China.
Recently, several MMOs have been pushing into the Chinese market, including the western title Guild Wars 2. The Japanese Final Fantasy XIV is also on the verge of entering China. However, the majority of the games entering this market, like TERA, come from South Korea, including Black Desert and Bless Online. The Chinese market is becoming increasingly important for the MMO industry, and many publishers are now also eyeing the Southeast Asian market.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
For several weeks, Horde players could follow the construction of a real motorcycle in the mini-series “Azeroth Choppers” in World of Warcraft – and even influence it! As a reward for watching closely, the Chopper Mount will be gifted once the new expansion Warlords of Draenor is released.
Loss of 800,000 Players
Although it has been declared dead countless times, it is still the largest MMO in the world by far. However, it cannot be denied that the game’s development is clearly heading in one direction: More and more players are leaving WoW, recently occurring in the second quarter of 2014.
10th Anniversary Brings Molten Core Back
At least one can rely on a lot of content being available at the beginning of a new expansion. Although the release date is still unknown, it can be assumed that the release will be sometime this fall. Around that time, the game will celebrate an anniversary: World of Warcraft will be 10 years old.
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The sandbox MMO ArcheAge offers a bounty on bots. Players can gain an advantage in the game by successfully reporting bots.
A player receives 25 labor points for reporting a bot that is confirmed to be a bot. However, reporting also costs 25 labor points, as Trion Worlds seems to want to prevent players from recklessly shooting around in light of the bounty. Upon a successful report, players get their 25 points back and receive an additional 25. In the case of a false report, the points used are lost. Labor points are a type of “energy” in the game, primarily used for crafting activities, and they regenerate slowly.
Bots are the scourge of modern MMOs. At the launch of the last two major pay-to-play titles, WildStar and The Elder Scrolls Online, both MMOs struggled with a flood of bots. They not only directly negatively affect the gameplay of players by camping mobs or harvesting resources but can also disrupt the important in-game economy. In some severe cases, they ruin PvP by signing up for battlegrounds where they become a liability for their team. Moreover, bots have a negative impact on the morale of “honest” players.
In a free-to-play MMO that relies heavily on the economy like ArcheAge, the threat posed by bots is even greater than in WildStar, The Elder Scrolls Online, or World of Warcraft. In the alpha of ArcheAge, 16,000 accounts were already banned for spamming and botting – access to the alpha was linked to the purchase of an expensive founder’s package. However, it seems that most of the bot accounts gained access using stolen credit cards.
During the last beta phase, Trion Worlds indicated that it was primarily used to test mechanisms that would later be used for detecting and eliminating bots.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, almost every design concept that was launched was thrown out the window. Is TESO looking good for Playstation 4 and Xbox One? And were the four months since the release on PC some sort of extended beta test? We take a look at the first four months in TESO and why everything will soon change.
Before Release: Much Hope, But Skepticism
The story of The Elder Scrolls Online is hardly understandable from the outside. Before players set foot in Tamriel, it was already a huge hit. An MMO in the Elder Scrolls universe existed only in the minds of players.
In the fantasies of optimistic fans, a Skyrim emerged that would never end. A Skyrim that would continuously receive new regions, new zones, and new characters. There would always be something to discover, always something new to experience. It was a dream for many players.
Even then, problems were apparent. Critics voiced their concerns. Skyrim had been a classic console success. And so, fans of the single-player series raised objections against the fundamental ideas of the MMO genre: “And am I really supposed to pay every month, even though I already bought the game?”
Skeptical players with MMO experience wondered whether Skyrim could even work as an MMO. How would one experience a unique story in a world where one was just one of millions of heroes? How should items be designed? How could such a beautiful world fit into the rigid structures of a typical MMO? How could one achieve the magical immersion, the feeling of losing oneself in a fantasy world, amidst the harsh reality of an MMO with chats, gold spam, and bots? How could one allow others, the strangers, the non-NPCs into their own fantasy realm? And so, some fans simply wished for the next Elder Scrolls game – and nothing online.
