Developer plays his games only 5 to 10 years after the release – explains the advantage

The developer of Dishonored, Deus Ex, and Redfall admits that he has not touched the games for about 5 to 10 years after development. His approach has an advantage.

Who is the developer? The developer Harvey Smith worked on games like Dishonored, Dishonored 2, Thief: Deadly Shadows, Deus Ex, and most recently Redfall. On X.com, the video game developer regularly shares his thoughts on various topics.

To celebrate the 8th anniversary of Dishonored 2, StealthGamerBR released a video about the game and shared it on X.com. In the video, he quietly completes a mission without being caught. This prompted Smith to share the post and talk about his own gaming habits.

Here you can take another look at the developer’s last project, the vampire shooter Redfall:

Start video
Redfall – Official Launch Trailer

Developer takes distance and then returns

What did he write? The game developer wrote that he usually plays his games only 5 to 10 years after their release. This is because he plays them up and down before release, so he has had enough of them and needs a long break.

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Does this also have an advantage? Yes, the long break has an advantage for the developer. As he writes himself on X.com, he enjoys returning to the games after a long time and admiring the little areas or even a small corner that someone has taken such care of.

He describes these moments as “one of the greatest pleasures” he is allowed to experience.

How does the community react? The community honors him and especially Dishonored. Some players write on X.com that they regularly return to the game series or that Dishonored never received the admiration it deserved.

Hardly anyone mentions the unfinished and disappointing shooter Redfall, which was the last project of the game developer before the studio was shut down by Microsoft. The shooter flopped and was probably not even a passion project for the developers themselves.

According to an insider report, as many as 70 % of the employees who worked on Prey left during the development of Redfall. The Arkane Studio is not the only studio that was closed by Microsoft: Xbox closes 4 studios, fires dozens of employees – The boss explains why it had to happen

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

Pokémon GO: All Raid Hours and Legendary Bosses in June 2024 – Today with Yveltal

In June 2024, you can expect some raid hours and legendary raid bosses in Pokémon GO again. We have summarized when which monsters will appear in raids in June here on MeinMMO.

Which raids are involved? In Pokémon GO, Pokémon can be found not only in the wild, but also in raids. You can defeat these in various difficulty levels in the gyms. Afterwards, you have the chance to catch the respective raid boss and add it to your collection. The monsters from level 5 raids and mega raids are particularly interesting.

Which raid bosses you can expect in these two tiers in June 2024 and which monsters you can additionally find in special raid hours, we show you in the following overview.

Start video
Heavenly teamwork in Pokémon GO – a new season begins

Raid Hours and Bosses in June 2024

When do the raid hours take place? In Pokémon GO, a so-called raid hour takes place every Wednesday between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM local time. During this time, a specific legendary raid boss takes over a majority of the gyms and can be defeated and subsequently caught in the level 5 raid. With a bit of luck, you might even secure a shiny version (*).

Which dates you should know about in June and which monsters appear during those times can be seen in the following table:

DateRaid Boss
June 5Zapdos*
June 12Thundurus (Incarnate Form)*
June 19Yveltal*
June 26Yveltal*
Our counter guide to Yveltal

All Raid Boss Switches and Mega Raids in June 2024

Raid bosses in Pokémon GO are only available for a limited time in the raids and rotate on specified days. This switch takes place on the mentioned days at 10:00 AM local time. In which time periods you can find which raid bosses in level 5 raids and mega raids, we have summarized for you below.

Time PeriodRaid Boss
June 1 to June 10Level 5 raids with Zapdos*
Our counter guide to Zapdos
June 1 to June 10Mega raids with Mega Gyarados*
Our counter guide to Mega Gyarados
June 10 to June 19Level 5 raids with Thundurus (Incarnate Form)*
Our counter guide to Thundurus (Incarnate Form)
June 10 to June 19Mega raids with Mega Alakazam*
Our counter guide to Mega Alakazam
June 19 to June 28Level 5 raids with Yveltal*
Our counter guide to Yveltal
June 19 to June 28Mega raids with Mega Charizard Y*
Our counter guide to Mega Charizard Y
June 28 to July 8Level 5 raids with Ho-Oh*
Our counter guide to Ho-Oh
June 28 to July 8Mega raids with Mega Tyranitar*
Our counter guide to Mega Tyranitar

Which raids are particularly worthwhile? In June, you can expect raid bosses that you have previously secured in raids. Many legendary monsters like Yveltal, Thundurus, and Zapdos are making a return to the game. Together with Mega Tyranitar, Mega Charizard, Mega Alakazam, and Mega Gyarados, they are among the best attackers in Pokémon GO.

The Fire and Flying Pokémon Ho-Oh can also excel in PvP battles in the Ultra League. So, if you are missing a strong specimen, you should not miss the raids in June. In addition, you can expect further highlights in Pokémon GO in the coming weeks. Here we show you all the events in June 2024 at a glance.

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

The great MMORPG before WoW says: It is only so successful because it is hellishly difficult

Before Blizzard released its MMORPG WoW in 2004, one game dominated the genre and was endlessly played by Blizzard employees: Everquest. Even 25 years after its release, Everquest is still being played. The developers have an explanation: It is simply brutally hard.

This is Everquest:

  • Everquest is considered the game that shaped the entire “theme park” MMORPG genre, that is, MMORPGs focused on quests, raids, and bosses. The other direction, sandbox MMORPGs, was pioneered by Ultima Online back then.
  • Everquest is clearly the spiritual predecessor of World of Warcraft. Blizzard employees who created WoW, like Jeff Kaplan, were avid (and very toxic) Everquest players. Blizzard took Everquest, made it prettier, more beginner-friendly and accessible, and had enormous success with it.
  • But even 25 years after its release, Everquest is still played and receives new expansions. The 31st expansion “The Outer Brood” will be released in December 2024.

Why are old MMORPGs like Everquest still being played today?

Start video
5 old MMORPGs that are still actively played

MMORPG says: Its players want the “Dark Souls” experience

This is what the developers say: In an interview with PCGamer, design manager Adam Bell says Everquest continues to excite players today because it is so incredibly hard. While there are indeed comfort improvements, the principle remains the same:

“The fact is, Everquest 1 is a hard game. And we don’t want to make it easy because this difficulty is what our players want. Our players want a challenging game, the Dark Souls experience. If they wanted an easy game, they would go somewhere else.”

Bell says that in Everquest, you have to devise a plan even for the simplest NPC. You can’t just go up and kill him: If you don’t pay attention to your surroundings, don’t make a plan, kite an enemy instead of just tanking him, you will quickly find yourself in trouble.

Everquest demands teamwork mercilessly

How about solo play? In modern MMORPGs, you can do almost everything solo. In Everquest, this is hardly possible for many classes. While you can hire mercenaries as substitutes for players, they are deliberately not as good as real people. Mercenaries are only placeholders when you really can’t find anyone, Bell explains.

In Everquest, teamwork is a requirement. In the raids for 54 players, mercenaries are not allowed at all.

Why is this so? Bell says that just because the game is so difficult, it leads to a really great feeling when you achieve something. And it drives you to try again.

