Guild Wars 2 starts in a week with the second episode of this season of the Living World and provides a trailer.
It hasn’t been long since we at Mein MMO were wondering how Guild Wars 2 would manage to make headlines again. The game seemed a bit dormant just two months ago. Now it is summer, and Guild Wars 2 seems to be bursting at the seams. Sales are booming in China. The second season of the Living World is receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from fans.
Furthermore, there is no need to worry about staying in the conversation now. For weeks, there was hardly anything to report about GW2, and gaming sites had to highlight every discount promotion in the item store, but now they use the ongoing story of the Living World to stay relevant.
For the second episode, there is a trailer that plays with the “Fallout – New Vegas” atmosphere of the new area Drytop – and features some B-movie motifs.
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The third episode will be released on July 29, and the fourth on August 12. After that, there will be a short break until the next episodes are published. Players have just under a week left to log in and unlock the first episode.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Significant changes are coming to The Elder Scrolls Online. In a letter from development head Matt Firor, he discusses the relocation of the European mega-server, major changes to the veteran system, and the next update.
Matt Firor reaches out to fans once a month to give players a preview of upcoming changes. It has been known for some time that significant changes were planned for the veteran system. However, the extent of these changes is becoming clear only now. One could speak of a rebirth of the game, referring to The Elder Scrolls Online Reborn. The MMO is undergoing a transformation.
Veteran Points Will Soon Be Abolished
According to Firor, the plan is to comprehensively change the player experience after reaching level 50 in three phases.
Currently, we are in Phase 1. The difficulty of the zones will be reduced to allow players to progress even solo.
In Phase 2 , veteran points will be abolished and replaced with regular experience points to continue progressing. Additionally, the experience gain through PvP will be significantly increased.
In Phase 3 , a completely new system will be introduced that gives players opportunities to develop and customize their heroes. More details will be announced at Quakecon.
Mega Server Relocation at the End of July/Beginning of August
For European players, Firor has finally provided a more precise date for the relocation of the European mega-server to a data center in Frankfurt. The move is scheduled for the last week of July or the first week of August.
The Third Update Will Be a Guild Update
The next content update for The Elder Scrolls Online, following Kargstein and the Heart of Crypta patch, will focus on guilds. It should appear on the test server soon. On one hand, it will simplify the work of a guild leader and make it easier to create a clear structure within the guild with ranks and permissions. On the other hand, a new type of trading system will arrive in The Elder Scrolls Online with the Guild Casino.
Here, guilds can offer their goods to non-guild members as well. Apparently, there will be multiple NPCs that can be hired by different guilds. The auction of auctioneers, determining which guild will buy a merchant, will occur via blind bids .
With the third update, heraldry known from numerous other MMOs will also be introduced in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Item System Will Be Revamped
In the long term, Zenimax also plans to address the item system, which some players consider too boring. Players should find better items more frequently than what they are currently wearing. Additionally, armor visuals are set to become more distinct from one another. Armor colors will also arrive in Tamriel with the third update.
For the future, a system is announced that should make it easier for players to obtain set items more quickly. Quest rewards are also intended to be more logical and tailored to the hero’s class and skills.
Changes to Combat and Balance
Surprisingly, as it had never been properly mentioned before, Firor states that they also want to work on the combat system of The Elder Scrolls Online. Apparently, some animations and processes have come under the developers’ scrutiny. They aim to provide players with a smoother and more enjoyable experience. In battles, reacting to opponent actions will become more important.
In terms of balance changes, it is suggested that the werewolf, templar, and nightblade are to be further strengthened. For the dragonknight, they want to ensure post-nerfs that he remains fun and competitive.
Firor suggests in his letter to fans multiple times that major announcements will be made at Quakecon in Dallas.
Mein MMO says: This is quite a surprise that catches us a bit off guard, and we have been following the game for some time now. The details about the third update were clear. It was also known that they wanted to improve the items and endgame, the veteran system. However, how extensive this would be was not known. Here, Zenimax questions almost everything that was started three months after release. With changes to the combat system, they open another major construction site.
Implementing such significant changes in an MMO already in operation and after such a short period is relatively rare for AAA titles. Usually, such upheavals occur only with expansions, one or two years after release. The fact that they are already being discussed and are pending shows, on one hand, that Zenimax is listening to the players, and on the other hand, that many concepts did not function as intended.
Zenimax seems to have the unwavering goal of getting The Elder Scrolls Online in top shape for its release on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. PC players can only benefit from this. All changes appear, as far as we can tell, to make sense and have merit.
However, it would be desirable for the next changes to occur without larger bugs or lags plaguing the game for weeks. The last two changes to The Elder Scrolls Online sadly brought both technical difficulties for players.
You can read Matt Firor’s complete letter on the official site for TESO: elderscrollsonline.com
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Blizzard has just announced the prices for the first expansion of the free card game Hearthstone. The first wing in Naxxramas will be open to all players, while further wings will cost 700 gold or 5.99 euros.
Actually, this announcement was supposed to come out on July 1. It took a little longer after all. When Naxxramas opens its doors later this month, the Arachnid Wing with Anub’Rekhan, the Grand Widow Faerlina, and the giant spider Maexxna will be open to all heroes. However, this is only valid if they are present at the – as Blizzard calls it – “opening celebrations.” If you miss this time window, the Arachnid Quarter will also be behind a paygate.