Even then, there were concerns, which grew louder with the beta events.
In the Beta: Fantasy Meets Reality
The majority of fans were only allowed into the game during a series of beta events. Later, Zenimax was criticized: During such “events,” when servers were only open for a few days, players could not really provide valuable feedback. It was merely a PR event.
The beta felt like a cold shower to many players. Overly high expectations were disappointed. Dreams did not stand up to reality checks. Quests were buggy and led to dead ends. NPC animations felt lifeless and waxy, the combat system felt like “air combat,” one did not feel the impact of their own strikes. On the other hand, there was praise for the graphics, the audio, and that the game felt like “Elder Scrolls.”
Upon Release: Incomplete, Mixed, Solid
The release of TESO was overshadowed by numerous problems and issues. Hardly a week went by without some corner catching fire. The Zenimax team seemed overwhelmed by the onslaught of fans and the multitude of difficulties.
Gameplay systems revealed conceptual weaknesses, exploiters ran amok. In-game mail was exploited for item dupes, as were guild banks. Cheaters took advantage of an unfortunate design decision with cave bosses to unleash an endless army of camping bots. Numerous quest bugs also caused frustration and annoyance. Players found themselves in dead ends.
The balance of the individual classes, critically important for a game focused on PvP, was completely absent. Vampires exploited a often overlooked combination of abilities and set bonuses to achieve a godlike status. Dragonknights were too strong, balance issues were enormous – fixes were delayed.
[quote_left]TESO had nothing in common with the polish of a single-player game.[/quote_left] Here there were problems, there were problems. Also technically, dark clouds were gathering on the horizon. Players struggled with account issues, with clients, fought for access to the server. Consumer protection advocates even complained that to utilize the first free 30 days, one still had to provide a valid payment method. TESO was being attacked from all sides.
For fans of the “The Elder Scrolls” series without MMO experience, this hit particularly hard. They were not prepared for such a turbulent start. With the polish of a single-player game that functioned out of the box, TESO had nothing in common.
Alongside Current Problems, Structural Issues Emerged
Experienced MMO players knew that a failed launch did not necessarily indicate long-term difficulties. After all: Most problems could surely be resolved with time. Eventually, every blazing flame would extinguish, eventually every balance fix would be implemented, account issues resolved, and every quest bug fixed.
[quote_right]The game tipped from a hero’s journey to tedious grinding.[/quote_right] But what about the deeper, structural problems? What was to happen with fundamental design decisions that were now causing difficulties? And there were many of those. After reaching level 50, TESO players entered the “Veteran” endgame. Many complained that the game shifted from a hero’s journey to tedious grinding.
Moreover, there were structural problems in the PvP campaigns and with the shallow item progression. Phasing issues ruined group play – to name just a few things that seemed so deeply embedded in the game philosophy that one could hardly expect them to be solved anytime soon.
Console Release Delayed
Around this time, when the future did not look very rosy, Zenimax announced that they would delay the release of the game for Playstation 4 and Xbox One, originally planned for June, by at least six months. The announcement that they would need six more months just two weeks before the release led to speculations about the reasons behind Zenimax (and a lot of anger from console players, but that’s not the point).
Although Zenimax cited “technical difficulties” in the porting process as the reason for the delay. However, some (including us) speculated that they did not want to burden console players with TESO in its current state and did not want to release the MMO in such a difficult atmosphere.
The Time After Release
Thus far, The Elder Scrolls Online has not truly emerged from its release phase. Three major content patches have been rolled out, bringing new zones and features. However, with each of the three patches, new technical problems have also emerged, frustrating those affected. After the second patch, for some, performance deteriorated for months.
However, the changes that have come so far are quite reasonable. The game looks significantly better after the introduction of new lighting conditions and armor dyes. Furthermore, efforts have been made to eliminate most balance errors and quest bugs from the game.