“The feeling of having accomplished something that players get when they overcome hurdles is such a fundamental part of the experience. If we dialed down the difficulty, it would take away that fun from Everquest – and in my opinion, destroy the whole game.”

The man behind Everquest, therefore, has the same perspective on his game as the head of Elden Ring: Head of FromSoftware: “If we wanted the whole world to play Elden Ring, we could make it easier”

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

One Piece: „Actors who look like their roles?“ – The Netflix series impresses with the first look at the villains of season 2

With the first season of their live-action adaptation of the anime long-runner One Piece, Netflix thrilled fans in 2023. Season 2 is set to take the Straw Hats to the desert kingdom of Alabasta. Now some of the faces that will be waiting for them there have been revealed.

Who was shown? In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the official account of the Netflix series shared a first look at 4 members of the Baroque Company on June 25, 2024. Fans of the anime and manga source material know this organization as the villains of the Alabasta saga.

The agents Mr. 3, Miss Valentine, Mr. 5, and Mr. 9, along with their respective live-action counterparts, can be seen. Here are the images.

The appearance of these characters also suggests that Season 2 will feature appearances from old acquaintances such as Princess Vivi and Mr. Crocodile. However, who will embody these important characters is still unknown.

Start video
One Piece – German Trailer for the First Season of the Live-Action Series by Netflix

Fans are excited about Mr. 3

What are the reactions? So far, the casting choice seems to be met with overwhelming positivity. In the comments on X, fans are praising the successful resemblance of the actors to their roles. In particular, David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3 is receiving multiple commendations from fans.

Especially nice: In an interview, the actor revealed how much he would love to be a part of something like One Piece. Fans are now looking forward to his appearances alongside Buggy the Clown. You can view the images and the interview snippet here:

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A few of the reactions have been summarized here for you:

  • “An absolutely PERFECT casting for Mr. 3!!” via X
  • “Wow, actors who actually look like their roles? That’s rare. That’s actually rare.” (via X)
  • “Not bad at all. The casting director is legit, ngl.” (via X)

Amid all the excitement, there is also a hint of nostalgia. The successful casting of these supporting characters apparently makes fans even more curious about who will embody their favorites in the Netflix series. Above all, Nico Robin, who is among the strongest women in the series, is eagerly anticipated by fans.

A member of the Straw Hat crew set to appear in Season 2, however, raised some concerns among fans beforehand. Dr. Kuleha is said to play an important role in the season, along with the talking reindeer Chopper. However, depicting this character could present a special challenge for the creators. One Piece on Netflix gets Season 2 and a new character is joining

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

Destiny 2: Servers Down for Patch 8.0.0.5 – All Patch Notes and Info

A new week begins in Destiny 2 and that means a new patch as well. Bungie is taking down its servers for Update 8.0.0.5, refreshing its loot shooter a bit. Here’s what you should know about the downtime.

Update, 19:40: The update is available for download and is 365.9 MB on PS5. We have added the patch notes to the post. Once you’ve downloaded the update, you can log back in. Have a nice evening!

What you need to know today: Today, Bungie will remove its waves from raids and dungeons. The developers no longer want to limit you or dictate which classes and elements you should play with. You can find out more in our quick overview: “Never understood that” – New update in Destiny 2 changes one thing for raids and dungeons, and players are happy.

Additionally, the Grandmaster version of the new raid “The Edge of Redemption” is to be released tonight. Was the raid too easy for you? Then you now have a chance for a challenge.

Maintenance on 25.06. – All times for server downtime

These times are important today: Bungie informs its players via x.com (formerly Twitter) about the exact downtimes. The servers are planned to be unreachable for 3 hours and 15 minutes.

This is what the maintenance schedule looks like:

  • At 15:00, background maintenance begins on all platforms.
  • At about 15:45, the servers will go offline. Players will be automatically kicked from the game.
  • At 19:00, the shooter is expected to be back online, and you can log in again.
  • The maintenance will continue in the background until 21:00.
What to consider during downtimes: As long as the background maintenance is ongoing, there may be connection issues in the game. Additionally, there may occasionally be queues during login because Bungie gradually grants access to the servers to avoid issues due to high server load. Therefore, you may have to wait longer to get back into the game.

Also, note that third-party applications and the official companion app may also not be accessible correctly for a while, so you may not be able to use them.

What changes with the new update in Episode: Echoes

The following issues are known: There are also many problems in The Final Shape that players are complaining about. Bungie has some of them on their radar, but it is not known which of them will be fixed (via bungie.net). However, the following bugs could be addressed:

  • PC players who have 3D audio enabled cannot hear any sound
  • The pop-up “Leaving for The Final Shape” has the wrong key art
  • When prismatically enhanced hunters activate their new ultimate while gliding, they fall
  • The hunter aspect that increases your blades of flame ultimate does not work
  • The description of the arc staff ultimate for hunters does not mention a blinding effect after a three-combo or slam attack

Patch notes for the update on 25.06. in Destiny 2

What is in the patch notes? A complete overview of all fixed issues and improvements will only be available this evening or afternoon after the update has gone live.

We will update our article and provide you with the link to the patch notes. It is possible that the patch notes will be changed or corrected by Bungie afterwards.

These are currently all the details about today’s update. If there are any unforeseen changes, we will keep you updated, of course. So feel free to check back. Until then, we recommend this article about Destiny 2 on MeinMMO: Destiny 2: “The best thing I’ve ever done” – Player shares his method for farming exotic class items

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

Diablo 4: ‘I don’t want to play Season 4 anymore’ – Preview of the next season makes players eager for more

On this day, June 25, 2024, the test servers for Season 5 of Diablo 4 go live. Players will have the opportunity to try out upcoming content for a week and provide feedback to the developers. Some can hardly wait for the start, while others seem skeptical.

What is known about Season 5? Season 5 will officially begin in Diablo 4 in August, but the servers for the PTR, the Public Test Realm, are set to go live today, June 25, 2024, at 7:00 PM for one week. You can find everything about the PTR here.

In advance, Wowhead has provided a first look at the upcoming content through datamining, which may differ from the previously known patch notes. The changes have made their way to the Subreddit for Diablo 4, where fans of the ARPG are actively discussing them.

Start video
Trailer for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred provides insight into the story of the expansion

Balancing adjustments, new aspects, and 14 new uniques

What can you expect in Season 5? According to the information from Wowhead, there will be a number of adjustments to the skills of the different classes, alongside changes to existing aspects and affixes in the game.

Players are particularly looking forward to the 14 new uniques that are set to be introduced in Diablo 5. Each class will receive 2 of these powerful items, with 5 additional items that can be used by all classes.

Bye-bye, Bash-Boys

In a thread by Reddit user clayclws, the upcoming content of Season 5 is discussed. The thread creator himself wistfully explains: “Man, I don’t even want to play Season 4 anymore… it’s a shame I’m on PS5 and can’t join the PTR.”

