Star Wars: The Old Republic – Introduction to Housing

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time 2 minutes

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 full article can be viewed on swtor.com here: Developer Update: Introduction to Galactic Strongholds. Additionally, there was a longer livestream today about accommodations. You can watch it again here:

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

World of Warcraft: Smith builds Frostmourne

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

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…

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The Elder Scrolls Online: FPS hotfix is here +Update+

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

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.
Source(s):
  1. forums.elderscrollsonline.com

How Guild Wars 2 learns to tell stories

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

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.

Guild Wars 2: Gates of Maguuma

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.

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This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. mmorpg.com
  2. massively.joystiq.com

Final Fantasy XIV: The next patch brings private chambers

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

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.

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Until tomorrow Thursday, you can still win a Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Collector’s Edition here.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. de.finalfantasyxiv.com: Macht’s euch in eurem eigenen Zimmer gemütlich!

Hearthstone: Card backs prove – Screens were real

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

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.

As correctly suspected the day before yesterday, the card back this month is no surprise, but was already seen in the leaked screens that thus proved to be “true”. The card back is available to every player who reaches rank 20, that is, up to Legend.

Hearthstone Leak

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.

Did you know? In every 17th pack, there is statistically a Legendary card. How often did you have something golden in yours?

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

ArcheAge: It Gets Serious – Beta Starts in a Few Weeks

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

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.

ArcheAge Crafting

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.

ArcheAge

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.
Source(s):
  1. archeagegame.com: Preparing ArcheAge for Version 1.2 on Alpha, Beta, and Beyond

Vorsprung von World of Tanks auf War Thunder bleibt groß

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

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.

Raptr's Most Played PC Games May 2014

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.
Source(s):
  1. biogamergirl.com

World of Warcraft: Two Factions – one Auction House

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

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

World of Warcraft

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.
Source(s):
  1. us.battle.net
  2. www.buffed.de

Elite PvE players in WildStar: The raids are capable of something

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

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.

WildStar Gen-Archive

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.
Source(s):
  1. wildstarreport.com: WildStar’s PvE Paragons: An Interview with Eugenic

Zombie-Minecraft H1Z1: Gameplay demo from E3

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

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!”

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Guild Wars 2: Brandenburg Orchestra plays music in

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

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

Maclaine Diemer Orchestra

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.

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Source(s):
  1. twitter.com/maclainediemer
  2. www.flickr.com

The Elder Scrolls Online: Werewolves on the list of targets

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

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.

We reported last week about the many good things that 1.2.3. brought: The improved lighting conditions are well received, and overall, the gameplay in The Elder Scrolls Online feels more polished now. However, along with the patch, some invaders and bugs snuck into Tamriel, which are now supposed to be removed with 1.2.4.

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.

Teso Vampire

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.
Source(s):
  1. forums.elderscrollsonline.com

WildStar – Soon even more character services

Maria Mehlhorn Maria Mehlhorn Reading time < 1 minutes

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.

Carbine Studios also intends to offer paid character customization options for WildStar more frequently in the future. It is already possible to change your home server for a fee, or to give your character a new name.

New Options in Planning

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.
Source(s):
  1. buffed.de

WildStar – Only 1 day until the big content patch

Cortyn Cortyn Reading time < 1 minutes

As announced, the developers of Carbine threw out a DevSpeak just a day before the first major content patch for WildStar, shedding light on all aspects of “Mega Loot: Transmutation” in their usual humorous way. We certainly don’t want to withhold this from you.

WildStar: Hoverboard for Transmutation

Furthermore, we have a little side information, fresh from the public test realm: There, the “Transmutation Hoverboard” costs a staggering 100 Platinum. Anyone looking to acquire this ride should start saving as soon as possible.

Last but not least, they are already hinting at what the next update will be about: Here, the PvP players will get their money’s worth, as they are unfortunately neglected in the current patch. However, in 4-6 weeks, they can expect to frolic on a new battleground. In addition to the previous modes “Collect the Masks” and “Domination,” there will be “Sabotage” – stay tuned, we will keep you updated!

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

Final Fantasy XIV: A hit thanks to MMO newcomers and nostalgia

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

Naoki Yoshida, the mind behind Final Fantasy XIV, spoke in an interview about the reasons for the success of Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn. He also highlighted some design decisions, such as the short dungeons and the controller navigation. However, Yoshida primarily attributed the surprising success of the game, which was thought to be dead, to its simple accessibility for MMO newcomers.

