In the SF-MMO WildStar, there are issues with the translation in the new zones. However, Carbine didn’t wait for players to find out and get frustrated; instead, they spoke up in advance. The president of Carbine makes it clear: “We messed it up.”
On Tuesday, a surprisingly open message came in to us in the editorial office and surely to x other places: The translation for the Content Patch “Transmutation” unfortunately wasn’t finished in time, players of the German version will repeatedly read untranslated gibberish or encounter other errors in the area.
Now, the Executive Producer of Carbine, Jeremy Gaffney, (where “Executive Producer” should also be localized) has spoken out and explained the reasons for the problem. Certain work steps were assigned low priority, but they needed a higher priority to go through the necessary departments in time so that the translation would still work. We’re talking about “strings”, “processes”, and “tools”.
Or as Gaffney says: “In short: We messed it up. And we really would have liked to avoid that with our first major content update. Our goal is to regularly publish new content on a large scale and to ensure that all languages are fully supported at the time of release.”
They mentioned that they still had work steps from the beta that were sensible back then but are no longer relevant today. Gaffney promises to deliver the translation as soon as possible and to ensure that it will be better next time. They are trying out some things here that no one has ever attempted before, for example, regularly delivering huge content patches. That is certainly difficult. As true professionals, one must tackle such tasks.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Good news for all hunters in World of Warcraft: With the upcoming expansion Warlords of Draenor, pets will finally learn the meaning of the words “Play dead.”
The play dead skill for hunters is a completely logical and useful skill in PvE that frees the hunter from all aggro should they be in danger of overnuking. It is also often used to save repair costs. Particularly popular: When there is actually no wipe, but the hunter still decides to bail.
In the arena or in PvP, the play dead skill has always suffered from the fact that the pet stood by alive while the hunter crouched on the ground in death agony. Typically, the pet dies with its master or mistress and despawns. So the trick with “playing dead” in the arena only worked if you let the pet die beforehand or didn’t bring it at all. With Warlords of Draenor, that will come to an end: The pet will finally play dead together with the hunter and mark the dying swan, the dying cat, or the dying boar. But only if the hunter glyphs the corresponding trait.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
At a Finnish Hearthstone tournament, women are not allowed, and there is a good reason for this: If women and men play together, Hearthstone cannot become an eSport.
If Hearthstone wants to be an eSport and if eSport wants to be a real sport, then girls must stay out of Hearthstone tournaments in the future; this is the result of a correspondence that took place between a journalist from a gaming magazine and several eSport associations from different countries.
It is an absurd situation that the English magazine PCGamer has uncovered. A Finnish Hearthstone tournament has excluded all non-Finns and all women and girls from participating in their tournament. This caused confusion, scratching of heads, and general horror on Reddit: “How backward.”
But the Finns are looking to Korea. Anyone who wants to succeed at a national Hearthstone tournament, rise through the ranks, and ultimately compete in South Korea, the mecca of eSports, must be a man. Otherwise, they will not be allowed. Sounds crazy, right? But there is logic behind it.
Because eSport is striving to be recognized as a “real” sport. That’s why it clearly separates between men and women – even in Hearthstone. In response to inquiries from PCGamer, they said: “In chess, men and women also play separately.”
The bitter part about it is: Although Hearthstone is on the rise concerning eSports, it is not so popular yet that it would be worth organizing a separate women’s tournament. There is only one for Starcraft 2 and Tekken Tag Tournament – classic girl games, while Hearthstone, as a hardcore men’s and macho sport, simply isn’t the right activity for a decent lady.
Update 10:00 AM: After Blizzard has now also commented disapprovingly and almost every gaming magazine from Seoul to Anchorage reports on it, the Finnish organizers are backing down and allowing women to participate as well. Whew, that was close – a victory for emancipation where it really counts.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In ArenaNet’s Buy-to-Play MMO Guild Wars 2, there is a lot to do this week with new zones, new stories, and new enemies. We took ArenaNet’s invitation and traversed the new zone together with the developers.