And they have become more accessible to player feedback. At the moment, they have almost every core criticism point from players on a list of things they want to change: The combat system, the PvP, the NPC animations, the veteran endgame, character development, rigid item progression, the introduction of more Skyrim elements, actually everything is on this list.
Fundamental decisions from the paper stage of the game, many core ideas, are now being questioned and actively addressed.
Is the Console Release in Sight?
To observers, it appears as though they are working full steam ahead to make The Elder Scrolls Online a game that resonates with the console community and can engage them.
Does the map show the way to a rosy future for TESO?
But the question remains: If so many great ideas are present now and one can improve criticism points like the waxy facial features of NPCs with few changes, why was The Elder Scrolls Online so obviously released prematurely in this form back in April? Wouldn’t it have been better to wait and avoid much hassle?
Why does TESO’s future look so much better than TESO’s present and especially its past?
When looking at the ideas and changes proposed and presented by TESO in recent months, they do not seem like the kind of things that required player feedback from the last months since release to come up with.
That the veteran system was never a good idea from the start, that players wished for arenas and battlegrounds, that the NPC faces were far too waxy, and that fans yearned for a justice system like the one in Skyrim – these realizations likely didn’t require the time since the release to arrive at.
[quote_right]A reborn and revamped The Elder Scrolls Online.[/quote_right] One can only hope that TESO’s future, with all the changes that are now receiving praise, will soon catch up with the present of the game. And one must hope that MMO players will grant the game another chance. Fans of the genre are not known for this, after all.
It is thus fortunate that with the upcoming release on Playstation 4 and Xbox One, a second wave could be launched, in which even some PC players will return to a reborn and revamped The Elder Scrolls Online. One can only wonder if the plan will succeed and if the coming months for TESO will be as turbulent as the last four.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the air combat MMO War Thunder, players can earn real money with their creations starting from patch 1.42.
Since April and patch 1.39, there is a CDK (Content Development Kit) for the free-to-play MMO War Thunder, formerly known as the editor. With this, players can create so-called “user generated content”, meaning their own creations. This includes missions, locations, or skins for planes and the new tanks.
While the destructive energy of players normally manifests in explosions in the burning sky of a virtual World War Europe, their creative energy should reflect on their bank accounts. If user creations make it into the game and are selected for patch 1.42, the developer Gaijin Software intends to fairly share the revenues with the players. Discussions are around 25% of the earnings that the developer makes within a certain period. There is even a website with prominently displayed small print.
At a major video game fair in Shanghai, ChinaJoy, one of the minds behind Blizzard’s free collectible card game Hearthstone revealed some insights. Hamilton Chu shared the design ideas behind Blizzard’s successful game.
Hearthstone as the Result of Pure Game Design
In an interview with the business magazine venturebeat, Hamilton Chu, one of the minds behind Hearthstone, discussed the details and considerations that went into the game’s design and why it became so successful. Hamilton Chu was for a long time one of only two people working on Hearthstone. The rest of their team was pulled off the project in the middle to work on larger releases from Blizzard. However, Chu and his colleague Eric Dodds saw this as an opportunity. This allowed them to make quick changes to the game. There was no politics, no fluff. Just game design in its purest form.
The Secret Design Tricks of Blizzard: First Just Pen and Paper, Then a Flash Game
The secret design tricks of Blizzard have nothing to do with voodoo; they all revolve around relatively simple and obvious concepts. They first played with cards and ideas for months, completely away from bits and bytes. They knew it would not be a problem to implement it technically, so “Team 5” focused solely on the pure design of the game for six to nine months.
Additionally, they made an effort to clearly articulate and convey the “core ideas” of the game so that no one worked on a feature that would later be dropped. Creating simple prototypes with Adobe Flash also provided important insights and simplified the work.
