Since today, players can fight for survival in Once Human on Steam. As the development team revealed, there will be its own seasons for the survival title. However, this means that players will partially lose their progress.
Players possess mobile bases that can be attacked by wild creatures. This can be used to the advantage on PvP servers to weaken the opponents. Alternatively, players can help each other build a common base. If you are not a fan of humans, there are also creatures that can assist you both in building and in combat.
You can check out Once Human in the following trailer:
Start video
Im Survival-Spiel Once Human müsst ihr zusammenarbeiten
Seasons destroy your progress in Once Human, but not completely
What is it about the seasons? The development team behind Once Human will release new seasons at regular intervals. Each of the seasons is supposed to have its own length and story.
After a season, there will be a reset. A large part of the items you collected in the season ends up in “Eternaland”. This is your personal domain where you can let your creativity run free.
Some of the items will remain in your possession even after the season. This includes:
Blueprints
Cosmetics
Building instructions for furniture
Accessories for weapons
In contrast, raw materials, weapons, and similar items will be shipped to Eternaland. You can then use these items to build your private base. There are supposed to be many more options to design your home as you wish. Also, friends should be able to be invited to visit the cozy home.
Each season is supposed to be divided into different phases. At the end of each season, every player can decide whether to restart the same season from scratch or to start a new one.
Why are there seasons? The development team wants to ensure that Once Human becomes fairer and more relaxed. New players may struggle to compete against veterans with advanced bases and enhanced equipment.
Furthermore, every wipe should be seen as a fresh start. This should eliminate mistakes that players regret. After a season, they can start anew and learn from their previous mistakes.
Another benefit is that friends who have different progress can play together again with each new season.
The E-sports year in League of Legends is actually clearly organized: there are two major tournaments, the MSI and the Worlds. However, in 2024, a third international tournament took place: at the Esports World Cup, the EWC, 8 of the best LoL teams in the world competed against each other. The prize pool was 1 million US dollars.
What kind of tournament is this?
The Esports World Cup is an event in Saudi Arabia, with a total prize pool of $62.5 million. In the LoL tournament, 1 million $ was contested. The winner received $400,000.
8 teams competed, with 2 from each of the major regions. They were the biggest teams in the world: T1 with Faker, G2 with Caps, Gen G. with Chovy. So exactly the teams that normally also compete for a world championship.
It was a pure knockout tournament. The 8 teams started directly with the quarter-finals in a best-of-3 format. The winners then moved to a best-of-3 final. The actual final was played as a best-of-5.
But the tournament was unable to impress compared to Worlds and the MSI.
Start video
LoL: Whoever wants the new skin of Faker has to pay 450 €
Who won it? The world champions T1 won the tournament. They overcame Top Esports in the final.
Top Esports looked almost invincible on the way to the final; they had won their first two matches 2-0 each. While T1 had lost one of the 3 games in each case.
Even in the final, it seemed as if the Chinese team TES with Knight was clearly on the path to victory when they swept T1 off the Rift in the 1st match in just 23 minutes. But Faker and his men came back and won 3 games in a row to claim the title.
The botlaner of the tournament winner T1: Gumayusi.
This is how it went for the other teams: The Western teams Team Liquid (USA) and G2 shared 3rd and 4th place.
FlyQuest and Fnatic, as well as Bilibili Gaming and Gen G. were eliminated in the first round. However, there was a lot of bad luck involved, as the two strong Asian teams faced the eventual finalists from Asia in the first round. Meanwhile, the Western teams played against each other in the first round: G2 defeated FlyQuest, Team Liquid eliminated Fnatic.
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How were the viewer numbers? On their own, quite okay, but disappointing compared to other LoL events. On average, the event had 565,093 viewers. At its peak, 1.1 million viewers watched T1 in the final.
However, compared to the Worlds and the MSI, this was disappointing. Thus, the final was the “least watched final” since the MSI 2018.
A compartment of your washing machine usually remains unused, yet it can be the key to saving money and unnecessary trips.
What function are we talking about? One increasingly unknown detail of washing machines today is the pre-wash. It ensures that stubborn stains disappear from clothes. We explain what it is and why you should know about it to save your wallet.
Start video
In Germany, there are over 400 USB sticks protruding from walls – What is the ‘Dead Drops’ project?
The enemy of stubborn stains
What is the pre-wash? It is a washing cycle that soaks the clothes. Modern washing machines use lukewarm water (around 30 degrees Celsius), in which universal or color detergents are dissolved (see manufacturer’s instructions on the package).
The drum turns slowly until the pre-wash is completed after about 20 to 30 minutes, and the main washing cycle begins.
Where does the detergent for the pre-wash go? You probably have three compartments in your machine, one of which is labeled with an Arabic 1 or a Roman I. That is the compartment for the pre-wash.
How can I save money with this? Pre-wash, of course, requires extra water, electricity, and detergent, but it may help you get rid of stubborn stains. Otherwise, you may have to take them to a laundry service – and that definitely costs more. According to the Association of Energy Consumers, depending on your electricity and water rates, you might pay about 25 euros more per year for regular pre-washes.
Why has the pre-wash fallen out of fashion? Think for a moment about how long you wear clothes on average before they end up in the machine. Probably most pieces only for a few days – if that long at all. In the past, it was different, as dirt had much longer to settle and harden in the fabric.
Washing by hand is a significant effort – and was the norm for thousands of years. Additionally, many more people were confronted with all kinds of dirt in their daily work. However, even today, fabric can become soiled in ways that can only be removed with a pre-wash.
Should I pre-wash everything just in case? No, certainly not. Some types of clothing/materials should not be machine pre-washed at all; if anything, they should be washed by hand. This is also possible due to the low water temperatures. Simply gently massage the clothes in a tub with water and detergent, let them sit for an hour, and then fill the drum with the wet clothes.
Consider the pre-wash in the machine as your special weapon against nasty stains, which you should only use when you are sure that you will not cause more damage than you fix.
Everyone who has seen a Marvel movie probably knows Stan Lee. He appeared in practically every movie for years, including in the Spider-Man animated movie. But you definitely didn’t spot him every time unless you paused at the right moment.