Falling Cats
Admittedly, my level 80 warrior is not exactly up to date technologically. And as I make my way along with a handful of journalists from European gaming magazines and the game’s Lead Content Designer, Mike ‘Z’ Zadorojny, I feel a bit nervous. I tend to inexplicably fall off things all the time. And in the new zone, Dry Top, there are plenty of opportunities for that!
But I shall only fall twice that afternoon: once, when Mike takes us to a secluded spot to pick up one of the 30 coins that lead to an incredibly important achievement – hopefully nobody notices when I fall, getting up with a blade of grass in my mouth while whistling. And then I fall a second time, this time on the master’s instructions. I walked up a hill instead of down and am now separated from the group. Mike recommends I take the “Gravity” route, and my cat proves that two sayings are nonsense: I neither land on my feet nor do I have nine lives.
The Zone Gives Fans “More” of Everything
The new content in ArenaNet’s flagship MMO “Guild Wars 2” is likely what fans have long wished for: a new zone with clever events and refined gameplay mechanics. Additionally, the continuation of the season, which first continues the story of the last event to then illuminate the background of Scarlett Briar, the villainess from Season 1.
But there is not just something new, but above all “More”. More nodes, adventures, events, reputation vendors, and crafting mats. The new Living Story indeed has many of the things one would have wished from an expansion. The events have new twists and sometimes require a different tactic than “brute force”. When the horde of journalists ignores the target marked by the boss to burst another, the developer wisely states: “If Bruteforce fails, use more Bruteforce.” Translated approximately: Where raw forces reign senselessly, one simply does not hit hard enough.
Dry Top resembles a desert town in a rugged canyon. The crashed airship forms the fitting background. The fights are varied (even if I don’t exactly perform heroically), but mostly focus on mass pulls. Since we are rampaging through the instances of the Living Story with a five-member group (which then functions like a personal story) and we already have a whole troop of NPCs trailing behind us, the game feels full and alive. In the open world, the mega-server ensures that one does not feel lonely. And on the way from A to B, one happily takes part in Event C where a group is battling a nasty champion scorpion – this makes the gameplay dynamic, lively, and busy.
Continuation of Jump Puzzles with a Twist
The entire zone, as the developer later reveals, is built in a “modular” way. For players who long for higher challenges, there are achievements to earn that are fairly tricky and require ingenuity.
In the zone, three different types of crystals are hidden, which give the player a special ability for a short time: with one, a short dash is possible, with another one jumps better and reaches higher terrain, and the third ability allows one to jump around as if having a pogo stick under one’s feet. This allows overcoming certain chasms. During the normal progress of the story quest, these abilities are easy to use and present no problem. However, those after exotic achievements – such as the 30 coins – will need to thoroughly explore and learn the zone to optimally utilize each of the three abilities: a continuation of the popular jump puzzles from the release.
The Good and the Not So Good About the New Zone
Overall, the zone feels as if Guild Wars 2 is recalling the strengths that fascinated and convinced so many players back at release. The world is accessible. There is always something happening. There is always something to do. There is an event by the roadside, here one needs to figure out how to survive for a few seconds in quicksand to gain a few AV points. The combat system with the two weapons looks quite simple at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it proves to be demanding.
As much as the new zones emphasize the old strengths, the problems of the game remain, at least in my eyes. What I still don’t like and where I had problems again this time: gear progression rarely occurs through one-time drops but is rather a result of persistent collecting passion. At the end of the excursion, I have my bags full of items I can break down, and currencies I need to collect and “turn in somewhere,” but I haven’t swapped a single piece of gear for a better one.
Nevertheless, the beginning of the second season seems to me to be an ideal entry point for players who want to take another look at Tyria after a long time to see what has changed: a whole lot.
This is What the Further Schedule for the Gates of Maguuma Looks Like
And it will remain so for the next few weeks. To conclude, we quickly received a schedule. Every two weeks, new episodes of the Living Story will be released. Episodes 2 and 3 await players on July 15 and 29. Then, on August 12, the 4th episode will come – after that, there will be a short summer break. Later, the story will continue with further installments of the epic saga. During the two weeks when the episodes are active, players who are currently taking a break from Guild Wars 2 should also briefly log in: if you log in, the episode remains unlocked for all characters and for all future instances. If you do not do this, you will have the opportunity to experience it later for a few crystals.