Naoki Yoshida exemplifies like few other developers the success of his game. After all, saving the Final Fantasy MMORPG seemed almost impossible. Yet Yoshida accomplished the mission impossible. And FF XIV slowly transformed into a hit with fans and critics. The interviewer from usgamer.net concluded that FF XIV also appealed to players who would never usually touch an MMO.

Always keeping MMO newcomers in mind

Yoshida readily agrees with him. Today, most MMORPG developers try to attract players who are currently playing another MMORPG. This is genre-related difficult. Especially since these games create a strong bond and engage players for two, three years or even longer.

With Final Fantasy, they aimed to appeal to a different player base. And because Final Fantasy was a console game series, it needed to be developed for the consoles, but mainly for their players. So it had to be more accessible and simpler than a conventional MMO. Therefore, they paid attention to develop even complex MMO mechanics in a beginner-friendly manner.

When designing dungeons, they kept in mind players who couldn’t free themselves from their everyday routine for hours. Four-player dungeons through the Duty Finder went quickly and easily, allowing players to accomplish something and then continue with their lives.

Players with controllers should not be disadvantaged

[quote_box_right]final-fantasy-ps4-pc-3Have you read our review of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn?[/quote_box_right]

When deciding to allow controller navigation, which many console players were accustomed to, the most important thing was that controller players did not feel disadvantaged compared to “mouse and keyboard” players.

After all, keyboards allow every skill to be called up with one click. With controllers, it was always necessary to open a menu, then select a skill… – had it been designed that way, players with controllers would have always been at a disadvantage. When they came up with the cross-hotbar idea, they knew it was the right one. And it has indeed paid off.

A Final Fantasy without Chocobos? Like Disneyland without Mickey Mouse!

When asked about the overall feeling and how much Final Fantasy needs to be in the MMORPG, Yoshida emphasizes that it is, of course, important to have the classic FF elements in the game: “Would it be a Final Fantasy without Chocobos? No, of course not.” That would be like imagining Disneyland without Mickey Mouse.

Of course, they also play with the nostalgia of the fans. Yoshida himself is not free from that. “I played it back on the Super Nintendo and was curious about how it looks in full HD now. Or how the Crystal Tower plays when I go in with 24 friends,” says Yoshida.

The complete interview can be found in English at usgamer.net

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

Youtube in 60 FPS, Hearthstone expansion in July & TESO content patch – Update!

MeinMMO MeinMMO Reading time < 1 minutes

YouTube’s (Upcoming) Changes:

YouTube has made some changes again and more are planned. In addition to a large-scale deletion of inactive accounts, the design has been slightly adjusted, the YouTube Creator Studio has been introduced, and an option for 60 fps in the player is also expected soon.

Curse of Naxxramas in July:

Hearthstone players have been waiting for new cards in the game for quite some time – but the waiting period will soon come to an end. According to the developers’ statements in the official forum, the release of the first expansion “Curse of Naxxramas” is planned for July. Not only will around 30 new cards make their way into the game, but there will also be a new game mode. In this, you will fight against the different bosses of the necropolis and can unlock the new cards.

The Elder Scrolls Online with Patch 1.2.3

And also in The Elder Scrolls Online, something has changed again. Last week, Patch 1.2.3 was deployed to the servers, bringing along some nice changes. Now there is a FoV slider for the first-person perspective, which can be set between 70° and 130° and is supposed to enhance the gameplay experience, weapons and equipment in the world are now more realistic and can be picked up, and the lighting effects have been significantly improved.

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WildStar: Ray of Hope for Players with FPS Issues

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

The SF-MMO WildStar has been out for a month now and while it is praised by many critics and fans, there are still some players who find little joy in the MMORPG: FPS issues ruin their gaming experience. Now, a forum post has raised hopes. Apparently, one of the technicians has found a fix for AMD processors.

The SF-MMO WildStar is not exactly a graphical giant where one would expect frame rates to drop, but that is exactly what is happening to some users, who cannot explain it. Numerous tricks and tips are circulating in the forums. Some help, many do not – we have already presented some of the most popular solutions. Since WildStar relies on fluid frame rates due to its dynamic gameplay, this criticism was already a sensitive issue in beta, was often mentioned, and has likely already prevented some players from buying.

Carbine’s president Jeremy Gaffney reassured players before the release that the performance issues of some are due to the new interface 2.0 and that they would soon optimize it. These hopes were not fulfilled.

But now a post in the official forum gives users hope, especially those who rely on AMD.