What is Spider-Man: A New Universe? The film was released in 2018 and was the first major animated Spider-Man movie. However, this time the protagonist wasn’t Peter Parker, but Miles Morales, who must learn to be a superhero with his new abilities.
The film was not only a financial success but also well-received by audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a score of 97% from critics and 94% from users. Typical for films based on Marvel comics, there is again a cameo by Stan Lee. Besides the obvious, there are also hidden cameos.
Colorful action in the trailer of Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
Stan Lee is everywhere in the movie
Where is Stan Lee hiding? The obvious cameo appearance occurs in a costume shop where Stan Lee is the shopkeeper. But Stan Lee doesn’t just appear there; he shows up multiple times in the film. To see him, you need to pause at the perfect spots.
As the lead animator of the films shows on X, it’s worth watching the individual frames of the movie. In his clip, he demonstrates that if you pause at the right moment during a train scene, you can see Stan Lee on the train. There, he makes Spider-Man’s iconic hand gesture.
The user @chrizmillr shows that this is not the only hidden cameo and that you can discover Stan Lee multiple times in the movie. This is thanks to the detailed animation process.
How was the movie made? As The New York Times reports, the creators valued Stan Lee’s philosophy. Screenwriter Phil Lord explained:
When telling stories in sequential art, it’s primarily about the key pose and moving from pose to pose and frame to frame. Stan Lee laid this out in How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way.
Phil Lord on the work philosophy behind Spider-Man: A New Universe. (Source: New York Times)
Thus, the creators valued not only a film structure but also a comic philosophy. Accordingly, the film is also a love letter to Stan Lee, who passed away shortly before the film’s release.
The movie is a mix of 3D and 2D and was incredibly complicated to make. They combined hand-drawn 2D illustrations with 3D elements. To make the comic look stand out even more, they also used elements like sound words.
For Larian Studios, the creators of Baldur’s Gate 3, there is no major pause. The next project is already starting.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is likely to remain one of the most successful RPGs for a long time. The game has impressed and even turned many gamers into fans who have little experience with turn-based RPG battles. But for Larian, there is no long breather. Now Swen Vincke (the head of the studio) has revealed that they are currently discussing the next project.
Start video
Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to PS5 – Trailer prepares for console release
What was said? On X, Swen Vincke posted a photo – a large presentation room, still without guests. He wrote:
The Larian leadership meeting is about to begin – two years ago we came to exactly this place to discuss how to finish Baldur’s Gate 3. This time we are discussing how to lift off. The mood is great, morale is good, and I expect a flood of people to come in at any moment.
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With the “lift off,” Vincke is apparently referring to the next big project. Larian does not want to rest on its laurels and instead wants to discuss the next project in detail.
What kind of game will it be? What the developers of Larian Studios are working on next remains a mystery. It is only clear that it is neither an expansion of Baldur’s Gate 3 nor a possible sequel “Baldur’s Gate 4” – both of which Swen Vincke had already ruled out in advance.
The next project from Larian is likely to be its own IP, where they can unleash their creativity without external influence. This gives the developers a bit more freedom than in Baldur’s Gate 3 – a game from which they surely learned a lot and on which the next Larian title can only benefit.
Community discussions: In the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit, the tweet and Larian’s plans are already being enthusiastically discussed. Many are unhappy that Larian is not working on “Baldur’s Gate 4” but are still positive. The general sentiment seems to be: No matter what Larian is working on, they will support it and likely buy it.
“I will literally play everything Larian makes from now on. I can’t wait!” – seasquidley
“Whatever they do, they’ll get my money. I have full trust in this studio.” – Arbel_of_fenris
“I think it’s kind of silly that so many hope Larian will do something with someone else’s IP. Baldur’s Gate 3 was not good because it was the Baldur’s Gate IP. It was good because Larian did it well. They have proven they can do it themselves with Divinity: Original Sin 2 (which did some things better than Baldur’s Gate 3 because Larian had full control). I honestly hope they give us more Divinity or develop a new IP.” – One_Direction_342
What Larian is ultimately working on remains, of course, a matter of speculation. Until the next project is really announced, it could take a few more years. Larian takes quite a lot of time for projects – but the result is masterpieces like Baldur’s Gate 3. Vincke also believes, it is “the right thing for Larian” not to make another Baldur’s Gate.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The shooter Apex Legends has peaked at 320,000 concurrent players, making it one of the top 10 biggest titles on Steam. Additionally, the free-to-play game has been released for Xbox, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. In financial reports, EA has repeatedly praised the shooter and highlighted its success. However, a new “improvement” in the funding model is now causing trouble as it essentially amounts to a price increase. Players say the only ones benefiting from this are the shareholders of Electronic Arts.
This is how the Battle Pass worked until now: Apex Legends utilizes the model that Fortnite has made standard in the industry: Every three months, with a new season in Apex Legends, there is a Battle Pass with 110 tiers:
Players can access the Battle Pass for free and earn rewards without paying, but they only receive the free-to-play rewards, which means they level up in the Battle Pass as they play more, unlocking more rewards.
Alternatively, they can spend 950 Apex Coins to unlock a special path on the Battle Pass to access better rewards.
There is also a more expensive version of the Battle Pass available, which unlocks several tiers and rewards without needing to earn them, aimed at those who want to spend money.
In practice, this means: With this system, it is possible for players to earn enough of the in-game currency AC with the current season’s Battle Pass to purchase the Battle Pass for the next season.
This ultimately means that frequent players can purchase enough coins for one Battle Pass in their lifetime, spending $10, and can then use the AC they earn in the current Battle Pass to get the next Battle Pass each time.
Start video
Apex Legends: Ignites Launch Trailer
2 Battle Passes instead of one – Real money instead of in-game currency
These are the changes now:
You can no longer buy the next Battle Pass with in-game currency “AC”; you have to pay real money for it.
Additionally, there is no longer a single Battle Pass with 110 tiers, but two with 60 tiers each.
In return, EA is making the Battle Pass easier to earn rewards from.