Oops, unfortunately this affiliate widget is no longer available.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The zombie MMO H1Z1 will, according to SOE CEO John Smedley, start with a variety of different server types. 50 servers have already been set up. They will operate with a variety of different rule systems.
A few weeks ago, SOE released a list with initial ideas for various server types. On a hardcore survival server, it will be extremely realistic. Players will have to constantly fight against exhaustion, hunger, and thirst – and if someone stubs their toe, they will need to take care of it or live with the consequences.
Individual servers for individual players and needs
Other ideas for server types included one without firearms, where the one-eyed archer among the blind brawlers is king. Additionally: typical PvP paranoia variants, where the worst enemy is not the zombie next door, but another player who can take away all the hard-earned survival gear.
One of the fan favorites, also received with interest and goodwill by the Mein-MMO community: a “Roleplay” server where zombies react to the “real” sounds of the players. If they talk over voice chat or even sneeze, the zombie horde could already be on the way.
At launch, there will likely be no “Private Servers”, but an initiative is being worked on to enable such servers. However, they definitely do not want to allow hacks; the enjoyment of the player should come first.
Getting closer to launch
As SOE CEO John Smedley explained on Twitter, they have already set up 50 servers with a whole range of different rule systems, meaning different server types. From day one, players should have a free choice to play what they want to play.
And Smedley manages to convey a bit of hope in the 140 characters of a tweet alongside information. “Getting closer” he means they are getting closer to Early Access. Additionally, a new video about level design in H1Z1 has been released. See for yourself.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
The free-to-play arcade MMO DC Universe Online (DCUO) has announced its 11th expansion. With the Halls of Power, five new group instances will come. Players will need to collect six new skill points. With the League Halls, a form of guild housing will be introduced in DCUO.
The superhero and supervillain MMO DC Universe Online, DCUO, has been confirmed by SOE chief Smedley to be the most profitable MMO in the SOE stable, largely due to the revenues from PlayStation 3 and 4. With “Halls of Power Part 1,” the eleventh add-on is on the way.
League Halls long planned, now finally ready
And it has been a difficult birth. In a letter from the producer, Jens Andersen explains the background. They had been discussing the “League Halls” since 2012. At that time, they didn’t even know exactly how to approach it, but one thing was already certain: they would give the leagues (the guilds of DCUO) a hall that they could design, and they would have to defend it against enemies. It was also known that the power of the league should be reflected in the splendor of the hall.
However, the endeavor turned out to be much bigger than anticipated. So much bigger that it would take two years for the concept to finally come to fruition. The league hall will also be available to players who do not purchase the DLC. The feature will be unlocked for everyone shortly before the patch for free.
Darkseid sends his minions
In addition to the major feature, there will also be new costumes, new heroes (some of the New Guardians), and a lot of action. A 4-player operation, an 8-player operation, a 4-player alert, and two 8-player raids are on the agenda.
In terms of story, the saga of Darkseid continues. Heroes must stop his minions from collecting artifacts from the Third Age, the Age of the Gods. Supervillains might find a place in Darkseid’s new world order.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Today, the developers of the Free2Play title “Star Wars: The Old Republic” have given us a deeper insight into the upcoming update “Galactic Strongholds” and demonstrated how the future home can be set up starting from August 19, 2014, with some graphics.
First of all, the hard facts: A stronghold can be acquired once the character reaches level 15 and has their own spaceship, or has completed the storyline on their home planet (Dromund Kaas/Coruscant). However, the prices of the strongholds will be in the millions, which is probably not an option for low-level characters – alternatively, the buildings can also be purchased with real money currency.
Once acquired, all characters of your legacy can access the stronghold, decorate it, and expand it – and this will be desperately needed. Because even though it is your stronghold, you initially do not have access to all rooms. Depending on the design, a stronghold has 8-12 areas, all of which must be unlocked with cash if you want to use them.