When the Plague Quarter opens a week later, access will have to be paid for in any case. Either you pay 700 gold or 5.99 euros. With a week interval, following the Plague Quarter, the Construct Quarter, the Military Quarter, and the Frostwyrm Lair will open, provided the tribute is paid.
Blizzard offers packages that grant discounts when purchasing more than one wing at the same time. All five paid wings open for 21.99 euros, if you have unlocked one and want access to the remaining four, it costs 17.99 euros. Three can be had for 13.99 euros, and if only two wings are missing, they cost 8.99 euros. Outside of such package prices, a wing costs 5.99 euros or 700 gold, the in-game currency.
Blizzard confirms Heroic Mode, entices with card backs
Additionally, Blizzard officially confirms that there will be a heroic gameplay mode. Anyone who defeats all the bosses within a wing can face stronger versions of the arch-villains. Those who conquer each individual resident of the terror necropolis of Naxxramas in heroic mode will receive a special card back.
This news about the heroic mode is nothing new for regular visitors to our website. We have already inferred this from relevant sources in the “preview of Naxxramas”.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Gearbox, the minds behind Borderlands, have announced a MOBA called Battleborn that aims to conquer the genre. Already, the familiar mix of humor, clever game design, and substantial firepower characteristic of Borderlands is apparent.
That’s quite a surprise, dropping like a bomb. There was no mention of Battleborn at E3. They have saved the big reveal for the August cover of Gamesinformer magazine. On the magazine’s website, they plan to reveal a little more about the game every day.
What is clear is that Battleborn will be a mix of MOBA, first-person shooter, and the loot elements of RPGs. Just as Borderlands changed players’ perceptions of what a shooter can be, they now aim to alter perceptions of what a MOBA should look like.
The background is new. Battleborn takes place in a completely original world. A whole series of “extraordinary” characters, who share only a fondness for firearms and bloodbaths, fight over the last star in a fading galaxy. Players will unlock the heroes gradually. They are meant to resemble “archetypes” that seem to have sprung from other games: a tough space marine or a nimble elf huntress.
The game is being developed for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
From MOBAs, they want to draw the rapid gameplay style, fast leveling, and minion crushing, while from shooters, they seek the arena-like game feel. There should be more than just one game mode available. Gameinformer has already visited the developers, tried it out, and particularly enjoyed the “Incursion” mode, a 5 versus 5 game reminiscent of League of Legends or Dota 2. There is also expected to be a co-op campaign for 5 players.
The maximum level of the heroes will be 20. On the way to the max level, they want to provide players with various options to customize their heroes to their playstyle.
They especially praise the quirky humor of the creators, known from Borderlands, who can find darkly humorous aspects even in a post-apocalypse.
A first taste of the style of Battleborn can be seen in the short announcement trailer:
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World of Tanks is now available on PC, Xbox 360, and iOS. Producer Gareth Luke discussed the differences between the versions in an interview with an English website.
In an interview with examiner.com, Gareth Luke introduced the different versions of the successful game World of Tanks. They differ in order to meet the demands of the platform.
The PC version is aimed more at a “hardcore” player base that values the simulation aspect, according to Luke. There is also a strong eSports element, and the vibrant community constantly provides feedback that is integrated into the game.
The Xbox 360 version is focused more on fast-paced combat and action. Since neither keyboard nor mouse is available, the controls had to be made more intuitive. This makes the entire experience feel more arcade-like. Even the camera was adjusted to the typical couch-TV distance of 3 meters instead of the chair-monitor distance of 30 centimeters.
World of Tanks Blitz for iOS resembles the other two versions but is generally much faster. The maps are smaller, the battles shorter, and the level-ups and progress in researching occur more quickly. “It’s not designed to be played for 5 hours straight. Mainly because the batteries can’t handle that,” joked Luke.
A Android version is also planned for the future.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the free-to-play MMO The Lord of the Rings Online, update 14 is coming in a week. It brings so many features, quests, and new content that one could almost call it a mini-expansion.
A journalist from the US site massively was granted an appointment by Turbine to take a first look at the upcoming trip to Gondor, which will also be available to players in update 14.
And update 14 brings an astonishing amount of new content to Middle-earth on July 14:
5 new levels await the heroes
3 new quest regions
over 100 quests
a continuation of the epic story
and a new feature with the essence system.
In Aragorn’s Footsteps
The story follows the footsteps of Aragorn, who leads the undead oathbreakers into battle. The developers faced the question of what they could make the players do while Aragorn leads the oathbreakers: the caves would be deserted.
The solution was found in recalcitrant undead who are so bitter that they do not seek redemption from their fate but choose to remain behind. The army of the dead and their story will run like a red thread throughout the update. This will allow players to take a glimpse into the past to confront the oath-breaking. And they will visit a terrified village – the night before, Aragorn had stayed here… with his new troops.
Essences to be Introduced Cautiously
The colleague from massively raves about the Mediterranean flair of Gondor. It is just as beautiful and lovingly designed as Rohan, but with a slightly different twist.