This is what EA says: The developers claim this is an “improvement” and will now create the “best possible experience” because players of Apex Legends only need to climb 60 tiers instead of 110.
They have also removed some rewards that were hardly used.
EA summarizes this with: “Shorter Battle Pass, one for each Split, revised rewards, and purchased with real currency.” (via ea.com)
EA says:
We have seen the numbers, and things need to be more tangible and realistic for our global community. Each of these updated aspects makes the Battle Pass more accessible and valuable for your time and money. The reward should always be worth the time you spend in the Outlands, and that is now the case.
“This is the last straw”
How is this received? Not well at all. The largest thread on reddit on the topic is titled: “The Battle Pass changes have broken the camel’s back. I am uninstalling it.” The thread currently has 1,500 upvotes and 330 comments.
The comments make it clear:
Most players have practically bought the old Battle Pass “for free” with the ACs they earned in the last Battle Pass.
Now EA wants $10 from them twice per season for the same thing.
In no universe is this an improvement, except for EA shareholders, comments a reddit user.
Whether and how this change will affect the actual player numbers of Apex Legends on Steam will be seen in the coming days and weeks.
Battle Passes have always been viewed critically by parts of the community in live service games. Because what seems nice and player-friendly at first glance brings certain obligations and actually has little gameplay: Some microtransactions in new MMOs border on self-enslavement.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Many fans of loot shooters are currently enjoying The First Descendant. However, they lack a simple feature that players say would add longevity to the title. To the delight of the community, this feature is now being added to the game as a hotfix.
What do the fans want? In a Reddit thread, the user GW2Quinn comments on a feature he believes is essential for The First Descendant to stay alive for a long time. He feels that matchmaking for dungeons in hard mode is necessary.
He argues primarily with the core idea that most players would prefer to play content at the push of a button rather than having to find a group on Discord first. Although matchmaking can sometimes lead to frustration, the relatively low difficulty of dungeons, according to his own experience, would mitigate such a problem.
Looter-Shooter The First Descendant announces its release date in the trailer
Players Demand Matchmaking
The community largely agrees with the post and compares the missing feature with other games. For example, CaptainBackPain mentions that he has played games where developers refused to add matchmaking. Ultimately, they did, but too late. With the current great success of the game, such an option would indeed be worthwhile.
Other users also criticize Destiny in this context. The user NeoReaper82 writes that it took Destiny 10 years to add a feature like this.
However, there are also users who criticize matchmaking and would prefer a power check for players. The user RevolutionaryBoat925 writes: Normal and Hard Mode need a power check for matchmaking. […] Otherwise, it would be pretty pointless if they implement it.
The community has reason to be happy. Fortunately, players didn’t have to wait long, as announced by the official game account on X, a hotfix is being prepared to add matchmaking for the Public Infiltration Operation (dungeons) in hard mode.
Zenless Zone Zero is a game by the creators of Genshin Impact. With a little trick, you can easily secure 190 Polychrome for free. We at MeinMMO explain to you how it works.
What is Zenless Zone Zero? Zenless Zone Zero is the latest game from Hoyoverse, the developers of Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail. You find yourself in New Eridu, a post-apocalyptic urban fantasy world, which he tries to protect from a threat.
With a little trick, you can regularly snag Polychrome. You need Polychrome to summon new characters. In addition to this trick, there are also other codes that you can redeem this month.
You can watch the game trailer here:
Start video
Zenless Zone Zero: New game from the creators of ‘Genshin Impact’ focuses on Cyberpunk instead of Fantasy – Trailer
Daily entries give you Polychrome
How can you snag 190 Polychrome? To receive 190 Polychrome for free, you need to link your Zenless Zone Zero account with Hoyolab and make the daily entry. You will receive additional materials for each day of the month. You can snag a total of 60 Polychrome for free each month this way. You will receive 20 of them on the 5th, 13th, and 20th day of the month.
When you make your entries in Zenless Zone Zero for the first time, you will receive 40 Polychrome for the first entry and 30 Polychrome each on the second and third days.
Lastly, you will receive an additional 30 Polychrome for linking for the first time, enabling you to secure a total of 190 free Polychrome. However, you can secure the 60 Polychrome for daily log-in every month.
This is how you link your account with Hoyolab: First, if you don’t have an account yet, you need to create one on Hoyolab with the same email address that you use for your game. You can do this both on the web at Hoyolab‘s site or in the app.
Once the account is created, go to the top left to Interest Group and select Zenless Zone Zero. On the right side, you will find a field under the name All tools. There you will also find the point Register and thus come to your daily log-in bonus.
What happens if you can’t log in for a day? Hoyoverse has a solution for this as well: You can make up for an entry up to three times a month. However, you will have to complete small tasks, such as browsing a bit on the Zenless Zone Zero site.
Even though Zenless Zone Zero has not been on the market for long, there are already 17 characters that you can summon and play in the game. With this high number, the question quickly arises which character is the best choice. In our tier list, you have an overview of which characters currently belong to the top tier: Zenless Zone Zero: Tier List with the best characters
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Dawntrail expansion for Final Fantasy XIV introduces many new characters who play an important role in the story. One of them is receiving so much affection from the community that the most outrageous memes are being created about him.
Which character is it? Alongside Wuk Lamat, who divides the players’ spirits, Bakool Ja Ja is one of the most important NPCs in Dawntrail. He aims to challenge the Hrothgar for the throne using devious tricks.
The villain has a peculiarity: he is a Mamool Ja born with two heads. The two-headed ones are seen as blessed beings who enjoy a special status.
The Mamool Ja is well aware of his strength and displays it openly. He wears armor that shows off his muscular upper body. His figure and dominant behavior seem to prompt many players to incorporate him into numerous memes.
You can watch the new Dawntrail expansion in the following trailer:
Start video
Final Fantasy XIV: Launch trailer for Dawntrail prepares for the adventure in Tural
Community adores Bakool Ja Ja with numerous memes
How does the community show its affection? Countless tweets about Bakool Ja Ja are currently circulating on social media. Fans are developing outrageous thoughts about the Mamool Ja and have chosen him as the object of their desire.