Decorating, on the other hand, looks relatively solid in the pictures. Although numerous decorations cannot be moved freely, they can only be aligned to certain “anchors” (similar to pedestal spots) in the respective rooms. Large objects can only be placed on a large anchor, but several small ones can replace a large one, for example. Within the constraints of the anchor, decorations can then be tilted and rotated freely – this is not complete freedom, but certainly much better than feared.
You can grant both temporary and permanent access to other players and even give them the rights to make independent decoration changes.
Last but not least, with the strongholds, the legacy vault is introduced – an account bank that all your characters have access to. Thus, “bank alts” in Star Wars: The Old Republic will likely belong to the past. However, only players with a stronghold have access to this bank – a small extra for the high prices.
The blacksmith Tony Swatton has responded to the requests of numerous fans and recreated the cult weapon from World of Warcraft, the sword Frostmourne.
Frostmourne (or Frostgram) is certainly one of the most famous fictional weapons of all time (perhaps alongside Excalibur, Mjölnir, lightsabers, the silver bullet, and Captain America’s shield – okay, that sounded really nerdy). But can such a construction exist and endure in the real world? Sure, why not!
The blacksmith Tony Swatton regularly recreates the most famous weapons together with a whole team based on fans’ wishes. This time it was Frostmourne. Fans of World of Warcraft have been wishing for this for a long time. You can admire the spectacle in the Youtube video below this text. And yes… of course, he tests the weapon at the end. But does a voice in the sword command him to resurrect an undead dragon? Hmm! Only the bearer can hear that. So if this should be Swatton’s last video, we know what has happened to him. Perhaps he will soon be sitting on a rather cold throne…
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content from YouTube that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
In the Fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, FPS drops and lags have been causing headaches and bad moods for a week. Zenimax has found the culprit and is addressing it with a hotfix.
Since the “Crypt of Hearts” patch, technicians and players have been scratching their heads about what suddenly went wrong with The Elder Scrolls Online. Everything was running smoothly before, and then suddenly nothing worked anymore. As always, players searched for patterns and discussed it on all channels: One swore that it was only horrible in Cyrodiil, the PvP zone, while another noticed frame rate drops in the Crypt of Hearts as well. One said it lagged for him when playing the Templar, while another had no issues at all. Many suspected a change in a healing spell. It was a mystery.
Now a staff member from Zenimax spoke up in the official forum and said the relieving words: “Hey there everyone. We’re aware that the FPS issue did not get fixed after yesterday’s patch and, in some cases, actually made it worse. Our team has identified what’s causing this, and we are working on a hotfix now. We hope to roll this out for everyone soon, and will let you all know as soon as we do.”
They regret that the problem could not be resolved with the last patch – in some instances, it even worsened. However, they have now identified the issue and want to fix it as quickly as possible with a hotfix.
Under the thread, the howling of werewolves was heard, whose vulnerability to silver did not prompt a hotfix. In the past, players have often been reassured until the next maintenance to address issues that, in the eyes of some – usually those affected – also deserved an immediate hotfix.
Update 11 AM: The hotfix has now been deployed for The Elder Scrolls Online. It requires a 50 MB download. As the German community manager Kai Schober informs, the hotfix should improve performance in many cases, but unfortunately does not offer a complete fix. In the meantime, work is continuing on a solution. Anyone currently in The Elder Scrolls Online will need to log out briefly to download the hotfix.
Update March 7, 1 AM: The hotfix seems to have not delivered as much as originally hoped. They are aiming for a patch date early next week to resolve the issues. If Zenimax sees a way to mitigate the frame rate drops beforehand, another hotfix will be deployed.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The fantasy MMO Guild Wars 2 is taking storytelling to new heights. The story of the world of Tyria is told in episodes and seasons, much like new US series that rely on a cohesive narrative across months and years. Now, Guild Wars 2 is venturing into new storytelling territory.
As reported by mmorpg.com, the folks at ArenaNet have consulted with storytellers and artists from other media to get tips on how to design a longer narrative arc, how to create more vivid characters, and how to make the second season, the second book, of a storytelling cycle much more exciting than the first.