However, not everyone seems to expect the upcoming changes with the same enthusiasm. Which group you belong to may depend on which builds you prefer to play:

  • Past_Lingonberry_633 bids farewell: “Goodbye, Bash-boys and Flay-boys”
  • insan3ity, however, is optimistic: “Something else will rise and take its place. Barb will still be at the top.”
  • EmiliuzDK is already heralding a new era: “So it’s Spin-to-Win season”

Reddit user Kunaak laments that one class seems to benefit particularly well from the changes: “If you’re a Barb, life is good; if you’re any other class… it’s… not great.” However, Reddit user Freeloader_ counters: That’s exactly what the PTR is for, so just send feedback.

For fans of the long-neglected Druids, the changes could be a glimmer of hope. Reddit user WashombiShwimp states: “With these minor changes for Druids, I’m now very convinced there will be a class rework for the expansion.”

Whether the planned changes will make it into the game will also depend on player feedback. Some criticisms could certainly still be resolved.

If you, too, can hardly wait until August for Season 5 in Diablo 4 to finally launch, we have an overview of all the known information about the upcoming season for you, including the theme, new features, and tips and builds: Diablo 4 Season 5: Start, Changes and PTR

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

„You will never find such a loving woman again“ – Knossi announces engagement in front of 11,000 viewers on Twitch

The Twitch streamer Knossi surprisingly announced his engagement to his partner Lia in front of 11,000 viewers. In his stream, he reveals the reasons why he had not made this public before.

How did the announcement come about? Unlike what one might assume, the announcement of Knossi’s engagement to his partner was not planned. On 24.06.2024, he streamed again on his Twitch channel after weeks.

This was not one of his regular streams, but an IRL stream at the World Changer Event, a charity event. He is known for attracting a lot of attention even for events that are not his own, he is said to have even saved Big Brother.

During an exchange between him and his partner, he then informed his fans that he had received a yes from his girlfriend Lia in front of 11,000 viewers (via Sullygnome).

What was particularly surprising for many viewers was that they had already been engaged for quite some time and that Knossi had deliberately said nothing about it before.

Start video
From the Witness Stand with Barbara Salesch to the King of Twitch – Career and Life of Knossi

You don’t have to shout everything from the rooftops

Why did Knossi hold back the news? After Knossi reported that he and his partner Lia are engaged, he also addressed why they hadn’t talked about it until now.

The main reason for Knossi was that he did not want to shout everything from the rooftops right away and that, from his perspective, not everything needs to be told immediately. In his stream, he felt it was the right moment to share the news with the world.

The decision to make the happy news public right now seemed to be made by the streamer quite spontaneously. He told his surprised fiancée: “You look like the sun today – dazzling. And I know that I will never find a woman who loves me so much in my life again.”

You can watch the sweet moment here:

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What motivated Knossi to make it public after all? Although it seems that Knossi chose to announce his engagement quite spontaneously and on a whim, as a clip on YouTube shows, there appears to be another reason.

He reports that some attentive viewers had already noticed the ring on Lia’s hand and that some had already started asking questions.

Lastly, he jokingly says that he is now also interested in having more children.

Especially among large influencers and streamers, viewers quickly get details from their private lives. Last year, the Twitch streamer Trymacs also proposed to his partner after 7 vs. Wild. What this is all about, you can read here: “You have plenty of time to think”: Twitch streamer Trymacs makes an important life decision after 7 vs. Wild

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

Palworld is so similar to Pokémon that many smelled a lawsuit from Nintendo – developer explains how the situation is 6 months after release

In January 2024, Palworld entered Early Access. Quickly, parallels to Nintendo’s Pokémon were drawn. Six months ago, the company planned to consider a lawsuit. Now, a Palworld developer has given an update.

Why would Nintendo want to sue Palworld? Palworld is a survival game where you can build and catch cute creatures called Pals. These look very similar in design to Nintendo’s well-known Pokémon. Additionally, Pal Spheres, which look much like Nintendo’s Pokéballs, are needed for catching.

On social media, Pal designs have also been frequently compared to Pokémon. This post was published on reddit, among others.

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Nintendo is also known as a company that quickly resorts to lawsuits as a means of action. Here are a few examples:

Nintendo sued an emulator for Switch games. They also took legal action against an artist who was crowdfunding for hand-painted guides. They even had a YouTuber who discovered a secret Zelda game take down the respective video. Another YouTuber had 28 videos with 55 million views banned by Nintendo as of April 2023.

Due to the high similarity between Palworld and Pokémon, many feel that the thought of a copyright lawsuit is not far-fetched. In fact, Nintendo released a statement on this matter in January 2024:

More on the topic
Palworld: Pokémon Company publishes statement – This is how they proceed with the Steam hit
von Max Handwerk

6 months later – And now?

What does the developer say? In an interview with Game File, the Lead Creator of Palworld, Takuro Mizobe, spoke about the game. Among other things, the discussion involved whether Nintendo had contacted the Palworld developer Pocket Pair in the meantime.

In fact, Mizobe says: [We have] heard nothing at all. Nintendo and the Pokémon Company have not said anything to us.

Nintendo had originally announced that they would consider a lawsuit. Even now, about six months after the release of Palworld, according to the developer, nothing has happened in that regard – contrary to many expectations.

Start video
In Palworld, you can explore a new island with the Sakurajima update

What did the situation look like in January? Even around the release of the game, the topic was heavily discussed. Pokémon fans were angry because Palworld had stolen their designs.

A mod was also relatively quickly released on Nexusmods, which turned the Pals into their Pokémon equivalents. An announcement video was swiftly taken down by Nintendo on YouTube and TikTok. Nexusmods also removed it from their site and stated that they did not wish to host any Pokémon mods for the game.

More on the topic
Palworld is in Early Access, and there is already a Pokémon mod: Nintendo banned the teaser and now also the full video
von Sophia Weiss

Of course, it is still possible that Nintendo will sue Pocket Pair. Palworld is still live, and it may take longer for Nintendo’s lawyers to review the lawsuit. MeinMMO asked for an expert opinion on this topic from lawyer Christian Solmecke. How he assesses the situation can be read here: Could Nintendo successfully sue the Steam hit Palword? – We ask a lawyer

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Source(s):
  1. Game File
  2. Gamespot

Dead by Daylight grabs Tomb Raider: Lara Croft becomes Survivor

The next survivor from Dead by Daylight will be Lara Croft. The famous archaeologist travels to the world of the Entity – and must fight for her life.

Although Dead by Daylight is now entering its ninth year, the horror game is still doing extremely well. The player numbers on Steam remain stable and new content for the next year has already been announced. Additionally, they have secured more and more strong licenses, like recently Dungeons & Dragons – and now also Tomb Raider.

Lara Croft will be the next survivor in Dead by Daylight.

The trailer for the latest killer:

Start video
Dead by Daylight: Dungeons & Dragons brings the wicked lich Vecna

Who is Lara Croft? Lara Croft is the protagonist of the famous “Tomb Raider” series. As an archaeologist and adventurer, she travels to remote locations and discovers forgotten civilizations and temples full of deadly traps.

Since there are often supernatural elements involved, such as when ancient gods are angered, Lara is likely well-acquainted with such creatures, allowing her at least some time to survive in the world of the Entity.