The devs promise to introduce the new essence system cautiously. These are “essences” that players can add to their armor to achieve specific effects and further refine their character and item composition, their “build.” The essences are expected to be rare at the start of the fourteenth update to avoid flooding the market.
In a conversation with the massively reporter, the developers of The Lord of the Rings Online candidly acknowledged the challenges of working on an aging MMO in today’s market. However, the greatest strength of The Lord of the Rings Online, the fantastic book source material and world, remains unmatched.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The deity MMO Skyforge deviates further from the beaten paths of conventional Western MMOs. Now there will not only be no classes, but also no levels in the actual sense.
A bit of Final Fantasy XIV, a bit of The Secret World, but a whole god
In the latest news about the upcoming MMO Skyforge, we reported that the developers from Team Allods planned to forgo a conventional class system. Now they are also discarding the level and tier system and want to let a kind of “Gearscore” decide which tasks await the aspiring god or goddess, so to speak.
This concept is not actually new – in The Secret World, a game that also dispenses with classes and levels in a strict sense, the same design principles are followed. However, Skyforge seems to take its class orientation more from Final Fantasy XIV with the multi-classes, without having to level each class from scratch.
“Which instances you can enter depends on how much prestige the character has. The more developed the characters are, the more prestige they have and the more adventures they can undertake,” the team explained according to massively.
No date known yet
Conventionally, they remain consistent in other areas: Skyforge will be client-based. A mega-server is set to provide a home for the aspiring gods per region. The background for the hero saga is an invasion by foreign powers trying to fill a power vacuum left by the vanished main god. In Skyforge, the goal will be to withstand this invasion, to perhaps bring the fight to the aliens in a later expansion.
Unfortunately, in response to inquiries from the magazine “mmosite”, no release date is known yet, not even the timeline for the beta is currently set.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the fantasy MMORPG World of Warcraft, the wishes of many role-playing players are finally coming true: The nights in Warlords of Draenor will be darker again, allowing the day-night cycle to return more prominently to the world of Azeroth.
Nights in Azeroth used to be “dark,” but over time they became increasingly day-like, rendering the day-night cycle that many RPG players appreciate absurd. As the images from the beta of Warlords of Draenor now show, the night has indeed returned to World of Warcraft. Whether it will be as full of dread as in the Game of Thrones quote “The night is dark and full of terrors” remains to be seen.
And on Reddit, some are already mocking: One cannot speak of a real night. At most, it looks somewhat dim or shady in the pictures.
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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Producer Naoki Yoshida pulls back the curtain a day before the content patch and reveals: a cyclops. In the Hunt system of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, players will hunt down really big monsters.
Much was already known about the patch 2.3. in advance, but the “Hunt” system remained a mystery. A day before patch 2.3. goes live, bringing players Ramuh, the Crystal Tower, and desynthesis, producer Naoki Yoshida now reveals the intricacies of the hunt.
It somewhat resembles monster sightseeing. Because the oversized hunt targets will only appear under certain conditions. These oversized, often towering “elite” targets require more than just a brave hero. Entire groups should band together here to put an end to the “high game”. It’s good that it does not say “first come, first served,” but “free for all” – anyone can participate in the chase for such a giant. This giant monster cannot be shot down by a single group and claimed for themselves.
Those who bring down these elite targets will receive hunt badges. They can exchange these at their state society for items. There is no limit to how many the hero can hunt per week. In addition to these truly big targets, there are bounty lists featuring less troublesome monsters that provide less loot.
Mein MMO says: It seems that the high-hunt system could bring some variety to Eorzea. At the moment, players are chasing from Fate to Fate, from event to event, on relatively predictable routes. A kind of “world boss” that requires more than just one group and has an irregular spawn timer can hopefully bring some variety and danger. Because alone, one should definitely not get under the hammer of such beings.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, the patch 1.2.5, which will be applied to the servers on Tuesday morning, will likely still not resolve the performance issues.
The 1.2.5 patch has already been applied to the US servers since Monday afternoon. The disappointing reaction from US players: Unfortunately, there has been no change to the FPS problems. They first occurred with the 1.2.3 patch, which, alongside the veteran dungeon Crypt of Hearts, also brought new lighting effects.
With patch 1.2.4, which was supposed to address them, the issues apparently worsened. Even hotfixes that were applied in the meantime could not manage to stop the frame rate drops. This primarily affects PvP players, who find themselves in stop-and-go traffic the closer they get to the action in Cyrodiil. The problems are puzzling: Some experience them more acutely, others hardly at all, and some suffer even in PvE. Some found relief through the hotfixes, while others barely noticed them.
So far, Zenimax had set the 1.2.5 patch as the target for a fix. Apparently, the problem is even more stubborn and serious than previously suspected. In the patch notes, it is acknowledged that even with this patch, the problems have not been fully resolved. They refer to a “partial correction” and assure that they continue to work on the issues. They have the highest priority.
You can read the full patch notes for the 1.2.5 patch here.
Update 12:00 PM: Zenimax has announced in the official forum that a solution to the problem has finally been found. A hotfix has been applied to the servers. Initial reactions from the community are positive. Apparently, Zenimax has managed to resolve the FPS issue. To benefit from the hotfix, players will need to restart the client.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The buy-to-play MMO Guild Wars 2 has doubled its player count in the past few weeks. However, this is not due to success in North America or Europe, but rather due to its expansion into China.