Guild Wars 2 as a pioneer in modern storytelling
This is exactly what ArenaNet is planning with the second season of the living story in their buy-to-play MMO Guild Wars 2. It will introduce players to the villain of last year, Scarlett O’Hare. Only with this new information will they understand what was going on in the pretty head of this apparently insane woman. O’Hare is, by the way, definitely dead. Such tricks as having a villain who just can’t be killed belong more in the realm of comics than in modern storytelling, which is what shows like Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones (even though…) or Sons of Anarchy shine for.
“The further you progress in the second season, the more players should wish to play the first season again,” is a quote from designer Chris Whiteside during a conversation with massively. Therefore, it’s not surprising that ArenaNet is already seriously considering making the first season of the Living World replayable in the future. Just as it will be done with the episodes of the second season and as players know from their DVD shelves. After all, many rewatch all episodes of the series in one go when a new season starts. Binge-watching is what they call it.
Video recorder function aims to make new storytelling relatable
Guild Wars 2 also wants to continue focusing on other narrative details and pay more attention to specifics. The background, the scenario, the new world that the heroes embark on will be familiar to franchise veterans. The journey leads to Drytop, a crucial area that played a significant role in the first Guild Wars. But that was 250 years ago, as the designers assure, since then, quite a lot has changed. And the characters you meet on your travels? They won’t be faceless beings who only differ by the color of their armor, but should be real characters that gain contours and peculiarities throughout their story.
That ArenaNet is serious about this new direction can be seen in small details. They sent their in-house composer to collaborate with the Brandenburg State Orchestra to record the soundtrack for the new living story. After all, a modern presentation of a story requires an appropriate sound. Also, motifs and melodies can create connections between different points in a story. And this connection will become more important as the story becomes longer and more complex.
The second season of the living world has been playable since yesterday.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
For those whose guild house in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is too busy, they will be able to retreat to their private chambers with Patch 2.3.
On the homepage of Final Fantasy XIV, a preview of the private chambers that are to be added to the game with the Patch 2.3. was released. It brings along other stuff, some frightening (lightning-slinging bosses), some practical (material gathering), and now a wonderfully plush one.
However, the developers at Square Enix have put a lot of work and cost into the relaxing and chilling in your own armchair! It costs 300,000 Gil to set up one of up to 512 private chambers (per Free Company). Up to 50 furniture and decorative items can fit in the room, giving everyone enough choices to personalize their living space here. Always remember: The most important thing about real estate is location, location, and location.
And what guild leaders of the “Free Companies” will surely be pleased to hear: If a subtenant considers leaving and wants to exit the company, they must first cancel their room in the shared apartment. And no refund of the 300,000 Gil is planned. This is how players are also bound to a guild.
The update 2.3 is set to be released on July 8.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
In Blizzard’s free online card game with collecting and addictive factor Hearthstone, the next season has begun. The July rankings are all about Naxxramas – as a reward for reaching rank 20, players get a card back in the colors of the necropolis: purple and green.
A few days ago, some early screens appeared on reddit about the Naxxramas expansion, including the duo Feugen and Stalagg, two cards that, when both are defeated, summon Thaddius. Naxxramas will indeed rely on cards with Deathrattle, as is known from the class cards presented so far. However, when the expansion will be released remains uncertain. It is supposed to come out in July, but that is still a long time away.
We wish you a good hand in the fourth season of Hearthstone: Big draws and good luck when opening the packs.
After Trion Worlds reached an agreement with the Korean developers of ArcheAge to launch in the West with the “Sandbox” patch 1.2., the development of the EU version of the MMO is picking up speed. An additional server for the Alpha is planned, and beta events are expected to start in mid or late July.
Sandbox Patch and a New Server in North America
It was barely two weeks ago that representatives from Trion Worlds returned from Korea with good news. They had reached an agreement with XLGAMES to bring the so-called “Sandbox” patch 1.2. for the beta launch. This patch made several corrections to the game design, which had taken a wrong turn with 1.0 in the Korean ArcheAge.
This decision caused cheers among “Sandbox” fans but also raised concerns: Trion Worlds stated that they still have much more to translate. There was talk of a delay in the beta. However, it will already start in mid and late July.