Dead by Daylight Tomb Raider

What can Lara Croft do? Like all survivors, Lara Croft comes with three standalone perks that are initially exclusive to her but can later be unlocked for other survivors. Her perks are:

  • Finesse: This perk is activated while you are healthy. You perform quick jumps over windows and pallets 20% faster. Afterwards, the perk has a cooldown of 40 / 35 / 30 seconds.
  • Hardened: After opening a chest or blessing or cleansing a totem, this perk activates. If you would scream, instead reveal the killer’s aura for 3 / 4 / 5 seconds.
  • Specialist: Each time you open or search a chest, gain 1 badge, up to a maximum of 3. When you make a great skill check on a generator, consume all badges. Each consumed badge reduces the maximum required progress of this generator by 2 / 3 / 4 (exact values still unknown).

When can you play as Lara Croft? Lara Croft will be available as DLC starting July 16 and can then be used in the game. However, she will also be playable on the PTB (“Test Server”) of Dead by Daylight in advance, allowing players to take a first look at her perks and appearance in the game.

Since this chapter is only a survivor chapter, it only includes Lara – there is no new killer. However, the latest killer Vecna is still relatively new, and many are just getting used to facing off against this powerful wizard.

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

Elden Ring: Many players find the DLC too difficult, so the publisher now offers a tip

The biggest criticism of the new DLC of Elden Ring is currently the high difficulty level of the bosses. Publisher Namco Bandai has commented on it – with a simple tip, albeit sounding somewhat sarcastic.

What is the problem? The DLC Shadow of the Erdtree is currently facing criticism from players who find the expansion simply too difficult. Reviews on Steam complain, for instance, that developer FromSoftware has gone overboard this time.

The bosses have extremely large health bars, unleash long combos that allow little room for counters, and generally, all final bosses now seem to need to be on the level of a Malenia from the main game.

Lead developer Hidetaka Miyazaki has already commented on the difficulty of his game, stating that it is essential for Elden Ring. It might be the secret to FromSoftware’s success, and they want to stick to that.

Publisher Namco Bandai has now also spoken up with a tip. However, the message comes off as a bit sarcastic.

Start video
Elden Ring DLC: Collecting Scadubaum Fragments – Here’s Why They’re Important and How to Get Them

The difficulty can be changed

What does Namco Bandai say? The publisher of Elden Ring has entered the discussion on X. However, the short message does not directly address the criticism but instead recommends a simple tip:

Collect the Scadubaum fragments and level up your character with them.

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This is probably not the suggestion frustrated players were hoping for. Because they should have already made use of the new feature. Scadubaum fragments were only introduced with Shadow of the Erdtree.

You can find them at Miquella’s crosses, after defeating Golden Hippopotamuses, and at certain often secret locations in the game world. At the graces, you can exchange the fragments, which will increase your attack and defense values. This will noticeably make the game easier. On MeinMMO, you will find a dedicated guide with locations for them.

How do the players react? The publisher’s tip is anything but revolutionary, and the players know that. They find it particularly noteworthy that Namco Bandai is very aware that their game is a few levels too hard for some users and still only suggests the Scadubaum fragments as a solution.

Under the X post, users write the following:

  • “When the publisher lets you know that you’re bad,” comments @TarnishedEgg.
  • “The best advice comes directly from the source,” replies @TheOnlySalmon with a hint of sarcasm.
  • “This is the publisher’s way of telling us tarnished that we are noobs,” interprets @0xTracian.

The actual tip is fundamentally not much to criticize. With the Scadubaum fragments, you can indeed make your life easier. Whether that eases the criticism of many players is questionable. Currently, the opinions of the press and players diverge significantly – you can read some reasons for this on MeinMMO.

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

Is Zapplardin worth it at the Community Day in Pokémon GO?

Zapplardin is the star of the Community Day in July 2024 for Pokémon GO. Is the monster worth it? Let’s take a look.

When is the Community Day? The Community Day with Zapplardin starts on July 21, 2024, and runs from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. That’s a Sunday.

What’s happening? As usual for the Community Day, the event Pokémon will appear all over the game. You can catch Zapplardin endlessly and secure candies for its evolutions Zapplalek and Zapplarang.

Additionally, the following bonuses will apply:

  • Significantly increased shiny chance for Zapplardin
  • Exclusive move for Zapplarang: Volt Switch
  • Four times hatching speed for eggs during the event
  • Double candies when catching
  • Twice the chance of XL candies when catching if you are at least level 31
  • Lures and incense last for three hours
  • Snapshot surprises
  • When trading, you will receive an additional special trade per day and pay only 50% of the stardust for each trade

From 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, there will also be Level 4 raids featuring Zapplalek. If you defeat them, you’ll receive additional Zapplardin spawns with an increased shiny chance around the gym for 30 minutes.

But what kind of Pokémon is this? Let’s take a look here.

Start video
Heavenly teamwork in Pokémon GO – a new season begins

Is Zapplardin worth it during the Community Day in July 2024?

What does shiny Zapplardin look like? For collectors, the line could be very interesting, as there is a good opportunity to get Zapplardin and its evolutions as shiny. This is generally not easy to obtain and looks really good:

Zapplardin Zapplalek Zapplarang Shiny
Zapplardin, Zapplalek, and Zapplarang as shiny

What kind of Pokémon is this? Zapplardin is a small fish but does not belong to the water type; it belongs to the electric type. This also applies to its evolutions Zapplalek and Zapplarang.

According to the Pokédex, Zapplardin is known for being able to generate small amounts of electricity for defense. Therefore, it often swims in schools to fend off stronger enemies. It is still somewhat harmless, but its evolution Zapplalek is known as a predator that attacks with electricity and paralyzes its prey to then devour it.

Zapplarang then looks like a figure from a horror movie: the electric eel has developed arms, crawls ashore, and drags its prey into the sea to disable it with electricity. Sounds pretty mean – does that translate into Pokémon GO?

How strong is Zapplarang? In terms of battles, Zapplarang is currently the most interesting of the three monsters. When used as a raid attacker, it is a somewhat decent electric attacker. However, there are stronger alternatives in the list of the best attackers in Pokémon GO.

In the battle league, it currently fills more of a niche role, as there are generally better options here as well. However, Zapplarang has a quite broad moveset that can surprise the opponent. Additionally, it should be noted that Volt Switch would potentially represent a significant improvement for Zapplarang in the battle league.

But there’s still some time until the Community Day. First, we have the last dates of the current month: Here you can find all events in June 2024 in Pokémon GO. And the July dates should also be announced soon, as the month change is approaching. Since the global GO Fest is also taking place in July, it will be an interesting month. We will keep you updated as always!

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

House of the Dragon: An actor is so good in his role that he is hated in real life

In movies and series, there are roles that are written to be hated. However, some viewers often struggle to separate the role from the actor. This is now happening to an actor from House of the Dragon, who has to limit his Instagram comments.

What happened? In House of the Dragon, Fabien Frankel plays Sir Criston Cole. A character who, after the current episode, is receiving hate from the fandom. However, this affects not only the character but also the actor on social media.