Hearthstone as a Mix of Depth and Simplicity: Which Ideas Blizzard Had to Let Go
They repeatedly questioned the fundamentals of the game and discarded elements that would have restricted the pace and fun of the game. An early version of Hearthstone initially planned a resource management system, which later proved to be too cumbersome. According to Chu, there was also a kind of “surprise attack” option in the game, but it turned out to be too powerful and was ultimately removed.
The principle of simplicity also means not reinventing the wheel. What use is it to confront players with new terms for “life” and “attack” when they could simply use the established names? However, they also utilized the digital possibilities of the medium. After all, they allowed for moves that would not have worked in a traditional card game.
However, they also ensured that the game was not oversimplified. It was important to maintain a depth that could make Hearthstone, like World of Warcraft, a game for eternity. Players needed to be faced with numerous important decisions.
Not One Big Win or Loss, but Several Small Ones
In a card game, there is always a winner and a loser at the end, which would quickly become boring or frustrating. Thus, they aimed in the design to transform the match into a series of small victories and small defeats. This kept the match attractive, it went back and forth, and players would keep coming back.
Furthermore, they leveraged players’ emotional connection to World of Warcraft and designed the game in such a way that Hearthstone would continuously provide new material for stories. Chu drew on his own raiding experiences in WoW. They had started out catastrophically but later provided great material for stories.
Clearly, Chu’s plans paid off. According to venturebeat, the game has been downloaded more than 10 million times. Although Blizzard has not yet disclosed profit figures, representatives from Blizzard recently mentioned that Hearthstone has exceeded all expectations.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Guild Wars 2 is hosting an All-Star tournament at Gamescom in Cologne. The schedule has now been revealed, and the participants are also confirmed. Surprise: A well-trained team from Europe is making its way to Cologne in full strength.
The results of the All-Star voting for Guild Wars 2 are known and should leave little doubt as to who is favored to enter the All-Star tournament.
In Europe, GW2 players had the choice between 16 PvP experts, and the five who emerged are already part of “Team Mist,” previously known as “TCG.” Thus, the Europeans are clear favorites going into the match, as team play is crucial – not to mention that even seasoned online warriors might suffer a bit from jet lag when traveling from the USA or China to Cologne.
Among the US players, GW2 players also chose five outstanding players, who, however, are not part of a common team. The big unknown is the team from China. Since the scene here is still very new and fans had little chance to get to know their favorites, the Chinese publisher simply selected five players.
The three teams will face off in three matches in a “round-robin” format. ArenaNet will broadcast the games live on Twitch.
On Thursday, August 14th, at 3 PM, Europe will compete against China.
On Friday, August 15th, at 5 PM, the USA will take on China.
On Saturday, August 16th, at 6 PM, the team from Europe will face the USA.
The All-Star tournament does not involve prize money; however, players will be provided with accommodation and travel, which – except for the Europeans – could incur considerable costs. As a reward for the winners, special armors as in-game rewards await them .
The representatives from the three continents are:
Europe: Denshee, Helseth, ROM, Sizer, Tage (all Team Mist).
USA: Kaypud (KPz), Phantaram (former Team Paradigm), Supcutie (It Ain’t EZ being KPz), Zombify (Sync), Zoose (Oil).
Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney contributes the title song for the luxury MMO Destiny. He plans to release it as a “single” by the end of the year.
The MMO Destiny truly spares no expense. For the voice of the in-game AI Ghost, they hired Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage; for the soundtrack, they secured Paul McCartney. With a rumored budget of half a billion dollars, quite a bit is possible. Even if the actual development costs, according to manufacturer Bungie, are said to be significantly lower. Nonetheless, they indulge in the luxury of hiring big names.
For the past four and a half years, McCartney has been working on the soundtrack of the shooter, according to information from the New York Times. McCartney is collaborating closely with composer Marty O’Donnell on the project. O’Donnell was already responsible for the highly acclaimed soundtrack of Halo, the shooter that earned Bungie the favor of those fans who are now awaiting the release of Destiny.