To handle the influx, a new server will also be opened. It will be called Omega and will be located in North America. Preparations for the beta are already underway at the server location in Amsterdam.
The Plan: First Closed Beta, then Open, then Headstart, then Launch
The closed beta will launch with the patch ArcheAge 1.2., Built 4.1. (this is how Trion Worlds refers to their version of the Korean patch 1.2 to avoid misunderstandings). This patch will not include the Trion-specific features that were recently introduced. Trion Worlds is dependent on quick feedback.
From mid to late July, they plan to start closed beta events. The events will last 3 to 5 days. As is common with MMOs lately, invitations will be given out through giveaways on gaming sites, or lucky players will be drawn. Purchasing a founder’s pack will also secure access.
After the closed beta events, there will be an open beta phase that everyone can access. After that, all characters will be deleted, and the wait for the headstart and launch will begin.
My MMO thinks: With this path to release, Trion Worlds is now following the same route taken by The Elder Scrolls Online and WildStar. Fans will need to seize the right time window to secure a beta key as early as possible—unless they plan to purchase a founder’s pack.
Our colleagues at mmorpg.com have published a worth reading article about the sandbox nature of ArcheAge. The author posits that it was important for Trion Worlds to launch with patch 1.2 in Europe and that they were willing to wait a bit longer for it. The 1.0 patch had led the game down some wrong paths. If ArcheAge had gone live in Europe and North America with that, it would have had catastrophic impacts and certainly alienated many fans.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
One of the most exciting duels on the MMO market has been taking place for several months between the two war simulations War Thunder and World of Tanks. The balance of power is clearly defined: Here with World of Tanks the Goliath, over there with War Thunder the small and agile David.
It is rare for two competing games to occupy the same niche so clearly and find such different starting positions. The developer of War Thunder finds itself in the role of the underdog. Because actually, the “small” flight simulator game War Thunder was already due for an update years ago, as the giant World of Tanks launched an air spin-off with World of Warplanes. Yet several years later, War Thunder is still around and is launching its own ground offensive with Ground Forces against the Wargaming giant.
In the meantime, War Thunder achieved remarkable values thanks to this announcement. According to Ratpr numbers, a program that measures gamers’ playtime, War Thunder climbed to a remarkable 15th place in May, ahead of Star Wars: The Old Republic and just behind Guild Wars 2. Admittedly, the giant World of Tanks was still a good distance ahead. But World of Tanks was indeed in shooting range.
However, when looking at global Google Trends, which show how often both games were searched in the last 90 days, the gap is much larger. While War Thunder made a small jump in mid-May with the announcement of Ground Forces, this quickly leveled off, and they fell far behind World of Tanks.
Both Games a Phenomenon of the Former Eastern Bloc
This data makes it clear that both games are a phenomenon of the former Eastern Bloc states. The interest in War Thunder is highest in the Czech Republic, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. World of Tanks is most frequently searched in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Moldova when adjusted for population numbers.
With the launch of a “mobile” invasion, the Goliath Wargaming has made its priorities clear for the near future. War Thunder, on the other hand, is going in a different direction with a stronger focus on core gaming and game depth.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The upcoming expansion Warlords of Draenor casts its shadow over World of Warcraft: Soon there will be only one auction house per server. Horde and Alliance will have access to the same pool of items, resources, and shenanigans.
End of Apartheid in Azeroth
The auction houses in World of Warcraft serve players as an anonymous marketplace for their goods; as a showcase during the evening stroll, showing what is available to buy; and as an indispensable self-service and second-hand exchange for twinks that could use a little more oomph. But until now, there has been a clear segregation, an apartheid, in Azeroth: the Alliance shops here, the Horde there. This is set to change: probably already in the pre-patch, there will be only one auction house per server.
Blizzard announced in a brief statement that this feature is coming. It is primarily intended to help underpopulated factions and ensure that they have access to items and crafting supplies.