As Culture Crave posts on X, Frankel had to limit his Instagram comments. In the comments, the actor is attacked for the actions of his role. This ranges from I hate you, Criston to people hoping he would be attacked.

If you now look at Criston’s Instagram account, the comments are limited. Especially with controversial roles, you can often assume that a wave of hate will follow, as MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski describes here: The actress playing Abby for the “The Last of Us” series is confirmed and I’m already worried about her

Start video
House of the Dragon – English trailer for the prequel series to „Game of Thrones“

He’s not an isolated case

In the comments on the tweet by Culture Crave, many do not understand how one cannot separate the roles from the actor.

  • @Stop_Hammerzeit: Do these people also believe that the Death Star is real when watching Star Wars?
  • @ExeAlebs: Why do fans do this? They are just actors.
  • @dinmurdock: I would take it as a compliment if I acted so well that people held me responsible for my character’s actions.

For most, the separation between actor and role seems self-evident, but the current case is not an isolated one. Especially due to social media, such things can escalate.

An example in this case would also be Kelly Marie Tran, who was subjected to a large wave of hate for her role as Rose in Star Wars: Episode 8, as she recounts in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. She also mentions that John Boyega and Daisy Ridley experienced similar treatment in Episode 7.

It is noticeable that this often happens with large franchises where people are very emotional. You can see this with Game of Thrones and Star Wars. But similar phenomena can also be observed in series like 13 Reasons Why or Baby Reindeer. Another well-known actor was hated for his role in an animated film: Why the internet hates the idea of Chris Pratt now voicing Mario

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

Diablo 4: Season 5 starts today on the PTR – All about content and how to participate

Season 5 of Diablo 4 begins in August, but you can already test it on the PTR now. MeinMMO reveals what you need to do and what content is available to you.

When does Season 5 start?

  • Season 5 starts shortly after the end of Season 4 on August 6, 2024, probably around 7 PM German time. You can find all the info about Season 5 of Diablo 4 here.
  • However, the PTR for Season 5 will be launched today, June 25. You can test the new content and provide feedback until July 2.
  • The servers will probably go online around 7 PM. You can already start the download now, and you should do so because you need to download a whopping 100 GB.

How to test Season 5 on the PTR: To play on the PTR (“Public Test Realm”), you need to own Diablo 4 on PC. The test only works through the Battle.net PC client.

Start the client and navigate to Diablo 4. There you will find a dropdown menu below the “Play” button on the bottom left. Select “Public Test Realm (PTR)” here and install the game in your desired location.

You will need 98.80 GB of free storage space and an additional 1 GB for each additional language you want to install. If you still have the PTR from Season 4 installed, you only need an update. You can find the most important info about the PTR in the Blizzard blog post in English. We have summarized the contents for the test below for you.

Season 5 will be the last season before the expansion. Here you can read all the info about Vessel of Hatred, and you can see the intro in the video:

Start video
Trailer for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred provides insight into the story of the expansion

Diablo 4 Season 5: Content and Changes – What can I test?

The main content of the test and of Season 5 will be the new Roguelite mode “Infernal Compass”. You will find Hell Compasses by defeating endgame bosses, completing Hell Waves, Nightmare Dungeons, and Whispers.

The compasses have up to 8 levels, indicating increasing difficulty. However, you can only use them in advanced gameplay or endgame:

  • The weakest compasses (Tier 1) are available from World Tier 3
  • You can use Tier 2 from World Tier 4 – from here there are bonus affixes for more crafting materials and increased drop rates
  • Once you reach level 100, Tier 3 becomes available, everything above that needs to be enhanced with Abyssal Scrolls that you can find

In the activity itself, you will defeat waves of enemies (“Infernal Hordes”). After each wave, you can choose from up to 3 buffs and curses that strengthen you for the run and make the passage more challenging. You will receive Burning Ether for the battles.

If you defeat a boss at the end of the run, you can use the Ether to open loot chests. The final battle consists of 3 out of 5 different bosses with unique abilities. These “Fallen Priests” get stronger the more health they lose.

In addition to the “Infernal Compass”, there is already a new quest line on the PTR that starts after the base campaign like in every season. Visit Hawezar at World Tier 3. The quest line is closely tied to the compass. Additionally, the season brings:

For Season 5, all classes will be readjusted, and there will be buffs for everyone – with some nerfs. Here you can find the full patch notes for Season 5 and the PTR.

To test, you can already create or boost a level 100 equipped character so that you don’t have to level up for the new content. The corresponding NPC is located in Zarbinzet. You can provide feedback in the official forum or via a tool in the game.

Blizzard is testing a new feature that will display map markers as HUD for you. While this is not quite the requested map overlay, as you know it from earlier Diablo games, it is a first step in that direction. It’s very possible that a complete overlay will be available with the first expansion if the feedback from the PTR is accordingly. The chances are good: Blizzard is currently making a lot of fans happy, fulfilling even more wishes with Vessel of Hatred

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

The Boys: The biggest Homelander twist will probably never be seen on Amazon

The Amazon series based on The Boys is based on a comic. While many of the characters appear in the series, they differ greatly from the comics. Also, the big twist at the end will likely never appear in the series. The creator of the series, Eric Kripke, is not a fan of the plot twist.

Attention Spoiler: The following article spoils the ending of The Boys comics. Those who wanted to read this should come back later.

What happens at the end of the comics in The Boys? Throughout the course of the comics, Homelander becomes increasingly brutal. He seems to send himself images of his actions, as it appears he does not remember many of them.

At the peak of his madness, he tries to storm the White House with an army of superheroes and kills the president in the process. But Butcher’s crew can kill the army and also stop Homelander.

However, it turns out that it was not Homelander who did the terrible things, but Black Noir, who is a clone of Homelander created to stop him when he goes insane. Therefore, the images were sent to him by Noir.

Noir then kills Homelander and Butcher later kills Noir. Eric Kripke, the author of the TV series, does not think much of this ending and does not want to use it for the series.

Fans of The Boys should also check this out: Those waiting for Season 4 of The Boys should check out this anime on Netflix

Start video
The Boys Official Trailer Season 1

Kripke has never been a fan of the twist

What does Kripke say about the comic twist? In an interview with Variety, the author talked about the differences from the comics and why he changes many things. He is also asked about Black Noir and whether he was interested in the comic story.

Kripke directly says that he was not interested at all. But he finds the concept that the villain is not the real villain uninteresting. He wants to portray Homelander as the villain and does not want to work with clones.

If I follow this villain, I want that guy to be the villain. So I have never really been fond of the idea of the clone.

Eric Kripke on the Homelander twist in the comics (Source: Variety)

Additionally, he feels that the topic of cloning is too magical for the show. While there are superheroes, the rest of the show tries to be as down-to-earth as possible.

What does Kripke like about the comics? When asked which aspects he likes from the comics that he wanted to highlight more in the series, it was the relationship between Frenchie and Kimiko. He particularly praises the chemistry between the two actors. In particular, the performance of Karen Fukuhara, who delivers a great performance without proper dialogues.