No, it is not the “Puzzles of Maguuma” that are leading to such a significant increase in players for Guild Wars 2. In the land of eternal smiles, China, Guild Wars 2 has reportedly hit around 3.7 million accounts on the Chinese servers, as reported by the website 17173. This is slightly more than the 3.5 million accounts that Guild Wars 2 maintains in North America and Europe, if the site’s figures are to be believed.
Guild Wars 2 launched in China with some fanfare and expectations. To make it more appealing for the Chinese market, some changes were made to the gameplay. For example, blood is purple, out of respect for the dead, the minions of the necromancer are displayed differently, and weapon skills are unlocked not through extensive use of the weapons, but with level-ups.
Since the open beta, it has become apparent that GW2 could succeed in China. Shortly after the release, half a million units were sold. Early in June, we reported that Guild Wars 2 is becoming an e-sport success in China, thanks to a very impressive presentation and generous prize pools. And a week ago, the amusing story circled the globe that a tourist discovered Gollum. However, it was an actor in an Asura costume who was filming a commercial for Guild Wars 2. The confusion brought 16 million clicks to the studio. Some even speculated it was a deliberate PR stunt.
However, there is a downside: According to information from the Chinese site “17173”, players are unevenly distributed across the servers. The two largest servers each housed over 300,000 accounts, while the smallest server, Ed Byrne, had just over 11,000. This will likely be negligible in the overall numbers.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Anyone who has endured a month with Carbine’s SF-MMO WildStar can now enjoy a proper face snuggler – thanks to a mutated space parasite …
The Squirg are somewhat like the creatures that jump out of the egg in Aliens – only cuter. As a reward for loyal fans, Carbine is now offering a transmuted (purple and tentacled) helmet for everyone. The face snuggler, Facesnuggler in English, is a cross-account item. So it can – once received – be activated for current and future twinks. The Facesnuggler is, unlike the dreaded Facehuggers from the Aliens franchise, simply adorable – although it would probably rather nibble on the player’s face.
Whether it will communicate with the player like a quest counterpart or a cursed sword from competing games is still unknown at this point. We will find out starting Tuesday, July 8, when the helmet will be a gift for all who redeem their WildStar key by then.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The fantasy MMO TESO, The Elder Scrolls Online, has made it to a small parody video by the American site “The Onion”. The target of the satire: Character creation.
For roleplay fans, character creation is half the battle. If there aren’t enough options, a game might be left untouched in the virtual trash can. For aesthetically-minded players, it’s crucial to create their avatar in the game exactly according to their own ideas. And if there are only eight – uniform – face shapes and no hairstyle is particularly appealing, the excursion into the foreign fantasy world can end right at character creation. The nightmare: Encountering your own clone or reflection in the open world! For many, it’s like running into an acquaintance at a birthday party who is also wearing your jeans and a standard top.
The Elder Scrolls Online, the fantasy MMO from Zenimax, has impressed many on the front and entices with countless sliders, allowing you to determine the exact chin length, eyebrow width, and type of tattoo. The American satire site “The Onion” now takes this to task, leading us not to Tamriel, but to a world where blood type and genetic integrity are also crucial during character creation. But see for yourself:
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Transformers Universe, a mix of MMO, browser game, and MOBA, affectionately named MOTA by developer Jagex, is entering Open Beta.
Jagex, known for Runescape and browser games like War of Legends, seems to be branching out into a new genre. MOTA (Massive Online Tactical Action) is what they call their Transformers game, which is not client-based but browser-based. “Next-Gen Browser Game” is also circulating as a description.
The gameplay indeed looks like a mix of League of Legends and a shooter. The unique feature: instead of sprinting like in other games, the Autobots and Decepticons simply transform into a vehicle and speed away or into the fight.
The individual bots are said to have different abilities and specialties (like in League of Legends), the gameplay is expected to pack a punch (like the Michael Bay movies), and the game is designed to be as accessible as possible.
Transformers Universe seems to be living up to the grand license based on initial reports. Jagex is also sparing no expense or effort to bring the game to the public. The launch of the Open Beta was celebrated with a grand gala. For particularly active players who infect their friends with the Transformers virus, there are high cash prizes at stake. And the trailers and gameplay videos look like a lot of fun.
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ArcheAge, an MMO with sandbox elements, is currently being ported from the Korean market to the European market, and with patch 1.2, it is undergoing its first major change. The process shows the difficulties that the concept of a “paid” alpha brings.
Even in “normal,” already released games, a patch triggers debates among players:
“My class was nerfed, what’s up with that? That wizard over there is much stronger than I am?”
“What? Now the Epics are much easier to get, which I just fought hard for last week, what is this nonsense?”
“That you are nerfing my playstyle is just typical! Why am I paying 12 euros a month? Subscription canceled!”
However, changes during the lifecycle of an MMO are often only marginal and usually do not turn the entire gaming experience upside down. Fine adjustments take place. Major upheavals in most games do not happen overnight, but over years.
Players in ArcheAge, however, are facing a much harsher fate. Because here, Trion Worlds is twisting the wheel of time, skipping entire stages of development that the game went through in Korea, and brings the game to Europe with 1.2.