Relief for Underpopulated Realms
Until now, it has been difficult to participate in trading on so-called “tilted” servers, where one faction dominated too strongly, or on “ghost” servers, which are overall sparsely populated. Crafting materials or resources that were deemed too “valuable” to discard piled up in the bank slots. On the other hand, it was not possible to equip oneself through the auction house, as many players prefer.
The previously “neutral” auction house, operated by a gang of goblins in remote outposts, has lost more and more significance in recent months and years. This change should make it completely unnecessary. It is quite possible that the change will already appear with the pre-patch, ahead of Warlords of Draenor.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Progress Guild Eugenic ranks well in WildStar worldwide in a good second place when it comes to first kills in the 20-man raid, the Gen Archives. In an interview, one of their key players praises the quality of the raid in WildStar.
In conversation with the English fan site wildstarreport.com, Bambooze, a warrior tank and raid leader, provides insights into the usual madness of a progress raid guild.
100 hours or more have been spent in raids, certainly another 100 the week before, to complete the attunement quest and gear the characters accordingly. The “roleplaying” and “background stuff” can be caught up on later.
Crit-sensitive tanks – not a good idea
Of course, standing in actually too weak gear in front of the bosses meant that this disadvantage had to be overcome through nearly optimal gameplay. Because while a well-equipped character can offset one or two mistakes, that looks very different with weak gear. You could really notice it with the tanks. They were not crit-immune… and when the RNG gods were not with them, they could drop quickly.
Of course, at that early stage, there was also no theorycrafting, so there were no resources to check how a character could be the strongest, deal the most damage, or heal best, which meant improvisation and piecing things together from what was needed.
Much praise for the design of the Gen Archives
For the Gen Archives, Bambooze is full of praise. They are really well-structured, with a variety of boss mechanics. Everything is very varied and well done.
The interviewer also wanted to know if the raids were as hardcore as advertised. “Yes, I would say so.” Mistakes from individuals could lead to wipes for the entire raid. A small group of good players could not carry a bunch of average ones. For those wanting to start raiding, Bambooze has a few tips. Anyone who completes the attunement quest should be quite well prepared for raiding later. Some of the most important set bonuses of the rune might be affordable, although that can quickly get expensive. Otherwise, it’s important to stock up on plenty of buff food and potions.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The zombie MMO with sandbox elements H1Z1 does not yet have a fixed date for Early Access, but it does have a forthcoming developer in Sony Online Entertainment. At E3, they presented nearly 12 minutes of fresh gameplay. Now the video is being made accessible for the first time to players who were not at E3.
Here I am human, here I may be
Senior Designer Jimmy Whisenhunt showcases some basic concepts of H1Z1 in the demo. He makes it clear what it means to fell a tree: Other players can hear it and then decide if the lumberjack is worth visiting. Maybe he has resources that one needs. “People can get pretty crazy in this sort of game,” Whisenhunt says. “But that’s part of the fun.”
But trees need to be cut down, as they provide wood and thus wooden planks. And these are the first step on the path from a penniless newcomer in the zombie apocalypse to a well-equipped top-class zombie and human killer.
In the demo, you can see how the vehicle system works, get an insight into the combat system of H1Z1, observe the weather effects in action, and see what can be crafted in the game. The lumberjack, who quickly creates a bow and a few arrows, can later build a distillation plant or craft a formidable shelter. And all of that with the “Snakes on a plane” effect that zombies have. Whenever it’s about to get boring: “Zombies!” Or other players… and they can, as we now know, get quite paranoid in this type of game. I wonder what that might be about? … “Zombies!”
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
In the fantasy online role-playing game Guild Wars 2, special attention is paid to a suitable soundtrack. The in-house composer Maclaine Diemer, along with the Brandenburg State Orchestra from Frankfurt (Oder), has now recorded the soundtrack for the second season of Living World.
In too many MMOs, music is given little importance, yet for many players, it is an important component. Perhaps not everyone is consciously aware of it all the time, but it contributes significantly to a fitting atmosphere. In fact, music from narrative media is hardly thinkable without it. Especially orchestral pieces with strong highs and lows and catchy motifs are in demand. It is no coincidence that Hollywood blockbusters often feature powerful orchestral soundtracks, the dominant motifs of which can be remembered even years later – such as the Imperial March from Star Wars or the iconic sounds from Jurassic Park, when the dinosaurs first appear.