The TV series is significantly more critical of society than the comics. A major point is the critique of commercialization, in this case of superheroes. To utilize this for marketing, Amazon often also does advertising in the real world. Recently, you could ask Homelander questions: Homelander from The Boys answers questions on Reddit and it is just as absurd as you expect

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

Elden Ring DLC: Find the Ruins of Unte – Here’s how to get the Sword of Darkness or the Sword of Light

If you find the ruins of Unte in the DLC of Elden Ring, you can get two really cool weapons from it. We will show you how to find the Sword of Darkness or the Sword of Light.

Which weapons are involved? Two of the new weapons from the DLC are called “Sword of Light” and “Sword of Darkness.” Both are straight swords that scale with Strength, Dexterity, and Faith.

Their talents are called “Light” and “Darkness,” and they inflict damage on enemies in a visually impressive way when used. However, you cannot use both weapons at the same time, but only one at a time – at least without NG+.

This has to do with the fact that both swords are crafted from another: the Stone-Wrapped Sword. Only if you play the DLC again in an NG+ run can you obtain a second one and then wield both at the same time. We will show you how to get it and where to find the two variants of Light and Darkness. For this, you must first visit the ruins of Unte.

[toc]

Start video
Elden Ring introduces the boss enemies of the DLC

Finding the Ruins of Unte

What is needed for preparation? Before you set off, you should have the “Manual (2) of the Great Ruler” with you. You can find it by riding from the Site of Grace “Three-Way Crossroad” and turning left at the Great Bridge of Ellac. Ride down under the bridge and find the manual in a wooden hut called the “run-down rest area.”

Make at least one “Heavy Oven Pot” with it. You will need it shortly.

How do you get to the ruins? The Stone-Wrapped Sword, from which the other two weapons are made, can be found in the ruins of Unte. To get there, start from the Site of Grace “Place at Main Gate” in the Shadow Keep, after you have opened the shortcut on the right side. Walk up the ramp and then turn right.

An alternative route leads from the “Warehouse, Ground Floor” back through the elevator you took to get there. Once you reach the bottom, keep to the left.

In both cases, you will see a ladder on the left side leading down. Climb down it and step left through the waterfall. Also use the next ladder and follow the corridors until you reach an open coffin. Use it, and you will be washed further down.

You will now land in an area below the Shadow Keep and find the grace “Water Station of the Castle” just after leaving the building. Ahead of you lies an open, shallow body of water, and to the left, you can already see the ruins of Unte.

Waking the Oven Golem

However, before the entrance lies an oven golem that appears to be dead. He blocks your way. Go to the balcony in front of the entrance and throw a “Heavy Oven Pot” into the golem’s chalice. In this case, you do not have to defeat the guy, but if you still want to, we have a guide for it on MeinMMO.

The golem will now awaken and clear the blocked entrance. Take the opportunity and ride through. At the back right in the ruins, there is an altar, and below it is the sought-after Stone-Wrapped Sword.

What to do next? In order to craft either the Sword of Light or the Sword of Darkness from the Stone-Wrapped Sword, you need to visit two more altars. We will show you the way.

Finding the Second Altar

Where is the second altar located? Head to the ruins of Rauh, which you will find when you leave the Shadow Keep on the western side. Ride to the Site of Grace “Ancient Ruins of Rauh, West.”

From there, cross the tunnels. In a clearing where several strong enemies gather, keep to the left and ride through the next tunnel. At the end, you will again see a tower behind a destroyed bridge.

However, you can ride or walk over this bridge, the path is just invisible. Just go straight toward the altar for which you are here. You can interact with it and transform the Stone-Wrapped Sword into the Sword of Light.

If that isn’t enough and you want the weapon in the Darkness variant, you need to visit a third altar.

Finding the Third Altar

How do you reach the third altar? For this, start from the Site of Grace “Front of the Castle” and ride west to a foggy area. There you will find the entrance to the Mistwater Catacombs. Go down with the elevator, where you will find a grace.

Here you will find the Mistwater Catacombs.

Continue and watch out for the falling traps. If you reach a point where there is a second of these traps and you can drop down a level, do it and immediately roll back into the safe tunnel. The next time the trap rises, run back the other way through.

Another elevator takes you even deeper. Follow the normal path here. A third large room with a nasty trap full of spikes awaits you. At the end of the room, there is also a sniper. You must reach him and preferably kill him. Wait from his position until the trap thunders down to the floor again.

You will then see a niche that you can effectively step into the trap. This will turn it into an elevator and take you up. Get out and wait for the trap to go down again. When it rises next time, you can jump on its roof. Run over it and drop down to the right side to the sought altar.

The same applies here as before: you can transform your weapon, in this case, it will become the Sword of Darkness.

Upgrading and Switching Weapons

How are the two weapons improved? Both swords are leveled up with Darksmithing stones, just like you are used to. If you still don’t know which of the two swords you prefer, that’s no problem.

You can upgrade one of the two and then switch to the other. The upgrades will carry over. If you want to switch, go to one of the altars, the easiest way to do this is at the ruins of Unte.

Thus, you will obtain two cool new weapons from the Elden Ring DLC. Have you already tried them? What do you think of them? Or which are your favorites? Feel free to let us know in the comments. For more guides on Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree please check our overview.

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

The public-service television is cancelling its only reasonable gaming show – Too niche

The ZDF special channel for young people, ZDFneo, will discontinue the format “Game Two” in the summer of 2025. In Game Two, a team from Rocketbeans accompanies the current gaming events weekly.

What the Rocketbeans say: At the Rocketbeans, who have been producing Game Two for ZDFneo since 2023, there are two pieces of news:

  • The good news is that Game Two has been extended until summer 2025. There will be one show per week until then.
  • But in the summer of 2025, ZDFneo will not continue the show.
  • How things will continue with Game Two is unclear.

Game Two has critically addressed the development of the flop “Gollum”, which single-handedly sank one of the most important German gaming studios:

Start video
The Lord of the Ring: Gollum – Sneak Peek Trailer

Gaming may generate €261 billion in revenue, but it is “not broad enough” for ZDFneo

Why is Game Two coming to an end? Game Two switched from Funk to ZDFneo in April 2023, but it also comes to an end here after two years.

ZDFneo states that it plans to expand its fiction offerings “for young people” and show offerings with a broader thematic scope.

This likely means: There is no longer any space for the niche topic “gaming” even at ZDFneo.

This is somewhat bizarre, considering that the global video game market is expected to generate approximately €261 billion in revenue and is generally seen as an important entertainment product that stands on an equal footing with films and music.

What is Game Two? Game Two is the only offering in German free TV that deals with the gaming market. It caused a stir, for example, in October 2023 with a documentary about Gollum: This was supposed to be the first AAA game from a Hamburg studio, but sealed its end.

The weekly episodes of Game Two summarize the most important topics in gaming from the week in a news format, primarily introduce new games, and evaluate them.

On YouTube, there are also lively panel formats in which editors explain which game that everyone likes they personally find stupid.

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The Rocketbeans say: The creators say they regret the decision but are grateful to ZDFneo.

They believe in the product. After all, it has been running for 20 years – Game Two started in 2006 as Game One.