This changes the gaming experience for many significantly: It will be harder to obtain coveted items, the stats scale differently, elaborate trade routes are introduced, and timers prevent quick progress. Additionally, with the “Patron” status, new hurdles for non-payers are introduced, and a lot of adjustments are made to the balance: In short, the world is turned upside down – or vice versa, depending on your point of view.
Players who have already played the Korean ArcheAge say that the 1.2 patch is quite sensible and responds to many developments in the meta-game that haven’t even occurred here in Europe yet. But for other players, it is clear: This is no longer the ArcheAge I signed up for.
And here, a problem with the founder package issued by Trion Worlds emerges. For 135 euros, one could buy access to the alpha. An exorbitant sum, which also now has repercussions on player complaints. Because while normally the whining in pay-to-play games leads to “What am I actually paying 12 euros a month for?”, players are now shouting, “What did I spend 135 euros on if I no longer like the game?”
Mein MMO thinks: Even though the situation with ArcheAge is now extreme with such significant changes, every player should be made aware: No matter how much money one spends on an alpha or beta, such changes can come at any time. The amount paid does not buy you a voice in the matter.
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The German sandbox MMO “Das Tal” has already been featured on several English gaming sites and has not only gained some fans in Poland and Russia but also in the USA. In Germany, the game has so far been rather quiet, although it is being developed by a young team in Munich from “Fairtytale Destillery”. Mein MMO spoke with the developer Alexander Zacherl.
The sandbox MMO already boasts some innovative ideas. It will bring PvP-oriented gameplay with some new features: The worlds are to be reset regularly; the tedious “grinding” will only be possible to a limited extent. Recently, “Das Tal” made headlines when it secured funding for the first production phase thanks to government support of over 80,000 euros.
We got in touch with one of the minds behind the game, Alexander Zacherl. We asked him how one actually comes up with the idea of starting their own development studio; what lies behind some of the design decisions of “Das Tal”; whether he dreams of working for a big game giant someday and how he got the Free State of Bavaria to support his game.
“PvP-focused sandbox MMO without grind is our niche”
I believe many of our readers or many MMO players have had the idea themselves: I might as well make an MMO! Therefore, I’m not asking how one comes up with the idea, but: How does one come up with the idea that it’s a good idea to try something like this?
Hehe. We hear that question often. Partially we are driven by nostalgia (we spent a lot of time in UO & Shadowbane), and partially by the conviction that our niche (PvP-focused sandbox MMO without grind) is simply not adequately served by anyone else. What is currently on the market does not make us happy – and we want to solve that problem now.
How does one actually become a game developer? By developing games
How does one seriously prepare for that? Do you study something, read books, hang out in forums? How do you acquire the qualities to then say: “Okay, I’m ready. I’m taking this seriously, I’m making an MMO?” How do you transition from the “I have a dream” phase to the “I’m doing this now” phase?
The best preparation is probably to first develop and publish other games. We did that from 2009 to 2012. 2013 was then focused on pre-production. We conducted interviews, developed prototypes, evaluated technologies, and crafted project plans. Because there were still many questions unanswered: “What are we doing? For whom are we doing it? Why is it fun? Who builds it all? How long will it take? What will it cost us?”.
“Game funding has matured”
How do you explain to your surroundings, your acquaintances, friends, and even relatives: I’m going to do something completely different now and become an independent game developer? Isn’t that a bit like saying: “I’m going to become a rock star or a footballer?” How do people around you react?
For me, that was in 2009 after university. My family and acquaintances already knew for years that I would start my own company after graduating. That it ended up being a game studio and not, for example, an agency, was not really surprising to them. More so for myself. Before that, I wasn’t really aware that something like this was even possible.
I read that when you were in the development phase, you lived off your savings. It is perhaps a negative question at first, but: don’t you sometimes feel like it’s getting hard and that time is passing and that the people around you might be in corporations or companies and they are working on their careers and you find yourself asking: “What am I actually doing here?” Are there phases of doubt? And if so, how do you get through them?
Yes, there are. But for me, not because of supposedly “lost” income. Because a start-up is simply a different calculation. Instead of “3 years at 60,000 EUR”, one calculates something like “1% chance of 50 million, if it works” (all numbers are purely fictitious). The phases of doubt come more often when things don’t really progress for a longer time or when you spend weeks doing work that is less fun than the actual development.
Educationally valuable thanks to the sandbox
How do you get the Free State of Bavaria to invest 80,000 euros in the funding of a sandbox MMO? And is it not a problem for the traditionally-minded Bavarians that you only make the game in English? Or is a German version still planned?
The Free State has become significantly more mature in game funding. While I used to feel that only projects that were “colorful and for children” were funded, today you can certainly submit projects for a more sophisticated audience. For example, we have exciting themes such as “Cooperation vs. Conflict” and “Dealing with scarce resources” in the game through its sandbox character, which meet the demands of a “culturally and pedagogically valuable game”. As for the translation: We will start purely in English, as this saves us a lot of time at the beginning and our core target group has no problem with it. The German translation will then come along with many other languages (Polish & Russian I consider very likely) later.