Destiny taps into the full power of Beatles and James Bond
Photo: Paul McCartney in Dublin 2010 / Fiona / CC BY-SA 2.0
Although Paul McCartney is not known as a gamer, not even as a casual player, he seems intrigued by the project. After all, a game is quite different from a film, and the interactivity is much greater. McCartney is familiar with films: He contributed the anthem “Live and Let Die” to the 1973 Bond classic.
Like back in the day with the Bond film, Paul McCartney also has the honor of composing the title song, the so-called “theme,” for Destiny. It is already in the can. In the legendary Abbey Road studio in London, it was recorded with a 120-member ensemble. The title of the song is still under wraps. So far, it is only known that it will be about hope. The song is set to appear as a single by the end of the year. The rest of the Destiny soundtrack is also expected to be recorded with an orchestra.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Soon the release date of the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion “Warlords of Draenor” will be announced, and to hype things up a bit, Blizzard is releasing a ten-page comic that can be downloaded for free.
Logically, the short story takes place in Draenor, at the crucial moment when the Orcs decide to drink the blood of the Burning Legion, which subsequently subjects them to bloodlust and incidentally is responsible for their green skin. You will find out why this event does not unfold quite as we know it from the tales of the old Warcraft games by checking out “Gul’dan and the Stranger” yourself. It is also strikingly clear here that comics have entirely different guidelines than games, as it is remarkably bloodthirsty.
The gaming market in Germany continues to grow. As announced by the Federal Association of Interactive Entertainment Software (BIU) on the occasion of Gamescom, the video game industry generated revenue of 798 million euros in the first half of 2014. That is 46 million (6%) more than in the same period last year.
While the gaming market is growing, the time for pre-orders seems to be slowly coming to an end. At least that is what Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, said during a conference call with investors.
This week, Twitch is once again making headlines. After months of speculation about a takeover by Google (now confirmed), the live streaming platform has once again entered the public spotlight.
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The sand park MMO ArcheAge calls for the third beta. From August 14th to August 18th, players can convince themselves of the class of the Korean MMO that Trion Worlds has localized for the West.
ArcheAge took care of bots in the last beta, now focuses on Free2Play players
At Trion Worlds, they are currently fully engaged in evaluating beta feedback and drawing initial conclusions. A particular focus is on labor points, a kind of “energy” that regenerates slowly like in a browser game and is required for crafting activities, as well as general tasks. This seems to be a sensitive issue for Trion Worlds. The developers are currently fine-tuning this. They plan to separate the identification of quest rewards from the labor point system. At the moment, the items are useless until they have been specified in detail with a right-click.
In general, the feedback from players trying out Free2Play seems to be rather negative at the moment and is prompting Trion Worlds to reflect. In any case, Trion Worlds speaks of improving the Free2Play gaming experience with the introduction of “APEX.” With “APEX,” an in-game item, players can secure the coveted “Patron” status. However, someone must first purchase the “APEX” item from the in-game shop with real money before it can then be traded for gold in the game.
In the last beta phase, which was received excellently again according to Trion Worlds, they tested spam and anti-bot tools that might have worked a bit too well.
“Blood and Bounty” will be twice as large as the last beta
The next beta, which will run under the title “Blood&Bounty,” will begin on Thursday, August 14th, at 7 PM. The beta will end on Monday, August 18th, also at 7 PM our time.
While the second beta phase was three times larger than the first, the third beta phase is supposed to be twice as large as the second. Anyone who wants to participate in the beta should register on the ArcheAge website for the beta or look for beta keys on gaming sites or among special partners of Trion Worlds.
We from mein-mmo.de have already dealt extensively with ArcheAge in recent weeks. In doing so, we have particularly focused on the Free2Play experience that Trion Worlds wants to improve with the third beta.