„I have incredibly good news! One of our technicians has made a major breakthrough regarding the AMD issue! It is now in the testing phase, keep your fingers crossed for everyone,” reported the Carbine employee Virtue just yesterday.

The fans reacted joyfully to it and hoped that the fix would come as soon as possible. This much enthusiasm was probably too much for Virtue and Carbine. Later, Virtue clarified: “To be clear, this is not magic that fixes all problems. We are still testing it. We do not yet know how much better it will run for AMD users. It should improve performance, but we do not know how much yet.”

Tips: Among the tricks that many users swear by is to delete all files in the following folder: C:Users%username%AppDataRoamingNCSOFTWildStar

Even the latest beta drivers from the graphics card manufacturers may help some.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. forums.wildstar-online.com
  2. forums.wildstar-online.com

The Elder Scrolls Online: Mega Server transfer to Frankfurt is progressing

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time < 1 minutes

In the fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, there is good news for all players struggling with lags. Apparently, the migration of the megaserver to Frankfurt is progressing well.

But not an endless story?

It almost threatened to become an endless story. After all, the criticism has been a recurring theme throughout the history of TESO. Many players, when the announcement was made that there would be a European mega-server, firmly believed that it would also be located in Europe. However, it is still based in the USA, so that technicians can access it more easily if something goes wrong.

From the beginning, the European mega-server in “Ami-Land,” as many called it, was a point of criticism for the European player base. Time and again, Zenimax emphasized how important the server migration was to them, but the promise of “very soon” in April, shortly after launch, sounded just as soon as the one in May. By early June, it was stated by the head himself, the mega-server will come to Frankfurt this summer, and since then, nothing more has been heard about it. Until now.

In the official forum, the German community manager Kai Schober brings TESO players up to date:

The planned server migration to Frankfurt is progressing. The megaserver there is already running and is being tested.

Also, for the FPS problems that some players have been struggling with since the 1.2.3 patch, Schober brings good news. They should be resolved with a hotfix coming during the next server maintenance from Monday night to Tuesday.

Update 1.7.: According to statements from US players, the FPS problems were unfortunately not resolved with patch 1.2.4. They seem to be related to a change in a healing spell.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. forums.elderscrollsonline.com: Devtracker

Hearthstone: The cards will be reshuffled on Tuesday

Schuhmann Schuhmann Reading time 2 minutes

Blizzard’s card game Hearthstone is starting anew with Season 4 on Tuesday. All ranks will be reset and the chance to earn the Rainbow card back is also gone. However, there will be new opportunities to obtain new cards and a new meta-game is sure to follow.

On Tuesday, the 4th season of the card game, which can be considered one of the surprise hits of the year, will begin. Although it comes from Blizzard, who have proven to have a golden touch with their titles for years, even the seasoned veterans at Blizzard probably never dreamed that Hearthstone would be such a massive success.

Originally, it was supposed to be announced on July 1st what the new prices for the cards of the Naxxramas expansion would be. However, this has since been postponed in a forum post. Apparently, we aren’t that far yet.

Will the new card back be green and purple?

Hearthstone Leak

Blizzard has already promised that there will be a new card back in Season 4, but it has not been revealed yet. The five card backs shown in the beta are all available now, so players can expect a surprise. The colleagues at cinemablend believe they have spotted a new card back with a green and purple background in the recently leaked screenshots of Naxx. The colors of Naxx, so to speak.

With the new season, there will also be a new race to see who will be the first to reach Legendary status. Veterans who performed well in Season 3 will have a slight advantage over newcomers: They receive a bonus star for each rank.

A constantly evolving meta-game is also expected for Season 4. Instead of the dominating decks of Season 3 like Miracle Rogue or Headlock, unusual Priest decks or New Age Frost decks could be in play, with which top players Amaz and RDU made headlines at Dreamhack.

My MMO hopes for Mister Bigglesworth

By the way, our tip for the Naxxramas expansion, as not all cards have been revealed yet: We would be surprised if the pack comes without the necromancer lord Kel’Thuzad’s favorite cat. Mister Bigglesworth could appear as a card that the opposing player would be better off avoiding killing. After all, the theme of the expansion is “Deathrattle”. And the death of Mister Bigglesworth has always been a delicate matter.

While there have always been wild rumors in Naxxramas that the loot table changed with the demise of the furball, this has never been confirmed.

But one thing is for sure: Kel’Thuzad got angry every time! What impact could that have on his card in the game?

Update 01.07.: The suspected card back has been confirmed. It is the one from Naxx with purple/green colors.

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