One tweet jokes that Wuk Lamat could have ended up in this role as well. In a tweet imagined by a fan, Naoki Yoshida, the producer of the MMORPG, goes through the protocol for inappropriate trends:
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According to this, the voice actor should be supported, and an eye should be kept on harassment of corresponding cosplayers. But the fantasy-Yoshida is confronted with the harsh reality that it is not about Wuk Lamat, but about Bakool Ja Ja.
The trend has even reached a point where an NSFW account for Bakool Ja Ja has developed on X. The user “bakool ja ja’s babygirl” shows in her header image that she would prefer to be in the arms of Bakool Ja Ja.
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In addition, there are plenty of other tweets revolving around the obsession with Bakool Ja Ja. Many of them play with not-so-innocent statements. User banana_qote shares on X with a meme, for example, that his main character would like to take down Bakool Ja Ja. Wuk Lamat hopes that this means taking him down in battle but receives no answer.
Is this typical for the fans? As user nateharmonica points out on X, this is not the worst example where the community has shown outrageous behavior towards Final Fantasy XIV. The Twitter account for the MMORPG previously asked what mounts the community would like to ride around on.
The inappropriate comments were sometimes so disturbing that the official account could only respond with an “okay” (via X). There are more such examples that some fans of the MMORPG portray the characters in inappropriate ways.
However, we want to make it clear at this point that this does not apply to all players of the Final Fantasy XIV community. The tweets are rapidly multiplying online, but most players will likely not participate in the new trend.
On Reddit, a player from Destiny 2 has spoken out. He is a family man and an avid gamer. However, his Destiny account has now been banned – which annoys him greatly. The community is seeking explanations for this.
What does the player say? In his post on Reddit, the user Drewwbacca1977 introduces himself as a “desperate Destiny dad.” He turns to the community with his problem and hopes to attract some attention.
His Destiny account has been locked by Bungie. The player doesn’t know why this happened. What he does know is that Destiny 2 is his great passion. He has spent over 5,000 hours in the game and has been a fan of the franchise for ten years, which recently received a major expansion with The Final Shape.
The father has spent many happy hours playing with his currently thirteen-year-old son. He is also an avid gamer who loves Minecraft and Fortnite. However, the shared Destiny sessions with his father would be a special highlight in both of their lives.
Accordingly, the player has a strong connection to Destiny 2 and his account. He shares that there are numerous good memories attached to it. He is annoyed that the account has suddenly been banned without any apparent reason. His son is even shocked about it. The community on Reddit has read the post and is now trying to help.
Start video
Bungie shows the future of Destiny 2 after The Final Shape in the new trailer
“I have never cheated in an online game”
What could be reasons for the ban? To quickly dismiss hasty assessments, the father clarifies: “I have never cheated in an online game. I am an average player.” Cheats would therefore not be the issue.
Furthermore, he has just updated his PC hardware to the latest standards. There are no network issues or anything like that. From time to time, he plays on the Xbox, especially when he travels to other cities.
Here, some users on Reddit already suspect a possible reason for the ban. “The system probably detected a new location and thought it was a recovery,” believes Last-Idea9985 on Reddit.
This means that players give their account to others, which in some cases can lead to a ban. User TY-KLR agrees with their predecessor on Reddit and shares: “I thought the same. I’m afraid to play on my Destiny account when visiting my cousin or family, given all the stories I’ve seen.”
According to user Solesaver on Reddit, another reason could be that the father purchased content for Destiny 2 from a key reseller, who obtained the key with a stolen credit card.
Overall, however, the father sees himself as innocent – there seems to be no obvious reason for the ban, as in the case of the German streamer Lachegga.
How can the issue be resolved? Some users suggest contacting a community manager and explaining the situation in detail. This could help determine whether it is a mistake. In the best-case scenario, the account will be unlocked again.
Specific names are even provided to the father that he can reach out to. His Reddit post has been actively upvoted by the community. It is hopeful that Bungie will take care of the issue and that the Destiny fan can go on more adventures with his son again. One of the best players in Destiny 2 was also banned – read on MeinMMO about what happened with that.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The survival game Once Human launches in a few hours on Steam. Two individual trailers will again showcase gameplay for PvE and PvP.
Once Human is a new survival game from the development studio Starry Studio, which launches tonight on Steam. Especially after the survival flop of The Day Before, genre fans quickly set their sights on Once Human, and it became almost a hope for many players.
Once Human is a survival game with sandbox gameplay.
Together with other players, you try to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. There, an alien substance called Stardust transforms living beings into monsters and grants them supernatural powers.
There will be PvE and PvP battles against other groups.
Two trailers now showcase some impressions of the PvE and PvP content just before the release.
Start video
The survival game Once Human shows PvP gameplay
What can be seen? In the trailer for the PvP content, you can get a look at the battles you can have with other players in Once Human. These battles sometimes extend across the entire map, and you can see, for example, how you can follow each other with your mobile base across the whole map.
You also seem to be able to take advantage of a foreign base being attacked by wild creatures to make life doubly difficult for your enemy players.
Another trailer provides insights into the PvE content of the survival game. The trailer shows, for example, some of the strange creatures and various ways to move through the open world, such as diving, gliding, or riding motorcycles.
Start video
Im Survival-Spiel Once Human müsst ihr zusammenarbeiten
The secret ingredient for great quests in RPGs is exactly what seems to be frequently lacking for people on the internet.
CD Projekt RED is known for some of the best RPGs of all time. Especially The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is considered a milestone that everyone should have played, even many years after its release. Cyberpunk 2077 had a rocky start, but many patches later, it has also become a fantastic RPG.
The fact that the games are so well received is mainly due to the quest design, which has involved an enormous amount of work. The secret ingredient, according to one of the developers, is: empathy.
Start video
Is this really Cyberpunk 2077? – 40 seconds that will convince you again of the game
Who is speaking? Pawel Sasko was a quest designer for The Witcher 3. For Cyberpunk 2077, he was already the lead quest designer, and for the next game in the Cyberpunk universe, he is even the “Associate Game Director” – so he has made quite a career and has dealt a lot with quests.