In the science fiction MMO Star Trek Online, the next expansion is officially confirmed.
Rumors have been flying around, so the developers probably thought: Then we might as well confirm it. The next expansion of Star Trek Online will launch in October. It will head to the Delta Quadrant, the home of Captain Janeway and the Voyager crew’s adventures (and also the storyline of the penultimate Star Trek TV series).
30 years have passed since the adventures of Janeway, Paris, Tuvok, Kim, and Seven-of-Nine. The Delta Quadrant has changed significantly since then. Technology has advanced, and power dynamics have shifted. There should be plenty for captains to do, whether they have sworn allegiance to the Federation, the Klingon Empire, or the Romulans.
Delta Rising aims to explore the Delta Quadrant in the best “Star Trek” sense
From a gameplay perspective, the expansion will bring all that one expects from an MMO expansion. A new tier will be added on top of the current progress level. Captains will rise to level 60. A new class of ships will be introduced, there will be changes for bridge officers, and the equipment will also see upgrades.
In the story, they remain faithful to the source material. Fans of Voyager will see many familiar faces again. First, captains will encounter the Ocampa and the Talaxians, who turn out to be friendly and helpful races, paving the way for players into the Delta Quadrant. Later, players will meet the Kazon raiders. In Star Trek Online, they aim to draw races from the “canon” of the series that were only mentioned in passing, telling their stories and showcasing their culture and architecture. Some cast members from the “Voyager” TV series were also secured for voice roles. At the announcement, Garret Wang, better known to fans as Ensign Harry Kim, was present. As a little joke, he was promoted to Lieutenant (Junior Grade) at the announcement, something Harry had been waiting for in the series.
In the coming weeks and months, more details about the expansion “Delta Rising” will surely be revealed and promoted. In this announcement trailer, you can already get in the mood for the expansion:
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In the Free2Play fantasy MMO Rift, we are eagerly approaching the next expansion. However, before that, the old, mad gods have set the pre-patch. It has been live since this week.
Patch 2.8, “Awakening Madness,” addresses the issues many players had with the auction house. Additionally, it makes extensive changes to the Pyromancer soul and now allows curious players to recognize where their neighbor’s top-tier armor or sparkling weapon comes from: The origin of items can now be identified.
A new quest line prepares the heroes of Rift for what awaits them with the next expansion (if one can even prepare anyone for madness). In addition to the new quest line, there will also be a fresh dungeon where players will confront a mysterious cult. Of course, the dungeon comes with challenges and items.
However, an undocumented change at the auction house is causing a stir: They apparently switched from a fixed discount of 5% to a scaling amount, which is causing fans to cry out. Rift intends to address this issue but ultimately aims to remove gold from the game through the auction house (a so-called gold sink) and also reduce the number of unnecessary fun auctions.
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In the survival MMO H1Z1, we return to the recently introduced Romero’s Supermarket. This time, the images give an impression of how the discount store looks at night with zombies.
A few weeks ago, there was a first glimpse of a typical building in H1Z1 with Romero’s Supermarket. Back then, the discount store already looked like a zombie apocalypse had struck; however, the long aisles were still bright and zombie-free.
Further screenshots of the supermarket have now been released on Twitter, showing the area at night with small islands of light. The zombies there all wear the same uniforms. They are likely former supermarket employees whose last shift lasted far too long.
H1Z1 is about to enter Early Access. Since a delay has occurred and the developers at SOE are trying to keep fans’ interest simmering in the meantime (and SOE is committed to transparency), interested parties can closely follow the work steps of the individual teams.
Perhaps they will restock the currently empty shelves of the supermarket and add more details before the release.
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The new MMO mouse Nyth from Roccat takes customization for the player’s hand and needs a bit to the extreme. Gamers can model suitable parts using a 3D printer.