MMOs are also a narrative medium. They thrive on their atmosphere and their ability to put the player (and thus the listener) in a state of ecstasy and amazement.
Music as a Narrative Form
The in-house composer of ArenaNet, Maclaine Diemer, seemed to be packed and ready a few weeks ago in a live stream about Guild Wars 2, where it was about the music of the game. He stated that he finally had the opportunity to record the music he composed for the second season of Living World with a live orchestra, which will soon be on display in Tyria. Now, the orchestra can be admired and especially heard on YouTube.
Diemer has stated that he paid special attention in the composition to capture the essence of the individual zones and episodes, and to tell his very own version of the Living Story with the motifs. Perhaps you can anticipate the twists the story will take from the few minutes that have now surfaced? What strings are played for you when you hear these tones?
The Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt
The Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt (BSOF), which you can admire in the video, is located in Frankfurt (Oder). It is an internationally recognized symphony orchestra and was founded over 170 years ago. And you can proudly say on YouTube and elsewhere that as true experts of orchestral music, you recognize the musicians there – because in the sneak peeks and almost everywhere else, they have only been referred to as a “mysterious German orchestra” – as if there were only one here.
Recommended editorial content
At this point you will find external content that complements the article.
I consent to external content being displayed to me. Personal data can be transmitted to third party platforms.
Read more about our privacy policy.
With patch 1.2.4., there are some bug fixes for The Elder Scrolls Online that the last patch brought. However, not all issues can be solved so easily, and the patch also brings a few new difficulties: Werewolves are now on the endangered species list.
The holes through which invaders crept into the starter zones of the enemies will belong to the past with today’s bug-fix patch. However, two other problems remain unresolved that were actually supposed to be fixed with 1.2.4. We know this from the US players who practically live in our future when it comes to TESO and always get to enjoy the patches a little earlier.
On one hand, a change to a healing spell is causing dramatic FPS drops for some players. Zenimax continues to investigate this. On the other hand, the poor werewolves have been heavily affected. Since the release of The Elder Scrolls Online, they have struggled: They are in the shadow of the vampires. And they were not even granted their moment of omnipotence. Now, there is a combination that turns werewolves into a pile of ash in PvP in no time.
Silver Bolts (a skill from the Fighters Guild line) actually has an exceedingly low chance of dealing massive damage to vampires (the “Silver Bullet to the Heart” effect). Now the patch ensured that damage not only occurs rarely (every 20th shot), but is guaranteed with every hit. The 1.2.4. patch was supposed to eliminate this problem, and it succeeded quite well with vampires. However, it now reliably hits the werewolves in The Elder Scrolls Online. As long as the “Van Helsing” wannabe has activated another ability from the line that makes Silver Bolts lethal for werewolves as well, they will always hit with a silver leaf shot.
Zenimax is currently making adjustments – it is expected that the upcoming patch 1.2.5. will make werewolves somewhat bulletproof again. This will take a week. Until then, they should only enter Cyrodiil in human form or at their own risk. You can find the complete patch notes for 1.2.4. here.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Players of World of Warcraft and similar games know this well. After some time, you may not be entirely satisfied with the decisions made during character creation. Although you can go to the barber with gold in your pockets, if a player wants to change their gender, play on a different server, or “reorient” themselves in some way, a real-money fee will be charged.
The developers are now reportedly considering further options to offer players specific customizations. It is said that while these innovations will not be implemented in the next or the following patch, there is definitely a plan to “offer players all possible character customizations.”
We are curious about what various customizations Carbine Studios will come up with for the players of WildStar. More important than the fact that these customizations will be introduced, however, is the price. In the case of World of Warcraft, this is often affordable and comparatively reasonable (which, of course, is always a matter of perspective). However, 20 euros for a server transfer or further customizations are also quite controversial, so we are eager to see what pricing policy Carbine Studios will adopt in the case of WildStar.
What customizations have you ever paid for in an MMORPG, and which services would you also pay for in WildStar?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