Both at gamescom latam and in the interview with Game Rant, he spoke about the secrets and detailed work that goes into creating quests.
What did Sasko say? According to Sasko, the focus when creating quests should always be on maintaining a priority order. In quest design, it is essential to design them in such a way that you “play, show, and then tell, always in that order” (“Play, Show, Tell”).
As a player, you should experience as much of a quest as possible through pure gameplay, allowing the mission to unfold. Dramatic cutscenes are also fine, but it’s better when they are part of the gameplay. The “tell” variant is basically the classic quest design. An NPC wants something, and you have to listen to their monologue or even read a lengthy quest text.
Quests with an empathetic component make a game great.
Especially with the “show” element, it is particularly important to demonstrate empathy. Because you need to understand what could touch the players. Only then can a quest immerse players, allowing them to stop thinking about the game’s logic or mechanics and instead be captivated by the story.
One example of this is the quest with the Botchling in The Witcher 3. Here, the Bloody Baron had to bury his own mutated child once again. Even if one is not a father, one can easily understand the gravity of the quest through its portrayal – and yet, one must not lose sight of the fact that such a task might overwhelm some. Sasko says:
Although it is fantasy with the Botchling, there is a component of authenticity and realism that touches people because you do not know what they have experienced [in their own lives]. You have to approach quests with great care and consideration.
Exactly this ultimately leads to great quests.
In ‘showing’, it’s about addressing your empathy and trying to show you things that can move you. For me, that’s almost the secret ingredient that makes particularly good quests.
What kind of quests do you prefer? Do you like being an active part of the quest where the action takes place entirely “in gameplay”? Are you more a fan of lengthy cutscenes where you have little control? Or do you prefer quest texts that you can read at your leisure?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Vikings: Valhalla is a spin-off of the famous series Vikings on Netflix. In a new collaboration, the 3 protagonists appear as characters in the strategy game Viking Rise on Steam, iOS, and Android. The update is free.
What kind of game is this?
In Viking Rise, you lead a Viking clan, build your village, and explore Midgard. You embark on adventures with both heroes and troops.
The fantasy setting provides enemies and monsters from Norse mythology, such as giant animals, dragons, and more. The game also features multiplayer battles.
Viking Rise was released in April 2024 on iOS and Android, and in May as a standalone version for PC on Steam.
You can now play these heroes: In a collaboration with the Netflix series Vikings: Valhalla, the 3 protagonists of the series come as heroes to Viking Rise:
Leif Eriksson, great seafarer and explorer, son of the legendary Erik the Red.
Freydis Eiríksdóttir, Leif’s sister and a fierce warrior.
Harald Sigurdson, a descendant of the legendary Harald Fairhair, who wants to become the king of Norway.
The three heroes arrive in the game after a shipwreck in the world. You can play as them and experience a unique story with each of them that you can shape with your own choices.
Viking Rise has a rating of 73% on Steam, making it “mostly positive.” It has 4.4/5 stars in the Play Store and 4.6/5 stars in the App Store:
The trailer for the collaboration between Viking Rise and Vikings: Valhalla showcases 3 legendary Viking heroes
Viking strategy with multiplayer dungeons and more
The focus of Viking Rise is on building and managing your own village. This includes sailing and combat to claim new territories, as is fitting for a true Viking game.
Viking Rise also offers the option to play in multiplayer. You can engage with other players either diplomatically or militarily to form alliances or battle against them.
Together with other players, you can tackle the multiplayer dungeons, where you fight against mythical monsters. Your armies will be supplemented by heroes with special abilities and craftable equipment that you can also send directly on missions to earn bonuses. The heroes include:
Before the publication of the manga of One Piece, the mangaka, Eiichiro Oda, discarded several ideas for the appearance of the Straw Hat Crew. In a fan overview, we can now see how the individual members have changed over time. Two of the Straw Hats even had a different hair color in the meantime.
What does the overview show? The user newworldartur reports on various information about One Piece. He made the effort to collect all known sketches of the Straw Hats that were revealed before the publication of the manga.
In the overview, on the left side is the first image of the Straw Hat Pirates. On the right side is the final appearance that the Straw Hats have in the manga.
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Zorro evolved from Ryuma, who ultimately became the protagonist of Monsters.
Sanji underwent two name changes. He was initially named Romeo. Then he became Naruto. But due to the competing manga, his name was changed to Sanji.
Jinbei was actually supposed to be the Fishman Helmsman.
Over time, not only the names have changed, but also the appearances. Especially two of the Straw Hats are hardly recognizable at first sight.
The Straw Hat Crew appears in many cinema films. One of them is One Piece Gold:
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One Piece Film: Gold – The trailer for the anime movie
Straw Hats have changed their appearance multiple times
Which Straw Hats look different than before? From the early sketches of the Straw Hat Pirates, Nico Robin and Franky stand out. The two characters look like pencil doodles, making it hard to recognize what their shape looks like.
In Franky’s sketch, we can see a hinted shirt that he wears open. However, there are hardly any similarities with Nico Robin’s final design. Upon closer inspection, even two small horns can be seen, through which the “Devil Child” would live up to her nickname.
The early sketches of Nami, Zorro, and Sanji changed hair color multiple times. Nami was once brunette and blue-haired, Zorro even had blue and pink hair and an eyepatch. Sanji, on the other hand, changed from black to blonde.
Is there a design that particularly appeals to you? Would you have preferred to see one of the early sketches in the manga? Let us know in the comments!
MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus is a big Warhammer fan and loves role-playing games. Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader is logically one of his highlights of the last few years. The CRPG will receive its first expansion on Steam in August. A good reason to play it again.
For everyone who doesn’t know Warhammer 40k: 40,000 years in the future, humanity has conquered several galaxies and is at war with pretty much all alien species. To this are cosmic forces such as chaos gods, ancient robotic mummies, and all-consuming beetle monsters. For “protection” and conquest, the Imperium of Man has Space Marines, guys who have been genetically engineered to be bigger, stronger, and meaner than any normal man.
However, Rogue Trader largely avoids this trope. Instead, the role-playing game explores other facets of the dystopian world and has captivated me immensely for this reason alone.