For conservative tech skeptics, even modern MMO mice seem like voodoo. The little critters come with extra weights that can be removed or added based on preference. The mice can be slightly elongated or compressed. Moreover, all 13 to 19 buttons of a modern MMO mouse are of course freely assignable and configurable. What the three bonus modifiers do can also be determined by the player.
The new MMO mouse Nyth from Roccat takes it a step further. Because it takes the idea of “fully modular” extremely literally. Instead of players only being able to change the assignment of individual mouse buttons, with the Nyth they can define the entire arrangement of the buttons. For this, they only need a 3D printer. Then they can either model and print their own layout or choose a suitable template from Roccat’s online library.
In addition, the side part, where MMO players often stash countless secondary skills, can be freely modularized, so the Nyth would also work as a MOBA or FPS mouse. Originally, it is said to have originated from the idea of designing a perfect mouse for every type of game. A kind of chameleon that adapts to any game and any player need.
Roccat wants to showcase the Nyth at Gamescom in Cologne. The fair takes place from August 13 to 17.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMO shooter Defiance, the first world expansion “Silicon Valley” is now live on the servers.
Silicon Valley is both the name and setting of the post-apocalyptic expansion for Defiance. It is said to be the first expansion for the MMO that brings new landmass, meaning a new zone, according to a press release from Trion Worlds. The shooter Defiance tells its story both in the game and in the television series of the same name, produced by Syfy.
The story in Silicon Valley quickly slips into the mysterious. Karl von Bach has settled with his pilgrims of the guiding star in the valley and can hardly wait for the arrival of the ark hunters. But nothing is as it seems here. In addition to the new zone, players can look forward to new outfits, weapon mods, exciting synergies, and an increase in the ERGO cap.
Trion Worlds celebrates the first world expansion of its game with a trailer. Anyone who wants more information can get more information on the official game site or browse the patch notes, which are linked as a source.
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Color has come to the fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online. The new patch has been well received by fans, as it seems to hit just the right note, or rather, the colorful one.
It was actually one of the smallest points on the long list of changes that Matt Firor once presented, when many had already written off The Elder Scrolls Online. Armor dyeing was to be introduced into the game. This seemed rather small and harmless compared to the new PvP dungeon, the Imperial City; the justice system, or the spell weaving. Yet it is the armor dyeing that now gives the game a boost of energy, color, and drive.
Selfies are in – even in TESO
Shortly after the patch, dye stations in Tamriel were practically overrun. Soon after, social media and forums were buzzing with pictures of freshly dyed heroes and heroines. The “selfie” trend, which even infected Hollywood stars at the Oscars, now grabs Tamriel. Photos on horses, in front of horses, with dogs, in superhero costumes, or among friends are making the rounds – or even just from the dye station, as that is also a great opportunity.
Mein MMO says: It’s no wonder that such things can bring joy to TESO fans. Many players of The Elder Scrolls Online come from single-player games or from the RPG sector. Therefore, they often forge a deeper bond with their heroes than is the case with more technical MMOs. The Elder Scrolls series is well-known for its visuals (Skyrim with mods looks fantastic) and for the fact that players spend a tremendous amount of time with their heroes and identify with them.
Dyeing system in The Elder Scrolls Online is well thought out and has a motivating effect
Green Arrow now also exists in Tamriel.
The new dyeing system in The Elder Scrolls Online is not just a stopgap solution or a simple system that has been tacked on, but is intricate: The most beautiful colors, which even trigger effects, are tied to the hardest achievements. This should ensure long-term motivation.
The joy over the new feature might almost make one forget what technical problems this patch brought with it. Since the relocation of the mega-server to Frankfurt am Main, players are complaining again about login issues and lags.
But that should be addressed elsewhere. For the moment, in the exuberance of the summer collection, it must rhyme: Who would have thought that dyeing would bring players so much joy? (Okay, I promise, we will never do that again.)