Stagnation is the end of every MMO
You have incorporated some interesting concepts in “Das Tal”. What did you think of the “Time-Limit” story? Are you cleverly avoiding the endgame issue and stagnation?
Exactly. Stagnation is the end of every MMO, and, unfortunately, it often comes too early for our taste. We want to give players a goal to work towards – a story arc, so to speak. And because our game worlds end, new ones always have to start as well. This is the opportunity for the players and us to build new worlds with new features, new balance, and completely different gaming experiences. Something new every day.
Many browser games with strong PvP factors have a strong, dynamic early period when everything is still in flux and land is still to be distributed, then it solidifies into fixed alliances: some are strong and others are weak. Did you want to avoid that?
We are back to the fixed runtime of the servers. Our entire game consists of this early period. Before the social structure has a chance to solidify too much, the game ends with a bang and we start anew. And here again, every player and every clan has the same chance to be successful in this new world.
Cooperation as the key to success, but also not a bed of roses
What is behind the idea of “limited grinds”, of the EXP cap per day?
Relatively simple: We do not want our players to have to grind for 12 hours every day to be competitive – or resort to macros and bots. Because unfortunately, that is exactly what happens when unlimited grinding is possible. We want our players to focus instead on the fun aspect of PvP (in all shapes, sizes, and colors) – even if they only have a few hours a week.
What I find interesting: You offer in your game the options to cooperate or wage war against each other, but in the end, there is always a “final battle” against outside enemies, right? Is there a bit of a moral in there?
Hehe. Yes, a bit of my conviction is already in there that one is only really strong in a group and must tackle really big problems together. This can be an economic crisis, climate change, or even breaking out of a fantasy prison. However, that does not mean that there must always be only a bed of roses and all players are in a big alliance. Because if we are honest: Not everyone has to get along with everyone, and in a game like ours, the competition makes a lot of fun.
I read that the game already has fans from Poland and Russia. And you were first discussed on massively and not so much in Germany. Is the German market important for you, does it have a special priority or is everything actually blending together today?
We really don’t care where our players are located. Sure, it’s easier to communicate with other Germans – there’s no language barrier. But in the end, we will distribute our servers worldwide and set them up where our players are. Because in a fast-paced PvP game, they also need a decent ping.
Alpha test starts in July
How does it continue for you? Where can we follow you, how can we support you?
We are currently preparing for the first alpha test in July. Anyone who wants to participate should register quickly. Until then, we will post important information on our blog (http://das-tal-game.com/tagged/blog) and discuss some design decisions with our community in the forum (http://forum.das-tal-game.com/). We are also available on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
Are you perhaps thinking long-term with something like this in mind: “This is now a project where we show what we can do – and maybe a studio sees it and thinks: The guys would be worth something for us?” Does one dream of what one could achieve with a bigger budget?
I dream of the budget, but not of a foreign studio. Because even if they have made great games: With big studios come rigid structures, motivational problems, and bad design decisions. We will build our own small studio based on our game and try to avoid the mistakes of the existing system. Economic sustainability, creative freedom, enjoyment of work. Although of course, we must first prove that we can do it better – that’s clear. =D
Imagine you have 30 seconds to convince as many MMO fans as possible of your game “Das Tal”. What do you say to them, what do you use to win them over?
Imagine you no longer have to grind. Imagine you can log into the game and have fun with PvP right away. Build a settlement. Conquer an area. No matter how much time you invest. Whether with 5 or 50 people. Imagine you can determine the rules for how your game world operates. Imagine that you can always try something new. That is “Das Tal”. And here you can sign up for it.
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This month the first expansion for Blizzard’s free online card game Hearthstone is coming. We have gathered information from the internet about what to expect in the Necropolis of Naxxramas.
Wings will be unlocked gradually
Naxxramas consists of different parts, five wings, if you will. The first wing, the Arachnid Quarter, will be open to all players and will be the only wing available in the first week. A new wing will be opened each week after the release. Access to these additional wings must be purchased by the players, either with gold or euros.
The game modes: Normal, Challenge, and Heroic
In these five wings, there are a total of 15 bosses, AI-controlled opponents, similar to the practice mode or tutorial. These bosses will be modeled after their counterparts from the World of Warcraft raid. Players who defeat one of these bosses will receive cards, including Legendaries. These boss fights in Naxxramas are referred to as the “Adventure Mode”.
Initially, there is only the option to defeat the bosses on “normal” mode. Those who succeed will gain access to the “Challenger” mode. Here, opponents must be defeated with a specific class. Then class-specific cards await as rewards: Raexxar, who leads all Hunter decks, must face Loatheb. If he defeats the ancient mushroom infection, he will receive the recently teased class card Webspinner, a 1/1 spider that summons a beast card upon death.
It is assumed that the Heroic mode will be unlocked when the Challenge mode is completed. In Heroic mode, opponents are expected to become significantly stronger, but will also grant more EXP and perhaps better rewards.
What is known about the bosses?
The 15 bosses of the Hearthstone expansion correspond to the final bosses from Naxxramas. Their card counterparts also replicate their abilities.
The Arachnid Quarter
Deathlord Anub’Rekhan – a formerly powerful Nerubian lord guarding the gates of the Arachnid Quarter and likely the first opponent adventurers will encounter in Hearthstone.