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Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader – The teaser trailer for the 1st DLC ‘Void Shadows’ on Steam
250 hours full of decisions with an excellent combat system
Classes are not fixed; I build my own builds from various combinations that evolve.
Through a total of 55 levels, there is always something to improve on the character; it feels like a real journey.
The combat system is reminiscent of XCOM and comes with a plethora of mechanics like parries, recoil, deflections, and various types of weapons.
Fighting is incredibly fun. Whether with a heavy bolter, a chainsword, or psychic magic: What matters is always who is where and with what combinations the enemies are dealt with. Rogue Trader conveys the strategic aspect that defines Warhammer very well.
Character creation is much more extensive and is a lot of fun.
But what impressed me the most was the story. The Warhammer role-playing game doesn’t offer as much freedom as Baldur’s Gate 3, but the story still has different facets, depending on the playstyle:
Iconoclasts help the humans and mainly see scenes in which the people triumph.
Dogmatists enforce the will of the Emperor and fight against heretics, chaos, and xenos.
The first DLC, Shadows of the Void or “Void Shadows”, will be released on August 8. It promises another adventure with 15 hours of gameplay that I want to check out. Together with the bug fixes, that’s a reason to play everything again. But what really excites me is the new companion.
Void Shadow brings one of the world’s most dangerous women into the game
With Void Shadows, Kiballah comes as a character to Rogue Trader. Kiballah is a Death Cult assassin, one of the deadliest sects in Warhammer 40k. The Death Cult is fanatically devoted to the Emperor and sees killings as acts of faith.
Accordingly, the assassins are experts in handling weapons, especially blades of all kinds, and kill, butcher, and stab at a level on par with the best swordsmen of the Eldar. However, they also indulge in somewhat … questionable rituals.
Due to their fanatical desire to kill and shed blood for the Emperor, Death Cult assassins are particularly susceptible to the temptations of the chaos gods Khorne and Slaanesh.
For Rogue Trader, this sounds incredibly exciting: I look forward to seeing if I can take Kiballah as a loyal assassin of the Emperor or if I can completely lead her to chaos along with my heretic.
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Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader: The trailer for the new Death Cult Assassin
Again over 100 hours – While I’m still stuck on the predecessor!
The next run in Rogue Trader will keep me occupied for several dozen hours again. I just hope that I will finish the predecessor of the studio before the DLC starts.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous received its final DLC in June and is now complete. Since then, I’ve been stuck again in the huge role-playing game and have to say: Despite many bugs that often plague the games, Owlcat just has a knack for the genre.
The First Descendant is the new loot shooter on the market, and while it feels fresh and new, it is said to have copied from successful titles. The longer players play the game, the more they discover copied content from Warframe and even Destiny 2.
Sounds like Warframe, and indeed the loot shooter has some similarities to the action shooter from Digital Extremes. The First Descendant has almost the same kind of monetization as Warframe. Additionally, the descendants have four talents, just like the frames from Warframe.
If that weren’t enough, many icons and a weapon have now also been found that bear a very strong resemblance to Destiny 2. We will show them to you.
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The First Descendant – Gameplay-Trailer
“Let me guess: British Museum Simulator”
On Reddit, evidence pictures are circulating showing what The First Descendant is said to have copied from Destiny 2. Paul Tassi, a journalist and passionate Destiny fan, has picked up the issue and pointed it out.
On the news site of Forbes, he refers to the astonishing similarities of various things that The First Descendant possesses in the game, including icons. The following are known:
Various icons that players should know from Destiny 2 (Source: forbes.com)Even the symbol when your light goes out has been copied (Source: forbes.com)
Visible are various icons of weapon perks, as well as talents of the Warlock class and even the grenade symbol of the Arc class. But that’s not all. There is also a special weapon from The First Descendant that many fans of Rasputin should recognize. The rifle is called “Different Dream” in the new loot shooter and represents a mix of the Sleeper Simulant and the IKELOS sniper from Destiny 2. See for yourself:
The rifle from The First Descendant (Source: forbes.com)The Sleeper SimulantThe IKELOS sniper
The weapon bears a striking resemblance to those in Destiny 2. How it plays, we do not yet know, but from the visual aspect, guardians should at least furrow their brows by now.
What do players say about it? Players on Reddit find it amusing that The First Descendant has used the icons from Destiny 2. They make jokes and even bring in the game “Limbo of the Lost,” which is known for stealing various things from ESO, WoW, and Sea Dogs. The following can be heard:
“If you want to play a funny game, get a copy of Limbo of the Lost and try to take a picture every time you find something stolen.” – Laughing__Man_
“Let me guess: British museum simulator.” – Ultimateshadowsouls
“Literally the same run as with ikelos.” – Alex2s8
“If Warframe and Destiny 2 were siblings that had an incest baby.” – Glittering_Sea_9503
“They also took Warframe and said, ‘How can I make the grinding and monetization exponentially worse?’ so there’s that too.” – sturgboski
Kylie “TheSketchReal” Cox had a fairytale career on Twitch in 2024. It was on the verge of collapsing overnight when details from his past became public. But friends and family stood by the streamer.
On Twitch, Sketch mainly showcases the football game Madden NFL, which has a similar status in the USA as FIFA or EA FC does here. Like the disgraced streamer DrDisrespect, Sketch relies on a persona in his streams that remains memorable with distinctive visual traits and catchphrases:
The streamer’s look consists of a Houston Texans jersey, distinctive glasses, and a gaming headset.
Sketch’s catchphrases include “What’s up, brother?” and “Special teams, special plays, special players,” accompanied by distinctive gestures.
Entertaining moments from Sketch’s streams went viral on social media – professional athletes began to imitate his behavior.
Sketch’s career now seemed to be collapsing overnight when a YouTuber revealed details about his past.
Clips, taken out of context from Twitch streams, can develop a kind of life of their own online:
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Twitch: This is the quirky story behind the most popular clip of all time
YouTuber reveals Sketch’s OF past
What did Sketch do in his past? Before Sketch’s streaming career took off, he reportedly sold homosexual, explicit content on the paid platform OnlyFans under a pseudonym. A YouTuber made this public on July 7.