After moving the release date, it will finally happen on August 18, the long-awaited major patch 2.9 arrives on the “Star Wars: The Old Republic” servers and presents players with a new Flashpoint, changes to Makeb, Guild ships, territory wars, and the long-awaited Housing – at least for those who had an active subscription on July 16. We summarize the highlights of the upcoming update for you.
Housing in SWTOR – 4 Walls and 4 Locations
Once a character reaches level 15 and has the necessary credits, they can now purchase their own accommodation, the eponymous strongholds. There are a total of 4 locations to choose from, but only three per faction. Supporters of the Republic can settle on Coruscant, while members of the Empire find a rainy home on Dromund Kaas. However, all players can alternatively acquire a home on the Smuggler’s Moon Nar Shaddaa or on the desert planet Tatooine.
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All accommodations vary in size and cost, but multiple rooms can be purchased for each stronghold to gradually expand it. The various furnishings, such as tables, chairs, trophies, or paintings cannot be moved freely but must be aligned to special anchors; however, they can be tilted and turned as desired. Particularly ambitious homeowners can compare their strongholds with those of other players and see how many unique objects they own in the prestige ranking.
With the introduction of housing, it is of course necessary to provide players with a certain variety of decorations, which can now be obtained at every corner of the game world.
Some can be obtained for PvP tokens from the vendor on the Fleet, others will be dropped by the final bosses of operations and flashpoints, and a whole bunch of them will be awarded by unlocking certain achievements. Speeders can also be displayed in one’s own accommodation, and access is granted automatically once the corresponding vehicle has been unlocked for that character. Of course, some will only be available through the cartel market or cartel packs.
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Guild Flagships – Some Shipyard Will Get Very Rich
From now on, players will be able to play and unlock their own guild ships, but it comes at a hefty price: 50 million credits must be stored in the guild bank and then change ownership for the fancy ship to navigate the orbit. But even then, one only has one level; the other four must be unlocked through effort and credits – the total cost of 125 million will also require many hours of effort, as the additional rooms require different materials to be unlocked, which can primarily be obtained from guild activities, such as the new conquest campaigns.
However, those who endure these hardships will receive a fully operational guild base, which will serve as a hub for all activities – cool ship parties included.
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Territory Wars – My Padawan, My Stronghold, My Planet
In weekly rotation, guilds can now fight for control of planets. Each week there is one of 11 campaigns, and up to 4 planets can be conquered per campaign. Once the guild has chosen one of the planets, they must complete tasks on it to boost their score – these can involve visiting flashpoints, defeating world bosses, or crafting specific items; there is something for every player type.
The guild with the most points at the end of the week will be named the “Conqueror of [Planet]” and can look forward to the new “Runner” mounts for the upcoming week, which can only be used on the conquered planet.
In addition to exclusive titles, there will be mainly components for housing decorations and expansion modules for the guild flagship, but also crafting materials will be abundant. If a guild manages to have control over all 15 planets (not simultaneously) at some point, they will receive the legacy title “Conqueror of the Galaxy”.
New Level 55 Flashpoint
Stealthily, the new tactical flashpoint called “The Depths of Manaan” has snuck into the patch. The planet, nearly entirely covered in water, should be familiar to some veterans from the “Knights of the Old Republic” era and will advance the storyline of the “Forged Alliances.” As usual, you can visit the tactical flashpoints without having to take a tank or healer with you – four damage dealers can handle it all on their own.
Makeb Changes: Better Late Than Never
Questing on Makeb will be significantly more enjoyable, as it was quite a steep difficulty curve for many fresh level 50s, especially completing the daily missions will be massively eased. To assist the heroes of the Republic and the Empire, GSI has dispatched satellites that will help players on the planet. Thus, the gear level is set to 156, and as soon as you are in combat, health points will regenerate permanently. Experience gained from exploring the planet will be increased by 250% due to the satellites, and lastly, Makeb is now a little less populated – it was about time considering we’ve been stomping enemies into the ground there since ages.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