What lies behind it: This is likely ultimately an acknowledgment from the public broadcasters that they can no longer reach young viewers on linear television and see no chance of competing in the niche area of “gaming” against YouTube and Twitch.

Repeats of “Death in Paradise” are probably the better choice.

Whether “young viewers” really enjoy series that the ZDF produces with a modest budget is questionable, despite all love for creative solutions. Competing for the attention of young viewers with “Blockbustaz”, a comedy with Eko Fresh, or the plague drama “Sløborn” against House of Dragons and The Boys is just difficult.

Apart from Game Two, there is hardly any gaming on German television. Occasionally, gaming influencers are highlighted in documentary formats by ARD. In February 2024, for example, there was a documentary about AnniTheDuck that, admittedly, has aged poorly: “Here comes The Brain” – ARD documentary about up-and-coming shows a German Twitch streamer

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

New MMORPG is a mix of WoW and League of Legends – Starts a test with a new PvP area in July

The MMORPG Corepunk had to end its second alpha test early at the beginning of June. Next month, the alpha testing is supposed to enter its third round.

Corepunk is an MMORPG that is still in development and is currently undergoing some alpha tests. At the beginning of June 2024, the developers announced that they had to end the second alpha test early due to technical reasons.

Start video
Corepunk – 15 Minutes Gameplay

The “top-down MMORPG” offers you an open world and visually resembles, as well as handles like League of Legends. However, Corepunk is supposed to be a classic MMORPG, which is said to resemble the difficulty of WoW Classic, according to the developers.

  • There are 6 different classes with a total of 18 specializations
  • Dungeons and raids that are said to be comparable to the highest difficulty in WoW
  • PvE content in an open world that offers a limited field of view due to fog
  • Focus is on interacting with other players to receive new recipes, for example
  • PvP content, such as 1v1 and 2v2 deathmatch arenas and leaderboards, is said to exist in certain areas

When does the next alpha test start? After the second alpha test had to be canceled early recently, the developers have now announced the start of the third alpha test through the official website. It is set to run from July 1 to July 7, 2024.

What should the third alpha offer? With the official announcement, the developers also revealed that they were able to collect a lot of information and work on problematic areas from the last test. In addition to technical improvements and changes, there are also supposed to be a few new contents available for testing.

More interactions with other players

Among other things, players can now trade items crafted among each other. For the developers, it is an important point to enable players to trade among themselves. With this test, they hope to gather the necessary information to establish the system after the release. However, gold cannot be traded with other players.

In addition to two new PvE areas, a path area is also supposed to be tested in the third alpha. The area is called “The Battleground of the King” and in their announcement, the developers briefly explain what it is about.

Killing another player in this area grants you so-called “Honor Points.” There is also the possibility that slain players drop artifacts, weapons, runes, or other items that were collected in this area.

In the open world, new NPCs with new personalities and stories are waiting for testers. Additionally, 150 quests have been added, divided into two main quests and side quests. We have summarized which multiplayer games are still set to release this year in a list for you: New MMOs and multiplayer games 2024: The big release list

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

Minecraft: A Redstone Marvel Causes the Leadership to Change on Reddit

The leadership of the Minecraft subreddit has to go. The reason is a post about a Redstone construct that a moderator didn’t like.

The Minecraft subreddit is worth a daily visit for many. Whether you admire the interesting achievements of players, seek inspiration for your own builds, or engage in lively discussions about what mobs Minecraft still needs – it’s a place where the community comes together. At the same time, it is one of the most peaceful subreddits, with a very pleasant discussion culture.

But this subreddit has now exchanged its leadership after a post overflowed the cup.

The story of the man behind Minecraft, Notch, can be seen here:

Start video
The Story of Notch – The Man Who Invented Minecraft

What kind of post is this? The post that triggered the response comes from “CraftyMasterman.” He is already considered a living legend in the Minecraft subreddit because he creates incredibly complex Redstone mechanisms that take many months to complete. His latest project: He fully recreated the game “Geometry Dash” in Minecraft as a gigantic Redstone structure.

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He spent a full 6 months on the project, and the result is impressive. You can play a variety of levels and modes and even use a level editor.

As if that weren’t impressive enough, CraftyMasterman also did without texture packs, mods, command line commands, and resource packs. It’s all pure “handwork” – and it makes it all the more amazing that he only took half a year to do it.

This post was deleted by a moderator without providing concrete reasons.

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What was the problem with the post? This is not entirely clear in retrospect. The post was originally locked by a moderator and classified as “advertisement.” However, CraftyMasterman did not receive an explanation for why the post was deleted.

This led to quite an uproar in the Minecraft community and lengthy discussions among the moderation team, which ultimately took action.

What was decided? The “guilty” moderator who deleted the post was also the leader of the moderator team in Minecraft and had been for a long time. The rest of the team has now asked him to resign and leave the team. He has complied with this request.

Therefore, the Minecraft subreddit is now “under new management,” according to the mods. They will review and revise existing rules, but the restructuring will take some time. The corresponding post has now been restored.

The Minecraft subreddit is one of the largest gaming subreddits. With more than 7.4 million members, hundreds of posts and many thousands of comments are made every day, many of which require moderation and review. Thus, it also happens that a player sets a pretty crazy record.

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

Final Fantasy XIV is now giving you the best-selling shop item – here’s how to get it for free

The early access launch of Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail on June 28 is just around the corner. Now there are the preliminary details. Among other things, Square Enix is gifting you the best-selling real-money shop item at the start of the expansion. So you can get it for free.

What is the best-selling shop item? The real-money shop of the MMORPG is the Final Fantasy XIV Online Store, formerly known as the Moogle Station. Here you can find additional items like transmog or glamour armor, old seasonal rewards, mounts, and emotes.

According to the shop, the best-selling item is 1 bottle of Fantasia for 7 euros. The potion allows you to completely redesign your character in the game. So not just hair and makeup, but everything like race, gender, and size.

Start video
Final Fantasy XIV: Launch trailer for Dawntrail prepares for the adventure in Tural

Your new Final Fantasy XIV look for the graphic update

Why is it being given away? With the new expansion, Final Fantasy XIV is getting a major graphic update. As part of this, the character models will also be adjusted.

With the first version of the Dawntrail benchmark, players could get a first look at the update. However, some changes sparked fierce backlash because characters suddenly looked very different, fangs were shortened, and one race suddenly had a dolphin-like dental structure:

More on the topic
A race in Final Fantasy 14 has an ugly jaw – The developers are making it worse
von Jasmin Beverungen

Ultimately, there was a new, updated benchmark. To provide players with an easy way to make adjustments, the developers are now giving away their bestseller.

How can you get the item for free? You will receive the bottle of Fantasia starting from the launch of Dawntrail via the side quest The miracle cure. Those who pre-order the expansion can play the quest starting June 28. All others will likely have to wait for the official launch on July 2.

Here’s what you still need to consider:

  • Requirements: Class or job level 1
  • Starting location: Ul’dah: Thal’s Passage – X: 13.4; Y: 9.2
  • NPC: Mysterious Apothecary
  • Main quest The Band of the Dawn must be completed

Once you complete the quest, you will receive the item.