The rumors about the former job of the Twitch streamer spread rapidly on social networks. Users compared Sketch’s face to that of the OnlyFans model, and numerous content creators reacted to the images.
This was Sketch’s initial reaction: Sketch appeared to be deeply affected by his past being made public – and that he may have been outed as homosexual against his will.
Immediately after the revelation, friends were worried about him because he had disappeared without a trace, leaving behind his personal belongings.
A behavior that YouTuber Ludwig associates with people who exhibit suicidal tendencies (via ludwig).
Sketch thanks his friends and family for their support
This is what Sketch now says about the revelations: In a stream, Sketch ultimately confirmed that he had a sexual relationship with a man – a reference to Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky – and sold explicit recordings via OnlyFans.
He also mentioned that he had struggles with addiction at the time. However, he stated that he has since “changed.”
Although the Twitch streamer joked about the situation, the stream took a serious turn. Sketch reported that the fear of his past coming to light had overshadowed his career until now. In case it ever came out, he had a “not very good” plan.
The Twitch streamer hinted that he probably wouldn’t be there to talk to his fans if he had been home alone. He thanked his parents and friends from the FaZe Clan for their support.
In particular, the founder of the e-sports organization, Richard “Banks” Bengston, is said to have stood by Sketch.
Numerous content creators have now publicly expressed their support for Sketch on social networks. The popular YouTuber Ludwig said in a video that the Twitch streamer’s sexuality is nobody’s business, as his content does not revolve around it.
People snooping into his past are “really weird,” according to Ludwig.
The Twitch streamer HasanAbi posted on X that Sketch should never be ashamed of his past as long as he hasn’t harmed anyone. Anyone who mocked him or made him feel unwelcome should be ashamed.
A player reports that his girlfriend spilled beer on his graphics card. He still holds hope for his graphics card, but many think it’s too late.
How exactly did this happen? The player explained that it was all just an accident that could happen to any of you:
His girlfriend had sat down next to him with her notebook and opened the device, but forgot that she had placed a can of beer behind it. And then the mess was made: she spilled beer on the table, and her “rescue attempt” backfired. He reports (via reddit.com):
My computer was fine at that time, it was standing under and next to the tab. Since her phone and laptop were also soaked in beer, she hurriedly grabbed the beer and tried to remove it from the table, and the splash fell directly on my computer (and the top is open for airflow).
(…) There was a “bzzt” sound, my computer crashed, the GPU was dripping with beer – now the screen no longer recognizes inputs and my computer stank.
By the way, he doesn’t blame his girlfriend. He explained that he still loves her, even if she can be a bit clumsy at times.
Graphics card has likely suffered a short circuit
Is the graphics card still salvageable? Many gamers consider that highly unlikely, as the liquid ran over the graphics card while it was operating. Usually, that means a short circuit, because hardware and liquid generally do not mix well.
Nevertheless, some players give him advice: he should take the graphics card apart, remove the heatsink and cooler, and soak the GPU board in isopropyl alcohol. Then he should let the graphics card dry for 24 hours. In the best case, the graphics card will work again; in the worst case, he will have to buy a new graphics card. A similar problem was previously encountered by another player, where however his ex-girlfriend intentionally poured water over his gaming PC.
What should I do if liquid lands on my PC? Stay calm and let the things dry out first. And especially do not start the PC out of panic to see if everything still works. Because otherwise, you risk causing a short circuit that could damage your components. In our player’s case with the beer, it was also added that beer contains sugar and is incredibly sticky.
In the next step, you should let your hardware dry. Ideally, you would take your PC apart and spread the parts out. This way, the components can dry more quickly than in a cramped PC case.
If you let all components dry properly and there is no residual liquid left, your hardware should be able to start up without any issues again. However, it is really important that no residual liquid is present. Even slight moisture can cause a short circuit.
World of Warcraft with new graphics. A private server wants to make this a reality and is implementing it simply. But will Blizzard let this pass?
World of Warcraft is old. Very old. The good twenty years show on the game, even though new expansions occasionally spruce up the graphics. But even the “new” character models for players are now 10 years old again.
There is often a desire to overhaul and modernize the graphics. A private server has done exactly that.
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WoW: The War Within Beta Trailer – Shadows and Fury
What kind of project is this? “Turtle WoW 2.0” is a private World of Warcraft server that shows what the game has to offer in its first trailer: More modern graphics thanks to Unreal Engine 5. Especially dark areas, such as the Deadwood or the Twilight Forest, look quite atmospheric.
The operators also make quite big promises. For example, one should be able to switch between the two graphic styles easily, the whole thing should run on Android, and they have “anti-botting systems” that make “all previous hacking and botting tools ineffective.” Big promises, for which one must certainly wait to see if this holds true at the “release” in 2025 – if it even comes to that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlzOOiJ4puk
Criticism is mainly directed at the fact that the whole project is not free from financial interests. Although you cannot directly use a cash shop – but indirectly. Because if you “donate” money to the server, you receive in return “donation points” that you can then exchange in the game, for example for mounts, big bags, or other advantages like a mobile bank. A cash shop, thought of a little sideways.
Twitch streamer Asmongold thinks it’s good, but not just pretty
This is how the community reacts: That the trailer is attracting attention is obvious. After just 2 days, the trailer has over 180,000 views.
Streamer Asmongold also reacts in one of his videos on YouTube to the trailer for this server. His opinion is quite divided. While some things – like the Darkwood (“Duskwood”) look pretty good, brighter areas are not really his thing.
A lot of it looks more like a “sidegrade.” It doesn’t look much better, but also not worse. Just a bit different. But it’s cool that they are trying this out. The coolest part so far was the Twilight Forest. The Twilight Forest was fantastic.
Is this even legal? This is disputed, and the regulations vary in many countries. Basically, the files of World of Warcraft are the intellectual property of Blizzard, and it is up to them to decide how this data is used and especially which servers are operated with it. Therefore, the operators of such private servers or sometimes “pirate servers” usually have to rely on countries where the regulations here are more lenient.