The Grand Widow Faerlina – a master of poisons, responsible for breeding the undead spider hordes.
Maexxna – a massive spider from the depths of Northrend, producing one spider after another.
The Plague Quarter
Noth the Plaguebringer – once a mage in Dalaran, now a necromancer in the service of Kel’Thuzad. Every time a minion dies, Noth summons a 1/1 skeleton. So a minion rush is imminent.
Heigan the Unclean – responsible for the plague, which gave the Western and Eastern Plaguelands their names.
Loatheb – a mutated fungus creature so corrupted that healing abilities directed at it instead affect the caster.
The Military Quarter
Instructor Razavious – the ruthless trainer of death knights. Is said to be so powerful that only his own students can withstand one of his strikes.
Gothik the Harvester – a masterful necromancer in charge of training young necromancers.
The Four Horsemen – the king’s guard of Kel’Thuzad consists of particularly powerful and outstanding death knights. Baron Rivendare will likely represent them in Hearthstone and will be accompanied by three skeletal rider minions.
The Construct Quarter
Patchwork – a pile of flesh made from corpses with a playful spirit. Patchwork is likely to receive a hook weapon with 5 damage and 7 durability in Hearthstone, hitting blindly on the opponent until one falls. A real DPS check indeed.
Grobbulus – a flesh giant that carries a plague injector instead of an arm. Created to spread the plague.
Gluth – an undead and extremely biting plague dog. Characterized by an insatiable hunger and a taste for dead flesh.
Thaddius – a soul-sucking construct of power, fed by constantly flickering bolts of lightning. Completing the Construct Quarter will reward the two minions of Thaddius, Feugen (4/7 at 5 mana) and Stalagg (7/4 at 5 mana) as playable cards. If both die in a match, Thaddius will be summoned, likely even stronger.
The Frost Wyrm Lair
Sapphiron – once part of Malygos’ blue dragonflight, was slain by Arthas and resurrected. Now combines the arcane powers of a blue dragon with a truly chilling breath.
Kel’Thuzad – the first servant of the Lich King, arch-villain, super-brain, cat lover, and the operator of the coldest hour hotel in all of Northrend. Defeating Kel’Thuzad will reward a legendary card, Kel’Thuzad himself. It costs 8 mana, has stats of 6/8, and resurrects deceased creatures at the end of each turn.
The bold information comes from cinemablend, which has interpreted the leaked screenshots. It is possible that this may change before release.
Card backs, how long does the season last and what comes next?
It is already known that the new card back with green and purple colors will depict a Naxxramas theme. It can be earned until the end of the month. To achieve that, rank 20 must be obtained. Season 5 begins on August 1.
The Naxxramas expansion could just be the first of many excursions by Blizzard into the Adventure Mode. With Naxxramas, they have now laid the foundation and completed the work so that future expansions can arrive much faster.
At the moment, it is not clear when exactly Naxxramas will arrive (only “in July” is known) or how much it will cost to unlock a wing.
What do you think when reading the boss descriptions? Do you have any ideas? Can Gluth heal himself by consuming his own zombies? Will Sapphiron clear the board with his class ability? And which deck do you want to use against the monstrosity Patchwork?
Here you can view the class cards in a gallery (the Hunter card is already shown above):
The Martial Arts MMO Swordsman (also known as Swordsman Online), which was announced at E3 2010, has made it to open beta. We introduce you to the game.
If you are like us, then after a day in MMOs, you can’t sleep, lying in bed at night and zapping around until you land on channel 28 with an Eastern from Shaw Film Studios or as it was said before: “with a Kung-Fu movie.” Tele 5 has been repeating them constantly lately. If you play your cards right, instead of watching TV, you could walk the path of the warrior yourself.
Swordsman is based on a novel that was published in a daily newspaper in the 60s and then made headlines with its film adaptations. The novel is about a manuscript that teaches an ancient and secret fighting technique. The legendary Shaw Brothers (known for epic Kung-Fu fight scenes and crazy weapons) made a film adaptation in 1978. Later, there was a sequel with Jet Li and seven different TV series. Anyway.
The 10 Classes at a Glance
In Swordsman, instead of choosing a class, you can decide from the start on one of ten schools. (Please note that we are only presenting very rough guidelines, without taking any responsibility).
Those trained in Shaolin will be adept with the staff and will deal out some serious blows – Shaolin students are considered “tanky”.
The Sun and Moon School focuses on mid-range DPS and equips its disciples with chain blades, similar to those known from the reaper in Tera.
A member of the Wu-Tang Clan (I know what you’re thinking) is a mid-range tank, primarily focusing on AOE effects. He is a friend of the two-handed sword.
The Five Venoms train finesse fighters who specialize in AOE crowd control and are feared enemies. Their favorite strategy involves a nasty stunlock. Weapons of choice: poisons and whips.
The Zephyr School sends out all-rounders with relatively easy-to-use skill combos. This can be useful, as the combat system revolves around dynamic action. They are masters of fan combat.
The Tong prefers firearms, fire in general, and fire-affine disciples. Here, the focus is on “fire” power and on harassing the opponent from afar.
In the Infinity house, one fights with the infamous dual sword technique and emphasizes a fluid and harmonious fighting style, chaining combinations together. Players choosing this path can expect a high skill ceiling (translated: those who get it right will soar like a cat).