Dawntrail is coming – Here’s what’s included

What else is in the patch notes? The preliminary version of the patch notes for 7.0 provides a first in-depth look at the upcoming new content for Final Fantasy XIV. Here are the highlights in brief:

  • Starting quest information for the main story and the new classes Piktomat and Viper
  • Hide function for players around quest NPCs
  • Female Hrothgar as a new playable race
  • New maximum level 100
  • New screenshots of the main story, player hubs, and new regions
  • New items
  • Accessories like glasses, which will get a new armor slot

You can read the full preliminary patch notes on the community site, the Lodestone.

Is there a feature in Dawntrail that you are specifically looking forward to? Feel free to let us know in the comments. MyMMO author Fabienne Kissel recently fulfilled a major in-game dream and is entering the new expansion re-energized. However, not everything went as it should have: I have been committing an MMORPG sin for years, and now karma has punished me cruelly

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

The MMORPG Black Desert celebrates 10 years with the community – I was there and spoke with the boss

The developers of Pearl Abyss invited to the Heidel Ball of Black Desert Online on June 22, 2024. The small town of Beynac-et-Cazenac, France was chosen for the community event, which served as inspiration for the in-game city of Heidel. MeinMMO editor Jasmin Beverungen summarizes the most important new features and reports on her interview with BDO head Lybee Park.

If the release of the open beta is included, the MMORPG Black Desert Online celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. For this round birthday, there was a gigantic event for the community where numerous innovations were presented.

Some of these new features are:

  • The Dosa will be the 28th class. He fights with a sword and a pipe.
  • With “The Land of Morning Light: Seoul” there will be a new region that includes additional quests.
  • Upon completing the story of the new area, the palace administration will be unlocked. Through this feature, you can access rare materials.
  • There are the new Ruler’s Pre-class weapons and summer outfits.

Additionally, there were other announcements that caused excitement among the fans. We summarize what innovations players can expect in Black Desert Online.

Dosa and Seoul are the Highlights of the Event

The Land of Morning Light will be expanded with the Seoul area. The land is inspired by folklore from the Korean Joseon Dynasty, which is also evident in the new area. The heart of Seoul is the famous Gyeongbokgung Palace, which can still be found in today’s real city. The new area looks breathtakingly beautiful and reminds one of a peaceful autumn walk in Korea.

The new area is expected to include eight new Legend Journals. However, this time it’s not about a collection of fairy tales, but rather incidents that occurred at the royal court. In the eight stories, eight new bosses will appear, including Uturi, a crow with a slingshot, and Jigwi, a burning monster.

Black Desert Land of the Morning Light_Seoul_1
The new area looks simply stunning.

Pearl Abyss revealed that there will be more than 6,000 lines of fully voiced dialogues and over 40 cutscenes in Seoul. At the end of the story, the palace administration system will also be unlocked, allowing players to obtain rare resources.

The 28th class of Black Desert will be released on July 3, 2024.

The Dosa fights with both a Hwando and a long pipe. He can use shadow energy or light energy to summon archers and spear fighters. Alternatively, he can call upon powerful cloud commanders.

The smoke from the long pipe can be used to obscure the opponent’s vision. This allows him to approach unnoticed and attack the opponents.

Unfortunately, we were not able to try out the Dosa at the event itself. However, the trailer already shows that playing with the Dosa will be incredibly fun:

Start video
Black Desert: New Class ‘Dosa’ in Trailer

Great Cheers for a Mystical Figure

The Dark Shrine has been remodeled and now allows players to defeat bosses in 5-player teams. The co-op mode includes all eight bosses from the Legend Journals as well as two hidden bosses. One of the new bosses is the Boy in Blue.

In the co-op boss battles, players can choose one of three buffs:

  • Sun: Applies CC effects to the boss in certain situations
  • Moon: Increases the maximum number of respawns in the group
  • Earth: Summons a certain number of healing orbs

This makes each boss run different, and players can decide how to proceed depending on the situation.

There was huge applause at the announcement of the Ruler’s Pre-class weapons.

Their design was inspired by a Korean creature from mythology that resembles our phoenix. The new weapon is expected to arrive sometime in the fall and will become the highest-ranked weapon in the game. There are 3 methods to craft the weapons:

  • PEN(V) Blackstar Weapon + Primitive Fire
  • 2 PEN(V) Blackstar Weapons
  • PEN(V) Blackstar Weapon + Boss Weapon (Caphras Level 20) + Dawn Gem

The weapons have their own enhancement system with ten levels. At certain levels, there are visual effects such as a yellow glow around the weapon. After the presentation with all the new features, MeinMMO had the chance to speak with Pearl Abyss CEO Lybee Park.

CEO is Extremely Grateful to the Fans

In a conversation with Lybee Park, I could tell how much the fans of Black Desert Online mean to her and how happy she was to meet them in person. Park did not expect the love for BDO from the West.

That’s why she is so happy to give something back to the fans. This includes:

  • Community events like the Heidel Ball
  • GMs and CMs who are always online and supporting players
  • She is especially proud of the weekly maintenance

The feedback from the fans makes her emotional. You could tell how much Park values the fans. Even at the community event Heidel Ball, it was clear how much respect the Black Desert Online team has for its fans: There were mini-games with a stamp hunt, a festive dinner, an orchestra in the local church, and numerous raffles.

To get an impression of the community event, you can see some event pictures here:

Pearl Abyss started as a small company that did not see other established MMORPGs as competition. This was not only good for mental health but also for their own standards. Thus, BDO was able to develop into something unique.

Message to All Young MMORPG Newcomers

Park also revealed what advice she would give to players who have not yet played Black Desert Online. After all, the game is ten years old, but that should not deter newcomers:

10 years may feel old, but it also shows that the game has been supported by so many adventurers for such a long time. When something is popular for so long, that is reason enough to try it out. We have optimized the game for over ten years.

Lybee Park, CEO of Pearl Abyss

Furthermore, every player has the freedom to do what they want:

It can be overwhelming at first because there are so many elements you can do. You don’t have to follow the main quest, you don’t have to be a good PVP player, sometimes I just chop trees for five hours to relax. No one is forced to do anything; you can just chat with others. Players should not feel pressured.

Lybee Park, CEO of Pearl Abyss

A particularly great feature of Black Desert Online is the character editor. To this day, there is no editor in MMORPGs that can match this level of detail. Park herself needs three days to optimize her character to her satisfaction. Therefore, future games from Pearl Abyss will feature a character editor that will surpass this one even further.

Another point that could overwhelm new players is the 28 classes in the game, including the Dosa. Players should be able to choose what they want, according to Park. The classes should differ from each other, but balancing should not be disrupted.

By the way, her favorite class is the Gardia because she is a strong and independent woman, which is also evident in her appearance. Since she was responsible for the design, the Gardia feels like her own daughter.

Not only Lybee Park, but also the team at MeinMMO believes that the MMORPG rightly deserves its popularity. Black Desert is among the five best MMORPGs that players can play in 2024 according to the MeinMMO editorial team: The 5 best MMORPGs on PS4, PS5 and Xbox that you can play in 2024

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