In the past, Blizzard has also increasingly taken action against such servers, usually when they have reached a certain size or attention. It is likely that this project might also face such an end sooner or later.
Nevertheless, it is of course interesting to see how World of Warcraft would look with a different engine and especially better lighting effects.
At the Pokémon GO Fest 2024, there are plenty of strong monsters that you should not miss. We have looked into which ones they are for you.
Which Pokémon are involved? At the GO Fest 2024, there are many Pokémon that you can encounter in the wild and in raids. While there are some Pokémon that can only be obtained by purchasing a ticket, the majority is available to you even if you have not purchased a ticket.
To ensure that you do not lose track of this, we have created an overview of the best Pokémon for raids and the battle league. The order here does not represent a ranking.
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Heavenly teamwork in Pokémon GO – a new season begins
Why is this monster worth it? If you are searching for strong monsters at the GO Fest, you should definitely catch Necrozma. While the normal form of the Pokémon is a very strong Psychic attacker, the other forms are even more versatile.
In its Dusk Mane form, Necrozma is also a very strong Psychic attacker and can additionally be used as a Steel attacker. This Pokémon is also among the best in the Master League.
In the Dawn Wings form, you also receive a strong Psychic attacker. Additionally, this form is even better for the Master League than the Dusk Mane form.
Where can you find this monster at the GO Fest? You will find Necrozma in Level 5 raids during the GO Fest. To transform Necrozma into one of the other two forms, you must fuse it with Lunala or Solgaleo.
Why is this monster worth it? Anego is a strong Pokémon that serves as an attacker for two types. You can play it as a Rock attacker, where it is among the strongest attackers in Pokémon GO.
At the same time, you can also play Anego as a Poison attacker, where it even leads the list of the best Pokémon of this type.
Where can you find this monster at the GO Fest? Anego lurks for you in Level 5 raids.
Why is this monster worth it? The Ultra Beast Schabelle is one of the strongest Pokémon of the Bug type. Although it does not hold up very well defensively, it is the Pokémon with the highest damage of the Bug type and even surpasses Mega-Scizor in this regard.
Where can you find this monster at the GO Fest? Schabelle can be found, challenged, and captured in the 5* raids during the GO Fest.
Why is this monster worth it? If you have Voltriant on your team, you can look forward to one of the absolute top attackers of the Electric type that can enhance any raid team. Currently, there is only one Electric Pokémon, Shadow Electivire, that can deal higher damage.
Where can you find this monster at the GO Fest? Keep an eye out for the 5* raids at the GO Fest. Here you can find Voltriant.
Why is this monster worth it? Katagami is another Ultra Beast that you can catch at the GO Fest 2024. With this Pokémon, you can look forward to the best attacker of the Grass type for raids.
Where can you find this monster at the GO Fest? Katagami waits for you, like the other Ultra Beasts, in 5* raids.
7. Kapuno
Kapuno
Why is this monster worth it? Kapuno, the little dragon from Generation 5, is also a strong monster that you can find at the GO Fest. With its final evolution, Trikephalo, you can obtain a solid attacker for the Master League.
However, it shines even more as a Dark attacker in raids. Here, Trikephalo ranks first in our ranking of the best attackers of the Dark type.
Where can you find this monster at the GO Fest? Kapuno waits for you on Saturday in the habitat Darkest Night. On Sunday, when all Pokémon from the habitats appear, you can also encounter Kapuno.
8. Hydropi
Hydropi
Why is this monster worth it? Swampert, the final evolution of Hydropi, is an absolute all-rounder. While it is usable as a Water attacker in raids and ranks among the strongest Pokémon, it can also shine in the battle league.
In the Master League, it is quite solid, even if there are better Pokémon available. Its true strength unfolds in the Great and Ultra Leagues, where it ranks among the top 20 Pokémon in both leagues.
Where can you find this monster at the GO Fest? If you want to catch Hydropi at the GO Fest, you need to search in the habitat Darkest Night on Saturday. On Sunday, you can find it everywhere.
9. Kaumalat
Kaumalat
Why is this monster worth it? If you evolve Kaumalat into its final stage, Garchomp, you get a very strong Pokémon. While it is only usable in the Master League and there are certainly better alternatives here, it shines in raid battles.
Here, it is conceivable as both a Dragon and Ground attacker. If you have enough Mega Energy for Garchomp, you can even trigger the Mega Evolution and make it even stronger.
Where can you find this monster at the GO Fest? If you are out on Saturday, you will find Kaumalat in the habitat Creeping Dusk. On Sunday, you can find it everywhere in the wild.
Why is this monster worth it? Rocara is an absolute monster in the Super League. In the ranking of the best Pokémon for the Super League, it can be found in second place. For this, you should rely on the moves Stone Edge, Rock Slide, and Moonblast.
Where can you find this monster at the GO Fest? On Saturday, you will find Rocara in the habitat Darkest Night, and on Sunday, it may encounter you everywhere in the wild.
In addition to the previously mentioned Pokémon, there are more that might be interesting for you. We have summarized which ones below.
Masskito is one of the Ultra Beasts, which is a very solid Fighting-type attacker.
Schlingking is also an Ultra Beast that is good in the Ultra League and is also solid in the Super League. It is also worth considering as a Dark attacker.
Milza can evolve into Maxax, which is among the top 10 Dragon attackers.
Teddiursa in its final evolution, Ursaluna, is a solid Pokémon for the Master League and can also be used in raids as a Ground and Normal attacker.
Skorgla itself is among the best Pokémon in the Super League, its evolution Skorgo shines in the Ultra League.
Dratini can evolve into Dragoran. With Dragoran, you get a good Dragon attacker that is solid in the Ultra League and even one of the best Pokémon in the Master League.
Lichtel‘s evolution, Skelabra, can be used in raids as both Fire and Ghost attacker.
Balgoras evolves into Monargoras. This Pokémon can be used as a Rock attacker.
What about you? Which of the Pokémon interests you the most? Which Pokémon do you definitely want to include in your team? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments and exchange ideas with other trainers. All important information about the GO Fest 2024 in Pokémon GO.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