The Harmony house is focused on assassins. Many players consider their students to be the best class currently available. But as everyone knows, this can change quickly. They act as glass cannons with long and short swords.
In the Splendor house, the nerf bat seems to have circulated, previously their students were considered hard-to-play killers with high burst damage.
And from the Emei house comes a healer class that everyone would love to have by their side.
Dynamic with Lots of Action and “Flash”
The MMO Swordsman relies on a classical Asia Martial Arts story, which has a certain pathos, fully focusing on skill-based and action-packed gameplay with an emphasis on graphics and PvP. Starting at level 30, you enter the wonderful world of player killing, guild and alliance battles. Especially much emphasis is placed on movement. As seen in the gameplay trailer, you can move through the air in unfamiliar ways – just like in the movies. Between quests, Swordsman Online is considered a fairly simple MMO, focusing on auto-path quests and a “flashy” appearance, often referring to the somewhat exaggerated Asian stunts.
In Germany, the game is distributed by Perfect World, who also already have Neverwinter and Star Trek Online in their repertoire. At the moment, the game is, admittedly, still relatively obscure in the European market, but the trailers look quite promising.
We have prepared a trailer for you and a link to register for the open beta. In the sources, there is a forum post that introduces the different classes in more detail.
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Arrows seem to captivate SOE chief developer John Smedley and the team behind the zombie survival MMO H1Z1. Now it looks like the game is finally becoming the dream of all Hawkeye and Arrow fans: incendiary and explosive arrows are said to be on the way.
While Robin Hood had to make do with boring regular arrows and could only light the arrow at most, superheroes Hawkeye and Arrow, the modern version of the Green Arrow, have moved on. There are explosive arrows being fired, bugs and grappling hooks used instead of arrowheads, even the occasional EMP arrow is included. H1Z1 may not reach that far, but the arrow obsession is hard to miss.
As Smedley nonchalantly announced in a tweet, it is indeed desired that players hunt deer or zombies with incendiary arrows. “Just torch it, deer don’t stand a chance in our game!” Smedley tweeted happily. As reported by the online site gameranx.com, explosive arrows are also part of the plan – and thus, it almost reaches bow-tastic dimensions.
If that is too much bow and arrow romance, players can look forward to a rich selection of melee and ranged weapons. However, firearms of military quality will be rare. It might be even harder to craft an M24 or a shotgun. It’s certainly easier to carve a bow and a few arrows.
Those who haven’t seen the E3 gameplay demo yet can catch up here. The video gives a good insight into the upcoming zombie MMO H1Z1:
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In the science fiction MMO WildStar, a month after launch, the first hints about player distribution begin to surface. The Spellslinger is emerging as the most popular class. Additionally, the developers provide a glimpse into the near and distant future regarding dungeons, loot boxes, and the next patch.
More Exiles than Dominion, but Dominion is a bit stronger in PvP
In a video podcast, Community Manager Tony Rey and Mike Donatelli, the Product Director of WildStar, were in good spirits as they answered numerous questions from fans. Between the lines, some valuable information could be gleaned. The agile and nimble Spellslinger seems to be the most frequently played class, which was already indicated in the beta. According to the developers, it’s not a huge lead, but a respectable one. About 7% to 8% more players are opting for it compared to the average. The Spellslinger is a ranged DPS; our YouTuber Darion has provided an extensive guide for it. However, whether it is also the best and strongest class remains open for discussion.
Surprising figures also emerged regarding the population distribution between the two warring factions. More players seem to play the Exiles, a band of fortune seekers and underdogs. However, Dominion appears to be slightly ahead in PvP. It was joked that Tony Rey’s disastrous PvP play could be the reason for the struggles of the Exiles.
Security will soon pay off even more, loot boxes will soon be of rarity
The 2-Factor Authenticator was another important topic in the podcast. Donatelli urged players to enable this additional security. Most bots are hacked accounts. Therefore, Carbine has a vested interest in having as many players as possible set up this 2-Factor Authentication. Currently, there are already 2% bonuses on experience, renown, and prestige; a costume and a title as rewards for security-conscious players. In the future, securing accounts should become even more rewarding.
The loot boxes that were available again on the PTR are reportedly even more valuable than players might suspect. There probably won’t be this form of loot boxes forever. In the future, a new version of the loot boxes may come into play, containing rewards that might not be as valuable and rare. Then, the mounts, costumes, and decorative items found in the loot boxes would become true rarities and collectibles.
A light dungeon for practice is coming, along with the next content patch
A “low-level, teaching dungeon” will be coming soon. In the next 2 patches, meaning within the next 2 months, it will not arrive yet. However, it is planned thereafter.
Carbine and WildStar have been criticized in recent weeks for the steep increase in difficulty. Especially the transition from solo questing to the first 5-man instance feels like throwing players into cold water. Apparently, they want to ease this with this training dungeon.
Rey and Donatelli were somewhat evasive, very much against their nature, about the next content patch, Drop #2. The patch will primarily focus on PvP, making many adjustments to balance and introducing more PvP content.
According to data miners, the PvP content is said to include a 15vs15 battleground called Daggerstone Pass.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
